ã€ŠOverlord (LN)ã€‹


 Chapter 1

    Overlord Volume 1 Prologue & Chapter 1

    Prologue

    The knight in full te armor stood before the girl and her little sister, his sword raised high.

    His de gleamed in the sun, and he poised himself, ready to end their lives in a single merciful stroke.

    The girl squeezed her eyes tightly shut and bit her lower lip. She had never asked for this. She had been forced into her present circumstances. If only she had some strength, she might have resisted the enemy in front of her and fled.

    However ¡ª the girl did not have that strength.

    Thus, there could only be one oue to this situation.

    That would be the girl¡¯s death, at this very ce.

    The longsword fell¡ª

    ¡ªand yet there was no pain.

    The girl gingerly opened the eyes which had been squeezed shut.

    The first thing she saw was the suddenly motionless longsword.

    Then, she saw the sword¡¯s owner.

    The knight in front of her was frozen in ce, his eyes looking somewhere off to the girl¡¯s side. Hispletely defenseless posture clearly disyed the fear that filled him.

    As though drawn by the knight¡¯s gaze, the girl could not help but turn and look in the same direction as him.

    And so ¡ª the girl gazed upon despair.

    What she saw was darkness.

    It was an infinitesimally thin, yet unfathomably deep ckness. It was a half-oval of obsidian that seemed to protrude from the earth. It was a mysterious sight that filled the ones watching it with a powerful sense of unease.

    Was it a door?

    The girl could not help but think so after she saw whaty before her.

    As her heart lurched, the girl¡¯s conjecture was confirmed.

    Something seemed to being out of that shadowy passage.

    And in the moment that it resolved itself in her eyes¡ª

    ¡°Hiiiiiiii!¡±

    ¡ªa deafening shriek came from the girl.

    It was an opponent which humanity could not ovee.

    Twin points of crimson light burned brightly within the empty eye sockets of a bleached skull. Those two points of light coldly scanned the girl and the others present, like a predator sizing up its prey. Within its fleshless hands it grasped a magic staff that seemed divine in nature, yet inspired dread in equal measure. It was like a crystallization of all the beauty in the world.

    It wore an intricately detailed ck robe, and it resembled nothing so much as an incarnation of death, born from the darkness of another world.

    In an instant, the air seemed to freeze.

    It was as though time itself had stood still in the wake of a Supreme Being¡¯s advent.

    The girl forgot to breathe, as if the sight had stolen her soul away.

    Then, in this silent realm, the girl began choking, and gasped for air.

    This avatar of death must have manifested itself in order to guide her to thend of the dead. It was only natural to think so. But then, the girl who thought this way suddenly realized that something was wrong. That was because the knight who had been nning to kill her from behind was nowpletely still.

    ¡°Gaaah...¡±

    A cry that sounded like a wail crept into her ears.

    From whose mouth had that sounde? It felt like it could havee from hers, or that of her little sister, shivering in fright, or from the mouth of the knight that had been about to kill her.

    A skeletal hand slowly extended itself ¡ª its fingers spreading as though reaching for something, and they moved past the girl, toward the knight behind her.

    She wanted to look away from it, but fear kept her gaze in ce. She had the feeling that if she averted her eyes, she would see a far more horrible sight instead.

    ¡°¡¸Grasp Heart¡¹.¡±

    The incarnation of death clenched its fist, and the girl heard the sound of crunching metal from behind her.

    Though she was afraid to take her eyes away from the figure of death, curiosity got the better of her and the girl wrenched her eyes away, whereupon saw the body of the knight. He was sprawled motionless on the ground, like a puppet whose strings had been cut.

    He was dead.

    There was no doubt that he was dead.

    The danger that had almost imed the girl was no more. But this was no cause for celebration. The death that stalked her had merely taken a more concrete shape.

    That death drew close to the girl, who watched it with terrified eyes.

    The darkness in her field of vision grew everrger.

    It¡¯s going to swallow me up.

    As the girl thought this, she clutched her sister tightly to herself.

    The notion of escape no longer existed within the girl¡¯s head.

    If her opponent were human, she might be able to cling to some faint hope and struggle desperately for her life. But the being before her shattered that hope like spun ss.

    Please, at least let me die without pain.

    That was all the girl could hope for.

    Her shuddering sister hugged her tightly. All she could do was apologize for her weakness, for being unable to protect her sister¡¯s life. She prayed that her sister would not be lonely as they went on to the afterlife, because they would be travelling there together.

    And then¡ª

    The End and the Beginning

    Part 1

    In the year 2138 AD there was a term: DMMO-RPG.

    That word was an acronym for ¡°Dive Massively Multiyer Online Role ying Game¡±.

    These games were yed by connecting a dedicated console to the brain via a neuronal nano-interface ¡ª an intracerebral nanputerwork, created from the fusion of cyber- and nanotechnology.

    These were games that allowed one to enter a virtual world and experience it as though it were real life.

    And among the myriad DMMO-RPGs that thronged the market, one of them stood head and shoulders above the others:

    YGGDRASIL.

    This game had been painstakingly developed and released twelve years ago, in 2126.

    Compared to other DMMO-RPGs of the time, YGGDRASIL¡¯s selling point was ¡°yer freedom¡±.

    It had over two thousand basic and advanced job sses.

    Every ss had a maximum of fifteen levels, and so in order to reach the overall level cap of one hundred, one would need to take at least seven different sses. However, yers could take as many sses as they wanted as long as they met each ss¡¯s prerequisites. A yer could even take a hundred sses at level one each, although that was very inefficient. As such, in this system, it was virtually impossible to make identical characters unless one was deliberately trying to do so.

    In addition, one could use various creator tools (sold separately) to fully customize one¡¯s armor, weaponry, vor text, appearance, and other cosmetic settings.

    A vast ying field awaited its yers. There were nine worlds in total: Asgard, Alfheim, Vanaheim, Nidavellir, Midgard, Jotunheim, Niflheim, Helheim, and Muspelheim.

    It boasted a massive world, numerous sses, and freely customizable appearances.

    These features ignited the creative spirits of its Japanese yers, and sparked what wouldter be known as a stylistic revolution. So popr was it that whenever the word ¡°DMMO-RPG¡± was mentioned in Japan, listeners would immediately think of YGGDRASIL.

    ¡ªStill, all these were things of the past now.

    ? ? ?

    A gigantic table carved of gleaming ck stone sat in the center of the room, surrounded by forty one luxurious chairs.

    However, most of those seats were empty.

    Once, every single ce had been filled, but now only two were upied.

    One of the seated people was clothed in a magnificent ck academic robe, edged in violet and gold. The cor seemed excessively gaudy, but somehow it fit the overall design.

    However, the exposed head was a bare skull. Points of dark red light glowed in itsrge eye sockets, and behind that skull glowed a halo of ck radiance.

    The being in the other seat was not human either, merely a mass of a ck, sticky substance. Its tar-like surface roiled and writhed continuously, never staying in the same shape for more than a second.

    The former was an Overlord ¡ª the highest-ranked of those magic casters who had be undead in order to learn the most potent spells. Thetter was an Elder ck Ooze, which boasted the most powerful corrosive ability of the slime families.

    One might encounter these monsters in the most difficult dungeons. Overlords could use powerful spells of the highest tiers of magic, while Elder ck Oozes were dreaded for their ability to degrade weapons and armor.

    However, they were not game monsters, but yers.

    In YGGDRASIL, yers could choose their character races from three broad groups; humanoid, demihuman and heteromorphic.

    Humanoids were the basic yer type andprised humans, dwarves, wood elves, and the like. Demihumans tended to be ugly, but possessed superior attributes to humanoids. Examples of demihumans were goblins, beastmen, ogres, and so on. Finally, heteromorphic races had monstrous abilities, but despite their stats being generally higher than those of other races, they also possessed various drawbacks. There were around seven hundred yable races in total, including the advanced versions of these races.

    Naturally, the Overlord and Elder ck Ooze were among the high-tier heteromorphic races that were yable.

    The Overlord ¡ª who was speaking at the moment ¡ª did not move his mouth. That was because even the most advanced DMMO-RPGs of the time still could not ovee the technological hurdle of properly modelling the changes on a character¡¯s face in response to emotions and speech.

    ¡°It¡¯s really been a while, Herohero-san. Although this is thest day of YGGDRASIL, I didn¡¯t expect you to show up.¡±

    ¡°Indeed it has, Momonga-san.¡±

    The two of them spoke with the voices of grown men, butpared to the voice of the former, thetter¡¯s wordscked force, or perhaps it could be said that theycked energy.

    ¡°You stoppeding online after you changed your job IRL, so how long has it been... about two years?¡±

    ¡°Ah ¡ª seems about right ¡ª wah, it¡¯s been so long... this is bad. I¡¯ve been doing so much overtime recently that my sense of time is starting to go weird.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s really bad, right? Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°My body? Well, it¡¯s a mess. I haven¡¯t had to see a doctor yet, but I¡¯m almost there, it¡¯s really bad. A lot of times, I feel like I want to run away from it all, but then I think about how I need money to live and then I go back to work like a whipped ve.¡±

    ¡°Uwah¡ª¡±

    The Overlord ¡ª Momonga ¡ª lowered his head in an ¡°I can¡¯t take it¡± gesture.

    ¡°That¡¯s terrible.¡±

    As though following up on Momonga¡¯sment, Herohero delivered a grim monologue, his wordsced with an unimaginable reality.

    The two of them griped loudly about the foolishness they encountered in their working lives.

    Subordinates who did not know how to report,municate, and discuss things, spreadsheets that changed by the day, scoldings by their superiors for not meeting various KPIs, workingte every day until they could not go home, gaining weight because of their irregr lifestyles, and the increasing amounts of medicine they had to take every day.

    Herohero¡¯s grievances burst forth like a broken dam, and Momonga lent his ear to him.

    A lot of people were averse to discussing reality in a virtual world. It was fairly normal for people to not want to talk about their offline lives in a game.

    However, this was not so for the two of them.

    The guild they belonged to ¡ª a group that was founded and managed by yers. Ainz Ooal Gown ¡ª had two conditions that each of its members had to fulfill. The first was that everyone had to be a working member of society. The other was that they had to y heteromorphic characters.

    Because of these rules, the topics they discussed often revolved around their jobs in the real world. Any member of the guild would field these questions and, as such, the conversation between the two could be considered standard fare for the guild.

    After about ten minutes, the torrent of words that flowed from Herohero dwindled to a trickle.

    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry for making you listen to my whining. I can¡¯tin much IRL.¡±

    The ce corresponding to Herohero¡¯s head seemed to sway, as though he were bowing in apology. Thus, Momonga replied:

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Herohero-san. I made youe online despite you being busy, so listening to yourints is only expected. I¡¯ll hear you out, no matter how many you have.¡±

    Herohero seemed to have recovered some of his old energy, and with a somewhat more energeticugh, he replied:

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m grateful for that, Momonga-san. I¡¯m d I could meet a friend after signing on.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m very happy to hear you say that too.¡±

    ¡°...Although it¡¯s about time for me to log off.¡±

    Herohero¡¯s tentacle waggled in mid-air, as though he were operating something. Indeed, he was operating a menu.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, it is getting prettyte...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about this, Momonga-san.¡±

    Momonga sighed gently, as though he didn¡¯t want Herohero to sense the regret in his heart.

    ¡°Well, if it¡¯s like that, then it¡¯s a shame... time flies so fast when you¡¯re having fun.¡±

    ¡°I really did want to stay with you to the end, but I¡¯m about to fall asleep.¡±

    ¡°Ah ¡ª well, you do sound pretty tired. Then, you should log out soon and have a good rest.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry... Momonga-san. Although, how long do you n to stay, Guild Leader?¡±

    ¡°I intended to stay on until I was automatically logged out once the servers shut down. Since it¡¯s still a ways off, maybe someone mighte by in the meantime.¡±

    ¡°Is that so... still, I really didn¡¯t expect this ce to be so well preserved.¡±

    At this moment, Momonga was grateful that he had no way to show his expressions. If he did, Herohero would probably have seen his face twist up. Even then, his voice would betray how he truly felt, so Momonga kept quiet, in order to suppress the feelings surging up within him.

    He had worked hard to maintain the guild precisely because he had built it up along with everyone else, but hearing words like these from one of his guild members sparked a mix ofplicated emotions in his heart. However, these feelings dispersed like mist as Herohero continued.

    ¡°Momonga-san, you must have kept the guild going as its leader so we coulde back to it at any time. Thank you very much.¡±

    ¡°...It was a guild built by everyone, so it¡¯s my job as guildmaster to keep things going so that the members cane back at any time.¡±

    ¡°Yes. We had fun with the game because you were our guildmaster, Momonga-san... I hope that when we meet again, it¡¯ll be in YGGDRASIL II.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard anything about a second game... but like you said, I¡¯d be d if we could meet like that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to it! I¡¯m having trouble staying awake... I think I¡¯ll log off first. I¡¯m d I could meet you in the end. Goodnight.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Momonga wanted to say something, but he hesitated for a moment, and then he spoke:

    ¡°I was very happy to meet you too. Goodnight.¡±

    A smiley appeared near Herohero¡¯s head. Since characters in YGGDRASIL could not express emotions through their facial expressions, they used emoticons instead.

    Momonga worked his control interface, and produced a simr smiley.

    Herohero¡¯sst words were, ¡°Let¡¯s meet up again somewhere.¡±

    ¡ªAnd so, thest of the three guild members toe online tonight vanished.

    Silence descended once more ¡ª it was as though nobody had ever been here in the first ce. Nothing was left behind.

    Momonga looked at the ce where Herohero had been sitting, and he muttered the words he wanted to say.

    ¡°Today¡¯s thest day of the game, I know you¡¯re tired, but we¡¯ll never have a chance like this again, why don¡¯t we stay together until the end¡ª¡±

    Of course, there was no response, because Herohero had already returned to reality.

    ¡°Haahh.¡±

    Momonga¡¯s sigh came from the bottom of his heart.

    In the end, it was better that it had remained unsaid.

    During their brief exchange, he could already tell how tired Herohero was from the sound of his voice. Still, despite his fatigue, Herohero had still responded to the e-mail he had sent, and logged on for thest day of YGGDRASIL before it closed down. He should have been grateful enough for that. Asking him to stay on would not just have been a matter of being thick-skinned, but actively causing him trouble.

    Momonga stared at the seat Herohero had upied until just now, and then turned to look at the other thirty nine seats. Those were the ces where his oldrades had once sat. After going a circle around the table, Momonga returned his eyes to Herohero¡¯s ce.

    ¡°Let¡¯s meet up again somewhere... huh.¡±

    Let¡¯s meet up again somewhere.

    See you again.

    He had heard these words several times before, but they had nevere true.

    Nobody had ever returned to YGGDRASIL.

    ¡°When and where will we meet again¡ª¡±

    Momonga¡¯s shoulders shook violently, and the words he could no longer hold back exploded forth:

    ¡°¡ªAre you kidding me!?¡±

    He pounded the table as he shouted.

    The YGGDRASIL system registered this action as an attack, and began theplex calctions of Momonga¡¯s barehanded attack strength against the table¡¯s defensive strength to determine the final total of damage inflicted. In the end, the area Momonga had struck emitted a simple [0].

    ¡°This is the Great Tomb of Nazarick that we built together! How could you abandon it just like that!?¡±

    After he shouted the words in his heart, the only thing left in there was emptiness.

    ¡°...No, that¡¯s not right. They didn¡¯t abandon it lightly; they simply made the choice between reality and fantasy. It couldn¡¯t be helped. Nobody would betray the guild. Everyone who made that decision must have found it painful...¡±

    Momonga muttered like he was trying to convince himself, and then he stood up. He walked toward the wall, where an borately decorated magic staff was kept.

    ¡ªSeven serpents twined around the body of the staff, which resembled the kerykeion carried by Hermes Trismegistus. The serpents¡¯ mouths gaped open in agony, and each mouth held a gem of a different color. The grip was exquisitely carved out of crystal and glowed with blue light.

    Anyone would be able to recognize this staff as a supremely high-quality item, and it was a Guild Weapon that was unique to this guild. One could call it the symbol of Ainz Ooal Gown.

    This staff, which should have been a treasure held by the guildmaster, was instead kept in this room as a decoration.

    That was because there was nothing else which represented the guild quite like this.

    Guild weapons were typically kept hidden away in safe ces and not used for their tremendous powers because a guild would be disbanded if its associated guild weapon was destroyed. Even Ainz Ooal Gown, a guild which existed at the peak of YGGDRASIL, was no exception to this.

    This was the reason why the weapon had been kept here, and Momonga had never touched it, despite the fact that it had been tailor-made toplement his abilities.

    Momonga extended a hand to the staff, but stopped halfway. This was because at this moment ¡ª in thest few minutes before YGGDRASIL shut down for good, he realised that soon the glorious memories he had made with hisrades would be lost forever, like tears in rain. The confusion he felt over this made him hesitate as he struggled toe to a decision.

    ? ? ?

    Everyone had adventured every day, with the sole purpose of assembling the guild weapon.

    Back then, they had held contests to see who could collect more raw materials more quickly, and there had been many disputes over the appearance of weapon. But slowly, after everyone¡¯s opinions were gathered, the weapon gradually took shape.

    That period of time had been the prime of Ainz Ooal Gown, when all his glorious memories had been made.

    People had dragged themselves online after a gruelling day at work, others had argued with their wives because they yed until they neglected their families, and some evenughed and said they had taken special leave to stay home from work and log on to the game.

    There were times when they had spent entire days doing nothing but talking about silly things for amusement. There were times when they would draw up ns for adventures, and times when they went looking for treasure. They had also mounted raids on enemy guilds¡¯ home bases andid siege to their strongholds. Once, they had been attacked by a World ss Enemy ¡ª an immensely powerful, hidden boss monster ¡ª and the guild had nearly been destroyed as a result. They had also discovered many previously unknown resources, and they had ced all sorts of monsters in their guild base in order to eliminate invading yers.

    However, nine of them were left as of today.

    Of the forty one members of the guild, thirty seven of them had quit. The other three were still registered as members of the guild, but Momonga had already lost count of the number of days since they hadste here.

    Momonga opened a system console and connected to the developer¡¯s website to inspect the official guild rankings. Right now there were just under eight hundred guilds in YGGDRASIL. In the past, they had ranked as high as the ninth ce, but now ¡ª as of thest day of the game ¡ª they were in the twenty-ninth ce. At their lowest, they had fallen to forty-eighth ce.

    The reason why their ranking had not fallen even further was not because of Momonga¡¯s efforts, but because of the items left behind by his formerrades.

    One could call this a hollow shell of a guild a relic of past glories.

    ¡ªThis was the incarnation of those days.

    This was the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown.

    ? ? ?

    He did not want to let this weapon and its memories of their golden days stay here to be a painful reminder of the past. Yet, contrary thoughts wormed their way through Momonga¡¯s heart.

    Ainz Ooal Gown had always decided things by use of a majority vote. Momonga might have been the guildmaster, but his job was mainlymunicating with people and doing other minor tasks.

    Because of that, now that there were no other guild members present, for the first time, Momonga thought to exercise his powers as the guild¡¯s leader.

    ¡°This is a pretty sad state of affairs.¡±

    Momonga muttered to himself as he operated his yer console. He intended to equip himself in the gear that best suited the leader of a top tier guild.

    YGGDRASIL¡¯s equipment was ssified ording to how much data each item possessed. Items with more data were ranked higher. From the lowest to the highest rank, they were low ss, middle ss, high ss, top ss, legacy ss, relic ss, legendary ss and, what Momonga was currently selecting, divine ss.

    On his ten bony fingers he wore nine rings, each with a different ability. Then there was the matter of his ne, his gloves, his cape, his shirt, and his circlet, all of which were divine ss items as well. If they had a price, it would be a jaw-dropping one.

    The flowing robe which covered his torso was grander than the one he had worn earlier.

    A red and ck aura rose slowly from beneath his feet, and at a nce it seemed extremely ominous. This aura was not the result of any skill Momonga activated. It was simply because there had been extra room in the robe¡¯s data capacity, so the special effects data for a

    ¡¸Disaster Aura¡¹had been added into it. Touching that aura would not cause any harm.

    In the corner of Momonga¡¯s vision, he could see various indicators which showed his stats increasing.

    After changing out his gear, the fully-equipped Momonga nodded, satisfied that he looked the part of the guild¡¯s leader. Then, he reached out and grasped the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown.

    As Momonga grasped the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown, it radiated a nimbus of reddish-ck light. Tormented faces asionally coalesced out of the roiling light, and then they crumbled and vanished again. They looked so realistic one could almost imagine them wailing in agony.

    ¡°...I wonder if they went overboard with the details.¡±

    The staff that had been made but never used had finally found its way into its rightful owner¡¯s hands, in the twilight hours of YGGDRASIL.

    Momonga rejoiced as he saw his parameters rising rapidly, but at the same time he felt sad.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, symbol of the guild. Or no ¡ª my symbol of the guild.¡±

    Part 2

    Momonga left what was known as the Round Table Room.

    Guild members had a ring reserved for their use. Anyone who wore that ring would automatically appear in this ce when they logged into the game, barring special circumstances. If any guild members returned, they would do so in this room. However, Momonga knew that the other members of the guild would not being back here. In thest few minutes of the game, the only yer who remained in the gigantic Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick was Momonga himself.

    Momonga suppressed the emotions that were rising like a tide, and walked through the halls.

    This ce was like a castle built of baster, a magnificent world suffused with a regal atmosphere.

    If one raised their head to look to the ceiling, they would see crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling at fixed intervals, radiating a warm light.

    The broad hallways had brilliantly polished stone floors, which reflected the light from the chandeliers in a way that made it seem like twinkling stars were embedded in its surface.

    If a visitor opened the doors on both sides of him, his attention would be captivated by the decadent furnishings within.

    A third party observing this scene would probably be staring in awe.

    The much-hated Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick had once been attacked by thergest invading force ever assembled in the game¡¯s history. Eight guilds banded together with their allies to bring a force of over fifteen hundred yers, mercenaries, and NPCs to bear on Nazarick, but in the end, they had been miserably defeated. That legendary dungeon was now reduced to this.

    ? ? ?

    The Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick had once been a six floor dungeon, but it had been dramatically altered after Ainz Ooal Gown took control of it.

    Currently, it was a ten floor dungeon, and each floor had its own unique theme.

    The First to Third Floors were modelled after a tomb. The Fourth Floor was an undergroundke. The Fifth Floor was a frozen cier. The Sixth Floor was a rainforest. The Seventh Floor was a sea of magma. The Eighth Floor was a wastnd. And the Ninth and Tenth Floors were the realm of the gods ¡ª in other words, the home base of Ainz Ooal Gown, which had ranked among the top ten of YGGDRASIL¡¯s thousands of guilds.

    ? ? ?

    The sound of Momonga¡¯s footsteps and the tapping of his staff rang through this holy sanctuary. After turning several corners in these vast hallways, Momonga saw a woman in the distance, heading in his direction.

    She was a sensual beauty, whose lush, golden hair grazed her shoulders.

    She was dressed in a long, elegant maid¡¯s outfit, with arge apron.

    She was roughly one hundred seventy centimeters tall, with a slender build. Her ample bosom looked like it would burst out of her bodice at any time. Her overall appearance was attractive and gave the impression of being graceful and kind.

    As the two slowly approached each other, the maid darted to the side of the hallways and bowed deeply to Momonga.

    In return, Momonga raised his hand in acknowledgement.

    The maid¡¯s expression remained as it was, and she kept the same smile on her face from just now. In YGGDRASIL, facial expressions did not change, but this girl was slightly different from yer characters with their unchanging expressions.

    This maid was a Non-yer Character. She was not controlled by the game, but by a set of AI routines. Simply put, she was a mobile doll. Even if her design was incredibly realistic, her bow was nothing more than a programmed action.

    Momonga¡¯s acknowledgement of her bow was nothing more than a foolish gesture, because she was nothing more than a doll. However, Momonga had reasons for not treating her coldly.

    There were forty one maid NPCs in the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, each with their own unique design.

    Their creator was a mangaka who had broken into the industry with his maid illustrations, and who was currently serialized in a monthly magazine.

    Momonga studied the maid carefully. Apart from her looks, he also scrutinized her uniform.

    The intricacy of the design, especially the fine embroidery that speckled her apron, was enough to make people gasp in awe.

    Their design had been exceptionally detailed because of the deration, ¡°Maid uniforms are their secret weapons!¡± Momonga couldn¡¯t help but feel nostalgic as he remembered theints from the other guild members who had helped with the design.

    ¡°Ah... that¡¯s right. I think it was from then that he started saying that ¡®Maid uniforms are justice!¡¯ Come to think of it, I think the manga he¡¯s drawing now has a maid as a main character. Do his assistants cry when he goes overboard on the designs? Ah, Whitebrim-san.¡±

    The maids¡¯ AI routines had been programmed by Herohero-san and five others.

    In other words, this maid was the personification of his past friends¡¯ hard work. He could not simply ignore her without feeling bad about it. After all, this maid was also a part of the glorious history of Ainz Ooal Gown.

    Just as Momonga was contemting these matters, the maid raised her head, as though she had spotted something, and tilted her head in surprise.

    The maids would do this if anyone lingered around them for longer than a certain period of time.

    As Momonga searched through his memories, he could not help but be impressed by Herohero¡¯s borate programming. There should have been other hidden poses programmed into them as well. Momonga wanted to see them all, but time was very tight.

    Momonga nced at the translucent watch on his left wrist and checked the time.

    As he thought, there was no time for him to spend waffling around.

    ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡±

    Momonga walked past the maid after that painful farewell. As he passed the maid, there was no response, but that was only to be expected. Still, even if she did not reply to him, Momonga still felt that it had to be said, because it was thest day of YGGDRASIL.

    Momonga continued forward, leaving the maid behind.

    After a while, a gigantic staircase appeared before Momonga¡¯s eyes. It was wide enough that over ten people could walk down it side by side, arms outstretched, with no problems. A luxurious red carpety on the steps. Momonga slowly descended the stairs, until he reached the lowest floor ¡ª the Tenth Floor of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.

    The ce where he had arrived was arge receiving room, with several figures within.

    The first to enter Momonga¡¯s line of sight was a distinguished old gentleman in a butler¡¯s outfit.

    His hair was pure white, even the beard and moustache near his mouth. However, the old man¡¯s back was ramrod-straight, like a sword forged of steel. His face was deeply wrinkled and gave onlookers the impression that he was a kind and gentle person, but his keen eyes were like those of an eagle sizing up its prey.

    There were six maids standing behind the butler. However, these maids were different from the one Momonga had met earlier, in looks and equipment.

    The maids wore gauntlets and greaves of gold, silver, ck, and other colored metals. Their armor was designed to look like the outfits of maids in manga. They did not wear helmets, but instead white headdresses. In addition, every girl was armed with a different weapon. They were the very picture of battle maids.

    Their hairstyles were also varied; they wore their hair in buns, ponytails, long and straight, French curls, and so on. The one thing they had inmon was that every single one of them was attractive. The exact way in which they were attractive also varied within them; one was sporty and athletic, one resembled a demure Japanese maiden, one of them had a seductive allure, and so on.

    These girls were NPCs, but they were distinctly different from the other maids, who had simply been designed for entertainment. Their purpose was to defend against invaders.

    ? ? ?

    In a game like YGGDRASIL, guilds enjoyed several benefits if they possessed a guild base of castle tier or higher.

    One of these was NPCs for base defense.

    The NPCs that the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick could field were undead monsters. These automatically spawning NPCs ¡ª or ¡°pop monsters¡± ¡ª had a maximum level of thirty. Even if they were destroyed, after a while they would respawn on their own, at no cost to the guild.

    However, yers could not customize the AI and appearances of these ¡°pop¡± NPCs.

    As such, they were hardly useful in deterring intruders, who were universally yers.

    There was also another type of NPC; the ones designed from the ground up to their makers¡¯ satisfaction. If a guild possessed a castle-grade guild base, the owning guild would be allowed seven hundred levels to be distributed between any number of NPCs they wanted.

    Because the highest level in YGGDRASIL was one hundred, by those stiptions, a guild could make five level one hundred NPCs and four level fifty NPCs, or anybination thereof.

    When designing an original NPC, one could customize weaponry and other equipment in addition to clothing and appearances. As a result, one could create NPCs that were far stronger than the automatic spawns and ce them in key locations.

    Of course, not every NPC had to be designed for battle. A certain guild which called themselves the ¡°Kitty Kingdom¡± fielded no NPCs other than cats or cat-rted creatures.

    In this way, each guild could freely determine their unique style.

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Umu.¡±

    Momonga ced his thumb on his chin, and looked at the butler and maids who were bowing to him. Momonga typically used teleportation magic to move through the various rooms, so he had not had many chances toe this way. Looking at the staff filled him with nostalgia.

    He reached his hand out and touched an invisible menu, opening a page that only guild members could see. Then, he selected an option from several choices. As he did so, the names of the butlers and maids appeared over their heads.

    ¡°I see. So that¡¯s what they were called.¡±

    Momongaughed softly, at himself for forgetting their names, and also because of the fond memories they brought up in him. There had been quite a few arguments between his colleagues when they had chosen names for the NPCs.

    The butler ¡ª Sebas¡¯s ¡ª design was that of a house steward.

    The six maids beside him werebat maids loyal to Sebas. Together, they were called the ¡°Pleiades.¡± In addition to these maids, Sebas was also in charge of the Tomb¡¯s manservants.

    The text box for Sebas contained more detailed information, but Momonga did not feel like reading it. The servers would shut down soon and he had to be somewhere before then.

    As an aside, all the NPCs apart from the maids were also very well fleshed-out. This was because the guild members were all fans ofplex backstories and details. Many of the guild members were artists and programmers, and a game like this which emphasised the customization of appearances ¡ª allowing them to indulge their desire to create and design ¡ª was a godsend to them.

    Originally, Sebas and thebat maids were intended to be ast line of defense against invaders. However, if enemy yers could prate this deeply into the tomb, they would be able to handily defeat Sebas and the maids, so they were little more than speedbumps to buy time. However, no yer had ever made it this far, so they had been waiting here for orders.

    Without orders, all they could do was wait for a chance to be of use.

    Momonga tightened his grip on the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown.

    He knew it was foolish to feel pity for NPCs. They were nothing more than a collection of electronic data, and the closest they coulde to real emotion was a very skilled set of AI routines.

    However¡ª

    ¡°As guildmaster, I shall put the NPCs to good use.¡±

    Momonga could not help butugh at himself for that incrediblyme line, and then he gave them amand.

    ¡°Follow me.¡±

    Sebas and the maids bowed respectfully, to show they had heard and acknowledged the order.

    Leading them away from this ce was not what the guild members had intended for them. Ainz Ooal Gown was a guild that respected the will of the majority. It was forbidden for an individual to selfishly manipte the NPCs that everyone had made together.

    However, this was the day when the curtains would fall on everything. Given that, everyone would probably forgive his indulgence.

    As Momonga thought about this, he continued moving forward, followed by the sounds of many footsteps.

    ? ? ?

    Eventually, the group arrived at a vast hemispherical dome-shaped hall. Four-colored crystalmps glittered from the ceiling, and there were seventy two niches in the walls. Most of them were filled with statues.

    Each statue was modelled after a demon¡¯s appearance, and there were sixty seven of them.

    This room was called ¡°The Lemegeton.¡± It was named after the Lesser Key of Solomon, which was a magical grimoire.

    The statues in the niches were designed to resemble the seventy two demons mentioned in that book, and in truth they were golems, made out of extremely rare magical alloys. There should have been seventy two of them, but there were only sixty seven, because their creator got bored of the project and quit halfway.

    The four-colored crystalmps on the ceiling were a type of monster, and the moment an enemy entered their range, they would summon high-ranking elementals of earth, water, wind, and fire, in addition to bombarding them with area-of-effect attack magic.

    If these crystalmps all attacked at once, the firepower they unleashed could easily defeat two parties of level one hundred yers, which would be roughly twelve people.

    This room could be said to be the final defensive line of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.

    Momonga led the servants behind him past the magic circle, andid eyes on the giant doors before him.

    The majestic set of double doors were over five meters in height, and covered in intricate carvings. The left side was shaped into a beautiful goddess, while the right was made to resemble a cruel demon. So realistic was their design that even from across the room, Momonga thought that they would attack him.

    Still, while the carvings looked like they could move, Momonga knew that they had never moved before.

    ¡ªSince they made it all the way here, we should gather in glory and wee these brave heroes. Let others nder us as they will, but we shall wee them proudly and openly, like the magnanimous lords that we are.

    That idea had been passed, in ordance with the majority vote rule.

    ¡°Ulbert-san...¡±

    Ulbert in Odle. He was arguably the most obsessed with the idea of ¡°evil¡± in the guild.

    ¡°Was it because of chuunibyou...¡±

    Momonga felt that way as he looked around therge hall.

    ¡°...Will these two statues attack?¡±

    He was right to feel so uneasy.

    Even Momonga did not fully grasp the secrets of all the mechanisms in this dungeon. It would not be strange if one of the retired guild members had left a strange sort of present for him. And the one who had designed this set of doors was just such a person.

    In the past, he had designed a very powerful golem, but shortly after activation, a w in thebat AI made itself known and it attacked everyone around it.

    To this day, Momonga still had his doubts about whether that ¡°mistake¡± had been on purpose.

    ¡°Hey, Luci¡ïFer-san, if they really attack me, I¡¯ll be mad, you know.¡±

    However, Momonga¡¯s caution in reaching for the doors was unfounded. As he touched them, they opened by themselves ¡ª although they did so slowly, in deference to their massive weight.

    The air changed.

    Although the atmosphere from earlier was filled with quiet solemnity, the scene before his eyes now exceeded that by far. The air became a pressure that weighed heavily on the entire body.

    It was an exquisite piece of work.

    And in this wide, high room¡ª

    Even packing several hundred people inside would not make the room feel crowded. The high ceiling and the surrounding walls were a predominantly white color, with golden decorations as highlights.

    The numerous chandeliers which hung from the ceiling were made of precious stones of all colors of the rainbow, and they emitted a fantastic, dreamlike radiance.

    Numerous gs emzoned with different symbols hung from gpoles sunk into the walls. A total of forty one of these gs swayed gently in the wind, from the ceiling to the floor.

    In the center of this room that was tinted gold and silver, there was a flight of stairs about ten steps high. Atop these stairs was a gigantic throne, carved out of a single piece of crystal, whose back was high enough to touch the ceiling above it. A huge red banner hung down behind it, proudly disying the symbol of the guild.

    This ce was located in the deepest reaches of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. It was also its most important ce ¡ª the Throne Room.

    ¡°Ohh...¡±

    Even Momonga could not help but gasp at the sheer magnificence of this room. He felt that it was easily the second most impressive location in YGGDRASIL, if not the first.

    This was the most suitable ce for him to wee the final moments of the game.

    As Momonga advanced through the room that seemed to absorb the sounds of his footsteps, his eye fell on the female NPC that stood by the side of the throne.

    She was a beautiful woman who wore a pure white dress, and the faint smile on her face was that of a goddess. In stark contrast to her dress, her hair was a flowing, lustrous jet-ck that reached down to her waist.

    Although her golden irises and vertically-slitted pupils were somewhat odd, apart from those she could easily be considered a world-ss beauty. However, a pair of curled horns sprouted from the sides of her head. In addition, a pair of ck-feathered wings emerged from her waist.

    Perhaps it was because of the horns, but her divine smile seemed like a mask that concealed her true feelings.

    She wore a golden ne that patterned after a spiderweb. It extended from her shoulders down to the tops of her breasts.

    Her slender wrists were covered in a pair of lustrous silk gloves, and in her hand she held a strange weapon that looked like a wand of some sort. It was roughly forty five centimeters long, and a ck orb hovered at its end, floating lightly in the air but holding its position at the end of the wand.

    Momonga had not yet forgotten her name.

    She was the Overseer of the Floor Guardians of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, Albedo. She was in charge of the seven NPC Floor Guardians. In other words, she was the highest-ranked character in the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.

    Because of that, she was permitted to await orders within the Throne Room, in the deepest reaches of the Tomb.

    However, Momonga turned a sharp look on Albedo:

    ¡°I knew there was a World ss Item here, but how is it that there are two of them here now?¡±

    In YGGDRASIL, there were two hundred ultimate items in the game, known as World ss Items.

    World ss Items possessed unique abilities, and some of them were so bnce-breaking that they could even request changes to the game¡¯s rules by the developers. Of course, not every World ss Item possessed such insane power.

    Even so, a yer who possessed even a single World ss Item would be catapulted to the highest echelons of fame in YGGDRASIL.

    Ainz Ooal Gown possessed eleven items of them, the most of any guild. Even that was far in excess of any other guild. The guild in second ce only possessed three such items.

    With the permission of the other guild members, Momonga was allowed to possess one of these ultimate items, and the rest of these World ss Items were scattered throughout Nazarick. However, most of them were stored in the depths of the Treasury, defended by its Avataras.

    The only reason why Albedo could possess such a rare treasure like this without Momonga¡¯s knowledge was because the guild member who designed Albedo had given it to her.

    However, since today was already thest day of the game, Momonga felt that he should respect the wishes of hisrade who had given the item to Albedo, and so he did not take further action.

    ¡°This is a good ce.¡±

    Momonga¡¯s words were directed to Sebas and the Pleiades as they reached the base of the stairs leading to the throne.

    After that, he began climbing the stairs, but stopped when he heard footsteps behind him. Momonga could not help butugh, although his skeletal face could not show any expressions.

    The NPCs were merely inflexible AI routines. If he did not give a specifically-wordedmand, they would not recognize it as an order. Momonga had forgotten this and thus he had not properlymanded the NPCs.

    After his guild members left, Momonga had begun solo hunting by himself to a nearly ridiculous degree in order to earn the gold needed to maintain Nazarick. He did not build friendships with other yers and avoided them, as well as the high-difficulty areas he used to visit when his guild members had still been around.

    Then, he would deposit his earnings in the Treasury before logging out. This had been his routine for almost every day. As such, he did not have much contact with the NPCs.

    ¡°¡ªStand by.¡±

    The sound of footsteps stopped.

    After Momonga gave the correctmand, he ascended the final steps and arrived at the throne.

    He stared openly at Albedo, who stood by its side. Though he had entered this room before, he did not recall her eyes tracking him in his memories.

    ¡°What kind of backstory was she designed with?¡±

    All Momonga knew about her character was that she was the Overseer of the Guardians, as well as the highest-ranked NPC in Nazarick.

    Driven by curiosity, Momonga opened up a console and began scrolling through the details of Albedo¡¯s vor text.

    A flood of densely-packed characters filled his vision. It was like reading an ancient epic poem. If he took his time to read it in detail, he would probably still be reading until the game ended.

    Momonga felt like he had stepped on andmine. If he could move, he would have been trembling now.

    He wanted to scold himself for having forgotten that Albedo¡¯s creator was obsessed with this sort of thing.

    However, since he had already opened it, he had no choice but to abandon his resistance and continue scrolling.

    He didn¡¯t even skim the text for the important points; he simply scrolled to the bottom as fast as he could while looking at the title.

    After skipping past vast expanses of text, Momonga¡¯s mind settled on thest line, and froze.

    ¡°She is also a slut.¡±

    He could not help but stare.

    ¡°...Eh? What does this mean?¡±

    A cry of disbelief escaped Momonga¡¯s nonexistent lips. He looked the words over several more times, eyes filled with suspicion, but in the end, he could not find any other meaning to them. After several rounds of thought, he could onlye to the conclusion he had started with.

    ¡°A slut... it must be an insult of some sort.¡±

    Each of the forty one guild members had designed their own NPCs, so he could not understand why anyone would want to treat the NPCs they had designed themselves in this manner. Perhaps he would understand why after reading that long essay of vor text.

    However, there were guild members who woulde up with these unconventional designs.

    Albedo¡¯s designer, Tab Smaragdina, was one of those people.

    ¡°Ah, is this what they call gap moe? Tab-san... even so...¡±

    Isn¡¯t a backstory like this far too much?

    Momonga could not help but think that. All the NPCs made by everyone were an inheritance of the guild. Designing the highest-ranked NPC Albedo in this manner made him think that Tab Smaragdina was beyond saving.

    ¡°Umu.¡±

    Would it be fine to change an NPC¡¯s backstory based on a personal decision? After thinking about it for some time, Momonga came to a conclusion.

    ¡°Should I change it?¡±

    Currently, with the guild weapon in his possession, Momonga could be said to be the master of the guild. It should be all right to exercise the guildmaster¡¯s authority he had never used before.

    Momonga¡¯s doubts vanished like mist, as he steeled himself to right the wrongs of his guildmate.

    He extended the staff of Ainz Ooal Gown that he was holding. Normally, one would need developer tools to change a character¡¯s backstory, but through his power as guildmaster, he could directly ess her settings and edit them. After some action on his console, the ¡°slut¡± line vanished.

    ¡°Well, it should be like that.¡±

    Momonga thought a bit more, and looked at the gap in Albedo¡¯s vor text.

    I should probably fill that up...

    ¡°This feels a little silly.¡±

    Although he wasughing at himself, he still typed out a few words on the console keyboard. The words formed a sentence:

    ¡°She loves Momonga.¡±

    ¡°Uwah, how embarrassing.¡±

    Momonga covered his face with his palm. It felt as though he were designing his ideal girlfriendplete with love events for himself, which embarrassed him so much that his heart began pounding. Although he wanted to rewrite it again out of shame, in the end he changed his mind and decided against it.

    The game would end soon, after all, and his shame would vanish with it. Besides, the sentence he added matched the gap left by the deleted sentence exactly. It would be a shame if he deleted it and left an empty space again.

    Momonga sat on the throne, scanning his surroundings with eyes filled with satisfaction and a little embarrassment. He noticed that Sebas and the maids were still standing by in a dormant state. It seemed a little lonely, and a little odd, to have them standing motionless like that.

    I think there was amand for that.

    Momonga recalled the words he had heard before, and extended a hand before lightly bringing it down.

    ¡°Kneel.¡±

    As one, Albedo, Sebas, and the six maids fell to one knee in obeisance.

    Good.

    Momonga raised his left hand to check the time.

    [23:55:48]

    He was just in time.

    In all likelihood, the GMs were probably flooding the public channels and setting off fireworks. Momonga, who had put his heart and soul into this ce and cut off all contact with the outside world, was unaware of that.

    Momonga leaned against the back of the throne, and slowly raised his head to look at the ceiling.

    He believed that even on thest day of the game, some invaders mighte to Nazarick.

    He would wait for them. He would ept any challenges in his position as guildmaster.

    He had sent emails to all the guild members, but only a few hade.

    He would wait for them. He would wee hisrades back in his position as guildmaster.

    ¡°A relic of the past, huh¡ª¡±

    Momonga sank into thought.

    Although the guild now was just an empty shell, he had enjoyed his time with it.

    He turned his eyes to look at the huge gs hanging from the ceiling. There were forty one of them in total, the same number as there were guild members. Each of them disyed the personal symbol of each guild member. Momonga extended a bony finger and pointed to one of them.

    ¡°Mine.¡±

    Then, he turned his attention to a nearby g. That g represented one of the strongest yers in Ainz Ooal Gown ¡ª no, in all of YGGDRASIL. He was the one who had started the guild, and the one who had gathered the ¡°Original Nine¡±.

    ¡°Touch Me.¡±

    The symbol on the next g he pointed to belonged to the oldest member of Ainz Ooal Gown, who was a lecturer in a university in real life.

    ¡°Shijuuten Suzaku.¡±

    His finger moved faster than before as he shifted to the g which belonged to one of the three female members of Ainz Ooal Gown.

    ¡°Ankoro Mochimochi.¡±

    Momonga fluidly recited the names of the various symbols¡¯ owners: ¡°Herohero, Peroroncino, Bukubukuchagama, Tab Smaragdina, Warrior Takemikazuchi, Variable Talisman, Genjiro¡ª¡±

    It did not take long for him to name all forty of his formerrades.

    Their names were still branded deeply in Momonga¡¯s brain.

    He sprawled tiredly on the throne.

    ¡°Yeah, it really was fun...¡±

    Even though the game did not have any subscription fees, Momonga had still spent a third of his monthly sry on it. It was not because his sry was high, but because he had no other hobbies, so he funnelled all his ie into YGGDRASIL.

    There was a cash gacha in the game where yers could pay for a chance to win a prize. Momonga spent nearly his entire bonus on it, and barely managed to get a rare item out of the experience. When he heard that one of his guild members Yamaiko had won that item for the cost of a lunch, Momonga had been so envious that he wanted to roll around on the ground.

    (TL Note: gachas are ng for game-based lotteries or lucky draws. They¡¯re named after gachapons, which are coin-operated vending machines which randomly dispense a prize.)

    Because almost all of Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s members were productive members of society, most of them were willing to spend money on this hobby, and among them Momonga was one of the bigger spenders. He was probably one of the top few on the server.

    That was how dedicated he was. Adventuring was fun, but his greatest joy was found in ying with his friends.

    To Momonga, whose parents had passed away and who had no friends in real life, the guild Ainz Ooal Gown was a shining memory of the good times he had had with his friends.

    And now, this guild would disappear.

    His heart was filled with regret and reluctance.

    Momonga gripped the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown tightly. He was just an ordinary sryman, and hecked the financial power or connections to change that fact. He was just another yer who could only watch the closing time as it approached.

    The time on his watch read [23:57]. The server would shut down at [00:00].

    There was little time left. The virtual world would end, and he would have to go back to reality the next day.

    That was only natural. Nobody could live in a virtual world, which was why everyone had left, one by one.

    Momonga sighed.

    He had to wake up at four tomorrow. He had to sleep the moment the servers shut down in order not to affect the next day¡¯s work.

    [23:59:35, 36, 37]

    Momonga set his watch to count out the seconds.

    [23:59:48, 49, 50]

    Momonga closed his eyes.

    [23:59:58, 59¡ª]

    The countdown finished. He waited for the curtains to fall on his fantasy world¡ª

    He waited for the automatic logout¡ª

    [0:00:00...1,2,3]

    ¡°...Hm?¡±

    Momonga opened his eyes.

    He had not returned to his familiar room. This was still the Throne Room in YGGDRASIL.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    The time was right. He should have been forcibly logged out by the server shutdown.

    [0:00:38]

    It was definitely past midnight. The clock could not have gone wrong because of a system error.

    Confused, Momonga looked around him, searching for any clues in the vicinity.

    ¡°Could it be they dyed the server shutdown¡ª?¡±

    Or had they extended y time as a form ofpensation?

    Although numerous reasons appeared in his mind, they were all far from the truth. However, the most likely reason was that an irresistible force had cropped up, and extended the server shutdown time. If that was the case, the GMs would have made an announcement. Momonga hurriedly worked to reopen the message panel he had closed ¡ª and then he stopped halfway.

    There was nomand console.

    ¡°What... on earth happened?¡±

    Momonga was filled with panic, frustration, and suspicion, but he was also surprised by how calm he was considering the circumstances. He decided to call on other means. Forced connections that did not require a console, the chat function, a GM call, a forced logout¡ª

    None of them responded. It was as though they had been deleted from the system.

    ¡°...What the hell is going on!?¡±

    Momonga¡¯s angry voice echoes through the Throne Room, then vanished.

    Today was thest day of YGGDRASIL, yet all these things were happening on a day that should have marked an end to the game. Was this some kind of prank they were pulling on the yers?

    Momonga was quite unhappy that he could not meet the end of the game in style, and the words he muttered clearly illustrated the anger inside him. There should not have been any reply to his hostile suspicion.

    ¡ªHowever...

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Momonga-sama?¡±

    It was the first time he had heard that beautiful woman¡¯s voice.

    Momonga was startled, but he still kept searching for the source of the voice. When he found the one who had spoken the words just now, he was speechless.

    The person who had answered him was the NPC raising her head ¡ª Albedo.

    Part 3

    Carne Vige.

    It was located on the border of the Kingdom at the Empire, near the southern tip of the Azellerisia Mountain Range, just outside a patch of woond named the Great Forest of Tob.

    For a frontier vige of the Re-Estize Kingdom, its poption was unexceptional ¡ª a hundred and twenty souls, distributed among twenty five families.

    The vige made its living from the resources of the forest and agriculture. Apart from doctors and herbalists who came to collect herbs, the only visitors to the vige were the yearly tax collectors. Time seemed to stand still for the few residents of this vige.

    Vige life was very busy even in the early hours of the morning. Viges did not possess the magical illumination of ¡¸Continual Light¡¹ which could be found in cities, so the vigers would rise with the sun and work hard all day until the sun went down.

    The first thing Enri Emmot did after getting up extra early in the morning was to carry water from the nearby well. Hauling water was a woman¡¯s job, and once she finished filling the big water tank in the house, that chore wasplete. By this time, her mother would have prepared breakfast for their family of four.

    Breakfast was barley or wheat porridge, as well as cooked vegetables. Sometimes, they would have dried fruit as well.

    After breakfast, she would tend the fields with her parents. Her ten year old sister would go into the forest to gather firewood or help with the field work. When the bell in the middle of the vige ¡ª the vige square ¡ª rang to signal noon, everyone would break for lunch.

    Lunch would be ck bread baked several days before, as well as soup with some shredded meat jerky sprinkled in.

    Field work would resume after lunch, and when the sun set they would return home for dinner.

    For dinner, they would have the same ck bread that they had for lunch, as well as bean soup. If the vige¡¯s hunters managed to bag any prey, they might be able to get some meat to go with their dinner. After dinner, the family would gather around the light of the hearth-fire to take care of household chores, such as mending worn or damaged clothes.

    They would go to sleep around eight.

    The girl Enri Emmot was born sixteen years ago and had be a part of the vige since then. She had lived these days all her life. In her heart, she wondered, How much longer will these unchanging days continue?

    ? ? ?

    Today was no different from any other. After waking up, Enri went to the well to carry water.

    After filling her buckets at the well, she would need three trips to fill the house¡¯s water tank.

    ¡°Yosh~¡±

    Enri rolled up her sleeves, exposing her untanned skin, which was pale and stood out. Long years of farm life ensured that although her arms looked slender and frail, they were actually very strong, with just a hint of muscle on them.

    The filled buckets were very heavy, but Enri hoisted them up like she always did.

    If the buckets were bigger, I could make fewer trips, wouldn¡¯t that make things easier? Then again, if the buckets were bigger, I probably wouldn¡¯t be able to lift them...

    As Enri thought about that issue on her way back home, she heard a sound and turned to look at it. There was tension in the air over there, and the seeds of fear began sprouting in her heart.

    Her ears seemed to pick up something like wood being broken, and after that¡ª

    ¡°A scream¡ª?¡±

    It sounded like a strangled bird, but there was no way it could be a bird¡¯s call.

    A chill ran down Enri¡¯s spine. Unbelievable. There must be some kind of mistake. It couldn¡¯t be a human¡¯s voice. She tried to erase her unease with these thoughts, and then they vanished.

    She had to run to the source of the scream, because it wasing from the direction of her home.

    Enri cast aside the water buckets. She could not run while carrying that heavy burden.

    Although she nearly tripped over her long skirt, she managed to keep her bnce by some stroke of luck.

    The sound rang through the air once more.

    Enri¡¯s heart lurched in her chest.

    There was no mistake about it ¡ª it was a human scream.

    She ran, and ran, and ran.

    Enri could not recall going faster than this in her life. She was running so fast that her legs were about to tangle each other up.

    The neighs of horses. The screams of people, and shouts.

    These sounds were bing clearer and clearer.

    In the distance, Enri could see an unfamiliar man in armor swinging his sword at a viger.

    The viger copsed to the ground with a howl of pain, like a puppet whose strings had been cut, and a swift thrust from the sword dealt him a fatal blow.

    ¡°Morga-san...¡±

    There were no strangers in a small vige like this. Everyone was as close as kin. As such, Enri knew exactly who had been killed before her eyes.

    Mr. Morga was a loud but pleasant man. He had done nothing wrong, and did not deserve to die like this. Enri wanted to stop ¡ª but in the end she gritted her teeth and ran on.

    The distance that felt fairly close while carrying water now felt like an endless stretch. As the sounds of shouts and cursing filtered into her ears, she finally saw her home before her.

    ¡°Dad! Mom! Nemu!¡±

    Enri opened the door as she shouted for her family.

    She found three familiar faces with unfamiliar looks of fear. They were motionless. However, when Enri opened the door and entered, their faces softened, the fear reced by relief.

    ¡°Enri! Are you all right?¡±

    Her father hugged her in his strong arms, which were brawny and tough from field work.

    ¡°Ahhh, Enri...¡±

    Her mother¡¯s gentle arms embraced her.

    ¡°Good, Enri¡¯s back, then we¡¯d better flee too!¡±

    The Emmot family was in grave danger. They had stayed at home because they were worried about leaving Enri behind, and so they had missed the best chance to escape. The threat to their lives would be catching up with them any moment now.

    As she thought about that fear, it became a reality.

    Just as the family was about to run, a human figure appeared in the house¡¯s doorway. The man silhouetted by sunlight, glittered. He was a fully-armored knight whose breastte bore the insignia of the Baharuth Empire. He held a longsword in his hand.

    The Baharuth Empire was a neighbor of the Re-Estize Kingdom, and the two of them had waged frequent wars against each other. Until recently, the mes of war were mostly limited to the region around the Fortress City of E-Rantel, and had not spread to this vige.

    However, the quiet life they had enjoyed would end here.

    Enri could feel the man¡¯s cold eyes on her from between the vision slits of his helmet, as though he were counting up how many people were in Enri¡¯s family. It frightened her.

    The knight clenched the gauntlet holding his sword, and a creaking sound came from where metal rubbed against metal.

    And then, just as he was about to enter the house¡ª

    ¡°Uooooh!¡±

    ¡°Nuuuu!¡±

    ¡ªHer father lunged at the man, tackling him out of the doorway and out of the house with his momentum.

    ¡°Hurry up and run!¡±

    ¡°Damn you!¡±

    Blood streamed from a small cut on her father¡¯s face. He must have gotten hurt while bull-rushing the knight.

    Enri¡¯s father was rolling around as he grappled with the knight on the ground. The knight grabbed the hand of Enri¡¯s father which was holding a knife, while he in turn kept the knight from drawing his shortsword.

    The sight of blood on the body of one of her family members made Enri¡¯s mind go white. She wavered over whether to help her father or run away.

    ¡°Enri! Nemu!¡±

    Her mother¡¯s shouts returned Enri to her senses, and as she looked at her mother, she saw the older woman shaking her head, with a heart-breaking expression on her face.

    Enri grabbed her little sister¡¯s hand and ran after her mother with big strides. Guilt and hesitation wed at her heart, but in the end, she knew they had to flee into the Great Forest of Tob.

    The neighing of horses, angry shouts, the sh of steel, and the stench of burning flesh.

    All these assaulted Enri¡¯s ears and nose from the direction of the vige. Where had ite from? Enri ran with all her might as she tried to make sense of matters. When fleeing to an open space, she had to make her body as small as possible, or hide in the corners of houses.

    The violent beating of her heart chipped away at the fear that threatened to freeze her body solid. In addition, the small hand she held in hers spurred her on.

    ¡ªHer sister.

    Her mother, who was running ahead of her, suddenly froze, and immediately doubled back, her hands frantically gesturing at them to run somewhere else.

    As Enri realized why her mother would do that, she bit her lip, and forced back her tears.

    She clenched her little sister¡¯s hand and ran, trying desperately to get away from there, because she did not want to see what would happen next.

    Part 4

    ¡°Is something wrong, Momonga-sama?¡±

    Albedo kept asking him questions. Momonga did not know how to respond. As it was, there were far too many things he did not understand, so his thought processes short-circuited.

    ¡°Forgive me.¡±

    Momonga could only stare dumbly at Albedo, who was standing by his side.

    ¡°Are you all right?¡±

    Albedo¡¯s beautiful face drew close to Momonga¡¯s as she studied him. A faint fragrance entered his nostrils. The scent seemed to restore Momonga¡¯s ability to think, and his mind, which had been hitherto out ofission, slowly returned to normal.

    ¡°No... nothing is wrong... no, nothing.¡±

    Momonga was not the sort of person who made a habit of speaking politely to dolls. However... hearing Albedo¡¯s questions instinctively made him want to respond with deference. Her movements, her speech patterns, her whole being radiated an undeniable humanity.

    Momonga still had the feeling that something was terribly wrong about Albedo and himself, but he had no way of understanding exactly what the problem was. All he could do in this ignorant state was to suppress his fear, shock, and other unnecessary emotions. However, Momonga was amon person, and could not do that.

    Just as Momonga was about to cry out, the words of one of his guild members came to mind:

    ¡ªPanic is the seed of defeat, so you must maintain your calm and think logically. Remain calm, look beyond your surroundings, and don¡¯t waste your effort on unnecessary details, Momonga-san.

    As he recalled these words, Momonga slowly regained hisposure.

    Momonga silently thanked Punitto Moe, the Zhuge Liang of Ainz Ooal Gown.

    ¡°Is something the matter?¡±

    She was close to him now. Albedo was so close he could feel her gentle breaths. Her lovely face dimpled in an adorable way as she asked her question. Momonga, who had calmed himself after much effort, was in danger of being driven into panic again from her nearby face.

    ¡°...The [GM Call] function does not seem to be working.¡±

    Entranced by Albedo¡¯s limpid eyes, Momonga could not help but question the NPC.

    In Momonga¡¯s past life, he had not received romantic attention from the opposite sex, let alone those of a sexual nature. Although he knew that she was just an NPC, he could not help but be moved by her realistic expressions and movements.

    However, as his passions stirred within his heart, they were quenched like they had been earlier, and he returned to normal.

    Momonga felt uneasy at theck of strong emotions within himself, and he wondered if it was rted to the words of hisrade from just now.

    But was that really the case?

    Momonga shook his head. Now was not the time to ponder these things.

    ¡°...Please forgive my inability to answer the Supreme One¡¯s questions about this ¡°[GM Call].¡± I apologize for not meeting your expectations. Nothing would please me more than a chance to make up for my prior mistake. Please,mand me as you see fit.¡±

    ...The two of them were conversing. There was no doubt about that.

    Learning this fact shocked Momonga so greatly that he could not speak.

    Impossible. This should have been impossible.

    The closest thing NPCs coulde to conversations was with macroed responses to being addressed in a certain way. There was audio data for roars and cheering for yers to download, but actually allowing an NPC to engage in conversation was an impossible task. Even Sebas from just now could only ept simple orders.

    Why had such an impossible event urred? Was this phenomenon limited to Albedo?

    Momonga dismissed Albedo with a wave of his hand, and disappointment shed across her face as she retreated. Momonga turned his eyes from her body to the butler and the six maids, whose heads were still lowered.

    ¡°Sebas! Maids!¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Their voices chorused out as one, and then the butler and maids raised their heads.

    ¡°Approach the throne.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    They responded as one, and then rose to their feet. After that, they proudly strode to the front of the throne before dropping to one knee and lowering their heads again.

    Momonga had learned two things from this.

    The first was that he did not need to specially entermands on a keyboard; the NPCs would understand his intentions and execute his orders.

    The second was that Albedo was not the only one who could speak.

    At the very least, all of the NPCs in this room were exhibiting anomalous behavior.

    As Momonga thought about this, he suddenly felt that there was something very wrong about himself and Albedo. In order to discover exactly what that something was, he fixed Albedo with a piercing gaze.

    ¡°¡ªI-Is something wrong? Have I made a mistake...?¡±

    ¡°...!¡±

    As he finally realized what the problem was, he did not shout, nor did he keep silent, but he simply sighed imperceptibly.

    That unexpected breadth of facial expressions. The reason why her mouth could move and why she could speak¡ª

    ¡°...pos...sible!¡±

    Momonga hurriedly ced a hand on his mandible, and spoke.

    ¡ªHis mouth was moving.

    This should have been impossible, going by what he knew about DMMO-RPGs. A character¡¯s mouth would not move with their words.

    The basic premise was that external appearances were fixed. Because of that, facial expressions were impossible to design.

    In addition, Momonga¡¯s face was a skull, without a tongue or a throat. He looked down to his hands, and they were the same fleshless pair that he was used to. He could also see that he had no lungs or, indeed, any other internal organs. But then, how was he speaking?

    ¡°Impossible...¡±

    Momonga could feel the certainty he had in the world evaporating away, reced by an ever-growing uneasiness. He suppressed his desire to shout out and, like he expected, his surging emotions were suddenly quashed.

    Momonga pped forcefully at the throne, but as he expected, no damage values appeared.

    ¡°...What should I do... Is there anything I can do?¡±

    He knew nothing about what was going on. Nobody would help him even if he got angry.

    Then, his first priority should be ¡ª looking for clues.

    ¡°¡ªSebas.¡±

    He could see an earnest, sincere expression on Sebas¡¯s face. He looked like a real person.

    It should be fine to give him orders, right? Although he had no idea what would happen, he could assume all the NPCs in the Tomb were loyal to him, right? For all he knew, the people in front of him might not be the NPCs that everyone had made together.

    Numerous questions rose up in his mind, floating on a sea of uneasiness, but Momonga forced aside all these emotions. In the end, the only choice he had for reconnaissance was Sebas. He nced briefly to Albedo, but then Momonga steeled himself and decided to order Sebas out.

    The mental image of a department chief giving orders to his subordinates appeared in his mind. Momonga took on a superior,manding attitude, and spoke:

    ¡°Exit the Tomb and investigate the surrounding region. If you encounter intelligent creatures, interact peacefully with them and invite them to the Tomb. Attempt to amodate the other party as much as possible during negotiations. Do not stray more than one kilometer from the tomb and avoid unnecessarybat.¡±

    ¡°Understood, Momonga-sama. I will do so immediately.¡±

    In YGGDRASIL, NPCs made to protect a guild base could not leave it under any circumstances. However, it would seem this irond restriction had been overturned.

    No, he could only be certain of that once Sebas returned.

    ¡°...Select one of the Pleiades to apany you. If battle begins, retreat immediately and tell me everything you have learned.¡±

    That was simply the first step.

    Momonga let go of the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown.

    The staff did not fall onto the ground, but floated in the air as though someone were still holding it. This was inplete defiance of physics, but it was amon sight in the game. There were quite a few items in YGGDRASIL which would continue floating in the air when left unattended.

    The aura of tormented spirits seemed to cling to Momonga¡¯s hand as he let the staff go, but Momonga paid it no heed. He was long since used to that sight... or not. Thinking that the macromand would have already been built in, Momonga snapped his fingers and deactivated the aura.

    Momonga folded his arms.

    The next step would be¡ª

    ¡°...I should contact the gamepany.¡±

    The gamepany would know the most about Momonga¡¯s present situation.

    The problem was actually contacting them. Normally, simply using the /shoutmand or a GM call would put him in touch with a GM instantly, but if these methods did not work either...

    ¡°¡¸Message¡¹?¡±

    This was a spell used tomunicate in the game.

    Normally, its use was restricted to certain ces and conditions, but perhaps he might be able to make good use of the spell in this current situation. The problem was that this spell was originally designed tomunicate with other yers, so it might not be able to reach a GM.

    And in this extraordinary situation, there was no guarantee that the spell would work either.

    ¡°...However...¡±

    He had to give it a try.

    Momonga was a level one hundred spellcaster. If he could not cast spells, his mobility, his ability to gather information, and of course his fighting power would plummet drastically. In these unknown circumstances, he had to verify that he could use magic, and quickly.

    Now where can I go to test my magic... As Momonga thought about that question, he looked slowly around the Throne Room and then shook his head.

    Although this was an emergency situation, he had no desire to conduct magical experiments in the silent, nearly sacrosanct Throne Room. He contemted suitable locations for magical testing, and then a promising ce came to mind.

    There was one more thing he wanted to confirm, in addition to his own abilities.

    He wanted to be certain of his authority. He had to know whether his powers and privileges as the guildmaster of Ainz Ooal Gown still existed.

    Until now, all the NPCs he had met were loyal to him. However, in the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, there were several NPCs with levels equal to his own. He had to make sure they were still loyal.

    However¡ª

    Momonga nced at the kneeling Sebas and the maids, and then at Albedo beside him.

    Albedo was smiling. It was a beautiful smile, but it seemed to be concealing something else behind it. As he wondered what that ¡°something else¡± might be, unease crept through Momonga.

    The NPCs were loyal to him, but would they stay that way? If this were in the real world, subordinates would no longer be loyal to superiors who constantly screwed up. Would the NPCs be that way as well? Or was it that once they were programmed to be loyal, they would stay that way forever?

    If their loyalty to him wavered, how should he regain it?

    Rewards? There was vast wealth in the Treasury. Although it pained him to expend the treasures left behind by his formerrades, they would probably understand if it was for the sake of Ainz Ooal Gown. The question would then be howrge of a reward he should give.

    In addition, was he superior to others by virtue of being higher-ranked? But what criteria could he use to quantify his superiority? He was not clear about that yet. He had the feeling that as long as he kept this dungeon going, he would eventuallye to understand these things.

    Or did that mean¡ª

    ¡°¡ªPower?¡±

    He opened his left hand and gripped the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown that sailed into his grasp.

    ¡°Overwhelming power?¡±

    The seven gems set into the staff gleamed brightly, as though imploring their master to use their colossal might.

    ¡°...Forget it, I¡¯ll take my time to think about thatter.¡±

    Momonga released the staff he held, and the wavering staff fell to the ground as though it were angry at him.

    In any case, as long as he acted the part of the leader, they would probably not raise their hands against him right away. Be it among animals or humans, enemies would probably not attack if their intended prey did not reveal any weaknesses.

    Momonga dered in a powerful voice:

    ¡°Pleiades. Other than the maid selected to apany Sebas, the rest of you will head to the Ninth Floor and repel any invaders from the Eighth Floor.¡±

    ¡°Understood, Momonga-sama.¡±

    The maids behind Sebas acknowledged his orders respectfully.

    ¡°Begin immediately.¡±

    ¡°Understood, my master!¡±

    Once more the chorus of voices rang out. Sebas and the maids bowed once more to their lord who sat upon the throne, then stood and left simultaneously.

    The giant doors opened, and then closed again.

    Sebas and the maids vanished beyond the doors.

    It was good that they had not replied with a ¡°No,¡± or something simr.

    A great weight seemed to lift off Momonga¡¯s chest, and at the same time he looked at the person who had stayed by his side. That person was Albedo, who had stood by, awaiting orders.

    She smiled, and asked him, ¡°Then, Momonga-sama, what will you have me do next?¡±

    ¡°Ah, ahhh... got it.¡±

    Momonga rose from the throne to retrieve his staff, and as he did that, he spoke:

    ¡°Come to me.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The smiling Albedo drew closer. Although Momonga was wary of the ck wand and orb she had been carrying, that caution passed in an instant, and he decided to temporarily ignore its existence. Just as Momonga finished thinking that, Albedo was close enough that he could embrace her if he wanted.

    She smells nice ¡ª wait, what am I thinking.

    Momonga cast out the thoughts which had rose up inside him again. Now was not the time for fooling round.

    He reached out his hand to touch Albedo¡¯s.

    ¡°...mf.¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    A pained expression flickered across Albedo¡¯s face. Momonga drew his hand away, like he had received an electric shock.

    What¡¯s this? Did I make her feel ufortable?

    Several bad memories ran through his mind ¡ª like being hit by loose change that fell from the sky ¡ª but in the end Momonga found his answer.

    ¡°...Ah¡ª¡±

    Overlords required levels in the Elder Lich racial ss, and among the abilities Elder Liches possessed was the ability to inflict negative energy damage on anything they touched. Was that the reason?

    Although, even if it really was the reason, he still had some questions to ask.

    In YGGDRASIL, the monsters and NPCs that appeared in the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick would be recognized as belonging to the Ainz Ooal Gown faction. Since every member of the guild was also gged as belonging to Ainz Ooal Gown, there should be no problems even if they attacked each other.

    Could it be that she no longer belongs to our guild? Or has friendly fire been enabled?

    Thetter possibility was more likely.

    With that conclusion in mind, Momonga apologized to Albedo.

    ¡°Forgive me. I forgot to deactivate my negative energy touch skill.¡±

    ¡°Please pay it no heed, Momonga-sama. That damage hardly counted as damage. And as long as it is you, Momonga-sama, I would dly endure any kind of ¡ª kya!¡±

    ¡°Ah... mm. Is... that so... No, no, I must still apologize.¡±

    Momonga was caught off-guard by Albedo¡¯s adorable yelp and the way she shyly covered her face, and his reply ended up being less dignified than he had hoped for.

    So it was due to the negative energy touch after all.

    Momonga turned his eyes from Albedo, who was going on and on about how this was nothingpared to the pain of losing her virginity, and began thinking about how to temporarily deactivate the always-on skill ¡ª and then he suddenly knew how to do it.

    To Momonga, who wielded the power of an Overlord, it was as simple and natural as breathing.

    He could not help butugh at the strange situation he found himself in. After all the shocks and surprises he had received so far, this was hardly worth panicking about. It was frightening how well he had adapted to his condition.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to touch you.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    After deactivating the skill, he touched Albedo¡¯s hand. Thoughts like Her hand¡¯s so slim, her skin¡¯s so white, and so on raced through his head, but he cast aside these male desires and focused on one thing ¡ª the pulse at her wrist.

    ¡ªIt was there.

    It was a steady rhythm, lub-dub, lub-dub. She was a living being, so it was only natural.

    Yes, she was alive.

    Momonga released her hand and looked at his own arms. All he saw was an expanse of polished white bone, bereft of skin or flesh. Because he had no blood vessels, he could not feel a heartbeat. Indeed, an Overlord was an undead creature, a being that had transcended mortality itself, so obviously it would not have a heartbeat.

    He shifted his gaze to Albedo.

    Momonga saw himself reflected within Albedo¡¯s moist golden eyes. Her cheeks were pink, probably because her body was rapidly heating up. The changes in her body surprised him.

    ¡°...What¡¯s this?¡±

    Is she not an NPC? Is she not pure electronic data? Why does she feel like a real person? What kind of AI could do this? More importantly, why is it that YGGDRASIL feels like the real world...

    Impossible.

    Momonga shook his head in denial. There was no way such a fantastic scenario could have urred. But once the idea took root, it was not easy to eradicate. Momonga was not sure how to proceed given the changes in Albedo.

    The next step... yes, the final step. If he could confirm that, then all of his predictions would be vindicated. Was this real life, or was this just fantasy?

    He had to do this. If she attacked him with that weapon of hers, it could not be helped.

    ¡°Albedo... I, may I touch your breasts?¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    The air between them seemed to freeze.

    Albedo¡¯s eyes went wide.

    A wave of depression washed over Momonga as he considered his words.

    ¡°I have to do this,¡± what the hell was he thinking, saying that to a woman? He wanted to scream ¡°Despicable!¡± at the top of his voice. Indeed, using one¡¯s superior position tomit sexual harassment was the most despicable thing imaginable.

    But he had no choice. Indeed, he had to do this.

    As Momonga convinced himself with all his strength, hisposure gradually returned to him. Resuming the air of a proper ruler, he continued forcefully:

    ¡°That... should be fine, right?¡±

    It was not fine at all.

    In contrast to Momonga¡¯s nervous request, Albedo seemed to be overflowing with joy. She gave him a glittering smile.

    ¡°But of course, Momonga-sama. Please, help yourself.¡±

    Albedo straightened herself up, presenting her ample twin peaks for Momonga¡¯s inspection. If he still had saliva, he would have swallowed several times by now.

    Her breasts swelled up through her dress. And now, he was going to touch them.

    On the other side of his abnormal tension and nervousness, a quiet, calm part of Momonga¡¯s brain was observing his own actions. He noted how foolish he was, and wondered why he had thought of this, and why he was still going to follow through anyway.

    He sneaked a peek at Albedo, and found that her eyes were shining, jiggling her bosom as though to say Hurry up and touch me.

    Not knowing whether it was because of excitement or embarrassment, Momonga steadied his hands with sheer force of will, steeled his resolve, and reached out.

    The first thing Momonga felt was something hard under the dress, followed by a soft, yielding sensation.

    ¡°Fuahh.. haaa...¡±

    As Albedo moaned wetly, Momongapleted yet another experiment.

    If his brain was normal, there were two possible exnations for his present situation.

    The first was that this was a new DMMO-RPG. That was to say, the moment YGGDRASIL had shut down, a new game, ¡°YGGDRASIL II¡±, had immediately taken its ce.

    However, in light of this experiment, the probability of that being the case was vanishingly small.

    This was because R-18 actions were strictly forbidden in these games. Who knew, perhaps even R-15 actions might be banned as well. Vitors would be publicly listed on the game¡¯s official website, and their ounts would be deleted, or worse.

    Once the records of these R-18 actions were publicly released, they might be punished for damaging moral culture and thus viting the Social Order Maintenance Act. As such, most people would consider these acts off-limits.

    If they were still in a game world, thepany should have made it impossible for yers to do such things. If the GMs and the gamepanies were watching, they would have prevented Momonga from performing lewd actions. However, there was no sign of any resistance or opposition.

    In addition, one of the fundamental rulings which pertained to DMMO-RPGS was that forcing a yer to participate in a game without permission could be treated as a form of cyber-kidnapping.

    As such, forcing a yer to test out a game in this manner was a prosecutable offense, especially if there was no way to force-quit the game. It would not be unexpected for apany to receive fines or jail time for such things. If a situation arose where a yer was not able to log out of the game, up to a week¡¯s worth of game activity could be stored in a legally-mandated record, which would make it easy to prosecute thepany for their vitions of thew.

    Therefore, if Momonga did not report to work for a week, someone would have found it strange ande to his house to check on him. Then all the police would need to do was to ess the records with a specialized console and the problem would be solved.

    Whichpany would risk arrest or worse tomit a corporate crime like this? Of course, they could try to muddy the waters by saying ¡°this was a closed beta test for YGGDRASIL II,¡± or ¡°there were third-party programs used here.¡± But in truth, such a risky matter would have no benefits at all for the gamepany.

    That being the case, the only answer for his present circumstances would be that a third party was doing something here, and it had nothing to do with the gamepany. If that was the case, he would need to throw out all his previous theories and think in other directions, otherwise he would never find the answer.

    The problem was that he had no idea where to start. And there was another possibility...

    ...The possibility that the virtual world had be reality.

    Impossible.

    Momonga promptly rejected that idea. How could such an illogical, foolish thing happen?

    But on the flip side, the more he thought about it, the more strongly he felt it was the right answer.

    And then ¡ª Momonga remembered Albedo¡¯s scent.

    In ordance to the software legition for virtual reality games, such games were not allowed to provide sensory data for smell and taste. Although YGGDRASIL had food and drink items, consuming them was little more than changing a value in the game system. In addition, the sense of touch was heavily limited, in order to prevent confusion with the real world. These limitations meant that VR systems were not very useful for the sex industry.

    However, none of these limitations were in effect now.

    Realizing these facts shocked Momonga. Countless questions like, ¡°What about tomorrow¡¯s work? What¡¯ll happen if this keeps up?¡± shed through his mind, but then he cast them all to the back of his mind.

    ¡°...If this virtual world is just a simtion of the real world... then the quantity of data involved must be unimaginable...¡±

    Momonga swallowed with a nonexistent throat. Though his mind could notprehend the situation, his heart could.

    His hands finally left Albedo¡¯s ample bosom.

    He realised that he had been groping her for a long time, but Momonga justified it to himself by saying that he had no choice but to grope her for that long, and it was definitely not because squeezing her supple flesh felt so good that he reluctantly let go of her... or something.

    ¡°Sorry, Albedo.¡±

    ¡°Fuahh...¡±

    A sensual moan came from the red-faced Albedo, and he could practically feel her body heat raising the surrounding temperature. After that, she shyly asked Momonga:

    ¡°Will I have my first time here?¡±

    Momonga was caught off guard by her question, and before he could think clearly, he replied:

    ¡°...Eh?¡±

    His mind was suddenly frozen, and was unable to parse her question,

    First time? What¡¯s that? What¡¯s this all about? And why does she look so shy?

    ¡°May I ask how you wish to dispose of my clothes?¡±

    ¡°...Wha?¡±

    ¡°Would it be better if I disrobed myself? Or would you like to unwrap me, Momonga-sama? Or if we did it while I was wearing the dress, afterwards... it would get dirty... no, if you want me to wear this dress, I have no objections, Momonga-sama.¡±

    His brain finally managed to make sense of Albedo¡¯s words. Although, whether there really was a brain under that skull remained to be seen.

    As Momonga realized why Albedo had this reaction, an immense struggle took ce within himself before he finally said:

    ¡°Enough, that¡¯s all for now, Albedo.¡±

    ¡°Eh? I understand.¡±

    ¡°Now is not the time for... no, there¡¯s no time for that sort of thing.¡±

    ¡°My, my apologies! I allowed myself to be ruled by my desires despite the urgency of the situation!¡±

    With a swift movement, Albedo made to genuflect in apology, but Momonga stopped her:

    ¡°No, all this is my fault. I forgive you, Albedo. That aside... I have an order.¡±

    ¡°Please give me anymand you desire.¡±

    ¡°Tell the Guardians of each Floor, with the exception of the Fourth and the Eighth Floors, to meet at the Colosseum on the Sixth Floor in an hour¡¯s time. I will contact Aura and Mare myself, so there is no need to inform them.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Allow me to repeat the order; aside from Aura and Mare of the Sixth Floor, I am to inform all the Floor Guardians to meet one hourter at the Colosseum.¡±

    ¡°Correct. Go.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Albedo swiftly departed the Throne Room.

    As he watched the retreating Albedo, Momonga let himself sigh, in a way that suggested he was thoroughly exhausted. Once she left the Throne Room, Momonga groaned painfully:

    ¡°...Oh, what have I done? It was supposed to be a silly joke... If I¡¯d known I wouldn¡¯t have done it. I¡¯ve... I¡¯ve soiled the NPC Tab Smaragdina-san created...¡±

    When he thought about it, there was only one reason why Albedo would react like she had.

    It must have been when he was editing her backstory, and changed that line to ¡°She is in love with Momonga.¡±

    That must have been why she acted that way.

    ¡°...Ah... shit!¡±

    Momonga muttered to himself, thinking about how Tab Smaragdina had painstakingly created his masterpiece Albedo out of whole cloth, and then someone else had sshed paint all over his work at will, and now she had be like this.

    The knowledge that he had ruined someone else¡¯s hard work made him feel miserable.

    However, the frowning Momonga ¡ª although it could not be seen because he was a skeleton ¡ª eventually rose from the Throne.

    Momonga told himself that he had to leave this at the back of his mind. After the important things were taken care of, he could agonize over itter.

 Chapter 2

    Overlord Volume 1 Chapter 2 & Intermission

    Floor Guardians

    Part 1

    ¡°To me, Demons of the Lemegeton!¡±

    The golems which heeded Momonga¡¯smand were made of rare metals. They moved before him with an agility that belied their heavy bodies, then took the ready stance they had assumed earlier.

    Now that Momonga had decided to go with his theory that virtual reality had be reality, his first concern was to guarantee his own safety. Although the NPCs he had met so far had readily obeyed him, there was no guarantee that the others he met would react in the same way. Also, even if they were all friendly, he did not know when danger would next appear.

    Momonga¡¯s life and death hinged on whether or not he could use such things as Nazarick¡¯s facilities, the golems, his items, his magic, and so on.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s one problem solved,¡± Momonga muttered to himself in relief as he looked at the golems. He then ordered them only to listen to him. That way, even in the worst-case scenario ¡ª if one or more NPCs revolted ¡ª he would have an ace in the hole.

    Momonga, satisfied with the mighty-looking golems, looked down at his bony hands.

    He wore nine rings on his ten fingers, and only his left ring finger was bare.

    Usually in YGGDRASIL, one could only wear two rings, one on each hand. However, Momonga had used permanent cash items (which were very expensive) to let him wear a full ten rings, one on each finger, and use all their powers at once.

    This was not unique to Momonga; most yers who valued power would spend that money too.

    One of the nine rings Momonga wore had an emblem on it which resembled the symbol embroidered upon therge red banner behind the throne.

    That ring was called the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown.

    Every member of Ainz Ooal Gown possessed the magic ring that Momonga wore on his right ring finger.

    Although he could use the power of ten rings at once with the aid of cash items, when he applied the cash item, he had to decide which ring he wanted to assign to which finger, and that decision was irrevocable. Even so, Momonga had removed the ring on his left ring finger and sent it to the Treasury. The reason why Momonga had assigned that somewhat weaker ring to that finger was because it would be very useful under certain circumstances, but he rarely wore it because it had a constant effect.

    The power of the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown was unlimited teleportation between named rooms of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, and it would even allow one to teleport into the Tomb from the outside. Since Nazarick was warded to block teleportation into or within itself (except for a few specific areas), this ring was very handy.

    The only ces where this ring could not teleport its wearer was to the Throne Room and the various guild members¡¯ personal rooms. This ring was also required to enter the Treasury, which was why he could not do without it.

    Momonga sighed deeply.

    After this, he would be using the ring¡¯s power. He was not sure if the ring could still do everything he expected of it, but he had no choice except to test it out.

    As he unleashed the ring¡¯s power ¡ª the world before him instantly turned ck.

    Right after that, the scenery in front of him changed, and his surroundings were now a dark tunnel. At the end of the tunnel he could see what looked like a giant lowered portcullis. Within the tunnel were artificial lights.

    ¡°It worked...¡±

    Momonga muttered to himself, relieved at the sessful teleport.

    He walked down the wide and high passage, toward the portcullis ahead of him.

    The stone floor amplified the sound of Momonga¡¯s footsteps, and at times he could hear echoes.

    The torches that lined the tunnel flickered constantly, and as a result, the shadows they made seemed to dance. Bathed in the light of several torches, he cast several shadows at once, and it seemed as though there were multiple Momongas.

    What passed for his nose should have been little more than an empty hole in his skull, yet still he smelled something as he drew near the portcullis. Momonga stopped and took a deep breath. It was a strong scent of earth and grass ¡ª the smell of the jungle.

    Much like his encounter with Albedo just now, the intensely realistic scent, in a world that should not have possessed such things, only convinced Momonga of the reality of the world he was in.

    But how did his body breathe, without lungs or a windpipe?

    Momonga felt that thinking too much about such things was foolish, and put it aside.

    As though it sensed Momonga approaching, the portcullis swiftly raised itself into the ceiling at just the right moment to let him through. Past the barrier, what Momonga saw was a circr arena, surrounded on all sides by many tiers of audience seats.

    The colosseum was an oval in shape, one hundred eighty meters on its long axis and one hundred fifty meters on the short axis. It was forty meters tall and modelled after the arenas of the Roman Empire.

    There were¡¸Continual Light¡¹ spells cast everywhere, illuminating the grounds in white light, so one could observe the entire Colosseum like it was day.

    The audience wasposed of many y dolls ¡ª golems, in other words ¡ª which showed no sign of activity.

    In this Colosseum, the intruders would be the stars of the show, while the ones watching from the VIP box would be members of Ainz Ooal Gown. The main event, of course, would be a brutal melee. Apart from the fifteen-hundred-man invasion, every single invader had met their end here.

    Momonga walked into the center of the arena, and looked into the heavens. Before him stretched a ck expanse of night sky. Perhaps he might have been able to see the stars if there were no light around him.

    However, this ce was the Sixth Floor of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, so the sky here was merely a virtual imitation.

    Even that imitation required a massive amount of data, but as a result the sky here could change with the time of day, even showing an actual sun with appropriate daylight effects.

    Momonga could rx himself in this virtualndscape because Momonga¡¯s heart was still human, as opposed to his skeletal appearance. It was also because he felt a sense of appreciation for hisrades¡¯ hard work in building this ce.

    Part of him wanted to just wait and space out here, but the present situation denied him that luxury.

    Momonga looked around ¡ª nobody was there. The twins should have been taking care of this ce...

    He noticed something.

    ¡°Toooooooh!¡±

    After the shout, a figure leapt from the VIP box.

    The figure jumped down from a height of about six storeys, somersaulted in mid-air, andnded as though it were a butterfly descending on a flower. There was no magic involved, only pure physical prowess.

    It negated the force of the impact with a simple flexing of the knees, and it smiled broadly.

    ¡°V!¡±

    It made a V-sign of victory.

    A child of about eleven had descended from above. Her face bore a smile that was as bright as the sun. She was adorable, with the androgynous appeal of both a boy and a girl.

    Her hair resembled threads of spun gold, and it grazed her shoulders. The light reflected off the strands of hair resembled an angel¡¯s halo. Her mismatched eyes, one blue, one red, seemed as eager and sparkly as a puppy¡¯s.

    Her ears were long, and his skin was dark. She was a Dark Elf, a species rted to Forest Elves.

    She wore a shirt of light leather armor, reinforced with red dragon¡¯s scales. The emblem of Ainz Ooal Gown was proudly disyed on her vest, stitched in gold onto a white background. Below that, she wore a pair of white pants, matching her vest. A ne with a glittering golden acorn pendant hung from her neck, and she wore a pair of gloves reinforced with tes of enchanted metal.

    A whip coiled across her waist and right shoulder, and there was a longbow on her back. The bowstave and grip seemed to be covered in strange decorations.

    ¡°Aura, is it?¡±

    Momonga spoke the name of the Dark Elf child.

    He was addressing the Guardian of the Sixth Floor of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, Aura Be Fiora. She was a skirmisher who was also able to summon and tame beasts.

    Aura jogged over to Momonga. Well, to her, it was a jogging pace, but she was travelling as fast as one of her beasts at full speed, rapidly closing the distance between them.

    Aura screeched to a halt.

    Her running shoes had hihiirokane metal tes on the soles, and they threw up clouds of dust as they ground against the floor of the arena. The clouds did not touch Momonga¡¯s body; if she had nned that, then his skills must have been impressive indeed.

    ¡°Huu~¡±

    Aura was not sweating, but yet she wiped her forehead theatrically. Then, with a puppy-like smile, she greeted Momonga.

    ¡°Wee, Momonga-sama. Wee to the level I guard!¡±

    The greeting was filled with the same respect that Albedo, Sebas, and the maids had for him, but for some reason it felt more intimate. To Momonga, this intimacy allowed him to loosen up. Being too uptight and scary was quite troublesome for Momonga, who was not experienced with this sort of thing.

    He could not detect any hostility on Aura¡¯s face, and his ¡¸Enemy Scan¡¹ revealed nothing.

    Momonga¡¯s line of sight left the band on his right wrist and he loosened his grip on the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown.

    He had nned to strike hard and fade away if an emergency urred, but it seemed as though there would be no need for that.

    ¡°...Mm. I¡¯ll be intruding for a while.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯re you saying, You are the master of Nazarick, the Supreme Overlord, right, Momonga-sama? There¡¯s no ce you¡¯d be intruding if you visited!¡±

    ¡°I see... speaking of which, if you¡¯re here, Mare...¡±

    Upon hearing Momonga¡¯s question, Aura blinked in surprise, as though she had realised some great truth and turned around, shouting loudly upward:

    ¡°Momonga-sama has graced us with his presence! How rude are you going to be by not showing your face to him?¡±

    There was movement in the shadows of the VIP box.

    ¡°Was Mare there too?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right, Momonga-sama. He¡¯s really timid... Oi, jump down here now!¡±

    An almost inaudible reply came from the VIP box. Judging by the distance between there and here, it was a miracle the other party could even hear Aura. However, that miracle was the result of the magic on Aura¡¯s ne.

    ¡°I, I can¡¯t, Onee-chan...¡±

    Aura took a deep breath and grabbed her head.

    ¡°He... he... Momonga-sama, he¡¯s just scared, he¡¯s definitely not trying to insult you.¡±

    As a member of society, one had to know when to speak one¡¯s heart and when to say things that were appropriate for the asion. Momonga nodded and answered in a gentle way to put Aura at ease.

    ¡°Of course, Aura. I have never doubted your loyalty.¡±

    Aura sighed in relief, and then she became serious again before shouting angrily at the VIP box.

    ¡°The Supreme Being Ainz-sama hase to visit us, but you as a Floor Guardian aren¡¯t even here to meet him! You should know how disrespectful that is! If you¡¯re too scared to jump down, maybe a quick kick will substitute for courage!¡±

    ¡°Uuu... I¡¯ll take the stairs down...¡±

    ¡°How long do you want Ainz-sama to wait!? Get over here now!¡±

    ¡°I, I got it... e-eiii!¡±

    Mare had gathered up his courage, but his voice still seemed unsteady. After that, a figure jumped out of the VIP box.

    As expected, it was a Dark Elf. This Dark Elf was particrly wobbly on his feet,pletely different from how Aura had handled hernding. However, he did not seem to be hurt. He must have skillfully dissipated the force ofnding with some athletic trick.

    After that, he immediately began running over as quickly as he could. However, his top speed was still much slower than Aura. She must have thought so too, because she frowned and shouted:

    ¡°Hurry up!¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes!¡±

    The child who finally arrived in front of Ainz looked almost identical to Aura. They had to be twins, given the way they shared the same hair, the same eyes, and the same features. However, if Aura was the sun, then Mare was the moon.

    He looked nervous, as though he was afraid of being scolded. Momonga was surprised by the stark difference between the two. However, from what Momonga knew, Mare should not have been like this. Even if one wrote a long character description for their NPCs, it would not be reflected in their personalities.

    Yet, these two Dark Elf children were disying animated emotions in front of Momonga.

    ¡°¡ªThey must be the Aura and Mare that Bukubukuchagama-san wanted to see.¡±

    Bukubukuchagama was the guild member who had designed these two Dark Elf characters.

    If only she could have been here for this...

    ¡°I, I¡¯m sorry I kept you waiting, Momonga-sama...¡±

    He nervously raised his eyes to peek at Momonga. He wore a vest of blue dragon scales, and a small cape that was as green as jungle leaves.

    His clothes had the same basic white color as Aura, but a short section of flesh peeked out below his short skirt. It was short because the rest of his legs were covered in white silk stockings. He had an acorn-shaped pendant on a ne like Aura, but his was made of silver.

    Mare was much more lightly armed than Aura, with a pair of lustrous white gloves on his dainty little hands, and a gnarled ck staff in his hands.

    Mare Bello Fiore.

    Like Aura, he was a Guardian of the Sixth Floor of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.

    Momonga squinted ¡ª though his eyes were merely empty sockets ¡ª and looked at them. Aura thrust her chest forward proudly, while Mare simply cowered under Momonga¡¯s gaze.

    He nodded several times, musing that the two of them were indeed the incarnation of hisrade¡¯s hard work.

    ¡°I¡¯m d to see that the two of you are in good spirits.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m positively overflowing with energy... although it¡¯s been a bit boring recently. It would be nice if we had an intruder or two.¡±

    ¡°I, I would rather not have to meet intruders... they, they¡¯re scary...¡±

    After hearing Mare¡¯s words, Aura¡¯s expression changed:

    ¡°...Haa. Momonga-sama, please excuse me for a while. Mare,e with me.¡±

    ¡°O-Oww... Nee-chan, that hurts...¡±

    After seeing Momonga nod slightly, Aura pinched Mare by the tip of one of his ears and dragged him away from Momonga. Then, she began whispering into Mare¡¯s ear. Even from a distance, one could tell that she was scolding him.

    ¡°...Intruders, huh. Well, much like you, I don¡¯t want to meet them either, Mare...¡±

    At least, I¡¯d rather meet them after having the chance to make all the preparations I need, Momonga thought as he watched the twin Guardians from afar.

    After he snapped back to reality, Momonga realised that Mare was on his knees in front of Aura, who was hurling a torrent of abuse at him.

    Momonga smiled, as the scene reminded him of the brother and sister who were his friends:

    ¡°Good grief, Mare was clearly not made by Peroroncino-san. Or is this because Bukubukuchagama-san believed that ¡°Little brothers should listen to their big sisters¡±... Thoughe to think about it, Aura and Mare should have died once. How should I address that?¡±

    The invasion of fifteen-hundred people had made it down to the Eighth Floor. Which was to say, Aura and Mare should have died then. Did they remember anything about it?

    What meaning did the concept of ¡°death¡± have for those two, anyway?

    ording to YGGDRASIL¡¯s rules, death would cost a character five levels and force him to drop one of his equipped items. In other words, characters below level five would immediately disappear. yers were specially exempt from this and would not vanish, but they would be reduced to the minimum level of one. Therefore, it must be an issue with the game rules.

    Using spells like ¡¸Resurrection¡¹ or ¡¸Raise Dead¡¹ would mitigate this level loss. In addition, with the use of cash items, one would only lose a bit of experience.

    It was simpler for NPCs. As long as the guild paid the requisite fees to resurrect them, they would be recalled to life without any ill effects.

    Therefore, yers who wanted to respec their characters often favored using death to lower one¡¯s levels.

    While the loss of even a single level was a harsh punishment in a game where each level required a lot of experience points, losing levels was not such a frightening prospect in YGGDRASIL. This was because the gamepany wanted its yers to explore previously undiscovered regions and find new things, instead of hunkering down in familiar territory because they were afraid of losing levels.

    With all this in mind, were the two people who perished in the wake of the fifteen-hundred-man invasion the same after their resurrection?

    Momonga wanted to verify this, but at the same time, he did not want to disturb them unduly. For all he knew, thatrge invasion might have been a traumatic experience for Aura. Momonga felt it would be unwise to question her in that manner when she had showed no overt signs of hostility. The important thing was that they were lovingly crafted NPCs of his friends in Ainz Ooal Gown.

    Perhaps after settling all the umted problems, he would ask her about it.

    In addition, the concept of death in-game might be different from outside it. Of course, if one died in reality, that was the end of everything, However, that might not be the case right now. He wanted to perform an experiments on this, but first he needed to collect information and establish his priorities. Thus, putting this matter aside would be a wise decision.

    After all, Momonga still had many doubts about how the YGGDRASIL he knew had changed.

    Aura was still scolding Mare as Momonga stood in contemtion. Momonga pitied Mare a little. After all, he had not said anything that warranted such wrathful castigation.

    In the past, when brother and sister argued, all Momonga could do was watch. But now, things were different.

    ¡°That should be enough, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°Momonga-sama! But, but as a Guardian, Mare¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Aura, I understand how you feel. It is only natural that you would feel unhappy if Mare, as a Floor Guardian, said such a cowardly thing, especially if it were in my presence. However, I believe that if anyone invaded the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, you and Mare would fearlessly step forward to engage them. There is no need for scoldings as long as one does what is required of them when the timees.¡±

    Momonga walked up to between the two of them and helped Mare up.

    ¡°And Mare, you should be grateful to your kind sister. Even if I were angry, I could not remain so after seeing how your sister scolded you.¡±

    Mare looked in surprise at his sister. At this moment, Aura hurriedly said:

    ¡°Eh? No, no, it¡¯s not like that. I wasn¡¯t scolding him to show off in front of you, Momonga-sama!¡±

    ¡°Aura, it¡¯s fine. It doesn¡¯t matter what you had in mind. I understand your kind intentions. However, I must tell you that I am not dissatisfied with Mare¡¯s performance as a Guardian.¡±

    ¡°Um, ah, yes, yes! Thank you, Momonga-sama!¡±

    ¡°Th-Thank you very much...¡±

    Momonga felt ufortable as he watched the two of them bow to him. He felt particrly ill at ease as he saw them look at him with their shining eyes. In order to camouge the embarrassment he felt at being looked at that way, Momonga coughed.

    ¡°Hm, that¡¯s right. Aura, I think you said something about being bored because there were no intruders?¡±

    ¡°¡ªAh, no, that, about that...¡±

    After seeing Aura¡¯s fearful reaction, Momonga felt bad about asking his question.

    ¡°I do not intend to reproach you for your answer, so feel free to speak your mind.¡±

    ¡°...Yes, a little. There¡¯s nobody around here who can spar with me for more than five minutes.¡±

    Aura touched her index fingers together before looking up hopefully to Momonga.

    As a Guardian, Aura was level one hundred. There were precious few opponents in this dungeon which could rival her. There were nine such NPCs, including Aura and Mare, as well as one other.

    ¡°What if Mare was your opponent?¡±

    Mare¡¯s body trembled as he shrank away. He shook his head with moist eyes, and he looked very afraid. Aura sighed as she saw the way he looked.

    As Aura sighed, a sweet scent filled the surrounding air. Unlike the fragrance Albedo radiated, this scent seemed somewhat persistent. As he remembered Aura¡¯s ability, Momonga took a step away from the scent.

    ¡°Ah, sorry, Momonga-sama!¡±

    As Aura noticed Momonga¡¯s strange reaction, she hurriedly dispersed the scent with her hand.

    Among Aura¡¯s skills as a Beast Tamer, there were certain passive skills that had buffing and debuffing effects. These abilities acted through her breath and had a radius of several meters, some even up to ten meters. With the effect of certain skills, that radius could be erged to unbelievable proportions.

    In YGGDRASIL, icons representing buffs and debuffs appeared in one¡¯s field of vision, so one could see if they were under the effect of an ability. However, no indication of these changes appeared before him, which made things quite troublesome.

    ¡°Ah, it should be fine now, I cancelled it!¡±

    ¡°Is that so...¡±

    ¡°...Although you¡¯re undead, so mind-affecting effects shouldn¡¯t work on you, right, Momonga-sama?¡±

    That was true in YGGDRASIL. The undead were immune to mind-affecting effects, whether positive or negative.

    ¡°...Was I within the effective radius?¡±

    ¡°Mm.¡±

    Aura lowered her head in fear, and so did Mare beside her.

    ¡°...I¡±m not angry, Aura,¡± Momonga said in as gentle a voice as he could manage. ¡°Aura... You don¡¯t have to be so afraid. Do you think such a simple skill would inconvenience me? I was simply asking if I was within the effective range of your skill.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Just now, you were within range of my skill.¡±

    After hearing Aura¡¯s energetic answer as relief flooded back into her, Momonga realized that his very presence filled Aura with fear.

    Once he noticed this, he felt a clenching pain in his nonexistent stomach. What if he became weaker from this? Every time he thought about that, he tried desperately to put it out of mind.

    ¡°And what was its effect?¡±

    ¡°Ah, the effect just now... should have been fear.¡±

    ¡°Umu...¡±

    He did not feel afraid. In YGGDRASIL, one would not be affected by attacks from the guild or party to which one belonged. Although, there was a very real chance this rule no longer applies, so it would be best to verify that now.

    ¡°Aura, I was just thinking that your skill should not have an effect on people from the same guild... the same group.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    Aura¡¯s eyes went wide, much like Mare¡¯s did from the side. Judging from their reactions, Momonga realised that they did not agree with him.

    ¡°Am I mistaken?¡±

    ¡°Yes... Could it be you mixed it up with the ability to freely change the range of one¡¯s skills?¡±

    So it seemed the rule disabling friendly fire was no longer in effect. Mare was not affected while being near Aura, but that might be because he had equipped an item which negated mind-affecting effects on himself.

    In contrast, the undead Momonga¡¯s divine ss items did not have any data which protected against mind-affecting effects. But in that case, why did Momonga not feel fear?

    There were two possibilities.

    He might have resisted it with his base stats, or resisted it with his immunities from being an undead creature.

    Because he was not sure which hypothesis was correct, Momonga decided to conduct an experiment:

    ¡°Can you try using other effects?¡±

    Aura tilted her head and made a strange noise of bafflement. Momonga was reminded of a puppy, and he reached out to stroke Aura¡¯s head.

    Her hair and scalp felt smooth as silk, and caressing her was veryfortable. Because Aura did not seem to mind, Momonga wanted to keep going on. However, Mare looked a little frightened as he stared at them from the side, so he paused.

    What was Mare thinking, anyway?

    After thinking for a short while, Momonga released his staff and ruffled Mare¡¯s hair with his other hand.

    The quality of Mare¡¯s hair felt better, but Momonga hardly paid it any heed as he rubbed their heads until he was satisfied. Then, he remembered what he was here to do:

    ¡°Then I have something to ask of you. I n to conduct certain experiments... I¡¯ll need your help for them.¡±

    At first, the two of them did not know how to respond to that. However, when Momonga¡¯s hand left their heads, the two of them had embarrassed yet happy looks on their faces.

    Aura cheerfully replied, ¡°Yes, I understand! Momonga-sama, leave it to me!¡±

    Momonga reached out a hand to quell Aura.

    ¡°Before that¡ª¡±

    Momonga gripped the floating staff in his hand.

    Just like before, when he used the power of the ring, he focused on the staff. Among the many powers it possessed, Momonga concentrated on one of the gems which decorated the staff.

    It was a divine ss item called the Gem of the Moon, and the ability Momonga chose¡ª

    ¡ªcalled forth Moonlight Wolves.

    As the summoning magic took effect, three beasts appeared out of thin air.

    The special effects of the summoning were the same as in YGGDRASIL, so Momonga was not surprised by them.

    Moonlight Wolves looked very simr to Siberian Wolves, but they radiated a silver glow. Momonga could feel a mysterious connection between himself and the Moonlight Wolves. It clearly showed who was the master and the servant between them.

    ¡°Are those Moonlight Wolves?¡±

    Aura¡¯s tone showed she did not understand. After all, she had no idea why Momonga would summon such weak monsters.

    Moonlight Wolves were highly agile and they were useful for ambushes, but they were only level twenty or so. They were very weak monsterspared to Aura and Momonga. However, monsters of this level were enough for their purposes this time round.

    In fact, the weaker they were, the better.

    ¡°Yes, they are. Now, include me in the radius of your skill.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Really?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±

    Momonga¡¯s insistence was so great that even the dubious Aura went ahead with it.

    Given that they were no longer in the game, there was a possibility he could not ignore, which was that Aura¡¯s skill might not have activated properly. In order to rule that out, he had to expose himself to the skill with a third party, which was why he had summoned the Moonlight Wolves.

    After that, Aura exhaled several times, but Momonga did not feel affected in any way. He tried rxing or turning around in the middle of the skill, but he felt nothing strange. However, the Moonlight Wolf behind him was affected. Thus, he concluded that Aura¡¯s skill had taken effect.

    From this experiment, Momonga learned that mind-affecting effects did not work on him. This meant¡ª

    In the game, demihuman and heteromorphic races unlocked racial skills when they reached certain levels. An Overlord like Momonga had the following skills:

    Create High Tier Undead four times per day, Create Mid Tier Undead twelve times per day, Create Low Tier Undead twenty times per day, Negative Energy Touch, Despair Aura V (instant death), Negative Protection, Dark Soul, ck Halo, Undead Blessing, Unholy Protection, Wisdom of Darkness, Speak Evil Tongues, Ability Damage IV, Piercing Damage Resistance V, shing Damage Resistance V, Turn Resistance III, High Tier Physical Immunity III, High Tier Magic Immunity III, Cold, Acid, and Electrical Immunity, as well as Arcane Vision/See Invisibility.

    And then there were the abilities from his ss levels ¡ª Instant Death Magic Enhancement, Rite of Darkness, Undead Aura, Undead Creation, Undead Control, Undead Strengthening, and so on.

    Then there were the basic special qualities which all undead possessed:

    Immunity to critical hits, mind-affecting, poison, disease, sleep, paralysis, death, and energy drain effects. Resistance to necromancy and biological penalties. Undead did not need to breathe, eat, or drink. They were healed by negative energy and had darkvision.

    Of course, they had weaknesses too, like Good, Light, and Holy Vulnerability IV, Bludgeoning Vulnerability V, Vulnerability to Holy and Good Consecrated Areas II, double damage from fire, and so on.

    ¡ªThis meant that Momonga could be sure that he still possessed the basic abilities of an undead being and his special skills gained through levelling up.

    ¡°I see. Well, this was an informative experiment... thank you, Aura. Are you all right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°Is that so... return.¡±

    The three Moonlight Wolves vanished as though time itself had turned backward for them.

    ¡°...Momonga-sama, did youe to our floor in order to perform those experiments just now?¡±

    Mare was nodding beside her.

    ¡°Eh? Ah, no. In truth, I came here for training.¡±

    ¡°Training? Eh? For you, Momonga-sama?¡±

    Aura and Mare¡¯s eyes were so wide it seemed like they might fall out of their sockets. Their surprise was only natural; after all, who would expect to hear such a thing from Momonga, a powerful magic caster, the Supreme Ruler of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, as well as the one who stood above all?

    Momonga, who had anticipated this reaction, swiftly replied:

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    After seeing Momonga¡¯s swift reply and hearing the light impact of his staff on the ground, realization dawned on Aura¡¯s face. Momonga was quite pleased with himself, as this reaction had fallen within his scope of prediction.

    ¡°Is, is that the legendary weapon of the highest order which only you may wield, Momonga-sama?¡±

    Legendary weapon? What did he mean by that?

    Momonga had his doubts, but after seeing Mare¡¯s shining eyes, he knew the question had not been asked with ill intentions.

    ¡°Indeed, this is the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown, which I made with my guild members.¡±

    Momonga raised the Staff, and it immediately radiated a beautiful glow which lit up its surroundings. The glow was as blinding as the Staff itself. However, the surroundings were filled with inauspicious flickering shadows, which emitted an aura of menace.

    Momonga¡¯s voice was more animated and proud when he spoke:

    ¡°The seven gems in the Staff¡¯s snake mouths are all divine ss artifacts. Since they all belong to a set, having them together unlocks even greater power beyond their base abilities. Gathering them all required an incalcble amount of time and effort, and many of our members stated that they wanted to quit during the process. I can¡¯t remember how many monsters we farmed for their drops... anyway, in addition, the Staff¡¯s power is beyond that of a divine ss item. In fact, it almost approaches that of a World ss Item. Its most potent feature is its automatic engagement system... cough, cough.¡±

    ...It would seem he had gotten carried away.

    He had built it with hisrades in the past, but because he had never taken it out before, there had been no chance for it to shine. Now that he had the chance to show it off, his praise surged forth like a rising tide. Momonga forcibly quelled his desire to unt the Staff.

    How embarrassing...

    ¡°Mm, something like that.¡±

    ¡°That, that¡¯s amazing...¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s totally awesome, Momonga-sama!¡±

    Momonga almostughed as he saw their eyes. He tried his best to suppress the delighted expression on his face ¡ª although skeletons had no expressions ¡ª and continued:

    ¡°Which was why I wanted to run some experiments with this Staff. I hope you can help me.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Understood! We¡¯ll go prepare right away! Then... could we see the power of the Staff?¡±

    ¡°Mm, that¡¯s fine. Then, I shall show you a fraction of the power of this mighty Staff, which only I can wield.¡±

    ¡°Awesome~¡± Aura eximed as she jumped up and down adorably.

    Mare was hard-pressed to hide his delight, as could be seen from the twitching tips of his ears.

    Ah, this is bad, I can¡¯t let my stern facade slip because of this. Momonga tried to regain his dignity as he reminded himself thusly.

    ¡°...And there is one more thing, Aura. I have already ordered the other Guardians here. They will arrive within the hour.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Then, then we need to get ready for¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, there is no need. All you need to do is stay here and wait for them.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Hm... all the Guardians ¡ª that means Shalltear¡¯sing too?¡±

    ¡°All the Guardians.¡±

    ¡°...Haa.¡±

    Aura¡¯s long ears suddenly drooped.

    However, Mare¡¯s reaction was not as exaggerated as Aura¡¯s. ording to her backstory, Aura was designed to have a poor rtionship with Shalltear, but that was probably not the case for Mare.

    What would happen next? Momonga sighed quietly.

    Part 2

    Thepany of fifty men galloped across the grassy ins on their horses.

    Every man in thepany was athletically built. One of them was particrly eye-catching.

    There was no better word to describe him than ¡°fit.¡± His muscles were prominent even though he was wearing a breastte.

    He was around thirty years old, and his face was tanned from long days of sun and covered in wrinkles. His ck hair was neat and trimmed, and his dark eyes had a sharp look about them.

    The man riding by his side said:

    ¡°Warrior-Captain, we¡¯re almost at the first vige on our patrol route.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, Vice-Captain.¡±

    Gazef Stronoff, the renowned Warrior-Captain of the Re-Estize Kingdom, did not see any viges.

    He calmed his racing heart and maintained his mount¡¯s speed. Although he had kept the horse¡¯s pace at one which should not be overly fatiguing, they had hustled all the way here from the Royal Capital, and fatigue was beginning to umte within Gazef¡¯s body. It must have been at least as bad for his horse, which was why he tried not to overburden it.

    ¡°I hope they¡¯re all right,¡± the Vice-Captain said. There was a current of unease running beneath those words, and Gazef felt the same way.

    The King had ordered Gazef and his men, ¡°Imperial knights have been spotted at the border. If these reports are true, eliminate them immediately.¡±

    The city of E-Rantel was closer, and under normal circumstances, it would be faster to send troops from there. However, the Imperial knights were powerful and well-equipped, and there was an insurmountable gap between them and average conscripts. The only people in the Kingdom which could match up to the Imperial knights were Gazef and his troops. However, handing the entire task to Gazef and his men alone was the height of foolishness.

    Before Gazef reached their objective, other troops could have been mobilized, in order to protect the viges. Though they could not win, they could at least hold them off. There were many other methods they could have employed. However, they had not used any of them ¡ª no, they could not.

    Gazef, who knew the reason why, was filled with agitation. He tightly gripped the reins and tried not to tug on them. Even so, it was difficult to suppress the thoughts burning in his heart.

    ¡°Warrior-Captain, just having us do the searching is pointless. Couldn¡¯t we bring everyone from the warrior band and have them help us? We could also hire adventurers from E-Rantel to help us out. Why are you doing this?¡±

    ¡°...Enough, Vice-Captain. Things might go poorly if someone heard that Imperial knights were running loose in the Kingdom¡¯s territory.¡±

    ¡°Warrior-Captain, there¡¯s nobody here. You don¡¯t have to stand on ceremony, but I hope you can tell me the truth,¡± the Vice-Captain said with a smile. Then, he continued, ¡°Was it those nobles?¡±

    Gazef did not reply to those disdainful words, because that was exactly the case.

    ¡°Those damned nobles, treating human lives like pieces in their power struggles! And on top of that, since this is the King¡¯s domain, they can use any problems here to take shots at the King.¡±

    ¡°...Not all nobles think that way.¡±

    ¡°And maybe you¡¯re right, Warrior-Captain, and there are some nobles who think of the people. For example, the Golden Princess. But apart from her, there¡¯s practically no one else... if only the Kingdom was ruled by a dictator, couldn¡¯t we ignore those damn nobles and work for the good of the people?¡±

    ¡°If you interfere too strongly, it might lead to a civil war that would tear the Kingdom apart. Given that we¡¯re facing the threat of the Empire¡¯s expanding ambitions, a war like that would be a disaster for themon folk.¡±

    ¡°I know that, but...¡±

    ¡°Just leave this matter aside for...¡±

    Gazef¡¯s voice cut off halfway, as his eyes looked intently forward.

    Thick, ck smoke rose up from behind the small hill ahead of them, and it was not just one or two plumes.

    Everyone present knew what that meant.

    Gazef could not help but click his tongue, and he squeezed his legs around his horse¡¯s nks.

    The scene which the rapidly galloping Gazef andpany saw did not deviate from their expectations. Before them spread an expanse of ckened ground, the scorched remains of a vige. The corpses of several of the burned houses remained standing, like tombstones.

    Gazef gave an order in with a voice of steel, ¡°Everyone, we¡¯re moving. Quickly now!¡±

    ? ? ?

    The vige had been put to the torch, and only the burned skeletons of the destroyed homes gave any clue as to what it had been like before.

    The smell of blood blended with the stench of burning as one walked between them.

    Gazef¡¯s face was calm, with no hint of any emotions on it. However, no expression could convey his feelings more clearly than this. The same applied to Vice-Captain who walked by Gazef¡¯s side.

    Over a hundred vigers had lived here. Six had survived. Everyone else had been mercilessly in, whether they were women, children, or infants.

    ¡°Vice-Captain, have some of our people return the survivors to E-Rantel.¡±

    ¡°But wait, this is...¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right, it¡¯s a big risk. Even so, we can¡¯t just abandon them like this.¡±

    E-Rantel was directly administered by the King, and protecting its surrounding viges was the King¡¯s duty. Abandoning the survivors here would cause a lot of problems for him. One could imagine how the Noble Faction, which opposed the King, would seize on that opportunity to make trouble for him. More importantly¡ª

    ¡°Please reconsider. A lot of the survivors witnessed Imperial knights. We can consider that as having fulfilled the first part of the King¡¯s orders. I feel we should fall back for now and make sufficient preparations in E-Rantel before carrying out the next part.¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Warrior-Captain! You should know by now that this is a trap. The timing of the attack came too close to our arrival at E-Rantel to be anything but a coincidence. Their ruthless actions were onlymitted after we arrived, and the reason why they did not kill everyone was in order to use them as bait for a trap.¡±

    The survivors had not evaded the knights. Rather, the enemy had not finished them off. It might be a plot to divide Gazef¡¯s strength by having him split off his men to protect the survivors.

    ¡°Warrior-Captain, do you intend to keep at it, knowing well that there¡¯s a trap?¡±

    ¡°...Indeed.¡±

    ¡°Warrior Captain, are you serious about that!? Indeed, you are strong, and you could easily defeat a hundred knights. However, the Empire has that old man. Even you would be in great danger against him. There¡¯s also a chance that you might lose against the Empire¡¯s renowned Four Knights, under-equipped as you are. Therefore, I beg you to fall back. To the King, losing a few viges is nothingpared to losing you!¡±

    Gazef could only listen quietly as his Vice-Captain got more and more nervous.

    ¡°If we won¡¯t fall back... then we should leave the survivors behind andunch a pursuit with all of us.¡±

    ¡°That would be the wisest option.... But at the same time, it would mean that we would be leaving them to their deaths. Do you think they can survive by themselves?¡±

    The Vice-Captain could not reply, because he knew the survivors¡¯ chances by themselves were practically nonexistent.

    Without someone to protect and escort them to a safe area, they would be dead in days.

    Even so, the Vice-Captain spoke ¡ª no, he had to speak.

    ¡°...Warrior-Captain. Yours is the most valuable life here.The vigers¡¯ lives are nothing inparison.¡±

    Gazef was well aware of the painful decision the Vice-Captain had made, and he was angry at himself for having forced him to say such a thing.

    Even so, he could notply with the Vice-Captain¡¯s request.

    ¡°I was born amoner, and so were you.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, and I enlisted in admiration of you, Warrior-Captain.¡±

    ¡°I recall you were born in a vige as well?¡±

    ¡°Yes, which is why...¡±

    ¡°Life in a vige is difficult, and death is a constantpanion. It¡¯s not umon for a vige to be attacked by a monster and many lives lost as a result, am I wrong?¡±

    ¡°...No, you are not.¡±

    ¡°When a monster shows up, the rank and file soldiers are hard pressed to deal with it. If a vige does not have the money to hire adventurers to deal with monsters, all they can do is hunker down and wait for the monster to leave.¡±

    ¡°...That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Then, can you say you did not look forward to something like this? Can you say you did not hope for the nobles or someone strong toe and save you?¡±

    ¡°...It would be a lie to say that I didn¡¯t. But the fact is that nobody ever came forward to help. At least, the lord of thend where my vige was did not pay for adventurers to help us.¡±

    ¡°Since that is the case... why don¡¯t we prove that we¡¯re not like him? Come, let us save these people.¡±

    The Vice-Captain thought of his own experiences, and could not say anything in response.

    ¡°Vice-Captain, let¡¯s show the vigers what heroes who willingly plunge into danger to save others look like. Let¡¯s show them how the strong will save the weak.¡±

    Gazef¡¯s eyes met the Vice-Captain¡¯s, and countless emotions passed in between them.

    His voice somewhat tired but grateful, the Vice-Captain replied:

    ¡°...Then allow me to lead the men. There are many who can rece me, but none who can take the ce of you, Warrior-Captain.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish. My chances of survival are higher. Remember, we¡¯re not going to die, but to save the people of the Kingdom.¡±

    The Vice-Captain opened his mouth several times, as though to speak, but in the end, he chose to remain silent.

    ¡°Then, pick the soldiers who will follow you in escorting the vigers to E-Rantel.¡±

    ? ? ?

    The crimson light of the setting sun shone on a group of men upon the ins.

    There were forty five of them.

    They must have had excellent camouge techniques given the way they had suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Magic was most likely involved.

    It was obvious at a nce that they were not simple mercenaries, travellers, or adventurers.

    They were all dressed the same way, in armor made of special metals, which emphasised defensive power and mobility. After enchantment, they were more protective than full te armor.

    The bags on their backs were small, hardly the kind one would expect a traveller to carry. Those bags were enchanted as well. Their belts were special, designed to carry potions, and the capes on their backs also radiated an aura of magic.

    Gathering this many sets of magic items would be a daunting task, be it in terms of time, money, or effort required. The fact that these people were outfitted in this sort of equipment was a clear sign that they had the backing of a nation, or the equivalent.

    However, there were no markings or badges on them which might reveal their allegiance. In other words, they were hiding the fact that they were a ck ops unit.

    They looked at the ruins of the vige with emotionless eyes. Although the stink of blood and fire hung heavy in the air, their merciless gazes seemed to say that this was only to be expected.

    ¡°...They fled.¡±

    The words were spoken with a hint of disappointment.

    ¡°...Well, that¡¯s only to be expected. We will continue attacking viges to draw him out. The beast must be lured into the trap.¡±

    The man who spoke cast a razor-sharp look in the direction where Gazef¡¯spany was riding.

    ¡°Show me the vige which we will next be using as bait.¡±

    Part 3

    Momonga pointed his finger, preparing to cast a spell on the strawman in the corner of the arena.

    Momonga did not know many pure damage spells. Instead, he focused on instant death spells with additional effects. As a result, he was less effective against non-living entities. He should have selected a simple damaging spell against a target like the one before him, but Momonga¡¯s levels werergely in necromancy-type sses, which strengthened his necromantic spells. However, the effectiveness of these spells was several notches below a character whose ss levels enhancedbat spells.

    He nced curiously at the children to the side, whose eyes were glittering in anticipation. He felt uneasy as he wondered whether he could live up to their expectations.

    Then, Momonga peeked at the two huge monsters.

    Their massive bodies were three meters tall, and resembled inverted triangles.

    Their skeletal structure was a mix of humans and dragons and covered in corded, sinewy muscles, which were in turn sheathed by ayer of scales that were harder than steel.

    Their faces resembled those of dragons, while their tails were as thick as tree trunks. They were wingless and bipedal, like a dragon standing on its hind legs. Their arms were wider around than a man¡¯s torso, and each was about half the length of its body. They bore weapons that resembled both a shield and a sword.

    These monsters were called Dragonkin, and under the control of Aura¡¯s beast tamer skills, they rearranged the Colosseum to her liking.

    Although they were level fifty five monsters with no special abilities of note, their powerful arms and prodigious stamina were a match for higher-levelled monsters.

    Momonga sighed softly, and then looked back at the strawmen.

    It was quite troubling to have people look at him with expectation in their eyes. His objective this time was to verify that he could use magic.

    The reason for allowing Aura and Mare to witness this experiment was to impress his power upon them before the other Guardians arrived. In this way, they would learn that opposing Momonga was a foolish course of action.

    The two kids did not seem like they would betray him, nor did he feel that they would betray him. However, if he lost the ability to use his magic, Momonga was not confident that they would stay loyal to him.

    Aura treated Momonga like an old friend, but to Momonga, it was the first time they had met. He could tell that the twins were the lovingly crafted embodiment of his guild members¡¯ hard work.

    However, there was no guarantee that their design and programming was perfect. In the face of countless situations and stimuli, a discrepancy or weakness might appear somewhere.

    They were intelligent beings who could think on their own, so ws in their reasoning must exist somewhere. If they were not programmed to be loyal to weaklings, what would that mean for him? In all likelihood, they were not written to be vishly loyal. That would mean that whether or not they obeyed the order would depend on who the giver was. And it would be bad enough if they did not listen to him, but what if they betrayed their guild leader after finding out that he was powerless...?

    It was not good to have too many doubts, but blind trust was not a wise move either.

    He would cross that bridge when he came to it. Momonga turned his mind to the present.

    Another reason foring here was that if he found that he could not use magic, he could discuss the situation with Aura and Mare.

    The twins thought he hade to test the power of the Staff, so now that its power had been proven, he could cover up any ineffectiveness of his own magic.

    It was a pretty good n.

    Momonga could not help but congratte himself. Had he ever been so cool and calcting in the past? However, there was nobody here who could answer Momonga¡¯s question.

    He cast aside the doubts in his mind, and focused on using the magic of YGGDRASIL.

    There were over six thousand spells in the game, from Tier One to Tier Ten, as well as Super Tier magic. These spells were divided among various types and schools, and Momonga could use seven hundred eighteen of them. A normal level one hundred yer would only be able to use three hundred of them, so Momonga was an exceptional case.

    Momonga had memorized almost all of these spells, and he considered which one to use now.

    To begin with, because the restriction on friendly fire had been lifted, he needed to know how the effective radius of a spell would show itself.

    Therefore, he decided against a single target spell, but picked an area effect spell. Next, considering his target was a strawman, he should¡ª

    In YGGDRASIL, he could cast a spell by tapping its respective icon. However, there were no icons for him to touch. Therefore, there had to be some other way.

    He was not sure, but he had a faint idea of how to use his magic.

    It was a power hidden within him. Just like how he had deactivated his negative touch, Momonga focused within himself. An icon appeared, as though floating in mid-air¡ª

    And Ainz smiled in delight.

    He was fully aware of information like the spell¡¯s effective radius, its recast dy, and so on. Knowing this information, being sure of his power filled him with a surging excitement and warm satisfaction. Unlike in YGGDRASIL, he felt that the magic was part of him. This was a satisfaction he could never have experienced in YGGDRASIL.

    He channelled the jubtion in his heart ¡ª although his mood calmed quickly, he could still feel joy and excitement ¡ª into his fingertip, and spoke the words:

    ¡°¡¸Fireball¡¹.¡±

    An expanding globe of me shot out from the finger pointing at the strawman.

    The fireball struck the strawman unerringly, as he had predicted. It burst, releasing a wave of scorching me that blew the strawman away. The inner part of the fireball exploded, turning the strawman and the surrounding area into a sea of fire.

    All this happened in an instant. Then, besides the ckened strawman, there was nothing left.

    ¡°Fufufufu...¡±

    Aura and Mare watched Momonga snicker, clueless as to what was going on.

    ¡°¡ªAura, set up another strawman.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, at once! Hurry up and do it!¡±

    One of the Dragonkin picked up another strawman, and ced it beside the burned one.

    Momonga paced around the strawman, before casting a spell on it:

    ¡°¡¸Napalm¡¹.¡±

    A column of me appeared beside the strawman, engulfing it in fire. Momonga paused a beat, then cast another spell on the remnants of the strawman:

    ¡°¡¸Fireball¡¹.¡±

    The fireball struck the remains of the strawman, scattering its ashes in a puff of smoke.

    The recast time between spells was the same as in YGGDRASIL. The actual process of casting was faster than in YGGDRASIL. Previously, in order to cast an area effect spell, he would need to choose the spell, then move the area effect cursor over the desired area. The process now was quicker than that.

    ¡°Perfect,¡± Momonga said, his voice filled with the same satisfaction he felt in his heart.

    ¡°Momonga-sama, should I prepare more strawmen?¡±

    Aura still did not understand. She was already aware that Momonga was a mighty magic caster, so she did not feel the show before her was anything special.

    However, that was the impression Momonga wanted to give them, and from the look on the twin¡¯s faces, it would seem he had seeded.

    ¡°...No, there is no need. I wish to try something else.¡±

    After rejecting Aura¡¯s suggestion, Momonga began his next experiment.

    ¡°¡¸Message¡¹.¡±

    The first party he tried to contact was a GM. In YGGDRASIL, when one used the ¡¸Message¡¹ spell, as long as the other party was within the game, one would hear a call tone. Otherwise, there would be no sound, and the spell would immediately terminate.

    What happened now was somewhere between both of those. It felt like something was constantly reaching out, as though looking for something to connect to. This was the first time Momonga had experienced something like this and it was difficult to describe.

    This feeling continued for a while, and in the end, after failing to connect, the ¡¸Message¡¹ spell ended.

    A profound sense of disappointment flooded through him.

    Momonga tried casting the same spell again. This time, he did not choose a GM.

    This time, he picked one of hisrades from the past ¡ª a member of Ainz Ooal Gown.

    He cast the spell, though his heart was filled with one part of hope and ny nine parts of resignation. As expected, there was no response. He tried to contact the forty, no, forty one members of the Guild with a ¡¸Message¡¹, but after receiving no reply, Momonga gently shook his head.

    In truth, he had expected this oue and had resigned himself to it, but actually being confronted by that fact filled him with an iparable feeling of despair.

    In the end, Momonga decided to contact Sebas.

    ¡ªIt got through.

    This proved that the ¡¸Message¡¹ spell was working, and that most likely, it could only contact people within this new world.

    ¡°Momonga-sama.¡±

    A voice of deepest respect echoed through his mind. Momonga considered that Sebas might have been bowing to him on the other side of the ¡¸Message¡¹, like in real-lifepanies.

    Just then, Sebas spoke again, as Momonga fell silent from thinking about these ridiculous things.

    ¡°...May I ask if something is wrong?¡±

    ¡°Ah, ahhh, forgive me. I spaced out there. That¡¯s right, how are the surroundings like?¡±

    ¡°Yes. We are surrounded by ins, with no intelligent creatures in sight.¡±

    ¡°A in... not a swamp?¡±

    The Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick should have been bordered by a swamp that was inhabited by frog-like demihumans called Tuvegs. The swamp was shrouded in mist, and it was poisonous.

    ¡°Yes. There are only ins around us.¡±

    Momonga could not help but smile.

    All this was too much...

    ¡°In other words, the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick has been wholly transported to a different ce? ...Sebas, is there anything floating in the sky, or did anything like a message appear?¡±

    ¡°No, there is nothing like that. The heavens are as boundless as the Sixth Floor¡¯s night sky.¡±

    ¡°What!? Did you say night sky?... Is there anything suspicious around you?¡±

    ¡°No... I have not seen anything unusual. Besides the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, there are no other man-made structures in sight.¡±

    ¡°Is that so... is that so...¡±

    What should he say? All Momonga could do was grab his head and try to think. But in his heart, he knew that this was most likely the case.

    Sebas¡¯s silence was a subtle hint that he was awaiting orders. Momonga nced at the strap on his left wrist. In another twenty minutes, the other Guardians would arrive. If that was the case, there was only one order he could give.

    ¡°Return in twenty minutes. When youe back to Nazarick, head to the Colosseum. All the Guardians will being, so when you arrive, I hope you will tell them about what you saw.

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    ¡°Then, gather as much information as you can before you return.¡±

    After hearing Sebas¡¯s acknowledgement, Momonga terminated the ¡¸Message¡¹ spell.

    Just as Momonga was about to sigh in relief that everything was over, he remembered the expectant looks on the twin¡¯s faces.

    He had already told them he was going to verify the Staff¡¯s power, so he had to let them see it. Momonga grasped the Staff, and pondered which fraction of its might he should reveal.

    The numberless powers within the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown seemed to be begging Momonga to unleash them.

    Right now, he needed a shy spell.

    ¡°¡¸Summon Primal Fire Elemental¡¹.¡±

    In ordance with Momonga¡¯s will, the Orb of Fire grasped within one of the Staff¡¯s snake mouths pulsed with puissance. Momonga could feel the movement of a mighty, invisible power and thrust the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown forth. A vast ball of light bloomed from the tip of the Staff, and a vortex of roaring me spilled forth from that globe of radiance.

    The fires spun faster and faster, until the tornado of me reached a width of four meters and a height of six meters.

    The crimson inferno threw off gusts of scorching air in all directions.

    From the corner of his eye, he could see the Dragonkin protecting Aura and Mare with their vast bodies. The searing winds made his cape p violently. So intense was the heat that it would not have been unusual for a normal person to be burned by them, but Momonga had acquired aplete immunity to fire damage in order to negate one of the weaknesses of the undead, so it had no effect on him at all.

    Soon, the vast cyclone of fire, swallowing the surrounding air as it burned hot enough to melt metal, began to flicker and shudder as it took a humanoid form.

    Primal Fire Elementals could be said to be among the highest ranking among all elemental monsters. They were over level eighty five. Just like he had with the Moonlight Wolves, Momonga felt a mysterious connection to the Primal Fire Elemental.

    ¡°Uwah...¡±

    Aura was watching it intently as she made noises of surprise.

    As she looked upon the top tier elemental, something that even her summoning powers would not be able to bring forth, Aura¡¯s face bore a look of excited admiration, like a child who had just received a dearly beloved present.

    ¡°...Do you want to fight it?¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°Ehhhhh?¡±

    After a moment of hesitation, Aura grinned innocently. Compared to a normal child¡¯s smile, hers was a little ¡ª no ¡ª the truth was that it was quite scary. In contrast, Mare¡¯s smile from the side seemed more like that of a child.

    ¡°Can I?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯ll be fine even if you defeat it.¡±

    Momonga shrugged to indicate that it was all right. The Staff could summon one Primal Fire Elemental a day. In other words, the Staff could summon another such being after one day had passed. As such, defeating it would not be a great loss.

    ¡°Ah, I suddenly remembered that I had something urgent to do...¡±

    ¡°Mare.¡±

    A hand reached out and firmly grasped Mare¡¯s arm, not allowing him to escape. His sister had no intention of fleeing. Aura¡¯s smile stopped Mare in his tracks. Perhaps to Momonga it might have been a cute girl¡¯s smile, but to the other person present, who looked almost the same as Aura, it was anything but cute, and Mare¡¯s face froze solid as he looked on it.

    She dragged Mare in front of the Primal Fire Elemental. Mare¡¯s eyes looked around, and he looked desperately to Momonga for help.

    In response to his hopeful smile that blossomed delicately on his face, Momonga simply pped.

    The flower of hope promptly wilted.

    ¡°All right, try your best, you two. Don¡¯t me me if you get hurt.¡±

    ¡°Kay~¡±

    Aura responded energetically, in contrast with Mare¡¯s nearly inaudible and despondent reply. Momonga felt that as long as Mare was around, neither of them would get hurt. Thus, by the power of the connection between himself and his summoned creature, he ordered the Primal Fire Elemental to attack the twins.

    As the congration that was the Primal Fire Elemental approached them, the twins met its attack with Aura as the frontliner while Mare was the rear guard.

    Aura shed at the Primal Fire Elemental, holding her whip in both her hands, while Mare used magic to deal damage.

    ¡°Well, it seems it¡¯ll be an easy fight.¡±

    Momonga¡¯s eyes left the one-sided battle taking ce before him and began to ponder the other things he needed to investigate.

    He had already finished verifying that he could use and activate his spells and equipped magic items. Thus, the next things he had to check on were his other items. Scrolls, wands, and rods were particrly important. All of them were magic items that could produce a spell-like effect. Scrolls were one-use expendables, while rods and wands had charges, which they consumed to produce their effects.

    Momonga possessed many magic items. He was a hoarder by nature and did not like using expendable items because he felt it was a waste, to the point where he did not even feel like using high-end recovery items when he encountered a boss. This went beyond mere prudence to miserliness, which was why his stock of items was so great.

    In YGGDRASIL, all of these were stored in his personal inventory. Then, in this world, where had his inventory and all its contents gone?

    Momonga recalled how he had opened his inventory in the past, and reached his hand into the air as though searching for something. It felt as though he was reaching his hand past the surface of ake, and an observer would think that Momonga¡¯s hand and part of his arm had vanished into nothingness.

    Then, like he was opening a window, Momonga swept his hand to one side. A hole appeared out of nowhere, and within it were many beautifully-crafted magic staves. It was exactly like the inventory in YGGDRASIL.

    He moved his hand in a scrolling motion. In the space revealed, one could see all manner of scrolls, wands, weapons, armor, cosmetic items, gems, potions, other consumables... the sheer number of magic items in there was awe-inspiring.

    Thus relieved, Momonga could not help butugh.

    If this were the case, Momonga felt that he could guarantee his own safety even if everyone in the Tomb set themselves against him.

    As he absently watched Aura and Mare¡¯s intense battle, Momonga considered the things he had learned so far.

    Were the NPCs he met programs?

    No, their sapience was such that they were indistinguishable from human beings. Programs could not show suchplex emotions. He could assume that for some mysterious reason, they had ended up like human beings.

    And what was this world?

    He had no idea. Since he could use YGGDRASIL¡¯s magic here, it made sense to think of this ce as being in YGGDRASIL, but after observing various discrepancies, it did not seem like he was in a game. Was he in a game, or a new world? The answer was probably one of those.

    How should I deal with future events?

    Momonga had already verified that he could use his abilities from YGGDRASIL. That being the case, if the data for the monsters and NPCs of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick had carried over as well, he could be reasonably sure that they were not his enemies.

    The thing was, if they were not data programs, but some other kind of being, then he would have to treat them differently. For the time being, it would be best to disy the attitude of a superior being and put on an act of stern majesty ¡ª provided he could pull it off.

    In what direction should I proceed in the future?

    He should search hard for clues. Although he was not sure what was going on with this world, for the time being, Momonga was simply a clueless wayfarer. He had to take small steps and carefully gather information.

    If this is another world, should I try to return to the real world?

    There were doubts in his heart. If he had friends in the real world, then he should go back to it. If his parents were still alive, he would desperately find a way back to them. If he had family members to care for, or a girlfriend...

    But he did not have anyone like that.

    His life was an endless cycle of going to the office to work and returning home to log onto YGGDRASIL, where he would prepare for hisrades toe back. But now, none of that waited for him. Then, was there any point at all in going back?

    But if he could go back, then he should think of a way to get back. It was better to have more options, because the world outside might be a hellish one.

    ¡°What should I do...¡±

    Momonga¡¯s quiet mumbling carried softly through the air.

    Part 4

    The gigantic Primal Fire Elemental vanished slowly, as though melting away into nothing. The zing heat that it left in its wake began to cool off. As the Fire Elemental disappeared, Momonga could feel the link he had to it fading away, like smoke on the wind.

    The Primal Fire Elemental possessed extraordinary attack power and stamina, but to Aura, who could ignore the damage of its area effect mes and could nimbly evade its blows, it was little more than a giant target.

    Although Aura would still lose HP if she were attacked, Mare the druid would not permit that to ur. In fact, he had cast all sorts of buffs and debuffs to great effect during the battle.

    The two of them yed their roles as frontliner and rear guard perfectly, with wless teamwork. At the same time, Momonga could feel the reality of this battle,pletely unlike those he had fought in the game.

    ¡°Spectacr... the two of you put on a good show.¡±

    The twins smiled happily as they heard Momonga¡¯s sincere praise.

    ¡°Thank you, Momonga-sama! It¡¯s been some time since we had to work so hard!¡±

    The two of them tried to wipe off their sweat, but right after they did, more of it beaded on their skin, rolling down their dark skin.

    Momonga silently opened his inventory, and withdrew a magic item ¡ª a Pitcher of Endless Water.

    In YGGDRASIL, there were statuses like hunger and thirst, but neither of those applied to the undead Momonga, so he had no use for items like those. At most, he used them on his mounts.

    The ss pitcher was filled with water. Droplets of condensation immediately formed on the surface of the ss; probably because the water inside was very cold.

    Momonga then took out a pair of beautiful sses, filled them with water from the Pitcher, and gave them to the twins.

    ¡°Aura, Mare, have a drink.¡±

    ¡°Eh? But that¡¯s not good, right, Momonga-sama...¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes, I can make water with my magic too...¡±

    Momonga smiled bitterly as he saw Aura waving her hand and Mare shaking his head.

    ¡°Think nothing of it. The two of you have always done well. Think of this as my thanks to you.¡±

    ¡°Fuwa~¡±

    ¡°Fuee~¡±

    Aura and Mare¡¯s ears turned red, and they shyly, nervously reached out to take the sses.

    ¡°Th-Thank you, Momonga-sama!¡±

    ¡°To, to think you would pour water for us, Momonga-sama!¡±

    Was this so delightful?

    Aura, who had ceased her protests, took the ss in both hands and downed it in one gulp. Droplets of water escaped the corner of her mouth, down the smooth curves of her pulsing throat and into the jerkin covering her chest. Mare held his cup with both hands and slowly sipped from it. The differences between them were obvious even in the way they drank water.

    Momonga touched his throat as he saw the two of them. It felt like there was a thinyer of skin around his neck bones.

    To date, this body of his had not felt thirst, so it did not bother him. Although he was well aware that the dead would not feel this way, he could not help but think this was all a joke once he realized that he was no longer human.

    Momonga continued touching himself. He had no skin, muscles, blood vessels, nerves, or internal organs. His body was nothing but bones. He vaguely understood it in his heart, but it felt so unreal that he could not help exploring his body with his fingers.

    His sense of touch seemed duller from when he was a human being, as though there was a thinyer of cloth between his fingers and whatever he was touching. In contrast, his vision, hearing and other senses were sharper than before.

    One might expect a bodyposed solely of bones to be easily broken, but each bone felt stronger than steel when he touched them.

    At the same time, he felt a strange sense ofpletion and satisfaction, that this was his real body, despite it beingpletely different from his old one. Perhaps it was because of this feeling that he was not afraid, despite his transfiguration into a set of white bones.

    ¡°Do you want more?¡±

    Momonga raised the Pitcher as he asked the twins, who had finished their water.

    ¡°Er, thanks! I¡¯ve drunk enough!¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Then, Mare, do you want some more?¡±

    ¡°Eep! Er, er, I, I¡¯ve also had enough. I, I don¡¯t feel thirsty any more.¡±

    Momonga nodded as he took back the sses, before returning them all into his pocket space.

    Aura suddenly whispered, ¡°I thought Momonga-sama would be scarier than this.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Really? Well, if you feel that way...¡±

    ¡°Now is good! It¡¯s the best!¡±

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll leave it at that.¡±

    Momonga was taken somewhat aback by Aura¡¯s passionate answer.

    ¡°Mo-Momonga-sama, are we the only ones that you¡¯re nice to...?¡±

    Momonga was unsure how to answer Aura¡¯s muttered question. Instead, he patted her lightly on the head.

    ¡°Ehehehe.¡±

    Aura looked like a puppy that had just seen something she liked, while Mare had a jealous look on his face. Just then, a voice rang out:

    ¡°Oya, am I the first to arrive?¡±

    The tone was archaic and formal, but the voice itself sounded like it belonged to a young person. A shadow formed over the ground, and then the shadow turned into what looked like a door, from which a person emerged.

    She wore a ck ball gown which looked soft to the touch. Her skirt was puffed up into a voluminous bell shape. On top of that was a bolero edged with frills,ce, and ribbons, as well as a pair of long silk gloves. Together, they covered up most of her skin.

    Her skin was as pale as wax, and her looks could only be described as stunningly beautiful. Her long silver hair was tied up into a ponytail that descended from one side of her head, exposing her face. Her deep red pupils were filled with a seductive look of delight.

    She looked to be fourteen years old, or younger, and her innocent, youthful appearancebined the qualities of cuteness and beauty into a single whole. However, her breasts bulged proudly forward in a decidedly unchildlike manner.

    ¡°...Weren¡¯t you told not to frivolously use ¡¸Gate¡¹ in Nazarick? We are warded against teleportation, after all. You should be able to walk here, so shouldn¡¯t you havee on foot, Shalltear?¡±

    The annoyed voice came from beside Momonga. There was no trace of its previous puppy-like obedience in those cold words, only a burning hostility.

    Mare was trembling by the side, and he slowly edged himself away from his sister. In truth, the speed at which the leopard called Aura had changed its spots startled Momonga as well.

    The girl who hade here via the highest tier of teleportation magic was called Shalltear. She did not even bother looking at Aura, who was scowling at her. Instead, she swiftly advanced before Momonga.

    The bewitching scent of some kind of perfume hung around her.

    ¡°...Something stinks,¡± Aura spat. Then, she followed up with, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you started rotting because you¡¯re undead?¡±

    Perhaps she saw Momonga reflexively raising his hand to sniff himself, but Shalltear furrowed her brows unhappily and replied:

    ¡°...Is that not quite distasteful? Momonga-sama is undead as well.¡±

    ¡°Hah? What nonsense are you talking, Shalltear? Momonga-sama is no mere undead being. He¡¯s more like a super undead, or a godly undead.¡±

    Momonga was somewhat baffled as he heard Shalltear and Mare going ¡°Ah,¡± and ¡°Mm,¡± respectively. The fact was that in YGGDRASIL, he considered himself to be an ordinary undead creature... which was what Momonga thought as he rounded his shoulders.

    In any case, there were no such things as super or godly undead.

    ¡°But, but Nee-chan, maybe you shouldn¡¯t have said that...¡±

    ¡°Is, is that so? All right, then, ah, take two, then. Ahem... Don¡¯t tell me you started rotting because you¡¯re a walking corpse.¡±

    ¡°That... er, well, that seems okay, sort of.¡±

    After agreeing with Aura¡¯s take two, Shalltear ced her slender hands on the sides of Momonga¡¯s head, as though to embrace it.

    ¡°Ah, my master, my beloved master, the only one whom I cannot rule over...¡±

    Her carmine lips parted, revealing a moist, slick tongue. The tongue moved like a living creature as Shalltear lovingly licked her lips. Her fragrant breath wafted out from her open mouth.

    Although she was perfectly suited for the role of an alluring seductress in all other ways, she was far too young for it. The discrepancy between her expectations and reality wasughable. In addition, she was far too short. When she reached her hands out to hug Momonga, it looked like she wanted to hang from his neck instead.

    However, this was too much affection for Momonga, who was not used to girls. He wanted to take a step back, but in the end he decided to stand his ground.

    Is that how she really is? That thought echoed endlessly in his head. However, when Momonga thought about the fact that she had been designed by hisrade Peroroncino, he mused that she might have been designed with such a personality. After all, Peroroncino loved H-games and proudly dered that they were his life.

    Shalltear Bloodfallen was made by such a rotten individual.

    She was a ¡°True Vampire¡±, the Guardian of the First to Third Floors of the Great Tomb of Nazarick.

    At the same time, she was a girl created by an H-game aficionado and her character design was filled with nods to various H-games.

    ¡°...That¡¯s enough out of you...¡±

    Shalltear reacted to the low growl for the first time. In a mocking tone, she told Aura, ¡°Ara, are you still here, shorty? I couldn¡¯t see you, so I thought you were gone.¡±

    Momonga did not wish to add to what Shalltear had just said.

    Aura¡¯s face was twitching uncontrobly, and then Shalltear ignored her and said to Mare, ¡°It must be pretty tough for you, having to deal with a weirdo sister like that. You¡¯d best leave her soon, lest you be a weirdo like her.¡±

    Mare¡¯s face nched instantly, because he knew Shalltear wanted to use him to start a fight.

    However, Aura simply smiled. And then¡ª

    ¡°Shut up, fake tits.¡±

    ¡ª She dropped a bombshell.

    ¡°...What the hell are you talking about¡ª!?¡±

    Ah, her character¡¯s broken down, Momonga muttered under his breath.

    Now that Shalltear¡¯s true nature had been revealed, she dropped the cultured act.

    ¡°Hmph, it¡¯s so obvious ¡ª damn, that is one weird chest, how many pads did you stuff in there?¡±

    ¡°Uwah¡ªuwah¡ª¡±

    Shalltear was waving her hands in panic, as though she could disperse Aura¡¯s words with them, while she had a suitably childish expression on her face. On the other hand, Aura grinned evilly.

    ¡°You packed so much in there... I bet it shifts when you run, right?¡±

    ¡°Kuhii!¡±

    Shalltear made a strange noise as an extended finger poked her.

    ¡°I was right, wasn¡¯t I? Kukuku! Where have they gone¡ª!? So that¡¯s why you didn¡¯t run, even though you were worried, and instead you used a ¡¸Gate¡¹¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shut up, shorty! It¡¯s not like you have anything of your own! At least I... no, I¡¯ve got a lot more to show off!¡±

    Aura simply grinned in the face of Shalltear¡¯s desperate counterattack. A shocked Shalltear stumbled back, and reflexively covered up her chest. It was a sorry sight.

    ¡°...I¡¯m only seventy six, and I¡¯ve got lots more time to grow, unlike an undead with no future like you. Ah, how sad ¡ª you will never grow again~¡±

    Shalltear moaned in frustration and took another step back. There was a desperate, harried look on her face, which only made Aura smile in a frightening manner.

    ¡°To think you¡¯re actually happy with that bust of yours ¡ª hmph!¡±

    Momonga imagined he could hear Shalltear snapping.

    ¡°You shitty brat¡ª! It¡¯s toote to regret your words now¡ª!¡±

    Roiling ck mist boiled off Shalltear¡¯s hands. Aura readied her whip in anticipation. Momonga and Mare, watching from the side, were at a loss for words.

    The scene before Momonga¡¯s eyes was vaguely familiar, and he wondered if he should stop them.

    Peroroncino-san, who designed Shalltear, and Bukubukuchagama-san, who designed Aura and Mare, were younger brother and elder sister, and at times they would argue in a friendly manner, like what was happening now.

    Momonga recalled the forms of his formerrades as he stood behind the quarrelling pair.

    ¡°What. A. Ruckus.¡±

    The inhuman voice came just as Momonga was reminiscing about the past. The strange, monotonous voice finally silenced the two of them.

    As he turned to look at the voice¡¯s origin, he saw a heteromorphic being shrouded in chilled air.

    It stood two and a half meters tall, and resembled a bipedal insect. It looked like some fiend had melded a praying mantis and an ant together. It had a tail that was twice as long as its body, and it was covered in sharp spikes which resembled icicles. Its powerful-looking mandibles looked like they could sever a man¡¯s arm in a single bite.

    It grasped a tinum halberd in two of its hands, and in its other two hands were a masterfully-made mace wreathed in a ck aura, and a gnarled-looking broadsword which did not look like it could be sheathed.

    It was surrounded by a frightening aura of cold. Its exoskeleton was a dull blue color and sparkled like diamond dust. Protrusions which looked like icebergs bulged up from its back and shoulders.

    He was the Guardian of the Fifth Floor, the ¡°Ruler of ciers¡±, Cocytus.

    The hilt of his halberd mmed into the arena floor, and the ground around it began to freeze.

    ¡°You. Stand. Before. A. Supreme. Being. Contain. Yourself.¡±

    ¡°This brat started it!¡±

    ¡°Actually¡ª¡±

    ¡°Awawawa...¡±

    Shalltear and Aura locked gazes, while Mare panicked from the side. Momonga could not hold it in any longer, and curtly addressed the two of them.

    ¡°...Shalltear, Aura. ytime is over.¡±

    The two of them shuddered in shock, then lowered their heads simultaneously.

    ¡°My sincerest apologies!¡± they said in unison.

    Momonga magnanimously epted their apologies with a nod. Then, he turned and said, ¡°Cocytus, you¡¯vee.¡±

    ¡°I. Came. Immediately. Upon. Receiving. Your. Summons. Momonga-sama.¡±

    The water in the air froze with a crackling sound as it made contact with the white vapor puffing out of Cocytus¡¯s mouth as he spoke. This cold was every bit as frigid as the Primal Fire Elemental was hot. Anyone standing near him would suffer the effects of the lowered temperature, and they might even sustain frostbite. However, Momonga did not feel anything. The fact was that everyone here was resistant to fire, cold, and acid attacks, or had some way to deal with them.

    ¡°You must have been very free with no intruders around, no?¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    The cking from his lower mandibles sounded like the threatening noises of a wasp. However, Momonga had the feeling that he wasughing.

    ¡°Even. So. There. Are. Still. Things. Which. Must. Be. Done. So. I. Was. Not. Free. At. All.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Things that had to be done? What things were these, may I ask?¡±

    ¡°Training. In. Order. To. Be. Ready. To. Deploy. At. Any. Time.¡±

    Although it was not too obvious from his appearance, Cocytus was designed to be the quintessential warrior, be it in personality or body. Therefore, from the perspective of a weapon user, his attacks were the strongest in the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.

    ¡°You¡¯ve done all this for me. You¡¯ve worked hard. My thanks.¡±

    ¡°After. Hearing. Your. Praise. The. Task. Is. Not. As. Tiring. I. See. Demiurge. And. Albedo. Have. Arrived.¡±

    Momonga turned in the direction Cocytus was looking, at the entrance of the Colosseum, where he saw two figures enter. The one in front was Albedo, while a man followed behind her like ackey. Once she got close enough, Albedo smiled to Momonga and bowed deeply.

    The man bowed and said, ¡°Forgive me for keeping everyone waiting.¡±

    He was about one hundred eighty centimeters tall, and his skin was darkened from the sun. His facial features looked to be Oriental, while his jet-ck hair was neatlybed back. The eyes under his pince-nez sses could not even be said to be narrowed. It was doubtful whether they were actually open at all.

    He was dressed in a Western suit, with a matching tie. He gave the impression of being a professional businessman, or a skilledwyer.

    However, his gentlemanly appearance was hard-pressed to hide the evil air about him. A tail sheathed in silvery metal extended behind him, tipped by six sharp spikes. He was limned by flickering ck mes.

    This man was the ¡°Creator of zing Inferno¡±, Demiurge.

    He was the Guardian of the Seventh Floor of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. This demon was designed to be the defensemander of the NPCs.

    ¡°It seems everyone is here.¡±

    ¡°¡ªMomonga-sama, there are two more people who have not yet arrived,¡± said a resonant voice that seemed to pour into one¡¯s heart.

    Demiurge¡¯s words were empowered by a passive skill. This skill was called ¡¸Command Mantra¡¹, and it could instantly turn the weak-minded into puppets dancing on Demiurge¡¯s strings.

    However, this skill had no effect on the people present. It was only useful on people below level forty, so to everyone here, it simply sounded good.

    ¡°No. Those two Guardians are only to be moved under special circumstances. Therefore, there is no need to call them over at the moment.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°...My. Allies. Have. Not. Arrived. Yet.¡±

    Aura and Shalltear froze as they heard those words, and the smile froze on Albedo¡¯s face.

    ¡°...That, that fellow is just an Area Guardian in one of the floors which I... which we are in charge of.¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes...¡±

    Shalltear and Aura smiled stiffly, while Albedo nodded vigorously in agreement.

    ¡°...Kyouhukou, is it. Indeed, it would be good to inform the various Area Guardians. Then, let the Area Guardians like Guren and Grant know about it as well. I will leave that task to the various Floor Guardians.¡±

    There were two kinds of Guardians in the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.

    Floor Guardians, like the ones before Momonga at the moment, were responsible for one or more floors. Area Guardians were responsible for an individual area within a floor. Simply put, the Floor Guardians were in charge of the Area Guardians, who were in turn in charge of a specific domain. Since there were many of them, they were individually not very important. In Nazarick, the term Guardian usually referred to a Floor Guardian.

    After the various Floor Guardians showed that they understood Momonga¡¯s orders, Albedomanded:

    ¡°Then, everyone, let us pledge our loyalty to the Supreme One.¡±

    All the Guardians nodded as one, and before Momonga could interrupt, they had lined up before him. Albedo stood at their head, while the other Guardians formed a line behind her. All the Guardians had solemn, respectful expressions. They showed no sign of ying around.

    Shalltear, who stood on one end of the line, stepped forward:

    ¡°Shalltear Bloodfallen, Guardian of the First, Second and Third Floors, presents herself to the Master.¡±

    She went to one knee, one hand pressed against her chest, and bowed deeply. After that, Cocytus stepped forward and said:

    ¡°Cocytus. Guardian. Of. The. Fifth. Floor. Presents. Himself. To. The. Master.¡±

    Much like Shalltear had, he knelt before Momonga like a vassal before a lord. Then, it was the twin dark elves¡¯ turn:

    ¡°The Guardian of the Sixth Floor, Aura Be Fiora, presents herself to the Master.¡±

    ¡°Al-Also a Guardian of the Sixth Floor, Mare Bello Fiore, presents himself to the Master.¡±

    They knelt respectfully and lowered their heads to Momonga. Shalltear, Cocytus, Aura, and Mare all had different bodies and thus they should have each taken their steps forward differently. Yet, the way with which they knelt was identical, and they lined up neatly.

    After that, Demiurge advanced in a dignified manner.

    ¡°The Guardian of the Seventh Floor, Demiurge, presents himself to the Master.¡±

    Following his crisp words, Demiurge went to one knee in a graceful descent, as though expressing his heart through his actions. Finally, Albedo stepped forward as well.

    ¡°The Guardian Overseer Albedo presents herself to the Master.¡±

    She smiled to Momonga, and knelt like the other Guardians. However, Albedo continued speaking in a high and clear voice as she delivered her report to Momonga.

    ¡°With the exception of the Fourth Floor Guardian Gargantua and the Eighth Floor Guardian Victim, all the Floor Guardians are gathered before you. Thus do we offer up our utmost loyalty to the Master.¡±

    Momonga could not speak as he looked at the six lowered heads before him. A strange pressure veiled the entire area, and perhaps only Momonga could bear the painful, crushing air.

    ¡ªHe did not know how to proceed.

    He had never seen anything like this before in his life. In his confusion, Momonga identally activated a skill. A dreadful aura roiled out over the surroundings, and a halo of ck radiance formed behind him.

    Momonga had no time to cancel the skill as he frantically racked his brains to recall a scene from movies or television which would tell him how to respond appropriately here.

    ¡°Raise your heads.¡±

    With a sha, everyone raised their heads. Their coordination was so immacte that Momonga wondered if they had practiced that movement together.

    ¡°Then... first, I thank all of you foring here.¡±

    ¡°There is no need for thanks. We are all Momonga-sama¡¯s loyal subordinates. To us, Momonga-sama is our Supreme Overlord.¡±

    None of the Guardians opposed her statement. As expected of the Guardian Overseer.

    Momonga looked on the Guardians with a stern face, and he felt a choking sensation in his nonexistent throat. It was the weight of being a leader bearing down on him.

    In addition, any orders he gave now would affect his rtionship with them in the future. He could not help but hesitate as he contemted the possibilities.

    Would he lead the Great Tomb of Nazarick to destruction because of his decisions ¡ª the unease generated by that thought flooded his heart and mind.

    ¡°...Momonga-sama, it is only natural that you should have doubts about us. After all, our abilities must be miniscule in your reckoning.¡±

    Albedo removed the smile from her face, and continue in a respectful tone that wasced with a stern strength.

    ¡°However, if Momonga-sama gives the order, we ¡ª all the Guardians will aplish any task set to us, no matter how difficult or arduous, with every fiber of our beings. We hereby swear that we will never allow the Forty One Supreme Beings of Ainz Ooal Gown, our creators, to be disgraced by our actions.¡±

    ¡°This we swear!¡±

    The Floor Guardians chimed in right after Albedo. Their voices were filled with power, and that adamant loyalty and determination would not be diminished by any number of foes. It was as though they were mocking Momonga¡¯s previous worries that the NPCs might betray him.

    The darkness in his heart vanished like shadows in the morning sun. Momonga was moved to the bottom of his heart that the NPCs designed by the members of Ainz Ooal Gown were possessed by such excellence.

    The golden radiance of the past still remained.

    The embodiment of everyone¡¯s hard work, their cunningly crafted creations, were still here. It filled him with joy.

    Momonga smiled, although his skeletal face could not disy any emotions. The points of crimson light in his eye sockets seemed to shine exceptionally bright. His prior unease had was no longer existent, and he simply spoke the words expected of a guildmaster.

    ¡°Excellent. Guardians, I know that you will understand my aims and sessfully carry out mymands. There may be some things which are difficult to understand, but I hope you will pay attention and listen. I believe the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick has been caught up in some kind of unknown situation.¡±

    The Guardians¡¯ faces were still stern, and there was no trace of surprise on them.

    ¡°Although I do not know what has caused this incident, the Great Tomb of Nazarick has been transported from its ce in the swamps to a vast in. Did anyone foresee the urrence of this strange event?¡±

    Albedo looked back at the Guardians, and after seeing the reply written on their face, she said:

    ¡°Regretfully, none of us have any idea of what is going on.¡±

    ¡°Then, I have a question for the Floor Guardians. Have any of you discovered anything strange in your floors?¡±

    After hearing this, each Floor Guardian responded:

    ¡°There are no abnormalities in the Seventh Floor.¡±

    ¡°Same with the Sixth Floor.¡±

    ¡°I-It¡¯s as Nee-chan says.¡±

    ¡°The. Fifth. Floor. Is. The. Same.¡±

    ¡°Nothing strange has been sighted in the First to Third Floors.¡±

    ¡°¡ªMomonga-sama, I shall investigate the Fourth and Eighth Floors right away.¡±

    ¡°Then I will leave that matter to Albedo. However, you must be careful on the Eighth Floor. If an emergency situation urs there, a situation may emerge that you cannot deal with.¡±

    Albedo bowed her head deeply to indicate she understood, and then Shalltear said:

    ¡°Then, I shall handle matters on the surface.¡±

    ¡°There is no need. Sebas is currently reconnoitering the surface.¡±

    Surprise shed across the faces of Albedo and the other Guardians.

    In the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, there were four NPCs who were exponents of meleebat. Cocytus had the strongest attack power when using a weapon, Albedo had an impregnable defense when in her heavy armor, while Sebas in his true form was stronger than either of them in meleebat. And then was one more, who was superior to all of them.

    There could be no other reason for the Guardians¡¯ surprise. Sebas, who could sweep away anyone before him in hand-to-handbat, had been assigned to the simple task of reconnaissance. They could tell how seriously Momonga was taking this strange urrence, and everyone was on their guard as a result.

    ¡°It¡¯s about time for him to return.¡±

    Just then, Momonga saw Sebas jogging over to them, until he reached the Guardians genuflecting before Momonga and went to one knee as well.

    ¡°Momonga-sama, forgive myteness.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Then, your report on the surrounding conditions.¡±

    Sebas raised his head and looked around at the Guardians kneeling beside him.

    ¡°...The situation is critical, so obviously the Floor Guardians need to know as well.¡±

    ¡°Yes. To begin with, the terrain surrounding us for a kilometer in each direction is a in. There are no signs of man-made structures. I spotted some small animals, but there were no humanoid orrge creatures.¡±

    ¡°Were those small animals monsters?¡±

    ¡°No, they were life forms which had nobat power.¡±

    ¡°...I see. Then, were the ins you spoke of covered in frozen grass which would cut you as you passed them?¡±

    ¡°No, it was simple grass. There was nothing special about it.¡±

    ¡°And you did not see any sky castles or simr buildings?¡±

    ¡°No, I did not. There was no sign of man-made illumination in the sky or on thend.¡±

    ¡°I see, so there was only a starry sky... Thank you for your hard work, Sebas.¡±

    As he praised Sebas for his efforts, Momonga was somewhat disappointed because he had not obtained any useful information.

    However, he was slowly realizing that he was no longer in the game world of YGGDRASIL, although he did not understand why he could use YGGDRASIL¡¯s equipment and use its spells.

    He did not know why they hade here, but it would be wise to heighten Nazarick¡¯sbat readiness just in case. For all he knew, this might be someone else¡¯s territory, and he might be censured for havinge here without permission. No, he would be lucky if that was all that happened.

    ¡°Guardians, increase the readiness of each floor by one level. We are unsure of what has happened, so do not act incautiously. If you encounter an intruder, do not y them, but capture them alive at all costs. When you capture them, do as little harm to them as possible. I apologise for imposing such demands on all of you at a time like this.¡±

    The Guardians voiced their acknowledgement and nodded in unison.

    ¡°Next, I would like to understand the administrative operations of the Tomb. Albedo, how is the exchange of security information between the Guardians of the various floors?¡±

    In YGGDRASIL, the Guardians were simple NPCs, and they could only act ording to their programs. There was no way the floors would exchange security information and monsters.

    ¡°Each Floor is administered by its respective Floor Guardian, but Demiurge is the overall defensemander, and everyone can share information with him.¡±

    Momonga was a bit surprised, but then he nodded in satisfaction.

    ¡°Excellent. Nazarick¡¯s defensemander, Demiurge. Guardian Overseer, Albedo. The two of you will be in charge of drawing up a moreprehensive administrative system for Nazarick.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Will the ns for the management system include the Eighth, Ninth and Tenth floors?¡±

    ¡°The Eighth Floor is managed by Victim, so it¡¯ll be fine. No, entry to the Eighth Floor is forbidden. I rescind the order I just gave to Albedo as well. In short, entry to the Eighth Floor will only be effected with my permission. I will undo the seal and permit direct ess from the Seventh Floor to the Ninth Floor. After that, n for the Ninth and Tenth Floor as one whole.¡±

    ¡°Is, is that your will?¡±

    Albedo seemed quite surprised. Behind her, Demiurge¡¯s eyes went wide, revealing his thoughts on the matter.

    ¡°Will the underlings be allowed to tramp through the domain of the Supreme Beings? Must they be given that much freedom?¡±

    The underlings in question were not the NPCs and monsters designed by the members of Ainz Ooal Gown, but the automatically spawned (pop) monsters from the dungeon. The fact was that the Ninth and Tenth Floorcked such monsters, barring very rare exceptions.

    Momonga muttered to himself.

    Albedo seemed to regard that ce as a holy sanctuary, but that was not the case.

    The reason why there were no pop monsters on the Ninth Floor was simply because if any intruders could ovee the NPC defenders of the Eighth Floor, the most powerful beings in the Tomb, then Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s chances of victory would be slim. Thus, it would be better to y the role of a viin to the hilt, and meet the invaders in the throne room for a final showdown.

    ¡°...It will be fine. Because it¡¯s an emergency, we need extra hands for security.¡±

    ¡°Understood. I shall select only the finest and most potent troops for this duty.¡±

    Momonga nodded, and looked toward the twins.

    ¡°Aura and Mare... can you conceal the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick? Simple illusions don¡¯t seem very reliable, and thinking about the cost of illusions gives me a headache.¡±

    Aura and Mare looked at each other and began thinking. After a while, Mare spoke up:

    ¡°U-Using magic might be tricky. If we had to hide everything along with the surface... although, we could cover the walls in mud, and then add nts as camouge.¡±

    ¡°Do you intend to soil the glorious walls of Nazarick with base dirt?¡±

    Albedo said that with her back turned to Mare. Although her voice was sweet and velvet, the tone it carried was anything but.

    Mare¡¯s shoulders trembled, and although the surrounding Guardians remained silent, their attitudes suggested that they shared Albedo¡¯s opinion.

    In contrast, Momonga felt Albedo was being too much of a busybody. The situation was hardly serious enough to warrant such a reaction.

    ¡°Albedo... don¡¯t speak out of turn. I am addressing Mare.¡±

    His voice was so deep that it surprised Momonga himself.

    ¡°Ah, my deepest apologies, Momonga-sama!¡±

    Albedo¡¯s head was as low as it could go, and her face was frozen in fear. The Guardians and Sebas stiffened up as well. Perhaps they thought that scolding was directed at them as well.

    A twinge of remorse struck Momonga as he observed the quick change in the Guardians¡¯ attitude, but he continued speaking to Mare:

    ¡°Can you conceal the walls by heaping dirt onto them?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes I can, if you allow it, Momonga-sama ... However...¡±

    ¡°Yes, an observer from a distance would think the ground was bulging up unnaturally. Sebas, are there any nearby hills or the like?¡±

    ¡°There are none. Regretfully, we are surrounded by nds. However, since there are nights here, we should be able to perform some sort of eye-deceiving camouge while the sun is down.¡±

    ¡°Is that so... if all we intend to do is hide the walls, Mare¡¯s idea will be enough. Then, what if we piled up the dirt from the nearbynd to make dummy hills as camouge?¡±

    ¡°Then we would blend in.¡±

    ¡°Very well. I shall assign Aura and Mare to carry out this task together. While doing so, you may draw the necessary supplies from each Floor. Since we cannot camouge the view from the air, we shall use illusions after finishing the earthworks, so nobody will be able to detect Nazarick from the outside.¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes. U-Understood.¡±

    That was all he could think of at the moment. There were probably a lot of holes left in the n, but that could be dealt with slowly,ter on. After all, it had only been a few hours since all this had happened.

    ¡°Then, you are dismissed for today. Everyone, take a break before beginning your duties. There are many things we do not know, so do not push yourselves too hard.¡±

    The Guardians nodded as one to show that they understood.

    ¡°Finally, I have a question for the Guardians. To begin with, Shalltear ¡ª what kind of person am I to you?¡±

    ¡°An incarnation of beauty. You are the most beautiful person in the world. Even jewels pale inparison to your snow-white body.¡±

    Shalltear did not pause to think about her answer before she gave it. From theck of dy in her reply, she must have been speaking from the heart.

    ¡°¡ªCocytus.¡±

    ¡°One. Who. Is. Mightier. Than. All. The. Guardians. And. Deserving. Of. The. Title. Of. The. Supreme. Overlord. Of. The. Great. Underground. Tomb. Of. Nazarick.¡±

    ¡°¡ªAura.¡±

    ¡°A merciful leader with great foresight.¡±

    ¡°¡ªMare.¡±

    ¡°A, a very gentle person.¡±

    ¡°¡ªDemiurge.¡±

    ¡°A wise leader who makes decisions and acts on them quickly. Truly, a man worthy of the title ¡®inscrutable.¡¯¡±

    ¡°¡ªSebas.¡±

    ¡°The one responsible for assembling all the Supreme Beings. In addition, the merciful leader who did not abandon us, but stayed by our side until the very end.¡±

    ¡°And finally, Albedo.¡±

    ¡°The man who rules over the Supreme Beings, and our highest, most exalted master. In addition, the man I love most deeply.¡±

    ¡°...I see. I have heard and understand your opinions. Then, I shall hand the tasks that were once performed by my formerrades to you. Carry them out faithfully.¡±

    After seeing the Guardians genuflect once more, Momonga teleported away.

    The scenery before his eyes changed in an instant, from the Colosseum to the chamber of the Golems of Lemegeton. After looking around to make sure nobody was looking, Momonga sighed deeply.

    ¡°I¡¯m so tired...¡±

    Although his body did not feel tired, the mental fatigue was weighing down on his shoulders.

    ¡°...Those guys... why do they think so highly of me?¡±

    They were describing someone else entirely. After hearing the Guardians take turns to share their opinions of him, he wanted tough and mock them, but from the looks on their faces, it did not sound like they were joking at all.

    In other words, their words were sincere.

    If he did not act in a manner which fit their views of him, it might disappoint them. As he thought about that, the pressure on him grew and grew. And in addition to that, there was another problem, which made Momonga frown.

    Of course, his skeletal face could not show expressions, yet it seemed as though it did.

    ¡°...What should I do about Albedo... if this keeps up, how will I face Tab-san...¡±

    Intermission

    The pressure crushing their heads to the ground suddenly vanished.

    Even after the departure of the master of their revered creators, nobody raised their heads. After a while, someone sighed in relief. The tense atmosphere was gone now.

    The first to get up was Albedo. Her white dress was stained where her knee had touched the ground, but she did not mind at all. She pped her wings to swipe off the dirt on her feathers.

    After seeing Albedo rise, the others followed suit, though nobody dared to speak.

    ¡°That, that was scary, Nee-chan.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I thought I¡¯d be squashed t.¡±

    ¡°As expected of Momonga-sama, to think his presence would have such a great effect on us Floor Guardians...¡±

    ¡°As. A. Supreme. Being. His. Might. Overmatches. Ours. But. I. Did. Not. Expect. Him. To. Be. This. Powerful.¡±

    Thus the Guardians shared their impressions of Momonga.

    The aura that Momonga emitted was the source of the power that had crushed the Guardians to the ground .

    ¡¸Despair Aura¡¹.

    Besides inflicting a fear effect, it could reduce the stats of its victims. Normally, it would not have an effect on the level one hundred NPCs, but on this asion, its effects had been strengthened by the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown.

    ¡°Momonga-sama must have unleashed the air of authority that represents his right to rule.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Before we stated our positions, Momonga-sama did not exert his might. However, once we showed ourselves in the role of Floor Guardians, he must have revealed a fraction of his awesome power to us.¡±

    ¡°In. Other. Words. Momonga-sama. Revealed. His. True. Ability. As. A. Ruler. In. Response. To. Our. Pledges. Of. Loyalty.¡±

    ¡°That does seem like the case.¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t radiate that aura when he was with us. Momonga-sama was kind, and gave us something to drink when we were thirsty.¡±

    Aura¡¯s words caused the other Guardians to emit an air of tension. It was condensed jealousy that was almost visible to the naked eye. The worst-off was Albedo. Her clenched fists shuddered and her nails threatened to rip through the fabric of her gloves.

    Mare¡¯s shoulders trembled, and then his eyes went wide.

    ¡°That, that must have been the true power of Momonga-sama, the ruler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. It was amazing!¡±

    That changed the mood instantly.

    ¡°Exactly! He showed us his ability as an absolute ruler in response to our feelings... as expected of our creator. The zenith of the Forty One Supreme Beings, and the kind master who remained here with us until the very end.¡±

    Albedo¡¯s words put a blissful look on all the Guardians¡¯ faces, although the expression on Mare¡¯s face was better described as ¡°rxed.¡±

    There was nothing which could delight them more than the master who created them, the master to whom they owed their utmost loyalty, revealing his true face to them.

    The Guardians, no, every entity created by the Supreme Beings wanted nothing more than to aid their creators in some way. The next best thing would be to receive their trust and to be treated as useful servants.

    This was a simple, natural truth.

    This was the greatest joy in life for these characters who were created to aid the Supreme Beings. Then, as though to wipe away this jubnt atmosphere, Sebas said from the side:

    ¡°Then, I shall take my leave first. I do not know where Momonga-sama has gone, but I should stay by his side.¡±

    Jealousy was written all over Albedo¡¯s face, but she quashed her feelings and replied:

    ¡°I understand. Then, Sebas, serve Momonga-sama well and do not disgrace him. Report to me if anything happens. In particr, if Momonga-sama summons me, you must let me know immediately. Everything else is of secondary importance to that!¡±

    A pained expression crossed Demiurge¡¯s face as he listened quietly from the side.

    ¡°But if he desires me in his bedchamber, you must inform Momonga-sama that I might be a while, in order to bathe and cleanse myself for him. Of course, if he wants me to proceed to him immediately, that is fine as well. After all, I do my best to keep clean for him, and my clothes have already been selected so I can heed his call whenever ites. In any case, Momonga-sama¡¯s wishes will alwayse first¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªI understand, Albedo. If I waste too much time here, I will not have enough to properly serve Momonga-sama, which would be disrespectful. Therefore, forgive my abrupt departure, but I must take my leave. Floor Guardians, I bid you all a good day.¡±

    After saying his farewells to the wide-eyed and open-mouthed Guardians, Sebas immediately jogged away, as though to leave Albedo (who was preparing for a long monologue) behind.

    ¡°Speaking of which... it is fairly quiet around here. Shalltear, is something the matter?¡±

    After Demiurge¡¯s question, everyone¡¯s eyes went to Shalltear. She was still on her knees.

    ¡°What. Is. Wrong. Shalltear?¡±

    She lifted her head after she was called on again. The dazed look on her face would make people think that she had just been woken up.

    ¡°...What. Happened?¡±

    ¡°Ah, after being exposed to Momonga-sama¡¯s awesome presence, I could not help but get excited... I fear my underwear has gone through a bit of a crisis...¡±

    Silence.

    Everyone looked at each other, unsure of what to say. The Guardians mused that Shalltear had, by far, the most fetishes among them, and that one of said fetishes was necrophilia. They facepalmed as they thought about this, although Mare didn¡¯t quite get it and was thoroughly confused. No, one of the Guardians was not content to simply shake her head and sigh.

    That was Albedo.

    The jealousy surging in her made Albedoe out and say:

    ¡°You slut.¡±

    Shalltear sensed Albedo¡¯s hostility as she heard those scornful words. Her lips curled in hostility, and she responded with a bewitching smile.

    ¡°What? Having Momonga-sama, the most beautiful of the Supreme Beings, bless us with his energy is a reward! Anyone who doesn¡¯t get wet from that must have something wrong in their head! Or could it be that you don¡¯t just look pure, but you don¡¯t have any fleshly desires at all, you big-mouthed gori!?¡±

    ¡°...Youmprey!¡±

    The two of them red at each other. The Guardians did not know if they would fight as a result of this, but the way they were looking at each other was very unsettling.

    ¡°My appearance was created by the Supreme Beings; are you unhappy with it?¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t that be my line?¡±

    Shalltear slowly stood back up, and the two of them approached each other. Even so, their eyes remained locked. Eventually, the two of them came so close that they collided into each other.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think you¡¯ve won just because you¡¯re the Guardian Overseer and can stay next to Momonga-sama. If you really think that way, I¡¯llugh my ass off.¡±

    ¡°Hmph. That¡¯s correct. While you¡¯re stationed in a faraway ce, I¡¯ll swoop in and achieve aplete victory.¡±

    ¡°...What do you mean by ¡®aplete victory?¡¯ Teach me, Guardian Overseer-sama.¡±

    ¡°As a slut, you should be fully aware of what that means.¡±

    Throughout their trade of verbal barbs, neither of them had turned their gaze from each other. They simply looked into each other¡¯s eyes with a nk expression on their faces.

    With a pacha, Albedo unfurled her wings in a threat disy. ck mist wreathed Shalltear as she responded in kind, unwilling to admit weakness.

    ¡°Ah ¡ª Aura, matters between women should be settled by a fellow woman. If anything happens I¡¯lle to help, let me know when the timees, all right?¡±

    ¡°Hey, wait, Demiurge! Are you nning to dump all of this on me?¡±

    Demiurge simply wavedzily as he walked away from the feuding pair. Cocytus and Mare took a step back as well. Nobody wanted to get caught between them.

    ¡°Really, do they have to argue over this sort of thing?¡±

    ¡°Personally, I would be quite interested in the result.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®the result,¡¯ Demiurge?¡±

    ¡°I refer to the increase in our fighting power, the future of Nazarick, and so on.¡±

    ¡°D-Demiurge, what do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Hmm...¡±

    Demiurge pondered how he should answer Mare¡¯s question. For a moment, an evil impulse swept through Demiurge¡¯s head and he thought of infusing the simple Mare with adult knowledge, but he promptly discarded that line of thinking.

    Demiurge was a devil, and he was cruel and ruthless, but that only applied to people outside Nazarick. To Demiurge, the characters made by the Forty One Supreme Beings were hisrades.

    ¡°Any great leader requires a sessor, no? Momonga-sama may have stayed with us until the end, but if he loses interest in us one day, he may leave for another ce like the rest of the Supreme Beings. Thus, there is a need for a sessor to whom we can pledge our loyalty.¡±

    ¡°I see. Then, which of us will be Momonga-sama¡¯s sessor?¡±

    ¡°How. Disrespectful. As. Guardians. We. Are. To. Serve. Momonga-sama. Faithfully. So. He. May. Stay. That. Is. What. We. Were. Made. For.¡±

    Demiurge turned to the interrupting Cocytus.

    ¡°Of course I understand that, Cocytus. But do you not wish to pledge your loyalty to Momonga-sama¡¯s heir?¡±

    ¡°Hmm... Of. Course. I. Would. Like. To. Swear. My. Allegiance. To. Momonga-sama¡¯s. Heir...¡±

    Cocytus began imagining himself running around with said heir on his shoulders.

    Then he began to imagine himself teaching him swordsmanship, drawing his de to defend the Young Master, and even hearing the full-grown Young Master giving him orders.

    ¡°...Oh. How. Wonderful. What. A Glorious. Sight... Uncle... Uncle...¡±

    Somewhat unable to bear it, Demiurge averted his eyes from Cocytus, who was fully into imagining himself as a cool old uncle, faithfully serving Momonga¡¯s heir.

    ¡°Well, that aside, I¡¯m quite interested in knowing what our children can do for the strengthening of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. How about it, Mare, do you want to make a child?¡±

    ¡°Er, eh?¡±

    ¡°Still, you don¡¯t have a partner... if you discover any Humans, Dark Elves, Wood Elves, or simr species, would you kindly capture them for me?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ehhhhh?¡±

    After thinking for a bit, Mare nodded and said, ¡°If, if it helps Momonga-sama... I¡¯m willing to contribute. But how will I have children?¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll teach you about that when the timees. But if you decide to try some breeding experiments on your own, Momonga-sama might scold you. After all, the operations of Nazarick are perfectly bnced.¡±

    ¡°That, that¡¯s true. I¡¯ve heard that all the underlings were created after careful calction by one of the Supreme Beings... if we carelessly increase our numbers, we¡¯ll be scolded. I, I don¡¯t want to be scolded by Momonga-sama...¡±

    ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t want to be rebuked by the Supreme Beings either... if only I could set up a farm outside Nazarick...¡±

    As Demiurge thought of this, he decided to mention the one thing nobody had teased him about:

    ¡°Ah yes, Mare, why are you dressed as a girl?¡±

    Mare grabbed at his miniskirt to hide his legs after Demiurge asked his question.

    ¡°This was Bukubukuchagama-sama¡¯s decision. She said this was called a ¡®trap,¡¯ so it should have nothing to do with my gender.¡±

    ¡°Oh, so this was Bukubukuchagama-sama¡¯s decision. Well then, those clothes should be fine on you... although, should all boys dress in that way?¡±

    ¡°I, I don¡¯t know about that.¡±

    The Forty One Supreme Beings were no longer around, but even so, the mention of their names stillpelled obedience. Or rather, in the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, Mare was dressed as he should be, and nobody apart from another Supreme Being could change his wardrobe.

    ¡°...I wonder if I should talk to Momonga-sama about this. Perhaps all boys should be dressed like that. I say... Cocytus, it¡¯s time to wake up.¡±

    After hearing his colleague¡¯s words, Cocytus shook his head several times, a deeply satisfied smile on his face.

    ¡°Ah. What. A. Beautiful. Sight... Truly. it. Was. Everything. I. Have. Ever. Dreamed. Of.¡±

    ¡°Is that so... well then, that¡¯s good.... Are Albedo and Shalltear still fighting?¡±

    The feuding pair¡¯s eyes were slightly averted. However, the one that answered Demiurge was the tired-looking Aura, standing by the side.

    ¡°They¡¯re... done. Right now, they¡¯re arguing about...¡±

    ¡°The problem of who should be the first wife.¡±

    ¡°It would be strange for the ruler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick to only have one wife. The question now is who is worthy of being Momonga-sama¡¯s first wife...¡±

    ¡°...While that is quite an interesting question, we should probably discuss thatter. All right, Albedo, won¡¯t you give us our orders? There will be many things to doter on.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, you¡¯re right. I need to issue orders soon. Shalltear, I¡¯ll discuss this matter with you at length soon enough. We¡¯ll need to spend some time on it.¡±

    ¡°I have no objections, Albedo. No other matter is more worthy of our time.¡±

    ¡°Very well. Then, let us move on to our ns for the future.¡±

    After seeing Albedo recover her dignity as the Guardian Overseer, all the Floor Guardians lowered their heads in respect. However, they did not genuflect.

    Of course, they had to show their respect to the Guardian Overseer Albedo, but she was not their master. While the Forty One Supreme Beings had set her over all the other characters that they had created, but even the position of Guardian Overseer was merely one set down by the Forty One Supreme Beings, and as such the other Guardians needed only to pay her the respect due to her station. Thus, they lowered their heads to her. On her part, Albedo was not angry at this, because she knew that was the most correct course of action.

    ¡°Firstly¡ª¡±

 Chapter 3

    Overlord Volume 1 Chapter 3

    Battle of Carne Vige

    Part 1

    The dressing room adjoining Momonga¡¯s suite was a chaotic mess of items, with hardly any ce to put one¡¯s feet. There were items like capes, with which Momonga could equip himself, and suits of full te armor, which he could not use at all. In addition to armor and other protectives, there were weapons ranging from magic staves to greatswords. This was truly an assortment of gear.

    yers could produce a nearly infinite variety of original magic items in YGGDRASIL. Defeated monsters dropped data crystals, which formed a magic item when they were set into an item skin.

    Therefore, people would immediately buy item skins that they liked.

    That was the reason for this room¡¯s state.

    Momonga picked out a greatsword from the weapons in the room. Freed from its sheath, the silvery de sparkled in the light. The runes carved into the de¡¯s body sparkled as well, etching themselves into any onlookers¡¯ eyes.

    Momonga swung the greatsword around. It was as light as a feather.

    Of course, this was not because the de was light, but because Momonga was very strong.

    Momonga was a mage and his spellcasting stats were very high, but his physical stats were lower inparison. Still, the strength he had gained from reaching level one hundred was not an inconsiderable figure. If he encountered weak monsters, he could easily pulverize them with his staff.

    Momonga slowly took a fighting stance, and then a loud sound of metallic nging ran through the room. The sword he had been holding a moment ago was now on the ground.

    The maid standing by in the room immediately picked up the greatsword and handed it to Momonga. However, Momonga did not pick it up, but looked at his empty hands.

    That was it.

    That was what confused Momonga.

    Although the realistic NPCs made him think he was no longer in a game, the annoying sensation that bound his body made him feel otherwise.

    In YGGDRASIL, Momonga had no levels in warrior sses, and so he should not have been able to use a greatsword. However, if this new world was reality, it only made sense that he should have been able to wield it.

    Momonga shook his head and decided not to think about it. After all, he would not be able to find the answer no matter how much he pondered.

    ¡°Tidy this up.¡±

    After Momonga directed the maid to clean up, he turned to look at the mirror that almost covered the entire wall. What he saw was a clothed skeleton.

    He should have been afraid after seeing what his body had be, but Momonga was unmoved. Indeed, it even felt natural to be that way.

    There was another reason for this, besides being used to this look from his time in YGGDRASIL.

    That reason was that his mind had been changed, along with his body.

    The first sign of that was the fact that whenever he felt an intense surge in his emotions, he would immediately calm down, as though something was suppressing it. Another thing was that he could not feel thirst, hunger, or fatigue. There might have been something resembling lust, but he had felt no excitement even when he was caressing Albedo¡¯s soft breasts.

    A terrible sense of loss filled Momonga, and he instinctively nced down to his waist.

    ¡°Could it be... it vanished because I never used it?¡±

    However, his small voice and the sense of loss vanished as he spoke.

    Therefore, Momonga concluded that these changes, in particr the mental changes, were part of the undead immunity to mind-affecting effects.

    Right now, he possessed an undead body and mind, but there were some remnants of his humanity left. Therefore, even when he experienced emotions, if they surged to a peak, they would be immediately suppressed. If he continued on like this, he might end up losing all his emotions in the future.

    Of course, even if that happened, it would hardly be a big deal, because no matter how this world turned out or what happened to his body, his will was still his own.

    In addition, the NPCs like Shalltear and so on would be by his side. Perhaps worrying about bing undead was premature.

    ¡°¡¸Create Greater Item¡¹!¡±

    Once Momonga cast the spell, his body was sheathed in a suit of engraved full te armor. It glowed darkly, and its surface was covered in gold and silver patterns. It looked very expensive.

    He moved around in it to see how it felt. Although it was somewhat restrictive, he was not immobilized. In addition, the armor fit his body very well, which was quite unexpected considering the gaps between his bare-boned body and the armor.

    It would seem that he could use magic-generated items, just like in YGGDRASIL.

    As Momonga silently apuded the wonders of magic, he peeked at himself in the mirror from between the gaps of his closed helm. A dashing warrior looked back at him, nothing at all like a magician. Momonga nodded in satisfaction, and gulped in his nonexistent throat. Right now, he understood how a child felt when he angered his parents.

    ¡°I will be stepping out for a while.¡±

    ¡°The guards are ready for you,¡± the maid reflexively replied. However¡ª

    The truth was, he disliked them.

    On the first day when the guards followed him around, he felt pressurized; on the second he was used to it, and then he felt like showing them off. And on the third day¡ª

    Momonga suppressed the urge to sigh.

    It was all too stiff and formal for him. The guards followed him everywhere he went, and whenever he met someone, they bowed to him.

    Maybe, if he could have walked around nonchntly with his guards in tow, it would have been tolerable. But he could not do that, because he had to maintain the gravitas of the ruler of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick at all times. He could not allow a moment ofxity to ruin his image, so his nerves were constantly on edge. This caused a lot of stress to the formerly human Momonga.

    Even though his strong emotions were promptly suppressed, his mind felt like it was sizzling in a low me all the time.

    And then there were the unbelievably beautiful women who stered themselves to his side at all times, taking care of him in all ways. As a man, he was delighted by the attention, but the invasion of his personal space and his life was wearing him out as well.

    That stress was another relic of his humanity.

    In any case, it was not a good sign that he, the master of Nazarick, was being subjected to this emotional distress amidst these strange circumstances. It might lead to him making a poor decision in times of emergency.

    He needed to refresh himself.

    Momonga¡¯s eyes went wide as he came to that decision. His expression did not change, of course, but the lights in his eyes burned brighter.

    ¡°No... there is no need for the guards to apany me. I simply wish to walk by myself.¡±

    ¡°Pl-Please wait and reconsider, if something happens to Momonga-sama, we must be your shields. We cannot allow any harm toe to your person.¡±

    The maids and the other vassals wanted nothing more than to protect their master even at the cost of their own lives. In that sense, Momonga¡¯s request to go walking by himself ¡ª whichpletely disregarded their feelings ¡ª was a cruel one.

    However, it had been over three days since this abnormality urred, roughly seventy three hours. In this time, Momonga had been desperately trying to maintain the stern facade of the ruler of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, but now he needed a rest.

    Therefore, even though he felt bad for them, Momonga thought of an excuse and said:

    ¡°...I have to do something in secret, and I will not allow anyone to follow me.¡±

    A brief silence followed.

    Just as Momonga was starting to feel that it was dragging on, the maid finally replied:

    ¡°Understood. Then, please be safe, Momonga-sama.¡±

    Momonga¡¯s heart ached briefly as the maid ate it up hook, line, and sinker, but he brushed it aside.

    There should not be anything wrong with taking a short break and going outside to check out the surrounding scenery. Indeed, it was very important that he saw for himself whether they had indeed been transported to another world.

    The excuses were welling up because Momonga was starting to feel that he had been too selfish.

    Momonga waved away the guilt in his heart, and activated the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown.

    ? ? ?

    His destination was arge hall. There were rows of narrow mortuary bs on both sides of him, but there were no corpses on them now. The floor was polished limestone. Behind Momonga was a flight of stairs leading down, and at their end was a set of double doors, through which one could ess the First Floor of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. The sconces in the walls had no torches; the only light came from the bluish-white moonlight streaming in from the outside.

    This was the closest location to the surface that the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown could take him, the central mausoleum on the surface of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.

    All he needed to do was take a few steps to reach the outside world. But despite the vast space before him, Momonga could not take those steps.

    That was because of the thoroughly unexpected encounter before him.

    The silhouettes of heteromorphic beings loomed before him. There were three monsters in total.

    One of them looked like a fearsome demon. Fangs protruded from its mouth and its body was covered in scales. It had stout arms and sharp ws, as well as ming wings and a snake-like tail.

    Another was a feminine-looking monster with a crow¡¯s head, dressed in a tight-fitting bondage outfit.

    The final one wore full te armor that was open at the chest, proudly revealing its abdominal muscles. If not for the ck bat wings and the two horns protruding from its temples, it might have been mistaken for a beautiful young man. However, its eyes held a desire that knew no limit.

    They were the Evil Lords of Wrath, Jealousy(Lust), and Greed, respectively.

    All the Evil Lords turned their attention to Momonga, but they did not move, only watching with their unwavering gazes. The grim atmosphere weighed down on everyone present.

    They were all monsters around level eighty or so, and they should have been assigned to sentry duty around the Infernal Shrine where Demiurge lived, near the gate to the Eighth Floor. Shalltear¡¯s undead minions should have been stationed in the upper floors to stand guard. So what were Demiurge¡¯s subordinates, his elite guards, doing in here?

    Behind them was one more figure. Momonga had not noticed him until now, but it had been watching Momonga from the beginning. Once he revealed himself, everything became clear.

    ¡°Demiurge...¡±

    A surprised look appeared on the demon who had been addressed by name (Demiurge). That look seemed to be saying ¡°why would his master be here,¡± or ¡°why would there be a mysterious monster here.¡±

    Momonga decided to ce his bet on a slim possibility, and advanced. If he stopped now, it would be a miracle if his true identity was not uncovered. In any event, his n was to slowly move forward while staying near the wall, ignoring the monsters and walking past them.

    He was fully aware that their eyes were on him. However, Momonga suppressed his feelings of weakness with sheer willpower, held his chest high, and continued moving forward.

    Once they had gotten close enough to each other, all the demons simultaneously genuflected, bowing their heads to him. The one at their head was, of course, Demiurge. His neat movements were slick and elegant, as though he were a nobleman.

    ¡°Momonga-sama. May I ask why you havee here, without your escort, and dressed like this?¡±

    The cat was out of the bag.

    Demiurge could be said to be the wisest being in The Great Tomb of Nazarick, so being seen through was inevitable. However, Momonga felt that the reason he had been seen through was because of the teleportation.

    Only one person in Nazarick possessed the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown that permitted its bearer to teleport freely through its halls ¡ª Momonga.

    ¡°Ah... it¡¯splicated. Demiurge, you should know why I am wearing this.¡±

    Demiurge¡¯s elegant face twisted in consternation. He took several breaths before answering:

    ¡°My deepest apologies for being unable to divine your fathomless intentions, Momonga-sama¡ª¡±

    ¡°Call me Dark Warrior.¡±

    ¡°Pardon me, Dark Warrior-sama...?¡±

    Demiurge seemed to have something to say, but Momonga tried his best to ignore it. Although it was a pretty embarrassing name, it made sense when one considered the names of other monsters in the game.

    The reason behind having Demiurge address him by a different name was quite simple. Although only Demiurge and his vassals were here at the moment, this ce was an exit, and many underlings would be passing through here. Momonga simply did not want them to call him ¡°Momonga-sama, Momonga-sama,¡± wherever he went.

    How much did Demiurge understand without knowing Momonga¡¯s thoughts? Just then, a look of enlightenment filled Demiurge¡¯s face.

    ¡°I see... so that¡¯s what¡¯s going.¡±

    Eh? What¡¯s going on?

    Momonga stopped himself from speaking the words in his heart.

    As a mortal man, Momonga had no idea what conclusion that Demiurge, intelligent and cunning beyond measure, hade to after his ruminations. All he could do was hope that Demiurge realised his true intentions as his head was covered in nonexistent cold sweat under his helmet.

    ¡°I believe I have some grasp on your profound schemes, Mo... no, Dark Warrior-sama. Truly, they are considerations that only the ruler of this domain would have taken into ount. However, I cannot allow your noble self to proceed unapanied. I am aware that it may inconvenience you, but I hope that in your boundless mercy, you will permit one of us to escort you.¡±

    ¡°...It can¡¯t be helped. Very well, I will allow one person to travel with me.¡±

    Demiurge smiled elegantly.

    ¡°My deepest thanks for humoring my selfish request, Dark Warrior-sama.¡±

    ¡°...Just call me Dark Warrior, you can dispense with the honorifics.¡±

    ¡°How could I!? To do so would be unforgivable. Of course, I can obey such an order while acting as a spy or performing special missions, but within the Great Tomb of Nazarick, how could anyone not show the respect due to yourself, Momonga-sama... no, Dark Warrior-sama!¡±

    Demiurge¡¯s passionate monologue moved Momonga a little, and he could not help but nod in approval. He mused that being called Dark Warrior would lead people to mock him for having such ame name, and hemented picking that alias so casually.

    ¡°Forgive me for wasting your valuable time, Mo-Dark Warrior-sama. Then, you lot will wait here for orders, and exin to the others that I am on the move.¡±

    ¡°Understood, Demiurge-sama.¡±

    ¡°Well, it seems your subordinates approve as well. Then, Demiurge, let us be off.¡±

    Momonga walked past the bowing Demiurge, who raised his head and followed his master.

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Why was Mo... cough, why was Dark Warrior-sama dressed like that?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but there should be some reason for it.¡±

    The remaining Evil Lords muttered to each other in confusion.

    After all, they had not seen through Momonga¡¯s disguise because he teleported here.

    Momonga had no idea of knowing this, but the denizens of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, or rather, all of Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s servants radiated a certain aura that the servants could sense in order to determine whether a stranger was friend or foe. Within the guild, the aura of the Forty One Supreme Beings that ruled Nazarick ¡ª now reduced to Momonga alone ¡ª was enough to tell them that the one before them was their absolute ruler. They could sense his mighty presence from a distance and they could not have mistaken Momonga for anyone else, even through his full te armor. They would have seen through Momonga¡¯s disguise immediately, regardless of how he arrived.

    It was easy to differentiate his aura from the others in Nazarick.

    The doors to the first floor swung wide, and someone climbed the stairs.

    Judging by the aura that came from the stairs, the neer was a Guardian.

    The Evil Lords saw the beautiful face of the Guardian Overseer, Albedo, rising from the steps. They went to one knee as they realised that they were in the presence of someone who was the equal of their master, Demiurge.

    To Albedo, the vassals kneeling before her was merely natural, and she paid them no heed as she looked around.

    Only after Albedo failed to find the person she was looking for did she turn back to the Evil Lords. She spoke without addressing anyone in particr:

    ¡°...I don¡¯t see Demiurge around. Where is he?¡±

    ¡°He... a Dark Warrior-sama passed through just now, so Demiurge-sama decided to apany him outside.¡±

    ¡°Dark Warrior...sama? I don¡¯t recall a name like that among the servants... Which servant did Demiurge apany? A Floor Guardian following a lowly servant? How strange...¡±

    The Evil Lords did not know how to respond, and looked at each other.

    Albedo smiled gently to the Evil Lords:

    ¡°Could it be that mere servants like you dare to deceive me?¡±

    Her tender, final warning made the Evil Lords shiver, and they realized that they could not keep hiding things from her.

    ¡°When Dark Warrior-sama came here, Demiurge-sama concluded that he was a person worthy of our respect.¡±

    ¡°...Momonga-sama came here!¡±

    Albedo¡¯s voice seemed to crack a little, and so the Evil Lords calmly replied:

    ¡°...His name was Dark Warrior-sama.¡±

    ¡°...And his guards? Did Demiurge receive some notification from Momonga-sama? But I already arranged to meet him, so does this mean Demiurge did not know Momonga-sama wasing? Ah, forget it, I need to change and bathe!¡±

    Albedo touched her clothing.

    Her clothes were dirty from her work. Her hair was tangled at the ends, as were her wings.

    However, such petty imperfections could not begin to diminish the appeal of a world-ss beauty like Albedo. It was insignificant, like the loss of a point or two out of a hundred million. However, to Albedo, even the slightest blemish on her appearance was a mark of failure. She could not show this filthy self of hers to the man she loved so dearly.

    ¡°The nearest bath... the one at Shalltear¡¯s ce? ...But then she might get suspicious... although I¡¯ll just have to bear with it. You lot, go to my room and get my clothes! Quickly!¡±

    Just then, one of the Evil Lords called out to Albedo, who was pacing around. She was the Demon General of Jealousy.

    ¡°...Albedo-sama, though this might be rude, would your present attire not be better?¡±

    ¡°...What do you mean?¡± Albedo angrily retorted as she stopped in her tracks. She thought the other woman wanted Momonga to see her in this unkempt state.

    ¡°...No, I simply meant that a beautiful woman like yourself would be best served by showing the signs of your hard work. In the end, you will still benefit, will you not, Albedo-sama?¡±

    The other Evil Lords added their suggestions, ¡°By the time you could bathe and prepare herself to meet Momonga-sama... Dark Warrior-sama, much time would have been wasted. It would be a shame to miss a good opportunity because of that.¡±

    ¡°I see¡ª¡± Albedo mused.

    They had a point.

    ¡°That makes sense... it seems I panicked because I have not seen Momonga-sama for such a long time. I can only meet Momonga-sama after eighteen hours, don¡¯t you think eighteen hours is too long?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is.¡±

    ¡°If only I could finishying out the administrative framework and return to Momonga-sama¡¯s side... then I¡¯d better not waste time griping and find Momonga-sama. Where is Momonga-sama now?¡±

    ¡°He just stepped out.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Although Albedo¡¯s reply seemed curt, there was a distant smile on her face as she imagined being with Momonga, and she pped her wings in an adorable way. She walked past the Evil Lords with hurried steps.

    The footsteps suddenly halted, and Albedo asked the Evil Lords again:

    ¡°For thest time, do you really think Momonga-sama will approve of seeing me dirtied like this?¡±

    ? ? ?

    After leaving the mausoleum, Momonga was greeted by a beautiful sight. The surface area of the Great Tomb of Nazarick was two hundred meters square, protected by six meter thick walls, with an entrance and an exit at the front and back.

    The Tomb¡¯s grass was trimmed short and felt refreshing. On the other hand, the Tomb¡¯s trees had leafy branches that shrouded much of the grounds in shade, and the extensive shadows gave the ce a gloomy air. There were also baster tombstones scattered about.

    The juxtaposition of the neat grass and the messy tombstones was quite incongruous. In addition, there were exquisite carvings of angels and goddesses all over the ce, each of which was easily a work of art, but the chaotic tomb design was frustrating, to say the least.

    Apart from therge central mausoleum, there were four smaller mausoleums in the north, south, east, and west, each defended by statues of armored warriors, each six meters tall.

    The central mausoleum was the gateway to the Great Tomb of Nazarick, and it was from this ce that Momonga had emerged into the outside world.

    Momonga stood at the top of the stairs and quietly surveyed thendscape before him.

    The Great Tomb of Nazarick had originally been located in the icy world of Helheim, which was perpetually shrouded in darkness. The atmosphere was grim and dark, and the sky was constantly overcast. Yet, what he saw now was vastly different from that.

    He was looking at a beautiful night sky.

    Momonga looked to the heavens and he could not help but sigh. He shook his head, as though unable to believe his eyes.

    ¡°Amazing... to think they could include such detail in a virtual world... the air here is so fresh that it must never have been polluted. People born in this world wouldn¡¯t need artificial lungs to breathe...¡±

    He had never seen such a clear night sky in his life.

    Momonga wanted to cast a spell, but he was hampered by his armor. There was a certain mage ss that allowed for the casting of spells in armor, but Momonga did not have that ss. As a result, his full te armor kept him from using magic. Even armor created by magic would not allow its wearer to cast spells while wearing it. Currently, there were only five spells he could use in his armored state, but sadly, the flight magic Momonga wanted to use was not part of them.

    Momonga reached his hand into his pocket dimension and withdrew an item. It was a ne with a pendant shaped like a bird¡¯s wing.

    He put on the ne and focused on it. The power buried within the ne took effect.

    ¡°¡¸Fly¡¹.¡±

    Freed from the shackles of gravity, Momonga floated lightly into the sky. He rose upward in a straight line, gaining speed as he did.

    Although Demiurge was frantically trying to catch up, Momonga paid him no heed and ascended steadily. Before he knew it, he was several hundred meters in the air.

    Only then did Momonga¡¯s body slow down. He forcefully cast aside his helmet, and said nothing ¡ª no, as he looked down at this world, he could not say anything.

    The blue-white light of the moon and stars chased away the darkness of thend. The grasnds, ruffled by a gentle wind, seemed to be glowing. The countless stars and the moon gave off their own radiance as well, shining brilliantly against the lighting from the earth.

    Momonga could not help but sigh:

    ¡°This is beautiful... no, beautiful would not begin to describe this... what would Blue-san say if he were here?¡±

    What would he do if he saw this world whose air,nd, and water had not been polluted?

    Momonga recalled hisrade from the past, the man who had showed up for the guild¡¯s offline meetings, whose stony face had broken into a delicate smile when he was praised as a romantic ¡ª that gentle man who loved the night sky.

    No, he loved nature, which had been polluted and almostpletely destroyed. He yed YGGDRASIL because he appreciated those scenes which no longer existed in reality. He had built the Sixth Floor with his sweat, blood, and tears. Its night sky was his personal design, and it was a reproduction of the idealized world in his heart.

    That man who loved nature was always particrly excited when the topic came up. Some might even call it an obsession.

    How excited would he be if he could see this world? How passionately would he deim its glories in his baritone voice?

    Momonga suddenly realized that he missed his old friend very dearly. Hoping to hear him expounding his wide knowledge again, he looked to the side.

    There was nobody there. There could not be anybody there.

    The somewhat hurt Momonga heard the pping of wings, and the transformed Demiurge appeared before him.

    This was Demiurge¡¯s half-demon form, with a pair ofrge ck leathery wings growing from his back and the face of a frog.

    Certain heteromorphic creatures had multiple forms. In Nazarick, Sebas and Albedo had other forms as well.

    Although it was troublesome to train up levels in heteromorphic racial sses, they were very popr because they had different forms like final bosses in a game. In particr, people were fond of how these heteromorphic beings were weaker in their human and demihuman forms, but more powerful in their fully monstrous forms.

    Momonga turned away from Demiurge, who was partially transformed into a demon, and looked to the sparkling stars in the sky once more. He spoke softly, as though to his absent friends:

    ¡°...To think one could see so far just by the light of the moon and the stars... it¡¯s hard to believe that this world is real. Blue-san... this world is like a chest of jewels.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps it is. I believe the beauty of this world exists to adorn you, Mo¡ª Dark Warrior-san,¡± Demiurge said in a reverent voice.

    The sudden statement sounded like it was finding fault with his memories of hisrades, and it upset Momonga. However, the anger faded as he gazed upon the beautiful sight before him.

    In addition, the act of overlooking this world, which seemed so tiny before him, made him feel that perhaps it was not a bad idea to y the role of an evil overlord.

    ¡°Indeed, it is beautiful. You say these stars exist to adorn me... perhaps that is so. Perhaps the reason that I havee here is to im this chest of jewels which belongs to nobody else.¡±

    Momonga clenched his fist before him, and it looked as though he was taking the stars into his grasp. Of course, that was simply because his hand was covering the stars up. He shrugged at his childish behavior and said to Demiurge:

    ¡°...No, this is not something I can im for myself. Perhaps these jewels are meant to adorn the Great Tomb of Nazarick; myself, and my friends from Ainz Ooal Gown.¡±

    ¡°...What a moving statement. If is your wish, then by yourmand, I shall lead Nazarick¡¯s forces to im this chest of jewels. I, Demiurge would like nothing more than to present this chest of jewels to my lord and master, Momonga-sama.¡±

    Those cheesy lines made Momonga chuckle. He wondered if Demiurge had been intoxicated by the atmosphere as well.

    ¡°As long as we do not know anything about the beings which live in this world, I can only say that your idea is foolish. For all we know, we might be minuscule weaklings in this world. However, conquering this world might be quite interesting.¡±

    Conquering the world was something that only the viins in children¡¯s shows would say.

    The fact was that conquering the world was not easy. And then there was the matter of ruling the world after conquering it, preventing insurgency and maintaining public order, as well as all the other problems that came with ruling a host of nations. When one thought about these things, one would realise that there was hardly any point in conquering the world.

    Momonga knew all of this, but he still spoke of conquering this world, because seeing its beauty awoke that juvenile desire within him. In addition, as he was getting into the mindset of being the leader of the dreaded guild Ainz Ooal Gown, those words identally fell from his mouth.

    And there was one more reason.

    ¡°...Ulbert-san, Luci¡ïFer-san, Variable Talisman-san, Bellriver-san...¡±

    It was because he remembered what his former guildmates had once said, ¡°Let¡¯s conquer one of the worlds in YGGDRASIL.¡±

    He knew that Demiurge, the wisest mind in Nazarick, would understand that taking over the world was just a child¡¯s joke.

    If Momonga had seen the smile that had spread across Demiurge¡¯s frog face, he would surely not have left matters at that.

    But Momonga did not look at Demiurge, instead turning his gaze to the horizon, where the infinite expanse of the earth and sky met.

    ¡°...This is an unknown world. But am I the only one who made it here? Did the other members of the guilde here too?¡±

    Although one could not y multiple characters in YGGDRASIL, hisrades who left might have made new characters on thest day of the game. Also, given that he had been online so close to the forced logoff time, Herohero-san might havee here too.

    The fact was, Momonga¡¯s presence here was an anomaly. The unknown circumstances that had brought him here might have brought hisrades who no longer yed the game here with him.

    He could not contact them with a ¡¸Message¡¹, but there might be many reasons for that. They might be on a different continent, or something had changed in the spell¡¯s effect, and so on.

    ¡°...I see... then as long as the whole world knows the name of Ainz Ooal Gown...¡±

    If hisrades were here, then the name of the guild would reach their ears. Once they found out, they woulde over. Momonga was that confident in the strength of their friendship.

    Deep in thought, Momonga looked over to Nazarick, and saw a curious sight.

    A wave over a hundred meters across was moving along thend as though it were the sea. Little ripples rose from the surface of the ins, slowly heading in the same direction as they fused together, finally bing small hillocks as they approached Nazarick.

    The gigantic pile of dirt shattered against the sturdy walls of Nazarick, like waves crashing against the shore.

    ¡°...¡¸Earth Surge¡¹. He used his skills to erge the effective area, as well as his other ss skills...¡± Momonga muttered in respect.

    In all of Nazarick, only one person could use this magic.

    ¡°That¡¯s Mare for you. It seems camouging the walls is an easy task for him.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Mare has also recruited several golems and undead ¡ª who are tireless ¡ª to help. However, their progress is slow and hardly ideal. In addition, some gaps will be left after moving the earth, which will need to be filled with nts. That will only increase his workload further.¡±

    ¡°...Concealing the walls of Nazarick was a time-consuming task to begin with. The only question is whether he will be discovered as he works. How is our perimeter security?¡±

    ¡°Our early-warning has already been constructed. We will know of the intrusion of any intelligent beings within five kilometers, and we will be able to observe them without their knowledge.¡±

    ¡°Well done. However... this is manned by the underlings, right?¡±

    Demiurge replied in the positive, and Momonga suggested it might be good to erect another security, just in case.

    ¡°...I have a n for the security. Put it into motion.¡±

    ¡°Understood. I will discuss this with Albedo and thenbine her suggestions with your orders. Also, Dark Warrior-sama¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªIt¡¯s fine, Demiurge. You can call me Momonga.¡±

    ¡°Understood... may I ask about what you n to do next, Momonga-sama?¡±

    ¡°Since Mare has carried out his task splendidly, I intend to check in on him. I also n to give him a suitable reward in person...¡±

    A smile appeared on Demiurge¡¯s face. It was a gentle look that seemedpletely out of ce on a devil¡¯s face.

    ¡°I believe your thanks will be the finest reward he can receive, Momonga-sama... my deepest apologies, I suddenly remembered something I have to do. As for Mare...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Go, Demiurge.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much, Momonga-sama.¡±

    As Demiurge spread his wings to fly off, Momonga aimed for a point on the ground andnded, donning his helmet along the way. The Dark Elf near Momonga¡¯s destination seemed to notice his descent and looked up, surprise written all over his face as he saw Momonga.

    Mare ran over with a tatata sound as Momonganded upon the ground. The hem of Mare¡¯s skirt fluttered around his thighs as his legs pumped up and down.

    For a moment, something peeked out from below, then vanished again... no, Momonga was not interested in looking under Mare¡¯s skirt. He was just curious about what he wore underneath it.

    ¡°Mo-Momonga-sama, w-wee .¡±

    ¡°Mm... Mare, there is no need to be nervous. Take your time and go slowly. If you¡¯re not used to it, you can also dispense with the politenguage... though only when we¡¯re in private, of course.¡±

    ¡°I, I can¡¯t do that, how could I not speak respectfully to a Supreme Being... actually, Nee-chan shouldn¡¯t be doing that too. It, it¡¯s terribly rude...¡±

    Although he disliked children being so formal around him, Momonga said:

    ¡°I see, Mare. Well, if you insist, then I am fine with it. However, I want you to know that I will not force you to do so.¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes! ...Al-Although, may I ask why you came here, Momonga-sama? Did I make a mistake...?¡±

    ¡°Of course not, Mare. In fact, I came here to praise you.¡±

    The expression on Mare¡¯s face went from fear that he might be scolded to surprise.

    ¡°Mare, your work is very important. Even with our security in ce, the inhabitants of this world may be over level one hundred. If we are faced with opponents like that, concealing the Great Tomb of Nazarick will be our top priority..¡±

    Mare nodded furiously in agreement.

    ¡°Which is why, Mare, I wanted to let you know how satisfied I am that you have carried out your task. In addition, I want to tell you how relieved I am that you were the one handling this matter.¡±

    One of the irond rules of society that Momonga believed in was that a good boss shouldpliment the good work of his subordinates.

    The Guardians thought highly of him; conversely, in order to have them continue to be loyal to him, Momonga had to act in a way that was worthy of their praise.

    Allowing these NPCs that his guild members had made together to feel disappointment or betrayal because of his actions would shatter his golden record as a guild master. It would be like a mark of failure branded on Momonga. Because of that, Momonga had to be careful to maintain the air of authority befitting a ruler when he spoke to the NPCs.

    ¡°...You understand what I¡¯m thinking, don¡¯t you, Mare?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Momonga-sama!¡±

    Mare might have been dressed like a girl, but the fact that he was a boy was evident from his panicked face.

    ¡°Very good. Then, for your hard work, I shall give you a reward.¡±

    ¡°How, how could I ept such a thing? I was simply doing my duty!¡±

    ¡°...You deserve a reward for your good performance. It¡¯s only natural.¡±

    ¡°It, it¡¯s not like that! We exist to give our all for the Supreme Beings, so working hard is only to be expected!¡±

    This back and forth went on for a while, and the two of them could not meet in the middle. Momonga decided to cut this sequence of events short.

    ¡°Then, how about this. In exchange for this reward, continue your loyal service to me. That should do it.¡±

    ¡°Is, is that really all right?¡±

    To cut him short, Momonga produced the reward in question ¡ª a ring.

    ¡°Mo-Momonga-sama... you¡¯ve taken the wrong thing out!¡±

    ¡°No I¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªIt can¡¯t be right! That¡¯s the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown, a treasure which only the Supreme Beings possess! I can¡¯t ept a reward like that.¡±

    Momonga was shocked at how the unexpected reward was making Mare tremble.

    He was correct in that this ring was intended for the guild members. Only one hundred of them had been made, so that meant that there were only fifty nine rings without owners ¡ª no, fifty eight. As a result, they were quite precious, but the reason for this gift was not just as a reward, but the hope that it would be put to good use.

    In order to put Mare¡¯s rampant imagination at ease, Momonga sternly said, ¡°Calm down, Mare.¡±

    ¡°I, I can¡¯t! How could I ept a valuable ring that only the Supreme Beings should possess¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªCalm down, Mare. Teleportation is blocked in the Great Tomb of Nazarick, and that generates all kinds of inconveniences.¡±

    After hearing this, Mare slowly regained hisposure.

    ¡°My hope is that during an enemy attack, the Guardians willmand their respective Floor¡¯s forces. At the same time it would be quite sad if a Guardian was unable to move around freely due to the teleportation block. Therefore, I give this ring to you.¡±

    Momonga raised the ring on his finger high. It glittered brilliantly in the moonlight.

    ¡°Mare, I am pleased with your loyalty. At the same time, I understand your reluctance as an NPC to ept this ring which symbolizes us. However, if you truly understand my intentions, you will ept my orders and this ring with them.¡±

    ¡°But, but, why me... shouldn¡¯t everyone else have gotten one too...?¡±

    ¡°I had intended to give the others these rings; however you are the first. This is because I am pleased with your work. If I gave this to someone who did no work, then this ring would have no meaning. Or do you intend to devalue this ring?¡±

    ¡°No, no, of course not!¡±

    ¡°Then take it, Mare. After epting this ring, continue working hard for Nazarick and myself.¡±

    Mare nervously reached out his hand and slowly epted the ring.

    Momonga felt somewhat guilty as he watched Mare. The truth was that he had an ulterior motive for giving him the ring.

    That was because once Mare had the ring, it would be more difficult for people to tell that Momonga was teleporting around.

    As Mare put on the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown, it immediately changed its dimensions to fit Mare¡¯s slender fingers. He could not help but stare at the ring on his finger, sighing in relief. Then he turned to Momonga and bowed deeply.

    ¡°Momonga-sama, th-thank you for this great gift... I promise that from today onward I will work harder so I do not disappoint you!¡±

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll trust you with it, Mare.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    A determined look appeared on Mare¡¯s face as he gave his immediate answer.

    Why had Bukubukuchagama-san, who had designed Mare, dressed him like this?

    Was it to dress him differently from Aura, or was there another reason?

    Just as Momonga was pondering this question, Mare asked a question of his own.

    ¡°Ah, excuse me, Momonga-sama... but why are you dressed like that?¡±

    ¡°...Ah, about that...¡±

    Because I wanted to get away ¡ª obviously he could not say that.

    Mare¡¯s eyes sparkled as he looked up to the troubled Momonga. How should he bluff his way through this? If he failed here, all the acting he had done to appear like amanding superior would have gone to waste. No subordinate would respect a superior who was trying to flee.

    Momonga desperately tried to calm himself down, and then help came from an unexpected source.

    ¡°That¡¯s simple, Mare.¡±

    Momonga looked back, and his eyes were instantly drawn to the person he was looking at.

    A woman who seemed to be the embodiment of all feminine beauty stood beneath the moonlight. The bluish-white radiance yed across her body, which sparkled in response. It was as though a goddess had descended from the heavens to grace the earth. Her ck wings pped, creating a gust of wind.

    It was Albedo.

    Although Demiurge was behind her, such was Albedo¡¯s beauty that Momonga¡¯s eyes did not even register Demiurge¡¯s form.

    ¡°Momonga-sama wore this armor and concealed his identity because he did not wish to disturb the others at work.¡±

    ¡°When Momonga-sama approaches, it is only natural for everyone to stop whatever they are doing and bow to him. However, Momonga-sama did not wish to interrupt anyone. Thus he disguised himself as Dark Warrior-sama so the others would not cease in theirbors to pay him his due respect. Am I correct, Momonga-sama?¡±

    After hearing Albedo¡¯s question, Momonga nodded repeatedly.

    ¡°As, as expected of you Albedo, you understood my true intentions.¡±

    ¡°It is only natural, as the Guardian Overseer. No, even if I were not the Guardian Overseer, I am confident that I could read your heart, Momonga-sama.¡±

    As Albedo smiled and bowed deeply, there was a bizarre expression of Demiurge¡¯s face as he stood behind her.

    Although it weighed on his mind, he could not object to the people assisting him.

    ¡°So, so that¡¯s why...¡± Mare said, with a look of realization on his face.

    As he looked toward Mare, Momonga saw a sight he could hardly believe was real. Albedo¡¯s eyes had suddenly gone wide open, to the point where it seemed like her eyeballs might fall out. She was pointing at Mare in a strange way.

    Just as Momonga was thinking about this, Albedo¡¯s face returned to its usual beautiful state, so quickly that Momonga thought it had all been an illusion.

    ¡°...What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Ah, no, nothing... all right, Mare, sorry for disturbing you. Take a break, and continue the camouge work afterwards.¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes! Then, Momonga-sama, I¡¯ll be on my way.¡±

    As Momonga nodded to him, Mare rubbed the ring on his finger and left.

    ¡°Speaking of which, why did youe here, Albedo?¡±

    ¡°I heard Demiurge say you would be here, so I wished to greet you, Momonga-sama. However, I apologize for making you see me in this filthy state.¡±

    Momonga looked at Albedo again as he heard the words ¡°filthy.¡± However, he did not feel that the words were fitting. Granted, there was dust on her clothes, but it did not lessen her beauty at all.

    ¡°Certainly not, Albedo. Your radiance could never be diminished by something as insignificant as dirt. That said, I feel a little ufortable about making a beautiful maiden like yourself run around. However, since this is an emergency, I must ask you to continue working for Nazarick for the time being. I apologize for that.¡±

    ¡°I can endure any hardship as long as it¡¯s for your sake, Momonga-sama!¡±

    ¡°I am grateful for your loyalty. Ah, yes... Albedo, I have something to give you.¡±

    ¡°...What might that something be?¡±

    As Albedo lowered her head and calmly replied, Momonga brought out a ring. Naturally, it was a Ring of Ainz of Ooal Gown.

    ¡°You will need this item in your position as the Guardian Overseer.¡±

    ¡°...Thank you very much.¡±

    Her reaction was so different from Mare¡¯s that Momonga was somewhat disappointed. However, he immediately realised that he was mistaken.

    The corner of Albedo¡¯s mouth was twitching and she was desperately trying not to let her expression change. Her wings were shuddering because she was trying her best not to spread them. The hand which took the ring had clenched up (when had she done that?) and then it opened up, trembling mightily. Even an idiot could see her excitement.

    ¡°Continue your loyal service, As for Demiurge... some other time.¡±

    ¡°I understand, Momonga-sama. I shall continue working hard in future to prove myself worthy of such a mighty ring.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Then, I have abandoned the tasks that I must take care of. I¡¯d best return to the Ninth Floor before I get scolded.¡±

    After seeing Albedo and Demiurge lower their heads in response, Momonga activated the teleportation effect of the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown.

    In the instant before the scenery changed, Momonga thought he heard a woman shouting ¡°ALL RIGHT!¡± However, he felt he must have been mistaken, because there was no way Albedo could have made such a crude sound.

    Part 2

    They were close to the outskirts of the vige.

    Enri heard the sound of nking metal from behind her as she ran. It was a rhythmic sound.

    She looked behind with a prayer in her heart ¡ª as expected, it was the worst-case scenario. A knight was chasing the Emmot sisters.

    Just a little further.

    Enri took a deep breath and forced herself to soldier on. She had no energy to waste on anything else.

    Her breathing was rapid, her heart beating hard enough that she felt it would burst, and her legs were shaking mightily. Soon enough, she would bepletely exhausted, and she would copse and not get up.

    If she were alone, perhaps she might have lost the strength to run and given up.

    However, she was holding her little sister¡¯s hand. It gave her the energy to run away.

    The truth was that the powerful desire to save her sister had kept Enri going until now.

    As she ran, she nced behind again.

    The distance between herself and her pursuer had not changed. Even in armor, the man¡¯s speed had not decreased. This was the difference between a trained warrior and a vige girl.

    Sweat ran down Enri¡¯s back as her body went cold. If this kept up... she would not be able to escape with her sister.

    ¡ªLet her go.

    Those words echoed through her head.

    ¡ªPerhaps you could escape by yourself.

    ¡ªDo you want to die here?

    ¡ªIt might be safer if you split up.

    ¡°Shut up, shut up, shut up!¡±

    Enri shouted at herself for those thoughts through her clenched teeth.

    She was the worst sister imaginable.

    Why was her little sister holding her tears back?

    It was because she believed in her big sister. She believed her big sister would save her.

    As she gripped the hand of her little sister ¡ª that hand which gave her the strength to flee and fight on ¡ª Enri steeled herself and hardened her resolve.

    She would never abandon her sister.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Enri¡¯s younger sister was as tired as Enri herself. Therefore, she suddenly stumbled, yelped, and almost fell.

    The reason why the two of them had not fallen was because they were holding tightly onto each other¡¯s hands. However, Nemu¡¯s near-fall caused Enri to falter herself.

    ¡°Faster!¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes!¡±

    Although she wanted to run on, her little sister was starting to cramp up, and she could not move fast. Enri wanted to pick up Nemu and run, but the sounds of metal drawing up beside her filled Enri with fear.

    The knight beside her held a bloodstained sword. In addition, his armor and helm were covered in traces of spattered blood.

    Enri pushed Nemu behind herself and red angrily at the knight.

    ¡°It¡¯s pointless to struggle.¡±

    There was nopassion in those words. Instead, there was only mockery. Those words implied that running would only end in death anyway.

    The anger in Enri¡¯s heart boiled over, and she thought, What was he saying?

    The knight raised his sword to Enri, who had stopped moving. However, just before he could swing it down on them¡ª

    ¡°Don¡¯t look down on me!¡±

    ¡°Guwaargh!¡±

    ¡ªEnri forcefully punched the knight¡¯s metal helmet. That strike carried the anger that filled her and the desire to protect her little sister. She did not care that she was striking metal with her bare hand. She hit him with every ounce of her strength.

    There was the sound of something like bones cracking, and soon pain spread throughout Enri¡¯s body. The knight wobbled under the force of the mighty blow.

    ¡°Hurry!¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Enri bit back the pain and made to flee again ¡ª and suddenly a line of scorching heat bloomed on her back.

    ¡°¡ªGgk!¡±

    ¡°Damn you!¡±

    The vige girl punching the knight in the face had shamed him, hence his anger.

    He was swinging his sword wildly, having lost his cool. As a result, his first blow did not cause a mortal wound. However, that was the end of her luck. Enri was hurt, and the knight was filled with rage. The next blow would certainly take her life.

    Enri looked at the longsword raised high before her.

    Panic was written all over her face as she watched the malevolent gleaming of the terrible swift sword, and she realized two things.

    The first was that her life would be over in a few seconds. The second was that an ordinary vige girl like herself had no way of fighting that fate.

    The tip of the sword was stained with some of her blood. As her heart beat faster, the pain spread through her body, along with the scorching heat of her wound.

    The pain she had never felt before filled her with fear and made her want to throw up.

    Perhaps vomiting would clear the feeling of nausea that filled her.

    However, Enri was looking for a way to live, so she had no time to throw up.

    Although she wanted to abandon her struggle, there was a reason why Enri had not given up until now. That was the warmth pressed against her chest ¡ª her younger sister.

    She had to let her sister live.

    That sole thought kept Enri from giving in.

    In contrast, the armored knight in front of her seemed to be mocking Enri¡¯s resolve.

    The raised sword swung down.

    Perhaps it was because all her energies were concentrated here, or because her brain was working overtime because she was on the verge of life and death, but Enri felt that time was passing very slowly, and she desperately tried to think of some way to save her little sister.

    However, she could not think of anything. All she could do was use her own body as a shield, letting the de cleave deeply into herself, in the hope of buying time for her little sister to escape.

    As long as she had the strength, she would hang on tightly to the knight or the sword he stuck in her, holding on tight and not letting go until the me of her life guttered out.

    If she could do that. she would dly ept her fate.

    Enri smiled, as though she were a martyr.

    As a big sister, this was all she could do for Nemu. The thought made Enri smile.

    Could Nemu escape the hell that was Carne Vige by herself?

    Even if she fled into the forest, she might run into patrols of soldiers. However, as long as she could survive, there was a possibility of escape. In order to give her little sister the chance to survive, Enri would bet her life ¡ª no, she would bet everything.

    That said, the idea of being hurt again frightened her, so she closed her eyes. In this world of darkness, she prepared herself for the pain that woulde¡ª

    Part 3

    Momonga sat on a chair and looked at the mirror before him. The roughly one meter wide mirror did not reflect Momonga¡¯s face, but a patch of grass. The mirror was like a television set, showing images of a distant in.

    The grass of the ins swayed in the wind, proving it was not a still image.

    As time passed, the sun slowly rose, its light banishing the darkness that covered the ins. This pastoral scene, almost poetic in its beauty, was a stark difference from the former location of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, the deste world of Helheim.

    Momonga reached out to the mirror and swiped his hand right. The mirror¡¯s image changed.

    This was a Mirror of Remote Viewing.

    This was a magic item used to disy an image of a specific region. It was a very useful item for yer-killers, or yer-killer-killers. However, there were low level spells which luded information-gathering spells that could hide people from the mirror¡¯s eyes. In addition, it was easy for users to be counterattacked by offensive barriers, so it was an average item at best.

    However, for the present circumstances, an item which could show the outside world was a very useful item indeed.

    Momonga enjoyed the movie-like quality of the grass within the mirror as the image changed.

    ¡°It would seem that I can move the image with a wave of the hand. That way, I won¡¯t have to keep looking at the same spot.¡±

    The scenery and the angles with which it was viewed changed within the floating mirror. Although he had made several mistakes so far, Momonga kept changing his gestures to alter thendscape within the mirror, hoping that he would find someone. However, up till now, he had not found any intelligent beings ¡ª for instance, humans.

    He repeated the same simple gestures over and over again, but all the images he got were the same: ins. Momonga was starting to get bored, so he looked at the other person in the room.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Momonga-sama? I stand ready to heed your everymand.¡±

    ¡°No, there¡¯s nothing, Sebas.¡±

    Sebas was the other person in the room. He might have been smiling, but his words seemed to hold some kind of subtext. Although Sebas was absolutely loyal to him, he had objected to Momonga¡¯s excursion to the surface without bringing his followers along.

    Indeed, just after Momonga returned from the surface, Sebas had osted and lectured him.

    Momonga said what was on his heart.

    ¡°What will I do with him...¡±

    Being with Sebas made Momonga think of his guildmate Touch Me. After all, Touch Me-san was the one who had designed Sebas.

    Still, he didn¡¯t have to make him so simr to himself. Even the way Sebas gets angry reminds me of him.

    After grumbling in his heart, Momonga looked back to the mirror.

    Momonga¡¯s n was to teach Demiurge the hard-learned lessons of how to control the magic mirror. This was what Momonga had meant when he spoke to Demiurge about another security.

    Although it would have been simpler to leave this task to his subordinates, Momonga wanted to handle this task personally. The truth was that he wanted to use his can-do working attitude to inspire and gain the respect of his subordinates. Therefore he could not be seen to give up halfway. Still, why can¡¯t I switch to a higher vantage point? If only there were a manual... With these thoughts in mind, Momonga went about the painstaking work of figuring the mirror¡¯s controls out by boring, repetitive trial and error.

    He did not know how long it had been.

    It might have only been a while, but so far his work had not borne fruit, and he could not help but feel like this was all a waste of time.

    Momonga casually waved his hand with a vacant expression, and his field of vision suddenly expanded.

    ¡°Oh!¡±

    Surprise, delight, pride, Momonga¡¯s exmation was filled with all of these. At his wit¡¯s end, he made a random gesture and the screen suddenly did as he wanted. This was a cry of joy one would expect out of a programmer who had pulled eight hour¡¯s worth of overtime.

    Cheering and pping answered him. The source of these two sounds was Sebas.

    ¡°Congrattions, Momonga-sama. Your servant Sebas stands in awe of your prowess.¡±

    Granted, this was the fruit of extensive trial and error, so you don¡¯t need to go that far. Momonga thought that, but when he saw that Sebas looked quite happy, he decided to humbly ept the butler¡¯s praise.

    ¡°Thank you, Sebas. Although I apologize for making you apany me for so long.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying? Staying by your side and obeying your orders is the reason for a butler¡¯s existence, Momonga-sama. There is no need to thank or apologize to me... although, it is true that this process took quite some time. Momonga-sama, would you like to take a break?¡±

    ¡°No, there is no need for that. Undead like myself are not affected by negative statuses like fatigue. If you¡¯re tired, you may go and rest.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your kindness, but it would be unthinkable for a butler to rest while his master worked. With the aid of magic items, I am not affected by fatigue either. Please allow me to stay by your side until the end, Momonga-sama.¡±

    Momonga realised one thing from his conversations with the NPCs; namely, they casually used game terms in their speech. For instance, skills, job sses, items, levels, negative statuses, and so on. If he could use game terms with them in an unironic way, it might be easier to give them orders.

    After agreeing to Sebas¡¯s request, he continued studying the ways to control the mirror. Finally he discovered a method to adjust the height of his viewpoint.

    Momonga smiled in satisfaction, and began looking for a popted area.

    Finally, an image of something like a vige appeared on the mirror.

    It was located roughly ten kilometers south of Nazarick. There was a forest nearby, and wheat fields surrounded a settlement. It appeared to be a rustic farming vige. By the looks of things, the vige itself was not very developed.

    As Momonga zoomed in on the vige, he felt that something was amiss.

    ¡°...Are they holding a festival?¡±

    People were running in and out of their houses this early in the morning. They looked panicked.

    ¡°No, that is not a festival.¡±

    That steely voice came from Sebas, who was watching the disy with a keen look in his eye as he stood beside Momonga.

    There was an undercurrent of disgust in Sebas¡¯s stern words. As Momonga erged the image, he too furrowed his nonexistent brows.

    Fully armored knights were swinging their longswords at the vigers, who were dressed in rough clothes.

    It was a massacre.

    A viger fell with every swing of a knight¡¯s sword. The vigers could not resist them, and could only run away. The knights pursued and killed the fleeing vigers. There were horses eating the grain in the field. Those horses must have belonged to the knights.

    ¡°Cheh!¡±

    Momonga scoffed, intending to change the image. This vige had no value to him. If he could extract more information from it, perhaps he might have a reason to save them. But as things stood, there was no reason to save this vige.

    He should abandon them.

    Momonga was taken aback by how he could make such a heartless decision. A cruel ughter was urring before his eyes, but the only thing he could think of was the good of Nazarick. There was nothing like pity, anger, or worry, basic human emotions anyone should have.

    It felt like he was watching a TV show about animals and insects, where the strong ate the weak.

    Could it be that as one of the undead, he no longer considered himself part of humanity?

    No, how could that be?

    Momonga struggled to find an excuse to justify his thinking.

    He was not an agent of justice.

    He was level one hundred, but like he had told Mare, this world¡¯smoners might well be level one hundred as well. Therefore, he could not tread blindly into this unknown world. Although it looked like the knights were conducting a one-sided ughter of the vigers, there might be other reasons at work here which he did not know about. Reasons like ¡°illness, judgement, setting an example,¡± and others like them kept appearing in his mind. And if he stepped in and defeated the knights, he might earn the ire of the country they belonged to.

    Momonga stretched out his bony hand and rubbed his skull as he thought. Could it be that after bing an undead being who was immune to mind-affecting effects, he had be inured to scenes like this? Definitely not.

    He waved his hand again, showing a scene from another part of the vige.

    It seemed like two knights were trying to pull a violently struggling viger off another knight. The man was pulled away, his arms were held, and he was rendered motionless where he stood. Before Momonga¡¯s eyes, the man was stabbed with a sword. The de entered his body and exited from the other side of him. It should have been a fatal blow, but the longsword did not stop. One, two, three strikes ¡ª the knight seemed to be taking out his anger on the viger as he hacked at the man¡¯s body.

    In the end, the knight kicked away the viger, who copsed to the ground while spurting his blood into the air.

    ¡ªThe viger looked straight at Momonga. No, this might have just been a coincidence.

    It was definitely a coincidence.

    There was no way for anyone to detect the mirror¡¯s surveince apart from anti-divination spells.

    Frothy blood leaked from the viger¡¯s mouth as he tried to open his mouth. His eyes were unfocused, and Momonga could not tell where he was looking. Even so, with what may have been his dying breaths, he gasped hisst words:

    ¡ªPlease save my daughter¡ª

    ¡°What do you intend to do?¡±

    Sebas seemed to have been waiting for this moment to speak.

    There could only be one answer. Momonga replied coldly:

    ¡°Nothing. There is no reason, value or benefit in rescuing them.¡±

    ¡°¡ªUnderstood.¡±

    Momonga nonchntly looked at Sebas ¡ª at the phantom image of his past guildmate.

    ¡°This... Touch Me-san...¡±

    Just then, Momonga remembered something.

    ¡ªSaving someone in trouble ismon sense.

    When Momonga had just started out in YGGDRASIL, hunting down characters of heteromorphic races was amon practice, and Momonga, who had chosen such a race, had been PKed countless times. Just when he was about to leave YGGDRASIL, those words, spoken by that man, had saved him.

    If not for those words, Momonga would not be here.

    Momonga sighed softly, and then he smiled. Now that he had recalled that memory, he had no choice but to go save them.

    ¡°I will repay that debt... besides, sooner orter, I¡¯ll have to test my fighting strength in this world.¡±

    After saying that to his absent friend, Momonga erged the view of the vige until he saw everything. After that, he tried to pick out the surviving vigers.

    ¡°Sebas, put Nazarick on maximum alert. I will go first, and you will tell Albedo, who is standing by next door, to follow me after fully equipping herself. However, I forbid her to bring Ginnungagap. After that, prepare support units. Something might happen which results in my inability to retreat. Therefore the units sent to the vige should be adept at stealth or have the ability to go invisible.¡±

    ¡°I understand, but I wish to request the task of defending your body to be given to me.¡±

    ¡°Then who will ry my orders? These knights are currently sacking the vige, which means there might be knights near Nazarick who might attack us. Therefore, you must stay.¡±

    The image changed, and now it showed a girl sending a knight flying with a punch. The girl was leading an even younger girl as they ran away. They were probably sisters. Momonga immediately opened his inventory and withdrew the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown.

    Just as the girl nned to flee, she was shed in the back. Since time was tight, Momonga swiftly incanted the spell.

    ¡°¡¸Gate¡¹.¡±

    It had no limits on distance and a 0% chance of teleport mishaps.

    The spell Momonga used was the most urate and potent of such spells in YGGDRASIL.

    The scene before him changed in an instant.

    The fact that the opposition had not used teleport-blocking filled Momonga with relief. If he was denied the chance to rescue them, and was ambushed instead, it would have been bad.

    The scene before the eyes was the same of what he had seen earlier.

    Two terrified girls were in front of him.

    The one who looked like the elder sister had a braid of straw-blonde hair that reached down to her breasts. Her skin, healthily tanned from working in the sun, was now deathly pale from fear, and her dark eyes were wet with tears.

    The little sister ¡ª the younger girl ¡ª buried her face in her sister¡¯s waist, trembling in fright.

    Momonga gazed coldly at the knight standing before the two girls.

    Perhaps he was shocked by Momonga¡¯s sudden appearance, but the knight simply stared at Momonga, having apparently forgotten to swing the sword he was holding.

    Momonga had grown up without knowing the touch of violence on his life. He did not think that the world in which he currently resided was a simtion, but the real thing, Even so, he did not feel the slightest bit of fear at the knight before him who held a sword.

    This calmness allowed him to make a cold, cruel decision.

    Momonga reached out an empty hand and cast his spell.

    ¡°¡¸Grasp Heart¡¹.¡±

    This spell was one that crushed a foe¡¯s heart, and among the ten tiers of spells, it was an instant death spell of the Ninth Tier. Many of the necromantic spells which Momonga was adept with possessed instant death properties, and this was one of them.

    Momonga had chosen to open with this spell because even if it was resisted, the spell would still temporarily stun his opponent.

    If the spell had been resisted, his n was to take the two girls and jump back into the still open ¡¸Gate¡¹. He had already nned his route of retreat since he was not sure what his opponents could do.

    However, it would seem those preparations would not be necessary.

    A feeling of something soft crushing beneath Momonga¡¯s fingers travelled up his arm, and the knight copsed silently to the ground

    Momonga looked down upon the fallen knight.

    It would seem that even killing someone did not stir any emotions within him.

    There was no guilt, fear, or confusion in his heart, which was like the surface of a calmke. Why was it like this?

    ¡°I see... so it¡¯s not just my body, but my mind that¡¯s no longer human.¡±

    Momonga took a step forward.

    The elder sister squeaked in confusion as Momonga walked past her, probably in fear at the knight¡¯s demise.

    Momonga had clearlye to rescue her. However, the girl was seemingly confused by Momonga¡¯s sudden appearance and actions. What was she thinking?

    Although he had his doubts, Momonga did not have time to worry about them. After verifying the wounds on the elder sister¡¯s back through her tatty old clothes, Momonga put the girls behind him, and red at a knight who had just emerged from a nearby house.

    The knight saw Momonga as well, and took a step back in fear.

    ¡°...So, you dare to chase girls, but not someone who can fight back?¡±

    As Momonga stared down the quivering knight, he considered what spell to use next.

    Momonga¡¯s opening spell was one that he particrly favored, ¡¸Grasp Heart¡¹. This sort of magic was Momonga¡¯s specialty. Momonga had used his innate skills to increase the chances of instant death, and his necromancy-enhancing abilities improved the effectiveness of ¡¸Grasp Heart¡¹ even further. However, it meant that he could not gauge the strength of that knight.

    Therefore, he should use another spell against this knight, something that did not instantly kill him. This way, he could measure the strength of this world and verify his own power.

    ¡°¡ªSince I¡¯vee all this way, I might as well run a few experiments. You shall be a test subject.¡±

    Momonga¡¯s necromancy spells were augmented, but the simple attack spells he used were not very destructive. In addition, since metal armor was weak against electrical effects in YGGDRASIL, most people enchanted their te armor with electricity resistance. Therefore, Momonga deliberately chose to attack his foe with an electrical spell to see how much damage it would do.

    Because his aim was not to kill his opposition, there was no need to enhance its effects with skills.

    ¡°¡¸Dragon Lightning¡¹.¡±

    A dragon-shaped bolt of white electricity crackled around Momonga¡¯s arms and shoulders. The bolt red brightly as it instantly surged out at the knight Momonga was pointing at.

    There was no way to avoid it or defend against it.

    The knight who had been electrocuted by the dragon-shaped lightning bolt shone brilliantly for an instant. Miserable as his death was, it was still a beautiful sight.

    The light in his eyes faded, and the knight copsed to the ground like a puppet whose strings had been cut. The body beneath the armor was charred ck and gave off a vile stench.

    Momonga had been nning to follow up with another spell, but he felt silly as he noted the weakness of the knights.

    ¡°Pathetic... he died so easily...¡±

    To Momonga, the fifth tier ¡¸Dragon Lightning¡¹ was a weak spell. When hunting level one hundred yers, Momonga would usually cast spells of the eighth tier and higher. Magic of the fifth tier and below would almost never see use.

    Now that he knew the knights were weak enough to be finished off by fifth tier magic, Momonga¡¯s tension vanished in an instant. Of course, it could be that these two knights were especially weak among their kind, but still, it was a great relief. Still, the n to retreat with magic had not changed.

    These knights might be focused on offense. In YGGDRASIL, a blow to the neck counted as a critical hit and dealt extra damage, but in the real world, it might well be fatal.

    Instead of rxing, Momonga raised his guard. It would be too foolish to die because he was careless. Next, he ought to continue testing his powers.

    Momonga activated one of his skills.

    ¡°¡ª¡¸Create Mid Tier Undead, Death Knight¡¹.¡±

    This was one of Momonga¡¯s skills, which could create various undead. The Death Knight in question was Momonga¡¯s favorite undead monster, which he used as a meat shield.

    It was roughly level thirty five, but although its attack power was onlyparable to a level twenty five monster, its defensive power was very good, equivalent to a level forty monster. That said, monsters of that level were useless to Momonga for the most part.

    However, the Death Knight had two very important skills.

    One of them was the ability to draw away enemy attacks. The other was that just once, they could survive any attack with one HP. Momonga liked using Death Knights as shields because of these two skills.

    This time round, he was also looking forward to using the Death Knight in a simr way.

    In YGGDRASIL, when he used his skills to create undead, they would appear out of the sky in their summoner¡¯s vicinity. However, things seemed different in this world.

    A cloud of ck fog appeared. The cloud headed straight for the body of the knight whose heart had been crushed and then enveloped it.

    The mist slowly expanded, and melded with the knight¡¯s body. After that, the knight wobbled before slowly rising to its feet like a zombie.

    ¡°Eeeeek!¡±

    Momonga heard the shrieks from the sisters, but he had no time to worry about them. After all, he was quite surprised at the sight before his eyes.

    With a wet, dripping sound, several rills of ck ichor oozed out from between the gaps in the knight¡¯s helmet. It must havee from the knight¡¯s mouth.

    The ck fluid flowed out without end, until it covered the knight¡¯s entire body. It looked like a human being that had been swallowed by a slime. Completely surrounded by the ck liquid, the knight¡¯s body began to twist and change.

    After several seconds, the ck liquid fell off the body of what was now a Death Knight.

    It was now two point three meters tall, and its body was correspondingly bulkier. It no longer resembled a human being, but a wild beast.

    In its left hand it held arge shield that covered three-quarters of its body ¡ª a tower shield ¡ª and in its right hand it held a wavy-ded mberge. This one hundred thirty centimeter long weapon was intended to be held with both hands, but the massive Death Knight could easily wield it with one hand. A dreadful red-ck aura covered the mberge¡¯s de, which pulsed like a heart.

    Its massive body was sheathed in a suit of full te armor made from some ck armor, and it was covered in red tracery that resembled blood vessels. The armor was also covered in spikes as far as anyone could see, and it looked like a man-shaped incarnation of brutality. Demonic horns sprang from its head, and one could see its rotted face underneath them. Twin points of hateful, murderous light shone in the eye sockets of its ghastly visage.

    Its tattered ck cape blowing in the wind, the Death Knight awaited Momonga¡¯s orders. The way it carried itself was truly deserving of the name ¡°Death Knight¡±.

    Much like he had with the Primal Fire Elemental and Moonlight Wolves he had summoned, Momonga used the mental bond with his summoned monster and pointed to the corpse of the knight who had been in by the ¡¸Dragon Lightning¡¹.

    ¡°Exterminate all the knights who are attacking this vige.¡±

    ¡°OOOOOOOAAAAHHHHHHH!¡± it roared.

    So mighty was its cry that it shook the air, and it was so filled with bloodlust that everyone who heard it broke out in goosebumps.

    The Death Knight ran, fast as lightning. The way it charged forward without hesitation was like a hunting hound that had scented its quarry. The undead creature¡¯s hatred for the living made it sensitive to the prey that it would soon ughter.

    As the Death Knight¡¯s silhouette shrank into the distance, Momonga was keenly aware of a difference between this new world and YGGDRASIL.

    That was ¡°independence¡±.

    Originally, the Death Knight should have stayed by its summoner¡¯s side to await his orders and attack any enemies which approached. Yet, it had disregarded that order andunched an attack of its own ord. This difference might be a fatal vulnerability in an unknown situation like this one.

    At a loss for words, Momonga scratched his head and sighed.

    ¡°It ran off... to think a shield would abandon the person it was supposed to protect. Then again, I did tell it to do so.¡±

    Momonga reproached himself for his miscalction.

    Although he could make quite a few more Death Knights, it was best to conserve limited-use abilities while he was not sure of the enemy and the situation. Still, Momonga was a back-line mage. Without a front-liner to run interference for him, he was effectively naked.

    Therefore, he would need to create another defender. This time, he would try making one without a corpse.

    Just as Momonga was thinking about that, a humanoid shape came through the still-open Gate. At the same time, the Gate¡¯s duration ended, and it slowly disappeared.

    A person d in a suit of full-body ck te armor stood before Momonga.

    That suit of armor looked like a demon. It was covered in spikes and did not expose the slightest bit of flesh. Its wed gauntlets grasped a ck kite shield in one hand and a bardiche that radiated a sickly green glow in the other. A blood-red cape blew in the wind, while the doublet beneath was also the carmine of fresh blood.

    ¡°The preparations took some time. I apologize for myte arrival,¡± Albedo¡¯s melodic voice spoke from beneath the horned helmet.

    Albedo¡¯s levels were in the defense focused Dark Knight ss. As a result, among the three level one hundred warriors of Nazarick ¡ª Sebas, Cocytus, and Albedo ¡ª Albedo possessed the greatest defensive ability.

    In other words, she was the strongest shield in Nazarick.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. You came just in time.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Then... how shall we dispose of these inferior lifeforms? If you do not wish to stain his hands with their blood, I will dly eliminate them on your behalf, Momonga-sama.¡±

    ¡°...What exactly did Sebas tell you?¡±

    Albedo did not respond.

    ¡°I see, you didn¡¯t pay attention... my intention is to save this vige. Our enemies are the knights in armor, like that corpse over there.¡±

    Momonga saw that Albedo nodded in understanding, and turned his eyes elsewhere.

    ¡°Then...¡±

    The two girls shrank under Momonga¡¯s unyielding gaze, and tried their best to make themselves as small as possible. Perhaps it was because of the Death Knight, or because they heard its roar, or because they had heard Albedo¡¯s words, which made them tremble uncontrobly.

    Perhaps it was all of them.

    Momonga felt that he should show his intention to help and reached his hand out to the elder sister, but the two girls seemed to have gotten the wrong impression.

    The elder sister wet herself, followed by the younger sister.

    ¡°...¡±

    The stench of ammonia filled the surrounding air. Fatigue washed over Momonga like a tide. He had no idea what to do, and Albedo was no help, so Momonga decided to continue trying to express his good intentions.

    ¡°...You seem to be hurt.¡±

    As a working man, Momonga had long since trained up his ability to ignore things.

    Momonga, who pretended not to notice, opened his inventory and withdrew a backpack from it. Although it was called an Infinite Backpack, it could only hold up to five hundred kilos of items.

    YGGDRASIL yersmonly put their immediate-use items into this bag, because the items within the bag could be assigned to hotkeys in the game interface.

    After digging through several of these Backpacks, he found a small phial containing a red potion.

    It was a Minor Healing Potion.

    This potion could restore fifty HP, and beginners in YGGDRASIL frequently used it. However, Momonga as he was now had no need for this item at all. This was because this potion healed through positive energy. To an undead being like Momonga, this potion was like a damaging poison. However, not every member in the guild was undead, so Momonga kept some of these items just in case.

    ¡°Drink it.¡±

    ¡°Momonga offered the red potion. The elder sister¡¯s face was pale with fright as she replied:

    ¡°I, I¡¯ll drink it! Just, please, spare my little sister¡ª¡±

    ¡°Nee-chan!¡±

    He watched the little sister weeping as she tried to stop her elder sister, while the elder sister apologized to her little sister while taking the potion. Their reactions confused Momonga.

    After all, he had saved them in a tight spot, and had even offered them a potion. Why were they acting like this in front of him? What was going on here?

    They don¡¯t trust me at all. Even though I wanted to leave them to their fate at first, I ended up being their saviour in the end. They should be crying and hugging me in gratitude. Isn¡¯t this sort of thingmon in manga and movies? But the exact opposite is happening now.

    Where did I go wrong? Could it be that being instantly epted is a privilege of the beautiful?

    Just as a baffled expression dawned on Momonga¡¯s fleshless face, a dulcet voice said:

    ¡°...Momonga-sama offered you a healing potion out of the kindness of his heart, but to think you would actually dare to refuse it... you inferior lifeforms deserve ten thousand deaths for that.¡±

    Albedo raised her bardiche in a natural way, preparing to behead them on the spot.

    Considering they had treated him like this despite how he had risked himself to save them, Momonga could understand Albedo¡¯s feelings. However, if he let her go ahead and y them, then there would be no point to this rescue.

    ¡°Wait, wait, don¡¯t be so hasty. There¡¯s a time and ce for this, so lower your weapon.¡±

    ¡°...Understood, Momonga-sama,¡± Albedo replied gently as she withdrew her bardiche.

    However, she was still radiating murderous intent, to the point where the two girls were gritting their teeth in fear. In response, Momonga¡¯s nonexistent stomach began cramping up.

    In any case, he had to leave this ce as soon as possible.

    If he remained here, who knew what other tragedies might ur?

    Momonga offered the potion again.

    ¡°This is a healing potion. It is harmless. Hurry up and drink it.¡±

    Momonga¡¯s words were gentle, but backed with an adamant will. There was also the implied threat that if she did not drink, she would be in.

    The elder sister¡¯s eyes went wide and she gulped the potion down. After that, a look of surprise filled her face.

    ¡°No way...¡±

    She touched her back, then wiggled her body in disbelief and patted her back.

    ¡°The pain is gone?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes, it is...¡±

    The elder sister nodded stiffly, to indicate that it did not hurt.

    It would seem that the minor wounds on her were easily remedied by a low tier healing potion.

    Now that he had their trust, Momonga continued by asking a question. There was no way around that question, and depending on the answer, it would affect his future movements.

    ¡°Do you know of magic?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes I do. The alchemist whoes by our vige... my friend, knows how to use magic.¡±

    ¡°...Is that so. Well, that makes things easy to exin. I am a magic caster.¡±

    Momonga then cast his spells:

    ¡°¡¸Anti-Life Cocoon¡¹.¡±

    ¡°¡¸Wall of Protection From Arrows¡¹.¡±

    A dome of light, roughly three meters in radius, surrounded the sisters. The second spell was not visible to the naked eye, but there was a subtle change in the air. He had originally nned to use an anti-magic spell as well, but he did not know what sort of magic existed in this world, so he did not do so for the time being. If the enemy had magic casters, then that was just their bad luck.

    ¡°I have cast a defensive spell that keeps living creatures froming near you, as well as a spell that weakens the effectiveness of shooting attacks. As long as you stay here, you should be safe. Ah, just in case, I will give you these as well.¡±

    After calmly exining the effects of the magic to the two dumbfounded sisters, Momonga withdrew a pair of unremarkable-looking horns. Apparently, the magic did not obstruct them, since they sailed straight through the forcefield as Momonga tossed them to the sisters¡¯ side.

    ¡°These are called the Horns of the Goblin General. If you blow them, Goblins ¡ª in other words, small monsters ¡ª will appear. Order them to protect you.¡±

    In YGGDRASIL, electronic data crystals dropped from monsters could be slotted into almost any sort of item (apart from certain expendable items), in order to create just about any item a yer could think of. In addition there were certain artifacts which could not be created by yers and had fixed stats. These horns were examples of them.

    Momonga had used the horn before, and at that time it managed to summon a Goblin Troop, twelve or so Goblins with some measure of ability. There were two Goblin Archers, one Goblin Mage, a Goblin Cleric, two Goblin Riders and their wolf mounts, as well as one Goblin Leader.

    Although it was called a Goblin Troop, their numbers were few and they were very weak.

    This was a trash item for Momonga. The surprise was why he had not disposed of it yet. Still, Momonga felt quite smart for being able to put this trash item to good use.

    Another good point about this item was that the summoned Goblins would linger until they were killed instead of vanishing after a while. That could at least buy the girls some time.

    As Momonga finished, he turned to leave, bringing Albedo with him as he headed to the vige. However, after a few steps, a couple of voices called out to him.

    ¡°Ah... th-thank you for saving us!¡±

    ¡°Thank you!¡±

    Those words stopped Momonga in his tracks, and when he turned around, he saw the two girls, their eyes brimming with tears as they thanked him. He simply replied:

    ¡°...Think nothing of it.¡±

    ¡°And, and this may be thick-skinned of us, but, but you are the only one we can count on. Please! Please save our parents!¡±

    ¡°All right. If they¡¯re still alive, I will rescue them.¡±

    The sisters¡¯ eyes went wide as they heard Momonga¡¯s words. Their faces reflected the disbelief in their hearts, but soon they came to their senses and lowered their heads in thanks.

    ¡°Th-Thank you! Thank you very much! And, and, may we know...¡±

    The girl¡¯s voice trailed off, and then she asked in a mumble:

    ¡°May we know your name...?¡±

    Momonga almost responded by reflex, but in the end he did not state his name.

    The name ¡°Momonga¡± was that of the guild master of the former Ainz Ooal Gown. Then what should he call himself now? What was the name of thest man who remained in the Great Tomb of Nazarick?

    ¡ªAh, that¡¯s it.

    ¡°...Remember my name well. I am Ainz Ooal Gown.¡±

    Part 4

    ¡°OOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHH!¡±

    The mighty roar shattered the air.

    It was the signal for a ughter to be a massacre of a different sort.

    In the blink of an eye, the hunters had be the hunted.

    Londes Di Gnpo had probably cursed his gods more times in the past ten seconds than he had in the rest of his life. If the gods really did exist, then they should defeat that evil being right now. Londes was a faithful man ¡ª why had the gods abandoned him?

    The gods did not exist.

    In the past, he had looked down on those people who did not believe in the gods as fools. After all, if the gods did not exist, how could the priests work their magic? And now, he realised that he was the foolish one.

    The monster before him ¡ª a Death Knight, for want of a better word ¡ª drew closer.

    He took two steps back in response, trying to get away from it.

    A shrill creaking noise came from his armor, and the sword he clutched in both hands was trembling uncontrobly. He was not the only one; the other eighteen knights surrounding the Death Knight were all acting the same way.

    Although they were filled with fear, none of them ran. This was not courage ¡ª the grinding of their teeth could attest to that. If they could, they would run as fast and as far as they could.

    It was because they knew there was no escape.

    Londes¡¯s eyes shifted, pleading for help.

    This square was at the center of the vige, where Londes and his men had gathered sixty or so vigers. They looked fearfully at Londes and his men, while a group of children were hiding behind a wooden watchtower.

    Some of the children held sticks, but none of them was in a fighting stance. It was all they could do not to drop their sticks.

    During Londes¡¯s attack on the vige, they had chased the vigers to the central square. They searched the houses, and then, in order to root out anyone who was hiding in the cers, they poured in alchemical oils and set them on fire.

    There were four knights standing guard around the vige with bows, and their job was to shoot down anyone who tried to escape the vige. They had done this several times now, and it could be said that they were old hands at this sort of thing.

    The massacre had taken a fair bit of time, but it had been sessful, and they had gathered the surviving vigers into one ce. After that, they would release some of the prisoners as bait.

    It should have been like that, but¡ª

    Londes still remembered that moment.

    The sight of Erion flying through the air, after thest few vigers fled into the square.

    It should have been impossible. Nobody knew what was going on. How could they understand the reason why a trained, grown man in full te armor ¡ª which still had some weight even if it was lightened by magic ¡ª could fly through the air like a ball?

    After soaring about seven meters through the air, he fell to the earth with a thunderous crash andy still.

    A bone-chilling monster stood where Erion had been. The hair-raising undead being called a Death Knight lowered the tower shield that had bashed Erion and stood before them.

    This was when their despair began.

    ¡°Aiiiiieee!¡±

    Their panicked squeals echoed through the air. One of the men huddled together with hisrades could not bear the oppressive terror and fled with a scream.

    Under these extreme circumstances, it was only natural that ¡ª when stretched to the breaking point ¡ª people would snap. However, among all of the fleeing man¡¯srades, not one of them joined him. The reason was that would soon be evident.

    A ck gale whirled past the field of Londes¡¯s vision.

    The Death Knight¡¯s body wasrger than a normal human¡¯s, but its nimble grace was far beyond anyone¡¯s expectations.

    The fleeing man only managed to take three steps.

    Just as he was about to take his fourth step, an arc of silver brilliance cleaved his body in two. The bisected left and right halves of his body copsed in opposite directions. A sour stench filled the air as his pink internal organs spilled out.

    ¡°GUWOOOOOOOOOOHHH!¡± the blood-covered Death Knight roared as it swung its sword.

    It was a roar of joy.

    The look of delight was unmistakeable, even on its rotted face. As an overwhelmingly superior ughterer, it savored the despair and terror of the pitiful humans who could not even survive a single one of its blows.

    Nobody dared attack, though they had swords in hand.

    At first, they had tried an attack, though they were afraid. But even those des which had made it past their foe¡¯s defense could not strike a telling blow through the Death Knight¡¯s armor.

    In contrast, the Death Knight did not use its sword, but sent Londes flying with a shield bash, and it did so without using enough force to kill.

    It was clearly toying with them, given the way it did not use its full strength. It was in to see that the Death Knight wanted to enjoy the dying struggles of these humans.

    The Death Knight only dealt fatal blows in earnest when the knights tried to escape.

    The first knight to run was Ririk. He was a nice guy but a bad drunk. His limbs were chopped off, followed by his head.

    After seeing the two deaths, the other knights knew the score, so they did not dare to flee.

    Their attacks were ineffective, and they would be killed if they tried to run.

    The only thing they could do was wait their turn to be tortured to death.

    Although there was no way to see their faces below the full helms they wore, everyone present was keenly aware of their fate. The wails of grown men reduced to children echoed throughout the vige. These men who had always oppressed the weak had not thought that one day, they would be on the receiving end of that treatment.

    ¡°Oh god, please save me...¡±

    ¡°Oh god...¡±

    After hearing these cries for salvation, the strength left Londes¡¯s legs and he almost fell to his knees. He loudly cursed the gods ¡ª or was it a prayer to them?

    ¡°You, you lot, go hold that monster back!¡± a desperate knight shouted. He knew that his fate was sealed. His words sounded like an off-key psalm.

    The man who spoke was standing next to the Death Knight. The way he was stumbling back on his tiptoes to back away from the corpse of hisrade was quiteical.

    Londes frowned as he looked on that man in his pathetic state. It was hard to tell who had spoken those words because their closed helmets covered their faces and their voices were distorted by fear. Still, he knew that only one man would speak like that.

    ...Captain Belius.

    Londes¡¯s frown deepened.

    Ovee by his lewd desires, he had tried to rape a vige girl and then sought help from others after he got into a fight with her father. After he was pulled off the other man, he vented his anger by stabbing the father with his sword. That was the kind of man he was. However, his family was quite wealthy in their country, and he had joined this unit because of his family¡¯s riches.

    Everything had gone wrong because he had been made their leader.

    ¡°I¡¯m not someone who should die here! All of you, hurry up and protect me! Be my shields!¡±

    Nobody moved. He might have been appointed their leader, but he was not popr at all. Nobody would throw their lives away for a man like this.

    However, the Death Knight responded to his shouting, and it slowly turned to face Belius.

    ¡°Aiiiiiieeeeee¡ª!¡±

    The only thing praiseworthy about him was that he could make so much noise while standing in front of the Death Knight.

    Just as Londes began to respect this odd quality of Belius¡¯s, he heard the man shriek in terror:

    ¡°Money, I¡¯ll give you money! Two hundred gold pieces!! No, five hundred gold pieces!!!¡±

    Those were considerable amounts he was talking about. However, right now, it was like telling them that he would pay them to jump off a five hundred meter cliff.

    Although nobody responded, one person ¡ª no, half a person moved as though in reply to him.

    ¡°Uboooooarrr...¡±

    The right half of the bisected corpse gripped Belius¡¯s ankles firmly. The bloody gargling from its mouth hardly sounded like words.

    ¡°¡ªOgyaaaaaahhhhh!!!!¡± Belius screamed in an unnaturally high-pitched voice. The onlooking knights and vigers were frozen in fear, their skin covered in goosebumps.

    Squire Zombies.

    In YGGDRASIL, creatures killed by the Death Knight would be undead ofparable power, haunting the ce where they were killed. ording to the game¡¯s rules, those damned souls who fell to the Death Knight¡¯s de would be its ves for all eternity.

    Belius stopped screaming, and fell like a puppet whose strings had been cut, facing the sky. He must have passed out. The Death Knight drew closer to the defenseless man and stabbed its wavy-de mberge down.

    Belius¡¯s body twitched, and¡ª

    ¡°Gu-Guwaaaaaaargh!¡±

    Woken by the incredible pain, Belius screamed, ¡°Leh, leh me guh!!!!! Ah beggehg yeh!!!!!! Ah duh anythuh!!!!!!!¡±

    Using both hands, Belius desperately grabbed the mberge that had already prated his body, but the Death Knight paid his futile struggles no heed and worked the mberge like a saw. His flesh and armor were cruelly torn open, and fresh blood flew everywhere.

    ¡°¡ªAah¡ªeeeh¡ªah gib ya munni, leh, leh meh guh¡ª¡±

    Belius¡¯s body shuddered, and then he breathed hisst. Only then was the Death Knight satisfied, and it stepped away from Belius¡¯s corpse.

    ¡°No... no... please, no...¡±

    ¡°Oh god!¡±

    Their screams came from seeing the ghastly sight before them. If they ran, they would die swiftly, but if they stayed, they would die horribly. They knew that perfectly well, but still, they could not bring themselves to move.

    ¡°¡ªGet a grip!¡±

    Londes¡¯s shout tore through their wailing. The world was filled with silence, as though time was standing still.

    ¡°¡ªFall back! Sound the horn for the horsemen and archers toe here! The rest of you, do your best to buy some time for the hornblower! I¡¯d rather not die like that, if you don¡¯t mind! Now move!¡±

    Everyone moved in an instant.

    There was no sign of their earlier panic. Everyone moved in silent unison, like a raging waterfall.

    Their mechanical obedience to their orders without thinking created a miracle. There was no way they could move so immactely again.

    The knights each did what they were supposed to do. They had to protect the knight who would blow the horn and signal the others.

    One of the soldiers who had taken several steps back lowered his sword and withdrew his horn from his bag.

    ¡°OOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!¡±

    The Death Knight charged, as though reacting to the horn being taken out. Everyone was shocked. Could it be that the Death Knight wanted to destroy their means of escape so he could kill them to thest man?

    The flood of darkness drew closer and closer, and everyone knew that stepping forward to try and stop it was certain death. However, the knights still climbed over each other to block the Death Knight one after the other. Their fear was wiped away by an even greater fear and they surged forward to be obstacles.

    Every time its shield moved, a knight was smashed through the air.

    Every time its de shed, a knight was cut in two.

    ¡°Dezun! Morett! Behead the fallen! Hurry, before theye back as monsters!¡±

    The named knights hurriedly ran toward their murderedrades.

    The shield swung, and a knight was thrown into the air. His body was bisected by the mberge.

    Four men had lost their lives in the blink of an eye. Though Londes was still gripped with fear, he readied his sword against theing of the jet-ck storm, like a martyr preparing to give his life for his faith.

    ¡°Ohhhh!¡±

    It might have been a meaningless gesture, but Londes did not intend to wait for death. Giving voice to a battlecry, he swung his sword with all his strength at the oing Death Knight.

    Perhaps it was because of his circumstances, but Londes¡¯s muscles broke their limit and surprised him. It might have been the best blow Londes had ever struck in his life.

    The Death Knight swung its mberge as well.

    In an instant, the world before Londes spun¡ª

    And he saw his decapitated corpse copse to the ground, as his sword swung through thin air.

    Just then, at that moment, the horn rang out¡ª

    ? ? ?

    Momonga ¡ª Ainz raised his head as the sound of the horn reached him from the direction of the vige.

    The area around him was covered with the corpses of the knights who had been standing guard here. The stink of blood hung heavy in the air, but Ainz paid it no heed as he ran his experiments. Just then, he chided himself for getting his priorities wrong.

    Ainz cast down the sword in his hand. The sword which had originally belonged to a knight fell to the ground, its gleaming, razor-sharp edge now stained with dirt.

    ¡°...Well, I¡¯ve said it before, but this physical damage reduction is quite something.¡±

    ¡°Ainz Ooal Gown-sama.¡±

    ¡°...Ainz will do, Albedo.¡±

    Ainz¡¯s request to be called by a truncated version of his name threw Albedo into confusion.

    ¡°Ku, kufu! Am, am I really allowed to do that? Would it not be disrespectful to shorten the name of the leader of the Forty One Supreme Beings, especially if it is also the name of Nazarick¡¯s rulers!?¡±

    Ainz did not think that it was a big deal. However, her words meant that she respected the name of Ainz Ooal Gown, which pleased Ainz. Therefore, his reply was phrased in a gentle tone:

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Albedo. Until my formerrades arrive, that is my name. I permit you to shorten it.¡±

    ¡°I understand... no, but please let me address you with the appropriate respect. Then, then... my master, Ai-Ainz-sama... kukuku... yes, that¡¯s right...¡±

    Albedo twisted her body shyly.

    However, since she was in full body armor, Ainz could not see her beautiful face. To him, she was just acting strangely.

    ¡°Could, could it be... kukuku... could it be that I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s allowed to address you in such a way?¡±

    ¡°No. Having someone address me by such a long name all the time would be annoying, so I would like to have everyone do the same thing.¡±

    ¡°...Is that so... ah, that¡¯s right. Yes, that¡¯s what I thought¡ª¡±

    Albedo¡¯s mood turned gloomy all of a sudden. In an uneasy voice, Ainz asked:

    ¡°...Albedo, what do you think of the name I chose?¡±

    ¡°I think that name suits you very well. It fits my beloved ¡ª cough, cough ¡ª it fits you, in your capacity as the one who united the Supreme Beings.¡±

    ¡°...This name was intended to represent the forty one of us, and this includes your maker, Tab Smaragdina-san. However, I ignored the feelings of your master and the others, and took that name for myself on a whim. How do you think they would feel about that?¡±

    ¡°...Although I fear to anger you... I pray you will allow me to speak. If my words displease you, then I will dly take my own life if youmand it. I feel that some of the Supreme Beings who abandoned us might object to that name being used by the one who stayed with us until now, Momonga-sama. However, they are not here, so if you wish to use that name, all I feel is happiness, Momonga-sama .¡±

    Albedo lowered her head after she finished speaking, and Ainz remained silent.

    The phrase ¡°abandoned us¡± swirled in his mind like a vortex.

    His pastpanions had left him for their own reasons. YGGDRASIL was just a game, and they could not abandon their real lives for a game. Momonga felt the same way too. Yet could it really be said that he ¡ª who had been fixated on Ainz Ooal Gown and the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick ¡ª had not been suppressing his anger toward his formerrades?

    They abandoned me.

    ¡°...That might be so, but it might not be. Human emotions are aplicated matter, and there is no right answer. Raise your head, Albedo. I understand your feelings. All right, it¡¯s decided... this shall be my name. Until myrades object, I shall be Ainz Ooal Gown.¡±

    ¡°Understood. The thought that our most exalted master... and the man I love most would bear this glorious name fills me with joy.¡±

    The man I love most... ah.

    The uneasy Ainz decided not to worry about this for now.

    ¡°...Is that so? I¡¯m d to hear that.¡±

    ¡°Then, Ainz-sama, would you like to spend some time here? Although I would be happy to stand by Ainz-sama¡¯s side, I... right, a stroll through the woods would be fine too.¡±

    He could not do that. Ainz hade to save this vige.

    The parents that his sisters had asked him to save were already dead.

    As he thought of their corpses, he scratched his head.

    The sight of their bodies reminded him of a dead insect by the roadside. There was no pity, no sadness, no anger.

    ¡°Hm, well, a stroll might be all right. After all, there is nothing of importance to do. The Death Knight seems quite happy to do his job.¡±

    ¡°As expected of an undead being that Ainz-sama made. His marvellous execution of his duties is truly praiseworthy.¡±

    The undead made by Ainz¡¯s magic and his skills were stronger than ordinary monsters of their kind due to Ainz¡¯s ss skills. Naturally the same applied to the Death Knight he had just created. However, it was only a level thirty five monster, and it was nothing inparison to the monsters which required XP to create, like Overlord Wiseman and Grim Reaper Thanatos.

    The fact that it was still fighting until now meant that the enemies were weak.

    In other words, there was no danger.

    He wanted to jump for joy when he thought about it, but he had to okay the role of the dignified master, so Ainz quashed that thought. However, he clenched his fists tightly, under his robe.

    ¡°The enemies who attacked the vige were too weak. Then, let us go check on the survivors.¡±

    Before Momonga set out, he realised that he had some things to do first.

    To begin with, he deactivated the special effects of the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown. The malevolent aura which wreathed it vanished like a candle me in the wind.

    Next, he withdrew a full-face mask from his inventory. It was gaudily decorated, and its expression was hard to describe, being somewhere between crying and anger. It resembled a Balinese barong mask.

    The mask looked creepy, but it had no special powers. It was a simple cosmetic item which did not contain a trace of data.

    Only those who were logged onto YGGDRASIL for more than two hours, between seven pm and ten pm on Christmas Eve, would possess this mask ¡ª no, as long as they were in the game during that period of time, they would automatically receive it. It could be called a cursed item.

    This mask was known as the Mask of the Jealous, or the Jealous Mask.

    Once, when he wore this mask, he was flooded by messages. ¡°Has thepany gone mad? We¡¯ve been waiting for this. Nobody in our guild has it, can I PK him? I¡¯m done with being a human being~¡± and other such things in a certainrge message board.

    Then, he took out a pair of gloves. Their rough exterior betrayed the fact that they were crudely made and had no special properties.

    These gloves were called Jarngreipr, and they were an armor item made by one of Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s members for fun. Their only ability was to increase the wearer¡¯s strength.

    He used these items to hide his skeletal appearance.

    Naturally, there was a reason for this emergency camouge. It was because Ainz realised he had made a fatal mistake.

    Ainz was used to YGGDRASIL, and looking like a skeleton did not frighten him. However, to the people of this world, Ainz¡¯s appearance was synonymous with terror. Both the sisters who had nearly lost their lives and the fully armored knights were afraid of him.

    For the time being, he would use magic items to change his appearance from a ¡°dreadful monster¡± to ¡°menacing magic caster.¡± That ought to reduce how frightening he appeared. Then he thought about the Staff. In the end, he decided to keep it with him. Besides, it was not a problem for him.

    ¡°Rather than beg your god for aid, you should not have massacred these people in the first ce.¡±

    With that line which only an atheist coulde up with, Ainz looked away from the corpse, whose fingers were folded into a gesture of prayer, and cast a spell.

    ¡°¡¸Fly¡¹.¡±

    Ainz floated lightly into the sky, Albedo soon followed him shortly afterwards.

    ¡°¡ºDeath Knight, if there are any surviving knights, leave them alive. They are useful to me.¡»¡±

    The Death Knight sent its acknowledgement of Ainz¡¯s will back through the mental link they shared. It was difficult to put the distant Death Knight¡¯s thoughts into words.

    Ainz flew toward the ce from whence the horn st hade, as quickly as he could. The windshed at his body, because he had never flown this fast before in YGGDRASIL. The robe stered to his body felt a little ufortable, but that passed swiftly.

    He soon reached the sky above the vige, and Ainz looked down on thendscape beneath him.

    Ainz discovered that part of the vige square was darkened, as though it had absorbed water. There were many corpses and a few trembling knights, as well as the Death Knight.

    Ainz counted the panting knights, who were too tired even to move. There were four of them in total. Though there were more than he expected, a few extra would not be a problem.

    ¡°Death Knight. That will be all for now.¡±

    His words seemed strangely incongruous with the surroundings, like he were buying something at a store. But to Ainz, this situation was as casual as going shopping.

    He slowly descended to the ground, apanied by Albedo.

    The false knights stared at Ainz with mouths agape. They had been hoping for a rescue, but what hade was the man responsible for everything, and his arrival shattered their hopes.

    ¡°Greetings, gentlemen. My name is Ainz Ooal Gown.¡±

    Nobody answered.

    ¡°If you throw down your arms, I can guarantee your lives. Of course, if you would rather fight¡ª¡±

    One sword was cast to the ground. It was shortly followed by the other swords being thrown down until there were four des on the ground.

    Nobody spoke during this time.

    ¡°...You seem quite tired. Although, don¡¯t you think your heads are held a bit too high before the master of the Death Knight?¡±

    The knights immediately prostrated themselves before him without a single sound.

    They did not look like vassals before their lord so much as convicts awaiting execution.

    ¡°...I will permit you to leave with your lives. In exchange, tell your master ¡ª your owner ¡ª this.¡±

    Ainz used the effects of the ¡¸Fly¡¹ spell to move near one of the knights, and then he removed his helmet with the hand that was not holding the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown. He noted the man¡¯s exhausted eyes, and their gazes met through the mask.

    ¡°Do not make trouble around here. If you make a disturbance here, I will y you with the rest of your country.¡±

    The trembling knight nodded as hard as he could. His frantic gesture looked quiteical.

    ¡°Get lost. And make sure to ry this to your master.¡±

    He jerked his chin, and the knights fled like rabbits.

    ¡°...Ah, this act is tiring,¡± Momonga quietly grumbled as he watched the knights run away.

    If there were no vigers around, he might even have stretched his shoulders. Although he was doing the same thing in the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, ying the role of a dignified person was very tiring for an average sryman like Ainz. Yet, until the curtains closed on this act of his, he had to wear yet another mask.

    Ainz resisted the urge to sigh and walked toward the vigers. Albedo followed behind him, her every step apanied by the nking of metal.

    ¡°¡º¡ªClear up your zombie ves¡»,¡± Ainz ordered the Death Knight.

    As Ainz drew closer to them, he could more clearly see the confusion and unease on the vigers¡¯ faces.

    It was not that they were not happy at being rescued from the knights, but frightened by the person before them.

    Ainz finally realised this. He was powerful, much more so than those knights, so he did not consider this situation from a weak person¡¯s point of view.

    He decided to reflect on this, and pondered it quietly.

    If he went too close to them, the oue would be the opposite of what he was hoping for. Therefore, Ainz decided to stop at a distance from them, and spoke in a kindly tone.

    ¡°You have been saved. Be at ease.¡±

    ¡°You, you are...¡±

    One of the vigers was saying that, but even in the middle of speaking to Ainz, his eyes never left the Death Knight.

    ¡°I saw someone attacking this vige, so I came here to help.¡±

    ¡°Ohh...¡±

    As the noises spilled out, looks of relief dawned on the faces of the vigers. Even so, they could not bepletely at ease.

    What a pain. Should I try a different approach?

    Ainz decided to handle this in a way he did not like much.

    ¡°...That said, this was not for free. I expect a rewardmensurate with the number of vigers whom I saved.¡±

    The vigers looked at each other. It would seem that they were worried about money. However, their doubtful looks faded away. This crass demand for money in exchange for salvation seemed to have ayed their suspicions somewhat.

    ¡°With, with the vige in its present state...¡±

    Ainz raised his hand to silence the other man before continuing.

    ¡°We¡¯ll discuss thatter. I rescued a pair of sisters before I came here. I will go bring them over now. Can you wait here for me?¡±

    He had to make sure those sisters did not talk and give away his true identity.

    Without waiting for them to reply, Ainz slowly headed off. At the same time, he thought about using magic to alter memories.

 Chapter 4

    Overlord Volume 1 Chapter 4

    Duel

    Part 1

    The Vige Chief had a house near the vige square. Upon entering, one would be greeted by arge living room, with a kitchen off to one side. A rickety old table and several chairs upied the center of the room.

    Ainz surveyed the interior from where he was seated on one of the chairs.

    The sunlight which shone through the windows illuminated every corner of the room, so he could see clearly inside even without darkvision.

    He took a look at the woman in the corner of the kitchen, and the farming tools inside the house.

    There were no manufactured products to be seen anywhere.

    Just as Ainz thought that there would not be much in the way of technology here, Ainz realised that his thinking might be naive. Still, he was curious about what sort of science that a world with magic would develop.

    Ainz shifted his hand across the old table to avoid the sunlight. His metal gauntlets were not heavy, but the shabbily-made table shook under its weight. The chair also creaked from Ainz sitting on it.

    This was a textbook definition of the word ¡°poverty.¡±

    Ainz leaned the Staff on the table to keep it out of people¡¯s way. The way the Staff reflected the sunlight in a brilliant disy made the run-down old house appear to be some sort of fairytale wondend. He recalled the surprised expressions on the viger¡¯s faces, the way their eyes went wide and how they were lost for words.

    A surge of pride came over Ainz as the vigers asked about the Staff which he and his guildmates had painstakingly crafted. However, his delight was immediately suppressed to normal levels, which made Ainz furrow his nonexistent brows.

    Frankly speaking, Ainz disliked this forced calming effect. That said, it was also true that allowing his emotions to run wild would make it difficult to solve the challenges ahead of him. With that in mind, Ainz prepared himself for his uing task.

    He had to negotiate payment for rescuing the vige with the Chief.

    Of course, Ainz¡¯s real objective was to obtain information, and not money. However, directly asking for information would be strange.

    While it would be fine in a small vige like this, once the local lords found out, they would begin making their way to him. When they discovered that he knew nothing about this world, there was a high chance that they would try to use him.

    Was he being too cautious about this?

    Ainz felt that this was like running across a busy road ¡ª a fatal ident could happen at any time. The fatal ident in this case meant encountering the mighty beings of this world.

    Strength and weakness were two sides of the same coin.

    For now, Ainz was stronger than everyone he had encountered in this vige. However, that did not guarantee that he was stronger than everyone in this world. In addition, Ainz was now undead, and from the terrified reaction of the two girls, he could imagine that undead were not very well-received in this world. He had to be aware that since most humans would hate him, they might well attack him. Thus, he had to tread very carefully.

    ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting.¡±

    ¡ªThe Chief sat opposite Ainz. His wife stood behind him.

    His skin was dark and covered in wrinkles.

    His body was very muscr, and it was obvious that those muscles had been honed through heavybor. More than half of his hair was white.

    Though his crudely made cotton shirt was stained by dirt, it did not stink.

    The tired look on his face made Ainz think he was over forty five years old, but it was hard to tell, because he seemed to have grown older in the past half hour or so.

    The Chief¡¯s wife was roughly the same age as her husband.

    She had been slim and beautiful once, but after long years of working on the farm, that beauty was nowhere to be seen. All that was left were the wrinkles that covered her face.

    Her shoulder-length ck hair was mussed up, and she looked gloomy even under the direct sunlight.

    ¡°Please, help yourself.¡±

    The Vige Chief ced a crude-looking cup on the table. Albedo was not here because she was patrolling the vige.

    Ainz raised his hand, refusing the cup of hot, steaming water.

    He did not feel thirsty, nor could he remove the mask. However, he felt that he should have refused earlier, given that she had gone to so much trouble for him.

    The trouble in question concerned the boiled water.

    First, there was the matter of creating sparks with a flint. Then, she had to light wood shavings ¡ª or tinder ¡ª with those sparks. Then, she had to fan the sparks into mes, and when they were big enough, she had to transfer them to the stove. Then, she had to boil the water, and by the time that was finished, a long time had passed.

    This was the first time Ainz had seen water boiled by a hand-started fire, rather than through the use of an electric kettle. He found it quite interesting. Back in his world, he had boiled water on a gas stove, so it was hardly as time-consuming as this.

    This was also a good opportunity to gather some information on the technological level of this world. With that in mind, Ainz spoke to the Chief again:

    ¡°I do apologize, especially since you went to all this trouble to prepare water for me.¡±

    ¡°You are too kind. There is no need to apologize.¡±

    The fact that Ainz lowered his head to them (however slightly) filled the Vige Chief and his wife with dread. They could not imagine the Death Knight¡¯s summoner bowing his head to anyone.

    However, it was hardly strange to Ainz. It was always a good idea to have a friendly attitude when negotiating with someone else.

    Of course, he could simply have used ¡¸Charm Person¡¹ to make them talk, followed by high-tier memory alteration spells, much like he had done with the sisters. However, that was ast resort, because it took far too much MP.

    Ainz recalled the feeling of spending MP; it felt like a strange fatigue, like he had lost something.

    Just altering the tens of seconds of their memories ¡ª until he had put on his mask and his gauntlets ¡ª had taken a considerable amount of MP.

    ¡°Then, let us cut to the chase and begin the negotiations.¡±

    ¡°Yes. But before that... thank you very much!¡±

    The Chief bowed to Ainz, his head so low that it nearly touched the table. After that, his wife bowed as well.

    ¡°Without your help, we would all be dead by now. You have our deepest thanks!¡±

    Ainz was quite surprised to receive such unreserved gratitude.

    When he looked back on his past life, he had never been thanked like this before. No, the sisters he rescued earlier had acted that way too. Well, he had never saved someone else¡¯s life before, so it was only to be expected.

    That was a relic from his time as a human being ¡ª as Suzuki Satoru. Although he was somewhat embarrassed by this earnest appreciation, he certainly did not dislike it.

    ¡°Please, raise your heads. Like I said earlier, I did not help you for free.¡±

    ¡°We know that, but still, we wish to thank you for rescuing us and many of the other vigers.¡±

    ¡°...Then, paying me more will be good enough. Come, let us discuss it. You must have many things to do, Vige Chief-dono.¡±

    ¡°Nothing could be more important than spending time with our savior, but I understand.¡±

    The Chief slowly raised his head, and Ainz racked his nonexistent brains.

    His goal here was to obtain information through conversation, rather than through magic.

    ¡ªWhat a pain.

    He still remembered the tricks he had used as an office worker. How effective would they be here? Hopefully, at least half of them would be useful. After steeling himself against the possibility of failure, Ainz asked:

    ¡°...Let us get to the point. How much can you pay me?¡±

    ¡°We would not dare deceive our savior. I do not know how many silver and copper pieces we can gather if we do not collect them from everyone, but I believe we can muster up at least three thousand copper pieces.¡±

    I have no idea what that means, Ainz thought.

    Asking them directly was a mistake. I should have tried a different approach. Besides, I was a lousy worker to begin with, and my job skills were pretty bad.

    It sounded like arge amount, but without knowing the value of money, he could not tell if it was an appropriate sum or not. He had to avoid epting too high or too low a sum, lest he reveal his ignorance.

    No, he should have been relieved that they did not offer him ¡°four heads of cattle¡± or something.

    Just as he was about to sink into depression, his mental state immediately settled down. Ainz silently praised his undead body, and then he realized one more thing.

    First, copper and silver pieces were the basic units of currency in this vige. Second, there should be other forms of currency which were more or less valuable, but he was not confident that he could draw this information out of them.

    He needed to learn the mary value of these copper pieces. Without that knowledge, things would be troublesome in the future. However, not knowing the value of money was quite suspicious, and he wanted to keep a low profile while he learned more about this world.

    That was why he was thinking as hard as he could to avoid making a bigger mistake.

    ¡°These small coins are hard to carry inrge amounts. I¡¯d like something in a bigger denomination, if you can manage it.¡±

    ¡°Our sincerest apologies. If we could pay in gold pieces, we would. However... the fact is that our vige does not use gold pieces...¡±

    Ainz fought back the urge to sigh in relief.

    The Chief¡¯s answer went in the direction that he was hoping for. Therefore, Momonga thought heavily about how he would continue steering the conversation, until it seemed like smoke would starting out of his head.

    ¡°How about this: I n to buy the produce of this vige for a reasonable price, so all you need to do is pay me in currency used for trading.¡±

    Ainz secretly opened his inventory under his robe, and withdrew a pair of gold coins from YGGDRASIL. One of the coins was decorated by the face of a woman, while the other coin had the face of a man. The former was a coin from after the huge update ¡°Valkyrie¡¯s Downfall¡±, while thetter was a coin from before the update.

    Their values were the same, but they meant different things to Ainz.

    The old coin was one that had followed Ainz ever since he had started ying YGGDRASIL until he had formed the guild Ainz Ooal Gown. The new coins had been released with the update, when Ainz Ooal Gown had been in its golden age. His equipment was almostplete at that point, so those coins simply went into his inventory¡¯s coffers.

    Ever since he had started out as a skeleton mage, he used his spells to defeat monsters roaming the world and gained gold coins which floated in the air. He soloed dungeons, defeated the vicious monsters within, and earned a huge pile of gold with great effort. After the members of Ainz Ooal Gownpleted a dungeon, they sold the data crystals they collected and in exchange, they received these gold pieces, which glowed so brightly...

    But Ainz waved that topic aside.

    He put the old coin away, and held up the new coin.

    ¡°...If I used this gold piece to buy something, what could I get for it?¡±

    He ced the gold coin on the table. As one, the Vige Chief and his wife stared, their eyes wide.

    ¡°This, this is!¡±

    ¡°This is currency used in and far, far away. Can it be used here?¡±

    ¡°I should think so... please wait a little.¡±

    Relief came over Ainz as he heard that the coin could be used. Then, he watched as the Chief left his seat, went to his room, and came back with something he had once seen during his history lessons.

    That object was called a bnce scale.

    After that, it was his wife¡¯s turn. She took the gold coin and put it next to a circr object, as though she wereparing their sizes. After she was satisfied, she ced the gold coin on one pan of the bnce, and on the other pan went a counterweight.

    He seemed to recall that this sort of thing was called a ¡°standardized mass.¡±

    As Ainz went through his memories, hepared them to the wife¡¯s actions and tried to figure out what she was trying to do. The first part should have beenparing his coin to the gold pieces of this country, and next she was trying to confirm its gold content.

    It would seem the gold coin was heavier, and the standardized mass rose up. The Chief¡¯s wife put another mass on it, and both sides bnced out.

    ¡°It seems to be about twice as heavy as a regr gold piece... perhaps, perhaps if we could scratch the surface...¡±

    ¡°O-Oi! You¡¯re being rude! Please ept my sincerest apologies on behalf of my wife, for saying such foolish things...¡±

    No wonder. She must have thought it was gold-ted. Ainz was notpletely unoffended, but he was not angry.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine... although, if you scratch it and find that it¡¯s pure gold, you¡¯ll take it, no?¡±

    ¡°Ah, no... we are truly sorry for this.¡±

    The Chief¡¯s wife bowed in apology, and returned the gold coin.

    ¡°Think nothing of it. After all, it¡¯s only sensible to verify the bona fides of any money you¡¯re given. Still, what do you think of this gold piece? Don¡¯t you think it looks like a work of art?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, it is very beautiful. May I ask the name of the country from which it came?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s no longer ¡ª yes, that country no longer exists.¡±

    ¡°I see...¡±

    ¡°...Well, you¡¯ve confirmed for yourselves that it weighs twice as much as a regr gold piece, but considering its artistic value, this gold piece should be worth more as a result. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°That may be so... but we are not merchants, and we do not know the value of art...¡±

    ¡°Hahaha... well, that¡¯s not wrong. So, if I were to use this to buy something, it would be worth two normal gold pieces?¡±

    ¡°Of, of course.¡±

    ¡°Actually, I have a few more gold pieces like this. What can you sell me for them? Of course, I wish to pay the usual market rate for them. I don¡¯t mind if it¡¯s the same as what a street vendor would charge. By all means, go ahead and inspect these coins. Please¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ainz Ooal Gown-sama!¡±

    The Vige Chief¡¯s sudden shout made Ainz¡¯s nonexistent heart lurch. The Chief¡¯s determined expression seemed harder and more forceful than before.

    ¡°...Ainz will do.¡±

    ¡°Ainz-sama, then?¡± The Chief seemed a little surprised at this, but he soon nodded and continued speaking:

    ¡°I fully understand what you want to say, Ainz-sama.¡±

    For a moment, Ainz wondered if a giant question mark icon had appeared over his head. There seemed to be a misunderstanding of some sort, but he had no idea what the Chief was getting at, so he did not know how to answer him.

    ¡°I am very aware that you do not wish to be seen as cheap, and I understand that you would wish to request an appropriate reward in keeping with the public view of yourself, Ainz-sama. Certainly, it would require a great deal of money to obtain your services. Therefore, what else do you desire besides three thousand coppers?¡±

    Ainz had no idea what the Chief was talking about and his mind was a whirl of confusion. He was silently grateful that he was wearing a mask. The reason Ainz brought out the gold coin was because he wanted to know what it could buy, and thus gain a rough grasp of market values. How had things ended up like this?

    The Chief did not give Ainz any opportunity to cut in and continued:

    ¡°However, as I said earlier, this vige can only produce three thousand copper coins in cash. Although you must be suspicious of us, we would not dare hide the truth from our savior, Ainz-sama.¡±

    The Chief¡¯s expression seemed honest and determined. He did not seem to be lying. If it turned out to be a deception, then Ainz could only curse his inability to read people.

    ¡°No, I am certain that a great man like yourself could not possibly be content with that sum. Perhaps if everyone in the vige gathered their wealth, we might be able to produce sufficient cash to satisfy Ainz-sama. However... our vige has lost a lot of manpower, and if we paid more than three thousand coppers, we would not be able to survive theing winter. The same applies with our produce. Many fields will have to be abandoned because weck the people to work them. If we gave you our supplies, our lives would be very difficult. Although it pains me to have to ask a favor of our savior, perhaps... could we... could we pay by installments?¡±

    Hm? Isn¡¯t this a good chance?

    It felt like he had been lost in a dense forest, and then his field of view suddenly expanded before him. Ainz pretended to think about it, and then all he could do was pray it all worked out. After a few seconds, Ainz finally gave his reply.

    ¡°I understand. The payment will not be needed.¡±

    ¡°Eh!? But... but why?¡±

    The Vige Chief and his wife stared at Ainz, their eyes wide and their tongues tied. Ainz raised his hand, indicating that he still had something to say. He had to consider what he could and could not reveal, and it was quite troublesome. He did not know if he could guide them into telling him what he wanted, but he had no choice but to try.

    ¡°...I am a magic caster. I was researching spells in a ce called Nazarick, and I have only stepped outside recently.¡±

    ¡°I see, so that is why you are dressed like this.¡±

    ¡°Ah, mm. That¡¯s right,¡± Ainz muttered as he touched the Jealous Mask.

    What would people on the street think if they saw a magic caster walking around in his weird getup?

    He thought of the crowded streets of Bali, and just as he was hoping not to see something like that in his world, Ainz noticed something that he could not understand, which was how YGGDRASIL terms were understood and used here.

    The term ¡°magic caster¡± referred to a lot of things. It included clerics, priests, druids, arcaners, sorcerers, wizards, bards, mikos, talismancers, sages and countless other magic-using sses. In YGGDRASIL, they were all called magic casters. It would be surprising if the exact terminology carried over to this world.

    As Ainz watched their reaction, he replied:

    ¡°...I may have said that I did not want a reward, but a magic caster uses many tools to achieve his aims, including fear and knowledge. These things are all tools for generating profit, but like I said earlier, I was focused on spell research, so my knowledge of local matters is somewhatcking. Therefore, I would like to learn about the surroundings from the two of you. In addition, I hope you will not tell anyone about this sale of information. I will ept that in lieu of a reward.¡±

    Nobody would be so nice as to say ¡°I don¡¯t want anything.¡± One could say that nothing was more expensive than being free of charge.

    Someone who saved another¡¯s life was entitled to a reward for their hard work. Yet, if the savior said they did not want a reward, anyone would find that strange.

    Then, the next best thing was to make the other side feel that they had paid in some way, even if it was in an intangible form.

    In other words, the best solution to the present situation was to ay their suspicions by having them trade information to Ainz. That would put them at ease.

    The Chief and his wife nodded, steadfast looks on their faces.

    ¡°I understand. We will not let anyone know about this.¡±

    Ainz secretly clenched his fist in approval. It would seem the skills he had picked up through working could still be put to use here.

    ¡°Excellent. I do not wish to bind you with magic. I shall trust your good nature.¡±

    Ainz extended an armored hand. The Chief stared nkly at it for a moment before taking the situation in, and he grasped Ainz¡¯s hand.

    After that, Ainz breathed a sigh of relief. It would seem shaking hands was a known practice here. It would have been tremendously depressing if the Chief had looked dumbfoundedly at him.

    Of course, Ainz did not fully trust them. After all, mouths that were sealed by the promise of benefits could be opened by bigger benefits. If he tried to y on their personalities to keep them quiet, the vagaries of human nature might make them talk. No method was better than the other, so all Ainz could do was take a chance and hope that the Chief¡¯s character would keep his lips sealed. Although, it would be fine even if he did talk. That betrayal would simply be more leverage Ainz could use in future dealings with the vige.

    That said, Ainz¡¯s instincts told him that they would not betray him. After seeing the earnest gratitude of the Chief and his wife, he believed that they would be loyal.

    ¡°Then... can you tell me more about this ce?¡±

    ? ? ?

    ¡°...What, what is this?¡±

    ¡°Urk! Is something the matter?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I was simply speaking to myself. Forgive me for rming you.¡±

    Ainz recovered in an instant and immediately covered himself up. If his body were still human, he would be sweating buckets by now.

    The Chief simply said, ¡°Is that so?¡± and did not ask further.

    Perhaps the Chief had already equated ¡°magic casters¡± with ¡°weirdos.¡± Then again, that was better for Ainz...

    ¡°Shall I prepare a drink for you?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, I¡¯m not thirsty. Please, don¡¯t trouble yourself.¡±

    His wife was no longer in the room, but outside ¡ª there were many things she had to help with. Only Ainz and the Chief were in the house now.

    Ainz first asked about the neighboring countries, and the Chief responded with many names that he had never heard before. Although Ainz was prepared for this, he could not help but be surprised after hearing them.

    At first, Ainz had thought that this world would be designed ording to the fundamental principles of YGGDRASIL. After all, he could use YGGDRASIL¡¯s magic here, and there were many connections with YGGDRASIL to. Yet, none of the names he heard were rted to YGGDRASIL.

    The nearby countries were the Re-Estize Kingdom, the Baharuth Empire, and the ine Theocracy. These names did not appear in the context of YGGDRASIL, which was inspired by Norse mythology.

    Ainz felt like the world was spinning and his body was wobbling. Ainz gripped the table edge with a gauntleted hand to maintain his bnce. Although he had expected this world to be an alien one, he could not help but be surprised by it.

    The impact was greater than he had expected.

    This was the first time he had felt so shaken ever since he had be undead.

    Ainz tried his best to remain calm, and reconsidered what he had heard about those neighboring kingdoms and the local geography.

    Firstly, there was the Re-Estize Kingdom and the Baharuth Empire. These countries were on different sides of a mountain range, and to the south of those mountains was a sprawling forest, and at the edge of that forest was this vige, under the Re-Estize Kingdom, and the fortress city of E-Rantel.

    Rtions between the Kingdom and the Empire were bad, and they would fight a battle in the wilderness near E-Rantel almost every year.

    To the south was the ine Theocracy.

    The best way to describe the orientation of these countries was to draw a circle, and then divide it up with an inverted T. It seemed confusing, but it was much easier to describe things that way. To the left was the Re-Estize Kingdom, to the right was the Baharuth Empire, and below them was the ine Theocracy. There were other countries, but the Chief only knew of these three.

    The Chief was not sure where exactly this vige was ced between the three of them.

    In other words¡ª

    ¡°...How foolish of me.¡±

    The knights from just now were wearing armor emzoned with the insignia of the Baharuth Empire, so the Chief believed that they were from the Baharuth Empire. But this area also bordered the ine Theocracy, so they might have been knights from that country in disguise.

    Releasing them all was a mistake. He should have kept one for questioning, but it was toote for that now.

    If this was the work of the ine Theocracy, then he should probably do something on the Empire¡¯s side. On the Kingdom¡¯s side, he should have umted enough goodwill with them for rescuing their vige, so things should be fine for now.

    Ainz sank into thought.

    Was he the only one who hade to this world?

    Impossible. There was a very high chance other yers hade here too. Perhaps Herohero-san was here as well. He needed to think about what would happen if he encountered other yers.

    If other yers hade to this world, they would probably gather up, given the nature of Japanese people. When the time came, he had to do almost anything to blend in. He could give in to anything as long as it did not involve Ainz Ooal Gown.

    The problem was what would happen if the other side considered him an obstacle. The possibility was slight, but it could not be discounted.

    Ainz Ooal Gown was a guild that had always roleyed as viins through PKing, and thus they were a much-hated guild. He could not be sure that he had shed that negative image. For all he knew, the other yers might want to take revenge on him out of a sense of justice and righteous anger.

    In order to avoid others dering a vendetta on him, he had to refrain from doing anything that antagonized the surrounding people. For instance, massacring the local popce ¡ª especially innocent civilians ¡ª might enrage those yers who had not yet lost their humanity. Of course, it would be a different matter if there was a reason which would satisfy them, such as killing the knights who were trying to sack this vige.

    In any event, it would be better if future actions were taken for a high-sounding reason. That also meant he might have to do things he did not like, but that could not be helped.

    If the people he met bore hatred toward Ainz Ooal Gown, thenbat would be unavoidable. To that end, he had to draw up a n and countermeasures if that situation took ce.

    Given the current strength of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick¡¯s defenses, they could easily overwhelm about thirty level one hundred yers. In addition, they could use World ss Items in their defense, so it was a nigh-impregnable fortress. They would probably be able to repel invaders like they had in the past.

    However, it was easy to see how dire the situation could be without reinforcements. In addition, the trump card of Ainz Ooal Gown ¡ª their World ss Items ¡ª would drain Ainz¡¯s levels every time he unleashed their full power. If they were attacked in session, the time mighte when the World ss Items would be unusable.

    Ainz was very clear that wargaming a scenario like this in his head was prone to bias and tunnel vision. However, Ainz was no longer a child, and he always considered the worst-case scenario before taking any action. This was simply thinking of how to take care of a problem before it happened.

    If he just wanted to scrape by, he could simply live in the mountains like a beast. However, the power he possessed and the mighty name he bore prevented him from doing that.

    If he wanted to coexist peacefully with the world, then he would need to deal with problems as and when they came up.

    As such,bat and the expansion of fighting power would be a very important topic in future. He had to gather information about this world, as well as news about other yers.

    ¡°...That should do.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. I simply spaced out because things were not as I expected. Right, can you tell me about something else now?¡±

    ¡°Ah, ah yes, I understand.¡±

    The Vige Chief started talking about monsters next.

    Much like YGGDRASIL, this world had monsters in it. The nearby forest was filled with monsters, and one of them was known as the ¡°Wise King of the Forest.¡± There were also Dwarves, all sorts of Elves, Goblins, Orcs, Ogres, and the like. Apparently some of the demihumans had even built their own nation.

    There were people called adventurers who drove off these monsters, and they counted many magic casters among their number. Apparently, these adventurers had guilds of their own in all the big cities.

    Apart from that, he also learned about the nearby fortress city of E-Rantel.

    ording to the Chief, E-Rantel was the biggest city in the area, although he did not know exactly howrge its poption was. That seemed to be the best ce to gather information.

    While the Chief¡¯s words were helpful, there were still many unclear details. Therefore, it would be better to send someone over there to find out, rather than ask the Chief questions.

    Finally, there was the matter ofnguage. It was truly surprising that they understood Japanese in this new world. As a result, Ainz looked carefully at the Vige Chief¡¯s mouth, and discovered that he was not, in fact, speaking Japanese. Neither their words of the movements of their mouths matched up with the Japanesenguage.

    After that, he did some more experiments.

    His conclusion was that someone had fed the people of this world some sort of Trantion Konnyaku. However, he did not know who had fed that substance to them.

    Thenguage of this world was tranted before the other party heard it.

    If he could understand what the other person said, then he should be able tomunicate with non-human lifeforms, like say, a dog or a cat. The question now was who had done this. In addition, the Vige Chief did not find this strange.

    It seemed perfectly natural to him.

    ¡ªIn other words, this was a basic principle of the world. Then again, when one thought about it calmly, this was a magical world, which might run onpletely different precepts than the world in which Ainz had been born.

    It would seem that the basic knowledge and facts he had learned in his previous life were no longer applicable here. This was a grave problem.

    If he was ignorant about this world, there was a chance he might make a fatal mistake. ¡°Ignorance¡± was synonymous with ¡°disaster,¡± in this case.

    Right now, Ainzcked information about his surroundings. He had to solve this problem quickly, but he had no idea where to begin. Could it be that he had to kidnap someone and make him talk about what he knew? That was not a very workable option.

    That being the case, there was only one alternative left to him.

    ¡°...It would seem I will need to live in a city for a while.¡±

    He had to observe and imitate many things in order to learn about the world. He also needed to understand the magic of this world, and many other things about it.

    As he thought about this, he heard footsteps from outside the flimsy wooden door. There was arge dy between the sounds of the footsteps, which meant that whoever it was, they were not advancing quickly. Those were the steady, plodding sounds of a grown man¡¯s footsteps.

    A knocking came from the door just as Ainz turned to it. The Chief could not help but look at Ainz¡¯s face. He dared not act of his own ord because he was still exining things to his savior, as payment for saving him and everyone else in the vige.

    ¡°Please, by all means. I was intending to take a break myself. I won¡¯t mind if you step outside.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry about this,¡± the Chief said as he nodded in apology. He headed to the door, and when he opened it, a viger appeared. He looked first to the Chief, then to Ainz, and said:

    ¡°Chief, I¡¯m sorry to interrupt you when you¡¯re talking to our guests, but they¡¯re ready for the burial...¡±

    ¡°Oh...¡±

    The Chief looked to Ainz, his eyes begging for his approval.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. There¡¯s no need to worry about me.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Then, tell the others that I will be there soon.¡±

    Part 2

    The burial ceremony was held in a nearbymunal graveyard. It was surrounded by a broken-down fence, and within were several circr stone bs inscribed with people¡¯s names.

    The Vige Chief recited the verses to ease the spirits of the dead, and the words from his mouth appealed to a god that Ainz had never heard of in YGGDRASIL. It was a prayer that the spirits of the dead would find peace.

    It appeared that there were not enough hands to bury all the bodies at once, so they chose to bury some of them first. To Ainz, burying the dead on the day they died was too hasty, but perhaps this was a normal practice for the faiths in this world.

    He spotted the sisters he saved among the other vigers ¡ª Enri Emmott and Nemu Emmott. Their parents¡¯ bodies were among those that would be buried today.

    As he watched the vigers from close by, he idly stroked a thirty centimeter long wand under his robe. The wand was made of ivory and capped with gold. There were runes over the grip and it radiated an aura of holiness.

    It was a Wand of Resurrection.

    It was a magic item which could return the dead to life. Of course, Ainz did not possess just one of these wands. He had enough to resurrect all the dead in the vige, with room to spare.

    ording to the Vige Chief, this world¡¯s magic did not have the power to raise the dead. That being the case, if he used the wand of resurrection, he would create a miracle in this vige. However, after the prayer finished, as the burial ceremony neared its end, Ainz returned the wand to his inventory.

    He could have brought them back to life, but he chose not to. This was not because he felt that the souls of the dead were the domain of the gods, or some other religious reason. It was simply because he felt that there were no benefits in doing so.

    It was not hard to tell which would be more threatening, a magic caster that could take lives, or a magic caster which could return them. In addition, the chances of the vigers keeping the secret would be very low, even if he ordered them not to talk about the resurrections.

    The power to conquer death was something that everyone craved.

    If things were different, he might have used that power to recall people to life. However, he did not have enough information on the local conditions, so it would be unwise to do so now.

    ¡°They should be content with the fact that the vige was saved,¡± Ainz muttered as he looked at the Death Knight that was standing behind him.

    The Death Knight was another mystery.

    In YGGDRASIL, all summoned monsters would vanish after a certain time unless special methods were used in their summoning. He had not used any such methods to summon the Death Knight and its summoning time was long past, but it remained here.

    Although he had many hypotheses for this phenomenon, he still did not know enough toe to an answer. As Ainz was thinking about this, a pair of figures turned up beside him.

    One was Albedo, and the other was roughly humanoid, but resembled a spider dressed in a ninja uniform. Its eight legs were tipped with sharp des.

    ¡°An Eight Edge Assassin? Albedo, this is...¡±

    Ainz looked around, but it seemed like none of the vigers were paying attention here. Albedo was one thing, but bringing a monster here would make them the center of attraction, even if the burial was going on.

    Just then, Ainz remembered that Eight Edge Assassins were monsters that could go invisible.

    ¡°I brought him over because he wanted to pay his respects to you, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Oh, how refreshed my soul is whenever I see Ainz-sa¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªEnough of that. Are you part of the support troops?¡±

    ¡°Yes. There are four hundred vassals beside myself who stand ready to assault the vige at any time.¡±

    Assault? How had it ended up like this? As Ainz pondered that problem, he began muttering to himself ¡ª Sebas had no talent for passing messages.

    ¡°...There¡¯s no need for an assault, the problem¡¯s already been taken care of. Who¡¯s yourmander?¡±

    ¡°That would be Aura-sama and Mare-sama. Demiurge-sama and Shalltear-sama remain in Nazarick on alert, while Cocytus-sama is supervising Nazarick¡¯s perimeter security.¡±

    ¡°I see... well, too many cooks spoil the broth. Everyone but Aura and Mare are to fall back. How many of you Eight Edge Assassins are there?¡±

    ¡°There are fifteen of us in total.¡±

    ¡°Then you can stay with Aura and Mare.¡±

    After watching the Eight Edge Assassin nod in acknowledgement, Ainz turned his eyes back to the burial. They were about to fill in the graves, and the two girls were crying non-stop.

    ? ? ?

    In order not to interrupt the burial, Ainz strolled leisurely toward one of the roads leading to the vige. Behind him were Albedo and the Death Knight.

    Though his information-gathering had been interrupted by the funeral, Ainz had still managed to learn much about the region and the ways of this world. By the time he left the Vige Chief¡¯s home, the sun was going down.

    It would seem his little hero act ¡ª to pay forward the kindness his old friend showed him ¡ª had taken more time than expected.

    Still, the time spent here had not been wasted. In particr, the more he learned about this world, the more he realised he did not know. It was enough that he was aware of his ignorance.

    As Ainz watched the magnificent sunset, he thought about what he needed to do.

    It was dangerous to move around in this world when he did not understand anything about it. Ideally, he should finish gathering information and then begin acting in this world under a false identity. Although, after saving this vige, hiding his identity was impossible.

    Even if the knights were exterminated, their parent country would unearth the truth. Much like in the previous world where forensic science was well-developed, this new world might have its own ways of finding out the truth, and they might be very efficient in doing so.

    Also, even if they made no investigation, as long as the vigers survived, someone would eventually follow the trail back to Ainz. To prevent a leak, he could take them all into the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. However, the country that these vigers belonged to would not take that lying down, and they might even treat it as a kidnapping.

    Therefore, he had stated his name, and let the knights flee.

    There were two reasons for that.

    The first reason was that news about Ainz would get around as long as he did not hole up in Nazarick. Therefore, it would be better if he controlled how the information got out.

    The second was because he wanted to spread the word that Ainz Ooal Gown saved a vige and slew the knights. In particr, he wanted to let any yers from YGGDRASIL hear about it.

    Ainz nned to take up residence in either the Kingdom, the Empire, or the Theocracy.

    If there were other yers in these countries, there should be some trace of them. In contrast, if Ainz used Nazarick¡¯s personnel to gather this information, it would not only be troublesome, but very risky. For instance, given Albedo¡¯s personality, giving her the wrong kind of orders would end up making him unnecessary enemies.

    Therefore, from an information-gathering point of view, joining one of the countries was a very good idea.

    It would also be good to have one of them as backing in order to ensure the autonomy of Nazarick. After all, he could not take these countries lightly while he was not aware of their power. In addition, he could not lower his guard as long as he did not know who was the most powerful person in this new world. For all Ainz knew, there might be someone stronger than him among these three nations.

    While there were a lot of drawbacks to bing part of one of these kingdoms, there were many advantages as well. The question was the capacity in which he would join one of these countries.

    He was not interested in being a ve. Neither was he interested in bing part of a ck-hearted enterprise like the one Herohero-san was in. Therefore, he needed to make his existence known to these factions. After having a closer look at their respective situations and how they treated him, he would move toward the most ideal of the factions.

    These were the basics of job-hopping.

    In that case, when should he make his move? He might end up exposing his weaknesses while he remained ignorant.

    Ainz shook his head as he thought about that, as though he were tired. After all, he had been ceaselessly using his mind for the past few hours, and it was overstressed.

    ¡°Haa... let¡¯s leave it at this. We¡¯ve finished everything we need to do here. Albedo, let¡¯s go back.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Albedo¡¯s reply sounded very tense. There should be no reason for her to be so on edge in a harmless ce like the vige.

    In that case, there was only one reason he could think of for Albedo to be like this. Ainz quietly asked Albedo:

    ¡°...Do you hate humans?¡±

    ¡°I detest them. Humans are weak and inferior lifeforms. They would look so pretty if I squashed them like bugs... besides that girl.¡±

    Albedo¡¯s words were as sweet as honey, yet their meaning was terribly cruel.

    Ainz felt that they did not fit Albedo¡¯s benign, goddess-like beauty. Therefore, he said:

    ¡°I see... I understand how you feel. However, I hope you can control yourself for the time being, because we have to put on a show.¡±

    Albedo nodded energetically. As Ainz looked at her, he began to feel frustrated.

    Her likes or dislikes would not be a problem for now, but the future was a different matter.

    Understanding his subordinates was an important skill he had to master.

    After Ainz realized this, he began looking for the Vige Chief. It was basic manners to bid someone farewell before leaving.

    He found the Chief almost immediately, talking to some of the vigers. He had a stern look on his face, but it did not seem normal. Indeed, he seemed to be quite wound up.

    What was happening now?

    Ainz resisted the urge to go ¡°Cheh,¡± and approached the Chief. After all, he had saved them once; that meant that they were his responsibility.

    ¡°...What¡¯s wrong, Chief-dono?¡±

    The Chief¡¯s face lit up, as though he had glimpsed a golden shiny wire of hope.

    ¡°Oh, Ainz-sama. It would seem there are some mounted people who look to be warriors approaching us...¡±

    ¡°I see...¡±

    The Chief and the other nearby citizens looked at Ainz, worried expressions on their faces.

    Ainz gently raised his hand as he saw this, which filled everyone with relief as he said:

    ¡°Leave it to me. Gather all of the survivors into the Vige Chief¡¯s house right now. The Chief and I will remain here.¡±

    A bell rang, and the vigers gathered. The Death Knight took up a position near the Chief¡¯s house, while Albedo remained behind him, awaiting orders.

    In order to dispel the Chief¡¯s unease, Ainz cheerfully said:

    ¡°Please be at ease. I will make an exception and handle this for free.¡±

    The Chief no longer trembled, and smiled bitterly instead. Perhaps he had prepared himself to take this risk.

    After a while, they finally sighted many mounted warriors along the road leading to the vige. The horsemen slowly entered the square.

    ¡°...They aren¡¯t uniformly equipped, and each of them is outfitted differently... are they not regr troops?¡± Ainz mused as he observed the men and their wargear.

    The knights from before had breasttes bearing the sigils of the Baharuth Empire, and they were heavily equipped, each in the same way. While these men were wearing armor as well, their gear varied from man to man. Some wore leather armor and some did not have their te armor on, exposing the chainmail underneath.

    Some of them wore helmets, while some went bareheaded. About the only thing they had inmon was that they each showed their faces. All of them had swords of simr make, but apart from that, they also carried bows, javelins, maces, and other backup weapons.

    One could say that they looked like hardened veterans of the battlefield. A less polite way would be to say that they were a ragtag bunch of sellswords.

    The riders finally entered the square. There were around twenty of them, and while they were wary of the Death Knight, they formed up neatly before Ainz and the Vige Chief. A man stepped forward from the rest of the force.

    He seemed to be the leader of the horsemen. He looked like the fiercest and most eye-catching one of his men.

    The leader¡¯s eyes rested briefly upon the Vige Chief before lingering on the Death Knight and then he turned toward Albedo. He took a long time looking at her. However, once he satisfied himself that none of them were going to move, he immediately turned his keen gaze on Ainz.

    Although the man looking at him seemed to be the sort who made his living by violence, Ainz remained still. A look like that could not hope to raise any ripples on the stillke of Ainz¡¯s heart.

    It was not because Ainz did not fear those eyes, but because of his undead body. Perhaps he was full of confidence because he could use his powers from YGGDRASIL.

    Once satisfied, the leader spoke in a grave tone:

    ¡°¡ªI am the Warrior-Captain of the Re-Estize Kingdom, Gazef Stronoff. By order of the King, I have been visiting each of the frontier viges to exterminate knights from enemy countries who have been making trouble here.¡±

    His even baritone echoed through the vige square, and there was somemotion from the Chief¡¯s house behind Ainz.

    ¡°The Kingdom¡¯s Warrior-Captain...¡±

    Won¡¯t anyone tell me what¡¯s going on? Ainz thought as he spoke to the Chief, his voice carrying a hint of rebuke:

    ¡°...What sort of man is he?¡±

    ¡°ording to the traders, he was a man who imed the championship of the martial arts tournament held before the King, and now he leads the elite warriors who are loyal to the King.¡±

    ¡°Is the man before us truly so amazing...?¡±

    ¡°...I do not know. All I heard were stories.¡±

    Ainz looked closely, and he saw that each of the horsemen had the same emblems on their chests, which resembled what the Chief had said about the Kingdom¡¯s emblems. That said, he did not have enough reliable information to be sure.

    Gazef looked at the Chief and said, ¡°You must be the Chief of this vige. Can you tell me who is the person beside you?¡±

    Ainz interrupted the Chief, who was about to answer, before nodding to Gazef and introducing himself.

    ¡°There is no need for that. Pleased to meet you, Warrior-Captain-dono of the Kingdom. My name is Ainz Ooal Gown, and I am a magic caster. This vige was attacked by knights, and so I stepped in to rescue them.¡±

    Gazef immediately dismounted, his armor ttering loudly as he did. He bowed deeply once he was on the ground.

    ¡°Thank you for saving this vige. I have no words that can adequately praise your kindness.¡±

    The air seemed to tremble.

    The Warrior-Captain was a man from a privileged ss of society. It was quite shocking that such a man would bow and scrape before a nobody like Ainz, in this world where people were so clearly divided amongst each other. From what he had heard, the concept of human rights was almost nonexistent in this country ¡ª no, in this world. A few years ago, the Kingdom still sanctioned the ve trade.

    One could tell Gazef¡¯s character from the way he was ready to dismount and bow to Ainz despite their difference in status.

    This man is definitely the Kingdom¡¯s Warrior-Captain, Ainz concluded.

    ¡°...Please, do not stand on ceremony. In truth, I did this for payment, so no thanks is needed.¡±

    ¡°Oh, a payment. Does this mean that you are an adventurer?¡±

    ¡°That is close enough to the truth.¡±

    ¡°Oh... I see. You must be an extraordinary adventurer, then. Although, forgive my ignorance, but I have not heard your mighty name before, Gown-dono.¡±

    ¡°I was travelling, you see, and I just happened to pass by. I am nobody famous.¡±

    ¡°...Travelling, you say. Though I regret having to waste the time of such a great adventurer, could you please tell me about the ckguards who attacked this vige?¡±

    ¡°It would be my pleasure, Warrior-Captain-dono. Most of the knights who have attacked this vige are already dead, so they will not be able to make trouble for the time being. Shall I go on?¡±

    ¡°...Already dead... Gown-dono, did you strike them down?¡±

    After listening to the way Gazef spoke, Ainz realised that this world¡¯s form of address was Western-style, and not Japanese-style. In other words, it went in the order of name, then surname, and not surname, then name. Atst, he had solved the mystery of why the Chief looked so baffled when he had asked the Chief to call him Ainz. It was only expected that he would look like that when asked to address someone in such an unfamiliar way.

    After realising his mistake, Ainz covered it up with his sryman¡¯s thick skin and replied:

    ¡°...Well, that is not entirely urate...¡±

    Gazef picked up on the hint in Ainz¡¯s tone, and turned his eyes toward the Death Knight. He must have smelled the faded scent of gore and death that came from it.

    ¡°I have a couple of questions... may I know who that is?¡±

    ¡°He is a servant that I have created.¡±

    Gazef murmured in approval, and then looked Ainz up and down with a keen gaze.

    ¡°Then... how about that mask?¡±

    ¡°I wear it for reasons known only to a magic caster.¡±

    ¡°May I remove that mask?¡±

    ¡°Sadly, I must refuse,¡± Ainz said as he gestured to the Death Knight. ¡°It would not be good if I lost control of him.¡±

    A look of shock shed across the face of the Chief and gasps came from the vigers hiding within the Chief¡¯s house. Perhaps he had sensed the change in the air and seen the look on the Chief¡¯s face, but Gazef nodded deeply and said:

    ¡°I see. Then, we¡¯d best not take it off.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Then¡ª¡±

    ¡°Before that, I have a request you might not like to hear. This vige was recently attacked by knights of the Empire, and if you gentlemen brought your weapons in, it might trigger unpleasant memories in the vigers. May I ask you to ce your weapons in a corner of the vige square, to put the people at ease?¡±

    ¡°...It is as you say, Gown-dono. However, this sword was given to me by the King. I cannot set it down without his express permission.¡±

    ¡°¡ªAinz-sama, we will be fine.¡±

    ¡°Is that so, Chief-sama... then, please forgive my unreasonable request, Warrior-Captain-dono.¡±

    ¡°No, I see the logic in your thinking, Gown-dono. If this sword had not been personally awarded to me by the King, I would dlyy it aside. Then, could we sit down and discuss the details. Also, the sky is growing dark, and we would like to rest in this vige for the night...¡±

    ¡°I understand. Then, let us return to my home together¡ª¡±

    In the middle of the Chief¡¯s reply, one of the horsemen ran into the square. He was panting heavily, and had an urgent report. In a high-pitched voice, the horseman said:

    ¡°Warrior-Captain! We¡¯ve sighted a lot of people around the vige! They¡¯ve surrounded the vige and they¡¯re closing in!¡±

    Part 3

    ¡°Everyone, take heed,¡± a calm voice spoke into everyone¡¯s ears.

    ¡°The prey has entered the cage.¡±

    The speaker was a man.

    He had no distinguishing features, and he would not stand out in a crowd. However, there was no emotion in his seemingly man-made ck sclerae or the scar on his face.

    ¡°Offer up your faith to the gods.¡±

    Everyone began their silent prayers, a shortened version of their usual praise to their gods.

    They had to spend time in prayer even when operating in another country. This was notcency on their part, but a symbol of their faith in their gods.

    These men who offered everything to the ine Theocracy and the gods they revered were far more devout than the average citizen of the Theocracy. This was why they could perform cruel acts without the slightest bit of hesitation, and why they felt no guilt for doing so.

    After their prayers, the eyes of every man present were as hard and cold as ss.

    ¡°Begin.¡±

    With that one single word, they neatly encircled the vige in a way that would appear to onlookers as the product of long, hard training.

    ? ? ?

    These men were a ck ops group from the ine Theocracy. Though their reputation spread far and wide, little was known about their members. They belonged to one of the Six Scriptures who answered directly to the high priests of the ine Theocracy. They were the Sunlight Scripture, whose mission was to exterminate demihuman settlements.

    However, there were very few of these men, who were the most involved of the Six Scriptures inbat. There were only around a hundred of them in total.

    This was because the recruitment standards for the Sunlight Scripture were very strict.

    Entry required the ability to cast third tier divine magic, which was also the highest tier of magic that ordinary magic casters could reach. In addition, prospective recruits had to be in excellent physical condition, and they had to possess a strong will and deep faith.

    In other words, they were the elite among other elitebatants.

    The man quietly sighed as he watched his men disperse. Once they scattered to take their positions, it would be very hard to be sure of their movements. However, he was not worried about their skillful encirclement of the vige.

    The Sunlight Scripture¡¯smander, Nigun Grid Luin, only felt the peace of mind that came with knowing that sess was at hand.

    The Sunlight Scripture was not used to long-term ndestine operations in the field. As a result, they had missed four chances to finish the mission in the past. They were exceedingly careful every time they closed in on Gazef and his men of the Kingdom, in order to avoid being spotted. If they missed this chance as well, these days of tracking and pursuing would drag on and on.

    ¡°Next time... I¡¯d like to ask the other teams for help, and leave some of the work to them.¡±

    Someone answered Nigun¡¯s gripes.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, we¡¯ve always been specialized in extermination, after all.¡±

    The speaker was one of the men who had stayed behind to protect Nigun.

    ¡°I mean, this is a strange mission. Usually, we would have backup from the Windflower Scripture for something as important as this.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, I don¡¯t know why they only deployed us this time round. Still, this will be good experience for us. We can take this as training in infiltrating enemy territory. Hm, for all we know, that was what the people on top intended.¡±

    Nigun said that, but he was very clear that another mission of this nature would be very unlikely.

    The orders he had been given were to ¡°assassinate the greatest warrior of the Kingdom, the man famed in the surrounding countries for his matchless might, Gazef Stronoff.¡±

    This was not the sort of task which would usually be assigned to the Sunlight Scripture. Instead, it would have been the province of the Theocracy¡¯s most powerful special operations unit, the ck Scripture, whose members wielded the power of heroes. However, it was not possible this time round.

    The reason was top secret, so he could not tell his subordinates, but Nigun knew the truth.

    The ck Scripture was protecting the holy relic ¡°Kei Seke Kouku¡± in preparation against the resurrection of the Catastrophe Dragon Lord, while the Windflower Scripture was busy chasing the traitor who had made off with a relic of the Miko Princesses. Neither of them had the free time to help them.

    Nigun unconsciously felt the scar on his cheek.

    He remembered the only time in the past where he had forced to flee with his tail between his legs. The face of that girl with the jet-ck demonic sword rose in his mind.

    Magic could have easily healed the wound without leaving a mark, but he had purposely left the scar to engrave the lesson of that humiliating defeat into his heart.

    ¡°...That damnable Blue Rose.¡±

    The members of Blue Rose were citizens of the Kingdom, just like Gazef. Their priestess was the one who most drew his ire. Besides the fact that she was an infidel who worshipped another god, she had stopped Nigun while he was nning to attack demihumans, and even believed that she was on the side of justice in doing so.

    ¡°...Humanity is weak, and it uses any and all means to defend itself. Anyone who doesn¡¯t know that is an utter andplete fool.¡±

    One of the subordinates seemed to have sensed the anger smoldering in Nigun¡¯s ssy ck eyes, and interjected:

    ¡°But, but the Kingdom is foolish too.¡±

    Nigun did not answer, although he agreed with those words.

    Gazef was very strong, so in order to weaken him, they had to deprive him of his panoply.

    ? ? ?

    The Kingdom was divided into the Noble and the Royal factions. Since they were opposed to Gazef, a prominent figure in the Royal faction, the Noble faction was easily led to take political action to eliminate him. They did not even pause to consider that the impetus for their deeds came from a foreign power.

    Gazef was amoner who had risen to his current station by dint of his swordy, and so the nobles despised him.

    And that had led to this conclusion.

    The Kingdom¡¯s trump card would soon be lost by their own hands.

    That was a supremely foolish move to Nigun.

    They ¡ª the ine Theocracy ¡ª might be divided into six sects, but whenever they needed to act, they did so as one.

    One reason for that was because everyone respected each other¡¯s gods. The other was because everyone knew that there were many inhuman tribes and monsters in this world, and that they would be in danger if they did not work together.

    ¡°...Which is why everyone should walk the path of the righteous teachings together. Humanity should not fight amongst itself, but work hand in hand to bring about a better and brighter future.¡±

    Gazef would be the sacrifice for that.

    ¡°...Can we kill him?¡±

    Nigun did not mock his subordinate¡¯s unease.

    Their prey was the Kingdom¡¯s Warrior-Captain ¡ª the strongest man in the region ¡ª Gazef Stronoff.

    Eliminating him would be more difficult than attacking and exterminating the inhabitants of a huge goblin vige. In order to dispel his underlings¡¯ fears, Nigun calmly replied:

    ¡°It will be fine. Right now, he does not possess any of the Kingdom¡¯s treasures, the ones which he is permitted to bear. Without them, killing him will be a piece of cake... no, it would be better to say that without them, this is our only chance to kill him.¡±

    The Kingdom¡¯s Warrior-Captain, Gazef Stronoff, was famed as the strongest fighter in thend. But there was a reason for that reputation beyond his extraordinary swordsmanship.

    That reason was the five heirlooms of the Kingdom. Although only four of them were known, he was permitted to bear all of them.

    The Gauntlets of Vitality, that made their user immune to fatigue. The Amulet of Immortality, which constantly regenerated his wounds. The Guardian Armor, made of adamantite and enchanted to ward off critical hits. Razor¡¯s Edge, the sword created and enchanted in pursuit of sharpness, which could slice through armor like the proverbial hot knife through butter.

    Even Nigun could not hope to triumph in a head-on attack against Gazef Stronoff, whose offensive and defensive ability increased astronomically when he used those items. No, it might well be that no human could defeat him when he was like that. However, he did not have those treasures with him now, so this was a great chance for Nigun.

    ¡°And then... we also have a trump card of our own. This is a battle we cannot possibly lose.¡±

    Nigun patted his chest lightly.

    In this world, there were three types of magic items which fell outside the usual types and ssifications.

    The first kind were the relics from five hundred years ago, left behind by the Eight Greed Kings who had conquered the world in an instant.

    The next kind came from the Dragons, who were once the masters of the world before they were decimated by the Eight Greed Kings. The most powerful Dragons, the Dragon Lords, made the secret treasures of dragonkind.

    And the third kind were the keystones of the ine Theocracy, the artifacts left behind from when the Six Gods descended upon the world six hundred years ago.

    Those were the three types.

    What Nigun had in his breast pocket now was a rare treasure that very few people in the ine Theocracy possessed. In other words, it was Nigun¡¯s secret weapon.

    Nigun nced at the metal band on his wrist. Numbers floated up from its surface, indicating that the appointed time hade.

    ¡°Then... begin the operation.¡±

    Nigun and his subordinates began casting spells.

    They summoned the highest-ranking angels their magic would permit.

    ? ? ?

    ¡°I see... so there were people out there.¡±

    Gazef peeked out at the people surrounding the vige from inside the darkened house.

    He could see three people within his field of vision. They were slowly advancing on the vige while maintaining an even separation from each other.

    They were unarmed and were not wearing heavy armor. However, that did not mean that they were pushovers. Many magic casters disliked such equipment and preferred lighter gear. This suggested that they were magic casters.

    However, it was the winged monsters floating beside them which confirmed their vocations.

    Angels.

    Angels were monsters summoned from another world, and many people ¡ª particrly, the citizens of the ine Theocracy ¡ª believed them to be messengers of the gods. However, the priests of the Kingdom ruled that these so-called angels were merely summoned monsters.

    While these religious disputes were part of the reason why the countries were set against each other, Gazef felt that their status as divine messengers was secondary to their strength as monsters.

    To Gazef, angels and demons, their simrly-ranked counterparts, were stronger than many other monsters summoned using magic of a simr tier. Most of them had special abilities and some could even use magic. They were troublesome foes, in his reckoning.

    Of course, that depended on the individual angel. Not all of them were difficult to beat.

    However, the angels this time round, with their shining breasttes and ming swords, were of a type that was unknown to him.

    Ainz was watching them with him from the side. He asked Gazef, who did not know anything and could not gauge their strength:

    ¡°Who are these people? What do they want? I don¡¯t think there should be anything that valuable in this vige...¡±

    ¡°Gown-dono, you do not know either? ...Well, if it is not wealth they seek, then there can only be one other answer.¡±

    Ainz and Gazef locked eyes.

    ¡°They must really hate you, Warrior-Captain-dono.¡±

    ¡°Ites with the job of Warrior-Captain. However... this is troubling. Judging by the way the other side has so many people who can summon angels, they must be from the ine Theocracy... and it¡¯s clear that the people carrying out this operation must be a special operations unit... the legendary Six Scriptures. It would seem that both in numbers or ability, the opposition is superior to us.¡±

    Gazef shrugged, indicating the difficulty he was in. He might have seemed merely depressed on the surface, but inside, he was seething with anger and panic.

    ¡°Well, they¡¯ve certainly gone to a lot of trouble, using the Noble faction to strip me of my gear. However, it¡¯s troublesome for that snake of a man to remain in the courts, so I guess it should be my good fortune to be able to recognize his viiny here. Still, I didn¡¯t expect the ine Theocracy to have their eyes on me...¡±

    He snorted.

    He did not have enough men, he was under-equipped for a battle like this, and he had no n in mind. In short, he had nothing. Although, there might still be a trump card he could use.

    ¡°...Is that an Archangel me? It looks simr enough, but... what is a monster like that doing here... could it have been summoned by magic too? That means...¡±

    Gazef turned to look at the mumbling Ainz. With a hopeful look on his face, he asked:

    ¡°Gown-dono, if it is all right with you, would you be willing to let me hire you?¡±

    There was no answer, but Gazef could feel the weight of Ainz¡¯s gaze beneath the mask.

    ¡°You may name your price and I will meet it.¡±

    ¡°...Please permit me to refuse.¡±

    ¡°...Even the loan of that knight you summoned would be fine.¡±

    ¡°...I must refuse that as well.¡±

    ¡°I see... then, what if I conscripted you, in ordance with the Kingdom¡¯sws?¡±

    ¡°That would be the worst decision you could make... I did not n to say such harsh words, but if you insist on using the authority of the Kingdom to conscript me, then I would bepelled to put up a bit of resistance.¡±

    The two of them looked wordlessly at each other. The first to avert his eyes was Gazef.

    ¡°...That would be frightening indeed. We would be wiped out before even crossing des with the gentlemen of the ine Theocracy.¡±

    ¡°Wiped out... well, that¡¯s a good joke. However, I am d you understand me.¡±

    Gazef narrowed his eyes and looked at Ainz, whose head was nodded in thanks.

    His words just now were not a joke, Gazef¡¯s instincts told him. Making an enemy of this magic caster would be a fatal error.

    In the face of this life-threatening danger, his instincts were more reliable than his meager intellect.

    Who was he? Where did hee from?

    As Gazef thought, he looked at Ainz¡¯s strange mask. What did he look like under the mask? Was he someone that he knew? Or...

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is there something on my mask?¡±

    ¡°Ah, no. I simply felt that mask was very special. Since that mask is used to control that monster... then it must be a very powerful magic item... am I correct?¡±

    ¡°Well, about that... I should say that it¡¯s a very rare and valuable item. One could even say that it was exclusive.¡±

    Possessing a potent magic item implied that the possessor was a skilled individual. By that logic, Ainz must have been a very talented magic caster. Gazef felt a little saddened for not being able to secure his aid.

    Although, part of him hoped that as an adventurer, Ainz would ept that request.

    ¡°...I see that it¡¯s meaningless to keep going on about this. Then, Gown-dono, please take care of yourself. Once again, thank you for saving this vige.¡±

    Gazef removed his metal gauntlet and shook Ainz¡¯s hand. Originally, Ainz was thinking of removing his own Jarngreipr to return the courtesy, but in the end, he did not do so. Still, Gazef paid it no heed. He gripped Ainz¡¯s hand tightly, and said:

    ¡°I am truly, truly grateful to you for protecting these innocent vigers from being ughtered. Also... I know it is very selfish of me and I have no authority to make you do anything... but I hope you can protect the vigers here, just one more time. Right now, I have nothing to give you, but I hope that no matter what, you will heed my plea... I beg you.¡±

    ¡°About that...¡±

    ¡°If you should ever visit the Royal Capital, I will give you anything you desire. I swear this on the name of Gazef Stronoff.¡±

    Gazef let go of Ainz¡¯s hand, making to kneel, but Ainz extended his hand to stop him.

    ¡°...There is no need to go that far... Very well, I shall protect the vigers. I swear that on the name of Ainz Ooal Gown.¡±

    After hearing Ainz swear on his name, Gazef breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡°Thank you very much, Gown-dono. Now I have nothing more to worry about. All I need to do now is charge boldly ahead.¡±

    ¡°...Before that, please take this with you.¡±

    Ainz took out an item and handed it to the smiling Gazef. It was a small, strangely carved statuette. There did not seem to be anything special about it. However¡ª

    ¡°If it is a gift from your good self, I will dly ept it. Then, Gown-dono. Time grows short, but I must now leave.¡±

    ¡°...Will you not you wait until nightfall before setting out?¡±

    ¡°The opposition should have spells like ¡¸Darkvision¡¹ and the like, so night fighting is not to our advantage, but I cannot imagine they will be hampered by it. Also... we also need to let you see how we stand or fall.¡±

    ¡°I see. As expected of the Kingdom¡¯s Warrior-Captain, your keen insight is truly worthy of praise. Then, I wish you all the best, Warrior-Captain-dono.¡±

    ¡°And I wish you a safe journey home, Gown-dono.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Ainz quietly watched Gazef¡¯s back shrinking into the distance as he rode off. Although her master seemed to be thinking about something, Albedo did not inquire further.

    ¡°...Haa... when I first saw the humans here, I could not help but think of them as insects... but after speaking with them, I havee to be fond of them, like small animals.¡±

    ¡°Is that why you swore on your glorious name to protect them?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps... no, I should say that it was in response to how he bravely rode to his death...¡±

    Ainz admired it.

    He admired Gazef¡¯s determination, his strength of will that he did not have.

    ¡°...Albedo, order the servants to search out the ambushers around us and knock them out once they are found.¡±

    ¡°I will do so at once... Ainz-sama, the Vige Chief and the others are here.¡±

    As Ainz turned to look at Albedo, he caught sight of the Chief and two other vigersing over.

    They reached Ainz¡¯s side, panting heavily. Filled with tension and unease, the Chief spoke immediately, as though breathing were a luxury he could not afford.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, what should we do? Why did the Warrior-Captain leave us behind and not protect us?¡±

    The Chief¡¯s words were filled with fear, but there was an undercurrent of anger there as well.

    ¡°...He is doing what he must do, Chief-dono... The foe has their eye on the Warrior-Captain-dono, and if he stayed here, the vige would be a battlefield. The enemy will not let you flee either. He left this ce for your sake.¡±

    ¡°I see, so that was why the Warrior-Captain left... Then, then should we remain here?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. They wille to kill you after they are done with the Warrior-Captain-dono. As long as you remain within their encirclement, you will have nowhere to run. However... while the foe is dealing with the Warrior-Captain-dono, you will have a chance to flee. You should take it.¡±

    So that was why the Warrior-Captain rode out in force with his men. He nned to use himself as bait and lure the enemy away with a head-on attack.

    The Chief red-facedly lowered his head as he heard about the Warrior-Captain¡¯s slim chances. The man was riding to his death just to give them a chance to flee. He cursed his inability to understand the man¡¯s sacrifice, and how he mistook Gazef¡¯s courage for selfishness and maligned him for it.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I jumped to conclusions and wrongly med a good man... then, Ainz-sama, what should we do now?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°We live near the forest, but there¡¯s no guarantee that we won¡¯t be attacked by monsters. We were just lucky and thought that this ce was safe, so we gave no thought to self-defense, and in the end, not only did we lose our friends and loved ones, but even became a burden...¡±

    Now it was not just the Chief, but the vigers behind him who had looks of regret on their faces.

    ¡°That could not be helped either. Your attackers were professional soldiers. If you had tried to resist, you might have all been dead before I got here.¡±

    Ainz was trying tofort the vigers, but none of them feltforted at all. The fact was that no matter what pretty words he said, the loss of the vigers was an undeniable tragedy. All they could hope for was for time to heal their wounds.

    ¡°Vige Chief-dono, there is no more time. You must move quickly so as not to waste the Warrior-Captain¡¯s determination.¡±

    ¡°I see... then, Ainz-sama, what will you do?¡±

    ¡°...I will stay here and observe the situation, and then wait for a good time to escort you all away.¡±

    ¡°We are always making trouble for you, Ainz-sama, really, we...¡±

    ¡°...Think nothing of it. Because I made a promise to the Warrior-Captain-dono... in any case, gather all the vigers into one of therger houses. I will further protect it with magic.¡±

    Part 4

    He could feel his horse¡¯s agitation through his feet.

    Even a trained warhorse ¡ª no, it was because it was a warhorse that the beast knew it was riding into death.

    There were only four or five of the enemy surrounding the vige, so there was arge gap between each of them. However, their encirclement was most likely airtight.

    In other words, they had set a trap for him, and if he sprang it, he would die.

    Even so, Gazef was still determined to break through them. No, going by the present circumstances, a forceful breakthrough was the only choice for him.

    He had no chance against them in rangedbat.

    If he had skilled archers by his side, it would be a different matter. If not, he had to avoid a long-range battle with magic casters.

    Fighting a defensive battle would be even more stupid.

    It would be one thing if they had stone-walled houses or a sturdy fort to fight from, but he had no confidence at all in the ability of wooden walls to stop magic. For all he knew, both Gazef and the houses might go up in smoke together.

    Therefore, thest tactic he could use was a thoroughly hical one.

    That was to say, he would have to shift the theater of battle into the vige and draw Ainz Ooal Gown into the fight, thus forcing his involvement.

    But if he did that, it wouldpletely defeat the purpose ofing here in the first ce. Therefore, Gazef had to put himself into danger.

    ¡°Hit the enemy hard and draw in the sentries from around the vige. After that, fall back immediately. Do not hesitate and miss your chance to flee.¡±

    After hearing the energetic replies from behind him, Gazef frowned.

    How many of the men here would be able to go back alive?

    They were not any more talented than ordinary people. Nor were they born with superpowers or special talents. They were just a group of men who had trained hard under Gazef. Losing the fruits of hisbor here would be a terrible waste.

    Gazef was going to make a stupid, senseless sacrifice, and his men were going to follow him into it. He wanted to apologize to these men, that he had drawn in with him, but once he turned around and saw them, those words died in his mouth.

    What he saw were the faces of true warriors, fearless men who knew where they were headed and who had swallowed anyints about the matter..

    There was no need to apologize for the looks on his men¡¯s faces, that look which said that they knew they were riding into danger, but they would go into it regardless. One by one, the men shouted to the embarrassed Gazef:

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Warrior-Captain!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we all came here of our own free will, to fight and die by your side, Warrior-Captain!¡±

    ¡°Please let us protect our country, our people, and our friends!¡±

    There was nothing left to say. Gazef returned their shouts with a thunderous cry:

    ¡°Then, forward! Tear their guts out!¡±

    ¡°Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh!¡±

    Gazef¡¯s men spurred their horses forward to follow their leader. The galloping horses shot across the ins like an arrow loosed from a bow.

    Still mounted, Gazef drew his bow and nocked an arrow to the string.

    Though his horse shook and shuddered beneath him, Gazef calmly drew the string back. The loosed arrow struck its target unerringly, piercing the head of the frontmost magic caster... or at least, that was what he thought would happen.

    ¡°Cheh! It was useless after all. Maybe if I had a magic arrow, but... ah, I don¡¯t have what I don¡¯t have. Griping about it here is pointless.¡±

    The arrow bounced off like it had struck a sturdy helmet. That supernatural hardness must have been the work of magic. Just as Gazef had said, in order to shoot through magic that protected against ranged attacks, he would need a magic weapon of his own.

    Since Gazef did not have a weapon like that, he stopped shooting and put away his bow.

    The magic casters began their counterattack, and cast their spells.

    Gazef focused his energies, and took a stance in order to resist their magic.

    Just then, the horse between his legs whinnied loudly and reared up, its front legs kicking the air.

    ¡°Go! Go! Go!¡±

    He tightly gripped his reins and leaned forward, practically hugging the horse. Fortunately, his swift reflexes kept Gazef from being thrown off. While it had caused a sheen of cold sweat to bloom all over his body, at the very least, he had managed to suppress his brief panic. There was something more important before him.

    A flustered and panting Gazefshed his mount¡¯s nks, but the horse remained still, as though someone more important than its rider were giving it orders.

    This strange phenomenon could only mean one thing.

    Mind-controlling magic.

    The horse had been affected by such a spell. Gazef might have been able to fight off its effects, but the affected party was not a magical beast, but a mere warhorse, so resistance was not to be expected.

    Anger red up in Gazef for not predicting such an obvious form of attack. He leapt off his horse, and his galloping subordinates guided their mounts around him, flowing past him on both sides.

    ¡°Warrior-Captain!¡±

    Thest men of the group slowed down, extending their hands. They wanted to help Gazef onto their horse, but the angel looking down upon them from the heavens swooped down faster. Gazef drew his sword and swung at the angel.

    The steel de became a swift sh of light.

    The stroke of the Kingdom¡¯s strongest man was enough to cleave a man¡¯s body in two. But the angel was not a man, and although it had taken a grave wound to its torso, it was not in yet.

    The blood spraying into the air was the mana thatposed the angel. It vanished like smoke.

    ¡°No need for that! Turn around and charge them!¡±

    After Gazef gave his orders, he turned a keen re at the angel which had escaped with its life. It had been badly hurt, but it was still trying to find holes in Gazef¡¯s defenses.

    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡±

    A strange feeling ran up his arms when his de found its mark.

    Gazef knew what it was. These monsters had a skill that would greatly reduce any damage done to them unless the attacking weapon was made of a special material. It was thanks to this ability that the angel could take a blow from Gazef without falling.

    If that was the case...

    Gazef focused his energies within himself and activated the martial art ¡¸Focus Battle Aura¡¹, and his de glowed with a crimson light.

    The angel took this opportunity to cut in with a sword of red me. However¡ª

    ¡°¡ªToo slow.¡±

    In the eyes of the Kingdom¡¯s strongest warrior, Gazef Stronoff, the angel¡¯s movements were truly too slow.

    Gazef¡¯s sword moved.

    This blow was far more powerful than the one before it, and Gazef¡¯s sword sheared neatly through the angel¡¯s body.

    Its body destroyed, the Angel seemed to melt in mid-air, its glittering wings pping a few times before vanishing as though it had been nothing more than an illusion.

    If Gazef had not been in such dire straits, he might well have apuded the light show. However, he did not have the time for that at the moment.

    Gazef looked around, saw the enemies advancing on him in an endless tide ¡ª and smiled.

    More angels shed into existence around them as well.

    Gazef was well aware that they were not ordinary reinforcements.

    ¡°...So, anything goes with magic, huh? Damn.¡±

    As he cursed the magic casters who could easily do what warriors could not, Gazef calmly took stock of the enemies surrounding him, and confirmed that this was everyone who was surrounding the vige.

    That would mean that the encirclement of the vige was lifted.

    ¡°Then, Gown-dono, the rest is up to you.¡±

    The knowledge that he could save the surviving vigers filled Gazef¡¯s heart with endless joy. He smiled at the enemy¡¯s carelessness.

    And then, the sound of hoofbeats filtered into Gazef¡¯s ears. It was the sound of Gazef¡¯s subordinates, charging back into the battle.

    ¡°I told you to scatter once the blockade went down... truly, you¡¯re a bunch of fools... and truly, I¡¯m proud of you.¡±

    Gazef sprinted forward.

    This might well be the best and only chance to end the battle. Judging by the speed of the horsemen, the enemy magic casters would need to focus all their attention on them. He would take advantage of this opportunity to cause chaos in their ranks. That was the only way.

    His men¡¯s horses whinnied and reared up, just like Gazef¡¯s horse did. Several people moaned in pain as they were thrown off their horses, and the angels took the chance to press the attack.

    Although his subordinates were on par with the angels in terms of fighting power, thetter had special abilities with the former did not possess, and Gazef¡¯s men were soon plunged into dire straits. As he had expected, more than half of his men were fighting desperately for their lives. The spells of the magic casters only made things that much worse for them.

    His men fell to the ground, one after the other.

    Gazef averted his eyes, and ran forward again.

    His target was the enemymander.

    He did not think the enemy would retreat if theirmander went down, but that was the only way to save everyone.

    Over thirty angels put themselves in Gazef¡¯s way as he charged. He frowned as he saw the heavy defenses ahead of him.

    ¡°Out of my way¡ª¡±

    Gazef activated his trump card.

    Heat bloomed from his hands, and spread to envelop his entire body.

    Gazef broke the limits of his physical body and stepped into the realm of heroes. In addition, he activated several martial arts at once ¡ª one could call those a warrior¡¯s magic.

    Gazef red at the six angels surrounding him.

    ¡°¡¸Sixfold sh of Light¡¹!¡±

    This was a martial art that struck as fast as light. In one move, he hit the six angels around him.

    All six of them were cut in half, dissolving into motes of light.

    The reinforcements from the ine Theocracy gasped in surprise, while Gazef¡¯s men cheered.

    Although his ultimate attack made his arms cramp up, it was not enough to decrease his fighting effectiveness.

    Then, as though ordered to drown out the cheers, a huge wave of angels swept in, and one of them lunged at Gazef with its ming sword.

    ¡°¡¸Instant Counter¡¹!¡±

    Gazef used his martial art just as the angel swung, and his body blurred away like mist.

    Halfway through its attack, the angel took a hit from Gazef. That hit reduced it to glittering dust.

    But Gazef¡¯s offensive did not end there.

    ¡°¡¸Flow eleration¡¹!¡±

    With fluid, graceful moves, he dispatched the angels one after the other.

    His ultimate attack took down two more angels again. This splendid disy of martial technique inspired Gazef¡¯s men and gave them a ray of hope.

    But the Theocracy¡¯s troops would not allow that to happen, and theirmander erased that hope with mockery.

    ¡°Well done. However... that is all you can do. Clerics who have lost your angels, summon new ones. Focus your spells on Stronoff!¡±

    The heat which had been building in the air immediately cooled off.

    ¡°This is bad.¡±

    Gazef took down another angel as he muttered to himself. It would seem there would not be any more cheering no matter how many angels Gazef slew, since his men were worrying about the enemying at them.

    They were superior in numbers, equipment, training, and individual ability.

    The sole weapon of Gazef¡¯s beleaguered men ¡ª their hope for victory ¡ª was gone.

    After unconsciously evading an iing sword, Gazef counterattacked, and destroyed an angel in one hit. However, the enemy he was aiming for was still far away.

    Although his subordinates hoped otherwise, they needed magic weapons to break through the angels¡¯ damage reduction. They did not know how to use the ¡¸Focus Battle Aura¡¹ martial art like Gazef could, and without magic weapons, even if Gazef¡¯s men could injure the angels, they could not finish them off.

    They were at their wit¡¯s end.

    ? ? ?

    Gazef bit his lip, and continued shing.

    His record for the most consecutive uses of his ultimate attack, ¡¸Sixfold sh of Light¡¹, was rapidly increasing.

    A warrior like Gazef could use six different kinds of martial arts at once, andbined with his hidden ultimate attack, that made seven martial arts at once.

    Until now, he had been using martial arts to improve his physical attributes, fortify his mind, improve his magic resistance, temporarily render his weapon magical, as well as another technique that he used on hitting an opponent. That made five martial arts.

    The reason why he had not pushed himself to the limit and used all seven at once was because powerful martial arts depleted one¡¯s concentration.

    In particr, the ¡¸Sixfold sh of Light¡¹ required three times the focus of his other techniques.

    Gazef had two ultimate attacks like this, but he could only use them with four other martial arts at the same time.

    He could easily defeat an angel with those techniques. But even if he struck them down, more of them were summoned anew. As long as he did not defeat their summoners, they would call up more angels to face him. While trying to run the opposition out of mana was an option, Gazef would probably tire before that.

    The truth was, Gazef¡¯s arms were growing heavier and heavier, and his heart was racing.

    ¡¸Instant Counter¡¹ was a martial art that forcibly corrected the body¡¯s bnce after making an attack, resetting it to before the blow was struck. While that meant that the practitioner could immediately attack again, the forced reset of the body would ce immense strain on it.

    ¡¸Flow eleration¡¹ was a martial art that increased the speed at which one¡¯s nerves functioned, increasing one¡¯s attack rate. However, that technique created fatigue in the brain.

    And then, there was the ultimate attack, the ¡¸Sixfold sh of Light¡¹.

    Using them put a great burden on the body, but without them, he would have no chance at all.

    ¡°Bring them all on! Your angels are nothing!¡±

    His fearsome shout startled the Theocracy troops, but they soon recovered and renewed the offensive on Gazef.

    ¡°Pay him no heed, that¡¯s just the roar of a caged beast. Don¡¯t worry, deplete his strength bit by bit. But don¡¯t get too close. That beast¡¯s ws are long and sharp.¡±

    Gazef red at the man with a scar on his face.

    If only he could defeat him, he could turn the battle around. The problem was the other angel near him, different from the ones with the ming swords. And then there was the great distance between them, and the severalyers of defenses in the way.

    They were simply too far apart.

    ¡°The beast is about to make a break for it. Show him the meaning of the word ¡®impossible.¡¯¡±

    The man¡¯s calm voice only served to aggravate Gazef further.

    Even if he stepped into the realm of heroes, Gazef could not win with his refined melee techniques alone.

    Still ¡ª so what? If that was the only road avable to him, then he would have to charge down it with all his might.

    As the strength returned to his eyes, Gazef began his charge.

    However, the road ahead was hard, like he had expected.

    The angels loomed before him, one after the after, swinging their swords of scorching red me. As he evaded and counterattacked and destroyed the angels one after the other, Gazef suddenly felt an intense pain. It felt like he had been struck hard in the belly.

    As he looked in the direction of the pain, he saw a group of magic casters casting a spell of some sort.

    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re priests, you should act like it. How about a little healing over here!?¡±

    As though to answer Gazef¡¯s jibe, an invisible force smashed into Gazef¡¯s body.

    Though the enemy used invisible attacks, Gazef was confident that he could avoid them by reading traces in the air and the looks on his opponent¡¯s faces. That might even have worked, if there were only a few of them. However, against thirty of those attacks, there was nothing he could do. Just keeping his sword in his hands was taking all his strength.

    The pain filled his whole body. He had no idea where it wasing from, only that it was so great it almost made him copse.

    ¡°Gahaah!¡±

    The taste of steel welled up in his throat, and Gazef spat a mouthful of fresh blood. The sticky ichor welled out of his mouth and stained his chin.

    Gazef¡¯s legs were shaky after that barrage of invisible blows, and now an angel was swinging its ming sword at him.

    He could not avoid the blow, and it struck his armor. Fortunately, it deflected the sword, but the impact travelled through the breastte and deep into his body.

    He swung wildly at the angel, but his poor bnce meant that the angel easily evaded the attack.

    Gazef¡¯s sword trembled in his hands as he gasped for breath.

    The fatigue that filled his body seemed to be whispering into his ear, telling him to just lie down and rest.

    ¡°The hunt has entered its final stages. Do not let the beast rest ¡ª order your angels to attack consecutively.¡±

    Even though Gazef desperately wanted a moment to recover, the angels surrounding him obeyed their masters and mercilessly attacked him, one after the other.

    He somehow evaded the attack from behind, and parried a thrust from the side. He used the strong angles of his armor to deflect an angel¡¯s charge from above.

    Gazef wanted to counterattack his foes, but he was greatly outnumbered.

    As his strength diminished, he could only take out one opponent at a time, since hecked the stamina to use martial arts. As his subordinates fell one by one, the enemy¡¯s attacks were concentrated on him. With no way to break through the enemy¡¯s encirclement, he felt death closing in on him.

    His concentration faltered, and he nearly fell to one knee. He desperately tried to refocus so he could fight.

    The invisible impacts came again, striking the tottering Gazef.

    The world before him shook mightily.

    Not good!

    Gazef used all his strength to try and maintain his bnce. However, something seemed wrong with his body, and the strength that should have held him up was nowhere to be found.

    The itch of touching the grass spread through his body, and Gazef realised that he had fallen.

    He struggled to rise again, but his body betrayed him. The angels¡¯ swords meant death for him.

    ¡°Now, finish him off, but do not send in one angel. Use them all to ensure he is dead.¡±

    Yes, he was dead.

    His well-trained hands were shaking uncontrobly, and he could not pick up his longsword. Even so, he could not give up.

    His gritted teeth made creaking sounds.

    Gazef was not afraid of death. He had taken many lives in the past, so he was prepared to meet his end on the battlefield.

    Like he had told Ainz, he was hated by people. That hatred became a sword that would one day pierce his body.

    But he could not ept an end like this.

    They had attacked several viges and murdered defenseless, innocent vigers, all to lure Gazef into a trap. He could not allow himself to die at the hands of honorless dogs like this, and he could not bear his powerlessness.

    ¡°Gaaaaaaah! Don¡¯t look down on me¡ª!¡±

    He shouted with all the strength in his body.

    Blood dribbled out the side of his mouth as Gazef rose to his feet.

    A man who should have been powerless to stand now stood proudly, the mighty force of his presence forcing back the angels that surrounded him.

    ¡°Haaa¡ª! Haaa¡ª!¡±

    Just getting to his feet had him panting heavily. His mind was a blur and his body felt like it had turned to mud. But he could not lie down. If hey down, all would be lost.

    This little bit of pain he felt could notpare to the suffering of the dead vigers.

    ¡°I am the Warrior-Captain of the Re-Estize Kingdom! I am a man who loves and defends his country! How can I lose to bastards like you who stain my country with your footsteps¡ª!?¡±

    He was certain that great man would protect the vigers.

    Then, what he should do was defeat as many of the enemy as he could, so the people would not meet the same fate as all the others.

    Protecting the future people of the Kingdom. That was all he wanted to do.

    ¡°...You will die here because all you can do is babble that nonsense, Gazef Stronoff.¡±

    Gazef red at the enemymander as his cruel mockery reached his ears.

    ¡°If only you had abandoned these vigers on the border, you would not be dying here. You probably don¡¯t know, but your life is far more valuable than even a thousand of these peasants. If you truly love your country, you should have abandoned them to die.¡±

    ¡°You and I... will never see eye to eye... let¡¯s go!¡±

    ¡°What can that body of yours do? Cease your pointless struggles and lie down quietly. As a final act of mercy, I will kill you without drawing out your suffering.¡±

    ¡°If you think... I¡¯m helpless... then why don¡¯t youe... take my head? It should be easy... if I¡¯m like this, right?¡±

    ¡°...Hmph. You¡¯re all talk. It looks like you still want to fight. Do you think you can win?¡±

    Gazef simply stared straight ahead, his hands trembling as he gripped his sword. He focused on the enemy in front of him, ignoring the angels surrounding him.

    ¡°...What a pointless effort. Truly, you are an idiot. After we kill you, we will then massacre the vigers you saved. All you have done is bought them a fear filled stay of execution.¡±

    ¡°Kuh. kuh... kuku...¡±

    Gazef was smiling brightly.

    ¡°...What¡¯s so funny?¡±

    ¡°...Hmph, you fool. In that vige... is a man who is stronger than me. His power is unfathomable, but he could take you all out by himself... Trying to kill... the vigers he protects... is impossible for you.¡±

    ¡°...Someone stronger than the Kingdom¡¯s greatest warrior? Do you think boasting like that will do you any good? You truly are an idiot.¡±

    Gazef was still smiling. What kind of look would Nigun have on his face when he met that inscrutable man called Ainz Ooal Gown? Seeing that would probably be the best gift Gazef could receive before heading off to the afterlife.

    ¡°...Angels, kill Gazef Stronoff.¡±

    Countless wings moved in response to that cold, cruel order.

    Gazef steeled himself, preparing to run forward, when suddenly a voice came past him:

    ¡ªLooks like it¡¯s about time to switch.

    The scenery before Gazef changed, and he was no longer on that bloodsoaked in. Instead, he was in the corner of what looked like a simple vige hut.

    There were worried-looking vigers all around him.

    ¡°This, this is...¡±

    ¡°This is a warehouse that Ainz-sama has protected with his magic.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re the Chief... Gown, Gown-dono does not seem to be here.¡±

    ¡°No, he was here just a moment ago, but he seems to have vanished without a trace, and in his ce, you appeared, Warrior-Captain-sama.¡±

    I see, so the voice in my head was...

    Gazef allowed himself to rx. He would have no part to y in what woulde next. Gazef copsed to the ground, and the vigers hurriedly drew closer.

    The Six Scriptures. They were an enemy that even Gazef Stronoff, the strongest warrior in the region, could not hope to defeat.

    Yet, he could not even begin to imagine that Ainz would lose.

 Chapter 5

    Overlord Volume 1 Chapter 5

    Ruler of Death

    Part 1

    There was no trace of the intense battle that had taken ce earlier on the ins.

    The light of the setting sun covered up the blood staining the grass, and the stench of blood was blown away by the wind.

    There were two figures on the ins who had not originally been there.

    Nigun of the ine Theocracy¡¯s special operations unit ¡ª the Sunlight Scripture ¡ª looked at them with perturbation in his eyes.

    One of them was dressed like an arcane magic caster. He(?) wore an evil-looking mask to hide his face, and a pair of iron gauntlets on his hands. He wore a expensive-looking ck robe, suggesting he was a person of some status.

    The other one was dressed in a suit of jet-ck full te armor. It looked very impressive, and it was certainly some sort of masterwork magic item. One look at the exterior was enough to tell that it was a high-end magic item.

    The beleaguered Gazef and his men were gone without a trace. In their ce were these two mysterious individuals. It seemed to be some kind of teleportation magic, but he had no idea what kind of spell had been used here. He had to be wary of the mysterious magic caster.

    Nigun called the angels back, ordering them to form a defensive perimeter on their side. His assiduous gaze studied their movements, and then the magic caster stepped forward:

    ¡°Pleased to meet you, gentlemen of the ine Theocracy. I am Ainz Ooal Gown. I would be d if you could call me Ainz.¡±

    He was some distance away from them, but the wind carried his voice over clearly.

    Nigun did not respond, and thus the mysterious man called Ainz continued:

    ¡°The person behind me is called Albedo. I would like to make a deal with you. Might I have a moment of your time?¡±

    Nigun tried to attach some meaning to the name Ainz Ooal Gown, but it was no use. It might be an alias. Perhaps trying to glean some information from him would be more productive. With that, Nigun raised his chin, indicating that Ainz should continue.

    ¡°Wonderful. Thank you for taking the time to listen to me. Then, I would like to start by making one thing clear to you gentlemen. That would be ¡ª there is no way you can defeat me.¡±

    He could hear the absolute confidence in that statement. This was not a bluff or a boast. This was something that the man Ainz Ooal Gown believed from the bottom of his heart.

    Nigun furrowed his brows.

    In the ine Theocracy, nobody would dare speak in such a way to their betters.

    ¡°Ignorance is truly deplorable. You will pay the price for your foolishness.¡±

    ¡°...Really now. Do you really think that will happen? I observed your battle earlier, so my presence here would indicate that I am confident of victory. After all, if I was not sure that I could beat you, would it not be wiser for me to leave that man to die?¡±

    He was right.

    An arcane magic caster would be better suited to different kinds of confrontations. Arcaners, sorcerers, and wizards could only use light armor, so they would want to avoid meleebat, using ¡¸Fly¡¹ to repeatedlyunch ¡¸Fireballs¡¹ and other such spells from afar. Yet Ainz had chosen to face them head-on. He must have a trick up his sleeve.

    After a period of silence, Ainz spoke again:

    ¡°I have a question for you, if you can understand it. The angels you have brought with you should have been summoned by third tier magic. Am I correct?¡±

    He was stating the obvious.

    Ainz went on, ignoring Nigun¡¯s puzzled expression:

    ¡°The monsters you summoned are simr to those in YGGDRASIL, so I was curious as to whether the names were the same. Many of YGGDRASIL¡¯s monsters were derived from mythology... monsters like angels or demons should be no exception. Said angels and demons are mostmonly associated with Christianity, but it seems quite unnatural that something called an archangel exists in a world without Christianity. That would mean someone like myself must exist in this world.¡±

    Nigun had no idea what Ainz was talking about and his ire was rising. He asked:

    ¡°That¡¯s enough of your self-absorbed prattle. Now tell me; where is Stronoff?¡±

    ¡°I teleported him to the vige.¡±

    ¡°...What?¡±

    Nigun had not expected Ainz to answer. He thought of why Ainz would say that and replied:

    ¡°How foolish. Even if you tell a lie like that, a quick search of the vige will¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªIt is not a lie. I merely answered your question. Well, there is another reason for why I answered your question.¡±

    ¡°...Could it be that you want to beg for mercy? If you help us save some time, I can consider it.¡±

    ¡°Nonono... well... the truth is, I overheard your conversation with the Warrior-Captain. What a lot of balls you have.¡±

    Ainz¡¯s tone changed suddenly, and he continued speaking as he looked at the mocking Nigun.

    ¡°To think you would dare say that you would massacre the vigers that I, Ainz Ooal Gown, took the time to personally rescue. I cannot think of anything that is more offensive than that.¡±

    Ainz¡¯s robe rippled in the wind. That same wind blew across Nigun andpany.

    The cold wind just happened to be blowing from Ainz¡¯s direction, but Nigun hurriedly brushed away the phantom image that loomed in front of him. Yes, that vision of death before him must have been an illusion.

    ¡°...What, what do you mean by ¡°offensive¡±, magic caster? What of it?¡±

    Although he was obviously frightened, Nigun did not change his mocking tone.

    He was themander of one of the ine Theocracy¡¯s secret weapons, the Sunlight Scripture. How could he be afraid of a single man¡¯s name? It was impossible. It could not be possible.

    Yet¡ª

    ¡°I mentioned a deal earlier. These are the terms. You will hand your lives over to me without resistance. In exchange you will not have to suffer. However, if you put up a fight, then the price you fools shall pay is to die in despair and agony.¡±

    Ainz took a step forward.

    It was just a single step, but Ainz¡¯s body seemed to swell massively before their eyes. Cowed by him, the men of the Sunlight Scripture reflexively took a step back.

    ¡°Ahh...¡±

    Several hoarse cries came from around Nigun.

    They were cries of fear.

    His presence was filled with an unimaginable power. This was the first time Nigun had been faced with such might. Therefore, he could understand his men¡¯s fear.

    Nigun was a powerful individual himself, a veteran of many battles who had grazed the edge of death countless times, who had taken many lives. He could feel the might radiating from the mysterious magic caster, an oppressive, potent pressure. It must have been worse for his men.

    What kind of being was he?

    What was the true identity of this magic caster? Who was the man beneath the mask?

    Once more, Ainz ignored Nigun¡¯s panic and spoke coldly:

    ¡°That is why I did not lie to you and answered your question honestly. It is because there is no point in lying to those that are about to die.¡±

    Ainz spread his arms and took another step forward. He looked like he was about to hug them, but his evil-looking fingers reminded them of a lunging monster.

    A thrill of cold ran from the bottoms of Nigun¡¯s feet to the top of his head. He had felt this countless times in his struggles along the edge of life and death. It was a sign of impending doom.

    ¡°Have the angels charge him! Don¡¯t let him get close!¡±

    Nigun¡¯s voice broke slightly as he shouted his orders. It sounded more like a scream.

    It was not to raise his men¡¯s spirits. He was simply afraid of Ainz Ooal Gown.

    Two Archangel mes pped their wings in response to Nigun¡¯smand,unching an attack.

    The angels flew straight up to Ainz, and stabbed at him with their ming swords.

    Albedo, who was standing behind him, should have blocked that attack. And so all of the Sunlight Scripture, who had been predicting that course of action, could not believe their eyes. It was not that anything happened. On the contrary¡ª

    Nothing happened.

    Indeed, the man called Ainz Ooal Gown took no action. He simply allowed the angels to run him through. He did not dodge, block, cast a spell, or have his follower intercept it. Nothing happened.

    Their shock became mockery.

    That act, pretending to be some mighty figure, was nothing but a bluff. It was not that Albedo did not wish to block it, but that Albedo could not respond in time to the high-speed attack of the Archangel me. Now that the truth was out, they did not seem like anything special at all.

    His men breathed sighs of relief. Nigun, who felt quite silly for being so afraid, turned to Albedo.

    ¡°How unsightly. To think he would try to scare us with a bluff...¡±

    Suddenly, a question came to mind.

    Why was Ainz¡¯s corpse not falling?

    ¡°...What are you doing? Call back the angels. He can¡¯t fall down with those swords stuck in him.¡±

    ¡°But, but we¡¯ve already given the order.¡±

    His subordinates¡¯ confused voices startled Nigun, and he looked at Ainz again.

    The angels were desperately pping their wings, like butterflies caught in a spider¡¯s web.

    The two angels slowly moved to the side. However, their movements were very strange. It looked as though someone was pushing them aside.

    Following that, the body of Ainz ¡ª which had been blocked by the angels ¡ª appeared once more from the gap between them.

    ¡°...I told you, didn¡¯t I? There is no way you gentlemen can defeat me. Shouldn¡¯t you heed the warnings of others?¡±

    The calm voice filtered into Nigun¡¯s ears.

    He could notprehend the sight before him.

    He was stabbed through his chest and abdomen, but Ainz was still standing, as though nothing were wrong.

    ¡°Impossible...¡± one of Nigun¡¯s subordinates moaned, giving voice to the words in Nigun¡¯s heart.

    Judging from the angle of the angels¡¯ swords, they had to be fatal wounds. Even so, Ainz did not seem to be in any pain.

    That was not the only shocking thing.

    Ainz was gripping each of the angels by the throat. The angels struggled against him, but Ainz did not let them go.

    ¡°Impossible...¡±

    Someone was muttering to themselves. Angels summoned from magic had bodies created from their summoners¡¯ mana, so they were definitely not light. They weighed more than a grown man, and then there was the weight of their armor to consider as well. There was no way they could be lifted up by the throat so easily.

    Granted, a well-trained warrior, with a stout and muscr body, might be able to do it. But the man before him, Ainz, was a magic caster who should have focused on training his intellect and arcane powers over honing his physique. Even if he were enhanced by magic, he would not be able to do anything if his base strength was low to begin with.

    Then, why was this happening? Why did he seempletely unfazed, even after being impaled?

    ¡°...There must be some sort of trick.¡±

    ¡°Ah, definitely, how could anyone be fine after being run through by a sword!?¡±

    Panic and fear spread through the ine Theocracy¡¯s special forces unit. They were all veterans of numerous battles and had experienced many dangers in the past, but this was a sight they had never seen before. Not even the angels that Nigun could summon were capable of such a feat.

    The doubtful mutterings about how he did not seem to be in pain and was speaking normally crept into Nigun¡¯s ears.

    ¡°High Tier Physical Nullification ¡ª a passive skill that negates the attacks of weapons with low data content and low tier monsters¡¯ attacks. It only protects against attacks of up to level sixty ¡ª in other words, attacks above level sixty can harm me. It is an all-or-nothing ability... to think it would actually see use here. Well then... these angels are in the way.¡±

    Holding an angel in each hand, Ainz mmed them both into the ground. There was a thunderous crash, and the earth trembled from the impact ¡ª a testament to Ainz¡¯s supernatural strength.

    The angels died instantly, reverting to countless dancing motes of light which vanished into the air. Of course, the swords stuck in Ainz vanished as well.

    ¡°If I learn how you named these angels, I can then understand how you can all use spells from YGGDRASIL. But let us leave this aside for now.¡±

    As Ainz slowly straightened up, he was still talking about things which nobody could understand.

    However, that only intensified the Sunlight Scripture¡¯s fear of his mysterious power.

    Nigun gulped.

    ¡°All right, we¡¯ll end these pointless games here. Are you satisfied? Since it looks like you aren¡¯t willing to ept the deal, then it shall be my turn.¡±

    Ainz opened those hands of his, those hands which had crushed two angels to death. He seemed to be showing them that he had nothing in them.

    His voice carried clearly through the bone-chilling silence, into the ears of everyone present.

    ¡°Are you ready? ¡ªIt¡¯ll be a massacre.¡±

    A sudden spike of cold pierced his spine, followed by a surge of nausea. Nigun, the hardened killer who had presided over many ughters, was now feeling something that he had never felt before.

    He had to run. He had no way of beating Ainz, so doing battle with him would be very dangerous.

    However, Nigun struggled to shake that feeling away. He had cornered his prey Gazef ¡ª how could he watch him get away now?

    Still, a warning resonated from the depths of his soul. Nigun shouted his order:

    ¡°All angels, attack! Hurry!¡±

    Every one of the Archangel mes shot toward Ainz like bullets.

    ¡°What a lively lot... Albedo, step back.¡±

    Nigun could hear the cool, calm voice of someone who was being attacked by angels, but did not care. Ainz was surrounded by so many angels that nobody could even see him, yet still his voice did not carry even the slightest hint of worry.

    It looked like he would be impaled by countless des ¡ª no, Ainz¡¯s spell took effect before that.

    ¡°¡¸Negative Burst¡¹.¡±

    The air shuddered.

    A wave of ck radiance erupted from Ainz, like the negative image of a camera sh. It onlysted for an instant, but it had an immediate and obvious effect.

    ¡°Im-Impossible...¡±

    Someone muttered those words, carried by the wind. They could not believe what was happening before their eyes.

    The angels, over forty of them, had been annihted by the ck wave.

    Their opponent had not used dispel magic to neutralize the summons. The angels that were blown away by the ck wave had taken damage. In other words, Ainz had used a powerful spell to wipe out all the angels in one fell swoop.

    Nigun could not help but tremble. He recalled the words of the Kingdom¡¯s strongest warrior, Gazef Stronoff.

    ¡°...Hmph, you fool. In that vige... is a man who is stronger than me. His power is unfathomable, but he could take you all out by himself... Trying to kill... the vigers he protects... is impossible for you.¡±

    The scene before him proved the truth of those words.

    Nigun erased those words from his mind, trying desperately to bring himself over.

    Nigun knew that the members of the strongest special ops group, the ck Scripture, could also eliminate this many angels. In other words, all he had to do was treat Ainz as an opponent on their level. While he might be as strong as a member of the ck Scripture, he had the advantage of numbers on his side, so victory was still possible.

    However, could those members of the ck Scripture take care of all these angels with just one spell?

    Nigun shook his head to clear away his doubts. He could not think of that question. If he got his answer, then he would truly be done for. Therefore Nigun reached inside his coat, and touched the item within to give himself courage.

    He fervently believed that as long as he held it, everything would be fine.

    However, his subordinates did not have the same source of moral support that he did.

    ¡°U-Uwaaaah!¡±

    ¡°What, what the hell!?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a monster!¡±

    Once they realized their angels were useless, they wailed and fell back upon the spells that they knew and trusted.

    ¡°¡¸Charm Person¡¹, ¡¸Iron Hammer of Righteousness¡¹, ¡¸Hold¡¹, ¡¸Fire Rain¡¹, ¡¸Emerald Sarcophagus¡¹, ¡¸Holy Ray¡¹, ¡¸Shockwave¡¹, ¡¸Confusion¡¹, ¡¸Charge of Stgmite]¡¹ ¡¸Open Wounds¡¹, ¡¸Poison¡¹, ¡¸Fear¡¹, ¡¸Word of Curse¡¹, ¡¸Blindness¡¹...¡±

    All kinds of spells rained down on Ainz.

    Yet, even as the storm of magicshed against him, Ainz was unmoved.

    ¡°Well, all of these are familiar spells... who taught them to you? The ine Theocracy? Someone else? There are more and more things I want to ask you now.¡±

    Not only could he ughter all their summoned angels in one move, their spells were also incapable of harming him.

    Nigun felt like he was trapped in a nightmare.

    ¡°Hyaaaaah¡ª!¡±

    One of the men screamed wildly as he saw that his spells were ineffective. In desperation, he pulled out a sling and loaded it with a bullet. Although Nigun doubted the effectiveness of such a projectile when even an angel¡¯s sword was useless, he did not stop the man.

    The bullet that could easily shatter bone sped toward Ainz.

    It was followed by a sound. That sound was like an explosion.

    An instant.

    It had happened in an instant.

    Since they were in battle, they could not take their eyes off their target. However, Albedo ¡ª who should have been behind ¡ª had moved in a mysterious way in front of Ainz to defend him. The source of the apparent explosion was because she had violently kicked off the ground to get to where she was.

    With a speed that the eye could not even see, Albedo swung her bardiche, tracing a beautiful curve of the weapon¡¯s sickly green light in the air.

    After that, the man with the sling slowly copsed to the ground.

    ¡°...Huh?¡±

    Nobody knew what had happened. They were the ones who hadunched the attack, yet the result waspletely opposite ¡ª one of them had fallen instead.

    One of the men went over to inspect his deadrade, and he shouted:

    ¡°His, his head¡¯s been smashed in!¡±

    ¡°...What? Smashed... don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s the sling bullet he threw!¡±

    Why had he been killed by his own projectile?

    Just then, the wind carried a voice into the puzzled Nigun¡¯s ears.

    ¡°My apologies, It would seem my subordinate used abination of the Missile Parry and Counter Arrow skills to return your projectile to your man. I believe you have some sort of magic which defends against ranged attacks on your persons. That would mean an attack that is stronger than the defense will break through it, no? It¡¯s hardly worth panicking about.¡±

    After his exnation, Ainz paid no attention to Nigun, and turned to Albedo:

    ¡°Although, Albedo, you should know that ranged weapons like that will not be able to harm me. There was no need to¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªPlease wait, Ainz-sama. Anyone who wishes to do battle with a Supreme Being must have a certain degree of strength. A sling bullet like that was nothing more than an insult to you!¡±

    ¡°Haha, so, that means Nigun and hisckeys fail the test, then?¡±

    ¡°Ngk! Puh! Principality of Observation! Get him!¡±

    In response to Nigun¡¯s orders, the angel that had been standing by up till now suddenly spread its wings and pped, propelling itself forward.

    The Principality of Observation was an angel in full body armor. It held a mace in one hand and a round shield in the other. A garment that looked like a long skirt covered its legs.

    The Principality of Observation was stronger than the Archangel mes, but it had not been deployed into battle until now because of its special skill. In ordance with its name, the Principality of Observation had the ability to raise the defense of all its allies. However, this ability lost its effect once the angel moved, so the wise decision would be to order the Principality of Observation to hold its ground.

    The fact that Nigun had ordered it to attack was a sign that he was grasping at straws. He had to clutch at anything which might turn out to be a lifeline, even if it ended up being chaff.

    ¡°Fall back, Albedo.¡±

    As ordered, the angel drew up in front of Ainz, and raised its shining mace. Ainz nonchntly reached out his gauntleted left hand to meet the attack.

    While it would not have been surprising for that strike to shatter bone, Ainz¡¯s hand was fine. He casually took the subsequent hits as they came.

    ¡°Good grief... I guess it¡¯s my turn now. ¡¸Hell me¡¹.¡±

    A small, wobbling mote of me emerged from one of the fingers of Ainz¡¯s right hand. It looked so feeble that anyone could blow it out if they wanted. It touched the body of the Principality of Observation, and looked terriblyughable against the glittering body of the angel.

    But then¡ª

    The Principality of Observation was consumed by a ck fire, so intense that even Nigun, a good distance away, could feel the heat. He could barely keep his eyes open.

    The angel¡¯s body melted and vanished amidst the the sky-scorching ck mes, without so much as the chance to resist. The mes that devoured the angel vanished with their target.

    No traces were left behind. The previous scene ¡ª that of the angel¡¯s attack and the ck congration ¡ª felt like they had been illusions, like they had never happened.

    ¡°How, how could this be.¡±

    ¡°In just one hit...¡±

    ¡°Hiiiiiiii!¡±

    ¡°Im-Im-Impossible!!!!!¡± Nigun shouted amidst his confusion.

    He did not even know he was shouting. He was simply converting his thoughts into words. It did not feel like shouting to him.

    The Principality of Observation was a high tier angel whose offensive and defensive strength were in a 3:7 ratio. It boasted the strongest defense of all other angels in its tier.

    In addition, Nigun¡¯s natural-born talent, ¡¸Enhance Summoned Monster¡¹, could improve the stats of any monster Nigun summoned. As a result, there were very few people who could defeat a Principality of Observation summoned by Nigun.

    Nigun had never seen anyone defeat it with just one spell. Even the ck Scripture, whose members¡¯ power pressed against the limits of humanity, could not do it. In other words, Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s power exceeded that of mankind.

    ¡°It can¡¯t be! It¡¯s impossible!! Nobody can defeat a high tier angel with just one spell!!! What kind of man are you, Ainz Ooal Gown!!!!? It¡¯s impossible that nobody¡¯s heard of you before!!!!! What is your real name!!!!!!?¡±

    There was no trace of calm left in Nigun, just his wild screaming in the hope of denying reality.

    Ainz spread his hands once more. Under the light of the setting sun, the looked like they were drenched in blood.

    ¡°...Why do you think it is impossible? Is that not just the result of your ignorance? Or do you mean to say that this is all you know of the world? There is only one thing I can do to answer your question.¡±

    Silenced reigned in the air as they awaited the answer. Ainz¡¯s voice was as clear as a bell:

    ¡°My name is Ainz Ooal Gown. That is definitely not an alias.¡±

    In the face of Ainz¡¯s arrogance, Nigun was unable to rebut what he was hearing. It was something he did not understand from a man he did not know. That was the situation he was in.

    Nigun was starting to get annoyed by his rapid breathing.

    The sound of grass rustling in the wind was annoying too. His heartbeat sounded especially loud. He was breathing heavily, like he had been running for a long time.

    Words of reassurance began appearing in his head. However, the sight of Ainz being stabbed with swords, as well as his mass ughter of angels with just one spell, were telling Nigun something else.

    ¡ªThat is a monster beyond my wildest imaginings. I could never hope to defeat it.

    ¡°Cap-Captain, what, what should we do...?¡±

    ¡°Figure it out yourself! I¡¯m not your mother!¡±

    Nigun only managed to calm down after he could no longer see the face of the man he was shouting at.

    Losing his cool in front of an unknown monster like this was a very bad thing.

    The sun was slowly falling below the horizon, and darkness threatened to swallow the world. It felt like Death itself was opening its maw to devour everything. Nigun tried to force his fear back, and gave an order:

    ¡°Protect me! Protect me if you want to live!¡±

    Nigun brought the crystal out in his trembling hand. His subordinates, usually vigorous and nimble, were chained down by fear and their movements were slow. Even these fearless men would hesitate when ordered to be a shield against a monster like the one which stood before them. However, he had to have them buy him some time, no matter what.

    The magic sealed within the crystal could summon the most powerful angel known to man. It was an angel that had single-handedly destroyed a Demon God that rampaged throughout thend two hundred years ago.

    It was an angel of the highest order, that could easily destroy a city.

    Casting the spell to summon that angel again required an incalcble amount of money and manpower, but Ainz Ooal Gown, this mysterious being, was worthy of being eliminated by its power. More importantly, it would be worse if the crystal was taken without the spell being cast.

    This was what Nigun told himself.

    He concealed his fear that he would be a lump of meat like his deceased underling.

    ¡°I am going to summon an angel of the highest order, hurry up and buy me some time!¡±

    Once they realized the truth, his subordinates moved swiftly.

    Ainz, who was facing them, should have noticed the mes of hope zing up. However, he made no move, instead babbling about some nonsense to himself.

    ¡°...Could that be a spell-sealing crystal... and from its brilliance, it should be something that can seal anything except a super tier spell. So they have a YGGDRASIL item like that as well... that being the case, what kind of angel can they summon... Seraph ss? Albedo, protect me with your skill. While I don¡¯t think they can bring out a Seraph Aesphere, if they manage to summon a Seraph Empyrean, we will have to fight them seriously. Or rather... could it be a monster unique to this world?¡±

    While Ainz held his ground, Nigun ritually broke the crystal in his hand, and a brilliant radiance spilled forth.

    A hidden sun seemed to have risen upon thend, dying the grass a blinding white. A dull fragrance filtered into everyone¡¯s noses.

    The legendary angel descended upon the earth, and Nigun exulted:

    ¡°Behold! The glorious visage of the highest angel! Dominion Authority!¡±

    It was a mass of many shining wings, and among them were a pair of arms that held a scepter, symbolizing royal authority, but neither its head nor legs were visible. Though it looked quite disturbing, anyone could tell this was a sacred being. In the moment it appeared, the surrounding air turned bright and clear.

    The advent of this supreme incarnation of goodness drew wild cheers from everyone who saw it. The blood of Nigun¡¯s men boiled with excitement.

    Now, they could kill Ainz Ooal Gown.

    This time, he would be the one to be afraid.

    He would learn his foolishness before the power of the gods.

    In the face of their jubnce, Ainz barely managed to get a sentence out:

    ¡°This... this is it? This is what you call getting serious...? This is your ace in the hole that you were nning to use on me?¡±

    As he saw Ainz¡¯s shock, Nigun, who had been extremely uneasy, breathed a sigh of relief. In fact, his heart was filled with joy as he replied:

    ¡°Indeed! Your fear is only natural. After all, this is what an angel of the highest order looks like. While using it here seems like a bit of a waste, I have determined that you are worthy of it!¡±

    ¡°How could this be...¡±

    Ainz slowly raised his hand and covered his face. To Nigun, it looked like a gesture of despair.

    ¡°Ainz Ooal Gown. The truth is, you deserve respect for forcing me to summon this most exalted of angels. Be proud of your fearsome strength, magic caster!¡±

    Nigun nodded deeply, and continued:

    ¡°Personally speaking, I would like to bring you into our fold. If you are truly that powerful... however, I am not allowed to do so on this mission. At the very least, I shall remember you ¡ª the magic caster who made me decide to summon this mighty angel.¡±

    However, the response to Nigun¡¯s praise was a cold voice:

    ¡°Really... this is ridiculous.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Nigun had no idea what Ainz was saying. To Nigun, Ainz was little more than a sacrifice to the highest order of angel, which humanity could not possibly defeat. Yet, his attitude seemed too rxed for that.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I was on guard against such child¡¯s y... my apologies, Albedo. I made you use your skill for nothing.¡±

    ¡°Please, do not say that, Ainz-sama. We did not know what manner of monster they might have called forth, so it was prudent to reduce the chances of injury.¡±

    ¡°Is that so...? No, you¡¯re right. It¡¯s just that I did not expect this to be all. It was quite unexpected.¡±

    Nigun¡¯s mind could not keep up with their patronizing banter.

    ¡°How can you act like that in front of the angel of the highest order!?¡± Nigun shouted, He could not believe that Ainz and Albedo were chatting leisurely andpletely ignoring Dominion Authority.

    Their calm attitude of absolute superiority made the surging joy in Nigun¡¯s heart vanish. In its ce was terror and unease.

    Could it be that Ainz Ooal Gown is more powerful than this mightiest of angels?

    ¡°No! Impossible! It cannot be! Nobody can be stronger than the highest-ced of the angels! This is a being which can defeat a Demon God! In the face of a foe that humanity cannot beat ¡ª it¡¯s a bluff! It must be a bluff!¡±

    It would seem Nigun could no longer control his emotions.

    He could not, would not acknowledge this. He could not believe that a man who could defeat Dominion Authority was not only an enemy of the ine Theocracy, but was standing right in front of him.

    ¡°Use it! Use ¡¸Holy Smite¡¹!¡±

    This was magic of the seventh tier and above, a realm humanity could not reach. Even therge-scale rituals in the ine Theocracy could not cast it, but this most exalted of angels, Dominion Authority, could do it by itself. That was why it was ranked among the highest order of all angels.

    The magic that Nigun ordered to be cast, the seventh tier ¡¸Holy Smite¡¹, was such a mighty spell.

    ¡°I get it, I get it. Hurry up and make your move. I won¡¯t do anything. That should satisfy you, right?¡±

    However, Ainz¡¯s rxed attitude was like a pedestrian letting another person walk past him.

    His casual attitude filled Nigun with fear.

    This angel of the highest order had once defeated the Demon Gods of legends. Its omnipotent power was enough to qualify it as the mightiest being on the continent. It was invincible.

    Yet, if someone could defeat it...

    If the mysterious magic caster before him could do it, it would mean that this mysterious person was a far stronger being than a Demon God.

    Such a person could not exist.

    In response to its summoner¡¯s wish to use its most powerful attack, Dominion Authority shattered its scepter. The fragments rose up into the air and slowly orbited its body.

    ¡°I see. So this is a once-per-summoning special skill that it uses to augment its spell power. It would seem this Dominion is about the same as the one in YGGDRASIL...¡±

    ¡¸Holy Smite¡¹.

    The spell was cast, and a pir of light broke through the sky.

    With a loud whoosh, a seemingly endless cascade of holy blue-white radiance flooded down from the heavens, submerging Ainz, who simply raised one arm to shade his eyes.

    The seventh tier of magic ¡ª a height humanity could not hope to attain.

    This sacred power would annihte all evil beings, and even good entities would meet the same fate. The difference was only if they were reduced to sightless atoms, or if there would actually be remains left behind. This was the awesome power of magic that exceeded the realm of humanity.

    No, it would be strange if that were not the case.

    Yet ¡ª he was still there.

    Ainz Ooal Gown, the monster, was not sted into glowing ash, sprawled on the ground, or pulverized into meat jelly, but he was still standing nonchntly, and evenughing:

    ¡°¡ªHahahahaha, as expected of magic that has extra effect on those of evil alignment... so this is what taking damage feels like... pain, is it? I see, I see! Still, even though I feel pain, my mind is clear, and my ability to act is not affected at all.¡±

    The pir of light vanished. It had not had any effect.

    ¡°Wonderful, I¡¯ve concluded another experiment.¡±

    His voice sounded indifferent... no, it would be more urate to say that he was satisfied.

    Nigun andpany thought that way, and the smiles on their faces froze.

    However, one person was filled with anger.

    ¡°You, you inferior lifeforms!¡±

    Albedo¡¯s shout ripped through the air.

    ¡°You inferior lifeforms! How, how dare you do such a thing to my beloved lord, Ainz-sama!? You pieces of trash, how dare you cause pain to the man I love, my master Ainz-sama!? Do not think that I will allow you to die so easily! I will have you taste the greatest suffering this world has to offer until you go mad from agony! I will melt off your limbs with acid, cut off your genitals, and feed them to you as mincemeat! Then I will heal you and do it again! Aaahhhhhhhh! I hate you! I hate you I hate you I hate you so much that my heart is going to burst¡ª¡±

    Her arms, wing at her head and sheathed in ck armor, were writhing.

    It felt like the world was distorting, with her at the center. A wave of world-twisting, courage-sapping malice smashed into them like a hurricane.

    Something seemed to be crawling under that ck armor, like there was an enormous creature that was about to break through the tes and reveal itself. Nigun knew this was happening, but there was nothing he could do but stand there and watch the emergence of a monster that would pollute the world.

    Only one person in this world could rein her in. Ainz raised his hand and quietly said:

    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Albedo.¡±

    Those words were enough to stop Albedo in her tracks.

    ¡°...But, but Ainz-sama, these inferior lifeforms...¡±

    ¡°¡ªIt¡¯s fine, Albedo... everything has gone ording to my predictions, aside from the weakness of the angels. What else is there to be angry about?¡±

    As Albedo heard this, she raised a hand to her breast and bowed in acknowledgement.

    ¡°...As expected of Ainz-sama, your insight is truly fitting of the title ¡°fathomless.¡± I am in awe.¡±

    ¡°Nonono, the truth is, I¡¯m quite d that you would be worried and angry for me. However... your charming smile is far more preferable.¡±

    ¡°Gufu¡ª! Char-Charming! ¡ªCough, thank you, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Now then, I¡¯m sorry you had to wait for so long.¡±

    Nigun, who was stunned by their easy-going back and forth, finally managed to recover enough of his senses to shout:

    ¡°I know it... I know your true identities! ¡ª Demon Gods! You must be Demon Gods.¡±

    There were scant few intelligent beings that Nigun knew of, which could stand on par with the highest tier angels:

    The Six Gods which Nigun believed in

    The kings of the mighty draconic races ¡ª the Dragon Lords.

    The legendary monster who could destroy an entire country ¡ª Landfall.

    And one more ¡ª the Demon Gods.

    He had heard that the Thirteen Heroes had defeated and sealed away the Demon Gods. Judging by that wave of evil from just now, that must have been a Demon God about to break its seal.

    At the same time, Nigun had the faint hope that if they were Demon Gods, then Dominion Authority might still have a chance to win.

    ¡°One more time! Use ¡¸Holy Smite¡¹!¡±

    Ainz said that the spell had hurt. That meant that he had been injured. It might mean that he had trouble just standing up.

    Countless ¡°mights¡± popped up in Nigun¡¯s mind. Without them, he would go mad.

    However, Ainz would not permit a second attack.

    ¡°...Now, it¡¯s my turn... know despair. ¡¸ck Hole¡¹!¡±

    A small point appeared on Dominion Authority¡¯s shining body. It slowly erged into a yawning ck void.

    The ck hole swallowed everything.

    It was so underwhelming that it made them stare in dumbfounded silence. It might even beughable. But they could no longer see it.

    As the radiance of Dominion Authority vanished, the light drained from the surroundings.

    There was only the sound of the wind blowing across the ins. And then a hoarse cry broke the silence.

    ¡°Who... are you people...¡± Nigun asked these these impossible beings again. ¡°I have never heard the name of a magic caster called Ainz Ooal Gown before... no, there can¡¯t be someone who could destroy the highest ranked angel in one blow! Someone like that should not exist...¡±

    Nigun shook his head powerlessly.

    ¡°All I know is that you are far beyond a Demon God... this is unbelievable... who exactly are you...¡±

    ¡°...Like I said, I am Ainz Ooal Gown. In the past, there was nobody who did not tremble at this name. Well, I guess we¡¯ve spent enough time on idle chatter. Going on would only be pointless. Also, just so we don¡¯t waste each other¡¯s time, there is an anti-teleport effect surrounding me, and my subordinates are waiting in ambush. You have nowhere to run.¡±

    The sun setpletely, and darkness swallowed thend.

    Nigun knew that this was the end. This was an unassable reality. Just as his subordinates fell into despair one after the other, cracks appeared in the sky, like the breaking of a pot. They vanished in an instant, and the scenery returned to normal.

    As confusion washed over Nigun, Ainz answered:

    ¡°Good grief... you know, you should thank me. It would seem someone was using divination magic to keep an eye on you, but because I was in the spell¡¯s effective range, my anti-scrying offensive barrier activated, and you were not observed. Really, if I had known, I would have linked a higher tier attack spell to it.¡±

    Those words filled Nigun¡¯s eyes with realization.

    The ine Theocracy must have been spying on him.

    ¡°A widened ¡¸Explosion¡¹ might not be enough to teach them how to behave... oh well, things being as they are, ytime is over.¡±

    A wave of cold ran through Nigun as he picked up the hidden meaning in those words.

    He, who had always been the oppressor, was now going to be one of the oppressed.

    He was filled with an iparable fear. The fear that he, who had taken countless lives in the past, was now going to have his own life taken. His subordinates saw his terrified expression and it frightened them as well.

    He was on the verge of tears.

    He wanted to kneel down and loudly beg for his life, but Ainz did not look like apassionate man. Thus, Nigun fought back the urge to weep, trying his best to look for a way to survive. But no matter how he thought, he could not think of any way to get help from the outside. Therefore, his only hope was to throw himself on the mercy of Ainz Ooal Gown.

    ¡°Wait, wait a bit! Ainz Ooal Gown-dono, no, -sama! Please wait, we, no, I wish to make a deal with you! I guarantee you will not be disappointed! As long as you spare me, I will give you any amount of money you want!¡±

    He could see his shocked subordinates out of the corner of his eye, but they were no longer relevant to him. The thing that mattered now was his own life. Everything else was of secondary importance.

    Besides, he could find more subordinates, but his own self was irreceable.

    Ignoring the countless angry voices of his men, Nigun continued:

    ¡°It must be difficult to satisfy the tastes of such a great magic caster as yourself, but I will definitely prepare enough money to please you! I have a position of some power in my country, so they will definitely pay any price to ransom me! Of course, if you desire anything else, I will do my best to meet your wishes! So I beg you! Please spare my life!¡±

    Nigun panted as he finished his monologue.

    ¡°What, what about it? Ainz Ooal Gown-sama!¡±

    A delicate, gentle woman¡¯s voice responded to Nigun¡¯s desperate plea:

    ¡°Did you not reject thepassionate offer of the Supreme One, Ainz-sama?¡±

    ¡°That is!¡±

    ¡°...I know what you want to say. You wanted to beg for your life because epting his proposition would also mean your death. Am I correct?¡±

    The ck-helmeted head shook, as though it was tired of talking.

    ¡°You seem to have gotten the wrong idea. Since Ainz-sama, who holds the power of life and death in Nazarick, has already stated his will, inferior lifeforms like you humans should lower your heads and gratefully await the taking of your lives.¡±

    Albedo¡¯s forceful words were backed by an adamant resolve.

    She¡¯s mad. This woman is mad. Nigun, who realized this, looked hopefully to Ainz.

    Ainz had been quietly listening to them. When he realized that Nigun was waiting for his decision, he shook his head in exasperation and said:

    ¡°Indeed... it is as she says. Cease your pointless struggles and lie down quietly. As a final act of mercy, I will kill you without drawing out your suffering.¡±

    Part 2

    As he walked along the night-veiled ins, Ainz raised his head. What greeted him was the beautiful sight of stars in the sky.

    Ainz sighed at the scenery for the second time, and then he headed back to the vige.

    He had gone a little overboard.

    As long as Albedo was by his side, he could not afford to appear useless to her. As her master, he needed to act in a fitting manner in front of his subordinates. While he might have gone a bit too far, it still fit the role he was ying.

    He did not know if he had passed or failed, but it would be fine as long as Albedo was not disappointed.

    Ainz could not see Albedo¡¯s expression of, Damn, Ainz-sama was so cool, kufufufu~ under her closed helmet. Since he could not tell what she was thinking, he went over the day¡¯s proceedings once more.

    ¡°Still, Ainz-sama, why did you save Gazef?¡±

    Why indeed? Ainz could not articte his feelings at that time, so he tried to approximate them for her:

    ¡°This was a problem we caused, so shouldn¡¯t we try and settle it ourselves?¡±

    ¡°Then why did you give him that item?¡±

    ¡°I wasying the foundation for future ns. Letting him hold it would be a good thing for me.¡±

    Ainz had given Gazef a cash item from YGGDRASIL, but he had a great many of them. Although he could not replenish his stock of them, giving one away was not a great loss.

    In addition, Ainz was actually happy to have less of those items.

    That was because those were constion prizes from the 500 yen gacha draws, which reminded Ainz of how profligate he had been with his spending and his poor lifestyle then. In addition, while he had spent countless 500 yen coins on finally getting the ultra rare item that was the top prize, his formerrade Yamaiko had gotten it on the first try. The impact of that incident cast an indelible shadow in Ainz¡¯s heart.

    He had wanted to throw those constion prizes away, but when he thought of the 500 yen it had cost... he could not bear to wastefully dispose of it.

    ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter who ends up with that item in the end, or if it ends up being used or not. It¡¯s no loss to me.¡±

    ¡°...Would it not have been best to let me take care of things? There was no need to trouble Ainz-sama to personally aid those inferior lifeforms... surrounding them was hardly a difficult task, which is why I submit that Ainz-sama did not need to personally take the field.¡±

    ¡°Is that so...¡±

    Without a device to measure power levels, that was all Ainz could say in response.

    In YGGDRASIL, one could determine the strength of an enemy by the color of their names. Beyond that, one could only rely on information from one¡¯s friends and walkthrough sites.

    Ainz could not help but feel nostalgic.

    If only I had learned some divination-type spells ¡ª Ainz thought, with a hint of regret. Of course, he did not know if those spells could be used here. However, if he could, then he would not have to be as nervous as he was now.

    Still, there was no point worrying about what he did not have. Ainz decided to think of something else:

    ¡°...I know your strength, Albedo, and I trust you. However, I would like you to discard such shallow thinking and remember that an enemy who is stronger than myself could appear at any time. This is especially true given that we do not quite understand this world... so I hoped Gazef could do our work for us.¡±

    ¡°I see... so you used him as a pawn to feel out the enemy¡¯s strength. It is quite fitting to use inferior lifeforms like humans in that way.¡±

    Although the closed helm revealed none of her emotions, her freshly-flowered joy was obvious in her voice.

    Ainz had once been a human beng, and now he was undead. From just now, he had sensed that Albedo hated humans very much. However, it did not upset him or make him feel depressed. Rather, he felt that such thoughts were quite suitable for the inhuman Guardian Overseer of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.

    ¡°...Indeed. However, that is not all. Since we saved him at the brink of death, he will be even more grateful to us. In addition, since the enemy was a special forces unit, the country¡¯s higher-ups will not investigate the matter too openly. That was why I stepped in.¡±

    ¡°Ah... as expected of Ainz-sama... so that was why you took themander and the others alive. Marvellously done!¡±

    Ainz could not help but feel proud when he heard Albedo¡¯s praise. After all, he managed to put together a sensible, coherent n in a short period of time; perhaps this was his leadership talent at work. Just then, Albedo¡¯s cheerful voice entered Ainz¡¯s self-satisfied ears:

    ¡°...Still, was it necessary to take the angels¡¯ swords with your precious body, Ainz-sama?¡±

    ¡°Is that how it looked to you? When we first came to Carne Vige, we used the knights on the outskirts to verify that my High Tier Physical Nullification was still working normally.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, you are correct. I verified it with my own eyes as well. However, I did not wish my eyes to helplessly watch the swords of those despicable angels piercing your body, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°I see. Though you were my shield, I did not take your feelings into consideration. You have my¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªAnd even if I knew you would emerge unscathed, which woman would want to see the man she loves being stabbed by swords?¡±

    ¡°...Ah, yes.¡±

    Ainz did not know how to answer, so he let it slide as he continued to the vige. Albedo did not seem to want to press the matter and followed quietly.

    Once they reached the vige, the vigers, led by the Death Knight, came out to meet them.

    Theyvished praise and thanks onto them, and Ainz saw Gazef among the vigers.

    ¡°Oh, Warrior-Captain-dono, I¡¯m d you¡¯re all right. I should have gone to your side earlier, but the item I gave you took some time to work, which was why I was almost toote. My apologies.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying? It is I who should thank you, Gown-dono. After all, you saved me... speaking of which, where did those fellows go?¡±

    Since Gazef had changed his tone somewhat, Ainz decided to nonchntly inspect him.

    Gazef had taken off his armor and carried no weapons with him.

    He was bruised all over and half his face was swollen up, like a strange-looking, misshapen ball. Yet, a fire burned within his eyes.

    Ainz turned away, as though he had seen something brilliant. His eyes reflexively went to the ring Gazef wore on his left ring finger.

    So he was married. It¡¯s probably good that his wife won¡¯t need to shed tears for him. As he thought about that, Ainz decided to carefully put on an act:

    ¡°Oh, I chased them off. I couldn¡¯t take care of all of them, as I thought.¡±

    That was a lie, of course. They had all been shipped back to the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. Gazef narrowed his eyes a little, but neither of them spoke. The air between them grew tense.

    In the end, Gazef broke the silence:

    ¡°Truly amazing. I do not know how I can repay you for your help, Gown-dono. Please, look for me when youe to the Royal Capital. I will wee you with open arms.¡±

    ¡°Is that so... then, I will have to impose on you when the timees.¡±

    ¡°...Gown-dono, I do not know what ns you have, but would you be willing to travel with us? We will be staying in this vige for a while.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Well, I was nning to move on, though I have not decided my destination yet.¡±

    ¡°Still, it¡¯s already sote, travelling now would be...¡±

    Gazef cut himself off halfway:

    ¡°Forgive me, there was no need to worry about a mighty being like yourself, Gown-dono. Then, please seek me out when you reach the capital. My doors will always be open to you. In addition, I am deeply grateful to you for your gift of a full set of equipment from the knights who attacked the vige.¡±

    Ainz nodded, and decided that he had taken care of everything he needed to do in this vige. There had been more things to do here than he had expected, and he had spent more time here than he had nned.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go home, Albedo,¡± Ainz said in a voice low enough that only Albedo could here. She immediately turned around joyfully in response ¡ª although she was still wearing her full te armor.

 Chapter 6

    Overlord Volume 1 Epilogue

    Epilogue

    Ainz¡¯s room was filled with exquisite furniture, while the floor wasid with a bright red carpet. This vast room was usually draped in a thin veil of silence, and today it was even more quiet than normal. The maid who normally attended him here was nowhere to be seen. The only people here were Ainz and his sword-bearing Death Knight in the corner.

    Albedo spoke in a soft, syrupy sweet voice, as though trying to preserve the silence of the room:

    ¡°I have a report to deliver. Themander of the ine Theocracy¡¯s Sunlight Scripture who we captured has been incarcerated in the Frozen Prison. We will extract information from him with the help of the Special Intelligence-Gathering Officer.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s Neuronist, there shouldn¡¯t be any problems. However, I want to conduct experiments on the bodies... do you know anything about this?¡±

    ¡°Understood. In addition, we are currently looking through the arms and armor recovered from the men dressed as knights. They do not bear any major enchantments and will be sent to the Treasury after the investigations are concluded.¡±

    ¡°...Well, that¡¯s the proper way to dispose of them.¡±

    ¡°Finally, I n to have two Shadow Demons keep an eye on the vige. Then, what should we do about Gazef Stronoff?¡±

    ¡°Leave the Warrior-Captain be for now. It is more important that we build a good rtionship with that vige. We might need their help in future, so avoid antagonizing them.¡±

    ¡°Understood. I will take care of it. Thus ends the report.¡±

    Ainz turned to look at Albedo as he said, ¡°Well done.¡± The look on her face was slightly different from her usual gentle smile. She seemed particrly happy today.

    The reason was the sparkling Ring (of Ainz Ooal Gown) upon her left ring finger, which she caressed lovingly.

    Although she could wear the ring anywhere she wanted, it was not hard to tell why she was wearing the ring on that finger.

    If that was how Albedo truly felt, then as a man, Ainz would be overjoyed. However, if that was the result of his tampering, it would make him feel guilty instead.

    ¡°Albedo... the love you feel for me is the result of my meddling. They are certainly not your original feelings. Therefore...¡±

    What should he do next? Was it right to change her memories with magic?

    Ainz could not go on. Just then, Albedo looked at Ainz and smiled.

    ¡°Before you changed me, what kind of person was I, Ainz-sama?¡±

    A slut.

    Ainz could not say that, of course, but he did not know how to tell her. Though he appeared calm enough on the exterior, his heart was in chaos. Then, Albedo spoke again.

    ¡°Then, I am quite happy with the way I am now, so there is no need for you to feel upset, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°But...¡±

    ¡°But...? But what, may I ask?¡±

    Ainz did not answer, sensing something unusualing from Albedo. She continued addressing the silent Ainz:

    ¡°There is only one thing that matters.¡±

    As Ainz waited for Albedo to continue, she said:

    ¡°Does it trouble you?¡±

    Ainz dumbly opened his mouth, taking note of Albedo¡¯s smiling face. Her words branded themselves deeply into his brain ¡ª although his skull was empty ¡ª but Ainz knew what she was trying to say, and hastily replied:

    ¡°No, no, how could it inconvenience me...¡±

    He was not at all unhappy with receiving the love of a beautiful woman like Albedo. At least, for now.

    ¡°Then, is there a problem with it?¡±

    ¡°...Eh¡ª¡±

    It felt wrong. He thought that, but Ainz could not find any reason to refute her.

    ¡°Then, it should be fine, right?¡± Albedo said again. Ainz could sense something mysterious and inscrutable in those words, and he brought up a question in a final, desperate attempt to struggle free:

    ¡°I messed with Tab-san¡¯s character settings. Don¡¯t you wish to go back to your old self?¡±

    ¡°I believe Tab-sama would approve, with all the joy of giving his daughter away for marriage.¡±

    ¡°...Is, is that so?¡±

    Was he really like that? Just as Ainz was thinking about this, the sound of crashing metal rang out.

    He turned to look at the source of the sound, and saw a longsword on the ground. The Death Knight who should have been holding that sword was nowhere to be seen. He had summoned the missing Death Knight not long ago.

    ¡°...When I summon them normally, they disappear after a while... given the way the sword from this world is on the ground, it would seem that equipment alone was not enough to bind them to this world, so it was left behind. If that is the case, does that Death Knight remain here because I used a corpse to summon it? It would appear that I can strengthen Nazarick if I had more corpses.¡±

    ¡°Then, shall we collect arge amount of corpses for you?¡±

    ¡°...Try to avoid digging up that vige¡¯s graveyard.¡±

    ¡°Understood. However, we must then consider a way to procure fresh corpses. Now that the Death Knight has disappeared, everyone should have assembled by now. Please proceed to the throne room with Sebas. I will go ahead first.¡±

    ¡°I see. All right, Albedo. I¡¯ll see youter.¡±

    ? ? ?

    As Albedo quietly left Ainz¡¯s room, she saw Sebas approaching along the corridor.

    ¡°Sebas, you¡¯vee just in time.¡±

    ¡°Albedo-sama. Is Momonga-sama in his room?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he is.¡±

    Albedo could not help but feel superior as she heard Sebas still referring to Ainz as Momonga. As he saw the look on her face, Sebas raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°You seem to be in a good mood. Did something good happen?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Albedo¡¯s joy was not just because of the name, but because she recalled her conversation with Ainz. She spoke of marrying Ainz, and he did not reject or deny the suggestion. In other words...

    Albedo¡¯s smile shifted, going from graceful and elegant to lewd and wicked in an instant. it was a smile she would never show to Ainz.

    ¡°Kufufufu, I¡¯ve done it. No, I will definitely do it. I will be the one seated beside him. Shalltear will be nothing more than my footrest.¡±

    Albedo clenched her fist, unable to resist the words boiling up in her heart. These were not words of a Guardian Overseer, but a woman.

    ¡°Ah, my subus blood is boiling...¡±

    Sebas silently watched Albedo as she acted up.

    ? ? ?

    The Throne Room.

    Sebas trailed behind Ainz as he entered the room, fashionablyte.

    There were many people kneeling here, to show their loyalty.

    Nobody in this ce moved a muscle, and it was so quiet that even the sound of their breathing could be heard. Apart from that, there was only the sound of Ainz and Sebas¡¯s footsteps, as well as the tapping of the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown on the ground.

    Ainz ascended the stairs and sat on the throne. Sebas remained at the foot of the throne, kneeling behind Albedo.

    Ainz silently surveyed the throne room from where he was seated.

    Almost all of the guild¡¯s NPCs were gathered below him. They looked quite majestic when he watched them from on high, like a Night Parade of monsters. Ainz could not help but silently praise his guild members for their creativity in making so many different and interesting characters. As he looked again, there were several NPCs who were not present. However, that could not be helped. After all, they could not easily move the ultrarge golem Gargantua and Victim ¡ª who oversaw the eighth Floor ¡ª from their positions.

    However, it was not just NPCs who were gathered here. Although they were not intended to rece the abovementioned two people, this great hall also contained many high-levelled vassals who had been hand-picked by the other Floor Guardians.

    That said ¡ª the Throne Room did not feel crowded at all, given its massive size. Although he could understand why his underlings would not want to let their servants into the heart of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick ¡ª the Throne Room ¡ª Ainz felt that such severity was not needed.

    Ah, forget it, not like it¡¯s important anyway. After deciding to discuss those matterster, Ainz slowly addressed his subordinates.

    ¡°Firstly, I would like to apologize for taking independent action.¡±

    Ainz was feeling singrly unapologetic as he said those words. It was mere pleasantry, yet the apology was extremely important. Since gathering them all was his idea, then he needed to let his subordinates know that he trusted them implicitly.

    ¡°Albedo will tell you why I have gathered you all here afterwards. However, there is a matter which is more important than that. I must tell the gathered members of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick something ¡ª ¡¸Greater Break Item¡¹.¡±

    Ainz cast a spell which could destroy a magic item of a certain level. Arge g fell from one of the poles attached to the ceiling.

    The sigil on the g represented ¡°Momonga¡±.

    ¡°I have changed my name. From now on, my name is...¡±

    Ainz pointed to a certain ce, and everyone¡¯s eyes followed his finger.

    ¡°My name is Ainz Ooal Gown. You may address me as Ainz.¡±

    Momonga was pointing to the g which hung behind the throne, imprinted with the icon of Ainz Ooal Gown. Momonga raised his staff and forcefully mmed its tip into the ground, to get everybody¡¯s attention.

    ¡°If anyone objects to this, rise now and let your views be heard!¡±

    Nobody spoke out in opposition. Albedo was all smiles as she replied:

    ¡°We have all heard your glorious name. All hail Ainz Ooal Gown! Oh Supreme One, Ainz Ooal Gown-sama, every member of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick pledges their undying loyalty to you.¡±

    Shortly after, the Floor Guardians shouted as one:

    ¡°All glory to Ainz Ooal Gown! Supreme Lord and leader of us all, Ainz Ooal Gown-sama! We shall give ourselvespletely to you!¡±

    ¡°Long live Ainz Ooal Gown! Oh King of fearsome power, Ainz Ooal Gown-sama! All shall know of your greatness!¡±

    The shouts and praise of the NPCs and servants thundered through the Throne Room.

    ? ? ?

    As he basked in the praise of his subordinates, Ainz thought:

    ¡ªMy friends, what do you think of me using this great name? Are you happy? Are you displeased? If you have any objections, please let me know, tell me, ¡°this is not a name you can take for yourself.¡± I will dly return to my old name of Momonga.

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Then¡ª¡±

    Ainz looked out at everyone.

    ¡°¡ªNext, I shall announce our new direction. This is an absolute order.¡±

    Ainz paused here, and looked around. The subordinates before him had serious, stern looks on their faces.

    ¡°Make Ainz Ooal Gown an eternal legend.¡±

    He gripped the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown tightly, and rapped it on the ground. Then, as if responding to Ainz, the crystals socketed on the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown radiated light in all the colors of the rainbow, and the air around him trembled.

    ¡°There may be many heroes, but we will surpass each and every one of them. We will let everybody in this world know that Ainz Ooal Gown are the true heroes! If there are people stronger than us, we will deal with them in ways other than force. If we encounter a magician with many subordinates, we will achieve our goal some other way. This is merely the preparatory phase in order to let everyone know that Ainz Ooal Gown is the greatest. Let us fight together for this glorious future!¡±

    He would spread this name throughout the world. The former members of Ainz Ooal Gown may have left YGGDRASIL, but there was a chance they might be in this world, like Ainz.

    Therefore, he had to make Ainz Ooal Gown a legend, so everyone would know of it.

    Be it in the air,nd, or sea, he would spread this name to all the sapient beings in this world.

    He would carry this name to the ears of hisrades who might be in this world.

    Ainz¡¯s fearsome presence was startling, and his thunderous voice could be heard anywhere in the Throne Room.

    Their voices united as one, everyone in the Throne Room lowered their heads. The sound they made might have been taken for a prayer.

    ? ? ?

    The throne was vacant after its master left, but the air in the Throne Room still boiled with excitement.

    Hearing their Supreme Overlord¡¯s orders to work as one filled everybody with iparable motivation, especially those who had been given specific orders.

    ¡°Everyone, raise your heads.¡±

    After hearing Albedo¡¯s calm and steady voice, the people whose heads were still lowered lifted their heads in unison.

    ¡°Everyone, please act as Ainz-sama orders. After that, I have something to announce.¡±

    Albedo¡¯s eyes were fixed on the g of Ainz Ooal Gown that hung behind the throne. The NPCs and servants behind her were also looking at it.

    ¡°Demiurge, tell everyone what Ainz-sama said to you.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Demiurge was kneeling with everyone else. However, his voice could clearly be heard by everyone present.

    ¡°Ainz-sama looked to the night sky and told me, ¡®Perhaps the reason that I havee here is to im this chest of jewels which belongs to nobody.¡¯ After that, he said, ¡®No, this is not something I can im for myself. Perhaps these jewels are meant to adorn the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick; myself and my friends from Ainz Ooal Gown.¡¯ The chest of jewels here refers to the world. This is where Ainz-sama¡¯s true ambitions lie.¡±

    Demiurge smiled, but it was filled with something other than kindness.

    ¡°Finally, Ainz-sama said, ¡®However, conquering this world might be quite interesting.¡¯ In short, that means...¡±

    The looks in everyone¡¯s eyes turned razor-sharp. It represented their iron will and determination.

    Albedo rose slowly, to look on everyone¡¯s faces.

    Everyone looked at Albedo, as if in response. At the same time, they looked at the g of Ainz Ooal Gown behind her.

    ¡°Understanding Ainz-sama¡¯s true intentions and preparing for them is the proof of our loyalty and the mark of excellent subordinates. Everyone must keep in mind that the final objective of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick is to deliver this chest of jewels ¡ª the world ¡ª to Ainz-sama.¡±

    Albedo was all smiles, and she turned that smile to the g behind her.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, we will definitely give this world to you.¡±

    Then, countless voices spoke as one, their words echoing across the Throne Room.

    ¡°We will render everything in this world unto its rightful ruler, Ainz-sama.¡±

 Chapter 7

    <h4>Overlord Volume 1 Afterword</h4>

    Pleased to meet you, dear readers who are reading the afterword.

    I am the author, Maruyama.

    This work is a revision of the web novel version of Overlord, with new characters as well as lots of new and edited content.

    If you have already bought this book, I am d.

    If you are browsing this book, I will use my psychic powers to make you bring it to the counter and pay for it. Muuun~

    The main character of this book is a skeletal magician who leads a vast evil organization, and he is meant to feel like the final boss of a game. Because of that, those readers who don¡¯t believe in saving people without a reward (as ismon in LNs or anime) and put themselves first will enjoy this book.

    Apart from that, while this work has already been on the for a long time, an important new character was added during the novelization. I would be very happy if everyone were toe to like her.

    The truth is that I have never written an afterword before. Therefore, allow me to express my sincere thanks next:

    I am especially grateful to my editor, F-da, whom I gave a lot of trouble, as well as so-bin-sama, who drew these beautiful insert pictures.

    In addition, I must thank Chord Design Studio, who made this beautiful cover page, as well as Ohaku-sama, who helped correct and revise many things. Thank you very much.

    In addition, I wish to thank the readers of the WN version who gave me their thoughts and who were willing to read this. Without you readers who found the WN interesting, it could not possibly have been novelized.

    I also want to thank my university friend Honey, who helped me correct many contradictory and confusing parts of the book. I will need your help in the future as well. Finally, I wish to thank the readers who purchased this book. I would be very proud if you find Overlord interesting.

    Incidentally, I n to correct and add more scenes and content to Volume 2. It feels like I¡¯m writing a new work, so I can¡¯t help but cry andin about theck of time.

    I would like it if you could support Volume 2 as well.

    Then, the afterword will end here.

    I am extremely grateful to all of you. If you can continue to support me, I would be overjoyed.

    See you again.

    July 2012

    Maruyama Kugane

 Chapter 8 - Volume 2

    Overlord Volume 2 Prologue

    Prologue

    The Supreme Ruler of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick had a luxurious office.

    Said office was filled with tasteful and exotic furniture, every single piece being of exquisite design and decoration. The crimson carpet upon the floor was thick and soft, swallowing the footsteps of those who trod upon it. gs bearing assorted insignia hung upon the walls in the depths of the room.

    An imposing mahogany desk sat in the center of the office. Its owner sat behind it, upon a ck leather chair.

    If one were to describe that man in one phrase ¡ª dressed as he was in a long, ck robe which seemed to absorb the light ¡ª then he would have to be an ¡°Overlord of Death.¡±

    His exposed head was a fleshless skull. The points of crimson light within its empty eye sockets were blended with faint traces of darkness.

    This was the man once known as Momonga, who had now taken on the name of the guild, Ainz Ooal Gown.

    Ainz meshed his skeletal fingers together. The nine rings on those fingers glittered as they reflected the magical radiance of ¡¸Continual Light¡¹ spells.

    ¡°Good grief... where shall I go from here?¡±

    YGGDRASIL was a Dive Massively Multiyer Online Roleying Game, which allowed its yers to immerse themselves in virtual reality and experience their adventures within the game world with their own bodies. It had been eight days since itsst day of service ¡ª when Ainz had been mysteriously transferred to a new world in the form of his character from the game.

    During this time, Ainz had studied the conditions and vassals of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick and learned about the various differences between this ce and the game world. Now, he was deciding on what he should do next.

    ¡°All shall proceed as you desire,¡± the beautiful woman replied to Ainz¡¯s muttering.

    She was a world ss beauty in a pure white dress, whose faint smile made her resemble a goddess. Her long ck hair was lustrous and silky, in stark contrast with the color of her dress, and it reached down to her waist. However, she was not a human being.

    Her golden pupils were vertically slit, and a pair of curling, ram-like horns protruded from both her temples. In addition, a pair of ck-feathered wings grew from her hips and covered her legs.

    ¡°Is that so, Albedo? I am pleased by your loyalty.¡±

    She was the Guardian Overseer of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, Albedo. She was the Non-yer Character (NPC) who was in charge of the seven Floor Guardians.

    When Ainz and his guildmates built the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick in the past, Albedo had been created as to work for them as an underling. However, she was now sentient and had pledged her undying loyalty to Ainz.

    While this situation pleased Ainz, on the flip side of things, he had only been a lowly sryman in his previous life, and so all this ced a great deal of stress on him, be it from having to act like a proper master in front of his subordinates or running Nazarick smoothly as its ruler.

    The biggest problem was the sheerck of information about this new world he currently inhabited.

    ¡°...Then, how about the next report?¡±

    ¡°Here, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Ainz epted the document from Albedo and immediately began scanning through it. The circr characters had been written with a fountain pen.

    This particr report came from Aura Be Fiora, Guardian of the Sixth Floor.

    It stated that they had not yet made contact with YGGDRASIL yers like Ainz, nor had they found any trace of them. She had done a search of the forest near the Great Underground Tomb, and she had found ake among the foothills of the mountain range at the end of the forest.

    Ainz nodded. Relief flooded through him as he learned that they had not found the beings in this world of which he was most wary ¡ª other yers.

    ¡°I understand. Tell Aura and her people to continue carrying out my orders.¡±

    ¡°Unders¡ª¡±

    A quiet knocking came from the door. Albedo nced at Ainz¡¯s expression, then bowed deeply and headed to the door. After verifying the identity of the visitor, Albedo replied:

    ¡°Shalltear seeks an audience.¡±

    ¡°Shalltear? That¡¯s fine, let her in.¡±

    After receiving Ainz¡¯s permission to enter, a girl of around fourteen years of age elegantly entered the office.

    She wore a ck ballroom gown with a bell-like skirt. Her skin was as pale as wax, and her perfectly proportioned face was that of a world ss beauty. Her long silver hair swayed as she walked, and her ample bosom ¡ª which did not match her age ¡ª wobbled mightily with every step that she took.

    She was the Guardian of the First to Third Floors, the ¡°True Ancestor,¡± Shalltear Bloodfallen.

    ¡°Greetings, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°The same to you, Shalltear. Why have youe to my room today?¡±

    ¡°Naturally, it was to admire your handsome features, Ainz-sama.¡±

    While there was obviously no expression on Ainz¡¯s skeletal face, the crimson points of light in his eye sockets red brightly.

    At first, he wanted to tell her to dispense with the pleasantries, but Ainz swallowed those words. However, he could see the smile on Albedo¡¯s face twisting as she looked upon Shalltear¡¯s crimson eyes, whose pupils were slowly filling with arousal.

    It was still a smile, and her beauty was not diminished in the slightest, but it was no longer a pleasant expression.

    Rather, it resembled the grinning of a demon.

    Still, Ainz quietly breathed a sigh of relief, because Albedo was staring at Shalltear, and not himself.

    ¡°Then, seeing as you have looked your fill, you may leave, Shalltear. Ainz-sama and I are currently deciding the future of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. Would you mind not interfering with our important work?¡±

    ¡°...It is basic courtesy to greet someone politely beforeunching into the main issue... aged old hags are so annoying. Could it be they¡¯re desperate because they¡¯re past their expiry date?¡±

    ¡°...Don¡¯t you think that food without an expiry date because it¡¯s stuffed full of preservatives is the same as poison? Expired food would be saferpared to that, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯d advise you not to look down on food poisoning. You might get an infection.¡±

    ¡°...The important thing is whether it can be eaten, right? Compared to what looks like arge disy of food, but the truth is... well, you know what I mean, right?¡±

    ¡°...A food disy? You¡¯ll die for that, bitch.¡±

    ¡°...Now who¡¯s the expired goods, hmph.¡±

    The looks on the feuding belles before Ainz could chill a hundred million year old love.

    Ainz decided to speak up before the two of them could no longer hold their impulses back and started ripping into each other.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough ying around, you two.¡±

    Their faces blossomed into beaming smiles as they heard hismand. Their previous expressions were gone, and now they were but two innocent, adorable girls.

    Women are really scary... no, it¡¯s just these two who are especially scary...

    After bing undead, any strong emotions Ainz experienced were immediately suppressed. Even so, he felt that the speed at which they had changed their expression was quite frightening.

    The two of them were at each other¡¯s throats because they were rivals in love.

    Albedo and Shalltear were both infatuated with Ainz. Any man who was unhappy with receiving the affections of two such gorgeous women was no man at all.

    However, Ainz could not bring himself to ept their feelings just like that.

    The main reason was because the necrophiliac Shalltear had once whispered sweetly into his ear, ¡°This beautiful bone structure must havee from the hands of a divine Creator.¡±

    To Shalltear, these words might have been a mumbled expression of love ¡ª or perhaps they were praise ¡ª but they were a great shock to Ainz. After all, this was the first time in his life that he had beenplimented on his looks ¡ª but it was as a skeleton. It had been several days since then, but he was still shaken.

    Ainz shook his head to banish those meaningless memories and replied:

    ¡°I ask you once more, Shalltear. Do you have anything else for me?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I will be meeting Sebas afterwards in order to fulfill the task set to me. Since I may not be able to return to Nazarick for some time, I came to bid farewell to you before I left.¡±

    Ainz remembered that he had given her such a task, and nodded.

    ¡°I see. Then, Shalltear, take care when aplishing your task and return home safely.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± she replied in a bright and clear voice.

    ¡°Then, you may leave, Shalltear. Also, as you go, tell Narberal or Entoma to send Demiurge over. Tell him I need to discuss contingency ns with him.¡±

    ¡°Understood, Ainz-sama.¡±

 Chapter 9 - Volume 2

    Overlord Volume 2 Chapter 1

    The Two Adventurers

    Part 1

    The Fortress City of E-Rantel stood at the intersection of three borders ¡ª those of the ine Theocracy, the Baharuth Empire, and the Re-Estize Kingdom. It was so named because it was defended by threeyers of walls. The districts enclosed by each concentric circle of the walls were distinctly different from each other.

    The outermost district was sometimes used to billet the troops from the Royal Army, and so it was fully furnished with barracks and other military facilities.

    The innermost district was the administrative area of the city. In addition, the district also contained storehouses forbat rations. Thus, it was heavily guarded.

    Between these two areas was the residential district, where the people of E-Rantel made their homes. This ce best fit the image that came to mind when one thought of a city.

    There were several zas here, and thergest of them was called the Central za. It was filled with stalls selling vegetables, spices, and other suchmercial products.

    Amidst the crowds, the stall owners energetically shouted their sales pitches to the people walking by, while the older women haggled with the merchants as they looked for fresh food. Drawn by fragrant scents, young men purchased skewers of roasted meat which oozed with warm juices.

    The rowdy, energetic atmosphere of this ce should havested until the sun went down. However, it suddenly went silent as a pair of figures emerged from a five story building nearby.

    Everyone in the za froze where they stood, their eyes were drawn to the two of them.

    One of these two people was a girl, who looked to be in herte teens. Her tapered eyes gleamed like onyxes, while her thick and lustrous ck hair was tied into a ponytail. Her snow white skin shone like pearls in the sun.

    What drew their attention most was the air of elegance which surrounded her, followed closely by her exotic beauty that would make anyone do a double take. Although the dark brown robe she wore was in in make, it looked like an opulent dress on her.

    The gender of her partner was unclear. Or rather, there was no way to tell her partner¡¯s gender.

    Someone muttered, ¡°Dark Warrior.¡±

    Indeed, that person was sheathed in an intricately engraved suit of full te armor that was edged in gold. There was no way to see that person¡¯s face through the narrow slits of the closed helm which that person wore. A pair of greatswords were visible below that person¡¯s flowing red cape, and they looked as impressive as that person¡¯s armor.

    The two of them looked around, and the fully armored person took a step forward.

    The onlookers watched the pair vanish into the distance, and then immediately began whispering about what they had seen. They did not seem afraid of their arms and armor.

    That was because the building the pair had just left was called the ¡°Adventurer¡¯s Guild,¡± It was a ce that only monster-hunting professionals would visit, so it was hardly strange to see armed peopleing out of there. In fact, several other simrly equipped people had left the building in the meantime. Those with keen eyes might have noticed a pair of copper tes hanging around the necks of that pair.

    That said, the two of them had drawn all that attention because of the woman¡¯s beauty and her partner¡¯s magnificent set of full te.

    ? ? ?

    The pair walked quietly down a narrow road.

    Sunlight reflected off the water caught in wagon-ruts on the road. Unlike proper cobbled roads, said water mixed with the earth and sand, which made for treacherous footing. A moment¡¯s carelessness might have led to a fall, but the two of them possessed excellent bnce, and so they moved along the road almost as quickly as a proper one.

    After verifying that there was nobody else around them, the light-footed woman turned to the fully-armored person beside her and said:

    ¡°Ainz-sa¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªNo, my name is Momon. Neither are you Narberal Gamma, battle maid (Pleiades) of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, but Nabe, Momon¡¯s adventuring partner.¡±

    The person in full te ¡ª Ainz ¡ª interrupted the girl ¡ª Narberal ¡ª halfway through her reply.

    ¡°Ah! My apologies, Momon-sama.¡±

    ¡°Also, don¡¯t call me -sama. We are simple adventurers, andpanions. It would be weird to address me like that.¡±

    ¡°B-But! How could I possibly be so disrespectful to the Supreme One?¡±

    Ainz gestured at Narberal to keep her voice down. She had raised it in her excitement. Then, in a tone that was somewhere between resignation and helplessness, he replied:

    ¡°Like I¡¯ve already said, several times, in this ce I am Momon the Dark... no, just Momon, and your partner. So don¡¯t call me -sama. That¡¯s an order.¡±

    After a short silence, Narberal reluctantly replied:

    ¡°Understood, Momon-sa¡ªn.¡±

    ¡°Forget it, this is fine too. Actually, dropping the -san would be good as well. After all, how shall I say this, addressing your partner as -san might make people think there¡¯s a distance between us.¡±

    ¡°But... would that not be too disrespectful...?¡±

    Ainz shrugged as Narberal mumbled.

    ¡°We cannot reveal our true identities. You understand that, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°...Your tone... mm, forget it. In any case... what I want to say is that you must be very careful in your words and actions.¡±

    ¡°...Understood, Momon-sa¡ªsan. However, is it really all right for me to apany you? Would not the beautiful and gentle Albedo-sama be better for this task?¡±

    ¡°Albedo...¡±

    Ainz¡¯s words betrayed hisplicated feelings as he replied:

    ¡°I need her to manage Nazarick for me while I am travelling.¡±

    ¡°...Though I fear to offend you, could the task of running Nazarick not be given to Cocytus-sama? The Guardians all say this too... that for the sake of your safety, Albedo-sama is the best choice as yourpanion. Do you not think so?¡±

    Narberal¡¯s question made Ainz smile bitterly.

    Among all the Guardians, Albedo had objected the most strenuously when Ainz had announced his decision to visit E-Rantel. It began when she learned that she would not be able to apany Ainz on his journey.

    After the transition to this mysterious new world, Ainz had gone for a walk without his vassals, something which Albedo med herself for. Thus he could not rebuke her too harshly. However, this was a deliberate expedition, unlike the stroll he had takenst time, and so he had to stick to his guns.

    As a Guardian she would obey his orders without fail, even if they conflicted with her own opinions. Yet, Ainz did not think of that as a good thing. All the Guardians were the product of his fellow guild members¡¯ hard work, and he felt guilty about forcing his will upon them.

    Therefore, Ainz tried to persuade Albedo ¡ª who staunchly disagreed with him ¡ª toe around to his way of thinking. However, neither of them could ept the other¡¯s opinions. At first, Ainz thought they would be deadlocked forever, but after Demiurge whispered something into Albedo¡¯s ear, her resistance suddenly evaporated. In the end, she fully approved of his journey and even sent him off with a smile.

    Until now, he still did not know what Demiurge had said to her. Ainz was a little uneasy about what could have made Albedo reverse her opinion so suddenly.

    ¡°...I did not bring her along because I trust her more than anyone else. It is because she is in Nazarick that I can leave it in peace.¡±

    ¡°I see! In other words, Albedo-sama is the closest person to you, Momon-sa¡ªn?¡±

    While he did not reply, ¡°Mm, well, kind of,¡± he did nod in response to Narberal¡¯s question.

    ¡°I am fully aware that this is potentially dangerous.¡±

    Ainz raised his gauntleted right hand and wiggled its ring finger.

    ¡°However, I must go in person. If I stay in Nazarick, there is a chance that I might make a miscalction. Therefore, I need to personally make contact with the outside world... indeed, there are other methods I could use, but all of them make me uneasy, given that there is so little we know about the situation.¡±

    Narberal replied, ¡°I see,¡± with a look of understanding on her face.

    Ainz narrowed his eyes at her through the slits of his helmet, and then asked in a somewhat uneasy tone:

    ¡°Incidentally, I have a question... Do you think humans are inferior lifeforms?¡±

    ¡°Yes, they are. Humans are worthless trash.¡±

    Narberal delivered her answer with firm conviction and without a moment¡¯s hesitation. Ainz muttered, ¡°Ah, so you felt that way too,¡± but his voice was too soft to reach Narberal¡¯s ears.

    After that, he continued grumbling, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to bring her along because her personality makes her react poorly to humans. Looks like I should have been certain of my subordinates¡¯ personalities beforehand. ¡±

    One of the reasons why he had not taken Albedo with him was because she firmly believed that humans were inferior lifeforms. If he brought someone like that into a highly popted city and then took his eyes off her for just a moment, there was a very real possibility that he might look back to find a gore soaked abattoir. In addition, Albedo had no disguise skills and could not conceal her horns and wings, which was another point against her.

    The greatest reason, however, was one that he could never speak out loud.

    That was the fact that Ainz was a mere sryman, and he had no confidence in running an organization if he had to rely on reports from others, with no direct observation on his part. Because of that, he handed the task of managing the Nazarick to the talented Albedo. If one had a capable subordinate, allowing them to take charge was a wise gesture; interference from an ipetent superior would only lead to tragedy.

    In addition Albedo was bound to Ainz by the twin shackles of ¡°love¡± and ¡°loyalty.¡± That was why Ainz could leave the operations of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick to her.

    Love, huh...

    Every time he saw Albedo, and every time she dered her love for him, Ainz was reminded of the mistake he made in altering Albedo¡¯s settings. Indeed, in thest moments before the game ended, he had changed Albedo¡¯s character settings so that she would deeply love Momonga ¡ª in other words, Ainz. Of course, he did not know that he would be transported to this new world. It had merely been a final, little joke.

    Still, when he thought about it ¡ª even if Albedo did not mind ¡ª what would his friend Tab Smaragdina think about what Ainz had done?

    What if it were himself? What if hisrades had interfered with his hand-created NPC (Pandora¡¯s Actor)...

    Worse still, he had made use of Albedo¡¯s absolute loyalty toward him for his own gain. He hated himself for that.

    Ainz shook his head to clear away these dark thoughts. Although his undead body automatically suppressed any strong emotions he felt, he still experienced petty emotions like those as keenly as he had when he was human. When he fully assumed an undead state of mind, perhaps he would no longer feel that sense of guilt.

    Distracted by these thoughts, the helmed Ainz turned to Narberal and said:

    ¡°...Nabe, I won¡¯t tell you to cast away those thoughts, but at the very least, you must control yourself. This is a human town, and we do not know what exceptional individuals they have among them. Therefore, we should try our best not to make enemies.¡±

    Narberal bowed deeply to him to show her loyalty and obedience. Ainz extended his hand to her, to bid her raise her head. Then he continued:

    ¡°There is one more thing. When we intend to fight in earnest, we might radiate a... killing intent, which humans might be able to sense. Well, something like that might happen. Therefore, you are not to get serious without my permission. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°I understand, Momon-sa¡ªn.¡±

    ¡°Very good... Then, the inn we heard about should be nearby.¡±

    Ainz looked around.

    There were several shops open for business nearby, their customers filing in and out of them. To the side were several people in work aprons, carrying goods.

    In this densely poptedmercial district, Ainz and Narberal had to look for the inn by inspecting the pictures on the shops¡¯ signs. This was because neither of them could read this country¡¯snguage.

    Before long, Ainz found the picture that he was looking for. His steps quickened, and Narberal followed suit.

    He scraped off the mud caked on his sabatons, climbed the steps to the western-style saloon doors, and opened them with both hands.

    The windows were closed, and so the interior was somewhat dark. People who were used to the light outside would probably not be able to see their hands stretched out in front of their faces. However, Ainz possessed darkvision, and he could see clearly with this meager amount of illumination.

    The inside of the building was quite spacious. The first floor was a dining area, with a counter further within. That counter was backed by shelves that contained dozens of bottles of alcohol. The door beside the counter most likely led to a kitchen.

    A spiral staircase turned up in the corner of the dining area. ording to the receptionist at the guild, the guest rooms were located on the second and third floors. One could see the scattered customers within seated around several round tables. Almost all of them were men, and the promise of violence hung heavily over them.

    Everyone¡¯s attention was on Ainz. They looked at him as though they were sizing him up. The only person who did not pay attention to Ainz was a woman seated in a corner. She was staring intently at a small bottle on her table.

    This tavern scene made Ainz furrow his nonexistent brows under his helmet.

    He had expected this sort of thing, but this ce was filthier than he had imagined.

    There were dirty and disgusting ces in YGGDRASIL, of course. Even the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick which Ainz ruled over contained such ces, such as Kyouhukou¡¯s room, the Venomous Cave, and so on.

    However, the filth here was different from those ces.

    The floor was covered in scraps of mysterious food and unknown liquids, while the walls were stained and there were chunks of some moldy substance in the corners of the room...

    Ainz sighed internally, and looked into the tavern.

    A man in a dirty apron stood there, his stout arms protruding from his rolled-up sleeves. They were covered in several scars, and Ainz could not tell if they were caused by the ws of wild beasts or by des of some sort.

    He looked somewhere between imposing and bestial, and there were scars on his face as well. His head was shavedpletely bald, without a single hair left standing on his scalp.

    This man, who looked more like a bouncer than an innkeeper, sized up Ainz as he held a mop in one hand.

    ¡°A room, huh. For how long?¡± a voice like a broken bell called out to Ainz.

    ¡°We wish to stay for one night.¡±

    The innkeeper replied crudely, ¡°...A copper te, huh. A night is five coppers. The food¡¯s oatmeal and vegetables; meat¡¯s an extra copper. Might be getting days-old bread instead of the oatmeal.¡±

    ¡°If it is at all possible, I would like a double room.¡±

    Ainz thought he could hear the man snorting.

    ¡°...In this town, there¡¯s three inns that cater to adventurers, and mine¡¯s the worst of these three... you know why the guild sent you here?¡±

    ¡°I do not. Could you tell me why?¡±

    Faced with Ainz¡¯s answer, the innkeeper furrowed his frown and turned a frightening look upon him.

    ¡°Use your brains a little! Or is that shy helmet of yours empty inside, huh!?¡±

    Ainz remained calm, despite the innkeeper¡¯s annoyed retort. Perhaps his ability to weather this childish tantrum was the result of experiencing that battle several days ago.

    That battle ¡ª as well as the information squeezed out of the prisoners they had taken ¡ª had allowed Ainz to understand how powerful he was. Because of that, he could calmly face this shouting.

    The innkeeper seemed surprised to see Ainz¡¯s reaction, and said:

    ¡°...You¡¯ve got some guts, huh... The people who stay here are mostly copper or iron te adventurers. If you¡¯ve got some strength, you can form a party here, if you¡¯re lucky. Therefore, there¡¯s no better ce than this to find party members whose strength matches yours...¡±

    Something seemed to sh through the innkeeper¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine if you want to sleep in a room, but if you don¡¯t make contacts here, you won¡¯t be able to find party members. If you can¡¯t form a well-bnced, strong team, you¡¯ll die out there against the monsters. That¡¯s why novices with norades advertise themselves in ces with a lot of people. So I¡¯ll ask you one more time: do you want to sleep in the dormitory or in a double room, huh?¡±

    ¡°A double room. And I¡¯ll pass on the food.¡±

    ¡°Cheh, another punk who doesn¡¯t appreciate other¡¯s kindness... or are you trying to say that you¡¯re something else and that full te isn¡¯t for show? Ah, forget it, that¡¯ll be seven coppers a night. Upfront, of course.¡±

    The innkeeper extended his hand in one smooth motion.

    Ainz stepped forward, followed by Narberal. The two of them were bathed in the appraising looks of everyone in the room ¡ª when suddenly, someone stuck a foot into Ainz¡¯s path, as though to prevent Ainz from moving forward.

    Ainz halted, and turned to the man who had stuck his foot out.

    He had an annoying smile on his face, which was mirrored by everyone else at his table. They stared at Ainz and Narberal.

    Neither the innkeeper or the other customers stepped forward to stop this. They were watching silently.

    Although everyone seemed to be uninterested in the proceedings, or looking forward to a good show, there were quite a few of them who were intently studying the situation.

    Give me a break...

    Ainz sighed, and lightly kicked away the foot in front of him.

    The man suddenly stood up, as though he had been waiting just for that. Since he was unarmored, his bulging muscles were clearly visible under his clothes. He had a ne like Ainz did, but his was an iron te, which swayed as the man moved.

    ¡°Oi, oi, that hurt.¡±

    The man approached Ainz, speaking in a threatening manner as he did. He had a gauntlet on his hand, which he must have put on while standing up. It creaked as he clenched his fist.

    The two of them were roughly the same height, and they red at each other with wrathful eyes. It seemed a bit too close for a fistfight. Ainz decided to fire the first shot:

    ¡°Is that so? I must have missed the foot in front of me because of this closed helm, or perhaps your leg was just too short... well, that¡¯s my excuse, can you forgive me for that?¡±

    ¡°...Bastard.¡±

    A dangerous look crept into the man¡¯s eyes as Ainz¡¯s taunt sank in. However, he turned his angry gaze to Narberal, who was standing behind Ainz, stering his eyes on her.

    ¡°You¡¯re an annoying fellow... But I¡¯m a generous man. As long as you lend me your woman for a night, I¡¯ll forgive you.¡±

    ¡°Ku, kukuku...¡±

    Ainz could not help but sneer at the man, and he lightly raised his hand to keep Narberal from stepping forward.

    ¡°...What¡¯s so funny?¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. I couldn¡¯t help butugh at the way you sound like a stereotypical punk. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    ¡°Wha?¡±

    The angry man¡¯s face flushed red.

    ¡°Ah, before we start, can I ask a question? Are you stronger than Gazef Stronoff?¡±

    ¡°Wha? The hell are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°I see, it¡¯s all clear from your reaction. If it¡¯s like that, then I won¡¯t even need to y with you.¡±

    Ainz swiftly grabbed the man by the neck, and then hoisted his body off the ground.

    The man could not even dodge, much less resist the sudden clinch. He went, ¡°Uoh!¡± in surprise as he was lifted up. The men around him who were watching the show only added to the excitement. How strong was this guy, if he could lift a grown man with one arm? The imaginations of everyone present were now considering that topic.

    A wave of surprise and consternation swept the inn. As though to shatter the atmosphere of shock in the air, Ainz raised the man ¡ª whose legs were dangling and kicking furiously ¡ª and gently tossed him away.

    Well, it was gentle for Ainz.

    The thrown man flew in a neat trajectory with frightening speed, skimming the ceiling as he went, and fell heavily to the ground.

    The sounds of the man¡¯s body striking a nearby table, an object on the table breaking, the nks of the table splitting apart and the man¡¯s own howls of pain blended together and echoed through the tavern. Then, the whole ce fell silent, as though startled by the noise. However¡ª

    ¡°Ogyaaaa¡ª!¡±

    ¡ªA beatter, the woman seated at that table emitted a strange wail. It was a cry of despair that a soul might make as it rose to heaven.

    No, it would only be natural to scream like this if a man suddenly fell out of the sky andnded in front of someone. There was another reason here, mixed into the shocked cry.

    ¡°...Then, what do the rest of you n to do? Can you save me the trouble ande all at once? It¡¯s foolish to waste time on things like this.¡±

    Ainz¡¯s words were directed at the other men seated at the table of the fellow he had just thrown. They immediately got his meaning, and hurriedly lowered their heads.

    ¡°Ah? N-No! Our buddy offended you! We¡¯re very sorry!¡±

    ¡°...Mm. I forgive you. Besides, it hardly inconvenienced me. However, you had best pay the innkeeper for that table.¡±

    ¡°Of, of course! We will pay the full price!¡±

    Just as Ainz felt the matter was at an end and turned away, a voice froze him in his tracks.

    ¡°Wait wait wait!¡±

    Turning around, he saw the woman who had made that weird cry just now. She was stomping up to him.

    She looked to be in her twenties or younger, and her red hair was messily-cut, yet at a good length for movement. It could not be described as neat by any stretch of the word. To be more precise, it resembled a bird¡¯s nest.

    She had a pretty face and a keen edge to her eyes. She did not wear makeup, and her healthy body was tanned brown by the sun. Her arms were muscr and her palms were covered in calluses from wielding a sword. The word that first came to mind when he saw her was not ¡°woman,¡± but ¡°warrior.¡±

    A small iron te hung around her chest, and it shook mightily with every step she took.

    ¡°See what you¡¯ve done!¡±

    ¡°What have I done?¡±

    ¡°Hah!? Don¡¯t you even know what you did?¡±

    The woman pointed at the shattered table.

    ¡°You threw that guy over and broke my potion, my precious potion!¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°And!? You¡ª!¡±

    Her gaze sharpened further, and her tone became low and dangerous.

    ¡°Pay me back for my potion.¡±

    ¡°...It¡¯s just a potion...¡±

    ¡°...I starved and scrimped and saved to buy that potion today! And now you broke it! I¡¯ve always believed that I could get through a dangerous adventure as long as I had a potion, but now you¡¯ve shattered my hopes and dreams! And you¡¯ve still got an attitude like that? Ahhhh, it makes me so mad!¡±

    The woman drew closer to Ainz.

    It seemed like a wild bull had just seen red and was approaching him.

    Ainz suppressed a sigh at himself. Indeed, he had made a mistake by throwing the man without thinking about where he mightnd. However, Ainz had his own reasons for not payingpensation that easily.

    ¡°...How about asking that man to pay you back? If he hadn¡¯t stuck his short leg out, this tragedy would not have taken ce. Am I wrong?¡±

    Ainz¡¯s gaze swept across the man¡¯s buddies through the slit of his helmet.

    ¡°Ah, yes, that¡¯s right...¡±

    ¡°However...¡±

    ¡°Forget it, I don¡¯t care who pays me back as long as it¡¯s a potion or its equivalent in cash... although, that potion was worth one gold and ten silvers.¡±

    The men lowered their heads. It would seem they did not have the money to pay. Thus, the girl turned on Ainz again.

    ¡°As I thought, these drunkards wouldn¡¯t have that sort of money. Well, seeing as you¡¯re dressed in such a shy suit of armor, surely you must have a healing potion, right?¡±

    No wonder, Ainz thought. So that was why this woman was asking Ainz to pay up.

    He thought briefly about it,posed himself, and replied:

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t... although, that was a recovery potion, am I correct?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. I saved up for every little¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªAll right, I get it, that¡¯s enough. I¡¯ll pay you back with another potion, and we¡¯ll be even.¡±

    Ainz handed her a Minor Healing Potion. She looked at the potion bottle in surprise, then reluctantly epted it.

    ¡°...This should be fine, right?¡±

    ¡°...Mm, I guess.¡±

    The woman seemed to have more to say, but Ainz cast aside his doubts. The more important thing was his uneasiness over whether Narberal would do something big and blow their cover.

    Narberal still had abative look in her eyes, even though Ainz had already chided her. Some of them seemed to sense her hostility and felt uneasy.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Ainz curtly told Narberal. They went before the innkeeper and Ainz withdrew a single silver piece from his leather purse before cing it on the crudely-made counter.

    The innkeeper silently slipped it into his pant pocket and returned Ainz several copper pieces.

    ¡°Mm. Here¡¯s six coppers back.¡±

    He ced the copper coins onto Ainz¡¯s gauntleted hand, and thenid a small key on the counter.

    ¡°First room on the right once you go up the stairs. You can put your gear into the chests at the foot of the bed. This goes without saying, but don¡¯t barge into people¡¯s rooms without permission. Might lead to trouble if someone gets the wrong idea. Although, it¡¯s a pretty good way to let people know you. You look like the sort who can handle all kinds of problems. Just don¡¯t give me a problem.¡±

    The innkeeper narrowed his eyes at the man that Ainz had thrown, who was moaning on the floor.

    ¡°Understood. Also, I¡¯ll need a basic adventurer¡¯s kit for us. We¡¯ve lost some of our things and the Guild said that you¡¯d prepare one for us if we asked.¡±

    The innkeeper looked at Ainz and Narberal, and then looked straight at Ainz¡¯s purse.

    ¡°Mm, I got it. I¡¯ll get it ready by dinner. Just be ready to pay.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Then, Nabe, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Ainz brought Narberal up the old staircase. The wood creaked under his feet as he headed for his room.

    ? ? ?

    After Ainz¡¯s silhouette vanished up at the second floor, the buddies of the man which Ainz threw rushed up and began casting curative magic on him. Their actions seemed to be the spark which caused the silent tavern to burst into mor.

    ¡°...It seems he¡¯s as strong as he looks.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s it. His arm strength is unbelievable, how did he train it?¡±

    ¡°He must be pretty confident to carry no weapons besides those two greatswords.¡±

    ¡°Dammit, another guy¡¯s going to leap ahead of us as well.¡±

    The scattered conversations were filled with awe, surprise, and fear.

    They all knew that Ainz was not an ordinary person.

    The first reason for that was his impressive equipment. Full te armor was hardly cheap, and one would need to have gone on many adventures ¡ª in other words, be an experienced adventurer ¡ª in order to purchase it. One would need to be at least a silver te in order to umte enough capital for such a feat. However, some people inherited their suits from their predecessors, or found those suits on the battlefield or in ruins.

    That was why they wanted to take a measure of his ability.

    Everyone here was arade and apetitor at the same time. They all wanted to know the strength of any neers. The circumstances from just now had urred in the past as well, over and over again.

    The truth was, everyone here had experienced this sort of thing in the past. However, none of them had passed the test so easily before. In other words, that pair of copper ranked adventurers...

    They would be very strong, either as rivals or allies. Everyone here was fully convinced of that.

    ¡°Now, how should we deal with those two?¡±

    ¡°Flirting with that beautiful woman is out of the question...¡±

    ¡°If only we could get them into our party...¡±

    ¡°You must be mistaken, they should be in our party.¡±

    ¡°What does he look like under that helmet?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go listen on their wall tonight.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t he mention the region¡¯s strongest man, Gazef Stronoff?¡±

    ¡°Could it be that he¡¯s a disciple of the Warrior-Captain?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s certainly possible. Leave this task to a big-eared thief like me!¡±

    As the crowd eagerly discussed the mysterious pair, the innkeeper walked up to one of the adventurers.

    She was holding the potion Ainz had given her just now.

    ¡°Oi, Britta.¡±

    ¡°Hm? What?¡±

    The woman ¡ª Britta ¡ª turned her eyes away from staring at the red potion and looked disinterestedly at the innkeeper.

    ¡°What kind of potion is that?¡±

    ¡°Who knows?¡±

    ¡°...Oi oi, you don¡¯t know either? You epted his potion aspensation, shouldn¡¯t you know its value?¡±

    ¡°How could I? Besides, I¡¯ve never seen a potion like this before. Gramps, you came here because you were curious too, right?¡±

    Britta was right.

    ¡°Does it cover the value of your potion that got smashed? This might end up being cheaper than the one you bought.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true. It¡¯s definitely a gamble, but one I¡¯m confident of winning. This was something that guy in the shy armor gave me after he heard the price of my potion.¡±

    ¡°I see...¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯ve never seen a healing potion of this color before. It might be a rare treasure. If I dyed and he said he would pay in cash, I¡¯d being back from the dragon¡¯s den with nothing to show for it, right? In any case, I¡¯ll take it for appraisal tomorrow and find out how much it¡¯s worth.¡±

    ¡°Oh, in that case, I¡¯ll cover the appraisal fee for you. In fact, I¡¯ll even rmend a good ce for you to visit.¡±

    ¡°You will, gramps?¡±

    Britta furrowed her brows. The innkeeper was a good man, but he was hardly a Good Samaritan either. He must have something in mind.

    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t look at me like that. I just want you to tell me the effects of this potion.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s a trade, then?¡±

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s a good trade, right? Besides, I can rmend a really good herbalist to you through my connections. I¡¯m talking about that Lizzie Bareare.¡±

    Britta¡¯s eyes went wide with surprise.

    E-Rantel was a ce with many mercenaries and adventurers. It specialized in selling weapons and other items to these people, and among them the trade in potions was quite brisk. Therefore, E-Rantel had more herbalists than a normal city.

    Amidst this fiercepetition, Lizzie Bareare had earned fame as the best herbalist in the region. She could make the mostplex potions of all the herbalists in the city. Since the innkeeper had mentioned her by name, Britta had no way of refusing his offer.

    Part 2

    The wooden door closed with a thud.

    The room was bare, apart from a pair of crudely-made bed frames with apanying chests. After opening the windowblinds, they could directly feel the sunlight and outside air.

    Ainz was somewhat disappointed as he finished his circr sweep of the room. Although he could not expect Nazarick-level furnishings and cleanliness in a godforsaken ce like this, he still wanted to get out of here.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe he would dare let you stay in a ce like this, Momon-sama.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Nabe. Our aim is to be adventurers, and then increase our fame to the point where everyone knows of us. Until then, it won¡¯t hurt to experience the life of a newbie.¡±

    Ainz tried to soothe Narberal after closing the window blinds, without expressing his own dissatisfaction. There was not enough sunlighting in through the blinds to light up the entire room. Ainz and Nabe both possessed darkvision, so it was hardly an obstacle to them, but for a normal person, this room would be so dark that they would have trouble seeing.

    ¡°Still... the life of an adventurer is pretty banal.¡±

    Adventurers.

    Once, Ainz dreamed about that profession.

    He envisioned them as people who chased after the unknown and had adventures in various parts of the world. Ainz had previously thought that adventurers were a physical manifestation of the right way to y YGGDRASIL, but after listening to the Guild receptionist, he realised that adventuring was a more realistic and more boring job than he had expected.

    Simply put, adventurers were ¡°anti-monster mercenaries.¡±

    Although some parts of it fit his dreams of them ¡ª for instance, delving into the ruins of kingdoms destroyed by the Demon Gods two hundred years ago and investigating mysteries in unchartednds ¡ª for the most part, they were simply monster hunters.

    Every monster possessed different special abilities, so they could only be taken care of by people who knew more tricks than average soldiers.

    Just going by that point, one might think that they were heroes who were loved and relied on by themon man, like in games.

    However, the reality was somewhat different from that.

    This was because the ruling authorities did not smile on the existence of armed groups which they could not control. Therefore, aside from the prices theymanded, adventurers did not have much status.

    Another reason why adventurers were not epted on a national scale was because of the same thinking which madepanies look for cheap, local temps than employing expensive permanent staff. Thus, much like how temps were treated bypanies who could get by without hiring them, adventurers were held in lower regard in those nations which could eliminate monsters by dint of their own military power.

    ording to the Guild receptionist, there were no adventurers in the ine Theocracy, while life had gotten worse for adventurers in the Baharuth Empire after the ascension of their new Emperor.

    Ainz banished his mild disappointment from his heart. It was amon thing in life to find that a job which one admired was hardly as morous in reality.

    With a brief wave of his hand, the ck armor and the two greatswords on his back melted away into nothingness, and a skeleton bedecked in magic items was revealed.

    He wore a pair of ck mirrorshades and a red targeting sight. The silver circlet on his head was set with amethysts and thorns grew from it, making it look like a rose vine.

    Then there were the long-sleeved shirt and cks, made of a lustrous, gauzy ck material. A ck belt secured the pants around his waist.

    Ainz took off the sturdy gauntlets, and there were rings on all his bony fingers save the left ring finger.

    His half-boots were made of a reddish-brown leather, and they were embroidered with gold thread.

    A silver ne with a lion-head pendant hung around his neck, and around it was a red cape.

    Magic items in YGGDRASIL were made by infusing an item skin with a data crystal, so it was quite difficult to coordinate their appearance. However, many yers disliked wearing a clownsuit, so after a certain update, yers were given several ways to change their equipment¡¯s appearance without changing their gear.

    (TL note: ¡±clownsuit¡± is the MMO term for a visually mismatched set of equipment only worn for their stat boosts)

    The suit of finely articted ck te armor, made by the ¡¸Create Greater Item¡¹ spell, was one of those ways.

    Currently, Ainz was wearing Sure-Hit sses, a Crown of Mental Fortitude, ck Widow Spider Clothes, a ck Belt, the Jarngreipr from earlier, a Nemean Lion pendant, Haste Boots, among other items.

    In YGGDRASIL, trading in magic items was usually done in the form of data crystals. However, there were people who sold second-hand items in order to make even stronger ones. It was at this point that a problem arose ¡ª the names of magic items made by other people might include forbiddennguage, or it might insult someone. Sometimes, the GMs would ask the yers in question to rename the items.

    In general, naming items was left to the fancy of the creator.

    As a result, items with weird names were not very popr on the market. Although cash items which could rename them were not expensive, very few people wanted to make that expenditure.

    Thus, every yer racked their brains to give their items good names. Sometimes the names would be in English, or they woulde from mythology.

    Of course, there were exceptions to this as well.

    For instance, naming rings was very troublesome, so most people tended to call them Ring1, Ring2, Ring3 and so on. Ainz had even seen someone who called them Thumb Ring, Index Finger Ring, Middle Finger Ring, and so on.

    Ainz had a friend called Warrior Takemikazuchi, who wielded two katanas from time to time. He named one of them ¡ª the eighth of its line ¡ª ¡°Takemikazuchi Mk 8.¡±

    The red cape he was wearing had also been named along that line of thought.

    Inspired by an anti-hero from Americanics, it was called the Necrosmic Mantle.

    (TL Note: in other words, Spawn¡¯s cape)

    All of these were relic ss items. They were two tiers lower than Ainz¡¯s main gear, but he had considered that problems might arise from bringing items which were too strong, so he settled for equipment of this level.

    Ainz worked his shoulders and savored the sensation of being free from his armor. Just then, Narberal asked a question:

    ¡°Speaking of which, how shall we deal with that annoying woman?¡±

    ¡°Ah, the one whose potion we broke? We don¡¯t need to split hairs with her. I¡¯d be angry as well if someone broke something important to me.¡±

    Or at least, until his emotion suppression kicked in. Ainz paused for a while, before continuing:

    ¡°...Well, probably. It¡¯s only natural for her to scold me for my carelessness.¡±

    ¡°But all that was because a foolish human tried to provoke a Supreme Being. That man is the one who was to me.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps, but I was the one who threw that man. Therefore, I hope that you will be big hearted and forgive her. What we should be doing in this city is bing a part of this world, to increase the renown of Momon and Nabe. It would reflect badly on us if rumors spread that we could not even pay someone back the value of a single potion.¡±

    Narberal nodded, although she could not quite ept what Ainz had said.

    ¡°Also, we should give her some face, since she¡¯s technically our senior in this field.¡±

    Ainz fiddled with the ne he wore, though he kept his fingers away from the Nemean Lion.

    If it¡¯s just a simple metal te, then it can be forged... although that should probably be something for the Guild to worry about.

    That small copper te was something like a set of dog tags. It was what allowed people to know the strength of an adventurer.

    Copper. Iron. Silver. Gold. tinum. Mithril. Orichalcum. Adamantite.

    Thetter metals were more valuable, which meant that adventurers of those ranks could select more difficult and more rewarding quests. This was part of the system the Guild had developed to keep adventurers from going to pointless deaths.

    Ainz, a freshly-registered adventurer, was of the lowest ss ¡ª copper. That woman was an iron te. Showing her a basic level of courtesy was the secret of sessfully blending into society.

    ¡°However, I feel that such soft metals like adamantite are not worthy of you, Ainz-sama. Apoitakara, hihiirokane, or other prismatic metals would be more fitting of yourself. These people in the Guild have no taste at all.¡±

    The metals Narberal had named were of the highest tiers in YGGDRASIL. Ainz turned a sharp look on her, and then said:

    ¡°Narberal, just to be safe, call me Momon while we are in this town.¡±

    ¡°Understood, Momon-sama!¡±

    ¡°Do you need me to remind you again? Call me Momon.¡±

    ¡°My, my deepest apologies, Momon-sa¡ªn.¡±

    ¡°...Momon-sa¡ªn sounds kind of stupid, don¡¯t you think? Forget it, if it¡¯s hard for you to just call me Momon, then Momon-san will do. Got it?¡±

    ¡°I understand, Momon-san.¡±

    Once again, Narberal bowed deeply at the waist. Ainz tapped at his forehead with a finger.

    She has no idea why I want her to call me Momon-san. She¡¯s kind of useless... forget it, there¡¯s nobody else I can use for now, so I¡¯ll forgive her.

    ¡°This is our n for the future¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Narberal promptly genuflected before Ainz. It was the attitude of a vassal awaiting orders.

    An annoyed Ainz had no idea how to proceed. Though he had locked the door aftering in, gossip would swiftly spread if people saw this scene.

    Still... why doesn¡¯t she understand the reason that I want her to call me Momon? I even exined it to her beforeing to the inn...

    With a tone of vague resignation, Ainz said:

    ¡°We are here to go undercover as adventurers in this city. This is because we have to collect information on adventurers ¡ª in other words, the strongest people in this world ¡ª though our emphasis will be on learning about YGGDRASIL yers, like myself. Attaining higher ranks will allow us to take higher ranked jobs, which will also allow us to collect more reliable and useful information. Therefore, our first objective is to be sessful adventurers.¡±

    After Narberal indicated that she understood, Ainz told her about the things she had to do.

    ¡°However, there are several problems at the moment.¡±

    Ainz withdrew his small purse and opened it, then dumped its contents onto his hand. They were coins, and there were very few of them. There was no glint of gold among the coin.

    ¡°To begin with, we have no money.¡±

    There were several reasons why Ainz had paid with a potion during the prior dispute. One of them was because he was not confident they could solve this problem with money. Saying that he had no money to pay would beughable.

    Ainz turned to the surprised Narberal, and exined:

    ¡°No, I should say that we do have a lot of money, but the currency we have isrgely YGGDRASIL gold coins. Therefore, I would like to use those gold coins as ast resort.¡±

    ¡°Why is that? Haven¡¯t we already confirmed that YGGDRASIL coins have mary value?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, I learned from Carne Vige that each YGGDRASIL gold coin is worth two of the local gold coins. However, if we use YGGDRASIL gold coins here, there¡¯s no telling where they¡¯ll end up. If things go bad, the news might spread beyond to others, and it¡¯ll be a tant advertisement to other YGGDRASIL yers that we¡¯re here. Therefore, we have to avoid that situation as long as we do not fully understand the situation.¡±

    ¡°yers... entities on the same level as yourself, Ainz-sama, and the viins who once attacked Nazarick.¡±

    Ainz frowned as she referred to him as Ainz-sama, but he did not say anything, for the same reasons as just now.

    ¡°Indeed. They are people that cannot be taken lightly.¡±

    His ¡ª Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s ¡ª level was the highest in YGGDRASIL, level one hundred. However, to yers, being maximum level was hardly a rare thing. It could be said that most yers were level one hundred.

    Ainz considered himself to be among the upper-middle tier of the game¡¯s yers. This was because he was focused on taking levels in sses to better roley an undead magic caster, and neglected raising his own power. However, given the divine ss items he possessed, as well as his numerous cash items, he might be ranked in the middle of the top tier. Still, he could not take things easy. There was always a bigger fish, after all.

    Thus, he had to avoid being found by other yers, at any cost. There were many opponents Ainz could not defeat if he was drawn into battle.

    In addition, there were many yers who were human, and they would naturally protect other humans. If these yers shed with people like Albedo, who viewed humans as inferior lifeforms, the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick ¡ª or Ainz Ooal Gown ¡ª might very well count humanity as enemies. That was why he felt bringing Albedo along was dangerous.

    Still, I didn¡¯t expect Narberal to feel the same way as well.

    Ainz did not view humanity as an enemy, but he could kill human beings with no hesitation for the sake of his goals. Even so, he wanted to avoid conflict with other yers.

    ¡°Well, that was a waste.¡±

    ¡°What was a waste?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m talking about how we lost Nigun so easily. He had a lot of information, but he perished under such simple questioning.¡±

    There were roughly ten people still alive from the members of the Sunlight Scripture captured at Carne Vige. The rest died during questioning and became media for Ainz to summon undead with his skills.

    As he recalled the information tortured out of his captives, Ainz could not help but mutter:

    ¡°Most yers would want to support the ine Theocracy...¡±

    The ine Theocracy was a religious nation which venerated the Six Gods, who descended upon the world six hundred years ago.

    In the words of the Sunlight Scripture, the ine Theocracy fought to allow the weak human race to prosper, grow strong, and defeat other species. Any yer with any remaining humanity would approve of the ine Theocracy¡¯s aims.

    Unlike his own world, where humanity stood atop all living creatures, in this world, humanity was one of the weakest species around.

    Though they could build such an impressive city upon the ins, the fact that they had to live on the ins only highlighted humanity¡¯s weakness.

    That said, ins were also dangerous ces. Firstly, there was no ce to hide, so it was easy to be discovered by the enemy. Only weak species, whocked darkvision, would choose to live in a ce like this. They would have no safe spaces or living room if they chose otherwise.

    There were species who were physically stronger and possessed more advanced civilizations than humans, but they were not in control of the continent. This was because they had ended up fighting the Eight Greed Kings, who dominated thisnd five hundred years ago. Humanity was one of the few survivors of that war. If not, the human race would long since be extinct.

    Any yers in this world would want to help out humanity. That was why Ainz was on guard against yers and kept his distance from the ine Theocracy.

    ¡°In any case, I n to sell off the swords taken from the ine Theocracy troops pretending to be knights... but before that, we need to get a job.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Then, shall we visit the guild again tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Although I¡¯d like to learn more by walking around this city, we should leave that for after we¡¯ve earned some money.¡±

    ¡°I see. As a battle maid, I shall carry out your orders with all my strength.¡±

    ¡°Is that so. Then, I¡¯ll be counting on you, Narberal.¡±

    Ainz felt a warm glow of satisfaction as he watched Narberal bowing deeply. Then he cast a spell, and was wrapped in his armor and illusion once more.

    ¡°I will be inspecting our surroundings. You will stay here and wait for orders.¡±

    ¡°Please allow me toe with you!¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m only looking around the neighborhood. I¡¯ve heard of arge graveyard which I want to visit... and the other reason why you¡¯re staying here is to ward off intruders. You must stay on your guard and never ck off. While I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any vulnerabilities in our defenses for the moment, this ce might well be considered enemy territory, so you must never rx.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave the scheduled call-ins to you as well.¡±

    ? ? ?

    As Ainz left the room, Narberal sighed deeply.

    Then she rubbed the corner of her eyes, and her eyes, previously filled with a keen expression, drooped powerlessly. Her face lookedpletely rxed. Even her ponytail seemed to have lost its energy and hung limply down.

    However, she still recalled her supreme master¡¯s orders.

    Though Narberal was dying to look around outside the room, she was a magic caster and had a lot of trouble replicating the feats of thieves. Therefore, she used the skills she was familiar with to make up the shortfall.

    ¡°¡¸Rabbit¡¯s Ear¡¹.¡±

    A pair of adorable bunny ears grew from Narberal¡¯s head as the spell was cast. The quivering ears immediately picked up all the sounds around her.

    This was one of the three spells known as ¡°Bunny Magic¡± to the yers of YGGDRASIL. The other two were ¡¸Rabbit¡¯s Foot¡¹, which boosted luck, and ¡¸Bunny Tail¡¹, which reduced monster aggro. Casting all three of these spells at once would change the appearance of a female character¡¯s clothing, and so they were very popr. However, Narberal did not cast the other two because they were not needed.

    Most of Narberal¡¯s spells pertained tobat. This was one of the few exceptions.

    After listening to the sounds around her, she made sure it was safe before casting the ¡¸Message¡¹ spell. As she expected, a pleasant female voice spoke within her head.

    ¡ºNarberal Gamma, is something the matter?¡»

    ¡°Yes, this is the scheduled report.¡±

    Narberal was speaking to the Guardian Overseer of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, Albedo.

    She described every detail of the situation to Albedo, and finally she mentioned the news that Albedo was dying to hear:

    ¡°Ainz-sama mentioned you, Albedo-sama. He said that there was nobody else he could trust apart from you.¡±

    ¡ºKufu¡ª!¡»

    A strange cry of delight resounded within Narberal¡¯s head.

    ¡ºGood ¡ª very good ¡ª Narberal, you¡¯re a good girl! Keep spreading that news for me! This is an order from Nazarick¡¯s Guardian Overseer!¡»

    Narberal wondered, Is this really worth an order? However, she realized that this might be a move in the struggle to better serve the Supreme One. Thus, such an order made perfect sense.

    Just as Narberal was about to express her doubts, she heard Albedo¡¯s excited voice once more.

    ¡ºI¡¯ll slowly decrease the distance between myself and Ainz-sama while Shalltear is out on business! Although the objective is hard to breach, as long as I keep up the pressure and gain a beachhead, I¡¯ll be able to bring it down one day! On that glorious day, Shalltear will weep bitter tears of regret!¡»

    Albedo¡¯s cry of delight made Narberal furrow her brows. That excited voice was starting to annoy her.

    With a voice that suggested she might burst into dance at any moment, Albedo continued babbling about what she would do next, and how things had to be, and then suddenly, she asked in a calm voice:

    ¡ºStill, why are you helping me? Why did you choose me and not Shalltear? Could it be that you want something from me?¡»

    ¡°The answer is simple. If someone asked me whether Albedo-sama or Shalltear-sama was more suitable to sit beside Ainz-sama, I would definitely answer with your name, Albedo-sama.¡±

    ¡ºKufu¡ª! Wonderful. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be able to see the future of Nazarick. I¡¯m impressed.¡»

    ¡°Also, Yuri-neesama has a hard time dealing with Shalltear-sama.¡±

    ¡ºOh, Yuri Alpha. I see, so that¡¯s how it is. Are the others on my side as well?¡»

    The faces of the assistant leader Yuri Alpha as well as her otherrades appeared in Narberal¡¯s mind.

    ¡°That is hard to tell. Lupusregina is with you, Albedo-sama, but Solution is on Shalltear-sama¡¯s side. As for Entoma and Shizu, their allegiances are not yet known.¡±

    ¡ºCan Solution be won over?¡»

    ¡°It would be very difficult, because her tastes are very simr to Shalltear-sama¡¯s.¡±

    ¡ºOh, I see... what crude hobbies she has.¡»

    Narberal agreed with Albedo¡¯s words. She had no idea why Solution liked what she did, and she could not help but tilt her head in puzzlement.

    Although all human beings were inferior lifeforms ¡ª with one exception ¡ª none of them had the hobby of tormenting humans. However, they would kill any humans who got in their way, even if doing so was tedious. That said, they would not go out of their way to kill them.

    ¡ºWell, it can¡¯t be helped. Then, move quickly and bring the other girls into my camp. Start with Entoma and Shizu.¡»

    ¡°That should be fine. Solution and Entoma both like eating humans, so if we bring Entoma to your side, Solution might end up bing an ally as a result.¡±

    ¡ºThat¡¯s right... I¡¯ve got it. Then, onto something else... can you tell me in detail what my beloved Ainz-sama has been doing?¡»

    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡±

    The scheduledmunication with Albedo ended up being very heated ¡ª when Albedo heard Narberal and Ainz were sharing a room, she made strange noises and kicked up a fuss ¡ª to the point where she had to cast the same spell four times. Ainz was mildly annoyed when he returned, but that is a tale for another time.

    Part 3

    Sensing something like a color upon the wind, Britta sniffed several times, like a dog.

    She was not mistaken ¡ª the air contained a greenish scent. This odor came from mysterious drugs and crushed nts. The smell told Britta that she was at her destination.

    Britta continued forward, to a ce where the smell was stronger than just now. Peering left and right, she walked on until she was in front of thergest house.

    This house was different from the others around it, which were designed with a shop area in front and a work area in the back. It seemed to have been built from the ground up as a workshop.

    She knew that she had arrived from the sign that hung above the door and outside the ce.

    The bell mounted on top of the door rang surprisingly loudly as she pushed open the front door.

    After she entered, she found herself in something that looked like a guest lounge. There were two facing benches in the middle of the room, cabs of books on the walls, and ornamental nts in the corners of the room.

    As she stepped into the lounge, a voice called out:

    ¡°Wee!¡±

    It was a male voice, though it sounded too young to belong to a man.

    Looking around, she saw a teenage boy standing before her, dressed in a beat-up set of old work coveralls that were stained with juices from crushed nts.

    His blond hair covered half his face, so it was hard to guess his age, but from his height and his voice, he should be in puberty.

    Although he was a teenager, Britta could still guess his name. Apart from the fame of his grandmother, he had be one of the few notable people in E-Rantel by virtue of his innate talents.

    ¡°...Nfirea Bareare-san?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me.¡±

    The boy ¡ª Nfirea ¡ª nodded and asked:

    ¡°May I know what business you have here?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. Hang on a bit.¡±

    Britta retrieved the folded slip of paper the innkeeper had passed her and gave it to the boy.

    Upon receiving the piece of paper, Nfirea opened and read it.

    ¡°I see... so that¡¯s what¡¯s going on. Then, can I see the potion?¡±

    Britta took out the potion and handed it to Nfirea, who brought it so close to himself that his hair covered it.

    The atmosphere changed.

    Nfirea swept his hair away, revealing a handsome face, which would surely break the hearts of many girls.

    However, within that youthful face of his was a pair of steely eyes. It was hard to imagine that someone who spoke and acted like he did could have eyes like that. Those eyes sparkled with excitement. Nfirea shook the potion bottle several times and nodded.

    ¡°Forgive me, it¡¯s not convenient to speak here. Could you follow me inside?¡±

    Britta agreed, and under Nfirea¡¯s guidance, she soon arrived at a messy room. Still, she thought that way because shecked professional experience.

    On the table were round-bottomed sks, test tubes, distition equipment, mortars, funnels, beakers, alcoholmps, bnces, a bizarre-looking pot, and various other items. The shelves on the walls were filled with mysterious herb and mineral samples.

    An acrid odor hung in the air. It seemed potentially dangerous to one¡¯s body.

    The person who was already within the room stared at the two people who had barged in.

    She was a very old woman, and both her face and hands were heavily wrinkled. Her hair, which reached to her eyebrows, was pure white. Her work clothes were stained with even more green residue than Nfirea¡¯s and she smelled heavily of grass.

    Nfirea, who had just entered, called out to the olddy:

    ¡°Granny!¡±

    ¡°What is it, what is it, I can hear you even if you don¡¯t shout. My ears are sharp, you know.¡±

    Nfirea only had one grandmother, who was renowned as the greatest herbalist in this city, Lizzie Bareare.

    ¡°Come take a look at this.¡±

    Lizzie epted the potion Nfirea offered her. As she studied it, her gaze was so focused and keen that it unsettled Britta. She looked like a grizzled veteran of many battles.

    In this, she was not wrong. Herbalists needed to use magic when making their potions and medicines, and the more famous the herbalist, the higher the tier of magic they could use. Therefore, the greatest herbalist of E-Rantel, Lizzie Bareare, was a much betterbatant than Britta.

    ¡°This potion... did you bring it here? ...A legendary potion? No, could it be... God¡¯s Blood? What on earth is this potion?¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    Britta¡¯s eyes went wide, thinking That¡¯s my line.

    ¡°Impossible... this potion. Where did you get it from? A ruin?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ah, no, that...¡±

    ¡°What a shrinking violet you are. Just give me a straight answer ¡ª where did you get it from? Did you steal it? Hm?¡±

    Britta¡¯s shoulders shuddered in surprise. She had done nothing wrong, yet she felt like she was being rebuked.

    ¡°...Granny, don¡¯t scare her.¡±

    ¡°...What are you saying, Nfirea? I didn¡¯t scare her at all... right?¡±

    No, you did. Britta wanted to say that, but instead she gulped and simply told Lizzie the full story about the potion:

    ¡°Ah, er, someone else gave it to me as payment.¡±

    ¡°...Hah?¡±

    Lizzie¡¯s eyes became even more stern.

    ¡°Wait a minute, Granny. Britta-san, could you tell me who gave it to you? And why was it given to you?¡±

    With Nfirea¡¯s help, Britta exined simply that she had received the potion from a mysterious man in full te. As Lizzie heard it, more furrows sprouted on her wrinkled face.

    ¡°...Did you know that there are three kinds of potions?¡±

    Without waiting for Britta¡¯s reply, Lizzie continued:

    ¡°The first kind are potions made from herbs alone. Those potions act slowly, and all they can do is improve a person¡¯s natural recovery. While they¡¯re not very effective, they¡¯re very cheap. The second kind of potions are made with herbs and magic. These potions take effect faster than the first kind, but they still need some time to work. Most adventurers use these potions to recover after a battle. The final kind of potion is made solely from magic. Essentially, one infuses a spell into an alchemical solution and it takes instant effect. These potions are functionally the same as a spell, but they are correspondingly more expensive. Then, which of these three kinds does that potion of yours belong too? I can¡¯t see any traces of herbal residue, so it should be a pure-magic potion, but¡ª¡±

    Lizzie pulled out a potion bottle filled with a blue liquid and held it before Britta¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°This is a basic healing potion. The colors are different, right? Recovery potions turn blue during their manufacture, but yours is red. In other words, the process by which that potion was made ispletely different from the way normal potions are made. In other words, your potion is pretty rare, and for all we know it might end up revolutionizing modern potion creation methods... well, you might not realise it for a while.¡±

    After saying that, Lizzie cast a spell:

    ¡°¡¸Appraisal Magic Item¡¹.¡±

    ¡°¡¸Detect Enchant¡¹.¡±

    After casting the two spells on the potion, a look of shock and anger appeared on Lizzie¡¯s face.

    ¡°Kuku. Fuahaha!¡±

    ¡ªSuddenly, crazedughter echoed through the narrow room. Lizzie slowly raised her head, a terrifyingly mad smile on her face. Britta was so frightened by the sudden change in Lizzie that not only could she not speak, she could not even move.

    ¡°Kukuku! Is that what it is!? Look closely at this potion, Nfirea! This is the perfected form of all potions! It¡¯s right here! We ¡ª herbalists, alchemists, everyone in the business of making potions ¡ª have studied for so long and umted so much experience, but yet we have not been able to achieve this idealized form!¡±

    Lizzie¡¯s cheeks were red from her excitement and she was huffing and puffing. However, she maintained her death grip on the potion bottle as she brought it before Nfirea¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Potions will deteriorate over time, am I right!?¡±

    ¡°Of course, that¡¯smon sense.¡±

    In stark contrast to Lizzie¡¯s excitement, Nfirea was calm. However, Britta could sense hints of anticipation within him.

    She had no idea why they were so fired up about this. She keenly felt like she had been swept up into a storm that shook the heavens and the earth. To think she had brought a potion here that could put such an excited look on the face of E-Rantel¡¯s greatest herbalist!

    ¡°Pure magic potions are made from alchemical solutions. Those solutions are refined from a mineral base, so it¡¯s only natural that the quality of the solution will degrade over time. That¡¯s why you need to cast the spell ¡¸Preservation¡¹ on it.¡±

    Lizzie paused, and then spoke again.

    ¡°At least, until now.¡±

    Britta seemed to understand a little of what Lizzie was saying. She looked at the red solution, her eyes wide with surprise.

    ¡°This bottle! This potion! This bottle of potion! It doesn¡¯t deteriorate even without preservative magic! In other words, it¡¯s a perfect potion! Nobody¡¯s done anything like this until today! ording to the ancient legends, the original healing potion was made from the blood of the gods.¡±

    Lizzie shook the bottle she was holding and the bright red liquid swirled within the ss.

    ¡°Of course, they¡¯re just legends. It used to be a joke between herbalists that the gods had blue blood.¡±

    After another brief pause, Lizzie looked at the bottle of potion she was holding in her hand. It was trembling in her excitement.

    ¡°This potion might well be the true God¡¯s Blood!¡±

    Nfirea kept patting Lizzie¡¯s back as she panted heavily. Britta was struck dumb by surprise. The silence between them was broken by Lizzie:

    ¡°...You must havee here to learn about this potion¡¯s effects, right? This potion is around the level of a second tier healing spell. Not counting the added value from its rarity, it would fetch around eight gold pieces. That said, once you factor that extra value in, the price is enough that people would murder you for it.¡±

    Britta¡¯s body trembled uncontrobly.

    To an iron te adventurer like Britta, the potion¡¯s base value alone was already very high, to say nothing of the added value. Lizzie had a gleaming edge in her eye, and she looked like she was looking for any opportunity to take it from her.

    Even so, Britta had her doubts. Why would that man in full te armor give her that potion so easily? What sort of man hid under that armor?

    Just as countless doubts appeared in her heart, Lizzie asked:

    ¡°How about selling it to me? I¡¯ll give you a good price for it. How about thirty two gold pieces?¡±

    Britta¡¯s eyes went even wider.

    The price Lizzie had just quoted was a staggering sum. Frugally used, it was enough for a family of three to live on for three years.

    Britta was confused. She knew the potion was incredibly valuable. Then, was selling it for thirty two gold pieces the right thing to do? It seemed unlikely that she would ever be able toy her hands on another potion like this again.

    But if she refused, would she make it back alive?

    After seeing Britta¡¯s hesitant face, Lizzie shook her head and proposed another deal¡ª

    Part 4

    The next morning, Ainz ¡ª also known as Momon ¡ª opened the guild¡¯s doors once more.

    The first thing he saw as he entered the room was the counter, where three of the guild¡¯s receptionists greeted the adventurers with smiles on their faces. There were warriors in full te armor, nimble fellows in light armor and bearing bows, people in priest¡¯s garb and adorned with all manner of holy symbols, as well as robed arcane magic casters with their staves.

    On the left was arge door, and on the right was a notice board. There were several pieces of parchment upon it which he had not seen yesterday. Several adventurers were chatting in front of it.

    Annoyed by that sight and the many sticking-out pieces of parchment, Ainz moved forward to the counter.

    The eyes of everyone present focused on the copper te around Ainz¡¯s neck, and he could feel those eyes sizing him up from head to toe. It was just like yesterday at the inn.

    Ainz was surveying the adventurers in turn. They wore gold and silver tes on their nes, with no copper tes. Feeling vaguely out of ce, Ainz advanced to the counter.

    A group of adventurers had just departed, freeing up one of the counters. He stepped forward and said:

    ¡°Pardon me, but I¡¯m looking for work.¡±

    ¡°Then, please select a piece of parchment from over there and bring it here.¡±

    Ainz nodded in silence, feeling as though his nonexistent sweat nds were now recovering some of their function. He arrived before the notice boards, looked across all of them, and then nodded.

    Yup, I can¡¯t read any of them.

    One of thews in this world was that spokennguage was automatically tranted, but written text was not.

    The receptionists walked him through everything thest time he came to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, so he had assumed they would do the same this time too. How naive.

    He wanted to scream ¡°Ahhhh,¡± and roll around on the ground, and then his emotions suddenly calmed down. Grateful for this property of his new body, Ainz frantically racked his brains.

    While the literacy rate here was not high, it would be shameful if his inability to read was discovered by others. They might even look down on him.

    The trantion item that Ainz possessed was now in the hands of Sebas. During YGGDRASIL he had ignored spells of that sort and had not learned them. After all, he had scrolls, which could substitute for learning those spells.

    He cursed himself for a fool, foring out without making preparations despite knowing that he could not read thenguage.

    Still, there was no point crying over spilt milk. Regret would not help him here.

    Narberal could not read the words either, so was of no use.

    Negative thoughts rose up in his mind, but as the ruler of Nazarick, he could not do anything embarrassing.

    After gathering his resolve, Ainz ripped off a piece of parchment, and strode back to the counter.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to take this job.¡±

    Confusion came over the counter girl¡¯s face as she looked at the parchment before her eyes. Then, she smiled bitterly and replied:

    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry, but this job is only for mithril te adventurers...¡±

    ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I took it.¡±

    The calm, unwavering tone in Ainz¡¯s voice evoked doubt in the counter girl¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Er, about that...¡±

    ¡°I would like to take this job.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ah, but, even if you ask, ording to the rules...¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re worthless rules. I¡¯m fed up with having to keep proving myself with easy, pathetic jobs like this before my rank-up examinations.¡±

    ¡°If you fail the job, many people will lose their lives.¡±

    The receptionist¡¯s firm voice seemed to epass the silent opinions of the countless people who had worked hard to qualify themselves by the guild¡¯s rankings.

    ¡°Hmph.¡±

    Ainz¡¯s snort drew hostility from the counter girl and the surrounding adventurers. Ainz felt that their attitude was only to be expected. After all, he was a clueless neer who was sneering at the rules by which they abided.

    As an undead being, Ainz felt nothing, but the remnants of Suzuki Satoru¡¯s sryman sensibilities made Ainz want to apologize to everyone around him.

    Suzuki Satoru hated those people who rejected other¡¯s opinions without offering solutions of their own, and crappy customers who knew nothing.

    Right now, Ainz was part of thetter group, and he wanted to give himself a good punch.

    However, Ainz could not back down easily. He wanted to, but he could still deal with a situation of this level. Therefore, Ainz pulled out his trump card.

    ¡°The person behind me is mypanion, Nabe. She is a magician of the third tier.¡±

    The air shuddered with a collective gasp, and everyone looked at Narberal in surprise. In this world, third tier spells were the highest which most magic casters could reach.

    Is he for real? The eyes of the surrounding people shifted to Ainz¡¯s stylish full te armor, dubious of his im.

    Adventurers wore equipment which matched their abilities. The stronger they were, the better the gear they outfitted themselves with. Ainz¡¯s armor was very eye-catching and he travelled with a woman like Nabe, both of which were very persuasive.

    Noticing the changes around him, Ainz cheered inside his heart, and decided to strike while the iron was hot:

    ¡°I, personally, am a warrior ofparable strength to Nabe. I am very sure that a job like that would be a trivial task for me.¡±

    The receptionist and the other adventurers were not as surprised inparison to just now. They seemed to be looking at Ainz with different eyes.

    ¡°We did not be adventurers to do jobs for a few pieces of copper. I wish to take on a higher ranked job. If you wish to see our strength, I will be more than d to show it to you. Therefore, can we take this job?¡±

    The hostility towards them was fading rapidly, and there were whispers of, ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s right,¡± and ¡°No wonder.¡± After all, the rough men called adventurers valued strength, and they understood what Ainz was trying to say.

    However, the counter girl was a different matter.

    ¡°...I am very sorry, but we cannot let you take this job due to the rules.¡±

    The receptionist lowered her head in apology, and Ainz took a victory pose in his heart.

    ¡°Then it can¡¯t be helped... it seems I¡¯ve put you in a difficult position,¡± Ainz replied as he nodded in apology.

    ¡°Then, help me pick the most challenging copper te job, then. There should be others besides the ones on the noticeboard, right?¡±

    ¡°Ah, there are, I know.¡±

    The receptionist stood up, and just as Ainz was about to cry tears of joy at his absolute victory, a man¡¯s voice reached his ears.

    ¡°How about helping us with our work, then?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    He had reflexively responded in a low, threatening tone. Ainz looked over, but all saw was a four-man adventurer team, their silver tes glittering on their nes.

    Ainz grumbled internally ¡ª After all the effort to misdirect them ¡ª and turned to face those people.

    ¡°The job in question... it¡¯s a worthwhile assignment... right?¡±

    ¡°Mm ¡ª well, I feel it¡¯s worthwhile.¡±

    The person who responded was a man who looked like the team¡¯s leader. He wore some sort of banded armor ¡ª strips of metal woven together with metal threads over a leather or chain backing ¡ª and carried himself like a warrior.

    Should he join this man¡¯s team and work with them? Of course, he could decide after hearing them out, but then there was no telling if the receptionist girl would help them pick a job after he spoke with them. However, if he took their job, there would be a chance to build rtions with them and obtain useful information.

    Several seconds passed.

    Ainz slowly nodded:

    ¡°Worthwhile jobs are exactly what I seek. Then, let us work together. However, I would like to ask what sort of job it is.¡±

    After hearing his response, the men asked the receptionist to prepare a room for them.

    It looked like a meeting room, with a wooden table lined with chairs in the middle. The men streamed in and sat down.

    ¡°Please have a seat.¡±

    Ainz did as he was told, and Narberal silently took a ce beside him.

    The men were all quite young, probably under twenty, but there was no childishness in them and they possessed a maturity which did not match their ages. Although they seemed to have seated themselves randomly around the table, judging by their distance and positioning, they could draw their weapons at any time.

    This unconscious disy must have been a habit born from countless close encounters with death.

    ¡°Before we begin discussing the job, let us introduce ourselves.¡±

    The speaker was the man who looked like a warrior.

    He had the typical blond hair and blue eyes of the Kingdom, and while there were no other distinguishing features on him, he looked quite handsome.

    ¡°I¡¯m the leader of the ¡°Swords of Darkness,¡± Peter Mauk. That fellow over there is the eyes and ears of our team, the ranger Lukrut Volve.¡±

    A leather-armored blond man nodded in acknowledgement, and his brown eyes seemed to have a spark of delight in them. He was slender and long-limbed, kind of like a spider, but his lean torso was wiry and muscr.

    ¡°Next is our magic caster and the brains of our group, Ninya, The Spellcaster.¡±

    ¡°Pleased to meet you.¡±

    He was probably the youngest person in the group, with dark brown hair and blue eyes. Though he was an adult, the smile on his face looked too youthful.

    Unlike the tanned skin of the group¡¯s other members, his skin was pale, and his face was the prettiest of the group¡¯s. It was more of an androgynous beauty than any masculine concept of attractiveness. His voice was higher-pitched than the others.

    However, the smile on his face was like a mask, though it was not entirely fake.

    While the others all wore armor, he wore a leather robe. However, Ainz could see that beneath the table he had various strange items in his belt, including oddly-shaped bottles and peculiar wooden objects and so on.

    Judging from the term ¡°spellcaster,¡± he was probably a magic caster of the arcane variety, like Ainz.

    ¡°...But Peter, can you not use that embarrassing nickname?¡±

    ¡°Eh? But it¡¯s a good one.¡±

    ¡°You have a nickname?¡± Ainz asked, with no idea what was going on. Lukrut exined:

    ¡°He¡¯s a talent holder, and a genius magic caster.¡±

    ¡°Oh...¡± Ainz murmured: they had tortured three of the Sunlight Scripture members to death to get that information, and now there was a live example in front of him. Ainz was delighted.

    However, Narberal did not understand and simply snorted derisively. Ainz sighed in relief after he realized that none of them had heard it. He was slightly mad because his ipetent subordinate was doing odd things like this during a negotiation, but getting into an argument here would not be productive either, so Ainz quickly calmed himself down.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing much, it¡¯s just that I happened to have a talent pertaining to that field...¡±

    ¡°Oh...¡±

    Ainz was even more interested, and he leaned forward, straining to listen.

    Much like martial arts, talents were abilities that did not exist in YGGDRASIL but which were unique to this world. About one in every two hundred people was born with a talent. While talent-holders were not rare, the abilities themselves varied greatly in potency and type.

    For instance, there were talents like being able to predict tomorrow¡¯s weather with seventy percent uracy, the ability to strengthen summoned monsters, hastening the harvest by several days, using the magic of the dragons which once ruled this world, and so on.

    However, all of these were inborn abilities, which could not be chosen or changed. It was quitemon to encounter situations where these abilities could not be applied. If someone was born with a talent that could improve the destructive power of their magic, but they never had the chance to be a magic caster, then their talent would be useless.

    There were very few people who could make good use of their talents. There were almost no talents which could dictate the course of one¡¯s entire life, apart from a few exceptionally powerful talents..

    The best proof of that statement was Gazef Stronoff, who was a warrior without a talent.

    However, people withbat-applicable talents tended to go into the adventuring profession. Therefore, talent-holders were amon sight among adventurers. The person before him was one of those lucky few who could fully utilize his talent.

    ¡°I think his talent had something to do with being suited to studying magic, and he only took four years to learn what should have taken eight years. I¡¯m not a magic caster, so I¡¯m not sure how great that is.¡±

    Ainz was a magic caster as well. Those words made him curious, and awoke a collector¡¯s desire within him. This was an ability which the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick did not possess, and which could strengthen the organization. If he could gain control of that ability, it might be worth making enemies of everyone here.

    Shrinking the time it took to learn an ability like this should have been the province of a Super tier spell,¡¸Wish Upon A Star¡¹.

    The two of them continued talking, without realizing that Ainz was watching them under his helmet, like a tiger ready to pounce on its prey.

    ¡°...I¡¯m really lucky that I was born with this ability, because it allowed me to take a step closer to my dream. Without this power, I would have ended my days as a lowly peasant.¡±

    Ninya¡¯s muttering was gloomy and solemn. As though to sweep away the grim air hanging over the room, Peter continued in apletely different tone:

    ¡°Well, no matter what, you¡¯re still a famous talent-holder in this city.¡±

    ¡°Still, there¡¯s people more famous than me.¡±

    ¡°The leader of Blue Rose?¡±

    ¡°That person¡¯s famous too, but I was talking about someone within this city.¡±

    ¡°You mean, Bareare-shi!?¡± shouted thest person, who had not yet been introduced yet. Ainz was curious about the name and asked:

    ¡°...And what sort of talent does that person have?¡±

    A look of surprise came over all four of them. It would seem this wasmon knowledge.

    Ainz had asked that question because he was curious and wanted to acquire an ability which could strengthen Nazarick. Therefore, in response to the regret he felt over his carelessness, he told himself that there had to be some way to recover from a mistake like this.

    However, before Ainz could exin, the other side came to a conclusion of their own:

    ¡°I see, the reason why we don¡¯t know you at all despite that stylish full te and your beautifulpanion is because you¡¯re not from around here, am I right?¡±

    Ainz nodded at this heaven-sent mercy of a question.

    ¡°Indeed, that is correct. The truth is, we only arrived here yesterday.¡±

    ¡°Oh, so you wouldn¡¯t know, then? He¡¯s a famous person in this town, but he¡¯s probably not that famous that distant cities would know about him, huh?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve never heard of him before. If you don¡¯t mind, could you tell me about him?¡±

    ¡°His name is Nfirea Bareare, the grandson of a famous herbalist. His talent allows him to use any magic item. Not only can he use scrolls of a different spellcasting system from himself, he can even use items made by the non-human races. Even items restricted to those of royal blood shouldn¡¯t be a problem either.¡±

    ¡°..Oh.¡±

    Ainz tried his best not to let them hear the awe in his voice.

    How much could his talent do? Could he use the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown ¡ª which only the guildmaster could use ¡ª as well as World ss Items? Or did it have limits?

    He was someone to be wary of, but he could be very useful as well.

    Narberal seemed to feel the same way. She brought her mouth close to where Ainz¡¯s ears would be under the helmet and whispered:

    ¡°I think that person is dangerous.¡±

    ¡°...I know. Coming to this city was the right decision.¡±

    ¡°Momon-san, is something the matter?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, it¡¯s fine, don¡¯t worry. Speaking of which, could you tell me about yourst friend?¡±

    ¡°Yes. He¡¯s a druid ¡ª Dyne Woodwonder. He uses healing spells and magic that controls nature, and he¡¯s well versed in herbal lore. Let him know if there¡¯s anything wrong with your body; he has medicine that¡¯s good for stomach pains.¡±

    ¡°Pleased to meet you!¡± came the greeting from the burly, barbaric-looking man with a full, bushy beard. However, he seemed younger than how Ainz appeared.

    There was a very faint smell of grass from him, which came from the cloth pouch tied to his waist.

    ¡°Then, it¡¯s time for us to introduce ourselves. She is Nabe, I am Momon. Pleased to meet you.¡±

    ¡°Pleased to meet you.¡±

    ¡°Wonderful, I hope we¡¯ll get along. Then, Momon-san, just address me by my first name. Right, while it feels a little wrong to get to business so abruptly, we should probably start discussing the job. As for that, the truth is what we¡¯re asking you for doesn¡¯t really qualify as work.¡±

    ¡°That means...¡±

    Upon hearing Ainz¡¯s confusion, Peter extended his hand to halt him, with the intention of dying the question for ater date.

    ¡°This job is to hunt the monsters that appear around the town.¡±

    ¡°Clearing out monsters, huh...?¡±

    That was enough to count as work. Or was there some special adventurer reason which made him say that it did not qualify? Ainz wanted to ask about that, but if this wasmon knowledge, asking that question might make him appear clueless, which was bad. Therefore, he tried asking a safe question instead.

    ¡°What sorts of monsters will we be exterminating?¡±

    ¡°Ah, we¡¯re not exterminating monsters. After hunting monsters, the city council will pay us a reward based on their strength. What do they call it where youe from, Momon-san?¡±

    So that was it.

    Ainz understood. When Peter said that this did not qualify as work, in YGGDRASIL terms, it was more like killing spawned monsters and taking the items they dropped.

    ¡°This is something we have to do to make a living,¡± said the druid ¡ª Dyne Woodwonder ¡ª in his deep baritone.

    Following that, Lukrut spoke up as well.

    ¡°For us, it¡¯s making a living, but what we do also reduces the danger to the surrounding people. The traders cane and go in peace and the country can collect its taxes. All in all, it¡¯s a way to earn money without anyone losing out.¡±

    ¡°Nowadays, most countries with guilds do this, but five years ago, this sort of thing was nonexistent. It¡¯s quite surprising.¡±

    Everyone in the team nodded as Ninya spoke. They began chatting amongst themselves, leaving no openings for Ainz to cut in. Still, it would be odd to know absolutely nothing about this country, so Ainz decided to shut up and listen to what they said.

    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to the Golden Princess, long may she live.¡±

    ¡°She proposed a policy through that would waive taxes on adventurers, although it never got passed.¡±

    ¡°Oh, to think she paid so much attention to adventurers.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Some rulers would treat armed organizations who were not loyal to the country as enemies. Even the Empire isn¡¯t so generous.¡±

    ¡°That princess sure is brilliant,ing out with all these great proposals... although almost all of them were shot down.¡±

    ¡°I want to marry a beautiful girl like that~¡±

    ¡°Then, shouldn¡¯t you work on getting ennobled?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡ªno way, no way, I couldn¡¯t live a stifled life like that.¡±

    ¡°I think being a noble¡¯s not bad. After all, the Kingdom pretty much allows a noble to trample the peasants and do as they please.¡±

    There was a strong undercurrent of mockery hidden beneath Ninya¡¯s words. Ainz furrowed his nonexistent brows within his helmet, but Narberal remained still, a nonchnt look on her face. Lukrut replied in a jovial tone:

    ¡°Uwah~ that tongue of yours is still so vicious. You really hate nobles, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I know that some nobles are honorable, but my big sister was taken away by that pig. I can¡¯t not hate nobles.¡±

    ¡°...We¡¯re getting sidetracked here! We shouldn¡¯t be talking about this sort of thing in front of ourrades, Momon-shi and Miss Nabe.¡±

    After Dyne tried to get everyone back on track, Peter coughed in an incredibly fake manner before continuing:

    ¡°And so, we¡¯ll be searching for monsters in the nearby region. We¡¯re close to a developed region, so the monsters shouldn¡¯t be too strong. Does that displease you, Momon-san?¡±

    Peter spread a piece of parchment on the table. It looked to be a map of the surrounding region. The map showed viges, forests, rivers, and so on.

    ¡°Basically, we¡¯ll be heading south and looking around this area.¡±

    His finger moved from the center of the parchment to the vicinity of the southern forest.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be hunting monsters in the forest bordering the ine Theocracy. The only creatures who can hit the back line are Goblins with magic items that grant flight.¡±

    ¡°However, we won¡¯t get much for killing such weak monsters.¡±

    Ainz had his doubts about this group¡¯s easygoing attitude.

    From what Ainz knew, there were many kinds of named Goblins in YGGDRASIL, and their levels ranged from one to fifty. Since individual Goblins could vary widely in power, one could not lump the Goblins into one big group. A moment¡¯s carelessness could lead to dire consequences.

    Did their rxed attitudes mean that they were confident of not encountering high-level Goblins, or did it mean that this world¡¯s Goblins were simply that weak?

    ¡°...What if a powerful Goblin shows up?¡±

    ¡°While it¡¯s true that powerful Goblins exist, they won¡¯t show up in the forest we¡¯re heading towards, because these Goblins are usually tribal leaders. They won¡¯t mobilize their entire tribes just for us.¡±

    ¡°The Goblins know about humanity¡¯s area of influence, so they¡¯re fully aware of the retaliation that¡¯ll be headed that way if theyunch arge-scale attack. It¡¯s especially true when ites to the stronger Goblins, since they tend to be the higher-ranked and more intelligent members of their species.¡±

    ¡°Plus, Nabe-san can use third tier magic. So it should be fine even if we encounter high level Goblins, right?¡±

    ¡°I see. However, I¡¯d like to remind you that there are Goblins who can use third tier magic. Just for my reference, could you tell me about the monsters we might encounter?¡±

    The Swords of Darkness turned in unison to look at Ninya. Picking up on their thoughts, Ninya began exining with a teacherly look on his face.

    ¡°We¡¯re likely to encounter Goblins and the wolves they raise. As for other monsters, there haven¡¯t been any strong ones sighted around this area. The most dangerous monsters we might encounter on the ins are probably ogres.¡±

    ¡°We won¡¯t be entering the forest?¡±

    ¡°Yes, because the forest is very dangerous. We can still deal with things like Jumping Leeches and Giant Beetles, but the Hanging Spiders which spit webs at you from the trees and the Forest Worms which maul you from the ground with their huge jaws are harder to handle.¡±

    No wonder.

    Ainz nodded in acknowledgement. So their aim was to hunt the monsters from the forest which made their way onto the ins.

    ¡°That¡¯s how it is, Momon-san. How about it? Want to lend us a hand?¡±

    ¡°...Mm. Then, I¡¯ll be in your care... although before that, could you tell me about the pay for this?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, that¡¯s right, the payment is very important. Basically, since Momon-san¡¯s team and our team are working together, the n is to split it evenly.¡±

    ¡°Going by the numbers in our teams, it seems awfully generous.¡±

    ¡°However, when the monsters appear, I hope you and Nabe-san will take half of them as well. We can only use spells of up to the second tier. So when we factor your abilities in, that division of the money seems quite logical.¡±

    Ainz pretended to think for a while before nodding his head in agreement.

    ¡°I have no problems with that arrangement. Then, let us fight shoulder to shoulder. Also, since we¡¯re working together, I guess I should let everyone see my true face.¡±

    With that, Momonga removed his helmet. The four people before him seemed quite surprised by what they saw.

    ¡°...ck eyes and hair like Nabe-san, so he shouldn¡¯t have been born in this area. I¡¯ve heard that in the south, people like Momon-san aremonce... did youe from that region?¡±

    ¡°Yes. We havee here from a farawaynd.¡±

    He¡¯s older than I thought, he¡¯s already an uncle.

    Hey, that¡¯s rude.

    A warrior on par with a magic caster of the third tier should be around that age.

    Miss Nabe¡¯s pretty amazing too.

    Ainz¡¯s keen ears picked up their whispered words, with the exception of Peter¡¯s.

    Being called an uncle made Ainz feel ufortable, but it probably couldn¡¯t be helped that he was an uncle in the eyes of these youngsters. If one was an adult by the age of sixteen, then Ainz was definitely an uncle to them.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be covering my face up after showing it to you. There might be trouble if other people know I¡¯m a foreigner.¡±

    With that, Ainz put his helmet back on again. After that, he smiled in satisfaction under his helmet. This was because Ainz had enchanted himself with an illusion ¡ª although it was a low-grade type, which would be seen through if touched ¡ª just in case.

    ¡°Since we¡¯ll be hunting together, it would probably be good to get questions out of the way at this point. Do you have anything to ask me?¡±

    ¡°Me!¡±

    A hand shot up toward the ceiling after Ainz asked his question. That hand belonged to Lukrut.

    After making sure that nobody else was asking a question other than himself, Lukrut cheerfully asked Narberal:

    ¡°What kind of rtionship do you two have!¡±

    The room was filled with silence.

    Ainz had no idea what Lukrut meant by that question. However, Peter and his people had picked up on Lukrut¡¯s intentions.

    ¡°...We arepanions.¡±

    After Ainz¡¯s answer, Lukrut¡¯s next few words threw the room into an uproar.

    ¡°I¡¯ve fallen for you! It¡¯s love at first sight! Please go out with me!¡±

    Everyone turned to look at Lukrut. After realising that Lukrut¡¯s words were not a joke to deepen their friendship, Ainz shifted his gaze to Narberal. As the center of attention, Narberal took a deep breath before replying:

    ¡°Silence, inferior lifeform (slug). Learn your ce before speaking again, or should I rip your tongue out of your head.¡±

    The silence was even more deafening than before.

    ¡°Ah, no...¡±

    Ainz made to lighten the mood, but Lukrut stole a march on him and said, ¡°Thank you for the firm rejection! Then, let¡¯s start as friends!¡±

    ¡°Die, inferior lifeform (maggot). How could I possibly be friends with you? Or do you want me to gouge out your eyeballs with a spoon?¡±

    After turning away from the feuding pair, Ainz and Peter bowed to each other in apology.

    ¡°...Myrade has made trouble for you.¡±

    ¡°No, I should be the one apologizing.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll call it quits, then. Is that all right?¡±

    Peter looked around before speaking, though he kept his eyes from the grinning Lukrut and the cold-eyed Narberal.

    ¡°Then, Momon-san. If you¡¯re ready, then let¡¯s move out. We¡¯re already prepared.¡±

    After hearing the word ¡°ready,¡± Ainz suddenly thought of something.

    They had already purchased the minimum required gear from the innkeeper. Although Ainz and Narberal did not need to waste space on food and drinks, it would be weird if they did not eat or drink anything, so they had some ready just in case.

    ¡°All right, once we distribute the rations, we can set out right away.¡±

    ¡°Are rations the only thing you need to prepare? If you¡¯re not going to buy them from a specialist shop, why not get some dry rations from the counter? They¡¯ll prepare them for you right away.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s good to hear. We can finish our preparations right away.¡±

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Everyone rose and left the room.

    ? ? ?

    After returning to the guild lobby, there were more adventurers than before, and there were several teams standing near the parchment-covered noticeboard. However, everyone¡¯s attention seemed focused on a certain teenager.

    The blond-haired teenager was talking to one of the counter girls, and the other two receptionists were leaning in to eavesdrop on their conversation. If things had been busy when Ainz came in, the current situation was now the exact opposite.

    The counter girl¡¯s face ¡ª no, her mouth was in an O shape. It was a look of surprise. And the person she was looking at was none other than Ainz himself.

    What¡¯s going on here?

    Just as doubt started welling up inside Ainz, the counter girl approached and said:

    ¡°There is a job here asking for you by name.¡±

    Those words changed the air in the room instantly. Ainz could feel many curious eyes staring unreservedly at him.

    The Swords of Darkness were simrly shocked.

    Narberal shifted briefly at the unpleasant change in the room¡¯s atmosphere. This was to make it easier to act during the critical early stages of a battle.

    Ainz could not help but feel worried by this.

    This is bad, Narberal¡¯s movements are bad. Judging by the way Narberal stood beside him, she must have thought that something strange was about to happen and had taken up a defensive posture to protect Ainz. However, it was an actionpletely unfitting for a situation like this. Normal people would not do such a thing under these circumstances.

    Granted, protecting Ainz was her top priority, but her movements were far too thoughtless.

    You idiot. Albedo¡¯s the same way too. What the hell are the both of you thinking? No... it¡¯s more like they didn¡¯t think at all. They feel like they can crush humans like insects because they look down on them.

    While that sort of attitude could not be helped from NPCs of a guildposed of heteromorphic beings (Ainz Ooal Gown), there was a time and ce for that sort of thing.

    An annoyed Ainz wanted to ask his pastrades, ¡°Why are all your NPCs like this?¡± He did not care what kind of backstory they had, but they needed to have basic social skills, as well as the ability to take note of the time, ce, situation, and respond ordingly.

    He did not have time to scold Narberal now. If someone discovered that Narberal was in battle mode, who knew what sort of trouble they might get into.

    Ainz immediately karate chopped Narberal on the head. Although he did not use his full strength, he was still wearing his Jarngreipr. Narberal looked back at Ainz with tear-filled eyes, a look of surprise and confusion on her face, as though Ainz had grievously wounded her with that strike. However, Ainz paid her no heed and asked the counter girl:

    ¡°And who is this person who has asked for me by name?¡±

    The moment those words cleared his mouth, Ainz cursed himself. Who else could it be but the boy in front of him?

    ¡°That would be Nfirea Bareare-san.¡±

    I just heard that name ¡ª as Ainz thought this, the boy approached him.

    ¡°Pleased to meet you. I was the one who put out that job.¡±

    The boy nodded slightly, and Ainz returned the gesture.

    ¡°Actually, this request¡ª¡±

    Before the boy could finish speaking, Ainz raised his hand to interrupt:

    ¡°My deepest apologies, but I¡¯ve already made an agreement with someone else for a job, so I cannot ept your request right away.¡±

    The air in the room seemed to shudder as he said this. The reaction of the Swords of Darkness was more intense than Ainz¡¯s own:

    ¡°Momon-san! He asked for you by name!¡±

    Peter¡¯s response filled Ainz with doubt. Was a personal request something to be surprised about? However¡ª

    ¡°That may be so, but should I not carry out the job I¡¯ve been requested to do earlier?¡±

    Ainz¡¯s decision seemed to have been the right one. Some of the adventurers around him were nodding in approval. Just then, he had a sh of inspiration:

    ¡°However... our job is hardly a request. If we don¡¯t meet any monsters, there won¡¯t be any pay to speak of...¡±

    Peter¡¯s words to Ainz trailed off, and he sounded reluctant to speak them.

    Being hired by the boy with the famous grandmother was a far cry from wandering around the ce trying to kill monsters. That was why Peter sounded like he wanted to give up on the job.

    With that conclusion in mind, Ainz gently said:

    ¡°...Then how about this, Peter-san? Bareare-san has not told me about the job¡¯s details, payment, timeframe, and such. I will hear him out and make my decision then.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m all right with that, of course. Though I¡¯d like to finish it quickly, it can wait a day or two.¡±

    ¡°Then, please allow my friends from Swords of Darkness to be present during the job briefing... no, I should say, if the negotiations fall through, I would like the privilege of carrying out my previous task first.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Momon-san, is it all right for us toe with you?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I hope you will be party to the discussion and provide your opinions.¡±

    After the Swords of Darkness gave their approval, Ainz andpany returned to the room from just now.

    He felt very busy.

    Once more, Ainz smiled bitterly and took his seat from just now. Narberal sat beside him, while the boy was one seat away from them. The Swords of Darkness went back to their previous ces.

    The first to speak among them was, of course, the boy:

    ¡°The receptionist mentioned it earlier, but I think it would be best if I introduced myself. I am Nfirea Bareare, and I work as a herbalist in this city. As for the details of the job, I will soon be heading into the nearby forest as nned. Since everyone knows the forest is dangerous, I was hoping that you could be my guardians, as well as help in harvesting herbs if possible.¡±

    ¡°Bodyguarding, huh. I see.¡±

    Ainz nodded calmly. He had the feeling that this job would be a troublesome one.

    Ainz knew he was powerful, and he could probably exterminate any attacking monster when working with Narberal. However, he was not as confident when it came to carrying out an escort mission. This was because Ainz and Narberal were both magic casters, andcked the specialized magic and skills needed to be shields for other people.

    ¡°Compared to the usual amount, the payment will be¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªPlease hold on a moment. The task of bodyguarding suits you well. Then, Peter-san, would you like me to take you on instead?¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s a job that involves bodyguarding and harvesting herbs, don¡¯t you think we¡¯d be more effective with Lukrut-san the ranger and Dyne-san the druid?¡±

    ¡°Oh! Good eye, Momon-shi. As a druid, I can show my true ability in the forest, perhaps even more so than Lukrut the ranger.¡±

    Dyne¡¯s baritone seemed to carry an undercurrent of pride. Lukrut was not happy and said:

    ¡°Dyne-san, you really went and said it, huh.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an undeniable truth, given the abilities of druids! And don¡¯t forget that I¡¯m trained in herbalism too!¡±

    ¡°Hmph ¡ª Peter, I¡¯m fine too. I¡¯ll show you who¡¯s the better of us, between Druid-san and myself.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take that to be agreement, then. If we see any monsters on the way, we¡¯ll kill them and im the reward when we get back to town. As for Bareare-san¡¯s payment, what if we divided it equally, Peter-san?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re fine with it, then I have no objections, Momon-san.¡±

    ¡°Bareare-san, sorry for the wait. If it¡¯s all right with you, could you permit everyone here to ept the job that you just offered?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind that. Then, I¡¯ll be counting on all of you. Ah, you can just call me Nfirea.¡±

    Ainz and the others began introducing themselves to Nfirea. Although Narberalshed Lukrut with her sharp tongue, they managed to sessfullyplete their self-introductions.

    ¡°Then, what I¡¯ve done in the past is to proceed to Carne Vige to set up a base of operations before venturing into the forest. The amount of time we¡¯ll spend depends on the herbs that we can gather, but it will be three days at thetest. In the past, it¡¯s been a couple of days on average.¡±

    ¡°Will we be walking there?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. There will be a horse cart, but it¡¯ll be full of pots and bottles for gathering herbs, so there¡¯s not much room for you to ride.¡±

    ¡°Can we replenish our rations in Carne Vige?¡±

    ¡°Water should be fine, but food might be a problem, because Carne Vige isn¡¯t very big.¡±

    The Swords of Darkness began discussing the preparations for the journey, as well as asking Nfirea several questions. As Ainz saw this, he decided to speak up as well:

    ¡°May I ask a few questions?¡±

    After seeing Nfirea smile and nod in reply, Ainz began with the first question.

    ¡°Why me? I¡¯ve only arrived in this city by carriage recently, and as such I have no friends here, nor am I renowned in this area. That being the case, why did you ask for me? In addition, you mentioned that you¡¯ve done this in the past, which implies that in the past you¡¯ve hired other adventurers. How about them?¡±

    Ainz¡¯s gaze was keen under his helmet.

    He did not know why the boy had called him out. If he had been exposed, then he would need to change his disguise and his approach to things.

    Ainz studied Nfirea closely ¡ª though he could not see his eyes, due to the hair concealing them ¡ª but he could not tell what the boy truly wanted.

    Could it be that he was overthinking this? Just as Ainz was beginning to get suspicious, Nfirea replied:

    ¡°Ah, the adventurers I hired in the past have all left E-Rantel for another city. That¡¯s why I was looking for new adventurers. Also, actually... I heard about what happened in the inn from one of its guests.¡±

    ¡°What happened in the inn?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I heard that someone effortlessly threw an adventurer one rank higher than himself...¡±

    ¡°I see...¡±

    Ainz had nned to use a show of strength to increase his renown. Had this boy taken the bait? Once more, as suspicion welled up in Ainz, Nfirea smiled and pointed to the te on Ainz¡¯s breastte.

    ¡°Plus, copper ranked adventurers are cheaper, right? Hopefully we¡¯ll get along for a while yet.¡±

    ¡°Haha, I do hope so.¡±

    Ainz understood how it was like to hire an untested rookie. He slowly felt himself lowering his guard, but there was one thing that worried him. If that really happened ¡ª

    As Ainz thought about this, the other were asking questions one by one, which Nfirea took in stride. After there were no more questions, Nfirea announced:

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s move out once we¡¯re ready!¡±

    Part 5

    In the dead of night, a hooded person entered the giant graveyard of E-Rantel, with steps that made it seem as though it were gliding across the ground.

    The person¡¯s hooded, jet-ck cape and the way its waist and shoulders did not move up and down as it advanced was quite peculiar, resembling a ghost when viewed from afar.

    The figure deftly avoided the magical illumination of the tomb and proceeded ever inward.

    Before long, the figure arrived at a mausoleum, and shed its hood.

    The figure was a young woman of around twenty, in the flower of her youth.

    She had a pretty face, and she was cute in the way of a kitten or other small animal. Still, while she looked adorable, there was a carnivore¡¯s predatory nature hidden under that face of hers.

    ¡°I¡¯m here~¡±

    As she spoke in yful tones, the girl ran her fingers through her short blonde hair and pushed open the stone doors to the mausoleum. The noises of ttering metal came from under her cloak, like the sound of chain mail.

    Once inside the mausoleum, all the bs for corpses were empty. The grave goods for the deceased had already been taken away.

    Perhaps it was the scent of all the incense absorbed by the stone, but a fragrant smell tickled the girl¡¯s nose.

    The girl furrowed her brows, then headed steadily inwards.

    ¡°Hm hm hm ¡ª hm~¡±

    The girl pressed on an unobtrusive little carving as she hummed. As the carving moved, there was a click as something made contact with something else. A momentter, the sound of grinding came forth. The bs slowly moved aside, and a path leading downstairs appeared.

    ¡°I¡¯ming in~¡±

    With those sing-song words, the girl descended the staircase. It curved halfway, and led to a wide open space beneath the earth.

    Although the walls and floor were made of mud, they looked like they had been reinforced so they would not copse so easily. The air was rtively clean; the airflow to this ce was good, which kept the air in here fresh.

    However, this was not part of the graveyard; it was something far more malevolent in nature.

    Menacing tapestries hung on the walls, with several crimson candles made from fresh blood below it. They gave off a pale radiance, as well as a smell of burning blood.

    The flickering mes generated countless shadows, and there were several holes here, big enough for people to pass through. The unique corpse stench of low tier undead wafted out from those holes.

    The girl looked around, and her eyes stopped on a certain ce.

    ¡°Ah~ creepy guy who¡¯s hiding in a corner, you¡¯ve got a guest~¡±

    The man watching his surroundings from his hiding ce in the dark corners of the room heard those words, and his shoulders trembled.

    ¡°Hi~ I¡¯m here to meet Khazi-chan who¡¯s supposed to be here, is he~?¡±

    The man seemed a little lost as to what to do, and as he heard the sound of footsteps again, his shoulders shook once more.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You may leave now.¡±

    After the neer spoke to the man, he revealed himself.

    He was a skinny man.

    His eyes were sunken in, and his face was a corpse-like pale white, which could be summarized in the word ¡°lifeless.¡± His scalp was bereft of any hair, nor were there any eyebrows, eyshes, or any body hair at all. He gave the impression that he waspletely hairless.

    Given that, there was no way to tell his age at all, but since there were no wrinkles on his skin, he probably was not that old.

    The man was dressed in a dark red robe that was the color of dried blood, and wore a ne made of the skulls of small animals. His hands were so shrivelled that they resembled ws, and his fingers ¡ª tipped with dirty yellow fingernails ¡ª were wrapped around a ck staff. Rather than a human, he looked more like an undead monster.

    ¡°Hai~ Khazi-chan~¡±

    The man frowned as he heard the girl¡¯s yful greeting.

    ¡°Can you not address me like that? It¡¯ll damage the reputation of Zuranon.¡±

    Zuranon.

    They were a powerful and evil secret society, counting several veteran magic casters among their number and led by a wise leader. After orchestrating several tragedies, they had be enemies of the countries in the region.

    ¡°Reeeeally...?¡±

    The fact that the girl did not wish to change the way she addressed him made the man frown even more.

    ¡°...And then? Why did youe here? You know I¡¯m infusing energy into the Orb of Death, right? If you¡¯re here to make trouble, I have ways to deal with that too.¡±

    The man narrowed his eyes, and tightened his grip on his staff.

    ¡°Nooooo, Khazi-chan~ I just came here to bring you this~¡±

    The girl shed him a coquettish smile and reached around under her cape. There was the sound of ttering, and then the girl triumphantly produced the item she had been looking for.

    It was a circlet.

    Countless small gems adorned thin, metallic threads, looking for all the world like a spiderweb covered in water droplets. The item was exquisitely made, and in the middle of the circlet ¡ª where the wearer¡¯s forehead would go ¡ª was arge ck crystal.

    ¡°This is¡ª!¡±

    The man could not help but stare in silence.

    Although he had only seen it from a distance, there was no mistake here. This was the crown he had seen once before.

    ¡°The symbol of a Miko Princess, the Crown of Wisdom! This is one of the treasures of the ine Theocracy!¡±

    ¡°Correct~ I saw a cute girl wearing this strange crown, but it looked so wrong on her head that I took it off~ And then I was sooooo surprised! She went mad~ peeing and crapping herself~¡±

    The girl convulsed inughter.

    The Miko Princesses stood at the heart of the ine Theocracy¡¯s rituals. There was no way that she ¡ª as a former member of the ck Scripture ¡ª would not know what would happen when she snatched the Crown of Wisdom away from its bearer.

    After all, when the time came for a new Miko Princess to be appointed, the job of the ck Scripture was to remove the Crown from its current wearer, and then promptly send the now-insane Miko Princess to be with the gods.

    ¡°Still, it can¡¯t be helped. It¡¯s the only way to obtain this ¡ª it¡¯s the fault of the person who made the Crown, he¡¯s the one to me~¡±

    There was no way to safely remove the Crown of Wisdom. The only option was to destroy it.

    However, the Crown would delete the wearer¡¯s personality and turn a human being into a magic item that could use incredibly high-tiered spells, so nobody would do anything wasteful like destroying it.

    Still, there were such madmen around.

    ¡°Hmph, to think you¡¯d betray the ck Scripture for such trash. Why not steal one of the divine artifacts of the Six Gods?¡±

    ¡°Calling it trash is too mean~¡±

    The manughed at the girl who puffed up her face.

    ¡°Nothing wrong with calling it trash, right? Girls who can wear an item like this are one in a million. Finding a wearer for this would probably be impossible, even in the ine Theocracy.¡±

    The ine Theocracy was the only one in the surrounding countries that kept detailed registers and genealogies of its citizens. Therefore, by consulting those registers, one could easily find a wearer for the item ¡ª in other words, a sacrifice.

    Without that, it would be hard for even Zuranon to find such a person.

    ¡°But really now, it¡¯s impossible to get those artifacts~ After all, that antique show is guarded by the strongest monster of the ck Scripture, that ancient beast with the blood of the Six Gods that¡¯s beyond the realm of humanity~¡±

    ¡°A God-Kin, huh... Is that fellow really that strong? I¡¯ve only heard about it from you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s stronger than the idea of strength. The relevant information has been sealed up, which is why you don¡¯t know~ If someone who knew about it was interrogated with mind-affecting magic, it would be really bad. I¡¯ve heard that if the secret got out, it¡¯d lead to total war with the surviving true Dragon Lords, which means the ine Theocracy would get destroyed in the crossfire, so I hope you¡¯ll pretend you never heard any of it~¡±

    ¡°...I find that hard to believe.¡±

    ¡°Well, anyone who hasn¡¯t seen that power would think so~ Well then, let¡¯s get down to business, Khazit Dale Badantel ¡ª are you willing to help me out as a fellow member of the Twelve Executives?¡±

    The girl¡¯s tone finally changed.

    ¡°Oh, showing your true face atst, oh fragment of Quintia? But don¡¯t call me Dale. I¡¯ve cast away that baptismal name.¡±

    ¡°...Then, don¡¯t call me a fragment of Quintia, hm? Call me Clementine.¡±

    ¡°...Clementine, what do you want me to help you with?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a pretty outstanding talent holder in this town, no? Maybe that guy could wear this item~¡±

    ¡°...I see, that guy from the stories. Still, you could easily handle the task of kidnapping a single human being by yourself, no?¡±

    ¡°Mm, that¡¯s right~ But I¡¯d like some sort of confusion while I make my move~¡±

    ¡°I see... a distraction while you flee, huh...¡±

    ¡°What about it? What if I was willing to help with your ritual? It¡¯s a good deal, right~?¡±

    The man ¡ª Khazit ¡ª narrowed his eyes, and smiled evilly:

    ¡°Wonderful, Clementine. If you¡¯re willing to help me, I can carry out the rite of death. Very well, I shall aid you with all the resources at my disposal.¡±

 Chapter 10 - Volume 2

    Overlord Volume 2 Chapter 2 + Interlude

    Journey

    Part 1

    There were two routes leading northeast to Carne Vige from E-Rantel.

    One headed north, and then east along the outskirts of the forest. The other went eastwards, then north.

    This time, they went by the first route.

    Travelling along the edge of the forest meant that there would be a higher chance of encountering monsters. It was the wrong choice, from a bodyguard¡¯s perspective.

    That said, everyone still wanted to go by that route. This was because Ainz wanted to fulfill the job Peter and friends first offered them, that of monster hunting. Although it seemed like they were taking a great risk ¡ª in the same way that a hunter chasing two hares would catch neither ¡ª the presence of the mighty Momon and Nabe meant that they could take that route with peace of mind. Another reason was that Nabe had demonstrated the spell ¡¸Lightning¡¹ outside the city, in order to prove that she could cast third tier spells.

    In addition, they would not be entering the forest, just travelling along the edges. Thus, any monsters that appeared would not be too strong, and could be taken down by everyone working together. It was also a good chance for each adventurer team to observe the other¡¯s strength. They had taken these points into consideration before making their decision.

    After leaving E-Rantel, the sun was at its zenith, and the travellers could see a vast stretch of dense and primeval dark green forest in the distance. The thick tree trunks stood tall, while their leafy branches spread wide. Because light could not prate into the depths of the forest, there was a feeling that they would be swallowed by the ckness. The gaps between the trees looked like a gaping maw waiting for prey to throw themselves into it, which contributed to the sense of unease that they felt.

    ? ? ?

    The group was arrayed around the wagon as they moved forward. Naturally, Nfirea was driving the wagon. Lukrut the ranger walked ahead of him, Peter the warrior was on the left of the wagon, while Dyne the druid and Ninya the magic caster were on the right. Finally, Momon and Nabe brought up the rear.

    Visibility was good, so everyone was not too tense. However, Peter¡¯s voice contained its first hint of severity as he spoke:

    ¡°Momon-san, this stretch is a dangerous area. Although we should be able to handle any monsters that appear, please be careful all the same.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    As Ainz nodded, he suddenly thought of something.

    If he was in a game, he could tell what sort of monsters would spawn in a given location, but in reality, that would be impossible. Only the gods knew if a troublesome enemy would show up.

    After the Battle of Carne Vige several days ago and after interrogating the prisoners of the Sunlight Scripture, Ainz was quite confident in his strength. Of course, that was in his capacity as a magic caster. Now that Ainz was wearing a suit of magically created te armor, there were very few spells that he could cast.

    Could he serve as an effective frontliner with all his strengths sealed off? In addition, as a bodyguard, his victory condition was not defeating the enemy, but protecting Nfirea from any harm. Ainz felt uneasy as he thought about that.

    If the situation warranted it, he would remove his armor and use magic. But if he did that, he would have to kill hispanions or alter their memories, and Ainz did not want that at all.

    It¡¯s a pain in the ass.

    Ainz turned to look at Narberal, who nodded under his gaze.

    The two of them had already discussed their ns for emergencies. Narberal would cast magic of the fifth tier if things came to that. And if that did not work either, Ainz would shed his armor and take the situation a little seriously.

    As he saw the two of them make eye contact ¡ª although Ainz was still wearing his full helm ¡ª It would seem that Lukrut was under some sort of misconception. He addressed Narberal in an airy, light hearted tone:

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine, don¡¯t worry. Things won¡¯t be too troublesome as long as we don¡¯t get ambushed. And nothing will escape my eyes and ears when I¡¯m in charge. I¡¯m great, aren¡¯t I, Nabe-san?¡±

    In response to Lukrut¡¯s earnest demeanor, Narberal merely sneered:

    ¡°Momon-san, may I have permission to pulverize this... inferior lifeform (Aedes mosquito)?¡±

    ¡°Ah, Nabe-san graced me with her cold words!¡±

    Everyone smiled bitterly as Lukrut raised his thumb, but they did not seem to mind Narberal¡¯s harsh retorts. They did not think that Narberal really thought of humans in general as inferior lifeforms, just certain individuals (Lukrut) in particr.

    Ainz denied Narberal¡¯s heartfelt request, feeling a cramping pain in his nonexistent gut. If only she could hide her inner thoughts while travelling around humans...

    Nfirea seemed to have misunderstood something, and he interrupted from the side:

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. In truth, the region from here to Carne Vige is the territory of the ¡°Wise King of the Forest.¡± Therefore, we shouldn¡¯t meet any monsters unless our luck is very bad.¡±

    ¡°The ¡®Wise King of the Forest?¡¯¡±

    Ainz recalled what he had learned in Carne Vige.

    The Wise King of the Forest was a monster that could use magic, and it was frighteningly powerful. Because itsir was in the depths of the forest, there were virtually no eye-witness reports about it, although its existence had been a topic of discussion since very long ago. Some people called it a four-legged silver beast with a snake for a tail, which had lived for hundreds of years.

    Ah, I¡¯d like to see it. He did not know if the stories were true or false, but if it really had lived all these years, it should possess a surprising intellect. After all, it was called the Wise King of the Forest. If he could capture it... he should be able to strengthen Nazarick.

    Ainz pieced together a hazy image of what he thought the monster looked like in his mind.

    With a name like ¡°Wise King of the Forest,¡± it might be an animal previously thought extinct... like a monkey perhaps... ah, an orangutan? That name means ¡°man of the forest...¡± or was that ¡°sage?¡± And it has a snake for a tail... does a monster like that exist?

    Ainz felt that YGGDRASIL might have a monster like that. After racking his brains, he found an answer:

    A Nue! ...That creature has a monkey¡¯s head, a roon¡¯s body, the limbs of a tiger, and a snake¡¯s tail... although I¡¯m not sure if it really is an YGGDRASIL monster. It might have been summoned, just like those angels.

    Just as Ainz thought of YGGDRASIL¡¯s Nue, Lukrut called out to Narberal again in a flighty tone:

    ¡°Well then, if weplete this mission perfectly, I wonder if my lovely Nabe-chan¡¯s affection towards me will go up a little more?¡±

    Narberal clicked her tongue, her disgust welling up from the bottom of her heart.

    Lukrut put on an exaggerated look of shock, but nobody spoke up for him. Everyone seemed to treat them as aedy duo.

    In this way, everyone chatted as they progressed forward, under the zing sun that tanned the skin. Their boots were covered in the juices of trampled grass and smelled of nts.

    As he watched everyone wiping their sweat, Ainz was extremely grateful for his undead body. The strong sunlight did not fatigue him, and even wearing this clumsy, heavy armor did not tire him out.

    Only Lukrut remained energetic and cheerful, talking andughing with the others, who were marching in silence:

    ¡°It¡¯s okay guys, you don¡¯t have to be so alert. After all, nothing escapes my eyes and ears. Even Nabe-chan trusts me, look how rxed she is.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not because of you. It¡¯s because we have Momon-san.¡±

    Narberal frowned. Sensing that something drastic might happen, Ainz put his hand on Narberal¡¯s shoulder and her face immediately softened.

    Seeing their interaction, Lukrut tossed out a question:

    ¡°Huh, so it looks like you and Momon-san really are lovers?¡±

    ¡°His, his lover! What are you saying!? That should be Albedo-sama!¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Ainz shouted despite himself. ¡°What are you saying, Nabe!?¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Narberal¡¯s eyes went wide and she covered her mouth. Ainz coughed, and then coldly said:

    ¡°...Lukrut-san, could you not make baseless spections?¡±

    ¡°...Ah ¡ª sorry about that. It was just a joke. But ah ¡ª does that mean you have a significant other already, Momon-san?¡±

    The bowing Lukrut did not look remorseful at all, but Ainz was not as angry as he was just now. It would seem picking Narberal for this expedition was a foolish decision.

    Still, despite his poor choice, Ainz had no alternatives in the matter. After all, he had nobody else to draw upon besides her. Almost all the NPCs made by the guild of heteromorphic beings, Ainz Ooal Gown, were heteromorphic beings themselves. There were very few among them who could be brought into a human city. As for Narberal, at least she had a human appearance, even if it was a disguise. Thus, she was one of the few people he could use... though he had not factored her personality into the equation when he made his choice.

    Given the present circumstances, perhaps another battle maid, Lupusregina Beta, might have been a better choice, but it was toote to regret his decision at this point.

    Narberal¡¯s face was ashen white from her gaffe. Ainz patted her on the back several times to put her at ease. A good boss had to forgive the first mistake his subordinates made. The scolding woulde when they repeated their mistakes. It would be bad if she fell into despair or withdrew from them, thus affecting their movements.

    The important thing was that she had only mentioned Albedo¡¯s name. There was no need to alter their memories... probably.

    ¡°Lukrut, don¡¯t talk nonsense and stay alert.¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    ¡°Momon-san, I¡¯m very sorry for my colleague¡¯s rudeness. We know that prying into other people¡¯s private lives is taboo.¡±

    ¡°No, no. I¡¯m willing to let it be water under the bridge as long as you can be more careful in the future.¡±

    The two of them looked at Lukrut¡¯s back in unison, and they heard something along the lines of ¡°Ah ¡ª Nabe-chan hates me now. Uuu, her affection value must be a negative number,¡± as Lukrut rounded his shoulders in defeat.

    ¡°That idiot...! I¡¯ll scold him after this. I pray you will pay no heed to what he just said.¡±

    ¡°Well, about that... Hm. I¡¯ll leave that task to you, then. Since Lukrut¡¯s on lookout duty, we can leave that to him, and I¡¯ll talk a bit about myself.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. We¡¯ll make him work hard for the trouble he¡¯s caused you.¡±

    After Peter smiled to him, Ainz advanced to Dyne and Ninya. Dyne ¡ª switching ces with Ainz ¡ª fell back to walk alongside Narberal.

    ¡°I have some things to ask you about magic.¡±

    After seeing Ninya nod his head, Ainz began with his questions. Nfirea seemed interested in their conversation and looked over.

    ¡°People who have been charmed or dominated by magic might reveal the information they carry. Is there a magical countermeasure that causes people to die after being questioned several times?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of a spell like that.¡±

    Ainz turned, and his helmet faced Nfirea.

    ¡°Me neither. There are ways to modify a spell so it activates at a certain time, but I don¡¯t think they¡¯re as borate as what you describe.¡±

    ¡°...I see.¡±

    Ainz was slightly disappointed when he did not get the answer he was looking for.

    If that was the case, he would have to worry about how to deal with the surviving members of the Sunlight Scriptureter.

    Since there were so few survivors left, it would be a waste to expend them to no effect. In order to discover why they vanished after death, he had vivisected them with magical medical techniques, but it had ended up as a bust. If they died from that, should he continue prying information from them? After all, losing one man meant losing the chance to ask three questions.

    Even more regrettable was the case of Nigun, who had been the first to die. They had lost Nigun, who knew the most, for the sake of a few simple questions.

    Still, that loss let Ainz know that he could not take on this world with his knowledge of YGGDRASIL alone, so that could be counted as a lesson learned. At the very least, they had learned how to proceed from that failure.

    As Ainz thought distractedly about that, Ninya continued speaking:

    ¡°That said, I only know a little bit about magic. Perhaps countries which trained magic casters on a national level could create spells like that. The ine Theocracy has academies for clerics ¡ª divine magic casters ¡ª while the Empire has institutes which produce their arcaners, sorcerers, wizards, and other arcane magic casters. Then there¡¯s ces like the Agrand Republic, which uses something like the spells born of the wisdom of the dragons.¡±

    ¡°I see. In other words, spells like that could be created with the assistance of an entire country.¡±

    ording to the information obtained earlier, the Agrand Republic was a nation of demihumans, ruled by a council. It was in opposition to the ine Theocracy, which championed the concept of human supremacy. The most interesting thing about them were five of their councillors, who were dragons said to possess awesome power.

    Ainz was interested in that country, but he had not found his feet in this world yet, and did not have the excess energy to spread his tentacles to that nation at the moment. Just keeping his current schemes running required a considerable amount of Nazarick¡¯s manpower.

    ¡°Then, may I ask about something else?¡±

    Ainz continued questioning Ninya as he walked, until he was satisfied.

    He asked Ninya and Peter so many things that the other Swords of Darkness looked at him with eyes that said, ¡°Are they still talking?¡± The topics he touched on were quite diverse, including magic, martial arts, adventurers, the politics of the region, among other things.

    Although he had to ask his questions carefully, the answers were still very helpful. Ainz was certain that this had greatly increased his knowledge about this world.

    Yet, he did not feel that was enough. Learning about one thing made him curious about other things, especially when it came to the topic of magic. It was quite surprising what a world would be if it was based on magic.

    The greatest influence of that could be seen in the technological level of this world. It looked like it was in the Middle Ages, but in truth it was closer to the Modern Age. The reason for these advances in technology was magic.

    After knowing this, Ainz gave up on trying to understand the technology of this world. As a person born in a world advanced through the power of science, there was no way for him to draw parallels between what he knew and a world that had developed with the aid of magic. For instance, there were spells that produced salt, sugar, and spices, as well as spells which restored nutrients to the soil, removing the need for a fallow period in agriculture.

    Then, there was the fact that the sea was apparently not salty. All these facts about the world were vastly removed from what Ainz had expected from his knowledge.

    Ainz lost track of time in the process of carefully satisfying his curiosity.

    ¡°Movement,¡± Lukrut suddenly said, in a voice which held a hint of tension. It waspletely different from the flighty attitude he had taken while flirting with Nabe. In his ce was a professional, seasoned adventurer.

    Everyone turned to the direction where Lukrut was looking, and readied their weapons.

    ¡°Where?¡±

    ¡°There. Over there,¡± Lukrut said in response to Peter¡¯s question. He pointed at a corner of the forest, but nobody could see anything through the clutter of the forest. Even so, none of them doubted him.

    ¡°What should we do?¡±

    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t force our way in. If they don¡¯t leave the forest, we¡¯ll leave them alone.¡±

    ¡°Then, the smartest thing to do is follow the n and have Nfirea-shi fall back!¡±

    As they discussed their next move, there were movements in the forest, and then monsters slowly revealed themselves.

    There were fifteen creatures that were the size of children, surrounding six huge creatures.

    The first group were the demihumans called Goblins.

    Their twisted faces had ttened noses, while two fangs thrust forth from their ravening maws. Their skin was a bright brown, while their filthy, matted ck hair looked like it had been styled by wax.

    They wore tattered clothes, which were a burnt sienna, though it was unknown whether it was dyed that color or stained that way by dirt. On top of that, they had fashioned tanned animal hides into a crude form of armor. Each held a wooden club in one hand and a small shield in the other.

    They were evil-looking monsters, born of the mating of human and apes.

    The less numerous creatures were huge, roughly two hundred fifty to three hundred centimeters in height.

    Their lower jaws jutted out, and they looked retarded.

    Their heavily muscled arms looked like tree trunks. Their hands nearly dragged on the ground due to their hunchbacked stance. They used logs as clubs, and wore animal skins around their waists. They reeked so much that the adventurers could smell them over the long distance separating them.

    Their tanned brown skin was covered in warts, while their muscr chests and bellies looked quite striking. At a nce, they looked to be very strong, and they resembled shaven, distorted chimpanzees.

    They were demihumans known as Ogres.

    Almost all of them seemed to carry tattered bags, as though for a long journey.

    The monsters watched the adventurers warily as they advanced onto the grassy ins. They might have been some distance away, but there was an unmistakable hostility on their ugly faces.

    ¡°...There¡¯s quite a number of them. Looks like we can¡¯t avoid a fight.¡±

    ¡°Mm, that¡¯s right. Goblins and Ogres are the kind who¡¯ll attack once they outnumber their opponents. Or rather, I should say that intelligent beings would probably not judge their opponents¡¯ strength simply by their numbers.¡±

    Ainz could understand and ept this, but the fact that it waspletely different from how it was in the game left him somewhat confused.

    Be it in height or skin color, the Ogres and Goblins before him all differed from each other. In other words, they were not identical individuals. It felt like he was faced with twenty one unknown monsters.

    ¡°Reality¡¯s different from the game, huh.¡±

    He felt like he was fighting unknown monsters in an unexplored region, without the benefit of a walkthrough site. As he recalled the feeling of that battle in Carne, Ainz began muttering to himself.

    ¡°Then, Momon-san.¡±

    ¡°...Oh, is something the matter?¡±

    ¡°Earlier, we agreed to divide them in half, but how shall we assign them now?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t we split into two teams and dispatch the enemy as theye to us?¡±

    ¡°It would be troublesome if they all went to one side. Nabe-san, can you use ¡¸Fireball¡¹ to eliminate all the Goblins in one go?¡±

    ¡°I cannot use ¡¸Fireball¡¹. The strongest spell I can use is ¡¸Lightning¡¹.¡±

    Ainz thought about the restrictions he had given her earlier.

    ¡°¡¸Lightning¡¹ is a spell that pierces in a straight line, right?¡±

    ¡°Then, what if we got the enemies to form up into a line, and then take them all out in one shot from the side?¡±

    ¡°In that case, we¡¯d need a defensive line that can take the enemy¡¯s charge...¡±

    ¡°Let me handle that. Can I trust you gentlemen with protecting Nfirea-san on the wagon?¡±

    ¡°Momon-san...¡±

    ¡°If a few Ogres could give me a hard time, then I¡¯d be all talk. Everyone, please watch how I ughter those Ogres.¡±

    As they heard Ainz¡¯s confident voice, understanding dawned on the faces of the Swords of Darkness. Their hearts filled with the peace of mind which came from knowing that they could leave that task to him without having to worry.

    ¡°Understood. However, we can¡¯t just watch the enemy attack, so we¡¯ll support you from the side as much as possible.¡±

    ¡°Do you need any support magic?¡±

    ¡°Ah, not for us. Friends from Swords of Darkness, please focus on supporting yourrades.¡±

    ¡°Please permit us to refuse. If we begin the engagement so close to the forest, there¡¯s a chance the enemy might slip past.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, shall we do the usual and lure them out first?¡±

    ¡°An excellent idea! Momon-shi will block the enemy¡¯s charge, but how will we deal with any fish which slip the?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll hold down the Ogres with the martial art ¡¸Fortress¡¹. Dyne, you¡¯ll handle the Goblins. Ninya will cast a defensive spell on me, and while it may not be necessary, you should also watch out for Nabe-san¡¯s safety and use attack spells whenever possible. Lukrut, go take care of the Goblins, and if any Ogres make it past the defensive line, you¡¯ll have to block them too. If that happens, change your priority to wiping out the Goblins, Ninya.¡±

    Everyone looked to each other and nodded, showing that they understood Peter¡¯s instructions. Theirbat strategy was smoothly decided, and their silent teamwork was wless.

    Ainz, who was thoroughly impressed by this disy, made a noise of quiet approval.

    He recalled YGGDRASIL once more. Back then, Ainz and hisrades hunted monsters with the same repeated movements; baiting, luring, blocking, and then attacking. They could fight well as a group because they were thoroughly familiar with each others¡¯ strengths.

    Perhaps he was being biased, but Ainz earnestly believed that their coordination was not an easy thing to replicate. The Swords of Darkness could not possiblypare to them, though he could see something like his own teamwork in their movements.

    ¡°Momon-san, do you need any assistance other than magic?¡±

    ¡°No, there¡¯s no need. The two of us will be enough.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s... pretty confident.¡±

    There was some unease in Peter¡¯s words. If the person responsible for holding the line fell easily, it might lead to a domino-like reaction that would end in the team breaking apart. He should have felt uneasy about that.

    After all, this was not a game, but a battle on which they were betting their lives.

    ¡°You¡¯ll see once it begins,¡± Ainz said, terminating the conversation with a curt reply.

    ¡°Peter-san, we¡¯ll start once your preparations are finished.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Lukrut drew the string of hisposite longbow to its limits, until its limbs began creaking. With a whoosh, the bowstring sliced through the air,unching an arrow in a straight line. It struck the ground about ten meters away from the Goblins on the in.

    The sudden attack made the Goblins sneer at Lukrut from behind their shields.

    The object of their mockery was the missed arrow. Of course, the Goblins could not hit a target that was over one hundred twenty meters distant either, but they seemed to have forgotten that.

    The vast disparity between the attack they had received and their numbers made the Goblins¡¯ violent instincts swell. They shouted in unison, and charged at Lukrut with wild abandon. The somewhat slower Ogres followed from behind them as well.

    Driven into a frenzy by their bloodlust, they did not form up into ranks, nor did they protect themselves with their shields. Their minds were a sea of white.

    As he verified that fact, Lukrut smiled thinly.

    ¡°Loose!¡±

    He sent another arrow downrange when the enemy was ny meters distant. This time, the arrow did not fall short, but pierced a Goblin¡¯s cranium. The Goblin at the end of the formation took a few wobbly steps before copsing to the ground, where he died.

    The distance between them shrank, but there was no worry in Lukrut¡¯s hand, which was holding his bow. This was because he was confident that someone would protect him, even if the enemy reached him.

    ¡°¡¸Reinforce Armor¡¹.¡±

    Ninya cast a spell from behind Lukrut, hearing his colleague¡¯s voice, Lukrut nocked another arrow to his bowstring.

    Fifty meters out, an arrow went through the head of another Goblin, who copsed and did not get back up. Dyne decided to make his move as well.

    Although Goblins were agile, the Ogres hadrge strides, and so their speeds were roughly the same. That said, over a charge of nearly one hundred meters across a grassy in, the Ogres with their stronger legs ended up in front while the Goblinsgged behind. The two groups drew away from each other and Dyne could not get too many of them in the area of his spell¡¯s effect.

    Still, that was enough. After, Dyne¡¯s first objective was to pin down one Ogre.

    ¡°¡¸Twine nt¡¹.¡±

    Dyne cast his spell, and vegetation moved under the feet of one of the Ogres, turning into vines that tangled around its feet. Immobilized by the abnormally resilient nt life, the Ogre roared in frustration.

    At the same time, Ainz ¡ª followed by Narberal ¡ª strolled leisurely forward.

    They walked like they were taking a stroll, not standing fast against charging monsters.

    As the Ogres running at the head of the mob approached him, Ainz reached his hands behind his back to grasp the hilts of his swords. Narberal too reached under her cloak and brought forth her sheathed sword.

    Momon brandished his greatswords, tracing two great arcs in the air.

    The dazzling light reflecting off the des made the Swords of Darkness gasp in surprise.

    The swords that Ainz wielded ¡ª each over one hundred fifty centimeters long ¡ª looked exceptionally ornate. They resembled works of art more than tools of war.

    A pair of intertwined serpents were carved into the des. Their tips were rounded and wider across than the rest of the sword, like a pair of opened fans. The edges radiated a cold, sharp radiance.

    They were the weapons of a hero.

    Ainz was holding a pair of hero¡¯s swords.

    As they beheld his majestic figure, Swords of Darkness drew a breath in unison. If what they had seen before made them gasp, what they saw now was a scene that struck them dumb.

    Swords got heavier the longer they were. Long swords like the ones Ainz was holding could not be wielded easily, even with weight-reducing magic. Granted, they already knew that Ainz possessed preternatural arm strength from their short time with him, but even so, they could not believe anyone could swing those greatswords with such ease.

    However...

    Ainz casually whipped them through the air like a pair of sticks. Truly, it was an awe-inspiring sight.

    ¡°Momon-san... what kind of a man are you...¡± Peter breathed, as though speaking for everyone else.

    As a warrior himself, he immediately knew just how strong one¡¯s arms would have to be to pull off a stunt like that. His shock was because he had no idea how long Momon had trained to reach that level of ability. Although he had always felt that Momon was on a different level from himself, being confronted with the truth made his legs tremble uncontrobly.

    Even the unintelligent Goblins were terrified by the sight of Ainz, their legs slowing from their mad dash as they went around him to go for Peter and the others.

    Only the Ogres, who were too stupid to be afraid and who were supremely confident in their brawn, continued heading toward Ainz.

    As they closed in on him, the Ogres raised their clubs.

    Ainz¡¯s greatswords might have been be huge, but the Ogres, with their massive greatclubs, had a longer reach than him. But just as the Ogres were about to make their move, Ainz stepped forward.

    His movements were as swift as the wind. And then, faster than that, he swung the greatsword in his right hand. The shing de left a silvery afterimage in its wake as it cleaved through the air.

    The stroke was an astounding one ¡ª it raised goosebumps on the onlookers¡¯ skin. Even though the de was not aimed at them, they could not help but feel that death stood by their side.

    It was over in a single blow.

    Ainz turned his gaze from the Ogre in front of him, seeking another target. As though waiting for Ainz to look away, the upper body of the Ogre slid off and fell wetly to the ground, leaving its motionless lower body still standing. Yet, the spray of blood and organs and the vile stench that hung in the air proved that this was not an illusion.

    The Ogre had been cut diagonally in half.

    The battle was still on, but both sides were motionless. They were staring at this awesome sight.

    It was in in a single blow. Not even an Ogre¡¯s mighty physique could save it from the fate of being cut in two.

    ¡°...Amazing.¡±

    Someone muttered those words, which carried clearly across the silent battlefield.

    ¡°...Absolutely incredible. This is beyond mithril or orichalcum... no, could he be adamantite?¡±

    Cleaving a foe into two parts.

    This was not an impossible feat of arms. A rare few exponents of swordsmanship ¡ª or those bearing powerful magic weapons ¡ª might be able to do it. However, it wasmon sense that one could not use one¡¯s full strength when wielding a two-handed greatsword with one hand. After all, two-handed weapons were, as the name implied, intended to be wielded with both hands, using the weight of the weapon and the leverage of its length to do damage. They were not intended to be wielded by arm-strength alone.

    Therefore, from Ainz¡¯s movements, the possibility existed that his sword might be enchanted with magic beyond the ken of normal magic items, or that Ainz with one hand was stronger than a regr warrior with both arms, or both.

    In the face of this jaw-dropping sight, the Ogres unconsciously stopped moving, and began backing off with looks of fear on their faces. Ainz strode forth, shrinking the distance between himself and the Ogres.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Noting?¡¯

    His casual, rxed words resounded through the battlefield.

    These simple words filled the ogres with fear. After all, they had seen with their own eyes the vast disparity between their own power and Ainz¡¯s.

    On his part, Ainz closed the gap to the Ogres with startling speed. His movements were swift, with a speed that someone wearing a suit of full te armor should not have possessed.

    ¡°Uooooh¡ª!¡±

    With a cry that sounded like a cross between a wail of despair and a shout, the Ogre before him raised his great club to smite the oing Ainz. However, everyone here knew in their guts that the Ogre was far, far too slow.

    As Ainz closed in, he swung the greatsword in his left hand horizontally.

    The Ogre¡¯s upper body spun through the air,nding some distance away from the rest of its body.

    This time, it had been transversely bisected.

    ¡°Momon-shi... are you a monster...?¡±

    As yet another breathtaking scene unfolded before their eyes, none of them could bring themselves to refute Dyne¡¯s words.

    ¡°...Then, as for the rest of you...:¡±

    Ainz stepped forward. The ugly faces of the ogres froze, and they retreated even faster.

    The Goblins circled around the Ogres and Ainz¡¯s defensive line to attack Peter and the others. Swords of Darkness, stunned by the sights they had just seen, managed to react to the assault and began moving.

    Peter raised his broadsword andrge shield, prepared to take on the ten or so Goblins headed toward him. He shed forward, sending a Goblin¡¯s head flying into the air, and then Peter evaded the arterial spray before entering melee with the other Goblins.

    ¡°Take this!¡±

    The yellow toothed Goblins responded with a garbled cry that was hard on the ears.

    Peter adroitly blocked the Goblin¡¯s club with his shield, while his magically reinforced armor took the rest of the hits with a low-pitched sound.

    ¡°¡¸Magic Arrow¡¹.¡±

    Two magical missiles struck the Goblin trying to attack Peter from behind. It copsed like its strings had been cut.

    Half of the Goblins surrounding Peter rushed the other three adventurers, but none of the Goblins dared attack Narberal, who stood beside the storm of death called Ainz.

    Lukrut put down hisposite longbow and drew a short sword from his waist. Together with Dyne, who wielded a mace, the two of them ran to Ninya and ced their backs against his.

    Lukrut and Dyne were matched against five Goblins, and the odds seemed roughly even. Although the Goblins were being eliminated one by one, it was still very time consuming, under the present circumstances. Lukrut¡¯s face was a mask of pain as he endured the pain from his arm ¡ª it had been struck by a Goblin¡¯s club ¡ª as he thrust his shortsword into the gaps of his opponent¡¯s leather armor. Dyne had taken several hits as well, and as a result his movements slowed down, but he was not in any mortal danger.

    Ninya surveyed the battlefield anxiously, with an eye toward conserving his spells. Although some of the ogres were immobilized by magic, he might have to deal with them if the situation changed.

    As for Peter, he was engaged in a fierce battle with six Goblins, and the struggle went back and forth several times.

    The reason why they had not been overwhelmed by eleven Goblins was because the Goblins¡¯ charge had been blunted. After seeing Ainz¡¯s preternatural ability to kill Ogres in one blow, the Goblins¡¯ morale plummeted, and they could not make up their mind whether to flee or fight.

    Then, Ainz swung his sword in a grand, sweeping arc, as though announcing his intent to utterly demoralize the Goblins.

    As the sound of the disced air swept into everyone¡¯s ears, they could hear the sound of a heavy weight hitting the ground. It was soon followed by two more such sounds.

    Just as everyone had expected, the number of Ogre corpses steadily increased. There were two more Ogres struggling to hold on to life. One of them was pinned down by the grass, while the other was quaking in fear before Ainz.

    Ainz¡¯s helmet turned to face thest Ogre who was still opposing him. The Ogre seemed to sense Ainz¡¯s expression through the slits of his closed helm, because it made a strange cry before turning to flee, discarding its greatclub as it ran for the forest. It was moving faster than when it charged, but there was no escape for it.

    ¡°Nabe, do it.¡±

    As the merciless order rang through the air, Narberal ¡ª who had been standing by behind Ainz ¡ª nodded slightly.

    ¡°¡¸Lightning¡¹.¡±

    The electrical discharge thundered through the air as it leapt forth, and the stroke of lightning cleanly pierced the fleeing Ogre¡¯s body. It even went through the Ogre behind it, the one which had been entangled by Dyne¡¯s spell.

    That single spell finished off two Ogres.

    ¡°Run!¡±

    ¡°Run away! Run away!¡±

    The Goblins, who had watched this scene in stunned silence, began fleeing as they screamed in terror. However, Peter was too fast for them, and the demoralized Goblins were no threat to him.

    The adventurers felled the Goblins two and three at a time. In addition, Ninya ¡ª no longer bound to conserve mana ¡ª began throwing attack spells into the fray. In the blink of an eye, the Goblins had been crushed, with no survivors.

    ? ? ?

    Amidst the vile corpse-stench that hung in the air, Dyne healed Lukrut¡¯s and Peter¡¯s wounds with the spell ¡¸Light Healing¡¹. With nothing else to do, Ninya began cutting off the Goblins¡¯ ears with a dagger.

    They would be paid for turning in the ears to the guild. Of course, adventurers did not im their bounty with monsters¡¯ ears alone. Rather, they submitted different body parts as appropriate for different types of monsters, However, Goblins and Ogres were demihumans, so for the most part, ears were used in their case.

    Ninya cut the ears off with practiced ease, and then he noticed that Ainz and Narberal were looking around the ce where most of the Ogres had died. They seemed to be searching for something.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    After hearing Ninya¡¯s question, Ainz lifted his head and replied:

    ¡°Ah, I was just thinking... do these monsters drop items, in particr, crystals or the like?¡±

    ¡°...Crystals? I¡¯ve never heard of Ogres carrying anything like crystals.¡±

    ¡°I see. I was just wondering if they carried treasure.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. I¡¯d be jumping for joy if Ogres had treasure too,¡± Ninya replied as he removed the Ogres¡¯ ears with practiced movements.

    ¡°Still... you¡¯re amazing, Momon-san. I knew you were a warrior who was proud of his abilities, but I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be that amazing.¡±

    As they heard Ninya¡¯s words, the other three adventurers, who had finished with their healing magic, told Ainz:

    ¡°That was great! I¡¯m in awe of you, as a fellow warrior. How did you train up your arms like that?¡±

    ¡°I thought you were quite wealthy from the way you were apanied by Nabe-chan, but what kind of swords are those? I¡¯ve never seen such valuable-looking swords before.¡±

    ¡°I know now that what you said at the guild was not a bluff. Truly, you¡¯re on par with the Kingdom¡¯s mightiest warrior.¡±

    Narberal held her nose high as she watched from the side. However, Ainz was frantically waving his hands about:

    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s no need to say that, it was nothing much.¡±

    ¡°Nothing much...¡±

    Peter and friends smiled bitterly.

    ¡°...After that battle, I finally understand what they mean by ¡®always someone better.¡¯¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll all be able to surpass me with ease.¡±

    Ainz¡¯s reply made the smiles of the Swords of Darkness¡¯ faces even more bitter.

    Peter and the others had worked hard to make themselves stronger, and they had carefully saved all their earnings, using them to strengthen themselves. They could get along because they all shared the same goal. However, even when they looked back on all the effort they had put in since bing adventurers, none of them could imagine themselves on Ainz¡¯s level. To the Swords of Darkness, Ainz stood upon a pinnacle that almost nobody could reach.

    This person travelling with them would someday be a hero, whose name would be known to all. He would be a great person that would stand atop all other adventurers.

    Everyone was certain of that.

    Part 2

    Although it was some time from dusk, the adventurers were already setting up camp.

    Ainz took the wooden poles handed to him by others and erected them around the campsite. Because they had to shelter a horse and wagon, the campsite in question was around twenty meters on each side and covered a fairlyrge area.

    The poles went into four points around the campsite, and then thin, ckened ropes were tied around the poles, forming a perimeter. Finally, they tied a knot in one of the ropes and pulled it over to their tents, where they attached a big bell to it. This was their rm system.

    As Ainz was driving the poles into the ground, Narberal came around.

    ...Narberal should have some work to do... maybe she¡¯s finished. But if that man (Lukrut) made her mad again, all I can do is gently reprimand her...

    With those thoughts in mind, Ainz turned around. As he did, Narberal spoke, in a low voice that suggested that she was holding back feelings of anger:

    ¡°...They should not be troubling you with work like this, Momon-san.¡±

    Ainz sighed in relief as he learned the reason for her anger. He looked around, and then quietly replied:

    ¡°Everyone¡¯s working together to pitch camp. It would be odd if I was the only one not doing anything, no?¡±

    ¡°Have they not seen your extraordinary fighting skill? People should do what they are suited for, so this sort of work should be left to weaklings like them.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that. Listen, we need to establish ourselves as powerful individuals, but we mustn¡¯t project an image of arrogance while we do it. You need to check yourself a little too.¡±

    Narberal nodded to show that she understood, but her displeasure was evident on her face. She was only going along with this because it was an express order from Ainz himself.

    He could tell that her loyalty was enough to ovee her unhappiness. On the other hand, the thought that this might cause a slip-up at an inopportune time made Ainz feel uneasy.

    The truth was that Ainz was having a lot of fun with these outdoor activities. After all, this was something he could not experience in the virtual world of YGGDRASIL, let alone real life, and thus it was filled with novelty. Although the whole thing had taken too much time, it also reminded Ainz of the adventures he had exploring unknown ces in YGGDRASIL.

    If I was the only one who came to this new world, without the whole of Nazarick with me, I¡¯d probably have gone travelling without a second thought.

    The undead did not need to eat, drink, or breathe. That being the case, they could climb high mountains with their own two legs, or walk into the ocean depths. He would have enjoyed himself by witnessing the unknown vistas of the world.

    However, now that hisrades¡¯ treasures ¡ª his loyal subordinates ¡ª were here, Ainz felt that he should repay their loyalty by ruling Nazarick well.

    Ainz cast his thoughts aside and calmly returned to his work. After hammering the four wooden poles into the ground, he tied the rope around them and then raised the tent over it.

    ¡°Thanks for your hard work.¡±

    ¡°Think nothing of it.¡±

    Lukrut was inside the tent, and he thanked Ainz without looking at him. It was kind of rude, but it was not as though he was cking off either. He had been digging a hole for a stove since just now.

    The magic caster ¡ª Ninya ¡ª was pacing about the surroundings, incanting a spell as he went. This was an ¡¸rm¡¹ spell, and as the name suggested, it was a spell of warning that would trigger if anything trespassed on their camp. Though it had a small area of effect, it was still useful just in case.

    This spell, which did not exist in YGGDRASIL, made Ainz narrow his eyes.

    Although he had handed the task of learning about unknown magic to other people, as a magic caster, he still felt the desire to know about spells he had never seen before.

    The magic Ninya used was a spell of the arcane type, like the kind that Ainz could cast. In addition, it looked very simr to a YGGDRASIL spell. Ainz had used a racial skill called Dark Wisdom to perform a rite which increased the number of spells he knew.

    Could I learn spells that weren¡¯t in YGGDRASIL by making a live sacrifice? Or is there another way? There¡¯s so many things I know nothing about...

    As Ninya realised Ainz was staring at himself, he smiled and drew closer to Ainz.

    ¡°Ah, there¡¯s no need to watch me so intently. It must be pretty boring, right?¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m curious about magic, and I¡¯m interested in what you¡¯re doing, Ninya-san.¡±

    ¡°No way... I¡¯m probably far below Nabe-san, aren¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because you know spells that Nabe doesn¡¯t.¡±

    Narberal nodded slightly, but Ainz noticed from the corner of his eye that the look on her face was more of jealousy than regret.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to cast spells like you, Ninya-san.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re greedy, Momon-san. To think you¡¯d want spellcasting ability even though your swordsmanship is so amazing... no, I should say that you¡¯re being an adventurer, right?¡±

    ¡°Magic doesn¡¯t seem like the sort of thing you can learn in one or two days. Well, you need to connect to the world, but only people with the appropriate talent can do it. If not, you¡¯ll need to take a long time to experience it.¡±

    Those words came from Lukrut, who had cut in without turning to look from where he was setting up the campfire. Ninya¡¯s face turned serious:

    ¡°Mm. Momon-san, I think you have that talent. You¡¯re different from other people... kind of like you¡¯re not human at all...¡±

    Ainz¡¯s non-existent heart seemed to lurch in his chest. Ainz wondered if Ninya had sensed that he was undead.

    Although he had already veiled himself in illusions and counter-detection spells, Ninya might have seen through Ainz with an unknown spell or some other special ability. Therefore, Ainz asked Ninya:

    ¡°...Is that so? I feel that I am strong, but not inhumanly so. You¡¯ve seen my face as well, so wouldn¡¯t you think that as well?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about appearances... it¡¯s just that after seeing you fight, you¡¯re clearly beyond the realm of humanity. Taking out an Ogre in one blow... as I thought, a real man gets by on strength, not looks. And you¡¯ve got a beauty like Nabe-san with you.¡±

    Upon closer consideration, Lukrut seemed to be saying that the illusionary face which Ainz showed them was an ugly one. However, when he thought about the looks of everyone he had met so far, Ainz could only sit down and ept his opinion.

    There¡¯s too many handsome men and beautiful women in this world! Even the passers-by look attractive. Aftering here, I¡¯ve got a worse opinion of my own looks...

    ¡°Appearances aside, Lukrut has a point. A hero is someone who surpasses the realm of human possibility. I get that feeling from you too.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s too much... I wouldn¡¯t dare im to be any sort of hero, even if it was to be polite.¡±

    As Ainz feigned embarrassment while answering Ninya, he resisted the urge to sigh in relief.

    ¡°If it¡¯s convenient for you... would you like to meet my master? Master¡¯s talent lies in detecting an individual¡¯s magical power. If you were born with magical potential, Master should be able to sense it. When ites to arcane magic casters, Master can even differentiate between them by the tiers of magic which they can cast.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask for a while... is that talent the same as the one possessed by the Empire¡¯s head magician?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the same talent.¡±

    Ainz could not let information like this slip through his hands. He had to continue asking about it.

    ¡°...What is this ability like?¡±

    ¡°Ahh, ording to Master, we magic casters radiate something like an aura from our bodies. The more adept one bes in magic, the stronger this aura bes. Master has the ability to see these auras.¡±

    ¡°Oh... oh.¡±

    Ainz immediately suppressed the quiet surprise in his tone, and in order to cover it up, promptly responded in a more normal tone.

    ¡°This was how Master gathered up talented children and trained them in magic. I was recruited by Master in that way,¡± Ninya continued.

    Ainz nodded and cursed silently in his heart. There¡¯s people with abilities like that. This could be troublesome...

    ¡°Then, if I wanted to learn how to cast spells, where should I begin?¡±

    ¡°For starters, you¡¯d need a proper teacher.¡±

    ¡°...And how about bing your disciple, Ninya-san?¡±

    ¡°Hm... you should probably find someone more skilled than myself. However, schools in the Kingdom are very exclusive and people without connections can¡¯t join the guilds that handle magic. Even if you could join, most of the recruits would be immature kids. It would be very difficult for someone of your age to get in without some kind of specialworking, Momon-san. On that note, the Empire has a full-fledged magical academy, and the Theocracy has a very high standard of magical education as well, though that¡¯s for divine magic.¡±

    ¡°I see, so if I entered the Empire¡¯s magical academy, I could learn magic?¡±

    ¡°That would be pretty difficult. The academy is an educational institution run by the government, so I think you¡¯d have to be a citizen of the Empire to study there.¡±

    ¡°Is that so...¡±

    ¡°And as for bing my disciple, though I apologise for it, I must refuse. I have something I want to do, and I don¡¯t have the free time to train people.¡±

    Ninya¡¯s face went grim. There were hints of hostility amidst the negative emotion there.

    Maybe I shouldn¡¯t pry too deeply. There¡¯s no merit to doing so.

    Just as Ainz came to that conclusion, Lukrut interrupted his train of thought with casual words:

    ¡°Oi~ sorry to interrupt your conversation, but dinner¡¯s ready. Do you mind calling those three back here?¡±

    ¡°Let me go, Momon-san.¡±

    ¡°Ehhhh~ Nabe-chan, you¡¯re going off? Why not stay with me and make a dinner filled with love?¡±

    ¡°Die, inferior being (centipede). Unless you want me to pour boiling oil down your throat so you can¡¯t utter such nonsense again?¡±

    ¡°Enough, Nabe. Let¡¯s go together.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Understood!¡±

    After thanking Ninya, Ainz approached the two people working quietly on the ground, a short distance from the tent.

    Peter and Dyne were focused on caring for their weapons. They oiled them to prevent rust from building up, inspected them carefully to see if they were bent, and so on.

    There were fresh dents on their armor, and cracks on their swords from where they had shed with the Goblins¡¯ weapons. Naturally, these defects had to be remedied as soon as possible, and the two of them were so focused that Ainz did not know whether he should call out to them.

    After telling them that dinner was ready, he informed Nfirea about the matter at the ce where the wagon was tied up, a short distance away.

    ? ? ?

    The sun touched the horizon, and the group had their dinner against the ruby radiance of its dying light.

    In their hands, they held bowls of thick stew voured with bacon bits, as well as toasted bread, dried figs, walnuts, and other nuts. This was today¡¯s dinner.

    Ainz looked at the bowl of stew in his hands. It appeared to be very salty. He could not feel the heat of the bowl through his metal gauntlets, but judging from the way everyone else was digging into it with big mouthfuls and not blowing on it to cool it down, it should have been just the right temperature.

    Now then, what shall I do?

    Ainz was undead, and he could not eat with this body of his. In addition, he had disguised his appearance with an illusion. If he tried to drink soup with his skeletal mouth and body, it would probably spill out right away.

    He could not let the others see that, no matter what.

    This was unknown food and drink from an unknown world. Though the dishes before him were in fare, Ainz felt that it was a shame to not be able to enjoy them.

    Though he no longer had a need or desire to eat, he was unhappy with the fact that he could not consume the delicious-looking food that piqued his curiosity.

    For the first time since he hade to this world, he regretted this undead body of his.

    ¡°Ah~ is there something you¡¯re scared of eating?¡± Lukrut asked as he noted that Ainz had not touched his food.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s just a personal matter.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Then you don¡¯t need to force yourself, right? Although, we¡¯re eating now, so could you take off your helmet?¡±

    ¡°...It¡¯s a religious reason. I can¡¯t eat with more than four people on a day when I take life.¡±

    ¡°Oh... that¡¯s an unusual faith you follow, Momon-shi. Still, the world isrge, and religions like that aren¡¯t particrly strange.¡±

    The doubt in their eyes faded away once they learned that it had something to do with religion.

    It seems religions in this world are aplicated matter.

    As Ainz thought that, he gave silent thanks to the gods he did not believe in for somehow letting him muddle through this. Then, he asked Peter:

    ¡°I recall your team name is Swords of Darkness, but I don¡¯t see a ck de among you...?¡±

    On the topic of the group¡¯s weapons, Peter used a longsword with an ordinary enchantment, Lukrut favored the bow and arrow, Dyne used a mace, and Ninya used a staff. Peter¡¯s sword and Lukrut¡¯s backup shortsword were both des, but neither of them had a color that was anywhere close to ¡°dark.¡±

    There was a technique to tint metal a different color by depositing a special powder on its surface, so creating a ck sword was not a difficult task. Rather, it seemed odd that none of them bore a de of that color.

    ¡°Ah, so it¡¯s that kind of question.¡±

    Lukrut smiled bitterly, as though someone had brought up an embarrassing memory. Ninya¡¯s face flushed bright red, a distinctly different color from the fire¡¯s glow.

    ¡°They¡¯re the swords of Ninya¡¯s dreams.¡±

    ¡°Come on, that¡¯s enough, I was just being childish.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s nothing to feel bad about! It¡¯s important to have a great dream!¡±

    ¡°Give me a break Dyne, I¡¯m serious.¡±

    Good-naturedughter apanied Ninya¡¯s teasing by the other Swords of Darkness. Ninya, on the other hand, was so embarrassed that he was looking for a hole to crawl into. It would seem the name Swords of Darkness contained a secret that only its members knew.

    ¡°Well, the name ¡®Swords of Darkness¡¯ refers to the swords borne by one of the Thirteen Heroes.¡±

    The smiling Peter stopped there, seemingly unwilling to go any further.

    Even if he says that, I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s going on... still, I know that the Thirteen Heroes were the superheroes who destroyed the Demon Gods, who were rampaging across the world two hundred years ago. If I¡¯m ignorant about these heroes and their gear... would it be embarrassing? Or should I just say that I know?

    Just as Ainz was agonizing over this issue, Narberal cut in from aside.

    ¡°What are they?¡±

    Wonderful. Ainz struck a victory pose in his heart, but surprise crossed the faces of the members of Swords of Darkness.

    Just about anyone would be shocked that someone knew nothing about the magic weapons for which the team was named.

    ¡°Nabe-chan, you didn¡¯t know?... Well, it¡¯s not as though it¡¯s unforgivable. He was one of the Thirteen Heroes, but because people thought he had demonic ancestry, he ended up being more of an anti-hero instead. Therefore, his origins were covered up in the saga of the Thirteen Heroes... though I¡¯ve heard that he was a very powerful person.¡±

    ¡°The Swords of Darkness belonged to the man known as ¡®ck Knight.¡¯ It was one of the four swords he possessed. There was the demonic de Kilineyram, which could emit dark energy, the de of rot, Crocdabal, which inflicted wounds that would not heal, the fatal de Sfeiz, which could kill with the merest scratch, as well as the evil de Hyumilis, whose powers are unknown.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡ª¡±

    Everyone smiled bitterly at Narberal¡¯s unenthusiastic reply.

    However, Ainz tilted his head in pensive musing. Those abilities seemed familiar.

    After careful thought, the image of a vampire appeared in his mind. Those special abilities were simr to the skills possessed by Shalltear Bloodfallen, who had levels in the Cursed Knight ss.

    Cursed Knights had the backstory of being corrupted cleric-knights who had been cursed, and they were considered to be a very strong ss in YGGDRASIL. However, they had a lot of drawbacks, so they were not very popr. Among the skills Cursed Knights could learn was the ability to release waves of darkness, inflict cursed wounds which could not be healed by low level healing spells, instant death curses, and so on.

    Ainz narrowed his illusory eyes under his helmet. This was not a coincidence. While the Swords of Darkness might be weapons with powers simr to those of a Cursed Knight, it was more likely that the hero himself was a Cursed Knight.

    If that were the case, when one considered the prerequisites to be a Cursed Knight, it was certain that this ¡°ck Knight¡± was at least level sixty ¡ª no, if one considered that he had to actually learn all those skills as well, he would have to be at least level seventy.

    It would seem the Demon Gods were evenly matched against heroes like that, so it was a reasonable hypothesis that their levels were roughly the same. However, Nigun of the Sunlight Scripture said that the Dominion Authority which he summoned could defeat a Demon God, so it would seem that the Demon Gods and the Heroes were not on the same level.

    Afterparing this new information with what he already knew, it seemed logical that the Demon Gods were not all equally powerful. However, the only way to know for sure would be to meet that hero or obtain that sword.

    As Ainz pondered this, the rest of the group continued talking. Ainz hurriedly shifted his attention to their conversation; it would be a shame to miss out on a chance to learn something because he was distracted.

    ¡°¡ªSo finding those swords was my first objective. There¡¯s a lot of legends about weapons out there, but some of them have been proven to exist. The thing is that the existence of the Swords of Darkness is still a mystery¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ah, there¡¯s someone out there who possesses one of the Swords of Darkness.¡±

    After Nfirea calmly dropped that bombshell, the Swords of Darkness turned on him:

    ¡°Who, who¡¯s that!?¡±

    ¡°Uwah! Really? So that means there¡¯s only three left!¡±

    ¡°Oh, that means we won¡¯t be able to distribute them evenly to everyone now...¡±

    Nfirea gingerly replied:

    ¡°Er, about that... the person who owns that sword is the leader of the adventuring party called ¡®Blue Rose.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Geh, adamantite, you say? Adventurers like that? Then it can¡¯t be helped.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true. Still, there¡¯s three of them left; let¡¯s work hard so we can be strong enough to take them into possession.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Since one of them is the real deal, that means that the other three exist as well. I hope these swords are hidden in a ce that nobody¡¯s discovered until us.¡±

    ¡°Ninya, you¡¯d best write it down in your diary so you don¡¯t forget.¡±

    ¡°I know, I¡¯ll write it down for sure. However, the stuff in there is personal, so shouldn¡¯t you memorize it instead?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s better to have a hard copy!¡±

    ¡°Is that the problem, Dyne...¡±

    ¡°Still, we have ¡®that.¡¯¡±

    ¡°What is ¡®that?¡¯¡±

    ¡°This, Momon-san.¡±

    Peter took a dagger with four jewels embedded into its scabbard. It had a ck de.

    ¡°Before we discover the real thing, I nned to use this as the party¡¯s symbol...¡±

    ¡°Still, ¡®de of Darkness¡¯ would work just as well as ¡®Swords of Darkness,¡¯¡± right? Come to think of it, it¡¯s not as though it¡¯s a fake. It¡¯ll make the perfect symbol of our group!¡±

    ¡°Oooh, Lukrut¡¯s making sense for once!¡±

    The adventurersughed, radiating an air of camaraderie.

    Ainz was affected by this as well, and smiled in response. They probably felt the same way about that dagger as Ainz did about the staff which represented the guild.

    The dinner conversation continued, and Swords of Darkness, having the advantage of numbers, tossed questions out at Ainz, Narberal, and Nfirea.

    Ainz responded as best as he could, but he still felt a barrier separating him from Swords of Darkness. This was because Ainzcked knowledge about this world, and he could not engage too fully lest his ignorance be revealed. Thus, Ainz kept quiet about things he did not know, which in turn led to him drawing even further away from the adventurers in a vicious cycle.

    Though the adventurers tried to chat up Narberal, all she did was respond with the verbal equivalent of a home run, leaving them with no way to respond. Eventually, they slowly stopped trying to speak to her.

    Nfirea, on the other hand, was handling this quite well.

    As a native of this world, he got along better with the others than Ainz. He was observant and could follow the adventurers¡¯ discussion well.

    ...It¡¯s nothing. I had friends like these once.

    These childish thoughts, almost like a tantrum, ran through Ainz¡¯s head as he watched the others chatting happily in the campfire¡¯s light.

    They seemed very close to each other, but that was only to be expected of a group ofrades who trod the edge of life and death in each other¡¯spany. Nfirea had a look of envy on his face as he looked upon them.

    Ainz recalled his friends from the past, and under his helmet, he quietly ground his teeth in jealousy.

    ¡ªOnce, he had been like them.

    ¡°...Well, you seem like a chummy bunch. Are all adventurers like that?¡±

    ¡°I should think so. After all, adventurers are colleagues who face death together. It¡¯d be dangerous if they didn¡¯t understand each other and what they nned to do. So somewhere along the way, adventurers end up being quite close to each other.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. After all, we don¡¯t have any women in our team. I heard that parties with women tend to have a lot of arguments.¡±

    ¡°...Yeah.¡±

    With an indecipherable smile, Ninya continued:

    ¡°And if there were, Lukrut would be the first to raise questions. After all, our group has a very clear objective, right?¡±

    Peter and the others nodded in unison.

    ¡°...Just like that. It feelspletely different when everyone is of one mind.¡±

    ¡°Hmm? Momon-san, were you in an adventuring party before?¡±

    Ainz did not know how to answer Nfirea¡¯s question, but right now, he had no need to make up some strange excuse to cover it up.

    ¡°We probably didn¡¯t count as... adventurers.¡±

    He could not help but take a somber tone as he thought about his past friends. After all, he still had emotions ¡ª even though his body was undead ¡ª and his friends were the people that Ainz treasured most.

    Sensing Ainz¡¯s difficulty in answering, nobody pursued the matter, and silence fell upon the group.

    Amidst this quiet, so deep and so total that it felt like they were the only people in the world, Ainz unconsciously raised his head and looked into the star-studded night sky.

    ¡°When I was still a weakling, a pdin of pure white with sword and shield in hand saved me. Through him, I met four morerades. And so, we formed a team that numbered six people, including myself. In addition, after that, we met three more weak people like ourselves, and we ended up as a team of nine people.¡±

    ¡°Ohh¡ª¡± someone eximed quietly, amidst the crackling of the campfire. However, Ainz was not bothered, and he continued recounting the story of the original nine members of what would be Ainz Ooal Gown.

    ¡°They were all excellentpanions. A pdin, a swordmaster, a priest, an ass... a thief, a two-sword nin... a two-sword thief, a sorcerer, a chef, a cksmith... they were all irreceable friends. We had countless adventures together, and even now, I still haven¡¯t been able to forget those days.¡±

    Through them, he had learned the meaning of friendship. He once thought he would have been ignored in YGGDRASIL, like in the real world, but unlike reality, they ended up being the best of friends, who would extend a helping hand to each other at any time. And so, as the number of group members steadily increased, they shared their joys and their sorrows together.

    Therefore, the guild called Ainz Ooal Gown was a treasure to Ainz. He would ensure its brilliance was never diminished, even if he had to discard or destroy everything to do so.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll findpanions like them again someday.¡±

    In response to Ninya¡¯sforting words, Ainz snapped:

    ¡°That day will nevere.¡±

    The hostility in Ainz¡¯s tone startled everyone, even himself. rmed by what he had said, Ainz slowly rose to his feet.

    ¡°...Forgive me. Nabe, I¡¯ll have my dinner over there.¡±

    ¡°Then I shall go too.¡±

    ¡°Really... well, if it¡¯s a religious matter, then it can¡¯t be helped.¡±

    There was a hint of regret in Peter¡¯s voice, but he did not insist on their staying.

    Although Ainz noticed the depressed look on Ninya¡¯s face, Ainz did not intend to say anything more to him.

    Perhaps a simple ¡°I¡¯m not bothered by it¡± would have sufficed.

    ? ? ?

    The two of them had their dinner in the corner of the roped-off campsite area.

    The ones who stayed behind discussed the pair which had left. It was only to be expected, given what the absent people had aplished today.

    Then, the conversation grew to a halt, and silence descended upon the group. The campfire crackled and spat glowing embers which danced into the sky. As Ninya watched the glowing traces vanish into the air, he muttered in a self-chastising tone:

    ¡°...I think I said something I shouldn¡¯t have.¡±

    ¡°Umu. It seems like something happened in their past.¡±

    Dyne nodded deeply, and then Peter continued:

    ¡°I guess they were all wiped out. I¡¯ve seen that sort of reaction from people who lost all their friends in battle.¡±

    ¡°That... must be hard to bear. Even if we¡¯re used to walking the edge of death together, losing a friend is still...¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Lukrut. The words spoken just now were not the best that could have been said.¡±

    ¡°Well, what¡¯s said cannot be unsaid. Therefore, we need to do something that makes him change his mind about those words.¡±

    Ninya looked quite depressed as he replied, and then he quietly continued, ¡°I know what it¡¯s like to lose someone, so why didn¡¯t I put myself into his shoes?¡±

    However, nobody responded to him.

    The campfire¡¯s logs cracked loudly and spat embers amidst the silence.

    In an attempt to lighten the heaviness in the air, Nfirea gingerly spoke:

    ¡°...Momon-san¡¯s fighting was really spectacr.¡±

    As though waiting for these words, Peter immediately added:

    ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t think it would be so amazing. He cut an Ogre clean in two...¡±

    ¡°That was seriously over the top.¡±

    ¡°Beating an Ogre in one blow is amazing in it¡¯s own right, but how good do you have to be to cleave it in half?¡±

    The Swords of Darkness looked at each other after hearing Nfirea¡¯s puzzled question.

    Nfirea was a young man who was famous for his innate talent, as well as an excellent magic caster. Although he might well shake the world with his abilities, it was difficult for him to understand the full extent of Ainz¡¯s prowess without another warrior forparison.

    With that in mind, Peter began exining to Nfirea, in a way that was as easy to understand as possible:

    ¡°Normally, greatswords are used in a hacking fashion, but he employed a shing method. Usually, when using a greatsword one-handed, it would be very difficult to sever the limbs of enemies asrge as Ogres... but it would seem there¡¯s an exception to that now.¡±

    Nfirea gasped as he heard Peter¡¯s words. Peter felt that Nfirea was not sufficiently awed, and decided to name someone he might be more familiar with:

    ¡°Honestly speaking, I think Momon-san is on the same level as the Kingdom¡¯s Warrior-Captain.¡±

    Nfirea¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment. He finally understood what the Swords of Darkness thought of Ainz¡¯s abilities.

    ¡°...That is to say, he could be an adamantite ranked adventurer... those people who are the highest ranked adventurers, living legends, in other words, the mightiest human beings?¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Peter replied as he nodded gently. Nfirea looked around at the other members of the Swords of Darkness, who were also nodding in approval.

    He was dumbfounded.

    Adamantite ranked adventurers possessed guild tes made of adamantite, a rare magical material which was the hardest metal known to man. If adventurers and their numbers formed a pyramid, then adamantite ranked adventurers would upy the peak, and would be correspondingly scarce. Both the Kingdom and the Empire only boasted two teams of adamantite ranked adventurers each.

    Their abilities were at the zenith of human potential. One might even call them heroes.

    And Momon was a person who could rival them.

    ¡°That¡¯s incredible...¡±

    One could hear the utter amazement in those words.

    ¡°At first... The first time I saw Momon-san, dressed in a suit of stylish full te armor while wearing the copper te belonging to the lowliest of adventurers, I felt pretty jealous, but now that I¡¯ve seen that he has the skills to match his looks, there¡¯s nothing more I can say. He ¡ª Momon-san¡¯s abilities are worthy of his full te. I¡¯m kind of jealous of how strong he is...¡±

    Peter the warrior did not wear full-te. Instead, he sported a suit of banded armor, which was somewhat less protective. This was not by personal preference; rather, it was the best body armor he could afford with his limited resources.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it; I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to buy a suit of full te soon, Peter.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. You should work hard towards that goal. Really, you should be d that you¡¯re fortunate enough to be able to witness an example of what it¡¯s like to be at the top.¡±

    ¡°Ninya¡¯s right, all you need to do is work hard to reach the target of Momon-san. We¡¯ll support you too, so let¡¯s move forward together.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right! Slowly but surely, your hard work will pay off! I¡¯m sure that Momon-shi must have trained even longer than you did!¡±

    Dyne¡¯s words awoke doubts in Nfirea¡¯s heart:

    ¡°Have you seen what Momon-san looks like under his helmet?¡±

    Ainz had not removed his helm after meeting Nfirea, not even while eating. How he drank was also a mystery.

    ¡°Yes, we have. He looks like an average person... though not one from nearby. He and Nabe-san have ck hair and ck eyes.¡±

    ¡°Is that so... did he say which country he was from?¡±

    The Swords of Darkness looked at each other, and they suddenly realized that Nfirea seemed very interested in that topic.

    ¡°Well, he didn¡¯t borate much on that...¡±

    ¡°Really now... ah, no, I was just thinking that if he came from a distant country, he¡¯d use different potions than what was avable in the surrounding region. It¡¯s just my curiosity as a herbalist talking.¡±

    ¡°I see ¡ª well, he does seem to be from the same ce as Nabe-chan, yet their looks are worlds apart ¡ª he doesn¡¯t look handsome at all. Would anyone like people like that¡ª?¡±

    ¡°Well, he doesn¡¯t look like much, but with his strength, I¡¯m sure there must be countless girls throwing themselves at him.¡±

    Powerful individuals were popr. This was because this world had monsters in it, and humans were on the bottom end of the power curve. As a result, the innate instincts of women made them desire strong males.

    ¡°Haah~ don¡¯t tell me my feelings will never bear fruit~¡±

    ¡°Nah, it¡¯s impossible. I don¡¯t think there was even a flower to begin with,¡± Ninya replied with a bitter smile as he recalled Narberal¡¯s reaction.

    ¡°Utter nonsense. In any case, the important thing is to keep pushing and pushing and pushing. Eagerness is the key. ¡®Sides, she¡¯s a super hot girl, right? If she¡¯s just a little bit nicer to me, it¡¯ll mean I¡¯ve won at life.¡±

    ¡°...She does look very pretty...¡±

    Halfway through his somber reply, Dyne noticed that Nfirea had a bitter look on his face.

    ¡°Nfirea-shi, is something wrong?¡±

    ¡°Ah, no. Er, it¡¯s nothing...¡±

    ¡°Oya?¡±

    Lukrut grinned lewdly. ¡°What, you¡¯re in love with Nabe-chan?¡±

    ¡°Of course not!¡± Nfirea retorted with unnecessary loudness. From the intensity of his reaction, Peter sensed that they should not keep pressing him. Instead, he said:

    ¡°Lukrut, you¡¯re being rude. Think before you talk.¡±

    Nfirea looked ufortable, and he was not sure how to respond to Lukrut¡¯s sincere apology.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that. Well... I¡¯m just a little uneasy... would Momon-san really be that popr?¡±

    ¡°...Looks aside, he¡¯d be a hit just going by his strength alone. Plus, he looks pretty wealthy, given the armor he wears and the swords he carries...¡±

    ¡°Ah...¡±

    Nfirea¡¯s face was cast in shadow. With the tone of a senior speaking to a junior, Peter carefully asked:

    ¡°Is something the matter?¡±

    Nfirea wanted to speak, but cut himself off halfway. The effect repeated itself over and over again, making him look like a goldfish. However, Peter and the others did not press him ¡ª there was no need to force an answer out of him if he did not want to talk about it. Soon, however, Nfirea made up his mind, and finally managed to speak.

    ¡°Um ¡ª it¡¯s because I don¡¯t want to let the person I like in Carne Vige fall in love with Momon-san.¡±

    The Swords of Darkness deftly picked up on the hidden message within those words, and then smiled warmly.

    ¡°All right then, young man. Onii-san here will teach you his amazing technique¡ª¡±

    Peter punched Lukrut, drawing a queer howl from thetter. The Swords of Darkness paid no heed to the look of agony on Lukrut¡¯s face and made tofort the stunned Nfirea.

    Lit by the radiance of the campfire, the boy finally smiled.

    ? ? ?

    At the same time¡ª

    The thrust went through the steel helmet, along with the forehead beneath it.

    The body shook violently, and then copsed like a puppet whose strings had been cut. The metal armor nged loudly in the night. He prayed that someone would hear the sound, but nobody woulde to E-Rantel¡¯s beggar¡¯s district, which had practically been abandoned by the residents. That was why the client had arranged to meet them here, after all.

    The man red at the young woman before him. However, it was clear that he was just putting on a brave front. He had lost the will to fight after seeing the woman casually kill three of his fellows.

    The young woman who had murdered his colleagues flicked her bloodstained stilettos. The ichor scattered in all directions, and the des recovered their cold shine.

    ¡°Nfufufufu~ and then there was one, Onii-san~¡±

    The woman revealed her canines with a predatory grin.

    ¡°Why, why are you doing this?¡±

    He knew it was a stupid question, but the man had no idea why this was happening to him.

    These men were the dropouts among adventurers. The term for them was ¡°Workers,¡± or dusk workers. They took on jobs which were borderline, or sometimes outright illegal.

    This might have been the result of some sort of grudge, but he had never worked in this city before. Neither had he seen this girl before.

    ¡°Ah, why I did this? Well now~ I just wanted you, Onii-san~¡±

    The man could not understand what the girl was talking about. He blinked several times, and then asked:

    ¡°What, what do you mean?¡±

    ¡°That famous herbalist¡¯s grandson isn¡¯t at home~ I wanted someone to keep an eye on them for me and see when they got back. I can¡¯t be bothered with such troublesome things~¡±

    ¡°Then all you needed to do was ask! Weren¡¯t you nning to do that in the first ce!?¡±

    Workers like themselves would dly take illegal jobs, so he had no idea why this girl was ughtering them.

    ¡°Nonono, you might have betrayed me~¡±

    ¡°We will never betray our employer once we¡¯ve been paid the appointed fee!¡±

    ¡°Hmmm~? Then how about this? I like killing people, I love it, I¡¯m absolutely crazy about it. Ah, and I like torture too,¡± the young woman added with a giggle.

    After hearing this nonsensical reply, the man¡¯s face hardened and he said, ¡°You¡¯re insane! Why!?¡±

    ¡°Why...?¡±

    The young woman¡¯s voice changed. The joking, teasing tone from just now was gone.

    ¡°Hmmm... I wonder why? Perhaps it was because my job involved killing lots of people? Maybe it was because I was constantlypared to my amazing big brother? How they loved him instead of me? Or how I was raped constantly before I became strong? Because my friends died in front of me? Or maybe it¡¯s because I messed up and got captured and tortured for several days? Heated choke pears hurt, you know~¡±

    It seemed as though there was only a little girl before him. But in the blink of an eye, a smile bloomed on the woman¡¯s face.

    ¡°Just kidding~ I was making it all up, it¡¯s a lie, a lie ¡ª never happened to me. Still, even if you knew, would it change anything? I¡¯m this way because things piled up ¡ª ah, speaking of which, I need to thank Khazi-chan for helping me suss out all this info, I¡¯m so d I could meet you all right away~ you should know how long it takes to find help~¡±

    The girl released her stilettos, which were pulled down by gravity and sank into the ground. Judging by their abnormal sharpness, they must have been made of something other than simple steel.

    ¡°This is orichalcum~ More precisely, its orichalcum alloyed over mithril. Pretty good stuff.¡±

    The fact that she bore such exotic weaponry was a sign of the woman¡¯s prowess. In other words, he had no chance of victory.

    ¡°Then~ time for the next step. I can¡¯t use you if you¡¯re heavily wounded, Onii-san... buuuut Khazi-chan can heal you with divine magic no matter how much I hurt you~ which means I get to enjoy torturing you as muuuuch as I like, no?¡±

    As she uttered those bone-chilling words, she drew another pair of stilettos from under her robe.

    ¡°These should be good... sorry if I miss~¡±

    It was adorable, the way she stuck her tongue out at him. However, her filthy, ckened heart was visible for all to see.

    The man turned his back to her and ran. Although he heard an exaggerated gasp of surprise from the young woman, he still ran with every ounce of strength in him. He was proud of his sense of direction, and he used it to the full as he ran through the lightless dark.

    However, there was a ttering noise from behind him, followed by the woman¡¯s calm voice.

    ¡°¡ªToo slow~¡±

    Searing pain filled his shoulder. His first thought was that he had been stabbed by a stiletto, and then a shadow fell over his thoughts.

    It was mind control.

    The man desperately tried to resist, but that only mired his consciousness further in darkness.

    The voice of ¡°a friend¡± came from behind him.

    ¡°Ah~ Are you all right? Is the wound deep? ¡°

    ¡°Mm, no, it¡¯s fine,¡± the man smiled as he turned to face ¡°his friend.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s wonderful~¡±

    A dreadful smile bloomed on the young woman¡¯s face.

    Part 3

    The group set out at daybreak, along a hidden path on the ins.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be at Carne Vige soon.¡±

    The other travellers nodded in response to Nfirea, the only person who had been to Carne Vige before (barring Ainz). Apart from that, they walked on in silence. Nfirea seemed somewhat put off by that.

    An air of awkwardness hung between them. Ainz, who was the cause of this situation, hid his guilt underneath his helmet.

    Ninya kept peeking at him, and it was annoying. However, this was all his fault, so he could not say anything about it.

    This was the result of what he had saidst night.

    Ninya apologized at breakfast, and Ainz should have epted the apology on the spot, but for some reason, he could not say a simple thing like ¡°I forgive you.¡±

    Though he felt he was being petty, Ainz could not simply let bygones be bygones.

    Because of this undead body, my mind has changed as well, huh...

    After bing undead, his strong emotions were suppressed, but the less intense ones did not vanish. The best proof for this was how long his mild angersted. Ainz¡¯s friends had a very important ce in his heart. Though he cared deeply for them, he began to feel that it might not be good to let things go on like this.

    However, he could not bring himself to take the first step in changing the mood.

    It was because he could calmly deduce that the slight changes in his feelings ¡ª like those of a petnt child ¡ª that he felt anger at his own immaturity.

    The only one who stood out among the awkwardness was Narberal. She was so happy to not be bothered by Lukrut that she was practically humming in delight.

    The group advanced in silence, and they soon made it to the outskirts of Carne Vige.

    ¡°Ah, yes! It seems pretty wide here, so maybe we don¡¯t have to stay in a line as we move,¡± Lukrut announced, seemingly with some other motive in mind.

    A nce to the sides revealed stretches of emerald forest around them, so the deliberate mention of being wide and open seemed somewhat suspicious. In addition, the point of being guards was that they could not lower their guard in an open area, so moving in a column like they were doing now was the wisest choice.

    It was just that they all knew their silent advance in a line was not due to their adventurer¡¯s sense of caution.

    ¡°...It¡¯s important to stay alert. So let¡¯s... mm. Let¡¯s get to the vige first.¡±

    ¡°Indeed! We need to stay on guard at all times lest we get attacked!¡±

    Lukrut put on an as if expression in response to Peter and Dyne¡¯s statements.

    ¡°Maybe a dragon might attack us from far away,¡± Ninya mumbled.

    Lukrut immediately shot back:

    ¡°What kind of shitty plot development would that be? Logically speaking, how could such a thing happen, Ninya!?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right, it¡¯s impossible. The stories of dragons near E-Rantel are nothing more than that, stories. Although they say that in the ancient past, there was a dragon which could shake the heavens and the earth... nobody¡¯s seen any dragons recently. Or no, I think there¡¯s a colony of Frost Dragons living along the Azellisia mountain range, towards the north...¡±

    They existed in the past? ording to the Sunlight Scripture, dragons are the mightiest beings in this world...

    In YGGDRASIL, dragons were the strongest enemies one could encounter. They boasted great physical attack and defense power, boundless stamina and wielded numerous skills and spells.

    They were in a ss of their own.

    There were countless monsters in YGGDRASIL. Among their number were all sorts of named monsters, and area monsters, as well as those super monsters called World ss Enemies. Even a legion,posed of six parties of six men each, would not have much of a chance against these unimaginably powerful creatures.

    Apart from the ¡°Devourer of the Nine Worlds,¡± there were the ¡°Eight Dragons,¡± the ¡°Demon Lords of the Seven Sins,¡± the ¡°Ten Archangels of the Sephira,¡± as well as the six bosses known as the ¡°Celestial Lord of the Sixth Heaven,¡± and the ¡°Five-Colored Buddhas,¡± from the expansion pack ¡°Valkyrie¡¯s Downfall.¡± There were thirty two of these extraordinary monsters in total, and one could infer the dev team¡¯s love of dragons from the number of draconic entities among them.

    I need to be careful if dragons exist. Dragons could live forever in YGGDRASIL¡¯s backstory, so it wouldn¡¯t be a surprise to encounter dragons with mind-boggling powers.

    ¡°Ah ¡ª could someone tell me the name of that dragon which could shatter the sky and shake the earth?¡±

    Ainz was not nearly thick skinned enough to nonchntly ask a question of someone feuding with him, so he merely spoke in a low voice. However, that was loud enough for everyone to hear, and Ninya jerked his head back to look.

    This was like a pair of quarrelling lovers looking for a chance to make up.

    Ainz recalled a time when he had heard a pair of sweethearts talking in a coffeeshop, and could not help butpare their words to his present situation.

    That said, Ninya¡¯s expression seemed a little brighter since it was Ainz who made the first move. The Swords of Darkness and Nfirea were all smiles as well. Only Narberal remained unmoved. Come to think of it, the awkwardness in the air since this morning had hardly affected her.

    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry! I¡¯ll look it up for you when we get back to the city!¡±

    Ah, no need to get so excited about it... it¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t know... I was just looking for something to say...

    However, he could not bring himself to utter those words.

    ¡°Mm, Ninya-san. Could you help me find out, if time permits?¡±

    ¡°Understood, Momon-san!¡±

    The way everyone nodded with exaggerated satisfaction made Ainz feel a little ashamed of himself. It might have been different if the situation was the other way around, but he was filled with regret as the oldest one here.

    ¡°All right, we¡¯re almost at Carne Vige now...¡±

    This was the first cheerful thing which anyone had said since this morning, but Nfirea mmed up almost immediately.

    Everyone looked at the vige before their eyes. It was a rustic hamlet at the edge of the forest. There was nothing strange or unusual about it, so Nfirea¡¯s silence was a mystery.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Nfirea-san? Is something the matter?¡±

    ¡°Ah, no, it¡¯s fine. Just... I don¡¯t recall seeing a sturdy fence like the one in front of us...¡±

    ¡°Really? But it looks like an ordinary fence. Actually, it¡¯s kind of shabby for a frontier vige fence, right? It wouldn¡¯t be a surprise that a vige at the edge of the forest would have a sturdy fence to protect against monsters, right?¡±

    ¡°Hm ¡ª you might be right... but Carne has the Wise King of the Forest, so they¡¯ve never put up a fence before...¡±

    Everyone looked to the vige. The vige was surrounded by a fence as far as they could see, and the fence was made of logs which were resilient to cutting.

    ¡°How strange... did something happen...?¡±

    Ainz remained silent, even after hearing thed¡¯s uneasy question. In the past, he hade here as the magic caster Ainz Ooal Gown, but now he was the adventurer Momon.

    Ninya cut in, a serious expression on his face:

    ¡°Maybe I¡¯m worrying too much... but I grew up in a vige, and I still remember life there, so there¡¯s two things I find suspicious. The first is that the fields haven¡¯t been tilled yet even at this time, and the other is that they¡¯ve already harvested some of the wheat.¡±

    They looked in the direction Ninya was pointing and indeed, part of the wheat had already been taken in.

    ¡°I see. Looks like... perhaps something happened?¡±

    Ainz turned to the group, all of whom had uneasy faces, and said:

    ¡°...Gentlemen, let us handle this. Nabe, go invisible and scout the vige with flying magic.¡±

    After acknowledging Ainz¡¯s instructions, Narberal turned herself invisible with magic and vanished. Shortly after, they heard the sound of flight magic being incanted, and Narberal no longer left any tracks behind her. The travellers waited on the road, and after a while, Narberal reappeared where she had left.

    ¡°...The vigers seem to be moving normally around the vige, and I did not sense that they were being controlled or ordered. The vigers are working on the fields on the other side of the vige.¡±

    ¡°...Huh, looks like I was just being paranoid.¡±

    ¡°It should be fine. Then, let¡¯s move on... shall we?¡±

    Peter looked expectantly to Ainz and Nfirea, and they both replied in the affirmative.

    The road narrowed as they went on, so they had to form up into a column as they approached the vige¡¯s entrance.

    The wheat fields on either side of the road were a brilliant emerald, waving gently in the wind. The travellers looked as though they were submerged in a pool of green water.

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    The wagon advanced with a ttering noise. Behind it, Lukrut made a noise of suspicion and studied the wheat fields closely. It was not yet time for the harvest, but the stalks were over seventy centimeters high, and they were as imprable as the ocean¡¯s depths.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Nfirea asked from his ce at the back.

    ¡°Hm? Oh, nothing, maybe I was thinking too much...¡±

    Lukrut tilted his head in bafflement, then quickened his pace, drawing closer to Peter.

    Ninya looked in the same direction, and then opened up his steps once he made sure there were no other movements.

    The wheat fields spilled over onto the road that led to the vige, like the sea swallowing up thend. They wanted to cut down the stalks to ensure stable footing, but if they did that, problems would result in the future.

    ¡°I hope the vigers can tend their fields properly. This seems terribly wasteful.¡±

    Peter walked at the head of the group and because his armor touched the wheat stalks, it was soon covered in wheat grains. Peter muttered as he saw this, feeling that something was wrong.

    This was a warning born from his instincts, which had been honed through countless brushes with death. Would the green grains fall off so easily?

    Driven by instinct, he looked back into the wheat fields, and saw a pair of eyes staring at them. It was a small creature, its body even smaller as it hunkered down in the wheat. Although its face was obscured by the wheat stalks, it was clearly not human in nature.

    ¡°What!?¡±

    The shocked Peter wanted to shout a warning to his colleagues, but the creature ¡ª a demihuman ¡ª spoke first, ¡°Could you put down your weapons, please?¡±

    The diminutive demihuman already had its de drawn, and no matter how fast Peter moved, his opponent could still stab him first.

    ¡°Yo, please put down your weapons. Could you tell the people behind you to do so too? We don¡¯t want to have to shoot them with arrows.¡±

    There were faint sounds from another direction. When he looked to the source of those sounds, he found that there was a marvellously camouged hole in the wheatfields, with half a demihuman sticking out of it. The demihuman was covered in wheat stalks as further camouge.

    Peter was filled with doubt. It would seem there was room to negotiate with these creatures.

    ¡°...Could you spare our lives?¡±

    ¡°Sure we could. If you surrender, that is.¡±

    Peter was at a loss for what to do next.

    He had to stay in front and make sure the arrows did not hit Nfirea on the wagon. He also needed to figure out the enemy¡¯s number and organization.

    Verifying the opposition¡¯s objectives was also important. At the moment, he could not surrender, but neither could he entirely deny the enemy¡¯s proposition.

    As though sensing Peter¡¯s confusion, the two demihumans rose from the ins with a rustle.

    ¡°¡ªGoblins,¡± Ninya breathed.

    The demihumans who stood before them now were of the same species as the Goblins from yesterday. They had their bows raised, and their eyes were keen as they took aim.

    Should they fight?

    Ninya, Lukrut, and Dyne looked at each other, pondering that question.

    Goblins were inferior to human beings in height, weight, muscle power, and other physical parameters. They were hard to deal with in the dark because they possessed darkvision, but under the light of day, they were hardly fearsome opponents for the veteran Swords of Darkness.

    In addition, they had Ainz, who could take care of them easily like he had yesterday.

    Peter was confident that they could make it through even a pincer attack, as long as their opponents were Goblins.

    However, there was a reason why Peter could not immediately make that decision.

    His adventurer¡¯s instincts told him that these Goblins were different from the ones he had fought yesterday.

    Simply put, the Goblins in front of him seemed trained and experienced. In addition, they were in good physical shape. In contrast to the scrawny, weak Goblins from yesterday, these Goblins had bodies of rippling muscle.

    In addition, the Goblin archers had an excellent shooting stance. If the Goblins yesterday were children ying with sticks, these Goblins were warriors adept at using their bows.

    Finally, their weapons were well-made and well-maintained, easily rivalling the weapons of the Swords of Darkness.

    Just as humans could be strong through training, monsters could as well. Demihumans like Goblins could certainly do so too.

    Therefore, it was quite possible that the Goblins before the Swords of Darkness were stronger than any demihuman foe they had ever fought.

    Just then, a voice cut through the wind blowing over the wheatfields, and Lukrut hurriedly looked behind.

    ¡°...Hehe, you caught me, huh?¡±

    A Goblin popped his head out from the fields and stuck his tongue out at them. He must have been trying to sneak up on them behind, but his stealth skills were not good enough to evade the senses of Lukrut the ranger. However, their situation was hardly improved even after discovering the Goblin infiltrator.

    A calm look at their surroundings revealed movements throughout the wheat fields, as though something was hiding inside them. These movements were centered on the wagon, and slowly drew closer.

    They were in a very bad situation.

    The Swords of Darkness could not think of any way to ovee their current situation.

    ? ? ?

    Ainz raised his hand to stop Narberal from killing them all. After examining the Goblins, he was certain that his guess was correct.

    ¡°They should be the Goblins summoned from the Horn of the Goblin General.¡±

    If the girl who had received that horn was controlling these Goblins, then he had to avoid antagonizing them, as much as possible. If that was not the case they would have to think of something else. However, they were not enemies of Ainz and Narberal, so it should be fine.

    The Goblin from before looked over to Ainz, who stood tall and steady, and said:

    ¡°We hope you don¡¯t make any sudden moves, chap in the full te. We don¡¯t want to start a fight.¡±

    The voice was stiff and full of caution as Ainz stopped Narberal fromshing out.

    ¡°Rx. If you don¡¯t attack, neither will we.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for that. These nii-sans are strong, but they aren¡¯t scary. You, however, are a different matter, and so is that nee-san beside you. When I think about the two of you as enemies, my hairs stand on end.¡±

    Ainz did not reply, but shrugged.

    ¡°Then, please wait here for a bit before Ane-san arrives.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s that Ane-san you¡¯re talking about!? Did she take over Carne Vige!?¡±

    Nfirea¡¯s agitation was reflected in the obvious surprise on the Goblins¡¯ faces.

    ¡°Nfirea, calm down a little. It should be pretty obvious who has the advantage here. In addition, there¡¯s a few more oddities about the vige based on Nabe-san¡¯s words. I¡¯m hoping we can avoid pointless fighting before the truthes out.¡±

    Nfirea was hard-pressed to hide his anxiety despite Ninya¡¯s words.

    The look of immediate confrontation on his face became one of barely-restrained frustration. He clenched his fists tightly, and then slowly released them.

    Ainz was surprised and confused by Nfirea¡¯s intense reaction as well.

    Granted, they had not travelled together for long, and he did not know thed all that well. However, he did not think that Nfirea would be so excited about something like this. It was possible that this vige was not just a simple ce to gather herbs, but it had some other significance to him.

    Ainz turned a doubting eye on Nfirea. On the other side, the Goblins seemed to have sensed Nfirea¡¯s anger, and they looked at each other in confusion.

    ¡°Hm ¡ª this seems different from before...¡±

    ¡°Ane-san¡¯s vige was recently attacked by people dressed up as Imperial knights, we¡¯re just staying on guard.¡±

    ¡°The vige was attacked...! Is she all right!?¡±

    As though in response to Nfirea¡¯s shouts, a girl appeared at the entrance to the vige, escorted by more goblins. As he saw the girl, Nfirea¡¯s eyes went wide, and he shouted her name with all his strength:

    ¡°Enri!¡±

    The girl heard the shout, and responded in turn. Her voice was gentle and filled with kindness, as though addressing a close friend.

    ¡°Nfirea!¡±

    At this moment, Ainz recalled what he had heard earlier.

    ¡°Ah... it would seem that her herbalist friend was not a woman, but a man.¡±

    Intermission

    Demiurge walked through the Ninth Floor of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. The hard soles of his leather shoes cked loudly against the ground, and the echoes faded away into silence. Many vassals had been set out to maintain security, but they did not impair the mythic atmosphere in this ce.

    Suddenly, Demiurge looked around, and smiled.

    ¡°...Truly magnificent.¡±

    The object of his admiration was the entirety of the Ninth Floor. It was a ce whichplemented the Forty One Supreme Beings, the entities for whom Demiurge would abandon everything and pledge his utmost loyalty. Therefore, Demiurge loved and cherished everything here.

    Joy filled Demiurge¡¯s heart every time he walked through this ce, further reinforcing his devotion to his creators. It was not just Demiurge who felt this way; even the clowns, musicians, and other noisy fellows were awed into silence by this floor, and strove to preserve its quiescence.

    Anyone who was not delighted by the sights here, who was not sufficiently loyal to the Forty One Supreme Beings, must surely have ¡°disloyal tendencies.¡±

    As these thoughts passed through Demiurge¡¯s mind, he turned a corner. His destination was before his eyes, the room of his unquestionable superior, the Supreme Ruler of Nazarick, thest and only one who remained with them, Ainz Ooal Gown.

    As he approached the room¡¯s door, he saw several people open it and leave.

    These people noticed Demiurge, and waited courteously for him to approach.

    One of them was dressed like a butler, but he was dressed entirely in ck aside from his white gloves. It looked less like a set of butler¡¯s clothes than abat uniform.

    He was one of the ten manservants of Nazarick, but not even Demiurge could tell which of the ten he was. This was because they all wore full-face battle masks, like faceless mooks, and onlymunicated in strange noises.

    In addition, there was the being standing before the butler.

    The ridiculous mental image of a naked man in a tie appeared in Demiurge¡¯s mind.

    It was a penguin.

    It was the very picture of a penguin, and it wore a ck tie.

    ¡°It has been a while, Assistant Head Butler-kun.¡±

    Upon hearing Demiurge¡¯s warm and genial greeting, the penguin responded with a beaming smile (probably):

    ¡°Indeed, it has been a while, Demiurge-sama.¡±

    He then bowed deeply.

    This was not a simple penguin, but the assistant head butler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. He was a heteromorphic being known as a birdman, and its name was Eir Aicler Egyer.

    As a birdman, like Peroroncino of the Forty One Supreme Beings, he should have had a bestial head and wings, and his limbs should have had avian characteristics. Yet for some reason, he looked like a penguin. Still, Demiurge had no doubts about his appearance.

    The reason for that was because he was a creation and relic of the Supreme Beings.

    ¡°Is Albedo inside?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Albedo-sama is within.¡±

    Albedo was in charge of Nazarick while Ainz was out. It was alsomon knowledge that she did not conduct her business in her own room, but in this room.

    All her actions were taken with Ainz¡¯s approval, so the only one to voice any objections to this arrangement was Shalltear Bloodfallen, who was herself abroad on business.

    Demiurge had once whispered to Albedo, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t a good wife wait for her husband at home and mind the house in his absence?¡± Therefore, he waspletely unable to refute her when she replied, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with a wife standing watch over her husband¡¯s room?¡±

    He nodded to Eir, and then asked:

    ¡°It¡¯s rare for you toe here, Eir-kun. Are you not assigned to the guest rooms?¡±

    ¡°I must work hard in Sebas-sama¡¯s ce when he is not around. In fact, I was discussing the finer points of my duties with Albedo-sama.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Since he is not around, the Ninth Floor of the Great Tomb of Nazarick is now your responsibility.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. I must work hard now, so I may one day rule the Great Tomb of Nazarick.¡±

    The smile on Demiurge¡¯s face did not change, despite Eir¡¯s strange statement.

    It was widely-known that Eir hungered after the throne of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. He was a creation of the Supreme Beings, so he was beyond question.

    Of course, if the order was given, Demiurge would eliminate him without mercy, but until then, he had no objections.

    ¡°Indeed. Work hard, then. Speaking of which, what do you intend to take care of first?¡±

    ¡°Cleaning, of course. What other work is there to do? Nobody cleans better than me! One could eat off the toilets I clean.¡±

    Demiurge nodded in satisfaction as he heard Eir¡¯s confident reply.

    ¡°Excellent. Your work is very important. A stain on this floor is an insult to the Supreme Beings.¡±

    The nodding Demiurge then asked another question:

    ¡°I know your job is very important, but who will be in charge of this floor while Sebas is out?¡±

    ¡°That would be the head maid Pestonya. Managing this floor is nothingpared to cleaning it.¡±

    ¡°I see... so the vassals made by the Supreme Beings have already been assigned their duties...e to think of it, is it not difficult to carry out your duties with these penguin hands of yours?¡±

    ¡°My talent lies in oveing the clumsiness of these hands and cleaning house,¡± Eir confidently replied, his chest puffed out. Then, in a somewhat unhappy tone, he continued:

    ¡°Come to think of it, this is not something that a being like you ¡ª whose wisdom is second only to my own ¡ª would say, Demiurge-sama.¡±

    Eir took ab from the butler behind him, and began preening the golden feathers on the sides of his head.

    ¡°I am no mere penguin, but a rockhopper penguin made by Ankoro Mochimochi-sama of the Supreme Beings. Please do not confuse me with such animals. Also, these are not my hands ¡ª but wings.¡±

    ¡°It seems I have been rude.¡±

    After seeing Demiurge lower his head in apology, Eir signalled that he had not taken it to heart. Then, he ordered the butler behind him:

    ¡°Carry me.¡±

    ¡°Ngiiiiiih¡ª!¡±

    The manservant tucked Eir under his arm.

    Eir¡¯s usual walking gait was a series of short hops, which was quite slow, in some ways.

    Therefore, he was typically carried around by a manservant in this manner.

    ¡°Then, I shall take my leave, Demiurge-sama.¡±

    ¡°Mm, farewell. Eir-kun.¡±

    After looking briefly at the Assistant Head Butler being held under a manservant¡¯s arm like a doll, Demiurge knocked gently on the room¡¯s door:

    ¡°This is Demiurge. Pardon the intrusion.¡±

    He was exceedingly polite, despite the absence of the room¡¯s owner. This was because to Demiurge, the room itself was a ce to be respected.

    Demiurge entered the room, which should have been empty.

    He looked around, and did not see Albedo anywhere. Demiurge sighed softly, then opened another set of doors and proceeded deeper within.

    The rooms of the Forty One Supreme Beings were modelled after royal suites, and featured a vast bathroom, a bar counter, a living room with a grand piano, a main bedroom, guest rooms, a dedicated kitchen, a dressing room, and so on.

    Demiurge advanced to the bedroom without a second¡¯s hesitation.

    He knocked on the door and entered without waiting for an answer.

    There was only a single bed within, but the king-sized bed was adorned with a stylish canopy. There was arge lump, slightlyrger than the size of a human, and it was squirming.

    ¡°Albedo.¡±

    Unable to bear Demiurge calling out to her, a world ss beauty revealed her face from under the sheets. Her skin was an uninterrupted stretch of silky smoothness down to her shoulders, so she was probably naked under those sheets. Perhaps it was because she had burrowed into those sheets, but there was a faint blush of arousal on her cheeks.

    ¡°...What fell sorcery are you working there?¡±

    ¡°I want Ainz-sama to be enveloped in my fragrance when he returns.¡±

    It would seem her wiggling and squirming was to mark her territory.

    Demiurge was dumbstruck. All he could do was silently watch the highest ranked NPC created by the Forty One Supreme Beings, the Guardian Overseer of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. Then, he tiredly shook his head.

    He did not say, ¡°Ainz-sama is undead, he probably will not sleep on a bed,¡± or, ¡°Even if he did sleep on a bed, the sheets would probably be changed right away,¡± or something like that. If she was satisfied with that, then so be it.

    ¡°You should probably not take it too far.¡±

    ¡°...I don¡¯t know what you mean by too far, but I understand. Right, Ainz-sama?¡±

    The person lying in bed beside Albedo suddenly revealed his face.

    Demiurge was so shocked that he had no words to say.

    For a moment, he thought it was Ainz Ooal Gown himself, but it was not nearly thick or imposing enough.

    ¡°That must be... a hug pillow... who made it?¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±

    Demiurge¡¯s nearly-closed eyes widened slightly as he heard Albedo¡¯s prompt reply. He had not expected her to be possessed of such skills.

    ¡°Be it cleaning, washing clothes, or sewing, I possess all these skills at a professional level.¡±

    ted by Demiurge¡¯s surprise, Albedo continued showing off in a self-satisfied tone:

    ¡°I¡¯ve already made socks and clothes for our future baby, up through the age of five.¡±

    Albedo¡¯s full-faced smile and her kufufufuugh left Demiurge feeling a little powerless. He considered simply leaving her here and departing forthwith.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s a boy or a girl... ah! What if the child is a hermaphrodite, or sexless?¡±

    Demiurge could not say anything. All he could do was watch Albedo, who was muttering to herself.

    It was true that Albedo excelled in the management of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, and in that respect she was far superior to Demiurge. However, she was not as talented in terms of defense and military administration, so she needed Demiurge¡¯s help in that field.

    All would be well as long as there were no known enemies, like now.

    With that in mind, Demiurge tamped down his uneasiness. His master had ordered him to leave the Tomb, and Demiurge could not resist thatmand.

    ¡°Then, in ordance with Ainz-sama¡¯s orders, I will be setting out now. That being the case, the only Guardians remaining in Nazarick will be yourself and Cocytus. There is nothing which needs to be said, but I do hope you will take care of yourself.¡±

    ¡°So, after Aura, Mare, Sebas, and Shalltear, it¡¯s your turn? Mm, leave it to me. I¡¯ll have my sisters help me in an emergency. I will also mobilize the Pleiades. They should be enough to hold on until everyone returns.¡±

    ¡°...I believe that your little sister cannot be deployed without Ainz-sama¡¯s permission, even in an emergency. The same applies to the Pleiades. I believe two of them are already out on missions, so you will not be able to assemble all of them. Perhaps you should move Victim to a higher floor, depending on the circumstances?¡±

    ¡°Still, going that far... preparations have been made in case of such a situation. If something goes awry, please return as soon as possible. Speaking of which, how will you deal with the surviving members of the Sunlight Scripture? Ainz-sama has granted you the right to dispose of them, am I wrong? You could hand that to me as well, but I have no idea what you n to aplish with them...¡±

    ¡°Ah, them, you mean? By order of Ainz-sama, they are helping us with experiments.¡±

    Demiurge seemed very happy, but Albedo wrinkled her elegantly-shaped eyebrows.

    ¡°First are the healing magic tests. When we cut off an arm and heal the wound with magic, the severed hand disappears. Now, if we had them eat the severed arm and then healed the wound, would the nutrients derived from the arm vanish? If we repeated this over and over again, would the people who ate the arms starve to death?¡±

    ¡°Ah ¡ª indeed.¡±

    ¡°In addition, we allow them to vote on who should be the others¡¯ food, and who should be the one to cut off the food¡¯s limbs with a blunt axe. We do so by a registered vote.¡±

    ¡°Is there a reason for that?¡±

    ¡°But of course. There will be a hierarchy among the prisoners, from those who will be food and have their limbs chopped off, to those who will chop the limbs off, and those who will eat those limbs. This creates hatred, and once they are gripped by that hatred, all we need to do is gently urge on the ones who were used as food. This encourages them to revolt, and the effects are very obvious. Beings that hate everything are truly fearsome.¡±

    ¡°...That is quite disturbing. We of Nazarick are beings created by the Supreme Beings, and there is no way we could betray Ainz-sama. But to think these humans would betray their own masters... well, they have hardly any loyalty to speak of.¡±

    ¡°That is what makes it interesting. You could enjoy the humans in that way too, could you not, Albedo? All you need to do is treat them as toys.¡±

    ¡°I cannot understand your way of thinking.¡±

    ¡°What a shame. All right, staying here and chatting will dy the execution of Ainz-sama¡¯s orders. If anything happens, let me know and I will return right away.¡±

    ¡°Mm. I don¡¯t think it¡¯lle to that, but I will inform you depending on the circumstances.¡±

    Albedo¡¯s baster-white hand emerged from under the sheets to wave Demiurge goodbye.

    ¡°Then, I will be off. Right... since you wanted to make boy¡¯s clothes, you might want to know this. Did you know that the Supreme Beings seem to prefer boys in girl¡¯s clothing?¡±

    ¡°...Hm?¡±

 Chapter 11 - Volume 2

    Overlord Volume 2 Chapter 3

    Wise King of the Forest

    Part 1

    Clementine stormed back to Khazit¡¯s hideout ¡ª the secret shrine under E-Rantel¡¯s graveyard. Her strides were wild and forceful, her brows were furrowed, and her mouth was twisted. Her pretty features were distorted into something which could only have been described with the word ¡°ugly.¡±

    That said, her true nature was probably more grotesque than that face.

    Khazit muttered to himself as he guided a newly-created Zombie over to the undead storage area.

    ¡°Oh~ A new Zombie? That¡¯s over a hundred and fifty now, the Orb of Death is quite extraordinary~¡±

    The number of undead that could be controlled by the third-tier spell ¡¸Create Undead¡¹ was limited by the power of the spell¡¯s caster. The more undead one made, the fewer one could control. Still, Zombies were among the lowest grade of undead. Someone like Khazit, who was specialized in controlling the undead, could maintain his hold over the unbelievable amount of over a hundred of them at once. The reason Khazit could control more than even that number was due to the power of the item he carried ¡ª the Orb of Death.

    ¡°It¡¯s all because you¡¯ve been fooling around so much.¡±

    ¡°Sor-ry~¡±

    There was not even the slightest hint of remorse on Clementine¡¯s face as she apologized.

    ¡°Still~ it¡¯s their fault for dying so soon~ couldn¡¯t they hold on a little longer¡ª?¡±

    ¡°...When you bash them like that, it¡¯s no wonder they¡¯d die...¡±

    ¡°Adventurers wouldn¡¯t die so easily~¡±

    ¡°They weren¡¯t adventurers, just ordinary civilians... Clementine, do you like spouting obvious things to waste time?¡±

    ¡°Yesyesyes~ I¡¯m sorry, it won¡¯t happen again, please forgive me~¡±

    Khazit clicked his tongue.

    ¡°As if I could believe that. In any case, stop going after people.¡±

    ¡°Oh-kay~¡±

    Her flighty response made Khazit furrow his brows. Still, there was no point going on about it, so he decided not to continue lecturing her. He tried to express his displeasure with the wrinkles of his frown, but as expected, she ignored it.

    ¡°Buuut~ I¡¯m so booooooored ¡ª speaking of which, where is he, anyway?¡±

    ¡°Has he not returned yet?¡±

    ¡°Not yet. I missed him ¡ª since it¡¯s hard to get a hold of him, what about grabbing that granny instead~?¡±

    ¡°Stop that. That old woman is a third tier magic caster and a famous person in this city, so don¡¯t look down on her. If you move carelessly against her, you might find yourself in too deep to dig yourself out.¡±

    ¡°Ehhhhh~ But¡ª¡±

    Khazit reached into his robes, and withdrew a jet-ck gemstone.

    ¡°...Clementine, I¡¯ve spent several years preparing to turn this ce into a city of the dead. I don¡¯t want your pointless antics to set my ns back. If you continue making trouble... I¡¯ll kill you.¡±

    ¡°...It¡¯s called the Death Spiral, right?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. It¡¯s the rite our leader is conducting.¡±

    In ces where the undead gathered, more powerful undead were born. When these more powerful undead gathered, even more powerful undead would appear. The magic rite which made use of this property was like a spiral, constantly spawning ever more powerful undead beings. It was potent enough to destroy an entire city, so it was known as the ¡°Death Spiral.¡±

    This wicked ritual had been conducted in the past, and it had turned a metropolis into a city of the dead where the undead roamed free.

    Khazit¡¯s aim was to turn E-Rantel into another such dead city. He would turn himself into an undead being by harnessing the necromantic energies from such a ce.

    He had made extensive preparations to achieve his aim. He would not let this woman who had showed up just a few days ago ruin his ns.

    ¡°Got it?¡±

    Khazit saw through Clementine¡¯s adorably puffed-up cheeks. Her expression was one of cruel malice. In that moment, Clementine surged forward like a killing storm.

    She closed the distance between them in an instant, and struck like lightning. The sharp de in her hand gleamed lethally as it shed toward Khazit¡¯s throat ¡ª

    ? ? ?

    The small de Clementine thrust forth was a piercing weapon known as a stiletto.

    There was little variation in the ways one could attack with a piercing weapon, so they were not easy to use. However, Clementine favored such weapons, and she had trained her body ceaselessly, selected the best equipment, and learned the right martial arts, all in order to kill in a single blow.

    This technique of hers, honed and refined through countless battles with humans and monsters, was on a level where no normal person could defend against it.

    Clementine was naturally gifted with physical abilities which exceeded those of normal human beings. On top of that, she had spent her life training and practicing herbat skills, so it was only natural that she should be able to fight at such a level.

    However, her target was not a normal person.

    Khazit ¡ª one of the twelve high disciples who were the pride of Zuranon ¡ª could not be killed so easily.

    ? ? ?

    ¡ªAnd a white wall-like object which erupted from the ground and intercepted the unavoidable, razor-sharp de. It was a gigantic hand made of countless human bones, covered in hooks which called to mind the image of maggots.

    The hooks writhed, and the earth around them shattered. Under Khazit¡¯s mental control, a giant creature began revealing itself.

    She could sense a powerful undead creature beneath Khazit¡¯s feet. The smug Khazit turned toward Clementine and said:

    ¡°What a waste of time. Because of you, I was distracted for a moment and lost control of the other undead.¡±

    ¡°Tehe~ Sorry ¡®bout that~ But I wasn¡¯t going all out either. You had to pull out all the stops to barely block it, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s nonsense and you know it, Clementine. You¡¯re not the sort to hold back.¡±

    ¡°Uwah~ you saw through me~ Mm, if you hadn¡¯t blocked it, your shoulder would have been stabbed through. Butbut, I never intended to kill you ¡ª really~¡±

    Khazit frowned again as he saw the hateful smile on the woman before him.

    ¡°Still, if it was me, I could beat that chap ¡ª maybe magic casters couldn¡¯t win, but as a warrior, I could defeat it handily. I¡¯m just not too used to bludgeoning-type weapons¡ª¡±

    ¡°...Your specialization in one-hit kills might make you strong against the living, but what will you do against the undead whichck biological processes? And do you really think ¡®that chap¡¯ is thest card I have to y?¡±

    ¡°Mmm~ that¡¯s also true~¡±

    Clementine nced toward the entrance. She seemed to have noticed the undead controlled by Khazit, who were waiting there for his orders.

    ¡°I think I could win... but if I draw out the fight I¡¯ll probably lose~ tehe~, sorry, Khazi-chan.¡±

    Clementine returned her stilettos under her cloak, and the rumbling from the earth ceased.

    ¡°Buuuut~ that¡¯s a specialized undead controller for you~ Well done!¡±

    With that, Clementine turned and left.

    ¡°Ah, yes, yes, I won¡¯t touch that granny until the end. I won¡¯t go hunting people either. That should be okay, right?¡±

    ¡°...Mm.¡±

    Khazit did not release the power he was holding until Clementine left. He continued holding on to it even after her shadow was gone from his underground shrine.

    ¡°What a bad personality,¡± Khazit spat.

    He had his own ws, but he was not nearly as bad as Clementine.

    ¡°Even though she¡¯s so skilled... no, it¡¯s because she¡¯s so skilled that she¡¯s so twisted.¡±

    Clementine was strong, and even among the twelve executives of the secret society Zuranon, only three of them could beat her. Sadly, Khazit was not one of them. Even with the magic item in his hand, he only had around a thirty percent chance of sess.

    ¡°The former Ninth Seat of the ck Scripture... deranged individuals with the power of heroes are hard to deal with.¡±

    ? ? ?

    ¡°So that¡¯s what happened.¡±

    Nfirea sighed deeply, and mumbled to himself.

    Nfirea had been close to Enri¡¯s parents. They were great parents, and the way they loved their daughters was quite enviable. Nfirea had lost his parents at a young age and only had murky impressions of them. Therefore, when he thought of an outstanding father and mother, Nfirea immediately thought of Enri¡¯s parents.

    He was filled with rage when he heard that her parents had been killed by the Imperial knight impostors, and all he could think when he learned that they had been ughtered in turn was serves them right. He was also somewhat angry at the higher-ups in E-Rantel, who refused to send soldiers over.

    However, he felt something was wrong about him disying this anger, when Enri ¡ª for whom that anger was far more justified ¡ª had set those feelings aside.

    He looked at Enri, her eyes brimming with tears. As he wondered whether he should try tofort her, Enri wiped her tears away and smiled:

    ¡°I still have a little sister. I can¡¯t lose myself in sadness forever.¡±

    Nfirea was halfway off his chair, and now he sat down again. Having lost the chance to console her, he felt like he had wasted an opportunity and was ashamed of his own uselessness.

    Even so ¡ª his desire to protect her had not changed. After a brief pause, Nfirea made up his mind. He would not let anyone other than himself sit beside Enri, even if that person was a powerful being who could protect her.

    He felt a little anxious, but while he was riding on this surge of emotion, Nfirea decided that he would share the feelings he had had ever since he came to this vige for the first time as a child.

    ¡°Then¡ª¡±

    His throat seemed to have mped shut. Come on, say it! Although he desperately wanted to speak, the words stuck in his throat and refused to leave.

    Both Enri and Nfirea were at an age where it would not be unusual for them to be married. In addition, due to his ie as a herbalist, Nfirea had enough money to support Enri and her little sister.

    I could probably provide for a child too...

    The image of the family he wanted to make appeared in his mind ¡ª but he immediately waved away his runaway imagination. The knowledge that Enri was looking at him in surprise made him even more nervous.

    His mouth opened, and then closed.

    I like you.

    I love you.

    But the words refused to leave his lips, because he was afraid of hearing her reject him.

    Then, what else could he say to shorten the distance between them?

    The city¡¯s safer, do you want to live with me? I¡¯ll take care of you and your little sister. If you want to work, you can help in Granny¡¯s shop.

    If you feel uneasy about the city, I¡¯ll do my best to help you.

    He should say that. The chances of those words being rejected would be a lot lower than a confession of love.

    ¡°Enri!¡±

    ¡°Wh-What happened, Nfirea?¡±

    Enri jumped as Nfirea loudly called her name. He began to speak:

    ¡°¡ªIf, if, if you¡¯ve got any problems, let me know. I¡¯ll do whatever I can to help you!¡±

    ¡°Thank you... You¡¯re such a good friend that it¡¯s almost wasted on me, Nfirea!¡±

    ¡°Ah, ah, er... it, it¡¯s fine, we¡¯ve known each other for so long, after all.¡±

    Nfirea was unable to say anything else in the face of Enri¡¯s beaming smile. He cursed himself for his uselessness, but at the same time he fondly reflected on how cute Enri was, and of the times he had spent talking with her.

    Just as it seemed the matter was at an end, Nfirea asked a question:

    ¡°Come to think of it, what¡¯s up with those Goblins?¡±

    Those Goblins called Enri their ¡°Ane-san.¡± In addition, those Goblins differed greatly from the ones they had encountered on the road to Carne; they had the air of veteran warriors. It was even more surprising to see a magic caster in the vige. When and where had these Goblins encountered a simple vige girl like Enri, and what sort of rtionship did she have with them?

    Enri simply replied:

    ¡°They appeared after I used a magic item given to us by our vige¡¯s savior, Ainz Ooal Gown. They follow my orders.¡±

    ¡°I see...¡±

    Enri¡¯s eyes were like twin sparkling stars as she said that name. It made Nfirea feel bitter inside.

    Ainz Ooal Gown.

    Enri had already mentioned this name several times since they started talking.

    When Carne Vige was attacked by mysterious men dressed as Imperial knights, a magic caster who was passing by saved the vige with his tremendous might, returning peace to the vige. He was Enri¡¯s savior, and someone that Nfirea should thank.

    However, the look on Enri¡¯s face made it difficult for him to thank him in earnest.

    He could understand how Enri felt when she mentioned her messiah, but at the same time, jealousy welled up at the bottom of his heart. He was filled with his one-sided love for Enri, and by hispetitive spirit as a man. Influenced by these emotions, his emotions turned ugly.

    Nfirea thrust these feelings aside, and turned his thoughts to the magic item of which Enri had spoken.

    It was a magic item which summoned Goblins, called the ¡°Horn of the Goblin Whatever.¡±

    The magic caster who had saved her vige had exined what sort of horn it was, but because her mind was too confused back then, her memory was hazy.

    Nfirea felt it was a little strange.

    He had no idea what sort of magic item it was, but she should not have forgotten about it. Nobody should have forgotten the details of a magic item with special abilities once they were told about them.

    Still, there were many magic items which could summon creatures, just as there were many summoning spells in magic. Any monsters summoned with those spells would vanish after a while.

    Summoned monsters were not creatures which could persist for a long time.

    If that item could do that, it might well overturn all of magical history and theory to date.

    How valuable was a magic item which could aplish such a feat? Enri did not seem to have realized its value, but if she sold it, she could probably livefortably for the rest of her life.

    Enri had used this rare and precious item because she did not want blood to flow in the vige once more.

    Nfirea felt that this line of thinking was very much her style. Thus, the Goblins she had summoned called her Ane-san, followed her orders, and in addition to protecting the vige they even helped in the fields. Apparently, they were even teaching the vigers how to use bows, and how to defend themselves. As a result, the vige had gained several odd new residents.

    Part of the reason why the vige could ept the Goblins was because the knights who had attacked the vigers had been human beings like them. This had made them distrust human beings, and thus they could more easily ept the Goblins¡¯ help.

    Another big reason was because the one who bestowed this item on them was the magic caster that had saved the vige.

    ¡°So, he was called Ainz Ooal Gown? What sort of man is he like? I¡¯d like to thank him myself.¡±

    Nfirea knew nothing about the name Ainz Ooal Gown. Besides, Enri had not seen his face under his mask, so she had no idea who he was either. Still, anyone who could casually give away precious items like those horns had to be someone important. If she had seen his face, she would not have forgotten it easily. After he told her that line of reasoning, a look of disappointment appeared on her face.

    ¡°Is that so... I was thinking you would know him, Nfirea...¡±

    Enri¡¯s reply made Nfirea¡¯s heart pound violently, and sweatdrops bloomed ufortably on his back.

    ...Looks aside, he¡¯d be a hit just going by his strength alone.

    The words fromst night appeared in Nfirea¡¯s mind, and he began to pant and breathe heavily.

    Forcing down the uneasiness in his heart, Nfirea asked:

    ¡°En-Enri, what, what will you do when you see that Gown fellow?¡±

    ¡°Hm? Mm, I¡¯d like to thank him properly. The vige came together with the idea of building a little copper statue for him because he saved us, and I need to show my gratitude too...¡±

    After sensing that the answer did not contain any hints of affection which frightened him, Nfirea breathed a sigh of relief, and let his tensed shoulders rx.

    ¡°Ah. Is that so? Mm... hoo. Yes, of course you need to thank him. If you noticed any special features, or if he reminded you of someone, maybe it would narrow down the field... right, do you know what sort of magic he used?¡±

    ¡°Ah, magic, huh. It, it was really amazing. The was a sh of lightning and the knight went down in one hit.¡±

    ¡°Lightning, huh... did you hear him say ¡¸Lightning¡¹ or something?¡±

    Enri¡¯s eyes looked to the sky, and then she nodded deeply.

    ¡°Mm! ...I think I heard him say that. Although it seemed like there was more to it than that...¡±

    After hearing Enri trail off into mumbling, Nfirea concluded that this Gown fellow must have said something before casting his spell.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case... it should be magic of the third tier.¡±

    ¡°...Magic of the third tier... is that very amazing?¡±

    ¡°Of course it is! I can only use second tier magic myself. Third tier of the magic is the limit for normal people. Only talent-holders can use magic beyond that.¡±

    ¡°I knew it! Gown-san is really amazing!¡±

    Enri respectfully nodded. However, Nfirea did not think the magic caster called Ainz was limited to third tier spells. Given that he was a person who could nonchntly give away those magic items, he might be able to use fifth tier spells, which were the domain of heroes.

    Why would such a great persone to a vige like this?

    A confused Nfirea tilted his head to the side, but then Enri dropped a bombshell which immediately blew all his doubts away.

    ¡°In addition, he gave me a red potion too¡ª¡±

    Nfirea recalled part of a conversation from earlier:

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Then, what if I paid you, and you told me more about the person who gave you that potion?¡±

    The warrior named Britta did not seem happy about that request:

    ¡°And why do you want to know?¡±

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s to find clues to lead me to that mysterious man in full te armor. If we get in his good graces, he might tell us where he got those potions from, right? He might let something slip by ident, so if he¡¯s an adventurer, I want to hire him for a job. How about it, Nfirea?¡±

    ? ? ?

    That was the reason Nfirea had asked for Momon by name.

    Nfirea¡¯s n was to winkle out information about the potion by deepening his friendship with Momon. In addition, if they went to pick herbs in the forest together, Momon might identally reveal something.

    Nfirea tried to hide the excitement in his heart, and in the same calm voice from before he asked Enri:

    ¡°Hm, what kind of potion was it like?¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°You know I¡¯m a herbalist, of course I¡¯d be interested in potions.¡±

    ¡°Ahhh, that¡¯s right! Making these things is your job.¡±

    Enri told Nfirea everything she knew about the magic caster and the potion he had given her. She mentioned the name Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s wondrous deeds several times during her ount. The Nfirea from just now might have been filled with jealousy, but at the moment, his mind was pondering other matters.

    He put all this information together, and after peeling back severalyers of mystery, the hidden truth was revealed.

    It was very likely that the potion which had appeared in E-Rantel and which Enri had drunk were one and the same. It was also apparent that a pair of adventurers had appeared in both those ces, a magic caster and a warrior in ck full te.

    There could only be one answer, yet there were two people who could be candidates for being Ainz Ooal Gown. From what Enri had said, he could conclude that Ainz was a man, but he decided to ask again just to be sure.

    ¡°...Could that Ainz Ooal Gown person be... a woman?¡±

    ¡°Eh? I don¡¯t think so? I didn¡¯t see his face, but his voice was a man¡¯s.¡±

    By itself, this was not proof that Ainz was a male. After all, there were spells and magic items which could change voices. It seemed strange to think that Nabe = Ainz Ooal Gown. The merciless and asionally naive Nabe seemedpletely different from the wise, benign, and righteous Ainz. It was clearly too much of a stretch to think of her as Ainz.

    ¡°The person in the ck full te armor was called Albedo, I think.¡±

    ¡°Is, is that so...¡±

    He remembered the name from when Nabe had said it.

    The answer was clear.

    Ainz Ooal Gown = Momon.

    From that, he could draw a startling revtion.

    The magic caster who had saved the vige was also a fearsome warrior. Although there were some warriors with magical training, for the most part, one would cancel out the good points of the other. In a simr vein, arcane magic casters could not cast spells while wearing the heavy equipment which most warriors favored.

    So he was a magic caster of the third tier, as well as a swordsman on par with an adamantite-ranked adventurer.

    This must be some kind of joke. If someone like that truly existed, he would be a hero among heroes.

    Still, why had he asked so many questions on the road?

    The most logical answer was that he was a magic caster who had learned his art in another country and was not sure about this one. That being the case, it made sense that he would possess potions from anothernd, whose means of manufacture waspletely unknown.

    After learning this piece of priceless information, his breathing became irregr, and he could not calm himself down even though he knew Enri was staring at him.

    His heart was filled withplex emotions.

    Ainz had saved Enri and given away potions. Inparison, Nfirea was a miserable little man who tried to get into Momon¡¯s good graces, in order to learn how he made those potions, and knowing this shamed him.

    It was only natural that Enri would fall for someone like Momon.

    As he thought about this, he could not help but sigh heavily.

    ¡°Are, are you all right? You don¡¯t look too good.¡±

    ¡°Mm, mm. I¡¯m okay, I was just thinking about something...¡±

    Perhaps he could try to stave off his feelings of guilt by thinking that he wanted to learn the secret of that potion in order to save people. However, that hardly seemed convincing, given that he had wanted to learn how to make those potions in his capacity as a herbalist.

    A mighty warrior who was also an excellent magic caster, apanied by a beautiful woman, who possessed unknown potions, a righteous man that saved an innocent vige girl from danger... and himself.

    Nfirea considered the distance between himself and Ainz Ooal Gown ¡ª no, Momon ¡ª and fell into despair.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You seem strange...?¡±

    ¡°Ah, mm. It¡¯s nothing.¡±

    Nfirea suppressed a sigh and smiled weakly. However, he was not confident he could make it look natural, and Enri¡¯s expression showed that she had seen through his fake smile.

    ¡°...What should I do? Enri, you don¡¯t like people who hide things from you, right?¡±

    ¡°...Everyone has something they¡¯d want to hide when brought before the gods, especially things which would hurt others if spoken. But it¡¯s a different matter if hiding those things would hurt others... Nfirea, I won¡¯t hate you for it, but if you¡¯vemitted any crimes, you need to confess your sins to the magistrate!¡±

    ¡°...No, I did nothing wrong.¡±

    ¡°Yes... mm! Like I was saying! How could you do a bad thing, Nfirea? I believe in you!¡±

    As he looked at the giggling Enri, Nfirea let the tension flow out of his shoulders.

    ¡°Mm, but still, thank you. For some strange reason, I feel the weight lifting off my shoulders. I¡¯ll work hard to catch up with him.¡±

    So that I can raise my head before you and say that I like you and that I love you.

    Enri, who had no idea what Nfirea¡¯s impassioned deration and his previous words meant, simply smiled and nodded politely.

    Part 2

    ¡°Hmm...¡±

    Ainz looked over to a certain part of the vige, sighing as he did.

    There, he saw several vigers lined up in a row. There were men, women, and children of all ages. He could see a motherly-looking forty year old woman as well as teenagers. The one thing they had inmon was the stern look on their faces, which might even be mistaken for hostility. It was a clear sign that nobody here was in the mood to y around.

    A Goblin with a bow addressed the vigers.

    Even Ainz¡¯s heightened sense of hearing could not make out his words over the great distance.

    After a while, the line of vigers slowly raised their bows. They were simple, shabby shortbows which looked warped and were probably self-made.

    After drawing their bows all the way back, they took aim at the strawmen some distance away.

    The Goblin must have given an order, because the vigers loosed as one.

    The bows looked crude, but the arrows theyunched flew in beautiful trajectories. All of them struck the straw men, without a single miss.

    ¡°Not bad...¡±

    Ainz could not help but praise them.

    ¡°Are they really that good?¡±

    Narberal, standing behind Ainz, could not help but express her doubt.

    In all likelihood, Narberal could not understand why their skills were praiseworthy. After all, they were like children at ypared to the archers of the Great Tomb of Nazarick.

    As he realised what Narberal was thinking, a bitter smile bloomed on Ainz¡¯s illusionary face under his helmet.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, Narberal. Their technique is hardly something to get excited over. However, ten days ago, they did not even know how to use a bow. In order to prevent their spouses, children, and parents from being in once more, they threw themselves into training, so that they could one day stand with weapons in hand to fight. Is that not worthy of praise?¡±

    What was truly praiseworthy was the depths of the vigers¡¯ hate, which had brought them this far.

    ¡°My, my deepest apologies. I had not thought that far.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t worry about it so much, Nabe. It¡¯s true that their skills aren¡¯t really that impressive.¡±

    Ainz watched as more arrows sailed through the air and prated the strawmen. An idea suddenly came to mind.

    How strong could they be? How strong could he be?

    Ainz had attained the maximum level in YGGDRASIL, level one hundred. When he came to the world, his excess XP bar was around ny percent full. It was just a hunch, but since his other abilities were intact, the concept of levels should exist in this world as well. The question now was whether he could obtain that remaining ten percent of the experience bar and reach level one hundred and one.

    To some extent, he had an answer to this question.

    He could not be stronger. This was as powerful as he was going to get.

    Ainz¡¯s might was one which could no longer grow, but their weakness could be an unfathomable source of strength.

    If there were no limits on the inhabitants of this world, if they could surpass the maximum level of one hundred in YGGDRASIL, then Ainz and the vassals of the Great Tomb of Nazarick would not be able to defeat them.

    And that would definitely¡ª

    ¡°It¡¯s not impossible...¡±

    Ainz felt it was possible that the Six Gods who appeared in the ine Theocracy six hundred years ago were actually yers. Although he did not know why they had appeared so far apart from Ainz, if they counted heteromorphic beings ¡ª which had no maximum lifespan ¡ª among their number or if they possessed sses which extended their lifespans, there was a very high chance that they had survived to the present day.

    If the Six Gods were still hiding in the ine Theocracy, and if they had begun powerleveling others using the power of the Six Gods ¡ª i.e. helping them with the abilities of powerful yers in order to gain experience faster than normal ¡ª from six hundred years ago, it might well be possible that there were people in excess of level one hundred.

    If that were the case, the reason why the Theocracy had not yet taken over the world might be because there were other beings of the same calibre lying in wait. It might even be the case that being level one hundred meant nothing.

    As he thought about that, Ainz¡¯s nonexistent gut began cramping up again.

    If the Six Gods really were yers, then he had to try and get on their good side while hecked information about this world. ording to the members of the Sunlight Scripture, the Imperial knights attacking this vige were imposters from the Theocracy, which meant that saving this vige was making an enemy of them.

    ¡°Was helping them a mistake...¡±

    As he had surmised, gathering more information was a top priority.

    Just as Ainz was absentmindedly pondering these matters, he noticed a teenager running over to him. The hair which normally obscured his eyes swayed from side to side, and he could see a pair of eyes fixed intently on himself.

    Ainz immediately had a bad feeling about Nfirea. It looked like the same panic the vige chief had from earlier.

    ¡°Why the rush? Did an emergency crop up again? This vige is really...¡±

    Nfirea reached the mumbling Ainz.

    He was panting heavily and his forehead was slick with sweat. His hair, stuck to his skin by his perspiration, revealed a serious expression which was directed at Ainz and Narberal.

    Nfirea seemed a little hesitant and unsure of whether to speak. In the end, he gathered up his determination and asked Ainz:

    ¡°Momon-san, are you Ainz Ooal Gown-san?¡±

    The sudden question left Ainz dumbfounded. He should have denied it immediately.

    But could he do that? It was a name made together with his friends. Now that he had used it as his own, could he deny it so easily?

    This brief hesitation was an unspoken admission, and Nfirea continued:

    ¡°So it was you, Gown-san. Thank you for saving this vige, as well as saving Enri.¡±

    As Ainz looked on the bowing Nfirea, he quietly replied, ¡°No... I...¡±

    After hearing the words Ainz managed to squeeze out, Nfirea nodded in understanding.

    ¡°Yes. I understand why you might want to go by a different name, but still, I have to thank you for saving this vige ¡ª for saving Enri, the girl whom I like.¡±

    Ainz did not reply to the deeply bowing Nfirea. While part of him, the middle-aged uncle part, was musing that the words ¡°the girl whom I like¡± were really a youthful thing, another part of him was reminiscing nostalgically about things past, and at the same time he thought about other, more important things.

    ¡°Ah... that¡¯s enough... raise your head.¡±

    This answer was a tacit admission that he was in fact Ainz Ooal Gown, but no matter how he tried to get out of this, there was no way he could deny Nfirea¡¯s conclusion. This was aplete defeat for Ainz.

    ¡°Yes, Gown-san. The truth is... I¡¯ve been hiding something from you.¡±

    ¡°...Come with me. Nabe, stay here and wait for instructions.¡±

    After giving Narberal her orders, Ainz brought Nfirea to a ce some distance away. This was to keep Narberal from overreacting if she heard something odd.

    Once they had gone far enough away from Narberal, Ainz turned to face Nfirea.

    ¡°Actually...¡±

    Nfirea swallowed nervously, but the look on his face was full of determination.

    ¡°Gown-san, the potion which you gave thatdy in the inn cannot be made by normal methods and is extremely rare. I wanted to know what sort of person would have such a potion and what kind of methods would produce such a potion, which was why I requested this job. I am very sorry about that.¡±

    ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s what it was.¡±

    As he thought, it had been a mistake.

    Ainz had given the healing potion to Enri in this vige, and to someone else in E-Rantel. Because of that, his identity had been exposed. In addition¡ª

    ...Maybe I should have taken back that potion. If I¡¯d gotten that woman adventurer¡¯s name as well it would have been fine... although, there¡¯s no point regretting it now.

    At the time, Ainz felt that giving her that potion was the best course of action.

    That woman had said, ¡°Well, seeing as you¡¯re dressed in such a shy suit of armor, surely you must have some healing potions, right?¡± Perhaps she had not thought about those words before speaking them, but the fact was that they greatly limited the ways in which Ainz could have responded.

    For instance, one might see a person getting out of an expensive car. Upon seeing that person¡¯s opulent, almost decadent clothing and appearance, they would assume that the car matched their background. But what if that person dressed shabbily? People watching might then think that person had spent all their money on the car. They might evenugh at him.

    Ainz wanted to avoid that sort of situation.

    If he had refused on the spot, people might have be jealous of his beautifulpanion Narberal, as well as his own full te armor. They might have even begun spreading malicious rumors about him. Such rumors were a thing that followed one for life after they appeared, and people would bring them up constantly.

    Ainz hade to E-Rantel to build his reputation as an adventurer. As a result, he had to avoid any actions which might damage his public image.

    He had given her the potion after considering these factors.

    It was a gamble which he had lost, but he did notment it. This was not a fatal mistake, and all he needed to do was work hard topensate for it. After all, Ainz was not a perfect being who could do no wrong.

    Still, he did not know why Nfirea was apologizing.

    ¡°Is there anything to be sorry for?¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°...Well, I can¡¯t say I feel entirely good about someone hiding something from me while smiling and shaking my hand, but then this assignment was designed to build a connection with me, am I correct? What¡¯s wrong with that?¡±

    A deeply puzzled Ainz asked this question from the bottom of his heart.

    ¡°Gown-san, you¡¯re really a magnanimous person...¡±

    Ainz had no idea why Nfirea was so impressed by him. Building connections was a basic element of living in society, so there was nothing wrong with what Nfirea had done. He was somewhat confused about the details, but he vaguely understood. Perhaps Nfirea thought that Ainz believed that Nfirea was drawing close to Ainz in order to steal industrial secrets.

    ¡°If I told you how to make the potion, what would you do with that knowledge?¡±

    Nfirea gasped in surprise, and after a brief period of thought he answered:

    ¡°I had not thought that far ahead. I just wanted to know because I was curious... Granny¡¯s probably the same way too.¡±

    ¡°I see. Then, there¡¯s no problem. If you were nning to exploit it for criminal gain, it would be a different matter, but if not, then it¡¯s fine.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re really amazing. No wonder... looks at you that way...¡±

    As Nfirea murmured, the wind dried the sweat on his forehead, and his hair fell down to cover his eyes again. Still, Ainz could see a look of admiration in his eyes, like a boy meeting with his favorite baseball yer.

    Nfirea¡¯s expression reminded Ainz of the look of surprise and immense gratitude on his own face, when his friends had saved him after he had been repeatedly PKed.

    For a moment, he felt embarrassed, and then that emotion was damped down.

    Ainz was surprised that Nfirea¡¯s attitude could affect his heart, but he immediately calmed himself down and moved on. First, he had to be sure of one thing.

    ¡°Speaking of which, are you the only one who knows that I am Ainz?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I didn¡¯t tell anyone else.¡±

    ¡°Is that so, that¡¯s good.¡±

    Saying that, Ainz thought about how to continue speaking with Nfirea, but he had no idea where to begin. In the end, he decided to ask him directly.

    ¡°...Right now, I am simply Momon the adventurer. I would be d if you could keep that in mind.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I thought you¡¯d say something like that. I¡¯m sorry for causing you all this trouble, Momon-san, but I needed to thank you in person. Thank you very much for saving Enri and this vige.¡±

    Nfirea delivered his earnest thanks with a sincere look in his eyes.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to stand on ceremony. I was merely righting a wrong where I saw it.¡±

    ¡°Even so, there shouldn¡¯t have been a need to give away those horns.¡±

    The truth was that there was no particr reason behind giving those horns away. However, if that was how Nfirea had interpreted the gift, then he would leave it at that. Ainz said nothing but merely nodded in a magnanimous way.

    ? ? ?

    In his capacity as an employer, Nfirea arranged with Ainz to head for the forest in an hour¡¯s time. After thanking him again, he turned and left.

    As he watched Nfirea vanish into the distance, Narberal came and bowed before Ainz.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, my sincerest apologies!¡±

    ¡°People are watching, raise your head.¡±

    Once she had straightened up, Ainz continued in a barbed tone, ¡°And you¡¯re not wrong to say that. All this was because you mentioned Albedo¡¯s name.¡±

    My exposure here had nothing to do with Albedo¡¯s name, but that was still a big mistake. Might as well scold her for it now and make sure she doesn¡¯t do it again. First, I should forbid her from calling me Ainz... though... I don¡¯t think anyone heard...

    ¡°Please allow me to atone with my life!¡±

    That did not sound like a joke at all.

    Everyone in the Great Tomb of Nazarick was like this. They considered the members of the guild Ainz Ooal Gown to be their absolute superiors. They took great pride in their loyalty ¡ª to the point of death ¡ª to these Supreme Beings.

    Though it felt like a bit of a burden to Ainz, having his hand-crafted NPCs being loyal to him was not a bad thing. It might well be the fate of any creator.

    Narberal was an NPC like that. If he jokingly ordered her to kill herself, she would immediately take her own life. The reason why she had asked for permission at all was because of her absolute loyalty to her master, to whom her life belonged.

    ¡°...Enough. Anyone can make mistakes. All you need to do is strive not to make the same mistake twice. Work hard, step by step, and do not repeat your past failures. I forgive you, Narberal Gamma.¡±

    Narberal weighed the desire to pay for her mistakes with death against the loyaltypelling her to obey Ainz¡¯smand not to die. After a while, the bnce of her mental scales seemed to have tipped to one side.

    Narberal slowly lowered her head.

    ¡°My deepest thanks! I will strive not to make the same mistake again!¡±

    ¡°...Well, don¡¯t mind it too much. The name of Momon the adventurer ¡ª my undercover identity ¡ª was notpletelypromised, so you just need to pay more attention in future. However... depending on the circumstances, we may need to eliminate Nfirea...¡±

    ¡°Shall I take care of him now?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish. It would be troublesome if we messed up this assignment.¡±

    Nfirea¡¯s grandmother was a famous herbalist in E-Rantel. Annoying or making an enemy of her would make it more difficult for Ainz to reach his aims.

    ¡°In any case... we¡¯ll see how it goes.¡±

    That was all Ainz could think of for the moment.

    Part 3

    There was arge clearing in the dense forest about a hundred meters from the vige. Although that clearing had been made by the vigers cutting down trees ¡ª under the protection of the Goblins ¡ª in order to make logs, it still looked like the gaping maw of some gigantic beast.

    Ainz and the others made their final checks, and then the young man who had hired them spoke up:

    ¡°We¡¯ll be entering the forest after this, so I¡¯ll be counting on you to protect me. That said, the area just inside the forest is part of the Wise King of the Forest¡¯s sphere of control, so under normal circumstances, the chances of meeting other monsters are very low. The problem is that the Ogres we met yesterday came from a ce near the Wise King of the Forest¡¯s territory, so something must have happened in the woods. Although it¡¯s hardly something that I need to warn you gentlemen about, I hope everyone will remain on guard.¡±

    Nfirea¡¯s gaze rested briefly on Ainz.

    The Swords of Darkness turned to look at Ainz as well.

    ¡°Well, with you around, we should be fine, Momon-san.¡±

    ¡°...If that monster called the Wise King of the Forest appears, let us hold it back. You should escape first.¡±

    They could not help but gasp as they heard Ainz¡¯s confident pronouncement. He seemed to shine even brighter in their eyes than after yesterday¡¯s battle with the Ogres.

    Ainz felt like something was wrong every time the people around him did that. This was a relic of rarely being praised in his past life. He envied the way Narberal could ept their awe so naturally with a smug look on her face.

    ¡°If there¡¯s a need to run, could you please leave without dy? If the Wise King of the Forest is strong, I¡¯ll need to face it with my full power, and I don¡¯t want to get everyone caught up in it.¡±

    ¡°Understood. If that happens, we¡¯ll protect Nfirea-san and flee the forest. But don¡¯t push yourself too hard either, Momon-san.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll escape when it gets dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Then... Momon-san.¡±

    Nfirea seemed to be wavering between speech and silence. In the end, he made up his mind and said:

    ¡°Could you not kill the Wise King of the Forest, but instead chase it away?¡±

    ¡°...Why is that?¡±

    ¡°Mm, Carne Vige has not been attacked by monsters because the Wise King of the Forest¡¯s territory is nearby. If you defeat the Wise King of the Forest...¡±

    ¡°I see...¡±

    ¡°That might be a bit much. Momon-san is strong, but his opponent is a legendary monster. Wouldn¡¯t he be in trouble if he couldn¡¯t defend himself with his full strength? How would he have the luxury of¡ª¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    ¡°Wha¡ª!¡± Lukrut eximed in shock.

    The other Swords of Darkness remained silent, but their surprise was written all over their faces.

    ¡°It might be difficult, but I¡¯ll try to go easy on it and merely chase it away.¡±

    Ainz¡¯s reply, brimming with confidence, raised goosebumps on the skin of his fellow adventurers.

    ¡°Even if your opponent is... a legendary monster that¡¯s lived for centuries...¡±

    ¡°Is this the sort of attitude that only the strong have...¡±

    ¡°Judging by Momon-san¡¯s personality, he probably isn¡¯t exaggerating or bluffing...¡±

    In stark contrast to the Swords of Darkness, Nfirea had an idea of Ainz¡¯s power, and he had a relieved expression on his face.

    As he looked toward the young man, Ainzughed in his heart.

    Nfirea hoped that monsters would not attack Carne Vige. That being the case, all Ainz needed to do was to have other monsters rece the Wise King of the Forest in enforcing its area of influence. That way he could still fulfill Nfirea¡¯s wish.

    Even if he ended up killing the Wise King of the Forest, all he had to do was dispatch vassals from Nazarick to rece him.

    ¡°All right! Now, let¡¯s move on. The herbs I¡¯m looking for this time look like this. If anyone finds them, let me know.¡±

    Nfirea produced a sample of a withered nt from a herb-gathering pouch on his belly.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Ngenac grass!¡±

    To Ainz, it looked like the nearby weeds. However, Dyne the druid was different, and he immediately named the nt.

    Lukrut and Ninya nodded in response to hearing the name. They probably had some herbal knowledge themselves, and the name jogged their memories.

    Just as he was hesitating over whether to pretend that he knew, everyone looked at Ainz.

    ¡°Momon-san, are you all right?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ah, that nt? I¡¯ve heard of it.¡±

    Ainz calmly nodded in agreement.

    If he were not undead, his voice might have be high-pitched from panic, but his helmet prevented others from seeing his expression, which also concealed his feelings. Ainz was sheathed in heavy armor and cut an imposing figure, but his heart was closer to that of a bunny.

    ¡°Yes, this herb ismonly used when making potions.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯smonly found near adventurers!¡±

    ¡°Indeed it is. Now I see why we came to this ce ¡ª I¡¯ve heard that wild herbs are more potent than cultivated ones, no?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Incidentally, the fact that we use all-natural ingredients in our potions is a point of pride for us! Well, they¡¯re only about ten percent more effective than those of thepetition.¡±

    ¡°That ten percent can be crucial to people who frequently put their lives on the line. To think you sell better potions for the same price... as expected of the Bareare Apothecary, which built its reputation on selling high-quality potions.¡±

    As he heard Nfirea and the Swords of Darkness discussing potions, Ainz fell into deep thought.

    In YGGDRASIL, healing potions were usually made through skills that were only avable through certain job sses, or by casting the desired spells on the appropriate ingredients. Although Ainz knew a little about this field, all he knew was that the ingredients were made bypounding specific substances with an alchemical solvent, but never through the use of herbs.

    In other words, potions in this world were made in a different way from YGGDRASIL. This must have been what Nfirea meant by ¡°could not be made by normal methods.¡±

    Ainz was convinced that mastering the potion-making techniques of this world would strengthen Nazarick. The question now was how to master them.

    As he was thinking, the conversation seemed to have turned to the job once more, and Ainz turned to listen.

    ¡°There¡¯s a clearing in the forest, which I¡¯ve designated as our destination. I¡¯ve already told you about that ce, Lukrut-san, so please guide us there.¡±

    After hearing Lukrut¡¯s casual ¡°Leave it to me,¡± Nfirea turned back to the others.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s begin the herb collection¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªI have a suggestion, actually.¡±

    ¡°Please tell us, Momon-san.¡±

    ¡°Since Nabe can cast something like the ¡¸rm¡¹ spell we used when pitching camp, could we temporarily split off when we reach the destination?¡±

    Everyone, Nfirea included, wrinkled their brows. This was because they were uneasy about their strongest fighting force leaving them in such a dangerous area. However, Nfirea quickly replied:

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. However, please don¡¯t go for too long.¡±

    ¡°Of course. In order to avoid getting lost, I¡¯ll tie a rope to myself. Tug on it if there¡¯s anything.¡±

    ¡°Then, could I go too? I need to watch carefully in case you and Nabe-chan do something weird in the bushes.¡±

    ¡°Die, inferior lifeform (cockroach). Is lust the only thing left in your head? If I castrated you, would you still be able to move?¡±

    ¡°...That¡¯s enough, Nabe. Lukrut-san, there¡¯s no need to go that far. Although, I¡¯d like to ask Ninya-san if there¡¯s a spell which can tell you where members of your group are when you¡¯re scattered in the forest. It would be convenient if such a magic existed.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of such a spell. It would be very handy if it existed.¡±

    Ainz nodded as he heard Ninya¡¯s denial.

    There¡¯s a sixth tier spell which can detect the location of specific objects. Do theyck knowledge in that field, or is it that there are spells which are unique to YGGDRASIL just as there are spells which are unique to this world?

    Ainz put these thoughts aside for a moment and raised his chin to signal Narberal, indicating that she should get ready. Having received her orders, Narberal immediately began sizing up the Swords of Darkness.

    ¡°Then, Momon-san and Nabe-san will leave us for a while, and we¡¯ll pick the herbs after they return.¡±

    Since it was their employer¡¯s decision, nobody else could object. The Swords of Darkness nodded one by one.

    After the discussion and other matters were concluded, Nfirea called for them to move out. The group shouldered their baggage and entered the forest.

    There were trees felled by the vigers nearby. The earth was already dried out. It looked like an easily walkable stretch of forest, but the scenery before their eyes slowly transformed into something like a greenbyrinth.

    There were nondmarks in the forest, and it was impossible to tell in which direction one was moving. A sense of unease filled everyone, as though they had been swallowed up. The sky-scraping trees further intensified that uneasiness, and most people would have been frightened by this scene. However, Ainz had an undead mind and felt no fear, apart from the vestiges of his human mind. He calmly praised the magnificent natural vista before him.

    In YGGDRASIL¡¯s forest and other natural zones, he considered these things to be simple in-game scenery. Even now, he still thought the same way.

    Ainz ¡ª who was proud of the design of the Great Tomb of Nazarick ¡ª was filled withplex emotions. He had not expected that natural forest could be so awe-inspiring.

    I see why Blue-san liked nature so much...

    He looked around as he surveyed the forest, but it was peaceful, and he saw no traces of any animals. Aside from the distant sound of birdsong, there was no sign of life here at all.

    At the same time, he observed Lukrut the ranger advancing carefully, keeping a lookout with all his five senses. He seemed to have concluded that there was no living creature hiding nearby.

    Actually, there¡¯s someone hiding behind us.

    Ainz was proud of the person sneaking behind him.

    The group ¡ª save for two people ¡ª was filled with tension as they walked silently through the forest, where the sun¡¯s light could not prate and which was surprisingly cool. They sweated heavily because the terrain was difficult and they were under no small amount of mental stress.

    Finally, they reached a clearing that was roughly fifty meters across.

    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived at our destination. We¡¯ll spread out from here and pick herbs.¡±

    Everyone began setting their gear down after they heard Nfirea unburdening himself of his baggage. However, they did not rx. Instead, they carefully observed their surroundings, ready to deal with any sudden developments.

    This was because they were no longer in the world of men.

    ¡°Then, we¡¯ll move as we nned earlier.¡±

    After Nfirea replied to that statement in the affirmative, Ainz tied a rope to a nearby tree, then picked the other end up and headed into the forest.

    The rope he was holding was not thick, but it was very strong. It would not snap just by being dragged along the ground. While holding the rope, Ainz and Narberal could move in a straight line into the forest.

    Normally speaking, it was almost impossible to move in a straight line, since the trees would get in one¡¯s way. However, the rope they were holding showed the path, and so the two of them could proceed despite their inexperience with the forest.

    They moved about fifty meters into the forest, stopping when the rope had almost run out.

    Trees and vegetation blocked the way behind them, so they did not worry about being spotted. There was someone nearby who could immediately deal with anybody who was following them, so there was no need to fret about that either.

    ¡°Here should be fine.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s discuss how to improve my reputation here.¡±

    ¡°...May I ask how you n to do that? Does it involve finding a lot of the herbs they want?¡±

    Ainz looked quietly at Narberal, and then shook his head:

    ¡°I n to fight the Wise King of the Forest.¡±

    Narberal seemed to have a question mark over her head, so Ainz exined further:

    ¡°My aim is to impress my might upon them in an easily understandable way.¡±

    ¡°...Was the battle with the Ogres not enough to convince them of your power?¡±

    ¡°...You¡¯re not wrong to say that, but Goblins and Ogres are not enough. When they discuss my aplishments back in town, there¡¯s a world of difference between saying I slew an Ogre in one blow and saying I defeated the Wise King of the Forest. One of them will spread much faster and further than the other. This is why I need to put on a good show.¡±

    ¡°I see! As I thought, your ns take everything into consideration, Ainz-sama! Still, how will we find that Wise King of the Forest?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already nned for that.¡±

    Just as Narberal was about to ask, a third speaker cut in.

    ¡°Yup~ that¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡±

    Narberal jerked her head over toward the source of the sudden voice. She even thrust her right hand out, preparing to aim and cast a spell. However, her face changed immediately upon seeing who the speaker was.

    ¡°Aura-sama! Please don¡¯t scare me like that.¡±

    ¡°Sorry~¡±

    A dark elf girl popped out from behind a nearby tree, with a beaming smile that seemed to say ehehe on her face.

    She was one of the twin Guardians of the Sixth Floor of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, Aura Be Fiora.

    ¡°May I ask when you arrived?¡±

    ¡°Hmm? I¡¯ve been following behind you and Ainz-sama ever since you entered the forest.¡±

    Aura was a beast tamer-cum-ranger, so tracking people in the forest was child¡¯s y to her. While it was true that Lukrut was also a ranger, the difference in their abilities was so great that there was no way he could have spotted her.

    ¡°So, my job here is to find the monster called the Wise King of the Forest, then urge it to attack Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. ording to our previous intelligence, the Wise King of the Forest is a four-legged beast with silver fur and a snake-like tail. Does that remind you of anything?¡±

    ¡°Hm, it¡¯s fine. It should be that guy,¡± Aura replied as she nced upward.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, do you want me to tame it directly?¡±

    ¡°...That is also an alternative, but let¡¯s not.¡±

    Aura the beast tamer should be able to easily subdue the Wise King of the Forest. However, it would be troublesome if someone found out that Ainz had been pulling all the strings. Therefore, it would be wiser to avoid having to worry about such things.

    ¡°By the way, Aura, how¡¯s the progress on that matter I asked you to handle?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Aura swiftly genuflected before Ainz, in the manner of a vassal to her liege.

    It did not quite seem like Aura¡¯s style, but Ainz responded in kind, listening to her report in his capacity as her master.

    ¡°The order you gave me to ¡®investigate and control the interior of the forest, verify if there are any lifeforms willing to obey Nazarick, and set up a resource storehouse,¡¯ is going well, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Is that so,¡± Ainz replied simply.

    Before heading to E-Rantel, Ainz had handed down different orders to each Guardian. The reason he ordered Aura ¡ª and Mare ¡ª to scout the Great Forest was in order to ensure the safety of Nazarick and collect information.

    As for the resource storehouse, it might be better to describe it as more of a shelter. The reason he ordered her to build it there was to provide a hiding ce in case there was an emergency and he could not return to Nazarick. In addition, it would be best to have an alternate base of operations to avoid Nazarick¡¯s location being revealed. And of course, it could be used to store all manner of supplies and resources.

    He had ordered her to find creatures which would obey Nazarick because he wanted to see if he could powerlevel them. In addition, he wanted to learn about how one went about gaining levels in this world.

    Because of this string of tasks, Aura, Mare, the vassals designated for construction, and other powerful entities had invaded the forest and disrupted the bnce of power within it. This was why the Ogres and other monsters had chosen to flee, even at the risk of treading within the domain of the Wise King of the Forest.

    ¡°Still, the construction of the storehouse will take a long time toplete.¡±

    ¡°That can¡¯t be helped. After all, it has only been a short while since I gave you that order.¡±

    While Aura had ess to golems and undead from Nazarick, which couldbor forever without needing to sleep or eat, this was not a task which could be easily finished, considering the amount of work that needed to be done.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right if it takes extra time. Try your best to make it perfect. Make ample preparations for defense, so we won¡¯t fall short if we¡¯re attacked.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Understood!¡±

    ¡°Very well. Then, Aura, I¡¯ll leave the matter of the Wise King of the Forest to you.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Aura replied energetically as she stood back up.

    ? ? ?

    After Ainz bade Aura farewell, a gigantic ck wolf with a lustrous ck pelt padded out from behind one of the trees, as though it had been waiting for that moment. Its fiery red eyes zed with intelligence, proving that it was no mere beast.

    That was not all.

    On the branches of another tree was a six-legged monster which looked like a fusion of a chameleon and an iguana. Its scaly skin ran through a kaleidoscopic array of lightning-fast color changes. It was asrge as the wolf from earlier.

    ¡°Fen, Quadracile, what¡¯s with you? Worried about me?¡±

    The massive wolf called Fen whined and nuzzled Aura. Quadracile stuck out its tongue and lightly licked at the top of Aura¡¯s head.

    ¡°Hey hey, we still have to do the work Ainz-sama gave us.¡±

    Aura¡¯s fighting strength was second from the bottom among the Guardians of Nazarick, and the fact was that some of the Area Guardians were stronger than her. However, that only took into consideration their solo abilities.

    Aura¡¯s forte did not lie in fighting as a lone unit, but as part of a group. Of the hundreds of monsters which Aura could summon, the highest level among them was eighty. With the aid of Aura¡¯s skills, they could reach level ny or so. With these beasts at hermand, herbat abilities far surpassed those of any other Guardian.

    The two monsters here were two of Aura¡¯s favorite high-level magical beasts ¡ª the Divine Beast Fenrir (also known as Fen), and the equally powerful Itzamna, Quadracile.

    As they heard Aura¡¯s words, Fen and Quadracile stopped ying around.

    ¡°All right, let¡¯s go!¡±

    Aura led the two magical beasts in a sprint through the forest. Even though they were surrounded by dense woond, they were not impeded in the slightest, moving as fast as the wind.

    After about thirty minutes of running, Aura reached her destination.

    Aura smiled. It was a cold smile which did not fit her youthful face. It was equal parts innocent and cruel.

    ¡°I kind of wanted it for myself, but Ainz-sama did give me an order, so it can¡¯t be helped.¡±

    She did not sound like she was talking to her pets, but rather, like she was muttering to her jewellery.

    Aura knew where the Wise King of the Forest made itsir because she had long wanted to subdue it for her own. The Wise King of the Forest was much weaker than Aura¡¯s own monsters, so it had no value to her. However, it was an unfamiliar creature to Aura, and that inmed her collector¡¯s desire.

    It was a shame to have to let it go, but if she was giving it up to her master, the Supreme Being to whom she owed all loyalty, then she had noints.

    ¡°Now then...¡±

    Aura began transmuting the air molecules in her lungs. The newly rbined breath was not a natural substance, and it leaked from between her pink lips. This breath of hers could control emotions.

    Normally, her breath only filled a very small radius around her, so it was more like a special type of passive skill. However, if she wanted, she couldbine this technique with other targeting skills to hit any target within two kilometers with perfect uracy, even in a forest like this.

    However, there was no need for that. Because her objective was to remove any signs of her passing, she snuck up on her target. Not even her magical beasts, let along the natural animals of the forest, could detect Aura as she was now.

    Aura proudly walked up to the Wise King of the Forest, all traces of her presence thoroughly erased, and breathed lightly. Her breath contained elements which induced terror, startling awake the sleeping Wise King of the Forest.

    Every hair on the Wise King of the Forest stood on end, and it fled immediately. The speed of a terrified four-legged beast was startling. Yet Aura ¡ª who was chasing it from behind ¡ª was faster still.

    Aura shadowed the Wise King of the Forest, harrying it towards Ainz, like she was a guided specter of Death.

    ¡°...Still, I wonder if I could take its pelt if it dies...¡±

    ? ? ?

    There was a disturbance in the forest

    Lukrut pricked up his ears as he sensed the change in the air. He surveyed his surroundings with a grim expression on his face and wariness in his heart.

    ¡°Something¡¯sing.¡±

    When they heard this, the Swords of Darkness stopped their herb-gathering and drew their weapons in preparation for battle. Shortly after, Ainz tightened his grip on his greatswords as well.

    ¡°Is it the Wise King of the Forest?¡±

    Nobody answered Nfirea¡¯s uneasy question as he stuffed the herbs into his bags. Everyone merely watched the depths of the forest in silence.

    ¡°This is bad.¡±

    Even the usually flighty Lukrut was speaking in a serious tone:

    ¡°Something massive ising. I don¡¯t know why it¡¯s moving in a serpentine pattern, but from the sound of trampled grass, it should be here soon. However... can¡¯t be sure if it¡¯s the Wise King of the Forest.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s fall back, it doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s the Wise King of the Forest or not, staying here is very dangerous. Even if it¡¯s not the Wise King of the Forest, we¡¯ve entered its territory, so the chances of it giving chase are very high.¡±

    As he said this, Peter looked to Ainz.

    ¡°Momon-san, can we trouble you to be the rear guard?¡±

    ¡°No problem. Leave it to me... We¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡±

    The Swords of Darkness called out their encouragement to Ainz one after the other as they helped Nfirea retreat from of the forest.

    ¡°Momon-san, please don¡¯t overdo it.¡±

    Nfirea¡¯s voice carried an absolute faith in Ainz, and his eyes glittered with admiration underneath his hair. It made Ainz feel deeply ufortable and he wished that they would leave quickly.

    As he watched them disappear into the forest on the other side of the clearing, a twinge of unease ran through Ainz. He was not sure if he could leave the forest by himself, but then he immediately considered that he could let Aura guide him.

    There was a more pressing problem before him at the moment¡ª

    ¡°Damn... They might think it¡¯s not the Wise King of the Forest... and even if I bring it back to Nazarick, I need some proof of having beaten it... Should I cut off one of its legs?¡±

    ¡°¡ªAinz-sama.¡±

    Narberal¡¯s gaze was far afield, looking at the mighty shadow that emerged from the distant trees. There was no way to make its shape out because it was hiding behind the trees, and without the sun to light it, there was no way to tell if its body was, in fact, silver.

    ¡°Has our guest arrived?¡±

    Or maybe we¡¯re the guests, Ainz idly mused as he stepped up in front of Narberal. He had no idea of how strong it was ¡ª what level it was, so Ainz made the logical decision of putting himself in front of the magic caster Narberal, who was not suited to meleebat.

    Once he got in front of Narberal, Ainz felt the air move. He immediately crossed his greatswords in front of him like a shield.

    He heard something like the sound of steel meeting steel, and a tremendous force bore down on Ainz¡¯s arms. A weighty and swift object had struck the greatswords Ainz was holding.

    He saw a long, serpentine tail slowly retreat behind a tree.

    Its tail attacks like a bullwhip. However, judging by the feel and sound of the impact, that tail must be as hard as metal... its attack radius of over twenty meters will be hard to deal with, but how does it live with a tail like that?

    With no frontliner skills, Ainz had no idea how to deal with it. All he could do was advance into melee with his foe.

    Ainz sighed. Of course, this was just going through the motions, since Ainz had no lungs. He braced his shoulders into a battle-stance, ready to counterattack. In response to this, a serene bass voice boomed out from the forest:

    ¡°How spectacr; to think thou could endure the blow of this one. Perhaps this is the first time this one hath encountered a foe possessed of such prowess.¡±

    ¡°Thou... this one...¡±

    Ainz¡¯s illusory face hardened, and then he considered that those words had already been tranted. Ainz decided that this was the closest equivalent to what had actually been said.

    ¡°Then, oh trespasser upon mine demesne. Shouldst thou decide to quit the field, this one shall not pursue thee, in honor of thine magnificent defense... what say thee?¡±

    ¡°...What a foolish question. Of course I n to defeat you for my own gain... speaking of which, are you so insecure about your appearance that you have to hide in the shadows? Or are you shy by nature?¡±

    ¡°...What a wild tongue thou hast, oh trespasser! Now behold this one¡¯s mighty form! Stare with eyes wide and tongue tied, and tremble in dread and awe!¡±

    The Wise King of the Forest slowly emerged from the trees, revealing its body to him.

    As he saw it, Ainz¡¯s illusionary eyes went wide.

    ¡°Fufufu, this one senses thy fear and rm from beneath thine helmet!¡±

    A smile twisted the face of the magical beast, and it curled its long tail. There were strange glyphs and symbols on the silvery fur covering its body. It was about the size of a horse, but it was low to the ground, beingrger in the horizontal rather than the vertical dimension.

    The Wise King of the Forest shrank the distance between them.

    ¡°What is this...¡±

    An indescribable feeling washed over Ainz. After bing undead, all the strong emotions he felt were immediately suppressed. With that in mind, this was probably not a very strong emotion. Even so, he had not felt this in a long time ¡ª including his time in YGGDRASIL ¡ª the sensation when a monster appeared before him.

    ¡°...I have a question; what is the name of your species?¡±

    ¡°This one is known in thy tongue as the Wise King of the Forest. Apart from that, this one holds no other titles.¡±

    Ainz gulped, and then asked further:

    ¡°Your species... might they be called Djungarian Hamsters?¡±

    The Wise King of the Forest.

    From what Ainz could see, it closely resembled a Djungarian Hamster. Its fur was silvery, or rather, snow white, contrasted by its ck, round eyes, and its body looked like a gigantic bun.

    Of course, hamsters did not have such long tails, not did they growrger than a human being. However, those two factors aside, he honestly could not think of any other animal which couldpare. Fully a hundred out of a hundred people would agree that it was a hamster. Well, a giant Djungarian Hamster. Maybe a mutant Djungarian Hamster, or something like that?

    It tilted its adorable head ¡ª it did not seem to have a neck ¡ª and the Wise King of the Forest sniffed at the air before speaking again:

    ¡°This... this one hath lived in solitude all mine life. This one canst not answer thee, for this one knowst not of this one¡¯s... or dost thou imply that thou knowst of this one¡¯s species?¡±

    ¡°Um... er... I guess, sort of... one of my former friends once kept a creature which was simr to you...¡±

    Ainz recalled that friend of his, and how that friend had not logged onto YGGDRASIL for about a week because that friend¡¯s pet Djungarian Hamster had died.

    Behind him, Narberal quietly went, ¡°Ohhhh,¡± probably because she had learned something about one of the Forty One Supreme Beings.

    ¡°What!? To think beings like this one would be raised as pets!¡±

    The Wise King of the Forest puffed up its cheeks.

    Ainz had no idea whether it was unhappy or trying to intimidate him, or something else. The only thing Ainz could be sure of was that it was definitely not eating.

    ¡°Hm... This one prays thee enlighten me on that matter. This one is a living being and must procreate. If others of this one¡¯s breed exist, then this one must go forth and multiply, lest this one be a failure as a living being.¡±

    ording to the Wise King of the Forest¡¯s logic, Ainz ¡ª who could not reproduce ¡ª was unfit to be a living being. As he clung to the excuse that he was undead and not, in fact, a living creature, Ainz weakly answered:

    ¡°...Er, it wasn¡¯t as big as you, anyway.¡±

    ¡°Be that as it may... perchance it was a juvenile?¡±

    ¡°...No, even fully grown, it was small enough to fit in the palm of my hand.¡±

    With a vague sense of sadness, the Wise King of the Forest¡¯s whiskers drooped down.

    ¡°Indeed, that is quite a stretch... this one must pass the years in solitude, after all...¡±

    ¡°...If you were a more impressive looking species it wouldn¡¯t be so bad... but you¡¯re a hamster. I do sympathize with your circumstances, but if there were others like you, your numbers would increase without end and the world might end up being destroyed...¡±

    The Wise King of the Forest twitched its whiskers. While its eyes were the same shiny ck as always, there seemed to be some anger in its tone:

    ¡°What an outrage! Increasing the numbers of one¡¯s species is important! And this one hath lived withoutpanionship all mine life! ¡®Tis only natural to desire others of mine kind!¡±

    ¡°Oh... um... well, that¡¯s certainly true... forgive me, I misspoke...¡±

    Ainz recalled hisrades from Ainz Ooal Gown and apologized. Although, he felt terribly mixed up about remembering his friends after being lectured by a hamster and then apologizing to it.

    ¡°...Think naught of it. This one grants thee mine forgiveness. Then, let us abandon this idle banter and show each other our fatal resolve. Listen well... oh trespasser who hath profaned mine demesne, offer thy life as this one¡¯s sustenance!¡±

    ¡°Er... um...¡±

    Ainz felt his motivation draining away.

    Even if that cute appearance was just a facade, he still could not bring himself to fight it in earnest. No matter how you looked at it, having the ruler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick duel a giant hamster was just sad.

    Even if he defeated it, he would have to take the corpse of a Djungarian Hamster and tell people, ¡°This is the Wise King of the Forest, the fight was too intense and I couldn¡¯t chase it away.¡± How would adventurers ¡ª including the Swords of Darkness ¡ª view that? Even in the best case scenario, they would simply look silently at Ainz with pitying eyes.

    In that case, he would not defeat the Wise King of the Forest, but capture it alive to pick its brains.

    ¡°Nabe, fall back,¡± Ainz said, forcing some semnce of fighting spirit back into himself as he gave that order. Narberal had a look of absolute confidence in Ainz¡¯s victory on her face as she bowed deeply and then retreated to a corner of the clearing.

    ¡°Oh ¡ª but know thou that being outnumbered is no handicap for this one?¡±

    ¡°...I can¡¯t do something as embarrassing as fighting a hamster two-on-one.¡±

    After hearing those words and seeing Ainz raise his weapons in a fighting stance, the Wise King of the Forest lowered its body and tensed its entire body.

    ¡°Regret not thy decision! Now bear the charge of this one!¡±

    The massive body forcefully kicked off the earth with a mighty bang, and lunged at Ainz.

    The flying tackle of the Wise King of the Forest¡¯s massive body would have tossed any ordinary person away, had they been hit by it without using a martial art.

    However, Ainz used the des of his greatswords as a shield, and took the Wise King of the Forest¡¯s charge head on.

    Despite its fearsome destructive power, Ainz still easily resisted it..

    ¡°Muuuuu!¡±

    The Wise King of the Forest was surprised by the unmoving Ainz, and shed with the surprisingly sharp ws on its forepaws. Ainz raised the greatsword in his left hand to block the strike, and swung with the greatsword in his right.

    He did not put his full strength into it, but it was still quite a forceful blow.

    There was a loud crash, and Ainz¡¯s strike was deflected away, his arm numbed from the impact. It would seem the Wise King of the Forest had blocked Ainz¡¯s strike with its ws, and the two attacks had bounced apart after an intense mid-air sh.

    ¡°Well done! But how about this? ¡¸Charm Species¡¹.¡±

    Mind-affecting effects were useless against the undead. Ignoring his opponent¡¯s magical attack, Ainz swung both his greatswords.

    There was a sound of shing metal again, and Ainz¡¯s swords were deflected once more.

    Ainz narrowed his eyes under his helmet.

    While that had only been a probing attack, the Wise King of the Forest had deflected that strike with its skin. It would seem that its hide was harder than most metals.

    Was it not soft and fluffy fur? It was quite surprising, but Ainz chased away these thoughts which had no ce in a battle.

    Ainz¡¯s physical attack power would be around that of a level thirty warrior, in YGGDRASIL terms. However, that was greatly affected by spells and equipment, so he could not be sure. Still, with that as a baseline, the Wise King of the Forest had the fighting power of a level thirty or so character.

    A frown grew on the illusory face under Ainz¡¯s helmet.

    ¡°Not bad... very suitable for meleebat training.¡±

    Ainz was certain that as long as he went all-out, he could definitely defeat this opponent. Although he had to stay alert, it was still good practice for being a frontliner.

    Ainz continued swinging his twin greatswords, and the Wise King of the Forest continued its adroit deflection of his blows. Then another glyph on its body lit up, and it cast a spell.

    ¡°¡¸Blindness¡¹.¡±

    Unlike the previous ¡¸Charm Species¡¹, this non-mind-affecting spell of blindness could potentially have affected Ainz. However, Ainz had a racial skill which rendered him immune to low tier magic. Therefore, the spell vanished without ever taking effect.

    A different symbol lit up when it used that spell... it seems the symbols on its body represent the spells it can use...

    There were spellcasting monsters in YGGDRASIL. While the numbers of spells they could use varied greatly ording to their level and species, as a rough guideline, they could use about eight kinds of magic. Simrly, the Wise King of the Forest had roughly eight kinds of tattoos on its body, so Ainz felt like he was fighting a monster from YGGDRASIL.

    The Wise King of the Forest did not notice its spell had been resisted, and attacked with its forepaws. Ainz blocked with the greatsword in one hand and countered with the greatsword in his other.

    He thought of past battles alongside his friends.

    Touch Me, who wielded a sword and shield and was one of the greatest warriors in YGGDRASIL. Nishiki Enrai, who bore the twin kodachis named Amaterasu and Tsukiyomi, and boasted the highest attack power in the guild. The man also known as No Second Strike ¡ª although that was not actually the case ¡ª wielding the twin nodachis known as God-ying sh Emperor and Takemikazuchi Mk 8, Warrior Takemikazuchi.

    And then he recalled the brave man he had encountered recently ¡ª Gazef Stronoff, the Kingdom¡¯s Warrior Captain.

    Perhaps Ainz had travelled to E-Rantel in the guise of a warrior because he had been moved by that man.

    Ainz mocked himself for thinking of these things now.

    I can¡¯t let my mind wander inbat. Although there¡¯s certainly enough leeway for it, I can¡¯t be careless... even if my opponent is a hamster...

    He imagined the countless sword strokes hispanions had made, and Ainz attacked continuously, trying his best to reproduce those moves. At the same time, he used the greatsword in his left hand to intercept the Wise King of the Forest¡¯s counterattacks.

    Both sides went back and forth, neither side being able to strike a decisive blow, until Ainz¡¯s greatsword finally breached the Wise King of the Forest¡¯s defense.

    ¡°What!?¡±

    The scent of fresh blood followed the sensation of the greatsword piercing into flesh. The greatsword in his right hand grazed the hide of the Wise King of the Forest, sending hairs flying.

    He nned to continue his assault with his left-hand greatsword, but the Wise King of the Forest sensed it was at a disadvantage and leapt away,nding about ten meters away from Ainz.

    I¡¯ve heard hamsters escape their nests by jumping, but I¡¯ve never seen one retreat before.

    Just as Ainz began losing himself in thought after battling the giant hamster, the Wise King of the Forest lowered its body.

    Ainz watched his opponent¡¯s movements in surprise.

    What does it n to do at that range? If it¡¯s a charge like just now, then I¡¯ll just hold my sword out to let it kill itself... but it¡¯s most likely that it¡¯s going to use another spell.

    The Wise King of the Forest curled its tail up behind it, but judging by its length, it probably shouldn¡¯t be able to reach ¡ª

    ¡°¡ª No, that¡¯s not it!¡±

    Ainz realised that he had miscalcted.

    The tail strike at the beginning hade from a long distance away. In other words, he was still in range of the tail attack.

    As expected, the tail swung in a huge, sweeping arc, speeding at Ainz with its surprising length. Ainz blocked it with his right-hand greatsword... and his eyes went wide with surprise. This was because the tail had turned at a right angle, using the greatsword as a fulcrum of sorts.

    ¡°!¡±

    He swung his greatsword to the side, aiming to cast away the tail which was on his sword. However, he was a moment toote, and the tail scraped the back te of his armor, sending an impact through his body.

    Due to a racial skill, an attack like this would not have hurt Ainz even if the tail had struck him dead on. However, if one thought of this as a first-person shooter game, then he had made a great mistake.

    ¡°Now, we are one for one.¡±

    A mere hamster ¡ª anger rose inside him.

    Then, let me try a ranged attack of my own.

    Having decided this, Ainz firmly gripped his right-hand greatsword. As Ainz was preparing his attack, the Wise King of the Forest spoke, with heartfelt respect:

    ¡°That armor... ¡®tis truly amazing. Nay, thy strength and swordy are both breathtaking to behold. Thou art truly a supetive warrior. Art thou a man of fame in human society?¡±

    The strength faded from his right hand.

    In a somewhat disappointed tone, he asked, ¡°Do I look like a warrior to you?¡±

    ¡°Why dost thou ask? What wouldst thou resemble, save a warrior? Mayhaps thou might be better addressed as a knight?¡±

    ¡°The Wise King of the Forest... well, you¡¯ve been misnamed. Or rather, everything started going wrong once I discovered you were a giant hamster...¡±

    Indeed, it was hard to think of Ainz as a magic caster in this suit of full te armor. Still, he had hoped that something with the grand title of Wise King of the Forest would at least have noticed something amiss, or showed some sign that it could see through his disguise.

    The Wise King of the Forest must have thought that Ainz¡¯s magic immunity was simply resisting the spell through sheer force of will. Granted, special defenses like resistance and immunity were practically the same thing in YGGDRASIL, but at least it should have tried to act like a proper sage.

    In the end, it waspletely undeserving of the title of ¡°Wise King.¡± Maybe if it had been called a Giant Djungarian Hamster, he would not have held such high hopes. Whoever called him a ¡°Wise King¡± must have had something wrong with him. It was a mibelling, false advertising.

    Having lost the will to fight, Ainz powerlessly lowered the greatswords in his hands.

    ¡°What art thou doing!? Could it possibly be... dost thou intend to yield before the battle is decided? Come at this one with all thy strength! This is a duel to the death!¡±

    The words from the angry Wise King of the Forest chipped away at Ainz¡¯s heart. Fortunately, great emotional upheavals were suppressed immediately, so he still had some strength remaining.

    ¡°That¡¯s... enough.¡±

    Speaking with a cold, crystal clear voice, Ainz pointed his right-hand greatsword at the Wise King of the Forest and activated his skill.

    ¡¸Despair Aura V¡¹.

    Since its instant death effect was too strong, he decided to reduce its potency and instead activated ¡¸Despair Aura I¡¯s¡¹ fear effect.

    A cold, soul-chilling vapor gusted out from Ainz

    The moment that mass of cold air washed over the Wise King of the Forest, every single one of its hairs stood on end, and it rolled over with surprising speed. All he could see was its silvery fur, and its soft, defenseless belly.

    ¡°Craven! This one yields to thee!¡±

    ¡°...Ah... in the end it was just a beast...¡±

    As he muttered tiredly in response, Ainz walked over to the Wise King of the Forest, observing its vulnerable belly, and then considered what he should do next.

    It¡¯s a creature of this world, so chasing it away would be a shame. Sadly, it¡¯s just a hamster, so should I raise it as a pet... at the very least, I should make use of its corpse.

    One of Ainz¡¯s job sses was called Necromancer. It was a ss that allowed one to turn a corpse into an undead ve, though the quality of the undead produced depended on the species of the corpse.

    The best corpses were those of powerful beings like dragons, while human corpses could be zombies and skeletons. Then, given that the Wise King of the Forest did not exist in YGGDRASIL, what sort of undead would its corpse make?

    A Wise King of the Forest Zombie?

    ¡°Shall we kill it?¡± a cheery voice rang out.

    Ainz turned, and found that Aura had mysteriously appeared beside Narberal.

    ¡°If you kill it, I¡¯d like its hide. It looks like it would make a great pelt...¡±

    Ainz lowered his head and looked straight at the Wise King of the Forest, who was looking at him with moist, tear-filled eyes. Its whiskers twitched as it waited fearfully for its future to be decided.

    Just then, he suddenly recalled the words which he had exchanged with the Wise King of the Forest. Ainz recalled the part about friends.

    Ainz found that he was hesitating. Then, with a sigh, he made his decision.

    ¡°My true name is Ainz Ooal Gown. If you are willing to serve me, I will spare your life.¡±

    ¡°Th-Thank you very much! This one shall offer absolute fealty to thee for the gift of this one¡¯s life! The life of the Wise King of the Forest shall be an offering to the great warrior, Ainz Ooal Gown-sama!¡±

    Aura looked at the Wise King of the Forest, who had jumped up and was frantically pledging its loyalty. There seemed to be something like regret in Aura¡¯s eyes.

    ? ? ?

    Once they left the forest, they encountered the others, who rejoiced that Ainz and Narberal were both unharmed. Only Lukrut seemed to have his doubts.

    In a tone thatbined surprise and praise, Nfirea asked Ainz:

    ¡°You¡¯re unhurt... Did you avoid fighting?¡±

    Just as Ainz was about to answer, Lukrut cut in:

    ¡°Momon-san, what did you bring back? Were you charmed by something?¡±

    ¡°I battled the Wise King of the Forest, and tamed it. Oi,e out.¡±

    They could all see the pearly-white fur of the Wise King of the Forest as it emerged from the trees. The Swords of Darkness gathered around Nfirea, shocked expressions on their faces as they all took a step back with weapons raised.

    Well, it¡¯s huge, even if it¡¯s a Djungarian Hamster...

    Though it had cute round eyes, its massive body was still a fearsome sight, and it was only natural that these adventurers should be wary on behalf of the client they were escorting. With that in mind, Ainz decided to calmly say:

    ¡°Be at ease, everyone. I have subdued it, so it will notsh out wildly and hurt people.¡±

    Then, he approached the Wise King of the Forest, and made a show of patting its furry body.

    ¡°It is as milord says; this Wise King of the Forest is loyal to milord, and is milord¡¯s faithful servant. This one swears to milord that this one will not inconvenience thee, fine gentlemen!¡±

    In this way, the Wise King of the Forest disyed its loyalty to Ainz.

    Perhaps they were on guard because of its vast size, but since it was a cute Djungarian Hamster to begin with, they would probably stop being on edge once they got used to it. The problem was how to make everyone think it was the true Wise King of the Forest. That was the only thing Ainz had no idea how to aplish.

    And then, things developed in apletely unexpected direction.

    ¡°...So this is the Wise King of the Forest! Unbelievable! What a majestic beast!¡±

    ¡ªWhat?

    Ainz looked back and forth between Ninya and the Wise King of the Forest, checking to see if Ninya was making fun of him, but Ninya seemed to be entirely serious.

    ¡°...Wow, the Wise King of the Forest... so the legends really were true! I can feel its mighty presence just standing before it!¡± Dyne gasped.

    Eh? Mighty presence?

    ¡°Uwah, that¡¯s pretty awesome. You actually pulled it off. Someone as strong as you is certainly qualified to have Nabe-chan at his side.¡±

    ¡°If we had encountered him, we would have been killed for sure. I expected nothing less of you, Momon-san. Amazing work.¡±

    As Lukrut, Peter, and the others showered him in praise, Ainz looked to the Wise King of the Forest again.

    A giant Djungarian Hamster.

    It did not remind him of anything else. Why were they so intimidated by a beast like this?

    ¡°...Everyone, do you not think this creature¡¯s eyes are very cute?¡±

    Their eyes went wide as they heard those words, as though their eyeballs were about to fall out. It would seem that statement was quite absurd.

    ¡°Mo-Momon-san, do you think this beast¡¯s eyes are cute?¡±

    Of course. After mocking the reply in his heart, Ainz magnanimously nodded, and then he began to wonder if the Wise King of the Forest had used a passive charm skill.

    ¡°Unbelievable, that¡¯s Momon-san for you. Ninya, you looked into its eyes, what do you think ?¡±

    ¡°...They are eyes filled with wisdom, and I could feel the power of this beast. There¡¯s no way it could be cute by any stretch of the word.¡±

    ¡°...!?¡±

    Ainz looked dumbfoundedly at the others. After realizing that they shared Ninya¡¯s opinion, Ainz felt his head spin for a moment.

    ¡°How about you, Nabe?¡±

    ¡°Actual strength aside, those are powerful-looking eyes.¡±

    ¡°...No... way... seriously...?¡±

    They were all gushing praise with sparkly eyes. In other words, they were in awe of Ainz for being able to nonchntly call the eyes of such a beast ¡°cute.¡±

    Ainz kept ncing back at the Wise King of the Forest, but there was no way he could see anything approaching ¡°wisdom¡± in them.

    Could it be that my aesthetic sense changed as well after bing undead?

    Since nobody apart from himself felt that way, it was quite likely that such a change had taken ce. However, it was probably best to make absolutely sure.

    ¡°By the way, does everyone think rats are strong?¡±

    ¡°Rats... giant rats? Monsters like that aren¡¯t anything special.¡±

    ¡°You can find them in the sewers of E-Rantel.¡±

    ¡°Giant rats carry nasty diseases. Wererats too... hmm, since wererats can resist damage made from everything except silver weapons, would they qualify as strong?¡±

    Don¡¯t hamsters look like rats? And the Wise King of the Forest has a very long tail... it¡¯s more like a rat than a hamster...

    A puzzled Ainz came to a conclusion. In other words, ¡°This world is weird.¡±

    Just as Ainz was agonizing over trivial matters like the differences between this world and the previous one, Nfirea asked in a worried tone of voice:

    ¡°But if you take this monster away, and thus its sphere of influence, won¡¯t the other monsters attack En... Carne Vige because it¡¯s not there to scare it off any more?¡±

    Ainz raised his chin to indicate the Wise King of the Forest. It got the message, and said:

    ¡°By vige you mean... ah, well, the bnce of power in the forest is now in chaos. Even if this one was there, this one would not be able to guarantee their safety by any means.¡±

    ¡°No way...¡±

    Ainz did notfort the shocked Nfirea. He merely smiled inside.

    The Wise King of the Forest is hardly a fitting name, let¡¯s see what I can get out of this.

    Just as Ainz was thinking about how to guide the conversation, he could feel Nfirea looking at him. He seemed to be wavering between speaking and keeping quiet, and his mouth opened and closed like a goldfish.

    Ainz understood the turmoil in Nfirea¡¯s heart. On one hand, he must have wanted Ainz to save the vige once more. On the other, Nfirea probably felt that it was too troublesome, and did not want to leave everything to him.

    As the Swords of Darkness discussed how to save the vige, Nfirea made up his mind and addressed Ainz with a serious look on his face.

    ¡°¡ªMomon-san.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    A secretly delighted Ainz waited for what Nfirea would say next.

    The truth was that Ainz had always intended to protect Carne Vige, which was highly valuable as a source of information. However, the important thing was whether he could profit from it. Since he could frame the thing as doing a favor for Nfirea and thus make Nfirea indebted to him, it was like killing two birds with one stone. This was Ainz¡¯s n in order to make up for the miscalction with the Wise King of the Forest.

    However, Nfirea¡¯s words vastly exceeded Ainz¡¯s expectations.

    ¡°Momon-san! Please let me join your team!¡±

    ¡°Hah!?¡±

    ¡°I want to protect Enri... Carne Vige, but I don¡¯t have the strength to do it now. So I want to be stronger! I want to learn the secret to your strength, Momon-san! I don¡¯t mind if it¡¯s just a little bit! However, I can¡¯t hire an excellent adventurer like you on a long-term basis with the amount of money I have! So please, let me join your party! I have some confidence in my ability as a herbalist, but I¡¯m willing to carry luggage and do other menialbor! Please allow me to do this, I beg you!¡±

    Just as Ainz was blinking his non-existent eyelids, Nfirea continued:

    ¡°I¡¯ve always been researching herbological knowledge. I didn¡¯t give that decision much thought because my grandmother and father were both herbalists... but now I¡¯ve found the path I want to walk, and it¡¯s not as a herbalist.¡±

    ¡°So, you want to be a great magic caster and protect Carne Vige, then?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Nfirea seemed to have shed his youthful attitude, and looked straight at Ainz, his eyes filled with a manly resolve.

    ? ? ?

    In YGGDRASIL, there had been an endless stream of applicants seeking to join the guild Ainz Ooal Gown. Most of them wanted to do so for personal gain, thinking that they would profit from joining one of the highest ranked guilds in the game. They did not think of what they could do for the guild, but what the guild could do for them.

    In addition, there were those who wanted to infiltrate the guild to steal its information and rare items.

    Because of this, Ainz Ooal Gown did not increase its numbers much beyond its founding members. They were careful not to let their hard work and effort be trampled by others.

    Still, this was the simple, pure desire of a man who knew nothing of the guild called Ainz Ooal Gown. His misguided way of thinking was quite refreshing.

    ? ? ?

    ¡°...Ha, hahaha!¡±

    Ainzughed, long and loud. Hisughter was light and buoyant. Then, when he was done, he removed his helmet and bowed deeply.

    He could hear Narberal taking a deep breath in the background.

    Actions like this did not fit Narberal¡¯s master, the Supreme Ruler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. Still, Ainz felt that he had to do this, without any hesitation about whether it was right or proper. He did not feel that bowing to a young man who was only half his age was shameful.

    There was no malice in Ainz¡¯sughter, but Ainz now knew he should not have done so. He raised his head to face the surprised Nfirea:

    ¡°...Forgive me for myughter. That was a mistake on my part. But I would like you to understand that I was notughing at your determination. In order to join my team, you must meet two criteria. At the moment, you have only met one of them. Therefore, I am sorry, but I cannot let you join.¡±

    The hidden condition was that more than half of the present guild members had to approve of the prospective member. Therefore, even if Ainz agreed, he could not add members to the guild on his own. However, Ainz was pleased by the loyalty which the Guardians of Nazarick had shown him aftering to this world, and in that good mood, he continued:

    ¡°I understand how you feel, and I will remember that you wished to join my team. As for protecting this vige, I will exert all my power to aid you. However, I might need your help¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yes! Please, I¡¯m eager to help!¡±

    ¡°Is that so, is that so...¡±

    As Ainz was nodding, he met Ninya¡¯s gaze. He seemed to be enjoying the show, which made Ainz feel a little embarrassed.

    ¡°Then, we¡¯ll discuss that matterter. Before that, I have an interesting story to tell everyone, about the taming of the Wise King of the Forest.¡±

 Chapter 12 - Volume 2

    Overlord Volume 2 Chapter 4

    Twin Swords of shing Death

    Part 1

    They had spent a night outside on the way to Carne Vige, and another night within the vige itself. After that, they left Carne Vige for the city of E-Rantel in the morning, and thus their journey of three days and two nights came to an end. It was almost nightfall by the time they returned to the Fortress City.

    The main roads were lit by streemps made from ¡¸Continual Light¡¹ spells, which cast white-colored illumination, while the nature of the pedestrians had changed as well. There were no young women and children to be seen, but instead working men returning home after they were done for the day. The two rows of shops on either side emitted cheerful and pleasant sounds.

    Ainz looked around him.

    The city had not changed much in three days. Or rather, he had gone to Carne Vige right after arriving in E-Rantel, so he did not have much basis forparison. Still, he felt that the peaceful streets remained the same.

    They turned off the main road, and then Ainz andpany came to a halt.

    Obviously stopping in the middle of a busy thoroughfare would be a big hindrance, but nobody daredin. This was because nobody dared go near Ainz.

    Ainz shrugged tiredly, and then peeked at the people around him.

    Just about everyone walking past on the street seemed to be looking in Ainz¡¯s direction ¡ª no, they were staring at him ¡ª and whispering to each other.

    The sounds of their chatter filtered into Ainz¡¯s ears, and he felt like they were mocking him. However, that was just a mistake on his part. If he strained to listen, he would realise that everyone was discussing matters in tones of praise, surprise, or outright fear.

    Even so, he could not find it in himself to be relieved.

    Ainz silently lowered his head and looked at the pearly-white fur beneath him. It was there because he was riding the Wise King of the Forest.

    The people around him were surprised by the Wise King of the Forest¡¯s majestic ¡ª Ainz wanted to dispute this choice of words ¡ª form, and they were discussing how that warrior could ride such a fearsome yet dignified beast, and so on.

    I should be able to take pride in that... right...?

    This reaction was entirely understandable. The people were praising the Wise King of the Forest as a mighty creature, but to Ainz, it was more like a form of public humiliation. Forparison, it was like a middle-aged bachelor with no family or girlfriend proudly riding a merry-go-round by himself.

    In addition, he was riding in an unsightly manner. Because the Wise King of the Forest had apletely different body structure from a regr horse, Ainz was forced to stick his butt out and back while spreading his legs wide. If he did not adopt this stance ¡ª which resembled someone jumping over a box ¡ª while riding, it would be difficult to keep his bnce.

    Naturally, riding the Wise King of the Forest was not Ainz¡¯s idea. It had taken not only the Swords of Darkness and the Wise King of the Forest itself to persuade him, but also Narberal¡¯s humble submission that ¡°a ruler should not be walking.¡± That made him think that perhaps riding it back would be a good idea, but it had ended up like this.

    If I¡¯d known this would happen I would have refused. Could it be someone was trying to set me up and arranged for this?

    Riding a hamster was something one would hear about in children¡¯s fairytales. However, those creatures were best suited for boys and girls. At a stretch, it might be all right for a woman to ride one. A rugged warrior in full te armor was right out.

    However, the surrounding folk all seemed to think that Ainz was the one with the strange reaction.

    Could it be that my aesthetic sense is at fault, or that they have weird taste, or is it that this world¡¯s sense of aesthetics ispletely messed up?

    Of course, the answer went without saying. As long as the majority of people felt that it looked good, then it was Ainz¡¯s aesthetic sense which was at fault. This was why he could not protest riding the Wise King of the Forest too vigorously. In addition, if riding it made Momon the adventurer that much more memorable ¡ª which would help in finding his feet here ¡ª all the more reason to do so. All the same¡ª

    Isn¡¯t this basically a form of shame y?

    Ainz¡¯s psyche automatically suppressed any emotions he experienced which exceeded a certain magnitude, but this was not happening now. In other words, this was not really affecting him. All this told Ainz one thing.

    Does this mean I¡¯m immune to shame y... don¡¯t tell me I¡¯m a masochist?... But I¡¯ve always felt I was more on the sadist side...

    ¡°Since we¡¯re back in town, it seems the assignment is over.¡±

    As Ainzpared the images and videos he had collected in the past to his current mental state and agonized over his sexual fetishes, Peter and Nfirea struck up a conversation.

    ¡°Indeed, you¡¯re right, the request is at an end. Then... while I¡¯ve already prepared the arranged remuneration, I still have to pay the bonus we negotiated in the forest. Could youe to my family¡¯s store with me?¡±

    The wagon behind Nfirea was piled high with herbs. In addition, there was tree bark, strange fruits which looked like branches, a gigantic mushroom that wasrge enough for a man to put his arms around, extremely tall grasses, and other such harvests. To an amateur, they seemed like nothing more than nts, but to a trained eye, they were a heaping pile of glittering treasure.

    After Ainz subdued the Wise King of the Forest, they were free to fully explore the region in its former sphere of influence. They discovered many rare and valuable herbs, as well as other efficacious ingredients which could be used to make other potions. Nfirea picked and picked nonstop, promising the others that he would pay them a generous bonus on top of the prearranged amount.

    ¡°Momon-shi, you should go to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild first!¡±

    ¡°Mm, indeed. Since I brought a monster into a city, I need to register the Wise King of the Forest with the Guild.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s troublesome, but it can¡¯t be helped.¡±

    ¡°Well, we wiped out those Ogres and other monsters too, so how about it? Want to all go to the Guild together?¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡ª no, I think not. Momon-san basically did all the heavy lifting for this job, so we should go to Nfirea-san¡¯s house first to help with the chores and unload the herbs. Otherwise I wouldn¡¯t be able to ept getting the same fees as Momon-san.¡±

    The Swords of Darkness nodded as Peter spoke, and Nfirea politely added:

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to trouble everyone...¡±

    ¡°Well, you did agree to pay us a bonus, so consider this a free service on our part.¡±

    After hearing Peter¡¯s light-hearted statement, Nfirea politely replied:

    ¡°Then, when youe to our store for potions, we¡¯ll give you a discount.¡±

    ¡°Nothing would please us more. Then, Momon-san, please head to the Guild first, and meet us at Nfirea-san¡¯s home afterwards. We¡¯ll proceed directly to Nfirea-san¡¯s home, take care of the chores, and then go to the Guild to take care of paperwork. Unfortunately, we¡¯ll have to trouble you toe again tomorrow because we can only im the bounty on the Ogres then... we¡¯ll meet at the same time as thest time we met you.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Ainz nodded in response to this suggestion. Since he could simply register by nonchntly asking the Guild receptionists, he did not want to go to the Guild with them. He would have to pretend that he knew how to read this and write that, and it might well cause all his hard work over the past few days to go up in smoke.

    ¡°Then, we¡¯ll let you take care of business.¡±

    Ainz nodded slightly, and then he and Narberal parted ways with Nfirea and the Swords of Darkness. At this point, Narberal leaned in and asked:

    ¡°Can we trust them?¡±

    ¡°...It¡¯s fine. Even if they betray us, the most we¡¯ll lose is the bounty for the Ogres. If we fixate on that measly amount of money and end up with a reputation as penny-pinchers, it¡¯ll do more harm than good to our cause.¡±

    Ainz hade to this city to make a name for himself. Gaining a reputation for pettiness would impede his future ns.

    He would simply have to pretend that he really was that big-hearted.

    As he thought of that, Ainz idly reached for hisced-up money pouch. His fingertips pressed it t almost immediately ¡ª a sign that there was not much money inside ¡ª but he could easily tell that there were still a few coins left. However, he had the night¡¯s lodgings to worry about.

    It might not be enough if he included the costs for food and drink, but Ainz was undead, while the ring on Narberal¡¯s finger was imbued with magic that removed the need for her to eat or drink, which helped a lot in cutting costs. Narberal could wear and use two rings, and one of her ring slots was allocated to this one. Initially, it had been chosen to protect against consuming something poisonous, but it had proved unexpectedly useful in this situation.

    However, as he nced at the Wise King of the Forest beneath him, he mused, ¡°This guy has got to eat at some point.¡±

    Then Narberal cut in:

    ¡°Indeed... it would be strange for the almighty Ainz-sama to be concerned about such a small sum. My apologies for my rudeness.¡±

    ¡°Umu.¡±

    Ainz patted his money pouch again, and he felt what seemed like a stream of sweat on his back, which should not have been to produce sweat. He silently cursed himself for handicapping himself for no reason. And also¡ª

    Ainz-sama... don¡¯t call me that any more, Narberal. At least nobody was around to hear you...

    As Ainz sighed internally, Narberal happily continued:

    ¡°Those inferior lifeforms (crane flies) should prostrate themselves before your awesome power, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Well, maybe not to that extent...¡±

    ¡°Ainz-sama, you are being too modest. Although Ogres must be less than insects in your eyes, your sword skills are still first-rate. I am truly amazed, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Ainz felt a strange trembling through his waist from the Wise King of the Forest, but he paid it no heed, and instead told Narberal:

    ¡°...I was merely swinging my swords using sheer brute force.¡±

    Though killing Ogres in one stroke sounded quite impressive, this was not actually the case. When he watched Gazef fight earlier, Ainz had seen the man¡¯s fluid movements and technique, but when he reflected on his own moves, he was reminded of a child iling around with a stick. It shamed him to realize it.

    What the Swords of Darkness admired was only the destructive power born of his superhuman strength. It waspletely different from their praise of a real warrior like Gazef.

    ¡°It would seem it¡¯s very difficult to move and fight like a real warrior.¡±

    ¡°...Then what about using magic to transform into one?¡±

    There were five spells Ainz could use while wearing armor, and one of them allowed him to convert his magic caster levels into an equivalent number of warrior levels. In other words, by using that spell, he could temporarily be a level one hundred warrior.

    Although it also carried the benefit of being able to use certain pieces of arms and armor that would normally require specific job sses to ess, there were many drawbacks to that spell. The first weakness was that he could not cast other spells while the magic was in effect. In addition, he would not gain any special warrior skills from the spell, and his recalcted ability scores would be lower than an actual warrior. In other words, it was a spell that turned him into a half-baked level one hundred warrior. Of course, it was enough when matching des with second-ratebatants like priests and the like, but he would have no chance of winning against an opponent who was a dedicated warrior.

    Even so, Ainz would be much stronger in that state than he was now.

    The problem was ¡ª

    ¡°There¡¯s too many drawbacks to that spell. If I¡¯m ambushed by an opponent of my level, I won¡¯t be able to use magic for a while, and defeat is certain. I could use scrolls to cast spells, but it would take too much preparation time. It¡¯s still a major w in the spell.¡±

    Since he did not know if there were any enemy yers around, he could not allow himself to lower his guard. There was no need to use that spell and make himself weaker on purpose.

    ¡°I¡¯m pretending to be a warrior to hide my true identity, so there¡¯s no need to be so shocked.¡±

    ¡°!¡±

    A tremor ran through the Wise King of the Forest as it raised its head to look at Ainz, a surprised look on its face.

    ¡°Your humble servant was listening to your words; could it be that you are not a warrior, milord?¡±

    The Wise King of the Forest looked up to Ainz with its round, ck eyes. Ainz looked back and nodded, as if to say, Indeed, that is so. With a hint of pride in her voice, Narberal exined:

    ¡°Ainz-sama is merely pretending to be a warrior. It is like a game to him. If he were to use the spells which are his true power, he could easily sunder the heavens and shatter the earth.¡±

    Ainz could not bring himself to deny Narberal with words like, ¡°No way,¡± not when he was confronted with her absolute faith in him, or the fact that she felt it was perfectly logical.

    ¡°...Mm, yes, something like that. Wise King of the Forest, aren¡¯t you d you didn¡¯t fight the real me? If I had used my true power, you would have been destroyed in an instant.¡±

    ¡°I, I see... Milord, your servant Hamsuke shall be doubly faithful to you!¡±

    When the Wise King of the Forest asked for a name, the first thing that came to Ainz¡¯s mind was Hamsuke. Once he named it Hamsuke, the Wise King of the Forest seemed quite pleased with it. However, when he thought about it, the name Hamsuke was actually quiteme.

    ...Maybe I was too hasty in naming it Hamsuke... Perhaps Daifuku... that name might have been wittier... the people in the guild always said I had poor naming sense...

    With a faint sense of regret, Ainz ¡ª mounted atop Hamsuke, the Wise King of the Forest ¡ª wobbled toward the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.

    ? ? ?

    They drove the wagon into the house¡¯s backyard, stopping in front of the back door. Nfirea unlocked the door, a magicalntern in hand. He hung it on a wall inside, illuminating the darkened interior.

    Because of thentern¡¯s light, they could see several barrels within the house. The smell of dried herbs hung in the air, suggesting that this room was a ce for herb storage.

    ¡°Then, could I trouble you to help me with the herbs?¡±

    The Swords of Darkness cheerfully replied in the affirmative as they carefully unloaded the bundles of herbs from the wagon, moving them into the room.

    As he showed the adventurers where to put the bundles, a question popped up in his mind:

    ¡°Isn¡¯t Granny home?¡±

    Nfirea¡¯s grandmother was quite old, but she still had keen eyes and ears. She should havee the moment she heard them moving things. However, if she was focused on making potions, then she would not pay attention to lesser noises. Since this seemed like par for the course, Nfirea did not make a big deal out of it.

    After all the herbs were in their ce, Nfirea called out to the slightly-panting Swords of Darkness.

    ¡°Thank you for your hard work! There should be some cool fruit juice in the house, so pleasee in for some.¡±

    ¡°That sounds great.¡±

    Lukrut, his forehead shiny with sweat, eximed in delight. The others nodded happily as well.

    ¡°Then, pleasee this way...¡±

    Just as Nfirea was about to lead the others into the house, someone opened the door on the other side of the room.

    ¡°Hiiii~ Wee home~¡±

    Before him stood a pretty, yet vaguely unsettling young woman. Her blonde hair swayed in the wind.

    ¡°Ah~ I¡¯ve been worried, you know? I thought you went missing. What poor timing ¡ª I didn¡¯t know when you¡¯d being back, so I had to wait here all this while, you know?¡±

    ¡°...May, may I ask who you are?¡±

    ¡°Eh! You don¡¯t know each other?¡±

    Peter eximed in surprise. He thought they knew each other, from her familiar tone of voice.

    ¡°Hm? Ehehehe~ I came to kidnap you~ I need someone to use the spell which summons a biiiiiiig horde of undead, ¡¸Undeath Army¡¹, so could you be my magic item? Onee-chan¡¯s begging you~¡±

    The Swords of Darkness sensed the air of malice radiating from the girl, and they immediately drew their weapons. Although everyone else was in abat stance, the girl airily said:

    ¡°That¡¯s a seventh tier spell which hardly anyone can use, but it can be cast with the Crown of Wisdom. You can¡¯t control all the undead it makes, but you can guide them! What a perfect n~!¡±

    ¡°Nfirea-san, fall back! Get out of here!¡±

    Peter eyed the woman warily, his sword in hand, and spoke in a steely tone:

    ¡°She¡¯s going on and on because she¡¯s certain she can kill us all. Since you¡¯re her target, the only way to turn things around is for you to escape.¡±

    As Nfirea withdrew in a panic, the Swords of Darkness closed ranks in front of him, turning themselves into his meatshields.

    ¡°Ninya, you go too!¡±

    After Dyne spoke, Lukrut shouted:

    ¡°Take the kid and run! Weren¡¯t you going to save your kidnapped sister?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. You¡¯ve got something you have to do. Though we might not be able to help you until the very end... at least we can buy you some time.¡±

    ¡°Guys...¡±

    ¡°Mmm~ how touching~ I¡¯m about to shed a tear myself, mm. But if he escapes, it¡¯d be troublesome for me. So let¡¯s leave one to y with~¡±

    The girl smiled happily and withdrew a pair of stilettos from under her robe as she saw the doubtful gaze on Ninya¡¯s face as he bit his lip. Just then, the rear door swung open, revealing a sickly-pale, stick-thin man, who looked like one of the undead.

    They were caught in a pincer attack. The Swords of Darkness¡¯ faces turned grim.

    ¡°...You¡¯re getting carried away.¡±

    ¡°Ah~ What¡¯re you saying, Khazi-chan? Weren¡¯t you the one making preparations so their screams wouldn¡¯t spill out? It¡¯s just one person, so let me enjoy myself~¡±

    The way the girl smiled with her teeth bared sent a chill down Nfirea¡¯s spine.

    ¡°Then, since there¡¯s nowhere for you to run, let¡¯s have some fun~¡±

    Part 2

    Registering Hamsuke itself was simple enough, but it took about one and a half hours. The most time-consuming part of the process was sketching an identification picture of Hamsuke by hand. While magic could have sped up the process, Ainz did not want to go to the extra expense of paying for a spell, which had led to this situation.

    Ainz had to make up an excuse in order to avoid beingbelled as petty.

    ¡°Although it¡¯s a littlete to mention this, the whole ¡®I¡¯m interested in drawing¡¯ excuse is getting old... Ah, forget it. Let¡¯s go over now,¡± Ainz said to Narberal as he finished the registration, before he headed toward Hamsuke.

    He had be used to it.

    Since the merry-go-round was not the exclusive domain of the rich ¡ª or people with lovers or family ¡ª then it made no difference if a lonely older man rode it.

    Having given up on himself, there was no hesitation in Ainz¡¯s movements.

    Using his superior athletic ability, he mounted the Wise King of the Forest with a masterful vault. If he were an athlete, his name would have gone down in the history books. He did not have a saddle or reins, but several hours of experience was enough for Ainz to learn how to skillfully mount up.

    The pedestrians were gasping in awe as far as his eyes could see. He could even hear the sounds of women screaming in excitement. In particr, he felt the piercing gazes of his fellow adventurers burning into him. After seeing the copper te around Ainz¡¯s neck, their eyes went wide with disbelief.

    I¡¯m the one who should have a hard time believing this. What¡¯s wrong with your sense of aesthetics?

    Just then, a voice called out to Ainz, interrupting the foolish questions in his heart and the process of ordering Hamsuke to move out.

    ¡°Say, would you be the people who went herb-picking with my grandson?¡±

    The voice was an aged one. When he turned to look, he found an old granny.

    ¡°...And who might you be?¡±

    He said that, but Ainz could guess at the answer. If this granny¡¯s words were genuine, then there could be only one answer to that question.

    ¡°My name is Lizzie Bareare. I¡¯m Nfirea¡¯s grandmother.¡±

    ¡°Ah! So it really was you? That¡¯s right, I¡¯m one of the adventurers who escorted your grandson to Carne Vige. My name is Momon, and this is Nabe.¡±

    Lizzie smiled to the bowing Narberal:

    ¡°She¡¯s an unbelievably beautiful girl. And what is the name of the creature you¡¯re riding?¡±

    ¡°It is the Wise King of Forest, Hamsuke.¡±

    ¡°This one is Hamsuke! This one is very pleased to meet you!¡±

    ¡°What!? This mighty beast is the legendary Wise King of the Forest!?¡±

    The adventurers around them who heard Lizzie¡¯s cry were even more surprised. With shocked looks on their faces, they whispered, ¡°Is that really the monster of legends?¡± and so on.

    ¡°Indeed. After receiving your grandson¡¯s request, we encountered it at our destination and I managed to tame it.¡±

    ¡°You actually... tamed the Wise King of the Forest...¡±

    Lizzie was dumbstruck and could do nothing but stare.

    ¡°Then... where is my grandson now?¡±

    ¡°Ah, he went home first with the herbs. We¡¯re heading over there now to collect our payment.¡±

    The olddy breathed a sigh of relief, and then looked at Ainz with a strange look in her eyes:

    ¡°Oh, I see... then, shall we go together? I¡¯m quite interested in you adventurer types.¡±

    To Ainz, Lizzie¡¯s suggestion was like a life preserver to a drowning man.

    ¡°Ah, the pleasure¡¯s all mine.¡±

    The group proceeded through the streets of E-Rantel, led by Lizzie.

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Then, pleasee in.¡±

    Once they reached the storefront, Lizzie came to the front door and took out her keys. Then, she looked down, and pushed. The door swung open, without any resistance.

    ¡°What¡¯s this? This is too careless of him.¡±

    Lizzie muttered to herself as she entered the shop. Ainz and Narberal followed her.

    ¡°Nfirea, Momon-san¡¯s here¡ª¡±

    Lizzie¡¯s voice echoed through the shop, but it was silent. It felt as though there was nobody there.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    Lizzie was filled with confusion. Ainz, on the other hand, replied curtly:

    ¡°Trouble.¡±

    Lizzie heard, but did not understand. Ainz paid her no heed, but instead ced his hands on the hilts of his greatswords. Narberal figured out what he was up to from that action and she drew her sword as well.

    ¡°What, what are you doing!?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t ask, just follow.¡±

    With that clipped answer, Ainz drew his weapons and entered the store. He kicked the door open and kept to the right as he went in. Though this was a stranger¡¯s house,pletely unfamiliar to him, there was no trace of hesitation in Ainz¡¯s footsteps.

    Ainz came to a door which led down, and then turned to Lizzie, who had just caught up with him:

    ¡°What is this ce for?¡±

    ¡°This, this is the herb storage room, it leads to the back door.¡±

    Although she was not sure what was going on, Lizzie sensed that something was wrong and began to worry. However, Ainz ignored her and pushed the door open.

    What he smelled was not the scent of herbs, but a more acrid odour ¡ª the stench of blood.

    The first people he saw were Peter and Lukrut. Dyne was a bit further beyond. Ninya was all the way inside the room. All of them were slumped against the walls. Their legs stuck forward and their arms drooped down lifelessly. They seemed to have lost all the blood in their bodies, which was now clotted on the ground so thickly that it looked ck.

    ¡°This, what is this...¡±

    A shocked Lizzie made to enter with shaky footsteps. Ainz put a hand on her shoulder to keep her from moving forward, and quickened his pace to get ahead of her.

    Just then, the fallen Peter suddenly jerked like a puppet. However, before he could get up, the greatsword shed across him.

    Peter¡¯s head rolled to the ground. With the de in his other hand, he decapitated Lukrut, who was halfway through standing up.

    Just as Lizzie managed to process the shock of the tragedy before her, Dyne, who was somewhat further inside, had already risen to his feet.

    The face which raised itself was not a living one. There was no color in it and its eyes were clouded. There was a hole in its forehead, instantly recognizable as a fatal injury.

    There was only one reason why a dead man would move again ¡ª because he was undead.

    ¡°Zombie!¡±

    Just as Lizzie cried out, Dyne groaned menacingly and lurched at them. Ainz immediately thrust his greatsword at Dyne. His throat pierced, Dyne¡¯s head shuddered and then he copsed.

    Nobody else moved.

    Amidst the silence, Ainz stared at the unmoving Ninya.

    ¡°Nfirea!¡±

    Lizzie finally realized what was going on, and began looking for her grandson. Ainz narrowed his eyes at her receding back, and gave Narberal an order.

    ¡°Protect her. My passive skill ¡¸Undead Blessing¡¹ isn¡¯t giving me any reactions, so there shouldn¡¯t be any more undead in the house. But there might be living people inside.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    After a quick nod of her head, Narberal broke into a sprint to catch up with Lizzie.

    Once he made sure that the two of them were gone, Ainz looked toward Ninya again. He kneeled slowly before him, and then gently touched the body. Once he was sure that there were none of the usual corpse boobytraps found in YGGDRASIL, he raised Ninya¡¯s face. Of course, he was not unconscious, but dead.

    He must have been beaten by some sort of blunt object, given how his cheeks were bloated up like pomegranates. If Ainz did not know it was Ninya, he might not have recognized the corpse at all.

    His left eye was crushed, and the vitreous humor had flowed out. It looked like he was crying.

    The bones of his fingers werepletely pulverized. The skin was split open, revealing the red muscle underneath. In some ces, there was no muscle at all. Ainz pulled open Ninya¡¯s clothes, and his eyes went wide in surprise.

    He closed up the garment, and muttered:

    ¡°...So even the body was...¡±

    Much like the face, the body bore signs of a brutal beating. It was covered in the bruises of internal bleeding, and it would be harder to find a patch of uninjured flesh than the other way around.

    Ainz gently closed Ninya¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°...This is a little... upsetting.¡±

    The sound of his murmurs faded into the air.

    ? ? ?

    ¡°My grandson! Nfirea¡¯s gone!¡±

    Lizzie returned, shouting at the top of her voice Ainz had gathered all the corpses into a corner of the room, and calmly replied:

    ¡°I checked their gear. None of them were searched. That being the case, the opposition must have intended to kidnap Nfirea.¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡±

    ¡°Come see this.¡±

    Ainz pointed to the letters written in blood under Ninya¡¯s corpse. They would not be visible unless someone moved them.

    ¡°This is... the sewers? Does it mean he was taken to the sewers?¡±

    ¡°...It might be a trap set by the person who did this, and I have no idea how big the sewers are... searching them might take a long time. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s numbers there, 2-8, what could that mean?¡±

    ¡°Those are even more suspicious. Although I don¡¯t know what those numbers mean... but I can guess that you can divide the city into eight sections, or it might just be a simple 2-8... although, did Ninya really have the time to think of all that? Even if Ninya did write it, how much could he have learned from the enemy? This is far too much of a coincidence.¡±

    Lizzie frowned her already wrinkled face, directing something that approached anger at Ainz, who was analyzing the entire situation with unexpected calmness. Then she looked at the four corpses on the ground.

    ¡°Who are these people?¡±

    ¡°...They were the adventurers your son hired, who went with us. After we parted ways, they should havee to help him unload the herbs.¡±

    ¡°What!? Then they¡¯re yourrades, aren¡¯t they?¡±

    Ainz shook his head:

    ¡°No, they were not. We just happened to be adventuring together.¡±

    His cold words chilled Lizzie to the bone, and she had no desire to pursue the matter further.

    ¡°Come to think of it, I¡¯ve been thinking about their corpses, but I¡¯d like your opinion. What do you think about them being turned into Zombies?¡±

    ¡°...¡¸Create Undead¡¹. That means the enemy has someone who can use at least third tier magic. I don¡¯t know anything else apart from that.¡±

    ¡°I think we need to think of something quickly.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious... what do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°...The enemy could have used mind control or hidden the corpses, but they did not do that at all. They seemed to have done it for fun. Otherwise, they did it because they were absolutely sure they would not be exposed, or that they werepletely confident in their ability to escape. Hm... I don¡¯t know which of them it was. Since they could make Zombies, they could have brought the corpses back with them, right?¡±

    If they wanted to kidnap Nfirea, all they would have to do was hide the bodies, which would have bought them enough time to escape. However, the enemy did not do that, which meant that they had other things to do, or because they wanted Lizzie to do something.

    Thetter was easier to deal with. It was the former which was tricky. Nfirea¡¯s life and talent were valuable, but they might not be able to use them for long. Would these cruel people who could kill without blinking an eye let him live after using him up?

    After Lizzie realised the meaning hidden in Ainz¡¯s words, her gray face turned white. With no idea where he had been taken in this gigantic city, they would need to search the whole of E-Rantel, which would take far too long.

    Their only clue was the sewers, but Ainz had his doubts about it.

    The me of Nfirea¡¯s life was ebbing away with each passing moment.

    Ainz calmly turned to the panicked Lizzie and asked:

    ¡°How about hiring us?¡±

    The cold voice continued:

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this something you should hire an adventurer for?¡±

    A light came on in Lizzie¡¯s eyes as she understood what Ainz was getting at.

    ¡°You are a very lucky woman, Lizzie Bareare. At the moment, I am the strongest adventurer in this city, and the only one who can save your grandson¡¯s life. If you hire me, I will ept your request. However... the price will be very high, because I am fully aware of how troublesome this task might be.¡±

    ¡°That, that¡¯s right... if it was you... the one who possessed that potion... and with the Wise King of the Forest... then there¡¯s no doubt about your strength... I¡¯ll hire, I¡¯ll hire you!¡±

    ¡°Is that so... are you prepared to pay a high price for this?¡±

    ¡°How much will it take to satisfy you?¡±

    ¡°¡ªEverything.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Give me everything you have.¡±

    Lizzie¡¯s eyes widened in shock, and her body trembled violently.

    ¡°Everything you have. When I safely return Nfirea to you, give me everything you have.¡±

    ¡°You...¡±

    Backing away in fear, Lizzie muttered:

    ¡°When you say everything... you don¡¯t mean money or rare potions... I¡¯ve heard that demons will grant any wish in return for men¡¯s souls. Are you a demon?¡±

    ¡°...And what if I was? Do you want to save your grandson?¡±

    Lizzie did not respond, silently biting her lip.

    ¡°Then there¡¯s only one answer, right?¡±

    ¡°Umu... I¡¯ll hire you. I¡¯ll give you everything I have, so please save my grandson!¡±

    ¡°Very well, the pact is sealed. Then, let¡¯s not waste time. Do you have a map of this city? If you do, lend it to me.¡±

    Lizzie had her doubts, but she still handed the map to Ainz immediately.

    ¡°Then, we shall find Nfirea¡¯s location next.¡±

    ¡°Can you do such a thing!?¡±

    ¡°Only this time. Just this one time, I can. I don¡¯t know if the enemy was stupid or...¡±

    As Ainz¡¯s voice trailed off halfway, he turned to look at the four corpses resting within the room.

    ¡°Then, I shall begin the search. Go look in the other rooms and see if the people who kidnapped Nfirea left any clues behind. If kidnapping Nfirea was itself a distraction, that would make things troublesome. You¡¯re familiar with this home, so you¡¯re better suited to this.¡±

    After thinking up a reason to get Lizzie out of the room, Ainz turned to Narberal.

    ¡°May I ask what you intend?¡±

    ¡°Simple. Look, their adventurer¡¯s tes are all missing, probably taken by the person who attacked this ce. The question now is why they didn¡¯t take anything more valuable, but these tes... what do you think?¡±

    ¡°My apologies, but I have no idea.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because¡ª¡±

    Halfway through, a voice spoke in Ainz¡¯s mind. It was the ¡¸Message¡¹ spell.

    ¡ºAinz-sama.¡»

    The voice was somewhat high-pitched, and there was something like rustling in the background.

    ¡°Is that you, Entoma?¡±

    ¡ºYes, it is me.¡»

    It was Entoma Vasilisa Zeta. She was a member of the Pleiades, like Narberal.

    ¡ºI have a report to deliver.¡»

    ¡°¡ªI¡¯m busy now. I¡¯ll contact you again when I¡¯m free.¡±

    ¡ºUnderstood. Please contact Albedo-sama as soon as possible.¡»

    The spell ended, and Ainz continued replying to Narberal, who was looking at him:

    ¡°They were trophies, loot from hunting. Probably a memento for the killer to remember them by. However, that was a fatal mistake. Narberal, use these scrolls.¡±

    Ainz pulled a scroll from his Infinite Backpack and handed it to Narberal.

    ¡°This is a scroll of ¡¸Locate Object¡¹. I trust I don¡¯t have to tell you what to look for?¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    With that acknowledgement, Narberal opened the scroll. Just as she was about to activate it, Ainz grabbed her hand and coldly rebuked Narberal:

    ¡°...Idiot.¡±

    Narberal¡¯s shoulder shuddered as Ainz scolded her.

    ¡°My, my apologies!¡±

    ¡°When using divination-type magic, you need to prepare yourself thoroughly against the enemy¡¯s counter-detection spells before casting it. This is an irond rule. When considering that the opposition might use ¡¸Detect Locate¡¹, it¡¯s a basic precaution to use ¡¸False Cover¡¹, ¡¸Counter Detect¡¹, and the like to protect yourself. Also¡ª¡±

    Ainz prepared about ten more scrolls, and exined the function of each one to Narberal like a teacher.

    When using magic to collect information, one had to protect oneself. This was basic knowledge.

    When Ainz Ooal Gown PKed, they gathered as much information on the opposition as possible and thenunched an ambush to swiftly decide the matter. Simply put, ¡°the battle is over before it begins,¡± as stated by the guild member Punitto Moe in the text named ¡°PKing for Dummies.¡±

    Therefore, Ainz was now teaching these skills to Narberal, so they would have the advantage if they encountered other yers in the future.

    ¡°¡ªThat¡¯s basically it. The fact is, you still need to use skills to improve the effectiveness of your spells and defend yourself, but I don¡¯t think we need to prepare so much against our enemy this time. After all, if the opposition was a magic caster who knew more spells to deal with the enemy, they wouldn¡¯t have simply cast that level of spells on the corpses. Then, begin, Narberal.¡±

    A relieved Narberal carefully opened a scroll and recited the name of the spell inscribed upon it.

    A heatless me engulfed the scroll, consuming it within seconds and releasing the magic locked within.

    She did the same with all the other scrolls, and only after sheathing herself in countless protective spells did she finally cast ¡¸Locate Object¡¹. After that, she pointed to a location on the map:

    ¡°There.¡±

    Ainz could not understand the characters, and racked his brains for some clue as to where ¡°there¡± was.

    ¡°...The graveyard, huh. As I thought, it wasn¡¯t the sewers after all.¡±

    E-Rantel was also a military base, and the graveyard was massive, almost thergest of its size. The spell pointed to the deepest reaches of the graveyard.

    ¡°I see. Then, use ¡¸irvoyance¡¹ next. Combine it with ¡¸Crystal Monitor¡¹ so I can see as well.¡±

    Narberal activated the scrolls once more, and the image floating in mid-air revealed countless human shapes. However, their movements were oddly stiff. In addition, there were many inhuman objects within the image.

    There was a boy in their midst. He was dressed strangely, but there was no mistake about him.

    ¡°So he¡¯s definitely there. And the metal tes should be nearby... hm, a big mass of undead?¡±

    There was a group of undead around Nfirea. They were all low tier undead, but they were present in surprising numbers.

    ¡°...What do you n to do? Teleport in and wipe them all out at once? Or perhaps use flight magic to attack them from above?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. Wouldn¡¯t either of those methods mean that the problem gets solved without anyone knowing about it?¡±

    Seeing that Narberal had no idea of what he was talking about, Ainz continued his exnation:

    ¡°Whoever created all these undead must have done so in preparation for something of earthshaking proportions. Therefore, if we save Nfirea and deal with that matter at the same time, it will greatly boost our reputations. If we do this on the quiet, we will only receive Lizzie¡¯s payment, and we won¡¯t be able to gain much fame from it.¡±

    That said, if they did not take care of the situation quickly, there was a high chance that Nfirea might die. Even Ainz could not summon this many undead and control them, so there must have been some sort of trick at work here. Nfirea¡¯s life might well be an important part of that trick.

    That said, he wanted to know the secret of that trick, even if it cost Nfirea¡¯s life.

    The most important thing to Ainz was how to strengthen the Great Tomb of Nazarick. If he could do so by sacrificing Nfirea, then he would dly pay that price.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to collect more information, but our preparations and time won¡¯t allow it,¡± Ainz muttered as he approached the door. After opening it, he shouted:

    ¡°Lizzie! We¡¯re ready. We¡¯re heading to the graveyard now!¡±

    ¡°What about the sewers?¡±

    Lizzie¡¯s voice came from far away, apanied by the patapata of her running footsteps.

    ¡°The sewer is just a red herring which the author of this tragedy left for us. They¡¯re actually in the graveyard, together with an army of undead. There¡¯s easily thousands of them there.¡±

    ¡°What!?¡±

    Of course it was an estimate. How could he have counted all of them?

    ¡°No need to be shocked. We intend to cut a path through them. The problem is that we can¡¯t guarantee that undead army won¡¯t escape from the graveyard. You need to tell as many people as possible to hold the undead back if they see them spilling out. There¡¯s no proof, but I¡¯m sure that a lot of people will be willing to listen to a big name like you. If the undead ran wild and there was nobody stopping them... that would be troublesome, no?¡±

    Ainz¡¯s face twisted under his helmet.

    If I don¡¯t make a grand spectacle of this, it¡¯ll be a pain. The more I heat this up, the more fame I¡¯ll earn when I solve the problem. That¡¯s why I¡¯m doing this, after all.

    ¡°That¡¯s all I have to say. Time is tight, so I¡¯ll be heading over right now.¡±

    ¡°Do you have a way to break through that army of the dead?¡±

    Ainz looked quietly at Lizzie, and then pointed to the greatswords on his back.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you see it right here?¡±

    Part 3

    There was a ce which upied roughly a quarter of E-Rantel¡¯s outer ring, which was also most of the western quadrant. It was E-Rantel¡¯smunal cemetery. While other cities had their own graveyards, none of them were as big as this one.

    This was in order to suppress the spawning of the undead.

    Although many things were unclear about the spontaneous genesis of the undead, the basic idea was that vile creatures frequently spawned from the ces where the living came to an end. Of these, people who died sudden, violent deaths and the dead who were not properly revered had the highest chance ofing back to unlife. Therefore, battlefields and ruins tended to be infested by the undead.

    Since E-Rantel was very close to the Empire and consequently its battlefields, it required a huge graveyard ¡ª a ce where remains could receive the proper veneration.

    In this aspect, the neighboring country ¡ª the Empire ¡ª also adhered to theirmon agreement to respect the dead. Though they ughtered each other, they both saw the undead that attacked the living as theirmon enemy.

    In addition, there was another problem with the undead. If left unattended, the undead spawned more powerful undead. This was why the city guards and adventurers patrolled the graveyards day and night to exterminate the weaker undead as soon as possible.

    A wall surrounded the graveyard. This wall was the boundary between the living and dead. While it was only four meters tall and could notpare to the city walls, it was wide enough for people to walk on top of it. Therge doors set into its side were sturdy and could not be easily breached.

    All this was in order to ward against the undead that spawned in the graveyard.

    There were staircases to the left and right of the doors, and watchtowers along the length of the wall. The guards took turns observing the graveyard below them as they yawned from the watchtowers, in shifts of five men at a time.

    The graveyard was lined with sconces enchanted with ¡¸Continual Light¡¹ spells, so there was ample illumination despite it being nighttime. Still, there were many shadowy ces, and visibility was even worse in those ces blocked by tombstones.

    A spear-wielding guard absentmindedly looked out to the graveyard, and said to his yawning colleague:

    ¡°Tonight¡¯s quite peaceful too.¡±

    ¡°Yup, there were only five Skeletons earlier, right? That seems a lot lesspared to the past.¡±

    ¡°Hm, could it be the souls of the dead were called back by the Four Gods? That would be pretty lucky for us if it were true.¡±

    The other guards were drawn in by the topic, and began speaking up:

    ¡°Well, if it¡¯s just Skeletons and Zombies we can deal with them. Still, it¡¯s a pain to take out Skeletons with a spear.¡±

    ¡°I think the most troublesome ones are the Wights.¡±

    ¡°For me it¡¯s the Skeleton Centipedes. I¡¯d be dead by now if the adventurers standing guard nearby didn¡¯t chase them away from me.¡±

    ¡°Skeleton Centipedes? I heard that the powerful undead only show up when you let the weak ones get away. So all you need to do is kill them all when they¡¯re weak and the strong undead won¡¯t appear.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. The captain chewed out the squad patrolling the graveyardst week. While it¡¯s nice to have them buy a round for us, I¡¯d rather not have to go through that sort of thing again.¡±

    ¡°Still... when I think about it, I¡¯ve got a bad feeling about theck of undead right now.¡±

    ¡°...Why¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Ah, I just feel like we might have missed something out during our watches.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much. There aren¡¯t that many undead normally. They say that they only pop up frequently when they bury the corpses of the people who died while fighting the Empire. So on the flip side, this is what happens when there aren¡¯t any big wars, right?¡±

    The soldiers nodded to each other in agreement. They had buried human corpses in their own viges, but they had never heard of the undead appearing that often.

    ¡°...So that means the Katze ins must be pretty insane.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, didn¡¯t they say something about an unimaginably strong undead creature showing up?¡±

    It was a ce where the Empire and the Kingdom shed in fierce battles. It was also a ce famous for the proliferation of its undead. Adventurers hired by the Kingdom and Imperial knights would often go there to hunt down the undead. This task was important enough that the Empire and Kingdom¡¯s support corps had built small towns nearby to support their personnel.

    ¡°I heard¡ª¡±

    A guard who was about to speak suddenly shut his mouth.

    Another guard, who felt easy about this, spoke up:

    ¡°Oi, don¡¯t scare me¡ª¡±:

    ¡°Quiet!¡±

    The silent guard looked straight at the graveyard, as though he could see through the darkness. Following this, the other guards turned to look at the graveyard one after the other.

    ¡°...Didn¡¯t you hear it?¡±

    ¡°Were you imagining things?¡±

    ¡°Though I didn¡¯t hear the wind blowing or the grass moving... I think I can smell dirt. Didn¡¯t they dig a few graves just now? It smells just like it did then...¡±

    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t joke about this sort of thing.¡±

    ¡°...Eh? Ah, oi! Look over there!¡±

    One of the guards pointed to the graveyard, and everyone else looked toward the spot he was pointing at.

    Two guards were sprinting for the doors. Both of them panted heavily, their eyes bloodshot, and their sweat-slick hair stuck to their foreheads.

    A growing sense of dread filled the other guards as they saw this.

    Guard patrols in the graveyard moved in groups of at least ten. Why were there only two people here? Judging by the way they had no weapons and were running for dear life, they had panicked and fled.

    ¡°Open, open up! Hurry up and open the doors!¡±

    Upon seeing the two men shouting in front of the doors, the guards hurriedly ran down the stairs and let them through.

    Before the doors could even swing fully open, the two guards forced their way in. They copsed to the ground but kept scrabbling on.

    ¡°What the hell...¡±

    The two pale-faced guards who had just escaped the graveyard interrupted their questioners, panting and shouting:

    ¡°Close, close the doors! Quickly!¡±

    This strange behavior sent a chill down the spine of the other guards. Working together, they pushed the doors shut and barred them.

    ¡°What happened? What about the others?¡±

    As they heard this question, a haunted look appeared on the guards¡¯ frightened faces:

    ¡°They, they were eaten by the undead!¡±

    Upon realizing that eight of their fellows had lost their lives, the guards immediately turned to their captain. He immediately ordered:

    ¡°...Oi, one of you go upstairs and take a look!¡±

    A guard hurriedly climbed the stairs, but halfway up, he froze in ce.

    ¡°What, what happened?¡±

    The trembling guard shouted:

    ¡°The undead! The undead are everywhere!¡±

    If one listened carefully, they would be able to make out a sound which sounded like ten thousand horses galloping,ing from the other side of the wall. Everyone, not just the guard from just now, were struck dumb by the scene before them.

    A massive quantity of undead ¡ª so great as to render all who saw it speechless ¡ª approached the doors of the graveyard.

    ¡°Why, in such numbers...¡±

    ¡°Looks like it¡¯s more than one or two hundred... there should be a thousand of them... or more...¡±

    The magical lights illuminated countless undead, like shadows writhing in the dark, and it was difficult to get an exact count.

    Wreathed in the scent of rot, the shambling mass of undead pressed in toward the doors like gathering clouds. It was not just Zombies and Skeletons down there; there were also a few rarer and more powerful undead ¡ª Ghouls, Ghasts, Wights, Swell Skins, Corrupt Dead, and more.

    The guards could not help their shivering.

    Because the graveyard was surrounded by a wall, the undead could not attack themon folk as long as the wall held out. However, even if they mobilized all their guards, it was doubtful whether they could fend off such a massive horde of the undead. The guards were essentially normal citizens, and they had no confidence in wiping out these undead.

    In addition, some undead could turn their in victims into others of their own kind. If things went poorly, the guards might end up bing undead themselves and attacking their fellows. And while they had not seen any flying undead yet, the guards had a bad feeling ¡ª that if they did not wipe them all out, a flying undead creature would end up spawning sooner orter.

    ¡ªThe undead tide washed up against the side of the wall.

    Doom. Doom.

    The swarming, mindless undead had no sense of pain, and banged wildly against the doors. It was as if they knew that they could attack the living if they broke the doors down.

    Doom. Doom.

    The sounds of repeated pounding and the constant moans of the dead came from the other side of the door.

    They did not need siege rams. The undead ¡ª who did not care if their bodies were destroyed by their non-stop battering ¡ª were siege weapons in their own right.

    Cold sweat broke out on the backs of the guards who saw this.

    ¡°Ring the bell! Ask for help from the barracks! You two, go inform the other doors about this!¡±

    The captain, who had recovered his senses by now, continued giving orders:

    ¡°The ones behind, take your spears and stab the undead getting close to the doors!¡±

    The guards remembered their duty as they heard the orders, and they started thrusting savagely at the undead below them. The undead covered thend like a flood, so any stroke of theirs found a home in undead flesh.

    They thrust, withdrew, and thrust again.

    Tainted blood spilled over the ground, while the guards¡¯ noses were soon inured to the stench of decay. They repeated the same motions over and over again like workers. They killed several undead, which fell to the ground and were trampled to paste by the ones behind them.

    Because the undead had little intelligence, they did not strike against the guards stabbing at them with their spears. Repeating the same simple actions eroded the guards¡¯ sense of danger.

    And then, as though aiming for that moment ¡ª

    ¡°Uwaaaaaaaah!¡±

    A scream pierced the air. As the other guards turned to look, they saw something long and wriggly curled around another guard¡¯s neck.

    It was a slimy, pink object ¡ª an intestine.

    The creature that had shot forth this length of intestine was an egg-shaped undead creature, with a huge cavity on the front of its body. Within that cavity were several people¡¯s worth of internal organs, churning and wriggling like parasites.

    This undead creature was called an Organ Egg.

    The writhing intestine pulled at the guard¡¯s body.

    ¡°Hyaaaaaaa!¡±

    Before his friends could save him, the guard wailed and fell¡ª

    ¡°Save, save me! Someone save me! Agyaaaah!¡±

    ¡ªHis screams filled the air. Every guard saw the terrible fate of their colleague, eaten alive by the throng of undead.

    The armor which protected his body and his attempts to protect his face only prolonged his suffering. His fingers, his calves, his face, all of them were picked clean.

    ¡°Fall back! Get down from the wall!¡±

    After seeing the Organ Egg¡¯s innards twitching, the guard captain ordered a retreat.

    All the guards hurriedly ran down the stairs, and they could hear the sounds of the undead banging at the doors getting louder. The doors themselves began groaning under the strain.

    The sense of doom grew stronger. The chances of them holding out until help arrived, or that no other strong undead would show up were very low. Once the doors opened, the tide of death would flood in, and only the gods knew how many lives would be lost.

    Just as the guards were fully consumed by despair, there was a ttering of metal.

    Everyone reflexively looked to the source of the sound.

    Before their eyes was a magical beast whose round ck eyes gleamed with intelligence, and a warrior in full te armor. Beside them was a beautiful woman who seemedpletely mismatched to the pair.

    ¡°O-Oi! This ce is very dangerous! Get out of¡ª¡±

    Halfway through the guard¡¯s words, he realized that there was a metal te dangling from the warrior¡¯s neck.

    An adventurer!

    However, that ember of hope was snuffed out when he saw that it was a copper te. Adventurers of the lowest ss could not possibly deliver them from this dilemma. A look of disappointment appeared in the eyes of all the guards present.

    The warrior nimbly dismounted his beast. There was no sense of clumsiness in his movements.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me? Get out of here now!¡±

    ¡°Nabe, my sword.¡±

    The warrior¡¯s voice was softer than the guard¡¯s shouting, but it was surprisingly resonant even through the mor of the swarming undead. The beautiful woman approached the warrior, and drew a greatsword from his back.

    ¡°Look behind you. It¡¯s dangerous, right?¡±

    The guards turned around in response to the warrior¡¯s words, and they looked upon their doom.

    They saw a shape which was taller than the four meter high walls.

    It was a Necrosome Giant, a gigantic undead creature made of countless corpses.

    ¡°Uwaaaaah¡ª¡±

    Just as the guards screamed and prepared to flee, a strange sight appeared before them. The warrior from just now raised his sword in a javelin-thrower¡¯s stance.

    What was he doing?

    In the next moment, that question vanished like mist in sunlight.

    The warrior hurled his sword with unbelievable speed. The guards hurriedly looked where the sword had flown, and there they saw an even more incredible sight.

    The Necrosome Giant, that vast, seemingly invincible undead creature, staggered back like it had been hit in the head by an evenrger foe, before copsing to the ground. A thunderous crash provided the proof that the gigantic creature had been knocked down.

    ¡°¡ªThese undead are in the way.¡±

    With that, the dark warrior drew his other greatsword and advanced.

    ¡°Open up.¡±

    The guards did not seem to have understood what the warrior said. They blinked several times before they finally managed to parse the warrior¡¯s words.

    ¡°Don¡¯t, don¡¯t be foolish! There¡¯s a whole crowd of undead on the other side of the door!¡±

    ¡°So? What does that matter to me, Momon?¡±

    Faced by the absolute confidence of the dark warrior, all of the guards were shaken to the core, and they could not respond.

    ¡°...Well, if you won¡¯t open up, it can¡¯t be helped. I¡¯ll go over there myself.¡±

    The warrior broke into a sprint and kicked off the stone floor, vanishing over the other side of the wall. He had leapt over a four meter high wall in a single bound, and while wearing full te too.

    It was a scene that barely seemed real at all.

    The guards could not bring themselves to believe the events which had just urred. Each of them continued staring ck-jawed at the ce where Momon had been.

    The beautiful woman floated into the sky from her original position. She looked like she would cross the wall like that, but then a voice halted her:

    ¡°A moment please! Please bring this one with you!¡±

    The voice came from the mighty beast which the warrior from just now had ridden here. Its voice was as awe-inspiring as its appearance.

    The beautiful girl¡¯s brows furrowed slightly ¡ª not that it damaged her looks at all ¡ª and responded to the beast:

    ¡°...Climb the stairs over there. You should still be able to move after falling from a height like this, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course! This one must rush to his master¡¯s side! Wait for this one, milord!¡±

    The massive creature shot past the guards and nimbly bounded up the stairs. It hopped over the wall andnded on the other side.

    Now all was silence.

    They stared with open mouths and stunned eyes for a while, as though a typhoon had just swept past them. The first guard to recover spoke in a voice that trembled uncontrobly:

    ¡°Oi... do you hear it?¡±

    ¡°Hear what?¡±

    ¡°The sounds of the undead.¡±

    Even though they strained their ears to listen, they could not hear anything. It was as though a veil of silence had been drawn across thend. The constant sound of the undead pounding on the doors from just now was nowhere to be found.

    The frightened guards muttered:

    ¡°Oi, did that actually happen? That warrior... there were undead like that, and so many of them, and he broke right through them... went straight ahead.¡±

    They were filled with equal parts shock and awe.

    The reason why the noise had stopped was because the nearby undead had been drawn away by a new target. Given that the sound still had not returned, it implied that they were still fighting and had not returned.

    This unbelievable scenario drew the guards to the top of the walls to satisfy their curiosity. They could not believe what they saw from up there, and they muttered:

    ¡°What is this... that warrior... what kind of a man is he...¡±

    Countless bodies littered the ground. Mountains of corpses were everywhere, covering the entire graveyard. Although some of the undead hung on to a thread of unlife and struggled weakly to move, all of them had lost the ability to fight.

    The smell of decay floated over as they expected, and they heard the sounds of distant battle.

    ¡°...No way... he¡¯s still fighting? All these undead, strong ones too, and he could actually break through them! Incredible...!¡±

    ¡°Who was that warrior, anyway?¡±

    ¡°...He called himself Momon, I think... but calling someone with skills like that a copper te is too much of a joke. He should be one of those legendary adventurers with an adamantite te, right?¡±

    The others quietly voiced their approval. Someone like that could not be a mere copper te adventurer.

    He should be someone who possessed a te made of the highest ranked of all metals ¡ª in other words, a hero.

    There was no other possibility.

    ¡°We... perhaps we just saw a man of legend... a dark warrior... no, a dark hero...¡±

    Everyone else could not help but nod in response to that.

    ? ? ?

    When his right hand moved, the undead were flung away. When his left hand struck, the undead were cut in two.

    Ainz ¡ª a tornado of death which killed everything it touched ¡ª finally ground to a halt.

    ¡°What bothersome pests.¡±

    Ainz had recreated his greatswords with magic, and now he held them in both hands. He looked on the undead around him with an exasperated expression on his face, and then pointed a greatsword caked in vile fluids at them.

    The undead recoiled at this and tried to flee Ainz. The undead should not have known the meaning of fear, yet they hade to fear Ainz.

    ¡°...This one apologizes deeply for this one¡¯s actions...¡±

    The sound came from high above Ainz. The Wise King of the Forest floated in mid-air, limbs spread. Its whiskers drooped down and its voice sounded equally lifeless.

    However, the person who responded was not Ainz.

    ¡°You... settle down up there. It¡¯s hard to carry you when you squirm.¡±

    Narberal¡¯s voice came from the belly of the Wise King of the Forest. It was not flying, but rather Narberal, who had cast the flight spell on herself, was carrying it. She was halfway buried into the Wise King of the Forest¡¯s fur.

    ¡°My deepest apologies...¡±

    The unintelligent undead had not attacked Ainz when he appeared. This was because they could perceive life-force, and they sensed that Ainz was of the same kind as they.

    However, the same did not apply to the life-force of the Wise King of the Forest behind him. This resulted in a chaotic battle which drew Ainz in, and the Wise King of the Forest was thus carried up by Narberal lest the undead touch it.

    With every step Ainz took forward, the undead took one back. They encircled him in this way while keeping their distance from him.

    This circle moved with Ainz¡¯s steps. Although the undead seemed to be looking for a chance to attack, any who stepped forward were immediately destroyed by Ainz. Therefore, the undead merely surrounded him, but did not make a move on him.

    Countless undead had already been annihted by Ainz when they carelessly strayed too close to Ainz. Even the mindless undead had learned something from this, which was why they had chosen to surround him.

    ¡°Still, if this keeps up, it¡¯ll only be a stalemate,¡± Ainz grumbled as he saw the huge throng of undead that still remained.

    If he wanted to break the encirclement, he could easily cut a path through the undead horde. However, if he forced his way through, the undead would scatter in all directions and the nearby guards might end up being injured or killed. If that happened, he would lose the witnesses to his deeds, and thus fail the objective of being ¡°the adventurer who cleared up this matter.¡± Therefore, he had to lure the undead to him as he moved forward, in order to ensure the safety of the guards. However, doing so made his forward progress very slow.

    And then, Narberal responded in earnest to Ainz¡¯s words:

    ¡°Should we summon reinforcements from Nazarick? A couple dozen people could annihte everything in this graveyard that dares stand against you, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°...Don¡¯t be silly. How many times have I told you our objective foring to this city?¡±

    ¡°But, Ainz-sama, if we wanted to win fame, would it not be better to let the undead surge into the city and cause more casualties first before stepping in?¡±

    ¡°I have considered that possibility as well. If we knew our enemy¡¯s aim, this city¡¯s fighting power and so on, we might be able to do that. But since weck information, we need to avoid losing this chance. It would also be very annoying to have to dance to the opposition¡¯s tune. In addition, from what I can see, other teams might snatch away our glory first.¡±

    ¡°I see... Ainz-sama, you are truly incredible. To think your n was so immactely conceived; I expected nothing less of our Supreme Ruler. I bow before your superior wisdom once more. Speaking of which... your foolish vassal would like to be enlightened on one point. Would it not be better to send the Eight Edge Assassins, Shadow Demons, and other vassals adept at hiding themselves to observe the situation before a great shift in the circumstances urs, and then seize the moment when ites?¡±

    Ainz silently looked at Narberal, who was floating in the air.

    The night wind blew softly. Any undead who sought to exploit this perceived weakness would instead be destroyed in one hit by a swing of Ainz¡¯s greatswords.

    ¡°...If, if I taught you everything, how would you learn? Figure it out yourself.¡±

    ¡°Yes! My deepest apologies.¡±

    Ainz had been somewhat shaken by this. He forcefully jerked his head back to double check the distance between himself and the doors to the graveyard, and to see if the guards could still see him from there.

    ¡°However! That said, time is still getting quite tight. It can¡¯t be helped ¡ª I guess I¡¯ll have to carve a path through them.¡±

    Ainz unleashed his power.

    ¡¸Create Mid Tier Undead: Jack the Ripper¡¹. ¡¸Create Mid Tier Undead: Corpse Collector¡¹.

    After using his skill, two undead creatures appeared.

    One of them was dressed in a trenchcoat and wore a mask which showed a smiling face. Its fingers ended inrge, sharp surgical scalpels.

    The other was a massive, brawny creature, but its body was covered in pustules and the bandages which wrapped its entire body were stained yellow. There were many metal hooks all over its body, linked by metal chains to just as many moaning skulls.

    ¡°Kill them.¡±

    The two undead obeyed Ainz¡¯s orders andid into the surrounding undead horde. Though there were only two of them, they were stronger by far.

    As Jack the Ripper severed limbs with each swipe of its scalpel hands and the Corpse Collector wrenched off the heads of the undead with its chains, Ainz continued using his skills.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s take care of things on this side too.¡±

    Those skills were ¡¸Create Low Tier Undead: Wraith¡¹ and ¡¸Create Low Tier Undead: Bone Vulture¡¹. After summoning several of them, he ordered:

    ¡°Chase away any intruders that enter the graveyard. Killing adventurers is fine, but do not kill the guards.¡±

    The Wraiths¡¯ bodies shimmered and vanished, and the Bone Vultures spread their wings and flew up. Now that his work was done, Ainz smiled to himself.

    The low tier undead were there just in case some adventurers used flight magic to reach the enemy¡¯s location and steal the credit for his hard work.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s go.¡±

    As the two summoned undead made a brutal disy of their skills, Ainz charged into the greatly thinned ranks of the undead horde.

    ? ? ?

    Only Narberal remained with Ainz by the time they reached the chapel at the heart of the graveyard. Several suspicious-looking fellows were standing in a circle in front of the chapel, apparently conducting some kind of ritual.

    They all wore crude ck robes which covered their entire bodies, and which varied in both texture and color. Their ck head cloths hid their faces and only showed their eyes, while the wooden staves they carried had strange carvings on their ends.

    They were short, and by the way they carried themselves, they were probably all men.

    The only exposed face belonged to the man in the middle, and he looked like he was undead. He was well-dressed, and seemed to be concentrating on the ck stone that he held in his hand.

    The wind carried whispered words to Ainz¡¯s ears. The voices in the air rose and fell in unison, and it sounded like some sort of chanting. However, it did not sound like a requiem to the dead, but more like some sort of dark ritual which sphemed against the deceased.

    ¡°Should we ambush them?¡± Narberal asked. However, Ainz shook his head.

    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t help. Besides, it seems they¡¯ve already spotted us.¡±

    Ainz had no concealment-rted skills, so he simply strode directly over to them. Although he could have avoided the lights of the graveyard, all the opposition would need to do was use ¡¸Darkvision¡¹ in order to see as though it were broad daylight. In addition, Ainz had personal experience of the fact that summoned monsters and their summoners were linked by a mental bond. Since he had defeated so many undead on the way here, they must have known that Ainz was approaching them through their bond.

    In fact, there were already several people looking at Ainz and Narberal.

    Given that they had notunched an attack yet, they might have something to say. Havinge to that conclusion, Ainz decided to approach them head-on.

    As Ainz and Narberal walked below the magical lights, the suspicious group of people took a stance, and one of them said to the man in the center, ¡°Khazit-sama, they¡¯re here.¡±

    All right, idiot confirmed... no, he might have been faking it. First, let¡¯s listen to what they have to say.

    ¡°Ah... what a lovely night. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s wasted on a boring old ritual?¡±

    ¡°Hmph... I¡¯ll decide whether the time is right for a ritual. Come to think of it, who are you, anyway? How did you break through that horde of undead?¡±

    The man standing in the center of the circle ¡ª his name was Khazit, unless that was an alias, and he was probably the highest ranked of all the people present ¡ª asked Ainz that question on behalf of the others.

    ¡°I¡¯m an adventurer on an assignment, looking for a missing young man... I trust you know who I¡¯m talking about, even if I don¡¯t state his name?¡±

    The other members of the group took a stance, which confirmed in Ainz¡¯s heart that they were not innocents who had been dragged into the matter.

    Under his helmet, Ainz smiled bitterly at Khazit, who was looking around the surroundings.

    ¡°Just the two of you? Where¡¯s the rest of your party?¡±

    Oi oi, what kind of question is that? Or maybe he¡¯s trying to see if there¡¯s anyone lying in ambush... still, he should have thought a little before opening his mouth. Based on that, I can be sure he¡¯s just a pawn.

    Ainz tiredly shrugged as he replied:

    ¡°Yup, just the two of us. We flew over here with a flight spell.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re lying, that¡¯s impossible.¡±

    Ainz sensed that there was some kind of meaning behind that curt retort. Thus he asked:

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to believe it, but let¡¯s get back to the main topic. If you let the boy return home safely, I can spare your life. How about it, Khazit?¡±

    Khazit red at the foolish disciple who had blurted out his name.

    ¡°¡ªAnd you are?¡±

    ¡°Before that, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to ask. Is there anyone over there besides you lot?¡±

    Khazit looked coldly at Ainz:

    ¡°We¡¯re the only ones¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªSurely it¡¯s not just you? There should be someone with a piercing weapon among you... nning to ambush us? Or are you hiding because you¡¯re afraid?¡±

    ¡°Fufu~ You checked their bodies~ Not bad~¡±

    Suddenly, a female voice rang out from the chapel.

    A young woman slowly emerged into the light, and every step she took was apanied by the ttering of metal against metal.

    ¡°You...¡±

    ¡°Ahhh~ they found me out, so there¡¯s no point hiding. Speaking of which~ I only hid because I can¡¯t use the ¡¸Conceal Life¡¹ spell~¡±

    The woman grinned, in response to the somewhat angered Khazit.

    That reply aside, they still haven¡¯t trotted out Nfirea as a hostage. Perhaps Nfirea¡¯s already dead...

    Just as Ainz was thinking along those lines, the woman asked:

    ¡°May I know your name? Ah, I¡¯m Clementine. Pleased to meetcha~¡±

    ¡°...Well, it¡¯s kind of pointless to answer your question, but I guess I¡¯ll tell you anyway. My name is Momon.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard that name before... how about you?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of it myself ¡ª and I¡¯ve gathered information on all the high ranked adventurers in the city, so how is it I¡¯ve never heard of a Momon among them? Still, how did you know it was here? The dying message pointed to the sewers¡ª¡±

    ¡°The answer is under your cloak. Show me.¡±

    ¡°Uwah~ Pervert~ Lewd~¡±

    As she said that, the girl¡¯s ¡ª Clementine¡¯s ¡ª face twisted. She had a grin so wide it nearly reached her ears.

    ¡°Ju~st kidding~ you mean these?¡±

    Clementine threw open her coat, revealing what looked like scale mail whose individual tes had mismatchedponents. However, Ainz¡¯s excellent vision saw the truth immediately. Those were not the metal tes which made up scale mail.

    They were countless adventurer tes. tinum, gold, silver, iron, copper, even mithril and orichalcum. All these were the proof of all the adventurers Clementine had been killing, the trophies taken from her hunts. Innumerable vengeful groans seemed to haunt the metal tes¡¯ clinking.

    ¡°It was these prizes of yours which led me to you.¡±

    A look of confusion came over Clementine, and Ainz did not intend to exin himself.

    ¡°...Nabe. Deal with Khazit and the other men. I¡¯ll take care of this woman.¡±

    With that, he quietly warned Nabe to watch out above.

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Khazit¡¯s expression was somewhere between a sneer and a grin. The cold-eyed Narberal, on the other hand, showed nothing on her face.

    ¡°...Clementine, let¡¯s kill each other over there.¡±

    Ainz immediately set out without waiting for Clementine to respond. He was very confident that she would not reject the challenge, and the sound of herzy footsteps behind him was ample proof of that.

    Once they had gotten some distance away, a thunderous, eye-wateringly bright discharge of lightning erupted between Narberal and Khazit. As though on cue, Ainz and Clementine turned to look at each other.

    ¡°Could it be those people I killed in that store were your friends? Are you mad because I killed your buddies~?¡±

    Clementine continued in a mocking tone:

    ¡°Ufufufu, that magic caster was soooo funny. Until the end he believed that someone would save him~ but how could he hold out that long against my attacks with just that little bit of health... Or could it be he was hoping you would save him? Sor~ry, I killed him.¡±

    Clementine was all smiles. Ainz looked at her, and shook his head.

    ¡°...No, there¡¯s no need to apologize.¡±

    ¡°Really? Well that¡¯s a shame~ It¡¯s fun to piss off those people who get all emotional when their friendse up. Oi, why aren¡¯t you getting mad? You¡¯re no fun! Or could it be they weren¡¯t your friends?¡±

    ¡°...Well, under the right circumstances, I might have done the same thing as you. So ming you for it would be hypocritical.¡±

    Ainz slowly raised his greatswords:

    ¡°...Still, they were tools for building my reputation. Once they returned to the inn, they would have spread word of my deeds to the other adventurers. They would have told everyone about how the two of us were heroes who drove off the Wise King of the Forest by ourselves. And now you¡¯ve gotten in the way of my ns. That greatly displeases me.¡±

    Clementine seemed to have sensed something in Ainz¡¯s tone, and sheughed uncontrobly:

    ¡°Really now~ oh woe is me, to have made you mad~ oh yes, it was a poor decision to fight me~ That pretty girl¡¯s a magic caster, right? Then she won¡¯t be able to beat Khazi-chan~ though if you two swapped out, maybe you could have won. Though that girl couldn¡¯t beat me either~¡±

    ¡°Nabe alone would be more than enough for you.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly~ how could a measly little magic caster beat me? It¡¯ll be over in two or three blows~ It¡¯s always been like that~¡±

    ¡°I see, so you¡¯re that confident in your abilities as a warrior...¡±

    ¡°Yup, it goes without saying. No warrior in this country can beat me~ no, wait, almost no warrior in this country can beat me~¡±

    ¡°Is that so... well, that gave me an idea. I shall give you a handicap, and have my revenge on you at the same time.¡±

    Clementine¡¯s eyes narrowed, and for the first time she had a look of annoyance on her face.

    ¡°ording to the info from those chaps in the Windflower, there¡¯s only five people in this country who can give me a good fight. Gazef Stronoff. Gagaran of Blue Rose. Luisenburg Albelion of Red Drop. Brain Unus. Also, the retired Vestia Croft Di Lofan... though none of them could beat me even if they went all-out. Not even if I was without the magic items from my country.¡±

    Clementine smiled to Ainz. That smile was a disgusting one.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what sort of ugly face is under that helmet of yours, but there¡¯s no way that I, Clementine-sama ¡ª one who¡¯s left humanity behind and stepped into the realm of heroes ¡ª could possibly lose!¡±

    In contrast to the agitated Clementine, Ainz¡¯s reply was calm andposed.

    ¡°Because of that, I will give you a handicap. Under no circumstance will I use my full strength on you.¡±

    Part 4

    ¡°¡¸Twin Maximize Magic ¨C Electrosphere¡¹.¡±

    Two balls of lightning, each nearly twice the normal size, appeared in Narberal¡¯s open palms and shot forth¡ª

    ¡ªAnd then they struck.

    The electrospheres ¡ª their destructive power greatly augmented ¡ª expanded rapidly. The electrical pulse that spread from them was huge and lit the graveyard as if it was in broad daylight. The magical lightning vanished as quickly as it had appeared, taking its power with it.

    All of Khazit¡¯s minions were on the ground.

    Only one person remained standing.

    ¡°Really... why didn¡¯t you fall like those other inferior lifeforms (caterpirs)... Could it be that you cast the ¡¸Energy Immunity ¨C Electricity¡¹ spell?¡± Narberal asked as she noticed the faint burn marks on Khazit¡¯s face.

    If those were there, then he should have cast ¡¸Protection Energy ¨C Electricity¡¹, a lower-tiered defensive spell than ¡¸Energy Immunity ¨C Electricity¡¹.

    Narberal felt it was a shame that she could not exterminate all the pests in one go, and then she consoled herself with the thought that all this was still within eptable parameters. After all, it would have been boring to have finished everything off with just one spell.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t just a regr idiot, but an idiot who can cast third tier spells, aren¡¯t you!?¡±

    ¡°...An idiot? An inferior lifeform (mite) like yourself dares call me an idiot!?¡±

    Narberal wrinkled her eyebrows.

    ¡°Anyone who makes a mess of my ns is an idiot. Especially an idiot who doesn¡¯t know the meaning of strength and came here to find their death! My preparations are finallyplete! Now behold the supreme power of the Orb of Death that has drunk its fill of negative energy!¡±

    Khazit raised the orb in his hand.

    It was a fairly rough-looking gem that gleamed like a lump of ckened steel. It had not been polished and it looked more like a lump of ore than anything which had been manufactured. Narberal sensed something like a heartbeating from the Orb.

    Suddenly, the six disciples of Khazit who had been electrocuted by the ¡¸Electrosphere¡¹ climbed to their feet, but those were not the motions of a living, thinking creature. The six disciples were now under necromantic control, and shakily drew themselves up between Narberal and Khazit. Narberal watched the scene before her with doubt and puzzlement in her eyes.

    ¡°These zombies are my opponents?¡±

    ¡°Fuhahahaha, that¡¯s right. But they¡¯ll be enough for you! Attack!¡±

    Zombies, being the least among the undead, could not use magic, and as the half-dozen former disciples lunged at her with ws outstretched, Narberal cast a spell on them.

    ¡°¡¸Electrosphere¡¹.¡±

    Once more a white globe shot forth. Where it struck, it generated a pulse of electricity which consumed all the disciples within its radius. The lightning vanished after a moment, and the disciples copsed to the ground once more. Although she had easily dispatched her enemy, there was no joy on Narberal¡¯s face.

    ¡¸Create Undead¡¹ could not produce multiple undead at once. This must have been the result of Khazit using some sort of support skill.

    Narberal turned her gaze to the ck sphere in Khazit¡¯s hand. It would seem the power of that item extended to letting him control multiple Zombies at once.

    Still, this man had some nerve calling an effect like that ¡°supreme power.¡± To Narberal, the rulers of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, the Forty One Supreme Beings who had created her and all herrades, were the only entities who deserved to be described as ¡°supreme.¡±

    Just as unhappiness filled Narberal, Khazit eximed in delight.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough! You¡¯ve taken in more than enough negative energy!¡±

    The ck sphere in Khazit¡¯s hand drew the graveyard¡¯s darkness into itself, and it seemed to be glowing faintly. The slow heartbeat she felt from earlier seemed stronger than before.

    It would seem that ignoring it would be problematic in the future.

    Havinge to that conclusion, Narberal was about to make a move when she heard something. It was the sound of something whistling through the air. Narberal recalled her master¡¯s warning and flung herself to the side.

    A massive creature rushed past Narberal¡¯s body, and after hovering behind Khazit, itnded on the ground.

    It was aposite entity that stood three meters tall, made of countless human bones. It was designed to resemble a being with a very long neck, wings, and four legs ¡ª a Dragon. Its tail, also made from innumerable bones, lightly thumped the ground.

    This was the monster known as a Skeletal Dragon.

    Narberal did not consider monsters of its level strong, but the Skeletal Dragon had a trait which was very dangerous to Nabe.

    For the first time, a look of surprise appeared on Narberal¡¯s face, which then stiffened up.

    ¡°Fuhahahaha!¡±

    Khazit¡¯s madughter echoed through the surroundings.

    ¡°Skeletal Dragons and their absolute immunity to magic are a magic caster¡¯s worst nightmare, aren¡¯t they!?¡±

    If Nabe could not hurt the Skeletal Dragon with magic, then¡ª

    Her master had ordered her to carry a sword with her in case of emergencies. She now removed it from her belt ¡ª along with its sheath ¡ª and then secured her sword so it would not easily slip out of the sheath.

    ¡°¡ªI¡¯ll beat you to death.¡±

    Narberal strode forth.

    The Skeletal Dragon swiped its forepaw in response, but Narberal nimbly evaded its attack. The wind of its passing tossed up Narberal¡¯s hair as she rushed in at the Skeletal Dragon¡¯s chest.

    Then, she concentrated all her strength and swung with all her force.

    Her blow sent the three meter tall Skeletal Dragon flying.

    Shortly afterwards, it hit the ground with an earth-shaking crash.

    ¡°What!?¡±

    Khazit¡¯s jaw dropped as he stared.

    Skeletal Dragons were made of many smaller bones, and they certainly looked light. However, they only appeared light. Magic casters, who spent their days pursuing greater magic power, should not have had enough strength to pull off a move like that.

    Khazit hurriedly fled behind the Skeletal Dragon¡¯s vast body, and then he shouted:

    ¡°¡ªYou, who are you? A mithril... no, an orichalcum ranked adventurer!? There shouldn¡¯t be anyone like that in this city; did you pursue Clementine or myself to this ce!?¡±

    Khazit grit his teeth in agitation.

    ¡°Well, panicking like this does suit an inferior lifeform (click beetle) like yourself.¡±

    ¡°You, you!¡±

    Crafting this Skeletal Dragon had required two months of borate rituals and an immense quantity of negative energy. How could it be beaten so easily? He had worked and nned many years for this.

    Just as Khazit was turning red with rage, the Skeletal Dragon creaked as it slowly got up. There was a massive fissure in the bones which formed its chest, which spilled bone fragments as it moved. It could not take another hit like this.

    ¡°No! I won¡¯t! I won¡¯t let you! ¡¸Ray of Negative Energy¡¹!¡±

    A beam of ck light shone extended from Khazit¡¯s hand and touched the Skeletal Dragon, quickly healing its injuries with negative energy.

    ¡°So it¡¯s immune to magic, but it can be healed with magic.¡±

    Khazit ignored Narberal¡¯s mockery and continued casting spells.

    ¡°¡¸Reinforce Armor¡¹, ¡¸Lesser Strength¡¹, ¡¸Undead me¡¹, ¡¸Shield Wall¡¹.¡±

    He cast buff after buff on the Skeletal Dragon.

    Now the Skeletal Dragon¡¯s bony body was sturdier, stronger, and wreathed in life-draining ck fire. It even had an invisible barrier in front of it which acted like a shield.

    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re doing that, I¡¯ll y along.¡±

    ¡°¡¸Reinforce Armor¡¹, ¡¸Shield Wall¡¹, ¡¸Protection Energy ¨C Negative¡¹.¡±

    Narberalyered defensive spells on herself as well.

    Once both sides had finished buffing themselves, it was as if a bell had gone off and the two of them went at it again.

    ? ? ?

    Narberal swung her sword.

    Shended a forceful hit on the Skeletal Dragon¡¯s foreleg, but then Narberal furrowed her brows.

    Although she could easily strike her opposition like just she had earlier, this was hardly a good matchup for her. She was not skilled at meleebat and her weapon was not suitable for it either.

    The Skeletal Dragon was made of an assembly of bones, so piercing and shing weapons did very little damage to it. However, Narberal did not have bludgeoning weapons, which were ideal for the task, so she had to resort to using her sheath. Although she had the advantage, the poor bnce of the improvised weapon meant she could not effectively damage the Skeletal Dragon.

    Perhaps a specialized warrior might have been able to maintain his bnce, but Narberal was a magic caster and did not know how to do so.

    The Skeletal Dragon¡¯s forepaw swiped over the crouching Narberal. Though it missed her with its kick, the ck mes wreathing its limbs washed over Narberal. However, she resisted them with the ¡¸Protection Energy ¨C Negative¡¹ spell, and the ck mes vanished without a trace.

    If she had not protected herself, she would probably have been hurt by the additional effects of the blow even if she had avoided it.

    ¡°¡¸Ray of Negative Energy¡¹.¡±

    Khazit healed the Skeletal Dragon¡¯s wounds with a magic ray.

    This was also one of the reasons why Narberal was frowning. No matter how much damage she did, Khazit the backliner immediately healed it all. She knew she had to attack Khazit first, but the Skeletal Dragon between Narberal and Khazit did not permit her to do so.

    Even a piercing spell like ¡¸Lightning¡¹ would be stopped by the Skeletal Dragon¡¯s magic immunity. The area-effect spell ¡¸Electrosphere¡¹ would also be stopped by Khazit¡¯s defensive magic, its damage reduced to insignificance.

    Then, perhaps by using an enchantment-type spell, she could force him to lower his defenses and win the encounter in one stroke¡ª

    ¡°¡¸Charm Person¡¹.¡±

    ¡°¡¸Mind of Undeath¡¹.¡±

    Narberal and Khazit cast their spells at the same time. Narberal directed a spell which would charm humans at Khazit, while Khazit cast a defensive spell on himself which protected him from mind-affecting spells.

    In the end ¡ª Khazit smiled triumphantly, while Narberal frowned and clicked her tongue.

    Perhaps she had been distracted by Khazit¡¯s smile, but a shadow appeared over Narberal¡¯s face.

    A white object filled Narberal¡¯s field of vision.

    ¡ªShe would be hard-pressed to avoid it.

    She deftly ducked her head and braced the tip of her sword against her shoulder, turning her sword into a shield. The impact spread through her sword arm and the shoulder which took the blow, practically numbing her entire body and tossing Narberal¡¯s body into the air.

    This was the result of the Skeletal Dragon aiming a tail swipe at her face.

    ¡°Ohohoho.¡±

    Though her bnce had been broken, Narberal had not fallen down, her legs skillfully braced against the impact. Still, she had been driven back.

    This was a good chance for a follow-up attack, but the Skeletal Dragon remained where it was. Its job was to protect Khazit, and so it could not stray too far from him. After sensing this from the Skeletal Dragon, Narberal shook her hands to clear off the numbness and soreness.

    Just then, Khazit poked his head out from behind the Skeletal Dragon¡ª

    ¡°¡¸Acid Javelin¡¹.¡±

    ¡°¡¸Lightning¡¹.¡±

    Khazitunched a green, spear-like object that streaked towards Narberal¡¯s body. The javelin, which should have dealt her acid damage, stopped several centimeters away from Narberal¡¯s body and vanished without a trace. At the same time, the lightning bolt Narberal shot from her fingers was blocked by the Skeletal Dragon¡¯s tail and fizzled out.

    Khazit and Narberal red at each other.

    ¡°...A defensive spell? How annoying.¡±

    ¡°...That should be my line, you inferior lifeform (bagworm moth). How abouting out from behind there and facing me fair and square?¡±

    ¡°And why do I have toe out?¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t staying here ruin your ns?¡±

    Khazit knew that Narberal had his number and narrowed his eyes. Narberal smiled nonchntly.

    ¡°...It can¡¯t be helped.¡±

    After making his decision, Khazit clutched the strange sphere and raised it to the heavens.

    ¡°Now behold the power of the Orb of Death!¡±

    The earth trembled, and Narberal¡¯s body shook as well. This was a sign that something big wasing.

    A massive fissure appeared in the ground, and a white monster slowly revealed itself.

    ¡°...Another one.¡±

    ¡°Hmph! The negative energy¡¯s depleted now, but after I kill you and your friend, I can spread death throughout the city and recover it all!¡±

    Khazit¡¯s shouting was angry and emotional, in contrast to the unfazed Narberal.

    ¡°Hyaah.¡±

    Narberal forcefully exhaled, then sprinted forward with preternatural speed. Khazit was taken by surprise and could not react in time.

    The Skeletal Dragons stomped at Narberal, who had entered their attack range, with their forelegs.

    Narberal turned and evaded the stomp of the Skeletal Dragon on her right, but the other one was waiting for her. It swept its tail along the ground, like it was going to scythe the grass.

    The tail which had nearly hit her thundered through the air in front of Narberal as she leapt a long way back. Then, the tail suddenly changed its direction, swinging down on Narberal, who had just jumped clear.

    Narberal avoided the earthshaking blow from the left, but the Skeletal Dragon on the right swiped its forepaw at her as well.

    ¡°Guhhh!¡±

    She raised her sword to block the Skeletal Dragon¡¯s swipe. Although the paw¡¯s crushing pressure was extraordinary, Narberal still stood strong underneath it, and even forced it away. The right-side Skeletal Dragon stumbled several steps back, causing a brief lull in the action.

    ¡°...What are you? Blocking it without martial arts... how did you learn to do that!?¡±

    ¡°It is because I was created by the ones who are greater than the gods, the Supreme Beings.¡±

    ¡°Are you kidding me!?¡±

    ¡°Even if you knew the truth, you would never understand, and to think you would go so far as to to call me, one who spoke the name of the Supreme Beings, an idiot... this is why I say human beings are inferior lifeforms (narians).¡±

    Narberal turned a keen re on Khazit. It was a cold, piercing stare that made him want to back away from her.

    The frightened Khazit gave an order, as though to wipe away his fear.

    ¡°Skeletal Dragons, get her!¡±

    The Skeletal Dragons kept within range of Khazit and made their move.

    Narberal evaded the attack of one of the Skeletal Dragons and moved to close in, but she was forced to avoid the other Skeletal Dragon¡¯s attack and missed her chance. This back and forth yed out for quite a while, until a decisive blow was struck.

    ¡°¡¸Acid Javelin¡¹.¡±

    Narberal subconsciously turned her head and avoided the magical javelin headed at her face.

    That was a grave mistake. The attack would not have done anything even if it had hit, so she could have safely ignored it. However, it came right at her, so she evaded it by reflex. This was a mistake that only a magic caster, who had not improved their closebat ability, would make.

    That mistake had grave consequences.

    Whoosh! Narberal¡¯s field of view changed dramatically as an ear-splitting impact rang out. She was tossed to the side.

    She experienced a brief period of weightlessness before falling heavily to the ground. Her left arm had taken a tail sweep from one of the Skeletal Dragons. The non-stop spinning disoriented her and she had no idea where she was.

    Her body was protected by all manner of defensive spells, so there was no pain. However, the two Skeletal Dragons raised their forelegs over Narberal.

    One might say she was out of options ¡ª normally speaking.

    ¡°Surrender, and I¡¯ll spare your life. How about it?¡±

    A sadistic grin bloomed on Khazit¡¯s face, as he assured himself of his impending victory.

    Of course, Khazit was not going to spare her. That look on his face was the kind that looked forward to the girl begging for mercy before he trampled her pathetic form.

    Narberal, who had raised her torso off the ground, was so furious that her face was twisted up.

    ¡°...erable... human...¡±

    ¡°...What?¡±

    Narberal looked Khazit in the eye and said:

    ¡°You miserable little human being. How dare you utter such nonsense, you pile of trash.¡±

    Khazit¡¯s eyes went wide and he shuddered with rage, and he gave the order to finish her off.

    ¡°Destroy her, Skeletal Dragons!¡±

    The two dragons raised their forelegs, and Narberal smiled.

    The words of the man she revered had reached her ears. She would hear him, no matter how far away his voice was.

    ¡°Narberal Gamma! Disy the power of Nazarick!¡±

    ¡°...Understood. Then, I shall no longer face you as Nabe, but as Narberal Gamma.¡±

    The Skeletal Dragons brought their forelegs down, intending to crush Narberal¡¯s body beneath their forepaws. At the veryst moment, Narberal cast a spell before being reduced to paste.

    ¡°¡¸Teleportation¡¹.¡±

    Narberal¡¯s field of vision immediately changed.

    She was now about five hundred meters in the air.

    Without wings to keep her aloft, Narberal plummeted toward the ground.

    The wind shear roared across her body and the ground drew close. Narberalughed:

    ¡°¡¸Fly¡¹.¡±

    Her rate of descent slowed and then stopped, until Narberal hung in the air, looking down on the battlefield from just now. Khazit and the two Skeletal Dragons looked around in shock, as Narberal was nowhere to be found.

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Haaah~ I¡¯m tired~¡±

    Clementine¡¯s flighty words filtered into Ainz¡¯s ears.

    They had been fighting for several minutes, but Ainz¡¯s greatswords had not once touched Clementine.

    ¡°Speaking of which~ that¡¯s some amazing physical ability you¡¯ve got there~ you might even be proud of it~ buuut~¡±

    Her expression turned into a predatory grin.

    ¡°¡ªAre you stupid? You¡¯re just swinging your swords with raw strength and speed, wildly swiping around like a kid with a stick. You might have a sword in each hand, but if you don¡¯t know how to use them, then sticking to one sword would be wiser. Aren¡¯t you taking the warrior business a little too lightly?¡±

    ¡°Come at me, then. Haven¡¯t you been doing nothing but dodging since just now? It won¡¯t be good for you if you drag this out for too long, no?¡±

    Ainz chuckled coldly as he replied to her.

    Clementine furrowed her brows. He had her there ¡ª Clementine had not attacked Ainz.

    Instead, she had been dodging his attacks, and that was because Ainz¡¯s extraordinary physical attributes did not give her an opening to attack.

    Things were not as easy for Clementine as she had imed. She was beginning to feel angry at herself for not being able to take the initiative and strike.

    ¡°You said no warrior could beat you, right? Where¡¯s that confidence of yours fled to?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Clementine finally went to her weapons after Ainz taunted her. She had four of the piercing weapons called stilettos at her waist, as well as a morningstar. Right now, she drew one of those stilettos.

    With his superhuman eyesight, Ainz verified that the morningstar was covered in detritus that looked like blood and chunks of flesh. Ainz tightened his grip on the greatswords in his hands as he stared down Clementine.

    Just as both sides were about to strike, the earth shook.

    Ainz could not take his eyes away from Clementine, who had taken a fighting stance. He sneaked a nce to the side, and saw that there were two gigantic dragon-shaped monsters made of bone where Narberal was fighting.

    ¡°...Skeletal Dragons... huh?¡±

    ¡°Cor-rect~ Looks like you do know a thing or two. Yup~ they¡¯re the bane of any magic caster.¡±

    ¡°I see. So that¡¯s why Nabe can¡¯t win.¡±

    ¡°In~deed it is,¡± Clementine replied in a mocking tone of voice. She seemed to have regained herposure after the Skeletal Dragons showed up. Ainz furrowed his illusory brows under his helmet.

    It was true that Skeletal Dragons were tricky opponents for magic casters, and now there were two of them. Narberal as she was now could not possibly beat them.

    As though sensing the agitation in Ainz¡¯s heart, Clementine shifted slightly.

    This was a move that was intended to seal off his movements, so there would probably be a follow-up to it. When one saw a weakness in a powerful opponent, it would be natural to take the chance and attack.

    Ainz cast all thoughts of Narberal from his mind and thrust forth the greatsword in his left hand in an intimidating manner. It was a feint as he slowly raised the greatsword in his right hand in preparation for a powerful strike.

    Clementine¡¯s weapons were a piercing type, and they could not executeplex attacks like shing weapons could. They were weapons that were optimized for charges. In addition, stilettos were slender and were certainly not strong enough to survive a sh with greatswords.

    Because of that, Ainz used his left-hand greatsword to keep her at bay, waiting for Clementine to close in. However, Clementine knew what he was up to.

    ¡°Do you have any way to close this gap?¡±

    ¡°I wonder~¡±

    Clementine had a smug, self-assured look on her face as she responded in her usual self-assured tone. All of this pointed to the fact that she had something up her sleeve.

    Clementine slowly changed her posture, lowering herself into what seemed like a runner¡¯s crouch. However, her body was still upright, so she looked very strange. It might have appearedical, but this was definitely not the sort of stance one could take lightly.

    And then ¡ª Clementine moved. Before Ainz¡¯s vignt eyes, Clementine shot out like a fullypressed spring.

    She sprinted right at him.

    It was a charge that even Ainz, with his superhuman physical abilities, could hardly believe was possible.

    Like a hurricane that devoured everything in its path, Clementine closed the distance between them in an instant. She slid under the greatsword Ainz was holding out, her physical dexterity allowing her to maintain her full speed as she moved.

    Ainz ¡ª who was shaken by Clementine¡¯s serpentine movements ¡ª forcefully swung his right-hand sword. The powerful stroke ripped through the air as it surged toward Clementine, promising unimaginable devastation if he connected.

    And in that brief instant, Ainz saw the face-splitting grin on her face get even wider.

    ¡°¡¸Invulnerable Fortress¡¹.¡±

    The unbelievable sight took Ainz aback.

    The slender stiletto had actually blocked a hit from a greatsword that was more than ten times its mass.

    The stiletto should have snapped under the grand strike it had just blocked head-on. Even if it had remained intact by some miracle, it would have been knocked flying. However, it was Ainz¡¯s greatsword which bounced away, like it had struck some ridiculously strong castle wall.

    As though throwing herself into a lover¡¯s embrace, Clementine rushed toward Ainz¡¯s unguarded chest. In that moment, half of Ainz¡¯s field of view was taken up by the grinning Clementine.

    Ainz retreated, but his opponent was faster. This attack, whichbined a full-tilt charge, all her strength, and skillful use of momentum, could be described as ¡°meteoric.¡±

    There was a sh of light, and then the screeching of metal shing with metal rang through the graveyard.

    Clementine ducked the wild swing of Ainz¡¯s left-hand sword and then sprang clear.

    Ainz knew the secret behind Clementine¡¯s shy moves.

    ¡°¡ªMartial arts, huh!?¡±

    These were techniques which did not exist in YGGDRASIL. They could be said to be a warrior¡¯s magic ¡ª and they were things of which he had to be wary.

    Its effect seemed to be to defend against his greatsword hit and neutralize the weapon¡¯s impact. She must have used martial arts to deflect Ainz¡¯s attack.

    ¡°...So haaaard~ what¡¯s that armor of your made of? Adamantite... hm?¡±

    Although he did not feel pain, he felt that something sharp had pierced his left shoulder, near the ce where he had heard the sound of scraping.

    Ainz nced to the shoulder from where the impact hade, but there was only a slight dent in the armor. Although the armor had no special magical properties, it was still the product of a level one hundred magic caster¡¯s spells. The armor¡¯s hardness increased with its creator¡¯s level, so the fact that there was a dent in the armor was testament to the destructive power of Clementine¡¯s strikes.

    ¡°Ah well. If that¡¯s the case, next time~ hmm, maybe I should hit somewhere with thinner armor~ although I wanted to wear your down bit by bit, then sloooowly torment you once you couldn¡¯t move~ what a shame, what a shame.¡±

    Ainz realised that Clementine had not been wildly attacking his shoulders, but aiming to disable his arms in order to render him incapable of attacking. For the first time, Ainz felt something like respect toward Clementine the warrior.

    All Ainz could do was simply swing his swords and deal damage to the enemy. Of course, if he could hit at all, the enemy would assuredly be in. However, against a skilled opponent, he had to carefully consider the flow of the battle.

    This has been good training for me...

    ¡°Mmm, then I¡¯ming~¡±

    Just as Ainz was admiring Clementine, she took that strange stance she had assumed from just now. In response, Ainz raised his right-hand greatsword to meet the attack. This time, however, he did not thrust forth his left-hand greatsword.

    Clementine snorted at Ainz¡¯s stance and sprinted. She was so fast that even Ainz and his incredible dynamic vision could barely follow her. If she had not rushed straight at him, he might have lost track of her movements.

    In the face of Clementine¡¯s full-tilt charge, like an ominous arrow headed straight at him, Ainz swung his right-hand greatsword,unching an attack of his own to intercept her¡ª

    ¡°¡¸Invulnerable Fortress¡¹.¡±

    ¡ªThe swing was deflected by the same martial art as before, but he had already predicted this. Ainz had lost his bnce in the previous exchange because he had put all his strength into the blow, so this time, he did not use as much force.

    Ainz absorbed the radiating impact ¡ª as though he had struck a wall ¡ª with the strength of his arm, and then he swung his left-hand greatsword. This time, Ainz was fully confident that his foe could not block another full power hit.

    However, even faster than that, Clementine used another martial art.

    ¡°¡¸Flow eleration¡¹.¡±

    This martial art had a startling effect.

    It felt as though someone had used time-controlling magic to slow time down. Everything moved slowly, as though immersed in some highly viscous fluid. The speed of Ainz¡¯s swing slowed to a crawl.

    However Clementine moved at the same speed in this decelerated world. She effortlessly dodged Ainz¡¯s counterattack and approached Ainz from the front.

    This might have been some sort of misperception on Ainz¡¯s part. The magic rings which Ainz wore should have protected him from temporal attacks and attacks designed to impede his freedom of movement ¡ª although there might be some unknown factor at work here.

    He must have felt like she had elerated all of a sudden because his battle with Clementine was so intense. The important thing was that Ainz had seen this martial art before, but he had not felt the same way back then.

    ¡°Gaze¡ª¡±

    Gazef Stronoff had used this technique before.

    Before he could finish speaking the name, her stiletto stabbed at him. It was aimed at one of Ainz¡¯s eyes, through the narrow vision slit of his helmet.

    Ainz forcefully jerked his head to the side, and while he managed to evade the stiletto thrust, the sound of metal shrieking against metal echoed through his helmet. Before he could breathe a sigh of relief that he had avoided the worst of it, he glimpsed Clementine readying her stiletto for another attack out of the corner of his eye.

    ¡°Cheh!¡±

    Even after factoring in the differences in their physical abilities, Clementine¡¯s straight-line thrust was faster than the circr swing of Ainz¡¯s greatsword. This time, the stiletto struck home, hitting Ainz dead on.

    ¡°Hm¡ª?¡±

    ¡°Guh!¡±

    A surprised voice and a panicked voice hit the air at the same time.

    Ainz pressed his greatsword against his helmet and jumped far back, but there was no follow-up attack.

    Clementine nced at Ainz¡¯s unsightly retreat, then looked curiously at the tip of her stiletto. With a mockingugh, she said:

    ¡°That¡¯s enough of that handicap stuff. If you don¡¯t go all-out you¡¯re going to die~¡±

    And then, to clear up her own doubts, Clementine continued asking the silent Ainz:

    ¡°Still, how did you do it? I know I hit you, but you¡¯re fine. I thought I would have hurt you with that~¡±

    ¡°...Good grief. I¡¯ve... learned a lot from this battle. First, about these things called martial arts, and also, the fact that I can¡¯t swing my swords around blindly duringbat, and the importance of maintaining my bnce while attacking.¡±

    ¡°...Hah? Are you an idiot? If you¡¯ve only learned that now... then you¡¯re a failure as a warrior. Oh well, it doesn¡¯t matter since you¡¯re going to die here~ though I¡¯d like an answer to my question... was it some sort of defensive martial art~?¡±

    Clementine¡¯s tone showed that she had had it with Ainz. He, on the other hand smiled bitterly under his helmet, because he agreed with what she had said.

    ¡°No, you¡¯re right. I really am unskilled... you have my thanks. Although, since time is tight, ytime is now over.¡±

    Paying no heed to the doubt on Clementine¡¯s face, Ainz shouted at the top of his voice:

    ¡°Narberal Gamma! Disy the power of Nazarick!¡±

    He swivelled the sword hilts in his hands and then stabbed the points of both his greatswords into the ground. Ainz extended his empty hands before him, and gently beckoned Clementine over.

    ¡°Now then,e at me with the intent to die.¡±

    ? ? ?

    ¡°...So, you can use the ¡¸Fly¡¹ spell, looks like you¡¯re not bluffing. Although, how did you avoid thatst hit? I didn¡¯t see you behind the Skeletal Dragons...¡±

    That puzzled question reached Narberal, who was slowly descending from the heavens. Khazit had no idea why she had not used the ¡¸Fly¡¹ spell to escape. She could have done so when encountering the Skeletal Dragons, but she had not. It baffled him.

    ¡°Hmph, you think you can win? Against Skeletal Dragons, who are immune to magic?¡±

    ¡°There are any number of ways to win... but before that...¡±

    Narberal grabbed at her shoulder and pulled off her robe.

    ¡°Rejoice, inferior lifeform (human). You have the honor of doing battle with Narberal Gamma, one of the battle maids (Pleiades) who are the loyal servants of Ainz Ooal Gown, the Absolute Ruler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick.¡±

    Her equipment waspletely different. She now wore gauntlets and greaves of gold, silver, and ck metal, as well as a set of maid-themed armor which looked like it hade out of a manga. In ce of a helmet, she wore a maid¡¯s white-brimmed headdress. In her hands she held a staff of gold iid with silver.

    yer-made items in YGGDRASIL could have their abilities changed by using data crystals. Narberal¡¯s robe had a quick-change crystal embedded in it, so she could directly swap out her gear for a set of predetermined equipment without having to waste time changing.

    Her cast-off robe now upied the pocket dimension where they had been.

    Khazit narrowed his eyes in puzzlement as he saw the maid before him, and when he finally realized what was going on¡ª

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡ªHe eximed in surprise.

    Of course he would have been taken aback when the magic caster before him turned into a maid.

    Although he was annoyed by her nonsensical get-up, Narberal¡¯s serene expression filled Khazit with a sense of danger. He immediately ordered the Skeletal Dragons to attack. The two Skeletal Dragons drew close to Narberal with surprising speed, swinging their forepaws, which were made of countless bones. Before they could strike home, Narberal cast a spell.

    ¡°¡¸Dimensional Move¡¹.¡±

    ¡°That again!¡±

    Once more, Narberal vanished without a trace.

    Khazit looked to the sky to look for the missing Narberal as he thought of what had happened earlier. However, it was his pain that told him where Narberal was.

    ¡°¡ªGyaaah!¡±

    Khazit¡¯s wail resounded throughout the graveyard. A searing pain pierced Khazit¡¯s left shoulder, and the pain spread through his body with the pulse of his heartbeat.

    A shocked Khazit looked at the wound, at the sharp de that protruded from the wound.

    ¡°¡ªGah, gaaaah!¡±

    NarbKhazit.jpg

    In the next moment, the de was savagely withdrawn, and pain washed over him again. The sensation of something scraping his bones filled his body, made worse by the agony that gripped him. Thick blood gushed from the wound, staining his ck robe.

    Drooling from the intense pain, Khazit jerked his head back to see what was going on.

    All he saw was Narberal, looking at him curiously.

    ¡°Did it hurt that much?¡±

    ¡°¡ª!¡±

    Narberal was holding a ck-ded dagger in the hand that was not holding her staff.

    Khazit was in so much pain that he could not speak.

    Magic casters typically shunned the frontline, and Khazit was the sort who was served by and dealt out pain to others. Thus, pain was not amon experience for him, which was why his tolerance for it was so low.

    Oily sweat beading on his forehead, Khazit issued a mentalmand to the Skeletal Dragons. Narberal fell back, drawing away from the approaching Skeletal Dragons. The ¡¸Fly¡¹ spell was faster than the running speed of a normal man.

    The two Skeletal Dragons charged into the space left by Narberal.

    After hiding in the safe space behind the Skeletal Dragons, Khazit¡¯s calm returned to him, and he finally understood the kind of spell Narberal had used.

    That was¡ª

    ¡°So it was teleportation magic!¡±

    ¡¸Dimensional Move¡¹ was a third tier spell, but to magic casters, it was an escape spell used to put distance between themselves and their adversaries.

    However, that was only the case for magic casters, who were an unathletic lot. For a magic caster with fighting prowess that was on par with a warrior, that spell was arguably more valuable than even a weak attack spell, given that it was very difficult to defend against.

    Khazit pressed down on his shoulder and red at Narberal.

    ¡°I see, so you were nning to kill me with teleportation! You must have escaped with teleportation as well just now!¡±

    Indeed, it was a tricky trump card to deal with. Since magic was useless against the Skeletal Dragons, the sensible thing was to kill their controller. In addition, with Narberal¡¯s skillful use of teleportation, Khazit would have a very hard time dodging.

    However, Narberal casually answered:

    ¡°How could that be?¡±

    Khazit could notprehend what she was saying for a moment, and blinked nonstop. Narberal returned the shortsword to its sheath, and began exining:

    ¡°I was simply demonstrating that I could kill you easily.¡±

    Narberal had shown him how she could turn a thoroughly unfavorable situation around, but she hadpletely abandoned that method. Khazit had no idea what she was up to.

    ¡°...Are you mad?¡±

    ¡°Granted, you are an inferior lifeform (flea), but what kind of answer is that? Use that head of yours a little.¡±

    Khazit shuddered as he saw Narberal¡¯s cold re.

    He was not trembling in anger, but in fear. Unease welled up within Khazit¡¯s mind.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s about time to wrap this up. As a servant, it would be rude of me to keep Ainz-sama waiting... You seem to think magic is useless against Skeletal Dragons. Then, I shall enlighten you, inferior lifeform (shore fly). The fee for that lesson will be your life.¡±

    She released her staff and pped her hands together. As she drew them apart again, tongues of white lightning arced between them. They took the form of dragons, and the air around them began glowing and crackling with energy.

    The white radiance seemed to engulf Narberal.

    ¡°...Erk.¡±

    Khazit stared, at a loss for words. He could understand that this was a mighty spell that exceeded his own frame of reference. Amidst the actinic white radiance, the cold smile on Narberal¡¯s face branded itself onto his eyes.

    The massive bodies of the Skeletal Dragons loomed before him. As he recalled their existence, an rm screamed within him.

    ¡°¡ªYou, you think you can beat Skeletal Dragons, who are immune to all magic? Go! Kill her!¡±

    Khazit¡¯s shouted order wasced with the panic he could no longer hide.

    As the two Skeletal Dragons drew close, Narberalughed. It was theugh of a merciless master correcting her foolish pupil.

    ¡°Immune to all magic? It¡¯s true that Skeletal Dragons resist magic, but that ability only applies to spells of the sixth tier and below.¡±

    The Skeletal Dragons would not reach Narberal for some time yet. During that dy, the strangely calm Khazit finally realised the meaning of Narberal¡¯s words.

    ¡°¡ªIn other words, Skeletal Dragons cannot resist the spells of a higher tier which I, Narberal Gamma, can use.¡±

    She was not lying. That was what Khazit¡¯s instincts told him.

    In other words, this woman could eliminate the Skeletal Dragons and y Khazit as well¡ª

    ¡°Why!? My sweat and blood of five years, gone in less than an hour!¡±

    As Khazit let out that mournful wail, countless scenes shed through his mind, as though he were viewing a zoetrope.

    ? ? ?

    Khazit Dale Badantel.

    Born in a vige on the outskirts of the ine Theocracy, his mother was a calm, serene woman while his father had a strong body from working in the vige. His childhood was mundane.

    The reason why he had ended up like this was because he had seen his mother¡¯s corpse.

    That day ¡ª when the setting sun was clearly visible in the sky ¡ª Khazit panted as he ran home. His mother wanted him back earlier, but he had beente because of small things he could not clearly recall. Looking for pretty stones outside the vige, ying at being heroes while wielding sticks, all these insignificant things hade together and dyed him.

    He ran home, afraid that his mother would scold him, but when he got there, he found his mother copsed on the ground. He could still clearly remember the warmth of his mother¡¯s body when he rushed over to touch her.

    He thought it was just a joke, but things turned out otherwise.

    Khazit¡¯s mother had already departed this world.

    ording to the clerics, she had died because ¡°she had a blood clot in her brain.¡±

    In other words, it was nobody¡¯s fault. Nobody was to me. No. Khazit felt that someone was responsible.

    That someone was himself. If only he had returned home earlier, he might have been able to save his mother.

    There were many divine magic casters in the ine Theocracy, and there were quite a few in Khazit¡¯s own vige. If only he had begged them for help, perhaps his mother might be well, and still smiling at him.

    The person who had caused his beloved mother¡¯s face to twist in agony was none other than himself.

    Khazit made up his mind to atone for his misdeed ¡ª in other words, he would bring his mother back to life.

    Yet, the more magic he learned, the bigger the problems he encountered.

    There was a resurrection spell in the fifth tier of divine magic, but that spell could not resurrect his mother. Resurrection expended a tremendous amount of life force on the part of the dead person, and the deceased whocked sufficient life force would not be resurrected, but reduced to ash and dust. His mother did not have the necessary vitality.

    Nor did he have the time needed to research a new resurrection spell. However, if he abandoned his humanity and became undead, he might be able to buy himself enough time to eventually develop a new spell to raise the dead.

    That was the conclusion which Khazit had arrived at.

    He abandoned the divine magic he had studied all his life, and stepped on the path of using arcane magic to be undead. However, there were still obstacles in his way.

    After walking the path of an arcane magic caster, he would still need a very long time to be a high tier undead creature, even after forsaking his humanity. And of course, there might be obstacles in his way, in the form of talent and ability, and he might not even be able to be undead in the first ce.

    One of the way to ovee these obstacles was to gather a massive amount of negative energy ¡ª yes, by killing an entire city¡¯s worth of people ¡ª and turning them into undead in order to harness the negative energy they would generate.

    And then, just as his wish was nearly granted, another obstacle appeared in his way.

    ? ? ?

    ¡°I spent five years preparing in this city! I¡¯ve held onto this dream for thirty years! What gives you the right to destroy all of this!? You, who appeared out of nowhere!?¡±

    Khazit¡¯s cry was answered by coldughter.

    ¡°I have no interest in the dreams of inferior lifeforms (you). Although, your so-called effort did manage to make meugh. Still, I do have some words for you... well done on bing a stepping stone for Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°¡¸Twin Maximize Magic ¨C Chain Dragon Lightning¡¹.¡±

    A roaring, coiling stream of dragon-shaped lightning appeared around both of Narberal¡¯s hands.

    The lightning discharges were wider than her arms, and they struck the Skeletal Dragons. The vast white buddies shuddered from the impact. The twin lightning sts wrapped around the Skeletal Dragons¡¯ bodies, burning the false life that animated their corpses out of existence.

    The end came in an instant.

    Under the power of the magic lightning, the Skeletal Dragons and their supposed absolute immunity to magic were torn asunder.

    Even though the Skeletal Dragons had been disintegrated, the lightning strikes did not disappear. The two arcs of dragon-shaped lightning seemed to be searching for their quarry, then they raised their heads and sprang at their final prey.

    Khazit¡¯s vision was obliterated in a sea of white.

    He had no time to beg for mercy, nor did he have time to scream.

    The tears at the corners of his eyes shed into steam, leaving behind a whispered ¡°Mum¡ª¡± The searing light consumed Khazit, and the lightning pierced him without mercy.

    Khazit¡¯s body went into full-body seizures, as though he were performing some strange dance where he stood.

    The current prated deep into Khazit¡¯s body and ignited him from the inside. After it had vanished, the smoking Khazit copsed to the ground.

    The stench of burning flesh filled the air.

    Narberal shrugged, and muttered something to the pile of scorched meat that had once been Khazit:

    ¡°Even inferior lifeforms (insects) smell good after they¡¯ve been roasted... I wonder if it would be fine to give him to Entoma as a present...¡±

    A mocking smile came over Narberal¡¯s face as she mentioned the name of her human-eating colleague.

    ? ? ?

    The warrior spread his arms, as if he were going to hug someone.

    ¡°...Now what tricks are you up to, hm!? Giving up already?¡±

    ¡°Giving up? Since I¡¯ve given Narberal her orders, I should wrap things up here as well.¡±

    ¡°What? What nonsense are you babbling¡ª? You think you can beat, the great Clementine without any martial arts? You¡¯re pissing me off.¡±

    ¡°I have to say, the ravings of a weakling like yourself are quite impressive.¡±

    Clementine wanted to retort with, ¡°That would be you, right?¡± but she suppressed the boiling rage in her heart.

    The man before her did not have much in the way ofbat skills, but he possessed superhuman physical abilities. As far as she knew, said abilities were second only to those of the two God-Kin ¡ª the ck Scripture¡¯s Extra Seat and its First Seat (who was also the ck Scripture¡¯s leader). Therefore, the way he swung his weapons at his whim became an unpredictable attack and defense, and if she was not careful, she might be killed in a single blow.

    Clementine faked her usual sneer, and taunted him in turn:

    ¡°...Forget it. You¡¯re right, we should wrap things up quickly.¡±

    Momon the warrior simply shrugged.

    Clementine eyed his stance. There were openings everywhere in his stance, but that could not possibly be all there was to him. It was a trap.

    However, Clementine had no choice. Her words from earlier might have sounded like a joke, but she meant them. She could probably escape from here by borrowing the power of the Skeletal Dragons, but that was only if she did not waste any more time. Though she hade along to avoid the agents of the Windflower Scripture, she had wasted too much time on ying.

    Clementine slowly sank into a crouch, strengthening her grip on her stiletto.

    She had to finish this fight quickly, preferably with a single stroke.

    Part of that was because she no longer had time to waste, but it was also because the attacks and parries of the man before her were gradually bing more and morepetent. It would be best to kill him now before he grew to a point where she could no longer do so.

    Clementine exhaled loudly and then she surged forward.

    ¡¸Gale Stride¡¹. ¡¸Greater Evasion¡¹. ¡¸Ability Boost¡¹. ¡¸Greater Ability Boost¡¹. Those were the same four techniques she had used earlier, in an attempt to shrink the gap between their physical abilities. In addition, she still had room to use other techniques, no matter what Momon tried.

    In this high-speed world, she was fully aware of anything her opponent could do.

    He might draw his swords from the ground to attack, or use a martial art, or an unarmed strike, or a hidden weapon... no, he might use a thrown weapon instead.

    Clementine guessed that there were dozens of tactics her foe could employ, and she was confident that she could defeat each and every one of them.

    However, every single one of her guesses fell short of the mark.

    ¡ªBecause her opponent did nothing.

    The dark warrior stretched out his arms, waiting for the attack.

    A shiver ran down her spine. This was the fear of something beyond her imagination, a fear of the unknown.

    Should she charge bravely forward, or back off and flee?

    Those were the only two options left to her.

    Clementine was cruel and merciless, but she was no fool. In that fraction of a second, she worked out countless possibilities and countermeasures.

    In the end, it was her pride and her confidence in her abilities which spurred Clementine on.

    Though she had betrayed them, she had once been a member of the ine Theocracy¡¯s strongest special operations group ¡ª the ck Scripture. There were probably less than ten warriors who could defeat her. It was unthinkable that she should flee from Momon, an unknown fighter with hardly any skills to speak of.

    Once she made her decision, the rest was easy. There was no need to hesitate any further. As she recovered theposure of a first-rate warrior, Clementine sprinted for Momon¡¯s chest ¡ª so fast it seemed they were going to embrace each other.

    ¡°Die¡ª!¡±

    Using all the muscles in her body, Clementine thrust her stiletto into the vision slit of Momon¡¯s full helm. Then she twisted it, as though intending to cause further damage to the surrounding organs while driving it deeper into his head. All this was to inflict a fatal blow.

    Although his armored hands drew closer, as if to hug her, she paid it no heed and followed up on her attack.

    In keeping with Clementine¡¯s desire to deal a fatal strike, she unleashed the spell stored within the stiletto. That spell was called ¡¸Lightning¡¹.

    Lightning bolts shot through Ainz¡¯s body.

    Clementine¡¯s weapons possessed a Magic umte enchantment. She could store a spell within the weapon and release itter. Although the act of doing so would expend the spell, that stored spell could be just about any sort of magic. Thus, it was a handy enchantment which allowed her to prepare for just about any situation with the right stored spell.

    She drove the stiletto deep into his skull and then released a lightning attack on top of it ¡ª this was certainly a fatal blow.

    However¡ª

    ¡°I¡¯m not done yet! ¡¸Flow eleration¡¹!¡±

    Even faster than before, she drove another stiletto into the full helm¡¯s vision slit, and then released the ¡¸Fireball¡¹ spell locked within. In her mind, Clementine saw Momon¡¯s body burning within his armor, and she imagined she could smell his scorched and ckened flesh.

    However, Clementine¡¯s eyes went wide in shock, as she was confronted by an unexpected sight.

    ¡°Hm, I see. YGGDRASIL did not have magic weapons like this. Well, this is an eye-opener.¡±

    Despite having stilettos stabbed through both his eye sockets, Ainz was still muttering casually to himself. Clementine then realized that there had been no blood when she stabbed him.

    ¡°No way! Impossible! Why aren¡¯t you dead!?¡±

    She had never heard of a martial art like this which could make people invincible. Or had he used some other method to deal with her stabs? If that were the case, how had he stopped the follow-up magical attacks?

    Even a hardened veteran like Clementine had no answer to those questions.

    ¡°!?¡±

    Clementine¡¯s body was swallowed in an embrace, and she was now pressed against Momon. The adventurers¡¯ tes rattled.

    ¡°Shall I tell you the answer?¡±

    The jet-ck full te vanished, revealing a terrible face beneath.

    It was a fleshless skull. Her stilettos protruded from his empty eye sockets ¡ª through the ck Mirrorshades covering them ¡ª but it did not seem to be in the slightest bit of pain.

    Clementine knew what that face meant.

    ¡°Undead... an Elder Lich!?¡±

    ¡°...? ...Well, I had a lot of questions to ask you, but I guess not. All I can say is that your answer came quite close. Then¡ª¡±

    The monster before her had neither skin nor flesh, and so it should not have an expression on its face. Yet, Clementine had the feeling that it was smiling at her.

    ¡°How does it feel? How does it feel to fight a magic caster with sword in hand? How does it feel to be unable to finish things in a heartbeat?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t, don¡¯t look down on me!¡±

    Clementine used all her strength to struggle free, but she was held immobile, as though by sturdy chains.

    Elder Liches were powerful undead who were skilled in the use of magic attacks, but their physical abilities were not very impressive. Clementine should have had the advantage.

    However¡ª

    ¡°W-Why!?¡±

    ¡ªShe could not get free.

    Once she realized that the mighty arm which held her ¡ª in other words, his physical strength ¡ª was not the result of his armor¡¯s enchantment, Clementine froze. What she saw in her mind was a butterfly trapped in a spider¡¯s web, with no way out.

    ¡°...This is what I meant by a handicap. Simply put, there was no need for me to go all out ¡ª that is to say, cast a spell ¡ª against an opponent like you.¡±

    ¡°Son of a bitch¡ª!¡±

    ¡°Well then, since the truth¡¯s out, let¡¯s begin... but first, these are in the way.¡±

    There was a grinding sound as the Elder Lich pulled out the stilettos which had been stabbed into its eyes and cast them aside. As the undead creature did this, Clementine was still struggling for dear life, but even her full strength could notpare to the power in just a single arm of his. All she could do was squirm helplessly within his embrace, unable to move.

    After the two stilettos were drawn out, an evil red light remained in those empty eye sockets. They looked down on the panting, gasping Clementine as she exerted herself.

    ¡°Now then, shall we begin?¡±

    Clementine ¡ª who was on guard against anything her opponent might try to pull ever since she heard the word ¡°begin¡± ¡ª felt herself being drawn nearer to the Elder Lich, closer than even lovers were.

    After that, she heard a strange creaking sound.

    Clementine understood what the Elder Lich was doing as a chill ran down her spine, as though she had been impaled by an icicle.

    ¡°...No... no way, you bastard¡ª!¡±

    The creaking sound was the bending of armor.

    ¡ªHe was nning to crush her t against his own chest.

    Of course her own armor would press against the Elder Lich¡¯s chest, but he must have used some method to harden his own body. His immovable body was like a sturdy, thick wall.

    ¡°Perhaps if you were weaker...¡±

    The Elder Lich withdrew a dagger from somewhere. It was ck, with four jewels set into its hilt.

    ¡°I thought about using this to finish you off... but well, isn¡¯t it all the same if you get stabbed to death by a sword, die by having your spine broken, or get crushed to death? In the end, you die.¡±

    Clementine¡¯s body shuddered.

    His casual tone caused panic to bloom in her heart, and the crushing pressure on her chest grew. The metal tes taken from the adventurers she had killed could no longer bear the strain, and they scattered to the ground like they were being buried.

    The first to fall were the four silver tes which she had recently acquired.

    It was frightening how it was bing more and more painful to breathe.

    She hated the arm at her back, the one which held her.

    She resented herself for wearing light armor to increase her evasive ability and to disy her adventurer¡¯s te trophies.

    Clementine knew that swords were useless against the Elder Lich, and so she punched wildly at his face. However, that hurt Clementine more than it did him. Then, as the pain set in, she reached for her morningstar to maul him, but she was not used to wielding it and injured herself instead.

    She could clearly see the fate awaiting her. From how the act of breathing was getting more and more difficult, the ever-increasing pressure on her belly, her slowly deforming armor, she knew exactly what was going to happen to her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother struggling. Do you think I can¡¯t end this quickly just by changing where my arm is pressing? You took your time killing them, so I¡¯m going to take my time killing you as well.¡±

    Clementine desperately iled at him.

    She tried to push his face away, scratched at him until her nails nearly came off, even tried biting him ¡ª but nothing she did worked, and the unbearable pressure kept increasing.

    No matter how hard she struggled, she could not break free of the arm binding her. Even so, Clementine kept squirming, betting everything for a slim chance at hope even as it became difficult to breathe and her vision began cking out.

    ¡°Is this the dance of death?¡±

    She did not even have the strength to hear those whispered words.

    There was the sound of retching, and then vomit spewed over Ainz¡¯s body. The scarlet points of light in Ainz¡¯s eyes dimmed slightly.

    Clementine, who had been desperately swinging her arms about in the hope of escaping, was now a spasming lump of meat.

    Still, Ainz did not loosen his grip, but tightened it further. Soon, the feeling of thick bones breaking ran up through Ainz¡¯s arms.

    He released the body, which could not even twitch any more.

    Clementine¡¯s body thudded heavily on the ground, like a sack of rubbish. Her face was a hideous blend of agony and terror. Like a deep sea fish brought up to the surface, one could see her internal organs in her mouth.

    Ainz took out his Pitcher of Endless Water, and used its ever flowing stream of clean water to rid himself of the vomit that stuck to his body. At the same time, he spoke casually to Clementine, who could no longer answer him:

    ¡°I forgot to tell you... but I am a terrible hypocrite.¡±

    Part 5

    Just as Ainz was starting to get annoyed by having to wet his clothes while cleaning his body, he heard a huge object approaching fast. He turned toward the source of the sound, and as it turned out, it was Hamsuke.

    Hamsuke¡¯s fighting power was far weaker than that of Ainz or Narberal. Allowing it to fight would only lead to unnecessary injuries. Therefore, he ordered it to stand by some distance away. It must havee because it could not hear the sound of fighting any more.

    He recognized the expression on the giant hamster¡¯s adorable face ¡ª it was worried for Ainz ¡ª and he went a little weak.

    The giant hamster, which did not know what its master was thinking, approached Ainz with unexpected speed and then looked around. When it locked eyes with Ainz:

    ¡°Geh¡ª!¡±

    It flipped over and bared its belly while wailing:

    ¡°...There¡¯s a horrible monster here! Milord! Milord~!¡±

    Ainz grabbed his head, all the strength fleeing his body. Come to think of it, he had not yet shown Hamsuke his true form. However, he could not let it continue making a racket here. As he looked to the graveyard wall in the distance, he saw that the adventurers were still battling the Wraiths. Judging by distance alone they should not be able to hear Hamsuke, but there was no guarantee of that.

    In a stern tone, Ainz scolded Hamsuke:

    ¡°...That¡¯s enough clowning around from you.¡±

    ¡°Oh? That manly andmanding voice... could it be milord?¡±

    ¡°...Indeed. That¡¯s why I want you to keep your voice down.¡±

    ¡°Unbelievable! This is more than what I expected... though I long knew milord was possessed of tremendous power... this Hamsuke¡¯s faithful loyalty to you is redoubled!¡±

    ¡°Is that so? However, I¡¯ll say it again ¡ª keep your voice down.¡±

    ¡°That, that¡¯s cruel, milord! Please do not make light of your servant¡¯s pledge of loyalty!¡±

    ¡°...Did you not hear what Ainz-sama said? Fool.¡±

    Part of Hamsuke¡¯s body ttened as it was kicked into the distance. In ce of its body was Narberal¡¯s foot, which she slowly withdrew.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, there should be no value in raising this foolish lifeform. Would you allow your loyal servant to incinerate it with lightning?¡±

    ¡°No... being known as the one whomands the Wise King of the Forest is quite worthwhile. Having it alive and well on our travels is beneficial to us. Back to the point ¡ª Narberal, time is short. Go loot their bodies. We might need to turn their possessions over to the local authorities, so we need to ascertain the value of those objects first.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    ¡°I will be in the chapel. Take care of the rest.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Then... what about the corpses? Should we take them back to Nazarick?¡±

    ¡°No. We might need to hand over the masterminds behind the incident, so just take their equipment.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    ¡°Owie...¡±

    Hamsuke ¡ª who had just run back ¡ª sighed with deliberate loudness. Narberal red coldly at him:

    ¡°Ainz-sama¡¯s words are more important than anything you have to say. This is basic knowledge for one of his servants. A lifeform like you is the lowest-ranked of all his minions, so you will either pay attention or I will kill you on the spot.¡±

    Hamsuke shivered.

    ¡°Next time, it will not be a physical attack, but magic. For the crime of disobeying Ainz-sama, you will suffer until you pray for death.¡±

    ¡°I understand... please do not put on that scary face... although, I was quite surprised by how majestic he looked. It was quite impressive.¡±

    Narberal¡¯s expression softened a little and she said:

    ¡°Indeed. Ainz-sama cuts an impressive figure. At least you have good taste.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your praise. But if that is how milord looks, then do you have another face as well, Narberal-dono?¡±

    ¡°...I am a Doppelganger. This face of mine is made by my own innate abilities. Watch.¡±

    She removed a glove and revealed a hand with only three fingers, which were longer than human fingers. They resembled the bodies of peppered moths.

    ¡°I, I see...¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t look so surprised. You¡¯re a servant in the Great Tomb of Nazarick as well, so don¡¯t make such a big deal over such small things. Anyway, I¡¯m going to strip the magic items from the corpses, soe along and help me.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Understood!¡±

    ? ? ?

    The boy (Nfirea) was in the chapel. As Ainz looked at him, the red light in his eye sockets dimmed.

    He wore a strange, transparent outfit which drew attention to his body, but Ainz¡¯s attention was on his face.

    Someone had cut him across the face and punctured his eyes. From the tear-shaped clots of reddish-ck blood that wept down his cheeks, it was clear that he was blind.

    ¡°Well... blindness can be cured... magic really is convenient.¡±

    The question now was Nfirea¡¯s current condition.

    He had been standing up here, but had not reacted to Ainz¡¯s arrival. Even if his eyes could not see, he should have known that someone wasing. However, there was no reaction, which implied one thing ¡ª mind control. The question now was what sort of control he was under.

    ¡°It must be this.¡±

    Ainz¡¯s gaze settled on the spiderweb-like crown which rested on Nfirea¡¯s head. Or rather, it would be better to say that nothing else looked more suspicious than it.

    Just as he reached out to remove the crown, Ainz stopped himself halfway. Since he did not know what had caused this, he should not make any careless moves. Therefore, Ainz cast a spell on the crown.

    ¡°¡¸All Appraisal Magic Item¡¹.¡±

    In YGGDRASIL, this spell would tell its caster about a magic item¡¯s creator and manufacturer. The spell could also be cast here. No, beyond that, information which could not appear in YGGDRASIL showed up in Ainz¡¯s mind.

    ¡°The Crown of Wisdom... I see. However... this item¡¯s abilities don¡¯t exist in YGGDRASIL... so it¡¯s a magic item that could not have existed in YGGDRASIL.¡±

    Ainz sighed after learning all this, and began thinking about what to do next.

    He was mainly concerned about the benefits of bringing Nfirea back to the Great Tomb of Nazarick. The prospect of gaining a rare magic item and an equally rare talent-holder was very attractive.

    However, his hesitation onlysted for a moment.

    ¡°Since I epted this task, failing it on purpose would stain the name of Ainz Ooal Gown.¡±

    ¡°¡¸Greater Break Item¡¹.¡±

    Ainz cast a spell on the crown. The sight of it dposing into sparkling dust was quite beautiful.

    Ainz tenderly embraced the limp youth and gentlyid him on the ground. Then he examined Nfirea¡¯s face.

    ¡°After this... all I need to do is heal his eyes... though I probably shouldn¡¯t do that here.¡±

    Ainz touched his face and then rose slowly. The undead he had summoned had not beenpletely wiped out yet, but he sensed that some of them had already been destroyed. Soon, the reinforcements ¡ª or rather, interfering busybodies ¡ª would find this ce. Before that, he had to recast his facial illusion and remake his swords and armor.

    He also had to recover their magic items quickly.

    Unlike how things were when he PKed in YGGDRASIL, he could take all their weapons and gear for this own. It pleased him.

    As he looked back to see if he needed to help Narberal collect the equipment, she appeared at the entrance of the chapel.

    ¡°Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Have you already collected the enemy¡¯s gear? How about their cash?¡±

    ¡°Yes. However, there is something I wanted to consult you about, concerning this.¡±

    Narberal advanced into the chapel, a ck orb in her hand. It looked uneven, like a pebble one might find by the side of a river, and it did not seem very valuable.

    ¡°...What is that?¡±

    ¡°It seems to be something which the inferior lifeform (tworm) I fought treasured deeply. However, I do not know what effects it has...¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    Narberal the NPC knew far fewer spells than Ainz, and most of them werebat spells. This was why she could not appraise its value.

    Ainz picked up the orb, and cast the same spell he had just now.

    ¡°¡¸All Appraisal Magic Item¡¹.¡±

    The red points of light which served as Ainz¡¯s eyes lit up.

    ¡°What is this...? The Orb of Death? And... it¡¯s an intelligent magic item?¡±

    The Orb of Death was an impressive name, but it was hardly outstanding.

    It aided in controlling the undead, and it could cast several different necromantic spells every day, but none of those appealed to Ainz. It also had the drawback of mentally dominating humans who held it, although Ainz and Narberal ¡ª who possessed defenses against mind-affecting effects ¡ª were immune, as were demihumans or heteromorphic creatures.

    ¡°What a strange item...¡±

    The only thing which intrigued him was the fact that it was an intelligent magic item.

    Ainz poked it lightly, and just as he was about tomand it to speak, there was a voice in his head.

    ¡°¡ªGreetings to you, oh mighty King of Death.¡±

    Those words echoed within his skull. Ainz continued looking at the Orb. In a world of monsters and magic, this was hardly something to shout about.

    ¡°Umu, it really is an intelligent magic item.¡±

    Ainz nimbly rolled the Orb from hand to hand, and then continued examining it. However, the Orb did not show any sign of wanting to speak. Ainz pondered the situation, and then after deciding a possible reason for this, he said:

    ¡°I permit you to speak.¡±

    ¡°¡ªYou have my deepest thanks, mighty King of Death.¡±

    This reaction reminded Ainz of the loyal NPCs of Nazarick, and he chuckled.

    ¡°¡ªPlease ept the utmost respect of this one for the absolute aura of Death which surrounds you.¡±

    I should have dispelled all my auras. Why does this item keep calling me the King of Death?

    ¡°I shall permit it.¡±

    ¡°¡ªMy deepest thanks, oh Supreme Overlord of Death. I am deeply grateful to all the forms of death which exist within this world that I could encounter an exalted being like yourself.¡±

    Though the Orb wasying it on a bit thick, those words seemed sincere enough. It made Ainz¡¯s back itch a little, so he thrust his chest forward and said:

    ¡°And? Can you speak anything besides ttery?¡±

    ¡°¡ªYes. This one deeply apologizes for this thoughtless request, but this one has a wish that it hopes you will help to grant.¡±

    ¡°What wish?¡±

    ¡°¡ªYes. This one has always felt that it hade to this world in order to spread death, but after meeting a mighty King of Death like yourself, this one realised that it had been truly born in order to serve you.¡±

    ¡°...Oh.¡±

    ¡°¡ªOh mighty King of Death, please ept this one¡¯s fealty. This one hopes to have a ce among your faithful servants.¡±

    It sounded sincere enough, and if it had a head, it would probably have been lowered. Ainz pressed his knuckles to his mouth and began thinking. He had to consider the merits and demerits of taking it as a minion, whether it was reliable, and so on.

    Ainz examined the magic item again. For safety¡¯s sake, he should probably destroy it. However, something like this did not exist in YGGDRASIL, so destroying it would be a waste.

    After casting several protective spells on the Orb, Ainz called out to the giant hamster that had entered the chapel.

    ¡°Hamsuke.¡±

    ¡°What does milord desire?¡±

    ¡°Take it.¡±

    Ainz tossed the Orb he was holding, and Hamsuke nimbly caught it.

    ¡°May I ask milord about this item?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a magic item. You can use it, right?¡±

    ¡°Mm... I should be able to! But it¡¯s noisy! It¡¯s so loud I want to return it to milord.¡±

    Narberal looked at Hamsuke, her eyes wide.

    ¡°Are you giving it to the neer?¡±

    Ainz could tell from the way she had lost control of her voice that Narberal was deeply shaken.

    ¡°Though I¡¯ve already cast anti-detection spells on it, I can¡¯t say it¡¯s perfectly safe, so it¡¯s better to hand it to Hamsuke.¡±

    ¡°I see! As expected of Ainz-sama. Your wise judgements are impable.¡±

    Before him were Narberal and Hamsuke, who was bowing. Its cheeks wererger than a human¡¯s fists.

    Just as he was about to order them to fall back, Ainz noticed his bright red cape. On a whim, he grabbed its hem.

    ¡°Now then. If the recovery isplete, then let us take Nfirea¡ª¡±

    Ainz flourished his red cape in a grandiose manner.

    ¡°¡ªAnd return in triumph.¡±

 Chapter 13 - Volume 2

    Overlord Volume 2 Chapter 5

    Epilogue

    He pushed open the doors to the inn where he had stayed earlier.

    The inn went silent, and countless eyes focused themselves on Ainz. This time, nobody obstructed him, and he came before the innkeeper.

    ¡°You...¡±

    The eyes of the innkeeper and the inn¡¯s patrons were all drawn to the metal te around Ainz¡¯s neck.

    In a casual tone which sounded like he was smiling, Ainz said:

    ¡°A double room.¡±

    After putting down the silver piece, he took the keys from the speechless innkeeper.

    And so, Ainz entered his room, where he dispelled his magic and resumed his true face.

    The mithril te around his neck clinked loudly against the Nemean Lion Pendant. He had exined his part inst night¡¯s activities in the graveyard, and had been awarded that metal te.

    The reason why the inn had gone silent was because of that te. A man who had been a copper te adventurer several days ago had now risen quickly through the ranks when they saw him again. This was beyond their ability toprehend.

    Their honest reaction filled Ainz with a sense of superiority, as well as dissatisfaction. In his heart, he had been hoping to be promoted all the way to orichalcum rank, but he had only managed the rank before that. What would they have done if he had really obtained an orichalcum te?

    Still, this was not an entirely impossible feat.

    Only a small amount of people knew about this matter. However, when he narrated the events at the guild, Ainz¡¯s aplishments were truly unbelievable. Though he could have been elevated to adamantite rank right away, that had not happened because Ainz had no prior aplishments and the investigations into the matter were notplete. Therefore, the Guild had decided to be prudent about this.

    In other words, the Guild already thought of Ainz as an equal to the two adamantite-ranked adventurer parties in the Kingdom.

    In addition, as time went by, the story of the battle in the graveyard, as well as the great name of Ainz ¡ª Momon would certainly spread throughout the city. This was because the fleeing guards talked about the exploits of Ainz.

    The n had gone so smoothly that Ainz could not help but smile. No, it had not gone smoothly; it had gone perfectly.

    Ainz flicked the mithril te with a finger, and then Narberal asked the question in her heart.

    ¡°May I ask how we should deal with those two? They said they would contact us about the appropriate remuneration.¡±

    Narberal was referring to Nfirea and Lizzie Bareare ¡ª the two herbalists. Ainz had already decided how to deal with them.

    ¡°Lizzie said she would pay everything she had. Therefore, I will have her bring her grandson to Carne Vige. She will make potions for me ¡ª no, for the Great Tomb of Nazarick.¡±

    ¡°...There are people who can make potions in Nazarick as well. Why must you specially engage these lower lifeforms (penis fishes) to do so as well?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because I want a new source of power.¡±

    Narberal stared dumbfoundedly and did not respond, so Ainz continued:

    ¡°I have considered that potion ingredients might run dry, so it is necessary to develop potion-making methods other than those of YGGDRASIL. In addition, we might be able tobine the methods of this world and YGGDRASIL, thus opening up a new avenue of power for us. After all, we might have already fallen behind by six hundred years. Of course, we¡¯ll need to sternly warn her not to spread the means of making those potions... but looking at her, it seems that won¡¯t be a problem.¡±

    Ainz recalled Lizzie¡¯s reaction when he brought Nfirea back to her.

    He had already healed Nfirea¡¯s eyes, but he was still only semi-conscious due to the tremendous shock he had received. Even so, when Lizzie learned that her grandson¡¯s life was no longer in danger, she wept copiously, and swore that she would pay Ainz what she had promised.

    ¡°Let¡¯s leave Lizzie aside for now. There¡¯s something more important to take care of.¡±

    Ainz cast the ¡¸Message¡¹ spell and contacted Albedo.

    He had received Entoma¡¯s ¡¸Message¡¹ earlier, but since he was not free to talk earlier, Ainz could only tell her not to worry too much about things. After that, he had been far too busy to talk.

    After the ¡¸Message¡¹ connected to Albedo, the first thing she said far exceeded his imagination.

    ¡º¡ªAinz-sama. Shalltear Bloodfallen has rebelled against us.¡»

    For a moment, he had no idea what those words meant. After they slowly filtered into his mind, Ainz¡¯s reaction was like that of a moron.

    ¡°...Hah?¡±

 Chapter 14 - Volume 2

    Overlord Volume 2 Afterword

    Afterword

    Greetings, dear readers, it¡¯s been a while. This is Maruyama Kugane.

    I have a small tale to tell from when I was redoing the battle scenes. When I was acting out the movements in real life, I identally knocked over a cup full of cafe auit with my left hand. I almost cried when the coffee-colored liquid sprayed everywhere. Though my bed was slightly stained, it was not arge patch, and the manuscript was unharmed, so I guess it was not that bad. If any of you readers are interested, you can try looking for the scene where I spilled my cafe auit.

    It is the scene which smells of milk.

    Amidst all of these trials and tribtions was born Overlord 2: Warrior of Darkness. I would be d if you enjoyed it.

    I trust you can rmend this story to those people who are tired of the cliche of saving the damsel in distress. Since men and women are equal, then saving a male character should be fine, right? Although the protagonist always thinks of his own gain in everything he does, it would please me if you enjoyed a character like him who is motivated by self-interest.

    Then, I will express my thanks next.

    First, thank you to So-bin-sama, who drew the beautiful illustration for this book as well. The final product was more exciting than I imagined, and thanks to the art, I redid some of the battle scenes.

    Thank you to Chord Design Studio, who once again helped me to produce an exquisite book cover and binding. I¡¯m also very grateful to Ohaku-sama, who helped proofread some of the more difficult parts to understand. Thank you for this time as well, Editor F-Da-sama, I know I¡¯ve caused a lot of trouble for you. Please add a little more red for me! No, I know it¡¯s better not to have it...

    Also, to my university friend Honey ¡ª thanks for this time too.

    Andst but not least, to the gentle readers who bought this book, as well as the online friends who gave their feedback while the  was still running, thank you very much. Your remarks have always been a source of motivation for me.

    Then, the next volume... it should be easier than this one... do I have to read it again? I don¡¯t really want to...

    No, as an author, I can do it for the sake of producing an interesting work... oh, that¡¯s enough of my mumbling. It¡¯s about time I bade you all farewell.

    I will continue working hard, and I hope to see you again in the third volume.

    See you again.

    2012/11

    Maruyama Kugane

 Chapter 15 - Volume 3

    Overlord Volume 3 Chapter 1

    Herd of Predators

    Part 1

    ¡°What kind of food is this!?¡±

    A shrill, nigh-hysterical voice cut through the air, and then the sound of crashing cutlery echoed through the dining room.

    Several people turned to look at the girl who was kicking up a fuss.

    The girl was so beautiful that using the word to describe her seemed inadequate. Her looks could rival those of the Kingdom¡¯s most beautiful woman ¡ª the one with the appetion of ¡°Golden¡± ¡ª and her anger only added to her charm.

    In addition, every move she made was elegant and refined, even while throwing a tantrum.

    She must have been nobility in some country, the heiress to a highborn family. She flicked at her long French curls in annoyance, and red at the food before her in dissatisfaction.

    All manner of dishes packed the table before her.

    There were freshly-baked loaves of bread, still steaming in their basket. The tes wereden with thick, rare cuts of juicy red meat, served with sweetcorn and buttered mashed potatoes. The sight of them stimted the appetite. The fresh vegetables which made up the sd were still crisp and soft, and their fragrant dressing filled the room with a citrus scent.

    The highest-ss inn in E-Rantel ¡ª the Shining Golden Pavilion ¡ª used ¡¸Preservation¡¹ magic to keep their ingredients fresh. Naturally, only the finest of chefs were allowed to turn said ingredients into meals.

    However, despite the best efforts of the most skilled chefs that used the finest ingredients to produce culinary works of art ¡ª which only nobility, royalty, or the wealthiest of merchants would be privileged enough to taste ¡ª the girl turned her nose up at the tes before her.

    It was only natural to feel shocked by herint, but beyond that, the people who heard her also felt curiosity about what she normally ate.

    ¡°It tastes horrible!¡±

    The words she uttered after that were singrly inappropriate for this ce, and they left everyone in the room speechless.

    However, the old butler behind the girl kept his expression neutral and did not change his stance Even when the girl turned and red at him, he remained unmoved, as though he could not make any other facial expressions.

    ¡°Ahhhh, I can¡¯t bear to stay in this run-down city any further! We¡¯re setting out now!¡±

    ¡°But Young Mistress, it¡¯s already evening¡ª¡±

    ¡°Silence! I said we¡¯re going, so we¡¯re going, do you understand me!?¡±

    Only after hearing the girl¡¯s childish tantrum did the butler¡¯s posture change. He lowered his head and replied:

    ¡°Understood, Young Mistress. I shall begin travel preparations immediately.¡±

    ¡°Hmph! If you understand, then hurry up and get ready, Sebas!¡±

    The girl tossed away the fork she was holding and rose to her feet, before flouncing out of the dining room. She was still fuming as she did so.

    After the storm had passed, a solemn, dignified voice lightened the heavy mood in the room:

    ¡°I apologize to everyone for the disturbance.¡±

    The butler picked up the chair which the girl had knocked over and reced it, then bowed deeply to everyone in the dining room as a sign of contrition. Quite a few of them epted the old man¡¯s immacte apology with pitying eyes.

    ¡°¡ªInnkeeper.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    A man who had been waiting in the wings approached the butler.

    ¡°Once again, I apologize for startling everyone. Though I know it will not excuse this offense, I hope you will allow me to pay for the meals of everyone here.¡±

    Looks of delight bloomed on the faces of several of the diners as they heard those words. A meal in a first-rate inn like this would certainly not be cheap. If this old man was willing to pay for their food, that would be a good enough reason to forgive that girl.

    On the other hand, the innkeeper¡¯s face remained impassive as he bowed politely in response to the butler¡¯s proposal. That natural reaction of his was proof that scenes like this had been seen many times, ever since this pair of master and servant had taken up lodgings at the Shining Golden Pavilion.

    Sebas looked toward a corner of the dining hall, at a destitute-looking man shoveling food into his mouth. As the man noticed Sebas¡¯s eyes on him, he rose to his feet and quickly walked towards Sebas.

    Compared to the other guests, the man seemedpletely out of ce. Hecked both style and ss, and so he stood out from everyone around him.

    Although his clothes were no shabbier than those of the people nearby, they did not go well on him. In fact, it was quiteical ¡ª like a clown in fancy dress.

    ¡°Master Sebas.¡±

    ¡°What is it, Zack-san?¡±

    The other guests frowned as they heard the smarmy tones in which Zack spoke. The way he wrung his hands went very well with the way he was toadying up to Sebas.

    However, Sebas¡¯s expression remained unchanged.

    ¡°As a hired man, I have no room to propose an alternative... but would it not be better to reconsider the decision to set off immediately?¡±

    ¡°Are you saying you have difficulty driving a wagon at night?¡±

    ¡°That is one of the reasons, and... I have some... other business to take care of.¡±

    Zack scratched his head over and over again. Though his hair looked clean enough, the way he was scratching made it seem like he was going to start throwing off kes of skin. Quite a few people¡¯s frowns deepened further. However, whether he had noticed or not, he ended up scratching even harder.

    ¡°However, the Young Mistress will most likely not ept that suggestion. Or rather, given the Young Mistress¡¯s personality, she will not change her earlier decision.¡±

    With a steely, unyielding look on his face, Sebas concluded:

    ¡°Therefore, we have no choice but to set out.¡±

    ¡°But...¡±

    Zack¡¯s eyes darted around, looking for some other excuse to give. However, he found none, and he grimaced.

    ¡°Of course, we will not be leaving right away. We will need some time to load the Young Mistress¡¯s luggage onto the wagon. During that time, please prepare for our departure.¡±

    Sebas noted the wily gleam in the eyes of the impoverished-looking man before him as he scrabbled for something to say. However, Sebas did not show any signs that he cared.

    This was all to cover up the fact that all was going as nned.

    ¡°Then, when will we be leaving?¡±

    ¡°How about two, maybe three hourster? If we leaveter than that, the streets will be shrouded in darkness. That is probably the limit.¡±

    That disgusting, calctive look appeared in the man¡¯s eyes again. Sebas once again pretended that he had not noticed it. After licking his lips several times, Zack replied:

    ¡°Hehe, that should be fine.¡±

    ¡°Excellent. Then, can I ask you to begin preparing right away?¡±

    ? ? ?

    As he watched Zack¡¯s retreating figure, Sebas waved his hand, as though to clear the air around him. It seemed polluted somehow, and it clung to him.

    Sebas ¡ª his face a mask of neutrality ¡ª fought the urge to sigh.

    Frankly speaking, Sebas had no love for such despicable characters. Perhaps his colleagues Demiurge and Shalltear could derive some minor amusement from these people by treating them like toys, but Sebas did not want to let people like that near himself.

    There were some shared opinions in the Great Tomb of Nazarick, such as, ¡°Everything which does not belong to Nazarick is an inferior lifeform,¡± and ¡°Other than a rare few exceptions, humans and demihumans are weaklings that must be trampled.¡± Sebas operated by his creator¡¯s credo that ¡°those who do not save the weak cannot call themselves strong,¡± and thus he had his doubts about those opinions. However, he began to feel that there might be some truth to them when he met wretched individuals like Zack.

    ¡°Good grief. Humans should be an outstanding species...¡±

    After raising his hand to stroke his neatly-trimmed moustache, he turned his thoughts to what he should do next.

    The n was going quite well. However, he still needed to confirm the details with his observer.

    Just as Sebas was thinking about the direction in which he would proceed, he noticed a man approaching him.

    ¡°It must be quite hard on you to have to set out at this time.¡±

    The person addressing him was a clean-shaven man in histe forties. His ck hair was streaked with white, and due to age and heavy meals, his pot belly was soft and rounded.

    He was tastefully-dressed, in clothes that both reflected his high station and his sense of style.

    ¡°Bardo-san, I presume?¡±

    Sebas dipped his head in acknowledgement. The man (Bardo) extended a hand to stop him.

    ¡°Ah, no, no, there¡¯s no need for such formality.¡±

    The man called Bardo Lofley was a merchant, who controlled arge portion of the grain trade in this city. For some reason, he hade over and begun speaking to Sebas.

    The Fortress City was a strategic location in war. Bardo was heavily involved in the food trade here, which made him quite a big figure among the city¡¯s many merchants.

    Once one had a fighting force of over ten thousand men, feeding them became a task which consumed great amounts of time and manpower. Therefore, the Kingdom¡¯s policy on that matter was to march their troops to this city with minimum rations, whereupon they would resupply upon arrival. Therefore, merchants who dealt in food and weapons were quite influential in this ce, unlike regr cities.

    Anyone in E-Rantel with such power would never chat up someone else simply because they were eating in the same restaurant. Therefore, he must have had some motive for reaching out to Sebas.

    Still, Sebas had been expecting this.

    ¡°Sebas-san, that person¡¯s not a good sort.¡±

    ¡°Is he?¡±

    Sebas¡¯s expression changed for the first time as he smiled while answering courteously. His response implied that he knew exactly who Bardo was referring to.

    ¡°He¡¯s not a trustworthy fellow. I have no idea why you would employ someone like him, Sebas-san.¡±

    Sebas thought quickly, looking for the answer which was most appropriate to the present circumstances.

    He could not tell the other man the true reasons behind hiring Zack. However, if he said that he had hired Zack because he was a nobody, Sebas would look bad in the eyes of others and their opinions of him would suffer.

    Although they had decided to leave this city, he wanted to avoid Bardo thinking poorly of him. In the future, they might need to make use of the man.

    ¡°That might be correct, but nobody has sold himself the way he does. Granted, his personality is wed, but the Young Mistress appreciates his passion.¡±

    Bardo smiled ufortably, and his opinion of the young mistress in question fell by another notch.

    She was there for precisely that purpose, so it could not be helped, but Sebas still found it difficult have her take the me for this.

    ¡°I fear I have gone too far. I hope you will remove those words from your memory; though I would still suggest that you try to persuade your mistress otherwise.¡±

    ¡°There might be merit in your words. However, when I think of the Young Mistress¡¯s father; that is to say, the kindness that he showed me, I simply cannot...¡±

    ¡°Of course, loyalty is important...¡±

    Bardo¡¯s voice trailed off, and the rest was unintelligible.

    ¡°In that case, would you like me to send a few reliable men along with you?¡±

    ¡°There is no need for you to go to such lengths for us.¡±

    Those words may have been spoken with kindness and warmth, but they were an irond denial. Perhaps Bardo sensed the firm determination hidden within that reply, which was why he decided to try a different angle of approach.

    ¡°Is that so? I personally feel it would be better to be escorted bypetent bodyguards. The way to the Royal Capital is long, and unlike the Empire, the roads of the Kingdom are not very safe. I could rmend some reliable mercenaries.¡±

    The security of the roads in the Kingdom fell to the nobles who owned thend through which those roads passed. In turn, they would collect a toll from travellers. This was the privilege of the nobles, but in truth, it was little more than a means of collecting a road tax, and the security of the roads was riddled through with holes in many ces. It was quitemon for travellers to meet brigands or sellswords who had turned to banditry while on the road.

    In an effort to solve this problem, the ¡°Golden Princess¡± had worked hard to have the roads patrolled by guardsmen loyal to the Crown. However, there were far too few of these patrolmen for the n to have any effect. In addition, the nobles were worried that their privileges would be infringed upon, and worked to get in the patrolmen¡¯s way.

    In the end, the situation was one where the country could not ensure the safety of its own roads.

    Therefore, travelling merchants typically hired adventurers or a band of trusted mercenaries to defend themselves. A powerful and prestigious person like Bardo would surely know of well-trained and reliable mercenaries. However, Sebas could not ept his offer.

    ¡°Indeed, you might be right to say so. However, the Young Mistress does not like having people by her side, and so I am bound toply with her requests as much as possible.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    Bardo was now frowning in an exaggerated manner, a troubled expression on his face. This was how an adult would react in the face of a child throwing a tantrum.

    ¡°I apologize for having to reject your kindness.¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t say that. In truth, I wanted to do you a favor, with the hopes of building a stronger rtionship with you.¡±

    Sebas andpany had lodged in this inn under the backstory of being an heiress and her faithful butler who hailed from a city in some part of the Empire. They had then shown the ample purchasing power such a background would merit, in order to see how the people around them would react. The favor Bardo wanted to do was calcted to ingratiate himself with such wealthy people.

    Sebas smiled gently at the fish which had taken the bait:

    ¡°I will ry your kindness to the Young Mistress¡¯s father (my master), Bardo-san.¡±

    A faint gleam crept into Bardo¡¯s eyes, but he swiftly concealed it. Normal people would not have perceived that momentary glittering. However, that brief exposure was more than enough for Sebas to notice it.

    ¡°Then, though I apologize for my rudeness, I must make a move first, for the Young Mistress is waiting.¡±

    Sebas took the initiative before Bardo could speak.

    Bardo ¡ª who had been seen through ¡ª blinked and studied Sebas¡¯s expression briefly, before sighing:

    ¡°¡ªHm, it can¡¯t be helped, then. Sebas-san, when youe to this city again, please look for me. I will wee you warmly.¡±

    ¡°Very well. When the timees, we will be in your care.¡±

    As he watched Bardo leave, Sebas muttered to himself:

    ¡°Humans really are a varied bunch.¡±

    Sebas could sense that Bardo¡¯s actions were not purely motivated by personal gain. He was genuinely concerned for the girl and her butler.

    It was because of people like these, who wanted to help those in need, that he could not bring himself to hate humanity.

    An unforced smile bloomed on Sebas¡¯s face.

    ? ? ?

    Sebas knocked several times, announced himself, and then entered the room.

    ¡°Forgive my unsightly conduct from earlier, Sebas-sama.¡±

    As Sebas closed the door after himself, a bowing girl greeted him. Anyone who had witnessed the scene in the dining room from earlier would probably be stunned, because the girl who greeted him was the selfish, temperamental, tantrum-throwing heiress from just now.

    She had a serious expression on her face, as though her hysterics from just now had been nothing more than an act.

    Her attitude was one which a subordinate would use to greet a superior.

    Her clothes and her face were the same, but it seemed as though she were apletely different person.

    Another thing was that she had one eye ¡ª her left eye ¡ª closed. She had not closed that eye while she was in the dining hall.

    ¡°There is no need to apologize. You were simply doing your job.¡±

    Sebas looked around the luxurious suite. Of course, it was hardly impressive to Sebas, who was in charge of the Ninth Floor of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. Hisck of surprise was simply because it was a poor choice forparison.

    From what he could see, there were stacks of luggage in the corner of the room. They were packed and ready for travel, and not by Sebas. The preparations had beenpleted by the only other person in the room.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tidy up the rest.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying, Sebas-sama? How could I possibly inconvenience you any further?¡±

    The girl who raised her head to answer him was one of the battle maids (Pleiades) ¡ª Solution Epsilon.

    ¡°Really now? But I am ying the role of your butler now, am I not?¡±

    There was a mischievous grin on Sebas¡¯s wrinkled face.

    After seeing Sebas¡¯s smile, Solution¡¯s face changed for the first time, to an ufortable smile.

    ¡°Indeed, you are my butler for now. However, I am also your subordinate, Sebas-sama.¡±

    ¡°...Well, that¡¯s true, then, as your superior, I shall issue an order to you: your tasks areplete, and it is my turn to work. Rest here until we set out.¡±

    ¡°...Yes. Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Then, I shall go meet Shalltear-sama on the coach and inform her when we are leaving. She must be getting tired of waiting.¡±

    Sebas easily lifted up one of the biggest pieces of luggage before suddenly speaking, as though he had just thought of something.

    ¡°Speaking of which, is he moving as we expected?¡±

    ¡°Yes, all is proceeding as predicted.¡±

    Solution pressed the skin which covered her tightly-shut eye.

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Then, what¡¯s his situation?¡±

    ¡°Yes ¡ª currently, he is meeting with a dishevelled-looking man. Do you wish to hear what they are saying?¡±

    ¡°There is no need for that. I¡¯ll be moving the luggage, so give me a summary report afterwards.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Solution¡¯s face suddenly twisted.

    The corners of her eyes dropped while her mouth curved upwards. While it vaguely resembled a smile, the contortions required to produce such an expression would be impossible for a human being to achieve. Perhaps it would be better to describe it as a distorted face made of y.

    ¡°¡ªAh, that¡¯s right. Sebas-sama, please permit me to change the topic.¡±

    ¡°What is it, Solution?¡±

    ¡°...After all this is over, may I dispose of that man?¡±

    Sebas freed up a hand to stroke his moustache and considered the matter.

    ¡°¡ªOnly with Shalltear-sama¡¯s permission. However, if she allows it, you may do as you please.¡±

    Solution¡¯s forehead furrowed slightly, the disappointment on her face speaking for herself. As though tofort her, Sebas continued speaking:

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. Giving you one human should not be a problem.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? I understand. Then, please tell Shalltear-sama that I would like that man, if possible.¡±

    Solution was all smiles. That sunny, cheerful expression would entrance anyone who saw it.

    Sebas simultaneously pitied and wanted to know more about the man who could put a look like that on Solution¡¯s face. Therefore, he asked her:

    ¡°What did that man say?¡±

    ¡°Oh, something about ¡®I can¡¯t wait to have fun with her,¡¯ so since these chances are hard toe by, I intend to have fun with him as well.¡±

    Solution¡¯s smile beamed ever brighter.

    That smile ¡ª as innocent as a child¡¯s ¡ª looked forward to what woulde next.

    Part 2

    A pitiful life.

    As Zack moved with hurried steps, he thought about how pitiful his life had been.

    He had been born to a farmer¡¯s family in a vige of the Kingdom. It could not be considered a happy life by any stretch of the word.

    The fruits of their hardbor were taken away by the lord of thend. If he took sixty percent of their harvest, it might still be bearable. They could still live on the remaining forty percent, albeit in poverty.

    However, if he took eighty percent of their harvest, they would be in big trouble. It was hard enough to survive on forty percent of the crops. If they only had twenty percent left, their lives would be extremely difficult.

    During that year when they had only been allowed to keep twenty percent of their harvest, Zack returned home, exhausted from a day of hard fieldwork, and found that his little sister was missing.

    At that time, Zack was young and did not know what was going on. His beloved little sister had disappeared, yet his parents had not gone looking for her. Zack understood now that she had probably been sold off. very was now ouwed through the efforts of the ¡°Golden Princess,¡± but at that time it had been quite widespread throughout the Kingdom.

    Therefore, whenever Zack went whoring and passed a hooker, he could not help but look at the girl¡¯s face. Of course, he did not think he would actually be able to find his little sister, and even if he did find her, he did not know what he would say to her. Even so, he could not help but keep looking.

    And amidst this miserable life of poverty, he had been conscripted.

    The Kingdom periodically mobilized its armies against the Empire, and when it did so, the Kingdom would round up all the able-bodied men in the viges and send them to the battlefield. The absence of their strong young men for a month had dire consequences for the viges. However, some people were grateful for this conscription.

    After all, the less mouths to feed, the less food the families would need. In addition, the young conscripts would be fed by the Kingdom. For some, it might be the first time they had ever eaten their fill.

    Still, that was all the merit that situation held. No matter how hard a man fought, he would not be rewarded unless he had made outstanding aplishments. No, sometimes these men would not be rewarded no matter what they did. Only the lucky would be rewarded. Then, when they returned to their viges, they still had to face the despondent reality that the harvest was poor, because there had been too few hands to take it in.

    Zack had been conscripted twice, but his third tour of duty had seen his fortunes change.

    That war had been the same as all the others, ending after a few minor skirmishes. Zack, who had held onto his life, was about to head home when he stopped. He looked at the weapon in his hand, and it was as though he had received a sign from the heavens.

    Instead of returning to his vige, would it not be better to choose a different way of life?

    Still, Zack was a mere farmer with just a bit of basic training. He had little choice in what sort of new life he could lead.

    He did not possess exceptional physical abilities, nor did he possess a talent, a special ability that was only possessed by a few special people. His learning wasrgely rted to farming ¡ª when to sow which seeds and so on.

    What Zack decided to do pertained to the sole trump card he possessed; in other words, running away with the weapon that the Kingdom had temporarily issued him. He had not considered the difficulties it would cause for his parents because they had sold off his little sister ¡ª even if it was to keep the rest of the family alive ¡ª and thus he did not love his parents.

    But how could someone who did not know thend or have any backers desert so easily? In the end, he managed to find people to help him, which was fortunate, in a sense.

    The people who aided him in deserting were a band of sellswords.

    Of course, a farmer like Zack was hardly of any use to a mercenary band. However, the band had lost many of its members during the war, and their aim was to replenish their numbers as soon as possible.

    This was the reason why the mercenary band let him join so easily. However, they were not a proper,w-abiding organization. While they fought as mercenaries in wartime, during peacetime they were essentially bandits.

    After that, Zack led a life filled with unspeakable deeds.

    Having was better than not having. Taking was better than being taken from. Making others weep was better than weeping himself

    This was the life Zack lived.

    He did not feel it was wrong, nor did he regret it.

    His faith in that grew ever deeper every time he heard the wails of the oppressed.

    ? ? ?

    Zack ran through the pauper¡¯s district. He ran toward a world that was a deeper red than the setting sun.

    Having run continuously ever since leaving the inn, he was panting heavily and his forehead was covered in sweat. His building fatigue made him want to stop, and he wondered if he should take a break. However, time was tight, and so Zack spurred his tired body forward and continued running.

    Just then, as Zack took a sharp turn¡ª

    ¡°That was close~¡± mumbled the figure on the other side of the corner as it somersaulted away, apanied by the ttering of metal.

    A startled Zack looked at the ck shape which had leapt clear.

    She was a pretty girl. She wore a ck cape which made her seem to blend into the shadows, but her shiny purple eyes, filled with curiosity, were looking straight at Zack.

    Tired and out of patience, Zack yelled at her.

    ¡°That¡¯s my line! It¡¯s dangerous! Watch where you¡¯re going!¡±

    The girl did not seem afraid of Zack¡¯s ranting. Instead, she smiled coldly.

    That spine-chilling smile made Zack retreat instinctively, without the courage to so much as draw his weapon. It was like a lion ring at a mouse.

    Perhaps the sound of metal he heard when the girl had leapt back came from the armor she was wearing.

    An armed and armored girl ¡ª perhaps she was an adventurer.

    He had picked the wrong person to antagonize.

    Danger sirens red through Zack¡¯s head, and at the same time he thought of something.

    He did not look down on her as weak because she was a woman. Zack knew that there was an adventurer teamposed purely of strong women. The strongest man in the mercenary band he belonged to had brought it up once.

    On the other hand, Zack might have been a mercenary, but he was one of the weakest members of their fighting men. This was why he had been given a job like this.

    He was covered in sweat from running, and as Zack began regretting what he had done, it quickly became another type of sweat altogether.

    Just as a look of fearpletely covered Zack¡¯s face, the girl¡¯s smile lost its frightening quality.

    ¡°Hm~ Ah well, forget it. I don¡¯t have time for this. Still, if I run into you again, you¡¯re going to have a bad time~¡±

    The girl went around him, leaving those words behind. Interested, Zack turned to watch as she left. He mused that the ce in front of him was an uninhabited part of the pauper¡¯s district.

    What was a beautiful woman doing out here sote? The thought piqued his curiosity, but he had something more important waiting for him, so he cut his introspection short and moved on.

    Soon, he arrived in the pauper¡¯s district, at a corner which was filled with many run-down houses. He looked around to see if anyone was following him.

    The sun slowly sank beneath the horizon, painting the world in shades of ck, so Zack focused on whether anyone was hiding in dark corners. He had already checked several times before now, but just to be safe, he took onest look.

    Zack nodded in satisfaction, and as he got his breathing under control, he knocked thrice on a door. After waiting five seconds, he knocked four more times.

    After giving the prearranged signal, he received an immediate response. The creaking of wood came from the other side of the door, and the wooden shutter which blocked the peephole slid out of the way. Zack could see a man¡¯s eyes on the other side of the door, looking him up and down and verifying his identity.

    ¡°It¡¯s you. Ah, wait a minute.¡±

    Without waiting for Zack¡¯s reply, the man slid the peephole shut, and that sound was followed by that of a heavy lock disengaging. The door cracked open slightly.

    ¡°Come in.¡±

    There was a faint scent of roting from within the room, which was as far removed from the ce Zack had been as the heavens were from the earth. Hoping that his nose could get used to the smell, Zack nimbly wriggled into the room.

    Once the door shut, he saw that the interior was tiny and dark.

    The door led directly to the kitchen and dining room, which was furnished with a table. There was a candle on the table, whose feeble light somewhat dispelled the darkness of the room.

    A filthy man who looked like he dealt in violence for a living pulled up a nearby chair and took a seat. The chair creaked as he sat on it, as though moaning in pain. The man was heavily muscled and had a barrel chest, and the exposed parts of his arms and his face were lightly scarred. The chair looked like it was going to give way under his weight.

    ¡°Oh, Zack. What¡¯s wrong, what happened?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s been a change in the situation... The prey is preparing to move.¡±

    ¡°Ah ¡ª so we¡¯ll have to make our move as well.¡±

    Zack nodded silently. The man quietly grumbled, ¡°Why now... can¡¯t they think of us a little?¡± as he reached up to scratch his messy hair.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you dy them somehow?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯ll be difficult, because it was that woman¡¯s request.¡±

    The man had already heard Zack talk about that woman several times, and he frowned deeply.

    ¡°That old man should use his brains a little and try to talk her down. The roads at night are nasty ces to be, with scary bandits showing up and all. Give me a break... even an idiot knows about that sort of thing. Ah, how about sabotaging a coach wheel and dragging out the departure until tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t work ¡ª he¡¯s already loading the luggage. It would be better to act quickly, right?¡±

    ¡°Mm, that¡¯s true...¡±

    The man stared into the air as he thought.

    ¡°Then, when are they moving out?¡±

    ¡°In about two hours.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯ll be cutting it really close. Ah ¡ª what should I do. I¡¯ll need to contact the others after this... with only two hours... it¡¯ll be hard, but they¡¯re prize catches...¡±

    The man twiddled his thumbs as he considered how much time the entire process would take. Zack simply listened to his musings in silence, looking down at his hands.

    ¡°Rich people like that piss you off, right...¡±

    Zack thought of the delicate, dainty hands of the girl who was addressed as the Young Mistress.

    Nobody who worked on a farm would have hands as pretty as that. Their skin was split from icy water and thickened by swinging a hoe, and even their nails grew gnarled. A farmer¡¯s hands were like that.

    He knew well that the world was unfair. However¡ª

    The corner of Zack¡¯s mouth twisted up in a lewd smile that bared his teeth.

    ¡°Can I have some fun with that woman?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to wait for us to finish first, and since we¡¯re going to ransom her off, you can¡¯t go too far! Don¡¯t hurt her too badly.¡±

    The man sneered insciviously. Perhaps it was because of his rising desire, but he suddenly got to his feet.

    ¡°All right, we¡¯ll do it. I¡¯ll contact the chief.¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll send about ten guys ahead to the usual ce to ambush them. You should move too and get them there in about four hour¡¯s time. If you haven¡¯t arrived by then, we¡¯ll make the first move. So keep the prey obedient and lower their guard.¡±

    Part 3

    A stagecoach galloped away from the Fortress City.

    It was arge vehicle that couldfortably seat six people, pulled by a quartet of horses.

    The disc of the full moon shone in the night sky, illuminating thend with surprising brightness. That said, racing at full speed through the night was still a foolish course of action. The wisest course of action would have been to pitch tents, lightnterns, and post sentries while they spent the night here.

    The world at night was not under mankind¡¯s control. No, that would not be entirely urate ¡ª no ce without light could be considered part of humanity¡¯s world. The night concealed all manner of animals, demihumans, and monsters. Many creatures possessed the gift of darkvision, and these creatures often attacked humanity.

    Still, the passengers in the stagecoach barely felt their vehicle galloping through the perilous night.

    This was not because of good shock absorbers or the like, but because the coach was travelling along a cobblestoned road.

    The paving of roads had begun after the suggestion of the ¡°Golden Princess,¡± but the only ces where it had beenpleted were in those demesnes held by the Crown and by Marquis Raeven, one of the Six Great Nobles. This was because the other nobles protested this gesture, feeling that such roads would only benefit the Empire when they attacked the Kingdom.

    The maintenance costs for those roads had also sparked much debate. The reason why Princess Renner had reached out to traders to foot the bill was because the nobles in charge of the areas through which the roads passed were dragging their feet on the matter. Thus, the paving work was in this a sad state of affairs.

    Since this region was not too far from E-Rantel ¡ª which was administered by the Crown ¡ª the work here was of quite a high standard.

    Still, it was not perfect. The wagon wobbled a little as it travelled along the street, and some faint vibrations made their way to the passengers.

    These tremors terminated the conversation between the upants of the vehicle.

    Among these upants were Sebas, with Solution by his side. Opposite him was Shalltear, nked by two of the Vampire Brides who were her minions-cum-concubines. Zack was obviously driving the wagon from the driver¡¯s seat.

    A brief silence filled the air inside the wagon, and then at great length, Sebas spoke to break it:

    ¡°There is one thing I have been meaning to ask you for a while.¡±

    ¡°Mm? What do you have in mind?¡±

    ¡°I noticed that you and Aura-sama do not get along very well. Is there any particr reason for that?¡±

    ¡°...Actually, I feel we do get along quite well.¡±

    As Shalltear answered quietly, she stared at the nail of her pinky finger, as though bored.

    The pearly-white fingernail was about two centimeters long. Although she had a file in hand, the nail looked quite neatly trimmed, so there was no need to work further on it. Shalltear also felt that further action was unnecessary, so she tossed the file to one of the Vampire Brides by her side.

    After that, she made to grope the breasts of the vampires beside her with her now-empty hands. However, when she noticed the expressions on the two people in front of her, she retracted her hands, a somewhat embarrassed look on her face.

    ¡°It does not seem that way,¡± Sebas continued. Shalltear¡¯s face wrinkled up, like she had eaten something bitter, and then she replied:

    ¡°I... I think we do get along. I simply tease her a little because my creator, Peroroncino-sama, designed me to feud with her. Still, there is no real enmity there. Perhaps Bukubukuchagama-sama designed that girl to not get along with me as well.¡±

    Shalltear waved her hand, as though she were very bored, and then met Sebas¡¯s gaze for the first time.

    ¡°Speaking of which, my creator Peroroncino-sama and that girl¡¯s creator ¡ª Bukubukuchagama-sama ¡ª were elder sister and younger brother. So in that sense, she and I are also sisters.¡±

    ¡°A sibling rtionship ¡ª I see!¡±

    ¡°In the past, Peroroncino-sama discussed the matter with other Supreme Beings ¡ª Luci¡ïFer-sama and Nishiki Enrai-sama ¡ª when they came to my domain.¡±

    A look of reverence crept into Shalltear¡¯s eyes as she recounted her memories of apanying these exalted personages.

    ¡°Peroroncino-sama once mentioned that Bukubukuchagama had the profession of a seiyuu. So popr was she that she even lent her talents to things called ¡®aerogays,¡¯ so whenever he purchased a game he eagerly anticipated, he would end up thinking of his sister¡¯s face and he would lose his motivation.¡±

    Shalltear added that she did not know what he meant by that. A somewhat baffled Sebas tilted his head and said:

    ¡°A seiyuu... I remember that seems to be a line of work which involves the use of sound. It seems they are skilled in singing, so perhaps it should be simr to a bard.¡±

    After hearing Sebas¡¯s answer, Shalltearughed, like the tinkling of silver bells, and replied in the negative:

    ¡°That is not the case.¡±

    ¡°It is not? How so?¡±

    ¡°I once heard Bukubukuchagama-sama say that being a seiyuu meant giving a soul through sound. In other words, a seiyuu is a job which creates life.¡±

    ¡°Ohhh! I see. It seems I wasboring under a grave misconception. Thank you very much for your correction, Shalltear-sama.¡±

    Sebas and all the others created by the Supreme Beings were infused with knowledge upon their creation, but that was all they had. Because they did not know real life, amusing mishaps sometimes urred; like say, making a mistake about their revered masters¡¯ jobs.

    Feeling terribly ufortable, Sebas muttered to himself, engraving the meaning of being a seiyuu into his heart so he would not make the same mistake again.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to take it to heart... ah, right, Sebas, since we are fellow travellers, there¡¯s no need to be so formal.¡±

    ¡°Is that so, Shalltear-sama?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t address me as -sama... we are all servants of the Supreme Beings. They may have handed down our positions and set some of us over others, but the truth is that we¡¯re all basically the same.¡±

    She had the right of it. Solution was only obeying Sebas because she had been ordered to do so. Originally, she and Sebas were of the same status.

    ¡°I understand, Shalltear. Then, I shall address you in this way from now on.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Come to think of it, you don¡¯t get along with Demiurge either, do you?¡±

    Sebas remained silent. Shalltear narrowed her eyes, like a yful child, and continued asking:

    ¡°The Supreme Beings did not design you that way, so why is that?¡±

    ¡°...I wonder. The truth is, I don¡¯t know why that is the case as well. It must be some sort of instinct that makes me dislike him. However the same should apply to him as well.¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡ª it doesn¡¯t seem that way to me... still, it might be because the feelings of our creators, the Supreme Beings, were deeply engraved within our hearts.¡±

    ¡°That is very likely to be the case.¡±

    Shalltear carefully studied Sebas, who nodded to her. Then, after considering his position, Shalltear felt that he would know the answer to the question which had long hidden in her heart:

    ¡°What kind of people are found in the Eighth Floor? I know about Victim, but who else is there besides him?¡±

    Sebas frowned at the sudden query. He looked at Shalltear, a stern expression on his face, trying to discern what she was up to. From where she was seated to the side, Solution¡¯s expression changed as well, though it was subtle enough that the others did not notice.

    ¡°...In the past, there were fools who defied the Supreme Beings and invaded Nazarick, breaching the defenses of the Seventh Floor. However, they did not reach the Ninth Floor, where the Supreme Beings resided. That being the case, they must have been stopped at the Eighth Floor, right? Though I do not have any recollection of the event, the opposition must have brought fearsome fighting power with them to make it that far in, so I believe they were halted with equally extraordinary might. However, I have no idea who intercepted the intruders. No, Albedo should know. After all, she is the Guardian Overseer of Nazarick. It would be strange if she did not know that.¡±

    As though ignoring the silent Sebas, Shalltear continued asking:

    ¡°...It¡¯s kind of annoying to hear she¡¯s one step ahead of me. What sort of mysterious beings are found on the Eighth Floor? Characters personally crafted by Ainz-sama, perhaps?¡±

    Sebas was made by Touch Me. Demiurge was made by Ulbert in Odle. Cocytus was made by Warrior Takemikazuchi. However, even Shalltear did not know what sort of NPC that Ainz ¡ª or Momonga, the highest-ranked of the Forty One Supreme Beings ¡ª had created.

    Surely he had created somebody, right?

    That being the case, it was reasonable to conclude that this mysterious character resided on the Eighth Floor, about which Shalltear had no knowledge.

    ¡°...No, that should not be the case. This is just a rumor, but I heard that the NPC Ainz created is called Pandora¡¯s Actor, and his strength isparable to the rest of us Guardians. Apparently, he defends the depths of the Treasury.¡±

    ¡°Does someone like that really exist?¡±

    Unlike Albedo, Shalltear had not been infused with knowledge about everyone in Nazarick. Therefore, this name was new to her.

    Granted, the Treasury was a ce which one could only enter with the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown, but it would be strange to leave it unguarded.

    The depths of the Treasury.

    All of the highest-end magic items that Ainz Ooal Gown had collected were stored in there. It was also said that it contained several World-ss Items. That being the case, it was the most suitable location for the NPC created by the greatest of the Forty One Supreme Beings, Ainz, to defend.

    Shalltear¡¯s pride was somewhat bruised as she considered that she had not been chosen to guard such exalted ground, but she consoled herself with the thought that it was unavoidable. To Shalltear, keeping intruders from straying beyond the Third Floor was also a crucial task, every bit as important as protecting the Treasury.

    And now, her master had given her another vital task.

    ¡°Indeed, but I have not seen that person before. After all, one cannot travel to that ce without a Ring.¡±

    ¡°Oh...¡±

    Shalltear¡¯s answer was devoid of energy, as though she had lost all interest in the whole thing. However, Sebas did not seem to mind.

    ¡°Still, the Eighth Floor is a mysterious ce... it¡¯s kind of a shame.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. After all, it is a ce that even we cannot enter. There must be something inside.¡±

    ¡°And what exactly is that something?¡±

    ¡°Could it be there¡¯s a trap in there which might even attack us?¡±

    ¡°Mm, that¡¯s not a bad idea, though if I had to guess... could it be a deathtrap that indiscriminately kills anyone who enters it?¡±

    ¡°The Great Tomb of Nazarick was hand-crafted by the Supreme Beings, and defended by us, who have pledged our lives in service. Anyone who could prate an impregnable fortress like that and breach the Seventh Floor would probably not be stopped by a trap like that...¡±

    ¡°Do you want to take a look?¡±

    Shalltear had a smile on her face, like a child up to some mischief. Sebas¡¯s smile was the same as always, but there was a certain nuance to it now.

    ¡°Do you intend to defy Ainz-sama¡¯s wishes?¡±

    ¡°Just kidding, just kidding. It was just a joke, no need to look so scary.¡±

    ¡°Shalltear... curiosity killed the cat. We should wait quietly until Ainz-sama tells us otherwise.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve got a point there... then, has our prey taken the bait?¡±

    Sebas did not ask about the sudden change in topic. Instead he directly replied:

    ¡°Yes, they¡¯ve fallen for it hook, line, and sinker. All we need to do is reel them in.¡±

    Shalltear nodded slightly, and then she lightly licked her lips. Her crimson pupils zed.

    Sebas immediately realized what would put Shalltear in a mood like that. Sensing that this was the perfect time to do so, he decided to bring up Solution¡¯s request from earlier.

    ¡°I have a request to make concerning this matter, Shalltear.¡±

    ¡°...What is it?¡±

    The reply was one of annoyance, given that Sebas had jolted Shalltear out of her delight over what was soon to unfold. As though tofort her, Sebas continued:

    ¡°Could you give the driver of our coach to this girl?¡±

    ¡°...Is he an underling?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. He seems to be a messenger of sorts.¡±

    Shalltear closed her eyes and pondered the request. After considering several possibilities, she seemed to havee to a conclusion, and she nodded.

    ¡°That should be fine. Besides, he doesn¡¯t look like he¡¯d taste good if I fed on him.¡±

    ¡°You have my sincerest thanks for your generosity, Shalltear.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Shalltear-sama.¡±

    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re wee, think nothing of it.¡±

    Shalltear was quite surprised by how tenderly Solution smiled to her. She had not expected such a sincere expression. Then, Shalltearposed herself and turned to Sebas.

    ¡°Then, we¡¯re even for that little mistake of mine just now.¡±

    ¡°I understand... In truth, I didn¡¯t expect you to do anything quite as foolish as that. It was merely a jest, was it not?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, you¡¯re right. If you had said such a thing, Sebas, I would have taken it as a joke as well. Then I would have my subordinates watch you in silence. At the first sight of any treachery on your part, I would remove your limbs and have your torso dragged in chains before Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m hardly as ruthless as you are, Shalltear.¡±

    ¡°No? Things like that only make me doubt your loyalty more ¡ª you would do that too, wouldn¡¯t you?¡±

    Sebas and Shalltear locked eyes, and smiled from the bottoms of their hearts.

    ¡°Besides, I like cute girls the best. There might be a different sort of entertainment in giving him to Solution.¡±

    ¡°¡ªThen, how do you intend to capture them? Through ¡¸Paralysis¡¹ or ¡¸Hold Person¡¹?¡±

    Before they had set out for E-Rantel, Ainz had given Sebas an order: ¡°I want to capture humans who know martial arts or magic. However, you will only go after criminals whose absence will go unnoticed.¡±

    Therefore, Solution and Sebas had yed the role of a stuck-up, stubborn heiress and her easily-bamboozled butler, with the intention of hooking a fish like Zack.

    Shalltear¡¯s mission, on the other hand, was to use a fish like that to the entire school which followed him.

    ¡°Why would I go to such great lengths? Ainz-sama did say that it was all right to drain them dry and turn them into ves. The important things was that I absolutely had to capture them. Still... investigating them all one by one would be a hassle, so I might as well just suck them all dry.¡±

    Sebas did not speak the words in his heart ¡ª ¡°I see,¡± ¡ª but instead nodded. Still, he had to acknowledge that he was not entirelyfortable with Shalltear¡¯s interpretation of her orders. With that in mind, Sebas could not help but say:

    ¡°From that point of view, Demiurge-sama would be the most suitable for that sort of work. After all, he can control his opponent¡¯s thoughts, much like Aura-sama can with her breath.¡±

    Demiurge possessed a skill known as ¡¸Command Mantra¡¹. It was a powerful mind-affecting ability which would be invaluable during a capture operation like this.

    ¡°...Hah?¡± Shalltear eximed in an unbelievably low tone.

    The mood within the coach turned grim immediately, as though a fog of bone-chilling cold hung in the air.

    Even the horses pulling the coach seemed to have sensed this, because the vehicle suddenly lurched. The bloodless faces of the Vampire Brides nking Shalltear turned even paler than usual, while Solution shuddered in her ce beside Sebas. Even Sebas, whose might should have been on par with Shalltear¡¯s, could feel goosebumps breaking out on him.

    This was the murderous intent emitted by the strongest of Nazarick¡¯s Floor Guardians. The hostility which wreathed her made her previous spats with Aura seem like child¡¯s y. If the situation was mishandled, it might lead to a life-or-death melee.

    As Shalltear chilled the air ever further, the color of her crimson pupils began to spill out into her sclera, dying her eyes red as though they were filling with blood.

    ¡°Sebas ¡ª could you say that again? Or are you saying that a Dragonoid like yourself, in that form, wants to ¡ª¡±

    Her eyeballs ¡ª nowpletely red ¡ª twitched:

    ¡°¡ªWants to start a fight with me?¡±

    ¡°I misspoke, please forgive me. I was merely a little uneasy. It would be fine as long as your ¡¸Blood Frenzy¡¹ doesn¡¯t kick in.¡±

    Shalltear¡¯s response was silence.

    Sebas could tell that the brief silence was a sign of her unease toward herself.

    In YGGDRASIL, strong sses were typically bnced out with weaknesses and penalties. One of the penalties Shalltear suffered from was called¡¸Blood Frenzy¡¹. The more fresh blood that covered her body, the greater her urge to ughter. While this made her stronger, in return she would no longer be able to control her actions.

    The reason why Ainz had made use of Shalltear for this mission ¡ª who might have ended up ignoring orders or even going berserk ¡ª was due to a process of elimination.

    Albedo had to remain in the Great Tomb of Nazarick in Ainz¡¯s absence, and among the two remaining Guardians ¡ª Shalltear and Cocytus ¡ª Shalltear looked more like a human being from a distance.

    After that, Shalltear took several deep breaths. She seemed to be trying to suck her anger back up, or perhaps she was trying to quell the uneasiness in her heart.

    With herst breath, Shalltear resumed her normal expression ¡ª an attractive young girl with a seductive air about her ¡ª and her pupils returned to their original color.

    ¡°...For the most part, they¡¯ll be my ves after I drain their blood, which should make things simple. Besides, we don¡¯t need to bring them back alive. Ainz-sama brought it up before as well. Also, I will definitely keep my ¡¸Blood Frenzy¡¹ under control.¡±

    Vampires were a species which could drain a victim¡¯s blood and turn them into perfectly loyal minions. Most Vampires could only create unintelligent Lesser Vampires in this way, but the Vampires which Shalltear could make had nearly as much intelligence as a normal human.

    As long as one did not care if the prey was alive or dead, Shalltear qualified as quite a good hunter, although the number of Vampires she could create was limited.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, so there¡¯s no need to say more. I will aplish the mission Ainz-sama gave me without fail, so he will praise me with ¡®Well done, Shalltear, you are my most important ve,¡¯ and then say, ¡®You are the one most worthy of standing by my side.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Please forgive my shallowments.¡±

    Sebas¡¯s apology was sincere and came from the heart. It was not just directed to Shalltear, but to someone else.

    ¡°I did not realize that my statements were a slight on Ainz-sama, who chose you for this task, and I apologize for that as well. I hope you will forgive me for displeasing you.¡±

    Then, he bowed to Solution and the Vampire Brides in apology ¡ª just then, the coach shuddered, and they heard neighing from the horses which drew the vehicle.

    ¡°...It seems we have stopped.¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    Shalltear ¡ª lost as she was in fantasies of the praise her master wouldvish on her once she seeded in her task ¡ª returned to her senses. She smiled, like a girl who had just thought up a wonderful prank to y. Sebas too was stroking his moustache as he smiled.

    Part 4

    About ten strong men had emerged from the forest, forming a semicircle around the coach. None of these men were equipped in exactly the same way. Still, while they were not masterworks, their equipment was not of poor make. It was clear that they had hand-picked their weapons.

    The casual way in which they were discussing how to deal with their target and the order in which they would go sounded like they already had their prey in the bag. Indeed, they had done this sort of thing countless times in the past. It would be strange if they had felt worried.

    After Zack leapt off the driver¡¯s seat, he jogged over to the men who had appeared.

    While dismounting from the driver¡¯s seat, he had cut the reins so the coach would not be able to drive off, and after monkeying with the coach doors, they would only open on the side facing the men.

    The men brandished their weapons so their prey could see. This was a wordless warning: if they did note out quickly, they would be in trouble.

    In response, the coach doors slowly opened.

    A beautiful woman revealed herself under the moonlight. The gathered sellswords and banditsughed coarsely and looked on her with lustful eyes. It was clear from their expressions that they were delighted.

    However, one person among them was taken aback. That person was Zack.

    His surprise could be summarized in three words: ¡°Who is this?¡± Zack had never seen this beauty before. However, the coach was very familiar to him, and the contrast between the two plunged Zack into confusion and left him speechless.

    After that, another beautiful woman appeared, dressed much like the first. Doubt began blooming on the men¡¯s faces. Their targets should have been an heiress who did not know how the world worked, as well as an old butler.

    And then, a girl who might have been considered ¡°little¡± showed up, and their doubts vanished.

    Her silvery hair gleamed in the moonlight, and her dewy, crimson eyes held a seductive radiance.

    The bandits could only gasp at the sight of these beauties, unable to so much as muster up the words for praise. In this moment, even their bestial lust shrank away in the face of true beauty.

    Shalltear smiled lewdly as she bathed in the enthralled gazes of the men. She advanced unguardedly before them and said:

    ¡°Gentlemen, thank you foring all this way here for me. May I know who is your leader? May I negotiate with him?¡±

    After seeing the bandits look toward the same person, Shalltear learned what she needed to know. That was to say, everyone else here was expendable.

    ¡°You... what do you want to talk about?¡±

    The man who looked like their leader seemed to havee to his senses after his close encounter with these beautiful women. He strode forward.

    ¡°Ahh, please forgive the misunderstanding. What I meant by ¡®negotiations¡¯ was just a joke for me to learn what I needed to know. Sorry about that.¡±

    ¡°Who are you people...¡±

    Shalltear looked to Zack, who had asked that question.

    ¡°You must be that Zack fellow. I will give you to Solution as promised, so could you please step aside for a while?¡±

    Some of the bandits sought an answer for their confusion in each other¡¯s faces. However, among them¡ª

    ¡°Hmph, you¡¯ve got a good body for a brat. I¡¯ll make you cry for me in a bit.¡±

    The bandit who happened to be standing in front of Shalltear reached out to grope that ample bust of hers, which did not match her age.

    And then ¡ª the appendage tumbled to the ground.

    ¡°Could you not touch me with your filthy hand?¡±

    The dumbfounded man looked at his now handless arm, and after a moment¡¯s dy, he wailed:

    ¡°Ahhhhhhhh! My, my haaaaaaaand¡ª!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re making so much noise over losing a single hand. Are you even a man?¡±

    Shalltear casually flicked her hand as she muttered quietly, and the man¡¯s head fell to the earth as well.

    How had she chopped his head off with her unarmed, dainty, and slender hands? The nightmare before them hardly seemed real. The bandits were terrified beyond all capacity for rational thought, unable to react in the wake of this tremendous shock. However, what they saw next snapped them back to their senses.

    The fresh blood spurting from the severed portions of the body moved as though it had a will of its own, gathering above Shalltear¡¯s head and forming an orb of blood.

    Shalltear andpany knew this was the effect of the skill called ¡¸Blood Pool¡¹. However, the first thing these clueless bandits thought as they saw this inhuman ability was:

    ¡°She¡¯s a magic caster!¡±

    Anyone who understood magic should have been able to give a more urate warning. ¡°Magic caster¡± was a very broad term which referred to many professions and jobs, and the means of dealing with them were just as varied. In particr, one might think of Shalltear ¡ª who only wore a dress ¡ª as an arcane magic caster, or perhaps a spiritual magic caster. However, none of them spoke a warning like that. One could thus conclude that none of them knew anything about magic. In other words, they thought of anything they could not understand as magic.

    As Shalltear realised this, she looked disinterestedly at these panicking bandits, who desperately raised their swords against her.

    ¡°How boring. Clean this mess up. Also, leave this one and that one... understood?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Shalltear-sama.¡±

    The Vampire Brides waiting behind Shalltear on either side stepped forward, and one of them punched the face of a bandit trying to attack Shalltear, sending him flying.

    It looked as though someone had swung a metal pole into his face with all their strength.

    The bandits arced through the air, apanied by the sound of something like a filled balloon popping. All manner of bodily fluids ¡ª blood, brain matter, and more ¡ª burst forth from his skull. The gore gleamed under the moonlight, looking all the more beautiful for its horrific appearance.

    More than half of the bandit¡¯s head went flying, and pinkish brains sprayed from the shattered cranium. Pulled by gravity, the bandit¡¯s corpse rolled to the ground with a great thud. That sound was a starting bell which filled the bandits with terror, and Shalltear with delight.

    ? ? ?

    Zack smiled stiffly as he watched the scene in front of him.

    It was a truly horrific sight.

    He wanted to vomit as he smelled the blood which came from the carnage before him.

    Men had their hands and feet torn off like scraps of paper, and skulls popped between paired hands like ripe pomegranates.

    A breastte was ripped off and a hand stabbed into the now-exposed belly. When it came back out, it took several meters of gleaming, slippery intestine with it. The fact that the victim was still alive after that spoke of the resilience of mankind.

    A man was squirming on the ground, trying to flee even with both legs broken. White-colored objects ¡ª his broken bones ¡ª protruded through his skin and flesh. He was desperately trying to crawl away with his hands, struggling to get himself away from the source of this horror, wanting to stay alive for just one moment longer.

    The beautiful girl looked at the man grovelling at her feet, and her shrillugh grated at him.

    How had things ended up like this...

    Zack thought as hard as he could.

    No matter how one tried to cloak it in politeness, the world still ran on the principle of the strong feeding on the weak. It was utterly natural for the strong to oppress the weak. After all, Zack had been doing so himself. However, was it right for the strong to go so far and do so much?

    Of course not. He could not ept their cruel methods of killing. Then, what should he do? The enemy was simply choosing not to attack him, so if he tried to flee, they would probably do something to him to make him not dare to escape again. Something painful and nausea-inducing, for instance.

    Zack felt for his hidden shortsword through his clothing.

    Why was his sword so small? How could it possibly stand up to these monsters which could twist off men¡¯s arms so effortlessly?

    What had he done to them? He had never thought of doing anything to those monsters.

    Zack hugged himself, as though trying to conceal his presence. The rhythmic grinding of his teeth suddenly struck him as extremely grating ¡ª what would happen if those monsters heard it and went after him?

    He tried to stop himself, but his teeth would not listen to him and continued grinding.

    Speaking of which, what kind of people were they? Zack did not recognize them at all.

    And just as he thought about that¡ª

    ¡°Zack-san,e this way.¡±

    ¡ªA gentle, dulcet voice came from behind him,pletely at odds with the cruel scenery in front of him.

    Zack looked fearfully behind himself, and saw his employer standing before him.

    Her expression did not match the haughty and argumentative heiress that he knew her for. If he had been calm enough, he might have felt suspicious about this, but Zack ¡ª who had been driven into confusion by this bizarre world and the stink of blood ¡ª had no energy left to suspect anything.

    ¡°What are those monsters!?¡± Zack wailed, his voice cracking, at Solution, the moneyed daughter of nobility who knew nothing of the world.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me there were monsters like these around!?¡±

    Indeed. If he had known about this beforehand, things would not have ended up like this. The bitch before him was responsible for the frightening scene before him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t keep quiet, speak up! Let¡¯s get this straight, this is all your fault!¡±

    Anxiety and terrorbined to impel him forward, and a furious Zack could no longer bear it. He reached out to grab Solution by the cor and roughly shook her.

    ¡°...I understand. Please follow me.¡±

    ¡°You... are you going to save me!?¡±

    ¡°No, I simply wish to take thisst chance to enjoy you.¡±

    An ivory-pale hand, cold as ice, gripped Zack¡¯s own, and then Solution stepped forward, pulling him away.

    ¡°Even though I already have permission, Sebas-sama does not like this sort of thing, so I would rather do it at a distance.¡±

    He had no idea what she was talking about. However, Zack felt that if he alone was being led away, there might be a chance that he could survive.

    Zack pretended not to hear the horrific screams from behind him.

    That could not be helped. Zack was too weak. He could not possibly save thoserades of his which were supposed to be stronger than him.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t be too excited. If possible... I¡¯d like you to be gentle with me. It would make me very happy.¡±

    Behind the coach, Solution spoke softly to Zack as she waved him over, then reached behind her back, as though to undo her dress. As Zack saw this, he stared with his mouth open; what was this woman up to? Zack looked at Solution like she was some sort of exotic creature.

    Solution¡¯s hands had not stopped at all during all this, and so a thoroughly confused Zack asked:

    ¡°You... what are you doing?¡±

    ¡°What do you think?¡±

    With that, Solution easily peeled off her figure-hugging bodice.

    As though waiting for that moment, her tightly-bound breasts sprang forth. They were firm, springy globes, and her skin seemed vaguely translucent under the moonlight.

    Zack gulped at the sight before him.

    ¡°Please.¡±

    Solution thrust her chest out, as though inviting him to fondle her.

    ¡°What do you want me to...¡±

    Zack had forgotten himself as he fixated on the body before him.

    She was beautiful. This was the most beautiful female body Zack had ever seen in his life.

    Of all the girls Zack had partaken of, the most beautiful was one who belonged to a caravan which he had attacked. However, by the time it was Zack¡¯s turn, the girl was exhausted. Shey motionless, only spreading her legs like a frog. Still, it had not detracted from her beauty in the least.

    However, the girl before him was even more beautiful, and she was not unresponsive like the other girl.

    Desire lit the mes of Zack¡¯s lust, and the heat in his lower body began spreading out from his crotch. Panting like a dog, he reached out for Solution¡¯s body.

    It felt like ¡ª like silk.

    Zack could no longer hold himself back, and he seized the more shapely of Solution¡¯s breasts.

    And then his entire hand sank into her.

    Zack thought for a moment that her body was so soft that it felt as though his entire hand had gone into her. But as he looked at his hand, he realized that this was not the case.

    Zack¡¯s hand had literally sunk into Solution¡¯s body.

    ¡°What... what the hell is this!?¡±

    Zack screamed in surprise and tried to pull his hand back, but he could not budge it. Not only did it not move back, it was sucked further in. It seemed as though there were many writhing tentacles inside Solution which hadtched onto Zack¡¯s hand and were drawing him in.

    Solution¡¯s beautiful face did not change even under these strange circumstances. She simply watched Zack in silence. Her expression was that of a scientist watching as ab animal was injected with some lethal chemical, blending a cold dispassion with curiosity and excitement.

    ¡°Oi, stop! Let go of me!¡±

    Zack balled up his other hand into a fist and swung with all his strength at Solution¡¯s pretty face.

    Once, twice, three times¡ª

    Zack swung at full force, punching heavily and not caring if his fist was injured. That beautiful face remained unmoved despite a grown man striking it with all his might. It did not seem to hurt her at all.

    Instead, Zack was frightened by what he felt when he hit her.

    That sensation was like punching a soft, filled waterskin. Under normal circumstances, there should have been some resistance to his punch, but he did not feel that he had struck bone at all. This was not how punching a human being should have felt.

    The unreal scene of carnage behind him ¡ª forgotten due to his excitement ¡ª suddenly shed through his mind.

    Zack choked back the impulse to scream.

    Eventually, it dawned upon him.

    The woman baring her chest to him before his eyes was also a monster.

    ¡°Did you finally realize it? Then, let¡¯s begin the fun part, shall we?¡±

    As she said that, a pain like the stabbing of hundreds of needles radiated from his stuck hand.

    ¡°Aaaahhhhh!¡±

    ¡°I am now dissolving your hand.¡±

    Zack could not understand these cold words through the agony which gripped him. This was no longer in the realm of hisprehension.

    ¡°The truth is, I deeply enjoy watching things dissolve. Therefore, I felt it was a happy coincidence that you wanted to be inside me, Zack-san.¡±

    ¡°Giiiihh¡ª!! You damn monster, go to hell!¡±

    Fighting back the pain, Zack drew his shortsword as he shouted at her. Then, he forcefully stabbed at Solution¡¯s pretty face, and her body quivered.

    ¡°Take that!¡±

    However, Zack immediately realized that he had been far too hasty.

    What good would stabbing the surface of ake with a shortsword do? It would merely make more ripples, and that was what happened.

    Solution turned to look at Zack, still with a short sword sticking out of her face, and then she gently said:

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I am resistant to physical attacks, so a blow like that cannot harm me. Then, I shall dissolve it.¡±

    An acrid stench seared his nose, and within seconds, the shortsword fell from Solution¡¯s face, its de half-dissolved. Just as she had said, her beautiful, unmarred visagey before his eyes.

    ¡°Who the hell are you!?¡±

    The agony in his hand was slowly spreading up the rest of his arm, but the fear of impending death overrode his pain, and Zack asked his question even as tears brimmed in his eyes.

    However, the answer made him want to stuff his fingers in his ears to deny it.

    ¡°I am a predatory Slime. Since time is limited, I will need to swallow you up.¡±

    Zack¡¯s arms were pulled into Solution¡¯s body. So forceful was the suction that Zack could not resist it, even if he were capable of doing so.

    ¡°Stop stop stop stop stop! Spare me, spare me, spare me please!¡±

    Zack cried and begged, but the force drawing him into Solution¡¯s body was still very strong, enough that a human being could not resist it. His arms, his shoulders, all of them were steadily devoured by her body.

    ¡°Lilia!¡±

    With thatst scream, Zack¡¯s face was sucked into Solution¡¯s body.

    And so, Zack was swallowed whole, as though he were a python¡¯s prey.

    ? ? ?

    After a few minutes had passed, there were no longer any survivors. The ce was one which reeked of a foul stench.

    No, one man still survived. He worked his tongue as he squatted near Shalltear¡¯s feet, licking her high-heeled shoes clean of the brain matter which had spattered them after she had yfully crushed a bandit¡¯s skull underfoot.

    Shalltear looked on her now-cleaned heels in satisfaction.

    ¡°Well done. Then, in ordance with our agreement, I shall not take your life.¡±

    The man, his frightened features scrunched up into a ball, looked up at Shalltear with a grateful expression on his face and kowtowed repeatedly to her in thanks. Shalltear looked lovingly upon this puppy-like man, and then snapped her fingers.

    ¡°Drain him.¡±

    Once the two Vampire Brides came to his side, the man finally understood what those words meant.

    ¡°The undead are technically still alive, so I was not lying to you.¡±

    The Vampire Brides bit eagerly into him, and Shalltear looked out of the corner of her eye at the man as his life-force was drained away from him. She turned to Solution ¡ª who was rearranging her messed-up cor as she emerged from the direction of the coach ¡ª and said:

    ¡°Oh, is it over?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I was quite satisfied. I am profoundly grateful to you for this.¡±

    ¡°No need to stand on ceremony. We¡¯re all servants of Nazarick, after all. Speaking of which, did that human have fun?¡±

    ¡°He is currently enjoying himself. Would you like to see?¡±

    ¡°Hm? May I? Then, let me have a quick look.¡±

    A man¡¯s arm suddenly erupted from Solution¡¯s face, apanied by a vile stench that stung the nose. The source of the odour was that arm. Its muscles were badly dissolved after being exposed to powerful acid, and the reaction of the blood from within the muscles and the acid created gouts of thick fumes.

    The arm thrashed about like it had emerged from the surface of ake, desperately struggling to find a grip on something. Juices flowed from the exposed muscles with every twitch.

    ¡°My apologies, I did not know he was still so full of energy.¡±

    Solution was a bizarre sight as she bowed in apology, what with the arm sticking out of her face. She then shoved the arm back into her face, smiling after the iling arm had beenpletely swallowed up once more.

    ¡°It¡¯s amazing how you can swallow a man whole and look as though nothing had happened.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your praise. It is not outwardly visible because the interior of my body was originally empty. In addition, I have always been a creature like this, so this must be the effect of some sort of specialized magic.¡±

    ¡°Oh~ Hm, this might be a bit nosy of me, but when will he die?¡±

    ¡°I could secrete a stronger acid to kill him immediately if you wish, but since a human who wishes to enter me is a rare asion, I would like to let him enjoy it for an entire day.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear any screams, did you corrode him with acid?¡±

    ¡°No, I did not. If I dissolved his throat with acid, he might suffocate due to being unable to breathe. Therefore, I inserted part of my body into him to suppress his voice, and it also has the effect of preventing bad smells.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m quite impressed by your attitude of paying close attention to your toys and ying with them for as long as possible. Incidentally, can you corrode specific ces with your acids? For instance, only corroding a certain ce?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, that is an easy task to aplish. The proof of that are the scrolls, potions, and other magic items within my body, and the fact that those items are intact. I could move freely even if I were to take your body within mine, Shalltear-sama, though I would have to ask that you did not move too much.¡±

    ¡°Predatory slimes sure are amazing... mm. Do you want to y together next time?¡±

    ¡°That will be fine. Although... where do you n to get the toys from?¡±

    Shalltear smiled happily when she found Solution looking at the Vampire Brides behind her.

    ¡°Those girls aren¡¯t half bad, but I want to wait until someone tries to invade us and then plead with Ainz-sama to give them to us.¡±

    ¡°Then, please do not forget about my share. I would like to swallow them up to the chest and expose the rest of them. That ought to be quite interesting as well.¡±

    ¡°Not bad. Do you get along with that interrogator?¡±

    ¡°Neuronist-sama? The Special Intelligence-Gathering Officer? Regretfully, I cannot understand that person¡¯s aesthetic sense.¡±

    Shalltear nned to continue, but she was interrupted by a voice behind her.

    ¡°Solution, I¡¯ve finished up over here. We can move out any time,¡± Sebas called out from the driver¡¯s seat, having reced the reins.

    ¡°Understood, I¡¯ming. Then, Shalltear-sama, though it pains my heart to leave, allow me to bid you farewell.¡±

    Shalltear looked to Solution as she hurried back into the coach, and then to Sebas, who was seated at the driver¡¯s ce.

    ¡°Then, we shall part ways for the time being, Sebas.¡±

    ¡°Is that so... does this mean you have already discovered the bandits¡¯ hideout?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. We shall invade them afterwards and look for any interesting people who might know something which would please Ainz-sama. Otherwise this would have all been a waste of time.¡±

    ¡°I see. It was a pleasure travelling with you, Shalltear-sama.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for that. Let us meet again in Nazarick.¡±

    ¡°Oh, we¡¯ll be off, then¡ª

 Chapter 16 - Volume 3

    Overlord Volume 3 Chapter 2

    True Ancestor

    Part 1

    A pair of human shapes sprinted through the forest. They were Vampire Brides, Shalltear¡¯s minions-cum-concubines.

    The two of them ran at breakneck speeds along the beast paths of the forest, as though they were trying to cut through the vegetation. The terrain was atrocious, with branches and twigs jutting out from all sides. However, their dresses were not damaged in the slightest, and the high heels they wore easily pushed them over the terrible footing as they forged ever onward.

    The leading Vampire Bride carefully cradled Shalltear, while the one behind her dragged something which looked like a dried out log.

    They were not far from the ce where they had parted ways with Sebas. Since they had no maps or the like, they had no idea how far they were from their destination, save that they would probably have to run a long way. However, the nging of hard metal rang through the air, and the lead Vampire Bride immediately ground to a halt.

    As the beast path was narrow, once the person in front stopped, the person behind had to do so as well.

    ¡°Why did you stop?¡±

    Just as the Vampire Bride in front was about to answer the question that hade from behind, she shuddered as the Mistress she was holding fixed her with a cold re.

    Pearls of cold sweat bloomed on her back, because she was deeply aware that her Mistress was not a kind or merciful person.

    Shalltear, who was lounging in the Vampire Bride¡¯s arms ¡ª in other words, in a princess carry position ¡ª stretched her legs in annoyance.

    The Vampire Bride sensed what that meant and released her.

    As though escaping from a cage, Shalltear somersaulted out.

    With a dextrous leap, she leapt into the air, and her high-heeled feet trod the ground beneath her. The dress she wore cascaded down to cover her legs.

    Once on the ground, Shalltear flipped her hair in irritation and cricked her neck.

    The Vampire Brides could not help but gulp as they noticed the frigid look in Shalltear¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±

    The reason Shalltear was not running in the forest was because she felt it was a bother, and because she did not want to dirty her shoes. There was another reason for that, but nobody here would speak it, or even think of doing so. Even in Nazarick, only a few people would dare bring it up to her face.

    Since they were now transportation tools, the Vampire Brides could not stop without instructions from Shalltear. She had no use for legs which moved on their own.

    Depending on the reason that they disobeyed hermands, they might end up suffering terribly.

    That was the message which Shalltear¡¯s eyes carried. No, it would be a mercy if pain was all that awaited them. There was murderous intent in her previous question.

    In the Great Tomb of Nazarick, the lives and deaths of everyone other than the NPCs created by the Forty One Supreme Beings were at the disposal of the relevant Floor and Area Guardians. If they continued annoying Shalltear, they might be executed on the spot.

    Knowing this, the Vampire Bride ¡ª who had the feeling that this might be herst will and testament ¡ª nervously began to speak:

    ¡°Forgive me, but I stepped into a bear trap.¡±

    Shalltear looked down, and saw that the jaws of a crude metal trap had snapped shut around the Vampire Bride¡¯s slender leg.

    This was not a trap designed to deal with human beings, but wild bears, which were mighty and tough creatures. It could easily shatter the ankles of any human ¡ª even one wearing greaves ¡ª who stepped into it.

    Of course, Vampire Brides were very different from human beings.

    Even when pierced by the bear trap spikes, which were used to hobble animals, the Vampire Bride did not feel any pain or suffer broken bones. She did not appear to have been hurt at all.

    Vampire Brides could resist damage from just about any physical damage apart from that inflicted by weapons made of silver or certain other special materials, or magic weapons bearing specific enchantments. Fortified with this damage reduction, there was no way that a simple steel bear trap could possibly injure her.

    Still, while she was immune to its damage, the beartrap had fulfilled its other purpose of impeding their movement.

    Since the trap was not coated in poison, it was clear that it was not intended to kill its prey. Its purpose was to impede its targets, slowing the opposition down by forcing them to deal with a casualty (burden).

    Shalltear remained silent, but shook her head as though to say, It can¡¯t be helped.

    ¡°Get out of it, then.¡±

    ¡°Yes! At once!¡±

    Upon hearing Shalltear¡¯smand, the Vampire Bride reached out with her slender hands and promptly pulled apart the jaws of the trap. Unable to resist a strength which exceeded that of a bear, the trap gave its prey up.

    The sight of a beautiful girl prying open a bear trap seemed surreal but anyone who knew the strength of a Vampire Bride would not find it strange.

    ¡°Still, the fact that there¡¯s a trap here suggests we¡¯re close to our destination. I thought we were still quite far away.¡±

    ¡°Yes, please wait a moment.¡±

    Following that, the Vampire Bride at the rear dumped the log-like object she was carrying on the ground.

    It was a human corpse, desated and mummified. However, she had not been carrying an ordinary cadaver. It possessed a false life, which it showed as it stirred into stiff activity.

    Its arms resembled withered branches sprouting sharp ws, and points of crimson light glowed in its empty eye sockets, like a Vampire¡¯s. Abnormally sharp canines gleamed within its half-open mouth.

    This was a monster called a Lesser Vampire.

    It was all that remained of the bandit who had been exsanguinated by the Vampire Brides.

    ¡°Tell me, are we close to your hideout?¡±

    The Lesser Vampire nodded deeply to its mistress, making a sound that was somewhere between a groan and a moan.

    ¡°¡ªHe says so, Shalltear-sama.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Then why are there no linked traps?¡±

    This should not have been all. There ought to have been noisemakers and backup traps to go with them. However, they had not spotted any such traps.

    Shalltear looked around, probably checking to see if anyone was hiding nearby. The Vampire Brides began a visual search as well, until their mistress shook their head to indicate that they should stop.

    ¡°...Well, forget it. It¡¯s not like you have any detection abilities anyway...¡±

    As they heard those mumbled words, the Vampire Brides realised why they had been forgiven.

    The Vampire Brides ¡ª their mistress included ¡ª did not possess any trapfinding skills, which was why they had been allowed to live after failing to detect the beartrap. Perhaps their mistress felt that it was illogical to mete out punishment for failing to do something they could not have seeded at in the first ce.

    ¡°If I¡¯d known, I would have borrowed that girl for this.¡±

    Solution had levels in assassin-type sses, and with her thief skills she could have easily discovered those traps.

    ¡°Meh, there¡¯s no point griping about something you don¡¯t have. Then, let¡¯s hurry up to the bandits¡¯ir.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Soon, they had reached the sellswords¡¯ hideout. Though they were still in the forest, the trees were growing thin, and beyond this ce there were no more trees, only an overgrown field littered with rocks.

    This terrain was known as a karst.

    There was arge hole in the center of a bowl-like depression, from which faint rays of light streamed out. Judging by the angle of the light, there must be a sloping path leading downward.

    There were two shapes near the cave entrance. It was evident at a nce that they had been deliberately positioned there.

    They were round wooden barricades reaching up to the height of a man¡¯s belly, though they were otherwise unremarkable. They were little more than a pile of wooden logs, but there was a sentry on each side.

    It would seem the intention was to use the logs as cover from ranged attacks, so they could protect themselves if the enemy fired on them with bows and get inside to warn theirrades.

    Under normal circumstances,unching a frontal attack from this distance would allow the bandits to prepare their weapons and send reinforcements from the cave. Also, all the rocks which were big enough for intruders to hide behind had already been moved away, in order to prevent a stealth approach.

    In addition, there wererge bells on the sentries¡¯ shoulders. Even if they were somehow downed by a sneak attack, the sound of the bells would alert their friends to the presence of enemies.

    One could say that it was quite well thought out.

    This situation was insoluble by purely physical means, but there was a way past it.

    That was by using magic.

    After casting a ¡¸Silence¡¹ spell, the attackers could kill them all in one go. Alternatively, they could use ¡¸Invisibility¡¹ to hide their approach, or ¡¸Charm Person¡¹ to draw out the opposition. Destroying the bells was also an option.

    As Shalltear pondered which of these methods would be the most entertaining, Shalltear realized that there was an important piece of information which she did not have.

    ¡°Is there only one entrance?¡±

    The Lesser Vampire nodded stiffly in response to Shalltear¡¯s question.

    Shalltear smiled. It would seem that there was no need to overthink this.

    This sturdy defense could be used to ward off ambushing enemies or allow one man to hold off a horde. However, Shalltear and her followers were different.

    Charging straight in would not pose a problem to people who were so unimaginably powerful that they could crush humans like bugs. The only relevant consideration was if there was an exit through which the opposition could flee.

    ¡°Is that so? Then, since we¡¯ve arrived, there¡¯s no need to hide in the shadows. Honestly, I¡¯m not used to that sort of skulking around anyway.¡±

    ¡°After all, anywhere you go is sure to shine brightly, Shalltear-sama.¡±

    ¡°Stating the truth hardly qualifies as ttery. You¡¯d best think harder if you want to try sucking up to me.¡±

    Ignoring the Vampire Bride begging forgiveness with a lowered head, Shalltear reached out and grabbed the body of the Lesser Vampire.

    ¡°I shall entrust the weighty duty of being the vanguard to you. Go, then.¡±

    Her slender arms blurred, and the Lesser Vampire tore through the air before striking one of the sentries. Due to the spin imparted during the throw, the Lesser Vampire spun end over end several dozen times before hitting the man.

    The force of the impact beggared the imagination. Not just the sentry¡¯s head, but even his chest spurted blood in all direction.

    The stench of fresh gore hung in the air, and the other man could not parse what had just happened before his eyes. All he could do was stare dumbly at his colleague¡¯s tragic fate.

    Still, this was quite an amusing sight to the thrower.

    ¡°Strike~¡±

    ¡°Truly magnificent, Shalltear-sama.¡±

    The Vampire Brides apuded Shalltear, who was pumping an arm in victory. Needless to say, the Lesser Vampire had been pulverized, but the three of them did not seem troubled by that at all. That creature had never been a part of Nazarick to begin with, and had only been made for amusement. They felt nothing about how it had just been destroyed.

    In addition, it had originally been a human being. Shalltear did not recall what she had promised him before.

    ¡°Now, how about the other one...¡±

    Shalltear looked between the two Vampire Brides. They got the message and hurriedly passed her a rock which was suitable for throwing.

    ¡°Yoi-sho~¡±

    As she heard the sound of a bell from the distance, Shalltear grabbed a rock which was slightlyrger than her hand.

    Her delicate hand moved with shocking speed. In the next moment, Shalltear observed the results in the distance and happily pronounced:

    ¡°Then... that would make two strikes, hm?¡±

    Apuse rang out once more.

    Then, the sound of a sentry shouting about an enemy attack reached Shalltear¡¯s ears. It would seem that another sentry had heard the sound of the bell.

    As she looked inside the cave, which seemed to be getting noisier and noisier, Shalltear smiled gently before ordering:

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s go. You, keep watch from on top of a nearby tree and make sure nobody escapes. You, take the role of the vanguard and clear a path for me. However, do tell me if you encounter anyone who¡¯s stronger than the rest. I want to y with them.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Shalltear-sama.¡±

    ¡°Go.¡±

    Having received her orders, the Vampire Bride stepped forward, slowly approaching the cave entrance¡ª

    ¡ªAnd then she vanished.

    The earth copsed ¡ª no, the earth did not copse. She had stepped into a pit trap.

    Perhaps Shalltear might have been able to avoid the trap before falling into it, but the Vampire Bride¡¯s reactions were not enough for her to evade a trap where the earth vanished under her feet.

    ¡°Ehhhhh~¡±

    Still, the Vampire Bride was a low level vassal who had no particr ability to detect traps, so there was nothing to me her for. That was why she had been forgiven earlier. Still, even if she understood why it had happened, Shalltear still made a noise of annoyance. After that, she smiled sweetly. That was not a smile born of kindness, satisfaction, or even embarrassment.

    Come to think of it, she should have anticipated that they would put a pit trap in front of the cave entrance. However, it angered her that she had not seen through it, had even fallen for it. It was with a heart boiling with such emotions that she had smiled.

    Shalltear Bloodfallen was a Guardian of the glorious Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. The fact that a servant of such a mighty individual had fallen for a trap like that was utterly intolerable.

    A voice filled with murderous intent leaked from between Shalltear¡¯s crimson lips:

    ¡°Get out of there before I tear you to pieces.¡±

    With a great leap, the Vampire Bride vaulted out of the pit andnded beside it. Though her clothes were stained by mud, there was no sign she had been hurt.

    ¡°Don¡¯t disappoint me again.¡±

    ¡°My deepest apologies¡ª¡±

    ¡°Forget it, just get in there. Unless you want me to throw you in like that trash from just now?¡±

    As Shalltear reached out with a grabbing gesture, the Vampire Bride wailed in acknowledgement and immediately rushed into the cave. Shalltear followed leisurely behind her, strolling slowly into the cave.

    Part 2

    As the mor from outside filtered into the private room, the hand working on a weapon paused, and a pair of ears pricked up.

    There was the sound of fighting, people running, and some screams mixed in.

    They had been attacked, but there was still no idea of the attackers¡¯ numbers and their abilities. This was in spite of being trained to loudly shout that information when an attack came.

    He could still hear something. This might have been a private room, but it was within a cave and had only a curtain in ce of a door. The only thing separating this ce from the entrance was distance, and while the curtain was thick, sound could still get in.

    There were close to seventy people in the mercenary band known as the Death-Spreading Brigade. They were not as strong as him, but they were still grizzled veterans.

    A raid by a small number of men would not cause such chaos. With that in mind, it might be reasonable to deduce that arge force had descended upon them. However, that did not exin why there was no sound of a great host outside, and the enemy did not feel that numerous.

    ¡°Then... could they be adventurers?¡±

    That might exin this strange feeling of attackers who were few in number and possessed great fighting power.

    He slowly rose to his feet, hanging his weapon at his waist. He put on a chain shirt, which did not take much time to don. Then, he attached a leather pouch with several potion bottles to his belt and tied it in ce. Since he was already wearing his enchanted ne and rings, his preparations were nowplete.

    He flung aside the curtain before stepping onto a central path within the cave.

    Countlessnterns hung at evenly spaced intervals on the walls, each glowing with a ¡¸Continual Light¡¹ spell. It was bright enough that one could scarcely believe they were in a cave.

    The light illuminated his entire body.

    He was tall, but not skinny. The body beneath his clothes was as solid as steel. He had not honed his physique through strength training, but through live battles.

    His hair was sloppily cut and thus looked uneven. It looked quite messy. His brown eyes stared keenly forward, and the corner of his mouth was curled up in the beginning of a sneer. His chin was overgrown with stubble that looked like mildew.

    Although he appeared quite slovenly, his movements were nimble and graceful, like those of a beast.

    As this man arrived at the entrance which was under attack, another man burst in from the other direction. He seemed quite familiar ¡ª he was a sellsword from the Brigade. As the mercenary saw him, a look of triumph blossomed on his face.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°The enemy¡¯s attacking, Brain-san!¡±

    The bitterly smiling man ¡ª Brain ¡ª responded:

    ¡°I know the enemy is attacking. What I want to know is how many are there? Who are they?¡±

    ¡°Yes! There¡¯s two of them, both women.¡±

    ¡°Women? Only two of them? Could it be... Blue Rose, hm.¡±

    Brain tilted his head in what seemed like puzzlement, and then he strode out toward the cave entrance, through which the mor poured.

    The strongest adventurer team in the Kingdom was called ¡°Blue Rose,¡± and it wasposed of five women. One of them had been an olddy. She and Brain had exchanged blows, and both sides hade away covered in wounds. He had also heard that the strongest assassins in the Empire were apparently women.

    Powerful women were not exactly a rarity. Although women had weaker bodies than men, magic could easily cover that gap.

    And of course, if someone with powerful physical abilities was augmented with equally powerful magic, the result would be invincible.

    Respect welled up in Brain for these opponents, who stood as few against the many. His blood boiled in his chest, a battle-lust which resembled a hunger to do battle with mighty opponents.

    ¡°Hm, there¡¯s no need for you toe over. Just make sure you guard the inside well.¡±

    After giving the sellsword his orders, Brain strode forth, toward an unknown yet powerful foe.

    ? ? ?

    His full name was Brain Unus.

    Originally, he had been nothing more than an unassuming farmer. However, he was possessed of a natural gift, which was a talent for swordsmanship. With the aid of this talent, he was practically invincible as long as he had a weapon in hand. On the battlefield, he had not taken any wounds more severe than a scratch, and he could be described as a fighting genius.

    Having never known defeat in swordsmanship, he walked an eternal path of victory.

    Nobody, not even himself, had doubted this. But the Kingdom¡¯s royal martial tournament had changed the course of his life.

    At first, he had not joined to win. He had simply intended to let the entire Kingdom know of his prowess. His aim had been to leave everyone crushed at his feet. However, he could barely believe the result of that tournament.

    Defeat¡ª

    For the first time since he had picked up a weapon ¡ª no, for the first time in his life, he had been defeated.

    The man who defeated him was Gazef Stronoff. He was now the Kingdom¡¯s Warrior-Captain, and the mightiest warrior in the surrounding nations.

    Before they faced each other, the two of them had swiftly cut a swathe through their respective divisions. However, the intense battle between them used up all the time they had saved.

    In the end, Gazef had seized victory with the move called the ¡¸Fourfold sh of Light¡¹. The tale of that struggle was immortalized in song and story. In addition, the ascension of the lowborn Gazef to the position of the Warrior-Captain was proof of how spectacr that battle had been. Even the nobles who detested him could not dismiss him as a weakling.

    Though the winner was covered in glory, Brain ¡ª the loser ¡ª felt as though all his efforts up to that point had gone up in smoke. However, Brain had also learned that the dream of bing the strongest in the world was not one that only he possessed. It would seem his perspective had been too limited.

    After retreating into himself for over a month, Brain broke through the despair that would drive anyone to drink, and pulled himself together.

    He refused employment offers from several nobles, having decided for the first time in his life to strengthen himself.

    He trained ceaselessly, honing both his skills and his body.

    He learned about magic and furthered his knowledge.

    The genius now applied himself like a schr.

    Defeat had only made Brain stronger.

    He did not want to work for nobles because he did not want his talents to rot away. One needed sparring partners when practicing the martial arts. Mere discussions of theory were not enough. In addition, there were vocations that allowed him to fight often and earn a good wage.

    He did not choose the profitable path of the adventurer because adventurers did not have many chances to kill people. Of course, they fought a lot of monsters, but Brain¡¯s ultimate goal was to defeat Gazef. With that in mind, he had to train himself by fighting other humans.

    Within this limited range of options, Brain chose to join the Death-Spreading Brigade. Granted, they were only a band of sellswords, but any mercenarypany would do.

    He had only one aim in mind.

    That was to wipe away his earlier shame and avenge his defeat with victory.

    In order to achieve this aim, he needed greater skills. Brain was willing to sacrifice anything for a weapon that matched his skills.

    Magical weapons were very expensive, but he did not seek something as simple as a magic weapon.

    In the south, far from the Kingdom, there was a city in the desert. Stories of des that carved steel like mud came from there, weapons which were far superior to weakly enchanted magic weapons even without any enchantments of their own. Such swordsmanded staggering prices, enough to make one¡¯s eyeballs pop out when one heard of them. Those weapons were what Brain wanted.

    And in the end, he finally obtained a ¡¸Katana¡¹.

    Currently, Brain¡¯s abilities had reached their limit. He was quite confident that he could defeat anyone easily, even if his opponent was Gazef. Even so, he did not allow that to get to his head, but continued training himself without fail.

    Every time he closed his eyes, he saw that scene again.

    He saw that scene from the martial tournament, that beautiful battle with Gazef. He had evaded that strike of his which nobody had been able to avoid, and responded with four simultaneous shes.

    With no way to imagine himself in defeat, all he could see was the noble form of the man who had beaten him, branded into his mind.

    ? ? ?

    Brain walked to the entrance of the cave, and the faint smell of blood greeted his nose. The screams had stopped. That meant that all hisrades near the entrance had been ughtered. Only about two or three minutes had passed.

    There should have been at least ten sellswords at the entrance. Their orders were to hold fast, to buy time for the others to gird themselves for war. But to think someone had killed all these mercenaries in so short a time¡ª

    ¡°If there¡¯s only two intruders, that means their abilities must be around the same level as mine.¡±

    Brain smiled coldly.

    As he walked easily forward, he downed a potion from the pouch on his waist. The incredibly bitter liquid flowed down his throat and into his belly. He quaffed another bottle, and¡ª

    A wave of heat expanded from his guts, flowing into every corner of his body. In response to that heat, he could hear his muscles bulging and tightening.

    This rapid muscle augmentation was the result of the magic contained within the potion.

    The first magic potion he had drunk contained had the effect of a ¡¸Lesser Strength¡¹ spell, followed by one which bestowed ¡¸Lesser Dexterity¡¹ upon him.

    There was no need to ingest the potions. They would work as long as a certain amount of the liquid made contact with his body. However, Brain felt that they would be more effective when drunk, rather than applied. Of course, that might have just been a whim of his, but whims like that sometimes gave rise to surprising power.

    After that, he anointed his katana with an oil. Said oil left a faint bluish-white glow on his de, before vanishing as it was absorbed into the metal. That oil bestowed the effects of a ¡¸Magic Weapon¡¹ spell upon his weapon, temporarily enchanting his sword with magic and increasing its sharpness.

    ¡°Activate 1, Activate 2.¡±

    In response to thosemand words, a subtle wave of magical power spread out from Brain¡¯s ne and ring to envelop his body.

    The Ne of Eye was a ne which protected one¡¯s ability to see, granting blindness resistance, darkvision, repensation, and other effects. There was no point in a warrior having the best weapon if he could not hit with it, after all. Amon adventurer tactic was to rob a foe of their vision and finish them off with ranged weapons from a distance. The fact was that Brain had suffered that sort of treatment at the hands of adventurers before obtaining this ne.

    After that, he activated an item which could both store and release low tier spells, the Ring of Magic Bind. The spell it released was one reduced energy damage, ¡¸Lesser Protection Energy¡¹.

    If there were really only two attackers, then it was worth fully preparing himself to face them. It would be toote to regret not having made the proper preparations afterwards.

    With that, he was ready.

    He took several deep breaths, expelling the intense heat brewing within his body.

    As he was now, Brain ¡ª his body enhanced by various effects ¡ª was a swordsman who stood at the peak of humanity. He was absolutely confident in his fighting ability, and a savage grin bloomed on his face.

    Now that I¡¯ve prepared myself, I hope you¡¯ll show me a good time.

    ? ? ?

    The further he advanced, the stronger the scent of blood became¡ª

    Two shapes appeared before him.

    ¡°Oi oi, it looks like the two of you had a lot of fun.¡±

    ¡°Hardly. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because these people are too weak, but they¡¯re not filling up the Blood Pool.¡±

    The response to Brain¡¯s unhurried entrance was that casual line. It might have been because the opposition knew Brain woulde at them directly. On his part, Brain had no intention of hiding himself, so perhaps that reaction was only to be expected.

    As he looked on the intruders before him, Brain slightly wrinkled his brow.

    I was told there were two women, but one¡¯s little more than a little girl, and they¡¯re in dresses...?

    Still, Brain cast aside those thoughts, because above the head of that unimaginably beautiful girl hovered an orb that seemed to be made of fresh blood.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen that spell before... are you two magic casters?¡±

    Both of them wore dresses, garments that were unsuitable forbat. However, if they were magic casters, he could understand why they did not wear armor.

    ¡°I am a divine magic caster who venerates the First of the Blood, the Divine Ancestor Cainabel.¡±

    (TL Note: It¡¯s Éñ×æ¥«¥¤¥ó ¥¢¥Ù¥ë, where the Éñ implies that he is a god. Also Brain mispronounces it.)

    ¡°The ¡®Shin-sow Kine-able?¡¯ Never heard of him before, is he some sort of evil deity?¡±

    ¡°That is correct, but he was defeated by the Supreme Beings. Apparently, he was just a ¡®weak event boss,¡¯ or something. One would expect nothing less of the Supreme Beings.¡±

    Brain looked away from the muttering girl and turned his eyes to the woman that looked like a follower. That woman was also a beauty, with full, upthrust breasts, wreathed in an erotic musk that titited the senses.

    Her white dress was flecked in crimson spots. That implied she was the vanguard.

    Brain rxed his shoulders, and then gripped the hilt of his sword.

    ¡°Forget it, I¡¯m ready. I can wait for you if you¡¯re not, how about it?¡±

    The girl looked at Brain in surprise. Then she covered her mouth andughed quietly.

    ¡°How brave. Will you really be all right by yourself? I don¡¯t mind if you call all your friends over.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no amount of small fry which can hurt you, right? Then I¡¯ll be plenty enough.¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped if you don¡¯t know how high the stars are, right? Childish thoughts like being able to touch the stars by reaching out for them are best left for a girl with childish sentiments like Aura. They¡¯re disgusting when you hear theming from an adult.¡±

    ¡°And why can¡¯t such a person exist? What would a little girl like you know about a man¡¯s dreams?¡±

    Brain raised his de, levelling its tip at the two of them. As she saw this, the girl looked boredly at the ceiling, then forward, and then¡ª

    ¡°Get him.¡±

    The girl raised her chin, and the woman charged.

    Her movements were swift as the wind ¡ª however, even if she moved like the wind, Brain could still cut her easily.

    ¡°Chestooo!¡±

    As he shouted, Brain brought his katana down with a forceful swing. Filled with a power that could split an armored warrior bodily in two, it raced through the air like a hurricane.

    ¡°Kuh!¡±

    ¡°Hmph, that was too shallow, huh?¡±

    Counter-attacked mid-charge, the woman leapt away as she pressed her hand against her chest. The cut started from her left shoulder and ran across her breasts.

    Brain frowned as he stared at his foe.

    Part of it was because he could not finish her off in a single strike, but there was something else Brain did not understand. That something was why the woman¡¯s shoulder was not bleeding. Her blood should have been spurting out, under normal circumstances.

    Could it be magic?

    As that thought ran through Brain¡¯s mind, he saw what was happening to the wound under the woman¡¯s hand, and he narrowed his eyes.

    The shoulder wound was slowly healing up. He had heard of certain healing spells which worked quickly, but this did not feel like one of them. That being the case, there was only one answer.

    His opponent was a monster with powers of regeneration. Her sharp canines were exposed and her red pupils were filled with hostility. She looked almost the same as a human being...

    As he pondered these facts, Brain finally deduced the true identity of the monster.

    ¡°A vampire... no? Special abilities include... fast healing, mystic eyes of charming, life drain, creating spawn through blood drain, weapon damage resistance, cold resistance? There should also be... ah, forget it.¡±

    There was no need to bother with the rest. With that, he gripped his katana¡¯s hilt once more.

    The woman¡¯s eyes went wide, and her red pupils seemed abnormallyrge.

    In that moment, a fog suddenly clouded Brain¡¯s mind, and he felt favorably disposed toward the enemy before him. However, he dispersed the fog with a quick shake of his head.

    ¡°...Mystic eyes, huh? My will isn¡¯t weak enough to be affected by that sort of thing alone.¡±

    Having drawn his sword, Brain¡¯s heart was like a sword as well, cleaving effortlessly through regr mind control.

    The Vampire Bride bared her fangs to frighten him, but that attempt at intimidation was tinged by her own fear. If she felt that she was stronger, then all she would need to do was charge him without bothering with the scare tactics. In other words, she felt that she needed to be wary of him after his counterattack, or perhaps it was because she felt he was a strong opponent.

    ¡°Pretty smart. Still, a beast making a decision like that is little more than instinct...¡±

    Brain slowly advanced on the Vampire Bride, who steadily retreated in time with his movements.

    Brain scoffed in boredom. The Vampire Bride seemed to think her opponent was taunting her and so she ceased her backwards motion, but instead stepped forward.

    The two of them were roughly three meters apart; a distance the Vampire Bride could cover in a single bound. Even so, she did not pounce him, because she feared Brain¡¯s abilities. And then¡ª the Vampire Bride smiled and extended a hand.

    ¡°¡¸Shock Wave¡¹.¡±

    A shockwave rippled through the air towards Brain. Given that this spell could easily dent a suit of full te armor, it would severely injure Brain ¡ª who wore only a chain shirt ¡ª if it struck him. In addition,nding that single spell could change the course of this battle, given the difference in the fundamental physical attributes of both parties.

    However ¡ª the Vampire Bride¡¯s eyes went wide in surprise.

    ¡°Smile after you hit, unless you want me to see through your attack.¡±

    ¡ªHe was unharmed.

    Brain¡¯s mockingugh rang out after easily avoiding the invisible shockwave. The Vampire Bride panicked and stepped back. Originally, she had believed humans to be an inferior species and had looked down on him. However, the look of her face was now one of shock as her assumptions had been disproven.

    Brain did not show it on his face, but he knew he had to change his tactics now, because he had not expected his enemy to use magic as well.

    Brain¡¯s target was the man called Gazef. He desired to cross swords with him. Therefore, his knowledge of magic was not as great as his knowledge of des. He did not know the mysteries of magic and had no idea what kind of tricks his opponent would pull next.

    In the end, the two of them ended up staring at each other.

    The girl standing at the sidelines was displeased by this deadlock, and could no longer hide her annoyance.

    ¡°Eh, tag out.¡±

    The girl snapped her finger, and the crisp, clear sound made the Vampire Bride¡¯s body shudder.

    Brain remained still as he watched the Vampire Bride look away.

    It was a perfect chance to attack, but Brain did not do so. He shifted his attention from the Vampire Bride facing him to the girl.

    She was petite, though the fact that her breasts were full and bulbous seemed quite out of ce on her skinny body. Her delicate arms looked fragile enough that Brain felt he could break them if he exerted his full strength.

    There were many kinds of divine magic casters. Perhaps she was not a melee-oriented Cleric, but a spell-oriented Priestess, or perhaps she was a Bishop, who specialized in spellcasting.

    However, she was asking to tag in so she could fight in person. That implied she was confident of victory even without her vanguard. What that meant ¡ª as Brain thought about it, he smiled.

    Doesn¡¯t look like amand to a summoned creature. That means she must be a Vampire as well.

    In addition, given the girl¡¯s attitude, she must be a higher order of Vampire. Monster¡¯s appearances often did not match their actual abilities, so it would not be strange for that little girl¡¯s body to possess higher physical abilities than the Vampire from just now. In addition, she had observed Brain¡¯s formidablebat prowess and still chosen to take the field.

    In contrast, the Vampire Bride looked afraid.

    A mistress who can frighten a Vampire... Looks like she¡¯ll be a tough foe. I¡¯ll need to be on my guard.

    As he sized up the girl, Brain continued pondering her true identity.

    Speaking of a Vampire¡¯s mistress, could she be one of those legendary Vampire Lords? I heard there was one of them who earned the title of ¡°Landfall¡± for destroying a nation... however, the stories also say she was wiped out by the Thirteen Heroes.

    If she had been beaten by heroes in the past, then his opponent was hardly invincible.

    Brain tightened his grip on his katana¡¯s hilt, slowly shifting into an attack stance.

    ¡°I am Brain Unus.¡±

    After Brain identified himself to this mighty foe, the girl reacted in a surprising way; she quirked an eyebrow at him.

    Feeling somewhat ufortable, Brain asked the girl:

    ¡°...What is your name?¡±

    ¡°Ah! You wanted to know my name. Cocytus might have gotten it right away but I¡¯ve never looked at people like that before, so it took me a while to get it. My apologies, but you should have just asked me directly.¡±

    The girl took up the hems of her skirt and curtseyed elegantly, like a dancer at a ball.

    ¡°My name is Shalltear Bloodfallen. And the pleasure will be all mine.¡±

    ? ? ?

    That elegant curtsy was directed to a man who stood before her with a drawn de. He was unsure if she knew she would not be attacked, or if she was confident of dealing with any attack that dide. Judging by her expression, it would seem to be thetter case ¡ª ¡°Someone like you is nothing to be afraid of.¡±

    ¡ªLet me break that self-assurance of yours.

    Brain stared silently at Shalltear, his eyes keen razors that would terrify even a hardened veteran. Her calmness irritated him, but on the flip side, that expression of hers yed right into Brain¡¯s hands.

    It was the arrogance of the strong.

    This arrogance was one of the weapons humanity could use to defeat monsters, whose power outstripped that of human beings. In fact, Brain had yed on this sort of opportunity before to defeat several monsters who were mightier than himself.

    The most important thing was ¡ª he could mock them after he defeated them. After he told them, ¡°You can look down on some people, but not others.¡±

    ¡°Are you not going to use martial arts?¡±

    ¡ªMartial arts.

    They were skills mastered during a warrior¡¯s quest for martial perfection. Some people called them ki or some kind of aura, but they defied easy description.

    In the face of a massive, towering foe, a person who had learned ¡¸Fortress¡¹ could negate the mighty blows of his opponent and stand de to de with him.

    Someone who had learned the ability to concentrate ki onto his de and swing with ¡¸sh¡¹ could y even the most resilient of foes in one hit.

    Against heavily armored foes, the bludgeoning martial art called ¡¸Bash¡¹ came into y.

    Anyone who had learned to temporarily improve their physical parameters with ¡¸Ability Boost¡¹ could seize victory through their power of their augmented bodies.

    A warrior needed to anticipate all sorts of circumstances, learn various martial arts, and incorporate them all into his own strength. This went double for adventurers, who were often plunged into bizarre battle conditions.

    That being the case, what about Brain?

    ¡°Hmph, I won¡¯t need martial arts for a brat like you,¡± Brain responded. It was a lie, of course. He was not stupid enough to announce his ace in the hole to his opponents.

    Brain exhaled slowly and lowered his stance, returning his sword to its sheath.

    He was preparing for a draw cut.

    His breaths became long and shallow.

    He focused his mind into a single point, and in the moment where it was fully concentrated, his awareness rebounded, expanding back outward. His perceptions were on a level where he was fully aware of everything around him; sounds, the air, and other sensory phenomena. This move was one of the original martial arts that he had created ¡ª ¡¸Field¡¹.

    Its range was not great, only about three meters in radius, but the martial art allowed him to perceive everything within that radius. Perhaps it might be easier to exin it as boosting his uracy and evasion while within that area.

    Combined with Brain¡¯s honed body, this martial art possessed extraordinary power.

    He was confident that he could emerge unscathed beneath a hail of arrows. In addition, his precision was such that he could cleave even a tiny grain of wheat in two.

    In addition¡ª

    All living things died when weapons struck their vitals. Thus, all one needed to do was master techniques which could urately strike said vitals.

    Rather than learn a broad range of techniques, he had focused on one single goal. His goal was to strike faster than his opponent, to urately deliver a single, fatal blow, and in the course of his studies he had innovated a second unique martial art ¡ª ¡¸Instant sh¡¹.

    That high-speed strike was swift enough to be undodgeable, but he had not stopped there.

    His training after that was extraordinary, in pursuit of the peak of excellence. He must have practiced it hundreds of thousands, no, millions of times. His ceaseless use of the ¡¸Instant sh¡¹ had caused calluses to grow on his palms, specializing them in performing the technique, and parts of his sword¡¯s hilt had been worn into the shape of his grips.

    In his unending quest for perfection, he had once more birthed a new technique.

    He could cut his foe so quickly that blood would not even stick to the de. Feeling that he had reached the realm of the gods, he named that technique ¡¸God sh¡¹.

    With that move, his opponents would not even realise he had struck.

    Once hebined these two martial arts, the ¡¸Field¡¹ which guaranteed a hit and the ¡¸God sh¡¹ that struck at divine speed, there was no way anyone could avoid being in in one blow.

    His strikes were aimed at his opponents¡¯ vitals; specifically, their necks.

    This was his secret move ¡ª the ¡°Mogaribue.¡±

    (TL Note: A mogari (»¢Âä) is a form of bamboo fence, while the mogaribue (»¢ÂäµÑ) is the sound of the winter wind blowing through that fence, like a flute)

    It was named for the sound his opponent¡¯s blood made when it spurted from the stump of their severed necks.

    Against Vampires, there would probably be no spray of blood, but being able to sever his foe¡¯s neck probably counted as a victory.

    ¡°Are you done preparing yet?¡±

    As she looked at Brain, who stayed silent and did nothing but breathe, Shalltear shrugged in boredom.

    ¡°I¡¯m ready to make my move, so if you have anyst words, feel free to say them~¡±

    Beat¡ª

    ¡°¡ªThen let the trampling begin.¡±

    Shalltear strode forward with that cheerful pronouncement.

    Are you kidding me!? We¡¯ll see how calm you are after your head hits the ground.

    Brain did not say that. He felt that doing so would break his concentration and waste his effort.

    Shalltear¡¯s steps were unguarded, seemingly defenseless, as dainty and casual as if she were heading for a pic.

    This was not the way a warrior moved. Brain fought the urge to grin.

    He felt she was foolish, but there was no way he would go easy on her.

    Brain went on to use ¡¸Ability Boost¡¹. He was waiting for his opponent to enter his ¡¸Field¡¹, which was also his striking range, and once she did so he would attack. Arrogant monsters who thought themselves mightier than others were all like that. After all, humans were weak creatures with inferior physical abilities, and no special abilities of note.

    However, I¡¯ll teach you how dangerous it is to look down on mankind.

    Brain mused that martial arts were created to fight beings that were stronger than humans.

    ¡ª I¡¯ll finish you off in one hit.

    Haughty monsters would often struggle when pushed into dire straits. If he could not finish her off in one blow, she would probably instruct her Vampire toe help her. Then the battle would be two against one, and even Brain would be hard-pressed to hold them off.

    Thus, he needed to kill her in one blow.

    Brain¡¯s face was impassive, but he wasughing internally.

    Heughed at his opponent¡¯s leisurely approach; perhaps she did not know that she was climbing the stairs to the chopping block.

    Three more steps, two more steps.

    ...One more step.

    And then¡ª

    ¡ªYour head is mine!

    With that mental deration, Brain struck with all his might.

    ¡°Hoo!¡±

    He expelled a short, forceful breath.

    His de cleared his sheath, slicing through the air at Shalltear.

    There was a single word to describe the speed of this movement ¡ª lightning. By the time one saw it, one¡¯s head would have fallen, so quickly did it take ce. After practicing millions of times, it was truly a divine sh.

    I win.

    As Brain thought that¡ª

    ¡ªHe stared in shock.

    The blow had missed. The strike into which he had poured his entire being had been evaded.

    If that had happened, he might have been able to admit that he had met an unimaginably powerful opponent.

    However¡ª

    Shalltear had caught it with her fingertips.

    She had caught Brain¡¯s lightning-fast strike.

    In addition, she held his de gently, like one would the wings of a butterfly.

    Brain could not help but pant heavily, as he felt the air seem to freeze around him.

    ¡°...Im-Impossible...¡±

    Those nearly-inaudible words apanied each gasp he made.

    Brain struggled desperately to rein in the tremors within him, as the scene before his eyes utterly defied his expectations. However, it was an undeniable fact that there were two of Shalltear¡¯s ivory fingers upon the body of his de ¡ª her thumb and her forefinger.

    More than that, she had not seized his de from the front, but hooked her arm around the swing to catch it from behind. Without once entering the path of the strike, she had caught up with the speed of the katana ¡ª with the speed of his ¡¸God sh¡¹.

    Although she appeared to be gingerly grasping the de, with hardly any effort at all, Brain could not budge his sword backward or forward, despite pouring the full strength of his body into his exertions. It was like yanking on a chain fastened to a stone several hundred times his own body weight.

    And then, the force on his sword suddenly increased, almost throwing Brain off bnce.

    ¡°Hmph, Cocytus has several of these too, but since there¡¯s an astronomical difference between the wielders, it¡¯s hardly worth being on guard for.¡±

    Shalltear pulled the grasped katana before her, studying it.

    As Brain understood what she had said, the inside of his head turned white.

    It was a sense of despair which denied his entire life.

    Even so, he pulled himself together again. That was because he had been defeated once, and just as a broken bone would knit back thicker and stronger, he had developed a resistance to the condition of defeat.

    It was impossible, but he had to believe it.

    He had to believe the fact that her fingers could easily seize his divinely-fast strike.

    His face nearly turned pale from the weight of that shock, and Shalltear wrinkled her brows in surprise at this development.

    Then, he heard something like an exaggerated sigh of disappointment.

    ¡°You understand, right? You can¡¯t beat me without using martial arts. If you understand, please don¡¯t hold back. Shouldn¡¯t you go all out now?¡±

    As those cruel words reached his ears, Brain could not help but curse:

    ¡°You damn monster¡ª!¡±

    As she heard him, Shalltear smiled innocently, radiant as a blossoming flower.

    ¡°Is that so? Do you finally understand? I¡¯m a cold, merciless, cruel ¡ª and lovable monster.¡±

    After letting go of the katana, Shalltear leapt back, to her original position, urate to within the millimeter.

    ¡°Are you done preparing yet?¡±

    Shalltear¡¯s delighted smile and those wordsbined to make Brain¡¯s blood boil. How much further are you going to scorn me? Instead, as Brain realised that his opponent was powerful enough that she could look down on someone like him who had reached the limits of human strength, he could not help but be afraid.

    ¡ªShould I run?

    Brain had always felt that living was the most important thing. If he was outmatched, he should run, and erase his shame at ater date. Brain felt that as long as he survived, he could im the victory in the end, because he was sure he could get stronger in the meantime.

    However, how could he flee someone whose physical abilities overwhelmed his own by such arge margin?

    As though freshly awakened, Brain reconfirmed the location he was targeting.

    He was aiming for her legs, to reduce his opponent¡¯s mobility before escaping at top speed.

    He would avoid the radius in which his foe had seized the strike made with all his might, and instead attack something which was harder to defend.

    With that in mind, Brain turned his attention to Shalltear¡¯s neck as he resheathed his katana. When ¡¸Field¡¹ activated, he could strike urately even with his eyes closed, so it made sense to deceive his opponent with his eyes.

    ¡°¡ªLet the trampling begin.¡±

    Shalltear stepped forward once more in an exaggerated fashion.

    Although he had previously expected that she would step into his ¡¸Field¡¹, it was the opposite now ¡ª he hoped that she would not enter the ¡¸Field¡¹.

    How pathetic is this, Brain mentally chastised himself. Still, even his desire to avenge himself could not ignite his fighting spirit. It was like a fire that had run out of fuel. He tsked, and used ¡¸Field¡¹ to monitor Shalltear¡¯s movements.

    Three steps, two steps, one step¡ª

    ¡ªShe was in range.

    As Brain stared at Shalltear¡¯s neck, he noticed her mocking expression out of the corner of his eye.

    ¡ªHis target was the right ankle she was putting forward.

    He swung down with his katana, using his body weight to further hasten his blow.

    As he cast his stress aside, he was certain that this swing was faster than the previous one. Even he had no way of defending against a strike of that speed.

    I can do it!

    Just as he was about to slice off the girl¡¯s delicate ankle that revealed itself from beneath the hem of her skirt¡ª

    ¡ªThe hilt of Brain¡¯s katana slid from his hands.

    Brain¡¯s line of sight did not move, and he had no idea what had happened. However, the special sensory abilities granted to him by ¡¸Field¡¹ made him acutely aware that his beloved katana was now on the ground, trod under a high-heeled foot.

    It was impossible. Yet, it was an undeniable reality.

    The reason Brain¡¯s katana had slipped was because of the shock transmitted into his hands when that high-heeled shoe had stepped on it.

    There was only one reason not to believe this.

    That reason was: despite heightening his focus to its limit, he still had not sensed his opponent¡¯s movements. Yes, not even within the ¡¸Field¡¹ of which he was so proud.

    She was close enough that if she reached her hand out, she could touch him. Shalltear¡¯s disdainful gazended on Brain from such a short distance. The startling pressure it generated threatened to crush the air along with Brain himself.

    Brain¡¯s breathing grew chaotic.

    His sweat flowed like rain, soaking his entire body. His field of vision trembled and an intense feeling of nausea came over him.

    He had been through several risky encounters before, so desperate situations were amon sight for him. However, those encounters were little more than child¡¯s ypared to his present predicament.

    The high-heeled shoe pulled off the de, and Shalltear silently leapt away.

    ¡°¡ªAre you done preparing yet?¡±

    ¡°!¡±

    The third repetition of those words filled Brain with an iparable sense of despair.

    Next, she would say ¡°Let the trampling begin.¡± However, just as Brain thought that would happen, he heard somethingpletely different.

    ¡°Could it be that... you can¡¯t use martial arts?¡±

    That voice ¡ª filled with pity and surprise ¡ª made Brain draw a sudden breath.

    He could give no reply. No, to be precise, he did not know what to say. Perhaps he could yfully reply like a clown: ¡°Ah, I used them just now, but you defeated them easily.¡±

    Biting his lower lip, Brain retrieved his katana.

    ¡°...Could it be that you¡¯re not actually that strong? I thought you were stronger than those chaps at the entrance... Sorry about that, I measure strength in meters, so I can¡¯t discern differences of a millimeter or two.¡±

    He had worked so hard and so long.

    During the showdown with Gazef, he was overly confident in his natural abilities, so he had not trained and lost to someone who had. As a result, his defeat had turned into his motivation.

    The mindset he had developed, of standing up again from defeat ¡ª of earnestly honing his skills to produce results ¡ª were nothing but foolishness to the monster before him.

    This can¡¯t be happening. All along, I¡¯ve been ying those monsters who scorned me and mocked me for being weaker than them¡ª

    As those thoughts rose through Brain¡¯s mind, he struggled to press them down, and in their ce¡ª

    ¡°Aaaaahhhhh¡ª!¡±

    With a great shout, he made his move on Shalltear. Brain swung at Shalltear ¡ª who had a puzzled look on her face as she watched him attack ¡ª with all the force his body could muster.

    His blow, which marshalled all the muscles of his entire body, could easily cut an armored human being in half.

    Shalltear had no intention of evading that stunning strike. The way she watched the gleaming arc of white light descending upon her made Brain think that he might be able tond a hit.

    However, the scene from earlier denied those thoughts of his. Could he really strike her so easily?

    In the next moment, those fears were confirmed.

    As a crisp ringing filled the air, Brain once more saw an unbelievable sight.

    Shalltear had swiftly flicked the nail of her left little finger ¡ª roughly two centimeters long ¡ª with blinding speed. In addition, Shalltear did not seem to be using any strength at all; the rest of her hand was balled up into a fist, leaving only the little finger sticking out; and it was slightly bent.

    With that motion ¡ª which did not even qualify as toying with him ¡ª she had parried that blow which Brain had struck with all his might.

    Parried that blow which could cleave full te armor, shatter swords, and break shields¡ª

    Struggling desperately to pull together his shattered will to fight, he focused his strength into his hands which trembled from the impact of Shalltear¡¯s parry. He raised his katana high and brought it down, and then ¡ª Shalltear still casually deflected it.

    ¡°Huaaaah~¡±

    Shalltear yawned in an exaggerated manner, even going so far as to pat her mouth with her right hand. She was intentionally staring at the ceiling now. It would seem she was no longer taking Brain seriously.

    Even so.

    Even so ¡ª Brain¡¯s katana had still been deflected.

    By the little finger of her left hand¡ª

    ¡°Uoooohhhh¡ª!¡±

    A roar issue from Brain¡¯s throat. No, it was not a roar, but a cry of despair.

    Horizontal sh ¡ª parried.

    Diagonal sh ¡ª parried.

    Frontal sh ¡ª parried.

    Diagonal cut ¡ª parried.

    Vertical cut ¡ª parried.

    Horizontal cut ¡ª parried.

    No matter the angle, no matter the direction in which he made his attacks, all of them were deflected.

    It felt as though his katana was being drawn to that nail, and in that moment Brain finally understood.

    His opponent was truly powerful. Even his hard work and natural talents could not even bring him close to her feet, let alone onto her level.

    ¡°Ara~ tired already? Thoughe to think of it, this nail clipper¡¯s pretty dull.¡±

    Brain stopped swinging as he heard those surprising words.

    Could one cut through a mountain with a sword? That was impossible; even a child knew that. Then, could he beat Shalltear? Any warrior who faced her would know that answer.

    There was no way he could defeat her.

    Human beings could not defeat entities who were beyond human imagination. If anyone was able to stand toe to toe with her, that someone must surely be a mighty individual who was beyond the realm of mankind. Regretfully, Brain was merely a warrior who stood at humanity¡¯s peak.

    Indeed, no matter how hard he worked, as long as he was still a human being, he would be nothing more than an infant iling around with a stick.

    ¡°...I... trained so hard...¡±

    ¡°Trained hard? What a pointless statement. I was created strong, so there was no need to train hard in order to be stronger.¡±

    Brainughed as he heard this.

    I tried so hard, and got so far. But in the end, it doesn¡¯t even matter. How self-centered was I, thinking I was a genius?

    His legs felt heavy, like they had been squashed by huge boulders.

    ¡°...? Ahahahaha, what are you crying for? Did something sad happen?¡±

    He understood what Shalltear was saying. However, her voice was muffled, as though it wereing from far away.

    Even his determination to train himself, the determination that let him burst the blisters on his hands to continue swinging a heavy iron bar, was meaningless. Wearing heavy armor and running long distances was meaningless. Defeating monsters by himself was also meaningless.

    It was all meaningless. Therefore, Brain¡¯s life was also meaningless.

    In the face of a truly powerful being, Brain was no different from the powerless weaklings he used to mock.

    ¡°I¡¯m an idiot...¡±

    ¡°...Are you done? Then it¡¯s about time to wrap this up, no?¡±

    Shalltear giggled as she advanced on him, her little finger extended. Brain cried out; not a warrior¡¯s call to battle, but a child¡¯s weeping.

    Brain ran wildly.

    He faced his back to Shalltear.

    Having experienced Shalltear¡¯s physical ability first-hand, he expected that she would catch up with him immediately.

    Still, he paid that fact no heed. Or rather, Brain no longer had the energy to worry about that sort of thing. He simply revealed his defenseless back to her, scrunching his face up into a tear- and snot-filled mess as he desperately ran deeper into the cave.

    Just then, an innocent girl¡¯s voice,ced with bloodlust, came from behind Brain.

    ¡°Are we ying tag then? You¡¯re going to y all sorts of games with me? Then I shall enjoy myself, ahahahaha~¡±

    Part 3

    A cold wind blew through the main hall, slipping through the gaps in the barricade and washing over the surviving men of the Death-Spreading Brigade, all forty two of them.

    The main hall was the most spacious part of the cave system, so it wasmonly used as a dining area. However, it was now an emergency stronghold.

    This series of caves ¡ª the sellswords¡¯ hideout ¡ª was centered around this long and narrow hall. Several smaller caves radiated off along its sides, and they were used as personal rooms, armories, and food storage. Therefore, if this ce was taken, the other locations would also fall easily. When attacked, it thus made sense to designate this ce as the linchpin of their final defensive line.

    That said, it might have been called a stronghold, but it had not been built to the standards of one.

    They had upended their crude tables and stacked up boxes to form a simple barricade. After that, they had strung up several chest-height ropes between the entrance to the main hall and the barricade, in order to ward off anyone who might try to charge the barricade. Once the enemy ran into the obstacles, the defenders could avoid being drawn into a melee.

    Almost everyone was arrayed behind this defensive formation, holding their crossbows as they waited in the center, left and right wings.

    Even if it came to a shooting match, the dimensions of the main hall and the size of the entrance gave an overwhelming advantage to the defenders in the hall. In addition, now that they had all spread out, the attackers would end up taking fire from all the defenders no matter where they decided to attack. Even area-effect attacks would have trouble taking them out because they were spread out. This troop arrangement was designed to provide covering fire, and it was called a crossfire.

    It was a simple formation, but it could hold off an enemy forcerger than itself.

    And then, disquieted looks began appearing on the men¡¯s faces.

    As the men trembled, their chain shirts quivered along with them, producing the rustle of links sliding over other links.

    The interior of the cave was cool, and quitefortable even on summer days. However, what they felt now was not exactly coldness.

    Just now, peals ofughter had rung in from the outside. Due to the echoes within the cave, it was transformed into a shrill, sexlessughter, which was what had chilled them to their bones.

    They believed that since the strongest man in the Death-Spreading Brigade ¡ª Brain Unus ¡ª had sortied, there was no need for them to build a barricade or the like.

    Thatughter had shattered their conviction.

    Brain was unbeatable. That was what they believed.

    Brain was far stronger than an ordinary man. Even Imperial knights could not possibly defeat him. Not even monsters could. He could y an Ogre in one hit, charge into a Goblin horde by himself and mow them down like grass. If the entire Death-Spreading Brigade crossed des with him, he might well end up taking all their heads. What else could they call him but their strongest man?

    But if such a man had been defeated, what did that mean?

    The fact that someone could fight Brain and stillugh like that could only mean one thing.

    Everybody knew it, but nobody dared to say it.

    All they could do was look silently at each other.

    The eyes of everyone gathered here went wordlessly to the entrance of the hall ¡ª in the direction of the rest of the cave.

    The tension in the air thickened, and then¡ª

    The sound of running came toward them, growing louder and louder.

    Someone gulped loudly. The sounds of several crossbow strings being drawn back could be heard amidst the silence.

    As the sellswords watched the hall¡¯s entrance, a man sprinted into view, panting heavily. It was a miracle that nobody had loosed their bolts at him.

    ¡°Brain!¡±

    The man who shouted was the head of the mercenaries ¡ª the Brigade¡¯s leader. Soon, a great cheer exploded through the hall. Their jubnt cheers came from their belief that he had defeated the intruder.

    There were sounds of voices congratting Brain, as well as those of hands patting each other on the shoulder.

    They chanted Brain¡¯s name over and over again. Amidst this praise, Brain stood at the entrance to the hall, holding his weapon in one powerless hand as he quietly surveyed the faces of the sellswords around him.

    No, that was not right. His expression suggested that he was looking for something.

    The cheering died down as though suppressed, as the sellswords picked up on Brain¡¯s strange mood.

    Brain ran for the barricade.

    ¡°Oi! Wait up, we¡¯ll open up for you!¡±

    Brain paid those words no heed as he squirmed into the barricade, forcing his way through without wasting a single moment before continuing his run.

    He felt the sellswords stare dumbly at him as he opened a door. It led to a cave which was being used as a storeroom, and he rushed inside.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did he put something in there?¡±

    ¡°Who knows? It feels weird, though... was he crying? Nah, that couldn¡¯t be!¡±

    They stuck their heads out to look at the closing door, but the mercenaries were thoroughly baffled by the strange event which had transpired before them.

    Only one person here was frowning; the brigade¡¯s leader. This was because only he ¡ª no, Brain knew as well, so that made two ¡ª had an idea of what was going on. However, he did not have the time to verify his suspicions.

    The sound of slow, graceful steps drew close, followed by the slow appearance of a stranger in the entrance.

    None of them had any idea who that person was. Since nobody in the band knew this stranger, it was clear that it was the intruder who had sparked this disturbance, and themotion vanished in an instant.

    Impossible. If that were really the case, that would mean that the reason why Brain was here had now taken a one eighty degree turn. If the intruder was still alive, it meant that he had fled here.

    In addition, there was only one intruder, its back hunched in a bizarre way.

    It was not tall and looked like a girl. Her arms hung limply below her, as did her head. The strange thing was that given the position of her head and the bottom of her neck, it looked like thetter was three times longer than that of a regr human being.

    She had a full head of lustrous silver hair which dragged along the ground as she slowly entered the hall. She wore an exquisitely-crafted dress, which seemed to be wreathed in darkness.

    Nobody spoke.

    A wave of heart-stopping cold apanied this dreadful visage.

    Her head slowly came up, her face obscured by the strands of silvery hair. Through them, they could see a pair of red lights, which slowly narrowed down to needle-sharpness.

    Everyone knew what this meant ¡ª much to their misfortune.

    She wasughing.

    That frightening girl raised her head, revealing a beautiful face. However, nothing could be more revolting to the people who had just seen the state of her. Those elegant features looked like a mask sculpted by a top-rate artist.

    ¡°Good evening, everyone. My name is Shalltear Bloodfallen. Is this the finishing point? Does this mean the game of tag is over?¡±

    As she spouted those bewildering lines, the girl ¡ª Shalltear ¡ª looked around. However, that beautiful face of hers wrinkled, probably because she had not found the person she was looking for. In the unbroken silence, the girl¡¯s voice rang forth once more.

    ¡°Are we ying hide and seek noooooooow?¡±

    She giggled merrily, seemingly amused by this. Shalltear lowered her head andughed andughed andughed, her silver hair shrouding her face.

    As the sellswords gasped at the sight before them, Shalltear¡¯sughter grew ever louder.

    ¡°Ahahaaahahahahahaaaahahhahahahhh!!¡±

    Her full-bellied mirth echoed through the hall as the girl slowly raised her head again.

    The face they saw made the sellswords feel like their hearts were being crushed in their chests, and that ice water was filling their veins.

    That face was no longer beautiful. The color flowing out of her pupils had dyed her eyespletely red, and the two neat rows of white teeth in her mouth now resembled a set of delicate syringe needles, like a shark¡¯s gaping maw. A lewd pink glow leaked from her throat as transparent saliva drooled from her mouth.

    ¡°Ahahaaahahaahaahahaa!!!¡±

    Shalltear bared her fangs and grinned, so wide that the corners of her mouth almost touched her ears. Sheughed several dozen times, like the tolling of an off-key bell.

    Whimpers of despair filled the air of the hall.

    Though they were in a cavern, it seemed as though even the air could not bear it and joined in with the resounding echoes.

    ¡ªA girl?

    ¡ªA monster?

    ¡ªA fiend?

    It was none of them.

    This was terror incarnate¡ª

    Despite the distance between them, they could scent blood on her breath. Due to the intensity of the stench, it seemed as though even the air was turning red.

    ¡°Uwaaaaaah¡ª!¡±

    Ovee by panic, one of the sellswords screamed and depressed the lever on his crossbow.

    The bolt tore through the air and embedded itself deep into Shalltear¡¯s chest. The impact made her waver slightly.

    ¡°¡ªLoose!¡±

    Upon hearing their leader¡¯s voice, the sellswords came to their senses, chased away their fear, and fired their crossbows as one.

    The bolts which shot out roared like a downpour, riddling Shalltear¡¯s body with projectiles.

    Thirty one of the forty bolts fired had hit, each piercing deeply into her body. At this range, the bolts could even go through metal armor, so this was the logical oue.

    In addition, the four which had entered her head would have been fatal for a human being.

    Someone breathed, ¡°We killed it...¡±

    Those words were the hope which all of them were clinging to. Although their foe was still standing, so many bolts stuck out of it that it resembled a porcupine. Bymon sense, it should have been definitively dead.

    Still, while that thought filled their minds, the smoking cinders of fear within their hearts could not be extinguished.

    As though driven by some kind of sixth sense, the sellswords began reloading their crossbows.

    And then ¡ª Shalltear moved.

    Like a conductor preparing to direct a performance, she slowly spread her arms. The bolts which covered her body began working their way out and then fell to the ground. None of them had so much as a single drop of blood on them, nor were their heads dented. It was as though they had never been used at all.

    Shalltearughed, and a vile, predator¡¯s snarl appeared on her face.

    Scattered cries of terror rose from the frightened sellswords. As though urged on by those cries, countless bolts ripped through the air toward Shalltear once more.

    The numberless projectiles impaled her eyeballs, pierced her throat, prated her abdomen and sank into her shoulders. Yet the girl who had met such a grisly fate merely seemed annoyed, as though she had been caught in a drizzle.

    ¡°It¡¯s uselessssssss~ But you still try so haaaaaaarrrrrrd~¡±

    She took a step forward, and then ¡ª she leapt.

    The ceiling was about five meters above the cave floor. The girl jumped high enough to reach out and touch it easily. She sailed gracefully through the air andnded on the other side of the barricade. As her high heels cked on the ground, all the bolts stuck in her fell off as well.

    She turned to look at the soldiers behind her, who were reloading their crossbows.

    She stepped forward ¡ª and punched.

    She did not even put her back into it. It was a simple, casual punch. That said, it was possessed of extraordinary speed and its destructive power was out of this world.

    Her hand pierced the body of the sellsword she had punched, sending him flying into the barricade. With a heaven-shaking crash, the wood of the barricade disintegrated, spraying splinters everywhere.

    Only the silence of wood chips falling to the ground could be heard in the silence that filled the hall.

    The stunned sellswords stopped reloading their crossbows, staring dumbly at Shalltear.

    Shalltear stuck her index finger into the mass of blood floating above her and drew out a strand of blood, which turned into a character before her. It looked like a Sanskrit character or a simr symbol, and it was called a Magic Rune.

    Shalltear possessed a ss called Blood Drinker, and this was one of its skills: Blood Pool. This orb of enchanted blood could store the blood of victims for various purposes. It could also drain mana from the blood, so one could use skills that augmented spells without consuming extra MP.

    ¡°¡¸Prate Magic ¨C Implosion¡¹.¡±

    After casting this tenth tier spell ¡ª which was of the highest tier of magic ¡ª the bodies of ten mercenaries began swelling up from inside.

    There was no time for them to cry out. All they could do was watch their bodies expand inexorably, looks of ignorant terror on their faces. Then, in the next moment, their bodies burst, like balloons popping.

    ¡°Hahahahhhahahaahaha! Firewoooooorks! How prettyyyyyyyy~¡±

    Shalltar pointed to the spraying blood, apuding and cackling as she did.

    ¡°Uooohhhhh!¡±

    Following that cry, an estoc impaled Shalltear¡¯s chest from behind ¡ª piercing her heart. It sawed up and down, as though to widen the wound.

    ¡°Die, you monster!¡±

    The broadsword swing after that nearly clove Shalltear¡¯s head in half, its point stopping after it pierced her left eye.

    ¡°You lot, hurry up and get stuck in!¡±

    As wails and cries rose from them, three mercenaries hacked at Shalltear¡¯s body with the weapons they had at hand.

    They swung over and over again, but Shalltear still stood firm, despite having a broadsword buried halfway into that face of hers. Said face bore a frightening smile, with no sign that she was in pain at all.

    After they tired of attacking her, the sellswords cast down their swords and switched to punching and kicking her, the tears streaming down their faces. Though they were muchrger than she was, Shalltear remained unmoved. It was as though the sellswords were assaulting a huge boulder.

    Shalltear tilted her head to look at the mercenaries and began thinking. Then she pped her hands together, having thought of some devilish scheme.

    ¡°Hahaha, hahaha, hahahahaha!¡±

    She exhaled, as though expelling the heat from within her. The thick stench of gore made the people around her nauseous.

    Shalltear carelessly wrenched out the broadsword stuck in her head. Once it was gone, there was no sign that she had ever been wounded in the first ce.

    Just as she was about to swing it, she halted halfway. Rust covered the broadsword, and it slowly crumbled away. In her blood-addled mind, she thought about a penalty from one of her job sses ¡ª Cursed Knight ¡ª and she tossed it away in a vaguely disappointed manner. Then, she casually flicked one of those delicate ivory hands of hers.

    And thus, three skulls rolled to the ground.

    ¡°Run away! Run away! Run for your lives!¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t beat a monster like that!¡±

    The sellswords screamed and fled in all directions.

    Having lost all will to fight, one of the running men was seized from behind by Shalltear, who grasped his head with both her hands and squeezed. His head popped open like a shellfish having its carapace cracked open, and his brains squirted out.

    ¡°Hahahahahahahahaha! Whaaaaat¡¯s that look on your faces, are you scaaaaared~? Wait a minute, hahahahahaha! Hang on a bit, I¡¯m iiiiiiiiitttt¡ª! Hahaha, hahaha, hahahahaha!¡±

    Their curiosity piqued by that sinister voice, the sellswords turned to see a stomach-churning sight. The blood-drunk queen of nightmares chased them down, not allowing a single mercenary to escape.

    One of the fleeing men stumbled, rolling beneath Shalltear¡¯s feet.

    ¡°Spare me! Please! I won¡¯t do anything bad again!¡±

    As she looked on the man, crying and whimpering for mercy as he grabbed her leg, Shalltear¡¯s face split into a predatory grin. The sellsword immediately understood what that smile meant and his face turned an ashen gray.

    ¡°¡ªSo hiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh uuuuuupppppp~¡±

    ¡°Noooo! Stop¡ª!¡±

    Still clutching her leg, the man was lifted bodily into the air. With one hand clutching his back, she threw him lightly at the ceiling.

    Unable to resist her supernatural arm-strength, the mercenary finally let go and squeezed his eyes shut. After a brief period of weightlessness, he felt the pull of gravity dragging him down again; and then his hand struck the ground, sending a gout of pain through his body.

    ¡°Waaaaaah!¡±

    Being able to feel pain was proof that he was still alive. The mercenary, grateful for being able to escape death, eased his eyes open ever-so-slightly, and then he realized that he had been celebrating too soon. This was because Shalltear¡¯s slender ivory-white hands had gently embraced him, not allowing him to fully touch the ground.

    He had not escaped from the clutches of this terrifying monster.

    No, not just that ¡ª a gaping maw opened before him, looking like a lump of clotted blood, radiating a stench he had never encountered before.

    ¡°Hahaha, hahaha, how fuuuuuuuuun~ Did you really think you could die so easilyyyyyyyyy~ Nooooooooooope~¡± she said as she stuck her tongue out at him.

    ¡°Spare, spare me¡ª¡±

    ¡°Noooooooooope¡ª I haven¡¯t fed in soooooooooo looooooong~¡±

    Her mouth opened until it was past her ears, until it was big enough to gulp an entire skull down.

    ? ? ?

    Nobody here knew this.

    Nobody here knew that the monsters called True Ancestors in the DMMO-RPG YGGDRASIL were physical incarnations of disaster.

    The mouth that opened to the height of her ears was in a semicircr shape, and the two canines within it were long enough that they reached her chin. Her brilliant scarlet eyes were the color of blood, and the fingertips of her dried-wood arms sprouted ws that were about ten centimeters long. She looked like she was hunched over whenever she moved, and leapt at her prey in a flying charge.

    That was the the posture she had.

    Vampires were monsters which were crossbreeds of humans and bats, and the high tier Origin Vampires looked more monstrous than the others.

    The only Vampire-type monsters which could be said to be beautiful were Shalltear¡¯s concubines, the Vampire Brides.

    The only reason why Shalltear the True Vampire looked so beautiful was because her guild member who designed her was skilled at drawing and turning his art into reality.

    Shalltear¡¯s current appearance was her original look as a True Vampire. In other words, her usual appearance was merely a sham.

    ? ? ?

    Like a rubber toy, or a bloated, disgusting leech, Shalltear gnawed at the sellsword¡¯s throat.

    It was not clear if the sellsword first felt dozens of needles pierce his throat, or if he heard the gross sound of his blood being drained away in an instant.

    The man felt his very existence being siphoned away, and the chilling dread of that realization instilled a terror in him which he had never felt before.

    However, even as he tried to struggle, his limbs grew heavy and his eyesight darkened.

    After draining him dry, Shalltear tossed aside the dessicated corpse, licking off a stray drop of blood with a moist, gleaming tongue. Then, she smiled brightly at the other sellswords, who did not know if they should flee.

    ¡°Sooooooooo~ maaanyyyyy~ mooooooore~ snaaaaaacks~ for meeeeeeee~¡±

    Countless screams of anger and cries of despair echoed through the great hall¡ª

    ? ? ?

    Shalltear grinned evilly as she stood within the silent hall which was now devoid of any movement. The orb of blood above her head had absorbed a lot of fresh gore, to the point where it was only a little smaller than her head.

    ¡°Thaaaaaaat waaaaas fuuuuuuuuuun~¡±

    After hearing Shalltear¡¯s exmation of delight, the Vampire Bride ¡ª who had been stationed at the hall¡¯s entrance to prevent anyone from escaping ¡ª lowered her head and added:

    ¡°I am d that you enjoyed yourself, my noble master.¡±

    ¡°Time for the maaaaaaiiiiiiin diiiiiishhhh~¡±

    Shalltear wrenched open the door to the storeroom into which Brain had fled, bursting the lock off. The hinges still hung from the door in Shalltear¡¯s hand.

    The storeroom was cramped, with several bags and boxes within.

    It was here that Shalltear smelled something surprising ¡ª fresh air, scented with dust, the aroma of the wind from outdoors. At the same time, the spoor of a human grew fainter. Shalltear might have lost herself in her Blood Frenzy, but she still remembered the mission assigned to her.

    ¡°Kuwaaaaaaah¡ª!¡±

    With a furious roar, Shalltear shoved away the obstacles in her path, and advanced to the ce from which the wind blew.

    She found a hole behind the boxes, which had been blocked up by sandstone less than a meter ahead. The fresh air flowed in from a gap in the rock.

    ¡°An escaaaaaaaaape tunneeeeeellllll¡ª!?¡±

    The Lesser Vampire had not been lying ¡ª he did not know there was an escape passage here.

    A problem one often ran into with the use of magical charms was that one could only learn what the subject already knew. The target could not give answers which they did not have, and if they believed a falsehood to be the truth, then the questioner would only learn the falsehood.

    Unlike Mare, Shalltear did not have any magic to move the earth, If she tried to clear it with a shockwave, it might drop the entire ceiling on them.

    He had escaped.

    Those words floated to the fore within her bloodsoaked thoughts. To some extent, Shalltear understood that she had failed in her part of the mission.

    Shalltear snarled in anger.

    Why was this pitiful insect of a human being not moving in ordance to the wishes of Shalltear, a Guardian of Nazarick?

    All I want is to turn your unnecessary lives into a feeble contribution to the glory of Nazarick; why don¡¯t you understand and rejoice in that fact?

    Shalltear ground her teeth, and then the Vampire Bride who had been assigned to lookout duty called out from behind her.

    ¡°¡ªShalltear-sama!¡±

    The fact that one of her Vampire Brides had left her post incensed Shalltear, and her vision turned red as she briefly entertained the idea of killing her. In the end, she managed to bank the mes of her wrath with great effort. If she had left her position for an important matter, then she should be spared.

    ¡°Whaaaaaaat ¡ª is iiiiiiiiiiit?¡±

    ¡°Several people are headed this way.¡±

    ¡°Hm~ Leftover survivoooooooors~? Theeeeeeen~ let¡¯s go out and meet theeeeeeeeeem¡ª! Ahahaha, hahaha, hahahahaha!¡±

    Part 4

    Shalltear leapt up and, like a little bird flitting through the night, she hopped over the log barricade at the cave entrance. The Vampire Brides which apanied her slowly advanced forward.

    Shalltear looked on her targets with a smile.

    They were a disciplined, well-trained party.

    The frontlinersprised three male warriors, each equipped with different gear, but all of them had on a hauberk of scale armor, with a weapon in hand and arge shield on their backs.

    Behind them was a red-haired female warrior in banded armor.

    There was a lightly-dressed man holding a staff in the rear. He was probably an arcane magic caster. Beside him was a divine magic caster who wore a cleric¡¯s robe over his armor and had a holy symbol shaped like a me around his neck.

    There were six of them in total, and although they were surprised at the sight of Shalltear as she emerged from the cave, they calmly went on alert, a movement born of umted experience.

    ¡°That¡¯s gooooooood~¡±

    Although it was not bad to ughter weak humans, who had the consistency of tofu, more resilient opponents like this were more interesting.

    WIth a look of anticipation in her crimson eyes, Shalltear directed a predatory grin at the people before them.

    ¡°Speak!¡±

    Shock appeared on the face of the arcane magic caster, but only for a moment, and then his expression hardened.

    ¡°Enemy: probable Vampire! Only silver or magic weapons effective! Unbeatable opponent! Fighting withdrawal! Don¡¯t look at her eyes!¡±

    ¡ªA cry rang forth, easily audible by anyone in this depression.

    The shoutedmands had been pared down to the bare minimum, and everyone swiftly reacted to them. The warrior at the lead unlimbered hisrge shield and took a defensive stance. He averted his eyes, looking instead at Shalltear¡¯s chest and belly.

    During this time, the female warrior behind them had taken up the weapon passed to her by the warrior in front and began applying something to it.

    An unpleasant odor wafted into Shalltear¡¯s nose.

    It was alchemical silver.

    This was a sticky salve made by alchemists. The magical substance spread across the weapon when applied, coating it in a thin membrane and making it function as though it were made of silver.

    Weapons made of silver were not only more expensive than regr weapons, but they were softer than steel and not suitable for long-term use. Therefore, many adventurers purchased salves like this and applied them to their weapons when the need arose, allowing them to temporarily take on the properties of silver.

    Wielding weapons which now radiated a silver gleam, the group moved to corral their foe as they fell back.

    Their fighting withdrawal was an impressive disy. The party seemed to be like a single organism as they fell back in an orderly manner.

    ¡°My Lord, O God of Fire¡ª¡±

    ¡°Enough with the useless stuff, hurry up and cast a defensive spell!¡±

    The arcane magic caster restrained the cleric ¡ª who was nning to raise his holy symbol ¡ª and then began casting a spell on the frontliners. The cleric followed suit.

    Although the exactposition varied between jobs, most clerics could use divine power to turn, rebuke or destroy creatures such as undead, demons, angels, and the like. However, these abilities only worked on monsters weaker than themselves. In other words, the arcane magic caster had seen the cleric preparing to turn undead with divine might, instantly divined the difference in strength between their foes and themselves, and then instructed him to do something else with his power.

    As she watched this series of actions, Shalltear eyed the leader of the party, intending to capture him in ordance with her orders. However, the murderous impulse to spill more blood slowly dyed her heart a crimson red.

    She wanted to ughter them, pulverize them, dismember them, and bathe in their blood. Her breathing grew ragged and she began foaming at the mouth.

    ¡°¡¸Anti-Evil Protection¡¹.¡±

    ¡°¡¸Lesser Mind Protection¡¹.¡±

    The two magic castersid their spells upon the frontline warriors.

    A vague hunt of respect bloomed in Shalltear¡¯s overexcited mind. Although these spells were of the lowest tier ¡ª the first tier, in fact ¡ª they were still the most suitable magic for the current situation. They were unlike the sellswords who hadshed out thoughtlessly, or that stupid warrior who hade out by himself without even knowing martial arts.

    Still ¡ª no matter how hard they struggled, meaningless actions were still meaningless. Against a foe who was so overwhelmingly superior to them, nothing they did could possibly mean anything.

    Their adorable show of resistance was thest straw that broke the back of Shalltear¡¯s wavering self-control.

    ¡°I can¡¯t... I can¡¯t take itttttttttt¡ª I can¡¯t hold back any moooore~!¡±

    With a cry like she had torn free of her bindings, Shalltear stepped forward.

    Her steps were light and easy, like a dancer¡¯s. However, to the people before her, she moved faster than the wind.

    She thrust out a spear hand.

    It pierced her victim¡¯s shield, shattered his armor, ignored his magical protections, ripped straight through his skin, muscle, and bone, and closed around the heart which had been beating just a moment ago. And then ¡ª she tore it out. As she stood over the body of the copsed warrior, Shalltear held up the reddish-ck mass of tissue ¡ª deformed in her grip ¡ª before the others. The female warrior whimpered in fear, while the priest¡¯s face twisted in anger.

    Shalltear had expected these reactions. Satisfaction filled her as she watched them, and with a revolting smile, she cast a spell.

    ¡°¡¸Animate Dead¡¹.¡±

    The warrior who had lost his heart slowly stood back up, now transformed into a Zombie, the lowest tier of undead. Yet, she was not finished.

    Shalltear gulped down the heart she was holding, and then reached into the orb of blood floating above her. What she brought back down was a pulsing lump of gore ¡ª a caricature of a heart. She then tossed the lump into the Zombie.

    The blood-lump writhed like a maggot, then distorted itself as it flowed into the Zombie¡¯s body. In an instant, the Zombie shuddered, its body spasming several times before its exterior slowly changed.

    It seemed as though all the water had evaporated from its body, given how its skin had turned into something which resembled dried bark. It sprouted sharp ws and its canines jutted out. Before long, the undead creature before them could no longer be considered a Zombie.

    As they watched the birth of a Lesser Vampire, the adventurers eximed in shock.

    ¡°Impossible! I¡¯ve never heard of a Vampire which could use such high tier magic without cost!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re looking at one right now, so don¡¯t panic! Calm down and think!¡±

    ¡°But...!¡±

    ¡°¡ªRetreat¡¯s going to be hard! Attack!¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡±

    The cleric panicked. Perhaps the others had been influenced by that, but one of the warriors swung at Shalltear. The other attacked his formerrade, who was now a Lesser Vampire.

    ¡°My Lord, O God of Fire, repel the unclean!¡±

    The cleric held up his holy symbol, which emitted a burst of divine power. Of course, it had no effect on Shalltear.

    ¡°Ahhhhahahahahaahaha!¡±

    The sword of one of the warriors bit into the body of the Lesser Vampire, which had been immobilized, possibly by the cleric¡¯s divine power. This was a half-baked Lesser Vampire which had been made from a Zombie, which was why the divine power was actually effective, but the knowledge that the Zombie she had made had lost to divine power displeased Shalltear.

    She flicked her little finger, parrying the sword pointed at her, and then red annoyedly at the cleric who stood in the back line.

    ¡°Geeeeet looooooosst¡ª!¡±

    She casually swiped her right hand, but this careless blow was enough to behead the sword-wielding warrior, sending him to the ground in a spray of blood.

    ¡°¡¸Lesser Strength¡¹.¡±

    That buff spell was cast on the final warrior, who was now fighting a slowed down Lesser Vampire with his own enhanced body. The warrior had the upper hand, and pressed his advantage.

    Since they seemed to be having fun, Shalltear decided to leave them be. After all, there was still prey remaining. Her mind clouded with bloodlust, Shalltear turned to the cleric before her.

    The female warrior stepped forward, putting herself into the line of fire, though she only wielded an ordinary steel weapon.

    How adorable, she¡¯s still taking a stance with a sword despite her fear ¡ª though that was ultimately the pitiful resistance of a small animal. A wave of heat and delight grew in Shalltear¡¯s lower abdomen.

    What sounds would she make when she chewed off her fingertips? Maybe she could cut off her ears and feed them to her. No, she should drink her blood first. After all, she was the first female prey she had encountered since she hade to the outside.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be my desseeeeeeeeerrrrrtttttt~¡± Shalltear bellowed from her gaping maw as she leapt over the woman.

    Easily leaping over the female warrior, Shalltearnded before the arcane magic caster and the cleric.

    Before the cleric could react, Shalltear already had the hand holding his holy symbol in her grasp, and she squeezed. The cleric¡¯s bones disintegrated under that irresistible force, and shreds of muscle and skin squirted from the gaps between Shalltear¡¯s fingers.

    ¡°Guwaaaaaargh¡ª!¡±

    After hearing the cleric¡¯s cries, Shalltear was quite pleased with herself, and decided to grant him mercy and end his torment.

    With a wave of her hand, the blood spurting from the stump of the cleric¡¯s neck flowed into the orb of blood above Shalltear¡¯s head. She nodded in delight.

    At this point, somebody thrust a sword into Shalltear¡¯s back with all their strength. However, attacks like that werepletely ineffective against her. Shalltear stood firm like a great tree, though she found the swordpoint protruding from her chest a minor inconvenience.

    ¡°No way... it¡¯s not working!? Isn¡¯t this a silver weapon!?¡±

    The sword had pierced her chest ¡ª and her heart, as it turned out ¡ª but Shalltear¡¯s nonchnce drew a garbled scream from the female warrior.

    Since the female warrior did not have a silver weapon, she must have taken it from the body of the in warrior.

    The arcane magic caster was correct, but he was not entirely right. In order to harm Shalltear, one needed a weapon made of silver and possessing sufficient mana, or a weapon with a powerful elemental enchantment. Simply being made of silver was not enough.

    Shalltear paid the female warrior behind her no heed, and looked at the shocked arcane magic caster.

    ¡°¡¸Magic Arrow¡¹!¡±

    In desperation, the magic caster cast a spell, sending two arrows of light streaking at Shalltear. However, they were easily resisted.

    This was the result of one of Shalltear¡¯s special abilities ¡ª spell resistance. It was not a perfect defense, and depended on the attacker¡¯s own strength. However, given the precipitous gap between their power levels, she could easily resist spells from him.

    In other words, there was nothing the arcane magic caster could do to Shalltear.

    ¡°Sooooooo~ booooooooooor~ iiiiiiiiiiing~!¡±

    With a casual wave of her hand, Shalltear relieved the person who no longer interested her of his head.

    Looking back, she saw that the Lesser Vampire was still struggling with the other warrior.

    Shalltear picked up the two fallen heads on the ground and tossed them at the twobatants. The heads ¡ª massing about six kilograms each ¡ª flew forth with supernatural speed. Then, as expected, both sides copsed to the ground.

    While Shalltear was not paying attention, the dessert (the female warrior) iled wildly at Shalltear¡¯s body with her sword.

    Still, what good did that do?

    It did not hurt or even bother Shalltear, and it was a meaningless gesture. The only effect it had was opening up holes in her clothes, but as long as Shalltear herself was fine, the magic clothing would automatically restore itself.

    ¡°Now theeeeeen~ desseeeeeerrrrrtttttt~! Let¡¯s eeeeeeaaaaatttt~!¡±

    Shalltear sounded like a child leaving their favorite food for thest ¡ª however, she had a nauseating, wicked smile on her face as she turned to face the female warrior who was hacking away at her back.

    As the female warrior met Shalltear¡¯s crimson gaze, the female warrior realised that she was the sole survivor, and stumbled back, eyes glistening with tears. She scrabbled at her waist pouch, fishing around inside for something.

    Shalltear leisurely savored the blood-dimmed world before her. She seemed curious about what the woman was doing.

    Soon, the female warrior pulled out a bottle and threw it.

    Shalltear narrowed her eyes at the bottle tumbling through the air, and smiled coldly.

    Although the female warrior had hurled it with all her strength, the speed at which the bottle travelled seemed almost unbearably slow to Shalltear. She could have easily dodged it, but her pride as one of the strong did not allow her to avoid it. In addition, she wanted to see the look on the woman¡¯s face when her final trump card crumbled before her eyes.

    The urge to ughter grew and grew.

    However, Shalltear tamped it down. After all, the more she controlled herself, the sweeter her delight would be when she finally indulged herself.

    Shalltear watched the bottle flying at herself, and idly contemted it.

    It was probably holy water, or some sort of firebomb. She refused to give up despite knowing her struggles did not matter, and continued her pitiful resistance. Perhaps she should start by making her suffer until she prayed for death before slowly tasting her blood. If she was a virgin, she would drain her dry, but if not there were all sorts of lovely games they could y together, as long as she minimized the amount of blood lost.

    Having made her decision, Shalltear swatted aside the flying bottle. The force of swiping at the bottle caused the crimson fluid within it to spill from the bottle¡¯s mouth and ssh on Shalltear¡¯s skin.

    And then ¡ª there was a faint stinging pain.

    The insides of Shalltear¡¯s mind went white for a moment, and her bloodlust was instantly extinguished.

    She looked at the ce from which the pain hade, which was the hand which had batted the bottle aside. An acrid odor and a wisp of smoke boiled up from the ce where the liquid had touched her.

    Shalltear turned to look at the fallen bottle. Its mouth was open, and a faint, sweet scent came from it. Shalltear was very familiar with that container.

    It was a potion bottle of the kindmonly used in the Great Tomb of Nazarick.

    The liquid within should have been a low tier healing potion. Since healing items could damage the undead, it was probably why Shalltear¡¯s skin had been slightly dissolved.

    ¡°Impossible!¡±

    Her roar shook the very air.

    ¡°Capture that woman unharmed!¡±

    Upon hearing Shalltear¡¯smand, the Vampire Brides ¡ª who had only been watching from the sidelines up till now ¡ª sprang into action. In an instant, they had seized the arms of the female warrior while she attempted to flee during Shalltear¡¯s brief stupor.

    The female warrior struggled valiantly, but the Vampire Brides¡¯ strength far outmatched hers, and they dragged her before Shalltear.

    ¡°Look into my eyes!¡±

    Shalltear seized the female warrior¡¯s chin and forced her to look into her mystic eyes. Of course, she was very careful to control the amount of force that she used. It would be quite troublesome if she ended up wrenching the woman¡¯s jaw off because she used too much strength.

    This was because Shalltear could not use regr healing spells, despite being a divine magic caster.

    A thin film seemed to cover the eyes of the female warrior as she was forced to meet Shalltear¡¯s enchanted gaze. The look of fear and hostility on her face soon became one of friendliness. This was the charming effect of the ¡¸Mystic Eyes of Charm¡¹ skill, and Shalltear ordered the female warrior released once she felt it had taken full effect.

    There were many questions she wanted to ask, However, one burned ahead of all the others.

    Shalltear picked up the fallen bottle and held it before the female warrior¡¯s face.

    ¡°Tell me about this potion! Who did you get it from!?¡±

    ¡°A man in ck armor gave it to me at the inn.¡±

    What about it? The female warrior¡¯s answer seemed to leave that unsaid, and Shalltear¡¯s body seemed to freeze over.

    ¡°...No way... no, this can¡¯t be... but... where... in which city is this inn?¡±

    ¡°It was an inn located in E-Rantel.¡±

    Shalltear gasped in shock as she felt the world spin. This was because she had a rough idea of who the ck-armored man actually was.

    If her guess was correct, that only raised more questions. Why did this woman have this potion? That person would not give out potions for no reason.

    ¡°Could it be...¡±

    Had that person given the female warrior an order? Or perhaps he had given it to her in order to strengthen their good rtions?

    Shalltear recalled the dashing image of Ainz Ooal Gown, the absolute ruler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. The unease she felt at possibly having ruined one of her master¡¯s ns filled her with limitless frustration.

    ¡°Why did youe here? What was your objective?¡±

    She was no longer in the mood to dance around the topic. She had to find out as much as possible, and so she stared at the female warrior with eyes that were now bloodshot for apletely different reason.

    ¡°Yes. Our job is to protect the city, so we came to investigate when we heard there was a bandits¡¯ nest nearby. In the end, we found something strange, so we split up our team. Our party was responsible for a reconnaissance in force, which brought us here.¡±

    ¡°You split your team?¡±

    ¡°Yes. We didn¡¯t know how many bandits were present, so we decided to split up and draw the enemy into a trapped area the other party was setting up.¡±

    ¡°So there¡¯s another team,¡± Shalltear muttered. She clicked her tongue as she realised that this meant more trouble for her.

    ¡°Then, how many of you came here?¡±

    ¡°There were seven people including me, and then¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hm? Wait, seven people? Not six?¡±

    Shalltear counted the corpses around them. Three warriors, one mage, one cleric ¡ª and this woman. The numbers did not add up.

    The female warrior¡¯s answer to Shalltear¡¯s doubt-filled gaze was direct and to the point:

    ¡°Yes, there was also a ranger. He said that he would hurry back to E-Rantel for help if an emergency urred.¡±

    ¡°Say what...?¡±

    The arcane magic caster¡¯s voice had been very loud ¡ª loud enough that everyone in the depression could hear him.

    ¡°Kuh!¡±

    Eyes wide open, Shalltear charged up the sides of the londs, faster than the wind. She leapt over the edge and looked around, but even her darkvision-capable eyes could not prate the depths of the forest, and though she listened carefully, she could only hear the wind blowing on the grass and trees.

    Shalltear did not possess any detection abilities or divination magic. Under these circumstances, finding a single person in the entire forest would probably be impossible.

    ¡°Son of a bitch!¡± she cursed.

    He had escaped; she had been too careless. Shalltear ground her teeth as she realized that she had let two of her prey slip away.

    ¡°Familiars!¡±

    Several shadows wavered into existence near Shalltear¡¯s feet. The shapes of several wolves appeared, but unlike regr wolves, their fur was ck as night, and their eyes radiated a malevolent crimson glow.

    They were level seven monsters, Vampire Wolves.

    One of the skills Shalltear possessed was called ¡¸Household Summons¡¹, which allowed her to call forth various monsters. However, these were the ones best suited to tracking and pursuit.

    ¡°Hunt down and kill everyone in the forest!¡±

    Upon hearing the shouted order, the ten Vampire Wolves surged into the woods as one.

    As she watched the Vampire Wolves leave, Shalltear felt that there was very little chance that they could eliminate the opposition. She thought of Aura, and mused that even if he was not as talented as her, the opponent was still a ranger, and ought to know how to evade pursuit.

    In other words, he would probably escape. If that was the case, what should she do next? Shalltear hurriedly returned and seized the female warrior before asking:

    ¡°Did anyone else receive a potion or other items from the man in ck armor?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so.¡±

    ¡°Really now! Then, next question, will that ranger link up with the other party?¡±

    ¡°No. Our n was that if either of the parties was in danger of being wiped out, he would abandon the other one and return to the city. That choice had the highest chance of keeping us alive.¡±

    They had made meticulous preparations in case they failed, and it was this careful nning which had left her powerless to respond. As Shalltear realized this, anger burned within her.

    ¡°How dare you miserable humanse up with so many tricky ideas ¡ª if I earn the right to rule you, I¡¯ll treat you like the worms that you are!¡±

    Still, even venting her spleen would not change the present circumstances.

    The opposition would bring news that there was a Vampire here back to the city.

    Although Shalltear did not know if the opposition had clearly seen her face, human eyesight would probably not be able to discern the identity of Shalltear in the depression.

    Even so¡ª

    ¡°Shit!¡±

    Shalltear cursed again, and then continued to think.

    The orders Ainz had given her were¡ª

    Your prey this time are criminals and other undesirables whose absence will not be missed.

    For instance, if you encounter anyone among the bandits who can use magic or martial arts, you are to capture them at all costs, even if you have to drain them dry and make them your ves. You are also to capture anyone who knows about this world and who is skilled inbat. However, do not make waves; if people know Nazarick is making a move, it might cause a lot of trouble for us.

    ¡ªAnd that was it.

    That being the case, she had already vited many aspects of those orders.

    Shalltear struggled to resist the impulse to scratch at her head.

    ¡°It¡¯s still okay, it¡¯s still okay, it¡¯s still okay.¡±

    She seemed to be trying to persuade herself.

    Perhaps the other side would bring the news of a Vampire back, but her name and the involvement of Nazarick would not be exposed.

    In other words, she had not left any clues which would link the Vampire attack here to Nazarick. If the people in the city thought about it, they would only conclude that the sellswords here had been ughtered by a wild Vampire ¡ª if one existed in the area.

    There were inconsistencies everywhere, but the opposition would not be able to find them without gathering more information.

    Shalltear continued thinking.

    The question now was what to do with this woman under the current conditions.

    Though she was currently charmed, this woman had notpletely lost her memory. The quickest way would be to kill her, but that posed problems of its own; namely, why Shalltear¡¯s master had given this woman that potion.

    If her master had given her the potion for some reason or purpose, then killing this woman would obstruct her master¡¯s goals, which would be very bad.

    If she let her go, her employers would definitely ask why she was the only one who had survived. In addition, she knew a lot ¡ª in particr, Shalltear¡¯s appearance. While that was not a problem now, nobody could tell how that situation might develop in the future.

    The best way would be to contact her master, but Shalltear could not use the ¡¸Message¡¹ spell.

    Then what should she do¡ª

    ¡°Ahhhh¡ª Ainz-sama is going to scold me...¡±

    Shalltear muttered so softly that nobody could hear, grabbing her head in agonized thought.

    ¡°If only I didn¡¯t have this ¡¸Blood Frenzy¡¹... no, saying that would be disrespectful to my creator, Peroroncino-sama. If only I could control this ¡¸Blood Frenzy¡¹...¡±

    It was toote for any regrets, and no matter how she dealt with this woman, it seemed a scolding would be inevitable. The question now was how to minimize the damage which had been done.

    ¡°Worse¡± was still better than the ¡°worst.¡±

    Shalltear thought and thought, until it seemed smoke would start toe out of her ears, beforeing to a conclusion.

    Rather than killing her, letting her live gave her more options. She could not take back the fact that she had killed her, but sparing her allowed room for the situation to y out.

    That was what Shalltear had decided. Or rather, this was how desperately she was trying to delude herself.

    ¡°What is your name?¡±

    ¡°Britta.¡±

    ¡°Got it... I¡¯ll remember it!¡±

    Shalltear ordered the girl called Britta to stay where she was, then brought her two Vampire Bride servants some distance away:

    ¡°In any case, let¡¯s recover everything here and then retreat right away.¡±

    She had her doubts about whether there would be time for that. However, she still had to take a chance and hope that the opposition would think that wealth had been her objective. Though she had failed in her mission, she still had to make ns to spread false information.

    ¡°Shalltear-sama, what should we do with the women?¡±

    As she heard the question, Shalltear looked to Britta in the distance.

    ¡°Leave her be.¡±

    ¡°No, I was referring to the other women.¡±

    ¡°¡ªWhat? What other women?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Shalltear-sama. I searched the interior to root out any fish who slipped our, and I found several women who seem to have been used to satisfy the men¡¯s lusts. What should we do with them?¡±

    Shalltear¡¯s face froze.

    What was this all about?

    Shalltear turned back to look.

    If her face had not been seen, she could leave them and be done with it. However, she did not know if that was the right choice. She should probably kill them all as well. No, if she did that, it would be quite unnatural for Britta to be the sole survivor.

    Shalltear was frustrated that she could note to a conclusion which benefited her.

    ¡°What should we do¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hah!? I don¡¯t know!¡±

    The look on Shalltear¡¯s face seemed to say, Why the hell are you lot telling me all of this? As long as I don¡¯t know, I can im ignorance, but if I know and deliberately ignore it, I¡¯ll be betraying my master.

    ¡°Whatever! I don¡¯t know! Leave them be, dump them here! Throw Britta in with those women!¡±

    ¡°Will that be all right?¡±

    ¡°How the hell should I know, dammit, shut the hell up!¡±

    ¡°My apologies, Shalltear-sama.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re leaving, get ready!¡±

    The Vampire Brides bowed and began moving. Shalltear grabbed her head and slowly crouched down.

    ¡°...I¡¯m going to be scolded for sure... what should I do... however... hm?¡±

    Shalltear raised her head, looking toward the part of the forest where the Vampire Wolves had gone.

    ¡°...Did they find him?¡±

    Shalltear sensed the disappearance of her familiars. It was not the disappearance of magical banishment, but the discorporation of being killed.

    ¡°Follow me after you take care of that woman! Get the marker ready!¡±

    Having made a decision, Shalltear paused only to snap off a tersemand before sprinting out at lightning speeds.

    Although she was forced to slow down in the forest, as long as her targets were human beings, they could not escape from Shalltear¡¯s clutches, even when mounted.

    She burst from the forest, to thest known position of her familiars.

    There were twelve people before her.

    Each person was attired in a full panoply of equipment which varied between each of them.

    Their gear was not simple and functional, but as decorative and unique as Shalltear¡¯s own equipment. They looked quite potent at a nce. Of course, Shalltear did not have any skills to discern the power of magic items, so she had to go by her gut, but she felt that their magic items might be of legendary ss or above.

    Doubts appeared in Shalltear¡¯s head, given that she had no idea where these people hailed from. These twelve people seemedpletely different from the others that Shalltear had seen in this world. It was the difference between a lion and a mouse.

    Shalltear considered the twelve men and women, and her gaze finally rested on one of them, a man.

    That man... is he strong?

    Shalltear was surprised and had no levels in dedicated warrior sses, so her assessment of her opposition¡¯s strength told her that he was not only stronger than the Vampire Brides she had brought along, but stronger still than Solution, the Pleiades battle maid.

    Shalltear took a closer look at the man.

    The gear he wore seemed to have been designed for use by a man, which was why she had pegged him as a male, but he seemed quite androgynous in appearance.

    She did not know if he was male or female, since he resembled both a man or a woman, yet did not look like either. He was not very tall, and seemed quite youthful. Perhaps he was still growing, which only made it harder to tell.

    His hair was ck and long, almost reaching the ground, while his keen eyes had red pupils which regarded Shalltear with caution. He carried a in-looking spear which seemed incongruous with the rest of his equipment.

    ¡°¡ªUse it.¡±

    The man issued a clear, crispmand ¡ª like the surface of a frozenke ¡ª and panic broke out in the rest of the party. Shalltear had no idea what those words meant. However, she imagined that whatever was being used was powerful, possibly enough to rival Shalltear¡¯s sole divine ss item.

    The others sprang into action in response to themand, but Shalltear paid them no heed. There was only one person who stood out in her reckoning; the others did not seem like much of a threat.

    The group¡¯s formation was centered around a woman in a strange dress.

    It had a high-necked cor, with two long slits on either sides, so it was probably some sort ofdies¡¯ full length dress. It was silver in color, with a five-wed dragon picked out in gold thread along its surface.

    In Ainz¡¯s world, this sort of dress would be called a qipao.

    However, the woman wearing it was very old, her face was full of wrinkles, and her exposed legs looked like burdocks or dried potatoes. That dress was thoroughly unsuitable for her and frankly speaking, it made onlookers frown. Shalltear even went so far as to avert her eyes.

    ? ? ?

    However, this was thest link in a long chain of idents and coincidences.

    If even a tiny little detail had urred differently, things might have turned out some other way.

    If Ainz had not captured Nigun, if Ainz had not counterattacked the Theocracy¡¯s divination spells so fiercely, if the Theocracy had not mistaken this for the revival of the Catastrophe Dragon Lord, if Shalltear had not been distracted ¡ª perhaps events would have unfolded differently. However, the sum of all these possibilities might have instead been phrased as an inevitability.

    That qipao was called ¡¸Downfall of Castle and Country¡¹ (Kei Seke Kouku). This was a sacred treasure left behind by the gods who saved all humanity, and its power exceeded that of anything which Shalltear carried.

    (TL Note: Çã³ÇÇã¹ú: this is the item Nigun mentioned as ¡°Kei Seke Kouku¡± in Vol. 1)

    ? ? ?

    ¡ªShalltear shivered.

    This was the first time which Shalltear ¡ª as a Guardian, one of the highest-ranking entities in the Great Tomb of Nazarick ¡ª had ever shivered. It was a subtle observation, or one could call it a warning from a sixth sense.

    Shalltear¡¯s eyes turned, intending to seize the olddy her instincts were warning her about.

    That human had to die at all costs.

    The spear-wielding man rushed at her just as she realized this and was about to make her move.

    ¡°Get lost!¡±

    Shalltear batted him aside with all her might. However, when subjected to a strike that would pulverize a weak human being, the man was simply knocked back and did not perish on the spot. In addition, his will to fight was still intact despite being blown away.

    Shalltear cast a spell, centered on the olddy.

    ¡°¡¸Mass Hold Species¡¹!¡±

    She wanted to capture several people. This was because she had a premonition that capturing these people would not only make up for her previous errors, but earn her praise.

    As she thought that, Shalltear¡¯s mind suddenly turned white.

    It felt as though part of her thought processes were gone, because she could notprehend what was happening. And then, when she realised what had happened, Shalltear was shaken to the core, fear filling her undead heart.

    This was mind control.

    As an undead being, she should have hadplete immunity to mind-controlling items, yet her will was still being dominated. She desperately tried to engrave hatred and anger on her gradually-whitening consciousness, and as her mind pondered countless variations of the worst-case scenario¡ª

    ¡°Giiiiiiiiih¡ª!¡±

    ¡ªShe wailed, weeping tears of blood as she struggled to fight back against the dominating force which was corrupting her, a Guardian of the Great Tomb of Nazarick.

    However, despite Shalltear¡¯s frantic resistance, her will was steadily bleached away. Nor could she use teleportation magic. This was because her mind would bepletely overshadowed if she allowed herself to be distracted by such matters.

    Shalltear used a ss skill to create a ¡¸Purifying Javelin¡¹. It was a gigantce of the holy element, and despite her own evil alignment, it could still cause massive damage to her foes. The most important thing was that she could spend MP to imbue it with perfect uracy and tracking ability.

    As she marshalled her utmost opposition, Shalltear red at the user of the technique, the olddy who was nning to defile her. She did not take the man who held therge, mirror-like shield standing between her and the olddy into consideration.

    And then ¡ª she threw.

    With the part of her mind that was still conscious and aware, she hurled thence which she held.

    As her mind went white, she used that skill of hers to the full extent of its power, striking an augmented blow.

    The strike shed by in a streak of light and struck the olddy after prating the body of the man in front of her and the shield he was holding.

    Thest thing Shalltear saw was the panicked group and the two of them coughing up blood in agony.

 Chapter 17 - Volume 3

    Overlord Volume 3 Interlude

    Intermission

    This was the Royal Capital of the Re-Estize Kingdom.

    In its heart, surrounded by a keep made from over twenty vast circr towers joined by curtain walls was the Royal Castle Ro-Lente. Within its depthsy the Valencia Pce.

    There was a room within the Pce that was more functional than decorative. Many nobles were gathered there.

    The form of the Kingdom¡¯s Warrior-Captain, Gazef Stronoff, was visible in their midst. He was currently genuflecting before the master to whom he had sworn his life, the man who sat on the throne, King Ranpossa III.

    He seems to have gotten older.

    That was the impression the King gave him when hepared the man now to how he had been half a month ago, when he had set out.

    His beloved liege¡¯s pale hair was a mess, his skinny body could not be described as healthy by any stretch of the word, and hisplexion was simrly poor. The hand which grasped his scepter was as slender as a dried branch, and the crown he wore seemed to hang heavily on his head.

    He had reigned for thirty nine years, and he was now sixty years old. He should have handed the throne to an appropriate sessor, but the problem was that he had no such sessor

    It was not because there was ack of princes to inherit the throne. On the contrary, there were two princes, but both of them were far from ideal. If he gave them the throne, they would be puppets dancing on the strings of the Great Nobles.

    The old man spoke weakly:

    ¡°Warrior-Captain, I am d that you have returned safely.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Thank you, Your Majesty!¡±

    Those sympathetic words drew a deep bow from Gazef as he responded.

    ¡°Umu. I have received some reports, but I would like to hear what happened from your own mouth, Warrior-Captain.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Gazef described in detail the events of what had happened after he left the Royal Capital and reached Carne Vige. He paid particr attention to the mysterious magic caster known as Ainz Ooal Gown, but he did not mention his suspicions of the ine Theocracy¡¯s involvement. This was because Gazef felt it would be best if less people knew about the matter, and so it was inadvisable to speak about it in this ce.

    And so, Gazef talked and talked. He narrated a heroic tale of a man who stepped in to right a wrong in his way, who plunged fearlessly into danger to rescue the vigers, with no regard to the cost to himself.

    ¡°Is that so? That certainly is a glowing review of him. To think, he would go into danger to save the weak...¡±

    Several nobles exchanged patronizing gossip about Ainz Ooal Gown as the King muttered those words of praise.

    A problematic individual.

    A deviant who did not dare reveal his face to the world.

    A magic caster with a strange name.

    In the end, they even brought up the idea that he might have staged the attack in order to advertise himself.

    Gazef strove to keep his anger from showing on his face. He felt profoundly useless for being unable to defend his savior from their words.

    There was a reason for that, of course. That was because the nobles mocking Ainz had one thing inmon ¡ª they were from one of the big factions in the Kingdom; that of the Great Nobles.

    Thirty percent of the Re-Estize Kingdom was directly ruled by the King, while the Great Nobles controlled another thirty percent. The remaining forty percent was a feudal domain which belonged to the other nobles. In addition, the Kingdom¡¯s leadership was divided into two factions, which struggled for power all day and night.

    On one hand was the Royal faction, while on the other was the Noble faction, which wasposed of more than half of the Kingdom¡¯s Six Great Nobles. Though they were currently before the King, this was merely an extension of the battlefield where both sides did battle.

    Because of that, Gazef ¡ª being of the Royal faction, and thus the King¡¯s trusted servant ¡ª was unwilling to interject casually. He knew that his own clumsy phrasings could not possibly defeat those nobles, so he had to instead minimize his own chances of misspeaking.

    ...The ine Theocracy¡¯s secret forces knew how we were moving and showed up at the right time... that means there¡¯s a high chance of a spy within the Kingdom. That being the case, it might be one of the Noble faction¡¯s people...

    Gazef¡¯s gaze turned to one of the nobles, who had an exceptionally cold look in his eyes.

    His blond hair was tied back, and he had a pair of narrow, blue eyes.

    His skin was the same wan color unique to those who avoided the sun. He projected the image of a venomous snake that was only reinforced by his slim build.

    He should have been less than forty years old, but his unhealthyplexion made him seem older than that.

    His name was Marquis Raeven, one of the Six Great Nobles. He flitted between both factions like a bat for his own gain, and he was one of those who backed the King¡¯s second son.

    If there was a traitor to the King, it should be him, right?

    Sensing Gazef¡¯s eyes upon him, Marquis Raeven quirked up the edge of his already-thin lips. Gazef stiffened up even further in response to this provocation.

    ¡°Then let us conclude your report here, Warrior-Captain. There are other important matters to decide.¡±

    Those tired words from the King briefly silenced the chatter from the clustered nobles. Gazef returned to the King¡¯s side and surveyed the nobles. As a man with the King¡¯s trust, he was already used to their displeased res.

    ¡°Then, if tradition holds, we ought to be going to war with the Empire in several month¡¯s time. Let us discuss how we will address this matter. Marquis Raeven, exin to everyone.¡±

    ¡°Understood, your Majesty.¡±

    The ghost-like man walked silently before them, and began speaking in a low voice.

    Nobody interrupted him. Not only did he have influence in each faction, but he was also the most powerful of the Six Great Nobles. Nobody would dare make an enemy of him.

    Marquis Raeven outlined his ns for the future, describing how many men under arms he would require of each noble, all without meeting any opposition. When he was finished, he smiled haughtily and bowed to the King:

    ¡°¡ªAnd that is all.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Marquis Raeven. Does anyone have any objections?¡±

    The court became a sea ofmotion once more, with people talking at and over each other.

    ¡°It¡¯s our turn to take the offensive. Let¡¯s attack the Empire while we¡¯re at it.¡±

    ¡°Exactly! I¡¯m getting tired of just beating back the Empire.¡±

    ¡°Precisely. Let us show those fools in the Empire how frightening we can be.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, you have it at that, Count-sama.¡±

    Theughter ofvishly-dressed men echoed through the court.

    Don¡¯t be stupid. How refreshing it would be if he could actually say that.

    The Kingdom and its neighbor, the Empire, faced off at the Katze ins every year.

    To date, neither side had sustained heavy casualties, but that was only because the Empire had notmitted its forces to the battlefield. If they truly intended to conquer the Kingdom, there would be no need for them to form up at the Katze ins and await the Kingdom¡¯s army.

    Gazef and some of the nobles who could use their brains felt that the objective of these events was to deplete the strength of the Kingdom.

    Take for instance the Kingdom with its peasant levies,pared to the Empire and its professional corps of knights.

    It was immediately obvious whose troops were individually superior, which was why the Kingdom had to mobilize over twice as many troops as the Empire. As a result of fielding more men, they would need more rations for those men. Of course, there were some magic items which could produce food, but said food only qualified as such because of their nutritional value. Their taste was so revolting that even starving people would think twice about eating it. Thus, this magically created food could not substitute for proper rations.

    In addition, the Empire chose the harvest season of thete-ripening wheat to invade, causing ack of hands in the viges. This dyed the harvest of wheat and other grains.

    In this way, the Kingdom would weaken without the need for a full-scale invasion, and this would weaken the power of the Crown.

    Because of that, the Noble faction paid these consequences no heed. In fact, they were delighted by the Royal faction ¡ª their enemies ¡ª losing their power and influence.

    Once the strength of the Kingdom fades, the Empire will invade in force. Do you think the enemy will truly be content with such small skirmishes? Why are you all so naive!?

    The Noble faction believed that they would wield their absolute power forever. Gazef was particrly infuriated by these nobles.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, could it be that the suspicious magic caster who aided the Warrior-Captain is a man from the Empire? Perhaps he intends to infiltrate us as a spy.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see. You¡¯re right. They say the Empire has an academy which trains magic casters, so that¡¯s very likely.¡±

    ¡°The people of the ine Theocracy have a given name, a baptismal name, and a surname. However, what if his name is an alias?¡±

    ¡°I feel ufortable about someone like that appearing in the Kingdom. Perhaps we should think of some way to deal with him?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps we could consider capturing him alive. Frankly speaking, the real problem is the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. They count several magic casters in their number and do as they please. We need to deal with them as soon as possible. Perhaps we could make them our vassals or something.¡±

    ¡°Then, there are the fees the Guild collects. The adventurers within the Kingdom charge a ridiculous sum to eliminate monsters within our borders!¡±

    ¡°The best solution would be to bring him back here.¡±

    Gazef could no longer remain silent after hearing this. There was no way he could allow them to continue badmouthing the person who had saved himself, his subordinates, and the vigers.

    ¡°A moment, if you please. To begin with, that magic caster is well-disposed toward the Kingdom; it would not be a wise decision to try and capture someone like¡ª¡±

    Gazef had spoken in an attempt to redirect the increasingly biased talk within the court. Several nobles reacted with looks of disgust.

    Gazef had reached his current position by the sole merit of his swordsmanship. He was little more than an upstart to these nobles with their long and distinguished histories.

    Thus, Gazef was the subject of much derision. The fact that nobody could match his martial skills only deepened the nobles¡¯ resentment.

    These highborn aristocrats could not bear to be outdone by someone of humbler origins than themselves.

    Several nobles continued criticizing Ainz Ooal Gown without waiting for Gazef to finish, and others joined in as well.

    Upon his throne, the King spoke with a hoarse sigh:

    ¡°...That¡¯s enough. I feel that the Warrior-Captain¡¯s decision was not in error.¡±

    ¡°Muu... well, if you say so, Your Majesty...¡±

    The nobles did not retort, but instead temporarily concealed the mocking grins on their faces.

    Gazef looked with gratitude at the liege who had selected him and to whom he had pledged his ultimate fealty.

    The King saw the look in Gazef¡¯s eyes, and nodded.

    ? ? ?

    Gazef was always tired after these meetings, filled as they were with power ys and ttery, but Gazef did not let his fatigue show on his face as he apanied the King back to the Pce.

    The King had injured his knee in a previous war, and he was unsteady on his feet even with a walking stick. Yet, Gazef did not extend a hand to support him, as a consideration for the King¡¯s dignity. In addition, if he had reached a state where he needed someone to support him in order to walk, the Noble faction¡¯s cries for him to abdicate would only grow louder, in order to secure a ce for an easily-manipted puppet prince on the throne.

    Therefore, though Gazef regretted the necessity of such, he had to let the King walk on his own.

    As they slowly walked down the corridor and neared his chambers, the King suddenly said:

    ¡°...We will still need the power of the nobles to halt the aggressions of the Empire. If I denounced them on the spot, the Kingdom would tear itself apart without the need for an Imperial invasion.¡±

    Though it hade out abruptly, Gazef understood what the King wished to say, so he could only grit his teeth.

    ¡°How I envy the Empire.¡±

    Gazef could not find anything to say which couldfort the King and answer his mumblings.

    The Empire had itself been a feudal kingdom three generations ago. However, the power of the nobles had been steadily eroded, and the current crop was now absolutely loyal to the reigning Emperor.

    The reigning Emperor ¡ª Jiiv Rune Farlord El Nix

    His title of the Bloody Emperor hade from the river of blood that had flowed when he came to power. Gazef recalled the time when he had met the man himself on the battlefield; the Emperor who wanted to bring him into his service.

    That Emperor was a born ruler.

    ¡°I apologize for not being able to protect you because of myck of consideration. I could not even outfit you properly before giving you that dangerousmand... Please forgive me for the lives of your men that were lost because of that... because of me.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that...¡±

    ¡°Gazef, it¡¯s fine. And... while it cannot make up for their deaths, I would like to pay out some form ofpensation to the families of the deceased. In addition, I would like to directly convey my gratitude to Gown-dono, and thank him for saving my closest confidante.¡±

    He should have been troubled by the idea that the King would actually thank a namelessmoner in person who had not personally aided him, but¡ª

    ¡°If he is truly a righteous man, then your words alone will be satisfaction enough.¡±

    ¡°Is that so ¡ª hm?¡±

    Two people came into view before the King¡¯s eyes. The one which caught his attention was the beautiful girl who walked in front. It was said that her loveliness was such that it could not be urately reproduced in paintings; it was a truly indescribable beauty.

    The King smiled. He had always favored his little princess over his other children.

    Renner Theire Chardon Ryle Vaiself

    As the third princess of the royal family, she had inherited her mother¡¯s blinding beauty, and she was renowned as the ¡°Golden Princess.¡±

    Having reached the age of sixteen, it was about time for her to be married off. That too was a reason why the nobles were getting restless.

    Her blonde hair was one of the reasons for her moniker. It flowed over her neck and down her back. Her smiling lips were a pale pink, yet she looked healthy and vital. Her sapphire-like eyes were a gentle and deep blue.

    Her skillfully tailored white dress only added to the image of purity which she projected, while the golden ne around her neck seemed to symbolize her noble spirit.

    Behind her was a young man in his teenage years. d in a suit of pure white armor, he could be summarized in a single word ¡ª intense.

    A pair of coarse, bushy brows sprouted above his impassive eyes.

    His face had a firm, unyielding expression, as though forged from steel, and his skin was tanned dark by the sun. His blond hair was neatly trimmed for ease of movement and to avoid it getting tangled duringbat.

    This young man¡¯s name was Climb, and Gazef had no idea how to get along with him. It was not that he disliked thed; on the contrary, he actually liked him.

    However, Gazef could not bear the air of intensity which surrounded him. He appreciated serious people like him, but he hoped that the boy could at least lighten up a little.

    Still, Gazef understood his feelings.

    As someone who stood beside the most beautiful woman in the Kingdom, he was the target of much hatred and jealousy, without so much as a friend to call his own. In addition, he came from the same humble origins as Gazef ¡ª no, worse than Gazef. Thus, he could not show any weakness, could not allow anyone to criticize a single move he made.

    ¡°Father, Warrior-Captain-sama.¡±

    The King smiled to Renner as she jogged over, and nodded to Climb as he bowed deeply.

    ¡°The meeting¡¯s finally over.¡±

    ¡°Umu. There was much to discuss, after all.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? I was thinking about something, so I decided to wait here so I could tell you about it.¡±

    ¡°Really, really now? I apologize, then.¡±

    The things she pondered were hardly trivial matters.

    The other reason why she was known as the Golden Princess was due to her adroit mind and admirable spirit. Not only were her policies revolutionary, but she had even proposed newws, all of which were sound and sensible.

    The policies she proposed seemed to be entirely centered around measures that aided the lower sses. However, these were not simple handouts, but aprehensive system of relief policies designed to give those people who wanted to work a chance to feed themselves by their own power.

    In addition, these policies would also improve the ce of themon folk, heighten their loyalty to the Crown, improve productivity, and positively affect the Crown in general.

    Although most of these initiatives had been dismantled by nobles ¡ª who opposed any improvement in the lot of the peasants ¡ª the wiser members of society and those people who had benefited from those policies strongly approved of her.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll listen to you when I return to my chambers.¡±

    ¡°But Father, now is the time for me to go walking about. Please permit me to go on a stroll with Climb before returning.¡±

    Climb stiffened even further when he heard the Princess imply that her walks with him were more important than speaking to the King. Gazef felt a little sorry for him.

    Still, Princess Renner has always been a free spirit. All he can do as her follower is go along for the ride.

    ¡°If that is the case, then go. When you return,e to my chambers and tell me about it.¡±

    ¡°I understand. Then, let¡¯s go, Climb.¡±

    ¡°Then, your humble servant shall take his leave.¡±

    Gazef made a suggestion to the bowing Climb, in his capacity as a warrior:

    ¡°Climb, you need to hone your swordsmanship, so you can defend Princess Renner under any circumstances.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    Climb nodded vigorously, but Renner then replied in a disapproving tone.

    ¡°Climb¡¯s fine. He¡¯ll be able to protect me, no matter what happens.¡±

    There was no basis for her words. Still, after hearing the Princess speak, even he felt that Climb could do it.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s go, Climb.¡±

    Renner¡¯s dainty fingers tugged on the corner of Climb¡¯s clothing. It was probably an unconscious gesture, but when Climb discovered the Princess was doing so, his face hardened up even further, until it seemed as unyielding as diamond.

    ¡°Yes, my Princess.¡±

    Though Climb¡¯s expression was seemingly neutral as Renner dragged him away, his eyes revealed his inner torment and how moved he was as he left with the Princess.

    The two of them had forgotten their ce as master and servant, but the King paid it no heed. He simply watched the two of them leave, as though they were beloved treasures which he had lost long ago.

    ¡°...I probably shouldn¡¯t be pitying him, given that I¡¯m the King, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Climb¡¯s origins were unknown. He was a pauper¡¯s child that Renner had picked up during an excursion from the keep.

    Then, he had been a skinny boy on the verge of starving to death. He had worked hard and trained ceaselessly to protect his savior. No, training and working hard were not enough to describe what he had done.

    Hecked any talent for swordsmanship or magic, nor did he possess outstanding physical abilities.

    However, he had been honing himself little by little, day by day. Of course, his skills were not on the level of Gazef, nor were they in the realm of heroes. Even so, the strength he had gained from training himself put him at the pinnacle of all the warriors in the Kingdom. That said, there were some obstacles which he could not ovee.

    Said obstacles were his status, his power, and his personal value.

    A ce close to Princess Renner was very valuable, and Climb was unworthy of it.

    ¡°Your servant understands.¡±

    ¡°I know it¡¯s foolish, but at the very least, I¡¯d like to let one of my daughters... be free. No, if I do that, my other daughters will scold me. How old and foolish I must be, to think of such things.¡±

    The King looked to the sky, as though he had seen someone there.

    ¡°For all I know, I might have to subject this daughter of mine to unhappiness as well.¡±

    If he had to marry off the princess now, she would probably be matched to someone from the Great Nobles.

    That was what Gazef thought, but he did not say anything, because he did not know what to say. Only someone of simr status to the King could understand his troubles, and Gazef was not such a person.

    Silence passed between the two of them, and then they stepped forward again, to clear it away.

 Chapter 18 - Volume 3

    Overlord Volume 3 Chapter 3

    Confusion and Understanding

    The first thing that Ainz saw after teleporting was a hill. No, it was nothing as tall as a hill; it was more of a rise in thend, six meters tall at the very most.

    The raisednd was covered in dense vegetation of the kind one might find on the ins, and it gave the impression of having been there for a long time. Many simr mounds dotted thendscape as far as one looked, giving the impression that they covered the surrounding region.

    Naturally, this was not the case.

    Thisndscape had been created by Mare, one of the Guardians of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. The surface walls of the Tomb were buried beneath these mounds.

    Ainz cast a ¡¸Fly¡¹ spell and flew over the heaped dirt. Within his expansive field of view, the only thing he could see was weed-strewnnd, with no trace of the surface level of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. It was almostpletely covered by soil.

    Ainz did not linger over this scenery, but continued flying at his current speed.

    Once he reached a certain point, the scenery changed, and he felt as though he had pierced some sort of thin membrane. The hilly terrain vanished, and the familiar scenery of his home filled Ainz¡¯s eyes.

    This was the sign that he had breached the protectiveyer of illusions.

    Without slowing the speed of his ¡¸Fly¡¹ spell, Ainz continued toward his destination, thergest mausoleum at the center. That was because it was the sole entrance to the Great Tomb of Nazarick.

    As he neared the bone-white steps of the mausoleum, he discovered countless forms beneath him. Suppressing his feelings of anxiety, hended before them.

    ¡°Wee back, Ainz-sama,¡± said a gentle female voice. It was soon followed by a chorus of other greetings and wees.

    The woman in the pure white dress who stood before him was none other than Albedo, the Guardian Overseer of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. She was the one with the clearest picture of the current situation.

    The four maids behind her were members of the battle maids (Pleiades), and behind them were a line of level eighty vassals.

    After speaking to Albedo via a ¡¸Message¡¹ spell, he had given Narberal her orders and then teleported back immediately. The fact that Albedo could gather so many people to wee Ainz in five minutes spoke volumes of Albedo¡¯s skill as an administrator.

    Filled with respect for that fact, Ainz raised his hand and waved in response to his vassals¡¯ greetings. Perhaps he should have said a couple of words in thanks, but that was not suitable given the circumstances.

    ¡°Albedo, about what you said through the ¡¸Message¡¹...¡±

    Had Shalltear really betrayed them?

    He wanted to ask that question, but hesitated to do so. Unease surged within him ¡ª he feared that if he asked about her betrayal, he would find that it was true. In addition, it was too dangerous to discuss this matter in front of the vassals.

    ¡°Yes, shall we discuss it elsewhere?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right... we should speak of it in the Throne Room, no?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Then ¡ª Yuri, present Ainz-sama with his ring.¡±

    A bespectacled maid stepped forward from the maids lined up behind her.

    Yuri wore the same basicbat-ready maid uniform that Narberal did, but there were some differences in her outfit.

    Narberal¡¯s maid uniform was designed to protect its wearer, but Yuri¡¯s outfit prioritized ease of movement. The proof of that could be seen in theck of metal parts on the front of her skirt.

    Her metal gauntlets were covered in spikes, and all she had to do was clench her fists to turn them into deadly weapons.

    Her wide blue choker was decorated with a small, translucent gemstone. It radiated a light from within, which shimmered and flickered as though cast by a me.

    Her hair was done up in a bun behind her, and her prim features were cool and elegant, giving her an air of wisdom.

    She was Yuri Alpha, assistant leader of the Pleiades Battle Maids. As the male Sebas was their leader, it would not be wrong to consider her the manager of the Pleiades.

    She held a tray in both hands, which was draped with a purple satin cloth. The cloth itself bore a ring ¡ª the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown.

    Ainz picked up the ring, and ced it upon his ring finger.

    This ring permitted its wearer to freely teleport throughout the Great Tomb of Nazarick. Ainz removed it during any excursion to the outside world, because he feared that it might be stolen.

    As he looked at the ring upon his skeletal finger, Ainz nodded, as though in approval. The difort of not wearing it for several days vanished, reced by a supreme satisfaction.

    ¡°Then, let us go, Albedo.¡±

    He could not directly teleport into the Throne Room, so he used the Ring¡¯s power to send him to the room (the Lemegeton) which directly adjoined the Throne Room.

    After opening the massive doors, Ainz entered in thepany of Albedo, heading for the crystal throne. As he walked, Ainz asked the question he had been pondering just now.

    ¡°Then, before we start, I have some questions for you. You said that Shalltear betrayed us; then, when she betrayed us, how did Sebas ¡ª who was in the same ce at her ¡ª react? Did he not betray us along with her?¡±

    ¡°Yes. There were no signs of his betrayal.¡±

    ¡°Then, did you question Sebas about the matter?¡±

    ¡°I did, and he finished his report to me. ording to Sebas, they encountered a group of bandits. After that, Shalltear headed toward the bandits¡¯ hideout in order to capture them. Nothing suspicious urred during that time, and she vocally proimed her intent to render loyal service to you, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°I see. In other words, something happened after that which made her decide to betray us.¡±

    ¡°Yes... in addition, she brought two Vampire Brides with her. However, they seem to have been destroyed.¡±

    ¡°...Is that so? But mooks like that... no, that means something happened which destroyed them. Then, I¡¯ll summarize what happened on my end.¡±

    Ainz had almost finished his report by the time they reached the stairs to the throne. However, he had not gotten to the events of the tomb yet, so he continued speaking.

    After it was all finished, Albedo ¡ª who had been listening attentively and silently ¡ª nodded in acknowledgement.

    Ainz wanted to ask if he had handled the situation well, but there was something more important that he wished to know.

    He looked to the throne and recited the designated password.

    ¡°Master Source ¡ª Open.¡±

    A translucent window appeared before his eyes. It looked like the console, but waspletely different from it.The window had multiple pages within it, each covered in densely-packed characters.

    This was the administration system for the Great Tomb of Nazarick.

    It recorded the daily maintenance costs, the numbers and types of vassals present, all sorts of magical traps, gimmicks and other such things. One could exertrge-scale control over them all from here. While they had still been in YGGDRASIL, one could ess this system from anywhere, but after some experimentation, Ainz found that in this world, the system could only be operated from the heart of the dungeon, the Throne Room.

    Although it¡¯s troublesome to have toe here every time... at least I have the ring to teleport me... so it¡¯s not such a big deal.

    With practiced movements, Ainz brought up and erged the NPC status page.

    This page recorded the names of all the NPCs made by the guild members. After changing the sorting method from alphabetical (katakana) order to level order, from highest to lowest, Ainz¡¯s eyes travelled down the list ¡ª and then his eyes halted on a single spot. Then, he silently turned his gaze to Albedo¡¯s face.

    ¡°Yes, it has be like this.¡±

    Amidst a sea of names written in white, only Shalltear Bloodfallen¡¯s name was shown in ck.

    Ainz knew what this change meant, but¡ª

    He looked over it twice, three times, and after realizing that his eyes had not been mistaken, he screamed Impossible! within his heart. If his skeletal face could disy an expression, it would be one of shock.

    ¡°...Is she dead?¡±

    Ainz continued questioning Albedo. In his heart of hearts, he hoped that something had happened to the system when they had been brought to this world. However, the truth Albedo spoke was unbearably cruel.

    ¡°If she were dead, her name would have vanished and left a nk space. In all likelihood, this represents betrayal.¡±

    ¡°Well... that¡¯s right.¡±

    As Ainz replied thusly to Albedo, he recalled the meaning of this change when he hadst seen it in YGGDRASIL.

    Albedo called it betrayal, but that was slightly different from what the system was disying. Indeed, broadly speaking it was simr to betrayal, but this color change urred when a third party used mind control to temporarily make an NPC take hostile actions.

    Impossible.

    Ainz voiced that denial in his heart once more. Shalltear and Ainz were both undead, which meant that they were of races that were immune to all sorts of mind-affecting effects. How had Shalltear been mind controlled, then?

    It was easier to ept the fact that Shalltear had simply betrayed Nazarick. For example, she might have been unhappy with her treatment and someone on the outside might have offered her better terms, thus leading to her treachery.

    If that was not the case, it meant that something had happened when they hade to this world which was outside the scope of Ainz¡¯s knowledge.

    Ainz recalled Nfirea¡¯s face. Indeed, perhaps a talent-holder like himself with some unknown power could have affected an undead mind.

    ¡°...Could this be the effect of some being, phenomenon, or special effect that is unique to this world?¡±

    ¡°That is unclear. However, Shalltear¡¯s betrayal is clear enough, so I propose that we assemble a strike force immediately.¡±

    At this moment Ainz suddenly realized something. Could it be that the vassals who had weed Ainz back were intended to eliminate Shalltear? As he brought them back to mind, he noticed that there were many vassals among them who were a rare sight in Nazarick, the ones who possessed holy-elemental attacks which were effective against the undead.

    Albedo continued in a voice that seemed to be made of steel.

    ¡°I wish to nominate myself as themander of this expedition and, if you permit it, I would like to have Cocytus as my executive officer and include Mare in our forces, Ainz-sama.¡±

    These choices were perfect for destroying Shalltear. It was clear that Albedo was very serious about this.

    Shalltear Bloodfallen was very strong. In fact, she was the strongest of the Guardians, barring Gargantua. Therefore, one would need the team members selected by Albedo to be absolutely certain of defeating her, or else one would have a very hard time.

    ¡°Do you approve?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s too soon toe to that conclusion. Let us verify the reasons behind Shalltear¡¯s betrayal first.¡±

    ¡°You are indeedpassionate, Ainz-sama. However, as long as anyone faces the Supreme Beings with hostility, there is no need to show them any mercy.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not correct, Albedo. It is not that I am showing mercy to Shalltear, but I simply do not understand why she would betray us.¡±

    If this sort of thing could happen to anyone other than Shalltear, he had to figure out a way to deal with it.

    If she was unhappy with how she had been treated, then the same thing might happen to the other vassals. Thus, he would have to take the appropriate measures to nip it in the bud.

    If this were the result of some sort of domination ability from a talent, he would also need to figure out some way to counteract it.

    When he heard from the ¡¸Message¡¹ that an NPC created by his friends had betrayed him, he felt as though he had been condemned by everyone (the other guild members), as a guildmaster. So great was the shock that he had nearly fallen to his knees. However, this was no longer a simple matter of being rebuked by others.

    He had to solve this problem not as a guildmaster, but in his capacity as the absolute ruler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. It was far too early to despair, and if ¡ª though it was impossible ¡ª Shalltear had actually been mind-controlled, then he needed to save her.

    A superior who put on a high and mighty face but did not save his subordinates while they were in trouble was not fit to be a leader.

    Ainz was his subjects¡¯ ruler, and he had to protect them.

    ¡°Then, do you know where Shalltear is? Have you pinpointed her location?¡±

    ¡°My sincerest apologies, but we have not confirmed that yet. I considered that Shalltear might attack Nazarick, so I had her direct subordinates ced under arrest, and dispatched other vassals to reinforce the First Floor.¡±

    ¡°Really now? Then, let¡¯s go visit your elder sister to see if we can divine Shalltear¡¯s location.¡±

    Part 2

    The Fifth Floor of the Great Tomb of Nazarick was an extremely cold region that had been modelled after a cier.

    A bluish-white iceberg stood in the middle of an endless expanse of whitend, like a tombstone. It seemed to glow from within and confused the senses. Snow fell from the heavy, overcast sky above, whipped into a mad dance by the freezing wind which carried frozen vapors on its gusts. In the distance was a frozen forest covered in snow, which looked like giants d in robes of purest white.

    The bone-chilling wind ruffled Ainz¡¯s clothing, which fluttered in the wind. Albedo stood beside him, and as he eyed the way she was dressed, Ainz asked:

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you cold? If you need to, you can put on your armor. We should still have time for that.¡±

    Ainz waspletely immune to all forms of cold-elemental attacks. He would not be chilled or frozen regardless of how low the temperature went. However, Albedo was a different matter. If she was in her full battle panoply, mere freezing gusts like this would not harm her, but she was currently wearing a white dress. He had asked her about this before teleporting, but he hade away with the feeling that she was just trying to put on a brave front.

    However, Ainz simply smiled gently in response to Ainz¡¯s worries.

    ¡°Thank you for your concern, Ainz-sama, but it is not necessary. Mere cold like this is not a problem.¡±

    Ainz nodded and replied, ¡°I see.¡±

    Normally, there would be an environmental effect here which applied cold damage and slowed movement. However, operating it required money, so it had been left deactivated. Perhaps she had simply been lucky that they had made that decision early on. Or was it because Albedo had some sort of magic item or skill that negated cold damage?

    In truth, the NPCs were equipped by the guild members who designed them. There were only a few of them which Ainz could confidently say he understood thoroughly, apart from Pandora¡¯s Actor. That said, he had gone over all their data aftering to this new world.

    Questions filled Ainz¡¯s mind as he looked at the majestic two-story mansion before him.

    This building seemed strangely out of ce in this frozennd. It was like a house from a storybook, and seemed to be surrounded by a fairytale atmosphere.

    However, its surface was covered in ayer of ice, giving it an ufortably cold aura. In fact, the name of this building was about as far from a fairytale as one could get.

    Its name was the Frozen Prison.

    All of Nazarick¡¯s enemies were locked up here.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    With those simple words, Ainz pushed open the frozen main gate. Though it was covered in a thickyer of ice, the gate still opened easily, as though it were weing a visitor.

    A wave of cold air washed over them in the instant the gate opened. This was because the interior of the Prison was colder than even the freezing environs outside.

    It was only after the chilling wind swept over her that Albedo began shivering. As Ainz saw this, he reached into his pocket dimension and withdrew a crimson cape, whose hem was decorated with me-like patterns.

    ¡°Wear this, Albedo. It is not highly enchanted, but it should be enough to ward off the cold.¡±

    ¡°To think you wouldvish such a gift upon me! My deepest thanks! I shall treasure it all my life.¡±

    Ainz had not said that he would give it to her, but after seeing Albedo¡¯s radiant smile, Ainz could not muster up any words, but instead looked to the other side of the opened gate.

    A silent, dark passage extended within.

    ¡°Right, the surviving members of the Sunlight Scripture should be in here.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Neuronist should be watching them closely. Ah, how warm, it feels like you¡¯re hugging me, Ainz-sama... kukuku.¡±

    ¡°...Really now? That¡¯s wonderful.¡±

    I doubt being embraced by skinless and fleshless arms like mine would feel warm, but of course Ainz did not say that. At the very least, he knew that it would not be appropriate at the present moment.

    As Albedo wriggled and twisted around in the cape, wrapping it around herself so tightly she almost vanished into its folds, Ainz strode forth.

    ¡°What are you doing, we¡¯re running out of time... under these circumstances.¡±

    ¡°Ah, ah yes!¡±

    Ainz¡¯s passive skill ¡¸Undead Blessing¡¹ allowed him to sense all the undead lurking within thepound. Since it was annoying, Ainz disabled the skill in order to ignore the presence of the undead as he walked down the freezing, blue-white passage. People without countermeasures against movement impairment might end up tripping and falling on thepletely frozen-over corridor.

    ¡°...Ainz-sama, shall I summon Neuronist? It is unthinkable that she would note to lead the way, thus forcing the Supreme Overlord of Nazarick to advance by himself...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Though it¡¯s not a bad thing, she talks too much. There is a matter we need to settle as soon as possible and I would like to avoid wasting time.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Then, after all this is over, I will lecture Neuronist and caution her not to babble too much.¡±

    ¡°No, no, there¡¯s no need for that. It does not displease me.¡±

    ¡°But...¡±

    Ainz smiled bitterly as he watched Albedo furrow her brows from her ce beside him. As her master, he appreciated the fact that she was thinking of him, but if she did that, his subordinates might not darein in future.

    ¡°It is fine. I love you all, regardless of your merits or ws, because you were all made by my friends of the past. The fault is mine for being unhappy with such meticulously crafted people.¡±

    Indeed, if Shalltear had betrayed them because her backstory had been designed that way, then he had to forgive her for it. That was because she was simply obeying the will of her creator, Peroroncino. However, he did not seem like the type who would nt bad seeds in the guild. All this confused Ainz, because Peroroncino was a man who liked joking around and disliked ruining rtionships between his friends.

    If that¡¯s the case, then it should be an external reason after all, no? The way the text was disyed represents that she was mind controlled... although I can¡¯t rule out the fact that it might have been a part of her settings I wasn¡¯t sure about, or a change in her settings which happened aftering to this world. Besides, I didn¡¯t memorize the personality profiles of all the NPCs, and their personalities seem quite simr to those of their creators... I guess nobody could program them without personalities, so that might be why. If that¡¯s the case, then Shalltear... could it be that she had something like a time bomb built into her settings? Her creator liked H-Games, so maybe he programmed some kind of event into her which needed to be solved with a walkthrough... uwah, that sounds quite likely.

    Ainz sighed weakly, and then he finally realised the oddity in the behavior of the woman next to him.

    She was looking forward and walking, but unlike just now, she was not matching his stride. And while her eyes were facing forward, they were not focused on any particr ce.

    Ainz heard Albedo mumbling something, and he strained to listen.

    ¡°I love you... I love you... I love you...¡±

    She was repeating those words over and over again, like a broken record.

    ¡°...Oi, Albedo. I said I loved you all. That refers to everyone, right?¡±

    Albedo turned her head toward him in a strange manner.

    ¡°But, but that, that means, you love me too, right?¡±

    ¡°Er... erm... well, yes.¡±

    ¡°Kufu!!¡±

    Albedo squeezed her legs together and hopped up in an adorable manner ¡ª the motion sending her into the ceiling.

    Such was the case when one possessed superhuman athletic ability.

    Ping! Or rather, it was a boom. A startling crash came from the ceiling, so great was the force of the impact. As they heard what sounded like a bomb exploding, the translucent bodies of several incorporeal monsters poked themselves out of the ceiling.

    These were the undead which were hiding within the Prison, which Ainz¡¯s skill had picked up.

    ¡°Ah, you lot can go back, it¡¯s nothing special.¡±

    Ainz looked at Albedo before him, so happy that she was humming to herself. Though she had crashed into the ceiling, her racial skills included a certain measure of damage reduction, so it had not hurt at all.

    The various undead bowed reverently before vanishing, returning to where they stood ready to meet any intruders.

    ¡°...Albedo, we¡¯re almost at your big sister¡¯s room. Are you ready?¡±

    Albedo¡¯s flighty and overjoyed expression turned serious in an instant.

    ¡°Understood. Then, I shall retrieve the doll.¡±

    ¡°Umu. Give it to me.¡±

    Albedo reached a hand toward the wall, and a pale-white hand reached back out, depositing a doll to her hand. It was a baby doll, which was about the same size as an actual baby.

    Ainz epted the doll, and looked it over without averting his eyes.

    ¡°How revolting.¡±

    The doll was a caricature of a human infant, its distorted features resembling a Cupid doll. Itsrge, round eyes were particrly disgusting. Ainz furrowed his nonexistent brows and directed his gaze to the end of the corridor. There was arge fresco there, painted on a wall which contained a door.

    He saw a mother and her baby. It was a painting of a mother gently cradling her child.

    If that were all, it would have been a beautiful painting. However, the passage of time had worn away at the paint, turning it into a hideous sight. In particr, one could no longer see the shape of the baby itself. All that remained was something which looked like a corpse.

    Ainz pushed open the door, which slid open with no sound or resistance ¡ª and he was greeted by the sound of crying babies.

    It was not just the sound of one or two voices. Nor was it the result of an echo.

    Tens, hundreds of crying voices fused into one and reached Ainz¡¯s ears. However, he could not see any babies in the room.

    Still, although he could not see them, they were definitely there.

    In this empty room, bare of all furniture, there was a cradle, and a woman gently rocked it.

    Though Ainz had entered the room, the woman in the ck mourning clothes remained silent, caring only for the cradle she was rocking. Her face could not be seen because her long ck hairpletely covered it up.

    Normally, if an NPC saw a Supreme Being (Ainz) and paid him no heed, Albedo would loudly rebuke them. However, she remained silent. Ainz knew the reason for that, because Albedo¡¯s guarded stance told him everything.

    ¡°It¡¯s about time to begin, no?¡±

    ¡°It should be. Please be careful.¡±

    As though on cue, the woman¡¯s movements froze. Then, she reached her hands into the cradle, and gently retrieved the baby within. No, that was not a real baby, but a baby doll.

    ¡°It¡¯s wrong, it¡¯s wrong, it¡¯s wrong, it¡¯s wrong.¡±

    She shook it forcefully and then cast it aside with all her strength. The doll shattered into pieces when it hit the wall.

    ¡°My baby, my baby, my baby, my babyyyyyyy¡ª!¡±

    A sound of grinding teeth came from the woman, and with that, the crying noises from the floor and ceiling grew louder. Soon, the source of the sound revealed itself, and lumps of flesh which resembled translucent babies emerged.

    ¡°To think Tab Smaragdina-san put so many monsters in here... how much money did he spend on this?¡±

    These squirming masses of flesh which resembled infants were close to level twenty, and they were called Carrion Babies.

    In games like YGGDRASIL, one could ce pop monsters within dungeons by paying the appropriate in-game or real-world currency. However, they would note back to life after being destroyed, so they were more of a luxury to yers. Those yers that did not focus on roleying would not emce such monsters.

    The fact that he had put in so many Carrion Babies here, despite their low levels, was a testament to the meticulous nature of Tab Smaragdina.

    Just as Ainz was starting to be impressed, the woman produced arge pair of scissors from somewhere and gripped them tightly. A keen gaze looked out from her unkempt hair, directed at Ainz and Albedo.

    ¡°You, you, you, you, took, took, took, took, my baby, my baby, my baby, my babyyyyyyyyy¡ª!¡±

    ¡°...She really is your sister. The resemnce is very strong.¡±

    ¡°Eh!? Re-Really?¡±

    The woman seemed to take the leisurely conversation as some sort of provocation and broke into a run, her killing intent driving her as swiftly as the wind. The woman in the ck mourning clothes took unnaturallyrge strides as she charged, closing the distance to them in but a few steps.

    The woman stabbed forcefully at Ainz with her scissors¡ª

    ¡°Your child is here.¡±

    ¡ªAnd as Ainz presented the doll to the woman, her movements froze immediately, as though someone had pressed the stop button on her. She put her scissors away, and slowly epted the doll.

    ¡°Ohhhhh~¡±

    She cradled her beloved child with infinitepassion, as though she would never let it go. Then, she gingerly ced the baby back in the cradle, before turning her face, shrouded as it was by her long hair, to Ainz and Albedo.

    ¡°Momonga-sama, and my lovely little sister. I trust you have been well?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Nigredo. You seem... yes, I am d you have not changed.¡±

    The reason why Ainz could calmly handle this chain of events was because he had witnessed this madness before, in the game.

    Back then, I was so scared that I screamed.

    His guildmate said he had made a new NPC, and asked the other guild members toe see it with him. In the end, everyone had shrieked together and unleashed their full power on Nigredo. It felt quite nostalgic now when he looked back on it.

    ¡°Nee-san, it¡¯s been a while.¡±

    Indeed, this Nigredo was Albedo¡¯s older sister. In other words, she was an NPC created by the yer Tab Smaragdina.

    If one said that Albedo was the incarnation of his love for gap moe, then Nigredo would be the character that represented Tab Smaragdina¡¯s love for horror movies.

    Although he wasn¡¯t a bad person by any stretch of the word, he was clearly quite a character.

    Under normal circumstances, he was a rational man, but the more he got into something, the more he began revealing his true nature. As he recalled that guild member from the past, Nigredo brushed away the long hair which covered her face, revealing her true visage.

    Perhaps she felt that covering her face was being disrespectful to Ainz, but on the other hand, he would have preferred her to carry on as normal.

    Her true face was creepy, to say the least. It had no skin, only exposed muscle.

    Her mouth had no lips, yet held a beautiful set of teeth. Her eyes shone brightly in the absence of eyelids. An observer might think her beautiful if they looked solely at her eyes or teeth, but taken as a whole, her face inspired nothing but revulsion.

    That frighteningly ugly face from the depths of a horror movie contorted. It was hard to tell because of theck of skin, but she still had muscle tissue on her face, unlike Ainz, so one could eventually surmise that she should have been smiling.

    ¡°Then, Momonga-sama, how may I¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªAh, my apologies. You were not in the Throne Room so you did not know, but my name is no longer Momonga. I am now Ainz Ooal Gown. Please address me as Ainz from now on.¡±

    There was a gasp of surprise, and then Nigredo slowly raised her head:

    ¡°I understand, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Then, Nigredo, I came here to seek your help. Could I make use of your abilities?¡±

    ¡°My abilities? Is it alive? Or unliving?¡±

    ¡°...Probably counts as alive... should probably be living... I¡¯ll be frank with you. The target is Shalltear Bloodfallen.¡±

    ¡°The Floor Guardian? ...Forgive my rudeness. If it your order, then I will carry it out at once, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Though her voice seemed doubtful, Nigredo immediatelyplied with the request.

    ¡°Please, Nee-san.¡±

    In response to Albedo¡¯s request, Nigredo raised her thumb yfully before casting a variety of spells. There was quite the variety of them, and Ainz mused that he had heard most of them not long before. They were the spells he had demonstrated to Narberalst night.

    Nigredo was a magic caster, and she was one of the highest-level NPCs in Nazarick. Though one could not tell from looking at her, she had been designed to specialize in divination and information gathering. That was why Ainz hade here to ask for help with locating Shalltear.

    Soon enough ¡ª as befitting a person with her skills ¡ª Nigredo swiftly announced the results.

    ¡°Found her.¡±

    ¡°Put it on a ¡¸Crystal Monitor¡¹.¡±

    She cast another spell, and a ¡¸Crystal Monitor¡¹ appeared, disying something which looked like a vast expanse of forest. Someone in armor was standing amidst the trees.

    Ainz praised her:

    ¡°Amazing. You discerned the location of the target with pinpoint uracy. I¡¯d expect nothing less of a specialized magic cas¡ª¡±

    As the image in the monitor became clearer, the praise vanished.

    The person depicted there was dressed in a suit of red-colored full te armor which looked like it had been drenched in blood. It wore a swan-shaped helmet which left only the face exposed. Plumes of avian feathers sprouted from either side of the helmet, while the chest and shoulders of the armor had been styled into the shape of wings. Crimson skirt armor covered the lower body.

    It held a huge, strange-lookingnce in one hand, resembling a pipette one might use in a science ss.

    This was Shalltear Bloodfallen. She possessed levels in Valkyrie ¡ª a divine magic caster ss which specialized in fighting power ¡ª and she was fully ready for battle.

    ¡°The Spuit Lance! That¡¯s the divine ss item that Peroroncino-sama gave Shalltear!¡± Albedo eximed as she saw Shalltear¡¯s weapon.

    Ainz had enough divine-ss items that he could equip them to every slot on his body. However, this did not mean that they were easy toe by.

    YGGDRASIL¡¯s magic items were made by embedding data crystals into items, but not all data crystals dropped by monsters were equal. If one wanted to make a divine ss item, one would need several data crystals which were ssified as ¡°high-rare drops.¡± In addition, one would need to make the container for those data crystals ¡ª a sword, for instance ¡ª out of extremely rare metals and the like.

    As a result, it was fairlymon for even level one hundred yers to not own a single divine ss item.

    Even the members of Ainz Ooal Gown ¡ª a guild which had ranked among the top ten in the game ¡ª could not outfit their NPCs in nothing but divine ss items. At the most, they could only give them one or two such articles.

    The Spuit Lance which Shalltear Bloodfallen possessed was such an item.

    Its name sounded silly, but its power was extremely insidious. When embedded in a weapon, some data crystals allowed their user to absorb a certain percentage of damage dealt and use it to replenish their health. The Spuit Lance was specialized in doing so.

    ¡°...Let¡¯s head out now.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ah, please wait! Since Shalltear is already fully equipped, it¡¯s possible that hostilities will begin on sight, so we need to select several guards to defend your person.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have time for that; if negotiations break down, we¡¯ll retreat immediately¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ºForgive the disturbance, Ainz-sama.¡»¡±

    A female voice echoed through his mind. It belonged to Narberal, who had stayed in E-Rantel.

    Anger zed in Ainz at this untimely interruption.

    ¡°What is it, Narberal? I¡¯m¡ª¡±

    I¡¯m busy, he wanted to say, but Ainz cut himself off halfway.

    This was because he recalled how he had interrupted Entoma¡¯s ¡¸Message¡¹st night. At the time, he had felt that it could not be helped, but perhaps if he had taken action immediately, the present situation might be different. This was because he could have handed the task of saving Nfirea to Narberal.

    This faint sense of regret allowed Ainz to regain his calm.

    The NPCs treated Ainz as their Supreme Overlord. Even if he made the wrong decision, they would still treat Ainz¡¯s words as their top priority. Because of that, Ainz had to keep calm, act carefully, and avoid making mistakes.

    That¡¯s a bit much to ask of an ordinary person like me...

    As he inwardlyughed at his own wed judgement, Ainz smiled bitterly as he concluded that it was most likely impossible for him. Then, he felt Narberal¡¯s subservient attitude through the ¡¸Message¡¹, waiting for her master¡¯s instructions, and his body trembled like he had been struck by lightning.

    What am I thinking? I am Ainz Ooal Gown, the ruler of Nazarick, the man who took on the name of everyone else. Indeed, I am not Suzuki Satoru. Impossible? No, now that I¡¯ve taken on this name, I have to turn the impossible into the possible.

    ¡°...No, it¡¯s fine. What is it? It must be important for you to contact me with ¡¸Message¡¹, right?¡±

    ¡°¡ºYes. Someone from the Adventurer¡¯s Guild is looking for you, Ainz-sama.¡»¡±

    ¡°...If it¡¯s aboutst night, tell them to wait... no, that¡¯s not right. There should be something else, am I correct?¡±

    ¡°¡ºYes! You are as perceptive as always, Ainz-sama.¡»¡±

    Narberal was not being clear, so Ainz let his silence show his confusion. Soon, she seemed to have picked up on that and spoke again:

    ¡°¡ºActually, there is another problem besides that. It... concerns a certain Vampire.¡»¡±

    ¡°What? A Vampire, you say?¡±

    Ainz turned to look at Shalltear, whose image stood ramrod straight on the monitor.

    ¡°Did they mention anything about that Vampire? Like say, silver hair, or crimson armor, or something?¡±

    ¡°¡ºRegretfully, they did not. The person they sent for yourself was little more than a runner. They said that they would exin at the guild, and hoped that you would hurry over as soon as possible, Ainz-sama. I hear that several adventurer teams have already made their way there... the Guild¡¯s messenger is nearby; what should I tell him?¡»¡±

    Ainz closed his eyes. Of course, he had no eyeballs, so it simply meant that the lights in his eye sockets vanished.

    ¡°What do you think of Narberal¡¯s ¡¸Message¡¹, Albedo?¡±

    After finishing his exnation, Albedo lowered her eyes for a few moments, and then looked back at Ainz.

    ¡°Given that weck information, there will be merits and demerits to either alternative. Thus, you should select ording to your personal preference, Ainz-sama. If it were up to me, I would ignore these humans.¡±

    After thanking Albedo, Ainz fell into deep thought.

    He considered the worst that could happen if he prioritized Shalltear.

    He then considered how Shalltear¡¯s situation would change if he put the Guild first.

    As he thought about the drawbacks of both, he began to feel that either option would lead to disaster.

    If his friends were with him, he could probably use the majority vote to make a decision. But his friends were not with him. As the man who had taken charge of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, as the man who had taken its mighty name for his own, he had to make that choice himself.

    After a brief period of hesitation, Ainz came to a conclusion.

    ¡°Albedo, send someone to keep an eye on Shalltear. I will go visit the Guild in E-Rantel. After that matter is concluded, take me to Shalltear.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    ¡°You heard that too, didn¡¯t you, Narberal?¡±

    ¡°¡ºUnderstood. Then, I shall inform the messenger that you will be on your way.¡»¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, tell him that. Then, Albedo, forgive me, but I shall be heading to the Guild now.¡±

    ¡°I understand. I shall send several vassals out, in ordance with your instructions.¡±

    ¡°Please do. Also, I will hand the ring over to Yuri. Take it from her afterwards.¡±

    In truth, there was something he wanted to hand to the Head Librarian, but Ainz felt that he no longer had that time, so he teleported himself with the power of the ring.

    Now that only the two sisters were left in the room, the mood in the room lightened. As though waiting for this opportunity, Nigredo turned to Albedo, a curious look in her eyes.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Has something happened to Shalltear?¡±

    ¡°Mm, it seems she has rebelled against us.¡±

    ¡°...Unbelievable... How could that be... is it really true?¡±

    ¡°I find it hard to believe myself, but that seems to be the case.¡±

    ¡°Then she should be eliminated without dy. But... it seems that is not what Ainz-sama wishes to do?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Because of Ainz-sama¡¯s boundless mercy... no, he probably thinks that killing her without realising why she turned against us would be a big mistake. I¡¯m sure that is what Ainz-sama has in mind.¡±

    ¡°Hm~¡± Nigredo mused, in a tone that seemed somewhere between eptance and denial.

    ¡°I understand. Before you send the vassals out to keep an eye on Shalltear, I will continue my magical surveince from here.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m grateful for that, Nee-san.¡±

    Thinking the conversation was over, Albedo was about to unleash the power of her Ring when she sensed that her older sister still had something to say. When Nigredo was in a rational state of mind, she was the sort of person who would speak frankly, so there was only one reason that Albedo¡¯s big sister would hesitate like this.

    Although she did not want to inquire about it, when she considered that it might not be about the previous matter, she had to ask, however unwillingly.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Nee-san?¡±

    ¡°...Since I am not permitted to leave this Frozen Prison, I am unsure about the situation outside. Is Spinel still well?¡±

    ...As I thought.

    Albedo regretted asking as she thought that, but in an even voice, she replied:

    ¡°Nee-san, you call her that...¡±

    ¡°I hate that girl. Even if we were all characters made by Tab Smaragdina-sama... no, Spinel was made in apletely different way from us. She is not the kind of person to whom people could open their hearts.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not the case, Nee-san. She¡¯s adorable.¡±

    ¡°All I can think is that you have been deceived by her. Spinel will definitely bring a great disaster to Nazarick someday. I¡¯ll wager on that.¡±

    ¡°...We will never see eye to eye on that point. I believe that girl will not cause any trouble.¡±

    ¡°Really now? Well, if you ¡ª if the Guardian Overseer feels that way, then there¡¯s nothing left for me to say. However, I hope that you will take my concerns into consideration, in your role as the Guardian Overseer.¡±

    ¡°I understand. I will take your words to heart, Nee-san.¡±

    Resisting the urge to sigh, Albedo teleported elsewhere.

    However, the matter which she could haveughed off usually now stuck in her heart like a thorn.

    She felt that everyone created by the Supreme Beings was staunchly loyal to them. Yet, Shalltear had still rebelled against them. If that were the case, anyone else might be next.

    For all she knew, her little sister might also betray¡ª

    She could not erase these thoughts entirely. Yet, to Albedo, this was not necessarily a bad thing.

    Albedo had a baffled, confused look on her face as she reached her destination.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, my beloved, I am your loyal dog, your ve.¡±

    She deimed her feelings to a man who was not there.

    ¡°Even if all of Nazarick turns against you, I will always stand by your side.¡±

    Part 3

    ¡°Come,e,e, Momon-san, pull up a chair.¡±

    There were six men in the room. Three of them were stout-looking men girt for war, while one of them looked simrly imposing despite hisck of arms or armor. He was the one who had risen to beckon Ainz over. In addition, there was a skinny, neurotic-looking man in a robe, and finally a fat man seated in the innermost part of the room.

    Ainz took a seat, under the eyes of everyone else, and then the standing man spoke once more.

    ¡°Allow me to introduce myself. I am the head of this city¡¯s Adventurer¡¯s Guild, Pluton Ainzach.¡±

    He was a powerful-looking middle-aged man.

    He had an aura of a mighty veteran about him. There was no doubt that he was an excellent warrior.

    ¡°This is the Mayor of E-Rantel, Panasolei Gruuze De Rittenmeier-san.¡±

    Ainz nodded, and Panasolei waved slightly in response.

    He was fat ¡ª no, frankly speaking, he was almost entirely made up of fat. His belly was rounded and bby, and his chins were overflowing with adipose tissue. The excess of fat made him look like a bulldog.

    The hair on his head was sparse enough that his scalp reflected the light, and what little hair which was left had already turned white.

    ¡°Momon-san, pleased to meet you.¡±

    Perhaps it was because his nose was stuffed up, but he made buhiiii noises when he spoke.

    ¡°And this is the leader of the E-Rantel Magician¡¯s Guild, Theo Rakesheer.¡±

    The skinny man ¡ª who looked as frail as a bamboo pole and seemed at least somewhat anorexic ¡ª nodded to Ainz.

    ¡°And these three are much like yourself, members of the adventurer teams which are the pride of E-Rantel. From the right to the left are Igvarge-san of Kralgra, Perote-san of Tenrou, and Moknak-san of Rainbow.¡±

    Those three men each had metal tes around the necks ¡ª made of mithril ¡ª and each gave the impression of beingmanding and even powerful. Their equipment was nothing more than junk to Ainz, but they were still far above the gear sported by most adventurers in this city.

    Each of them had different looks in their eyes, but they all shared the samemon thread of curiosity.

    One of them ¡ª the representative of Kralgra, Igvarge ¡ª red icily at Ainz and asked:

    ¡°Before that, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to ask you, Guildmaster Ainzach. I¡¯ve never heard of the name Momon before. Since he¡¯s a mithril te, he should have done something noteworthy, right?¡±

    There seemed to be a little hostility in his voice. However, Ainzach seemed to pay it no heed and cheerfully replied:

    ¡°His feats include taming the Wise King of the Forest, as well as settling the graveyard incidentst night.¡±

    ¡°Graveyard incident?¡±

    Unlike the confused Igvarge, Moknak of ¡°Rainbow¡± eximed in surprise.

    ¡°You don¡¯t mean the incident concerning appearance of vast quantities of undead?¡±

    ¡°Buhiii~ you¡¯re quite well informed. I instructed that the matter not be made public due to receiving some troubling news. Where did you hear that from?¡±

    His words were frequently apanied by a buhiii, probably due to a blocked nose or some other reason. Nor was there much intonation, probably because he was using his mouth to breathe. It made his words sound strange, as though he were reading off a script.

    ¡°Forgive me, Mayor. I merely overheard this, so it¡¯s difficult for me to tell you where exactly the news came from. In addition, I do not know much of the details.¡±

    The two of them looked at each other and they smiled as their eyes met. Moknak¡¯s smile was forced, while the Mayor¡¯s was uneasy.

    ¡°Hm~ it rings false to me, but forget it. There should be a lot of people who know about the undead running wild. Buhiii~ forgive me, I interrupted by ident.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Mayor. In any case, the Guild concluded that due to his contributions in that incident, Momon-san is a mithril ranked adventurer.¡±

    ¡°Just one incident? Just by handling one matter? No adventurer who¡¯s gone through rank cement examinations would be happy with that, am I wrong?¡±

    He was not even pretending to be polite any more. Igvarge disyed his naked aggression on his face, and then someone spoke coldly from the side.

    ¡°Hmph. Frankly speaking, I have to say that I¡¯m not happy about Momon-dono¡¯s mithril rank either, Guildmaster.¡±

    The man who cut in was the head of the Magician¡¯s Guild, Rakesheer. There was a derisive expression on his face, though Ainz understood that it was not directed at himself, but at Igvarge. However, Igvarge did not realise this, and smiled at Rakesheer in a friendly way.

    ¡°I¡¯m d you see it my way, Guildmaster-san.¡±

    ¡°Ku, kuku.¡±

    Rakesheer¡¯s lips grew even thinner, as though he had heard something amusing. It was not a friendly gesture, because he had a scornful look in his eyes.

    ¡°Is that so? I feel that our views are diametrically opposed.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by¡ª¡±

    ¡°Really, that¡¯s enough out of you, Igvarge-kun. There¡¯s people in the Guild who feel Momon-kun was worthy of an orichalcum te.¡±

    ¡°What!?¡±

    Igvarge¡¯s face seemed to be asking how that was possible.

    As he saw it, Rakesheer¡¯s mocking smile grew so wide that it twisted his entire face.

    ¡°Momon-san broke through a horde of thousands of undead with just his partner ¡ª no, he had the Wise King of the Forest as well, for a total of three people ¡ª and defeated the people conducting an unholy ritual.¡±

    ¡°¡ªAnyone with some stealth training could do that!¡±

    Rakesheer sighed, in a somewhat exaggerated way.

    ¡°Indeed, you are correct. Initially, I felt that this was not enough to qualify Momon-san for orichalcum rank. However, the discovery of a set of bones bore testament to Momon-san¡¯s might.¡±

    At that point, Rakesheer turned to Ainz in his suit of ck full te armor, a stern look in his eyes.

    ¡°...That is to say, the bones of a Skeletal Dragon. Momon-san slew a frightening undead creature that possessed absolute resistance to magic.¡±

    ¡°Well, uh, yes! Skel-Skeletal Dragons are strong! But mithril ranked adventurers can still def¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªCan still defeat two of them at the same time?¡±

    ¡°Say what!?¡±

    Igvarge¡¯s gasp of surprise was joined by the other two adventurers. Then, there was a subtle shift in their attitude as they looked toward him. They were like observers trying to plumb the depths of ake.

    ¡°We found the remains of two Skeletal Dragons at the scene. Could your teams break through a horde of thousands of undead, y two Skeletal Dragons, and kill the hitherto unknown masterminds of this conspiracy in such a short time? Other adventurers were present at the graveyard, and they reported the presence of twisted spirits like Wraiths. Could you have traversed such deadly ground?¡±

    Igvarge bit his lip, unable to respond.

    ¡°Then, let me ask you another question. I hear that the only other member of Momon-san¡¯s party is a woman. She is a magic caster, which means that she would have beenpletely useless against Skeletal Dragons and theirplete magic immunity. Under these circumstances, with only one other... no, even with the Wise King of the Forest by your side as well, could you have made such a great aplishment?¡±

    Rakesheer bowed to Ainz and said:

    ¡°Please allow me to thank you on behalf of the city, Momon-san. If not for your swift response, many more lives might have been lost. And while I can only speak for myself in this matter, you have but toe to me with any request you have and I will do my best to fulfill it.¡±

    ¡°You praise me too highly, Guildmaster. I was simply fulfilling Bareare-san¡¯s request, and I solved a problem along the way.¡±

    ¡°Fufufufu...¡±

    Rakesheerughed, and there was an undercurrent of respect amidst hisughter.

    ¡°It seems you are truly worthy of an orichalcum... no, an adamantite rank. To think someone could take such a mighty aplishment and pass it off which such humility, as though it were nothing of note. I heard that yourpanion can use magic of the third tier as well... is that correct?¡±

    ¡°Your praise honors me... but I do not wish to casually show my hand.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? What a shame.¡±

    Igvarge¡¯s face and ears turned red as he watched the way Ainz and Rakesheer spoke lightly to each other. Then, he bellowed:

    ¡°We could do the same thing if we got everyone together! Besides, it¡¯s his fault that he¡¯s got so few teammates, right? He can¡¯t get anyone because he¡¯s no good!¡±

    The air in the room grew tense even as it grew frigid, and then the sound of a buhiii~ rang forth.

    ¡°Let¡¯s leave the matter at that. We didn¡¯t gather everyone here to fight now, did we?¡±

    After thatst buhiii~, Igvarge sat down, seemingly deted. However, he still red hatefully at Ainz. The two guild leaders watched this sight and shook their heads helplessly.

    ¡°I understand that you all value strength, but that is not the topic we are here to address, so why don¡¯t we settle the matter quickly?¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Mayor.¡±

    ¡°Muu? I have no idea why you would thank me, but you should probably continue speaking. The fact is, I¡¯m not quite sure what is going on.¡±

    ¡°Understood. If only I could have reported it right away...¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I was handling a matter in connection with Stronoff-kun myself.¡±

    There was another buhiii~

    ¡°Now then, let¡¯s get to the point¡ª¡±

    ¡°Before that, shouldn¡¯t we show some basic courtesy and remove our helmets?¡±

    Igvarge cut in once more with a mocking words. He was not incorrect in saying so, but he was also being quite annoying. The other adventurers frowned as well.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. This time, he has a point. I have been somewhat rude.¡±

    However, the false face Ainz revealed when he removed his helmet was a in one, which was not particrly attractive.

    ¡°Since Ie from another country, I wore my helmet to avoid drawing trouble. Please forgive myck of manners.¡±

    ¡°Cheh, so you¡¯re a foreigner.¡±

    ¡°Shut up, Igvarge. Adventurers protect all humanity from monsters and as such, borders do not exist for them. As a fellow adventurer, I am ashamed at your griping about the unspoken rules which govern our guild.¡±

    As the voice castigating Igvarge¡¯s second interruption rang forth, he realised that everyone else in the room felt that way, so he reluctantly fell silent.

    ¡°...Well, it¡¯s because of this sort of thing that people have loaded opinions of foreigners.¡±

    Several of the people smiled bitterly at Ainz¡¯s words. Igvarge¡¯s own face had turned from pale to almost white, but by the time Ainz put his helmet on again, there was noint.

    ¡°Then, I hope we won¡¯t get sidetracked any further. Let¡¯s get right to it.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s because someone waste that we haven¡¯t heard about anything until now.¡±

    ¡°That was a mistake on my part. Please forgive me.¡±

    Ainz lowered his head in apology. He had experienced this sort of thing before as a sryman, where his bosses announced that they would only begin once everyone had arrived. Thus, all he could do was suppress the urge to go home, because he truly understood how they felt.

    When contrasted with Igvarge¡¯s hostility and constant jibes, Ainz¡¯s sincere apology made him seem that much more noble. Igvarge scoffed angrily as his scowl deepened, because he was well aware that the general opinion of him had fallen even further.

    However, there was someone who was even angrier than Igvarge.

    ¡°...Are you quite done yet? One more interruption and you can get your ass out of here.¡±

    As expected, it was Ainzach who had spoken up. His eyes were filled with rage, and there was no trace of his previous calm in his voice. Naturally, he was ring at Igvarge.

    Igvarge inclined his head slightly to apologize.

    Ainz was confused as he observed Igvarge¡¯s reaction. Given the hostility the man had shown him just now, it would not have been strange for him to break into a grade-schooler¡¯s tantrum, as thoughining to his parents. Why had he chosen to back down?

    After a brief period of thought, he came up with something.

    What would people think of Igvarge if he were chased away from a gathering of mithril-ranked adventurers? Even if the truth got out, there would be some people who would believe that he had been ejected from the group because he was useless. If that happened, his standing within the adventuringmunity would plummet. That was probably why he had shut up.

    ¡°To summarize, about two nights ago, some adventurers patrolling the outskirts of E-Rantel encountered a Vampire. Five of them were killed by the Vampire. I have gathered all of you here because of that incident.¡±

    As he listened to the description of the Vampire, Ainz¡¯s hopes shattered like spun ss.

    The sole surviving adventurer had been too afraid to give a proper description, and had only noted details like clothing, hair color, and the like. However, the thing that had stood out most clearly was ¡°silver hair and arge mouth.¡±

    Despite it being just a muddled description, anyone who knew Shalltear would immediately think of her once they heard it. Ainz was certain of the Vampire¡¯s identity in his heart.

    I have no idea how things ended up like this, but things might go badly if I don¡¯t alter the memories of the survivor. I¡¯ll have to do that some other time.

    As Ainz furrowed his illusionary eyebrows, the discussion continued apace.

    ¡°I see. I¡¯m not too clear about this incident myself, but I would be wasting everyone¡¯s time if I asked for a full exnation. I¡¯ll ask if anything I don¡¯t understandes up.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Then, gentlemen, do you have any questions?¡±

    ¡°When you say ¡®the outskirts,¡¯ where exactly do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a ce about three hour¡¯s walk from the north gate. There¡¯s arge patch of forest there, and the incident took ce within the forest.¡±

    ¡°What rank were those adventurers?¡±

    ¡°They were iron tes.¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯d like to ask, but why have you brought so many adventurers on board for just one Vampire? Is there going to be apetition of some sort?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s got a point. tinum ranked adventurers can deal with a Vampire. I have no idea why you¡¯ve gathered so many mithril ranked adventurers.¡±

    ¡°The answer for that is simple: because that Vampire is very powerful.¡±

    Everyone looked to Rakesheer in surprise as he interrupted.

    ¡°A very powerful Vampire...¡±

    ¡°Could it be you¡¯re trying to say that the opposition is a high-end Vampire... the Vampire Lord ¡®Landfall¡¯ who was mentioned in the Saga of the Thirteen Heroes?¡±

    ¡°We do not know if the enemy is indeed a Vampire Lord, but ording to the adventurer who encountered the Vampire, the Vampire used the third tier spell ¡¸Create Undead¡¹. I trust I don¡¯t need to tell you adventurers the implications of that?¡±

    They had nothing to say. The stiff looks on their faces spoke for them.

    ¡°Hm~ I have no idea what that means, so could you tell me?¡±

    ¡°Forgive me, Mayor-san.¡±

    ¡°Anything which could use magic of that tier is of tinum rank at the very least.¡±

    Panasolei frowned as he began getting a better picture of the situation.

    ¡°In other words... I won¡¯t speak like this any more.¡±

    Panasolei¡¯s eyes sharpened, and just that was enough to change the image he projected to everyone else. He had turned from a fat,zy pig to a savage wild boar. Or rather, this was Panasolei¡¯s true face.

    ¡°In other words, it¡¯s exactly as what you¡¯re saying, Guildmaster-san. A monster on par with a tinum ranked adventurer party, with tinum ranked powers on top of that.¡±

    ¡°It is as you say.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s basically strengthening something which is already strong?¡±

    ¡°That is a valid way of looking at the matter.¡±

    ¡°How would you describe it, in terms of the size of aparable military force?¡±

    ¡°A military force... that¡¯s a somewhat tricky question.¡±

    Rakesheer racked his brains, and then spoke again.

    ¡°Let me get this out of the way first, this is just my personal opinion and it¡¯s by no means a final, unassable assessment. If you want to think of it in terms of a group of fighting men, given the fact that the undead do not tire, nor do they eat or drink... I guess you couldpare it to an army of ten thousand.¡±

    ¡°Say what!?¡±

    A look of shock came over Panasolei as he heard this, and he looked to the other adventurers, as though seeking their opinion of those words. Apart from Ainz, everyone nodded in agreement with the words of the Magician¡¯s Guild¡¯s leader.

    As though picking up the baton from Rakesheer, Ainzach continued speaking:

    ¡°To continue where Theo left off, only about twenty percent of the adventurers in the Kingdom can be considered to be at or above tinum rank. There are around three thousand adventurers in the Kingdom, so among the eight million people of the Kingdom, there are only about six hundred tinum ranked or higher adventurers. Do you understand now? tinum ranked adventurers are that rare.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? I wish I did not understand, but I do. Then, with this situation in mind, I would like to ask you adventurers: are you confident in eliminating this creature? If not... well, then how about asking the Warrior-Captain Gazef-kun for help?¡±

    Gazef Stronoff. He was the mightiest warrior of the Kingdom, superior even to adamantite ranked adventurers. A man that was arguably the Kingdom¡¯s ace in the hole.

    However, Ainzach immediately shot that proposal down.

    ¡°It may be true that no warrior is capable of beating Stronoff-dono. However, if Stronoff-dono faced a party of adventurers that was weaker than himself, the victors would undoubtedly be the adventurers. This is because adventuring parties have many methods of attack and defense ¡ª to continue the example of using Stronoff-dono, the party can use four times the amount of spells and martial arts as Stronoff-dono can. The impact of this difference is particrly marked when facing monsters who possess unique special abilities.¡±

    ¡°Umu...¡±

    ¡°The ideal solution would be to recruit orichalcum and adamantite ranked adventurers for this. But before ites to that, I would like the strongest adventurers in our city to set up a defensive line to keep the Vampire from invading us.¡±

    ¡°That would be giving up the initiative, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°That is the best possible oue of the worst-case scenario. Need I remind you that our foe is a one-man army?¡±

    ¡°I... I don¡¯t want to imagine the terror facing such a fearsome foe would entail...¡±

    One could follow an army of ten thousand by their tracks and evade them easily. In addition, prodigious quantities of supplies would be needed to keep such an army on the march, so it would be difficult for them to do battle for long.

    However, what if that army waspressed into a single person? And what if that person was able to use ¡¸Invisibility¡¹ or was adept at covert operations?

    ¡°Still, as an adventurer, I have to say that forming a defensive line will be very difficult, Guildmaster-dono. After all, coordinating our teams will need a fair bit of training time...¡±

    ¡°Well, in lieu of that, what do you think of everyone just deploying together?¡±

    The adventurers promptly shot down the Mayor¡¯s proposal.

    ¡°I doubt that would be possible. In order to work as closely as that, we¡¯ll need to craft intricate battle ns, but the moreplex the n, the more likely it will go awry when something unexpected urs. Rather than risk that, it would be better to not work together and just operate independently. Speaking of which, why did that Vampire appear there? What news does the Guild have about it?¡±

    ¡°About that... since the enemy is a powerful Vampire, the Guild does not have the full details on it at the moment. Just as we were about to put a scouting party together, the incident fromst night urred, which dispersed our forces.¡±

    ¡°...I see. So you¡¯re worried that these two incidents are linked?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, that is so.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t Momon-shi take care of the graveyard incident? Was there anything on the bodies of the masterminds that would tie the two events together?¡±

    That question plunged the room into a brief silence.

    Ainz was puzzled. The Adventurer¡¯s Guildmaster ¡ª who had fielded answers without any hesitation ¡ª now turned to the Mayor, a questioning look in his eyes. Still, when one thought about it, this was information pertaining to the criminals that had conducted a terror attack on the city. There were things which could and could not be said to adventurers.

    ¡°From their belongings, we learned the enemy was from Zuranon.¡±

    The faces of the three adventurers turned grim.

    However, this was the first time Ainz had heard that name. He fervently prayed to the gods he did not believe in that the others would not question him on this topic about which he knew nothing.

    Ignorance is frightening, I need to learn more.

    ¡°That undead-controlling secret society? I guess they really are linked with that Vampire.¡±

    ¡°So their aim was to trigger incidents within and outside the city to split our forces? Or are both of them decoys, and is the real n about to begin... this is terrible.¡±

    ¡°The most important thing is to make a reconnaissance. From what the rangers told us, there¡¯s a cave near the location where the Vampire was sighted. Apparently, that cave is a bandit¡¯s hideout...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s quite likely that the Vampire has already departed that location... still, there¡¯s a non-zero chance of it remaining there, so we should send someone over¡ª¡±

    The adventurer who spoke immediately shut his mouth.

    That was a natural reaction. After all, anyone heading to a likely location of that Vampire was essentially saying that they wanted to walk right into danger. If they really encountered the Vampire, and if the Vampire was as powerful as rumored, then certain death awaited them.

    Those words were an indirect way of telling someone to kill themselves.

    ¡°...Let¡¯s leave that aside for now. It¡¯s more important to strengthen the city¡¯s defenses. After all, the Vampire might have infiltrated the city during this time, for all we know.¡±

    ¡°...Well, it would be easy enough to infiltrate the city, as long as it could use magic. After all, this is not like the Imperial Capital, with air cavalry and magic casters on patrol.¡±

    One could use ¡¸Fly¡¹ to enter from the air, or walk right in with ¡¸Invisibility¡¹ for concealment. Magic was very troublesome to deal with, which was why consolidating their fighting strength and mounting a defense was the most logical course of action.

    ¡°Still, it¡¯s really hard to do anything without any concrete information. We really should investigate that cave!¡±

    The opinions of everyone present gradually began shifting in favor of that extremely sensible proposal.

    It would be very bad for Ainz if that came to pass.

    Allowing Shalltear¡¯s appearance to be public knowledge would be a very bad thing. Although he did not know exactly how it would y out, allowing Shalltear¡¯s current appearance to disseminate through the city ¡ª perhaps even through the nation ¡ª would make covert actions very difficult in future.

    Ainz desperately tried to think of a way to guide the situation in another direction.

    In the end, there was only one way to avoid exposing Shalltear¡¯s identity.

    Ainz gulped ¡ª though there was nothing for him to swallow ¡ª and said:

    ¡°To begin with, you are mistaken. That Vampire has nothing to do with Zuranon.¡±

    ¡°Why is that, Momon-kun? Do you know something about this?¡±

    ¡°I know the name of that Vampire, because I have been hunting that creature for a long time.¡±

    ¡°What!?¡±

    The air shuddered.

    Ainz¡¯s brain spun into overdrive ¡ª the main event was about to begin.

    ¡°It is an extremely powerful Vampire. In truth, the reason I became an adventurer was to collect information about them.¡±

    This was a red herring; but Ainzach took the bait.

    ¡°Them? Momon-kun, did you just say ¡®them?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Yes, I did. There are two of these Vampires, and one of them, the silver-haired female, is known as...¡±

    He suddenly stopped here. Originally, he was going to say ¡°Carmi,¡± but a name like that was far too normal for a female Vampire. If there were any other yers around, that name would swiftly clue them in about his presence. Just as he was waffling over what name to give them, a sh of inspiration struck, and he blurted a name:

    ¡°Honyopenyoto.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    That idiotic-sounding reply had note from one mouth; just about everyone had eximed in the same way.

    ¡°...Her name is Honyopenyoko.¡±

    He hade up with the name himself, but he felt that it was slightly different from the one he had mentioned just before that. Still, if anyone pressed him with their doubts, he intended to maintain that he had misspoke.

    ¡°Honyo-penyo...?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Honyopenyoko.¡±

    While he had given a female Vampire a name ending with ¡°ko,¡± no YGGDRASIL yer should have been able to guess that he had made it up. Filled with pride at this perfect choice of names, Ainz smiled smugly under his helmet.

    ¡°Is, is that so? That Honyo... ah, forget it! Since we know that female Vampire¡¯s name... It¡¯s about time you told us your true identity, no? Which country are you¡ª¡±

    ¡°I apologize, but I cannot say that right now. Currently, I am on a highly secret mission. If you find out, I will have no choice but to leave thisnd, and then you will have to deal with the Vampire yourself. I do not wish to have this be an international incident. You understand, don¡¯t you, Mayor?¡±

    The Mayor nodded slowly, and as Ainzach saw this he bit his lip and looked intently at Ainz.

    The Guildmaster¡¯s stare meant nothing to Ainz. However, he did not know if they had bought his story or if it contained any contradictions. Those two points of uncertainty filled Ainz¡¯s heart with unease, but Ainz brushed it aside with an brusqueness that would brook no interference and continued:

    ¡°Our team will handle the reconnaissance. If we find the Vampire there, we will y it on the spot.¡±

    Thus spoke theteing Warrior of Darkness.

    Though they could not see his face, they could feel the confidence and determination brimming in his voice.

    The air filled with a pressure which might have been mistaken for rumbling, and the sigh which followed made everyone think they had made the sound.

    ¡°Then, ah, the other teams will¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªWill not be needed. I do not need them to slow me down.¡±

    He waved off all opposition to that n.

    That tactless deration was made with the utmost audacity.

    That gesture was not a wise one, not among fellow adventurers of equivalent rank. However ¡ª all the adventurers here were grizzled veterans of countless life-and-death struggles. They could sense that his attitude was not born of recklessness, narcissism, or pride, but had been coldly, carefully calcted. At the same time, it spoke volumes of Momon¡¯s own strength that he could make such a statement.

    This was an extraordinary man.

    It seemed as though his ck armor was growing before their eyes, and the pressure they felt made them imagine that the room itself was shrinking. They could sense that this man was one they could not hope to surpass; as though he were an adamantite ranked adventurer.

    This man was a hero.

    Ainzach choked his words back, and then took several deep breaths. In fact, everyone present was doing the same, and the Mayor even opened up his cor, his sweat flowing freely.

    In a quiet voice, as though whispering into Momon¡¯s ear, Ainzach asked:

    ¡°¡ªWhat about your payment?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind discussing that afterwards. However, after this incident is resolved... after the discovery and destruction of the Vampire, I would like an orichalcum rank at the very least. That would make it more convenient for me when I track that other Vampire, because it is tiresome to have to keep proving my strength.¡±

    Everyone present gasped in realization.

    Adventurers did not work for cities or countries, but this city did not have any orichalcum ranked adventurers at the moment. If he became one of the highest ranked adventurers of this city, everybody would know his name. In addition, the rarity of orichalcum ranked adventurers meant that their fame would spread even further. In this way, people woulde to him with dangerous missions, and it would allow him to learn about powerful Vampires.

    However, there was a man whose heart refused to ept this, even if he had already been persuaded on an intellectual level.

    A chair screeched, and as all eyes went to the source of the sound ¡ª needless to say, it was Igvarge, who had been hectoring Ainz all this while.

    ¡°I can¡¯t bring myself to believe in your strength. Be-Besides, it¡¯s still not clear if that Vampire is as strong as you say. Even animating that corpse could have been done through a magic item. We¡¯re going with you!¡±

    The reason why Igvarge could still muster up his opposition to Ainz despite being shaken to the core was purely because of his hostility towards Ainz and his refusal to acknowledge him.

    However, his fellow adventurers did not approve of his attitude. Perote spoke in a barbed tone:

    ¡°Igvarge, that tone of yours¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªIt¡¯s fine.¡±

    Ainz readily agreed to the request. However, there was no kindness in that reply; the following words were cold and ruthless.

    ¡°That said, I must warn you that if youe along... it¡¯ll be certain death for you. Your entire party might be killed as well, for all I know.¡±

    That matter-of-fact tone did not sound like a threat, nor did it sound like a joke. It was a t prediction of the future, which sent a shudder through Igvarge¡¯s body. In fact, everyone present was chilled to the bone by that statement.

    Ainz shrugged.

    ¡°That¡¯s my warning to you. If you don¡¯t mind, then by all means, doe along.¡±

    ¡°Of, of course!¡±

    He was bluffing, but he could not back down here. He could not run away from this. How could he, an adventurer of equal rank, disgrace himself before someone in power like the Mayor?

    Just as the tension built again between the two of them, Ainzach ¡ª who had calmed down a little ¡ª asked Ainz:

    ¡°It¡¯s all well and good to be confident, but is there any basis for that confidence? Of course, we know that you are strong, but surely you must know that the foe is no pushover either. Frankly speaking, we¡¯re not sure if we can leave everything to you either. If... if for some reason you¡¯re defeated, we need to think about what to do after that...¡±

    Without skipping a beat, Ainz replied:

    ¡°I have a trump card.¡±

    ¡°What is that?¡±

    Ainz produced a crystal and showed it to the intrigued Ainzach.

    ¡°...It can¡¯t be! It¡¯s impossible, unbelievable...¡± Rakesheer shouted, before panting:

    ¡°I once read an old tome... they say that the Theocracy possesses powerful magic items which they consider their national treasures. This is one of them... a spell-sealing crystal. How did youe to possess such a thing!?¡±

    ¡°How surprising... but you have it right. In addition, this crystal now contains a spell of the eighth tier.¡±

    ¡°What!? What did you just say!?¡±

    The exmations that Ainz had evoked from Rakesheer were like the cries of a strangled chicken. Even the man¡¯s face had distorted to quite a frightening extent.

    Nor was it just Rakesheer who was shocked. Everyone ¡ª no, everybody except the Mayor had an expression of fear or surprise on their stunned faces. Any adventurer with even a meager bit of experience could understand the value of the item which Ainz had shown to them.

    ¡°...The eighth tier... you¡¯re lying, right?¡±

    ¡°...It might be a fairytale, but if it¡¯s really magic of that level... it would be nothing short of mythical.¡±

    ¡°Are you kidding me!? What kind of nonsense is that!?¡±

    The three adventurers ¡ª even Igvarge ¡ª stared intently at the crystal within the ck gauntlet, frightened looks on their faces.

    ¡°Forgive me! Could, could I borrow that item for a bit?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°That... it¡¯s just a magic caster¡¯s curiosity. I vow I will not do anything strange to it! If you wish anything as coteral, I can pledge everything on my person, for instance, this belt¡ª¡±

    Rakesheer was already unbuckling his belt before he finished. Ainz replied in an annoyed tone:

    ¡°I understand, there¡¯s no need for that sort of thing. Here, have a look.¡±

    ¡°Ah, sorry about this, but may I touch it too?¡±

    ¡°Me too!¡±

    The spell-sealing crystal passed through several hands before reaching Rakesheer, who stared dumbly at it, like a woman who had finally obtained a jewel she had long thirsted for. No, one could say that he was like a boy who had found a treasure he had always sought.

    ¡°Amazing... ah, yes, Momon-dono, may I cast a spell on it?¡±

    After seeing Ainz agree with a wave of his hand, Rakesheer eagerly worked his magic.

    ¡°¡¸Appraisal Magic Item¡¹, ¡¸Detect Enchant¡¹.¡±

    The look on the man¡¯s face grew even more exaggerated after he cast those spells, and then¡ª

    ¡°Awesome!¡±

    ¡ªThere was no trace of the man from earlier. Instead, his innocent eyes radiated a look of pure delight, and even his tone was different, like he was a teenager again.

    ¡°It¡¯s true! It¡¯s really eighth tier magic! That¡¯s all my spells can tell me... but it¡¯s awesome, really awesome!¡±

    He shouted like this over and over again, which left everyone else staring in stunned silence. Then, Rakesheer picked up the crystal and licked it all over, even mashing it into his face ¡ª like he had gone mad.

    ¡°Get, get a grip! What the hell are you doing!?¡±

    Ainzach rose to his feet and drew close to Rakesheer, disturbed by his friend¡¯s sudden bout of insanity. Indeed, everyone was looking at him with an expression of shock or disgust. Such behavior was unsightly,ing from a man so highly-ced in the city.

    ¡°You idiot! How could anyone get a grip? This is seriously awesome! It¡¯s got an eighth tier spell inside it, though I don¡¯t know what spell it is!¡±

    Rakesheer continued staring at the crystal in excitement, his eyes sparkling. Before long, he had slowly recovered his sanity, and he asked Ainz:

    ¡°Momon-dono! Where, where did you find this crystal!? Tell me!!¡±

    ¡°It was dug up in a certain ruin, along with many magic items. Of course, the crystal already had the spell sealed inside it by the time it was discovered. I had a powerful magic caster identify it.¡±

    ¡°I see! Then, then where is the site of this ruin!?¡±

    ¡°All I can tell you is that it is very far away...¡±

    Rakesheer bit his lip as he heard Ainz¡¯s matter-of-fact reply.

    ¡°Then, could I have it back?¡±

    ¡°Uuu... okie.¡±

    Rakesheer looked around, then reluctantly returned the crystal to Ainz. As he watched Ainz wipe the crystal clean with a piece of parchment, he suddenly eximed:

    ¡°Back to the point, I ¡ª I oppose Ainz-san going forth to y the Vampire!¡±

    A shocked silence settled over the room once more and Ainzach palmed his face. He grimaced, and then asked in a severe tone:

    ¡°...Why the sudden opposition? Well, I already know why, but still ¡ª I have to ask.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that... it¡¯s because it would be too much of a waste.¡±

    He¡¯s gonepletely insane, Ainzach decided as he looked on his friend and decided to discard his opinion.

    ¡°Well then, leaving Rakesheer¡¯s words aside...¡±

    ¡°Please wait! Magic of the eighth tier is practically of a divine level! How can you use such a valuable item on a mere Vampire?¡±

    Anger boiled in Ainzach¡¯s eyes. He could no longer tolerate these outbursts, especially not from someone as highly ced as Rakesheer.

    Then, Ainzach choked back his wrath, and calmly told the other man:

    ¡°...Forgive me, Rakesheer, but please don¡¯t continue making a scene.¡±

    The powerful subtext in those words returned Rakesheer to his senses and left him speechless. The slight blush in his cheeks was probably due to embarrassment at his earlier actions.

    After ncing at his friend to make sure he was back to normal, Ainzach decided to formalize the request.

    ¡°...Then, Momon-kun, we¡¯ll be leaving everything to you.¡±

    Ainz nodded confidently in response to Ainzach¡¯s humble submission.

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    Then, he looked at Igvarge through the slit of his helmet.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be moving out as soon as possible. Vampires suffer a penalty of slowed movement under daylight.¡±

    ¡°Penalty? Eh, a weakness, then? They do move slowly in the day. Our side will be ready soon.¡±

    ¡°...Not going to discuss it with yourrades?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, they¡¯ll understand.¡±

    ¡°...Is that so? Then, we¡¯ll meet at E-Rantel¡¯s main gate in an hour.¡±

    ¡°One hour? Isn¡¯t that a bit too soon? There¡¯s still a long time before sunset.¡±

    ¡°I am in a big hurry. If your courage iscking and you need some time to psyche yourselves up, then I¡¯ll leave you here and go on my own. Any questions?¡±

    ¡°I get it. We¡¯ll prepare ourselves right away.¡±

    There was clear anger in Igvarge¡¯s voice as he rose after speaking. Ainz coldly red at Igvarge¡¯s retreating back, and then turned to look at the other people who were in the room.

    ¡°Then, we shall set out immediately. I hope everyone else will defend E-Rantel. I do not wish to return after not having encountered the Vampire to find that a troublesome situation has developed.¡±

    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t say there won¡¯t be any problems, but you can leave it to us. If you meet any danger, I pray you will fall back immediately.¡±

    Ainz nodded and then left.

    ? ? ?

    In the end, there were only three people left in the room; Panasolei, Ainzach, and Rakesheer, who still had a lovestruck expression on his face.

    ¡°I apologize for showing you that embarrassing side of myself.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Panasolei smiled sheepishly at Rakesheer¡¯s apology. However, their opinion of him had changed greatly.

    Rakesheer also felt that it had been quite an unsightly disy on his part, but even so, he found it difficult to conceal his excitement.

    He had met Lizzie the herbalist some time ago, and she had eagerly shared the matter of the potion with him. As he listened to her excited exposition back then, he had regarded her with cool eyes and wondered if it was truly worth shouting about. Now, however, he wanted tough at his past self.

    He now understood the uncontroble surprise and emotional upheaval one felt when an unattainable object appeared before one¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Was that truly such a valuable item?¡±

    Rakesheer fell silent. This was because he was struggling to suppress the boyish glee which was welling up within him.

    ¡°Yes. That item could change everything we know about magic. The fact is, magic above the sixth tier only resides in the legends. That was the first time I personally saw something like that.¡±

    The spells known as tiered magic had appeared in this world about five hundred to six hundred years ago. After that, there had been several heroic magic-users, but the rumors of people other than the Thirteen Heroes using spells of the seventh tier and up were exactly that ¡ª rumors.

    In the heroic sagas, there was a hero who once used a spell which made people conclude that ¡°it¡¯s impossible even with magic of the seventh tier or higher,¡± but most people thought that it was just a story. In addition, the question of whether the Thirteen Heroes actually used magic of the seventh tier and up was also in doubt.

    However¡ª

    Rakesheer thought, these stories might not be entirely fictional. He made a mental note of this and told himself to investigate them when he had time.

    For instance, the Goblin King who slew many dragons with an ash branch, the winged hero who soared through the sky for long periods, the mystic knight who rode a Trihead Dragon, the princess who ruled her crystal city with her twelve loyal knights, and so on.

    ¡°Then, can we trust him?¡±

    Naturally, Panasolei was referring to Ainz.

    ¡°I received a potion from an adventurer in stylish ck full te and threw it at the Vampire, causing it to fall back¡± ¡ª that was the testimony of the sole surviving adventurer.

    Thus, they had consulted the city¡¯s most renowned herbalist, Lizzie Bareare about the matter. What they had learned was that the potion was a magic item just as valuable as the spell-sealing crystal from just now.

    While one might only be suspicious if he possessed just one exotic item, it was only natural to wonder who he was if he possessed two of them. Still, why had the Vampire halted its attack?

    There were two possibilities. One was that they were in opposition. The other was that there was some link between them. This was why they wanted to see if such a rtionship existed. Was Momon really a foe of this Vampire?

    ¡°Do you think he¡¯s in cahoots with the Vampire?¡±

    This was what they were truly worried about, and the three of them thought back to their conversation with Momon.

    ¡°I think the possibility of that is very low. What do you think, Rakesheer?¡±

    ¡°I agree. There are better ways to pretend to kill the Vampire and then conceal her.¡±

    Even if Momon really was linked to the Vampire, the response outlined earlier would do him no good at all.

    ¡°Could it be he just wants to be an orichalcum ranked adventurer?¡±

    ¡°I doubt it, Mayor. Adventurers enjoy fame and prestige, butmand little power. What are the benefits of bing an orichalcum ranked adventurer, Ainzach?¡±

    ¡°...Well, you can ept better-paying requests, and you¡¯ll be more famous. If you¡¯re lucky, you might even be offered a government post with good terms... although, that¡¯s about it. Power can be much more easily gained through other means.¡±

    The most telling impression of adventurers was that they were specialized anti-monster mercenaries. Certainly, it was possible that one might be the leader of the local chapter of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, but they would still be unable to reach a position where they could dictate national policy.

    ¡°If wealth was his aim, he could sell that crystal and never have to worry about money for the rest of his life. Someone as strong as him could rise in fame quickly enough. The fact is, quite a few of the city guard are already calling him a legendary hero.¡±

    Panasolei nodded in agreement.

    He had taken out a towering undead creature in one hit, and then mowed through countless undead like a storm, leaving shattered bodies in his wake. These awe-inspiring sights were truly those which would be associated with a great hero.

    The guards eagerly spread their ounts of Momon¡¯s prowess, patting their chests and dering that there would be no need to fear monsters with him around.

    ¡°That said, I regret to say that we have no evidence to prove his reliability. Still, there are no contradictions in what Momon-dono has said so far, and if he really was an enemy, why would he show us that spell-sealing crystal? I think we can trust him.¡±

    Rakesheer¡¯s words put a grimace on the face of the other two men. That expression clearly said that it was hard to believe such wordsing from a maniac like him.

    ¡°Mayor, Ainzach, the reason why neither of you can bring yourselves to trust Momon-san is because he showed up just as the Vampire did, am I correct? However, I feel that Momon-san¡¯s words can adequately exin that.¡±

    The two men nodded in agreement.

    ¡°In addition, if that female Vampire really was being hunted by Momon-san, there¡¯s also a rational exnation for why she ceased her attack on thedy adventurer when it saw Momon-san¡¯s rare potion. In addition, it¡¯s possible that the female adventurer was spared because the Vampire wanted to let Momon-san know she was here.¡±

    ¡°I see... so she wanted to let Momon-san think she was nearby and make him stay here. The female Vampire must have seen the female adventurer¡¯s potion and suspected that she was rted to Momon-san. Thus, she let her go, to spread the news of her presence. It does make sense...¡±

    ¡°...Given the fact that Momon-kun chased that Vampire all the way here... I can¡¯t imagine she would be happy about learning that he was around.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, Mayor. However, while we do not yet know which country he hails from, we should still treat him well and be on our guard. Although I don¡¯t think he¡¯s that suspicious... kuku, I¡¯d like to discuss the matter of Momon-san¡¯s magic items with him. His suit of armor looks quite valuable as well.¡±

    ¡°...Speaking of Momon-kun, there¡¯s something I wanted to ask you, Mayor ¡ª where are the corpses of Zuranon?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea.¡±

    The Mayor scowled as he said this.

    The mangled corpses left behind by Ainz had been ced in storage under the eyes ofyers uponyers of guards, but they had vanished after daybreak. Although they suspected that someone had broken in and stolen them, the guards had not been attacked and there were no signs of anyone suspicious.

    The storage area had been built in a way that inhibited the use of teleportation magic; one could say that it was something of a secret room. Thus, there was no sign of how the intruders had even managed to enter. It was as though the corpses had vanished in a puff of smoke.

    They were still secretly searching for clues within the city, but nothing had turned up. The possibility of finding anything relevant were close to zero. In other words, there was nothing they could learn from the two corpses.

    ¡°Could it be that the unholy ritual they were conducting turned them into undead, which then escaped?¡±

    ¡°...We cannot rule that possibility out entirely.¡±

    ¡°How troubling, we couldn¡¯t even get any evidence from it... the only possibility is that secret shrine under that chapel, no? It would be good if we could learn something useful from it.¡±

    ¡°From what you said, it would seem that Momon-kun did not enter that ce. If we found an ownerless magic item of great value in there, could we hand to to him?¡±

    ¡°Mmm, if those items have nothing to do with the ritual, then by adventurers¡¯ rules, they would belong to him.¡±

    Part 4

    Ainz sped through the streets.

    The warm wind filtered in through the slits in his helmet, blowing over the location which corresponded to his eyes. Perhaps if he had eyeballs, he would be blinking non-stop, but Ainzcked any sensory organs, so all he felt was ¡°the wind is blowing.¡±

    Looking down, he saw the earth flying past him beneath his feet, like a loosed arrow. He did not know if it was because he was close to the ground or because of some other reason, but it felt like he was moving faster than he actually was. Of course, he was not frightened in the least. Still, every time his body bounced up, he reflexively channelled more strength into his legs.

    Although Hamsuke could maintain its bnce well, it was still a Djungarian Hamster, albeit a gigantic one. Ainz needed to spread his legs wide to ride it, and this unstable riding posture waspounded by ack of reins, barding, or a saddle. Even someone with extraordinary bnce like Ainz had to be careful not to fall off.

    It¡¯ll be hard to swing my swords while riding Hamsuke; perhaps I should have a set of riding tack and barding made for it soon. The head cksmith¡¯s making a decoy suit of armor; perhaps I could get some help there.

    It was not just the unsteady ride which brought that topic to mind, but also because of the shape which rode beside him.

    Narberal was mounted on a horse while staying in line with Ainz. She rode a Statue of Animal ¨C War Horse, a magic item which summoned a massive destrier in heavy te barding.

    She was a dazzling sight, skillfully guiding her gigantic horse as it galloped down the city streets. Her ponytail swayed in the wind, and her brown cape fluttered out behind her. The way she sat tall in the saddle was as though she hade straight off a movie screen.

    In contrast, Ainz rode a giant Djungarian Hamster. How could he evenpete? He looked forward, despair filling his heart, and saw a group of men there.

    They were a team of four people, and they seemed better equipped than the members of Swords of Darkness, with whom Ainz had travelled with earlier.

    Ainz tucked the matter of the Swords of Darkness into the corner of his mind, letting go of hisplicated thoughts concerning that issue, and then studied the horses those people rode.

    They were majestic beasts.

    Ainz was no equestrian, but given that their coats gleamed and their bodies were in fine fettle, they should have been superior horses.

    The four mounted men rode in a formation shaped like an isosceles triangle, and they too looked like they had sprung from a movie.

    I must look like an idiot riding Hamsuke. I certainly feel stupid enough.

    Ainz was quite depressed, but he seemed to be the only one who felt that way.

    ¡°That¡¯s an impressive-looking creature you¡¯re riding there.¡±

    Those words came from one of Igvarge¡¯srades as he tried to strike up conversation with Ainz. Unlike Igvarge, there was no hostility in his voice. Instead, it would seem Hamsuke had piqued his adventurer¡¯s curiosity, and his words were filled with wonder and awe.

    ¡°What manner of beast is that? Is it famous?¡±

    ¡°...It is the Wise King of the Forest.¡±

    ¡°Ehhhh!? What!? That legendary monster!?¡±

    The staring man¡¯s eyes went wide as he eximed in surprise.

    I still can¡¯t get used to that sort of reaction. Do they have to make such a big deal over a hamster... hm?

    Out of the corner of his eye, Ainz could see Hamsuke woffling its whiskers in pride, and its ears twitched in time with the movement. It was probably paying attention to Ainz¡¯s conversation, given the way it was shuddering under him.

    Ainz mercilessly chopped Hamsuke on the head with his gauntleted hand, which produced a deep, reverberating sound from the creature¡¯s skull.

    ¡°No, I just heard Igvarge talk about it... I see, he¡¯s seeing red again.¡±

    ¡°How did he describe me? Ah, forget it, you don¡¯t have to tell me. I can guess from the looks on your faces.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha, my apologies. That guy... he¡¯s not really a bad sort, but he gets blinded by what¡¯s in front of him sometimes.¡±

    ¡°...It¡¯s a wonder how you guys have stayed safe with apanion like that. Or has this party changed out a lot of members?¡±

    ¡°No, everybody¡¯s been with the team ever since it was formed. That guy¡¯s a pretty good adventurer, unlike what his personality would suggest.¡±

    ¡°Pretty good... huh.¡±

    Ainz turned to Igvarge, and received a hostile re in response.

    ¡°You guys must have had a really hard time,¡± Ainz snorted. Then, after dropping that line, he raised his hand, indicating that Narberal should suppress the anger building within her towards Igvarge. Ainz did not want to start a fight here ¡ª there were more important things which had to be done at this moment.

    After signalling to Narberal, Hamsuke raised its head.

    ¡°Milord... your servant¡¯s head hurts...¡±

    Tears sparkled in those ck, beady eyes.

    Ainz felt a twinge of regret. Perhaps he had used too much force. Still, it would have been bad if he had been tossed off at those speeds.

    He would not be hurt even if he hit the ground. Ainz had once conducted an experiment with one of the vassals who had simr damage reduction to his own, and it had not felt any pain even after being dropped from a height of one kilometer.

    The problem was what would happen if his travellingpanions began having their doubts about Ainz¡¯s toughness. Now that they hade this far together, Ainz was sincere about getting along with them until the very end.

    ¡°Run more evenly. I don¡¯t want to have to use strength when clinging to you.¡±

    ¡°Understood! Milord must be worried about his servant¡¯s body!¡±

    This time, Hamsuke teared up because it was moved, and Ainz ordered it to watch its front. It was then that Igvarge¡¯spanion from earlier addressed him in a respectful tone:

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s amazing, to think you can maintain your bnce in such a precarious position. This would be pretty dangerous, even for someone with a good sense of bnce like yours, no?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m used to it... though I do intend to have it fitted for a saddle soon.¡±

    ¡°A harness, huh... I don¡¯t really like that... just a jape, of course! If Milord desires it, then your servant has no objections!¡±

    Under Narberal¡¯s reproachful gaze, Hamsuke scrambled to disy the attitude befitting of a loyal vassal. The vibrationsing from beneath Ainz¡¯s waist were different from the tremors of travel.

    Ainz furrowed his illusionary eyebrows beneath his helm.

    There¡¯s no need to frighten a hamster with killing intent, is there? While I do appreciate that sort of loyalty, isn¡¯t that going a bit too far? It¡¯s fine to look down on human beings, but there¡¯s a time and ce for that sort of thing... She doesn¡¯t quite seem to grasp that concept... Was she really designed that way? There¡¯s not much which can be done if she¡¯s like that, but...

    Just having Hamsuke with him was a huge boost to his fame, and thebination of the Wise King of the Forest¡¯s staunch loyalty to himself was far different from the fear it inspired in others. The first would make people think highly of Ainz and consider him to be a noble adventurer. Although it did not mean much to him, he wanted to continue developing in that direction since he had the chance to do so. This was also because he wanted to be regarded as a hero.

    In addition, it would be helpful to have people outside of Nazarick swear loyalty to him.

    That made Ainz reflect on his actions, and he considered that he might have been too rough towards Hamsuke. Therefore, he lightly patted the ce which he had chopped just now, as though stroking a small animal.

    ¡°Milord... this is embarrassing...¡±

    The sound of grinding teeth was clearly audible to Ainz, through the galloping of horses.

    ...You¡¯re part of the reason I¡¯m doing this, no? Speaking of which, how hard are you grinding your teeth anyway? If she¡¯s really jealous, then I should do something for her, right? Narberal¡¯s been very loyal too, but... what kind of reward can I give her?

    As Ainz agonized about whether to give her a ring or some other treasure, Igvarge spoke in a thoroughly unfriendly manner.

    ¡°Oi, Momon, we¡¯re here.¡±

    After indicating that it understood, Hamsuke gradually reduced its speed. Unlike a horse, Ainz couldmunicate directly to Hamsuke. Ainz had no equestrian experience and was not at all confident about stopping a horse.

    It¡¯s a little embarrassing to ride Hamsuke, but I should be d because I don¡¯t have to ride a horse. Still, the time mighte when I might have to do so, I should probably practice that a little in case of emergencies.

    Ainz leapt off Hamsuke, then petted it in gratitude. Narberal transformed her horse back into a statuette and the men tied up their horses.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s go. What formation should we take when moving?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll take the lead, you can follow behind.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care what you do, just keep us in mind and be careful.¡±

    After hearing Igvarge¡¯s annoyed response, Ainz led Narberal and Hamsuke into the forest.

    Much like the forest near Carne Vige, the woonds here bore no signs of human habitation and were very difficult to traverse. However, Ainz was festooned in magic items and thus it seemed like a t in to him. In addition, his anxiety over Shalltear made him quicken his pace, to the point where Igvarge had to ask them to slow down.

    Well, he did ask them, but his crude words were full of hostility. Narberal ¡ª who was walking beside Ainz ¡ª very nearly turned around to rebuke him, but Ainz forced her to keep quiet.

    ¡°We¡¯re almost there, act like an adult.¡±

    Ainz smiled under his helmet as he saw the frustrated look on Narberal¡¯s face. By now, Hamsuke had sensed something amiss, and its ears twitched continuously, as though it had heard something.

    Ainz knew what had prompted that response from Hamsuke, and so he whispered into Hamsuke¡¯s ear:

    ¡°¡ªStop that.¡±

    ¡°What? Milord, what are you¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªThe sound of metal you might have heard is from my subordinates. Pay it no heed.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, it is. My apologies, milord.¡±

    ¡°By the way, have you picked up on anyone following us aside from that?¡±

    He had ordered Nigredo to establish surveince and had taken many other precautions besides, but he asked again just to be sure.

    ¡°No, other than that, almost nobody is following us.¡±

    ¡°Oi~ what¡¯s happening up there?¡± asked the man who had been riding beside Ainz. Since the team¡¯s representative Igvarge was not asking that question, his presence here needed no exnation.

    Ainz waved a hand, indicating that nothing was wrong.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    The man did not seem happy with that answer, but after sensing that Ainz did not want to talk about it, he shrugged and did not press the matter.

    Well, it¡¯s not like I hate you or anything.

    Ainz merely thought those words without speaking them as he silently advanced through the forest.

    After they had travelled some distance, the sound of weapons being drawn one after the other came from the rear. Ainz halted and leisurely looked back.

    ¡°Is something the matter?¡±

    ¡°Is something the matter!? You¡¯re on point, you should be more alert!¡±

    This was the first time the other men showed their approval for Igvarge¡¯s hostility.

    ¡°Oi! You, hiding over there,e out slowly!¡±

    Igvarge was shouting at a tree which wasrge enough to hide a person¡¯s silhouette.

    Amidst the growing tension in the air, Ainz calmly walked over to that tree. A somewhat panicked voice called out to him, but Ainz paid it no heed.

    Narberal watched like it was the natural thing to do. Hamsuke had his doubts, but he did not offer any opposition.

    As he drew close to the tree, someone stepped out from behind it, as though in response. The person in question was dressed in a suit of full te armor which was the same ck as Ainz¡¯s own. That person held a gigantic axe (a bardiche) which radiated a sickly green glow.

    Themanding presence of this warrior filled the scene with a strange air. Or rather, only parts of it were filled with strangeness.

    Ainz gently raised a hand and said:

    ¡°Thank you foring all this way.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Ainz-sama.¡±

    The warrior ¡ª Albedo ¡ª bowed respectfully to her lord and master.

    ¡°Then, Shallte¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªWho is she? Is she a friend of yours? And what¡¯s this about Ainz-sama?¡±

    These loud questions bombarded Ainz from behind, one after the other.

    This was an entirely understandable reaction for Igvarge and his crew, but it was an unpardonable offense to Albedo, who was still bowing to Ainz. Fiery rancor zed within her heart, and then she let it out, as though she nned to incinerate everything in the area with the mes of her wrath.

    Hamsuke shuddered, every hair on its body standing on end, more than ever before.

    Given that even a bystander had this sort of reaction, how much worse must it have been for the targets of Albedo¡¯s fury? Their faces had turned white and oily sweat cascaded down their foreheads as they realised that their insignificant lives would be snuffed out shortly.

    ¡°Allow me to introduce you to everyone. This is mypanion ¡ª Albedo.¡±

    ¡°Ainz-sama, I find it hard to believe that you would consider me apanion... after all, I am but your loyal servant.¡±

    ¡°That is true, so I take those words back. She is my subordinate; does that answer your question? Then, Albedo,mence the next step, as we nned.¡±

    The men were still staring in stunned silence as Albedo walked towards them.

    ¡°Oh, I almost forgot. My name is not Momon. My real name is Ainz. Not that you need to remember that, of course.¡±

    Albedo smiled smugly as she beheld the confused looks on the men¡¯s faces. However, that smile was as icy as the grave.

    ¡°Then, Albedo... deal with them. Take one alive... no, another one might be good as a spare. The jamming is already in ce, so you can go ahead and use magicalmunication.¡±

    Just as the shock from hearing Ainz¡¯s calm and dispassionate orders began filtering into the minds of Igvarge and his people, Ainz continued his instructions:

    ¡°Take their corpses back to Nazarick. If they¡¯re strong enough, we can use them for experiments in making high tier undead.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Albedo slowly raised her weapon, the gigantic axe.

    There was no murderous intent or hostility in that action.

    That was only to be expected. After all, to Albedo, chopping off the heads of inferior lifeforms (humans) was little more than cutting the leaves off a daikon.

    If this were not Ainz¡¯s order, she might not even need to swing her weapon to verify her calmness.

    Igvarge and his party might not have understood the situation, but they still knew they were in danger, and they raised their swords in preparation to fight.

    Bathed in looks of shock, Ainz merely shrugged.

    ¡°Ah, sorry about that. I misspoke back in the guild; when I said ¡®Following me is certain death,¡¯ I actually meant ¡®If you follow me, I will kill all of you.¡¯¡±

    Thus did Ainz pronounce their death sentence.

    ¡°I warned you, but you would not listen. These are the consequences of your choice. ept them with dignity.¡±

    Igvarge and his group chose to retreat.

    The reason why they had all immediately fallen back without so much as verifying the n with hand signals was because they understood the vast difference between their respective battle strengths. In addition, they did not retreat as one, but they split up to flee, in order to maximize their chances of survival.

    Their reaction was outside the scope of Albedo¡¯s predictions, and she was a moment toote to respond. Although her physical attributes far exceeded those of Ainz, chasing an enemy through the forest was still quite troublesome.

    She chased down her first target in an instant, and rendered him unconscious with a capturing-type skill.

    Albedo¡¯s keen hearing picked up on the sounds of metal mixed with the wails of the fleeing men. However, she could not get an urate fix on their position due to the trees blocking her line of sight. In addition, people without metal armor would only make noise when they stepped on grass or twigs, which only made it harder for Albedo to pinpoint their location, given that shecked levels in ranger and rogue-type sses.

    Albedo shook her head and sighed. Then she issued amand:

    ¡°Mare, deal with those two. Ah, right, eliminate the man who was disrespectful to Ainz-sama.¡±

    Part 5

    Igvarge ran.

    Back in the Guild, he had understood to some extent that Momon was a better adventurer than himself, but Igvarge was unwilling to acknowledge that fact.

    However, when he personally witnessed themanding figure of Momon¡¯s majestic riding beast ¡ª the ancient, legendary monster known as the Wise King of The Forest ¡ª he had no choice but to ept it. Anyone who could tame such a creature by strength alone was clearly far beyond mithril rank.

    As he realised that what they had discussed in that room was true, Igvarge¡¯s heart filled with anger.

    I don¡¯t know what country you¡¯re from, but don¡¯t get in my way. I can give you information if you want, but in exchange, go stand aside and wait.

    To Igvarge, it was as though someone had trespassed in his territory.

    He and his group had trained hard to fulfill their dreams, had slowly climbed the ranks after countless close brushes with death. It was only natural that they would be unhappy when somebody cut in all of a sudden and jumped several ranks.

    He would pull Momon down if he had the chance. He would ruin Momon¡¯s reputation with false rumors. That was what Igvarge had in mind when he had chosen to set out with Momon.

    This was also why ¡ª when Momon¡¯s ck-dpanion showed up and dered she was going to kill Igvarge and his group ¡ª he could fall back with no hesitation at all. Though he was afraid, he still moved faster than anyone else. He was driven by the malicious desire to spread bad news about Momon ¡ª about Ainz to the Guild.

    Serves you right, I¡¯ll make it back alive for sure and then I¡¯ll disclose everything about you to the world!

    He did not know how Momon was connected to the Vampire. However, he was sure he could steer the rumors in that direction

    Though he knew that terrible weapon might scythe down on him at any time, though he knew his life might be in danger, Igvargeughed, unable to suppress the emotions surging up in his heart.

    He did not care about hisrades at all. No, if they became decoys that let him live on, so much the better.

    I will reach the top. I will attain the orichalcum, then the adamantite rank, and be a renowned hero.

    There was no need for anybody strong beside himself. Hispanions were all stepping stones on his climb to the summit. He would be the true hero who saved the world, like the Thirteen Heroes of the past. This was the dream Igvarge had ever since he had heard the saga of the Thirteen Heroes in his youth from a bard in his vige.

    But then, there was a man who was going to stand in the way of his dreams ¡ª was going to surpass him and his team. Worse, he was doing it as a part-time job. That was unforgivable.

    He ran and he ran and he ran.

    The fact that Igvarge could run at top speed through the forest without his face turning red or panting was proof that he was indeed a mithril ranked adventurer.

    However¡ª

    Ripples coursed through Igvarge¡¯s heart; big ones.

    Where is this ce? I circled around because I was afraid they would have set up an ambush near the horses... eh?

    Igvarge felt that this was right, and his sense of direction told him that much. However, his sixth sense said otherwise. He would not get lost even if this was his first time in any particr forest. However, for some reason, he was still uncertain of his location.

    I must be imagining things, he thought. Though, this did not feel like his imagination at all. However reluctant, he had to acknowledge that this was real.

    ¡°...Am I lost? But... how could a forest stalker like myself get lost?¡±

    Igvarge¡¯s vocation was one which specialized in outdoor movement. In a sense, the woods were like his back yard. However, a strange, unsettling feeling filled him. This forest now seemed like the gaping maw of some vast carnivorous beast.

    ¡°It¡¯s just like a maze...¡±

    Unease and anxiety welled up inside, as a change came over the forest which should have beenpletely familiar to him.

    And then¡ª

    ¡ªHe heard the sound of quiet rustling.

    Igvarge recalled the ck-d executioner from just now, and jerked his head back to look at the source of the sound. He saw a child¡¯s head poking out from behind a tree.

    That child was a Dark Elf, closely rted to the Elves, who were humanoids which lived in the depths of the forest.

    Why is there a Dark Elf here?

    He had heard that therge settlements of the Dark Elves were located in the great forests to the south, where no man had set foot. Dark Elves were the sort who lived far away from civilized areas. In that respect, they were different from the Forest Elves, who traded with humanity.

    There was something strange about this Dark Elf, who was also a child. It filled Igvarge¡¯s heart with doubt. Just then, the child nervously stepped forward.

    It¡¯s a girl.

    She was dressed in female attire, and the frightened look on her delicate, beautiful face aroused Igvarge¡¯s sadistic desires. Although he wondered if this girl had been sent by Momon, the two of them hadpletely different attitudes, and so heughed the idea off as impossible.

    More importantly, if this girl was a Dark Elf that lived in this forest, she would surely know a safe route out of it. In addition, if that ck-armored woman caught up to him, he could use the girl as a hostage. With that in mind, Igvarge decided to try and get the girl to obey him, and so he took a step forward.

    ¡°...Oi.¡±

    He intentionally pitched his voice low, filling it with notes of menace, and startled the Dark Elf girl into taking a step back.

    ¡°Ah, I, I¡¯m sorry...¡±

    Igvarge chuckled coldly as he saw the nervous look on her face. He was confident that his n would work.

    ¡°No need to be sorry. There¡¯s something I want to ask you, soe over here.¡±

    ¡°Uh... uhh... about that... I, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    A question mark seemed to appear over Igvarge¡¯s head as he wondered why she was apologizing again. However, the ebony staff in the Dark Elf girl¡¯s hand had already swung towards him.

    The vegetation turned to snares, which securely bound Igvarge¡¯s entire body.

    He trembled in shock.

    How could a mithril ranked adventurer like himself fail to stop the magic of a brat like her?

    Even after struggling with all his might, the nts refused to budge. As anxiety and panic filled his heart, Igvarge raised his voice and shouted:

    ¡°You ¡ª you little bitch! If you don¡¯t let me go, I¡¯ll kill you! Oi!¡±

    The Dark Elf nervously lowered her head and advanced toward Igvarge.

    It was then that Igvarge realised her outfit was quite exceptional. Both her clothes and armor were masterfully made, of the sort which Igvarge himself would not be able to acquire. In addition, her eyes ¡ª the memory of something an Elf friend of his had once said surfaced hazily in his mind.

    However, before the memory could fully take shape, a shadow fell across his face.

    The girl forcefully swung her staff.

    Though her face still looked afraid, there was no emotion in her eyes. She did not feel anything about what she was about to do to Igvarge. It was as though her fearful attitude was just an act she had been directed to put on.

    He superimposed the form of the girl before him over that of the ck-armored woman from just now.

    ¡°Wait, wait a minute! What are you trying to¡ª¡±

    ? ? ?

    Albedo arrived just as Mare¡¯s staff fell on the man¡¯s head. His helmet deformed under the impact of the staff and the skull below caved in, while his eyeballs popped free of his head from the force of the tremendous impact. His head was thoroughly smashed, like a watermelon during a suikawari game at the beach in summer.

    ¡°Thanks for your hard work.¡±

    ¡°Ah, about that, Albedo-sama, it, it¡¯s over... is, is this fine?¡±

    Albedo removed her helmet, and smiled to Mare as he looked up nervously to her.

    ¡°It was perfect. Granted, it was a somewhat messy way of killing him, but it¡¯s fine. Ainz-sama will surely praise you for this.¡±

    ¡°Re-Really? Ehehehe.¡±

    The delighted Dark Elf looked to the corpse, and then Albedo asked:

    ¡°How about the other one?¡±

    ¡°Ah, w-well... he¡¯s been taken care of. I, I dragged the corpse behind a tree...¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Beautifully done. Then, Mare, can you help me bring the corpses back to Nazarick?¡±

    ¡°I... I got it.¡±

    Albedo smiled once more to the smiling boy who was giggling as he held his bloodstained staff. He was such an honest boy.

    Still, he would do well to be more open.

    Part 6

    ¡°It is finished, Ainz-sama,¡± Albedo said, her helmet held at her waist. Ainz nodded as he heard this. Now, there were no witnesses to Shalltear¡¯s identity. With his armor gone, Ainz felt quite at ease as he replied:

    ¡°Good work. How about the recovery of the bodies?¡±

    ¡°I have already asked Mare to send them back to Nazarick.¡±

    ¡°I see. Well then, that problem¡¯s taken care of. Sadly, they were killed by the Vampire, so we, the survivors, must continue pressing on.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Then... Ainz-sama, what is that trembling creature which cowers under your cloak?¡±

    Ainz turned, and found that as expected ¡ª although it was quite hard to understand why such arge creature would do such a thing ¡ª Hamsuke was clinging to his cloak. Itsrge, beady eyes were moist, and its fur stood in terror. Of course, it was Albedo which it feared.

    ¡°Think of it as my pet. I have named it Hamsuke.¡±

    ¡°What!? That thing actually has the position coveted by all the denizens of Nazarick!?¡±

    ¡°...Hm? ...Ah, Hamsuke. This is Albedo, my faithful servant who rules my domain of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. In other words, she is your boss. Go, introduce yourself to her.¡±

    ¡°This lowly one is, as milord has already said, known as Hamsuke. I ce myself in your care, Albedo-dono.¡±

    ¡°...Pleased to meet you, Hamsuke.¡±

    ¡°All right, introductions are over. From now on, I will be going onward with Albedo. Narberal, return to Nazarick with Hamsuke and Mare... and pay attention to the object I put in your mouth.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Narberal¡¯s reply was quite energetic. Hamsuke swirled the object it had received in the graveyard within its mouth, and it asked Narberal in a garbled way:

    ¡°Un-Understood, milord. And ¡ª this thing is really noisy! I have an important question to ask! Quiet down in there! Then, this one has a question to ask... Narberal-dono, will this one be in danger? Will this one be eaten up?¡±

    ¡°Since you are now Ainz-sama¡¯s pet, you will not be eaten without authorization. I will inform everybody; there is no need to worry.¡±

    Ainz¡¯s face did not move, but he was smiling. It would seem that letting them travel together in E-Rantel had improved their rtionship.

    ¡°All right, then let¡¯s go, Albedo.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    As Narberal and Hamsuke watched, Ainz and Albedo headed toward Shalltear¡¯s location.

    ¡°Ah, yes, Ainz-sama. The corpses of those men reminded me of the words you spoke to me in the Throne Room. Shall we recover the corpses of the man and woman which you eliminatedst night, Ainz-sama?¡±

    ¡°Well, about that...¡±

    Just as he was about to repeat what he had told Narberalst night about, ¡°we need to pin the me on them as the masterminds of this incident,¡± Albedo continued speaking and interrupted him.

    ¡°They might have learned something while fighting you, Ainz-sama. Since there is magic which can bring the dead back to life, the best course of action would have been to immediately recover the corpses. Or was there some special reason for doing otherwise?¡±

    Ainz¡¯s breathing stopped ¡ª no, he had not needed to breathe in the first ce.

    Albedo had hit the nail on the head.

    ...Crap.

    Resurrection magic existed in this world; in other words, dead men could tell tales, better than what any autopsy would say.

    Ainz recalled the events of that night. He thought about his real identity, the name of Nazarick, and Narberal¡¯s abilities. That man and woman knew it all, especially that woman.

    This was too fatal of a mistake to be written off with the word ¡°mistake¡±.

    All he could do was hope that nobody could use resurrection magic, but ording to the information gained from the Sunlight Scripture, there were people within the ine Theocracy who could use such magic. In addition, there was a high chance that top ranked (adamantite) adventurers possessed spells like that, and high ranking officials in a country might secretlymand people who were capable of such magic.

    If that were the case, the higher-ups in E-Rantel would look for people to use magic on them once they concluded that the deceased possessed such important information. Given that what they had done would have shaken E-Rantel, it would be natural for said higher-ups to want to know more.

    Ainz felt his nonexistent heart beating at a breakneck pace.

    What should I do now?

    It went without saying that he had to recover the bodies as quickly as possible. However, who should he send?

    Ainz had told Narberal not to bother with the corpses. Should he publicly tell her that was a mistake?

    ...No, I shouldn¡¯t say anything.

    He should avoid saying anything that might lower their faith to him further as long as he did not know why Shalltear had betrayed him. He had to remain calm in a situation like this.

    Ainz now knew why the superiors in hispany were unwilling to admit their mistakes. With a prayer in his heart, he made a decision.

    ¡°...Indeed, that is correct. However, I do have a special reason for leaving those bodies be. Calm yourself; everything dances within the palm of my hand... the matter of Shalltear aside.¡±

    ¡°I see! As expected of you, Ainz-sama. I see you have already anticipated the developments I had in mind. It seems I have spoken too much, and I apologize for that. Come to think of it, why did you not use resurrection magic at all, Ainz-sama? It would allow you to question dead humans and the like while gathering information.¡±

    ¡°...Eh?¡±

    A very off-key squeak of surprise escaped Ainz.

    ¡°Did I not mention it? Then, have you heard of Demiurge¡¯s healing experiments?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I have. Sever all four limbs. heal them with magic, those experiments, right?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Then, another question for you. Do you know where a resurrection spell has to be applied?¡±

    ¡°Is it not on the corpse?¡±

    ¡°...I don¡¯t think so... hm, at least, I don¡¯t think so, no?¡±

    Albedo went silent alongside Ainz, and then her eyes sparkled.

    ¡°Ah! It seems I misspoke. Ainz-sama, you are correct. It is not on the corpse, but the soul!¡±

    ¡°Indeed. In Demiurge¡¯s experiments, the severed limbs vanished and grew from the body once more. Now, when you cast a spell on the soul, what will happen to the body?¡±

    In YGGDRASIL, one could choose toe back to life at one of four locations when casting an XP-draining resurrection spell.

    The first was at the corpse itself. The second was at the entrance of the dungeon or other location. The third was in a nearby safe town. And the fourth would be at a designated respawn point within a guild base or other stronghold.

    That being the case, where would people in this worlde back to life when resurrection magic was cast on them?

    The scenario which Ainz most wanted to avoid was the fourth kind,ing back to life at a designated home point. If Nigun came back to life in the ine Theocracy, Ainz would have essentially resurrected an enemy, filled him full of useful information, and then kindly released him back into the wild.

    This was why he could not conduct experiments with resurrection magic, but in return it had led to these undesired consequences.

    ¡°I see, so that¡¯s how it is. We must take note of these things. As expected of you, Ainz-sama ¡ª I am awed by your keen insight.¡±

    As he watched Albedo lower her head in admiration, Ainz immediately shook his head and replied:

    ¡°Pay it no heed. Although, I do need to find a ce to conduct an experiment like that... hm. Then, once we¡¯re ready, we¡¯ll set out.¡±

    Under Albedo¡¯s guidance, Ainz strode into the forest.

    ? ? ?

    The two of them reached arge clearing within the woods.

    One could say this scene was filled with a rustic charm, but in the middle of it stood something that waspletely out of ce here ¡ª a person in a suit of crimson full te armor. It was a fantastic sight as it glittered under the sunlight, but the stink of gore it gave off ruined the atmosphere.

    It was Shalltear.

    She looked exactly like what he had seen on the ¡¸Crystal Monitor¡¹, right down to her seemingly-unchanged posture. For a moment, Ainz wondered if he was still looking at her image.

    However, it felt real enough. The reason was that was the stench of blood carried to him by the wind.

    Ainz breathed in and out repeatedly. Of course, his body could not breathe, so he was just going through the motions, but perhaps he felt something which might have led to those breaths.

    ¡°Shalltear,¡± Ainz said to her.

    He felt that his voice should have been stern andmanding, and yet the words he had spoken were hoarse and quiet and pathetic.

    Yet, there was no response.

    Before he called out to Shalltear again, Ainz carefully sized her up.

    Shalltear was not ignoring him. Rather, her crimson eyes were open and vacuous, giving the impression that there was no consciousness there.

    Albedo, who was standing beside him, grew furious at Shalltear¡¯s attitude.

    ¡°Shalltear! Not only do you not have an exnation for your deeds, but youpound it with rudeness to Ainz-sama¡ª¡±

    ¡°Albedo, shut up! Keep quiet! Do not move! Do not approach Shalltear!¡±

    Ainz¡¯s harsh words stopped Albedo in her tracks as she was about to advance on Shalltear. This was a tone he very rarely took with the NPCs made by his friends, but on this asion, it could not be helped.

    That was how shocked Ainz was by Shalltear¡¯s current condition.

    ¡°...Could this be... is it even possible? ...Unbelievable.¡±

    Ainzpared scenes from his past to the Shalltear he saw before him, and shock ran through him. At the same time, his emotion suppression kicked in, allowing him to make a calm decision and realize that the possibility he had in mind was the most likely one.

    Ainz addressed Albedo. He wanted to share his thoughts, and by doing so, acknowledge the reality of the situation.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure of it now. Shalltear is under mind control.¡±

    ¡°Is this due to the reason you mentioned in the Throne Room, Ainz-sama?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t be sure just yet... judging from the information supplied by the Sunlight Scripture and my own experience with this sort of thing, I¡¯m certain this is some form of mind control. Of course, I don¡¯t know how or why the undead Shalltear was controlled. Could this be the result of some phenomenon unique to this world?¡±

    Ainz folded his arms, and carefully examined the bolt-upright Shalltear.

    ¡°Some mysterious person attempted to control Shalltear¡¯s mind, but something happened before that person could issue any orders. Perhaps they were struck down just as they made their move... in any case, I¡¯m pretty sure that was what left her standing here by herself, without any orders. However, she will probably defend herself against anyone who gets too close or who attacks her. Most evil-aligned NPCs will do just that, so don¡¯t get too close.¡±

    ¡°Understood. However, we will not be able to drag her back to Nazarick like this... That will be fine as long as Shalltear¡¯s attempted controller is dead, but if that person is still alive, it will be dangerous to wait here.¡±

    ¡°An urate consideration.¡±

    Shalltear had been mind controlled by something. It might be something unique to this world, something that could work on the undead. If that were the case, Ainz might end up getting mind controlled as well if he stayed here.

    ¡°Although this item is quite expensive, we¡¯d best dispel Shalltear¡¯s mind control soon as possible.¡±

    Ainz¡¯s fingers moved. One of the rings he wore, a in and undecorated item, glowed with a silver light and disyed three meteors on its face. One could say this was the mightiest ring Ainz had in his possession.

    ¡°That is...?¡±

    Upon seeing Albedo¡¯s puzzled expression, Ainz¡¯s face ¡ª though his fleshless face could not move ¡ª was filled with a proud smile as he spoke the ring¡¯s name.

    ¡°This is Shooting Star, an extremely rare item that allows its bearer three uses of the super tier magic, ¡¸Wish Upon a Star¡¹.¡±

    This was the gacha item that Ainz had spent his year-end bonus to obtain.

    Among the guild members, only Ainz and Yamaiko could boast ownership of such an unbelievably rare item.

    However, this ring was less of an ultra-rare item than a cash item which symbolized foolishness, on ount of how much money he had spent on the game in order to obtain it.

    ? ? ?

    The super tier spell imbued within the ring, ¡¸Wish Upon A Star¡¹, was one which consumed a percentage of one¡¯s XP bar to randomly generate an option for a wish. In other words, by spending ten percent of one¡¯s XP bar, one could make one choice. By spending fifty percent, one could pick from five choices.

    There were many choices that could be made for a wish; ording to online walkthroughs, there were over two hundred of them. In addition, some wishes were moremon than others; thus this was a dreadful spell which many feared would deplete their XP for nothing.

    Even in YGGDRASIL where gaining levels was easy, one would still need a lot of XP to cast it, given that a magic caster needed to be level ny five before learning this super tier spell. Thus, many people hesitated over whether or not to gamble their XP on this sort of thing.

    ? ? ?

    The choices one could make when casting ¡¸Wish Upon A Star¡¹ from the ring were randomly generated, much like the original spell. However, one was more likely to get useful selections, and fewer joke selections. From a certain point of view, one might say it was a better version of the spell. In addition, one would be presented with up to ten choices to pick from, and there would be no casting time. It was worthy of being called the best cash item.

    Of course, it felt like a shame ¡ª and a bit of a gamble ¡ª to have to use a cash item like this. However, Shalltear was irreceable. In addition, using his own leftover XP would affect his use of other skills which drained his XP, so he had his doubts about going that route.

    Ainz stared at his ring.

    Ainz hoped that he would be given a choice to negate all effects on a given target. He had also thought of several other alternatives, but that was the most direct option which came to mind.

    Very few people would pick that wish since it would also negate all positive effects. Thus, Ainzughed at himself for thinking of it.

    ¡°Then, hear me, oh ring. I WISH!¡±

    Of course, he did not need to speak those words to activate the item. However, he was driven by his desire to be granted the most optimal choice from over 200 avable options, hence his cry. It was like how one might shout during a tense moment in a game or over a throw of the dice.

    Since the magic of this world seemed to operate along the same lines as YGGDRASIL, the ring should be able to remove Shalltear¡¯s mind control. Or rather, that was what Ainz hoped would be the case.

    The scenario Ainz most feared ¡ª that the spell did not work ¡ª did note to pass. The ring released the magic stored within it into this world... and then the red points of light within Ainz¡¯s eye sockets shrank.

    ¡°What... is this...¡±

    It felt as though new information was being entered into his mind ¡ª something along the lines of displeasure. At the same time, he felt like he had been connected to something vast ¡ª something like joy, perhaps. Many of the emotions Ainz had felt while he was still human washed over him.

    Once the ripples of emotion faded away, Ainz realised that ¡¸Wish Upon A Star¡¹ worked differently here than it did in YGGDRASIL.

    When Ainz had first learned of Nfirea¡¯s talent, he had idly wondered if he could steal it with ¡¸Wish Upon A Star¡¹. Now, he realized that he could have done it. In this world, ¡¸Wish Upon a Star¡¹ was a spell that would grant its caster¡¯s wishes. Although it would still expend XP, ¡¸Wish Upon A Star¡¹ was now a spell that could make the impossible possible. In addition, by sacrificing five levels ¡ª five hundred percent of his XP bar ¡ª one could one could make even greater wishese true.

    With that in mind, Ainz felt certain that he could dispel the magical effects on Shalltear. As triumph surged through him, Ainz shouted:

    ¡°Dispel all effects on Shalltear!¡±

    A beatter, the lights in Ainz¡¯s eyes grew steadilyrger.

    ¡°¡ªWhat, what is this?¡±

    Albedo realised that something had changed when she saw Ainz¡¯s agitated reaction. She uneasily asked:

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Ainz-sama?¡±

    Ainz had no time to answer. He was recalling the news he had absorbed from various walkthrough sites, his own long experience with YGGDRASIL, thenbining them with what he had learned ever sinceing to this world. The most important parts of that was the information concerning the use of ¡¸Wish Upon A Star¡¹, the spell which hadpletely overturned Ainz¡¯s umted knowledge.

    Anxiety and anger filled Ainz as he came to a conclusion. However, he could feel something else even through the emotion suppression that should have kept him calm ¡ª fear.

    Ainz shouted pathetically:

    ¡°We, we¡¯re falling back! Albedo, over here! We¡¯re retreating now!¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes!¡±

    Ainz cast his teleportation spell, and in the next moment, a berm of earth filled his eyes. Though he was now safe at home, Ainz ordered in a panic:

    ¡°Albedo! Watch out for anyone who might have teleported after us!¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Albedo drew her weapon and stood by Ainz¡¯s side. Ainz raised both his hands, taking a stance to deal with anything which mighte.

    As time passed, Ainz allowed himself to slowly rx. Albedo too stood down from her ready stance, back into her normal posture.

    ¡°Dammit!¡±

    After he calmed down, he was filled with furious anger. His emotional peaks were automatically cut out after bing undead, but even though they were suppressed, the anger welled up inside him once more.

    ¡°Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!¡±

    Ainz kicked at the ground over and over again.

    Since Ainz¡¯s physical strength was far greater than normal, each kick sent forth a massive quantity of soil. If it had not rained just a few days ago, the surrounding area might have been engulfed in a huge cloud of dust. Even so, it could not quench Ainz¡¯s anger.

    ¡°Ainz, Ainz-sama, please, be at peace...¡±

    Ainz noticed the undercurrent of fear in Albedo¡¯s voice, and he finally realized that his behavior was not fitting of an absolute ruler. He swiftly calmed himself down, forcefully exhaling the breath he did not possess. It felt as though he was expelling the fiery wrath consuming him through that breath.

    ¡°...Forgive me. I seem to have lost my senses for a moment. Pay that unsightly scene no heed.¡±

    ¡°Please do not say that. However, I am grateful that you took my suggestion to heart, Ainz-sama. If it is your wish that I forget ever seeing that, then I shall remove it from my mind. However ¡ª what happened? Did I displease you, Ainz-sama? If you are willing to tell me, I shall strive not to let it happen again.¡±

    ¡°...My anger was not directed at you, Albedo. It was because I learned that my wish did note true, even after activating the power of the ring.¡±

    Seeing how Albedo remained silent, Ainz knew that his exnation was insufficient, so he continued:

    ¡°...There is only one thing which can trump the power of the super tier spell ¡¸Wish Upon A Star¡¹.¡±

    Perhaps earlier, he might have thought it was interference from something in this world, but Ainz was confident that it was not the case. This was because he had sensed it as he activated the ring.

    ¡°It, it can¡¯t be... that would be...¡±

    ¡°Yes, Albedo. There is only one thing which can do that... the power of World ss Items.¡±

    There were only two hundred of these items in YGGDRASIL, and not even Guild Weapons or divine ss items couldpare to them. The power of World ss Items was such that even controlling the undead ¡ª who were immune to mental effects ¡ª would be a piece of cake.

    Just then, Albedo though of the Guardians outside Nazarick, and how they might be targets.

    He rebuked himself for not thinking of this possibility, and then Ainz ordered Albedo:

    ¡°Albedo, recall all the Guardians from the outside world immediately. We must verify if they have been controlled like Shalltear. Head to the Throne Room without dy! After that, we shall proceed... to the Treasury.¡±

 Chapter 19 - Volume 3

    <h4>Overlord Volume 3 Chapter 4</h4>

    <b>Before the Death Match</b>

    <b>Part 1</b>

    After teleporting into the Treasury, the first thing Ainz saw was countless lights glittering in the air, like stars in the sky.

    The ceiling was so high that one would have to strain to see its heights, and its walls were so broad that they exceeded the range of one¡¯s vision. The vast room they defined was filled with dazzling treasures.

    In the center of the room was a heaping pile of gold coins and gems, so immense that it resembled a mountain range. Even the amount which could be seen to be counted was but a tiny fraction of the actual sum. In addition, there were masterfully made works of art buried in the mountain of gold.

    A quick nce revealed a golden mug, a scepter encrusted with all manner of gemstones, a crystal pitcher, an animal pelt which emitted a tinum radiance, an exquisitely woven tapestry made with thread-of-gold, a pearl-colored ocarina, a fan made of rainbow-colored feathers, a mask made from animal hide, and many, many more.

    Needless to say, they were but the tip of the iceberg.

    There were hundreds more such articles buried within that gigantic heap of riches. As his followers beheld this literal mountain of treasure, Ainz could hear whispered gasps of awe from them. It would seem the voices came from two people.

    Sixty six percent, huh...

    Ainz looked behind him, at the three women waiting for orders.

    Albedo had shed her armor and changed back into her white dress. There was a look of genuine admiration on her beautiful face as she looked around her surroundings. A simr expression adorned the face of Yuri Alpha, the maid to whom he had given his ring upon returning to Nazarick.

    Only one of them was unlike the previous two. That person did not gasp in awe, but instead watched Ainz in silence.

    Her face was a work of sculpted beauty. Only one of her eyes ¡ª which radiated a cool glow like a cut emerald ¡ª was visible, the other being covered up by an eyepatch. Her strawberry-blonde hair gleamed as it reflected the starlight which shone from the ceiling.

    She was a heteromorphic being, of the kind known as Automatons. Her name was CZ2128 Delta, or Shizu for short.

    As a Pleiades Battle Maid, she was dressed simrly to Narberal and Yuri. However, the biggest difference in her outfit from the others was that all her essories were done up in an urban camouge pattern, while her skirt had a cute ¡°1-yen¡± sticker on it. In addition, she had a firearm of some sort at her waist, attached to her belt like a sword.

    Incidentally, that magic gun, the Automaton race, and Shizu¡¯s job ss of Gunner had all been added to the game after therge-scale update called ¡°Valkyrie¡¯s Downfall.¡±

    Yuri adjusted her lensless ck spectacle frames. She seemed unable to abide the mess around her, given her sense of duty as a maid. Then, she asked:

    ¡°Ainz-sama, may I ask why these treasures have not been tidied up? Even if there are protective spells in effect, this is hardly an ideal storage method. You have but tomand us and we will immediately begin tidying¡ª¡±

    ¡°Look closely around you one more time.¡±

    Yuri looked around, taking about the time of a single breath, and then she apologized.

    ¡°My sincerest apologies. Please forgive myck of insight.¡±

    ¡°Pay it no heed. However, the fact is that the items buried within the gold pieces are hardly valuable.¡±

    The ces where Ainz had looked and where Yuri¡¯s eyes had followed were the reason for her apology. There were shelves everywhere, piled all the way up to the ceiling, and the treasures there were more eye-catching than the mountains of gold.

    There was a wand socketed with bloodstones, a pair of hihiirokane gauntlets iid with gas, a small silver ring adorned with ck diamonds, an obsidian statuette carved in the shape of a dog, a purple amethyst dagger, a miniature altar with countless small white pearls embedded all over it, a peony made from some ss-like material which scattered light in all the colors of the rainbow, a rose blossom which had been masterfully carved from a star ruby, a tapestry which depicted a soaring ck dragon, a crown of tinum which held an enormous diamond, golden censers that were encrusted in gemstones, a mated pair of a male and female lion statuettes, carved from ruby and sapphire respectively, cufflinks which looked like mes and which had fire opals set into them, an intricately-carved cigar case made of rosewood, a jacket made of some golden beast¡¯s pelt, a dozen tes made of apoitakara, anklets decorated with gemstones of four colors, a grimoire whose cover was made of demantoids, a human-sized statue of a woman which had been carved from gold, a belt with imperial topazes sewn into its material, a chess set whose pieces were all topped in different gemstones, a statuette of a fairy carved from a single piece of emerald, a ck cloak that was decorated with countless small gemstones, a drinking horn made from a unicorn¡¯s horn, a golden dais that held a crystal ball, and so on.

    This was but a fraction of the wonders therein.

    In addition, there were many mirrors of blue topaz, red crystals that were the size of a man, a gigantic tinum statue of a warrior, a pir covered in mysterious characters, as well as a gigantic alexandrite which one would need both arms to fully embrace.

    These numberless treasures gave Yuri her answer; which was that there was simply no ce to put them.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Albedo and Yuri answered Ainz in the affirmative. Only Shizu remained silent, merely nodding in acknowledgement.

    Ainz cast ¡¸Mass Fly¡¹, and then the four of them took off.

    It was then that they realized that a faint purple poisonous gas hung in the air.

    Yuri looked around to find the source of the purple gas, but though she looked to the ceiling, the walls, and the corners, she could not pinpoint the source of the purple radiance.

    Just as confusion bloomed on Yuri¡¯s face, a monotonous voice answered her:

    ¡°...Yuri-nee. Powerful magic toxin in the air.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    Yuri¡¯s surprised answer was met by a cold, inscrutable look. That look came from Shizu¡¯s calm green eye, which was devoid of any emotion.

    One would not be able to pick up any emotion from those eyes. Shizu had a beautiful face, but if one were to be ungenerous, one could call it an actor¡¯s mask.

    After all, Shizu was an automaton. She would not show any emotions ¡ª indeed, that was how she had been programmed.

    ¡°...Blood of Jormungandr?¡±

    As Shizu named that most potent of poisons, Ainz replied:

    ¡°Mm, that¡¯s correct. I didn¡¯t tell you, but the air in the Treasury is toxic. Anyone without poison immunity or items granting it will die within three steps.¡±

    ¡°Would that be why you chose me ¡ª forgive me, why you chose the three of us to apany you?¡±

    Indeed it was.

    Yuri ¡ª who was adjusting her sses ¡ª was a Duhan, while the stiff-faced Shizu was an Automaton. The two of them were heteromorphic beings who were immune to poison as part of their racial features.

    Albedo was a demon and did not naturally possess a resistance to poisons, but she had another way to render herself immune to them.

    ¡°You¡¯re right in the reason for which I brought you here... However, I brought Shizu for more than just that; she is also here for verification.¡±

    Ainz and his entourage crossed the mountain range of gold with the ¡¸Mass Fly¡¹ spell, and then they came to the door on the other side.

    No, was it right to call it a door? It was more of a bottomless ck shadow in the shape of a door, affixed to a wall.

    As they arrived before this painting-like door, Ainz fell into thought.

    ¡°This is the armory, so what is the password...¡±

    ¡°Ainz-sama, if there is an armory, does this mean that there are other treasures stored in other locations?¡±

    ...Eh? Does Albedo not know about the interior of the Treasury?

    Ainz had no idea why Albedo would have such doubts. However, it was understandable why she would not know about such things. After all, the Treasury did not exist within the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick proper, but could only be reached via the use of the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown. It was designed to be very difficult to infiltrate. Thus, it was only natural why Albedo ¡ª who had only received the ring ten days ago ¡ª would not know of such things.

    He had many questions about what exactly the NPCs knew, but after thinking about it, Ainz dismissed those concerns as trivial, and answered her question.

    ¡°Ah, yes. I had a friend called Genjiro. He liked sorting things out neatly, so he should have arranged the items by their intended purpose.¡±

    ¡°Is he the Supreme Being who made ourrade Entoma?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right, Yuri. However, it seems there was an exception to his orderly tendencies. If he was truly obsessed with cleanliness, then the treasures among the gold pieces should have been tidily arranged as well. One would not want to say that one¡¯s room was filthy, after all. Come to think of it, these items should be arranged in order of defensive gear, weapons, jewellery, wondrous items, consumables, crafting supplies, and so on. Also, there¡¯s the rooms for the management of Nazarick... and yes, there should be a room for data crystals.¡±

    As Ainz chattered on, he pointed to where a two-dimensional shadow now appeared on the wall.

    ¡°However, they¡¯re all located in the same ce inside, and it doesn¡¯t really matter which direction you enter from... oh, my apologies. I seem to have said too much.¡±

    ¡°Certainly not. I am grateful that you would answer our questions so readily, Ainz-sama.¡±

    The two battle maids bowed in thanks as Albedo made her reply.

    We¡¯re almost out of time, what the hell am I doing? It seems like my mouth won¡¯t stop whenever I talk about the glories of Nazarick...

    Ainz shrugged, and then looked to the shadow before him.

    This was a door which required a certain password to open. Perhaps one could force it open with magic or rogue skills, but Ainz did not know spells like that, not did he have such skills. Thus, he had to speak the password¡ª

    Hm, I forgot it.

    That was only to be expected.

    There were so many such gimmicks in Nazarick that he would probably only be able to remember a password if it was one he used frequently. However, given that he did note to the Treasury often, he did not remember the password to this door.

    He had onlye here when paying for the upkeep costs of Nazarick with the money he had earned, and that had been years ago.

    Since he could not remember the password, Ainz spoke a master password:

    ¡°All glory to Ainz Ooal Gown.¡±

    In response, the jet-ck door disyed a series of words: ¡°Ascendit a terra in coelum, iterumque descendit in terram, et recipit vim superiorum et inferiorum.¡±

    (TL Note: This is an excerpt from the Emerald Tablet, AKA the Tab Smaragdina.)

    ¡°...Tab Smaragdina-san really was a perfectionist.¡±

    Albedo reacted to those words which Ainz could not help but mention.

    Ainz thought of one of the people who had designed the tricks and traps used by Ainz Ooal Gown.

    He had a hand in designing about twenty percent of the smaller mechanisms throughout the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. His abnormally intricate designs consumed much of Nazarick¡¯s free data capacity, which caused the other members toin about being unable to indulge themselves. Thus, he took responsibility for his actions and paid for many cash items to expand said data capacity.

    Ainz studied the words which appeared. This must be a hint for the password, but what could it mean?

    He racked his brains, taking his time to plumb the depths of his mind for the answer.

    Soon, Ainz finally found the password, which slumbered within his memories.

    ¡°It should be ¡ª By this means you shall acquire the glory of the whole world, / And so you shall drive away all shadows and blindness ¡ª am I correct?¡±

    As Ainz said this, he looked to Shizu with questioning eyes.

    Shizu nodded in response to him.

    She had been made by one of his friends who had worked on different mechanisms from Tab Smaragdina. Shizu¡¯s backstory had been written so that she would be familiar with the bypassing of Nazarick¡¯s mechanisms. This was why she could easily solve that password hint.

    However, Ainz had not asked her for help because he wanted to indulge the selfish desire to open the door through his own efforts.

    The Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick had been brought to life when it came to this new world. Therefore, he wanted to be the first to set his feet here, much like how men wanted to leave their footprints on freshly-fallen snow. It was that desire which drove Ainz to open the door on his own.

    As though in response to Ainz¡¯s wishes, the shadow door copsed into a single point. Soon, the shadow was gone, leaving a fist-sized sphere of ckness floating in the air.

    Now that the shadow had vanished, one could see into the tunnel that had been left behind. This was an orderly ce,pletely unlike the previous area. The best way to describe it would be something like a disy from a museum.

    The dimly-lit room was very long and stretched ever inward.

    The ceiling was about five meters above the ground, a height which was clearly not designed with humans in mind, while it was about ten meters from one wall to the other.

    The ground was made of tightly-fit, shiny ck stone blocks, and it looked like a single gigantic stone b.

    Neat rows of countless weapons were arrayed on the walls to Ainz¡¯s left and right, making an impressive disy.

    ¡°I¡¯m going in.¡±

    Ainz entered the Armory without waiting for his three followers to respond.

    What awaited the three of them were broadswords, greatswords, estocs, mberges, scimitars, patas, shotels, kukris, ymores, short swords, sword breakers...

    Of course, swords were not the only weapons here. There were one-handed axes, two-handed axes, one-handed bludgeons, javelins, bows, crossbows...

    Just the types alone were almost uncountable.

    In addition, there were many unrealistic weapons here that stretched the definition of actually being called weapons. Those were the kind that could not possibly be sheathed, or which were more decorative than useful, and so on. No, these weapons were in the majority.

    Almost none of them were made of anything as ordinary as mere steel.

    There was a sword with a de of blue crystal, a pure-white sword with gold iys and engravings, a ck sword with purple runes along its body, and even a bow that seemed to have been strung with pure light.

    Then there were other weapons that looked dangerous even at a nce.

    There was a two-handed axe whose de constantly dripped fresh blood. Tormented faces appeared and vanished on the ck metal of a gigantic mace. There was ance that resembled human hands sping each other. And then there were many more weapons like these, in amounts which defied easy counting.

    One could guess that most of them were magic weapons, but the exact effect each of them had was a mystery. One might be able to guess at the purpose of a sword whose de flickered like a me, but it was impossible to know the abilities of a sword whose de looked like a whip and which wriggled like a centipede.

    The group looked at these weapons on either side as they silently walked through the Armory. Before long ¡ª about a hundred meters and thousands of weaponster ¡ª they reached their destination, which was a rectangr room.

    It might have been used to receive guests, since there was a table and sofa set in the middle of the otherwise-empty room. There were other passages visible to the left and right which looked simr to the one through which Ainz andpany had entered.

    There was only one route which led further on, in contrast to the way they had entered. The atmosphere of that way was also dramatically different. If the previous room had been like a museum, then the next one was like a tomb.

    The height of the room was about the same as the previous one, but the dim interior extended further in. It was hard to tell due to the angles, but it looked like there was arge niche set into the wall, with something ced within it.

    After hearing the sounds of surprise from behind him, Ainz said:

    ¡°Within lies the Mausoleum.¡±

    ¡°The Mausoleum?¡±

    ¡°Hm? Albedo... do you not know the name of that room?¡±

    Well, I did pick that name myself... If it¡¯s like this, Albedo might not even know the name of the Treasury¡¯s Guardian...

    ¡°Then, do you know of Pandora¡¯s Actor?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I do. As the Guardian Overseer, I am aware of his name and appearance... Pandora¡¯s Actor is the Area Guardian of the Treasury, and his abilities are on par with myself and Demiurge. Other than managing the Treasury, his purpose is also to prepare the currency needed to activate Nazarick¡¯s defensework. In other words, he is a treasurer.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s pretty much it. However, that is not all. That fellow¡ª¡±

    Before Ainz could finish, he was interrupted ¡ª the three NPCs turned to look at one of the other passages and saw an entity there.

    That being had a bizarre appearance.

    While it had a man¡¯s body, its head was that of a distorted squid. The right side of its head was half-covered in a twisted, tattooed letters, which resembled the ones that had floated up on the door just now.

    Its skin was like that of a corpse, with purple blotches amidst a ghastly white color, and it was covered in some sort of sticky slime that gave off a bizarre sheen. Webs of skin grew between the long digits of its four-fingered hands.

    Its body was covered in a shiny, form-fitting ck leather outfit studded with silver jewelry. Several belts wrapped around it. Its ck cape was closed in front of it, as if to conceal its body.

    It was the very picture of a heteromorphic character. The six twitching tentacles which sprouted from its mouth dangled down to its thighs, and it turned its cloudy blue pupil-less eyes to survey the group.

    Albedo cried out in surprise:

    ¡°Tab Smaragdina-sama!¡±

    This was one of the Forty One Supreme Beings. As a magic caster, he was superior to Ainz in terms of attack power.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not him!¡± she immediately continued.

    The two maids watched Albedo¡¯s reaction and swiftly moved into action.

    Shizu drew her gun and braced its stock against her shoulder, levelling her muzzle at the person before her.

    Yuri clenched her fists in front of her chest, and punched her gauntlets together, which made a sound like a ringing gong.

    Then, she slid next to Albedo¡¯s side, in front of Ainz and Shizu. Ainz was a magic caster while Shizu was a gunner, neither of whom did well in closebat. Thus, this was the ideal position for her to be in order to cover for them.

    ¡°Who are you!? Even if you disguise yourself and your presence as a Supreme Being, I would not mistake my own master for anyone else!¡±

    The mysterious being who looked like Tab Smaragdina merely inclined its head at Albedo¡¯s question, but did not make any reply.

    ¡°¡ªReally now. Kill it.¡±

    As that cold voice rang forth, the two battle maids hesitated. Though this was an unknown opponent, they were still a little reluctant to attack someone who resembled one of their creators.

    Under these circumstances, one could not fault the battle maids. All that could be said was that Albedo¡¯s calm judgement was impable.

    Their top priority was the safety of their ward, Ainz.

    Albedo clicked her tongue as the other two failed to act. Just as she was about to charge, a distinctly unhappy Ainz said:

    ¡°That¡¯s enough. Return to your true form, Pandora¡¯s Actor!¡±

    Tab Smaragdina¡¯s body distorted.

    In the space of a heartbeat, another heteromorphic being stood where the impostor Tab Smaragdina had been, though it was something else entirely.

    Its face was t, with no nose or other facial features. Its mouth and eyes were reced by three empty holes. There were no eyeballs, teeth, or a tongue; just three ck holes which looked like they had been drawn on by a child with a ck marker.

    The pink, egg-like head was smooth and shiny, without a single hair to mar its surface.

    This strange character ¡ª and Narberal ¡ª were both Doppelgangers.

    His name was Pandora¡¯s Actor, and he was a level one hundred NPC personally designed by Ainz and ced in charge of the Treasury. His talentsy in disguise, and he could copy forty five separate forms and even their abilities ¡ª though only at eighty percent of the original¡¯s potency.

    His hat bore the crest of Ainz Ooal Gown, while the uniform he wore was very simr to the uniforms used by Neo-Nazi elite guards during the Euro-Arcology Wars twenty years ago.

    After forcefully clicking his heels together, he raised his right hand to his cap in a grossly overacted salute.

    ¡°I bid you a fond wee, my creator, Momonga-sama!¡±

    ¡°...You seem quite lively.¡±

    ¡°Indeed! I burst with energy every day! Speaking of which, may I know the purpose for which you havee? And to think you would have in your train these fair maidens, the Guardian Overseer and the Pleiades Battle Maids!¡±

    Yuri and Albedo returned to their positions behind Ainz after the Area Guardian revealed himself, although the three of them had different looks on their faces.

    Yuri ¡ª who took pride in her position as one of the Pleiades ¡ª adjusted her sses and seemed displeased at being called a ¡°fair maiden.¡± She looked as though she wanted to say something, though ultimately she did not.

    Albedo, who stood beside Ainz, seemed to be jealous of the fact that Pandora¡¯s Actor had been created by Ainz and pursed her lips where Ainz could not see her.

    Shizu, on the other hand, showed no change in her expression and simply returned her weapon to its ce.

    ¡°We will be going into the innermost vaults to retrieve World ss Items.¡±

    ¡°Of what do you speak!? Has the timee to unleash their power!?¡±

    Pandora¡¯s Actor put on an exaggerated look of shock. This act made Ainz furrow his nonexistent eyebrows.

    His clothes were one thing, but why did he have to overreact to everything? No, Ainz knew the answer to that.

    Ainz was the creator of Pandora¡¯s Actor; in other words, his every move and gesture existed because Ainz thought they were stylish. Thus, he had happily worked them into the character design.

    ¡°...Ugh, this is really...¡±

    In the past, he had thought of military uniforms as being very cool, and he believed that actors ought to be dramatic, but watching someone as intelligent like him make such showy motions was¡ª

    ¡°Uwah~ howme~¡±

    Those quiet words slipped free of Ainz¡¯s heart, so softly that nobody heard.

    This was his ck history.

    His living, breathing ck history (Pandora¡¯s Actor).

    If anyone else in the guild were around to witness this NPC¡¯s conversion into an actual person, they would probably be rolling around on the floor,ughing out loud. Well, that was how he felt; he was not pointing fingers at anyone.

    ¡°...Forget it, I need to pull myself together. As one of the undead, I don¡¯t have time to be shaken by such psychological blows,¡± Ainz quietly said to himself as he calmed himself down.

    ¡°...Mm, you¡¯re right. I intend to withdraw ¡¸Greed and Generosity¡¹, ¡¸Hygieia¡¯s Chalice¡¹, ¡¸Billion des¡¹, and ¡¸Depiction of Mountains and Rivers¡¹.¡±

    ¡°...And what of the other two?¡±

    ¡°Leave them. They¡¯re one-use items. The fact that they¡¯re so powerful means you have to think about the right time and ce to use them. Then, there¡¯s also the matter of how to recover the items to use them again.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, it is so. For these legendary treasures, so mighty and potent that they are worthy of being called trump cards, which can make the impossible possible, or even change the face of the entire world¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªPandora¡¯s Actor, I¡¯d like to test your knowledge; there are two hundred World ss Items, but how many of them are you familiar with?¡±

    ¡°Forgive me, Momonga-sama, but I only know of eleven of them.¡±

    Ainz nodded in acknowledgement. Those were the World ss Items which Ainz Ooal Gown possessed. He did not know that there was one more, ¡¸As¡¹, which had been stolen from them. In other words, he had learned that the NPCs¡¯ knowledge was affected by their settings, but they could ignore any contradictions in their backstories.

    Ainz had observed the NPCs for several days now. He had learned that the NPCs seemed to take after his former guildmates in the parts of the their personalities which were not covered by their character details, as well as in the interpersonal rtionships with other NPCs. For instance, the rtionship between Shalltear and Aura, or that between Demiurge and Sebas.

    Ainz smiled, though his expression did not change.

    So basically, they¡¯re like everyone¡¯s children.

    It felt like his friends from the past were by his side once more. It ddened Ainz¡¯s heart, but at the same time he felt terribly alone.

    Ainz shook his head to disperse his hurt feelings.

    ¡°Is that so, Pandora¡¯s Actor? I seem to have asked you a pointless question.¡±

    ¡°Certainly not; I must tender my sincerest apologies for myck of knowledge.¡±

    With that, he bowed. Every move he made was exaggerated to the point of being ridiculous.

    ¡°...Never mind. I will be heading to the Mausoleum soon. Has anything happened here?¡±

    ¡°Of course not, everything within this domain is the sole property of yourself and all your colleagues, Momonga-sama. How could anything happen?¡±

    With a theatrical flourish, he gestured all around him.

    ¡°Although, it is with a heavy heart that I confess that I was hoping you intended to make use of my abilities, Momonga-sama.¡±

    Ainz paused, and began sizing up this heteromorphic creature.

    He was right; at one point Ainz had indeed intended to make use of him. Pandora¡¯s Actor possessed wit and cunning that ranked among the pinnacle of Nazarick¡¯s denizens. While he usually applied said intelligence toward strange purposes, it was very difficult to cast aside his wisdom during times of great need.

    In addition, Pandora¡¯s Actor possessed very flexible abilities, to the point where he could rece all the other Guardians.

    However, Ainz had not made him forbat or administrative duties, but to preserve the forms of ¡°Ainz Ooal Gown¡± and the memories of hisrades.

    ¡°...You are my final ace in the hole, so I do not intend to use you for petty tasks.¡±

    ¡°...I am truly grateful for that.¡±

    With a look on his face which suggested that he was hesitant to speak (probably), Pandora¡¯s Actor once more took a deep bow.

    ¡°Understood. Then, I shall continue to manage the Treasury from now on.¡±

    ¡°Mm, make me proud. Also, from now onwards, call me Ainz, Ainz Ooal Gown.¡±

    ¡°Ohhhh! I hear and obey, my creator, Ainz-sama!¡±

    After Pandora¡¯s Actor saluted him, Ainz turned away, as if to show that the conversation was over. Just then, a voice came from behind him.

    ¡°However, Ainz-sama; though this might offend you, I submit that since a situation has arisen that requires the use of World ss Items, it might be better for you to permit me to leave the Treasury and move around on other floors.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    He had a point there.

    Pandora¡¯s Actor was a treasure, but it would be foolish to lose more important treasures because all he did was disy him rather than use him. Now was the time to deploy of him, given that this was an emergency situation, and he also had to move the Treasury¡¯s gold to the Throne Room.

    After making his decision, Ainz turned around, just in time to see Pandora¡¯s Actor cing a hand on his chest, as if to rmend himself.

    Ainz also heard a quiet ¡°uwah~¡± from the otherwise expressionless Shizu.

    That sound carved a grievous wound into Ainz¡¯s soul ¡ª although his emotional suppression immediately calmed him down.

    Pandora¡¯s Actor was indeed far too dramatic, and it made his creator (Ainz) think that every single movement he made was designed to scream ¡°I am cool.¡±

    Perhaps such actions would fit him if he was a handsome man, but instead he was an egghead, which made them terribly unfitting. It even made Ainz feel uneasy when he saw him.

    Ainz quietly studied Pandora¡¯s Actor for a while, and then he plucked a ring from his pocket dimension and tossed it to him.

    The ring traced an arc through the air,nding neatly in the hand of Pandora¡¯s Actor.

    ¡°This... is the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown, and it possesses the ability to...¡±

    Ainz held up a hand, as though to tell Pandora¡¯s Actor not to go on. Although he seemed quite disappointed, Ainz decided to pay him no heed.

    ¡°This is just in case. Albedo, inform the vassals of Nazarick about Pandora¡¯s Actor. Before that, you are only to travel between the Throne Room and the Treasury, Pandora¡¯s Actor.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    The two of them responded at the same time, but Pandora¡¯s Actor clicked his heels together with great force, tossing out his arm which was straightened all the way to the tips of his fingers and saluted with great pomp and circumstance... or to put it less kindly, he was hamming it up.

    Ainz looked at his egghead, and gently shook his head.

    He was not a bad sort, and he was quite capable, but regretfully¡ª

    ¡°Uwah~¡±

    Why did I design him with such a personality? I used to think this sort of thing was so cool. No, actually, I still think his uniform is kind of cool...

    If Ainz could have blushed, his face would be bright red.

    ¡°Oi, Pandora¡¯s Actor.¡±

    Ainz grabbed Pandora¡¯s Actor by the shoulders and pulled him aside, as if to say, Come with me. Of course, he told Albedo and the maids to stay where they were.

    ¡°I have an important question for you. I am your creator, and the one you are loyal to, right?¡±

    ¡°Indubitably so, Ainz-sama! For as I was made by you, if you desire me to do battle with the other Supreme Beings, I shall charge into the fray without hesitation!¡±

    ¡°I see... then, I have a request for you as a human being... no, a man... no, as your creator... Could you please not salute any more?¡±

    Pandora¡¯s Actor locked his vacant eyes with Ainz¡¯s own, his confusion at Ainz¡¯s words evident within them.

    ¡°Er, that... how shall I put it, your saluting is pretty weird, so please don¡¯t salute any more... As for your uniform, it makes you look very strong, so we¡¯ll leave that be... but please, really, don¡¯t salute any more.¡±

    ¡°Wenn es meines Gottes Wille!¡±

    (TL Note: If this is my God¡¯s will!)

    ¡°Is that German? Don¡¯t speak like that either. No, you may use it if you please, but just not in front of me. I¡¯m begging you.¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes...¡±

    This was the first time Pandora¡¯s Actor had such a look of shock on his face, and his answer seemed a little strange. After realizing their faces were close enough for a kiss, Ainz backed off and asked weakly:

    ¡°Please, I¡¯m begging you. I didn¡¯t think my emotion override would trigger over something like this. It¡¯s worse than riding a giant hamster... I can hardly believe it myself. Although I¡¯d like to discuss the matter in greater detail, the situation is quite urgent, so we¡¯ll leave it at this for now.¡±

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Then, there¡¯s something which has to be done before entering the Mausoleum. Albedo, leave the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown which I gave you with Pandora¡¯s Actor.¡±

    Ainz exined the reason for that to a confused Albedo.

    ¡°This is the final trap emced here; the Avataras within are programmed to attack anyone with a Ring, even if that person is you or me.¡±

    ¡°I see... intruders would use the Ring to get here. Thus, they would trigger that final trap.¡±

    ¡°Evil, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°Of, of course not!¡±

    Albedo reluctantly plucked the Ring from her left ring finger, folding it into a silk handkerchief before handing it to Pandora¡¯s Actor. As he saw this, Ainz removed his ring as well, and ced it into a box that he had produced from thin air.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Ainz eximed. He seemed to have thought of something. He ced the ring with the box which contained all the other rings that he had not yet decided to gift to people.

    This was because he would still be considered to have the ring on even if it were in his pocket dimension, which would result in the Avataras attacking him if he entered the Mausoleum.

    ¡°Albedo-sama... could you please let go?¡±

    As he heard that vaguely annoyed voice, Ainz turned to see Albedo and Pandora¡¯s Actor ying tug-of-war with the silk handkerchief.

    ¡°My, my precious...¡±

    ¡°Ainz-sama said so, didn¡¯t he? If you wear the Ring, you¡¯ll be attacked. It¡¯s just taking it off for a while...¡±

    ¡°What are you saying? This is the Ring which Ainz-sama gave me! How could I¡ª!¡±

    ¡°...Albedo, there¡¯s no time for this. If you¡¯re unwilling to leave it with him, then I shall...¡±

    ¡°My apologies, I¡¯m ready now!¡±

    Albedo suddenly let go, making Pandora¡¯s Actor lose his bnce and stumble back with a cry.

    ¡°Is that so... then enter. Pandora¡¯s Actor, you will direct Yuri and Shizu to move some of the treasure to the Throne Room... Though it might be troublesome, be considerate of Albedo and do not use her Ring. Instead, use the one I gave you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much, Ainz-sama! I cannot bear the thought of others using the Ring that you personally gifted to me. But ¡ª Of ¡ª Course ¡ª since this is an emergency, it is not that I am truly unwilling. I just wish to let you know how much I value that ring, Ainz-sama, although I am sure that you already know that even without the need for me to¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªUnderstood! ...Then, who shall stay here and receive Ainz-sama when he returns?¡±

    A look that ill-fitted an elegant beauty crossed Albedo¡¯s face as Pandora¡¯s Actor interrupted her self-promotion. Ainz decided to look away from Albedo in that state, so as not to mar the image of the beautiful maiden in his mind.

    ¡°We should be some time. I will notify you with a ¡¸Message¡¹ and you can return to us then. After all, we cannot leave this ce without a Ring.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Ainz and Albedo entered the Mausoleum, under the eyes of Pandora¡¯s Actor and the two maids.

    This dimly-lit ce was deathly silent, and it seemed like a suitable ce for the spirits of the departed to rest. Ainz felt somewhat guilty about breaking the silence here, but nevertheless, he opened his mouth and asked the person travelling beside him:

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Albedo: what do you know about World ss Items?¡±

    ¡°From what I can tell, they are the most valuable treasures that the Supreme Beings have collected. They are deeply cherished and one of them is in my possession... but that is all.¡±

    ¡°I see. Then, on some other day, I shallmit what I know about the World ss Items to paper. It will be safer to let more people know about that information. Before that, however, I shall inform you about these dangerous items.¡±

    Ainz began talking about them as he walked.

    ? ? ?

    World ss Items.

    These items were closely linked to the game world of YGGDRASIL.

    The World Tree Yggdrasil had countless leaves, but then a gigantic monster appeared which devoured these leaves, causing them to fall one after the other, until only nine were left. These nine leaves were the previous incarnations of the Nine Worlds: Asgard, Alfheim, Vanaheim, Nidavellir, Midgard, Jotunheim, Niflheim, Helheim, and Muspelheim.

    However, that leaf-eating monster continued its advance on those nine remaining leaves. This was the backstory upon which the yers adventured into unknown worlds in order to protect their own world.

    What did those World ss Items represent? They were equivalent to those other leaves ¡ª in other words, a single World ss Item represented a world. Thus, the basic design principle of World ss Items was that they possessed enormous power, and indeed, many World ss Items were extremely powerful.

    Many yers had even expressed the opinion that these items were too imbnced, but the developers simply replied, ¡°The possibilities of the world are not that small,¡± and showed no intention of changing these bnce breakers.

    The developers seemed to have a soft spot for the word ¡°World,¡± and so any ss or monster with ¡°World¡± in its name was usually much stronger than normal.

    To the developers, the incredibly powerfulst boss of the main campaign storyline ¡ª known as the ¡°World Eater¡± ¡ª was the signature World ss Enemy. In addition, only the winners of a tournament held in each world could be a ¡°World Champion.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Just as Ainz got to that part, the two of them arrived at two neatly nking rows of niches, each filled with a statue dressed in battle gear.

    This ce resembled the Lemegeton, down to its magic arrays and the mood in the air. However, while the Demons of the Lemegeton were not armed, all the statues here sported incredibly powerful gear, and their potency rivalled Ainz¡¯s primary battle equipment.

    ¡°Ai-Ainz-sama, are these statues made in imitation of the Supreme Beings...¡±

    ¡°So you noticed. That¡¯s right ¡ª the Avataras are statues made in the image of my formerrades. Still... while you can tell they¡¯re very strong, they look ugly, don¡¯t they? I don¡¯t think I managed to capture even ten percent of their coolness...¡±

    ¡°As one who was created by the Supreme Beings, there is no way I could not notice.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Yes, just so. However, Ainz-sama... from the name of this ce, and these statues... Could it be that the other Supreme Beings have passed away?¡±

    ¡°That... is not exactly correct.¡±

    No, perhaps that was the right answer.

    Ainz halted in his tracks, and quietly looked over the statues as that thought ran through his head.

    Albedo had no idea what to make of Ainz¡¯s silence, and a look of unease spread over her face.

    No man could possibly be unmoved by a sad look on a world ss beauty like her. In addition, she was the loving handiwork of one of his pastrades. Though Ainz was undead, his heart still filled up with guilt and anxiety.

    However, Ainz had never had a girlfriend, or even friends in real life, so he had no idea what he could say tofort her or show sympathy. Panicking, Ainz looked desperately around, trying to think of something to say.

    Just then, Ainz noticed something, and he reflexively spoke.

    ¡°You, you see, those four empty spaces?¡±

    After making sure that Albedo¡¯s eyes were turned in that direction, Ainz exined why there were no statues in there.

    ¡°I shall put my own Avatara in one of these niches.¡±

    Of course not.

    The fact was, Ainz was the one who had built and emced the Avataras. Because of that, if Ainz left the game, there would be nobody to put Ainz¡¯s Avatara there for him, given that nobody else remained in the guild.

    His Guild members had said, ¡°You can have them,¡± and then left the game after transferring their equipment and cash items to him. Ainz had then used cash items of his own to make these golems, in order to put their equipment to use, and to serve as a memorial for his friends who had left the game.

    This was also why the Avataras looked so ugly.

    When making Pandora¡¯s Actor, Ainz had the visual data of his guild members on hand, but Ainz did not possess the ability or skills needed to make a character which could look like the guild members from scratch.

    Thus, he used purchased visual data and installed it into a golem¡¯s body. The result was these nightmarish monsters, whose limbs were too long or too short, or whose heads were overly erged.

    However, that mismatched hideousness lent them a sinister air and induced intense unease in people. Therefore, from the point of view of making a set of final guardians, Ainz considered them to have turned out surprisingly well.

    How should I say this... they look like puppets I made when I was a kid. It¡¯s kind of embarrassing...

    Besides embarrassment, however, there was another emotion which Ainz felt.

    That was loneliness.

    When hisrades left the game one after the other, Ainz made the Avataras to store their equipment. Those friends of his who had not left the game had once asked him why he had made the Avataras, and this was how he had answered:

    He might need to use them as a final defensive line of guardians.

    However, as the number of members steadily decreased, the motivation behind the creation of the Avataras was simply because he was lonely. After all, he had fewer and fewer friends who could y the game with him.

    He had made the Avataras to symbolize the struggles he and his friends had shared in the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, and topensate for their absence.

    This was also the reason why this ce was called the Mausoleum. Initially, it was known as the Innermost Sanctum of the Treasury. But Ainz had changed its name in memory of those friends who had left ¡ª or rather, vanished from ¡ª YGGDRASIL, and turned this ce into a resting ce for hisrades.

    ¡ªThat said, I still want to believe that my friends were brought here as well. For all I know, everyone might be in some corner of this world...

    Just as Ainz sank into deep thought, a pained cry echoed through the passage.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t ¡ª please do not say that!¡±

    The loneliness he had felt vanished in an instant, and as Ainz hurriedly turned to look at Albedo, an even more powerful sense of surprise assaulted him. Albedo¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears, and it seemed like they would flow freely if she just blinked a little.

    ¡°...Ainz-sama. Our merciful,passionate master Ainz-sama, the only one of the Supreme Beings who stayed with us to the end, the one to whom we owe our ultimate loyalty ¡ª please do not say that. It is my sincerest wish that you will be our lord and master for all eternity!¡±

    Albedo fell to her knees before Ainz.

    Her voice was choked as she hoarsely repeated ¡°Please... please.¡± It sounded like a prayer and a cry of pain ¡ª as though she were coughing up blood ¡ª at the same time.

    Ainz had never seen anyone plead so earnestly in the course of his entire life.

    He had not expected his jest to have such an effect on Albedo, and Ainz was filled with guilt as he reached down to help up the kneeling Albedo.

    ¡°Forgive me.¡±

    Had he not once thought that his own friends had abandoned him?

    Had he not felt despair every day he was alone in the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, because nobody else was around?

    Had he not felt anger from that loneliness?

    Knowing this misery and bitterness, why had he not understood Albedo¡¯s feelings? Why had he subjected Albedo to this pain?

    After helping her up, Ainz saw that Albedo¡¯s face was streaked with tears, and her eyes were still moist.

    Ainz produced a handkerchief, and clumsily tried to wipe away her tears.

    ¡°...¡±

    He wanted to apologize again ¡ª but in the end he said nothing, for want of suitable words.

    Hecked experience with interpersonal rtionships, and did not know how tofort her and stop her tears.

    At her wit¡¯s end, the sniffling Albedo pleaded with Ainz:

    ¡°Ai-Ainz-sama, p-please promise me, promise me you will not abandon us and leave!¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry, but...¡±

    Ainz could not continue after the ¡°but.¡± That was because he had thought of something, but Albedo seemed to have assumed his silence was due to another reason.

    ¡°Why? Why can¡¯t you promise me that? Were you nning on abandoning us as well? Why? What has displeased you!? All you need to do is exin and I shall correct myself immediately! If you consider me a hindrance, then I shall end my life on the spot!¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Ainz shouted. Albedo¡¯s shoulders lurched in shock.

    ¡°Please listen to me. First, currently... there is no way to save Shalltear. The mind control in effect on her is most definitely the effect of a World ss Item. The only way to protect against the effects of a World ss Item is to have a World ss Item yourself, or a special ss.¡±

    Ainz wiped Albedo¡¯s tears away as though she were a child. She sniffled, and then asked:

    ¡°So, so the reason you, you came here was, to withdraw a World ss Item?¡±

    ¡°Correct. I wanted the Guardians to have World ss Items of their own. The fact is, one could probably undo Shalltear¡¯s mind control with a simr World ss Item, but I don¡¯t know if I should use the World ss Items within... what a heartless master I am. To think I would actually value a measly little item over one of my loyal subordinates.¡±

    ¡°That, that¡¯s not true! The World ss items were gathered through the efforts of the Supreme Beings, and so they are more valuable than we are!¡±

    ¡°...Really now?¡±

    If they were in the game, Ainz would agree with her, though part of him would feel otherwise.

    However, under these circumstances, the fact was that Ainz could not bring himself to use these trump cards.

    Among all the bnce-breaking World ss Items, there were the twenty items known as ¡°The Twenty.¡± The Twenty possessed unparallelled power.

    There was a famous item among the Twenty called ¡¸Longinus¡¹, which couldpletely delete its target, but the price the user paid for that was to be utterly deleted himself.

    There was no way to restore the data of anyone deleted by that World ss item, other than by using the resurrection powers of other World ss Items. Neither cash items or resurrection spells would work. If someone were to use it on an NPC of Nazarick, it would even reduce the maximum levels of NPCs which could be created ¡ª the special feature of a guild homebase.

    Ainz recalled several other equally insane items.

    There was ¡¸Ahura Mazda¡¹, which had a potent effect on anything with a negative karma value, and its area of effect could span an entire world.

    There was ¡¸Five-Element Progression¡¹, which could request the YGGDRASIL developers to change part of the magic system.

    There was also ¡¸Ouroboros¡¹, which could request a more far-reaching change to the system than ¡¸Five-Element Progression¡¹.

    Then, there was the most powerful World ss Item, ¡¸World Savior¡¹. Normally, it only had the power of an ordinary club, but it could grow in strength without limit. A single enemy with this item could conquer the whole of Nazarick, even at the height of its power with all its members present.

    The items known as the Twenty were so powerful that they would vanish after being used once, which was why he could not bear to use them lightly, but instead treated them as trump cards.

    Ainz Ooal Gown proudly boasted possession of two of the Twenty. They would only be used against enemies of incredible power, because only items of matching power could rival them.

    In addition, it was one thing if they simply vanished after use.

    However, what if they fell into someone else¡¯s hands after vanishing? What if they fell into the hands of Nazarick¡¯s enemies?

    Nazarick was protected by World ss Items, so the interior should not be affected, but if things went poorly, the enemy might be able toy siege to the entrance.

    Therefore, he had to find some other way to save Shalltear, without using World ss Items.

    ¡°Albedo, I am grateful for your words. I shall now tell you the reason why I was silent just now.¡±

    His body still felt like the human it had once been. Ainz took a deep breath, like he had while he was alive, because he knew how important the words that came next would be.

    ¡°I intend to challenge Shalltear to a one-on-one battle. Therefore... I am unsure if I can return alive.¡±

    ¡°¡ªI understand that we must do battle with Shalltear, because leaving her be is the worst possible option!¡±

    Ainz nodded in his heart.

    He did not know why the enemy had not given Shalltear any orders, but once they did, the situation would be dire, because everything about Nazarick might end up being exposed.

    ¡°Still, why must it be a one-on-one fight? Can we not win by numbers? Are we unable to help you?¡±

    As he wiped away Albedo¡¯s freshly-shed tears, Ainz answered:

    ¡°It is not that, Albedo. I trust you. It¡¯s just that... well, there are three reasons. The first... is because I doubt my own suitability as your master.¡±

    ¡°How can you say that, Ainz-sama!?¡±

    Ainz raised his hand to interrupt her.

    ¡°...Since I considered the possibility of yers existing, I should have also thought of the existence of World ss Items. Therefore, I wonder if such a slow-thinking person as myself has any value as a ruler, and if I am qualified to lead everyone.¡±

    ¡°Your presence alone is value enough, Ainz-sama! If there is any inadequacy, we will assist you with all our strength!¡±

    ¡°Thank you, but the person most responsible for this incident is myself.¡±

    If this world truly possessed a ¡¸Longinus¡¹, then it was possible that all the Guardians might be eradicated for the price of a viger¡¯s life. It was quite bad that Shalltear had been mind controlled, but when one was aware of that aforementioned danger, they had gotten off remarkably lightly.

    ¡°And so you intend to atone for your sins by fighting Shalltear in singlebat... but who could possibly punish you, Ainz-sama, the highest ruler of Nazarick?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not all. This is the second reason... the fact that Shalltear is alone. It might well be a trap ¡ª indeed, it could be a fatal trap.¡±

    As he saw the puzzled expression on Albedo¡¯s face, Ainz continued speaking:

    ¡°We ¡ª Ainz Ooal Gown ¡ª often used PK methods simr to how Shalltear is now. We would use one of our members as bait and then hunt down any prey who got hooked. Of course, there was a high chance of the bait being killed, but in exchange, we would make sure any enemies who attacked were wiped out.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, Ainz-sama!¡±

    ¡°Wait a minute, I¡¯m not finished. Do you know what we feared most whenever we set a trap like this?¡±

    Without waiting for a reply, Ainz proceeded to answer his own question.

    ¡°That would be the number of attackers being less than the number of people used as bait. The less people we hooked, the more we had to worry about enemy ambushers turning the trap against us.¡±

    After he saw the understanding dawn in Albedo¡¯s bloodshot eyes, the unbreathing Ainz exhaled anyway.

    ¡°And thest reason is because Shalltear has to die.¡±

    ¡°In that case, let me go! I am the most suitable for the task, since I have a World ss Item of my own.¡±

    ¡°... Are you sure you can win? Don¡¯t lie to me ¡ª tell me your odds of victory.¡±

    Albedo bit her lip under Ainz¡¯s calm gaze.

    ¡°Albedo... you are right. Shalltear is very strong.¡±

    Shalltear Bloodfallen.

    She was the strongest Guardian of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. Not even Albedo ¡ª no, nobody among the other level one hundred NPCs was capable of facing her.

    ¡°Because of that... I must be the one. I am the only one who can challenge Shalltear in a one-on-one fight and win.¡±

    ¡°Well, about that... perhaps you could defeat her in your full equipment, but...¡±

    Ainz sported a full set of divine ss items and all sorts of cash items, while Shalltear only had a single divine ss item, her Spuit Lance. Ainz had a massive advantage in terms of equipment quality. However, what Albedo had left unsaid was the reason why Ainz¡¯s chances of victory were slim.

    Ainz was fully aware of that reason as well.

    It was because Shalltear Bloodfallen was the nemesis of Ainz Ooal Gown.

    Ainz roleyed an undead magician, and his character build focused on necromancer-type sses.

    In other words, his character had been built for entertainment.

    Shalltear, on the other hand, had been made with an optimized build. In addition, Shalltear¡¯s divine magic caster sses could use many spells which were very effective on the undead, and she was adept at meleebat.

    These two reasons were bad enough, and on top of that, the necromantic spells Ainz favored did not work well on Shalltear.

    Ainz could not use his specialty against Shalltear, and Shalltear had an advantage when fighting the undead.

    In addition, Ainz typically did not equip his best items because he feared that they would be stolen away. Thus, when they shed, Ainz¡¯s chances would be very low. Worse, he might not have a chance at all.

    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that the circumstances don¡¯t favor me?¡±

    Ainz had the right of it. Albedo lowered her head.

    That might be the case, Ainz agreed. He should not be able to beat Shalltear.

    Still¡ª

    ¡ªYou¡¯ll see that the title of Supreme Ruler of Nazarick is not for show.

    ¡°¡ªThere is nothing wrong with your thinking, but it is in error. After all, you only possess the knowledge has been infused into you.¡±

    ¡°Eh? What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°How experienced are you?¡±

    ¡°What? Experience?¡±

    Albedo¡¯s face turned bright red in an instant.

    ¡°Yes,bat experience.¡±

    ¡°Ah! So that¡¯s what you meant! Yes, I can make full use of the strength which the Supreme Beings have given me. So I believe it counts as being very experienced.¡±

    Ainz shook his head to reject Albedo¡¯s answer. He had learned a lot when fighting that Clementine woman.

    ¡°That¡¯s not right. Being able to wield power and gained experience arepletely different things. Do you remember therge-scale invasion of Nazarick? Are you familiar with Shalltear¡¯s memories of fighting yers?¡±

    ¡°I did not ask in detail, but she said she vaguely remembered being killed once.¡±

    ¡°...Besides that?¡±

    Albedo shook her head to indicate that she did not.

    ¡°...Typically, she and I were the ones who handled lone intruders... That stinginess helped quite a lot. That being the case, I should be the one who goes, since I have the highest chances of winning.¡±

    Ainz smiled coldly. Naturally, his face did not move.

    However, Albedo seemed to have felt the smile of her absolute ruler, and her cheeks turned pink, as though looking upon the man that she adored.

    Ainz made his challenge to a person who was not here.

    ¡°When I was the guildmaster of Ainz Ooal Gown, my chances of victory in PVPbat were quite high... granted, I lost to people who had wless builds, but how could I be defeated by someone who only relies on high stats? More importantly, I had a close friendship with Peroroncino. This is what they mean by ¡°The battle¡¯s over before it¡¯s begun...¡± Shalltear.¡±

    ¡°...Ainz-sama, I will no longer try to stop you. However, I want you to promise me that you will return here safely.¡±

    Ainz studied Albedo quietly, and then slowly nodded.

    ¡°I promise you that I will defeat Shalltear and return to this ce.¡±

    <b>Part 2</b>

    A vast, emerald-green world spread before him. Ainz looked around, and then chuckled at his post-teleport reflex to check if anyone was around. If there was anyone that Ainz needed to look out for, they would have attacked long ago, without giving him the chance to look around.

    For security¡¯s sake, he had also chosen to teleport to a point over two kilometers away from Shalltear.

    While he had already checked the surroundings with magic, there was no way topletely guarantee that the World ss Item user who had mind controlled Shalltear was not around. However, in the end all he could do was try not to worry unnecessarily. As Ainz rounded his shoulders in relief, he looked behind, to the two people that were following him.

    ¡°Let¡¯s split up here,¡± he told Aura and Mare.

    They were the only two people whom Ainz had permitted to walk with him before the impending battle.

    He had already ordered those subordinates who had tasks outside back to Nazarick. Apart from Aura and Mare, only Sebas and Solution were still atrge.

    The main reason he had chosen them was to y on his enemies¡¯ emotional weakness. Unlike Demiurge and Cocytus, who were heteromorphs, Aura and Mare were humanoids. Perhaps their foe would be unwilling to y such adorable humanoid children.

    Of course, perhaps the enemy might really be that ruthless. Even so, he wanted to have people around in case something happened.

    Although, it might not help at all.

    Ainz looked at the two mismatched gauntlets on Mare¡¯s hands. The right one was fashioned in the shape of an angel¡¯s sleek hand and glowed with silver light, but the left one resembled a demon¡¯s w, covered in hooks and spikes. The crimson radiance of magma leaked through the fissures on its surface.

    Then, he turned to Aura, and at therge scroll behind her.

    ¡°...If you are outnumbered, retreat to Nazarick immediately.¡±

    ¡°...Understood.¡±

    Aura nodded, her face stiff. Mare rushed to lower his head as well.

    ¡°Listen well, you must retreat. This is also part of my ns. In addition, the items I have given you are the treasures of Nazarick. You cannot allow them to be taken, no matter what. In some ways, they can be considered more valuable than you are. Do you understand?¡± Ainz exhorted.

    Ainz felt uneasy over Aura¡¯s somewhat reluctant response. If she disobeyed his orders due to her loyalty, it might lead to a fatal problem.

    After hearing their replies ¡ª one energetic, one shy and retiring ¡ª a question arose in Ainz¡¯s heart.

    In truth, which do I value more?

    He did not want to use a World ss Item to save Shalltear. From that point of view, one could say that he valued the items more.

    However, the reason for not using the World ss Items was the same as what he had told Albedo in the Treasury. They were aces in the hole, which could turn any defeat into a victory.

    It was one thing if there was no other way to save Shalltear, but since there was still another possibility, it would be wiser not to use them yet.

    Leaving these reasons aside, which was more important? The NPCs ¡ª who had been painstakingly crafted by hispanions, and who were now sapient and loyal beings, or the World ss Items ¡ª which symbolized the adventures which had raised the standing of Ainz Ooal Gown within the game YGGDRASIL?

    Though Ainz thought deeply about the matter, the fact that he could not reach an answer troubled him.

    Perhaps he might have been able to conclusively state his answer beforeing to this world, but now, he could not.

    The results of his guildmates¡¯ painstaking and intricatebors were these NPCs, who had the ability to think and feel.

    Because I¡¯m nning to kill this... this NPC, who¡¯s like a child. I¡¯m nning to kill Peroroncino¡¯s daughter.

    Frustration filled Ainz¡¯s heart.

    One could also call it a form of guilt.

    However¡ª

    Ainz¡¯s keen gaze zeroed in on Shalltear¡¯s potential location.

    ¡°It¡¯s the only way to break the control of a World ss Item.¡±

    He had spoken those words to convince himself.

    After seeing the looks in Aura and Mare¡¯s eyes, Ainz felt that it was not good to worry them further, and changed the subject.

    ¡°Then, work together with them. Keep an eye on the surroundings.¡±

    Ainz pointed to the four huge clumps of meat that were leading the way for them.

    They were two meters wide and their bodies were pink. However, these monsters had countless cloudy white eyes. It looked as though the eyes from all manner of corpses had been haphazardly stitched together.

    These were undead beings made with the ¡¸Create High Tier Undead¡¹ skill, Eyeball Corpses.

    Ainz had used his entire day¡¯s worth of that skill¡¯s uses to make these Eyeball Corpses, because they were the nemesis of stealthy beings, whether they used magic or skills to do so.

    Their cloudy eyes were not ornamental, but possessed outstanding perception. Even the specialized ranger Aura could not match them. Although their effectivebat level was low, their emphasis was on detection ability and not fighting power, so his aim was to have them support Aura for targeting duties.

    ¡°Understood! However, will they obey my orders?¡±

    ¡°There will be no problems in that respect. I guarantee it. Also, you should link your minds with magic. That way, you can act as amand center and patrol the area in peace.¡±

    ¡°Okay! Although it would be faster for me to go myself, we don¡¯t know where those guys are. Got it! Then, after Mare uses his stealth-enhancing magic, we¡¯ll take these guys andy low.¡±

    ¡°That sounds fine. I¡¯ll leave that to you.¡±

    Ainz quietly smiled ¡ª though it could not be seen, as his face could not move.

    ? ? ?

    Thest person to enter the room was Demiurge, who threw himself down on an empty seat. It clearly illustrated his mood, given that he would never act so impolitely under normal circumstances.

    ¡°Well, is there an exnation for this?¡±

    Demiurge narrowed his eyes as he directed that intense question to Albedo, seated opposite him at the table.

    ¡°Why did you agree to this?¡±

    His tone was even, but that was simply a thin veil draped over the surface. Everyone could feel the barbs in his words.

    When a typically calm person disyed great emotion, the distance between his usual behavior and the abnormality made that emotion seem even more intense to others. However, this was not quite urate, because Demiurge was very worked up, and none of hisrades had seen such agitation from him before.

    However, in the face of this questioning, filled with hostility ¡ª or even killing intent ¡ª Albedo remained unmoved.

    ¡°This was Ainz-sama¡¯s decision. How can we subordinates oppose¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªWhy?¡±

    The question interdicted Albedo¡¯s reply with the finality of a guillotine¡¯s de.

    ¡°Why? When Ainz sama left for the human city (E-Rantel), you were the one who insisted on having a Guardian follow him. Why did you agree to this now? You should be worried about Ainz-sama¡¯s safety now, as you were then.¡±

    Albedo inclined her head in response, and Demiurge¡¯s face visibly contorted.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll ask you again! Why did you permit this!?¡±

    His anger seemed to shake the room. This intensity waspletely unlike the Demiurge whom they were familiar with.

    Cocytus slowly turned his head, looking at the two people staring each other down. There was worry in his eyes.

    ¡°...Also, you should have known that Ainz-sama was lying, right?¡± Demiurge asked, his voice low and angry.

    After Albedo nodded again, Cocytus exhaled sharply. Both of them knew that this clear, high-pitched sound was one which Cocytus made when he was confused.

    ¡°..Earlier. You. Said. That. Ainz-sama. Told. You. His. Reasons. For. Leaving. Alone. But. Do. You. Not. Find. It. Strange? From. Ainz-sama¡¯s. Point. Of. View. A. Sequential. Attack. Would. Be. Safer. We. Could. Attack. In. Waves. And. Wear. Down. Shalltear¡¯s. HP. And. MP.¡±

    ¡°...You¡¯re right, Cocytus. There is no way Ainz-sama would not be able to think of a strategy that we could easilye up with. In other words, Ainz-sama was deliberately lying, to hide something else.¡±

    ¡°What. Reason. Is. That?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea... which is why I¡¯m asking. Since you did not know the reason, why did you let Ainz-sama go alone?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because Ainz-sama now is apletely different person from how he was several days ago.¡±

    Demiurge opened his narrowed eyes slightly to show that he was confused by this, as though asking Albedo to continue her exnation.

    ¡°At that time, Ainz-sama did not seem like a man, but instead... how shall I put it... yes, this might sound disrespectful, but at that time, he looked just like a child who was trying to run away.¡±

    ¡°I did not feel that at all. Were you mistaken, perhaps?¡±

    Demiurge shifted his gaze to the ¡¸Crystal Monitor¡¹ within the room. Its surface disyed the form of his master walking deeper into the forest.

    ¡°Really now? I don¡¯t think I would be mistaken about the look on the face of the man I love...¡±

    Albedo was looking at the Crystal Monitor as well, with the look of a lovestruck maiden on her face. However, that expression only angered the already frustrated Demiurge.

    ¡°Then, what! What about this expression?¡±

    ¡°Right now, Ainz-sama has a look of great conviction on his face. As a woman ¡ª perhaps it is disloyal to think in this way, but when I know that my beloved master intends to see through his conviction to the end, I will not say anything more. Also, Ainz-sama has promised me that he will return to this ce once more.¡±

    Once he saw that Albedo was not going to continue, the visibly displeased Demiurge cut loose:

    ¡°This is naive. This is irrational. You¡¯re just making decisions based on your feelings. Ainz-sama is the final Supreme Being who remained here. Once we know his life is in danger, it is our duty to eliminate that danger. Even if we are rebuked for it, even if we should perish by doing so, we should still take action, should we not?¡±

    There was a thumping sound as Demiurge sprang up.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    Demiurge¡¯s voice was quite calm as he turned to leave.

    ¡°Need you ask? Obviously it is to send my minions¡ª¡±

    Demiurge sensed something running toward him and turned to look. He saw Cocytus, brandishing a divine ss weapon.

    ¡°...I see... So the reason you summoned me here and ordered me to this ce was for this, was it not, Albedo?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, Demiurge. The Seventh Floor is already locked down in the names of myself and Ainz-sama, and we have control of all the vassals. Need I tell you whose orders they will obey?¡±

    ¡°...Foolishness! How will you take responsibility if Ainz-sama perishes? Ainz-sama is thest remaining entity to whom we can pledge our loyalty!¡±

    ¡°Ainz-sama will return.¡±

    ¡°How can you be so sure of that!?¡±

    Demiurge¡¯s eyes went wide, but there were no eyeballs within his eye sockets. Instead, he had gemstones, whichcked pupils or sclera, but which were intricately cut with countless sparkling facets.

    ¡°Believe in your master. This is our purpose, as those who were created by them.¡±

    Demiurge¡¯s mouth had been opening and closing all this time, but now he firmly shut it.

    This was because he felt ¡ª she might be right.

    The NPCs of Nazarick were absolutely loyal to the Forty One Supreme Beings, but the way in which they expressed their devotion varied from person to person. Thus, it was natural that Demiurge and Albedo might have different opinions on how to show their loyalty.

    However, Albedo¡¯s idea of loyalty rocked Demiurge to the core.

    Even so, he was still worried, and because the uneasiness in his heart had not vanished, he had given voice to those words.

    If Ainz-sama vanishes like the other Supreme Beings, who shall we be loyal to?

    We were created to be loyal to them, but once we lose that value, what reason is there for us to exist?

    As though to cover up his own emotions, Demiurge forcefully sat himself back on the chair,pletely unlike how he usually was.

    ¡°If... If anything happens to Ainz-sama, you will resign your post of Guardian Overseer.¡±

    ¡°...Demiurge. You. Dare. Ask. Albedo. To. Resign. The. Position. Of. Guardian. Overseer. Which. The. Supreme. Beings. Gave. Her? This. Is. Treachery!¡±

    Albedo¡¯s response to the astonished Cocytus was a simple smile.

    ¡°That will be fine. However, Demiurge, if Ainz-sama returns safely, you will obediently yield to me if a simr situation urs.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Then, Cocytus, what do you think of Ainz-sama¡¯s odds?¡±

    Cocytus calmly informed the two of them of his opinion:

    ¡°Three. To. Seven. With. Ainz-sama. Being. Three.¡±

    Demiurge¡¯s shoulders quaked. He could not pretend he had not heard the inauspicious words which Cocytus, the mightiest warrior present, had just spoken. However, Albedo was different. As she heard that pronouncement, she continued smiling, her face brimming with supreme confidence.

    ¡°Is that so? Then, let us watch as Ainz-sama turns those odds into a victory.¡±

    ? ? ?

    After parting ways with the two of them, Ainz trod a path toward Shalltear¡¯s location. The reason why he could discern the directions of north, south, east, and west and head straight for Shalltear was thanks to his skills.

    After passing through the trees, he saw Shalltear. She lookedpletely different from how she had before, like a doll, and it made Ainz feel sad. At the same time, he was angry at himself, but he was far angrier at the user of that World ss Item.

    ¡°Dammit.¡±

    He did not curse loudly, but the intensity of those words implied an anger so powerful that even Ainz could not fully suppress it. This was despite being one of the undead, who were resistant to such surges of emotion.

    ¡°I decided to spread the name of Ainz Ooal Gown in order to find my friends. That was the method I selected. Thus, I took action in a low-key manner to avoid pointless conflicts. And yet, why did this happen?¡±

    Who were they? Who did they belong to? What did they want? Why had they used a World ss Item on Shalltear?

    ¡°...No matter who they are, once I learn about them from Shalltear... I¡¯ll finish them off for sure.¡±

    Ainz¡¯s unmoving skull was seemingly twisted by the ck, bubbling hatred and murderous intent within him.

    ¡°You will deeply regret your foolishness. If it is a fight with Ainz Ooal Gown you want, then a fight you shall have.¡±

    After giving voice to the anger in his heart, Ainz¡¯s frustration slowly ebbed away.

    The true battle would begin now, and he had to calm down in order to face it.

    ¡°I¡¯m such a fool. I know there¡¯s better ways to do this.¡±

    Ainz cracked a self-deprecating grin.

    ¡°...Is this guilt? Or is it because I didn¡¯t dare face it... I just wanted to run away.¡±

    Shalltear was the strongest of the Guardians, but she was not that much stronger. If the other Guardians attacked in waves, victory would be assured.

    Yet, there was one reason why Ainz had not chosen that method¡ª

    ¡ªIt was because he did not want to see his beloved children killing each other before his eyes.

    If she had betrayed Ainz Ooal Gown of her own free will, Ainz would have taken that treachery in stride and destroyed her with everything at his disposal. If that was the NPC¡¯s will, then as the ruler of Nazarick, he was obliged to deal with it sternly.

    If she had betrayed him because she had been programmed to do so, he would find the best way topromise with her.

    However, Shalltear¡¯s situation now was different from all those scenarios. She was under mind control, and the one at fault was Ainz, who had not anticipated such a situation. Thus, he was the only one responsible for this.

    He wanted to finish it with his own hands.

    Ainz removed one of his rings. It was a cash item that allowed for resurrection at hardly any cost. Removing this ring symbolized Ainz¡¯s determination to throw his hat over the fence, because if he could return to life, he would subconsciously rx.

    This was not a concession, but conviction. With that feeling in his heart, Ainz looked to the sky.

    ¡°The enemy hasn¡¯t made a move yet. Up till now, the only thing I can sense are the divination spells from Nazarick... am I being watched?¡±

    Normally, Ainz would have many defensive spellsyered on himself. The anti-divination countermeasure he used in Carne Vige was one of them.

    In YGGDRASIL, friendly fire was disabled, so his friends could cast divinations on Ainz as normal. However, things were different in this world. If Albedo and the others wanted to observe Ainz, Ainz would automatically respond with a magical counterattack.

    If that happened, the counterattack would sh with Nazarick¡¯s defensivework. If he was not careful, Ainz might be hit by thework¡¯s own counterattack and take unnecessary damage.

    This was why Ainz had disabled the offensive spells linked into his countermeasures and only used the one which told him the origin of any divination spells. What he learned from them was that nobody was observing him other than Nazarick.

    Ainz tilted his head, unable to make sense of things.

    Could it be that Shalltear was actually abandoned here by ident?

    ¡°And... I wonder if Albedo saw through my lie? Good grief... Although, don¡¯t you think this feels like a wager, Shalltear?¡±

    Of course, there was no reply from the nk-faced Shalltear.

    Ainz looked to Shalltear. He ran a simted battle through his head, and felt like fleeing.

    While he had resolved himself just now, just standing here filled him with incredible mental stress.

    Though he was prepared to sacrifice himself ¡ª no, it was precisely because he was prepared to die that the remnants of Suzuki Satoru ¡ª the weak-spirited human ¡ª was afraid.

    What came next would be a battle to the death. This was not a fight in a game like YGGDRASIL ¡ª this was a true deathmatch.

    This was unlike his battles with Nigun and Clementine after he hade to this world, where he had ¡°fought¡± (more like trampled) people that he vastly overpowered. This time, the oue was in doubt, and he was starting from incredibly unfavourable conditions.

    If he were not undead, and¡ª

    ¡°If I were not the leader of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick and the representative of the guild, I might not even be able to clench my fists.¡±

    Ainz chuckled to himself, as though to exorcise all his negative emotions.

    The fear of death had vanished, and he was no longer uncertain over the possibility of being defeated.

    The proud memories of his glorious past gave Ainz strength.

    ¡°I am Ainz Ooal Gown. How could this name ever be defeated?¡±

    He was the owner of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. He would prove that his title was not for show.

    Ainz¡¯s eyes were keen as they studied the defenseless Shalltear.

    ¡°...Then... let¡¯s start!¡±

    Ainz shouted as he cast his spell. He carefully selected a spell from his massive repertoire of magic ¡ª and activated a tenth tier spell.

    ¡°¡¸Body of Effulgent Beryl¡¹!¡±

    Ainz¡¯s skeletal body glowed green, and then¡ª

    ¡°Hahaha!¡±

    ¡ªHeughed, his eyes never leaving Shalltear as he cast his spell. Heughed because of this unexpected oue, and also because he had won a big bet.

    ¡°Exactly as I had expected. As long as they don¡¯t consider my actions to be a clear sign of hostility, the NPCs won¡¯t even enterbat status! It¡¯s just like how it was in the game!¡±

    These actions were identical to those of mind-controlled monsters in YGGDRASIL. The fact that the game¡¯s logic could be used here slightly improved the massive disadvantage he faced.

    ¡°That being the case, I¡¯m sorry about this, Shalltear, but I¡¯ll have to ask you to stay that way before the battle starts.¡±

    Ainz continued casting various spells.

    ¡°¡ª¡¸Fly¡¹, ¡¸Bless of Magic Caster¡¹, ¡¸Infinity Wall¡¹, ¡¸Magic Ward ¨C Holy¡¹, ¡¸Life Essence¡¹, ¡¸Greater Full Potential¡¹, ¡¸Freedom¡¹, ¡¸False Data ¨C Life¡¹, ¡¸See Through¡¹, ¡¸Paranormal Intuition¡¹, ¡¸Greater Resistance¡¹, ¡¸Mantle of Chaos¡¹, ¡¸Indomitability¡¹, ¡¸Sensor Boost¡¹, ¡¸Greater Luck¡¹, ¡¸Magic Boost¡¹, ¡¸Draconic Power¡¹, ¡¸Greater Hardening¡¹, ¡¸Heavenly Aura¡¹, ¡¸Absorption¡¹, ¡¸Prate Up¡¹, ¡¸Greater Magic Shield¡¹, ¡¸Mana Essence¡¹, ¡¸Triplet Maximize Magic Explode Mine¡¹, ¡¸Triplet Magic Greater Magic Seal¡¹, ¡¸Triplet Maximize Boosted Magic Arrow¡¹¡ª¡±

    This seemingly endless stream of spells surrounded Ainz¡¯s body.

    ¡°Then, here Ie!¡±

    Those words, spoken after he had finished his preparations, were directed at Shalltear and himself.

    The first thing Ainz did was to use one of the ultimate moves of magic, those spells which surpassed the tenth tier of magic.

    These spells were known as super tier magic¡ª

    ? ? ?

    From the perspective of the tiers of magic, spells of this level could be considered spells, and not spells at the same time. To begin with, they did not consume MP, but instead they could only be used a limited number of times per day.

    When one first learned them, they could only be used once per day. Every ten levels after level seventy, however, one could use them an additional time per day.

    One could learn a single super tier spell per level.

    Rather than call them magic, they might be better described as skills.

    In other words, the average yer could only use four super tier spells per day at level one hundred. One might ask at this point ¡ª why not consecutively cast super tier spells to defeat Shalltear? Indeed, the destructive power of super tier magic was unrivalled, dwarfing even that of tenth tier spells. If one could cast super tier spells one after the other, even the damage alone would only be survivable by a vanishingly small fraction of level one hundred yers. Shalltear was not among that number, so that would definitely defeat her.

    However, he could not do that.

    The reason was because super tier magic spells could not be cast one after the other.

    To begin with, each super tier spell needed a certain amount of casting time. Cash items could remove that casting time, but another penalty prevented the repeated casting of super tier spells.

    Once any member of a team cast a super tier spell, every member would be penalized by being unable to cast such spells for a certain period of time ¡ª in other words, a cooldown period.

    This restriction was put in ce to prevent guild wars from being decided by who could vomit out the most super tier spells. In addition, this cooldown period could not be eliminated by any skill or cash item.

    Thus, when PVPing, the party which cast a super tier spell first was often considered an idiot.

    After all, defeat was likely when one expended a trump card without properly understanding one¡¯s foe. The fact was that there were very few PVP battles where the victors were the first to cast super tier spells.

    ? ? ?

    Yet, Ainz¡¯s first move was to cast such a spell.

    There was no frustration or confusion on his face. A calm, steady light glowed within his eye sockets.

    A gigantic dome-shaped magic circle appeared around Ainz, extending about ten meters away from him.

    The magic circle shone a brilliant white, and translucent diagrams of characters and symbols appeared. These images changed ceaselessly, with kaleidoscopic speed, differing from second to second.

    Ainz could have used a cash item to instantly cast the super tier spell, but he did not do so. Instead, his eyes moved from Shalltear to his surroundings.

    ¡°No ambushers...? Or are they watching from afar? This should be the best time to attack, right?¡±

    Magic casters who were preparing a super tier spell suffered from lowered defenses. In addition, the super tier spell would self-terminate if the caster took a certain amount of damage.

    Thus, the basics of casting super tier spells included protecting the caster with several friends. In other words, now was the best time to attack Ainz, who was alone.

    However, there was no change in his surroundings.

    ¡°Was I being paranoid?¡±

    Ainzughed, and then shrugged.

    It was just a hunch, but Ainz was quite sure that Shalltear had not been staked out as bait, but simply abandoned here.

    ¡°What is all this, anyway? Ah, I don¡¯t have the eyes of god, so I can¡¯t see through everything. If I did, perhaps things might not have ended up like this.¡±

    Ainz rotated his shoulders in an exaggerated way as he muttered to himself.

    He could not move around freely while casting a super tier spell. All he could do was stand there like a dummy and wait for time to pass.

    In order to effectively make use of his time, Ainz pulled out a thin strip of curved metal from his pocket dimension. When he ced it on his wrist, the strip curled and fastened itself to him. There was a row of characters on the metal strip, which changed as every second passed.

    Needless to say, it was a watch.

    Ainz ced his fingertip on the metal strip, touching the disyed characters.

    ¡°The timer¡¯s set, Momonga-oniichan!¡±

    An incredibly fake, cutesy, and high-pitched girl¡¯s voice echoed through the surroundings, and it was hard to resist the urge to knit his brows.

    ¡°...Why can¡¯t I turn off the voice on this watch...¡±

    Ainz grumbled, but he did not actually mean it. He could easily mute it with the use of creator tools, but Ainz had not done so.

    The person who had lent her voice to this watch was Bukubukuchagama, the guild member who had made Aura and Mare.

    If he turned off her voice, it would be the same as an ordinary watch.

    The reason why such a mainstream voice actress like herself would affect such a vexing tone was clearly because she wanted to tease Ainz.

    Shalltear Bloodfallen¡¯s creator Peroroncino was her brother. He got along very well with Ainz. Thus, Bukubukuchagama treated Ainz as her brother¡¯s friend, resulting in this.

    However, it might not have been a prank.

    She frequently voiced loli characters in eroges, and the voices of those characters sounded like that strange voice from just now. Therefore, she might have just been using her working voice.

    When Peroroncino realised his sister was voice-acting for a H-game he wanted to buy, his interest in it plummeted. Ainz smiled bitterly as he recalled hisrade¡¯sining.

    ¡°...Well, it¡¯s true, if I heard Bukubukuchagama¡¯s voice while surfing the, I¡¯d be shocked too.¡±

    As Ainz expressed his thoughts to his absent friend, he continued pulling out several wooden sticks from his pocket dimension. They were about fifteen centimeters long and ttened out, and each of them was inscribed with characters which read, ¡¸Tsukiyomi¡¹, ¡¸Hou Yi¡¯s Bow¡¹, ¡¸Earth Recover¡¹, ¡¸Iron Fist of the Schoolmarm¡¹, and so on.

    There were several slots for scrolls on his belt. He quietly inserted the sticks into these slots, memorizing their position as he did so.

    These preparations took time, and when they wereplete, the blue light of the magic circle intensified, indicating that the super tier spell was ready to be cast.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Having steeled his heart, a look of conviction filled Ainz¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Super tier spell ¨C ¡¸Fallen Down¡¹!¡±

 Chapter 20 - Volume 3

    <h4>Overlord Volume 3 Chapter 5</h4>

    <b>PVN</b>

    <b>Part 1</b>

    ¡ªThere was the sound of sizzling, as though someone had thrown a burning torch into water.

    The spell which surpassed the very definition of tiers went off ¡ª and it looked as though the sun had risen on thend, dying everything in his field of view a brilliant white.

    The exothermic congration generated a rapidly-expanding wave of heat, which greedily consumed everything within its radius.

    This hell of a visionsted only five seconds, but it felt dozens of times longer than that.

    Eventually, the brilliant white world disappeared. In the wake of the vanishing pulse of superhot energy was arge circr area ¡ª vastly different from before.

    Nothing outside the area of effect was affected. The trees were still trees, the earth was as full of vitality as the forest, and the forest itself was untouched ¡ª an extremely normal world.

    In contrast, the area within the circr area was charred ck, converted into a dead zone of jaw-dropping proportions.

    The awe-inspiring temperatures had consumed all the vegetation in the area, leaving only a few carbonized tree stumps. There were several vitrified areas on the ground which were still emitting smoke.

    Standing beyond the bounds of that world which permitted no survivors, Ainz felt a dreadful presence washing out from within.

    It came from the only person who remained within that area.

    Nothing living could have survived that fatal heat.

    ¡°Kakahaaah~ Kahaaaah~¡±

    That strange sound, apanied by what seemed to be a gnashing of teeth, filtered into Ainz¡¯s ears.

    He turned to look at its source, and saw a point of red amidst a world scorched ck.

    He saw Shalltear with wisps of smoke trailing off her body, and a look on her face which seemed to say, ¡°not enough gun.¡± Her crimson pupils, filled with hostility and bloodlust, focused on Ainz¡¯s body.

    ¡°Ainz-samaaaa! That really hurt!¡±

    Shalltear slowly walked forward, her footfalls fracturing the charred ground underneath.

    Step by step, she shrank the distance between Ainz and herself, the Spuit Lance in her hand cutting through the air with a whoosh which indicated that she was still able to fight.

    Arcane magic casters could only show their true ability at long range. Ainz had no frontliners to cover for him, so there was no advantage in allowing his foe to draw near to him. Yet, Ainz did not scramble back. In a tone which called to mind an image of a champion weing a challenger, Ainz arrogantly taunted Shalltear:

    ¡°That was just a meaningless present. Did you like it, Shalltear?¡±

    ¡°Ahahahaha!¡±

    Shalltearughed, and her mirth came from the bottom of her heart.

    ¡°Wonderful! To think I have to kill you, the all-powerful Ainz-sama!¡±

    ¡°-Sama, you say. Why do you address me as -sama? Who is your master?¡±

    ¡°What a strange question. Is it not natural to address a Supreme Being like yourself with -sama? As for my present master...¡±

    Shalltear¡¯s face scrunched up, as though confused.

    ¡°...Why do I have to fight you, Ainz-sama? ...Ah, is it because you attacked me? But why would you attack me, Ainz-sama... I need to destroy anyone who attacks me with all my strength? Why is that?¡±

    Before long, Shalltear seemed to havee to a conclusion, and her smile from earlier returned to her face.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m still not too sure why, but since you attacked me, I must destroy you, Ainz-sama!¡±

    ¡°...Is that so... I understand. I understand what kind of state you¡¯re in...¡±

    ¡°Oho, what¡¯s wrong, Ainz-sama? You look a little weak there. How can you beat me like that?¡±

    ¡°Hmph, aren¡¯t you getting something wrong? Do you think someone like you can defeat me ¡ª defeat Ainz Ooal Gown? The name of ¡®Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯ is invincible. Shalltear, you will kneel in submission before me.¡±

    ¡°Ahahahaha! Ooooh, how scary~¡±

    Moving with a speed which put gales to shame, Shalltear charged, wreathed in bloodlust. The scorched ground exploded beneath her feet with every step she took. Clementine¡¯s assaults were swift, but Shalltear¡¯s speed was in a ss of her own.

    For an instant, Ainz was grateful that he did not need to blink, because Shalltear was fast enough that he would lose track of her if he took his eyes off her for a moment.

    Trailingughter behind her, Shalltear continued her charge, aiming the tip of hernce at Ainz and thrusting forward. Thence charge was originally a technique used by mounted knights and made with the speed and weight of their mounts behind it. However, Shalltear¡¯s strike ¡ª made with her extraordinary strength and her awesome speed ¡ª easily surpassed that attack.

    The word ¡°one-shot kill¡± could not even begin to describe that assuredly fatal blow, and it tore through the air towards Ainz.

    However, despite the ever-approaching tip of thence, Ainz remained unmoved.

    In a gentle voice, he said:

    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous, you know.¡±

    The tender warning he gave Shalltear, as though concerned for her well-being, referred to the countermeasure he had prepared for Shalltear¡¯s attack.

    As Shalltear attacked, the ¡¸Triplet Maximize Magic ¨C Exploding Mine¡¹ spell which he had cast beforehand automatically triggered.

    The three explosions blew Shalltear¡¯s body away.

    As Ainz saw this, he apologized in an even morepassionate tone:

    ¡°Shalltear, please forgive myte warning. Actually, there were mines there... ¡¸Maximize Magic ¨C Gravity Maelstrom¡¹.¡±

    She was still flying back from the force of the explosion when Ainz hurled a ck sphere after her. It was a spinning vortex of hyper-intensified gravity that could significantly damage a target, even one of Shalltear¡¯s level.

    At this moment, Shalltear stood back up from her downed state and held out an empty hand.

    ¡°¡¸Wall of Stone¡¹.¡±

    A vast wall of stone emerged from the ground,pletely enveloping Shalltear. The gravity maelstrom Ainz had thrown collided with the wall, causing it to bend, twist, and crumble, but the gravity maelstrom vanished as well.

    ¡°Hmph! ¡¸Maximize Magic ¨C Hold of Rib¡¹!¡±

    As Ainz followed up with another spell, massive ribs erupted from the earth and closed in on Shalltear like a bear trap. The sharp points of white bone bit deeply into Shalltear¡¯s body.

    ¡°Kah!¡±

    Normally, this spell would have continued holding its target after damaging them, but Shalltear easily shrugged free. This was because she was immune to movement restrictions, resulting in the failure of the attempted restraint.

    ¡°...Shalltear, I forgot to tell you, but I¡¯ve already set mines around this area. How about attacking me from the air instead?¡±

    ¡°¡ªAinz-sama, I won¡¯t take the bait. You¡¯ve put traps in the air too, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Was that so obvious?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I saw through it long ago.¡±

    She chuckled, and the red mes in Ainz¡¯s eyes dimmed.

    There was nothing of the sort. The mines Ainz hadid just now were the only set. Neither had he set traps in the air. This battle was not an easy one where he could waste MP on ineffective spells.

    Therefore, he had used the mines as a bluff to hamper Shalltear¡¯s mobility. He had narrowed his eyes after she had stepped into it. However, now was not the time to rx.

    Ainz was the challenger in this battle. He was walking a very fine tightrope, and he would fall if he was not careful. Ainz knew this, and he was not stupid enough to becent over a small victory like that.

    ¡°Still, that¡¯s Ainz-sama for you. A simple charge like that couldn¡¯t close the gap between us.¡±

    There was genuine admiration in Shalltear¡¯s eyes and her voice. At the same time, Ainz could sense the fighting spirit she radiated from her entire body.

    The real show¡¯s about to start.

    If Ainz¡¯s body could produce sweat, his back would probably be a flowing river by now.

    In any case, I need to keep doing damage until my MP runs out.

    If he could not do that, then Ainz would be set on the road to defeat.

    ? ? ?

    Shalltear braced the Spuit Lance, narrowing her eyes at the magic caster before her ¡ª at her master, Ainz Ooal Gown.

    She had no idea why she had to oppose her beloved master, but her mind told her that it was not an important question. All she had to do was kill him and then ponder the matter at length afterwards.

    As she calmly considered this, Shalltear considered the current situation ¡ª a one on one fight, against an undead being ¡ª and how favorable it was for her.

    Magic casters ¡ª particrly arcane magic casters ¡ª were incredibly powerful, but that power derived from their MP. Once their MP ran out, they would naturally lose their fighting ability. On the other hand, Shalltear might have been a divine magic caster, but she was also adept at meleebat. Even if her MP ran out, she could keep fighting as long as she had HP.

    Therefore, even if she could not deplete her foe¡¯s HP to zero, she could still win as long as her enemy expended all his MP. This was especially true for an arcane magic caster like Ainz, who had no means of recovering his health.

    So, please tremble in fear at your dwindling HP and MP. Ahaha, my heart pounds so hard whenever I think of Ainz-sama¡¯s terrified face!

    Then, what was the best way for her to fight? It would have to be a drawn-out battle.

    Shalltear gripped her divine ss Spuit Lance as she hastily threw a battle n together.

    That weapon¡¯s special ability was to recover the wielder¡¯s health in proportion to how much damage it did to an opponent. No, one could say that this divine ss item was designed around that special property. This was why Ainz, the eternal backliner, had not summoned any minions to be his vanguard. He was very aware that summoning weak monsters to tank for him would only serve to recover her HP.

    Ah~ Poor Ainz-sama. He can¡¯t summon frontliners and has to fight all by himself~

    Shalltear cast ¡¸Mana Essence¡¹ as a sadistic grin formed on her face.

    That spell permitted her to perceive her opponent¡¯s mana for a while, and so Ainz¡¯s remaining mana appeared before her.

    That¡¯s a lot of mana... how did he amass that much?

    Ainz had about one and a half times the MP (mana) of Shalltear. There was probably nobody else in Nazarick who had a mana capacity like that.

    He truly is a Supreme Being. One could call him an extraordinary undead... a super undead... no, a godly undead.

    That said, she still did not think that she would lose. Perhaps it might be different from the other Guardians, but to Shalltear, Ainz and his enhanced necromantic attack spells were hardly a challenge for her.

    Of course, I mustn¡¯t be careless. That said, why isn¡¯t Ainz-sama wearing his divine ss equipment?

    The robe Ainz wore now seemed very in to her. Itcked the dignity of his usual ck robe.

    Could it be that he wore it to deal with me? It¡¯s very likely, but there¡¯s no point just staring each other down. Nothing will happen. So let¡¯s restore some health first in preparation for a drawn-out battle...

    ¡°¡¸Regenerate¡¹.¡±

    The spell Shalltear had just cast could even recover the health of the undead. Currently, it was restoring the health lost from the super tier attack spell. At this moment, Ainzunched another attack, throwing out a gravity sphere like just now.

    ¡°¡¸Maximize Magic ¨C Gravity Maelstrom¡¹.¡±

    The ck orb approached at great speed. She considered casting the ¡¸Wall of Stone¡¹ from before, but that would not put any pressure on her opponent. She would have to make the first move if she wanted to greatly decrease her foe¡¯s mana.

    Shalltear selected¡ª

    ¡°¡ª¡¸Greater Teleportation¡¹.¡±

    The n was to teleport into close range and begin meleebat.

    Her field of vision distorted, but the scenery that should have instantly appeared before her eyes felt like it had been slowed down.

    Cheh!

    Shalltear guessed that this was the effect of the teleport-impeding spell, ¡¸Dy Teleportation¡¹.¡±

    As Shalltear had guessed, she was quite a distance away from Ainz, when she should have been deposited into the range of her Spuit Lance. Instead, she saw three sparkling balls of light before her eyes ¡ª made by the ¡¸Drifting Master Mine¡¹ spell.

    Shalltear sensed the mines and assumed her mist form to evade them as they flew toward her. This skill transmuted the body into mist, and it was quite a vourful skill for vampires. However, it did not transform the body into the physical phenomenon called mist, but instead phased the body into the astral ne. Thus she could use it topletely avoid attacks in the physical world ¡ª the three explosions which resulted.

    ¡°Naive!¡±

    After Ainz¡¯s shout, he followed up with a ¡¸Maximize Magic ¨C Astral Smite¡¹.¡±

    That spell could strike astral entities, and it found its mark on Shalltear¡¯s body, whose defense had been somewhat reduced after taking mist form.

    Wracked by agony, Shalltear terminated her mist form. She felt her lip split, and something soft and slippery escaped from within.

    ¡°Truly marvellous, as expected of you, Ainz-sama!¡±

    Ainz did not respond to that honest praise. He merely studied his opponent with doubtful eyes.

    ¡°You can¡¯t believe me, right? But I do feel you are someone worthy of my loyalty.¡±

    He was very good at spellbat, after all.

    Still ¡ª Shalltear¡¯s lips could not help but curl up in a smile. This was because Ainz¡¯s MP had diminished greatly.

    Shalltear¡¯s health had decreased somewhat, but that amount of damage was well within limits. In contrast, Ainz¡¯s mana had gone much further down than anticipated, so it was well worth the loss. In other words, Shalltear was one step closer to victory.

    Then, how about this one?

    Shalltear made her move.

    ¡°¡¸Force Sanctuary¡¹.¡±

    White radiance filled the area around Shalltear, a defensive barrier made of pure mana. While this barrier impeded the caster¡¯s attacks, it would alsopletely negate her opponent¡¯s attacks.

    Through this barrier of light, she saw Ainz scrambling to cast a spell.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. If you don¡¯t cast a spell soon, it will go very badly for you.¡±

    Shalltear already knew why Ainz seemed to have the upper hand in this battle.

    Was it because of his abilities ¡ª no.

    Was it because of his equipment ¡ª no.

    Was it because of his preparations ¡ª yes.

    Indeed, these favorable circumstances were due to Ainz¡¯s extensive preparations and many spells which he had cast beforehand. The power of magic casters varied greatly with their preparations for any given situation, and the same applied to Shalltear. Therefore, Ainz should have been trying to break Shalltear¡¯s defenses before she could buff herself up.

    Shalltear was poor at defensive spells, and she had no intention of casting them. Her aim was purely to drain Ainz¡¯s mana. She smiled to Ainz as he frantically cast his spell.

    My my, everything¡¯s going ording to n, Ainz-sama. Still, you¡¯re not even using scrolls, staves, or wands; are you trying to preserve your strength? Are you too panicked? Or did you know they weren¡¯t effective against me?

    Ainz¡¯s magic resistancepletely negated the effects of low to mid-tier spells, regardless of how powerful their casters were. In contrast, Shalltear¡¯s magic resistance was affected by her opponent¡¯s stats and levels. Even a tenth tier spell by a weak magic caster would not be able to breach her resistance, but against a powerful magic caster ¡ª like Ainz ¡ª first tier spells were the limit.

    Some scrolls were affected by their creator¡¯s skills, but for the most part, they were made at the minimum possible level that allowed for their creation, which also meant that they were fixed at the lowest possible caster level. Thus, there was a high chance that scrolls would not be able to breach Shalltear¡¯s defenses. Was that why Ainz had not done it?

    As Shalltear analyzed thebat conditions, Ainz continued casting a spell.

    ¡°¡¸Maximize Magic ¨C Thousand Bone Lance¡¹!¡±

    Countless ¡ª well over one or two thousand ¡ªnces of bone erupted from the earth around Ainz. The ivory spears assailed the defensive barrier from all directions. Soon, she heard the sound of what seemed like ss cracking, and Shalltear¡¯s protective barrier shattered with it. Scattered chips of bone flew in all directions, melting away into nothingness.

    ¡°Cheh!¡±

    She had not expected this magic barrier ¡ª upon which she had spent a significant amount of mana ¡ª to be broken in one move. Shalltear was unable to believe this as the attack on her continued.

    ¡°It¡¯s not over yet! ¡¸Maximize Magic ¨C Thousand Bone Lance¡¹!¡±

    ¡°¡ª¡¸Greater Teleportation¡¹.¡±

    Her teleport destination was an open space in the air, outside of the ¡¸Dy Teleportation¡¹ spell¡¯s area of effect.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think you can get away ¡ª ¡¸Maximize Magic ¨C Gravity Maelstrom¡¹.¡±

    Shalltear had expected Ainz to follow up with some kind of attack against her. His spell came flying over, as though aimed at the ce Shalltear would appear after teleporting.

    She seemed calm and collected as always, but Shalltear was quite fascinated by Ainz¡¯s incredible prowess. These masterful abilities could only have been honed through long experience.

    ¡°You seem to be taking this quite easy.¡±

    Shalltear¡¯s opponent ¡ª she was not quite sure why she had to kill him ¡ª asked:

    ¡°Why is it that you are so at ease while fighting me? We are on the same level, but my gear is stronger than yours. Granted, my specialty cannot be brought to bear ¡ª which is to my disadvantage ¡ª but that is all. Still, I can sense the confidence from you, your belief that you have the advantage and that victory is assured.¡±

    A sense of superiority filled Shalltear.

    ¡°Ahahaha, then I shall show you the one of the reasons why I can take it so easy. Did you know I had a skill like this?¡±

    With a smile of victory, Shalltear evoked an Impure Shockwave Shield. A wave of force ¡ª colored reddish-ck like clotted blood ¡ª spread forth, disintegrating the gravity orb upon contact.

    This was one of Shalltear¡¯s skills, whichbined offense and defense.

    ¡°Cheh!¡±

    Ainz clicked his tongue at this. Shalltear had done so earlier because things had not gone as nned, but for Ainz, it was because he could no longer rx around her.

    ¡°Aha!¡±

    Shalltearughed at Ainz¡¯s expression, and then she showed off another special skill of hers.

    A gigantic divinence appeared in her hand. It was well over three meters long with an especiallyrge head. The aura of purity it emanated proved that this was no ordinary weapon. It reflected the rays of the sun in its silver radiance, producing a beautiful and eyecatching disy.

    ¡°Oh... I¡¯ve never seen that before. Did you summon it with a skill or something?¡±

    ¡°Ahahaha, we¡¯ll see how long you can act tough, Ainz-sama. Since you don¡¯t seem to know this weapon, allow me to introduce it to you. Its name is the Purifying Javelin!¡±

    Shalltear released the tinumnce as sheughed at Ainz¡¯s ignorance. She did not throw it like a javelin, but instead it rose by itself and darted out. This was a weapon which was guaranteed to hit if she spent additional MP¡ª

    ¡°Guwaargh!¡±

    ¡ªAnd hit it did, piercing Ainz¡¯s chest. In Shalltear¡¯s eyes, that unmoving skull seemed to twist in pain.

    ¡°Ahahaha! That¡¯s a holy-element weapon for you; it seems like it was quite effective!¡±

    Shalltear summoned the gigantce to her hand again, and cast it forth once more. Thence travelled at unavoidable speed, this time piercing Ainz¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Kuh! Don¡¯t look down on me! ¡¸Maximize Magic ¨C Reality sh¡¹!¡±

    Ainz cast a powerful spell.

    When one reached the highest level of the strongest warrior ss, World Champion, one would learn the supreme, ultimate skill called ¡¸World Break¡¹. This tenth tier spell was merely an inferior copy of that skill, but it was still among the most damaging spells in the game.

    It cleaved through the very fabric of space, and fresh blood fountained from Shalltear¡¯s chest.

    A hit from this powerful attack spell could disregard virtually any form of magical defense, but the damage dealt converted back into health and flowed back into her body, as though time itself had reversed to render the attackpletely ineffective.

    Ainz howled at this:

    ¡°What did you just do!?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to get worked up, Ainz-sama. That was a skill too,¡± Shalltear answered as she gloated over him.

    ¡°Cheh! In other words, my skills won¡¯t work and you can do as you please, huh!?¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t think this is unfair. This was an ability which Peroroncino-sama bestowed upon me. In other words, that great being is superior to you, am I wrong, Ainz-sama?¡±

    ¡°¡ªThat felt like it came from the heart.¡±

    That emotionless tone ¡ª or perhaps it was so calm that one could not pick out any emotions from it ¡ª filled Shalltear with doubt. However, before it could settle in, Ainz shouted again:

    ¡°Here Ie, Shalltear! I¡¯ll show you that no matter what skills you have, none of them can hold a candle to my magic!¡±

    ¡°Aha! You want a showdown of firepower then, Ainz-sama? Don¡¯t think I¡¯ll lose to you!¡±

    A ¡¸Maximize Magic ¨C Reality sh¡¹ spell crossed paths with a Purifying Javelin, each tearing into the bodies of their targets.

    As the two of them traded attacks again, Shalltearughed at Ainz¡¯s foolishness in her heart. At the same time, she was confused ¡ª why am I fighting Ainz-sama?

    Shalltear Bloodfallen was a Floor Guardian of Nazarick, set over the First to Third Floors. At the same time, she was a loyal subordinate made by the Supreme Being Peroroncino. That being the case, was it not bizarre that she would be fighting Ainz Ooal Gown, who was formerly known as Momonga? Why was she doing battle with Ainz-sama, who was another member of the Forty One Supreme Beings?

    If her creator had so ordered, she would obey and fight with all her strength. Even if all of Nazarick were her enemies, she would charge at them without a moment¡¯s hesitation. Yet, this was not the case.

    She thought and she thought and she thought, but she could not find an answer.

    Still, she could not stop herself. It was as though someone was whispering into her ear, ¡°Shalltear, you have to kill the enemy with everything you have.¡±

    Shalltear inspected Ainz¡¯s MP consumption with ¡¸Mana Essence¡¹, and then she fought to suppress theughter rising in her heart. At the same time, she reversed time to recover her health.

    More powerful spells consumed more mana. ¡¸Reality sh¡¹ was one of those spells, and it was quite inefficient, in terms of damage caused for mana expended. Even so, Ainz was still using it. Shalltear thought that perhaps Ainz was hoping to deplete her health and im victory before the battle became a brawl.

    That¡¯s right, finishing it quickly is the right thing to do, because drawn-out battles are to my advantage... Perhaps it¡¯s also because Ainz-sama knows that debuff spells have little effect on the undead.

    Shalltear narrowed her eyes and focused on Ainz, who was still casting big spells.

    Very well, then I shall adapt to whatever hees up with.

    Shalltear¡¯s skills were divided into the at-will and limited use types. Turning back time to recover damage could only be done three times a day. The Purifying Lance was also only usable three times a day, while the Impure Shockwave Shield could only be used one more time today.

    Still, there was no point in being miserly about them. Shalltear¡¯s n was to end the battle in a melee fight. Her MP and skills were essentially tools to deplete Ainz¡¯s MP.

    I can fight without MP, but Ainz-sama is finished without MP.

    Shalltear could fight with the total of her HP and MP, but Ainz could only use his MP. This was the great disparity between them.

    She looked on Ainz ¡ª who was limited to his spells ¡ª with a gentle expression in her eyes. One could call them the eyes of a mother looking upon her child... or rather, the look of pity which the mighty would bestow upon the weak.

    After throwing her final Purifying Javelin, Shalltear epted the ¡¸Reality sh¡¹ counterattack, and decided to move into the second phase of the battle.

    ¡°How about this, then? ¡¸Summon Monster Tenth¡¹.¡±

    ¡°As if I¡¯d let you! ¡¸Greater Rejection¡¹!¡±

    The summoned monsters were dispelled in an instant, and Ainz¡¯s smugughter reached her ears.

    ¡°I won¡¯t let you draw out the fight, Shalltear.¡±

    I can¡¯t smile yet, though I was just trying to use up my MP after expending all my special abilities.

    Shalltear faked a stern expression, and then cast another spell.

    ¡°Really now? Then how about a direct attack? ¡¸Maximize Magic ¨C Vermilion Nova¡¹!¡±

    ¡°¡¸Triplet Maximize Magic ¨C Call Greater Thunder¡¹.¡±

    The crimson ze ¡ª one of Ainz¡¯s weaknesses ¡ª engulfed him, while three gigantic strokes of lightning earthed themselves through Shalltear¡¯s body.

    This was the first time in this battle that she had felt her health drop like a rock, which put a look of displeasure on Shalltear¡¯s face.

    Did he make preparations to resist fire?

    No matter how powerful one was, one could not prepare to resist all elemental attacks. There was a limit to that, even if a heteromorphic characterbined their racial resistances with job sses that granted resistances and outfitted themselves from head to toe in resistance-granting divine ss gear. However, by focusing on specific resistances, a character could make themselves immune to elements to which they should have been weak.

    In other words, Ainz had forsaken his other resistances and focused on raising his fire resistance.

    This might be troublesome. I have no idea which elemental resistances Ainz-sama gave up.

    The only way to discern Ainz¡¯s elemental weaknesses was to use ¡¸Life Essence¡¹ to check his HP and barrage him with attacks of multiple elements, then see which one hurt him the most.

    I¡¯m not going to do something tedious like that. I¡¯ll target an element which he should be weak against.

    ¡°¡ª¡¸Maximize Magic ¨C Brilliant Radiance¡¹.¡±

    ¡°¡ª¡¸Maximize Magic ¨C True Dark¡¹.¡±

    Holy-element light wrapped Ainz, purifying his body, while Shalltear¡¯s body was corroded by non-elemental darkness.

    In this moment ¡ª Shalltear did not miss the fact that Ainz had flinched.

    Although he was trying to cover it up by changing his stance, there was no way he could cover up the fact that he was trying to remain stoic in the face of pain.

    Shalltear smiled inwardly, because she had found his weakness.

    No, she could not me him for that. After all, most undead were highly vulnerable to holy-element attacks. It was very difficult to remove that weakness, and if he had geared himself to resist the fire element, there was no way for him to do so.

    The two of them locked eyes, and Shalltear cast her next spell.

    Naturally, the spell Shalltear had chosen was still ¡¸Brilliant Radiance¡¹

    They exchanged magic in this back-and-forth fashion for some time. Even Shalltear had lost a sizeable amount of health. In fact, her HP (health) might well be zero had she not secretly used MP on skills which defended against spells.

    That¡¯s Ainz-sama for you... he¡¯s far superior to me in spell battle, be it in attack or defense. I used several holy-element spells in a row, but Ainz-sama took a lot less HP damage than me. Still, I also made him burn a lot of MP too.

    From what she could see, Ainz¡¯s MP was greatly reduced from how it had been when they had first started out. Even so, she could see Ainz¡¯s fighting spirit burning in his eyes.

    It¡¯s getting hard to take, I want to break Ainz-sama¡¯s magnificent will and turn him into a beaten dog.

    Shalltear forced herself to ignore the sensations welling up from her lower belly. If she were in her room, she would have called a Vampire Bride over, but she was on the battlefield, much to her regret. And of course, she could notfort herself on the spot to ke her desires.

    That being the case ¡ª she would satisfy herself throughbat.

    Shalltear looked at Ainz with lust-moistened eyes, and she licked her lips. If she continued lengthening the distance between them, what sort of face would he make for her?

    ¡°Then, time to recover. ¡¸Maximize Magic ¨C Greater Lethal¡¹.¡±

    Positive energy restored the health of the living, while negative energy would damage them. However, the opposite was true for the undead. Thus, ¡¸Greater Lethal¡¹, which channelled vast quantities of negative energy, was the most powerful healing spell that Shalltear (one of the undead) could cast.

    ¡°I see. It would seem I¡¯ve lost quite some health as well ¡ª ¡¸Greater Lethal¡¹.¡±

    Shalltear blinked several times, unable to believe what was happening before her eyes. However, she had to ept the fact that Ainz¡¯s wounds were recovering before her eyes, even if she could not quite believe it.

    ¡°...Eh? Why is it that you can cast the divine spell ¡¸Greater Lethal¡¹? Was it on your ss¡¯s spell list?¡±

    ¡°No, sadly, this is not an innate ability, but an effect from a magic item. This magic item only allows me to use a single specific spell, and requires me to use an equipment slot, nor can that spell be enhanced with skills. It is also much weaker than someone casting the spell off their own list, so you could say it has many drawbacks.¡±

    As Ainzined, he used ¡¸Greater Lethal¡¹ again, causing Shalltear in turn to mumble, ¡°that¡¯s a spanner in the works, isn¡¯t it?¡± Still, her aim was to deplete her foe¡¯s MP, so the n was not yet ruined.

    With that in mind, Shalltear continued casting ¡¸Greater Lethal¡¹ to recover her health. Since Shalltear was a level one hundred character, it took a while for her to fully recover.

    At the end, she cast¡ª

    ¡°¡¸Maximize Magic ¨C Greater Lethal¡¹.¡±

    ¡°¡¸Body of Effulgent Beryl¡¹.¡±

    ¡ªAfter healing his wounds, Ainz cast a defensive spell on himself.

    Shalltear was a divine magic caster, and she had not received much knowledge from Peroroncino. Thus, she did not know what the ¡¸Body of Effulgent Beryl¡¹ spell did. However, the green radiance that surrounded Ainz appeared once more, so Shalltear concluded that it must be some kind of defensive magic.

    That seems about right. I¡¯llunch a direct attack next.

    Shalltear brandished her Spuit Lance, but just as she was about to move, the words which had slipped from Ainz¡¯s mouth entered her ears.

    ¡°What a disadvantageous fight.¡±

    Shalltear had not expected this, and she loosened her grip on the Spuit Lance. She was about to say, ¡°Did you only realise that now?¡±

    Well, she wanted to say that, but Shalltear concluded that it would be disrespectful to mock Ainz, her master, so she did not speak those words.

    ...My master? Ainz-sama?

    That word kept appearing in her mind, and it confused her. Why was she baring steel at her master, Ainz-sama? Still, this was quite normal. There were many things in the world which were difficult to understand, and this was simply one of them.

    Having made that decision, she sensed that Ainz¡¯s actionscked consistency. Thus, in a casual tone which did not belong on the battlefield, she asked:

    ¡°If you feel it is disadvantageous, why not retreat?¡±

    ¡°Mm, well, you do have a point...¡±

    Ainz¡¯s skeletal face could not show any expressions, but for some reason, she had the feeling that he was smiling bitterly at her.

    ¡°I... yes, that¡¯s right. I¡¯m very stubborn, Shalltear. I don¡¯t want to run from this.¡±

    Ainz looked at one of his empty, skeletal hands. Shalltear¡¯s eyes went to that hand as well.

    ¡°Perhaps others will not understand why I have done this. Some might even think of me as a fool. Still, right now, I am enjoying my position as guildmaster, because... I... Well, I might have been guildmaster, but all I did was mainly coordinate events or other sundry tasks. I hardly led from the front. Still, I am now standing on the frontlines for the sake of the guild... Perhaps it was simply to satisfy myself.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Is that what they call a man¡¯s imperative?¡±

    ¡°Yes... Is it? It might be... Well, to some extent, I might have resigned myself to my fate. It seems we were almost interrupted by this pointless conversation. My apologies, let¡¯s start again.¡±

    <b>Part 2</b>

    Ainz calmly studied Shalltear, who was bracing her Spuit Lance. He had to triumph in this melee if he was to attain victory.

    The back of her armor bulged out, and a pair of bat wings burst forth, as though going straight through the tes. Ainz knew what would happen next.

    Several giant bats pped out from behind her to the sky. These were Elder Vampire Bats summoned through her Household Summons skill. In addition, she continued summoning Vampire Bat Swarms.

    They were not strong monsters, but he could not let them do as they pleased. Ainz cast a spell:

    ¡°¡¸Sharks Cyclone¡¹.¡±

    A tornado, one hundred meters high and fifty meters across appeared before him. The ck funnel cloud engulfed the bats before they could flee, trapping them within the vortex.

    Fast-swimming shapes could be seen within the rapidly-spinning tornado. These creatures were six meter long sharks, and they moved as though they were in the ocean. The desperately fleeing bats were like bait which had been dropped into the water, and the sharks sprang on them. This spell showed its true potency against flying creatures, and the proof of that was adequately shown as the sharks ripped the Elder Vampire Bats limb from limb in an instant.

    Just as the Vampire Bats were vanishing after being torn apart ¡ª a shadow broke free of the tornado.

    It was a crimson shadow, bursting out of the tornado at top speed. Thence it thrust before itself left an afterimage in the onlookers¡¯ eyes, like the fiery plume of a rocket.

    Ainz could not react in time, and his body was wracked with pain. It felt as though his bones were crumbling.

    In the instant in which Ainz had failed to pay attention, Shalltear had appeared in front of him. Her cruel weapon pierced through Ainz¡¯s chest and protruded out his back.

    ¡°Guwaaaargh!¡±

    The weapon which had struck him also did bludgeoning damage, and the massive drop in health which resulted drew a cry of agony from Ainz.

    Any pain which the undead Ainz felt would cut out once its intensity exceeded a certain threshold, much like his emotions did. This was why even Suzuki Satoru, whockedbat experience, could endure this pain and calmly deal with it.

    That said, this was no ordinary pain.

    Ainz¡¯s ¡ª no, Suzuki Satoru¡¯s ¡ª mind was assaulted by the fact that his life was ebbing away. His vision grew dim and he felt himself losing consciousness, as though he had lost a great deal of blood.

    However, Ainz¡¯s will was stronger than that weak mind.

    This was because the person fighting here was not Suzuki Satoru, but the Supreme Ruler of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, Ainz Ooal Gown.

    Shalltear did not cease her attack, even as Ainz considered what steps to take next.

    Having impaled him with the tip of hernce, she continued driving it forward, ramming the point straight into Ainz¡¯s body and forcing the thicker part of thence behind it into him. He felt his body tearing apart, as well as a burst of intense pain, apanied by the sensation of his health depleting further.

    Thus, Ainz decided to activate the ¡¸Body of Effulgent Beryl¡¹.

    The green light which enfolded him shattered.

    The tenth tier spell ¡¸Body of Effulgent Beryl¡¹ reduced the effectiveness of bludgeoning attacks against its subject while it was in effect, and it couldpletely negate one instance of bludgeoning damage after it was cast.

    The ¡¸Body of Effulgent Beryl¡¹ absorbed the damage dealt by thence, and so it seemed as though time had turned itself backward, thence¡¯s tip retreating back outside Ainz¡¯s body.

    Ainz moved back to where he had been standing before thence had impaled him. As Shalltear watched him in bafflement, Ainz cast another spell.

    ¡°¡¸Wall of Skeleton¡¹!¡±

    A wallposed of numberless armed skeletons erupted between the two of them. The skeletons in the wall attacked Shalltear, chopping, stabbing, and shing at her.

    However, none of them managed to hit Shalltear¡¯s body.

    ¡°¡¸Maximize Magic ¨C Force Explosion¡¹.¡±

    An invisible shockwave exploded from Shalltear. The wall of skeletons buckled under the invisible impact, and thenpletely disintegrated.

    The pulverized chunks of bone pattered like rain as they fell. Still, it had bought some time for Ainz, so it had been worthwhile.

    ¡°Release!¡±

    In ordance with Ainz¡¯smand, the ¡¸Triplet Magic Greater Magic Seal¡¹ triggered three magic circles, each of which released thirty streaks of light, for a total of ny. These white bolts of light were non-elemental ¡¸Magic Arrows¡¹. The dazzling afterimage left behind as they travelled through the air were like the spread wings of an angel ¡ª an angel of death.

    First tier spells could not breach Shalltear¡¯s magic defenses, but Ainz had cast that spell anyway. Sensing something odd, Shalltear desperately tried to evade them, but the ivory bolts of light turned a full ny degrees in mid-air and chased her down, falling on her like hail.

    The ny magical bolts scored hit after hit on Shalltear, rapidly dropping her health.

    The reason why they could pierce Shalltear¡¯s defense was because Ainz had used a skill to temporarily boost the magic arrows to the equivalent of tenth tier spells.

    Ainz was not finished yet.

    ¡°Dance! ¡¸Triplet Magic ¨C Obsidian Sword¡¹.¡±

    Three longswords appeared in mid-air, their ck bodies gleaming. They streaked after Shalltear, as though they had a mind of their own.

    ¡°Out of my way!¡± Shalltear shouted as she batted them aside with her Spuit Lance. However, the obsidian swords continued attacking her even after they were deflected. These weapons, created as they were through magic, were very difficult to destroy through physical means.

    ¡°¡¸Magic Destruction¡¹.¡±

    Shalltear used her scant few remaining MP to cast a spell which dispelled other magic.

    Two obsidian swords vanished from that spell, cast with no regard to her remaining MP. However, one had not vanished, and it continued attacking Shalltear. The sess rate of ¡¸Magic Destruction¡¹ was directly dependent on the spellcasting ability of its caster, and this was conclusive evidence of which magic caster was superior.

    ¡°Ahhh, how annoying!¡±

    Shalltear paid no heed to the longsword attacking her and pressed onward to Ainz. Damage like that was barely a scratch to Shalltear.

    The Spuit Lance sent Ainz flying to the side. With no way to resist bludgeoning damage now, Ainz could not ignore this damage. He stabilized himself in mid-air with ¡¸Fly¡¹, and then¡ª

    ¡°Dammit!¡±

    ¡ªThis was the first time Ainz had cursed in panic during this battle.

    Ainz had enough health to weather an attack like that, but the problem was right before his eyes. This was because the health lost by Ainz had been used to restore Shalltear¡¯s own health.

    Her recovery rate was enough to surpass the damage done by the obsidian sword, so in order to cut down her rate of healing, Ainz cast an attack spell.

    ¡°¡¸Triplet Maximize Magic ¨C Reality sh¡¹.¡±

    The three dimension-rending shes drew gouts of fresh blood from Shalltear, but she paid it no heed and continued pressing forward, the imcable obsidian sword at her back.

    Shalltear¡¯s depleted of MP, so all she can do is advance and fight within the effective range of the Spuit Lance... is that it? But that¡¯s the kind of fighting I hate most...

    Ainz retreated with a ¡¸Fly¡¹ spell, and continued attacking.

    ¡°¡¸Triplet Maximize Magic ¨C Reality sh¡¹.¡±

    Even as he kept backpedaling, the distance between them shrank with each passing moment. This was the difference between the speed of a ¡¸Fly¡¹ spell and a fly speed which had been augmented by skills.

    Shalltear pulled herself before him, spurting blood as she did. Then, she suddenly curled herself up. The air distorted ¡ª and a massive shockwave erupted from Shalltear¡¯s body.

    That isn¡¯t a ¡¸Force Explosion¡¹! That¡¯s an Impure Shockwave Shield!

    The shockwave generated by the skill shattered the obsidian sword and smashed into Ainz, sending him flying into the distance.

    ¡°Guwaaargh!¡±

    Perhaps the Impure Shockwave Shield had been enhanced by another skill, but Ainz ended up tumbling several times along the ground. By the grace of his ¡¸Fly¡¹ spell and the magic items on him, he managed to force himself back upright.

    Perhaps it was because hecked semicircr canals or because of his undead traits, but Ainz was not dizzied by the rolling, and made to open the distance between himself and Shalltear.

    This was a fortunate consequence. Ainz did not want to be locked in melee, and he now had a chance to cast other spells.

    Just as he was about to do so, Ainz saw a ball of white light coalesce in front of Shalltear, which slowly shaped itself into a humanoid form.

    Ainz was very aware of what that was.

    His unmoving face grew stiff, and in contrast, Shalltear grinned like she had scored an overwhelming victory.

    ¡°It¡¯s here... It¡¯s finally here, huh? I knew she¡¯d use this sooner orter, but to think Shalltear would use ¡¸Einherjar¡¹ ¡ª her trump card ¡ª at this critical moment...¡±

    The white light fully resolved itself into the shape of a person.

    If one ignored the bleached-white armor and the glowing skin, it was the spitting image of Shalltear.

    Ainz understood that the resemnce was not merely cosmetic.

    While itcked Shalltear¡¯s spellcasting ability and several skills, and had no magic items, its weapons, armor, and stats were otherwise identical to Shalltear¡¯s. It was not undead, but a golem-like Construct. The two creature types had nearly identical resistances and immunities.

    In other words, there was another Shalltear, who could only fight in meleebat.

    Ainz had anticipated this would happen, but facing two level one hundred opponents at the same time was still quite taxing.

    In addition, Shalltear had summoned countless minions, like wolves, bats, rats, and the like¡ª

    These summoned minions were not as powerful as the Einherjar, but he could not discount their power in a group.

    I could wipe them all out with an area-effect spell... but what should I do about the Einherjar?

    Just as Ainz was thinking about his next move, the Einherjar charged, and that surprised him.

    Why was Shalltear not moving? Did she not intend to gang up on him?

    Ainz learned the answer to those questions after shifting his line of sight. At the same time, the points of light in his eyes zed up.

    ¡°Now that¡¯s just unfair!¡± Ainz cursed. To think she would actually do something like that.

    What Ainz saw was the sight of Shalltear¡¯s summoned minions disappearing one after the other, their bodies pierced by the Spuit Lance.

    Shalltear was killing her summoned minions with the Spuit Lance to restore her health.

    It went without saying that the amount of health restored by the Spuit Lance depended on the amount of damage it inflicted. When she attacked Ainz ¡ª who was of equal level and had a high defense ¡ª and her weak summons, it was immediately obvious which would give her more health in return. Indeed, Ainz could see Shalltear¡¯s health refilling rapidly.

    The summoned minions steadily died and vanished.

    This was an unexpectedly cruel fact.

    Since friendly fire was in effect, this too should have been an expected oue.

    Ainz regained his calm, and altered his battle ns to take this unexpected development into ount.

    However, Ainz could notpletely calm himself after witnessing someone killing their own summoned monsters to restore health, a sight which could not take ce in YGGDRASIL. As a result, the charging Einherjarnded a solid hit on him.

    ¡°Guwaaargh!¡±

    The expressionless Einherjar continued attacking, the blows knocking Ainz back.

    Forced back by the continuous string of attacks, Ainz decided to use his own trump card.

    Shalltear¡¯s summons were not unlimited, so they should have been almost used up by now. Still, it would be bad to let Shalltear heal herself by using the surrounding monsters.

    The original n was to use the trump card once the Einherjar appeared. That n did not ount for Shalltear healing herself by killing her summoned minions.

    ? ? ?

    Ainz had sixty levels of job sses, and one of them was quite special.

    It was a ss that was very rare even in YGGDRASIL, held only by a small number of yers.

    Ainz could enter this ss because he was not fixated on pure power, but had instead focused on roleying a necromancer to the hilt. Had he pursued character power, he would not have discovered this ss ¡ª which required a very unorthodox build ¡ª by chance.

    This was because the ss¡¯s entry requirements were five levels of Overlord, a focus on necromancer-type job sses, as well as an overall character level of ny five.

    In normal games, most people would spread the news of a newly-discovered ss on walkthrough sites to share with others. However, games like YGGDRASIL put a very high premium on information. For instance, few people would share news about a World ss Item with others without charge. This was especially true for sses with trump cards.

    The ss in question was called ¡°Eclipse.¡±

    The ss description stated, ¡°Only an Overlord who is truly dedicated to the pursuit of Death may enter this ss, which swallows up all life like an eclipse.¡±

    The move Ainz was nning to use was one which was only avable after reaching the maximum level (fifth) in Eclipse, a skill which could only be used once every hundred hours.

    It was the trump card of the Eclipse ss.

    That skill was called ¡¸The Goal Of All Life Is Death¡¹.

    In that moment, a clock face appeared behind Ainz, its hands indicating 12:00. Then, he cast a spell:

    ¡°¡¸Widen Magic ¨C Cry of the Banshee¡¹.¡±

    A woman¡¯s wail echoed through the air. This cry carried with it an instant-death effect.

    Ainz had used various skills to augment this spell, so its potency was greater than normal and harder to resist. Still, it was useless against Shalltear and the Einherjar construct.

    Oddly enough, Shalltear¡¯s summoned minions ¡ª who had no resistance to instant death ¡ª did not fall.

    This situation was quite bizarre, but Ainz remained unmoved. Rather, one could say that things were going as nned.

    Tick.

    The clock face behind Ainz ticked, and its hands slowly moved as the spell took effect.

    Ainz nced at Shalltear in the distance as his health dwindled under the onught of the Einherjar, and at the same time he felt quite disappointed.

    ...So I can¡¯t finish this cleanly, huh? Damn you, Peroroncino, did you build her specifically to counter me? To think you actually gave her a resurrection item! Dammit!

    Ainz cursed his guildmate within his heart.

    Ainz frantically struggled to avoid the attacks of the Einherjar. After twelve seconds had passed, the hour hand hadpleted a full circuit, and it pointed to the heavens once more.

    Then, Ainz¡¯s trump card took effect.

    In that moment ¡ª the world died.

    This was not metaphorical.

    Everything died.

    The Einherjar evaporated into white mist as it couched itsnce, and dispersed before Ainz¡¯s eyes. Even a homunculus with no concept of life died instantly. Shalltear¡¯s familiars shared the same fate, unable to resist the destruction which overtook them.

    That was not all.

    Even the air ¡ª which was not even alive to begin with ¡ª fell into death. For over one hundred meters in all directions, the air was no longer breathable. If any living creature tried to respire within that area, their lungs would be corrupted by the deadly air, and they would die.

    Neither did thend escape the embrace of death. The terrain in a hundred meter radius was instantly transmuted into sand.

    Only Shalltear and Ainz could move in this world, where only death remained.

    Ainz¡¯s trump card, ¡¸The Goal Of All Life Is Death¡¹ strengthened the effect of instant death magic and skills. Thus augmented, those instant-death effects could bypass any immunities or resistance and kill their targets after a certain amount of time had passed.

    One could resist it by using a resurrection effect on themselves within twelve seconds, as Shalltear had.

    The air and thend had also died because of that effect.

    In YGGDRASIL, the environment would not have sumbed, but in this new world, the effects were quite appropriate to the skill. All things were equal in the face of Death.

    Ainz himself was taken aback by this strange effect. Thend had not died like this in YGGDRASIL. He could not help but shake his head after witnessing the effects of the game¡¯s powers in the real world.

    However, Ainz swallowed back his surprise. The pride in his heart would not permit him to show any sign of shock. Instead, he acted as though this had been part of his n. Carrying himself with the arrogance that befitted a ruler, he gently asked the sole survivor:

    ¡°What do you think, after experiencing the power that can y even the unliving?¡±

    The wind blew, dispersing the dead air between them. That wind carried his words to her.

    ¡°Incredible, I would expect nothing less of you, Ainz-sama. My household summons are dead to thest. However, your MP is almost depleted, while my health... is still at maximum.¡±

    In Shalltear¡¯s eyes, Ainz¡¯s MP was nearly zero. It was notpletely gone, but he would probably only be able to use two or three more spells. With his MP so low, there was no way he could finish off Shalltear, no matter what spells he used.

    Not even that super tier spell which could grievously damage the undead ¡ª ¡¸Fallen Down¡¹ ¡ª could do so.

    ¡°I believe you only have two more tenth tier spells in you? You had too much mana, so I can¡¯t really judge how many more spells you can cast.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct. I should only be able to cast about two more spells, I believe?¡±

    That was not a lie.

    She had won.

    Shalltear quirked up the corner of her mouth in a knowing smile.

    There was no longer any doubt that Shalltear Bloodfallen was the victor and Ainz Ooal Gown was the defeated.

    Shalltear patronizingly congratted the loser, who had struggled so bravely until now.

    ¡°Truly magnificent. I had to deplete my MP and use up all my skills in order to drain your MP to that level, Ainz-sama. You are to be praised forsting this long.¡±

    Shalltear tightened her grip on the Spuit Lance. Now, all that was left was to deliver the fatal blow in meleebat.

    ¡°You are correct. Thus, I shall humbly ept your praise.¡±

    Shalltear¡¯s forehead twitched.

    She was very annoyed.

    She was very annoyed at Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s nonchnce. However, in the end Shalltear managed to swallow her rising uneasiness.

    No matter how she pondered the situation, Shalltear could not think of how Ainz could turn the situation around. He had already used his ace in the hole. Thus, that was probably notposure, but the resignation of a death row convict, who had already foreseen his fate.

    Shalltear slowly closed the distance between them. Even if her enemy tried to cast a spell from a scroll, Shalltear was confident of being able to strike faster than him. Thus, there was no need to be hasty.

    Ainz did not flee, but merely stood proud where he was. She could sense his determination from his stance, and so Shalltear asked:

    ¡°Anyst words?¡±

    ¡°Well, hm... Since you felt that I was a disadvantage, that without my MP I would be nothing more than a mook... You came at me with everything you had. For that, I must thank you, Shalltear. If you had fought more carefully, things would not have gone so smoothly.¡±

    ¡°...Wha?¡±

    Shalltear doubted her ears. It would seem she had heard some nonsense.

    Ignoring Shalltear¡¯s confusion, Ainz continued evenly:

    ¡°The most crucial thing in PVP is to deceive one¡¯s enemy. For instance, pretending that you¡¯re vulnerable to holy-elemental attacks when you¡¯rergely immune to them after swapping out your gear. On the other hand, there¡¯s the fact that you¡¯re still weak against fire-elemental attacks. However... I seem to have miscalcted. I used ¡¸False Data: Life¡¹ because I thought you would use ¡¸Life Essence¡¹. It would seem that was a waste. If there is a next time, do remember to check your opponent¡¯s health. That¡¯s the difference between the theory and practice of tactics.¡±

    This was not what Shalltear wanted to hear.

    Shalltear could not understand the meaning of those words. No, she did not want to understand them.

    He did not want to admit his defeat ¡ª no, she could feel his strong will. More than that, he sounded like victory was at hand for him.

    Shalltear continued closing the distance, but the thoughts welling up inside her checked her step.

    ...Why isn¡¯t Ainz-sama backing off? As an arcane magic caster, he can¡¯t possibly beat me at this range. This must be a bluff!

    ¡°My friend Peroroncino told me a great many things when he was making you. After I came to this world, I took the liberty of memorizing everyone¡¯s information. However, aside from my ck history (Pandora¡¯s Actor), you are probably the NPC in Nazarick with whom I am the most familiar.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say... you didn¡¯t know my skills...¡±

    Ainz smiled.

    ¡°I was lying, of course. Wasn¡¯t that obvious? I thought that perhaps if I said so, you would take the bait. That¡¯s because it would be quite hard to win if you saved your Impure Shockwave Shield until the end.¡±

    The flow of blood meant nothing to the undead, but Shalltear could feel hers draining from her face. In exchange, a wave of agitation spread through her entire body.

    That was not a lie.

    Nothing he was saying here was a lie.

    Ainz Ooal Gown was standing before her without running away because he was confident of attaining victory.

    ¡°Ahhhhhhh!¡±

    Shalltear¡¯s lips parted and she wailed, the better to vent the emotions welling up inside her breast.

    Shalltear was the lion, Ainz was the rabbit, she should have been the hunter ¡ª no, that was wrong.

    This should have been a battle between lions; it was just that Shalltear had treated him as a rabbit¡ª

    The anxious and uneasy Shalltear clutched at her Spuit Lance, intending to finish this battle right away, intending to kill her foe with strike after strike, even if he fought back ¡ª

    An instant before that, the spell Ainz cast went off, and he reached into his robe.

    A clear, crisp sound rang forth.

    Shalltear could not help but doubt her eyes.

    This was impossible.

    The Spuit Lance had bounced off some kind of white metal.

    If it had been deflected by magic, Shalltear would have pressed the attack, because she knew Ainz did not have much MP left. That would simply have been his death throes. However, Shalltear froze as she beheld the scene before her.

    That pure white radiance was not the work of magic.

    ¡ªIt was from a suit of armor.

    It was a set of pure white armor, with a huge sapphire set into the breastte, which radiated a pure, holy light.

    That suit of armor was on Ainz¡¯s body, and it had repelled the thrust of the Spuit Lance.

    From his superior height, Ainz looked toward Shalltear.

    No... he was probably looking down on Shalltear.

    She was angry, of course, but Shalltear did not have the energy to spare on that, because a cold voice spoke to her:

    ¡°From the start, I too was nning to end this battle in meleebat.¡±

    ? ? ?

    There was a loud bang as a hand struck the magnificent table, which shuddered from the blow it had taken.

    The Guardians here had been watching the battle intently.

    They had struck the table several times, but this was the first time that particr person had done so.

    ¡°Impossible! That. Armor. Belongs. To. That. Supreme. Being!¡±

    ¡°...Touch Me-sama, is it?¡±

    Albedo squinted at the crystal monitor as she breathed the name of that Supreme Being.

    ¡°Correct! That. Is. Touch Me-sama¡¯s. Armor!¡±

    Cocytus seemed very excited ¡ª no, in truth, he was very excited ¡ª as he eximed.

    The pure white armor which Ainz wore belonged to one of the nine people in YGGDRASIL who possessed the ss of World Champion.

    Only the winner of the developer-sanctioned tournament could possess the ss of World Champion, and thepany awarded a special piece of equipment to the champion as a prize.

    Touch Me had chosen that suit of white armor. This specially-made armorplemented his status as a World Champion, and its abilities exceeded those of divine ss items, putting it on par with Guild Weapons. Of course, since it was a gift to the champion, only the World Champion could equip it. However¡ª

    ¡°By using the warrior transformation spell ¡ª ¡¸Perfect Warrior¡¹... it would seem... he is no longer bound by any job-rted penalties, and can make use of warrior equipment.¡±

    Demiurge¡¯s tone was filled with respect, and Albedo murmured in awe.

    ¡°To think his ns had beenid out that far in advance...¡±

    Albedo broke out in goosebumps, and she hugged herself.

    By turning into a warrior via magic, one could equip several items that would normally only be usable through specific job sses. This was a method the developers had implemented to allow yers without specific sses to make use of items such as shurikens, vajras, kasa, and other bizarre pieces of equipment. However, it would seem that spell¡¯s remit also extended to those prize items issued by the developers to World Champions.

    ¡°Astounding...To. Think. He. Actually. Thought. That. Far. Ahead... I. Am. In. Awe.¡±

    Though the battle had not yet been decided, the Guardians present were filled with iparable reverence for Ainz¡¯s cunning and wealth of experience, which had allowed him to weave such an intricate n and guide it to fruition.

    And as the Guardians watched the crystal monitor, their delight and awe growing within them, the sound of the table thumping could be heard again.

    ¡°That. Is!¡±

    Again, Cocytus raised his voice.

    <b>Part 3</b>

    ¡ªThe sound of shing metal rang forth.

    ¡°Gyaaaaah¡ª!¡±

    An unbelievable sight unfolded before Shalltear¡¯s eyes. The edge of the de cleaved into Shalltear¡¯s chest from her shoulder, until it reached her unbeating heart.

    Shalltear¡¯s crimson armor was dyed an even deeper shade of red. She scrambled back, looking at Ainz in shock.

    Ainz held a katana. It was a massive nodachi, wreathed in electrical discharges. That sword had cut through Shalltear¡¯s armor as though slicing through paper.

    Her armor was a legendary ss item. Only a rare few divine ss weapons could go through it with such ease.

    Then ¡ª there was only one answer.

    Yes.

    Ainz was holding one of those few weapons¡ª

    Shalltear screamed the name of that de as she coughed up blood.

    ¡°Takemikazuchi Mk 8!¡±

    Shalltear leaped back, avoiding the strike from the nodachi. The fact that she had jumped so far beyond the nodachi¡¯s striking range was a sign of how frightened she was of that sword.

    However, nobody would mock Shalltear for doing, even less so if they were denizens of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.

    Rather, they would have sympathetic looks on their faces, because they all feared this weapon of the Supreme Being.

    They feared the sight of this sword, named after and wielded by Warrior Takemikazuchi, one of the Forty One Supreme Beings.

    ¡°Did I not say so, Shalltear? Ainz Ooal Gown is invincible.¡±

    Ainz stepped forward, and Shalltear immediately took two steps back.

    ¡°Shalltear, you should know this. Ainz Ooal Gown is thebined power of forty one people. You had no hope of victory from the start,¡± Ainz calmly said.

    His words rang with absolute confidence and the utmost assurance.

    The dangerous battle of earlier had been like treading on thin ice, where one false step might send him to the bottom of theke. But now, Ainz had brought the battle to his enemy.

    Currently, their MP was zero, but Shalltear¡¯s HP was higher.

    However, after using ¡¸Perfect Warrior¡¹ to be a level one hundred warrior, Ainz¡¯s stats far outstripped Shalltear, who was not a pure warrior. In addition, Ainz¡¯s equipment was superior to hers.

    That meant ¡ª the unfavorable battle from earlier was a thing of the past.

    The man who had turned the tables advanced with even, steady steps.

    ¡°¡ªShalltear Bloodfallen, open your eyes and witness the might of the ruler of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, the one who gathered the Supreme Beings, and the man whom you praise with your very own mouth.¡±

    Those words were the signal for the attack.

    Ainz stepped forward and delivered an overhand strike with the nodachi.

    Shalltear leapt away, preparing to jump forward as she did. Her aim was to counterattack Ainz in the opening after he made his move. Sure enough, it was hard to be overly precise with the nodachi Takemikazuchi Type 8, much like it was with the Spuit Lance.

    The lightning-swathed Takemikazuchi Mk 8 rent the air as it swung down ¡ª and then the tip of the de halted in front of Shalltear, who was preparing to jump, before thrusting forward at incredible speeds.

    No matter how strong one was, it was very difficult to stop a full-strength blow in the middle of a swing. This was especially true when one used arge and heavy weapon.

    Yet, Ainz could do it. This was because he had not used all his force to attack. In other words, he knew that the strike would have been avoided, so he had deliberately feinted an opening.

    The continuation of that attack had also been nned out, down to which strike he would use to follow up. It was an instinctive, natural movement for a warrior.

    Ainz simply provided the bodily strength to turn it into reality.

    However, he probably would not have considered these matters had he not experiencedbat in E-Rantel. He would probably have unleashed one massive earth-shattering strike after the other, and taken Shalltear¡¯s counterattacks.

    Even after bing a level one hundred warrior, he would not have been able to fully utilize a warrior¡¯s abilities, and they would have ended up wasted. Much like driving a car, one might have a license, but there was a world of difference between someone who only had a license on paper and one who was used to driving on the open roads. Both of them could operate a car, but their reactions to sudden changes in circumstances would be drastically different.

    In other words ¡ª experience.

    During this battle with Shalltear, Ainz felt that this experience was his most potent weapon.

    ? ? ?

    It¡¯ll be hard to avoid it.

    That was what Shalltear calmly thought as she saw the tip of the swording at her, as fast as lightning. However, thrusts were a risky move. One could use the weaknesses of thrusting attacks to turn a dangerous situation into an opportunity.

    Then... it can¡¯t be helped.

    Shalltear put her hand into the path of the thrust, having decided to sacrifice her left arm.

    As the de pierced her palm, Shalltear twisted her left hand, sessfully diverting the thrust to one side.

    It did not prate her chest, but the tip of the sword still drove through her left palm, into the muscle and bone, until it was deeply buried in her left arm. In addition, the electricity surrounding the nodachi coursed through Shalltear¡¯s body.

    Though she was undead, the sensation of being savagely prated still filled Shalltear with something resembling terror, though she kept the corners of her mouth raised.

    It was a smile ¡ª not one which an injured person would make, but neither was it a brave front. After all, that was what Shalltear had intended.

    Shalltear tensed her left arm. The nodachi halted, pinned down by her muscles.

    Thrusts were maneuvers that might end up leaving one¡¯s weapon stuck in a foe¡¯s flesh should they miss their mark. Hence, they were not very practical inbat. In other words, they had a weakness. Shalltear knew that weakness, which was why she had sacrificed her left arm to force an opening in her opponent¡¯s defense.

    She could not have done so if she could not grasp the nodachi in her left hand in the instant before it impaled her ¡ª a feat which she had to perform within tenths of a second.

    ¡°You¡¯re open now!¡±

    Now that his nodachi was tied up, Ainz had no way of defending against the Spuit Lance.

    As Shalltear thrust the Spuit Lance at lightning speed, she once more beheld a startling sight.

    Ainz let go of the divine ss weapon in his hand ¡ª a magic item of the highest order ¡ª and then withdrew one of the several wooden sticks slotted at his waist.

    ¡°Hah!? Are you retarded!? How could a little stick like that block the Spuit Lance!? And then you actually let go of your divine ss weapon!? Isn¡¯t that a colossal mistake!?¡±

    Granted, not remaining attached to Warrior Takemikazuchi¡¯s divine ss weapon was a wise decision, but there was no way he could win after losing that weapon.

    With a mocking smile on her face, Shalltear vowed to make Ainz suffer more than her left hand had. She thrust the Spuit Lance with all her might ¡ª and then it was deflected, with a clear, crisp sound of metal against metal.

    ¡°Eh?¡± Shalltear eximed in surprise.

    The wooden stick was no longer in Ainz¡¯s hand, and in its ce were two kodachis, which had deflected the Spuit Lance. One was as blindingly brilliant as the sun, while the other glowed with the pure, gentle light of the moon.

    Ainz¡¯s hand ¡ª which were holding the kodachis ¡ª began smoking. It would seem that those weapons were the bane of the undead.

    ¡°You were saying something about being open, Shalltear?¡±

    ¡°Cheh! What, what¡¯s going on?¡±

    Shalltear could not feel the weight of the weapon which had pierced her left arm. It had vanished, as though it could not exist in the same world as the new weapons which Ainz had prepared. Shalltear sensed that they had returned to their original ce.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true. If you can¡¯t handle a weapon in each hand, sticking to one would be wiser...¡±

    Ainz¡¯s mumblings seemed to have been directed at someone elsewhere.

    ¡°Then, is that the case for me now?¡±

    Shalltear could not understand what he meant by those words, and after losing her bnce, the moonlit kodachi swung at her.

    The attack at her neck was a feint; the kodachi nimbly altered its course and streaked at her shoulder. It was only by the barest of margins that the Spuit Lance managed to deflect it.

    Ainz took the opportunity to close the gap with Shalltear. Since his foe was using a massive weapon, drawing nearer would make it harder for his opponent to make her move. This was the thinking of a grizzled veteran ¡ª one who was intimately familiar with that idea.

    Then, the other kodachi ¡ª the sunlit one ¡ª sliced into the gap in the Spuit Lance¡¯s defense and lightly pierced Shalltear¡¯s body.

    ¡°Aaaaaahhh!¡±

    She wailed in pain.

    Actually being stabbed did not hurt that much. The problem was the agony which came from the holy-element energy which filled her body like poison. That pain was much harder to bear.

    Ainz worked the kodachi from side to side while it was still within her, as though to saw open the wound.

    ¡°Get away from me!¡±

    The distance between Shalltear and Ainz was too narrow to use the Spuit Lance, so she kicked at him. He blocked it with a kodachi, but he could not fully resist the kick and was flung back. At this moment, Shalltear saw that Ainz¡¯s hands had released the kodachis, and they had another small stick in them.

    Then, as the stick fragmented, a huge, savage-looking gauntlet covered Ainz¡¯s hand. That gauntlet was so big that it nearly dragged on the ground from a standing position¡ª

    ¡°Take this!¡±

    ¡ªAnd as Ainz shouted, he punched her.

    Shalltear reflexively raised the Spuit Lance to defend herself, but the massive impact travelled through the Spuit Lance and washed over her entire body.

    ¡°Gugyaaah!¡±

    Shalltear yelped pathetically as she was flung backward, as though struck by a gigantic fist. The hit did not do much damage, and the Spuit Lance could block physical attacks, but the knockback effect was enough to ovee the magic items protecting her.

    She recovered her lost bnce quickly thanks to her magic items, but a fire still burned inside her head.

    ¡°How, how dare you force such a pitiful sound out of me! I¡¯ll make sure you squeal like that before I tear you apart... huh?¡±

    Her eyes shifted, and as she saw a massive globe of light, Shalltear¡¯s agitation vanished.

    That re of sunlight came from the bow Ainz had drawn. Its arrow of light were naturally targeted at Shalltear.

    ¡°No, no way, how could that be... Hou Yi¡¯s Bow?¡±

    This weapon had been named after the hero who had shot down the sun while China was still a balkanized mass of smaller countries. It was also the main weapon of the Supreme Being who had created Shalltear.

    All the Guardians were protected against ranged weapons, so they did not have to worry about simple projectiles. However, those arrows of light did not do physical damage, but elemental damage. In other words, they were counted as magic attacks, and those defenses did not apply.

    Dammit! I¡¯m out of MP! If I had some, I could defend myself with a spell! I¡¯m out of skills too! If I had known, I should have saved a few uses for... no!

    The fact that she had used up all her MP and her skill uses were all the result of their previous battle. In other words, she had followed Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s script to the letter.

    Shalltear¡¯s eyes turned bloodshot and she bellowed. This was the expression of one who had realized their mistake after the fact, and who was determined not to admit defeat.

    ¡°Damn you! How did you obtain Peroroncino-sama¡¯s weapon? Was all this part of your n? How did you prepare all these weapons? Where did you hide them? Was it a skill that activated after you broke those sticks!?¡±

    What on earth was going on here?

    It was as though the world itself was bending over backwards to help him out.

    ¡°What sort of magician would I be if I told you the secret of my tricks?¡±

    ¡°A trick!? A trick couldn¡¯t have summoned Peroroncino-sama¡¯s weapon!¡±

    ¡°...Well, that¡¯s correct. Saying so is kind of disrespectful towards him. Simply put, I was using cash items. You should understand now, right? Everything you have done until now has been dancing in the palm of my hand.¡±

    A fully charged orb of light streaked out at Shalltear. She knew it was useless, but she tried to block it with the Spuit Lance anyway ¡ª and then her surroundings were enveloped by a st of exploding brilliance.

    Shalltear tried to think as the sacred radiance scorched her entire body. Retreating was pointless, and if this went on, there was nothing she could do but let him ughter her at his leisure.

    That white armor had high defensive power, but he could not possibly be unscathed by a hit from the Spuit Lance. All she could do was count on her weapon¡¯s life-absorbing properties as she abandoned all defense and focused on an all-out attack.

    ¡°Uoooooh!¡±

    Shalltear gave voice to a battlecry that did not suit her face. A cold, clear voice responded to her:

    ¡°The odds of victory are seven to three... I trust I need not say who is who?¡±

    Ainz slowly raised an axe made of red crystal that shed a purple glow. It was a menacing-looking greataxe. As she saw this, Shalltear hesitated on whether or not to advance, but in the end she took a step forward.

    After all, there was nowhere for her to run.

    ¡°Such admirable determination. This is the endgame, Shalltear!¡±

    ? ? ?

    ¡°...Ainz-sama. Will Win.¡±

    Those words slipped out from Cocytus as he shook his head. However, Demiurge ¡ª whocked a warrior¡¯s knowledge ¡ª asked a question.

    Naturally, Demiurge was firmly convinced that his master would win. However, he needed to know more about the situation to make a logical analysis, and so he voiced the doubt in his heart.

    ¡°Why is that? Should it not take a long time to determine victory?¡±

    ¡°Shalltear. Has. Abandoned. Defense. For. An. All-out. Attack. I. Would. Have. Done. So. In. The. Same. Situation.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Ainz-sama changed his weapons one after the other ¡ª in other words, she has no idea what other weapons Ainz-sama possesses. Under these circumstances where shecks further knowledge, Shalltear would conclude that running away is a foolish option after seeing Ainz-sama¡¯s bow. Thus, all she can do is close the distance to the attack range of her Spuit Lance and fight. The fact that she can no longer use skills and magic only adds to that... at least, that is what I think.¡±

    ¡°I see. So that¡¯s how it was. After all, only you could fully grasp the weapons which the Supreme Beings did not show to us, Cocytus.¡±

    Cocytus shrugged.

    ¡°I. Only. Know. Of. Their. Effects. And. Names. But. I. Have. Not. Seen. Them. Before.¡±

    ¡°I see. I think I understand, though I am unclear on the details. In other words, now that Shalltear ismitted to an attack, Ainz-sama has brought out the axe¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªBlood-Drinking. Flesh-Eater.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Cocytus. That Blood-Drinking Flesh-Eater does not look very bnced and seems inurate. However, it should be able to strike Shalltear, who has abandoned her defense.¡±

    ¡°I. Mentioned. It. Before. But. The. Entire. Fight. Has. Gone. As. Ainz-sama. nned. I. Am. In, Awe. Of. His. Prowess.¡±

    ¡°Ainz-sama probably foresaw those developments. His insight is astounding, as expected of the one who gathered all the Supreme Beings... In all honesty, he could probably rule Nazarick easily without us. I am somewhat dissatisfied.¡±

    ¡°...His. Extraordinary Ability. As. A. Magic. Caster... No. As. A. Combatant. Is. Truly. An. Inspiration.¡±

    ¡°Still... the battle is not decided yet, no? Ainz-sama is still at a disadvantagepared to Shalltear, in terms of health.¡±

    Albedo simply smiled, because she was certain of Ainz¡¯s victory.

    ¡°There will be no problem on that ount.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°That man is Ainz Ooal Gown, our ruler and supreme leader. Since he has dered he will seize victory, there is no doubt that he will attain it.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Every attack ate away at their health.

    Shalltear¡¯s attacks restored her health, but the damage Ainz dealt with every hit was enough to negate the health that Shalltear regained. The Spuit Lance chipped away at Ainz¡¯s health, turning this into something like a game of chicken.

    Every time that axe scored a hit on Shalltear, it felt as though it would chop her armor to bits. She felt bones breaking and flesh ripping throughout her body. However, whenever she thrust hernce, which dealt bludgeoning damage thanks to a skill, she could feel bone fragmenting under her assaults.

    This feeling... Can I win with this amount of health...?

    Joy filled Shalltear¡¯s heart, as she felt that there was still a chance of victory. If they continued trading blows, that might just be the case.

    After abandoning all thoughts of defense, Shalltear had thrown herself wholeheartedly into the attack, thinking only of seeing which of them would fall first. Shalltear, so full of anxiety, finally smiled as a light appeared in the darkness.

    This was because she had been calcting the rate of her health¡¯s depletion. The more she worried, the greater her joy would be.

    ¡°Ahahahaha!¡±

    Shalltearughed as she struck and was struck in turn.

    ¡°Ahahaha! Ainz-sama! It seems you¡¯ll run out of health first! The difference in our health will be what determines victory and defeat!¡±

    And then, something dumped cold water on Shalltear¡¯s pride.

    It was a simple sentence:

    ¡°...Do you really think so?¡±

    Shalltear realised her foolishness as she heard the voice of the schemer who had run her ragged and who had controlled the progress of all the events which had unfolded thus far.

    Impossible.

    How did he intend to turn this situation around?

    Shalltear did not know how he would do it, but a third person¡¯s voice rified her doubts.

    ¡°Time¡¯s up ¡ª Momonga-oniichan!¡±

    It was a girl¡¯s voice.

    She had never heard this voice before, which seemed to be that of a woman pretending to be a child. It reminded Shalltear of a female voice she had heard before. If that woman had pitched her voice differently, it would probably have sounded like this.

    ¡°Now, what do you think ¡®Time¡¯s up¡¯ refers to?¡±

    Engrossed in trading blows and mauling her foe with her weapon, Shalltear had no idea what that question meant. A look of bafflement appeared on her pretty face.

    ¡°If everything thus far has gone as I have nned, that means, the time which has passed has also been within my calctions. Now, what do you think that watch meant when it told us that time was up?¡±

    The axe in Ainz¡¯s hands vanished, bing a pure white shield. With his matching white shield and armor, Ainz resembled a pdin of pure white.

    The shield rang crisply as it deflected the Spuit Lance¡¯s attack.

    Things being as they were, Ainz had probably turned to defense because of that female voice, but Shalltear had no idea of the reason for that. As he went on the defensive, Ainz¡¯s voice reached her ears amidst the shing of metal.

    ¡°Do I even need to say it? The battle is over, and victory has been decided.¡±

    Why? Shalltear was still at twenty five percent health. How has victory been decided, Shalltear wanted to scream, but she could not.

    ¡°...Super tier magic cannot kill you in one hit when you¡¯re at full health. Then, all I need to do is reduce your health until it can do so. And it would seem our back and forth just now has heavily depleted your health.¡±

    ¡°...Ahhh, ah, ahhhhhhhh¡ª¡±

    Shalltear desperately attacked, trying to shut her opponent up and block out the knowledge of her impending defeat.

    The shes of metal against metal rang out continuously, the interval between them less than a tenth of a second. Shalltear¡¯s continuous attacksshed at Ainz like a storm.

    However, Ainz neatly blocked them, with unimaginable speed. So skillful was he that it seemed that he could stand beneath a great waterfall and not get wet. As he effortlessly blocked the attacks against him, he continued:

    ¡°...It¡¯s true that I am inferior in terms of pure fighting ability... but my magical defense is superior. Then ¡ª you should understand what I¡¯m getting at, right? I¡¯m about to make my move, Shalltear. All you can do is pray that I miscalcted.¡±

    ¡°Kuuuuuuuhhhhh¡ª!¡±

    ? ? ?

    Knowing that defeat was at hand, Shalltear continued her frenzied string of attacks. Though her features were distorted, her looks were not diminished.

    In the face of that, Ainz made his final gambit.

    Despite what he had told Shalltear, his n had not gone as smoothly as he had intended.

    To begin with, super tier magic was like a skill, and did not consume MP. However, it was still a form of magic, and he could not ess it when transformed into a warrior.

    Once he dispelled the warrior transformation magic, he would not be able to equip his armor and shield and they would fall off him. That would make it very difficult for him to resist Shalltear¡¯s attacks. If she decided to use a skill of some sort, he might not be able to secure a victory through HP damage with super tier magic.

    That would spell defeat for him.

    However, he had no other way to win.

    Ainz briefly went over the timing of his actions. First, he would dispel the warrior transformation, and then he would use a cash item.

    He smiled.

    He had never been this profligate in the use of cash items before, even when PVPing in YGGDRASIL. This was the difference between a game and reality ¡ª between entertainment and survival.

    Now!

    He blocked Shalltear¡¯s full-tilt attack with his friend¡¯s shield, and then he red at her.

    He dispelled the warrior transformation, and cast the super tier spell.

    The same magic circle appeared around him as before, and he prepared to break the hourss-like cash item¡ª

    ¡ªAnd then he suddenly hesitated.

    This was because a wave of guilt flooded through him; guilt at murdering an NPC which his friend had painstakingly created.

    His hesitation was a fatal mistake.

    Shalltear did not miss that opening. She noticed the item in Ainz¡¯s hand and thrust her Spuit Lance, enhanced with a skill. Her n was to destroy Ainz¡¯s hand.

    Having dispelled his warrior transformation, Ainz could not possibly avoid Shalltear¡¯s attack¡ª

    ? ? ?

    ¡ªAnd then she felt something.

    Just as the Spuit Lance was about to destroy the item, she felt something on her spine. That was clearly hostility.

    Someone hostile had appeared beside Shalltear, so obviously that she could not ignore it.

    Shalltear averted her eyes from Ainz to see who that enemy was.

    And then ¡ª she found that there was nobody there.

    Ainz¡¯s spell had created a two hundred meter-wide expanse of desert. Nobody else was there beside Shalltear and Ainz. The hostility she had felt just now was nowhere to be found, as though she had been daydreaming¡ª

    ¡°Not good!¡± Shalltear eximed as she came to her senses, but by then it was already toote.

    The hourss shattered, reducing the casting time of the spell to zero.

    ¡°¡¸Fallen Down¡¹.¡±

    With those words, a brilliant sh erupted between them and swallowed up everything.

    Shalltear could feel her body disintegrating in the incredible heat.

    Her carbonized right arm crumbled to dust, while the Spuit Lance slowly fell to what was probably the ground in this bleached-white world. Her face was shrivelled up from the iing heat, and all she could see before her was whiteness.

    Her throat was dried up too ¡ª in fact, she did not know if her throat had also been incinerated ¡ª so it was difficult to speak. Still, there was one thing she had to say. Shalltear Bloodfallen marshalled thest reserves of her vitality to give praise:

    ¡°...Ah, long live Ainz Ooal Gown-sama. Truly, you are the mightiest of Nazarick¡¯s Supreme Beings.¡±

    This was her sincere respect for the almighty one who had gathered the Forty One Supreme Beings. The heatwave seemed to burn away her bindings, and though her body could not move, she felt unimaginably free.

    Someone who should not have been there appeared in Shalltear¡¯s vanishing consciousness. That someone was the person that had allowed this victory to take ce.

    The undead could ignore just about any form of mind-affecting effect. However, there were certain abilities that produced simr effects, but which were not counted as mind-affecting. That person had used such an ability.

    Shalltear smiled, and said:

    ¡°...Shorty.¡±

    Thus satisfied, Shalltear vanished into a world of white.

    ? ? ?

    Aura dispelled her skill ¡¸Sky Eye¡¹, and her puckered pink lips returned to their original shape. There was a look of annoyance on her face as she began scolding someone who was not there.

    ¡°You dummy... how could you let yourself get mind controlled, even though you were undead? That¡¯s just so stupid of you.¡±

    ¡°What, what¡¯s wrong, Onee-chan?¡±

    ¡°Hm? Nothing.¡±

    Mare looked where Aura had been looking, but since he was deep in the forest, all he could see in any direction was trees. Still, he could tell what Aura was looking at from the way she was facing.

    She should have been observing the battle between Shalltear and her master.

    His big sister Aura could use a ranger skill to expand her field of vision to about two kilometers. This was why he and his sister were standing watch over the surroundings with the help of the Eyeball Corpses.

    ¡°Th-Then, has the battle been decided?¡±

    ¡°Mm. Ainz-sama won, hands down.¡±

    ¡°That, that¡¯s what I thought too.¡±

    The form of Ainz-sama ¡ª a being that not even the strongest Guardian could defeat ¡ª appeared in Mare¡¯s mind. It was a sensible conclusion; how could the one who led the Supreme Beings be defeated?

    ¡°Then, Onee-chan, should, should we go collect Shalltear¡¯s equipment?¡±

    Aura considered what she had seen before terminating her skill.

    ¡°Ainz-sama should have recovered it all. We¡¯ll fall back as instructed.¡±

    ¡°Mm.¡±

    Mare knew his sister was in a bad mood, so he said nothing else, but obediently acknowledged hermands.

    Aura¡¯s best friend had been mind-controlled, and made to point hernce at the beloved master to whom they had all sworn their loyalty. While her execution was the expected oue of such a course of action, she still felt upset about it.

    <b>Part 4</b>

    He opened the name list in the Throne Room, and as expected, the space which should have contained Shalltear¡¯s name was nk. This verified that Shalltear was dead, and so phase one of the n was concluded.

    Ainz¡¯s heart ached. While he knew that there was no other way, the fact that he had personallymitted and witnessed the act filled him with guilt.

    In his heart, Ainz apologized to Shalltear. Then he gulped, and turned to the gathered Guardians.

    ¡°Then, the next step will be to resurrect Shalltear. Albedo, pay attention to Shalltear¡¯s name. If she remains mind-controlled as before...¡±

    ¡°Ainz-sama, though I may overstep myself, I propose that you should allow us to deal with it ourselves.¡±

    Cocytus and Aura immediately agreed with Demiurge¡¯s words, while Mare despondently agreed as well. Only Albedo remained unmoved.

    ¡°Demiurge...¡±

    Demiurge¡¯s passionate words interrupted Ainz¡¯s mumbling.

    ¡°We are fully aware that your orders are to be respected above all else, Ainz-sama. We will grind ourselves to dust in order to obey them. However, as your loyal servants, we cannot allow you to be ced into danger once more, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Demiurge¡¯s gaze shifted from Ainz to Albedo.

    ¡°If Shalltear betrays you once more, then we shall eliminate her as your Guardians. We pray that you will watch us do so, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Now that he understood the Guardians¡¯ intentions, Ainz could not offer any further resistance.

    ¡°I understand. Guardians, if Shalltear betrays us once more, you may deal with her as you see fit.¡±

    The Guardians nodded in acknowledgement.

    Ainz felt miserable as he watched them.

    What a pathetic excuse for a master he was.

    Even after going this far, he still had to let his beloved children kill each other.

    The root cause of it all was his foolishness. It was all his fault.

    Ainz wanted to sigh, but as he saw the gentle expression on Albedo¡¯s face as she stood to the side, he decided to swallow it.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, all you need to do is stand aside and watch. To whom should we pledge our loyalty if the final Supreme Being vanishes? Though we will not have been abandoned, we will still be lonely if all the Supreme Beings are gone.¡±

    ¡°...Indeed. It¡¯s very lonely to not have anyone by your side.¡±

    Ainz¡¯s eyes had unconsciously turned to the the gs hanging within the Throne Room, his gaze resting on the emblems above his head.

    ¡°...Yes, you¡¯re right... It must have been that way in the Treasury too... What a fool I was.¡±

    After muttering to himself, Ainz turned to face the Guardians.

    ¡°Protect me, Guardians. It begins now!¡±

    Their spirited replies washed over Ainz as he grabbed the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown that floated in the air beside him, and turned it toward a corner of the Throne Room.

    There was a mountain of gold coins there, about five hundred million of them. That was the sum needed to recall Shalltear to life.

    Normally, he would have needed to use the keyboard to perform the necessary operations, but he now knew that it was no longer necessary.

    The mountain of gold changed shape, from a solid to a liquid.

    Watched by the Guardians, the molten gold formed a river, which flowed to the same ce. Ten thousand tons of goldpacted and shrank, taking a humanoid shape that finally resolved itself into the form of a golden puppet, and its golden glow slowly weakened.

    Soon, the golden glow had vanishedpletely, leaving white, waxy skin and tinum blonde hair. There was no doubt that the person before him was Shalltear Bloodfallen.

    ¡°Albedo!¡±

    Ainz kept his eyes fixed on Shalltear as he bellowed Albedo¡¯s name.

    ¡°Please be at ease. It seems the mind control has been terminated.¡±

    ¡°Is that so...¡±

    Ainz unconsciously touched his chest in response to the powerful sense of relief flooding him. The gesture calmed his spirit. Then, he reached into his pocket dimension and retrieved a ck cloak, before he strode over to the supine Shalltear.

    Her eyes were tightly shut, and her chest was not moving. Shey quietly on the ground, like a corpse. Still, the undead were essentially animated corpses, so that was hardly unusual.

    Something unusual¡ª

    The chest he had just seen was so t that it hardly seemed to belong to a girl, but to a boy. Not knowing where to put his eyes, Ainz¡¯s gaze left her chest and looked elsewhere.

    The freshly resurrected Shalltear was naked (of course), so he had no idea where he should be looking. Ainz was so panicked that he forgot that all he had to do was look elsewhere.

    His vision had sharpened greatly from when he was a human being, so he could see certain ces very clearly.

    Shalltear¡¯s body was carelessly disyed, and her thighs were slightly parted¡ª

    ¡ªAinz hurriedly threw the ck cape over her.

    The cape spread in mid-air, settling perfectly on Shalltear and covering her entire body.

    It¡¯s not like I regret doing that! I¡¯m undead, so I have no sexual desires! No, that should be, almost no sexual desires. I was looking at Shalltear¡¯s body because I was simply curious about whether or not she was designed with parts under her clothing. You¡¯d never be able to take off all your clothes in YGGDRASIL anyway, so that¡¯s why I took a peek. That¡¯s right, it¡¯s not because I was wondering if she had hair down there or anything!

    As Ainz tried to exin his actions to... someone, he approached Shalltear, feeling somewhat helpless. Perhaps the reason why he took so long to reach her was because he wanted to cool down his overheating head.

    Also, he deliberately ignored the female voice behind him saying, ¡°If you are interested, I have no objection to disying myself for your viewing pleasure.¡±

    As Ainz stood before her, Shalltear¡¯s crimson eyes opened, as though sensing the presence of someone nearby. She blinked sleepily and looked around, finally resting her gaze on Ainz.

    ¡°Ainz-sama?¡±

    She sounded like she was groggy from having just woken up. However, he could hear the loyalty in her voice. Although Albedo and Nazarick¡¯s administration system had already verified her allegiance, Ainz was delighted to confirm it with his own ears, and he knelt down to embrace Shalltear.

    ¡°Uh, ueeh?¡±

    It was hard to believe that such a slender body possessed such startling physical abilities.

    Ainz paid no heed to Shalltear, who was babbling in a thoroughly baffled way, and tightened his grip on her.

    ¡°Wonderful... no, I¡¯m sorry. This was all my fault...¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ah, I¡¯m not sure what happened, but I¡¯m certain that you couldn¡¯t have made a mistake, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Shalltear¡¯s ice-cold hands returned the embrace. They were vaguely ufortable, given that she seemed to be trying to grope him, but Ainz did not stop her, because she was probably trying to verify her sense of touch after her resurrection. He pretended that he did not hear her saying, ¡°Ah, shall I have my first time here...¡±

    However, Albedo immediately made her displeasure known.

    ¡°...Ainz-sama, I believe Shalltear is tired, so we should leave her be for now.¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    Perhaps there was a penalty for resurrecting NPCs, just as there was for yers. After all, this was the first resurrection ever sinceing to this world.

    ¡°Tell me the detailster. Before that, I have some questions.¡±

    After Ainz let go of Shalltear, a look of disappointment crossed Shalltear¡¯s face and she red sharply at Albedo. Albedo responded with her usual smile. He thought they would continue staring at each other as usual, but Shalltear averted her eyes instead.

    ¡°Yes, do ask me whatever you desire... right, Ainz-sama, why am I in the Throne Room? Then, there¡¯s the matter of my body, and your treatment of me, Ainz-sama. Have I caused any trouble?¡±

    ¡°I was about to ask you that. Do you remember anything that happened?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes.¡±

    ¡°...Sorry. Shalltear, tell me thest thing you remember.¡±

    Shalltear¡¯s most recent memory was five days ago. She had no impression of what had happened after that, until now.

    Ainz could have used the tenth tier spell ¡¸Control Amnesia¡¹ like he had at Carne Vige, but even altering short stretches of memory would require a massive amount of MP. The staggering amount of MP needed to affect five day¡¯s worth of memories was beyond the limit of ordinary magic casters. Not even Ainz and his extraordinary MP regeneration rates could do it.

    Of course, the resurrection process might be such that NPCs lost their memories of the past few days. Alternately, perhaps several people might have gathered to do it.

    Hecked information at the present moment, so he could not solve that mystery.

    Still, he could be sure that whoever had used the World ss Item on Shalltear had gone silent, vanishing without a trace.

    It¡¯s quite troublesome when I don¡¯t know who¡¯s acting behind the scenes. The enemy might be waiting for a chance to strike at Nazarick... no, perhaps I should be d that this incident didn¡¯t escte... In any case, I¡¯ll make sure I thoroughly avenge myself on whoever did this to Nazarick.

    Ainz quelled the anger which even his undead traits could not fully suppress, and gently asked Shalltear:

    ¡°Are there any other problems with your body?¡±

    If this world was like YGGDRASIL, then there should not have been anything else. The NPCs should not have lost levels, but he was unsure if the same applied to this world as well. For all he knew, the NPCs would lose levels, just like yer characters would.

    Shalltear felt herself up before answering Ainz:

    ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    After Shalltear answered, a look of shock came over her face. Not knowing what was wrong, Ainz felt uneasiness welling up inside him.

    ¡°Ainz-sama!¡±

    ¡°What happened!? What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°My chest is gone.¡±

    The faces of the Guardians twisted as they heard this, with expressions of We want our concern back written all over them. Even Demiurge had his teeth bared.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know what you did? How could you say something like that!?¡±

    As Albedo delivered a rebuke on everyone¡¯s behalf, Shalltear¡¯s shoulders trembled in fright.

    Ainz had gone so limp that his hands were about to drag on the floor. All he could do was watch Shalltear argue with the other Guardians, and ponder various questions about resurrection.

    In particrly, he hoped that Clementine and Khazit, who he had met in the graveyard, would also lose their memories after resurrection, as Shalltear had.

    Still, that was just being optimistic.

    Since he did not know why Shalltear had lost her memories, he could not guarantee that their resurrection through magic would be the same as resurrecting an NPC through money.

    Just as Ainz was thinking about these things, Shalltear had already begun tearing up under Albedo¡¯s one-sided torrent of abuse.

    As Ainz watched the scene before him, he recalled a scene from the past.

    ? ? ?

    He saw Bukubukuchagama (the elder sister) scolding Peroroncino (her younger brother), and the rest of his smiling guildmates.

    The NPCs before him were like his pastrades.

    ? ? ?

    Ainz slowly reached a hand out, and then stopped in mid-air. It felt as though an invisible wall of ss was blocking him.

    A profound sense of loneliness filled Ainz¡¯s heart.

    It felt as though the memories of the warm ce where the Guardians existed was little more than an image on a monitor ¡ª and he was on the other side.

    If he stepped into it, they would pledge their loyalty to him. That was a form of awe, and not the warmth he had felt when he had been with his friends.

    He felt that it was a terrible shame.

    Just as Ainz¡¯s hand fell powerlessly, Albedo turned around ¡ª as though sensing something strange about Ainz ¡ª and watched him quietly. Baffled by why she was looking at him that way, Ainz was about to ask what was wrong when the mes in his eyes suddenly red up.

    That was because Albedo was gently holding her hand out to him. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Ainz took her hand, and thus he was pulled into the circle of the Guardians.

    Albedo was the first to speak, and then the other Guardians followed suit.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, please reprimand Shalltear sternly.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right! Please give this dummy a good scolding!¡±

    ¡°Indeed. She. Needs. A. Stern. Lesson.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll remember Ainz-sama¡¯s words of wisdom, won¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Al-Although, maybe it would be better not to be too strict... er, erm...¡±

    ¡°¡ªHa, hahaha.¡±

    Ainz could not keep hisughter from escaping his mouth despite the baffled looks from the Guardians around him. No, thatughter did not juste from his mouth, but from his heart.

    After he was satisfied, Ainz silently turned back to Shalltear.

    ¡°I have told Albedo before, but the fault for this does not lie with you, Shalltear. It is I ¡ª who possessed all this information but did not consider the possibility of this happening ¡ª who most deserves to be rebuked for this. Shalltear, you did nothing wrong. Remember that.¡±

    ¡°Thank, thank you, Ainz-sama!¡±

    ¡°Demiurge, you will be in charge of exining what happened to Shalltear. Can you do that?¡±

    Demiurge bowed to show that he understood.

    ¡°Ah, then there¡¯s the matter of Sebas¡ª¡±

    ¡°He will be bait.¡±

    As Ainz calmly proposed using one of his subordinates as bait, the Guardians merely nodded, with the attitude a proper minion should have. They were simply prioritizing the considerations of the master of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick over the life of their colleague.

    ¡°I am not entirely willing to do this, but it cannot be helped... I do not know why Shalltear was targeted, but if the opposition is looking for a new victim, they might well decide on Sebas, who was travelling with her. This was why I did not call him back to receive a World ss Item... Albedo, select a few ndestine operatives to keep an eye on Sebas and his surroundings... He might be bait, but I do not intend to allow Sebas to be so easily taken. Inform these observers that their mission also includes preventing the enemy from approaching Sebas.¡±

    After issuing his orders, Ainz narrowed his eyes ¡ª in other words, the mes in his eye sockets grew dim.

    ...Someday I shall meet the person who used a World ss Item on Shalltear. When that dayes, I shall return the favor with interest!

    ¡°Understood. I will select the appropriate personnel as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°Please do. Thanks to Shalltear, we now know that NPCs can be resurrected, but I do not wish to kill any of the NPCs my friends created again.¡±

    Moved by those words, the Guardians lowered their heads. They had probably sensed how much Ainz valued them. However, since he had actually voiced those feelings, the effect on them had been that much greater.

    Shalltear seemed to have realized something had happened to her. A look of shock crossed her face, which soon turned into one of utmost regret.

    Ainz gestured that she did not need to take it to heart. Just then, a voice came from the side.

    ¡°Ah, then, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°What is it, Mare?¡±

    ¡°Erm, ah, should... should I remove all traces of the battle?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. Did you know? When one breaks a spell-sealing crystal, it releases powerful energy, enough to level the surroundings.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Is, is that so?¡±

    ¡°...My apologies. It¡¯s a lie, of course. What is false is true and what is true is false. Magic-sealing crystals seem to be rare items, so nobody should be able to test that. Albedo, put a few scratches on the item Nigun was using. Then, we¡¯ll need to have the cksmith build some damaged armor and put some scorch marks on it, so it looks like it went through an intense battle.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    ¡°In addition, perhaps I have been too careless so far, which allowed hidden enemies around Nazarick to harm us. Thus, I wish to initiate a program to strengthen Nazarick. Part of that is to use my skills to create an undead army. I think I¡¯ve mentioned that before... hm? Did I only tell Albedo about that? Forget that. In any case, this will be my top priority. I would like to make some preparations to recover corpses from E-Rantel which can be used to make an undead army.¡±

    ¡°About that, Ainz-sama...¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Albedo?¡±

    ¡°If I am not wrong, when you use a human corpse as a medium for making undead, the undead thus created are quite weak, despite being mid-tier. Is that correct?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Is there a problem?¡±

    The most powerful undead he could make with the corpses of the Sunlight Scripture were level forty. Beyond that, the undead would vanish with the passage of time, along with the corpses that served as their medium.

    ¡°In truth, after receiving that order, I had considered ways of obtaining fresh corpses. Perhaps you could consider using non-human corpses?¡±

    ¡°...I trust you do not intend to use the corpses of Nazarick¡¯s vassals?¡±

    ¡°No, that is absolutely not my intention. I was thinking of using other demihumans.¡±

    Albedo smiled. It was a stunningly beautiful ¡ª and terribly cruel ¡ª smile.

    ¡°Aura discovered a Lizardman vige. What do you think of attacking and destroying them?¡±

 Chapter 21 - Volume 3

    <h4>Overlord Volume 3 Epilogue</h4>

    <b>Epilogue</b>

    Perote, the leader of the mithril ranked adventurer team ¡°Tenrou,¡± opened the doors to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.

    The adventurers there looked at him with admiring eyes.

    Perote was used to this sort of thing. However, the reception seemed more subdued that it had been a month ago.

    Well, it can¡¯t be helped.

    He turned his eyes to the noticeboard. Regretfully, there were almost no mithril ranked requests.

    Granted, jobs which only mithril ranked adventurers could do were quite rare. However, the reason for this dearth of requests was not because there were few of them to begin with, but because there was an adventurer who could swiftly tackle requests of mithril rank and up.

    ¡°...Momon-san, huh.¡±

    Perote sounded like he wasining when he said that name.

    About a month ago, that man had in a powerful Vampire.

    He had not personally witnessed that intense battle, but one could imagine what had happened after seeing the remains of that battlefield. Thus, he had not been surprised to learn that Kralgra ¡ª an adventurer team of the same rank as Perote¡¯s own ¡ª had been annihted in the crossfire.

    No, anyone who joined that battle would have been killed for certain.

    The exploding magic crystal had scorched thend ck, and it had even reduced some ces to a desert. The startling thing was that it had to be done to defeat that Vampire. And then¡ª

    ¡°¡ªThey survived...¡±

    Not only had they survived, but they had seized victory. It was only natural for Perote to consider these people ¡ª who had returned safely from a battle with a Vampire, a monster that Perote himself could not defeat ¡ª to be even greater monsters.

    The change in his tone from just now was because Momon was powerful enough topel respect from him.

    Just as he was fantasizing about that sort of absolute might, he heard the sound of the door opening. A wave ofmotion swept through the guild like a gust of wind.

    Perote vaguely understood the reason for that disturbance, and turned his eyes in the same reaction as everyone was looking. There, he saw the person he had been expecting.

    It was the talk of the town, the ¡°Dark Hero,¡± Momon.

    He had two greatswords on his back, and a beautiful girl behind him.

    ¡°There¡¯s a lot of adamantite on the front of his armor... how much did it cost, anyway?¡±

    The nickname of ¡°Dark Hero¡± came from that suit of incredibly high-end full te armor, which had been heavily damaged when he came back from that battlefield. Back then, there had been scorch and w marks everywhere, but now that suit of armor was pristine. It glittered brightly under the rays of the sun.

    This was the result of thebined efforts of every magic caster in the Magician¡¯s Guilding together to repair it.

    At his neck hung a metal te ¡ª one that belonged to a living legend, an object of worship for adventurers, the trump card of humanity that would protect them from being ravaged by the powerful races of the world ¡ª an adamantite te.

    His aplishments had long surpassed those of the orichalcum rank, and there had never been one of those in E-Rantel before.

    And now, this individual, famed in song and story, had appeared before them, stirring the Adventurer¡¯s Guild into a frenzy.

    ¡°The Kingdom¡¯s third adamantite adventurer team...¡±

    ¡°That must be... the ¡®Dark Hero¡¯ Momon, right? ...And behind him is the ¡®Beautiful Princess,¡¯ Nabe. The rumors were right about her looks...¡±

    ¡°You know, they say he was responsible for burning down that swath of forest... apparently, he did it with some kind of martial art...¡±

    ¡°No way, how could that be... if he could use martial arts to burn it down, wouldn¡¯t that mean he¡¯s no longer human?¡±

    ¡°He should be one of the few people who could do it, right? Adamantite ranked adventurers are those who define the peak of power. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if people called him the adamantite rank of adamantite ranks.¡±

    Momon advanced calmly to the counter under these adoring looks. The adventurers chatting with the guild receptionists all made way for the most highly-ced of adventurers, and on their faces was respect ¡ª and fear.

    Momon nonchntly addressed the receptionist.

    ¡°Our assignment isplete. Please help us keep an eye out for any new jobs.¡±

    The guild receptionist¡¯s eyes went wide, but they returned to their normal shape immediately. Perote knew why her eyes had widened. The task Momon had epted was one which even mithril ranked adventurers would have trouble aplishing, and which would need quite a while toplete. However, Momon and his partner had cleared it with ease.

    Indeed, he could clear even mithril ranked missions with ease.

    This was only to be expected, because such were the talents of the most highly-ranked adventurers.

    ¡°There¡¯s no work left for us.¡±

    Perote let that grumble slip, but of course, he did not actually mean it. Anyone who could reach the mithril rank would have made enough money to retire and live in luxury for the rest of their lives. Thus, anyone who continued adventuring after this must have had a reason for that beyond money.

    ¡°Ah, Momon-sama. I am very sorry, but we do not have any other jobs for you, Momon-sama. Please forgive us.¡±

    The receptionist rose to her feet and bowed deeply to him.

    ¡°Is that so¡ª¡±

    Momon seemed about to say something else, but then he froze halfway. Several secondster, he spoke again:

    ¡°¡ªI see. That¡¯s good, because I just remembered something I had to do. I¡¯ll be returning to the inn; if there¡¯s anything, look for me there. Do you know where I¡¯m staying?¡±

    ¡°I do. Is it the Shining Gold Pavilion?¡±

    Ainz nodded, then flourished his crimson cape as he turned and walked away.

    Perote had heard the sound of Momon speaking from his side, but because his voice was too soft, Perote could not make out the details.

    What Perote had failed to hear was Ainz¡¯s order to his distant subordinates to demonstrate their matchless military might.

    ¡°Order Gargantua to move out, and summon Victim as well. Once Cocytus returns, we will bear witness to a rare event ¡ª all the Floor Guardians will move out as one.¡±

 Chapter 22 - Volume 3

    <h4>Overlord Volume 3 Afterword</h4>

    It¡¯s been about four months since the previous volume, and I¡¯m d I could speak with everyone again. I am the author, Maruyama Kugane.

    How did everyone find ¡°Overlord 3 ¨C The Bloody Valkyrie?¡± I would be d if you enjoyed it.

    Still, how shall I continue writing from now on? That same questiones up every time. My experiences arergely limited to thepany and my home, so I¡¯m not confident of writing anything interesting. Thus, I shall disclose my schedule for the past four months.

    First, I spent about a month writing the manuscript, then handed it to the editor-sama for checking. Then the corrected manuscript came back to me for further changes. This process took about a month toplete.

    The manuscript then went to Proofreader-san, who bullies me~ But after his feedback and my corrections to the manuscript, whichst about one and a half months, the work is finallyplete.

    In this way, it took a total of about three months or so to write ¡°The Bloody Valkyrie¡±.

    There¡¯s about a month of free time between thepletion of the manuscript and publishing. I divide this time by four and spent it updating the WN version every month.

    My work at mypany is very rxed, so I cane home early. I could actually force myself to proofread too, but people who need toe backte every night end up sleeping less, so they won¡¯t even get that month of free time. It¡¯s rough for them.

    ...Although, how on earth do those authors put out a new book every three months? Someone, please teach me how they do it.

    Then, I shall express my thanks next.

    Thank you very much to so-bin-sama, the people of Chord Design Studio, Ohaku-sama, and F-da-sama. Without your support, this work would not have been possible.

    Honey, thanks for your feedback. I changed it immediately.

    And also, to all those of you who bought this book, thank you very much. If you have any opinions or feedback, you can use a postcard (you¡¯ll need to pay postage yourself, sorry about that), or you can just write on the website if you¡¯re a WN reader. I will be very grateful.

    After that, the next volume... it¡¯ll be solely focused on the Lizardmen. Nothing would delight me more than to receive your continued support!

    See you around,

    2013/3

    Maruyama Kugane

 Chapter 23 - Volume 4

    <h4>Overlord Volume 4 Prologue</h4>

    <b>Prologue</b>

    ¡°Wee back, Ainz-sama.¡±

    It had been two weeks since he hadst returned to his room, but the words which followed next sent a shiver through his bones.

    ¡°Would you like dinner? A bath? Or ¡ª would ¡ª you ¡ª like ¡ª me??¡±

    For a moment, Ainz imagined that he saw several pink hearts wafting out from behind Albedo.

    ¡°...What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m ying newlyweds, Ainz-sama. I¡¯ve heard people say that this is the best way for a newly-wedded wife to greet her husband after he returns from a business trip with his pet. Do you like it?¡±

    So this was why she had not met him directly at the surface when he returned. He was a man without a girlfriend, much less a wife, but just as he was about to coldly retort, ¡°Who cares?¡± he swallowed those words. He had his pride as a male to consider, and he wanted to protect his image.

    Besides, what sort of answer was she expecting when she asked, ¡°Do you like it?¡±

    Despite hisck of confidence, he put on an attitude which seemed to say, All is within the palm of my hand, and replied in a way which should probably not cause too many problems.

    ¡°That was quite a charming wee, Albedo.¡±

    Albedo smiled and replied, ¡°That is good to hear, kufufufu~¡±

    As Ainz saw her smile seductively, he lowered his stance and prepared himself for battle.

    He sensed something like a venomous snake slithering up his spine.

    There was a bestial lust hidden in Albedo¡¯s eyes ¡ª most likely the source of that slithering sensation. Those eyes were deadly serious. If he had replied, ¡°I¡¯ll have you, of course,¡± even in jest, there was no doubt that the superpredator before him wouldtch onto that and savagely pounce him. The words ¡°reverse rape¡± even came to mind.

    While he had little in the way of a sex drive, the remnants of his human personality seemed to be responding to Albedo¡¯s mood, telling him to see what would happen next. His still-undiminished curiosity only added to that feeling.

    Stop that, you moron.

    It was not exactly self-control, but Ainz used something simr ¡ª something which would have been impossible had he not been undead ¡ª to force himself to ignore the subtext of Albedo¡¯s words.

    Still, something like disgust welled up from somewhere within Ainz¡¯s heart. Before he had been transported to this New World, he had altered Albedo¡¯s backstory, writing that ¡°she loved him¡± in jest. He had been using her and that twisted personality of hers, without going the next step with her.

    But it¡¯s gone... What can I do about that? It¡¯s not as though a rtionship between a man and a woman can progress through a meeting of minds... Is that why I¡¯m afraid of taking the next step?

    Ainz ¡ª a virgin who had never dated a girl before ¡ª pondered that problem.

    At the same time, another thought came to mind. The NPCs made by his former friends could be considered to be their children. How could he stain those precious offspring and let them carry on with warped minds?

    Idiot, now¡¯s not the time to be thinking about that sort of thing.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Albedo¡¯s sudden yelp caused the fiery points in Ainz¡¯s eyes to re.

    ¡°What, what is it, Albedo? Did something happen?¡±

    ¡°How embarrassing. I, I heard that a newlywed wife ought to wee her husband home while dressed in her final decisive battle attire (a naked apron)...¡±

    With that, Albedo looked down at her dress and her face turned pink. Then she replied:

    ¡°If you wish, I shall immediately...¡±

    Her voice was quiet, but he could hear it very clearly. She sneaked peeks at Ainz as she continued, ¡°...Change in front of you, Ainz-sama...¡±

    ¡°Ah... yes... ahem! Really... haaa. Listen, Albedo, that¡¯s enough clowning around for now. It¡¯s time for the intelligence briefing.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡±

    With some reluctance ¡ª though he was not sure where exactly said reluctance stemmed from ¡ª Ainz forced himself to ignore Albedo¡¯s temptation and sat himself down on his chair. Then, he tossed three pouches onto the table. He then dictated instructions to Albedo, who had changed modes from an eager newlywed to an efficient secretary.

    ¡°This is the money I earned in E-Rantel. Use it for experiments.¡±

    The three pouches looked different from each other. Thergest of them appeared to be on the verge of bursting, and it was filled with the silver and copper pieces Ainz had earned during his time as an adventurer.

    ¡°Understood. I shall see if these funds can be used to summon monsters or activate Nazarick¡¯s defense systems.¡±

    ¡°Please take care of that. Also, see if we can use them to make items, such as scrolls and so on.¡±

    Ainz¡¯s eyes turned away from Albedo, whose head was deeply lowered. Then he looked back towards the pouches with a prayerful expression in his eyes.

    The gold pieces which one obtained in YGGDRASIL could be used to buy magic items, but they could also be used for guild base maintenance fees. For instance, they could be used to summon monsters of above level thirty ¡ª which did not naturally respawn, or ¡°pop¡± ¡ª as catalysts for the use of certain spells, in the creation of magic items, resurrecting dead NPCs, and so on.

    He had already verified that YGGDRASIL coins could be used in this world. However, he had not made sure that the currency of this world could also be used within Nazarick. He was particrly curious about whether silver and copper coins could be utilized, since YGGDRASIL only had gold coins.

    It would not be an exaggeration to say that the results of that experiment might determine the future of Nazarick. If the money in this world could be used in the same way as YGGDRASIL gold coins, it might greatly affect their future ns. After all, it would dramatically change the importance of earning money.

    In fact, under certain circumstances, a situation might arise where the earning ofrge quantities of currency became essential. In contrast, if currency from this world could not be used, then the wealth within the Treasury would be an irreceable resource, and unnecessary expenses would have to be minimized.

    ¡°Also, about Clementine¡ª¡±

    As Ainz spoke the name of the missing corpse, his nonexistent brows wrinkled.

    His error in judgement had resulted in the disappearance of that girl, who knew quite a few things about him. There was no telling if she had been resurrected or if she had told what she knew to others. Unease welled up in Ainz¡¯s heart.

    There were many potential enemies to be wary of, but he had learned nothing about them, and he had even revealed information about himself by ident.

    If this news reached the ears of any of my friends who ended up in this world... but I shouldn¡¯t count on that sort of luck. I need to be more careful from now on. In any case, the most important thing now is to decide what I should do about the Momon identity.

    If anyone came after him, they would being after Momon. However, Momon was a stepping stone for him at the moment, and it would be a shame to discard him. The time had not yete to reveal that Ainz was Momon.

    I¡¯ll have to see how things go...

    No matter how hard he thought, his contemtions only led him to a dead end with no answers. Therefore, he decided to put his problems aside for now and think no more on it.

    ¡°I might as well order Pandora¡¯s Actor to put one of that woman¡¯s des into the Treasury¡¯s shredder and see what happens.¡±

    ¡°The shredder?¡±

    It was only when he heard Albedo¡¯s surprised voice that Ainz recalled the proper name of that item.

    ¡°That would be the Exchange Box. Someone with merchant-type skills can get better prices when using it. Order Pandora¡¯s Actor to take Nearata-san¡¯s form and use his skill.¡±

    After seeing that Albedo had nodded in acknowledgement, Ainz unfurled the scroll he was holding onto his desk.

    ¡°Also, it took some effort to obtain it, but this is a map of the world which I acquired in E-Rantel.¡±

    ¡°This is... I see.¡±

    Ainz understood why Albedo¡¯s brows had furrowed ever so slightly, because the details of the map before them were terribly vague.

    ¡°I understand why you¡¯re unhappy. After all, this map only covers a small portion of the surrounding world. The scale was haphazardly written and manyndmarks are not recorded either. In addition, this map focuses on the human countries, and there is only one demihuman nation recorded. It is a crude map, no doubt... but it is unlikely that we¡¯ll find anything better.¡±

    For instance, he had heard about the Centaur tribes on the ins, the Scorpion-Men (Pabilsag) settlements in the desert, the country of the Dwarves in the mountains, and so on. But he had learned of all these by speaking to the guildmaster of E-Rantel¡¯s Magician¡¯s Guild, and they were not recorded on the map. In other words, this was a map for human convenience.

    A vague map like this was hardly reliable, but he would have to expend a lot of money and time to obtain a better one.

    That was what the Magician¡¯s Guildmaster, Theo Rakesheer, had told him. The man was very favorably disposed towards Ainz, so that information was most likely urate.

    Besides, he sensed from the other man¡¯s reply that even a map like this was quite a harsh demand.

    ¡°I see. Then, I shall have the map duplicated and distributed to each Guardian.¡±

    ¡°Please do so. Then, before that, I shall briefly exin the contents of the map.¡±

    Ainz pointed to the center of the map. It was the region which had been most urately detailed.

    ¡°This is E-Rantel, and this region contains the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.¡±

    His finger moved northeast, to the vicinity of a huge forest. He was quite confident in his knowledge of the area surrounding Nazarick.

    ¡°This is the Azellisian Mountain Range, which marks the border between the Re-Estize Kingdom and the Baharuth Empire. Therge forest around the southern tip of the mountain range is the Great Forest of Tob, and there is argeke here.¡°

    Theke in question was shaped like an inverted gourd, and it was located between the southern foothills of the mountains and the Great Forest. Ainz¡¯s finger stopped at the southern tip of theke.

    ¡°There is a Lizardman vige here, in theserge wends.¡±

    After seeing Albedo nod in understanding, Ainz continued:

    ¡°Now I will tell you what the Magician¡¯s Guildmaster told me about the surrounding countries. To the northwest of the Kingdom is a region bounded by mountains. This region is the Agrand Council Alliance, which is inhabited by many demihumans. What we need to be most wary of are their councillors, which are said to be Dragons. Apparently there are five of them, but some say that there are seven. To the southwest of the Kingdom lies the nation known as the Holy Kingdom. Apparently, it is surrounded on all sides by a high wall, indicated roughly on the map, and it is known as the Great Wall. This country is on guard against the many demihuman tribes which battle frequently in the wilderness surrounding them, though it is not indicated on the map.¡±

    ¡°Is that not where Demiurge has gone?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. On the other end of the wilderness is the ine Theocracy, entities which we must be mindful of.¡±

    ¡°Is this a national border?¡±

    Albedo traced a line around the surrounding region with a lily-white finger.

    ¡°Probably. Frankly speaking, there¡¯s no use trying to study borders from this map on ount of how vague it is. Then, let¡¯s take a look on the Empire¡¯s side. There are many city-states located to the northeast of the Empire, who have formed up into a City-State Alliance. There seems to be a city of demihumans there as well. To the southeast of the Empire is a region with many gigantic standing quartz pirs, as well as many caves. Apparently, there are humanoid tribes there who raise Wyverns.¡±

    When Ainz had heard the description of the ce, it reminded him of Wulingyuan in Zhangjiajie City, but the details were not clear.

    ¡°Are they Wyvern Riders, then?¡±

    In YGGDRASIL, yers with over thirty five levels in equestrian-type sses could summon the magical beasts known as Wyverns to serve as mounts, However, there was no proof that the same held true in this world as well.

    ¡°...Possibly. Going by that logic, the opposition should be quite strong, but even so, they aren¡¯t exactly fearsome opponents for the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick... However, the portion of the map below them ¡ª the eastern shore of this greatke ¡ª hasn¡¯t been filled in yet.¡±

    Ainz indicated one of the outer edges of the map below them.

    ¡°And they say there¡¯s a Draconic Kingdom here.¡±

    ¡°Dragons?¡±

    ¡°Yes. A powerful Dragon founded that nation in the past, and apparently its royalty has inherited that Dragon¡¯s bloodline... but whether those rumors are reliable remains to be seen. In any event, that¡¯s enough about the map for now.¡±

    In the world where Ainz had lived as Suzuki Satoru, it would have been a far-fetched rumor, but in this world, that rumor might well be true.

    ¡°Then, Ainz-sama, we should be wary of the ine Theocracy and the Council Alliance, am I correct?¡±

    Ainz folded his arms across his chest and went, ¡°Hmm...¡± While she did have a point when it came to nations, she might havee to that conclusion because they did not know enough in that field. As she saw Ainz¡¯s reaction, Albedo slowly bowed in apology.

    ¡°Forgive me. Given our present circumstances, we should be on guard against all other countries, am I correct?¡±

    ¡°...Indeed, that is so. Even if they aren¡¯t much as nations, they might harbor surprising individuals among them.¡±

    For instance, the person who used that World ss Item on Shalltear.

    Albedo could sense that underlying meaning in Ainz¡¯s words without him having to explicitly state it.

    Ainz¡¯s finger continued tracing the eastern and southern edges of the map.

    ¡°However, there¡¯s a city that floats on the waves in the east, while there¡¯s the city founded by the Eight Greed Kings to the south. Those two are probably the ones we need to be the most mindful of. The city of the Eight Greed Kings in particr... they say it¡¯s a flying city in the middle of the desert.¡±

    ¡°A flying city?¡¯

    ¡°ording to the news I¡¯ve heard, it would be more urate to describe it as a city built underneath a flying fortress. They say water flows endlessly from the fortress to the city, and that the city itself ispletely surrounded by a magical barrier and doesn¡¯t look like it belongs in the desert at all.¡±

    Albedo¡¯s eyes turned cold, and she quietly replied:

    ¡°Shall we have the vassals conduct a reconnaissance in force?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to go around stepping on the tiger¡¯s tail. Even if the World-ss Item¡¯s user came from there, we should try to get along cordially with them until we¡¯re sure of their fighting power... Speaking of which, how is Shalltear doing?¡±

    ¡°Her body seems fine after her resurrection, but...¡±

    ¡°Come on, spit it out. Even I feel uneasy about her too.¡±

    ¡°Ah! My deepest apologies. In truth, Shalltear¡¯s mental state is somewhat unsettling.¡±

    ¡°...Aftereffects from her mind control? Could it be that even death cannot fully erase the effects of a World ss item?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that... It¡¯s more like she still feels intense guilt for raising her hand against you and she cannot forgive herself for doing so, Ainz-sama.¡±

    For a moment, Ainz did not quite understand, but it became clear almost instantly.

    It had been Ainz¡¯s fault, not Shalltear¡¯s. He had told her that many times already.

    ¡°Please forgive my rudeness for interfering with your deliberations by interrupting, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Ainz nodded to Albedo, who had a severe expression on her face.

    ¡°I feel that it would be best if she were punished.¡±

    The crimson glow in Ainz¡¯s eyes socket dimmed slightly. He made to speak, but closed his mouth without making a sound. That was because the woman before him seemed to have something else to say.

    ¡°...Rewards and punishment must be handed out as they are due. If you assign punishment to Shalltear, it will eliminate the guilt in her heart. In contrast, she is currently stewing in guilt because she has not been punished for her actions.¡±

    Ainz felt that she made a lot of sense. Indeed, it was because of punishments that rewards could exist. However, the matter of how severe a reprimand he should give her and how much he could forgive was beyond a mere sryman like Ainz. Under normal circumstances, he would wave the matter aside and forgive Shalltear easily.

    On the other hand, while he might feel bad about punishing Shalltear, it might end up being good practice for next time.

    ¡°...I understand. I shall give Shalltear some punishment, then.¡±

    ¡°I feel it would be better that way. Please forgive any offense I have given.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying? I look forward to such suggestions. I have always hoped that someone would be able to step in with an opinion when I was unsure about what to do. Albedo, what you have done is very fitting of your position as the Overseer of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much!¡±

    The stunning beauty bowed before him, her cheeks flushed and her eyes moist. Feeling a little uneasy about Albedo¡¯s very open reaction, Ainz coolly waved it aside and replied:

    ¡°Now then, there are some things I need to handle. I will leave this ce to you.¡±

    ¡°Understood! Please leave it to me! I will take care of matters while you are not around, Ainz-sama!¡±

    He seemed to have heard something along the lines of, ¡±in the capacity of your wife,¡± somewhere in the middle of those words, but he decided to pretend he had heard nothing, because she still had more to say.

    ¡°Still, please be careful, Ainz-sama. The person who controlled Shalltear with that World-ss Item might not just be targeting us.¡±

    ¡°Hmph!¡±

    That was the first time Ainz had snorted in displeasure ever since he had returned to this room.

    ¡°If the enemy attacks... they might not be easy to deal with. But rx, Albedo. Since I have no idea what sort of enemy we¡¯re up against, I intend to prioritize retreat when we encounter him, and I also have several meatshields prepared for such a circumstance.¡±

    Ainz slowly raised his head to look at the ceiling, and began visualizing the foes against which he would need to prepare.

    There was the mysterious holder of that World-ss Item who was probably their enemy, and other yers, whose very existence was still unclear. In addition, there were the traces of yers who should have existed in the past. Of course, it might be too rash to take them all as enemies, but doing so would ensure that he did not overlook them by ident. He had to assume the worst-case scenario when doing his nning.

    ¡°Before we learn more details about the enemy, it would be wise to act as low-key as possible. However, we might need to scatter some bait to tempt the foe... how is the progress of ns on that front?¡±

    Albedo lowered her eyes, and from that reaction alone Ainz could guess what the results were.

    ¡°Cocytus has not made any reports yet, but Entoma indicates that the n has not yet exceeded our scope of predictions. They should have set up camp near the objective and they are preparing to make contact.¡±

    ¡°Is that so... Well, it wasn¡¯t what I hoped for, but the important thing is what we can gain from this.¡±

    ¡°Your saying so fills me with relief.¡±

    ¡°All right. Originally, I had nned to observe the developments from here, but unfortunately, I have several tasks toplete in my role as an adventurer, and thus I must move out in person. Still, I would like to see how the battle goes. Help me record the battle between the Lizardmen and the forces of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.¡±

 Chapter 24 - Volume 4

    <h4>Overlord Volume 4 Chapter 1</h4>

    <b>Chapter 1: Departure</b>

    <b>Part 1</b>

    The Azellisian Mountain Rangey between the Baharuth Empire and the Re-Estize Kingdom. Its southern foothills were surrounded by a sprawling forest ¡ª the Great Forest of Tob ¡ª and there was a hugeke at its northern edge.

    Thiske was over twenty square kilometers in size, and resembled an inverted gourd. It was divided into the Upper Lake and the Lower Lake. The Upper Lake was very deep, and was home torger creatures, while the Lower Lake was where the smaller creatures lived.

    The southern end of the Lower Lake was surrounded by wends, and countless structures had been erected in thisrge, marshy region. Each of these houses was built in the marsh and supported by about ten stilts each.

    Among the many stilt-houses, one of them had its doors open, its owner revealed to all under the golden rays of the sun.

    He was a member of the demihuman race known as Lizardmen.

    ? ? ?

    Lizardmen resembled a cross between humans and reptiles. To be precise, Lizardmen had human-like hands and feet and were essentially bipedal lizards, although their heads bore no resemnce to those of humans at all.

    As demihumans ¡ª along with such races as Goblins and Ogres ¡ª they were easily dismissed as savages, due to ack of technology and the way of life which subsequently resulted. However, they still had a civilization of their own, though it was not very advanced.

    Mature male Lizardmen averaged around a hundred ny centimeters tall and weighed over one hundred kilograms. Their body mass was notposed of fat, but of bulging muscles, which contributed to an impressive and imposing physique.

    Reptilian tails sprouted from their waists, which they used to maintain their bnce.

    Their feet wererge with webbed toes, optimized for movement in water and marsnds. Therefore, they were not as adept at ovend movement, but it did not pose a problem for them given their living environment.

    Their bodies were covered in scales, whose colors ranged from a dirty-looking green to gray to ck. Instead of lizard-like skin, they had tough hides which resembled those of crocodiles, which protected better than lower end human armor.

    They had five-fingered hands, like those of humans, and each finger was tipped with a short w.

    The weapons they used were quite primitive, because they had never had the chance to mine and refine ores for armaments. Thus, their mostmonly-used weapons were spears made from the fangs and ws of monsters, as well as stone-headed clubs.

    ? ? ?

    The blinding sun hung high in the azure sky, with only a few ephemeral clouds to interrupt the endless expanse of blue. The weather was very good, and one could clearly see the towering peaks in the distance.

    This Lizardman had a broad field of vision, and he could see the zing sun above even without turning his head. He ¡ª Zaryusu Shasha ¡ª nced downward briefly, and then descended the stairs at a steady pace.

    Zaryusu clutched at the brand on his ck-scaled chest.

    That brand represented his position in the tribe.

    Lizardman tribes were a strictly-ordered society, and the highest authority among them was the tribe¡¯s chief. The position was not hereditary; it was awarded to the strongest person within the tribe. Every year, they would conduct a ceremony to select a new tribal chief.

    In addition, there was a council of elders who would advise the chief,posed of the eldest members of themunity. Below them were the warrior Lizardmen, the regr Lizardmen, the Lizardwomen, and the juvenile Lizardmen. Together theyprised Lizardman society.

    Of course, there were some Lizardmen who stood outside this hierarchy.

    First, there were the priests ¡ª more of druids, actually ¡ª who predicted uing danger by forecasting the weather or aiding the tribe with curative magic.

    Then, there were the rangers, who formed hunting parties. Their main task was to catch fish, but the regr Lizardmen would help in that task as well. Thus, their most important job was their activities in the forest.

    Lizardmen were omnivorous, but their main diet was a kind of fish which was around eighty centimeters long, and they disliked vegetables and fruits. Even so, the hunters still had to enter the forest for logging purposes. Thend was not safe for Lizardmen; thus specialists were needed when they went to fell trees.

    While they could move as they pleased and make their own decisions, they were ultimately subject to the tribal chief¡¯s authority. Lizardman society was patrilineal, with clearly defined rules and responsibilities for its members.

    And yet, there were some who were outside the tribal chief¡¯s authority.

    Those would be the travellers.

    One might think of foreigners when one heard the word ¡°travellers.¡± However, that was impossible. Lizardman society was fundamentally a closed one, and it did not admit anyone outside the tribe.

    That being the case, what were these travellers?

    They were Lizardmen who wanted to explore the world.

    Fundamentally speaking, Lizardmen would not leave their birthces unless it was a matter of life and death ¡ª for instance, when prey had run out ¡ª or a simrly dire emergency. Still, there were a rare few Lizardmen who thirsted for the chance to see the outside world.

    When a traveller decided to leave his tribe, he would receive a special brand upon his chest. It represented his departure from the tribe ¡ª and its authority.

    Often, those who left to travel the outside world did not return. Sometimes they died far from their homes, sometimes they found a ce to stay in the wide new world they had discovered, and so on. However, a rare few dide home after taking their fill of the world.

    Those travellers who returned to their hometowns were highly acimed for the knowledge of the outside world which they brought back with them. They might have been outsiders who had evaded the chief¡¯s authority, but in an instant they could be local celebrities.

    In fact, there were some vigers who kept a respectful distance from Zaryusu, but for the most part the others viewed him with awestruck eyes. However, that was not just because he was a traveller. There was another reason for their admiring gazes¡ª

    As he stepped onto the marsh from the stairs, his favored weapon ttered at his waist as it touched his scales.

    That weapon had a pale, razor-sharp edge and emitted a dull glow. It was bizarrely shaped, resembling a sai whose de and grip blended into one, but the de grew thinner the further it went from the hilt, until it was paper-thin at its tip.

    There was no Lizardman who did not know of this weapon. It was one of the magic items regarded as the Four Great Treasures of the surrounding Lizardman tribes ¡ª Frost Pain.

    The fact that he possessed that weapon was a major source of Zaryusu¡¯s fame.

    Zaryusu strode forth.

    He had two destinations in mind. On his back was a present which he would take to one of those ces.

    That present was four fish, each of which was one meter long. He carried them on his back as he strode on, and their odour did not repulse him, but instead tantalized him.

    How I¡¯d like to eat these fish ¡ª Zaryusu had to cast that desire aside while sighing several times as he sshed through the shallow water towards the Green w Vige.

    The children, whose green scales were still bright and shiny, giggled andughed as they ran around Zaryusu, but they ground to a halt once they saw the big fish on his back. He could see growing kids with their ravenous appetites peering at him from the gaps between the houses, their eyes focused on Zaryusu ¡ª no, on the fish he carried. Almost all of them had their mouths slightly agape, most likely drooling in anticipation. Even as he drew away from them, their eyes were still glued to him. Those were the eyes of children begging for snacks.

    Zaryusu smiled bitterly at this and pretended that he had not noticed. Instead, he continued on. He had already decided who would receive this present, but unfortunately it would not be these children.

    The fact that the glow in the children¡¯s eyes was not entirely due to hunger pleased Zaryusu, because it was a sight which would have been unimaginable several years ago ¡ª

    After leaving those longing looks behind him, Zaryusu passed several houses along the way before he found the dwelling that was his destination.

    He was now at the outskirts of the vige, and if he carried on any further, he would no longer be in the marsh, but in a fairly deep part of theke. The houses built on this subtle dividing line seemed quite sturdy in appearance and wererger than Zaryusu¡¯s own.

    The odd thing was that the house was slightly tilted, so half of it was submerged in the water. However, this was by design, and not by some external force.

    Zaryusu approached the house, sshing loudly as he went.

    As he came close, a yful cry came from within. Perhaps its upant had scented something.

    A serpentine head poked out of what should have been a window. It was a snake with deep brown scales and amber eyes. When it spotted Zaryusu, it stretched its neck out and coiled yfully around him.

    ¡°That¡¯s a good boy.¡±

    Zaryusu caressed the snake¡¯s body in a familiar way. The snake seemed to find it veryfortable, and closed its eyes ¡ª both its eyelids and its nictitating membranes. Zaryusu too enjoyed the feeling of the scales under his fingers.

    This creature was Zaryusu¡¯s pet, Rororo.

    He had raised Rororo from a young age, so it seemed as though it was actually carrying on a conversation with its owner.

    ¡°Rororo, I¡¯ve brought food for you. Eat it slowly and don¡¯t fight over it.¡±

    Zaryusu tossed the fish into the house through the window, and soft thuds came from within.

    ¡°I wanted to y with you, but I have to go check on the fish now, so maybeter.¡±

    Perhaps the snake understood what its owner was saying, but it reluctantly nuzzled against Zaryusu¡¯s body several times before returning to the house. Soon, the sound of tearing flesh and vigorous chewing reached him.

    The way Rororo ripped into his food suggested that he was in good shape, and so Zaryusu was relieved as he left the little house behind him.

    ? ? ?

    After that, Zaryusu¡¯s destination was thekeside some distance from the vige.

    His feet pped against the ground as he walked into the forest. While swimming would have been faster, Zaryusu had a habit of checking his surroundings to see if anything was going on while he was moving onnd. However, given that visibility was very poor in the forest, staying alert took a mental toll even on someone like Zaryusu.

    Before long, he saw his destination through the trees. The fact that nothing had happened filled Zaryusu with a sense of relief. Zaryusu quickened his pace through the forest now that he was close.

    After dodging one branch after another, Zaryusu emerged from the woods. It was then that his eyes went wide. That was because he saw someone surprising before him.

    That someone was a ck Lizardman who looked very simr to Zaryusu.

    ¡°Ani-ja¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªIt¡¯s you.¡±

    The ck Lizardman turned to regard Zaryusu with a keen gaze. This Lizardman was the chief of the Green w tribe, as well as Zaryusu¡¯s older brother ¡ª Shasuryu Shasha.

    He had defended his title as chief on two previous asions, and with nobody to challenge him this time round, he had retained his chief¡¯s position. His muscr body was one of staggering proportions. If one stood them side by side, Zaryusu and his more bnced body type would appear smaller inparison.

    An old white scar marked his ck scales, like a thunderbolt arcing through storm clouds.

    The greatsword on his back was an unadorned, heavy sword almost two meters long and forged of steel. It was the symbol of the chief and it had been enchanted with spells to prevent rust and improve sharpness.

    Zaryusu approached thekeside and stood beside his brother.

    ¡°Why did youe here?¡±

    ¡°...I should be asking you that, right, Ani-ja? You don¡¯t need toe down in person as the tribe¡¯s chief, right?¡±

    ¡°Muu.¡±

    Unable to respond to that, Shasuryu grunted and turned back to theke before him.

    Sturdy pirs emerged from theke¡¯s surface, enclosing an area between them. Densely-wovens had been strung up between the pirs. Their purpose was immediately obvious.

    This was a fish farm.

    ¡°Could it be... you came here to pinch food?¡±

    Shasuryu¡¯s tail sprang up in response to Zaryusu¡¯s words, and it pounded the ground several times.

    ¡°Muu... As if. I merely came to see how the breeding went.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Seriously, little bro. Do you think your Ani-ja is someone like that?¡±

    After that forceful statement, Shasuryu took a step forward. Though Zaryusu was a hardened veteran of many battles from his time as a traveller, that looming sense of pressure ¡ª like an encroaching wall ¡ª made even someone like him want to back off.

    However, Zaryusu now had the perfect way to respond to him.

    ¡°If you were only here to see how they were growing, then that implies you don¡¯t want any. What a shame. I was thinking of giving you a few if they had turned out well.¡±

    ¡°Muu.¡±

    The sound of pounding faded away, and Shasuryu¡¯s tail drooped limply.

    ¡°They¡¯re really delicious, you know. I gave them lots of tasty feed and raised them up nice and fat. They¡¯re better than the ones caught in the wild.¡±

    ¡°Yeah...¡±

    ¡°Fresh and lovely juices flow out once you bite into them. Once you actually chew off a piece, the meat practically melts on your tongue.¡±

    ¡°Muuuu~¡±

    The sound of a thumping tail rang out again, more intense than just now.

    Zaryusu stared at his elder brother¡¯s tail, and in a yful tone he added:

    ¡°Big Sis always did say that your tail was too honest, Ani-ja.¡±

    ¡°What? Damn woman, how dare she make fun of her husband like that. Besides, how is it honest?¡±

    Zaryusu had no idea how to respond to his elder brother, who was staring at his own motionless tail. Eventually, he mumbled something along the lines of, ¡°That¡¯s true...¡±

    ¡°Hmph, that damn woman... if you¡¯ve ever been with one, you¡¯d understand how I feel now.¡±

    ¡°You know I can¡¯t get married.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, what nonsense is that? You mean that brand? Who gives a damn about those elders, anyway? Not a single female in this vige would reject you if you went after them... even if she had a tail that was out of this world.¡±

    The tails of Lizardmen were used to store nutrients. Thus, a thick tail was very appealing to members of the opposite sex. Zaryusu would have preferredrge-tailed females in his youth, but after growing up and seeing the world, he chose to avoid them as much as possible.

    ¡°Given the current state of the vige, I¡¯m not into females with thick tails. If I had to go by tails, I¡¯d rather have one with a slimmer tail. Personally, I think someone like Big Sis would be all right.¡±

    ¡°Well, you would think that way, given your personality... But honestly, you shouldn¡¯t bed females like that. You might get hurt. Haa, you should go learn how bad marriage is as well. It¡¯s unfair that I¡¯m the only one who has to go through such suffering.¡±

    ¡°Oi oi oi, Ani-ja, if you¡¯re not careful Big Sis will find out about this.¡±

    ¡°Muu... see? That¡¯s part of why marriage is bad. People like you can threaten me, someone who¡¯s your big brother and your chief.¡±

    Cheerfulughter pealed out over the quietke.

    After Shasuryu calmed down from his mirth, he studied the fish farm before him once more. As aplex mix of emotions yed through his heart, he murmured in awe:

    ¡°Still, you¡¯ve really done some outstanding work here with this...¡±

    Sensing his older brother¡¯s loss for words, the younger brother gave him a helping hand.

    ¡°The fish farm?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it. Nobody¡¯s done this before in our tribe, and now everyone knows that raising fish is a workable n. If this keeps up, a lot of people will begin imitating us in envy.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all thanks to you, Ani-ja. I know you¡¯ve been selling the idea to everyone.¡±

    ¡°Zaryusu, what good would it do to just spread the word? It¡¯d be nothing more than idle chatter. What really counted was your hard work in breeding all those delicious fish from this farm.¡±

    Of course, he had failed many times when he had first begun setting up the fish farm. After all, it was merely an idea he had after being inspired by what he had seen and heard of in his travels. Even the surrounding had broken down countless times, and it had taken a full year of trial and error before he could build a functioning fish farm.

    And yet, things had not ended there.

    The fish had to be tended, and they had to be fed.

    He had tossed in all sorts of feed to see which would be most effective, and as a result he had killed all the fish in the farm more than once. There had even been cases where monsters had broken down the penning in the fish, sending him back to square one.

    People had pointed and whispered behind his back about how he was using caught fish as toys, and some had even gone and called him an idiot to his face. However, his hard work had now borne fruit.

    Large fish swam cidly beneath the surface of theke. They were bigger than fish caught in the wild. No Lizardman would believe that they had been raised from fry. Well, nobody except for Zaryusu¡¯s elder brother and his sister-inw.

    ¡°...You did good, Zaryusu.¡±

    Shasuryu murmured his praise as he looked on the same scenery as his younger brother. His voice contained undertones of various emotions blending together.

    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you, Ani-ja.¡±

    His younger brother¡¯s reply was colored with simrplexity.

    ¡°Muu, what did I do?¡±

    Indeed, his brother ¡ª Shasuryu ¡ª had not done anything to help. However, that was only in reference to taking direct action.

    Whenever anything had happened to the fish, a priest would immediately show up. Many people hade to help him collect materials to weave thes. And when the tribesmen brought fish back to share, they would give him the healthiest fish. Meanwhile, the hunters had delivered fruits for use as feed.

    All of these helpers adamantly refused to reveal the identity of the person who had sent them, but no matter how stupid Zaryusu was, he could tell who had asked them to give him a hand, as well as the fact that said person did not wish to make his identity known.

    That was because a tribal chief helping someone who had separated himself from the tribe was very inappropriate.

    ¡°Ani-ja, when the fish get bigger, I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re first in line to get one.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll look forward to that.¡±

    Shasuryu turned to walk away, and then he quietly said:

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡±...What are you saying, Ani-ja? ...After all, you did nothing wrong.¡±

    He did not know if Shasuryu had heard those words. All Zaryusu could do was watch silently as his elder brother left, walking along theke¡¯s shore.

    After inspecting the conditions at the fish farm, Zaryusu returned to the vige. Then, a strange hunch made him suddenly look to the sky.

    There was nothing unusual there. The only thing he could see in the clear blue sky were the cloud-wreathed peaks to the north.

    In other words, the scenery was perfectly normal.

    There was nothing unusual there. Just as he wondered if he might be imagining things, he noticed a strange cloud in the sky.

    At the same time, thick clouds which blotted out the sun suddenly appeared over the center of the vige. They were so dense and widespread that they plunged the entire vige into darkness.

    Shocked, everyone looked to the sky.

    The priests had said that today would be sunny. Their weather predictions were quite urate, being that they were based on magic and knowledge gained over long years of experience. Thus, it was quite a surprise that their weather forecast had turned out wrong.

    However, the strange thing was that there were no clouds in the sky except in the air directly above the vige. It was as though someone had summoned those clouds into being there.

    This strange scene continued to y out.

    The clouds began revolving around the vige, and as they did, they spread out to cover a wider area. It was as though the sky was being rapidly eaten away by these mysterious clouds.

    This was highly unusual.

    The Lizardman warriors hurriedly prepared for battle. They children fled into the houses. Zaryusu lowered his stance and nced around himself, one hand closing around Frost Pain¡¯s hilt.

    The dark clouds now filled the air overhead, but in the distance one could still see the blue sky. The clouds only covered the vige. It was at this moment that he heard a sound made by Lizardmen, which came from the center of the vige. It was a shrill piping carried on the wind.

    It was a warning. It warned of a powerful enemy, and the need to flee right away.

    As he heard the warning, Zaryusu immediately began running through the marshes, at what passed for a sprint among Lizardmen.

    He ran and he ran and he ran some more.

    While it was hard to sprint in the wends, Zaryusu kept his bnce by shifting his tail¡¯s position. With a speed no human being could attain ¡ª granted, Lizardmen were better suited for this terrain ¡ª he reached the ce from which the warning hade.

    Zaryusu and the warriors formed a circle that looked at the center of the vige. His eyes followed theirs, and soon he was staring as well.

    Their many lines of sight converged on one ce ¡ª a monster which resembled a cloud of roiling ck mist.

    Countless dreadful, ever-changing faces emerged from within the mist. The faces belonged to many races and species, but the one thing they all had inmon was the fact that they all bore agonized expressions.

    The wind carried the sounds of weeping, cries of agony, the gnashing of teeth and thest gasps of the dying to them. The endless tide of spine-chilling noise made Zaryusu shiver in fear.

    ...This is bad... We should let the others flee so Ani-ja and I can take care of this. But if we do that...

    Zaryusu was easily one of the topbatants among the scattered tribes, and yet even he was afraid of the powerful undead being before him.

    Right now, the only people who could hold their own against this sort of opponent were probably himself and his elder brother. The most important thing was that Zaryusu still did not know what special abilities that undead creature possessed.

    ncing around, he noticed that all the warrior Lizardmen around him were panting and nervous, like frightened children.

    The monster which had seized the center of the vige had not made a single move yet.

    He did not know how much time had passed. In this tense atmosphere, the slightest movement, even that of the wind blowing against the grass, might signal the beginning of a cataclysmic battle. The best proof of that was the warriors, who were slowly edging towards their foe. They shrugged off the immense stress bearing down on them and moved.

    Zaryusu saw Shasuryu draw his sword from the corner of his eye. With a speed to match his, Zaryusu raised his weapon as well. If there was to be fighting, their n was to take the lead and charge the enemy before anyone else.

    This shouldn¡¯t count as reckless if we manage to reveal the enemy¡¯s special abilities to everyone...

    The tension in the air grew thicker ¡ª and then the wails suddenly stopped.

    The monster spoke with the voices of many, blended together into one. Unlike the vague, unfocused curses from earlier, this voice had a clear purpose.

    ¡°¡ªListen well. I am a minion of the Supreme One,e to ry a message to you.¡±

    A wave ofmotion spread through the crowd. Everyone looked at each other. Only Zaryusu and Shasuryu remained focused on the monster.

    ¡°I formally proim that your days are numbered, for the Supreme One has dispatched his troops to eliminate you. However, in his mercy, the Supreme One shall grant you the freedom to fight ¡ª however futile it might be ¡ª for your lives. Eight days from now, your tribe shall be the second sacrifice among the Lizardmen tribes of thiske.¡±

    Zaryusu¡¯s face turned feral. He bared his teeth and gave voice to a threatening growl.

    ¡°Struggle with all your might, then. The Supreme One shall delight in mocking your efforts.¡±

    The mist-like, polymorphic monster floated into the sky.

    ¡°Do not forget ¡ª in eight day¡¯s time...¡±

    The monster floated into the clear blue sky, toward the forest. As the other Lizardmen watched it leave, Zaryusu and Shasuryu merely stared into the distant heavens.

    <b>Part 2</b>

    Thergest hut in the vige ¡ª the one which typically served as a meeting ce ¡ª saw little use under normal circumstances. After all, the chief held absolute authority within the vige, so there was hardly any need to hold meetings. Thus, it was a meeting ce in name only. However, a bizarre energy filled the hut today.

    It was currently jam-packed with many Lizardmen, and the originally spacious interior was now very cramped. Apart from the warrior Lizardmen, the priests, hunters, elders, and the traveller Zaryusu were present. They sat cross-legged on the ground, looking towards Shasuryu.

    As the tribe¡¯s chief, Shasuryu announced the beginning of the meeting, and then the head of the priests was the first to speak.

    She was an aged Lizardwoman, her body painted with sinister-looking white markings. Apparently they had some sort of significance, but Zaryusu did not know what that significance was.

    ¡°Does everyone remember the clouds that covered the sky? That was magic. I know of two spells which can control the weather. The first is ¡¸Control Weather¡¹, a spell of the sixth tier. However, that cannot be the case here, because a magic caster who could wield such magic would be a legendary figure. The other is a spell of the fourth tier, ¡¸Control Clouds¡¹. Only a powerful magic caster could work such a spell, and only a fool would oppose such a person.

    The simrly-painted priests nodded in approval from where they were lined up behind the High Priestess.

    Zaryusu understood how powerful that was, but many others could not understand how powerful the spell was even after being told that it was magic of the fourth tier. The room soon filled with puzzled muttering.

    The High Priestess looked baffled, unsure of how to exin the situation to them. Then, she pointed to one of the Lizardmen. Said Lizardman had a baffled expression on his face as well, and pointed to himself.

    ¡°Yes, you. Do you think you could beat me in a fight?¡±

    The indicated Lizardman hurriedly shook his head.

    He might be able to win if the fight was limited to weapons, but if the use of magic was also allowed, then his odds of victory were slim. No ¡ª slim did not cover it; a mere warrior like him would have no chance at all.

    ¡°Even so, someone like me can only use magic of the second tier at best.¡±

    ¡°In other words, that person¡¯s twice as strong as you, High Priestess?¡±

    The High Priestess did not know who had asked that question, but she sighed and shook her head as she heard it.

    ¡°It isn¡¯t just being twice as strong. Anyone who can use fourth tier spells could kill our chief easily.¡±

    She fell silent after qualifying her statement with, ¡°Well, it¡¯s not a given, but it¡¯s very likely.¡±

    Now that they knew how powerful fourth tier spells were, the interior of the meeting hall fell silent. Then, Shasuryu spoke again:

    ¡°So what you¡¯re trying to say, High Priestess, is that¡ª¡±

    ¡°I think we¡¯d be better off fleeing. We stand no chance no matter how hard we fight.¡±

    ¡°What the hell are you saying!?¡±

    An imposing-looking Lizardman leapt to his feet with a bass growl. He was easily the size of Shasuryu, and he was the Head Warrior of the tribe.

    ¡°You¡¯re telling us to run without a fight!? How could we flee from mere threats!?¡±

    ¡°¡ªAre you retarded? I¡¯m saying that by the time we fight, it¡¯ll be toote for us!¡±

    The High Priestess jumped up as well, her angry eyes locked with those of the Head Warrior. Both of them began growling in low, dangerous tones. Just as the words ¡°powderkeg¡± shed through everyone¡¯s minds, a cold voice spoke:

    ¡°...Get a grip, both of you.¡±

    The Head Warrior and the High Priestess blinked, like they had been struck by a bolt from the blue. Then, they turned to look at Shasuryu. They apologized, and then sat down.

    ¡°Head Hunter, tell me what you think.¡±

    ¡°...I understand the opinions of the Head Warrior and the High Priestess, and agree with what they have to say.¡±

    Shasuryu¡¯s question was answered by a skinny Lizardman. That said, calling him skinny was doing him a disservice; his build was more on the wiry than the musclebound side.

    ¡°Therefore, since there is still some time, should we not carefully observe the changes around us? The opposition says they will send an army, so it makes sense that they will encamp. That requires a lot of preparation work, so why don¡¯t we decide after seeing what the enemy does?¡±

    There¡¯s no point going back and forth while we don¡¯t know anything ¡ª murmurs to that effect could be heard in the background.

    ¡°¡ªElders.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t make a decision here. All the opinion stated have their merits. The rest is up to you, our chief.¡±

    ¡°Muu...¡±

    Shasuryu¡¯s eyes shifted and met Zaryusu¡¯s. His gaze seemed to convey an approving nod. Thus, with a feeling like he had been gently pushed forward from behind ¡ª and perhaps into danger ¡ª Zaryusu raised his hand to share his opinion.

    ¡°Chief, I would like to say something.¡±

    The attention of all the Lizardmen converged on Zaryusu. Everyone looked expectantly toward him. Of course, some of those eyes were filled with anger.

    ¡°How dare you address us, traveller! You should be d we allowed you in here at all!¡± came the rebuke from one of the elders.

    ¡°Now sit down and¡ª¡±

    There was a loud thump of a tail forcefully striking the ground. It cleaved the elder¡¯s words in half like a sharp de.

    ¡°Shut up.¡±

    There was a frightening undertone to Shasuryu¡¯s voice. It wasced with the low growling any Lizardman made when they were angry. Nobody dared interrupt him when he was like this, and the tension in the hut rose like the tide. The mounting heat in the air froze solid.

    Just then, one of the elders spoke up. However, he had not realized that there were many reproachful looks directed at him, urging him not to cause any more problems.

    ¡°But Chief, you can¡¯t give him special treatment even though he might be your brother. Travellers are¡ª¡±

    ¡°Did I or did I not tell you to shut up?¡±

    ¡°Uuu...¡±

    ¡°Everyone at this meeting was invited because they have some relevant insights on the issue. Is it strange to ask a traveller his opinion?¡±

    ¡°But travellers are¡ª¡±

    ¡°Your Chief has dered that it is fine. Or are you saying that you intend to defy my orders?¡±

    Shasuryu turned his eye from the now-silent elder to the other tribal leaders.

    ¡°High Priestess, Head Warrior, Head Hunter, do you also think there¡¯s no point in hearing him out?¡±

    ¡°There is value in Zaryusu¡¯s words,¡± the Head Warrior replied before anyone else. ¡°No warrior would reject the opinion of the one who bears Frost Pain.¡±

    ¡°I think so too. It¡¯s worth listening to him,¡± the Head Hunter said in a casual tone. Thest was the High Priestess, who simply shrugged and replied:

    ¡°Of course we should hear him out. Only an idiot would choose to ignore the advice of an experienced individual.¡±

    The council of elders frowned under this barrage of mockery. Shasuryu nodded at the replies of the three leaders, and then raised his chin to indicate that Zaryusu should speak. While still seated, Zaryusu said:

    ¡°If I had to choose between fleeing or fighting, I would choose thetter.¡±

    ¡°Oh... and why is that?¡±

    ¡°Because it is the only real option we have.¡±

    Normally speaking, he would have to exin his reasons for saying so if the chief asked for them, but Zaryusu did not borate. His attitude seemed to say, That¡¯s all there is.

    Shasuryu cupped his chin with his hand, and he looked like he was deep in thought.

    ...Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve realized it as well... Ani-ja.

    As Zaryusu struggled to keep his thoughts from showing up on his face, the High Priestess spoke up, a difited expression on her face.

    ¡°...Still, can we win?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡±

    The Head Warrior shouted with an intensity that could evaporate the unease in the air, but the High Priestess merely narrowed her eyes.

    ¡°...No, I think given our present situation, our chances of victory are very low.¡±

    Zaryusu answered on her behalf, denying the Head Warrior¡¯s words.

    ¡°...And what do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°Head Warrior, the enemy should be fully aware about us ¡ª about our fighting strength. Otherwise, they would not sneer so openly at us. That being the case, if we fight them with our current strength, we will not be able to win.¡±

    Then what should we do? As that thought flickered through everyone¡¯s minds, Zaryusu concealed his true intentions and seized the initiative:

    ¡°That means we¡¯ll need to defy their expectations... does everyone still remember that war from the past?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± someone replied.

    Nobody here was stupid enough to have forgotten the incident that had happened several years ago. Or rather, they would have remembered the fighting no matter how stupid they were.

    Seven tribes had upied this marsh in the past. They were the Green w, Small Fang, Razor Tail, Dragon Tusk, Yellow Speckle, Sharp Edge, and Red Eye tribes.

    However, only five of those tribes remained now.

    That was because there had been a war which had taken many lives and wiped out two tribes.

    The cause of that war had been the inability to catch enough fish to feed their people. Eventually, the hunters were forced to leave their territory and fish outside it. Every tribe had done this.

    Before long, the hunters from each tribe encountered each other at their fishing spots. Since this matter concerned the food supplies of their respective tribes, they could not back down.

    Soon enough, arguments turned to violence, and that violence imed lives.

    After that, the warriors of each tribe began travelling with their hunters to back them up, and thus battles broke out over food.

    The war dragged in five of the seven tribes, with the Green w, Little Fang, and Razor Tail tribes on one side against the Yellow Speckle and Sharp Edge tribes. It became a state of total war that did not just involve their warriors, but even the average male and female Lizardmen.

    After repeated all-out battles, the alliance containing the Green w was victorious, while the other two tribes were so worn down they could not function as tribes any further and disbanded. However, the tribeless Lizardmen were absorbed by the Dragon Tusk, who had not taken part in the fighting.

    The irony was that theck of food which had led to the war was solved by the decrease in the Lizardman poption in the marsh, because everyone who survived now had enough fish to live on.

    ¡°What does that war have to do with what¡¯s happening now?¡±

    ¡°Think about what our enemy said. He mentioned that this vige was ¡®the second.¡¯ That implies that they sent messengers to other viges, right?¡±

    ¡°Oh...¡±

    Murmurs of understanding rose from the crowd as they realised what Zaryusu meant.

    ¡°In other words, you want to reform the alliance, then!¡±

    ¡°...No way.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s right. We should renew our alliance.¡±

    ¡°Like the war from the past...¡±

    ¡°Does that mean we could win?¡±

    The whisperings from the gathered Lizardmen grew louder and louder. Everyone within the hut talked about the usibility of Zaryusu¡¯s suggestion, but Shasuryu remained silent. He did not seem like he was going to speak. Zaryusu did not dare look his brother ¡ª and that gaze of his which seemed to see through his thoughts ¡ª in the eye.

    After enough time had passed for everyone to discuss the matter, Zaryusu spoke again.

    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t get the wrong idea. What I mean is for us to ally with all the tribes.¡±

    ¡°Say what?¡±

    The Head Hunter ¡ª who was the second person present to realize what he was getting at ¡ª eximed in surprise. Zaryusu stared intently at Shasuryu, and every Lizardman in their way cleared a path for them.

    ¡°I would suggest forming an alliance with the Dragon Tusk and the Red Eye tribes as well, Chief.¡±

    That bombshell sent ructions through everyone present.

    They had not had any prior dealings with the Dragon Tusk and Red Eye tribes, and they had abstained from fighting during the tribal war. In addition, the Dragon Tusk had taken in the survivors of the Yellow Speckle and Sharp Edge tribes, so it made sense to consider them a potentially problematic tribe in future.

    Still, if they could ally with those two tribes, it would form a five-tribe alliance.

    If it worked out, they might have a chance to survive. Just as everyone dared hope for that, Shasuryu asked tersely:

    ¡°Who will be our envoy?¡±

    ¡°Let me go.¡±

    Zaryusu¡¯s prompt answer did not startle Shasuryu. He knew Zaryusu well, and in all likelihood, he had already anticipated an answer like this. The lizardmen around them murmured about how there was no better candidate for this, but one person expressed his dissatisfaction.

    ¡°¡ªSending a traveller?¡±

    It was Shasuryu. His icy-cold gaze pierced Zaryusu.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Chief. This is an emergency, and if the other side won¡¯t hear me out because I¡¯m a traveller, then they¡¯re not worth allying with.¡±

    Zaryusu returned the cold stare. After looking at each other for a while, Shasuryu smiled sadly. Perhaps he had given up on his brother, or on persuading him from his course, or he had already acknowledged that he was the best man for the job, but it was a genuine, unclouded smile.

    ¡°¡ªTake the Chief¡¯s seal with you.¡±

    The seal symbolized that the bearer acted with the chief¡¯s authority, and it was not something a traveller could be allowed to possess. Several members of the elder council made to speak, but they withered under Shasuryu¡¯s keen re and swallowed their words.

    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±

    Zaryusu bowed deeply in thanks. After that, Shasuryu continued:

    ¡°...I will appoint our envoys to the other tribes. First¡ª¡±

    ? ? ?

    Night fell, and with it came a cool breeze. The humidity and heat made the marsnds feel oppressively hot, but once night came, that feeling slowly subsided. In fact, once the night winds blew it even felt a little chilly. Of course, these changes in the weather meant nothing to the Lizardmen and their thick hides.

    Zaryusu padded along the marsh, headed for his pet Rororo¡¯s home.

    While there was still some time, an emergency might crop up. In addition, there was no guarantee that the enemy might stick to their agreement, and they might do something to impede Zaryusu. After considering these factors, Zaryusu came to the conclusion that riding Rororo out was the best course of action.

    The sound of Zaryusu¡¯s footsteps slowed down, and eventually they stopped. He carried a pack filled with all manner of items, which shuddered mightily as he ground to a halt. The reason why he had stopped was because he saw a familiar-looking Lizardman emerge from behind Rororo¡¯s hut, under the moonlight.

    They exchanged nces, and then the ck-scaled Lizardman tilted his head in puzzlement at the stationary Zaryusu. Then he closed the distance between them.

    ¡°¡ªI¡¯ve always felt that you ought to have been Chief.¡±

    This was the first thing that Zaryusu¡¯s elder brother Shasuryu had said since he had approached him.

    ¡°...What are you saying, Ani-ja?¡±

    ¡°Do you remember the war?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Zaryusu had been the one who had brought it up before the tribe ¡ª how could he not remember? Then, he realised that Shasuryu had probably been thinking the same thing as well.

    ¡°...Do you know how much I regretted branding you when you became a traveller after the war? I thought that I should have tried to stop you, even if I had to do so by force.¡±

    Zaryusu shook his head. His brother¡¯s face from back then was still stuck deep in his heart.

    ¡°...But because you granted me permission to be a traveller, I could return after learning how to farm fish.¡±

    ¡°You could probably have figured out a way to do that by staying in this vige. A smart man like you ought to be leading us.¡±

    ¡°Ani-ja...¡±

    One could not take back the events of the past. Therefore, talking about maybes was meaningless at this point. Still, were they discussing these matters because they were actually weak inside?

    No, that could not be.

    ¡°...I¡¯m telling you this, not as the tribe¡¯s chief, but as your brother. I¡¯m not going to ask, ¡®Will you be all right by yourself?¡¯ but you muste back safely. Don¡¯t push yourself too hard.¡±

    Zaryusu smiled at those words.

    ¡°Of course. I¡¯lle back afterpleting my mission. It ought to be easy.¡±

    Shasuryu went ¡°Muuu,¡± and then smiled bitterly.

    ¡°So if you fail, I¡¯ll be helping myself to the fattest fish in your farm, then?¡±

    ¡°Ani-ja, that sort of thing doesn¡¯t bother me. And really, saying things like that at this juncture doesn¡¯t make you look strong at all.¡±

    ¡°...Muuu.¡±

    And then, the two of them smiled.

    Eventually, they looked at each other again, with serious expressions on their faces.

    ¡°Then, are your intentions merely to secure an alliance?¡±

    ¡°...What are you saying? What are you trying to say?¡±

    Zaryusu¡¯s eyes narrowed, and then he thought, Crap. Given his brother¡¯s keen insight, his reaction just now was very bad for him.

    ¡°...You seemed to be holding something back during the meeting. It was almost as though you were trying to guide everyone¡¯s thoughts.¡±

    Shasuryu continued speaking to the dumbfounded Zaryusu.

    ¡°...I believe that one of the reasons for that war was because the petty disputes between each tribe went away and the number of Lizardmen increased.¡±

    ¡°Ani-ja, please don¡¯t say any more.¡±

    Zaryusu¡¯s iron tones only seemed to lend credence to Shasuryu¡¯s words.

    ¡°So... that was it.¡±

    ¡°...It¡¯s the only way to keep a war like that from happening again.¡±

    Zaryusu spoke those words with a hint of resignation in his voice. He felt his scheme was a wicked and despicable one. If possible, he would like to have kept it from his brother.

    ¡°...Then, what do you n to do if the other tribes refuse an alliance? There¡¯s no way we canpete with them if our people have been depleted by flight and warfare.¡±

    ¡°If that happens... we¡¯ll have to eliminate them first.¡±

    ¡°So we¡¯re going to start by killing our own people?¡±

    ¡°Ani-ja...¡±

    As he heard the pleading note in Zaryusu¡¯s voice, Shasuryuughed, as though he thought nothing of it.

    ¡°I understand. There¡¯s nothing wrong with your way of thinking. In fact, I agree with it too. The leader of a tribe must concern themselves with the survival of their tribe, so don¡¯t worry, brother.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Then, shall I bring the other tribes to our vige?¡±

    ¡°No. If that monster was telling the truth, our vige will be the second target. So in all likelihood, the fiercest fighting will ur at the first vige to be attacked. Under normal circumstances, it would be best to gather at one of theter targets or at a more defensible vige. However, if our viges are burned down, life after the war will be very hard for us. Therefore, it would be best to make our stand at the first vige to be attacked. As formunications... I¡¯ll ask the High Priestess to keep in touch with you using magic, so could you guide the other leaders directly to the rendezvous point?¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    It would be difficult to send a lot of information using the spell his brother had in mind, and it would not work at all if the distance between them was too great. It was a barely passablemunication method. However, Zaryusu felt that it would suffice, given the circumstances.

    ¡°Also, I¡¯ll be taking the fish in your farm as rations.¡±

    ¡°Naturally. However, I hope you¡¯ll leave the fry and the young fish. The farm¡¯s just gotten on track recently, and even if we have to abandon the vige, sparing the fry will help the farm in future.¡±

    ¡°I promise you that. Then, how many people can those fish feed?¡±

    ¡°...If you include the dried ones, there should be enough for about a thousand people.¡±

    ¡°Is that so... then our food problem will be solved for the time being.¡±

    ¡°Mm, I¡¯ll leave that to you. Then, I¡¯ll be heading out, Ani-ja. Rororo?¡±

    A serpent head poked itself from the window in response to Zaryusu¡¯s call. Its scales gleamed wetly in the pale moonlight. They sparkled faintly as their angle changed, producing a scene of phantasmal beauty.

    ¡°We¡¯re heading out. Can youe to me?¡±

    Rororo looked at Zaryusu and Shasuryu, and then pulled its head back in. That was followed by a burbling and the sound of something heavy on the move.

    ¡°Then, Ani-ja, I¡¯d like to ask you something. How many people do you n to evacuate? Depending on the circumstances, I may need to use that number as a negotiation tool.¡±

    Shasuryu only hesitated for a moment before answering:

    ¡°...Twelve warriors, twenty hunters, three priests, seventy males, one hundred females... and some of the children.¡±

    ¡°...I see. I get it.¡±

    Zaryusu fell silent after seeing Shasuryu¡¯s tired smile. Then, the sound of water sshing echoed through the oppressive atmosphere. The two of them looked to the sound¡¯s source, and they smiled nostalgically.

    ¡°Muu... It¡¯s grown up pretty well. I was quite shocked when I entered its hut.¡±

    ¡°Mmm. Same here, Ani-ja. I didn¡¯t think it¡¯d get so big. After all, it was pretty small when I found it.¡±

    ¡°I find that hard to believe. After all, it was already quite big by the time you brought it back to the vige.¡±

    Just as the two of them reminisced over the way Rororo looked when it was young, four serpentine heads popped out of the water near the hut. They approached Zaryusu and Shasuryu.

    Just then, the serpent heads suddenly reared up, revealing a massive form hidden within the water. Its four reptilian heads were joined to its body by long necks, and said body had four legs.

    It was a magical beast ¡ª a Hydra.

    That was the name of Rororo¡¯s species.

    It was no simple snake, given the fact that it made chewing noises when Zaryusu had tossed it fish.

    Rororo was five meters long, but it was a nimble navigator, and soon made its way to Zaryusu¡¯s side.

    Like a monkey climbing a tree, Zaryusu gracefully mbered onto Rororo¡¯s body.

    ¡°You muste back safely. Also, don¡¯t worry too much about things. Getting worked up and shouting, ¡®I won¡¯t let anyone die today¡¯ is your style.¡±

    ¡°...It seems I¡¯ve grown up a little now.¡±

    Shasuryu snorted as he heard this.

    ¡°And so the brat has be a man who can stand on his own... Forget it. In any event, take care of yourself. If you don¡¯t return, then we¡¯ll know who to attack first.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯lle back safely. Wait for me, Ani-ja.¡±

    After that, the two of them looked at each other ¡ª their eyes brimming with emotion ¡ª and then, they parted ways.

    <b>Part 3</b>

    There were many rooms on the Ninth Floor of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. The private quarters of the guild members and the NPCs notwithstanding, there was also arge bath, a dining room, a beauty salon, a clothing shop, a convenience store, a skin care center, a manicure parlor, and many other such things. A stunning variety of facilities were avable here, epassing just about every form of service or good imaginable.

    These facilities werergely meaningless in the game. They had most likely been created because their creators were sticklers for detail and wanted the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick to fit the image of an arcology. Alternatively, it might have been a psychological response to the miserable living conditions they faced in the real world.

    And then, there was the interior of one of these rooms.

    It was run by the Sous-Chef of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. While he normally showed his skills in the dining room, on certain times and dates, he woulde to this ce to prepare food for all to enjoy.

    This room was themed to resemble a small cocktail bar with few regr patrons, and the interior was gently lit with dimmps.

    It contained a liquor cab, a counter, and eight chairs before it. Though the room was simply furnished, the Sous-Chef thought of it as ¡°a ce where people could quietly drink in peace.¡± This ce which he had been granted was like his personal fortress, and it filled him with satisfaction.

    However, a few minutes after receiving this first-time customer, he realised that the atmosphere was directly rted to the nature of its clientele.

    ? ? ?

    Glug glug glug, fuwaaah~

    Judging by the sound, the customer in question had just finished a drink in one gulp.

    As he cleaned a winess, the Sous-Chef idly thought, If you want to drink like that, there¡¯s better ces for you to be.

    And indeed, there was a social bar and a club on the Ninth Floor, so there was no need for her toe here and drink like this.

    With a thump, the ss ¡ª probably a shotss, judging by the size ¡ª mmed down on the counter. The Sous-Chef struggled against the anger which threatened to twist his face.

    ¡°Give me another!¡±

    Sous-Chef obliged, filling the ss once more. After pouring distilled vodka into it, he added some No. 1 Blue food coloring.

    Then, he gently mixed it before handing it over.

    ¡°This drink is called ¡®Maiden¡¯s Tears.¡¯¡±

    He had made the name up on the spot as the girl before him gave him a doubtful look. Apparently, she had never seen a drink being mixed before, because her expression immediately turned to one of gratitude.

    ¡°Oh, so the spreading blue color represents tears, then?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±

    He spoke that lie without any hesitation whatsoever.

    She raised the ss and downed it in one gulp, like she was polishing off a coffee milk after a hot bath.

    Then, like before, she mmed the ss down on the counter with all her might.

    ¡°Hoo, I think it¡¯s getting to me.¡±

    ¡°Well, you have been drinking it too quickly. How about going back to rest for tonight?¡±

    ¡°...No. I don¡¯t want to.¡±

    ¡°I see...¡±

    Sous-Chef picked up his ss and began polishing it again. His irritation built as the girl stared at him.

    If you want to say, it, then juste out and say it. That¡¯s why women are so troublesome. My clients should be elegant gentlemen, not annoying women. Can I ban women from this ce... I guess not. That would disrespect the Supreme Beings. Still, that was a mistake on my part.

    This woman had been invited here by nobody other than himself. When he had met her on the Ninth Floor, he had seen her from behind and worried that she was depressed. Thus he had made conversation with her, something which he now regretted. Still, since he had invited her here as a guest, then he ought to treat her as a bar¡¯s owner would.

    I need to be hospitable, even if I am serving her drinks I¡¯ve pped together out of whatever¡¯s handy!

    After preparing himself, he asked a question.

    ¡°Is something wrong, Shalltear-sama?¡±

    In that moment, the girl ¡ª Shalltear ¡ª opened her mouth. It would seem she had been waiting for that question for a long time.

    It would also seem that his guess had been off the mark.

    ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡±

    Are you kidding me!? ¡ª and then his face wrinkled in a frown. However, Shalltear could not interpret the facial expressions of Myconids, and so she did notment on it. Instead, she used her finger to toy with the ss before her.

    (TL Note: Myconids are mushroom creatures. Sous-Chef is one of them)

    ¡°I think I¡¯m a bit drunk.¡±

    ¡°...Really now.¡±

    ...As if.

    Shalltear might have felt that she was drunk, but Sous-Chef was utterly convinced that it was not the case.

    Drunkenness was simr to being poisoned. Thus, it was impossible for someone who was immune to poison to get intoxicated. As one of the undead, Shalltear was immune to poison, so she could not possibly be drunk. The fact was that the people who came here removed the items which made them immune to poison, or they came to enjoy the atmosphere while knowing that they would not get drunk.

    Still, Shalltear believed that she was drunk. That was probably true ¡ª she was intoxicated by the ambience.

    Just as Sous-Chef was wondering what he should do next, he heard a most wonderful sound. He turned and bowed to its source.

    ¡°Wee.¡±

    ¡°Hi, Peaky.¡±

    He had gained that nickname because he looked quite simr to a certain mushroom. The person who had addressed him by that nickname was one of his regr customers ¡ª Assistant Head Butler Eir. He was apanied by the manservant who was carrying Eir by his waist.

    Eir was deposited onto one of the stools, as was customary. This was because Eir was only one hundred centimeters tall and had trouble climbing onto the stools by himself.

    He was baffled by why two of his customers ¡ª who were seated side by side ¡ª had not greeted each other. Then, he nced over to Shalltear and found that her head was lowered and she seemed to be muttering to herself. He could faintly make out something which sounded like an apology to the Supreme One (Ainz Ooal Gown).

    With a somewhat exaggerated motion, Eir signalled for a drink.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have that one.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    There was only one drink which came to mind when he said ¡°that one.¡±

    That would be a ten-colored cocktail made with ten different liquors ¡ª Nazarick.

    Not only was the cocktail visually attractive, but its taste was pleasing to the pte. His frequent customers approved mightily of it and felt that it was worthy of the name ¡°Nazarick,¡± but this was not something he would rmend to others.

    Sous-Chef had experimented repeatedly to fine-tune the vor, but he did not know when it would beplete.

    With practiced movements, he poured the ten-colored cocktail and ced it before Eir.

    ¡°This is for you, miss.¡±

    And then, what followed was a whoosh and a crash.

    Perhaps Eir was trying to slide the ss across to her over the counter, but only a manga character or a very skilful person could do so. A penguin was neither.

    He picked up the fallen ss and breathed a sigh of relief after he saw that it was undamaged. He wiped up the spilled liquor and then fixed Eir with an unhappy look:

    ¡°Could I trouble you not to il around with your flippers? If you insist on doing so, I will have you carted out in a bucket.¡±

    ¡°...My sincerest apologies.¡±

    Shalltear raised her head. It would seem she had realized Eir¡¯s presence thanks to their two-man act.

    ¡°Ara, if it isn¡¯t Eir? It¡¯s been a while.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been a... Well, it seems I keep running into you whenever youe to the Ninth Floor.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Still... I didn¡¯t expect to find you here. I always thought only Demiurge came here, among the Guardians. I believe once he came here to drink with Cocytus.¡±

    ¡°Oh, really?¡±

    Shalltear¡¯s eyes went wide as she heard about her colleagues.

    ¡°Still, what happened to make you like this?¡±

    ¡°I just made a big... no, I made a terrible mistake. So I came here like a dejected Guardian to drown my sorrows in drink.¡±

    A puzzled look came over Eir¡¯s face, and he asked the sous-chef with his eyes, What¡¯s with this girl? However, he did not know either, so all he could do was shake his head in response.

    However, he still hoped that everyone could be happy here while they drank. With that in mind, Peaky suggested something which surprised the two of them.

    ¡°How about trying something to change your moods? A ss of apple juice, perhaps?¡±

    The two of them froze as they heard this.

    ¡°Made with apples harvested from the Sixth Floor.¡±

    Those words seemed to interest them, and they nodded in unison. He was pleased to see their earnest response.

    Soon, he had two cups of ordinary-looking apple juice on the counter. Sous-Chef nced to the manservant, wondering if he wanted any as well, but the offer was silently declined as usual.

    Naturally, he had a straw for Eir, who was an avian.

    ¡°It tastes delicious.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s pretty good, but itcks impact... perhaps it¡¯s not sweet enough?¡±

    That was the feedback the two of them gave after downing their drinks in one shot.

    ¡°Well, it can¡¯t be helped. I¡¯ve had those apples before and they¡¯re not as sweet as the ones stored in Nazarick.¡±

    ¡°Is there an apple tree on the Sixth Floor? I don¡¯t recall one.¡±

    Apparently, Shalltear had heard of that before, because she answered before he could.

    ¡°Could those be the apples Ainz-sama brought back? I heard from Albedo about a n to replenish our consumables, where we¡¯d grow seeds from the outside in Nazarick to see if they would bear fruit.

    Peaky had heard of that as well.

    He had also been ordered to use all sorts of food from the outside to make dishes, in order to see if they could boost their eaters¡¯ stats.

    ¡°Yes, I heard that too. If it works out, there¡¯s going to be an orchard too. However, it just isn¡¯t sweet enough.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not undrinkable yet. Perhaps this fruit juice would be perfect if you wanted to cleanse your pte.¡±

    ¡°...Still, who¡¯s nting them? Aura and Mare are both outside... Are the magical beasts in charge of it?¡±

    ¡°No, no, that would be the Dryad Ainz-sama brought back from the outside.¡±

    Eir¡¯s face seemed to be saying, ¡°Who?¡± In contrast, Shalltear¡¯s seemed to be saying ¡°Ah!¡±

    ¡°...I see, so this is a case of the right person for the job. Could it be that Ainz-sama was thinking about something like this from back then?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Has someone newe to Nazarick?¡±

    Shalltear answered Eir¡¯s question. He had seen the Dryad before, but he did not know the details. Thus, he pricked up his ears and listened.

    The Dryad had been brought back after that battle to gauge the Guardians¡¯ ability to fight as a group. Apparently, there had been some sort of deal made with the Dryad which resulted in the Dryad being brought to Nazarick to be an apple farmer.

    ¡°Which means Nazarick is constantly improving and growing, right?¡±

    The two of them nodded at Eir¡¯s words.

    He was the Sous-Chef, so he was not quite sure about the details of this matter and the future ns for the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. However, he now understood that thest Supreme Being who remained here, Ainz Ooal Gown, was attempting to conserve their strength in this world and nning to grow his power further.

    ¡°I see. That means that in future, Nazarick might have many more neers like the Dryad... am I correct?¡±

    Shalltear puffed up her cheeks in displeasure after hearing Eir¡¯s words.

    ¡°...I certainly hope not. How can we let these trash walk freely about the ces which the Supreme Beings built?¡±

    He felt the same way too. He could not help but frown as he thought about the dwellings of the Supreme Beings being stained by outsiders. However, there was one thing which overshadowed these feelings.

    ¡°Still, we have to bear with it, because that is Ainz-sama¡¯s will.¡±

    The word of the Supreme Being, Ainz Ooal Gown, was absolute. If he said that something white was ck, then it would certainly turn ck.

    ¡°I, I don¡¯t intend to defy Ainz-sama¡¯s decision!¡±

    The other two nodded to the shrieking Shalltear.

    ¡°Then, we will need to be ever more loyal to Ainz-sama, as examples for the masses. Of course, I feel that nobody other than you will betray Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. Ah yes, Shalltear, what do you think? Right now, I can guarantee you a lofty position¡ª¡±

    Eir began his usual ¡ª and never sessful ¡ª recruitment spiel, but it was drowned out by a bizarre cry.

    ¡°Noooooo~¡±

    Shalltear grabbed her head as she shrieked before them.

    Her moaning was filled with pledges of loyalty.

    ¡°...What happened? Her tone seems different from usual.¡±

    In response to Eir¡¯s question, Sous-Chef merely shook his head and shrugged:

    ¡°Who knows?¡±

 Chapter 25 - Volume 4

    <h4>Overlord Volume 4 Chapter 2</h4>

    <b>Chapter 2: Gathering, Lizardmen</b>

    <b>Part 1</b>

    The sun was high in the sky after half a day¡¯s ride on Rororo. Zaryusu reached his destination without encountering any of the enemies he had been worried about.

    There were several houses here which resembled those of the Green w tribe, surrounded by barricades of sharpened stakes pointing out on all sides. The gaps between the stakes were fairlyrge, but they were enough to keep away monsters like Rororo. There were fewer structures here than in the Green w tribe, but each of them wasrger.

    Therefore, he could not determine which tribe had more people.

    Each building flew a g which waved in the wind. Said g was emzoned with the Lizardman symbol for ¡°Red Eye.¡±

    Indeed, this was the first destination Zaryusu had picked ¡ª? the tribal dwelling ce of the Red Eye tribe.

    After looking around, Zaryusu breathed a sigh of relief.

    Fortunately, they still lived where his past information had told him they would be. He had feared that they had migrated after the previous war, and he would have to start by finding their tribe.

    Looking back at the direction from which he came, Zaryusu saw his own vige at the limits of his vision. They must surely be preparing an ample wee for their iing guests. While he had felt uneasy when he had left his vige, he was quite certain now that they would not be attacked.

    The best proof of that was Zaryusu¡¯s safe arrival here.

    While he was not sure if that was an oversight by that so-called Supreme One or if this development fell within the predicted scope of events, it would seem the enemy did not intend to go back on their word, and neither did they intend to stop the Lizardmen from preparing themselves.

    Of course, even if the forces of that Supreme Whatever did show up, Zaryusu had no choice but to follow through with all his might.

    Zaryusu dismounted from Rororo and stretchedzily.

    Although riding Rororo for long periods of time made his muscles stiff, stretching like that filled him withfort.

    After that, Zaryusu indicated that Rororo should stay where he was and wait. Then, he took out some dried fish from his saddlebags and fed them to Rororo for brunch.

    Originally, he had intended to have his people bring their rations here, but he could not give that order because it might have damaged the Red Eyes¡¯ hunting grounds.

    After patting all of Rororo¡¯s heads, Zaryusu set forth by himself.

    If he had kept Rororo by his side, the presence of the Hydra might leave the other side too wary toe out and speak. Since Zaryusu hade to propose an alliance, he did not want to pressure them unduly.

    Water sshed around his feet as he advanced.

    From the corner of his eye, Zaryusu noticed several warriors of the Red Eye tribe following his movements from within the barricade. Much like the warriors of the Green w tribe, they wore no armor and carried long spears, each of which was essentially a long stick tipped with a sharpened head of bone. Others carried slings, but the fact that none of them had discharged projectiles at him suggested that they had no intention of attacking right away.

    Zaryusu did not wish to agitate them either, so he slowly drew closer until he reached their main gate. Then, he turned to the Lizardmen watching him warily, and shouted at the top of his voice:

    ¡°I am Zaryusu Shasha of the Green w tribe! I seek an audience with your chief!¡±

    After some time, an old Lizardman holding a gnarled staff arrived. He was trailed by five strapping members of his tribe. The old Lizardman¡¯s body was painted with white designs.

    Is he their High Priest?

    Zaryusu cut an impressive figure even as he stood there waiting.

    Currently, they were equals. Thus, he could not show any sign of weakness. Zaryusu remained still even as the priest inspected the brand upon his chest.

    ¡°I am Zaryusu Shasha of the Green w. There is something I must discuss with you.¡±

    ¡°...Though I do not wish to wee you, our leader has decided to grant you an audience. Come with me.¡±

    This roundabout reply left Zaryusu somewhat confused.

    What baffled him was why he did not call their leader ¡°chief.¡± In addition, they had not asked him for any proof of his identity. That said, it would be troublesome if he spoke too much and upset them. With a vague sense that something was wrong, Zaryusu followed behind the group of Lizardmen.

    ? ? ?

    He was taken to a well-appointed little house.

    It was easilyrger than Zaryusu¡¯s brother¡¯s house, back in his vige. The walls were decorated with designs drawn with rare paints, implying the high status of its upant.

    Curiously enough, this housecked windows, though it had venttion holes scattered throughout its walls. Like any other Lizardman, Zaryusu could see just fine in the dark. However, that did not imply they enjoyed living in darkness.

    That being the case, why did this leader live in a dark little hut like this?

    Questions like that popped up in Zaryusu¡¯s mind, but nobody would answer them for him.

    Looking back, he saw that the priest and the warriors who had led him here were nowhere to be found.

    When he had first heard the people leading him tell everyone else to leave, he had thought they were being too careless, and he had almost asked why they had done this.

    However, once Zaryusu learned that the request came from the vige¡¯s leader ¡ª? its acting chief ¡ª? his respect towards the person within the hut only grew.

    Zaryusu had promised his elder brother that he would return safely, but that did not imply he had toe back unharmed. Surrounding him with armed warriors to apply pressure would do no good. Rather, if they had done that, he would have been disappointed at theirck of insight.

    However, if the opposition had already anticipated that, and put on this great show for him...

    Does that mean I¡¯ll be dealing with a skilled negotiator...

    Zaryusu purposely ignored the people watching him from afar. He marched up to the door and loudly shouted:

    ¡°I am Zaryusu Shasha of the Green w tribe! I was told that this tribe¡¯s leader was here! May I request an audience?¡±

    A faint voice came back, granting him entry. It was a female voice.

    Zaryusu entered without a moment¡¯s hesitation.

    As expected, the interior was pitch-dark.

    While he possessed darkvision, the dramatic change in light levels made Zaryusu blink.

    An acrid odour hung in the air, possibly from some kind of herbal concoction. Zaryusu had expected an aged female, but the voice easily shattered that preconception of his.

    ¡°I bid you wee.¡±

    The voice hade through a door from the interior of the dark room, so he had assumed that it must have belonged to someone old. But now, he realised that her voice was young and full of vigor.

    As Zaryusu¡¯s eyes finally adjusted to the ambient light, the form of a Lizardman resolved itself within his field of vision.

    Snow white.

    That was the first thing Zaryusu thought when he saw her.

    Her scales were as white as snow and bright as day, clean and free of imperfections.

    Her round, shiny eyes were crimson, glowing like rubies. Her slender body was not masculine, but feminine.

    Her body was covered in red and ck tribal designs indicating that she was an adult, that she knew many spells...

    ...And that she was unmarried.

    Dear reader, have you been stabbed by ance before?

    Zaryusu had. It was a searing pain that made him feel that something hot had been forcefully pressed against his body, an agony that pulsed through his body in time with the beating of his heart. Zaryusu experienced something like that.

    Only, it did not hurt, but¡ª?

    Zaryusu stood silently in his original position.

    His counterpart¡¯s reaction to his silence was unreadable. With a mocking smile, she asked:

    ¡°It would seem even the bearer of Frost Pain ¡ª? one of the Four Treasures ¡ª? regards me as an aberration as well.¡±

    In the wild, albinism was a very rare condition. That was because albinos were very obvious and they had a hard time surviving the rigors of life.

    The same applied to the Lizardmen, who possessed some degree of civilization. That was because theycked the technology to enable people who feared the sun and had poor eyesight to survive. As a result, there were very few adult albino Lizardmen, and some were even killed at birth.

    Among the Lizardmen, being considered a mere nuisance was already quite good. In the worst-case scenario, some were even regarded as monsters. That was the meaning of the mockery in her smile.

    However, none of that applied to Zaryusu.

    ¡°¡ª?What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± the surprised female inquired of Zaryusu, who was frozen solid at her doorstep.

    Zaryusu¡¯s answer was a cry that grew high-pitched near the end, with some warbling in the middle.

    The Lizardwoman¡¯s eyes went wide and her jaw dropped slightly. It epassed her surprise, confusion, and embarrassment.

    That sound was known as a mating call.

    After realizing the foolish act he had unconsciously performed, his tail swished back and forth; the Lizardman equivalent of a human blush. It thrashed so violently that it seemed as though the house would be torn down.

    ¡°Er, ah, no. No, that¡¯s not it. I didn¡¯t mean that, I¡ª?¡±

    Zaryusu¡¯s panicked reaction seemed to calm the female down. Her teeth ground against each other in a creakingugh, and then she tried tofort him in an exasperated tone.

    ¡°Please calm down. It¡¯ll be quite troublesome for me if you lose control here.¡±

    ¡°Ah! Sorry.¡±

    After apologizing, Zaryusu entered the hut. By now, the Lizardwoman¡¯s taily t on the ground. It would seem she had finally managed to regain herposure. Still, its tip twitched and shuddered, which hinted that she had notpletely calmed herself down yet.

    ¡°This way, please.¡±

    ¡°¡ª?Thank you.¡±

    The female ushered Zaryusu to what looked like a seat on the ground that looked like it had been woven from nt fibers. She took a ce opposite him once he sat down.

    ¡°Pleased to meet you. This one is a traveller from the Green w tribe, Zaryusu Shasha.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your formal introduction. I am the acting chief of the Red Eye tribe, Crusch Lulu.¡±

    After introducing themselves, the two of them studied each other, as though conducting an appraisal of their counterpart.

    The brief silence filled the hut, but it could notst. Zaryusu was a guest, so it fell to Crusch ¡ª? as the host ¡ª? to speak first.

    ¡°Then, Your Excellency, let¡¯s not stand on ceremony. I would like us to be able to speak freely, so it¡¯ll be all right to rx.¡±

    Zaryusu nodded in response to the request for openness.

    ¡°I¡¯m grateful for that. The fact is, I¡¯m not used to speaking formally myself.¡±

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Now then, why have youe here?¡±

    Crusch had an idea already, despite her question.

    The mysterious undead being had appeared in the center of their vige, and it would seem someone else had used cloud-controlling magic of the fourth tier ¡ª? ¡¸Control Clouds¡¹. In addition, the visitor was a Lizardman hero from another tribe.

    Thus, there could only be one answer. Just as Crusch was wondering how to react to Zaryusu, she heard an answer whichpletely exceeded her expectations.

    ¡°¡ª?Please marry me.¡±

    ¡ª?

    ¡ª??

    ¡ª?!

    ¡°Ah¡ª??¡±

    For a moment, Crusch wondered if her ears had been mistaken.

    ¡°Granted, that¡¯s not why I came. In addition, I know very well that this sort of thing ought toe after we¡¯ve finished discussing business. However, I can¡¯t deny what I feel in my heart. I suppose you can mock me as a foolish male.¡±

    ¡°Uu, er, mm. Oh...¡±

    After hearing these words that she had never heard before since birth, and which she believed would never be directed at her, a storm of chaos tore Crusch¡¯s heart apart, and she waspletely unable to focus.

    Zaryusu smiled bitterly as he saw Crusch in that state, and continued:

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I really am. I shouldn¡¯t be doing something like that at a time like this. I don¡¯t mind if you tell me your answerter..¡±

    ¡°Er, um... hm.¡±

    At great length, Crusch had finally managed to gather her thoughts once more, or at the very least she had managed to begin thinking again. In any event, she finally calmed down, but as Zaryusu¡¯s words appeared in her mind, she felt as if her head would burn up at any moment.

    She studied the face of the male opposite her, taking care not to let herself be noticed as she sized up his stoic expression.

    I can¡¯t believe he can be so calm after saying that sort of thing to me... does he make proposals like that often? Or is he used to having people court him... Granted, he is very handsome... Ah! What am I thinking!? This must be his scheme... yes, that¡¯s right. Clearly, he¡¯s just trying to wind me up. Besides, it¡¯s not as though anyone would pro-propose to someone like me...!

    Having never been treated as a woman before, she was thrown into turmoil by this experience. She did not notice the way the tip of Zaryusu¡¯s tail twitched slightly. The male before her was also struggling to control his emotions and keep them from erupting forth.

    Thus, silence passed between them for a time. It would take a while before the two of them could cool their heads, heated by feverish thoughts.

    After enough time had passed for them to regain theirposure, Crusch realized that they should return to the original topic for now.

    Just as Crusch thought to ask Zaryusu about his reasons foring to this vige, she recalled what he had just said.

    How could I ask something like that!?

    Crusch¡¯s tail pped the ground with a thwap. The male before her shuddered, as though he had been physically struck.

    Crusch panicked, realizing that this was very rude behavior.

    Even if he was a traveller, he was still a representative of his tribe. Neither was he an ordinary Lizardman, but a hero who bore Frost Pain. This was not the attitude she ought to be taking with someone like that.

    But it¡¯s all your fault! Just hurry up and say something already!

    Zaryusu had chosen silence because he was embarrassed about what he had done, but Crusch had not discerned that as she tried to put a lid on the volcano within her heart.

    The silence continued. Realizing that this could not go on, Crusch made up her mind and decided to change the subject.

    ¡°Given that you¡¯re not afraid of the way I look, I imagine you must be very brave, am I wrong?¡±

    As he heard Crusch¡¯s self-deprecatory reply, Zaryusu replied with an expression that seemed to say, What nonsense are you spouting?

    What on earth is he thinking, anyway? Crusch thought.

    ¡°I said, do you not fear this white body of mine?¡±

    ¡°...It¡¯s like the snow that covers the mountains.¡±

    ¡°...Eh?¡±

    ¡°¡ª?It is a beautiful color.¡±

    And of course, he would have to say the one thing which nobody had ever spoken to her before.

    What, what is this man saying!?

    Unable to bear the strain from within, the lid on Crusch¡¯s emotions burst off, never to be seen again.

    Seeing Crusch at a total loss for what to do next, Zaryusu casually reached out and touched Crusch¡¯s scales. His hand grazed over those lustrous, beautiful, seemingly-polished scales ¡ª? which were somewhat cool to the touch.

    ¡°Shaa!¡± Crusch gasped in what sounded like fright.

    That sound seemed to cool their heads off somewhat.

    Both of them knew something was happening to them, but they could not hold themselves back. Panic filled them. Why had he been unable to control himself and touched her? And why had she let him do it? These questions became anxiety, which in turn became confusion.

    In the end, their tails thumped repeatedly on the ground, so forcefully that the entire house seemed to shake.

    Before long, their eyes met, and they realized the state of each other¡¯s tails. Then, their tails froze mid-motion, as though time had stopped for them.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    One could describe the mood in the air as heavy. The word ¡°tense¡± would also be quite applicable. Silence descended upon them once more, and they studied each other as stealthily as they could manage. After that, Crusch finally managed topose herself. With a look in her eyes which said that she would not let any lies get by her, she asked:

    ¡°...Why... did you do that all of a sudden?¡±

    While Crusch had not adequately expressed what she wanted to say, Zaryusu seemed to have picked up on her meaning, and gave a direct and honest answer.

    ¡°I believe that¡¯s what they call love at first sight. Also, we might die in this battle, so I didn¡¯t want to leave any regrets behind.¡±

    Crusch was left dumbfounded at how to reply to Zaryusu¡¯s earnest confession. However, there was something within those words which she could not ept.

    ¡°...So even the bearer of Frost Pain feels he might die?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know about the enemy, so we can¡¯t take them lightly... Did you see the monster they used to ry their message? The one which came to our vige looked like this...¡±

    Zaryusu handed Crusch a sketch of the monster in question. She looked it over, and nodded.

    ¡°Mm, it¡¯s the same one.¡±

    ¡°Do you know what kind of monster it is?¡±

    ¡°No. Nobody else in my tribe knows, for that matter.¡±

    ¡°Is that so... Well, I¡¯ve seen a monster like that before...¡±

    Zaryusu¡¯s voice trailed off here, and then he studied Crusch¡¯s reaction after saying, ¡°I ran from it.¡±

    ¡°¡ª?Eh?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t beat it. Or rather, it nearly killed me.¡±

    After realizing how potent that monster was, Crusch breathed a sigh of relief. It would seem holding the warriors back had been the right thing to do.

    ¡°That thing can confuse one¡¯s mind with its wails, and it¡¯s an incorporeal creature. Unenchanted weapons are useless against it, so I couldn¡¯t overwhelm it with numbers.¡±

    ¡°We druids have spells which can temporarily enchant weapons...¡±

    ¡°...Can you defend against mental attacks, then?¡±

    ¡°We can improve resistance to such attacks, but protecting everyone¡¯s minds is beyond me.¡±

    ¡°I see... can all priests cast spells like that?¡±

    ¡°Almost any priest can bolster resistances, but I¡¯m the only one in my tribe who can ward against confusion.¡±

    Crusch realised that Zaryusu¡¯s breathing was somewhat ragged. It would seem he had realized that Crusch¡¯s position was not for show.

    Indeed, Crusch Lulu was a veteran druid, and her powers were probably in excess of any other High Priest among the Lizardmen.

    ¡°...When will the Red Eye tribe be attacked?¡±

    ¡°They said we would be the fourth.¡±

    ¡°Is that so... then, what do you n to do?¡±

    Time passed.

    Crusch debated the merits and demerits of telling him. The Green w tribe would surely choose to fight, and Zaryusu was most likely here to secure an alliance to fight with them. How could she turn that to the advantage of the Red Eye tribe?

    The Red Eyes had never intended to form an alliance. They had intended to flee. After all, fighting anyone who could use fourth tier spells was foolish in the extreme. There was no other conclusion they could draw given that their opposition could deploy the undead as well.

    However, would it really be wise to tell them that?

    As her thoughts swirled within her head, Zaryusu narrowed his eyes, as though he was going to bare his soul to her.

    ¡°Let me state my honest opinion.¡±

    Crusch did not know what Zaryusu would say next, and kept her eyes trained on him.

    ¡°What worries me is what will happen after we evacuate.¡±

    Crusch had no idea what Zaryusu was talking about. Zaryusu calmly exined himself.

    ¡°Do you think you can continue living as you always have after leaving a familiar ce?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so... no, it would be close to impossible, right?¡±

    If they left this ce and built a new life elsewhere, that would entail entering a new environment. They would have to bet their lives in a struggle for life and death ¡ª? for survival ¡ª? and win. And in truth, the Lizardmen were not the rulers of thiske. They had fought for years to carve out their niche in these wends. A race like theirs could not easily uproot themselves and thrive in unknown territory.

    ¡°That is to say, it might be difficult just to find food and shelter, am I correct?¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Crusch replied in a somewhat shrill tone that conveyed her doubts.

    ¡°Then, what would happen if the five tribes all tried to evacuate at once?¡±

    ¡°This¡ª?!¡±

    Crusch was speechless, because she had already divined Zaryusu¡¯s true intentions.

    The area around theke was spacious, but anywhere that a particr tribe fled to would also be hotly contested territory for the other tribes. In other words, just moving to a new ce would spark a battle for survival. On top of that, they would all be fighting over the fish that was their staple food. What would happen if events unfolded in that way? For all they knew, something terrible might ur, like that war from the past.

    ¡°So you¡¯re telling me... the reason why you want to fight despite ourck of confidence is...¡±

    ¡°...Yes. It is not just a matter of my own tribe, but I have also considered how to thin the ranks of the other tribes.¡±

    ¡°What kind of a reason is that!?¡±

    That was why he wanted them to close ranks and fight. Even if they lost, the number of Lizardmen would be decreased.

    The idea was a radical one ¡ª? the idea that everyone was expendable besides the warriors, hunters, and priests. Yet, she could understand the rationale behind it. Or rather, when one took a long view of things, sacrificing everyone else was the wisest choice.

    If there were fewer Lizardmen, they would not need so much food. In that way, the various tribes might be able to coexist in harmony.

    Crusch searched for some way to deny that idea of his.

    ¡°¡ª?You¡¯re telling me that you want to reduce our numbers and make a new life elsewhere without even knowing how dangerous our new home will be?¡±

    ¡°Then let me ask you this ¡ª? what happens if we easily win the battle for our survival? When the supply of fish runs low, will the five tribes ughter each other again?¡±

    ¡°For all we know, it might be easier to catch fish in future!¡±

    ¡°And what if it isn¡¯t?¡±

    Crusch had no idea how to answer Zaryusu¡¯s cold retort.

    Zaryusu seemed to be assuming the worst-case scenario while nning, which seemed like an extreme position to Crusch. If they did as she was thinking, then a tragedy would y out when times got tough. However, if they did as Zaryusu implied, then said tragedy might be averted.

    In addition, even if the adult Lizardmen died in battle, it would be a glorious death for them.

    ¡°...If anyone refuses our proposition, then we will have to march against them first.¡±

    His low tones made Crusch shiver.

    What he meant was that he would not allow the Red Eye tribe to migrate elsewhere with their numbers undiminished.

    It was a sensible conclusion, and a very appropriate one.

    When the depleted tribes ran into the Red Eye tribe ¡ª? whose strength was undiminished ¡ª? they would be at risk of annihtion. In order to avoid that, the only choice they had was to assault any tribes which did not choose to join the alliance. It was a perfectly rational decision to make from the perspective of a leader whose people were in danger, and if she were in his position, she might well have made that decision as well.

    ¡°I feel that so long as we form an alliance, even if we lose, there will be a minimal chance of us killing each other when our tribes relocate to newnds.¡±

    Crusch did not understand the meaning of those words, and her ignorance showed on her face. It was then that Zaryusu decided to exin himself in simpler terms.

    ¡°I feel that the alliance will foster a spirit of mutual cooperation and change our perspectives. Everyone will berades who have shed blood together, and not people from different tribes.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s it,¡± Crusch murmured as enlightenment dawned on her.

    In other words, the tribes which had fought alongside each other might not necessarily descend into violence once food ran scarce. However, given Crusch¡¯s opinion and her past experiences, she wondered if they could reach such a state.

    Just as Crusch lowered her head and began her contemtion, Zaryusu asked:

    ¡°Come to think of it, how did your tribe survive that period, anyway?¡±

    Crusch jerked her head up, like she had been jabbed by a needle. She turned stiffly toward Zaryusu, who had a look of surprise on his face.

    So he really didn¡¯t know about it before he asked.

    While they had not known each other for a long time, Crusch had a rough grasp of Zaryusu¡¯s personality, and her instincts told her that his question posed no threat to her tribe.

    Crusch narrowed her eyes and stared at Zaryusu, as though trying to prate him with her piercing gaze. She knew that Zaryusu would be confused about why someone was looking at him like that, but even so, she still had to do it.¡±

    ¡°¡ª?Must I tell you?¡±

    ? ? ?

    Her tone was filled with disdain and resentment. So great was the change that it made Zaryusu wonder if he was speaking to someone else.

    However, Zaryusu would not back down here, because this was potentially a lifeline that could save everyone.

    ¡°I would like to hear it. Was it by the power of the priests? Or was there another way? Perhaps there might be a way to save¡ª?¡±

    Zaryusu cut his words off halfway.

    If there was really a way to save everyone, then the look on Crusch¡¯s face would not have been so bitter.

    Perhaps Crusch had sensed what Zaryusu was thinking, but sheughed, as though to mock herself.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. There¡¯s no way to save everyone.¡±

    She stopped here, and smiled tiredly.

    ¡°We resorted to cannibalism ¡ª? eating our deadrades.¡±

    The incredible shock left Zaryusu speechless. Killing the weak ¡ª? reducing their numbers ¡ª? was not forbidden, but eating one¡¯s fellow man was an unclean practice, a taboo among taboos.

    Why is she telling me this? Why is she telling me something she should have kept a secret all her life, to someone outside the tribe ¡ª? to a visitor? Could it be that she doesn¡¯t intend to let me leave alive... no, it doesn¡¯t seem like that.

    ? ? ?

    Even Crusch was surprised at why she was telling Zaryusu all this.

    She knew very well that her tribe would be vilified for it. But why¡ª?

    And then she continued speaking, as though her mouth were no longer under her control.

    ¡°At that time ¡ª? during the tribal war ¡ª? our tribe was in dire straits due to ack of food. However, we did not participate in the fighting because our tribe had more priests andparatively fewer warriors. The priests could create food with magic.¡±

    As though under the control of another will, Crusch carried on.

    ¡°However, the food that the priests created with magic was little more than a stopgap measure, and our tribe was slowly and surely heading towards destruction. However, the chief suddenly brought back some food one day; fresh red meat.¡±

    ¡ª?Perhaps, I wanted to confess... my sins to him.

    The sound of Crusch gnashing her teeth filled the air.

    The male before her listened silently. If he was repulsed by it, he showed absolutely no sign.

    Crusch was thankful for that.

    ¡°Everyone had an idea of what that meat was. There had been strictwsid down, and those families who vited them had been exiled. The chief only brought that meat back after those exiles had left. But everyone ignored their suspicions and ate the meat in order to survive. Of course, things could not go on like that forever. Everyone¡¯s pent-up feelings reached a head, and then they exploded.¡±

    Crusch closed her eyes and recalled the face of the previous chief.

    ¡°We, who ate that meat... even when we knew what it was... we were guilty of the same crime as the chief. When I think about it now, it almost seemsughable.¡±

    After she finished her monologue, Crusch looked Zaryusu in the eye. As she saw no sign of revulsion in his eyes, a secret thrill of delight ran through her, followed by surprise at her joy.

    Why was she so happy about this?

    Crusch began to realize the answer to that question.

    ¡°...Please look at me. Sometimes, people like myself appear in the Red Eye tribe. When they grow up, they develop some form of special ability ¡ª? in my case, I was talented at priestly magic. Therefore, I was in the running to be the next tribal chief... and so I raised my banner in revolt against the chief. That battle split the tribe in two, but we won because we were stronger.¡±

    ¡°And so your stores of food were now adequate because your numbers had decreased?¡±

    ¡°Yes... and in the end, our tribe survived. When we rebelled, the chief held out until the bitter end, and he died after being covered in countless wounds. Before he received the fatal blow, he looked at me and smiled.¡±

    The words slipped painfully from Crusch.

    That was the guilt which had been festering in her heart ever since she killed the previous chief.

    She could not confess these sins of hers to the people who had stood by her,plicit in her treason. But now, she could unburden herself to Zaryusu. That was why she was going on and on about the past.

    ¡°It was a smile which I did not expect from someone looking upon the person about to murder them. There was no hatred, resentment, hostility, or malice there ¡ª? it was such a beautiful smile! I was wondering... could it be that the chief had done all this after taking everything else into consideration? In contrast, we were merely acting out of hostility and idealism. The chief was the one in the right! And after the chief died ¡ª? that is to say, after the scapegoat for all our sins had been killed ¡ª? our tribe united once more. In addition, he left us the parting gift of solving our food shortage!¡±

    By now, Crusch had already reached her breaking point.

    She had struggled for so long with her guilt and the burden of bing the acting chief. Thus, when she let herself break down, she would do so with tremendous force. However, Crusch swallowed the impending deluge inside her, because she knew that if she allowed her thoughts to fall into chaos, she might not even be able to speak.

    A quiet sobbing filled the air. Biologically speaking, it was an insignificant amount of tears, but the fact was that on a psychological level, she had been broken to the point of weeping.

    ? ? ?

    What a frail little body she had.

    In the natural world, weakness was intolerable. While children were still a protected group, there was little difference between male and female Lizardmen; all of them valued strength. From that point of view, he should be scorning the female before him. After all, how could the leader of a tribe show weakness before a member of another tribe ¡ª? before a stranger?

    However, Zaryusu thought differently.

    Perhaps he felt that she was a beautiful female, but more than that, she seemed to him like a warrior. She was a warrior who had been wounded, who was panting and in despair, but yet she continued forging ahead. Zaryusu felt that this was merely revealing her vulnerable side.

    If she was still willing to stand up and advance, then she was not weak.

    Zaryusu leaned close, and gently wrapped his arms around Crusch.

    ¡°¡ª?We are not all-knowing, and each of us might make a different decision in a different situation. If it were me, I might have done the same thing. But I don¡¯t want to try andfort you or anything, because there¡¯s no such thing as a right answer in this world. All we can do is to choose to move on, and I feel that even after all the regret and misery and the wounds that cover the soles of your feet, all you can do is choose to press forward.¡±

    The warmth of their bodies flowed into each other, and the tiny tremor of their heartbeats went with it. For a moment, it felt as though their hearts were slowly syncing up with each other.

    What a strange feeling.

    This was a warmth Zaryusu had never felt before in his life. It was not because he was embracing a Lizardman.

    Could it be that it¡¯s because I¡¯m holding this female ¡ª? Crusch Lulu ¡ª? in my arms?

    Before long, Crusch wriggled free of Zaryusu¡¯s chest.

    Zaryusu briefly regretted the departure of her warmth, but he kept silent because he did not know how to express that feeling.

    ¡°It seems I¡¯ve embarrassed myself in front of you... do you think less of me now?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, embarrassed? Do I look like the sort of male who wouldugh at someone who carried on moving forward despite their wounds and worries about the future? ...But I think you look very beautiful.¡±

    ¡°¡ª?!¡±

    ¡°¡ª?!¡±

    The white tail curled, and pped repeatedly at the ground.

    ¡°...Oh dear.¡±

    Zaryusu did not inquire about what Crusch had meant by those words. Instead, he asked another question.

    ¡°Right, does the Red Eye tribe raise fish?¡±

    ¡°Raise?¡±

    ¡°Yes, as in breeding and nurturing fish to be eaten.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t do that, because fish are a blessing from nature.¡±

    From what Zaryusu could tell, no Lizardman tribe had ever practiced fish breeding. That was because they felt that growing their own food was a form of sphemy.

    ¡°That seems to be what the priests ¡ª? what the druids think. Could you try to change their minds and persuade them to raise fish to fill their bellies? The priests in our tribe seem to have epted that.¡±

    Crusch nodded.

    ¡°Then, I shall teach you how to raise fish. The important thing is their feed; you need to feed them with the fruits conjured by druidic spells. The fish growrge and fat when fed on those.¡±

    ¡°Is it really all right for you to tell me the secrets of fish-rearing?¡±

    ¡°Of course. There¡¯s no point hiding it. It¡¯s more important that I help as many tribes with that as possible.¡±

    Crusch bowed deeply to Zaryusu and lifted her tail in thanks.

    ¡°You have my utmost gratitude.¡±

    ¡°You... Well, you don¡¯t have to thank me, but in return, I¡¯d like to ask you something again.¡±

    The emotion disappeared from Crusch¡¯s face, and that shift in attitude calmed Zaryusu¡¯s heart down.

    This was a question he could not evade. Zaryusu took a deep breath, and so did Crusch.

    And then, Zaryusu asked:

    ¡°What does the Red Eye tribe intend to do about theing battle?¡±

    ¡°...After what we discussed yesterday, we are currently in favor of fleeing.¡±

    ¡°Then, acting chief Crusch Lulu, let me ask you one more time ¡ª? do you still feel the same way?¡±

    Crusch could not answer him.

    It was only natural to hesitate, given that this concerned the fate of the Red Eye tribe.

    However, Zaryusu could do nothing about that response but force a smile to his face.

    ¡°...You have to make that decision. I believe the reason why the previous chief smiled at you was because he was entrusting you with the tribe¡¯s future. That being the case, now is the time to live up to his trust in you. That¡¯s all I have to say. The rest is up to you.¡±

    Crusch¡¯s round eyes panned around the room. It did not imply she wanted to flee or seek help, but that she was searching for the right answer within her heart.

    No matter how it ended up, all Zaryusu had to do was ept her answer.

    ¡°As acting chief, may I ask how many people you intend to evacuate?¡±

    ¡°For the time being, we are nning to evacuate ten warriors, twenty hunters, three priests, seventy males, one hundred females and some children.¡±

    ¡°...As for the others?¡±

    ¡°¡ª?Depending on the circumstances, we might have to let them all die.¡±

    Crusch stared off into empty space and murmured:

    ¡°¡ª?Really now.¡±

    ¡°Then, please give me your answer, acting chief Crusch Lulu of the Red Eye tribe.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Crusch considered her options.

    She could kill Zaryusu. Personally speaking, she did not want to do that, but it was a different matter in her capacity as acting chief.

    How about killing him and fleeing with the rest of the vige? Crusch abandoned that line of thought, because it was an extremely dangerous gamble and it concerned their future. Besides, there was no guarantee that he really hade alone.

    Then, how about agreeing with him and then running away with everyone?

    That would probably be problematic too. If they tried to be clever and messed up instead, it might lead to a war with the Red Eye tribe ¡ª? one that would lead to an extermination of their people. After all, their intention was to reduce the poption, and it did not matter who had to die for that to happen.

    Ultimately, if he did not receive an answer agreeing to an alliance, he would probably lead an army to the Red Eye tribe to destroy them.

    However, she did not know if Zaryusu had realized there was a w in that n. The problem of food scarcity still remained.

    Then, enlightenment dawned on Crusch, and she smiled. There had never been a way out to begin with. From the moment Zaryusu had proposed the alliance; from the moment he had suggested they work with the Green w tribe¡ª?

    The only way for the Red Eye tribe to survive was to ally with them and join the battle together. Zaryusu should have realised that as well.

    Even so, he wanted Crusch to give her answer. He probably wanted to see if Crusch ¡ª? the leader of her tribe ¡ª? was worthy of standing beside him as hisrade.

    After that, all that was left was to speak her decision.

    However, if she told him, many people would surely die. Still¡ª?

    ¡°Let me get one thing straight. We are not fighting to die, we are fighting to win. I may have said a lot of things that made you ufortable, but as long as we beat the enemy, we canugh it all off. I hope you understand that.¡±

    Crusch nodded to show that she understood.

    He was apassionate male. With that, Crusch replied with her decision:

    ¡°...We, the Red Eye tribe, will join you, because I do not wish to make the previous chief¡¯s smile meaningless, and also because I want to give the Red Eye tribe its best shot at survival.¡±

    Crusch bowed deeply, and lifted her tail.

    ¡°¡ª?Thank you very much.¡±

    Zaryusu nodded, and his firmly erect tail spoke more of his emotions than his words ever could.

    ? ? ?

    It was morning.

    Zaryusu looked toward the main gate of the Red Eye tribe¡¯s vige, from where he stood in front of Rororo.

    His mouth opened, and a yawn slipped out. He was still feeling a little tired, because he had been sitting in on the tribal meeting of the Red Eye tribe untiltest night. However, time was of the essence, and he had to visit another tribe by today.

    Zaryusu furiously battled the spectre of sleep, but he lost his fight and yawned again, louder than before.

    While Rororo was hardly a stable ride, for some reason he felt that he could still fall asleep on top of it.

    Zaryusu nced at the sun, which seemed bright yellow despite having just risen, and then he looked back at the main gate. A feeling of confusion came over him, because something strange had walked out from it.

    It was a bundle of grass.

    It was a set of garments that had been made with long strips of cloth and stuffed full of long grasses. If ity down on the marsh, it would look like a pile of weeds from a distance.

    Ah, where have I seen a monster like that before¡ª?

    As Zaryusu recalled the sights he had seen as an adventurer, Rororo growled in a threatening fashion from behind him.

    Of course, Zaryusu knew who that pile of weeds was. There was no doubt about it. After all, her white tail peeked out from it.

    As he stared dumbly at the swaying tail and absentmindedly rubbed Rororo to calm it down, the pile of weeds had already drawn up to Zaryusu.

    ¡°¡ª?Good morning.¡±

    ¡°Mm, good morning... it seems you¡¯ve gathered the tribe.¡±

    He looked toward the dwellings of the Red Eye tribe. It was filled with a frantic energy, with many Lizardmen running back and forth. Crusch stood aside to watch, and then replied:

    ¡°Mm, there were no problems with that. We should be able to reach the Razor Tail vige by today, and we¡¯ve already picked out the people that we¡¯re going to evacuate.¡±

    ording to the spells cast by the priests from the vige, the Razor Tail tribe was the first to be attacked. The fact that the first tribe to be attacked was not the Dragon Tusk tribe was a godsend when they considered the time they had left.

    ¡°Then, why are youing with me, Crusch?¡±

    ¡°The answer is simple, Zaryusu. But before I answer you, tell me this ¡ª? what do you intend to do next?¡±

    After the long meeting that hadsted from evening to the middle of the night, neither of them felt ufortable about addressing each other by their first names. Even the way in which they spoke had changed, probably because they hade to be familiar with each other.

    ¡°After this, I intend to visit another tribe ¡ª? the Dragon Tusk tribe.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re the tribe that values strength over all things, right? I¡¯ve heard that they have the greatest fighting power of all the tribes.¡±

    ¡°Mm, that¡¯s right. Since we haven¡¯t had much contact with them, we¡¯d best prepare ourselves for anything.¡±

    Everything about them was shrouded in mystery, so even proceeding to their domain was a very risky matter. In addition, they had absorbed the survivors of the two tribes which had been disbanded during the previous war, so that made things even more dangerous.

    Zaryusu had distinguished himself during that war, so he would be a hated nemesis for the survivors of those two tribes.

    Even so, they were the tribe whose strength they most needed during the uing conflict.

    ¡°So that¡¯s it... Then it would be better for me to apany you.¡±

    ¡°¡ª?Why?¡±

    ¡°Is it strange?¡±

    The weed pile rustled softly. Zaryusu had no idea what those words meant because he could not see her face.

    ¡°It¡¯s not strange... more that it¡¯s very dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Is anywhere safe during these times?¡±

    Zaryusu could not reply to that. When he thought calmly about it, there were many advantages to bringing Crusch along. However, as a male, he did not want to bring the female he loved to a ce where he knew great danger was waiting.

    ¡°¡ª?I really can¡¯t calm down.¡±

    He could not see Crusch¡¯s face inside the weed pile, but she seemed to be smiling.

    ¡°...Then I¡¯ll ask you another question. Why are you dressed like that?¡±

    ¡°Is it ugly?¡±

    It was not ugly so much as bizarre. However, would it be better to praise her for it? Zaryusu did not know how to answer, but after some thought, he sized up the expression he could not see and replied:

    ¡°...Well, I should say it looks good... does it?¡±

    ¡°As if.¡±

    Crusch shut him down with a t denial. That was probably why Zaryusu felt weak all of a sudden.

    ¡°It¡¯s simply because I don¡¯t deal well with sunlight. Thus, I need to dress up like this whenever I go outside.¡±

    ¡°I see...¡±

    ¡°Ah, you haven¡¯t given me your answer yet. Will you let mee with you?¡±

    No matter what he said to her, it would all be pointless. Having her around would be advantageous to his aim of forging an alliance. She must have suggested as much because she felt the same way. Thus, there was no reason for him to refuse her.

    ¡°...I understand. Then, please lend me a hand, Crusch.¡±

    With a sense of joy that seemed toe from the bottom of her heart, Crusch replied:

    ¡°¡ª?I understand. Leave it to me, Zaryusu.¡±

    ¡°Are you ready to set out?¡±

    ¡°Of course. My pack is filled with everything I need.¡±

    After hearing that, Zaryusu looked at her back and found a bulge there. The thick scent of fresh grass and other herbs came from it. Since she was a druid, she ought to have skills pertaining to herbs and the like, so it must be filled with such materials.

    ¡°Zaryusu, you look tired.¡±

    ¡°Uh, yes, I do feel a bit weary. The past two days have been pretty busy, so I haven¡¯t had time to sleep.¡±

    Just then, a white-scaled hand emerged from under the mass of weeds.

    ¡°Here. This is a Rikiriko fruit. Eat it, skin and all.¡±

    The hand proffered him a brown-colored fruit. Zaryusu ced it into his mouth and bit down on it without hesitation.

    A bitter taste filled his mouth, chasing away his fatigue. While it was barely passable in terms of vor, after chewing it several times, an explosion of vor bloomed on his tongue. In addition, even the breaths he exhaled had the same taste on them.

    ¡°Muu! What¡¯s this cool sensation that¡¯s filling my head?¡±

    Zaryusu had unconsciously adopted his elder brother¡¯s verbal tic. Crusch could not help but giggle as she saw him.

    ¡°Your desire to sleep has gone away, right? But the fact is that it isn¡¯t really gone, so don¡¯t get too used to it. It would be best to find somewhere to rest.¡±

    Every breath Zaryusu took in and released filled him with bliss, as did the full-body sensation of coolness. He replied:

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll take a nap while I¡¯m on Rororo.¡±

    Saying that, Zaryusu immediately mounted Rororo. He was followed by Crusch. While Rororo red at Zaryusu due to the sinister feeling of a pile of grass climbing astride it, Zaryusu finally managed to calm it down.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s go. The seating isn¡¯t very stable, so you¡¯d best hang on to me.¡±

    ¡°All right.¡±

    Crusch¡¯s arms encircled Zaryusu¡¯s waist. The prickles from her weed outfit made Zaryusu feel itchy.

    ¡°...¡±

    Zaryusu frowned. This was not what he had imagined.

    ¡°¡ª?Is something wrong?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. Let¡¯s go. Rororo, I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡±

    What exactly was making her so happy? Crusch¡¯s cheerfulughter came from behind him, and as Rororo lurched on, Zaryusu was all smiles.

    <b>Part 2</b>

    The Great Forest of Tob was silent under the oppression of its new rulers. That was because all the living beings here had gone into hiding, afraid of the gaze of those who held power over them.

    However, that was not the case for a specific area of the forest.

    The sound of tree-cutting and logs being moved filled the air in that ce.

    There was a Golem which resembled a piece of heavy machinery ¡ª? a Heavy Iron Machine ¡ª? which carried logs to a massive wooden structure that was still under construction.

    It looked like it would take a long time before that building wasplete. While it upied arge area, the portions which had actually been constructed were surprisingly small.

    A group of undead and Golems worked there.

    Among these undead were Elder Liches who wore eye-catchingly bright red robes.

    Every now and then, they would be approached by demons that were roughly thirty centimeters tall ¡ª? small monsters with bat wings and coppery-red skin, called Imps. The Imps kept their slender tails ¡ª? which were tipped with venom-dripping stingers ¡ª? out of the way lest they get in the way of the Elder Liches¡¯ work.

    One hardworking Elder Lich unfurled the blueprints he was holding and gave orders to one of the Golems under him.

    The Golem obediently stopped what it was doing andpared the worksite before him to the blueprints, before pausing to cogitate. Shortly after, it spoke to the Imp on its shoulder.

    After hearing it out, the Imp indicated that it understood, and took wing.

    Flying with ungraceful movements, the Imp opened its eyes and took in the surrounding area. Before long, it found its target and swooped down.

    Said target was the Guardian of the Sixth Floor of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick ¡ª? Aura Be Fiora. In other words, she was one of the people who now ruled this forest.

    ? ? ?

    The Dark Elf Girl rolled up her scroll into a megaphone so her voice would carry out to a long distance. The Impnded before her and bowed deeply, whereupon she asked in a familiar tone:

    ¡°All right~ and which group are you from?¡±

    ¡°Aura-sama, Ie from Number 3 in U Group.¡±

    ¡°U Group, huh? All right, Got it. Anything else?¡±

    The work crews here were divided into named after the vowels from ¡°A¡± to ¡°O,¡± and they were assigned to work on different areas. From what Aura could remember, U Group was assigned to the storehouse. Progress on that was the second fastest among all the other areas.

    ¡°There¡¯s a discrepancy in the thickness of the timbers used in construction, so could we please have more time¡ª?¡±

    The Imp suddenly shut up, because the steel band around Aura¡¯s wrist suddenly made a sound.

    ¡°Break time~!¡±

    Aura¡¯s face changed as she heard thatzy, yet cheerful voice. Her ears drooped and she looked oddly vulnerable and embarrassed.

    ¡°Got it, Bukubukuchagama-sama!¡± she answered the wristband.

    ¡°So, uh, it¡¯s time to eat, so we¡¯re done working for the morning.¡±

    Hardly any of the monsters here needed to eat. In fact, Aura was also wearing a Ring of Sustenance, which eliminated the need for food or sleep. However, her master had insisted that ¡°everyone must take breaks from time to time,¡± so she had to obey him despite her wishes.

    ¡°Ah, sorry about you, but I need to rest, soe back in an hour¡¯s time.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Then I shall take my leave first.¡±

    The Imp bowed and flew off amidst a storm of noisy pping.

    As she watched the Imp fly off towards the storehouse, Aura worked her shoulders, and then nced down at the band around her wrist.

    Then, her face was all smiles.

    This was a reward her master had given her for her hard work. Of course, the Guardians had been created to serve their master and the Supreme Beings, so working hard for them was a fundamental fact of life. Thus, they should not have epted a reward, as theirbor was only a matter of course.

    However, she could not refuse the band her master had given her.

    ¡°Kukuku, I want to hear more of Bukubukuchagama¡¯s voice.¡±

    Aura tenderly caressed the band on her wrist. That gesture was more loving and gentle than how she stroked her own beasts.

    All the voices recorded into this item came from the Supreme Being who had made Aura.

    They filled Aura with delight, even if all they did was tell the time.

    She had felt jealous when she learned that her brother (Mare) had received a Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown, but in all honesty, she felt that this item was better.

    ¡°Ehehehehe~¡±

    Aura¡¯s ears drooped and she caressed the band with an embarrassed look on her face. Then she nodded in satisfaction as it gleamed in the sunlight. But shortly after that, she tilted her head in bafflement.

    ¡°Why did Ainz-sama say that I could not set it for certain times?¡¯

    Ainz-sama hadmanded that the watch not be set to state the times of 07:21 or 19:19, among others.

    ¡°Hm... I might as well ask him. Ah, crap!¡±

    After noticing the time which floated above the watch, she hurriedly rushed off.

    There was a maid at her destination.

    The forty one maids who served the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick were heteromorphic creatures called Homunculi. All of them resembled beautiful women. However, she did not.

    She had the head of a dog that was divided down the middle by a line ¡ª? it resembled a scar,plete with traces of stitching. It looked as though her face had been split in half and joined back together again.

    Her name was Pestonya S. Wanko.

    She was the Head Maid of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, and a high-level cleric.

    ¡°I have brought the hamburger over as you wish, Aura-sama. The side dishes are two pickles and unpeeled french fries, while the drink is c... wan.¡±

    The dy before the ¡°wan¡± made Aura think that she had forgotten to add her verbal tic at the end of her words, but Aura did notment on it. Her attention was focused on the smell that tantalized her tummy and made her drool in anticipation. While the ring she wore meant that she did not need to eat, it did not make her unable to do so. In addition, eating was a pleasurable activity, especially when it came to such delectable cuisine.

    ¡°Thebined effects of this food and drink are¡ª?¡±

    ¡°Ah, no need for that. I didn¡¯t ask you to make this for me just to boost my stats.¡±

    ¡°Understood -wan.¡±

    Aura approached Pestonya and the dinner service she was pushing, which emanated a delicious scent.

    ¡°Time to eat, time to eat~!¡±

    Pestonya whipped the silver lid off the tray as Aura intoned her eating-rhyme.

    ¡°Ohhhhh~¡±

    Aura¡¯s eyes were glued to the food as it revealed itself, and at the same time she blurted out something which came to mind.

    ¡°A7 beef mince is good, but I prefer mixed mince. I hope you can make a triple patty with that meat.¡±

    ¡°Then, I shall inform the Head Chef of your wishes -wan.¡±

    ¡°Mm, thank you!¡±

    Aura picked up the entire tray and giggled as she strode off.

    <b>Part 3</b>

    As Zaryusu examined the vige of the Dragon Tusk tribe whichy before his eyes, a pile of vegetation thrust itself forward from beside his head. Needless to say, that mass of leaves was actually Crusch. She reached out to pull away the vegetation covering her face, which Zaryusu felt was very beautiful.

    ¡°Are you really going to charge right in? Do you want to pick a fight with them?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s the exact opposite, actually. The Dragon Tusk tribe ces great value on strength. If I left Rororo behind and went in on foot, I might end up being challenged by all sorts of people before I even got to their chief. Entering while on Rororo¡¯s back will avoid that sort of trouble.¡±

    After advancing with Rororo for some distance, it would seem they had been spotted, because several warriors emerged from the vige, each brandishing a weapon and eying Zaryusu and his group.

    Rororo sensed their hostility and let out a low growl. As he heard Rororo¡¯s growl of warning, he urged it forward.

    Continuing on like this would spark a confrontation. Zaryusu went on until conflict was almost inevitable before stopping Rororo and hopping down from it. Crusch jumped down as well.

    Quite a number of warriors stared daggers at the two of them. Their gazes seemed to inflict a palpable pressure; this was no longer mere hostility, but on the level of murderous intent.

    Crusch seemed shaken by their gazes and froze. That was because she was not experienced with the battlefield, despite her potent abilities as a druid.

    In contrast to her, Zaryusu strode forth. He shielded Crusch with his body and shouted:

    ¡°¡ª?I am Zaryusu Shasha, a representative who hase to visit. I seek an audience with your chief!¡±

    His powerful voice blew away the bloodlust in the air. The tables were turned on the warriors of the Dragon Tusk, who flinched as they were shaken by him.

    Then, Crusch raised her voice and stated her name.

    ¡°I am Crusch Lulu, acting chief of the Red Eye tribe. I too seek an audience with your chief.¡±

    Though her voice was not loud, it was filled with the assurance and confidence of one who bore the fate of her tribe on her shoulders. Spurred on by the manly and proud voice of the male beside her, the cowering girl from just now was nowhere to be seen.

    ¡°I say again! I am here to see the chief! Where is he!?¡±

    In that moment ¡ª? a ripple ran through the air. It was as though raw emotion had been transformed into a shockwave, which washed over them.

    Rororo¡¯s heads thrashed wildly. Its jaws gaped and it gave voice to a menacing roar, ring angrily around itself. As the hydra¡¯s roaring echoed from all around, the air seemed to shrink away from it, as though in fear.

    ¡°...There¡¯s no need to protect me from small things like this.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do it to protect you, because you chose toe here of your own free will. However, I was the one who destroyed their tribe, so I should be the one to bear their vengeful gazes.¡±

    The warriors started gathering at the entrance of the vige. All of them were heavily muscled and imposing Lizardmen. Their bodies were covered in faded scars, which implied that they were grizzled veterans. However, Zaryusu did not see their chief among them.

    All of these Lizardmen were mere warriors. None of them had the fearsome stature of his brother, nor did any of them have anything like Crusch¡¯s unusual looks or her air of authority.

    As Rororo roared, the Lizardmen remained on edge. And then¡ª?

    ¡°Ngk!¡±

    ¡ª?Crusch gulped and squeaked. However, Zaryusu had already sensed the arrival of another Lizardman and remained unmoved. That was because he had already sensed the slow approach of a mighty being even before it had made its appearance.

    Still, he could not help but stare at the Lizardman before him.

    Simply put, that Lizardman was a monster.

    Facing them was a gigantic male Lizardman who was in excess of two hundred thirty centimeters in height. That alone would not have qualified him as monstrous, but that was not the only reason it was described as such.

    For starters, his right arm was extremelyrge and bizarre in appearance, like the oversized w of a fiddler crab. No, his left arm was hardly slender, being about the same as Zaryusu¡¯s. It was merely his right arm which was abnormally thick, and it had not be that way because of a mutation or disease, but simply because of sheer muscle mass.

    The ring finger and little finger were missing from his left hand.

    A scar continued back from the edge of his mouth, possibly caused by some sort of injury. His tail was t, like it had been squashed. It resembled an alligator¡¯s more than a Lizardman¡¯s.

    However, outof all these visual features, the thing which drew the most attention was the brand on his chest. The design was different from the one Zaryusu had on his chest, but the meaning was the same ¡ª? this Lizardman was also a ¡°traveller.¡±

    And as he sized up Zaryusu andpany¡ª?

    ¡ª?The rustle of dry kindling spilled from his mouth, the sound of that monstrous Lizardman grinding his teeth. It was probably his version ofughter.

    ¡°Wee, master of Frost Pain.¡±

    The monstrous Lizardman¡¯s rich, basso profundo voice matched his appearance perfectly. He was probably speaking normally, but even that exuded an awesome air of power.

    ¡°Pleased to meet you. I am the Green w tribe¡¯s Zaryu¡ª?¡±

    The monster Lizardman waved off the rest of his introduction.

    ¡°State your names.¡±

    ¡°...I am Zaryusu Shasha, and this is Crusch Lulu.¡±

    ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be a... nt monster? No, since you¡¯ve brought a Hydra along, it stands to reason that you¡¯d have another creature by your side. Hardly anything to be worried about.¡±

    ¡°...Not quite.¡±

    The monstrous Lizardman once again waved off Crusch, who was taking off her costume of leaves.

    ¡°Hey, it was just a joke. Don¡¯t take everything I say so seriously, it¡¯s a pain.¡±

    ¡°¡ª?¡±

    After ncing at Crusch as she doffed her pile of leaves, he looked back to Zaryusu.

    ¡°So, why are you here?¡±

    ¡°Before that, might I know your name?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m the chief of the Dragon Tusk tribe, Zenberu Gugu. Zenberu will do.¡±

    Zenberuughed in his tooth-grinding way. While this was exactly what he had expected, the idea of a traveller bing chief was still quite surprising.

    On the other hand, it was an answer he could ept. A Lizardman like him was no mere traveller. In truth, the gathering hostility had vanished the moment he showed up. Clearly, he was a Lizardman with great authority, as well as extraordinary martial might and leadership.

    ¡°Zaryusu will be fine, then. Tell me, Zenberu... have any strange monsters visited your vige recently?¡±

    ¡°Mm, that messenger of the Supreme One or whatnot.¡±

    ¡°Well, if they came, then we can discuss¡ª?¡±

    Zenberu raised his hand to interrupt Zaryusu.

    ¡°I think I know what you want to say. However, we only listen to the strong. Draw your sword.¡±

    The towering Lizardman before him ¡ª? Zenberu Gugu of the Dragon Tusk tribe ¡ª? bared his fangs in a toothy grin.

    ¡°What!?¡±

    As Crusch gasped, she saw approving looks on the faces of Zaryusu and the surrounding warriors.

    ¡°...Well, that makes things simple, chief of the Dragon Tusk. It certainly saves a lot of time.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a truly outstanding messenger. No, as the master of Frost Pain, perhaps I should say that it was only to be expected?¡±

    ? ? ?

    Choosing the strong as their leaders was a very rational decision for the Lizardmen.

    However, was it really such a good idea when it involved the continued survival of their tribes? Should they not discuss it with the others and consider the matter from various angles beforeing to a conclusion?

    Those thoughts ran through Crusch¡¯s head ¡ª? followed by surprise that she would actually think that way.

    The fact was that all the warriors watching them approved of their chief¡¯s decision, be they male or female. She would probably have felt the same way had she been asked the same thing earlier.

    Then, why am I questioning this now?

    Where had these doubtse from?

    Was it because of some kind of magical attack? That was impossible. She was confident that nobody in this swamp was her superior in terms of magic. That confidence made her absolutely certain that she had not been the victim of some sort of spell.

    Crusch turned to look at the two of them.

    Zaryusu and Zenberu.

    Standing next to each other, they looked like a childpared to an adult.

    One¡¯s physique did not determine everything. She was very clear about that as a magic caster. However, given the massive difference between their bodies, she could not help but hope that this was not the case.

    Hope? I¡¯m hoping that they ¡ª? that he won¡¯t have to fight?

    Crusch wanted to know why she was feeling such a bizarre thing. Why did she not want that? Why did she not want them to fight?

    There was only one answer for that, which went without saying.

    Crusch smiled bitterly, as though to mock herself.

    You might as well admit it, Crusch. You don¡¯t want Zaryusu to fight because you¡¯re afraid he¡¯ll get hurt... that he¡¯ll die.

    That was the whole thing in a nutshell.

    It was rare for these battles to be fought to the death. However, the word ¡°rare¡± implied that the possibility still existed. Lives could easily be lost if they fought until they were no longer in possession of their senses. As a female, she did not want herpanion to die because he had taken part in this fight.

    In other words, Crusch had long since epted Zaryusu¡¯s proposal within her heart.

    I gave in so simply because no male ever... does that mean I¡¯m easily tricked? Eh, it just feels... I¡¯m both happy and a little upset... ah, what a pain!

    Having epted her innermost feelings, Crusch stepped up to Zaryusu as he prepared for battle, and ced a hand on his shoulder.

    ¡°Do you need anything? Is anythingcking?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Crusch patted his shoulder.

    It was a strong shoulder.

    Ever since she hade of age, Crusch had walked the path of the priest. She had touched the bodies of many males while she was praying, while she was applying medicine to them, and while she was casting spells on them. But her contact with Zaryusu¡¯s body was longer than all those other times put together.

    So this is Zaryusu¡¯s body... huh.

    His firm muscles, filled with hot blood that was eager for battle and a palpable manliness.

    ¡°...What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Zaryusu was baffled by Crusch¡¯s lingering hand.

    ¡°¡ª?Eh? Ah, that... It was a prayer. A priest¡¯s prayer.¡±

    ¡°I see, so your ancestor spirits watch over those of other tribes, then?¡±

    ¡°The spirits of our tribe are not so petty. Good luck.¡±

    Crusch apologized internally to her ancestors as she peeled her hand off Zaryusu¡¯s shoulders, because she had lied about praying to them for the victory of the male she favored.

    Zenberu was also preparing for battle. He carried a massive polearm in his right hand ¡ª? a steel halberd that was almost three meters long. A regr Lizardman would need both hands to wield it.

    And then ¡ª? he swung itzily.

    The sweep of the halberd generated a gust of wind that swept over Crusch, who was some distance away from him.

    ¡°Can you... no, I should ask, will you be all right?¡±

    ¡°About that... well, I¡¯ll see how it goes.¡±

    At first, Crusch had wanted to ask if he could win, but ultimately, she did not. Zaryusu must have fought while knowing that victory was not impossible.

    That would mean that the male before her would not lose. They had only known each other for a day and travelled with each other for half that time, but Crusch was certain of that.

    She loved this male because there was something about him to love.

    ¡°Then, are you ready, master of Frost... ah, Zaryusu.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Whenever you¡¯re ready.¡±

    With a dramatic flourish, Zaryusu turned his back to Crusch and stepped into the dueling circle.

    Crusch sighed. That was because of the back which could not help but draw her attention.

    ? ? ?

    The warmth of her hand which had been touching his shoulder for so long ¡ª? not very long, in actual fact ¡ª? slowly faded away.

    The battle which came next was essentially a simplified version of the tribal chief selection battle. Since this was intended to be a one-on-one fight, magical assistance from a third party was against the rules.

    However, the warmth on Zaryusu¡¯s shoulder ¡ª? which had made him feel nervous and jittery ¡ª? and the contact with Crusch made him wonder if she had worked some magic on him. However, there was no way that she, as the acting chief of her tribe, could not know of that rule.

    Then, why was he so fired up, even though she had not cast a spell?

    Was it because he wanted to do his best for her, as a male performing for his female? His big brother had once said that he was a ¡°withered tree...¡± but that did not seem quite right.

    Zaryusu entered the circle formed of Lizardmen, and swiftly drew Frost Pain from his waist. The de emanated a frosty white mist, as though in response to Zaryusu¡¯s will.

    A disturbance swept through the surrounding Lizardmen.

    They were the survivors of the Razor Edge tribe ¡ª? in other words, they had known the previous owner of Frost Pain, and they understood its fearsome power.

    As he beheld the power of Frost Pain which only a true owner could unleash, Zenberu¡¯s savage expression turned to one of glee. He bared his teeth and growled like a beast.

    In response to his opponent¡¯s fighting spirit, Zaryusu only had a single, cold response:

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt you too badly.¡±

    His taunt immediately incurred the ire of all the warriors around him. However, they immediately calmed down as the sound of an unnaturally loud ssh echoed through the air.

    Zenberu had driven the point of his halberd into the mushy ground.

    ¡°Oh... then make me ept my defeat! Listen up, all of you! If I die in this fight, he will be your new chief! There will be no objections to that!¡±

    The surrounding warriors did not agree right away, but neither did they protest. If Zaryusu really did kill Zenberu, they would obey him, however unwillingly.

    ¡°Good. Nowe at me with the readiness to die. I ought to be the strongest foe you¡¯ve ever faced.¡±

    ¡°Indeed... I understand. Also, if I die by your hand¡ª?¡±

    Zaryusu nced back to Crusch.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll let your female go back safely.¡±

    ¡°...She¡¯s not mine yet.¡±

    ¡°Kek, it seems you¡¯re really into that nt monster. Is she really such a good female?¡±

    ¡°Very good.¡±

    They paid no heed to said female, who was hugging her head and squatting on the ground.

    ¡°Now that I¡¯d like to see. Perhaps if I win, I¡¯ll strip her bare and see what she looks like before I let her go.¡±

    Until now, Zaryusu had only been filled with an intent to fight, but now that intent had developed another nuance.

    ¡°...It feels like you¡¯ve given me an excellent reason to win. I won¡¯t let someone like you enjoy Crusch¡¯s bare body.¡±

    ¡°You really are hopelessly in love with her, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Oh yes. There¡¯s no helping how much in love I am.¡±

    Several other Lizardwomen seemed to be talking to the squatting female, but she hurriedly shook her head. The two males put that matter out of mind for now.

    ¡°Ha!¡±

    Zenberu chortled in glee.

    ¡°Then defeat me! If you die, none of that will matter any more.¡±

    ¡°That was my intention.¡±

    Zaryusu and Zenberu locked gazes. It would seem they had said everything that had to be said.

    ¡°¡ª?Here Ie.¡±

    ¡°¡ª?Bring it on.¡±

    The two of them exchanged terse words, but no blows.

    Just as the anticipation of the spectating Lizardmen built to its peak, Zaryusu began inching forward. There was no sound, despite this being a waterlogged marsh.

    Zenberu remained still, awaiting his foe.

    Before long, when Zaryusu had reached a certain distance, a massive ng rang out from the air which Zaryusu had just leapt away from. It was the sound of Zenberu swinging his halberd.

    There was no skill to it; it was merely a forceful swing.

    However, it was so shocking precisely because of its artlessness.

    Zenberu braced his halberd, took a stance, and prepared himself for Zaryusu¡¯s next incursion. He wielded the massive halberd with just his right hand. Immediately after every cyclonic swing, he would immediately reset to a ready position.

    Zaryusu felt something was strange.

    Therefore, to verify the meaning of that motion, he darted into his foe¡¯s attack range ¡ª? and was subjected to that hurricane-like swing. He blocked the haft of the weapon with Frost Pain, but a bolt of intense pain wracked the hand holding the sword, and he was bodily flung away,

    One could say that he had extraordinary arm-strength if he could toss away a grown Lizardman with just the might of one arm.

    ¡ª?Their blood was boiling.

    The surrounding warriors roared as they saw their chief disy his matchless might.

    Zaryusu¡¯s tail swished as he stumbled back, still on his feet.

    He shook his numbed hand, and narrowed his eyes.

    This... what¡¯s this?

    Zaryusu¡¯s attention was focused on the hulking body before him.

    What¡¯s going on? This is... too weak.

    Indeed, that was a swift blow, and if he blocked it with his sword he would be sent flying, but that was all. It was not terrifying in the least.

    Zenberu¡¯s moves were like a child swinging around with a stick. There was no technique to speak of, only sheer brute strength. The question now was if that was really all he had. Someone with a huge arm like his ought to be able to wield his weapon more skillfully.

    Could it be that he¡¯s not using his full strength to lull me into overconfidence?

    Zaryusu felt that it was not the case.

    He began to reconsider his strategy, watchful against the unusual feeling of not knowing the truth. The hitherto stationary Zenberu smiled and asked:

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Not using Frost Pain¡¯s power?¡±

    He was clearly taunting him with that smile, but Zaryusu did not take Zenberu¡¯s bait.

    ¡°I was once beaten by the wielder of Frost Pain.¡±

    Zaryusu remembered. He knew the person of whom Zenberu spoke ¡ª? the former chief of the Razor Edge tribe, and also the one whose head Zaryusu had taken.

    He rxed the intense focus he had directed at Zenberu, and set his sights wider.

    Among all those who bore hostility towards him, the ones who hated him most must be the survivors of the Razor Edge tribe.

    ¡°That¡¯s where the wounds on my left hand came from.¡±

    Zenberu waggled his left hand and its two missing fingers for emphasis.

    ¡°Maybe if you use the ability that guy used to beat me, you might be able to win.¡±

    ¡°Really now?¡± Zaryusu replied in a cold, calm voice.

    Granted, that ability was very powerful.

    Because it could only be used three times a day, he had a good chance of victory if he used it. The reason why Zaryusu had defeated the previous owner of Frost Pain was because his foe had already expended his three uses of the ability. If his foe had been able to use it back then, Zaryusu might well have been the one to die instead.

    However, someone who knew of Frost Pain¡¯s power would not deliberately incite its wielder to make use of it.

    Zaryusu¡¯s remained on his guard.

    I have no idea... still, there¡¯s no point dragging this out. Time to make my move.

    Having decided on his course of action, Zaryusu charged forward, twice as fast as before.

    Zenberu responded to Zaryusu with shocking speed.

    Zaryusu did not evade, but met the blow head-on with Frost Pain. Everyone who saw it felt that Zaryusu would be swatted away once more.

    Zaryusu met the halberd with Frost Pain ¡ª? and countered the attack.

    There was no need for martial arts or the like. Zenberu¡¯s halberd swings were child¡¯s y. No matter how forcefully he swung, his blows could be easily dispersed.

    Zenberu¡¯s eyes went wide in shock ¡ª? no, in respect.

    At the same time, Zaryusu dashed forward with lightning speed, faster than Zenberu could bring the halberd back. Even with muscles like his, resetting his stance after a full-power hit with his halberd would take time. That time was enough for Zaryusu to close in.

    In the next moment, Frost Pain cut in at Zenberu¡¯s body¡ª?

    ? ? ?

    ¡ªAnd blood sttered.

    Thunderous cheering erupted from all around, as well as a whimper of pain.

    It was not Zenberu who stumbled back, oozing fresh blood. It was Zaryusu, with two bleeding wounds on his face.

    In contrast with what he had done until now, Zenberu strode forward at Zaryusu, intent on not letting him escape. He led the way with the weapon that had wounded Zaryusu.

    That weapon was ¡ª? his ws.

    They collided with Frost Pain, and the ringing of metal pealed forth. The halberd sshed as Zenberu let go of it.

    ¡°Guh¡ª?!¡±

    Zenberu exhaled, and as he stepped forward, his massive armunched into a flurry of blows.

    Compared to his amateurish speary from earlier, his bare-handed chops were on the level of a master. Now that the most important piece of the puzzle had been revealed, it all came together for Zaryusu.

    Zenberu was not a warrior, but a monk; one who used the power of ki to turn his body into a living weapon.

    Zaryusu blocked his chops with Frost Pain.

    Lizardman ws were sharper and harder than human nails, but even they would not make metallic sounds like this. Indeed, this was a monk ability called ¡¸Iron Natural Weapon¡¹, which hardened one¡¯s natural weaponry, such as ws or teeth.

    It was said that the fists of the most skilled monks could even break adamantite, the hardest metal known. However, judging by the sensation which filtered back through Frost Pain, Zenberu had not yet reached that level. He was only on par with steel. Even so, his hardened ws could stand on even terms with Frost Pain, one of the Four Treasures, so he could not look down on it.

    The two of them exchanged blow after blow.

    Zenberu swiped with his chops while Zaryusu swung with Frost Pain. They leapt away to avoid each other¡¯s strikes, opening up the distance between them.

    ¡°¡ª?Haha, so you¡¯re still alive!¡±

    Zenberu licked at the flesh and blood staining his fingertips.

    Zaryusu too extended that tongue of his that was longer than a humans, and licked at the red fluid that flowed from the ce which corresponded to the cheek on a human being.

    He was d that he had managed to evade the knife hand thrust that had been intended to gouge out his eyes. He was wounded, but not deeply, and he could continue fighting. He thanked his tribe¡¯s spirits for protecting him, and¡ª?

    Maybe I evaded it because the ancestors of Crusch¡¯s tribe protected me.

    Zaryusu was grateful, but Zenberu was grumbling instead.

    ¡°Come to think of it, if I beat you without making you use that move, it¡¯ll feel like you¡¯re going easy on me.¡±

    Zenberu clenched his fists and pounded his chest several times.

    ¡°Sorry, but I don¡¯t intend to use that move.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Then don¡¯t say you didn¡¯t go all-out after you lose.¡±

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m someone who¡¯d say that, after fighting me?¡±

    ¡°...No, I don¡¯t. Forgive me, I misspoke. Just... if you¡¯re not using that move, then here Ie!¡±

    With a whoosh, Zenberu¡¯s leg cleaved through the air at Zaryusu.

    There was no hesitation in that movement.

    Zaryusu shed at Zenberu¡¯s leg with Frost Pain while evading the kick, but a metallic ng rang out, and the strike bounced off.

    Zaryusu¡¯s eyes went wide.

    When a sword met flesh, the flesh should have been wounded. That was the way of the world. Yet, a monk¡¯s ki turned that precept on its head.

    This was the result of ¡¸Iron Skin¡¹. That skill could shroud the body in ki before any attack could touch it, making it as tough as steel. Much like ¡¸Iron Natural Weapon¡¹, the more skilled one was, the harder it would be.

    The fact that his opponent had repelled a magic sword with his bare flesh spoke volumes about his monk skills. However, Zaryusu still felt that he had a chance of victory.

    It was not that there was an overwhelming difference between theirbat skills. It was only that the circumstances had been against Zenberu from the start.

    ? ? ?

    He came with a bewildering series of strikes.

    Flying kick. Tail sweep. Straight punch. Knife hand. He attacked with all these and more.

    Every blow Zenberu struck was both fast and weighty. All Zaryusu could do against a foe like that was adopt a total defense.

    Combination followedbination.

    If he did not defend against his foe¡¯s destructive strikes, Zaryusu¡¯s defeat was assured. Confident in their chief¡¯s victory, the surrounding Lizardmen cheered as Zenberushed out with blow after blow.

    Zenberu¡¯s ws asionally grazed Zaryusu, easily scoring his scale-sheathed body and leaving wounds which wept blood in their wake. Those injuries could not be considered light in any sense.

    Zaryusu¡¯s body was covered in those wounds. His life hung in the bnce, and it would not be strange if he surrendered at any time. The joyful looks on the spectating Lizardmen¡¯s faces only proved it as they prepared to celebrate their chief¡¯s imminent victory.

    However ¡ª? that was not the case for Zenberu.

    Every time his strikes were blocked, Zenberu felt victory slipping further and further away from his grasp, and it made him anxious.

    Frost Pain was imbued with cold, and it inflicted additional cold damage whenever it wounded a foe. A side effect of that was that it dealt cold damage to anyone who touched the weapon. In other words, just touching the weapon was enough to slowly wear away at Zenberu¡¯s body with its cold damage.

    His hands were freezing, his legs were numb, and his movements were slowing down.

    Dammit, I lost too quickly in the previous fight... so I didn¡¯t know it had a power like this too! So it didn¡¯t just have that move alone! That¡¯s one of the Four Treasures for you!

    Zaryusu had adopted a defensive stance because he knew the item had an effect like this. Or rather, he had done so because he knew it was an assured way to deal damage. That was probably why he had not dodged Zenberu¡¯s attacks.

    He had chosen a steady path to victory.

    Thisck of openings made him Zenberu¡¯s greatest enemy right now.

    Zenberu used his trump card on Zaryusu, who was rushing in. If he managed to block that move as well, Zenberu¡¯s chances of victory would be slim at best.

    He felt like he was charging an impregnable fortress alone.

    Ahhh, dammit, can¡¯t I beat him ¡ª? But! I¡¯ve waited too long for this!

    His battle with that Lizardman from the past shed through his mind. He was stronger now than he was then, and he had trained nonstop in order to attain victory. Even when he heard that the person who had defeated him had been killed, he might have felt regret, but he never stopped training.

    He had been waiting for this day.

    As chief, he could not abandon everything to indulge in battle, so he had been delighted when he heard that the bearer of Frost Pain hade to his vige.

    He could not let this long-awaited battle end like this.

    Zenberu began losing the feeling in his punches and kicks, and his ki could no longer reach his limbs. Still, he kept attacking.

    He¡¯s strong, stronger than that guy fromst time!

    Just like he had honed himself ceaselessly, the Lizardman before him must have trained himself without cking off until now.

    While he could have said that he could not narrow the gap between them because of Frost Pain, he had no desire to spout quitter talk like that.

    Amazing! He truly is the master of Frost Pain! The mightiest Lizardman ever!

    Zenberu did not halt hisbination attacks, even as he praised Zaryusu, who was blocking his strikes with Frost Pain.

    ? ? ?

    Wounds, blood, and more wounds.

    Crusch had devoted all her attention to witnessing this intense back-and-forth struggle, and with her outstanding druid skills, she had already seen how the battle would end.

    Incredible... he must have predicted all this when the battle started.

    Crusch was in awe of Zaryusu¡¯s outstanding warrior skills.

    The cheers continued from all around.

    They were cheering for Zenberu, who was attacking non-stop and seemed to have the upper hand. None of them realised that Zenberu¡¯s limbs were gradually growing sluggish.

    Zaryusu was very strong. Crusch was certain of that.

    Almost all Lizardmen did battle with their bodies and brute strength, but Zaryusu ¡ª? and Zenberu ¡ª? fought with skill, and Frost Pain aided that fighting skill.

    Therefore, Frost Pain was a major factor in the development of the present situation ¡ª? of the gulf between them. However, it was not the sole reason for it.

    If one gave Frost Pain to an ordinary warrior, could they fight with Zenberu like this?

    The answer was no. Zenberu was not some two-bit mook.

    The weapon was powerful, but the fact that Zaryusu could exploit it to its full potential because he was a first-rate warrior.

    But more outstanding than that was his perceptive and analytical mind.

    Zaryusu had evaded the strike when Zenberu had cast down his halberd because he had been on top of the situation and had been closely observing it. He had sensed the presence of his foe¡¯s ace in the hole and that the halberd was a mere distraction.

    When he went on that journey as a branded traveller, what else had he brought back with him besides the knowledge of fish-rearing and these battle techniques?

    Before she knew it, Crusch had be certain of Zaryusu¡¯s victory. Now, she merely watched the profile of his face, her heart pounding in what was no longer anxiety.

    ¡°He really is an impressive specimen of a male...¡±

    ? ? ?

    Time seemed to fly past for those watching this exciting battle, but the two participants felt otherwise. The toll on their bodies and spirits caused by their panting was more intense than the passage of time.

    Despite being covered in blood, Zaryusu¡¯s fighting spirit was still strong. For that, the surrounding Lizardmen congratted him. After all, nobody else hadsted this long against their chief before.

    And then, just as Zenberu seemed on the verge of iming victory, he dropped out of his fighting stance.

    The audience waited with bated breath. Zenberu ought to be dering his victory anytime soon.

    However, the opposite happened.

    ¡°I¡¯ve lost!¡±

    But their chief should have been the winner.

    Even so, why had he announced his defeat? Only Crusch had foreseen this. She raced into the fighting ring.

    ¡°Are you all right?¡±

    As he heard those words, Zaryusu exhaled and lowered the sword in his hand. In a very tired voice, he replied:

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing fatal... I should be able to fight in the uing battle.¡±

    ¡°...Mm. In any case, I¡¯ll use healing magic on you.¡±

    Crusch¡¯s grass costume rustled, and she poked her head out.

    Zaryusu felt afortable warmth suffusing his wounds, different from the searing heat that had made them. As he luxuriated in the sensation of vitality flowing back into his body, he turned to look at the gigantic Lizardman with whom he had just fought a life-and-death struggle.

    Zenberu was surrounded by his tribemates. He was exining the situation to them, and the strategy Zaryusu was using.

    ¡°That¡¯ll do it.¡±

    Crusch dered that his treatment wasplete after casting two spells on him, and Zaryusu looked down on his body.

    While the clotted blood still stuck to his skin, the injuries beneath hadpletely recovered. There was a certain tension over the former wounds when he shifted his body, but at least they did not look like they would open up.

    ¡°¡ª?Thank you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±

    Crusch smiled brightly, and the pearly teeth she exposed were very pretty.

    ¡°¡ª?You¡¯re beautiful.¡±

    ¡°What¡ª?!?¡±

    Her tail swished, and sshed against the water.

    The two of them gazed silently at each other.

    Crusch¡¯s silence was because she had no idea why this male would casually mention something like that. She was not used to suchpliments, so hearing Zaryusu say things like that was not good for her heart.

    Meanwhile, Zaryusu had no idea why Crusch was being quiet. Did I do something wrong? Thoughts like that ran through his mind. The fact was that he had little experience with females, so he had no idea what he should do. Zaryusu was surprisingly tense as well.

    Just as the awkwardness between them reached its height, a voice saved them.

    ¡°Oi oi, are you trying to make me jealous, you bastard?¡±

    The two of them looked to the source of the voice ¡ª? to Zenberu.

    Their simultaneous and identical reactions left Zenberu momentarily speechless.

    ¡°Hm! Oi, whitey, how about some healing over here?¡±

    Zenberu seemed quite nonchnt about Crusch¡¯s albinism. However, Crusch recalled the Zenberu¡¯s branded body and realised why he reacted that way.

    ¡°Fine, fine, fine... but shouldn¡¯t you let the priests of your tribe heal you?¡±

    ¡°Ahhh, it doesn¡¯t matter. Enough talk, it really hurts. Feels like even my bones are frozen. Could you hurry it up a little?¡±

    ¡°Just remember to tell your priests that you were the one who asked me to do it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll say I forced you into it, as a request.¡±

    Crusch sighed, and worked her healing magic.

    Zaryusu noticed that the hostile res around him had diminished somewhat, and that there were a few friendly eyes looking upon him.

    ¡°All right, it¡¯s done.¡±

    Crusch had cast more healing spells on Zenberu than on Zaryusu. That implied that his injuries were not external, but internal.

    ¡°Ohh, you¡¯re better than our priests.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Still, I don¡¯t usually heal members of other... never mind. Thank you for your kind words.¡±

    ¡°Now then, since we¡¯re both healed, why don¡¯t we talk about the main topic. Might be a bit of a rush, but you don¡¯t mind, right?¡±

    ¡°Oh! Then let¡¯s hear it ¡ª? although I wanted to say that...¡±

    Zenberu stopped mid-sentence and then smiled.

    ¡°But first, let¡¯s drink!¡±

    Zaryusu and Crusch had no idea what those words meant, and their faces were equally confused.

    ¡°Troublesome business should be discussed over wine. You know that, right?¡±

    Zaryusu understood the meaning of the life-and-death duel. After all, it proved their respective strength, which was useful in negotiation. It was the Lizardman way of life. Drinking parties, on the other hand, were alien to him, because the Green w tribe had no such practice.

    People who went drinking right after fighting for their lives seemed terribly sad to him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t get it...¡±

    The strength drained from Zaryusu¡¯s body and his face was one of frank surprise as he muttered his response. However, it was immediately drowned out by a surging wave of regret in his heart, regret for behaving so childishly in front of a chief with whom he had not even allied with yet. In fact, he felt Crusch looking at him with a strange expression in her eyes.

    Zaryusu had no experience with love, so he had no idea Crusch had been studying him all this time. He was seeing a new side of his beloved, and he found it both curious and adorable.

    ¡°No, I mean, if we drink a lot, our heads won¡¯t be clear, which would be troublesome for us.¡±

    Zaryusu hurriedly tried to amend his words, but Zenberu brushed it aside with his reply:

    ¡°Oi oi oi, you¡¯re a traveller, aren¡¯t you? Don¡¯t they say that if you want to learn something, go to the Dwarves?¡±

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t learn from the Dwarves, but from the people of the forest.¡±

    ¡°Really? Then all you need to know is this lesson of the Dwarves: friends who drink together be firm friends. Maybe we won¡¯t have much time together, but we ought to discuss things frankly and openly. Shouldn¡¯t we, Zaryusu Shasha?¡±

    ¡°I see... yes, I understand, Zenberu Gugu.¡±

    ¡°Good! Come on, everyone! Time to drink! Bring it over! Get everything ready!¡±

    ? ? ?

    The pile of logs resting upon the ground stood nearly two meters tall, and the crimson mes upon it burned fiercely, as though they were reaching to the sky. This massive red ze chased away the dark of the night.

    Near the log pile was arge vessel that was over a meter tall and about eighty centimeters wide. A fermented scent wafted out from it.

    Several dozen Lizardmen took turns scooping out liquid from the vessel. However, the wine within did not seem to deplete.

    This was one of the Four Treasures that was ranked alongside Zaryusu¡¯s Frost Pain ¡ª? the Great Wine Cask.

    While it could produce an infinite supply of wine, the taste was passable at best, and anyone who knew their wine would turn their noses up at it. However, it was delicious nectar to the Lizardmen.

    Therefore, the guests kepting.

    There was a quiet region some distance away from the wine cask. The reason why this ce was quiet was simple enough ¡ª? because it was littered with the bodies of many drunken Lizardmen, whoy insensate here.

    All the Lizardmen who had gotten so drunk that they had passed out were dumped here.

    Having shed her leafy costume, Crusch carefully ¡ª? taking care not to step on the tails of the fallen Lizardmen ¡ª? made her way to this ce, paying close attention to the ground. Her footsteps were even, so she looked like she was still sober, but it was hard to say that she was not drunk.

    Her tail seemed like it had a life of its own, energetically flexing here and there. Sometimes it curled, sometimes it stood straight and sometimes it drooped. It behaved like an excited child.

    The fact was that Crusch felt something like a cool wind coursing through her soul. While part of that was because of the wine, that was not the sole reason. The liberated feeling of her body had also contributed to it.

    This was the first time she had shown her albinized body to so many people. However, their leader was a monster in his own right, so while the people around her had been startled at first, she soon blended in with them.

    With both hands full of food, a bliss-filled Crusch continued forward.

    She reached the ce where Zaryusu and Zenberu were sitting on the ground and hoisting a ss to each other.

    Said sses seemed to have been made using coconut shells, and the liquid within was transparent, but it emanated a thick fermented smell.

    Cruschid a pair of raw fish in front of the two of them ¡ª? snacks to go with the drinks. Zenberu smiled and greeted Crusch.

    ¡°Yo, nt monster.¡±

    ¡°...Could you not call me that?¡±

    She had already shed her costume, so why did he insist on calling her that? It would seem he nned to amuse himself in that way. Once she realised it, Crusch decided to cease her pointless resistance.

    ¡°Have you finished your discussions?¡±

    Zaryusu and Zenberu looked at each other, and nodded.

    ¡°For the most part.¡±

    The two of them wanted to speak in private, so they asked Crusch to leave them be. Since they had said as much, all she could do was leave and bring some food over, but within her heart, she was hoping to be part of their conversation. After all, if they were discussing the uing battle, then she was certainly involved in it.

    She was hoping to be allowed to skim the essentials, even if she could not listen in on the inconvenient parts¡ª?

    ¡°This is a conversation between males.¡±

    ¡ª?But Zenberu shut her down with those cold words. Crusch expressed her displeasure on her face, but she had no choice but to change the topic.

    ¡°So, what do you n to do? Fight shoulder to shoulder as allies?¡±

    ¡°Wha? Oh, as if you had to ask. Of course we¡¯re going to fight. Or rather, even if you didn¡¯te, we¡¯d be fighting anyway.¡±

    A sound like sticks scraping against each other came from Zenberu¡¯s maw.

    ¡°You really are a battle maniac.¡±

    ¡°Aw, don¡¯t praise me like that, now I¡¯m all embarrassed!¡±

    Zenberu paid no heed to Crusch as she rolled her eyes, but made a request of her.

    ¡°Oh right, help me talk some sense into him, nt monster. No matter how I ask him, Zaryusu won¡¯t ept the position of our chief.¡±

    There was a weary, despondent look on Zaryusu¡¯s face. Judging by the fatigue there, Crusch could tell that he had repeated his answer many times in her absence.

    ¡°He can¡¯t ept that position. After all, you¡¯re from different tribes, and he¡¯s a¡ª?¡±

    Crusch was about to say ¡°he¡¯s a traveller,¡± but then she considered that Zenberu was also a traveller, and decided to change the topic.

    ¡°So why did you be a traveller, anyway?¡±

    ¡°What? Oh, after I lost to Frost Pain¡¯s previous owner, I was devastated, and wanted to be stronger. That being the case, why not leave this ce and go somewhere else? That was why I became a traveller.¡±

    Beside him, Zaryusu rounded his shoulders in powerlessness. It was then that Crusch recalled what Zaryusu had told him about his own travels.

    In the past, when he had left on his journey, the only thing keeping him going was his determination, resolve, and his sense of duty towards his tribe. Zenberu ¡ª? as a fellow traveller ¡ª? ought to have felt the same way... but right now, he could not sense any of that from him.

    Crusch ced a gentle hand on Zaryusu¡¯s shoulder, as if to say, He¡¯s him, and you¡¯re you.

    At this moment, anyone observing them would probably conclude that they were lovers. As she realised this, Crusch¡¯s tail curled up, while Zaryusu¡¯s tail swished back and forth.

    The two of them gazed at each other, and smiled shyly.

    Zenberu pretended that he had seen none of that and continued:

    ¡°I thought there must be someone pretty strong inside that mountain, given how big it was. So during my travels, I met the Dwarves and learned a lot of things from them. Got that halberd from them too. I didn¡¯t want it at first, but since they asked me to keep it as a memento of our meeting, I had to hang on to it.¡±

    ¡°...So that happened. That¡¯s nice.¡±

    Crusch¡¯s answer seemed a little pdash, or rather, somewhat cold.

    ¡°Oh, thanks.¡±

    ¡ª?Sarcasm did not work on him either.

    Now that the good mood in the air had been ruined, Crusch picked up her wine and downed it in one gulp. She felt it burn as it went down her throat, and the heat seemed to radiate from her stomach throughout her entire body. Zaryusu polished off his wine in one go as well.

    Just then, a quiet question made its way through the air. It seemedpletely different from the voice just now, and for a moment it made them wonder who had asked it.

    ¡°Say, do you think we can win?¡±

    Zaryusu quietly replied:

    ¡°...I have no idea.¡±

    ¡°Mm, same here. After all, there¡¯s no such thing as a battle where victory is assured. If someone actually dared brag about how he¡¯d win despite not knowing his enemy¡¯s strength, I¡¯d beat the crap out of him to shut him up.¡±

    Crusch had no response to Zenberu as he chuckled.

    ¡°Still... our foe¡¯s gotten a little careless. The changes here ought to affect our chances of victory.¡±

    In ce of Zaryusu, Crusch looked at Zenberu with a puzzled look on her face.

    ¡°Could you recall what that monster said?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I was sleeping then.¡±

    ¡°...Surely you must have heard of it from someone else?¡±

    ¡°Hmph, I couldn¡¯t be bothered to remember something like that, so I forgot it. In any case, the important thing is that if theye looking for a fight, then we¡¯re going to give them one.¡±

    There¡¯s no hope for this guy ¡ª? Crusch decided to abandon her attempts at exnation with that. Zaryusu grinned wryly, and answered.

    ¡°...He told us to struggle with all our might.¡±

    A dangerous expression came over Zenberu¡¯s face, and his features twisted savagely.

    ¡°Well, that just pisses me off. To think they¡¯re sneering at us from the beginning.¡±

    Zenberu roared with frightful anger.

    The cry carried with it his wrath and displeasure.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, they¡¯re turning their noses up at us. The fact they¡¯re so arrogant... probably suggests they¡¯re powerful enough to break our resistance easily. But we¡¯re going to crush their self-assurance. We¡¯re going to gather the five tribes and show them our full power. I want to beat back their assault and show them that we¡¯re a force to be reckoned with.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, well put. I can understand that. I like it.¡±

    Just as the two males were eagerly discussing their battle ns, Crusch rained on their parade.

    ¡°I doubt there¡¯s much merit to wounding their pride. All we need to do is prove our worth to them, right? Perhaps if they know that, they won¡¯t exterminate us.¡±

    ¡°Oi oi oi, are you telling me to bow to annoying people like that?¡±

    ¡°Zaryusu... I know fleeing is dangerous, but I think it¡¯s better to live on, even in bondage,¡± Crusch quietly said.

    The other two did not deny her or tease her for her ve mentality.

    It was not that they wanted to be ruled, but being ves had more of a future than being corpses. As long as there was a future, there was infinite possibility.

    For instance, they could teach the method of fish farming to everyone, and that might allow them to abandon their homes and flee elsewhere.

    Any leader who abandoned that possibility and ordered everyone to die was not worthy of his position.

    ¡°Now, listen closely, you all.¡±

    As they heard Zaryusu¡¯s calm voice, the three of them pricked up their ears, and they heard the sounds of mirthing from the party.

    ¡°After we¡¯re ruled, we might not be able tough and rejoice like this.¡±

    ¡°The operative word being might, right?¡±

    ¡°Really? I don¡¯t think so. I don¡¯t think anyone who would take pleasure in watching us die would be sopassionate. After all, if there was any mercy in their hearts, they would not n to exterminate us in such a yful manner.¡±

    Crusch nodded.

    But even so¡ª?

    ¡°Still, what I want to say is... please don¡¯t die.¡±

    ¡°¡ª?I won¡¯t. Not before I hear your answer.¡±

    ¡°¡ª?!¡±

    Crusch and Zaryusu exchanged passionate looks under the night sky.

    And then, they made their vow.

    ¡ª?Paying no attention to Zenberu, the bored outsider.

 Chapter 26 - Volume 4

    <h4>Overlord Volume 4 Intermission</h4>

    <strong>Intermission</strong>

    They were probably discussing something else in the meeting room behind him.

    However, his duties in that room were over. That was why he had left.

    That said, he still had work to do. Back then, he was merely giving a report, but now he had to fulfill his responsibilities as the First Seat of the ck Scripture ¡ª in other words, as its leader. This included resurrecting his deadrades, picking temporary recements for their positions, as well as training, conducting experiments, and so on.

    After all, the Six Scriptures were a secret organization, so they led double lives, going undercover within the Theocracy.

    Speaking of his personal life, he had to get married ¡ª and to multiple partners. Currently, there were only three awakened God-kin within the ine Theocracy, and so the higher-ups had hinted that he had to do his patriotic duty and reproduce.

    All these demands on him piled up, and left him with hardly any free time.

    ¡°Still, I was hoping I could rx for today.¡±

    After being liberated from the meeting of the Cardinals ¡ª a gathering of the highest appointment holders in the ine Theocracy ¡ª he worked his shoulders, and then his attention was drawn by a ck-ck-ck sound.

    He knew who had made that sound before he saw it. There were very few in the ine Theocracy who were permitted to enter this ce, and when he thought about the people who were not present within the meeting room, the answer leapt out at him.

    As he had expected, there was a girl leaning against a wall.

    She had a unique hairstyle, with the left side being a different color from the right. One was a scintiting silver, while the other was an all-consuming ck. The color of her eyes was simrly mismatched.

    Beside her was a war scythe that resembled a cross-shaped spear, leaning against the wall.

    Although she looked youthful, barely fifteen, her age did not correspond to her appearance at all. Ever since he had be the captain of the ck Scripture ¡ª its First Seat ¡ª the girl¡¯s looks had not changed at all.

    He turned his eyes to the ears under her hair ¡ª and then checked himself.

    This was because he knew that the girl hated people looking at her ears.

    The girl¡¯s seductive lips formed into a curve, as though she were reading his mind.

    She was a cross-blooded child born of nigh-impossible odds, the ck Scripture¡¯s Extra Seat, known as ¡°Certain Death.¡± She was a guardian, responsible for defending the sanctum sanctorum of the ine Theocracy, the ce where the relics of five gods were kept.

    The sound he had heard came from the toy in her hands. In the ine Theocracy, it was called a ¡°Rubik¡¯s Cube,¡± and it had apparently been handed down from the Six Great Gods. The girl¡¯s voice blended with the ck-ck-ck of its motions.

    ¡°One face is simple enough, but getting two faces right is hard.¡±

    It was not difficult for him, but he had no idea if he should tell her that. In the end, he chose to smile bitterly by way of response. The girl did not seem to care about his answer and nonchntly continued:

    ¡°What happened? Even the Cardinals showed up.¡±

    ¡°You were given a copy of the report, right?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t read it,¡± the girl replied without any hesitation. ¡°Besides, asking someone who knows is faster. Did Thousand Mile Astrologer make a mistake? You were sent out to deal with the Catastrophe Dragon Lord... did something happen?¡±

    Throughout all of this, the two of them had never met the other¡¯s gaze. The girl¡¯s attention was focused on the toy in her hand.

    ¡°...We engaged a mysterious undead creature that resembled a Vampire. There were two dead and one severely wounded, so we fell back.¡±

    ¡°Who died?¡±

    There was no trace of sorrow for her fallenrades in her voice. She seemed to be asking about somethingpletely unrted to her. Still, he did not mind. It was simply her way.

    ¡°Cedran, who was protecting Kaire-sama, and Beaumarchais, who tried to capture the unmoving Vampire.¡±

    ¡°Great Wall and Divine Chains, huh. The Miko Princess of Earth died in a strange explosion recently, and now the ck Scripture has lost two of its finest... when it rains, it pours, I guess. Who was wounded?¡±

    ¡°Kaire-sama. There seemed to be some sort of curse in effect preventing curative spells from healing her, so we fell back.¡±

    ¡°And what of the Vampire?¡±

    ¡°We left it there. The Vampire entered an attack posture every time we tried to capture it ore close. We decided that it would be wiser to leave it alone.¡±

    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t solve anything, does it?¡±

    ¡°...They decided to leave things as they were during the meeting just now,.¡±

    That was the decision they had reached in the meeting room earlier.

    It was judged better to leave it alone and gather their forces than to charge in rashly and take severe casualties. Besides, no other country ought to be able to defeat that undead creature. In fact, if someone like that did show up, that would make them a powerful being that bore watching, which meant that they ought to shore up their national defenses first. In the end, everyone had agreed on that course of action. They had decided to leave behind only those essential intelligence personnel and have everyone else retreat.

    He agreed with their judgement.

    After all, the only people who could defeat that Vampire were probably God-kin or Dragon Lords. Therefore, they would leave sentries in ce and if they found anyone who could defeat that Vampire, they would be on their guard against them.

    ¡°Really now. So that monster wasn¡¯t a Vampire, then?¡±

    He concurred. That was why he had called it a mysterious undead being

    ¡°Could it be a Dragon Lord? The Vampire Dragon Lord or the Elder Coffin Dragon Lord?¡±

    The curve of her lips widened, a clear smile. That is, if the look on her face, like a ssh of blood, counted as a smile.

    ¡°...Aren¡¯t those two Dragons already dead?¡±

    He felt a little awkward as he asked that, but she immediately replied:

    ¡°They¡¯re both undead Dragon Lords, so we don¡¯t know if they were really destroyed.¡±

    The girl finally raised her head to look straight at him. Her mismatched eyes seemed to sparkle with what seemed like curiosity, delight, and battle-lust.

    ¡°Who do you think is stronger, between myself and that Vampire?¡±

    He had expected that question, and met it with a prepared answer.

    ¡°You, of course.¡±

    ¡°Really...¡±

    The girl looked back at her toy, as though she had lost interest in the topic.

    Within his heart, he breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡°What a shame. I was thinking I might be able to taste defeat.¡±

    As he heard her mutter to herself, he wondered, Who would win, if they fought?

    He had exchanged blows with both the girl and the Vampire, and he felt that the Vampire was superior. However, that Vampire would not be able to defeat ¡°Certain Death.¡±

    That was because of the difference in their panoplies.

    The Vampire looked to bepletely unequipped, which was a weakness in powerful monsters. They ced great pride in their strength, which meant that they did not make use of potent magic items.

    In contrast, she was kitted out in the relics of the Six Gods, so he could conclude that she was more powerful.

    However, what if both sides were outfitted in items of simr power?

    Impossible.

    He immediately rejected the question which arose in his mind. After all, it was impossible to find gear which rivalled her panoply, which had been handed down from the gods.

    But what if it was possible?

    If that happened... the mightiest, never-defeated Extra Seat of the ine Theocracy might be vanquished. In other words, that moment would be the end of all hope, when the defenders of mankind were finallyid low.

    No, why was he assuming that she would be fighting by herself?

    While he could notpare to her, he was still an awakened God-kin who also possessed many magic items. That Vampire might be powerful, but it was alone, and if he could make use of his panoply, they should be able to deal with it.

    There was no way there could be more than one such powerful undead being.

    As he sank into thought, he heard the sound of giggling. Then, he frowned and looked towards its source.

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about something else. When are you getting married?¡±

    That was one of the topics that hade up during the meeting just now. In short, it was asking when he would find a suitable girlfriend. To put it nicely, they were talking about a marriage partner, but more crudely, she would be a baby-making machine.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t found anyone yet.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, because you¡¯re still young, huh?¡±

    When the ck Scripture moved out, their members wore magic masks to hide their identities.

    ording to thewsid down by the gods, the age of majority in the ine Theocracy was twenty, but after removing his mask, his true age was much lower than that figure.

    ¡°Granted, after you¡¯re married, your partner will be sequestered in a secret location within the Theocracy... but she¡¯ll still be able to raise your child.¡±

    ¡°I know that. I am a member of the Scriptures, you know.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah. Ah, still, you should probably tell your wife-to-be that you¡¯re going to take other wives. Thew says it¡¯s fine, but they¡¯ve all been brought up to dislike having multiple spouses.¡±

    The ine Theocracy permitted the practice of polygamy as long as the nation sanctioned it. This was a practice which had been grandfathered from a time when bloodlines had to be kept pure due to ack of powerful entities. However, under normal circumstances, the standard practice was one man to one woman, and there were only a few cases where national sanction had been granted. Even when it was granted, one man could only have two wives.

    ¡°Thank you for your kind reminder, but as for you... don¡¯t you want to get married?¡±

    He asked that question because she might have looked young, but her appearance did not match her actual age.

    ¡°Hmm, well, I could marry a man who could defeat me. I don¡¯t mind if he looks ugly or has a bad personality... or even if he wasn¡¯t human at all. After all, he¡¯s the man who beat me. How strong would our children be?¡±

    The girl was all smiles as she ced her hand on her lower belly. He was quite confident that answer meant that she would never marry.

    However, would things change if someone appeared who could defeat that Vampire?

    A wave of unease swept through his heart.

 Chapter 27 - Volume 4

    <h4>Overlord Volume 4 Chapter 3</h4>

    <b>Chapter 3: Army of Death</b>

    <b>Part 1</b>

    ¡°Oh, I can see it.¡±

    Zenberu ¡ª? seated near the back of Rororo ¡ª?ughed as he looked forward.

    A few hundred meters ahead, they could see the first tribe marked for extinction ¡ª? the vige of the Razor Tail tribe. While it was about the same size as the Green w vige, there were more Lizardmen here, probably because the Lizardmen from other tribes had steadily flocked to it.

    Now that they were preparing for war, everyone was very busy.

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to hold myself back with the mood in the air.¡±

    There was an audible intake of air from Zenberu¡¯s nose as he inhaled the ambient scent. It was an odor that boiled one¡¯s blood. However, Crusch had never smelled it before, and she said something different from the other two.

    ¡°Is it safe to ride over with Rororo?¡±

    Having sensed the tense atmosphere from a distance, Crusch the nt monster was starting to feel nervous, and she said as much. She was worried that the battle ready Lizardmen would rush Rororo if he got close.

    They might know Zaryusu, but not Crusch or Zenberu, and it was not as though everyone in the the Razor Tail tribe knew Zaryusu either.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s the opposite. We¡¯re safer mounted on Rororo.¡±

    A puzzled look appeared on Crusch¡¯s face (obscured by leaves as it was). Sensing her confusion, Zaryusu borated:

    ¡°My brother should havee by earlier, and he should have told them that I¡¯d be riding Rororo. Therefore, news about us on Rororo¡¯s back should have reached him by now, so all we have to do is advance slowly.¡±

    In fact, as Rororo was sshing through the marsh, a ck Lizardman emerged from the vige. Zaryusu waved to the familiar figure.

    ¡°And that would be my brother.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°Oh...¡±

    The two of them spoke as one. Crusch was genuinely curious, while Zenberu was like a beast that had sighted a powerful entity.

    As Rororo moved forward, the distance between the two of them ¡ª? between Zaryusu and Shasuryu ¡ª? grew shorter. Soon, they were close enough to see each other¡¯s faces, and the brothers looked at each other.

    They had only been apart for two days. However, they had prepared themselves for the eventuality that they would never see each other again, so their reunion was particrly touching.

    ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re back, Zaryusu!¡±

    ¡°Mm, and I have good news, Shasuryu!¡±

    Shasuryu¡¯s gaze fell on the two people seated behind Zaryusu. Zaryusu felt Crusch¡¯s arms tighten somewhat around his waist, due to her tension.

    Once they were in front of Shasuryu, Rororo stopped in front of the familiar face and nosed at him with its four heads.

    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t bring any food with me.¡±

    In the instant Rororo heard those words, its heads immediately recoiled from Shasuryu, like a child throwing a tantrum. The Hydra might not be able to understand Lizardmen, but it must have telepathically sensed his thoughts. Either that, or it did not smell any food on him.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get off, then.¡±

    After waving to the other two, he lightly hopped off Rororo¡¯s back, and then took Crusch¡¯s hand as she jumped down. Shasuryu looked at Crusch with a look of puzzlement on his face.

    ¡°And what¡¯s that nt monster?¡±

    The fact that everyone reacted the same way left Crusch a little demoralized, but she had no desire to contest it. That was probably due to Zenberu¡¯s constant needling of her. But the words which followed were a bombshell that made Crusch stiffen up.

    ¡°She¡¯s the female that I love.¡±

    ¡°¡ª?Ohh.¡±

    Shasuryu murmured in awe. Then, he turned his attention to the still-frozen Crusch, who was holding his little brother¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Muu... One thing, is the person inside beautiful?¡±

    ¡°Mm, and we¡¯re considering marr¡ª?!¡±

    The sudden pain in his hand shut Zaryusu up, because the person holding it had jabbed her ws into Zaryusu¡¯s hand, and very forcefully too. Shasuryu looked at them with some displeasure.

    ¡°I see... To think someone like you who went on and on about appearances and said... what was it, ¡®You know I can¡¯t get married?¡¯ You were just trying to act cool. You just didn¡¯t have anyone to fall in love with... anyway, back to business. I am Shasuryu Shasha, chief of the Green w tribe. Thank you both for joining us.¡±

    The way Shasuryu spoke did not seek out confirmation of their alliance, but radiated the certainty that they would help. However, Crusch and Zenberu were not the sort to be rattled by small things like that.

    ¡°We should be the ones thanking you. I am the acting chief of the Red Eye tribe, Crusch Lulu.¡±

    Everyone expected Zenberu to introduce himself after Crusch was done greeting Shasuryu, but they did not hear anything of the sort. Instead. Zenberu eyed Shasuryu from head to toe.

    After he was satisfied with what he had seen, he nodded and spoke with a bestial expression on his face:

    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re the one ¡ª? the warrior who uses priestly skills in battle. I¡¯ve heard of your deeds.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m quite surprised that even the Dragon Tusk tribe knows of me.¡±

    Shasuryu¡¯s response felt like two wild animals circling each other.

    ¡°Until your brother agrees to take the position, I am the chief of the Dragon Tusk tribe, Zenberu Gugu.¡±

    ¡°Thank you foring. You certainly seem suited to be the chief of the tribe which values strength.¡±

    ¡°How about a go, then? We need to show each other our strength, right?¡±

    ¡°...That¡¯s not a bad idea.¡±

    Zaryusu did not feel like stopping them. It was true that once they figured out who was stronger, many things would be much simpler in the future.

    However, Shasuryu raised his hand before they could get into it, and put out the mes of Zenberu¡¯s eagerness for battle.

    ¡°¡ª?At least, I think it¡¯s a good idea, but now doesn¡¯t seem like the right time.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Shasuryu smiled as Zenberu frowned.

    ¡°...The scouts we¡¯ve sent out ought to be returning soon, so we¡¯ll be able to learn about the enemy. It won¡¯t be toote to spar after they¡¯ve given their report, no?¡±

    ? ? ?

    There was a small house that was being used as the meeting room for the various chiefs.

    All the chiefs and Zaryusu were here, for a total of six people.

    The name of Zaryusu ¡ª? bearer of Frost Pain and yer of the former chief of the Razor Edge tribe ¡ª? was famous among the tribes. In addition, he was the hero who had persuaded the Red Eye and Dragon Tusk tribe to join their alliance, so none of the chiefs here opposed his presence.

    The six of them sat in a circle within the cramped interior. The three chiefs had been hard-pressed to hide their surprise when Crusch revealed her snow-white skin, but they had calmed down now.

    After greetings were done with, the first to speak was the chief of the Small Fang tribe.

    He was small-framed for a Lizardman, but he had honed his limbs until they were as hard as steel. He had originally been a hunter, so he was probably the best ranged attacker among all the Lizardmen around thiske. In fact, he had eliminated all of his opponents during the chief selection trials with a single well-aimed stone apiece.

    After mobilizing all the hunters to scout, he now understood the disposition of the enemy.

    ¡°The enemy numbers around five thousand.¡±

    This figure was far in excess of the Lizardmen¡¯s troop strength, but it was still within the range they had expected. Someone even sighed in relief as they heard that figure.

    ¡°...Then, who¡¯s the enemy leader?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not sure. The scouts spotted huge monsters that looked like giant blobs of red meat, but it was hard to get close to them.¡±

    ¡°How about their makeup?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an undead army, with skeletons and zombies.¡±

    ¡°Did they use Lizardman corpses?¡±

    ¡°No, the corpses did note from Lizardmen. I don¡¯t knownd-dwelling creatures too well, so I¡¯m not confident in identifying them, but they were probably humanoids of some sort and I didn¡¯t see any tails.¡±

    After hearing about those characteristics, Zaryusu was sure that they were from a ins tribe ¡ª? humans.

    ¡°Can¡¯t we take the initiative andunch a preemptive strike?¡±

    ¡°That would be difficult. The enemy is using a clearing in the forest as a staging area, but how long did they take to clear it? I didn¡¯t even see the logs which should have been left over ¡ª? ah, I¡¯ve gone off-topic. In any case, they¡¯re in the forest. It¡¯s questionable whether we could get into position by ourselves. It would be very difficult if we had to bring the warriors too.¡±

    ¡°Then how about sending the hunters to ambush them?¡±

    ¡°GIve us a break, Crusch-kun. There¡¯s only twenty five hunters. How could we defeat five thousand undead? All we¡¯d aplish is dying.¡±

    ¡°Hm... then how about mobilizing the priests?¡±

    Several people nodded at Shasuryu¡¯s suggestion, and turned to Crusch. However, Zaryusu answered the question.

    ¡°I think it would be better if we did not.¡±

    ¡°Ah? Why is that?¡±

    ¡°The opposition has honored their agreement so far, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll extend to allowing us tounch a sneak attack.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Seems like it would be best not to make the first move before all the tribes gather.¡±

    ¡°Then are we going to prepare for a siege?¡±

    ¡°Defending sounds hard.¡±

    That inarticte voice came from one of the Lizardmen, the chief of the Razor Tail tribe.

    He was dressed in a suit of white armor, which shone with a luster not born of metal.

    The armor radiated a faint magical aura. It was one of the Four Treasures ¡ª? the White Dragon Bone.

    This armor was made from the cold-infused bones of the Frost Dragons whichired within the Azellisian Mountain Range. Of course, armor made of mere bones ¡ª? even the bones of powerful beings like Dragons ¡ª? could not possibly be magical. Yet, somewhere along the line, that suit of armor had taken on magical properties.

    The problem now was that said properties might have been the result of a curse.

    That was because the White Dragon Bone converted intellect into defensive strength. If an intelligent person put it on, it would be harder than steel ¡ª? it might even be able to rival the strength of mithril, or the legendary metal adamantite.

    However, the lost intelligence would not return even if the armor was removed. That was why the legends surrounding that item said it was cursed.

    The armor¡¯s wearer had originally inhabited the peak of Lizardman intellect, and after he put on that armor, it became tough enough to deflect any and all weapons the Lizardmen possessed ¡ª? even Frost Pain of the Four Treasures. Its hardness might well be on the same level as adamantite.

    Also, while the armor¡¯s wearers typically lost their powers of reason and became mentally deficient, he was still capable of thought, which was a testament to his original intellect. As a result, the Razor Tail tribe no longer decided chieftainship session throughbat after he was born.

    ¡°Here, here is swamp. Poor foundation. Walls... easily broken.¡±

    ¡°I see. Then, shall we sally forth?¡±

    ¡°Hm, why not? Feels better taking the offensive than to defend. I think each of us has to face three, no four enemies? Easy enough; all we¡¯ll have to do is take them down.¡±

    As they heard Zenberu¡¯s words, the others looked at each other. Eventually, Crusch changed the subject.

    ¡°The question now is if the enemy has reinforcements... they might still be marshalling their strength.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm... that¡¯s hard to tell. Given the size of that clearing, there shouldn¡¯t be any more space to fit more undead... that said, all they¡¯d have to do is position them throughout the forest.

    The undead did not need to eat, drink, or rest, and they did not needrge campsites. Therefore, it was very hard to tell their numbers from the size of their camps.

    ¡°It seems we had best consider a defense scenario for safety¡¯s sake.¡±

    ¡°In that case, we of the Red Eye tribe will strengthen our walls to tide us through the siege. I hope everyone else will help us with that.¡±

    The other chiefs nodded in agreement, even the disappointed-looking Zenberu.

    ¡°In any case, let¡¯s start preparing our defenses. We also need to establish a chain ofmand.¡±

    ¡°For starters, we¡¯ll assignmand of the priests to Crusch-san. She¡¯ll have authority over them inbat as well.¡±

    Everyone agreed, save one.

    ¡°All the chiefs should form a separate squad of their own.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s eyes went to Zaryusu.

    ¡°I see... So that¡¯s how it is, little brother.¡±

    ¡°That is, you want us to form an elite unit, then?¡±

    ¡°Correct. The enemy is numerous, and if we don¡¯t eliminate theirmander, we might well lose this battle. In addition, if they deploy monsters like the ones they sent to each vige as messengers, we won¡¯t be able to overwhelm them with numbers. We¡¯ll need to destroy them using small teams of elite troops.¡±

    ¡°Still, won¡¯t leaving our men leaderless result in confusion?¡±

    ¡°Just... pick, pick... recement from Head Warriors.¡±

    ¡°So even if there aren¡¯t anymanders, all they have to do is attack the enemy before them with all their might, huh...¡±

    ¡°...What about having the elite squad give orders from behind and only move out when they find the enemy¡¯s headquarters or if the situation turns bad?¡±

    ¡°That ought to be pretty good, right? Then, let¡¯s form a six-man squad with everyone here, including Zaryusu.¡±

    ¡°No, let¡¯s divide it further, into teams of three.¡±

    Dividing into two teams meant that they could fight in two ces, but it also meant their strength would be divided and weakened.

    ¡°One team will be a search-and-destroy unit to deal with the enemymanders, while the others will be responsible for tying up their garrison troops.¡±

    ¡°In that case, I think having we three chiefs form one team ought to work. Zaryusu-san can group up with the chiefs he brought along. We¡¯ll adapt the team objectives to suit the circumstances.¡±

    ¡°Hm, that sounds good. Will that be all right, Zaryusu?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I got it. Crusch, Zenberu, do you object?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind?¡±

    ¡°Me neither. It¡¯s a shame we won¡¯t get to show our stuff, but I¡¯ll obey the winner.¡±

    ¡°Then, there¡¯s still four days to the enemy attack?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then, is there anything which needs to be prepared ahead of time?¡±

    ¡°We need to stockpile stones for throwing and to strengthen our walls. In addition, we need to let the various tribes mingle and establish working rtionships so they can function in harmony.¡±

    ¡°We of the Small Fang tribe would like Shasuryu to handle this, as before.¡±

    ¡°We also... feel it should be fine... and you two?¡±

    Crusch and Zenberu nodded in agreement.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be takingmand, then. After this, we¡¯ll decide on our tasks for the next three days.¡±

    ? ? ?

    After the day¡¯s work was done, Zaryusu walked silently through the bustling vige. Several Lizardmen saw the brand on his chest and Frost Pain at his waist, and greeted him respectfully.

    It felt a little troublesome, but he had to respond to them in order to boost morale. Therefore, he put a confident, dignified look on his face, and replied in a bold, fearless voice.

    In this way, Zaryusu reached the location of the walls surrounding the vige. Many Lizardmen were there, all their attention focused on erecting the walls as quickly as possible.

    First, they used vegetation to serve as the foundation for wooden pirs and to fill the spaces between them. Then, they covered them with somewhat drier mud. The priests would then enchant them, and the walls wereplete. There were cracks on the surface of the walls, probably because their water content hadpletely evaporated. Then, they repeated the same process on the other side.

    ¡°Oh, Zaryusu. What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong, I just wanted to see what you were doing.¡±

    Zaryusu sshed softly over the wet ground as he walked up to Crusch, who was still in her nt monster getup. Then, he pointed to the unceasing activity before him.

    ¡°What is that?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a dirt wall. We don¡¯t know what sort of enemies we¡¯ll face, so I wanted to make it difficult for them to attack us... though we haven¡¯t even finished half of it yet, since we don¡¯t have enough time.¡±

    ¡°I see... Still, isn¡¯t it going to break easily, being made of dirt and all?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. While a thinyer of dirt is easily broken, that¡¯s not the case for a thick wall of dirt. Granted, we haven¡¯t been able to gather enough material for it due to the hasty construction and it¡¯ll be weakened if it rains, but it won¡¯t fall apart so easily.¡±

    When he thought about it, just about anything would be difficult to destroy if it was made thick enough.

    Dozens of Lizardmen were working as fast as they could before Zaryusu as he agreed with that conclusion, but they were proceeding at a turtle¡¯s pace. Even if they pushed themselves for three days straight, the wall still would not be that long, but it was better than nothing.

    ¡°Currently, we¡¯re changing the structure of the fences on the ces we can¡¯t cover up, so they can¡¯t be pulled down.¡±

    In the direction where Crusch was pointing¡ª?

    They had uprooted the wooden pirs and erected them on a triangr clearing. The space between them wasced with loose ropes that had been woven from nt fibers. Zaryusu felt that they seemed simr to the fence surrounding the Red Eye vige.

    ¡°And what is that?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re going to put heavy objects in those triangr openings to ensure that the fence doesn¡¯t fall if it¡¯s pushed or pulled. Those ropes are meant to obstruct the enemy¡¯s movements. If they¡¯re drawn taut, they can be easily cut with swords or other ded weapons, which is why we¡¯ve left some ck in them on purpose,¡± Crusch eagerly answered Zaryusu¡¯s question.

    She had been the recipient of Zaryusu¡¯s wisdom during their journeys over the past few days, so she was delighted to be able to dole out wisdom for once. In addition, there was another emotion behind that.

    ¡°I see... That way, it can¡¯t be easily destroyed.¡±

    Those words of respectful praise filled Crusch with pride.

    Zaryusu nodded vigorously.

    They were elerating the n to convert this vige into a fortress as much as they could. While they could not begin to hold a candle to the defenses of humans or Dwarves, it was the best they could do on these wends where movement was difficult.

    ¡°Come to think of it, Zaryusu, did you tell the warriors...¡±

    Just as Crusch said that, the wind carried the mor of the warriors to them. Their voices were filled with excitement and seemed quite hot-blooded.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening? This cheering sounds familiar... that¡¯s it! They¡¯re cheering for a fight. Could it be that your brother is dueling Zenberu now?¡±

    Zaryusu nodded. Then he realized Crusch had revealed her face and seemed quite worried.

    ¡°...Your brother¡¯s the suprememander. Won¡¯t things be troublesome if he¡¯s beaten?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Still, my brother¡¯s strong too. Once he has an opening to use his priest spells, he¡¯ll get even stronger. For all I know, I might lose to him as well.¡±

    Shasuryu¡¯s strength was extraordinary after applying several buff spells to himself. In addition, while he probably would not use offensive spells during a mock battle, if he did, even Zaryusu ¡ª? before he hade into possession of Frost Pain ¡ª? would not be a match for him.

    After all, when Zaryusu had defeated the previous owner of Frost Pain, the only reason why said owner had not used its special ability ¡ª? limited to three uses a day ¡ª? on Zaryusu was because all three instances had already been expended on Shasuryu.

    ¡°That¡¯s good...¡±

    Just as Zaryusu thought he should show the worried Crusch his brother¡¯s fighting form, he recalled the hidden worry he had not brought up until now.

    He did not know if he should mention it, but in the end he decided to do so.

    It was somewhat despicable to talk about something he had chosen not to speak of earlier, now that everything wasrgely settled. However, he could not hold back the pure and intense feelings he had, and he did not want to hide anything from her.

    ¡°There¡¯s one thing which worries me¡ª?¡±

    Cruschughed as she heard the unease in Zaryusu¡¯s voice. She seemed to be making fun of him. The look on her face did not suit the mood in the air ¡ª? or her character, for that matter ¡ª? and Zaryusu was left speechless. Therefore, it was Crusch who spoke in his ce.

    ¡°¡ª?It¡¯s what you didn¡¯t bring up earlier, right? What if the enemy had already seen through our ns and anticipated that we would form an alliance, am I correct?¡±

    Zaryusu was silent because she had hit the nail on the head.

    In other words, the possibility that the enemy might have given them all this time to prepare, informed them of the attack order, and allowed Zaryusu to form his alliance, all for the purpose of gathering the tribes together so they could all be crushed in one fell swoop.

    ¡°Well, you would be worried, given that you¡¯re so prone to introspection. Still, no matter what, it would be best to fight the enemy first and worry about things like thatter.¡±

    ¡°Even if we win, the enemy probably won¡¯t give up. No, in all honesty, there¡¯s very little chance the enemy will give up.¡±

    ¡°That may be so, but you were right about what you said that night. And look¡ª?¡±

    There did not seem to be anything in the direction where Crusch was pointing. However, Zaryusu understood that she was referring to the entire vige.

    ¡°Do you see how all the Lizardman tribes are struggling together for the same goal?¡±

    Indeed, the Lizardmen were all working towards the same objective.

    Zaryusu recalled the great feast which had been held to celebrate the alliance of the Five Tribes. The people of each tribe had mingled without reserve. Of course, it would be wrong to say that the survivors of the two destroyed tribes bore no grudges, but at the very least, they had managed to swallow their resentment.

    ¡°How ironic,¡± Zaryusu muttered to himself. He had always thought they would keep themselves secluded for all time, but he had not expected to see everyone united as one due to an external enemy.

    ¡°We should protect the possibilities that the future holds, Zaryusu. The tribesing together will surely spur us to grow.¡±

    Zaryusu had never seen the techniques of building walls with mud. However, now that all the other tribes knew it too, the Lizardmen tribes would surely build such walls in future. These sturdy walls would be able to keep out monster incursions. If that happened, the number of attacks on children would drastically decrease, and the Lizardmen¡¯s numbers would increase in turn.

    And as the number of people went up, they could use Zaryusu¡¯s fish farms to feed them.

    Perhaps in the near future, this marsh might be the home of arge, united tribe of Lizardmen.

    ¡°Let¡¯s win this, Zaryusu. We can¡¯t predict what will happen in the future, and for all we know, all this might be cleared up after we win this battle. If that happens, we¡¯ll be able to expand, and that might bring about a world where we won¡¯t need to worry about killing each other or food shortages.¡±

    Crusch smiled. Zaryusu fought back the surge of emotion within him, because if he let it run wild, the consequences might be irrecoverable. Still, there was one thing he had to say, no matter what.

    ¡°You really are an outstanding female ¡ª? after this battle, please tell me the answer to the question I asked when we first met.¡±

    Crusch¡¯s smile grew even brighter.

    ¡°Yes, Zaryusu. I¡¯ll tell you after it¡¯s all over¡ª?¡±

    ? ? ?

    Demiurge hummed happily as he worked.

    He picked up a polished bone and considered where best to put it. Before long ¡ª? perhaps he had already decided ¡ª? he shaved off part of its tip and slotted it into the article before him, which he was building.

    The shaved bone fit snugly into its ce, as though it had always belonged there.

    If building a house without nails was called ¡°timber-frame construction¡± then Demiurge¡¯s technique could be called ¡°bone-frame construction.¡±

    ¡°I have a good feeling about this.¡±

    Demiurge smiled as he ran his fingers over the bones. He sensed that he would produce an outstanding work if he carried on like this.

    ¡°Still... I need a thigh bone from a male of about a hundred twenty centimeters in height.¡±

    He could stillplete it without the bone, but the finished product would not look as good.

    Under normal circumstances, he would let it slide, but this gift was intended for the beloved master to whom he owed his loyalty, so he had toplete it to the best of his ability.

    ¡°If only I could find a suitable bone.¡±

    In high spirits, Demiurge moved on.

    The truth was that Demiurge enjoyed making objects like these. It was not a love for bonecrafting, but a love for crafting in general. He was very interested in that field, covering items ranging from objets d¡¯art to furniture, and his techniques had surpassed those of a casual dabbler.

    In fact, his current piece would draw gasps of awe from just about anyone who looked upon it, provided one disregarded the materials from which it was made.

    This tent contained other items as well, such as a statue of his master made from solidifiedva, all sorts of chairs, assorted mps, and so on. All of them were the handiwork of Demiurge. While those pieces were all built for functionality and were not ornamented, they were still excellent specimens of workmanship.

    Demiurge picked up a piece of raw material from the corner of the tent and began evaluating it. Just then, he sensed movement from the tent¡¯s entrance.

    He gently put the bone back and squeezed the irreceable item which his master had lent him, before focusing his attention on the movement outside. Under normal circumstances, the person outside ought to be one of his vassals or hisrades. Nobody could breach that tripleyered defense without Demiurge¡¯s knowledge. Still, it was true that he had to be wary of the enemy who had dominated Shalltear.

    Several secondster, someone opened the tent p. He was dressed in white and wore a ck bird-like mask with a long nose.

    It was Pulcine.

    He was a clown who had been created by the Supreme Beings, much as Demiurge had. He had been assigned to assist Demiurge for this operation.

    After ensuring that he was not under mind control, the tension left Demiurge¡¯s eyes. At the same time, he released his grip on the artifact in his hand.

    ¡°Demiurge-sama, the skinning isplete.¡±

    Demiurge felt a twinge of regret at those words.

    Originally, Demiurge would have done that work in person to savor it, but the need to be wary of their mysterious and powerful foe meant that he could not leave this ce under normal circumstances. Thus, he had handed the task to Pulcine.

    Taking care to keep his emotions hidden, Demiurge gave Pulcine new orders.

    ¡°Well done. Then, begin the next step immediately. It would be rude to directly present something in that state to Ainz-sama.¡±

    As Pulcine bowed gracefully, Demiurge asked him:

    ¡°So, how many died?¡±

    ¡°None. Thanks to the torturers, they only passed out, so we should be able to skin them soon. While some of them were unwilling to ept healing magic... it was well within eptable parameters, so it is not a problem.¡±

    ¡°Marvellous.¡±

    Gathering the raw materials was an arduous task, and they had to perform several skinnings to recoup their investment. Even so, he had not used anesthesia or painless methods to remove the skins.

    ¡°I want to make everyone happy.¡±

    This sudden interjection made Demiurge think of Pulcine¡¯s personality.

    Pulcine was famous in Nazarick for his kindness and mercy. He had been created to make everyone happy, and so everything he did was intended to fulfill that purpose.

    ¡°Everyone in the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick is happy to serve Ainz-sama.¡±

    Demiurge nodded in agreement.

    ¡°I see. Then, a question for you, Pulcine: do you mean that others will be happy to serve Nazarick?¡±

    ¡°How could that be? That was not my meaning. Serving Ainz-sama is truly a blissful thing, one that makes me want to shed tears of joy, but it cannot be counted as true happiness if it is forced.¡±

    ¡°Ohh, then what should be done?¡±

    ¡°Simple. Pick one person, and chop his arm off. Then, the others willpare themselves to that person and count themselves fortunate. How wonderful! And then, to make the person whose arm was chopped off happy, you simply chop off someone else¡¯s legs! Oh, how happy I have made them!¡±

    Demiurge nodded at the clown, who wasughing to the high heavens.

    ¡°I see. You do have a there.¡±

    <b>Part 2</b>

    Time would pass slowly if all one did was wait. However, it practically flew past when one was preparing for a task with a time limit.

    The appointed time hade.

    Today, the searing sun crawled slowly into the sky, which was a cloudless clear blue. There was no sound of wind, and the world was shrouded in a silence so profound that one could hear the proverbial pin drop.

    Pre-battle tension filled the air.

    Someone gulped, and someone¡¯s breathing quickened.

    And after who knew how long since the gathered Lizardmen collectively decided to remain quiet¡ª?

    A hole appeared in the heavens, and a cloud billowed forth. It expanded as swiftly as it had earlier, until it enveloped the entire sky.

    Soon, when the clouds obscured the firmament, when the sun¡¯s light was gone and when all was darkness¡ª?

    The Lizardmen saw countless undead lurch out of the forest and over the border it shared with the swamp. The trees obscured them and prevented them from getting an exact count, so all they could see was an endless tide shambling forward.

    The attackers were 2200 Zombies, 2200 Skeletons, three hundred Undead Beasts, one hundred fifty Skeleton Archers and one hundred Skeleton Riders, for a total of 4950 troops, not including themander and his retinue.

    The defenders were the army of the Five Tribes.

    The Green w tribe had one hundred three warriors, five priests, seven hunters, one hundred twenty four males, and one hundred five females.

    The Small Fang tribe had sixty five warriors, one priest, sixteen hunters, one hundred eleven males, and ny four females.

    The Razor Tail tribe had eighty nine armored warriors, three priests, six hunters, ny nine males, and eighty one females.

    The Dragon Tusk tribe had one hundred twenty five warriors, two priests, ten hunters, ny eight males, and thirty two females.

    The Red Eye tribe had forty seven warriors, fifteen priests, six hunters, fifty nine males, and seventy seven females.

    Theirbined fighting strength was 429 warriors, twenty six priests, forty five hunters, four hundred ny one males, and three hundred eight females, for a total of 1380 people, not including the chiefs and Zaryusu.

    A lopsided battle of over three-to-one odds was about to begin.

    ? ? ?

    This was a log cabin.

    It was simply designed and made of bare wood, with little ornamentation to speak of. However, it was a full five meters from floor to ceiling, and it was over twenty meters long and wide.

    There was hardly any furniture here, only a huge mirror hanging on the wall, a massive, sturdy table, and the chairs surrounding it.

    There were several people seated on those chairs, and on the table were many rolled-up parchments ¡ª? magic scrolls.

    ¡°And this is thest one, a teleportation spell scroll.¡±

    As the high-pitched voice ¡ª? which called to mind the image of a young girl ¡ª? spoke those words, another scroll wasid on the table.

    The person doing so was a humanoid girl in a maid¡¯s outfit.

    She was adorably cute, with her hair done up in two buns on the side of her head. However, she was surrounded by a strange air, and her eyes were quite unique.

    Said eyes were full and round, but like cheap ss marbles, there was no glow in them. In addition, they did not blink.

    Her slender body was fully encased in an enchanted maid¡¯s uniform, and the high corpletely obscured her neck. Besides her face, none of her flesh was exposed.

    She was one of the Pleiades Battle Maids ¡ª? Entoma Vasilisa Zeta.

    ¡°And then there are the ¡¸Message¡¹ scrolls, but the table is getting cluttered, so could someone please clear the table?¡±

    Entoma looked at the highest ranking person seated at the table, who nodded slowly in response.

    ¡°Then, please go ahead.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Then. Please. Tidy. Up. Move. Quickly.¡±

    After hearing Cocytus acquiesce to Entoma¡¯s directions, the people around the table began working to clear the table.

    Each of them was a heteromorphic being. Some looked like praying mantises, some looked like ants, and one even looked like a gigantic brain.

    Each of them had a different appearance, but they had two things inmon. The first was that they were Cocytus¡¯s vassals, and the second was that they all served Nazarick.

    For that reason, they obeyed Entoma despite the fact that she was weaker than them.

    Within the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick¡¯s chain ofmand, the most crucial factor was not raw power, but whether or not they had been created by one of the Supreme Beings. From that point of view, Entoma ranked very highly.

    After verifying that the table had been cleared¡ª?

    ¡°Then, please take these, Cocytus-sama.¡±

    ¡ª?Entoma spoke those words without moving her mouth, and then she picked up the bag by her feet and produced several rolled-up scrolls.

    ¡°These are scrolls of ¡¸Message¡¹. ording to Ainz-sama, they were made with the skin that Demiurge-sama worked hard to obtain. Ainz-sama also said that he would like feedback if any problems came up with their use.¡±

    ¡°Is. That. So? I. Understand. I. Will. Inform. Him. If. Such. Problems. ur.¡±

    Cocytus took the scrolls from Entoma with one of his four hands.

    ¡°Now. It. Seems. Demiurge. Has. Pulled. Even. Further. Ahead. Of. Me.¡±

    He smiled bitterly to the servants around him as he said that. His servants responded with wry grins of their own.

    As he picked up the scrolls, Cocytus sank into contemtion.

    Cocytus had once heard that the supply of parchment for Nazarick¡¯s low level spell scrolls was running low.

    Finding a ce to replenish the stores needed to produce various items was a problem which had to be solved sooner orter. The reserves were still ample for the moment, but if they kept drawing on them, they would eventually run out one day. Therefore, everyone ¡ª? their master included ¡ª? had begun work on rectifying that situation.

    Part of the solution involved the apple trees on the Sixth Floor, of which he had heard.

    However, this was a problem which Cocytus ¡ª? who was responsible for the safety of Nazarick ¡ª? could do nothing about. After all, since he was assigned to protection duties, he could not go searching around outside.

    Demiurge ¡ª? who had gone aroundying foundations outside, would surely solve this problem in the end. One could say that it was only to be expected.

    His friend had aplished his mission.

    It was an admirable deed, and Cocytus was d for him. However, the mes of jealousy smoldered within him. The fact that hisrade could aid one of the Supreme Beings ¡ª? the master whom he worshipped ¡ª? filled him with jealousy.

    His own calling was the defense of Nazarick.

    This weighty task was arguably more important than any order given to the other Guardians. If questioned, any vassal would agree that it was an important task. After all, they could not letmon riffraff set foot into the sanctum of the Supreme Beings.

    However, Cocytus could not prove his devotion and loyalty without any intruders.

    That was why Cocytus wanted to prove himself here by obtaining good results.

    To the Guardians, aiding their master was a source of great delight. Cocytus wanted to experience that joy as well.

    Currently, a chance for that stood before him.

    Cocytus turned to look at the image within the mirror and gripped his scroll tightly.

    The mirror did not reflect the interior of the room, but instead it showed part of the swamp. The scene within the Mirror of Remote Viewing was the reason why Cocytus had spent the past two days in the log cabin which Aura had built.

    This battle ¡ª? no, when one considered the absolute power of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, it was more like a ughter ¡ª? was little more than a way to recover corpses. When he had received this sacred task, Cocytus¡¯s master had alsoid down several stiptions.

    The first rule was that Cocytus was forbidden to set foot on the battlefield. Naturally, that extended to his servants as well. He was to use the forces allocated to him to deal with this problem.

    The second rule was that the Elder Lich who had been designated as the army¡¯smander was to be held back until the end.

    The third rule was that he had to make as many decisions by himself as possible.

    There had been other details besides that, but those were the most important of the orders he had been given.

    His task was to achieve victory using only the forces deployed to thekeside. However, if he could do it, he could demonstrate his loyalty to his great master.

    ¡°Thank. You. Very. Much. Please. Convey. My. Thanks. To. Ainz-sama.¡±

    Entoma nodded disinterestedly.

    ¡°Then... Will. You. Be. Returning?¡±

    ¡°No. I was given instructions to observe the oue of this battle.¡±

    So she was to be an observer, then.

    Cocytus¡¯s blood boiled as he realised the importance of his task.

    Then, it was about time to begin.

    Cocytus cast ¡¸Message¡¹, and gave his orders to themander of the undead army.

    ¡ª?Advance.

    ? ? ?

    Two bonfires zed on either side of the raised tform, bathing the surroundings in flickering light.

    On the tform were several Lizardmen, including the chiefs, leaders, and other important figures from each tribe.

    Before the tform were many battle-ready Lizardmen. The mor from them rose and fell like the tide. It stemmed from their unease, worry, and fear ¡ª? they struggled to hide all these emotions, but they could not hide the quaking in their hearts.

    This was the eve of battle. The friends beside them might be corpses in an instant, or they themselves might fall inbat. They would soon be heading to the cruel ce that was the battlefield.

    Shasuryu Shasha stepped forward from the assembled chiefs and interrupted theirmotion.

    ¡°Gathered Lizardmen, heed me!¡±

    A majestic voice rang through the air. It silenced the immediate surroundings and made Shasuryu¡¯s words sound exceptionally resonant.

    ¡°I confess that our enemy is numerous.¡±

    Nobody made a sound, but everybody could sense the tremors in the air.

    After a brief pause, Shasuryu spoke again.

    ¡°But there is no need to fear! For the first time in our history, the Five Tribes havee together as one! Through our alliance, we are now one tribe! Therefore, the ancestors of the Five Tribes will watch over us ¡ª? even the spirits from other tribes will protect us!¡±

    ¡°Priests!¡±

    At thismand, Crusch stepped forward, at the head of the priests from the Five tribes, and then she shucked her clothing to reveal her white scales.

    ¡°This is Crusch Lulu, the leader of the High Priests!¡±

    Crusch took another step forward as Shasuryu called her by name.

    ¡°Summon the ancestors upon us!¡±

    ¡°¡ª?Listen well, children of the Great Tribe!¡±

    How would this newly-formed tribe turn out?

    With an iron determination in her voice, Crusch went on and on. At times her voice was high-pitched, at times it was low-pitched, at times it sounded like she was growling, and at times it sounded like she was singing.

    At first, almost everyone was repulsed by Crusch the albino. However, after seeing her unwavering confidence, that distaste gradually vanished.

    Crusch¡¯s body swayed gently as she spoke, Her white scales glittered in the light of the bonfire ¡ª? the reflected light making it seem as though the spirits of the ancestors had descended upon Crusch.

    There were looks of worshipful awe on everyone¡¯s faces.

    ¡°Now that the Five Tribes are one, it means the spirits of the Five Tribes will protect us all! Behold,dies and gentlemen! Witness the advent of the numberless ancestors through the generations as they take their ce beside you!¡±

    Crusch forcefully cast open her arms and pointed to the sky. Everyone looked up, but all they saw was an expanse of ordinary night sky. There was no spirits descending or anything.

    However, someone muttered something.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a light there?¡±

    The faint voice grew louder, and several Lizardmen added, ¡°I see it.¡± Someone said they saw a faint light, someone shouted about a Lizardmen, someone muttered about a gigantic fish, someone eximed that there was a child there, and someone muttered incredulously about an egg.

    There was only one thing within the hearts of the Lizardmen ¡ª? that the spirits of their ancestors really were with them.

    ¡°The spirits havee to protect us!¡±

    Thus, it only made sense that someone shouted exactly that.

    ¡°Feel it! Feel their power entering your bodies!¡±

    Crusch¡¯s voice seemed to speak directly to their souls. It sounded like it wasing from a faraway ce and very close by at the same time.

    As the Lizardmen heard her voice, they felt some kind of strength filling them.

    ¡°Feel it! Feel the strength which the ancestors of the Five Tribes have gifted you!¡±

    Now, all the Lizardmen here definitely felt it.

    They could feel the intense power within them. This sense of hot-bloodedness wiped away their prior unease; their bodies glowed from within with warmth, as though they had just drunk wine.

    This was certain proof that the spirits of the ancestors had descended to the mortal realm.

    Crusch turned her eyes away from the crowd of intoxicated-looking Lizardmen, and nodded to Shasuryu.

    ¡°Hear me, all you Lizardmen. The ancestors are now with us. The enemy outnumbers us, but will we lose?¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    The air shook as the Lizardmen ¡ª? with vaguely drunken looks on their faces ¡ª? answered Shasuryu in unison.

    ¡°That¡¯s right! Now that the spirits of the ancestors are with us, there¡¯s no way we can lose! Let us defeat the foe and offer this victory to them!¡±

    ¡°Ohhhhh!¡±

    Everyone¡¯s morale was through the roof. In ce of the uneasy Lizardmen from earlier were now warriors hungry for battle.

    This was not the effect of charm magic. Even with this many druids, they did not have the luxury of casting spells on everyone here before the battle started.

    Rather, this was the result of the special beverage the Lizardmen had drunk before this ceremony began.

    Said beverage was a recipe passed down through the generations, which gave its drinkers courage. It was made with herbs which induced a brief period of intoxication, euphoria, and hallucinations in those who consumed it.

    The result was a state of altered perception.

    Crusch¡¯s spiel had been intended to buy time for the effects to kick in.

    When one knew the truth, it hardly seemed impressive at all. However, for the people witnessing this spectacle with their own eyes ¡ª? in other words, the Lizardmen who saw the proof that their ancestors were walking with them ¡ª? this ritual ignited the courage within them.

    ¡°Then, we shall begin applying the warpaint. Originally, every tribe would have their own color, but now that the spirits of the Five tribes reside within us all, we shall use the colors of each tribe for everyone!¡±

    Several priests took up y pots and walked among the Lizardmen.

    The Lizardmen decorated themselves using the paint from the pots. They believed that the ancestor spirits within them were guiding their hands, so they let their fingertips wander freely, tracing designs all over their bodies.

    Many of them painted their entire bodies, possibly thanks to this ¡°advent.¡± However, almost none of the Green w Lizardmen applied paint to themselves. This was because Zaryusu, Shasuryu and the elite members of the tribes had not done so. In other words, it was a form of idol worship.

    After looking around and satisfying himself that everyone was done, Zaryusu drew his greatsword and pointed it at the vige gate.

    ¡°Forward march!¡±

    ¡°Ohhhhhh¡ª?!¡±

    Countless roars rang through the air.

    <b>Part 3</b>

    The troops from the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick were divided into two groups and stationed in the swamp.

    The Zombie division was on the Lizardmen¡¯s left nk, while the Skeleton division was on their right. The Skeleton Archers and Skeleton Riders were stationed behind the other Skeletons.

    The Beast Zombies were kept in the rear, as though they were amandpany.

    The Lizardmen facing them were also divided into two forces, despite theirparatively thin numbers. The hunters and the females were on the Zombies¡¯ side, while the males and warriors were on the Skeletons¡¯ side. Meanwhile, the priests remained within the vige, defended by the walls.

    The Lizardmen hade out of the vige because they knew that there was no point inying up for a siege. There was no helping for them, and the walls were anything but sturdy. In addition, the enemy was an army of the dead, who did not need rations or rest.

    Given these deeply unfavorable circumstances, a siege was a very bad idea.

    However, once the Lizardmen had formed up outside, they keenly understood the tremendous disparity between their forces and those of the enemy.

    A situation where one faced three could still bepared to that of ten facing thirty. But if one thousand had to fight three thousand, the vast difference in their respective strengths became very apparent. Even if three thousand undead beings did nothing but stand in ranks, they were still a very intimidating sight.

    Despite the circumstances, the Lizardmen did not show any signs of fear. Their ancestors were with them now ¡ª? numbers counted for nothing to them.

    Soon, the undead forces began a slow advance. The Zombies and Skeletons began to move, while the Skeleton Archers and Skeleton Riders remained where they stood. Perhaps they were being held in reserve.

    The Lizardmen advanced as well.

    ¡°OHHHHHH!¡±

    The wends echoed with an ear-piercing shout, apanied by the sound of countless sshes. Water was churned into foam and dirt flew everywhere.

    The two armies continued advancing, until they were on the verge of a ferocious sh. However, an abnormality arose in the Nazarick army.

    The Zombies and the Skeletons had begun their advance together, but as they moved forward, they gradually drew apart. This was because the Zombies were slow while the Skeletons were swift. In addition, the wends were very difficult terrain.

    When slow monsters like Zombies were mired down in mud, their movements became even slower. However, agile monsters like Skeletons were not as badly affected.

    Therefore, the first engagement was between the Skeletons and the Lizardmen warriors.

    The Lizardmen employed no formations, simply crashing into the Skeletons. There was no art in their technique; they simply swung whenever they saw an enemy.

    Leading the way were the five Head Warriors of the various tribes. To some extent, it was foolish for amander to lead from the front. However, they were the highest ranked warriors of their respective tribes, and morale would suffer if they did not fight at the head of their troops. Instead, the Lizardmen were all in high spirits.

    They were backed by eighty nine armored warriors from the Razor Tail tribe. They wore hide armor and carried hide shields, and they possessed the highest defensive strength of any group among the tribes.

    They raised their shields, charging the Skeleton horde as a single, united wall.

    Then, they shed ¡ª? the vanguards of the Skeletons and the Lizardmen colliding with each other.

    In that moment, countless bones flew in all directions, and the Lizardman squadron tore into the Skeleton horde.

    The sounds of carnage shook the heavens and the sounds of bone crunching seemed endless. There were asional cries of pain, but those were drowned out by the sounds of shattering bone.

    The Lizardmen had an incontestable advantage in this first engagement, and the tide of battle favored them.

    If thebatants were not Lizardmen, but humans, the opposite would probably be the case.

    Skeletons were made of bones, so piercing weapons were almostpletely ineffective against them while they resisted shing weapons to a certain extend. Therefore, human troops ¡ª? who used des and swords as their primary weapons ¡ª? would have a hard time damaging those Skeletons.

    The advantage of the Lizardmen stemmed from the fact that they used crude maces and clubs as their primary weapons, which inflicted bludgeoning damage ¡ª? the bane of Skeletons.

    The Lizardmen easily crushed the bony bodies of the Skeletons with every swing of their weapons. Even if they survived one hit, the second would pulverize them. In contrast, the rusty longswords that the Skeletons used were deflected by the tough scales and hides of the Lizardmen. While some of them were hurt, nobody sustained any fatal wounds.

    This was the first charge.

    Almost five hundred Skeletonsy in fragments from that sh alone.

    ? ? ?

    Cocytus¡¯s jaw dropped as he stared at the vision within the mirror.

    This was only the first time they had stood toe to toe, but the strength of the Lizardmen had exceeded his expectations. As an excellent warrior himself, Cocytus possessed a degree of insight into the strength of his enemy.

    It was true that as individuals, the Skeletons were clearly weaker than the Lizardmen and they had no hope of victory. However, their numbers should havepensated for that weakness.

    Even so, this oue had taken ce. What was the meaning of this? It made him wonder if they Lizardmen had been strengthened by some other power.

    In all likelihood, only the Skeleton Archers and Skeleton Riders could im victory over the Lizardmen as they were now.

    The Skeletons crumbled one after the other as he watched the battle. The Skeletons and Zombies would probably only serve to sap their opponents¡¯ stamina.

    At this rate, the only effective troops we have are the three hundred Beast Zombies, the one hundred fifty Skeleton Archers, and the five hundred Skeleton Riders. The weight of numbers is now against us.

    Cocytus calcted the odds in his mind. .

    The undead were strong, especially in extended battles; almost nobody could beat them at that. The undead did not feel anything ¡ª? not fear, not pain, not fatigue, or the need for sleep.

    The advantages those characteristics bestowed in warfare hardly needed to be stated.

    For instance, if one swung a mace at the head of a living creature, there was a high chance said creature would die, or if it survived, it would bleed profusely and suffer great pain. The person receiving the attack would naturally lose the will to fight. Of course, an exception had to be made for warriors who had been trained to endure great pain, but most people would not want to fight on.

    That was a perfectly natural reaction from living beings.

    But what about the undead?

    Crack their skulls? They would continue attacking while they leaked their brains with every blow.

    Break their arms? They would keep attacking with their shattered limbs.

    Chop off their legs? They would crawl tounch the next attack.

    Indeed, as long as the negative energy which served as their lifeforce was not depleted, the undead would keep fighting. As long as the conditions for instant death were not met ¡ª? decapitation was quite amon one for most low tier undead beings ¡ª? they would not lose the will to fight like humans would. In other words, the undead were perfect soldiers.

    It could not be denied that the Lizardmen were currently superior, going by individual strength. However, that state of affairs might not carry one.

    Cocytus¡¯s opinion of the Lizardmen went up by a notch, and he concluded that they were not a foe which could be instantly destroyed. That being the case, he had to draw out the battle.

    ¡°Should. We. Pull. Back. And. Wait. For. A. Chance. To. Launch. Another. Attack?¡±

    ¡°Your servant feels that would be the wisest move.¡±

    ¡°Your servant is of the opinion that it would be better to mobilize the archers and cavalry.¡±

    ¡°No, no, we should continue the attack until the enemy is exhausted.¡±

    ¡°But what good does it do to exhaust the foe? If we cannot smash their headquarters, the enemy will eventually recover their strength.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. The enemy seems to have a strong defense, but they are hiding behind those fragile walls. What about taking the vige and then encircling them?¡±

    After listening to his servants¡¯ responses, Cocytus picked up the ¡¸Message¡¹ scroll and nced at Entoma, trying to read her expression.

    Entoma looked disinterestedly at the mirror. She produced a green biscuit from somewhere and brought it to her chin, and soon, the sounds of crunching echoed through the room. That attitude seemed to be saying that she was unconcerned about the events that were unfolding. Perhaps that was why she had no expression on her face.

    ¡ª?No, that expressionless face was nothing more than a decoration.

    Cocytus thought about her true nature, and realised that trying to read her expression was a foolish gesture.

    She was a Familiar Eater. Even Cocytus¡¯s friend, Kyouhukou of the Five Worsts in Nazarick, had bluntly stated that ¡°she is a most frightening person.¡± That was her true nature.

    Cocytus abandoned the n of trying to divine her thoughts by reading her face and unfurled the scroll, sending a ¡¸Message¡¹ to the army¡¯smander.

    ? ? ?

    ¡°¡ª?Are they looking down on us?¡± Zenberu muttered. He did so quietly, but it was still loud enough that everyone watching the enemy from the wall could hear it.

    ¡°They aren¡¯t mobilizing their archers or cavalry. That makes me think that they¡¯re looking down on us.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I thought they¡¯de at us all at once...¡±

    ¡°Zombie fight, going well.¡±

    There were only forty five hunters fighting the zombies. Theyunched hit and run attacks with thrown stones, slowly drawing the Zombies away from the Skeletons. The females slowly moved to a position where they could nk the Skeletons.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think their movements are very suspicious?¡±

    ¡°...Indeed.¡±

    The Zombies were not so much diverted aspletely distracted by the hunters. Would anymander permit such movements? No, it should not have been possible, yet the Zombies were moving as described. That being the case, what did the enemy have in mind? Nobody present had any idea.

    ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand what they¡¯re doing.¡±

    ¡°Mm, I¡¯m with Shasuryu.¡±

    No matter how hard thought about it, they did not feel there was any particr significance to the Zombies¡¯ movements.

    After observing for a while longer, Zaryusu shared his thoughts with the others.

    ¡°Could it be that there¡¯s nomander?¡±

    ¡°Nomander...? Ah, do you mean to say that the undead have been acting on the orders they were given at the beginning of the battle?¡±

    ¡°Mm, yes.¡±

    The lowest tiered undead like Zombies and Skeletons did not possess intelligence. Therefore, giving them orders at the appropriate moment was the best way ofmanding them. However, the Zombies and other enemies seemed to have received orders to kill any nearby Lizardmen. That was what they were getting at.

    ¡°In other words, the enemy thought they could beat us by sheer weight of numbers... no, could it be that this battle is just to see how well they can fight without amander?¡±

    ¡°Seems that way.¡±

    ¡°Bastards! Are they fucking with us!?¡±

    It was Shasuryu, not Zenberu, who was cursing. Even Shasuryu could not tolerate this sort of thing. After all, the Lizardmen were all betting their lives on this.

    ¡°Calm down, Shasuryu. We don¡¯t know if that¡¯s the case yet.¡±

    ¡°Mm, sorry... though I guess it¡¯s good that we¡¯re doing well so far.¡±

    ¡°Ani-ja, you¡¯re right, because we need to cut down the enemies¡¯ numbers as much as possible right now.¡±

    Battle was a very fatiguing activity, and a pitched melee was unimaginably taxing on one¡¯s mental strength. On a battlefield where one did not know if the enemy would being from the front, rear, left, or right, merely swinging one¡¯s weapon a few times was several times more exhausting than normal.

    However, the undead did not feel fatigue, and they would continue attacking without respite.

    This was the difference between the living and the dead, and as time went by, that difference would be more and more apparent.

    In other words, time was the Lizardmen¡¯s enemy.

    ¡°Cheh, it would be fine if only I could fight...¡±

    ¡°Patience, Zenberu.¡±

    Indeed, if a mighty warrior like Zenberu took the field, they could probably wipe out the Skeletons in moments. However, that would mean revealing their ace in the hole. Zaryusu¡¯s group of half a dozen people was their secret weapon. While they would obviously need to y their trump card in times of emergency, they could not reveal their true power as as long as the situation was not dire and if their greatest foe had not shown up yet.

    ¡°Still, if the enemy doesn¡¯t advance, doesn¡¯t that y right into our hands?¡± Zaryusu told the others, who responded in the affirmative. Then, he turned to Crusch and asked, ¡°Are things still okay on your side?¡±

    ¡°...Yes, and the ritual¡¯s going well too.¡±

    Crusch answered Zaryusu¡¯s question as she looked around the vige. The ritual which the priests were conducting in the vige might well be another trump card for the Lizardmen. Normally, it would have taken a very long time, but since all the priests of all the tribes were gathered together, it was progressing at a tremendous pace, quickly enough to be used in this battle.

    ¡°So this is the power of cooperation...¡±

    ¡°Mmm... yes. Granted, we did share some insights after that war in the past... Still, there¡¯s a lot of things I want to do after the war now.¡±

    The other chiefs nodded vigorously at Shasuryu¡¯s suggestion. They had shared a lot of knowledge thanks to this battle, and they had seen with their own eyes the importance of everyone working together towards amon goal. The three chiefs who had allied in the past but not exchanged information were particrly forceful in their agreement.

    Zaryusu looked at those five people, and smiled.

    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just felt really happy despite our circumstances.¡±

    Crusch immediately picked up on what he was thinking.

    ¡°¡ª?Me too, Zaryusu.¡±

    As he looked on the smiling Crusch, Zaryusu¡¯s eyes narrowed as though she were shining. They had looks of admiration and kindness in their eyes.

    It was only natural that they were not embracing. After all, they could not indulge their desires while Lizardmen were dying before them. However, Zaryusu¡¯s and Crusch¡¯s tails seemed like independent creatures as they twitched, asionally touching and separating.

    ¡°Muuu...¡±

    ¡°Do you know what this situation is, as an older brother?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve beenpletely shut out.¡±

    ¡°Aw, they really do love each other.¡±

    ¡°In short... good to be young, future is bright.¡±

    The four older Lizardmen nodded as they looked on their adorable juniors.

    Of course, there was no way Crusch and Zaryusu could not have heard that. Their tails moved and twitched without pause, but they had serious and proper expressions on their faces.

    ¡°Ani-ja, the enemy¡¯s making their move.¡±

    Shasuryu and the other chiefs could not help but smile bitterly at the sudden change in Zaryusu¡¯s attitude. At the same time, they cast their eyes toward the enemy formation. The Skeleton Riders were advancing en masse.

    ¡°Oi oi oi, don¡¯t tell me they¡¯re heading for us?¡±

    ¡°The cavalry? Are they nning to shake our morale by striking directly at us?¡±

    ¡°No, they should be nning to circle around the warriors and the males and then nk them, right?¡±

    This was bad.

    Everyone came to the same conclusion without saying a word. The mobility of the Skeleton Riders was hard to deal with.

    If the Skeleton Riders had moved out at the beginning of the battle, they would have prioritized their destruction. However, the warriors and the male Lizardmen were currently locked in meleebat, the hunters were drawing off the Zombies, and the females were nking the Skeletons with thrown rocks, so there was precious little manpower left to block the Skeleton Riders.

    ¡°It looks like it¡¯ll be better if we make the first move.¡±

    Shasuryu nodded after the Small Fang tribe¡¯s chief spoke.

    ¡°The question now is who we should send out... or rather, who we should allow to fight first...¡±

    ? ? ?

    Skeleton Riders.

    They werence-wielding Skeletons mounted on Skeletal Horses. They had no special characteristics beyond their enhanced mobility, but said mobility was outstanding on this marshy terrain. Their bodies were made of bone and would not sink too deeply into the mud, which meant that they could advance at the speed of a regr horse.

    Nearly a hundred Skeleton Riders were moving forward, intent on circling around behind the Lizardmen to destroy them from behind.

    They saw three Lizardmen approaching from their front and left ¡ª? in other words, from the vige ¡ª? but the Skeleton Riders paid them no heed. They had not received orders to engage them, so they would ignore them as long as they did not attack. Unintelligent undead were such creatures.

    Just as they were about to reach the rear of the Lizardman forces, the leading Skeleton Rider¡¯s world was suddenly flipped and turned upside down. The horseman flew far into the air and crashed heavily to the marsh.

    A human would have been confused and been unable to act. However, the Skeleton Rider was an unintelligent undead being, and it immediately continued moving to fulfill its orders.

    Though it rose quickly, it had been injured, and so it moved with a bit of a limp.

    Just then, it was hit by another unhorsed Skeleton Rider, and the shattered bones of the two Skeleton Riders were scattered all over the marsh.

    Scenes like this were happening everywhere.

    Why had something like this happened on the wide-open wends? The answer was simple ¡ª? it was a trap.

    There had been open wooden boxes buried in the marsh, and when the Skeleton Horses stepped into them, they had fallen.

    The Skeleton Riders fell one after the other. If they were humans, they would have slowed their pace. However, the Skeleton Riders would not do that. While they had enough judgement to avoid a hole they were aware of, they had no ability to be wary of traps. This was because they had no orders to do so, and no intelligence to allow them to adapt to the situation.

    Their headlong rush into the traps looked like a form of mass suicide.

    Still, while the traps were very effective, they were ultimately only a dying measure. They could inflict some damage, but they could not eliminate the Skeleton Riders by themselves. The fallen Skeleton Riders rose to their feet, covered in mud.

    Just then, there was a whoosh and the sound of the air parting. Just like that, one of the fallen Skeleton Riders had its head knocked off.

    The Skeleton Riders judged this to be enemy action, and looked around.

    Just then, another Skeleton Rider¡¯s head flew off its shoulders, shattered like a ss marble.

    The Skeleton Riders spotted three Lizardmen about eighty meters away from them. They also saw themunching stones from the slings in their hands, crushing the skulls of the Skeleton Riders¡ª?

    The Skeleton Riders began moving.

    ? ? ?

    At the same time, the battle situation with the Skeletons began to change.

    After the sound of countless bowstrings being pulled taut, the sound of arrows filled the air like the falling of rain.

    The one hundred fifty Skeleton Archers fired at the melee with the Skeletons and the Lizardmen. They did not just discharge one arrow each, but two, three...

    The Lizardmen had not expected an arrow storm like that.

    Many Lizardmen were hit by arrows and copsed. They could not fight the Skeletons and block the arrow attacks at the same time.

    Of course, the Skeletons were hit by the arrows as well, but they were not hurt.

    Using the Skeletons ¡ª? who were nigh-immune to piercing damage ¡ª? as screens and then having the Skeleton Archers fire from behind them was a near-perfect strategy. They would have enough time to wipe out all the Lizardmen in the time it would take to bash through the two thousand Skeletons screening them.

    The problem was that they had used that tactic toote. If they had opened with that move, the fate of the Lizardmen would have been sealed. They would have been drowned under the overwhelming tide of enemy forces and victory would have been decided. However, the oue of the battle wasrgely decided by this point.

    The Lizardmen ignored the skeletons Skeletons, and charged the Skeleton Archers in the rear.

    One hundred fifty arrows fell like rain, and several Lizardmen hit the ground as a result. Yet, that was only a small portion of their forces.

    The Lizardmen had thick skin and strong scales, so even without armor, they had the same defensive strength as humans in leather armor. Even if an arrow somehow pierced their hides, their thickyer of muscles kept them alive.

    In addition, the Skeleton Archers did not have much strength behind their draws. That was another reason why they could not kill the Lizardmen.

    The Lizardmen roared fearlessly as they charged. They crossed their arms over their heads as the arrow storm fell upon them, and even if they were impaled by the shafts, they continued regardless.

    Three arrows ¡ª?

    This was the most each of the Skeleton Archers managed to loose. If they had any intelligence, they would have fallen back. It would have been better if they retreated for the moment and then regrouped to engage the surviving undead troops.

    However, the Skeletons¡¯ minds could not process suchplicated orders, and such orders had not been given anyway. Therefore, they could only do as they had been told ¡ª? keep firing on the Lizardmen even if they get close.

    There was a mighty roar ¡ª? and then the Skeletons and Skeleton Archers alike drowned under the rising tide of Lizardmen. The Skeleton Archers could no longer show their stuff at this range. Their part was to be punching bags for their enemies, and so they fell steadily, in twos and threes.

    Currently, the Zombies were still alive, but the Skeletons had been almostpletely beaten into the ground.

    This was when the enemy sent out new foes.

    Those were the Beast Zombies.

    These monsters ¡ª? made from the corpses of wolves, snakes, pythons, and other such creatures ¡ª?bined the strength of Zombies and the agility of wild animals.

    The Beast Zombies ran at the Lizardmen. The swift ones surged ahead while the slow onesgged behind; it was a ragged charge with no formation to speak of.

    Attacks from below were unexpectedly hard to avoid. The Beast Zombies would tear at their foes¡¯ legs and finish them off once they were immobilized. It was a truly savagebat technique.

    The increasingly fatigued Lizardmen had a hard time warding off these attacks. Several Lizardmen were too slow to avoid having their throats torn out by the Beast Zombies. After seeing theirrades fall, even the ones who had steeled themselves forbat or believed in ancestral protection could not hide the looks of fear on their faces.

    The Head Warriors had led their men into the bloody fray, but now they were gradually being forced back. Just as they thought the line of battle would eventually break, the ground before them swelled.

    Before them appeared two armless and legless lumps of mud, around one hundred sixty centimeters tall.

    The two clumps of mud began moving.

    They had no legs, but they moved adroitly and smoothly over the wends, towards the Beast Zombies. After closing the distance, the mud-clumps sprouted whips that were longer than them from the ces where a human¡¯s arms would have been.

    This was one of the trump cards of the Lizardmen, the Swamp Spirits summoned by thebined efforts of all the priests.

    The Swamp Spirits charged into the Beast Zombies and attacked with their tentacle-like whip arms, seizing the enemy. Naturally, the Beast Zombies fearlessly counterattacked, shing with ws and tearing with fangs.

    This was a battle between beings that knew no fear. However, the tide turned in favor of the Swamp Spirits, purely because of the difference between their fighting strengths.

    The power of their priests had defeated the unliving. This fact rekindled the Lizardmen¡¯s courage, and they rallied for another charge.

    A brutal battle ensued.

    Unlike the previous fight with the Skeletons, the Lizardmen began to take casualties. However, victory was at hand for the Lizardmen, who had the advantage of numbers.

    ? ? ?

    We will lose.

    Cocytus understood that much.

    There were no intelligent undead among the forces he had been assigned. That was the main cause of their defeat, and something which had worried him from the start, but he had not expected them to be that weak.

    Cocytus¡¯s head ached at his naivete. While there was a way to turn the tables in a situation like this, he did not favor it much, because making that move was tantamount to admitting defeat.

    Still, how could he report failure to his master? Cocytus picked up the ¡¸Message¡¹ scroll. Who should he send this message to...

    ¡°...Demiurge?¡±

    ¡ºIndeed it is, old friend. Why would you contact me? Has something happened?¡»

    A calm, even voice spoke in Cocytus¡¯s mind. Demiurge¡¯s intelligence was top ss in Nazarick. Surely he would have an idea for a situation like this.

    On a certain level, Demiurge could also be considered a rival of his, so Cocytus was not too happy about asking him for help. Still, the most important thing was to avoid defeat. How could the armies of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick be beaten in battle? He was willing to cast aside his pride and bow before others for help in order to avoid that oue.

    ¡°Actually¡ª?¡±

    After hearing a scroll¡¯s worth of exnation about the current situation, Demiurge ¡ª? who had been listening quietly ¡ª? sighed in exasperation.

    ¡ºThen, what do you want me to do?¡»

    ¡°I. Hope. You. Can. Help. Me. Think. Of. Something. If. This. Carries. On. We. Will. Be. Defeated. I. Can. ept. A. Personal. Defeat. But. I. Cannot. Allow. The. Great. Tomb. Of. Nazarick. ¡ª? The. Supreme. Beings. ¡ª? To. Be. Disgraced. In. Such. A. Way.¡±

    ¡º...Do you think Ainz-sama truly wishes for victory?¡»

    ¡°What. Do. You. Mean?¡±

    ¡ºI am saying, why do you think Ainz-sama picked out such low tier fodder for an army?¡»

    Cocytus had harbored his doubts about that point. He had no idea what reason could warrant drafting the dregs of Nazarick into a fighting force.

    ¡°...Ainz-sama. Must. Have. His. Own. Motives. But. What. Could. They. Be?¡±

    ¡º...There are several possibilities thate to mind.¡»

    That¡¯s Demiurge for you ¡ª? Cocytus did not say that, though his respect for the demon grew in silence.

    ¡ºLet me ask you something, Cocytus. You¡¯ve been there for several days now. Don¡¯t you think you should have gathered intelligence on the Lizardmen?¡»

    He was right. However¡ª?

    ¡°No, Ainz-sama ordered me to defeat the foe with that force, in a head-on confrontation.¡±

    ¡ºThat is indeed the case, but I hope you will think carefully on it, Cocytus. The important thing is what sort of results you will show Ainz-sama, am I wrong? If exterminating the vige was the objective, then you should have considered the ideal methods for extermination, don¡¯t you think?¡»

    Cocytus had nothing to say, because Demiurge had hit the nail on the head.

    ¡ºAinz-sama must have assigned you those servants because he had that in mind.¡»

    ¡°...You. Mean. To. Say. That. Ainz-sana, Deliberately. Assigned. Me. Inadequate. Troops?¡±

    ¡ºThe possibility is very high. If you had researched the vige beforehand, perhaps you would have known that your forces would be insufficient to conquer the vige. In that event, you would have told Ainz-sama that, ¡®Exterminating the vige will be difficult with these forces, I wish to request reinforcements.¡¯ That was most likely Ainz-sama¡¯s objective.¡»

    In other words, Demiurge was trying to say that Cocytus had to divine his master¡¯s intent and adapt his methods to the situation, not follow orders blindly.

    ¡ºThis seems to be one of Ainz-sama¡¯s ns to improve the way in which we approach matters, but he seems to have other objectives in mind as well...¡»

    ¡°Other. Objectives?¡± Cocytus hurriedly asked Demiurge. He had already erred once, and he did not wish to further add to his mistakes.

    ¡ºAinz-sama sent messengers to the vige, but he did not state Nazarick¡¯s name at all. In addition, he ordered you not to take the field. That being the case¡ª?¡»

    Cocytus gulped as he waited for Demiurge to continue speaking. However, Demiurge did not.

    ¡ºCocytus! Forgive me, something urgent has cropped up. I apologise, but let¡¯s leave our conversation here. Good luck.¡»

    Demiurge¡¯s words cut off and the ¡¸Message¡¹ ended.

    As Cocytus wondered what would panic a calm person like him, his gaze shifted to someone else seated at a table within the room. He saw Entoma peeling a tattered talisman from her forehead and casting it down.

    If she, a talismancer, was using a talisman, that meant¡ª?

    It was toote for anything else.

    That being the case, now was the time to deploy the final undead being, his trump card. However, would that really fulfill his master¡¯s aims?

    This might be the first time Cocytus had contemted his master¡¯s true underlying motives. However, there was only one conclusion he could reach.

    Cocytus cast the ¡¸Message¡¹ spell.

    ¡°¡ª?Heed me, Elder Lichmander. Attack and show the Lizardmen your power.¡±

    ? ? ?

    The bony body ¡ª? dressed in a luxurious but timeworn set of robes ¡ª? clutched a gnarled staff in one of its hand. Its skin was a thinyer stretched over the skull underneath and it was beginning to rot, and it bore a malevolent intelligence within its eyes. Its body radiated negative energy like a mist which shrouded it.

    This undead magic caster was the Elder Lich in question.

    After receiving its orders, the undead creature looked over the marsh. Then, it turned to the Bloodmeat Hulks ¡ª? undead creatures that were masses of red skin and muscle ¡ª? behind it. To these fellow creations of the same Supreme Being, he gave an order:

    ¡°Kill those three Lizardmen.¡±

    Upon receipt of those orders, the two Bloodmeat Hulks lumbered out towards the three Lizardmen who were devastating the Skeleton Riders.

    While the Bloodmeat Hulks were low tier undead who could only attack with brute strength, they possessed the power of regeneration. As a result, it would take a long time to bring them down with physical attacks on their level.

    The Elder Lich felt that the Bloodmeat Hulks could buy him enough time.

    This could be considered a foolish strategy. The Elder Lich was a magic caster and not used to meleebat, so under normal circumstances, it would have been better to keep the Bloodmeat Hulks by his side.

    However, he could not do that now.

    His orders were to ¡°Show the Lizardmen your power.¡± Therefore, he had to proceed alone and destroy the Lizardman headquarters with his overwhelming might.

    The Elder Lich advanced. Its face twisted into a fearsome shape as it chuckled.

    He felt that this was a piece of cake.

    He had been personally made by the Supreme Being Ainz Ooal Gown, and he was far superior to the automatically-spawning Elder Liches in Nazarick. And now, his task was to demonstrate his puissance to the Lizardmen.

    He swore to achieve victory by the name his master had given him.

    ¡°I, Igva, shall dedicate this triumph to my liege.¡±

    <b>Part</b><b>4</b>

    After wiping out the Beast Zombies, the Lizardmen rounded their shoulders in fatigue and breathed sighs of relief. There was anguish on their faces, but at the same time there were faint smiles there.

    It was true that they had taken many casualties, but they were lucky only to have sustained that much. If the Swamp Spirits had not joined the fight... no, if they hade in just a littleter, their formation would have copsed and it would have turned into a rout.

    ¡°We¡¯re moving out,¡± shouted the Head Warriors. It was an announcement that they were heading into battle.

    Their bodies were weak from fatigue, and just raising their weapons consumed a great deal of effort, to say nothing of actually wielding them. They were bone-tired, but the battle was not yet over.

    They had to beware the enemy¡¯s reinforcements even as they eliminated the distant Zombies.

    ¡°All right, get the heavily wounded back to the vige, the rest of you form up on us¡ª?¡±

    The sound of roaring fire interrupted him.

    Searing heat engulfed the surroundings, and the Swamp Spirits at the center of the ze wavered.

    As the mes vanished like they had never been there in the first ce, the two Spirits were in terrible shape. A single gout of fire had half-destroyed them.

    Before the Lizardmen could cry out in surprise, the fires raged once more. The Spirits could not endure the attacks and disintegrated into the roaring inferno.

    As the Swamp Spirits ¡ª? who had demonstrated incredible power against the Beast Zombies ¡ª? disappeared without a trace, the Lizardmen¡¯s faces went nk, unable to keep pace with what was happening before them.

    What had just happened?

    They knew that the Swamp Spirits had been destroyed, but they were desperately trying to deny that reality. That was because if the Swamp Spirits really had been destroyed, it meant that there was a more powerful monster headed their way.

    The Lizardmen looked around in confusion and also to hide their fear. Just as they spotted an undead being in the distance, a fireball once more flew from its hand.

    The head-sized ball of me soared through the air in a straight line and flew into the leader squad of the Lizardman troops.

    Under normal circumstances, mes would vanish upon contact with water. However, this fireball was a magical phenomenon and defied that logic. When the fireball touched the water, it was as though it had struck a hard surface. A roaring cyclone of me blossomed from the point of impact.

    The fiery explosion consumed several Lizardmen ¡ª? and then faded away.

    Was this an illusion? ¡ª? that thought vanished in an instant. The smell of charred meat wafting in the air and the bodies of Lizardmen slumped on the ground was real enough.

    The undead creature advanced with unhurried steps, so elegant that one might take it for arrogance. That was the stride of a mighty being, fully confident in its power.

    As the Lizardmen hesitated about whether they should rush it with an all-out attack, just like how they had destroyed the Skeleton Archers, another fireball flew at them.

    The fireball exploded violently, iming the lives of all the Lizardmen around it in an instant.

    This was overwhelming power. It made people think that everything which had happened just now was little more than a game.

    ¡°Uooooohh!¡±

    The Lizardmen shouted to clear the fear from their hearts. Just as several Lizardmen charged recklessly ahead, a cold, clear voice spoke from what seemed like an unthinkably great distance:

    ¡°¡ª?Utter foolishness.¡±

    That was all their foe said. The onrushing Lizardmen were incinerated by a ball of me before they could scream.

    The undead being took a step forward, and over a hundred Lizardmen immediately took one step back. The disparity between their powers was like a high wall which forced the Lizardmen to retreat.

    ¡°Run away!¡±

    A strident, electrifying cry filled the air. The voice belonged to one of the Head Warriors.

    ¡°That one¡¯s different from the ones before him! We can¡¯t take him!¡±

    That much was true. The majestic sight of the Elder Lich slowly advancing by itself was an awesome one. It made the Lizardmen feel as though a mighty wind was blowing across their skin.

    ¡°Go inform the chiefs and Zaryusu about this.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll try to buy time!¡±

    Another fireball exploded, and several more Lizardmeny upon the ground.

    ¡°Run! Go tell them!¡±

    The five Head Warriors ordered the Lizardmen to flee, and at the same time they judged the distance between them. They were spacing themselves out so even when a fireball burst, at least one of them would be able to close the gap to the enemy. It was a suicidal tactic designed to aplish that objective.

    After spreading themselves out, the five of them looked at each other, and then sprinted.

    The enemy was roughly one hundred meters away. They despaired at the distance separating them, but even so, they ran with all their might. That was because even if they perished halfway, their deaths would still give the chiefs and Zaryusu information they could use.

    ? ? ?

    The Lizardmen who had effortlessly held off the enemy came running back like a flock of frightened birds.

    Zaryusu calmly observed that sight. No, ever since that powerful foe appeared, he had been scrutinizing its every movement. His attention was focused on the undead being that could cast the killing fire.

    Its movements werepletely different from the mindless foes from before. In all likelihood, that was the enemymander.

    As the undead creature closed to within one hundred meters of the five Head Warriors, it began using ¡¸Fireball¡¹ to execute area-of-effect attacks. This forced them to scatter, and it seemed intent on burning the Head Warriors to death during their run.

    ¡°Looks like it¡¯s time for us to take the field.¡±

    Zaryusu nodded at Zenberu¡¯s words. Crusch signalled her agreement as well. She was aware that this might well be a battle where they might all meet a glorious end.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s time for us to go. Its power is shocking. Our foe might well be the personal subordinate of that Supreme One, or themander of this army... Even if it¡¯s not, it must surely be a trump card of some sort.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Nobody can control multiple undead of such a level. But how shall we make our move? It seems a bit too far away for us.¡±

    Crusch¡¯s question gave Zaryusu a headache.

    They were not fighting to die, so they had to n around that.

    Zaryusu and Zenberu could not attack at range, so they had to close in for a melee. The problem nowy in the one hundred meters between them and the enemy.

    Zaryusu and the others could probably take one or two ¡¸Fireballs¡¹ with ease, but they would probably take more than just one or two such hits before reaching their opponent, and the true struggle would begin once they got to it. It was not hard to see how the enemy would repulse them if they tried a frontal assault while taking fireball attacks.

    ¡°That distance is pretty daunting.¡±

    ¡°Yeah... you got that right. To think a hundred meters could feel so far away...:¡±

    Zaryusu and friends wondered how they could reach the enemy with no or minimal damage.

    ¡°How about burrowing through the ground?¡±

    ¡°If we used priestly powers... it¡¯d still be hard. If we could use ¡¸Invisibility¡¹...¡±

    They could probably close the gap instantly by going invisible and using the ¡¸Fly¡¹ spell. However, druids could not cast such spells.

    ¡°Then how about making a shield and advancing with it held before us?¡±

    ¡°Making a shield would take too long.¡±

    ¡°How about tearing one of the houses down and using it as a shield?¡±

    Zenberu smiled bitterly as he realised the futility of the words he had just spoken. The enemy attacked with explosive fireballs. Even if it was blocked, the searing temperatures would still scorch them from the side. There was no time now to make a full-body shield which could withstand high temperatures.

    ¡°Ah, yes... we can still do that.¡±

    ¡°What is it, Zaryusu?¡± Crusch asked nervously, feeling a little afraid. Is my face so scary, Zaryusu wondered. Still, it could not be helped. After all, he was so stressed-out that he wanted to scream.

    ¡°A shield, you say... I think I just found one..¡±

    ? ? ?

    Igva nodded, pleased with himself and the present situation.

    Things were going very well. The Bloodmeat Hulks were still fighting, but he had sessfully advanced to the vige.

    Several stupid Lizardmen had tried to attack him, but after seeing the power of his ¡¸Fireballs¡¹, they realized that resistance was futile. The most sessful attackers were the five who had split up to rush him, but even they had only managed to get within fifty meters of him.

    Igva walked on in silence, like he was strolling through an empty wastnd. While he pitied the weak Lizardmen ¡ª? albeit in a mocking fashion ¡ª? it would not do to be careless.

    He was close to the vige, his objective. Once there, he intended to continuouslyunch ¡¸Fireballs¡¹ to destroy the Lizardmen with their vige.

    However, the Lizardmen would probably try to stop him from reaching his destination. That would mean it was about time for the next counterattack.

    Igva looked to the vige, and his suspicions were vindicated.

    ¡°...Oh, I see.¡±

    Igva saw a Hydraing at him.

    If that was their ace in the hole, then the Lizardmen would lose the will to fight once he crushed it with overwhelming force. If that happened, he would be able to destroy the vige more easily.

    For safety¡¯s sake, Igva looked around, then checked the sky, and halted only after verifying that there were no traces of the enemy. He leisurely waited for the Hydra to enter his attack range.

    As the Hydra reached the edge of said range, it began to sprint. As expected, it was heading straight for Igva.

    ¡°How foolish. Did you think you could crawl all the way to me with that slothful speed of yours? Well, beasts will be beasts.¡±

    With a mocking smile on his face, Igva conjured a ¡¸Fireball¡¹ in his hand andunched it at the Hydra.

    It flew in a straight line and struck the Hydra dead center. The searing fires which emerged consumed the Hydra.

    However, the Hydra continued forward, albeit a little shaky on its feet. It continued running, though it was wreathed in mes... no, the mes had gone out in an instant, so Igva must have been seeing things. That said, the sight before him spoke of the Hydra¡¯s extraordinary willpower.

    Igva frowned in displeasure. The fact that it could withstand one of his magical attacks was a blow to his pride.

    While it was true that the Hydra seemed to have been enchanted with a defensive spell to reduce the damage it had taken, said defensive spell was not of a high tier and could notpletely nullify his magic.

    ...If I recall correctly, Hydras have the ability of fast healing... but it shouldn¡¯t be able to withstand me attacks. In any case, it¡¯s a beast, so it should be full of vitality. In that case, it makes sense that it could take a hit.

    That reasoningforted Igva somewhat, but it could not douse the mes of rancor within his heart. Igva was a special monster who had been personally created by the Supreme Being Ainz Ooal Gown ¡ª? the fact that this creature had not died in one hit was an insult to his master.

    With cold eyes that were the pr opposite of the anger smoldering within him, Igva studied the oing Hydra.

    ¡°...How displeasing. Die!¡±

    He cast another fireball at the Hydra, and the roaring mes engulfed its body. For a moment he even thought he could smell its flesh charring from the distance. Even if his foe had not taken a fatal wound, surely it would hesitate over whether or not to continue forward.

    However¡ª?

    ¡°¡ª?Why is it not stopping? Why does it persist?¡±

    <b>Part 5</b>

    Rororo continued its single-minded sprint forward. Its body wasrge, but it was running in the marsh, so its speed was about the same as that of a Lizardman. Water sshed in all directions and a liquid cacophony echoed all around it.

    Its amber eyes had turned cloudy from the great heat, and two of its four heads hung powerlessly.

    Even so, it continued sprinting forward.

    Another ¡¸Fireball¡¹ came, striking Rororo¡¯s body. The thermal energy contained within the ¡¸Fireball¡¹ exploded forth and washed all over it. The pain was like being beaten all over its body; its eyes felt drier than ever before, and the superheated air seared its lungs.

    Its entire body was burned, and the agony that had been wracking Rororo from just now told it that if it continued, its very life was forfeit.

    Even so ¡ª? it continued running.

    It ran.

    It ran on.

    It continued forward, never stopping. The high temperatures stripped the scales from its skin and causing blood-spurting blisters to blossom upon it, but even so it carried on, straight ahead.

    An unintelligent beast would naturally have turned and fled, but Rororo did not do so.

    Rororo was a magical beast called a Hydra.

    There were many kinds of magical beasts. Some possessed greater intelligence than a human being and some were little wiser than an average animal. Frankly speaking, Rororo belonged to thetter category.

    The fact that Rororo ¡ª? who possessed the wits of an average beast ¡ª? would continue forward, on the verge of death, towards Igva, the source of its pain was entirely unexpected, nearly impossible to understand.

    Indeed, even its opponent Igva found it difficult to understand. He wondered if Rororo was under the influence of some magical control.

    However, that was not the case.

    Indeed, that was not the answer.

    Igva would not be able to understand it.

    Rororo ¡ª? possessed of an animal¡¯s intelligence ¡ª? was running with all its might for its kin.

    Rororo had never seen its parents, yet Hydras were not the sort of creatures to abandon their offspring. Beasts of their kind would live with one of their parents until a certain age, learning how to survive in the wild. But then, why did this not apply to Rororo?

    That was because Rororo was a mutant. Normal Hydras had eight heads when born, and as they grew older, they sprouted more heads, to a maximum of twelve.

    However, Rororo only had four heads at birth, so its parents had abandoned it, taking its siblings with them.

    Without the protection of its parents, even a young Hydra ¡ª? who might someday grow into a powerful creature ¡ª? would surely perish in the harsh environs of nature.

    That is, if a certain Lizardman had not passed by and picked it up.

    ¡ª?And so, Rororo gained kin ¡ª? a father, a mother, and a close friend, all rolled into one.

    As Rororo¡¯s mind was about to break under the agony, it recalled a question it had always pondered in the past.

    Why was its body so big? Why did it have so many heads?

    It asionally thought that as it looked at the dear parent who had raised it. As a result, Rororo had also thought of something else.

    Perhaps one day some of its heads might fall off, and its body might slowly sprout limbs like the way grass grew, and it would look like its parent.

    And if that really happened ¡ª? what would it ask for?

    Yes. They had not slept together in a long time, so perhaps it would ask to curl up and nap together. It had always felt lonely because it had be too big and they had to sleep apart.

    The mes felt like they were burning away Rororo¡¯s thoughts. They filled his vision and the agony shot through his body once more. It moaned in pain as the anguish washed over it. It felt aforting warmth from behind, but it was nothingpared to the fire consuming Rororo.

    Rororo felt as though it were being smashed by countless iron hammers.

    It hurt so much that it could no longer think.

    Rororo¡¯s legs seized up, signalling to the rest of the creature that it should stop moving forward.

    However¡ª?

    However ¡ª? was that really enough to make Rororo stop?

    ¡ª?No. It did not stop.

    Rororo continued advancing. Its pace had slowed. Its muscles were burnt and stiff, and it could not continue running at its usual pace.

    It suffered with every step it took.

    It was difficult to breathe. Just drawing breath was hard. Perhaps its lungs had been seared.

    Even so, it did not stop.

    Now, only one of its heads could still move. The other motionless heads were little more than dead weight. The sight of the undead creature conjuring another fireball in its hand was a blurred scene in Rororo¡¯s cloudy vision.

    Its animal instincts allowed it to realize something.

    If it took another hit, it would die. However, Rororo was not afraid. Without stopping, without ceasing, it forged bravely ahead¡ª?

    This was a request from its father, mother, and friend. Therefore it would never stop.

    Just as Rororo desperately ¡ª? and tiredly ¡ª? dragged itself forward, a crimson ball of fire flew forth once more from an undead hand. It soared through the air and headed straight for Rororo.

    There was no doubt that thisst attack would consume Rororo in mes. It was an undeniable fact.

    It would die.

    It would be the end of everything.

    However¡ª?

    Indeed ¡ª? that was only if the aforementioned Lizardman did not step in.

    How could he watch Rororo die before him?

    How could he permit such an injustice to take ce?

    That was impossible¡ª?

    ¡°¡ª?¡¸Icy Burst¡¹!¡±

    Zaryusu shouted as he leapt from behind Rororo, swinging Frost Pain as he ran beside it.

    The air before the swing froze in an instant, forming a wall of white mist. This was a gout of supercooled air; the frozen wind of Frost Pain.

    That was one of Frost Pain¡¯s abilities.

    That was a special move which could only be used three times a day ¡ª? ¡¸Icy Burst¡¹. It snap-froze everything in an area in front of it and caused massive damage.

    The wall of frozen fog was solid, and it blocked the oing ¡¸Fireball¡¹. The orb of ardent me met the wall of chill mist ¡ª? by thews of magic, allowing them to collide was the wisest choice.

    It hit¡ª?

    The scorching mes burst forth, warring with the frozen mist of ivory.

    It seemed as though two serpents, one white and one red, were trying to consume each other. After a moment¡¯s resistance, both powers vanished.

    The undead creature was shocked, and its surprise showed on its face. That was a natural reaction to seeing the dissipation of the spell it had discharged.

    There was still some distance between both parties. However, they could already see each others¡¯ faces ¡ª? and movements. Rororo¡¯s effort and determination had crossed the seemingly untraversable distance between them and brought the three of them unharmed to this ce.

    ¡°Rororo...¡±

    Zaryusu choked up. In the end, Zaryusu picked the most appropriate words he could think of from his vocabry ¡ª? a simple, easily understood phrase.

    ¡°Thank you!¡±

    As he left those shouted thanks with Rororo, Zaryusu charged forward without looking back, trailed by Zenberu and Crusch.

    An almost inaudible croak answered him. It was the sound of encouragement for its kin.

    ? ? ?

    Igva stared in silence. His ¡¸Fireball¡¹ had been countered, and he could not stop himself from expressing his disbelief in words.

    ¡°This cannot be!¡±

    Igva prepared to cast another spell. Naturally, it was still a ¡¸Fireball¡¹. He was not prepared to acknowledge that the Lizardmen charging at him had actually neutralized his magic.

    Theunched ¡¸Fireball¡¹ streaked at the three Lizardmen.

    The leading Lizardman swung its sword and blocked the ¡¸Fireball¡¹ with a wall of freezing mist, and both vanished together. Yes, the same thing as just now had happened¡ª?

    ¡°Bring it on! I¡¯ll cancel out everything you throw at me!¡±

    The Lizardman¡¯s furious cry entered his ears.

    Igva went ¡°cheh¡± in displeasure.

    To think a mere Lizardman could deflect a spell from me, a creation of the Supreme Being Ainz-sama!

    Igva worked to suppress his boiling anger.

    It was quite likely that he could not use ¡¸Fireball¡¹ any more. However, the fact that his opposition had taken shelter behind the Hydra and approached meant that there was a probably a limit to the number of times that ability could be used. Still, he did not know if it could be used ten times, or if every use would only deplete stamina ¡ª? meaning that with the appropriate recovery, it could be used without limit.

    How should I deal with this? I¡¯d like to verify his words, if possible...

    Igva could still discharge ¡¸Fireballs¡¹, but he could not tell how much of the Lizardman¡¯s words were truth or bravado.

    Less than forty meters separated Igva from the Lizardmen.

    In addition, the Lizardman charging him looked like a warrior. As an undead magic caster, Igva did not wish to be drawn into a melee.

    Therefore, his ¡¸Fireballs¡¹ could no longer be used. He was not stupid enough to actually test how many more times his opponent could block his techniques under the circumstances. If only they had not hid behind that Hydra ¡ª? that is to say, if they had not yet closed the gap ¡ª? he might have attempted to verify their ims. However, that damnable Hydra had ruined that chance.

    ¡°Damn... a mere Hydra.¡±

    Igva cursed, and decided on his next move.

    ¡°¡ª?Then, how about this?¡±

    By coincidence, his foes had strung themselves out into a straight line. Igva extended a ginger and pointed at the three Lizardmen who were pressing in. Electricity crackled around that digit.

    ¡°Taste my ¡¸Lightning¡¹!¡±

    A stream of white electricity shed forward, and then¡ª?

    ? ? ?

    Zaryusu was still some distance away, but he could see the white light coruscating around Igva¡¯s finger ¡ª? ¡¸Lightning¡¹.

    Frost Pain¡¯s ¡¸Icy Burst¡¹ could defend against cold- and fire-elemental attacks, but Zaryusu had never used it against lightning strikes, and he did not know if it would work.

    Then, would it be wiser to take a risk, or fan out to disperse the enemy¡¯s targets and minimize the damage taken?

    Zaryusu gripped Frost Pain tightly.

    He could feel the electrical surge in the air, the proof that the lightning strike was aimed at him.

    ¡°Leave it to me¡ª?!¡±

    Zenberu acted faster than Zaryusu could, and leapt forward with a great cry. The spell discharged at the same time.

    ¡°¡ª?¡¸Lightning¡¹!¡±

    ¡°Uooooh ¡ª? ¡¸Resistance Massive¡¹!¡±

    Just when it seemed that the lightning bolt was about to pierce Zenberu, his body instantly pumped up. In the end, the electrical discharge which should have pierced him and the two people behind him was scattered and deflected.

    ¡¸Resistance Massive¡¹.

    This was a monk ability, which discharged ki from the entire body to reduce magical damage.

    It was a technique Zenberu had learned during his travels, after losing to Frost Pain¡¯s ¡¸Icy Burst¡¹ in the past. The technique could be used to defend against any spell which did damage, even if it did so in an area..

    Both sides gasped in surprise, but Zaryusu and Crusch ¡ª? who believed in theirrade ¡ª? were not overly shocked by this. Thus, while the undead magic caster reeled in surprise, the Lizardmen drew ever closer.

    As he dashed forth, Zaryusu suddenly realised something.

    If he had used ¡¸Icy Burst¡¹ during his duel with Zenberu, that move would have been countered by this technique, and Zenberu would have used the opening to defeat him. Perhaps that was why he had been trying to get Zaryusu to use that move on him.

    ¡°Haha! Like falling off a log!¡±

    Zaryusu smiled at Zenberu¡¯s confident voice, but his face tightened up almost immediately afterwards. That was because Zaryusu could hear an undercurrent of pain in his voice.

    If even a Lizardman like Zenberu could not hold back his pain, that implied his wounds were not light. In addition, if that technique had no weaknesses, he would not have agreed to the n of hiding behind Rororo.

    Zaryusu looked ahead. Less than twenty meters separated them from their enemy. The great distance between them had shrunk that far.

    ? ? ?

    As they drew closer, Igva realised that the people before him were powerful opponents, not to be taken lightly. The fact that they could counter his spells was worthy of praise. Of course, he had other ways to attack, but now he had to give some consideration to defense.

    ¡°You are excellent sacrifices; perfectly qualified for me to demonstrate my power.¡±

    Igva smiled coldly as he cast his spell.

    ¡°¡¸Summon Undead 4th¡¹.¡±

    Amidst a spray of bubbles, four skeletons emerged from the marsh to defend Igva, each holding round shields and curved swords. These undead were called Skeleton Warriors, and they were in apletely different league from regr Skeletons.

    While he could have summoned other undead, he had chosen the Skeleton Warriors in order to resist cold attacks. Igva and other skeletal creatures like him were immune to cold damage.

    Protected by his bodyguard squad, Igva looked down upon the approaching enemy. It was the attitude of a reigning champion awaiting a challenger.

    The two of them finally drew near each other.

    Only ten meters separated them now.

    They were only that far apart now. Yes, that was all the distance separating them. After making sure that the undead would not immediatelyunch an attack, he nced behind himself.

    He looked at the distance they had travelled. It was very close if all they had to do was run it, but that one hundred meters was a killing field without any cover. Without Rororo, Frost Pain, Zenberu, or Crusch, he would never have been able toe this far. One could say it was as difficult as trying to ascend into the heavens. However, he had crossed that distance, and he was within reach of his foe.

    They had ovee that distance together.

    As Zaryusu saw the Lizardmen take Rororo back to the vige, he breathed a momentary sigh of relief. Then he chastised himself for his moment ofxity, and looked back at the undead before him.

    Zaryusu could frankly admit that they were fearsome foes.

    If he had encountered them under different circumstances, he would have immediately elected to flee upon sighting them from far away. Just by standing before them, his instincts were screaming at him to flee, and even his tail was standing on end. From the corner of his eye, Zaryusu noted that Zenberu and Crusch¡¯s tails were exhibiting simr reactions to his left and right.

    The two of them must be thinking the same thing as Zaryusu. Indeed ¡ª? they were fighting the urge to flee as they faced the undead before them.

    Zaryusu swished his tail, swatting them across the back.

    The two of them looked at Zaryusu with looks of surprise on their faces.

    ¡°We can beat them if the three of us work together,¡± Zaryusu said simply.

    ¡°Well said, Zaryusu. We can win.¡±

    Crusch used her tail to caress the spot on her back where Zaryusu had swatted her.

    ¡°Ha, now that would be something, wouldn¡¯t it!?¡± Zenberuughed, a look of pride on his face.

    And so, the three of them travelled the final stretch to their enemy.

    ¡ª?The distance between both sides was eight meters.

    On one hand were Zaryusu and gang, who had run all the way here and were panting. Facing them were the undead, who did not breathe. Their eyes met, and the enemy spoke first.

    ¡°I am Igva, an Elder Lich under the banner of the Supreme One. Bow before me and I will grant you a quick and painless death.¡±

    Zaryusu could not help but smile, because this undead being called Igva knew nothing.

    No matter how hard he thought, there was only one answer.

    Zaryusu was smiling, but Igva was not displeased. Instead, he quietly awaited their answer. Igva was knew his strength, and he was confident that he could eliminate Zaryusu and hispanions. That was why his attitude was one of superiority and even a bit of gratitude ¡ª? after all, they hade all this way to deliver themselves to him.

    ¡°Tell me your answer.¡±

    ¡°Kuku, well, if you really want to know...¡±

    Zaryusu raised Frost Pain and gripped it tightly. Zenberu raised his fists, taking a special fighting stance. Crusch made no special movements, but she touched the wellspring of mana within her, prepared to cast a spell at any moment.

    ¡°Then, here¡¯s my answer ¡ª? dream on!¡±

    The Skeleton Warriors considered that response to be hostility, and they raised their swords while covering themselves with their shields.

    ¡°Then prepare to die in iparable agony, knowing that you have rejected my final mercy!¡±

    ¡°I was about to say, the dead ought to get their asses back to the underworld, Igva!¡±

    At this moment, the curtain rose on the climax of the battle which would determine the oue of this conflict.

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Get him, Zaryusu!¡±

    Zenberu charged before anyone else, striking at a Skeleton Warrior.

    He did not care that the Skeleton Warrior blocked his blow with its shield; he simply shoved it back with sheer brute force. The shield buckled inwards, and the backpedalling Skeleton Warrior collided into the other Skeleton Warriors and they lost their bnce. He also attempted to swat at another Skeleton Warrior with his tail, but it failed to connect.

    The formation of Skeleton Warriors buckled under Zenberu¡¯s onught, and Zaryusu immediately filled the gap they had vacated.

    ¡°Block him!¡±

    Two Skeleton Warriors swung at Zaryusu with their curved des as they heard Igva¡¯smand.

    He could have avoided them if he wanted to. If he wanted to take the blows head on, he could have blocked them with Frost Pain. However, Zaryusu did neither. Evasion meant that he would slow down, and he did not want to make such a pointless move in front of Igva.

    Besides, somebody else had already made a move¡ª?

    ¡°¡¸Earth Bind¡¹!¡±

    The mudshed out like whips, entangling the two Skeleton Warriors. Said whips of mud seemed like iron chains; they immobilized the Skeleton Warriors as Zaryusu took advantage of the opening.

    Yes ¡ª? Crusch was there too.

    Zaryusu was not fighting alone. He could entrust himself to hisrades.

    Even Crusch¡¯s magic could notpletely seal off her enemies¡¯ movements. The Skeleton Warriors¡¯ des grazed Zaryusu. However, those injuries meant nothing to him; the boiling hot blood within his soul disregarded the concept of pain.

    Zaryusu opened up his steps with flying strides.

    He rushed at Igva, who was pointing at him. Even if he was hit by an attack spell, he was determined to eat the hit and keep running.

    ¡°You fool! Know fear! ¡¸Scare¡¹!¡±

    Zaryusu¡¯s vision shuddered. He began to wonder where he was as a nameless terror bloomed within him, and he felt as though something was going to lunge at him from the side.

    He stopped in his tracks. The ¡¸Scare¡¹ spell had shaken his heart and kept his legs from obeying him. His mind told his legs to move, but his heart would not allow his body to take a step.

    ¡°Zaryusu! ¡¸Lion¡¯s Heart¡¹!¡±

    As Crusch shouted those words, the terror melted away in an instant, and in its ce was a rekindled fighting spirit. The spell that bestowed courage had exorcised the fear from his heart.

    Igva red unhappily at Crusch and pointed a finger at her.

    ¡°Interfering busybody! ¡¸Lightning¡¹!¡±

    There was a sh of white¡ª?

    ¡°Gyaaah!¡±

    ¡ª?And Crusch wailed.

    Zaryusu¡¯s heart wavered; it was nearly consumed by an intense hatred, but he managed to control himself in the end. Hate was a useful weapon at times, but against a powerful enemy, it might end up working against him. When faced with a mighty foe, one needed fiery passion and ice-cold logic.

    Zaryusu did not look back.

    After Igva attacked Crusch, it meant that Zaryusu had an opening with which to draw closer. A look of dismay came over Igva¡¯s face, and he knew that he had made a mistake. That, in turn, brought a mocking smile to Zaryusu, whose beloved had been hurt.

    ¡°Cheh! ¡¸Light-¡±

    ¡°Too slow!¡±

    Frost Pain shed in from the side, knocking away the finger Igva was nning to extend.

    ¡°Gah!¡±

    ¡°You let a warrior near you, magic caster! Don¡¯t even think of casting spells any more!¡±

    Legendary spellcasters aside, most magic casters who allowed an enemy to get close might find their spells disrupted during the casting.

    Even a powerful monster like Igva was no exception.

    Zaryusu narrowed his eyes, confused by the sensation running up his arm. shing him felt weird; Igva must have had some kind of resistance to his weapon.

    Still, he was not unhurt. Yes, if he could resist damage, then all he had to do was inflict more damage.

    That being the case, all he had to do was keep hacking away at him.

    Of course, it was easier said than done, and Zaryusu knew that as well. However, that was all a warrior like Zaryusu could do.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look down on me, Lizardman!¡±

    Three arrows of light appeared before Igva and shot at Zaryusu. He reflexively parried the unannounced bolts with his sword, but the magic arrows went straight through his weapon and pierced his body, sending a surge of throbbing pain through him.

    This was a ¡¸Silent Magic ¨C Magic Arrow¡¹. There was no preparation needed for silenced spells, so they could not be interrupted. In addition, Magic Arrows were unavoidable spells; not even by someone like Zaryusu.

    Zaryusu grit his teeth and swung Frost Pain at Igva.

    ¡°Kuh! Son of a bitch! You¡¯re just a mere Lizardman!¡±

    ¡¸Magic Arrows¡¹ were an unavoidable spell, but conversely, they did poor damage. Someone like Zaryusu, with a body honed through hundreds, if not thousands of battles, was not weak enough to be rendered incapable of fighting by such a spell.

    The magic missiles struck Zaryusu again, evincing bolts of bone-jarring pain from him. Zaryusu took the pain and countered with a sword swing.

    After several rounds of this back and forth, Zaryusu¡¯s movements began slowing down. The severe throbbing hampered his otherwise nimble movements, clearly illustrating the difference between himself and the undead, who knew no pain.

    Igva and Zaryusu both realised this, and their expressions were dramatically different as a result.

    The strong would live, and the weak would die. That was an unalterable truth. It had been clearly illustrated in Zaryusu and Igva¡¯s one-on-one fight. However, it was also true that the weak could contend with the strong if they banded together.

    ¡°¡¸Middle Cure Wounds¡¹!¡±

    Zaryusu¡¯s pain vanished with those words, and his vitality returned to him.

    That magical healing from the rear aggravated the hitherto aloof Igva, and he cursed loudly:

    ¡°Damned Lizardmen!¡±

    Zaryusu was fighting with his trustedpanions; Crusch, Zenberu, and¡ª?

    ¡°Rororo... I won¡¯t lose!¡±

    ¡°Such foolish delusions... as if I, a creation of the Supreme One, would be defeated by the likes of you! How stupid you are!¡±

    Igva red malevolently at the three Lizardmen. He had not used summon magic because the undead he had called up were still around. He could not summon new undead as long as the old ones were still around. Therefore, their battle was a monotonous back-and-forth of Igva casting silenced ¡¸Magic Arrows¡¹ while Zaryusu hacked at Igva.

    It felt like it would never end.

    That being the case, the deadlock would have to be broken by the backliners. If reinforcements turned up for either side, the battle would soon be decided in their favor.

    Zaryusu and Igva both knew this.

    ? ? ?

    The stroke of lightning made Crusch hurt all over, but she bit her pain back and cast ¡¸Summon Beast 3rd¡¹.

    A huge ¡ª? roughly one hundred fifty centimeters ¡ª? crab with an enormous right pincer appeared from the surface of the water, as though it had always been sleeping there and just woken up. Needless to say, it had been conjured by the ¡¸Summon Beast 3rd¡¹ spell.

    The giant crab waddled up beside Zenberu and pinched at the Skeleton Warriors with its massive w.

    Zenberu smiled at this unexpected ally. Considering that he had to defend Crusch and ward off attacks from all directions, the help had arrived just in time, and it was a great reassurance for him.

    ¡°All right, strange and giant crab! I¡¯ll leave those two to you!¡±

    The giant crab ¡ª a Snap Grasp ¡ª wiggled its smaller pincer? as though in acknowledgement and turned to the Skeleton Warriors.

    The situation is dire now... but I can¡¯t help thinking that they look very simr.

    Crusch smiled, despite the circumstances. However, she immediately wiped it off her face and focused on the battle. At the same time, she breathed hard, to get her panting under control.

    She had cast warding spells on Rororo and healed him beforeing here, and she had also been casting support spells on Zenberu. She had been overexerting herself.

    In addition, she had cast a summon spell on top of that. Her body was in an exhausted state and she was having trouble standing.

    She evencked the strength to heal herself. In addition, Crusch had also calmly decided that the mana would have been wasted on doing so, given that she was slowly losing the ability to fight.

    However, if she felt here, it would demoralize Zenberu and Zaryusu, who were fighting on the frontlines. Blood flowed from the corner of Crusch¡¯s mouth as she bit at the inside of her cheek to keep herself conscious.

    ¡°¡¸Middle Cure Wounds¡¹!¡±

    She cast healing magic on Zaryusu, who was engaged in a melee with Igva.

    Her legs felt powerless and her vision was shaky. She felt a liquid sensation all over her body..

    For a moment, Crusch had no idea why she had ended up like that. When had she fallen into the mud?

    However, she immediately realised the reason why. She had not taken additional wounds, so she must have passed out for a moment and copsed.

    Crusch breathed a sigh of relief, not because she was still alive, but because she could still fight.

    She did not n to force herself to stand. Rather, she had no strength left to stand, and she felt it would be a waste of energy to do so.

    She saw the forms of Zaryusu and Zenberu fighting hard in her blurred vision; the forms of thepanions she had travelled with for a brief period. Zenberu had taken on four Skeleton Warriors at once, and Zaryusu had endured Igva¡¯s onught of magical attacks. Both of them were covered in wounds.

    Crusch got her breathing under control, and cast a spell.

    ¡°¡¸Middle Cure Wounds¡¹!¡±

    And in addition to healing Zenberu¡¯s wounds...

    ¡°¡¸Middle Cure Wounds¡¹!¡±

    She healed Zaryusu¡¯s injuries.

    ¡°Huu...¡±

    Crusch was panting.

    Her breathing felt strange. She was breathless, no matter how hard she tried to take in air.

    This must be a symptom of magic overuse. Her head ached like she had been clubbed. Even so, Crusch tried her hardest to force her eyes open.

    So many people had died so far ¡ª? how could she be the first to leave the battlefield?

    As she forcefully opened her heavy-lidded eyes, she continued casting:

    ¡°¡¸Middle Cure Wounds¡¹!¡±

    ? ? ?

    Zenberu¡¯s clenched fist struck home on the Skeleton Warrior¡¯s skull. He felt the bone crumple, then shatter under his fist, and so another Skeleton Warrior bit the dust.

    ¡°That¡¯s two ¡ª ?gahahahahh ¡ª?¡±

    He exhaled like he was breathing out all his fatigue and then eyed the remaining Skeleton Warriors. The giant crab Crusch had summoned was nowhere to be seen, but thanks to its help in dealing with two of the Skeleton Warriors, Zenberu could wipe out the other two.

    The situation had developed in this way thanks to Crusch¡¯s support.

    Two more. After those were deal with, Igva would be next.

    He flexed his thick and powerful right arm ¡ª? it was still working.

    His left arm was covered in wounds and almost useless. Zenberu had gone a bit overboard in using it as a shield. He nced briefly to the limp, sagging limb.

    ¡°Forget it, it was a worthy sacrifice.¡±

    Zenberu eyed the annoying thing and tried to move it. An intense pain filled his body ¡ª? it hardly seemed as though it coulde from moving his fingers.

    Still, is this a big deal? Just now, one of my friends refused to stop moving even after his heads became useless. How could I, Zenberu, do any less?

    Zenberu could appreciate how strong the Skeleton Warriors were after fighting them for this long. They were strong enough that two of them were enough to match him.

    Therefore, dealing with four at once meant that his chances of victory were very slim.

    After this, I¡¯ll stop eating mud crabs for a while to show my thanks.

    With that silent gesture of appreciation towards his favorite food, he red murderously at the two Skeleton Warriors who were pressing in.

    He clenched his fist.

    He could still move. He could still fight.

    Frankly speaking, he was quite surprised by the fact that he could continue fighting.

    ¡°Hah! There¡¯s no point thinking about such stupid things!¡±

    There was only one reason for that, right?

    Zenberuughed at himself.

    He observed Zaryusu¡¯s form behind the Skeleton Warriors, how he stood tall against that foe whose power overmatched his by far.

    ¡°Looks pretty heroic, doesn¡¯t he...¡±

    Indeed¡ª?

    He could keep fighting because he had been struggling together with Zaryusu, Crusch and Rororo.

    ¡°Oi oi oi, Zaryusu, you¡¯re pretty damn beat up, aren¡¯t you? Worse than how you were in that fight with me.¡±

    With a ferocious backhand, he smashed away one of the iing Skeleton Warriors. However, he could not block the curved de of the other one with his left arm, and he earned another gash on his side, near the wound Crusch had just closed with magic.

    ¡°...Crusch is having a hard time herself, but she¡¯s still helping us. Good on her.¡±

    Crusch¡¯s magic healed Zenberu¡¯s wounds once more. He could not turn back to verify, but it would seem her voice wasing from somewhere very close to the surface of the water. He could imagine the posture in which she was casting her spells ¡ª? but even so, she was still casting them.

    ¡°...What a remarkable female.¡±

    If he had to take a wife, he would pick someone like her.

    Zenberu was slightly envious of Zaryusu now.

    ¡°I won¡¯t show you the disgraceful sight of me going down first!¡±

    He feinted with his massive arm, and then swiped with his tail. Then heughed coldly,menting that he was older than either of them.

    The two Skeleton Warriors slowly drew closer, their shields raised. The way they blocked his view of Zaryusu angered Zenberu.

    ¡°Get lost, I can¡¯t see his manly back!¡±

    With a roar, Zenberu strode forth¡ª?

    ? ? ?

    Igva and Zaryusu¡¯s evenly-bnced back and forth continued. Zaryusu¡¯s eyes were focused on the battle, and he noticed Igva ncing elsewhere. The Elder Lich¡¯s undead face contorted in a savage grin, and Zaryusu¡¯s heart seemed to freeze as he heard what came next.

    He heard the sound of sshing as someone copsed into the water.

    ¡°Look! Your friend has fallen!¡±

    He could not look back. Perhaps one of hisrades had copsed, or perhaps not. Zaryusu¡¯s heart ached like he was having his scales yed off him, but he was facing an overwhelmingly powerful opponent, and he did not have the luxury of looking away. His defeat would be sealed in the moment he turned to look. Zaryusu had note here to lose in such a foolish way.

    He hade here to win.

    However, if Igva spoke the truth, then it might be possible that enemy reinforcements might havee from behind them. He had to think of a way to deal with them, or things might get ugly.

    Just as Zaryusu was steeling himself to endure an attack spell, he heard the sound of someone sshing as they stood up, as well as the sound of several bones cracking.

    ¡°Zaryusu! We¡¯re done here! The rest is up to you!¡±

    ¡°...¡¸Middle Cure Wounds¡¹.¡±

    A great ssh followed Zenberu¡¯s pained cry.

    Crusch¡¯s incantation sounded more like a groan, but Zaryusu¡¯s wounds slowly mended themselves.

    ¡°Muuu¡ª?~¡±

    Igva was clearly unhappy at this. Even without looking, he could tell that the other two had done their part. That would mean that after this¡ª?

    ¡°My turn!¡±

    Igva blocked the sh from Frost Pain.

    ¡°Kukuku... I, Igva, am an Elder Lich, but don¡¯t look down on me because I¡¯m not a melee fighter!¡±

    ? ? ?

    Despite his tough talk, Igva had already surmised that his chances of victory were slim.

    Given the difference in their strength, he might be able to win in a one-on-one battle. However, the white Lizardman had been healing his wounds all this time, so now Zaryusu had the advantage in vitality.

    In addition, he could only block one out of every three strikes made at him. That meant the other two would hit him. While Igva was resistant to shing weapons like Skeletons, and he was not worried about the additional cold damage Frost Pain inflicted, his situation was still quite dire.

    He panicked.

    He was a creation of the Supreme Being Ainz Ooal Gown and themander of this army. He could not afford to lose here.

    Igva wanted to summon a few more undead soldiers, but he needed time to cast the summoning spell. Therefore, it was difficult to get the spell off while his enemy was right in front of him.

    If this kept up, victory would go to his enemy.

    With that in mind, Igva fell back to hisst resort. It was not an ideal method ¡ª? it might even be the worst course of action if things went poorly ¡ª? but it was the only card he had left to y.

    Zaryusu was confused by Igva turning to run, but he pursued regardless. Igva took a full-power hit from Zaryusu square in the back and wavered, but did not fall. Zaryusu clicked his tongue at Igva¡¯s seemingly inexhaustible vitality and immediately gave chase after the fleeing Igva.

    Igva turned, his face distorted with an anger that seemed unbing on an undead being, but his expression was tinted with shades of delight.

    Sizzling in his hand was a crimson light ¡ª? a ¡¸Fireball¡¹.

    Confusion filled Zaryusu¡¯s mind as he drew close.

    Does he n to use an area-effect spell at such close range? Is he prepared to sacrifice himself ¡ª? no!

    A thrill of fear ran through Zaryusu¡¯s heart as he realised Igva was not looking at him. Igva¡¯s eyes were directed behind Zaryusu ¡ª? at the fallen Crusch and Zenberu.

    ¡ª?What should I do!?

    Zaryusu racked his brains.

    Igva was leaving himself wide open. If he ignored the two of them, he could finish off Igva. But if he wanted to save them, it was hard to predict how the battle would turn out. Both of them were badly hurt, and a single misstep might prove fatal.

    Had they note so far for this objective ¡ª? to beat Igva? Many people had died for this cause as well.

    In that case, he ought to abandon them. They would probably smile and forgive him. Zaryusu would probably do the same in their position.

    ¡ª?However.

    Zaryusu would not choose to leaverades he had fought and bled with to die.

    In that case ¡ª? he would help them, and then destroy Igva.

    After making up his mind, things became very simple.

    ¡°¡¸Icy Burst¡¹!¡±

    Zaryusu erected a wall of freezing fog which billowed up from his feet.

    ¡°Gwaaaargh¡ª?!¡±

    The frozen vortex froze Zaryusu solid for a moment; the pain filling his entire body was beyond words.

    Zaryusu fixed his eyes intently on Igva to prevent himself from losing consciousness, struggling against the pain.

    As he grit his teeth and wailed in pain, the icy mist enshrouded them and drifted in all directions.

    As Igva saw the spreading white mist he grinned, his expression seemingly saying, ¡°Just as nned.¡± His foe could have won if he had abandoned his friends, but yet he had done this.

    Igva was immune to cold and electrical damage, which was why he could stand tall amidst the current of freezing air. He crushed the ¡¸Fireball¡¹ in his hand back into mana, because allowing it to touch the wall of white which now surrounded him was a self-destructive gesture.

    Once this white mist cleared, he could finish off the other two Lizardmen. First, he had to eliminate the one that was still standing. Igva looked around, and snarled. That was because he had missed something.

    ¡°...All right, where¡¯s he gone to now?¡±

    His vision was blocked by walls of white mist.

    Igva possessed darkvision, but he could not see through environmental conditions which impeded visibility. Therefore, he had lost track of his enemy¡¯s location.

    Still, there was no need to worry too much. Judging by that pain-filled cry, his opponent ought to have been badly hurt. Come to think of it, given that the cold was powerful enough to repel a ¡¸Fireball¡¹ he had projected, he ought to have taken cold damageparable to being hit by a ¡¸Fireball¡¹ himself.

    Taking a hit like that while being so badly wounded might be fatal. That being the case, he could take his time and torment him slowly afterwards.

    His goal now was to get out of this bank of fog.

    As the idea came up, Igva immediately discarded it.

    ¡ª?Right now, moving would expose his position.

    Rather than retreat, he ought to summon more undead. As long as he had meat shields in ce, victory was his, even if the Lizardman was not dead yet.

    Just as Igva was about to cast his spell, he heard a sudden sshing.

    ? ? ?

    Frost Pain.

    It was one of the Four Treasures of the Lizardmen, passed down through the generations.

    ording to legend, Frost Pain was made from the ice when theke had frozen over for the only time in its history, and it possessed three magical powers.

    The first was the cold aura wreathing the de, which inflicted additional cold damage on every sessful blow.

    The second was its trump card, ¡¸Icy Burst¡¹, usable only three times a day.

    And the third was¡ª?

    ? ? ?

    The sound of something cutting through the air reached his ears

    Before he realized what was going on, he saw the point of a de before his eyes.

    A great impact rocked Igva¡¯s cranium.

    The de that had pierced his left eye rattled his head. Igva howled in surprise as he finally realised what was going on.

    ¡°Guwaaargh¡ª?! Why aren¡¯t you dead¡ª?!?¡±

    As Frost Pain sank deeper into his left eyesocket, he felt his vitality draining away in torrents¡ª?

    The fog steadily dispersed, revealing Zaryusu, whose body was dusted with a light coating of frost. He stood before Igva, who was unsteady on his feet given that he had a sword sticking out of his head.

    Igva could not understand how Zaryusu was still standing after such a powerful cold-based attack.

    ? ? ?

    That was due to the third power hidden within Frost Pain.

    It was a defensive ability which imparted resistance to cold attacks.

    ? ? ?

    Of course, even Frost Pain could notpletely cancel out the power of ¡¸Icy Burst¡¹. It was hard enough for Zaryusu to stay on his feet after taking that cold damage. His breathing was ragged, his movements were sluggish, and his tail was sprawled limply on the ground. He was barely capable of fighting on. In fact, thatst blow of his had not been aimed at all. He had simply acted on instinct, fuelling that blow with thest dregs of his strength.

    One could say that it was a lucky shot.

    Zaryusu struggled to keep his almost-closed eyes open.

    The strike he hadunched with the remains of his strength felt like it had been enough to finish off Igva.

    No longer able to fight, Zaryusu looked at Igva, an expectant look on his face.

    Igva shook and struggled.

    Perhaps Igva could no longer sustain his bodily integrity, but the skin of his face tore and his bones fragmented, while his clothes fell into tatters. It was only a matter of time before he was destroyed. Just as Zaryusu thought he had won a miraculous victory ¡ª?

    ¡ª?A bony hand seized him by the throat.

    ¡°I... I am a vassal created by the Supreme Being... how can I die... like this!?¡±

    Igva¡¯s stranglehold was not strong, and he could have shrugged it off. However¡ª?

    ¡°¡ª?Guwaargh¡ª?!¡±

    ¡ª?Agony surged through Zaryusu¡¯s body, and he cried out in pain.

    That was because he was being infused with negative energy, which ate away at his life force. Zaryusu was trained to withstand pain, but he could not bear the terrible anguish that turned his veins to ice.

    ¡°Die, you damned Lizardman!¡±

    Igva¡¯s face began to crumble, and the fragments disintegrated in mid-air.

    Igva¡¯s life was fading away, but his loyalty to his master kept him clinging to this side of the line between life and death.

    Zaryusu tried to resist it, but fear filled him as he realised his body no longer responded tomands.

    He too was on the verge of death. Igva¡¯s negative energy infusion was snuffing out thest of his lifeforce.

    Zaryusu¡¯s vision wavered and turned cloudy.

    It seemed as though the world was slowly filling up with white mist.

    Igva was also trying desperately to stay conscious, but he smiled in victory as he saw Zaryusu¡¯s resistance gging.

    He had to kill this Lizardman and the two other Lizardmen who had joined the attack. They ought to be the strongest among their race.

    That being the case, killing them would be an offering to his great master ¡ª? the best possible present he could give to his creator.

    Igva¡¯s expression spoke more than his words could, but that look in his eyes made Zaryusu realize that he felt the same way as well.

    ¡°Go to hell!¡±

    His body no longer responded to him, and he could feel his body heat dropping slowly, like a slow poison spreading through him. Even breathing was difficult. Only his mind remained sharp under these circumstances.

    He could not die yet.

    Rororo, who ran with all his strength.

    Zenberu, who had made himself his shield.

    Crusch, who had depleted her mana.

    And then, there were all the Lizardmen who had died fighting this war.

    As Zaryusu thought about how to fight on, he heard something.

    ¡ª?Crusch¡¯s gentle tones.

    ¡ª?Zenberu¡¯s cheerful voice.

    ¡ª?Rororo¡¯s yful cries.

    He could not have heard them.

    Crusch was unconscious. Zenberu wasatose. Rororo was far away as well.

    Had his mind imagined those voices because his mind was clouded? Had it made up the voices of friends he had not even known for a full week? The cries of his kin?

    No.

    Indeed, that was not correct.

    That was because everyone was here¡ª?

    ¡°¡ª?Oh...oh¡ª?!¡±

    ¡°¡ª?!? You still have this much strength left!?¡±

    The semi-conscious Zaryusu howled, drawing a cry of surprise from Igva.

    Zaryusu¡¯s eyeballs swivelled and locked onto Igva. His eyes were clouded, but it was hard to believe that he was not looking directly at him with a smoldering intensity. The sight made Igva freeze up.

    ¡°Crusch! Zenberu! Rororo!¡±

    ¡°¡ª?! What are you trying to do¡ª?!? Just die¡ª?!¡±

    Where had he gotten that vitality from? The massive surge of negative energy pouring into him should have been steadily dissolving and consuming Zaryusu¡¯s life force. And indeed, Zaryusu¡¯s limbs felt heavy, and his body seemed frozen.

    Even so, every time he cried their names, Zaryusu felt a flicker of warmth within him. This warmth did note from his life force.

    Instead, it sprang from a ce within his chest ¡ª? the heart.

    He could hear the sound of muscles tensing. That sound came from Zaryusu¡¯s right hand, from his tightly clenched fist. He was infusing all his strength into that fist.

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Impossible¡ª?! How are you still moving!? You monster¡ª?!¡±

    He was actually capable of moving. That was a truly unbelievable sight.

    Emotions raged within Igva¡¯s heart, but he strove to suppress them.

    He was Igva, the overallmander of the forces of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick during this expedition, and most importantly, he was the creation of the Supreme Overlord of Death ¡ª? Ainz Ooal Gown.

    A mighty being like himself could not possibly be defeated like this¡ª?

    ¡°Die¡ª?!¡±

    ¡°This is the end for you, monster!¡±

    He was faster.

    Yes, the speed of that full-power strike was faster than the rate at which Igva was infusing negative energy¡ª?

    The tightly-clenched fist struck the hilt of Frost Pain¡ª?

    ¡ª?And Zaryusu¡¯s knuckles bled. Struck by such a heavy blow, the de pierced clear through Igva¡¯s skull.

    ¡°Ohhhhh¡ª!¡±

    As one of the undead, Igva did not feel pain, but he could still understand that the negative energy which animated him had vanished.

    ¡°This¡ª?this... how could this... Ain...z...sama...¡±

    The full understanding of his failure dawned in Igva¡¯s eyes. As Zaryusu copsed like a puppet whose strings had been cut, there was a loud ssh¡ª?

    ¡°...Please... please... forgive... me...¡±

    ¡ªAnd ?Igva¡¯s body fell with him, apanied by the apology to his master.

    ? ? ?

    The interior of the room was silent. Nobody could believe what they had just seen, and so nobody spoke. The sole exception was the maid ¡ª? Entoma.

    ¡°Cocytus-sama, it seems Ainz-sama has sent for you.¡±

    ¡°¡ª?Understood.¡±

    Cocytus turned to face Entoma, his head lowered.

    He bit back his shame as his vassals looked upon him with unease.

    But on the other hand, he wanted to offer praise.

    After all, that had been an exciting battle.

    To think the foe had actually turned the impossible into the possible. Granted, the Elder Lich had made some errors in judgement, but under normal circumstances, the Elder Lich should still have won, despite his mistakes.

    ¡°...Amazing. Truly. Amazing.¡±

    Cocytus repeated those words to express his heartfelt opinion.

    They had hurdled that incredible obstacle.

    ¡°...What. A. Shame,¡± Cocytus breathed as he watched the Lizardmen dancing and singing in triumph through the mirror.

    The warriors it showed were extremely weak, but they had kindled Cocytus¡¯s fighting spirit.

    ¡°Ah... What. A. Shame.¡±

    Cocytus hesitated. He picked out the most frightening scenario from the many in his mind, thought on it, and made a decision.

    ¡°¡ª?Let¡¯s. Go.¡±

    <b>Part 6</b>

    Zaryusu felt like he was being carried out of a world of darkness. It felt good.

    After he opened his eyes, the blurred scene before him reminded him of what he saw when he woke up.

    Where was this ce? Why was he sleeping here?

    Countless questions rose within his heart, and then he realised there was a weight resting on him.

    ¡ª?White.

    Zaryusu looked toward the ball of white. Having just woken up, the word ¡°white¡± was the first thing which came to mind. As he slowly came to, he realized what it was.

    It was Crusch. She had fallen asleep on top of him.

    ¡°Ah...¡±

    I¡¯m still alive.

    Zaryusu was so relieved that he nearly spoke those words out loud. Yet, he bit down on them. He could not bear to wake up Crusch, and so he resisted the urge to touch her. Her scales might be pretty, but he still could not touch a sleeping female at his whim.

    Zaryusu struggled to chase Crusch¡¯s form out of his mind, and started thinking about other things.

    There were many things to ponder.

    To begin with, what was he doing here?

    He searched his memories, thinking back onto what had happened in the past. Thest thing he could recall was the sight of Igva¡¯s defeat, and then there was nothing. However, the fact that he had not been taken captive but was sleeping here meant that the tribes had won.

    Zaryusu gingerly breathed a sigh of relief, careful to avoid waking up Crusch. It felt as though the burden of the past few days had finally lifted off his shoulders, but in truth, there were still some weighty issues remaining.

    However, he wanted to let his heart rest for the time being. Zaryusu savored Crusch¡¯s warmth, and quietly sighed.

    After that Zaryusu experimentally tried his body. He was fully mobile and there were no notable problems. He had thought that he might be crippled in some way, but it would seem he had been very fortunate.

    Just then, he thought of the other friend who had fought by his side. There was nobody else in the room besides Crusch. That being the case, what happened to Zenberu? He felt quite uneasy, but at the same time, a powerful male like Zenberu should be fine.

    Crusch seemed to have been woken up by Zaryusu¡¯s movements, and her body shifted. It seemed as though her soft, limp body had been infused with a soul. She must be about to wake up.

    ¡°Mmmn...¡±

    Crusch made an adorable noise, and then she looked around with sleep-clouded eyes. Soon, she realised that Zaryusu was underneath her, and smiled in delight.

    ¡°Muu¡ª?¡±

    After a sleepy-headed Crusch embraced Zaryusu, she began rubbing herself on him. It was as though she was an animal trying to mark him with her scent.

    Zaryusu went stiff and let Crusch do as she pleased. In fact, there was even a wicked voice inside him which said, ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m the one doing it.¡°

    Her slick white scales were cool and icy. In addition to being veryfortable, they also gave off an alluring aroma of herbs.

    He could hug her too, right?

    Just as he was about to lose control, Crusch came to her senses, and she locked eyes with Zaryusu underneath her.

    ¡ª?Time froze.

    Zaryusu scrabbled to think of what to say to Crusch, who was holding him in silence. Finally, he decided on something which ought to be all right:

    ¡°¡ª?Can I hug you too?¡±

    Well, his surging emotions felt that it ought to be all right.

    Crusch yelped in surprise, and her tail thumped over and over against the ground. Then, she practically rolled off Zaryusu, until she hit a wall.

    He could hear a soft moaning from Crusch as she curled up on the ground, going, ¡°stupid stupid I¡¯m so stupid,¡± or something along those lines.

    ¡°...In any case, I¡¯m very d that you¡¯re all right, Crusch.¡±

    Those words seemed to restore Crusch to some semnce of normalcy (her tail aside), and she looked up and smiled at Zaryusu.

    ¡°You too, I¡¯m d you¡¯re safe.¡±

    An untoward thought popped up in Zaryusu¡¯s mind as he looked on Crusch¡¯s gentle face, but he struggled to resist it and asked a more proper question.

    ¡°Do you know what happened after I copsed?¡±

    ¡°Yes, a little. The enemy retreated after Igva was defeated, and it seems your brother defeated the monsters sessfully, and then the three of us were saved... that happened yesterday.¡±

    ¡°Then, Zenberu... he¡¯s not here...¡±

    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s fine. He probably recovered faster than you; he regained consciousness after being magically healed, so now he¡¯s taking care of the post-battle cleanup. I seem to have overworked myself, so I passed out after hearing all that...¡±

    Crusch stood up and took a seat beside Zaryusu. He wanted to get up as well, but Crusch gently stopped him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t force yourself to get up. You were the most badly hurt of us, after all.¡±

    Perhaps she was remembering the circumstances then, but Crusch¡¯s voice had gone quiet.

    ¡°I¡¯m just happy that you came back in one piece...:¡±

    Zaryusu gently caressed Crusch ¡ª? whose eyes were downcast ¡ª? tofort her.

    ¡°I won¡¯t die before I hear your answer. I was worried for you too.¡±

    The answer. That word made them freeze.

    Both of them said nothing. The silence in the air was so thick that one could almost hear their hearts pounding.

    Crusch¡¯s tail moved slowly to twine around Zaryusu¡¯s. The way those ck and white tails tangled with each other looked like a pair of mating snakes.

    Zaryusu stared at Crusch, and Crusch stared at Zaryusu. They could see themselves in each other¡¯s eyes.

    Zaryusu spoke quietly ¡ª? no, that was not speech, but a call. It was the same call he had made the first time he had seen Crusch.

    ¡ª?A mating call.

    Zaryusu did nothing besides making that call. No, it would be better to say that he could not do anything. The only thing that moved was his heart, pounding violently within his chest.

    Soon, a simr sound came from Crusch¡¯s mouth ¡ª? a call. It was a simrly high-pitched cry, warbling near the end ¡ª? the sound of a mating cry which had been epted.

    There was an indescribably entrancing look on Crusch¡¯s face, and Zaryusu could no longer tear his eyes away from her. Cruschy down on Zaryusu, the same way she had when she had fallen asleep earlier.

    There was nothing between the two of them now. Their breath and their warmth mingled together. Their heartbeats synched up through their touching chests. In this way the two of them became one¡ª?

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Oho! Doing it already?¡±

    ¡ª?And then Zenberu flung the door open and barged in.

    Crusch and Zaryusu froze like a pair of ice statues.

    Zenberu looked down at them ¡ª? at Crusch, straddling Zaryusu ¡ª? with a look of bafflement on his face, and tilted his head:

    ¡°What, you haven¡¯t started yet?¡±

    As they realized what Zenberu was talking about, the two of them separated from each other, then slowly stood up and approached him without a word.

    Zenberu looked thoroughly confused as he bent down to look over the both of them.

    ¡°¡ª?Guwaaargh!¡±

    The two fists in his gut knocked the wind out of him, and Zenberu¡¯s massive body keeled over onto the ground.

    ¡°Uuu... those were good punches... especially Crusch¡¯s... ugggh... that really hurt...¡±

    Zaryusu aside, even the female¡¯s fist of fury was enough to defeat Zenberu. While punching him once was not enough to quell her anger, the mood in the air had vanished without a trace and it would note back even if she kept on hitting him.

    The way they held hands ¡ª? as a substitute for beating Zenberu up even more ¡ª? was also quite puzzling, but Zaryusu decided to clear up the worries in his heart by asking Zenberu a question.

    ¡°Let¡¯s leave that aside for now. I have a lot of things to ask you. I asked Crusch just now, but can you tell me what kind of situation we¡¯re in?¡±

    Zenberu ignored the way they were holding hands and answered:

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know? The tribes are all celebrating.¡±

    ¡°And my brother is leading them, I assume?¡¯

    ¡°Yes. In any case, the hunters have gone to check, but they didn¡¯t find any signs of the enemy, or any trace of reinforcements left in ambush. After all, mobilizing that many people would grab a lot of attention. Therefore, we¡¯ve decided to stay alert, but your brother has already dered victory. In fact, I¡¯m here on his orders.¡±

    ¡°Ani-ja¡¯s orders?¡±

    ¡°Oh yes, your brother told me ¡ª? Gahahaha, let them rest a little. For all we know they¡¯re probably fucking like rabbits now. Gahaha, I feel a little bad about interrupting, but I was kind of curious, gahahaha¡¯¡±

    ¡°Bullshit! What¡¯s with that ¡®gahaha¡¯ugh, anyway?¡±

    ¡°Oh... oh,e to think of it, I don¡¯t think he actually went gahahaha when heughed...¡±

    ¡°As if Ani-ja would actuallyugh like that, really...¡±

    ¡°No, it was just a figure of speech...¡±

    ¡°¡ª?Disgusting.¡±

    The words from Crusch¡¯s mouth were frigid enough to rival the sub-zero temperatures of ¡¸Icy Burst¡¹. Even Zaryusu was frightened by that terrifying noise. Naturally, Zenberu ¡ª? as the target of those words ¡ª? froze up in an instant.

    ¡°So, why are you here?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I came to...¡±

    ¡°If you came to stick your nose into our business, I will let you taste the magic you wanted.¡±

    Crusch was not kidding. Zaryusu and Zenberu were keenly aware of that.

    ¡°Er... how shall I say this... I came to invite you two over. We were the key figures in the victory, right? Can¡¯t have you absent. Also, we need to n for the future together...¡±

    ¡°I see...¡±

    Crusch smiled bitterly after hearing Zenberu¡¯s exnation and understanding what it meant. In short: they had to n for another battle in the future, and now was the best time to show their strength.

    ¡°Understood. Can you go too, Crusch?¡±

    Crusch had puffed up her cheeks in displeasure, and she looked like a mutant frog of the kind that lived in the marsh. She¡¯s far cuter than one of them, however, Zaryusu thought.

    ¡°Then, shall we?¡± Zenberu asked the pair ¡ª? who were gazing at each other ¡ª? in a casual tone.

    ¡°Ah... mm. Yes, let¡¯s.¡±

    After they agreed, the three of them headed outside. Just as they walked down the steps to the hut and set foot onto the marsh, Zaryusu vanished from Zenberu and Crusch¡¯s line of sight. That was because something massive had hit him.

    ¡ª?dongorogoropashpash¡ª?

    That was probably what it sounded like.

    Recing the disappeared Zaryusu was Rororo¡¯s body. Its four heads writhed energetically, and it nosed at Zaryusu, who had fallen into the marsh.

    ¡°Rororo! You¡¯re all right!¡±

    The mudstained Zaryusu rose to his feet and gently stroked Rororo¡¯s body while examining it. It had apparently received magical healing, because the burns from earlier werepletely healed, as though it had never been hurt before.

    Rororo cried out and wrapped its heads yfully around Zaryusu. They bound his entire body, and they seemed to be squeezing quite tightly.

    ¡°Oi oi oi, Rororo, stop, please,¡±

    Zaryusu jokingly begged Rororo to stop, but Rororo simply cried out in joy and refused to let go.

    Pasha, pasha, pasha.

    Zaryusu suddenly heard the rhythmic sound of sshing. He was baffled when he realised its source.

    Those sshes hade from Crusch, She was smiling gently as she looked at Zaryusu and Rororo, but her tail struck the marsh like a metronome.

    Zenberu ¡ª? who had originally been standing by Crusch¡¯s side ¡ª? was now distancing himself from her, with a stony look on his face.

    Rororo stopped ying around. It had probably sensed something strange.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°No, nothing...¡±

    Zaryusu looked at Crusch, who was quite confused. He did not understand. No matter how it looked, Crusch seemed to be smiling at Rororo and Zaryusu¡¯s reunion, but for some reason it sent a chill down his spine.

    ¡°How strange¡ª?¡±

    Crusch smiled again.

    Rororo let go of Zaryusu, who was thus liberated, while Zenberu looked on nervously. Perhaps he was unable to bear the creepy atmosphere any further, but Zenberu hurriedly decided to change the topic.

    ¡°Okay, Rororo,e with me.¡±

    Rororo could not understand what the Lizardmen were saying, but it looked like it did. After Zenberu mounted up, it immediately dashed off with surprising speed.

    After the two of them left, the same sinister air hung between Zaryusu and Crusch.

    She grabbed her head, and shook it.

    ¡°Ahhh, really, what am I doing, it feels like my heart doesn¡¯t belong to me any more. I know it¡¯s a small thing, but I can¡¯t control myself. Mm, it¡¯s like a curse.¡±

    Zaryusu could understand how she felt. Indeed, he had felt the same way when he had first met her.

    ¡°Frankly speaking, Crusch ¡ª? I¡¯m very happy.¡±

    ¡°¡ª?What?¡±

    Pasha! A ssh that was louder than usual rang out. Then, Zaryusu went to Crusch¡¯s side.

    ¡°Listen, can you hear it?¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°The things we¡¯ve protected, and the things we have to protect in future.¡±

    The wind carried a joyful noise upon it. There must have been a wine feast going on. It would be a feast to send back the ancestral spirits, celebrate their victories, and to give the dead their due.

    Under normal circumstances, wine was a very valuablemodity. The fact they could host so many feasts over these few days was because Zenberu and his tribe had brought one of the Four Treasures along, which was why they could enjoy unlimited alcohol. In addition, the almost unbelievable festive mood now was because everyone from the tribes was gathered here.

    Zaryusuughed to Crusch as he heard their revelry:

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s not over yet. Maybe that Supreme One guy will attack again. Even so... let¡¯s rx a little today.¡±

    With that, Zaryusu put his arm around Crusch¡¯s waist.

    Crusch allowed Zaryusu¡¯s strength to hold her close, and then she leaned her head on Zaryusu¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Shall we?¡±

    ¡°Mm...¡±

    After saying that, Crusch hesitated briefly before quietly adding, ¡°...Darling.¡±

    Leaning against each other, the two Lizardmen vanished into themotion

 Chapter 28 - Volume 4

    <h4>Overlord Volume 4 Chapter 4</h4>

    <b>Chapter 4: The Dawn of Despair</b>

    <b>Part 1</b>

    Cocytus¡¯s footsteps were heavy as he plodded towards the Throne Room. It seemed to be contagious, because the tread of his vassals behind him was slow and ponderous as well.

    The reason for that was because he had lost against the Lizardmen. They had led the forces of the Nazarick into battle, and it had ended in defeat.

    Cocytus personally thought quite highly of the Lizardmen. Having been created as a warrior himself, Cocytus had a deep respect for excellent warriors.

    However, this was something else entirely.

    Nazarick could not be permitted to suffer a defeat. In addition, this was not a defensive battle, but their first campaign into the outside world. Anyone would be upset that such a glorious first battle had ended in ignominious defeat.

    It was true that his forces were inadequate. That made him recall Demiurge¡¯s words. However, that was merely an excuse. Even if his master had considered the possibility of failure, it would still be better to win.

    Soon, he saw the room before the Throne Room ¡ª the Lesser Key of Solomon (Lemegeton). His steps grew heavier, to the point where onlookers might think he had been hit by some kind of spell.

    Cocytus did not mind if his master reprimanded him. He had already prepared himself to be in or ordered tomit suicide in order to erase the stain of his dishonor.

    What Cocytus feared was disappointing his master.

    What should he do if they were abandoned by the sole remaining Supreme Being?

    Cocytus considered himself to be a sword. He was a sword that was wielded by his master, that cut obediently when swung. Therefore, the most frightening thing he could imagine was to be deemed useless and unhelpful.

    Worse still, how could he make it up to the other Guardians if they were cast aside as well?

    They. Will. Never. Forgive. Me. If. Things. Get. That. Bad. Not. Even. My. Life. Will. Be. Enough. To. Atone.

    And also¡ª

    If. The. Master. Is. Disappointed. And. Leaves. Like. The. Other. Supreme. Beings. What. Should. I. Do...

    Cocytus trembled. He was immune to cold, so the shuddering was not due to an external source, but an internal cause. Had Cocytus been a human being, he would have started vomiting under the tremendous mental pressure that filled him.

    No. That. Cannot. Be. Ainz-sama. Would. Never... Abandon. Us.

    He was the sole remaining Supreme Being in the Great Tomb, after all the others had left.

    He was their supreme overlord, and their absolute ruler.

    How. Could. Such. A. Merciful. Master. Abandon. Us?

    He tried to console himself with that thought, but deep in his heart, a quiet voice of denial said that such a thing was not impossible.

    He reached the Lemegeton.

    Under normal circumstances, there would be nobody here besides the surrounding Golems and the crystal monsters. However, there were many beings present. Specifically, they were Demiurge, Aura, Mare, and Shalltear, along with their hand-picked high level vassals.

    Their eyes rested on Cocytus, and his guilt caused panic to briefly sh across his face.

    This was because he felt like everyone was castigating him for his failure. Or no ¡ª Cocytus felt that they might be ming themselves instead. The thought from just now crossed his mind once more. Who was to say that they might not feel the same way?

    Upon closer inspection, he found that there was no sign of rebuke in their eyes.

    ¡°Forgive. My. Lateness. Even. Demiurge. Who. Was. On. A. Distant. Assignment. Reached. Here. Before. Me.¡±

    ¡°Think nothing of it. There is no need to apologize for such trivial matters.¡±

    Demiurge spoke for the others.

    His tone was as calm as ever, with no hint of any negative emotions within. However, Demiurge was a Guardian who was adept at scheming, skilled at manipting emotions, and concealing his true feelings, so Cocytus could not tell if he was truly displeased or not.

    From that point of view, one could say that Demiurge¡¯s state while spectating the battle between Ainz and Shalltear was quite a rare thing for him. Granted, that was a disy of the depths of his devotion.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already informed the other Guardians, but I¡¯ll be taking Albedo¡¯s ce as the Overseer this time round. Are there any objections?¡±

    ¡°No. Everything will be fine if you¡¯re in charge.¡±

    Albedo was not around because she was apanying her master in Sebas¡¯s ce.

    ¡°Good. Then, once everyone is here, we will proceed to the Throne Room together. However, since Albedo is not here, I¡¯d like to sort out the order in which we show our respects. While this sort of thing should be rehearsed beforehand, there is no time for that now. I shall thus give a verbal exnation to speed things up, so please pay attention.¡±

    The Guardians and their servants indicated their understanding, but despite that, Cocytus had a question. All the Guardians were here, so who exactly were they waiting for?

    However, his questions were answered once that person showed up.

    Cocytus sensed the presence of a living being moving towards this ce.

    As he looked in that direction, he saw a heteromorphic creature floating in mid-air, towards the Lemegeton.

    It resembled an infant ¡ª no, perhaps an embryo might be more urate. It had a long tail, and its body was bright pink. It had an angelic halo around its head, and a pair of withered, featherless wings on its back. It was roughly one meter long, and it was slowly heading this way.

    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡±

    Demiurge answered Aura¡¯s question:

    ¡°He is Victim, Guardian of the Eighth Floor.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s Victim...¡±

    Victim reached the Lemegeton, and then turned a full circle. Cocytus had the feeling he was looking around.

    Since Victim had no neck, he had to turn his entire body to look around him.

    ¡°KeK esiarp ,sbud esoht kcehc. (How do you do, everyone? I am Victim.)¡±

    Demiurge seemedpletely unfazed by Victim¡¯s peculiar manner of speech, and responded on everyone else¡¯s behalf:

    ¡°Wee, Victim. I am Demiurge, and I am taking Albedo¡¯s ce for this meeting.¡±

    ¡°Krelc knab edarg-wol a fo araeppa eht dna ,gar pmad a fo amsirahc eht evah uoy. (I heard about that from Ainz-sama).¡±

    After saying that, Victim turned his entire body to regard everyone once more.

    ¡°Noisiced doog a edam eh -nam a rof reh tfel dnabsuh remrof reh yhw dnatsrednu ylluf I .tuo dna edisni htob evitcarttanu si notgniffuH anaira. (I know about everyone, so I hope you¡¯ll understand if I ask that we dispense with the introductions.)¡±

    ¡°Is that so? I see. Then, since we¡¯re all here, I shall exin what I was just talking about.¡±

    Everyone paid close attention to Demiurge¡¯s exnation, because they would soon be meeting their supreme master, Ainz-sama, in the heart of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. The slightest mistake might well be punished by death.

    After he finished speaking, Demiurge gave everyone some time to digest what they had heard before he led the Guardians and their vassals into the Throne Room.

    Cocytus¡¯s heart soared as he stepped into this room, which he had only entered a few times before.

    With its outstanding construction, the gs which represented the Supreme Beings and the World ss Item in its depths, this room truly deserved its name as the heart of Nazarick. The spectacr disy before him allowed him to briefly forget the torment within his soul.

    Along the way, the Guardians left their vassals behind and formed a line at the steps before the throne. Then, they saluted the guild emblem of Ainz Ooal Gown which hung upon the walls as a sign of their respect and loyalty.

    After that, they genuflected with heads lowered, awaiting the arrival of their master.

    Soon, the sound of heavy doors opening came from behind, and a pair of footsteps made their way into the hall. Needless to say, it was not the sound of their master, because the owner of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick would never move unapanied.

    ¡°A warm wee for Ainz Ooal Gown-sama, Supreme Overlord of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, as well as Albedo-sama, Guardian Overseer.¡±

    That voice belonged to Yuri Alpha, of the Pleiades.

    They could hear the doors opening once more, and this time there was the crisp sound of booted feet and a staff tapping against the ground. It was followed by that of high-heeled shoes treading across the ground.

    Normally, when their master entered, they should have bowed to show their respect for him. However, nobody present did so. That was because they had already demonstrated their utmost respect.

    However, that was not the case for Cocytus.

    The unease that filled his soul manifested in his body as a physical movement. It was a tiny thing, but it greatly influenced the mood in the air.

    Through the use of a skill, Cocytus could sense the other Guardians shifting their attention to him. Albedo, walking behind her master, was also radiating an anger that she was trying in vain to suppress. However, nobody dared to speak under these circumstances.

    The footsteps slowly passed around the line of Guardians, ascended the steps, and then reached the throne, whereupon it ended in the sound of someone sitting down. Albedo¡¯s voice then echoed loudly through the Throne Room.

    ¡°You may raise your heads to gaze upon the glory of Ainz Ooal Gown-sama.¡±

    The assembled Guardians looked up ¡ª the sounds of their movement perfectly coordinated ¡ª to their master who was seated on his throne.

    Cocytus also raised his head immediately.

    There, he saw the supreme ruler of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, the Supreme Being whose staff of office was wreathed in a dreadful aura, backlit by a mysterious ck radiance ¡ª Ainz Ooal Gown.

    Before him stood Albedo, who cast her gaze down on the massed Guardians, including Cocytus. Satisfied with what she saw, she nodded and then turned to Ainz.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, the Guardians of Nazarick are gathered before you. Please bestow your orders upon us.¡±

    Ainz went ¡°Umu¡± in deep, regal tones, before thumping his staff heavily upon the floor. The gesture drew everyone¡¯s attention, and then Ainz slowly spoke:

    ¡°Wee, you Guardians who are assembled before me. Now then, I shall first convey my thanks. Demiurge!¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°I have called upon you every time something came up. Well done. Thank you for your loyal service.¡±

    ¡°Oh, your praise is toovish, Ainz-sama. I am but your humble servant; it is only natural for me to appear before you whenever I am summoned. That requires no thanks.¡±

    Demiurge bowed deeply. He seemed to be trembling in delight.

    ¡°Is that so? Ah, that¡¯s right. Has anyone suspicious appeared on your end?¡±

    ¡°No. I have been very careful, and it should be easy to detect anyone who approaches...¡±

    ¡°...That¡¯s good. However, do not allow yourself to growx. After all, our enemies mighte up with a way we have not anticipated. In addition, there¡¯s the matter of the skin you have brought me... ording to the Head Librarian, it can be used to make low tier spell scrolls. Can you ensure a stable supply?¡±

    ¡°Yes! There will be no problems at all in that respect. We have already captured an adequate quantity.¡±

    ¡°Really now... Then, what were those beasts called again?¡±

    ¡°Beasts...? Ah! The beasts of which you speak, Ainz-sama...¡±

    Demiurge paused briefly to think, and then continued:

    ¡°They are two legged sheep from the Holy Kingdom. What do you think of the name Abelion Sheep?¡±

    Demiurge¡¯s joyful tone puzzled Cocytus. Demiurge was fundamentally a good-tempered, possibly evenpassionate person. However, that was only where his fellow creations of the Supreme Beings were concerned. He was extremely cruel to everyone else.

    One could glimpse shades of that cruelty under his good-humored facade. While his deeply-seated malice ought to have been directed at the aforementioned beasts, would he really refer to unintelligent creatures with such an attitude?

    Given Demiurge¡¯s personality, something seemed off. However, now was not the time to inquire further.

    ¡°I see... sheep, then.¡±

    Their master seemed amused, which in turn put a smile on Demiurge and Albedo¡¯s faces.

    ¡°While I think goats would be better... that name will do. Then, skin those sheep, by all means... Will excessive capture affect the local ecosystem?¡±

    ¡°I doubt it. In addition, the use of healing magic allows us to skin them again. Therefore, we will not need to capture them en masse if we do not engage inrge-scale production. That too is thanks to the monsters called Torturers.¡±

    ¡°Hm? Don¡¯t severed body parts vanish when healing magic is applied?¡±

    ¡°About that... we have learned something during our experiments with healing magic. Once some great change has urred to the severed body parts ¡ª mincing, for example ¡ª those parts will remain. In other words, once the yed skin has been processed, the healing magic no longer recognizes it as part of the body and it will not vanish even when the source is healed. This is also why they will not die when they are fed meat. Also, this is not exactly rted, but when either the healer or the healed one rejects the magic, it will not be able to operate properly and will leave a scar. Simrly, lower tier spells are more likely to leave scars as time passes.¡±

    ¡°I see... magic is quite impressive. Very well, carry on, then.¡±

    ¡°Understood. I shall begin harvesting them ording to age and gender. Once that is done, could you tell me which age of skin is most suitable?¡±

    ¡°I will let the Head Librarian handle that. Next, Victim.¡±

    ¡°Tihs fo stnap ,tif gnihguoc. (Yes, Ainz-sama.)¡±

    ¡°I have summoned you here for only one reason. If something unexpected happens, I may need you to protect us and the other Guardians with your skill... I apologize for that, and I promise I will resurrect you immediately. I hope you understand.¡±

    ¡°Retteb eht ,ssarg ot tuo tup er¡¯uoy renoos eht dna ,uoy tnaw t¡¯nod ew ,uoy wonk t¡¯nod eW :gniyas ni elpoep hsitirB fo ytirojam eht fo heb no kaeps I taht edifnoc htiw yas nac I dna , ta boj siht ni ycamitigel on evah uoy ,riS .etarotcetorp a naht erom gnihton ot decuder eceerG nees ev¡¯ew ,revo koot uoy is tuB .yrtnuoc-non a hcum ytterp si hcihw ,muigleB morf emoc uoy esuaceb s¡¯taht spahrep ¨C setats noitan fo esixe eht fo tpoc yrev eht rof gnihtaol a evah ot raeppa uoy. (Demiurge has already told me about that. Please do not worry, Ainz-sama. After all, I am also your servant. In addition, the goal of my life is death, so there is no greater joy for me than to aid the Supreme Beings in even the slightest of ways.¡±

    ¡°Is that so... still, forgive me.¡±

    Victim gasped in surprise as he saw his master bow to him. There was a look of bewilderment and shock on his face.

    ¡°Yssup eht yb reh barg tsuj! (I would not dare!)¡±

    ¡°If special circumstances arise, we may need to kill you in order to keep the foe from escaping. Even in that case, I hope you will ept that we are not killing you out of malice. You are one of my beloved children and I do not wish to hurt you, but we may all suffer if we let an unknown enemy be.¡±

    ¡°Nuf erom era semeM .sgniht rehto dna sroloc fo sgnirts sselgninaem s¡¯ti ,ees nac uoy sA .elprup eulb rabannic rehco noitareneg yarg hcaep ynoep hcaep neerg eulb :esenapaJ ro esenihC ni ekil sdaer naihconE ekaf s¡¯mitciV tahw fo elpmas a si siht. (There is no need to exin, Ainz-sama. I am fully aware of your intentions.)¡±

    ¡°There is a phrase used in one of Nazarick¡¯s mechanisms. It goes, ¡®Greater love has no man than this, that a many down his life for his friends.¡¯ That phrase describes you perfectly. Thank you for your love.¡±

    Ainz¡¯s gaze moved from the Guardian who had pledged his loyalty to the death, and shifted to another Guardian.

    ¡°Next, Shalltear.¡±

    Shalltear¡¯s shoulders trembled. She had not expected she would be called, and her reply seemed abnormally high-pitched.

    ¡°Y-Yes!¡±

    ¡°...Come to me.¡±

    Unlike the other Guardians, Shalltear was the only one who had been summoned to her master¡¯s side. She rose to her feet, both surprised and panicked. Her unease was clearly apparent from her back, and she looked like a condemned criminal being sent to the chopping block. Still, she held her head high and thrust out her chest, as though she were walking to glory.

    After ascending the steps, Shalltear immediately genuflected a short distance before the throne.

    ¡°Shalltear, I wish to speak of the matter which coils around your heart in thorns.¡±

    As her master spoke those words, Shalltear immediately knew what he was talking about, and her face filled with shame and guilt.

    ¡°Ahhh! Ainz-sama! Please, please hand down your punishment! I am a Guardian, but still Imitted such a foolish mistake! Please give me the harshest punishment possible!¡±

    Shalltear¡¯s anguished wail echoed through the Throne Room, and Cocytus found himself empathizing with her. No, any Guardian ¡ª in fact, anyone who was made by the Supreme Beings ¡ª would be able to understand how she felt.

    Even if she had been mind controlled, she could not forgive herself for turning hernce on the Supreme Beings.

    ¡°Really now... then, Shalltear,e over here.¡±

    As she saw her master beckon her over, Shalltear slowly crawled towards the Throne.

    Ainz extended a bony hand to Shalltear, whose head was bowed before the throne, and gently caressed her head.

    ¡°Ai-Ainz-sama...¡± Shalltear ventured as she nervously lifted her head, almost scared to death.

    ¡°...That failure was due to a miscalction on my part. In addition, you were dealing with a World ss Item, which meant that you were at a great disadvantage. Shalltear ¡ª I love all of you who serve Nazarick loyally, you who were created from nothing. That includes you as well. Do you wish to force me to punish you, who bears no sin, and whom I love?¡±

    The master shifted his gaze, as though he felt ufortable. Cocytus had no idea where his master was looking, but he seemed to have spoken quietly. His master¡¯s face was skeletal, so there were no lips he could read, but he had probably said someone¡¯s name.

    ¡°Oh, Ainz-sama! You actually said you loved me!¡±

    Shalltear¡¯s moved voice echoed through the hall.

    Cocytus was behind Shalltear, so he could not see her face. However, her attitude said everything. Her voice sounded choked up, while her shoulders twitched.

    He could see his master¡¯s other hand gently caressing Shalltear¡¯s face. It was holding a white handkerchief.

    ¡°There there, Shalltear. Don¡¯t cry. It¡¯ll spoil your beauty.¡±

    Shalltear did not answer. She simply pressed her face ¡ª probably her lips ¡ª to the back of the hand stroking her hair.

    Mare and Aura were already shedding tears.

    Demiurge too dabbed at the corner of his eyes. Cocytus was somewhat envious of those people who could cry, and he looked longingly at the backs of his utterly loyal colleagues.

    What Shalltear feared most was to be deemed useless, a troublemaker and disloyal, and then abandoned by the final, merciful Supreme Being who had remained with them.

    However, her master thoroughly obliterated that unease.

    He did so with the word ¡°love.¡±

    How happy must Shalltear be now? As someone in the same situation as her ¡ª no, his own situation was worse ¡ª Cocytus could only watch her back silently, with unbridled jealousy in his eyes.

    ¡°Then, Shalltear, you may lea¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªAinz-sama.¡±

    A cold voice interrupted her master¡¯s words. Cocytus red angrily at Albedo for her disrespect. And then, a thrill of dread ran through him as a wisp of unease curled through his heart.

    ¡°The meting out of appropriate punishment and reward is the way of the world. I feel she must still be punished.¡±

    ¡°...Albedo, do you dispute my deci...¡±

    Her master¡¯s words trailed off. He must have been left unable to speak by some reason about which Cocytus knew nothing, In the end, it was Shalltear¡¯s words which swayed his final decision.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, I agree with what Albedo said. Please punish me as you see fit. The chance to fully express my loyalty would delight me as well.¡±

    ¡°...I understand. I shall do so after deciding on the appropriate form of punishment. You may return to your ce.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Shalltear descended down the stairs, her already red eyes made even redder. She returned to her original position, and bowed with a matchless devotion to her master.

    And then¡ª

    ¡°Cocytus, Ainz-sama has something to tell you. Pay close attention.¡±

    The air filled with tension.

    It was his turn now.

    Cocytus¡¯s head was bowed very low. While that posture, which only allowed him to see the floor, was a clear disy of respect, Cocytus had done so because hecked the courage to look directly at his master.

    ¡°I have seen your battle with the Lizardmen, Cocytus.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°It ended in defeat.¡±

    ¡°Yes! The. me. For. That. Failure. Lies. With. Me. Please. ept. My. Sincerest. Apologies. And. I. Pray. You. Will. Allow. Me. To¡ª¡±

    The sound of the staff striking the ground interrupted Cocytus¡¯s apology. Then, Albedo¡¯s cold voice made his hearing organs tremble.

    ¡°...You are being very rude to Ainz-sama, Cocytus. If you wish to apologize, do so with your head raised.¡±

    ¡°Forgive. Me!¡±

    He raised his head and looked upon his master, who was seated at the top of the stairs.

    ¡°...Cocytus, what do you have to say as the general of a defeated army? How do you feel, given that you did not take the field and merely acted as amander?¡±

    ¡°I. Am. Deeply. Remorseful. For. My. Inability. To. Achieve. Victory. Even. After. Receiving. Command. Of. My. Own. Troops. And. For. The. Loss. Of. The. Elder. Lich. Commander. That. You. Personally. Made. Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Hm? Ah, you can get undead like that from just about anywhere, so it¡¯s hardly a shame. There¡¯s no need to worry about it, Cocytus. What I want to ask is how you felt whenmanding a battle. Let me get this out of the way first ¡ª I do not intend to me you for this defeat.¡±

    The Guardians and the vassals behind them were confused by those words, with the exception of Albedo and Demiurge.

    So Demiurge was right... oh!

    Cocytus sensed his master was about to continue speaking, and hurriedly refocused on him.

    ¡°After all, anyone can fail. Even me.¡±

    The air in the Throne Room turned uneasy. How on earth could the Supreme Being Ainz Ooal Gown fail? In fact, he had never once made a mistake up till now.

    In other words, he was only saying this tofort Cocytus.

    ¡°However, the question is what you learned from that battle. Put in a different way, what do you think you should have done to win, Cocytus?¡±

    Cocytus began thinking in silence. He now knew what he had to do to win, and so he spoke freely of his own deficiencies.

    ¡°I. Underestimated. The. Lizardmen. I. Should. Have. Been. More. Careful.¡±

    ¡°Umu. Just so. No matter how weak your opponent is, you can¡¯t look down on them... I should have let Narberal see that battle too. Is there anything else?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I. Did. Not. Have. Enough. Information. From. This. Battle. I. Learned. That. My. Chances. Of. Victory. Would. Be. Slim. If. I. Did. Not. Know. The. Enemy¡¯s. Strength. And. The. Terrain.¡±

    ¡°Very good. Anything else?¡±

    ¡°The. Commander. Was. Inadequate. Since. The. Troops. In. The. Field. Were. Low Tier Undead. I. Should. Have. Apanied. Them. With. Commanders. Who. Could. Adapt. To. The. Circumstances. And. Issue. Timely. And. urate. Orders. In. Addition. After. Considering. The. Lizardman¡¯s. Weaponry. I. Should. Have. Attacked. With. The. Zombies. To. Tire. The. Foe. Or. At. Least. Kept. The. Troops. Together. And. Attacked. All. At. Once.¡±

    ¡°Is that all?¡±

    ¡°...My. Deepest. Apologies. But. That. Is. All. I. Can. Think. Of. For Now.¡±

    ¡°There is no need to apologize. You have said nothing wrong, and that was an excellent analysis. Of course, there is room for improvement, but you seem to have learned quite a lot. In truth, I hoped that you would not have to consult others and discovered those ws on your own... but that is still eptable. Then, why did you not do all those things earlier?¡±

    ¡°...I. Did. Not. Think. Of. Them. I. Felt. That. I. Could. Overwhelm. Them. With. My. Forces.¡±

    ¡°I see. However, you did think of them after the undead were destroyed, no? Very good! As long as you can improve yourself and avoid future mistakes, then there is meaning to this defeat.¡±

    Cocytus sensed that his master was smiling.

    ¡°There are many kinds of failure, but yours was not of the lethal kind. All the undead save the Elder Lich were automatic spawns. Their destruction does not affect Nazarick in any way. Rather, if they enabled a Guardian to learn something and avoid future errors, then this failure is actually quite a bargain.¡±

    ¡°Thank. You. Very. Much. Ainz-sama!¡±

    ¡°However, the fact is that you were defeated. Thus, you must be punished like Shalltear...¡±

    At this point, his master fell silent. This brief interruption made Cocytus uneasy as he waited for his master to pass judgement. That said, he was greatly relieved now that he knew that he had not disappointed his master. However, what he heard next made Cocytus freeze up.

    ¡°I had originally nned to have you retreat and act as a rear guard, but I think it¡¯ll be better this way. Cocytus, you will personally erase the stain of your shame... in other words, you will exterminate the Lizardmen. This time, you are not allowed to call on anyone else for help.¡±

    If they annihted the Lizardmen and kept word from getting out, then this would not count as a defeat for Nazarick.

    Those who viewed everyone outside Nazarick as inferior lifeforms would dly ept this duty, wiping away their shame and that of Nazarick with ughter. Indeed, if this had been the Cocytus from earlier, he would have epted this order without hesitation. However¡ª

    Cocytus shuddered.

    This was because he knew what that order meant.

    He breathed in and out several times.

    Just as everyone began wondering why Cocytus had not responded to his master¡¯smand, he finally spoke.

    ¡°I. Have. A. Request. Ainz-sama!¡±

    The world seemed to stand still as everyone¡¯s attention rested on Cocytus.

    Cocytus was a Guardian, one of the most powerful and highest ranked beings of Nazarick. There were scant few people who were in his league, but even someone like himself felt a chill run through his entire body.

    While regret stampeded through his heart like an avnche, it was toote now.

    Since he had said it, there was no turning back.

    Cocytus hadpound eyes and thus a very broad field of vision, but from his bowed posture, he could not see his master¡¯s face. That was the only sce he had. If his master disyed any anger or displeasure, Cocytus would be trembling so hard that he would not be able to do anything.

    ¡°Please. Hear. Me. Out. Ainz-sama!¡±

    Before his master could respond, someone else interrupted Cocytus.

    ¡°How dare you!¡±

    It was Albedo. Her deafening shout roared like thunder, filled with the gravitas which befitted the Guardian Overseer. Cocytus shuddered, like a child being rebuked by his mother.

    ¡°What right do you have to ask anything of Ainz-sama after staining the glory of Nazarick with defeat? The audacity!¡±

    Cocytus remained silent. He was determined not to raise his head until his master acknowledged him. He would remain as he was even if Albedo hammered him with the full force of her wrath.

    ¡°Hurry up and¡ª¡±

    However, a calm male voice dispersed Albedo¡¯s roar like mist in sunlight.

    ¡°¡ªIt¡¯s fine, Albedo.¡±

    His master repeated himself, to soothe the shocked Albedo.

    ¡°Raise your head, Cocytus. Could you tell me your request?¡±

    There was no anger in that even voice, which only made it more frightening. The fear Cocytus felt was akin to seeing the bottom of a clearke and knowing that one was about to be sucked in.

    Cocytus¡¯s equipment granted him resistance to fear and mind-affecting effects originating from external sources. Therefore, the fear assailing him now sprang from within his own heart.

    After gulping ¡ª to be precise, it would be like swallowing a mouthful of venom ¡ª Cocytus slowly raised his head and looked at his master and ruler.

    Points of bright red fire danced within the empty orbits of his eye sockets.

    ¡°I say again, can you tell me your request?¡±

    He could not speak. He had tried several times, but the words caught in his throat and nothing came out of his mouth.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Cocytus?¡±

    A weighty silence filled the air.

    ¡°...I am not angry at you. I merely wish to know what you are thinking, and what you are asking.¡±

    His tone was gentle, as though trying to cate a quiet child. In the face of this, Cocytus finally managed to speak

    ¡°I oppose the extermination of the Lizardmen, and I beg that you will show them your mercy, Ainz-sama.¡±

    After that simple, direct statement, Cocytus thought that the air was trembling. No, it was actually trembling.

    The greatest source of that came from in front of him ¡ª from Albedo¡¯s murderous intent, followed by the quailing of the other Guardians¡¯ hearts. In contrast, Demiurge and his master seemed as calm as still water.

    ¡°...Cocytus, do you understand what you are saying?¡±

    Albedo¡¯s frigid, murderous tone made Cocytus shudder, despite his immunity to the cold.

    ¡°Ainz-sama ordered you to exterminate the Lizardman to expiate your sins, but you would deny his will, as the guilty party... Cocytus, Guardian of the Fifth Floor, are you afraid of the Lizardmen?¡±

    She sounded like she was mocking him, but Cocytus could not retort with anything.

    Albedo¡¯s attitude was only to be expected. If he were in her ce, Cocytus would most likely be quite angry too.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you speak¡ª¡±

    What silenced Albedo was not the sound of speech, but the sound of a collision. It was the high-pitched impact of a staff against the ground.

    ¡°Be quiet, Albedo. I am asking Cocytus a question. Contain yourself.¡±

    ¡°My deepest apologies! I, I beg your forgiveness!¡±

    Albedo bowed in in apology and returned to her previous location.

    Cocytus¡¯s master turned to transfix him with a keen gaze. There was no reading his expression. He looked like he was brimming with anger, but at the same time he appeared quite bemused.

    ¡°Then, Cocytus, does that request of yours hold any benefit to the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick? Tell me.¡±

    ¡°Yes! In. The. Future. They. Might. Breed. Mighty. Warriors. Therefore. It. Would. Be. A Shame. To. Wipe. Them. All. Out. Right. Now. Your. Servant. Submits. That. It. Would. Be. Better. To.. Instill. A. Strong. Sense. Of. Loyalty. Among. Them. So. That. When. Stronger. Lizardmen. Appear. We. Can. Take. Them. As. Minions.¡°

    ¡°...That is quite a good idea. There¡¯s little difference in the levels of the undead made from Lizardman corpsespared to those made with human corpses. There is no need to worry about Lizardman corpses if we can efficiently recover the bodies buried in E-Rantel.¡±

    Just as Cocytus was about to continue, he sensed that his master was not finished yet. The unease within his heart took material form.

    ¡°However, the undead I make with corpses are more economical than making use of Lizardmen. Not only can we be sure of their loyalty, but we will not have to worry about their care and feeding. The only advantage I can see in the Lizardmen is that they will naturally increase in poption, and that increase will take a long time to be seen... Do tell me if I am missing anything out. Are there any sufficiently convincing advantages they possess?¡±

    If Cocytus could persuade his merciful master, his wish coulde true. However, Cocytus could not think of anything.

    He had always thought of himself as a weapon to be wielded by his master. As a result, he had never thought on his own ount before, which was why he could not convince his master. He had not considered what to do in order to benefit the group.

    In addition, his master desired gains for the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. Cocytus did not wish to exterminate the Lizardmen because they had outstandingly brilliant people among them. In other words, he wished to spare the Lizardmen because he wanted to spare those talented individuals. That was a personal consideration, paying no heed to the bigger picture.

    Cocytus¡¯s heart burned with anxiety.

    If he displeased or angered his silent master, this miraculous chance to make a suggestion would be all for naught, leaving him with the order to exterminate the Lizardmen.

    He racked his brains as hard as he could, but he could not find an answer.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Cocytus? Can¡¯t think of anything? Then it¡¯ll be extermination, no?¡±

    It was the same question from before.

    Cocytus¡¯s mind was aplete nk. His mouth felt like it weighed a ton, and his thoughts simply spun in circles.

    A quiet muttering filtered through the silent Throne Room:

    ¡°...Really now. What a shame.¡±

    Just as those words of whispered regret threatened to crush the very breath from Cocytus, he was aided by a calm voice.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, please permit me to interject.¡±

    ¡°...What is it, Demiurge? Is something the matter?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It concerns the decision you made just now, Ainz-sama. If it pleases you, may I be allowed to supply my humble opinion?¡±

    ¡°...By all means.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Ainz-sama, I am certain you understand the importance of experiments. Therefore, should we not use the Lizardmen for experiments as well?¡±

    ¡°Oh, now that does sound interesting.¡±

    Cocytus imagined that when his master leaned forward from his throne, his red eyes had met his own for a fraction of a second.

    ¡°Yes. To begin with, regardless of how Nazarick turns out in the end, we will ultimately need to gather various forces or exert control over various species. Your servant submits that when that timees, there will be a great difference in the results depending on whether or not we have performed experiments in rulership.¡±

    Demiurge straightened himself up further, looking his master ¡ª who was seated upon his throne ¡ª straight in the eye, and delivered his summation.

    ¡°I feel that we should take control of the Lizardman vige and conduct experiments in ruling without the use of terror.¡±

    The high-pitched ringing of the staff mming into the floor echoed all around.

    ¡°...An excellent suggestion, Demiurge.¡±

    ¡°I am deeply grateful.¡±

    ¡°Then, I shall make use of Demiurge¡¯s suggestion concerning the Lizardmen. They are not to be exterminated, but subjugated. Are there any objections? Raise your hands if there are.¡±

    The crimson eyes swept across all the Guardians.

    ¡°...It seems there are none. Then it is decided.¡±

    Everyone bowed in acknowledgement.

    ¡°That said, your suggestion was quite outstanding, Demiurge. Very impressive.¡±

    Demiurge smiled.

    ¡°I would not dare, Ainz-sama. I imagine you must have already known about that, but you were only waiting for Cocytus to bring it up.¡±

    His master did not answer, only smiled bitterly. However, his master¡¯s attitude said everything.

    Cocytus felt that his body had gone ck all of a sudden.

    He had suffered an ignominious defeat whilemanding the glorious armies of Nazarick. He had opposed his master¡¯s wishes without preparing any other alternatives to his will. How could he describe his performance? He had been so¡ª

    Ipetent. How ipetent am I, anyway?

    ¡°...No, there¡¯s nothing of the sort, Demiurge. You praise me too highly. I was merely hoping that you would express your opinions, regardless of what they were.¡±

    His master¡¯s gaze shifted again, lingering on Cocytus for the longest time. He understood what his master was implying, but he could not lower his head.

    ¡°The most important thing is to understand the true meaning of your orders. After doing so, you must take the most appropriate action. Listen well, Guardians. Do not blindly follow orders. You must think before you act, and consider how best Nazarick can prosper from your actions. If you feel your orders are in error, or if you have a better alternative, then you must tell me or the person proposing the idea. Then ¡ª Cocytus, I believe I said I was going to punish you, did I not?¡±

    ¡°Yes. You. Ordered. Me. To. Exterminate. The Lizardmen.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Now, however, we will not destroy them, but ce them under our rule. As a result, I will alter your punishment. You will rule the Lizardmen, and you will instil a deeply-rooted loyalty to Nazarick within them. You are forbidden from ruling them with fear. Instead, you will turn the Lizardmen into a model of rulership without terror.¡±

    Cocytus had never borne such a weighty responsibility before ¡ª no, among the Guardians, only Demiurge had this sort of experience.

    It¡¯ll be hard toplete this mission by myself.

    That thought appeared briefly in Cocytus¡¯s mind, but how could he admit to such weakness now? He could not say such things to thepassionate ruler to whom he owed his ultimate fealty, or to the colleague who had lent him a helping hand

    ¡°Understood. I. Have. My. Concerns. About. The. Task. So. I. May. Need. To. Call. On. The. Aid. Of. Others.¡±

    ¡°Of course. In addition, this matter will require considerable resources, rations, and manpower. Nazarick will supply those.¡±

    ¡°Thank. You. Very. Much. I. Cocytus. Guarantee. That. I. Will. Show. You. Good. Results. And. That. The. Mercy. You. Have. Shown. Will. Not. Be. In. Vain. Ainz-sama!¡± Cocytus shouted.

    ¡°Very well. Then, I now order all the Guardians to move out. One team shall serve as distractions while another will demonstrate our power and show the Lizardmen that our strength is not limited to what they have seen. Of course, if you feel that may affect your future rule, I can rescind that order, Cocytus.¡±

    Cocytus thought carefully about the matter and then replied:

    ¡°I. Feel. That. It. Will. Not. Pose. Any. Problems.¡±

    ¡°I see. Then, all Guardians, prepare to move out.¡±

    As one, the gathered Guardians indicated their assent.

    ¡°Albedo, I will be heading out as well. Prepare our forces.¡±

    ¡°Understood. After considering that we may have foes who enjoy spying on us, can I assume that this is intended to deceive them about our true intentions?¡±

    ¡°Just so. However, do not forget that we must strike fear into the hearts of our opposition.¡±

    ¡°Then, perhaps we can send out the Old Guard of Nazarick as the main body of our forces so they will look more impressive.¡±

    Cocytus agreed with Albedo¡¯s response.

    There was a type of undead guard called the Old Guard.

    The Old Guard of Nazarick were high level undead sentries which were only found within the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. They wielded weapons with all sorts of magical effects, and they were equipped with enchanted armor and shields. In addition, they possessed many refinedbat skills, making them excellent undead sentries.

    ¡°That should be fine. How many of them are there?¡±

    ¡°They number three thousand.¡±

    ¡°Seems a bit too little. It¡¯ll be hard to convey the desired shock effect with those numbers... Our objective is to win aplete victory and frighten those who underestimate Nazarick. If we field fewer troops than before, it¡¯ll mean nothing, so I would like to deploy at least double the forces from the previous engagement. What other forces can we use?¡±

    ¡°Then, how about mobilizing the Nazarick Elder Guards and the Nazarick Master Guards? That way we will have six thousand people.¡±

    As expected of the Guardian Overseer, Albedo replied smoothly and immediately. Ainz¡¯s response was simple and clear.

    ¡°Excellent! Then, were there any problems when activating Gargantua?¡±

    ¡°No, Ainz-sama. There were no problems in its activation.¡±

    ¡°Then, use ¡¸Gate¡¹ to send our forces over together.¡±

    ¡°However, my mana might run out if I have to do it alone.¡±

    ¡°Ask Pestonya to help. Have her transfer mana to you. If that¡¯s not enough, get Lupusregina to help as well.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    ¡°After that, transfer Nigredo¡¯s and Pandora¡¯s Actor¡¯s warning grid to me. This will weaken our surveince on Sebas... but that just means we¡¯ll need to focus on physical observation. Very well! Then, carry on, everyone. Tomorrow, we shall show the Lizardmen the power of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.¡±

    <b>Part 2</b>

    ¡°Thank. You. Demiurge.¡±

    Once his master left, the first thing Cocytus did was express his gratitude to Demiurge. Demiurge responded to the deeply bowed Cocytus with the same serene smile as always.

    ¡°No, there¡¯s no need for thanks.¡±

    ¡°How. Could. That. Be? Without. Your. Help. The. Lizardmen. Would. Have. Been. Exterminated.¡±

    ¡°...Cocytus, I believe the reason why Ainz-sama approved of your suggestion was because Ainz-sama had foreseen such a development.¡±

    As Demiurge delivered his summation with an upraised finger, a startled gasp rang through the air. The sound seemed to havee from himself, or the Guardians around him.

    ¡°In other words, I believe Ainz-sama anticipated that you would say such a thing. That was why he sent you to the Lizardman vige. I felt that was the case because Ainz-sama seemed most delighted to hear you oppose the destruction of the Lizardmen vige. In contrast, he sounded quite disappointed when you could not bring up an alternative solution.¡±

    ¡°You. Mean. To. Say. Ainz-sama. Was. Disappointed. Because. Things. Did. Not. Go. ording. To. n?¡±

    ¡°Precisely. In other words, even the conversation we are having now might well have been foreseen by Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°As. Expected. Of. Ainz-sama. He. Has. nned. Everything. Out. With. Meticulous. Perfection.¡±

    ¡°B-But, a-ah...¡±

    ¡°...Spit it out.¡±

    Aura bade her little brother Mare to speak, in a stern tone of voice.

    ¡°Ah, y-yes. Ah, I was wondering why he had sent out such weak undead at first. Ah, ah.. per-perhaps... Ainz-sama had nned on the attack failing from the start...¡±

    ¡°Well, rather than say that he had nned to be defeated, isn¡¯t it more like our master had anticipated that Cocytus would have investigated the Lizardmen¡¯s strength and then mentioned that victory might be in doubt?¡±

    A profound sense of shame fell over Cocytus as he remembered his exchange with Demiurge back then. After all, he had messed everything up.

    ¡°He couldn¡¯t havee up with something like that if he didn¡¯t understand Cocytus so well. Well, that¡¯s Ainz-sama for you...¡±

    ¡°While we have already seen Ainz-sama¡¯s outstanding warrior prowess during the battle with Shalltear, to think he also possessed such extraordinary talent as a schemer. I cannot help but prostrate myself before him in awe. While Ainz-sama may have said otherwise, I feel that nothing can go wrong if we simply obey Ainz-sama¡¯s orders...¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s really amazing. He truly lives up to the name of the one who united all the Supreme Beings.¡±

    Shalltear excitedly added her own praise after Demiurge¡¯s. The other Guardians nodded in agreement.

    ? ? ?

    After returning to his room, Ainz jumped onto his bed. He hung briefly in the air before his body sank into the bed ¡ª and then he started to roll.

    He rolled right, and then he rolled left.

    The bed was big enough for him to do so.

    His luxurious robe was crumpled from this, but Ainz paid it no heed, giggling quietly as he rolled around. The reason Ainz was doing such a childish thing was because there was nobody in this room besides him.

    Soon, Ainz had indulged his childish desire for the soft sheets. He theny on his back, facing the ceiling.

    ¡°Ahhh, I¡¯m so tired... ah, I want to loosen up and get drunk... although I can¡¯t do that now.¡±

    Afterining to the air, he sighed deeply ¡ª although Ainz could not breathe, so he was just going through the motions.

    Ainz was undead, so physical and mental exhaustion were foreign to him. However, in human terms, he had spent every day hard at work for the past month. If he had a stomach, it would be in ruins by now.

    Ainz was currently filled with stress.

    The warrior Momon had defeated the silver-haired Vampire ¡ª Shalltear. Perhaps someone who was not in full possession of the facts might think it was simply impressive, but to the mysterious person who had used a World ss Item on Shalltear, it would mean something else. The opposition might have their eye on Ainz, or they might try to make contact with him.

    Therefore, Ainz spent his days on high alert, with many cash items ready so he could make his escape at any time. During his free time, he indulged in a little bit of mental roley ¡ª or exercising his imagination, more like ¡ª and studied whether he would be able to escape if the enemy came for him, while at the same time gathering information about his foe.

    This nerve-wracking daily life had little effect on Ainz Ooal Gown, but it tired out the remnants of his humanity ¡ª of Suzuki Satoru¡¯s personality. The reason why he indulged in immature behavior when he was alone and had free time was probably a sign that Suzuki Satoru was under a lot of stress, hidden beneath the facade of Ainz.

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember ever working without rest or sleep like this... I wonder how much overtime I¡¯ll get this month?¡±

    Perhaps that griping hade from the personality of Suzuki Satoru overriding that of Ainz¡¯s.

    ¡°The Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick... no, Ainz Ooal Gown... isn¡¯t a stock corporation. As a joint venturepany, we¡¯re supposed to be a moral enterprise, so we ought to pay all employees the overtime they¡¯re due...¡±

    After whining to himself like that, Ainz furrowed his nonexistent eyebrows.

    ¡°Hm? ...Don¡¯t tell me I¡¯m not entitled to overtime because I have a post allowance? Uwah...¡±

    Ainz rolled around again, and then froze after about half a dozen iterations.

    ¡°All right... that¡¯s enough useless thinking for one day... That said, I¡¯m really impressed that Cocytus actually said something like that.¡±

    It hade as quite a surprise. To think Cocytus actually felt sympathy for the Lizardmen.

    In truth, Cocytus¡¯s actions had been a big headache for Ainz.

    Suzuki Satoru was the sort of person who would thoroughly research his sources and regurgitate them by rote when called upon to deliver a briefing. Therefore, he was not used to dealing with unexpected things. However, as long as it was written down in his notes, he could use them to deal with it. In other words, the sess of Suzuki Satoru¡¯s briefings rested on how much research he did and how well he could use it to respond to the circumstances. He was extremely inept in dealing with situations which required adaptability; in fact, he hated them.

    He could not bring his notes into the Throne Room and say, ¡°Ah, please look at the next page.¡± Therefore, Ainz had mentally rehearsed the events in the Throne Room over ten times beforehand. As he did, he prayed that nobody would do anything surprising.

    And then, Cocytus had shattered that tiny wish of his.

    He had been extremely worried about what Cocytus would say, but he was also very happy.

    That was the joy a parent might have ¡ª as though a hitherto docile and obedient child had expressed his own opinion for once. The important thing was that Cocytus¡¯s growth had far exceeded Ainz¡¯s expectations.

    When Ainz had returned to Nazarick earlier, he had asked one of the maids to cook something ¡ª a steak. Perhaps she might need practice when it came to the doneness and other major points of the meal, but Ainz did not have such high expectations of the steak. Neither did he want food which granted bonuses, like food in YGGDRASIL. All he wanted was something edible.

    However, the result could only be described as a lump of charcoal.

    No matter how often that maid practiced, she could only make chunks of charred meat.

    Ainz had epted that oue as he epted the maid¡¯s heartfelt apologies. After all, it was the same as him trying to equip the greatsword in his wardrobe.

    In YGGDRASIL, one needed specialized skills to make food. It was only to be expected, since food and drink could grant special bonuses when consumed. However, that maid did not possess such skills.

    In other words, if onecked the proper skills to perform a task, it would end in failure.

    The matter of Cocytus was also an experiment of sorts. Ainz wanted to see if finalized characters like himself and the NPCs could learn anything new. This experiment was designed to see if they could grow strong by learning tactics and strategy.

    He had given Cocytusmand over the weak undead because he felt that he would be able to learn more from their defeat.

    In the end, Ainz had been pleased with the results. Cocytus had shown Ainz that he had the possibility for growth.

    Of course, there was a huge different between theory and practice.

    Ainz¡¯s uing objective was to thoroughly master the details of this world¡¯s unique magic ¡ª if such magic existed. Currently, Ainz was still unclear whether magic was a skill or knowledge.

    However, this experiment showed that one¡¯s knowledge could still grow.

    Cocytus had proved the possibility of that development. He had done very well.

    Ainz thought.

    Ack of growth was equivalent to stagnation. Even if he was powerful now, he might be surpassed one day.

    Even if he had a hundred years¡¯ advantage in military technology, he would still lose his pole position if he did not continue improving himself. There might be a strong nation nearby, but they would be utter fools if they assumed that they would always be a strong nation and did not seek improvement.

    ¡°Well, I think that... but while I¡¯m happy that the kids have grown, I¡¯m also worried if I¡¯m a ruler who¡¯s worthy of their loyalty...¡±

    Ainz looked at the veiling as he muttered this.

    ¡°Ahhh, it¡¯s so scary, I¡¯m so scared...¡±

    The remnants of Suzuki Satoru¡¯s personality wailed in fear of the unknown.

    Growth was change. Then, who could guarantee that their absolute loyalty would not change? Even if it did not, he was still afraid that someday they would consider him unworthy of being the ruler of the glorious Nazarick. He feared being forced out of his position as guildmaster.

    ¡°...I have to be a leader that the Guardians will want to follow... Why isn¡¯t there anyone to teach me the path of rulership...¡±

    There was probably nobody in Nazarick who was designed for such a purpose.

    As Ainz fell into contemtion, he thought of two people, from the Five Worsts of Nazarick. One of them was Kyouhukou, who bore the title of Duke, and the other was Gashokukochuuou, who had the title of King. Ainz wondered if he could ask them to teach him, and his answer was simple and sinct.

    ¡°...Hell no.¡±

    He did not want to learn from them unless he had no other choice,

    ¡°Forget it... as long as I don¡¯t mess up too much, I won¡¯t need to retire. Also... yes, about those two-legged sheep...¡±

    Ainz had already surmised the true identity of the two-legged sheep which was why he had not asked about their appearance. They were monsters he had seen in YGGDRASIL before.

    ¡°They have the heads of a lion and a goat, and a serpentine tail. Their hands are those of lions and their feet are those of goats. They are Chimerae...¡±

    In YGGDRASIL, Chimerae walked on two legs, attacking with lion¡¯s paws, which served as arms. Each of them had two heads, one of a lion and one of a goat. That was because these monsters were based on the visual data of monsters known as Baphomets.

    So why had Demiurge note out and said that they were Chimerae? Ainz had his doubts, but then he also had an answer.

    ¡°In other words, they¡¯re mutant Chimerae. Am I right, Demiurge?¡±

    Ainz chuckled, and then he added a mental note to his opinion of Demiurge: he had terrible naming sense.

    ¡°Well, the Chimera Lords in YGGDRASIL looked kind of... no, fish-like Chimerae look disgusting. So these two-legged sheep are a new breed of Chimera... that makes them Holy Kingdom Chimerae... it might be good to bring one of them to Nazarick. And then there¡¯s Victim... hm.¡±

    Victim looked just like how Ainz remembered, but one thing stood out in his mind.

    ¡°Thenguage he¡¯s using... is that Enochian, thenguage of angels? It feels like he¡¯s saying something else entirely...¡±

    It was tranted, so Ainz did not know what sort ofnguage he was using, but it felt weird to him. Of course, that might be because Ainz did not know Enochian at all.

    ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s not worry about it. All right, it¡¯s about time to set out...¡±

    Ainz rolled around again. He stopped when he was face down, to verify something that had been bothering him since just now.

    He pressed his face to the bed, and sniffed.

    Ainz had no lungs, so he was merely going through the motions. Strangely enough, he could smell something.

    ¡°This is the smell of flowers... did someone spray perfume on this bed? Are the beds of the wealthy like this? That¡¯s pretty surprising... maybe I should keep them in mind when I¡¯m pretending to be wealthy, then? Umu...¡±

    <b>Part 3</b>

    There was an ability known as danger sensing.

    Among adventurers, thieves and those with sensory skills prized that ability. As the name implied, it allowed its user to sense danger.

    There were two main variations of this ability. One kind disregarded logic and analysis, making snap decisions based on one¡¯s perceptions. The other was the product of experienced reasoning and deduction. The proverbial sixth sense and intuition belonged to the first category, while those who picked up on minute sensory traces and observed changes in the environment fell into thetter category.

    One would naturally learn the second type when on the battlefield or when travelling alone, even if one did not go out of the way to hone it. It was a form of experience gained from being in hazardous environments.

    The Lizardmen were superior to humans in that aspect. This was because their biological abilities ¡ª their senses ¡ª were sharper, and because they lived in more hostile conditions. A human being would typically live in a safe ce that was far away from monsters, but Lizardmen often had monsters as neighbors.

    In Zaryusu¡¯s case, he was a traveller, and thus used to long, solo journeys. Thus, he could urately and keenly gauge the changes in the air and mood.

    His eyes snapped open as he sensed a tension filtering through the air.

    The familiar sight of the room ¡ª although he had only lived there for a few days ¡ª greeted him. However closely a human looked, they would not be able to see within the lightless interior, but that was not a problem for Lizardmen.

    There was nothing unusual about the room.

    Zaryusu looked around, and breathed a sigh of relief after making sure that there was nothing unusual around. At the same time, he sat up.

    As an outstanding warrior, Zaryusu could go from sound asleep to fully awake in an instant. His eyes would not be weighed down by sleep ¡ª he could charge into battle right now with no problems.

    This was also rted to the Lizardman habit of light sleeping.

    However, Crusch showed no signs of stirring from where she was sleeping beside him.

    All she did was moan softly as she was deprived of Zaryusu¡¯s warmth.

    Under normal circumstances, Crusch should have sensed the change in the air and woken from her slumber. However, she did not seem to have done so.

    A sense of regret filled Zaryusu ¡ª had he ced too much of a burden on Crusch?

    As he recalledst night, he felt that perhaps Crusch¡¯s burden was greater than his own. It would seem that the female Crusch had been under more strain than the male Zaryusu during the process of defeating the Elder Lich.

    He would have liked for her to be able to continue sleeping, but upon listening carefully, he could hear the sounds of many Lizardmen hurrying around. In an emergency like this, it would be more dangerous to let her sleep than to wake her up.

    ¡°Crusch, Crusch.¡±

    Zaryusu shook Crusch several times, using some force.

    ¡°Hm? Mmm...¡±

    After twitching her tail, she opened her crimson eyes.

    ¡°Hm? Uuuu...?¡±

    ¡°Seems like something¡¯s happened.¡±

    Those words snapped a half-asleep Crusch to full wakefulness. Frost Painy by his side, and after taking it up he rose to his feet, followed shortly by Crusch.

    The two of them headed outside, and they immediately realised the source of the disturbance.

    The sky above the vige was covered in a thickyer of dark clouds.

    When they looked into the distance, they realized that these clouds were different from regr clouds, because the sky in the distance was bright and clear.

    In other words, this meant that¡ª

    ¡°They¡¯re...ing again?¡±

    A signal of another enemy attack¡ª

    ¡°Looks like it.¡±

    Crusch agreed with his assessment. Debate broke out among the Lizardmen of the Five Tribes as they gazed into the cloudy sky. However, there was no fear on their faces.

    That was because they had achieved victory even in these dire circumstances, and it had made them all stronger.

    The two of them ran to the main gate of the vige, apanied by the sound of sshing. They passed several Lizardmen preparing for battle, and reached their destination before long.

    There were many warrior Lizardmen gathered at the main gate, and everyone was peering outside. There were some familiar faces among them, including Zenberu, who had fought and bled with them, and the chief of the Little Fang Tribe beside him.

    Zenberu waved to the two of them as they sshed over, and then jerked his chin to indicate that they should look outside the gate.

    Zaryusu and Crusch stood by Zenberu¡¯s side and looked in that direction.

    Facing them, on the other side of the boundary between the marsh and the forest, were serried ranks of skeletons.

    ¡°So they¡¯vee again.¡±

    ¡°Hm...¡±

    Zaryusu clicked his tongue after answering Zenberu.

    They had expected as much, but this was still too quick. They had thought that the heavy losses that they had inflicted would take the enemy some time to rece.

    As it turned out they had beenpletely off the mark. Their foe had actually mobilized such arge army in such a short time.

    ¡°...Still, they ought to be weaker than the skeletons which that Elder Lich summoned.¡±

    There was a hidden meaning to those words. Zenberu was implying that the skeletons before then were stronger than the Skeletons that had attacked earlier.

    Zaryusu kept his eyes trained on the skeletons facing them. This was in order to grasp their opponents¡¯ strength and prepare the appropriate defenses.

    Indeed, they were all skeletal creatures, but they were dramatically different from the Skeletons they had fought previously.

    By looks alone, the biggest differencey in their equipment. The previous Skeletons were only armed with rusted swords, but these skeletons had full sets of gear. In addition, they looked more presentable than those from the earlier encounter. There seemed to be three broad sses of personal equipment on the skeletons present.

    Most of the skeletons were outfitted in breasttes, bearing an inverted-triangle shield ¡ª a heater shield ¡ª in one hand, and all manner of hand weapons in the other. They even had quivers and bows on their backs. These armed skeletons were fully equipped for attack and defense and for fighting at close or long range.

    Then, there were skeletons who were simrly outred with breasttes, but sporting tattered red capes and helmets, wielding bastard swords and round shields.

    Thest groupprised the least numerous, but best-equipped skeletons. They wore suits of shiny golden full te armor and gripped shiny pikes. Not a single spot of dirt marred their brilliant red capes.

    As Zaryusu inspected them, he realized something. He rubbed his eyes several times, wondering if they were mistaken. However, the reality before him remained as it was.

    ¡°Eh...? No way...¡±

    ¡°How, how could this be...¡±

    Crusch realized that Zaryusu was muttering in a pained voice as she gasped in shock. Just then, Zenberu spoke up:

    ¡°...Oh, it seems you noticed too.¡±

    Zenberu¡¯s voice sounded simrly tortured.

    ¡°Mm...¡±

    Zaryusu stopped there. He did not want to continue, because he would be afraid if he continued to speak, but he had to say it:

    ¡°...Those look like magic weapons.¡±

    Crusch nodded steadily from beside him.

    All the weapons wielded by the skeleton army were magical in nature. Some had ming swords, while others had hammers crackling with electricity. Some had pikes whose heads were sheathed in green light, while others had scythes which dripped a viscous purple fluid.

    ¡°Not just that. Take a look at their armor and shields. They¡¯re all... enchanted as well.¡±

    Zaryusu took a closer look as he heard Zenberu speak.

    And then, he groaned in dismay. That was because Zaryusu realized that those shiny suits of armor did not reflect the sun¡¯s light, but seemed to glow from within.

    What kind of ruler could outfit this many skeletons in magic items? If it was only a matter of simple sharpening enchantments, Zaryusu had heard that certain great nations could amass quantities like this after long nning. However, imbuing this many magic weapons with elemental properties ¡ª and in the variety before him ¡ª was another matter entirely.

    Zaryusu remembered the Dwarves Zenberu had spoken of several days ago.

    The Dwarves were a mountain-dwelling species, who possessed exceptional skill concerning metal. During a drinking party, the Dwarves had once shared a heroic legend ¡ª that of the Emperor who founded the Dwarven Empire, a hero d in adamantite armor, a man who felled Dragons by himself, and the ¡°Magesmith¡± of the Thirteen Heroes. Even those legends had not spoken of an army ¡ª over five thousand strong ¡ª of this size, outfitted in magical equipment like this.

    Then, what was Zaryusu looking at now?

    ¡°...Is that an army from the legends?¡±

    If they had note from a human myth, then it must havee from some kind of divine legend.

    Zaryusu shuddered. He realized that he had challenged a foe who was not only beyond his expectations, but one that should never have been provoked.

    However, he had gathered everyone here with the intention to die. How could someone who hade up with such a ridiculous n be afraid now? He already knew this foe was beyond the bounds of his imagination. The solution was how they would deal with it.

    ¡°It can¡¯t be. That must be an illusion or something.¡±

    As everyone heard those words, a look crossed their faces which seemed to say, ¡°What rubbish are you spouting?¡± Their enemy was not moving, but they felt real enough. They emanated a frightful presence and they could not possibly be mere illusions.

    Still, these doubt-inducing words were spoken by the chief of the Small Fang Tribe. He had not said them because he had gone mad.

    ¡°What basis do you have for that?¡±

    In response to Zaryusu¡¯s question, the Small Fang chieftain replied confidently:

    ¡°We¡¯ve sent out rotating scout patrols, but nobody reported seeing undead like that. There¡¯s no way we wouldn¡¯t have spotted them if they were in such numbers. Of course, all the scouts we sent out returned safely.¡±

    ¡°I see... Still, I don¡¯t think they¡¯re illusions.¡±

    ¡°...But... no, maybe they¡¯re not. If they aren¡¯t illusions, maybe they burrowed through the earth or used simr means of movement. A tunnel would exin why they weren¡¯t spotted earlier.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if they dug through the ground or flew through the sky, what do we do about them? Though it doesn¡¯t look like they¡¯re going to fight just yet, they don¡¯t look like they want to negotiate either.¡±

    ¡°That seems to be the case... although, given the present circumstances, I feel the enemy is going to try something...¡±

    Zaryusu stared at the skeletal army.

    He was looking for theirmander ¡ª and then, a gust of bone-freezing wind blew over them. It was not a one-time urrence ¡ª the chill wind blew over and over.

    This preternaturally frigid wind was not a natural phenomenon. There was no doubt that it was the result of magic.

    ¡°Wind? Eh... it can¡¯t be! Isn¡¯t this the same kind of magic... how is that even possible...¡±

    Crusch trembled as she hugged herself. She did not look like she was doing so purely because of the cold, so Zaryusu asked:

    ¡°Crusch, what¡¯s with this cold wind...¡±

    ¡°...You might not believe me if I say this, but please listen to me. I originally thought that the weather changes from before were the result of the fourth tier spell ¡¸Control Clouds¡¹, but I was wrong. ¡¸Control Clouds¡¹ can control clouds, but it cannot generate cold winds like this. Therefore... this isn¡¯t just controlling clouds, but altering the weather. In other words, I think the enemy used a sixth tier spell... ¡¸Control Weather¡¹.¡±

    Crusch lowered her voice so nobody could hear, and continued, ¡°However, that spell is beyond my ability to use, so I¡¯m not too sure if that¡¯s the case.¡±

    Zaryusu knew how shocking spells of the sixth tier were. Magic like that was beyond even Igva, the strongest opponent Zaryusu had ever fought, and it was considered the most powerful form of magic in the world.

    ¡°Is this... the power of the Supreme One? I see... that would exin it.¡±

    If he could use magic of the sixth tier, then the title of ¡°Supreme¡± would be well-deserved.

    ¡°Oi oi oi, when I look around at everyone, it doesn¡¯t look good.¡±

    Zenberu¡¯s mumbling highlighted the mood in the air.

    Such cold winds could not blow in this weather ¡ª in other words, this was a supernatural change in the environment that was beyond their ability toprehend. The Lizardmen¡¯s morale plummeted to rock bottom.

    Previously, only clouds had appeared. The priests could still control clouds if they gathered together, built a huge bonfire, and conducted a ritual. However, when the Lizardmen felt the chill kiss of this autumn-like wind, they realized how powerful their foe was to be able to manipte such normally uncontroble natural phenomena.

    Even without Crusch¡¯s words, the constantly-blowing wind clearly illustrated just how powerful their uing opponent was.

    ¡°Cheh, they¡¯re making their move.¡±

    Zaryusu gritted his teeth and suppressed the urge to swish his tail with sheer force of will. So they¡¯re moving out now? he thought.

    The warrior Lizardmen panicked as the skeletal army advanced with steps with such regrity that they seemed to have been measured with a pace stick. Some of them even growled in warning. However, Zaryusu was baffled as he watched the skeletal army move.

    That was not a prelude to battle.

    Just as Zaryusu and Zenberu were about to ask the panicking Lizardmen to calm down¡ª

    ¡°¡ªCalm yourselves!¡±

    A shout that swallowed thend and shattered the sky rang forth.

    Everyone looked in the direction of the voice. Their eyes settled on Shasuryu.

    ¡°I say again, calm yourselves.¡±

    The only thing that could be heard in this silent space was his confident, dignified voice, echoing in their ears.

    ¡°Also, do not be afraid, warriors. Do not disappoint the ancestors who stand behind you.¡±

    Shasuryu passed through the quiet, now-calm Lizardmen, and came to Zaryusu¡¯s side.

    ¡°Little brother, what¡¯s the enemy done now?¡±

    ¡°Mm, Ani-ja. They¡¯ve started moving... but they don¡¯t seem to be getting ready for a fight.¡±

    ¡°Muu.¡±

    The five hundred skeletons who moved out formed up into ten ranks.

    ¡°What are they doing?¡±

    As though waiting for that question, the skeletal army moved again.

    With perfect coordination, they split in two from the center, leaving a space between them that was roughly twenty skeletons in size. Within that space was a figure.

    It was not veryrge. Even at a distance of two hundred fifty meters, it was clearly smaller than Zaryusu.

    It wore a ck robe, and radiated a dreadful aura of evil. It looked simr to the Elder Lich they had fought yesterday, so it was probably a magic caster as well.

    However, the key difference between the two was their power.

    A chill ran up Zaryusu¡¯s spine as he saw it. His instincts told him that the difference between the being before him and the Elder Lich from yesterday was like the difference between a warrior and an infant.

    Even at this range, he could feel the ice-cold and malevolent presence it emanated. In addition, its equipment was in a league of its own.

    It was like an avatar of irresistible death ¡ª an absolute ruler.

    ¡°A ruler of death... is it?

    The words which fell unbidden from Zaryusu¡¯s mouth perfectly described the monster before him.

    Indeed, that person was a king that ruled death.

    ¡°...Oh!¡±

    What did this ruler of death have in mind?

    The Lizardmen panicked as one as they looked at that lord of extinction. Just then, an magic array roughly ten meters across expanded from around that magic caster in a hemisphere.

    On the hemisphere were translucent sigils that resembled letters and symbols, glowing with a bluish-white light. These sigils shifted with bewildering speed, each different from one moment to the next.

    The clear blue light changed shape continuously, illuminating the surroundings in phantasmagoric radiance. If this were not the work of an enemy, perhaps they might have been entranced by it, but right now they were not in the mood for such things.

    Zaryusu, unable to understand what was going on, felt confused.

    Most magic casters would not project magic arrays like that into the air when casting their spells. The enemy¡¯s actions were far beyond Zaryusu¡¯s knowledge. Therefore, Zaryusu asked the female who knew the most about magic:

    ¡°What is that?¡±

    ¡°I, I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know what that is either¡ª¡±

    Crusch¡¯s reply sounded a little afraid. It would seem her knowledge of magic made her even more frightened of this unknown phenomenon.

    Just as Zaryusu was about tofort her with a pat¡ª

    Perhaps the spell had cast, but the magic circle fragmented and transformed into countless motes of light, which flew to the sky. And then, they spread from the air, like an explosion ¡ª

    ¡ªAnd theke froze over.

    Nobody had any idea what was going on.

    There was the outstanding chief Shasuryu, the incredibly talented priestess Crusch, and the widely-travelled Zaryusu. Even these individuals, who were extraordinarily gifted in their respective fields, could not immediatelyprehend what was happening at the moment.

    They had no idea why their feet were stuck in the ice.

    Soon ¡ª after their brains managed to parse what was going on ¡ª the cries of despair rang out.

    Indeed, every Lizardman was wailing.

    Even Zaryusu was doing so. Crusch, Shasuryu, and even Zenberu, the boldest of them all, was no exception. The terror which sprang from the deepest reaches of their souls drove them to cry out in fear.

    The scene before their eyes was too horrific to bear. Theke which could never freeze, which had never frozen ever since they had been born, was now a solid sheet of ice.

    The Lizardmen hurriedly raised their feet. Fortunately, the ice was not very thick and broke immediately, but the shattered portions immediately froze back over. The bone-chilling cold from below proved that this was no mirage.

    In a panic, Zaryusu hurriedly scaled a dirt wall and looked around, and then he was dumbstruck by the ridiculous sight around him.

    Everything, as far as his eyes could see, was frozen over.

    It was impossible to imagine that such a hugeke could have frozen solid, yet the glittering ice before his eyes was reality.

    Zaryusu feared for the fish farms, but now was not the time to worry about such things.

    ¡°No way...¡±

    Crusch, who had climbed up with Zaryusu to look around, was just as dumbfounded as he was. A despondent voice came from her gaping mouth.

    Much like Zaryusu, she could not believe what she was seeing.

    ¡°Monster!¡±

    He cursed loudly. At the same time, he hoped that the cursing would somewhat ameliorate the terror in his heart.

    ¡°Get them up here!¡± his brother Shasuryu bellowed.

    Several Lizardmen had already copsed. The warrior Lizardmen who could still move worked together to extricate their fallen friends from the frozen swamp.

    The Lizardmen who had copsed were ghastly pale and shook uncontrobly. Perhaps the cold had stolen their vitality.

    ¡°Ani-ja, I¡¯ll go take a look around!¡±

    With Frost Pain in hand, Zaryusu would not be affected by cold effects of that level.

    ¡°No... don¡¯t go!¡±

    ¡°Why, Ani-ja!?¡±

    ¡°The enemy ought to be making their move soon! I forbid you to leave this ce! Grasp the situation and don¡¯t let any information slip past you! You¡¯ve travelled the world and umted all sorts of knowledge; you¡¯re the only one who can handle that task!¡±

    Shasuryu¡¯s eyes left Zaryusu, and he spoke to the warriors around him.

    ¡°I will now cast a spell that will defend against the cold, ¡¸Protection Energy ¨C Ice¡¹. Tell everyone in the vige not to touch the ice.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll help with the spells too.¡±

    ¡°Thank you! Crusch, you split up from me. Heal anyone in critical condition!¡±

    Crusch and Shasuryu began casting spells on the now-safe Lizardmen.

    Zaryusu remained on the dirt wall, his keen gaze intently focused on the enemy formation and taking in every move the enemy made. He had to carry out the mission his elder brother had entrusted to him.

    ¡°There we go.¡±

    Zenberu, who had climbed up beside him, leisurely regarded the enemy forces.

    ¡°Come on, loosen up a little. Your big bro¡¯s counting on your knowledge, right? He won¡¯t scold you if you miss something. What¡¯s more important is that you don¡¯t get overly focused and develop tunnel vision.¡±

    Zenberu¡¯s rxed tone helped cool Zaryusu¡¯s head down.

    Much like how they had done in the battle with the Elder Lich, they could divide the load among themselves and work together, while he oversaw everything.

    Zaryusu looked around and found that the warriors were climbing the dirt walls and observing the enemy. Indeed, he was not fighting alone, but with everyone.

    It would seem he had been rattled by that overpowering force ¡ª by that spell.

    Zaryusu exhaled, as if to expel the umted unclean air within himself.

    ¡°Sorry.¡±

    ¡°Nothing to be sorry about.¡±

    ¡°...That¡¯s true, because you¡¯re here too, Zenberu.¡±

    ¡°Haah, don¡¯t look at me when ites to brainwork.¡±

    Their eyes met and theyughed. Then they turned their attention back on the enemy.

    ¡°Still, that¡¯s one hell of a monster out there.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s on apletely different level.¡±

    The King of Death regarded Zaryusu and the Lizardman vige with a majestic gaze as he stood, like the ruler of this world and the next. What should have been a tiny object in the distance seemed to have expanded to dozens of times its actual size.

    ¡°...He ought to be that Supreme One they were talking about.¡±

    ¡°Most likely. I hope he¡¯s the only one who can freeze ake with magic like that.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, me too. We Lizardmen must look like tiny ants to someone who can pull off something like that. Damn, dammit! We¡¯re nothing more than worms to him. Speaking of which... they¡¯re moving.¡±

    The magic caster who had frozen theke raised the hand which was not holding a staff and waved it at the vige. He must be giving an order, Zaryusu¡¯s instincts told him, and in the next moment his instincts were validated in a horrifying way.

    ¡°Ohhhhh!¡±

    The voices came from everywhere in the vige.

    ¡°What... what is that!? What the hell is going on!?¡±

    Zaryusu had thought he could no longer be surprised, but after seeing what was before him, he could not help but wail in response.

    Before his eyes was a massive statue hewn of stone, with a pair of arms and legs.

    Its sturdy, b-like chest pulsed with red light, like a heartbeat. Its limbs were thick and stubby, and it looked almost adorable... well, it would have been, if it were not over thirty meters tall.

    This massive stone statue suddenly appeared from the forest. Calling it an illusion might actually have been easier to swallow.

    The statue moved slowly, and produced a gigantic boulder out of nowhere.

    And then, it tossed the boulder.

    Zaryusu reflexively shielded his eyes. Certain death awaited anyone who was hit by that huge rock.

    The earth shuddered and a tremendous crash assaulted Zaryusu in that world of darkness. The dirt wall shook violently.

    After that was the sound of heavy rain ¡ª of the sand and debris which had been tossed up falling back to the earth. It was apanied by surprised cries from the vige.

    They were prepared to die, but they were not prepared for this unimaginable terror. The shocking lesson from just now made even the veterans of that battle shriek like children.

    Zaryusu breathed a sigh of relief as he realised that he was still alive. As he nervously opened his eyes, he saw the undead army on the move, and he noticed that the gigantic statue was nowhere to be seen.

    The huge rock which had not been there before now stood between the two forces. The undead troops approached the rock, and then they fell to one knee after raising their shields as if to block the sky. The other skeletons jumped up on those shields, and after nimbly maintaining their bnce, they raised their shields as well.

    In the moment that Zaryusu realised what the enemy was doing, he trembled all over, as if he had been struck by lightning.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me... stairs? They¡¯re using a legendary army like that as stairs!?¡±

    The skeletons drew close to the giant rock with startling speed, and then the staircase formed by the undead army finally took shape.

    Then, the other undead soldiers made their move. They looked more refined than the skeletons from earlier, and there were about a hundred of them. They heldnces with banners attached, of the kind thatncers might carry.

    The bright red cloth ¡ª their banners ¡ª were embroidered with the same sigil.

    Their capes rippling in the wind, these undead marched onto the marsh with immacte coordination. They crunched the ice under their feet as they advanced in silence. Then, another group of skeletons marched onto the marsh with the same fluid movements, taking care to maintain the proper spacing from the first group. They crossed theirnces with those of the warriors opposite them.

    The crossednces formed a passage which led to the huge rock.

    ¡°...Is that a king¡¯s path?¡±

    Zenberu was right.

    The magic caster of death walked down the path made by the undead. The silhouettes of several people were visible behind it. Nobody had noticed their arrival.

    At their head walked the magic caster of unfathomable might.

    He was dressed in a ck robe that seemed to be made of darkness itself, and an ebony radiance emanated from the staff he carried. That radiance shaped itself into the tormented faces of human beings, which dissolved and disappeared into nothing. Beneath the hood of his robe was a skeletal face, and within its empty eye sockets danced points of bright red light.

    He was adorned with countless items of magical jewelry, the likes of which were beyond Zaryusu¡¯sprehension. He strode forth with the air of a monarch.

    A pale-skinned female trailed behind the king of death. She resembled a human being, but she differed from them in one key respect ¡ª which would be the wings at her waist.

    ¡°Could she be a... demon?¡±

    ? ? ?

    Demons.

    There were devils who destroyed with brute force and fiends who corrupted with intellect. These outsiders were collectively known as demons. They were said to be monsters of legendary cruelty and malice, who existed to destroy all intelligent beings of good alignment. Their names were a byword for evil.

    Zaryusu had heard of demons during his travels.

    He had heard of their fearsome nature. Apparently, two hundred years ago there was a monster who was a king of demons ¡ª the Demon God, who rallied demons to his banner and nearly destroyed the world.

    The Demon God was finally defeated by the Thirteen Heroes, and the traces of that battle could still be seen to this day.

    If the undead were monsters that hated the living, then demons were monsters who wanted to make the living suffer.

    Behind the demoness was a pair of Dark Elf twins, and then a silver-haired girl. In addition, there was a sinister-looking monster which floated in mid-air, and finally a tailed being who resembled a human male.

    The creepy monster alone did not seem very strong, but the tip of his tail began to twitch just by looking at each of them. His primal instincts screamed at him to flee with all his might.

    The group advanced in silence, passing beneath thences and banners, climbing the stairs leading up the huge rock. They trod the undead soldiers with no hesitation whatsoever, standing like kings and queens atop the massive boulder. The king of death at their head waved his hand.

    In an instant, a high-backed throne which glowed with a ck light appeared, and the undead king promptly sat upon it.

    Behind them, the people who seemed to be his confidantes formed a line, looking at the vige as though they were waiting for something. However, they did not do anything else beyond that.

    What was going on?

    Several Lizardmen looked ufortably at each other, and in the end they finally decided to let the wisest of their number do the talking.

    ¡°...Ah, could, could you tell us what we should do, Zaryusu-san? Should we prepare to run?¡±

    That voice was utterly devoid of fighting spirit. The drooping tail spoke volumes about what was in his heart.

    ¡°No, there¡¯s no need for that. Consider the Elder Lich from before. We now face a magic caster who vastly exceeds that Elder Lich, so it should be child¡¯s y for him tounch an attack from a distance like this. In all likelihood... he wants to tell us something.¡±

    Looks of understanding dawned on the Lizardmen¡¯s faces.

    Through all of this, Zaryusu¡¯s eyes had been firmly fixed on the group before them. He was like a peasant looking up to his king as he ceaselessly examined the monsters atop that huge rock.

    He did this so he would not miss anything about them.

    Now that they were so close, he could examine them in great detail, and they could even meet each other¡¯s eyes.

    Was that king of death observing the Lizardmen from his ce atop his throne? The Dark Elves did not seem particrly hostile. The silver-haired girl had a mocking smile on her face. The demoness¡¯s gentle expression was paradoxically spine-chilling. The creepy monster¡¯s expression was unreadable. The tailed man¡¯s eyes were devoid of any emotion.

    After they studied each other for a while, the undead king once more raised his free hand to his chest. Several Lizardmen saw this, and their tails thrashed violently.

    ¡°¡ªDon¡¯t be afraid. Don¡¯t disgrace us in front of our opponents.¡±

    Zaryusu¡¯s razor-edged criticism drove all the Lizardmen to stand up straight and thrust out their chests.

    Numerous clouds of ck fog appeared before the king of death ¡ª twenty of them in total. They whirled ceaselessly, growingrger andrger, until they formed a single cloud of ck fog about one hundred fifty centimeters in size. Soon, countless frightening faces appeared in the fog.

    ¡°That¡¯s...¡±

    Zaryusu recalled the monsters who hade to the viges as messengers, and the undead creatures he had seen during his travels.

    Crusch had already exined this once in the vige, but it was very difficult to harm incorporeal monsters without the aid of enchanted weapons, weapons made of special metals, magic, or specialized martial arts.

    Even if one put all the Lizardman tribes together, they would only have a few magic weapons. In other words. Just defeating one would be very challenging.

    To think that their foe could casually summon twenty such monsters with a wave of his hand.

    ¡°...So this is what they mean when they say one can control death.¡±

    Our enemy is an incredibly powerful monster, one whom that powerful Elder Lich would pledge his loyalty to, Zaryusu thought despondently.

    The king of the dead muttered something, and then cast his hand out, like he was ordering an attack. The monsters than flew over to encircle the vige, and they began to recite in unison:

    ¡°We hereby ry the will of the Supreme One.¡±

    ¡°The Supreme One requests a dialogue. Dispatch your representatives forthwith.¡±

    ¡°Any dys will only incur the wrath of the Supreme One.¡±

    After their monologue, the incorporeal undead returned to their master¡¯s side.

    ¡°Wha? ...Don¡¯t tell me... that¡¯s it?¡± Zaryusu asked, with a stupid look on his face.

    He sent such powerful undead just to pass on a message?

    However, the more unbelievable thing was what came next. After receiving directions from the ruler of death, the silver-haired girl behind him pped forcefully.

    WIth that p ¡ª all those undead were annihted.

    ¡°What!?¡±

    Zaryusu could not hold back his cry of shock.

    Those summoned monsters had not been recalled, but destroyed.

    Clerics could destroy the undead. While just banishing them was hard enough, with a sufficient disparity in power levels, a cleric could not only turn undead, but outright destroy them. However, doing so to many undead at once was an arduous task.

    In other words, the silver-haired girl was a follower who was as powerful as the king of death. That being the case, the people beside her might well be simrly puissant.

    ¡°Hahahaha¡ª¡±

    Zaryusu could not stop himself fromughing.

    That was only to be expected. What else could he do butugh? They were so much more powerful¡ª

    ¡°Brother!¡±

    ¡°¡ªAh, Ani-ja!¡±

    Zaryusu looked down in response to the call from below and found that Shasuryu and Crusch were at the foot of the wall. The two of them climbed the dirt wall and together they looked at the magic caster.

    Crusch forced herself into the space between Zaryusu and Zenberu, almost making Zenberu fall. However, that should still have been forgivable.

    ¡°Is that the enemy general? He feels so powerful that I¡¯m getting chills down my spine just looking at him. While he looks like the Elder Lich you defeated... there¡¯s noparing their strength, is there...¡±

    ¡°...Ani-ja, are you done on your side?¡±

    ¡°Muu. It¡¯s over for the most part. Crusch and I have exhausted our mana. And after hearing those messengers... we felt that it would be better to settle this matter first. As for what those messengers said... Zaryusu, would you be willing toe with me?¡±

    Zaryusu looked silently at Shasuryu, and then nodded deeply. Shasuryu looked briefly ufortable, but resumed his usual expression right away, so quickly that nobody had realized he had ever looked that way.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ani-ja.¡±

    Shasuryu jumped off the dirt wall with that apology,nding with a ssh as he broke through the narrow ice of the marsh.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be going.¡±

    ¡°Be careful.¡±

    Zaryusu hugged Crusch tightly, and then he jumped off into the marsh after Zaryusu.

    Zaryusu and Shasuryu trod the thin ice on the surface of theke underfoot as they set forth together. After leaving the main gate, Zaryusu could sense the undead king¡¯s entourage eying them, as though their gazes were exerting an actual physical pressure. He could also sense the uneasy looks from behind him, and the most worried of them probably belonged to Crusch.

    Zaryusu fought the urge to stay with her.

    Just then, Shasuryu spoke.

    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°...What are you sorry for, Ani-ja?¡±

    ¡°...If negotiations break down, they might kill us as an example to the others.¡±

    Zaryusu had been prepared for this. That was why he had hugged Crusch tightly before going.

    ¡°...Given their numbers, I couldn¡¯t let you go alone, Ani-ja. If only one person went, they¡¯d probably think we were snubbing them.¡±

    Zaryusu was a famous individual among the Lizardmen and he was ideal for negotiations. However, he was a traveler, and his death would not harm the unity of the Lizardmen. From that point of view, there would be no regrets if he died.

    Even if a hero died, the tribe could still keep fighting as long as there were other chiefs around. The shame would be the loss of the Frost Pain he carried; without it, they would be unable to withstand the cold of theke.

    The two of them walked forward in silence, every step taking them closer to death.

    They reached the stairway of undead which led to the throne, and raised their voices. If the throne had been set further back, perhaps they might have been allowed to climb up, but given that it was situated at the edge of the rock, it probably meant that they did not want to let the Lizardmen climb up.

    Kings had to have amanding vantage, after all.

    There was no such rule among the Lizardmen, but many species had the practice of superior beings overlooking inferior ones. Granted, this would be very rude if they hade to conduct a dialogue.

    In other words, this was a dialogue in name only. There was no intention to speak to them on even terms.

    Instead, actually expecting equal treatment was a sign of their ignorance. Zaryusu and the others might have won the earlier battle, but after seeing the array of the enemy¡¯s top people upon the huge rock, even they would be forced to conclude that their prior victory held no meaning whatsoever. It was nothing more than child¡¯s y.

    ¡°We have arrived! I am Shasuryu Shasha, representative of the Lizardmen, and this is the greatest hero of the lizardmen!¡±

    ¡°I am Zaryusu Shasha!¡±

    Even so, there was no ttery in their strident voices. They knew it was a foolish gesture, but it was thest inch of dignity they possessed. The earlier battle might have been a sideshow in the eyes of their opponents, but they could not abandon the pride of the warriors who had fallen on that battlefield.

    There was no response. The king of death merely swiveled his head to regard them from atop his throne, eying them with no reservation whatsoever. There was no sign that he was going to do anything at all.

    The person who answered them was the demoness who sprouted ck wings from her waist.

    ¡°Our master feels you have not adopted a sufficiently respectful listening posture.¡±

    ¡°...What?¡±

    After hearing their doubt-filled voices, she called on the tailed being who looked like a human male.

    ¡°¡ªDemiurge.¡±

    ¡°¡ºKneel¡».¡±

    Zaryusu and Shasuryu suddenly fell to their knees, their heads sinking into the marsh. It seemed like a perfectly natural motion to onlookers.

    The cold mud caked their bodies, and the shattered ice immediately froze over once more.

    They could not stand. No matter how hard they tried, their bodies would not budge an inch. It was as though a pair of huge, invisible hands were pressing down on them and taking the freedom from their bodies.

    ¡°¡ºDo not resist¡».¡±

    In the instant that voice filtered into their ears again, Zaryusu and Shasuryu felt as though their bodies had suddenly grown an additional brain ¡ª an organ that receivedmands from others, and which their bodies obeyed.

    After seeing their powerless bodies kneeling pathetically in the mud, the demoness seemed quite pleased as she reported to her master:

    ¡°Ainz-sama, they are now ready to listen to you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you ¡ª raise your heads.¡±

    ¡°¡ºYou are permitted to raise your heads¡».¡±

    Zaryusu and Shasuryu turned their heads, the sole part of their bodies they could move, and looked up like they were desperate to see their king.

    ¡°I am... Ainz Ooal Gown, master of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. Firstly, I would like to thank you for helping meplete an experiment.¡±

    An experiment? You killed so many of us (the Lizardmen) and you dare call it an experiment!?

    His resentment fanned the mes of anger in his heart, but he resisted it. After all, now was not the time to make a scene.

    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s get to the point... submit to my rule.¡±

    The magic caster Ainz raised his hand, silencing Shasuryu, who was about to speak.

    Shasuryu knew that trying to speak anyway would not be wise, so he could only keep his mouth shut.

    ¡°¡ªHowever, you have just defeated us, and you are unwilling to be ruled by me. Therefore, we will attack again in four hours. If you can still win, I shall no longer act against you. In fact, I guarantee that I will pay you the appropriate reparations.¡±

    ¡°...May I ask a question?¡±

    ¡°That is fine. Ask away.¡±

    ¡°Will you be the one leading the attack... Gown-dono?¡±

    The silver-haired girl behind him frowned, while the demoness¡¯s smile only grew wider. Perhaps they were displeased by the addition of that honorific. However, they did not do anything out of the ordinary, possibly because their master had not brought it up either.

    Ainz ignored them, and continued speaking.

    ¡°Hardly. I will not be making a move. The attacker shall be one of my trusted aides... and only him. His name is Cocytus.¡±

    As Zaryusu heard this, a deep seated sense of despair filled him, like it was the end of the world.

    If Ainz attacked with an army, the Lizardmen might have a chance of victory. In other words, he would be hoping to prolong that distasteful war he called an experiment. In that case, they might have a scant, fleeting chance of victory.

    However, he was not dispatching an army.

    Only one person would be attacking.

    An army which had been defeated had arrayed its troops in a grand disy, yet they were only sending one person to attack. Unless this was a punishment, what Ainz¡¯s words meant was that he was absolutely confident in that person.

    A person who had the trust of that unbelievably powerful king of death. Then, the only answer was that the person in question was also incredibly powerful, to the point where the Lizardmen had no hope of victory.

    ¡°We choose to surrender...¡±

    ¡°It would be too boring to surrender without a fight. Do put up some token resistance. We would like to enjoy our victory.¡±

    Ainz interrupted Shasuryu, preventing him from speaking further.

    So you¡¯re going to make an example of us, you bastard!? Zaryusu cursed in his heart.

    The reality was that the strong would use ughter to wash away the stain of defeat.

    In other words, they were going to carry out a live sacrifice. This would be a show of utter dominion, designed to wipe out any trace of rebellion within the Lizardmen.

    ¡°That is all I wish to say. Then, I shall look forward to the events of four hour¡¯s time.¡±

    ¡°A moment please ¡ª will this ice melt?¡±

    Whether they won or lost, it would be very hard for the Lizardmen to survive if theke was frozen over.

    ¡°...Ah, I almost forgot,¡± Ainz replied casually. ¡°I merely wished to avoid staining my robes in the marsh. I will dispel the magic once I return to the shore.¡±

    What!?

    Zaryusu and Shasuryu were so shocked that they could not speak. In fact, they wondered if they had misheard him.

    He froze theke just because he didn¡¯t want to get dirty?

    This was no longer merely unbelievable. They were going up against someone with such shocking power, who could easily bend the world to his whims, and for such a pointless little reason to boot.

    So this was the kind of mighty being who was their opponent. Zaryusu and Shasuryu felt a terror they had experienced when they were alone by themselves as children.

    ¡°Then, see youter, Lizardmen ¡ª ¡¸Gate¡¹.¡±

    Having said his piece, Ainz waved his hand, and a hemisphere of darkness appeared in front of the throne. He then stepped into the darkness.

    ¡°Farewell, Lizardmen.¡±

    ¡°Goodbye, Lizardman-sans.¡±

    ¡°Seeya, Lizardmen.¡±

    The two women and the Dark Elf boy attending Ainz bade farewell to the lizardmen in a disinterested tone before stepping into the darkness as well.

    ¡°Er, erm, then, ah, bye bye, take care.¡±

    ¡°Kcab og ot evah uoy. (Goodbye, then.)¡±

    The creepy monster vanished into the darkness after the Dark Elf girl.

    ¡°¡ºReleasing control¡». Then, do enjoy yourselves, Lizardmen.¡±

    Finally, the tailed man stepped into the darkness. There was a gentle sound, and the force binding the two of them vanished with him.

    Zaryusu and Shasuryu remained kneeling in the mud where they had been abandoned, without the strength to stand up.

    They did not even pay attention to the continuous pain which came from the freezing cold filtering up into them. That was because the shock they had just experienced far exceeded any physical pain they might have felt.

    ¡°Bastards...¡±

    That uncharacteristic curse from Shasuryu was filled with aplex blend of emotions.

    ? ? ?

    They were greeted by the various chiefs, who had climbed up onto the dirt walls to avoid the cold. There were no other Lizardmen around.

    They had probably done so because they were looking forward to discussing matters in private. Sensing this, Shasuryu decided not to mince words and told them the events of the dialogue that was not a dialogue.

    There was no great reaction to Shasuryu¡¯s somber narrative, only mild surprise. It was probably because they had expected a conclusion like that.

    ¡°I see... but will the ice melt? If it doesn¡¯t, we won¡¯t even be able to fight.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. They said they would melt the ice.¡±

    ¡°Did you bargain for it?¡±

    Shasuryu did not answer the question from the Small Fang Tribe¡¯s chief, merely smiling by way of reply. The chief knew what that meant, and shook his head in resignation.

    ¡°While you were heading out for those talks, we looked around... and we found traces of the enemy in theke. probably skeletal troops. In all likelihood, they were surrounding us and awaiting orders.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think... enemy... will let us go.¡±

    ¡°They seem quite serious about this, which means...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s probably as you¡¯re guessing.¡±

    The four chiefs who did not take part sighed deeply. They had probably reached the conclusion that what awaited them was a live sacrifice.

    ¡°Then, what should we do?¡±

    ¡°...Mobilize all the warrior Lizardmen, and... the ones present...¡±

    ¡°Ani-ja... can you allow only five people to take part?¡±

    Zaryusu nced at the baffled Crusch from the corner of his eye, and pleaded with all the males present.

    ¡°If the enemy¡¯s aim is to demonstrate his power, they will probably not exterminate the Lizardmen. That being the case, we ought to have someone who can lead the surviving Lizardmen. If all of us here perish, it will be a great blow to the future of the Lizardmen.¡±

    ¡°...He¡¯s got a point, doesn¡¯t he, Shasuryu?¡±

    ¡°Mm, Zaryusu... you¡¯re right.¡±

    The two chiefs looked at Zaryusu and Crusch, and nodded.

    ¡°¡ªThat¡¯s fine. I approve of it.¡±

    After receiving the approval of Zenberu, thest chief, Shasuryu could no longer find any reason to deny his younger brother¡¯s request.

    ¡°Then it¡¯s decided. I also thought that someone would have to stay alive to lead the united tribes ¡ª Crusch ought to be good for that duty. Perhaps her albinism might affect her duties, but her priestly powers are irreceable.¡±

    ¡°Please wait, I want to fight too!¡± Crusch shouted as she protested her exclusion at this juncture. ¡°Besides, if one of us has to stay behind, wouldn¡¯t it be better if it was Shasuryu? He¡¯s the chief that everyone trusts most!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s for precisely that reason that we can¡¯t spare him. The enemy wants to fill us with despair and make us tractable with a show of overwhelming force. However, do you think they would spare a Lizardman who could inspire hope like him? I don¡¯t think so.. right?¡±

    ¡°Also... Crusch is the least popr of the chiefs due to her albinism.¡±

    Crusch was speechless. It was an unarguable fact that others thought poorly of her because of her condition.

    Crusch knew she could not persuade the others, and instead turned to Zaryusu.

    ¡°I want to go too. When you called me here, I had already prepared myself. Why are you still saying something like this?¡±

    ¡°...At that time, I thought we might all die, but now there¡¯s a chance that one of us might live.¡±

    ¡°Are you kidding me!?¡±

    The air trembled, as if in response to Crusch¡¯s anger. The sound of pping resounded from the dirt wall, as Crusch¡¯s tail thrashed wildly in the grip of her emotions.

    ¡°¡ªZaryusu, go convince her. See you in four hours.¡±

    Shasuryu strode off after leaving those words behind. Then, there was the sound of ice cracking and water sshing. The other three chiefs leapt off the dirt wall, following behind Shasuryu. Zenberu waved to the two who remained as he left.

    After watching them leave, Zaryusu turned to Crusch.

    ¡°Crusch, please understand.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s there to understand!? Besides, you might not lose! If I contributed with my priestly powers, we might win!¡±

    How hollow those words sounded. Even Crusch, who had spoken them, could not bring herself to believe what she had just said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want the female I love to die. Please grant thest wish of this foolish male.¡±

    Crusch embraced Zaryusu, a pained expression on her face.

    ¡°You¡¯re too selfish!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry...¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re probably going to die...¡±

    ¡°Mm...¡±

    Indeed, his chances of survival were very slim. No, he could conclude that they were nonexistent.

    ¡°In just a week you won my heart, and now you want me to watch you die?¡±

    ¡°Mm...¡±

    ¡°Meeting you was my fortune, and also my misfortune.¡±

    Crusch poured her strength into the arms embracing Zaryusu, as though she never wanted to let go.

    Zaryusu could not speak.

    What should he say?

    What could he say?

    His mind revolved around the same question.

    After some time, Crusch raised her head, her face filled with determination.

    A wave of unease washed over Zaryusu. He had the feeling that Crusch would insist on following him. Then, Crusch issued a simple and forceful ultimatum to Zaryusu.

    ¡°¡ªGet me pregnant.¡±

    ¡°¡ªWhat?¡±

    ¡°Hurry!¡±

 Chapter 29 - Volume 4

    <h4>Overlord Volume 4 Chapter 5</h4>

    <b>Chapter 5: The Freezing God</b>

    <b>Part 1</b>

    Ainz¡¯s headquarters was the same as the ce Cocytus used yesterday ¡ª the fortress which Aura was building. If one listened closely, one could hear the faint sounds of work in progressing from the distance.

    Once they entered the room, the hitherto silent Victim suddenly spoke to Ainz:

    ¡°Emoh gniog m¡¯I ,syug uoy wercs. (Then, I shall take my leave now, Ainz-sama.)¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your hard work. Please take care of Nazarick¡¯s First Floor for me before we get back.¡±

    ¡°Kek esiarp. (Understood.)¡±

    ¡°¡¸Gate¡¹.¡±

    Victim passed through the door of darkness which Ainz had conjured. It led to the First Floor of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.

    After watching that Guardian ¡ª whose death would activate a powerful movement restriction skill ¡ª leave through the ¡¸Gate¡¹, Ainz turned back to the rest of the room. At the same time, he sensed Aura behind him, her head bowed.

    It would seem she had done her best to pretty the room up to wee Ainz. It was quite moving to see the signs of her hard work that could be seen in every corner of the room. However, this room was far iner than Nazarick. Perhaps Aura felt ashamed of that.

    It¡¯s not like it¡¯s that bad...

    Ainz had originally been a plebeian, so he did not really mind. While his room as the master of Nazarick was not a bad thing, sometimes excessive luxury made him feel ufortable. He could rx a little in this ce, so it was pretty good.

    I want an eight tatami room. Maybe I should secretly set one up somewhere. Ah, I need to reward my subordinates. I need to tell Aura that I¡¯m pleased with her hard work.

    People had to thank and rely on others for their hard work in order to seed.

    Ainz remembered when he had been running an errand at a certainpany, and had overheard something from the director¡¯s room. He did not know who had said it, but it was a truly wonderful line. It made him think that it was how an ideal superior should be.

    You need to express the gratitude in your heart. If you don¡¯t praise your people, they won¡¯t work... something like that?

    ¡°Forgive me for keeping you here, Aura. I am not displeased in the slightest. I am very satisfied with your hard work, and it is the equivalent of Nazarick because you decorated it for me.¡±

    ¡°...Yes.¡±

    Aura¡¯s eyes widened slightly. Ainz did not know if that counted asforting her, but he was out of ideas. All he could do was try and bluff his way through by looking around.

    The room still smelled of wood.

    Under normal circumstances, it would have been better to return to Nazarick than stay in this nearly indefensible ce. That was because without the application of defensive spells, this location was little more than a house of papier-mache. On the other hand, this was a very good spot to use oneself as bait to lure out a big fish.

    It was quite far from theke, so anyone who could pursue them here ¡ª if there were any ¡ª would probably be an YGGDRASIL yer or people ofparable power to them.

    In other words, this ce had been built to take the attack of a powerful opponent.

    It was dangerous, of course. But Ainz felt that one could not seize the tiger¡¯s cubs without entering its den.

    So they still haven¡¯te. Or is it that... this operation failed as well? Still... what is that?

    ¡°...Aura, a question for you. What is that thing over there?¡±

    Ainz¡¯s gaze fell on a white-colored chair within the room. It had a high back and looked very solid. Due to the exquisite craftsmanship that had gone into its construction, it easily qualified as a work of art. Well, as long as one did not dwell on its sole fault.

    ¡°It is a little in, but it is a throne that was specially made for you.¡±

    One of the subordinates behind him ¡ª Demiurge ¡ª confidently responded on Aura¡¯s behalf. Having anticipated that, Ainz continued asking:

    ¡°...And whose bones went into its construction?¡±

    ¡°They came from all sorts of animals. I selected choice bones from Griffins and Wyverns.¡±

    ¡°...I see... Is that so...¡±

    This throne of bone was not furniture from Nazarick, so it was probably something Demiurge had made outside before bringing it here. Also, the throne¡¯s construction seemed to use a lot of human or demihuman bones. While it was not stained with blood or flesh and waspletely made out of pure white bones, he still imagined that he could smell the gore.

    Slightly revulsed, Ainz hesitated over whether or not to take a seat on it. However, it would be hard to simply ignore a chair which had been specially made for him. That said, if he had a good reason, it would be a different matter¡ª

    Ainz thought about the matter, and then he suddenly brought his hands together.

    ¡°...Shalltear, I believe I said I would punish you earlier? I shall now mete it out. Yes... I shall humiliate you.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Shalltear seemed a little startled at having been mentioned.

    ¡°Kneel there and lower your head. Get on your hands and knees.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Confused, Shalltear went to the ce Ainz indicated ¡ª the center of the room ¡ª before getting into a supplicatory position.

    After moving to Shalltear¡¯s side, Ainz immediately sat upon her slender back.

    ¡°¡ªAi-Ainz-sama!¡±

    Shalltear¡¯s off-key cry of surprisee out as something like ¡°Heinzsh-sama.¡± She seemed panicked, but she remained still, because Ainz was seated on her back.

    ¡°You are here to be my chair, understand?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Ainz turned from the abnormally happy Shalltear to look at Demiurge.

    ¡°¡ªForgive me, Demiurge. That¡¯s how it is.¡±

    ¡°I see! How remarkable! To think you would sit upon a Guardian! Indeed, that is a chair which nobody can make ¡ª in other words, a proper seat for a Supreme Being. Ainz-sama, you have surpassed my expectations once more, as is befitting of yourself!¡±

    ¡°Is, is that so...¡±

    Demiurge was beaming as he radiated his loyalty to his master. Ainz had no idea why he was smiling so brightly and turned away uneasily. Then, a beautiful woman who was all smiles addressed Ainz.

    ¡°Forgive me, Ainz-sama, may I be excused for a moment? I will be back soon.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Albedo? Never mind, it¡¯s all right. Go, then.¡±

    After thanking Ainz, Albedo left the room. After that, there was a feminine voice going ¡°DORYAAAAA¡ª!¡± from outside the room, followed by a tremendous impact against the wall, which made the house shake violently.

    About a minuteter, Albedo returned to the silent room, with her usual gentle smile on her face.

    ¡°I¡¯m back, Ainz-sama. Oh yes, Aura, I identally bumped into the wall on my way out, and there seems to be some damage. Could you fix itter? Sorry about that.¡±

    ¡°Ah, er, all right... okay~ I¡¯ll go fix it.¡±

    Ainz sighed, swallowing a lot of the things he wanted to say. He recalled his gaze that had nearly drifted away and focused it on the staff which radiated an evil aura.

    Obviously, he would not bring the true Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown to such a dangerous ce. This was an experimental specimen that had been built in imitation of the Guild Weapon. After fitting it with magic items used for special effects testing in the Treasury, it looked almost like the real thing, and it made for a good decoy.

    The guild would disband if the Guild Weapon was destroyed. Therefore, he could not casually carry it with him. It was currently in the care of the Guardian of the Sakura Sanctuary on the Eighth Floor.

    I¡¯ve considered countermeasures against the Ring being stolen as well, but I just can¡¯t find a ce where I can conduct the experiment...

    As Ainz thought about this, Shalltear¡¯s body suddenly twitched. That movement seemed like an adjustment so Ainz could sit morefortably. A bizarre sense of unease drove Ainz to look at the back of Shalltear¡¯s head.

    She was panting.

    He was probably too heavy for her. Shalltear¡¯s back that he sat upon was about as slender as that of a fourteen year old girl¡¯s and it was quite slender. To think an adult would be sitting on such a slender back. Ainz was deeply convinced that he was a shamelessly cruel pervert, and had gone too far.

    Shalltear was an NPC made by one of his friends from the past, Peroroncino. In all likelihood, he had not expected Shalltear would have ended up being tormented like this. Since this was essentially an action which cast shame upon his formerrades, Ainz believed that this was a form of punishment for himself as well. However, he now realized that he was foolish for having thought so.

    To think I¡¯m actually torturing Shalltear like this... I¡¯m beyond saving.

    ¡°Shalltear, is it ufortable?¡±

    If it is, then I¡¯ll stop it ¡ª just as Ainz was about to say that, Shalltear looked back, staring at Ainz. Her face was flushed, and her eyes burned brightly.

    ¡°Not at all! In fact, I feel this is practically a reward!¡±

    Every word she spoke carried the heat brewing within her body, and her zed eyes reflected Ainz¡¯s face. Her bright red tongue licked at her lips, leaving a seductive sheen. The way her body writhed ever so slightly was reminiscent of a snake.

    There was no mistaking this for anything other than carnal desire.

    ¡°...Uwah...¡±

    It made him want to run away.

    Ainz almost stood up.

    I can¡¯t, how could I do that?

    This was a punishment for Shalltear, and Shalltear¡¯s mistake had been because of Ainz¡¯s miscalction. Therefore, resisting the urge to stand up was also a way of punishing himself.

    Ainz crushed the rising tide ofplex emotions within him.

    He tried his best to bear with the squirming, panting chair beneath him. Even so, he could not help but wonder How perverted did Peroroncino make her, anyway?

    ¡°...Then, let¡¯s talk business. Are the Lizardmen as frightened as expected?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, just look at the Lizardmen¡¯s faces.¡±

    Ainzughed as he heard the Guardians¡¯ responses. In truth, he could hardly tell how the Lizardmen¡¯s expressions had changed. While Lizardmen looked more like humans than reptiles, their facial expressions werepletely different from those of humans.

    ¡°Really now. Then, we can consider the first part of the impression which Cocytus is going to make a sess.¡±

    Ainz sighed in relief.

    He had expected at least that much from super tier spells, which could only be used four times a day. Ainz had gone out of his way to use one of them ¡ª ¡¸The Creation¡¹ ¡ª and if that failed to impress, then all he could say was that it was sad.

    ¡°Then, Demiurge, when will you finish tallying the information on how far theke was frozen?¡±

    ¡°We are still gathering the relevant data, but the radius of freezing wasrger than expected, which presents some difficulties. If possible, I hope we might be given a bit more time.¡±

    Ainz reached out to stop Demiurge from kneeling, and then cupped his jaw with a skeletal hand, before settling into contemtion. It would seem the spell¡¯s effective radius had beenrger than he imagined, but as a magical experiment, it was quite a sess.

    ¡¸The Creation¡¹ was a super tier spell that could change terrain special effects. In YGGDRASIL, one would use it to ward off the heat in hot regions or to suppress the freezing chill of icy areas.

    In truth, he could have awed them into submission without using a super tier spell.

    However, he had used it anyway because he wanted to conduct an experiment on howrge a spell¡¯s radius could be. In YGGDRASIL, ¡¸The Creation¡¹ could affect quite arge area, and when they tested it in Nazarick, it managed to cover the whole of the Eighth Floor. However, they did not know how it would fare outdoors.

    In YGGDRASIL, it could cover one area, but he wanted to know howrge that zone was in this world. It would be too much if he cast it on a in and it covered the entire in.

    Simrly, it would be too much if it covered the entireke. It would seem he had to be very careful when using super tier magic.

    ¡°Then, Aura, what about our security?¡±

    ¡°Yes! We¡¯ve dispatched the undead we borrowed from you to patrol within a two kilometer radius, but we haven¡¯t picked up any exceptional intrusions. Also, I¡¯ve sent out some of my magical beasts who are adept at reconnaissance to patrol a four kilometer radius around us, but there haven¡¯t been reports of anything suspicious so far.¡±

    ¡°Is that so... Our foe might make their approach by some perfectly undetectable means. Have you prepared against that yet?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. Shalltear was helping me out, so we¡¯ve also deployed undead which are good at surveince.¡±

    ¡°Very good.¡±

    Aura was all smiles after Ainz¡¯s praise. Her previous depression was nowhere to be seen.

    ¡°Still, has the person who used the World ss Item on Shalltear still not made a move even after we¡¯ve exposed ourselves like this?¡±

    All eyes were on Ainz as he asked that question again, but he was not directing it at anyone in particr.

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t the opposition spying on this ce and Nazarick?¡±

    ¡°Could it be that the enemy is keeping an eye on us with a World ss Item which renders him immune to regr surveince?¡±

    Ainz tilted his head in confusion after Demiurge answered with his question.

    ¡°...I used Momon because I thought they might use such means... if the enemy uses World ss Items to spy on us, they won¡¯t be able to observe Momon, since he also possesses a World ss Item. Therefore, I¡¯ve been operating on the assumption that they¡¯ll be using physical or direct observation... well, it might be magical too, but in short, I¡¯ve been assuming that they¡¯ll use more conventional methods to keep an eye on us...¡±

    Ainz sensed that the Guardians around him seemed puzzled, and he realised that his exnation was not sufficiently clear.

    ¡°Well... how shall I put this... in the past, we once owned a mine that produced a rare metal. The price went through the roof because we monopolized it, so a group of people schemed to steal it from us. Back then, our opposition used ¡¸¦Ï?¦Ñ¦Ï¦Â?¦Ñ¦Ï?¡¹. That was one of the World ss Items known as The Twenty.¡±

    (TL Note: Ouroboros)

    Ainz narrowed his eyes.

    He had been furious when the mine had been stolen away, but thinking back on it now, it was a good memory. It held true even as he recalled how they had been hunted and lost quite a few rare pieces of gear.

    ¡°What!? Someone actually dared seize territory which had been imed by the Supreme Beings? Unforgivable! Please order us to retake it at once!¡±

    Ainz hurriedly shifted his gaze as he heard Albedo vent her anger.

    He saw all the Guardians seething with hostility and murderous intent. Even the ever-serene Demiurge had a savage expression on his face. That was not all; Ainz could glimpse the determination to take it back on Mare¡¯s shy and retiring face.

    Incidentally, Ainz could not see Shalltear¡¯s expression on ount of her being a chair, but he could feel her body tense up, sending her iron will travelling up through his rump.

    ¡°Calm down! That¡¯s in the past.¡±

    Ainz raised a hand to order the Guardians to cool their heads. While it looked as though they had somewhat regained theirposure, they still seemed unstable, as though magma were flowing beneath the surface. Ainz decided to pick up the previous topic to change the subject.

    ¡°Our enemy used ¡¸¦Ï?¦Ñ¦Ï¦Â?¦Ñ¦Ï?¡¹ and made it impossible for us to enter the world where the mine was. They probably used that time to search for and find the mine. Once the seal was broken and we could enter the world, we found that the mine had already been taken.¡±

    They had fought recklessly to retake the mine and a great deal of the guild members had died at least once, but Ainz resisted the urge to speak of that.

    ¡°Then, this is the point I wanted to make. While I said the world was sealed, people with World ss items could still enter that world during that time. Therefore, it should be impossible for them to spot us even if they use World ss Items for surveince.

    As Ainz listened to the gasps of enlightenment from his subordinates, he wondered if that was really the case.

    It was very likely, but there was no proof that they could not be found.

    When ¡¸Five Element Progression¡¹ ¡ª one of the Twenty, just like ¡¸¦Ï?¦Ñ¦Ï¦Â?¦Ñ¦Ï?¡¹ ¡ª had been used, the gamepany sent a message to all World ss Item holders. In addition to an apology, they also included an item aspensation. The apology went: ¡°Dear holders of World ss Items, you should not have been affected by changes in the world, but we have learned that keeping your data unaffected will be a very difficult task for the system. Therefore, we are making a special exception and changing your data as well.¡±

    Therefore, he could not conclude that it was a perfect defense. Still, that incident had been a special case.

    In particr, one of the World ss Items defending Nazarick had the effect of protecting against divination spells. If it could not block surveince from World ss Items, then it would be meaningless.

    ¡°Therefore, I feel the enemy will try to approach Momon... but the ones who havee to him are all mothers clutching their newborn children or adventurers.¡±

    The ones who came forward begged him to touch their children¡¯s heads in the hope that they would grow up strong, or they asked to shake hands with him in the hopes of bing stronger themselves. None of them had asked to speak with him in private.

    Therefore, Ainz had created many openings like this on purpose, waiting for the enemy to make a move.

    Not giving Cocytus a World ss Item was part of that n. Ainz intended to use him as bait to draw out the opposition. Their foe was fearsome precisely because he did not know their identity. That being the case, learning about their opponent would probably help them find a way to deal with them.

    ¡°May I share my humble opinion on this matter?¡±

    ¡°What is it, Albedo?¡±

    ¡°Ainz-sama, as you have said just now, your aim is to divine the enemy¡¯s identity and learn more about them. In that case, is it not possible that the enemy is unwilling to get close because they have not been exposed yet?¡±

    ...Ah.

    ¡°It... it¡¯s fine, Albedo. I have considered that point as well.¡±

    As if. Ainz had already assumed that his enemy was like himself, and would want to learn about their opposition.

    ...What a gaffe. What if I¡¯ve been going about it all wrong from the start?

    ¡°Forgive me. Also...¡±

    Albedo, could you please stop ¡ª Ainz could not bring himself to beg that of her. He felt like he had finished a multiple choice exam, and then, when he went through his work one more time, he found that all his answers were incorrectly shifted one space down.

    ¡°There¡¯s the matter of announcing that Shalltear was defeated by a magic item...¡±

    ¡°Yes. I reported as much to the Guild. That was in order to avoid people fearing Momon¡¯s strength. Spell-sealing crystals are extremely rare items, so breaking one for an experiment should be difficult. Therefore, saying that the spell-sealing crystal went out of control ¡ª that the monster was defeated through the use of a magic item ¡ª is more convincing and it means fewer people will be on guard against Momon.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, it is as you say. It would work well against people who think spell-sealing crystals are rare items.¡±

    Albedo¡¯s subtle qualification of her statement made Ainz feel very uneasy.

    ¡°...However, what if our enemy had multiple such crystals like yourself, Ainz-sama?¡±

    ¡°...Hm? Ah, so that¡¯s what you mean.¡±

    Ainz put on a show of sudden realization, but he had no idea what she meant.

    So what if the opposition had many spell-sealing crystals? The fact was that they were very valuable items in this world. Was Albedo worried that someone would break a crystal as an experiment?

    Still, it did not feel like that.

    A sense of foreboding filled Ainz¡¯s heart. He wanted Albedo to exin herself, but he resented having the pretense of knowledge he had put on just now.

    Come to think of it, is it really all right if I act as a ruler and decide the direction of Nazarick? What if I end up steering us into an iceberg?

    He wanted to run away from all of this and be done with it.

    Unable to bear the strain of leadership ¡ª which was only amplified when he messed up ¡ª he wept within his soul.

    However, he could not just run off. Since he had called himself Ainz Ooal Gown, he could not abandon the things ¡ª the NPCs and the treasures of Nazarick ¡ª that his friends had made. The most important thing was that he did not want to be a deadbeat father.

    I sometimes worry if you¡¯ll betray, abandon, or give up on me. However, that just means I have to be the Ainz Ooal Gown you expect and believe in.

    Therefore, Ainz put on a confident front, the pose of a ruler with utmost confidence in himself, which he had practiced in the mirror.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. However, I understand your unease.¡±

    Then, Ainz looked around.

    ¡°Albedo... share your worries with the other Guardians.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes! If the opposition possesses multiple crystals like you do, Ainz-sama... anyone who knows their abilities will probably see through that news immediately. In other words, they will believe that Shalltear was not defeated by the crystal. Although the enemy might not know if Shalltear fought with all her strength, anyone with a World ss Item would probably think that Shalltear and Momon were of equivalent strength. Therefore, they would probably consider Momon ¡ª a mysterious warrior who suddenly appeared in E-Rantel ¡ª a threat, no? In addition, the opposition might also suspect something about the link between Shalltear and Momon...¡±

    ¡°...Albedo, and the Guardians. What do you think the enemy will do next?¡±

    ¡°Permit me to answer, then. I feel that if our enemy intends to oppose you, Ainz-sama, they will respond by spreading rumors of Momon and the Vampire being in league with each other ¡ª even if there is no basis to them ¡ª andsh out at him. Our opposition will surely not want Momon to be more and more famous.¡±

    Uwah, Ainz groaned internally.

    His original aim of going to E-Rantel was to gather information, but his main objective was to make the character Momon famous ¡ª that, and he also wanted to get away from all this. The original n was to turn Momon into a great hero and then reveal his true identity, whereupon the fame and glory he had umted would be transferred to Ainz Ooal Gown, and resound throughout the world.

    In addition, it would also serve to show that a former PK guild had changed its image, fighting injustice through the name of Momon. But now, those ns were little more than soap bubbles vanishing in the wind.

    ¡°Oh? Demiurge, I¡¯ve got a question. Wouldn¡¯t it be more damaging to spread the rumors of working with that Vampire after he became famous?¡±

    ¡°Aura, doing so at that time would be a poor move. Once Ainz-sama is sufficiently famous, people would discount those rumors as malicious gossip. That reputation must be eliminated before it grows and bes widespread.¡±

    ¡°A very astute observation, Demiurge.¡±

    Ainz nodded magnanimously in response to Demiurge¡¯s bow, as though he had been thinking the same thing as well.

    ¡°Then, I have another question. If that is the case, why has the enemy not spread these rumors yet?¡±

    Demiurge raised a finger after hearing Ainz¡¯s question.

    ¡°Firstly, the enemy has notpleted their investigation into Momon-sama. If it turned out that Momon-sama defeated Shalltear in openbat, they would wish to avoid incurring his ire, or perhaps they would like to recruit him to their side. Secondly¡ª¡±

    He raised another finger.

    ¡°What if the opposition only ran into Shalltear by chance? Or what if they encountered her on the way to another objective, and they were apletely unrted third party?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not possible now, is it, Demiurge. How unlikely would that be...¡±

    Ainz said that, but in his heart, he realized that it was not impossible.

    He was dead set on the idea that this was an attack targeted at Shalltear ¡ª or the personnel of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. However, Shalltear had been attacked shortly after they had all been brought to this new world. Under those circumstances, it would require preternatural precision to target and attack Shalltear.

    Was he being overly paranoid of some hidden mastermind?

    Ainz narrowed his eyes ¡ª the points of red light in his eye sockets.

    Ultimately, theck of information remained a problem. He did not have enough manpower and he needed more strength.

    In any case, the biggest problem right now is ourck of an intelligence-gatheringwork.

    Currently, he had ordered Sebas to handle this sort of work. However, there was a limit to how much intelligence that limited numbers of intelligence personnel could gather. At first, he had only wanted to learn the basic facts of this world, but they were now at a stage where such information was no longer sufficient.

    They could not learn what they wanted to know by going through adventurers and traders alone. It was simr to how an average citizen and a high ranking government official had ess to information of differing importance.

    In addition, he had no idea what sort of person could analyze the data they had gathered and determine whether or not any particr piece of information was important.

    ¡°Good grief. In any case, our main challenge now is ack of information. Our hands are tied because we have to be wary of an unseen foe...¡±

    Demiurge shed Ainz a conspiratorial smile as he heard Ainz mumble.

    ¡°In that case, why not seek a nation to support you?¡±

    After a brief silence, Albedo went ¡°Oh¡± to indicate that she understood. Soon, Ainz made the same noise.

    ¡°I see, Demiurge. So that was what you meant.¡±

    However, the other three Guardians still looked quite confused. After that, Aura came out and asked:

    ¡°Ainz-sama, what¡¯s this all about?¡±

    As Aura asked that question, Ainz gave thanks that he did not have any facial expressions.

    ¡°Honestly... Mare, Shalltear, do you not understand what Demiurge was trying to say?¡±

    The two of them shook their heads in unison.

    ¡°I see. Then it can¡¯t be helped. Tell them, Demiurge.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I understand. Now then, everyone. Ainz-sama is worried about the existence of a hidden, powerful enemy. I feel that if we encounter said enemy and they are hostile to us, we need to have some kind of leverage that we can use during negotiations.¡±

    Sensei, I don¡¯t get it ¡ª that look appeared on the faces of three students and one adult. Demiurge-sensei seemed to realise that his exnation was tooplicated and decided to continue exining after dumbing himself down to match the students.

    ¡°What would you do if Ainz-sama was dominated by some World ss Item?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d kill the bastard who did it.¡±

    ¡°...No, that¡¯s not what I mean, Aura. What I¡¯m trying to say is, don¡¯t you think the very fact that being mind controlled would count as an alibi? The fact is that there are people out there who really can dominate their opposition with World ss Items, so we can convincingly say that Ainz-sama was controlled by a World ss Item.¡±

    Assistant Teacher Albedo supplemented Head Teacher Demiurge¡¯s lecture:

    ¡°In other words, by pretending to support another country, we have an excuse for any action which Nazarick takes. By saying that we were ordered to do so by that country and we had no choice but to obey, we could use that to deflect me from ourselves, assuming there was an enemy on our level. Also, if the other party does not want an open conflict, they will have no choice but to bear with it.¡±

    ¡°I see... so even if someone wasn¡¯t happy with what we did, as long as we had a good reason, we could drag a third party into bing an ally... so that¡¯s what it is, as expected of Ainz-sama...¡±

    Ainz reached out and stroked the head of Shalltear the chair. It was like a mob boss stroking a Siamese cat

    ¡°Demiurge came up with that scheme, not me, so your thanks should go to him.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not true. It would seem you already came to the same answer, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Ah, er... um. It feels like I¡¯m taking credit for your hard work. Sorry about that. Also... I believe it will be easier to obtain information if we support another country.¡±

    A country would probably have the intelligence-gatheringwork that they were struggling to build. That being the case, infiltrating them with Nazarick¡¯s people ought to be much better for gathering usable information.

    Demiurge smiled at the thought that his suggestion had been useful on something which had bothered Ainz, and at Ainz¡¯s words, which seemed to validate his and Albedo¡¯s opinions.

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    Ainz was aware of the subtext: ¡°You picked up on it as well, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Ah, indeed. As expected of Ainz-sama ¡ª to think you had such clear insights... in that case, even inferior lifeforms like human beings could prove surprisingly useful.¡±

    After Albedo spoke up, the other Guardians ¡ª including Shalltear the chair ¡ª looked at Ainz with sparkly eyes filled with pure loyalty.

    Ainz felt very ufortable, but he consoled himself with the fact that the two of them had given him their approval.

    ¡°Then... let¡¯s find a country to infiltrate. Which country will it be?¡±

    ¡°If we pick from the neighboring countries, we would have the Kingdom, the Empire, and the Theocracy.¡±

    ¡°How, how about a country that was further away? Like say, the Council Alliance or the Holy Kingdom...¡±

    ¡°I would rather not select a distant country, and I would prefer not to make contact with the Theocracy before we learn enough about them. That leaves the Kingdom and the Empire... judging by Sebas¡¯s report, the Kingdom is not particrly interesting. However... this matter requires further study. Anyway¡ª¡±

    Ainz interrupted the conversation by extending his hand to the mirror.

    ¡°We¡¯ve given the Lizardmen some time. Let¡¯s see if they¡¯ve done anything unexpected.¡±

    A bird¡¯s eye view of the Lizardmen¡¯s vige appeared on the Mirror of Remote Viewing.

    Ainz reached out to the mirror and with a subtle shift of his hand, he changed the scenery it showed.

    Naturally, he began by zooming in the image.

    In this way, they could see every detail of the Lizardmen¡¯s preparations for battle.

    ¡°Such futile effort,¡± Demiurge muttered gently to the Lizardmen.

    Let¡¯s see, where are they? It¡¯s hard to tell one Lizardman from another.

    Ainz frowned as he searched for the six Lizardmen he had seen earlier.

    ¡°Oh ¡ª there¡¯s the armor. Is this the rock-throwing fellow? And then, the one with the greatsword is here. The differences are really fine. Maybe color, gear, or obvious physical variations would be good ways to tell them apart... ah, there¡¯s a distinctive one.¡±

    After that, Ainz moved the mirror¡¯s image around in confusion.

    ¡°...I don¡¯t see that white Lizardman and the one with a magic weapon.¡±

    ¡°Hm... is his name Zaryusu?¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right, that¡¯s his name.¡±

    After Aura reminded him, Ainz remembered the name of the Lizardman who had stepped forward to negotiate with him.

    ¡°Could he be in his house?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps.¡±

    The Mirror of Remote Viewing could not peer into structures. However, that was only under normal circumstances.

    ¡°Demiurge, fetch me the Infinite Haversack.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    With a bow, Demiurge picked up the Infinite Backpack whichy on the table which had been shifted to the corner of the room before courteously presenting it to Ainz. Ainz took a scroll out of it.

    After that, he cast the spell inscribed within it.

    The spell produced an invisible and incorporeal sensor. It could not prate magical barriers, but it could pass through conventional walls regardless of their thickness. If it could not pass through said walls, that would imply there was a powerful foe present, and they had to be wary.

    He linked the sensor to the Mirror of Remote Viewing, so the Guardians could see what Ainz could see. Then he moved the eye-like, floating sensor.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see what¡¯s inside this house.¡±

    Ainz selected one of the nearest houses ¡ª a pretty run-down affair ¡ª and sent the sensor inside. Despite the darkness of the interior, it appeared as bright as day through the eyes of the sensor.

    The white Lizardman was pressed against the floor of the house. Her tail was tucked up and there was a ck Lizardman mounted on her.

    Ainz was utterly confused.

    For a moment, he had no idea what was going on. In the next moment, he had no idea why they would be doing something like that at a time like this.

    After that, Ainz silently steered the sensor outside.

    ¡°...¡±

    Ainz grabbed his head in a moment of infinite weakness. The Guardians around him had no idea what to say, and looked at the ground with puzzled expressions on their faces.

    ¡°¡ªWhat a displeasing lot. Cocytus will be attacking any moment now and they¡¯re still indulging themselves!¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡±

    ¡°Er, ah, a-about that...¡±

    ¡°Demiurge¡¯s right! We need to make those two suffer!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so jealous...¡±

    Ainz waved his hand to silence the Guardians.

    ¡°...Forget it, they¡¯ll all be dead soon. I once saw a movie which said that situations like these stimte the desire to propagate the species.¡±

    Ainz nodded, certain of his opinion.

    ¡°Indeed, it is so!¡±

    ¡°Well, if that¡¯s all, we should probably let them off the hook.¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡±

    ¡°Er, ah, a-about that...¡±

    ¡°I agree with Demiurge-sama...¡±

    ¡°...Quiet, all of you.¡±

    After the Guardians had fallen silent, Ainz sighed.

    ¡°...Well, there goes my motivation. Never mind, there¡¯s probably nobody to worry about in the Lizardman vige. Still, we can¡¯t be careless, because someone might be heading for us right now. Aura...¡±

    Ainz froze, and looked at the twins.

    Crap! What should I do now!? Those two haven¡¯t been given sex education yet... no, it¡¯s too early for that!

    Ainz suddenly understood what it was like for a father to see a lewd scene on the television during a family gathering.

    Dammit, how would a father or mother answer if they were asked where babies came from!? This is bad! I can¡¯t believe I let Bukubukuchagama¡¯s children see that ¡ª though, it shouldn¡¯t be too bad. Let¡¯s not consider Albedo, and Demiurge... he¡¯d probably teach them from a clinical perspective. Shalltear... not too bad either. Let¡¯s handle this another day.

    After pushing the question to the back of his mind, Ainz coughed and asked:

    ¡°If the security picks up anything, all the Guardians ¡ª myself included ¡ª will move out together.¡±

    If there were any other yers around, he would not adhere to his agreement of sparing the Lizardmen. If they would not be allies, then they would have to be terminated with extreme prejudice to avoid any information leaks. When they happened, they would destroy the vige, even if they had to draw on all the forces of the Eighth Floor to do so.

    Ainz thrust aside the guilt he felt at viting his promise to Cocytus. A little white lie would be preferable if it was for a good reason.

    ¡°...Now then, the show¡¯s about to begin... let¡¯s enjoy watching Cocytus in action.¡±

    <b>Part 2</b>

    The four hours passed in a sh.

    The frozen marsh had long since melted, and the warriors were gathered there ¡ª at the main gate of the vige. After the intense battle several days ago, there were precious few of them who had survived to fight in this battle.

    There were three hundred and sixteen of them in total.

    Nobody but the warriors would participate in this battle, because Shasuryu had said, ¡°The enemy is few in number, so too many people on our part will just get in the way.¡±

    That seemed like a logical enough exnation, but that was not all.

    Zaryusu stood some distance ahead of the Lizardmen and looked on the warriors.

    Everyone was painted with markings which showed that the ancestors had descended upon them. Their iron will was readily apparent on their faces, and they looked confident of victory.

    The Lizardmen around them were cheering their warriors on. Still, he could see quite a few worried-looking people in the crowd.

    Zaryusu strove to keep a nonchnt expression in order to keep his uneasiness from showing on his face. He did not want the other Lizardmen to know that this battle was essentially a live sacrifice to the king of death.

    Indeed, this was a battle that was intended to demonstrate the undead king¡¯s power to the Lizardmen. Its purpose was to thoroughly eradicate the very possibility of rebellion among the Lizardmen. They had no chance of surviving, which meant that the subtext behind Shasuryu¡¯s words was ¡°so that we can reduce casualties to the minimum.¡±

    Zaryusu looked away from the Lizardmen, and he turned his keen gaze on the enemy formation.

    The skeletal army remained where it was. There was no sign of the monster called Cocytus among them. Zaryusu doubted that it was a skeleton. As a trusted subordinate of that king of death, how could he be a mook like that? He must be some being whose strength was apparent at a nce.

    A loud sshing came from behind the worried Zaryusu¡ª

    ¡°¡ªHey, Zaryusu.¡±

    ¡ªAnd Zenberu greeted him as casually as always. He was the same person even when he was headed for certain death.

    ¡°Morale¡¯s at its peak.¡±

    ¡°Well, it would be nice if it could stay that way when we faced that Cocytus fellow...¡±

    ¡°Yup. Oh, is it time?¡±

    Shasuryu was at the main gate, and all the Lizardmen¡¯s eyes were on the two Swamp Elementals by his side.

    Crusch was not here because she had spent all her mana on summoning the elementals. The drain of that, on top of casting a plethora of long-duration defensive spells on Zaryusu, had left her almost immobile. In fact, when they had left their house, Crusch had already told him that she would be passing out from using too much mana, and they would never see each other again.

    Alone now, Zaryusu looked towards the ce where Crusch was. The way she had looked when they had parted made Zaryusu feel like he had been stabbed in the heart.

    ¡°Warriors, let¡¯s go!¡±

    With a rousing cry, Shasuryu stoked the mes of the Lizardmen¡¯s fighting spirit, and the air was filled with eager tension.

    He had to think like a warrior again. Zaryusu reined in his rampaging thoughts.

    The Lizardmen advanced slowly, led by Shasuryu and the two Swamp Elementals.

    They were leaving the vige so it would not be caught up in the fighting.

    Zaryusu and Zenberu followed behind them.

    Just then, Zaryusu suddenly looked back to the vige. There were the broken-down dirt walls, the worried Lizardmen watching them go, and¡ª

    Zaryusu sighed quietly, and cast all his worries away as he strode forward. He did not speak the name of the female which was on his lips.

    ? ? ?

    The Lizardmen marched into the marsh, and formed up at the region between the skeletal army and the vige.

    That said, they had no formation to speak of. They simply sprawled themselves out to wait for the fight. At their head were the various tribal chiefs and the two Swamp Elementals.

    The skeletal army had probably been waiting for their arrival. They banged on their shields and stomped.

    The many small dys between footfalls would normally make an army¡¯s march sound like a shower of bird droppings. However, the undead army marched with perfect coordination, producing a harmonious sound. If the circumstances were any different, it would be worthy of apuse.

    Just as the Lizardmen were drawn in by the sound of their movements, several trees fell ¡ª behind the skeletal army.

    There was only one reason why those gigantic trees would fall ¡ª because someone had cut them down.

    This sparked amotion among the Lizardmen.

    Since nobody was visible yet, it was reasonable to assume that several people had worked together to fell those trees. However, if that were the case, then the trees were falling with far too much uniformity. Granted, after seeing the unity of the skeletal army, an observer might think that they could chop down trees with such precision, but none of the Lizardmen felt that way.

    A bizarre thought ran through their minds ¡ª that all this had been done by one person.

    That was because there was no sound of des striking wood before the trees fell. In other words, it might be possible (however surprising it was) that some incredibly strong person had chopped the trees down with one swing.

    How strong an arm and how mighty a weapon would be needed to cut a massive tree in half with a single stroke?

    The earthshaking tremors of the falling trees blended with the sound of the skeletons pounding on their shields, and both crept closer to the Lizardmen.

    Anxiety began to brew. That was only to be expected ¡ª who could remain calm under such circumstances? Even Zenberu ¡ª who was prepared to die ¡ª was shaken, though he tried to hide it.

    Soon, the creature which had cleaved a path through the forest finally appeared. At the same time, the pounding on the shields suddenly stopped.

    In the preternatural silence, the first thing they saw was a mass of glossy blue light. How much more brightly would it have shone had the sky not been overcast?

    It looked like a two-legged insect, its massive body standing around two hundred fifty centimeters high. It resembled an ant or a mantis, and it looked like some hybrid made by an utterly depraved fiend.

    Its hard exoskeleton was wreathed in freezing cold, and it glittered like diamond dust.

    It had a savage tail that was as long as its body and studded with countless spikes. Its mighty jaws looked like they could easily bite a man¡¯s hands clean off.

    It had four arms tipped in razor-sharp ws, each of which was sheathed in a shiny gauntlet. It wore a disc-like amulet on a golden ne and tinum rings around its ankles.

    This was how the being of matchless might, follower of the king of death, made its entrance.

    ? ? ?

    Was he Cocytus?

    Zaryusu¡¯s heart pounded. Unconsciously, his breathing had grown faster.

    None of the Lizardmen spoke. Everyone¡¯s attention was drawn to the monster that had shown itself, and they were so frightened that they could not tear their eyes away.

    They had begun backing away slowly without realizing it. Be they Lizardman warriors who hade in high spirits, or Zaryusu and the others who hade here prepared to die, all of them were shocked to the core by the appearance of this unimaginably powerful entity.

    I know the king of death didn¡¯t use his full strength on us, but even so, I didn¡¯t expect the warrior he sent to fight in earnest to be so frightening.

    Even with a spell that removed his fear, the impulse to run away still surged within Zaryusu¡¯s heart. It was a miracle that the warriors, who were not protected by such magic, were not already trampling each other as they fled.

    Cocytus slowly drew closer.

    He strode proudly into the marsh, past the skeletal army¡ª

    ¡ªAnd then Cocytus stopped, roughly thirty meters away from the Lizardmen. After that, his insectoid face swivelled atop his slender neck, as though looking for someone.

    Zaryusu had the feeling that Cocytus¡¯s eyes were on him.

    ¡°¡ªAll right. Since. Ainz-sama. Is. Watching. I Shall. Ensure. You. Get. A. Chance. To. Shine. However. Before. That. ¡¸Ice Pir¡¹.¡±

    As the spell activated, two pirs of ice erupted from the water between the Lizardmen and Cocytus, about twenty meters apart.

    ¡°This. Might. Be. Rude. To. Warriors. Who. Are. Ready. To. Give. Their. Lives. But. I. Must. Inform. You. That. My. Side. Of. These. Pirs. Will. Be. Your. Grave. Any. Who. Cross. It. Shall. Die.¡±

    Cocytus folded his arms, as though to say, The choice is yours.

    ¡°Oi oi oi, he doesn¡¯t look like it but he¡¯s a pretty decent chap, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    Zaryusu nodded deeply at Zenberu¡¯s words.

    Then, he stepped forward. Zenberu and the other two chiefs followed him.

    Shasuryu looked back, at the warriors who were about to follow him.

    ¡°You should stay here... no, return to the vige. Otherwise... you¡¯ll die with us.¡±

    ¡°What!? We want to fight too! It¡¯s scary, but... even if it¡¯s scary, we still want to fight!¡±

    ¡°Retreat is not cowardice. Living is true courage.¡±

    ¡°Then¡ª¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s some of us who can¡¯t fall back either. Besides, as chiefs, we can¡¯t ept other people ruling us without a fight, no?¡±

    ¡°We still want to fight, Chief.¡±

    ¡°Hold on a second! Get out of here, young ones! This is a job for us old folks!¡±

    The Lizardmen who shoved their way forward were all advanced in years, but none of them was old enough to be considered elderly. There were fifty seven of them, and none of the others could say anything after seeing their faces.

    Perhaps if they looked like they were resolved to die or had given up on themselves, they would have asked toe along. However, their expressions were a plea for the younger Lizardmen to live on and celebrate the miracle of life.

    With nothing left to say, the rest of the warriors turned back.

    Shasuryu turned to face Cocytus once more.

    ¡°...Sorry for the wait, Cocytus.¡±

    Cocytus extended a hand to the Lizardmen and curled it towards him. ¡°Bring it,¡± the gesture seemed to say. In response to this taunt, Shasuryu shouted:

    ¡°CHARGE¡ª!¡±

    ¡°Ohhhhh!¡±

    Fully resolved to die, the Lizardmen gave voice to a cry from the depths of their souls, a roar which seemed to split the very sky, and rushed at Cocytus.

    Cocytus calmly regarded the warriors charging him.

    ¡°...This. Might. Be. A. Bit. Disrespectful. To. Warriors. Like. You. But. I. Shall. Cull. Your. Numbers.¡±

    Cocytus was sure that he would not be defeated even if all of the warriors reached him, but still, he had to weed his opponents out.

    Personally speaking, Cocytus would have liked to allow his foes to reach a range where they could fight. However, he had received far morergesse than he deserved, and allowing this ragtag band of misfits to do battle with a Guardian of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick would be disrespectful to Ainz-sama.

    Thus, he unleashed his aura.

    It was a skill derived from the Knight of Niflheim ss ¡ª ¡¸Frost Aura¡¹. This special ability damaged and slowed the foe through the use of extreme cold temperatures. At full power, it could even engulf the Lizardmen spectating from the sides.

    So he had to suppress its power.

    He had to narrow its radius and reduce its damage.

    ¡°This ought to do it...¡±

    A wave of freezing cold expanded from Cocytus, instantly filling a radius of twenty five meters across.

    The temperature plummeted upon exposure to the intense cold, and the very air seemed to groan.

    ¡°...Hm. That. Ought. To. Do.¡±

    He drew back his aura.

    The momentary exposure meant that the savage, blizzard like snap-frost had vanished like it had never been. However, it was no illusion or trick of the senses. The best proof of that was the fifty seven Lizardman corpses that covered the marsh.

    Only five more still remained. However, they were the five strongest Lizardmen. Unfazed by Cocytus¡¯s might or the deaths of theirrades, they moved out as one.

    A stone flew through the air. The armored Lizardman led the charge, followed by two more behind it. In addition, the two Swamp Elementals had cracks all over them after the cold attack, andgged behind the Lizardmen because they were slower. The one at the rear incanted spell after spell.

    ? ? ?

    The first strike was a stone, which was aimed at Cocytus¡¯s throat. However, it waspletely meaningless, because¡ª

    ¡°¡ªWe. Guardians. Are. Equipped. With. Items. That. Resist. Ranged. Attacks.¡±

    ¡ªAn invisible barrier which appeared to cover his body deflected the stone.

    It was followed by a charging Lizardman. The armor he wore was an ancestral heirloom, one of the Four Treasures ¡ª the White Dragon Bone. It was strong enough to deflect Frost Pain, itself one of the Four Treasures, and it was hailed as the hardest armor among the Lizardmen.

    Facing it was a sword which Cocytus drew out of nothing, as though it had been sheathed in the air.

    The sword Cocytus unsheathed was an odachi ¡ª its de over one hundred eighty centimeters long, named God-ying sh Emperor. It was the sharpest of the twenty one weapons which Cocytus possessed.

    Then, he swung it at the iing Lizardman.

    The fluid cut whooshed quietly through the air. If not for the present situation, it would have been a sound which people would want to listen for.

    After that sound, the chief¡¯s body and his armor split into two halves from head to tail, which fell to the left and right, into the marsh.

    God-ying sh Emperor was unscathed despite cleaving through the strongest armor of the Lizardmen.

    The other two Lizardmen did not seem affected by the death of theirrade. They raised their weapons and executed a pincer attack.

    ¡°Yeeart!¡±

    On the right, Zenberu sent a karate chop at Cocytus¡¯s face, having enhanced it with ¡¸Iron Natural Weapon¡¹ and ¡¸Iron Skin¡¹.

    ¡°Guooooh¡ª!¡±

    On the left was Frost Pain, stabbing at the belly.

    This attack was calcted to exploit the fact that long weapons were unwieldy in meleebat.

    Of course, that only applied to regr people.

    Cocytus shifted slightly and intercepted Zenberu¡¯s arm with the de of God-ying sh Emperor. His preternatural movements made it seem as though the weapon in his hand was an extension of his limbs.

    Zenberu¡¯s skin could rival the hardness of steel under the effects of Iron Skin, but the armor from just now had already proven the sharpness of God-ying sh Emperor.

    The de which entered Zenberu¡¯s arm carved it off like it was going through water.

    ¡°Guwaaargh¡ª!¡±

    As Zenberu¡¯s severed right arm sprayed fresh arterial blood, Cocytus¡¯s other hand casually gripped Frost Pain, which was headed at his belly.

    ¡°¡ªOh. I. See. This. Is. A. Pretty. Good. Sword.¡±

    ¡°Waaah!¡±

    Zaryusu gave up on pulling back the immovable Frost Pain, and immediatelyshed out at Cocytus¡¯s knee with a kick. Cocytus did not dodge it; he simply took the blow. In the end, when Zaryusu¡¯s foot connected with Cocytus¡¯s knee, it was Zaryusu who felt the pain.

    It felt just like kicking an iron wall with all his might.

    ¡°¡¸Over Magic ¨C Mass Light Cure Wounds¡¹.¡±

    Through the use of prodigious amounts of mana, one could forcibly cast a spell that should not have been normally usable. Aided by this metamagic enhancement, Shasuryu cast a spell that healed everyone¡¯s wounds.

    ¡°Oh...¡±

    Cocytus looked at Shasuryu with interest as thetter used a metamagic technique he had never heard of before. However, the two Swamp Elementals blocked his line of sight. While Zenberu¡¯s arm gradually resumed its original form, the two Swamp Elementals attacked Cocytus with their tentacles. However, Cocytus had already shed at the Swamp Elementals¡¯ bodies.

    Just as the the Swamp Elementals dissolved into clumps of mud, Zaryusu punched at Cocytus¡¯spound eyes, his belly, and his chest. Naturally, it was Zaryusu who was hurt instead. The skin on his knuckles split and wept tears of fresh blood.

    ¡°How. Bothersome.¡±

    Cocytus swatted at Zaryusu¡¯s chest with his spiked tail.

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Guaargh!¡±

    Zaryusu flew into the distance like he had been hit by a baseball bat, apanied by the sound of cracking. In the end, he hit the marsh, rolling several times beforeing to a halt. However, the agony in his chest and the bright red blood he was coughing up made it hard for Zaryusu to breathe.

    The broken ribs had probably pierced his lungs, because he could not take air in no matter how hard he tried to breathe. It felt as though he were in water. The hot fluid pouring into his throat made him want to vomit. He looked down at his chest, and the wound ¡ª which looked like someone had stabbed him with a sharp de ¡ª was gushing with blood.

    ¡ª-Just one hit had reduced Zaryusu to this pitiful state.

    Zaryusu red at Cocytus, the fighting spirit still burning in his eyes even as he struggled to keep breathing.

    ¡°So. You. Still. Wish. To. Fight. Then. I. Shall. Return. This. To. You.¡±

    After casually tossing Frost Pain back to the fallen Zaryusu, Cocytus ignored him and turned to the remaining Lizardmen.

    Shasuryu cast a healing spell on Zenberu, who had regrown his arm, but whose health had been greatly depleted.

    Just as Cocytus was about to reach them, another stone flew at him, attempting to divert his attention ¡ª however, the attack was useless, and was easily deflected.

    ¡°¡ªHow. Annoying,¡± Cocytus grumbled, and then extended his hand at the Small Fang¡¯s chief.

    ¡°¡¸Piercing Icicle¡¹.¡±

    Several dozen razor-sharp icicles, each the size of an arm, showered down on arge area.

    One of the Lizardmen was within the attack radius and the icicles pierced him instantly.

    He took one in the chest, two in the belly, and one in the right thigh ¡ª each of them easily prated his body

    The Small Fang chief ¡ª the best ranger among the Lizardmen, crumpled to the swamp like a puppet whose strings had been cut, where he expired.

    ¡°Uoooooh¡ª!¡±

    ¡°¡¸Over Magic ¨C Mass Light Cure Wounds¡¹!¡±

    Zenberu charged ahead while Shasuryu cast a healing spell again. Zenberu was trying to buy time for Zaryusu¡¯s wounds to mend.

    He knew this was a reckless course of action, and that he was nothing before the might of Cocytus. Even so, Zenberu sprinted ahead without a moment¡¯s hesitation.

    Cocytus swung lightly at Zenberu, who had entered his attack range.

    The swing was faster than Zenberu could see¡ª

    Its speed was beyond Zenberu¡¯s dexterity¡ª

    The de sheared easily through Zenberu¡¯s flesh¡ª

    The decapitated corpse of Zenberu spurted blood like a geyser as it copsed gently to the marsnds. Shortly after that, his head joined it on the sod.

    ¡°...Now. Only. The. Two. Of. You. Are. Left... I. Had. Heard. Of. Your. Strength. From. Ainz-sama. But. In. The. End. Only. The. Two. Of. You. Remained.¡±

    Cocytus ¡ª who had not moved so much as an inch since the battle had started ¡ª studied the two of them, and flicked his sword. There was no trace of blood or fat on the gleaming white de. That beautiful movement looked like it could sweep everything away in a single stroke.

    Facing it was Zaryusu, who had recovered to the point where he could barely stand, and Shasuryu, who had drawn his greatsword. The two of them nked Cocytus front and rear. Zaryusu dabbed his fingers in the blood flowing from his chest and smeared it on his face.

    The way he applied the blood to himself made it seem as though he was summoning the ancestral spirits down upon himself.

    ¡°¡ªZaryusu, how are your wounds?¡±

    ¡°Not good. It¡¯s still aching. Still, I can take a few more swings.¡±

    ¡°Really now... that should be enough, right? Frankly speaking, I¡¯m almost out of mana. If I¡¯m not careful, I might keel over.¡±

    Shasuryu¡¯s teeth ground against each other. Perhaps he wasughing. As Zaryusu heard this, his expression changed as well.

    ¡°...Oh, really? Ani-ja, you¡¯re pushing yourself pretty hard too.¡±

    Zaryusu smiled, and then he sighed, rxing his shoulders. His sword arm sagged.

    A torrent of pain erupted from near his chest, but Zaryusu fought to ignore it.

    He would not give up until thest moment ¡ª Zaryusu intended to fight until the end.

    From the beginning, he had known full well that victory was impossible.

    Defeat was unavoidable, yet they could not ept it.

    That was because it would be like lying to countless people, telling them that they could win. Since others had actually believed them, they could not ept the fact that they would be defeated.

    They had to give everything they had until the final moment¡ª

    ¡°Then swing that sword you¡¯re wielding!!¡±

    Zaryusu¡¯s cry echoed throughout the surrounding area.

    The sound of cking came from Cocytus¡¯s mandibles.

    ¡°A. Fine. Cry.¡±

    Cocytus was probablyughing. But this was not theughter of the strong mocking the weak, but a warriorughing with a fellow fighter.

    ¡°Very well, Zaryusu. That¡¯s it, then. I¡¯ll fight with you to the bitter end as well.¡±

    Shasuryu smiled as well.

    ¡°Then... Sorry to keep you waiting, Cocytus-dono.¡±

    Cocytus shrugged as Shasuryu said this.

    ¡°It. Is. Fine. I. Am. Not. So. Thoughtless. As. To. Interrupt. A. Farewell. Between. Brothers. Now. Prepare. To Meet. Your. Fate... No. Pardon. Me. You. Were. Ready. For. It. From. The. Start.¡±

    As Zaryusu and Shasuryu began moving, Cocytus flourished God-ying sh Emperor and asked:

    ¡°State. Your. Names.¡±

    ¡°Shasuryu Shasha.¡±

    ¡±Zaryusu Shasha.¡±

    ¡°...I. Will. Remember. You. Warriors. Also. I. Apologise. Ahead. Of. Time. For. Not. Using. The. Weapons. In. All. My. Hands. It. Is. Not. That. I. Wish. To. Scorn. You. But. You. Are. Simply. Not. Strong. Enough. To. Warrant. Their. Use.¡±

    ¡°What a shame.¡±

    ¡°Indeed ¡ª here Ie!¡±

    ? ? ?

    The two of them lunged at Cocytus, sshing across the marsh.

    The uncoordinated timing of their attacks baffled Cocytus.

    The two of them did not enter his range at the same time. Shasuryu was the first to do so. Sensing a scheme, Cocytus awaited their next move.

    Since Shasuryu was the first to enter his strike zone, Cocytus carefully studied Shasuryu¡¯s next move.

    Shasuryu stopped just before Cocytus could reach him, and¡ª

    ¡°¡¸Earth Bind¡¹!¡±

    ¡ªAnd cast a spell.

    Countless chains formed of mud leapt at Cocytus, and Zaryusu broke into a wild sprint. He had even hidden Frost Pain behind his back so his opponent would not be able to gauge his attack range.

    Shasuryu¡¯s deration that ¡°I¡¯m almost out of mana,¡± was merely a ruse to deceive Cocytus. If he had taken the bait, perhaps he might have been bound by the mystic chains and been hit by Zaryusu¡¯s charge from behind.

    However tough their opponent¡¯s exoskeleton was, he should still be able to break through if he poured all his strength into the edge. With that in mind, Zaryusu had abandoned defense to focus on the attack, and the resulting strike should have been quite strong.

    He seems quite confident in his sword.

    Cocytus could understand how he felt, because much like him, Cocytus felt strongly about the weapons he owned. In particr, the sword he now wielded ¡ª which had once been used by his creator ¡ª was especially significant to him. Therefore, despite how lopsided it would make the battle, Cocytus insisted on doing battle with God-ying sh Emperor in hand, as a sign of his supreme respect.

    However, they had made a miscalction; which was that their opponent was Cocytus, Guardian of the Fifth Floor of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.

    ¡°...My. Defenses. Cannot. Be. Breached. By. Someone. Whose. Level. Is. Below. Mine.¡±

    The chains of mud rebounded off Cocytus an instant before they reached him, reverting to regr dirt and sinking back into the mire. Low tier spells could not pierce Cocytus¡¯s magical defenses.

    ¡°¡ª¡¸Icy Burst¡¹!¡±

    As the shout rang out, a vortex of ivory fog swirled out and surrounded Cocytus.

    A futile effort.

    Cocytus was immune to cold damage, so as the gentle breeze of the supercooled mist blew around him, he patiently waited for Zaryusu and Shasuryu to enter his attack range.

    Soon enough, the moment he had been waiting for arrived. However, Cocytus hesitated briefly; he thought, Can my foe be stopped just by cutting off his head?

    In the face of Zaryusu¡¯s full attack, Cocytus did not think that mere decapitation would stop his advance. The mental image of a headless body rushing him appeared in his mind.

    In that case, he ought to chop his hands off first, and then his head.

    No, that wouldn¡¯t be clean enough. Best to finish him off in one stroke.

    Zaryusu charged with all his strength, devoting every fiber of his being to the attack, but he was still too slow for Cocytus.

    A ck shadow appeared amidst the white mist ¡ª Zaryusu thrust his sword, and Cocytus caught it lightly between his fingers, like before.

    Cocytus did not feel any cold from his fingertips. Perhaps Zaryusu knew that Cocytus was immune to the cold and did not use the ability.

    The charge was fast, but he had blocked it so easily. That puzzled Cocytus. However, those doubts faded in an instant. His foe¡¯s life would end with a swing of God-ying sh Emperor, so there was nothing more to think about.

    And then there would only be one of them left.

    So it was just an unnned charge, then...

    Just as a somewhat disappointed Cocytus was about to strike, he changed his mind.

    See...

    ¡°Ohhhhh!¡±

    With a mighty roar, the greatsword hacked down through the freezing mist which hung in the air. Shasuryu¡¯s swing carried a gale in its wake, which dispersed the frozen fog.

    The ¡¸Earth Bind¡¹, Zaryusu¡¯s charge, ¡¸Icy Burst¡¹, all of them were decoys.

    While he had to be wary of Zaryusu stabbing him with Frost Pain, Shasuryu¡¯s overhead chop with the greatsword was more damaging, so that must have been their true intention. However¡ª

    ¡°Surprise attacks ought to be conducted in silence.¡±

    As long as they could not erase the sound they made as they ran across the marsh, it could not truly qualify as an unexpected attack. Cocytus was puzzled ¡ª was this really worth taking cold damage? Or was it just a meaningless struggle.

    Still, it was true that his foe had entered his strike zone.

    Now that Zaryusu¡¯s weapon was within his grasp, there was nothing to fear from him. Only the order in which they died would change. Having decided that, Cocytus swung God-ying sh Emperor.

    It struck.

    Shasuryu was cloven in half along with his greatsword. Before the body could hit the ground, Cocytus withdrew his de, nning to attack Zaryusu¡ª

    ? ? ?

    ¡ªAnd then, the fingers grasping Frost Pain slipped.

    Surprised, Cocytus looked at his fingers to see what had made it slide forward.

    He saw the bright red of blood amidst the white mist hanging in the air.

    In an instant, Cocytus realised why his fingers had slipped.

    ¡ªBlood?

    He was confused.

    He wondered when it had gotten there, and then as he saw Zaryusu¡¯s face through the mist, it suddenly dawned on him.

    The blood smeared on his face was not to paint himself, but to coat his sword.

    Neither had ¡¸Icy Burst¡¹ been intended to hurt Cocytus, or conceal Shasuryu¡¯s form. Its purpose had been to hide the blood coating the sword. So was keeping it behind his back.

    When he blocked Zaryusu¡¯s attack, Cocytus had done so with his fingers. Zaryusu remembered it, and had bet on the slim chance that he would do it again. Thus he had gone to these lengths to set up the battlefield to pull it off. Just then, a sh of lightning surged through Cocytus¡¯s brain.

    So that was why his thrust felt so weak! No wonder! There¡¯s no way the n to lubricate the sword with blood so it could pierce through would work every time. In order to create this chance, he slowed his strike to make me think it was easy to catch!

    The de slowly slid over, inching towards Cocytus¡¯s pale blue body. Now that Zaryusu had thrown his full strength and even body weight into the thrust, not even Cocytus could stop it ¡ª not with two bloodstained fingers.

    If he had grasped it further away from him, there might be something else he could do. But at this short range, he was out of options.

    Cocytus was so moved that he trembled.

    While it had relied on a bit of luck, this was an attack which had required multiple gambles, each of which had paid off. The most important thing was that without Shasuryu, none of this would have been possible.

    Shasuryu should not have understood Zaryusu¡¯s gambit, but as an elder brother, he had ced all his trust in his younger brother, to the point of sacrificing his own life. That pointless surprise attack and shouting were all to divert Cocytus¡¯s attention from his brother for just a moment.

    A single moment.

    And for just a single moment ¡ª as Zaryusu was forcing Frost Pain at him with all his might ¡ª Cocytus¡¯s mandibles trembled.

    ¡°Truly. Marvellous¡ª¡±

    And so the de struck Cocytus¡¯s body ¡ª only to deflect lightly off. His body, which glowed a faint blue, did not have so much as a scratch on it.

    This was the result of the impassable gulf that separated the highest level NPCs of Nazarick from mere Lizardmen.

    ¡°¡ªForgive. Me. But. I. Possess. A. Skill. Which. Briefly. Negates. Weakly-Enchanted. Weapon. Attacks. Once. I Activate. It. Your. Attack. Is. Useless.¡±

    That blow had been well-struck, and Cocytus felt that leaving a scar as a mark of respect for these warriors would be appropriate. However, he was under the eyes of a Supreme Being, and he could not do so in his position as a Guardian.

    Cocytus deliberately took one step back, sshing up the mud and staining his beautiful blue body.

    It was just a single step.

    There was no meaning to it. Backing up would not have made any difference to him. Zaryusu would still die, and Cocytus would still win.

    However, that step back was a sign of praise from the strong ¡ª Cocytus ¡ª to the weak ¡ª Zaryusu.

    Zaryusu smiled, in the way someone did when he knew full well what sort of fate was in store for him, yet ran towards it anyway. As he did, Cocytus swung his sword down¡ª

    <b>Part 3</b>

    ¡°That was a spectacr battle,¡± Ainz said in praise to Cocytus, who was kneeling before him.

    ¡°Thank. You.¡±

    ¡°However, I trust you understand that while we we used the stick this time, you must employ the carrot in the future. You are not to rule them through fear.¡±

    ¡°I. Understand.¡±

    After Ainz nodded, he looked to the other Guardians in the room.

    ¡°Very good. Now then, listen well, you Guardians. Like I said earlier in the Throne Room, Cocytus will administer the Lizardman vige. If he needs help, I hope you will give it to him. Cocytus, I hope you will foster a deeply-rooted loyalty to Nazarick in the Lizardmen. I also hope that you will cultivate the growth of talented members of their species. I will leave these tasks to you. If you need ¡¸Wings of Ascension¡¹ or other special items, let me know. I will also lend you a ¡¸Powered Suit¡¹ for the time being.¡±

    yers could change their character races in YGGDRASIL, but that did not imply that one could freely change race. Some requirements had to be met for the change, and the changes were irreversible.

    Part of the requirements were items. Someone who wanted to be an Elder Lich would need a ¡¸Book of the Dead¡¹. Someone who wanted to be an Imp would need a ¡¸Fallen Seed¡¹. The ¡¸Angel Wing¡¹ item which Ainz had mentioned was used for bing an Angel.

    Ainz had mentioned it because he thought that it might be possible to change races in that manner.

    ¡°I. Shall. Count. On. You. When. The. Time. Comes. Ainz-sama. May. I. Know. How. You. Wish. To. Deal. With. Those. Lizardmen?¡±

    ¡°Those Lizardmen?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The. Ones. Called. Zaryusu. And. Shasuryu.¡±

    The two who fought to the end. Their corpses should still be in the marsh. However, why did he bring them up?

    ¡°Hmm... Recover their corpses and use them for raw materials when I¡¯m not making undead with my skills.¡±

    ¡°¡ªThat. Would. Be. A. Bit. Of. A. Waste.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Why is that? Are they that valuable?¡±

    Ainz had watched the battle through the Mirror of Remote Viewing and saw an overwhelming victory. Nothing about them rmended themselves to his eye.

    ¡°...They. Might. Be. Weak. However. I. Saw. Their. Fearless. Warrior. Spirit. Turning. Them. Into. Raw. Materials. Is. A. Bit. Of. A. Waste. I. Feel. That. They. Could. Be. Stronger. Perhaps. Even. Exceeding. Our. Expectations. Ainz-sama. I. Believe. You. Have. Not. Yet. Conducted. Any. Practical. Experiments. With. Resurrecting. The. Dead. Could. You. Not. Do. So. With. Them?¡±

    ...Does he like those Lizardmen?

    In all honesty, Ainz did not feel anything when he heard things like ¡°warrior spirit.¡± He had heard of terms like ¡°killing intent¡± in manga and light novels, but he thought nothing of them. It was kind of like how Narberal responded with, ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s what it is, oh~¡± and so on while he was lecturing her. Simrly, Ainz had no idea what this warrior¡¯s empathy business was about.

    That was because Ainz had originally been a normal sryman, despite his current state. An average citizen who actually knew about a warrior¡¯s spirit or killing intent would probably be considered dangerous. Now, he could understand something like a bureaucrat¡¯s spirit instead.

    ¡°I see... So it would be a shame, then?¡±

    However, when Ainz heard about Cocytus¡¯s approval of the Lizardmen, his true thoughts were, Well, you might call it a shame, but I have no idea what that means.

    Still, when he thought about it, Cocytus¡¯s words made a lot of sense.

    He had wanted to find a ce to experiment with resurrection anyway, and Ainz felt that using them for those experiments would be very beneficial. In addition, unlike how Cocytus had been waffling around in the Throne Room, he had now proposed a useful solution for them. If that was a sign of improvement, then he had passed with flying colors.

    He paused briefly to think, and then Ainz thought of his other exceptional subordinates.

    He thought of them as they stood around him, in a suitably subservient posture ¡ª silent and unmoving.

    ¡°Albedo, what is your opinion?¡±

    ¡°It would be the same as yours, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°...What do you think, Demiurge?¡±

    ¡°I feel whatever you decide would be best, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°...How about you, Shalltear?¡±

    ¡°Like Demiurge, I shall abide by your ruling, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°...Aura?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m with everyone else.¡±

    ¡°...Mare.¡±

    ¡°Ah, ah, ah... yes. I think so too.¡±

    They might as well not have answered at all. Ainz¡¯s head ached.

    Ainz thought hard, and finally realized something ¡ª perhaps the Guardians did not think it was a big deal. In other words, no matter how he decided, they did not feel there would be any major benefits or drawbacks.

    Of course, he had to consider their respective situations. Sometimes, problems might arise due to their varying circumstances.

    Simply put, when a rich person said, ¡°Oh, that sum¡¯s not a problem,¡± one would immediately doubt the truth of those words. In other words, it was the result of differing values and priorities.

    I wasted my time asking... still, that means resurrecting the Lizardmen should be fine, right? I was nning to think carefully on this, because I¡¯ve made too many mistakes recently.

    With no recourse, Ainz had to ponder the merits and demerits of the situation by himself.

    ¡°...We have decided to subordinate the Lizardman vige to our rule, but is there a suitable candidate for leader? Do they have a group that manages the entire vige?¡±

    ¡°No, but there is a person who is suitable to be the vige¡¯s representative.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Who is that?¡±

    ¡°It. Is. The. White. Lizardman. Who. Did. Not. Take. Part. In. The. Fighting. She. Appears. To. Have. Druidic. Powers.¡±

    ¡°Her, then! Hm, well, that is workable...

    She should be worth using, Ainz thought. We could also use her to keep an eye on the others.

    However, having her execute Ainz¡¯s n might undermine Cocytus¡¯s n to administer the vige. That being the case, what should he do?

    At this point, a sh of inspiration struck Ainz.

    ...Wouldn¡¯t it be faster to ask her directly? Granted, I didn¡¯t get any usable answers just now...

    Ainz shared his ns with Cocytus, who replied in the affirmative.

    Given Cocytus¡¯s reaction, the fact that he might be caving in to his master¡¯s wishes could not be ruled out. However, after ncing at Demiurge and Albedo, he noted that neither of them seemed to be acting out of the ordinary, which reassured Ainz that he was doing the right thing.

    ¡°Very well. How soon before she can be brought here?¡±

    ¡°Forgive. Me. If. I. Have. Overstepped. Myself. But. I. Sensed. That. You. Might. Wish. To. See. Her. And. So. I. Ordered. Her. To. Wait. In. A. Nearby. Room.¡±

    Ainz nced at Demiurge, who shook his head.

    Nicely done indeed. He¡¯s settled the matter without anyone¡¯s instructions and it doesn¡¯t look like someone else gave him the idea.

    Ainz wondered if this was how a superior felt when he saw his subordinate grow as a person. He was all smiles ¡ª although one could not tell his expression given that he was a skeleton.

    ¡°No no no, you¡¯ve done well, Cocytus. Wasting time is foolish, and your judgement was correct. All right, bring her in, then.¡±

    ¡°Ah, please wait!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Aura?¡±

    ¡°While they are not strangers, meeting them in an unremarkable ce like this will damage your reputation, Ainz-sama. I feel you should receive her in Nazarick¡¯s Throne Room.¡±

    The other Guardians nodded, with the exception of Mare.

    ¡°...My. Apologies. I. Had. Not. Considered. That. Please. Forgive. Me!¡±

    ¡°Hm...¡±

    I hadn¡¯t thought of that at all. With that in mind, Ainz wondered how he should resolve this problem. At that moment, he remembered the words from back then. In that case ¡ª

    ¡°¡ªAura.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°Did you not once say that you built this ce in imitation of Nazarick? You were right. Cocytus, bring her over. I shall meet her here.¡±

    ¡°Ai¡ªAinz-sama!¡±

    ¡°Aura, that¡¯s enough.¡±

    ¡°Albedo!¡±

    Not knowing why she had been told to stand down, Aura looked at Albedo, her face red with protest. However, Albedo merely nced at her and then paid her no heed, looking at the main door instead. It was Demiurge who answered the angry Aura.

    ¡°...Ainz-sama would not make a mistake. That being the case, if Ainz-sama says this ce is as good as Nazarick, then¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªIt can¡¯t be wrong,¡± Shalltear continued.

    Well, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m totally correct, and I hope they don¡¯t think that way... Still, it ended up helping me out here.

    ¡°Aura, I shall say it again. I feel that this ce ¡ª built by you, one of my most trusted subordinates ¡ª is as good as Nazarick, even if it is still a work in progress... Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°...Thank you, Ainz-sama!¡±

    Aura bowed in gratitude, and so did the other Guardians.

    There¡¯s no need to be so moved, I guess... I feel so embarrassed now.

    ¡°In that case, bring her over, Cocytus.¡±

    ¡°At. Once!¡±

    ? ? ?

    Cocytus immediately brought the white Lizardman to the room. She knelt with her head bowed before Ainz.

    ¡°What is your name?¡±

    ¡°I am Crusch Lulu, representative of the Lizardmen, oh Supreme Overlord of Death, Ainz Ooal Gown-sama.¡±

    Well, that¡¯s pretty far-fetched. Ainz wondered who hade up with that title, but in the end he decided to adopt the calm, poised attitude of a king.

    ¡°...Mm, wee.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Gown-sama. Please ept the utmost loyalty of we, the Lizardmen.¡±

    ¡°Hm...¡±

    Ainz studied Crusch carefully.

    These scales are beautiful. They glittered under the light of the magical lighting.

    I wonder how they¡¯d feel, Ainz wondered out of curiosity.

    Just as Ainz lost himself in his thoughts, he realised that Crusch¡¯s shoulders were trembling. Cocytus should have disabled his cold-emanating skills, so it was probably due to some other reason.

    As he thought on the matter, Ainz realised that her shuddering made perfect sense.

    If Ainz said that he was displeased with the Lizardmen, every single one of them would be deprived of their heads. Therefore, Crusch was hanging on to every word Ainz said. Given that she was jumpy and nervous as it was, Ainz¡¯s unnatural silence would have filled her with terror.

    Ainz was not the sort of person who amused himself by tormenting the weak. He couldmit atrocities for the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, but his mental state had not degraded to the point where he would perform such acts as part of daily life.

    ¡°The Lizardmen shall live under my banner from this day forth. However, Cocytus will be ruling you in my ce. I trust there are no problems with that?¡±

    ¡°¡ªNo.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it, then. You may return.¡±

    ¡°Eh? May I?¡± Crusch eximed in surprise from where she was bowing. She had thought Ainz would demand the moon from her, so this utter betrayal of her expectations brought that reaction forth from her.

    ¡°You may go back for the time being, Crusch Lulu. The Lizardmen will soon enter a period of prosperity. Your future generations will give thanks with all their hearts that they were allowed to swear themselves to me.¡±

    ¡°You are too kind. We are already deeply grateful for the mercy you have shown us despite our opposition to a supreme being like yourself.¡±

    Ainz slowly rose from his throne, and then approached Crusch. He knelt down, and put a hand on her shoulder.

    Surprised, Crusch shuddered, and the vibration travelled up Ainz¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Also, I have a special request for you.¡±

    ¡°May I know what it is? If it is within my power, then I shall strive to fulfill your desires as your faithful servant, Gown-dono...¡±

    ¡°The idea was not originally mine ¡ª but if you agree, I shall restore Zaryusu to life in exchange.¡±

    As he spoke the name he had heard from Cocytus, Crusch suddenly raised her head, the very picture of shock.

    Ainz smugly studied Crusch¡¯s face. She seemed to be trying to hide her feelings, but her expression changed by the moment. Lizardmen and humans had very different facial expressions, so Ainz could not be certain what was there, but at the very least he could pick out joy, anger, and sorrow.

    ¡°Is that even possible...?¡±

    ¡°I possess power over life and death. Death is nothing more than a state of being to me.¡±

    After hearing Crusch¡¯s almost imperceptible words, Ainz continued:

    ¡°It is like being sick or poisoned, but I cannot extend one¡¯s lifespan.¡±

    Perhaps it would be impossible to do so through conventional means, but it might be possible with ¡¸Wish Upon A Star¡¹... but now was not the time for such things.

    ¡°...Then, what do you wish of your loyal ve? ... My body, perhaps?¡±

    Ainz was dumbfounded.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s a bit too...¡±

    As if! Even if Ididdesire that sort of thing, it¡¯s not as though I¡¯d go so far as to breed with a reptile... Having nearly said that, Ainz struggled to maintain his image.

    He decided to ignore the sound of grinding teeth that came from nearby.

    ¡°Ahem! Of course not. It is simple ¡ª I want you to observe the Lizardmen and see if any of them are going to betray me.¡±

    ¡°No Lizardman will betray you.¡±

    After hearing Crusch¡¯s firm reply, Ainz smiled coldly to her.

    ¡°I am not nearly stupid enough to believe that. Indeed, I am not mighty enough to know what every Lizardman thinks, but if they are sufficiently human-like, treachery will bemon enough. Therefore, I would like someone to quietly keep an eye on them.¡±

    Crusch resumed her nk expression, which made Ainz worry that he had phrased it poorly. While he had wanted to resurrect Zaryusu from the beginning, Ainz wanted her to ask for it and thus bind her to him with chains of obligation. What should he do if she refused?

    If I¡¯d known, I shouldn¡¯t have been so greedy... Well, I guess there¡¯s no point crying over spilt milk.

    ¡°...A miracle hangs before you right now, but it will notst forever. If you do not seize the moment, it will be gone forever.¡±

    Crusch¡¯s face seemed to be twitching.

    ¡°It is not as though I am going to conduct some horrific ceremony. Does resurrection magic not exist in this world? I am simply going to use a spell like that.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s legendary...¡±

    As Crusch hesitated over whether or not to speak, Ainz spoke to her in tender tones, but with an arrogant attitude.

    ¡°Crusch, I would like you to think about what is most important to you.¡±

    Ainz watched Crusch¡¯s eyes as his words slowly got to her. It felt like he was about to clinch a sale.

    After this, Ainz would need to impress upon Crusch that the miracle he provided did note free of charge. After all, people would suspect free things, but their suspicions would be eased if there was a reasonable fee attached to them.

    ¡°I want you to secretly observe your fellow Lizardmen. Depending on how things turn out, you may be faced with a dangerous choice. In addition, to guard against your treachery, I will cast a certain spell on Zaryusu when I resurrect him. It is a spell that will instantly kill Zaryusu if I judge that you have betrayed me. It might be hard on you, but it ought to be worth it if you can get Zaryusu back, am I wrong?¡±

    That said, there¡¯s no such spell.

    Ainz stood up, as though to say that he had said his piece, and then he spread his arms.

    Crusch looked at Ainz with a tormented expression in her eyes.

    ¡°Ah, yes, when Zaryusu is resurrected, I will tell him that he was recalled to life because he was useful to me. I can guarantee that your name will note up. Well then, Crusch Lulu, make your choice. This is thest chance you have to return your beloved Zaryusu to your side. What will you do? Will you seize this opportunity, or abandon it? Decide.¡±

    Ainz slowly extended a hand to Crusch as he looked to the Guardians and said:

    ¡°If she refuses, none of you are to do anything. Well then, Crusch Lulu, what is your answer?¡±

 Chapter 30 - Volume 4

    Overlord Volume 4 Epilogue

    Epilogue

    A gentle sensation filled his body. It was as though a hand were trying to drag him up through deep water, but Zaryusu shrugged it off. That was because he felt something disgusting from that frightening hand.

    After what seemed like an instant and an eternity had passed, he felt the hand reaching for him again. Zaryusu wanted to brush it off once more, but he stopped. That was because he heard a voiceing from beside him, that of the female he loved.

    He hesitated.

    And hesitated.

    And still hesitated.

    In this world where time might not have existed at all, Zaryusu waffled, and then, however reluctantly, he reached out to take that hand.

    After that, someone pulled him up forcefully, dragging him into a brilliantly white world.

    He felt powerless.

    He felt like his innards were a sack of mud.

    He felt incredibly tired. Even intense physical activity had never left him this exhausted before.

    Zaryusu struggled to open his heavy-lidded eyes.

    Light stabbed into his field of vision. Lizardmen¡¯s eyes could automatically adjust to ambient lighting, but they could not resist momentary shes of light. Zaryusu blinked¡ª

    ¡°Zaryusu!¡±

    Someone was hugging him tightly.

    ¡°Cr-Crusch?¡±

    Logically speaking, he should never have heard that voice again. But that was because he believed that he would never hear that female¡¯s voice again.

    As his eyes finally adjusted to the light, he looked on the female who embraced him.

    She was the female he loved ¡ª Crusch Lulu.

    Why? What was going on?

    Zaryusu¡¯s heart filled with doubt and unease. His final memory was ¡ª his head falling to the marsh. He should have been killed by Cocytus.

    Yet, why was he alive? Unless¡ª

    ¡°¡ªCrusch, could it be you were killed too?¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    Zaryusu worked his mouth, which felt numb and thus hard to control, and then asked a question.

    Yet the answer he received was a baffled look on Crusch¡¯s face. As he saw it, Zaryusu breathed a sigh of relief, because he knew that Crusch was not dead. In that case, why was he still alive?

    The voice from beside him supplied a hint.

    ¡°Hm... he seems to havee back to life, but his thoughts still seem muddled, and he seems to have lost levels... That being the case, it ought to be roughly the same as it was in YGGDRASIL.¡±

    After realising who had said those words, Zaryusu looked to their source in surprise.

    Before him stood the King of Death, a magic caster of extraordinary power.

    In his hand was a thirty centimeter long wand, which radiated a holy air that was at odds with the undead monarch who held it. It was a beautiful wand which seemed to have been made of ivory and capped in gold, while its handle was inscribed with runes.

    Zaryusu did not know this, but that wand was a Wand of Resurrection, a magic item which had recalled Zaryusu to life. Under normal circumstances, those who could not use clerical magic would not be able to use magic items imbued with cleric-type spells, but magic items of this type were an exception to that rule.

    Zaryusu¡¯s gaze wandered, and he realised that he was in the Lizardman Vige.

    They were in the central square, and many Lizardmen were kneeling in a circle around them. Their unmoving stance disyed their tremendous respect.

    ¡°What on earth...?¡±

    It was only natural to kneel when faced with such awesome power. However, it was not just respect he felt from the Lizardmen, but something more intense than that. The Lizardmen did not worship any gods, and strictly speaking, their faithy in their ancestors.

    Now, he sensed something like the reverence for a god from the surrounding Lizardmen.

    ¡°Mm, you may leave, Lizardmen. Someone will tell you when you cane into the vige again.

    Nobody spoke out against that order. More than that, they obeyed without a single sound of protest. The Lizardmen left the vige in silence, the only sound being that of their bodies and their sshing across the marsh.

    Perhaps their very wills had been shattered after seeing such tremendous power. Granted, that may have also been due to the Lizardman practice of obeying the strong.

    In other words, everything was proceeding as Ainz had nned it.

    ¡°Aura, are they all gone?¡±

    ¡°Yes, they¡¯ve all left.¡±

    The person who answered was a Dark Elf girl. She had been standing behind Ainz all this time, which was partly why Zaryusu had not noticed her, but the main reason was because of how incredibly quiet she was.

    ¡°Really now. Then, Zaryusu Shasha, allow me to congratte you on your resurrection.¡±

    Resurrection.

    It took a while for Zaryusu to parse the meaning of that word. As he realized it, an impulse flowed out from his heart that set his whole body trembling.

    Resurrection ¡ª does that mean he brought me back to life?

    He could not speak. All he could do was make gasping noises.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? I doubt the Lizardmen despise resurrection, do they? Or have you forgotten how to speak?¡±

    ¡°Ruh-resurrection... you... you can bring the dead back to life...?¡±

    ¡°Exactly. What, you thought I could not raise the dead?¡±

    ¡°Was... was there a great ceremony of revival?¡±

    ¡°Great ceremony? What is that? I am more than sufficient for the task by myself.¡±

    Zaryusu had nothing else to say after hearing that. Resurrection magic was a miracle which could only be performed by those legendary Lizardmen who bore the bloodline of the Dragon Lords.

    And he could do it by himself.

    Was he a monster? No, that was wrong.

    Was he a magic caster of incredible power? No, that was wrong too.

    Zaryusu fully understood now.

    He led a legendary army, and was apanied by demons.

    In other words ¡ª the being before him was nothing less than a god.

    Zaryusu shakily rose to his feet and prostrated himself before Ainz. Crusch hurriedly rushed to follow suit.

    ¡°Oh Supreme One.¡±

    Zaryusu felt something like confusion in the gaze which looked down upon him, but he assumed that he had been mistaken.

    ¡°Please ept my eternal loyalty.¡±

    ¡°Very well. I promise you that in the name of Ainz Ooal Gown.¡±

    ¡°Please grant the Lizardmen prosperity.¡±

    ¡°Is that all? Of course I will guarantee the prosperity of all who serve under my g.¡±

    ¡°You have my deepest thanks.¡±

    ¡°Come to think of it, you seem to have trouble speaking. After some rest, you ought to get used to it. For now, take time to recover. There are many things which need to be decided, and the most important thing is how to take care of this vige... You may contact Cocytus about matters regarding that.¡±

    After saying so, Ainz prepared to leave. However, Zaryusu still had something to ask, a question which needed to be answered right now.

    ¡°I pray you will wait, but what of Zenberu and my brother?¡±

    ¡°Their corpses should be nearby.¡±

    Ainz indicated the outside of the vige with a jerk of his chin, just as he was about to depart with Aura.

    ¡°May I ask you to resurrect them?¡±

    ¡°...Hm... There does not seem to be any benefit in doing so.¡±

    ¡°Then, why did you resurrect me? Zenberu and my brother are strong. They will surely be able to help you.¡±

    Ainz studied Zaryusu, and then shrugged.

    ¡°I shall think about it... First, I shall preserve their bodies, and then I shall consider it.¡±

    Ainz¡¯s robe swished as he walked, indicating that the conversation was over. Aura¡¯s voice trailed off as she said, ¡°That Hydra is really cute~¡±

    Zaryusu finally recovered from his prostration, and let his body go ck.

    ¡°I escaped with my life... or perhaps I should say that I came back to life.¡±

    He had no idea how they would be ruled in future. However, if they could show how useful the Lizardmen could be, it should not be too bad.

    ¡°Crusch, Ani-ja¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. We¡¯ll worry about thatter, all right? For now, you need to rest and recover from your fatigue. It¡¯ll be fine. I can still carry you.¡±

    ¡°Mm... Please do.¡±

    Zaryusuy down and closed his eyes. The desire to sleep assaulted him, as though he was ready for bed after a long day¡¯s hardbor.

    As he savored the gentle sensation stroking him, Zaryusu¡¯s mind sank into the darkness once more.

 Chapter 31 - Volume 4

    Overlord Volume 4 Afterword

    I trust nobody here has started reading from this volume. Therefore ¡ª it¡¯s been a while, I¡¯m Maruyama Kugane.

    Then, like I mentioned in the previous volume¡¯s afterword, this volume is quite unique for a light novel, being entirely about the Lizardmen. That¡¯s pretty rare among light novels, right? Then again, perhaps I¡¯m just ignorant, but I have the feeling that very few light novels write about the main characterunching a one-sided attack on a peaceful vige.

    How did you find this volume, everyone?

    I suppose opinions will tend towards two extremes. However, in future volumes, it is very likely that scenes of the strong trampling the weak will show up.

    The main character of Overlord is not someone who only deals with problems and situations that he sees. He is the kind of person who takes action to achieve his own aims and to reap benefits for himself. In other words, he is not the type who only goes to rescue the female lead when he hears that she¡¯s in trouble, but he is the carnivorous type who goes out and finds the female lead when she¡¯s in a fix... wait, that sounds kind of wrong.

    Therefore, as you who y strategy games may know, the easiest way of achieving Ainz¡¯s aim of amassing military might is not to challenge the strong, but to subdue the weak to bulk up one¡¯s forces.

    Therefore, I wanted to write this story from the lessmonly-seen perspective of the invader, as opposed to the moremon point of view of the invaded party. That said, a back and forth slugging match hardly counts as an invasion.

    Next, I shall express my thanks.

    So-bin-sama, your Crusch drawing was adorable and made me very excited. Chord Design Studio, your design of the cover, the spine, and the poster was really cool. Ohaku-sama, you are always meticulous in your proofreading. And then there is my editor F-da-sama, who has assisted me in many ways.

    Thank you all.

    Honey, thank you for the edits and I am grateful for all the cracks you made. Cleaning up really is troublesome.

    Also, my deepest and sincerest thanks goes out to all your readers who bought this book. Thank you very much.

    Then, I hope we¡¯ll be able to meet in the next volume.

    See you.

    As an aside, I have been looking for a way to put ¡°death¡± into a chapter title in every book, but I¡¯m starting to run out of ideas, so I will probably stop doing so from the next volume onwards. It was just amusement on my part, so missing it will not cause any problems... however, things will be difficult if there are no tasteful names in this part! Sadness.

    07/2013

    Maruyama Kugane

    ¶þ©–Ò»ÈýÄêÆßÔÂ ÍèÉ½¤¯¤¬¤Í

 Chapter 32 - Volume 5

    <h4>Overlord Volume 5 Prologue</h4>

    <b>Lower Fire Month (9th Month), 1st Day, 14:15</b>

    As he looked up, a light drizzle began falling from the dark clouds which had covered the sky since this morning, as though they could no longer contain themselves any more.

    Gazef Stronoff, the Warrior-Captain of the Kingdom, clicked his tongue loudly as he looked on the rain-grayed world before him.

    If he had left earlier, perhaps he might have been home by now.

    He looked up again, and saw that the clouds filled the sky above the city of Re-Estize, the Royal Capital of the Re-Estize Kingdom. There was probably no point waiting for the rain to stop.

    Therefore, he decided not to linger in the Royal Pce. After drawing up the hood of his cloak, he stepped out into the rain.

    The gate guards made way as they saw him, and he strode onto the main road of the Royal Capital.

    It would normally be full of life and activity, but there was hardly anyone there now, just a few pedestrians walking carefully on the waterlogged road lest they fell down.

    Given that there was hardly anyone around, the rain had been falling for some time now.

    Well, if that¡¯s the case, then it can¡¯t be helped. Leaving earlier wouldn¡¯t have made a difference.

    The heavy rain soaked the outside of his cloak and weighed it down. He walked silently through the rain, passing several others who were simrly attired in wet-weather gear. While his cloak did provide him with a measure of protection from the rain, the sticky sensation of the wet cloth was ufortable against his skin. Gazef picked up the pace and hurried home.

    Gazef breathed a sigh of relief as he neared his home and freedom from his soaked cloak. Just then, something drew his attention. A filthy man sat in an alley, heedless to the rain which shrouded the world like a veil, tucked inside an alley that was a short right turn away from the main road.

    The man¡¯s hair looked like it had been haphazardly dyed, and one could see the original color at the roots. His hair was stered to his forehead by the rain and beaded with water droplets. His head was lowered, and his face could not be seen.

    Gazef¡¯s attention was drawn to him because he was puzzled by how the man was not wearing any rain gear and seemed entirely unconcerned by the fact that he was thoroughly drenched. Something seemed to stand out about him ¡ª particrly his right hand, which drew his attention.

    That right hand clenched a weapon tightly, like a child clinging to his mother¡¯s hand. It seemed quite incongruous with the man¡¯s disheveled appearance. It was a weapon that hailed from the distant deserts of the south, a rare and precious treasure known as a ¡¸Katana¡¹.

    He¡¯s holding a sword... Is he a bandit? No... I¡¯m not getting a feeling like that from him. He¡¯s nothing of the sort. It seems almost... nostalgic?

    A bizarre feeling grew in Gazef¡¯s heart. Something was amiss here, like he had mis-fastened one of his buttons.

    Gazef stopped to look at the man¡¯s profile. When he realised who he was looking at, the memories washed over him like the rising tide.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re... Un-Unus?¡±

    Even as he said that, Gazef thought, it can¡¯t be.

    Brain Unus. His opponent in the finals of the Kingdom¡¯s previous martial tournament.

    The image of the main who had fought so fiercely and so closely with him was still branded in Gazef¡¯s mind. He had been the strongest warrior Gazef had ever faced ever since he had taken up the sword. Perhaps that was merely wishful thinking on Gazef¡¯s part, but he considered Brain to be a worthy foe, and he could not forget the man¡¯s face.

    Yes, the emaciated profile of the man before him was roughly simr to that of his rival.

    However ¡ª that could not be.

    His facial features were very simr. The years might have changed him, but Gazef could still recall the way he looked back then. However, the man in Gazef¡¯s memory did not have such a pathetic expression on his face. That man was absolutely confident in his swordsmanship and his fighting spirit burned like an inferno. He was nothing like this pathetic shell of a man.

    Water sshing around him, Gazef walked towards the man in question.

    The man seemed to react to the sound, and slowly raised his head.

    Gazef drew in a breath. Seeing him head-on made him change his mind. There was no doubt that this man was Brain Unus, the genius swordsman.

    However, the Brain before him had lost the lustre of his past, and he was nothing more than a beaten dog.

    Brain raise unsteadily to his feet. No warrior would ever permit themselves to move so sluggishly orzily. Even an aged veteran would not act in that way. His eyes were downcast as he turned and left, his footsteps devoid of energy.

    His form shrank in the rain. Gazef had the feeling that if he let Brain go now, he would never see him again, so he hurriedly shouted:

    ¡°...Unus! Brain Unus!¡±

    If the man had said, ¡°You¡¯ve got the wrong guy¡±, Gazef would have told himself that he had merely seen someone who looked like him. However, a weak, thready voice, like the buzzing of a mosquito, filtered into Gazef¡¯s ears.

    ¡°...Stronoff?¡±

    It was an utterly lifeless voice. It waspletely different from the voice of the Brain who had pointed his sword at him.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? What happened to you?¡± Gazef asked in shock.

    What on earth was going on?

    Any man could fall, no matter who they were. Gazef had seen many people like that. Those who wanted to run away from things and sought refuge in mediocrity often lost everything by making a single mistake.

    However, he could not connect people like that to Brain Unus, that genius swordsman. Perhaps he did not wish to admit that his strongest foe could have degenerated into someone like this.

    Their eyes met.

    What kind of face is that...

    His cheeks were hollow and there were dark circles under his eyes. Said eyes were lifeless and his face was pale. He looked like a corpse.

    No, a corpse would be better than this... Unus looks like a zombie...

    ¡°...Stronoff. It¡¯s broken.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    The first thing Gazef did when he heard this was look at the sword in Brain¡¯s hand. And then, Gazef realized he had been mistaken. It was not his sword which was broken¡ª

    ¡°Say, are we strong?¡±

    Gazef could not reply ¡°We are strong¡±.

    He thought of the incident in Carne Vige. Back then, he would have died with his men had the mighty magic caster called Ainz Ooal Gown note to save them. The man known as the strongest in the Kingdom only counted for that much. He did not dare speak proudly of his strength.

    Gazef did not know how Brain had interpreted his silence, but the other man continued:

    ¡°Weak. We¡¯re so weak. We¡¯re only human, after all, and humans are weak. Our sword skills are trash. In the end we¡¯re nothing more than the inferior lifeforms known as human beings.¡±

    It was true; humans were weak.

    That much was obvious when they werepared to Dragons, the mightiest race. Humans did not have sturdy scales, sharp ws, or wings to take them through the heavens. Neither could they expel breath that could annihte everything before them. How could humans evenpete?

    That was why warriors often challenged Dragons to prove their strength. Relying on one¡¯s hard-earned experience, one¡¯srades and one¡¯s weapons to defeat a foe with an overwhelming advantage in physical abilities was glorious, an aplishment of which only a few outstanding warriors could boast.

    That being the case, had Brain failed in ying a Dragon?

    Could it be that he had reached for a distant height but missed, and thus lost his bnce and fallen?

    ¡°...I don¡¯t get it. Any warrior ought to know that, right? Humans have always been weak.¡±

    Indeed, he did not understand. Everyone was familiar with the concept of an unreachable height.

    Gazef was hailed as the mightiest warrior of the surrounding nations, but he still had doubts about himself.

    For instance, how there might be a warrior that was stronger than Gazef, hidden in the Theocracy. In addition, demihumans like Ogres and Giants had better physical abilities than Gazef, the human. Therefore, if these races managed to advance their skills to equal Gazef¡¯s ¡ª or even if their skills were slightly inferior to his ¡ª he would not be able to beat them.

    Gazef knew that such heights existed, even if they could not be seen. Did Brain not understand that? It seemed likemon sense for any warrior.

    ¡°Well, there are races stronger than ourselves. That¡¯s why we train to defeat them, no?¡±

    He had to believe that he could reach those heights some day.

    And then, Brain shook his head forcefully. It sent the water from his rain-soaked hair sshing in all directions.

    ¡°No! That¡¯s not enough!¡± he shouted as though he were vomiting up his lifeblood.

    The man before him finally began to resemble the image in Gazef¡¯s memories. He could sense something like the spirit Brain had shown while wielding his sword. However, the contents of what he said were at odds with that same spirit.

    ¡°Stronoff! You can¡¯t beat the truly powerful with any amount of training! Humans can¡¯t do it. That¡¯s the true meaning of power. Our feeble strength is nothing more than child¡¯s y to them. We¡¯re nothing more than kids ying at being warriors!¡±

    He seemed to have lost his cool as he faced Gazef.

    ¡°...I say, Gazef. You¡¯re pretty confident in your sword skills, right? But... it¡¯s nothing but trash. You hold up your trash and think you can protect the people!¡±

    ¡°...Did you see something so powerful that it changed you?¡±

    ¡°I did. I experienced it. It was a height that no human could reach. Or no,¡± Brain smiled, mocking himself. ¡°I didn¡¯t even see the true heights of her power. I was too weak to even glimpse such a thing. She was just fooling around. What a joke.¡±

    ¡°Then you should train harder, in the hopes of someday catching sight of it...¡±

    Brain suddenly red up, and his face twisted in anger.

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand anything! The bodies of men can¡¯t hope toe close to that monster! Even the ultimate perfection of swordsmanship won¡¯t get you there, I¡¯m sure of it! ...It¡¯s all useless. What was I even aiming for in the first ce?¡±

    Gazef had nothing to say.

    He had seen people with scarred souls like these before. Those were people who had lost all hope in life because their friends had died before them.

    Nobody could save them. Nobody else could help them. They had to pull themselves together and pick themselves up again. Otherwise there was no point in extending a helping hand to them.

    ¡°...Unus.¡±

    ¡°...Listen to me, Stronoff. The strength of the sword is nothing. In the face of true power, it¡¯s nothing but trash.¡±

    Gazef could not see any sign of the heroic visage that had once been Brain.

    ¡°...I¡¯m very d to have met you at the end.¡±

    Gazef watched Brain leave with pained eyes.

    After seeing the pathetic and utterly broken remains of the man he had once considered his strongest rival, Gazef could no longer bring himself to call out to him. However, he said one thing before he left; one thing that Gazef could not pretend he had not heard.

    ¡°Now... I can die.¡±

    ¡°Wait! Hold on, Brain Unus!¡±

    A fire burned in Gazef¡¯s heart as he shouted after Brain.

    He stepped forward and seized Brain¡¯s shoulder.

    Brain¡¯s wobbly gait was nothing like it had been in the past. Even so, when Gazef pulled on his shoulder with all his might, he lost his bnce, but did not fall. That was because he had trained his core well and his sense of bnce was very good.

    That put Gazef somewhat at ease. His instincts told him that his rival¡¯s strength had not diminished.

    There was still hope. He could not watch a man die like that.

    ¡°...What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Come to my house.¡±

    ¡°Stop. Don¡¯t help me. I just want to die... I don¡¯t want to live in fear any more. I don¡¯t want to cower at shadows or think that someone¡¯s chasing me. I can¡¯t take reality any more. I don¡¯t want to admit that I swung a piece of trash around and thought I was actually someone.¡±

    Brain¡¯s pleading tone sparked irritation in Gazef¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Shut up. Follow me.¡±

    While he told Brain to follow him, in truth Gazef was merely dragging Brain forward by the arm. Brain¡¯s footsteps were unsteady, but he did not resist and followed obediently. After seeing Brain like that, a sense of displeasure grew in Gazef that he could not articte.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to change, you¡¯re going to eat, and then you¡¯re going straight to bed.¡±

    <b>26th Day of Middle Fire (8th) Month, 13:45</b>

    This was the Royal Capital Re-Estize, of the Re-Estize Kingdom.

    The capital of this nation of nine million people could best be described as an aged city. That not only described its long history, but hinted that life here was as simple, unchanging and stagnant as it had always been ¡ª among other things.

    That much was obvious the moment one walked the streets.

    The surrounding houses were old and in for the most part. Hardly any of them were new or fancy. However, there were many ways to view this piece of street scenery. Some would consider it to be steeped in historical vor, while others would consider it boring and stale.

    The Royal Capital seemed to be the same as it always had been, enduring season after season throughout the centuries.

    But of course, nothing could remain unchanged forever.

    ? ? ?

    Many roads in the Royal Capital were unpaved, and every time the rain came they turned to mud, thus creating a sight that did not belong to a city. Of course, this did not imply that the standards of the Kingdom were low. Rather, the standards of the Empire and the Theocracy were too high, so that they could not even be mentioned in the same breath.

    The streets could not be considered wide either. Therefore, nobody walked in the middle of the road ¡ª where the horsecarts travelled. Instead, the citizens rubbed shoulders in messy processions at the sides of the streets. The citizens of the Royal Capital were used to this and could wend through the mass of humanity like a shuttle through a loom. Even when two people were about to collide with each other, they could deftly evade each other moments before impact.

    However, the street where Sebas was walking differed from many others in the city. The surface was paved ¡ª a rarity in the Capital ¡ª and the road itself was wide.

    The reason for that was immediately apparent when one looked to either side. The houses lining this street were regal and well-furnished, radiating an atmosphere of wealth and prosperity.

    That was because this lively and bustling avenue was the main road of the Royal Capital.

    No fewdies turned to watch as Sebas strode by in style, drawn by his handsome features and his distinguished gentleman¡¯s bearing. Some of them even fluttered their eyshes at him head-on, but Sebas paid them no heed. He continued forward with his back ramrod-straight, his eyes fixed forward, his steps ordered and unhurried.

    His inexorable tread ¡ª which seemed like it would not halt before reaching his destination ¡ª suddenly ground to a halt. Then, he nced to either side, taking in the oing horsecarts from both sides, and then he strode across the main street.

    He walked towards an olddy. There was a backpack full of goods on the ground, and the olddy was massaging her ankles beside those.

    ¡°Is something the matter?¡±

    The olddy was taken by surprise as someone suddenly struck up conversation with her. She raised her head, a guarded look on her face. However, Sebas¡¯ looks and his opulent style of dress made that wariness fade.

    ¡°You seem to be in distress. Is there any aid I can give?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s alright. How could I let an old gent like yourself help me...¡±

    ¡°Please, pay that no heed. Helping those in trouble ismon sense, after all.¡±

    Sebas smiled evenly, and the olddy blushed. That charming smile of his,ing from a distinguished gentleman like himself, broke through the final barriers of her heart.

    The olddy ran a stall, and she was on her way home after closing up shop for the day. However, she had sprained her ankle halfway, which vexed her greatly.

    The main streets wereparatively safe, but that did not imply that all the people who walked on it were good-natured. If she asked the wrong person for help, she might end up losing everything she had. The olddy had heard of such robberies before, which was why she was leery of asking just about anyone for help.

    That being the case, the solution was simple.

    ¡°I shall walk you home. Could you show me the way?¡±

    ¡°Sir, is that really alright?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Having encountered someone who needs help, I am bound to offer it.¡±

    Sebas turned his back to the olddy as she thanked him.

    ¡°Come, I shall give you a ride.¡±

    ¡°But... but...¡± the olddy replied ufortably. ¡°My clothes are dirty and they¡¯ll get yours dirty too!¡±

    However¡ª

    Sebas smiled amiably.

    What did it matter if his clothes were stained? There was no need to worry about such trifles when helping someone in need.

    He unconsciously recalled the faces of his colleagues from the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. They would probably react to this with surprise, annoyance or contempt. Still, no matter what Demiurge ¡ª who was the most strongly opposed to this sort of thing ¡ª said to him, Sebas was certain that he was in the right.

    Helping others was the right thing to do.

    After persuading the olddy, he carried her on his back and lifted the backpack with one hand.

    Even the onlookers ¡ª to say nothing of the olddy herself ¡ª gasped in awe as they saw him walking with even strides despite carrying that heavy pack.

    Guided by the olddy, Sebas set forth.

 Chapter 33 - Volume 5

    <h4>Overlord Volume 5 Chapter 1</h4>

    <b>A Young Man¡¯s Heart</b>

    <h4></h4>

    <b>Part 1</b>

    <b>Lower Fire Month (9th Month), 2nd Day, 23:30</b>

    <h4>The man lit thentern that hung at his waist. It used a special oil for fuel, which produced a green me, and it gave off a creepy-looking light which illuminated the surroundings.</h4>

    He stepped outside, and felt as though he were walking into a wall of heat. A look of distaste crossed the man¡¯s face, but the season had always been hot to begin with, and nothing could be done about it. Around this period, every ce in the Kingdom was still muggy and unpleasant, even after sunset. That said, the time of harsh heat was gone, and the temperature ought to go down as time went by.

    Still, there was no sign that it was changing for the cooler.

    ¡°Ah, today was hot too.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I heard that it¡¯s cooler up north, near the ocean,¡± the man grumbled. His partner for tonight replied:

    ¡°If only there were some rain. That would take the edge off the heat.¡±

    He looked to the sky as he said that. The sky was clear; there were no clouds in the sky, to say nothing of rainclouds. The constetions seemed abnormallyrge, but it was simply the usual night sky.

    ¡°Yeah, some rain would be good... Alright, time to work.¡±

    It would not be quite right to describe these men as ordinary vigers. For starters, they were armed. They wore leather armor and had longswords at their waist; far too militarized for ordinary vige guards. In addition, their faces and bodies did not look like those of farmers, but hinted at a familiarity with violence.

    The two of them walked into the vige without a sound.

    Shrouded in night, the vige was silent save for their footsteps. They pressed forward steadily amidst this sinister atmosphere, as though nothing else lived here. Their calm attitudes suggested that patrols like these were daily business for them.

    The vige they walked in was surrounded by a high wall, and there were six watchtowers within sight. They looked sturdy and well-built; even frontier viges which were frequently attacked by monsters would not boast such formidable watchtowers.

    This was not so much a vige as a military base.

    Even so, a third party might only consider this to be a heavily-fortified vige. However, what that observer saw next would truly furrow their brow.

    Under normal circumstances, most people would only encircle residences and storehouses when building a wall, and leave the crop fields outside. That was because a wall that was big enough to include the fields would be a ruinous investment of time and money. However, this vige had done precisely that, gathering the green fields of crops which swayed in the night wind into its walls, within the vige. It was as though said crops were gold bullion which had to be hoarded.

    The men walking through this strange vige felt someone looking at them from a watchtower. The fact was that there were bow-armed men on the towers. All he needed to do was raise hisntern high in case of an emergency, and his friends woulde to his aid.

    That said, when he thought about his colleague¡¯s skills, the man was not very excited about having them support him with arrow shots. However, he was greatly reassured by the fact that his friends could wake all theirrades by ringing the rm bell.

    His colleagues ¡ª who were sleeping between shifts ¡ª would give him an earful if he raised hisntern by mistake. However, the man was determined to wave it at the merest sign that something was wrong.

    He did not wish to lose his life over a small matter.

    That said, he did not actually think anything bad would happen. They had been performing the same patrols for several months, and he imagined that these patrols would carry on forever.

    As he considered his future with distaste, the man continued his slow walk through the vige down his fixed route.

    Halfway through his patrol, a serpentine object suddenly wrapped itself around the man¡¯s neck. No ¡ª that was not a snake. The object that wrapped itself around his mouth and did not let go was an octopus¡¯ tentacle.

    Right after it lifted the man¡¯s chin, searing pain blossomed over his exposed throat. This sequence of actions took less than a second.

    A gurgling sound, like that of drinking, came from his throat.

    That was thest sound the man would ever hear in his life.

    ***

    The hand holding his mouth let go, supporting him from behind so he would not slump to the ground. After verifying that the man had been thoroughly exsanguinated, his assant pulled out the Vampire de, the weapon which had killed him.

    The being holding the man upright was a figure in ck. Its entire body was obscured in jet ck clothing save its eyes. Said clothing was made of cloth, with gauntlets and other pieces of armor to improve defensive ability. A metal te covered its chest, but it bulged visibly, giving it the shape of a pair of feminine breasts.

    Another simrly-dressed figure emerged from behind the other man¡¯s back. Much like her partner, she wore a metal breastte. The first looked to the second, and nodded.

    She scanned her surroundings after verifying the silent death of her victim. It would seem nobody had noticed this.

    Somewhere in the corner of her heart, she breathed a sigh of relief.

    Thenterns illuminated them, but the observers from the tform above should not be able to see them, given that they were pressed tightly against the two men. All they had to worry about was that they might be spotted in the instant of their [Shadow Step] ¡ª a short-ranged teleportation from one shadow to another ¡ª but that worry was a thing of the past now.

    She paid no attention to the dagger, whose bright red hue had be even more vibrant after draining blood, and propped up the man¡¯s body before it could copse.

    From the observation tform above, it looked like the two patrolling men had stopped in their tracks. However, if they kept the two men standing still or let them slump to the ground, someone would be suspicious.

    Something had to be done right away. However, that was not their job.

    Suddenly, the woman felt the man¡¯s limp body lurch under her hands, as though someone had driven a stake into it. In the next moment, she knew she had not been mistaken; the man lurched into stiff motion.

    The man was still moving despite being clearly dead, but the woman was not rmed. Everything was proceeding as nned.

    She let go and at the same time activated a skill. This was a ninja technique she had learned, called [Shadow Meld]. With this ability, she could fuse seamlessly with any shadow and be invisible to the naked eye.

    The two of them blended into the men¡¯s shadows, and the men stepped forward, like they had been suddenly unshackled. The pause and then the way they walked their original patrol route looked like they had suddenly remembered what they had to do. However, they moved slowly and clumsily. Their wounds had not been healed, but they did not leak blood either. That was because said blood had beenpletely drained from their bodies.

    The two men had be Zombies, obediently following the will of their creator. There was no other exnation for how they could still move in that state.

    The women were not the Zombies¡¯ creator.

    To an average observer, there were only two men here. Even if one saw through the women¡¯s camouge, there would only appear to be four people here. However, there was a fifth person present. This fifth person was the creator of the zombies.

    Their eyes could not see anything, but one of the ninja skills they had learned allowed them to detect the presence of those who were concealed by magic or some other skills, and one such entity stood before them.

    ¡°The preparations here areplete.¡±

    ¡°Perfect.¡±

    She spoke quietly and received a simrly hushed reply.

    ¡°Mm, got it, I saw it all. I¡¯ll be heading to the next location. I need to catch someone who¡¯s sufficiently important.¡±

    Another female voice. However, hers was higher-pitched, giving the impression of a tender maiden.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to begin our assault too. How about the other two?¡±

    ¡°Are they cking off because they can¡¯t contribute?¡±

    ¡°As if. They¡¯re hiding near the vige and they¡¯ve set themselves up. In an emergency, they¡¯llunch a frontal assault coordinated with you for a pincer attack. Alright, I¡¯ll be heading towards Priority One. Stick to the n, you two.¡±

    Their concealedpanion floated gracefully ¡ª at least, they got that impression ¡ª into the sky. It seemed consistent with the movement granted by the [Fly] spell.

    The presence drew further away, until she vanished into the building she had designated as Priority One. This was one of the structures within the vige, and a key point which had to be taken.

    In truth, other buildings should have had higher priority, but this ce took precedence over the others once the problem of the [Message] spell came into y.

    Many people regarded that form of magicalmunication as unreliable, and so it was rarely used. However, there were others who did not think of it in that way and made use of it. For instance, there was the Empire and its cadre of nationally-trained magic casters, a certain number of important traders who valued the quick reception of information, and then the enemies who controlled this vige. Therefore, their top priority was to apprehend themunications personnel within the building.

    Since their colleague was already on their way, they had to hide themselves near their objective as quickly as possible. This was because they had to act simultaneously andunch their attack before the enemy discovered their presence.

    The two ninjas exhaled suddenly, and ran.

    Normal people would not be able to follow the way they flitted from dark corner to dark corner. On top of that, when they used the magic items they had on them, even high-levelled adventurers would have a very hard time spotting them. In other words, nobody in the vige could detect them.

    One of them shed a series of hand signals to herpanion as they ran. Though it was merely a series of finger-bending movements, the meaning was immediately clear.

    ¡ªWe¡¯re lucky they didn¡¯t have dogs.

    Came the reply: ¡°Agreed¡±.

    This was signnguage, of a kindmonly used by assassins. To consummate professionals like themselves, these hand signals were as quick as regr speech. They had also taught theirpanions thenguage, but said colleagues had only learned how to make simple gestures and basic secret signals. In contrast, the pair of them had a wide enough ¡°vocabry¡± and sufficient signing speed to use that signnguage for everyday speech, and they frequently passed secret messages to each other in that way.

    ¡ªGood point. Things are much easier without dogs being drawn by the scent of blood.

    If the patrollers had brought dogs with them, the assassinations would not have been so easy. While they had ways to deal with dogs, it was better to not have to deal with troublesome things.

    After her response, herpanion rapidly signalled:

    ¡ªThen, I¡¯ll head for my designated building.

    She replied, ¡°Got it¡±, and then herpanion peeled away and to the side.

    This left her to run by herself. She nced aside to the fields.

    Those fields did not grow wheat, grains or green vegetables. The nts there were the raw ingredient for a forbidden drug whose spread was on the rise throughout the Kingdom, called ¡°ck Powder¡±. There were many such fields within the walls of this vige, and they all grew the same crop. This proved that this vige was a center of drug cultivation.

    ***

    The drug known as ck Powder was also known as Lah Powder. It was a ck, powdery substance that was dissolved into water and drunk.

    This drug was easy to mass-produce, cheap, and gave its users an easily-essible high and sense of intoxication. Thus, it was one of the most famous drugs in the Kingdom. While it was toxic in addition to the abovementioned effects, its users often believed that it had no side effects, and so it was widely abused.

    She snorted as she thought about the ck Powder¡¯s side effects.

    All drugs had side effects. ¡°I can quit any time I want to¡± was the stuff of a madman¡¯s ravings. After dissecting the corpses of ck Powder addicts, they found that their brains had shrunk to four-fifths the size of a normal person¡¯s.

    ck Powder, made from a concoction of wild nts, was originally a powerful poison. Who would believe that such a toxic nt was not poisonous?

    The ck Powder which was ubiquitous on the streets was a narcotic that was made from a cultivar of the original nt which had reduced potency.

    Even so, the ck Powder was still very poisonous, and it would only be eliminated from the body after a very long time had passed. As a result, many abusers who stopped using the drug often dosed themselves again before it hadpletely left the body. As a result, after reaching a certain stage of addiction, it was nearly impossible for users to quit the habit cold turkey, unless the priests used their magic to forcibly purge their system of the drug.

    The most troublesome part about drugs like these were their subtle signs of addiction. Even users on a bad trip did not show signs of physical violence and harm others. Thus, the higher-ups in the Kingdom did not understand the danger of ck Powder, and it had practically received their silent approval.

    It was little wonder that the Empire had submitted formalints on the matter, on the suspicion that the Kingdom was running an underground industry in the production of ck Powder.

    While she had still been an assassin, she had used ck Powder on asions, and her organization had grown the nts needed to make it. As a result, she was not personally opposed to the substance. Drugs like that could be put to efficacious use if applied properly. The fact was that it was simply a dangerous medicinal herb.

    However, she had been hired for this job, and her personal opinion had no say in it. Still¡ª

    ...Requests that don¡¯t go through the Adventurer¡¯s Guild are a little dangerous.

    ¡ªShe was not entirelyfortable with this request.

    She frowned under the cloth covering her face. The requester for this job was a friend of her team¡¯s leader. While she had been reassured that the other party would remunerate them appropriately, not going through the Guild might cause problems. That was true even if they were one of the two adamantite-ranked adventurer parties in the Kingdom.

    Hm, isn¡¯t it three of them now?

    As she thought about the newest adamantite-ranked adventurer team, she arrived at the building designated No. Two.

    Her task was to recover all the intelligence within this building, and then to set the fields on fire.

    The thick smoke emitted by the burning drugs was poisonous, but it had to be done toplete the mission.

    It was quite possible that the wind might carry the smoke in a direction that would harm the vigers, but they did not have the time or the ability to evacuate the vigers.

    Sacrifices must be made.

    With those words to herself, she cast all thoughts of the vigers¡¯ safety out of her mind.

    She had been trained as an assassin from childhood, and death rarely troubled her heart. In particr, she was unmoved by the sad fates of strangers, regardless of what tragedies befell them. The only thing she disliked was the look on her leader¡¯s face whenever somewhat had to be sacrificed. However, she had obtained her leader¡¯s approval while drawing up this n, so the thought of saving others did not even cross her mind.

    More importantly, after the attack here waspleted, she would need to use teleportation magic to move to another vige and burn it down as well. That n upied her mind and consumed all her efforts.

    This was not the only site which grew the raw materials for drugs. ording to their research, there were tenrge-scale ntations within the Kingdom, and those might not even be all of them. Otherwise, they would not be able to sustain the massive quantities of drugs being trafficked throughout the Kingdom.

    All we can do is pull up the weeds where we find them... it¡¯s tiring, but there¡¯s no other way...

    Ideally, they would be able to find written orders within this vige, but that was not likely. All they could do was hope that this vige¡¯s supervisor or equivalent had information of simr importance.

    Leader would be happy if we could find some traces of the organization¡¯s involvement in this...

    The criminal organization which grew these drugs was known as Eight Fingers. The name came from the eight-fingered God of Thieves who was a vassal of the Earth God. It was a vast criminal syndicate that dominated the Kingdom¡¯s underworld.

    This organization was divided into eight divisions, responsible for the ve trade, assassination, smuggling, burry, drug-trafficking, security, finance and gambling. These eight divisions worked together as the collective kingpins of the Kingdom¡¯s crime. Due to the size of their organization, their full extent was veiled in secrecy.

    However, there was a clear sign of the extent of the influence within the Kingdom. That was the vige before her eyes.

    They were openly growing contraband nts in viges. That alone was proof that the lord of thend was in cahoots with them. However, even an official inquiry would not bear fruit.

    Even if the Royal Household began an investigation or took legal action, actually bringing the nobles in question to justice was very difficult. The lord of thend would certainly say, ¡°I didn¡¯t know these nts were the raw materials for drugs¡±, or he would simply dump the problem on the vigers and say it was their idea.

    There were limits to the legal action that could be taken, and even if one wished to stop the flow of drugs, the process would be impeded by corrupt nobles aligned to the organization. The situation had deteriorated to the point where those who stood on the right side of thew could no longer resolve it.

    Therefore, they were left with thest resort of using violence and burning the fields down.

    Her frank opinion was that burning these drugs was only treating the symptoms, and not the disease. The illegal organization eating away at the heart of the Kingdom was too powerful, and their political backing was too strong.

    ¡°We¡¯re just buying time... if we can¡¯t turn things around, then all these efforts will be for naught...¡±

    <b>Part 2</b>

    The rain fell.

    The cacophony of the falling droplets rang in the ears.

    The streets of the Royal Capital had not been designed with drainage in mind, particrly the small alleys. In the end, the entire alley became a miniatureke.

    Sshes of water flew up as raindrops fell upon the water¡¯s surface. The wind blew ripples through said sshes, and the scent of water was heavy in the air, making the Royal Capital feel as though it were submerged underwater.

    There was a boy in this world that had been dyed gray by the sshing of water.

    He lived in a run-down hovel. No, using the word hovel would be giving the location underserved praise. That building was supported by narrow beams as wide around as a man¡¯s forearm. A tatty piece of cloth substituted for a roof, and the edges which draped down served as walls.

    A boy of six lived in these conditions, which were little different from an open-air restaurant. He was curled up in a corner like a casually-discarded piece of rubbish, lying on a thin cloth where heid his head.

    When one thought about it, the wood supports and the tatty cloth that served as both roof and walls were most likely the fruit of this boy¡¯s hard work ¡ª like a child building a secret base.

    ÃãÇ¿×öµÃ³öÀ´µÄ¡ª¡ª¾ÍÏñÐ¡º¢×ÓÓÎÍæ½¨ÔìµÄÃØÃÜ»ùµØ¡£

    The sole merit of this house that was unworthy of the name was that he was not directly soaked by the rain. The endless deluge made the temperature sink like a stone, shrouding the boy in shiver-inducing cold. The condensation from his short, infrequent breaths were the only sign that he was alive, and as the weather stole their heat, they vanished into the air.

    The boy had been soaked by the frigid rain long before entering his home, and he was rapidly losing body heat.

    He had no way to stop his shivering.

    However, this bone-chilling cold soothed the bruises which covered his body. That was the only sce for him amidst these horrific conditions.

    The boy remained curled up on the ground as he looked out at the abandoned alley ¡ª at the world.

    The only things he could hear were the sound of the rain and his own breathing. There was nothing else in the absence of those sounds, which made him think he was the only person left in the world.

    The boy was young, but he understood that he was going to die.

    He was not afraid of it because he was young, and did not fully understand the concept of death. In addition, he did not feel that there was any particr reason to continue living. He had been clinging to life all this time because he was afraid of pain and fled it.

    If he could die, right then and there, without feeling any pain ¡ª only the chill of the wind and the hunger gnawing at his belly ¡ª then death was hardly a bad thing.

    He slowly lost the feeling in his rain-soaked body, and his mind began to fade into a blur.

    He should have found a ce to hide from the rain before it fell, but he had run afoul of several thugs and received a vicious beating. It was good enough that he had managed to return here.

    This was the sole morsel of joy he clung to. Did that mean that everything else was suffering?

    It was quitemon for him to go two days without eating, so that was hardly misfortune. He had neither parents nor anyone to take care of him, and that was how it had always been, so that did not qualify as misery. His tattered clothes and their repulsive stench were a fact of life for him, so that was not a hardship for him. Eating rotten food and drinking dirty water to fill his belly was the only way of life he knew, so it did not count as suffering.

    But then, his hovel was sometimes taken by others, or destroyed by those who took pleasure in wrecking it, and he was also beaten up by drunken men so his entire body ached. Was that suffering, then?

    No, it was not.

    The boy suffered, yet he was blind to his own suffering.

    However, all this would soon be over.

    The misery of which he was blissfully ignorant would end here.

    Death came without distinction to the fortunate and the unfortunate alike.

    ¡ªYes, Death was absolute.

    ***

    He closed his eyes.

    His body had long since stopped feeling the cold, and now hecked even the strength to open his eyes.

    He could hear his own faint heartbeat in the darkness. The sound of the rain blended with it, but then he heard something strange intrude into this world of his.

    A voice drowned out the sound of the rain. Amidst the fleeting remnants of his consciousness, the boy forced open his eyes, drawn by that curiosity unique to children.

    ¡°It¡± entered the narrow field of his vision.

    The boy¡¯s rapidly-closing eyes widened.

    It was beautiful.

    For a moment, he had no idea what it was.

    The best description for it would be ¡°gem-like¡±, or ¡°glittering like gold¡±. Of course, someone like him who ate discarded, half-rotten food to survive the days could not think of such things.

    Yes.

    There was only one thing in his mind.

    ¡ªLike the sun.

    That was the most distant, unattainable thing he could imagine. That word appeared in his mind.

    ÄÇÊÇËûËùÖªµÀ×îÆ¯ÁÁ£¬×îÉìÊÖ²»¿É¼°µÄ¶«Î÷¡£Õâ¸ö´Ê»ã¸¡ÏÖÔÚÄÔÖÐ¡£

    The rain had dyed the world grey. The sky was filled with thick, ck clouds. Perhaps the sun felt that nobody would notice, and so it had taken a walk and appeared before him.

    A thought like that ran through his mind.

    ¡°It¡± reached out a hand to stroke his face. And so¡ª

    The boy was originally not a human being.

    Nobody had treated the boy as a human being.

    But on this day, he became a human being.

    ? ? ?

    <b>3rd Day of the Lower Fire (9th) Month, 4:15</b>

    This was the Royal Capital of the Re-Estize Kingdoms. The Fortress Ro-Lante stood at its heart, its grounds encircled by 1¡¯400 meters of curtain walls with 20 huge towers spaced along its length.

    This room was located within one of those 20 towers.

    Thenterns were out in this none-too-spacious room, and there was a bed in there. A young man, somewhere between boyhood and adolescence,y on the bed.

    His blond hair was cropped very short and his skin was tanned and appeared healthy.

    Climb.

    He possessed only a name, but no surname. He was a soldier who had been permitted to defend thedy with the title of ¡°Golden¡± ¡ª an honor which had earned him the envy of many.

    He rose early, always before the sun rose.

    When he realised his consciousness had emerged from a faraway world of darkness, his mind cleared up immediately, and his body was almost fully operational. Climb was proud of his ability to sleep and rise quickly.

    His eyes opened wide, and an iron will burned within them.

    He peeled away the thick towelket covering his body ¡ª it was summer, but the nights were cold when one was surrounded by stone ¡ª and Climb sat up on his bed.

    He touched his fingertips to the corner of his eyes. They came away wet.

    ¡°...That dream again, huh.¡±

    Climb wiped his tears away with his sleeves.

    The heavy rain of two or three days ago must have made him recall that memory of his youth.

    He was not crying out of heartbreak.

    How many people could one meet in a lifetime who deserved respect? How many worthy masters could one serve, the kind for whom one would dly throw one¡¯s life away?

    On that day, when Climb had the good fortune of encountering a certaindy, he had decided to give his life for her at any time.

    The tears he shed came from joy. He wept out of gratitude for the miracle that encounter had brought.

    Climb¡¯s youthful face was filled with a steady determination as he rose to his feet.

    There was no illumination here. In this lightless world, Climb spoke, in a voice that was hoarse from over-training:

    ¡°Lights on.¡±

    Themp on the ceiling shed white illumination in response to Climb¡¯smand word, lighting up the room¡¯s interior. This was a magic item enchanted with the [Continual Light] spell.

    While items like these could be bought on the market, they were not cheap, and Climb only possessed one due to his unique position.

    Stone towers like these had poor venttion, and burning things for illumination was not safe. Therefore, almost every room here was furnished with magical illumination, despite the steep initial expense.

    The white light revealed that the floors and walls were also made of stone. Several thin carpets wereid on the ground to lessen the cold hardness of the stone. In addition, there was a crudely made wooden bed, and a slightlyrger clothes cab that seemed big enough to store his wargear. There was a desk with drawers, and then a wooden chair with a thin cushion on its seat.

    An outsider might consider this austere, but it was more than he deserved, in his opinion.

    Regr soldiers would not be allocated individual rooms. They would share double bunks and live in groups. The only other furniture they were assigned besides their beds was a locked wooden chest for storing personal items.

    He then nced at the pure white suit of full te armor in the corner of the room. It was so lustrous that it seemed to shine by itself. A standard soldier would never be issued such an exquisitely-made suit of armor.

    Naturally, Climb had not earned such special treatment through his own merits. This was a gift from the liege to whom Climb owed his loyalty. Thus, it was unavoidable that others would resent him.

    He opened the dressing cab, and took clothes from within. Then he dressed himself as he watched his image in the cab¡¯s mirror.

    First, he put on an old set of clothes. They smelled of metal, no matter how many times he washed them. Then he slipped a chain shirt over it. Normally, he would have donned his armor on top of that, but there was no need to be so formal right now. In its ce, he wore a many-pocketed vest and a pair of pants, and then he was dressed. He held a bucket with a cloth in it.

    After that, he studied the mirror once more, inspecting himself for anything out of ce or any oddities in his personal bearing.

    Any mistakes Climb made would be fodder for attacksunched against the ¡°Golden¡± Princess whom he served.

    Therefore, he had to be extra careful. He did not live in this ce to cause trouble to his Mistress. He was permitted to live here in order for himself to dedicate everything he had to her.

    Climb closed his eyes before the mirror, and imagined his Mistress¡¯ face.

    She was the Golden Princess ¡ª Renner Theiere Chardelon Ryle Vaiself.

    As expected of her high-born bloodline, she was surrounded in a sacrosanct aura, like a goddess descending upon the earth. She seemed to glow withpassion, and her mind produced many wise ns and policies.

    She was a noble among nobles, a princess among princesses. She was the perfect woman.

    Her golden brilliance ¡ª like an immacte gemstone ¡ª could not be marred in any way.

    If one were to use a ring forparison, Renner would be like a huge, brilliant-cut diamond. As for Climb, he would be the setting which held the stone in ce. Any shoring in the setting diminished the value of the ring, so he could not do anything which might devalue her.

    Climb¡¯s chest burned uncontrobly as he thought about his Mistress.

    Even the most pious supplicants to the gods could notpare to Climb¡¯s devotion.

    He examined himself for a while longer. After he was certain that he would not disgrace his Mistress, Climb nodded in satisfaction and left the room.

    <b>Part 3</b>

    <b>3rd Day of the Lower Fire (9th) Month, 4:35</b>

    His destination was a training hall which upied an entire floor of the tower.

    Usually, this ce would be abuzz with heat and activity from the soldiers here. However, it was early, so there was nobody here. The empty room was silent. The surroundings were made of stone, which made Climb¡¯s footsteps echo exceptionally loudly.

    The [Continual Light] magicalmps lit the training hall brightly.

    Within the hall, there were pieces of armor tied to wooden pirs and dummies made of straw, to serve as archery targets. All manner of blunted weapons hung on the wall.

    Training should have been conducted outside, but there was a reason why it was done indoors.

    The Valencia Pcey within Ro-Lante Keep. Therefore, having soldiers train outside, where ambassadors and diplomatic parties could see them, would be boorish. Thus, several indoor training halls had been built within the towers.

    Granted, having proud and strong soldiers training in public could be used to impress one¡¯s counterparts during diplomatic negotiations, but the King did not like that sort of thing. To him, the Kingdom was a nation that ought to show its graceful, elegant and noble side to foreign guests.

    That said, some training still needed to be conducted outdoors. At times like those, the soldiers had to do so secretly in corners, or in fields outside the Keep or outside the Capital entirely.

    Climb quietly entered the hall, as though wading through the cold air, and began warming up in a corner.

    After about half an hour of stretching, Climb¡¯s face was an umon shade of red. Sweat beaded on his forehead and he exhaled puffs of smoke from his exertions.

    Climb wiped his sweat away and then approached the arms racks. He picked up a heavy, blunted practice sword with a freshly blistered and callused hand. Then he felt its weight, making sure it fit well in his grip.

    After that, he loaded his pockets with metal bs and fastened them in ce, lest the bs fall out.

    After being weighed down by several metal bs, his clothes now weighed as much as a suit of full te armor. Unenchanted full te was sturdy, but very heavy, and the joints also restricted one¡¯s range of movement. Therefore, Climb should have worn a set of full te to practice, for realism¡¯s sake.

    However, Climb did not want to wear a suit of full te armor just for regr practice. In addition, he knew that the white armor he had been awarded was not suitable for training. Therefore, he used the metal bs as a substitute.

    He tightly gripped his sword, which wasrger than a greatsword, and adopted a high stance. Then Climb began to swing down, expelling his breath as he did. In the moment before the practice weapon struck the ground, he held it still, keeping it from actually striking the ground, and then brought it back up again as he inhaled. He slowly increased the speed of his swings, his eyes fixed on the air in front of him, his mind focused on his practice.

    He repeated these movements around 300 times.

    Climb¡¯s face looked as though it could not possibly get any redder, and droplets of sweat flowed down his cheeks. His exhaled breath was hot, as though to vent the umted heat inside him.

    Climb had been through harsh training as a soldier, but the weight of a greatsword was still quite heavy to him. Controlling the sword¡¯s speed to keep it from striking the ground after swinging it down required considerable arm strength.

    After the 500th repetition, Climb¡¯s arms began to cramp up and they felt like they were crying out in pain. The sweat flooded down his face in a deluge.

    Climb realised that he was at his limit. Even so, he did not intend to stop here.

    And then¡ª

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s time to take a break?¡±

    ¡ªA third party called out to him. Climb hurriedly turned around to see a male figure enter his field of vision.

    There was no better word to describe him than ¡°mighty¡±. Indeed, he was a man who looked like a b of forged steel. His stony face wrinkled, and the lines thus produced made him look older than his actual age. His bulging muscles proved that he was no ordinary person.

    There was no soldier in the Kingdom who could not recognize him.

    ¡°¡ªStronoff-sama.¡±

    He was the Kingdom¡¯s Warrior-Captain, Gazef Stronoff. He was hailed as the mightiest man in the Kingdom, and a warrior which nobody in the nearby nations could rival.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be overtraining if you keep it up. There¡¯s no point forcing yourself.¡±

    Climb lowered his sword, and looked at his arms as they trembled uncontrobly.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. I might have been overdoing it.¡±

    Gazef rounded his shoulders at Climb¡¯s expressionless thanks.

    ¡°If you really understand, then don¡¯t make me keep nagging you about the same old thing. How many times is this, anyway?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry.¡±

    Gazef shrugged again as Climb bowed in apology.

    This back and forth had repeated itself between them countless times. Under normal circumstances, the two of them would leave things at that and focus on their own training. However, today was different.

    ¡°How about it, Climb. Shall we go a round or two?¡±

    Climb¡¯s typically nk expression was thrown into disarray as he heard Gazef say those words.

    They had met here in the past, but they had never crossed des. That was an unspoken rule between them.

    That was because it did them no good to practice together. Or rather; there were merits to doing so, but they were far outweighed by the demerits of doing so.

    The Kingdom was now divided into the Royal Faction and the Noble Faction, thetter of which wasposed of a coalition of three of the nation¡¯s Six Great Nobles. The power struggle between them left the Kingdom¡¯s situation in a very precarious state. Some even felt that the only reason the country had not yet fallen apart was because of its yearly wars with the Empire.

    Under these circumstances, the King¡¯s right hand man ¡ª the Warrior Captain Gazef Stronoff ¡ª could not be defeated. For instance, if he were to be beaten, it would provide the opposing Noble Faction with ample material to criticize him with.

    As for Climb, suffering a grievous defeat might mean that the nobles would no longer allow him to defend Princess Renner¡¯s body. The fact that many nobles were disgusted that a nameless soldier like Climb was actually permitted to stay by her side, being that she was a world-ss beauty who was also an unmarried princess.

    Due to the abovementioned circumstances, neither party could afford to lose.

    More than that, they could not allow others to see their weaknesses and give their enemies an opening to exploit. Both of them were ofmon birth, and so they had to be very careful in everything they did, in order not to cause problems for their masters.

    That being the case, why had Gazef decided to break this unspoken rule?

    Climb looked around.

    It could not be because there was nobody else around. The keep was a densely-popted area. Surely someone would be watching from afar or spying on them from the shadows, but he could not think of any other reason.

    Climb had no idea if it was because of a good or a bad reason. He was confused and shocked, but he did not express it on his face.

    However, the person before Climb was the mightiest warrior in the Kingdom. Though Climb¡¯s momentary consternation might have gone unnoticed by an average person, the person before him picked up on it, and replied:

    ¡°Recently, I¡¯ve begun feeling that my skills are inadequate. Therefore, I wanted to train with someone who couldst a while against me.¡±

    ¡°You actually think that, Stronoff-sama?¡±

    What exactly had happened to make Gazef, the Kingdom¡¯s best warrior, doubt his own skills? Just then, Climb remembered that the unit Gazef led was short of several people.

    Climb had no kin, and so he had only heard the rumors in the messhall. Apparently, the unit had been involved in a certain incident and had lost several people.

    ¡°Indeed. If not for a certainpassionate magic caster who aided me against the foe, I might not be standing here today¡ª¡±

    Climb could no longer maintain his iron mask when he heard this. Indeed, there was nobody who would not be surprised to hear those words. Unable to restrain his curiosity, he asked:

    ¡°What sort of person was thatpassionate magic caster?¡±

    ¡°...He called himself Ainz Ooal Gown. By my reckoning, he ought to be on par with that monster of a mage from the Empire.¡±

    Climb had never heard that name before.

    Climb worshipped heroes, and he had a secret passion for heroic sagas. His interest even crossed racial boundaries. In addition, he hungrily devoured any adventurer stories that he hade across in the neighboring countries. However, he had no memory of the person whom Gazef had mentioned.

    Of course, he might have been using an alias.

    ¡°That, ah ¡ª ahem!¡±

    Climb tamped down his curiosity.

    How could I ask him excitedly about an incident where he lost his men? ... That¡¯d be terribly rude.

    ¡°I shall remember the name of that great person... then, is it really alright for me to train with you?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s hardly training, just crossing des once or twice. Whether or not you learn anything from it is all up to you. After all, you¡¯re a first-rate warrior among the Kingdom¡¯s soldiers. I feel more motivated when I train with you.¡±

    This was high praise, but Climb could only take it as standard courtesy.

    It was not that Climb was very strong, but that the standards by which he was judged were too low. The average Royal Army soldier was little better than the average man, and far weaker than the Imperial Army¡¯s professional Knights. Virtually none of them were famed for their martial skill throughout the surrounding nations like Gazef was. While Gazef¡¯s direct subordinates were excellent soldiers, they were still a notch beneath Climb.

    Among the adventurers¡¯ rankings of copper, iron, silver, gold, tinum, mithril, orichalcum and adamantite, Climb himself would be gold-ranked at best. He was not weak, but there were many others who were stronger than himself.

    Could a bit yer like himself really motivate Gazef ¡ª who was adamantite-ranked in adventurer terms?

    Climb chased away those weak-minded thoughts of his.

    Having the Kingdom¡¯s strongest man train with him was a rare opportunity. He would not regret it, even if Gazef ended up disappointed by the end of their session.

    ¡°Then, I pray you will exchange a few blows with me.¡±

    Gazef smiled thinly, and bowed.

    The two of them went for the weapons cab and picked out weapons suited for themselves. Gazef selected a bastard sword, while Climb selected a small shield and a broadsword.

    After that, Climb removed the metal bs from his pockets. It would be terribly disrespectful to wear them while fighting someone stronger than himself. In addition, he had to give this battle his all, otherwise he would not be able to grow.

    His foe was the mightiest warrior in the Kingdom. He had to focus all his energies and experience the power of mighty wall before him with all his strength.

    After Climb was ready, Gazef asked:

    ¡°Are your arms alright? Are they still stiff?¡±

    ¡°Yes, they¡¯re fine. They¡¯re still a little hot, but it doesn¡¯t affect my grip or anything.¡±

    Climb waved his arms. Gazef saw his movements and nodded, knowing that he was not lying.

    ¡°Is that so... though in a sense, it¡¯s a bit of a shame. In actualbat, it¡¯s very rare that one will be able to fight in tip-top condition. If your grip is affected, you¡¯ll need to think of a way to fight thatpensates for it. Have you learned anything like that?¡±

    ¡°No, no, I haven¡¯t. Would you like me to swing again¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ah, no, there¡¯s no need to go that far. I¡¯m just saying, you¡¯ll need to protect Her Highness at all times. You should practice fighting styles which can be used when you¡¯re attacked where swords can¡¯t be borne, or perhaps practice using various forms of weapons in battle. It won¡¯t hurt.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°...Swords, shields, spears, axes, daggers, gauntlets, bows, clubs and thrown weapons. The use of these weapons are known as the Nine Arts, and they are the foundation of all armedbat... however, if you try and learn too much, you¡¯ll end up spreading yourself too thin. I¡¯d suggest picking two or three and training with them. Alright, I¡¯ve babbled enough.¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t say that, Stronoff-sama. Thank you for the lecture!¡±

    Gazef grinned, and waved away Climb¡¯s thanks.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s start once you¡¯re ready. Start by giving me your best shot in your current condition. After that, depending on the time... Well, I might not be able to put you through your paces, but I¡¯ll find a chance to exin the Nine Arts and the secrets of fighting with other weapons.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I pray you will teach me unreservedly.¡±

    ¡°Very well. However, I¡¯m not treating this as practice. Come at me like this was a real battle.¡±

    Climb slowly brought his sword down to a low stance, obliquing his body so his left side faced Gazef from behind his shield. The look in Climb¡¯s eyes was razor-keen, indicating that he no longer treated this as a training bout. Simrly, Gazef¡¯s stance spoke of battle-readiness.

    The two of them locked eyes, but Climb could not bring himself to make the first move.

    It was much easier to move now that he had removed the metal bs, but still, he did not think he could beat Gazef. The other man was far superior to him in terms of physical ability and experience.

    Stepping carelessly into his reach would only invite a counterattack. Gazef was a better warrior than he was, so perhaps it could not be helped. However, if this were a real battle, did that mean he should simply throw his life away because ¡°it could not be helped¡±?

    If not, then what should he do?

    The answer was: he had to attack the weaknesses in Gazef¡¯s stance.

    Climb was his inferior in physical parameters, experience and spirit; all the qualities a warrior required. If there was any way to address this disparity, it would be through their respective armament.

    Gazef used a bastard sword. Inparison, Climb was using a broadsword and a small shield. Perhaps if his equipment was enchanted, he might be able topensate, but these were practice arms, so their weapons were fundamentally the same.

    However, Gazef only had one weapon, while Climb had two ¡ª after all, a shield could be used as a weapon. It was weaker, but it gave him more options.

    ¡ªHe would deflect a blow with his shield and then strike with his sword. Either that, or use his sword to make an opening and then bash with his shield.

    Climb decided on his strategy, which was to take advantage of opportunities to riposte. Then, he carefully studied Gazef¡¯s movements.

    After several seconds. Gazef chuckled.

    ¡°Noting? Then, maybe I should go to you ¡ª are you ready?¡±

    Gazef raised his sword in a casual manner. He lowered his stance, gathering strength like a coiling spring. Climb too began suffusing his body with might, ready to deflect any attack which mighte.

    Then, Gazef stepped forward, swinging his sword at the shield.

    ¡ªSo fast!

    Climb immediately abandoned the idea of deflecting that blow. He turned all his energies to defense, in order to endure that hit.

    And in the next moment ¡ª a startling impact exploded on his shield.

    So mighty was the blow that Climb wondered if the shield had splintered. It had been so strong that Climb¡¯s shield hand had gone numb. There was no way to avoid it without using his body¡¯s entire strength.

    To think I actually wanted to deflect it! What kind of timing would you need to exploit a weakness in that technique? At the very least, I need to endure that blow!

    Climb grunted at his naivete, and then another impact blossomed on his gut.

    ¡°Guwaargh!¡±

    Climb¡¯s body flew through the air. His back thumped heavily on the stone floor, knocking the wind out of him. When he looked at Gazef, he immediately realised what had happened to him.

    Gazef was retracting the leg which had sent Climb flying with a vicious kick.

    ËûÕýºÃÔÚÊÕ»ØÃÍÁ¦õß·É¿ËÀ³Ä·µÄÄÇÖ»½Å¡£

    ¡°...You focused on my hands because I was only holding a sword. That¡¯s not good. You might end up taking a kick like just now. While I aimed for your belly just now, I should have been aiming for somewhere with thinner protection, like trying to break the kneecaps or something. Also... even with a cup, being kicked in the groin with a metal boot might break something if you¡¯re unlucky, no? You need to keep an eye on your opponent¡¯s entire body and study his every move.¡±

    ¡°..Yes.¡±

    Climb slowly rose to his feet, gritting his teeth against the throbbing paining from his belly.

    Gazef was the Kingdom¡¯s mightiest warrior, and his physical strength matched his reputation. If Gazef had been serious, he could have easily broken Climb¡¯s ribs through his chain shirt or otherwise left him unable to fight. The fact that Climb had not suffered such a fate was probably because Gazef had not been fighting in earnest. Instead, he had merely picked out a target with his foot and then applied a bit of force, so all he had done was send Climb flying.

    So it was training after all... thank you very much.

    As he savored the taste of being personally tutored by the greatest warrior in the Kingdom, Climb raised his sword again, his heart brimming with gratitude.

    This was a priceless period of time. He had to be careful not to let it run out too soon.

    Climb covered himself up with his shield again. He inched towards Gazef, who studied Climb in silence. If this kept up, he would only be make the same old mistakes again. As Climb closed in, he was forced to reconsider his tactics.

    Gazef cidly awaited his oing foe, a look of fearsome calm on his face. It would seem Climb could not force Gazef to use the full measure of his abilities.

    However, agonizing over that fact would be a form of arrogance.

    Climb was nearing his limit. Though he woke early to practice every day, his rate of growth was slower than an old cow ambling down the road. He had made far too little progress ever since he had started learning the sword. While he might be able to improve his speed and strength by training his body, he might not be able to master special abilities like martial arts and the like.

    It would be terribly rude for someone like Climb to grumble about not being able to force a gifted individual to use his true abilities. Rather, he should me his ownck of talent for not being able to make his opponent go all-out.

    In all likelihood, when Gazef told him to treat this as a real battle instead of simple training, he was telling Climb to ¡°fight like you want to take my life, otherwise you are not worthy to be my opponent.¡±

    Climb gnashed his teeth quietly.

    He despised his weakness. If only he were stronger, he could be more useful. He could be the Princess¡¯ sword and directly confront the viins guing the Kingdom¡¯s people.

    He felt guilty that the Princess¡¯ sole sword was so weak that it had to be gingerly wielded.

    However, Climb immediately shook off his guilt. He should not be wallowing in self-pity right now, but using all his might to contend with the powerful foe before him, in the hopes of growing, if only a little.

    There was only one thought within his heart.

    That was to lend his strength to the Princess.

    ***

    ¡°Hoh,¡± Gazef exhaled, and the expression on his face changed somewhat.

    That was because the young man before him had a different look on his own face. Until just now, he looked like a starstruckd, eager and nervous. But with a simple kick, that annoying mood was gone, and now he looked like a proper warrior.

    Gazef raised his alertness level by a notch.

    Gazef thought better of Climb than thed himself did. What he appreciated most was Climb¡¯s hunger for strength, as well as loyalty which bordered on zealotry. Next was his sword skills.

    Climb had not learned from a master, but observed others and cobbled his insights into a self-taught style. His technique was not elegant and had a lot of wasteful movements. However, it was different from styles learned through rote lessons. He carefully considered every stroke he made, forming a style that was ideal for practicalbat, or to put it more bluntly, for murder.

    Gazef felt that this was a good thing.

    Swords were ultimately murder weapons. Sword skills learned as a form of recreation were not useful on the field of battle. Their users would not be able to defend those they wanted to protect, and they could not save those they wanted to rescue. The only thing they could do was wait to be hacked down by the enemy.

    However, Climb was different. Gazef was sure that he could y his foes and safeguard the people who were important to him.

    Yet¡ª

    ¡°You¡¯ve changed your attitude, but I¡¯m still far superior to you. What will you do now?¡±

    Frankly speaking, Climb had no talent. However hard he worked, however hard he trained his body, he would never be able to reach the zenith of swordsmanship without talent. He was as dustpared to people like Gazef or Brain Unus.

    Climb¡¯s desire to be stronger than anyone else was nothing more than a dream or fantasy.

    Even so, why did Gazef wish to help train Climb? Would it not be more beneficial to spend his time on someone better?

    The answer was simple enough; Gazef could not overlook Climb¡¯s unwavering diligence, however useless it was. If every man had their own personal limits, then one could say that Gazef pitied the fact that Climb hurled himself bodily against the wall of his own limits.

    Therefore, he wanted to teach Climb something else.

    He felt that there was a limit to one¡¯s abilities, but not limit to one¡¯s experience.

    In addition, there was one more reason. He felt a deep-seated pity for the tragic state of his greatest rival.

    So I¡¯m using him as a substitute, huh... I¡¯m doing Climb a disservice... but I doubt sparring with me will do him any harm.

    ¡°¡ªCome at me, Climb.¡±

    He received a strident answer to his self-directed mumbling.

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ***

    As he answered, Climb nted his foot firmly on the ground and soared forward.

    Unlike just now, Gazef¡¯s expression was stern as he raised his sword into a high stance.

    He would hack down from above.

    If Climb blocked with his shield, he would be stopped in his tracks. If he blocked it with his sword, his weapon would be knocked away. That attack essentially made his defense meaningless. Blocking it was a poor move, but Climb was using a broadsword,pared to Gazef¡¯s bastard sword.

    All he could do was rush into Gazef¡¯s reach. Gazef knew this and squared himself to meet the charge.

    It was like running into a tiger¡¯s maw ¡ª but Climb only hesitated for a moment.

    He plunged into the attack range of Gazef¡¯s sword.

    Gazef was waiting for him, and when he swung down, Climb blocked it with his shield. The awesome impact was greater than the one he had felt just now. Climb grimaced as pain worked its way down his arm.

    ¡°What a shame. To think history would repeat itself.¡±

    There was some disappointment on Gazef¡¯s face as he aimed his foot at Climb¡¯s belly, and then¡ª

    ¡°[Fortress]!¡±

    ¡ªThe look on Gazef¡¯s face changed to one of shock as he heard Climb shout.

    The martial art [Fortress] did not require a shield or sword to be used. If desired, one could activate it with one¡¯s armor or even bare hands. Of course, most people would use it when blocking with one¡¯s weapon or shield because the timing had to be exact. When using it with armor, a miscalction would result in one being left defenseless before the foes. Therefore, most people would rather use it with a shield or weapon. It wasmon sense.

    However, Climb knew that Gazef would go for a kick, so he did not have to worry about that.

    ¡°Were you aiming for this?!¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    The force of Gazef¡¯s kick seemed to fade away, as though absorbed by something soft. Gazef could not put any strength into his extended leg and thus he was forced to regain his uneven footing. Seeing how he was off bnce, Climb swung down on him.

    ¡°[sh]!¡±

    He brought his sword up after initiating the maneuver, and then swung it down in an overhand chop.

    You need to develop a technique that you can deploy with confidence.

    After heeding the advice of a certain warrior, the untalented Climb had worked body and soul to produce this move, a strike that came from above.

    Climb¡¯s body was not sheathed in muscles. He had been born with an average physique, and building muscle was difficult. Neither was he gifted with dexterity, allowing him to move as he willed even with a musclebound body.

    Because of that, he had honed a specialized muscle structure in himself after nigh-endless training.

    The fruit of that was this downwards stroke. It was a high-speed shing attack that had been refined to extraordinary levels, a sh of steel followed by a mighty wind.

    That strike bore down on Gazef¡¯s head.

    It would be fatal if it connected, but Climb was not thinking about that. His trust in Gazef was absolute. He had only used this move because he was certain that the mighty Gazef would not be done in by an attack of that level.

    There was a crisp ringing of metal, and the broadsword collided with the raised bastard sword.

    All this was still within his expectations.

    Climb focused the full extent of his strength in an attempt to throw Gazef off bnce.

    However, Gazef remained as motionless as a mountain.

    It was difficult to maintain one¡¯s bnce on one foot, yet Gazef had easily blocked that strike made with Climb¡¯s full strength. It was as though he were rooted into the very earth itself.

    Climb had struck his mightiest blow with all the strength he could muster. Yet even thebination of these two factors could not shake Gazef standing on one foot. This fact shocked Climb to the core, and his eyes went to his belly.

    He had to close in to strike with his broadsword. That meant Gazef might be able to kick his gut once more.

    As Climb leapt away, said kick struck Climb¡¯s body.

    There was a faint, throbbing pain. After that, both of them staggered several paces apart.

    Gazef lowered his eyes and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

    It was a smile, but not one that caused displeasure. It clearly disyed his good humor. Climb was a little ufortable in the face of that smile, which was like a father watching his son grow.

    ¡°Very well done. Therefore, I shall get a little serious now.¡±

    Gazef¡¯s face changed.

    A thrill of terror ran through Climb¡¯s body. That was because his instincts told him that the Kingdom¡¯s strongest fighter now stood before him.

    ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve got a potion with me. It should be able to mend broken bones, so don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°...Thank you very much.¡±

    Climb¡¯s heart lurched as he heard his opponent imply that he would be taking a fracture. While he was used to being hurt, it did not mean that he enjoyed it.

    Gazef took a step forward, twice as fast as Climb stepping in.

    The tip of the bastard sword pointed to the ground, tracing a low path that came at Climb¡¯s legs. The sheer speed of the attack panicked Climb, and he nted his sword on the ground, preparing to protect his legs.

    There was a fierce sh. Just as Climb realized it, Gazef¡¯s sword bounced up. The bastard sword travelled along the body of the broadsword in an upwards sh.

    ¡°Oog!¡±

    Climb threw his face ¡ª and the rest of his body ¡ª backward, and the bastard sword zipped past his body. Several strands of severed hair fell in the wake of the swing.

    Filled with fear at how Gazef had overwhelmed him in an instant, Climb cast his eyes toward the tip of the sword. Then, to his horror, he saw the bastard sword suddenly halt, and then turn.

    His body was moving before his mind could think.

    As though driven by a basic survival instinct, he stuck out his small shield, which collided with the bastard sword and produced a ringing sound of metal.

    And then ¡ª

    ¡°¡ªAh!¡±

    There was a surge of pain, and then Climb was sent flying across the room. He struck the ground rolling, and the impact jarred his sword loose from his grip.

    It would seem the bastard sword had immediately changed direction into a horizontal sweep after bouncing off the shield, and it had savagely struck Climb¡¯s side, which he had left exposed.

    ¡°Flow from move to move. Do not think of attack and defense as separate things. Every movement must be made in order tounch the next attack. Think of your defense as a way of setting up an attack.¡±

    Climb picked up his fallen sword and grabbed at his waist as he struggled to his feet.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t use too much force to spare you a fracture, so you should be able to fight, right? How do you feel?¡±

    Climb¡¯s breathing was ragged from tension and pain, in contrast to Gazef¡¯s even, regr breaths.

    He was only wasting Gazef¡¯s time if he could not even take a few hits. That said, Climb still wanted to be as strong as possible.

    He nodded to Gazef, and raised his sword.

    ¡°Alright. Then let¡¯s continue.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    With that hoarse cry, Climb broke into a run.

    He was struck, he was knocked back, he was even bodily beaten. Climb crumpled to the stone floor over and over again. The cool bs drained the heat from his body through his clothes and chain shirt, and it felt veryfortable.

    ¡°Huuu... huu... huu...¡±

    He did not wipe his sweat away. More precisely, hecked the strength to do so.

    As pain flooded into his mind from all over his body, his whole body was gripped in a sudden surge of fatigue, and his eyes closed lightly.

    ¡°You did well. I tried to avoid breaking or splintering your bones while swinging. How do you feel?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Still on the ground, Climb moved his hands to feel up the ces which hurt.

    Then he opened his eyes.

    ¡°No problems here. It hurts, but those are just bumps and bruises.¡±

    The waves of pain were quite light. They would not affect his duties of protecting the Princess.

    ¡°Is that so... then we won¡¯t need to use the potion.¡±

    ¡°Mm. Besides, using it carelessly will remove the effects of muscle training.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s meant to provide rapid healing, but the effect of the magic also reverts the muscle to its original state. Just as well. You¡¯ll be going to bodyguard the Princess after this, am I right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Take it, then. Just in case. Use it if anythinges up.¡±

    The medicine bottle clinked as Gazef set it down by Climb¡¯s side.

    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±

    He sat up, looking at Gazef. He looked upon the man whose swordy he could not hope to match.

    The unscathed man found it strange, and asked:

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing... I just thought you¡¯re really amazing.¡±

    Gazef¡¯s forehead was devoid of sweat. His breathing was calm and regr. Was this the difference between Climb, sprawled on the ground, and the strongest man in the Kingdom?

    Climb sighed, but he was satisfied with this oue.

    Gazef, on the other hand, seemed to be grinning.

    ¡°...Really now. Well...¡±

    ¡°Why¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªIf you want to ask why I¡¯m so strong, I can¡¯t rightfully give you an answer. Basically, I was talented. Incidentally, I learned how to fight as a mercenary. The nobles call my habit of kicking people crude, but I learned it during that time too. There was no secret to bing strong,¡± Gazef concluded. Climb had thought that repeating the same practice over and over would eventually make him a little stronger, but that had been rejected in an instant.

    ¡°In that sense, you¡¯re quite suited for my style of fighting with fists and feet, Climb.¡±

    ¡°Is... that so?¡±

    ¡°Oh yes. You haven¡¯t been trained as a swordsman or a soldier, but that has its good points too. Once one picks up a sword, it¡¯s only natural to focus on using it... but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good thing. I feel that the sword should only be an attack method, alongside punching and kicking and so on. That¡¯s a practical fighting style; or a dirty... an adventurer¡¯s fighting style.¡±

    Climb¡¯s face was no longer its usual nk te. There was a smile there now. To think the mightiest man in the Kingdom would actually praise his haphazard, pdash sword skills!

    He was delighted that his swordsmanship ¡ª which the aristocrats scorned ¡ª had received such des.

    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll stop training here. I should go. I need to meet the king in time to for his breakfast. Don¡¯t you need to hurry to the Princess¡¯ side?¡±

    ¡°No, because the Princess has a guest today.¡±

    ¡°A guest? Which noble is that?¡±

    To think that Princess would have a caller. Gazef was quite surprised, and then Climb answered:

    ¡°Yes, Aindra-sama.¡±

    ¡°Aindra? Oh! ...Which Aindra is it? From Blue... or is it Red?¡±

    ¡°That would be Aindra-sama of Blue Rose.¡±

    Gazef sighed in visible relief.

    ¡°I see... so that was it... so if a friend¡¯se, that means...¡±

    Gazef had guessed that Renner had barred Climb from her side because she had a friend over, but the truth was that Climb had gently refused the invitation.

    While he and the Princess had a rtionship where they did not need to quibble about trivialities, even Gazef would frown in disapproval if he learned that Climb had refused the invitation of a member of the Royal Household. Therefore, he did not state the truth, but let Gazef draw his own conclusions.

    Climb had met Aindra through Renner, and Aindra thought well of him. Surely she would not reject Climb like the other nobles if he were to join them at a dinner party.

    However, Climb had considered that his mistress (Renner) had almost no friends of the same sex, and he felt that if he, as a man, were not around, the twodies would be able to speak about personal things they could not normally utter.

    ¡°Thank you very much for today, Gazef-sama.¡±

    ¡°Please, don¡¯t stand on ceremony. I had a good time too.¡±

    ¡°...If it pleases you, could I ask for your guidance again, like today?¡±

    Gazef could not answer for a moment. Climb saw his reaction and began to apologize, but Gazef spoke first.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. As long as there¡¯s nobody else around, of course.¡±

    Climb keenly understood Gazef¡¯s reluctance, and so he did not say much. He forced his sore aching body to his feet and spoke his heartfelt feelings.

    ¡°Thank you very much!¡±

    Gazef waved back grandly, and strode forth.

    ¡°Then please tidy up here. It would be terrible if I could not meet the King for his morning meal... oh yes, that downward sh of yours was pretty good. However, you need to think about whates after that. Consider what you¡¯d do if your strike was dodged or blocked.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    <b>Part 4</b>

    <b>3rd Day of the Lower Fire (9th) Month, 6:22</b>

    After bidding farewell to Gazef, Climb wiped off his sweat with a damp towel and headed to a ce that was drastically different from the training hall of just now.

    This room was around the same size as the training hall in question. It was filled with many long tables and benches, packed with people chatting happily away. A delicious fragrance filled the warm air of the room.

    This was the dining hall.

    After entering the room, Climb passed through the hubbub of humanity and joined the back of the line.

    Much like the people in front of him, Climb had several stacked containers in front of him. There was a tray, a wooden dish, a wooden spoon, and finally a wooden cup.

    He collected his meal in the appropriate order.

    One slightlyrger-than-usual steamed potato with brown bread, a thick white stewden with ingredients, pickled cabbage and a sausage. To Climb, this was a sumptuous meal.

    The dishes smelled fragrant on his tray. Climb looked around the dining hall as the smell prickled at his gut.

    The noisy soldiers were currently eating. They sat with their friends and as they ate, they talked about what they would do on their next leave, the food, their families, and other light topics. This was standard fare.

    Climb spotted an empty seat and wound through the din as he headed for it.

    He stepped over the bench and took a seat. There were soldiers on either side of him, chatting heartily with their friends. As Climb sat down, they turned to look at him, but then they immediately lost interest and turned their eyes elsewhere.

    It was as though Climb sat in the eye of the storm.

    An onlooker might think this was quite creepy.

    Though there was cheery conversation all around him, nobody sought out Climb to speak to him. While it was true that nobody would chat up a stranger, they were all soldiers, serving in the same location, and they might need to depend on each other in times of mortal danger. From that point of view, their attitude was quite strange.

    It was as though Climb did not exist to them.

    On his part, Climb did not n to speak to anyone else, because he clearly understood his position.

    The guards in Ro-Lante Keep were not mere soldiers.

    Soldiers in the Royal Army included conscripts armed and outfitted by the lords of various domains, mercenaries hired by the cities, guards tasked with patrolling the cities, and so on. However, the one thing they had inmon was that they were all of low birth.

    Of course, allowingmoners of uncertain provenance to approach the Royal Household and the Pce, with its many secrets, would cause a lot of problems.

    Therefore, the guards of Ro-Lante Keep had to be rmended by a noble. If the guards caused any problems, their sponsoring noble would bear the me for them. Therefore, all the candidates were pure and upstanding citizens.

    However, this practice led to a certain phenomenon.

    That was ¡°factionalization¡±.

    All the sponsoring nobles belonged to one faction or another. The troops they rmended would naturally join their masters¡¯ factions. Since anybody who opposed the nobles had no chance of being picked at all, it was hardly a leap to say that all the soldiers here were affiliated with one faction or another.

    It sounded purely disadvantageous, but it had a benefit in that the soldiers constantly honed their skills lest they be drawn into a factional conflict. While they were still nowhere near the level of the Imperial Knights, the Keep¡¯s guards had some measure of skill.

    Of course, Climb was much more skilled than them, but the nobles had managed to find fault even with that. After all, he was stronger than the troops which the nobles themselves had put forward.

    While it was true that the sponsoring nobles might not belong to a faction, under the current circumstances, the Kingdom was split into the Noble and the Royal Faction. Under these circumstances, there was only one noble who could flit between both sides like a bat.

    There was a simr individual among the serried ranks of hand-picked troops.

    That individual was Climb.

    Climb was in a very awkward position.

    Originally, someone like Climb could not possibly hope to stand by Renner¡¯s side. As one ofmon birth, he would never be entrusted with the weighty task of defending royalty. It had always been that only nobles could protect the Royal Household.

    However, there were exceptions, in the form of Gazef Stronoff ¡ª the Kingdom¡¯s strongest soldier ¡ª and the elite troops under hismand. And then, almost nobody could publicly object to Princess Renner¡¯s fervent wish. Perhaps a member of the Royal Household could gainsay her, but since the King, the highest authority in thend, had given his approval, nobody else could object to it.

    Climb had a personal room due to this awkward position of his.

    Renner¡¯s word had given him a room of his own. But at the same time, it separated him from the others. After all, Climb was not affiliated with any faction and was ufortable in either camp, so he was like a hot potato.

    Given Climb¡¯s situation and background, he should have been a member of the Royal Faction. However, the Royal Faction were a group of nobles who had sworn their loyalty to the King, and they did not wee Climb, whose origins were unknown.

    In the end, Climb had be a very prickly being to take into their fold. Instead, they chose to leave him alone and wait for him to volunteer to help of his own ord. On the other hand, the Noble faction felt that drawing Climb in would have benefits, but it would also be like letting a wolf into their own homes.

    However, the factions were made of many nobles, and not all of them were of one mind. The factions were ultimately organizations formed for profit. That being, the case while some members of the Royal Faction gave him the stink-eye ¡ª because he was a meremoner who had been allowed to be the closest person to the Golden Princess ¡ª others also wanted Climb on their side.

    In any case, nobody had been careless enough to risk splintering their faction for Climb.

    In conclusion, both of them considered Climb an asset that neither of them wanted, but which neither of them wanted to surrender to their rivals.

    That was why nobody spoke to him, and he was left to eat by himself.

    He did not talk to anyone either, and he paid their business no heed. He simply ate, and finished HIS breakfast within 10 minutes.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Sated, he mumbled to himself ¡ª a practice picked up from long hours of solitude. Just as he was about to stand up, he bumped into a passing soldier.

    Climb¡¯s face was impassive as an elbow struck the ce where he had been hurt while sparring with Gazef, but he froze from the pain.

    The soldier who had hit him said nothing, just carried on. The soldiers around him kept silent too. Several people furrowed their brows as they saw this, but nobody said anything.

    Climb sighed deeply, and headed out with his bowl and te.

    This much was par for the course. He was simply d that there was no hot stew in the bowl at that time.

    Nearly being tripped by an extended foot. People running into him under the pretense of an ident. He was used to these things. However ¡ª

    ¡ªSo what?

    Climb continued forward. They could not do anything more to him ¡ª not in a public ce like the dining hall.

    Climb kept his chin up throughout. His eyes were fixed forward and he would not waver.

    If he showed any sign of unseemly behavior, it would cause problems for his mistress Renner. After all, every move Climb made reflected directly on the reputation of Renner ¡ª the woman to whom he owed his loyalty.

 Chapter 34 - Volume 5

    <h4>Overlord Volume 5 Chapter 2</h4>

    <b>Chapter 2: Blue Roses</b>

    <b>Part 1</b>

    <b>Lower Fire Month (9th Month) 3rd Day, 8:02</b>

    Dressed in his white full te armor, his sword by his side, a fully-equipped Climb stepped into the Valencia Pce.

    The Valencia Pce was roughly divided into three wings, and he had just entered one of them. This was thergest of the three, where the Royal Family resided.

    Unlike Climb¡¯s dwelling ce earlier, the Pce was very well-lit, collecting light from the outside in a brilliant disy that seemed to make the interior sparkle.

    The polished hallways were free of litter; practically spotless, in fact. The reason why Climb¡¯s full te armor made no sound as he walked upon it was because it had mithril and orichalcum in its construction, and it was additionally enchanted on top of that.

    Along the clean and spacious hallways were the elite soldiers assigned to guard duty in the pce. They stood resplendent in their full te armor ¡ª they were knights.

    The Knights of the Empire weremoners recruited and trained into professional soldiers. In contrast, the Kingdom¡¯s knights were usually third sons ofnded nobles or others who could not otherwise inherit the family estate. However, the Crown paid them very highly, and so only first-rate swordsmen were epted for membership. Not even nobles could sneak in through backdoor connections.

    The best way to describe them would be ¡°the King¡¯s personal guard¡±.

    Incidentally, Gazef¡¯s position as Warrior-Captain was because many people opposed his knighthood, and so the King created a new appointment for him. Since then, the group of elite soldiers that he had picked and trained personally were known as Warriors.

    Climb nodded slightly to them. Almost all of them returned the gesture. Only a few of them did so reluctantly; the vast majority were sincere in their courtesy. They might be nobles, but they were also men of martial spirit who were sworn to the King. Excellent warriors who devoted their lives to their King were worthy of their respect.

    In contrast, Climb passed another group of people in the hallway who viewed him with open hostility.

    They were the maids. Almost all of them frowned whenever they saw Climb.

    Unlike regr maids, the maidservants of the Royal Pce were all noblewomen who hade here to raise their own standing. Thus, to some extent, they were of higher status than Climb. In particr, the maids who personally served the Royal Family were heiresses of high-ranking nobility. They inly disyed their anger at having to bow and scrape before a man who was beneath a mere peasant.

    It was true that Climb was lower-born than they were, so it was not hard to see why they would give him the stink-eye when Renner was not looking. Climb understood this, and he had never once gotten angry at them for that.

    However, that mindset,bined with Climb¡¯s own nk expression, made the maids think he was snubbing them and it only deepened their anger for him. Meanwhile, Climb paid that vicious cycle no heed. Or rather, it might be better to say that if he was really that careful, he ought to be able to tie off those loose ends in a better way.

    Even so, Climb felt mentally fatigued after walking through this pce.

    There were other members of the Royal Family in the Pce besides Renner and Ranpossa III.

    ¡ªGgh?!

    As Climb saw one of those royals approach, he immediately went to the wall, his back ramrod straight, and pressed his hand to his chest in a salute.

    Two people approached him. The one behind was a tall, skinny man, with a head of slicked-back blond hair.

    His name was Marquis Raeven, one of the Kingdom¡¯s Six Great Nobles.

    The problem was the slightly plump man walking in front of him. His name was Zanack Valreon Igana Ryle Vaiself. He was the King¡¯s second son, and second in line for the throne.

    Zanack stopped, and his fatty-jowled face contorted.

    ¡°Oh, if it isn¡¯t Climb. Are you going to see thart monster?¡±

    There was only one person whom Prince Zanack referred to a monster. Climb knew that what he was about to do might well give offense to a social superior, but he simply could not let it slide.

    ¡°Your Highness. Forgive my impertinence, but Lady Renner is no monster. A gentle,passionate and beautiful person like herself is more like the Kingdom¡¯s treasure.¡±

    She had solved the ve problem and proposed policies which put themon man first. If she did not qualify as a treasure, then what did? Granted, the nobles frequently obstructed her legition and prevented most of her policies from being implemented, but Climb still knew how much she thought of the people.

    This gentle woman wept before Climb whenever her populist policies were denied. What right did a useless man (Zanack) have to lecture her?

    Anger red up within Climb¡¯s heart, and he longed to give Zanack a good punch.

    They might only be half-rted by blood, but they were still of the same bloodline, and he should not be saying such things. However, Climb did not allow his anger to take physical form.

    Renner had once said, ¡°My brother wants to provoke you into ndering him. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s trying to find an excuse to take you away from me. Climb, you must not show any weakness to my brother.¡±

    Climb thought back to the day when he had solemnly sworn that he would never betray that forlorn look on his master¡¯s face, she who had been abandoned even by her family.

    ¡°I never said Renner was a monster. That¡¯s just what you¡¯re thinking... forget it, enough with the cliched excuses. Still, to think you¡¯d actually consider her a treasure. When she makes her proposals, does she actually think they¡¯d be epted? I can¡¯t help but think that she suggests them even when she knows they¡¯ll be rejected anyway.¡±

    How could that be? It was impossible. This man was simply guessing wildly in his hideous jealousy.

    ¡°Your servant submits that such is not the case here.¡±

    ¡°Huhuhuhu... So you don¡¯t consider that woman a monster. I don¡¯t know if you have terrible taste or if her acting¡¯s too good... I¡¯d suggest you doubt her a little more.¡±

    ¡°How could I doubt her? Renner-sama is a treasure of the Kingdom. Of that I have no doubt.¡±

    Everything she did was righteous. Climb coulde to that conclusion because he had been watching from beside her.

    ¡°Really now, is that so? How interesting. Then, could you send that monster a message? ...Tell her that ¡®while I, as her elder brother, consider you as a political tool, if you¡¯re willing to help me, I can relieve you of your inheritance and grant you a domain on the bordends¡¯.¡±

    Frustration surged up in Climb¡¯s heart.

    ¡°...Surely you jest. I can hardly believe you would actually tell me that in a ce like this, so I shall pretend that I never heard it.¡±

    ¡°Huhuhuhu. What a shame. Let¡¯s go, Marquis Raeven.¡±

    The silent man nodded from where he had been watching Climb and Zanack from the side.

    Climb did not quite understand Marquis Raeven. He seemed to have drawn a clear line between himself and Climb, but he did not look at Climb the same way the other nobles did. Renner had not given Climb any special instructions about Raeven either.

    ¡°Ah, yes. Marquis Raeven agrees with me that that woman is a monster. No, it is more that we have the same vision, hence our alliance.¡±

    ¡°¡ªMy Prince.¡±

    ¡°Let me say it, Marquis Raeven. Heed my words, Climb. If you were blindly devoted to her, I wouldn¡¯t be telling you all this. However... I feel that you¡¯ve been deceived by that monster. That¡¯s why I¡¯m telling you, in good faith, about her monstrous nature.¡±

    ¡°My Prince, forgive my rudeness, but could you tell me in what way is Renner-sama a monster? Nobody cares more for the country and the people than she does.¡±

    ¡°...That¡¯s because everything she does is a waste of effort. She moves too much for too little gain. At first, I thought she was simply inept at dealing with others. Then, while discussing the matter with Marquis Raeven, I realised that she might already have ounted for that. Once I realised that, everything fell into ce. If that was really the case, then she would be a woman who, while locked up the pce, could manipte the nobles as she desired. What is that, if not a monster?¡±

    ¡°Certainly you must be mistaken. Renner-sama is not that kind of person,¡± Climb insisted.

    Her tears were most definitely genuine. Renner was apassionate woman. Climb knew this better than anyone else, given that she had picked him up.

    However, Climb¡¯s words could not move the Prince. He smiled bitterly, and then left Climb. Marquis Raeven followed behind him.

    Climb muttered to himself in the now-deserted corridor.

    ¡°Renner-sama is the kindest person in our country. My existence is proof of that. If...¡±

    Climb swallowed the following words, but spoke them in his heart.

    If Renner-sama were to rule the Kingdom, it would surely be a great nation that puts the people first.

    Of course, that was an impossible dream given the reality of the session. Even so, Climb could not abandon that idea.

    <b>Lower Fire Month (9th Month) 3rd Day, 8:11</b>

    Shortly after that, Climb arrived at his most frequently-visited room in the pce.

    After checking several times to make sure nobody was around, he reached out and turned the doorknob.

    Entering without knocking was an exceedingly impolite course of action. However, the owner of this room had asked him to do so. His mistress had refused to listen to his protests, no matter what he said.

    In the end, Climb had given in. There was no way he could win when women¡¯s tears flowed. Still, his mistress had permitted him several exceptions to that. For instance, there was no way he could barge in unannounced if the King was present.

    That said, entering without knocking was very stressful on Climb. People who do that ought to be punished. It was only natural for him to feel stressed out when he thought about that as he opened the door.

    Just as Climb was about to push it open, he heard the sounds of a heated discussion through the half-opened door.

    There were two voices, both female.

    One of them belonged to his mistress. Climb was still standing outside the door but she had not noticed him. That was probably because she was too excited about the discussion. That being the case, Climb did not wish to dampen her ardor. Climb stood still, listening to the discussion within the room. He felt guilty about eavesdropping, but he would feel worse if he interrupted their conversation.

    ¡°¡ªI told you, didn¡¯t I? People have always focused on immediate gains.¡±

    ¡°Hm...¡±

    ¡°...The crop rotation n you were talking about, Renner... I have no idea how that will increase yields... but how long will it take to show results?¡±

    ¡°About six years or so.¡±

    ¡°And how much money will be lost in nting other crops during these six years?¡±

    ¡°That would depend on the crops in question. However, assuming a normal yield is 1, I think the yield would go down to 0.8... in other words, it¡¯s a 20% loss of revenue. However, after the sixth year, the yield will go up by 0.3 forever. I¡¯m sure the figure will be higher if we add pastures for livestock into the mix.¡±

    ¡°...That does sound quite tempting, but can farmers really take a loss of 20% of their ie for six whole years?¡±

    ¡°...I think we could have the country extend interest-free loans topensate for the 20% loss and then ask for repayment after the yields return to normal... If the yields don¡¯t go up, then it won¡¯t have to be repaid, or there could be some other way. The important thing is that once the yields go up, the loans can be paid off in four years.¡±

    ¡°That might be hard.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? People prefer to focus on immediate gains, and many people want stability. A lot of people will hesitate even if you tell them they¡¯ll be able to get 130% of their original crops in six years.¡±

    ¡°I... don¡¯t get it. It worked really well on the test field...¡±

    ¡°Maybe the experiment went well, but you still can¡¯t guarantee that it¡¯ll seed.¡±

    ¡°...Well, it¡¯s true that we didn¡¯t foresee every possible condition while conducting the experiment, so we can¡¯t be absolutely certain of the results. If we had to consider soil quality and the weather as well, the experiment would have be too big...:¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s troubling. I don¡¯t know if that 30% increase is a minimum figure or an average amount. Either way, it¡¯s not very convincing. You need to guarantee profits, and that they won¡¯t lose out in the short term.¡±

    ¡°How about subsidizing the 20% shortfall for the six-year period?¡±

    ¡°The Noble Faction would love that, because it would weaken the King¡¯s power.¡±

    ¡°But, if we can guarantee a big return after six years, the Kingdom will grow stronger too, right?¡±

    ¡°That also means that the opposing Noble Faction will be stronger as well, while the King¡¯s side will have 20% lower yields. The nobles of the Royal Faction won¡¯t stand for it.¡±

    ¡°Then how about asking the merchants...¡±

    ¡°Those big traders? They have their own politics among them. If they help the Royals too readily, it might ruin their rtionship with the Nobles.¡±

    ¡°There sure are a lot of problems... Lakyus.¡±

    ¡°...And they alle up because you¡¯re not good at forward nning. Well... I do understand it¡¯s hard to get a proposal passed when there are two huge blocs within the country... What about just implementing it under Crown territory?¡±

    ¡°My brothers won¡¯t approve.¡±

    ¡°Ah, you mean those ret... those gentlemen who left their wisdom in their mothers¡¯ bellies for your sake.¡±

    ¡°...But we don¡¯t have the same mother.¡±

    ¡°Ahhhh, then they left it in the King! Still, it¡¯s pretty bad when even the Royal Family isn¡¯t united...¡±

    The room fell silent, which told Climb that the discussion was over.

    ¡°Ah, you cane in. Can¡¯t he, Renner?¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    Climb¡¯s heart lurched as he heard those words. He was surprised that she had sensed his presence, but at the same time, he had been somewhat expecting that.

    He slowly opened the door.

    ¡°¡ªPardon me.¡±

    A familiar sight filled Climb¡¯s eyes.

    The room was luxurious but not tacky, and there were two blonde-haired maidens seated at a windowside table.

    Both of them were beautiful youngdies inplementary dresses.

    One was the owner of this room, Renner.

    The other one sat opposite her. Her eyes were green and her lips were pink, and she was in radiant health. While her looks fell short of Renner, she exuded a charm of her own. If Renner sparkled like a gemstone, then she glowed with vitality.

    Her name was Lakyus Alvein Dale Aindra.

    It was hard to tell given the sheer pink dress she wore, but this woman was the leader of one of the two adamantite-ranked adventurer teams in the Kingdom, and Lakyus¡¯ closest friend.

    She had racked up a considerable tally of aplishments at the tender age of 19, and the fact that she had attained the coveted rank of adamantite must be due to her astounding talent. Climb felt the stirring of jealousy in the depths of his soul.

    ¡°Good morning, Renner-sama, Aindra-sama.¡±

    ¡°Good morning, Climb.¡±

    ¡°Morning.¡±

    After greeting them, Climb made to move to his designated location ¡ª behind and to the right fo Renner ¡ª but a voice halted him.

    ¡°Climb, not there. Here.¡±

    Renner indicated the chair to her right.

    Climb found this very strange. There were five chairs arranged around the circr table. That much was normal. However, three cups of tea had been poured.

    One was in front of Renner, another was before Lakyus, and one more was in front of the seat beside Lakyus ¡ª not the one Renner had indicated. Climb looked around, but he could not find any trace of the third person.

    Climb was surprised, but he looked at the chair anyway.

    Renner¡¯s orders to Climb had caused a great deal of strain for him, be it in amoner sharing a table with their master ¡ª a member of royalty ¡ª or in barging into a room uninvited.

    ¡°But...¡±

    Climb looked pleadingly to the other woman for help. He hoped against all hope that she would reject the request, but that hope was promptly denied him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡±

    ¡°Th-this... Aindra-sama...¡±

    ¡°I told you before, didn¡¯t I? Call me Lakyus.¡±

    Lakyus looked to Renner.

    ¡°Climb¡¯s special.¡±

    ¡°...Meanie.¡±

    Lakyus appended what sounded like a heart to the end of her sentence in sickly-sweet tones, to which Renner replied with a note of mockint and a smile.

    Of course, that was if a curl of the lips which was not matched by her eyes counted as a smile.

    ¡°Aindra-sama, please don¡¯t tease me.¡±

    ¡°Fine fine fine. You really are a stick in the mud, aren¡¯t you, Climb? You should learn not to get hung up on details like her.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Teasing?¡±

    Faced with Renner¡¯s look of surprise, Lakyus froze in an incredibly fake way before exhaling with exaggerated intensity.

    ¡°Of course. Well, Climb is special, but that¡¯s because he¡¯s yours.¡±

    Renner¡¯s face flushed pink, and she pped her hands to her cheeks. Climb had no idea what to do and looked away from Renner, and then his eyes went wide.

    That was because there was someone seated in the shadows in the corner of the room, hugging their knees to themselves. She was a woman, who wore form-fitting ck clothing that seemed utterly incongruous with the room¡¯s atmosphere.

    ¡°Wha-!¡±

    Shocked, Climb grabbed at the sword at his waist and lowered his stance, prepared to protect Renner.

    Lakyus sighed.

    ¡°Now you¡¯ve gone and scared Climb by taking on that stance.¡±

    There was no caution or awareness of danger in Lakyus¡¯s cool voice. Climb realized what that meant and let the strength drain from his shoulders.

    ¡°Understood, boss.¡±

    The woman seated in the darkness sprang to her feet in an instant.

    ¡°Ah, you probably don¡¯t know her, Climb. She¡¯s a member of my team¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªIt¡¯s Tina-san,¡± Renner helpfully supplied.

    From what Climb knew, the adamantite adventurer team ¡°Blue Rose¡± wasposed of five women; the leader and divine magic caster Lakyus, the warrior Gagaran, the arcane magic caster Evileye, and then the rogues Tia and Tina.

    Climb had seen the first three before, but not thetter two.

    So she must be... I see. Her reputation¡¯s not for show.

    Given her long limbs and her tight-fitting clothes, she looked the part of someone versed in thief-type techniques.

    ¡°...Forgive me. Pleased to meet you, my name is Climb.¡±

    Climb bowed deeply to Tina.

    ¡°Huh? Don¡¯t worry about it.

    She waved casually to Climb, and then she silently stalked towards the table with the fluid grace of a savage beast. Then, she took a seat on the chair beside Lakyus. It would seem the tea from just now was hers.

    Climb carefully surveyed his surroundings to check for another unseen female. There were only three cups of tea on the table, so it seemed unlikely, but he did so anyway.

    Lakyus sensed the reason behind Climb¡¯s gawking and said:

    ¡°Tia¡¯s not here. Gagaran and Evileye both dislike stuffy asions... but it¡¯s not that stuffy, is it? I¡¯m wearing a proper dress just in case, but I didn¡¯t insist on them doing the same.¡±

    Lakyus might have said that, but the fact was that etiquette required one to wear formal dress in front of a princess. Of course, Climb had no intention of saying that to the face of Renner¡¯s friend ¡ª particrly ady who was a member of the peerage.

    ¡°I see. Still, it is an honor to make the acquaintance of the famed Tina-sama. I hope I will have the chance to benefit from your guidance in the future.¡±

    ¡°Talk after you sit down, Climb.¡±

    Saying so, Renner poured a fresh cup of tea. The tea which flowed from the magic item known as a Warm Bottle was piping hot, as though it had just been brewed.

    The Warm Bottle could maintain the temperature andposition of its contents for an hour, and it was one of Renner¡¯s favored magic items. It saw frequent use when entertaining important guests, though not at other times.

    Climb knew that there was no protesting this and resigned himself. Thus, he sat down and drank his tea.

    ¡°It¡¯s delicious, Renner-sama.¡±

    Renner smiled, but in all honesty, Climb could not tell if it was good or not. Still, since Renner had made it, he automatically deemed it good.

    Suddenly, a t, emotionless voice spoke out.

    ¡°¡ªThat girl should be gathering intelligence today. The three of us were supposed toe here together, but in the end our Oni leader handed out work at thest minute. It¡¯s all our Oni leader¡¯s fault.¡±

    Needless to say, that voice came from Tina. A frightening smile came over Lakyus¡¯ face as she heard the words ¡°Oni¡±. Climb tore his eyes away and said:

    ¡°I see... I hope I¡¯ll be able to see her sometime.¡±

    ¡°Climb, Tina-san and Tia-san are twins. Even their hairstyles are almost identical.¡±

    ¡°So once you¡¯ve seen one, you¡¯ve seen the other.¡±

    Climb did not think the matter was that simple, but he nodded in understanding.

    Still, Tina stared unabashedly at Climb, making him feel ufortable.His original n was just to bear with it, but then he realised that she might have noticed something about him, and so he made up his mind to ask her:

    ¡°Is something the matter?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re too big.¡±

    ¡°...Huh?¡±

    He heard, but he did not understand. After seeing the question marks popping up over Climb¡¯s head, Lakyus cut in and apologized:

    ¡°Its nothing; just an in-joke. Don¡¯t take it to heart, okay, CLimb? No, don¡¯t worry about it. Really.¡±

    ¡°Yes...¡±

    ¡°...What¡¯s the matter, Lakyus?¡±

    Climb told himself not to be a busybody, but Renner could not seem to ept that and interjected. Lakyus had a sour look on her face as she looked at Renner.

    ¡°Really, whenever we start talking about Climb...¡±

    ¡°Ah, I¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªQuiet. I didn¡¯t bring Tia along because she¡¯d fill Renner¡¯s head with nonsense. So could you please understand that and not bber on so much?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Oni Boss.¡±

    ¡°...Lakyus.What¡¯s all this about?¡±

    Lakyus¡¯ face began to twitch once Renner began asking, and her expression turned depressed.

    She shifted her line of sight to Climb just as he was about to butt in.

    ¡°Hm... Climb, it looks like you really favor this suit of armor.¡±

    ¡°Yes. This armor is exquisite. Thank you very much.¡±

    This was about an awkward of a topic change as there could be, but Climb did not want to embarrass a guest. After going with it, he idly stroked the suit of snow-white full te armor which his mistress had gifted him. It had been made withrge quantities of mithril ¡ª and some orichalcum ¡ª and further enchanted, making it surprisingly light and tough,

    Blue Rose had supplied the mithril for its construction at no charge. Climb could not thank them enough for that, however low he bowed.

    Just as he was about to do so, Lakyus halted him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. We simply gave you the leftover materials from making our mithril armor.¡±

    While she called them leftovers, the fact was that mithril was an extremely expensive material. Perhaps mithril-ranked adventurers might own a mithril weapon, while orichalcum-ranked adventurers might be able to afford the construction of a suit of mithril full te. But only adamantite-ranked adventurers could give a suit to others at no charge.

    ¡°Besides, Renner asked me. How could I refuse?¡±

    ¡°¡ªYou refused to take my money. I had some pocket money saved up...¡±

    ¡°...It¡¯s not right for a princess to spend her allowance, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s separate from my domain¡¯s ie. I just wanted to use my own money to make Climb¡¯s armor.¡±

    ¡°I figured you wanted to use your own money to make a shiny new set of full te for Climb¡ª¡±

    ¡°...If you knew, then why did you give it to me for free? Lakyus, you dummy.¡±

    ¡°Given the circumstances, should you really be calling me a dummy...¡±

    Thus did the fuming Renner and the giggling Lakyus go back and forth, in an argument that hardly qualified as an argument.

    As he saw this Climb¡¯s face stiffened into an emotionless mask.

    The fact that he could witness a heartwarming scene like this was all thanks to being rescued by his mistress. However, he could not allow himself to express his feelings.

    Showing his gratitude was one thing, but behind that gratitude was a powerful emotion that could never be disyed.

    That was his love for her.

    Climb forcibly crushed that feeling and hid it away within himself. In its ce, he repeated the lines he had repeated several times now.

    ¡°Thank you very much, Renner-sama.¡±

    As she heard the way in which he clearly demarcated the separation between the two of them ¡ª it was a hint that master and servant were in different circumstances ¡ª Renner smiled.

    Only Climb ¡ª who had observed her longer than anyone else, who had been watching her every day ¡ª could tell that her smile was tinged with loneliness.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Now, I think we¡¯ve drifted quite a ways off-topic. Let¡¯s get back to the previous discussion.¡±

    ¡°Eight Fingers, you say? We were talking about how we attacked three of their drug-producing viges and burned their fields to ash. I doubt they can recover from that.¡±

    As he heard that name, Climb mentally frowned under his iron mask.

    Eight Fingers was the name of the criminal syndicate writhing about in the darkness of the Kingdom. His beloved mistress had taken action to suppress them.

    It was not hard to imagine the miserable fate of a vige which relied on drugs to survive when their fields had been burned down. However, they were a necessary sacrifice to eliminate the drugs guing the Kingdom.

    Perhaps if Renner possessed supreme power, she might be able to do something else. However, Renner had no backers despite being a princess. All she could do was perform the cold calculus of saving those who could be saved and abandoning everyone else.

    On the other hand, Renner might have been able to beg a boon of her father to attack them with authority or military force. However, Eight Fingers were deeply entwined with the nobles, and if word got out, they might well burn the evidence of their wrongdoing.

    Therefore, Renner had decided to directly employ her friend Lakyus.

    Climb knew this was a very risky path to take. Under normal circumstances, adventurers worked through the Guild and they were not allowed to take requests directly from clients. That was a vition of the Guild¡¯s rules.

    Granted, he did recall that the Guild could not punish its highest-ranked (adamantite-ranked) adventurers, nor could it expel them. Even so, it would still tarnish their reputation within the Guild and would surely lead to repercussions in the future. However, Blue Rose had epted the task anyway because they loved their country that much, and because Renner was their friend.

    Climb¡¯s gratitude towards Lakyus grew as she realized that she was willing to make sacrifices for the greater good.

    ***

    Lakyus decided that they should no longer talk about this any more. She opened up the bag Tina presented to her, and took out a scroll.

    This was a document which nobody in Blue Rose could decipher. However, Lakyus felt that the smartest person she knew ¡ª Renner ¡ª might be able to make some head or tail of it.

    ¡°We found this scroll while burning the drug viges. It looked like some kind of written order, so we brought it back... can you understand it?¡±

    They opened the scroll, and saw an expanse of symbols. They did not look like letters from any country¡¯snguage. Renner nced at them, and casually replied:

    ¡°...It¡¯s a substitution cipher, no?¡±

    Substitution ciphers were a form of code made by substituting a letter or several letters for another letter or symbol. For instance, ¡°a¡± might be ¡°¡÷¡± and ¡°b¡± might be ¡°¡õ¡±. Thus, the symbols ¡°¡÷¡÷¡õ¡õ¡÷¡± would mean ¡°aabba¡±.

    ¡°I thought so too. I tried swapping symbols around for hours, but I couldn¡¯t make any sense of it. We took a man prisoner who looked like he was in charge because we suspected that he might have memorized the cipher key, and we were nning to use charm magic on him to make him decode the message for us. However... you should know that when the same caster uses the same spell on the same subject multiple times, you get poorer results. Therefore, I wanted to make good use of our first casting. So I decided to discuss it with you before using the spell.¡±

    ¡°I see... and the reason this was left there was because... a trap? Or something more? If that¡¯s the case, they wouldn¡¯t use a code that was too hard to break. Hm, I don¡¯t think this will be very difficult.¡±

    Renner¡¯s words left Lakyus¡¯ eyes wide. She could not help but exchange nces with Tina, who was seated beside her.

    Unbelievable. But at the same time, they thought, ¡°I knew she could do it.¡±

    ¡°Let me think... in the Kingdom¡¯snguage, the first word of any document is either a masculine, feminine or neuter pronoun... give me a moment...¡±

    As she muttered to herself, Renner rose with the scroll and went to fetch paper and pen.

    Then, she began writing out blocks of text on the paper.

    ¡°This is a simple substitution cipher of one character for one symbol, so breaking it is easy. And fortunately, they were using the Kingdom¡¯snguage. If they had used the Empire¡¯s literature or something like that as a cipher, it¡¯d be almost unbreakable. But this... well, once you know what one of the words means, you can just fill them in one by one. Anyone could break this if they were willing to work hard.¡±

    ¡°No no... well, you make it sound easy. But wouldn¡¯t that mean you¡¯d need to know tens of thousands of words to break the code?¡±

    ¡°Well, these are encoded literary references. Those usually won¡¯t be too flowery and they can¡¯t use words that are tooplex either. So they¡¯d have to make it simple enough that even a child could understand it. That narrows things down a lot.¡±

    Inside her heart, Lakyus broke out in a cold sweat.

    Her friend made it sound so simple, but it was hardly as simple as she said.

    Still, she really ought to be able to do it... I can hardly believe such a genius really exists.

    Renner had brushed it off every time they met or talked, but Lakyus had never met anyone else like Renner who deserved to be called a genius.

    As Lakyus trembled internally, Renner lightly said, saying ¡°It¡¯s done. Just a bunch of book references,¡± before handing the paper to her.

    There were many locations within the Kingdom written upon it, and seven of them were within the Royal Capital.

    ¡°Are these drug storehouses or other important bases?¡±

    ¡°I doubt they¡¯d put such an important document in an ordinary production area... this is probably bait, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°Bait? As in for a trap?¡±

    ¡°Hm... I don¡¯t think so. Think of it this way. Eight Fingers is one organization, but they¡¯re more like eight separate groups working together, right?¡±

    Lakyus nodded.

    ¡°So this should be information about the other seven groups... or should I say divisions? In any case, this is a way to deliberately leak information on everyone besides the drugs division to outside enemies, in order to briefly take the heat off themselves.¡±

    ¡°In other words, they already gathered information on the other divisions for this... I didn¡¯t expect them to be totally united, but this is just ridiculous...¡±

    As an adventurer, the notion of betraying one¡¯srades frustrated her.

    ¡°While we were already going to do that, we¡¯d better not act too hastily, or else it might turn out badly for us.¡±

    After seeing her friend (Renner) nod, Lakyus asked again:

    ¡°So what should we do about that brothel? I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s a really vile ce where one can experience anything they desire.¡±

    Lakyus felt her anger build just by mentioning it.

    Bastards. Those scum who can only think with their dicks ought to be killed!

    When she recalled what she had learned about the brothel in question, she was no longer a noble heiress, but a bold adventuress, and the curses welled up from inside her heart. The meaning of the phrase ¡°anything they desire¡± went without saying. It was certain that no few people ¡ª men and women both ¡ª had been murdered for entertainment.

    In the past, when very had not yet been criminalized, there were quite a few such bordellos operating in the underworld. However, thanks to the friend before her, the ve trade was now illegal, and those establishments had faded like dust on the wind. This particr location might well be thest illegal brothel in the Kingdom.

    For that reason, they would not shut down easily. One could imagine what sort of determined resistance awaited them. After all, it was a tainted paradise for those people with crude, unspeakable desires.

    ¡°Say, Renner. Since we can¡¯t deal with them through thew, why not have us force our way in and expose their crimes? It¡¯ll be okay as long as we find evidence, right? If the ve-trading division really is running that brothel, then breaking them will be a huge blow. Plus, depending on where the evidence points, we¡¯ll be able to teach a painful lesson to the nobles who are in league with them.¡±

    ¡°You might be right, Lakyus. But if you do that, won¡¯t it inconvenience your family... the Alvein family? I find it very hard to act because of that. The same thing goes for the other members of Blue Rose... but having Climb barge in there alone seems almost impossible...¡±

    ¡°Your servant deeply regrets hisck of strength.¡±

    As she saw Climb bow in apology, Renner reached out a hand to take Climb¡¯s own, and smiled.

    ¡°Forgive me, Climb. That wasn¡¯t what I meant. It¡¯s the only underworld brothel in the Royal Capital, so nobody could take it down by themselves. See, I trust you most of all, Climb. I know how hard you work for me. However, don¡¯t do anything which might get yourself involved. This isn¡¯t a request, but an order, okay? If anything happened to you...¡±

    Even Lakyus, as a woman watching from the side, was moved by the tears of the ravishing beauty before her eyes. Then how about Climb?

    He tried his best to put on an emotionless front, but he could not. Those flushed cheeks said everything for him.

    Were a bard to give a title to this moving scene, said bard would surely name it ¡°The Princess and Her Knight¡±. Yet, Lakyus felt a twinge of fear. She thought that it ought to be impossible, but if Renner were doing this on purpose, then she would be a vixen of truly unimaginable proportions¡ª

    What am I thinking? Why am I doubting my good friend? Besides, hasn¡¯t everything that¡¯s happened up till now proven that she¡¯s not a petty little schemer? If I can¡¯t even trust someone like her ¡ª someone with the title of ¡°Golden¡±, who crusades for justice ¡ª then who can I trust?

    Lakyus shook her head, and spoke. That was also to dispel the frightening notion in her head.

    ¡°Ah, yes. Tina¡¯s investigations have uncovered several leaders in the ve trades ¡ª several nobles with links to Co Doll. However, we haven¡¯t verified their guilt yet, so it¡¯s too early to take action right now.¡±

    Renner and Climb reacted to one particr name among the list Lakyus recited.

    ¡°That man¡¯s daughter is one of my personal maids.¡±

    ¡°Hm? Well, I don¡¯t think she was sent there as a spy because they¡¯re on guard against you... but still, I can¡¯t be sure that she¡¯s just a maid looking to promote herself.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Looks like we¡¯ve policed the information quite well. Climb, you also have to keep that in mind.¡±

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s discuss what to do about the locations we¡¯ve learned from the coded orders. Renner, would you mind lending me Climb? I¡¯d like him to tell Gagaran and the others that they may need to move out for an emergency.¡±

    <b>Part 2</b>

    <b>Lower Fire Month (9th Month) 3rd Day 09:49</b>

    Climb walked along the main street of the Royal Capital. Climb blended perfectly into the mass of humanity, given that he had few distinguishing features about him.

    He did not wear his distinctive suit of white armor. While he could use certain alchemical items to change its color, he was not that attached to it. Besides, there was no need to go around in full te armor while walking on the streets.

    As a result, he dressed lightly, wearing a chain shirt under his clothes. Only the longsword at his waist marked him as visibly different from the average citizen.

    He looked like a patrolling soldier ¡ª a city guardsman ¡ª or a mercenary when outfitted in that way. Some people would avoid him, but they would not clear out of his path in the way they would for someone in heavy armor.

    Anyone in such a panoply ought to be an adventurer. It was not so much that they needed the protection as the publicity.

    Dressing in an eye-catching way was not a strange thing for adventurers, because it helped promote themselves. Some of them even favored unique and provocative fashions to make a strong impression on others. Thus, word would spread and their reputation would build. In other words, dressing oddly was something like a trademark of adventurers.

    However, there was no need for high-end adventurers ¡ª like the members of Blue Rose, whom Climb was going to visit ¡ª to do so. At their level, they would make conversation just by walking along the street.

    Soon, he saw an adventurer¡¯s inn along the road. Said inn had a stable and arge yard for sword practice. Its beautiful exterior promised an equally exquisite interior, and the guest windows were fitted with pieces of clear ss.

    This was the Royal Capital¡¯s most expensive inn. It was a gathering ce for adventurers who were confident of their skills and able to pay the onerous bills.

    Climb opened the inn¡¯s door, paying no heed to the guards which nked it.

    The drinks bar cum dining hall upied an entire floor, but it was sparsely popted with adventurers, considering its size. This clearly showed the rarity of high-paid adventurers.

    The mor within the inn quieted for a moment as several curious gazes were thrown in Climb¡¯s direction. He did not mind, and looked around the interior.

    Most of the people in here were powerful-looking adventurers. Just about everyone here could defeat Climb with ease. Every visit to this ce made Climb realise how tiny he was.

    He resisted the urge to fall into despair, and his eyes focused on a point within the inn.

    In front of him ¡ª in the innermost depths of the inn ¡ª was a round table. He looked at the two people seated around it.

    One of them was tiny, dressed in a long ck robe which covered their entire body.

    Their face could not be seen. It was not because the light was insufficient, but because they wore a strange, full-face mask set with a bloodstone. There was a narrow crack running along eye level, but that did not even reveal the color of the eyes underneath it.

    Then, there was the other person.

    If the first person was a midget, then this one would be a giant. Seeing this person brought the word ¡°boulder¡± to mind. Indeed, that person had a stout and massive body, but that girth was not born of obesity.

    That person¡¯s arms reminded observers of logs, while the neck which held the head up seemed as wide around as a pair of a woman¡¯s thighs. The head which sat upon that neck was squarish in shape. The heavyset chin ¡ª currently clenched closed ¡ª and the way that person¡¯s eyes surveyed its surroundings reminded one of a carnivorous beast. The blonde hair upon that head was trimmed short for the sake of practicality.

    That person¡¯s chest bulged mightily under their clothes, as though on proud disy. Said chest resembled nothing so much as thoroughly-honed pectoral muscles. Put more clearly, this was no longer a tender feminine bosom.

    This was the adamantite-ranked adventurer teamposed solely of females ¡ª Blue Rose.

    The two of them were members of Blue Rose. One was the arcane magic caster Evileye, while the other was warrior Gagaran.

    ***

    Climb approached them. One of the people he was looking for nodded, and then bellowed huskily:

    ¡°Yo, cherry boy!¡±

    The gazes that had been slowly drifting away all focused on Climb once more, but nobody mocked him. Instead, they turned away once more, as though in sympathy for him.

    They did this because they knew that even for mithril or orichalcum-ranked adventurers, showing the slightest bit of disrespect to Gagaran¡¯s guest was not so much bravery, but foolhardiness.

    Climb bore the insult and approached steadily.

    No matter how many times he pleaded with her, Gagaran refused to address Climb by his proper name. That being the case, the best course of action he could take was to give up and pretend he did not care.

    ¡°Good to see you again, Gagaran-sa ¡ª san. And Evileye-sama.¡±

    He arrived before the two of them and bowed.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s been a while. What,e to sleep with me, have you?¡±

    Gagaran jerked her chin, indicating that he should take a seat. There was an evil, savage grin upon that square face of hers.

    Climb simply shook his head nkly.

    Gagaran said the same thing every time, to the point where it had be something like a form of greeting. However, she was not joking in the slightest. If Climb answered ¡°yes¡±, even in jest, she would immediately drag him into a singles¡¯ room on the second floor. Climb would be helpless before her irresistible arm-strength.

    Gagaran, who prided herself as a ¡°cherry picker¡±, was such a person.

    In contrast to Gagaran, Evileye faced stoically forward, her face unmoving. Perhaps she was eying Climb under her mask, but he could not be sure of that.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. Aindra-sama bade mee.¡±

    ¡°Hm? Leader did?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Ie with a message. ¡®You might need to move out in a hurry. I¡¯ll exin the details when you get backl¡¯. However, Aindra-sama wishes the two of you to ready yourselves and prepare for action at any time.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Still, you¡¯ve gone to a lot of trouble for such a small thing.¡±

    Gagaran¡¯s face lit up with a broad smile, and Climb remembered that he had something else to tell her.

    ¡°Today I had the good fortune of sparring with Stronoff-sama. The move you taught me then ¡ª the big downward chop ¡ª met with Stronoff-sama¡¯s approval.¡±

    Gagaran had taught him that blow in the practice yard behind this inn. Her face split with a grin, as though she had been the one who had been praised.

    ¡°Oh, that move? Hehe, not bad, kid. Still...¡±

    ¡°Yes. I won¡¯t be satisfied with just that. I will continue to practice and seek perfection.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve got to keep training, of course. But you should also think about what to do if someone counters that move. Think of a move to continue from it.¡±

    Was it coincidence, or merely a unity of opinions from a pair of first-rate warriors? What Gagaran had said was much like Gazef¡¯s own feedback. A look of surprise came over Climb¡¯s face at the simrity of their words. Gagaran seemed to have read his reaction the wrong way, andughed, ¡°Of course, you have to use that chopping move I taught you as as a finishing blow, otherwise it¡¯s meaningless.¡±

    Then she continued: ¡°In truth, you need to pick a move from all the others out there that has universal applicability. However, you can¡¯t do it.¡±

    Gagaran¡¯s words hinted at Climb¡¯sck of talent.

    ¡°Therefore, you need to develop a way to attack at least three times inbination. Thatbo must be one that keeps your foe from counterattacking, even if they manage to defend against it.¡±

    Climb nodded.

    ¡°Of course, that won¡¯t work when fighting many-armed monsters. But against humans, that ought to be enough. While you¡¯ll be in trouble once your opponent sees through your attack patterns, it ought to be effective the first time you face any foe. Hammer them, hammer them and keep hammering them.¡±

    ¡°Understood,¡± Climb nodded heavily.

    This morning, he had only managed to get one hit in on Gazef. On every other asion, Gazef had seen through him immediately and he had been counterattacked in turn.

    Then, could he lose confidence because of that? Of course not.

    Could he allow himself to fall into despair because of that? Of course not.

    It was the opposite.

    It was precisely the opposite

    A meremoner like himself had been able toe that close to the strongest warrior in the Kingdom ¡ª no, the surrounding countries. Climb knew that Gazef had not begun to show his true power, but to Climb ¡ª who had been walking a pitch-ck path with no light in sight ¡ª it was a tremendous dose of encouragement.

    It was like telling him: Your efforts were not in vain.

    As he thought about that, he fully understood what Gagaran was trying to say.

    He was not confident that he could develop a goodbination attack, but he was willing to try. A me had been lit in the depths of his heart. He was determined to be stronger, so that he could draw out more of Gazef¡¯s strength the next time he sparred with the Warrior Captain.

    ¡°...Right, I think you asked Evileye about something before, didn¡¯t you? Something about learning magic?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Climb nced at Evileye. At that time, she had merelyughed at him from under her mask and the matter had been forgotten. Asking her the same thing now, when nothing had changed, would only yield the same answer.

    However¡ª

    ¡°Kid.¡±

    A muffled voice reached his ears.

    Her voice was quite surprising, even without removing the mask she wore. The mask she wore was not particrly thick, so it should have been easy to make out the qualities of her voice. However, there was no way to tell Evileye¡¯s age or any emotional inflections from it. At the very most, he could conclude that she was female. It was an emotionless, even voice that sounded both old and young at the same time.

    That was probably because Evileye¡¯s mask was magical. But why did she have to conceal her voice?

    ¡°You have no talent. Work hard somewhere else.¡±

    She did not allow him any room to respond, as though there was nothing else to be said.

    Climb knew her meaning very well.

    He was not talented in magic. No, that was not all.

    No matter how hard he practiced his swordy, how many times he bled and blistered and callused his hands, he could not reach the level he longed for. Low walls which a talented individual might soar over were like insurmountable barriers to Climb.

    However, he could not give up on working hard to surpass that unbreachable limit. Since he had no talent, he had to hope that his unrelenting effort would help him improve in some way.

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem happy with that.¡±

    Having sensed the emotions under Climb¡¯s iron mask, Evileye continued:

    ¡°Talent is an inborn ability... Some people say that talents are like buds before they blossom, and everyone has talent... hmph. To me, that¡¯s just wishful thinking, something idiots use tofort themselves. Even the leader of the Thirteen Heroes was the same way.¡±

    The leader of the Thirteen Heroes. ording to legend, he was just an ordinary person, weaker than anyone else. However, he continued swinging his sword even when injured, and he eventually became a hero who was stronger than anyone else. He was a mighty being who could grow without limit.

    ¡°He was talented, but it just hadn¡¯t flowered yet. It¡¯s different from your case. You¡¯ve worked so hard, but that¡¯s all the talent you¡¯ve shown... Not everyone has talent, and the difference is blindingly obvious between the haves and have-nots. Therefore... I won¡¯t tell you to give up, but you ought to know your limits.¡±

    Evileye¡¯s stern lecture was followed by a brief silence. In the end, Evileye broke it.

    ¡°Gazef Stronoff... he¡¯s a good example. People like him would be considered talented. Climb... do you think you can make up the difference between the two of you with effort?¡±

    He could not answer. His training today had made him realize that he was nowhere near that league.

    ¡°Alright, maybe he¡¯s not such a good example... still, the only person I can think of whose swordsmanship approaches his was among the Thirteen Heroes. Gagaran here is good, but she can¡¯t beat Gazef.¡±

    ¡°...Hey don¡¯tpare him to me. Gazef¡¯s a man with a foot into the realm of heroes, y¡¯know?¡±

    ¡°Hmph. You¡¯re a heroic woman too... although the woman part is in doubt.¡±

    As soon as Evileye¡¯s voice trailed off, Gagaranughed and answered:

    ¡°Oi oi, Evileye. These heroes in question are monsters with unique abilities that have surpassed the realm of humanity, right?¡±

    ¡°...I do not deny that.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯m still human. Just an ordinary person who can¡¯t reach the realm of heroes.¡±

    ¡°Even so, you¡¯re still talented. You¡¯re not an untalented person like Climb. Climb, you shouldn¡¯t be fixated on trying to grasp the stars.¡±

    Climb knew ¡ª better than anyone else ¡ª that hecked talent. Even so, hearing her repeat you have no talent, you have no talent was very depressing. That said, Climb had no intention of changing his life¡¯s goal.

    ¡ªThis body exists for the Princess. For her, I will¡ª

    Perhaps she sensed a martyr¡¯s resolve from Climb, but in the end, Evileye scoffed from behind her mask.

    ¡°...So you¡¯re not giving up, even after I¡¯ve said all that.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Foolishness. Utter foolishness.¡±

    She shook her head forcefully, unable to understand him.

    ¡°Moving forward while clinging to an unreachable dream will set you on the way to destruction. You know that, right? I¡¯ll tell you again ¡ª you need to know your limits.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    ¡°You may understand, but you don¡¯t care at all, do you? The word foolish does not even begin to describe men like you. You¡¯re the type who dies early... and someone will weep for you when you do, am I wrong?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s this, Evileye? You¡¯re bullying Climb because you care about him?¡±

    Evileye rounded her shoulders as she heard Gagaran speak. Then, she turned to Gagaran and grabbed her by thepels while shouting:

    ¡°Will you shut up, you beefcake bimbo?!¡±

    ¡°Hey, you know I¡¯m right, right?¡±

    Gagaran was content to let Evileye hang on to her while she replied nonchntly. Evileye was speechless for a moment, and then she sank back into her chair.

    Then, she turned the topic back towards Climb.

    ¡°Start by learning about magic. Once you know more, you¡¯ll be able to understand how magic-using enemies think. You¡¯ll be able to pick a more correct course of action that way.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t learning all those spells be a bit much for him?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. The fact is, there aren¡¯t that many spells which magic casters use. Just focus on themonly-used ones. If you can¡¯t even do that, then you should just give up,¡± Evileye muttered.

    ¡°Besides, he¡¯ll only need to study up to the 3rd tier. That shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡±

    ¡°...I say, Evileye. We all know spells go up to the 10th tier, but nobody can use magic of such a high level. Yet you know about it. Why¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Hm...¡±

    Evileye had a schoolmarmish look on her face as she fiddled around under her robe. Climb suddenly realised that the sounds around them seemed further away now. It was hard to describe, but it felt as though there was a thin film surrounding them.

    ¡°Don¡¯t panic. I just used a pointless little item.¡±

    Climb did not know that the activation of that item was a sign of how worried she was about being overheard. All he knew was that Evileye intended to answer Gagaran¡¯s question in strict seriousness. Now that she had gone to that extent, he sat up straight in his chair.

    ¡°In ancient myths ¡ª little more than legends ¡ª there was mention of beings known as the Eight Greed Kings. They were known as people who had stolen the power of gods, and the tales speak of how they once ruled this world with that absolute power.¡±

    Climb had heard the story of the Eight Greed Kings. While they were not too popr, given that they were only children¡¯s tales, anyone with a little bit of knowledge would know of them.

    In summary, the beings known as the Eight Greed Kings appeared 500 years ago. Some said that they stood as tall as the heavens, some said they looked like Dragons, but in any case, the Eight Greed Kings devastated the nations in an instant, dominating the world with their power which could move mountains and part the seas. However, their desires ran deep, and they fought each other for their possessions, resulting in their mutual extinction.

    This story was not popr for obvious reasons, but debate raged over whether or not it was merely a children¡¯s fairytale. Climb personally felt that it had been greatly embellished. However, a small group of people among the adventurers believed that the Eight Greed Kings existed ¡ª and that theymanded powers beyond those of any in this modern age.

    The proof of that was a city within the deserts far to the south. Rumors said that it was the capital built when the Eight Greed Kings conquered the continent.

    As Climb lost himself in his thoughts, Evileye continued speaking:

    ¡°Apparently, the Eight Greed Kings possessed numberless powerful magic items, and the mightiest of them was called the [Nameless Spellbook]... at least, that¡¯s what people call it. That¡¯s the answer to everything.¡±

    ¡°Ah? So those spells are recorded in that book?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. They say that the Eight Greed Kings of legend left that unimaginable powerful magic item behind, a book which records all the world¡¯s spells. Also, they say that due to some kind of magic, even newly-developed spells appear within its pages as well.¡±

    Climb knew of the Eight Greed Kings, but not of this tome. He had a rough idea of how valuable this item truly was, but he remained silent and listened.

    ¡°We know of the existence of 10th-tier spells because of this item. Of course, there aren¡¯t many people who know of the [Nameless Spellbook] itself...¡±

    Climb gulped.

    ¡°Will, will you be searching for that [Nameless Spellbook]?¡±

    Climb only asked that question because he knew that they were top-ss adventurers.

    Evileye snorted, as though to say, Don¡¯t be ridiculous.

    ¡°Hmph. They say that the book is defended by powerful magic and nobody can touch it but its rightful owner. Apparently, it¡¯s worth as much as an entire world, which is a hint as to how dangerous it really is. I know my limits, so I don¡¯t desire it. I¡¯d rather not die in a stupid way like the Eight Greed Kings.¡±

    ¡°Your leader is said to wield one of the weapons belonging to a member of the Thirteen Heroes... does she feel the same way?¡±

    ¡°...That¡¯s something else entirely. However, I only heard about it from someone who saw it before, I¡¯m just unclear about the details. I think we¡¯ve drifted off-topic, but that¡¯s that. Do you get it now, Gagaran?¡±

    After that, Evileye looked somewhat puzzled, which was quite rare for her, and then she said:

    ¡°Climb. Don¡¯t forsake your humanity in the pursuit of power.¡±

    ¡°Forsaking humanity... you mean like the demons in stories?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s one way. There¡¯s also bing one of the undead, or a magical being.¡±

    ¡°Normal people can¡¯t do that.¡±

    ¡°Which is true... but after you be undead, your mind often twists to go with it. When once you only acted to fulfil a passionate dream... the changes in the body are echoed in the soul, and you be a terrifying monster.¡±

    The voice from under that mask was typically devoid of emotional inflection, but now it was tinged with a hint of regret. Gagaran noticed how Evileye was staring into the distance and deliberately spoke up in a bright voice.

    ¡°Well, the Princess would probably faint if she woke up and saw that Climb had be an Ogre.¡±

    Evileye had probably sensed the good intentions behind Gagaran¡¯s words. Her voice returned to its usual emotionless pitch.

    ¡°...Indeed, that¡¯s a way too. Transmutation-type spells can briefly allow you to change into another species. I¡¯ll be frank ¡ª they¡¯re valid options for improving your physical attributes.¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll pass on that.¡±

    ¡°If you simply desire strength, then changing into another species is quite effective. After all, the human body is hardly exceptional, and the same abilities are more effective when one¡¯s basic physical attributes are improved.¡±

    That much was obvious. Between two evenly-skilled opponents, the one with the better physical attributes would have the advantage.

    ¡°The fact is that many of the Thirteen Heroes were nonhumans. By the way, they¡¯re called the Thirteen Heroes, but there were more of them than that. However, only 13 of them made it into song and story... the battle against the Demon Gods was one that crossed all racial boundaries, and certain human-centric people didn¡¯t want to let the other species shine too much in the heroic sagas.¡±

    Evileye seemed to be making a dig at certain people. Then, her attitude changed, and she continued in a nostalgic tone.

    ¡°The Warrior-Captain of the Air Giants and his Axe of Cyclones, the Elf Royal Family who bore the special characteristics of the ancestral Elves, and the ck Knight who wielded the Four Swords of Darkness ¡ª the original owner of our leader¡¯s Kilineyram ¡ª was also a human with demon¡¯s blood.¡±

    ¡°The Four Swords of Darkness, huh...¡±

    ck Knight, one of the Thirteen Heroes, was renowned for possessing four des; the Evil Sword Hyumilis, the Demon de Kilineyram, the Sword of Decay Crocdabal, and the Deathsword Sfeiz. One of those des was in the hands of Lakyus, the leader of Blue Rose.

    ¡°The Demon de Kilineyram, created by condensing infinite darkness, is said to be the mightiest of the four... I have a question, is it true that if it unleashes its full power, it could project enough dark energy to swallow a country whole?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Evileye asked in a confused tone.

    ¡°I once heard our leader muttering to herself when she was alone. She held her right arm and said, ¡®only a woman who serves the gods like myself can suppress its demonic power with all my will¡¯ or something like that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of anything like that before...¡± Evileye tilted her head in surprise. ¡°Still, if the owner says that, it might be true.¡±

    ¡°Then is there really a Dark Lakyus, born from the dark side of her spirit?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Nah, I just happened to hear her muttering to herself again. Don¡¯t think she noticed me, so I decided to take a listen, and in the end she ended up saying, ¡®If you get careless, this being of ckness born of the source of all darkness shall take over your body and release the Demon de¡¯s power¡¯ or something. Sounded pretty bad.¡±

    ¡°This... well, we can¡¯t rule that out. Some cursed items can control their owners¡¯ minds... things would be pretty dire if something like that happened to Lakyus.¡±

    ¡°I felt that she was trying to keep it a secret, but this is something big, right? So when I asked her straight up, she blushed and told me not to worry about it.¡±

    ¡°Hm. It must be pretty embarrassing for a priest ¡ª who should be the one removing curses ¡ª to end up falling victim to a curse herself. Perhaps she doesn¡¯t want us to worry? Does she really intend to bear that burden by herself?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see her act like that again after that... but think about it. Didn¡¯t she start wearing all those meaningless armor rings on all her fingers after obtaining the Demon de?¡±

    ¡°I thought she put them on to be fashionable... do you mean they¡¯re sealing-type magic items or touchstones of some sort?¡±

    Climb could no longer pretend to be unmoved, and he frowned.

    From what he had seen and heard, Lakyus might well be under the control of an evil magic item. He became even more worried as he thought about where he had just been..

    ¡°...Will Renner-sama be in danger?¡±

    Evileye stopped Climb before he could rush out.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I doubt the situation will deteriorate. She won¡¯t be taken over unawares, even if the power of darkness threatens to take her over. We¡¯ll have to take the fact that she didn¡¯t tell us as a sign that she¡¯s confident of controlling it herself. I¡¯m certain she has the mental strength for it. Still... I didn¡¯t expect the sword to have that kind of power. Even I¡¯ve never heard of that before.¡±

    ¡°Should we talk to Azuth for safety¡¯s sake?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not too happy about asking a rival for help, but... well, she is his niece, so we should let him know, at least.¡±

    ¡°Hm, then shouldn¡¯t we do that right away? We still need to track him down too.¡±

    ¡°Mm. We should just prepare ourselves to back Lakyus up at any time.¡±

    ¡°After all, it takes an adamantite-ranked adventurer to stop another.¡±

    ¡°¡ªHm? Ahhh! That reminds me, Gagaran. I heard that a third adamantite-ranked adventurer team was formed in E-Rantel.¡±

    ¡°What? Really? That¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard of it... did you find that out when you went to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild this morning?¡±

    ¡°No... ah, yes. Sorry. I forgot to tell you. Their team seems to be ck.¡±

    ¡°ck? I thought we¡¯d have brown or green after blue and red.¡±

    ¡°Well, ck is one of the colors of the Six Great Gods. Nothing strange about that. Who knows, the next one might be white.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m no fan of the ine Theocracy. Actually, didn¡¯t we have a big fight with one of their special ops units?¡±

    Climb sensed that he had overheard a pretty dangerous topic, but neither of them paid him any heed as they kept talking.

    ¡°Gagaran, you hate them? ...Well, they did try to kill me once, but I understand how they¡¯re thinking. Or rather, their sworn mission is to defend all of mankind. Isn¡¯t that proper, from the perspective of humanity as a species?¡±

    ¡°Hah? So you mean it¡¯s alright to massacre innocent demihumans and Elves for that goal?¡±

    There was a clear look of disgust on Gagaran¡¯s face, and the mes of anger burned in her eyes. Evileye bore her anger, and shrugged.

    ¡°There¡¯s quite a few human nations around here, like the Kingdom, the Holy Kingdom, the Empire, and so on. But did you know, Gagaran? The further you are from here, the fewer human-led nations there are. All of them are countriesposed of demihumans or species that are superior to mankind. Did you know that some of them even trade in humans as ves? The reason why there aren¡¯t any of those countries around here is because the ine Theocracy has been going around and exterminating any demihumans that pop their heads up.¡±

    Gagaran¡¯s anger went out as she heard Evileye¡¯s words. Still, she was frowning as she replied:

    ¡°Well, demihumans were always physically superior to mankind anyway. If they banded together and developed culture, humanity wouldn¡¯t be able to deal with them.¡±

    ¡°Basically, all humans should think highly of the Theocracy. It¡¯s true that they¡¯re ruthless, which is a demerit, but even so, nobody else has done more for mankind as a whole... of course, whether or not someone the few they abandoned could say the same thing is a different matter entirely. Besides, it¡¯s quite likely that they were the ones who originated the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.¡±

    ¡°Seriously?¡±

    ¡°Who knows? There¡¯s no telling if it¡¯s true or not, but the possibility is very high. After all, the Adventurer¡¯s Guild was founded after the battle with the Demon Gods, when humanity¡¯s strength had been greatly diminished. I suspect they were preserving their power and wanted to aid the various nations without causing friction, and thus they set up that organization.¡±

    Silence filled the table after the discussion ended. Unable to bear it, Climb spoke up:

    ¡°Forgive my interruption, Evileye-sama. You said that new adamantite-ranked adventurers had emerged; do you know their names?¡±

    ¡°Hm? Ah, right, I mentioned that. I think one of them is called... Momon. He¡¯s their leader, a warrior called the Dark Hero. They haven¡¯t picked a name for their team yet, but everyone calls them ¡®Darkness¡¯.¡±

    ¡°I see. How about the other members?¡±

    ¡°I heard her¡¯s paired with someone called Nabe, an arcane magic caster known as the Beautiful Princess.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Just the two of them? What¡¯s up with that? Are those idiots so confident in their abilities that... no, it¡¯s because of those abilities that they¡¯re adamantite-ranked. Are they hiding some kind of secret weapon? Is that it? What aplishments do they have to their name?¡±

    Climb leaned in to listen as well. This was an adventurer team which had obtained the adamantite rank. They must have embarked on all manner of adventures which would set people¡¯s hearts aflutter. He was burning with anticipation even before hearing a single word.

    ¡°All this was done within two months... first, they eliminated the thousands of undead which showed up in E-Rantel. Then, they exterminated the Northern Goblin Tribe Alliance, found rare herbs in the Great Forest of Tob, slew a Gigant Basilisk and eliminated a band of undead that had escaped from the Katze ins. In addition, I hear they defeated an incredibly powerful Vampire...¡±

    ¡°A Gigant Basilisk...¡± Climb repeated in a breathless voice.

    It was a huge monster that was almost ten meters long, like a cross between a lizard and a serpent. It had a petrifying gaze attack, its bodily fluids were a poison that could cause instant death, and its hard, thick skin rivalled mithril in toughness. It was a terrifying being, so being able to defeat a monster like that ¡ª which could destroy a town ¡ª was a perfectly sensible reason for being promoted to adamantite rank.

    However, there was one problem with that ¡ª

    ¡°That¡¯s... amazing. Still, did they really do it with just the two of them? Surely just two people, being a warrior and an arcane magic caster, wouldn¡¯t be able to deal with a Gigant Basilisk, right? Doesn¡¯t seem possible to me.¡±

    ¡ªIndeed. It was almost impossible for just two people to do it, especially if they were a warrior and an arcane magic caster. How would they heal themselves? How could they resist its petrifying gaze, its toxic bodily fluids and its other special attacks?

    ¡°Ah! Sorry, I can¡¯t really say it was just the two of them. I hear they subdued the Wise King of the Forest by force and made it their minion.¡±

    ¡°...The Wise King of the Forest? What manner of beast is that?¡±

    Climb recalled the name from various heroic sagas and simr stories. However, it would be terribly rude to interrupt right now.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know the details either, but apparently it was a magical beast which inhabited the Great Forest of Tob since times of old. It possesses matchless might. My colleagues once... yes, I don¡¯t think they encountered it when they went to the Great Forest 200 years ago.¡±

    Evileye shrugged as she mentioned the figure of 200.

    Such a number would not be anything out of the ordinary for Forest Elves, but given her attitude, Climb could only conclude that it was a jest of some sort.

    ¡°Oho. Then, how credible are these stories? They¡¯ve probably been spiced up or something, right?¡±

    It was always like that. Sometimes a tale was identally exaggerated in the telling, or corpses were so badly dismembered that one could not get an urate body count, and sometimes adventurers just wanted to brag for fame. Thus, these stories often ended up embellished.

    In contrast, Evileye erected a finger and wagged it with a ¡°tch tch tch¡±.

    ¡°Well, these stories seem pretty factual. The E-Rantel incident in particr, where that man threw his greatsword and slew an undead Giant, then carved his way through a thousands-strong horde of undead. These reports came from the surviving guardsmen and their ounts all tally up. Thus, I doubt there was any exaggeration of his exploits. They eliminated the masterminds behind the undead horde and the corpses have been verified, and they destroyed a pair of Skeletal Dragons before that.¡±

    Gagaran was speechless, and Climb asked her:

    ¡°Even you would have trouble with them too, am I right, Gagaran-san?¡±

    ¡°If it was just several thousand Zombies or Skeletons, it¡¯d be fine. I could smash my way through those. Even the two Skeletal Dragons might be doable. But I can¡¯t say the same for the masterminds behind the incident. I¡¯ve no confidence of being able to deal with them if I didn¡¯t know their abilities.¡±

    ¡°There are unofficial opinions which state that they were from Zuranon.¡±

    ¡°Really, Evileye? Ah... if it was their Disciples, then I¡¯d be out of luck. It¡¯d be really hard to beat them after fighting so deep into hostile territory. Make one little mistake, get poisoned or paralyzed, and the show¡¯s over for you. How did the two of them heal themselves? Potions, maybe? Who knows, that Momon warrior might be able to use divine magic like our leader. Or perhaps that Beautiful Princess girl could use it.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t rule that out,¡± Evileye nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Still, a Gigant Basilisk... Yeah, I¡¯ve got nothing. Enemies like that are too much for warriors... for any close range fighters, actually. I¡¯ve got the power of Gaze Bane on my side, but it¡¯d be really risky without backup.¡±

    ¡°Heard that, Climb? In other words, Gagaran can¡¯t do it by herself. In other words, it¡¯d all be up to that Nabe woman. Maybe you could do the same if you were paired with her... could you?¡±

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯d be easy if she was as strong as Evileye. If it were you, you could take care of it yourself with long-rangedbat, even without getting serious, am I right?¡±

    ¡°As if I¡¯m that great. I¡¯d have to show my true power.¡±

    ¡°Well, with you around, the only thing I¡¯d have to handle would be the Skeletal Dragons... no, that¡¯d mean I was just relying on your strength. If I were grouped with an orichalcum-ranked magic caster and we split up... yeah, not going to happen.¡±

    Climb found this very surprising.

    Was Evileye really such a powerful magic caster? Under normal circumstances, adventurer teams ought to be made up of members of equal strength, and they ought to be able to adventure together. Why was there such a big discrepancy here?

    ¡°I doubt that would be the case. I know your strength very well, Gagaran-san. I¡¯m certain you won¡¯t lose to those people.¡±

    ¡°Uhyo~ that¡¯s high praise. Alright, wanna do it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to refuse.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re a cherry boy. You know, they say that it¡¯s a shame for a man not to eat what¡¯s beenid out in front of him. There¡¯s no point in staying cherry forever, you know. What¡¯ll you do when you finally get it on with the woman you like? Do you want her to say you suck in bed? Do you get off on that sort of thing? Are you a masochist or something?¡±

    Gagaran did not wait for Climb to reply. After that, she sighed with exaggerated loudness.

    ¡°Fine, fine, I won¡¯t force you. I¡¯m good to go whenever, so if you want a quickie with me, just let me know... still, that Beautiful Princess nickname is pretty embarrassing. Does she live up to it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Nabe person is really beautiful. ording to the rumors¡ª¡±

    Here Climb thought he sensed Evileye ncing at him; a hunch that proved to be true momentster.

    ¡°¡ªShe¡¯s as beautiful as the Kingdom¡¯s Golden Princess.¡±

    Gagaran shed a knowing look at Climb, like he was a bad boy. Climb guessed what she was going to say, and stole a march on her.

    ¡°Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. To me, nobody is more beautiful than Renner-sama.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s true.¡±

    Her tone clearly stated, what a shame.

    ¡°Hm, I guess we¡¯ve wasted too much time on idle chatter. Sorry for making you listen to our babbling. After this, we¡¯ll do as Lakyus says and get ready.

    Gagaran and Evileye rose, and so did Climb.

    ¡°Sorry, Climb. I really wanted to have some fun with you, but I don¡¯t have the time.¡±

    ¡°Please, don¡¯t worry about it, Gagaran-san. And thank you for your words of wisdom, Evileye-sama.¡±

    Gagaran carefully studied Climb, and thenughed tiredly.

    ¡°Mm, alright, then. You should be going back right away, so we¡¯ll leave our leader to you. Good seeing you around, cherry boy... oh, that¡¯s right. You need to make sure you¡¯re properly equipped. That thing on your belt isn¡¯t your usual weapon, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. This is a spare.¡±

    ¡°Something mighte up. Armor¡¯s one thing, but you¡¯d best keep your sword by your side. It¡¯s a basic self-defense principle for adventurers, especially warriors. Do you have the item I gave you?¡±

    ¡°The bells? They¡¯re here.¡±

    Climb patted the pouch on his waist.

    ¡°Really now. That¡¯s good. Remember, we¡¯re warriors; all we can do is swing our weapons. Sometimes, situations ur that can¡¯t be dealt with using weapons. That¡¯s when you use magic items to help you out with those. You need to obtain as many magic items as possible and keep them on you, got that? Also, make sure you have at least three healing potions on you, alright? They¡¯ve helped me out more than once.

    Climb had owned three such bottles, but he only had two on him right now.

    ¡°I understand,¡± he replied.

    ¡°..Well, aren¡¯t we being nice to someone today.¡±

    ¡°Come on, give me a break, Evileye... sorry I dyed you. I just wanted to say, don¡¯t ck on the preparations and be careful.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    Climb bowed deeply to Gagaran.

    <b>Part 3</b>

    <b>Lower Fire Month (9th Month) 3rd Day 6:00</b>

    Nine men and women sat around a circr table.

    The heads of Eight Fingers¡¯ eight divisions were there, but they did not look at each other. Either they studied the documents in their hands or spoke to the minions awaiting orders behind them.

    It did not feel like they were from the same organization at all. Things were not yet at a hair-trigger stage, but their wariness against potential enemies was obvious enough. However, that much was only to be expected. They might be in the same organization and worked with each other, but the fact was that they mainly cut into each other¡¯s profits with the asional bout of what might be considered cooperation.

    The drugs division was the prime example, handling all aspects of production, processing and trafficking by themselves. The smuggling and other divisions would not raise a finger to help them. Even if they did not openly oppose each other, it wasmon enough for them to try and trip each other up behind the scenes.

    These activities ¡ª which did no good to the organization ¡ª stemmed from the fact that they had once been disparate crime rings which had banded together.

    The reason why these viceroys of vice gathered on specific days for Eight Fingers division head meetings was because not doing so would be disadvantageous to them.

    That was to say, not taking part in these meetings could be taken as a sign of treachery, and absent parties would thus be marked for elimination. Therefore, even those people who did notmonlye to the Royal Capital would do so just for these meetings.

    Even those people who typically spent their days hiding in a safehouse would essentiallye here to expose themselves. Those who were so afraid of assassination that they surrounded themselves in guards would do the same. There was a limited number of people allowed at each meeting, and so each of the participants brought two of their finest men from their own divisions, in addition to themselves.

    ¡ªHowever, one person stood as an exception to this.

    ¡°Since we¡¯re all here, let¡¯s begin the regr meeting.¡±

    As that male voice spoke, the gathered people returned to their seats and their chairs creaked.

    The speaker was the host of this event, the coordinator of Eight Fingers. This man ¡ª who looked to be in his 50s ¡ª wore a holy symbol of the Water God on a ne and had apassionate face. He did not look at all like a denizen of the underworld.

    ¡°There are several matters which need discussion, and the first of them is ¡ª Hilma.¡±

    ¡°Present.¡±

    The person who answered was a fair-skinned woman.

    Said skin was so pale she almost looked sickly, and her clothes were also white.

    She held a pipe which emitted purple fumes in one hand. A serpentine tattoo snaked up that hand toward her shoulder. Her lipstick was the same purple as her eyeshadow. In her diaphanous clothing, she was the very picture of a high-ss prostitute,plete with the dissipated air which hung about her.

    ¡°Huwah~¡± she yawned in an exaggerated manner. ¡°Couldn¡¯t we have started the meeting earlier?¡±

    ¡°...I heard your drug ntations were attacked by someone?¡±

    ¡°Yes, they hit the viges we were using for production. Cost me quite a sum. We may need to cut back on the drug supply.¡±

    ¡°Any idea who might be behind this?¡±

    ¡°No. None at all... however, as a result, it¡¯s not difficult to think of who might have done it.¡±

    ¡°Which color?¡±

    That question was enough for everyone present to understand.

    ¡°No clue. I just learned the vige was attacked. Didn¡¯t have time to find out more.¡±

    ¡°Is that so. Then, everyone, that¡¯s how it is. Please raise your hands if you know anything.¡±

    There was no response. Either nobody knew, or nobody wanted to share what they knew.

    ¡°Then, next on¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªOi.¡±

    It was a low voice. It was a male voice, and it concealed incredible power within its depths.

    All eyes turned to the source of that voice. The speaker was a bald man whose face was half-covered by an animal tattoo. However, every part of him was immense. His muscr frame was evident even through his clothes, and his cold eyes were those of a warrior.

    All the other division heads had brought guards along, but only he had nobody behind him. That was only sensible. What point was there in bringing a group of useless people along?

    The man stared at Hilma, head of the drugs division. No, he was probably not staring; just that his razor-thin pupils appeared to be doing so.

    The guard behind her lost his cool for a moment and his breathing turned chaotic. It was a reaction born of knowing exactly how overmatched he was in fighting strength.

    After all, this man was a monster. He would have no problem ughtering everyone in this room.

    ¡°Why not hire me? Do you think the mooks on your payroll can protect anything?¡±

    His name was Zero. He was the manager of the Security Division, which handled everything from simple bodyguarding to escorting nobles. He was famous for his battle prowess, which far exceeded that of any other member of Eight Fingers. And the response to his proposal was¡ª

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡±

    ¡ªWas a firm rejection.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. Besides, I can¡¯t reveal the location of my bases to others.¡±

    That was the end of it.. Zero closed his eyes, as though he had lost interest. Doing this made him resemble a boulder.

    ¡°That would be great. I¡¯ll ept your proposal on her behalf.¡±

    The speaker was a slender man. He looked limp and weak, in stark contrast to Zero.

    ¡°Zero, I want to hire your people.¡±

    ¡°Oh, what¡¯s this, Codol. Can you afford it?¡±

    If one considered Hilma¡¯s business ¡ª the drug trade ¡ª to be booming, then this man¡¯s field ¡ª the ve trade ¡ª was declining by the day. That was because the Golden Princess had made very illegal, and as a result he had to go underground with his business.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, Zero. And if possible, I¡¯d like to hire someone on the level of the Six Arms, the best of the best.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    Zero opened his eyes again, as though his interest was reignited.

    He was not the only one who was surprised. Just about everyone present was thinking the same thought.

    The name of Six Arms came from the brother to the god of thieves, who had six arms. That name referred to the strongest fighters of the Security Division.

    Of course, their top man was Zero, but the other five had prowess rivalling his. Rumor had it that one of them could cleave though space, another could control illusions, and that one of them was even a powerful undead being known as an Elder Lich.

    If Gazef Stronoff or adamantite-ranked adventurers could be considered the mightiest warriors in polite society, then Six Arms were the greatest killers of the underworld. Hiring somebody like that could only mean one thing.

    ¡°Gotten ourselves into big trouble, haven¡¯t we? Have no fear. My strongest subordinates will protect your assets.¡±

    ¡°Do forgive the inconvenience. There¡¯s been problems with a woman who was supposed to be eliminated. Perhaps this might be an overreaction, but if that ce goes down, I¡¯ll be in a hell of a fix. Ah yes, we¡¯ll discuss the feester.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Can you send your man over right after the meeting ends? There¡¯s something I¡¯d like him to do right away.¡±

    ¡°Got it. I brought someone along; I¡¯ll lend him to you.¡±

    ¡°...Then, onto the next topic. Regarding the newly-minted adamantite-ranked adventurer Momon of Darkness... does anyone know about him, or have they made any overtures towards him?¡±

    <b>Intermission</b>

    The sound of valuable metals clinking against each other rang forth.

    After ensuring that the up-ended purse was empty, Ainz began sorting out the shiny coins scattered on the table.

    He ced ten silver or gold coins into each stack, and then he counted them up.

    After totalling the stacks of coins several times, Ainz looked inside the purse.

    It was empty, as expected. After verifying that fact, Ainz cast it aside, and then grabbed his head.

    ¡°Not enough... there¡¯s not enough money at all...¡±

    His illusory human face twisted in depression. Of course, the money before him was a sizable sum. An ordinary citizen couldbor for decades and not umte this amount. However, to the master of the Great Tomb of Nazarick and its only source of ie, it was little more than pocket change, a fact that made him terribly uneasy.

    Ainz¡¯s mental state would be forcibly stabilized once it was disrupted beyond a certain threshold. Therefore, he should have been automatically calmed down once the shock of having insufficient money kicked in and assaulted his psyche. However, the sum of old coins he possessed gave him some emotional leeway, and so the emotional cutoff did not trigger. Instead, he burned in the slow fires of anxiety.

    Ainz shook his head, and divided the gold coins before him into several piles.

    ¡°First, this is additional funding for Sebas.¡±

    The pile of money before him dwindled in an instant, and Ainz¡¯s face twitched.

    ¡°Then there¡¯s this pile... funds for rebuilding and financial aid for the Lizardman Vige, in ordance with Cocytus¡¯ wishes, and then...¡±

    It was less than before, but the pile of money shifted, leaving only a few gold pieces behind.

    ¡°...This money is going towards the Lizardman Vige¡¯s expenses, so if I buy from the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, I can use my reputation as an adamantite-ranked adventurer to open doors for me. That should make things... cheaper... so perhaps this will do?¡±

    He recovered several coins from Cocytus¡¯ pile.

    After counting and recounting the remaining coins, Ainz muttered quietly to himself.

    ¡°...Maybe I should get a merchant to sponsor me or something... It¡¯d be a good way to set up a regr ie stream outside of adventuring.¡±

    There were only three adamantite-ranked adventurer teams in the Kingdom, including Ainz¡¯s own. Therefore, sometimes merchants would make requests of them by name. These jobs were both easy and profitable for Ainz, and he could easily stand to take a few. However, he had not done so until now.

    That was because Ainz wanted to avoid giving merchants or adventurers the impression that his Momon persona was a money-grubber, or perhaps one who would do anything for money.

    Ainz intended to build a public image of an adventurer who was loved by all, and then transfer that glory to Ainz Ooal Gown. Thus, he had to be mindful of what other people thought of him.

    ¡°Still... I¡¯m penniless. Shouldn¡¯t have stayed in such an expensive inn...¡±

    Ainz looked around the opulent room.

    This was the best inn in all of E-Rantel, and this was its best room. Naturally, the prices for this room were equally staggering However, this superior room meant nothing to Ainz, who did not need to sleep. How he longed to spend the money somewhere else.

    The same went for his meals. However splendid the dishes which the inn prepared for him, it was all meaningless to Ainz, who could not eat them. It would be wiser to cancel the meals and save the money.

    However, Ainz knew exactly why he could not do that.

    Ainz... no, Momon was the sole adamantite-ranked adventurer in this city. A big name like himself could not possibly live in a flophouse where he had to take care of everything himself.

    Living standards were an easy way of benchmarking people. An adamantite-ranked adventurer had to lead a lifestyle consistent with an adamantite-ranked adventurer, such as the inn where he stayed and what he wore.

    Clothes did make the man, after all.

    Thus, Ainz could not lower himself to stay in cheap lodgings. It was the same even though he understood that this was a waste of money.

    ¡°If they think I¡¯m really this valuable, then the Guild ought to book me a room... hah... although, they¡¯d probably do it if I asked...¡±

    That said, he did not want to owe people favors. To date, whenever the guild made urgent requests of him, he would move into action immediately to make them feel indebted to him. Once he had umted enough leverage, he would then start calling in his markers. If he allowed people to pay off their debts with such small things, his n would be ruined.

    ¡°Ah... there¡¯s no money. Whatever shall I do... More requests, perhaps? But there haven¡¯t been any good-paying jobs recently. And if I take too many on, the other adventurers will start to hate me...¡±

    While he wanted Ainz Ooal Gown to be an eternal legend, obviously he did not want that name to be infamous. Ainz made the semnce of a sigh, them memorized that amount of spending cash he had from the pile.

    ¡°Speaking of money, what about the Guardians¡¯ sry?¡±

    Ainz went ¡°Hmm¡± and leaned back against his chair, looking at the ceiling.

    The Guardians insisted on not drawing a sry, saying that their greatest joy in life was to serve the Supreme Beings, so they would not dare think of taking payment for it.

    However, Ainz felt that he should not rely too much on their goodwill. One needed to reward work done in an appropriate fashion.

    While the Guardians had all indicated that loyalty to the Supreme Beings was the best reward, that statement did not sit easy with Ainz.

    Perhaps that was the conceit of a man who drew his pay by showing up for work, but he felt thatbor ought to bepensated.

    For all he knew, instituting a sry system might lead to the fall and corruption of these pure and naive children. Even so, he felt that it held merit as an experiment.

    ¡°The question now is how I should pay them.¡±

    Ainz¡¯s eyes went from the ceiling to the diminished pile of gold coins on the table.

    ¡°If we consider the Guardians¡¯ sry to be equivalent to that of a department head in a high-endpany, that means they¡¯d draw 15 million yen per year... Shalltear, Cocytus, Aura, Mare Demiurge and Albedo ought to be getting more, right? Which means I¡¯ll have to multiply that by six. Ah, It can¡¯t be helped. I can¡¯t make that much money.¡±

    Ainz grabbed his head in contemtion, and then his eyes shot open.

    ¡°Got it! I just need to pay them with something else! Maybe I could issue Nazarick-only bills ¡ª like y money, perhaps ¡ª and then fix their value at 100¡¯000 apiece. That would do it!¡±

    But after shouting that, Ainz¡¯s face twisted again.

    How would he make everyone use these bills?

    All the facilities in the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick were free of charge. Even if he did print those bills, he had no idea where to begin using them.

    ¡°What if they were used to buy items from this world?¡±

    Afterparing the goods of this world to those of Nazarick, he could not help but wonder who would even want to buy things from the outside world.

    ¡°These facilities have been free until now, but if I start charging for them, I¡¯d be putting the cart before the horse... what should I do?¡±

    After pondering for a while more, Ainz hit on another bright idea.

    ¡°Got it! I¡¯ll ask the Guardians to think of something. All I need to do is ask them what they¡¯d be willing to spend money on. That ought to do it!¡±

    Just as Ainz was muttering, ¡°What a great idea¡± to himself, his face turned sour again.

    ¡°Still...¡±

    I¡¯m talking to myself more and more, Ainz thought.

    While all this had still been a game, he knew he had been talking to himself a lot because there was nobody else around. However, now that the NPCs had gained sapience, will and self-direction, he was still talking to himself. Why was that?

    Was it because it had be a habit? Or was it because¡ª

    ¡°Because I¡¯m still alone, huh...¡±

    Ainzughed in loneliness.

    Of course, he was surrounded by sapient NPCs, so it was hard to say that he was truly alone. However, he still felt that way. Perhaps he was busy erasing the personality of Suzuki Satoru in order to y the role of Ainz Ooal Gown, the coordinator of the 41 Supreme Beings, whom the Guardians wanted.

    Ainz sighed, and as he looked back at the coins on his desk, he heard a knocking on the door.

    After a short while, the door opened. Once he had verified that it was the person he had expected ¡ª Narberal Gamma ¡ª Ainz put on a face.

    Right now, the corner of Ainz¡¯s mouth was curled up, as though he were looking down on her.

    The low-level illusion which AInz was using reflected his thoughts, so it might asionally disy an expression which did not fit the ruler of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. Therefore, whenever someone else was around, and particrly in front of Narberal, he typically put on an expression which made him seem like a stern and dignified ruler. He had practiced it before the mirror many times, honing that expression to perfection.

    ¡°What is it, Nabe?¡±

    His voice was the same faked one he always had.

    ¡°Yes, Momon sa¡ªn.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s the old habit again. Whenever I remind you, you change for a while, so I guess I should give up on that, huh. Ahhh, no need to bow. I¡¯m not angry, and the fact that you show respect to me... well, that¡¯s fine too. The Guildmaster and the others seem to have gotten the wrong impression, so it¡¯s fine. Now then, what are you here for?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It concerns the ore which you ordered the merchants to find, Momon-san.¡±

    I didn¡¯t give any orders, it was just business, Ainz grumbled inside his heart. That said, the stern expression on his face remained unmoved.

    ¡°Really now... Which location are we talking about? Have they gathered samples from all eight ces?¡±

    ¡°My deepest apologies, but I did not ask that much.¡±

    ¡°...Never mind, then. We have money. Even if we don¡¯t know where they came from, we should be able to buy them all up.¡±

    Ainz grandly swept the coins on the desk into a pouch and tossed it to Narberal. He watched as she decorously picked up the pouch of money.

    ¡°Understood. However, may I be permitted a question?¡±

    ¡°Why I¡¯m purchasing ore from various locations?¡±

    Narberal nodded, and Ainz exined.

    ¡°I intend to throw them into the Exchange Box. Simply put, I wish to see if the money I get from the ores changes with the location.

    The Exchange Box should not be affected by such things. For instance, even an exquisitely-carved statue would only count the same as an unworked lump of the same material when fed into the Exchange Box. That being the case, what if theposition ¡ª the intrinsic quality of the material varied? That was why he had purchased all those ores.

    ¡°Nabe, you know that I managed to fix a price by throwing grain into the box.¡±

    I had to throw in quite a pile of grain before getting one measly coin, Ainz grumbled in his heart.

    If that were the case, all he had to do wasmence mass production. Thus, he had considered breaking ground on grain farms outside Nazarick, manned by undead or golems in order to tendrge farms. Of course, actually executing that n presented a mountain of problems in its own right.

    ¡°Understood. Then I shall make the purchases immediately.¡±

    ¡°Mm. However, be careful. We can¡¯t guarantee nobody will make a move on you. If anything happens... You understand, right?¡±

    ¡°I will use the Shadow Demon as a meatshield. I will not think about obtaining information and prioritize safety by retreating with all due haste. I will then teleport to Aura-sama¡¯s fake Nazarick to deceive the foe.¡±

    ¡°Very good. Pay attention to safety and do not travel in secluded areas or take routes which make you vulnerable to attack. Also, do not beat people half to death if they bother you or try and chat you up. In all honesty, I was quite surprised when that man wept and begged me to save him and said he was only trying to flirt with you. Also, you are not to project your murderous intentions everywhere.Crushing pickpockets¡¯ hands might be eptable, but do not do it all the time. Also, do not, under any circumstances, refer to humans as insects. Simply put, keep your injurious impulses in check after all, we are Momon and Nabe, the highest-ranking adventurers known as ¡®Darkness¡¯.¡±

    Once he saw Narberal indicate that she understood, Ainz felt that there was nothing else to remind her about, and nodded.

    ¡°...Mm. That should be it. Go then, Nabe.¡±

    Still holding the pouch, Narberal bowed before leaving the room. As Ainz watched her leave, he sighed deeply, despite hisck of lungs.

    ¡°...To think I have to make expenditures while I¡¯m low on cash. What a pain.¡±

 Chapter 35 - Volume 5

    <h4>Overlord Volume 5 Chapter 3</h4>

    <b>Chapter 3: Those Who Pick Up, Those Who Are Picked Up</b>

    <b>Part 1</b>

    <b>Middle Fire Month (8th Month) 26th Day 15:27</b>

    After sending the olddy home, Sebas continued on to his original destination.

    He came to a long stretch of wall.

    Three towers ¡ª each five stories tall ¡ª rose from within those walls. Their height was made even more imposing by the fact that they were the tallest buildings around.

    These towers were surrounded by several long and narrow two-story buildings.

    This was the headquarters of the Kingdom¡¯s Magicians¡¯ Guild. They needed ample space for the development of new spells and the training of arcane magic casters. The reason why they could afford all thisnd despite having practically no national support was probably due to their manufacture and sale of magic items.

    After walking a little further, he saw a sturdy gate. Thetticed gate yawned open, and on either side of it were several armed guards, stationed near the two-story buildings.

    The guards did not obstruct Sebas ¡ª although they quickly looked him over¡ª and he passed through the gate.

    There was a gently sloping wide staircase before him, and a set of doors which opened into a distinguished-looking detached house. Naturally, these doors were open, to wee visitors.

    Upon entering, he found himself in a small entrance hall, with the building¡¯s lobby before him. A number of magical chandeliers hung down from the high ceiling of thetter room.

    On the right was a guest lounge that contained a sofa and several other pieces of furniture. There were magic casters conversing within. On the left was a notice board. Several people were studying it in earnest; some wore robes and looked like arcane magic casters, while others seemed to be adventurers.

    There was a counter in the innermost reaches of the hall, and there were several young men and women seated behind it. All of them wore robes, and they had badges on their chests which matched the symbol he had seen while entering the building.

    On either side of the counter stood a pair of skinny wooden dolls, of the kind used for sketching. They were the size of actual humans and they had no facial features ¡ª Wood Golems, in other words. Apparently, they were being used as sentries. The fact that they had not posted any human sentries inside must have been pride on the part of the Magician¡¯s Guild, the outside sentries notwithstanding.

    Sebas¡¯ shoes pounded out a steady beat as he approached the counter.

    The young man at the counter noticed Sebas and greeted him with a look. Sebas nodded in return. He was a frequent customer here, so both of them were familiar with each other.

    ¡°Wee to the Magician¡¯s Guild, Sebas-sama. How may I help you today?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯d like to buy a spell scroll. May I consult the usual list?¡±

    ¡°Certainly.¡±

    The youth quickly brought arge tome to the counter. He must have gotten it ready when he noticed Sebas approaching.

    The pages of the book were made of high-quality paper that was thin and white as snow, while its cover was made of leather. The overall article was of exquisite construction. The letters upon the cover were imprinted in gold, and the cost of this book alone probably beggared belief.

    Sebas brought the book over to himself and paged through it.

    Regretfully, Sebas did not understand the words written upon it. Or rather, it might be better to say that beings from YGGDRASIL were unable toprehend them. Despite the bizarre principle which tranted spokennguage in this world, written text was not tranted.

    However, Sebas¡¯ master had given him a magic item that could solve this problem.

    Sebas produced a spectacle case from his breast pocket and opened it.

    A pair of eyesses sat within. Its bridge was made of a tinum-like metal, and at a closer look, it seemed to have been inscribed with tiny characters, or some kind of textured pattern. The lenses themselves had been ground out of a crystal that resembled blue ice.

    By putting these sses on, he could understand written text through the power of magic.

    Sebas swiftly yet carefully scanned through the pages, and then he suddenly froze. He looked away from the book, at the girl beside the youth at the counter, and gently asked:

    ¡°Is something the matter?¡±

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s nothing...¡±

    The girl blushed and lowered her face.

    ¡°I just thought... you looked very handsome.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±

    Sebas smiled, and the girl¡¯s face flushed even redder.

    Sebas, the white-haired gentleman, was a person who could mesmerize others on sight. He was good-looking, but the way he carried himself was even more striking. When he walked on the streets, nine out of ten women ¡ª regardless of age ¡ª would turn to take a second look at him. It was no wonder that the counter girls found themselves entranced by him, and it was also amon urrence.

    Sebas found that understandable, and then turned his eyes back to the tome. He stopped at a certain page and asked the youth:

    ¡°Could you tell me about this spell... [Floating Board], I believe it is called?¡±

    ¡°Certainly.¡±

    The young man began his spiel.

    ¡°[Floating Board] is a 1st-tier spell which creates a translucent floating tform. The size and carrying capacity of the tform varies with the caster¡¯s magical power. However, when cast from a scroll, it is limited to a surface of one square meter and can carry a maximum of 50 kilograms. The created board moves behind the caster, and can be a maximum of five meters away from him. Since the [Floating Board] can only follow behind the caster, it cannot be made to move in front of the the caster. Should the caster turn around, the board will slowly move to his back. It is primarily a transportation spell and canmonly be seen during earthworks.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Sebas nodded. ¡°Then I¡¯ll take a scroll of this spell.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    The young man was not surprised by the fact that Sebas had selected a low-demand spell like this. After all, just about all the scrolls Sebas had purchased were for unpopr spells like this. Besides, being able to empty surplus stocks was a godsend for the Magician¡¯s Guild.

    ¡°Will one scroll be enough?¡±

    ¡°Yes, please. Thank you.¡±

    The youth gestured to a man sitting nearby.

    The man ¡ª who had been listening on their conversation ¡ª immediately rose to his feet and opened a door leading into a room behind the counter, which he entered. Scrolls were expensive items, and even with guards posted, it would not do to pile them up on the sales area.

    After about five minutes, the man who had left returned. In his hands was a roll of parchment.

    ¡°Your scroll, sir.¡±

    Sebas looked at the scroll on the counter. It was elegantly made, and looked distinctly different from the paper one could purchase outside. The name of the spell was written in ck ink on the outside of the scroll, and after verifying that it was the same as the spell he wanted, he removed his sses.

    ¡°Indeed, that is it. I shall take it.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your patronage,¡± the young man bowed politely. ¡°As this is a 1st-tier spell scroll, that will be one gold and ten silver coins.¡±

    A potion for spells of a simr level would cost two gold coins, so this scroll wasparatively cheaper. That was because under normal circumstances, spell scrolls could only be used by magic casters of the same tradition. Thus, it only made sense that potions would be more expensive, given that they could be used by anyone.

    That said, paratively¡± was the key word here. One gold and ten silver coins was very expensive for an average person; equivalent to about half a month¡¯s wages. However, to Sebas ¡ª or rather, his master ¡ª it was a trivial expense.

    Sebas then produced a pouch from safekeeping. He opened it, withdrew 11 coins, and handed them to the youth.

    ¡°I have received the correct amount.¡±

    The young man did not test the money¡¯s authenticity in front of Sebas. Their transactions thus far had earned Sebas that much trust.

    ? ? ?

    ¡°That old man¡¯s really handsome!¡±

    ¡°Mm!¡±

    Debate broke out among the counter staff ¡ª especially thedies ¡ª once Sebas had left the Magician¡¯s Guild.

    They were no longer wise women, but lovestruck girls who had just met their Prince Charming. One of the men seated at the counter frowned and his face turned sour, but he too had felt Sebas¡¯ cultured presence and so he kept quiet.

    ¡°He must have had experience serving some great noble. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he was a noble himself, the third son of some minor lord or something.¡±

    It was amon thing for noble children who could not inherit the estate to be butlers or maids. Noble families of higher rank would tend to hire more people from such backgrounds. After witnessing Sebas¡¯ noble bearing, they could ept the fact that Sebas was highborn himself.

    ¡°Every little thing he does is elegant, fro mthe way he stands to the way he moves.¡±

    Everyone seated at the counter could not help but nod.

    ¡°If he asked me out for tea, I¡¯d definitely ept.¡±

    ¡°Mm! Me too! Me too! I¡¯d definitely go too!¡±

    Thedies squealed and cooed one after the other. They talked about where the good cafes were and then about how he would be perfect as their escort. The men looked at them from the side, and they began talking too.

    ¡°He looks really learned. You think he¡¯s a magic caster too?¡±

    ¡°Beats me, but he might be.¡±

    The spells Sebas bought had all been recently developed. That implied a broad familiarity with magic. If he had been ordered to buy a scroll, he could have simply asked the counter staff directly, with no need to browse through the catalogue. The fact that Sebas had paged through the tome was a sign that he was making the decisions on what spells to buy.

    This was not something any ordinary old man could do. In other words, they could surmise that he had received a specialist education in magic ¡ª that he was a magic caster.

    ¡°And then there¡¯s his spectacles... they look expensive.¡±

    ¡°Are they a magic item?¡±

    ¡°I doubt it, they should just be masterwork sses, right? Made by the Dwarves, I think.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s amazing, owning a pair of sses like that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to see the beautiful girl he came with once,¡± one of the men muttered. The response from beside them was a wave of disapproval.

    ¡°Eh, that woman¡¯s probably nothing but her looks.¡±

    ¡°Mm, I felt so sorry for Sebas-san then. She was giving him the old run-around.¡±

    ¡°She looks pretty, but she definitely has a terrible personality. Did you see the disgusting way she was looking at us? I feel sorry for Sebas-san, having to serve such a person.¡±

    The men did not dare respond after hearing thedies criticize a fellow female. Sebas¡¯ mistress was a ravishing beauty, and she had stolen their hearts in an instant. Thedies beside them had also been handpicked as the face of the Magician¡¯s Guild, butparing them to that woman was likeparing the moon to a turtle crawling around in the mud. The men wanted to tell thedies not to be so jealous, but it was clear what would happen if they actually spoke those words out loud.

    None of the men was stupid enough to do that. Therefore¡ª

    ¡°Alright, enough chitchat.¡±

    The young man¡¯s words cut through their chatter as an adventurer approached the counter. Everyone¡¯s faces turned serious, and they set to work in earnest.

    ? ? ?

    <b>Middle Fire Month (8th Month) 26th Day 16:06</b>

    After leaving the Magician¡¯s Guild, Sebas looked to the sky.

    Sending the olddy home had made him go over his nned time, and the sky was slowly turning a madder red. After ncing at the watch he had taken out of his breast pocket, he knew that it was time to return home. However, the day¡¯s business had not been finished yet. Since those matters could be dyed until tomorrow, should he not do so? Or should he stick to the n and finish up his agenda by today, even though it would cause him to go into overtime?

    He only hesitated for a moment.

    The matter of the olddy was his own decision. Thus, he ought to fulfil his tasks.

    ¡°¡ªShadow Demon.¡±

    A seething presence emerged from Sebas¡¯ shadow.

    ¡°Inform Solution I will be a littlete. That is all.¡±

    There was no response, but the presence began moving. It flitted from shadow to shadow and gradually drew away.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Sebas muttered, and began moving.

    He had no destination in mind. Sebas was going to fully familiarize himself with theyout of the Royal Capital. His master had not ordered him to do so ¡ª he had simply chosen to move independently as part of his intelligence-gathering duties.

    ¡°Then, I shall head over there today.¡±

    After muttering to himself and grooming his beard, Sebas twirled the scroll he was holding in one hand. He looked like a delighted child as he did so.

    He headed ever forward, drawing away from the central district of the Royal Capital, where it was still safe.

    After turning several corners, the alleys started to feel dirtier, and a faint stench lingered on the air, the stench of fresh garbage and other wastes. It felt as though it would physically stain his clothes, and Sebas walked on in silence.

    He suddenly stopped in his tracks and surveyed his surroundings. It would seem he had entered a very secluded back alley, so cramped that people would have to squeeze past each other in passing.

    It was hard to move through these narrow alleys, where the light of the setting sun was blocked by the tall buildings all around and the footing was atrocious. However, it posed no obstacle to Sebas. He walked on in silence and concealing his presence, as though he had melted into the shadows.

    Sebas turned several more corners as he headed towards an even more sparsely-popted region, and then his confident, unhesitating stride suddenly ground to a halt.

    His aimless wanderings had brought him here, and he realised that he hade a long way from his home base. Sebas¡¯ instincts hadrgely grasped his location, and he mentally traced the route from his homebase to this ce.

    Given Sebas¡¯ physical attributes, he could have covered the distance in a straight line. It would take quite a while for him if he had to walk normally. Now that night was looming, it was probably time to go back.

    He was not concerned about the safety of Solution, with whom he lived.

    Even if a powerful enemy appeared, Solution still had a monster in her shadow, much like Sebas had. She ought to be able to buy time to retreat by using it as a meatshield. That said¡ª

    ¡°...Should I go back?¡±

    In all honesty, he wanted to continue walking, but wasting time on an activity which was half-leisure would not be permitted. Still, even if he was to return home, he could at least see what was in front of him. He continued walking through the narrow alleys.

    As Sebas forged silently ahead in the darkness, he saw a heavy steel door in front of him ¡ª about 15 meters away ¡ª suddenly creak to life as it opened, and light leaked out from within. Sebas stopped and watched silently.

    Once the door had fully opened, someone poked their head out. The backlighting only allowed Sebas to see his silhouette, but the person was probably a man. Said man looked around, but he did not notice Sebas, and shrank back inside.

    There was a thump as arge sack hit the ground outside. Illuminated by the light from inside, Sebas could see that the soft object inside had changed shape from the fall.

    The door was still open, but the person throwing out the sack like so much garbage seemed to have gone back indoors, and there were no movements for a while.

    Sebas frowned, debating over whether to move ahead or go in another direction. Sticking his nose into this would probably lead to trouble.

    After hesitating briefly, he continued his silent advance along the dark, narrow alley.

    ¡°¡ªLet¡¯s go.¡±

    The mouth of the sack sagged open.

    Sebas¡¯ shoes scraped along the ground, and he soon drew near the sack.

    Just as he was about to pass it, he stopped in his tracks.

    Sebas felt something had caught onto his pants. Looking down, Sebas saw what he had expected.

    A slender arm, like a withered branch reached out from within the sack, grabbing onto the leg of his pants. The half-naked body of a woman appeared from within¡ª

    This was when the sack opened fully, exposing the woman¡¯s upper body.

    Her blue eyes were dark, clouded over and empty of life. Her shoulder-length hair was messy, with split ends from malnutrition. Her face was swollen like a ball from beatings, and there were numerous pale red spots all over her dried-out, bark-like skin.

    She was a desated bag of bones, with hardly any vitality left in her.

    Surely that must be a corpse. No ¡ª she still drew breath. The hand grasping Sebas¡¯ pant leg was the best sign of that. However, if all she could do was breathe, did that truly qualify as living?

    ¡°...Could you please let go?¡±

    The girl did not respond to Sebas¡¯ words. It was readily apparent that she was not ignoring him. After all, her eyelids were so swollen that they were only separated by a thin slit. The cloudy pupils which seemed to be peering at the sky from within could not see anything at all.

    All Sebas would have to do was move his leg and he would be able to shrug off those fingers, which could not even begin topare to dried-out twigs. However, he did not. Instead, he continued asking:

    ¡°...Are you in difficulty? If so¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªOi, old man. Where the fuck did youe from?¡±

    Sebas was interrupted by a low, brutish voice.

    A man appeared from behind the door. His arms and chest bulged with muscle. His scarred face clearly disyed his hostility, and he red hatefully at Sebas. Thentern he was holding emitted a red light.

    ¡°Oi oi oi, the fuck you looking at, old man?¡±

    The man clicked his tongue with exaggerated deliberation, and then jerked his chin at Sebas.

    ¡°Fuck right off, old man. While you¡¯re still in one piece.¡±

    Seeing that Sebas remained still, the man took a step forward. The door mmed shut behind him with a ponderous thud. The man slowly ced thentern by his feet with an intimidating swagger.

    ¡°Oi. You deaf, old man?¡±

    He worked his shoulders and cracked his neck. Then he slowly raised his right hand and clenched it into a fist. He was clearly not afraid to use violence.

    ¡°Hm...¡±

    Sebas smiled. Coming from an aged gentleman like Sebas, that dignified smile clearly disyed a matchless calm andpassion. Yet, for some reason, the man stepped back as though a ferocious carnivore had appeared before him.

    ¡°Uh... uh, uh, what¡¯re you¡ª¡±

    Shaken by Sebas¡¯ smile, the man could not finish the words he was trying to form. He staggered back, without realizing how heavily he was panting.

    Sebas tucked the scroll ¡ª marked with the sigil of the Magician¡¯s Guild ¡ª that he had been holding into his belt. Then he took a single step forward, closing the gap to the man, and extended a hand. The man could not even react to that movement. With a silent whisper, the hand holding on to Sebas¡¯ pants fell to the floor of the alley.

    That seemed to be the signal for Sebas to seize the man by thepels ¡ª and then he easily lifted his body off the ground.

    Anybody seeing this would surely wonder if this was some kind of joke.

    Just going by appearances, there was no chance Sebas could take this man in a fight. Be it in terms of age, muscture, his thick arms, height, mass and the aura of violence around him, the younger man had the advantage.

    And yet, this distinguished old gentleman was lifting up this heavyweight with one hand.

    ¡ªNo, that was not the case. Perhaps an eyewitness would be able to sense the difference between the two of them. While humans had poor instincts, they could still sense a sufficiently great difference between two parties.

    The difference between Sebas and this man was¡ª

    The difference between an absolute superior and an utter inferior.

    The other man ¡ª who had been liftedpletely off the ground ¡ª iled his legs and twisted his body. Then, when he thought to take Sebas¡¯ hand in both of his own, his eyes filled with fear as he realised something.

    He finally realised that the man before him was nothing like what his appearance suggested. He also realised that pointless resistance would only serve to anger the monster before him.

    ¡°What is she?¡±

    As the man began stiffening in fear, that cold voice bored its way into his ears.

    That voice was as clear and quiet as a softly-flowing brook, The sheer contrast with the hand that was easily lifting him up only heightened the man¡¯s fear.

    ¡°She, she¡¯s a worker in our ce,¡± the man replied, his voice off-key from panic.

    ¡°I asked you what she was. And your answer is that she is a worker?¡±

    The man wondered if he had said the wrong thing. However, it was the most correct answer he could have given under the present circumstances. The man¡¯s eyes were wide in fear, trembling like those of a frightened little animal.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s just that some of my colleagues view humans as objects, so I believed that you too viewed people as objects. If you held that point of view, then you would not consider yourself to have done something wrong. However, you answered that she was a worker. In other words, you considered her a human being. Am I correct? Then, allow me another question. What were you going to do with her?¡±

    The man thought for a moment. However¡ª

    One could almost hear the squeezing.

    Sebas¡¯ grip intensified, and the man was briefly breathless.

    ¡°¡ª-Uggghhh!¡±

    Sebas tightened his grip on the man, making it harder for him to breathe, and the man gave off a queer wail. Sebas was sending a message: ¡°I won¡¯t give you time to think ¡ª answer now.¡±

    ¡°She, she was sick, so I was taking her to a temple¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªI do not like being lied to.¡±

    ¡°Aiiiieee!¡±

    Sebas¡¯ grip grew even stronger, and the man¡¯s face flushed red as a cry leaked out of his throat. However generous he might have been by discounting the fact that he had put someone into a sack for transport, the man¡¯s actions of dumping said sack into an alley did not feel like he was taking a sick person to the temple for treatment. It was just like disposing of rubbish.

    ¡°Please... stop...¡±

    The man was having trouble breathing. He thrashed wildly as he realised the mortal danger he was in.

    Sebas casually blocked the fist headed at his face with one hand. The iling legs hit Sebas body and dirtied his clothes, but Sebas was as stoic as the mountains.

    ¡ªBut of course.

    How could a mere human¡¯s legs move a massive b of iron? Even after taking a square hit, Sebas simply dusted himself off and nonchntly said:

    ¡°I advise you to tell the truth.¡±

    ¡°Gahhhh¡ª¡±

    The man was unable to breathe, and Sebas narrowed his eyes at the man¡¯s crimson face. He let go of the man just before he had passed out.

    With a great thump, the man fell to the alley floor.

    ¡°G-guwaaargh!¡±

    The main expelled thest dregs of air within himself as a gasped cry, and then greedily drank in the fresh air in big gulps. Sebas continued looking down on him in silence. Then he reached out for his throat again.

    ¡°W-wait... p-please, wait!¡±

    Having personally experienced the terrors of oxygen deprivation, the man scrambled away from Sebas¡¯ hand.

    ¡°The tem¡ª that¡¯s right! I was taking her to the temple!¡±

    Is he still lying? To think his will is so strong...

    Sebas had thought that the man would immediatelye clean out of fear for his life. However, the man might have been afraid, but he did not look like he was going to talk right away. In other words, the danger of letting that information slip was on par with Sebas¡¯ intimidation.

    Sebas considered if he should change his n of attack. This was enemy territory. The fact that the man had not cried out to whoever was behind the door for help indicated that he did not expect someone to rescue him immediately. That said, staying here for too long would only lead to more trouble.

    His master had not ordered him to cause trouble. His orders were to blend into society and covertly gather intelligence.

    ¡°If you¡¯re taking her to the temple, then allow me to do so. I will guarantee her safety.¡±

    The man gulped and his eyes quivered. Then he frantically tried to cobble an excuse together.

    ¡°...There¡¯s no guarantee you¡¯ll really take her there.¡±

    ¡°Then you cane with me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m busy now, so I can¡¯t go. I¡¯ll take herter.¡±

    The man seemed to have sensed something from Sebas¡¯ expression, and he hurriedly continued:

    ¡°She belongs to us byw! If you step in, you¡¯ll be breaking the country¡¯sws! And if you dare take her away, that¡¯ll be kidnapping!¡±

    Sebas froze, and frowned for the first time.

    The man had yed on his greatest weakness.

    While his master had said that he could take overt action when the situation called for it, that was only when he was ying the role of a butler caring for his mistress.

    Breaking thew would lead to an investigation, and possibly even lead to their disguise being pierced. In other words, doing so might lead to major and obvious repercussions, which his master would not smile upon.

    Sebas did not think this brute of a man was very learned, but his voice was filled with confidence. In other words, someone must have taught him a little about thew. That being the case, there might be some factual basis to his deration.

    Since there were no witnesses, the answer was simple; violence. He would simply be another corpse here with a broken neck.

    However, that was ast resort; something he could only do in direct service to his master¡¯s goals. He could not raise his hand to strike for a girl he had encountered by chance.

    That said, was it right to just abandon this woman?

    As Sebas hesitated, the man¡¯s crudeughter filled him with anger.

    ¡°Oh faithful butler-sama, are you really going to deceive your master and cause trouble?¡±

    For the first time, Sebas¡¯ brow knitted in visible frustration as he took in the man¡¯s mirthful expression. Perhaps the man had grasped his weakness from that disy of his.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know which noble you serve, but won¡¯t you cause trouble for your master if things get blown up? And who knows, your master might have ties with our establishment. Not afraid of being scolded?¡±

    ¡°...Do you really think my master could not resolve a matter of this magnitude? Rules exist to be broken by the strong, no?¡±

    That seemed to have gotten through to the man, and fear shed across his face for a moment. However, he recovered his confidence almost immediately.

    ¡°...Why don¡¯t you give it a try, then?¡±

    ¡°...Hmph.¡±

    Sebas¡¯ bluff had not worked on the man. He must have some kind of powerful backing. Judging that this approach was not effective, Sebas decided to change tack.

    ¡°...I see. Indeed, it would be quite troublesome in a legal sense. However, there is also aw which states that if someone asks for help, one can render said help without fear of legal consequences. I was merely acting in ordance with thatw. For starters, she is currently unconscious, so she ought to be taken to the temple for treatment. Am I wrong?¡±

    ¡°Er... No... this...¡±

    The man muttered to himself as he racked his brains.

    His mask had fallen.

    Sebas breathed a sigh of relief at the man¡¯s poor acting skills and his slow reactions. Sebas had just told a whopper of a lie. Since his opposition had decided to try and use thew against him, Sebas had in turn thrown a wall of legal mumbo-jumbo back his way.

    If the man had continued to argue using thew ¡ª even if he was only lying ¡ª Sebas and his inadequate grasp of the Kingdom¡¯sws would not have had an answer for him. However, the man did not understand thew and was only parroting what he had heard, so he could not see through Sebas¡¯ lies.

    In addition, hisck of legal knowledge meant that he had no response when someone else used thew to argue against him. In addition, this man was probably someone¡¯s minion, so he should not be able to make decisions of his own.

    Sebas turned away from the man and cradled the woman¡¯s head.

    ¡°Do you want me to rescue you?¡± Sebas asked, before bringing his ear close to the woman¡¯s cracked lips.

    All he could hear was the sound of faint breathing. No, it was more like thest gasp from a deted balloon. Did a sound like that even count as breathing?

    There was no response. Sebas shook his head and asked again:

    ¡°Do you want me to rescue you?¡±

    Saving this girl waspletely different from helping that olddy. Sebas wanted to help as many people around him as he could, but saving this girl might incur tremendous hassle. Would the Supreme One understand why he had done this? Was this not a vition of His will? A cold gust blew through his heart as he contemted that point.

    There was still no response.

    A faint yet crude smile crept back onto the man¡¯s face.

    Given that he knew what sort of living hell she had been through, it was obvious why he was sneering. Otherwise, why would he have thrown her outside, ready for disposal?

    Good luck did not repeat itself, because regrly urring phenomena could not be considered good luck.

    Indeed, if one considered her grabbing of Sebas¡¯ pants to be good luck, then she would not have any more.

    ¡ªIn her case, her sole piece of good fortune was the fact that Sebas had stepped into this alley, and it was now over. Everything else all rested on how much she wanted to survive.

    That was not luck.

    ¡ªFaintly.

    Yes. The girl¡¯s lips moved faintly. It was not the natural movement of breathing. It was a willed, conscious action.

    ¡°¡ª¡±

    Sebas¡¯ only response to hearing those words was a big nod.

    ¡°I do not believe in helping those who can only pray for others to save them. However... if you struggle and strive to live...¡±

    Sebas¡¯ fingers moved slowly to shut the girl¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Do not be afraid. Rest. You are under my protection now.¡±

    The girl closed her clouded eyes, as though wrapped in a warm shroud ofpassion.

    The other man could not believe what he had just seen, and so he blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

    ¡°It can¡¯t be¡ª¡±

    I didn¡¯t hear anything, the man wanted to say, but he was frozen in ce.

    ¡°Are you calling me... a liar?¡±

    He did not know when Sebas had stood up, but now his razor-sharp gaze transfixed the man.

    Those were fearsome eyes.

    Those vicious eyes stopped the man¡¯s breathing, as though they possessed the ability to physically crush his heart within his chest.

    ¡°Are you saying I would tell a lie for the likes of you?¡±

    ¡°Ah, no, ah...¡±

    The man¡¯s throat croaked, and then he gulped. His eyes moved, fixating on Sebas¡¯ arms. He must have remembered the consequences of getting carried away.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be taking her with me.¡±

    ¡°Ah, wait! No, please wait!¡± the man shouted. Sebas nced at him out of the corner of his eye.

    ¡°What is it now? Trying to buy more time?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. It¡¯s more like, if you take her away, things will be very bad. You¡¯ll be inviting disaster upon you and your master! Have you heard of Eight Fingers?¡±

    Sebas had heard that name during his intelligence gathering. They were a criminal organization which ruled the Kingdom from the shadows.

    ¡°So won¡¯t you help me out here? Please pretend you didn¡¯t see anything. If you take her away, they¡¯ll count it as a failure on my part and they¡¯ll punish me.¡±

    Seeing that the man was trying to cajole him now that the use of force had failed, Sebas red icily at him and spoke in equally frigid tones:

    ¡°I¡¯m taking her with me.¡±

    ¡°Come on, give me a break, man! They¡¯ll kill me!¡±

    I might as well kill him now, Sebas mused. The man was still weeping as Sebas weighed the pros and cons of ending the man¡¯s life.

    Sebas had originally thought the man was just trying to buy time for help to arrive, but that ought not to be the case given his attitude. However, he could not think of a reason otherwise.

    ¡°Why did you not call for help?¡±

    The man¡¯s eyes went wide in shock, and then he hastily answered.

    The long and short of it was that if the woman got away while he was calling for help. It would essentially be telling his people that he had made an unsalvageable mistake. In addition, he did not think he could beat Sebas even if he called his colleagues over to help. That was why he was trying to persuade Sebas to change his mind.

    Even Sebas could not muster up his motivation in front of that utterly pathetic attitude, and his killing intent vanished. That said, he still did not intend to give the girl over to the man. That being the case¡ª

    ¡°...Then why don¡¯t you run away?

    ¡°Please be reasonable. Where would I get the money to run?¡±

    ¡°I do not consider money to be more important than life. However... I shall provide in that respect.¡±

    The man¡¯s face lit up at Sebas¡¯ words.

    Perhaps killing him really would be safer, but at the same time, letting him flee with all his strength might be able to buy them some time. He had to use that time to treat her and bring her somewhere safe.

    More to the point, killing him here might lead others to search for her, since she would be missing.

    In addition, it might cause problems for the people close to her, given that he did not know the circumstances which had led to her present state.

    At this point, Sebas began wondering why he had even started on this dangerous course in the first ce.

    The truth was that he did not understand the stirrings in his heart which had led him to rescue this woman. Just about any other denizen of Nazarick would have ignored her to avoid getting involved in troublesome matters. They would have packed up and left this ce.

    ¡ªSaving someone in trouble ismon sense.

    Sebas decided to ignore that phrase which had inexplicably surfaced in his heart and said:

    ¡°Take this, hire an adventurer and flee.¡±

    Sebas took out a pouch. The man looked at it, doubt in his eyes. The sight of such a small pouch was probably not very reassuring.

    In the next moment, the man¡¯s eyes followed the coins which fell to the alley¡¯s floor, fixated on that silver-like radiance. Those were tinum coins rolling around on the ground, ten of them in all, each worth ten times as much as gold.

    ¡°Run away with all your strength, understand? Also, I have some questions for you. Do you have time to answer them?¡±

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve already told them that I¡¯ll be heading out to disp¡ª to take her to the temple. I should be able to spare some time.¡±

    ¡°I understand. Walk with me, then.¡±

    With that, Sebas raised his chin to indicate the man should follow. Then he picked up the girl and strode forth.

    <b>Part 4</b>

    <b>Middle Fire Month (8th Month) 26th Day 18:58</b>

    Sebas currently resided in a high-end residential district of the Royal Capital with good security.

    This particr dwelling was smaller than the mansions on either side, as though it were built as a home for the servants of the families which inhabited the surrounding buildings. However, it was still toorge for Sebas and Solution alone.

    They had rented such arge ce for a reason, of course; since they were posing as members of a wealthy household from afar, they could not possibly live in a run-down old house. For that reason ¡ª and because they did not have any credentials to present or any connections ¡ª they had to pay several times more than the going price to the builder¡¯s union when leasing the home. In addition, they had to pay in one lump sum, which amounted to quite arge expense.

    Sebas received a prompt reception when he arrived at the house and walked in the front door. That someone was dressed in white; she was one of Sebas¡¯ subordinates, Solution Epsilon of the Pleiades battle maids. The house¡¯s other residents included Shadow Demons and Gargoyles, but they were assigned to sentry duties and would note out to meet him.

    ¡°Wee bac¡ª¡±

    Solution cut her words off mid-speech, and she had even frozen mid-bow. She red at the object Sebas was carrying with eyes that were colder than usual.

    ¡°...Sebas-sama, what is that?¡±

    ¡°I picked her up.¡±

    Solution did not reply to that terse answer. However, the air seemed to get heavier around them.

    ¡°...I see. I do not believe it is a present for me, so may I ask how you intend to dispose of that?¡±

    ¡°Well now. Could you start by healing her wounds?¡±

    ¡°Healing...¡±

    Solution looked at the girl Sebas was holding. Once she understood, she shook her head and stared at Sebas.

    ¡°If that were the case, would it not suffice to bring her to the temple?¡±

    ¡°...Indeed. Silly me, Ipletely forgot about that...¡±

    Seeing that Sebas waspletely unmoved, Solution fixed her cold gaze on him. Their eyes met for a second, and in the end it was Solution who blinked first.

    ¡°Shall I throw it away, then?¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯ve brought her back. We should think about how best to handle her.¡±

    ¡°...I understand.¡±

    Solution was the type whocked expressions of their own, but her face now could have been used as a mask. Even Sebas could not read the emotions dwelling within her eyes. All he could tell was that Solution was thoroughly displeased with the present circumstances.

    ¡°Could you please perform a health examination on her?

    ¡°I understand. Then, I shall immediately...¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that too...¡±

    The girl meant nothing to Solution, but even so, giving her a checkup at the front door was hardly a good thing.

    ¡°There ought to be a spare room inside. Could you perform the examination there?¡±

    Solution nodded silently by way of reply.

    Neither of them spoke as they brought the girl to the guest room. Granted, Sebas and Solution had never been the type for conversation, but that did not exin the awkwardness between them.

    Solution opened the door for Sebas, who was holding the girl in both hands. The heavy curtains were closed and so the room was dark, but it did not feel stuffy in the least. The door had been opened many times before, so the air inside was fresh, and the interior was spotlessly clean.

    The room itself was lit by thin ribbons of moonlight streaming in between the gap in the curtains. After entering, Sebas gingerlyid the girl down upon the clean sheets of the bed within.

    He had infused the girl with ki, and performed some basic healing. However, she remained as motionless as a corpse.

    ¡°Then...¡±

    Solution carelessly stripped the girl of the cloth which covered her, revealing a bruised and battered body. That ghastly sight should have made for difficult viewing, but Solution¡¯s expression was unchanged, and she had a dull, disinterested look in her eyes.

    ¡°...Solution, I¡¯ll leave the rest to you.¡±

    With that, Sebas left the room. Solution did not look like she wanted to call him back as she began her diagnosis.

    Now that he was in the corridor, he should not have heard Solution as she quietly said:

    ¡°How foolish.¡±

    Her mumblings vanished into the corridor, and naturally nobody replied to them.

    Sebas stroked his beard without thinking about it. Why had he saved that girl? Even he could not exin why.

    Was it pity?

    No, that was not it. Why had he saved her?

    Sebas was a butler, and he was also in charge of Nazarick¡¯s manservants. His loyalty belonged to each of the 41 Supreme Beings. He owed his faithful service to the Guildmaster who had taken the name of Ainz Ooal Gown.

    His loyalty was genuine. He could confidently say that he would dly throw his life away in service to the Supreme One.

    However... if, hypothetically speaking, he had to choose only one of the 41 Supreme Beings to obey, Sebas would pick the man called Touch Me without hesitation.

    ? ? ?

    He was the mightiest being in Ainz Ooal Gown, and the one who had made Sebas. He was a World Champion and an iparable figure of fame.

    The guild had primarily flourished by PKing. Who would dare believe that Touch Me, of the Original Nine, had founded the group which predated the guild in order to protect the weak? Yet, that was the truth.

    When Momonga had been repeatedly PKed and nearly quit the game in anger, it was Touch Me who had saved him. When Bukubukuchagama could not find anyone to adventure with her due to her looks, it was Touch Me who had reached out to her.

    ? ? ?

    The lingering will of that man was the invisible chain which now bound Sebas.

    ¡°Could this be considered a curse...¡±

    Those words were terribly rude. If any of the other beings who served Ainz Ooal Gown ¡ª who had been created by the 41 Supreme Beings ¡ª were present and heard these words, they might have well attacked him on the spot for hisck of respect.

    ¡°It is wrong to show pity and offer aid to those who do not belong to Ainz Ooal Gown,¡± Sebas muttered grimly.

    That was only to be expected.

    Every member of Nazarick ¡ª save those who had been programmed otherwise by the 41 Supreme Beings, like the Head Maid, Pestonya S. Wanko ¡ª firmly believed that abandoning those who did not belong to Ainz Ooal Gown was the right course of action.

    For instance, he had once heard from Solution that one of her fellow battle maids (Pleiades) ¡ª Lupusregina ¡ª got along very well with a girl from Carne Vige. However, Sebas was abundantly aware that if anything arose, Lupusregina would cast that girl aside without hesitation.

    That was not because she was cruel.

    If the Supreme Beings ordered them to die, they would kill themselves without dy. If the Supreme Beings ordered someone dead, they would kill them, even if their target was a friend of theirs. On the other hand, anyone who did not understand this would receive looks of pity from theirrades.

    Making a decision based on human ¡ª in other words, worthless ¡ª sentiments was the wrong thing to do.

    But what about himself? Had he taken the correct course of action?

    Just as Sebas was about to bite through his lip, Solution stepped out of the room. Her face was still a nk mask.

    ¡°How did it go?

    ¡°... She is suffering from syphilis and two other sexually-transmitted diseases. Several of her ribs and fingers are broken. The tendons on her right arm and left leg have been severed. Her upper and lower incisors have been pulled out. Her organ function is diminished and she has a fissured anus. There are signs of drug addiction. In addition, there are countless traces of contusions andcerations. This concludes the basic summary of her condition. Do you require a more detailed exnation?¡±

    ¡°No, I think not. The important thing is ¡ª can she be healed?¡±

    ¡°Easily.¡±

    Sebas had also expected that unhesitating reply.

    Healing abilities could even help someone who had all their limbs severed. In fact, Sebas could use ki to heal just about any form of physical injury. The truth was that if he had not been worried about emergencies or the truth getting out, he could have healed the olddy¡¯s twisted ankle on the spot.

    That said, while his ki could heal physical injuries, it could not help with poisoning or diseases as well, because Sebas had not learned those skills. Therefore, he had to ask Solution to help in that aspect.

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you, then.¡±

    ¡°If healing magic needs to be used, perhaps it might be better to look up Pestonya-sama.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to go to that trouble. Solution, you have a scroll of healing magic, do you not?¡±

    After seeing Solution nod, Sebas continued:

    ¡°Use that, then.¡±

    ¡°...Sebas-sama. That scroll was bestowed upon us by the Supreme One. It should not be used on a mere human being.¡±

    Indeed. He should have thought of some other way instead. It would be best to heal her wounds and stabilize her first, before curing her addiction and disease afterwards. However, he did not know if he had the time for that. If she was dying because of her addiction or diseases, healing her would be an exercise in futility unless said healing was constantly reapplied.

    After thinking about this, Sebas handed out an order to Solution in a voice of steel, the better to keep anyone from learning his true intentions.

    ¡°Do it.¡±

    Solution narrowed her eyes, and a reddish-ck me seemed to re in their depths. However, Solution bowed her head in acknowledgement to hide that change.

    ¡°...I understand. I am to restore that female to a pristine condition ¡ª in other words, I will revert her body to the state it was before she engaged in those activities. Am I correct?¡±

    After receiving Sebas¡¯ approval, Solution bowed again.

    ¡°I shall do so at once.¡±

    ¡°Then, could I trouble you to boil some water and wipe her down after the treatment? I shall purchase something to eat.¡±

    Nobody here needed to eat and nobody here could cook. Neither did anyone here possess magic items which eliminated the need to eat. Thus, he had to obtain food for her.

    ¡°...Sebas-sama. Healing the body is a simple task, but... I do not possess the ability to heal mental traumas.¡¯

    Solution paused here and then looked straight at Sebas before continuing.

    ¡°If there is a need to heal such traumas, I feel it would be better to ask Ainz-sama to lend his aid. Will you not ask him to do so?¡±

    ¡°...There is no need to trouble Ainz-sama. We will leave the mental symptoms forter.¡±

    Solution bowed deeply again. Then she opened the door and entered the room. As Sebas watched her leave, he slowly leaned against a nearby wall.

    How should he deal with her¡ª

    The best way was to wait until she had been treated ¡ª while the man was fleeing, for instance ¡ª and then take her to where she wanted to go and release her. He had to pick a location that was sufficiently far away from the Royal Capital. Telling her to walk out from here would not only be too dangerous but far too cruel. It would be no help at all.

    Still, was all this really the right thing for him ¡ª Sebas Tian, butler of Nazarick ¡ª to do?

    Sebas sighed heavily.

    If only that would allow him to physically expel the worries that had built up within his heart. However, it did not. His heart was pounding and his thoughts were a blur.

    ¡°How foolish I was. To think that I, Sebas, would do all that for a human being...¡±

    But no matter how hard he thought, he could note to a conclusion. Thus, Sebas decided to stop seeking an answer. Right now, he ought to start by solving the simple problems. It might only be dying the inevitable, but this was the best that Sebas coulde up with at the moment.

    ? ? ?

    Solution changed the shape of her finger. The slender digit lengthened, bing a syringe-like structure that was several millimeters thick. As a Shoggoth, Solution had always been able to make great alterations to her shape, so altering the thickness of her fingers was child¡¯s y.

    She nced at the door, and once she sensed he was no longer outside, she quietly approached the woman on the bed.

    ¡°Since Sebas-sama has approved it, I might as well take care of this unpleasant business quickly. You would probably prefer it that way, no? Besides, it is not as though you are aware of it, are you?¡±

    Solution reached inside her body with her untransformed hand and withdrew a scroll stored within herself.

    That scroll was not the only item Solution had concealed within herself. In addition to scrolls and other expendable magic items, she also contained quite a number of weapons, protectives and other wargear. This was nothing out of the ordinary considering her body could store several human beings.

    Solution looked at the unconscious woman.

    She was uninterested in her appearance. Only one thought ran through her mind.

    That was ¡ª this human doesn¡¯t look like it would taste good.

    This body looked like a walking corpse. It probably would not thrash wildly and delight Solution even if she melted at it with corrosives.

    ¡°I could understand Sebas-sama¡¯s intentions if he intended to make her my toy after she recovered, but this...¡±

    She was familiar with Sebas¡¯ personality, since he was the leader of the Pleiades battle maids. He would never permit such a thing. After all, he had not permitted her to capture and eat any humans during their journey, save the ones who had tried to ambush them.

    ¡°If Sebas-sama had rescued her on orders from the Supreme One, then I would dly obey... but is it really worth expending a valuable asset from the Supreme Beings on a mere human like this?¡±

    Solution shook her head and dispelled those thoughts.

    ¡°...Should I eat you before Sebas-sama returns?¡±

    Solution broke the seal and unfurled the scroll. The spell contained within was called [Heal]. It was a high-end healing magic of the 6th-tier, and it could restore a great deal of health in addition to healing various diseases and other abnormal status conditions.

    Under normal circumstances, using the magic of the scroll would require levels in the appropriate job ss. In other words, one would need cleric-type ss levels to use clerical spells, which were divine magic. However, certain thief-type sses had the ability to emte a ss and use magical devices by ¡°deceiving¡± them, such as with a scroll.

    As an assassin, Solution had levels in several thief-type sses. Thus, she was able to use this scroll of [Heal], which he would not be able to use otherwise.

    ¡°Just in case, I should probably put her to sleep. After that...¡±

    Solution used a skill to synthesize a sleeping poison cum muscle rxant, which she injected into the girl.

    ? ? ?

    <b>Middle Fire Month (8th Month) 26th Day 19:37</b>

    Sebas returned from buying food just as Solution stepped out of the room. She had a steaming bucket in each hand, each of which had several washcloths inside.

    The cloths were filthy and the hot water was ck, indicating the unsanitary conditions that girl had been in.

    ¡°Thank you for your efforts. I trust there were no problems with the healing process...?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It has all been taken care of, and there were no hups. However, there were no clothes for her to wear, so I selected an outfit for her at random. Do you approve?¡±

    ¡°Of course. That will do.

    ¡°I see... The sleeping agent should have worn off by now... but if you have no further directives, I will be taking my leave.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much, Solution.¡±

    Solution nodded by way of response, and slipped past Sebas.

    After watching her leave, Sebas knocked on the door. There was no response, but he sensed someone moving inside, so he quietly pushed the door open.

    The girl sleeping on the bed had just regained consciousness. She sat up, still drowsy.

    She waspletely different from how she had been before.

    Her filthy blonde hair now glowed with a beautiful luster. Her emaciated features had regained their fullness. Her cracked lips were now a healthy pink.

    On the whole, she was beautiful, although her looks might be better described as a soft-spoken prettiness rather than being drop-dead sexy.

    Her age was now in to see. She looked like she was in herte teens, between 15 to 19, although the shadow on her face from her years in her man-made hell made her seem older than she actually was.

    Solution had given her a white negligee to wear, but it was in and unadorned,cking frills orce or other such attractive decorations.

    ¡°I trust you arepletely recovered. How do you feel?¡±

    There was no answer. Her hollow eyes did not seem strong enough to look at Sebas. However, he did not mind, but continued speaking.

    No, the truth was, he had not expected her to answer him. That was because he could tell that her nk expression belonged to someone who was distracted and crestfallen.

    ¡°Are you hungry? I brought something to eat.¡±

    He had bought the meal from a restaurant, bowl and all.

    The porridge in the wooden bowl was made with colored soup stock. It had some sesame oil in it to taste, and on the whole it radiated a mouthwatering aroma.

    The girl¡¯s face twitched in response to the fragrance.

    ¡°Come, help yourself.¡±

    Seeing that the girl had not yetpletely withdrawn into her own world, Sebas ced the wooden bowl and its spoon before the girl.

    She did not move, but Sebas did not urge her to eat.

    A third party would probably have started to get frustrated at this point. After a long time had passed, the girl¡¯s hands moved slowly; the movements of one afraid of being brutally beaten.

    The wounds on the outside had beenpletely healed, but the pain which had been branded into her memories still remained.

    She picked up the wooden spoon, dipped it into the porridge, then brought it to her mouth and wolfed it down.

    Normal porridge could be very rich and thick. Sebas had asked the storekeeper to finely slice the 14 different ingredients and then cook them over a slow fire to make something that could be swallowed without chewing.

    Her throat worked, and the porridge slid into her belly.

    The girl¡¯s eyes trembled slightly. It was a small movement, but it was sufficient to convert her from an intricately-made doll into a real human being. Her other hand trembled as it moved to take the bowl from Sebas.

    Sebas supported the bowl, shifting it to a ce which was easier for her to reach.

    The girl grabbed the bowl to herself, then took scoop after forceful scoop of the porridge as she devoured it.

    If the porridge had not been cooled until it was just right, her frantic feeding frenzy would probably have scalded her tongue. Broth leaked from her mouth and stained the blouse of her pajamas, but she did not care. She was more drinking than eating it.

    After finishing the bowl with a speed that waspletely unlike her previous self, the girl held onto the bowl and exhaled deeply.

    With her humanity restored, her eyelids closed slowly and ponderously.

    Thebination of a full belly, fresh clothes and a clean bodybined to soothe her spirit, and she began to feel fatigue kicking in.

    However, just as her eyes narrowed into a line, they snapped open and she curled up into a frightened ball.

    Was she afraid to close her eyes, or was she afraid that what she was experiencing would vanish like a popped bubble? Or was it something else? Sebas was watching her from the side, but he did not know.

    Perhaps even she did not know.

    In order tofort her, Sebas gently said:

    ¡°Your body must need sleep. Don¡¯t push yourself and have a good rest. You will note to any harm as long as you stay here. I guarantee this ¡ª when you wake up, you will still be in that bed.¡±

    The girl¡¯s eyes moved for the first time and looked directly at Sebas.

    Her blue pupils were dull andcked vitality. However, those were not the eyes of a corpse, but a living person.

    Her small mouth opened ¡ª and closed. Then it opened ¡ª and closed again. This repeated itself several times. Sebas watched her tenderly. He did not urge her to do anything; he simply watched in silence.

    ¡°Ah...¡±

    Atst, her mouth opened, and several nearly inaudible noises emerged. Then, she quickly added:

    ¡°Thank... thank you.¡±

    The first words she spoke were not to ask about her present circumstances, but to thank him. Having grasped part of her character from that, Sebas gave her a genuine smile; not the usual fake one he typically wore.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Since I have rescued you, I will do my best to guarantee your safety.¡±

    The girl¡¯s eyes widened a bit more, and her mouth began to tremble.

    Her blue eyes moistened, and then overflowed. The girl opened her mouth and then wept piteously.

    Soon, he could hear the sound of cursing through the crying.

    She cursed her fate. She resented the fact that it had ever existed. She was filled with hatred that nobody had helped her until now. Her wrath was directed at Sebas as well.

    If only you had saved me earlier. That sort of thing.

    After receiving Sebas¡¯ kindness ¡ª after being humanely treated, it was as though part of her had broken down under the strain of everything she had endured until now. No, perhaps it might be better to say that after having her humanity restored, she could no longer bear her painful memories.

    She tore at her hair, and the strands snapped quietly as she pulled. Countless golden fibers were tangled around her slender fingers. The porridge bowl and the spoon rolled to the bed.

    Sebas watched silently as she went mad.

    Her hatred and curses was directed at the wrong person. She was clearly looking for a scapegoat. Perhaps said person would be unhappy, maybe even angry. However, there was no anger on his face. His wrinkles were filled with kindness.

    Sebas leaned forward and hugged her.

    It was like a father embracing his child. There was no malice there, only an unending kindness.

    Her body stiffened for a moment. Then, as she realised how different this embrace was from the men who sought only to vite her flesh, her body slowly rxed.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±

    Sebas repeated those words like a mantra, gently patting her on the back, like he wasforting a crying child.

    The girl moaned ¡ª and then, as she slowly came to understand what Sebas was saying, she buried her face into Sebas¡¯ chest and cried all the louder. However, the context of her tears was slightly different from just now.

    ? ? ?

    She finally managed to stop crying after some time had passed and the front of Sebas¡¯ clothes had been soaked by her tears. She slowly extricated herself from Sebas¡¯ arms and lowered her head to hide her blushing face.

    ¡°Ah... I¡¯m... sorry...¡±

    ¡°Please, do not worry about it. Being able to offer one¡¯s chest to ady for support is a mark of pride for a man.¡±

    Sebas extracted a clean handkerchief from his breast pocket and handed it to her.

    ¡°Please use this.¡±

    ¡°But... lending... me... this... clean...¡± the girl asked nervously. Sebas reached out to cup her chin, then gently raised her face. She had no idea what had happened, but just as she was freezing up with fear, the handkerchief gently grazed over her eyes ¡ª and the trails of her tears.

    This reminds me of thest [Message] conversation Solution had with Shalltear... Shalltear was apparently quite proud of the fact that Ainz-sama had helped wipe her tears.

    What circumstances would have caused his master to wipe Shalltear¡¯s tears? He could not imagine Shalltear crying. While his mind was upied with futile guessing, his hands worked to clean the girl¡¯s face.

    ¡°Ah...¡±

    ¡°Come, please use this,¡± Sebas said as he stuffed the somewhat damp handkerchief into her hands. ¡°It is quite sad when a handkerchief goes unused. Especially when it cannot even dry tears.¡±

    Sebas smiled, and then stepped away from her.

    ¡°Alright. Have a good rest. We will discuss the future and other things when you wake up.¡±

    There was nothing that magic could not do. Her body had been restored through Solution¡¯s magical healing, and her mental fatigue had been wiped away. Thus, she could function normally right away. However, she had still been in hell up until a few hours ago. Her emotional wounds might well burst open again after a long conversation.

    The truth was that her mind was notpletely stable, hence her agonized weeping just now. Magic could briefly salve that spiritual suffering, but it could only treat the symptoms and not its cause. Unlike the physical body, the invisible wounds of the spirit could not be so easily healed.

    As far as Sebas knew, the only people who couldpletely remove her mental damage were his master or possibly Pestonya S. Wanko.

    Sebas wanted to let the girl rest, but she hurriedly replied:

    ¡°The future...?¡±

    Sebas did not know if he should continue speaking to her. However, since she had been the one to initiate conversation, he decided to respond while keeping an eye on her.

    ¡°It will not be safe for you to continue staying in the Royal Capital. Have you no friends or rtives to turn to?¡±

    The girl hung her head.

    ¡°Is that so...¡±

    You don¡¯t have any? But of course, he did not actually say that.

    That was troublesome, Sebas thought. However, there was no need to be hasty. That man would probably not be captured so soon, and learning about Sebas from him would take some time. He knew he was being optimistic, but by telling himself that he did not worry, he hoped that such would be the case. At the very least, he hoped that she would be able to regain her spirits first.

    ¡°Alright, then. Can you tell me your name?¡±

    ¡°Ah... I... Tsuare...¡±

    ¡°Tsuare, is it? I have not told you my name yet. I am Sebas Tian, but Sebas will do. I am the servant of Solution-sama, the Young istress of this house.¡±

    That was the cover story.

    Solution typically wore her white dress instead of her maid outfit in case they were surprised by guests. However, he would have to remind her to stay in character as the manor¡¯s mistress now that Tsuare was in the home.

    ¡°So...tion...san...¡±

    ¡°Yes, Solution Epsilon-sama. Although, I doubt you will have much of a chance to meet her.¡±

    ¡°...?¡±

    ¡°The Young Mistress can be... hard to deal with at times.¡±

    Sebas closed his mouth, as if to indicate that was all he would say on the matter. After a brief silence, he spoke once more.

    ¡°Alright. Have a good rest today. We¡¯ll discuss the future tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°All... right...¡±

    After verifying that Tsuare was back on the bed, Sebas took the bowl of porridge and left the room.

    When he opened the door, he was not surprised to find Solution standing there. She was probably eavesdropping on them, but Sebas did not me her. Solution did not feel that Sebas would scold her for doing so, so all she did was mask her presence and stand outside the door. Since she had assassin-type ss levels, she could have done a better job of hiding if she wanted.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°Sebas-sama. May I ask how you intend to dispose of her?¡±

    Sebas¡¯s attention went to the door behind him. It was thick enough, but notpletely soundproofed. If they spoke here, she would probably be able to pick up on a bit of their conversation.

    Sebas moved from the front of the door, and Solution silently followed behind him.

    Once they had reached a ce where he was sure they would not be overheard, he stopped.

    ¡°...You¡¯re referring to Tsuare, I take it. I intend to wait until tomorrow before deciding what to do.¡±

    ¡°That name...

    Solution did not finish that sentence, but she pulled herself together and then spoke again.

    ¡°Perhaps I have overstepped myself, but I feel that thing has a high chance of impeding our activities. We ought to deal with it as soon as possible.¡±

    Now what exactly could the words ¡°deal with¡± mean?

    After listening to Solution¡¯s cold words, Sebas thought: as I expected. This was the opinion which a right-thinking, loyal servant of Nazarick ¡ª of the 41 Supreme Beings ¡ª would have about a non-Nazarick entity. It was Sebas¡¯ attitude towards Tsuare which was abnormal.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. If she interferes with the orders Ainz-sama has given us, then I shall deal with her without dy.¡±

    Solution looked surprised, as if to say: ¡°If you knew that, then why did you do it?¡±

    ¡°She might have her uses. And since we¡¯ve picked her up, it would be a shame to just discard her. We need to think of a way to properly utilize her.¡±

    ¡°...Sebas-sama. I do not know where or why you picked it up, but the injuries it has taken indicate that ites from a certain background. And do you not think the person who inflicted those injuries on that human would be unhappy to know that it was still alive?¡±

    ¡°There should be no problems on that front.¡±

    ¡°...So you mean to say you have already disposed of those people, then?¡±

    ¡°No. That¡¯s not it. If any problems arise, I will take action. Therefore, I hope you will be able to watch quietly until then. Do you understand, Solution?¡±

    ¡°...I understand.¡±

    Solution swallowed her rising frustration as she watched Sebas leave.

    Now that Sebas had said all that to her, she could not say anything even if she was deeply dissatisfied with his handling of the situation. In addition, she really could just sit there and watch if nothing cropped up.

    That said¡ª

    ¡°To think he would use the resources of Nazarick on a mere human...¡±

    All the wealth and resources of Nazarick belonged to Ainz Ooal Gown ¡ª in other words, they belonged to the Supreme One. Was it really alright to expend them without permission?

    She could note up with an answer no matter how hard she thought.

    ? ? ?

    <b>Lower Fire Month (9th Month) 3rd Day 09:48</b>

    Sebas opened the main door. As usual, he had gone to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild in the morning and recorded all the requests on the notice board in his notebook before the adventurers could take them.

    Sebas hadmitted all the information he had obtained in the Royal Capital ¡ª even street gossip ¡ª to paper and then sent it on to Nazarick. Data analysis was a difficult process, so it was left entirely to the intellectuals of Nazarick to handle.

    He passed through the door and entered the house. Several days ago, Solution would havee to greet him. However¡ª

    ¡°Wee... back... Sebas...ma.¡±

    This task was now handed to the soft-spoken girl in the maid outfit whose long skirt covered her legs.

    The day after he had picked up Tsuare, there had been a discussion, and it had been decided that she would work in this house.

    They could have treated her as a guest, but Tsuare refused.

    She said that she felt uneasy about being treated as a guest on top of being rescued by Sebas. While it did not properly qualify as repaying his kindness, she hoped that she could do something to help around the house.

    After seeing what her true intentions were, he began to feel uneasy as well.

    In other words, she understood that her position here was precarious ¡ª that she was a source of trouble for this home ¡ª and so she wanted to work as hard as she could to avoid being discarded.

    Of course, Sebas had told Tsuare that he would not abandon her. If he was the sort who could discard someone with nobody else to turn to, he would never have rescued her in the first ce. However, hecked the persuasive power to heal the wounds in Tsuare¡¯s heart.

    ¡°I¡¯m back, Tsuare. Did work go well?¡±

    Tsuare nodded.

    Unlike how she had been when they first met, her hair was neatly trimmed and she wore a little white headdress.

    ¡°It went... well.¡±

    ¡°Is that so. That¡¯s good to hear.¡±

    She seemed as gloomy as always and her expression hardly changed, but being able to live as a human being had gradually eased the fear which gripped her, and she could speak much more clearly now.

    It¡¯s what¡¯s remains that worries me instead...

    Sebas walked, and Tsuare walked with him.

    Technically speaking, it would be a vition of maidservant etiquette for her to walk beside Sebas ¡ª her superior. However, Tsuare had never been trained as a maid and did not understand those formalities, and Sebas did not wish to educate her in such matters.

    ¡°What are we having today?¡±

    ¡°Po... potato... stew...¡±

    ¡°I see. I look forward to that, then. Your food is delicious, Tsuare.¡±

    She blushed and lowered her face as Sebas praised her with a smile. Her hands nervously grasped at her maid uniform¡¯s apron.

    ¡°You, you are too... kind...¡±

    ¡°No, no, I meant that. I know nothing about cooking, so you¡¯ve done me a great favor. Do you have enough ingredients? Tell me if there¡¯s anything you¡¯d like me to buy.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I... will ask you... when I do.¡±

    Tsuare could move around normally within the house and in front of Sebas, but she still had an aversion to the outside world. Since she could not work outdoors, Sebas had taken on the task of shopping for ingredients and so on.

    Tsuare¡¯s cooking was hardly a gourmet spread. She made simple, everyday dishes.

    Since these dishes did not require expensive ingredients, they were easily obtained at the markets. Sebas had also learned about said ingredients in the market and the food and beverage of this world, which he considered to be killing two birds with one stone.

    A sh of inspiration suddenly struck Sebas.

    ¡°...We¡¯ll go shopping together afterwards.¡±

    A look of shock appeared on Tsuare¡¯s face, and then she shook her head timidly. Her face had turned pale for a moment and she had broken out in a cold sweat.

    ¡°I, I think... I¡¯ll pass...¡±

    Sebas thought, As I expected, but he did not voice it.

    Tsuare had refused to do anything which might involve going outside ever since she had started working.

    She had taken this house to be an absolute defense of sorts, in order to suppress the fear within her. In other words, she had drawn a line to tell herself that this ce was different from the outside world, which had hurt her. That was the only way she could function normally.

    However, if that kept up, Tsuare would never be able to leave the house, and Sebas could not keep her here for her whole life.

    Sebas understood that it was very cruel to expect Tsuare to walk amongst the masses given her mental condition. He should have spent more time to help her get used to being around others again, but that naturally required time.

    Sebas did not intend to hide here or spend the rest of his life in this ce. He was an outsider who had only infiltrated this city in order to gather information. If his master issued the order to withdraw¡ª

    He had to continue training Tsuare to give her additional possibilities, in preparation for that day.

    Sebas stopped moving and looked directly at Tsuare. She blushed and lowered her head shyly, but Sebas took his cheeks in both his hands and raised her face.

    ¡°Tsuare, I understand your fears. However, I hope you will rx. I ¡ª Sebas ¡ª will protect you. I will crush any and all dangers which draw near and ensure you will not be harmed.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Tsuare, please step outside with me. If you¡¯re afraid, you can close your eyes.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    As Tsuare hesitated, Sebas held her hands tightly. What he said next was terribly unfair to her.

    ¡°Are you willing to trust me, Tsuare?¡±

    Silence filled the corridor, and time slowly passed them by. In the end, Tsuare¡¯s eyes grew moist, and her tender, pink lips parted to reveal her pearly white teeth.

    ¡°...Sebas-sama... you are too cunning... When you... put it like that... how could I refuse?¡±

    ¡°Please be at ease. Despite my appearance, I am quite strong... Let me put it this way. In all the world there are only 41 people stronger than me... well, and a few others.¡±

    ¡°Is... that... a lot?¡±

    The figure he had chosen made Tsuare think that Sebas was merely cracking a joke to reassure her, and so she smiled. Sebas saw this, and smiled back without saying anything.

    Sebas began walking again. He knew Tsuare was peeking at his face from the side, but he did not bring it up.

    Sebas knew Tsuare had some faint semnce of attraction to him. However, Sebas felt that it was more like gratitude to him for saving her from her torment. It was simr to brainwashing, or the trust she ced in someone who was reliable.

    In addition, Sebas was an old man, and perhaps Tsuare had confused her sense of familial kinship with romantic love.

    Even if Tsuare did feel genuine love for Sebas, he did not feel that he could adequately return it. After all, he had been hiding so many things from her, and their respective circumstances were far removed from each other.

    ¡°Then I shalle to get you after discussing a few things with the Young Mistress.¡±

    ¡°Solu...san...¡±

    Tsuare¡¯s mood turned gloomy. Sebas knew why, but he kept quiet about it.

    Solution had hardly met with Tsuare before. At the very most she had nced at her in passing and left without saying a word. Anyone would feel uneasy about being ignored like that, and in Tsuare¡¯s case she would probably be terrified.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. The Young Mistress is like that to everyone. It isn¡¯t as though she has it out for you... though in all frankness, she can be a little wilful at times. You have to keep that a secret, though...¡±

    Sebas smiled, and after finishing his half-joking words, the unease on Tsuare¡¯s face lightened somewhat.

    ¡°She often throws tantrums when she sees cute girls.¡±

    ¡°...I... How could I... I¡¯m nothing like... the Mistress...¡±

    Tsuare frantically waved her hands as if to dismiss those words.

    Tsuare was pretty, but she was nothing like Solution. However, beauty was in the eye of the beholder.

    ¡°In terms of looks, I would prefer youpared to the Young Mistress.¡±

    ¡°What! How could...¡±

    Tsuare¡¯s face was burning red as she lowered it. Sebas looked kindly upon her, and then he saw her expression change and her brows furrow.

    ¡°And I... I¡¯m... filthy...¡±

    Sebas sighed inside as he watched Tsuare¡¯s face fill with dejection. Then, he turned to face her and said:

    ¡°Indeed, that is the case with gems. Unmarked ones are worth more, and they are considered purer.¡±

    Tsuare¡¯s face fell even further as she heard those words.

    ¡°However ¡ª people are not gemstones.¡±

    Tsuare suddenly jerked her head up.

    ¡°Tsuare, you seem to consider yourself dirty. But who can judge the purity of a human being? There are clearly defined standards for precious stones... but who will set the standards for a human being¡¯s virtue? Is there somemon value to surpass? Some public opinion that must be adhered to? Does that mean everyone else¡¯s thoughts and opinions can be discarded?¡±

    Sebas paused here, and then he continued:

    ¡°Every person has a different definition of beauty. If beauty cannot be determined by one¡¯s appearance, then in my opinion, we cannot determine beauty by what people have experienced, but by how they are inside.. I do not know what you have been through and I have only spent a few days with you, but what I know is that the person inside you is the furthest thing from being filthy that I can imagine.¡±

    Sebas closed his mouth, and the footsteps echoing along the corridor filled the world. Tsuare seemed to have made up her mind, and she said:

    ¡°...If... you feel I am pure... then hug¡ª¡±

    Sebas had already embraced her before she could finish her words.

    ¡°You are very beautiful to me.¡±

    Tsuare¡¯s eyes overflowed with tears as she heard Sebas¡¯ gentle words. Sebas gently patted Tsuare¡¯s back, and then slowly let her go.

    ¡°Tsuare, forgive me. The Young Mistress calls and I must answer.¡±

    ¡°I, I understand...¡±

    ¡¸ÎÒ¡¢ÎÒÖªµÀÁË......¡¹

    Sebas left a red-eyed Tsuare bowing behind him and knocked on the door. He then opened it without waiting for an answer. As he closed it, he smiled to Tsuare, who had been spying on him all that time.

    This house was rented, so it did not have much furniture despite its many rooms. However, this room was filled with stylish furniture, enough to impress any guest who came. However, anyone who knew anything would realize that none of the furniture here was a venerable antique, and that the entire room was all style and no substance.

    ¡°Young Mistress, I have returned.¡±

    ¡°...Thank you, Sebas.¡±

    Solution, the false mistress of the manor, had a airheaded expression on her face as she lounged on the sofa in the center of the room. However, that was merely an act. That was because Tsuare the outsider was also in the house, so she had to put on the mask of a haughty heiress.

    Solution¡¯s eyes left Sebas and went to the door.

    ¡°...She has left, I take it?¡±

    ¡°So it would seem.¡±

    The two of them looked at each others¡¯ faces, and Solution spoke in a normal tone.

    ¡°When are you going to get rid of her?¡±

    Solution always asked the same question whenever they met, and Sebas always gave her the same answer.

    ¡°When the timees.¡±

    Under normal circumstances, that would be the end of it. Solution would sigh deliberately, and then drop the matter. However, Solution did not seem inclined to let it go today, and she continued asking:

    ¡°...Could you give me a clear indication on when ¡®the time¡¯ will be? For all we know, hiding that human might bring trouble upon us. Does that not vite Ainz-sama¡¯s orders?¡±

    ¡°There have been no problems until now... Fearing a human and the problems they might make is hardly the attitude which a servant of Ainz-sama ought to have.¡±

    Deathly silence reigned between them, and Sebas quietly exhaled.

    The situation was very bad.

    Solution had no expression on her face, but Sebas could tell she was boiling mad at him. This house might only have be a temporary base, but Solution regarded it as a branch of Nazarick, and the fact that a human was living here without permission made her very unhappy.

    Solution had not made any move to harm Tsuare until now due to being forcibly restrained by Sebas. However, if things remained as they were, it might not endure for long.

    Sebas was keenly aware that time was running out.

    ¡°...Sebas-sama. Once that human vites the orders Ainz-sama has set forth¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªShe will be dealt with.¡±

    Sebas ended the sentence himself without giving Solution a chance to continue speaking. She turned an emotionless look on him, and then nodded to indicate that she understood.

    ¡°Then I will say no more. Sebas-sama, please do not forget the words you have just said.¡±

    ¡°Of course not, Solution.¡±

    ¡°...Still.¡±

    Solution¡¯s hushed tone hid emotions so powerful that they made Sebas stop in his tracks.

    ¡°...Still, Sebas-sama. Should we not report Tsuare (that) to Ainz-sama?¡±

    Sebas fell silent. After a few seconds, he answered:

    ¡°I think it will be fine. I am uneasy about wasting Ainz-sama¡¯s time on an insignificant human.¡±

    ¡°...Entoma and the others regrly contact you with [Message] spells every day. Why not bring it up while you are in contact with them? ...Or is there something you wish to hide?¡±

    ¡°How could that be? I harbor no such thoughts. I would never dream of¡ª¡±

    ¡°That would mean... everything you have done is not for your own personal gain... am I right?¡±

    The air between them grew tense.

    Sebas knew that Solution was deliberately picking at this topic, and he was keenly aware that he was in danger himself.

    Every denizen of Nazarick owed their absolute loyalty to Ainz Ooal Gown ¡ª to each of the Supreme Beings. It was certain that everyone felt that way, especially the Guardians. Even the Assistant Head Butler Eir, who schemed to take Nazarick for his own, felt sincere loyalty and respect for the 41 Supreme Beings.

    Naturally, Sebas was one of them.

    That said, he still felt that it was wrong to abandon a pitiful being just because he was afraid of danger. However, he also understood that most of those in Nazarick would not approve of that course of action.

    No, he only thought he understood. Solution¡¯s attitude from a few seconds ago had clearly informed him of the full extent of his naivete.

    Solution had been serious. She might well have turned on Sebas ¡ª who was one of the highest-ranking managers in Nazarick and one of the strongest meleebatants in Nazarick ¡ª depending on his answer. He had not expected Solution to go to such lengths to remove a problem.

    ¡ªSebas smiled.

    As she saw that smile, Solution¡¯s eyes filled with surprise.

    ¡°...Of course. It was not for personal gain that I did not report this to Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Is there anything to support that?¡±

    ¡°I appreciate that girl¡¯s culinary technique.¡±

    ¡°You mean to say... her cooking?¡±

    It was as though there was a question mark atop Solution¡¯s head.

    ¡°Yes. In addition, would it not be suspicious if only two people lived in such arge home?¡±

    ¡°...Perhaps.¡±

    Solution had no choice but to agree with that point. Anyone would find it strange that such arge house was hardly upied, for all the money spent on it.

    ¡°I feel that we need a few people around. Besides, would it not be bad if we could not serve a single dish if guests arrived?¡±

    ¡°...That is to say, you are using that human as camouge?¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    ¡°But why did you have to use that particr human...¡±

    ¡°I am interested in Tsuare. I feel that even if she has her doubts about us, she would never make them public. Am I wrong?¡±

    Solution thought briefly on the matter and then nodded.

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    ¡°Just so. This is merely a deception, so there is no need to specially seek Ainz-sama¡¯s permission to do so. For all we know, he might chastise us and say, ¡®Figure these small things out yourself¡¯.¡±

    This was how Sebas calmly exined himself to the silent Solution.

    ¡°Can you ept that?¡±

    ¡°...I understand.¡±

    ¡°Then, we¡¯ll carry on like this for¡ª¡±

    Sebas stopped halfway, because he had heard something like two hard objects colliding.

    It was a very soft sound; probably nobody but Sebas would have heard it.

    That disordered noise repeated itself again, and he was certain that it had been deliberately made.

    Sebas opened the room door and stepped into the corridor, focusing his senses.

    They froze when they realized the sound wasing from the main door¡¯s knocker. Nobody had ever knocked on that door ever since they hade to the Royal Capital. They had conducted their business in person and they had never asked anyone toe to the house. That was because they were concerned that others would wonder why such arge house was only upied by two people.

    And now, somebody hade to visit this house. Certainly there must be some kind of trouble afoot.

    Sebas kept Solution in the room and walked to the main door, where he lifted the cover of the door¡¯s peephole.

    He could see a plump man outside, and Royal Army soldiers waiting for orders behind him on either side.

    The plump man was neatly attired, and he wore well-tailored clothing. He had a weighty badge on his chest which reflected a coppery light. His sweaty red face was also packed with fat and had an oily sheen to it, probably from too many rich meals.

    At the back of the procession was a strange-looking man.

    His pale, sallow skin looked like it had never seen the sun before. His eyes were keen and his scrawny face looked like some predator ¡ª a corpse-feeding scavenger, in fact. His dark clothes hung loosely about him, and he must certainly have weapons about his person.

    He radiated a scent of blood and malice, which prickled on Sebas¡¯ sixth sense.

    Sebas had no idea of who these ragtag bunch of misfits were or what they wanted.

    ¡°...May I know who is calling?¡±

    ¡°I am Inspector Stefan Havish,¡± reported the fat man at the head of the group. His voice was shrill and somewhat off-key.

    Inspectors were public officials who maintained order in the Royal Capital. One could say they were themanders of the guards who patrolled the Capital, and they had far-reaching authority. Sebas had no idea why this man called Stefan hade, and it worried him.

    Stefan ignored Sebas¡¯ reaction and continued:

    ¡°I trust you know that the Kingdom¡¯sws prohibit the trafficking of ves... Thatw was proposed by Princess Renner herself and put into effect after being reviewed by Parliament. The report I received indicates that the inhabitants of this domicile have vited thatw. Thus, I wish to investigate the matter.¡±

    Stefan neatly punctuated his statement by saying, ¡°May Ie in, please?¡±

    Sebas hesitated as he broke out in a cold sweat.

    He thought of many excuses to deny him entry, but chasing him away might lead to greater trouble in future.

    There was no guarantee that Stefan was actually who he said he was either. The Kingdom¡¯s public servants all had to wear badges like Stefan did, but there was no telling if he was a legitimate state employee. For all he knew, it might be counterfeit ¡ª though the penalty for doing so was very severe.

    That said, what harm would it do to allow several humans into the house? If they intended to resort to violence, Sebas could easily deal with them. Indeed, their being impostors would only suit Sebas¡¯ purposes.

    There was no telling what Stefan thought of Sebas¡¯ pensive silence. Once more, he asked:

    ¡°If I may, could I have an audience with the master of the house? While it cannot be helped if the master is not in, we are here to conduct an investigation. Things will go poorly if we return empty-handed.¡±

    Stefan smiled. There was no sign of humility in that smile. It concealed undertones of intimidation through the abuse of power.

    ¡°Before that, I would like to ask ¡ª who is that man behind you?¡±

    ¡°Hm? His name is Sulent. He represents the establishment which reported this incident to me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Sulent. Pleased to meet you.¡±

    After seeing Sulent¡¯s cold smile, Sebas¡¯ felt a sense of defeat creeping up on him.

    His cold smile was like that of a cruel hunter mocking his prey as it stepped into his trap. He must surely have made all the proper arrangements with all the appropriate parties before strutting up to him, bold as brass. That being the case, Stefan was most likely a proper official. They would surely be prepared for any refusals on his part. That being the case, he ought to see what they had in store for him.

    ¡°...I understand. I shall inform the Young Mistress forthwith. I hope you will be so kind as to wait here for a moment.¡±

    ¡°Very well, we¡¯ll wait, we¡¯ll wait.¡±

    ¡°However, please be swift about it. We do not have all day.¡±

    Sulent sneered at him, while Stefan shrugged.

    ¡°Understood. Then, please excuse me.¡±

    Sebas lowered the cover of the peephole and turned towards Solution¡¯s room. Before that, however, he had to tell Tsuare to hide inside the house¡ª

    ***

    He had the soldiers wait outside, while he brought Stefan and Sulent inside. Both of them were visibly shocked when they saw Solution.

    Their faces said that they had not expected to see such a beautiful woman. Stefan¡¯s expression slowly turned lewd, his eyes roving between her face and her ample bosom. There was a dark look of lust in his eyes. In contrast, Sulent¡¯s face gradually tightened up, unwilling to rx.

    It was clear which of them was more worthy of caution. Sebas bade them take a seat on the sofa opposite Solution.

    Solution, who was already seated, exchanged names with Stefan and Sulent, who were just settling in.

    ¡°Then, what is the matter?¡±

    Solution¡¯s question brought an exaggerated cough from Stefan, and he said:

    ¡°A certain establishment reported that someone had taken away one of their workers. At the same time, I heard that the person responsible had paid a great deal of dirty money to another worker. Our country prohibits the trafficking of ves... doesn¡¯t that sound like breaking thew to you?¡±

    Stefan¡¯s voice grew steadily more excited and harsher, but Solution¡¯s response was a thoroughly disinterested:

    ¡°Oh, really?.¡±

    Her tone nearly made the two of them roll their eyes. They were clearly trying to intimidate her, but they had not expected a response like that from her.

    ¡°Sebas will handle all the troublesome bits. Sebas, I¡¯ll leave the rest to you.¡±

    ¡°Is, is that alright? If things go poorly, you might be a criminal.¡±

    ¡°Ooooh, I¡¯m soooo scared. Inform me when I¡¯m about to be a criminal, Sebas.¡±

    Solution smiled widely to them as she rose.

    ¡°Have fun, everyone.¡±

    Nobody could stop her as she left. In that instant, they realised exactly how powerful a beautiful woman¡¯s smile could be.

    Before the door¡¯stch could slide home, they could hear gasps of surprise as the soldiers outside were startled by Solution¡¯s good looks.

    ¡°¡ªThen I shall hear you two gentlemen out on the Young Mistress¡¯ behalf.¡±

    Sebas took a seat before them with a smile. Stefan shrank back as he saw his smile, but Sulent decided to speak up on his behalf to help retain control of the situation.

    ¡°Just as well. I¡¯ll tell you then, Sebas-san. As Havish-san told you at the door, one of the people at our... establishment has gone missing. We questioned a man, and he said that he had handed her over for money. I thought; was this not ve trafficking, which is forbidden in the Kingdom? I was unwilling to believe that one of our employees could actually do such a thing, but I had no choice but to report it.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. We cannot condone the filthy ve trade!¡±

    Stefan mmed the table.

    ¡°For that reason, dear Sulent here has reported this case even at the risk of staining his business¡¯ reputation! What a model citizen he is!¡±

    Sulent nodded in thanks as Stefan spluttered his lines.

    ¡°Thank you, Havish-sama.¡±

    What kind of farce is this, Sebas thought. Meanwhile, his mind worked. The two of them were clearly in cahoots. That being the case, it was almost certain that they had taken ample precautions beforeunching their campaign. That being the case, his defeat was certain. Still, he had to minimize his losses, but how?

    Turning that around, what were the conditions for Sebas¡¯ victory?

    As a butler of Nazarick, Sebas¡¯ win condition was eliminating the problem and not letting things pile up. Protecting Tsuare was definitely not part of that.

    However¡ª

    ¡°I believe the man who ims to have taken the money may have borne false witness. Where is he now?¡±

    ¡°He was arrested on suspicion of ve-trading and is in custody now. After questioning him, we managed to learn¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªThe identity of the person who bought our employee, who would be you, Sebas-san.¡±

    The man had probably sung like a canary when he was captured. He had most likely bheen squeezed for information useful to them under questioning.

    Sebas pondered whether he should act dumb, lie, or deliver a stern and upright rebuttal.

    What if he said she was not in the house? What if he said she were dead?

    Numerous lines popped into his head, but none of them sounded like they would work, and the opposition would probably not give up easily. It would be better for him to ask what he needed to know.

    ¡°Still, what led the two of you to me? What proof do you have?¡±

    That was what baffled Sebas. He had not left any trace of his name or identity. They should not have been able to find any evidence pointing to him. However, the two of them were here. How had they found him? He was always very careful during his excursions and wary of being followed. He did not think anyone in this city could follow him without being spotted.

    ¡°It was the scroll.¡±

    A stroke of light shed across Sebas¡¯ mind.

    ¡ªThe scroll he had bought in the Magician¡¯s Guild.

    The workmanship of that scroll was exquisite, and it was certainly no ordinary scrap of parchment. Anyone who could recognize a scroll like that would be able to tell that it was purchased from the Magician¡¯s Guild. After asking around, they would find clues, and a man in a butler¡¯s uniform carrying a scroll would be quite prominent.

    Still, that alone would not prove that Tsuare was here. He could also insist that there was someone else who happened to look like him.

    However, he would be in trouble if they said they were going to search the house. Indeed, they would discover that only three people lived in this home, including Tsuare.

    That being the case all he could do wase clean. Sebas decided to leave his fate to the gods.

    ¡°...I did take her away. That is a fact. However, she was heavily wounded at that time, and I was forced to do so because I feared her life would be in danger.¡±

    ¡°In other words, you admit to buying her.¡±

    ¡°May I speak to that man you mentioned?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, we cannot allow that. Things would be bad if you were allowed to match up your stories.¡±

    ¡°You could always¡ª¡±

    Listen in while we were talking. Sebas wanted to say that, but he shut his mouth.

    In the end, they had nned the whole thing out. Even if he did find that man, it was not likely that the situation could be made to favor him. Continuing with this approach was only a waste of time.

    ¡°...Before we go into that, do you not that think that allowing her to sustain such severe injuries while working is more problematic in the eyes of the nation? Are there notws against that too?¡±

    ¡°Conditions in our establishment are harsher than most. Injury is unavoidable. Consider that working in mines and the like also includes the risk of upational hazards. It¡¯s the same thing.¡±

    ¡°...I doubt they are the same thing.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha. We¡¯re in the service industry. You meet all sorts of clients there. We do pay attention, you know. Alright, I get your point. We¡¯ll be more careful next time... yes, a little more careful.¡±

    ¡°...Just a little?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. Worrying too much about details costs money, you know. Causes problems too.¡±

    Sulent sneered at Sebas¡¯ question.

    In turn, Sebas smiled.

    ¡°¡ªAlright, that¡¯s enough.¡±

    Stefan sighed. His attitude was one that he used when dealing with fools.

    ¡°My duty is to verify that ve trafficking was going on. Employee welfare is another matter entirely. All I can say is that it has no bearing on the case.¡±

    ¡°...Then, can you tell me who are the people who specialize in problems like these?¡±

    ¡°...Hm, I¡¯d like to tell you, but there are some difficulties in doing so. Regretfully, sticking one¡¯s nose into others¡¯ business will only earn you resentment.¡±

    ¡°...Then, please wait until I find the relevant people first.¡±

    Stefan grinned evilly, as though to say, ¡°I was waiting for you to say that.¡±

    Sulent had the same sort of look as him.

    ¡°...Ah, I would like to wait for that, but the business has already filed a case, so I must arrest you and begin investigations. It¡¯s out of my hands.¡±

    In other words, he was out of time.

    ¡°Given the situation and the circumstantial evidence, you¡¯re clearly guilty, but the intiff has said that they¡¯re willing to go easy on you. Compensation will be needed to smooth things over, of course, and destroying the documentation rted to the ve-trading offense will also require a bit of money.¡±

    ¡°What exactly do you mean by smoothing things over?¡±

    ¡°Well now. We¡¯d like you to return our employee, and make up for the loss of ie incurred while you were holding on to her.¡±

    ¡°I see. And how much is that?¡±

    ¡°In gold coins... well. Ah, I¡¯ll give you a discount. 100 gold coins. Compensation will run you another 300 gold coins, so a total of 400 seems fair, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°...That is quite a sum. How did you arrive at that figure? How much does she make a day and how exactly is it tallied up?¡±

    ¡°Hang, hang on a bit,¡± Stefan interrupted. ¡°That¡¯s not all, Sulent-san.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I almost forgot. Since I¡¯ve already made a report, you¡¯ll need to pay to destroy that as well, even if you settle the matter with us under the table.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. How could I have forgotten, friend Sulent?¡±

    Stefan smiled wickedly once more.

    ¡°...yet?¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing,¡± Sebas quietly said as he smiled.

    ¡°Hm, forgive me, Havish-sama,¡± Sulent bowed to Stefan.

    ¡°Destroying the documents costs a third of thepensation fees, so that¡¯ll be 100 gold coins. That¡¯s a total of 500 gold coins, I believe.¡±

    ¡°Does the money I paid when bringing her here count against that?¡±

    ¡°How could that be? Listen, mister. When you reach an ord with the other side, that means you didn¡¯t buy a ve. In other words, the expenses of buying that ve are written off. Just imagine that you lost the money somewhere.¡±

    To think they would actually expect Sebas to assume he had lost 100 gold coins. In all likelihood, most of it had already found its way into their pockets.

    ¡°...However, her injuries are not yet fully recovered. If the two of you take her away now, her wounds might reopen. And if she does not receive the proper treatment, she might well lose her life. I believe it would be better for her to stay with me and receive care here. What do you think?¡±

    Sulent¡¯s eyes gleamed in a bizarre way.

    When he noticed this, Sebas realised the depths of his mistake. He had allowed them to realise how much Tsuare meant to him.

    ¡°I see, I see. You do have a point. Her death notwithstanding, we¡¯ll need you to pay for the money which would have been spent on her. While she¡¯s recovering, how about letting us have some fun with thedy of the house?¡±

    ¡°Ohhh! That makes a lot of sense. If you make a hole, you have to fill it!¡±

    There was visible lust in Stefan¡¯s full-faced smile. He was surely imagining the act of stripping Solution naked.

    The smile faded off Sebas¡¯ face, and it turned impassive.

    Sulent was probably not serious, but he would probably press the attack if he showed any weakness. Thanks to his exposing his attachment to Tsuare, the possibility still existed that the situation might deteriorate further.

    ¡°...Aren¡¯t you afraid of your desires getting you in trouble?¡±

    ¡°How dare you talk to me like that?!¡±

    Stefan¡¯s face was bright red as he shouted.

    Sounds like ughtering a pig, Sebas thought. He stared at Stefan without a single word.

    ¡°What do you mean by my desires? All this is to uphold thew passed by the glorious will of Princess Renner! How dare you call it base desire! Show some respect!¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, don¡¯t get worked up, Havish-sama.¡±

    Once Sulent cut in, Stefan calmed down immediately. His anger had faded too soon, a sign that this was merely a scare tactic and not genuine anger.

    What terrible acting, Sebas mused.

    ¡°But I say, Sulent-san...¡±

    ¡°Havish-sama, we¡¯ve said everything we came here to say. I was thinking abouting back the day after to see what he thinks. Is that alright with you, Sebas-san?¡±

    ¡°Very well.¡±

    With that, Sebas brought everyone to the main door. As he sent them off, Sulent ¡ª who had stayed until the end ¡ª smiled to Sebas, and left him with these words.

    ¡°Still, I have to thank that slut. To think a piece of trash could actually turn out to be a goose thatys golden eggs.¡±

    With that, the door closed with a thud.

    Sebas red at them, as though the door were transparent. There was no particr expression on Sebas¡¯ face. He looked as calm as always. However, there was a distinct emotion in his eyes.

    That emotion was anger.

    ¡ªNo, the word ¡°anger¡± was far too mild to describe how he felt.

    ¡°Furious¡± and ¡°wrathful¡±; those words would be more suitable.

    Sulent¡¯s parting shot was honest, flung at him because he was certain that Sebas was at his wits¡¯ end and had nowhere to turn ¡ª that his victory was assured.

    ¡°Solution, you cane out now, no?¡±

    Solution oozed out of the shadows in response to Sebas¡¯ voice. She had melded into the shadows with abilities from the assassin-type sses she had taken.

    ¡°Did you hear all that?¡±

    Sebas had only asked as a formality. Naturally, Solution nodded to say, ¡°of course.¡±

    ¡°What do you n to do now, Sebas-sama?¡±

    Sebas could not answer that question immediately. As she saw that, Solution red coldly at him.

    ¡°...What about handing that human over to them?¡±

    ¡°I do not feel that will solve the problem.¡±

    ¡°...Is that so?¡±

    ¡°If I expose a weakness, they will seek to capitalize on it until they suck us dry. That¡¯s the kind of people they are. I do not think handing Tsuare to them will solve the problem. More to the point, the real problem is how much they learned while investigating us. We entered the Royal Capital as traders, but if they look too closely, they¡¯ll see through it ¡ª through our disguise.

    ¡°Then, what do you intend to do?¡±

    ¡°I do not know. I wish to take a walk outside and think.¡±

    Sebas opened the door and headed outside.

    ***

    Solution watched in silence, looking at Sebas¡¯ back as it shrank into the distance.

    This was all meaningless.

    None of this would have happened if he had not picked up that human. That said, it was toote for that now. The question was what they would do next.

    As Sebas¡¯ subordinate, she could not simply ignore his instructions, but she felt that leaving things be would only lead to a worse oue.

    If our little sister could move out... if I could take action as one of the Pleiades, we wouldn¡¯t have this problem now.

    She was hesitating.

    She was waffling. She had never been so hesitant in her life.

    In the end, she made up her mind. She raised her left hand and opened it.

    Something protruded from it, like it was floating on water. It was a scroll which she had stored inside her body. It had originally been given to her formunication in an emergency ¡ª although, thanks to Demiurge¡¯s hard work, there was now a way to manufacture low-level spell scrolls. . Still, Solution did not know of this before she set out, and so she believed that this scroll was only to be used in a dire situation ¡ª and Solution believed that this qualified.

    She opened the scroll and activated the spell bound within. Once used, the scroll crumbled and fell to the ground as dust, and then even the dust vanished.

    As the spell took effect, Solution was connected to the other party. She asked:

    ¡°Is that you, Ainz-sama?¡±

    ¡°Solution ¡ª hm? What happened? Since you¡¯re contacting me, does that mean there¡¯s been an emergency?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Solution paused at this point. She had stopped because of her loyalty to Sebas and because she had considered the possibility that she might have been wrong. However, her loyalty to Ainz overrode all that.

    In addition, they should have considered the greatest benefits for the 41 Supreme Beings in every move they made. However, everything Sebas had done until now could have been said to have vited that precept.

    Therefore, she decided tomend the decision into her master¡¯s hands and said:

    ¡°Sebas-sama may have betrayed us.¡±

    ¡°Wha! ...Ah? ... No, how could that be... mhm... Do not joke with me, Solution. I forbid you to use others without evidence... do you have proof?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Although, it might not quite count as proof...¡±

 Chapter 36 - Volume 5

    <h4>Overlord Volume 5 Chapter 4</h4>

    <b>Chapter 4: Congregated Men</b>

    <b>Part 1</b>

    <b>Lower Fire Month (9th Month) 3rd Day 04:01</b>

    Brain¡¯s umted fatigue hit him all at once, and so he slept for almost a full day upon entering Gazef¡¯s home. He woke up to eat a little, and then went right back to bed.

    He did not wish to admit it, but he could rest easy in Gazef¡¯s home because he felt safe there. He knew that even his rival Gazef could not endure a single blow from that Shalltear, yet the home of his former nemesis was now the safest ce in the world for him. It relieved his tension and allowed him to sleep soundly.

    Light fell across Brain¡¯s face through the ts of the louvred window.

    The light woke Brain from his dreamless sleep.

    He opened his eyes, but the piercing rays made him squint them again. He reached his hand out to block the sunlight.

    Brain propped himself up on one arm and then swung his legs over so he was sitting on the side of the bed. He looked around the room like a frightened mouse. The in room only had the bare minimum of furniture in it, and Brain¡¯s wargear was piled up in a corner of the room.

    ¡°Is this the room which the Kingdom¡¯s Warrior-Captain uses to receive guests?¡±

    As Brain looked around the empty room, he let a few biting words fall from his lips as theck of people put him at ease. Then, he stretched himself, and his joints made cracking noises as his stiff body rxed and the blood circted through his body once more.

    A huge yawn escaped him.

    ¡°...He must have let his people stay the night here in the past, no? They must have felt so disappointed.¡±

    The reason why royalty and nobility led such luxurious lives was not simply because they enjoyed it. It was also for vanity¡¯s sake; to protect their image.

    Simrly, when the men saw their leader¡¯s opulent lifestyle, it would spur their desire to make a name for themselves and give them motivation.

    ¡°...No, it¡¯s not my ce to say such things,¡± Brain mumbled. Then he snorted; but it was directed at himself and not Gazef.

    It must have been because he had been pulled back from the brink of madness, the ce where he had nearly been driven by those twin mental shocks. To think he would actually be thinking about such trivial matters.

    As Brain thought about that powerful monster, he found that he could not stop the tremors in his hand.

    ¡°As I thought...¡±

    The terror which clung to his heart had not been removed yet.

    Shalltear Bloodfallen.

    A figure of absolute power, one whom even Brain ¡ª who had abandoned everything else in pursuit of sword skills ¡ª could not possibly match. She was a monster among monsters; yet one whose looks were the sum total of all the beauty in the world. She was a person who wielded true power.

    A thrill of fear shot through his heart at the mere memory of her.

    He had lived in constant terror of that monster¡¯s pursuit, and once he had reached the road to the Royal Capital he had not slept or even rested, only fleeing for his life. The spectre of Shalltear appeared before him when he did sleep, and the night seemed to take her shape as he ran along the roads. Crushed under this disquiet, he had not been able to get a good night¡¯s rest. All he could do was run like there was nothing else in the world for him.

    He had chosen to flee to the Royal Capital because he believed that he could lose himself among the masses of people there and throw her off his trail. However, he had not expected the heavy toll which his gruelling flight had taken on him, or theck of self-preservation which had developed as a result.

    Meeting Gazef was an unexpected development. Perhaps Brain imagined that Gazef could eliminate Shalltear, and so his legs had unconsciously brought him in search of his rival. Yet, he had not found his answer.

    ¡°What should I do now...¡±

    He had nothing.

    He opened his hands, and they were empty.

    He looked at his wargear in the corner of the room.

    He had obtained a ¡¸Katana¡¹in order to triumph over Gazef. Yet, what would he do after beating Gazef? He now knew that there was a being several orders of magnitude more powerful than himself. If he could not defeat said being, what was the point of triumphing over those who were beneath it?

    ¡°I should probably go take up the plow instead... it would probably be more meaningful.¡±

    Then, Brain sensed someone outside just as he was about to mock himself.

    ¡°Unus, are you awake? ...You should be, right?¡±

    That voice belonged to the owner of this home.

    ¡°Ah, Stronoff. I¡¯m up.¡±

    The door opened and Gazef entered the room. He was fully outfitted in his battle panoply.

    ¡°You sure slept for a long time. I was shocked by how deeply you were sleeping.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, thanks for letting me be. Sorry about that.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. However, I need to head out to the Pce right now. Tell me about what happened after Ie back.¡±

    ¡°...It¡¯s pretty bad, you know? You might end up like me.¡±

    ¡°Even so, I have to listen. I guess it ought to be better if we drank while we talked to lighten the mood... Treat this ce as your home until I get back. Ask the household help if you want to eat anything, they ought to be able to throw something together for you. And if you want to head out... you¡¯ve got money, right?¡±

    ¡°...No. But... If I need anything, I can sell my magic items.¡±

    Brain showed Gazef the rings he was wearing.

    ¡°Is that really okay? They¡¯re not cheap, right?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t care.¡±

    He had bought these items to defeat Gazef. Now that he knew there was no point in doing so, what meaning was there in treasuring these trinkets?

    ¡°High-priced items can be hard to sell at times. The buyer does need to raise the money, after all. Here, take this.¡±

    Gazef tossed him a small cloth pouch. Brain caught it, and heard the sound of metal clinking from inside.

    ¡°...Sorry about this. I¡¯ll be borrowing this for now, then.¡±

    <b>Part 2</b>

    <b>Lower Fire Month (9th Month) 3rd Day 10:31</b>

    Sebas strolled leisurely as he pondered how to deal with the five people who had been following him ever since he had left his home. He believed that moving his body would lift his mood and help him think of a good idea.

    Soon, he saw a crowd of people jamming up the road in front of him.

    The sounding from them was either vicious cursing or mockingughter, apanied by the sound of something striking something else. Cries along the lines of ¡°Someone¡¯s going to die¡± and ¡°Better get the guards¡± rose up from them.

    The crowd blocked his line of sight, but he was certain that some kind of violence was in progress.

    Sebas thought that perhaps he should change his path and take another path. He hesitated for a moment ¡ª and then he continued straight onwards.

    His path took him into the center of the crowd.

    ¡°Excuse me.¡±

    Sebas wove through the onlookers with those words and reached the center of the crowd.

    The sight of an old man moving with a bizarre, fluid grace shocked and unnerved the onlookers, and the people who saw Sebas passing before them were stunned with surprise.

    There seemed to be someone else trying to get to the heart of the crowd other than Sebas. Said person went, ¡°Excuse me¡±, but he could not advance through the throng of humanity and was stuck, unable to advance or retreat.

    Sebas stepped into the center of the congregation with no difficulty, and there he saw what was going on with his own eyes.

    Several unkempt-looking men were kicking and stomping on something.

    Sebas moved on without a single sound, stopping only when he was within arms¡¯ reach of the men.

    ¡°Fuck you doing, old man?!¡±

    One of the five men had noticed Sebas approaching and snarled at him.

    ¡°This ce seemed a little noisy so, I came to take a look.¡±

    ¡°You want a piece of this?!¡±

    The men ran over to surround Sebas. As they left their original positions, they revealed the object they had been kicking around all this time. It looked like a boy. He was curled up on the ground and bleeding from his face. It was unclear if the blood came from his mouth or his nose.

    Apparently the boy had passed out after being brutalized for so long, but he still looked like he was breathing.

    Sebas looked at the men. The smell of alcohol hung about their mouths and bodies. Their faces were flushed red, but not from the exertion of physical activity.

    Had they lost control of their violent impulses because they were drunk?

    Sebas had a nk expression on his face as he asked:

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re doing this, but don¡¯t you think it¡¯s time to stop?¡±

    ¡°Hah?! This punk got his food all over my shirt! How could I let that slide?¡±

    One of the man pointed to a spot on his shirt. It did look like a stain. However, the men¡¯s clothes were filthy to begin with. That being the case, the stain was hardly obvious.

    Sebas looked at the one who seemed to be the boss of the five young men. The difference might have been too subtle for an ordinary human being to detect, but Sebas ¡ª who had a warrior¡¯s keen sensory perceptions ¡ª was able to pick him out.

    ¡°Still... public safety in this city is quite bad.¡±

    ¡°Ah?!¡±

    Sebas spoke as though he had just confirmed something he had observed from afar. The men thought he had trivialized them and made noises of displeasure.

    ¡°...Begone.¡±

    ¡°Ah? The fuck you say, old man?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll say it again ¨C begone.¡±

    ¡°Damn geezer!¡±

    The boss-like man flushed red and clenched his fist ¡ª and then he copsed limply to the ground.

    Sounds of shock came from all around them, including the four remaining men.

    What Sebas had done was simple enough. He had simply formed his hand into a fist and struck a blow at the man¡¯s chin ¡ª albeit at a speed which humans would be hard-pressed to even see. That had given the man a high-speed brain concussion. He could also have sent the man flying with imperceptible speed, but that would not have served to frighten the others. Thus, he had held back in his strike.

    ¡°Do you still wish to fight?¡± Sebas quietly said.

    His calm and strength cut through the men¡¯s intoxication. They backed several steps off and chorused an apology.

    Sebas thought, you¡¯re apologizing to the wrong person, but he did not actually say it.

    The men grabbed their unconscious colleague and fled. Sebas did not bother watching them and instead went over to the fallen boy. However, he stopped in his tracks halfway.

    What was he doing?

    Right now, he ought to be dealing with the problem he was facing. Only a fool would go and take more problems onto himself at a time like this. Had he not ended up in this precarious state because he was too sympathetic and acted without thinking?

    In any case, the boy had been saved. He would have to be satisfied with that.

    That thought crossed Sebas¡¯ mind, but he still headed toward the boy. He touched the immobile boy¡¯s back and infused a bit of ki into him. Channelling the full measure of his ki would probably heal all his wounds immediately, but that would be far too eye-catching.

    Thus, Sebas did the bare minimum necessary, and then he pointed to someone who happened to meet his eyes.

    ¡°...Please take this boy to the temple. His ribs might be broken, so please take care when loading him onto a board for transport, and don¡¯t shake him too much.¡±

    The man Sebas had ordered nodded, and then Sebas strode forth. He did not need to push to the crowd, because they cleared out of his way when he took a step forward.

    Sebas continued ahead once more. Before long, he sensed that the number of presences following him had increased.

    However, there was one problem ¡ª namely, the identity of his tails.

    The five people who had followed him from the house were most likely Sulent¡¯s men. In that case, what about the two who had joined them in stalking him after he had saved the boy?

    They seemed to be grown men by the sound of their footsteps and their pace, but he had no idea who they were.

    ¡°I can¡¯t think of an answer. In any case... I should probably apprehend them first.¡±

    Sebas turned a corner into a dimly-lit region. His followers remained on his trail.

    ¡°...Still, are they really hiding themselves?¡±

    They had not concealed the sounds of their footsteps. Did theyck the ability to do so, or was there some other reason? He decided not to think overmuch on the matter. After all, he could verify the truth after capturing them. Sebas decided to make his move once he could no longer sense the presence of others around them.

    Just then, a hoarse ¡ª but youthful ¡ª male voice came from one of the people who had been following him.

    ¡°¡ªExcuse me.¡±

    <b>Part 3</b>

    <b>Lower Fire Month (9th Month) 3rd Day 10:27</b>

    Climb was thinking on his way back to the Royal Pce.

    He thought about the battle he had fought with Gazef that morning, reying the fight in his mind over and over again and considering how to fight with greater skill. What tactics will I try if I get another chance, he thought.

    Just as Climb slowly reached his conclusion, he saw a group of people huddled up in front of him. Angry cries came from them, and two guards watched from afar, unsure of what to do.

    The sounds of an argument came from the center of group, and it did not sound like an ordinary squabble.

    Climb¡¯s expression turned cold, and he walked up beside the guards.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    The guard jumped in fright, given that someone had called out to him from behind, and he turned to look at Climb.

    The man wore a chain shirt and carried a spear. He wore a surcoat emzoned with the Kingdom¡¯s crest on top of the chain shirt. This was the standard uniform of the average guard in the Kingdom, but Climb could sense that neither of the people in front of him was well-trained.

    To begin with, neither of them had honed physiques. For that matter, they were also unshaven and their chain shirts had not been polished. A faint air of grime hung about them and they seemed quite slovenly in overall appearance.

    ¡°You are...¡±

    Climb was younger than himself, so the guard responded to him with a tone that was a mix of bafflement and annoyance.

    ¡°I¡¯m off-duty at the moment.¡±

    Confusion spread across the guard¡¯s face as he heard Climb¡¯s staunchly insistent voice. Perhaps it was because he radiated an aura of superiority despite being younger than them.

    The guards seemed to have concluded that they could not go wrong by taking a submissive posture, and they straightened up.

    ¡°Seems to be a civilian disturbance.¡±

    Climb resisted the urge to castigate them by saying I knew that already. Unlike the Pce guards, the guards who patrolled the city were drawn from the civilian popce and were not well-trained. In truth, they were merely civilians who knew how to use weapons.

    Climb turned his eyes from the nervous guards to the crowd. It would be quicker to settle the matter in person than wait for them to do anything.

    While poking his nose into guard business might be considered an overstepping of his authority, he would not be able to face his beloved mistress if he simply stood by while a citizen was being ill-treated.

    ¡°You wait here.¡±

    Without waiting for their reply, Climb firmed up his resolve and pushed into the crowd, forcefully thrusting his body in. While there were spaces between each person, he was unable to get through the through. No, it would not be normal for anyone to be able to do it.

    He was nearly shoved back out, but he struggled to shove his way forward. This was when he heard a voice from the center of the crowd.

    ¡°...Begone.¡±

    ¡°Ah? The fuck you say, old man?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll say it again ¨C begone.¡±

    ¡°Damn geezer!¡±

    This was bad.

    Those thugs were not satisfied with the beating they had administered; now they wanted to strike an old man as well.

    Climb¡¯s face flushed red as he desperately shoved his way forward, and when he got through the crowd, he saw the figure of an old man before him. He was surrounded by a group of younger man. At their feet was a boy who had been beaten so badly he looked like a crumpled rag.

    The old man was elegantly dressed, and gave off the feeling of being nobility or the servant of nobility. The men surrounding him were muscr and looked drunk. The viinous side was apparent at a nce.

    One of the men ¡ª the one who looked the most muscr ¡ª clenched his fist. Compared to him, the old man seemed far inferior, be it in the sturdiness of their bodies, the bulging of their muscles, or their bloodthirsty brutality. Surely the younger man could easily send the old man flying with but a swing of his fist. The people around them realized this, and gasped in horror at the tragedy which was about to befall the old man.

    Amidst all this, only Climb felt that something was strange.

    Indeed, the younger man looked stronger. Yet, Climb could sense an aura of absolute powering from the old man.

    He froze for a moment, and lost his chance to curb the younger man¡¯s violence. The man raised his fist¡ª

    ¡ªAnd then he copsed limply to the ground

    The people around Climb eximed in shock.

    It would seem that the old man had made a fist and struck the other man square on his chin, at incredible speed. Even Climb¡¯s honed vision could barely keep up with the swiftness of that blow.

    ¡°Do you still wish to fight?¡±

    The old man directed this calm and grave question at the remaining men.

    Thebination of his inscrutable exterior and his calm tone broke through the men¡¯s drunkenness. No ¡ª even the people around them had been frightened by his presence. The men had lost all will to fight.

    ¡°Er, um. We, we¡¯re sorry.¡±

    The men backed up and chorused an apology, and then they grabbed their colleague ¡ª who had been disgracefullyid out on the ground ¡ª and fled with their tails between their legs. Climb did not think about following those men. After all, the old man¡¯s ramrod-straight posture, with his chest upthrust, had stolen his heart and left him frozen in ce.

    He looked like a masterwork de. It was a sight that would fill any warrior who saw it with reverence. Small wonder that he could not move.

    The old man patted the fallen boy¡¯s back, as though examining his wounds, and then he ordered a passer-by to get the boy to treatment before striding off. The crowd cleared a path for the old man to walk. Everyone¡¯s eyes were fixed on his back, such was the allure of the old man¡¯s presence.

    Climb hurried over to the fallen boy and then took out the potion Gazef had given him after their training session.

    ¡°Can you drink this?¡±

    There was no answer. He had fainted dead away.

    Cimb opened the bottle and poured the liquid on the boy¡¯s body. Many people believed that potions had to be drunk, but the fact was that it would work even when sshed on the flesh. Magic was truly great.

    The boy¡¯s skin seemed to absorb the liquid as it disappeared into his body, and the color returned to the boy¡¯s face.

    Climb nodded in relief.

    As the crowd realized Climb had just used an expensive item like that potion, they were every bit as awed by him as they were by the old man¡¯s preternatural skill.

    Climb did not regret using the potion. Having taken the people¡¯s taxes, it was only natural that he ¡ª as one who lived on said taxes ¡ª should protect them and maintain public order. He felt that he ought to be able to do that much, even if he could not defend the people.

    The boy ought to be alright now that Climb had given him the potion, but it would be best for him to go to the temple just to be safe. He looked to the guards standing by and noticed that the pair had be a trio. Apparently someone had arrivedte.

    The crowd had been tossing critical nces at the guards ever since just now.

    Climb addressed a very ufortable-looking guard:

    ¡°Take this boy to the temple.¡±

    ¡°What happened to him...?¡±

    ¡°Someone assaulted him. I¡¯ve already used a healing potion on him so he should be alright, but I hope you¡¯ll take him to the temple for a checkup, for safety¡¯s sake.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Understood!¡±

    After handing the cleanup to the guards, Climb concluded that there was nothing left for him to do here. As a soldier assigned to the Pce, it would be better not to interfere in the matters of other ces.

    ¡°Can I trouble you to question any eyewitnesses about the details of what happened here?¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave the rest to you.¡±

    Climb noted that the guards seemed to have gained confidence and moved more quickly upon receiving their orders. He ran ahead without another word.

    ¡°Where are you going...¡± one of the guards called, but Climb ignored him.

    He only slowed down when he reached the corner which the old man had taken.

    After that, he began trailing the old man.

    Soon, he saw the old man walking along the street.

    He wanted to call out to him, but he could not work up the courage to do so. That was because he sensed an invisible wall between them; a sense of awesome power that seemed to crush him.

    The old man turned a corner and headed into a darker region. Climb followed. He was walking behind the old man, yet he did not dare speak up and address him.

    Was Climb not stalking him?

    Climb began to feel annoyed by what he was doing. Even if he did not know how to approach the old man, he could not keep following him like this. In an effort to change the situation, Climb continued following in silence.

    Once they had entered an empty back alley, Climb took several deep breaths, as though he were a boy psyching himself up to confess his love to a girl. Then he summoned his courage and said:

    ¡°¡ªExcuse me.¡±

    The old man turned around after hearing someone call out to him.

    His hair was white, as was his beard. However, his back was straight, like a fine de forged of steel. His handsome face was wrinkled, giving a kindly cast to his features, but his eyes were keen and as focused on their prey as those of an eagle¡¯s.

    He even had an air of nobility about him.

    ¡°Is something the matter?¡±

    The old man¡¯s voice sounded somewhat aged, but it overflowed with an undeniable vitality. Climb felt an invisible pressure rolling out towards him and he gulped.

    ¡°Ah, ah¡ª¡±

    Climb could not speak, overwhelmed as he was by the man¡¯s presence. As he saw this, the old man appeared to rx and let the tension escape from his body.

    ¡°And who might you be?¡±

    His tone was gentle. Released from the immense, crushing strain, Climb¡¯s throat regained its ability to function.

    ¡°...My name is Climb, and I am a humble soldier of this nation. Thank you for your courageous action inpleting a task that should have been rightfully mine.¡±

    Climb bowed deeply in thanks. The old man fell into thought, then narrowed his eyes. After that, he quietly went ¡°Ah...¡± as he realised what Climb meant.

    ¡°...It¡¯s fine. Then, I¡¯ll be going.¡±

    The old man broke off the conversation and made to leave, but Climb then raised his head and asked:

    ¡°Please wait. Actually... well, this is somewhat embarrassing, but I¡¯ve been following you for a while because I have a request to make of you. I know I might sound like I¡¯m trying to bite off more than I can chew, and you are free tough at me, but if you don¡¯t mind, could you teach me your technique from just now?¡±

    ¡°...What do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°Ah. I have been studying the martial arts for a long time and I would like to improve my skills further. After I saw that impable movement of yours just now, I was hoping that you could teach me a little of your technique, if it pleases you.¡±

    The old man sized up Climb.

    ¡°Hm... show me your hands.¡±

    Climb extended his hands, and the old man carefully examined his palms. It made Climb feel a little awkward. The old man turned his hands over, nced at his nails, and nodded in satisfaction.

    ¡°Thick and hard. These are truly a warrior¡¯s hands.¡±

    Climb¡¯s chest heated up as he heard the other man praise him. The joy in his heart was much like how he had felt when Gazef had offered his own words of praise.

    ¡°No, someone like me... is barely hanging on to the title of warrior.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you need to be so humble... May I see your sword next?¡±

    The old man epted the sword and inspected the handle. Then he turned his keen gaze on the sword¡¯s de.

    ¡°I see... is this a backup weapon?¡±

    ¡°How did you know!?¡±

    ¡°As I thought. Look, do you see this dent here?¡±

    Climb looked at where the old man was pointing. Sure enough, part of the de had been damaged; probably from when he had struck poorly during that practice bout.

    ¡°I apologize for this shameful disy!¡±

    Climb was so embarrassed that he wanted to crawl into a hole in the ground.

    Climb knew that his skills needed further refinement, so he had gone to almost neurotic lengths to care for his weapons, in order to improve his chances of victory. Or at least, he thought he had... until now.

    ¡°I see. I think I have a handle on you now. For a warrior, his weapon is like a mirror which reflects his personality. You are a very admirable man.¡±

    The tips of Climb¡¯s ears were still burning as he raised his head to look at the old man.

    He saw a benign smile, gentle and full of grace.

    ¡°I understand. Then, I shall try to train you a little. However¡ª¡±

    Just as Climb was about to offer his thanks, the old man interrupted him and continued speaking.

    ¡°I have a matter I would like to consult you about. You said you were a soldier, am I correct? Well, several days ago, I rescued a girl¡ª¡±

    After listening to the the old man¡¯s ¡ª Sebas¡¯ ¡ª story, he was livid with rage.

    He could not hide his displeasure at the fact that Renner¡¯s ve manumissionws had been misused in such a way, and that things had not changed until now.

    No, that¡¯s not right. Climb shook his head.

    The Kingdom¡¯sws forbade trading in ves. That said, it was amon sight for people to be forced to work in poor conditions in order to pay their debts. Loopholes like those were everywhere. In fact, it was because of them that thew against very had been passed.

    Renner¡¯sws were useless. That chilling thought swept through his mind for a moment, However. he soon chased that thought away. Right now, he had to think about Sebas¡¯ situation.

    Climb furrowed his brow.

    Sebas was in a very bad position. Perhaps if they could investigate the girl¡¯s contract, they could turn it against them, but Climb did not think the opposition would not have prepared for that eventuality.

    If this matter went to the courts, Sebas would lose for sure.

    His adversaries had probably not filed a suit because they felt they could soak him for more money this way.

    ¡°Do you know of any righteous individuals who could aid me in this matter?¡±

    Climb only knew one such person ¡ª his mistress. He could say with all confidence that no noble was more upright and trustworthy than her.

    Of course, he could not introduce Renner to him.

    Given that these people could go to those lengths, they must surely have far-reaching connections within the halls of power. Any nobles involved with them were sure to be movers and shakers. If the Princess ¡ª who was affiliated with the Royal Faction ¡ª attempted to investigate or send aid and thus damaged a member of the Noble Faction, it might well spark all-out war between both sides.

    The use of power was a tricky business, especially in a divided country like the Kingdom. Civil War was a very real consequence of handling the situation poorly.

    He could not make Renner do something that would tear the country apart.

    That was the conclusion he had reached while talking to Lakyus and the others. That was why Climb had said nothing ¡ª no, could not say anything.

    ¡°I see,¡± Sebas said quietly.

    There was no telling how he had managed to pick up on Climb¡¯s inner turmoil, but those words had a palpable impact on Climb.

    ¡°...ording to her, there were several others there, both men and women.¡±

    How could this be? There ought to be only one brothel run by the very Division. Is there another? Or... is that ce the brothel we were talking about earlier?

    ¡°Perhaps we could think of a way to free them... I have to ask my liege first, but given that my liege controls a domain, if we could let those people escape there...¡±

    ¡°Can you do it? ...Does that mean she could take shelter there too?¡±

    ¡°...Forgive me, Sebas-sama. I will need to clear that with my liege as well. However, my liege is big-hearted. I don¡¯t think there¡¯ll be a problem!¡±

    ¡°Oh... Your liege must be an amazing person if you hold them in such high regard.¡±

    Climb nodded deeply in response to Sebas. Indeed, there was no greater mistress than Renner.

    ¡°Let¡¯s move onto another topic. What would happen if there was evidence that this brothel vited thew? For instance, if they were proven to be involved in the ve trade. Would this evidence be destroyed as well?¡±

    ¡°The possibility does exist, but once the relevant information is taken to the proper authorities... I hope the Kingdom has not decayed to that extent yet.¡±

    ¡°...I understand. Then, another question, if you please. Why do you want to be stronger?¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡± Climb squeaked. That was only to be expected, given that this topic change was more drastic than thest.

    ¡°You just said that you wanted me to train you. I trust you, but I would also like to know why you wish to be stronger.¡±

    Climb narrowed his eyes at Sebas¡¯ question.

    Why did he want to be stronger?

    Climb had been an abandoned child. He had not even seen the faces of his parents. That was not an unusual urrence in the Kingdom. Orphans dying in the mud was hardly big news.

    Climb had originally been fated to die in such a way on that rainy day.

    And then ¡ª on that day, Climb had seen the sun. He ¡ª a being who could only crawl amidst the muck and filth ¡ª had been deeply entranced by that gross incandescence.

    As a child, he had only felt admiration. But as he grew older, that feeling inside him grew ever more unshakeable.

    ¡ªIt was love.

    He had to quash that emotion. It was a miracle, of the kinds which the bards sang in the heroic sagas. It could not possibly take ce in real life. Just as no man could touch the sun, Climb¡¯s feeling would not be able to reach her. No, he could not do so.

    The woman whom Climb loved so deeply was destined to be someone else¡¯s bride. As a princess, she could not belong to someone like Climb, whose origins were unclear, and who was even lower than amoner.

    If the King passed away, the First Prince would inherit the throne, and Renner would be married off to one of the Great Nobles. In all likelihood, the Prince had already arranged something like this with one of them. She might even be sent to another country as part of a political marriage.

    The fact that Renner ¡ª who was of marriageable age ¡ª was still single and had no fiance was quite surprising.

    Their time together was so precious that he would pay any price to halt the march of the clock¡¯s hands, just so he could preserve these golden moments forever. If he did not spend his time on training, he could enjoy more of these moments.

    Climb had no talent. He was a mere man. Through repeated practice, he had be quite strong for a mere soldier. Then, should he not be content with that? Should he not stop training, stay by Renner¡¯s side and not waste their brief time together?

    But ¡ª would that really be a good thing?

    Climb admired that sun-like brilliance. It was not a lie, and neither was he mistaken. It was Climb¡¯s sincere wish.

    However¡ª

    ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m a man.¡±

    Climb smiled.

    Indeed. Climb wanted to stand by Renner¡¯s side. The sun shone brilliantly in the sky, and a mere man could not hope to reach it. Even so, Climb wanted to climb the highest peaks in order to get as close to it as he could.

    He did not want to merely admire and praise the sun from afar.

    This was a young man¡¯s feeble wish, but at the same time it was a wish that perfectly fitted a young man.

    He wanted to be a man worthy of being joined to the woman he admired, even if their union could never be.

    He could endure his friendless life, his harsh training, and hisbors which took away from his sleep because of his wish.

    Let othersugh at him for his foolishness.

    After all, they could not understand how he felt unless they truly loved someone.

    ? ? ?

    Sebas narrowed his eyes as he studied Climb. There was a stern look on his face, as though he were trying to decipher thepressed subtleties of Climb¡¯s simple reply.

    Then, he nodded.

    ¡°After hearing your answer, I have decided how to train you.¡±

    Just as Climb was about to offer his thanks, Sebas¡¯ outstretched hand stopped him.

    ¡°However ¡ª and I pray you will forgive my bluntness ¡ª you have no talent. Proper training will take a very long time. However, I do not have that time. I wish to train you in a way that will show results quickly, but it will be an... arduous process.¡±

    Climb gulped again.

    The look in Sebas¡¯ eyes sent a chill down Climb¡¯s spine.

    Those eyes were filled with unbelievable power, exceeding the spiritual pressure which Gazef exerted when serious. Thus, he could not respond right away.

    ¡°Frankly speaking, you might die.¡±

    He was not joking.

    Climb¡¯s instincts told him that much. Climb did not fear death, but he wanted to die for Renner. He did not want to throw his life away for a selfish reason.

    He was not a coward... no, perhaps he might be very craven.

    Climb gulped once more, and froze. Silence filled the surroundings for a while, and he could even hear the mor from the distance.

    ¡°Whether or not you die depends on your attitude... if there is something important to you, something which makes you want to live, even if it is only to scrabble along the ground, then it ought to be fine.¡±

    Was he not going to teach him martial arts? That question surfaced in Climb¡¯s mind, but that was not the question now. He pondered the meaning of Sebas¡¯ words, made sure he understood it, and then gave his response.

    ¡°I am prepared for it. I leave the rest to you.¡±

    ¡°Do you believe you will die?¡±

    Climb shook his head. He did not.

    That was because Climb would forever have his reason, one which would keep him clinging to life even if he had to do so by crawling like a worm.

    Sebas looked into Climb¡¯s eyes, as though divining his intentions through them. Then he nodded heavily.

    ¡°I understand. Then, we shall begin here.¡±

    ¡°Right here?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It will be quick. A few minutes will do. Please draw your sword.¡±

    What¡¯s he going to do?

    Climb drew his sword as asked. His heart was a blend of uneasiness and confusion about the unknown, with faint underpinnings of curiosity and expectation.

    The sound of the sword leaving its sheath echoed through the cramped alley.

    Climb braced his weapon in a middle stance, and Sebas¡¯ eyes were fixed on him.

    ¡°Here Ie. Please try and remain conscious.¡±

    And in the next moment ¡ª

    ¡ªIt felt as though icy razors had exploded forth in all directions from Sebas.

    Climb could no longer speak.

    Sebas now stood at the heart of a vortex of murderous intent.

    This bloodlust felt like it could crush Climb¡¯s heart in an instant, and it seemed almost visible as it washed over him like a tsunami. Somewhere in the distance, he could hear the scream of a soul being pulverized. It felt close to his side, yet far away, and perhaps the voice might even have been his own.

    As the obsidian flow of killing intent swept him away, Climb felt his consciousness slowly bleaching away into whiteness. This overwhelming terror made his body want to abandon his mind, which was carried away by the wave that swamped him.

    ¡°...Is that all a ¡®man¡¯ is? That was only a warmup.¡±

    Sebas¡¯ disappointed voice seemed abnormally loud through the depths of Climb¡¯s fading consciousness.

    The meaning of those words pierced Climb deeper than any de. It even made him forget the fear before him for a moment.

    His heart pounded heavily in his chest.

    ¡°Huuuuuuuuuhhhhh!¡± Climb gasped.

    He was terrified. He wanted to run. But he fought the urge to do so, even as the tears streamed down his cheeks. His hands trembled as they gripped his sword, and the point of his sword danced around like a demented bumblebee. His chain shirt made rustling noises from his full-body tremors.

    Even so, Climb clenched his chattering teeth and tried to bear up against the mortal terror which came from Sebas.

    Sebasughed at the pathetic sight before him. Then he brought his right hand before his eyes and slowly clenched it into a fist. In the blink of an eye, the fist in front of him was as round as a ball.

    He then pulled that fist back, like he was drawing a bow.

    Climb understood what was going to happen, and shook his head. Of course, Sebas paid his response no heed.

    ¡°Now then... prepare to die.¡±

    Sebas¡¯ fist ripped through the air with a whoosh, like a fully-drawn arrow being loosed.

    ¡ªIt was instant death.

    As time seemed to slow to a crawl, Climb¡¯s instincts spoke to him. The image of his certain death dominated his mind, like a massive wrecking ball that was farrger than himself, approaching at incredible speeds. Even if he raised his sword to block, that fist would surely smash it easily.

    His body was frozen. It had gone stiff from tension.

    ¡ªHe could not escape the death before him

    Climb¡¯s resignation to his fate filled him with anger.

    If he could not die for Renner, then why had he not died back then? He should have frozen to death in the rain and shuffled off the mortal coil by himself.

    Renner¡¯s beautiful smile appeared before him.

    It was said that on the brink of death, people would see their lives sh before their eyes like a zoetrope. Themon opinion the brain was desperately searching through its past records for a way to escape its current predicament. However, it was somewhatughable that thest thing Climb would see was the smile of his beloved princess.

    Indeed, Climb saw Renner as she smiled.

    When she had saved him, the young Renner had not smiled. When had she started smiling upon him?

    He could not remember. However, he vividly remembered Renner¡¯s timid smile from back then.

    How would she react if she learned that Climb had died? Would that smile darken, like the clouds obscuring the sun?

    ¡ªAre you kidding me?!

    A ze of anger roared up within Climb¡¯s heart.

    She had picked up the life of his that had been thrown away along the roadside. That would mean his life was no longer his own. He lived for Renner... to grant her joy, however miniscule it might be¡ª

    Isn¡¯t there any way I can get out of this¡ª!

    The exploding passion within him burst the chains of fear that held him prisoner.

    His hands could move.

    His legs could move.

    The eyes that sought only to be closed slowly opened, desperately seeking the image of the fist which was streaking in at him.

    His senses were pushed to their very limit, to the point where he could even sense the faint movements of particles in the air.

    There was a phenomenon called an ¡°adrenaline rush¡±, where the brains of people in extreme duress would release the limits on their physical bodies, allowing for a burst of incredible power.

    At the same time, the brain would secrete vast quantities of hormones and the mind¡¯s full capacity would be focused on survival. The brain wouldpute vast quantities of information to find the best possible way to live on.

    In that moment, Climb had stepped into the realm of a first-rate warrior. Yet, the speed of Sebas¡¯ attack was beyond even that lofty domain. Perhaps it was toote to dodge Sebas¡¯ fist. Perhaps it had always been toote. Even so, he still had to move. He could not give up here.

    As time slowed to a crawl, Climb saw that his own movements were as slow as msses. But still, he turned himself, trying to move.

    And then¡ª

    Sebas¡¯ fist roared past Climb¡¯s face, with the sound of thunder. The gale which followed clipped off several strands of Climb¡¯s hair.

    A calm voice filtered into his ears.

    ¡°Congrattions. How does it feel to conquer the fear of death?¡±

    ¡ª

    Climb stood there dumbly, unable to understand his meaning.

    ¡°How was it like to face death? How was it like to surpass it?¡±

    Climb breathed heavily, looking at Sebas like his soul had been stolen away. There was no hostility around Sebas, as though it had been nothing more than a lie. He rxed as he began to realize Sebas¡¯ intent.

    Climb copsed like a puppet whose strings had been cut, as though he had been supported by the murderous intent from just now.

    He fell on all fours in the alley, hungrily gasping fresh air into his lungs.

    ¡°...Fortunately you did not die from shock. These things happen when one is so certain of one¡¯s death that one gives up the will to live.¡±

    There was a bitter taste in the depths of Climb¡¯s throat. He was certain that it was the taste of death.

    ¡°If you repeat this a few more times, I am sure you will be able to ovee ordinary fear. However, one thing you must know is that fear triggers the survival instinct. If you are numbed to that sense, then you will be unable to feel even clear and present danger. You must be able to clearly tell when a true threat approaches.¡±

    ¡°...For-forgive me for prying, but what kind of man are you?¡± Climb groaned from his ce on the ground.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°That, that killing intent was not normal. What exactly...¡±

    ¡°I am simply an old man who has some confidence in his skills. For now.¡±

    Climb could not tear his eyes away from Sebas¡¯ face. What seemed to be a congenial smile also looked like a savage grin from one of absolute power; one who far surpassed Gazef.

    He was probably a being who was greater than Gazef, himself the mightiest warrior of the surrounding nations.

    ¡ªClimb willed his curiosity to be satisfied. He felt it would be best not to continue prying into that mystery.

    Even so, where had the old gentleman Sebase from? That was the sole question that burned within his heart. He even wondered, Could he be one of the Thirteen Heroes?

    ¡°Then, let us try again¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªWait! Please wait! I have something to ask you two.¡±

    The voice of a frightened man interrupted Sebas from behind.

    <b>Part 4</b>

    <b>Lower Fire Month (9th Month) 3rd Day 10:27</b>

    Brain left Gazef¡¯s home.

    He looked back and thought about how he would get back, and then hemitted the house¡¯s exterior appearance to memory. His mind had been blurred from hypothermia when Gazef brought him here, so his memories from back then were hazy.

    He knew Gazef¡¯s address because he had been nning to challenge the man to a duel someday. However, that information had been gathered by word of mouth, and it was somewhat inurate.

    ¡°There¡¯s no sword stuck in the roof.¡±

    He cursed the information broker who had told him that, and carefully inspected the house.

    It was much smaller than the noble residences, and it looked more like amoner¡¯s dwelling. However, it was more than enough for Gazef and the husband and wife who lived there with him.

    After memorizing the house¡¯s exterior, Brain set forth.

    He did not have any particr destination in mind.

    He did not want to buy weapons, armor or magic items.

    ¡°What should I do from now on...¡±

    His mumbled voice faded into the air.

    He was not particrly opposed to just vanishing somewhere. In fact, the notion was still quite attractive to him.

    He searched within himself for what he should do next, but he found only a yawning void within his heart. His goal had been destroyed, utterly annihted without leaving a trace behind.

    That being the case, why¡ª

    He looked down to his right hand, which still held his ¡¸Katana¡¹. He still had his chain shirt on under his clothes.

    It was fear that had kept his sword in hand during his journey to the Royal Capital. He knew that his de was useless against that monster who could deflect his best attacks with her pinky fingernail, but going unarmed still frightened him.

    That being the case, why was he still holding his de? He could have left it in Gazef¡¯s home. Was it because he was still afraid?

    Brain thought about it, and then shook his head.

    That was not it.

    In that case, why was he holding his ¡¸Katana¡¹? In the end, the answer still eluded him.

    Brain recalled the first time he hade to the Royal Capital as he walked. Some buildings had remained the same, like the Magician¡¯s Guild or the Royal Pce, but there were many new buildings which were absent from his memories. Just as Brain was savoring the difference between his memories and reality, he noticed amotion ahead of him.

    The noise made him furrow his brows. He sensed violenceing from the crowd ahead.

    Brain was about to turn and head elsewhere when an old man caught his eyes. The old man wormed into the crowd, like he was sliding his way in.

    ¡°...What, what¡¯s that? What¡¯s with the way he¡¯s moving?¡±

    He blinked several times, unconsciously gasping in awe. The old man¡¯s movements beggared belief. Brain wondered if he was dreaming, or if he had been affected by some kind of magic.

    Perhaps even Brain might not be able to move as the old man had. It was a godly technique that required one to keenly grasp the will of one¡¯s counterpart, or in this case, the flows of strength and motion within the entire crowd.

    ¡ªIn other words, those movements were at a sort of a pinnacle.

    His feet carried him toward the crowd without hesitation.

    Brain shoved others out of the way, and when he reached the center, he saw the instant when the old man struck the younger man¡¯s chin.

    What? Could I... could I have blocked that blow just now? It¡¯d be hard, right? Did he draw away the other man¡¯s vision and attention? Am I overthinking this? Still, that was a magnificent strike. You could teach it in a textbook...

    He grunted to himself as he reyed the punch he had just seen in his mind.

    Granted, he had not gotten a good look at it, and it was very difficult to measure swordsmen and pugilists on the same scale. Even so, that brief glimpse had made Brain realise that the old man before him was incredibly skilled.

    For all he knew, that old man might even be stronger than himself.

    Brain bit his lower lip as hepared the profile of the old man¡¯s face to the list of martial exponents in his memory. However, he did not find a match.

    Who on earth is he?

    The old man left the crowd in an instant. A teenaged boy trailed behind him. On a whim, Brain followed the boy, as though he had been hooked by some bait.

    His instincts told him that the man had eyes in the back of his head, so did not dare tail him directly. However, if he followed the youth, he would not have to worry about being spotted. From a more cunning point of view, he would still be safe even if the boy was discovered.

    While following them, Brain sensed several other presences. However, Brain did not care about them.

    Before long, the two of them turned a corner and entered a darkened area. Brain felt uneasy, because that move seemed like it was calcted to lure him into a trap.

    Doesn¡¯t that kid find it strange? Just as he began to feel surprised, the boy spoke to the old man.

    The two of them spoke near the turning point of an alley. Thus, Brain took cover around the bend and eavesdropped on them.

    In summary, the boy was asking the old man to train him.

    As if. An old man like that would never ept a punk like that as a disciple.

    If one were topare the two of them, the boy would be a pebble, while the old man was a gigantic gemstone. The two of them lived inpletely different worlds.

    ...How sad. Not knowing how badly you¡¯re outssed is truly sad. Give it up, kid.

    Brain did not speak those words, merely mumbled them to himself.

    Those words were directed at the boy, and they were also a frank criticism of an utter idiot who had once thought himself invincible ¡ª namely, his past self.

    He continued listening in ¡ª although he had no interest in the brothel ¡ª and it would seem that the old man was willing to train the youth up. Brain had no idea what that kid had to offer that interested that amazing old man.

    What¡¯s this? Have I misjudged someone again? No, that can¡¯t be. That kid has little ability as a warrior. Surely he can¡¯t have any talent!

    How was the old man going to train him? He could only hear them from here, but he could not see what was going on. Curious, Brain concealed his presence and eased himself forward to spy on them. But before he knew it¡ª

    A terrifying aura shot through him.

    He screamed wordlessly.

    His entire body froze.

    It felt like a massive carnivore pressing its face against his and exhaling all over him. The oing torrent of murderous intent actually dyed the world a different color. He could not even blink, much less move. For a moment he thought his heart had stopped beating.

    Brain felt that Shalltear Bloodfallen was the most powerful being in the world, but what he felt now wasparable to her.

    It might actually have stopped the heart of a weak-willed person.

    His legs trembled, and then dumped him onto his butt upon the ground.

    Even I¡¯ve been reduced to this state. Doesn¡¯t that mean that kid¡¯s going to drop dead on the spot?

    If he were lucky, he might pass out first.

    Brain crawled along the ground, nervously stealing a nce at the two of them. What he saw shocked him to the core, to the point where he forgot his fear for a moment.

    The kid was still standing.

    His legs were trembling like Brain¡¯s had. But he was still standing.

    What, what¡¯s going on? Why is that talentless punk still on his feet?!

    Brain could not understand why the youth could still stand while fear had reduced his legs to a puddle of quivering jelly.

    Did he have some sort of magic item or martial art which resisted fear? Or did he have some special talent?

    Indeed, there was no way to guarantee he did not possess such an item. However, his instincts told him that none of the above applied as he looked at the kid¡¯s wavering back. The answer was hard to believe, but it was the only one possible.

    That kid was stronger than Brain.

    Impossible! It can¡¯t be!

    The kid looked like he had been training himself, but he did not have enough muscle on him. After observing the way that the kid moved while trailing him, Brain had concluded that the kid was hardly talented. And yet, this average kid was standing where he had fallen.

    What, what¡¯s going on? Am I really that weak?

    His vision blurred.

    Brain knew he was crying, but he could not bring himself to wipe his tears.

    He tried to swallow his moaning, but the tears continued flowing regardless.

    ¡°Why, ah... why.¡±

    Brain clutched at the dirt and tried to force himself back to his feet. However, the tsunami of killing will rendered him immobile. His legs refused to move, as though under someone else¡¯s control. All he could do was lift his head and watch the two of them.

    He saw a back.

    The boy was still standing, even now.

    The boy could still stand against that old man and his wave of murderous intent. That feeble back now seemed so far out of his reach.

    ¡°Am I...¡±

    Was he really that weak?

    By the time the surge of bloodlust had dispersed like mist, he had only managed to get back onto his feet. That fact frustrated Brain.

    The old man and the boy looked like they were going to train further, but Brain could no longer contain himself. Gathering up his courage, he rushed out from around the corner and shouted:

    ¡°¡ªWait! Please wait!¡±

    Brain no longer thought about not interrupting their training session, or even picking a good time to make his appearance.

    The youth turned around as he heard that desperate cry. His shoulders shuddered and there was a look of shock on his face. In his position, Brain would probably have done the same.

    ¡°First, please let me apologize to the two of you. I simply could not wait any longer.¡±

    ¡°...Do you know him, Sebas-sama?¡±

    ¡°No, I do not. I see, so he was not a friend of yours either.¡±

    The two of them turned suspicious looks on him, but Brain had already expected as much.

    ¡°Please allow this one to state his name. This one¡¯s name is Brain Unus. Please permit this one to apologize once more to the two of you. I really am very sorry for this.¡±

    He bowed lower than he had before, and he could sense a slight movement from both of them.

    After waiting for a sufficiently long time to convey his sincerity, Brain raised his head, and he sensed that their caution towards him had dulled somewhat.

    ¡°Then, what brings you here?¡±

    In response to the old man¡¯s question, Brain nced at the youth.

    ¡°How did you do it?¡±

    As he saw the clueless look on the kid¡¯s face, Brain asked once more, like he was coughing up blood.

    ¡°How... how could you remain standing before that murderous intent?!¡±

    The boy¡¯s eyes went wide. Since he typically feigned a nk look on his face, even this small change signalled a huge emotional upheaval inside him.

    ¡°I just wanted to know. That surge of bloodlust was more than most people could bear. Even I... pardon, even this one could not endure it. Yet you were different. You endured it. You stood against it. How did you do it? How did you aplish such a feat?!¡±

    His excitement was making him repeat himself, but he could not tamp it down. When faced with the overwhelming power of Shalltear Bloodfallen, he had been so afraid that he had fled. Yet, this boy had faced the same degree of killing will and held his ground. He wanted to know what was the difference between them.

    He had to find out, no matter the cost.

    Brain seemed to have conveyed his earnest passion to the kid. He was confused, but he carefully considered the matter before answering:

    ¡°...I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t understand it myself. I have no idea how I could take that storm of bloodlust. Still, maybe... maybe it was because I was thinking of my liege.¡±

    ¡°...Your liege?¡±

    ¡°Yes. As long as I think of the great person whom I serve... I have the strength to carry on.¡±

    How could anyone endure like that for such a reason, Brain almost shouted. But before that, the old man quietly exined his meaning.

    ¡°In other words, his loyalty was sufficient to ovee his fear, Unus-san. People can exert great strength for something they cherish. For instance, a mother can hold up a pir in a copsing house to save her children, or a husband could hold up his wife with one hand before she falls. I feel that is the power of mankind. In other words, this young man has tapped on that power. It is also not limited to him. As long as you have something which you will not forsake, you will certainly be able to draw on strength you could never have imagined.¡±

    Brain could not believe it. His goal, the thing he would not forsake ¡ª was his thirst for strength. But that was meaningless now. That dream had been shattered with ease, and all he could do was run in fear.

    Brain¡¯s face turned gloomy, and he lowered his head to look at the ground. Then, the old man¡¯s next words made him jerk his head up again.

    ¡°...Something built up by yourself is fragile. Once you fall, it is the end for you. Do not rely on yourself for everything. If you can build your confidence with someone else and give of yourself for others, then you will not fall even if you suffer a setback.¡±

    Brain fell silent. Did he have something like that?

    He could not think of anything. That was because he had abandoned everything else save his quest for the sword. Could be that the things he had discarded in his search for strength were actually the most important things?

    Brain could not help butugh. Heughed at his mistake-filled life. Neither could he help the bitterint that next escaped him.

    ¡°I abandoned it all. Is it toote for me to take them back?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll be fine. Even someone without talent like me managed to do it. Someone like you can surely do it too, Unus-san! It¡¯s definitely not toote for you!¡±

    There was no basis to the young man¡¯s words. Yet, strangely enough, his words warmed Brain¡¯s heart.

    ¡°You really are a gentle and strong person... I am truly sorry.¡±

    The boy froze as Brain apologized to him out of the blue.

    Brain had taken such a braved as a punk and looked down on him.

    I¡¯m a fool. I¡¯m such a fool...

    ¡°Ah, yes, you said you were called Brain Unus... were you the same Brain Unus who fought Stronoff-sama to a draw in the past?¡±

    ¡°... So you knew that too... Did you watch that fight?¡±

    ¡°Ah, I didn¡¯t. I just heard someone talk about it. Stronoff-sama said that you were an amazing swordsman, and that you were easily in the running for the strongest man in the Kingdom. After seeing your movements and calm poise, I now realize the truth of Stronoff-sama¡¯s words!¡±

    Swamped by the sheer force of Climb¡¯s goodwill, Brain struggled to stammer out an answer.

    ¡°...Er, thanks... thank you. I feel I¡¯ve got a long way to go, but it... pleases me to receive such praise from you.¡±

    ¡°Hm... Unus-san.¡±

    ¡°Sir, please call me Unus. There is no need for you to be so formal to a mook like myself.¡±

    ¡°In that case, I am Sebas Tian, but I hope you will call me Sebas... Now then, Unus-kun.¡±

    Being addressed as ¡°-kun¡± embarrassed Brain a little, but given the difference in their ages, such a term was only fitting.

    ¡°Can I entrust you with training of Climb-kun? I believe that will be beneficial to you as well, Unus-kun.¡±

    ¡°Ah! Forgive me! My name is Climb, Unus-sama.¡±

    ¡°Were you not going to be trained by him... forgive me. Was Sebas-sama not going to train you? I believe I interrupted the two of you while you were in the middle of discussing something...?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. That was my original intention, but it would seem we have guests. I had intended to call them over ¡ª ah, they are here. It would seem they took a while to prepare themselves for battle.¡±

    Sebas looked off to one side. Brain took a bit longer to look in the same direction.

    Three men slowly revealed themselves. They wore chain shirts and carried sharp daggers in hands protected by heavy leather gloves.

    They were not radiating hostility, but full-on murderous intent. Said intent seemed to be directed at the old man, but they did not look like the kind who would let witnesses live.

    Brain was visibly shocked as he saw them, and he screamed:

    ¡°No way! They¡¯re stilling even after feeling that bloodlust? Just how strong are these people?!¡±

    If that were the case, then each of them was probably on par with Brain ¡ª no, they would be stronger than him. Could it be that their lousy tailing skills were because they were trained warriors who were not adept at following others?

    And then, Sebas eased Brain¡¯s worries.

    ¡°I trust you¡¯re aware that I only directed my will at the two of you, right?¡±

    ¡°...Eh?¡±

    Even Brain felt that his reply sounded very stupid..

    ¡°The murderous intent directed at Climb-kun was to train him. In your case, it was because I did not know who you were, and wanted to draw you out. Either that, or sap your will to fight, hostility and so on. But I viewed them as enemies from the start, so I did not direct my killing intent at them. It would be bad to frighten them off.¡±

    Brain was shocked beyond the capacity to even express it as he heard Sebas casually exin the startling truth. Being able to finely control killing will of that intensity was beyond what he knew to be possible.

    ¡°I, I see. Then, do you know who they are, Sebas-sama?¡±

    ¡°I can guess. Still, I cannot be sure. Thus, I wish to capture one or two of them for questioning. However¡ª¡±

    Sebas dipped his head in apology.

    ¡°It would seem I identally involved the two of you in this. May I trouble the two of you to leave this ce?¡±

    ¡°Before that, I wish to ask you a question. Are they... criminals?¡±

    ¡°...They feel that way to me. They¡¯re obviously the evil-doing sort.¡±

    A fire zed up in Climb¡¯s eyes as he heard Brain say that.

    ¡°Perhaps this might be getting in your way, but I wish to fight as well. As a man who protects the public order of the Royal Capital, it falls to me to defend its people as well.¡±

    It¡¯s not like we¡¯re sure that Sebas is on the side of good here, Brain thought to himself as he yed devil¡¯s advocate to that statement. Indeed, given his honest and straightforward attitude, Sebas certainly seemed to be in the rightpared to that lot. However, they could not be sure of that.

    He¡¯s really green...

    Still, he could understand how the kid felt.

    Even Brain could instantly conclude who to help, between the man who had saved a kid from a bunch of drunken toughs and the other men.

    ¡°Personally, I don¡¯t really think you need the help, but... Sebas-sama. Please allow me... er, no, please allow this one to lend you a hand.¡±

    Brain took his ce by Climb¡¯s side. Sebas did not need their aid. Indeed, he had even said that they could leave and he would be fine. However, he wanted to learn from Climb, who fought for others. He wanted to choose the path he would never have travelled in the past. He wanted to protect the boy with a strong heart, but whose swordy wascking.

    Brain saw the weapons they were holding, and frowned.

    ¡°Poison, is it... Using a double-edged sword like that indicates they ought to have some experience under their belts... are they assassins?¡±

    The daggers they were using were called mailbreakers. There were reservoirs carved into the the des of their weapons, and said reservoirs reflected the oily glow of a dangerous liquid. The fact that these men seemed to prioritize agility and ease of movement ¡ª unlike professional swordsmen ¡ª was a better indication of the truth than Brain¡¯s self-directed mumblings.

    ¡°Climb-kun, you¡¯d best be careful. Unless you have a magic item that resists poison, don¡¯t let them nick you so much as once.¡±

    Someone with Brain¡¯s level of physical prowess was pretty much immune to poison, but people like Climb might sumb to strong toxins.

    ¡°They¡¯ve appeared in front of us but they¡¯re not making a move yet. Are they waiting for the other two people to circle around behind us? Since this is a rare opportunity, why don¡¯t we break through them from the front?¡±

    Sebas deliberately raised his voice loud enough for them to hear, and the men¡¯s movements froze. They had clearly been shaken by the exposure of their encirclement n.

    ¡°That seems about right. It would be safest to crush the ones in front and then mop up the ones behind.¡±

    It would seem Brain shared Sebas¡¯ opinion. However, Sebas himself rejected Brain¡¯s words.

    ¡°Ah, but that would let them get away. How about this ¡ª I¡¯ll deal with the three in front, so could I leave the two circling around behind us to you?¡±

    Brain nodded, and so did Climb. This was Sebas¡¯ fight, and they were the ones imposing on Sebas to let them help. They ought to listen to Sebas, so long as he had not made any fatal errors.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡±

    After saying that to Climb, Brain turned his back on the men. The reason why he dared show that defenseless side of himself to those men was because Sebas was around. As he left his back to Sebas, he felt as safe as though he were defended by a thick castle wall.

    ¡°Well then, while it is a shame... please allow me to be your opponent ¡ª oya, please do not harbor any designs on those two, alright?¡±

    Looking back, Brain saw Sebas with three daggers trapped between the fingers of his right hand. He opened up his hand and the daggers which they had hurled at the otherwise-vulnerable Brain and Climb ttered to the ground.

    The men¡¯s killing intent was getting weaker.

    But of course. Anyone would lose the will to fight after seeing their thrown daggers blocked in that way. Do you finally see how powerful Sebas-sama is now? However, you¡¯ve learned that toote.

    They were all trapped within the old man¡¯s palm. Even splitting up three ways would not save them now.

    ¡°Amazing.¡±

    Climb stood by Brain¡¯s side,

    ¡°Indeed. I¡¯d believe anyone who said that Sebas-sama was the strongest warrior in the Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°Even stronger than the Warrior-Captain?¡±

    ¡°You mean Stronoff, right? Hm. Well, that old man is someone that I... myself... ... sorry, I¡¯ll speak in a more rxed tone now. Even if Stronoff and myself went up against him at once, we¡¯d still lose for sure... oh, here theye.¡±

    The other two men had circled around and appeared behind them. Those two were dressed the same way as the first three.

    The sound of a sword clearing his sheath came from beside Brain, and a momentter, Brain drew his own de.

    ¡°They probably didn¡¯t keep someone in hiding to throw knives at us because that old man saw through them.¡±

    Ambushes only worked when they were unexpected. If someone had seen through it beforehand, then they would only be splitting up their forces. The enemy must have judged that it would be better to attack all at once now that they had been exposed.

    ¡°How naive... Climb-kun, I¡¯ll take the one on the right. You handle the one on the left.¡±

    After examining their movements, Brain sensed that one of them was weaker than the other and indicated as much to the youth beside him. The young man nodded, and raised his sword. His unhesitating movements were those which one could only find in those people who had fought for their lives. Brain was relieved that he was not an untested neer tobat.

    Climb-kun ought to have the advantage, but... given his opponent uses poison, it might be a close-fought victory.

    Even if Climb had actualbat experience, Brain did not feel that he was a blooded warrior who had faced poison-using opponents. For all he knew, that might be his first time doing so.

    Even Brain had trouble against monsters who used flesh-corroding acids or powerful venom. When fighting them, he became overly cautious and could not bring his full might to bear.

    Should I kill this guy immediately and then help him out? Would that help him? Would it hurt his pride if I went out of my way to help him? Should I fight them on his behalf? Or did Sebas-sama intend to help if there was any danger? If Sebas-sama doesn¡¯t step in, does it mean I should? To think the day woulde when I¡¯d actually worry about something like this...

    Brain scratched at his head with his free hand and stared down his foe.

    ¡°Alright. Do excuse me for using you as a sacrifice to make up for my time spent idle.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Three hits.

    Sebas stepped into range of the three men, who could not even react to him, much less defend themselves. Then he punched three times and the battle was over.

    But of course. Sebas upied the pinnacle of Nazarick¡¯sbat power. He could deal with assassins of that calibre with only the tip of his little finger.

    The men keeled over, copsing limply to the ground like cuttlefish. Sebas turned away from them and looked at the battle behind him.

    Brain had overwhelmed his foe from start to finish, which put him at ease.

    The assassin facing him seemed to be looking for a chance to flee, but Brain did not let him off. In fact he even looked like he was toying with his opponent... no, that was not ying with him. Sebas sensed that Brain was running through his repertoire of moves to re-hone his rusty skills.

    Right, I think I heard him say something about a ¡°time spent idle¡±. Also, he seems to be worried about Climb-kun. Thus he¡¯s not fighting in earnest so he cane to his aid at any time. He seems like quite a nice fellow.

    Sebas turned his attention from Brain to Climb.

    Hm, he ought to be alright.

    The battle went back and forth. The fact his opponent used poison made him a little uneasy, but there did not seem to be a need to rescue him right away. He felt ufortable about involving an outsider ¡ª particrly one whom he favored ¡ª in his own matters, but¡ª

    If he hadn¡¯t said he wanted to be stronger, I¡¯d have gone to assist him. A fight for one¡¯s life is very good practice. I¡¯ll help him if he¡¯s in danger.

    Sebas stroked his beard and observed Climb as he fought.

    Climb blocked a thrust with his de.

    A trickle of cold sweat flowed down his back. It had almost hit his armor. A hint of disappointment shed across the cruel face of the man he was fighting.

    Climb stabbed forward, measuring the distance between the two of them. He noted that his foe was slowly backing off, and he did not want to let the man get away.

    Climb¡¯s usual fighting style was to defend with the shield and simultaneously attack with the sword. Being forced to fight with only his sword was a tortuous experience. The poisoned de also made him very nervous. Mailbreakers were weapons specialized for thrusting attacks, so he knew he only had to worry about thrusts. Even so, the fact that he could not allow himself to be so much as grazed by the weapon made his movements stiff.

    He calmed his breathing, which had been thrown into disarray by his physical and mental fatigue.

    The other guy¡¯s the same too. I¡¯m not the only one who¡¯s tired.

    His foe¡¯s forehead was covered in sweat. The man used his agility to make a mockery of his foe, which was a truly assassin-like way of fighting. Thus, wounding any of his limbs would make him lose the advantage and upset the bnce of fighting power.

    The battle would be decided in one hit.

    This was the source of both parties¡¯ tension. Granted, all evenly-matched battles were like that, but it was that much more obvious in this fight.

    ¡°Huuuh!¡±

    With a sharp expulsion of breath, Climb swung at his foe. The swing moved slowly and he did not put much force into it. That was because he would leave himself wide open if he went for a full swing and his opponent dodged.

    The assassin easily dodged it and reached into his breast pocket. Climb observed the uing attack and kept an eye on the assassin¡¯s hand.

    A dagger flew forth and Climb cut it out of the air with his sword.

    He had been lucky. He had managed to deflect it since he was paying attention.

    However he could not breathe easy just yet. The assassin had already lowered his stance and slid into attack range.

    This is bad!

    His spine turned to ice.

    He could not block the follow-up hit. He had swung too hard when deflecting the thrown dagger out of fear. His sword was now hanging out of position in mid-air, and it was toote for him to turn it back to intercept his foe. He thought to evade, but the assassin¡¯s agility was superior to his own.

    There was nothing else to be done. Maybe he could use his arm as a shield¡ª

    Just as he resolved himself, the iing assassin clutched his face and stumbled backwards.

    It would seem a bean-sized pebble had struck the assassin just above the left eye. Climb¡¯s perceptions, heightened by the dangerous situation, confirmed that fact.

    He knew who had thrown it even without looking back. Sebas¡¯ voice from behind him was the best proof of that.

    ¡°Fear is an important emotion. But you cannot be ruled by fear. I have been watching you fight from just now, and I feel that your fighting style is too in and conservative. If your foe had been willing to sacrifice one arm, you would assuredly be dead. If your physical abilities are inferior to your opponent, then you must defeat them with your spirit. The strength of one¡¯s will can sometimes surpass the weakness of one¡¯s flesh.¡±

    Climb answered ¡°yes¡± in his heart, and he was quite surprised to find himself much more rxed. He did not feel like he could depend on someone else to watch him, but he was relieved that someone else was watching him.

    Of course, his fear of death was notpletely gone, but even so¡ª

    ¡°If... if I die, please tell Renner-sama... her Highness... about my glorious battle.¡±

    He expelled a long breath, and then silently brought his sword up into a ready stance.

    Climb sensed a gleam in the assassin¡¯s eyes that was different from just now. It had only been a short while, but he felt like he had connected with the assassin¡¯s spirit on some level during this life or death struggle.

    The assassin sensed that Climb was prepared for death, and he seemed to have ced his life on the line as well.

    He stepped forward, without saying a word, of course, and closed the distance in a single move.

    After verifying the assassin was within his attack range, Climb brought his sword down in a scything chop. At that moment, the assassin leapt back. It would seem the other man had gotten the measure of Climb¡¯s swings and had used himself as bait to make a feint at Climb.

    However, the assassin had forgotten one thing.

    Perhaps he might have grasped the speed of Climb¡¯s. However, he did not know this move. Climb had the utmost confidence in this downward strike of his. It was faster than all his other moves, and more forceful.

    The chop at the shoulder was stopped by the chain shirt and so it did not cleave the man bodily in two. However, it easily broke his vicle and crushed his flesh along with his shoulder de.

    The assassin copsed heavily to the ground. He was drooling from the intense pain and howling in agony.

    ¡°Magnificent.¡±

    Sebas appeared behind him and casually stomped on the assassin¡¯s belly.

    With that, the assassin fell silent, like a puppet whose strings had been cut. He must have fainted.

    From the corner of his eye, he saw that Brain had already finished off his assassin. He waved casually to Climb to celebrate his victory.

    ¡°Then, I shall begin the interrogation. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.¡±

    Sebas brought over one of the men and pped him awake. The man regained consciousness with a shudder, and Sebas ced his hand on the man¡¯s head. Sebas had not used much force but within two seconds the man¡¯s head lolled back, then snapped back to its original position like a pendulum.

    The man¡¯s eyes were now unfocused, like he was drunk.

    Sebas began asking questions. The assassin, a man of a traditionally tight-lipped profession, sang like a canary. Faced with this bizarre sight, Climb asked Sebas: ¡°What did you do to him?¡±

    ¡°This is a skill called the [Puppeteer¡¯s Palm]... fortunately, it looks like it worked.¡±

    Climb had never heard that technique before, but he frowned at what the man was saying.

    They were assassins trained by Six Arms, the strongestbatants of Eight Fingers. They had apparently followed Sebas in order to kill him. Brain asked Climb:

    ¡°...I don¡¯t know much about them, but Eight Fingers ought to be a major crime syndicate, right? I think they have connections with some mercenaries...¡±

    ¡°Yes, and Six Arms are the scariest of them all. Six Arms refers to the six fighters who make up the organization¡¯s strongest fighting force. I heard that each of them can rival an adamantite-ranked adventurer. However, I¡¯m not sure exactly who those six people are, since I¡¯m not too clear on the details of their organization.¡±

    The man went on to say that Sulent, the one who had visited Sebas¡¯ house, was a member of Six Arms, known as ¡°Devil of Illusions¡±. His n was apparently to eliminate Sebas and do as he pleased with the youngdy of the house.

    As he heard this, Climb felt a chill wind blow over him. The source of that cold was Sebas.

    Sebas slowly rose, and Brain addressed him.

    ¡°What do you n to do next, Sebas-sama?¡±

    ¡°I have decided. First, I will destroy that troublesome ce. Besides, it would seem that Sulent is there as well, ording to this man. It is best to stamp out fires before they can grow.¡±

    Brain and Climb both inhaled sharply at that casual answer.

    The fact that he had dered his intention to fight his way into the enemy headquarters indicated that he was confident of defeating an adamantite-ranked adventurer ¡ª in other words, a man whose fighting power was at the zenith of human achievement.

    However, neither of them was surprised.

    He could defeat three skilled assassins in the blink of an eye and even the renowned Unus-sama showed deference to him. What sort of man is Sebas-sama? Could he be a retired adamantite-ranked adventurer?

    ¡°...Also, I hear that there are other captives in there. It would be best to move quickly.¡±

    ¡°That makes sense. If the assassins do not return, it will arouse suspicion. We will not be able to save the captives if they are moved elsewhere.¡±

    Sebas was in a situation where time was not on his side, but on the enemy¡¯s.

    ¡°Then I shall be heading there presently. I apologize, but I am set in my course. Can I trouble the two of you to drag these assassins to the nearest guardpost?¡±

    ¡°Please wait, Sebas-sama! If you don¡¯t mind, could you let me... could you let this one lend you a hand? Of course, that is only if you are willing.¡±

    ¡°Me too. Protecting the peace of the Royal Capital is my duty as Renner-sama¡¯s loyal servant. If the Kingdom¡¯s citizens a

    re being oppressed, this sword of mine shall hasten to their aid.¡±

    ¡°...I don¡¯t think Unus-kun will have a problem, but it might be a bit dangerous for you.¡±

    ¡°I understand that.¡±

    ¡°Climb-kun... I guess Sebas-sama thinks you might get in the way, no? Although, I¡¯m probably the same as you in his eyes.¡±

    ¡°No, no, that was not what I meant. I was simply worried about you. I hope you understand that I cannot protect you like I did just now.¡±

    ¡°I am prepared for that.¡±

    ¡°...What I am doing next might not win honor for you or your mistress, you know? I feel that there will be other chances for you to stake your life in battle, do you not think so?¡±

    ¡°If I watch mutely from the side because things are dangerous, that¡¯ll only prove that I am a man who does not deserve to serve his mistress. Just as my mistress saved themon folk, I too wish to do everything I can to lend a helping hand to those who are in dire straits.¡±

    Just like how she reached her hand out to me¡ª

    Sebas and Brain looked at each other. Perhaps they had sensed his iron determination.

    ¡°...Are you prepared for this?¡± Sebas asked.

    Climb nodded.

    ¡°I understand. That being the case, there is nothing else to be said. I hope the two of you will lend me a hand.¡±

 Chapter 37 - Volume 5

    <h4>Overlord Volume 5 Chapter 5</h4>

    <b>Chapter 5: Extinguished, Sword Sparks of Fire</b>

    <b>Part 1</b>

    <b>Lower Fire Month (9th Month) 3rd Day 12:07</b>

    ¡°The brothel is just behind this door. ording to the assassin, there ought to be an entrance in the building over there too.¡±

    Sebas stood at the entrance to the brothel, in front of the door where Tsuare had been thrown out. Then, he pointed at a building several houses away. Brain and Climb had been present when he was questioning the assassin, but they had not been to the brothel before, and they epted Sebas¡¯ exnation at face value.

    ¡°Indeed, that is so. The entrances can also serve as escape routes, and that person said they¡¯d be manned by at least two people. If we¡¯re splitting up, we should let you handle the main door, Sebas-sama, while Climb and I take the other entrance. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°I am not opposed to that. How about you, Climb-kun?¡±

    ¡°I have no objections either. Still, what will we do after we break in, Unus-sama? Shall we search together?¡±

    ¡°Call me Brain in future. This one also humbly requests you do the same, Sebas-sama. Then... usually, we ought to move in pairs for safety¡¯s sake, but there might be secret tunnels which even the assassin hasn¡¯t heard of. We should search the interior as quickly as possible while Sebas-sama makes his assault from the front. Also, there are usually passages which only the boss knows,¡± Brain added quietly.

    ¡°In that case, should we split up after going in?¡±

    ¡°...We¡¯re taking a risk just going in anyway. Might as well try for the best results we can.¡±

    Sebas and Climb nodded at Brain¡¯s statement.

    ¡°Could I ask you to search the interior, Un¡ª Brain-sama? You¡¯re stronger than me, after all.¡±

    ¡°Very well. Then please watch over the exit over there, Climb-kun.¡±

    One was more likely to encounter enemies when searching the inside of the building. It went to follow that the task would thus be more dangerous. Therefore, it was best left to Brain, who was much stronger than Climb.

    ¡°So that¡¯s it for our final checks, then?¡±

    They had already discussed this matter on the way to the brothel, but there were some decisions which could only be made after seeing the ce in person. They would hash out the details here, and nobody contradicted Sebas¡¯ statement.

    Sebas stepped forward, moving up to the solid-looking metal door. Climb would never be able to budge that door, but to Sebas it was little more than tissue paper.

    The defenses were bound to be heaviest in this ce, but neither of them were worried about Sebas charging in there by himself. After all the aggressor was someone whom even Gazef Stronoff ¡ª renowned as the mightiest warrior in the surrounding nations ¡ª and Brain Unus ¡ª who could fight Gazef to a draw ¡ª could not hope to defeat even if they joined forces. This was no longer within the sphere of human ability.

    ¡°Then let us proceed. ording to the assassin, the secret signal at the other entrance is knocking four times on the door. I doubt either of you have forgotten, but I doubt a reminder will hurt.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Sebas-sama.¡±

    Climb had not forgotten, but he thanked Sebas anyway.

    ¡°Also, I will try to take them alive, but if they resist, I will y them without mercy. I trust there will be no problems with that?¡±

    Brain and Climb felt a chill down their spines as they saw Sebas¡¯ gentle smile.

    His methods were perfectly sound. Both of them would probably have done the same if they were in Sebas¡¯ shoes. Even so, a thrill of fear pierced their backs, because Sebas¡¯ expression and his words made him seem like he had a split personality.

    He was both a kindly gentleman and a cold-blooded warrior. He contained both humanity and heartlessness within himself to an extreme degree..

    They had a premonition that if Sebas went in like this, he might end up ughtering everyone inside.

    Climb nervously told Sebas:

    ¡°I feel that taking a few lives is unavoidable, but it might be good to avoid needless killing. We are few in number, after all. Still, if you encounter someone in charge who looks like they¡¯re from Eight Fingers, could I trouble you to try and capture them? If we can interrogate a big figure among them, we can reduce the number of lives lost in the future.¡±

    ¡°I am not a mass murderer, and I did note here for a massacre. Please be at ease.¡±

    Climb was relieved to see Sebas¡¯ smile.

    ¡°Please forgive me. We shall leave the rest to you.¡±

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Now then, destroying this ce in one go ought to buy some time.¡±

    Sebas felt that wrecking this brothel ought to put a stop to their interference with his life. If things went well and he managed to obtain secret documents or the like, they might end up too busy dealing with the fallout to bother about Tsuare at all.

    However badly things went, he could give Tsuare a chance to escape as long as he managed to buy some time. And who knew, he might be able to find a better solution.

    ¡°There was a merchant in E-Rantel who approached me for a cordial chat. I wonder if he could help?¡±

    Tsuare would still need someone trustworthy to aid her even if she managed to pull herself together. That was the only way she would have a better life.

    Sebas turned to face the heavy steel door once more. He remembered that day when Tsuare had been dumped here as he touched the door¡¯s surface. It was made of wood sheathed in metal tes, making it both thick and heavy. It was immediately apparent that an ordinary human being would have a lot of trouble breaking this door down without tools.

    ¡°I wonder if Climb-kun is alright.¡±

    He was not worried about the man called Brain Unus. Even if he crossed des with Sulent, he probably would not lose. However, Climb was a different matter. There was no way that Climb could beat Sulent.

    It had been Sebas¡¯ idea to storm the brothel, so as one volunteering his assistance, Climb should have been prepared for his own death. However, Sebas could not help but think that the young,passionate man who only wanted to help would end up losing his life for nothing.

    ¡°I wish young men like him could live longer...¡±

    Those words were characteristic of a senior citizen. However, Sebas had been made in the form of an old man. He was technically younger than Climb, if one counted from their moment of genesis until right now.

    ¡°It would be best if I took down Sulent by myself. That would be the most ideal course of events. I hope they don¡¯t run into him.¡±

    Sebas prayed to the 41 Supreme Beings for Climb¡¯s safety.

    If Sulent was the strongest fighter here, it was very likely he would be pitted against Sebas. However, if he were a bodyguard, he might be assigned to escort his charge to safety.

    Feeling a little anxious, Sebas grabbed the door¡¯s handle and turned.

    It stopped halfway through its turn. Naturally, the door to an underground enterprise like this would be locked.

    ¡°I am not adept at opening locks. However... it can¡¯t be helped. I¡¯ll do it my way.,¡± Sebas muttered to himself in frustration. Then he lowered himself and folded his right hand into a knife-hand, moving his left hand forward as he took a stance. Said stance was immacte, as stable as the mountains and as picturesque as a thousand year-old cedar tree.

    ¡°Yeeart!¡±

    What followed next was an unbelievable sight.

    His arm sank into the metal door, at the hinge. No, the arm was still making grinding noises as it bored its way into the door.

    The hinges shrieked as they were torn from the wall.

    Sebas opened the unresisting door.

    ¡°What... the hell...?¡±

    Inside was a passage which ended at a pair of double doors. In front of that stood a bearded powerhouse of a man. His mouth was open and he had a retarded look on his face.

    ¡°The door was rusty, so I had to use a bit of force to open it. You should probably oil the hinges.¡±

    Saying so, Sebas closed the door. No, it would be more urate to say that he leaned the door against the frame.

    While the man was still frozen in shock, Sebas stepped inside without any hesitation whatsoever.

    ¡°¡ªOi, what was that?¡±

    ¡°The hell was that noise?!¡±

    More male voices came from behind the first one.

    However, the man facing Sebas did not bother about them. Instead, he addressed Sebas:

    ¡°...Er... W-wee?¡±

    Completely baffled, the man stood stock still as Sebas walked up to him. The people working here were used to violence. However, the scene before him far exceeded what he had encountered in his umted experiences.

    The man smiled to Sebas in an ingratiating manner, ignoring the shouted queries of his colleagues from behind him. His survival instinct told him that the best choice here was to get into Sebas¡¯ good graces. Or no; perhaps he had reacted like this because he had deceived himself into thinking Sebas was the butler of one of the customers here.

    The sight of a big, bearded man trying to keep a twitching smile on his face was quite hard to bear.

    Sebas smiled back at him. That smile was gentle andpassionate. Yet, there was no trace of goodwill in his eyes. It was more like a deadly, entrancing gleam of light ying along a razor-sharp sword¡¯s edge.

    ¡°Could I trouble you to let me pass?¡±

    Thump. Or rather, it was more of a st. A nauseating sound echoed throughout the interior.

    He was a muscr man in armor. He weighed 85 kilograms at the very least. He now spun through the air like some kind of joke, flying to the side at speeds invisible to the naked eye. His body savagely impacted the nearby wall with a wet sttering sound.

    The entire building shook violently, as though a giant¡¯s fist had struck it.

    ¡°...Oh dear. I should have killed him deeper inside. That way he¡¯d have made a better barricade... ah well. There¡¯s moreing anyway, so I just need to be more careful afterwards.¡±

    After admonishing himself to go easier next time, Sebas walked past the corpse and headed within.

    He flung the doors open and entered the room beyond. It was an exquisitely-furnished viewing room. It felt more like he was walking through an empty house than invading an enemy base.

    There were two men within.

    Their eyes goggled open and their jaws dropped as they looked behind Sebas, at the enormous blood stter that had painted the entire wall red.

    The smell of cheap alcohol hung in the air ¡ª a scent which one would never find in Nazarick. It blended immediately with the stench of fresh blood, viscera and internal wastes, brewing up a revolting odour.

    Sebas went over the information he had obtained from Tsuare and the assassin, then tried to figure out the building¡¯s structure. Her memories were spotty and she had not recalled anything important, but she had told Sebas that the actual establishment was located underground. The assassin had not gone underground himself, so his information would be no good after this.

    He looked to the ground. However, the trapdoor leading underground was cunningly concealed, and Sebas could not find it.

    Still, if he could not find it, then all he had to do was ask someone who knew where it was.

    ¡°Excuse me. I¡¯d like to ask you a question...¡±

    ¡°Aiiiiieee!¡±

    The man he addressed immediately responded with a hoarse scream. It would seem that he had no intention of putting up a fight.

    That relieved Sebas. Whenever he thought of Tsuare, he could not control his fists, and he would y his opposition in a single blow.

    Since he had no intention to fight, breaking both his legs ought to be enough.

    The terrified man backed away from Sebas, trembling against the wall as he did. Sebas looked impassionately on the man¡¯s shameful disy, and smiled thinly with his mouth alone.

    ¡°Aiiiiiiieeeee!¡±

    That frightened the man even more. The stench of ammonia filled the room.

    It would seem he had scared the man too badly. Sebas wrinkled his brow.

    The other man had copsed to the ground. His eyes had rolled up in his skull so all that could be seen were the whites. Apparently the extreme pressure had been too much for him, and he had passed out. The other man looked on him in envy.

    ¡°Ah... Like I was saying, I¡¯d like to ask you a question. It¡¯s like this ¡ª I would like to go underground. Could you tell me how to get there?¡±

    ¡°...That, that¡¯s...¡±

    The man was too afraid to betray his organization. Sebas could see the fear in his eyes. Much like those assassins, this man seemed to be afraid of reprisals from his organization. Sebas recalled the man he had met that night and how he had run away with Sebas¡¯ money. The retribution in question was probably synonymous with ¡°death¡±.

    The man was still hesitating over whether or not to speak when Sebas cut through his reluctance with his next words.

    ¡°There are two people who can speak here. I don¡¯t necessarily have to ask you, you know?¡±

    The man¡¯s forehead broke out in oily sweat, and his back shuddered.

    ¡°Th-th-here! Over there! There¡¯s a hidden door there!¡±

    ¡°Over there, hm.¡±

    Sebas looked where the man had indicated. At a closer look, there was a tiny crevice in the ground, separating part of the floor from the rest.

    ¡°I see. Thank you. Your usefulness to me is now at an end.¡±

    Sebas smiled, and the man realised would happen to him after those words. His face turned gray and he trembled uncontrobly. Still, he clung to a faint hope and cried:

    ¡°Please, please don¡¯t, don¡¯t kill me!¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Sebas¡¯ prompt answer froze the room solid. The man¡¯s eyes went wide, in the way humans did when they were trying to reject a reality they did not want to believe.

    ¡°But I told you, didn¡¯t I? Please, I¡¯ll do anything, just spare me!¡±

    ¡°Indeed you did. However...¡±

    Sebas sighed deeply.

    ¡°I cannot.¡±

    ¡°Are... are you kidding me?¡±

    ¡°You can take it as a jest if you wish. However, the oue will still be the same, no?¡±

    ¡°...Oh... god...¡±

    Sebas recalled the tragic state of Tsuare when he had rescued her, and he narrowed his eyes.

    What right did viins have to beg the gods for aid? More to the point, Sebas¡¯ gods were the 41 Supreme Beings. The man¡¯s plea was like an insult to them.

    ¡°You reap what you sow.¡±

    Those words, as cold and hard as steel, shed through all hope and made the man painfully aware of his own demise.

    Would he choose to fight, or would he choose flight? Given only an instant to decide, the man chose immediately ¡ª he chose flight.

    He would meet an unspeakable fate if he dared fight Sebas. That much went without saying. In that case, he might as well flee. Doing so would grant him a faint possibility of survival.

    He was correct to think that way.

    By doing so, he had prolonged his life by a few seconds... or rather, a few tenths of a second.

    The man ran towards the door. Sebas caught up with him in an instant, and his body whirled. A swift wind blew across the man¡¯s head, and his body copsed like a puppet whose strings had been cut. A ball hit the wall and slid to the ground, trailing blood in its wake.

    A momentter, the man¡¯s headless body spewed a geyser of blood from its neck, covering the ground in gore.

    That technique was nigh-unto divine. Just the feat of decapitating someone with a roundhouse kick would have required incredible strength and speed, but the most impressive thing was that Sebas¡¯ shoes had not been stained at all.

    Sebas¡¯ leather shoes padded across the ground to the other, unconscious man. He raised his leg and stamped, hard. There was a sound like dry branches breaking. The man twitched several times, and then his body went still.

    ¡°...When you look back on everything you have done so far, is this fate not to be expected? Still, be at ease. Your bodies will be used to make some small amends for your sins.¡±

    Sebas reached for the corpses.

    His n was to mutte the cadavers and arrange them on the steps as a warning to frighten anyone who intended to flee via the stairs and leave them unable to advance or retreat. Sebas to do so since he could not wreck the exit.

    After arranging the collected corpses, Sebas walked towards the hidden door in the floor.

    First, there was the sound of metalponents breaking. Then, there was arge hole in the ground. The smashed door slid down the stairs below with a resonant crash.

    ¡°I see... if I destroy this staircase, they should not be able to escape through here.

    ? ? ?

    It was a small room.

    The only furniture in this almost-empty room was a cab and a bed.

    The mattress was not a simple mass of straw bedding, but an actual cotton-stuffed mattress. It was well made, of the sort that noble homes might use. However, this mattress was designed for functionality and so it looked in, without any decorating.

    A naked man sat on the mattress.

    He was well into his middle years, and gluttony had made his frame bby.

    His looks had originally been average at best, but putting on the pounds had made him that much uglier. He looked like a pig from every angle.

    Incidentally, pigs were intelligent and cute animals who loved cleanliness. The word ¡°pig¡± in this case was a derogatory term used to describe stupid, boorish and filthy people.

    His name was Stefan Havish.

    ? ? ?

    He raised his fist ¡ª and punched down onto the mattress.

    The sound of flesh striking flesh rang forth.

    A look of delight blossomed on Stefan¡¯s face. The sensation of smashing flesh travelled up his arm, and his body shivered even as goosebumps of pleasure sprouted on him.

    ¡°Uhhh...¡±

    He slowly raised his fist, whose knuckles were now stained with sticky gore.

    Stefan was pressing down a naked woman.

    Her face was swollen and bruised, and the skin was flecked with spots of blood. Her nose was broken and the blood leaking from it had clotted on her skin. Her lips and eyelids were simrly swollen,pletely distorting her originally beautiful face, There were bruises on the rest of her body, but the damage was worst on her face. The sheets around them were stained with old, dried blood.

    She had been trying to protect her face with her hands until just now, but now her armsy limp on the bed. Her hair spread out messily on the mattress, like it was floating in water.

    ¡°Oi, what¡¯s with you? Tired already? Huh?!¡±

    The woman seemed to be unconscious.

    Stefan raised his fist and punched downwards.

    With a thud, his fist connected with her cheekbone, and pain surged up Stefan¡¯s hand.

    His face twisted.

    ¡°Cheh. That hurt, you bitch!¡±

    He angrily punched her again.

    The mattress creaked in time with the thud of flesh striking flesh. Her swollen skin split, staining his knuckles with blood. Said blood sttered stickily onto the mattress, dying it with carmine spots.

    ¡°...Uuuu...¡±

    The woman no longer struggled despite the beating. There was no response from her body.

    Non-stop bludgeoning like this could end up killing someone. However, the woman had survived, but not because Stefan had been merciful. The woman clung to life because the mattress had dissipated the force of the blows. Had she been beaten while lying on a harder bed, she might well be dead by now.

    Stefan had been brutal, but not because he knew about that effect of the mattress. Rather, it was because the woman¡¯s death did not concern him. All that was needed was to pay to dispose of the problem.

    In truth, Stefan had beaten several women to death in this ce.

    However, he had to pay for the cleanup every time he killed someone, which strained his wallet. Thus, he unconsciously went easy on them.

    As he looked down at the woman¡¯s unmoving face, Stefan licked his lips.

    This brothel was perfect for satisfying unique sexual fetishes. Normal bordellos would not permit their customers to do such things. Well, perhaps they might, but Stefan did not know of any such ces.

    Life was good when very had been permitted.

    ves were a form of property, and people who manhandled them had been scorned. It was just like how others would roll their eyes at people who threw their money around.

    However, ves had been the only way for someone like Stefan ¡ª with his special sexual preferences ¡ª to satisfy his desires. Without them, Stefan had been forced to ke his lust in this ce. Who knew what would have happened had he not known about this establishment?

    There was no doubt that he would havemitted a crime and gotten arrested.

    Stefan was practically tearing up in gratitude towards his noble master, who had rmended this ce to him. Naturally, it was so that he could use his power for his master¡¯s benefit.

    ¡°Thank you ¡ª my master.¡±

    A look of calm came over Stefan¡¯s eyes. It was hard to imagine that he could be so grateful to his liege given his personality and his sexual proclivities.

    However¡ª

    The embers of a me zed up in the depths of his belly ¡ª the mes of wrath.

    This emotion was directed at the woman who had deprived him of ves with which to satisfy his lusts.

    ¡°¡ªThat bitch!¡±

    His face turned red with anger, and his eyes were bloodshot.

    He imagined the face of the Royal whom he should have been serving ¡ª the Princess ¡ª on the body of the woman beneath him. Stefan gathered the anger within himself into his fist, andid into the helpless woman.

    Fresh blood flew with every blow he struck.

    ¡°If only, if only I could smash that face of hers! How good would that feel!¡±

    He rained punch after punch into the woman¡¯s face.

    His fist struck her cheek, and a surprising quantity of blood spurted from between the woman¡¯s swollen lips. Perhaps she had cut the inside of her mouth on her teeth.

    The woman¡¯s sole response to this beating was to tremble slightly.

    ¡°¡ªHuu... huu...¡±

    After a few more strikes, Stefan was panting as his shoulders rose and fell. His body and forehead were slick with sweat.

    Stefan looked at the woman he had pinned underneath him. Her condition could only be described as ¡°tragic¡±, and she was close to death at this point. Whaty there was a puppet whose strings had been cut.

    Stefan swallowed audibly.

    Nothing pleased him more than to rape a battered and bloody woman. The prettier she had originally been, the better. There was no better way to satisfy his sadistic desires than to destroy something beautiful.

    ¡°If only I could fuck that woman like this...¡±

    Stefan thought of the haughty features which belonged to the youngdy of the house which he had just visited. She was as beautiful as the Princess, who was herself known as the most beautiful woman in the Kingdom.

    Of course, Stefan was very clear that he would not have the chance to abuse such a high-ssdy. The only people Stefan could indulge his fetishes with were the dregs of humanity who had been dumped into this brothel, to be used and then discarded.

    Such a beautiful woman would surely be bought up by a wealthy and powerful noble for a huge sum. She would then be spirited away to his domain and live in seclusion, in order to keep her sale from bing public knowledge.

    ¡°How I wish I could beat up a woman like that ¡ª beat her to death.¡±

    How happy and satisfied would he be if he could do that?

    Of course, that was nothing more than a madman¡¯s ravings.

    Stefan looked down at the woman crushed beneath him. Her bare bosom was moving slightly. He smiled lewdly as he confirmed that fact.

    Stefan reached down to grab the woman¡¯s breasts, deforming the soft flesh between his fingers.

    The woman did not react at all. She was on the verge of death and could not respond to such trivial pain. The woman Stefan was squeezing differed from a doll only in the softness of her body.

    However, Stefan was somewhat dissatisfied by herck of resistance.

    Save me.

    Spare me.

    I¡¯m sorry.

    Please stop.

    The woman¡¯s cries echoed in Stefan¡¯s mind.

    Should he have fucked her while she still had the strength left to scream?

    Stefan continued squeezing her breasts, a vague sense of regret in his heart.

    Most of the women who had been sent to this brothel were no longer in a right state of mind. They had chosen to run away from reality. When one took that into consideration, the woman chosen to serve Stefan today had been better off than most.

    ¡°Was that woman like this too?¡±

    Stefan imagined Tsuare. He had no interest in what happened to the brothel employee who had let her go.

    However, when he thought of the butler he had encountered during his visit, Stefan could not suppress the mockingughter in his heart.

    That thing had coupled with countless men, and even with female or nonhuman partners. There was no point in protecting her at all. And yet that old butler had said he was willing to pay hundreds of gold coins for her. It was a miracle he had notughed out loud on the spot.

    ¡°Ah, the woman who ran away screamed very well too.¡±

    He searched through his memories and recalled her wails. She had been fairly normal by the standards of the girl sent to this brothel.

    Stefan smiled lewdly, and began to ke his bestial lust. He seized one of the pinned woman¡¯s bare legs and spread it wide. Her emaciated, slender leg was thin enough that Stefan could encircle it with one hand.

    Stefan pressed himself between the woman¡¯s legs.

    As he grasped his tool, now turgid from the burning desire that consumed his body¡ª

    ¡ªThe door behind him clicked, and slowly opened.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Stefan hurriedly turned back, and a vaguely familiar old man appeared within his field of view. Then, he remembered who that old man was.

    It was the butler he had met at that mansion.

    The soles of the old man¡¯s ¡ª Sebas¡¯ ¡ª shoes clicked neatly as he walked into the room. Stefan was speechless in the face of his casual, natural movements.

    What was that house¡¯s butler doing here? Why had hee to this room? Stefan¡¯s mind went nk in the face of this inexplicable situation.

    Sebas walked up to Stefan. Then, he saw the woman crushed beneath Stefan¡¯s bulk.

    After that, Sebas directed an iparably frigid re at Stefan.

    ¡°You like to beat people, do you?¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    The strange mood in the air drove Stefan to rise as he went for his clothes.

    However, Sebas moved faster than him.

    A thwap resounded in Stefan¡¯s ears, and then his vision shook wildly.

    A beatter, Stefan¡¯s right cheek caught fire as burning, stinging heat radiated out from it.

    He had been struck ¡ª no, in this case it would be more appropriate to say he had been pped. It took a while for Stefan to realize that.

    ¡°Damn you, how dare¡ª¡±

    A ringing thwap resounded off Stefan¡¯s face. It was soon followed by many more.

    Left, right, left, right, left, right, left, right¡ª

    ¡°Stahp¡ª!¡±

    Stefan had always been the one who hit others. Nobody had ever hit him.These few blows left him in tears.

    He raised his hand to protect his face as he stumbled back in retreat.

    His cheeks throbbed with pain, as though they had been scalded.

    ¡°Dah, dahh hyu! Howh dahhe hyu do hiss hoo meeeh!¡±

    His swollen, reddened cheeks hurt whenever he spoke.

    ¡°Is there a problem?¡±

    ¡°Orhhh courrhh herr ihh! Ihiot! Hoo oo hyuu hink hai ahhm?!¡±

    ¡°Just another moron.¡±

    Sebas closed in on the retreating Stefan and with a thwap! he dealt out yet another resounding p.

    ¡°Hop ihh! Pleeehe hop ihh!¡±

    Stefan covered his face like a child being struck by his parents.

    He liked using violence, but he had always used it on those weaker than him. Even if Sebas appeared to be just another old man, Stefan would not dare raise his hand to him. He would only make his move when he was absolutely certain that his victim could not fight back.

    Perhaps he had sensed Stefan¡¯s craven nature, but Sebas lost interest in him and looked back to the girl.

    ¡°How tragic...¡±

    Stefan ran past Sebas as he stood over the girl.

    ¡°Youh ihiot!¡± Stefan fumed.

    What a foolish old man.

    He was going to gather everyone in this ce to teach this old man a painful lesson. How dare he strike someone like himself! He would not go easy on the old man. Stefan would make sure he had his fill of pain and fear.

    The image of the butler¡¯s mistress, the angelic-seeming girl, appeared in Stefan¡¯s mind.

    The mistress would have to take responsibility for her servant¡¯s mistakes. He would have her bear the burden of the pain that the old man had caused him. Stefan would teach that old man exactly who he had hit.

    As those dark thoughts went through his mind, Stefan charged out the door as his beer belly jiggled violently.

    ¡°Homeone! Homeone help meehh!¡± he shouted.

    Surely an employee woulde to check on him if he called for help.

    However, his hopes were dashed the moment he stepped into the hallway.

    The passage was silent.

    It was as though nobody was around.

    Stefan looked around nervously, still naked.

    The bizarre silence of the hallway filled him with fear.

    At a nce, there were several doors on both sides of him. It was only natural that nobody would answer him. This ce catered to clients with exotic tastes ¡ª dangerous ones, in fact. Thus the rooms were all soundproofed.

    However, there was no way the employees would not have heard.

    µ«ÊÇ£¬²»¿ÉÄÜÁ¬Ô±¹¤¶¼Ã»Ìý¼û¡£

    He had seen several of them when he had been brought to his room just now. Each of them was a burly man with bulging muscles. How could an old man like Sebaspare?

    ¡°Why¡¯h hobodyh homingh?!¡±

    ¡°¡ªThey are all either dead or unconscious,¡± said the calm voice which answered Stefan¡¯s cry.

    Turning back, Stefan saw Sebas standing serenely behind him.

    ¡°There were apparently quite a few of them... though most of them are asleep now.¡±

    ¡°Thah.. thah impohhible! Howh mahy peoperh do hyu hink arhe herhe ahywahy?!¡±

    ¡°...There were three who looked like employees on top and ten more down below. There were seven others like you.¡±

    What nonsense are you babbling?! Sebas looked incredulously at Sebas.

    ¡°In any case, nobody here, upstairs or downstairs, can save you. Even if the staff did wake up, I have already broken their arms and legs. All they can do is crawl like caterpirs.¡±

    Stefan¡¯s expression was one of utter shock. Impossible, he thought but the air within the brothel proved the truth of Sebas¡¯ words.

    ¡°Alright, I do not think there is a need to spare your life. That being the case, please die here.¡±

    Sebas did not draw a sword or ready any sort of weapon. He simply walked up to Stefan in silence, like it was the most natural thing in the world. That nonchnce only served to frighten Stefan, because he knew Sebas truly wanted him dead.

    ¡°Wahe! Wahe!! Aih khen gihe hyu... uh... Aih khen gihe hyuu ha hot ohhh muhnehh!¡±

    ¡°...I do not quite understand what you are saying. I believe you are attempting to offer me an inducement, am I correct? I see... not interested.¡±

    ¡°Whah harr hyuu dhoing thihh?!¡±

    What have I done to deserve this? Why do I have to die? Stefan finally got his message across to Sebas for the first time.

    ¡°...Do you not know, even after searching your heart?¡±

    Stefan considered everything he had done until now. What had he done wrong?

    Sebas sighed.

    ¡°...Really now?¡±

    As he said that, Sebas savagely kicked Stefan in the gut and sent him flying.

    ¡°So that is what they mean when they say that something is not worth keeping alive.¡±

    Stefan was wracked with incredible pain as several of his internal organs ruptured within him. THe agony was such that a man might writhe and suffer until he died, but Stefan remained conscious, though his mind was a blur.

    It hurts!

    It hurts!

    It hurts!

    He wanted to scream and roll around on the ground, but he was immobile from the intense pain.

    ¡°Rest in peace. Or not, as it were,¡± a cold voice said to Stefan¡¯s soon-to-be corpse.

    Stefan wanted to cry out for help, but his throat would not respond.

    A drop of sweat trickled into his eye and his vision became blurry. Still, he could make out Sebas¡¯ receding back.

    Save me!

    Please save me!

    I¡¯ll pay you anything you want, so please save me!

    Nobody could answer his silent plea for help.

    In the end, Stefan Havish suffered unimaginable pain in his abdomen as he slowly died .

    <b>Part 2</b>

    <b>Lower Fire Month (9th Month) 3rd Day 12:12</b>

    ¡°Climb-kun, we should kill everyone up here. I don¡¯t have anything to bind them with, and if they raise the rm we¡¯ll be in trouble. Even if we knock them out, they might wake up. Under the circumstances, it¡¯s just too risky to try and subdue a location we don¡¯t know anything about... is something wrong?

    ¡°Ah, no, it¡¯s nothing.¡±

    Climb shook his head to chase away his uneasiness. His hearted pounded within his chest, but he tried his best to ignore it.

    ¡°Forgive me. I¡¯m alright over here. Ready to go at any time.¡±

    ¡°Really? ...Hm, looks like you¡¯re a different person. You¡¯ve been acting strange ever since we got here, but you¡¯ve got a warrior¡¯s face on you now. I do understand how you feel, because there¡¯s a powerful enemy here that you can¡¯t beat at the moment. Still, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m here and so is Sebas-sama. Focus on staying alive to keep your spirits up.¡±

    Brain patted Climb on the back, then knocked on the door four times with the hand that was not holding his sword.

    Climb clutched his weapon tightly as well.

    The sound of heavy footsteps came from behind the door. Then they heard the sound of locks disengaging ¡ª three, to be precise.

    In the instant which the door opened, Climb pulled it wide open, in ordance to the n.

    Brain had already shed his way in before the people inside could even cry out in surprise. There was the sound of a body being cut apart, followed by that of a heavy object hitting the ground.

    Climb was a step behind Brain as he charged inside.

    He entered just in time to see Brain cut down his second man. There was one more person within the room, a man in leather armor and carrying a short sword. Climb rushed him and closed the distance in an instant.

    ¡°Ah! Who the hell are you?!¡±

    The man stabbed at Climb with his de, but Climb easily deflected it with his sword.

    After that, Climb raised his sword high, and brought it down on the man from above.

    The man tried to block it with his dagger, but a mere short sword could not withstand a strike with Climb¡¯s full weight behind it. Climb¡¯s sword deflected the short sword away and his de sank into the man¡¯s shoulder, carving through hisrynx.

    The man cried out in pain as he copsed to the ground, and Climb could not believe the human body could contain that much blood. His opponent twitched and spasmed on the ground as hey dying.

    After verifying the wound he had dealt was mortal, Climb rushed deeper into the room, riding the flow of the battle while remaining alert. No enemies came out from hiding to meet him. He could hear Brain running up the stairs to the second floor behind him.

    The furniture here was in and ordinary. Climb made sure there were no enemies here before moving on to the next room.

    A minute passed.

    Having checked their assigned floors and satisfied themselves that there were no other enemies, Climb and Brain met at the entrance.

    ¡°I went over the first floor, but I didn¡¯t see any enemies.¡±

    ¡°Same with the second floor. They didn¡¯t even have beds there, so that means they don¡¯t live in this ce... I¡¯m sure of it, there has to be a secret passage leading to the ce where they¡¯re staying.¡±

    ¡°Did you find it? I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s not on the third floor.¡±

    ¡°Nope, nothing like that. But if what you said is right, it ought to be on the first floor, Climb-kun.¡±

    Climb and Brain exchanged looks, and then looked inside the building.

    Climb had not learned any thief skills, so he could not detect secret doors just by looking. If there had been some flour here, and they had the time, they might be able to thoroughly scatter it around to find the hidden passage.

    The flour particles would fall into the seams of the secret doors and make them easy to spot. However, theycked both the flour and the time to scatter it. Therefore, Climb produced the magic items from his waist pouch.

    These were the handbells given to him by Gagaran of Blue Rose. She had said, ¡°It¡¯s dangerous to adventure without a thief buddy, but you have to do it sometimes. In those situations, having an item like this can make a huge difference.¡±

    Climb looked at the designs on each of the bells, and picked the one he needed from them.

    The magic item he selected was called the Bell of Detecting Secret Doors.

    Climb sensed Brain looking interestedly at the bell, and he shook it. The bell produced a pure note which only its holder could hear.

    In response to the bell, a corner of the ground glowed with a pulsing pale white light, telling him that there was a secret door there.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a handy magic item. Mine all enhance myself; they¡¯re only useful in battle.¡±

    ¡°But any warrior would obviously choose such items, right?¡±

    ¡°A warrior, huh...¡±

    Climb left Brain, who was smiling sadly to himself. He memorized the position of the hidden door and then he walked a circuit around the first floor. The effects of that magic item would onlyst for a short while, and he had to make the most of that time to search the area. However, after he had finished walking, no other ce had reacted to the magic besides the ce where he had started.

    After this, all they would have to do was open the secret door and pass through. However, Climb narrowed his eyes and looked at the door. Then he sighed, and reached for the three bells again.

    This bell had different patterns on it from the previous one. He shook it like the one before.

    A simr, but different chime filled the air.

    This was the Bell of Removing Traps.

    It paid to be cautious. As a warrior, Climb could neither find nor disarm traps, and there was nothing he could do against their effects. Perhaps if he had a magic caster with him, he might be able to recover from poison or paralysis, but he and Brain were only two warriors. There were apparently some martial arts which could dy the effects of poison and the like for a while, but Climb had not learned them and neither did he have any antidote potions on him. He had to consider being poisoned to be a fatal condition.

    This magic item had a limited number of uses per day, but it would be better to use them without hesitation than risk falling for a trap.

    A heavy nk came from the secret door.

    Climb wedged the tip of his sword into the gap between the secret door and the floor and pried it up.

    The wooden flooring went up and fell back in the other direction. There was a crossbow fitted inside the door, a bolt fitted to the nocked string. Under the light of themp, its head gleamed with a strange sheen that was not metallic in nature.

    Climb shifted position and examined the crossbow.

    There was a very sticky liquid on the quarrel¡¯s tip, most likely poison of some sort.

    If he had opened the secret door thoughtlessly, the poisoned projectile would have been loosed at him.

    Climb breathed a quiet sigh of relief and then checked to see if he could take down the crossbow. However, it was securely fitted and could not be removed without tools.

    Climb decided to abandon that notion and looked beyond the secret door.

    A staircase extended downwards, but he could not see down its length thanks to the angle of his observation. Said staircase was buttressed with stone blocks and looked very solid.

    ¡°Then, what should we do? Should we wait here?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not too good with fighting indoors. I¡¯d rather find a wide, open space to wait for the enemy to show up.¡±

    ¡°When ites to one-on-onebat, you¡¯d have a better chance waiting for the enemy at the top of the stairs. However, if you ended up fighting here, I might not be able to hear you once I went further in. Besides, enemy reinforcements might show up, so we shouldn¡¯t try to hold this ce. In that case, let¡¯s go in together.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Thank you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take point. Hang back a bit before following me.¡±

    ¡°Understood. By the way, the trap-disarming item I used just now can be activated three times a day, but it can¡¯t be used consecutively; I have to wait half an hour between uses. So we can¡¯t count on it for the time being.¡±

    ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll be careful as I go. Let me know if you find anything.¡±

    With that, Brain descended the stairs, and Climb followed with him.

    For safety¡¯s sake, Brain poked the stairs with his sword as he went down, advancing step by careful step.

    After they had gotten off the stairs, they found that the passage before them was dressed with tightly-fitted stone, and the walls had also been reinforced with masonry. A door stood several meters ahead of them, and the surroundings were reinforced with steel tes.

    Brain did not think that an escape tunnel would be fitted with a trap more lethal than a crossbow, but he had heard of pitfall traps, which could take even heavily-armored warriors out of the fight. Avoiding traps like those were an absolute top priority.

    While it was only a short distance, Brain still took his time and advanced cautiously. Eventually, they reached the door. Climb was waiting at the stairs, so as to avoid being caught up if something happened.

    Brain stabbed the door with his sword. After a few stabs, he made up his mind, grabbed the handle ¡ª and turned.

    Then, he froze.

    As Climb began worrying something had happened to him, Brain turned back with a bitter expression on his face. He said:

    ¡°...It¡¯s locked.¡±

    Obviously it was. Anyone would have expected that.

    ¡°Anything you can do about it? Otherwise I¡¯ll have to try and hack it down.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. One moment, please.¡±

    Climb took out thest of the three bells and shook it at the door.

    A faint click came from the door as the Bell of Opening Locks took effect.

    Brain tried the handle, and cracked the door open just a little to observe the conditions within the room.

    ¡°It¡¯s empty. I¡¯m going in.¡±

    Climb followed behind Brain as thetter made his entry.

    It was a hall of some sort.

    The walls were lined with cages and crates that could take human beings within them. Perhaps this was a storeroom. Still, it seemed toorge to be one.

    The doors opposite them were not locked. Climb leaned in to listen and he could hear the sounds of amotion in the distance.

    Brain looked back and asked Climb:

    ¡°How¡¯s this ce? It seems big enough to me... Although it means you¡¯ll have to face a bunch of people at once.¡±

    ¡°If they gang up on me, I¡¯ll open the exit and fight near the stairs.

    ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll be checking around the surroundings and I¡¯ll return soon. Don¡¯t die on me, Climb.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much. Please be careful, Brain-sama.¡±

    ¡°Mind lending me those items from just now?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Forgive me for not thinking of that earlier.¡±

    Climb handed the three bells to Brain, who put them into his waist pouch. Then, a stern warrior¡¯s countenance came over him. With a curt, ¡°I¡¯m off¡±, he passed through the unlocked door and headed into the depths of the brothel.

    This left Climb by himself. He looked around the silent room.

    He began by searching his surroundings, making sure nobody was hidden and that there were no secret tunnels behind the crates. He was only a warrior, but he felt that there were no hidden doors or the like. Then, he inspected the crates proper.

    He was hoping to find some information on other Eight Fingers instations. If he managed to find contraband or smuggled goods, so much the better. Of course, an in-depth investigation would have to wait for after they had taken control of this ce, but before that, he ought to search as best as he could.

    There were crates of all sizes, and he approached thergest one. It looked to be about two meters tall.

    He checked therge crate for traps. Naturally, Climb had not spontaneously developed any detection abilities since just now, so all he could do was clumsily imitate what proper thieves did for a living.

    He ced his ear to the crate and listened.

    He did not think the crate would contain anything, but this was a secret society¡¯s domain, so he might be able to find something. It might also contain an illegally-smuggled lifeform or something.

    But as he had expected, there was no sound. Climb reached out and tried to open the top of the crate.

    ¡ªIt did not open,

    He could not even budge it.

    He looked around for a crowbar or a poker, but his quick scan of the area revealed no tools of the sort.

    ¡°...There¡¯s nothing I can do.¡±

    After that, he tried to open a crate that was roughly a cubic meter in size.

    That one opened easily enough. He looked inside and saw clothes of many colors and varieties. There was everything from ponchos to dresses fit for noblewomen.

    ¡°What are these? Is there something hidden under these clothes... doesn¡¯t look like it... Spare clothes, maybe? Or are they something like work clothes? Maid uniforms, maybe? What on earth could they be used for?¡±

    Climb had no idea of those clothes¡¯ purpose. He picked a piece up and looked closely at it, but it looked to be just another ordinary garment. If he wanted to link it to a crime, then at best it might have been stolen, but it did not constitute enough evidence to shut down this brothel.

    He could not figure it out, so he decided not to bother. After that, Climb moved on to another crate of simr size. Just then, a loud thud echoed through the room.

    That was impossible. He had searched the entire room and made sure that nobody was there.

    Just then, an idea shed through his mind.

    Could it be that someone had been hiding in the room all along, using the [Invisibility] spell to conceal themselves?

    Shocked by his own conclusion, Climb hurriedly looked to the source of the sound. It hade from the two-meter crate from earlier, the one that he could not open. One side of it was pressed up against the wall, and the boards opposite it had opened up.

    This exposed the interior. It did not contain anything except two men. There was a hole in the back of the crate, opening up to a tunnel where there should have been a solid wall. It would seem the secret passage was linked to the crate.

    A man emerged from the crate just as Climb was stunned with shock.

    Cold sweat poured down Climb¡¯s back.

    One of them looked just like the man Sebas had described. That man was called Sulent. He was the biggest obstacle to this takeover operation, and the biggest prize of them all.

    He was a member of Six Arms, whose prowess wasparable to those of adamantite-ranked adventurers. In other words, he was an unbeatable foe for Climb.

    Sulent eased a de out of its sheath as he looked at Climb, then narrowed his eyes and said:

    ¡°We knew there were intruders from the [rm] spell, and even took the secret passage to avoid meeting them... I guess we ought to make another one, huh?¡±

    ¡°What point is there in saying that now?¡± the man behind him replied in a shrill voice.

    ¡°Huh? Haven¡¯t I seen that boy somewhere before?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t me me for getting mad if you tell me you bedded him before, at a time like this.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so mean, Sulent. As if I would. Ah, I remember. He¡¯s the minion of that damn slut, the one I hate more than anyone else in the whole world.¡±

    ¡°Oh, so he¡¯s the servant of that princess, then.¡±

    Sulent looked Climb over from head to toe.

    The man behind him had a revolting look of lust in his eyes, but Sulent seemed to be appraising Climb¡¯s strength as a warrior, much like how a serpent was sizing up its next meal to be swallowed whole.

    The man behind him licked his lips and asked:

    ¡°I¡¯d like to take that boy with me. Can you do it?¡±

    The hairs on Climb¡¯s back stood on end, and his anus itched.

    So he¡¯s that kind of guy!

    ¡°That will cost extra.¡±

    Sulent turned to face Climb, ignoring thetter¡¯s internal screaming. His stance exposed no weaknesses, and he seemed like an even more formidable obstacle to Climb now.

    Sulent suddenly stepped forward.

    The oing wave of pressure forced Climb to take one step back.

    When there was a massive disparity of strength between two opponents, their battle would not take long. However, Climb had to take on that arduous task.

    If I remain on the defensive and focus on blocking attacks, I ought to be able to buy time until they return.

    But before that, he had to do one thing.

    Climb took a deep breath.

    ¡°SOMEONE HELP ME¡ª!¡±

    He shouted with all his might, as though he were trying to dump out all the air in his lungs.

    There was no way he could win if he fought alone. Capturing these people and preventing their escape would count as a victory for him. Allowing someone as strong as this man ¡ª in other words, someone who might know a lot of important information ¡ª to escape would be aplete loss.

    That being the case, why should he hesitate in crying for aid?

    Indeed, Sulent¡¯s expression turned vicious at that moment.

    Now that Climb had done this, Sulent was in a race against the clock. In other words, he might end up pulling out all his trump cards early on.

    Climb continued to observe him, not daring to rx.

    ¡°Co Doll-san. Capturing him might be a bit difficult. I have to finish him off before his friends arrive.¡±

    ¡°How could that be?! Aren¡¯t you a member of Six Arms? Can¡¯t you beat a measly little brat like this? Doesn¡¯t that disgrace the name ¡®Illusion Devil¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Now you¡¯ve put me in a spot. Alright, I¡¯ll do my best. But please remember that our win condition is that you escape, no?¡±

    Climb remained on his guard and eyed Sulent, trying to find the reason why he was called the Illusion Devil. If he had chosen that name himself, it would probably not be too dissimr from his actual abilities. That being the case, he could probably discern said abilities by finding the reason for the name. Unfortunately, he could not tell anything from his foe¡¯s appearance and his equipment.

    Climb knew the odds were stacked against him, but gave a valorous shout to steel himself.

    ¡°I will hold this door! You will not pass so long as I still draw breath!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that. Seeing you beaten to the ground in a disgraceful heap ought to be proof enough.¡±

    Sulent slowly raised his sword and took a stance.

    Huh?

    Climb questioned what his eyes had just told him.

    That de seemed to flicker. He was not seeing things. The flickering vanished quickly enough, but Climb was certain of what he had just witnessed.

    Is that a martial art of some kind¡ª?

    That was probably the source of the moniker ¡°Illusion Devil¡±. His foe had most likely used some kind of ability. He ought to be wary and remain alert.

    Sulent stepped into range and swung his sword.

    That movement did not look like an attack from an adamantite-ranked warrior. In fact, it looked sloppier than one of Climb¡¯s own strikes. He raised his de in preparation to intercept the strike ¡ª then a chill not born of the air ran through him, and he hurriedly leaped aside.

    Pain suddenly blossomed on the other side of his body, and he was very nearly tossed away.

    ¡°Gwaargh!¡±

    Climb stumbled back several steps and collided against the wall. He had no time to think about what had happened ¡ª Sulent was already in front of him.

    The de swung like it hadst time. Climb raised his sword to protect his head and threw himself to the left to flee the blow.

    His right upper arm was wracked with agony.

    Climb recovered into a standing position after rolling away and thrust behind himself without thinking.

    His de struck nothing but air.

    Now that he knew his foe was not going to pursue him, he looked back, clutching his right arm. He saw Sulent going for the door which led to the staircase, still mindful of Climb¡¯s movements.

    Climb ignored Sulent as he tried the door and looked at Co Doll. He guessed that Sulent would be hampered by the simple fact that he was here to protect Co Doll.

    His guess was right.

    Sulent stopped trying the door and put himself between Climb and Co Doll, clicking his tongue as he did. After that, he looked between Climb and the door, then looked back at Co Doll, his face twisted.

    ¡°Damn, I fell for it. Sorry, but I have to kill this little punk here.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? If we keep this kid alive, we can use him to ckmail that little bitch, can¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°He tricked me. It¡¯s all because he was guarding the door... so dering he would hold the line was part of his n. To think this punk would try to screw with my mind.¡±

    ...Excellent! He took the bait. Looks like he doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s going on outside. Now they won¡¯t try to flee.

    GIven that Co Doll had only one bodyguard, trying to flee while Climb could still fight was a foolish course of action. This was because they might end up being nked if Climb had colleagues on top of the stairs. That was also why Sulent could not let Co Doll flee by himself until he had dealt with Climb.

    What rattled Sulent was the fact that Climb had loudly dered that he would defend the door, but he had then left it swiftly with the intention of attacking Co Doll. Now, Sulent was sure that there were ambushers waiting outside the door, prepared tounch a pincer attack to capture Co Doll. That certainty limited the tactical options he could consider.

    Right now, Sulent was probably thinking that he had to finish Climb off in order to escape safely. Of course, he was operating without knowledge of the conditions outside the door. Otherwise, he would have opened it and fled long ago.

    Climb had won this gamble, but he raised his sword in response to a sudden surge of killing intent.

    ¡°!¡±

    Climb grit his teeth against the pain which came from his side and his right upper arm. He might have broken several ribs, but fortunately he could still move. No, he would have been hacked to pieces by now if that pervert had not dered his desire for Climb¡¯s body. Even a chain shirt did not provideplete immunity to shing attacks.

    Still, what was that weird move? Did he add another high-speed sh after his initial attack? Doesn¡¯t seem like it...

    Gazef¡¯s face shed through Climb¡¯s mind.

    Gazef Stronoff possessed a unique martial art, the [Sixfold sh of Light], which allowed him to continuously attack a foe six times. Perhaps Sulent was using a weaker version of that, a [Twofold sh of Light]?

    If that were the case, then Sulent was probably using some sinister martial art, where his first strike was made at normal speed and then followed up by a lightning-fast second strike.

    Something¡¯s off here. If I can figure out that technique¡¯s secret, I should be able to deal with it... In any case I¡¯m at a disadvantage if I¡¯m constantly on the defensive. Time to attack.

    Climb swallowed and began to run. His eyes shifted from Sulent to Co Doll.

    Sulent¡¯s face twisted miserably.

    Given that he¡¯s a bodyguard, he probably doesn¡¯t want anyone to make a move on his charge, even if it¡¯s just a feint. I¡¯d feel the same as him, so I understand him pretty well.

    Climb closed in as he tried to apply his own experience to his foe.

    An Illusion Devil... If that¡¯s true... then maybe that move¡¯s a trap in itself... however, it¡¯s worth making sure.

    He closed in and cleaved downwards. As expected, the strike was easily deflected. He fought against the rebounded impact and swung down again. The blow was weak because he had not brought the sword up, but that was enough.

    Sulent deflected the strike again. Climb nodded in satisfaction and pulled away.

    ¡°It¡¯s an illusion, not a martial art!¡±

    He had felt something strange when his sword had been deflected. It was as though his strike had bounced away before it had even made contact with the sword he could see.

    ¡°Your right arm¡¯s an illusion! The real arm and sword are invisible!¡±

    In other words, what he thought he had blocked was an illusion. It was the invisible sword which had struck him.

    Sulent¡¯s face went nk, and he calmly replied:

    ¡°...Correct. This is just abination of an invisibility and an illusion spell. I¡¯ve trained as an illusionist and a fencer. Once you figure it out, it¡¯s not much of a trick, is it? Laugh it up if you want.¡±

    How could heugh at that? It seemed simple in principle, and he did wonder why he had not figured it out earlier. However, an invisible de was a true terror in a life-or-death battle, where every hit might be thest. The illusion that he could see only added to the deception.

    ¡°I suppose I¡¯m below you in raw fighting ability because I pursued two paths at once. However...¡±

    Sulent¡¯s sword hand turned a full circle. But was that his real hand? For all he knew, he was watching an invisible arm while the real hand had already taken out a dagger in preparation for a throw.

    Climb broke out in a cold sweat as he realised the fearsome power of illusions.

    ¡°Among the arcane magic caster vocations, illusionists can only use spells from the illusion school. Granted, some higher-tier spells can inflict damage so realistic that it can trick the brain into thinking it¡¯s dead... but I¡¯m not that skilled.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like a lie. There¡¯s no way to prove you¡¯re telling the truth.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Sulent smiled. ¡°Eh, still, you don¡¯t have to believe me either. Alright, I¡¯ve said my piece... In any case, I can¡¯t enhance myself with spells, nor can I weaken you with magic. However... can you tell what is real and what is merely illusion?¡±

    Saying so, Sulent¡¯s body split apart into multiple images of himself, stacked one on top of the other.

    ¡°[Multiple Vision].¡±

    The one in the center looked like the original, but Climb had no way to be sure.

    Dammit, I gave him time to prepare!

    Climb¡¯s aim was to stall for time, but it was too risky to allow a magic caster to enhance himself with spells.

    Climb shouted loudly, using a martial art to enhance his senses, and charged in at Sulent.

    ¡°[Scintiting Scotoma].¡±

    ¡°Uuurgh!¡±

    Part of Climb¡¯s field of vision suddenly banished. However, the spell¡¯s effect promptly ended. He must have resisted the magic.

    Climb stepped in and swung his sword in a grand, sweeping strike. Of course, only one of the Sulents was within his reach. Moving close enough to get all the Sulents in range of his swing would necessitate entering extremely close quarters, where he would not be able to bring his sword to bear.

    His sword hit one of the Sulents, which splitterally in two. However, his foe did not spew blood, nor did the sword encounter any resistance as it passed straight through Sulent¡¯s body.

    ¡°¡ªYou guessed wrong.¡±

    A chill rose from his guts and his throat suddenly grew hot. Climb reflexively raised his left hand to grab the heated portion.

    Pain shot through the hand holding his throat and fresh blood spewed forth, bringing with it a disgusting sensation of wet clothing. Had he not sensed Sulent¡¯s murderous intent, or if he had not promptly sacrificed a hand to save himself, his throat would have been cut open. Though d to still be alive, he grit his teeth and bit back the pain as he swept his sword once more.

    The de met no resistance again, and the only thing it cut was the air.

    It would be bad if things continued like this.

    Climb realized this and decided to change martial arts. He decided to fall back while using [Evade]. He could see the remaining two Sulents raise their swords over their heads. Climb knew that the swords were illusions, and focused his attention on his hearing.

    The chain shirt he wore and even the beating of his own heart were meaningless noise. All he had to listen for was the sound made by the man before him.

    ¡ª Not it ¡ª that¡¯s not it ¡ª this one!

    The sound did note from the upraised swordsing down on him. The sound of something slicing through the air came from the empty space right in front of him, at his face.

    Climb hurriedly turned his head aside ¡ª and as he did, a line of heat zed across his cheek, followed by the sensation of pain as his flesh split apart. A scalding hot liquid flowed down his cheek and over his neck.

    ¡°Half-right!¡±

    Climb spat the blood pooling in his mouth as he bet everything on his next attack.

    He had used his left hand as a shield, so now he could not feel anything except pain below his wrist. He did not know if his fingers could move. For all he knew, the nerves might have been severed. However, Climb wrapped his left hand around the hilt of his sword, in the hope of squeezing out just a bit more strength for his next blow.

    Pain exploded through Climb¡¯s body, and he grit his teeth. His left hand could still move, and it could still grasp his de. It felt like it was swollen and throbbing, but he was probably imagining things because of the pain.

    With both hands on his sword¡¯s hilt, with all his might, he raised his sword to a high stance, and swung it down savagely.

    Blood spurted. There was the sensation of hitting something hard. Fresh blood spewed like a fountain. It would seem he had struck Sulent¡¯s real body.

    It would seem Climb¡¯s blow had been mortal, because he copsed heavily to the ground, Climb could not believe that he had brought down a man on par with an adamantite-ranked adventurer, but it was an undeniable truth that Sulent was on the ground. Climb fought back the surging tion in his heart and turned his gaze on Co Doll.

    He did not look like he was going to flee.

    Perhaps he had rxed mentally, but the pain from his cheek, his left arm, and the rest of his body made him nauseous.

    ¡°Can¡¯t really call this a victory...¡±

    If he could have captured Sulent as well, he would have noints. However, that was too much to ask of Climb. Even so, capturing a man who was guarded by one of the Six Arms would probably yield a treasure trove of intelligence.

    Climb stepped forward, making to apprehend him. However, something about Co Doll¡¯s face made him suspicious.

    The man seemed too rxed.

    Why was he so rxed?

    Just then, a burning sensation pierced his belly.

    He lost all strength in his body, like his strings had been cut. His vision cked out for a moment, and by the time he came to he was on the ground. He had no idea what was going on. The pain in his belly was like a red hot bar of iron shoved into his flesh, and the pain was starting to spread. He panted heavily, and a pair of feet loomed into view of his eyes, which could only see the ground.

    ¡°Sorry about that, but I can¡¯t let you win.¡±

    He struggled to look up, but all he saw was an unscathed Sulent.

    ¡°That was [Fox Sleep], by the way. It¡¯s an illusion used after taking a wound. It hurt like hell, mind you. You must have thought you¡¯d finished me off, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    He moved his finger, tracing a line down his chest. That must have been the path Climb¡¯s sword travelled when it had hit him.

    ¡°Huhhh. Huhhhh. Huhhh. Huhhhhh...¡±

    Climb panted and gasped. He could feel the blood pouring out of his abdomen, drenching his clothes and his chain shirt.

    ¡ªI¡¯m going to die.

    Climb scrabbled for the pieces of his consciousness which had been rent asunder by the pain.

    ¡ªIf I pass out, I¡¯ll die.

    However, his death was certain, even if he did remain conscious. His opponent would probably finish him off soon.

    He had fought a man on par with an adamantite-ranked adventurer. It had been a heroic battle. Things being as they were, he had no choice but to give up. The difference in their abilities was far too great. That was simply how things were.

    However¡ª he could not give up.

    He would not give up.

    Climb clenched his teeth like he was trying to shatter them in his mouth.

    He would not permit himself to die. He would not allow himself to lose his life without an order from Renner.

    ¡°Guh, geh! Gyuhh, gegehh...¡±

    His growl was somewhere between a moan and a gnashing of his teeth, in order to spur on his gging spirit, which was on the verge of surrendering to the pain.

    He could not die. Not yet.

    Climb struggled to remember Renner. He still had to return to her side today¡ª

    ¡°We¡¯re running short on time, so I¡¯ll put you out of your misery with this. Farewell.¡±

    Sulent pointed his sword at the groaning youth.

    He had been fatally wounded. His death was only a matter of time. Still, Sulent had the feeling that it would be best to finish him off right now.

    ¡°...Say, can we take him with us?¡±

    ¡°Give me a break, Co Doll-san. He might have friends behind that door, you know? Besides, even if we take him, he won¡¯tst until we reach safety. Just forget about him.¡±

    ¡°Then, at least bring his head back. I want to put it in a bouquet and mail it to that fucking bitch.¡±

    ¡°Fine, fine, fine. If it¡¯s just the head I can still... ah, uwahhh!¡±

    Sulent leapt back.

    The young man swung his sword.

    For someone on the verge of death, the strike had been steady and true,

    Sulent had originally looked down on his dying prey with arrogant eyes. Those eyes now opened wide.

    The boy had used his sword to prop himself up and gotten back on his feet.

    Impossible.

    Sulent had take over a hundred lives thus far, and he was certain that he had dealt the kid a mortal blow. There was no way he could still be standing after that.

    However, the sight before him flew in the face of Sulent¡¯s umted experience.

    ¡°Why, why can you get up?!¡±

    It was a bone-chilling sight. It was as though Climb were one of the undead.

    A long, thin trail of drool oozed from the corner of the boy¡¯s mouth, and his ashen white face seemed devoid of all humanity.

    ¡°I... die... Renner-sama¡¯s... kindness...¡±

    His sudden intake of air froze in Sulent¡¯s lungs as Climb¡¯s burning gaze turned on him. He was afraid. He was frightened of how this young man had made the impossible possible.

    The young man staggered, and Sulent came to his senses. Shame suddenly welled up within him.

    How could he ¡ª as a member of Six Arms ¡ª be afraid of someone weaker than him? How could he possibly ept that?

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know how to die?! Go to hell!¡±

    Sulent advanced toward his opponent. He was certain that a single stab would finish the job

    ? ? ?

    However, he had greatly underestimated his adversary.

    It was true that in terms of overallbat ability, Sulent was overwhelmingly superior to Climb. However, Sulent had chosen to walk the path of the illusionist and the fencer at the same time, while Climb had been a warrior all his life. Thus, in terms of martial ability, not only was there no disparity in strength, but one could even say that Climb was Sulent¡¯s superior. The only reason why Climb could not match Sulent was due to magic. Without the aid of spells to enhance him, Sulent was the inferiorbatant.

    ? ? ?

    There was a thrumming sound as the de cleaved down from above, and then there was a high-pitched sh of metal.

    The only reason Sulent could block the boy¡¯s strike was because his movements were slowed from being on the verge of death.

    A rill of cold sweat ran down Sulent¡¯s face.

    His foe was dying. Sulent had been distracted by that fact, and his darkened eyes went wide.

    Sulent was a fencer, and he had trained for countless hours to evade his enemy¡¯s blows. The fact that he had to actually use his de to block Climb¡¯s hit was quite extraordinary.

    ¡ªThat was not the attack of a dying man.

    Those words raced through Sulent¡¯s increasingly frantic mind.

    No, it was not just that. The speed of Climb¡¯s de had been even faster than when he was unhurt.

    ¡°How the hell did you do that, you bastard!¡±

    This was someone who became stronger through battle. It was not impossible, but Sulent had never witnessed anyone like that before.

    He even began to feel that the young man had thrown off some kind of limitation.

    ¡°What the hell did you do? Was it a magic item? A martial art?!¡±

    From his tone, one would be unable to tell who hade out victorious in their battle just now.

    ? ? ?

    What exactly had happened to Climb? The answer was simple.

    Sebas¡¯ training had scrambled the part of his brain that protected his body.

    His sheer will to live ovepped with the vision of death which Sebas¡¯ training had shown him. Thus, he had managed to remove the limits ced on his physical body by his brain, unlocking the power of the adrenaline surge.

    While that training had only allowed Climb to make a single attack, without that training, he would have died without the chance to do anything at all.

    ? ? ?

    After blocking that mighty blow, Sulent was thrown far back.

    The impact of his roughnding pierced through his back and churned his guts. While his orichalcum chain shirt absorbed some of the impact, it knocked the air from his lungs and left him unable to breathe for a moment.

    What had happened? Sulent ¡ª who had taken the blow ¡ª could not exin it, but Co Doll had been watching from the side and had seen everything.

    Sulent had been kicked.

    The boy had promptly kicked Sulent right after his downward chop had been blocked.

    Sulent had no idea what was going on, but he hurriedly rose to his feet. For fencers ¡ª to whom mobility was their greatest asset ¡ª being prone on the ground was a death sentence.

    ¡°Dammit! What kind of a soldier are you?! You even kicked me! Soldiers should stick to what they know and not try new tricks!¡±

    Sulent cursed angrily as he rolled back into an upright position.

    Unlike the regimentedbat curriculum of ordinary soldiers, Climb¡¯s down and dirty fighting style made Sulent feel like he was facing an adventurer. Thus, he could not be underestimated.

    Sulent started to worry.

    At first, he had thought that the fight was his to lose. Killing a punk like this should have been a piece of cake. However, he now felt thatposure slipping away from him.

    However, as Sulent stood up, he saw the young man who had be a threat slump to the ground, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

    The youth¡¯s face looked terrible, as though the series of blows had snuffed out the me of his life. No ¡ª that was exactly what had happened. This must have been ast burst of fire, like how candles would re up before going out. Yes, that must have been the power he had used.

    Right now, that boy would die from the merest tap.

    As he saw Climb¡¯s condition, Sulent began to feel relieved, but that was soon reced by confusion and anger.

    He was furious at the fact that someone like him, a member of Six Arms, had been so hard-pressed by a miserable little mook like Climb. He was angry at the fact that he had started to panic. Still, the victor was clear. All he had to do was kill the kid and run.

    However¡ª

    ¡°¡ªDon¡¯t you think you¡¯ve done enough?¡±

    ? ? ?

    It would seem he had made it in time, somehow.

    Climb was face down on the ground, his face covered in sweat, his skin so pale that it was practically white. Still, he was breathing. That said, the wound on his belly was fatal, and he would die within a few minutes if it was not immediately treated.

    Brain felt that he could not rx yet as he entered the room.

    There were two men inside. One of them did not look like a fighter.

    ¡°Don¡¯t pay any attention to that suspicious-looking guy, just kill him!¡±

    ¡°If I do that, he¡¯ll charge up and kill me. This guy isn¡¯t like the punk from just now. I need to focus and concentrate to beat him. If I¡¯m distracted or get careless, it¡¯ll be the end of me.¡±

    The person who answered was Sulent. Brain knew exactly who the man was. He looked just like the description that had been supplied to him. Plus, the man was holding a bloodstained de and he had a body double out. Brain had suspected him from the beginning, and his suspicions had just been confirmed.

    Without another word, Brain ran up, drew and shed. There was no hesitation in his movements. Sulent had leapt away even before the blow hadnded, and the ¡¸Katana¡¹only struck empty air. However, Brain had only done so to get his opponent away from Climb. He stood over the fallen Climb, nting his feet in a location where he could cover thed.

    ¡°Climb, are you alright? Do you have any healing items on you?¡±

    His words were quick and tense. If Climb did not have anything like that, he would have to find some other way to save him.

    ¡°Hahhhh. Hahhh. Hahh. Hah. Ye... yes... I do...¡±

    He nced over and saw that Climb¡¯s hands had released his sword and begun to move.

    ¡°Really now.¡±

    A great weight lifted off Brain¡¯s shoulders. After answering Climb, he red fiercely at Sulent.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take you on next. Allow me to avenge that kid.¡±

    ¡°...You¡¯re pretty cocky. But that¡¯s only to be expected. To think you¡¯d be carrying such a valuable weapon from the South... I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve heard of anyone like you before... mind telling me your name?¡±

    He did not intend to answer.

    Climb was arade ¡ª a brother-in-arms. How could anyone reply calmly when one¡¯s brother was on the brink of death?

    Just then, a doubt blossomed in Brain¡¯s heart.

    Was I like that in the past?

    His old self had lived for nothing other than honing his swordy. When had he cared about anything else?

    Then, he chuckled to himself.

    ...Oh. I get it now.

    His ambition, his dream, his goal, his life, his way of living ¡ª all of them had been shattered beyond recovery by the monster called Shalltear Bloodfallen, and the cracks in his heart which had appeared had then been filled by the person called Climb. When faced with the vicious bloodlust from the mysterious Sebas, Brain had been driven to his knees, but Climb ¡ª though weaker than him ¡ª had endured through it. It was then, when Brain was filled with admiration, that Climb had worked his way into Brain¡¯s heart. That was because Brain had seen a spark of manly radiance within Climb that he himself hadcked.

    He stood before Climb, locking eyes with Sulent. Did Climb now see in Brain¡¯s back the same determination that Brain had seen in Climb¡¯s?

    His old self would haveughed at this. His old self would haveughed at how weak he had be.

    In the past, he had believed that these things were nothing more than weaknesses to a warrior. He had believed that all a warrior needed was to be as sharp as a sword.

    However ¡ª he understood now.

    ¡°So that was how you viewed life... I see, Gazef... It seems that even now, I¡¯m still no match for you.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me? I¡¯m asking you again, could you tell me your name?¡±

    ¡°Forgive me. While I feel there¡¯s no point in telling you, well... I am Brain Unus.¡±

    Sulent¡¯s eyes widened into saucers.

    ¡°What? You mean that..!¡±

    ¡°No way! The man himself? Are you kidding me?!¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a mistake, Co Doll-san. Valuable weapons indicate a warrior¡¯s level. A ¡¸Katana¡¹like that certainly suits someone like him.¡±

    A wry grin crossed Brain¡¯s face.

    ¡°More than half the people I¡¯ve met recognized me... well, my old self would have been proud. Right now, it¡¯s a little moreplicated.¡±

    Brain had no idea why Sulent was smiling at him sopanionably. However, his doubts were soon answered.

    ¡°I say, Unus! There¡¯s no point in us fighting, is there? Someone strong like you is worthy of joining up. Why not be one of us? You could easily be a member of Six Arms with strength like yours. It¡¯s inly obvious how skilled you are. You¡¯re just like me, aren¡¯t you? You want to be strong. I can tell by looking in your eyes.¡±

    ¡°...You do have it at that.¡±

    ¡°Right? Then let me tell you. Eight Fingers is a pretty good ce. It¡¯s great for those who are strong. They¡¯ll give you all the magic items you want, as powerful as you like. Look at this orichalcum chain shirt! This mithril sword! These rings! These clothes! These boots! They¡¯re all magic items! Come, Brain Unus. Join us. Join the Six Arms.¡±

    ¡°...Worthless. Is that all there is to your organization?¡±

    Brain¡¯s unimaginably cold and contemptuous attitude froze the smile on Sulent¡¯s face.

    ¡°Say what?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me? I said, if that¡¯s all there is to you, you won¡¯t amount to anything even if you band together.¡±

    ¡°You! ...Hmph. Well, if you say that, then your strength¡¯s nothing special either!¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Someone like me is nothing special. I learned that very well after witnessing a true monster.¡±

    Brain pitied Sulent and his haughty attitude. He truly was like a frog in a well. Thus, Brain decided to give him a sincere warning.

    ¡°It¡¯s the same with your strength. Perhaps we¡¯re the same way. That¡¯s why I want to warn you ¡ª we¡¯re nothing special.¡±

    Brain turned back and nced over his shoulder at Climb, who had drunk his healing potion.

    ¡°Also, I¡¯ve learned one more thing. Strength gained for someone is greater than what a person can train up by themselves.

    Brain smiled. It was a kind, carefree smile.

    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s only a little, but in the end, I do understand.¡±

    ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about... What a shame, Unus. What a shame that I have to kill a genius swordsman who once stood on par with the mighty Gazef Stronoff.¡±

    ¡°Can you do it, with that sword which you only swing for yourself?¡±

    ¡°Of course I can kill you. That¡¯s easy enough. And after I kill you, I¡¯ll kill that brat on the ground. No more holding back, and no more games. I¡¯m going all-out.¡±

    As Brain watched Sulent begin an incantation, he sensed someone moving behind him and issued a warning.

    ¡°Climb-kun, don¡¯t move. You¡¯re not fully recovered yet, are you?¡±

    Climb froze.

    Brain smiled. He was as surprised by this as he was by what he had done just now. Then, he added:

    ¡°Leave the rest to me.¡±

    ¡°¡ªThank you very much.¡±

    Brain smiled by way of reply and sheathed his sword. Then, he lowered his stance and turned the sword and sheath over at his waist.

    ¡°Please be careful. Sulent uses illusions. What you see may not be real.¡±

    ¡°I see... yes, quite a tricky opponent. Still, it¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    Brain stayed where he was, staring silently at Sulent. He had created five illusory duplicates out of nowhere, and he gleamed with what seemed to be a magical radiance. In addition, he seemed to have donned some kind of shadowy cloak. Brain had no idea what kind of magic Sulent had used.

    ¡°Thank you for giving me time to prepare. Magic casters are more powerful than warriors when they can prepare themselves. You lose, Unus!¡±

    ¡°Hm, no need thank me. After talking to him... well, I¡¯m pretty sure I can¡¯t lose.¡±

    ¡°...Big words for a hired de! So you¡¯re staying there to protect that punk. How sweet of you.¡±

    Brain heard the sound of Climb shifting from down where hey at Brain¡¯s feet.

    Climb must have been feeling guilty about giving the enemy time to prepare himself. Therefore, Brain made a deration, loud enough that Climb could hear.

    ¡°¡ªOne strike.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I said, I¡¯m going to take you down in one strike, Sulent.¡±

    ¡°Try it if you can!¡±

    Sulent charged him, wreathed by his afterimages.

    As his opponent entered his attack range, Brain swivelled,pletely ignoring how he was exposing his defenseless back to the oing Sulent. And then ¡ª with Climb in between ¡ª Brain drew with incredible speed and cut at the empty air.

    ? ? ?

    There was a mighty crash as the walls shook.

    The still-prone Climb and Co Doll turned to look at the source of the sound.

    Sulenty there. He had rolled to the ground and was motionless. His sword had fallen to the ground.

    Brain¡¯s mighty draw-cut had sent Sulent flying, smashing him into the wall with tremendous force, after which he had copsed to the ground. If Brain had not hit him with the back of his sword, Sulent would have been lying in two pieces instead of one. Even the orichalcum chain shirt he wore made no difference, so powerful was that blow.

    ¡°...My [Field] can pick up anything ¡ª even the invisible. The illusion in front was meant to get my attention so he could attack from behind... A cunning move, but unfortunately, he used it against me. Plus, attacking Climb-kun was a poor choice for you. Let me guess, you wanted to kill him and then mock me for not being able to protect him. However, you were so focused on attacking Climb-kun who was lying on the ground that you didn¡¯t keep an eye on me. Did you forget who you were fighting?¡±

    Brain sheathed his sword, and smiled to Climb.

    ¡°Told you, didn¡¯t I? One strike.¡±

    ¡°Well done!¡± Climb said.

    But someone else had said ¡°well done¡± besides Climb, and both voices blended together. That person was Sebas, and that was nothing special. Rather, it was where the voice hade from which was surprising.

    Both of them looked to where Co Doll had been standing.

    In his ce was Sebas, and beside him was the limp form of Co Doll.

    ¡°When did you arrive?¡±

    Sebas responded calmly to Brain¡¯s question:

    ¡°Just now. I believe you were both focused on Sulent and did not notice me.¡±

    ¡°Is, is that so.¡±

    No way, Brain though as he answered.

    I had [Field] active, didn¡¯t I? It might have a narrow radius, but I should have sensed him if he hade running up to us. But I didn¡¯t sense him at all... Until now, only that monster Shalltear Bloodfallen could do that. Well, I had my suspicions when he emitted his murderous intent back then, but now I¡¯m sure of it ¡ª he¡¯s the match of that monster. Where does hee from?

    ¡°In any case, the people locked up here have been rescued. Also, Climb-kun. I¡¯m sorry, but some people put up fierce resistance, so I had to kill them. Please forgive me... but before that, I ought to heal your wounds.¡±

    Sebas came before Climb andid his hands on Climb¡¯s belly. It was a brief contact ¡ª he removed his hand right after touching him. However, the results were inly obvious. Climb¡¯s face had still been pale after drinking the potion, but now he was back to a healthy state.

    ¡°My wounds are healed... Are you a priest?¡±

    ¡°No, I did not use the power of the gods. Instead, I infused my ki into you for healing.¡±

    ¡°A monk, then! No wonder,¡± Brain eximed. Now he understood why Sebas was neither armed nor armored. Sebas merely smiled as an affirmative.

    ¡°Then, what do you two n to do next?¡±

    ¡°Well, I intend to hurry to the nearest guard post, exin the situation, ande back with some men. I hope you two gentlemen can hold the fort here until then. For all we know, Eight Fingers might send reinforcements.

    ¡°...Well, I¡¯m already on this boat, might as well enjoy the ride.¡±

    ¡°It is fine with me as well. However, could I trouble you not to mention me? I came to this country to do business, and to be honest, I do not wish to continue interfering in the underworld of a foreign nation.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. If anyone asks, just say Stronoff will vouch for me.¡±

    ¡°I understand. I will do as the two of you say. Then, please allow me to make use of you two gentlemen for now.¡±

    <b>Part 3</b>

    <b>Lower Fire Month (9th Month) 3rd Day 19:05</b>

    Climb finally returned to the Royal Pce as darkness began to spread over the Royal Capital.

    His wounds werepletely healed, but he was dog-tired. The fighting had taken quite some time, and so had coordinating matters after the fact. In the end, things had worked out not because Climb had Renner¡¯s backing, but because the soldiers were afraid of Eight Fingers and did not dare handle things too eagerly. The biggest problem had been the question of taking responsibility.

    The person in charge might as well be a target of Eight Fingers ¡ª to be made into an example. This was not a distant probability, but a distinct possibility. Therefore, Climb had simply written the events down and asked the soldiers to send it to Renner. After receiving her approval, he had signed his name and that of his mistress Renner as the people responsible.

    Of course, there were drawbacks to doing so but there were at least two merits to that approach.

    The first was that Renner¡¯s reputation would be boosted.

    She had acted against an organization eating away at the heart of the Kingdom, and they were a filthy band of ve trading scoundrels to boot. In addition, her subordinate had led the charge against that crime syndicate. That would surely boost the public opinion of Renner, who otherwise remained within the Pce.

    The second was that they could protect Sebas, and the woman he had rescued from abuse in that brothel.

    Now that Climb and Renner had taken credit for that, it would keep Sebas and that woman from drawing attention, and it would also avoid them bing priority targets for Eight Fingers.

    I didn¡¯t do anything during the raid... it¡¯s the least I can do...

    As for Brain, he said he would speak to Gazef on his own ount, and he encouraged Climb not to worry.

    Climb thought about those things as he knocked on Renner¡¯s door.

    Renner had told him there was no need to knock and that he should enter directly. However, the hour waste, and it was still impolite to charge into her room without giving notice. Ever since he had identally seen Renner in a sheer silk nightie, he made sure to knock every time he visited.

    His mistress had agreed on that.

    While Climb waited for an answer, he sniffed himself.

    He had bathed and scrubbed himself, but he was not certain that the stink of blood was gone because his nose was used to it. Frankly speaking, he should not have entered Renner¡¯s bedchambers in this attire, but it was imperative that he reported the day¡¯s events to Renner in his own words.

    The most important thing was the people who had been locked up in that ce. They were currently in the custody of the guard post, but they would need to be taken somewhere safe within a few days. Some of them were hurt, so he had to arrange for priests and other healers to go and help them.

    Renner-sama is kind. She will surely lend a hand to the people if they are in need.

    Climb felt his heart grow heavy as he thought about all the things he would be troubling his mistress with. He could not help but think about how much better it would be if he were stronger. It was all thanks to her that he could lead a life like this and serve such a great mistress, yet he could not do more for her.

    ...Strange. There didn¡¯t seem to be an answer... There wasn¡¯t one, right?

    He had not heard her granting him permission to enter.

    Nobody was standing watch in front of the door, so Renner ought not to be asleep yet. Could she have identally fallen asleep without informing the night watchman?

    Climb knocked again.

    This time, Climb heard a quiet voice granting him entry from inside the room. That put his heart at ease and he entered. He had already decided on the first thing he would do.

    ¡°Forgive myte return.¡±

    He bowed his head low, in apology.

    ¡°I was so worried!¡±

    Climb could hear distinct anger in Renner¡¯s voice, which surprised him. Climb¡¯s mistress very rarely got angry. Even when insulted, she had never disyed her anger in front of Climb. That was why he was acutely aware that Renner had been truly worried about him.

    He struggled against the warm tears that threatened to leak from the corner of his eyes, and lowered his head in sincere apology

    ¡°I was really worried about you! When I thought about how Eight Fingers might have struck first and done something to you, I... then, what exactly happened? I received a brief report, but can you exin in detail?¡±

    Climb was going to deliver his report from a standing position, but Renner insisted that he sit down.

    Thus, Climb took a seat. There was a teacup in front of him, and Renner poured him a piping hot cup of tea from her Warm Bottle.

    After thanking her, he sipped at the tea.

    Climb then narrated the entire situation to Renner, because some people needed her help.

    ¡°What did you think of those people when you saw them?¡±

    Climb was briefly baffled by the first question Renner had asked after hearing the proceedings. However, she had asked, so he had to answer.

    ¡°I felt sorry for them. If I were stronger, I could have saved these people from their suffering.¡±

    ¡°Really now... You must have felt sorry for them, Climb.¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±

    ¡°Is that so. You¡¯re really nice, Climb.¡±

    ¡°Renner-sama, if you need me to protect them, I can go at any time. I have already resolved myself.¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯ll call on you when the timees. Let¡¯s leave that aside for now; I have something to tell you. Tomorrow, or the day after attest, we intend tounch attacks on the Eight Fingers bases indicated on the parchment Lakyus gave us. You can imagine how their defenses will be stronger as time goes on, thanks to the attack on the brothel.¡±

    ¡°My sincerest apologies! It was my fault for acting on my own!¡±

    ¡°No, please pay it no heed. Think of it as us deciding on a course of action. Besides, I do like how you performed this time round, Climb. You captured Sulent, a member of Six Arms, and brought in Co Doll, the head of the very Division. That ought to shake our opponents to the core. Therefore, I want to capitalize on this victory.¡±

    Renner lightly punched the air in a cute way.

    ¡°We¡¯ll hit them again before they can get the word out of the Royal Capital!¡±

    ¡°Understood! I will go rest now, and gather my strength for tomorrow¡¯s operations!¡±

    ¡°Please do. I think tomorrow will be quite an exciting day. Please keep that in mind.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Climb left the room. He felt the scent of blood had faded away somewhat.

    ¡°Thank you very much, Climb. Next...¡±

    After finishing the now-cool tea, Renner stood up. She walked over to a handbell. If she shook it, the bell in the adjacent room would shake as well. As she thought of the face of the maid waiting in the next room, she smiled coldly. How fortunate that she was on duty today.

    ¡°My my, what kind of expression should I put on now?¡±

    Renner went up before the mirror and cupped her face with both hands. Then she rubbed up and down. She was only human, and doing so would not change the shape of her face. It was merely a form of self-affirmation.

    Renner let go, and smiled.

    ¡°No, this is the smile a princess wears for meeting others...¡±

    Renner smiled again. She went through a variety of them before settling on a pure, innocent smile.

    ¡°This is best.¡±

    After her preparations wereplete, Renner shook the bell. Soon, a maid knocked on the door and entered.

    ¡°Could you do something for me? Could you help me boil some hot water?¡±

    ¡°At once, Renner-sama.¡±

    The maid bowed, and Renner smiled to her.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You seem quite happy today. Did something good happen?¡±

    Now that her prey had taken the bait, Renner¡¯s smile grew ever more joyful.

    ¡°Hey, did you know? Climb-kun did really good today! It was amazing!¡±

    She spoke like a child. It was the attitude which fit a foolish princess leaking important information all over the ce.

    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t that lovely.¡±

    The maid hated Climb, and she tried her best to hide her displeasure. However, she could not keep her emotions out of her words.

    ¡ªDie.

    ¡ªYou should die.

    ¡ªEveryone who dares look down on my Climb should die.

    Renner pretended she had not heard the maid¡¯s response, because Renner was an innocent little princess. She did not sense others¡¯ ill intentions and took their rudeness in stride. She was a naive, innocent ¡ª and foolish princess.

    ¡°Yup! He was soooo amazing! Climb beat up a whole bunch of bad guys! And then he rescued a lot of people the bad guys locked up! He sent them to... Yeah, I think he sent them to a guard post. Now we can punish the nobles who helped the bad guys do bad things!¡±

    ¡°Really now? Marvellous, that¡¯s Renner-sama¡¯s Climb-san for you. Then, could I trouble you to tell me of his heroic deeds?¡±

    The maid believed the princess was clueless and would not suspect anything. Thus, Renner began ensnaring that stupid woman in her scheme.

    Everything sat within the palm of her hand. All this was in order to gain what she wanted.

    <b>Lower Fire Month (9th Month) 3rd Day 22:10</b>

    A strange-looking group blended into the darkness.

    They were all outfitted differently, without any sense of regimentation or unity. The closest thing to them would probably be adventurers.

    At their head was a stout, muscr man. Behind him was an effete-looking pretty boy and a woman in gauzy silks. Behind him was a robed person, and someone in a suit of full te armor brought up the rear.

    The group were looking at an opened door. The room beyond was pitch-dark, and they sensed that any previous upants were long gone. A look around did not turn up anyone else.

    This was quite a strange situation. Indeed, the brothel should have been stripped bare and taken to a guard post. That said, someone ought to have been posted to stand watch, even if the ce was empty. In fact, if one looked along the otherwise empty streets, one would be able to see signal fires where the night watch would have been stationed.

    Yet, there was nobody here. That was because this group had used their influence to temporarily get rid of the sentries..

    The stone-faced man at their head ¡ª Zero ¡ª red fiercely at the gutted brothel and growled:

    ¡°This is too big to be a mere joke. I need to apologize to Co Doll. I lent him Sulent of Six Arms, but to think this ce was taken down so easily, and on the day I sent him over... What a joke.¡±

    Sneeringughter came from behind him. Zero turned and fixed the source of thatughter with a razor-sharp gaze.

    The woman in silks knew Zero¡¯s personality, and she hurriedly said:

    ¡°Ah, well.. So boss, what should we do now? Should we kill Sulent, since he got captured? If we¡¯re going with that, he ought to be at the guard post. We¡¯re all the direct-attack sort, and if it doesn¡¯t work it we¡¯ll have to borrow assassins from the other departments... what about it?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to go to such lengths. Even a man like him has his uses. I¡¯ll just ask the Count to release him... that¡¯ll cost a pretty penny, though. Go make a list of what the Count likes.¡±

    ¡°How about Co Doll?¡± the delicate pretty boy asked.

    ¡°He has his own connections. If he has any requests, we¡¯ll handle them through our connections. Count it as a form of apology. How about the guest list? I heard the guards took it, no?¡±

    ¡°Information on that front has note in yet. Or rather, I hear they have not learned any concrete details¡±

    The voice from under the robe was grim. It was as though someone were speaking out of a grave. The sepulchral voice sent a chill down its listener¡¯s spines.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to get my hands on it. We can use it for all sorts of ckmail.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish. If we obtain it, the other divisions will be even more suspicious of us. People are already suspecting that we were behind all of this. If we find the guest list somewhere, give it to Co Doll several dayster and apologize. Besides, the list ought to be in an unbreakable code, so you won¡¯t be able to use it anyway.¡±

    The pretty boy shrugged in response to Zero¡¯s spiel.

    ¡°In any case, we¡¯ll investigate this matterter on. My guess is if it exists, it¡¯ll be in the hidden vault... still, whoever broke this door down really did a number on it. How did they make this hole? I doubt they used a weapon... was it magic?¡±

    ¡°It was a fist.¡±

    All eyes went to Zero¡¯s body. Zero repeated himself ¡ª that these traces were made by a fist.

    ¡°Fists... Well, that¡¯s quite something.¡±

    ¡°¡ªDon¡¯t be foolish. This much is nothing.¡±

    Zero took a breath and interrupted the woman¡¯s awed gasp, then he chopped at the door with a knife hand. His hand sank into the door like he was tearing through paper. Zero withdrew his hand, leaving a rent which matched the one Sebas had left.

    The pretty boy spoke up, somewhatmely:

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re not a goodparison, boss... still, our enemy can break down a steel-reinforced door. While Sulent was the weakest of us, that still means he took down a member of Six Arms. Should we take him as a potential enemy, then?¡±

    ¡°That said, if Sulent lost, that does not indicate the foe is very strong, no?¡±

    There was an undercurrent of mockery in the robed person¡¯s voice.

    ¡°He is far weaker than us once you see through his illusions. He¡¯s good against people he outmatches, but he¡¯ll go down against any decent opposition. Did you not know that?¡±

    He was answered by several chuckles. This was both a sign of approval, and a sign of mockery for those weaker than themselves.

    ´«À´Ò»Ë¿Ð¡Ð¡µÄÐ¦Éù¡£ÄÇÊÇÔÚ¿Ï¶¨ÕâÈËµÄÒâ¼û£¬Ò²ÊÇ¶Ô±È×Ô¼ºÈõÐ¡Ö®ÈËµÄÎêÃï¡£

    ¡°We¡¯ve said everything that needs to be said. I¡¯ll ask again ¡ª what should we do? Shall we pull back? I don¡¯t think shing with our opponent will be worth the potential losses?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡±

    Zero¡¯s words wereced with an anger which he could notpletely suppress.¡±

    ¡°Our reputation will be damaged if we don¡¯t make an example of the person who attacked this ce. Screw the losses. Six Arms will move out together and eliminate the attacker. ¡®Undying King¡¯ Davernoc.¡±

    The robed man extended a hand. Said hand did not belong on a living creature, and it clutched an orb that radiated a bizarre aura in response to its owner¡¯s emotions.

    ¡°¡®Void Cutter¡¯ Peysilian.¡±

    The hitherto silent man in full te armor pounded his chest with a resounding sh of metal.

    ¡°Dancing Scimitar¡¯ Edstrem.¡±

    The silk-d woman dipped her head elegantly, as the bangles on her wrists ttered.

    ¡°¡®Thousand Kills¡¯ Malmvist.¡±

    The pretty boy clicked his heels together with a resounding report.

    ¡°And then myself, ¡®Battle Demon¡¯ Zero!¡±

    The people around him nodded to show their agreement and understanding.

    ¡°First, we¡¯ll bail out Sulent and question him. After that... find a good torturer. We¡¯re going to show that attacker the true meaning of hell. We¡¯ll make him regret his foolishness!¡±

    <b>Lower Fire Month (9th Month) 3rd Day 17:42</b>

    ÏÂ»ðÔÂ[¾ÅÔÂ]ÈýÈÕ 17£º42

    It was sunset by the time everything was over and Sebas returned home.

    Climb-kun¡¯s protecting all the captured people. Sulent, the owner, and everyone else was arrested. That ought to keep them quiet for a while. Hopefully that can buy some time.

    Then, what should he do about Tsuare? Sebas felt that the best option would be to bring her somewhere safe, but Sebas knew there was only one truly safe ce in all the world.

    As Sebas agonized over the matter, his feet brought him back home.

    Just as he was about to open the door, his hand froze. Someone was behind the door. He sensed that it was Solution, but Sebas had no idea why she was standing behind it.

    Was there an emergency of some sort?

    Sebas had a bad feeling about this, but he still opened the door. What he saw next defied his expectations and left him frozen in ce.

    ¡°Wee back, Sebas-sama.¡±

    Solution was standing there in her maid¡¯s uniform.

    A chill ran down Sebas¡¯ spine.

    Solution ¡ª who yed the role of a merchant heiress ¡ª was wearing her maid uniform in the presence of Tsuare, a human who knew nothing about the truth. Was it because she did not need to act any longer, or was there some reason which required her to wear her uniform?

    If it was the former, that would mean something had happened to Tsuare. If it was thetter¡ª

    ¡°¡ªSebas-sama. Ainz-sama is waiting for you inside the house.¡±

    Solution¡¯s calm, even voice made Sebas¡¯ heart lurch in his chest.

    Sebas, who could remain calm in the face of a mighty foe or a being on the level of the Floor Guardians, was actually anxious and tense when he heard his own master hade to visit.

    ¡°Why, why is he...¡± Sebas stammered. Solution merely watched him in silence.

    ¡°Sebas-sama. Ainz-sana is waiting for you.¡±

    There was nothing else to be said. All Sebas could do was follow Solution into the house.

    His steps were heavy, like a condemned criminal walking to the chopping block.

 Chapter 38 - Volume 5

    <h4>Overlord Volume 5 Afterword</h4>

    (Picture cleaned by Hiiro)

    This is the author, Maruyama Kugane. Overlord has reached its 5th volume in the blink of an eye. Please allow me to thank everyone who has supported this series. Thank you very much.

    Speaking of which, since Volumes 5 and 6 are going to be linked, I was wondering, ¡°do I need an afterword?¡± I discussed it with Editor-san and in the end Editor-san said that some readers would look forward to it, so I should probably write one... But does anyone really look forward to the afterword? Are afterwords really that interesting...? Hm, so does Editor-san mean that I should force myself to write something interesting?

    Something interesting... Well, in order to handle the myriad issues that have cropped up for volumes 5 and 6, I spent all my days off between August to the end of November at home in order to rush out the book... that¡¯s all I have.

    Also, since volume 6 includes a Drama CD like volume 4, time is even tighter than normal. It¡¯s a really breakneck pace...

    But that¡¯s a part-time writer for you!

    Hm. It¡¯s... not interesting at all. I¡¯m ruining everyone¡¯s hopes and dreams, I know.

    Then, let¡¯s change the topic.

    The WN version of Overlord is also updating, but volume 6 is going to be 90% new content.

    Initially, I focused on adding new elements when rewriting the WN chapters for release. You will see this in the next volume.

    The manuscript is alreadyplete, so if nothing crops up, it ought toe out for sale in January 2014. I hope we can meet again in that volume¡¯s afterword.

    Now then, the thanks.

    So-bin-sama, who does illustrations for the books, Chord Design Studio, which does the book design, Ohaku-sama, who does proofreading, F-da-sama, the Editor, as well as everyone who helped to make Overlord ¡ª thank you, everyone. Also, thank you for all your help, Honey.

    Finally, thank you to all you readers for buying this book! You have my sincerest gratitude!

    2013 December

    Maruyama Kugane

 Chapter 39 - Volume 6

    <h4>Overlord Volume 6 Chapter 6</h4>

    <b>Chapter 6: Prelude to the Royal Capital¡¯s Disturbance</b>

    <b>Part 1</b>

    <b>Lower Fire Month (9th Month) 3rd Day 17:44</b>

    The door to the guest room slowly opened.

    Its hinges were regrly oiled and it should have swung open smoothly, but for some reason, the motion of the doors seemed unusually sluggish and ponderous, as though the door was fighting a pressure differential between the air on the inside and the outside of the room. It was as though their speed was matching the way Sebas felt..

    If the door had truly read his heart, then Sebas would have much rather it had not opened at all. However, it did open, revealing the interior of the guest room to Sebas¡¯ eyes.

    The room was the same as always, but unlike how it usually was, there were now four heteromorphic beings waiting inside.

    One was a light blue warrior. He emitted a freezing aura and held a tinum halberd, but was otherwise motionless.

    One was a demon. There was no telling what schemes hid within his mocking features.

    Then, there was an angel in the shape of a fetus, held in the arms of the demon.

    And finally¡ª

    ¡°Please forgive myteness. I am deeply sorry to keep you waiting.¡±

    By sheer force of will, Sebas quashed the trembling in his voice. Then he bowed respectfully to the sole seated being in the room, as though in worship.

    Sebas was the butler and the head of the manservants, and he upied a position close to the top of Nazarick¡¯s hierarchy. Only one person could make Sebas bow before him in fear and awe. There could be no other.

    That entity was one of the 41 Supreme Beings, whomanded fealty that could not be contested.

    ¡ªAinz Ooal Gown.

    This almighty fighting force was also the ruler of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. The Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown emanated a ck aura from its ce within his hand.

    Dim red pinpoints of light yedzily within the hollow orbits of his eye sockets. Even from his bowed position, Sebas could sense those lights sizing him up from head to toe.

    The movements of the air told him that Ainz had waved expansively, in a leisurely manner.

    ¡°...It is fine. Think nothing of it, Sebas. The fault lies with me, being that I did notmunicate my arrival in a timely manner. But let us dispense with these pleasantries. How can you speak from over there with your head bowed? I bid you enter.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Sebas¡¯s head was still lowered as he responded to the solemn voice. He looked up, and then slowly stepped forward ¡ª while a trail of frost ran down his spine.

    That was because his keen senses told him of carefully concealed hostility and killing intent.

    He slowly shifted his gaze. The two Guardians before him did not seem to be paying much attention to Sebas. However, that was from a normal person¡¯s point of view.

    Sebas was abundantly aware of it.

    There was no trace of friendliness in the tense atmosphere. The opposite was true, in fact. Their vignce was not the reaction one would have to an ally.

    Sebas could understand why they felt that way. He felt a weighty pressure upon him and he was afraid that everyone would hear the thunderous beating of his heart.

    ¡°I think you should stop there.¡±

    Demiurge¡¯s rxed voice rang through the air and halted Sebas in his tracks.

    Sebas was some distance away from his master. It did not make speaking difficult, and when one considered the dimensions of the room and the fact that he was meeting with a superior, it was quite an appropriate distance. However, under normal circumstances, Ainz would consider Sebas to be too far away and ask him to approach. This time, Ainz had not said so. This sense of separation crushed Sebas until he could no longer breathe.

    At the same time, this distance was the ideal range for Cocytus the warrior tounch an attack. That too was another source of strain for him.

    Incidentally, Solution had entered the room with Sebas, but she was standing by the door, awaiting orders.

    ¡°Then¡ª¡± Ainz snapped his bony fingers, though how he had done so was not apparent. ¡°A question for you, Sebas. Need I exin why I am here?¡±

    There could only be one reason for that. The current situation made that very clear.

    ¡°...No, there is no need for that.¡±

    ¡°Then, I have a question which I would like you to answer in your own words, Sebas. While I did not receive a report from you concerning this matter, is it true that you picked up an adorable little pet recently?¡±

    ¡ªIt was as he thought.

    Sebas¡¯ back felt like it had been impaled by several icicles. Then, he realized that he had not answered his master¡¯s question. He hurriedly replied:

    ¡°¡ªYes!¡±

    ¡°...A little slow on the reply, Sebas. Let me ask you again ¡ª is it true that you picked up an adorable pet recently and decided to take care of it?¡±

    ¡°Yes! I did take in a pet!¡±

    ¡°Very good. Then, could you exin why you did not report the matter to me?¡±

    ¡°Yes...¡±

    Sebas¡¯ shoulders shuddered and he stared at the ground. What could he say to avoid the situation developing in the worst possible way?

    Ainz leaned back into his throne as he watched the silent Sebas. The creaking of the chair as he did so sounded exceptionally loud in the confines of the room.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Sebas? You seem to be sweating heavily. Shall I lend you a handkerchief?¡±

    With a grand flourish, Ainz produced a pure white handkerchief from nowhere. He grasped it between his index and middle fingers and tossed it towards Sebas. The handkerchief unfolded and spread in mid-air,nding gently upon the ground.

    ¡°You are permitted to use it.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Thank you, my Master!¡±

    Sebas took a step towards Ainz and picked up the handkerchief. Then, he froze.

    ¡°...That handkerchief is not stained with your pet¡¯s blood. I simply felt that it was unsightly to have you covered in sweat.¡±

    ¡°Yes... Please forgive my shameful disy, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Sebas spread the handkerchief and wiped at the cold sweat which beaded his brow. The handkerchief absorbed such an incredible quantity of moisture that its color changed.

    ¡°Then, let us return to the topic, Sebas. When I sent you to the Royal Capital, I believe I ordered you to record any urrence, great or small, in exacting detail and send it to Nazarick. After all, it is difficult for one person to determine the value of information collected. Frankly speaking, I doubt you omitted a single detail when submitting your reports. Am I correct?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It is as you say.¡±

    ¡°Then, Demiurge, allow me to address a question to you as confirmation. After all, you have read Sebas¡¯ reports as well. Did those reports mention this adorable little pet?¡±

    ¡°No, Ainz-sama. I read them several times, but I saw nothing rted to that subject.¡±

    ¡°Very good. Then, let us use that point as a premise for my next question, Sebas. Why did you not submit a report on that matter? ...I wish to ask why you disregarded an order from me. Is the word of Ainz Ooal Gown not enough to bind your actions?¡±

    Those words shook the air in the room.

    Sebas hurriedly answered:

    ¡°Certainly not! I simply believed that there was no need to trouble you with a report concerning such a small matter, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Silence filled the air.

    Sebas was bathed in murderous intent from four sources. They came from Cocytus, Demiurge, the angel which Demiurge held, and Solution. All four of them would immediately fall on Sebas if their master so ordered.

    Sebas did not fear death. It would be his utmost joy to die for Nazarick. Yet, the thought of being executed as a traitor terrified even the stoic Sebas.

    That was because there was no greater shame for those created by the 41 Supreme Beings than to be counted as a turncoat and subsequently eliminated.

    After some time, and after much sweat had beaded on Sebas¡¯ forehead, Ainz spoke.

    ¡°...In other words, all this was an exercise of your foolish judgement... Is that correct?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It is as you say, Ainz-sama. Please forgive my foolish mistake!¡±

    ¡°...Hm. I see... I believe I understand now.¡±

    As Sebas lowered his head in apology, Ainz¡¯s emotionless voice filtered into his ears. The fact that Ainz had not ordered a summary execution slightly eased the tension in the room.

    However, Sebas could not rx. Before he could do so, Ainz said something that made Sebas¡¯ heart lurch within his chest.

    ¡°Solution. Fetch Sebas¡¯ pet.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    The door quietly closed behind Solution as she moved to carry out her orders. Sebas¡¯ keen senses informed him that Solution was heading away from the door.

    There was an audible gurgle as Sebas gulped.

    Ainz, Cocytus, Demiurge and that strange angel were here, for a total of four heteromorphic beings. While Demiurge looked vaguely human, the same could not be said of the other three.

    Since none of them seemed to be taking care to hide their forms, did that mean they did not care if someone else saw them?

    The denizens of Nazarick had only one method to keep secrets from spreading ¡ª by killing everyone who knew them.

    If he had known this would happen, he would have let her go earlier.

    Sebas mentally shook his head. It was toote to think of that now.

    Soon, Sebas sensed two people approaching. They were approaching this room from the distance.

    ¡ªWhat should I do?

    Sebas¡¯ eyes shifted and he focused on the air.

    Once she arrived here, Sebas would have to make a choice. And there could only be one answer he could give.

    Sebas¡¯ gaze moved to Demiurge, who was observing him. Then to Ainz. And then, he looked powerlessly at the ground.

    There was knocking, and then the door opened. As expected., there were two women there.

    They were Solution and Tsuare.

    ¡°I have brought her.¡±

    Sebas had his back to Tsuare, but he could hear her gasp from the entrance. Was she shocked to see Demiurge, a demon in the flesh? Was she shaken by seeing Cocytus, the gigantic blue insectoid? Was she frightened by the sight of that fearsome fetus-like angel? Was she terrified by Ainz, the avatar of Death itself? Or was it all of the above?

    The Guardians¡¯ displeasure intensified as Tsuare made her appearance. That was because to some extent, Tsuare was the physical incarnation of Sebas¡¯ sins. It would seem she was trembling from the hostility directed at her.

    The hostility of the Guardians, who were easily the most powerful beings in this world, could instil a primal terror in the hearts of the weak. It was surprising that Tsuare had not broken down in tears by now.

    Sebas did not look back, but he could clearly feel Tsuare¡¯s gaze boring into him from behind. Her reservoirs of courage were derived from Sebas himself.

    ¡°Demiurge, Cocytus, restrain yourselves. Learn from Victim¡¯s good example.¡±

    As Ainz¡¯s quiet voice echoed through the room, there was a change in the room¡¯s mood. No, it would be better to say that the hostility direct at Tsuare had vanished. After reprimanding the two Guardians, Ainz slowly extended his left hand to Tsuare. Then he turned his palm to the ceiling, and beckoned her over.

    ¡°Enter, oh pet human that Sebas has picked up ¡ª Tsuare.¡±

    As though controlled by those words, Tsuare took step after step forward on trembling legs.

    ¡°That you did not choose to flee shows courage. Or did Solution tell you something? Did she say that Sebas¡¯ fatey within your hands?¡±

    Tsuare was shuddering all over and did not answer. Sebas felt the gaze directed at his back grow stronger. Said gaze made Tsuare¡¯s will abundantly clear, more than any number of words could exin.

    After entering the room, Tsuare walked up to Sebas¡¯ side with no hesitation whatsoever. Cocytus shifted position to stand behind Tsuare, awaiting orders.

    Tsuare grabbed the corner of Sebas¡¯ coat. Sebas suddenly recalled how she had clung to his clothing in that alley. At the same time, he was filled with regret. If he had handled things better, the situation would not havee to this.

    Demiurge red coldly at Tsuare¡ª

    ¡°¡ºKne-¡±

    ¡ªAnd the sound of snapping fingers rang forth.

    Demiurge understood the meaning behind his master¡¯s gesture, and said no more.

    ¡°¡ªIt is fine. Pay it no heed, Demiurge. As praise for the courage to face me without fleeing, I will forgive the rudeness she has shown to myself, the ruler of Nazarick.¡±

    ¡°My sincerest apologies.¡±

    Ainz nodded magnanimously at Demiurge¡¯s apology.

    ¡°Ah, yes.¡±

    Ainz leaned back into the chair, making it creak.

    ¡°Allow me to introduce myself. I am Ainz Ooal Gown, the master of Sebas over there.¡±

    Indeed.

    Ainz Ooal Gown ¡ª one of the 41 Supreme Beings ¡ª was the great entity who controlled every aspect of Sebas¡¯ existence, including his life and death.

    Being addressed by the master to whom he owed absolute loyalty was his greatest delight. Yet, for some reason, Sebas¡¯ joy was less than he had imagined. It merely made his spine tingle. It was not because of Tsuare, because upon being addressed by his master, Sebas had almost forgotten she had existed. There was another reason for that¡ª

    As Sebas was pondering this matter, both sides were still conversing.

    ¡°Ah... I, I am...¡±

    ¡°It is fine, Tsuare. I know a little about you, and I have no interest in learning more. Stand there and remain silent. Soon you will know why you have been summoned.¡±

    ¡°Ah... yes.¡±

    ¡°Now then...¡±

    The points of red light in Ainz¡¯s eye sockets shifted.

    ¡°...Sebas, I have a question for you. I told you not to attract attention with your actions, did I not?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°And despite my clear instructions to you, you got yourself into trouble because of this meaningless little woman ¡ª am I wrong?¡±

    ¡°No, you are not.¡±

    The word ¡°meaningless¡± made Tsuare shudder, but Sebas only answered the question and made no other response.

    ¡°At that time... did you not think you were ignoring the orders I had given?¡±

    ¡°Yes. My thoughtlessness has displeased you, Ainz-sama. I shall reflect upon my sins, be more careful in the future, and I shall not make the same mistake ag¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªIt is fine.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I said, it is fine.¡±

    Ainz shifted, and the chair creaked once more.

    ¡°People are not perfect, and mistakes are to be expected. Sebas. I shall forgive this trifling mistake of yours.¡±

    ¡°¡ªThank you, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°However, mistakes must be rectified ¡ª by death.¡±

    The air in the room suddenly grew tense, and the temperature felt as though it had fallen by several degrees. No, that was not it. Only Sebas felt that way. The others ¡ª the denizens of Nazarick ¡ª remained serene and still.

    Sebas gulped.

    What did his master mean by ¡°death¡±? No, that went without saying. The thoughts ¡°As I expected¡± and ¡°I hope not¡± weighed heavily on Sebas, but still, he asked:

    ¡°...What... do you mean...¡±

    ¡°Hm... what I mean is that I expect you to eliminate the source of your mistake in order to wipe the te clean. How can you be the representative of everyone else when you leave the origin of your error untouched? You are the butler of Nazarick, and one who stands at the head of the manservants. If you do not handle the matter appropriately...¡±

    Sebas exhaled. Then he took in another breath.

    Èû°ÍË¹ÍÂ³öÒ»¿ÚÆø¡£È»ºóÓÖÎüÁË¿ÚÆø¡£

    Even when faced with a mighty foe, Sebas¡¯ breathing remained calm and regr. Yet, it was now frantic, like a small animal that had run into a predator.

    Èû°ÍË¹¼´Ê¹Ö±½ÓÃæ¶ÔÇ¿µÐÒ²Æ½Ë³Èç³£µÄºôÎü£¬Èç½ñÈ´ÏñÊÇÅöµ½²¶Ê³ÕßµÄÐ¡¶¯ÎïÄÇ°ãÎÉÂÒ²»¿°¡£

    ¡°Sebas. Are you a loyal hound who obeys the orders of my exalted self ¡ª of the 41 Supreme Beings? Or are you a man who believes that your will alone is righteous?¡±

    ¡°This¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªI do not need your answer. Show me your conclusion.¡±

    Sebas closed his eyes, and then opened them again.

    He hesitated for only a moment. No, it would be better to say that he had spent an entire moment hesitating. This time he had spent in indecision was enough to earn the palpable ire of Cocytus, Demiurge and Solution, people whose loyalty to the Supreme One was beyond reproach.

    After that long, interminable moment, Sebas finally made his decision.

    ? ? ?

    Sebas was the butler of Nazarick.

    He was nothing else beyond that.

    His foolish hesitation had brought about these consequences. If he had pleaded with his master earlier, the oue might have been different.

    All this was his fault.

    ? ? ?

    A hard lustre filled Sebas¡¯ eyes. They gleamed like polished steel. Then, he turned to Tsuare.

    The hand clinging to him let go. Its fingers clutched briefly at empty air, wavering for a moment before falling powerlessly.

    Tsuare looked at Sebas¡¯ face. She had probably guessed his decision by now.

    She smiled, and closed her eyes.

    That was not a look of despair, or fear. She had epted what would happen next, had epted her impending fate with all the grace of a martyr.

    Sebas¡¯ movements did not waver. His heart had long since descended into the abyss. In his ce stood a steely servant who had pledged his utmost fealty to Nazarick. That being the case, there was no reason not to obey the absolute order handed down by his master.

    He had cut through his confusion. Only loyalty remained.

    Sebas¡¯ hand formed into a fist, and then he struck at Tsuare¡¯s head, seeking to grant her the mercy of an instant death.

    And then¡ª

    ? ? ?

    ¡ªSomething hard intercepted his fist.

    ¡°¡ªWhat are you doing? Why are you interfering with me?¡±

    ¡°¡ª!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Something had blocked the fist which should have obliterated Tsuare¡¯s skull.

    Cocytus had reached out a hand from behind Tsuare ¡ª whose eyes were still tightly shut ¡ª and stopped Sebas¡¯ fist.

    Was Cocytus a traitor, given that he had blocked a strike which the Supreme One had ordered?

    And then, the doubts in Sebas¡¯ heart were immediately answered.

    ¡°Stand down, Sebas.¡±

    Sebas was anxious and doubtful, but he was still halfway through another punch when he heard Ainz¡¯s order. The strength he had channelled into his hand dissipated in an instant.

    His master had not censured Cocytus, but had instead told Sebas to stop. That indicated that he had also arranged for Cocytus¡¯ interdiction of Sebas¡¯ strike.

    Indeed, all this had had been nned ahead of time. The fact was that his master wished to verify Sebas¡¯ intentions.

    Tsuare timidly opened her eyes, and saw that the headman¡¯s axe which awaited her was long gone. Now that her life was no longer in danger, her wound-up emotions snapped inside her. Tsuare¡¯s body convulsed with shudders as the tears streamed from her eyes. She very nearly copsed from the shaking of her legs, but Sebas did not reach out to support her. No, he could not.

    What else could he do, now that things hade to this? What right did he have, given that he had left her to her fate?

    Ainz paid no heed to Tsuare¡¯s fear and began addressing Cocytus.

    ¡°Cocytus. Was that blow intended to take that woman¡¯s life?¡±

    ¡°There. Is. No. Doubt. That. It. Would. Have. Been. Instantly. Fatal.¡±

    ¡°Then I dere that Sebas¡¯ loyalty is no longer in question. Thank you, Sebas.¡±

    ¡°I would not dare!¡±

    Sebas bowed, his face stiff.

    ¡°¡ªDemiurge, any objections?¡±

    ¡°I have none.¡±

    ¡°Cocytus?¡±

    ¡°None.¡±

    ¡°...Victim?¡±

    ¡°Derif er¡¯uoy. (I have none.)¡±

    ¡°Very well. Then, let us move on to the next item.¡±

    Ainz snapped his fingers and rose to his feet. He swept his hand grandly through the air, causing his cape to flutter.

    ¡°Thanks to the efforts of Sebas and the others, I feel we have gathered sufficient information. There is no reason to linger in this ce. We shall vacate this property immediately and return to Nazarick. Sebas, I will leave the disposal of this woman to you. Since I have already verified your loyalty, I will not object to whatever you wish to do ¡ª or at least, I would like to say that, but some considerations must be made before releasing her. Allowing her to go free and speak of Nazarick would be troublesome, do you not agree, Demiurge?¡±

    ¡°It is as you say. While there are still unknown enemies atrge, we would be best served by not allowing information about ourselves to spread.¡±

    ¡°Then, what should we do?¡±

    ¡°...Should we not make sure of things first?.¡±

    ¡°Indeed... Sebas, we will decide Tsuare¡¯s fateter. I would prefer not to kill her, but I cannot guarantee that. Please keep that in mind.¡±

    Sebas was hard-pressed to hide his surprise that Ainz ¡ª the highest authority in all Nazarick ¡ª could not instantly resolve the matter of Tsuare¡¯s disposal.

    ¡°Ainz-sama. Are we retreating from this house ¡ª from the Royal Capital ¡ª because of my mistake?

    ¡°...Perhaps. Perhaps not. Like I said just now, I feel we have learned everything we can from this area. There would be no gain in continuing to stay here. This is a safer course of action, ording to my calctions. Demiurge, I will bring Victim back. Give him to me.¡±

    After taking the fetal angel ¡ª Victim ¡ª from Demiurge, Ainz cast a spell.

    ¡°[Greater Teleportation].¡±

    Ainz flourished his cape in a theatrical fashion as he cast the spell, as though he were an actor. Then he was engulfed by a sphere of ckness which then vanished inward, taking his body with it.

    For a moment, Sebas stared dumbly at that overacted exit (which he had never seen before) but then he suddenly came to his senses.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, she looks a little tired. I would like to take her back to her room to rest. I trust there will be no problems if I take her there, Demiurge?¡±

    ¡°...Indeed. You have the right of it, Sebas.¡±

    A thin, fiendish smile appeared on Demiurge¡¯s face, and he gracefully gestured to the door, as though to say, ¡°Please, carry on.¡±

    ¡°However, it is possible that Ainz-sama might summon you once more, given the circumstances. I hope you will be ready for that. While I feel that there is no need to worry about that, I do not wish to go on a foxhunt in the Royal Capital.¡±

    ¡°Pleasee with me.¡±

    ¡°...Yes,¡± Tsuare replied hoarsely as she followed shakily behind Sebas.

    After leaving the room, the hallway echoed with their footsteps. The two of them walked in silence, and soon they reached the door to Tsuare¡¯s room. It was nearby, but the journey there seemed to have taken a very long time.

    When they reached the door, Sebas finally made up his mind and quietly said:

    ¡°I will not apologize.¡±

    Sebas sensed Tsuare tremble from where she was following behind him.

    ¡°However, the fact that my master ordered me to dispose of you was my fault. If I had dealt with the matter in a better way, it would not havee to this.¡±

    ¡°...Sebas-sama.¡±

    ¡°I am a loyal servant of Ainz-sama ¡ª of the 41 Supreme Beings. Even if the same thing happens again, I will respond in the same way... so I hope you will stay in the human world and find happiness there. I will try to seek Ainz-sama¡¯s approval... given that Ainz-sama can modify memories. Let Ainz-sama erase your unpleasant memories and then live well.¡±

    ¡°...How about my memories of you, Sebas-sama?¡±

    ¡°...I will ask Ainz-sama to erase your memories of me as well. After all, remembering me will do you no good.¡±

    ¡°And what is good for me?¡±

    Sebas sensed a fierce determination in Tsuare¡¯s voice, and turned around.

    The woman before Sebas stared defiantly at him, and although her eyes were brimming with tears, they had an unshakeable look in them. Sebas felt his heart waver, and he thought about how to persuade her.

    It was true that Nazarick was a wonderful ce, and one could say it was and blessed by the gods. But the only ones who thought that way were Sebas and the other people who had been created by the 41 Supreme Beings, as well as the vassals of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.

    Sebas did not think that human beings, whocked talent and power, could find happiness in thatnd. Neither did he think that domain would wee low-value lifeforms like humans. Indeed, she would not be able to live there without the protection of his supreme master. Therefore, Sebas told her:

    ¡°...I want you to find happiness in the human world.¡±

    ¡°I have already found happiness. It is by your side, Sebas-sama. So please, take me with you.¡±

    Sebas felt that Tsuare was quite pitiable as he heard her irond statement.

    ¡°...You seem to have found happiness in a small thing, but it was merely the living hell before that which numbed your soul.¡±

    She had seen the worst the world could offer, so she had taken joy in even a slightly less wretched environment. That was all. However, Tsuareughed at his observation.

    ¡°...I do not feel that this ce is hell. I can eat my fill here and I have a decent job... I grew up in a small vige, and life was hard there.¡±

    For a moment, Tsuare nced into the distance. Then she recovered, and looked straight at Sebas.

    ¡°Our stomachs cried out in hunger, and no matter how hard we worked the fields, our lord took almost everything and left us with precious little to eat. In addition, we were nothing more than toys to our lord. No matter how much I cried and screamed, he keptughing as he raped me. Heughed at me. He¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªI understand.¡±

    Tsuare¡¯s smile was twitching as Sebas pulled her over, enfolding her within his embrace before gently putting an arm over her trembling shoulders. Just like before, Sebas could feel Tsuare¡¯s tears soak his clothes as she broke down.

    What she had seen and lived through was not all of the world. Yet, to Tsuare, that was the sum total of the human experience.

    Sebas fell into thought.

    What should he do? No matter how he thought about it, there was only one answer. But that answer would anger his master. It might even make him order Tsuare¡¯s death.

    ¡°You might die.¡±

    ¡°If I must die by the hand of Sebas-sama, by the hand of the one who showed me kindness when I should have died in that ce...¡±

    Tsuare looked up to him. The look on her face helped Sebas make up his mind as well.

    ¡°I understand, Tsuare. I will plead with Ainz-sama to let me take you to Nazarick.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°It is too early to thank me. If I plead for you, Ainz-sama may order me to kill you¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªI am already prepared for that.¡±

    ¡°Is that... so.¡±

    Sebas let the strength fade from the arm on his shoulder, but Tsuare refused to leave. She clung tightly to Sebas¡¯ clothes, looking up to him with dewy eyes.

    There seemed to be a look of expectation in those eyes. That was what Sebas¡¯ instincts told him, but he did not know what she was hoping for. Still, he remembered that he had to confirm one thing first.

    ¡°Allow me to make sure this. You have no attachment to the human world? Do you not wish to return to your home?¡±

    Even being taken to Nazarick did not entail beingpletely separated from human society. That was because he was not taking Tsuare there to be a prisoner. However that possibility could not be entirely ruled out.

    ¡°...I... I would like to see my little sister again. But more than that, I don¡¯t want to remember all the things in the past...¡±

    ¡°I understand. Then, go to your room. I will go and meet Ainz-sama once more.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡ª¡±

    Tsuare let go of Sebas¡¯ clothes, and then she wrapped her arms around Sebas¡¯ neck.

    Tsuare paid no attention to the outwardly expressionless, yet inwardly conflicted Sebas, and stood on the tips of her toes.

    And then, Tsuare¡¯s lips met those of Sebas.

    The moment of intimacy was exceedingly brief. Tsuare¡¯s lips soon left his.

    ¡°It was a little prickly,¡± Tsuare said as she stepped back, touching her lips with the fingers of both hands. ¡°It was the first time I was so happy to be kissed.¡±

    Sebas had nothing to say. However, Tsuare looked intently at Sebas, and then smiled sweetly.

    ¡°Then, I shall wait here. Thank you for your concern, Sebas-sama.¡±

    ¡°Er, oh... I, I understand. Please wait here for a while.¡±

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Is something the matter? It would appear your face is red, no?¡±

    That was the first thing Sebas heard when he returned to the room. Upon hearing someonement on the redness of his face, Sebas calmed his breathing back to a deep and even rhythm. If he allowed his consternation from just now to show on his face, what right would he have to receive his master as his servant? Sebas resisted the impulse to touch his lips, instead putting on the expression of the perfect servant.

    ¡°It is nothing, Demiurge-sama.¡±

    ¡°There is no need to address me in such a formal manner, Sebas. Just as you did in front of Ainz-sama ¡ª in front of our master of iparable worth ¡ª you may address me by my name alone. How about you, Cocytus?¡±

    ¡°I. Do. Not. Mind.¡±

    After hearing from the two Guardians, Sebas indicated that he understood.

    About five minutester, space distorted.

    By the time the distortion had faded, someone stood in its ce. Naturally, that person was Ainz. The Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown he had been carrying just now was nowhere to be seen, and neither was Victim.

    Sebas, Cocytus, Demiurge and Solution knelt as one and bowed to him.

    ¡°Thank you for the warm wee.¡±

    Ainz circled behind the desk and took a seat.

    ¡°You may rise.¡±

    The four of them straightened up at once, all looking at Ainz. He seemed to be in a very good mood.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get down to business. Demiurge, this just goes to show you were worrying too much. I didn¡¯t believe for a moment that Sebas had betrayed us. You are all too cautious. Besides, I verified it myself in the Throne Room.¡±

    ¡°My deepest apologies. And I am grateful that you would ept my pointless suggestion, which contradicted your own judgement.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. I also make mistakes from time to time. However, I can rx when I know you are paying attention and checking, Demiurge. Besides, you made that suggestion because you were worried about me. I am not so petty as to censure you for that.¡±

    Ainz shifted his gaze from Demiurge ¡ª who was bowing deeply ¡ª and towards another direction.

    ¡°Now then, Sebas. It is time to discuss how to deal with that human girl.¡±

    Sebas¡¯ body went stiff from nervousness. He forced out a ¡°Yes¡±, and then after inspecting Ainz¡¯s countenance, he made up his mind and asked: ¡°How shall we we deal with Tsuare?¡±

    The silence continued, and then Ainz spoke, in what sounded like a suggestion.

    ¡°Hm. I recall that letting that girl go would result in news about Nazarick getting out, am I correct?¡±

    Demiurge nodded under Ainz¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°Indeed, that is so. Ainz-sama, how shall we handle this matter?¡±

    ¡°We shall alter her memories. Then... give her some money, and dump her somewhere.¡±

    ¡°Ainz-sama, I feel that killing her outright would be more convenient. There would also be fewer things to worry about.¡±

    Solution nodded at Demiurge¡¯s suggestion. After seeing their reactions, Ainz sank into contemtion. Since the two of them felt the same way, he should probably do it... perhaps.

    Sebas began to panic.

    Once his master made a decision, asking him to change it would not be easy. While Ainz had forgiven Sebas, Demiurge, Cocytus and Solution would surely think very poorly of him now. Carelessly voicing his opposition would definitely incur their ire.

    However, he had to make his proposal right now.

    Sebas opened his mouth, preparing to speak in opposition to Demiurge¡¯s opinion. However, he ended up not doing so, because Ainz spoke first.

    ¡°...That¡¯s enough, Demiurge. I am not fond of killing when it doesn¡¯t benefit me. Or rather, once you kill the weak, you cannot use them any longer. You must consider that they might still be of use as long as they still live.¡±

    Sebas swallowed a sigh of relief. Tsuare had not yet been condemned to death. That said, it was still a possibility.

    ¡°I understand... Then how about having her work at the ranch managed by my subordinates?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I recall you were breeding Chimerae. That¡¯s right, have you considered mincing them and using them as rations? We need to improve the quality of Nazarick¡¯s provisions.¡±

    Demiurge¡¯s eyes left Ainz, who was muttering about ¡°Chimera steaks, then... no, hamburgersmight be better...¡± and looked into the distance. Then he turned back.

    ¡°...Unfortunately, the quality of their meat is poor, and they are not up to standard. Using them in glorious Nazarick would be a little...¡±

    Demiurge smiled, indicating that he did not approve.

    ¡°Still, we can chop up the dead beasts and feed them to the others. Of course, they will not eat the meat if you feed it to them directly, so we have to mince it up first.¡±

    ¡°Oh... so they will eat their own kind? Animals are ultimately animals, after all.¡±

    ¡°You are correct, Ainz-sama. Still, that is what makes them foolish, cute and suitable as toys. The thing is that they are omnivorous, so they will also eat grains and the like. Therefore, may I trouble you to grant me some grain if there is any left over? Given the current situation, our plundered supplies are somewhat insufficient.¡±

    ¡°They are the source of parchment, a critical resource. I do not wish to let them starve either. How about this... Sebas, purchaserge quantities of grain before we leave and direct them to Demiurge.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Given the quantities required, I wish to rent a small warehouse and store the grains there. How shall we transport the grain to Nazarick?¡±

    ¡°About that... Bring Shalltear over and have her use [Gate] to send it over. Demiurge will take over from there. Will that be alright?¡±

    ¡°Yes. We will handle the transportation from there.¡±

    ¡°Very well. Ah, yes. Demiurge, You are arguably the hardest worker in Nazarick, and I am very grateful to you for that.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much for your kind words, Ainz-sama! They serve as immeasurable encouragement to your humble servant!¡±

    ¡°...Hm, ah, calm down. Therefore, I had something to ask you. Are you not suffering greatly under your manybors? I call you back whenever there are problems, and you must manage the breeding ranch to maintain the supply of parchment, and then there are the preparations for creating the Demon King... I fear you are displeased with the many weighty tasks you have been given.¡±

    Demiurge was all smiles. Sebas had never seen that expression on him before ¡ª it was a smile thatcked any malice whatsoever and endeared him to all who looked upon it.

    ¡°I am deeply grateful that you would be so concerned for your humble servant. However, please be at ease. All these tasks are meaningful and they do not constitute a burden to me thus far. If I feel there is the need for it, I shall surely request assistance. At that time, I shall have to trouble you for sour and aid.¡±

    ¡°I see, I see.¡±

    Sebas frowned mentally as he heard his master¡¯s voice of delight and thought about the truth of the conditions at Demiurge¡¯s ranch.

    Sebas and Demiurge were both servants of the Supreme Beings, and Sebas knew Demiurge¡¯s personality well. Someone like Demiurge would never run an ordinary ranch. The same would apply even if he were raising creatures like Chimerae¡ª

    A brilliant sh of light raced through Sebas¡¯ mind.

    This was because he had guessed what sort of creatures Demiurge was raising.

    Could he send Tsuare to such a ce? Indeed, Demiurge would probably guarantee the safety of her life. However, the same could not be said of her mental state.

    Just then, there was a lull in the conversation between Ainz and Demiurge. This was the only time for Sebas to cut in. After deciding on that, Sebas addressed his master:

    ¡°¡ªAinz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Hm? What is it, Sebas?¡±

    ¡°If I may¡ª¡±

    He held his breath. This was a gamble ¡ª an extremely risky gamble. Yet, it was one he had to make.

    ¡°I would like to have Tsuare work for us in the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.¡±

    Silence descended upon the room, and all eyes converged on a single point in the room. Ainz calmly asked Sebas:

    ¡°I asked Cocytus the same question before... but Sebas, what merits are there in doing so?¡±

    ¡°To begin with, Tsuare can cook. In all of Nazarick, only the head chef and the sous-chef can prepare food, excepting Yuri and the others. After considering the future needs of Nazarick, I feel that it would be better if we had more people who could cook. I also feel that it would be very beneficial to test the ability of humans to work in Nazarick. It would set an excellent precedent to show that even inferior lifeforms like humans can render service unto Nazarick. In addition¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªI get it. I understand, Sebas.¡±

    Ainz raised his hand to interrupt Sebas¡¯ non-stop rambling about the many uses of Tsuare.

    ¡°I know, Sebas. I am fully aware of what you¡¯re trying to say. Indeed, I have thought in the past that we have too few people who are able to cook. It is a problem worth pondering.¡±

    ¡°But Ainz-sama, can she really prepare food which is worthy of Nazarick?¡±

    Sebas red resentfully at Demiurge for a moment. In response, Demiurge merely smiled.

    You bastard ¡ª Sebas swallowed the curse before he could speak it.

    Even if Ainz had forgiven Sebas, Demiurge had not. Therefore, he was striving to be as contrary as possible to Sebas¡¯ wishes while they decided the disposition of Tsuare. That must be it.

    ¡°He does have a point. What do you think, Sebas?¡±

    ¡°...Tsuare mainly prepares basic dishes. As for whether they are suitable for Nazarick... that is a little difficult to answer.¡±

    ¡°Basic dishes. I doubt Nazarick will require steamed potatoes or the like.¡±

    ¡°I ampelled to point out the shallowness of Demiurge¡¯s thinking. Since she can already make basic dishes, that implies she can learn other cooking techniques from the head chef if she but asks. We cannot simply look at the present, but must consider the future.¡±

    ¡°Then I would love to have her help prepare food in my ranch. Making mincemeat is hardly a trivial task.¡±

    ¡°I¡ª¡±

    The two of them bickered back and forth. Ainz watched their conversation.

    At the same time, he looked beyond them. He saw the phantom images of their creators, ghosts of a glorious golden past¡ª

    ? ? ?

    ¡°So, where are we going today?¡±

    ¡°The Fire Giants¡ª¡±

    ¡°The Ice Dragons¡ª¡±

    ¡°...Hm. Ulbert-san, I believe we agreed to farm the Fire Giant boss Surtr for his rare drops. Did you forget?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to ask if you forgot, Touch-san. There are people who need to hunt Ice Dragons in order to meet their job change prerequisites, aren¡¯t there?¡±

    ¡°...Indeed, that is so. But Yamaiko-san needs the drops to get stronger.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m okay with¡ª¡±

    ¡°Are you referring to the Primordial Fire? Then the Primordial Ice is just as essential, no? That being the case, we should hunt the Dragons¡ª¡±

    ¡°...We can raise drop rates with a cash item. Surtr has a lower drop rate than the Dragons, so don¡¯t you think we ought to beat him first?¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re telling me to shell out for a cash item, then?¡±

    ¡°...Well, about, about, about that...¡±

    ¡°...How about fighting lewd monsters like Subi in the Abyss?¡±

    ¡°Shut up, little bro.¡±

    ¡°Well, if we¡¯re going after demon-types, we ought to fight the Seven Lords of Sin. Granted, we might need to make a lot of preparations.¡±

    ¡°...Touch-san, I don¡¯t think you should be so selfish. Don¡¯t you think we¡¯d be more efficient fighting the Ice Dragons, given the members who showed up?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the selfish one, Ulbert-san. Besides, games aren¡¯t all about efficiency.¡±

    ¡°Would the strongest mage and the strongest warrior please stop fighting...¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ve always been like that. Ever since they recruited me.¡±

    ¡°Touch-san must have been a really great guy to chat up a pink penis.¡±

    ¡°...Chagama-san, Peroroncino-san, could you please put your weapons down? I¡¯m invoking my Guildmaster¡¯s privileges.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t some other guild beat the Seven Lords of Sin already?¡±

    ¡°Someone took out Pride. There was a post online.¡±

    ¡°Apparently you¡¯re guaranteed a World-ss Item once you beat all the Seven Sins ¡ª after all, they are World-ss Enemies.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of World-ss Items, let¡¯s use the [Caloric Stone] to make a super-powerful golem.¡±

    ¡°Nuubou-san. I feel it would be better to socket it into a weapon instead of making a golem.¡±

    ¡°I think a suit of armor would be pretty good too.¡±

    ¡°Ah, we do have to think about that. After all, it¡¯s an item that allows us to make requests to the devs, so we¡¯d be better served by thinking carefully about it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Momonga-san.¡±

    ¡°We already know how to farm [Caloric Stones], but that method depletes a lot of the metal from the hidden prismatic ore mine.¡±

    ¡°Ahhhh, we can¡¯t get it unless we have sole control over the mine. What a pain.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. As long as it¡¯s divided up among other guilds, we can¡¯t rece it once it¡¯s used up. Why not just take turns using it... how about selling the information to Trinity? That ought to make people greedy and trigger infighting among them, and we can swoop in to pick up the pieces.¡±

    ¡°So we sell it to the Alliance and let them kill each other? That¡¯s our strategist Punitto Moe-san for you.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of the Alliance , they seem to be reaching out to others.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Why¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡¸ß×£¿ÕâÊÇÎªÊ²Ã´£¿¡¹

    ¡°I heard they obtained some kind of World-ss Item, so they changed their stance towards other guilds.¡±

    ¡°Achya ¡ª still, it¡¯ll be hard for them to form a high-tier coalition likest time.¡±

    ¡°¡ªHow about letting Momonga-san decide?¡±

    ¡°Sounds good to me. Guildmaster, what do you think we should do?¡±

    ¡°...Eh? Wha? I wasn¡¯t paying attention at all... eh? Oh, are you asking me now? ...Honestly... We¡¯ll go with majority vote as usual. That way nobody will have anyints.¡±

    ¡°Fine with me.¡±

    ¡°Same here.¡±

    ¡°Alright, then, the new coin will represent Ulbert-san while the old one represents Touch-san. Good ¡ª everyone, take your coins. We¡¯re going to listen to the two of them speak now¡ª¡±

    ? ? ?

    ¡°¡ªAre. You. Quite. Done. With. This. Squabbling? You. Stand. Before. Ainz-sama!¡±

    Cocytus¡¯ words were like a bucket of cold water dumped onto the ever-escting quarrel between Sebas and Demiurge.

    Both of them turned to look at Ainz, who was staring at them, and their faces nched in unison. There was no way to tell what expression lurked within the dancing points of light within Ainz¡¯s empty eye sockets, but there was no doubt that there was great power in his gaze.

    The two of them sensed their master was about to castigate them at any time, and they both responded simultaneously.

    ¡°Forgive your servant¡¯s rudeness in your presence, Ainz-sama!¡±

    ¡°Your servant deeply regrets forcing you to witness his foolish behavior!¡±

    The two of them bowed in apology, but neither of them could understand Ainz¡¯s reaction.

    ¡°¡ªAhahaha!¡±

    The room suddenly rang with loud and rxedughter.

    They did not recall Ainz everughing with such mirth. Cocytus, Demiurge, Sebas and Solution stared dumbly at this unbelievable sight.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I permit this! I permit you to argue! Yes! That¡¯s how it should be, going back and forth without end. Ahahaha.¡±

    They had no idea what had moved Ainz¡¯s heart, but Sebas quietly sighed in relief, sensing that the situation seemed to have changed.

    ¡°Ahahah... tch, the override kicked in.¡±

    Suddenly their master¡¯s mood calmed down, as though something had snapped inside him. Still, Sebas was sure that he seemed to be in good spirits. Ainz then addressed Sebas in a rxed tone:

    ¡°I already know what Sebas wants to say. Unfortunately, it is not a good idea to bring humans into the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. That said, I wish to see that Tsuare girl. Bring her to me.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ah ¡ª yes! Your servant understands!¡±

    Sebas was puzzled by Ainz¡¯s strange pronouncement, but he immediately left the room and fetched Tsuare.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, I have brought her here.¡±

    ¡°Mm, bring her over¡ª¡±

    Ainz leaned forward from his chair. He stared at Tsuare in a very strange way.

    Has something about her displeased the Master? Sebas nced at Tsuare from the corner of his eye, but he had no idea why his master would act like that.

    ¡°...Looks simr,¡± he murmured. He had probably not meant to say that out loud.

    ¡°...Wee, Tsuare. Let me begin by making things clear. I do not warn people twice, because I wish to respect the choices that others make. That applies even if said choice results in disaster for the other party. WIth that out of the way, I wish to ask you something. If you lie, the matter will be over. The same applies if I do not receive the answer I wish to hear.¡±

    Sebas could hear Tsuare swallow from where he was standing by the side. He did not fault her for that. She was probably feeling very uneasy about her impending fate after that threatening disy.

    ¡°Then, my question is: Tell me your full name.¡±

    Sebas did not understand the meaning of that question. Why had he asked it?

    He nced at her again, and saw that Tsuare¡¯s eyes were roving all around the room. Her attitude exined everything.

    Please answer honestly, Sebas prayed.

    The fact that she had not even told Sebas her real name suggested that it might be very problematic. That said, lying to his master would probably be the worst-case scenario for her.

    The silence continued, and after a nerve-wracking period of time had passed, Tsuare finally responded in a voice as faint as a mosquito¡¯s buzzing:

    ¡°Tsu-Tsuare... Tsuareninya.¡±

    ¡°And your surname?¡±

    ¡°Tsuareninya Veyron...¡±

    ¡°I see... I see... then, I shall ask you this, Tsuareninya. Your wish is to travel to the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick ¡ª that is to say, my domain ¡ª and live there, am I correct? ...The Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick is not a world where humans can live. No, I do not mean that humans cannot survive there, but that it does not contain members of the race known as humanity. Therefore, I do not know if it is a suitable ce for you to live... You may also choose to ept the fortune I will give you, and live the rest of your days in a distant human domain.¡±

    His terms were so generous that it made people question why Ainz was going this far for her. However, Tsuare did not hesitate and replied immediately:

    ¡°I, I wish to live with... Sebas-sama.¡±

    Ainz nodded slowly. The crimson light in his empty eye sockets seemed strangely gentle.

    ¡°Good. Listen well, my servants!¡±

    Everyone immediately snapped to attention. Tsuare hurriedly made to imitate them.

    ¡°I guarantee the safety of Tsuareninya in the name of Ainz Ooal Gown. I can treat you as a guest of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, but what would you prefer?¡±

    ¡°Thank... thank you, m¡¯lord. But, but, I would prefer to work with Sebas-sama.¡±

    ¡°¡ªIf that is what you wish. Then, for the time being, Tsuare shall be a temporary maid who is directly subordinate to Sebas. Sebas, give her appropriate work. At the same time, the Pleiades will change from the Six Stars to the Seven Sisters, with the appropriate change in the team¡¯s leader. However, we will not move her from that ce. Yuri Alpha will take charge instead.¡±

    Solution bowed deeply.

    ¡°Also, tell everyone in the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick that Tsuareninya is under the protection of Ainz Ooal Gown. At the same time, she will be working alongside you.¡±

    Everyone except Tsuare and Ainz bowed as one.

    ¡°Demiurge, do you have any objections to my decision?¡±

    ¡°None at all. Your word isw in the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. However, I feel many will not understand why we have weed a human being to this blessednd of ours. How shall I exin this to them?¡±

    ¡°...When I think about it, Yamaiko-san¡¯s sister Akemi-san was a Wood Elf, but we frequently invited her to Nazarick. There is no ban on the entry of humans or humanoids. Otherwise¡ª¡±

    Ainz looked at Solution, who was waiting for orders within the room, and said:

    ¡°¡ªWe would have to chase out your little sister as well.¡±

    ¡°However, it remains to be seen if an immortal can still be considered human.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, Solution. Then, Demiurge. Tell them that I have decreed this. If anyone feels otherwise, they are free to look for me. I will exin it to them.¡±

    ¡°Your servant understands. I have no further questions.¡±

    ¡°Then let us confirm our course of action. First, we will immediately vacate this property. All the sentries stationed here will return to Nazarick. Solution and Sebas willplete their final task in the Royal Capital ¡ª which is to purchase grain for Demiurge ¡ª and then they will transport it to the storehouse. Once sufficient quantities have been umted, we will have Shalltear use [Gate] to transport the grain. Am I correct.¡±

    Everyone bowed in silence. Tsuare looked around and hurriedly bowed as well.

    ¡°Then, there¡¯s Tsuare... How should we handle Tsuare? Will she go back with us? Or should she go back with Sebas?¡±

    ¡°Your servant submits that going back with me would save a lot of trouble.¡±

    ¡°Is that so, Sebas. I understand. Then, Sebas, Solution, bring the sentry vassals here. I will take them all back with my magic.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    ? ? ?

    After watching the three of them leave, Demiurge asked Ainz:

    ¡°May I ask if you are you familiar with that girl?¡±

    Ainz did not answer that question, but slowly rose from his seat. Then he turned to face a nk wall. The way he did so was as though there were someone standing there.

    After a short while had passed, Ainz spoke.

    ¡°Demiurge, I am a person who believes in returning good unto good and evil unto evil. At the same time, I feel that debts owed must be repaid.¡±

    Ainz produced a book from thin air. This leather-bound book was bound with string, and it was of rough workmanship.

    ¡°The Head Librarian has already tranted it, but this is is the original. It was the diary of a girl who burned with anger because her... elder sister was taken away by a nobleman.¡±

    Once, in a certain vige, there lived a pair of sisters who were very close. Their parents had passed away when they were young and they were poor, but they helped each other through life.

    However, the elder sister was taken away by the lord of thend ¡ª a man with a terrible reputation ¡ª to serve as his concubine. Perhaps the younger sister might have been able to wish her well with tears in her eyes if her elder sister had been able to live well. However, the rumors her little sister heard made her guess that her elder sister would be used as a toy and then disposed of as garbage once her captors tired of her.

    When her guess was proven urate, the furious little sister left her vige, because nobody was willing to help her.

    Soon, she discovered that she had a talent for magic, and so she steadily built her strength in order to save her elder sister with her abilities. However, she had met her end before meeting her aim.

    The diary was mainly filled with brief, simple sentences. On thest page, she had written words of praise for a pair of adventurers who had gone to gather herbs with her: Momon and Nabe.

    ¡°I learned some things about how the world worked from from this diary. So I am in your debt. Let me pay it to your elder sister instead.¡±

    Ainz stroked the leather cover, which was discolored from age, and then returned it to his pocket dimension.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, your servant seeks your permission for a matter.¡±

    ¡°What is it, Demiurge?¡±

    ¡°I saw the reports which Sebas submitted, and something caught my interest. Might I have some of your time?¡±

    ¡°Is there a problem?¡±

    ¡°Yes. There is a ce I wish to investigate. I will attempt to return before you must go back, Ainz-sama, but it may take a while because I have to search for the ce in question... having you wait for me is terribly disrespectful, but if you could spare me a bit of your precious time...¡±

    As Ainz saw Demiurge¡¯s grave face, Ainz decided to speak in a light tone to put him at ease.

    ¡°It is fine, Demiurge. You are doing so for the benefit of Nazarick, are you not? Waiting for that purpose is not a hardship. Go, Demiurge.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much!¡±

    <b>Part 2</b>

    <b>Lower Fire Month (9th Month) 4th Day 15:01</b>

    Dawn came, and with it, Sebas and Solution¡¯s busy day began.

    They could have left without a word, but they had built their identities as traders and it would be a shame to simply discard it like that, so they decided to put on a show and pretend they were returning to the Empire.

    He brought Solution with him ¡ª she had only met them once before this, when they had just arrived ¡ª and announced their return to their homnd to all the traders and to the Guild.

    Of course, they could not simply leave after saying they were going back. They had to spend time on small talk, that being an indispensable part of improving rtionships.The fact was that no man was unwilling to speak with Solution, which meant they had to spend more time on interaction.

    In the end, they spent upwards of half an hour at every location they visited, and after they had finished reporting to everyone, it was already veryte.

    ¡°Well, we spent a lot of time on this, but we¡¯ve already arranged for the temporary storehouse and the grain transportation. That should take care of everything and we can return to Nazarick now.¡±

    There were hints of delight in Solution¡¯s voice. Sebas could tell that this was because she was pleased; both because she would be able to return to the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, and also because she had fulfilled the orders her master had handed down to her. Since intelligence-gathering had primarily been Sebas¡¯ job, she had probably not had much chance to experience the sense of aplishment which came from serving her master and producing results.

    Solution¡¯s job now was to y the role of the mistress in preparation for their return to Nazarick. Surely that would have filled her with great satisfaction. She seemed about to hum to herself.

    The fact was that her good-spirited conversation with the merchants had led to various negotiations going in their favor. For instance, they had received a huge discount on the rent for the warehouse, on top of the deductions for buying arge quantity of grain.

    Being pretty makes you really popr.

    That was what Sebas thought as he stopped the coach in the yard of the house and led Solution to the main door.of the house.

    He took out the key for the front door and inserted it into the keyhole.

    Then he turned it, as he always did, but he did not hear the clicking that should have followed, nor did he feel like he had opened a lock.

    Sebas wrinkled his brow in confusion, and then his eyes met Solution¡¯s.

    ¡ªWas the door open?

    He pushed, and the door opened slightly.

    Tsuare was the only one left in the house. There was no way she would have gone outside on her own.

    ¡°There are fresh scratches around the keyhole. Someone probably picked¡ª¡±

    Sebas rammed the door open without waiting for Solution to finish. He did not consider the possibility of there being a trap in ce. Even if there was a trap, he would crush it underfoot.

    Now that they had finished the work of pulling out from the house, it felt cold and empty. Upon setting foot into the house Sebas immediately deployed his full suite of detection abilities to pick up the breathing of living creatures ¡ª in other words, traces of Tsuare.

    However, he could not sense any humans around.

    ¡°Tsuare! Tsuare, are you there?!¡± he shouted loudly as he searched around the house.

    Sebas went through every nook and cranny but could not find her. Not only had he not found her, but there were no traces of her either. It was as though she had vanished into thin air.

    No, somebody must have broken in. There¡¯s no smell of blood, so she was probably abducted. That being the case, the kidnappers¡¯ demands will be...

    Sebas clenched his fists.

    As he thought, he should not have left Tsuare behind while he was saying his farewells. He burned with frustration at his failure.

    In fact, he should never have left Tsuare alone in the house. Having shed with a criminal syndicate, he felt that it was inevitable that danger woulde his way sooner orter.

    That said, he had still let Tsuare stay home alone. This was because her mental traumas had not yet healed and she was still afraid of the outside world and its people. The reason why she had not sumbed to panic during the meeting with Sebas¡¯ master was because all of them did not look remotely human. Back then, she had not acted like a traumatized person, but an average person who had seen a monster.

    Even leaving her on the coach might have caused problems as well. It was those worries which made Sebas decide to leave her in the house.

    He had also believed that in the wake of his wrecking of the brothel, the opposition would take some time to reorganize themselves or n an attack.

    All he could say now was that he had been too naive.

    As Sebas paced quickly through the corridors, a voice called out to him amidst his anxiety. The voice came from the guest lounge.

    ¡°Sebas-sama, over here.¡±

    ¡°Solution, where is she?¡±

    How could she be there? Sebas had checked the guest lounge just now. Still, he clung to a sliver of faint hope.

    He entered the room and saw Solution there, holding a piece of parchment.

    ¡°There seems to be something written on¡ª¡±

    ¡°Give it to me.¡±

    Sebas did not wait for Solution to reply before practically snatching it from her hands. Then he activated his magic item and read through the contents, whereupon he crushed the paper in anger.

    ¡°She was kidnapped. Therefore, I shall go and rescue her.¡±

    Solution¡¯s reply was calm and emotionless.

    ¡°Your servant feels that you should do so as well.¡±

    This did not sound like something Solution would say, and it made Sebas¡¯ eyes go wide.

    ¡°However, Ainz-sama ordered us to retreat to the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. Should we not prioritize that order?¡±

    ¡°If we go back, we must do so with Tsuare.¡±

    ¡°Sebas-sama... your servant feels that acting independently here will incur a great risk. Firstly, where will you go to rescue her?¡±

    ¡°The note specified a time and ce in exacting detail. Our opposition seems to be people involved with the brothel that I destroyed.¡±

    ¡°I see. However, it would be best to report to Ainz-sama before heading there. After all, had you not destroyed the brothel, things would not have ended up like this, Sebas-sama. Was that not a vition of Ainz-sama¡¯s request that we keep a low profile. In addition, acting on your own again would mean defying Ainz-sama¡¯s will once more, Sebas-sama... and also, have you forgotten what Ainz-sama said back then, Sebas-sama?¡±

    Those words shed through Sebas¡¯ mind like a stroke of lightning. In whose name had Ainz sworn to protect Tsuare?

    ¡°Report to Ainz-sama. Tell him that Tsuare has been kidnapped, and ask him for advice on how to proceed.¡±

    <b>Part 3</b>

    <b>Lower Fire Month (9th Month) 4th Day 15:15</b>

    ¡°Hm hm hm~¡±

    Albedo happily hummed a self-made tune to herself as she pushed a needle through a piece of wool, pulled the thread tight, then pushed the needle back in again, and then tightened it again. After several repetitions of this, she had sewn a piece of ck cloth to a ball of white wool. After that, she stuffed the cloth into the white ball to make it even rounder.

    She closely inspected the nearly spherical wool doll, and then a gentle smile formed on Albedo¡¯s face. Her expression exuded a gentle kindness, like that of a goddess.

    ¡°Alright! I¡¯ve finished Ainz-sama¡¯s head!¡±

    She clenched her fist in satisfaction, and then she caressed the woolen skull.

    The skull¡¯s mouth and eyes were patches of sewn-on cloth and they looked adorable. Ainz would surely be embarrassed if he saw this.

    ¡°Alright, now for the body...¡±

    She set the fabric skull down with infinite kindness, then rose from her chair and took up a ball of white wool.

    This was Albedo¡¯s personal room.

    Speaking of personal rooms, Albedo had originally been assigned to the Throne Room as its defender, so she had never had a room to begin with.

    However, Ainz had decided that such a state of affairs might be problematic for the Guardian Overseer, and so he had ordered that she be assigned one of the rooms prepared for the 41 Supreme Beings.

    Much like Ainz¡¯s own room, Albedo¡¯s quarters were very spacious. Frankly speaking, it was toorge for Albedo, who did not have many personal possessions to begin with.

    However after living here for about two months, the situation was different.

    The first reason was the changing room which Albedo was about to open.

    It was filled with Ainzs.

    Of course, they were all fake copies of Ainz. There were several dakimakuras of Ainz in various poses, and countless SD plush dolls of Ainz.

    This was one of Albedo¡¯s secret rooms. Not even the maids who came in to clean the room were allowed in here. It was an invible sanctuary, or in other words, a harem chamber.

    ¡°Kuhuhuhuh~¡±

    With that strange sound, Albedo leapt into the air. She pped the wings at her waist to slow her charge at the dakimakuras. It looked like a slow-motion rugby tackle.

    Albedo embraced the dakimakura tightly and then rolled around the floor. There were many different Ainzs on the floor as well, which ensured that hernding was well-cushioned.

    Sheughed strangely as she buried herself in three different Ainz dakimakuras.

    ¡°Kuhuhuhu, thistest dakimakura was made from Ainz-sama¡¯s bedsheet... which means I¡¯m sleeping with Ainz-sama. Kuhuhuhuhu~¡±

    Albedo buried her face into the dakimakura and inhaled deeply.

    ¡°There¡¯s no scent... huh.¡±

    The disappointment was clearly evident in her tone. It would surely induce guilt in any listeners.

    Ainz was undead, so he did not need to sleep or use the bedroom. In addition, his body was skeletal, so he had no scent. He would bathe to rid himself of dirt or dust, but by itself, his body did exude any odours.

    ¡°Hmm? Is this... could this be... Ainz-sama¡¯s...¡±

    However, a girl in love could even scent the faint odour that Ainz produced... although her nose might have just been ying tricks on her.

    ¡°Kuh! Kuhuhuhuhuhuhu!¡±

    She buried her face into the dakimakura and gulped down great lungfuls of air. This behavior was less fitting of the Guardian Overseer than a pervert.

    ¡°Ahhhh~ I¡¯m so happy.¡±

    As the Guardian Overseer of Nazarick, Albedo had many tasks. She had to handle troop assignations within Nazarick and station sentries to man the early warning perimeter. She also had to maintain the defensive posture of Nazarick and wait at the Throne Room to verify everyone¡¯s status and so on. It was a set of tasks that would make anyone¡¯s eyes ache.

    Therefore,ing into this room to recharge herself was a critical matter.

    ¡°Ah~ I want to see Ainz-sama. I want to see him. Ah~ I want to see him.¡±

    She hugged the pillow tightly, as though to vent her anger at Narberal, who was travelling with Ainz. Just then¡ª

    ¡º¡ªAlbedo.¡»

    Her body quivered in fear.

    Albedo broke out in a cold sweat and her face twitched as she looked around, until she was sure that the voice had been generated by magic.

    ¡°Ai-Ainz-sama ¡ª do you have any orders for me?¡±

    ¡ºJust now, Sebas ¡ª no, Solution sent a [Message] to me. It seems that Tsuare, the woman which Sebas picked up, has been kidnapped. Therefore, I¡¯d like you to put together a set of reinforcements for Sebas.¡»

    Albedo immediately recalled who Tsuare was when Ainz mentioned her.

    Ainz had set out for E-Rantel in the guise of Momon right after returning to Nazarick, but she had heard the rough details from Demiurge, who had stayed behind.

    ¡°Please forgive my foolish questioning of your decision, Ainz-sama. But is there a need to draft a team in order to save an inferior life form like a human being? If she were connected to the mastermind of the Shalltear incident, I could understand...¡±

    ¡ºNo. This situation has nothing to deal with Shalltear being mind-controlled. This matter seems to be the doing of the criminal organization hiding within the Kingdom.¡»

    ¡°That being the case, there¡¯s even...¡±

    ¡ºAlbedo. I swore on the name of Ainz Ooal Gown to help Tsuareninya. Do you understand?¡»

    His tone had changedpletely.

    Albedo could feel the searing mes of his anger. Her throat seemed to have glued into a solid mass.

    ¡ºDo you understand? Do you understand?! I used that name to guarantee her my protection! But someone dared kidnap her in spite of that! In other words, they are insulting the name that we all chose! They may not know the facts, but I will not forgive this!¡»

    At this point, it felt as though his hatred had suddenly diminished.

    In all likelihood his emotions had reached a certain threshold and had been forcibly suppressed.

    ¡º...Forgive me. Those damn kidnappers seem to have angered me. I beg your pardon, Albedo.¡»

    It was only after she heard her master¡¯s calm voice that Albedo¡¯s own heart could return to peace and she could finally speak.

    While she knew that her insuperable master was not angry at her, even Albedo could not help but feel pressured by it.

    ¡°There, there¡¯s no need for you to apologize, Ainz-sama.¡±

    She bowed deeply, even though he was not before her.

    ¡º...Then, I order you to safely rescue Tsuareninya, Albedo.¡»

    ¡°Understood! I shall severely punish the humans who dared anger you at the same time that I mount the rescue!¡±

    ¡ºVery good. I¡¯ll leave that to you. Also, is Demiurge still in Nazarick to handle the grain transportation? Let him take responsibility for this.¡»

    ¡°I could take action directly¡ª¡±

    ¡ºNo, Albedo. I need you to defend Nazarick. Send Demiurge over. And remember to be careful. Do not allow your true identities to be exposed. In that case, I will turn the matter of the Royal Capital over to you and Demiurge. Carry on.¡»

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    The [Message] spell terminated and silence returned to the room. Albedo slowly rose and carefully stowed away the dakimakuras.

    ¡°...Still, I really don¡¯t understand.¡±

    There was a hard glint in Albedo¡¯s eyes as she muttered to herself. She turned to regard the room once more.

    None of the maids were allowed into this room. This was both because Albedo wanted to monopolize the Ainz dolls and also because of a particr corner of the room.

    That corner contained the g emzoned with the symbol of Ainz Ooal Gown.

    It should have been proudly disyed near the entrance, but it had instead been thrown into the corner where it was now gathering dust. There was no trace of respect or admiration for it, only disdain, anger and scorn.

    ¡°Ainz Ooal Gown, huh... how meaningless.¡±

    Albedo thought of the g that had reced the g of Ainz Ooal Gown. It was toorge, and so it drooped like a theatre backdrop.

    ¡°The Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick belongs to you and you alone. I, Albedo, wish only to serve you. Ahhhh... How I wish I could hear your wondrous name again someday¡ª¡±

 Chapter 40 - Volume 6

    <h4>Overlord Volume 6 Chapter 7</h4>

    <b>Chapter 7: Attack Preparations</b>

    <b>Part 1</b>

    <b>Lower Fire Month (9th Month) 3rd Day 18:27</b>

    It was evening by the time Brain could return to Stronoff¡¯s home, after handing over his watch to the guards Climb had called over. Now that he was released from the stress of battle, he realized that he was so hungry that his stomach ached.

    ...If I made Stronoff wait for me while he was hungry, I don¡¯t know how I¡¯ll live this down.

    He opened the house¡¯s door. Naturally, Gazef had permitted Brain to treat this home like it was his own.

    As Brain entered the house and walked towards the room which Gazef had lent him, he heard the sound of footsteps heading in his direction. Someone must have heard himing in.

    He guessed that it was Gazef, and when the person making those footsteps came down the stairs, his guess was proven correct.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re backte, Unus. Did you go anywhere?¡±

    Gazef¡¯s question held no hint of a rebuke. In fact, as Brain fell into contemtion about how to answer that question, Gazef instead looked upon him with eyes that were bright with interest.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, how about talking over dinner?¡±

    That idea sat just fine with Brain. He rubbed his belly andughed.

    ¡°That¡¯s a great idea. Where shall we eat?¡±

    Gazef looked surprised for a moment, and then he led Brain to the dining room, saying ¡°over here.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to have the servants make something? Or don¡¯t tell me, you¡¯re going to cook yourself, Stronoff?¡±

    Gazef smiled bitterly at that unexpected question.

    ¡°No, I can¡¯t cook at all.¡±

    Saying so, he pursed his lips into a cat-smile, and added:

    ¡°However, everything my servants make is pretty nd, probably because they¡¯re getting on in years. In my line of work, I¡¯d like to eat things with strong vours... but they just don¡¯t seem to get it.¡±

    Brain chuckled, and teased: ¡°So even the great and mighty Warrior-Captain of the Kingdom is forced to eat nd, healthy fare?¡±

    Gazef did not protest this, merely frowned and replied: ¡°Indeed.¡±

    Then he continued: ¡°While i¡¯d thought of letting you try my famous home-cooked food, in the end I ordered take-out.¡±

    ¡°Is that so. That¡¯s very kind of you. Thanks.¡±

    Brain smiled thinly as he said this. It seemed to amuse Gazef, who chuckled. Then, he shot back:

    ¡°Can you cook then, Unus?¡±

    However, that riposte went wide.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s nothing much, but I can throw together simple dishes. After all, it¡¯d be pretty hard to get by if I couldn¡¯t cook on my own while training.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Gazef answered as they entered the dining room, whereupon he picked up the basket ced near the wall.

    It seemedrge enough to hold a baby, and a fragrance wafted out from inside, stimting the nose and belly.

    The two of them sat down, facing each other.

    After setting several dishes on the table, they raised sses filled with wine and clinked them together. There was no special asion for the toast. They simply glugged the wine down in silence.

    A refreshing vor spread from their mouths.

    After about two mouthfuls, Brain put the ss down. He coughed and said in an earnest tone:

    ¡°...It¡¯s been a long time since I had wine.¡±

    ¡°Same here. Or rather, I should say I haven¡¯t eaten at home in a while.¡±

    ¡°...Working in the Pce is hard, huh.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a lot for the Warrior-Captain to do.¡±

    ¡°Are you in charge of the Royal Family¡¯s security too?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s what I do for the most part.¡±

    Brain could sense Gazef¡¯s upright nature through his words. It would be fine topse a little, but he insisted on sticking to his guns.

    The nobles must hatemoners like this.

    It would seem Brain¡¯s guess was on the mark, because Gazef very rarely mentioned the nobles. Despite his lofty station of the Kingdom¡¯s Warrior-Captain, Gazef mainly talked about his military duties or how he served the Royal Family. There was hardly any talk of the decadent world of ballrooms and banquets.

    An imposing social barrier still separated noble frommoner, though this practice hadrgely vanished in the nearby Empire.

    Brain suddenly found it all very amusing.

    In the past, he had honed his sword skills to defeat Gazef, and he had selfishly thought that ¡°the next time we meet will be a battle to the death¡±. Yet the two of them were now friends who could share a drink.

    Perhaps Gazef had picked up on his thoughts, but the other man smiled too.

    They clinked their sses together. Perhaps the wine was starting to get to them, but they used a bit too much force and the wine spilled out, soaking the table.

    ¡°Oi oi, don¡¯t spill it on the food.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think the wine¡¯ll make it taste better?¡±

    ¡°Well, my tongue¡¯s pretty bad so it¡¯s all one to me... is it the same for you, Unus?¡±

    ¡°Brain. Call me Brain.¡±

    ¡°Really now. Call me Gazef, then.¡±

    ¡°Got it, Gazef.¡±

    The two of them looked and each other andughed, and there was a clear ringing note as their sses clinked together again.

    Gazef brought up all manner of topics, and Brain soon found himself in unfamiliar territory. As they were getting into it, Gazef nonchntly asked:

    ¡°Come to think of it, how did a man like you end up like that, Brain?¡±

    He asked that question carefully, as though afraid of reopening old wounds. His prating gaze did not appear to be testing the truth of his words. He seemed genuinely worried about hurting Brain¡¯s feelings.

    ¡°Mm, thanks.¡±

    Gazef froze at Brain¡¯s unbidden thanks. Perhaps that face of his was amusing, but Brain¡¯s own expression softened a little. Then, he straightened himself up and said:

    ¡°...I saw a monster.¡±

    ¡°A monster? Some kind of magical beast, maybe?¡±

    ¡°I think it was a Vampire... her name was Shalltear Bloodfallen. With just her pinky finger she managed to deflect the move I invented... to defeat you.¡±

    Brain sensed that Gazef¡¯s eyes had slightly widened.

    ¡°...Is that so.¡±

    Those words were apanied by a savage smile. Brain knew well what that smile meant.

    It was the desire of any warrior to defeat a mighty foe.

    Brain had once felt that way about Gazef. Gazef had probably wanted to fight Brain as well, to re-experience that pitched exciting battle from back then¡ª

    However, that bestial grin promptly vanished. In its ce was the smile of the Kingdom¡¯s Warrior-Captain.

    Brain described the Vampire¡¯s appearance, but Gazef replied that he had never heard of her before. Then he took a mouthful of wine. Brain had a sip himself, and then described their battle ¡ª no, of how she had trampled him underfoot.

    However, he stayed away from the topic of being employed by the Death-Spreading Brigade. He felt that Gazef might say ¡°every man walks his own path in life¡±, but the truth was that in front of a righteous man like Gazef, Brain felt ashamed of mentioning the depths to which his past self had sank in pursuit of sword skills.

    There was no doubt in Gazef¡¯s eyes after he had heard the whole thing.

    ¡°Do you believe me?¡±

    ¡°...The world¡¯s a big ce, after all. It wouldn¡¯t be strange if such a monster did exist. When you look back at history, there were things like the Demon Gods and the Dragon Lords. Still... I don¡¯t think I could beat such a powerful monster either.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t know how strong you are now so I can¡¯t reallyment, but I¡¯m still certain that you can¡¯t beat her. She lives in a world which people like us can¡¯t even approach. Even if the two of us attacked at once, all we¡¯d manage to do is draw the battle out from one second to two.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you beforting me and saying ¡®no, it¡¯s alright¡¯ or something?¡± Gazef mockined.

    However, Brain sternly told him:

    ¡°Gazef. You have to protect the royal family as the Kingdom¡¯s Warrior-Captain. Don¡¯t challenge her even if you see her. You can¡¯t waste your life like that.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your advice. However, if that monster called Shalltear strikes at the Kingdom, I will throw my life away even if all it does is buy some time.¡±

    What time could he buy? Gazef would be helpless before her unless she wanted to y.

    Even so, Brain began to feel that Gazef might be able to do it, even if it was just to buy some time.

    ¡°She¡¯s called Shalltear. Shalltear Bloodfallen.¡±

    After Brain described her appearance once more, Gazef nodded gravely.

    ¡°Right, I got it. However, you¡¯d best tell me again once I recover from the wine, just to be safe. I¡¯ll learn as much as I can about her too.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think any amount of learning is going to help against her.¡±

    ¡°If we know a storm ising, shouldn¡¯t we try to do something about it? Can¡¯t just leave things be. Besides, we might be able toe up with something if we can pick enough brains.¡±

    ¡°If only that were the case.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not too close to him, but I know an adamantite-ranked adventurer. He ought to be able toe up with something useful... anyway, what do you n to do in the future, Brain?¡±

    Brain¡¯s eyebrows knitted at that question. What should he do?

    His eyes unconsciously drifted to his beloved¡¸Katana¡¹beside the table.

    It was lingering attachment.

    Ultimately, that was all it was. No matter how much he tried, he would never be able to beat that monster. His dream of bing the greatest swordsman was in ruins. He had indeed wasted his life.

    From now on, he would have to keep his feet firmly on the ground and live his life correctly.

    It was just a childish dream...

    ¡°What should I do, huh... what about working on a farm?¡±

    He had been born in a farming vige, and while he had forgotten much about agriculture, the knowledge still lingered in the recesses of his mind. The only other thing he knew besides that was swordsmanship. Put in a nicer way, he had lived a very focused life.

    ¡°Farming... well, that¡¯s not bad, but... how about this? Why not serve the nation with me?¡±

    Brain did not think it was a bad idea. He might not be able to beat that monster called Shalltear, but he considered himself quite capable in terms of human-scale ability. However¡ª

    ¡°I¡¯m not a very sociable person, and I¡¯m not into the bowing and scraping business.¡±

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t bow and scrape that much...¡±

    ¡°Ah, sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to make fun of you. Just that the thought of serving in the court made me think of that sort of thing... In truth, I think that¡¯s a pretty good idea, Gazef. Fighting for others... that¡¯s it! Oi, Gazef, I met a boy called Climb.¡±

    ¡°Climb? That hoarse-voiced kid?¡±

    Gazef went ¡°ohhhhhh¡± as he saw Brain nod.

    ¡°Where did you meet Climb? I thought he was the Princess¡¯ bodyguard, so he shouldn¡¯t have had many chances to leave her side...¡±

    ¡°I saw him training on the streets.¡±

    ¡°Training on the streets, huh... well, he just doesn¡¯t have talent. I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll get any stronger than he is now. All he can do now is train his body and improve his physical attributes. Was he doing that? If not, I might have to guide him a little.¡±

    ¡°Hm ¡ª indeed... he¡¯s got no talent for swordsmanship. However, he¡¯s stronger than me in some areas.¡±

    The look on Gazef¡¯s face seemed to say ¡°are you kidding me¡±.

    Indeed, Brain was far more skilled than Climb, and more talented as well. However, Brain knew that this discrepancy meant nothing in the face of true power, and so he felt thatughing at Climb for it would be hypocritical.

    Rather than quibble about such a trifling difference, Brain felt that Climb¡¯s strong will ¡ª which had withstood the murderous intent of the mighty Sebas ¡ª was truly worthy of praise.

    I was beaten and chose to flee. But Climb would never run if someone he had to protect was behind him. He would choose to fight. Perhaps a man like him... could clip that monster¡¯s nail.

    Brain did not say anything about Gazef¡¯s confused expression. Instead, he roughly exined the day¡¯s events; in other words, the raid on the Eight Fingers brothel.

    ¡°I see. So you and Climb... I see.¡±

    ¡°You can abandon me if you think it¡¯ll cause problems. I mean, when you think about it, having someone like me who goes in and out of your house is going to cause you trouble if I¡¯m at odds with the underworld, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°No, not at all. In fact, I rather wee it... those bastards are the maggots infesting the Kingdom. I would like nothing more than to carve my way into their headquarters.¡±

    ¡°Are Eight Fingers so bad for the Kingdom?¡±

    ¡°They make me want to throw up. They control most of the secret societies in the Kingdom and profit from them. The money and benefits go to the nobles, allowing those rogues to mix with them and swan around in normal society. If we try to arrest them, the nobles obstruct us, so there¡¯s nothing we can do on that front. The only way we can hurt them is by doing what you did, Brain. We need to barge into their cunningly concealed hideouts, force their criminal acts into the light, and make a big fuss of things. Of course, they¡¯re more powerful than the average noble, so if we fail, the consequences will be severe.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re out of luck, then?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Therefore, I hope what you did weakens them. Unfortunately, that¡¯s not too likely.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you have the King issue a royal decree or something?¡±

    ¡°The nobles opposing him will interfere from the sidelines, so we can¡¯t do it. And they have allies in both factions, which makes things even trickier.¡±

    As the air hung heavily over the table, the two of them drank their wine in silence and reached for the food.

    <b>Part 2</b>

    <b>Lower Fire Month (9th Month) 4th Day 07:14</b>

    The members of Blue Rose had entered the keep early in the morning. Each of them carried arge sack, which made metallic ttering noises when put on the ground. The sacks contained all their gear, because entering the Royal Pce all girded for war was not very appropriate.

    After putting down their weighty luggage, the group rotated their shoulders. Renner looked kindly upon them, and their team leader, Lakyus Alvein Dale Aindra, asked her:

    ¡°Will you have any princessly duties to dischargeter?¡±

    Renner had hardly any power, but she still had her responsibilities as the princess.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Those matters can wait. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°Aha.¡±

    A mischievous expression came over Lakyus¡¯ face. Simrly, Renner also shed her a mischievous look, which then melted into unrestrainedughter.

    ¡°Lakyus. Once you¡¯re ready, I¡¯d like to ask you to take care of that matter as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°Why? I heard yesterday that we were going to attack in secret, taking each location in turn. Isn¡¯t that so?¡± asked Evileye, the masked arcane magic caster.

    She had not removed her face-concealing mask even in the Royal Pce. She had not been censured for such suspicious dress because she was an adamantite-ranked adventurer, the elite of humanity, and also because her team leader Lakyus was a member of the peerage.

    ¡°Something unexpected happenedst night, so I feel we need to change part of the n. It¡¯s like this¡ª¡±

    Renner described the brothel raid fromst night.

    Climb stood stock still behind Renner, and the members of Blue Rose looked upon him with respectful eyes. Their gazes made him feel itchy.

    Charging into the brothel and saving people from their hellish confines was not Climb¡¯s doing. He had merely borrowed the strength of the two men who had gone in with him. Frankly speaking, Climb had done nothing worthy of praise.

    Instead, he felt disappointed with himself. He had not been rebuked for his reckless, independent action and the n had not been cancelled, only altered. The fact that he actually felt relieved by that only made it that much more tragic.

    ¡°Not bad, cherry boy.¡±

    ¡°Yup, Gagaran¡¯s right. Apprehending a member of Six Arms is a pretty big deal.¡±

    ¡°...¡¯Undying King¡¯ Davernoc. ¡®Void Cutter¡¯ Peysilian. ¡®Bloody Scimitar¡¯ Edstrom. ¡®Thousand Kills¡¯ Malmvist. ¡®Illusion Devil¡¯ Sulent. And then their leader, ¡®Battle Demon¡¯ Zero.¡±

    Tia smoothly recited each name.

    ¡°Davernoc is undead. Peysilian is said to be able to cut down even distant foes. Edstrom can skilfully use special magic weapons. Malmvist is a fencer with a poisoned de, adept at lunges. Sulent has already been apprehended. And Zero is a brawler who excels in empty-handedbat. Each of them is equivalent to an adamantite-ranked adventurer.¡±

    ¡°Mmm. Catching one of them is a big aid to us.¡±

    ¡°Amazing work, Climb. Still, it was great good fortune that you met Brain Unus and fought by his side,¡±

    Climb agreed with that sentiment.

    ¡°The fact that he could take out Sulent in one hit proves that Unus ¡ª the man who fought the Kingdom¡¯s strongest warrior (Gazef Stronoff) to a standstill ¡ª is the real deal. That said, I¡¯m more interested in that old butler which even he couldn¡¯t beat.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t get Sebas-sama¡¯s address...¡±

    ¡°...Hm, Climb. Did he not tell you because he was wary of you, or did you not ask because you knew you should not have asked... which is it?¡±

    ¡°Both of them, Evileye-sama. Perhaps he might have told me if I had asked him. However, Sebas-sama volunteered his help despite the fact that I was the one who involved him in this, and I did not want to learn anything which might cause him difficulty.¡±

    ¡°...Hm ¡ª you¡¯re an honest chap.¡±

    ¡°Yup.¡±

    The sisters seemed to be sizing Climb up from head to toe.

    ¡°I have no idea why I¡¯ve never heard of such an amazing person before...¡±

    Climb could sense everyone¡¯s sudden wariness of Sebas, as though it had been triggered by those words from Evileye. Just as he was about to retort, Lakyus pped a few times and the mood in the air changed.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s leave this aside for a moment. If not for him, we would not have found the urate location of the brothel and we would not have captured the head of the ve Trafficking Division (Co Doll). Both Climb and we are indebted to him.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right, Lakyus. Then, Princess. You said you were going to change part of the n ¡ª does that mean we¡¯ll be attacking a new location instead?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Evileye-san. I was hoping to attack several points at once by today and take them all down in one fell swoop. They will gain the advantage and we will lose it the more time we take.¡±

    The room was dead silent.

    Only Blue Rose would be participating in this operation. They had insisted on taking the targets one after the other due to thisck of manpower.

    ¡°Er, but Princess. I believe we told you before that we don¡¯t have the people for it, right? Did someone agree to help us in the middle of the night? We can¡¯t hire adventurers for this, can we?¡±

    One of the founding principles of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild was to defend humanity against external threats. Thus, there was an unwritten rule in the guild that they would never involve themselves in disputes between humans. Otherwise the Adventurer¡¯s Guilds of various countries would not be able to step over national borders and help each other.

    Therefore, if the Guild judged that their involvement in a matter would result in their involvement with a perpetual feud, they would apply pressure on their adventurers to abide by that unwritten rule. This applied even if the Guild¡¯s intervention would save lives. The pressure which the Guild could apply included warnings, not rmending jobs to them, and expulsion from the Guild in the worst-case scenario.

    As a result, there were some adventurers who engaged in illegal activities, bing part of a group known as Workers. However, there were rumors that the Guild would employ their own private assassins to go after those who vited the rules with malice aforethought.

    The fact that Blue Rose had begun their opposition to Eight Fingers was a vition of this unwritten rule, but they were adamantite-ranked adventurers and arguably the Guild¡¯s representatives, so there was no way they would actually be chased out of the Guild. Thus, their actions had received tacit approval. However, the only reason why they had been excused this trespass was because they were the ones who had done it.

    ¡°The most stupid thing we could do is to involve the city guard in order to bulk up our numbers. Those people have the guards in their pocket. All we can do is have them handle cleanup at the end. Otherwise there¡¯ll be trouble.¡±

    ¡°Same with borrowing house troops from the nobles. We can¡¯t ask them for help when we don¡¯t know who¡¯s in bed with Eight Fingers.¡±

    ¡°Hmph. The only people we can trust are Stronoff and the men loyal to him ¡ª his warriors... no, we don¡¯t even know how many of his warriors can be trusted.¡±

    ¡°Practically speaking, yes. In the end, there¡¯s not much we can do because we don¡¯t know exactly know how far our opponents can reach. Still, if we do nothing but investigate because of that, the Kingdom will fall apart one day. We can¡¯t adequately remedy the problem when we¡¯ve got cries for help from all sides.¡±

    Renner nodded as she heard Lakyus¡¯ints.

    The Empire¡¯s interference onlypounded the turmoil within the Kingdom as corruption continued to eat into the government. Climb narrowed his eyes, as though he had glimpsed the sun from behind her back; after all, his mistress insisted on fighting on despite the dire circumstances. Once more, Climb realized that she was the only one capable of ruling the Kingdom and granting happiness to the masses, and his loyalty to her was further strengthened.

    However, there were those who did not understand that point and had decided that all the princess had to be was a decoration ¡ª her sole purpose being to sit there and look beautiful. Climb was filled with anger at these people ¡ª primarily the nobles ¡ª and his hands balled up into fists.

    However, Renner¡¯s lovely voice filtered into his ears and dispersed his anger, and he once moremitted himself to listening to their conversation.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. Therefore, I thought of asking a reliable noble for help.¡±

    ¡°You know of trustworthy nobles, Princess?¡±

    ¡°I do, Evileye-san. There aren¡¯t many of them, but I know of one who can be relied upon.¡±

    ¡°Oh, and who is that, Renner? I don¡¯t doubt your judgement, but there¡¯s no point in them being reliable if they can¡¯t do anything for us. There¡¯s also no guarantee that he¡¯ll be able to muster up enough troops from his domain either.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that will be a problem. Also, I will be bringing the Warrior-Captain along.¡±

    ¡°I can understand that.¡±

    ¡°Mm, the Warrior-Captain¡¯s a reliable man. Or rather, if even he¡¯s in bed with Eight Fingers, then we¡¯re finished.¡±

    ¡°Climb, please go call Marquis Raeven over. He was present at thetest meeting, so he ought to still be within the Royal Capital.¡±

    ¡°The Marquis? I did see him in thepany of the Prince...¡±

    Indeed. Marquis Raeven matched all their criteria for the man they needed... his trustworthiness aside.

    He was one of the Six Great Nobles, those whose assets and so on surpassed those of other nobles by far. However, there was no proof that Raeven was not in cahoots with Eight Fingers. One could also say that his wealth might have been the result of Eight Fingers¡¯ bribes.

    However, Climb promptly rejected that notion.

    Renner ¡ª his mistress, the wisest of all women and the one who was the most deserving of respect ¡ª had chosen that name. That being the case, Marquis Raeven ought to be reliable.

    However, the members of Blue Rose seemed displeased, in contrast to Climb.

    ¡°Oi, oi, Princess. Are you sure you can trust this Marquis guy?¡±

    ¡°They say Raeven¡¯s a bat.¡±

    ¡°A bat who flits back and forth between the Royal and Noble factions. If he¡¯s doing it all for his own gain, then Eight Fingers¡¯ filthy lucre will move his heart.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want him to leak intelligence about us, Princess.¡±

    As the disapproval poured on from the gathered people, a loud p cut through the air. Its source was Lakyus.

    ¡°...That¡¯s enough, all of you! Ahhh, Renner, Marquis Raeven didn¡¯t exactly leave a good impression on me. Is he really trustworthy?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee that. And I believe he¡¯s taken money from Eight Fingers.¡±

    Eh?! Everyone present was surprised, and they had confused looks on their faces. However, someone hit on a possibility and asked:

    ¡°Are you trying to spread false information in order to manipte the enemy?¡±

    ¡°We did that before some assassinations. Spread news about assassinsing from somewhere to divert the attention of the security personnel.¡±

    Renner shook her head at the notion of the assassination.

    ¡°That¡¯s not it, Tina-san and Tia-san. I believe that some people won¡¯t help Eight Fingers even if they do take their money, right? You could say I lost my bet if it turns out he was more active behind my back than I thought, but... Climb. Go get Marquis Raeven. He should be willing to meet me once you tell him about the destruction of the brothel and the capture of the head ver.¡±

    Climb¡¯s eyes shifted, checking the light outside the window. The morning sun was almost blinding, and it seemed a little early to wake someone up. However, one could not keep Great Nobles at one¡¯s beck and call, so it might be best to arrange a meeting now.

    ¡°Should we talk about capturing the head of the ve trade? Your servant believes that it might be better to keep it a secret for the time being.¡±

    Renner said that she had to y that trump card topel an audience, but surely not even a Great Noble could refuse a Princess¡¯ summons. That being the case, should they not keep it in reserve?

    Renner shook her head at Climb¡¯s opinion.

    ¡°We need toy our cards before him if we want him on our side. Doing so is the best proof that we trust the Marquis.

    No wonder. Climb nodded and then bowed respectfully.

    ¡°Your servant understands. Then, I shall summon Marquis Raeven now.¡±

    ¡°Please do, Climb. Now, since this will take some time, shall we have tea?¡±

    ? ? ?

    <b>Lower Fire Month (9th Month) 4th Day 09:37</b>

    Blue Rose believed that it would take some time for Marquis Raeven to arrive. They estimated that he woulde by around noon.

    As a nobleman, he had a fixed schedule to keep, whichrgely consisted of meeting with other nobles. It would be one thing if the King summoned him for an audience, but Renner was just a powerless princess, after all. She would be lower on Raeven¡¯s list of priorities.

    Therefore, when Climb returned earlier than expected, they all thought for a moment that he had been chased back. Thus they were hard-pressed to hide the looks of surprise on their face when they saw the forms of two men behind him.

    One of them was, of course, Marquis Raeven.

    His appearance was, in a word, impable. His tight-fitting clothes were made of some sort of rare animal hide ¡ª possibly some sort of magical beast ¡ª and stitched with goldwork. The embroidery around his cor and his front buttons was of exquisite workmanship, and the front buttons probably had tiny gemstones worked into them, given the way they caught and reflected the light.

    His stand-up corpletely concealed his narrow neck. This was top-ss apparel, which was undeniably suited to him. He was the very picture of a member of the Kingdom¡¯s Six Great Nobles.

    After him was a slightly plump man.

    When Renner saw him, she eximed in surprise:

    ¡°Onii-sama.¡±

    ¡°Yo. If it isn¡¯t my sister from a different mother. You look well... oh, and if it isn¡¯t the Alvein heiress and the renowned Blue Rose. How wonderful. To think we¡¯d run into so many adamantite-ranked adventurers here.¡±

    The man who had entered without knocking, and who had addressed them all in a bright and cheerful voice was none other than the Second Prince Zanack Valrean Igana Ryle Vaiself.

    Lakyus curtsied to him, and Zanack replied by way of a grand wave of his hand.

    ¡°I heard you were talking about something quite interesting, so I decided to drop in.¡±

    ¡°I havee in response to Renner-denka¡¯s summons.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Thank you foring all his way, Marquis Raeven. Please raise your head.¡±

    Renner rose from her own seat as she saw her elder brother ¡ª one with higher status than herself ¡ª make his entrance.

    Marquis Raeven had a cold smile on his face as he straightened up.

    His smile was very sinister, and it made people think he was quite creepy. Yet for some reason, it seemed perfectly suited to him. It did not displease others who looked upon him.

    ¡°Then, would the others mind retiring to the adjacent room for a while?¡±

    ¡°I understand, onii-sama. Lakyus, Climb, I¡¯m sorry, but could you please go next door?¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    With that clipped reply, Lakyus indicated that her colleagues should get their things. They were probably going to gear up in the next room to avoid wasting time.

    The five members of Blue Rose and Climb nodded in unison before entering the adjacent room. After she watched them leave, Renner bade the two remaining people to take a seat.

    ¡°Please, have a seat over here.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Renner-denka.¡±

    ¡°Sure, sis.¡±

    One of them threw themselves onto the seat, while the other one settled himself in gracefully. Renner poured a cup of tea and ced it before Raeven.

    ¡°I am honored that your Highness would personally pour a cup of tea for me.¡±

    ¡°It might have chilled a little. Please forgive me.¡±

    ¡°Oi oi oi, where¡¯s mine?¡±

    Zanack red unhappily at the two tea-drinkers.

    ¡°Ah, but do you not dislike tea, onii-sama?¡±

    ¡°True, I¡¯m not a fan of colored water. Still, it feels like something¡¯s missing if I don¡¯t have anything to wet my throat.¡±

    ¡°Then I shall have the maid fetch something. Will fruit juice do?¡±

    ¡°Tea will be fine. There¡¯s no need to let news leak out.¡±

    ¡°I doubt the maids will have time to report to their families if we make our move by today.¡±

    ¡°Still, you should be careful. Women have big mouths, after all. In particr, the maids who serve in the Royal Pce are frighteningly quick at tattling.¡±

    Renner smiled, then poured a cup of tea and ced it before Zanack.

    ¡°...Hmph. So you¡¯ve already made use of the maid intelligencework, have you?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Ah, never mind.¡±

    With that, Zanack took a swig of tea.

    ¡°Ack, it¡¯s bitter,¡± he said while sticking out his tongue.

    ¡°Still, your Highness. What matter is there which needs to be discussed so early? That said, your servant will rush to your side at any time. You have but to give the word¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Then, I shall get to the point since time is tight. I wish to borrow your intellect.¡±

    ? ? ?

    After coughing briefly, she wasted no time getting to the meat of the subject.

    Marquis Raeven¡¯s narrow eyes parted slightly, full of surprise. However, he recovered almost instantly and hid his consternation.

    ¡°My intellect, hm. Since it is your Highness that asks... your servant fears he will not be able to live up to your expectations.

    ¡°I think you will do fine. After all, I doubt anyone is your equal in affairs of the court, Marquis Raeven.¡±

    Marquis Raeven and the Prince exchanged looks.

    Princess Renner had hardly ever participated in political power struggles. So what did she mean by ¡°affairs of the court¡±?

    Marquis Raeven smiled leisurely. He knew too little, and thinking too hard on the matter would only lead to a strange conclusion. That much was obvious. He decided to hold off on his decision until he learned more.

    ¡°And what would you have your servant tell you?¡±

    ¡°I wish to ask if someone like yourself, as a secret supporter of the Royal Faction ¡ª or rather, as the one who holds the entire Royal Faction together ¡ª could mobilize the faction¡¯s forces.¡±

    ¡°...What?¡±

    Given the look on Marquis Raeven¡¯s face, one might be forgiven for thinking a spell had suddenly gone off in front of his face. Just about anyone who saw this would have been shocked, because Marquis Raeven was not normally an expressive man.

    Still, his reaction was understandable. Any other noble mightugh it off, but this was a truth which had been hidden until now.

    People thought of Marquis Raeven as a bat, flitting from one side to another, but the truth was that he had been guiding the Royal Faction and warding off any potential conflicts which might tear the country in two. His private crusade was the biggest part in keeping the country whole.

    The Kingdom would have fallen apart long ago without someone like Raeven around.

    Zanack sucked in a tiny breath.

    He had already sensed that Renner, with her unimaginable intellect, was a fiend in human form. Yet, she was like a prisoner in the Royal Pce, without eyes or hands to see or work her will. How had she grasped the truth under these circumstances? Nobody else in the Kingdom knew the answer besides Zanack.

    Both of them suspected that she was merely bluffing, but they rejected that notion almost immediately. Renner spoke as though exining a fact of life. Both of them had seen people hiding daggers behind their smiles, but Renner¡¯s attitude did not seem like an act. In that case, how exactly had she found out about that?

    Renner seemed to think further exnation was in order. She ignored Marquis Raeven¡¯s shocked expression and calmly continued:

    ¡°...No, perhaps I should have asked one of the two members of the Royal Faction, but Marquis Blumrush has been secretly passing on information to the Empire, no? That would mean...¡±

    ¡°What-what did you say...¡±

    ¡°A moment please, your Highness!¡±

    Zanack murmured hoarsely, but Raeven¡¯s eyes shot wide open and he shouted.

    ¡°Marquis Blumrush...¡±

    ¡°You knew, right? After all, is that not why you tried to keep the good Marquis from learning too much?¡±

    The two of them stared speechlessly at Renner.

    They looked at the beautiful girl, who calmly said, ¡°Am I wrong?¡±

    ¡°You...¡±

    ¡¸Äú......¡¹

    Marquis Raeven was so ovee that he forgot to address her as ¡±Your Highness¡±

    Renner had been right about everything.

    Only Zanack and Marquis Raeven knew that Marquis Blumrush, a Great Noble of the Royal Faction, had betrayed the kingdom. They had kept quiet about his treason to keep the bnce between the factions from breaking down.

    Marquis Raeven had been desperately trying to keep this from the Noble Faction and hade up with all manner of schemes to keep the Empire from learning this. His efforts should have been wless, until now.

    Zanack only knew about this because Marquis Raeven had told him. Then how had this caged songbird discovered it? As Zanack imagined it, he felt himself break out in goosebumps.

    ¡°How did you find out...¡±

    ¡°Oh, I just listened to what everyone was saying. And I do talk with the maids from time to time.¡±

    How reliable were the maid¡¯s words?

    An unbelievable idea filled Marquis Raeven¡¯s mind.

    And then, after sifting through his memories, he could conclude that what Renner said ¡ª what she had gleaned from the conversation and gossip traded by the maids ¡ª was on the mark. The girl before him had sifted through a mountain of dross and picked out the diamonds in the rough, which she had fashioned into a jewelled ne.

    Therefore¡ª

    ¡°¡ªA monster.¡±

    He quietly intoned the word that most suited the woman known as Renner.

    Renner should have heard that loud and clear, but all she did was smile, without rebuking Marquis Raeven for his rudeness. He abandoned the line of thought he had been following until just now.

    She deserved his honesty. And his recollections of the past were correct.

    ¡°¡ªYour servant understands. Then, I seek to bare my heart to you. Do you object, my Prince?¡±

    After seeing Zanack nod, Marquis Raeven straightened up and looked Renner in the face. His attitude now looked quite simr to Gazef when he had his sword raised.

    ¡°However, before that, your servant wishes to address the real Renner-denka. Is that permissible?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Renner asked innocently, as though she had no idea what was going on.

    ¡°A long time ago, your servant once saw a girl. With incredible insight, that girl spoke words of invaluable wisdom. However, your servant took a long time before he understood the meaning and value of those words.¡±

    Marquis Raeven¡¯s voice echoed through the silent room.

    ¡°...She was a girl whose words taxed the understanding of others. When your servant saw this girl, who was viewed as iprehensible by others, for a fleeting moment, your servant saw a dangerous individual.¡±

    ¡°A dangerous individual?¡± Renner asked calmly.

    ¡°Yes. Your servant had merely glimpsed a fraction of it and had thus written it off as a baseless worry. However, what your servant thought at the time was: ¡®those are a pair of hollow eyes which do not care about the world and hold everything in contempt.¡¯¡±

    The mood in the room was vastly different from before, and a chill seemed to spread through the air. Marquis Raeven hunched his shoulders as if to protect himself.

    ¡°However, when your servant saw that girl again, she had the aura of a child about her. At that time, your servant believed that he had been mistaken... therefore, your Highness. I was wondering if you could show me that cleverly concealed true nature of yours.¡±

    Their eyes met. It looked as though a pair of serpents were writhing and struggling against each other.

    And then, Renner¡¯s eyes lost their shine.

    Marquis Raeven smiled coldly, as though he had seen something nostalgic.

    ¡°Ah, as I thought, it was actually...¡±

    Zanack broke out in a cold sweat as his little sister, who had a pure and lovely smile on her face, suddenly turned into a frightening monster. No, in truth, he had already sensed her disgusting true face beneath her beautiful looks. However, he had guessed that Renner wanted to seize power for herself, or to shatter the Kingdom that held her prisoner.

    It would seem those guesses had been off the mark.

    This was a being that was fundamentally different from himself, something alien to him.

    ¡°As I expected, Renner-denka. Your Highness¡¯ eyes are just like the ones I recall from my memory. Were you merely pretending ever since then?¡±

    ¡°No, Marquis Raeven. I was not acting. I was satisfied.¡±

    ¡°...Does Your Highness perhaps refer to your soldier, the man Climb...?¡±

    ¡°Oh yes. All this is thanks to my Climb.¡±

    Oh. To think that that boy could actually change Your Highness... your servant thought of him as nothing but a ¡ª a child... what does he mean to Your Highness, if I might ask?¡±

    ¡°You mean Climb...?¡±

    Renner¡¯s gaze trailed off, staring into the air. She was thinking about what words she could use to describe his value to her.

    ? ? ?

    Renner Theiere Chardelon Ryle Vaiself.

    If there was only one word to summarize her entire being, that would be ¡°Golden¡±. That word derived from her blinding beauty. However, very few people knew that she possessed a talent that far outstripped even her good looks.

    Her talentsy in thinking, insight, observation, innovation, understanding and the like. All her mental faculties were abnormally well-developed ¡ª in other words, she was a genius.

    Her talent could only be described as a gift from the heavens. Her deductions might seem to havee from shes of inspiration, but the truth was that they were pieced together from countless scattered fragments of information, gathered by her extraordinary powers of observation.

    In all likelihood, nobody on the continent could match up against her mental abilities.

    If one were pressed to find an equal for her, then one would have to look beyond the human race. However, very few entities were on her level, even among these superhuman beings.

    In Nazarick, only Albedo ¡ª the Guardian Overseer who could manage the vassals of every single Floor ¡ª as well as Demiurge ¡ª who possessed a fiendish intellect and was hypepetent in every aspect of national administration, be it military, domestic and foreign affairs ¡ª could be considered on par with her.

    Human beings often considered matters from their own perspectives. From that point of view, one could say that ¡°strange¡± or ¡°wondrous¡± people were merelybels applied by plebeians.

    ? ? ?

    That said, she had a w. She could not understand why she could understand these things, but others could not. Perhaps someone on her level might have been able to appreciate how gifted she truly was. If that were the case, the oue would probably have been different.

    However, there was nobody like that around.

    In the end, when a little girl spoke of things that baffled those who heard them, the reaction to her was fear. Renner was very cute as a child and so she was not hated. Instead, she was cherished, to a certain extent. However, the fact that nobody could understand what she said had an extreme effect on her mental development. The girl¡¯s heart began to warp as time went by.

    Perhaps it might be easier to describe this phenomenon as ¡°the loneliness of genius¡±.

    Trapped in an environment where there was nobody else like her, the stress she had to bear grew and grew. For a time, she could not keep anything down; she threw up whatever she ate.

    Those who saw the princess be skinnier and skinnier by the day felt that she would not be long for this world.

    If not for that puppy of hers, that prediction might well havee true. Even if she had somehow endured it, what returned might well have been a Demon Queen. She would have made decisions through cold, mathematical logic, making the few suffer for the sake of the many.

    ? ? ?

    At that time, it had only been a passing fancy. She had gone out with her guards on a rainy day to lift her spirits, and then the girl had encountered a dying puppy.

    The dying puppy looked at her ¡ª its master ¡ª with a strange expression in its eyes.

    What a weighty gaze, she had thought.

    The expression in its eyes was one of innocent reverence.

    She was used to others looking at her like an oddity, and she was used to people looking at her with adoration. However, she could not understand the look in the puppy¡¯s eyes. In those sincere eyes, she saw revulsion, surprise, delight, emotion, and ¡ª a human being.

    Indeed, in those eyes, she saw a human being like herself.

    The puppy which the girl had picked up became a boy, and then a man.

    Whether he was a puppy, a boy or a man, those eyes peered through her with the same blinding purity.

    However, it no longer bothered her.

    Thanks to those eyes, she could speak to others like a normal person. She could coexist with the vulgar, inferior lifeforms around her.

    And now, Renner¡¯s world wasplete so long as Climb was in it.

    ¡°Climb... hm. If I could join with him... hm ¡ª and if I could chain Climb up and take care of him like a pet, and make sure he couldn¡¯t go anywhere, perhaps that might be better.¡±

    The air in the room froze. Even Marquis Raeven was shocked, to say nothing of Zanack, Renner¡¯s half-brother.

    They had thought the most beautiful woman in the Kingdom would spout some childish fantasy. No, they should not have expected any such sharine-sweet simpering from the true Princess Renner, but they had not expected her to go that far.

    If only she had been bothered by her deviant passions. What she said flew in the face of allmon sense.

    ¡°I, I see. So that is your true nature. How shall I say this... when you were young, I felt something was off, like I had mis-fastened a button. But now I fully understand your abnormality.¡±

    ¡°Really, onii-sama? I do not think I have done anything abnormal.¡±

    ¡°Take care of him if you will. Nobody will object to Your Highness¡¯... no, it might still be difficult. Unless you had help.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. It¡¯ll be quite hard to fulfil that dream while maintaining the facade of a proper princess... and there¡¯s no point in forcing him to look at me. I want to chain him down and take care of him like a dog, while he looks at me with those eyes of his...¡±

    Few people enjoyed hearing about the sexual fetishes of others. Marquis Raeven could not help but want to stagger a few steps back after making contact with the soul of the woman called Renner.

    ¡°Like a dog... does that mean you do not love him, Your Highness?¡±

    Renner turned an incredulous, scornful gaze on the Marquis.

    ¡°Of course I love him. I like the way he looks at me. And I love how he clings to me like a puppy.¡±

    ¡°Forgive me, but I do not understand it. That is not called love, my sister.¡±

    ¡°I think love can take many forms.¡±

    ¡°...A thousand apologies, but I find this topic very hard to follow.¡±

    ¡°I do not need you to understand me. All you need to know is that I like him, and that I love him.¡±

    She¡¯s weird.

    They had sensed something twisted about her mind, but they had not expected her to be this warped.

    The two of them nced at each other, before the eyes of the Princess with the abnormal mind. Both of them were at a loss for what to do.

    They had heard that the Princess had fallen in love with amon soldier, and had expected that it might blow up into a matter of national importance. Yet, what they had heard was far more ridiculous than they had expected.

    ¡°Well then, the problem of fetishes...¡±

    ¡°It is not a fetish. It is simply love.¡±

    Renner sounded like she was reproachfully interrupting Raeven¡¯s words, and he resisted the urge to shoot back.

    ¡°Very well, love it is, then... right. Although under the present circumstances, the union of Your Highness with Climb... -kakka is a little¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s impossible. Not just that, if word got out, you¡¯d be married off immediately to some noble. If it was Aniki, who¡¯s in deep with the Noble Faction, he¡¯d probably pick one of the nobles from the Noble Faction.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, onii-sama. If our eldest brother took the throne, my marriage would be the first thing he would push through. I believe they¡¯ve already discussed the matter beforehand. After all, there¡¯s a noble who looks at me like his personal possession every time we meet.¡±

    ¡°Your servant is aware that a certain nobleman is willing to join the Noble Faction, but he requires an appropriate inducement.¡±

    ¡°Still, when you think about it, it¡¯s not likely that I can be with Climb, no...? Even if he received a title, he¡¯d be a Baron at best. And even if he somehow received a higher title, there¡¯s no way they¡¯d let a princess marry someone beneath her station like him.¡±

    ¡°I fully understand that. Given the current state of the Kingdom, that dream of yours cannote true no matter what methods you use.¡±

    Zanack smiled thinly. He was certain that this was the best move he could make.

    ¡°How about making a deal with me? If I gain the throne, I will match you to Climb.¡±

    ¡°I ept.¡±

    ¡°That was fast! Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°There is no reason for me to refuse. After all, that bet has the highest probability of sess. When you came to my room with Marquis Raeven, I had thought of asking you the same thing myself.¡±

    ¡°...That is to say, you had already worked this out ahead of time?¡±

    Zanack smiled bitterly by way of reply, but his heart was in a different state from his face. While he had guessed that his little sister was smarter than him, he had not expected to have been sopletely outssed by her.

    When he thought calmly about it, there was no need for Renner to be so honest with him. No, it was understandable if she had done so in order to evoke this exact response from him.

    He cursed his sister in his heart: you monster.

    ¡°Also, onii-sama... or rather, this should be a matter for Marquis Raeven.¡±

    ¡°What does Your Highnessmand?¡±

    ¡°Marquis, I believe you have a son, do you not?¡±

    ¡°Indeed I do. My child is five this year. Is something the matter?¡±

    The image of his darling son¡¯s face appeared in Raeven¡¯s mind, and he fought the urge to squish his cheeks. He thought of the look of disgust on Zanack ¡ª who was sitting next to him ¡ª and forcefully swallowed the urge to sing his child¡¯s praises.

    ¡°Please wed your son to me.¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not! How could I turn my child over to a woman like you?!¡± Raeven eximed. Then, he met Zanack¡¯s icy gaze, and looked at Renner¡¯s still-smiling face, and he blushed crimson at his gross misconduct.

    ¡°Please, please forgive me, Your Highnesses! Your servant was momentarily confused, and...¡±

    He coughed, and then turned to Renner.

    ¡°Your Highness, forgive my intrusion, but could you tell your servant the reason for that?¡±

    ¡°You should know well the reason for that, no?¡±

    ¡°Oi, oi, sis. You were the one who brought it up¡ª¡±

    ¡°You would marry your servant¡¯s son and bear Climb¡¯s child. Your servant¡¯s son would then bear a child with the woman he loved ¡ª and that child would carry on the family name. Your Highness would then be his mother in name only... am I correct? It is quite a good n. Your Highness would be able to bear a child with the man you love, and although it would be a deception, your servant would be able to continue his bloodline.¡±

    ¡°I have no interest in domains or the session. All I require is a stipend for my trueborn child. I will not make a im upon your family estate.¡±

    ¡°In this respect, your servant has the utmost faith in Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°...Even Father will not be able to easily reject a proposal like this from a loyal vassal like Marquis Raeven. The Marquisate will gain the royal bloodline and you can be with the man you love. And I will have you as a coborator. Nobody loses out, and any betrayal means we all go down together... ah, it¡¯s quite a perfect n. Still, you shouldn¡¯t be talking about this sort of thing in front of me...¡±

    ¡°Ara, I merely wanted to be sure you were on my side, onii-sama. Besides, I doubt you¡¯d want to know after the fact, am I wrong?¡±

    Zanack did not answer. This was because Renner was correct. In addition, he could not possibly refuse a proposal like this which had so thoroughly ensnared each other¡¯s weaknesses. She might have a screw loose, but someone as excellent as herself was an indispensable talent for the future of the Kingdom.

    ¡°Now then, that is enough about ourselves. I hear Your Highness has shed with Eight Fingers? And captured the head of their ve-trading enterprise?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. It is as Climb has told you. Thus, I wish to press the attack before Eight Fingers retreats back into the shadows. I have learned about the activities of Eight Fingers within the Royal Capital, and I wish to attack these locations by today. The only problem is ack of manpower. I called upon you, Marquis Raeven, because I wished to borrow your strength.¡±

    Zanack and Raeven looked at each other, and Zanack was the first to speak.

    ¡°And which locations will you be attacking?¡±

    Renner handed them the transcribed parchment, and the two of them went over it.

    ¡°And this information has been verified?¡¯

    ¡°Naturally. I had Lakyus investigate it for me. I¡¯ve just received reports that these are Eight Fingers instations. The problem is that all these locations are in the domains of different nobles.¡±

    It was not a problem of extraterritoriality yet, but charging into a noble¡¯s domain was essentially challenging the noble in question.

    ¡°That should not be a problem. If we can find evidence connected to Eight Fingers, we can apply pressure on the nobles.¡±

    ¡°Even if we don¡¯t find it, we just have to search harder. At least we¡¯ll know where they¡¯ll go to dispose of documents that are troublesome to themselves.¡±

    The three of themughed. There was no warmth in thatughter.

    ¡°Then, sister. I have a question; or rather, an important suggestion.¡±

    Zanack looked around. This was the first time he had checked to see that nobody else was present. In other words, this was a very important topic, of the utmost secrecy.

    ¡°Actually, our elder brother has been taking money from one of Eight Fingers¡¯ divisions. We were hoping to use this to oust him from the session, so we were checking to see if that division had headquarters in the Royal Capital. Now, we have received confirmation that this division does have a base here. I was thinking of adding it to the list of targets.¡±

    ¡°Certainly. We might as well take them all out in one fell swoop. After all, who knows when we¡¯ll have another chance like this if we miss this one? And which division is this?¡±

    ¡°The drugs division.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s quite unfortunate. Several days ago, I had Lakyus attack three of their drug-ntation viges. Therefore, you¡¯ll need to make your move soon, or the opposition will make their escape.¡±

    ¡°What... I see. Marquis Raeven, can you move right away?¡±

    ¡°That would be very difficult. Your servant is aware of which nobles are not involved with Eight Fingers, but not all of them are reliable. There are probably only two households left. I will need time to persuade them, but there is another problem.¡±

    ¡°What is it, Marquis?¡±

    ¡°Our forces might not be enough to ovee Eight Fingers.¡±

    Some powerful adventurers could take on an entire army by themselves.

    There were many theories as to why there were so many superhuman individuals among the ranks of adventurers.

    The most reliable exnation was that under extreme circumstances, the body ¡ª some might say the brain ¡ª would be abnormally active and trigger a super-recovery phenomenon, causing one¡¯s physical parameters to increase non-stop. Other exnations included some form of blessing, evolution through the absorption of mana, and so on. However, what they all had inmon was that the physical, mental and magical attributes of the body would increase rapidly.

    There were higher chances of this improvement phenomenon happening when facing powerful opposition. Given the fact that adventurers often faced powerful monsters with varied abilities, it was very easy for them to trigger such phenomena.

    If the enemy had personnel like that, regr soldiers would be useless against them.

    ¡°Your personal guard ought to be able to handle it, am I wrong, Marquis?¡±

    Raeven¡¯s answer to Zanack¡¯s question was a shake of the head.

    ¡°It is true that they are retired adventurers, and all of them are above mithril-rank. However, the enemy also counts incredibly powerful people among their number. The Six Arms are the direct action department of Eight Fingers, and each of them is said to be the equivalent of an adamantite-ranked adventurer. If they took the field, things would be very bad for us. Of course, things might be different if we could gang up on them.¡±

    ¡°Adamantite-ranked...¡±

    Zanack¡¯s speechlessness was only to be expected. It was said that each of these highest-ranked adventurers could take on a thousand enemies and win. One could even say that no amount of normal people could begin to oppose them.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask Lakyus to have Blue Rose split up and take action, with each of them taking a single location. It should work if any one ce does not have two or more members of Eight Fingers in it.

    ¡°...Your servant recalls that Blue Rose has five members, but the enemy has six people in Six Arms. That being the case, having them act separately might incur the cardinal sin of splitting one¡¯s forces up... although, I doubt all six of them are in the Royal Capital. If the members of Blue Rose do not mind, then we can attack five locations at once.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to take them all out at once, but that would be difficult. What a shame; eliminating them all in one stroke would be the best oue.¡±

    The parchment Renner held listed seven locations. Including the one Zanack and Raeven knew, that would make eight targets. However, they did not have that much manpower.

    ¡°It angers me that we¡¯ll have to let three targets go, but there¡¯s nothing we can do about it.¡±

    ¡°How about having those who have finished their attacks proceed to the remaining three locations?¡±

    ¡°That ought to be the best solution. Your Highness, mobilizing troops in the Royal Capital will be problematic. How should we handle that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Father about it. Don¡¯t worry about it for now. You¡¯ll have to give it up in the end, no? I¡¯m a little greedy...¡±

    Just then, there was a knock on the door.

    ¡°He¡¯s here.¡±

    The maids should have gone to answer the door, but today they were not around. Therefore, it was Raeven who made to stand up, but Renner tugged on his hand to stop him before walking without hesitation to the door and opening it.

    After checking to see who was outside, Renner was all smiles as she looked back to the other two.

    ¡°We have someone who might be able to help us with attacking the sixth location.¡±

    The confused man that Renner ushered into the room was the Kingdom¡¯s Warrior-Captain, Gazef Stronoff.

    <b>Part 3</b>

    <b>Lower Fire Month (9th Month) 4th Day 21:00</b>

    Climb held a ck object in his hand. This wobbly ck object would have been perfectly spherical, but it was so soft that it was deformed, as though it had been squashed.

    He took this mysterious ck sphere, which seemed to be filled with a ck liquid, and sttered it on himself ¡ª his armor.

    The sphere sshed open, staining Climb¡¯s pure-white armor with ck spots. After seeing this, people would assume that the sphere Climb had just been holding was filled with some sort of ck dye. However, that was not all.

    The droplets of ck dye staining Climb¡¯s armor quivered, and began flowing over the surface of the armor, as though to cover its entire surface. Within seconds, the brilliant white of Climb¡¯s armor turned a gloomy ck, without missing a single nook or cranny.

    The sphere Climb had just sttered on himself was a magic item known as a Magic Dye. Apparently, higher-grade dyes could resist acid, fire, ice and other kinds of elemental damage, but the only thing this particr dye could do was change color.

    The reason for why he used this went without saying ¡ª it was because his pure white full te armor was far too conspicuous.

    Lakyus had gathered the leaders of the various teams and Climb stood before her as well.

    In the center of all the leaders was a female warrior dressed in a glittering array of battle gear.

    First was the magic sword known to all ¡ª the Demonic Sword Kilineyram. It was the size of a bastard sword, but nobody could see its dark de ¡ª which reminded onlookers of the night sky ¡ª since it was sheathed. However, the hilt alone spoke of its exquisite craftsmanship. Of particr note was the huge navy blue sapphire on the pommel, in whose depths flickered a me-like brilliance.

    The full te armor she wore gleamed with the radiance which only tinum and gold could produce, and it was inscribed with countless depictions of Unicorns. This suit of immacte armor ¡ª pure as the driven snow ¡ª could only be worn by a virgin.

    In contrast to her shining armor, the cape on her back was made of some sort of cotton cloth which resembled the gray of a mouse¡¯s pelt. This was the Cloak of Rat Speed, which improved its wearer¡¯s movement speed, dexterity and evasive abilities. It was a deceptively powerful magic item.

    However, her Floating Swords ¡ª another famous magic item ¡ª did not seem to have been activated.

    Unlike Climb, Lakyus was conspicuously dressed because she probably intended to settle the matter with her own magic.

    Beside her were other familiar faces.

    There were the members of Blue Rose, and Gazef Stronoff.

    Climb felt very awkward and out of ce as he stood beside them

    Lakyus exined the details of the operation, which was to attack and capture eight instations run by Eight Fingers.

    However, there were only seven teams, so after those teams had taken their objectives, the team leaders and Marquis Raeven¡¯s bodyguards ¡ª former adventurers, each ranked above mithril ¡ª would proceed to thest location, while the rest of the team members would continue to hold their objectives. They had to destroy as much of the enemy¡¯s fighting strength as possible and do their best to take prisoners. Failing that, killing them would be the next best thing.

    That was all.

    Lakyus then warned the others again that they were going up against a crime syndicate that controlled the criminal underworld. They might encounter traps or very powerful individuals, so they could not allow themselves to be careless.

    Climb¡¯s body trembled.

    This was not fear, but stress from being given responsibility in such an important operation.

    Climb was much weaker than the other team leaders, but he had been chosen to lead a team anyway because he was stronger than an average soldier, and the sponsor for this operation had rmended him.

    In addition, Marquis Raeven¡¯s personal guard ¡ª a team of former adventurers who had previously held the orichalcum rank ¡ª had been detached to help him out.

    How could he back out when everyone had bent over backward to amodate him?

    In addition, when he realised why he had been selected as a team leader, he could not hand that duty over to anyone else.

    Blue Rose, Marquis Raeven, Gazef Stronodd, and Prince Zanack, who was in charge of firefighting during a civil disturbance. None of these people were connected to Renner. It was precisely because of that reason that Climb ¡ª Renner¡¯s bodyguard ¡ª had been chosen as a team leader, to show that Renner was deeply involved in this operation.

    It seems this was the brainchild of Marquis Raeven and Prince Zanack, but why would they do this?

    Climb had no idea of their reasons. Even so, his heart gushed with courage as he resolved himself toplete this great task, in order to let more people know of Renner¡¯s contributions to the nation.

    They were dismissed after the briefing wasplete. The man who had been waiting in the back called out to him in a casual tone.

    ¡°Everything set?¡±

    That man, whose name was Brain Unus, was the helper Gazef had brought along, and he was also Climb¡¯s assistant team leader.

    ¡°The team¡¯s ready, we¡¯re just waiting for the word. Also, this is the path we¡¯ll be taking. That guy picked it.¡±

    Brain handed Climb a map of the Royal Capital with a red line drawn on it, while Climb looked in the direction where Brain was pointing.

    There stood one of the former orichalcum-ranked adventurers. He had been assigned to Climb¡¯s team. The man seemed to have noticed Climb looking his way and waved to him. In turn Climb nodded to the somewhat aged man. Perhaps he should not have done so, being the team leader and all, but it was a natural gesture for Climb, given that his strength was nowhere near enough to qualify as a team leader.

    To Climb, he was not so much leading everyone as he was counting on everyone else to help carry his weight.

    As they were talking, a hulking person approached them and called out to Climb:

    ¡°Oi, cherry boy.¡±

    Could you please not call me by that name, Climb thought as he sensed a change in his teammates¡¯ eyes.

    Fortunately, nobody was looking at him with scorn. Someone seemed to be smiling on him from the side, someone with a strong attachment to him, like a parent doting on their child.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Gagaran-sama?¡±

    Unlike how she had been at the inn, she was decked out in first-rate magic items.

    The breastte of her reddish-ck spiked full te armor was inscribed with eye-like patterns. This was the famous suit of armor known as [Gaze Bane].

    Her gauntlets were also somewhat unique, carved with patterns of two intertwining snakes. This relic could restore the health of those it touched. They were called the Kerykeion Gauntlets.

    The long, massive spiked war pick at her waist was called Full Iron. The luxurious crimson cape she wore, ¡ª reminiscent of royal garb ¡ª was called the Crimson Guardian. Below her armor was a Vest of Resistance, a Dragontooth Amulet and a Belt of Greater Power. In addition, she wore WInged Boots and a Twister Circlet, while the rings she wore also possessed powerful magic.

    This was the full battle attire of Gagaran, one of the Kingdom¡¯s topmost warriors.

    She possessed this many jaw-dropping pieces of equipment because she was an adamantite-ranked adventurer. Much like her, Evileye, Tia and her sister Tina were outfitted with simrly potent magic items.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. I just thought the cherry boy might be feeling nervous, so I came by to smack your ass.¡±

    So she was worried about me...

    Still, Climb hoped that she would not keep calling him ¡°cherry boy¡± He could go to any old brothel and get rid of his virginity anytime he wanted. He simply had not chosen to do so.

    Just as Climb began weeping inside, Gagaran turned a keen gaze upon Brain, who was standing by his side Climb¡¯s side.

    ¡°Brain Unus. The man who fought the Warrior-Captain to a draw... I see, so those reports weren¡¯t exaggerated or made up.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re Blue Rose¡¯s warrior, Gagaran. I see... incredible. You¡¯re definitely worthy of being an adamantite-ranked adventurer team¡¯s warrior. In that case, do I pass?¡±

    Climb had no idea what they meant by passing and not passing. He looked at Brain, who shrugged and told him what Gagaran was thinking.

    ¡°She came to see if I was a warrior worthy of taking care of you, Climb-kun.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°As if... What happens to you doesn¡¯t really matter to me. I just felt that it would be a shame for you to die a virgin, so I thought that if we had the time, maybe I could break you in. Still, now that I know that you didn¡¯t beat ¡®Illusion Devil¡¯ by chance. You really are an incredible warrior. Even without crossing des, I can tell that it¡¯ll be easy with you around.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much. On my part, I now know the rumors were true as well. Still, it¡¯s best not to get careless. There¡¯s a lot of monsters out there who can kill us in moments.¡±

    ¡°Oh, aren¡¯t we careful. I don¡¯t mind men like that. While you¡¯re not a cherry, how about a quick tumble?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll pass. It¡¯ll probably get squashed.¡±

    Climb did not ask which part of him would get squashed.

    ¡°Really? What a shame. Be careful, Climb.¡±

    Gagaran waved farewell and then strode off. As Brain watched her leave, he quietly said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect her to be so nice, given the way she looks.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not just Gagaran-san, but everyone in Blue Rose is very kind. Evileye-sama¡¯s the same way too. She might dress like that, but she¡¯s a very nice person.¡±

    ¡°A masked magic caster, huh...That¡¯s right, Gazef said he met a guy called Ainz Ooal Gown who was also like that. Could it be that wearing masks is a trend among magic casters... hm? Looks like they¡¯re moving out.¡±

    ¡°Seems like it. The teams that have to travel a long way need to set out first, otherwise they won¡¯t be able to coordinate their attack timing with us.¡±

    Both of them looked forward, at the teams which were heading out before the others.

    Climb looked around, searching his surroundings for a certain woman.

    Naturally, she was not there. She ought to be moving with Prince Zanack now. He knew she was working hard, so was it selfishness on his part for feeling lonely without the chance to see her?

    ¡°We¡¯d better go too, Climb-kun.¡±

    ¡°...Yes! Let¡¯s go,¡± Climb told his team.

    Climb. The assistant team leader Brain Unus. The four former orichalcum-ranked adventurers. 20 house troops from Marquis Raeven¡¯s estate. They were then apanied by a high-ranking priest, staff from the Magician¡¯s Guild and various support personnel, all of whom had dealings with Marquis Raevens. In total, 32 people quietly set out.

    <b>Part 4</b>

    <b>Lower Fire Month (9th Month) 4th Day 20:31</b>

    ¡°To think we could put together such a team... I must give thanks to Ainz-sama.¡±

    That was the first thing Sebas said when he saw the people assembled in the house.

    Shalltear and Mare had been dispatched from the Floor Guardians, led by Demiurge. The forms of Entoma and Solution of the Pleiades battle maids were also visible. Then, there were many of Demiurge¡¯s high-level vassals ¡ª the Evil Lords. This was a staggering amount of fighting power. One could consider it overkill.

    ¡°To think the first and second strongest of the Floor Guardians would be here...¡±

    ¡°Mm ¡ª and they are under mymand, in ordance with Ainz-sama¡¯s wishes. Sebas, do you object?

    ¡°Of course not.¡±

    ¡°Then I hope you will not misunderstand me. Ainz-samamanded us to rescue the human (Tsuare) but the fact is that we have assembled these people for a higher purpose ¡ª namely, to ughter the foolish members of Eight Fingers who dared spit upon the faces of the Supreme Beings. Is that clear?¡±

    ¡°Perfectly. Rescuing Tsuare is a secondary objective, am I correct?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. However, I do not believe she will be able to endure a resurrection spell, so I approve of your suggestion to rescue her while she is still alive.¡±

    He said so in sour tones.

    ¡°That said, dealing with her if she is dead is a legitimate question. In addition, if I were the enemy, I would surely toss the head of my hostage at anyone stupid enough to walk to their deaths.

    ¡°But if the hostage taker were you, Demiurge, surely you would abuse the hostage in front of the enemy in order to frighten them into submission, no?¡±

    ¡°I am forced to admit the rightness of your words. The thought of immobilizing would-be rescuers and then having them watch as I tortured their hostage... ah, what a moving sight it would be.¡±

    ¡°And what part of it would move you?

    Sebas hid his irritation below his smile as he asked his question. Needless to say, Demiurge¡¯s perceptive gaze had probably seen through Sebas¡¯ false smile, so it was nothing more than going through the motions.

    ¡°All of it, Sebas. All of it.¡±

    Demiurge smiled thinly, and there was a prating gleam within his faceted eyes.

    ¡°Of course, if it were me, I would even let the humans who came to mount a rescue escape with their hostage. First, I would let them rest at ease and believe they had escaped, and then I would turn the tables on them. After all, the greater one¡¯s hope, the deeper one¡¯s despair.¡±

    ¡°That does seem quite fun. Let us try that next time, if we have the chance.¡±

    ¡°B-but, if the enemy really got away, w-wouldn¡¯t that be really bad?¡±

    Demiurge and Shalltear bothughed at this.

    ¡°Mare, you say the most interesting things sometimes. The point is that the enemy does not escape. Well, if they did manage to escape, I would have to praise them for it.¡±

    ¡°As expected of you, Demiurge. You can afford such arrogance because of your absolute certainty that the opposition will not escape.¡±

    Demiurge was cheerfully talking about his hobby of tormenting others despite the limited time. Sebas decided to ask a question to cut that discussion short.

    ¡°Demiurge, you said you were going to ughter the Eight Fingers. Does that mean you have information on them?¡±

    ¡°Mm, there will be no problems at all. I have secured that intelligence.¡±

    ¡°Ohh,¡± Sebas breathed in awe. On this point, Sebas¡¯ respect for him was genuine.

    Demiurge should only have spent a very short time in the Royal Capital. However, he had managed to obtain the relevant information. Sebas had no idea what methods Demiurge had used to do so. Given that Demiurge was acting in ordance with their master¡¯s wishes, this was surely not idle talk, but he had concrete proof to show for it.

    ¡°Then there¡¯s the matter of the location ¡ª there¡¯s quite a few of them, so we¡¯ll just have to attack them all. Of course, we need to capture people from several locations who might possess intelligence, and then we must let Eight Fingers understand the full extent of their idiocy¡ª¡±

    At this point, Demiurge paused to nce at Sebas before continuing.

    ¡°¡ªIn order to mete out the appropriate punishment to those who abused the person which Ainz-sama pledged his protection ¡ª and in his own glorious name, no less ¡ª we must have them tell us everything they know. Everyone, are there any objections?¡±

    ¡°N-not at all!¡±

    ¡°They will pay with their bodies for disrespecting Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°I have no objections, of course.¡±

    Thus did the two Floor Guardians and the butler of Nazarick answer Demiurge.

    The two Pleiades and the Evil Lords did not answer, but bowed deeply to Demiurge.

    ¡°Very good. Then, Sebas. Could you tell me where the opposition has summoned you? I wish to see if that location is listed in the information I was given.¡±

    Sebas told Demiurge the location given in the parchment left in the house, and Demiurge smiled.

    ¡°How fortunate. Or perhaps I should be sad that there is one fewer ce to assault. The address of the location you have is a perfect match for a point I have scouted. Then I shall hand that area to you.¡±

    ¡°I have no problems with that. However, she might be hurt. I would be grateful if I could be assigned someone who can use healing magic.¡±

    ¡°Ainz-sama wishes for us to save that human... Solution. I had thought to keep you as a mobile asset thanks to your exceptional sensory abilities, but would you be willing to assist Sebas?¡±

    ¡°Understood, Demiurge-sama.¡±

    ¡°And then there are the other humans in that building, the ones who kidnapped Tsuare...¡±

    ¡°If you dare aid any of those humans who trod Ainz-sama¡¯s name into the dirt, I really will kill you this time.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Demiurge. I will ughter them all.¡±

    ¡°I have been watching from the side since just now... but would it trouble the two of you to speak more cordially?¡±

    Sebas noted that Demiurge had an expression on his face which was difficult to describe in words. At the same time, he mused that he probably had a simr look on his own face.

    Still, why did he dislike Demiurge so much? It was quite surprising when he thought about it. He did not dislike Shalltear ¡ª who was a sadist much like Demiurge ¡ª yet he could feel anger burning in his belly every time he spoke to Demiurge.

    That said, not going along with Demiurge for this matter would be like spitting upon his great master¡¯s kindness. Sebas silently apologized to his master and then bowed to Demiurge.

    ¡°You came to help make up for my mistakes, yet I was so rude to you. I sincerely apologize for that.¡±

    ¡°...I did not take it to heart, Sebas. In any event... once you rescue Tsuare, you will swiftly evacuate her to the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. Will that be eptable?¡±

    ¡°Naturally. However, have preparations been made to receive her?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. We¡¯ve already made preparations in that area~¡±

    Sebas nodded in acknowledgement as he heard Entoma¡¯s honey-sweet voice.

    ¡°I trust that there are no other problems, then? I do not think so. Then, I shall divide us into seven groups, and then decide which of the locations we will assault. Naturally, Sebas and Solution have already been allocated. And Shalltear, I need to remind you of one thing!¡±

    The sudden firmness in Demiurge¡¯s tone made Shalltear tremble.

    ¡°W-what is it, Demiurge.¡±

    ¡°I am cing you on mobile support duty, so you will be on standby for a while. You lose your senses when you¡¯re sshed with too much fresh blood, and having you lose control when fighting a mass of mooks will be troublesome.¡±

    ¡°It, it¡¯s fine! As long as the Spuit Lance drains them dry, it¡¯s much less likely to trigger.¡±

    ¡°That is still uneptable. We need to be very careful in this operation. Risks must be avoided at all costs. Also, let me get this out of the way first, Sebas. Rescuing Tsuare and punishing Eight Fingers is only the first stage of the n. However, I cannot reveal the details of stage two to you, much less the details of the entire n. This is because you will be returning to Nazarick after Stage One isplete, and at that point you will no longer be involved. It is better to reduce the number of people who know in order to reduce the chances of information leaking.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Then I shall prepare to move out.¡±

    ? ? ?

    After Sebas left the room, Demiurge turned to the people who remained:

    ¡°Alright, first things first. I have something very important to tell you, so pay close attention. Entoma, you can create illusions, am I correct? Can you create an illusion as I direct?¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Heeding Demiurge¡¯s directions, Entoma created an image in the air. The free-floating illusion pleased Demiurge.

    ¡°You are absolutely forbidden from killing this person. Minor damage is fine, but it is fundamentally prohibited. I hope you all remember. This goes double fory you, Shalltear.¡±

    ¡°There is no need to keep harping on it. I know that...¡±

    Shalltear pouted as Demiurge needled her, while Mare smiled bitterly.

    ¡°Ah, is, is it really alright to, er, not tell Sebas-san?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Given his personality, he won¡¯t harm people out of hand... although, just in case, could you help me stop him in case something unusuales up?¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Demiurge nodded in satisfaction.

    This operation was closely linked to a n that would reap great benefits for Nazarick. Any serious errors might set back Nazarick¡¯s... no, the Supreme Being Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s stated goal of world conquest.

    Since his master had said ¡°I will turn the matter over to you¡±, failure was no longer an option.

    Albedo had also sternly added that due to Shalltear¡¯s, Cocytus¡¯ and now Sebas¡¯ mistakes, any further errors might lead to the abilities of the Floor Guardians themselves ¡ª the most powerful entities created by the Supreme Beings ¡ªing into question.

    Of course, their master had not disyed his displeasure at these mistakes, and the matter of Cocytus seemed to be proceeding as their master had nned, but relying on their master¡¯s kindness was most definitely not the right attitude to have.

    I wish to demonstrate the usefulness of the Guardians to Ainz-sama through the sess of this operation.

    What value did foolish subordinates who could not satisfy their master possess?

    And then, if their master were thoroughly disappointed by his pathetic minions, would even thest remaining Supreme Being vanish as well?

    Even someone like Demiurge felt his body run cold with fear as he contemted that possibility.

    We must not fail. In addition, we must seed brilliantly enough to erase our past mistakes.

    With an iron will in his heart, Demiurge surveyed everyone in the room.

    ¡°Also, I hope none of you will forget that the person who brainwashed Shalltear might still be watching hungrily, waiting for a chance to strike. Therefore, none of you are permitted to leave your operation areas without permission. I hope you will all keep that in mind. When any Guardian ¡ª including myself ¡ª questions you, you will immediately put up your hands or the equivalent appendages and refrain from suspicious movements. Any such movements will be met with death, for safety¡¯s sake. Does anyone have any questions?¡±

    ¡°Er, ah, I asked a question just now, but can I ask again?¡±

    Demiurge smiled warmly to Mare, and then made a gesture to indicate that he should continue speaking.

    ¡°Al-alright. I, I remember that Sebas-san does not have a World-ss Item like we do. Is that alright?¡±

    ¡°Ainz-sama has considered that point before. Sebas will serve as bait. Ideally, the enemy will take it. Albedo is standing by in the Throne Room for precisely that reason. In addition, those who cannot use the [Message] spell must be more careful and not act on their own. I will be overseeing the entire operation, so please contact me if you have any questions. In addition, I have already informed Mare about everything, including my n, so if an emergency arises where you cannot contact me, Mare will direct the operation.¡±

    ¡°Then... what about myself?¡±

    ¡°Forgive me, Shalltear. However like I said earlier, I cannot trust youpletely, so you will be standing by for now. Ah, what I mean is that I am worried about your Blood Frenzy.¡±

    ¡°I got it! I! Got! It!¡±

    ¡°Once Stage One isplete, we will begin Stage Two. I will now begin exining this stage, which is the most critical stage. Thus, I hope you will pay close attention ¡ª what is it?¡±

    A Shadow Demon appeared out of Demiurge¡¯s shadow and whispered a report to him.

    ¡°Is that so? Well, it is sudden, but it cannot be helped.¡±

    This matter was quite troublesome for Demiurge, but he could not leave matters at that.

    ¡°Forgive me, Mare. ording to thetest news, there is one more Eight Fingers base to attack. I apologize for this, but I hope you will change your target. I believe you will be sufficient by yourself, but for safety¡¯s sake, take Entoma with you.¡±

    ¡°Al-alright. Er, ah, please leave it to me.¡±

    ¡°Well answered. Then, we shall discuss the detailster. While everyone is here, I will begin exining the n for Stage Two ¡ª Gehenna. This is the most important part of our operations in the Royal Capital, so I hope you will pay close attention.¡±

 Chapter 41 - Volume 6

    <h4>Overlord Volume 6 Chapter 8</h4>

    <b>Chapter 8: Six Arms</b>

    <b>Part 1</b>

    <b>Lower Fire Month (9th Month) 4th Day 21:51</b>

    In the Kingdom, people were used to sleeping at dusk. This was because lightingmps cost money. Viges with more poor families typically lived a regimented lifestyle of working in the day and resting at night.

    However, life in the urban areas was different from how it was in the agricultural regions. This difference was particrly apparent in the colorful, busy city streets. They sprang to life when the shops and residences lit up, like nocturnal beasts.

    However, this was not so in the ce where Climb was headed. That ce was not a shining nightlife district, but more like a lightless street, shrouded in darkness.

    Climb was silent and he did not carry antern as he walked through the quiet alleys. The fact that he could see while moving in the darkness was thanks to a magical effect in his helmet which made it function like a set of night vision goggles. While he could only see up to 15 meters in front of him, what he could see was as bright as day.

    In addition, the tes of his full te armor ¡ª made of mithril and other materials ¡ª did not make noise when they bumped into each other, unlike steel te armor. In addition, the enchantment on the armor meant that there were no sounds of metallic rustling when in motion. Unless they had exceptional hearing or were a skilled thief, not even someone standing beside Climb would be able to pick up on the sounds of him walking.

    That was why he had joined the pioneer reconnaissance party.

    After walking down the alley, his target came into view.

    It was surrounded by imposing walls, which sealed it off from the surrounding area. It felt like a prison, or a fortress. His mind raced with dark thoughts like What sort of illegal activities are going on inside? Even the magicalmps installed on either side of the door could not dispel that mental image.

    ording to their intelligence, their target ought to be behind these walls, but he could not see it from here.

    ¡°That¡¯s it. I¡¯m sure of it,¡± Climb muttered as he hunkered down. A voice answered from the empty air beside him.

    ¡°Agreed, leader. Judging by the feel of this ce, that should be it. I¡¯ll go take a look around, then.¡±

    The person who replied was a former orichalcum-ranked adventurer who possessed thief-type skills. After he was done, Brain ¡ª who was travelling with them ¡ª added:

    ¡°Be careful. You might be invisible, but some warriors can see through it.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Our enemy is the Eight Fingers, after all. I¡¯ll be operating under the assumption that they have thieves or magic casters on my level. So I hope the two of you will pray for my sess.¡±

    With that, the presence beside Climb began fading away. While he could not hear anything even while craning his neck to listen, perhaps a thief on par with him might be able to hear soft footsteps drawing away, heading towards the residence.

    This left Climb and Brain.

    They had left the others behind because they were not skilled at stealthy movement. The noise from full te armor would practically broadcast their location to the enemy. That said, nobody was foolhardy enough to take off their armor and approach the enemy when there was an uing battle.

    That was why the two of them were here.

    Of course, they were both warriors, and they could not move like thieves did. Even so, Climb and Brain could move in the darkness ¡ª Climb relying on his enchanted armor, while Brain used martial arts ¡ª and together they hade this close to the enemy camp. However, what came next could only be left to a professional.

    The two of them had risked so much toe here so that they could decide whether to attack or flee if the infiltration failed and the enemy bolstered their defenses. Therefore, their mission was already aplished just by staying here and watching the enemy.

    Even so, they could not help but feel uneasy as time passed. Since they were waiting and had not gone in themselves, their thoughts naturally turned towards the worst.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be okay, right?¡±

    As the words slipped from Climb¡¯s mouth, Brain calmly answered:

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but... all we can do is trust him. We have to trust in the skills of a former orichalcum-ranked adventurer.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. After all, he¡¯s a veteran adventurer.¡±

    They did not know how long they had waited, but Brain¡¯s hand suddenly went to the ¡¸Katana¡¹at his waist. Just as Climb was about to reach for his sword in response, a somewhat panicked male voice came from beside them.

    ¡°Wait! Wait! It¡¯s me. I¡¯m back.¡±

    It was the voice of the thief who had gone to scout ahead.

    ¡°Ah, as I thought. You came so close but didn¡¯t do anything, so I thought... you must have been trying to see if I could really detect you with martial arts, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sorry about that. You¡¯re right. I¡¯m really sorry for daring to test the skills of the great Brain Unus.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I might have done the same thing in your position. That aside, can you tell us what you¡¯ve learned?

    The air rippled beside Climb, and he sensed that someone had sat down. He could not see anyone when he looked beside him, yet her had the strange feeling that someone was there.

    ¡°¡ªFirst, I think that ce is used for training of some sort. There¡¯s arge yard behind the wall, making it look like a practice yard. I only had a cursory look through the interior, but there seem to be several segregated rooms inside. I guess it¡¯s a base for Eight Fingers¡¯ security division. Also, there¡¯s one ce which was heavily guarded, so I had trouble approaching. And then something terrible happened, leader.¡±

    The man¡¯s tone changed. It was now filled with the utmost tension.

    ¡°I discovered two important things when I went inside. One is that there¡¯s a prison here, with a woman inside. The other is that there are several people here whose descriptions match those of Six Arms.¡±

    The woman aside, they had already expected Six Arms to be here. So what was the problem?

    Climb¡¯s doubts were immediately answered by a question from Brain.

    ¡°You said ¡®several people¡¯? Doesn¡¯t sound like one person.¡±

    ¡°Five of them. Now that Illusion Devil¡¯s been captured, that ought to be all of them.¡±

    In other words, this was an impossible hurdle for them. They had drawn the short straw. However¡ª

    ¡°That¡¯s... well, it¡¯s terrible, but it¡¯s also pretty fortunate. Since they¡¯re all here, that means the others can easily take down the other locations.¡±

    That was the silver lining on a very dark cloud.

    ¡°Then, what should we do?¡±

    ¡°What can we do? We can¡¯t attack this ce. Let¡¯s fall back.¡±

    ¡°Are you alright with that, Climb-kun?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like it, but we don¡¯t have a choice. If Six Arms are gathered here, then it must be a permanent base or it holds something they value heavily. It would be bad if we withdrew before verifying that. However, I don¡¯t think we should do anything our fighting power can¡¯t cover.¡±

    ¡°Indeed...¡±

    ¡°Then, should I go in again and take a look, maybe bring some documents back?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s too risky. Forget it. Since they haven¡¯t found us yet, I think it would be wiser to retreat right away. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, I approve. But then what should we do next, attack another point?¡±

    ¡°I think that would be the most effective course of action. Could you report to the people behind us? We¡¯ll wait here to make sure nobodyes out to pursue you.¡±

    ¡°I doubt there¡¯ll be anyone like that, but you can¡¯t be too careful. In that case, I¡¯ll leave this to the two of you.¡±

    The thief had not yet dispelled his invisibility as he deliberately moved quickly so Climb and Brain could hear. He then fell back to where the rest of the team members were waiting.

    ¡°...Doesn¡¯t seem like there¡¯s any movement so far, Climb-kun.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Then we should probably retreat and go to another location with the others.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good ¡ª hm. Climb-kun, look.¡±

    Climb¡¯s eyes followed Brain¡¯s finger, and they both saw a man they had met yesterday heading for the building they were watching.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that Sebas-sama? Why is he here?¡±

    ¡°...It doesn¡¯t seem like a coincidence, but... what happened? Is he part of them?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure he isn¡¯t. Brain-sama, you think so too, right?¡±

    ¡°Aye, he can¡¯t be. Unless he¡¯s really good at acting. Still, I don¡¯t think Sebas-sama is that kind of man.¡±

    ¡°In any case, let¡¯s call out¡ª¡±

    Just as the words left his mouth, Sebas turned and his eyes fixed on the two of them. Climb and Brain were some distance away from the building in order to observe it, and they were hidden in the darkness. Under normal circumstances, it would have been quite hard to find them. While he might have looked in their direction by chance, Climb waspletely certain that it was not the case this time around.

    Sebas jogged over.

    His speed was abnormal. He was so fast that he seemed to be teleporting every time they blinked as he closed the distance to them. He was running normally, but his celerity was such that their brains refused to acknowledge it.

    Then, he flew over their heads. More urately, he leapt over the heads of the two people hunkered down in the alley.

    ¡°What a coincidence, fancy meeting you two here. Is something the matter?¡±

    ¡°Er, no, we actually wanted to ask that ourselves... we were nning to attack that building which was owned by Eight Fingers, so we were lying in wait here.¡±

    ¡°...Just the two of you?¡±

    ¡°No, there¡¯s several others behind us.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Sebas said quietly. Climb then asked him:

    ¡°Sebas-sama, why did youe here? Do you have business in that building?¡±

    ¡°Yes. That is precisely so. The woman I mentioned yesterday, the one whom I rescued, was kidnapped. The enemy called me over here, and so I came.¡±

    ¡°Is that so! Our colleague who scouted ahead did say there was a woman inside.¡±

    ¡°...And where is thatrade of yours?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I think he¡¯ll be back soon... ah, there he is.¡±

    The no-longer-invisible adventurer returned from where Brain was looking. He looked at Sebas in surprise. Clearly, the sudden appearance of this dashing old gentleman was quite out of ce here.

    ¡°This is Sebas-sama, the person who lent us his aid when we caught the Illusion Devil. The person in the cell you mentioned earlier seems to be a friend of Sebas-sama¡¯s, which is why we met here. This man ispletely trustworthy, so please do not worry.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± the thief answered. He then began talking about what he had learned starting with news on that woman. After hearing everything, Sebas spoke in a grateful voice.

    ¡°I see. I understand. Thank you. Rescuing her now will be much easier.¡±

    ¡°No, please don¡¯t worry about it, sir. By the way, everyone¡¯s ready to pull out...¡±

    The thief felt guilty as he realised that he and the others had decided to retreat while that female friend of Sebas was still locked up within that building. He sneaked a look at Sebas¡¯ face.

    ¡°Sebas-sama. Five of the strongest fighters in Eight Fingers, called Six Arms, are in that building... Can you defeat them?¡±

    The thief knotted his brows as he heard Climb¡¯s question. Climb understood what he was thinking. The Six Arms were each the equivalent of an adamantite-ranked adventurer. Surely he must have thought that taking five of them on at once was impossible. However, Sebas simply ignored those thoughts and nodded gently.

    ¡°Five people of Sulent¡¯s caliber shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡±

    The thief kept himself from rolling his eyes, then he pulled Climb and Brain away. He looked at Sebas with a pained expression on his face, and then asked them:

    ¡°...Leader. Is he a madman?¡±

    Anyone would think such a thing upon hearing Sebas speak like that. Anyone who knew the strength of an adamantite-ranked adventurer would surely think so too. However, Climb had glimpsed a fraction of Sebas¡¯ power, and he knew that Sebas was definitely not bragging.

    ¡°No. That man really is that amazing.¡±

    The thief stared long and hard at Climb. The look in his eye was as though he was gazing upon a lunatic.

    ¡°Brain-sama thinks so too.¡±

    ¡°Eh?! Even Brain Unus thinks that as well?¡±

    Brain smiled bitterly to the thief and nodded.

    ¡°Yes, Sebas-sama is strong enough that Gazef and I couldn¡¯t beat him even if we went at him together.¡±

    ¡°That. that¡¯s really... no, if what you said is true, then it would be amazing...¡±

    It was hard to believe, but he had to ept it given that the two of them had said that much. The thief looked at Sebas with aplex expression on his face.

    ¡°If we can count on your aid, Sebas-sama, we might be able to... sorry, could you tell Sebas-sama about the Six Arms?¡±

    The thief agreed, and Sebas quietly waited for him to finish speaking. However, he lost his gentlemanly reserve upon hearing the title of one of Six Arms¡¯ members.

    ¡°Undying King Davernoc, is it... a mere fool does not deserve that title.¡±

    Sebas did not react beyond those muttered words, and the thief finished sharing his information. Just then, Climb asked:

    ¡°Then, Sebas-sama... if you don¡¯t mind, could we count on your assistance?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I came to save Tsuare, after all. Leave Six Arms to me, then.¡±

    ¡°Then I hope you wille at them from the front and draw their attention, Sebas-sama. We will use that opportunity to infiltrate the ce. While we cannot possibly rece you, please allow us to help rescue Tsuare-san on your behalf.¡±

    ¡°Just as well. Nothing would be better than for you gentlemen to help rescue her while the enemy is distracted, to prevent her from bing a hostage or from being spirited away via a different route.¡±

    ¡°I understand. We will definitely rescue Tsuare-san safely. Then, who will be going in? I know the original n was to have everyone infiltrate, and it was a good idea...¡±

    ¡°Hm ¡ª if we¡¯re sneaking in quietly, then we need to make as little noise as possible. After that, once we rescue Tsuare-san, we¡¯ll need to head out as directly as possible, so we¡¯ll need to be able to fight. That being the case...¡±

    The thief looked at Climb and Brain after the two of them addressed their questions to him.

    ¡°Well, if we had unlimited use of [Invisibility] spells there might be another way, but... I think the three of us are the most suitable for the task.¡±

    ¡°You mean I can go too?¡±

    ¡°Well, my fellow warriors¡¯ armor is too noisy, so they¡¯re not suitable for infiltration.¡±

    ¡°I understand. Then we¡¯ll be sneaking in.¡±

    ¡°If our magic caster could use [Silence] spells or the like, it¡¯d be a different matter... well, if it¡¯s just the three of us, then there¡¯s still a way. I¡¯ll ask everyone to cast [Invisibility] spells on us.

    ¡°[Invisibility], huh,¡± Climb said bitterly. ¡°My helmet can see through invisibility once a day, so I¡¯ve no problems if everyone is invisible, but how about the rest of you? It would be bad if we got lost because we couldn¡¯t see the others.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Someone¡¯s already cast a [See Invisibility] spell on one of my magic items. It can only be used once, but I can use it on myself.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have an ability like that, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll miss the sound of your footsteps, leader.¡±

    ¡°Is that so. Thenmunications between the infiltration party ought to be fine. In that case, we¡¯ll be going in first; please wait a while before making your move, Sebas-sama.¡±

    ¡°I will be counting on you.¡±

    Sebas bowed his hoary head to them, which startled Climb and Brain. After all, they had done nothing to make this amazing man bow to them. This was because they were sort of using the mighty Sebas, much like they had during the brothel raid.

    ¡°No, please don¡¯t worry about it. The truth is, we came to attack this location. In fact, we¡¯re very grateful that you¡¯re willing to deal with Six Arms for us, Sebas-sama.¡±

    ¡°Then we are helping each other out, are we not?¡±

    There was no hint of any resentment or malice towards Climb and the others on Sebas¡¯ smiling face. Climb stood up, his heart at ease.

    ¡°Then we will be falling back first, to have the others cast spells on us.¡±

    <b>Part 2</b>

    <b>Lower Fire Month (9th Month) 4th Day 22:15</b>

    Some timeter ¡ª although it was still a few minutes before the appointed time ¡ª Sebas stood before the main gate. The gate wasttice-shaped, so he could peer through it, but the trees within prevented him from seeing too far inside.

    ¡°Oi, you¡¯re on time, aren¡¯t you?¡± a voice asked hoarsely. Following that, a man stepped out from among the trees.

    Of course, Sebas had noticed the man¡¯s presence from the beginning. That was because he had activated an ability which allowed him to sense all life signs within an area. That said, sometimes it could not detect opponents who were using stealth-type skills, so he could not rely too heavily on it. However, it was still useful to some extent.

    ¡°This way. Follow me.¡±

    The man opened the door, and he led Sebas down a path in the yard.

    Considering this yard was the property of a criminal organization like Eight Fingers, it did not feel particrly gloomy and the vegetation was neatly trimmed, as though they had a skilled gardener taking care of things.

    After following the path for a while, a vast space which looked like a training area unfolded before his eyes.

    There were several bonfires zing away merrily, and bright red firelight illuminated the surroundings.

    There were about 30 people here, with many men and several women among them, and they all had wicked smiles on their faces. Said smiles were crude and intoxicated with violence, certain of the prospect of victory.

    Sebas looked around him. There was nobody here who could begin to rival him, but he found the Six Arms of which Climb had spoken.

    One of them wore a hooded robe. The robe was ck, stitched with a bright red me pattern below the waist. Sebas could not see the face under the hood, but there was no trace of life energy wafting out from beneath it. In fact, it was precisely the opposite. It would seem the nickname of ¡±Undying¡± was not merely metaphorical, but that this was a true undead being; hence the name.

    Their sole female was dressed sheer silks, and looked to be agile. She wore gold bangles on her wrists and ankles, which rang with crisp metallic sounds as she moved. She had six scimitars at her waist.

    The next man was dressed in a cotton suit. He also wore a gold-stitched jacket (a matador¡¯s traje de luces) and a vest. His weapon was a thin sword whose de seemed to be extending from a rose blossom, and it radiated a rose¡¯s fragrance.

    The final man wore a suit of unadorned full te armor, and his sword was securely stowed within its sheath.

    There were four of them in total. Their leader Zero was not here. He was probably waiting somewhere to make his appearance.

    The four of them advanced on him, and the others moved to encircle Sebas.

    ¡°Hey gramps, I heard you¡¯re pretty good, huh? You can send a man flying with just your fists, right?¡±

    ¡°We got to where we were in Eight Fingers through our skills. It would be pretty bad if we lost. That idiot didn¡¯t realize that. While the ve trading division¡¯s on the decline, we can¡¯t lose in front of their boss.¡±

    ¡°Actually, at this point I have a question. Sulent insisted that he lost to Brain Unus. Or did he lose to you, but he just didn¡¯t want to admit it?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I never fought him directly. I met him once at the house, and the next time I saw him, he was unconscious on the ground.¡±

    ¡°I see. Well, all right, it¡¯s no wonder he lost. Considering his opponent was the great Brain Unus, there¡¯s no way he could have won with that strength of his.¡±

    ¡°Considering he continued honing his skills after that duel and he¡¯s on par with Gazef Stronoff, I suppose it¡¯s understandable why he lost.¡±

    ¡°Still, that doesn¡¯t mean we can let you off. We¡¯ll take care of Unus and the Shiny Princess¡¯ckeyter. You¡¯ll be the first, you troublemaking old man. We¡¯ll kill you first.¡±

    ¡°We have to subdue you with force and kill you. Otherwise we¡¯ll be in a bad state.¡±

    ¡°Look over there.¡±

    As the members of Six Arms took turns addressing him, Sebas pointed to the the third floor of the building.

    ¡°There¡¯s bigwigs from all over gathered there. They¡¯re here to watch us toy with you until you die, old man.¡±

    ¡°Is the man called Zero there?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes.¡±

    A scornful expression appeared on one of the four. Sebas extended his finger and pointed toward the third floor. He then put his hand down, paying no attention to the confused looks on the Six Arms¡¯ faces.

    ¡°What are you doing? Taunting them?¡±

    ¡°Please do not worry about it. Then, where is she?¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s she?¡±

    His opposition was still sneering at him as they answered his question with a question. Sebas calmly replied:

    ¡°The woman you snatched from the house. Her name is Tsuare.¡±

    ¡°¡ªAnd if I said she was dead?¡±

    ¡°Would you be that kind?¡±

    ¡°Hahaha! That¡¯s right. We aren¡¯t that nice. That woman is a present for Co Doll. She¡¯s being well taken care of.¡±

    ¡°I see... I see.¡±

    Sebas saw one of the four people shift their line of sight towards a certain location in the building. However, what caught his eye was the fact that it was not the ce where he heard Tsuare had been held ¡ª that being the case, all he had to do was verify the location.

    ¡°This is a rare asion, so why don¡¯t you alle at once? Letting Zero escape would be troublesome, and it would just waste time.¡±

    ¡°...You talk big, human.¡±

    ¡°You must be feeling cocky because you had an easy time with the mooks, huh? But have you seen real power before?¡±

    ¡°Very well said. I wish to take these words and return them to all of you. However... may I ask a question? Why do you think I am weaker than Brain-sama?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t look down on us. Warriors of our level can tell an opponent¡¯s strength on sight. And you look far weaker than us, old man.¡±

    The other two people, Davernoc aside, nodded in agreement.

    ¡°I see...¡±

    Sebas could gauge his opponent¡¯s strength by the potency of their ki. However, much like his other ability, it would be difficult to tell if his opponents were concealing their power with skills or magic.

    ¡°That¡¯s why, we¡¯re giving you a chance. We¡¯lle at you one at a time, so¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªI am very strong, you know.¡±

    Sebas flexed his fingers, beckoning them toe at him.

    ¡°Like I said just now,ing one at a time is troublesome. All of you should attack me at once. That way, you ought to be able tost about ten seconds.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate us, human.¡±

    Davernoc¡¯s shoulders trembled.

    ¡°Underestimate you? You are the ones underestimating your opponent. My name is Sebas. The person who gave me that name was the strongest warrior. The master whom I serve is the supreme ruler of... well, there is no point telling you low-lives. Alright, I tire of dealing with you. Let us end this.¡±

    Sebas stepped forward. He approached the person whose title most displeased Sebas.

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Undying King¡± Davernoc.

    His true identity was a naturally-spawned Elder Lich. The undead were born from mass death. They were creatures who hated the living and often desired only to end their lives. However, some intelligent undead could rein in their hatred and build rtionships with the living. Davernoc was one such undead being.

    The aim of his false life was to ably harness the power of magic and to learn techniques beyond the spells he could use since his genesis.

    However, even if he wanted to learn said techniques, he could not find anyone to teach him, given that the undead were seen as the nemeses of the living. Perhaps if there were other undead like him ¡ª in fact, there was a secret society formed of undead magic casters ¡ª things might have been different, but unfortunately, Davernoc had never encountered such beings.

    Therefore, he thought of umting wealth, and using them to pay the price to have people teach him magic.

    At first, he had begun by killing and robbing travellers, but then he had been defeated by adventurers who hade to hunt him down. Now painfully aware of his foolishness, he considered a new way to earn a living. Therefore, he concealed his identity and joined a mercenary band.

    However, someone else learned that he could continuouslyunch [Fireballs] and his identity as one of the undead came to light. He was then forced to flee that mercenary band.

    After that, when he had once again lost a way to generate ie, someone found him. That person was Zero

    He introduced Davernoc to someone who was willing to teach him magic, and paid him appropriately. In turn, he asked Davernoc to use his magical powers under his direction. That was exactly what Davernoc had hoped for.

    As long as he could steadily umte more magical power, an undead being like himself with an unlimited lifespan might eventually be a being that could eradicate all life. Zero might have been lending aid to a future disaster for mankind.

    However ¡ª

    ¡ªSebas closed in like a storm, his right hand clenched into a fist which he threw in a straight punch. Unable to defend against the strike or evade it, without so much as the time to move, Davernoc¡¯s head went flying.

    Davernoc¡¯s unlife was thus extinguished. It vanished without him knowing why or how he had offended his opponent.

    Unlike how he usually was, Sebas disdainfully said:

    ¡°Only one person in this entire world deserves to use that title. That personmands iparable majesty. An inferior undead being like yourself ought to know your ce.¡±

    Sebas flicked his right hand, shaking off the bone fragments stuck to it. As Davernoc¡¯s body vanished, the many magic items he had equipped ttered to the ground.

    Even when everyone was frozen in shock, the Six Arms could still move. As expected, they were capable warriors; only people who had been through numerous life or death battles could do such a thing.

    Indeed, that was worthy of praise. That was because it proved that their reputation of being the equals of adamantite-ranked adventurers was not for show.

    After that, Sebas stalked towards that woman.

    ¡°Dancing Scimitar¡± Edstrem.

    There was a certain magical item property called ¡°Dance¡±. As the name suggested, it was an enchantment which allowed a weapon to move as though it were dancing, allowing it to attack independently. Thus, it wasmonly regarded as the best way to increase the amount of one¡¯s attacks.

    That said, this enchantment only allowed for simple movements, and thus it was not suitable as a primary offensive method. At the very most, it was good for sneak attacks or to hamper a foe, and during fierce shes between warriors of her level, all it could do was get in her enemy¡¯s way. Since there was a limit to how much one could enchant a weapon, it was a sensible choice to pick some other effect instead, rather than the Dance enchantment. For instance, Blue Rose¡¯s Gagaran used a weapon whose enchantments only increased the damage it dealt.

    That said, there was no better enchantment for her than the Dance property.

    Dancing weapons moved in ordance with their masters¡¯ will. However, when their master was involved in a fight for their life, it was very difficult to order a weapon that one was not holding and which was in apletely different location to attack an opponent, unless there was a tremendous difference in fighting strength. Therefore, most dancing weapons could only make simple motions.

    However, that was not the case for her.

    She could easily and naturally manipte her weapons as though they were being held by an invisible warrior ¡ª one whose skills were equivalent to hers. The reason for this was due to the unique makeup of her brain. This was because she had been born with a pair of natural abilities.

    The first was an excellent sense of spatial awareness ¡ª bordering on the preternatural.

    And then ¡ª some people could have their right hands act withplete independence from their left hands without training. However, her ability in that field was greater than that; her mind was gifted with an unnatural flexibility. That was her second ability.

    It would not be unusual for someone to describe her as having two brains. This was her ability.

    If she had only one of those abilities, she would not have been able to control her swords as freely as she did. However, these two abilities were united within her. One could call it a miracle.

    In all likelihood, there was nobody else within the Kingdom¡¯s nine million souls who had the same abilities as her.

    Her scimitars left their sheaths on their own, in ordance with her fighting spirit. All she had to do was focus on defense, while the five other swordsunched attacks on their own.

    This was a barrier of des. Stepping into this cage meant certain death.

    However¡ª

    Before the scimitars could begin their attacks, Sebas had already entered his attack radius, and he threw a chop with impossible speed.

    In the next moment, her head fell to the ground. Wreathed in ki, his knife hand was sharper than any de.

    Fresh blood spurted from her neck, and her body copsed a beatter. However, the five scimitars still hung in the air.

    That was because Sebas¡¯ chopping hand had been too sharp and too fast for her to feel her own death. She might not even have felt pain.

    The five scimitars ¡ª still obeying her will ¡ª sliced through the air towards Sebas.

    However, Sebas ignored those swords, drawing himself and standing in ce. He tenderly addressed the fallen head with honest praise:

    ¡°To think you would continue to fight even with your head severed... I salute your fighting spirit.¡±

    Her mouth opened and closed.

    What are you saying?

    I don¡¯t understand.

    However, she had probably sensed something from those words. Her eyes spun madly, and then realized her body was missing its head. Her expression distorted wildly. She blinked several times, and then her eyes went so wide it seemed as though her eyeballs were about to roll out of her head.

    Impossible. It can¡¯t be. It must be an illusion. I couldn¡¯t have been defeated. He did nothing to me. I can¡¯t move because of some kind of magic. Somebody say something.

    And then, she finally epted reality, and despair colored her face.

    Her mouth opened and closed, and the swords headed at Sebas fell to the ground, never to move again.

    ¡°Come on, attack with me! Let¡¯s get him together!¡±

    A voice which sounded like a shriek came from the man in full te armor. However sturdy it was, his armor could not protect him from his fear.

    He had realized ¡ª not with his logical mind, but with his heart and soul ¡ª that Sebas had been telling the truth, and that he was currently facing a creature he should never have fought, which should not exist in this world.

    ¡°Take, take, take my, take take my [Void... Void Cutter]!¡±

    He already knew. He knew that he was about to die. He knew that no matter what happened, there was no possible way for him to defeat the man called Sebas.

    He had not fled because his instincts told him: you won¡¯t make it more than a few steps before he kills you. You¡¯ll die if you advance. You¡¯ll also die if you retreat. That being the case, at least...

    Those thoughts proved that he was still a warrior.

    The man confronting him ¡ª Sebas ¡ª narrowed his eyes.

    That was because he was thinking, perhaps this might be the first enemy whose abilities I have to watch.

    The person who made Sebas was the World Champion known as Touch Me, whose trump card was a strike that cleaved through the very fabric of space-time itself. Of course, there was no way the person before him could reach that level, but even an imitation of that technique might be able to hurt Sebas.

    ¡°Void Cutter¡± Peysilian.

    His nickname was derived from the fact that he had a mysterious technique where he could draw from a one-meter long scabbard and bisect a foe over three meters away. In truth this move did not actually cut through space.

    The secrety in the sword.

    There was a type of sword called the urumi. It was a long de made from a flexible metal which bent easily. The weapon Peysilian carried was an urumi which had been so finely sharpened that it could be called a sword of cutting string. Perhaps a metal whip might be a more urate name.

    A high-speed draw-cut with such a weapon could kill a foe without leaving a mark, only a lingering arc of cold light, thus leading to his nickname.

    Compared to the rest of Six Arms, this move was more of a trick, but the fact that he could skilfully use a weapon which was so difficult to master proved his incredible warrior skills. If one handed the same weapon to Gazef, even the man hailed as the mightiest warrior would not be able to wield it as well as Peysilian.

    In addition, its power was not diminished even if one saw through the trick.

    The frightening aspect of the whipy in the ridiculous speeds its tip could reach. Seeing and then avoiding it was very difficult ¡ª no, it was almost impossible.

    It was an ultra-high-speed sh. What difference was there between an attack which humanity could not respond to and cutting through the air itself?

    However¡ª

    The tip of the sword, the leading edge of that high-speed attack was caught between two fingers. So casual was that movement that it looked like something which had been picked up off the ground.

    Sebas carefully examined the metal between his fingertips, and arched an eyebrow.

    ¡°What is this... and to think you called it cutting through the void...¡±

    ¡°Yeeart!¡±

    With a strange, bird-like cry, a rapiernced out at Sebas.

    ¡°Thousand Kills¡± Malmvist.

    His main weapon, Rose¡¯s Thorn, was enchanted with two magical properties. The first was ¡°Fleshgrinding¡±. In the instant the sword struck its foe¡¯s body, this fearsome magic would twist the surrounding muscle and tissue. The effect was to rip and tear at the flesh around the injury site, leaving hideous wounds. The other was ¡°Master Assassin¡±. That enchantment erged wounds and made even the slightest scratch a severe injury.

    Those two abilities were vicious enough, but there was one more ability on top of those. It was not a magical power ¡ª but poison.

    The tip of Rose¡¯s Thorn was smeared with a lethal concoction of many poisons. Malmvist had prepared this because he was not originally a warrior, but more of an assassin. Since he wielded his sword to y his foe, he had assembled thisbination with the objective of killing his enemy within a short period of time, by any means necessary. Indeed, even a single scratch could be fatal.

    Without the proper countermeasures, even Gazef Stronoff and Brain Unus would perish beneath his de.

    However, there was a weakness among all this.

    Since he relied on his ability to win by causing a single scratch, Malmvist¡¯s swordsmanship was subpar. However, his lunges were the real deal; his lightning thrusts were arguably superior even to those of Gazef Stronoff.

    In other words, this was the strongest stab in the Royal Capital.

    And then this move was further augmented by many martial arts, almost as many as the former ck Scripture member Clementine.

    However¡ª

    Sebas did not dodge it. He did not need to dodge it.

    ¡°...!¡±

    Malmvist, who had made that thrust with all his might, could not bring himself to speak.

    Rose¡¯s Thorn ¡ª a vicious weapon that could kill with the slightest scratch. He saw Sebas blocking it with his finger.

    Indeed, Sebas had halted the tip of the rapier with the pad of his index finger.

    ¡°...Wh-what?¡±

    Malmvist blinked repeatedly, so much that it seemed unnatural. Only after that did he realize that it was not an illusion, that he was not dreaming, and then he managed to gasp a few words out. That was the only thing he could do.

    This made no sense at all. His experience told him that the fleshy pad of a finger could not possibly stop a thrust which could even pierce steel. Yet, what he saw before his eyes was reality.

    Malvist could not budge an old man¡¯s gently raised finger with all his strength.

    Rose¡¯s Thorn bent.

    He tried to pull the rapier back to try and strike somewhere else, but before he could do so, Sebas had pinched its tip between his thumb and index finger. That immobilized the de.

    Before him stood an immovable mountain. He saw that his colleague was also desperately trying to pull his own sword back.

    Amidst this situation, a voice of iron rang forth, cutting through everything.

    ¡°Alright, my turn.¡±

    In the next instant, Peysilian¡¯s head exploded.

    ? ? ?

    An attack like this could be considered quite rareing from Sebas. Until now, he had been using proper technique, but this blow had been born of thoughtless anger, punching off his opponent¡¯s head with sheer brute force.

    He shifted his gaze to the right hand which he had extended toward the now-disintegrated head.

    His white glove was flecked with spots, and the stench of rusted iron wafted forth.

    ¡°What a gaffe...¡±

    He let go of the rapier and used the fingers which had held it to peel off and discard the bloodstained glove. In the instant that it hit the stone floor, Malmvist hooked it away with the tip of his slender de, snatching the glove away.

    Perhaps Malmvist was very confident that he had been as swift as a shooting star in the night sky, but to Sebas it was so slow that he wanted to yawn. He could have shattered the rapier, or stepped forward and explosively decapitated his opponent, or done many other things to take his glove back. However, he simply could not understand what his opponent was aiming for. Confused, Sebas did not make a move, but directly asked:

    ¡°What... are you trying to do?¡±

    ¡°This is it!!! This must be the magic item that¡¯s making you stronger!!!¡±

    It was merely a glove made out of cloth.

    His voice sounded like a broken gong. Foam flecked the corner of his mouth. His eyes were bloodshot. Malmvist¡¯s mind was probably half-lost in a world of madness. Having witnessed an unbelievable sight, he was desperately scrabbling for some reason to exin what he had seen.

    ¡°You need only acknowledge my strength; why are you thinking like this... although you may do so if you wish.¡±

    Sebas threw a punch at the man whose face was split by a grin.

    After Malmvist crumpled to the ground, his head blown to smithereens, all that remained was silence.

    Sebas blew on his fingertip, as though it had been stained with something. However, the protection of his [Iron Skin] had prevented him from taking so much as a scratch.

    ¡°In any case, I could have settled it in five seconds if that ¡®Void Cutter¡¯ title had not put me on my guard. Being able tost 20 seconds is quite praiseworthy.¡±

    After that Sebas gave an order to the predator who was preparing to seize the people within the building ¡ª the ones which he had pointed out just now, who had witnessed this tragic scene from the window:

    ¡°Solution, I imagine they possess useful information, so do not kill them. Now then...¡±

    He nced icily at the people surrounding him, all of whom were frozen in ce.

    ¡°Ten seconds for the rest of you.¡±

    <b>Part 3</b>

    <b>Lower Fire Month (9th Month) 4th Day 22:13</b>

    Climb ran through the empty corridor. Thanks to the enchantment on his helmet, he could see the two people running with him, despite the [Invisibility] spell on them. He even wondered if the spell had been cast at all. However, upon closer inspection, the two of them looked a little washed-out, so there was nothing to fear.

    He was careful not to make too much noise, but neither could he slow his pace.

    They had to rescue the kidnapped girl while Sebas bought them time. Even if Sebas was a powerhouse which even Gazef Stronoff and Brain Unus together could not defeat, his opponents were still the members of Six Arms, who were said to be on par with adamantite-ranked adventurers. If they surrounded and pounded him, things might get dangerous. Therefore, they had to immediately rescue the imprisoned woman and escape with Sebas.

    After several more turns and rushing down a staircase, the man at their head suddenly ground to a halt.

    Climb stumbled in ce for a few steps, and then the thief quietly apologized:

    ¡°Sorry for the sudden halt, leader. This is it. The cells are just beyond this corner, and there¡¯s a woman in the innermost one.

    It was purely by chance, but the invisibility spell wore off as he spoke ¡ª as though it were keyed to his voice ¡ª making them all appear vibrantly-colored once more.

    Heeding the thief¡¯s suggestion, Climb peered around the corner. There he saw a dark passageway, with severalrge cells in a row.

    ¡°...There¡¯s nobody around, the same way it was when I came here just now.¡±

    There were no captives, or even sentries. Thisck of precautions was terribly suspicious. It was as though someone was trying to lure them in. However when one thought about it calmly, nobody would be suicidal enough to infiltrate a building where the strongest members of Eight Fingers ¡ª Six Arms ¡ª were gathered. Climb and the others would not have taken that risk either, if not for the fact that Sebas was serving as a decoy and another woman was locked up here.

    The others probably thought the same way too.

    This casual attitude and the openings they had left were a great boon to Climb¡¯s team. This was what people called ¡°pride going before a fall¡±.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s move in quickly and rescue the hostage.¡±

    Perhaps it was because they were on deadly ground together, but the thief¡¯s tone had be a lot friendlier than just now. Brain asked him:

    ¡°Before that, can I ask a question? What¡¯s with those double doors all the way inside?¡±

    Looking down the corridor, there was a set of double doors, just as Brain had said.

    ¡°Ah ¡ª well, given what I¡¯ve seen until now, these aren¡¯t jail cells lined up here, but animal cages. I think the doors in there lead to a ce where the beasts can be... led into something like an arena.¡±

    ¡°I see... indeed, I can smell beasts from those cells. I heard that in the Empire, they allow magical beasts to fight in their arenas...¡±

    Climb sniffed at the air like Brain did. There was the odor of animals ¡ª carnivorous beasts, to be precise.¡±

    ¡°However, there¡¯s a difference between taking them for training or using them for public executions. I don¡¯t really want to think about what other things you could use them for... but I guess they might have put on a monster exhibition or something. Ay, look at how far I¡¯ve drifted from the topic. Shall we?¡±

    Climb nodded to Brain¡¯s question, as did the thief.

    The thief led the way, followed by Climb and Brain.

    The three of them reached the innermost cell without encountering anything, and then the thief began inspecting the cell door.

    The magic activated, and there was the sound of the cell door lock disengaging. The thief looked unhappy, but there was no time. All Climb could hope for was that he would not mind a small thing like this.

    ¡°Is that Tsuare-san?¡± Climb called out to the woman in the cell. The woman lying on the floor propped herself up. Her description was an exact match for the one Sebas had provided, and she was dressed in a maid¡¯s uniform. They probably had the right person, given that she had probably been wearing the same thing when she had been kidnapped.

    That calmed Climb down greatly. Their first objective had been achieved. Next was their second objective of getting her safely out of here.

    ¡°Sebas-sama asked us to rescue you. Please, follow me.¡±

    The woman ¡ª Tsuare ¡ª nodded as Climb spoke to her.

    As Tsuare emerged from the cell, she looked at Brain and then the thief. She looked a little surprised. In particr, her eyes lingered longest on Brain.

    ¡°There¡¯s no noise from behind this door ¡ª the one which might lead to an arena. Still, it¡¯s too risky to enter a ce we don¡¯t know anything about. We ought to stick to the n and retrace our steps.¡±

    Climb and Brain approved. Or rather, they were both warriors, and they knew this sort of decision was best left to a professional, hence their ready agreement.

    Climb looked down at Tsuare¡¯s feet and made sure that she was wearing shoes. That way, she ought to be able to run.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s get out of here before the enemy arrives.¡±

    ¡°Right, I got it. I¡¯ll lead and you follow, like just now. However, there¡¯s no invisibility magic this time round. I¡¯ll be advancing while keeping an eye open, so don¡¯t miss my signals.¡±

    ¡°Got it... what¡¯s the matter, Brain-sama?¡± Climb asked Brain, who had been studying Tsuare intently.

    ¡°Hm? ...Oh, no, it¡¯s nothing, Climb-kun.¡±

    Brain wrinkled his brow, but said nothing else. Climb nced at Tsuare, but did not see anything which particrly drew his attention. She looked like nothing more than an imprisoned maid.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing, right? Then, shall we?¡±

    The thief began running, followed by Climb and Brain. Tsuare was at the rear.

    After running past the cells, the thief slowed down before he turned the corner. He was probably checking out the situation around the corner.

    However, someone turned the corner, as naturally and casually as though they were taking a stroll, standing in front of the thief. The man had been prepared for someone to get in their way, but he was still hard-pressed to react when it actually happened.

    Just as Climb froze in ce from the sudden development, the thief made use of the reflexes a former orichalcum-ranker ought to have. He readied his dagger and stepped forward with murderous intent.

    And then ¡ª there was a tremendous crash as the thief flew back, as though a bull had knocked him away. Fortunately, Climb caught him. Given that the thief could not brace himself, he might have been badly hurt just from hitting the ground in this state. However, although Climb caught him, he could not fully absorb the impact, and the two of them rolled to the ground.

    Climb was worried about the thief¡¯s groan as he tried to fight back the pain, but he was more concerned about the man who had appeared before them. That was because he was most definitely an enemy.

    The person who stood in their way was a bald man. His body bulged with muscles, his face looked like a boulder, and he was covered in animal tattoos.

    The man¡¯s name shed through Climb¡¯s brain, and his surprise took physical form as a sound.

    ¡°Zero!¡±

    This man was one of the Six Arms, and the leader of their Security Division, the mightiest being in Eight Fingers.

    ¡°...Indeed, kid. You¡¯re that whore¡¯s ve, aren¡¯t you? Hmph! To think there¡¯d be ants crawling in here. Just leave a bit of bait out and you¡¯re everywhere. It pisses me off.¡±

    Zero spared only a nce for Climb and the thief on the ground before turning his stern gaze onto Brain. He sized the man up from head to toe, evaluating the worth of Brain the warrior.

    Climb was grateful that this mighty person had not bothered to take him seriously, and then he checked on the thief.

    ¡°Are you alright? Do you have some way to heal yourself?¡±

    He asked quietly for fear Zero¡¯s attention would turn on them.

    There was no answer, just the sound of unimaginable pain. The shocking thing was that there was a fist-shaped dent in his breastte. It clearly illustrated the power of a single punch from Zero.

    After shaking his head several times, the thief finally came to his senses. Climb did as the thief asked and felt around his waist.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen your face before. You¡¯re Brain Unus, aren¡¯t you? The man who fought on par with Gazef Stronoff. Your name¡¯s not for show; none of your movements expose any weaknesses. By the looks of that, you must have been training yourself after that tournament. Now I understand. Sulent didn¡¯t lose because he was careless, but because he faced you head-on. He lost because his foe was too strong. I have to forgive his failure just this once. Alright, you made me lose face, so normally I¡¯d have to kill you. However, I¡¯m a generous man. On ount of your peerless sword skills, I¡¯ll give you a chance. Kneel before me and swear to be my subordinate, and I¡¯ll spare your life.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t stinge on the money, will you?¡±

    ¡°Oh... are you interested...?¡±

    ¡°Why not hear you out? I did beat Sulent, so I should be able to look forward to good treatment, no?¡±

    ¡°Hahaha! Your desires do run deep. You¡¯re talking money before begging me for your life. You can¡¯t take it with you, you know.¡±

    ¡°Oi oi, what the hell. You mean you can¡¯t pay? I didn¡¯t expect you lot to be that poor. Or are you pocketing all the money yourself?¡±

    ¡°The hell you say?!¡±

    Zero¡¯s knuckles cracked with tension.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got a mouth on you, Unus. A lot of people talk better than they fight; are you one of them? Or did you get cocky because you beat Sulent? Then here¡¯s a sincere apology for making you so full of yourself despite only beating the weakest member of Six Arms.¡±

    Brain shrugged, as though he was only kidding. He had been trying to draw the conversation out because he was thinking of the wounded thief and Climb.

    In that case, why had Zero yed along with Brain? He was probably confident of beating them three-on-one. Or was there some other reason?

    ...Huh?

    Tsuare had slowly shifted behind Brain. If she wanted to be protected, then she should have hidden behind Climb for safety¡¯s sake. There was no need to savor the thrill of danger by moving behind the man staring down Zero.

    Brain worked his shoulders and nced behind himself. It was a very subtle movement, and Climb was not certain of it. However, his gaze had been directed at Tsuare, and there was no goodwill in his eyes. No, that was most certainly the way in which he would look upon an enemy.

    Eh? Why move there? Was he looking at me? No, that¡¯s not it.

    Something had happened. Climb rose uneasily to his feet.

    ¡°Hmph, so the ant stood up? Bought enough time for him, haven¡¯t you? It¡¯s about time to tell me what you really think. No, there¡¯s no need to speak. Kneel, or don¡¯t kneel! Show me, Unus!¡±

    Brain snorted.

    ¡ªThis was enough.

    ¡°Then die!¡±

    He extended his left hand straight out and pulled his right hand back, clenching his fist as he did so. He lowered his waist straight down, but his body was rigid and unmoving. The way his muscles bulged almost made one think that they were creaking. At this moment, Zero was easy to describe. He was like a massive boulder, or no, perhaps it would be better to say he was like a raging bull.

    In contrast, Brain lowered his stance as well. His movements were the same as Zero¡¯s but there was a world of difference between the two of them.

    If Zero was like the roaring rivers, then Brain was like a gentle brook. If Zero was the attacker, then Brain was the defender.

    ¡°I ordered them not to kill the old man, but the ones greeting him are a bunch of hotheads. They might go too far by ident and end his life. That would be troublesome. I have to kill the old man personally, in order to let everyone know how stupid it is to oppose us.¡±

    His face twisted wickedly. It was as though to demonstrate how hatred could make a person ugly.

    ¡°Unus, I will make you the foundation of my reputation as the strongest warrior. I¡¯ll use your tombstone to show everyone the fate of anyone stupid enough to challenge Six Arms! As for the whore¡¯s ve, I¡¯ll pretty his head up and mail it back to her.¡±

    A wave of bloodlust washed over them from the front. However, it was nothingpared to what they had experienced from Sebas back then. Climb¡¯s eyes sharpened and he stared back, leaving Zero a little disappointed.

    ¡°Really now? I understand. Then, I shall be your opponent, Zero. Climb-kun, I¡¯ll leave the enemy behind to you!¡±

    Climb did not understand what he had said for a moment. But it was only Climb who did not understand. The thief hurled a throwing knife at Tsuare.

    The flying de which the former orichalcum-ranked adventurer threw was swift and sharp.

    Tsuare barely managed to evade it. ording to Sebas, Tsuare should have been an ordinary maid. This was far too skilled for it to be a mere coincidence.

    ¡°So you already saw through it!¡±

    The speaker was still Tsuare, but the voice belonged to the ¡°Illusion Devil¡± Sulent.

    ¡°So you didn¡¯t ask your rescuers anything because you thought they¡¯d recognize your voice? Still, circling around behind my back was too suspicious. Well, I¡¯d been guessing that you were either the real person under mind control, or someone transformed into her shape.¡±

    Brain did not look back ¡ª still staring down Zero ¡ª as he unravelled the mystery.

    ¡°After that, I took a guess from the way you ran, but I couldn¡¯t be sure until the end... fortunately it really was you. It¡¯s not like I could tell him to throw carefully and only graze you.¡±

    The thief¡¯s face hardened for a moment. Then, he seemed to be directing an expression of gratitude at Sulent.

    ¡°Hmph. Based on what he¡¯s saying, he saw straight through that little charade you suggested. That being the case, there¡¯s no need to rely on it. Whates next will be decided with pure strength! ... Sulent, kill those two mooks behind you. You can do that, right?¡±

    ¡°Of, of course, boss.¡±

    Tsuare melted away into nothingness, and in her ce stood Sulent. However, he was still in the maid¡¯s outfit.

    ¡°When I think about it, I went out of my way to get you out. If you can¡¯t even do a small thing like this...¡±

    What Zero would do after that was so abundantly clear that the man hurriedly nodded, and then he turned to re at Climb.

    ¡°We meet again, kid.¡±

    His words were stiff,ced with a tension that he, as the previous victor, should not have.

    Eight Fingers was not apassionate organization, and naturally, they would not forgive a second failure. Sulent was now fighting an uphill battle, and theposure fled from his face.

    ¡°Eight Fingers can bail out someone imprisoned in the Princess¡¯ name?!¡±

    Though he had witnessed the power of Eight Fingers, he nevertheless raised his sword.

    ¡°...I can¡¯t lose this time round.¡±

    Brain had helped him defeat his opponentst time. However, not even Brain Unus could guarantee an easy win against Zero and Sulent, who were both members of Six Arms.

    My enemy is stronger than me.

    If he clung to that cowardly line of thought, all he could do was await death.

    I must win.

    With this unshakeable determination in his heart, Climb pushed his foot forward ¡ª he slid it forward ¡ª and advanced a step toward Sulent.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay ¡ª it¡¯s okay ¡ª I¡¯ll help you too,¡±

    The thief voiced his encouragement from behind. His casual tone was probably a kindness on his part, calcted to ease the tension in Climb¡¯s heart. Since he was more skilled than Climb, it was good to be able to count on his support. However, he had taken a blow from Zero, and he was not fully recovered even after drinking his potion. In addition, they had never fought side by side before, making Climb worry that they would not be coordinated.

    The thief sensed what Climb was thinking, and Climb in turn sensed him smiling thinly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m just here to support you. Thieves fight differently from warriors ¡ª I¡¯ll show you that we don¡¯t just sh swords.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    He was more experienced than himself. Therefore, it was not that Climb should match himself to his partner, but that the thief would match himself to Climb. All Climb had to do was fight Sulent with all his strength.

    Climb stared at his opponent, a determined look in his eyes. Sulent was generating clones of himself like he hadst time. Now there were several Sulents, and he could not tell which was the original. A bitter taste spread through his mouth.

    Just as both sides closed in on each other, a bag flew out from behind Climb¡¯s back.

    ¡°This is how a thief fights!¡±

    The bag burst at Sulent¡¯s feet, and powder burst out. Sulent covered his mouth, thinking that it was poison. But that was not the case. It was not poison, but a magic item.

    ¡°Will ¡®o¡¯ Wisp Powder!¡±

    The effects were immediately visible. Of the five Sulents, only one glowed with a murky bluish-white light.

    Sulent¡¯s eyes went wide as he realised this.

    Will o¡¯ Wisp Powder was used to reveal invisible opponents or those who were skilled at stealth. It was also ineffective against the unliving.

    [Multiple Vision] reflected the condition of the original, so even if one threw ink at the original and got it dirty, the illusory doubles would all get dirty as well. Unless applied with great skill, it was still very difficult to tell apart the original. However, when it came to magic items, changes in the original did not affect the illusions.

    Perhaps a high-level illusion spell might have been able to replicate the effects of a magic item, but Sulent ¡ª who had studied as a fencer and an illusionist at the same time ¡ª could not use such high-level illusions.

    Climb¡¯s sword hacked down at the real Sulent.

    ¡°Dammit!¡±

    Sulent leapt away. It was a splendid dodge, but seemed a little unsightly owing to the fact that he was in a maid¡¯s uniform.

    They went back and forth like this over a dozen times.

    Climb had the advantage. This was not a ploy by Sulent; it was simply due to the difference in theirbat prowess.

    Humans could not suddenly be more skilled in the space of a single day. The difference in their respectivebat abilities had not changed since their previous encounter. However, there were exceptions to all things. Simply put, Climb had be stronger while Sulent had be weaker.

    To begin with, Climb was equipped with his enchanted armor, his shield, his sword, and other pieces of his gear. His muscr strength had improved, his defensive power had increased, and the most important thing was that he could use the fighting method he was familiar with. In contrast, Sulent had been arrested, all his equipped magic items had been confiscated, and on top of that, he was forced to dress in a cumbersome maid¡¯s uniform in order to disguise himself with an illusory transformation.

    Their equipment had shrunk the gap between them, but naturally, that was not all.

    One reason why Sulent had be weaker was because his fighting style had been seen through. In addition, the thief supporting Climb from behind was providing him with timely and urate advice.

    Even when Sulent used illusions, they were countered one by one through the thief¡¯s alchemical or magical items. The way the thief had responded to Sulent was as though he had specially prepared to face him. In fact, the thief had estimated the abilities of Six Arms from prior information and prepared countermeasures against all of them. The startling thing was that he even had countermeasures for Sulent, who should have been in jail. This was an obsessive degree of preparedness.

    ¡°Son of a bitch!¡±

    Sulent¡¯s voice was more worried and panicked than he had been before the battle.

    He red at the thief. Climb moved to block his line of sight. He could not allow him to be attacked.

    Defended by a frontliner, the thief deliberately aggravated Sulent.

    ¡°Oi oi, why the fierce face? Aren¡¯t you one of the Six Arms who¡¯re supposed to be on par with adamantite-ranked adventurers? What¡¯s wrong with a little handicap?¡±

    Sulent¡¯s face twisted in hatred. The wounds he had taken in their exchange of blows wept fresh blood, making him look even more vicious.

    ¡°Shit!¡±

    Sulent cursed, and prepared to cast a spell. As a warrior, Climb should have rushed up to stop him, but he did not. This was because he had executed over a dozen tandem maneuvers with the thief, and they had developed an unspoken understanding with each other. Therefore, he decided to trust the thief.

    A bottle flew out from behind Climb in a parab and it shattered at Sulent¡¯s feet. Climb saw a colored, asphyxiating gas spread out from it.

    ¡°Kahah! Koff! Koff!¡±

    Sulent coughed several times, clearly in misery.

    This was was merely petty interference with an alchemical item. However, it was quite effective, and Sulent ceased his spellcasting.

    Trickery like this would have had no impeding effect on a specialized magic caster, but Sulent had trained as a warrior as well as a magic caster. Thus, even this trivial hindrance had interrupted him, wasting his mana.

    Climb charged forward with all his strength at the distracted Sulent. This was not the same measured strike in their exchange of blows until now, but an advance that did not allow for retreat. Some people might have felt that this was a rash action, taken in the hope of gaining a speedy victory. However, Climb¡¯s warrior instincts were screaming at him:

    This was the moment of truth, when victory and defeat would be decided.

    Indeed, Climb and the thief currently had the upper hand, but there was no telling how long their superior circumstances wouldst. The thief¡¯s supply of thrown items was not inexhaustible either. He ought to make the best of this favorable moment and press the advantage.

    Climb activated the unique martial art he had mastered yesterday.

    This move did not have a name. If he had to pick one on short notice, he might call it [Limit Breaker ¡ª Mind]. Its effect was simple enough; it released the human brain¡¯s limitations on the human body. Through this, all his attributes ¡ª from his senses to his physical abilities ¡ª reached the next level.

    Extended usage of this technique would lead to physical strain or muscle tearing, so it could be considered a double-edged sword. However, he would not be able to beat Sulent if he did not end the battle as quickly as possible.

    As the martial art activated, Climb sensed something switching on in his brain.

    The raging emotions racing through his heart were vented in the form of a ferocious cry.

    Sulent looked shocked, as though he had recalled something. Apanying the surprise was something which might have been called fear. This was not a feeling which he ¡ª a man who was on par with an adamantite-ranked adventurer ¡ª ought to have when facing his lessers.

    Climb brought his sword into a high stance and brought it down in a mighty chop ¡ª and it was blocked. Being able to block a magic longsword with an unenchanted dagger was truly worthy of praise. However, the fact that Climb¡¯s blow could force Sulent the fencer to select a defense he was not skilled with was also quite admirable.

    But that was not the end of the attack. Climb immediately thrust his foot forward in a kick.

    Sulent immediately made to protect his abdomen ¡ª and his face contorted severely.

    ¡°Abbaahhhh¡ª!¡±

    His face was pale, his cold sweat flowed like a river, and he was practically hunched over as he backed up in a bow-legged gait.

    Climb nced back and saw the thief wincing in sympathy.

    Sulent had been kicked in the groin by an iron boot. While he had apparently been wearing a cup of some sort, Climb could still feel something soft deforming inside it.

    And then, he finished him off with a cleaving strike to the head.

    Fresh blood spurted forth, and Sulent copsed heavily to the ground with a thump.

    Climb did not dare let himself get careless, and so he surveyed his surroundings. He was particrly watchful in case an enemy tried to circle around behind him to where the thief was. After a while, he finally allowed himself to be certain. That was probably not an illusion.

    This was a great aplishment. Even if it had been two on one, it was a significant victory.

    Climb turned to Brain. For a moment, he thought that he might be able to help ¡ª but then that enthusiasm vanished.

    Their battle was on apletely different level.

    The first thing was that it sounded different. What was supposed to be a sh between de and fist produced the echoing of crashing metal all around. There was no pause either. The intense exchange between them made Climb wonder if either of them had time to breathe.

    Zero, in particr, caught his attention.

    His fist scooped a trench out of the wall. It was a smooth, flowing movement, like digging through y, and it gouged a scar into the wall¡¯s surface.

    ¡°Oi, oi... they say first-rate monks can make their fists as hard as steel, but that guy¡¯s fists aren¡¯t just that. Are they as hard as mithril... no, orichalcum?¡±

    The thief was watching the same scene from beside Climb, and he murmured to himself.

    After a minute¡¯s worth of exchanged blows ¡ª after an intense battle which would have seen Climb lose his life if he were in there ¡ª both sides were unharmed. As a result, a look of genuine respect bloomed on Zero¡¯s face.

    ¡°Unus... You¡¯re pretty good. You¡¯re the first man who¡¯s endured my attacks for this long.¡±

    Simrly, Brain had a respectful expression on his own face.

    ¡°Same to you... this is the second time I¡¯ve met such a skilled monk in my entire life.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Zero¡¯s face twisted in interest. ¡°To think there¡¯s another monk with skills like mine. That¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve ever heard of something like that. Tell me his name. I won¡¯t be able to ask you when you¡¯re dead.¡±

    ¡°He ought to be heading here, once he¡¯s done taking care of your Six Arms.¡±

    Zero¡¯s eyebrows wrinkled, and he smiled.

    ¡°Hmph! You mean that old man? Sorry, but I sent four of my people to wee him. They¡¯re not like Sulent over there. They might not be as good as me, but they¡¯re not bad either. How could that old man make it?¡±

    ¡°You think so? I¡¯d find it easier to picture him strolling leisurely around that corner.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s pretty scary. In that case, I¡¯d best get a little serious.¡±

    Climb was dumbfounded by those words. The fact that Zero still counted that intense back and forth as taking it easy made Climb imagine just how unattainable he would be if he fought in earnest. The fact that Brain did not seem surprised at all also shocked him.

    Could it be neither of them were fighting seriously? This is the true pinnacle of mankind, a battle between people on par with adamantite-ranked adventurers!

    ¡°Let¡¯s do it, then. Those two have wrapped things up on their side, so I don¡¯t need to draw this out any more. Fall to me here and let¡¯s have an end to it, Zero.¡±

    Brain sheathed his sword and lowered his stance. Climb had seen that posture before; it was the same stance Brain had assumed when he had taken down Sulent in one hit. Before Climb could wonder if Zero would be simrly defeated in one strike as well, the man had already leapt well back. He opened up the distance between them with superhuman agility.

    ¡°Edstrem can deploy a sword barrier. Your move isn¡¯t exactly the same, but it¡¯s also a barrier of des, no? Enter casually and you¡¯ll be cut in half, am I right?¡±

    Zero had probably not seen through Brain¡¯s self-innovated martial art, but he had still sensed the nature of the move, proving his warrior¡¯s senses were exceptional indeed.

    ¡°Still... from what I can tell, that move of yours only allows you to respond to your opponent,, and you can¡¯t use it if you don¡¯t take a stance.¡±

    Zero punched the air. It seemed to be a meaningless move, but that iron fist actually generated a shockwave which buffeted Brain¡¯s body.

    ¡°So all I need to do is attack you from a distance and I win. Or do you have some way to cut a distant foe?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± Brain answered honestly. ¡°If you¡¯re going to fight like that, then I won¡¯t use this move.¡±

    Zero calmly ¡ª with an expression that some might say did not suit him, one that brimmed with motion like the surface of ake ¡ª asked Brain:

    ¡°Brain Unus. Is this your ace in the hole?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. This trump card of mine has only ever been... defeated once, from the front.¡±

    ¡°How boring. So someone else already defeated it once? Then this will be the second time.¡±

    Zero slowly pulled his fist back, taking a stance of his own.

    ¡°I will punch straight through you from the front. I¡¯ll shatter that move you¡¯re so proud of and attain victory. First I¡¯ll defeat Brain Unus, and then someday I will have Gazef Stronoff kneel at my feet. That way, I¡¯ll be the strongest man in the Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°And instead your ambition¡¯s going to falter at the first step of facing me. Zero, you really do have too much time on your hands, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°You really are all talk... no, you put up quite a fight, I can¡¯t say that talking¡¯s all you know. That said, I¡¯m still better than you. Go to hell knowing this, and regret the fact that you dared stand against the almighty Zero-sama. here Ie!¡±

    Zero¡¯s body was covered in animal tattoos, and those tattoos began to glow faintly. Brain, on his part, remained still. While Zero appeared to be as still as a statue, Climb could sense a tremendous power umting inside him, longing for the right moment to be unleashed.

    None could interfere with this violent sh of strength against strength.

    And then suddenly, a nonchnt voice cut in.

    ¡°¡ªSo you gentlemen were here after all.¡±

    Everyone turned to look at the unexpected arrival, as though they had received an electric shock. Even Zero and Brain ¡ª who should not have turned their eyes away from the powerful foes before them ¡ª did the same thing.

    There they saw an old man, Sebas. To Zero, he should not have been here.

    ¡°What? What¡¯s this? The Six Arms should be dealing with you now... Did you sneak in like these people?¡±

    Sebas gently shook his head.

    ¡°No. I defeated your colleagues and then I came here.¡±

    ¡°...Nonsense, utter nonsense, enough of your bullshit. They might not be a match for me, but they¡¯re still warriors whom I gifted with the title of Six Arms. How could you have made it here unscathed?!¡±

    ¡°As the saying goes, truth is stranger than fiction.¡±

    ¡°Sebas-sama! The Tsuare-san over here is a fake! Sulent took her form with an illusion! You need to go rescue her!¡±

    ¡°Ah. Thank you for your concern. However, it is fine, Climb-kun. I have already rescued her. She was elsewhere in this building.¡±

    Sebas turned to look behind him. Climb followed his line of sight and saw a girl wrapped in a nket at the room¡¯s entrance.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Climb hurriedly looked down at Sulent. The maid uniform he wore was soaked in blood and there was a huge rip in it. He could not possibly take it off and give it to Tsuare, and she would surely refuse it too.

    ¡°Pay it no heed, Climb-kun. The maid uniform is merely a cloth outfit. There is nothing to regret.¡±

    Sebas smiled bitterly as he spoke, and Climb rxed a little.

    ¡°Oi oi oi, you¡¯re actually ignoring me for idle chit-chat... you lot are pretty rxed, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Zero had been facing Brain since just now, and so he could not move carelessly. Now, he finally changed his position and red hatefully at Sebas.

    ¡°Old man! I¡¯ll ask you again, what happened to my people!¡±

    ¡°¡ªI killed them all.¡±

    His tone was as casual as though he were picking a wildflower by the road, but his words were merciless beyondpare.

    ¡°It, it can¡¯t be! How do you expect me to believe that!?!¡±

    Zero¡¯s furious cry only drew a smile from Sebas. All that benign smile did was make Zero¡¯s instincts realize that Sebas was telling the truth.

    ¡°...Brain Unus. I¡¯ll fight youter. I¡¯m going to show this man the power of Six Arms!¡±

    ¡°Mm, got it. Try not to die right away. Still, I don¡¯t think there¡¯ll be anything left for me to do.¡±

    ¡°Bullshit! ...Old man! You¡¯ll pay with your life for that nonsense you spouted!¡±

    Sebas smiled bitterly. That smile was unbearable for a man who prided himself as the strongest warrior.

    Zero¡¯s tattoos glowed.

    Head of the Security Division, leader of the Six Arms, ¡°Battle Demon¡± Zero.

    Even mighty warriors like Gazef Stronoff or Brain Unus would instantly lose to him in unarmedbat. The oue would still be in doubt even if they had weapons in hand.

    One of this man¡¯s careers was a vocation called Shaman. That vocation had a skill which allowed one to be possessed by animal spirits, through which he could gain those animals¡¯ excellent physical attributes. It could only be used a limited number of times in a day, but once used, it would allow a human to boost his physical abilities into the realm of wild beasts.

    A physically superior animal using the fighting arts of a human being ¡ª surely nothing was more frightening than that.

    Zero activated his skill.

    Normally, he would conserve his strength by only activating the power of one animal at a time. However, Zero understood that Sebas¡¯ strength could not be underestimated.

    That said, he did not believe that Sebas could kill four of the Six Arms by himself. However, if he had broken through in a direct assault instead of sneaking in, that meant that there were others besides him, which made more sense.

    It was more likely that he had been apanied by Blue Rose.

    Before he had more detailed information, all he could do was use his full strength to defeat Sebas and then fight Brain Unus some other day. He had to show the people around him his overwhelming power as a threat before temporarily retreating.

    He decided that this was the best way to do things, and he began preparing his most powerful move.

    The leopard on his feet, the falcon on his back, the rhino on his arms, the bull on his chest, the lion on his head; he activated all of them. He felt an explosive power gush out through his body and it felt as though his entire body had swelled up. For a moment he was even afraid that he would burst.

    ¡°YEEEEEEEEAAAAARRRTT!¡±

    He expelled the burning power from inside him ¡ª and stepped forward.

    This was the attack of Zero, the mightiest warrior of Six Arms. It was a straight punch with just a fist. There were no feints or fancy moves here; it was just a simple punch with an Iron Fist. However, the power within that fist beggared belief. In addition to his shamanic skills, it was also enhanced by numerous other skills from monk-type jobs and then by many magic items which granted his fist overwhelming speed and destructive power.

    It was so fast that even Zero had a hard time controlling it. It barely qualified as a technique because it relied on stepping into the opponent¡¯s reach and slugging them with all the strength he could muster. However, Zero was not at all hesitant about letting his opponent see his ultimate move. This technique was simple and invincible. He had the utmost confidence that nobody could defeat it with petty trickery.

    Zero¡¯s heart cleared as he cast everything else behind him. His senses seemed to slowly distend, and he stepped forward, feeling as though his body was stretching out behind him.

    ¡°¡ªAh!¡±

    Someone shouted.

    It was toote.

    Zero reached Sebas in the blink of an eye. The power within him moved perfectly, fully umted and focused, and he threw a powerful straight punch with his right fist..

    Zero saw Sebas frozen in ce ¡ª probably because he had been too fast for the old man ¡ª and smiled. It was as though to say: Go and regret making an enemy of me, the strongest warrior of Six Arms.

    ¡°¡ªHuuu!¡±

    The fist connected with Sebas¡¯ vulnerable belly. It was a perfect, immacte strike.

    Explosive power rampaged like a violent gale, and Sebas flew lightly through the air like a doll, into the distance. His corpse hit the ground, but even that could not dissipate the power of the strike and the body continued rolling violently across the ground.

    He did not move. He had died on the spot.

    No, that was only to be expected. One could imagine how all his internal organs had been ruptured into a sticky paste. He only looked human on the outside.

    This was Zero¡¯s most powerful technique. It was a fiendish move which incarnated the principle of the one-hit kill.

    ¡ªAt least, that was how it should have been.

    Instead, Sebas ¡ª did not move at all.

    He blocked the punch which Zero had thrown with all his might head-on, using nothing but his belly ¡ª his own muscles.

    Nobody who saw it dared to believe it. One could say the scene before them was unreal.

    The difference between their bodies was obvious at a nce. However, the oue had beenpletely the opposite of what was expected.

    The person who could least believe it was naturally Zero himself. This was the most powerful blow he could make. He could not believe any living being could take it and remain unharmed. That was how it had always been until now. That was what he had always thought until now, but then this scene had unfolded before his eyes. Thus, he did not react even as a ck object shed before his eyes.

    Sebas raised his leg to the air. The foot raced past the tip of Zero¡¯s nose ¡ª like the motion of a flying swallow.

    And like a thunderbolt, it fell.

    An axe kick.

    That was the typical name for a move like this. However, its speed and power were anything but typical.

    ¡°...Who are you...¡± Zero muttered, and the corner of Sebas¡¯ mouth curled up slightly.

    A gruesome sound of cracking filled the air. Zero fell to the ground, his skull pulverized and his neck and spine shattered, as though he had been crushed by a several-hundred kilogram weight.

    The room was silent.

    In a word, everyone in this room was transfixed. Sebas shifted away from where Zero¡¯s smashed skull was gushing fresh blood and patted at the ce where Zero¡¯s fist had struck.

    ¡°Whew, that was close. If not for your timely warning, I would probably be dead.¡±

    Are you kidding me? What warning are you talking about?!

    The three people present ¡ª perhaps even Tsuare thought the same way as well ¡ª did not speak, but they shouted the same thing inside their hearts.

    ¡°You saved me, Climb-kun.¡±

    ¡°¡ªWha... ah. Er... yes.¡±

    Climb¡¯s mouth was still wide open as if to go ¡°Ahhh¡±, but he nervously epted Sebas¡¯ thanks. His mind had been so overloaded that he had no idea what to say.

    ¡°It seems I was just a little bit stronger than him.¡±

    Sebas indicated a small distance between his two fingers. The gap between them was probably the difference between Zero and himself which Sebas was implying, but naturally, nobody agreed with that assessment.

    How could that be a little bit?

    Just like before, everyone present thought the same thing.

    ¡°In any case, since we¡¯ve rescued her, I think it might be best to retreat now.¡±

    ¡°Ah, no, ah, are the other members of Six Arms... really...?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I killed them all. There were too many of them and they were all expert fighters, so I could not go easy on them. I somewhat regret that now.¡±

    ¡°Is, is that so. Well, there¡¯s nothing to be done about that. Ah, please don¡¯t beat yourself up about it.¡±

    The three of them simultaneously looked at the corpse of Zero on the ground. None of them could bring themselves to say, ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡±

    ¡°In, in any case, let¡¯s get the troops to search this building.¡±

    They had originallye to search this building. Gaining Sebas¡¯ help and being able to make a clean sweep of an important enemy stronghold was a miraculous stroke of luck. In addition, if Sebas¡¯ words were to be believed ¡ª and they looked to be one hundred percent truthful ¡ª they had even achieved the amazing result of destroying the strongest fighting force of Eight Fingers.

    One could say they had done better than any other group. The only imperfection was that Zero ¡ª a man who knew a lot about the organization ¡ª had been killed, but that was merely a calcted loss since they could not have taken him alive anyway. Only a fool would be unhappy with that.

    As they heard Climb¡¯s excited words, approving looks appeared on the face of Brain and the thief, and they nodded. However, one person seemed unhappy.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Sebas-sama?¡±

    ¡°Ah, it is nothing. Just that something caught my attention... let¡¯s not talk about it right now, the air here is not good. Shall we head outside?¡±

    ¡°Mm, indeed.¡±

    Everyone took turns looking at Zero¡¯s corpse and then Tsuare before expressing their approval of Sebas¡¯ suggestion.

    Sebas walked up to where Tsuare was standing at the entrance and scooped her up. Her pale, slender, almost fleshless legs dangled in the air. They saw how tightly Tsuare clung to Sebas¡¯ clothing with her emaciated arms.

    A butler and a maid. The mood between them did not seem like that was all there was to it.

    It would be boorish to ask about their rtionship. Does it matter what¡¯s going on between them?

    ¡°Right, let¡¯s go, then.¡±

    After saying so, Climb led everyone out without waiting for them to reply.

    The other three followed behind him. They could conduct their investigations after Sebas and Tsuare left, and he remained alert. If someone ambushed them along the way, he intended to fight on behalf of Sebas ¡ª whose arms were upied with Tsuare ¡ª although there might not be a need for that at all. However, his worries were unfounded.

    They had sensed people within the building on their way in, but now it felt like it had been abandoned.

    When one thought calmly about it, once Sebas defeated the Six Arms, there was no way anyone would be brave enough to remain in the building and fight him. In all likelihood, they had probably fled. If that were the case, hopefully the people waiting outside could arrest them. Climb pondered those thoughts as he left the building.

    That sense of liberation took a great weight off his shoulders.

    Someone tapped Climb¡¯s rxed shoulders. Looking back, he saw that it was the thief. The man¡¯s eyes were fixed in apletely different direction. The wide-eyed look on his face was much like the one he had when Sebas had in Zero.

    Climb followed his line of sight, and then his own eyes went wide.

    ¡°A wall of fire?¡±

    Climb unconsciously nodded as he heard Brain mutter to himself.

    mes would rise up if a house caught fire. Climb would definitely not be shocked by such a ze. However, that was not what he was looking at; it was a wall of fire over 30 meters tall, encircling a district of the Royal Capital. It looked to be hundreds of meters long.

    ¡°Now what could that be?¡±

    Sebas¡¯ surprised yet rxedment brought the three of them back to their senses.

    ¡°What should we do, leader? I think that¡¯s the warehouse district, who¡¯s in charge of that?¡±

    ¡°Blue Rose¡¯s leader, Alvein-sama... I¡¯m judging this as an emergency, so we¡¯ll abandon all our objectives and fall back to the Royal Pce as directed. After that, I¡¯ll be counting on you all for advice on how to proceed.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s probably the best course of action... ah ¡ª Sebas-sama...¡±

    ¡°I will take her to a safe ce to prevent something like this from happening again.¡±

    ¡°Understood, Sebas-sama. Thank you for your help yesterday and today.¡±

    ¡°Please pay it no heed. We shared the same objectives, so all I did was render a bit of assistance... I shall strive to repay you all for your attempt at rescuing her. Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I will be taking my leave.¡±

 Chapter 42 - Volume 6

    <h4>Overlord Volume 6 Chapter 9</h4>

    <b>Chapter 9: Jaldabaoth</b>

    <b>Part 1</b>

    <b>Lower Fire Month (9th Month) 4th Day 21:10</b>

    Feeling thirsty, the woman stirredzily from her slumber.

    She squirmed slowly on her king-sized double bed and reached out for the pitcher of water by the bed, but the fingers only found air.

    It was then that she remembered that she had not set out a jug of water, and she clicked her tongue.

    ¡°Huwaaaah..¡±

    She could not stifle her yawn. She slept like an old person, early to bed and early to rise, but she had only gone to bed just over an hour ago. She had not yet slept her fill.

    The woman swallowed and ced a hand on her throat. There was a dry, sticky sensation there, and she got off the bed to get a drink of water. She threw on a long, thick robe to cover her nude body, slid her feet into a pair of slippers, and exited the room.

    This was her¡ª Hilma, head of the Drug Trafficking Division¡¯s¡ª home base in the Royal Capital. Logically speaking, there should have been dozens ofckeys bustling about, but the interior was now dead silent, like it was empty.

    Surprised, Hima walked to the corridor. This mansion was always quiet when there were no nobles around, but this was too quiet.

    She invited nobles to this ce in order to build connections and rtionships.

    Among nobles, even legitimate heirs would need to wait a long time before they could seed the family estate. It was quitemon for them to only do so after the age of 30.

    During this period, they could only ask the head of the house ¡ª that was to say, their father ¡ª for spending money. The same applied even if they were mature adults who were married with children. This was why Hilma invited these people to parties at this mansion.

    Hilma provided drink, women and drugs, all the while whispering sweet nothings into their ears designed to y on their pride. She allowed them to meet others in the same situations as themselves to build a sense of closeness. Hilma would entertain them and build friendly rtions with them.

    Once these nobles inherited the estate, it was time for her to reap the harvest. If they dared sever ties with her, she would make sure they suffered for it. If they helped her out, she would reward them. In this way, she made further inroads into noble society.

    She walked along the quiet hallway, looking for water to drink.

    Silence was not a bad thing. She preferred the quiet to the noise of people. Though she did not show it on her face, she was actually very annoyed when she had to drink and hobnob with the nobles. However, the present circumstances were far too abnormal. This dead silence made her hair stand on end, and it even made her feel that she was the only person in this mansion.

    ¡°...What¡¯s going on?¡±

    It was impossible that even the guards had left their post without telling Hilma. She wanted to shout for someone, but if something abnormal had happened, it would be a very bad idea to let the enemy know where she was. She also considered just going back to her room and burrowing under her covers, but she might simply be awaiting her execution.

    People who don¡¯t move when they have to be food for others. This was a belief she subscribed to, and by adhering to that principle, she had risen from a high-ss hooker to where she was now.

    She checked both sides of the empty corridor several times and only moved ahead after verifying that there really was nobody there.

    Trusting in her sixth sense, she headed towards a secret room which only she and a few others knew. There were several magic items and gems there, as well as an escape tunnel. This might have been her home base in the Royal Capital, but she had several other safehouses in the city itself. Perhaps she ought to flee there.

    As she tiptoed along the hallway, Hilma realised something was off.

    ¡°What... is this?¡±

    The whisper escaped her mouth unbidden. Hilma had discovered the oddity outside the window.

    The window, made of sheets of thin ss, were covered in severalyers of vines. As a result, almost no light could get in. She tried to open the window but it would not budge.

    She hurriedly studied the other windows along the hallways. Each of them was choked with vines.

    ¡°What happened? Who could have...¡±

    The windows were most definitely not like this before she had gone to bed. This could not have happened naturally in the space of an hour. That being the case, it was probably the work of magic.

    Who could have done this, and what was their aim?

    She had no idea about those points. Even so, she understood that her situation was very dire.

    ¡°Dammit!¡±

    She cursed, and then she jogged ahead. She no longer cared about how her robe swayed here and there. All she wanted was to get into her secret room.

    She reached the staircase and looked down. It was still silent.

    Navigating by what little light managed to filter through the vines, she carefully descended the stairs. At the same time, she was grateful to the thick carpeting for masking her footsteps.

    ¡°¡ª!¡±

    When she reached the first floor, she was so shocked that she suddenly sucked in a lungful of cold air.

    There was a person in the hallway staring at her. That person seemed to blend into the shadows as it stood there, but it was not because they had shadow-melding abilities like thieves or other rted jobs. Rather it felt that way because of their dark-skin, which gave the wrong impression. That was a Dark Elf, and their mismatched eyes seemed to sparkle against the ck cloth wrapping them.

    The Dark Elf let the ck cloth wrapping them fall to the ground. Below it was girls¡¯ clothing. She held a ck-colored magic staff, and she looked up to Hilma.

    The secret room was behind this mysterious girl.

    As she recalled the inneryout of the mansion, Hilma steeled herself and nervously approached her.

    If only she were a ymate brought along by some noble.

    However, Hilma immediately discarded her naive conjecture.

    When she heard that Co Doll had been captured, she had prepared to flee to a safe ce to hide since she did not know how the higher-ups would react. Under these circumstances, there was no way her people would bring in outsiders, or fail to report such a thing to her.

    ¡°Say, little girl...¡±

    After calling out, Hilma wrinkled her brows in suspicion.

    She had seen all sorts of people in her past profession as a high-ss prostitute. Her experience told her that this was not a girl, but a boy.

    Her clothes were exquisite and not the sort which ordinary people could afford. For all Hilma knew, even she might not have something of that quality.

    The Dark Elves had once lived in the Great Forest of Tob, and they were practically nonexistent in the Kingdom. Yet here was one now, wearing expensive clothes intended for another gender.

    If not for the sinister atmosphere, Hilma would have concluded that this child was a ve to satisfy some noble¡¯s degenerate lust.

    ¡°...Hey boy, what¡¯re you doing here?¡±

    She approached slowly and carefully, trying not to arouse his suspicion.

    ¡°A-auntie, are you the most important person in this ce?¡±

    She was not displeased to be called an auntie. To a young Dark Elf like him, women of her age were probably all aunties.

    ¡°No¡ª¡±

    She stopped halfway. She had a bad feeling about this.

    To date, she had relied on her instincts more than anything else. She had always believed that her instincts were superior thanmon sense. Wheremon sense might have betrayed her, only her intuition had never failed her.

    ¡°Yes! That¡¯s right! I¡¯m the most important person in this mansion.¡±

    ¡°Is, is that so, that¡¯s good then.¡±

    The boy smiled. His smile was so pure that even under the present circumstances, it almost managed to ignite the desire to defile his purity within Hilma¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Ah, well, er, I asked those people, and they told me that too.¡±

    As if in response to the boy, a nearby door opened. A girl slowly stepped out from within. She looked like a girl wearing some kind of bizarre maid uniform, but what surrounded her was not the scent of perfume but the stink of blood and gore.

    Hilma covered her mouth and swallowed a scream.

    The maid¡¯s lovely little hand clutched a man¡¯s arm. It looked like she had ripped it from his shoulder socket, given the torn fibers of muscle.

    ¡°What, what¡¯s she...¡±

    ¡°Er, um, ah, it seems someone wanted to attack this mansion, so we decided to finish up some things before those people came. Therefore, er, I asked her toe along.¡±

    ¡°Please pay me no heed. It has been so long since I ate my fill, and I am very satisfied.¡±

    She was able to address Hilma without moving her mouth. That was quite strange, but there were more pressing questions than that. What made Hilma shudder was the question of what exactly she had eaten to fill herself up. She could guess, but she did not want to believe. With those thoughts in her heart, she asked them.

    ¡°Then, then what, what about me? Are, are you going to eat me too?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ah, er, no. You have other uses, auntie.¡±

    She could not rx. That was because her intuition told her that a more horrific fate awaited her.

    ¡°¡ªThen, then how about this, my boy. Want to have some fun with me?¡±

    She let the clothes draped over her body slide from her shoulder.

    This was her body, her pride and joy. When she had still been a courtesan, it would have cost a fortune just to spend the night with her. After that, she had kept any excess fat off her frame and maintained her sensuous figure. She was confident that she could fill anyone with all-consuming lust for her, even if her target was a child.

    However, there did not seem to be any unusual emotions in the boy¡¯s eyes.

    She could admit that her charms were inferior to that maid over there. Even so, she had been a pro, despite the fact that she was retired. Even if he did not swing that way, she could still arouse him¡ª

    She elegantly worked her body in a serpentine fashion and slowly drew close, careful not to rm him.

    She could not sense anything like desire from the boy,

    Therefore, she chose another course of action. She slowly extended a hand and put it around the boy¡¯s neck ¡ª and activated a magic item.

    It was the Viper Tattoo.

    The tattooed snakes on both her hands came to life, raised their heads, and sprang out to bite the boy¡¯s body. Anyone bitten by the serpents and their powerful neurotoxic venom would die in spastic twitches. This was the ace in the hole for Hilma, one did not otherwise have a way to fight.

    However, the boy nimbly extended a hand and seized the whip-like snake as it struck, then proceeded to crush the life out of it without hesitation.

    The Viper Tattoo whooshed back onto Hilma¡¯s arms. Since the summoned snake had been killed, the tattoo could not be reactivated for a full day until it recovered.

    Hilma was now in the worst-case scenario of having initiated hostilities and having nothing to show for it, and so she stumbled back unsteadily. However, what most frightened her was the fact that the boy¡¯s expression had not changed at all during this string of events. He was not worried at being attacked, and neither did he show any hostility.

    ¡°Th-then, so, er, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Go where? Just as Hilma began to wonder about his words, intense pain shot through her kneecap at that very same moment. The unbearable pain left her unable to stand and she copsed to the ground.

    ¡°Abbbbaahhhhh!¡±

    She wailed in anguish, breaking out in a cold sweat because of the pain, and then she looked down at her knee. She then regretted doing so.

    ¡°My, my, my leeeeeeeg!¡±

    The kneecap of her left leg was twisted in the other direction, and bone protruded from her blood-red ¡ª from her flesh.

    Hilma wept and made to squeeze her leg, which was in unbelievable agony. However, she hesitated. She did not dare touch it.

    The boy grabbed Hilma by the hair and then walked out.

    Hilma was dragged away by an arm-strength that she could never have guessed at from the way he looked. Dozens of hairstrands were wrenched out with a quiet snapping sound, but the boy did not seem to care.

    ¡°It hurts! It hurts so much! Don¡¯t do this!¡±

    In response to Hilma¡¯s wailing, the boy merely nced at her, but did not halt his pace.

    ¡°I, I have to hurry up and get there!¡±

    <b>Part 2</b>

    <b>Lower Fire Month (9th Month) 4th Day 22:20</b>

    Havingpleted the attack on the mansion, Entoma Vasilisa Zeta headed outside.

    She peeled a paper strip off her leg, wadded it up and threw it into the depths of the building.

    The original n was to wipe out all the humans within the mansion, recover all important documents and valuables, and then retreat. If possible, they should try to avoid leaving any traces behind, but they did not have the time to sort the gathered information, so they ended up taking whatever they saw, and it looked like they had finished robbing an empty house.

    However, that itself was not a problem. That was because Demiurge ¡ª who had sent Entoma and Mare here ¡ª had indicated that a development like this was a possibility. The problem was more that they had exceeded the allotted time by too much.

    Mare and the demons who had apanied her were no longer here. Mare had taken the most important person in this mansion to the rendezvous point. The vassal demons had departed this ce with the reason they had exceeded their time ¡ª piles of goods.

    Indeed. The reason why their timing waspletely off was because they had discovered a basement while they were retreating. And that basement was piled high with contraband items and forbidden drugs.

    The task of recovery had proceeded slowly.

    To begin with, there were several underground rooms heaped high with misceneous items, and the high-value items were salted and concealed among the dross. As the saying went, the best ce to hide a tree was in a forest. Even Entoma and the demons could not have brought all the goods away with them, and so they had to sift through said forest for the trees in question.

    Perhaps it might have been resolved faster if the human which Mare had taken away was still around. However, it was toote to say that now.

    Entoma and the demons decided to inspect each and every item, and they threw everything they judged as worthless into a room. This was a tedious task for the gathering party, whose strength far exceeded those of human beings. However, their hard work had paid off, and they had recovered everything valuable from the basement.

    As the person in charge, Entoma had stayed behind until the end. With the attitude only found on those who hadpleted a greatbor, she looked up at the night sky and made to wipe the sweat off her brow. In truth, she had not sweated at all; she only felt like she had.

    ¡°All right~ Then, hurry up and move it all, everyone.¡±

    In ordance with Entoma¡¯s orders, the insects which were bigger than a man took wing into the night sky, carrying arge quantity of cargo. These Giant Beetles had been summoned by Entoma¡¯s entomancer abilities.

    The insects flew straight toward the prearranged meeting point, their wings making a deep bass sound as they pped.

    Entoma watched the insects move the cargo, and she remembered that she was still holding something.

    ¡°Ah, I haven¡¯t eaten it yet. How silly of me, how silly.¡±

    She yfully knuckled her own head, and then brought the severed man¡¯s arm under her jaw. There was a shakashaka noise as the flesh of the man¡¯s arm was torn away. Entoma¡¯s throat moved in time with the sound. Then, with a cute urp, the stench of blood spread through the air.

    ¡°While the fat of women¡¯s meat makes it tender and children¡¯s meat tastes good despite having less fat, eating the meat of a muscr man is best when trying to lose weight.¡±

    She deftly avoided the bones, and once she was done, she chucked the rest of the arm into the mansion.

    ¡°Thank you for having me.¡±

    She bowed to the building, and finally made to go to the point her superiors had ordered her to travel to. However, she had only taken a few steps when someone called out to her and stopped her in her tracks.

    ¡°Yo, this is a pretty nice night.¡±

    ¡°...Is it? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s nice for you at all, is it?¡±

    Entoma had trouble telling whether the human who was slowly emerging was male or female. It seemed female, but judging by its muscr frame, it also seemed male.

    ¡°What¡¯re you doing in a ce like this?¡±

    ¡°Taking a walk.¡±

    ¡°...What were you eating so happily just now?¡±

    ¡°Meat.¡±

    ¡°...Human meat?¡±

    ¡°Yup. Human meat.¡±

    The manwoman¡¯s tone was icy cold, but it did not bother Entoma at all. She did not care at all how humans felt. If they got in the way, she would trample them. If they stayed out of the way, she would ignore them. If she was hungry, she would capture and eat them. It would be strange if she was actually concerned about such beings.

    ¡°I see. So the monster makes an appearance. I didn¡¯t expect Eight Fingers to rear such monsters. But by the looks of things, they didn¡¯t train you up properly.¡±

    The manwoman slowly raised its spiked warhammer. As Entoma saw this, exasperation crept into her tone for the first time.

    ¡°I say. Could we just pretend we didn¡¯t see each other?¡±

    A strange expression appeared on the manwoman¡¯s face. It probably had not expected the person opposite it to say something like that.

    ¡°You see, I came here to work too, and dealing with you would be very annoying. The most important thing is that right now, my tummy¡¯s stuffed fit to burst.¡±

    ¡°...Sorry, but I¡¯m one of the top adventurers in the Kingdom. I can¡¯t let a man-eating monster go just like that. Besides, leaving something like you in the world would cause me a lot of problems.¡±

    ¡°What a pain. Still, you say you¡¯re strong, huh? In that case, I¡¯ll use you as emergency rations, then.¡±

    Entoma looked directly at the manwoman for the first time.

    It appeared to be a pure warrior.

    Mm ¡ª it ought to be pretty strong.

    Entoma was not a pure warrior, and so she could not estimate her opponent¡¯s strength. However, she did not feel that her adversary was stronger than her.

    ¡°Yeeart!¡±

    The manwoman ran at Entoma. Then it raised its spiked warhammer high and smashed down at her.

    Entoma gracefully evaded that blow. However, her opponent refused to let up and suddenly changed the direction of its swing, bringing the warhammer at her in a murderous blow. That was not a graceful movement utilizing centrifugal force, but using brute muscle power to forcefully change the direction of the strike.

    Entoma evaded once more, and then activated a skill.

    ¡°Ah? Is running all you can do?!¡±

    The manwoman swung its warhammer at Entoma, and the gale in the wake of its blow whipped past her head, stirring the strands of her fake hair.

    ¡°Mm ¡ª you really like swinging wildly, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Her mockery was met by the clicking of a tongue. Entoma used her skill once more, and at the same time she easily avoided the plunging smash of the spiked warhammer. Having missed its target, the hammer crashed into the ground with all the force which had been meant for her.

    Entoma sneered at her opponent¡¯s simple, repetitive attacks. Her face did not change at all. However, her opponent could keenly sense the mockerying from her as they fought.

    However, Entoma then realised in the next moment that her opponent was waiting for this ¡ª for the hubris that only the overwhelmingly powerful possessed.

    ¡°Break!¡±

    The earth shattered where the spiked warhammer had struck it. No, the stone floor had shattered. It was like a localized earthquake. For the first time, Entoma lost her footing. In contrast, her opponent had used some kind of magic item to remain as stately as a mountain.

    Entoma watched as her opponent raised its warhammer once more, its head stained with dirt and debris.

    I underestimated my opponent.

    Entoma scolded herself.

    Evading that move was easy enough. Indeed, if she had been human, she would have lost her bnce when her footing was destroyed, and the shockwave of the ground fragmenting under her feet would have reached her legs and acted as another set of shackles to bind her in ce, making escape very difficult. However, Entoma was one of the Pleiades Battle Maids, and the magic items she wore were all of superior quality. Such conditions did not bother her in the slightest.

    There was only one problem.

    She would have to jump in order to evade, but that would dirty the maid uniform she wore.

    Would such a thing be permitted? This was a rare and precious treasure handed down to Entoma from the Supreme Beings.

    That was enough ¡ª no more ying around.

    For the first time, there was genuine hostility on Entoma¡¯s face under the mask.

    No more ying around.

    ¡ªI¡¯ll kill it.

    Entoma turned to face the falling spiked warhammer and raised her left arm. She no longer felt like a human flicking away a bug, but the actual desire to kill. Perhaps it would be different if she were a Floor Guardian, but for someone of Entoma¡¯s level, it would be very difficult to survive unscathed if she were to block that attack with her defenseless left arm.

    In the very next moment, what rang out was not the sound of steel pulping flesh, but two hard objects colliding.

    At this moment, a shield clung to Entoma¡¯s left arm. ¡°Clung¡± was not a metaphorical term ¡ª an insect with over eight legs gripped Entoma¡¯s arm tightly and refused to let go.

    ¡°What, what¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°You see, I¡¯m an entomancer. So I can call out bugs like this andmand them as I like.¡±

    She waved her right hand and out of the night flew a long insect shaped like a broadsword, which attached itself to the back of her right hand.

    ¡°These is a Sword Bug and this is a Shield Bug. I¡¯ve decided that I¡¯m going to kill you. I hadn¡¯t intended to take your life at first, but now you cannot be spared.¡±

    Entoma advanced on her opponent and shed at it.

    She ripped through the manwoman¡¯s breastte and fresh blood fountained out. However, it was not a fatal blow by any means. Her opponent had not been able to avoid a serious attack from Entoma, but she had only been lightly wounded.

    It would seem calling itself one of the top adventurers in the Kingdom was not pride or exaggeration. However, if that was all she had, she was not worthy to be Entoma¡¯s opponent.

    She was not a pure fighter like Yuri Alpha, but Entoma Vasilisa Zeta was still a member of the Pleiades, and she possessed power entirely iparable to that of mankind.

    She swung again, and blood spurted once more, sshing her face.

    Thanks to the injury she had taken just now, this wound was deeper than thest, and it could no longer be considered light.

    ¡°You actually changed your movements on me! Did you get serious?!¡±

    The spiked warhammer fell on Entoma with a furious cry, and Entoma deflected it with her Shield Bug. She felt a tremendous impact race through her, but she stood firm, determined not to budge so much as a step. In truth, nothing would have happened if she did move, but this was an expression of her pride, and her determination to not move for a mere human being.

    The manwoman rode on the flow of battle, continuing her fluidbination of attacks. Her fast and furious assault was most likely augmented by the ¡°Martial Arts¡± which were unique to this world. However, Entoma skilfully used her Shield Bug and her Sword Bug to block the series of fifteen continuous attacks without so much as a scratch

    Entoma did not know that this was the trump card of Blue Rose¡¯s Gagaran, her superbo made by simultaneously activating many martial arts. Each hit of that crashing wave of attacks was made with all the strength her steely arms could produce, and they could even break through the [Fortress] martial art. Only the defensive technique known as [Invulnerable Fortress] ¡ª which only a few geniuses could master ¡ª could hope to fully defend against it. However, Entoma¡¯s innate muscle power had blocked every single strike.

    This was the disparity in their levels, the overwhelming difference in the physical abilities of their respective species.

    The beginning of despair began to appear in her opponent¡¯s eyes, but Entoma felt nothing for it. All she wanted was to kill her adversary.

    ¡°¡ªPuhah!¡±

    She heard what sounded like a swimmer gasping for air as their head crested the water¡¯s surface. Thebination attack had also stopped. Entoma cocked her right hand ¡ª the one with the Sword Bug ¡ª back like she was drawing a bow, and then stabbed forward like loosing an arrow. She was aiming for the chest of the manwoman.

    Her foe raised its warhammer, but it was too slow. Entoma¡¯s strike was faster than it, and it pierced it chest ¡ª

    ¡ªOr at least, that should have been the case.

    The thrust missed. The insect de struck nothing but the night air.

    Entoma¡¯s head swivelled. She wanted to see who had interfered with her attack.

    There was a ck-d woman several meters away. Behind her was the panting manwoman.

    ¡°Sorry about that, Tia. I thought I was a goner.¡±

    ¡°So your blood is red too, Gagaran.¡±

    ¡°What are you acting all surprised for? It¡¯s not like this is the first time you¡¯ve seen me get hurt.¡±

    ¡°I thought you¡¯d start to bleed blue by now. Like a power up.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not a power-up, that¡¯s bing another race entirely!¡±

    ¡°A ss change, then.¡±

    As she heard the two of them bantering, Entoma grew angry. She was the strong one here. Only she was allowed to act so casual. They needed to know where they stood.

    ¡°¡ªAre you quite done yet? Have you said your farewells to each other?¡±

    Entoma grew cautious for the first time. The manwoman ¡ª Gagaran ¡ª was nothing to fear. The problem was the neer ¡ª Tia. If her clothes were not just for looks, then she ought to be a ninja. That was a job ss which required a minimum character level of 60 to take.

    If that were the case, then the teleportation technique which had allowed Gagaran to escape Entoma¡¯s attack was ninjutsu.

    If she were a real ninja, then even Entoma would not be able to win easily. She had thought to conserve her strength and eliminate her opponent, but things being as they were, she could no longer afford to hold back.

    ¡°[Shikigumo Talismans]!¡±

    Before her opponents could act, Entoma had already thrown out four talismans from her right hand.

    The talismansnded on the ground, and instantly transformed into huge spiders.

    These spiders wereparable to the monsters conjured by [Summon Monster 3rd], and they were hardly powerful creatures, but they ought to be enough to gauge her opponent¡¯s strength. They would also buy her time to prepare herself.

    Entoma was doing this because entomancers¡¯ insect weapons were very powerful, but they had a few weaknesses. One of them was the fact that summoning the insects in question required some time.

    ¡°[Kage Bunshin no Jutsu].¡±

    As Tia activated her ninjutsu, her shadow writhed and birthed another Tia.

    Entoma paid no attention to it. The clones generated by the [Kage Bunshin no Jutsu] were only a quarter as strong as their creator. Their evasive ability varied in proportion to how much of their creator¡¯s mana had been allocated to them, but that was all. Perhaps they might be considered formidable opponents for the Shikigumo, but they were hardly a challenge for Entoma.

    Rather, the more important thing was how skilled the original was. Entoma called out her trump cards; her Bullet Bugs and another kind of insect. At the same time, she pasted talismans on herself to further strengthen her abilities.

    A swarm of Bullet Bugs gathered out of nowhere and covered her left arm.

    The three centimeter-long insects gleamed with a steely radiance, and the fronts of their V-shaped bodies were sharp, bearing a strong resemnce to rifle bullets. No, that resemnce was only to be expected, because these insects were used exactly like rifle bullets.

    The shadow clone was running ragged just trying to evade the attacks of one Shikigumo, while the original was dealing with two of them. The fact that she had only killed one after so long suggested that her foes were most definitely not high-levelled. That being the case, victory ought to be easy even if one factored in Gagaran¡¯s fighting power.

    ¡ªAs if, I¡¯m not going to think that way.

    She was not going to show them any mercy. She would quickly end the battle with overwhelming force.

    The weight on her left arm pleased Entoma, and she extended the finger of her left hand at Tia.

    The bugs had encrusted Entoma¡¯s arm until they had practically doubled its diameter. As one, they crawled to the front of her arm and then took wing from her extended finger, one after the other. The incessant buzzing of wings called to mind the image of a Gatling gun. The path of the Bullet Bugs meant that they pierced through her own Shikigumo, but in total, 150 of them flew downstream at Tia.

    These bugs could punch holes in steel, and even arge tree would be riddled full of holes and sawed in half if it was hit by 150 of them. However, in the face of the fatal projectiles, Tia used another ninjutsu technique.

    ¡°[Fudou Kongou Tate no Jutsu]!¡±

    A scintiting rainbow-colored shield sprang into existence in front of Tia. The bugs mmed into the gigantic wall of light that cut through the darkness, which was shaped like a six pointed star. Within a few seconds, the shield shattered with the crisp sound of breaking ss. However, the fuside of insects had stopped as the shield broke, revealing an unhurt Tia behind it.

    Entoma had no tongue, but she clicked it anyway. However, the fact that she could force her foe to use one ace in the hole after another was like lighting the path to her victory. So far her foe could withstand Entoma¡¯s attacks, but once Entoma¡¯s offense surpassed her opponent¡¯s defense, the flood which washed over their protections would surely consume them too.

    Entoma deflected the the kunai flying from the front with the Sword Bug ¡ª then she blocked Gagaran¡¯s plunging mid-air strike with her Shield bug. She must have jumped down from quite a high ce, because the Shield Bug had to take a lot of pressure, and it squeaked like it was wailing in pain.

    If the dazzling lights of the [Fudou Kongou Tate] had affected Entoma¡¯s vision, she would not have been able to block Gagaran¡¯s leaping attack from the darkness. However, Entoma¡¯s vision was not affected by such petty trickery. In addition, her field of vision was muchrger than that of a human, even when she wore ¡°that¡±.

    Perhaps she sensed that following up on the attack would be dangerous, but Gagaran skated away ¡ª her legs remained still, but the distance between them opened up. The fact that she was moving so nimbly despite her massive frame proved that her wounds werepletely healed. She took her ce beside Tia and crushed the Bullet Bugs¡¯ corpses underfoot, making a clear pachipachi noise.

    ¡°This is terrible, I don¡¯t feel like we can win at all. How did she do that, her timing was too good, don¡¯t you think? She barely even saw me but she blocked me anyway.¡±

    ¡°Maybe she has a wide field of vision?¡±

    ¡°It should be something else. I think it¡¯s more likely that it¡¯s an entomancer ability, or some kind of magical sense... that said, everything¡¯s in her favor, so why didn¡¯t she attack while we were talking?¡±

    ¡°A beast will size up its prey¡¯s strength, and then strike at its vitals.¡±

    ¡°I see. In other words, she¡¯s studying all our moves. That¡¯spletely unlike our shorty, these careful types are really hard to deal with.¡±

    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be good to look down on you because you¡¯re humans, no? Ah, although there was another reason... there we are, it¡¯s here. Now then, I won¡¯t need this any more.¡±

    The insect clinging to Entoma¡¯s right arm fell to the ground and vanished into the night with a scrabbling noise.

    ¡°And in its ce...e here.¡±

    Another insect crawled onto the now-vacant arm. It resembled a centipede. No, it practically was a centipede, if one disregarded the fact that it was ten meters long and the sharp fangs at what passed for its face in front.

    This was the most powerful insect her entomancer abilities could summon, the Thousand Lash Bug.

    Entoma began channelling her strength into her legs.

    She had learned the attack speed, destructive power, defensive strength, evasive ability and movement abilities of the two humans before her. The only unknown variable was Tia¡¯s adaptability, but there was no need to worry about that.

    ¡°Oops.¡±

    Entoma touched her chin. Her fingers made contact with a clear, sticky fluid.

    ¡°I just ate my fill, but after a bit of exercise I¡¯m hungry again.¡±

    She had touched her saliva. It was the expression of her desire for humans as food.

    Although her favorite food was humans, until now she had only been able to sate her cravings using green biscuits as a substitute. Of course, she did not resent the Supreme Beings because of that. In fact, Entoma felt that the Supreme Beings were quite generous for allowing her to eat the arms which had been severed during the experiments on the humans captured from a certain vige,

    Even so, she had still been repressing herself, and now that there were two excellent specimens of humanity ¡ª the highest-grade of cuisine ¡ª before her, she could not bear to dispose of them without taking a single bite.

    The two of them shuddered, exposed as they were before Entoma¡¯s hungry gaze. They were not afraid of the killing intent she emitted, but this was a trembling born of the revulsion any living being had when a carnivore set its sights on them.

    ¡°Kiiiiiyeeeeeart!¡±

    This was the first time Entoma had gone on the offensive in the battle, and her attack was apanied by a shrill cry that sounded like two pieces of foam rubbing against each other. Predators pounced their prey in a straight line, and at very high speeds.

    By the time she had deflected the six consecutive kunaiing at her, she had covered the distance between both parties.

    Seeing Gagaran the frontliner raise her weapon, Entoma decided on the first person she would incapacitate, and she swung the whip in her right hand.

    The longer the whip, the slower its tip would move. The same applied even to Entoma, who possessed superhuman muscle power. However, that was only true if the whip in question was a normal one.

    Entoma was now using the most powerful insect that she, as an entomancer, could summon ¡ª

    The whip which should have followed the motion of Entoma¡¯s arm in azy arc moved in apletely impossible fashion. Itunched out like an extension of Entoma¡¯s arm at Gagaran, its razor-sharp horns and teeth leading the way at lightning speed.

    This movement was only possible from a creature that was a fusion of weapon and lifeform. Even a veteran of a thousand bizarre encounters like Gagaran had probably never seen or experienced this sort of thing before. It was only natural that she would be surprised by witnessing something like that for the first time.

    The fact that she could avoid such a strange attack was why she was called an adamantite-ranked adventurer ¡ª the highest-ranked of all adventurers.

    Gagaran evaded the attack by the narrowest of margins, and as the insect-whip flew past her face ¡ª

    ¡°Watch out!¡±

    ¡ªFollowing Tia¡¯s cry, Gagaran¡¯s body was blown away. This was Tia¡¯s ninjutsu ¡ª [Bakuenjin]. the suicidal explosion enveloped the two of them, the Thousand Lash Bug passed through the ce where Gagaran¡¯s head had been, having turned a full 180 degrees to attack from behind.

    If not for that suicidal explosion, the Thousand Lash Bug would have pierced her skull. It had been well-dodged. However, Entoma¡¯s attack did not stop there. The Thousand Lash Bug suddenly turned as though it was on strings, heading at Gagaran¡¯s ckened body.

    At the same time, Entoma cast a talisman at Tia.

    ¡ªIt was a Thunderbird Talisman.

    The talisman transformed into several birds of bluish-white electricity in mid-air, and winged towards Tia.

    If there were two opponents, then all she had to do was let her bug deal with one of them. One could say that was an advantage that entomancers possessed.

    The lightning strike exploded, and actinic blue-white light burst out to cover the surroundings, illuminating Tia ¡ª who was trying to withstand the pain ¡ª and Gagaran ¡ª who was trying to fend off the Thousand Lash Bug.

    ¡°Motherfucker! I hate these squirmy things!¡±

    Gagaran weighed down the head of the Thousand Lash Bug with her spiked warhammer and gripped it under her left armpit, trying to keep it from moving. However, the insect used its ten meter-long body to coil loop after loop of itself around her body.

    Tia stepped forward and threw a dagger, which struck Entoma¡¯s Shield Bug with a metallic sound.

    ¡°[Thunderbird Flurry Talisman].¡±

    Entoma cast out many talismans with her left hand. They transformed into birds that were slightly smaller than before and converged on Tia. However, Tia vanished, and bereft of a target, the thunderbirds flew on.

    Tia emerged from the darkness behind Entoma, where she should have been outside of her field of vision. This was a short-ranged teleport through the medium of shadows. However, Entoma had long since spotted her. Much like certain insects had antennae, Entoma could sense movements in the air currents through a simr organ, which was another facet of Entoma¡¯s sensory abilities.

    The few remaining Bullet Bugs shot out at Tia as she stepped out of the shadows.

    ¡°Guwaaargh!¡±

    The stink of fresh blood apanied a cry of pain, but Entoma sensed that her opponent was still able to fight, and so she followed up on her attack.

    ¡°[Explosive Talisman].¡±

    An explosion more intense than the one Tia had previously made shattered the nighttime silence. Tia was blown away, rolling along the ground, and more talismans continued flying after her. They were Keen Slice Talismans and Buffeting Gale Talismans. Tia could not find a chance to get to her feet, and she left a trail of bloodstains in her wake as she rolled further and further away, all the while being shed and sted.

    ¡°Tia! You insect bitch!¡±

    The insect whip had already wrapped up Gagaran, who was cursing from inside the spherical mass.

    They had probably nned to have Gagaran weigh down the Thousand Lash Bug while Tia attacked Entoma herself.

    Entoma chuckled under her mask.

    All she could say was that they were utterly foolish. Entoma was one of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick¡¯s Pleiades battle maids. Humans of their level could not possibly hope to defeat her. The wisest course of action would have been to ignore the fact that Entoma had eaten someone and run with all their might. They had chosen poorly, and these were the consequences of that choice.

    ¡°...The sequence of events is kind of wrong, but oh well, I guess I can¡¯t do anything about that. In any case, I¡¯ll probably be able to eat my fill since there are so many muscles, and it looks tasty too.¡±

    Entoma summoned more insects. These ones did not possess any fearsome fighting ability. They resembled syringes, which injected a paralytic venom.

    Entoma grabbed the bugs and stepped lightly towards Tia.

    This was a nice souvenir. Many creatures in the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick ate human beings. They would surely be very happy to receive a present like this.

    ¡°Hm? What¡¯s that?¡±

    Entoma¡¯s exceptional senses warned her of a long, cold object plunging down on her from above, and she leapt away. At that moment, a longnce stabbed into the ground where Entoma had just been standing.

    It looked like a cavalrynce made of crystal. However, that was no ordinarynce. That was because the cavalrynce which had pierced the stone floor was made of fragile crystal, yet it did not have a single crack on it.

    ¡°Is that a spell...?¡±

    As a spiritual magic caster, Entoma could sense certainmon qualities which all magic-using careers shared from the cavalrynce.

    ¡°Indeed. This is a 4th-tier arcane spell, [Crystal Lance].¡±

    The person who answered her descended slowly upon the butt of the cavalrynce. She was a dimunitive, masked girl in a robe with a childish voice.

    More helpers? Even Entoma was starting to get annoyed. She had thought she was about to enjoy a tasty meal, but then she had been surprised by an unexpected development. Her frustration was only to be expected.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough from you for now.¡±

    ¡°...From whoi? I can still let you off now, so could you please leave? Children¡¯s meat is tender and I like it very much, but the portions are just too small. I¡¯ll y with you after I¡¯ve eaten the two of them.¡±

    ¡°I see, so you¡¯re a man-eater. And you¡¯re dressed up like a maid, are you kidding me? Who the hell would want a monster who reeks of blood attending them?¡±

    ¡°WHaT dId YoU saY, YOu LItTLe bITcH?!¡±

    Entoma had identally spoken in her true voice, and she hurriedly mped her hand down on her throat.

    She could not tolerate what this new enemy had said and her agitation had ovee her. She wanted to tear apart the woman in front of her, not because it was the principle of the strong preying upon the weak, but because that woman had upset her.

    What did this woman just say to me? Me, a Pleiades Battle Maid of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, one who serves the Supreme Beings?

    The fires of hell itself zed brightly within Entoma¡¯s body.

    ¡°I¡¯lL kILl You!¡±

    She could no longer control her voice. However, she desperately struggled to keep her back from swelling up.

    ¡°Evileye!¡±

    Tia called out to the masked woman, and Entoma now knew the name of the person she was going to ughter with all her strength.

    ¡°I was wondering what you were trying to do... ahhh, honestly. Lesson One; always consider the rtive strength and weakness of yourself and your opponent. She¡¯s stronger than you... and weaker than me.¡±

    Evileye swept her arm and set her cape aflutter, and then she shouted:

    ¡°How dare you bully myrades, you monster! Now I¡¯ll teach you what it feels like to be bullied in turn! You can thank me for itter!¡±

    Furious anger exploded from beneath that mask, but Entoma did not care.

    Entoma was radiating murderous intent of her own from every pore of her body, and she broke into a sprint. In Entoma¡¯s hate-filled mind, the other two were nothing more than bothersome pebbles.

    ¡ªDid she say nobody would want me attending them?!

    Those words echoed through her mind, again and again.

    Entoma swung the Thousand Lash Bug. There was only about a meter or so left for her to grip; the rest had already formed into a huge sphere. Naturally, Gagaran was at the heart of it.

    ¡°I¡¯ll squash you t with your friend! Damn woman!¡±

    She smashed the Thousand Lash Bug down on her opponent, like she was wielding a il.

    ¡°Hmph, what a boring attack.¡±

    However, Evileye was unmoved.

    ¡°[Reverse Gravity].¡±

    Entoma resisted the spell, but the Thousand Lash Bug turned weightless and floated up leisurely.

    As long as the wearer sessfully resisted a spell, their equipment would also resist it. However, insect weapons did not use their wielders¡¯ resistance, but had to resist spells and effects on their own.

    Therefore, even if a spell did not affect Entoma herself, it could affect her insect weapons, as shown by the current situation. This was a demerit of insect weapons, which could prosecute independent attacks.

    However powerful Entoma was, she could only give up her original n in the face of this magic.

    The Thousand Lash Bug sensed what Entoma was thinking and released Gagaran. It unrolled like a tape measure and instantly became a ten meter-long insect whip. As Gagaran copsed to the ground, Evileye barked orders at her.

    ¡°Gagaran! You¡¯re in the way! Go heal up Tia! If your gloves are used up, feed her potions!¡±

    The injured humans were going to heal themselves. That alone was not a problem, because neither of them was a worthy opponent for Entoma. However, the magic caster in front of her was a different matter entirely, considering her abilities.

    Evileye was on Entoma¡¯s level. If she had help, the tide might quickly turn against her.

    Thus, while Entoma was unwilling to deploy it, she decided to reveal her true ace in the hole.

    She had already used it once to exterminate everyone within the mansion in one fell swoop, but she could still use it two more times.

    It was the ability to exhale a cloud of carnivorous flies ¡ª [Fly Breath].

    The flies expelled by the breath were like cattle flies. They did not eat flesh in and of themselves, but theyid flesh-burrowing grubs. The grubs would burrow into their victims¡¯ bodies and cause damage over time to them. Worse, once thervae sprouted wings, they would be a choking swarm that would attack anyone who entered their area of effect save certain individuals.

    Entoma bared her throat, exposing her true face from where a human¡¯s chin would be. To an outsider, it would look like her jaw had split open,

    With an awrrgh, she vomited a mass of swarming flies.

    ¡°You! Is that power connected to the Demon Gods? In that case¡ª¡±

    White vapor spread from Evileye, as though to meet the attack.

    Ice-type attacks were a good response, but they could notpletely neutralize the swarm. The ideal method would be spells that created sts or explosions to disperse the fly swarms.

    She had made a mistake.

    Entoma imagined how Evileye would look when the maggots ripped her to shreds, but the spell she had used as a counterattack exceeded her predictions.

    As they touched the vapors, the flies fell to the ground one by one. Said vapors then enveloped Entoma¡¯s body. At that moment, Entoma was wracked by incredible agony.

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Abbbaahhhhh!¡±

    The entomancer¡¯s face emitted a cloud of steam and deformed, as though someone had poured acid on it.

    Evileye¡¯s objective had been to negate her opponent¡¯s breath attack, but she had not expected it to reveal her enemy¡¯s true face.

    ¡°Oi, oi, did it work?¡±

    Gagaran had her spiked warhammer raised and she was looking for a chance to approach her opponent. As expected of an excellent warrior, she had probably sensed that this was the deciding moment of the battle. In truth, given their opponent¡¯s fighting power, they had to follow up on this attack and finish the fight quickly.

    Gagaran could not approach the enemy because the ten meter-long insect was thrashing about wildly, preventing her from getting close. However, it felt like futile resistance from a defeated enemy.

    ¡°What on earth was that spell?¡±

    Evileye answered Tia¡¯s question:

    ¡°It¡¯s an insect-killing spell, [Verminbane]. There was an insectile Demon God among the Demon Gods 200 years ago. So I invented this spell to wipe out the insects it summoned. Ah, well, it¡¯s something like a unique creation.¡±

    ¡°Oi! Will this spell harm us?¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t. It¡¯s especially effective against vermin, but it¡¯s non-toxic towards other living creatures.¡±

    ¡°...Her face melted.¡±

    ¡°Tia, that¡¯s because her true identity is... erk! No, that¡¯s not a face!¡±

    As though waiting for Evileye to exim just that, the maid¡¯s pretty face slid stickily down and thudded to the ground. It looked like the skin had been peeled off her face, but that was not the case. The back of the face which had fallen onto the ground was covered in insectile legs.

    ¡°To think it was an insect shaped like a mask...¡±

    ¡°Orrgguooowh!¡±

    The maid¡¯s throat was exposed. There was a slit in that abnormally hard-looking throat, and a big chunk of something slime-covered fell out of it.

    It resembled a wad of vomitus, but the deciding difference was the fact that it was still writhing on the ground.

    ¡°What the...¡±

    Evileye could not help but hold her breath in the face of this chain of bizarre events. This was the first time she had experienced something like this in her long life.

    ¡°¡ªA Lip Bug.¡±

    That was the name Tia used to address the slime-covered, leech-like creature that had fallen to the stony ground.

    ¡°This insect devours the vocal cords of humanoids and uses them to produce the voices of its victims.¡±

    The front of this pinkish leech-like creature creature resembled a pair of human lips, and it was gasping in the sweet voice which the maid had been using until just now.

    As everyone stared at her, the maid slowly removed the hands covering her face. The visage thus revealed resembled that of an insect¡¯s.

    The members of Blue Rose could not help but back off as they saw that startling face of hers. While they had guessed at it once the Mask Bug fell off and the [Verminbane] had been visibly effective, the horrific sight before them still engendered fear in their hearts.

    The fact that an inhuman monster like this had actually set foot into the world of humans made them all feel like they had been vited.

    ¡°YoU dARe... YOu DarE...¡±

    That voice was cold, stiff and difficult to understand.

    ¡°Now that¡¯s a cute voice. I prefer it when you sound like that!¡±

    Gagaran¡¯s words were practically dripping with hostility. She was the mostpassionate of all of Blue Rose¡¯s members. In all likelihood, she was thinking of all the victims of this girl. The grip on her weapon grew tighter.

    ¡°Pu, puUuNy hUmANsSs!¡±

    During the previous battle, their opponent had always striven to present a calm,posed front. However, thatposure was nowhere to be seen now.

    That being the case, she was probably not going to hold back any more, and she wouldunch a furious onught.

    ¡°The real battle¡¯s about to begin! Don¡¯t ck off, you two! What¡¯s in store for us is an attack even fiercer than thest!¡±

    Evileye shouted a warning to the two of them. However, since it was them, they already understood even without the need for Evileye to say so. They had been prepared to lose their lives ever since the battle had begun.

    The insect maid¡¯s back swelled up, and four long legs ¡ª like those of a spider ¡ª sprouted from under her clothes. It looked like she was wearing insect legs as a backpack.

    She used the legs she had sprouted to leap forward. It was so startling that one might think she had used a flying spell.

    Now that she had a height advantage from overhead, the monster spewed its [Fly Breath], seeking to engulf everyone in it.

    Evileye clicked her tongue and cast [Verminbane] once more.

    ¡°ONlY yOu! yOU¡¯rE tHe OnLy ONe I haVe tO feAR! ONCe You¡¯Re deAd EvErYTHIng elSE WIll bE SimPLe! WhY aRE YOu sO hARD To DeAl wiTH?!¡±

    The flesh-eating flies were wiped out, and the insect maid fell back to earth, herpound eyes ring at Evileye. Indeed only Evileye could fight evenly with this monster. If Evileye were defeated, the battle would be decided, and there was no doubt that Gagaran and Tia would die horribly. That said, focusing entirely on one person was a mistake.

    ¡°Take this!¡±

    Gagaran smashed in from the side with her spiked warhammer.

    Evileye might have the advantage, but Gagaran was not willing to dump everything on her. She stepped up beside herrades to challenge this formidable foe. Evileye smiled at her from under her mask. If she had not been wearing, she might have have been too shy to do so.

    The monster made to evade Gagaran¡¯s hit, but it froze briefly in ce. That was because of Tia¡¯s ninjutsu, [Fudou Kanashibari no Jutsu]. Her foe was not so much resistant to it as she was immune to it, so it could not stop her from moving. Even so, the fact that it had created a brief opening for Gagaran was a tremendous help.

    In response to the [Smash]-enhanced strike, the monster spat a mouthful of spider silk. There was so much of it that painted the upper half of Gagaran¡¯s body white.

    The sticky and resilient silk was difficult to break even for Gagaran¡¯s arm-strength. She stopped her attack and stumbled backwards. Instead, the monster stepped forward.

    ¡°[Crystal Lance].¡±

    A cavalryman¡¯snce of crystal shot out at the monster.

    It hit Entoma and prated deep into her body, but it did not seem to hurt her at all. Worse, she seemed strong enough to summon more insects from the night, causing her left arm to swell up.

    ¡°[Verminbane]!¡±

    The white vapors caused the insects swarming on Entoma¡¯s left arm to fall off, and the monster moaned in pain.

    The portion of her body that corresponded to a human¡¯s jaw turned to face Evileye, and it spewed a stream of silk at her, the same as what it had spat at Gagaran.

    Defending with magic would be a waste of mana. I¡¯m immune to binding anyway, so I should just take ¡ª no!

    Evileye hurriedly cast a spell. It was true that Entoma had spat silk at her, but the light from its strands was colder and harder than what she had hit Gagaran with.

    ¡°[Crystal Barrier]!¡±

    The crystal wall before her eyes was cut to pieces and vanished before her eyes.

    ¡°Was that razor webbing?!¡±

    ¡°For you!¡±

    The of woven ck thread which Tia cast out expanded in mid-air. However, that could not find purchase on the monster¡¯s body. The passed through the monster¡¯s body like an illusion and fell to the ground.

    ¡°To think she¡¯spletely immune to movement restriction!¡±

    ¡°Cheh! Time out!¡±

    Gagaran¡¯s indignant retort was apanied by a kick at the maid, who was seeking to close into meleebat. That kick was also intended to create some space between them.

    The startling thing was that when the greave made contact with the maid uniform, there was a sound of metallic collision.

    Gagaran backed off, and the other two members of Blue Rose kept their distance from the maid, forming up while staying wary of area attacks.

    ¡°POkiNg hERe anD PoKInG theRE... wHaT a PAiN!¡±

    As Gagaran inspected the maid¡¯s buzzing jaws, her low voice filtered into Evileye¡¯s ears.

    ¡°Did you hear that? That maid uniform¡¯s as hard as my weapon, what a joke.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s woven from a very hard metal. Given its thickness, I¡¯d say her clothes are much harder than your weapon.¡±

    ¡°Adamantite... no, that¡¯s not it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s all, no? She¡¯s got gear so good that it doesn¡¯t even make sense... My earth-elemental spells aren¡¯t too effective against her. In other words, her items must include something with the effect of reducing magical damage. Simply put, finding her weakness and taking her unawares isn¡¯t going to be too effective.¡±

    ¡°Which means?¡±

    In response to Tia¡¯s question, Evileye smiled thinly under her mask.

    ¡°We need to attack head on and hit her with everything we have to drain her health.¡±

    ¡°Easier said than done. What should we do? If we don¡¯t hurry up, she¡¯s going to finish powering herself up with her talismans.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll just use our strongest moves. For me, it¡¯ll be [Verminbane].¡±

    ¡°...Sounds simple enough. Alright, let¡¯s finish this.¡±

    However, depleting the health of one¡¯s foe with high firepower was not as simple as it sounded.

    Under normal circumstances, she could use [Sand Field ¨C One] or [Region Petrification] to seal off her opponent¡¯s movements and support the warriors, but those moves were useless against that maid.

    If damage had to be done, then Gagaran could take care of that with physical attacks. Evileye¡¯s role was to prepare countermeasures for when physical attacks were ineffective, and not to focus on attack magic. That was what she had always believed. However, given the present circumstances, she could not longer say that.

    I¡¯ve always insisted that magic casters who rely on attack spells are second-rate, but I guess I have to eat my words now.

    Evileye considered the spell she ought to use.

    Her most effective spell was a maximized [Shard Buckshot], but that would hit herrades as well. The high-tier spell [Verminbane] which she had innovated consumed a lot of mana, so it was best saved for when her opponent summoned bugs. That being the case, the most suitable spell would be of the acid element, which she did not like much.

    The three of them looked at each other, and they attacked at once.

    Evileye used [Acid Ssh] as their main attack method, while Tia ¡ª whose offensive power wasparatively weaker ¡ª supported them from behind with items. Gagaran activated her martial arts in between a series of repeatedbination attacks.

    ? ? ?

    Before long, the battle began favoring one side.

    It was true that their foe was very powerful. She could spit all kinds of spiderwebs,unch magical attacks with talismans, and summon insects to attack. In addition, she possessed powerful magic items, beyond those of Blue Rose.

    However, even as the group¡¯s recovery items and other resources dwindled, the insect maid was slowly being forced to retreat further and further back.

    If she were asked what had determined the course of the battle, Evileye would puff up her chest and proudly say, ¡°my friends.¡±

    Indeed, Gagaran and Tia were far weaker than Evileye or the monster facing them. But numbers were a significant advantage. Being able to attack and heal at the same time had a big effect on the battle.

    In particr, the side that could have others heal them when they could not heal themselves had an advantage. That point had been the decisive factor between victory and defeat.

    ¡°Don¡¯t make simple mistakes, keep forcing her back!¡±

    <b>Part 3</b>

    <b>Lower Fire Month (9th Month) 4th Day 22:27</b>

    It had been a fierce battle.

    The insect maid finally copsed, like a puppet whose strings had been cut.

    Evileye¡¯s mana was heavily depleted, and her expendable items were almost gone. The cost of this battle had been ruinous.

    ¡°We won.¡±

    Gagaran, covered in wounds as she was, announced their victory in a panting voice. While she waspletely out of healing items, she had not lost as much health as her external injuries would indicate.

    ¡°Finish her off.¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    Evileye approved of Tia¡¯s suggestion. The insect maid was on herst legs, but she was not dead yet. The fact that she was still making chirping noises was the best proof of that.

    Now that shecked the ability to fight, it would be best to take her life without hesitation.

    Tia stepped forward, sword in hand, and then her body froze in ce. Evileye knew the reason for that without having to ask her why.

    ¡°I believe that will be all for now.¡±

    Unbelievably enough, a man had appeared in front of the insect maid at some point to block her.

    He was dressed in strange clothes which they had never seen before in this region. From what Evileye knew, this was a type of clothing worn in the south, known as a ¡°suit¡±. The man wore a mask, and they could not see his face.

    However, he was most definitely not human. That was because he sprouted a tail from his waist.

    ¡°Oi, you a friend of Evileye¡¯s?¡±

    Nonsense, Evileye wanted to say, but she could not speak. She felt like she had been struck by lightning. She nced at her right hand and saw that it was covered in sweat.

    ¡°¡ªAre you alright? Allow me to take care of things from now on. You should go back and rest.:¡±

    The man did not seem to care at all about the armed and battle-ready members of Blue Rose, but spoke kindly to the insect maid. Though he was an enemy, that act of his seemed quite endearing. However, Evileye did not think so.

    The fear she felt from the top of her head to the ends of her toes refused to vanish.

    Evileye¡¯s survival instincts responded. She held her breath and desperately whispered to Gagaran and Tia beside her.

    ¡°...Run away... idiot, don¡¯t look at me. Shut up and listen. That... he¡¯s too powerful. He¡¯s a monster among monsters. Don¡¯t look back, just run with all your might.¡±

    ¡°...What about you?¡±

    Gagaran¡¯s face was bitter as she asked that question.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind me. Once I¡¯ve bought enough time for you to flee, I¡¯ll escape with teleportation magic.¡±

    And then, somehow, the insect maid ¡ª who should have been rendered immobile by her injuries ¡ª rose shakily to her feet. She did not seem to have used any healing magic, nor did she seem to have drunk anything.

    An insect flew out of nowhere and clung to her back, and then the maid soared into the night sky. She left only the sound of her going ¡°giii giiii¡± behind as she flew into the distance.

    Although their enemy was getting away before their eyes, Evileye did not care. She could not tear her eyes away from the man in front of her. The other two were like her, covered in sweat and frozen in ce.

    After watching the maid leave, the man turned back to face Evileye and the others.

    In the 250-plus years of her life, Evileye had seen powerful beings of all shapes and sizes. However, the man before them had a unique aura about him. No, it was more that the nauseating malice he emanated had no equal in all her experience.

    Someone like him ought to be on the level of the tinum Dragon Lord. He was too powerful for her to make an urate judgement.

    ¡°I apologize for keeping you waiting. Now then, since we do not have much time for this, let us begin right away.¡±

    ¡°Run!¡±

    Evileye¡¯s voice was more of a wail.

    The two of them turned like they had been electrically shocked. It was not as though they did not feel guilty for leaving theirrade behind. This was best shown by the fact that they did not retreat right away when Evileye told them to flee. What they felt was trust ¡ª trust that Evileye would find a way to deal with this, or that Evileye could find a way to escape.

    However, those thoughts were immediately overruled.

    ¡°For starters, parting right after meeting is most saddening. Therefore, please permit me to interdict your teleportation. [Dimensional Lock]. One ought to say one¡¯s farewells before departure; certainly that would be pleasing from both an emotional and an etiquettical point of view, do you not agree?¡±

    Certain extremely high-level demons and angels could use skills that could prevent the use of teleportation in their vicinity. Evileye had now lost her means of retreat.

    However, that was not a problem. She had known that from the beginning. Thest person to remain here ¡ª the one covering everyone else¡¯s retreat ¡ª would not make it back alive.

    ¡°Death ought toe in the appropriate order. The young should live, while the most aged should die first. I believe that is proper.¡±

    After bidding farewell to the vanishing presences behind her, the woman who had lived over 250 years turned to face the enemy before her eyes, though she had no chance of victory.

    ¡°Now then, after you. Of course, if you will not do anything, then I shall make the first move.¡±

    Unlike his gentle tone, the explosion ofpressed bloodlust was truly terrifying. Evileye focused the full extent of her will to disperse the malice before her.

    I am Evileye. I am a woman of legend. No matter how powerful my enemy is ¡ª I must fight!

    ¡°Then don¡¯t mind if I do! Take this! [Maximize Magic ¨C Shard Buckshot]!¡±

    Her opening move was her most favored spell. Shards of crystal, each slightly smaller than a fist, scattered forth.

    The crystal shards had pointed tips, and originally, they should have been fired into her enemy¡¯s body at close range to increase their power. However, she dared not approach the fiend before her too closely.

    She had resigned herself to death, and yet she dared not advance. Evileye could not help but mock herself for that. However, she ought to fight carefully when she did not know how powerful her opponent was.

    The masked demon spread his arms, as though in wee. The shower of crystal flechettes hit him ¡ª no, they vanished before they did. Soplete and sudden was the disappearance that it seemed as though they had never existed.

    Is this the spell resistance which only certain species possess? He¡¯s that much more powerful than me?!

    The greater the difference in their power, the more easily spells could be resisted.

    Ignoring Evileye, who had misyed her opening move, the man grandly swept his hand. He looked like the conductor of an invisible orchestra.

    ¡°[Hellfire Wall].¡±

    A wave of heat crashed into her back. Evileye could not believe it, and hurriedly turned back to look.

    There was a foom, and then it seemed as though the night itself had caught fire. Unnatural ck mes surged into the sky.

    The fleeing Gagaran and Tia were enveloped by the ck fire. Their limbs twitched like puppets, and then they fell to the ground like so much rubbish. When the fire had vanished like it had never been, the two of them remained motionless. Evileye fought the impulse to rush to their side. She could hardly believe it, but she had no choice but to do so. Evileye knew those had been fatal injuries. With just a single blow, therades with whom she had shared her joy and sorrow had lost their lives.

    She clenched her teeth to keep herself from screaming.

    ¡°I had hoped to stop just short of killing them, but they were weaker than I had expected. To think they could not even take mes of that magnitude. You have my sincerest condolences.¡±

    The man bowed, as though his regret were sincere. Evileye could no longer hold her feelings back after witnessing his fake attitude.

    He had ignored Evileye before him ¡ª the one who had actually attacked him ¡ª but had instead attacked the two people behind her. Why was that? Obviously it was because they were fleeing, but there was another, greater reason beyond that.

    Evileye fully understood the disparity in their respective fighting strengths, and she knew that she had not been perceived as a threat. However, the truth was worse than what she had thought ¡ª her opponent did not even see her as an enemy.

    The person before him would not flee. So he would kill the people who did flee. That was probably what he was thinking.

    ¡°Striking while sparing your lives is hardly an easy task. And I cannot use you as a reference either... why did you team up with them despite the vast gulf in your respective abilities. If you had not, I might have been able to make a better estimate.¡±

    ¡°¡ª-You have no right! To say that! Uwaaaaaahhhh!¡±

    This was not a wail of despair, but a cry of anger. Evileye¡¯s howl was full of hatred as she broke into a sprint. No, it would be better to say she flew on wings of magic. She focused her mana into her fist, preparing a touch spell that would be difficult to nullify or resist.

    The demon raised his fist and prepared to meet her.

    ¡°[Aspect of the Devil ¡ª Giant Arm of the Demon].¡±

    The demon¡¯s arm swelled up to several times its original size, and it was so long that it dragged upon the ground. This was not pneumatic intion, but a sturdy arm of muscle and bone that was a weapon in its own right.

    Anyone would take a step back just looking at that weapon. Indeed, Evileye had cowered for a moment. But she had resolved herself for this, and she decided to evade the attack of that arm and attack her foe.

    The gigantic arm closed in on Evileye. It moved much faster than she had imagined, filling up her field of vision like a gigantic wall. Evileye sensed that she would have a hard time evading and cast a defense spell.

    ¡°[Damage Translocation].¡±

    Her vision turned ck, and at the same time she felt a massive impact, as well as her body being savagely hurled through the air. Her line of sight spun round and round, and she had no idea where she was. When she hit the floor, the impact was such that she bounced lightly off, like a ball. Then she hit the ground again this time sliding to a halt.

    However ¡ª she was unhurt.

    Evileye used [Fly] to get back up in a way that defiedmon sense.

    She was unhurt. However, had she not used a spell which converted physical damage to mana depletion, she would probably be dying by now.

    ¡°[Prate Maximize Magic ¨C Crystal Dagger].¡±

    She created a crystal dagger that was bigger than usual. This spell caused pure physical damage, which was not easily resisted. In addition, she had used a skill to allow it to breach spell resistance more easily.

    The demon did not dodge, but took it on his body. The spell¡¯s damage potential had been maximized, yet it did not seem to have affected the demon at all.

    ¡°...I couldn¡¯t hurt him even with a spell enhanced with Prate Magic...? This high-level demon is beyond my expectations, no, he might be beyond the Demon Gods! Could he be the King of the Demon Gods?!¡±

    Just adding the word ¡°Lord¡± to a name did not make a monster stronger, but the more powerful members of a species often called themselves ¡°Lords¡± or ¡°Kings¡±. That wasmon knowledge in this world. Frankly speaking, humans were the only species who would crown their weaker members as kings.

    ¡°[Aspect of the Devil: Scything ws.¡±

    The demon¡¯s fingernails grew to a length of over 80 centimeters long. Evileye¡¯s instincts told her that they were sharp enough to cut through anything.

    I can¡¯t escape with their bodies. Even if the others came, they¡¯d only get in the way against this guy. At the very least, I need to change the battlefield and make it easier for the other two to find the corpses.

    Evileye quirked up the corner of her mouth.

    The worst-case scenario would be having Lakyus ¡ª who possessed resurrection magic ¡ª encounter this demon. She had to avoid that at all costs.

    ¡°Here Ie!¡±

    In the moment that Evileye was about to challenge him, something fell between them with a thunderous crash.

    Unable to bear that weight, the stone bs shattered, and dust flew everywhere.

    Before her stood a warrior, still kneeling from the force of hisnding.

    His jet-ck armor reflected the calm light of the moon, making for an oddly beautiful sight. His crimson cape fluttered like a roaring ze, with the night sky as a backdrop. Each of his hands held an extraordinary greatsword, gleaming with the light of judgement.

    The dark warrior slowly rose to his feet. He was truly massive. By height alone, he ought to be about as tall as that demon. However, just like fiends would recoil from holy light, Evileye sensed a hint of fear from that powerful demon as he gazed upon that dark warrior. It was as though he had seen something unbelievable.

    Evileye heard the sound of swallowing in the silence. It hade from the demon. That unfathomably powerful demon, whose strength even Evileye could not urately judge, did not dare breathe loudly in the presence of this imposing warrior.

    She heard a cold voice shatter the night.

    ¡°Now then... which of you is my enemy?¡±

 Chapter 43 - Volume 6

    <h4>Overlord Volume 6 Intermission</h4>

    <b>Intermission</b>

    There was a room which was the very definition of ¡°spectacr luxury¡±.

    The bright red carpet on the floor was so soft that it made people feel that their calves were sinking into it. The high-backed chairs were made of high-grade natural lumber and carved with intricate rococo designs, The cushions gleamed with the lustre that only genuine ck leather could produce.

    A man lounged atop the chair, sinking into its back as he extended a pair of long, slender legs before him.

    Noble. If someone were to perfectly capture his appearance in a portrait, that was how they would describe him.

    His blond hair reflected the light of the surrounding magicmps, producing an effect like the radiance of a gxy. The dark purple pupils within his narrow-slitted eyes were like amethysts, enthralling all who looked into them.

    However, anyone whoid eyes upon him would probably have a different impression of him before they praised his noble appearance. Wholly separate from his looks, anyone who personally experienced the presence he radiated ¡ª the natural air of a born leader ¡ª would only be able to form one impression of him.

    That was to say, they would think of him as a ¡°ruler¡±.

    He was Jiiv Rune Farlord El Nix.

    At the tender age of 22, he was the reigning Emperor of the Baharuth Empire. The nobles regarded him with respect and fear, while the people were filled with the utmost respect and praised him as the wisest Emperor in history. In addition, the neighboring countries feared him, because he had earned his title of the Bloody Emperor by purging many nobles.

    There were four other men in the room besides Jiiv, but all of them stood motionless, as though they were statues.

    Jiiv turned his eyes away from the papers he had been looking at for a while and fixed his line of sight in mid-air. He scribed his thoughts onto it, as though there were a ckboard there.

    Before long, Jiiv snorted. It sounded like he was scoffing at something, but also like he was interested.

    The news from his spy within the Empire had produced that reaction from Jiiv.

    At this moment¡ª

    ¡ªThe door opened, without any knocking.

    This outrageously rude behavior made his attendants lower their stances and re at the doorway with hostility. However, once those minions saw who had walked into the room, they immediately stood down and returned to their original stances.

    The person who had entered was an old man, his long beard about half as tall as he was long. His hair was as white as snow, yet it had not thinned out.

    The long years of his life were written on the wrinkles of his face, while his keen eyes concealed the light of wisdom within them.

    He wore a ne made of countless tiny crystal balls, and his withered hands were adorned with several practical, unadorned rings. His pure white robe was baggy and loose, and it was made of a very soft fabric.

    His appearance was the first thing any know-nothing would think of when they heard the word ¡°magic caster¡±.

    ¡°¡ªThings have be troublesome.¡±

    Those were the first words uttered by the old man who had slowly entered the room. He spoke them in a young-sounding voice that seemed thoroughly at odds with his appearance. Jiiv merely moved his eyes, shifting the object of his interested gaze.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Gramps?¡±

    ¡°I have investigated, but it is impossible for us to find him.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, in simple words?¡¯

    ¡°...Your Imperial Majesty. Magic is one of the principles of the world. Knowledge¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yes, I know, I know,¡± Jiiv said with a disinterested wave of his hand. ¡°You ramble on once you get going. Skip that for now and get to the point.¡±

    ¡°...If this Ainz Ooal Gown person truly exists, then he must surely possess some very powerful magic item or some personal power which prevents people from spying on him. In my estimation, he might be able to use magic of a simr, or higher tier than me.

    Everyone in the room grew tense, with the exception of the Emperor and the old man.

    The old man was saying that this person was on par with the highest-tiered magic caster in the Empire¡¯s history, the Imperial Court Wizard, the great sage known as the ¡°Triple Magic Caster¡±, Fluder Paradyne. Everyone else doubted their ears.

    ¡°I see. Is that why you look so happy, Gramps?¡±

    ¡°Of course. In the past 200 years, I have not seen an arcane magic caster who was as powerful or more powerful than myself.¡±

    ¡°Was there someone like that over 200 years ago?¡±

    Driven by curiosity, the Emperor asked his question, and the Imperial Court Wizard began perusing his memory.

    ¡°Well, now. I have only ever met one person like that. One of the Thirteen Heroes from children¡¯s stories, the necromancer Rigrit Bers Carau. Ah, although I think the other magic casters among the Thirteen Heroes were quite exceptional too.

    ¡°Then, is there a more skilled arcane magic caster than yourself out there, Gramps?¡±

    Fluder¡¯s eyes wavered, as though looking into the distance.

    ¡°That is hard to say... I believe I have surpassed her by far now, but... I cannot be certain. That is because it is difficult to determine superiority in the field of magical theory.¡±

    He slowly stroked his beard and his words were humble, though his tone overflowed with confidence. Then, he quirked up an eyebrow.

    ¡°I hope that Ainz Ooal Gown gentleman is a more outstanding person than myself.¡±

    Jiiv smiled in satisfaction, then picked out a sheet of paper and ced it before Fluder.

    Fluder seemed surprised, but he epted the piece of paper and quickly scanned it.

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    That was his opinion. However, a great change came over Fluder¡¯s sagely countenance. His eyes lit up with an ardent me and he looked like a starving beast.

    ¡°I see, so this is why Your Imperial Majesty asked me to investigate Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s actions. How interesting. Two people against what appears to be dozens of the Theocracy¡¯s special forces operatives... Kuku. I would like to sit down and discuss magical knowledge with this gentleman.¡±

    The paper contained Gazef Stronoff¡¯s testimony to the King, and even the recorder¡¯s personal opinion.

    ¡°Then, Your Imperial Majesty. Have you sent anyone to this vige?¡±

    ¡°Not yet. Sending someone over would attract attention.¡±

    ¡°...Perhaps one of my disciples... no, if this missive is trustworthy, it would be best to build friendly rtions with him.¡±

    ¡°I disagree, Gramps. If he is a man of power that we can control, I would like to invite him to the Empire.¡±

    ¡°I believe that would be excellent. In order to plumb the abyss of magic, we need knowledgeable people from many disciplines... It would be best if I could meet someone who zed his own trail.¡±

    His voice was filled with desire.

    Jiiv knew Fluder¡¯s dream.

    Fluder wanted to gaze into the abyss of magic. Therefore, he wanted someone who had been there before to teach him.

    Those behind him only needed to follow in the footsteps of their predecessors ¡ª Fluder, for the most part. They walked the best and most efficient path, using that to fully realize their potential.

    However, Fluder ¡ª as a lonely pioneer ¡ª did not enjoy such good fortune. He had to feel around in the dark by himself, and much of his growth was wasted effort. If he could have saved that trouble and fully cultivated his talent, he would probably be a more potent magic caster.

    Fluder understood that, which was why he desperately wanted to meet someone who could guide him. His talent was limited. He did not want to waste more of it.

    Fluder had trained up disciples in the hope that someone who surpassed him would appear and guide his development. Unfortunately, his wish had not yet been granted.

    That was the only thing Jiiv could not help him with. Therefore, he decided to change the topic.

    ¡°Also, I wish to learn about some adamantite-ranked adventurers who appeared in E-Rantel. Could you help me?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Your Imperial Majesty.¡±

 Chapter 44 - Volume 6

    <h4>Overlord Volume 6 Chapter 10</h4>

    <b>Chapter 10: The Greatest Trump Card</b>

    <b>Part 1</b>

    <b>Lower Fire Month (9th Month), 4th Day, 22:31</b>

    High above the Royal Capital, a group of people flew like shooting stars through the night sky. Two of them were magic casters sustaining a [Fly] spell, and the two others were their passengers.

    One of thetter two was a man in a suit of jet-ck full te armor who carried two massive swords on his back, while the other was a ponytailed beauty. It went without saying that they were Ainz and Narberal.

    That morning, the two of them had epted a quest from the E-Rantel Adventurer¡¯s Guild for an unprecedented amount of money. The client was Marquis Raeven. On the surface, it appeared that the Marquis wished to hire adventurers to enhance his estate¡¯s security in the wake of the recent disturbances, whose causes were unknown.

    Ainz knew that that was not the whole of the matter, and that he would find out more during the progress of the quest.

    The reason was because they wanted to suppress the group known as the Eight Fingers, and they hoped Momon would fight alongside them, against the strongest members of the enemy, the Six Arms.

    Ainz could not find any reason to reject this request.

    Normally, adventurers had an unspoken policy of staying out of national matters. In order not to drive off Ainz ¡ª or rather, Momon the ck ¡ª they had gone to the trouble of preparing a proper request to serve as a cover, and aimed to attract him with avish reward.

    After some thought, Ainz epted the quest under a pretense of reluctance, in order not to make himself seem like a crass bargainer. The catch was that he had to make his way to the capital with all due haste.

    In YGGDRASIL, there were waypoints that could be used to teleport from city to city, but in this new world, there were no such things. Teleportation magic was a 5th tier spell, which Momon and Nabe should not be able to use, and travelling ovend by horseback would take an entire day.

    What was to be done, then? The answer was simple, provided by the magic casters of Marquis Raeven.

    They used elerated flight spells inbination with the [Floating Board] spell, and together they took Ainz and Nabe with them to the capital at great speeds. How did they do this? The answer was very simple. Ainz and Nabe sat on the floating disk, which reduced their effective weight, so carrying the two of them would not slow them down appreciably. In this way, they had rushed straight to the capital all day long until now. However, time was still very tight even with the use of this trick, and they had already fallen behind schedule. Because of this, Ainz was slightly worried. If he arrived and was told he was no longer needed, what reward, if any, could he collect?

    Though Ainz had been drawn by the unprecedented reward, it was doubtful that the requester would be willing to pay out to someone who had done nothing.

    Ainz sighed quietly. He sounded like he was praying, like an employee with a poor performance review hoping against hope for some kind of bonus.

    No matter what, he had to earn this bounty. He had already decided how he would spend it.

    As these thoughts ran through his head, Ainz saw the capital for the first time from the sky at night. He regretted that he could not take his time to enjoy the view. The capital was dark, and it didn¡¯t seem like a bustling city at all. Even so, it was a fascinating experience for Ainz, whose eyes could see clearly in the darkness.

    Watching quietly from above, Ainz¡¯s eyes spotted an interesting sight; a light in the distance.

    Though nothing much happened at first, when he saw the rising ck mes, he realised that this was an emergency situation.

    ¡°Wait! Look! There¡¯s a glow of spellcasting, over there!¡±

    ¡°Indeed... it does look like... some kind of magic...¡±

    The magic caster that had followed the pointing of Ainz¡¯s finger did not seem to think much of it. A normal person would have had trouble making out the glow through the darkness and the distance, much less analyzing it.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is this sort of thingmonce in the capital? Or are these fireworks to wee me?¡±

    The magic caster did notugh at the joke. Indeed, the expression on his face was very serious.

    ¡°That was one of the eight locations we were supposed to attack¡ª¡±

    ¡°I see. I thought we¡¯d arrived toote, but it looks like we¡¯ll be doing some work after all.¡±

    ¡°Understood, we will head towards that location.¡±

    ¡°Stop. It looks like there¡¯s a pretty high-level magic caster present. If you¡¯re pulled into this, don¡¯t you think you might lose your life?¡±

    Then what are we supposed to do? Ainz looked away from the magic caster¡¯s conflicted expression and turned to Narberal.

    ¡°Nabe, use [Fly] and take me in closer. On my mark, drop me right on top of them.¡±

    ¡°Certainly.¡±

    ? ? ?

    <b>Lower Fire Month (9th Month), 4th Day, 22:33</b>

    To Evileye, who was on the brink of life and death, the ck warrior¡¯s question seemed utterly ridiculous. However, she immediately changed her mind. When one thought about it, both of them seemed very suspicious. After all, it was a confrontation between two masked figures and it wasn¡¯t unthinkable that they might be seen as conspirators fighting among themselves.

    Then, hoping that she¡¯d correctly deduced the identity of the ck warrior, Evileye cried out.

    ¡°Dark hero! I am Evileye of Blue Rose, and I appeal to you as a fellow adamantite-ranked adventurer! Please, aid me!¡±

    The moment she made her plea, Evileye realized that she had made a mistake.

    That was the difference in the fighting strength between herself and the enemy. Even with the help of Momon the ck, a fellow adamantite-ranked adventurer, what could they do? The demon facing Evileye was one she could not hope to defeat, even with his help. It would be like going from a scrap of paper to two ¡ª either way, they would both be scattered by the raging storm before them.

    If he epted Evileye¡¯s request, she would be directly responsible for his death. What she should have done was to tell him to flee, and if possible, take the bodies of herrades with him.

    However¡ª

    ¡°¡ªI understand¡±.

    The man stood before the demon, hiding Evileye behind his back.

    Evileye held her breath.

    In the moment that he stood before her, she mistook him for a massive, sturdy wall, the kind that would defend a city. A sense of security and relief filled her to the depths of her heart.

    And the demon confronting them actually bowed his head, as though he were amoner showing due deference to a nobleman. It could not possibly be respect; he must have been mocking him. Was this demon merely ying games?

    ¡°My, my, such an honor you pay us this night. Might I inquire as to your noble name? This one is known as Jaldabaoth.¡±

    Jaldabaoth? She heard the surprised voice of the man underneath the jet-ck helm, followed by a mumbled ¡°What a weird name¡±.

    She did not think it was weird. In fact, Evileye had no idea what to think of it. She knew quite a bit about the lore of demons and other infernal beings, but next to nothing about this name.

    ¡°Jaldabaoth, is it? I understand. My name is Momon, and like she said, I am an adamantite-ranked adventurer.¡±

    Though bathed in Jaldabaoth¡¯s disapproval, the warrior of darkness ¡ª Momon ¡ª carried on as though he had not noticed it at all.

    So that¡¯s what he¡¯s doing, Evileye thought with approval. In order to draw his opponent out and learn from him, Momon exercised his iron discipline and kept his emotions from showing. It was clear why the man called Momon was recognized as a first-rate adventurer.

    Evileye, who was ashamed of how easily her emotions had taken control of her, moved into the shadow of Momon¡¯s crimson cape in order not to distract the two of them from their exchange of words.

    Even though Momon seemed willing enough to assist, she had the feeling that she would be getting in the way.

    Momon and Jaldabaoth did not bother acknowledging Evileye¡¯s presence. In the moment that she moved, they began a duel of wits, each seeking the secrets of the other.

    ¡°Ah, I see. May I then inquire as to the reason you have graced us with your presence this evening?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s for a request. A certain noble hired us to defend his estate... but as I flew through the skies above the Royal Capital, I saw this battle. I assumed that it was an emergency, and naturally I jumped in.¡±

    Said noble was Marquis Raeven, who had requested the presence of adamantite-ranked adventurers in the capital, heedless to the risk of running afoul of the unwritten adventurer¡¯s policy of not getting involved in politics. One could tell he was desperately in need of the manpower to deal with the Eight Fingers.

    ¡°And what is your objective?¡±

    ¡°A mighty item capable of summoning us to this ne andmanding us has found its way to this city. We are here in order to retrieve it, of course.¡±

    ¡°And what if we gave it to you? Wouldn¡¯t that solve the problem?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, that would be impossible. There can only ever be hostility between us.¡±

    ¡°What kind of conclusion is that? De- Jaldabaoth, must we be enemies?¡±

    ¡°That is precisely so.¡±

    Evileye tilted her head at the surreal sight before her. They were simply exchanging information. How did that even make sense?

    ¡°Well, I understand, for the most part. In that case... you shall be defeated here, any problems with that?¡±

    Momon spread both his arms, and the greatswords which were like an extension of his hands seemed to shine.

    ¡°That... would be inconvenient. Do permit me to put up a bit of resistance.¡±

    ¡°Then¡ª here Ie.¡±

    He stepped forward ¡ª no, that was not right. The Momon standing in front of her had vanished. He was engaged in an intense melee with Jaldabaoth.

    It had developed into a struggle that Evileye could not describe with words.

    The after-images of countless swords, parried and countered by the extended ws of Jaldabaoth.

    ¡°Incredible...¡±

    There were many ways to render praise, but at this moment, Evileye, who was entranced by the dazzling swordy before her, could only offer up that single word. It exceeded the blows of all the swordsmen in her memory. She saw the form of a warrior who would cleave through the darkness that wrapped the world and all its evil in one stroke.

    She felt like the princess in the songs of the bards. And the dark warrior before her seemed like a knighte to her rescue.

    An electric current ran up her spine from between her legs, and Evileye¡¯s petite frame quivered.

    The heart of hers that had been still for over 150 years seemed to beat quickly once more.

    cing her hands on her breast, she found that of course there was no movement there. Even so, it felt real enough to her.

    ¡°...Please win, Momon-sama.¡±

    Evileye sped her hands together in fervent prayer, hoping that her knight would triumph over the fearsome devil before her.

    ng! Jaldabaoth was blown a good distance away, with a sound that did not seem like it could havee from a body of flesh and blood. Though he remained on his feet, he was still skidding over the cobblestoned floor at a rate that would swiftly wear out the soles of his shoes. After several dozen meters, he finally came to a halt, and dusted himself off.

    ¡°Truly spectacr. Crossing blows with a genius warrior like yourself might have been a mistake on my part.¡±

    With a great wham, Momon stabbed his sword deep into the stone beneath him. Then, he used his free hand to sweep a chunk of stone away from his neck before calmly replying:

    ¡°Enough with the pleasantries. You¡¯re hiding your true power too, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    It seemed almost unbelievable that neither party was going all-out despite the scope of this battle.

    ¡°Could he be a God-kin?¡±

    The offspring of the beings known as ¡°yers¡± were people who might awaken incredible power from within themselves. The ine Theocracy called these people demigods. Or, more precisely, they were the ones who carried the bloodline of the Six Gods within their veins. If they had the blood of others, they would be termed differently.

    It seemed very likely that this Momon was of the bloodline of a ¡°yer¡±. Or rather, it would be better to say that no human could have possessed such power.

    ¡°My my, it seems I couldn¡¯t hide it from you after all. You are Momon-sa¡ªn, are you not?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, Jaldabaoth, my name is Momon after all.¡±

    ¡°Very well, then. Here Ie. [Aspect of the Devil: Tentacle Wings].¡±

    Wings sprouted from Jaldabaoth¡¯s back, but the feathers covering them were abnormally long, evoking the appearance of tentacles. He spoke evenly to Momon, who remained on his guard.

    ¡°You are strong. There is no doubt that your might exceeds my own. Though it is not exactly to my tastes, permit me the use of this method. While your own defense is formidable, can the same be said of the small fry behind you? How will you deal with that, then? Perhaps you should focus on defending her, no?¡±

    With that, he cast forth a hail of feathers. Their tips were razor-sharp, capable of slicing cleanly through muscle and bone.

    Evileye was defenseless in the face of this onught. She had no more mana to cast ¡®Crystal Wall¡¯. All she could do was wait and hope for a miracle.

    But as it turned out, Evileye had been underestimating the dark warrior.

    As the sound of metal rang out, Evileye looked up, and saw a stout shield standing before her.

    The shattered remains of the feathers were scattered everywhere. Even though they were capable of shredding a human being to pieces, it was still a beautiful sight.

    ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re all right.¡±

    It was a calm male voice. His arm, swinging his sword at incredible speed. His breathing was measured and his tone was calm, even as he furiously deflected the feathersing at them.

    ¡°Ah... ah... Ah! Your shoulder! Are you okay?¡±

    Momon¡¯s pauldron had a feather stuck in it. Said feather had fallen powerlessly out of the air after being cut down. It looked like a decoration on his armor.

    ¡°That¡¯s nothing. Attacks of this level aren¡¯t even worthy of consideration. Rather, I am d that you¡¯re all right.¡±

    He chuckled.

    Evileye felt her heart lurch with a badump. Her face was hot under her mask, which felt like it was going to scald her.

    ¡°Marvellous! For defending her without letting her sustain so much as a scratch, I, Jaldabaoth, offer you my heartiest congrattions. Truly, a marvellous disy.¡±

    ¡°Like I said, enough with the pleasantries. Tell me, Jaldabaoth, why are you pulling away?¡±

    With that, Momon scooped up Evileye in one arm and hugged her close to him.

    ¡°!¡±

    Her unmoving heart felt like it was going to burst from her mouth. In her mind, the stupid stories of the stupid bards kept pounding through her brain, over and over again. Especially the ones where the knight carried the princess while doing battle. Any sensible person would realize that carrying a burden while fighting a strong enemy was nothing but foolishness.

    But¡ª

    Bards throughout the world, I¡¯m sorry! A true knight does indeed carry the frail maiden in his arms, fighting while protecting her. Uwah, what am I thinking! So embarrassing!

    And then, Evileye¡¯s joy fell t in an instant. She imagine herself in a princess carry position. However, in reality¡ª

    ¡°This is...¡±

    ¡ªShe was being carried like a piece of luggage under his left arm. No, that was actually the best way to do it. Compared to a mature adult woman, Evileye was small and light. In order to maintain his center of gravity, it made perfect sense for Momon to carry her like this.

    She knew she had no grounds toin, and her heart still burned with the anger of seeing herpanions murdered. She knew full well this was not the time for such foolishness. Even so, there was no way to fully quell the unhappiness inside her heart.

    Maybe if she had hugged him of her own ord, it might have made things easier for him. But she was not confident of being able to hang on to him if he chose to fight at those breakneck speeds again, so she kept quiet.

    Evileye once again watched the battle unfolding between Momon and Jaldabaoth. The distance between the two of them had widened further than before, but for the top-ss warrior and the super-ss demon, it seemed little more than an extra step for both of them.

    ¡°Then, shall we begin?¡±

    ¡°No, I believe that will be all for now. Like I said earlier, my objective is not to defeat you. We have already engulfed part of the capital in mes. Once we have established the breach, rest assured that we shall certainly send you to the underworld atop a pyre of purgatorial me.¡±

    With that, Jaldabaoth turned and vanished. His movements did not seem hurried, but in moments the distance between them had lengthened, and he faded into the night.

    ¡°No. No, this isn¡¯t good, Momon-sama, if we don¡¯t pursue him¡ª¡±

    As Jaldabaoth vanished from sight, Evileye began to panic, but Momon shook his head.

    ¡°I can¡¯t do that. He was retreating in order to carry out his n. If I pursued him, he would fight with his full power. And if he did that...¡±

    Momon did not have to finish the sentence for Evileye to understand.

    If he gets serious, you¡¯ll get caught in his attacks and die. Something to that effect. But even if they stayed put, that despicable fiend would surely use attacks that would hit Evileye anyway.

    The fact that Momon was defending Evileye proved that Evileye had value as a hostage.

    Momon had risked himself to save her life, and she could not do anything to help him. She hated that. To think she had said such high-sounding things to Climb.

    ¡°Now then, Nabe. What do you think we should do?¡±

    In response, a woman descended slowly from the sky. The Dark Hero Momon¡¯s team included the magic caster known as the Beautiful Princess. Back then, Evileye hadughed at the vanity of such a nickname, but now, with the real person in front of her, she found herself holding her breath.

    She was too beautiful. A foreigner... with looks like that, she must havee from the south. Evileye kept watching her, unable to look away.

    ¡°Momon-sa¡ªn. Why don¡¯t we head to the residence of the nobleman who hired us, as originally nned?¡±

    ¡°Should we ignore Jaldabaoth? Isn¡¯t stopping that fellow¡¯s ns the whole reason why I¡¯m here?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps, but we should still obtain the permission of the client. That seems most important.¡±

    ¡°¡ªThat is true.¡±

    ¡°In light of that, I suggest tossing that oversized mosquito aside.¡±

    ¡°Hm? Ah, forgive me, I was worried you might have been hit by that attack just now.¡±

    Momon slowly lowered Evileye to the ground.

    ¡°No¡ªplease, don¡¯t mind me. I understood your intentions.¡±

    Evileye bowed deeply to Momon.

    ¡°Thank you very much for all your help. Allow me to reintroduce myself. I am Evileye, of the adamantite ranked adventuring party Blue Rose.¡±

    ¡°No need to be so formal, I am Momon, an adamantite-ranked adventurer like yourself. The magic caster here is mypanion, Nabe. So what will you do after this? Are those two yourpanions? If you need someone to carry them for you, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡±

    He pointed to Gagaran and Tia.

    ¡°I am deeply grateful for your offer, but there is no need. Our colleagues should be arriving soon. Perhaps they can cast the resurrection spell upon them here.¡±

    ¡°Resurrection spells... you can use them?¡±

    ¡°Ah... ah, yes. Our team leader Lakyus can bring the dead back to life.¡±

    ¡°I see! Then... if I may ask, from how far away can one cast a resurrection spell?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°That is to say, let¡¯s say you wanted to resurrect these two. If you cast your spell from far away... in the Empire, for example, where would they resurrect? In the Empire, or where their bodiesy?¡±

    Why was he so interested in resurrection magic?

    Curiosity, perhaps? People who could use the 5th tier of divine magic were very rare, so it was not unusual to be interested in this topic.

    Perhaps someone important to him had died. In that case, Evileye¡¯s reply would be cruel to him. She could only pray that was not the case.

    ¡°I¡¯m not too clear on the details, but I heard Lakyus needs to be very close by in order to cast the resurrection spell. So, with regard to your question, it would be impossible to cast the spell from the Empire, Momon-sama.¡±

    ¡°Mmm. Then, another question; after resurrection, would the two of them be able to fight immediately?¡±

    ¡°It would be impossible,¡± Evileye replied.

    The spell Lakyus cast was the 5th-tier spell [Raise Dead]. The process of resurrection drained tremendous amounts of life force. Iron-ranked adventurers and below would be reduced to ash without fail if it was cast on them. Adamantite-ranked adventurers could be revived without a problem, but the resurrection would drain so much life energy from them that they would not be able to move, and recovering this life energy would take a long time.

    If Jaldabaoth was right, not only were they still in danger, but they would also be deprived of a great amount of fighting strength.

    ...No, under these conditions, nobody can fight Jaldabaoth besides the great man in front of me. Resurrecting the two of them would do nothing to alter the circumstances. It would be wiser for them to focus on recovery after their revival.

    ¡°I see... I think I have the general idea now. If possible, I think I would like to meet this Lakyusdy. Would it be possible for me to wait here with you?¡±

    ¡°Wha! W-w-w-why do you want to see Lakyus?!¡±

    Evileye¡¯s words had already left her mouth before she could recover herposure. She did not understand the reason why she had spoken them either. In the instant she heard Momon saying that he wanted to see Lakyus, her heart was filled with resentment. It even shocked herself, and her outburst had rmed Momon too.

    Under her mask, her face began reddening with shame, and she was d that the cloak covered up the tips of her ears which were also turning red.

    ¡°I... I was hoping to ask about revival magic, and also to meet with the leader of Blue Rose, who are fellow adventurers of the same rank as myself, and who are my seniors besides. That, and Jaldabaoth might be gone, but there¡¯s no guarantee he will not return. Is that so displeasing?¡±

    ¡°N-no, it¡¯s not like that... ah, I¡¯m sorry I shouted at you.¡±

    The resentment in her chest vanished the moment she heard Jaldabaoth¡¯s name; she knew they had to be on guard against him.

    Thinking carefully on what had already been said... I should have seen thating. As for looking out for Jaldabaoth¡¯s return... That implies he wants to protect me? Fufu...

    ¡°Then, while we wait, do you mind if I ask about what happened before?¡±

    ¡°Before that, I need to take care of myrades¡¯ bodies. I can¡¯t just leave them here. There¡¯s no problem with moving them, is there?¡±

    Of course there was no problem. With that, Evileye went over to the bodies.

    She¡¯d thought they would have been burned beyond recognition, but it seemed that the devil¡¯s mes had only burned the soul rather than the flesh. The corpses were immacte. After closing their eyes and crossing their arms over their chests, Evileye withdrew a Shroud of Sleep from her pack, and began by wrapping up Tia.

    ¡°What is this?¡±

    ¡°This is a magic item that stops the decay and rigor mortis of a body when wrapped around it. It¡¯s very useful for those who use resurrection spells.¡±

    While this was so, Momon noticed during Evileye¡¯s reply that she was struggling to wrap up Gagaran¡¯s bulky frame, so he decided to lend a hand by lifting up her body with his incredible arm strength. When the bodies were wrapped up, Evileye solemnly sped her palms together, praying for the souls of the dead and for Lakyus to revive them.

    ¡°Thank you for your help.¡±

    ¡°Think nothing of it. As I was asking earlier, could you tell me what exactly happened here?¡±

    Evileye nodded, and began recounting the events that hade to pass. What she knew, what they¡¯d nned to do, and the story of their encounter with the insect maid and the battle where Jaldabaoth had made his entrance.

    As she spoke of how she had nearly finished off the insect maid, a change came over Momon and Nabe, who had been quietly listening to her story up until now.

    ¡°Then, did you kill her?¡±

    His words were neutral, but the anger behind them was unmistakable.

    Evileye was rmed. Why would he be upset about killing Jaldabaoth¡¯s maid? But she decided to finish telling the story.

    ¡°No, we didn¡¯t kill her. Jaldabaoth appeared before we could do that.¡±

    ¡°...Is that so? I see, I see.¡±

    The anger vanished, and Evileye wondered if he had even been angry in the first ce. But, the silent Nabe¡¯s hard eyes were still filled with simmering wrath. It was difficult to tell if she disdained everyone in this way.

    Momon coughed, and asked, ¡°Then... if you hadn¡¯t tried to kill the insect maid, do you think Jaldabaoth would have attacked you?¡±

    Evileye instantly realized why Momon had been angry. The insect maid had been neutral, and for all she knew, the two of them attacking her might have been the trigger for the present events. They had trod on the tail of a tiger which they should not have.

    It was only natural for adventurers to avoid unnecessary battles. If a group of high-level adventurers didn¡¯t know this, it would disgrace the name of adamantite-ranked adventurers, and even Momon himself. That should be the reason why he was upset. Even so, Evileye could not fully agree with that line of reasoning.

    ¡°Jaldabaoth said that he had consumed part of the Capital in hellfire. A maid following someone like that couldn¡¯t possibly be a normal person. I believe my colleagues¡¯ decision to fight her was the correct course of action.¡±

    That was the one thing she could notpromise on. That maid had been stronger than Gagaran and Tia. Knowing this, they had still fought on¡ª there had to be a reason for that. She had to believe that herrades had had a good reason for what they did.

    The defensive Evileye and the silent Momon looked at each other, as though peering through her mask and his closed helm. Although neither could see each other¡¯s face, Evileye was certain that she was staring into Momon¡¯s eyes.

    In the end, Momon was the first to look away.

    ¡°Mmm. Ah. I see. You were right. I apologize.¡±

    He lowered his head to her. That shocked Evileye. Even though her belief in herrades was firm, she still couldn¡¯t make her savior humble himself like that.

    ¡°Ah! Please, raise your head! Such a wonderful person like you should... Ueeeeee?¡±

    As she realised what she had just said, Evileye let out a pathetic yelp.

    While it was true that Momon was an outstanding individual, when you thought about it, using the word ¡°wonderful¡± to describe him was...

    Evileye squealed in her heart.

    Aaaaah! I can¡¯t help it, he¡¯s too damn cool! Is it wrong for me to feel like a girl again, just once in hundreds of years? After all, he¡¯s a mighty warrior who¡¯s stronger than me...

    Given the way Evileye was looking at Momon like a lovestruck schoolgirl, if he felt embarrassed and said so, that meant she still had a chance. If not, her chances would be miniscule.

    Evileye¡¯s body had stopped developing at the age of twelve. As such, she possessed none of the parts that men wanted to see. Whether it came to inducing the fires of lust in others, or satisfying said lust, it would have been very difficult for her. Of course, a certain subset of men would have been very attracted to her, but they were a minority. With a beauty like Nabe nearby, her chances seemed even slimmer.

    As Evileye gathered her courage to look at him, she found that Momon and Nabe were looking at the night sky instead.

    She didn¡¯t quite know what they were doing at first, but when she remembered how she had wailed just now, it came to her. The two of them had taken her cry as a warning.

    No, it¡¯s not~

    With nothing to say, the feeling drove her to the brink of tears.

    ¡°...Perhaps you were mistaken? There¡¯s nothing there,¡± Momon said as he scanned the surrounding sky.

    ¡°...D-don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯m truly sorry.¡±

    ¡°Ah, think nothing of it. It¡¯s better to be mistaken than ambushed.¡±

    Nabe returned her sword to her back, as Momon replied to Evileye with one sword in hand.

    His gentleness left Evileye speechless. In that moment, the edge of her vision lit up. The color was not the pure white of magic, but a malevolent red, the color of a roaring ze.

    ¡°Momon-san, look over there.¡±

    As Nabe said this, the two of them turned to look at the crimson radiance. Evileye¡¯s eyes widened, for she knew what had caused the fire.

    ¡°What? That¡¯s...¡±

    The crimson fire spat tongues of me toward the sky, as though it aimed to burn down the heavens. It was easily more than thirty meters high, and she could hardly imagine how wide it was¡ª several hundred meters, maybe more.

    The wall of me swayed like a veil, and encircled the city like a girdle.

    Evileye, who had been shocked senseless by the sight, heard a soft male voice in her ear.

    ¡°...The mes of Gehenna?¡±

    As though her neck was on springs, she snapped her head to the side to face Momon.

    ¡°That, that, what, what is that? Momon, do you know what that huge wall of me is?¡±

    Momon¡¯s shoulders trembled slightly as he replied, with an uncharacteristk of confidence.

    ¡°Eh? Ah... no, no, I can¡¯t be very sure about that. Can I tell you again after I confirm the details?¡±

    ¡°That... that¡¯s all right...¡±

    ¡°I need to discuss something with Nabe, please excuse us.¡±

    ¡°Eh, can¡¯t Ie along too?¡±

    ¡°Ah, no, it¡¯s a personal thing. Please, excuse us.¡±

    It was so basic, so obvious that Evileye felt ashamed for even asking in the first ce. Her wandering eyes settled on the woman known as the Beautiful Princess.

    On her face was a triumphant smile.

    She might have been mistaken, but then again, she might not. It was only natural for a woman to feel superior to all other women when a great man paid special attention to her.

    Evileye was unable to suppress the strange feeling boiling up inside her. It was an anger that disgusted her; the mes of jealousy.

    He¡¯s not just strong, he also knows things even I don¡¯t... I¡¯ll never meet a man like him again.

    Human females were naturally attracted to the strong. When threatened by a powerful outside force, it triggered a reproductive instinct to join with a strong male and bear his children, receiving protection for herself and her offspring. Of course, not all women would select a man in this manner. Personality, looks, many factors could lead to love. Even so, there was a very strong inclination to look for strength in a partner.

    Evileye looked down on such women.

    It¡¯s foolish to want to be protected because you¡¯re weak. Instead, all you need to do is be strong, and you won¡¯t need anyone to protect you. That should be the way.

    But if she let a man like this go, would she ever meet anyone else who could satisfy her sopletely like he could?

    Evileye would not age, but Momon would surely grow old and die before her. And no matter how hard she tried, Evileye would never be able to bear Momon¡¯s children. Decadester, she would be lonely again. Still, she thought it might be good to live as a woman for once in her life.

    Another woman can have the child. The most important thing is love. I certainly won¡¯t begrudge him a mistress or two.

    ¡°Then, please wait here for a while. I apologize for... Evileye?¡±

    ¡°Hm? Ahh, I¡¯m sorry. I was thinking about something myself, things to discuss with my party. I¡¯ll wait here, then.¡±

    Truth to be told, she did not want to part with him. But she also did not want to hang around the woman to whom she had wholeheartedly admitted her defeat.

    Of course, she could not say such a thing.

    Nobody wanted a woman who was too clingy. Men were creatures who wanted to flee the more you tried to tie them down.

    She recalled the idle chatter in the tavern. She hadughed it off at that time because she thought it had nothing to do with her.

    What a waste. Even trivia like that has its uses. I should have listened closely... but would it be toote to start now? Will I have time to learn how to be a woman?

    As she watched the receding shapes of the two adventurers, Evileye¡¯s head started filling with wild thoughts.

    She knew now was not the time for idle fantasies, but she knew too little about what was going on, let alone how to proceed, and so she didn¡¯t do anything. Even so, Evileye would be going into a battle in which she might perish. In that event, she might as well sigh and earnestly consider something else to prevent her dwelling on it.

    ...it¡¯s a fact.

    She did not know what her body was good for if it could not bear children, but it was an avenue that was still worth thinking about.

    ...Haaa. Defeating Jaldabaoth and making a future...

    The ze in Evileye¡¯s heart roared up, as though challenging Jaldabaoth¡¯s wall of fire.

    The only one who can beat you is Momon-sama. Then, I will dispose of the trash around you. This time, if the maid shows herself, I will kill her. I was once the cursed being known as Landfall! Don¡¯t look down on me, Jaldabaoth!

    ? ? ?

    ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll be able to hear us here.¡±

    ¡°It would be very difficult to listen in on us from so far away.¡±

    ¡°Even so, we should still be prepared.¡±

    Ainz activated a cash item. It had the power to prevent eavesdropping, but it felt like a waste because it was a one-use item. However, he had no choice.

    ¡°Then, Nabe, I think I¡¯ve seen through Demiurge¡¯s n for the most part. However, the moreplex the machine, the more easily it goes out of control when a single gear goes loose. The same applies to schemes. We must avoid acting like we¡¯ve won and not confirming the facts just because we seem to have the upper hand. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°I see... as expected of our supreme liege.¡±

    Narberal¡¯s praise came from the bottom of her heart, and Ainz acknowledged it with a regal nod of his head. It was as though he were saying that everything was going ording to n.

    This was not the case.

    He felt as though he was going to drown in theke formed from his non-existent cold sweat.

    He could not even grasp the meaning behind Demiurge¡¯s scheme. Ainz had simply gone into the battle with the idea of showing off his fighting skills in a debut battle at the Royal Capital.

    The shock of learning that his opponent was Demiurge had shattered hisposure utterly. Only the emotion override unique to undead beings had kept him calm.

    After that he thought he would just be fighting the Eight Fingers just going by his orders, but then he learned that he would be doing battle with adamantite-ranked adventurers. Because he didn¡¯t know what was going on at all, Ainz had nearly given up on thinking things through.

    Speaking thoughtlessly under these conditions would sound entirely unnatural. Ainz knew that it was extremely dangerous to pretend understanding when one was actually ignorant. Perhaps it might have been wiser to reveal hisck of knowledge, but under the circumstances, it was ill-advised. A Supreme Being worthy of loyalty would have to demonstrate a fitting amount of foreknowledge.

    If a superior¡ªespecially one of a CEO¡¯s level¡ªproved himself too ipetent, his subordinates would lose their trust in him.

    Therefore, he had frantically racked his non-existent brain cells to produce the aphorism he had just spouted.

    Perhaps Narberal was too honest, or the words he spoke had been unexpectedly meaningful. Narberal¡¯s eyes were filled with respect. As such, Ainz made a request of her under the pretense of ordering her.

    ¡°Umu. Then, in order to ensure the sess of Demiurge¡¯s operation, make contact with him. I will not do it personally because that woman might still be watching. And right now, I cannot use magic. Hm... that Evileye hadn¡¯t let her guard down for a single moment. I don¡¯t have proof, but I¡¯m sure she¡¯s already suspecting me.¡±

    ¡°How could that be? There¡¯s no such thing. Perhaps there¡¯s another reason she¡¯s looking so closely at you.¡±

    Ainz looked at Narberal while trying not to make it obvious that he was staring at her.

    ¡°That has to be the reason. I roughly understand how that woman thinks. I believe revealing my anger when we discussed Entoma was a fatal mistake. Perhaps I should have just killed her off without hesitation?¡±

    There was no answer to his words.

    When he had heard Entoma had nearly been killed, Ainz¡¯s anger had red up. Although it had been suppressed in an instant like all intense emotions, in that instant that he had been filled with murderous rage. It was a miracle that he had not promptly chopped off Evileye¡¯s head with his sword.

    He had suppressed his killing intent and not acted on his anger because earlier, he had concluded that killing Evileye would have been counterproductive. At longst he had found an introduction to someone who could use resurrection magic¡ªand they were in a position to benefit from it. Ruining this would be too much of a waste.

    Perhaps I¡¯ve grown, and learned to control myself.

    If it had not been for Shalltear¡¯s brainwashing, it was possible that he would have ignored the potential gains to Nazarick and killed Evileye. The Great Tomb of Nazarick and the NPCs created by his former friends were treasures that Ainz wanted to protect. He would not forgive any attempt to stain them. To that end, he also had to consider what was most important and which choices to make to attain it. That was maturity.

    Ainz reflected that his capacity had grown to match his experience, and the illusion of the face underneath his closed helm smiled to itself. At this rate, there was no doubt that he would be able to be a true ruler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. Or rather, he hoped to reach that stage.

    Before that, I have to avoid disappointing people or suffering great setbacks... it¡¯ll be very hard on me...

    ¡°Is that so? As expected of Ainz-sama, youpletely saw through that woman. Such vision could only belong to one destined to sit upon the throne.¡±

    ¡°Enough with the pleasantries, Narberal. More urately, it was my gaffe which led to her suspicion.¡±

    Ainz waved Narberal off in a gesture that also hid his embarrassment. Then, in a steely voice, he issued hismand.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Narberal. Go and discover all the details of this scheme, and then tell me about them. Also, tell Albedo that if this drags on, we will have to join in clearing up Jaldabaoth¡¯s mess.¡±

    Narberal bowed and cast a spell.

    Inside his heart, Ainz rejoiced. He had not lied to Narberal. Ainz¡¯s current use of the [Perfect Warrior] spell meant that he could not use magic. Thus, using Narberal to cast a [Message] to Demiurge was only logical. But there was another reason, one that he could not say out loud.

    In order to better pretend that he had already seen through Demiurge¡¯s ns, and not let Albedo and Demiurge suspect anything, he had to minimize contact with them.

    If he assigned Narberal to do it, it would be like ying a game of telephone, and some of the information might end up distorted. However, it was a small risk.

    It was nothingpared to damaging his image as the supreme ruler of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.

    Ainz slowly made his way back to Evileye.

    While Narberal was talking to Demiurge, it would be up to him to draw her attention.

    ¡°Good grief.. it¡¯d be good if I could bluff my way through this somehow. Speaking of which, I wonder what the face of a child with such power looks like under the mask...¡±

    <b>Part 2</b>

    <b>Lower Fire Month (9th Month), 5th Day 00:47</b>

    Though it was in the middle of the night, a corner of the Royal Capital was lit up by torches as though it were broad daylight. A somewhat cramped room was packed full of men and women. They were all dressed in battle gear, but there was no unifying theme among them.

    They were all adventurers within the Royal Capital who had responded to a hasty summons. Orichalcum and mithril-ranked adventurers notwithstanding, even lowly iron and copper-ranked adventurers were present for this.

    The more senior adventurers had already realized that the why reason outsiders like themselves had been permitted into the Royal Pce was in order to take care of the problems guing the Royal Capital. Some of these adventurers had already begun guessing at their employer upon seeing the youth in white armor standing at attention in the corner. Even fewer of these adventurers had any idea of the true identity of the katana-bearing man who stood beside the youth.

    The great door to the chamber suddenly opened, and what appeared was a group of women¡ªand one man¡ªcausing a stir.

    Every one of them was known to the adventurers within the Kingdom.

    At their head was the leader of the adamantite ranked adventuring party ¡°Blue Rose¡±, Lakyus Alvein Dale Aindra.

    Close behind her was the Golden Princess Renner, along with the leader of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild in the capital. Then there was Evileye of Blue Rose and one of the twins. And at the back was the strongest warrior of the Kingdom, Gazef Stronoff.

    As the group stood before the gathered adventurers, the youth in white armor unrolled the scroll in his hands, and pasted it onto the wall behind him.

    It was a detailed map of the Royal Capital.

    The first to speak was a woman in her forties, a former member of a mithril ranked adventuring party whose eyes were still filled with vitality.

    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, to begin with, I¡¯d like to thank you for being able to be present for this emergency meeting.¡±

    After the room had quietened down, she continued to address the adventurers with an earnest expression on her face.

    ¡°Normally, the Adventurer¡¯s Guild would never interfere in national affairs.¡±

    Every eye turned to the members of Blue Rose, but they remained silent. After all, eyes could not speak like the mouth could.

    ¡°However, this is an exceptional case. The Adventurer¡¯s Guild has decided to cooperate fully with the Kingdom, in order to quickly resolve the problems facing us. The princess will rte the details to us, so I pray you will be quiet and listen.¡±

    The Princess slowly advanced, nked by the members of Blue Rose and Gazef Stronoff.

    ¡°I am Renner Theiere Chardelon Ryle Vaiself, and I am deeply grateful that everyone here was able to respond to the extraordinary summons issued tonight.¡±

    She bowed demurely to them, and several sighs of affection rose from the adventurers as they saw the delicate sight before them.

    ¡°Normally, I would render duly deserved praise upon all of you, but as time is of the essence, let us get straight to the point. Tonight, a portion of the capital¡ª¡±

    Here the princess raised a finger to a part of the map ¡ªthe northeast corner¡ª and drew a circle around it.

    ¡°¡ªHas been surrounded by a wall of fire. The mes are more than thirty meters in height, and I am certain you have all seen them.¡±

    Most of the adventurers nodded in agreement, while some went to the pce windows to look outside. The high walls surrounding the pce meant that they could not see the wall of fire directly, but the reflected light from the mes stained the sky red, and that they could see.

    ¡°This me ought to be an illusion of some sort, because touching it does not cause harm. ording to those who have contacted it, the fire does not have heat, or impede movement. Moving past the firewall should not pose a problem either.¡±

    At this, the lower-ranked adventurers breathed sighs of relief.

    ¡°The mastermind behind this incident is known as Jaldabaoth, an extremely powerful and vicious demon. Blue Rose has already confirmed that there are low-ranking demons on the other side of the firewall. They seem to be acting entirely on orders from their superiors.¡±

    Lakyus nodded to Renner as she said that.

    ¡°...Strike at the head and the body will die... a basic tactic. Does that mean all we have to do is defeat Jaldabaoth?¡±

    Renner turned to acknowledge the speaker, an adventurer with a mithril te upon his neck.

    ¡°That might be an oversimplification, but fundamentally, that is true. However, what I wish to ask of all of you is to defeat this devil¡¯s plot. We have information that suggests that he is here to seize a certain magic item which is on its way to the capital.¡±

    That news sparked a disturbance among the adventurers. They had finally realized that the region encircled by the firewall included the warehouses and shophouses that made up the capital¡¯s economic heart.

    ¡°...How did youe by this information?¡±

    ¡°It was stated by Jaldabaoth himself.¡±

    ¡°Then don¡¯t you think there¡¯s a high chance this information could be false?¡±

    ¡°Certainly, it is not out of the question. It might end up being a massive feint. However, I believe it to be urate. The enemy has not made any movements ever since they set up the wall of fire. More importantly, if what Jaldabaoth says is true, then inaction will mean that all we can do is watch the worst-case scenario unfolding before our eyes. Therefore, we must seize the initiative.¡±

    ¡°How strong is that Jaldabaoth you mentioned? I don¡¯t remember hearing or reading about him. It would help us if you could tell us his difficulty level.¡±

    Lakyus stepped forward with a stern expression on her face.

    ¡°My colleague Evileye is the one who is most familiar with Jaldabaoth¡¯s strength, but we do not know the specifics yet. We will update youter.¡±

    Adventurers rated the strength of the monsters which they encountered by their difficulty ranking. The higher the number, the stronger the opponent. However, it was an unspoken rule that one should not rely too heavily on difficulty rankings, because it would lead to nasty surprises. The strength of monsters varied even within their own species and at best, a difficulty ranking was an educated guess. Thus, it was not a value that was frequently used. However, it was a simple way to exin things to a group like this.

    ¡°I shall speak of what I know as my group¡¯s representative. Myrades encountered an insect maid ¡ªbelieved to be one of Jaldabaoth¡¯s followers¡ª and defeated her, only for Jaldabaoth to appear and engage us in battle...¡±

    The absence of Gagaran the warrior and Tia the rogue had already been noticed by the adventurers present. Lakyus looked around at the adventurers in the room.

    ¡°They were killed by Jaldabaoth.¡±

    ¡°With a single blow.¡±

    Chaos broke out with Evileye¡¯s statement. Adamantite-ranked adventurers were the pinnacle of humanity, living legends. It was unthinkable that they could be killed, let alone in a single blow.

    ¡°Do not be afraid!¡±

    Evileye shouted as though she would disperse the fear in the air with her voice.

    ¡°Certainly, Jaldabaoth is powerful. I can vouch for this, having faced him with nothing to show for it but defeat. That is a monster that no ordinary human can defeat. Even if every person here gathered to fight him, we would simply be defeated as a group. But there is no need to worry. There is a man who can do battle evenly with Jaldabaoth!¡±

    Amidst themotion, some of the brighter adventurers looked to a certain ce¡ª to a certain adventurer.

    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I believe you know this man. From the third adamantite-ranked adventuring team that was recently founded in E-Rantel of the Kingdom¡ª indeed, it is him¡ª¡±

    Evileye pointed her finger at the pair of adventurers, and the eyes of the entire room went with her.

    ¡°The leader of Darkness, the Dark Hero Momon-dono!¡±

    One was encased in night-ck te armor and wearing a helmet that he refused to remove even indoors, while the other was a world-ss beauty. The two of them instantly became the center of everyone¡¯s attention. Exmations of awe and wonder filled the room as they realised the celebrities they had in their midst.

    Momon shifted his adamantite te from within the folds of his crimson cape to where everyone could see it.

    ¡°Quickly, Momon-san, pleasee to the front of the room.¡±

    In contrast to Evileye¡¯s excitement, Momon simply raised a hand in reply, and whispered a few words in Narberal¡¯s ear.

    ¡°Momon-san says there is no need for a lengthy introduction. We should begin the briefing quickly.¡±

    ¡°Well, that is a shame. Then, let us make haste, as Momon-sama suggests. Evileye, may I continue the briefing?¡±

    ¡°Cough, uh, apologies, Princess Renner, please, continue.¡±

    Even though her mask concealed her face, one could tell how Evileye felt from the disappointed tone of her voice.

    ¡°As Evileye said, we have a warrior who can stand against Jaldabaoth. Everyone, please rest assured that we are not picking a fight we cannot win. Then, I shall exin the details of the operation.¡±

    Renner sketched a line on the map.

    ¡°To begin with, I would like you to act as our bow.¡±

    ¡°A bow?¡± came a doubtful voice, ¡°Not a shield?¡±

    ¡°A shield will not help us win. To begin with, I wish to form the adventurers up into a battle line, followed closely by a line of guards. Behind them will be the support line of priests and magic casters. In this way, we will advance into the enemy stronghold. At this point, if the enemy does not engage us, then we will have the adventurers advance into the enemy headquarters and suppress the area. If we are attacked, we will first determine if we can repel the attack. If possible, we will advance. If not, then I must ask the adventurers to retreat while drawing off the enemy. In the meantime the guards will hold off the enemy as long as possible. If the adventurers must retreat, then they will head here.¡±

    She pointed to the support line of the magic casters.

    ¡°You will heal here, and from there we will see about mounting another attack.¡±

    ¡°Hang on! Does this mean... the guards will be fighting on our behalf?¡±

    The guards had very low fighting strength. It seemed impossible for them to substitute for an adventurer inbat.

    Just as Renner was about to reply, another adventurer spoke up.

    ¡°Another thing, there¡¯s a fatal w in this n. While retreating, our formation will stretch out, and our defensive power will weaken as a result. What if the demons attack the capital in the meantime? Even a low-ranking demon is far more powerful than an average human. We¡¯ll end up taking a lot of casualties, won¡¯t we? Instead, why don¡¯t we use [Fly] to prate the enemy formation in one movement?¡±

    ¡°I have considered this method as well, but is it not true that demons count many flyers among their numbers?¡±

    The gathered adventurers recalled tales of flying demons and nodded to Renner. Even low-ranking demons had wings, and many could fly.

    ¡°The usual application of [Fly] will only serve to draw the eyes of the enemy to ourselves. I had considered starting at a high altitude, then suddenly plunging to the ground and using the buildings of the city to block the enemy¡¯s vision while we assaulted them at high speed from cover... but there is another matter to discuss before this. You mentioned earlier that when retreating, the battle lines would spread, and the defense would weaken. The same applies to our enemy. So for this battle, we are not a shield, but a bow.¡±

    Shouts of approval came up from the adventurers.

    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, you will be the bow of our Kingdom, drawn and loosed, to pierce our foe straight through the heart.¡±

    As the adventurers spread out, the enemy would follow them. This would also thin out the enemy¡¯s defenses. It would be easier to attack from the nks than from the front.

    Forming the adventurers up into a line was a feint intended to thin out the enemy.

    ¡°Our arrow will be Momon-sama here. When he sees the enemy lines open up, he will make a low-altitude flying assault to break through them.¡±

    ¡°...how about Red Drop? Even if they are adamantite-ranked adventurers, I don¡¯t see how two people can break through by themselves. To be safe, don¡¯t we need someone to screen them before they reach Jaldabaoth?¡±

    One of the adventurers asked that question, and the guildmaster, standing at the head of the crowd, answered on Renner¡¯s behalf.

    ¡°At the moment, they are performing a task within the borders of the Republic. We have already used [Message] to inform them of the situation, but returning will still them take half a day. By that time, it would be toote. So this time round, we are not counting their strength into our ns.¡±

    ¡°Then how about Blue Rose? Will they be going in with Momon-san?¡±

    ¡°...Our battle strength has been greatly depleted with the loss of two of our members. Tina and I will join the battle line and fight. Evileye will be doing something else.¡±

    ¡°...I will be apanying Momon-san... Momon-dono as he makes his entry, so I have been focusing on restoring my mana up until now.¡±

    ¡°Then let me ask another question. I¡¯d like to ask the Warrior Captain something. What about the nobles¡¯ house troops and warriors? Blue Rose has already lost two members. You should be taking their ce in battle. Couldn¡¯t you lead those troops into battle, and let Blue Rose handle the task of clearing the path for Momon-san?¡±

    ¡°Answer us!¡±

    Gazef stepped forward.

    ¡°The house troops are responsible for protecting their masters¡¯ estates, and the soldiers look to the defense of the capital. And the warriors I lead are tasked with defending the royal family.¡±

    There was a hubbub among the adventurers, and the same person spoke up again.

    ¡°So you¡¯re saying you won¡¯t be setting foot on the battlefield, Stronoff-sama?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, that is so. My duty is to stay in the Royal Pce and protect the members of the Royal Family.¡±

    The air had changed. It had turned harsh. Gazef¡¯s words were could not be faulted, but even if one could understand them on an intellectual level, it was still uneptable on an emotional level. The ones who earned their coin in blood were the adventurers, and they were already prepared to sell their lives dearly in theing battle. The nobles and royalty should have been the same way. Having taken the money of the masses, they should be rushing to their rescue instead of holing up safe in their castles.

    This was especially since they were taking the Kingdom¡¯s strongest man as their bodyguard.

    Hostility against the nobles and particrly the royals filled the air. Gazef took a step back. He understood that at this point, anything he said would only sound like an excuse.

    Therefore, the one who spoke for him was Lakyus.

    ¡°Everyone, I understand you are not happy with his arrangement. But before that, I would advise you to keep one thing in mind. The one paying to gather you all here is not the Royal Family, but Princess Renner herself, out of her own private finances. The one who brought Momon-san here was Marquis Raeven. He is not here tonight because he is on guard against any demons which might be dispersed in the capital. Certainly, I am as unhappy with the nobles and royals as you are, but I would like you to consider that not all of them are cut from the same cloth.¡±

    The room calmed down somewhat as Lakyus finished her piece. Everyone was trying to control the anger they did not want to show to Renner.

    ¡°...and there is one more thing. Before we fire the arrow, we must perform one more task. Climb!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Princess!¡±

    His energetic voice drew everyone¡¯s attention to the boy in the white armor.

    ¡°Although it is a very dangerous task, I must still entrust you with it. When we enter the enemy stronghold, there might be survivors. Please rescue them.¡±

    Murmured whispers rose up from the adventurers. ¡°Impossible¡±, ¡°it¡¯s too much¡±, that sort of thing. Entering the heart of the enemy formation and looking for survivors was not so much dangerous as outright suicidal. And escorting powerless civilians back out through a war zone was practically impossible.

    Still, Climb answered immediately.

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty! I will stake my life to aplish any task you ask of me!¡±

    Everyone looked at Climb as though he were mad.

    ¡°...Hime-san, Climb is just one man, and there might be some risk. Will you permit me to apany him?¡±

    ¡°Will that be all right, Brain Unus-sama?¡±

    That name raised anothermotion from the adventurers. The name of Brain Unus was one which nobody who valued strength would ever forget.

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s no problem for me.¡±

    ¡°Then I will be counting on you. May I now ask the various party leaders to step forward?¡±

    ? ? ?

    As he watched the adventurers at the head of the room, Ainz was doing some work of his own.

    In other words, making introductions.

    People who looked like they were second-inmand for their adventuring parties wereing up to Ainz in twos and threes to speak to him.

    Their lines followed simr patterns from announcing their party names, admiring his equipment, hoping to meet him again and sharing stories of their adventures. It was simr to how one might exchange business cards at work, but while business cards had physical forms, verbal introductions would only linger as memories.

    A good memory was an important skill for a leader. Ainz let his mind wander as hemitted every person he met to memory.

    The important thing was to remember the party name and what rank they were. And of course, he would only pay attention to the higher-ranking adventurers. Iron and copper-ranked adventurers came to greet him too, but they lived in different worlds, and so forgetting them was not an issue. It was like how a department head would not bother remembering the srymen of a smallpany he visited.

    Even so, Momon did not make it obvious that he was taking them lightly. He shook hands with allers, gave them reassuring pats on the shoulder,ughed at their stupid jokes, and returned the praise he received.

    Someone had even taken their gloves off to shake hands with him, with him in gauntlets and all. It must be a matter of rank, Momon thought as he looked at the back of the person who had just said hello.

    What a crazy color...

    His hair was a shocking pink.

    It was not umon for adventurers to paint their gear in garish colors, but this was the first time he had seen someone dye their hair in such a lurid shade.

    Adventurers in the capital really were a different thing altogether. Just because there were so many people in the capital did not mean that one had to go so far just to stand out.

    Well, it doesn¡¯t seem like there¡¯s any taboos or stigma associated with dying your hair...

    During Ainz¡¯ life as a sryman, pink hair would have been considered strange, but in this world, even kids could dye their hair.

    He forced himself to depart the topic of hair, and instead looked at the line of adventurers in front of him. It reminded him of the queuing instinct of the Japanese. Then, he turned his focus to Narberal who stood behind him.

    Ainz had never once registered a party name, but the party called Darkness had one more member, the slim beauty who now stood behind him.

    The massed adventurers did not dare speak to her because the sheer hostility which she radiated was pricking at their skin. That, and they hade to meet and greet Ainz, which would be more beneficial to them.

    In the end, adventuring society is just like working life...

    After all, they were all social constructs of humanity. It only made sense that there would be simrities between them.

    Around the time where Ainz¡¯s hand would have started getting sore from shaking if he had been a human, the stream of adventurers approaching began dwindling down. Sensing an opportunity, Evileye approached, cutting in front of the person who was going to shake Ainz¡¯s hand. They couldn¡¯tin, though. The adventurers had made their introductions in order of rank, from highest to lowest. Being at the tail end of the line, the ones remaining were the novices, and they certainly could not speak out against the adamantite-ranked Evileye.

    ¡°The introductions should be pretty much over, could youe over here for a bit?¡±

    Ainz nced at her through the slit of his closed helm, and then he spied Gazef from the corner of his vision. If he was still there, that could only mean one thing.

    ¡°Nabe, take my ce and meet them. I¡¯lle over after I finish up here.¡±

    The nearby listeners¡¯ eyes went wide.

    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry, but the ones who queued up came first.¡±

    Ainz turned from Evileye and continued speaking to the adventurers who hade to see him.

    If Ainz were speaking to the boss of a smallpany and was called over by the boss of an international corporation, he would naturally go over to thetter. It was not favoritism or discrimination, but rather,mon sense. If he stuck to his guns and ignored the call, he would be seen as a selfish leader who couldn¡¯t see the big picture. As a sryman, sometimes one had to put aside one¡¯s personal opinions and act for the greater benefit of thepany.

    That was what it meant to be a cog in a machine.

    However, this time was different.

    I shouldn¡¯t speak to Gazef. Even if it¡¯s just for a moment, and even if it¡¯s been two months ago so he shouldn¡¯t remember... but if he does remember, I won¡¯t be able to do anything about it. However, there¡¯s no getting around it. Although I feel uneasy, I should probably let Nabe take it on first, and then lower my voice a little before speaking to him...I¡¯ve been speaking for quite a while, so if he hasn¡¯t heard it by now he probably never will. Still, I¡¯d better be careful.

    ¡°Quick, Nabe. Go over to them.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Taking his eyes off Nabe, who was walking over to the princess, Ainz took his helmet off as well. He felt the eyes of the entire room focusing on him. He cricked his neck, and then put the helmet back on. Originally, he had nned to spice up the act by wiping his sweat off, but Ainz¡¯s ¡°face¡± was an illusion, and if he didn¡¯t do it right, his hand would end up passing through it instead. So, he decided to end it with the neck-crick instead.

    That was the n, to satisfy Gazef¡¯s curiosity by letting him see Momon¡¯s face.

    Hopefully after Narberal goes over, they¡¯ll forget abouting over to talk to me...

    Ainz prayed so in his heart while he turned back to the adventurers who were seeking him.

    ¡°What a surprise, are you used to this already?¡±

    It was Evileye¡¯s voice. She was still hanging around. Why couldn¡¯t she have been a good girl and gone over with Narberal? Of course, he didn¡¯t reveal his irritation. In fact, to avoid suspicion, he replied to her in a gentle voice.

    ¡°Oh, it wasn¡¯t anything special.¡±

    This was nothing for anyone who had worked in apany before.

    ¡°Hardly. I think it¡¯s the best attitude to have for leading a party.¡±

    How annoying. Stop cutting in when I¡¯m making introductions.

    The words burned in Ainz¡¯ heart, but he had to swallow them. If heshed out at her now, the effort he had put into not killing her would be wasted. He split his attention as though he were performing a simple task, and made the appropriate noises to someone who hade to see him. The other party also knew that Momon was being called away, so they wrapped things up in two or three sentences.

    After the line of adventurers had dispersed, a quick look revealed that Gazef was gone. He suppressed the urge to burst into dance, and instead spoke calmly to Evileye.

    ¡°The legendary Warrior Captain seems to have left... oh dear. I think I spent too much time with the others. My apologies.¡±

    ¡°Mmm? What do you know, he¡¯s gone. He¡¯s a busy person, it makes sense that he couldn¡¯t stay. Although, it does seem quite rude that he didn¡¯t even say a word of thanks to our ace, Momon-sama, who¡¯s going to protect the capital. How rude. Let me get him for you.¡±

    ¡°Wait. Wait!¡±

    He had identally raised his voice. Ainz continued in a more even tone.

    ¡°No, it won¡¯t be a problem. Really, don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯m only here because Marquis Raeven hired me, anyway. Protecting the capital is simply business. Nothing that the Warrior Captain should praise me for.¡±

    ¡°Is that so... Since just now, I¡¯ve been thinking that you were a generous man, Momon-sama.¡±

    Ainz thought he was being mocked, and he looked closely at Evileye. But he could not read her face, covered by her mask as it was.

    I can¡¯t trust anyone who wears a mask after all... what a pain. Still, why does she wear the mask? It must be some kind of magic item...

    It was at this moment that Ainz realized his mistake, and he scrambled to examine his surroundings. The mood of the room had not changed, and nobody had reacted with fear and hostility toward the adamantite adventurer Momon.

    In YGGDRASIL, illusions were simply another set of item skins over that could be activated through the spellcasting console, but in this world, illusion magic was real. That ebing the case, it would make sense for items that pierced illusions to exist... In E-Rantel, nobody saw through it, and after I heard from the Magician¡¯s Guildmaster that one needed experience to see through them, I got careless... there are also quite a few orichalcum ranked adventurers here, what a blunder...

    Ainz surveyed the room again.

    Nobody¡¯s on their guard, I guess my secret¡¯s still safe... from now on, I won¡¯t remove my helmet in the capital unless I have to. Someone might have a talent for seeing through illusions.

    ¡°...Evileye-san,¡±

    ¡°Please, call me Evileye. You are my savior, Momon-sama, you need not be so formal with me.¡±

    Ainz was only being polite. But if that was how she wanted it, he had no reason to refuse.

    ¡°Then, Evileye, let¡¯s go over there...¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡±

    It was an extremely delighted reply. Not knowing what he had done to please her so, Ainz allowed himself to be dragged by Evileye towards the princess.

    The adventurers started talking again as they saw the group heading towards the other room¡ª Renner and her underlings, along with the two adamantite ranked adventurers.

    Naturally, the central topic was Momon, the top-ranked adventurer.

    ¡°I heard the rumors from E-Rantel, but the real thing was beyond my expectations.¡±

    ¡°Not just him, right? I¡¯ve seen Red Drop too, and I got the same feeling from them. He seems perfect in just about every way. I guess being adamantite-ranked isn¡¯t just about strength.¡±

    The person addressing the two mithril-ranked adventurers had a tinum te on his chain.

    ¡°Is that so? Still, he was summoned by the princess and still took his time to say hello to novice adventurers. Someone like that can¡¯t possibly exist, right?¡±

    ¡°It certainly surprised me.¡±

    Murmurs of approval came from the adventurers around them.

    During a mission like this where parties had to work with each other, it was only sensible to make introductions, in order to secure assistance and support for each other. One would certainly prefer to aid someone they knew rather than a stranger. However, the only ones who could even begin to help an adamantite-ranked adventurer were all ranked mithril and above. As such, greeting a fresh adventurer could be said to be a waste of time. Which meant that Momon was not thinking of benefit for himself, but just wanted to deepen his friendship with others.

    ¡°Normally, you¡¯d expect him to go over to the princess while his partner attended to the novices, right?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, that¡¯s what most people would normally do. It¡¯s what I¡¯d do. You guys too, right?¡±

    ¡°Same here... this may sound kind of bad, but maybe he doesn¡¯t understand this sort of thing. Does he have his priorities straight?¡±

    Those words could certainly be seen as an insult, but the man speaking them did not have a single iota of malice on his face.

    ¡°Maybe he does. Maybe his priorities are just different.¡±

    As though waiting for this, the man who had spoken earlier replied quickly.

    ¡°Then there¡¯s nobody better than him. I mean, look at him, he¡¯s adamantite-ranked and yet he treats the freshest copper-tes like they were battle buddies. Look at their faces.¡±

    ¡°They totally worship him now.¡±

    True enough, the novice adventurers had a look on their faces like a kid who had just met their idol.

    ¡°Heh, yeah, if he treated me like that, I¡¯d be his. I¡¯d even give him my ass.¡±

    ¡°Get lost, who the hell would want your nasty ass? He¡¯s got a beauty on his team.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, he does. You think they¡¯ve done it?¡±

    ¡°Of course they have, if not why would they form a team by themselves?¡±

    ¡°I heard it¡¯s not like that...¡±

    The fourth man to interrupt had an orichalcum te on his neck.

    ¡°You seem to be quite well-informed, with your rumors from E-Rantel. The strength of those two is unreal. Maybe it¡¯s because nobody else can keep up with them?¡±

    ¡°...Have you been spying on us all this time?¡±

    ¡°Hahaha! Don¡¯t say that, you didn¡¯t care who was listening, did you?¡±

    ¡°Heh, well, I guess,¡± the first adventurer said.

    The Adventurer¡¯s Guildmaster pped her hands to get everyone¡¯s attention.

    ¡°The operation starts in one hour, so we¡¯ll be moving out shortly. Because we don¡¯t have much time, please ry the message to any of your party members who aren¡¯t here. In any event, once we leave the pce, just stick with me.¡±

    ? ? ?

    <b>Lower Fire Month (9th Month), 5th Day 01:12</b>

    They were gathered in the other room to make the final preparations for the operation. They considered when to break through, what to do when the enemy showed up in force, and how to deal with the possibleplications which might arise. But in the end, they simply had too little information to make any concrete ns and the final conclusion was that they had to go with the flow.

    The youth in white armor who had been listening quietly thus far suddenly broke his silence.

    ¡°Forgive me, Princess,¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°I know another person who could be an arrow for this formation. He is a man with overwhelming fighting power. Would it be all right to ask for his aid? One arrow is good, but two would be better, and if they helped each other, I am sure they could defeat any demon that showed itself, no matter how powerful it was.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s this, Climb? Are you saying the Momon-sama I rmended isn¡¯t enough?¡±

    Evileye¡¯s words had a razor-sharp edge to them. Climb¡¯s eyes trembled with fear.

    ¡°No, no, of course not. That was never my intention¡ª¡±

    ¡°Momon-sama is the strongest warrior in existence. I daresay that rather than helping him, the man you rmended would be nothing more than a handicap.¡±

    The katana-wielding warrior, Brain, stepped in to defend Climb.

    ¡°That might not be so. I too have seen the person Climb speaks of. His strength is extraordinary. He felled Zero, strongest of the Six Arms, in one blow.¡±

    ¡°You are Brain Unus? The one who serves her Highness on the rmendation of Gazef Stronoff and Climb?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Gazef¡¯s subordinate, but before I am officially sworn in, I stay by the Princess¡¯ side.¡±

    ¡°I know you¡¯re much stronger than Climb, but even that isn¡¯t a guarantee of the man¡¯s strength. And besides, didn¡¯t you lose to that old hag?¡±

    ¡°...Ara, didn¡¯t you lose to her too? My apologies, Unus-san.¡±

    ¡°Uuuu...¡± Evileye whimpered as Lakyus scolded her.

    ¡°It, it wasn¡¯t just her, you all were there too,¡±

    ¡°After you lost, you said you lost to Rigrit, not the rest of us.¡±

    ¡°You still remember that, Tina?¡±

    Between theughing Tina and the crying Evileye, the mood in the room had lightened up considerably.

    At this point, Ainz asked a question.

    ¡°He sounds very interesting. What kind of person is he?¡±

    Climb proudly stated the man¡¯s name.

    ¡°His name is Sebas.¡±

    ¡°...Hm? Seibath?¡± The name sounded familiar to Ainz. Was it merely a coincidence?

    ¡°...What kind of person is he?¡±

    After Climb¡¯s exnation, Ainz nodded.

    Isn¡¯t that Sebas himself?!

    How had hee into contact with Climb? What kind of rtionship did they have? Was Climb one of Sebas¡¯ contacts? Ainz had only skimmed the reports Sebas submitted, and he had not bothered to remember any of the people he mentioned.

    It couldn¡¯t be helped, I was too busy...

    Ainz¡¯ anxiety only grew as he made that flimsy excuse to himself.

    In any case, this boy was a valuable contact that Sebas had made. If he were disposed of too early, it would be a waste of Sebas¡¯ hard work. And carelessly casting away the work of one¡¯s underlings was something a superior should avoid at all costs.

    It would be better to aid this boy here, and indirectly praise Sebas.

    More importantly, I don¡¯t think he was mentioned in the report, was he? I hope that wasn¡¯t the case.

    ¡°I have not done battle with this Sebas before, so I cannot say which of us would be stronger.¡±

    ¡°Of course Momon-sa¡ªn is stronger than him.¡± Narberal stated in a voice brimming with confidence. Evileye quietly nodded in agreement.

    Ainz could not help but knuckle Narberal on the head.

    ¡°Well, if mypanion says so, then there must be some truth to the observations of both sides. I believe he should be able to stand on equal footing with me.¡±

    ¡°That was a surprisingly mature response. Unlike mypanion... not only is her height weird, but her personality¡¯s weird too.¡±

    ¡°From just now...¡±

    ¡°All right, all right, let¡¯s not embarrass our friends in public. That¡¯s an order from the party leader. If there¡¯s nothing else to discuss, why don¡¯t we go pay Tia and Gagaran a visit?¡±

    ¡°Sounds like a n.¡±

    The two of them had died and been revived. Regretfully, he had not seen the resurrection itself, he had heard all about it from others.

    ¡°Speaking of which, is it possible to use the dark energy to attack demons and the like?¡±

    ¡°...Dark energy?¡±

    Evileye¡¯s unexpected question drew a surprised response from Lakyus. She seemed to find the concept unthinkable.

    ¡°Ah, I heard from Gagaran that if you released the full power of the Demonic Sword Kilineyram, it could swallow up the entire country.¡±

    Lakyus¡¯ eyes went wide.

    ¡°Th-that can wait tillter! We¡¯ve got other things to discuss, right?¡±

    A demonic sword? Hang on, I think I¡¯ve heard of this weapon before... not in YGGDRASIL, but this world... got it! From Ninya! The Demonic Sword Kilineyram, said to be able to release dark energy. Although... an entire country? It sounds like an exaggeration, but it might have a power thates close enough.

    Ainz concluded that her red face was caused by anger and panic that her own trump card had been suddenly revealed.

    Just as everyone¡¯s attention turned to Lakyus, there was a knocking on the door, and two men entered shortly after.

    ¡°Onii-sama, and Marquis Raeven.¡±

    Everyone bowed their heads in respect upon hearing Renner¡¯s words.

    This was the second time Ainz had met these two men. The first time was not long ago, when they had entered the capital. They had changed the terms of the quest he had been hired for. Instead of the Eight Fingers, he would be fighting against Jaldabaoth, and he would be working together with the gathered adventurers of the capital.

    After the simple greeting, Ainz and the others were about to step outside because the princess wanted to address the two nobles. Most of the details of the battle n had already been decided. Searching for Sebas had been abandoned due to ack of time and manpower. All that was left was to wait for on-site orders.

    ¡°Then, everyone, I beseech all the gods to allow everyone here toe back alive and victorious... our hopes rest on all of you, or rather, on Momon-san. May fortune favor you.¡±

    After listening to Renner pray with her head bowed low, Ainz and the others quietly exited the room.

    ? ? ?

    The only ones left were Raeven and the second prince ¡ª Zanack Valurean Igana Ryle Vaiself ¡ª and Renner.

    The moment Climb left the room, Renner¡¯s expression changed, her blue eyes freezing over like ake in winter. Zanack shivered as he watched the change in her.

    ¡°We overheard the details in the secret room...¡±

    That room was designed for eavesdropping, and the two of them had been listening from in there.

    ¡°There¡¯s one question you didn¡¯t answer. Why did you have to form the guards up into a battle line. Are they stepping stones?¡±

    Guards were very weak. Even the lowliest of adventurers was more than a match for them. If they were attacked, they would certainly be massacred.

    ¡°Bait.¡±

    That word was what they had expected.

    ¡°The adventurers said so too; Jaldabaoth¡¯s army of low-ranked demons cannot be allowed to run free in the capital. Therefore, we have prepared a feeding ground for them where they will gather to feast. If they gorge themselves on the guards staked out as bait for them, their bloodlust will be dulled, no?¡± Renner smiled.

    It was almost impossible to settle things with fancy words and high-sounding ideals in this world. Everything one did had a price. Nobody understood that more clearly than the ones in power, whose responsibility was to limit the necessary sacrifices as much as possible. From that point of view, Renner was the ideal bureaucrat.

    However, humans were creatures of emotion, and the emotion they would feel when hearing of this n was revulsion.

    ¡°Surely there must be a better way? Some way that doesn¡¯t involve sacrificing all the guards?¡±

    ¡°If there were, surely you would have mentioned it by now, would you not, onii-sama?¡±

    Zanack fell silent.

    It was true, he did not have a better n than Renner¡¯s. He had ideas, certainly, but they were either impractical or impossible with the resources avable. At the moment, all he could do was acknowledge that Renner¡¯s n was the best of a bad lot.

    Raeven shifted his gaze from the prince when he quieted himself, and then he voiced his own objections.

    ¡°Then, permit me to seek rification. Why give Climb such a dangerous task?¡±

    ¡°For the same reason why Onii-sama and Marquis Raeven¡¯s men are patrolling the city.¡±

    Zanack had been making his rounds in the Royal Capital, putting on the act of the prince who cared for his people. After that, he had also begun spreading the rumors that the crown prince had been hiding in the safety of the Royal Pce. This would make himself look good and diminish his brother¡ª who was his rival.

    Did that mean Renner was doing the same thing¡ª sending her subordinate on a dangerous mission of mercy in order to make herself look good?

    But then, when one thought about how Renner had revealed her obsession over Climb yesterday, something was definitely wrong here.

    Sensing his doubt, Renner carried on.

    ¡°Of course, Climb has a chance of dying. In that event, Lakyus will use a resurrection spell on him. It won¡¯t be cheap, of course, but an expense like that won¡¯t be a problem. And after he¡¯s been resurrected, Climb will be weakened from a loss of life energy. During that time, I will take care of him. I¡¯m sure nobody will object to me caring for a person who died and was resurrected for following my orders.¡±

    ¡°I see. Thank you for saying so. However¡±

    ¡°¡ªIsn¡¯t there a chance Lakyus might die as well?¡±

    ¡°That is a valid concern,¡± Renner said to Raeven, whose head was lowered. ¡°But one that has been nned for. During the dangerous period of the sortie, there will be additional people in ce to protect her. The guildmaster does not want a person who can resurrect the dead to be killed, so she agreed without hesitation.¡±

    ¡°It seems everything is within your calctions, little sister.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± his sister answered, with a smile as beautiful as a blossoming flower. Zanack shivered all over, and beside him, Raeven also fought to suppress the chill which ran down his spine.

 Chapter 45 - Volume 6

    Overlord Volume 6 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11: The Final Battle Of The Disturbance

    Lower Fire Month (9th Month), 5th Day, 02:30

    No heat came from the flickering mes of the boundary line, making them seem like an illusion. The adventurers standing at the front exchanged nces with their teams, and then they gathered up their courage and plunged boldly through the wall of fire.

    Even though the supporting priests from the temples had already cast spells of fire protection on them, they still held their breath, for fear that their lungs would be burned

    ...Although they already said the mes wouldn¡¯t cause any physical harm.

    That thought ran through Lakyus¡¯ head as she watched the wall of fire from the rear of the formation.

    Still, it was too soon to celebrate the fact that the mes were harmless. If they were not meant to cause injury, then there must have been another reason for Jaldabaoth to conjure them. That was what she had to figure out.

    If I can¡¯t figure it out, there¡¯s no point wasting energy on it. Who was it who said that I should be using my head for better things... Evileye, or Uncle?

    The barrier of magical mes was like an illusion, offering no resistance and bearing no heat, and just like that, she was through.

    Lakyus looked around at the worried faces of the adventurers who were stepping through the barrier.

    The n had called for the formation of a defensive line, but forming a neat line of battle in the middle of a city was very difficult. Therefore, they had used four parties of orichalcum ranked adventurers as the linchpins of the formation, assigning each of the adventurers to one of them. Someone looking down from above would see something like four amoebas spreading out..

    Since they were the cores of the formation, it was only natural that the orichalcum-ranked adventurers would be the leaders. But right now, they were filled with unease and tension. Lakyus hoped that they could hide their fear and inspire courage in the others around them.

    Should I take the lead after all?

    Certainly, if an adamantite-ranked adventurer like herself stood at their head, morale would surely increase. But right now, Lakyus had no reliable allies by her side. Even if she was adamantite-ranked, a lone Blue Rose was less effective than an orichalcum-ranked party. As such, she had handedmand of the vanguard to them.

    Even if they trusted me, running in and making a fuss would only fill them with unease. But... ah, I should just go to the front and see what happens.

    With that, Lakyus stepped through the wall of fire.

    A silent world spread ahead of them. The streets were the same as those of any other in the capital, if you overlooked the fact that there was no presence of human life and many of the residences had been destroyed.

    ¡°What happened to the residents? Are they hiding? There¡¯s no smell of blood.¡±

    ¡°Impossible. Look, the doors have been broken down. I fear the people might have been taken somewhere.¡±

    ¡°We need to be wary of demons lurking within the houses, should we do a room-to-room search? That will take a lot of time.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be safer to contact Lakyus-san and wait for further instructions, right?¡±

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s hurry up and¡ª¡±

    ¡°There¡¯ll be no need for that.¡±

    Straightening up by reflex at the sound of the voice, the speaking adventurers turned to look behind them. They stared in goggle-eyed surprise at Lakyus, who had just arrived.

    ¡°The iron and copper-ranked adventurers will stay behind to search the houses. One mithril-ranked team will remain behind to supervise. The people behind will spread out into the formation and advance. Any objections?¡±

    The shaking heads said there were none.

    ¡°Then, let us advance.¡±

    Lakyus walked in line with the orichalcum-ranked adventurers. An ufortable silence settled around them. It was hard to believe that there had been life here until this evening.

    ¡°...Speaking of which, Momon-san will be alright, won¡¯t he?¡±

    Lakyus understood how uneasy they were with pinning all their hopes on Momon.

    ¡°He¡¯ll be fine. Evileye herself admitted that he was even stronger than her. The real problem is the one that fought him to a standstill, the enemy leader Jaldabaoth. How strong is he, anyway...¡±

    The nearby adventurers heard this and their faces drooped in despair.

    ¡°Ah, sorry, don¡¯t worry about it. We just need to do what we¡¯ve been assigned to do, that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°Aye, that¡¯s true. It makes me jealous as hell to admit it, but I guess each of us has been tasked to do what we¡¯re most suited for. In that case, everyone, forward!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, let¡¯s go!¡±

    Standing at the head of the group, together with the orichalcum-ranked adventurers, Lakyus stepped forward

    One hand gripped the Demonic Sword Kilineyram. Its surface was like a stretch of night sky, speckled with sparkling stars.

    They had not walked for long before the sound of a distant explosion carried over softly from the distance. The lower-ranked adventurers trembled. The middle-ranked adventurers prepared for battle. The high-ranked adventurers scanned their surroundings. And the highest-ranked adventurers looked straight ahead. Amidst this sea of reactions, Lakyus stared off into the distance with a piercing gaze.

    ¡°The party on that side has enteredbat.¡±

    Probably not Tina¡¯s group.

    ¡°If they¡¯ve been moving in at the same rate as ourselves, we ought to be encountering enemy resistance soon.¡±

    ¡°...What about from above?¡±

    ¡°We have scouts in ce, and none of them have reported anything so far.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good. Demons have a lot of flying monsters among their ranks. If they spread out in the capital, it would be pretty bad. So we need to draw their attention to the ground where we are now.¡±

    ¡°Which means that the n is essentially unchanged.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right... hm, what¡¯s that, did you hear something?¡±

    ¡°Aye, I hear it. Dogs barking. Hey, what¡¯s that?¡±

    The arcane magic caster answered the question.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t confirmed it with my eyes yet, but I think it¡¯s a hellhound. Its special ability is fiery breath. I think it has a difficulty ranking of 15 or so.¡±

    ¡°Difficulty... yeah, speaking of which, what rank were Jaldabaoth and the insect maid?¡±

    Lakyus was lost as to how she should answer. If she was honest, it would most likely shatter their resolve, but if they went into battle with a false impression of the enemy because she lied to them, it would be just as disastrous. She agonized about it for a while before deciding to tell the truth.

    ¡°...150.¡±

    ¡°Aye?¡±

    Everyone who heard Lakyus¡¯ voice had the same reaction.

    ¡°The insect maid¡¯s difficulty ranking was at least 150. Jaldabaoth himself is estimated at 200 or more.¡±

    ¡°Hah?!¡±

    Everyone aside from Lakyus was speechless. That much was expected. Even the highest-ranking orichalcum adventurers would only rate around 80 on the difficulty rankings. Although one could still triumph over a foe ranked roughly 15 points over oneself, trying to do the same with an enemy ranked almost twice as high as oneself was nothing short ofughable. And then¡ª

    ¡°Wait a minute! Are you saying Momon-san is going to fight that difficulty 200 monster by himself?¡±

    ¡°Exactly. That¡¯s why I said we¡¯d just be getting in the way.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s not the same... you said 200? Are you kidding me? Are all adamantite-ranked adventurers that strong?¡±

    ¡°If only. Even we¡¯re ranked around 90 at best.¡±

    ¡°Then... then how the hell are we even supposed to win?!¡±

    The adventurers looked around, holding their breath.

    Lakyus had not lied, but neither had she told them the whole truth. Although Lakyus herself was rated at 90, Evileye was over 150, which was how she hade to the conclusion about the insect maid and Jaldabaoth. And that was also why Evileye was not part of this defensive line.

    In order to quickly recover her expended mana, she had chosen to meditate and rest. After that, she had followed Momon to where Jaldabaoth was, in order to provide support so Momon could battle Jaldabaoth one-on-one. Their fear was that they would encounter the insect maid again.

    While Lakyus was lost in thought, she felt the depressive mood around her prickling on her skin. Everyone¡¯s morale had plummeted, and there were murmurs about abandoning the whole thing and fleeing the capital.

    As she had predicted, everyone was feeling demoralized. Lakyus knew because the first time she heard Evileye talk about their battle, she had felt the same way herself.

    ¡°You heard Evileye, right? Momon-san is the kind of man who can fight evenly with Jaldabaoth. Because of that, we¡¯re trusting everything to Momon-san, and instead we¡¯re going to do what we can do.¡±

    ¡°B-but if Jaldabaoth is fighting Momon-san, then what if the insect maid appears here?¡±

    ¡°Leave that to us, Blue Rose. Evileye has a special item that allows her to teleport over to us. She¡¯s got a way of dealing with the insect maid, so she can ovee that difficulty gap and beat her.¡±

    That brought a wave of cheers from the adventurers. It seemed that their fighting spirit was restored.

    Just in the nick of time.

    The roars of beasts came from the way ahead, along with the sound of footsteps.

    ¡°They¡¯reing. We¡¯ll build our defensive line here. The people on the flying disks above will drop into the side roads. Leave the main road to me!¡±

    The beasts were on the main road. Though they looked likerge dogs, their eyes were filled with an infernal intelligence, and in ce of drool, mes leaked from their maws.

    There were 15 of those hellhounds here. Standing before them was Lakyus, who gripped the Demonic Sword Kilineyram with both hands.

    ¡°You petty demons, don¡¯t you dare look down on me.¡±

    With a prayer to the Water God on her lips, Lakyus cut a leaping hellhound in half with a single stroke.

    The floating swords surrounding her acted as shields, blocking the attacks of the hellhounds from her nks. She kicked away another one that was snapping at her ankles.

    Lakyus was handling six hellhounds by herself, and the rest went on to attack the other adventurers. The weaker ones took them on one at a time, while the stronger ones handled multiple hellhounds at once. In this way, they whittled down the numbers facing them. By the time Lakyus had in all six of hers, the others were done as well.

    ¡°Tend to the wounded!¡±

    ¡°No problem, Lakyus-san!¡±

    Of course, they hadn¡¯t gotten through untouched, but the injuries weren¡¯t severe. Considering they had to conserve their mana, it was quite an auspicious start.

    ¡°People on the sides, repeat thismand! Advance 50 meters and hold!¡±

    The cry to advance echoed from both sides. Holding her sword, Lakyus went forth as well.

    ? ? ?

    Lower Fire Month (9th Month), 5th Day, 02:41

    Three men ran down the dark and narrow alleyways. Nobody else was there with them.

    These three men were Climb, Brain, and the former orichalcum ranked thief that had apanied them during their attack against Zero¡¯s base.

    The adventurers working for Marquis Raeven were all patrolling the capital¡¯s streets in order to hunt down any demons who broke through the containment line.

    Climb had only managed to obtain the services of the thief because ording to Marquis Raeven, the man himself had asked to help Climb out. That was to repay the kindness Climb had shown by catching him after he had taken that blow from Zero and for healing him.

    In addition, Raeven wanted to repay the favor he owed to Renner.

    Thanks to the thief¡¯s choice of routes, they had not encountered a single demon so far.

    They might not even have made it here without him.

    Although they had some confidence in facing demons who relied purely on strength and speed, they would be done for if any demons who could use special abilities showed up. Given that this party was argely mundane one that lived and died by their steel, they would have a hard time defending against attacks that were not purely physical in nature.

    Their acquaintance had only been a brief one, but because of this, the thief understood that Climb and Brain were sorely deficient in this department, which was why he had joined this pair of clearly suicidal men.

    Brain silently thanked him as he ran on, hunkering down to reduce the size of his silhouette. Gradually, the style of the surrounding buildings began to change; the amount of non-residential buildings began to increase. It seemed they were nearing their objective.

    ¡°I have to ask, why are we headed for the warehouses?¡±

    Climb answered the thief, who was inspecting their surroundings.

    ¡°Renner-sama mentioned that if they were rounding people up and taking them prisoner, they would need a big space to control and imprison all of them. With that in mind, it would be easier to separate families and lock them up in several big warehouses instead.¡±

    ¡°I see. If the families are split up, they¡¯ll think they¡¯re all being taken hostage and be less likely to flee. If that¡¯s the case, we have to hurry... well. Even if we double back on our original route, we still need to pick a safe path.¡±

    ¡°Thanks. We¡¯re counting on you.¡±

    There was more to do after the rescue. While thinking about how they would make it out of there, one thing that stood out as absolutely important was a safe axis of retreat. The choice of route was crucial, especially since they would be moving a lot of people.

    But how long could this streak of luckst, Brain wondered.

    This mission was essentially ordering Climb to die.

    Since the other side was rounding up the civilians, that meant they had a n for them. In turn, that meant they would be watching them closely. And ording to what he had heard, the enemy leader Jaldabaoth was a being who could kill adamantite-ranked adventurers in one hit. Any sentries he ced would be formidable indeed.

    Brain¡¯s attention turned to Climb by his side.

    He had worn his white armor to let people know that he was Renner¡¯s knight. Currently, he was stroking his gauntlet... or rather, the ring he wore on the ring finger underneath it.

    Gazef himself had given him that ring.

    It was something he had obtained from an ancient granny who used to be part of Blue Rose. ording to the legends, it was an extremely rare item born of ancient magic, that could raise a warrior¡¯s powers beyond its limits.

    You must return alive. Brain recalled Gazef¡¯s face as he said that.

    Gazef had not shown any particr emotion at that time. No anger, sorrow, or despair. He understood that as a warrior in service to a lord, there would eventuallye a time when he would be ordered into a battle that would result in his death. However, in order to aid Climb without being physically present, he had lent him the ring.

    Brain had been following the thief¡¯s hand signals when he suddenly sensed a presence. Looking up, his line of sight followed the building¡ª in that instant, Brain felt an impact that seemed to stop his heart.

    On the edge of a roof of a nearby warehouse was ¡ª judging by her height and body type ¡ª a girl with long, blonde hair. She wore a dress made of pure white fabric that had been borately embroidered, and under the hem he could see that she wore a pair of sparkling high heels which reminded him of crystals. Combined with her ne, earrings and other essories, it made one think that she was some noble¡¯s daughter, or a wealthy heiress of some sort.

    The light from the curtain of fire behind her reflected off her body in a bewitchingly seductive way, in stark contrast to the bone-white mask she wore, shrouding her in an air of mystery. In contrast to her striking appearance, her presence seemed subdued, as though she had descended from a wraith-like ne of existence.

    Her clothes and the color of her hair werepletely different from that time. Back then, she might have been said to have been born of the night, but this time, she seemed to have descended from the moon. But even so, there was no doubt that they were the same person. The image Brain had seared into his soul from beforeyered itself over the person he was looking at now.

    He was sure of it. Under the mask of the young girl above him was the face of that monster¡ª Shalltear Bloodfallen.

    It would seem that she had not noticed them yet, but if it was truly that same monster standing before him, then no matter how far apart they were, they would be instantly killed if she discovered them. Was there a way they could flee without being detected?

    There was none.

    When Brain realised this, he felt as if he was putting a foot on cracked ice. He was suddenly aware of the oily, disgusting sweat oozing out of his pores.

    Brain signaled to Climb and the thief, indicating he had something to say. Sensing that he had spotted something, the two of them halted and held their breaths.

    What now? What can I do to get out of this? If we fight her, we¡¯ll be killed for sure. Even if we tried to run, we¡¯d be chased down and killed anyway. Back then I used an escape tunnel, but there aren¡¯t any here now. But why is she here? Is she looking for me?

    Brain smiled bitterly at thatst thought.

    If that was the case, then there was only one solution to this problem.

    ¡°Climb-kun, I¡¯ll go buy us some time. Use it to flee.¡±

    After that, Brain looked to the thief, and bowed his head.

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave him to you.¡±

    He did not waste time waiting for a response. Brain immediately leapt up the building where Shalltear was, hoisting himself up in a single motion. Although he did not have the climbing skills of a thief, the building was only two stories high, and a warrior¡¯s arm strength could easily scale it. On the roof, Shalltear remained where he had first seen her.

    Brain¡¯s heart pounded mightily.

    He was scared, terrified beyond the capacity for rational thought. The memories of his desperate flight from her reappeared in his mind. In spite of that, he was still able to muster up the courage to face her head-on.

    ¡°...Is something the matter?¡±

    The ice-cold woman¡¯s voice called out to Brain, only slightly muffled by the mask she wore.

    Doesn¡¯t she recognize me? What¡¯s this, some kind of game?

    The best course of action now should be to pretend he didn¡¯t know her and observe her responses. With that in mind, Brain raised his voice and answered her.

    ¡°I¡¯m here because I saw a strange woman on a rooftop. What are you doing in the Royal Capital?¡±

    ¡°And why, pray tell, must I answer you? Perhaps you could tell me what a human is doing in this area. Are you the only one who has gotten this far in?¡±

    His heartbeat sped up and increased in intensity. Although he didn¡¯t know where Climb was, he knew he could not let his eyes leave hers. In order to confuse her, he raised his voice and continued speaking.

    ¡°Are you looking for someone else? Not me?¡±

    ¡°And why would I seek you out in particr?¡±

    ¡°This is the second time we¡¯ve crossed paths. From the start, I¡¯ve been unable to forget your beautiful face.¡±

    Shalltear reached out her hand, and lightly stroked her mask.

    ¡°...Do you have the wrong person, perhaps?¡±

    Brain was momentarily at a loss for words. He wanted to ask if he had gotten the right person, but he immediately abandoned that idea.

    It was her. There could be no other.

    Even through the mask, there was absolutely certain of her identity. Only one person in all the world sounded like that, and to Brain, that person was Shalltear.

    ...So she¡¯s saying, I can¡¯t be bothered to remember a puny ant?

    If she was not taunting him, if Shalltear truly did not remember, then that must mean she did not have even the slightest bit of interest in him.

    For an overwhelmingly powerful being like Shalltear, that was not arrogance or overestimating one¡¯s abilities.

    ¡°No... my apologies. Maybe... perhaps. Yes, this is the first time we¡¯ve met.¡±

    ¡°...Is it, really? Well, even if you understand that now, it makes no difference. Perhaps it would be safer to just kill you off. Do you wish to live? To die? If you genuflect before me and lick my shoes, it might please me enough to change my mind.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, but I think I¡¯ll pass on that.¡±

    Brain settled down into a sword-drawing stance as he slowed his breathing. The technique he was using was, of course, [Field]. Needless to say, though, Brain knew it was useless against Shalltear.

    ¡°Haaaa...¡±

    The dumbfounded Shalltear gently shook her head.

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand the difference in strength between us, do you? How annoying...¡±

    Actually, I do understand, Brain thought as he looked at her.

    Shalltear scared him so badly he wanted to throw up. That much he understood. But knowing this, why had he not fled yet?

    The corner of his mouth turned up as he thought about this question.

    If his heart was ake, then it was perfectly still and calm. Even in the face of a being that made him want to flee at all costs, he still managed to retain hisposure. This serenity was quite unnerving.

    Shalltear stalked forward again. It was like a repeat of thest time, and surely the oue would be Brain¡¯s utter defeat. The sum total of his life¡¯s work, his effort and dedication and dreams, would be shattered with the contemptuous ease of a child breaking a toy.

    That¡¯s right. That¡¯s how it¡¯ll be.

    He was terrified.

    Up till now, he had been through countless battles, wagering his life on the edge of his de.

    Suddenly admitting his fear of death now would be very embarrassing.

    It felt like he was throwing himself off a cliff.

    Even if could muster up the determination to die in battle, he could not prepare himself tomit suicide.

    However, strangely enough, the feeling of abject terror that he had carried with him, from the bandit hideout all the way to the Royal Capital, was mysteriously absent.

    Suddenly, the back of a certain young man appeared in his mind.

    He was a youth who was far, far weaker than himself. Who had, even in the midst of a roaring torrent of murderous intent, stood firm, despite his body trembling like jelly.

    And then, Brainughed.

    The old man had said that sometimes humans could disy unexpected power, but Brain knew that it was impossible for him.

    He was not like that youth, who would give everything he had for the princess he served, and he was not like Gazef who could offer his body and life for king and country. Those two could do it, but not him. Brain was a selfish man who could only think of doing as he desired.

    Even if that¡¯s the case... huh. Maybe this is how I square things with him, by buying him time to flee.

    Taking one step at a time, Shalltear raised her left pinky finger, approaching at an unnaturally slow pace.

    Was it because his heightened perceptions made it seem as though time had slowed down for everyone but him, or was it because Shalltear really was moving that slowly, to prolong his fear? It felt like both were the case, and he smiled ruefully.

    Well, that¡¯s just how she is.

    Even though they had only met for a total of a few minutes, Brain felt like he understood her better than any other woman he had ever met.

    Two more steps, huh... two steps until my sword is doomed...

    He wanted to run, but more than that, he did not want to let go of the weapon in his hands.

    He had lived his whole life with a sword in hand. Perhaps it was fitting that his life should end while holding one as well.

    Brain had found his answer. With that in his mind, he followed Shalltear¡¯s silhouette with his eyes.

    ¡°I lived my whole life... to swing this sword?¡±

    In that moment, Brain¡¯s mind cleared. The enemy was a distant existence. He had no energy to spare on useless thoughts.

    Brain used [God sh]. It was a martial art that no human opponent could detect, let alone defend against.

    Even so, he could not touch the monster before him, not even if hebined his [Field] and [God sh]

    At that level, his opponent could still stop it between her fingers. Therefore, Brain added one more technique to the mix.

    The face of Gazef Stronoff rose before his eyes.

    He had thought that the next time they met, they would have a showdown once and for all.

    However, after meeting him in the Royal Capital, Brain had changed his mind.

    Brain now felt nothing but camaraderie for his greatest foe ¡ª once an obstacle he had to ovee, now his best rival.

    He had epted that he would die, here and now.

    Perhaps it¡¯s toote... but thank you, my greatest enemy (dearest friend)...

    With that, his heart lightened. Without confusion, he allowed himself to let go. Even the shame of the past had vanished.

    ¡°¡ªAaaaaaaaa!¡±

    Brain cried out like some sort of strange bird. It came from the depths of his soul, carrying the full power of his being.

    He executed an incredibly high-speed [God sh], aiming it based on the information gained from the use of his [Field]. But he did not stop there¡ª from the [Instant sh], he continued into another move.

    That move was¡ª

    ¡ªFour simultaneous sword strikes.

    That was Gazef Stronoff¡¯s technique, the very same one that had defeated Brain Unus at the martial arts tournament where they had first fought. It was a move that Brain had admired, even as he told himself he was only learning and imitating it in order to fully understand his opponent. It was a technique that he had sealed away with his hatred and resentment.

    But now, in this moment, freed of all self-doubt and restraint, Brain used it without hesitation.

    ¡°[Fourfold sh of Light]!¡±

    In truth, the Fourfold sh of Light had a massive weakness.

    Executing four simultaneous attacks would ce a massive burden on the body, and it would cause the attacks to scatter in different directions. Because this technique¡¯s uracy was low, even its creator Gazef only used it when surrounded by multiple opponents.

    Although the Fourfold sh of Light did not make as many attacks as the Sixfold sh of Light, it was easier to direct all the attacks toward the same opponent. Even so, getting them all to connect was still quite unlikely.

    This wild attack should not have been able to strike Shalltear Bloodfallen. Brain was very clear on that.

    But Brain possessed a martial art that Gazef did not. It was a support technique that provided an uracy boost within its radius¡ª [Field].

    The four wild swings were corrected mid-flight by the superhuman precision of [Field], following the path Brain had visualized for them.

    All four blows struck home withplete uracy at super-speed.

    ? ? ?

    Even a hero ¡ª one who had surpassed all other humans ¡ª would have had trouble blocking that attack. Mortals, wrought of weak flesh and bones, would not be able to even muster up the stamina to defend against it. This was an inhuman blow.

    But Shalltear Bloodfallen was well above humanity herself, standing in a league of her own that nobody could ever hope to exceed. To someone like her, those four simultaneous strikes were little more than a snail taking a stroll in the sun.

    ¡°Hmph.¡±

    Shalltear snorted at him as her left hand moved faster than the eye could see. A sound of metallic shing rang out through the night air. What had happened was that the simultaneous deflection of the four strikes had blended into a single sound.

    All four blows had been repelled, leaving her untouched.

    Shalltear shrugged her shoulders,ughing under her mask. It was not directed at the foolish warrior before her eyes, but rather at herself for having yed along with him thus far.

    But then, in the next moment, Shalltear¡¯s eyes went wide.

    ? ? ?

    Right now, if someone had converted their ability into data andpared them, he would undoubtedly be cheering for Brain.

    Indeed, it was a miracle, like the sun rising from the west, a sight that would fill people with awe and respect.

    ? ? ?

    ¡°...Eh?¡±

    Before her eyes, the nail of her left pinky finger had been shortened. It was a tiny w less than a centimeter in length.

    Shalltear considered the current situation. The ce which had been cut was the same ce which had been used to repel all the strikes.

    Come to think of it, those four strikes had been executed in two pairs, one above and one below. They had intersected on the spot where Shalltear had intercepted the attacks.

    ¡°...Were you aiming for this?¡±

    ¡°Kuh¡ª Ahahahaha!¡±

    Suddenly, the man in front of her beganughing. Is he insane? Shalltear wondered. But it did not feel that way. More likely, he wasughing heartily over the fact that he had managed to slice off the tip of her fingernail, but she did not understand. So what if he managed to do it?

    Shalltear¡¯s nails and teeth were natural weapons, so using specialized weapon-destruction skills to sunder them was technically possible. However, they would simply grow back with the application of healing magic, and they were more easily broken than weapons of a simr level. That was all they were. They were inferior to Divine-ss magic items like the Spuit Lance.

    As such, Shalltear could not understand the reason for this man¡¯sughter.

    Cutting off a fragment of her fingernail would not change anything. Shalltear looked at the other four fingers of her left hand. Even if the nail of her pinky finger was shaved down a little, it would still be enough to tear a human body to pieces.

    ¡°...so, cutting it off means you pass, then?¡±

    The man¡¯s eyes went round, and his jubtion intensified.

    ¡°I¡¯m very grateful to you for such praise. My sword... my life was not spent in vain, after all. At the end, I still managed to make some progress towards the peak!¡±

    That was not praise, however.

    Shalltear was just mocking him.

    However, she could tell that his feelings were honest. In other words, the man was truly rejoicing about being able to clip a fingernail.

    Did he have a few screws loose? Come to think of it, he had spouted a pack of rubbish when they had first met. All in all, it made her feel uneasy, so she had better kill him quickly.

    With that in mind, Shalltear stepped forward and¡ª

    ¡ªand Demiurge¡¯s call to battle came through.

    Shalltear knew what that meant. Despite herself, she looked over to the distance, but she could not sense a presence.

    ¡°Is that the effect of the Master¡¯s ring?¡±

    One of the rings that Ainz wore wouldpletely conceal him from all kinds of divination-type magic. It was normally issued to all the guardians, but it could also erase the presence of the ruler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick.

    With a sense of regret for not being able to sense her master, Shalltear turned her head back, and found that the human with a screw loose in his head had vanished.

    Ah! Ipletely forgot about that strange fellow!

    After a quick look around, Shalltear discovered that the man had turned his back to her and was busy jumping down into an alley. He must have made his move while she was distracted.

    There¡¯s no way a mere mortal could escape unscathed from me.

    If she used magic to slow down the flow of time, she could catch up to him before he even hit the ground. Without hesitation, Shalltear cast her spell.

    ¡°[Time elerator]!¡±

    The world felt thick and viscous around Shalltear as she moved through it at incredible speeds, heading towards the ce the man wouldnd. As she descended, she observed his posture as he leapt down with cial slowness. Although she could not harm him directly while the spell was in effect, she could still set up an ambush and make other preparations.

    Just as well. I¡¯ll open my arms to receive him as he falls. Surely a human like him will be overjoyed to be embraced by a full-figured beauty like myself.

    The corner of Shalltear¡¯s mouth quirked up as she thought of the expression that she would see on his face. As shended on the ground, just before the spell ended, she sensed another presence close by.

    ¡ªWhat¡¯s this?

    It was a young man in a suit of pure white te armor with a roguish-lookingpanion.

    ? ? ?

    Brainnded in the alley and looked back up, but Shalltear was no longer there.

    She didn¡¯t pursue me? No, that¡¯s not right, what if she wants me to lead her to the others, likest time?

    He had not nned to flee at first. His thoughts had been that it would be easier to buy time for Climb and the rest by escaping to lower ground.

    Brain¡¯s every action had been to let Climb escape. It was because of that that he had put on this entire show of running away.

    But as he ran, he discovered something that should not have been there. That something was Climb and the thief, who were waving to him.

    How could this¡ª

    Brain¡¯s mind filled with emotion¡ª intense anger and frustration.

    His face distorted by wrath, he charged towards the two of them, grabbed them by the cor and kept running. This was obviously slower than just running by himself, but Brain was not calm enough to have considered that.

    After they had run for some distance, and after checking repeatedly behind him to make sure that Shalltear had not caught up with them, he mmed Climb against a nearby wall. Because Brain had not thought to control his strength, Climb practically bounced off it.

    ¡°Why? Why didn¡¯t you run?!¡±

    Although his emotions were on the verge of overflowing, Brain still had enough presence of mind to keep himself from shouting out loud.

    ¡°That... that was...¡±

    Brain grabbed hold of Climb again.

    ¡°That was what?! Were you worried about me?! I clearly told you two to escape!¡±

    ¡°Wait, wait, wait, wait, I don¡¯t know what happened, but back then, you just said some stuff and ran off. The fault isn¡¯t Climb-kun¡¯s alone!¡±

    After hearing the thief¡¯s words, Brain began to calm down. It was true that he hadn¡¯t exined anything at all. He forced himself to take deep breaths.

    ¡°...Forgive me, Climb-kun. I seem to have gone a little mad.¡±

    ¡°Ah, no, you must forgive me too, for not heeding your words.¡±

    ¡°No, I was the one at fault, and I am truly sorry. Things just... happened.¡±

    ¡°...Hey, Unus-san, what happened? We may not have known each other very long, but just now, you seemed like apletely different person, like a novice who just picked up the sword.¡±

    ¡°Stopping here is very dangerous. I¡¯ll tell you once we move. Let¡¯s just say I met a monster who could give Sebas-san a run for his money.¡±

    The three of them moved on warily. It might have been sheer luck that they had not met Jaldabaoth¡¯s underlings while they were fleeing, but counting on that luck to continue would only end badly.

    ¡°Then... you¡¯re unhurt, so it must have been aplete victory, right? Or... no, you settled it with words?¡±

    ¡°Not so. It was with the sword... I cut her fingernail off.¡±

    Brain was filled with glee as he said it. There was no mistake about it¡ª he, Brain Unus, had clipped the nail of the monster Shalltear Bloodfallen.

    ¡°I cut her fingernail off,¡± Brain repeated. He was trying his best to control the overflowing joy that welled up from the depths of his heart, but even so, he was practically trembling with emotion.

    ¡°I... I see. Cutting a fingernail off... I guess doing it with a sword is pretty impressive...¡±

    The thief shook his head and trembled slightly.

    ¡°...that nail belonged to someone who could rival Sebas-sama. Don¡¯t you think she must have been very strong?¡±

    ¡°Is that so? As expected of Brain Unus...¡±

    Brain struggled to contain his girlish excitement as he was showered in praise. He shook his head to clear these foolish ideas from it.

    ¡°Climb-kun, no, Climb. After seeing Sebas-sama you should know, right? There are people stronger than me everywhere. Even someone like Momon the ck has probably reached Sebas-sama¡¯s level too. So keep this in mind, when I tell you to run, run. Even if you try and help, you¡¯ll just get in the way. Please promise me, next time, don¡¯t question what I say and just do it.¡±

    ¡°I... I understand.¡±

    ¡°Then that¡¯s good. You¡¯re serving the Princess, right? Because of that, you could endure Sebas-sama¡¯s killing intent, right? Then make sure you keep your priorities straight.¡±

    Brain patted Climb on the shoulder, and looked back at the direction from which they had fled.

    Why? Why hasn¡¯t she pursued me yet? Is there some reason? I totally didn¡¯t expect her to show up here. Could it be, was it because of the warehouse district?

    Brain recalled Renner¡¯s words.

    Could it be that she was looking for the same item as Jaldabaoth? If that¡¯s the case, wouldn¡¯t that make her one of Jaldabaoth¡¯s agents?

    Since a monster like Shalltear had shown up, the only sensible thing to do would be to abandon the mission and flee right away, but would Climb be able to do that? Since he had already heard Brain¡¯s lecture, he would probably listen to Brain and escape.

    Would that really be a good thing?

    It was obviously good to be concerned for Climb¡¯s safety, but people sometimes chose to put their lives in danger for the sake of something else, and being ordered by Renner on this suicide mission was such an asion.

    Brain did not know what kind of life Climb had lived before he earned his name, or how he had served the Golden Princess afterward. Even so, Brain did not think it would be wise to unnecessarily interfere with Climb¡¯s determination to carry out Renner¡¯s orders.

    Brain pulled the thief over, and spoke to him after making sure Climb couldn¡¯t see or hear them talk.

    ¡°Hey, do you think it was a good idea to bring Climb here? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to make sure he went home safe rather thanpleting the mission?¡±

    ¡°...You¡¯re a big old softy, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Enough with that nonsense. And considering you¡¯re the one who volunteered to be the emergency stand-in for this suicide mission, I think you¡¯re the bigger softy.¡±

    The thiefughed nervously, and then looked at the confused youth who was facing them.

    ¡°How shall I put it... seeing a kid like him fight so hard made me remember the days when I was still young, even if it was just for a while. I think I understand how you feel about this too. Even so...¡±

    The thief¡¯s eyes shone with a sharp and brilliant conviction.

    ¡°It was the path he chose. We have no right to force him off it.¡±

    Brain sighed.

    ¡°I¡¯m interested in that brat too. I¡¯m pretty certain how he feels about the princess, judging by the look in his eye and the way he reacts when put in danger. Hell of a kid, isn¡¯t he? He¡¯s got a thoughtless and crazy wish in his heart. Because of that... he¡¯s like a thief who¡¯s set his eyes on the Kingdom¡¯s most valuable treasure.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. He might still die, but at least he¡¯ll have chosen it.¡±

    With that, Brain made up his mind.

    ¡°Then, we¡¯d best get a move on. Don¡¯t know when Shalltear might catch up with us.¡±

    Part 2

    Lower Fire Month (9th Month), 5th Day, 03:38

    The adventurers from the pce retreated past the barricade to the rear. The guards they passed through had been ordered to hold the line until the adventurers¡¯ wounds could be healed.

    Once the adventurers had passed through the opening in the barricade, it was immediately filled up again with nks and other debris.

    Nobody else remained in front of the barricade. This meant that this was the frontline.

    Looking back, the guards could see the ragged adventurers as they limped towards the rear. Fresh w and scorch marks adorned their armor, as did the sprays of fresh blood.

    Further behind that was the wall of fire burning in the background. They had prated roughly 150 meters into enemy territory. Indeed, judging by the dread that the once-familiar capital had inspired in them, it felt like a foreboding, alien world; enemy territory indeed.

    The adventurers had spent time wrecking the surrounding houses and tearing parts of them down to form a barricade. The guards had thought it would be a useful obstacle, but now it seemed puny and insignificant. It felt like it would crumble at the first sign of serious resistance.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. The demons haven¡¯t pursued the adventurers. The enemy hasn¡¯t chosen to attack, they¡¯re just shoring up their defense. No problems. They won¡¯t attack.¡±

    Someone else was repeating these words again. They were meant to mask his anxiety and embodied his wish to return home alive. He repeated his prayer to his god.

    There were forty-five men manning the barricade. They carried long spears and wore leather armor. Among these was a man in a helmet, Bona Ingray. He was one of several guard captains mobilized tonight.

    Though he had the title of captain, in truth he was no different than the other guards. His physique was nothing special, nor was his mind particrly sharp. The younger guards were stronger and faster than him. He had made it to this position simply because he had served as a guard until he was 40, and because there was nobody else to fill it.

    His face turned pale, and his hands gripped his spear so tightly the edges of his fingers turned white. Looking closely, one could see that his legs were trembling. His gaze was fixed forward solely because he did not want to see something horrible. His entirely unreliable posture only increased the guards¡¯ unease further.

    Then again, it was to be expected, considering this was the first time their lives would actually be on the line in a battle.

    The Kingdom fought with the Empire every year, sending troops to the Katze in. But the guards were tasked with the protection of the city, and thus they were not dispatched to the frontlines. Because of this, the position of city guard was coveted by those citizens who did not want to fight against the Empire. But now¨D

    They had ample experience dealing with squabbles between drunken peasants, but there had never been a case where they had to fight to the death. Because of that, their fear grew even further. The only reason they did not break and flee was because they knew running away would be an unforgivable sin.

    Even if they were somehow absolved, they would still be guilty of not protecting the city properly. That was the sole reason why they had not been sent to the front. If they failed in doing that, then they would surely be forced into the frontlines during the next war with the Empire.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to quit my job as a guard if I make it through this in one piece.¡±

    Bona grumbled to himself quietly, and many of the people around him agreed.

    ¡°Do you still remember what the adventurers said?¡±

    ¡°Are we talking about what to do if we encounter Hellhounds, Greater Hellhounds, Gazer Devils and Demon Swarms?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Does anyone know anything about fighting demons? Especially their weak points, what they¡¯re bad at, that sort of thing.¡±

    Nobody answered; they were too busy looking at each other.

    Bona¡¯s expression conveyed how useless he thought they were without having to say a word. When he saw dissatisfaction on some of the others¡¯ faces, he looked away and mmed the butt of his spear into the ground.

    ¡°Damn it! Can¡¯t those adventurers exin better?¡±

    The adventurers who had shared their knowledge with the guards had been heavily wounded and were falling back as fast as they could. Just telling them the name of the enemy was all they could do, let alone telling them how they looked like, or how to fight them.

    However, it would be too harsh on the adventurers to solely me them for this situation. There was no propermunication between the guards and the adventurers, and as a result the amount of information being shared was low. In fact, forming the defense line out of guards who didn¡¯t know anything could be med on the senior guards as well. Also, not all guards were uninformed about the demons. Under different circumstances, some of them might have learned something about the enemy.

    One such toon of guards had sent some of their members to help the adventurers retreating past them, and had learned a lot in the process.

    This group, however, had not done so because their leader was frozen with fear and had not even turned to look at the retreating adventurers, and he certainly did not want to decrease the amount of troops guarding the barricade by assisting the adventurers.

    ¡°They¡¯re paid more than us to do the same job! They should fight harder! Until they die!¡±

    Several men nodded as Bona shouted.

    ¡°Our lives are at risk too! Those guys shouldn¡¯t be running off and leaving it all to us!¡±

    Bona called out to the nearby guards. Those further away stared coldly at him, while the ones closer to him yelled out their displeasure with the adventurers as well.

    ¡°They¡¯re here!¡±

    At the sound of the lookouts¡¯ voices, Bona looked like he had been choked.

    Everyone¡¯s eyes filled with the shapes of the demons loping towards them from the shadowed street.

    At their head was a demon that looked like a cross between a man and a frog. Its skin was a jaundiced yellow, gleaming with a sticky, shiny coating. Its body was covered in huge lumps which looked like human faces pressed out against its skin from the inside.

    A mouth that could swallow a man in one gulp gaped open, and an abnormally long tongue began tasting the air.

    Around it were Hellhounds, waiting for their prey.

    After that were demons which looked like a human being that had been skinned and its exposed muscture painted with some kind of slimy ck liquid.

    There were 15 hounds, one swollen-bodied demon covered in faces, and six of the yed demons.

    ¡°There¡¯s too many!¡± Bona cried like the tolling of a bell. ¡°We can¡¯t hold them! Run!¡±

    ¡°Dammit!¡± came the angry retort. ¡°Shut the hell up!¡±

    Ignoring Bona¡¯s wails of despair, the guards looked to theirrades, tension knotting up their faces.

    ¡°Listen up! All you need to do is stick them with the pointy end! Our job isn¡¯t to kill them! It¡¯s to buy time! It¡¯s not hard! We¡¯re all going to make it!¡±

    We¡¯re going to make it. Some people repeated that cry, and then it was taken up by others.

    ¡°Hell yeah! Let¡¯s go!¡±

    Even the guards with terrified faces grabbed their spears and got into their ranks.

    ¡°Youe join us too!¡±

    Someone grabbed Bona and dragged him to his ce. There was no time for ying around.

    The demonic beasts howled, and began tearing down the barricade at an incredible speed. The guards¡¯ spears stabbed out at them from between the ever-widening gaps in the barricade.

    The pained wails of the hellhounds rose up from all around them. Those demonic beasts that had not been stabbed hastily fled the barricade. They howled mournfully as they paced around the barricade, as though assessing the situation.

    Some of the more collected guards thrust their spears through the gaps at the nearer hellhounds, which drove them away.

    Slowly, the faces of the guards began to cheer up.

    The demons in the back had disgusting grins on their faces, and the guards were still uneasy because they didn¡¯t know what the demons would do. However, letting time pass like this was still good. After all, their job was not to defeat the demons.

    ¡°Wh-what the?!¡± a lone guard cried out as he watched what was happening in front of him.

    The enemy had formed into a neat line, just barely beyond the reach of the thrusting spears.

    This waspletely different from the wild assault just now. The guards began growing uneasy. If they knew what the hellhounds were up to, maybe they could have changed their formation or done something about it. As it was, all they could do was thrust their spears between the gaps.

    But just when they thought that was all they would have to do, the demonic beasts opened their maws, so widely that it looked as though they were dislocated. One could see red within their throats.

    Jets of crimson me shot out in unison at the barricade, engulfing the entire thing in fire. The guard¡¯s eyes could see nothing but red.

    Although the fire was intense, it still could not burn down the barricades within a few seconds. This did not make much difference to the guards on the other side, though.

    Screams broke out all around. Some had their eyes burned up, others had their lungs and gullets scorched because they inhaled the mes. In the end, all of them fell like flies. The only guards to survive were the ones at the sides, because the ones in the center were no longer breathing after being consumed by the me.

    ¡°W-we¡¯re doomed!¡±

    The words nobody wanted to say escaped from Bona¡¯s mouth. His movements thereafter were remarkably fast, as he threw down his spear and discarded his helmet, all to let him flee faster.

    The remaining guards were stunned. They had considered retreating, of course, but none of them had fled with such amazing skill as him.

    Bona ran away with a speed that was hard for human beings to follow. The surviving guards looked on ck-jawed as Bona¡¯s back faded into the distance.

    However, his flight was abruptly halted by a demon falling out of the sky.

    The swollen-bodied demon flew without wings, andnded squarely on Bona¡¯s back, making a cracking noise like dried branches snapping as it did.

    Bona cried out in pain. Though it could have killed him easily, the demon did not do so. However, that was most definitely not an act of mercy.

    The demon opened its mouth and swallowed Bona whole. Its distended belly hardly changed even as it ingested him¡ª no, there was a new swelling, with a human face on it.

    Though it was hard to tell, it looked like it belonged to Bona.

    Even as the sound of the barricade being torn down reached their ears, the guards did not move. So much for being an obstacle; against demons, it was little more than a pile of matchsticks.

    The demons who broke through the barricade encircled the guards. A strangled cry came up from them, for they knew they would certainly die here.

    It was answered by theughter of the surrounding demons, mocking the foolishness of these humans.

    One of the guards looked to the sky, praying for his god to save him. Instead, he saw something bizarre in the night sky.

    He saw a group of strange-looking people flying towards them at high speed. Two of them were supporting a third, who was wearing jet-ck te armor. He was wrapped in a crimson cape and carrying a gigantic sword in each hand.

    ¡°Throw me.¡±

    Though they seemed far away, the voice carried clearly over the distance.

    The two flying supporters released their grip. The dark warrior picked up speed, as though he had been pushed forward by some force from behind, tracing a trajectory downward that ended in the middle of the road. He skidded across the ground as though there were no friction, only managing to brake after chopping off the head of a hellhound in passing.

    Both sides paused to watch this outrageously dramatic entry. The silence was deafening.

    ¡°I am the adventurer Momon. Fall back. I¡¯ll take over.¡±

    At first, the soldiers were unable toprehend what the warrior of darkness had just said to them. Then, the howls of several hellhounds brought them back to reality. He was the savior that they needed.

    ¡°Hellhounds... that¡¯s all of them? Even twice the number wouldn¡¯t be enough!¡±

    The hellhounds sprang at the dark warrior Momon from all sides. In seconds they had enveloped him, forming a cordon from which there was no escape.

    Even if he tried to parry them with a sword, he would be torn apart by the surrounding hellhounds. Even if he tried to sweep them away, he would still be mauled to death by the rest of the beasts. Being hit by a leaping Hellhound¡¯s charge would break his bnce and leave him unable to defend against the attacks that would follow.

    This was a brutal strategy that leveraged on superior numbers to win.

    The anguish on the face of the guards was only natural, but none of them knew what true power was.

    The gigantic sword shed, and a mighty wind followed in its wake.

    Everyone present was speechless.

    That was a single swing of his de. A normal person would only have been able to bring one hound down at most. However, just as the sword¡¯s wielder was no mere human, that stroke was not something a mere human could do.

    That single blow cleaved through four of the seemingly invincible hellhounds that the guards had no hope of defeating.

    Momon turned with the force of his swing, though he had slightly lost his bnce because he had used all his strength. There were still other hellhounds left, and now it seemed impossible for him to avoid their attacks.

    Even though he wore a suit of sturdy te armor, the hellhounds had sharp teeth, and ws that could rend steel. And there would be no way to survive unscathed after being attacked by that many hellhounds.

    In the guard¡¯s eyes, they imagined the adventurer who hade to save them taking countless wounds.

    However, they had been far too presumptuous, after all.

    Momon did not try to forcibly regain his bnce, but turned with the momentum. The crimson cape fluttered, like a cyclone of fire. With graceful steps that almost looked like dancing, Momon stepped lightly upon the ground, while his swords spun in a horizontal sweep from left to right, roaring as they went.

    The remaining Hellhounds were cut apart, their bodies flung far into the distance by the power of his swings. Any Hellhounds who could still move were long gone.

    ¡°Just... just two hits?¡±

    The murmuring from one guard represented the words in their hearts. Or rather, after seeing the majesty of this disy, they had nothing else to say.

    ¡°Next up... an Over Eating and Gazer Devils, huh. Such meaningless opponents.¡±

    After muttering to himself, Momon strode over to the demons. There was no caution or wariness in his footsteps. It was as though he were walking through a park. Normally, the guards would have called out to him to stop, but after seeing his prowess, nobody could even think of doing that.

    The only thing mere mortals could do was watch the back of a great warrior as he went to work.

    Unable to bear the encroaching pressure that came from the man approaching him so casually, the Gazer Devils roared and leapt at him.

    There was a sh of light.

    The dismembered parts of their corpses flew in all directions.

    Momon had not broken his stride for even a single second. He continued walking, as though the Gazer Devils had never existed, with an ease like he was alone in the wilderness.

    ¡°...Incredible...¡±

    As though reacting to the guards¡¯ words, the Over Eating opened its maw. It was like the jaws of those snakes which could open up and swallow their prey whole. In its depths, one could see the flickers of fires within. The tormented expressions intensified on the faces pressed out from the inside of its body, and theirs were the screams of souls condemned to a fate worse than death.

    The Over Eating could consume the souls of its victims to produce a wail that would terrify and kill any living creature.

    However, before that, its head had been chopped off.

    The thrown sword sprouted from its body as the head fell to the ground.

    ¡°There¡¯s no problem if you kill it before it can wail.¡±

    With that, Momon walked over and wrenched his sword out of the corpse.

    In just a few tens of seconds, he had exterminated the demons the guards thought were impossible to beat.

    The guards cried out. It was the joyous sound of men who had been granted a miraculous reprieve from death.

    Though bathed in praise, Momon took no notice of it and instead spoke calmly to the guards.

    ¡°...After this, I will be moving to lead the adventurers¡¯ counterattack. You fellows need to hold the line for just a little longer. Well, I guess since I¡¯ve already taken these guys out, the next wave won¡¯t being so soon. Nabe, Evileye, you cane get me now.¡±

    The two magic casters descended from the sky to pick Momon up. As he rose into the air, Momon turned to say onest thing to the guards.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to take out the enemy leader. Until then, please protect the civilians behind you. I¡¯m counting on you guys.¡±

    As they watched Momon fly from the area, the guards sighed.

    After what that hero had said to them, nobody could possiblyin about defending this area with their lives.

    ¡°Oi! Get the roadblocks up! We need to get ready to stop the enemy¡¯s advance again! Worry about what happens when it gets torn downter!¡±

    ? ? ?

    Lower Fire Month (9th Month), 5th Day, 03:44

    Lakyus stood at the head of the assault team that was formed of mithril and orichalcum ranked adventurers. Tina was by her side too, and together they advanced.

    Before she set out, Lakyus had heavily considered her position. Anyone who could use resurrection magic should not be on the frontlines. However, Lakyus¡¯ absence would lead to a huge drop in fighting power. Since the priority was to get Momon safely to Jaldabaoth, it stood to reason that Lakyus should not stay in the back.

    They avoided the route Momon had taken, instead choosing to take one that led them to a location which had a barricade manned by guards. All they saw on the way there were streets painted in blood, with chunks of shredded meat scattered everywhere. Of course, the barricade had been destroyed so thoroughly that there was no sign it had ever existed to begin with.

    In order not to make too much noise, the adventurers formed up into a group and crept ahead. However, after only about 30 meters of movement, they turned a corner and were beset by demons.

    At the start of the battle, the adventurers, with their high personalbat ability, enjoyed an overwhelming advantage inbat.

    Gradually, however, the bnce of power began to shift. This was because their opponents had a numerical advantage that overwhelmed the adventurers¡¯ prowess in singlebat. Their numbers were so great that it seemed as though every demon in the area had converged on them.

    ¡°Hold fast! Keep fighting!¡±

    Lakyus called out while casting her group support spell. Of course, none of the adventurers would retreat. They knew how important this battle was.

    In contrast with Evileye¡¯s task, which was to eliminate the trash that tried to get in Momon¡¯s way, their task was to put pressure on the demons and keep them from spreading out.

    In that sense, fighting so many demons head-on was, in a way, Momon¡¯s greatest support. The longer they fought here, the higher Momon¡¯s chances of victory would be.

    Warcries and the shing of steel blended together, and the sound of spells being cast and special abilities being used ¡ª like me breath burning up human bodies ¡ª blended together in a chaotic mix.

    After Lakyus confirmed the situation, her face contorted. The words of a certain adventurer stuck in her mind.

    ¡°The demons have be stronger.¡±

    Could it be that they had opened the door to the demon world, and summoned even more powerful demons? Was the wall of fire the boundary between this world and the next? What would happen if they let things progress over time? Even if they defeated Jaldabaoth, could they restore the capital to peace? Would this all be for nothing?

    ¡°There¡¯s no point thinking about this!¡±

    As she shouted it out, Lakyus¡¯ countless worries dispersed.

    If she did not give it a try, she would never know. For that reason, Lakyus drew her sword.

    ¡°Shoot!¡±

    One of the Floating Swords hovering at her shoulders rose up and shot out at hermand. With a speed that split the air, it pierced a leaping Hellhound right through the mouth, destroying it without leaving so much as a corpse behind.

    Looking around, Lakyus realised they had been surrounded. The advance which had just begun had halted, and since they were encircled by multipleyers of the enemy, there was no chance of relief. There was nothing to do but fight.

    The vanguard cast aside their broken weapons and drew their spares. The magic casters who had run out of mana used their scrolls or wands to cast their spells instead. They were running on fumes.

    The outer ring of adventurers were orichalcum-ranked, while the mithril-ranked defended the wounded in the middle and the magic casters who had run out of mana.

    This is bad... if this keeps up, we¡¯ll be worn down and defeated. Haven¡¯t they done it yet? Haven¡¯t they defeated Jaldabaoth yet?

    A cry rang out, and as Lakyus turned her head, she saw a warrior who had been knocked down by a demon.

    ¡°Tch!¡±

    Before Lakyus could move, Tina was charging at the demon, filling the gap that had been formed.

    The fallen warrior was carried off by other adventurers. It was good that he was still alive, but the situation was still very bad. The fact that nobody was casting healing spells was a clear sign that the mana of the priests who used divine magic waspletely depleted.

    We have to fall back.

    If their lines were broken, they would be routed in an instant. Lakyus could not let them die like this. She considered what might happen if Momon were to be defeated, and realised that she would have to be very careful about it.

    Retreating whilepletely worn out would be extremely difficult. It would be better to fall back while they still had the strength to do so.

    ¡°Fall¡ª¡±

    Just as Lakyus was about to give themand to retreat, she gasped as a new demon descended from the sky.

    It was roughly three meters tall, and its muscr body was covered in reptilian scales. It had a tail that resembled a snake.

    Its head was a goat skull, and its eyes were beacons of bluish-white fire in empty ck sockets.

    In its mighty arms, it held a gigantic maul.

    It spread the bat-like wings on its back. With a p of its wings, it sent a wave of freezing air cascading forth, and a wave of soul-shattering terror apanied it. Although they had fear-resistance magic cast and thus did not panic, this was a clear demonstration of the power of this demon, which was stronger than any they had encountered so far.

    Sweat flowed like a river.

    ¡°¨DThis is bad.¡±

    With ample mana and the adventuring parties at full strength, they would probably have been able to beat it. If they could just learn more about their opponent and fight itter, they would definitely have triumphed, but right now, none of these conditions were present. Evileye, who was very knowledgeable and could use powerful magic, was not here. Gagaran, who could defend against her opponent¡¯s blows and immediately press the advantage to counterattack, was not here. Tia, who could deftly evade her enemies¡¯ attacks and attack them with her ninjutsu, was not here either. The only ones here were two tired people.

    She looked over to Tina, who nodded to show that she was ready to die here. Lakyus closed both her hands around the hilt of Kilineyram and began walking toward the demon. At this moment, a nearby orichalcum-ranked adventurer grabbed her shoulder and shouted.

    ¡°We¡¯ll hold him back! You should escape!¡±

    Seeing the look of surprise on Lakyus¡¯ face, he continued speaking.

    ¡°If you¡¯re alive, you can use resurrection magic. Because of that, you have to make it back alive, no matter what. The rest of us are counting on you to revive us!¡±

    The man smiled, his expression filled with masculine charm. It was a smile that suited an orichalcum-ranked adventurer like him. The adventurers around him nodded in unison.

    When one thought calmly about it, they were right. Rather than prepare herself to die, she should prepare herself to live, so she could extend a lifeline to the ones who would fall in battle.

    ¡°The materialponents for a resurrection spell are very expensive. How about giving us a discount?¡±

    ¡°Hey, didn¡¯t you say you wanted to be the pride of the princess or something?¡±

    ¡°Let the damn nobles pay for it! They¡¯ve certainly got the coin!¡±

    And just like that, as though they were going for a pic, several adventurers peeled off from the huddled group. There was no discussion, not even a nce in each others¡¯ eyes¡ª they simply walked out in perfect synchronization to stand before the demon.

    Seeing the carefree way in which they went to their deaths, Lakyus bit her lip and turned away.

    ¡°Break out with all your strength! As long as you can walk away in the end it¡¯ll be fine!¡±

    With that, Lakyus charged the demonic hordes, raising Kilineyram in her hands. She trusted her defense entirely to her armor and her magic. Abandoning the nearly-broken defensive line, she prepared to carve a crimson road through the demons.

    It felt like she was being ripped to shreds, her flesh pierced by daggers, forcing Lakyus to grit her teeth against the pain that assailed her. From a detached point of view, she knew that her body was nearing its limits, so she cast a silent healing spell. Although Lakyus absolutely had to survive this encounter, she could not do it without exerting herself to her utmost.

    ¡°Haaaaaaa!¡±

    Lakyus channelled most of her remaining mana into Kilineyram. The stars in its body began to shine with an unearthly radiance, and the body of the de swelled up as well.

    ¡°Super move! [Dark de Mega Impact]!¡±

    With a horizontal sweep, ck power flowed out in a vast, shing wave. The lower ranking demons were reduced to sightless atoms by the explosive burst of non-elemental energy.

    Strictly speaking, calling the attack was not necessary, but if it worked, it worked. However¡ª

    ¡°Still... not... enough?!¡±

    Lakyus¡¯ tired eyes could only see a veritable wall of low-tier demons. Although she had just blown away so many of them in one stroke, the breach she made had been immediately filled back up.

    Could she break through? Lakyus¡¯ unease began growing again. Kilineyram had returned to its original dimensions.

    At this moment, Lakyus saw behind the demons¡ª a sh of metal, the roar of a man¡¯s voice.

    ¡°¡ª[Sixfold sh of Light]!¡±

    The six simultaneous cuts cleaved the demon hordes apart.

    ¡°[Sixfold sh of Light]! [Pace of the Wind]! Hnnnnnn!¡±

    Another seven demons were shed through like a hot knife through butter. That sharpness made her think of Razor Edge, the sword that could cut through anything, and it scared the demons senseless.

    ¡°Kill them all!¡±

    In time with his wrathful cry, a hedge of spears bristled out from behind Gazef.

    There was no mistaking the glint of that metal. Countless spears stabbed out from behind Gazef. Those were the Royal Guard and the knights who defended the Royal Pce, a force of hundreds of soldiers that looked like they were going to flood the alley.

    Seeing that they were outnumbered more than two to one, the demon horde¡¯s encirclement began to waver.

    Shouts of joy rang out, and the ragged adventurers began to retreat, covered by the soldiers.

    ¡°Why¡ª what is Stronoff-sama doing here?¡±

    Was he not supposed to stay behind to protect the pce and the royal family? As though in response to Lakyus¡¯ words, his face turned in a certain direction.

    Lakyus¡¯ line of sight followed his, and her eyes widened. There were four priests and four arcane magic casters protecting an old man. Upon his head was the crown which only one person in the kingdom was permitted to bear. His body was clothed in sturdy armor.

    King Ranpossa III.

    This was a supremely dangerous move.

    Although his body was protected by te armor, some demons¡¯ attacks could easily pierce steel. Also, even if he were protected, area-effect spells that overwhelmed his protectors could still harm the king. And the king was still an ordinary person, so he would probably die if struck by some magic. Even if resurrection spells could be used on him, the king would surely be unable to bear the life force drain it would cause.

    ¡°His Majesty so dered¡ª ¡®are you to protect this lifeless city, or me?¡¯ There can only be one answer to that. To guard the King¡¯s body is my duty. That being the case, this is a battlefield where we must fight! Charge!¡±

    The soldiers let out an earthshaking cry, and thundered forward.

    Force shed against force, but just when everyone thought the tide had turned, the body of an orichalcum ranked adventurer flew through the air, hitting a nearby wall and leaving a bright red stter mark.

    ¡°OOOOOOHHHHHHH!¡±

    As though saying, e get some¡±, the giant demon¡¯s body halted the soldiers in their tracks.

    There were monsters which could not be beaten by mere numbers alone.

    ¡°Stronoff-sama! Give me a hand!¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    The voice that followed Gazef¡¯s answer made Lakyus¡¯ eyes go wide.

    ¡°Hang on. Don¡¯t you need an awesome fighter backing you up?¡±

    ¡°And an excellent ninja-to-be as well.¡±

    There was no mistaking these voices. Still, Lakyus called out in surprise, still barely able to believe her ears.

    ¡°Gagaran! Tia!¡±

    The two of them slowly stepped out in front of her. They were fully armed and ready for battle.

    ¡°Yo. I¡¯ve gotten stiff from all this sleeping around, so I asked Stronoff-san to bring me along.¡±

    ¡°Ready to fight.¡±

    It should not have been like this. She already told them they were forbidden to fight right after being resurrected. Normally, one would need to getplete bed rest and even then they would still feel drained. Even so, they knew how important this battle was, which was why they had joined the fight.

    Getting everyone back together was the biggest boost she could receive.

    Lakyus prayed with all her heart.

    She prayed that Momon would defeat Jaldabaoth, and get rid of the demons in the capital.

    Lower Fire Month (9th Month), 5th Day, 03:46

    ¡°I see him.¡±

    Looking ahead, one could see the masked demon standing in the center of the za, making no attempt to hide himself. Although she could not see the forms of other demons, Evileye was not foolish enough to think that they were not there.

    Having noticed them approaching, Jaldabaoth turned and bowed elegantly. There could only be one meaning behind this.

    ¡°A trap... what now, Momon-sama?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what awaits us. We just have to smash it all.¡±

    ¡°Just so.¡±

    Momon¡¯s tone no longer had its original seriousness and formality, which was probably because their travel together had made them more familiar with each other. With this in mind, Evileye began switching to a more casual way of speaking as well. If she kept concealing her true self, when they started going out seriously, they would probably break up right away. So even though revealing her true self might have been too early, taking a more casual tone would probably be a good idea, Evileye thought.

    ¡°It seems it¡¯s starting right on schedule.¡±

    From behind, the sound of drums and battle cries rang out. In order to ensure Momon could fight Jaldabaoth one-on-one, the troops would begin their attack. This was the only chance they had. As such, there was no other way to save the capital other than by defeating Jaldabaoth.

    ¡°Ahh, that seems to be the case. It would appear that it¡¯s time for the final battle. Momon-sama... leave the other enemies to myself and Nabe. You should focus all your attention on fighting Jaldabaoth, Momon-sama.¡±

    ¡°Understood. In that case, since you¡¯vee this far with me, when I defeat Jaldabaoth and return in triumph, can I hope that you will stand by my side? Nabe, please work with her. I hope the three of us can return together.¡±

    ¡°Understood, Momon-san.¡±

    The three of themnded in front of Jaldabaoth. Evileye looked around, and from a house adjoining the za, a maid appeared.

    She wore a mask like thest time she saw her, with a fixed expression. But Evileye could feel the hatred directed at her.

    There¡¯s probably more than one of them.

    Jaldabaoth already knew who was stronger between herself and the insect maid. Now that their side also had Nabe, a magic caster who might be able to rival him in power, there was no way he would join the battle alone. Was he nning to swamp them in demons, or was there another subordinate of aparable level waiting in the wings? Both possibilities made Evileye break out in a cold sweat.

    After that maid, more people in masks simr to his appeared.

    They were all wearing strange maid uniforms.

    And they numbered...

    ¡°...Four of them?!¡±

    There were a total of five people with fighting powerparable to herself. Two against five would be far too great a difference in power. The battle seemed unwinnable from the very start.

    ¡°Damn it! I underestimated Jaldabaoth¡¯s forces!¡±

    If this kept up, they would be overwhelmed by sheer numbers, and then the maids would go on to interfere in Momon and Jaldabaoth¡¯s duel.

    In an evenly-matched battle, even a little bit of support could make the difference between victory and defeat, just like that battle with the insect maid.

    ¡°Then I will leave the five of them to you.¡±

    Saying that, Momon grasped his swords in his hands, striding naturally toward Jaldabaoth.

    As his mighty back receded from her, Evileye¡¯s heart filled with sadness. If only she could lose herself in that flowing red cape of his, it would clear away all her unease and frustration.

    Evileye rebuked the part of her that wanted to reach out a hand to him.

    She had originallye here with the determination to die. Even if her opponents were stronger than expected, she could not do anything as shameful as beg for help. And Momon¡¯s earlier words were clearly a sign of how much he trusted her. A man like him would never be so callous or cruel.

    Come to think of it, he definitely said something from behind his back. If it was Evileye and Nabe, they would definitely be able to hold the enemy back until I won, something like that.

    A fire zed up from within the depths of Evileye¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Then here Ie, De... demon!¡±

    Momon roared, and shed at Jaldabaoth. A fierce battle started. In order to keep the other two from being drawn in, Momon pressured Jaldabaoth, slowly forcing him away.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll take three and you take two, how about that?¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? I¡¯m alright with three people too.¡±

    ¡°Hmph,¡± Nabe smirked.

    ¡°You take two, I¡¯ll take three.¡±

    Evileye felt she had a better grasp on Nabe¡¯s personality, and smiled.

    To be more precise, Evileye¡¯s impression of Nabe as a rival was improving, as a fellow mage who could stand by Momon¡¯s side.

    Really, if it was just Momon and Nabe, I could just take off my ring and reveal my true form... Well, first I need to go back alive.

    ¡°You¡¯re so stubborn. All right, I get it. I¡¯ll take care of these two quickly, and thene to support you. Fight like you want to live¡ª what?¡±

    Evileye had the feeling that everyone present ¡ª all five maids and Nabe ¡ª were all looking at her. Something seemed out of ce, as though they had already nned out everything in advance.

    ¡°No, there¡¯s nothing.¡±

    After that cold answer, Nabe took the first step to the side.

    ¡°Then, although I said I would handle three of them, our opponents will be the one deciding who they will send at us.¡±

    The ones who were lured out were the insect maid, the twin-braided maid, and the drill-haired maid. The ones who stayed with Evileye were the maid with the bunned-up hair and the long-haired maid.

    ¡°My name is Alpha. This is Delta. We shall be your opponents.¡±

    ¡°Are you now? This is all quite formal. My name is Evileye. I am the one who shall defeat the two of you!¡±

    Evileye had not intended to prolong the fight with conversation. Had she thought that way, her opponents might have picked up on it and killed her instantly. She had to be patient.

    ¡°Is that so? How scary.¡±

    Evileye¡¯s first move was to activate her ace in the hole. It was a special ability that would cause the negative energy flowing through her body to overload, and infuse every attack she made with negative status effects.

    ¡°Here Ie!¡±

    With a cry, Evileye began her spell.

    ? ? ?

    Lower Fire Month (9th Month), 5th Day, 03:59

    ¡°Don¡¯t look down on me!¡±

    The negative energy-infused crystals sprayed out at the running maid, Alpha. This was a bludgeoning and piercing physical attack, and the negative energy would drain her life force.

    At least, it should have. However, Alpha kept running, with no sign that she had been hit at all.

    ¡°Kuh!¡±

    Evileye took to the sky. Closebat was a very bad idea for an arcane magic caster. Putting more distance between them would increase her chances of victory.

    As she floated into the sky, something bounced away before her eyes. It must have been an attack deflected by her [Crystal Shield], but at the same time, the sparkling light wrapping her body began dimming rapidly.

    Although it could neutralize fairly powerful attacks, she would be lucky if the only things they threw at her were things the [Crystal Shield] could negate by itself. The [Crystal Shield] would only work against attacks below a certain level, and it waspletely useless for anything more.

    ¡°Again?!¡±

    The one using ranged weapons was the maid in the rear, Delta. She had fired on Evileye when she was flying earlier.

    ¡°Hah!¡±

    Alpha¡¯s spirits rose as she lunged at Evileye. It made her click her tongue.

    Normally, Evileye would not even take anyoneing at her with their bare fists seriously, but that was only the arrogance she felt toward the insignificant beings who had always been beneath her. Shortly after fighting with Alpha, she was keenly aware of that. Alpha was truly a fearsome opponent. Every time she tried to open a gap between them, her opponent woulde in swinging, several times faster than herself. If she took a direct hit without the protection of her barrier, she would be destroyed.

    If she was still with Gagaran and Tia, she would not have been so careless. Now, Evileye felt like she was walking on a tightrope.

    The most annoying thing was their wless coordination. Teamwork could greatly increase the fighting power of adventurers. Right now, the two of them were giving her an object lesson in jolly cooperation.

    ¡°Shit! how can demons work together so well... what the hell!¡±

    I have no right to say that, Evileye thought. The others in her party were humans, but she was one of the undead.

    A gang sound rang out, and the protective [Crystal Shield] grew ever thinner. One more hit and it would be pierced.

    Evileye cursed, trying to get away from Alpha, who was intent on chasing her down and beating her up. Although Evileye¡¯s body was superior to a normal human¡¯s by virtue of being a Vampire, Alpha¡¯s physical abilities were even better than hers. The only reason why Alpha had not caught her already was entirely because of her [Fly] spell.

    Using magic required focus, during which the body could not move. As a result, having to constantly back away was very difficult. Movement would disrupt one¡¯s sense of bnce and make concentration difficult. This was why magic casters stood still to cast their spells. Because of this, Evileye had chosen to use [Fly] to maintain a distance without disrupting her concentration, and thus fight a mobile battle. That was nothing special by itself; any magic caster who could use [Fly] had mastered that tactic. How well they did it was a matter of talent, but as a Vampire, Evileye had the natural ability to fly and 250 years of experience to master it in.

    Even so, it took effort to escape from Alpha. And although she could kite one opponent in circles in therge za, there were two opponents.

    Another gang sound rang out, and the barrier protecting her waspletely destroyed.

    It was hard to believe anything could break the [Crystal Shield] in three hits, but there was nothing to be done about it.

    ¡°[Sand Field¡ª All]!¡±

    Sand particles dispersed throughout the surroundings. Although Delta was too far away to reach, Alpha waspletely caught in the area. Because it would affect one¡¯srades too, this spell was useless in a group fight. Any opponent within its area would be immobilized, as well as being blinded, silenced and dazed. On top of that, because of Evileye¡¯s trump card, the sand was infused with negative energy that would drain life force.

    This 5th tier spell was her own creation. It was one of the strongest cards Evileye had up her sleeve.

    However, Alpha did not slow down, nor did she look like she was hurt at all.

    ¡°But how?!¡±

    Was she immune to immobilization and negative energy?

    ¡°You deserve praise for that! What a splendid set of resistances!¡±

    Alpha¡¯s answer was to blur into a haze. As though she had performed a short-range teleport, she materialized in front of Evileye and kicked her in the face.

    Her mask cracked with a mekii sound as Evileye was flung far away.

    She bounced off the floor with a dang, dang before she managed to recover, groggily shaking her head.

    ¡°[Crystal Wall]!¡±

    Alpha¡¯s fist collided with the suddenly-materialized crystal wall, producing a thunderous crash. Cracks spread where Alpha had struck it, as though it had been hit by a wrecking ball.

    ¡°...Hmph!¡±

    Another ¡°dang¡± rang out, and as Alpha¡¯s foot struck the ground, she transmitted her inner force into the cracks in Evileye¡¯s wall, and it crumbled before her eyes.

    ¡°Is this fa jin?!¡±

    (TL: Yes, she uses a wushu term. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fa_jin)

    At this moment, while trying to clear some distance with her [Fly] spell, Evileye felt a great tremor run through the earth. She did not know where it came from, but her instinct told her that it was the aftershocks of the battle of those two.

    ¡°Are they still fighting... no, most likely their fight has reached its climax. That means... I have to buy more time!¡±

    As she said that, Evileye charged at the attacking Alpha.

    She just needed a little bit longer. She had to drag this fight out. With that in mind, Evileye fully prepared herself for death, and carried out her kamikaze attack.

    Alpha¡¯s hands were moving in circles in preparation to receive Evileye. She stood tall, like an invulnerable fortress, but even seeing this, Evileye did not stop¡ª

    ? ? ?

    Lower Fire Month (9th Month), 5th Day, 03:53

    While Ainz and Jaldabaoth struggled with each other, they crashed into a house. The door shattered as Ainz drove Jaldabaoth into it, scattering splinters everywhere. The interior was dark and cramped, unsuited for Ainz to swing his sword.

    Ignoring Jaldabaoth, Ainz rose to his feet and walked off. Jaldabaoth got up as well and followed him. They entered another room, with a small table, two chairs, and Mare.

    Mare pulled up a chair for Ainz to sit. Then, with Ainz¡¯s permission, Jaldabaoth removed his mask, revealing Demiurge¡¯s face.

    ¡°Firstly, is this room secure?¡± Ainz asked.

    ¡°There is no problem. The words spoken here are for our ears alone.¡±

    ¡°Is that so... Well, then. First off, I have a favor to ask of you. Do not harm the guards I passed on the way here. While this ce is fairly distant from E-Rantel, helping people in distress is good publicity.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Will it be eptable to transmit orders by telepathy?¡±

    ¡°Go ahead. In the meantime, tell me about your n.¡±

    Even though Demiurge had already exined the n to Narberal via [Message], she had not told him anything about it yet. He was forced to remain silent and not express his displeasure in order to make sure the n was not ruined, but in his heart he was worried about it.

    ¡°Very well. This operation has four main objectives¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ho... I only counted three. Four, you say?¡±

    Demiurge smiled. It was a smile of smug satisfaction.

    ¡°I feel as though I have gotten the better of Ainz-sama for once.¡±

    Ainz magnanimously waved his hand. Of course, he did not even know what the first three were, but Demiurge¡¯s words still made him uneasy all over.

    ¡°You¡¯ve always been one step ahead. I¡¯ve got a long way to go.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying, my liege? Truly, you are too humble.¡±

    ¡°No, really¡ª hn, forget it. Then, tell me about these objectives.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. To begin with, the objective of attacking the warehouse district was to secure the wealth and goods within and transport them to Nazarick. To facilitate this, I had Shalltear open [Gate] in front of the warehouses, and let Pandora¡¯s Actor handle the matter of transportation.¡±

    This was a very profitable objective indeed. Ainz silently praised Demiurge from the bottom of his heart.

    Losing so much wealth would make life in the Royal Capital more difficult in the future, but at this point in time, Ainz had no way of knowing that. Right now, all he felt was relief that the problem of funds was solved for the moment.

    ¡°The second is to cover up our involvement in our attacks on the hideouts of the Eight Fingers in the area. As you have no doubt surmised, a direct attack on the Eight Fingers¡¯ hideout would arouse suspicion. If we are unlucky, it might even lead to the exposure of Sebas and his contacts. As such, we expanded the area of operations in order to make others think our true aimsy elsewhere.¡±

    In other words, they were using torn-off branches to conceal themselves in the forest.

    ¡°But can you do this? What will you use to convince them that you had another objective?¡±

    ¡°Please take a look at this, my liege.¡±

    Demiurge gestured, and Mare brought in a bag, which he opened. Inside was a statue of a demon. Each of the demon¡¯ six arms were grasped a different kind of jewel. A strange, pulsing light radiated from within.

    ¡°These jewels are imbued with the spell known as [Armageddon ¨C Evil].

    The 10th tier spell [Armageddon ¨C Evil] was one that summoned a demon army. Although it could summon a massive amount of troops, each individual demon not very powerful. And if angels were hard to control, demons were even worse, with their tendency to go berserk at the worst possible moments, making it a very difficult spell to use. The normal usage capitalized on the fact that the summoned demons were not allies by default, so they could serve as live sacrifices for certain rituals and skills.

    Much like how Shalltear used her Spuit Lance to kill her own summoned minions, this magic existed for a simr purpose.

    ¡°Though this item was created by Ulbert-sama, I feel it would be best used here.¡±

    From the perspective of this world, it would make sense that an item like this would draw Jaldabaoth¡¯s attention.

    Ainz recalled the past.

    It was about a friend called Ulbert, back when the Guild¡¯s power was at its peak.

    Originally, there had been a World-ss Item which could summon an unlimited number of demons that would eventually consume the entire world. Although that would cause a huge disturbance, Ulbert had been overjoyed when he heard about it and strove to create an item to imitate it. But when it turned out the item could not cast six spells simultaneously, he lost interest in it and gave up.

    It was in to see that Demiurge was reluctant to give up a possession like this. That was because it was a relic of his creator.

    Ainz reached his hand into a pocket dimension, and withdrew a certain item.

    ¡°Demiurge, there is no need to use that. Take this as a substitute.¡±

    The device Ainz withdrew looked simr to the demon statue Demiurge had prepared. However, its hands only held three gems, and it looked cruder in general.

    ¡°This was also a device made by Ulbert-san. Because it was a prototype, he wanted to dispose of it, but I thought that it was too much of a waste and kept it. How about using this instead?¡±

    ¡°How¡ª how could I expend your treasures for my own schemes, Ainz-sama?¡±

    ¡°Is that how you see it? Very well, then. Demiurge, this is yours. Use it as you see fit. However, don¡¯t you think Ulbert-san might be embarrassed that his failed experiment was still around?¡±

    ¡°This is... how can I express my gratitude to you for gifting me with such a wondrous magic item?¡±

    Demiurge rose from his chair and knelt on the floor. Mare, seeing him, frantically knelt down beside him.

    ¡°Enough, Demiurge. Do you not have something else to do? Think of this as a token of my appreciation for your loyalty.¡±

    ¡°We Guardians were created by the Supreme Beings. As such, until the very moment of our extinction, we shall be utterly loyal to them. Even so, you have not only bestowed your mercy and care upon us in abundance, but you have even given into my keeping such a valuable treasure... although, I, Demiurge, have already sworn hisplete and undying loyalty to you, permit me to once more offer my faithful service unto you, Ainz-sama!¡±

    ¡°Ah... erm, well, then, I shall look forward to your loyal service. Now, now, stand up. Demiurge. You had something else to say, no?¡±

    ¡°Ah, indeed I did! My sincerest apologies!¡±

    Demiurge sat back down, and Mare returned to his standby position.

    ¡°Then, as I said earlier, Jaldabaoth targeted the hideouts of the Eight Fingers, and then proceeded to take control of the Kingdom¡¯s warehouse district. Seizing the resources of the warehouses was also an aim. Naturally, this device created by Ulbert-sama will be found in one of the hideouts¡¯ coffers.¡±

    ¡°That much is clear now. And what about the third objective?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I have already transported roughly half the humans within this firewall into Nazarick. There are many uses they can be put to, and the me for this will fall squarely on the demon Jaldabaoth.¡±

    So that was what he was up to, Ainz thought, but he still had some questions. Was there a benefit to letting Jaldabaoth¡¯s viiny grow? Rather, instead of inventing the character of Jaldabaoth, would it not have been better to let some other demon do it?

    ¡°...So you intend to build infamy, then?¡±

    ¡°That is correct. The intention is to ce Jaldabaoth upon the throne of the Demon King.¡±

    ¡°Now I see. So aplishing my order was part of your n, then?¡±

    Ainz looked at Demiurge, who was bowing low to acknowledge that that was the case. He remembered the order he had given. He had handed out several of them, and one of them was to give rise to a Demon King.

    ¡°This touches on the fourth objective, which is to use this incident as a proving ground for our actions in the Holy Kingdom.¡±

    At that moment, Ainz understood. He asked a question which had been weighing on his mind.

    ¡°Come to think of it, were these demons summoned from Nazarick?¡±

    ¡°How could I? I would not dream of doing so without your leave, Ainz-sama!¡±

    ¡°Hm? Given that I entrusted the task to you, and you received Albedo¡¯s permission, I thought you would have used the forces of Nazarick...¡±

    ¡°No, my lord. Those were merely the summons of my Evil Lords. After a day has passed, they can be called forth again. The loss to Nazarick is zero.¡±

    ¡°Is that so... I see why there are so many demons without memories in Nazarick. No matter, I understand. Then, another question, you said you sent every human here to Nazarick. That was regardless of whether they were male, female, young or old, correct?¡±

    Ainz was vaguely upset by the way Demiurge could so easily and casually answer in the affirmative.

    Humans were irrelevant. Perhaps Ainz had once been a human, but this body he had now felt no sympathy or closeness to them. It was as though they were a whole other species that could be casually kicked out of the way with one foot. He would ughter any number of humans for the benefit of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. Even then, killing children still upset him. This was a vestige of the man who had once been Suzuki Satoru.

    Ainz took a deep breath¡ªdespite having no lungs¡ªand exhaled heavily.

    ¡°Demiurge. If a person has not given offense to myself or the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, they shall be in swiftly and without suffering.¡±

    Demiurge bowed deeply, without saying a word.

    Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s priority was to ensure the stability and loyalty of his subordinates.

    Since they had brought children back with them, releasing them safely would mean the details of Nazarick would escape with them. While it might be possible to raise them into zealots who were vishly loyal to Nazarick, there were very few benefits to such a n at the moment. As such, this was the greatest mercy he could give them.

    ¡°Then, are we done here?¡±

    ¡°There are two more matters for your consideration. Firstly, Mare has given us an excellent opportunity.¡±

    Ainz turned his vision toward Mare, the nervous, fidgety boy.

    ¡°And that would be?¡±

    ¡°At the moment, we are still in the training phase, so the exact degree of sess is debatable. I shall borate further when we return to Nazarick. Secondly, from my observations of the situation thus far, It is very likely that the ones who brainwashed Shalltear have no connection with the Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°I understand. Then, I look forward to receiving your help soon.¡±

    ¡°It will be dly given. During our battle afterwards, please feel free to defeat me. I would do anything for you, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°I see. Then, before I drive you off, could you damage my armor? It will be more convincing if I bear the signs of a hard fight.¡±

    ¡°That is to say, you will remove it, and then I will damage it? It is unthinkable for one such as myself to dare raise a hand against Ainz-sama¡ª¡±

    ¡°What happens if I remove it and it¡¯s so badly damaged that I can¡¯t put it back on? During the Shalltear incident, I had a smith create ws in the armor before putting it on. If I took it off here and you beat it out of shape, I would probably be unable to wear it again.¡±

    Ainzughed softly. The guardians before him, not understanding why, took on expressions of puzzlement.

    ¡°A-ah, Ainz-sama? I-isn¡¯t th-that armor m-made by magic?¡±

    ¡°That is incorrect. This armor was not created from magic. I can see how you would think that way given that I, as a magic caster, am wearing it so naturally. But the truth is, I cast a warrior transformation spell and put it on. During the break before we travelled to the capital, I sent a [Message] to Albedo to have her begin future preparations. It seems it was the right choice.¡±

    Sustaining the transformation spell and other magic would both lower mana and mana recovery rates to zero. Even though he could dispel the transformation if there was an emergency and use magic, he would be starting out from a depleted state. However, in this case it had been the right thing to do. Without it, the first battle with Demiurge might have been much more troublesome.

    Demiurge¡¯s already narrow eyes narrowed even further when he heard Ainz¡¯s response. ¡°As expected of you, Ainz-sama, everything dances within the palm of your hand. To think I would dare to match wits with such a great person... I should have expected nothing less of yourself.¡±

    As Demiurge chuckled to himself, Ainz¡¯s back ran with nonexistent sweat.

    ¡°Then, shall we begin? Demiurge, I¡¯ll leave the battle damage to you.¡±

    ¡°Assuredly. Mare, send the signal. It will be an earthquake, like thest time.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Lower Fire Month (9th Month), 5th Day, 03:56

    ¡°Take my lightning!¡±

    The [Lightning] spellshed out, striking one of the maids.

    ¡°Guwaaaa-su~¡±

    The maid making the incredibly fake cry of pain was blown away like she was jumping by herself, until she vanished into the distance.

    ¡°Eiiiii~¡±

    The drill-haired maid threw her knives. They travelled in azy arc and struck Nabe¡¯s body.

    ¡°Kyaa¡ª¡±

    As Nabe let out a deadpan cry of pain, she followed after the maid that had been blown away. Entoma pursued her silently.

    Theynded in the alley, forming a straight line. Ahead of Narberal was the maid with the two braids. Behind was Entoma and the drill-haired maid. This was a ssic pincer attack, but there was no tension at all. Then again, how could there be? Back then, there had been the pretense of a fight, but now even that hadpletely evaporated, and the mood was like a group of schoolgirls chatting in a cafe.

    ¡°So anyways, this ce¡¯s been warded against spying by Nigredo-san. It should be okay now~¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Then... it¡¯s been a while, Lupu~.¡±

    The two-braided maid ¡ª Lupusregina Beta ¡ªughed under her mask.

    ¡°It really has been a while su~ this is the first time we¡¯ve met since you started running around with Ainz-sama, Nar-chan.¡±

    ¡°I did return to Nazarick from time to time, but during those times, you were at the vige.¡±

    ¡°Oh well~ you know how it is, these things just happen. Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t seen you in a while, Sol-chan~¡±

    ¡°The same. However, your way of speaking...¡±

    ¡°Oya? Sol-chan and Yuri-neesan were concerned about the same thing su~. But it¡¯s okay~ I¡¯ll be careful. En-chan¡¯s the same way su~¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good... speaking of which, why is Entoma so quiet?¡±

    ¡°Ah... En-chan doesn¡¯t seem to want to talk right now~¡±

    ¡°tHat lItTle bRaT ToOk mY VoicE!¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Narberal nodded to her. Entoma hated her original voice, so she tried to use it as little as possible.

    ¡°i WAnT To TAKe hERs In eXCHangE!¡±

    Even though her true face was covered by a mask bug, her murderous intent and anger were still overflowing in her direction.

    ¡°You know that¡¯s impossible. Since she is travelling with Ainz-sama, it will ruin his reputation if she doesn¡¯te back alive with him.¡±

    Entoma was not happy with what Narberal said, but she kept quiet. It was obvious which came first between her master¡¯s good name and her own desires. Every battle maid knew this.

    ¡°That littledy was quite strong. What is her name?¡±

    ¡°I have no interest in the names of oversized mosquitoes. Although, I think her name was Evil-something.¡±

    ¡°How mean su~ Didn¡¯t you guyse together asrades su~?¡±

    Narberal frowned at herpanion¡¯s words, so Solution answered for her.

    ¡°...That would probably be Blue Rose¡¯s Evileye. Sebas-sama wrote as such in one of his reports.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that sounds right.¡±

    Narberal was sure that Solution had the correct name.

    ¡°Nar-chan, are you bing retarded su~? Are you all right su~?¡±

    ¡°Can you all actually remember human names?¡±

    ¡°That is no problem for me. I might end up needing to know them during the course of my duties. I took care tomit a few important names to memory.¡±

    ¡°No probs here su~ actually, you could say I get along pretty well with humans, yanno?¡±

    ¡±No pRObLEMs HErE.¡±

    Narberal was slightly shocked to realize that she was alone among her fellow maids. Just as she was considering whether to pay more attention to names, the sound of an explosion rang forth. Because the buildings on either side blocked visibility, they could not tell what had caused it.

    ¡°Ah, they must be getting serious over there.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s Yuri-neesan and Shizu~ they¡¯re always serious. But if the fight¡¯s not over yet, that means they haven¡¯t used their real strength yet.¡±

    ¡±If iT wAs Up tO Me I WoUlD fIgHt hER tO tHe DeATh!¡±

    ¡°Evileye is quite strong. Going by levels alone, she might not be an opponent Yuri-neesan or Shizu could beat.¡±

    A shadow passed over the face of the battle maids for the first time. Only Narberal was different. She was confident.

    ¡°It will be fine.¡±

    As everyone¡¯s attention turned to her, she continued, ¡°Evileye is probably an elementalist like myself. We are arcane magic casters that specialize in the use of a particr element. Although this means our attack power increases greatly, it also means that outside of our area of expertise, we are quite weak.¡±

    ¡°Earth-type, then... there should also be acid, poison or gravity, right? Why crystals su~?¡±

    ¡°It must be a further specialization on gemstones within earth-type magic. So she¡¯s limited to crystal-type spells, but those are probably quite strong..¡±

    ¡°Bludgeoning and piercing physical attack magic... Seems ominous...¡±

    If it were up to me, how would I kill Evileye? While the four of them were pondering this question, the earth shook. There was a slight difference between that and the shaking of the earth caused by a shockwave.

    ¡°ThiS EArtHqUAke mUSt HaVE BEEn caUsEd By MaRE-sAMA. thEn, ShALl WE moVE On to tHE nEXt stAGe?¡±

    ¡°Was that a sign of some kind?¡±

    ¡°That is correct, Narberal. Then, is it alright if we hurt you a little? It will not look good unless we rough you up a bit.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try not to hit you too hard, so forgive me su~¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be done about it. It¡¯s work, after all.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Lower Fire Month (9th Month), 5th Day, 03:57

    ¡°Calm down! Please, calm down!¡±

    Climb tried not to raise his voice too high as he called out to the people. However, the warehouse had been packed with a lot of agitated people, so his current volume waspletely insufficient to get them to quiet down.

    ¡°My child¡ª¡±

    ¡°My wife was taken¡ª¡±

    ¡°Mama, Papa¡ª¡±

    Male, female, young and old voices all blended together, washing over Climb like a wave. He could no longer make out what they were saying any more.

    Climb had found the 300 people here at great risk to himself, and they were the only residents he had managed to find. The people locked in this small warehouse had no idea what was going on outside, and all they could do was whine about how their family members had been taken elsewhere.

    It was a very natural response to the current circumstances, but it was also a very dangerous one.

    Even though they had not encountered any demons on their way here, that did not mean that there were no demons present. In fact, they had already seen the silhouettes of the demons several times in the alleys they passed through on their way here. If they heard the criesing from this warehouse, then it was only a matter of time before the demons arrived here.

    ¡°You are the only ones we¡¯ve found so far¡ª¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s my wife? Go find her!¡±

    ¡°That¡ª¡±

    Perhaps if he raised his voice he might be able to shout them down. Climb, as a warrior, was far stronger than any mere city guard. If he roared at the man, he could easily seize the hearts of everyone present. But Climb did not do this.

    Climb was the ambassador of the princess. He was here because Renner had seen fit to put her trust in him. If he used methods that terrorized the citizens and made them dislike him, that might easily spill over to Renner as well. With that in mind, Climb found it impossible to work himself up to using harsh methods on them.

    ¡°Hurry up and answer us¡ª¡±

    ¡°My kid¡¯s still young¡ª¡±

    ¡°Papa! Mama¡ª!¡±

    ¡°¡ªShut up, all of you!¡±

    It felt like the trembling air in the warehouse had suddenly blown all the voices away. Brain could no longer tolerate them, and his shout ¡ª the anger of a first-rate warrior ¡ª had devoured the hearts of all the weaklings present.

    ¡°The lot of you are chattering like chickens just because he kept quiet. We¡¯re in the territory of these guys, and there¡¯s no way to guarantee your safety. If you don¡¯t move quietly, the demons wille and they¡¯ll kill everyst one of you. If you understand, shut your mouths.¡±

    Brain surveyed the now-silent warehouse, then looked straight at Climb. The citizens who were closing in wilted under his fiery gaze and slowly backed away.

    ¡°Now then, Climb. Time for you to make a decision.¡±

    Climb wasrgely sure what decision he had to make. However, he had no confidence that it would be a wise one.

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say, then? Never mind, I¡¯ll do it. First things first, you lot had best get it into your heads, the next time someone speaks when I do, I¡¯ll kill him on the spot. I can¡¯t even be sure you lot are all humans.¡±

    Brain exposed a little of his katana, and the reflected light seemed almost blinding.

    ¡°I¡¯ll bet you lot are wondering what I¡¯m on about, but take a look at the person next to you. Are you sure all the people here are humans?¡±

    The captives looked at each other in shock.

    ¡°Listen up. We saw a lot of demons on the way here. Some with wings, some with tails. Some even looked like people without skin. There were a lot of those. The ones roaming outside might be those guys... you should have seen them on the way in, right?

    Everyone Brain turned his attention to nodded, their faces pale.

    ¡°Then, who can guarantee that there aren¡¯t any demons among you? No skinless demons wearing someone else¡¯s skin?

    They had not been allowed to speak, but there was still a disturbance. They looked at each other with suspicious eyes, and then began adjusting their positions. The warehouse was small, but not small enough that everyone had to squeeze. There was enough space for everyone to avoid contact with everyone else.

    ¡°Rx. If any demons make it here, we¡¯ll kill them. As long as you understand where we¡¯reing from, it¡¯ll be alright.¡± As the mood seemed to rx, Brain capitalized on it and continued, ¡°But, if the demons from outsidee in like an avnche, then I can¡¯t make that guarantee. Don¡¯t you think, if a demon infiltrated in here, wouldn¡¯t he want to loudly shout that there were intruders? Do you see what I mean by killing anyone who made noise? Oh sure, some of you will think, ¡°but I¡¯m human, why are you killing me?¡± but the rest of us won¡¯t know that. So for the sake of protecting everyone here, anyone who makes a noise that draws the demons will die.¡±

    Once again, he bathed everyone in the killing intent brimming from his eyes.

    ¡°Looks like you get it. First up, we¡¯ve searched a few warehouses before this one. However, not only did we not find anyone, all these warehouses were empty. Taking the area surrounded by the firewall into consideration, even if this is a warehouse district there should be more than 10¡¯000 people here. Since there¡¯s only 300 here, that means there ought to be at least 33 warehouses like this, right?¡±

    Brain took a deep breath.

    ¡°A question, then. Why haven¡¯t we found anyone else besides you? Maybe it¡¯s just bad luck. After all, we were avoiding the areas where the demons were on alert. But... do you think anyone could ept that? Most likely they were transported from the warehouse district to somewhere else. Don¡¯t panic! We have no idea where they¡¯ve been taken. But anywhere the demons take them can¡¯t be good.¡±

    Those who understood raised their heads, and there was also the sound of sobbing.

    ¡°And you lot were ted to be taken away by the demons. That means for now, you¡¯ve avoided a nasty fate. But remember, we¡¯re still in the middle of the demons¡¯ territory. If you¡¯re not careful and don¡¯t move quickly and quietly, you¡¯ll be killed while fleeing. Oi, you look like you have a question. I¡¯ll allow you to speak.¡±

    The man who had the katana pointed at him asked his question in a frightened, small voice.

    ¡°What if we stay here?¡±

    ¡°Then you¡¯ll be taken away. And it¡¯ll be by those guys whom you know very well are demons, to wherever kind of hell these demonse from.¡±

    ¡°I¡ª¡±

    Brain red at him, and the woman who had raised her voice cut it out immediately.

    ¡°I allow you to speak.¡±

    ¡°...My child is only three years old. If I stay here, and go to the same ce as him...¡±

    ¡°Really now. I have no interest in helping anyone who doesn¡¯t want to run. But this guy is different. Just so you know, if your son¡¯s been taken to another warehouse, there¡¯s the chance he¡¯ll be rescued by another team. If you want to ignore that and stay, then I won¡¯t stop you. A kid without his mom can live by himself, but I haven¡¯t seen anyone take care of their kid to this extent.¡±

    Brain spoke coldly to the disheartened civilians.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll say it one more time. If you stay here, you¡¯ll be taken away by the demons. If you ept this and want to stay, I won¡¯t stop you. After all, when you leave this warehouse, there¡¯s a chance you might get killed in a demonic attack while fleeing.¡±

    Climb had to interrupt here. Since Brain had said this much, it was necessary.

    ¡°However, we will defend anyone who wants to flee.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like troublesome things, but I¡¯m doing it because of this soldier of Renner¡¯s. So I¡¯ll protect you lot. We¡¯ll move out in a few minutes. Staying or leaving is your choice. If you want to discuss your freedom softly, that¡¯s your choice as well. Do as you like.¡±

    There was no discussion. This was because they were worried that their neighbors might be demons but because many of them were hoping that their rtives would be rescued by another team and they would be reunited.

    There shouldn¡¯t be another team. We checked so many warehouses, and only a couple weren¡¯t empty.

    Brain decided not to think too much on the matter, instead gripping his sword and ring fiercely at the captives, making sure that none of them made too much noise. Climb walked over to Brain, and spoke softly.

    ¡°Thank you, Brain-san. You did what I couldn¡¯t do for myself.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, all that crap was stuff that someone like you, who serves Renner, couldn¡¯t say. But for a mercenary like me, it shouldn¡¯t cause any problems in the future. Just think of me as a whip.¡±

    ¡°Even so, I¡¯m still grateful.¡±

    A wry grin appeared on Brain¡¯s face.

    ¡°It¡¯ll get troublesome if we get stuck in an endless loop. I get it, I¡¯ll ept your thanks. Hm? That fellow¡¯s back.¡±

    The thief entered Brain¡¯s field of vision. He should have been keeping watch on the outside and remaining on standby. Since he wasn¡¯ting back in a hurry, that meant it wasn¡¯t a dangerous situation.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Ah, no, Unus-san. The demons don¡¯t look like they¡¯reing over yet. But like you said, it¡¯s only a matter of time.¡±

    ¡°That it is. Who knows, this might be their final objective. Did you take a look around outside? What was that earthquake just now?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea. Maybe the ground caved in and demons came crawling out of the earth?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that sort of thing, that¡¯s the worst-case scenario...¡±

    ¡°Sorry, sorry, Climb-kun.¡±

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s get ready to move.¡±

    Just as Brain was about to order the citizens around, there was a sound of somethingnding outside the warehouse.

    The warehouse fell silent immediately. The thief stuck close to the doors to carefully check out the outside. His hand began moving in signs. They formed the shapes that the three of them had decided meant ¡°demon¡±. Following that, he signalled, ¡°a strong one¡±.

    Climb and Brain exchanged looks. Then they quietly moved to where the thief was.

    They saw a demon outside. It waspletely different from the ones they had encountered before. It gave off the feeling of tremendous power.

    Its body was nearly three meters tall, and it had bat wings upon its back. Its head was a goat skull, and in its hands it held arge hammer.

    The demon turned its gaze to the warehouse, and Climb¡¯s concealed party felt its eyesight on them. Had it used magic to sense them? It was definitely waiting for them to show themselves.

    ¡°That guy looks really strong...¡±

    ¡°No doubt about it.¡±

    Brain muttered, and the thief answered. Climb nodded his head in agreement.

    Climb quietly watched Brain. He had angered him during that encounter with Shalltear. As such, if Brain told Climb to flee, Climb fully intended to obey.

    ¡°...Climb, fight with me.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Climb answered in a soft yet earnest voice.

    ¡°Will it be all right?¡±

    ¡°Ah, just look at that guy. He must have fled from a fight. He¡¯s covered in wounds. If he were unhurt, I don¡¯t think all of us together could beat him. But now, if we can charge him simultaneously, we might be able to win in one blow.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m counting on you,¡± Brain said as he patted Climb¡¯s shoulder.

    Climb nodded his head vigorously, and activated his ring¡¯s power. This ring, made by the Dragon Lords using Wild Magic, contained a spell that could temporarily increase a warrior¡¯s strength. If the strongest man in the Kingdom Gazef Stronoff used it, he could step into the realm of heroes, but Climb had not reached that state yet. Even inbination with his martial art [Limit Breaker ¡ª Mind], he could not even touch the bottoms of Brain¡¯s feet. However, it would still grant Climb the power of a mithril-ranked warrior.

    ¡°All right, let¡¯s go.¡±

    The thief stopped Brain, who was leading the way.

    ¡°Unus-san¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you call me Brain? You¡¯re older than me, calling me -san or whatever makes me ufortable.¡±

    ¡°...then, Brain. What should I do?¡±

    ¡°Just stay here, Lockmeyer. That guy might think we¡¯re just a decoy.¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯lle to help you if you¡¯re in danger.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll count on you. Come on, Climb-kun. Although you probably know by now... don¡¯t get cocky.¡±

    ¡°Yes sir!¡±

    ? ? ?

    Lower Fire Month (9th Month), 5th Day, 04:03

    ¡°Kuh!¡±

    Evileye grunted as she took a hit to the belly. Although she wasrgely insensitive to pain, her sense of touch from her days as a human being was notpletely gone yet. If she was attacked, she would definitely feel it.

    In the brief window when her concentration was broken, Evileye ate another hit from Alpha.

    The explosive force of the blow knocked the air out of Evileye, and sent her flying. SHe felt the negative energy inside her depleting.

    Evileye¡¯s objective was to draw the battle out. As such, she could not use the strategy of converting physical damage to mana damage. Without mana, Evileye would be unable to fight. This meant she would have to expend her health and mana evenly.

    Her mud-stained body was dragged back up into the air by the [Fly] spell.

    At this moment, Evileye saw Nabe, who had been knocked flying by her own opponents.

    She looked like she had been beaten up pretty badly too. Evileye flew over to her. The enemy did not follow¡ª were they waiting for us to join up before killing us together?

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you.¡±

    Evileye had been nning to help up the fallen Nabe, but she stood back up immediately and spoke coldly.

    Although her injury-covered body looked like she had been in the fight of her life, something felt wrong about her. There was no fear of death, or rather, she believed that Momon could defeat Jaldabaoth before she died.

    Goes for me too, Evileye thought.

    ¡°Can you still fight?¡±

    ¡°Of course. No problem.¡±

    That had been a stupid question.

    Speaking of which... this woman has exceeded humanity as well. Could she be a God-kin too?

    She had suffered assorted injuries and her clothes were stained by blood, but none of the wounds were lethal. For all she knew, Evileye might have been more badly hurt.

    Compared to Evileye who had only two opponents, being able to perform this well against three opponents... though Evileye was loath to admit it, she had to admit that Nabe was better than her.

    ¡°You look like a mess.¡±

    ¡°Not exactly.¡±

    Evileyeughed at the reply, which was so much like Nabe.

    Although the mask covered Evileye¡¯s expression, Nabe could still feel that the air had changed, and surprise showed on her face.

    ¡°No, I was thinking that that reply was just like you.¡±

    ¡°...Was it now. So, what will we do now?¡±

    ¡°What can we do? How can we draw this battle out?¡±

    Evileye turned a sharp look at the five enemies. Apart from the insect maid, whose murderous intent stabbed at her like ance, the others did not radiate any hostility at all, though from their attitudes they seemed pretty confident of killing them both easily.

    ¡°Your enemies are there too.¡±

    ¡°Looks like we¡¯re out of options. If the numbers were even we might have a chance to win. But if they¡¯re on the same level as us and there¡¯s more of them, then we¡¯ll lose for sure.¡±

    ¡°How about running? If you turned around and fled, they might not pursue.¡±

    ¡°If you want to do that, I¡¯ll cover you from the rear.¡±

    Dissatisfaction twisted Nabe¡¯s otherwise prim face. Although even an ugly expression on her face would not detract from her beauty in the slightest, Evileye thought in with a rather out-of-ce sense of appreciation for a rival.

    Suddenly, a person was blown through the air as a building copsed. He bounced several times on the floor, tumbling head over heels before grinding to a halt.

    Evileye did not need to breathe, but she still held her breath.

    For a moment, she thought it might be Momon who was sent flying, but that was not the case. It was Jaldabaoth.

    Seeing Jaldabaoth unsteady on his feet, Evileye became excited. It was obvious who had wounded him so badly and knocked him back so far.

    Evileye¡¯s vision spotted the warrior standing where the body hade flying from.

    The jet-ck armor was heavily damaged, making it clear just how intense their duel had been. Even so, the man standing there did not waver in the slightest, showing Momon¡¯s clear superiority inparison to Jaldabaoth, who was getting to his feet.

    Evileye¡¯s body was filled with joy, and she tightly clenched her fists.

    Momon slowly lowered his swords, and spoke to the rising Jaldabaoth.

    ¡°Well, that was fun. How shall I put it... it felt real. I could feel myself really battling with you. So this is what it feels like to be the vanguard... in the past, I used to overpower all my opponents in meleebat, so I didn¡¯t feel anything, but now I feel like a battle maniac. So, can you show me your full strength now?¡±

    Telling one¡¯s opponent to use their full strength was a grave insult. Thinking about this, Evileye shook her head. Perhaps this was Momon¡¯s true desire.

    A strong man like Momon rarely had the opportunity to go all-out. Most of the time his opponents would be ughtered before he could get serious. A man like him would be overjoyed if he got the chance to face an opponent that required his full strength.

    ¡°Then, please allow me to do so.¡±

    Jaldabaoth had probably understood it as an insult, and so he repaid it with exaggerated, sarcastic politeness.

    As she watched him, Evileye was filled with the pride of knowing that she understood Momon better than Jaldabaoth.

    ¡°Then, I shalle at you seriously.¡±

    ¡°Bring it, Jaldabaoth.¡±

    With those words as the signal, the two of them shed in the middle of the za.

    Their exchange was like a rey of the time Evileye had first met Momon. His high-speed, consecutive attacks were deflected by extended ws. Since they could parry his greatswords, the hardness of those ws must be beyond human understanding.

    Momon leapt back in a grand, soaring arc. His jumping strength made her think that he might have been using the [Fly] spell. In the moment where her view of Momon was blocked by his spinning swords, she saw him produce a spear from nothing, from the corner of her eye.

    It was a crimson spear whose point was like a cyclone of fire. Momon hurled it at Jaldabaoth. So fast did it fly that all she saw was its crimson trail seared into her vision as it headed for Jaldabaoth.

    ¡°¡ª[Aspect of the Demon: Hellfire Mantle].¡±

    As the spear struck, a roaring me zed up from the ground, and a massive shockwave erupted from Jaldabaoth.

    ¡°Kuh!¡±

    In order not to be blown away by the titanic discement of air, Evileye crouched down and tried to weather the storm. Fortunately, because she wore her mask, she was able to keep her eyes open during the tempest.

    Looking ahead, she saw Momon picking up his sword from where ity at his feet, amidst the wildly-blowing wind. Then, he charged Jaldabaoth again.

    Jaldabaoth was ready to receive the attack. His body was wreathed in mes, and the spear from earlier was lodged in the ground by his feet.

    As Momon swung down on him, Jaldabaoth caught the sword with both hands. Smoke rose from his palms, and the metal between his fingers started to melt.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re able to melt a weapon like this... the ability has gotten stronger.¡±

    Since it was a de favored by Momon, an adventurer of the highest caliber, it must have been made of an amazing material indeed.

    But that was not important. What was important was that Jaldabaoth could summon fire that could melt steel, and that Momon could still talk casually to him despite being so close to the deadly mes.

    ¡°¨DThese two are incredible.¡±

    Evileye was terrified. She already knew how strong the two of them were, but her body was still trembling uncontrobly.

    ¡°It is as you have surmised. The fire-type damage was strengthened by a special ability.¡±

    On closer observation, the mes wreathing Jaldabaoth had a ckish tinge to them.

    ¡°Hellfire, is it?!¡±

    ¡°Just so. Even a being protected with fire immunity will not escape unscathed, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    For the first time in their battle, Momon took a step back in retreat, but Jaldabaoth would not permit it.

    This time, it was Jaldabaoth¡¯s turn to close the gap,unching a flurry of blows at Momon. That attack could have in a human being in an instant, but Momon expertly parried them all with his gigantic swords.

    While engaged in closebat that was slowly melting his armor, Momon once again reached into nothingness and drew forth a strange weapon.

    ¡°[Frost Pain Modified¡ª Icy Burst]!¡±

    A wave of frigid air rushed forth from the weapon, dropping the surrounding temperature instantly. Although it seemed as though the cold could even freeze fire, Jaldabaoth¡¯s hellfire burned hotter than normal mes. Still, for a moment, the heat was suppressed.

    Jaldabaoth¡¯s surprised exmation reached Evileye¡¯s ears.

    ¡°What was that? It was like the spear from just now.¡±

    ¡°Since I can¡¯t use magic, I made up for it with elemental weapons. Although this was a copy of Frost Pain made as an experiment... well, I should count myself lucky it turned out stronger than the original. Granted, it¡¯s a tool that lets me use a high-level spell three times a day, but without skills to power it up, it should be nothing to you.¡±

    The dialogue between the two of them beggared belief.

    They were supposed to be engaged in an intense struggle for their lives, but the mood felt like they were merely testing each others¡¯ strength in an easy and rxed manner.

    Evileye recalled something Gagaran had said once. When warriors put their lives on the line, sometimes they would be able to fully grasp the thoughts of their opponent, and it would create a feeling as though they were close friends who had known each other for a long time.

    At that time, she had wondered what she was talking about. But now¨D

    ¡°Maybe she had a point after all.¡±

    Evileye had learned to ept a lot in the space of one day. She was determined not to reject potential wisdom in future.

    She was starting to be jealous of the closeness between them.

    The man in the jet-ck armor, which had lost its shine due to its melted surface, and the demon whose tuxedo had been shredded by countless sword blows.

    The two of them who had dueled each other in a domain beyond the grasp of humanity seemed like old friends to Evileye.

    ¡°Your puissance is unparalleled.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, so is yours, Jaldabaoth.¡±

    ¡°In that case, might I make a proposition?¡±

    Momon raised his chin to Jaldabaoth, as though telling him to carry on.

    ¡°If I concede this battle and the victory to yourself, perhaps we can both take a step back from the edge? Or rather, to be more precise, I will withdraw myself from this incident, and I hope you will cease your pursuit of myself.¡±

    ¡°Are you kidding me!¡±

    Evileye¡¯s cry was fueled by intense emotion. For someone who had filled the capital with this much chaos and death, a plea for mercy and forgiveness was nothing short of shameless.

    However, a calm voice epted Jaldabaoth¡¯s proposal.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡±

    Under her mask, Evileye stared goggle-eyed at Momon. She could not understand why Momon, who was in such a superior position, was epting Jaldabaoth¡¯s terms.

    Sensing Evileye¡¯s confusion, Jaldabaoth shrugged his shoulders. Much as she hated to admit it, he looked quite stylish while he did.

    ¡°It baffles me why Momon-san would bring an air-headed woman like yourself along. A moment¡¯s consideration should reveal why Momon-san epted my proposition.¡±

    Turning to Evileye, Jaldabaoth continued speaking.

    ¡°In order to bring Momon-san here, and to keep others from interfering with our battle, youmitted a lot of your friends and allies to the fight, did you not? Did you really think they would be enough to keep the demons from intruding into this conflict?¡±

    Evileye felt as though she had been impaled through the spine with an icicle.

    ¡°The demon army is always waiting for a chance to assault the capital.¡±

    It was the worst-case scenario.

    Although Marquis Raeven was patrolling inside the capital with his troops, she honestly could not believe he could deal with all the demons Jaldabaoth had in store. A simr conclusion awaited if the demons started taking hostages from throughout the city.

    But if they defeated Jaldabaoth here¡ª

    ¡°Even if you kill me, do you think they will vanish? I have but to give a single mentalmand and my infernal hordes will immediately begin rampaging through the city. Granted, their numbers might be somewhat diminished... but how many casualties do you think they will cause in the time it takes to kill them?¡±

    ¡°But then, how do we know that you¡¯ll actually keep your promise?¡±

    If Jaldabaoth continued fighting with a top-ss warrior like Momon, he had no guarantee of actually winning. That being the case, why not withdraw all his troops and beg off from the pursuit? If not¡ª well, then if he died, he was going to take everyone else with him. Something like that.

    However, with the capital¡¯s poption as hostages, their circumstances were not even.

    It was a truly maniptive and cunning offer.

    I see, Evileye thought, her opinion of Momon rising even further up. He had grudgingly epted Jaldabaoth¡¯s proposal because he had already foreseen this development. Indeed, he had no other choice.

    ¡°Then, since this outsider has epted it as well, I will begin my withdrawal, though it is a shame I could not recover the item. I pray we will never meet again.¡±

    ¡°Same here, Jaldabaoth.¡±

    Jaldabaothughed under his mask, and then gathered the maids around before they vanished via a high-tiered teleportation spell.

    ¡°They¡¯re gone...¡±

    Evileye floated in the sky, her eyes looking to where the wall of fire had been. Nothing was left; only a slightly livelier patch of the night skyline.

    The curtains were drawn on this disturbance. But what had been born of today¡¯s sacrifices?

    The fact remained that Jaldabaoth existed, a demon with power surpassing the Demon Gods by far. And against him stood Momon, a top-ranked warrior. What would the world make of these two once the word spread, and how would the world change after that?

    Evileye shook her head to scatter the thoughts which had blended into a big pile inside it. She would consider these things slowly, in the future.

    There was something far more important than this. Evileyended on the ground and opened her arms.

    ¡°Uwaaaaaaaaaaaah!¡±

    With a joyous cry, Evileye broke into a run. Although her [Fly] spell¡¯s duration had not yet expired, this was a situation which called for running.

    Evileye ran toward Momon. Perhaps out of surprise, Momon took a ready stance with his swords. Ignoring this, Evileye leapt through the air toward him. Since she had been running at full tilt, it felt like she had hit a wall. But because of her Vampiric physiology and endurance, no harm was done.

    And so, Evileye tackle-hugged Momon.

    ¡°You did it! You won! You won! As expected of Momon-sama!¡±

    ¡°I... uh... do you mind, I¡¯d like some space here.¡±

    Momon spoke calmly to Evileye, who was hugging him like a ko. Maybe he was embarrassed.

    I win as long as I hug him.

    Evileye was banking on a piece of trivia she had heard of in the past. Some men would use members the opposite sex to bleed off tension after a battle. She was hoping that Momon would be such a man, and that he would pick her for that duty.

    Evileye glimpsed at Nabe, who was ring at her.

    First girl wins.

    Although Evileye was grinding her soft body against Momon, his armor meant that he probably did not feel anything, and if she bumped a wound, it would hurt.

    ¡°Haaah... forgive me, Nabe, hold my swords.¡±

    Realizing that this was just wasting her strength, Evileye let go, falling from the tree that was Momon.

    Well, that¡¯s true. I should keep an eye out for a good opportunity next time. Now that Jaldabaoth¡¯s seen Momon-sama¡¯s power, there¡¯s no way he¡¯ll break his part of the bargain. But even so, there were those who fought, and those who died... ah, pursuing my own desires will be bad in so many ways.

    The battle for the capital had ended.

    But Evileye¡¯s battle as a woman had just begun.

    Evileye, who was thinking of her next move, turned at the sound of ringing steel.

    Before her was a group of people. They were adventurers and soldiers and¡ª

    ¡°Is that the Warrior Captain? With everyone else?¡±

    Beside Gazef Stronoff were Lakyus and Tina. Gagaran and Tia were there too. Everyone was covered in grime, a testament to the vicious battles they had fought to get here. They looked around at the aftermath of the intense battle that had taken ce here, and then, with an intake of breath, they all looked at Momon.

    Sensing the meaning of that gesture, Evileye whispered to him.

    ¡°Momon-sama, lead us in a cry of victory.¡±

    But Momon did not do so. Just as Evileye was starting to get suspicious, she heard a still, small voice.

    ¡°I¡¯m feeling a bit shy right now.¡±

    The surprisingly human reaction from the superhuman warrior made Evileyeugh out loud.

    ¡°...But, doesn¡¯t that honor belong to the one who did the most for us? Don¡¯t let this chance go by.¡±

    Momon gripped his sword tightly and thrust it toward the sky.

    ¡°UOOOOOOOOOOOOHH!¡±

    In the next moment, everyone in the za raised their fists to the sky, shouting in celebration of their victory. In everyone¡¯s mouths was the name of Momon, the hero who had saved the nation¡ª

 Chapter 46 - Volume 6

    Overlord Volume 6 Epilogue

    Epilogue

    Lower Fire Month (9th Month), 6th Day, 08:45

    The maids were formed up in neat lines in front of Sebas. There were 41 of them in total, and all of them were Homunculi. At their head stood the dog-headed chief maid, Pestonya S. Wanko. Thus the domestic maid staff of Nazarick was assembled.

    ¡°Everyone, this is Nazarick¡¯s newest maid.¡±

    ¡°My name is Tsuareninya, pleased to meet you.¡±

    The head maid greeted Tsuare, whose head was bowed low, as a representative of everyone else.

    After speaking with the maids, Tsuare had not shown any signs of fear.

    Apart from the stitching that ran down the middle of her face, Pestonya had kind eyes and a gentle expression. Additionally, the maids behind her were all human, without any frightening facial features.

    Even so, judging by Tsuare¡¯s condition, it seemed her fear of others would never truly vanish. Although she looked like she was getting along well with others, she knew exactly what kind of situation she was in, and she was trying to distract herself from it by forcing herself to work hard.

    If I don¡¯t watch her carefully, she might break.

    While Sebas was pondering these questions, the meet-and-greet session ended, and one of the maids brought her outside. Along the way, Tsuare turned to look at Sebas. Sebas nodded to her, and she nodded by way of reply, before turning away and leaving.

    ¡°Sebas-sama, how much training will that girl need-wan?¡±

    ¡°Train her until she qualifies to be a maid of Nazarick. However, she is only human, so when you train her, please don¡¯t push her beyond her limits.¡±

    ¡°Understood-wan.¡±

    Pestonya¡¯s dog-like face tilted, revealing her canines. Although her expression made her look like a beast pouncing on her prey, her eyes were still filled with warmth.

    ¡°I think that for her, being a maid is just a first step.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Pestonya answered Sebas, who had not quite grasped her meaning and was wondering what she was talking about.

    ¡°...wan. That is to say, I meant she would probably retire after marriage-wan.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡±

    As Sebas¡¯ face seized up, Pestonya¡¯s gentleughter echoed throughout the ninth floor of the Great Tomb of Nazarick.

    ? ? ?

    Lower Fire Month (9th Month), 7th Day, 16:51

    After making sure there were no guests present and that the time was right, Climb opened the doors to Renner¡¯s chambers.

    The princess sat in her usual ce, her room dyed red by the rays of the setting sun. They illuminated her like a spotlight.

    ¡°Wee, Climb.¡±

    That gentle beauty calmed Climb¡¯s pounding heart, and he felt as though he had been healed. Climb tugged down on his rxed face, and went over to Renner¡¯s side.

    ¡°Come, have a seat, Climb.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, but there is no need, Renner-sama. I have to help with the cleanup of the demon attack in a while.¡±

    Renner¡¯s eyes sparkled. She had originally given that order, so replying this way seemed to be the correct answer.

    Climb¡¯s next task was to take over the security detail responsible for protecting the Magician¡¯s Association.

    This was because of a certain item.

    Although the whole picture of the demon invasion had not been fully revealed yet, a very disturbing magic item had been found in a warehouse. The Magician¡¯s Association was still analyzing and investigating it, but considering the fact that it had been imbued with abnormally powerful magic and the information Jaldabaoth had let slip, it seemed likely that it was the item he had been searching.

    As a result, the Magician¡¯s Association had gathered strong veterans in order to stand watch over the item until they figured out how to dispose of it. Naturally, Climb was one of them.

    It¡¯s so annoying, we can¡¯t punish the members of the Eight Fingers who brought this item to the capital...

    Even though he stood in front of Renner, Climb could not fully suppress the irritation in his heart.

    The magic item which had led to the tragedy in the capital had been found in a warehouse that was positively linked to the smuggling division of the Eight Fingers. That being the case, they should have immediately moved to destroy them. However there was a crucial reason why they could not do so, and only a few people knew about it.

    They had started searching for the item because Jaldabaoth had leaked the information about it. That was Renner¡¯s opinion. However, Jaldabaoth might have been counting on the humans to find the object his troops could not, which was why that information had gotten out in the first ce.

    Since everyone understood the implications of that leak, they had suppressed all information about the artifact, and as such it could no longer be used as a reason to attack the Eight Fingers.

    ¡°You should be working with the Warrior-Captain, right? I see, then everything should be fine. How about the people you helped? You should have been busy protecting the pce, but you must have stepped outside for a bit, no?¡±

    Climb¡¯s heart lurched as Renner unleashed that bombshell on him.

    ¡°Y-yes. Everyone hopes to express their gratitude to Renner-sama.¡±

    ¡°How wonderful. Then I must go and meet them.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t!¡±

    As soon as the shout left his mouth, Climb immediately realized that he had screwed up very badly. He lowered his head and began speaking rapidly, as though trying to cover up all his previous words.

    ¡°Everyone is still busy and I believe the presence of Renner-sama will distract everyone from their hard work and although it demeans Renner-sama¡¯s generosity I hope that you will understand my meaning.¡±

    As he raised his head, Climb wondered if his mistress¡¯ beautiful face would be creased by unhappiness, or a childish pout that did not suit her age. However, the expression Climb saw was neither of these.

    She smiled.

    That was no simple turning up of the corners of her mouth, but an actual, full-faced smile.

    Climb had seen Renner smile many times. If he cast his mind back to a time when he was happiest, it would be seeing that smile on her face after she had picked him up. However, her smile right now was somewhat different from her smile back then.

    Before he could realise the answer, her expression returned to the faint smile she always wore.

    ¡°...There¡¯s nothing to be done about it, then.¡±

    Climb suppressed a sigh of relief as Renner epted his exnation.

    The truth was that he had just fed his mistress a pack of lies. Climb had not heard a single grateful word from the citizens he had met. On the contrary, they had heaped me and scorn on him. ¡°Why did you only save us,¡± and so on.

    They had taken their anger ¡ª at the loss of their families, at the loss of their wealth ¡ª and poured out the bowl of their wrath upon Climb.

    Climb had borne this resentment because those people had nobody else to me, and out of a sense of guilt for not fulfilling Renner¡¯smands perfectly.

    Even so, it hurt to hear those words, especially after he had battled that mighty demon in order to save them.

    The demon they had encountered at the warehouse was on apletely different level from any of the others. It could have beaten Brain Unus with strength to spare, and it was only because of its many wounds that they had been victorious. If that demon had appeared before them in a fresh, undamaged state, they would certainly have been defeated. After hearing how powerful it was from Lakyus, he was silently grateful that they had somehow managed to triumph over it.

    And after that life and death struggle, the only thanks he had received were the aforementionedints. Although he told himself that he had be used to it, the words still cut deeply into him.

    In truth, it would have been fine if Climb had struck out at those people with malicious intent. Nobody would say anything if Climb returned the insults he had received in his position as the Princess¡¯ personal knight, but if he did that, then Renner¡¯s position would be in danger. If their hatred turned toward the princess and led to them ndering her, he would be powerless to draw his sword against them.

    ¡°Now then, Climb. I have... unpleasant news. Listen carefully.¡±

    Climb closed his eyes for several seconds, then opened them again.

    ¡°The women you and Sebas-san worked together to save from the brothel... were murdered.¡±

    Unable toprehend what Renner had just said, his mouth worked open and closed while he gasped out some sounds that might have been mistaken for speech.

    ¡°How... but how... how could that have happened...¡±

    Come to think of it, the women should have been hidden in a waiting room and then sent on to Renner¡¯s properties.

    ¡°That was a miscalction on my part. I wanted to hire adventurers as guards, but due to the disturbance, they had all been employed by others. So I had to use mercenaries instead...¡±

    Renner shook her head, as though saying it had all been her fault.

    ¡°Th-that¡¯s not true! It¡¯s definitely not your fault, Renner-sama! It¡¯s the ones who attacked them who are to me!¡±

    ¡°No! If I had been more careful, if I had considered things more closely... that the disturbance would have weakened security in the capital, if I had let them escape when I sensed danger, it wouldn¡¯t have turned out like this! If Climb had been there, maybe it wouldn¡¯t have turned out like this. And even the adventurers who rmended the mercenaries were shocked...¡±

    Tears began filling the corners of Renner¡¯s eyes.

    Climb¡¯s chest ached as though his heart had been crushed. Perhaps it might have been a mistake on Renner¡¯s part, but she had made the best of a bad situation. Then, who was to me?

    ¡°Renner-sama did nothing wrong!¡±

    Hearing Climb¡¯s forceful deration, Renner, who had been moved deeply by Climb, rose and hugged him tightly.

    To calm her down, Climb reached a hand behind her back¡ª no. That would be dangerous.

    ¡°But, how did the information...¡±

    ¡°I have no idea. The capital¡¯s security was weakest during the disturbance; maybe it got out during that time? They should have been transferred immediately...¡±

    He could not rule that out. It might have been that the attackers had followed the ces and people protected by Climb until they found their way to the hiding ce.

    ¡°Where were the bodies found?¡±

    ¡°In the poor districts of the capital, but I don¡¯t know the details myself.¡±

    ¡°What about the corpses?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ve been buried. What of them?¡±

    ¡°I wanted to examine the wounds, see what kind of clues I could find.¡±

    ¡°...Climb, that¡¯s enough. They¡¯ve been vited enough. At least let them rest in peace.¡±

    ¡°...Understood.¡±

    Renner¡¯s kindness touched Climb to the bottom of his heart. Certainly, her words had merit. He felt ashamed for not being considerate of her feelings, and the urge to find out the truth grew within him.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t take it too hard. This is definitely not your... ah, I see we¡¯ve exchanged positions.¡±

    Renner smiled. Though her eyes were still red, there were no more tears in them.

    ¡°Yes, we have.¡±

    Climb¡¯s stoic expression broke, and he smiled.

    ¡°Forgive me for keeping you. Then, Climb, work hard now.¡±

    Though he felt a pang of longing for the warmth that had left his chest, he immediately interrupted his desire.

    ? ? ?

    Lower Fire Month (9th Month), 10th Day, 09:08

    Today was an auspicious day for journeys, with no clouds hanging in the azure skies above.

    The crimson cape blew freely in the wind, behind the man in jet-ck armor. Evileye asked a question of him.

    ¡°Will you return?¡±

    It was a strange question, but Evileye had had a strange feeling. Adventurers were said to have no roots, but some adventurers made certain cities into their base, much like Blue Rose. For Momon, his base would be E-Rantel.

    ¡°I, I mean, there¡¯s a lot of people who¡¯d want to go with...¡±

    Evileye couldn¡¯t believe she was making such blubbery, simpering noises. She reflected that she was hardly a lovesick schoolgirl mooning over her beloved, but just the word ¡°love¡± threw her mind into turmoil.

    ¡°...Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    That was his answer.

    It was a cold one, Evileye thought.

    With no idea what else to say, the wind blew strongly between the two of them.

    The man who had been waiting for this silence spoke.

    Evileye felt that this was hardly the proper way for a farewell between a man and a woman, but they were not alone here. Behind Momon was Nabe, and behind Evileye were the members of Blue Rose. And then there were the magic casters who would send Momon back to E-Rantel.

    ¡°You did us a great favor.¡±

    Momon nodded in response to Raeven¡¯s thanks.

    ¡°His Majesty wished to convey his gratitude to you in person, but...¡±

    During the disturbance in the capital, Momon had be a household name throughout the capital. After all, he was the dark hero who had challenged the archfiend Jaldabaoth to singlebat, and soundly defeated him. It was only natural that the king would want to express his gratitude in person. If things went well, he might even receive a lordship. However, Momon had rejected thatst offer and refused the meeting.

    There was something wrong with that attitude.

    The nobles, who valued their reputations, felt that it was nothing short of arrogance for this nameless peasant to behave so before the King, whose position was above their own.

    Whispers began to circte that Momon was snubbing the King.

    There were also those who were outraged that a mere adventurer could be so disrespectful.

    A portion of the nobles went on to say that Momon had made a mistake by not dealing the final blow to Jaldabaoth, and letting him flee instead, but since Momon had the backing of Raeven, they kept their mouths shut.

    ¡°Momon-san was in my employ, so if you challenge him, you challenge me,¡± Raeven had said, in menacing tones.

    And Momon himself had added, ¡°I simply epted a request as an adventurer, andpleted it. It is nothing worthy of a king¡¯s personal attention, and to be honest, every adventurer who took part in this battle should receive des as well.¡± That had appeased the nobles, and the whispers died down.

    But the mes had not been extinguished yet. Some raised their voices to criticize Momon, for the nobles felt they had been insulted.

    Evileye recalled what Lakyus, a noble herself, had said to her.

    Without Momon, the disturbance in the capital would not have been resolved, and it would not be difficult to imagine the scale of the damage that would have been caused. However, the only ones who hade to see Momon off were the members of Blue Rose and Marquis Raeven, because Momon was in a difficult position.

    During this incident, the ones who had received high praise were the adventurers, the King, the second prince, and Marquis Raeven. Meanwhile, public opinion of the nobles was less positive.

    Of course, the nobles begged to differ. The capital was under the direct jurisdiction of the king, and asnd-owners themselves, while it would have made sense to send troops to assist the capital, they had no obligation to do so. In fact, considering that their own holdings might have been attacked by the demons, it was far more sensible for them to protect their own property instead.

    During this incident, the Noble Faction, which favored their own defense, maintained that the King¡¯s announcement of his identity was a mistake and stemmed from arrogance. Meanwhile, the Royal Faction strongly asserted that the King should have hidden in a safe ce and not gone to the frontlines. In this way, the power struggle between both parties intensified.

    And the residents of the royal capital who had no stake in this struggle were unhappy. ¡°Why did these puffed-up nobles only care about protecting themselves and not us?¡±

    As such, their respect for the ones who had actually fought for them grew, and criticism continued umting for the already disliked nobles. It turned into a vicious cycle, and in the end, the nobles ended up ming the adventurers for it.

    ¡°In the end, they were simply hired battle maniacs who fought until they died,¡± and so on.

    And in this incident, Momon, the most highly-regarded of the Kingdom¡¯s adamantite-ranked adventurers, became a target. As a result, it was only obvious that none of the nobles woulde to send him off. Even if some of them were friendly to him, they would be in a difficult spot because of the power struggle.

    The whole reason that Raeven was able to be here was because he fluttered back and forth between factions like a bat.

    ¡°This is a letter of appreciation from the King, the second prince, and the third princess. And this is a que exempting you from all travel tolls within the Kingdom¡¯s borders. And also, a dagger bestowed by the King. Please ept them.¡±

    As a noble, Lakyus could not help but sigh, and Evileye knew exactly why.

    Being awarded a dagger by the king had the same meaning as being presented with a medal as a knight or winning battle spoils as a noble. During these intense power struggles, the gift of the dagger would cause a lot of trouble if the nobles found out about it. Even so, all she could say was that the King¡¯s gift of the dagger was a brilliant move.

    And here I thought the King was a pitiful nobody who didn¡¯t dare rock the boat. My opinion of him has gone up quite a bit.

    Momon epted the dagger in a nonchnt manner and handed it to Nabe, who stood behind him.

    ¡°No, giving it as praise would be sufficient, but wouldn¡¯t the nobles have something to say about this?¡± Evileye said quietly.

    From the nobles¡¯ point of view, someone with charisma and power bing a noble would not be aughing matter. It would be especially troublesome if a warrior mightier than Gazef Stronoff joined the Royal Faction. As such, if the king decided he wanted to award Momon a lordship, the nobles would use the gift of the dagger as an excuse to criticize him. Although the King was the one who awarded the dagger, it was too great a gift even as praise.

    The nobles would not take it lying down.

    Evileye mused this out loud, but was denied by the person next to her.

    ¡°...You¡¯re too naive, Evileye.¡±

    ¡°Yup, naive. The Royal Faction¡¯s a step ahead this time.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°...Because that dagger is something awarded to nobles and knights.¡±

    ¡°So in the future, when the needes to promote Momon-san, they can use the dagger to shut the nobles up. It would never be awarded tomoners, you do know that, right? A lordship¡¯s been set aside for him, or at least that¡¯s what it implies.¡±

    ¡°I see... To think you put so much thought into it.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t look down on a former assas¡ª don¡¯t look down on ninjas.¡±

    ¡°Then we should be going, Marquis Raeven. Thank you for everything.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wee. I hope we will continue our cordial rtionship in the future.¡±

    ¡°I feel the same way too. And to Blue Rose, my fellow adamantite-ranked adventurers, I hope we will be able to remain in close contact. I¡¯ll be counting on you if anything happens.¡±

    ¡°We should be saying that, Momon-san. After seeing your power, we are almost ashamed to call ourselves adamantite-ranked adventurers like yourself, Momon-san but we will do our best to catch up with you. I look forward to working with you again.¡±

    Lakyus and Momon nodded to each other.

    And then, Evileye felt Momon¡¯s gaze turning to her. That was not a mistake. The proof was that Momon had seemed to be on the verge of saying something, then stopping halfway, before starting up again and cutting himself off once more.

    Evileye felt her unbeating heart pound in her chest.

    If Momon asked her to be hispanion, Evileye would definitely ept. It would be a betrayal of herrades with whom she had gone through thick and thin, but even so, Evileye wanted to be true to her own heart.

    As though confused, Momon continued starting and stopping several times before he finally exhaled and turned around. The crimson cape swirled with his movement.

    Seeing his back slowly recede, Gagaran teased Evileye.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been dumped.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not true. That¡¯s just the kind of man he is.¡±

    Momon mounted the [Floating Board] created by Raeven¡¯s magic caster and slowly floated up, but Evileye did not turn her eyes from him for a single moment.

    ¡°I wonder when we¡¯ll meet again?¡±

    ¡°It would be good if it was a simple and rxed quest, instead of a big disturbance like this.¡±

    ¡°That might be difficult.¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    Blue Rose¡¯s members agreed on that.

    If adamantite ranked adventurers met for a job, it would definitely be because of something big.

    ¡°Then a normal meeting should be fine, right? Evileye knows teleportation magic. Going to E-Rantel shouldn¡¯t be such a bad thing. Speaking of which, wouldn¡¯t going with Momon kill two birds with one stone? Being protected by him would also mean you wouldn¡¯t have to worry about danger when moving around.¡±

    Evileye was shocked speechless, staring at Gagaran. Although she was wearing her mask, herical expression shone through from her attitude.

    ¡°Oi, oi, haven¡¯t you realized it yet? Long-distance rtionships don¡¯t end well... or are you two not going out yet?¡±

    Gagaran looked to the sky, and Evileye¡¯s gaze turned to the heavens as well. In the distance, she saw the receding figure of Momon.

    ¡°Uwaaaaaaaaaaa!¡±

    Evileye¡¯s wail of despair was like an angry cry, and Blue Roseughed around her.

    ? ? ?

    Lower Fire Month (9th Month), 10th Day, 18:45

    This emergency meeting of the Eight Fingers had been unusual from the start. To begin with, not everyone was here. One of the missing people was Co Doll, but everyone knew he had already been arrested, so he was not a part of things. The problem was that the other missing person was Zero.

    Everyone knew he was no traitor. That just made things worse.

    From the information they had gathered, Zero¡¯s death had been confirmed. On the same day, the subordinates he had sent on the mission of ¡°killing anyone and everyone who insulted us¡± had also been massacred.

    The losses had been too great. Although the subordinates he dispatched had been expendable, the death of Zero, Eight Fingers¡¯ strongest man and chief of security, was not one they could simply ignore.

    Every department herepeted with each other, but they still belonged to the same organization. This loss would have repercussions for all of them.

    Debate sprang up among them.

    What should they do about the vacancy left by Zero¡¯s death? What about Co Doll?

    Under normal circumstances they would have simply rmended one of their people to that position, but there was a reason they could not do that.

    That would be because of the demonic invasion of the capital. The fallout from that incident was not a pretty sight. While their hideouts had been attacked on the very same day, one loss stood heads and shoulders above all the others. It was a particr nightmare for the Smuggling Division¡¯s chief.

    Many of their storehouses had been plundered, and after checking the remaining storehouses that had not been raided, more than half of their contraband had gone missing.

    ¡°In any case, until we manage to recover, we need to work together.¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t we always been doing that so far?¡±

    ¡°Enough with that nonsense. This time, we really need to cooperate. I think we should shift our activities out of the capital. What say you?¡±

    ¡°No. On the contrary, I think now is when we should be working in the capital. Now is the time to get the new captain of the guard into our pocket. If we flee from here, that would mean we¡¯re giving up on the capital and the gains within.¡±

    ¡°Mmm. That¡¯s certainly a possibility. However, with the Security Division¡ª with our fighting strength in tatters, wouldn¡¯t it be dangerous to move around in the capital?¡±

    The five division heads puzzled over the problem, then addressed the one head who had not said a single thing thus far.

    ¡°Hilma, what do you think?¡±

    The woman¡¯s body shuddered.

    This was a reaction she had never shown before in previous meetings.

    The ck circles under her eyes were impossible to hide with makeup, and she had the air of the walking dead about her.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? I heard your mansion was attacked too... but you managed to get away in your hidden escape tunnel, right? Did you see something that scared you?¡±

    All the other section chiefs had their guards standing behind them, but Hilma had none.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Well, what is it?¡±

    As Hilma¡¯s mouth opened, so did the door to the meeting room.

    ¡°All right! That¡¯s enough for now!¡±

    The cheery voice was followed by a Dark Elf boy entering the room, who was in turn followed by a nervous-looking Dark Elf girl.

    Everyone present was stunned.

    If they had been adults, perhaps they might have had a different reaction, but in front of their eyes were a pair of children who were totally out of ce in a room like this. The leaders were still frantically trying to figure out if they were enemies.

    ¡°Then, all of you will now be our great Lord¡¯s servants~¡±

    From their silence, they probably didn¡¯t get what he was saying at all, so the boy repeated himself.

    ¡°My great Master has concluded that rather than taking control of the country¡¯s leadership, it would be more effective to simply take control of all of you. So we will forgive your various sins and allow you to be our servants... hm, ves? Puppets? Ah well, who cares? In any case, congrattions!¡±

    The Dark Elf boy began pping, followed shortly by his nervous sister, who sped her staff under her arm to apud as well.

    ¡°Con-congratu¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªAre you kidding me?!¡±

    The leaders were still trying to figure out if they were enemies or allies. It was too soon to conclude that they were enemies, but life in the underworld had taught them not to think too much, but look out for their own safety first, and worry about killing their enemiester.

    They did not understand the dark elves¡¯ true intentions, but since the other side had so tantly crashed this meeting, that probably meant that they could take on everyone here. If that was the case, even the best bodyguards each section chief could hire would probably be unable to beat them. Given that no enemy would be so stupid to barge in if there was even the slightest possibility of losing, it would seem that escaping safely would be a higher priority in this case.

    Every division head would use their own guards as shields without hesitation. Everyone had the same idea, and began moving to carry it out.

    However, they were far toote.

    The first thing the chiefs realised as they tried to stand up was that they could not move.

    ¡°Ah? Oghhaaah? Ahhhhhhh?!¡±

    Their bodies werepletely immobile, and even their tongues were unable to move. Drool ran down the sides of their mouths.

    The boy who had just breathed out began tough.

    ¡°Then, we¡¯ll take everyone to the happy fun ce~¡±

    ¡°Y-yes. P-pleasee along.¡±

    Hilma¡¯s body started shaking violently.

    ¡°W-wait! Not me, right? I helped you, didn¡¯t I?!¡±

    As they realised who had betrayed them, the men all turned their gazes to the only woman present.

    ¡°Please! I¡¯m begging you! I can¡¯t take it! I can¡¯t take it any more!¡±

    ¡°Hmmm~ what¡¯re you talking about?¡±

    ¡°I, I think she means being taken to Kyouhukou¡¯s room, where her organs were being constantly devoured from the inside.¡±

    The Dark Elf boy¡¯s face twisted into an ¡°uwah~¡± sort of expression.

    Hilma must have remembered something. She hugged herself tightly, both hands clutching herself, her body shuddering violently. One hand covered her mouth while the tears flowed freely from her eyes. From the greenish hue of her face, she looked like she was about to vomit.

    ¡°A-and¡ª¡±

    ¡°Stop. We healed all her wounds with magic. So it¡¯s only natural that she¡¯s a good girl. Although, it¡¯s a rare thing that we didn¡¯t get to kill her...¡±

    ¡°Mm, mm. There¡¯s a lot of corpses already, and we still need her to run the organization.¡±

    ¡°I see. Well then, auntie, good luck~ If you betray us, we¡¯ll lock you up longer in that ce~¡±

    ¡°Eeeeee!¡±

    Hilma nodded vigorously, while still green in the face. That was inly the look of someone whose will to resist had been utterly broken, and would obey any orders given without hesitation.

    ¡°Anyways, before we know they¡¯re going to do as they¡¯re told, you can take your time with them. OK?¡±

    ¡°G-got it! Leave it to me! We can definitely make something useful of them!¡±

    From Hilma¡¯s desperate, pathetic gesture of submission, the men realized that they too would experience the torments that would mold them into something like her, and turned pale.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ve already brought a few of my boys down to help you out. Make good use of them. There¡¯s a few more you absolutely can¡¯t kill or fight, I¡¯ll exinter.¡±

    The Dark Elf boy was all smiles.

    ¡°Now then, we¡¯ve done half the work of taking over this country. But... what was Demiurge saying about nting the seeds of a kingdom... ah, who cares. Next up, some other ce!¡±

 Chapter 47 - Volume 6

    Overlord Volume 6 Afterword

    Things have gotten from bad to worse in various ways in Volume 6. How did you feel about it, dear readers?

    From the author Maruyama¡¯s point of view, this is the sort of thing which suits Overlord. I would be happy if everyone felt the same way. After all, the average light novel protagonist would never act like this.

    The foreshadowing for these events began several volumes ago, and now I can proudly say, ¡°I had all that in mind since back then¡±, and show off. However, if the setup is too obvious, people will see iting... which is quite challenging. I think the hardest thing to understand is the diary, which the main character mentioned in volume 2. Given the objective of the attacker, there was no real need to look through it, but then again, the attacker back then was really over-the-top. So being a little overboard when looking through it wouldn¡¯t be strange, right? However, there was not much searching done. Almost as though someone knew exactly where the thing was... how sneaky.

    Therefore, after you¡¯ve read this story, you might find some surprising discoveries if you reread the previous few volumes.

    On the topic of the characters Evileye is most definitely the MVP of Volumes 5 and 6. However, I personally like the thief who was named right at the end. Those readers who think, ¡°ah, it¡¯s good to be young¡± should be able to understand how I feel.

    And that¡¯s how it is; thank you for enjoying the past few volumes. I¡¯m very interested in knowing how you feel about this. While I feel bad about making you pay for postage, I would be very happy to hear your feedback.

    Now then, I shall thank the following people.

    So-bin-sama, F-da-sama, Ohaku-sama, Chord Design Studio, and everyone who helped make Overlord; thank you very much. Also, thanks for all your help, Honey.

    And finally, thank you to all the readers who bought this book. Thank you very much!

    2014 January

    Maruyama Kugane

 Chapter 48 - Volume 7

    Overlord Volume 7 Prologue

    Prologue

    (Re)Tranted by: Nigel

    Proofreader/Editor: Deus Ex Machina

    On the lowest floor of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, in the heart of the 10th Floor, the air of the Throne Room ¡ª which was hung with 40 gs ¡ª was filled with a quiet ardor.

    The silent rows of vassals bowed deeply toward the throne to disy their loyalty.

    Their ranks were packed with inhuman shapes. The Floor Guardians aside, all the NPCs which had been hand-crafted by the 41 Supreme Beings and the direct vassals of the Floor Guardians were gathered in this ce. There were easily over 200 of them here, and this was the first time so many had been gathered in this ce since their arrival in this new world.

    However, there was a great difference between this asion and the previous one. The vassals gathered here were not the usual faces, but they were all high-levelled, powerful entities. On average each of them was above level 80.

    Shalltear Bloodfallen ¡ª Guardian of the 1st to 3rd Floors ¡ª was typically attended by her Vampire Brides. Today, however, she was apanied by the highest-level undead beings which had been bestowed upon her. In addition, even Mare ¡ª one of the 6th Floor¡¯s Guardians ¡ª had brought out the two Dragons which were directly subordinated to himself and Aura, and which had never left his floor before. These dragons could only be obtained from the cash gacha ¡ª at an extremely low drop rate, no less ¡ª and they were close to level 90.

    Among these carefully selected vassals, one group stood apart from the rest.

    They were a group of undead who were a cut below the other entities present. They were level 40 at the highest, and numbered about 100 strong. They were formed up in separate ranks from the 200 entities mentioned earlier.

    These undead should have taken up ces at the rear of this sacred domain upon being summoned here, behind the ranks of the other vassals. Yet they were formed up into files, and the entities at their head upied positions that were even closer to the throne ¡ª proximity to the throne being an indication of status ¡ª than even the Floor Guardians.

    There was a perfectly reasonable exnation for this otherwise unreasonable treatment.

    That was because these undead were the personal creations of the ruler of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, Ainz Ooal Gown. They could not be slighted.

    Everyone present here was Ainz¡¯s subordinate, and nobody would doubt their absolute loyalty to the guild Ainz Ooal Gown. There was also a clear hierarchy among them. Naturally, the highest-ced ones were the NPCs who had been personally created by the Supreme Beings, and among them, the Floor Guardians who had been granted weighty responsibilities were at the apex of that group.

    Behind the NPCs were naturally spawned (POP) monsters, or monsters summoned through YGGDRASIL¡¯s mercenary system ¡ª the vassals. Their status was determined by their power and their assigned duties, but they were all formed up into ranks, without regard for their floors of origin.

    In that case, where should the undead created by Ainz be ced?

    This question had troubled the Guardian Overseer Albedo. She did not know whether or not to ord them the same status as the NPCs.

    When she asked Ainz, he hadughed and dered that it would be fine to put them in the lowest position.

    Ainz¡¯s ability to create undead had a limited number of uses in a day, but there was no mary cost needed to use it. Inparison, the high-level vassals which the Guardians had brought along were beings created through YGGDRASIL¡¯s mercenary system and required expenditures of in-game currency or real money. The former could be created again for free if they were destroyed, but the money spent on thetter would be wasted if they died. Therefore, to Ainz, the undead he created ¡ª being free of charge, even if they required corpses to be made ¡ª were cheaper than the beings that were born through the use of money.

    Of course, that was Ainz¡¯s point of view, and not that of his loyal subordinates. Albedo was moved to tears after hearing her magnanimous master¡¯s decision, but she could not answer, ¡°I understand¡±. She agonized over the problem for half a day, and then finally decided to break with tradition by forming the undead into files, thus glossing over that problem.

    Seated upon the throne, the highest position within this room, Ainz looked down upon his vassals ¡ª which Albedo had spent so much effort on organizing ¡ª and spoke unto them as though he was bestowing a revtion. No, to those who swore fealty to him, Ainz¡¯s words were nothing less than the will of the gods made manifest.

    ***

    ¡°To begin with, thank you all for your long hours of information-gathering. Sebas, Solution, you have done well.¡±

    Ainz looked down upon the two people bowing before him, and nodded in satisfaction. However, the problem was what came next. It was too difficult for a meremoner to imitate the behavior of a ruler, and Ainz felt himself being crushed under the pressure. He saw his countless subordinates before him. Their eyes glowed with respect and adoration.

    His supposedly non-existent stomach ached with pain, and his heart ¡ª which should have been simrly absent ¡ª throbbed within his chest.

    However, that onlysted for a moment. The intense desire to flee this ce with all his might was suppressed by the emotional override which was a special feature of his body.

    Ainz finally felt like he could y the role of a proper ruler, and he ordered:

    ¡°The two of you,e before me.¡±

    The summoned pair rose as one. They moved in perfect unison to the steps before the throne, as though they had rehearsed this before. Then they halted before Albedo, who stood in front of and to the side of Ainz.

    The two of them then knelt once more, with neatly coordinated motions.

    ¡°Raise your heads. For your exemry performance, I shall grant you a reward.¡±

    Ainz looked to Sebas.

    ¡°Sebas, while you pleaded for mercy on Tsuare¡¯s behalf, I extended her my protection in order to repay a debt. It has nothing to do with your job performance, so I will grant you whatever you desire. Come, tell me what you want.¡±

    Praising one¡¯s subordinates before an audience would spur others to work harder. That was probably why department awards and the like were given before all the workers. When one¡¯s subordinates worked with passion in the hopes of being simrly praised, it would improve the organization¡¯s performance. Thus, Ainz had made use of his working experience and gathered many of his subordinates to the Throne Room for precisely this purpose.

    However, doing so also carried a great risk with it. Ainz had to act like a proper master before his many subordinates, by disying his charm as a ruler (charisma). This was an arduous task for a mere sryman. However, he was the final remaining member of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, so he had to ovee this trial.

    I need to repay the NPCs¡¯ loyalty.

    As this iron determination grew in Ainz¡¯s heart, Sebas¡¯ moustache quivered.

    ¡°Devoting this body to serve you is all the rew¨C¡±

    Honestly, they really are loyal subordinates. But at the same time, it puts a lot of pressure on me...

    ¡°¨CEnough. It is a master¡¯s responsibility to reward good performance from his subordinates. I would have you know that at times, ack of desire from one¡¯s subordinates sometimes displeases their master.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Please forgive your humble servant! That being the case...¡±

    Sebas paused to think for a few seconds, and then said:

    ¡°I would like to receive clothing and daily necessities for the use of Tsuare, the human which you have so graciously ced under me, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°...I can give you the clothing and so on from my personal inventory.¡±

    In YGGDRASIL, once one missed the chance to acquire limited-avability items or yer-made clothing, the chances of being able to obtain them again in the future were very low. Therefore, he had bought any and all outfits that had caught his eye without hesitation. Ainz was not the only one who had done so ¡ª all of his friends had the same tendencies. No, in all likelihood, just about any yer would do that.

    Peroroncino, the guild member who had created Shalltear, had something to say about this sort of tendency: ¡°It¡¯s like porn that you like, you just save it right away and worry about using itter¡±. After that, he added: ¡°Although, I have no idea which folder they¡¯re saved in.¡±

    In truth, he was correct. Ainz had purchased a vast quantity of outfits, both male and female, but he had only stored it and never used it. SInce all they did was take up space in his wardrobe, it would be wiser to make use of them.

    Ainz thought of the clothing he had bought from all over the ce. YGGDRASIL¡¯s clothing wasrgely overwrought in design, but there ought to be something suitable for Tsuare.

    ¡°No, there is no need to trouble you to do that, Ainz-sama. Tsuare has enjoyed yourrgesse until now; it would be too much to ask for more.¡±

    ¡°Is that so... alright, then. However, as for the clothes...¡±

    This was a tricky problem for Ainz, who had never boughtdies¡¯ clothes before. What if they felt he was tasteless? He might end up torpedoing the collective opinion which thedies of Nazarick held of him.

    ¡°May I enlist Narberal for this task? I could not possibly trouble you, the ruler of Nazarick, with such a trivial matter, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Sebas had probably not sensed Ainz¡¯s unease, but his suggestion had been a great help to Ainz.

    ¡°...Narberal, do you mind?¡±

    Upon hearing Ainz¡¯s voice, one of the motionless NPCs beneath him bowed her head deeply.

    ¡°Very well, Sebas. I will let Narberal handle that task. Or...¡±

    Ainz smiled thinly. Of course, his face did not move; it was only implied.

    ¡°You may also take Tsuare shopping. Consider it a date of sorts.¡±

    Ainz had already heard about things between Sebas and Tsuare from the Head Maid. While a physical rtionship had not developed yet, Demiurge had said that it was only a matter of time.

    Speaking of which, why did Demiurge say that a physical rtionship between Sebas and Tsuare was a good thing? Well, maybe he was wishing his colleague all the best in his pursuit of love. If that¡¯s the case, then the two of them would actually be getting along surprisingly well. The mood in the air was a bit stiff when we were in the Royal Capital, but maybe that was just due to the circumstances. Still, that¡¯s a relief; it¡¯s not like I want to see them fighting all day...

    The reason why the guild members Touch Me and Ulbert were at loggerheads sprang from a reason external to YGGDRASIL. In fact, it was because of Ulbert¡¯s real-life jealousy.

    I remember their rtionship was strained ever since that argument... maybe that was the start of everything.

    Ainz felt as though he was looking out upon a vast expanse of wastnd, and he felt that he understood now. Just then, Sebas¡¯ surprised voice cleared away the thoughts in his mind.

    ¡°May, May I do so? Then, I would like to go with Tsuare.¡±

    ¨CIt¡¯s not like I¡¯m bullying this sweet couple because I¡¯m a bachelor.

    If they had their date in E-Rantel, then he would just put on his Mask of Jealousy and tail them. As Ainz thought about pointless things like that, he raised his chin, indicating that the other kneeling person should speak.

    ¡°It is fine. Then, Solution. Speak your desires.¡±

    ¡°...I would like several humans, live ones, if possible. Ideally, they would be pure human beings.¡±

    Ainz considered the humans he had captured. Many of the surviving humans were associated with Eight Fingers, the group which had displeased Ainz. ording to the reports, everyone useful had been tortured and mentally broken. After that were the ones whom his imprisoned servants had flouted the rules to protect.

    Those won¡¯t do. After all, Pestonya and Nigredo were willing to defy my orders to protect them.

    ¡°I permit this. I shall give you several live humans. However, I cannot guarantee their purity. Forgive me for not being able topletely fulfill your request.¡±

    ¡°Please do not say that! Your servant did not deserve pure human beings in the first ce! I am eternally grateful to be granted live humans!¡±

    Ainz regarded Solution, who had bowed her head deeply, and nodded in a way which he believed best suited a ruler.

    ¡°...Is that so. Thank you. Then, you may step back. Next is Entoma. Come before me.¡±

    As the two of them fell back, Entoma took their ce on her knees before Ainz.

    ¡°Now then, Entoma.¡±

    ¡°YeS!¡±

    Ainz could not help but smile bitterly at her garbled voice.

    ¡°It seems your voice has not yet recovered.¡±

    The Lip Bugs which Entoma equipped did not naturally ur in YGGDRASIL, but that did not mean they did not exist. There were several monsters summoned through YGGDRASIL currency in her room, and she could use them to restore her voice at any time. There was only one reason she had not done so ¡ª a personal grudge.

    ¡°DoeS mY VOiCe diSPleAsE yOu? I SHalL fiX It aT onCe!¡±

    ¡°Not at all. I do not dislike your current voice.¡±

    ¡°ThANk yOu, AInZ-SAmA!¡±

    ¡°Now then. You have given much of yourself and even sacrificed your voice. However, your efforts are somewhat insufficient to qualify you for a reward. While I may not be able to grant it like I did for the other two, tell me your desires anyway.¡±

    Ainz felt that handing rewards out willy-nilly was not generosity, but ack of consideration. Anything that was too readily avable would lose its value.

    From that point of view, Entoma¡¯s efforts had not reached the standards which Ainz had set for her to earn out a reward. That said, she had been severely injured in the line of duty and not acknowledging that would be a pity.

    I believe they call this a Purple Heart? I¡¯m not too familiar with military things. If he were here, he could have taught me more about this.

    AInz recalled a guild member who had been known as a military otaku.

    ¡°TheN... AINz-sAMa. If A chANCe tO KilL thAT WreTCH cOMeS uP, PLeaSE SEnD Me. I wiSH To STeAL HeR VOIcE.¡±

    Ainz knew that she was referring to that suspicious girl in a mask called Evileye, and so he gave his consent.

    ¡°I understand. I will call upon you when the timees. You may leave, Entoma.¡±

    He watched her return to her previous position.

    ¡°Then, let us move on to the next topic.¡±

    Naturally, nobody objected. However, Ainz could not find happiness in this development.

    They considered Ainz to be their supreme overlord; if he said so, white would be ck and so on. That was why they were silent, and not because he had chosen the correct course of action.

    It looks like I need to install a few auditing and other agencies.

    The first thing he ought to set up was a department responsible for handing out rewards. The problem with that was the NPC and vassals all believed that serving Ainz was a natural state of affairs and did not require any sort of reward. In addition, the criteria for being rewarded were very vague and essentially determined by Ainz, which was another problem.

    If we¡¯re going to operate as a group, I¡¯ll need toy down some concrete guidelines in this field... it¡¯s all my fault for leaving the group¡¯s management to Albedo and running from my responsibilities, now it¡¯se to bite me in the ass. Still, this is beyond the capabilities of a regr person. Almost none of my life experiences have been applicable so far.

    Ainz (Suzuki Satoru) had been a mere wageve in the past, and the strain of leadership was giving him headaches. However, he struggled to rein it in. He could fret about these things when he was alone in his room and could roll around on his scented bed.

    ¡°I will be deciding the direction Nazarick will be taking in the future. Demiurge, to me.¡±

    The finest mind of Nazarick ascended the stairs, taking his ce opposite Albedo.

    ¡°Guardian Overseer of Nazarick, Albedo. The keenest intellect of Nazarick, Demiurge. Our original n is now more than halfplete. I order you to exin our action n for the future. If anyone has any suggestions, you may raise your hands and speak.¡±

    Ainz¡¯s first priority was Nazarick¡¯s continued survival. No, in the worst case scenario ¡ª even if he lost the ce known as Nazarick ¡ª it would be enough for him to protect the NPCs, the children of his former friends. He could create a shelter and use other methods to solve that problem.

    The second was to spread the name of Ainz Ooal Gown to the entire world. That was because Ainz considered that if his friends were in this world, they mighte to find him. Perhaps this objective could be pushed back in terms of priority.

    The third was to strengthen Nazarick. Perhaps he ought to move that up in importance.

    Indeed, the more he understood this world, the more he felt that Nazarick was an impregnable fortress, while Ainz Ooal Gown felt like the strongest organization within it. However, someone had been able to mind-control Shalltear, albeit with the use of a World-ss Item, so arrogance and pride would be very dangerous. In particr, since World-ss Items existed in this world, it would be best to assume that other guilds existed here, lest they be ambushed. Thus, they had to take action to increase Nazarick¡¯s strength.

    Currently, they had enlisted the Lizardmen and Ainz had produced undead beings, but they needed to pursue strength more voraciously.

    His fourth priority was to gather information. That had originally been his primary concern, but since it had already been partiallypleted, he had lowered its priority.

    This was Ainz¡¯s thought process. However, it was ultimately the product of Ainz, themoner. There might be a hole in it somewhere, or he might not have analyzed the information well enough before using it as a foundation.

    Because of that. Ainz had called upon a pair of keen intellects. If all he needed was their wisdom, then all he had to do was discuss the matter with them directly. There was no need to risk letting everyone know that his head was empty by putting on a big show to talk about this problem.

    However, doing so would be a mistake.

    As their master, he had to put on this show in order to y the role in which the NPCs envisioned him ¡ª though he felt it was more of a delusion. He had to y the role of Ainz Ooal Gown, an iparable being and a thinker of fathomless depths, and do so upon a grand stage.

    ¡°The two of you will exin clearly to everyone present. These are the elite personnel selected by the various Guardians. Let them hear about our future direction and do not leave out any details.¡±

    Indeed, Ainz had been forced to employ this stratagem. It was like telling them to ¡°exin to the other Guardians¡± on arger scale. His n was to use the excuse that someone or everyone did not understand, then pretend he knew and listen to the exnation.

    ¡°Then, Demiurge. You will clearly exin what we now know to those who do not understand the details. In any event, start by telling them the actions Nazarick has taken in the Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Demiurge then began to address the NPCs beneath him;

    This was what Ainz had been waiting for. At that time, Ainz had agreed with it. He had felt the wise Demiurge could do no wrong, but after thinking further upon the matter he felt that Demiurge had ended up doing unnecessary things.

    ¡°On the Kingdom¡¯s side, we have sessfully subdued the members of the criminal syndicate¡¯s top leadership with the aid of Mare, Neuronist and Kyouhukou. All we need to do from now on is slowly permeate into them until we are in a position to rule the Kingdom¡¯s underworld.¡±

    ¡°...Mm?¡±

    Ainz quietly made his doubts audible. Why did they have to take over the Kingdom¡¯s crime syndicate? It seemed somewhat different from the simple exnation he had heard back then. A reasonable hypothesis for that would be in order to harvest money over the long term, or to easily obtain information.

    Just as Ainz was thinking, Demiurge closed his mouth and looked back, staring at him. While giving thanks that his body did not sweat, he asked:

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Demiurge? Is something the matter?¡±

    ¡°No, I simply thought I heard you say something, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Oh, my apologies. I was simply indicating my agreement. It would seem you misunderstood me. Alright, carry on, then. Tell everyone the significance of taking over the Kingdom¡¯s criminal organization.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Then, gentlemen. Taking over the syndicate is the foundation for achieving Ainz-sama¡¯s objective; that is to say world domination. I trust nobody is stupid enough to not know that.¡±

    Ainz nced down at everyone¡¯s face. They all looked like they understood, without exception.

    Ainz was the only one who did not understand.

    ¡°...World domination?¡±

    What the hell was that? When had things ended up like that? However, he could not ask about it.

    This was the greatest exercise of Ainz¡¯s intellect in his entire life. He spent several seconds reflecting and searching himself.

    It had been far too unexpected, too difficult to ept. How had it ended up like this? All he had wanted was to keep a low profile, avoid making enemies, improve his reputation, and then find a way tomunicate with his friends from the past who might be in this world. Those cute little wishes were all he had wanted.

    However, right now¨C

    World conquest?! How did things turn out this way?!

    Ainz dearly wanted to reject those words but hecked the courage to do so.

    It was not just the NPCs but every single vassal which had that look of understanding on their faces, as though the words ¡°But of course¡± were written there. It was evident at a nce that this wasmon knowledge, and that it had been engraved into their hearts. Ainz felt something like a hot wind blowing in the area around the throne.

    Ainz Ooal Gown was the highest ruler of Nazarick, a Supreme Being. Now that he had be an object of worship, what would happen if he personally destroyed this image?

    For all he knew, he might end up like an idol caught in some scandal by the paparazzi. While it was sad for an idol to lose fans and for their sales figures to decline, Ainz had the feeling that a more tragic fate than that would be waiting for him.

    It seems too much has been invested in this scheme for me to call it off...

    Still, when he thought calmly about it, world domination was not a bad idea.

    Of course, it would not be as simple as it was in games. To a plebeian like Ainz, thisrge-scale n was too vague for him to understand. However, he could understand that this was a perfect means for him to build his reputation ¡ª although it might end up being infamy instead.

    The problem now was what his friends would think if they knew about this. At that point, all he could do was apologize for his inability to manage Nazarick well.

    Besides, we might be able to deal with the unknown enemy who brainwashed Shalltear. That ought to work as an excuse, right? They¡¯ll forgive me for that... right?

    Having steeled himself, Ainz magnanimously nodded to Demiurge, who seemed to be waiting for praise.

    ¡°So... you still remembered.¡±

    ¡°Of course. I, Demiurge, havemitted every word you have spoken to memory, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Is that so... I did bring it up then, did I not?¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    ¡°...From that time, then?

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    ¡°That time... I see. This pleases me, Demiurge...¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°However, world domination is quite difficult.¡±

    ¡°It is as you say, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Then... what do you think we should do?¡±

    Ainz wanted to praise his voice for not trembling.

    ¡°I propose that Nazarick ought to take its ce upon the global stage, as part of our overall direction for the future. Since the entities who controlled Shalltear are acting ndestinely, it may cause problems for us even if we remain hidden.¡±

    ¡°...Indeed.¡±

    Was that really the case? Ainz felt it would be better to remain hidden. He had no idea how Demiurge had reached that conclusion.

    ¡°I concur, Ainz-sama. If we make ourselves known to the world, we can deal with problems in an aboveboard manner. We will not need to send small amounts of personnel to conduct secret investigations.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see.¡±

    Enlightenment dawned suddenly on Ainz as he heard Albedo¡¯s exnation.

    The idea of not having to hunt for a needle in a haystack and being able to move as boldly as they pleased was very attractive.

    ¡°So that is why we are to rule the Kingdom from the shadows and achieve legitimacy for Nazarick by various ways and means, am I correct? However, I cannot agree with the idea of allowing thend which Ainz-sama rules to be part of any other country.¡±

    Demiurge shook his head at Albedo¡¯s question.

    ¡°Of course, Albedo. I would not be able to tolerate it either. In addition, after perusing and contemting our information on the Kingdom, I havee to the conclusion that the Kingdom ¡ª as it stands now ¡ª is not attractive to us in the least, one person aside. The same applies to all the other nations. I feel that having our organization work for any other country would be a foolish course of action.¡±

    ¡°And why is that?¡±

    ¡°When we must serve a nation, we will be limited in the actions that we can take. If the people who controlled Shalltear turn out to be an organization, and we are beholden to a certain country, we might be unable to respond promptly if problems arise. Therefore... Ainz-sama.¡±

    Demiurge stared at Ainz, and solemnly delivered his proposal.

    ¡°I propose we found a nation known as the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.¡±

 Chapter 49 - Volume 7

    Overlord Volume 7 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1: Invitation To Death

    (Re)Tranted by: Nigel

    Proofreader/Editor: Deus Ex Machina

    Part 1

    Arwintar, the Imperial Capital,y in the western region of the Baharuth Empire. At its center was the Imperial Pce that was the residence of the man known as the ¡°Bloody Emperor¡± ¡ª Jiiv Rune Farlord El-Nix. It was surrounded by universities, the Imperial Magical Academy and all manner of government buildings which radiated out from it, and it could be considered the heart of the Empire.

    While its poption was lower than that of the Royal Capital of the Re-Estize Kingdom, it wasrger in scope than the Royal Capital. In addition, several years of reform meant that the Empire was currently in the middle of its greatest boom in history, with non-stop innovation and a steady stream of resources and human talentsing in. The old was being torn down to make way for a promising future, and the faces of the residents were bright.

    Ainz and Narberal walked through the heated, bustling city streets.

    Under normal circumstances, Ainz would be gawking at everything as he walked, like a country bumpkin fresh from the farm. At the same time, he would have been deeply moved by how different this ce was from the Kingdom.

    However, those emotions were almost absent in Ainz.

    The state of his heart was reflected in his actions, and his troubled steps.

    What ruled him now was the feeling of unhappiness.

    Coming to the Empire had been part of Demiurge¡¯s n, and the more he thought about it, the more his eyebrows ¡ª illusory as they were ¡ª knotted together.

    The concept of ¡°forbearance¡± waspletely unnecessary for Ainz Ooal Gown, the supreme ruler of Nazarick. Neither did he need to suppress his feelings of frustration. Ainz¡¯s word wasw, and as a leader, all he had to do was speak and ck would be as white. By right, there was nothing which would not go as he wished.

    That being the case, why had things ended up like this? That was because he wanted to reject Demiurge¡¯s proposal, but he could not, for various reasons.

    The objective of the n ¡ª demonstrate the power of Nazarick ¡ª was simple enough to understand, and its effects would show themselves immediately. That said, Ainz disliked it, because he felt that doing so would bring shame upon the handmade creations of his friends.

    It was quite unsightly to reject an excellent n based on personal feelings alone, and he did not want the others to feel that he was an uncharitable person in his role as supreme leader. Besides, he had no other ideas to serve as an alternative.

    Objecting to someone¡¯s proposals with nothing else to rece them was essentially picking a fight with the other party. It was not Ainz¡¯s status as a ruler but his experiences as a sryman which told him this.

    Ainz began muttering the words he had used to talk himself down several times already.

    I need to be calm. I need to cool my head. I need to be rational. If forced to choose between reason and emotion, a superior ought to select reason. The type who act on their emotions might be able to reap great rewards if they channel all their energies into their work, but for the most part it never ends well for them. Besides, it¡¯s already¡ª

    ¡°¡ªThe die has been cast?¡±

    Ainz had no lungs, but he still took a deep breath, and then exhaled.

    The surrounding citizens looked in puzzlement at this warrior who was suddenly sucking in and expelling the air as he walked, but they did not seem to mind.

    His imposing, heroic build often drew the stares of passers-by. In particr, it was even moremon for others to look at him after he had been hailed as a hero. Therefore, he paid no heed to the gazes of others unless he was putting on a show, riding Hamsuke, or some other special circumstance came up.

    After repeating that cycle a few times, only a little bit of annoyance remained within him. That was when he noticed Narberal, who was trailing behind him.

    ¡°Forgive me, I seem to have been walking a little too fast.¡±

    Ainz was a man, and the way he tookrge strides in armor waspletely different from the way which the feminine Narberal moved in her robe. After considering her physical attributes, she was probably not having too much difficulty, but as a man, he had to apologize for walking ahead while only thinking of himself.

    ¡°Not at all, it is fine.¡±

    ¡°Is that so...¡±

    Was that her answer as a servant, or did she really not mind? Ainz had no idea, so all he could do was shorten his stride while looking for something to talk about.

    He felt ufortable about the prickly air around him just now, and he racked his brains for some way to change the mood. However, he could not think of a suitable topic.

    Businessmen often used trivial matters like the weather and so on to get a conversation going. Discussing sports was not a bad idea either, but that required prior knowledge about which team the other party supported.

    As Ainz pondered how to initiate the conversation, he suddenly went ¡°tch¡± in his heart.

    Why am I walking on eggshells around Narberal, my own subordinate? This is a rare opportunity for me to roley how a master should talk to his servant. That said, what should a ruler ¡ª or perhaps, an absolute being ¡ª talk to his subordinates about?

    Ainz recalled his conversations with his bosses in daily life. Would those be appropriate? Ainz was confused. He was the highest authority within the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, not the director of an enterprise. Strictly speaking, he was closer to apany¡¯s president.

    No, president¡¯s not quite right... that said, what would the King of the Kingdom say to Gazef Stronoff? If only I could use that as a reference...

    That said, there was no point thinking about that now. Going on in silence like this made the mood too grim. Ainz decided to throw caution to the wind and say the first thing which came to mind.

    ¡°...Nabe... what do you think of this voice of mine?¡±

    Ainz tapped his vocal cords with his index finger ¡ª or to be precise, the ce where his vocal cords should have been. He used a gauntleted hand to press on his throat. He should have felt nothing through the metal, but there was a sensation of squishiness instead. There was also a strangely out-of-ce moistness there.

    ¡°I pray you will forgive my frankness, but I do not quite like that voice. It is not because it sounds strange, but because I find your usual voice to be quite marvellous, Momon-sa¡ªn. I understand that you have reasons which prevent you from doing so, but I cannot help but wish you would resume using your normal voice, Momon-san.¡±

    ¡°Is that so. I think this voice has a maic quality to it, and sounds quite good... Neuronist selected it from among those of 50 people, so I feel it has a certain charm which cannot be put into words.¡±

    Ainz suddenly recalled what his own voice sounded like in a recording, and groaned quietly. However, his mood immediately re-stabilized.

    ¡°Is that so? I prefer your normal voice, Momon-san.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Nabe. However, now that I think about it, I did not expect that I could make use of this...¡±

    There was no telling if Ainz was speaking from the heart or merely rattling off pleasantries. As he thought, he poked his throat once more. He could feel the lifeform stuck there ¡ª a Lip Bug ¡ª shifting around. Perhaps it might be ticklish if he were human.

    Did I just not know about it, or was it added in ater update? I can¡¯t say for sure that not knowing about this won¡¯t inconvenience me. It¡¯s not just my knowledge of this world which I need to check, but my own knowledge of YGGDRASIL as well. How troublesome.

    The gamepany wanted YGGDRASIL¡¯s yers to be able to enjoy the feeling of exploring the unknown. They wanted their yers to y around and experiment with all sorts of things, so the developers produced a staggering amount of game content, and included systems that could fine-tune that data.

    Thus, the unknown stretched out before the yers.

    They did not provide any information about the game world¡¯s map, and they were also inconsiderate enough not to supply any news about the game¡¯s dungeons and things such as ore mining, food preparation or the raising of magical beasts. In a world like this, one had to investigate and discover things on one¡¯s own. In fact, even the items that one could and could not use could only be felt out through repeated trial and error on the yer¡¯s part.

    There were walkthrough sites and news sites, but those sites only hosted aption of publicly known information or very untrustworthy rumors. YGGDRASIL was a game of exploring the unknown. Thus, any information one uncovered would be very valuable. There was no merit in publishing this valuable information for any stranger to view free of charge.

    Ultimately, one could only rely on the information that one¡¯s guild had uncovered, or information traded from a reliable guild. Everything else was useless and worthless news.

    There had even been a period of time when people had left suspicious posts on message boards along the lines of ¡°I¡¯m leaving my guild, so I¡¯m going to reveal all my guild¡¯s secrets now¡±.

    Well... some of that information had been urate.

    ***

    There had once been a guild called Three Burning Eyes

    It was a guild formed by a the master of a website who ran a paid-membership information site, and they often practiced the bad habit of sending spies into high-level guilds to steal their information. However, the developers did not consider this a ¡°bad habit¡±. They tacitly agreed that this was a valid means of gaining information. However, that did nothing to mollify the parties who had their information stolen.

    Those high-level guilds were utterly furious, so they formed an alliance and attacked Three Burning Eyes. The alliance stationed people at the respawn points within the temples of the city containing the guild¡¯s homebase, then began PKing the guild¡¯s members. They then proceeded to repeatedly PK the guild members right after they respawned. Eventually, Three Burning Eyes copsed and the guild members scattered to the winds.

    In the end, they published all their information for free onto the web. That had been a nostalgic memory.

    Well, there were no spies in Ainz Ooal Gown... but if that incident had not happened, perhaps we might have had more members.

    That incident had caused Ainz Ooal Gown to stop recruiting. With only 41 members, they were the least populous of the high-ranked guilds.

    Perhaps there might have been highly reliable websites in thest days of YGGDRASIL. However, Ainz had only browsed those sites during the golden age of Ainz Ooal Gown, when they had been in their full glory. At that time, there had been precious little useful information on those sites.

    My knowledge might have stagnated there. Granted, I did pay attention to the developer updates... there must surely be other YGGDRASIL yers in this world other than myself. I need to consider the danger of losing to them in terms of knowledge.

    After bringing Eight Fingers under his banner, Ainz had learned much about the region surrounding Nazarick. That included a great deal of information about the Kingdom and the Empire, which was currently being put to good use. However, there was very little information about the Holy Kingdom, the Theocracy and the Republic, so he would have to carefully gather information on those ces in the future.

    ¡°Good grief, the more I think about it, the more worried I get. I wish I had a more cheerful topic to think about instead.¡±

    Ainz paused here, and then he casually nced around.

    ¡°Speaking of which, the Empire really is quite lively.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? It feels about the same as E-Rantel to me.¡±

    After hearing Narberal¡¯s words, Ainz looked around once more.

    ¡°The streets are filled with life and the people¡¯s eyes are gleaming. There is a certain ambience in the air, one which belongs to people who believe their lives are going to get better.¡±

    ¡°As expected of Momon-san,¡± Narberal said from a small distance behind him. However, Ainz felt embarrassed by his own words and did not answer her. That was simply an impression he had gotten, and he was not confident in the uracy of his assessment.

    Don¡¯t tell me I was infected by Pandora¡¯s Actor... ¡°ambience¡±, I can¡¯t believe I could say something as pretentious as that without getting embarrassed. Did I think I was a poet or something?!

    In the Royal Capital, he had needed to act like a hero to some extent, so Ainz had yed the role of one. It would seem he had not fully gotten out of the part yet.

    The face under the closed helm turned red from mild embarrassment ¡ª although a skeletal face could not blush ¡ª and just then Ainz saw the inn which Fluder had told him about before his eyes.

    This was the highest-grade inn in the Imperial Capital, and even from a distance, one could tell it was more luxurious than E-Rantel¡¯s finest inn. If one considered the inns in the Royal Capital to have a long and distinguished history, then this inn of the Imperial Capital was a newly-opened, high-end hotel, and the question of which inn was better would be decided by personal preference.

    ¡°Alright, we can¡¯t be sure until we go in to take a look, but I think we¡¯ve got the right ce.¡±

    Ainz briefly felt the adamantite rank-te dangling at his chest, and then headed for the inn¡¯s entrance.

    Much like in E-Rantel, the entrance was nked by muscr guards in leather armor. The men cast suspicious nces at Momon and Nabe as they walked through the arch. Then, as they saw a certain item, their eyes suddenly went wide.

    ¡°Is... is that the real thing? It must be, given their gear...¡±

    He could hear them whispering to each other.

    As Ainz walked before the tense, nervous guards, they politely asked him in stiff tones:

    ¡°Please forgive me if I offend you, adamantite-ranked adventurer-sama, but may I please see the proof of your identity?¡±

    Ainz took off the te and asked:

    ¡°Does this inn not take walk-in customers?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Unfortunately, in order to maintain the appropriate tone, our establishment does not amodate guests who have not been previously introduced. But of course, you would be an exception, adamantite adventurer-sama.¡±

    One of the guards wiped his hands on his clothes, bowed deeply, and then gingerly epted the identity te like it was something fragile.

    He then turned it over and read out the letters there.

    ¡°Momon... the ck-sama?¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    ¡°I have verified it and there is no doubt! Thank you for offering us the proof of your adamantite rank!¡±

    Just like before, the guard carefully returned the te to Ainz. The tes which denoted an adventurer¡¯s rank were made out of the material corresponding to said rank, and this little piece of adamantite cost a tidy sum. Granted, adamantite was a very hard metal and it would not be scuffed or scratched just by dropping it on the ground, but if they misced it, they would have to pay out a hefty amount. For example, a Guaranperat ¡ª a crow-like bird ¡ª might snatch it away from the side while it was being returned.

    This was not a fable concocted to remind them to be careful when handling valuable items. This was an actual example of what had happened in the past.

    After Ainz took it back, the two guards looked visibly relieved, like a weight had been taken off their shoulders.

    ¡°Then, may Ie in?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Momon-sama. Please allow me to escort you to the concierge.¡±

    ¡°I see. Then, by all means.¡±

    The Kingdom did not have the practice of tipping. Was it the same in the Empire? Ainz thought about things like that as he let the guard lead them on.

    After entering the inn, they passed through a lounge whose floor seemed to be made ofrge stone bs before heading straight to the concierge.

    ¡°I have with me the adamantite-ranked adventurer Momon-sama and hispanion.¡±

    The cultured-looking man seated at the counter nced at the guard. The guard then bowed reverently to Ainz before returning to his post.

    ¡°I bid you wee, Momon-sama. Please ept my sincerest thanks for choosing to reside at our humble establishment for the duration of your stay in the Imperial Capital.¡±

    The man at the counter bowed deeply to Ainz.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll be staying here for a night.¡±

    ¡°Very well. Then, may I trouble you to sign our guest register?¡±

    Ainz smiled under his closed helmet, then picked up the pen and wrote.

    His signature read ¡°Momon¡± in thenguage of the Kingdom. He had practiced writing it dozens of times.

    ¡°Thank you very much. May I know what sort of room you would like?¡±

    Personally, Ainz did not mind a cheap room. However, as usual, he could not do that.

    I can¡¯t eat, so a room without meals would be fine.

    Ainz recalled several dishes from this world.

    There was a green-colored fruit juice with a sweet fragrance. There was something pink which looked like scrambled eggs. There were also pieces of sliced meat covered in some kind of blue liquid. They all piqued his curiosity, but he could not eat them.

    ...Libido, appetite and the need to sleep. This body of mine has a lot of benefits, but I¡¯ve lost a lot of things as well. What a shame. That said, if I still had my body of flesh, there¡¯s a high chance I might have lost myself in my desires...

    Ainz imagined himself in bed with Albedo, and his face twisted slightly.

    That was because the mental image of a superiormitting sexual harassment on a female employee ¡ª or worse ¡ª had appeared in his mind.

    Granted, Albedo does seem to love me... this is aplicated feeling. If only I hadn¡¯t done that back then... oops!

    ¡°Pardon me, just give us an appropriate room... by the way, since we don¡¯t have themon trade currency, can we pay with Kingdom coins?¡±

    ¡°Of course. The Kingdom¡¯s currency and the Empire¡¯s currency has always been exchanged on a one-for-one basis.¡±

    ¡°I see. Then we shall have to impose upon you.¡±

    ¡°Very well, then we shall prepare a suitable room for you, Momon-sama. Could I trouble you to wait for a while in the lounge bar?¡±

    Ainz looked toward the bar in question. It was very spacious and gave off a very ssy feeling, and it looked like it could seat around 50 people. The chairs looked like they would be veryfortable. A bard was performing quiet music in the background.

    ¡°The food and drinks there are free of charge, so please feel free to rx at your leisure.¡±

    One received better service if one paid more. That much was the same in any world where one went. However, this service did not please Ainz at all.

    ¡°Understood. Then, let¡¯s go, Nabe.¡±

    Ainz brought Nabe to the lounge bar and took a seat on a nearby chair.

    There were several other guests in the lounge, all of whom appeared to be adventurers.

    High-level adventurers would receive massive payments just for a single job, and their living standards would go up along to match. Living in an inn like this was hardly a problem for them.

    That was probably true for any city, be it the Royal Capital or E-Rantel.

    Ainz checked to see that the adamantite te around his neck was visible to others. Letting the other guests talk among themselves and build his reputation for him was a good idea too.

    Ainz felt others look at him as he perused the drinks menu in front of him.

    I can¡¯t read this...

    He flipped through the pages at random. He went through the menu despite not being able to read it, in order to ward off suspicion.

    Ainz had brought along the reading sses he had lent to Sebas as a precaution, but he could not take his time using them here.

    ¡°Sebas... Tsuare, huh.¡±

    He recalled the face of his subordinate, and quietly spoke the name of the woman whose name it called to mind.

    ¡°Has something happened to that woman?¡±

    ¡°Ah, no, it¡¯s nothing important. I was just thinking about how she had adapted to all of this.¡±

    While he had entrusted Sebas with Tsuare¡¯s care, Ainz had promised her his protection, and as a business owner, he was obliged to pay attention to the well-being of his employees.

    ¡°I think they will be fine. Currently... the Head Maid is in confinement, so Sebas-sama is teaching her how to be a proper maid. After she learns the appropriate etiquette, she will be taught how to cook and how to perform other duties. Once we have determined what duties suit her, she will be officially assigned a position.¡±

    ¡°I see. Very well, it should be fine handing the matter to Sebas. Also... I think it¡¯s about time we released those two from confinement... Albedo¡¯s anger should have cooled by now.¡±

    Narberal did not answer. All she did was nod her head.

    Sensing a lull in their conversation, the waiter approached them.

    ¡°Have you decided what you wish to order?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like an iced mhiatia. Narberal?¡±

    ¡°The same for me.¡±

    ¡°Pick what you want to drink. It¡¯s fine.¡±

    ¡°No, I do want the same thing. Ah, more milk in mine, please.¡±

    ¡°Very well.¡±

    The waiter bowed deeply, and then retreated in silence.

    Mhiatia was a drink Ainz hadmonly seen in E-Rantel¡¯s inns, and it looked like atte coffee. The smell was reminiscent of atte as well, but Ainz had also seen separatette and regr coffees. Incidentally, Ainz had no idea what it tasted like. It went without saying that he could not drink it. He had tried, of course, but it had all leaked out through the bottom of his chin and he had not been able to taste anything.

    However, he ended up ordering it anyway, because it looked like something which only high-ss establishments would sell. He felt that it suited ces like these.

    As Ainz wiped away his nonexistent sweat, Ainz asked Narberal a question in a matter-of-fact way.

    ¡°...Nabe, what does mhiatia taste like?¡±

    He had asked her because he knew she had drunk it before.

    Narberal paused to think. This was probably the sort of look one would have on their face if they were thinking about how to exin the taste of coffee to someone else.

    ¡°How shall I put this. It is very much like a caffe shakerato. However, it tastes of condensed milk, so I do not quite like it.¡±

    ¡°...Is that so. That sounds delicious.¡±

    Shakerato? I¡¯ve never heard of a drink like that before. It might also be a beverage unique to this world.

    ¡°I feel it is merely passable.¡±

    Ainz casually responded, and then the drinks came.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind me, just help yourself. It would be strange if both of us didn¡¯t touch our drinks.¡±

    He had grown used to not removing his helmet in the Kingdom, and so Ainz hadpletely forgotten to take it off when the drinks came. The way he said so in such a natural way felt very unnatural.

    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±

    ¡°Drink, then, and listen to me as you do. I n to spend two days seeing the sights of the Imperial Capital. I hear that the central markets have a wide variety of stock, and just browsing them is quite interesting. Then, there¡¯s the northern markets, which seem to contain a majority of shops stocking magic items. Adventurers go there regrly.¡±

    That information had been provided by Eight Fingers, who were now under Ainz¡¯s thumb. They had also supplied a lot of news about the underworld, but Ainz had no intention of getting involved in such matters, so he had only skimmed that information.

    ¡°We¡¯ll proceed to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild on the third day. I¡¯d like to meet and get to know the Empire¡¯s adamantite-ranked adventurers, but if that¡¯s not possible, we¡¯ll just take a simple, quicklypleted task to spread our fame... if all goes as nned, we will be able to leave within seven days. Do you have any suggestions?¡±

    Narberal ¡ª who had not touched her drink, but was only listening in silence ¡ª simply shook her head.

    Part 2

    The Imperial Capital was the crystallization of the Empire¡¯s authority, and it contained many sights which would make a person gasp in awe. One of them made just about every visitor to the Imperial Capital exim in wonder. That was ¡ª the fact that just about every street was paved with brick or stones.

    That was a sight which one could not see in the surrounding countries ¡ª other than the ine Theocracy, which was even more advanced than this ce. Of course, not every city in the Empire was this way. Even so, it was a subtle yet potent testament to the Empire¡¯s strength and power, one which had impressed the ambassadors of the surrounding countries.

    Of particr note was the Central Avenue. It was a major thoroughfare of the Imperial Capital, and much like other public streets, the center was for horses and carriages, while the sides were for human traffic.

    The difference was that there were safety fences set up along the dividing lines between the parts for people and the parts for horses and carriages, in order to ensure the safety of pedestrians. Street lights sprouted on either side of the road, and they glowed with magical light after nightfall. Speaking of which, many knights were on patrol, mindful of the safety of their surroundings.

    A smiling man strolled casually along this road, the safest in the Empire, humming as he went.

    The man was roughly 175cm tall, and he looked to be around the age of 20.

    His hair was blond and his eyes were blue, while his skin had a healthy tan. His looks were hardly umon in the Empire.

    One could not say he was particrly handsome, and his even features were the sort which would be easily lost in a crowd. However, he radiated a subtle charisma. The source of that charisma seemed toe from the faint, yet lively smile on his face, as well as his confident and open gestures.

    With every step he took, the sound of chain links clinking rang forth from beneath his spotless, high-grade clothing. A sharp individual would be able to tell that it was the sound of a chain shirt.

    He had a de on either hip. Each was around the length of a short sword. They had round, fully enclosed knuckleguards, and while their sheaths were hardly exquisite in make, they were clearly not cheap stuff. Behind his waist was a mace for bludgeoning attacks and a mail-piercer for piercing attacks.

    Carrying one or even two weapons was a perfectly reasonable thing in this world. But very few people would carry all the weapons needed to execute bludgeoning, piercing and shing attack methods.

    Anyone knowledgeable would recognize him for an adventurer. Anyone who was truly knowledgeable would notice that hecked the te which adventurers wore around their necks, and would thus conclude that he was a ¡°Worker¡±.

    ***

    Workers. They were those who had deviated from the path of the standard adventurer.

    The Adventurer¡¯s Guild would take on, research and assign requests to the appropriately-ranked adventurers. In other words, the Guild would thoroughly investigate the legitimacy of any job requests made of them. Therefore, the Guild sometimes rejected dangerous work ¡ª things that would endanger civilians or which were illegal in nature. Depending on the circumstances, they might even consider the requester to be an enemy. For instance, the Guild would oppose work like looking for raw ingredients for narcotics with all its might.

    The Guild would also reject requests which threatened the bnce of nature. For example, the Guild would never ept requests to kill the apex predator of a forest. This was to avoid the disruption to the natural order which would result from killing such a creature, such as other monsters leaving the forest. Of course, if the apex monster left the forest of its own ord and invaded humannds, that would be a different matter entirely.

    In other words, adventurers were sort of like allies of justice.

    However, such high-sounding ideals were not the only thing which made the world go around.

    It was quite easy to imagine that some people were willing to do dangerous jobs for money. And then there were those people who simply enjoyed killing monsters.

    These people ¡ª who did not seek the light of the adventurer¡¯s life, but who thirsted for the darkness ¡ª were dropouts from the adventuring profession. They were known as Workers, and people spoke that name with mockery and caution.

    However, one could not say that all Workers were cut from the same cloth.

    For instance ¡ª if there was a heavily-wounded boy in a vige and an adventurer who happened to be passing by used curative magic on him to heal his injuries free of charge, would the adventurer be in the right or wrong?

    The answer was that he would be wrong.

    The Guild rules stated that adventurers had to collect a fixed fee for such treatment, and they could not provide healing for free.

    Under normal circumstances, healing magic was handled by the temples, and a patient would need to make a donation before the temples would cast a spell on him. If an adventurer disregarded that point and provided free healing, he would be taking the temples¡¯ business.

    Therefore, the temples made a strongly-worded request to the Guild to curb such activities.

    If one could not ept these rules, then one would have to be a Worker.

    This might sound like malice on the temples¡¯ part, but it was because they could profit from their spells that the temples could render service unto the people without having to worry about outside interference. In addition, it was these donations which paid for the raising and training of priests, the exorcism of the undead, the development of new healing spells, all in order for people to lead safer and happier lives.

    If adventurers cast healing spells for free, the temples might be forced to be more secr, and slowly abandon their ideals.

    There were two sides to every coin, and Workers were no exception. It was because they poached animals for money that cheap drugs could be made, which in turn improved people¡¯s lives.

    ***

    This man ¡ª Hekkeran Termite ¡ª was a Worker, and he was smiling.

    ¡°What should I buy?¡±

    There were countless magic items that he wanted, but in the end his top priority was defensive gear. Then, there was one more thing. It was an unrted matter, but there was something else that he wanted.

    ¡°I¡¯ll set aside the money for that... the rest can go to magic items for adventuring. Hm? Isn¡¯t that the wrong way around? I ought to buy the magic items first and save whatever¡¯s left over for that.¡±

    Hekkeran scratched his head.

    In that case¡ª

    ¡°As a frontliner, I ought to boost my magical resistances, so I guess it¡¯s time to draw on my savings. No, we might continue killing undead on the Katze ins for money, so in order to ward against corpse toxins, I should be buying magic items which boost my resistance to poison, paralysis and disease.¡±

    Magical equipment was very expensive, in particr the sort which adventurers used inbat. One-of-a-kind items could be so expensive that Hekkeran could not afford them.

    In any case, the items Hekkeran wanted were not that expensive, but they still cost as much as years of an average person¡¯s wages. Of course he would carefully consider making such a costly purchase.

    As he looked forward to his shopping, his eyes met those of the knights standing by the roadside for an instant, and his easygoing expression immediately tightened up.

    A tag team of a heavily-armored knight and a lightly-armored knight stood at the street corner, surveying the surrounding conditions.

    Everyone knew that the temples to the Four Gods were in the vicinity, and so security was especially strict here. While he doubted that they would arrest people off the streets, Hekkeran could sense their gazes resting on the weapons at his waist.

    It would be one thing if he was an adventurer, but as a Worker without any form of backing, he did not wish to go up against the knights who enforced the Empire¡¯s safety.

    The gods seemed to have smiled on him, because the knightspared his face to a wanted list, but did not stop him. Thus, he passed through the densely-packed temple district.

    His guilty conscience at ease, Hekkeran looked into the distance and saw a unique-looking building ahead. At the same time, the wind carried the sound of cheering to him ¡ª he could hear bloodthirsty voices and battlecries in the air.

    That unique building was the grand arena that could only be found in the Imperial Capital of the Empire. It was a very popr tourist spot within the Imperial Capital.

    There was no need for him to go all the way there. He saw more than enough blood in the course of his work, and he had no interest in gambling, so one could say that that ce did not interest him at all. However, it was still the biggest entertainment outlet for themon man in the Imperial Capital ¡ª the nobles preferred the theater. Given the cheers had reached all the way here, the arena must have been packed to the brim once more.

    ¡°The crowd sounds really excited; is it a final?¡±

    The Worker team which Hekkeran led had fought a series of battles against magical beasts in the arena for work purposes. Surrenders were useless against magical beasts, so defeat meant death. Of course, battles against human beings could be fatal, but it was very rare that the day¡¯s activities in the arena did not conclude without a single fatality. Or no, the more people who died, the more fired up the crowd became.

    The most heavily-attended shows were the grand fighting tournaments, where many people died beautiful deaths.

    Hekkeran shrugged.

    He had no interest in this. He did feel like looking at a blood-soaked battlefield on a day off work. However, he did not fully chase the notion out of his mind, because the various events within the arena might make for excellent conversation topics.

    I don¡¯t want to step into the arena again, but it might be a good idea to ask others about the details of today¡¯s show when I get back.

    After making a mental note of that, he continued walking along a road lined with shops. Soon, he saw a familiar signboard with the words ¡°Singing Apple Pavilion¡± written on it.

    Apparently, a group of bards who all used applewood instruments came together to found this tavern cum inn. It looked old, but the interior was surprisingly sturdy and clean. There were no gaps in the walls to let the wind in, and the floorboards were brightly polished. Naturally, staying here was not cheap, but it was notpletely unaffordable either. To Hekkeran and his crew; no, to all Workers, this was arguably the highest-grade inn around.

    Granted, it could not measure up to the finest establishments of the Imperial Capital. But those ces were best suited for aboveboard adventurers; they were not at all suited for Workers.

    For starters, people who hired Workers generally had dirty jobs to offer. Therefore, their clients would hesitate about having to walk into conspicuous locations. However, if they set their meeting point in a ce with poor security because of that, it might wind up causing trouble for them.

    In addition, the fact that many other Worker teams used this ce as a home base made the Singing Apple Pavilion popr with the requesters. That was because unlike with the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, someone looking to hire Workers had to find them with their own connections. Therefore, having the Workers scattered all over the ce was very troublesome for the requesters.

    Another reason for the Workers to stay at this inn was because staying in the same ce fostered a sense of closeness with each other, which would reduce the chances of requests where they might have to fight each other. Finally ¡ª and most importantly ¡ª the food here was delicious.

    Hekkeran thought about dinner as he stepped through the door. He hoped that he would be able to have his favorite pork broth.

    While he pondered.the topic, the first thing which greeted him was not his friends saying, ¡°oh, you¡¯re back¡± or ¡°thanks for your hard work.¡±

    ¡°¡ªI told you already! I don¡¯t know!¡±

    ¡°No, no, if you say that, it¡¯ll put me in quite a fix...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not that girl¡¯s keeper and I¡¯m not her rtive, how would I know where she went?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t youpanions? I can¡¯t just walk away meekly because you say you don¡¯t know. This is my job!¡±

    A man and a woman were ring at each other in the middle of the bar cum dining room¡¯s first floor.

    The woman¡¯s face was very familiar to him.

    Her facecked the slightest trace of fat and her eyes were vicious. The most eye-catching features of this woman were her ears, which were far longer than those of ordinary people. Still, they were only half as long as those of a Forest Elf¡¯s. Indeed, she was a Half-Elf.

    Forest Elves were slimmer than a human being, and after seeing her body, it was clear that she had inherited that bloodline trait. She was slender from head to toe, and her bosom and buttockscked a woman¡¯s fullness. They looked like someone had welded iron bs in ce over them, and if one looked solely at her body, they might mistake her for a man.

    She wore a tight-fitting suit of leather armor. The bow and quiver she usually carried were not on her person. The only weapon she had was the shortsword at her waist.

    Her name was Imina. She was one of Hekkeran¡¯spanions.

    However, he did not recognize the man in front of Imina.

    The man appeared to be bowing and scraping, but there was no trace of apology in his eyes. In fact, there was a look in there which annoyed Hekkeran. Still, at least he was being polite, so he had some brains.

    The man¡¯s arms and chest bulged with muscle, and he looked intimidating just standing there. People like him would probably not hesitate in using violence, but brute force was useless against Imina.

    That was because Imina looked frail, but she had first-rate skills, and she was capable of easily ughtering a mook who thought he was something.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been telling you all this while!¡±

    As he heard that angry, high-pitched voice, Hekkeran hurriedly interrupted.

    ¡°What are you doing, Imina?¡±

    It was only when she heard Hekkeran¡¯s voice that Imina noticed him and turned around. Then, a look of surprise appeared on her face.

    A ranger with keen senses like herself had gotten so lost in her words that she had failed to notice Hekkeran¡¯s presence. That indicated just how worked up she was.

    ¡°...Who¡¯re you?¡±

    The man took Hekkeran to be an unwanted interferer and questioned him in a threatening tone. The man¡¯s gaze was keen, and he radiated an aura which suggested that he might start hitting anyone at any time. However, Hekkeran had frequently faced down vicious monsters and survived the encounter, so all it got out of him was a wry grin.

    ¡°...He¡¯s our leader.¡±

    ¡°Ohhhh, wonderful. You must be Hekkeran Termite-san, then. I¡¯ve heard of you.¡±

    The man¡¯s expression changed immediately, bing an ingratiating smile which filled Hekkeran with mild revulsion.

    Hekkeran did not know why this man hade here, but the fact that he hade to this inn ¡ª the base of operations for Hekkeran¡¯s group ¡ª meant that it was unlikely that he did not know about what Hekkeran did for a living.

    Perhaps his threatening tone from just now had been intended to gauge Hekkeran. If Hekkeran had flinched, the man would have continued speaking in overbearing tones.

    Among Workers and adventurers, there were those people who could kill monsters without blinking an eye, but who would recoil from human beings. However, these people would only take a step back momentarily. If pressed, they would draw their weapons and they might end up killing the opposition.

    We¡¯ve just met and he¡¯s already trying to scare me to show who¡¯s boss... this guy... I dislike his type.

    Hekkeran understood that this was a negotiation technique. It was also a very obvious one. However, Hekkeran disliked negotiations like these. He preferred to speak his mind and get straight to the point.

    ¡°...You¡¯re being noisy. This is an inn. There are other guests around. Do you really want to make a ruckus here?¡±

    That said, there were hardly any guests nearby, and even the inn staff were gone.

    It was not that they had hidden away, because squabbles like this were like appetizers for Workers. It was simple coincidence that nobody was around.

    Hekkeran stared at the man¡¯s face. The other man could not hold up against the re of a mithril-ranked warrior. He immediately cowered as though he were facing a magical beast.

    ¡°No, no, no, I¡¯m sorry, but I have my reasons too.¡±

    The man had lowered his voice somewhat, but he still wanted to continue speaking. Given the way he was still sticking to his guns in the face of Hekkeran¡¯s re, he must have been well-versed in the application of force ¡ª particrly violence.

    Why did a man like thise here?

    It was true that Hekkeran was involved in shady business, but he did not recognize this man, nor had he done anything to warrant such an attitude. Neither did he look like he was going to offer a job.

    Baffled, Hekkeran decided to ease off on his ring and directly asked him a question.

    ¡°...What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just wanted to meet with your friend Furt-san, Hekkeran-san.¡±

    There was only one person Hekkeran could think of when the word ¡°Furt¡± came up.

    Hekkeran did not feel she would be connected to this man in any way, because she was arade who had been through countless life-or-death struggles at Hekkeran¡¯s side. That being the case, she must be in some sort of trouble.

    ¡°Arche? What happened to her?¡±

    ¡°Arche... right, yes. We know her as Furt-san, so I couldn¡¯t recall her name for a moment. Mm, it¡¯s Arche Eeb ryle Furt-san.¡±

    ¡°So?! What do you want with Arche?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I just want to talk to her... it¡¯s a private matter, so I¡¯d like to ask when she¡¯ll being back¡ª¡±

    ¡°As if I¡¯d know!¡±

    Hekkeran rudely interrupted the other man. Such was his abruptness that the other man was close to rolling his eyes in annoyance.

    ¡°Now then, are you done yet?¡±

    ¡°I... it can¡¯t be helped. I¡¯ll wait here for a while...¡±

    ¡°Get lost.¡±

    Hekkeran jerked his chin at the door, and his attitude left the other man staring dumbly.

    ¡°Let me make this abundantly clear. Your face is pissing me off and I can¡¯t bear to have you within my line of sight for a moment longer.¡±

    ¡°This is a tavern, I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh yes. It is a tavern. It¡¯s also a ce where drunkards often get into fights.¡±

    Hekkeran smiled evilly at the man.

    ¡°No need to be so tense, rx. Even if you get drawn into a fight and and get badly hurt, we¡¯ve got a priest who knows healing magic. All you have to do is pay.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d better take more of his money, or the temples won¡¯t be happy. I don¡¯t want their assassins after me,¡± Imina added from the side, with a wicked smile on her face.

    ¡°Well, we¡¯ll give you a special discount, so you¡¯ll be grateful, right?¡±

    ¡°¡ªGot that?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re threatening me¡ª¡±

    The man¡¯s words cut off halfway, because he saw the expression on Hekkeran¡¯s face changing rapidly.

    Hekkeran suddenly stepped forward, so close that the other man¡¯s face filled his line of sight.

    ¡°Hah? Threatening you? Who¡¯s threatening you? Fights aremon in a tavern, aren¡¯t they? I¡¯m giving you good advice here and you say I¡¯m threatening you? Are you looking for trouble, huh?!¡±

    The veins popped on Hekkeran¡¯s forehead. His face was that of a man who had experienced numerous brushes with death.

    Cowed by his presence, the man took a step back, though he went ¡°tch¡±, unwilling to concede defeat. Then, he ran for the door. He tried his best to pretend otherwise, but it was clear to everyone that he had been scared off. When he reached the exit, he turned around and spat onest reply at Hekkeran and Imina.

    ¡°Tell the Furt girl! The deadline¡¯s here!¡±

    ¡°Ahhh?!¡±

    Hekkeran¡¯s low growl sent the man fleeing from the inn.

    After the shouting man vanished, Hekkeran resumed his original expression. That change was so great that it was almostical. In truth, Imina was apuding him quietly.

    ¡°So, what was that all about?¡±

    ¡°No clue. He only told me what he told you.¡±

    ¡°Good grief. If I¡¯d known, I¡¯d had asked him to exin in more detail.¡±

    He grabbed his head in annoyance.

    ¡°We¡¯ll ask Arche when she gets back.¡±

    ¡°...Still, I¡¯m not too eager to stick my nose into others¡¯ business.¡±

    ¡°Mm, alright, I understand. Still, you¡¯re the leader, so do your best.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll invoke my leader¡¯s authority and order you, as a fellow woman, to ask her, Imina.¡±

    ¡°Give me a break, I don¡¯t want to ask her either.¡±

    The two of them smiled bitterly at each other.

    Both adventurers and Workers had several taboos.

    The first was that they could not look into or ask about each other¡¯s pasts.

    The next was that they had to hide excessive desire.

    Since desire drove many people to be Workers, it was unavoidable to some extent. However, being too open about it kept the team from functioning normally. For example, if a teammate whined about money, would anyone trust him when it came to a job which involved handling arge sum of cash or when keeping a secret which absolutely could not be leaked? Would anyone dare sleep in the same room as someone who desired the opposite sex all day long? Everyone had to count on each other when their lives were in danger. At the very least, every member of a team had to trust each other.

    The fact that Arche had gotten herself into trouble like this was a massive blemish on her reliability. It was most definitely not something which could be handwaved away with a simple, ¡°there, there¡±..

    As people who worked a job with a very real risk of death, they could not allow any factors of unease to remain.

    Hekkeran scratched his head, his expression clearly reluctant.

    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. I¡¯ll ask her when she gets back.¡±

    ¡°Please do~¡±

    Imina smiled and waved, and Hekkeran red at her.

    ¡°What, are you trying to run away? You¡¯re asking her with me.¡±

    ¡°But whyyyy~¡±

    Imina pouted but she could only give up when she saw that Hekkeran¡¯s face was unchanged.

    ¡°Nothing to be done about it. I just hope the situation isn¡¯t too serious.¡±

    ¡°So where is she now, anyway?¡±

    ¡°Hm? Oh, she¡¯s gone to collect information about the details of that job.¡±

    ¡°Weren¡¯t Rober and I supposed to do that?¡±

    After Hekkeran and the others had finished clearing the undead from the Katze ins, they had returned to the Imperial Capital, whereupon they had received a new request. The terms of the request were pretty good for their team, so everyone was inclined towards epting it. However, they would need to research it first.

    They had agreed beforehand that their best speaker Roberdyck would investigate the details of their employer and the reasons why he had sought them out, while Hekkeran would go to the Empire¡¯s government offices ¡ª eliminating the undead of the Katze ins was a national enterprise ¡ª and collect the payment for ying the undead, and then help Roberdyck in his investigations.

    Imina and Arche should have been waiting here for further instructions.

    ¡°In addition, she said she wanted to investigate the conditions and history of our objective.¡±

    No wonder, Hekkeran nodded. Arche might have abandoned her studies in the Imperial Mage Academy, but she still retained her connections. Nobody could gather academic knowledge like she could. On top of that, she could consult the Magician¡¯s Guild for information.

    ¡°So that¡¯s why she went running around with Rober. After all, he also knows quite a bit and has connections with the temples. Then how about your end?¡±

    ¡°Well, about that...¡±

    Hekkeran took a seat as he spoke in a hushed voice.

    ¡°I know why they want Workers. Or rather, I know why you can¡¯t hire adventurers to go to the ce in question. However, the requester also said that he was looking for other teams, that much should be true.¡±

    ¡°Are we seriously going to work with other people? They might be ruins that nobody¡¯s ever entered before, but is the requester sure that we¡¯ll get big returns from it?¡±

    ¡°The team I asked ¡ª Gringam¡¯s people ¡ª said so too. Heavy Masher seems prepared to ept, and we need to decide whether or not we¡¯re epting it by tomorrow.¡±

    They had only listened to the details of the request, and they had not epted it yet. While they had until tomorrow to respond, there would be additional preparations to be made if they epted.

    ¡°And a conflict that just happens toe up now, at this crucial time... you think it¡¯s rted?¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯tpletely rule out the possibility that one of the other teams has a hand in this. However, we have to hear Arche out before deciding. If it¡¯s another team up to their tricks behind our backs, it would be better not to ept. Or perhaps we ought to ept while being fully prepared for a confrontation?¡±

    ¡°Of course we should ept. If they have a bone to pick with us, then we¡¯ll beat them up until the only thing they¡¯re picking is their teeth from the floor. That¡¯ll teach them to mess with us.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s pretty extreme.¡±

    Imina was far more intense than her looks suggested, but Hekkeran felt that her proposition had merit.

    While others looking down on them was not the end of the world, it would definitely damage their reputation. Considering Workers were one foot into the underworld, it was something they needed to avoid.

    A determined light filled his eyes as he nodded silently, and then the sound of wood scraping rang through the tavern. The forms of two people stepped in through the opened door.

    ¡°¡ªBack.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve returned.¡±

    The first voice belonged to a girl and sounded like a whisper. A beatter, it was followed by an elegant, proper male voice. In all likelihood, he had wanted to avoid drowning out the girl¡¯s quiet words.

    The first person to enter was a skinny woman, someone who could still be called a girl.

    She looked to be in herte teens. Her lustrous hair was neatly trimmed at her shoulder, while her eyes and nose were perfectly positioned. She was not so much beautiful as elegant. However, she had an inorganic, doll-like quality about her.

    In her hand was a metal staff that was about as tall as she was. Said staff was inscribed with Countless inscriptions which looked like characters and symbols. She wore a loose, long robe. Underneath that were various thick articles of clothing which provided her with a modicum of defense. One could tell at a nce that she was a magic caster.

    The man wore a suit of full te armor ¡ª albeit without a full-faced helm ¡ª and over it was a surcoat stitched with a holy symbol. He had a morningstar at his waist, and a holy symbol which matched his tabard hung at his neck.

    His facial features were rough, and his hair was parted. His tiny moustache was neatly trimmed and he gave others the impression of being rxed. He looked to be around 30 years old.

    They were Hekkeran¡¯s other friends, Arche Eeb Ryle Furt and Roberdyck Goltron.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re back.¡±

    Was this good or bad timing? Hekkeran addressed the two of them in stiff tones.

    ¡°What happened to the two of you?¡±

    Roberdyck spoke in a tone which did not sound like a senior person addressing his two juniors. Part of that was because of his character, but it was also because he viewed them as fellow, equal Workers.

    ¡°It... it¡¯s nothing.¡±

    ¡°Yeah... that¡¯s right, it¡¯s nothing.¡±

    The two of them looked suspiciously at Hekkeran and Imina as they waved their hands.

    ¡°Er, anyway, let¡¯s not talk here. We¡¯ll speak over there.¡±

    Hekkeran¡¯s face turned serious and he stopped fooling around. Then, he pointed to a round table deeper within the room.

    ¡°Before that, how about drinks... Oi, Imina, where¡¯s the boss?¡±

    Imina looked at him with a face that seemed to say, ¡°why are you only asking that now?¡±

    ¡°...He went shopping. I¡¯m minding the ce for him.¡±

    ¡°Seriously? Then what should we drink? Anything we want?¡±

    ¡°¡ªI¡¯ll pass.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I can go without.¡±

    ¡°...Really now. Then, mm... then we¡¯ll begin this meeting of Foresight.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s original expressions were gone now. They leaned slightly in, bringing their faces close to their colleagues. They could not help it even though there was nobody else around; one could say it was a professional habit.

    ¡°Let¡¯s verify the details of the request.¡±

    After ensuring that everyone¡¯s eyes were on him, Hekkeran continued speaking. His tone was vastly different from just now. He was serious when he had to be serious, just like how a team leader ought to be.

    ¡°Our client is Count Femel, and the request is to investigate a set of ruins within the Kingdom¡¯s borders ¡ª a structure which seems to be some kind of underground tomb. We¡¯ll be paid 200 up front and 150 afterpletion. Unusually enough, the downpayment is higher than the rest of the fee, and the overall amount is veryrge. In addition, there might be a bonus in it for us depending on the results of the investigation. However, all magic items we find will go to the Count. ording to them, they¡¯ll pay the discoverers half the market value for anything they find. Precious stones, works of art and so on will be valued and then split 50/50. In addition, the requester has also been negotiating with other Workers¡¯ parties at the same time, and depending on the circumstances, there might be more than one team on this expedition ¡ª proving what I said earlier.¡±

    Hekkeran shared the news he had learned with Arche and Roberdyck, and then went on to exin the details.

    ¡°The expedition will be three days long at the most, and our objective is to perform a thorough investigation of the ruins. The biggest problem is that these ruins are probably going to be filled with monsters, and we¡¯ll need to scout out theirirs and so on. In other words, a standard ruin delve.¡±

    Abandoned cities and the like were usually nests for monsters, and so when Workers ¡°investigated ruins¡±, it was more like a ¡°reconnaissance in force¡±.

    ¡°Still, the most important thing is that it looks like an undiscovered tomb.¡±

    The mood in the air changed as that fact was mentioned.

    200 years ago, several countries had been destroyed as the Demon Gods rampaged throughout thend. It was not just human kingdoms which had been devastated, but those of demihumans and heteromorphs. These ruined kingdoms sometimes concealed priceless treasures; namely, magic items. Discovering such things was arguably the dream of adventurers and Workers.

    Therefore, adventurers and Workers often longed to discover unexplored ruins. And now, one such ruin had appeared before their eyes.

    As he saw the gleam in hisrades¡¯ eyes, Hekkeran yielded the speaker¡¯s role to his two friends who had returned after collecting information.

    ¡°Also, the Count will handle transportation to and from the tomb, as well as our rations. That¡¯s it. Now then, Arche, Roberdyck, tell us what you¡¯ve learned.¡±

    ¡°¡ªFirst off, Count Femel¡¯s position in court is precarious. Apparently the Bloody Emperor has been treating him coldly. However, he is not in any financial difficulty.¡±

    ¡°Regarding that ruin within the Kingdom, Arche and I did some research, but we haven¡¯t heard of any ruins in the area, or any cities in the past. Since it¡¯s a tomb, there ought to be some information about it left behind... Frankly speaking, I have no idea why there would be a tomb there. The only thing in the area is a small vige; perhaps we could learn something if we asked around. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t do that. We were asked to keep our movements secret. The requester said that we were not to eliminate witnesses, and he hoped we would not have to do so.¡±

    ¡°¡ªOf course, that region is Crown-controlled territory. If we act rashly, we¡¯ll be making enemies of the Vaiself Royal Family of the Kingdom.¡±

    The fact that they were delving into a ruin in a foreign nation was practically a crime, which was why they had not hired adventurers, but Workers.

    ¡°In other words, this is the usual dirty business, am I correct?¡±

    ¡°Yes. However, there are some sensitive issues.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. the Empire¡¯s Workers causing trouble in the Kingdom will lead to all sorts of problems. If things go badly, it might even affect the Count himself.¡±

    ¡°In that case, there¡¯s only one more problem left.¡±

    ¡°That is, the origin of the information about the tomb, am I correct?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. It smells fishy, no matter how you slice it.¡±

    ¡°Does it? It¡¯s near the Great Forest of Tob, right? What if they found it while cutting down the forest?¡±

    ¡°¡ªThat would be strange. Look at this.¡±

    Arche opened up a map and circled a certain location.

    ¡°The exact location is unclear, but it ought to be around this area.¡±

    Her delicate finger slid over the map¡¯s surface, and then tapped twice.

    ¡°¡ªAnd then this is the vige, though it¡¯s so small that perhaps it might be better to call it a hamlet instead. I don¡¯t think a vige like that could clear-cut a forest.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. A small vige ought to have a hard time clearing a dangerous forest... Perhaps the Kingdom cleared it for some national enterprise, but there¡¯s nothing nearby which would offer any national-scaled benefits nearby, and more to the point, no news about it has leaked out.¡±

    The four of them were worried. They did not know if they should ept this assignment.

    Since they did not have an Adventurer¡¯s Guild to back them up, they had to thoroughly investigate the job themselves, starting with their employer¡¯s background and the location of the job. After that, they had to check out the details of the job itself before they could ept it. Even after doing all that, they still ran into trouble time after time.

    Their jobs were a gamble with their lives as the stake. No Worker could do the job without telling themselves that no amount of checking was enough. If they sniffed out a hint of danger which they could not handle, then they would have to refuse the job, no matter how good the terms.

    ¡°...I¡¯ve done some checking on the payment side, and as for the deposit...¡±

    Hekkeran put a metal te on the table. If they rejected the job, they would have to return it to the client. Various tiny characters were inscribed on its surface.

    ¡°¡ªI checked the credit te with the Imperial Bank, and it¡¯s been fully paid up. We can exchange it for cash at any time.¡±

    Credit tes were a guarantee of payment from the Imperial Bank that functioned like a cheque.

    They were intricately made as a countermeasure against forgery. Their drawbacks included being tedious to use and the fact that one had to pay processing fees to use them, but there were many advantages to them.

    The Adventurer¡¯s Guild usually handled this sort of thing in other countries, but the country itself guaranteed this in the Empire.

    ¡°That means it¡¯s not a trap... alright, the truth is, I had the feeling that the other side was serious from the moment I got this te.¡±

    If they were nning to set a trap, then there would be no need to pay such arge deposit as a hiring fee ¡ª of course, the opposition might have done just that to catch people off-guard, but Hekkeran did not know this noble and had no quarrel with him.

    ¡°I...¡±

    ¡°Stop. Imina, I¡¯m not finished yet. I hope you can be a bit more flexible in your thinking.¡±

    ¡°Fine, fine, fine. Then tell me something. There¡¯s a few questionable points about this job, like how the employer¡¯s hiring several teams. Why is that?¡±

    Imina had a point. It would be unwise to use more than one team for a time-critical task, after considering the time needed to contact each of them. It defied exnation.

    ¡°¡ªI¡¯m not sure. Frankly speaking, I don¡¯t know why they¡¯re in such a rush to check the ce out. I haven¡¯t heard of any emergencies involving the Count or anyone rted to him, or any ceremonies to be hosted in the next few days. If you really wanted me to give an answer, maybe he¡¯s afraid of someone on the Kingdom¡¯s side finding the ruins? And maybe hiring multiple teams was to increase the chances of sess?¡±

    ¡°Say, Hekkeran? Didn¡¯t you ask Gringam about all that?¡±

    ¡°As if he¡¯d tell me that much! Just asking him if our client hired him took a lot of effort, and I had to keep our own info from leaking out.¡±

    Hekkeran shrugged, indicating that he was out of ideas.

    ¡°¡ªThere¡¯s another possibility, which is that someone is going up against the Count.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s possible. If that were the case, then the rushed investigation and hiring a lot of people would make sense. Right, right. Apparently, something big happened in the Kingdom recently, but it doesn¡¯t seem to be directly connected to the ruins near E-Rantel...¡±

    ¡°Tell us about it too, Rober.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t learn too much about it, only some rumors,¡± Roberdyck said, and then heunched into a muddled exnation of the disturbance in the Royal Capital. Collecting more information would have taken time, but hecked reliable information now.

    ¡°Hm~ doesn¡¯t seem rted, yet it seems rted too. In any case, what Arche said is most likely. Plus, Rober agrees too.¡±

    ¡°Assuming that¡¯s the case... considering the client¡¯s nning to hire multiple Worker teams and the fact that we¡¯re working in the Kingdom¡¯s territory, are we going to end uppeting with a lot of officially-hired adventurers from the Kingdom? If that¡¯s the case, then we¡¯re just wasting our time no matter how much info we gather within the Empire¡¯s borders.¡±

    ¡°We also need to be wary of teams hired by another client ¡ª in other words, traitors. I don¡¯t want to end up getting stabbed in the back by our own side just as we think we¡¯vepleted our task.¡±

    ¡°Traitors or adventurers. If I had to choose, maybe adventurers might be better. At least you can reason with them and keep things from blowing up too much.¡±

    ¡°After all, we might actually end up killing each other if it¡¯s between Workers.¡±

    ¡°¡ªWhat do you n to do, leader?¡±

    Everyone had said their piece. All that was left now was to try and figure things and and predict how they would go.

    ¡°Before I decide, I have something I want to say... or rather, something I want to ask. This is vital.¡±

    Hekkeran took a deep breath, and beside him, Imina sighed.

    ¡°Arche, a weird man was looking for you.¡±

    Arche¡¯s face was initially nk, like a mannequin¡¯s, but at that moment, her brows twitched. Judging by her reaction, Hekkeran was sure that she knew that person.

    ¡°That guy said something at the end... what did he say?¡±

    Hekkeran turned to Imina, and she immediately shot back a look which said, ¡°What are you ying at?!¡± In the end, she realised that Hekkeran really did not remember, and she replied in a tired tone:

    ¡°Tell the Furt girl! The deadline¡¯s here!¡±

    ¡°Or something along those lines.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s eyes focused on Arche. She paused a beat, and then spoke in leaden tones.

    ¡°¡ªI owe him money.¡±

    ¡°You owe him?¡±

    Hekkeran eximed in surprise. Of course, it was not just Hekkeran, but Imina and Roberdyck who were shocked as well. The money they made as Workers was evenly divided among them, so they knew exactly how much each of their colleagues earned. When they thought about the payment they had received, it was hard to imagine she would end up owing someone money.

    ¡°How much do you owe?¡±

    ¡°¡ª300 gold coins.¡±

    After hearing Arche¡¯s reply, everyone looked at each other again.

    This was an astounding amount when one considered the amount of money a regr person made. Even Workers of their caliber could not earn that much money in one go. The total payment for this job was 350 gold coins, but that was for the entire team. After deducting necessary expenses and turning them into a shared fund used to buy consumable items and other team resources, the remaining money would be divided among them. In the end, each person would only receive about 60 gold coins.

    Their team was quite highly-ranked among the Workers. If one went by the adventurers¡¯ ranking system, they would be around mithril rank. Yet even a group at their level could not make that much money in one payout. How had shee to owe so much money?

    Arche¡¯s expression turned gloomy. She had probably sensed everyone¡¯s doubtful gazes.

    It was only natural that she would not want to speak of it, but she had no choice but to do so. If she decided to break off the discussion here, being expelled from the party was a perfectly understandable oue.

    Perhaps she was worried about that problem, but in the end Arche finally spoke.

    ¡°¡ªI¡¯ve kept quiet about this all this time because it¡¯s a family shame... my family used to be nobles, but we were stripped of our status by the Bloody Emperor.¡±

    The Bloody Emperor ¡ª Jiiv Rune Farlord El-Nix.

    Just like his nickname suggested, he was an emperor whose hands were stained with blood.

    His father ¡ª the previous Emperor, had died and left his position empty. After that, he had broken ties with one of the Five Great Nobles ¡ª in other words, the Empress Dowager¡¯s family ¡ª on suspicion of plotting to assassinate the Emperor. After that, he killed his siblings one after the other. As though she had been caught up in the storm of death which swept the city, his mother had perished from an ident during this time as well.

    Of course, there had been opposition to him. However, the Bloody Emperor had taken control of the knights and their military prowess during his time as Crown Prince, so they were no match for him. Backed with overwhelming military might, he wiped out the influential nobles like he was scything down grain. In the end, all that remained were a group who pledged loyalty to the Emperor on the surface, regardless of their true intentions, and thus he had consolidated all power into himself.

    However, the Bloody Emperor did not stop there. He stripped many nobles of their social position in the name of weeding out ipetents. In contrast, talented individuals could be elevated to lofty heights, even if they weremoners, and thus he built the basis of his power upon that policy.

    There were two points about all this which awed those who witnessed this. The first was the masterful way in which he had orchestrated his purge of the nobles in such a way as to not diminish the power of the Empire, despite the purge¡¯s scope. The second was that the Emperor who had aplished such an incredible feat was not yet 15 years of age.

    Many nobles had fallen on hard times because of him. However¡ª

    ¡°¡ªHowever, my parents are still living a noble lifestyle. Of course, we didn¡¯t have the money to support such a lifestyle, so they had to borrow money from shady ces to make ends meet.¡±

    Hekkeran, Imina and Roberdyck looked at each other.

    Arche had hidden it well, but her voice was still vored with a hint of annoyance, displeasure and anger

    ¡°¡ªI¡¯m confident in my magical abilities, please let me join.¡± That was what the tiny, skinny girl ¡ª who clutched a staff that was taller than she was ¡ª had said to them. Hekkeran was not the only one who recalled the dumbfounded way in which they had stared at her when she said that, as well as the look of shock on their faces when they had seen the true power of Arche¡¯s magic. All these memories returned to their minds.

    Over two years had passed since that day, and they had gone through many adventures together. Yet, even after making a tidy sum of money from adventures fraught with the risk of death, Arche¡¯s equipment had not changed much.

    Now, they finally understood the reason for that.

    ¡°Seriously? Do you want us to go beat some sense into them?¡±

    ¡°They need to hear the word of God. No, maybe they need to feel the fist of God first.¡±

    ¡°Maybe their ears are all stuffed up, surely punching a hole in them would be more important!¡±

    ¡°¡ªPlease wait. Things being what they are, please let me talk to them. Depending on the circumstances, I may have to take my sisters with me.¡±

    ¡°You have sisters?¡±

    After seeing Arche nod, the other three looked at each other again. They did not say it, but they all felt that perhaps she ought to quit this job.

    It was true that workers made more money than adventurers. In turn, the risks they took were very high. All of them took jobs after ensuring they were safe, but idents they could not predict were a frequent urrence.

    If something went wrong, she might end up dying and leaving her sisters with nobody to count upon. However, everyone felt that they would be busybodies if they said any more.

    ¡°Is that so... then we¡¯ll put your problem aside for now, Arche. We¡¯ll let you handle that yourself... let¡¯s return to the topic of whether or not to take this job.¡±

    After saying that, Hekkeran looked coldly at Arche.

    ¡°Arche, pardon my bluntness, but you have no say in this.¡±

    ¡°¡ªThere¡¯s no need to apologize. It¡¯s fine. I understand that I can¡¯t give a proper answer, since I¡¯m in debt.¡±

    This was what they called being blinded by greed.

    ¡°¡ªFrankly speaking, I¡¯m lucky I haven¡¯t been chased out of the team already.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying? We¡¯re the lucky ones to have a skilled magic caster like yourself joining us.¡±

    This was not an empty pleasantry. This was a fact.

    Of particr note was her Talent. Those miraculous eyes of hers had saved Hekkeran and the others countless times.

    If one had to name Arche¡¯s Talent, perhaps calling it the Mystic Eyes of Revtion might be appropriate.

    Apparently, all arcane magic casters radiated an invisible aura of magic. Arche¡¯s talent allowed her to perceive this aura, and understand which tier of spells someone could use.

    The usefulness of being able to perceive the strength of one¡¯s opposition needed no exnation.

    Hekkeran knew of only one other person in the Empire with a talent like Arche¡¯s. That would be the greatest magic caster in the Empire ¡ª Fluder Paradyne.

    In other words, by the power of her eyes alone, Arche was in the same league as the mighty Fluder.

    ¡°Still, I can¡¯t believe the Magic Academy would actually let go of such a talented girl.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, she¡¯s capable of using magic of my tier at this age. For all we know, she might end up being able to attain the sixth tier.¡±

    ¡°¡ªThat would probably be very difficult. However, just knowing that the possibility exists makes me very happy.¡±

    After the mood had cooled down again, Hekkeran pped his hands. The clear, crisp sound got everyone¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Now then, shall we or shall we not take this job? ¡ª Roberdyck.¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°Imina?¡±

    ¡°There aren¡¯t any drawbacks to it, right? Besides, we haven¡¯t had proper work in a long time.¡±

    Workers did not get jobs often. While they had been ying undead on the Katze ins two days ago, that was a regrly-scheduled extermination, and it was not the same as a request from a client.

    ¡°Then...¡±

    ¡°¡ªIf you¡¯re worried about me, I hope you won¡¯t be that way. I have other ways to make money even without taking this job.¡±

    The three of them looked at each other, and then Imina smiled thinly.

    ¡°As if. Think about it, this job is really good, and the payout¡¯s really generous. Right, Rober?¡±

    ¡°Exactly. This isn¡¯t for you, but the treasures sleeping in the ruins. Isn¡¯t that right, Hekkeran?¡±

    ¡°Did you hear that, Arche? The only shame is that we can¡¯t make ourselves famous by announcing the discovery of the ruins.¡±

    ¡°¡ªThank you all.¡±

    Arche bowed in thanks, and the three of them smiled as they saw it.

    ¡°Now then,e with me to redeem this credit te for cash, Arche. As for the two of you, I¡¯ll have to trouble you to help prepare our adventuring gear.¡±

    Adventuring gear included things like rope, oil and magic items. They required careful checking. The meticulous Roberdyck and Imina with her thief skills were well-suited to the task. However, the real reason was that Hekkeran was not suited to doing these things.

    ¡°Now then, let¡¯s move. Although... Arche.¡±

    Arche tilted her head, as though to ask ¡°Hm?¡± Hekkeran spoke the question that was on his mind.

    ¡°Say, will the payment from this job be enough to clear your debts?¡±

    ¡°¡ªIt¡¯ll be fine. If I pay this money first, we¡¯ll be able tost a while longer.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s not enough, I can lend you some.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, just give it back the next time we get paid.¡±

    They would never say ¡°we¡¯ll pay for you¡±. That was only to be expected. The members of Foresight were equals, after all.

    ¡°¡ªPermit me to refuse. I believe it is time my parents paid their own debts. All I can do is give them some time, as an act of filial piety.¡±

    ¡°But of course.¡±

    The four of them looked at each other, and then they began their respective tasks.

    Part 3

    This was a certain high-end residential district in the Imperial Capital, whose sprawling grounds were covered with old yet sturdy and luxurious mansions. Most of the residents of these venerable, yet most certainly not decrepit homes were nobles.

    A noble¡¯s residence was a status symbol. Anyone who could not bear to spend the money to pretty up their home would be theughingstock of noble society.

    Things like essories, jewellery, clothes, homes and courtyards; all of these decorative items were military assets on the battlefield known as noble society. That was because these items were not only a sign of wealth, but also of the breadth and depth of one¡¯s connections. Living in an austere home was reason enough for mockery. Therefore, unless they were of a military inclination and had no interest in political matters, the nobles fought tooth and nail to decorate themselves and their homes. In other words, it was like a military show of force; only people with sufficient strength could do such a thing.

    If one looked around, one would notice a few things.

    This ce was in a part of the Imperial Capital with excellent security, and it was very quiet. However, there was another reason for the silence of the surrounding region beyond the security. It was also because many of the homes here did not feel like they were inhabited.

    In truth, nobody lived in many of these mansions. They were empty houses, formerly owned by nobles who had been stripped of their titles by the Bloody Emperor and had to abandon them after they could not afford the upkeep on these dwellings.

    Amidst this sea of empty residences, one mansion was still inhabited. However, the outer walls had not been properly maintained, and it would seem someone had neglected to care for the vegetation in the courtyard.

    Arche¡¯s parents received her with stiff expressions in the reception lounge of this mansion. Their faces disyed the attitudes appropriate to a noble. They were dressed in superior clothing.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re back, Arche.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve returned.¡±

    Before Arche answered them, her eyes noticed the ss ornament on the table. It was an exquisitely-carved winess, and it radiated an air of ss and elegance.

    Arche¡¯s face twitched, because she had never seen that item before.

    ¡°¡ªThat is...?¡±

    ¡°Oh, this is from the renowned artisan Jean...¡±

    ¡°¡ªThat¡¯s not what I¡¯m asking. We didn¡¯t have this in the house before, why do we have it now?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because I bought it this morning.¡±

    As she heard her father¡¯s casual tone ¡ª like he was discussing today¡¯s weather ¡ª Arche¡¯s body wobbled.

    ¡°¡ªHow much was it?¡±

    ¡°Oh... I believe it was 15 gold coins. Cheap, no?¡±

    Arche¡¯s head drooped in despair. Anyone would have done the same, if the debt they had to pay had increased again after they had paid off part of it with the deposit for the job.

    ¡°¡ªWhy did you buy it?¡±

    ¡°As nobles, people willugh at us if we don¡¯t spend money on such things.¡±

    Her fatherughed proudly, and Arche could not help ring at him with hostility in her eyes.

    ¡°¡ªWe aren¡¯t nobles any more.¡±

    Those words made her father¡¯s face stiffen and turn red

    ¡°No!¡±

    Her father pounded his fist on the table with a thump. Fortunately, the guest room¡¯s table was thick enough that the winess barely budged. While Arche would not have minded it breaking, her father would not have minded either. He would simply have thought that it was an expense of a mere 15 gold coins.

    As Arche tried to suppress her irritation, her father continued spewing curses and spittle.

    ¡°Once that damn idiot dies, we¡¯ll be able to resume our noble status immediately! We¡¯re nobles who have served as the backbone of the Empire for over a hundred years! How can he just cast us out like that? This is an investment for when we regain our status! Besides, this show of strength will show everyone that we won¡¯t give in to that idiot!¡±

    What a fool.

    That was Arche¡¯s opinion of her father as he snorted in agitation. ¡°That idiot¡± probably referred to the Bloody Emperor, but surely he would not care about a family that was as insignificant as Arche¡¯s . More to the point, there had to be better ways to show defiance than this.

    He was like a frog in the bottom of a well, who could not see anything outside it.

    Arche shook her head tiredly.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough out of the two of you.¡±

    Her mother¡¯s rxed tones brought about a temporary ceasefire between Arche and her father.

    She then rose to her feet and offered Arche a small bottle.

    ¡°Arche, I bought you perfume.¡±

    ¡°¡ªHow much did it cost?¡¯

    ¡°Three gold coins.¡±

    ¡°Is that so... thank you.¡±

    A total of 18 gold coins, Arche calcted in her head as she thanked her mother, then carefully tucked the bottle and the small amount of fluid inside it into her pocket.

    It was very difficult for Arche to treat her mother coldly. That was because buying perfume or cosmetics was a very sensible purchase, from a certain point of view.

    Looking pretty, attending ssy dinner parties and catching the eye of wealthy nobles. A woman¡¯s joy was to be married, get pregnant, bear children and raise them; that was very proper from a noble¡¯s point of view. Investing in cosmetics for that objective was hardly a mistake.

    Even so, she felt that buying perfume was too much when the family was in such dire straits. More to the point, three gold coins was enough for a plebeian family to live on for a month.

    ¡°¡ªI¡¯ve told you several times, don¡¯t spend recklessly. Only spend the minimum amount necessary to get by.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m trying to tell you! This is a necessary expense!¡±

    Arche tiredly looked at her father, who was so mad that his face was covered in red spots. They had argued like this several times in the past, and it had ended inconclusively each time. It was partially Arche¡¯s fault that things had ended up like this. If she had put her foot down earlier, perhaps things might not have ended up like this, and she would not have given Foresight trouble.

    ¡°¡ªI won¡¯t be bringing money back any more. I¡¯m taking my sisters and leaving this house.¡±

    Her father began panting heavily upon hearing her calm voice. At least he¡¯s smart enough to know what¡¯ll happen to him if nobody brings home the bacon, Arche thought coldly.

    ¡°Who do you think brought you up so you could live the way you do now?¡±

    ¡°¡ªI¡¯ve more than repaid that kindness.¡±

    Arche¡¯s pronouncement was simple and final. The money she had given to her parents was a sizable sum. In addition, that money had been earned through adventures. It was the money that should have been used to be stronger with herpanions. While it was true that everyone was free to spend their money as they saw fit, there was a tacit understanding that most of it would go towards strengthening themselves.

    What would Arche¡¯s friends think when they saw how she hardly bought new equipment?

    Not strengthening her wargear meant that she would remain weak forever.

    However, the members of Foresight had not said anything to Arche. Arche had taken their kindness for granted.

    Arche turned a burning stare on her father. Under her unyielding gaze, her father shrank and turned away, That was only to be expected. Arche had walked the edge of death countless times. She could not possibly lose to a foolish nobleman.

    Arche nced at her father once more, saw that he did not dare speak again, and left the room.

    She closed the door behind her, and sighed. A voice called out to her, as though it had been waiting for this moment.

    ¡°Young Mistress.¡±

    ¡°¡ªWhat is it, Jimes?¡±

    It was Jimes, the butler who had served them faithfully over the years. His wrinkled face was stiff and nervous. Arche immediately realized the reason for that. That was because he often made that face in the years since her father had been stripped of his noble status.

    ¡°I apologize for having to tell you about this, Young Mistress, but...¡±

    Arche raised a hand to interrupt him. The two of them felt that this was not a matter that should be discussed in the corridor right outside the receivjng room, and so they went some distance away.

    Arche took a leather purse from a hidden pocket and opened up. Several different colors gleamed there. The most numerous were glints of silver, followed by those of copper, and the least numerous were those of gold.

    ¡°¡ªWill this be enough to tide you over for now?¡±

    Jimes took the purse from her. His expression had softened a little after seeing the coins within.

    ¡°My wage and the money for the traders... I believe it will be enough, Young Mistress.¡±

    ¡°¡ªGood.¡±

    Arche sighed in relief. While this was just financing a debt, it ought tost for a while.

    ¡°¡ªCouldn¡¯t you stop Father from buying that thing?¡±

    ¡°I could not. The seller came with a noble he knew. I tried to remind the Master several times, but he still...¡±

    ¡°¡ªI see.¡±

    Both of them sighed.

    ¡°¡ªI wish to ask a question. If we terminate everyone we¡¯re employing now, how much will we need for severance pay?¡±

    Jimes¡¯ eyes went wide, and he smiled glumly. There was no shock in his facial expression; a sign that he had been prepared for this.

    ¡°I understand. I will calcte the amount and report it to you, Young Mistress.¡±

    ¡°¡ªPlease do.¡±

    Just then, the pattering sound of quick footsteps reached her ears. She knew who had made it even without turning to look.

    The thin line of Arche¡¯s mouth softened, and when she turned around, she saw someone running over. The other party did not slow down, simply ran head-first into Arche¡¯s arms.

    The person who had tackled Arche was a girl less than a meter tall, around five years old, and the shape of her eyes was very simr to Arche¡¯s. The girl puffed up her pink cheeks, seemingly very displeased.

    ¡°So haaard~¡±

    That was not a criticism of her chest being too t after throwing herself into Arche¡¯s embrace.

    Her adventurer¡¯s outfit used a lot of leather and provided excellent defensive strength. The cuirass in particr was made of hardened leather. Surely the girl must have felt like her face had been ttened when she charged head-first into it.

    ¡°¡ªDoes it hurt?¡±

    Arche touched the girl¡¯s face, and caressed her head.

    ¡°Mmm, not at all, onee-sama!¡±

    The little girl smiled happily, and Arche smiled to her sister as well.

    ¡°...I shall take my leave, then.¡±

    The butler departed, not wanting to disturb the two of them, and as Arche watched him go, she patted her sister¡¯s head.

    ¡°Ulei... running around in the hallway isn¡¯t...¡±

    Arche swallowed her words halfway. She wanted to say that running around in the hallways was not befitting of a noble daughter, but Arche had already told her father that they were not nobles anymore. In that case, what harm did it do for them to run in the hallway?

    Arche¡¯s hand did not stop as she thought, and the girl whose hair had been ruffled into a messughed innocently. Arche looked around, and saw that the other one had note with her.

    ¡°¡ªWhere¡¯s Kuude?¡±

    ¡°In her room!¡±

    ¡°I see... there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to tell you. Let¡¯s go to your room together.¡±

    ¡°Mm.¡±

    Her little sister smiled happily. Protecting that smile was her job. Arche squeezed her little sister¡¯s petite hand as that powerful emotion gripped her heart.

    Arche could feel the warmth through the hand that was even smaller than hers.

    ¡°Onee-sama, your hand¡¯s so hard.¡±

    Arche looked at her other, empty hand. It had been cut several times during her adventures, and it was rough and hard, no longer a noblewoman¡¯s hand. But she did not regret it. Her hands were the proof that she had lived with her friends ¡ª with Foresight.

    ¡°But I like them lots!¡±

    Her little sister¡¯s hands closed around her own, and Arche smiled.

    ¡°¡ªThank you.¡±

    ***

    The North Market of the Imperial Capital was as lively and bustling as always. However, very few of the average citizenry came here to buy things, so unlike the packed Central Market, one could browse the stalls as one walked and not bump into anyone.

    Hekkeran and Roberdyck let the tension out of their shoulders as they saw the familiar sight, and they began window-shopping.

    They were rxed and carefree, as though the word ¡±caution¡± did not exist in their minds. This was because there were no pickpockets or thieves in the North Market ¡ª it might well be the safest ce in the entire Imperial Capital.

    ¡°In any case, what are we buying, Hekkeran?¡±

    ¡°Healing items first. I hope we can get wands of [Cure Light Wounds] for the sake of our budget. Judging by the circumstances, wands of [Cure Middle Wounds] are fine too... but buy the ones that are less than half-charged. I hear we¡¯re going to a tomb, so we might be able to use them on the undead. After thates the basic anti-undead essentials, items to resist poison and disease. Ideally, we¡¯d be able to find some way to deal with negative energy or incorporeal undead... Permanent items are too expensive, though, so scrolls scribed with the relevant spells are fine too. However...¡±

    Wands were magic items infused with multiple castings of the same kind of spell, and they were cheaper than scrolls on a per-cast basis. Therefore, buying wands of frequently used spells, such as curative magic, was more economical than scrolls.

    ¡°I see. I thought you were nning to buy a gift, and that you asked me to apany you to hear my opinion.¡±

    ¡°A gift?¡±

    ¡°...It¡¯s nothing. Hekkeran. Put some effort into finding something good.¡±

    ¡°...Er, mm.¡±

    Almost everything sold in this market was junk.

    For the most part, the disys were simply a bunch of items on a thin board. Few of them were new goods too; all of them looked like old or beat-up second-hand goods.

    Almost all the traders here looked like they could fight,plete with bulging biceps. That, or they were dressed like magic casters who looked better suited for battle than bargaining.

    At a nce, they looked like bodyguards, but the truth was that they were the bosses of their stalls. However, they were only bosses for today. They made their living as adventurers or Workers. In other words, they were in the same business as Hekkeran and Roberdyck.

    What they sold here were items they had used before, or items they had discovered during their adventures, but which their party members could not use. In that case, rather than sell them to a dedicated magical item dealer or the Magician¡¯s Guild, it would be better to find clients themselves and save themselves the expense of a middleman in the process. This approach offered many benefits to both buyer and seller. Even after factoring in the costs of paying the Merchants¡¯ Guild to set up a stall, they could still make a profit.

    For that reason, many adventurers and Workers like Hekkeran and his ilk woulde to this ce to look for hidden treasures. Some people even came here every day during their stay in the Imperial Capital in search of a good deal.

    This was also the reason why there was little crime in the North Market. Who on earth would try something on all thebat veterans here?

    The two of them browsed the stalls for a while. They were not gloomy, but neither were they d.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got nothing.¡±

    ¡°Me neither.¡±

    All the items on sale here were items which Hekkeran and the others did not need or which they could not use. Perhaps if the two of them were low-level adventurers or freshly-started Workers, they might be something they could use, but unfortunately, there was nothing that the pair ¡ª or even their colleagues ¡ª wanted to buy.

    ¡°What a shame, maybe it would be faster if we went to a regr store.¡±

    ¡°Well, we were just bargain-hunting here anyway, it can¡¯t be helped if we can¡¯t find anything. Ah well, humble scrimping like this is how you get your savings started.¡±

    ¡°Savings, huh... Hekkeran, what do you think¡¯s going to happen?¡±

    ¡°If I could understand what you meant just from that, I could be a super high-tier magic caster... do you mean Arche?¡±

    ¡°So you did get it after all.¡±

    ¡°Well, I grew more confident as you went on talking.¡±

    ¡°So you know what I¡¯m trying to say?¡±

    ¡°...You¡¯re trying to say that this might be ourst adventure, right?¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t phrase it in such an inauspicious way,¡± Roberdyck smiled bitterly. ¡°Still, it¡¯s not too far off the mark. Arche said she was taking her sisters away to raise them on her own. That being the case,ing out to adventure again will be difficult.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. She¡¯ll make good use of her talents or find some job where she can make money without adventuring.¡±

    ¡°Finding work won¡¯t be hard. She¡¯s a third-tier magic caster. While I don¡¯t know how many people there are in her family ¡ª how many sisters she has, rather ¡ª she ought to be able to support three or four people.¡±

    ¡°Mm, I think so too. That¡¯s why she coulde out and say that she could raise them on her own.¡±

    ¡°In that case, we¡¯re the ones who¡¯ll have the problem. Once Arche-san the wizard leaves our team, who should we get to fill the hole in the group?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps we¡¯ll be lucky and stumble across a third-tier arcane magic caster somebody left by the roadside?¡±

    ¡°Do your dreaming on the bed, please... If we were adventurers, we could ask the Guild to put out feelers for us... but if we¡¯re looking for one on our own, it¡¯s all down to luck.¡±

    The two of them looked at each other and then sighed in unison.

    There were times when one lost a friend, when a friend could not keep up with the group, or when one¡¯s strength exceeded that of the other members of the group. In these situations, an adventurer or a Worker would leave their team. It was hardly a rare situation. Rather, actually staying with the same team throughout one¡¯s career was the rarity; for the most part everyone would change teams two or three times.

    Hekkeran, Roberdyck and Imina were the same way.

    However, even if that was the case, that did not mean they could easily find an arcane magic caster ¡ª and one capable of casting third-tier spells ¡ª who was also a Worker without a team.

    ¡°How about letting a second-tier caster join and then training him up?¡±

    ¡°That ought to be thest resort. I¡¯d rather avoid that if at all possible.¡±

    ¡°Headhunting will be hard too. People who be Workers usually have some sort of personality defect, and just grabbing someone off the road to join us will be bad if it leads to problems down the road. Like say, if they¡¯re battle maniacs or something.¡±

    ¡°...From that point of view, we¡¯re practically a miracle.¡±

    ¡°Ultimately, our team simply does it for money, which is a rarity. Well, Arche joined after hearing the rumors about us, so she¡¯s kind of an exception.¡±

    ¡°When Arche-san came, we were thinking about who to get as ourst member.¡±

    Roberdyck gazed off into the distance. Hekkeran felt that he probably had a simr expression on his own face.

    ¡°I still remember what I was drinking back then... Arche-san came at just the right time. It even made me feel like the gods were telling us to form the team.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s amazing, my memory isn¡¯t that clear. So what were you drinking back then, Rober?¡±

    ¡°Water.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the same as what you always drink... you really are a teetotaler. Still, it would be troublesome if you drank as much as Imina did.¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped, I just don¡¯t drink alcohol. Of course, Imina-san¡¯s bad taste in alcohol is a problem of its own...¡±

    ¡°Ahh, well, you¡¯re the sort who changes color from red, blue and then white the moment you down a cup of wine. If not for that antidote spell, I have no idea how the first time you drank would have gone.¡±

    ¡°Maybe I wouldn¡¯t be here now, but someone else. People have died of alcohol poisoning before,¡± Roberdyck shrugged. ¡°But back to the topic. If Arche-san leaves, what do you n to do? ISmit possible that you might dissolve the team?¡±

    ¡°...If we can¡¯t get enough members together, then we won¡¯t have a choice. Adventuring with three people is just too dangerous... or do you want to go back to being an adventurer?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back to those days of begging the temples for permission to save someone. I¡¯d rather retire instead.¡±

    ¡°Retirement, huh... that might not be a bad thing.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve got a sum of money saved up, and I hope I can find my way into a job where I can help the weak and be a source of strength for others. Maybe I could go to a frontier vige and be a part-time priest as I plow the fields. How about you, Hekkeran?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet.¡±

    The corner of Roberdyck¡¯s mouth curled up.

    ¡°...It might not be good to decide on your own.¡±

    Hekkeran did not understand the meaning of Roberdyck¡¯s words for a moment. In the end, he finally understood what the other man was getting at, and Hekkeran¡¯s face twitched.

    ¡°¡ªWhy you!¡±

    ¡°Kuku,¡± he smiled evilly. ¡°You thought I hadn¡¯t noticed?¡±

    ¡°Ahhhhhhh~! It¡¯s not like that, I wasn¡¯t hiding it from everyone on purpose! Think about it, I just couldn¡¯t find the right time to tell you guys, right... so that¡¯s what you meant by the gift.¡±

    ¡°Who confessed first?¡±

    ¡°Oi, Rober! Look over there.¡±

    Hekkeran was pointing at a pair of people who were inspecting the merchandise within a luxurious tentage.

    One of them was a warrior in jet-ck armor. A crimson cape descended from behind him, and there were a pair of greatswords crossed at his back.

    ¡°That was a sudden change of topic... alright, so be it. I¡¯ll ask you about itter. Hmm, his equipment looks top-notch; if he¡¯s as good as his gear, then he ought to be a mighty warrior indeed. Is that someone you know with new weapons or armor?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I have the feeling I¡¯ve never seen that person in the Imperial Capital before. I mean, do you see that girl beside him? I think he¡¯s blocking her. I¡¯ve never seen her before.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, the angle was bad, so I didn¡¯t see her. So, who¡¯s prettier, between her and Imina-san?¡±

    ¡°¡ªEnough of that! How am I supposed to answer that question?! ...Though frankly speaking, that girl there is prettier.¡±

    ¡°Imina-san is a beauty in her own right! And of course, they do say that one¡¯s beloved is the fairest in one¡¯s eyes, so if even you think that way, Hekkeran... I see, the two of them are travellers, or adventurers from foreign parts. They might also be a team that¡¯s just shifted their base of operations to the Imperial Capital.¡±

    ¡°Still, they¡¯re buying daily-use magic items, isn¡¯t that strange?¡±

    The luxurious-looking tent was festooned with all sorts of magic items. However, those items were not the kind which adventurers or Workers would use, but rather, they were items intended for use in daily living. For instance, a box that generated cold temperatures within itself and kept food fresh, or a fan that could create air currents to keep people cool.

    Many of these items had been innovated 200 years ago, by a Minotaur known as the All-Talk Sage.

    That warrior came up with ideas for all sorts of devices, but he did not have the ability to make them, and he could not exin why these items had to look the way they did or what principles drove them, hence his nickname.

    However, the man himself was an absolutely top-notch warrior, who had left a hole slew of unbelievable tales behind him, such as the ability to call forth hurricanes with a swing of his axe or create earthquakes by mming it into the ground and so on. In addition, he had be famous by elevating the status of humanoid races from food to ves within the Minotaur nation.

    The fact that adventurers ¡ª who typically lived in inns ¡ª would actually take an interest in these daily-use magic items which had been designed by such a demihuman, was quite unusual.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like it¡¯s that strange. The Empire¡¯s magical technology is quite advanced, and these items are cheaper than in other nations. They¡¯re probably thinking that it¡¯ll be worthwhile to bring them home, even if it does take a bit more effort.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see. Yeah, that¡¯s definitely possible.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s weird from our point of view, but if you consider it from a traveller¡¯s perspective, it¡¯s hardly strange.¡±

    ¡°Mm, indeed. From that angle, I can understand why they¡¯re picking them out so seriously.¡±

    The armored warrior seemed to be carefully fiddling with the magic item. He opened and close the doors, picked it up and then turned it over. One could almost see the sweat forming on the salesman¡¯s forehead.

    ¡°We should probably shop for our stuff as earnestly as he does.¡±

    ¡°You have a point.¡±

 Chapter 50 - Volume 7

    Overlord Volume 7 Chapter 2

    Chapter 02: Butterfly Entangled In A Spider¡¯s Web

    (Re)Tranted by: Nigel

    Proofreader/Editor: Deus Ex Machina

    Part 1

    The sun had not yet risen, but there were already quite a number of Workers gathered in the Count¡¯s courtyard. Thest people to arrive were Hekkeran and the members of Foresight, for a total of 18 people. All of the people gathered for this job were capable Workers within the Imperial Capital.

    Each team kept a fixed distance from the others, and at the same time they sized each other up warily, so the fact that every single eye went to the members of Foresight as they arrivedst was quite an intimidating sight.

    ¡°Ah, there¡¯s a few familiar faces. Speaking of which, didn¡¯t we meet that stag beetle at the Katze ins?¡±

    ¡°Strange, didn¡¯t I mention it at the inn? Gringam¡¯s team was hired too... what, I didn¡¯t tell you? I have the feeling that I brought it up... in any case, as you can see, all the notable Workers in the Empire are gathered under one roof! A warm round of apuse for our client¡¯s ample finances!¡±

    ¡°We can dispense with the apuse, I think. Let¡¯s leave that aside for now; the ones over there should be the team leaders.¡±

    Everyone present was divided into their teams, and among them, a group of three people were discussing information.

    ¡°Gringam¡¯s there too, right. Okay, I¡¯ll go over to say hi.¡±

    ¡°...Ah! Ugeh, that bastard¡¯s here too? Ah! Seriously? Then, those elf girls must be... this is terrible. Die, you son of a bitch.¡±

    Imina muttered bitterly to herself. She might have been keeping her voice down, but Hekkeran and the others still panicked as they surveyed their surroundings for signs of hostility/

    ¡°Imina-san!¡±

    ¡°I know, Rober. He¡¯s a colleague for the duration of this job, after all... but I just wish I didn¡¯t have to see his face.¡±

    ¡°¡ªI don¡¯t like him either.¡±

    ¡°Ah, if you want to talk about whether or not we like him, then I hate him too, but you need to mind your attitude.¡±

    A look of ¡°you¡¯re really annoying¡± came over Imina¡¯s face. Hekkeran came between her and Roberdyck, then smiled mischievously as he shrugged.

    ¡°...Hey, I¡¯m going over to greet him. Don¡¯t say annoying things like that. What if I end up showing it on my face?¡±

    ¡°Work hard, leader.¡±

    After hearing Roberdyck cheer him on, Hekkeran deliberately scrunched up his face and grumbled, ¡°those two talk like it doesn¡¯t concern them¡±, and then went over to the group of three people.

    The first to greet Hekkeran as he walked over was a Worker in a suit of steel-colored full te armor. Due to the strange, rounded structure of the tes and the curiously oversized pauldrons, he did not look like a human being so much as a beetle standing on two legs.

    Arge horn stuck straight out of his helmet, a sign that he was deliberately cultivating that image.

    However, the part after that was not intentional. The man¡¯s legs were very short, so he looked like a stag beetle that a child had deliberately forced to stand on its hind legs. A nicer way of putting it would be to say that his short, stumpy legs stood securely upon the ground, and he had a Dwarven physique that was well-suited to being a warrior.

    ¡°As I expected, thou cam¡¯st too, Hekkeran.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Gringam. I thought the terms this time round weren¡¯t too bad.¡±

    Hekkeran waved to the other two people. His attitude was hardly dignified, but neither of them looked unhappy. This was because the four of them might have been of different ages and had different experiences, but they were equally skilled as Workers.

    ¡°So, your guys...¡± Hekkeran nced at Gringam¡¯s team and counted them before replying: ¡°There¡¯s only five of you; what happened to the other members?¡±

    ¡°They are taking their rest, and alleviating their fatigue. In addition, they worked the same assignment as myself, and now they must repair or rece their damaged or destroyed panoply.¡±

    This man ¡ª Gringam ¡ª led the team called Heavy Masher, arge Worker team with 14 members.

    There were merits in having numbers on one¡¯s side. One of them was the ability to approach a job from many different angles, which gave one many ways to handle a job. In particr, the ability to rbine into a team that could take on any request was a great boon.

    However, that approach also contained demerits. One of them was the fact that payment was divided among the number of people, and so each individual would be paid less. The second w was that deciding something would take a very long time, which led to slow movements.

    After adding up the pros and cons, the fact that this man could group up Workers and their tendency to break apart based on personality conflicts, and then go one step further to perfectly control them was a sign of his great skill as a manager.

    ¡°Oh~ That¡¯s tough. Although... why don¡¯t you act as our support, so the friends you left behind won¡¯t end up hating you for earning too much?¡±

    ¡°Utter foolery. As a leader in mine own right, the task falls to me to assuage the underlings once the task is concluded. Regretfully, our band must seek the best possible oue for ourselves.¡±

    ¡°Oi, oi, don¡¯t be like that. I¡¯m just saying that it¡¯ll be fine if you speak normally around us.¡±

    Gringam smiled thinly. Hekkeran saw that he did not agree, and so he shrugged and turned to the other man.

    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve spoken face to face with you.¡±

    He extended a hand to the other man as a show of respect, and that man took it. His was a sturdy and strong hand.

    His narrowed eyes flickered, then focused on Hekkeran.

    ¡°¡ªForesight. I¡¯ve heard of you.¡±

    His voice was as clear as a bell. One could say it fit his appearance very well.

    ¡°You too, Tenbu.¡±

    ¡¸ÄãÒ²ÊÇ£¬¡ºÌìÎä¡»¡£¡¹

    There was nobody who did not know of this genius swordsman, who was undefeated in the arena. This man¡¯s team ¡ª Tenbu ¡ª was essentially a teamposed of one man, to some extent. However, that was also why Imina¡¯s face contorted with disgust.

    ¡°I¡¯m d to be able to team up with a sword genius who can rival the mightiest warrior of the Kingdom ¡ª the great Gazef Stronoff.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. However, shouldn¡¯t you say that he can rival me ¡ª Eruya Uzruth?¡±

    ¡°Oh~ bold words~¡±

    Eruya smiled coldly, an arrogant look on his face. After seeing his expression, Hekkeran blinked several times to hide the emotion he had nearly revealed.

    ¡°Well then, I look forward to seeing your swordsmanship on full disy in the ruins.¡±

    ¡°Yes. You can leave that to me. I hope there¡¯ll be a monster in those ruins who can give me a challenge.¡±

    Eruya patted the weapon at his side.

    ¡°...We don¡¯t know what kind of monster may emerge. For all we know, we might even encounter a Dragon!¡±

    ¡°Now that would be a frightening sight. Perhaps a powerful monster like a Dragon might challenge me. However, I¡¯ll win in the end.¡±

    ¡°Really now,¡± Hekkeran smiled, albeit on the surface. He nced to see the reaction of thest person, and worked to suppress his own feelings.

    He recalled a rumour going around that in swordsmanship alone, Eruya was more than a match even for an orichalcum-ranked adventurer, so perhaps that answer of his was no idle boast. In addition, confidence in his own abilities was a good thing; bragging was very important for Workers.

    Of course, that was as long as he did not take it too far.

    Dragons were the mightiest species on the world.

    They soared through the sky and expelled ruinous breath from their maws. Their scales were sturdy and their physical attributes were extraordinary. Old Dragons could even use magic. They possessed a lifespan iparable to those of human beings, and even a sage would have to admit defeat to their umted wisdom.

    Due to their power, stories frequently depicted them as wicked foes, or beings who lent a hand to heroes. The objective of the Thirteen Heroes¡¯st adventure was the Dragon known as the Divine Dragon. In much the same way, the final adversary of a hero was often one of the Draconic race.

    It was quite startling how he couldpare himself to such a powerful being and act so cockily, even if it was idle banter. His swaggering tone sounded like he was joking, but unfortunately Eruya¡¯s eyes were serious. How full of himself was he?

    Nobody knew what sort of monstersy within the ruins they would soon be visiting. He predicted that Eruya¡¯s mental state was very dangerous and might end up dragging down everybody else as well. That ought to be the case.

    I¡¯d better stay away from him.

    It was his own business if he wanted to die, but it would be troublesome if he came over to beg for help. Hekkeran smiled to him, and having made that decision, he amended his approach to Eruya; now he would be ¡°used and then discarded¡±.

    ¡°And the people over there should be the members of Foresight. Oya...¡±

    A look of disdain and scorn filled Eruya¡¯s eyes the moment he saw Imina.

    Apparently, Eruya had been born in the religious nation that revered humanity as the greatest of all races; the ine Theocracy. The citizens of that country often viewed people with nonhuman ancestry as second-ss citizens.

    From that man¡¯s point of view, having a Half-Elf like Imina working on an even basis with him must be very upsetting.

    That part of him lends truth to the rumors... however, if he really was born in the Theocracy, then he ought to have a baptismal name. There¡¯s also a rumor that he abandoned his baptismal name.

    Hekkeran grumbled in his heart, and just to be sure, he muttered:

    ¡°Oi oi, hands off my buddies, okay?¡±

    ¡°Of course. For the duration of this job, we are allrades. I will work together with you.¡±

    ¡°I would very much like to believe those words.¡±

    This man Eruya was like a strong kid who had directly be an adult. He unnerved others; or rather, he was mentally unbnced to some extent. The mood around him was distasteful to others, and even after reminding him, Hekkeran could not find it in himself to rx.

    ¡°Oh yes, please believe me. Now then, let¡¯s return to the previous topic. In any event, I¡¯d like to turn overallmand of the expeditions to someone else. Provided it¡¯s not too troubling, I will obey the instructions of all the other members. Feel free to use me as a vanguard during battle; I will cut down all the foes before us with this de.¡±

    ¡°Alright, understood.¡±

    ¡°...In that case, I¡¯ll be returning to my team. Let me know if there¡¯s anything.¡±

    Eruya bowed, and then left.

    As he saw the women waiting for Eruya, Hekkeran¡¯s face twisted for a moment. However, he could not let his feelings be written on his face. Allowing others to know how he felt might asionally prove disadvantageous, and someone like that was not fit to lead a team.

    He quelled his emotions, and hid his expression.

    He turned away, like he had seen something filthy, and greeted thest person.

    ¡°Greetings, honored elder. You¡¯re as healthy as ever.¡±

    ¡°Hoi, Hekkeran. You seem well.¡±

    He wheezed whenever he spoke, because almost all his front teeth had fallen out.

    He was Palpatra ¡°Green Leaf¡± Ogrion.

    The source of his nickname was the suit of armor he wore, which resembled green leaves glistening with morning dew. That armor was not made of metal, but the scales of a Green Dragon. Palpatra and his team had once seeded in a Dragon Hunt. Of course, it was not a very big Dragon, but even a small Dragon was not a foe which an average Worker or adventurer could handle.

    Palpatra was an old man who was in his 80th year of life.

    Usually, people in this line of work retired after the age of 45. There were also some who would retire in their early forties. Very few people remained as adventurers after the age of 50. The people who worked such a cruel job where death was a very real danger could not ignore the effects of age withering their bodies.

    In truth, Palpatra was an exception, but his strength had deteriorated greatly from when he was in his prime ¡ª apparently, when he had reached the level of the orichalcum-ranked. Even so, Palpatra refused to step down from the frontlines.

    Palpatra and the way he continued adventuring despite his advanced age was an object of admiration for many people in the field.

    ¡°Mhm, still, he seems a little dangerous.¡±

    Even more wrinkles appeared on Palpatra¡¯s already-wrinkled face, and he lowered his voice, a gesture of which Hekkeran approved.

    ¡°Yes. If he wants to die, that¡¯s his problem, but I¡¯d rather not go down with him as well.¡±

    ¡°Granted, he is very strong, but excessive confidence might end up endangering hispatriots. He is extremely dangerous.¡±

    Gringam seemed to be muttering something along the lines of ¡°how troublesome¡±. After seeing Eruya¡¯s attitude probably all the workers were thinking the same thing.

    ¡°Actually, how strong is he? I haven¡¯t been to the arena in a while.¡±

    ¡°Know¡¯st thou not? I am aware... is it not the same for thee, revered elder?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve only heard of his prowess, but I haven¡¯t actually seen it with my own eyes. Perhaps I could ask mypanions. However, when we get down to it, what are we going to use as a benchmark for strength? For instance, if we used Gazef Stronoff as an upper limit, then where would something we were more familiar with... like say... the Empire¡¯s Four Knights stand on that scale?¡±

    ¡°The Knights who are also known as Heavy Explosion, The Immovable, Lightning Bolt and Violent Gale, huh... using them as a benchmark onlyplicates things. The four of them ought to be inferior to that great man ¡ª to the Kingdom¡¯s Warrior-Captain ¡ª but then, the days of Gazef Stronoff towering over themon herd are a thing of the past. As time goes by, new powerful warriors will emerge.¡±

    ¡°So you want to say Uzruth is one of them, that he¡¯s really that strong? Besides, I¡¯ve never seen the power of the Four Knights up close... the strongest person I¡¯ve seen is probably the leader of the tinum Imperial Guard, who answer directly to the Emperor himself. That man¡¯s skill is quite something... as I recall, he¡¯s on par with the Four Knights?¡±

    ¡°The mightiest entities I know of are the Dragon Lords of the Council Alliance. Humanity cannot defeat foes like those.¡±

    ¡°Some say there¡¯s five of them, others say there¡¯s seven... Ah, we¡¯re looking for a way to gauge Uzruth¡¯s strength. Please limit yourself to human swordsmen.¡±

    ¡°That said the Agrand Council Alliance¡¯s swordsmen are almost all demihumans, so we¡¯ll have to count them out as well. The Martial Lord of the arena is the same way. Then I¡¯ll cite thedy pdin of the Roble Holy Kingdom, who wields a holy sword. That said, she does seem somewhat inadequate in terms of pure swordsmanship.¡±

    Collecting information on mighty individuals was very important for a Worker, when it came to handling jobs. That was because the presence or absence of such information often determined victory or defeat. And of course, that aside, they were all warriors, and they could not help but want to know more about people who inhabited the world of martial arts with them.

    It was the same now. The conversation had started by discussing Eruya¡¯s strength, but things had gotten more and more heated, and it became something like a swap meet for news about powerful beings. It was like a group of kids arguing about who was strongest.

    ¡°The ine Theocracy¡¯s people tend to be of a uniformly high level, but I haven¡¯t heard of any particrly outstanding individuals among them. Then again, even if they were, divine magic casters are outside the scope of this discussion.¡±

    ¡°I heard there¡¯s a female warrior in the Kingdom¡¯s highest-ranked adventurer team. What of her?¡±

    ¡°Ah, the ¡°no breasts, just pecs¡± one, am I right? She¡¯s very strong. Although, I heard that she lost a duel with the Warrior Captain.¡±

    ¡°...I heard an adventurer addressed her with that made-up nickname and got beaten half to death. Hahaha, what a frightening youngdy.¡±

    ¡°After mentioning the names of the strong, I¡¯vee to realize that there aren¡¯t many powerful pure swordsmen. There¡¯s Dark Knight of the Heroes of the City-State Alliance. Then there¡¯s ¡°sh¡± Cerebrate of the Draconic Kingdom¡¯s adamantite-ranked adventurer team Crystal Tear, as well as ¡°Crimson¡± Optix of the Worker team ¡°zing Inferno¡±, and then the Kingdom¡¯s... Brain Unus.¡±

    The conversation stopped here for the first time.

    ¡°Brain Unus? Who¡¯s he?¡±

    Palpatra directed that puzzled question at Gringam.

    ¡°Dost thou not know, revered elder? That man is a famed swordsman of the Kingdom... what about thee?¡±

    Hekkeran shook his head in response to that question. He had never heard that name before.

    ¡°Verily, all of thee know not...¡±

    Gringam could not hide the look of disappointment on his face. Then, he spoke in a voice thatcked confidence, like he was perusing memories of the past:

    ¡°This is a matter of years gone by, when I once took part in the Kingdom¡¯s grand martial tournament. During the semi-finals, I had the privilege of measuring his de skills a measure. At that time, mine abilities could not hope topare to his.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re talking about the tournament which Gazef Stronoff won, right?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. In the end, Unus met defeat at Stronoff¡¯s hands, but the battle of those contenders was truly a sight to behold. They were paragons of swordsmanship both; how did he deflect that sh of light? And being able to strike with but a single curve of the de under those circumstances....mine eyes were opened upon witnessing such sights and more.¡±

    Given the way Gringam was gushing with praise for him, and the fact that he could fight evenly with Gazef Stronoff, the mightiest warrior of the surrounding nations, it was clear that his strength must have been top-rate.

    So it was just that he did not know that the world contained such skilled exponents. Hekkeran was filled with awe.

    ¡°Mhm... then, who do you think is stronger, between that Unus chap and Uzruth.¡±

    ¡°Uzruth,¡± Gringam answered without any dy. ¡°If he had to battle Unus from the grand martial tournament, it would definitely be him. I witnessed a fight of his in the arena recently, and I am certain of it,¡±

    ¡°So that means he can stand on par with the Warrior-Captain from several years ago? Is he really that strong? Oh my.¡±

    Hekkeran had eximed in a moment of excitement, and he hurriedly lowered his volume.

    ¡°I see, Unus, is it. Looks like I¡¯ll have to pay attention to news from the Kingdom... alright, have you two heard of it? That there¡¯s a third adamantite-ranked adventurer team in the Kingdom?¡±

    ¡°Of course I have.¡±

    ¡°Ah, pardon me, I haven¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Hekkeran... ignorance will endanger thy team.¡±

    ¡°I know that, but I just don¡¯t have the money to gather information about our friends in the Kingdom. I can¡¯t spare the cash.¡±

    ¡°Hyahyahya, how bold! I do not dislike such courage!¡±

    ¡°Revered elder, I seek your opinion on a certain matter. Having heard the rumors of Darkness¡¯ Momon, do you not feel they are far too exaggerated? They say the two of them slew a Gigant Basilisk, without the aid of a healer.¡±

    ¡°Uwah, it ought to be just a rumor.¡±

    Such a mighty foe (a Gigant Basilisk) could not be felled by just two people, not even if they were adamantite-ranked.

    ¡°Thou agree¡¯st with me then, Hekkeran? The more news I gather, the more dubious the provenance of such. It has even reached mine ears that during the great uproar in the Kingdom, he dispatched a fiend of well over 200 difficulty in but a single blow, To me, that might be a fabrication concocted by the Adventurer¡¯s Guild of the Kingdom to frighten those within and without the nation, and thus they granted those people the rank of adamantite.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s possible. After all, the birth of a high-ranking adventurer is a momentous asion. Still, would the Guild tell such lies? The Guild is quite stubborn about the way they do things.¡±

    ¡°The Guildmaster of each city handles things differently. The Guildmaster from my adventuring days was filth. So I punched him right in the face! Hyahyahya! I¡¯m a Worker now, thanks to that!¡±

    Palpatraughed loudly and with good cheer.

    His reasons for bing an adventurer were well known. Anyone in the business within the Imperial Capital would have heard of it. Palpatra would repeatedly recount the incident whenever he sat down to drink.

    ¡°That said, I feel the Guild wouldn¡¯t do something like that.¡±

    ¡°So you think it¡¯s true, then?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe. Even if you viewed it in the most generous terms, a difficulty of 200... that number alone is suspicious; any foe who was that powerful could not possibly be felled in a single blow. I think that part was an exaggeration that was deliberately spread. If an extremely high-difficulty demon really did show up, they probably engaged it with multiple teams and then had Darkness deal it the finishing blow.¡±

    ¡°That sounds more likely.¡±

    ¡°Well, if you counted all the adventurers who were stronger than orichalcum-rank as being adamantite-rank, I could believe such a mighty warrior existed. After all, adamantite rank can cover a very broad range.¡±

    ¡°Hekkeran and I are of one mind, but thou feel¡¯st it is true, do you not, revered elder?¡±

    ¡°Hyahyahya. I don¡¯t consider it to be entirely true either.¡±

    ¡°Seeing is believing, as they say. I wish we could meet the man himself... then again, maybe not.¡±

    Just as the other two were expressing their agreement with Hekkeran, they heard the sound of flesh striking flesh, followed by a woman trying to bite back a scream of pain.

    All the Workers present turned their eyes onto the same spot. Several of them had already lowered themselves into battle-ready stances, believing something had happened.

    The source of the screamy before Eruya ¡ª one of his femalepanions, whoy upon the ground. Judging by the circumstances, Eruya had probably punched her. The woman looked up at Eruya¡¯s face, which was twisted in anger. Her own face was filled with fear as she begged pathetically for forgiveness.

    Hekkeran fought back a rising wave of nausea, and a thought shed through his mind. He hurriedly turned his attention towards hispanion ¡ª Imina.

    Just as he had imagined, her face had gone nk. There was a dangerous air around her, as though she wouldunch an attack if things went any further.

    Hekkeran hurriedly signalled to Roberdyck and Arche who were standing beside her, telling them to hold her back.

    Personally speaking, Hekkeran was as angry as Imina was. However, he could not stick his nose into the problems of other teams. Of course, he could do so if he wanted. However, if he did, he would need to be prepared to bear all the consequences of that choice. That was the reason why the other teams simply wrinkled their brows in displeasure, but none of them made a move.

    Imina¡¯s reason eventually overcame her desire to fight, and she spat on the ground after directing a lewd gesture at his back.

    ¡°...The only thing he has that¡¯sparable to the Kingdom¡¯s Warrior-Captain is his swordsmanship. It would be wonderful if his character were simr to his as well, but I guess that¡¯s too much to ask for. Alright, we¡¯ll stop here for now.¡±

    ¡°...Indeed. Since Hekkeran¡¯s here too, let¡¯s decide the most important thing.¡±

    ¡°That man refused, so who¡¯ll be our overall leader?¡±

    The three of them fell silent.

    There were four teams present here. While all of them possessed ample fighting power, without someone to coordinate and lead everyone, they would not be able to take effective action. It was like having many arms but being unable to use them all at the same time; little different from only having one.

    Being able to make effective use of a team of strong personalities was not an easy task, and doing so withoutints from anybody was even more difficult. If the instructions resulted in failure, or if others thought that one was cing their own team¡¯s gain above their own, it would incur the wrath of the other teams.

    Frankly speaking, the position demanded excellent skills, yet there were more demerits than merits to taking it.

    Every team leader understood that point, so they all remained silent while watching each other¡¯s faces. Each of them wanted to dump this burden onto the first person to open their mouth. After about a minute¡¯s silence, Hekkeran tiredly suggested:

    ¡°Honestly, we don¡¯t need an overall leader, do we?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just dying the inevitable. It¡¯ll be troublesome once fighting breaks out.¡±

    ¡°...Mine idea is that we should alternate. That way resentment will not rue. I feel we may discuss the matter at greater length upon reaching the ruins.¡±

    ¡°Ah~¡±

    ¡°You do have a point.¡±

    Both of them approved of Gringam¡¯s suggestion.

    ¡°In that case, we¡¯ll go in order of when we arrive there.¡±

    ¡°How about Uzruth and his Tenbu?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine if we skip that punk. Besides, he won¡¯t be able to do it.¡±

    ¡°I agree, revered elder. Then, as the one who proposed it, my Heavy Masher shall take the lead.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m counting on you, Gringam.¡±

    ¡°Please do, young man.¡±

    ¡°Understood. That said, there will hardly be any vicious monsters within the Empire. The problem lies within the Kingdom; a situation may arise once we draw near the great forest.¡±

    ¡°Ahhh~ If I¡¯d known I¡¯d have reversed the order.¡±

    Hekkeran made a show of grabbing his head in mock regret, while the other two smiled quietly. After that, they immediately quelled their facial expressions and turned to look at a man who was walking towards the Workers. The surrounding Workers had already turned to face him.

    The Count¡¯s butler walked proudly through the courtyard that was dimly lit by the brightening sky, with a pose that befitted a servant of a Count.

    He arrived before the Workers, and bowed. Nobody responded to it, but he did not mind; instead opening his mouth and saying:

    ¡°It is time. My thanks to everyone for epting my Lord¡¯s request. We shall dispatch two drivers with you and six adventurers as an escort. The objective is an unexplored ruin within the Kingdom ¡ª very likely to be a tomb, from the structure of it. The duration of the expedition will be three days, and the bonus will be awarded based on what my master learns, so we will arrangeter on. Are there any questions?¡±

    The butler had said the same thing as the employment request; the only difference was probably the presence of adventurers as bodyguards.

    They wanted to know how the Count had learned about the ruins, but the Workers knew which questions could be answered and which questions could not. If their employer was willing to tell them, then he would have said so when hiring them.

    Besides, if this job was really so clear-cut and aboveboard, adventurers could take care of it. Since it was dirty work, the employer had to keep quiet, and so not asking would be safer.

    ¡°...In that case, I shall take you all to your awaiting carriages.¡±

    Nobody objected, and so everyone followed behind him.

    Hekkeran and the rest of Foresight were at the end of the group.

    ¡°That fucking son of a bitch, why isn¡¯t he dead yet? How about it, want to kill him?¡±

    Imina could not tolerate Eruya, and she whispered her displeasure into Hekkeran¡¯s ear the moment she was beside him, in order to vent her anger.

    Her voice was very soft; there was no telling if it was because she was utterly furious or because she was trying to restrain herself. Hekkeran did not know, and could only hope it was thetter.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard it before, but he really is a crude man.¡±

    ¡°¡ªHe¡¯s absolutely disgusting.¡±

    The other two replied quietly, making no attempt to hide their displeasure.

    It was only natural that Foresight would think that way. With a woman like Imina as theirpanion, there was no way they could tolerate Eruya¡¯s actions.

    Aside from Eruya himself, the rest of his team was all female, and they were all Elves.

    Imina and the other team members would not have been revolted by him if that was all. However, there was a reason why they had the unanimous and unreserved opinion that Eruya was a piece of disgusting filth.

    The Elf girls were minimally equipped with crudely-made gear. In addition, their short-cut hair exposed their long elven ears, which had been cut in half at the middle.

    The reason why Eruya¡¯s team members were like this was because they were all Elven ves from the ine Theocracy.

    The previous system of very in the Empire had undergone a great reform under the previous Emperor. They were still ves in name, but their situation waspletely different. However, just like the demihumans in the arena, the conditions of some ves had not been improved.

    The Elf ves Eruya had in tow belonged to that type.

    The three nations of the Baharuth Empire, the Re-Estize Kingdom and the ine Theocracy were almost all human, and they discriminated more heavily against other races than the other surrounding nations. Thus, even humanoid species ¡ª like Half-Elves and Elves ¡ª had a hard time living in these countries.

    Only the Dwarves were an exception. The Azellisian Mountain Range that stood between the Kingdom and the Empire contained a Dwarven Kingdom, and due to the trading rtionship the Empire had with the Dwarves, they were assured of protection under thew.

    ¡°I feel sorry for the Elves. However, we should not try to save them now.¡±

    Imina sighed heavily. She understood that fact in her head; her heart was simply taking longer to catch up.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Imina moved to the head of the group after that quiet reply, and the others quickened their pace so as not to fall behind. Then, their eyes all went wide in surprise.

    There were tworge covered carriages waiting at the ce where the butler had taken them, which would be heading for the ruins. There was also a group of people helping to load their luggage onto the carriages. Those ought to be the adventurers that the butler mentioned, because the metal tes around their necks glinted with a golden light.

    However, what surprised them was not the adventurers, but the horses pulling the carriages.

    ¡°¡ªSleipnirs, ¡° someone eximed in surprise.

    The eight-legged Sleipnirs wererger than an average horse and possessed excellent physical strength, stamina and mobility. Some people considered them to be the ideal creature fornd travel.

    Naturally, theymanded a startling price as well. Most nobles could not afford a mount that cost five times as much as a warhorse.

    Yet, there were two two-horse carriages before them, for a total of 4 Sleipnirs. Their employer must have considered the risk of losing them during adventuring, and so his determination was very admirable. Or could it be he felt that they would unearth so much treasure that only Sleipnirs would be able to move them?

    Everyone was probably thinking the same thing. The sound of swallowing came from somewhere.

    ¡°Please use these carriages. Your rations and other supplies are inside the vehiclepartment. In addition, we have hired adventurers to protect the carriage and your campsite. ording to their contract, they cannot enter the ruins, so please keep that in mind.¡±

    Hekkeran realised that there was something which needed to be resolved right away, and so he left hispanions and ran to Gringam.

    ¡°Pardon me, Gringam, I need to discuss something with you.¡±

    ¡°What troubles thee that thou seek¡¯st my counsel?¡±

    ¡°When ites to allocating carriages, could you put us separately from Tenbu?¡±

    ¡°Hm? Ah, I see. Thy concerns are known to me; thou fear¡¯st for that youngdy, hm? In that case, we shall travel with Tenbu.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, and thanks. You¡¯re a big help.¡±

    ¡°Pay it no heed; in this endeavour, we arerades. A quarrel even before reaching the ruins would be a thorny matter, and I too am...¡±

    ¡°¡ªAre you sure we¡¯ll be fine with these puny gold-ranked adventurers? I don¡¯t want toe back to a wrecked camp or wake up to find myself sharing it with monsters!¡±

    A great shout came with all the force of a fireball. Two people stared at each other, and tensions were running high.

    Eruya expressed his dissatisfaction to the butler, but he did not make any attempt to lower hsi volume. The adventurers stopped moving their luggage, as though time had stopped.

    When one looked up, one could see higher realms ahead. Whether or not one could reach those heights remained to be seen. Yet, some people continued marching toward their goal, one step at a time, and Eruya¡¯s statement was very displeasing to those people. They were engaged in a struggle to prove their strength, and once theirpetency was called into question ¡ª especially if their client doubted their ability ¡ª it would affect future tasks that they were assigned. In that case, they had to prove their worth in a simple and quick fashion.

    This man, whose words could not be tolerated by either the adventurers or the Workers, did not know how to consider things from the perspective of others. Therefore, he was virtually unaffected by the foul mood in the air, and continued babbling to himself.

    ¡°No, I do understand that they¡¯re fit to handle our luggage, I¡¯m simply concerned that they won¡¯t be able to help us get rid of threats.¡±

    ¡¸²»£¬ÎÒÃ÷°×ËûÃÇ°áÐÐÀîÃ»ÎÊÌâ£¬ÎÒÖ»ÊÇµ£ÐÄËûÃÇÃ»ÓÐÄÜÁ¦°ïÎÒÃÇÇý³ýÎ£ÏÕ¡£¡¹

    Give me a break! What good does it do to ruin the mood? Granted, they¡¯re here for work, so they should be able to bear with it a little, but still...

    Level-wise, all the Worker teams here were on par with mithril-ranked adventurers, which meant that they were better than these adventurers. However, some things ought not to be said out loud.

    Someone, anyone, punch him to shut him up.

    Several of the Workers had evil glints in their eyes, and they were exchanging nces. Hekkeran hurriedly ran over to Imina. No matter what happened, he could not let her draw her de.

    However, the person who came to stop this was not a Worker.

    ¡°You must be Uzruth-sama, hm? I assure you that there will be no problems.¡±

    ¡°...Are you saying that on the assumption that we¡¯re helping too? I could understand it, in that case.¡±

    ¡°No. That is because there will be a stronger individual travelling with you ¡ª Momon-san.¡±

    A warrior in full te armor poked his helmeted head out from one of the carriages, as though in response to the butler¡¯s icy tones. He had probably been in the middle of moving luggage onto the carriage.

    ¡°Allow me to introduce you to the adamantite-ranked adventurer team of two, Momon-san of Darkness and his teammate Nabe. The two of them will travel with you and defend your campsite. I trust you will be able to ept that?¡±

    The air changed again. The pinnacle of adventurers and Workers ¡ª those who handled this sort of work ¡ª now stood before them. None of the Workers could speak in the face of this proof of absolute strength.

    The adventurers regained their good spirits as they saw the Workers¡¯ naked reaction to the most highly-ced of all adventurers, and they went back to their work. A man who looked like the adventurer team¡¯s leader smiled, and then spoke to the dark warrior:

    ¡°We¡¯ll handle the rest; Momon-san, would you mind interacting with the Workers? Being that you¡¯re our leader, I hope that you will discuss our security posture with the workers.¡±

    ¡°Alright. As long as your team agrees, I¡¯ll take on this task, despite myck of ability. However, I believe you should be the ones to take charge of security. After all, you¡¯re more numerous, so it would be more convenient to follow your lead instead.¡±

    ¡°Ah, no! What do you mean by ack of ability? You¡¯re being too humble! Besides, how could we disregard the great Momon-san...¡±

    ¡°¡ªNo, I insist that you be in charge of security. Then, I¡¯ll be counting on you to skilfullymand us. Nabe.¡±

    Momon chuckled softly, and then lightly descended from the cabin. An astoundingly beautiful woman followed behind him.

    When a beautiful woman showed herself, people would sometimes make amotion out of shock. However, once her looks exceeded a certain threshold, said people would not even be able to do that much. In the face of true beauty, all people could do was allow their gazes to be stolen away.

    ¡°Hekkeran, he¡¯s...¡±

    ¡°Mm, Rober, I¡¯m thinking the same thing too. We saw him before, at the North Market. That man is... Momon of Darkness, and his solepanion. When you look at his mighty form, perhaps the rumors of him beating the Gigant Basilisk were not so exaggerated after all.¡±

    ¡°Giga...! Is what you say really true?¡±

    ¡°So I heard. In addition, I heard Gringam say that he took out a difficulty 200 demon in one blow.¡±

    ¡°¡ªThat can¡¯t possibly be real, a difficulty of 200 isn¡¯t in the realm of possibility for a human being... could it be that you misheard 100 as 200?¡±

    ¡°Even 100 would be quite amazing. But how shall I put this... after seeing his words and actions, I feel like it¡¯s the truth.¡±

    He had grasped Momon¡¯s character from his brief interaction with the leader of the gold-ranked adventurers. He felt that the man exuded the dignity and charisma befitting an adamantite-ranked adventurer, which naturally endeared others to him.

    ¡°Before we mingle... I have a question to ask you.¡±

    His voice was soft, yet its rich tones allowed everyone to feel his heroic spirit through his armor.

    ¡°Why are you going to the ruins? I know you¡¯ve been hired. But you¡¯re not like adventurers, who find it difficult to refuse a strongly worded request. Why would you, whose actions are not bound, choose to ept this assignment? What drives you to do such a thing?¡±

    The Workers looked at each other. They hesitated over who should answer, and in the end, it was someone from Palpatra¡¯s team who spoke up.

    ¡°For money, of course.¡±

    It was a perfect answer; there was no better reason than that. The Workers had not hesitated over what answer they should have given, and Momon should have expected such a matter-of-fact reply from them. The fact that he had still asked the question anyway left them at a loss as to his true intentions.

    After seeing the Workers murmur their agreement, Momon continued asking:

    ¡°That is to say, if your client pays you a great deal of money, it¡¯s worth paying with your lives?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Our client offered us rpense that satisfied us. In addition, there might be a further prize depending on what we find within the ruins. It is my contention that suchrgesse warrants the risk of our lives.¡±

    That answer came from Gringam.

    ¡°I see... so this is what you have all decided, then? I understand. Please forgive me for asking such a worthless question.¡±

    ¡°Such a trifling matter requires no apology... do not allow it to weigh upon thy heart.¡±

    ¡°Hyahyahya, well, if you¡¯ve finished asking, might I ask a question in turn?¡±

    ¡°Please do, old sir.¡±

    ¡°I wish to verify a rumor I¡¯ve heard. They say your strength is extraordinary; may I see if those rumors are factual?¡±

    ¡°I see, seeing is believing, after all. Of course you may. I shall show you my might if it means you will ept my... no, our protection. Then, how shall I demonstrate my power?¡±

    ¡°The best way is to spar with someone else, of course!¡±

    All eyes gathered on¡ª

    ¡°¨CAnd of course, I will be the one to do the sparring, that¡¯s right, me.¡±

    ¡°What? You, old sir? ...My apologies, but I am not ustomed to holding back. I do not wish to harm you, yet I have no confidence in restraining myself... do you mind?¡±

    ¡°Hyahyahyahya! That¡¯s adamantite for you! Not a thought given to the fact that I might hurt you instead!¡±

    A quiet chuckle came from under the helmet.

    ¡°But of course, old sir. This is the difference in our respective strengths ¡ª I am strong, stronger than any of you. That is why I can bear the name of adamantite.¡±

    Despite his extraordinary arrogance and sense of superiority, it did not displease those who saw it. This must be the presence of the man called Momon. His statement overflowed with persuasive power in addition to a frightening puissance that could y countless foes.

    ¡°...How incredible.¡±

    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s just too amazing.¡±

    The feverish murmurs rose and fell.

    Many women adored strong men. In terms of respect, many men were fascinated by strong men. They were like moths mesmerized by a me, and for those who lived in a world of blood and steel, great power was the me in question. They could not tear themselves away from the charm that bound them, even though they knew that they would be immted if they misjudged their distance.

    ¡°Hyahyahya! I doubt anyone will doubt that you¡¯re adamantite-ranked now. Still, speaking of which, it¡¯s rare that we get a chance like this, so I¡¯d like to get a few pointers from you. The carriages here will get in the way, so could I borrow that patch of empty ground, butler-dono?¡±

    After receiving permission, Palpatra led everyone to the courtyard. It was not just the Workers who followed him, but even the adventurers and butler as well.

    ¡°Given the revered elder¡¯s skills, there¡¯s probably no way he can do it.¡±

    ¡°¡ªThat man seems very strong.¡±

    ¡°Mm~ rather than say he is strong, it would be better so say that the divide between them is precipitous. Even the two adamantite-ranked adventurer teams in the Empire would hardly qualify as superhuman.¡±

    ¡°You have a point there. Silver Canary¡¯s members have very exotic professions, so they each have strange skills, but their overall abilities fall below people with basic jobs. And I hear that the members of Eight Ripples derive their strength from their numbers and teamwork.¡±

    Silver Canary was led by a heroic bard, and its members all had exotic vocations. Eight Ripples was a nine-man team. Due to their numbers, some said that their strength was not yet adamantite-level, but others also said that as long as they worked together to focus on a problem, they could handle problems which even other adamantite-ranked adventurers could not tackle.

    However, whether or not those two teams qualified as the secret weapons of the human race, those who could make the impossible possible, the strongest entities (adamantite) remained in doubt.

    Hekkeran said all that after hearing his teammates whisper from behind him.

    The three of them were not the only ones doing so. If one listened carefully, one could hear the rest of them discussing various topics. The most-repeated question was how long Palpatra could hold out. Nobody here felt that he could beat Momon, because even after their brief time together, everyone had acknowledged that the aura around Momon was most fitting of an adamantite-ranked adventurer.

    Hekkeran thought as he walked, and just then, someone came to his side. After hearing the noise of metal armor, there was no need to ask who it was.

    ¡°Gringam, how do you think their fight will turn out?¡±

    ¡°While saying so might upset the revered elder, there is no doubt that Momon will win. Beyond that is the question of how long the revered elder will endure. Wilt thou not queue behind the revered elder?¡±

    ¡°As if, give me a break. How about you?¡±

    ¡°Permit me to humbly refuse. Witnessing a superhuman warrior in action is more than enough for myself. Although, I would not object to a few lessons on swordsmanship from him during the course of our journey.¡±

    ¡°Same here... ah!¡±

    Momon and Palpatra stood before the two of them in the courtyard, maintaining a distance between and looking at each other.

    Palpatra¡¯s eyes were not those of an ordinary old man. They were those of a veteran campaigner.

    The aura around him had hardened into needle-like killing intent, and the air held no trace of this being just a regr old spar.

    Everyone present broke out in a cold sweat, their hearts filled with uneasiness.

    ¡°...Hey, this is pretty bad, right? The old man¡¯s serious!¡±

    Beside him, Gringam had reverted to his original way of speaking.

    ¡°Well, his opponent¡¯s an adamantite-ranked adventurer, so he¡¯s got no choice but to be serious. Still...¡±

    Hekkeran shifted his eyes towards the dark warrior standing off against the old man. Having just spoken those words, he immediately drew a breath.

    He could not sense anything from Momon.

    His arms drooped down, he lookedpletely unguarded, and he did not look like he was about to fight a duel of des. He was asposed as an adult looking at a child holding a sword.

    ¡°Amazing, he¡¯s not reacting even in the face of such powerful bloodlust. There¡¯s no way he couldn¡¯t have sensed his opponent¡¯s killing intent. So this is what the supreme perfection of warriorhood looks like. In other words, the supreme perfection of emptiness!¡±

    ¡°Is this what they call no-heart? Or the realm of clouds and water? He¡¯s so calm despite the difference in their weapons. He must be extremely confident in his skills... Ah, I want to throw myself down before him in awe.¡±

    (TL Note: both of these are terms from Buddhist philosophy: no-heart refers to ack of obstructive thoughts while clouds and water refers to moving and flowing freely)

    Palpatra was holding a magic item whose point was made from a whittled-down dragon¡¯s fang. In contrast, Momon held a staff he had borrowed from one of the adventurers. It did not look magical in any way. Magic weapons had all sorts of special effects, from improved sharpness, improving their wielders¡¯ abilities to doing additional damage and so on. Right now, Palpatra had an overwhelming advantage in terms of armament.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s probably not it. It¡¯s true when ites to weapons, but the enchantments on Momon-san¡¯s armor ought to be stronger than the old man¡¯s. His other magic items ought to be of a higher standard too. Overall, I¡¯d say they¡¯re either pretty close or Momon-san has the advantage.¡±

    ¡°Art thou not too hasty in thine judgement? Hast thou not heard that the magic items the revered elder carries are worth more than an adamantite-ranked adventurer¡¯s panoply? The revered elder haspleted countless jobs over the years. One could say he was the best paid man in the Empire!¡±

    ¡°Nonono, wait, wait...¡±

    ¡°Thou should¡¯st calm thyself...¡±

    As the two of them argued, the ever-rising urge battle-lust led to the beginning of the duel.

    ¡°Then, shall I go first?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s more pressing work to be done after this. Don¡¯t push yourself too hard,e at me in a more rxed way, old sir...¡±

    Without letting Momon finish, Palpatra instantly stepped in with a smoothness, speed and power that an 80 year-old man should not have possessed. In contrast, Momon had not even raised the staff in his hand.

    ¡°¡ª[Dragon Fang Thrust]!¡±

    Hekkeran¡¯ eyes went wide as he saw Palpatra open with a martial art without the slightest bit of hesitation.

    The technique made his spear¡¯s shaft curve, allowing him to stab twice, like a Dragon¡¯s fang. In addition, it could deal elemental damage on top of that. This was a development of the martial art [Thrust], being a technique which Palpatra had apparently developed over 40 years ago, and it had be widely known due to its excellent bnce. Many other warriors had learned that move up till this date.

    And among the [Dragon Fang Thrusts], Palpatra had chosen the [Blue Dragon Fang Thrust], with the additional effect of dealing electrical damage.

    What¡¯s that old coot thinking?! We might have healing magic on hand, but nobody would use a move like that under normal circumstances!

    A move like that, which could inflict electrical damage on the merest graze, was ideal for use against an armored opponent. Palpatra¡¯s use of that technique was a sign of how deadly serious he was.

    However, Momon easily avoided that strike, which would have otherwise been the bane of someone in armor. Even in his jet-ck full te armor, his movements were as graceful as a feather. More astounding was the fact that he had not leapt away, but remained in ce and dodged it while hardly moving at all.

    That¡¯s impossible! What kind of dexterity and motion-tracking vision is that?!

    ¡°¡ª[Gale eleration].¡±

    Palpatra continued using his martial arts.

    You¡¯ve gone too far, old man! Has your brain gone senile too?!

    ¡°[Dragon Fang Thrust]!¡±

    He used the same move from before upon Momon again. Snow-white freezing vapors shrouded the spear¡¯s tip; it was the [White Dragon Fang Thrust].

    That lightning-fast series of four attacks¡ª

    A greatmotion rose from the onlookers.

    That was only to be expected. After all, not a single one of those four attacks had managed to so much as touch Momon¡¯s armor.

    Palpatra leapt back. His forehead was beaded with sweat; he was not exhausted from attacking, but the mental strain of wielding his spear on deadly ground had been too much for him.

    ¡°He¡¯s incredible!¡±

    ¡°¡ªHe¡¯s stronger than Hekkeran.¡±

    ¡°But of course, Arche. Don¡¯tpare me to him. He¡¯s what they call the highest-level adventurer, the peak of everything. That¡¯s the power of an adamantite-ranked adventurer.¡±

    ¡°Now then, I believe it is my turn next.¡±

    Momon slowly raised his staff into a middle stance. In contrast, Palpatra took the spear he had been clutching and rested it on his shoulders. That was not a fighting stance; it was the posture of a man who had lost the will to fight ¡ª who had given up the battle.

    ¡°That was incredible. I give up. My skills can¡¯t evennd a scratch on you, much less beat you.¡±

    ¡°...Is that so.¡±

    ¡°Oh...¡±

    Gasps of awe rose from the people watching by the side as Palpatra announced his surrender. It was a truly overwhelming disy; they had all seen with their own eyes a difference like the one between children and adults.

    The crowd debated excitedly, discussing what school his dodging footwork hailed from and so on, sharing the emotions within their hearts. Hekkeran paid them no heed and took Gringam with him as they went over to Palpatra, who was wiping his sweat off as he spoke with Momon.

    ¡°Is it over, old sir?¡±

    Momon¡¯s tone and the air around him had turned gentle.

    ¡°...Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re about to show your true power now?¡±

    ¡°...Hyahyahya, my, you speak quite harshly to an old man. That was my true power just now. What you saw was the full extent of my abilities, Momon-dono.¡±

    ¡°¡ªAh, forgive me. I was being rude.¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t apologize. That would fill me with shame Also, you don¡¯t have to be so stiff when talking to me, because our worth isn¡¯t measured in our years, but in how skilled we are. Having an matchless man of power like yourself defer to me makes me feel a little itchy.¡±

    ¡°...I see, then I shall dispense with the formalities, however reluctantly. That said, I¡¯m not quite satisfied with ending things here. If we do get another chance, I¡¯d like to make the first move instead. Now then, I still have to help move the luggage into the carriage. I¡¯ll see youter.¡±

    ¡°Moving luggage is a trivial task; you could hand it to someone else, right? Surely this can¡¯t be your job.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. No matter what position I may hold, I must still do the job assigned to me.¡±

    With those words, Momon returned to the carriage, trailed by that beautiful girl. The two people who met them in passing watched them leave.

    They looked at his mighty back.

    ¡°Hyahya, judging by your expressions, you seem to have something you want to ask.¡±

    ¡°¡ªRevered elder, what did thou think of that exchange?¡±

    His wrinkled face twisted. It looked like a bitter smile, and at the same time like something else.

    ¡°That man is very strong. No, as an adamantite-ranked adventurer, strengthes with the territory, but I honestly had not expected him to be that powerful. From the instant I faced him, I had the feeling that every blow I struck would be blocked.¡±

    Hekkeran felt the same way. He had also felt that any attack heunched would have been easily blocked and promptly countered by the man called Momon. And even if everything had gone ording to n, he could imagine how his strikes would have been deflected by that armor. Palpatra had faced him head on, so surely he must have felt that even more intensely.

    ¡°So that... is an adamantite-ranked adventurer.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. That is an adamantite-ranked adventurer, one who belongs to a realm which only those favored by the heavens may dare to tread. Ahhh, what a matchless beauty, a pinnacle to which we cannot hope to aspire... ... say, you must have been happy just to glimpse that peak, no?¡±

    ¡°Indeed! Watching from the sidelines, I could see thy movements clearly. If I was facing him in person, surely I would not have been able to observe his skills so calmly. Personally ¡ª while this may offend thee, revered elder ¡ª I would have very much liked to see Momon-dono¡¯s strength as he went from the defense to the offense.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. Momon-dono had no intention of attacking me at all, I couldn¡¯t sense any fighting spirit from him. It was probably like he said, he sucks at holding back. He must have felt that if he had actually struck at me, he could have easily taken my life.¡±

    If that were the case, then one could say Momon¡¯s thinking was very arrogant. That was because the old man ¡ª Palpatra ¡ª was a skilled warrior, yet Momon had scorned him without so much as looking at his moves.

    However, it was because he could do such a thing that he could be called an adamantite-ranked adventurer.

    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped, the difference between his strength and mine is far too great. At first, I was unhappy too, but then he ended up taking the defense, and evading all my strikes. What could I say after that?¡±

    That was what it meant to be strong.

    He had used a weapon which he was not familiar with ¡ª whose bnce and weight werepletely different from what he normally used ¡ª to show how confident he was. That was the difference between the two of them.

    Palpatra whined, ¡°Ahhh, so tired, so tired,¡± then turned his back on them and left. Naturally, he was headed for the carriage.

    As he watched Palpatra leave, Hekkeran heard a quiet grumble.

    ¡°Even when I was young, I could not step into that domain. So that¡¯s adamantite... what an unattainable peak...¡±

    Palpatra¡¯s back shrunk in his eyes. In contrast, Momon¡¯s back seemed massive, and oppressive.

    ¡°...That is the highest rank, that of adamantite.¡±

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s truly amazing.¡±

    Nobody around them could dispute their awed words.

    Part 2

    A carriage ran like the wind, over the paved roads of the Imperial Capital Arwintar.

    µÛ¶¼Å·ÎÂËþ¶ûµÄÊ¯°åÂ·ÉÏ£¬Ò»Á¾Âí³µÈç·ç¼²Ê»¶ø¹ý¡£

    The magical beast that pulled the luxurious carriage had eight legs ¡ª it was a Sleipnir. A pair of skilled-looking warriors upied the driver¡¯s seat, while above the carriage¡¯s cabin ¡ª in a ce modified from a cargo rack ¡ª were four magic casters and bow-wielding warriors, vigntly watching their surroundings.

    The reason why such an excessive detachment of security personnel ¡ª like a mobile defensive formation ¡ª was travelling so boldly over the roads was immediately obvious once one saw who rode in the carriage.

    Anyone with the slightest bit of academic knowledge would immediately recognize the emblem of three crossed staves on the side of the carriage, and from there they would know who it belonged to and who rode within it. That was why the knights on guard duty by the roadside did not stop the carriage and its passengers for questioning.

    There were three men in the carriage. All of them were dressed in long robes, and they looked like magic casters.

    All three of them were renowned individuals within the Empire¡¯s magical society, but their attitudes showed the distinct differences in their status. The most highly-ced of them was a white-haired old man.

    Just as Gazef Stronoff was a famed warrior, when one spoke of magic casters, nobody¡¯s name echoed across the surrounding nations like this man did. This old man was the Empire¡¯s most powerful grand magic caster, ¡°Tri-Arts¡± Fluder Paradyne.

    Seated opposite Fluder were his adept disciples, who could use the fourth tier of magic.

    After leaving the Imperial Capital, an air of silence had filled the interior of the carriage. As though unable to bear the crushing pressure, one of his disciples nervously asked:

    ¡°Master, what about his Majesty¡¯s orders?¡±

    Silence filled the carriage once again, but only for a moment. Fluder replied in a calm, inscrutable voice:

    ¡°This is his Majesty¡¯s will, and as his vassal I must investigate. However, doing so through magic is far too dangerous. We ought to start with researching the archives, then summon demons to gather information.¡±

    ¡°So that means you don¡¯t know either, Master?¡±

    Fluder closed his eyes, then opened them a few secondster.

    ¡°Unfortunately I have been too long isted, and I have never heard of a mighty fiend named Jaldabaoth.¡±

    A month ago, an army of demons had assaulted the Kingdom¡¯s capital. ording to the information obtained, theirmander Jaldabaoth and the maid demons attending him were iprehensibly fearsome beings.

    This demonic disturbance had caused the Empire¡¯s knight corps ¡ª which invaded the Kingdom every year ¡ª to stay put. Normally, it was perfectly sensible in warfare to attack a beleaguered foe.

    However, the fact was that there were two main reasons for the Empire to make war upon the Kingdom.

    One of them was to indirectly exhaust the strength of the Kingdom. In contrast to the Empire¡¯s professional armed forces, the Kingdom employed conscription. Therefore, every time the Empire mobilized its troops, the Kingdom would have no choice but to rally the masses in order to make up for the shortfall of individual quality in their troops. For that reason, the Empire had embarked on a long-term n: they dered war during the harvest season, forcing the Kingdom to gather its peasants and have them take the field. As a result, the peasantscked the manpower needed for a proper harvest, which in turn damaged the Kingdom¡¯s agricultural output.

    Another reason for doing so was to weaken the strength of the nobles within the Empire. The nation would levy a special war tax on nobles who opposed the Emperor, making them cough up funds. If they refused to pay, they would be charged as traitors and stripped of their holdings. In the end, whether they were strangled to death or swiftly decapitated, the end came for them all the same.

    For these reasons, the Emperor ¡ª Jiiv ¡ª believed that once the Kingdom exhausted itself, the Empire would not need to force itself to go to war. After all, the nobles within the Empire were almost all toothless.

    However, one problem remained.

    Where had the wicked Jaldabaoth gone? What sort of being was he? It was all very disturbing.

    That was why he had ordered Fluder, the Empire¡¯s top magic caster to investigate Jaldabaoth. One could say it was only to be expected.

    ¡°Also, there¡¯s Darkness¡¯ Momon ¡ª who defeated Jaldabaoth ¡ª and hispanion, ¡°Beautiful Princess¡± Nabe. Both of them are quite interesting. Then, there¡¯s the mysterious magic caster Ainz Ooal Gown. Have these hidden heroes finally decided to make their move? Perhaps there might be an intense battle like the one against the Demon Gods 200 years ago.¡±

    ¡°...Will there be one?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know yet. However, only a fool would start preparing for it after it happened. The wise are always on watch against the future.¡±

    Eventually, the carriage reached its destination.

    The sprawling grounds were encircled with thick, imposing walls, with watchtowers to keep an eye on both the inside and outside. Hand-picked knights from the 1st Legion ¡ª the most elite of the eight Imperial Knight Legions ¡ª were mixed with a number of magic casters into several security teams, which were in charge of surveince.

    When one looked to the sky, one could even see members of the Emperor¡¯s own bodyguard, the Royal Air Guard, mounted on flying beasts, as well as high-tier magic casters using flight magic as they stood on watch.

    This ce was the symbol of the Empire¡¯s power, into which the previous Emperor had channelled the greater part of his efforts and energies ¡ª the Imperial Ministry of Magic,.

    The production of magical equipment for the knights, the development of new spells, research into raising the standard of living through magical experiments and so on; all of these could be said to be the the essence of the Empire¡¯s magic, and they took ce here. And the overall person in charge of this ce ¡ª although the Ministry of Magic had nomanding officer ¡ª was Fluder.

    The carriage passed through the grounds, and finally stopped at a tower in the heart of the grounds.

    They had passed many strangely-shaped buildings on the way here, and many people hade and gone from each building, but there was hardly any movement of people in and out of this tower. However, in contrast, the security around this tower was much stiffer than that around the other buildings.

    For starters, the knights here were dressed differently. They were not the same as the First Legion knights in other ces.

    They were sheathed in suits of enchanted full te armor, carrying magic shields, and with magic weapons at their waists. Their crimson capes ¡ª which were embroidered with the emblem of the Empire ¡ª were also magic items, of course.

    While the enchantments on their gear were somewhat weak, ordinary knights could not wear such equipment, not even in the Empire. The most important thing was that ordinary knights would never be assigned to such a vital state institution.

    These ultra-elite knights were part of the Emperor¡¯s bodyguard, the Royal Earth Guard.

    The magic casters lined up here were no less impressive than the knights themselves. These experienced, valorous magic casters had the air of grizzled veterans around them.

    In addition, there were four Stone Golems, each over two and a half meters tall, guarding the entrance. They did not sleep and they did not rest and they did not eat, eternally focused on their duty as guardians.

    The security around this facility was as heavy as that defending the Emperor¡¯s own body, and only elite magic casters whose levels were in the upper reaches of the third tier or a very few research-oriented magic casters were permitted entry. Naturally, Fluder and his two disciples were permitted entry into this tower.

    The three of them raised their hands to acknowledge the knights and magic casters presenting arms to them, and then they entered the building. After walking through a straight passage, the three of them came to the upper level of a room shaped like a crucible. Many magic casters worked here. The highest-ranked of them hurriedly ran up to Fluder.

    ¡°Has there been any progress?¡±

    ¡°Not at all, Master.¡±

    The disciples gulped, and his Adam¡¯s apple shifted. The usual answer had two meanings, good and bad.

    Fluder simply nodded, with aplex expression on his face, and then turned to the 30 disciples he had personally tutored ¡ª they were particrly famous disciples, known as the Chosen Thirty ¡ª and faced one of them, who was the assistant supervisor of this building.

    ¡°Is that so. You still haven¡¯t been able to induce a natural genesis, then?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Not even a Skeleton, the least of all undead, has appeared so far. Currently, we are cing corpses beside it in the hope of inducing the creation of Zombies.¡±

    ¡°Mhm.¡±

    Fluder stroked his long beard, and then looked down at the sight beneath him.

    There were ten-odd Skeletons there, and they were tilling a field.

    Each Skeleton raised their hoe, then swung them down, in an identical manner to the one on either side of it. If one were to look at them from the side, their ovepping forms would seem like just a single Skeleton.

    This highly coordinated spectacle, which vaguely resembled a form of group exercise, was the true identity of therge-scale project which the Empire had been conducting. In other words, it was ¡°undeadbor¡±.

    The undead did not need to eat, drink or sleep, and they did not tire. In other words, they were the perfect workers. Granted, low-tier undead were unintelligent; they could only listen to orders, and they could not performplex tasks. However, that problem could be solved by having someone stand by to supervise them every step of the way.

    The merits of ordering the undead to carry out tasks in a crop field had exceeded their expectations. The reduction of manpower costs had reduced the prices of crops, expanded the farms and fields, eliminated the risk of human-rted damage and so on. It was truly a dream n.

    There were other, simr ns, using summoned monsters and Golems instead, but after taking all factors into consideration, the undead were still the most cost-effective choice.

    However, there was still a reason why such a seemingly-perfect m could not be put into practice on arge scale.

    That was because people opposed it ¡ª in particr, the factions led by the priests. They believed that creating undead, creatures of death which hated life, was an act which stained the soul.

    There were also problems from a religious perspective.

    They used the corpses of criminals to make undead, but the religious point of view was that a criminal¡¯s sin was paid off with the execution of their sentence. Going any further would be a form of sphemy, and convincing then otherwise was a very difficult task.

    Perhaps they might be able to talk them round if the nation was facing a desperate food shortage and many people were starving to death However, the Empire¡¯s food stocks were ample, and they had no problems with manpower.

    For these reasons, the clergy opposed this n.

    Ultimately, the true reason for this n was to increase their military power. With the undead to handle production, they could divert their human resources elsewhere, potentially increasing the amount of talent for the knight corps and other fields.

    In addition, once undeadbor became widespread, there were people who were worried that humanborers would be made redundant. In addition, the undead would not listen to humanity forever, andrge amounts of undead might upset the bnce of life and death and lead to the spontaneous genesis of more powerful undead. It was not just the priests, but anyone who heard of the n that was unsettled by it.

    The reason for this facility¡¯s existence was to address each of these concerns and find a solution to them.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t found the underlying reason yet?¡±

    ¡°No, Master. My deepest apologies, Master.¡±

    Why did the undead arise by themselves? Exploring this fundamental reason would have a decisive influence on the future.

    There was a ce which was perpetually shrouded in a light mist that only lifted when the Kingdom and the Empire did battle. That ce was a cursednd, known as the Katze ins. Undead appeared here at an rmingly high rate, even Skeletal Dragons ¡ª some of the most powerful undead beings ¡ª who were immune to magic.

    Even if the Empire wanted to conquer the region around E-Rantel in the future, they did not want to have undead-spawningnd in their domain. Thus, discovering the process by which the undead arose would definitely be an aid to rulership. Perhaps they might even find a way to keep the undead from spawning ever again.

    ¡°Is that so, I understand.¡±

    The assistant supervisor bowed, grateful to have been spared a rebuke. Fluder walked past him, going in one big circle around the crucible-shaped room.

    By the time Fluder reached the door on the other side, there were more disciples behind him.

    The knights guarding the door pushed it open, and the group passed through it. Behind the door was a passage like the one just now, but it was much colder than the outside, and there was nobody around. The scent of dust hung in the air, and the light was losing its battle with the darkness that pressed in on it

    They walked along the corridor and its dread-filled atmosphere, and soon they came to a spiral staircase that extended downwards.

    They passed through many doors in the process, and they did not spend much time going ck ck ck down the spiral staircase; they were probably only five floors underground. Even so, the air was heavy, as though they were in a deeper ce.

    This was not because they were underground. The best proof of that was that everyone ¡ª Fluder included ¡ª had a stiff expression on their faces.

    When they reached the bottom ¡ª an empty room ¡ª everyone had a grim set to their faces. They were visibly tense, perhaps even ready for battle.

    Everyone¡¯s eyes were fixed on the single, heavy door in the room. That door was filled with a sense of foreboding oppression, and it seemed to set this world apart from whaty beyond. In order to prevent its destruction or easy opening, the door was reinforced with severalyers of physical and magical protection. This was a door which would not permit escape.

    In addition, the many sturdy doors they had passed through on the way here spoke of the danger behind this final door. If the threat behind this door stirred, those door-shaped walls could buy some time; in other words, they were effectively a seal.

    Fluder issued a warning to his disciple in a tense voice.

    ¡°You must not be careless.¡±

    It was a simple, terse statement, but that just made it all the more frightening.

    The magic casters apanying him nodded deeply, as one. Fluder gave them the same warning every time they came here, but since they knew what lurked behind that door, their expressions had never once cked off.

    That was because the ultimate undead was behind that door. If it was permitted to escape this ce, it would spark a tragedy of unprecedented proportions in the Imperial Capital.

    Several people began casting protective spells. These spells did not just defend against physical threats, but also included spells which protected the mind. After giving them ample time to prepare, Fluder looked around at his disciples¡¯ faces, and saw that they were filled with determination

    He nodded, and then uttered the keyword which would undo the seal.

    The heavy doors went thoom, and by the power of magic, they slowly opened.

    Chilly air spilled out of the darkened room, and several of his disciples shivered, as though they were very cold. Even with magic items that allowed them to adapt to the environment, the hatred of the living which emanated from the depths of the room was enough to chill their soul.

    The sound of someone swallowing seemed particrly resonant here.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    After hearing Fluder¡¯s words, his disciples created several magical lights to disperse the darkness of the room. Yet, for some reason, it felt like the darkness was thicker and heavier beyond the light it had fled.

    Led by Fluder, the group entered the room which was filled with the odor of death.

    It was a small room, so the magicalnterns soon illuminated the room¡¯s innermost reaches.

    There stood a gigantic pir which reached the ceiling. This tombstone-like pir certainly attracted attention. But what truly held the eye was the entity that was crucified to it with thick and heavy chains.

    Each link of the chains which bound it was much thicker than a grown man¡¯s thumb, rendering itpletely immobile. The chains were secured to the stony floor of the room. In addition, its arms and legs were hobbled with gigantic iron balls.

    No entity could so much as move a finger under these conditions. This excessively harsh method of binding instead showed how wary they were of this entity. Therefore, whenever someone in the group looked on the thick chains, they still felt uneasy. They feared that this creature would easily snap the chains and regain its freedom.

    From the outside, it looked like a knight in ck full te armor. However, there was a huge difference between it and a fully armored man.

    The first thing that caught the eye was its massive frame. Even a casual estimate of its height would put it above two meters in height.

    After that, there was its ck full te armor. The armor was covered in tracery that looked like blood vessels, and studded with brutal-looking spikes. A pair of demonic-looking horns sprouted from its helmet, and it exposed the face, which was a rotten human visage. Two crimson points of light shone from within the empty orbits of its eye sockets, formed of hatred for the living and a longing for massacre.

    It was not a living being, but one of the dead. Otherwise, it could not radiate such an intense hatred for the living.

    ¡°Death... Knight.¡±

    One of the disciples, who hade here for the first time, spoke the name of the legendary undead creature. Since it was a being of legends, it was not particrly well known.

    The red points of light within the Death Knight¡¯s eyes moved, sizing up all the magic casters like it was licking them with its gaze. No; they could not possibly see any movement from within those dancing masses of light. However, the spine-chilling terror made them feel that the death knight was looking right at them.

    The people who came here were all mighty individuals in their own right, each capable of casting third-tier spells at a minimum. Yet, even they could not stop the chattering of their teeth.

    Despite their spells to protect their minds, they could not stop the fear welling up from within them. Yet, the reason why they had pulled themselves together and not fled was probably because of their magical protections.

    ¡°¡ªBe strong. The weak-willed will perish.¡±

    After issuing his warning, Fluder approached the Death Knight. The Death Knight reacted to him; it radiated killing intent and began flexing its limbs.

    The chains groaned as the Death Knight struggled and pulled its bonds taut, and its body quivered.

    Fluder extended his hand straight at the Death Knight.

    His incantation reverberated through the darkened room, lit by magical light. This was a modified version of [Summon Undead 6th], an original spell penned by Fluder.

    ¡°¡ªObey me.¡±

    The spell took effect ¡ª Fluder¡¯s quiet words flowed out and filled the room.

    However, the Death Knight¡¯s eyes were still filled with hatred for the living. Everyone knew the spell had failed.

    ¡°...So I still can¡¯t control it, even now?¡±

    There was a hint of regret within Fluder¡¯s voice. That was because he had tried to control this undead creature for the past five years, without sess.

    ***

    They had discovered this monster in that ce known for being haunted by the undead, the Katze ins.

    The squad of Imperial knights who had first encountered this monster had never seen it before, but they were under orders, so they attacked it as per standard procedure. Several secondster, they realized how rash and foolish they had been. The faces of those Imperial knights, known by all for their skill and bravery, were filled with fear and despair.

    They had been utterly and one-sidedly overwhelmed ¡ª their opposition was far too strong.

    After their foe mowed down countless knights like the passing of a violent gale, they finally realized that there was nothing they could do against it, and began to retreat.

    Of course, they could not just leave such a monster be, especially after personally witnessing the the murdered knights be undead beings, serving the monster as its minions. Clearly, the more time they gave their opponent, the worse the situation would be.

    After intensive debate among the Empire¡¯s leadership, they decided to open with their trump card; the most powerful fighting force in the Empire, which was to say they would mobilize Fluder and his adept disciples.

    And so, the Death Knight had been captured and imprisoned here, which was to say that the battle had ended with Fluder andpany victorious. However, the reason why Fluder and the others had won was simply because the Death Knight had no way to fly. Theyunched a sustained area attack on it that was no different from carpet bombing ¡ª a repeated barrage of [Fireballs] from the air, which slowed the Death Knight¡¯s movements, and in the end Fluder, who had been mesmerized by its overwhelming power, had captured it intact.

    Currently, Fluder had imprisoned it here and gone through countless spells, countless magic items and countless means ¡ª searching through all the means which could control an undead being in order to control the Death Knight.

    ***

    ¡°What a shame... if only I could control this monster, I¡¯d be able to surpass that magic caster and be the greatest magic caster.¡±

    If he seeded, he would be far superior to the necromancer of the Thirteen Heroes, Rigrit Bers Carau.

    In truth, Fluder was not particrly interested in strength. His true ambitiony in peering into the abyss. This was just a step along that road.

    His disciples did not understand that, and so they began spouting misced constion instead..

    ¡°Master, you¡¯ve long since exceeded that hero.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. The Thirteen Heroes are beings from the past; there¡¯s no way they can beat our Master, who stands at the pinnacle of modern magic.¡±

    ¡°I also feel that Master has long since surpassed the Thirteen Heroes. However, if Master could take control of the Death Knight, the Empire would possess a source of incredible power.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s often said that an individual can¡¯t defeat a group, but that¡¯s just because the individual¡¯s too weak. That Death Knight is the most powerful individual around.¡±

    Fluder was standing at the head of the group, so none of them saw him smile bitterly to himself. Only the hate-filled eyes of the Death Knight saw it.

    ¡°Still, if even Master cannot take control of it... then how powerful is that Death Knight, anyway?¡±

    ¡°That... who knows? Theoretically speaking, it should be controble. What are we missing? Does anyone have any ideas?¡±

    The group¡¯s answer to that was silence.

    The undead could be controlled through magic, and one of the Thirteen Heroes had done just that. Fluder¡¯s power was such that he could control undead beings of quite a high level. Perhaps he could even take control of the Death Knight before his eyes.

    However, that was simply theoretical. Actually controlling an undead being with magic involved moreplex mechanisms. Fundamentally speaking, controlling or destroying the undead was the domain of the priests, who borrowed the power of the gods. Magic casters used arcane power to emte divine might, so various discrepancies were only to be expected.

    ¡°...It¡¯s not my intention to insult you, Master, but...¡±

    One of his disciples began cautiously with that, and Fluder bade him continue speaking.

    ¡°Could it be you¡¯re simply not strong enough, Master? If magic of the 7th tier exists, then perhaps the Death Knight might require undead-summoning magic of that level in order tomand it...¡±

    ¡°That is a good observation.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the Adventurer¡¯s Guild often summarizes the data of various monsters and converts them into a difficulty rating. Perhaps that line of thought is worth pursuing?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard those values are very crude and are essentially meaningless due to changes in body and age,¡± another disciple said.

    ¡°Still, other than unknown monsters, there¡¯s no metric which is easier to understand. After all, those values are based onbat feedback from adventurers and other forms of data; it can¡¯t bepletely inurate.¡±

    ¡°Going by what you said, you still can¡¯t use it on a legendary-ss monster like the Death Knight.¡±

    ¡°Ah yes, Master. Does that secret tome which records all manner of monsters mention that particr monster?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Fluder said while stroking his beard. Perhaps theplete version of the Eryuentiu might, but the only copies circting in the outside world are notplete.¡±

    One of his disciples seemed to have a question, which he addressed to a disciple next to him. While his voice was very soft, the room was the very embodiment of silence, and so his words seemed surprisingly loud.

    ¡°What¡¯s the Eryuentiu?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it the name of a city?¡±

    ¡°I know that, but it sounds really weird.¡±

    ¡°Hm... I looked it up once. I think it¡¯s a word from an ancientnguage which means, ¡°The great tree at the heart of the world¡±.

    Fluder rapped the floor with his staff, as a warning to his chatting disciples. This was a dangerous ce which incarcerated a legendary-ss monster. Carelessness was strictly forbidden.

    His disciples heeded the warning, and the master of the chamber (silence) ruled it once more, aside from the sounds of the Death Knight struggling against its chains in an attempt to break them.

    ¡°What a shame. There¡¯s no need for us to stay here any longer. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    After hearing the chorus of relieved replies, Fluder strode away from the Death Knight with big steps.

    ***

    Even someone like Fluder could not maintain the same pace leaving the room as he had when entering it. His steps quickened as he felt the Death Knight¡¯s vicious re burning into his back. In that respect, his disciples were the same as him.

    As Fluder walked through the darkness, he recalled the word his disciples had mentioned just now.

    Eryuentiu.

    It was the capital of the kingdom founded by the Eight Greed Kings, and also its sole surviving city. At the same time, it was also a city defended by 30 city guardians equipped with magical arms and armor that surpassed conventional reason.

    It was said that there were magic items left behind by the Eight Greed Kings there, and with them, he would surely be able to vastly improve his own magical skills. Fluder thought. These incredible items had never fallen into anyone¡¯s hands, and only the Thirteen Heroes had been allowed to take several pieces away.

    A ck me flickered in Fluder¡¯s heart.

    The Thirteen Heroes; heroes of the past. Fluder¡¯s might ought to have been the equivalent of theirs, but only they had been granted that permission, while he had not. In what way did he not measure up to them?

    Fluder tried to put out the wavering fire in his heart, thinking of other things to reassure himself. His present position and all the things he had built were no less than what the Thirteen Heroes had done. No, among the Empire¡¯s magic casters, Fluder¡¯s status was greater even than the Thirteen Heroes.

    However, once that the ck fire ¡ª the me of jealousy ¡ª zed up, it could not be easily extinguished, because what he envied was not their power, their knowledge, or their abilities, but rather, the fact that they had obtained a chance to peer into the abyss of magic.

    Fluder was a magic caster of the highest order; nobody would dispute that. The only people who couldpare to him were the Thirteen Heroes of the past. However, he could not control the Death Knight, and of the ten tiers of magic that were said to exist ¡ª although the reliability of that information was a little low ¡ª he could only cast spells of up to the sixth tier.

    This situation was a stark reminder that he was far from the abyss of magic.

    Fluder was old.

    Among the sage arts he had learned as a spiritual magic caster was a certain branch known as the forbidden arts. He had used this forbidden magic to stop his aging. Of course, given the level of magic Fluder had mastered, using that spell was very difficult. In the end, he had barely managed to cast it with a ritual spell.

    However, since this was a twisting of the impossible into the possible, it had been distorted. The spell which should have granted immortality if perfectly cast instead allowed Fluder to experience, ever so slightly, the passage of time.

    He could still handle it now. However, the distortion would growrger, and eventually there would be a weakness in it.

    Indeed. Fluder would die before he could gaze into the abyss of magic.

    Perhaps if a skilled predecessor had guided him, he might have been able to reach his current position sooner. However, there had been nobody ahead of him, so all he could do was ze his own trail.

    Fluder nonchntly looked at the disciples around him.

    He looked around at the people who walked along the trail Fluder had zed.

    It was fuel to the fire of his jealousy, which zed even more fiercely.

    He... as the most knowledgeable person present, how old had he been when he had been at his disciples¡¯ level? No, there was no need to think about it; he would surely have been older than his disciples were. That was how great the difference was without anybody to guide him, without anybody to show him the way.

    Why did he not have a Master of his own?

    Fluder tried to think in a different direction to mask theints he often had.

    ***

    ¡ªit was fine, right? He would go down in history as a forerunner. Every single magic caster would give thanks to Fluder for the results he had left behind, which were derived from the trail he had zed. These pupils are my treasure; so long as any of them reaches a greater height than myself, it will be a part of my aplishments too¡ª

    ***

    Fluder thought of one of his disciples while consoling himself. That disciple had long since departed his side.

    What tier could that girl have reached?

    ¡°¡ªArche Eeb Ryle Furt.¡±

    She was an excellent girl. She had mastered the second tier of magic at a young age, and even begun her first steps upon the third. So long as she continued training, she might well have been able to reach Fluder¡¯s domain. But regretfully, at the end, she had abandoned her studies for some reason...

    Fluder had been utterly disappointed back then. All the could think of was that she had been terribly foolish.

    ¡°What a shame.¡±

    Perhaps she had been the one that got away.

    Where was that girl now? Fluder thought, perhaps I could try and find her. If she can use magic of the third tier, perhaps I could give her a good position.

    That said, there were still things which had to be done.

    Fluder incanted themand word, and opened the heavy door.

    After that, he exited the room, and took several deep breaths with his disciples. That was because the air in the Death Knight¡¯s room was heavy with the stench of its presence, and it felt like the air would not enter their lungs.

    ¡°Master!¡±

    A low, coarse voice called out to him. There stood one of his adept disciples, who was also a famous male adventurer. Due to the breadth of his experience, he was the second-inmand of the Ministry of Magic¡¯s security forces.

    ¡°...What happened? Is there an emergency?¡±

    ¡°No, not an emergency. Two adamantite-ranked adventurers desire an audience with you, Master.¡±

    Fluder looked upon the man with suspicion.

    He had not arranged for a meeting with anyone. Fluder was the highest-ranked magic caster in the Empire. He had a lot of work to do, and then he needed to conduct his own magical research on top of that; he simply did not have any free time. He could not simply nod when someone said they wanted to meet him. In the Empire, only the Emperor could see him without making an appointment in advance.

    That said, he could not summarily reject the request. Adamantite-ranked adventurers were heroes. They were individuals, but they were not beings he could simply overlook. The same applied even for a great magic caster like Fluder. At times, he would request them to help him find exotic objects, so he could not just ignore them.

    ¡°Are they from Silver Canary? Or Eight Ripples?¡±

    He spoke the names of the Empire¡¯s two adamantite-ranked adventurer teams.

    However, his disciple shook his head.

    ¡°No. They are a duo calling themselves Darkness. They even produced adamantite tes to prove their identity.¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡±

    The adventurer team Darkness¡¯ name was well known throughout the Kingdom. Even with just two members, they had aplished many heroic deeds. Apparently, they had recently challenged Jaldabaoth, who had caused havoc in the Royal Capital, and fought him off.

    Why would people like thate to see him? Several questions appeared in his heart, but more than that, he wanted to discuss magical knowledge with the ¡°Beautiful Princess¡± Nabe, said to be a very high-level magic caster. He immediately cast his doubts to the back of his mind.

    However, he was the Emperor¡¯s servant, after all, and he remembered that his lord Jiiv wanted to see them.

    He would bring the matter up after their meeting. Fluder gave orders to his disciples as he thought.

    ¡°Show them the way. I will tidy myself up and head over immediately.¡±

    Part 3

    ¡°Ah! I didn¡¯t expect there to actually be ruins! What a shock. While I thought that it probably wouldn¡¯t be a lie, given the sizable payout, I can¡¯t believe there was actually an unexplored ruin smack in the middle of a grass in like this. Really surprising, right?¡±

    As they heard Hekkeran ask that, hisrades responded with their agreement

    Apparently, this was a tomb of some sort, but when they actually saw it, it seemed to be sunk into the earth itself ¡ª as though something had pressed it down, like a basin.

    One possible reason why ruins like these had not been explored was because the surroundingnd was grass as far as the eye could see, with no remains of ancient cities nearby to draw adventurers¡¯ attention. In addition, small hillocks of dirt were scattered around it like stars in the sky, so even if there were ruins buried in one of them, they would have missed it. The central building protruded a little, but one could only see it after climbing to a high vantage like this.

    Part of the dirt wall surrounding the ruins had copsed, exposing part of the walls, which was how the ruins had been discovered. That was the shared opinion of the various teams.

    ¡°No doubt about it. In truth, I¡¯m quite excited about this. After all, unexplored ruins might contain startling treasures.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a bit hard to say, but given that there haven¡¯t been any problems for the area around the ruins, it¡¯s pretty clear that there aren¡¯t any dangerous monsters within. More than that, I¡¯m more uneasy that our client actually specified a location for a base camp.¡±

    The campsite was situated on the ins. One could say it was an ideal location.

    Since it was surrounded by scattered hillocks, which blocked line of sight, they did not have to worry about being spotted from afar. All they had to do was be mindful of the light from their fires and torches, and it would be very hard for others to spot them.

    And because of that ¡ª he was afraid.

    ¡°How did our client know about this ce?¡±

    The most likely answer was that the client had searched for an ideal location for a campsite around here for some reason. That would exin a lot.

    But if that were the case, it would raise more questions in turn. For instance, why had the client thought of having them camp in such a secluded spot, and why would an Imperial noble enter the Kingdom¡¯s territory?

    ¡°¡ªI once heard that there was a massive criminal organization in the Kingdom, called Eight Fingers, if I¡¯m not wrong. They say that organization did a lot of evil things.¡±

    ¡°I heard they even did smuggling to the Empire. Some of my thief friendsined that they were really influential in the Kingdom, so investigating them would cause a lot of problems.¡±

    Imina pressed down her wind-tossed hair and spoke after Arche finished. Roberdyck spoke in quiet tones, like he was spitting on the ground:

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard about their drugs. When used properly, medicines can be very helpful. But these people turn medicine into narcotics, which they sell to and use to harm the weak. I find that very displeasing.¡±

    That he raised his voice slightly could not be helped. After all, Roberdyck had be a Worker to help the weak.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough talk of all this idle fantasy that has nothing to do with the job. ording to Arche¡¯s research, our client isn¡¯t doing anything dubious, but might be the subject of a purge, is he not?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps I didn¡¯t investigate thoroughly enough, or it was very well hidden,¡± Arche said quietly. However, Hekkeran paid it no heed, and looked to the others for confirmation.

    ¡°Well, I think everyone understands.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Don¡¯t mention that in front of the other teams. After all, Workers sometimes get requests from Eight Fingers for smuggling. We won¡¯t shoot our mouths off if there¡¯s a chance any of the other teams might be involved with that group. At least, until we¡¯re done with this job.¡±

    ¡°Still, there¡¯s no telling how many people¡¯s tears went into our payment, and how dirty it is.¡±

    ¡°¡ªEven if the money¡¯s dirty, a payout is still a payout, and you can survive on it.¡±

    Roberdyck nced at Arche, then inhaled and exhaled deeply to cool himself down.

    ¡°¡ªMy apologies, I was being rude.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I almost said something rude myself. Please forgive me.¡±

    ¡°¡ªPlease don¡¯t worry about it, because you didn¡¯t actually say anything. I just wanted you to know that was how I thought about it. I¡¯m not looking for spiritual fullness, but material satisfaction. However... ¡° Arche quickly raised her hand, to indicate she was not done yet. ¡°I¡¯ve been doing my best to avoid doing things that harm mypanions, because I¡¯ve seen many people who destroyed themselves in pursuit of their desires.¡±

    ¡°I believe you, Arche.¡±

    Arche nodded, and nobody said anything to her. The message had been passed even without speaking. They had all argued with each other several times in the past, and they had long since built up a rtionship of mutual trust.

    ¡°So, what do you guys think? I feel that the tomb might be ruled by some kind of entity.¡±

    Hekkeran¡¯s eyes carefully studied the cut grass. That aside, the angel and goddess statues positioned all over the ce were very intricately carved, making onlookers gasp in awe. It was evident at a nce that they had been regrly maintained.

    In contrast, the trees standing everywhere around the graveyard were twisted and drooping, creating a gloomy atmosphere. There was no order in the way the tombstones were arranged, sticking up from the ground like the teeth of some ugly witch. They felt very out of ce in contrast to the cleaned portions.

    Someone was in charge of this ce. However, that someone was not a normal person, went the frightening conjecture which rose from the pit of his stomach.

    In order to banish the chill that ran through him, Hekkeran turned his attention to the huge building. There was a mausoleum in the north, south, east and west of the graveyard interior, and in the center was a magnificent mausoleum. Eight tall warrior statues were positioned around the great mausoleum. They radiated an oppressive feeling, as though they were intent on eliminating all threats and evildoers who came near the mausoleum.

    ¡°The vegetation in the graveyard¡¯s been neatly trimmed. There isn¡¯t even a trace of algae here, so someone must be taking good care of it. But what kind of person are they?¡±

    Indeed, each team ¡ª Tenbu aside ¡ª had felt something was amiss when they researched the records about the job.

    Looking around at the ce itself, what they saw was ins and more ins. It was singrly unsuited to building a tomb.

    For starters, one had to consider the convenience factor. Building such a luxurious tomb in such a deserted ce made no sense at all; it was far too inconvenient.

    It would be understandable if this was not to honor the dead, but to serve as a memorial to future generations. After all, people sometimes built monuments upon ces where great deeds took ce.

    However, in that case, the fact that this great aplishment had not been passed down in history felt entirely unnatural. All the teams had shared the information they had gathered, but there was no relevant data among it, which indicated that this ruin might have been erased from history.

    It all seemed highly irregr.

    There was a bizarre sensation, like something stuck in his throat, and it made him furrow his brows.

    ¡°Still, there might be a big incident depending on who¡¯s staying in the ruins. Have you checked up on that yet?¡±

    ¡°...I just hope they¡¯re not innocent people.¡±

    ¡°¡ªThe brains of the various teams put their heads together just now, and they said that the Guild doesn¡¯t know anything about ruins in this area. It¡¯s also far from the nearby viges, so it¡¯s not likely that there¡¯ll bemoners around. If there¡¯s anyone here, then they¡¯ll be illegal squatters ¡ª the kind who can¡¯t show their faces in public ¡ª or monsters. Since there¡¯s no traces of footprints exiting the ruins, what we came up with was that either the creatures inside don¡¯t need to eat or drink, or the interior of the ruins are self-sustaining. However, since we know too little, we¡¯re limited to stereotypes for further theorycrafting, which might lead to our thinking being constrained. That¡¯s where we left our consideration of the ruins.¡±

    Once people discovered a set of ruins, news about it would be disseminated to various government organizations through the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, and the first people to discover it would have investigation rights for a limited period. Under that arrangement, those people who discovered ruins which had been previously unknown to the nation or the Adventurer¡¯s Guild had unspoken permission to kill any illegal squatters upying the ruins.

    In that respect, they had adopted a policy of ¡°kill them on suspicion¡±.

    Perhaps this was a very brutal policy, but humans were weak creatures in this world. Therefore, beings of unknown provenance upying territory at the edge of humannds would be very troublesome.

    The fact was, roughly 20 years ago, there had been a group called Zuranon which upied a set of ruins, performed frightening experiments, and caused a major disaster. An entire city had been destroyed while everyone had sat back and watched due to ack of information.

    The Guild made that rule in order to prevent the same kind of mistakes from happening again.

    ¡°Ah, under normal circumstances, it¡¯d probably be the undead. If the undead really have taken over these ruins, then we¡¯ll need to clear them out and consecrate the ce to disperse the negative energy, else it¡¯ll be bad, right?¡±

    ¡°Like you said, it would be very bad. Leaving the undead be will only lead to the appearance of more powerful undead. That¡¯s why powerful undead often appear in ces like ruins and so on.¡±

    ¡°It would save a lot of trouble if they were just Golems tidying up the ruins on orders from their previous masters. Then, what do you n to do after this?¡±

    ¡°¡ªI think Hekkeran should attend the meeting in my ce.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, the other team leaders didn¡¯t take part either, right? This is called making full use of one¡¯s resources, mm.¡±

    Hekkeran winked at Arche, and she sighed with deliberate loudness.

    ¡°¡ªIn any case, all the teams will move in after dark. We¡¯ll enter from four directions at once and meet up at the central mausoleum.

    ¡°I see, because we¡¯ll be spotted more easily when entering in the day.¡±

    ¡°¡ªCorrect.¡±

    The surrounding terrain was open, and there were no signs of observers or travellers. Thus, entering directly was also a valid option, but they had to be on watch against unexpected situations. It was somewhat safer to move around in the dark.

    Besides, they might still be able to learn something if they continued observing the ruins, though they only had until nightfall. This job was under time constraints, but it would not hurt to spend some time here. That was probably what the smart people thought.

    Perhaps they really wanted to continue observing the ce for several more days.

    ¡°Still, can¡¯t we scout safely with [Invisibility]?¡±

    ¡°¡ªI¡¯d thought of that as well. However, since a troublesome situation might arise, it would be better to go in all at once, so at least we¡¯d be able to learn something.¡±

    Invisibility spells were not perfect; there were many ways to see through them. If the Workers approached with magic, and they were spotted by someone ¡ª by the tomb¡¯s sentries ¡ª it would raise their alertness level, and they might not be able to enter at all for the next few days.

    In order to avoid that, they opted for a n where everyone would go in together.

    Hekkeran understood that point and nodded. While there were still some holes in the n, this was the best bnce they could strike between risk and effectiveness.

    ¡°In that case, we¡¯ll be resting for now?¡±

    ¡°¡ªYes, Darkness and Screaming Whip will be in charge of security; but for safety¡¯s sake and to keep everyone on their toes, the various teams will be assigning sentries to keep an eye on things. We¡¯re going in order of arrival at the Count¡¯s estate and rotating every two hours.¡±

    ¡°I see, so we¡¯re thest, then.¡±

    ¡°¡ªYes, it¡¯ll be a while before it¡¯s our turn.¡±

    Saying so, Arche cricked her neck and worked her shoulders.

    ¡°Thanks for your hard work.¡±

    Arche nodded to Roberdyck.

    ¡°¡ªI¡¯m so tired. We spent so much time because that idiot wanted to just barge into the ruins. It took us a lot of time to talk him down. That man doesn¡¯t know the meaning of teamwork at all.¡±

    ¡°...Ah, that sword genius guy...¡±

    ¡°Just call him Goddamn Son-of-a-bitch.¡±

    Hekkeran smiled to Imina ¡ª whose murderous intent was steaming off her ¡ª and tried to change the topic.

    ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll be heading back to the campsite to slowly wait our turn.¡±

    ¡°I approve. I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll rain for a while, but we¡¯d best prepare just in case. Imina-san, it¡¯s your turn, so please try not to look so scary.¡±

    ¡°Fine. Ahhhh~ it just pisses me off! I want to stab him to death. I¡¯m pitching my tent away from them.¡±

    ¡°As long as you stay within the designated campgrounds.¡±

    It was not actually a good thing, but it was much better than pitching a tent nearby and then getting into a fight.

    The four of them turned their backs on the ruins and left the ins.

    ¡°¡ªStill, the more I think about it, the stranger it seems. No wonder the Count put out a request like this.¡±

    The group turned around as they heard Arche¡¯s voice, and saw her staring at the ruins.

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell the age or the background of these ruins at all. It¡¯s as though they just suddenly appeared in this era. It feels out of ce. Those carvings look just like the carvings in the region before the Demon Gods rampaged through this area, but those carvings had an eastern vor to them. And then there¡¯s these cross-shaped tombstones... no, I still don¡¯t get it.¡±

    As he listened to Arche¡¯s schrly dissertation, Hekkeran had to suppress the wicked smile on his face and he barely managed to hide the excitement in his heart.

    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that we might find some very interesting treasure there, then?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure there¡¯ll be some amazing treasure in there.¡±

    ¡°...Either that, or some very frightening undead.¡±

    ¡°¡ªUwah~ how scary~¡±

    ¡°¡ªThat¡¯s a horrible imitation, Hekkeran. It doesn¡¯t look like me at all. And you¡¯re trying to copy my voice too, that¡¯s just gross.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sorry about that.¡±

    ¡°Still... I¡¯m kind of looking forward to it.¡±

    ¡°Oh yes. Why does this tomb exist, and who was buried here? It piques my curiosity.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Exploring the unknown always gets me a little jumpy.¡±

    ¡°¡ªAnd money. I hope there¡¯s a lot of treasure.¡±

    Hekkeran looked at the smiling faces of hispanions, and satisfaction filled his heart. While everyone here had done dirty jobs for money, it was not of their own free will. In truth, everyone here preferred adventurer work.

    There was no telling if Arche would be able to continue adventuring with them once she had to start supporting her sisters. Once Arche left the team, it might take a while to find their next member, and even if they found one, they would have to take on easier jobs before they blended into the team.

    Perhaps this job, as thest one with their current members, was the best choice.

    In the future... maybe we can take adventuring jobs... like adventurers, no, it would be good if we could go explore the unknown together.

    Hekkeran looked to the heavens, at the sprawling, boundless sky.

    ***

    As sunset slowly shrouded the world, the Workers filed out of their cleverly-concealed low tents. As the ones charged with carrying out ndestine operations, it was time for them to work.

    The adventurers had already prepared a meal for them.

    They started by lighting several white bricks of solid fuel, then added charcoal to it. Since they had cast [Darkness] on the fire beforehand, there was no illumination which would otherwise have lit up the surroundings. [Darkness] only eliminated light; it did not extinguish mes. Then, they boiled the water from a Pouch of Infinite Water over the lightless, yet vigorous ze.

    They poured the boiled water into wooden bowls, and the travel rations within lost their shape, and a fragrant smell of soup steamed forth. That, along with hard bread, was what everyone ate.

    After that, it was up to personal preference.

    The bowls were filled with yellowish soup ¡ª the type which Workers liked, made to provide nutrition and to be stored for a long time. Some people would add thin slices of jerky to the soup, some sprinkled spices onto it, and others would simply consume it straight.

    Dinner was over with that bowl of soup. When one considered the amount of activity they would soon be performing, it seemed like a pitiful amount.

    However, eating too much would affect their uing work, At the same time, not eating enough was also dangerous, because there was no telling when they would be able to eat again.

    Their supply of emergency ration bars was also limited, because carrying too many would hinder movement. Apromise had to be made in this area.

    They handed the empty bowls to the adventurers, and then the Workers shouldered their pre-packed bags.

    Under the watchful eyes of the adventurers, the Workers set off in unison. The adventurers would be guarding this campsite, and they would not follow them to the ruins.

    To begin with, they circled around the base of the hill, and then dispersed around the ruins. They had already arranged tounch a re into the sky if they were attacked at this stage.

    Many people wore full te armor, whose cumbersome bulk and noise did not seem quite suitable for stealth operations, but that was only within the constraints of normal thinking. For those who could use magic to vitemon sense, it was a trivial matter.

    First, they cast [Silence]. This spell smothered all sounds within a certain distance, be it the nking of armor tes or that of running across the ground.

    After that was [Invisibility]. That spell made it difficult for observers to detect them with the naked eye.

    For safety¡¯s sake, they had a ranger in the air with [Invisibility], [Fly] and [Hawk Eye] cast on him to keep an eye on their surroundings. He was equipped with special arrows imbued with a paralysis effect to deal with any sudden situation that might develop.

    The group reached their destination under this doubleyer of protection.

    It was time for the main event.

    Their n was to ascend the slope, then drop down onto the ruins several meters below. Then, they would search the surface portion and then meet up at the central mausoleum. All this had to be done while the [Invisibility] spells were still in effect.

    That said, everyone had to move in sync in order to keep people from going off-script. However, it waste at night, and everyone was invisible, so it would be very difficult to verify each other¡¯s location.

    However, they had already taken that problem into consideration.

    Strange sticks, each about 30 centimeters long, suddenly appeared on the ground. The sticks floated into the air like someone was holding them, and after they were bent, they glowed dimly.

    These special sticks ¡ª glowsticks ¡ª could be bent, upon which the alchemical solutions within wouldbine and emit light. The reason why they had been dropped to the ground was because [Invisibility] also affected everything the subject of the spell was carrying. In order to keep an item visible, it had to be removed from the subject¡¯s person.

    The light shook back and forth a few times, and then the sticks broke, having served their purpose.They then poured glowing alchemical solution onto the ground and covered it up with dirt, neatly concealing it.

    In this way, they learned that things were going smoothly for the Workers everywhere, and that they were waiting for the next stage of the n.

    While they could not see each other due to the distance, four ropes were simultaneously lowered to the surface of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. This was climbing rope, and it had knots tied at regr intervals along its length.

    The ends of the rope were tied to iron pitons sunk into the rock, and they creaked as they swayed.

    If anyone present could see through invisibility, they would be able to see a group of people descending the ropes.

    This much was nothing even for someone like Arche, who had focused on honing her magical prowess over her physical body and had not learned much in the way of athletic skills, Or rather, it would be better to say that both Workers and adventurers needed at least that much physical training.

    The training and the knots were put to good use as each Worker descended without a problem,nding within the tomb grounds.

    The first destination of each infiltration team was one of the four smaller mausoleums in each direction.

    Now that the effective duration of [Invisibility] was over, everyone came into view again. Each team ran towards their respective mausoleum.

    They were crouched low, concealing themselves with tombstones, trees or statues, running through the darkened graveyard. During this time, the [Silence] spell was still in effect, so they did not make any noise, and even the warriors in full te ran with all their might while seeking cover. Their movements were swift and fluid, like shadows racing across thend.

    ***

    Heavy Masher¡¯s leader Gringam slowly approached the mausoleum, and his eyes went wide.

    That was because the mausoleum was grander than he had imagined.

    While it was one of the smaller directional mausoleums, that was only inparison to the huge central mausoleum. At a closer look, the structure was so impressive that its incredible grandeur made the breath catch in his throat.

    The white stone walls gleamed like they had been ned t. Many years should have passed since it had been built, yet there was no trace of weathering or stains from the wind and the rain.

    A massive steel door stood atop a flight of three steps made from single bs of rock. The door itself was polished and free of rust, and glinted with a dark, metallic light.

    Just seeing this structure was enough to tell them how well it had been maintained.

    ¡ªIn other words, the tomb was definitely upied.

    As Gringam reached that conclusion, the thief among hispanions stepped forward, and began inspecting the steps.

    Gringam saw the thief gesture to him ¡ª because of the [Silence] spell ¡ª to move away from him, and so he slowly backed off. This was to avoid being caught in an area-effect trap.

    The thief checked very carefully. It was somewhat frustrating, but it could not be helped.

    Apparently, people¡¯s souls resided in their bodies, and when the body started to decay, the soul would be summoned to the side of the gods. That was why the dead were essentially buried in graveyards right away ¡ª in the embrace of the earth ¡ª but this was different for certain nobles and those in power.

    If one buried the body right away, verifying the decay of the body would require an exhumation of the grave. Therefore, in order to personally verify the decay of the deceased, these powerful people would not be buried immediately after death, but left in state for a while. However, nobody would choose to put their corpses in their own homes.

    Instead, they would choose to have their bodies stored in the mausoleums of the graveyards. The corpse would be ced there for a period of time, and once the decay began, the priests would bear witness to the fact that the soul had, in fact, departed the body to be with the gods.

    The bodies in question would be ced within amunal space within the mausoleum. There would be several stone bs within a wide-open space and the corpses would beid out on the bs. The sight of rotting cadaversid out in a row ought to have been a gruesome sight, but within this world¡¯s frame of reference, it was an exceedingly normal sight.

    However, if one were as wealthy and powerful as a Great Noble, things would once again be slightly different. They would not use amunal mausoleum, but an ancestral tomb. People believed that these were temporary resting ces for the mighty to abide before they were summoned before the spirits of their family, and so being able to possess a family mausoleum was a symbol of power.

    It was not at all unusual to decorate mausoleums with furniture or jewellery. In other words, mausoleums were essentially treasure troves for thieves. Therefore, these ces were typically fortified with lethal traps and the like to ward off intruders.

    Therefore, such a magnificent mausoleum must surely beced with even more dangerous traps

    After checking the steps, the thief began inspecting the door, and then suddenly, the sounds around them returned to normal.

    The duration of the [Silence] had expired, perhaps just in time. The thief quietly crept towards the door, and began checking again. In the end, he rested something like a cup against the door, and tried listening to what was beyond it.

    After several seconds, the thief turned to Gringam andpany and shook his head.

    In other words: ¡°there¡¯s nothing¡±.

    The thief himself was quite surprised, and tilted his neck several times.

    The door was not even locked, which defied understanding, but since the thief had not found anything, it would be the frontliner¡¯s turn after this.

    Gringam stepped up, and reached out to push the door which the thief had already oiled. The warrior behind him braced his shield as well.

    With a forceful shove, the heavy door began moving. Perhaps it was the oil, or because the people in charge of this ce had been very meticulous in their work, but the door slid open smoothly despite its massive weight.

    The warrior standing by moved between the freshly-opened door and Gringam, bracing his shield forward, so Gringam would not be hit by an attack or trap.

    No arrows or the like flew at him. The metal door was nowpletely open, and a vacuous darkness appeared before the members of Heavy Masher.

    ¡°[Continual Light].¡±

    The staff which the arcane magic caster was holding glowed with magical light. Through its variable, controble illumination, they had a clear view of the mauseoleum¡¯s interior. The magic caster incanted another spell, and the warrior¡¯s weapon glowed as well.

    The twin sources of light illuminated what looked like a chamber belonging to a member of royalty.

    In the middle of the room was what looked like a religious altar, upon which was ced a white stone sarcophagus. Said sarcophagus was over 2.5 meters long and it was inscribed with delicate patterns. In the four corners of the room were white statues of warriors in armor and carrying swords and shields.

    And also¡ª

    ¡°¡ªHm, does anyone know anything about that emblem?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve never seen anything like that before.¡±

    A g hung from the wall. It had a strange crest stitched on it in thread-of-gold. The thief and the magic caster knew most of the heraldry used by the surrounding nations, so if they did not recall this particr crest, then it probably did not belong to the Kingdom¡¯s royalty.

    ¡°Could it be an emblem from nobles before the Kingdom was founded?¡±

    ¡°Thou meanst this is a relic from over two centuries ago?¡±

    Many countries had been destroyed by the Demon Gods 200 years ago, and so there were surprisingly few nations around here whose historysted beyond 200 years. The Kingdom, the Holy Kingdom, the Council Alliance and the Empire had all been founded within the past 200 years.

    ¡°If that¡¯s really the case, then what exactly is this g made of, to remain in the same beautiful shape despite its age?¡±

    ¡°Maybe someone used preservation magic on it, or someone used magic to repair the aged portions.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Say, leader, you don¡¯t need to talk in that weird way any more. We¡¯re the only ones here now.¡±

    ¡°Umu...¡±

    Gringam¡¯s eyebrows bent to a dangerous angle, and then his face promptly broke into a smile.

    ¡°Ahhhhh, what a pain, thou this and meanst that, it¡¯s all so stupid.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for your hard work. Still, he¡¯s right; when it¡¯s just us, you can speak normally.¡±

    ¡°No, I can¡¯t! Speaking stiffly and formally like that makes me sound more like a great Worker. And besides, changing the way I speak here and there is a pain in the ass, so I always speak like that on the job. That¡¯s one of my principles; you know that, right?¡±

    Gringam answered hispanions¡¯ bitter smiles with a wry grin of his own.

    Gringam had originally been the third son of a farmer in the Kingdom.

    If farmers evenly divided their fields between each and every one of his child over the generations, then the fields would shrink, which in turn would cause the crop yield to dwindle until the family line ended. Therefore, as the saying went, ¡°dividing the fields¡± became synonymous with ¡°foolishness¡±. Because of that, the fields of a farming family typically went to the eldest son, while the second son could choose to help with the housework and the fields, but the third son would be nothing but a waste of space. Therefore they typically chose to leave their homes and eke out a living in the city.

    It was true that Gringam was blessed with exceptional physical abilities and friends, with which he had made a name for himself. However, he had originally been a farmer, and he was a second-rate piece of insurance to ensure the family line continued at that, so he had no education. He could neither read nor write, and he did not understand etiquette.

    It was true that Workers needed the strength toplete their jobs, and not education. However, there would be problems if he, as their leader, was ignorant.

    He did his best to study, but his mind was not as capable as his body, and he messed everything up. Even so, the reason why he had not been removed from his position as leader was because hisrades approved of his performance, academic abilities aside. In order not to disgrace these friends of his, Gringam had chosen to speak in a weird way.

    This would let their clients feel, ¡°He¡¯s advertising for his team, so there¡¯s nothing strange about him talking in a funny way.¡±

    The fact was that peopleughed at him for speaking in that way. However, it was far better than letting others say, ¡°A team led by a clueless farmboy won¡¯t amount to much.¡±

    ¡°Very well, we have tarried sufficiently. Let us be off, gentlemen.¡±

    Nobody objected to Gringam¡¯s deration, and so they continued onward.

    At their head was the thief, who carefully entered the mausoleum and searched the interior.

    The other team members wedged stout iron bars into the gaps of the door. That way, no matter what kind of traps they sprang, the door would not closepletely. After that, they half-closed the doors to prevent light from escaping the interior. While the thief carefully inspected the inside of the mauseleum, Gringam and the others kept a close eye on their surroundings, taking pains not to ck off. While it was necessary, they had still made light. Someone might have spotted it.

    As Gringam hunkered down to watch the surroundings outside, the thief had already reached the bottom of the g. After carefully examining the g, he made up his mind to touch it, and in the instant he did, he immediately shrank away from it.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay for now, soe in, everyone.¡±

    The thief looked back, and after seeing that Gringam andpany had entered the mausoleum, he pointed to the g.

    ¡°...This ought to be worth a pretty penny; it¡¯s been woven from threads of precious metal.¡±

    ¡°Whhaaaaaat?! Threads of precious metal? Are they mad, to hang such a thing here?¡±

    Everyone eximed in surprise. Then, they rushed to the base of the g and took turns to feel it up. The cold sensation was undoubtedly that of metal.

    From the way it gleamed, the thief was probably correct. A g of that size ought to be very heavy, and after factoring its artistic worth, it must be worth a fortune.

    ¡°It would seem our client¡¯s bet paid off. While he has not yet made back the payment to us... no, to our four teams, there must surely be much treasure in a ce like this.¡±

    ¡°Are we going to take it with us?¡±

    Gringam replied to the thief:

    ¡°T¡¯would be too bulky, and most weighty. We shall collect itter. Does anyone disagree?¡±

    ¡°Nope, carrying this around really would weigh us down. Also, I¡¯ve searched this ce; there¡¯s no traps here, or secret doors.¡±

    ¡°...Then, I shall leave it to thee.¡±

    Gringam nodded to the arcane magic caster ¡ª the wizard ¡ª and his colleague cast a spell in response.

    ¡°[Detect Magic] ¡ª I can¡¯t sense any magical mechanisms around, unless they¡¯re hidden by concealing spells.¡±

    ¡°...Then there is nothing else to inspect. Let us continue with our prime directive.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s eyes went to the sarcophagus in the center of the room.

    The thief spent a long time inspecting it, and judged that there were no traps.

    Gringam and the warrior nodded to each other, and then they pushed open the lid of the sarcophagus. The lid was massive, and they thought that it would be equally heavy, but it was much lighter than they expected. The two of them put their backs into pushing it and nearly lost their bnce.

    After pushing open the sarcophagus lid, the contents reflected the light and emitted a blinding, sparkling radiance.

    There were ornaments and jewellery of gold and silver and various gemstones. There were over a hundred gold coins within the sarcophagus at a nce.

    While he had expected something like this when they saw the g, Gringam could not help but break into a smile as he saw all this. The thief carefully examined the interior, then reached into the sarcophagus and took out a piece of gleaming treasure ¡ª a gold ne.

    It was a breathtakingly beautiful marvel of craftsmanship. At a nce, the gold ne looked like an ordinary ne, but the chains were each carved with exquisite inscriptions.

    ¡°...It¡¯s worth at least a hundred gold coins. You¡¯d be able to get 150 for it no problem, no matter where you sold it.¡±

    Everyone reacted differently when they heard the results of the thief¡¯s appraisal. Some of them whistled, some smiled so widely they could not close their mouths. What they all had inmon was that their eyes were filled with the mes of delight and desire.

    ¡°We already arranged to get half of this, so at the very least, we¡¯ve already made 50 coins. 10 per person. What a score!¡±

    ¡°Looks like... these ruins might end up being a treasure trove after all.¡±

    ¡°Marvellous! This is just amazing!¡±

    ¡°Exactly, but leaving all that treasure here is too much of a waste. We should make good use of it.¡±

    As he said this, the wizard reached into the pile of treasure and took out a ring socketed with a massive ruby, which he kissed.

    ¡°It¡¯s huge.¡±

    The priest reached into the sarcophagus and pulled back a fistful of gold coins, which he slowly let slip between his fingers.

    The coins clinked against each other with a clear, crisp sound.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen gold coins like these before. Which era and which country did theye from?¡±

    The thief nicked one of the coins with a knife, and said in a voice filled with emotion:

    ¡°These gold coins are really high quality. They¡¯re twice the weight of the standard trading coin, and you could probably get even more just from their artistic value alone.

    ¡°This really is... ku... kukuku...¡±

    The group could not control themselves and broke into quietughter. Just their share of this treasure alone would be a startling sum.

    ¡°You lot, thank the gods for your good forter. Let us take this treasure with us and discover the true trove. If we tarry, we shall not have a share of it.¡±

    ¡ªAlright!¡±

    Gringam¡¯s words were met with boisterous approval. Their voices were filled with excitement and passion.

    Part 4

    They were at the central mausoleum. It was surrounded by statues of gigantic warriors and knights which looked like they were protecting their liege lord. They were so realistic that they looked like they might move at any moment. Hekkeran was hidden by the foot of one of the warrior statues, keeping a close eye on one of the four smaller mausoleums.

    After some time, Hekkeran noticed five people running over at top speed from one of the mausoleums. He continued hiding, inspecting the running people for any abnormalities, and also whether anyone was observing them. After that, once he had confirmed that the running people were fine, Hekkeran finally breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

    He leaned out from behind the statue and shed a signal. Gringam ¡ª who was running at the head of his group ¡ª noticed it and ran toward Hekkeran.

    ¡°Gringam, what took you so long?¡±

    ¡°My sincerest apologies; it seems I have kept thee waiting.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like we arranged a meeting time, so it¡¯s fine. That aside, let¡¯s move to a different ce and decide what we¡¯ll do next.¡±

    Hekkeran lowered his stance, leading the way even as he kept an eye on his surroundings.

    Shortly after they began moving, Gringam asked:

    ¡°A question, if I might; has thy team discovered treasure?¡±

    After hearing the barely-concealed excitement in Gringam¡¯s voice, Hekkeran recalled the way his own team had been, and smiled to him in satisfaction.

    ¡°Oh yes, we did. We were all smiles. The old man said so too.¡±

    ¡°So that was thy experience as well? Truly, we did well bying to this tomb.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, we should properly thank whichever big shot was buried here.¡±

    ¡°Mm. That said, after discovering so much treasure, we might have to prepare ourselves for the possibility that the main tomb will be barren.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m willing to bet that there¡¯ll be more treasure.¡±

    ¡°Thy words... how much dare you wager?¡±

    ¡°Not bad. Not only can I find more in the tomb, but I can make a tidy sum off you as well, wonderful. However, the problem is that you and I might bet on the same thing.¡±

    Neither of themughed out loud, simply smiled broadly.

    ¡°Indubitably. Speaking of which, this one has a question to ask of thee; what is that?¡±

    Before Gringam¡¯s eyes was a massive statue, which had something which looked like a lonely stone que by its feet.

    ¡°You mean that?¡±

    Hekkeran told the results of their investigations as they continued walking. The other three teams had seen the characters on the b, but nobody understood it. He had the faint hope that Gringam might be able to make sense of it.

    ¡°It seems to be a stone que with symbols that look likenguage inscribed on it.¡±

    ¡°Thou say¡¯st the word ¡®like¡¯ in a vague sense...?¡±

    ¡°Nobody understands thatnguage. It¡¯s not from the Kingdom or the Empire¡¯snguage, and neither does it seem to be any of the oldnguages from around here. It might not even be a humannguage. However, we did understand the number 2.0.¡±

    ¡°A number? Logically speaking, that ought to be the date when the mausoleum was built. But in that case, it would be far too small a number.¡±

    ¡°Arche said it might be a riddle linked to these ruins... ah, in any case, just keep it in mind.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, I shall certainly do so.¡±

    After passing the huge statue, they ascended a long, gently sloping flight of stairs that seemed to be made of the same material as the stone sarcophagus, and the entrance to the central mausoleum stretched before them.

    ¡°¡®Tis the stench of the dead.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. It¡¯s amon smell on the Katze ins.¡±

    Hekkeran expressed his agreement with Gringam¡¯s muttering.

    While it was not as nauseating as the vile odour of decay, the faint stench of undeath unique to graveyards hung in the cold air.

    There were undead present in such a well-kept tomb

    The group prepared themselves as they stepped into the mausoleum. Before them was a great hall. Countless mortuary bs of stone lined either side of the hall, and opposite them was a staircase leading down. The door leading downstairs was wide open. A strangely chilling gust of ice-cold air flowed out from behind it.

    ¡°This way.¡±

    Led by Hekkeran, Gringam¡¯s group descended the stairs.

    A burial vaulty at the foot of the stairs, with a set of doors straight ahead. It seemed to be the only one around.

    While it was more cramped than the room above ¡ª the mausoleum ¡ª it was wide enough. Hekkeran¡¯spanions in Foresight, Eruya¡¯s Tenbu and Palpatra¡¯s group were all here.

    ¡°Now then, what shall we do next? The original n was to split up here and investigate the interior, but after inspecting the mausoleums, do you have any other ideas?¡±

    After saying so, Hekkeran looked around at everyone else.

    It did not feel like anyone wanted to propose anything new. Was it desire, or just a simple trick of the light? He could not be sure what that glow in everyone¡¯s eyes was. Their faces were filled with excitement as they longed to rush into the depths of the tomb.

    ¡°In that case, I have a suggestion. We¡¯ll sweep the outside in a circle to check for hidden doors.¡±

    The team leader might have spoken, but the team members did not look happy at it.

    After all, they had all seen the glittering prizes just now. Even if that opinion came from their veteran leader, it was very hard for them to go along with it. Surely, they must have imagined the treasure fleeing before their very eyes.

    ¡°How about it? We¡¯ve checked the surface, but we can¡¯t say we checked it very thoroughly. There might be other routes hidden beneath the mausoleums, don¡¯t you think? Besides, we haven¡¯t checked the graveyard, have we?¡±

    ¡°I believe what the revered elder is trying to say is that ording to the songs of the bards about the great ruins ¡ª that is to say, the Ruins of Sasashal ¡ª there was a safe passage near the entrance which could take everyone straight to the heart of the area.¡±

    ¡°Ah, Gringam. We¡¯ve checked already, but unfortunately there aren¡¯t any secret doors in this room.¡±

    ¡°Precisely. We¡¯re willing to take one for the team, so in exchange, we hope you¡¯ll give us a share of the treasures you find on this level. How about 10% from each other team? Also, if you find another level below, can we ask for the right to go in and look first?¡±

    ¡°I have no objections to that proposal.¡±

    The first to reply was Gringam. Shortly after that, Hekkeran also expressed his agreement.

    ¡°Alright, it seems nobody objects! By the way, how about you, Uzruth?¡±

    ¡°Personally, I object very much, but it¡¯s only 10%, hardly a big deal.¡±

    The old manughed merrily at Eruya¡¯s barbed reply. It was Eruya who was displeased by having his acidic wordspletely disregarded.

    ¡°Ah, old sir. In that case, we have a request for you. We found a huge g woven of precious metal threads in the mausoleum we investigated. We didn¡¯t bring it along because it was too bulky. Can we trouble you to help us bring it back?¡±

    ¡°I concur with Hekkeran¡¯s opinion. Though it shames me to trouble thee, I would be d if thou couldst help us recover ours as well.¡±

    ¡°Since it¡¯s that way, we¡¯ll leave ours to you as well.¡±

    Eruya jerked his chin at one of the Elves, and the skinny girl shakily unloaded arge piece of cloth she was carrying on her back andid it on the ground

    ¡°Understood. Is there anything else you wish to leave behind, or which you want us to take away?¡±

    Nobody answered Palpatra¡¯s question.

    ¡°Alright! Then, we¡¯ll follow the suggestion just now and investigate the surface. You lot need to be careful too. However, if you find any valuables, feel free to leave them for us.¡±

    ¡°Haha, revered elder. dly will we leave the monsters to thee, but regretfully, we will not leave so much as a single coin of treasure behind.¡±

    The group chuckled, and then Hekkeran asked everyone: ¡°Then, shall we move out?¡±

    The group epted that suggestion immediately, and so they went forth. Their eyes gleamed with desire and expectation as they took their first step into the unknown ruins ¡ª the underground tomb.

    After opening the door in the room, a passage led straight into the depths. Perhaps they should have expected this, but the passage was very clean.

    This was a passage of stone with no mildew or algae growing on it. There were alcoves on either side, each filled with human-sized objects wrapped in funerary shrouds. There was none of the stench that was unique to corpses. There was just the cold, clear air, as well as a smell like that of the dead.

    There were white lights spaced along the ceiling at regr intervals, but due to the great distance between them, there were still a lot of shadowy corners along the passage. While it did not affect their travels, the dimly-litmplight made them wonder if they had missed something. Moving without preparing illumination seemed quite dangerous.

    ¡°Rober, is there an undead reaction from that body?¡±

    ¡°No, none at all.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Arche replied, and then walked over to a wrapped corpse, slicing the shroud open with a dagger. After seeing her actions, two of the men from the group stepped forward to help expose the cadaver underneath the shrouds.

    ¡°Judging by the height and physique, it¡¯s most likely human. And a grown male.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not wearing clothes, so we can¡¯t tell which era the ruins came from.¡±

    ¡°Still, these ruins really are a mystery. We can¡¯t tell its age from its architecture or the burial styles. For all we know, these ruins might be from over 600 years ago.¡±

    ¡°¡ªIf that were really the case, then this would be a historic find.¡±

    Perhaps that topic might have been interesting to an academic, but they were here to work.

    As Hekkeran and Gringam stared icily at them, the three quickly added: ¡°These ruins¡¯ date of construction and background are still a mystery, after all.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Can we move on now? I want to kill monsters.¡±

    The somewhat displeased Eruya expressed his agreement with Hekkeran and Gringam, and the group continued forward again. However, they stopped again after taking a few steps.

    Everyone drew their weapons, steeling themselves forbat.

    The sound of bones rattling came from ahead of them.

    They could see undead creatures running at them from ahead under the illumination of the ceiling lights.

    As the distance between them shrank and they saw what they were up against, amotion rose from the shocked Workers, as though they had seen something they did not dare believe.

    ¡°Ohe on, are you kidding me...¡±

    ¡°Oi, oi, seriously...?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Are those really Skeletons?¡±

    The moment someone mentioned the names of those monsters, theirughter exploded forth uncontrobly to fill the entire passageway.

    ¡°Oi oi oi oi! No matter how you look at it, Skeletons just won¡¯t be enough, right? There¡¯s all of us over here!¡±

    Skeleton-type monsters did not vary too much in appearance, and sometimes, one might not be able to tell them apart at a nce.

    However, judging by the impression they gave, the Workers were certain that these were just ordinary Skeletons.

    ¡°If this is supposed to be a recon in force, then they ought to be sending stronger monsters ¡ª I¡¯ve got it! Either nobody¡¯s in charge of these ruins, or the opposition can¡¯t gauge our strength, or they¡¯re stupid enough that they haven¡¯t discovered the intruders yet!¡±

    Everyone¡¯sughter continued.

    ¡°No, Skeletons are just too far-fetched. For all we know, the treasures of these ruins are only in the mausoleums above.¡±

    ¡°That would be terrible.¡±

    Skeletons were far too weak inparison to these Workers, who wereparable to mithril-ranked adventurers. In addition, they were fewer in number than the Workers, so they had no idea what the opposition was thinking.

    Faced with the six Skeletons blocking their path, everyone looked at each other, not knowing who should go first.

    ¡°Count me out.¡±

    Eruya clearly stated his opinion, and everyone could understand how he felt.

    ¡°Then I shall go.¡±

    After that, Gringam strode forward.

    There was no telling what was going through the Skeletons¡¯ empty heads. Did they think the lone warrior had been cast out of his group? Or something else?

    The Skeletons attacked at once, and then¡ª

    His cleaving axe and shield easily smashed them to bits.

    It had only taken the space of a few seconds. No, in fact it had been even less than that.

    After shattering the six Skeletons and treading their remains underfoot, Gringam sighed tiredly. It was nto because he had been fatigued by battle, but because he was very disappointed by the fact that aftering to these unexplored ruins which were a Worker¡¯s dream, the very first battle which was supposed to add color and vor to this adventure had turned out to be against Skeletons, the lowest-ranking of the undead. He found it quite sad.

    ¡°Pathetic, Skeletons are just Skeletons, after all. That said, don¡¯t get careless. Consider that more powerful undead might show up, and advance while staying alert!¡±

    Everyone¡¯s lips drew tight as they heard Gringam¡¯s words. They advanced, deeper into the ruins, their hearts filled with expectation for the mountain of treasure that awaited them.

    ***

    ¡°Good grief, they¡¯re gone.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re all gone. They might be Workers, but we did break bread with them, and they¡¯re ourrades for this job. I hope they¡¯lle back safely... what do you think, Momon-san?¡±

    ¡°¡ªThat they¡¯re all going to die?¡±

    Ainz answered in gloomy tones, and the leader of the adventurers who had questioned him froze up.

    Crap. I said what was in my heart...

    ¡°Er, no, what I meant was that we should be mentally prepared for that oue. These are previously undiscovered, and there¡¯s no telling what dangers are waiting for them inside. Being too optimistic is harmful.¡±

    ¡°I see, so that¡¯s what you meant... thanks for your concern.¡±

    ...I thought I was being pretty stiff, did that actually pass muster? I feel pretty good about this.

    The leader was probably nodding non-stop because those words were spoken by an adamantite-ranked man, so he was blindly thinking the best of him.

    It would seem that Ainz¡¯s efforts ¡ª he had been as friendly and approachable as possible during their journey to Nazarick ¡ª had borne fruit, given their favorable attitude towards him.

    ¡°Then, in keeping with the n, I will go rest first.¡±

    Ainz headed for his ¡ª naturally, he shared it with Narberal ¡ª tent. Since it was some distance away from the other tents, he knew some people had been spreading rumors that it was because he did not want certain... sounds to be heard by others. In fact,, the adventurers¡¯ leader had told him that just now.

    Compared to the Workers, the leader seemed to want to be closer to Momon, who was a fellow adventurer, which was why he had told him what he had heard from the Workers.

    Ainz and Narberal entered the tent together and closed the p, and then just in case, they checked around outside. Nobody seemed to be paying attention to them; in fact, they seemed to be deliberately trying not to stare at Ainz.

    ¡°...While people call this a love nest, I guess I was right to not deny it right away. That way, they won¡¯t be suspicious of why we pitched our tent so far away, and they won¡¯t pay undue attention to us ore near this ce.¡±

    He might have lost some things, but he had gained much more in return.

    Ainz took off his helmet, exposing his skeletal face.

    ¡°Now then, Nabe... no, Narberal, I will be returning to Nazarick. I n to have Pandora¡¯s Actor take my ce; if anything happens before that, think of a clever way to deal with it.¡±

    ¡°Understood, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Mm. If anything happens, contact me immediately. I¡¯ll leave that to you.¡±

    Ainz dismissed his magically-created armor and swords. The weight of the helmet in his hands vanished as well.

    He did not feel tired, but after being liberated from the full-body bindings of his armor, he could not help but sigh contentedly. He rotated his shoulders ¡ª which did not ache ¡ª as a remnant of his human personality.

    ¡°...Good grief.¡±

    He felt that the lingering shreds of his human feelings were an impediment to him.

    If he could calmly deal with all his problems, perhaps his present circumstances would be different. But if he did not have the remnants of his humanity with him, would he still cherish the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick? Perhaps his thoughts as the human being Suzuki Satoru and his fond memories of his friends would have vanished with it.

    Ainz smiled bitterly as he cast a spell. There was no part of his mind that still pondered the question of his humanity. Ainz was not a great enough person to worry about two or three problems at the same time and what he should do about them. He ought to be focusing on the task at hand and discarding everything else.

    The spell he cast was [Greater Teleportation]

    Because he was wearing the Ring, Ainz bypassed the barrier deployed over Nazarick and arrived immediately at the chamber before the Throne Room.

    ¡°Wee home, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Right after that, a melodious female voice greeted him.

    ¡°I¡¯ve returned, Albedo.¡±

    The deeply-bowed woman raised her head, and a smile like a flower blooming spread across her ravishing features.

    Uhhhh...

    As he saw the look of loving adoration in her eyes, Ainz felt itchy all over and he wanted to roll around on the ground. However, he could not act in a way which did not fit Ainz Ooal Gown, sovereign of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.

    In order to suppress the weak, lingering emotions within himself, Ainz deliberately coughed, something that his skeletal body should not have required.

    ¡°If all is proceeding ording to n, the invaders should being soon. No, perhaps they have already arrived. Have the wee preparations been made?¡±

    ¡°They are wless. I am certain we will be able to entertain our guests.¡±

    ¡°Is that so... Albedo, I look forward to the reception you have prepared.¡±

    Ainz entered the heart of Nazarick; the Throne Room. Albedo was a step behind him, but soon caught up.

    Ainz had given Albedo an order concerning the intruders this time round. He had expressed the desire to observe the performance of the defenses she had erected under live battle conditions.

    In the past, his friends had decided where the POP monsters would spawn in Nazarick and where to station the monsters. His friends¡¯ arrangements were wless. But now that the situation had changed, there was no guarantee that there might not be a better way.

    In that case, one could say that re-evaluating the security arrangements was a pressing necessity. Therefore, he wanted to take this opportunity to observe it for himself.

    ¡°...The intruders are very weak, so obviously it will be impossible to use them to verify all the systems. Still, I hope we will learn something from this operation.¡±

    ¡°Understood. I guarantee I will meet your expectations, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Very good. Also, as you know, spraying poison gas on the enemy before the undead charge them and other currency-utilizing traps are to be strenuously avoided. I hope you will stick to traps that involve the POP monsters. Will that be alright?¡±

    Ainz nodded as he saw Albedo¡¯s smile.

    ¡°Really now? Then I shall stay here and enjoy the show. Right, where are the other Floor Guardians?¡±

    ¡°I ordered everyone to gather upon your return. They will enter as they arrive. Is that eptable?¡±

    ¡°I shall allow it. After all, it is more amusing when more people are gathered.¡±

    As Ainz slowly sat down upon the throne, several television monitor-like objects appeared before him. The monitors showed scenes from within Nazarick; or in other words, the scenes which their controller Albedo wanted Ainz to see.

    This should have been the result of Albedo¡¯s tinkering with the defensework, but Ainz was not quite sure what had been changed.

    ...In order for this training exercise to be fruitful, I need to learn something from these images. Otherwise, things will go badly when the exercise is concluded and we swap opinions.

    Ainz was the supreme ruler of Nazarick. Such a highly-ced man could not im ignorance of the defensive systems to his own subordinates.

    ¡°Then, just in case, I¡¯d like to confirm that Ariadne won¡¯t activate, will it?¡±

    He opened the control console and saw that all was well, but he still could not help asking.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. However, I have a question for you, Ainz-sama. If the intruders block up the entrance, will Ariadne activate?

    Ainz recalled Q&As he had seen before in YGGDRASIL. Or no, had it been exined in a patch?

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so... I remember it shouldn¡¯t... I think.¡±

    It had been that way in YGGDRASIL, but nobody could guarantee that it would still be that way in this world. Besides, they could not be sure if the Ariadne system even existed.

    ¡°Then what if there was some sort of man-made maniption? What would happen?¡±

    ¡°It might not activate, but after thinking about the losses we¡¯ll take if it does, I¡¯d rather not take that risk.

    The Ariadne system.

    This was one of the checking mechanisms involved in the YGGDRASIL base creation system.

    The simplest way to make an impregnable fortress was to simply block up all the entrances so nobody could get in. For arge underground tomb like Nazarick, simply burying it underground would suffice. However, that was intolerable from a gamey perspective.

    The Ariadne system was used to monitor them in order to keep yers from building a base like that, which was difficult to invade.

    The system specifications required that there be a continuous path from the entrance to the heart of the dungeon. That aside, the Ariadne system would also measure the distance travelled within the dungeon, the number of doors one had to pass through, and many other categories, all in exacting detail.

    Once a dungeon which vited these requirements was uploaded to YGGDRASIL, a penalty would be levied and a great deal of funds would be deducted from the guild coffers.

    For Nazarick, the 5th and 6th Floors had solved all these problems ¡ª that, and the help of a great deal of cash items had helped them sustain such arge dungeon.

    One of the monitors which Ainz was controlling showed an image of the Workers.

    ¡°Cheh! Alright, they¡¯ve finally entered. I was getting tired of waiting.¡±

    Ainz was deeply displeased to see these lowlives enter the fortress he had built with hisrades, staining it with their filthy feet. Therefore, the surge of emotion within him exceeded the cutoff point, and he was immediately calmed down. Even so, it could not fully bank the mes of his aggravation.

    ¡°Albedo, not a single one of them is to escape intact, do you understand?¡±

    ¡°But of course. Please enjoy the fate that will befall these foolish thieves who dare profane the sanctuary of the Supreme Beings. Also... I believe you said earlier that you wantedb rats to test your swordsmanship with. Which lot shall we use?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s right. I¡¯ve sparred with the old man before, I¡¯ve practiced with that man on the road, and this team isn¡¯t suitable for practice. By process of elimination, it has to be them.¡±

    Ainz shifted the monitor so Albedo could see, and pointed to a group of people.

 Chapter 51 - Volume 7

    <h4>Overlord Volume 7 Chapter 3</h4>

    <b>Chapter 3: The Large Tomb</b>

    (Re)Tranted by: Nigel

    Proofreader/Editor: Deus Ex Machina

    <b>Part 1</b>

    The Worker team led by ¡°Green Leaf¡± Palpatra bade farewell to the others Ò» who were driven by anticipation and desire Ò» and then looked down upon the outside from the stairs leading to the central mausoleum¡¯s entrance.

    Nothing stirred under their eyes as they swept them across the silent graveyard. The only things there were silence, darkness and starlight. As Palpatra took a step towards the stairs, hispanions said:

    ¡°Gramps, don¡¯t you think this is a bit of a shame? We should have let the other teams search the graveyard, no?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. Every team... well, that piece of shit team aside, the others have roughly the same abilities. Anything we can do, Heavy Masher or Foresight can do too.¡±

    ¡°In that case...¡±

    Palpatra interrupted hispanion halfway through his words and said:

    ¡°But we have priority searching rights for tomorrow, so we aren¡¯t losing out on anything. Besides, we ought to have finished the surface investigation by then, and if they¡¯re unlucky, thest team might not be able to find anything, and they might even be posted to guard the base camp.¡±

    ¡°I see...¡±

    ¡°Besides, going first into a mysterious set of ruins is far too dangerous. They¡¯re like mining canaries for us, though hopefully they¡¯lle back alive.¡±

    Palpatra turned back, a cold look in his eyes. The Workers who had charged into the ruins had disappeared in the direction he was looking.

    There was a hint of disdain on his face,pletely unlike the benign old man who was called ¡°gramps¡± by others. However, his teammates knew him well, and they were not rmed.

    Palpatra had a very meticulous personality. He was a man who thought and thought again, the kind who would tap a stone bridge to test it before crossing. That was why he had been able to adventure on the frontlines for so long and y a Dragon. On the other hand, his excessively nitpicky personality meant that he had missed several chances for gain. However, he had never once lost any of hispanions, and so everyone on his team trusted him.

    To just about anyone, nothing was more valuable than one¡¯s life. Even so, they could not help but envy the treasure that had slipped through their fingers.

    ¡°We might have missed the chance to discover amazing magic items! What¡¯s wrong with betting our lives on that?¡±

    ¡°You do have a point. However, look at this neat and tidy graveyard. Someone¡¯s clearly tidying it up, which means monsters will being out to wee us. Isn¡¯t it better to let the others see what kind of monsters there are? Personally, I didn¡¯t really like this job because there were too many uncertain factors.¡±

    After hearing Palpatra grumble, his team members lightly asked:

    ¡°But you still took it in the end, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course. That¡¯s because the other teams epted it too. I felt that we could flee while they sacrificed themselves for us.¡±

    The group descended the stairs and reached the ground.

    ¡°Is that why you chose to search the surface? So you could run once you heard them scream?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s one of the reasons, and the fact is my way of thinking was a bit of a gamble... Just like you said just now, we might end up losing out because of this. We¡¯ll be safer if we can gather more information, but the fact is that I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s really so great an advantage. If I¡¯m wrong, then I¡¯ll apologize to you all for it.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, gramps. We¡¯ve always trusted you, because for the most part, your choices were always right.¡±

    ¡°Besides, even if we end up losing out here, all we need to do is knuckle down and find another job with a big payout. You¡¯ve said it before, haven¡¯t you, gramps? As long as you live, there¡¯s always a chance, so there¡¯s no need to force yourself to take risks.¡±

    ¡°Man, those were the days. We were all young back then.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you still young now?¡±

    ¡°Hah, it¡¯s not very convincing when you say I¡¯m young, gramps.¡±

    The group shed wry grins to each other as they headed towards the small mausoleum.

    ¡°That said, I should have discussed this with you all first, but I ended up making the decision on your behalfs. Sorry about that.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s the only way you could have expressed it back then. Besides, you¡¯re the team leader we chose, gramps. When our trusted leader makes a decision, we¡¯re all happy to obey.¡±

    ¡°...You were all moping back there, what are you grinning about now? Alright, that¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s hurry up and check, and if we have time left over, I¡¯ll see if Momon-dono can give me a few pointers. It¡¯s a rare chance, so maybe you can have him teach you a thing or two.¡±

    ¡°Mm, we¡¯ve engraved your spar with him into our eyes, gramps. That¡¯s an adamantite-ranker for you.¡±

    ¡°...There¡¯s many kind of adamantite-ranked adventurers. Eight Ripples from the Empire is, frankly speaking, not really adamantite-ranked. Momon-dono is a true adamantite-ranked adventurer. He ¡®s on a level I can¡¯t hope to reach.¡±

    ¡°Gramps...¡±

    ¡°Hyahyahya, don¡¯t worry. When I was in my prime, I might have been jealous, but now I¡¯m just a wrinkly old coot. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m shocked or anything. Besides, I¡¯ve seen several true adamantite-ranked adventurers in my time, but Momon-dono is unique even among them. From his presence, he feels like an adamantite among adamantites.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Oh yes, which is why I¡¯m telling you to get some pointers from him. After I die, gaining experience will be helpful if you want to continue adventuring.¡±

    ¡°How could you possibly die, gramps? I can¡¯t even bring myself to imagine you retiring.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. You¡¯re hale and hearty, so living to Fluder-san¡¯s age shouldn¡¯t be problem, right gramps?¡±

    ¡°Hyahyahya, no, no, not even I could do something like that. The man¡¯s an oddity.¡±

    ¡°What a wonderful team you have.¡±

    Suddenly, a woman¡¯s quiet voice reached them.

    The only women among the members of this expedition were the twodies from Hekkeran¡¯s Foresight and the three Elf ves from Eruya¡¯s Tenbu. However, the voice did not belong to any of them.

    The group immediately raised their weapons, and turned back.

    As they looked up the stairs they had just descended, they saw a group of women in maid uniforms standing at the entrance to the mausoleum. There were five of them in total.

    Each of them was unbelievably beautiful, but at the same time it also made them especially abnormal.

    The strange thing was that each of them was dressed in an outfit that resembled a maid¡¯s uniform, but they were different from the clothes Palpatra had seen before; they gleamed with an armor-like sheen.

    ¡°You... who are you? I didn¡¯t see you just... oh, so there was a hidden passage after all.¡±

    ¡°Women? They¡¯re beautiful enough to rival the Beautiful Princess of Darkness... they¡¯re clearly not ordinary people¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t seem hostile, but... they can¡¯t possibly be people who were hired in addition to ourselves.¡±

    ¡°What should we do, gramps?¡±

    Hisrades dared not be careless. They observed the girls closely as they asked him.

    The best option would be to negotiate with them, but it would seem they would not be able to conclude this amicably.

    ¡°Our numbers are roughly even... so we should just be able to handle it, right?¡±

    Their opponents¡¯ strength ought to be about the same as themselves, or slightly higher.

    They had not attacked while the Workers were gathered together in order to get them all in one fell swoop. That implied theycked the fighting power or traps to deal with so many people at once. At the same time, they had chosen to show up and show themselves off and initiate the conversation; that implied they were confident of defeating Palpatra¡¯s group.

    While his aged body hardly sweated any more, at this moment, Palpatra felt the hand gripping his spear turn cold and mmy.

    ¡°Still, maids showing up in a tomb... really calls their taste into question.

    In the next moment, the friend of his who had tossed off that casual joke was suddenly covered in cold sweat, his face pale and trembling.

    Palpatra thought the temperature around him had plummeted for a moment. However, the goosebumps covering his body were no delusion.

    Even with only the light of the moon to illuminate them, he could clearly see murder in the eyes of the maids lined up above him. It looked like their eyes were glowing.

    ¡°LeT¡¯s KiLL thEM.¡±

    ¡°...Have to die.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t just kill them normally. We need to make their suffering legendary.¡±

    An intense bloodlust roiled around the maids. Their anger was such that it felt like the air itself was warping.

    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± the most senior-looking maid said with a p of her hands. ¡°Our master has ordered us not to let any of them return unharmed, so we were going to kill them anyway. However, I¡¯m quite pleased to see everyone so motivated.¡±

    There was a ng, a sound of metal which seemed toe from the stairs that had been cut from a b of stone. The sound hade from the greave-like metal high heels which the maids wore.

    Shaken, Palpatra andpany backed off.

    Given theirck of weapons, their opposition ought to be magic casters. In that case, allowing them to take the high ground and fighting in this wide-open space which favored ranged weapons was not a wise strategy.

    For Palpatra and the others, the ideal tactic for them was to shorten the distance between themselves and the enemy. The reverse would be to the maids¡¯ advantage. However, why were these maidsing down the stairs? Were they nning to soar into the sky with [Fly] if anything happened?

    The maids¡¯ nk faces were like a mask, and their movements were as regal as a sovereign as they slowly descended the stairs. Palpatra and his group were at a loss for how to respond, but still, they sheltered behind their shields and discussed what to do and what tactics to use

    ng!

    A particrly strident sound rang through the air. The maids had stopped halfway down the steps.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s start with a self-introduction. I... forgive me... this one is the assistant leader of the Seven Sisters (Pleiades), Yuri Alpha. While we will not be together for long, it was a pleasure to meet you. Now then, back to the main topic, while wiping you out directly would be faster, we cannot make a move ourselves for certain reasons. What a shame.¡±

    The wind carried adorable, bell-likeughter over to them.

    The smiles of these stunningly beautiful maidens overflowed with a charm that instantly seized the hearts of anyone who looked upon them.

    Being a former adventurer and currently a Worker, Palpatra had seen all sorts of things over the years. Among them were supernaturally alluring monsters like Fairies and so on. Yet, even he had never seen such beautiful maidens before, whose fair features seemed to ensnare his very soul.

    However, their scornful words overflowed with a sense of superiority, and below the thin veneer of their fair features was arrogance which belonged to the overwhelmingly powerful. For these men, who had walked hand in hand with death and who were very proud of their abilities, such high-handedness was utterly intolerable. It even made them want to show the maids exactly who they were looking down upon.

    However, they had witnessed various indirect pieces of evidence which suggested that these maids were incredibly powerful, in contrast to their adorable appearances. Their faces were still filled with terror from the murderous intent they had felt just now, and they could not fully steel themselves for battle.

    The best option might be to run, and let the adventurers Ò» especially Momon Ò» join the fight.

    ¡°Then, allow me to introduce your opponents.¡±

    Yuri pped, and the graveyard trembled, as though in response to the echoing sound.

    ¡°Come forth, Nazarick Old Guarders¡±.

    ¡°What?¡± Palpatra eximed in shock.

    The earth behind him split open and several Skeletons showed themselves.

    A pincer attack? No...

    Looking up, he saw that the maids were still hostile, but they had no desire to fight. Perhaps they were in a spectator mode. While they could not be careless, it seemed to be as the maids had just said; they did not wish to attack right away.

    Palpatra came to the conclusion that the only enemies in their way were the Skeletons behind them, and so he began assessing the new batch of enemies.

    Skeletons were hardly powerful opponents. Given the strength of Palpatra and his group, they could take on a few hundred of them with no problems. That being the case, the Skeletons that had emerged from the earth Ò» eight of them in total Ò» were no match for them whatsoever.

    However, there was a problem.

    Palpatra¡¯spanions gulped in unison and unconsciously backed up one step.

    These Skeletons felt different from regr Skeletons, and their equipment was different too.

    They were dressed in grand breasttes, like the sort a country¡¯s royal guard would use. Their shields were emzoned with a griffin motif, and they wielded all manner of weapons, in addition toposite longbows on their backs. In addition, all this equipment glowed with the light of magical power.

    Skeletons outfitted with magical gear could not be ordinary Skeletons.

    ¡°What are those?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know either, gramps? I¡¯m not too sure... but I think they might be an offshoot species of Skeleton Warriors.¡±

    ¡°An offshoot, huh? They don¡¯t look like Red Skeleton Warriors either...¡±

    Opponents one had never encountered before were always unsettling, especially foes outfitted with magic items that possessed special effects.

    ¡°Ò»These numbers should be enough to deal with you gentlemen. Please do your best and show us how how far you can run.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re honored that you¡¯re sending out such powerful undead against us. However...¡±

    Palpatra calmly pondered the matter.

    No matter what, they could not possibly have too many undead equipped with so many magic items. They were probably using their strongest forces against them right off the bat.

    Otherwise, they would not have let them enter the ruins; they would have dealt with them long ago.

    ¡°Ò»So these are the strongest fighters of the ruins, then? You think they¡¯re enough to stop us?¡±

    Looking up, Palpatra saw that Yuri seemed shaken by his question, her eyes roaming about.

    I hit the nail on the head! I see. So they alreadyid a trap during our conversation...

    The wisest way to use their best troops was to neutralize each group of intruders piecemeal. Of course, after considering that they might not be able to match their opposition, it might be smarter to concentrate their forces where a group of people would be afterpleting their explorations, when they were physically and mentally fatigued; at the entrance, in other words.

    And so, they had learned part of their opponents¡¯ aim from this. When the maid said, ¡°show us how far you can run,¡± they were trying to bait them into fleeing, so they would have a chance to attack them from behind. From the maids¡¯ point of view, they would be engaging in several battles, so they would want to minimize any wear and tear to their forces.

    Therefore, there was only one thing they had to do.

    ¡°So all we need to do is defeat these Skeletons and break out of this encirclement, am I wrong?¡±

    They had to defeat the Nazarick Old Guarders for the sake of the teams who would be following them.

    The other teams might be rivals, butrades wererades. Besides, if they wanted them to flee, then standing and fighting would run a lower risk of falling into a trap. And of course this was just in case, but he was thinking about asking Momon to fight if their opposition was very strong. However, they ought to fight now, even if there was risk.

    ¡°So I messed up the n and now we¡¯re the canaries instead... ah, what a pain. Alright, do you think that¡¯s all of them?¡±

    ¡°Given how well those undead are equipped, I can¡¯t imagine there could be more of them.¡±

    ¡°This is a route which invaders would have to pass through, so stationing their best troops here would be the best tactic. That being the case, these Skeletons should be all of them. And since the opposition should have better intelligence than us, they probably aren¡¯t dumb enough to split their forces.¡±

    ¡°...No, I think there ought to be a few more in the ruins. However the ones left are probably lower-grade undead.¡±

    ¡°Gramps... we should flee. This is bad. It¡¯s very bad.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve already been surrounded, there¡¯s no escape for us! Even if we try to fly away, they¡¯ll shoot us down with bows! Hang in there,ds! There¡¯s no way for us to survive but by defeating them!¡±

    The response to Palpatra¡¯s shout was a resigned yet surprised voice.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s also a valid means of breaking through. We¡¯ll cheer for you, so let¡¯s begin.¡±

    And with that, the Nazarick Old Guarders stepped forward.

    ***

    Yuri and the others had troubled looks on their faces as they kept ¡°cheering¡± them on.

    They had been hard-pressed to hide their consternation since the beginning. To think they were actually so...

    ¡°Ahhh, this is bad ~su.¡±

    ¡°...Did not think it would be like this.¡±

    ¡°Cocytus-sama will be shocked.¡±

    ¡°IF tHIs keEPs Up... It¡¯Ll ENd wiThoUt ANythINg To shOW fOr It.¡±

    Yuri and the others watched a raised hammer swing down.

    ¡°Oh, that looks very bad, he¡¯ll die ~su.¡±

    Just as Lupusregina muttered to herself, the man in question took a blow to the chest and crumpled to the ground.

    The sound of metal scraping and a heavy object copsing somehow managed to fill the air despite the intense battle.

    The first casualty was a human warrior, but the Nazarick Old Guarder holding an electrically-charged hammer did not seem particrly excited about it, instead looking for another target.

    ¡°Priest-san, if you don¡¯t heal him, he¡¯ll die ~su¡±

    ¡°...No point. Died instantly, and battle line fell with him.¡±

    Yuri muttered worriedly to herself, while Shizu shook her head as an answer.

    The two Nazarick Old Guarders that the warrior had been holding off were now freed up, so one went to deal with their priest while another one nned to circle around to attack the back-line. The priest was already upied with two of them, and now with another one to add to his burden, he no longer had the time or energy to cast spells. He had his hands full just trying to fend off savage attacks from three directions at once.

    Palpatra was the only one who seemed to be earnestly giving battle, but he had to deal with three enemies at once and did not have the freedom to help hisrades.

    ¡°The thief¡¯s firepower isn¡¯t enough. I wonder if they have any trump cards?¡±

    The thief fighting to protect the arcane magic caster now had one more enemy to face. Now he had two. The thief¡¯s light and nimble weaponrycked decisive power against his foes Ò» the undead Nazarick Old Guarders who could not be in in one hit and who wore sturdy armor. The thief barely managed to avoid their attacks with agile movements, but there was a great difference between the untiring undead and human beings who could be fatigued.

    ¡°He¡¯s looking at us like he¡¯s about to cry ~su¡±

    ¡°Want to wave to him?¡±

    ¡°I guESS WAvinG To HIm wOUldN¡¯t hURt.¡±

    ¡°Okay ~su¡±

    Lupusregina smiled sweetly and waved to the man.

    ¡°...It hit him.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all Lupu¡¯s fault for distracting him.¡±

    ¡°Ueeehhhh~ It¡¯s my fault ~su?¡±

    ¡°...Mm, your fault. But we can cheer for them... Yay.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I do hope they can hang in there a little longer.¡±

    The maids nodded at Yuri¡¯s words.

    The Nazarick Old Guarders held the upper hand throughout the battle with Palpatra¡¯s team. At this point, this one-sided battle could be described as futile resistance. Even Yuri and the others could not help but pity them.

    At first, they had evenughed and said, ¡°Weren¡¯t you very confident in yourselves before the battle started?¡± but then they had lost all interest and started yawning, and now they were even rooting for Palpatra and the others.

    ¡°Uwah, the difference in their strength is so great I can¡¯t think of anything to say.¡±

    ¡°...No trump cards?¡±

    ¡°I think that summon spell they cast was it.¡±

    ¡°3rd tier?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s too weak for a secret weapon. Although, using a summoned monster as a meatshield was a pretty good idea.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. As long as they could keep attacks from connecting, they might have been able to reorganize.¡±

    ¡°HOwEVeR, uSIng fLIGhT MAgiC aFter thAT wAS jUsT STuPId. DiDN¡¯t that wriNKLy old gEEzeR SAy sO hIMseLF?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if he was nning to flee or use magic from above...¡±

    ¡°...He became a priority target.¡±

    The arcane magic caster copsed after taking a mortal blow. If someone could cast a healing spell on him or apply a potion, he might have been able to get back into the fight, but nobody had the energy for that. In the end, all they could do was have the thief cover him and prevent the enemy from finishing him off.

    ¡°But why did they think there were only this many Old Guarders?¡±

    That was truly a mystery.

    Had they unconsciously imagined the scenario going in their favor? That did not mean they were stupid. Perhaps humans thought like that when they did not want to look despair right in the eye; their survival instincts red to their limits in order to build up their courage.

    ¡°Besides, it was hopeless anyway.¡±

    ¡°Yes, no matter how you look at it.¡±

    ¡°WHat If tHEy WENt oN fULL dEfeNSe tO buY TiME aNd foR tHE otHeR tHIeVEs tO ComE BAck?¡±

    Everyone red at Entoma.

    ¡°As if they¡¯de back!¡±

    ¡°...Goes without saying.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no way, right? It¡¯s impossible for them toe back safely from the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.¡±

    There was a scream of unbearable pain, followed by the sound of something copsing. The battle maids turned to look at the source of the sound, and then spoke sadly.

    ¡°Ah, THe tHIeF weNT dOWn TOo.¡±

    ¡°The oue of the battle¡¯s been decided.¡±

    ¡°Like I said, maybe we should have listened to them beg for mercy on the steps...¡±

    ¡°But they were so confident back then! Of course I was wondering if they had some n in mind.¡±

    The thick scent of fresh blood wafted over to the maids from the thief¡¯s body.

    ¡°SMeLLs TasTY...¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t do that,¡± Yuri chided Entoma.

    Their master had issued an order to recover everyone who was incapacitated, whether they were alive or dead. Naturally, they could not present an insect-chewed body to their master. It would be terribly rude.

    ¡°fREsH MEaT...¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll ask Ainz-sama if you can eat itter. Bear with it for now.¡±

    ¡°But this isn¡¯t good, right? The original n was to see if we could deal with fleeing people, right?¡±

    ¡°Seems like it. That¡¯s why they posted pretty strong undead near the walls.¡±

    ¡°CoCYTus-saMA muST HAve pREdiCTEd THat We¡¯D CATch uP tO thEM EasILY, bUT...¡±

    ¡°...Didn¡¯t expect them to fight head-on.¡±

    ¡°Well, this is what happens when you don¡¯t understand your opponent¡¯s strength. Alright, we¡¯ll heal the ones who are still breathing and send them to the torture room. As for the dead... we¡¯ll report them to Ainz-sama.

    And so, Palpatra and the Worker team he led vanished that night

    <b>Part 2</b>

    ¡°Push them back!¡±

    Gringam¡¯s furious cry rang through the burial vault that was filed with the stench of mildew and rotting corpses.

    The room was 20 meters long on each side, and the ceiling was at least 5 meters overhead. This room, illuminated by the light spell of the magic caster and torches dropped on the floor, was packed full of people.

    Gringam and the members of Heavy Masher had been forced into the corner of the room. The rest of the burial vault was flooded with massive quantities of low-end undead such as Zombies and Skeletons.

    There were so many that counting them would be an exercise in pointlessness.

    Gringam and the shield-carrying warrior stemmed the flood of death head-on, forming a defense to keep the undead from reaching the back-liners.

    ¸ñÁÖººÓëÊÖ³Ö¶ÜÅÆµÄÕ½Ê¿¾ÍÆ¾Á½ÈË´ÓÕýÃæµ²×¡ËÀÍö×ÇÁ÷£¬ÐÎ³ÉµÌ·À²»ÈÃºóÎÀÊÜµ½ÇÖ·¸¡£

    A Zombie pounded on Gringam¡¯s full te armor with both its hands. While Zombies were stronger than regr human beings, they were still not enough to put so much as a scratch on the steel te armor. The rotted, fragile hands sttered on contact, leaving putrid chunks of rotting flesh stuck to the full te armor.

    The same went for the Skeletons. The rusted weapons which they held could not possibly harm enchanted full te.

    Of course, they might have gotten in a lucky shot. But such lucky shots had not urred, thanks to the protective magic on them.

    Gringam swung the axe in his hand, but every time he brought one down, another undead being would rush in to fill the gap. They pressed in ever closer, as though they wanted to squash Gringam and the others to death.

    ¡°Dammit! There¡¯s too many!¡±

    The shield-bearing warrior beside Gringam growled in pain. His shield covered his entire body, so he had not taken any attacks, but the shield was covered in filthy fluids.

    He smashed the skulls of Zombies and Skeletons with his mace, but he could not hold out against the enemy¡¯s pressure, and he was slowly forced back.

    ¡°Where did all these enemiese from?!¡±

    The warrior¡¯s question was very reasonable.

    After Gringam¡¯s group separated from the others at the crossroads, they had searched several rooms. Sadly, none of the rooms they searched contained wealth like in the mausoleums, but they had found several valuable treasures. They continued slowly exploring in this manner. Then, they entered the room and began searching it, whereupon the door had suddenly opened and a huge horde of undead flooded into the room from nowhere.

    Zombies and Skeletons were hardly strong foes. However, their numbers were a threat of their own.

    Once they were dragged down or pressed down, they would not be able to move even if they did not die. At that point, the undead horde would assault the back-liners.

    The back-liners would probably not go down easily either, but the sheer numbers they faced left them uneasy.

    If things went on like this, a stroke of bad luck might lead to their battle-lines crumbling. Having reached this conclusion, Gringam decided to use the power he had wanted to conserve.

    ¡°We need to finish this right away! I ce my trust in thee!¡±

    The back-liners Ò» who had only been casting stones until now Ò» made their move.

    Normally, undead like this were not a problem for Gringam and the rest of Heavy Masher. However, that was also the reason why the backliners chose to wait and conserve their strength. Once the backline made a move, eliminating undead like these would be as easy as falling off a log.

    ¡°My lord, O God of Earth! I beseech thee to purge the unclean!¡±

    The priest sped his holy symbol, and his cry took the form of power. A cool, clean feeling surged through the burial vault Ò» which had been filled with unclean air Ò» in a wave of divine might that was more potent than usual. The priest used his ability to turn undead.

    In the wake of that wave, the undead crumbled into ash and dust, starting from the ones nearest the priest.

    When there was a great difference between the respective power levels of both sides, the ability to turn undead could instead directly destroy them. However, destroying many undead at once was extremely difficult, and the user needed a certain degree of power.

    In the end, that single move disintegrated over 20 undead beings.

    ¡°I¡¯ll blow you away! [Fireball]!

    The arcane magic caster cast his [Fireball], which flew to the back of the undead horde where it detonated. In a single, ferocious instant of me, the false lives of all the Zombies and Skeletons within the spell¡¯s area of effect were consumed and burned away, leaving nothing but ash and smoke.

    ¡°I¡¯m not done yet! [Fireball]!¡±

    ¡°My lord, O God of Earth! I beseech thee to purge the unclean!¡±

    The backlinersunched another round of area-effect attacks and the number of undead sharply decreased.

    ¡°At them!¡±

    ¡°Alright!¡±

    The warrior cast aside his shield, holding his mace in both hands, and together with Gringam, they charged into the undead horde. It would have been easy for the magic casters to wipe them out, but Gringam had chosen a charge anyway, because the truth was that he wanted to conserve their mana. In particr, the priest¡¯s ability to turn undead had a limited number of uses. His profession made him particrly adept at dealing with the undead, and it was arguably their secret weapon in this tomb.

    Gringam charged into the undead horde, his axe swinging. Sticky fluids oozed Ò» perhaps it would have spurted, if its heart were beating Ò» from the the flying body parts. The odor from the open, severed wounds on the corpses was nauseating but it was not unbearable.

    Or rather, one could say that their noses were numbed to it.

    Gringam and the warrior worked together, attacking, attacking and attacking some more. They gave no thought to defense.

    They could make such an assault because of magical aid and the sturdy armor protecting them, in addition to the fact that they were facing such weak undead.

    Every now and then, something would strike Gringam¡¯s head, but his armor absorbed the impact, and he hardly felt anything in his neck. Even when his chest and belly were struck, he hardly felt the blows.

    After all, their foes were the weakest of the undead to begin with. The only danger just now had been their human wave tactics; once the enemy ranks had been thinned to this extent, the fighting was much easier. The warrior kept swinging his weapon, and shouted:

    ¡°All the undead we¡¯ve met are piddly little creatures, but there¡¯s a lot of them in this tomb!¡±

    ¡°So there¡¯s no guarantee that stronger undead won¡¯t show up! Although, if there are stronger undead, I have no idea why they haven¡¯t appeared yet!¡±

    The person answering him was the priest, who was observing the battle from the rear as he picked up the warrior¡¯s shield.

    ¡°...No, perhaps the undead here were summoned by some means. It might have been some kind of ritual, or through an item.¡±

    The strange thing was that the corpses vanished after a certain amount of time had passed, so the ground was not carpeted in bodies, leaving them no ce to stand. That part sounded like what happened to summoned monsters after they died, hence the wizard¡¯s warning to the others.

    ¡°Some gimmick that mass-summons weak undead... I heartily reject it! I fear to imagine this tomb thoroughly flooded with zombies!¡±

    Gringam replied as he felled skeletons like trees, and then he surveyed the interior of the room. There were few undead left, less than the number of fingers on both hands. It did not look like a new batch would being in through the door, and the battle would be over soon.

    Just as he thought that, a bone-chilling sensation transfixed him through the soles of his feet.

    His danger sense ordered him to flee immediately, but he could not do so right now. Even soÒ»

    ¡°Look out! Head outsideÒ»¡±

    The thief seemed to have sensed it as well as he shouted.

    However, it was toote. All of a sudden, the originally sturdy floor suddenly turned weak. A floating sensation engulfed them. A momentter, their unbnced bodies were dumped heavily on the ground.

    Hisrades cried out in pain. However, Gringam poured his strength into gripping the axe which he had not released even through his fall. As he smashed the Skeletons that had fallen with him, he stood up.

    ¡°Destroy the enemy!¡±

    The undead had also been damaged from the fall Ò» in particr, the Skeletons were weak against bludgeoning attacks and had thus taken a great deal of damage Ò» so fighting them was much easier than before.

    After eliminating the undead within the room, Gringam finally had the luxury of looking around the room.

    They were probably at the bottom of a pit below a magical trap that caused the floor to vanish. Looking up, the ceiling seemed very far away. At a nce, it looked like it was 12 meters overhead. Three meters above the floor was a closed door. Three meters above Ò» a total of six meters above the ground Ò» was an open door, the one through which Gringam and the others had originally entered the room. One could say they had fallen a distance of roughly two floors.

    The overall shape of this room was like a square pyramid. The floor of the room sloped down toward a point, and due to the steep incline, one might end up rolling to the bottom of the room Ò» the center Ò» if one were not careful. In fact, one of hisrades had actually rolled down there and gotten stuck at the bottom. He had almost been buried alive by the falling Zombies.

    It was hard to believe they had barely been hurt by falling into a ce like this.

    The strange thing was that there were four tunnel-like structures on each wall at the three-meter mark, on the same level as the closed door, for a total of 16.

    ¡°It looks like a room used for drowning. I¡¯ll bet they¡¯ll pour in water from those tunnel-like things up there. I¡¯ll pass on that, if you don¡¯t mind. It¡¯s worse if they¡¯re Slimes or the like instead.¡±

    ¡°I agree. Let¡¯s check out that door and get out through there if it¡¯s okay.

    Climbing two floors of a wall with no handholds was quite difficult. At most, only the thief could do it; people like Gringam in their full te armor would have a very hard time. In contrast, that unknown door might not be safe, but reaching it seemed much easier.

    Just as they were discussing how to climb up, heads emerged almost simultaneously from the sixteen tunnels. They were corpses swollen so badly they looked like they were about to explode Ò» gue Bombers.

    Their bodies were bloated from the negative energy umted within them, and they exploded when killed. Their death explosions harmed the living and healed the undead at the same time, making them very troublesome undead.

    The meat lump-like undead leapt through the air. The gue Bombers¡¯ bodies hit the floor and made a nauseating sound. The problem was what happened after that. Their round bodies did not stay still on the slopes but rolled down like boulders, towards Gringam and the others.

    ¡°Look out! Get clear!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the intellectual of the group, don¡¯t tell me what to do!¡±

    Everyone Ò» the wizard who was almost in tears included Ò» barely managed to avoid the attack, and so the undead rolled into the center of the inverted pyramid. The next wave of gue Bombers had already showed their ugly faces, which let Gringam and the others know that just now was just the first wave. At the same time, they also guessed what would happen after this.

    ¡°Run! This room is going to be flooded with them!¡±

    If they were knocked into the center of the room by the intense impacts from the rolling undead, they would assuredly be squashed to death. Even if they were not crushed, they would be immobilized, and then they would die from the repeated negative energy explosions of the other undead being ttened by their fellows.

    ¡°What a despicable trap! Someone, please give me a boost!¡±

    ¡°As if I could! You fall in there and you¡¯re done for!¡±

    Even if someone managed to evade one attack, the moment they lost their bnce, they would not be able to avoid the next attack. Nobody dared boost anyone else under those circumstances.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll use magic!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t use [Fly]! You¡¯re not strong enough to pull us all!¡±

    ¡°No, uwah! That was close! I¡¯m going to use [Web Ladder]!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯ll do! Please anchor it to the nearest door! Gringam, cover him!¡±

    ¡°Ò»No! Halt! We must flee through the second storey door through which we entered! The door below is perilous!¡±

    Hispanion did not question the basis for those words, but they trusted Gringam.

    ¡°[Web Ladder]!¡±

    The magic took effect, and a spiderweb climbed up the wall, until it reached the second floor.

    This magically created spiderweb had a unique stickiness to it. When one did not want to let go it would be adhesive, but when one wanted to move, it would not be, making it very suitable as adder.

    Gringam and the others were worried, but in the end they managed to climb up thedder in single file.

    Gringam finally reached the door that had been open all this while, and carefully studied the passage through it. If they were hit and knocked down now, they would surely meet with a hideous fate.

    He sighed in relief. It would seem what he feared Ò» undead above the tunnels Ò» had not taken ce.

    After he was sure of it, he jumped on top of the tunnels and then pulled everyone up.

    ¡°We¡¯re saved! Being crushed to death by undead is one of the most horrible ways to die!¡±

    ¡°...These ruins are really maliciously designed. I sprained my ankle when we fell, hope you can heal me.¡±

    I think the negative energy explosion grazed my toes! That was scary as hell!¡±

    ¡°I barely managed to avoid it by luck. It¡¯s too much to ask a wizard to dodge attacks.¡±

    Hispanions panted, swappingints and curses between breaths.

    ¡°Say, Gringam, why did you want us to avoid that door? I thought that door would have been the right choice. Don¡¯t they always put the right route in the most dangerous ce?¡±

    ¡°It was just a hunch I had... take a weapon you don¡¯t need and attack that door.¡±

    Gringam had reverted to his usual way of speaking now that he was exhausted. After hearing his reply, the thief immediately pulled out a dagger and threw it at the door. The dagger flew in a straight line, and struck home Ò» or at least, when it was about to, part of the door bulged out and shaped itself into a tentacle, which deflected the flying dagger.

    ¡°That¡¯s a... Door Imitator! No, given the color of that tentacle, it¡¯s probably an undead Door Imitator. This sort of enemy captures its enemy with sticky body fluids and then delivers a one-sided beatdown with its tentacles.¡±

    ¡°Cheh! A double trap, huh, that¡¯s pretty evil. Still, you¡¯re amazing, you actually saw through it.¡±

    ¡°It was just a hunch. No, strictly speaking, I just went with what I knew over the unknown. Also, consider the position of that door; it would be taking repeated negative energy explosions. While negative energy explosions probably wouldn¡¯t do too much damage to an inanimate door, I had the feeling they¡¯d put something funny there. Then, let¡¯s moveÒ»¡±

    At this point, Gringam shut up. That was because the thief who had been going on and on since just now had a finger on his lips, and was tilting his head to listen.

    Gringam pricked up his ears as well. He could hear a rhythmic tapping tak tak tak sound on the floor.

    Everyone looked to the source of the sound Ò» towards the passage.

    ¡°That... ought to be an enemy, right? Can¡¯t they give us a break?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s only one of them, and they¡¯re not trying to be stealthy, so that should be it. I hope it¡¯s thest one...¡±

    Everybody raised their weapons, and the warrior at the front raised the shield his colleague had given him, hiding half his body behind it. The wizard pointed the glowing tip of his staff at the passage ahead, where the sound wasing from, ready to cast a spell at any time. The priest raised his holy symbol and the thief aimed his bow in the direction of the noise.

    The tak tak tak sound grew louder, and the other party finally showed themselves.

    It wore a luxurious Ò» though fairly aged Ò» robe, which covered a body that was slimmer than that of a woman¡¯s or a child¡¯s. It held a gnarled staff in one hand Ò» that had probably been the source of the rapping sound.

    Its skeletal face was covered by a thinyer of rotting skin, and there was a malevolent intelligence in its eyes. Negative energy wreathed its body like mist.

    This was an undead magic caster. Its name wasÒ»

    ¡°Ò»An Elder Lich!¡±

    The wizard, who had been the first to surmise its identity, cried out.

    Indeed. After a wicked magic caster died and the body was infused with negative energy, it would give rise to an evil monster like this.

    The moment Gringam and the others heard that it was an Elder Lich, they immediately changed formation. Nobody stood in a straight line with anyone else, and each of them kept a distance from each other, to defend against area-effect spells.

    Elder Liches were fairly powerful opponents. To adventurers, tinum-rankers would not be able to defeat one easily, but mithral-ranked teams would be certain of doing so. If Gringam and the others disregarded fatigue, they would be able to beat it. In addition, they were fortunate enough to have a team member who was exceptionally potent against the undead, which was a shot in the arm for everyone.

    Also, Elder Liches were hard to deal with at a distance, but given the current distance, the battle conditions were very favorable for them.

    ¡°Is that the master of the tomb?!¡±

    That was Gringam¡¯s conclusion. Elder Liches were controllers. Sometimes they would control hordes of undead, and depending on the circumstances, they could even make deals with the living.

    Good examples of those were the captain of the ghost ship that sailed through the mist of the Katze ins, or the Elder Lich who became famous for ruling a city, and so on.

    Therefore, it was not at all unusual for an Elder Lich to be the master of this tomb.

    ¡°Did we hit the jackpot? That¡¯s a stroke of luck!¡±

    ¡°The job didn¡¯t ask us to kill the master of the tomb!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll show him the power of Heavy Masher!¡±

    ¡°Behold, the divine protection of the gods!¡±

    His other colleagues were shouting. They were doing so in order to banish the fear they felt when facing a mighty foe like an Elder Lich.

    ¡°Defensive spellsÒ»¡±

    Just as Gringam was about to start calling battle orders to hisrades, a strange feeling arose within him. He immediately found the reason for that feeling. It was the powerful enemy before them, the Elder Lich.

    ¡°...What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem to want to... attack us?¡±

    The Elder Lich was clearly looking at Gringam, yet it had not made a move. It had not raised its staff, and neither had it begun incanting spells. It simply watched them in silence.

    Gringam and the others were hard-pressed to hide their confusion. This was because they thought they would be charging intobat, yet they did not dare make the first move.

    It was true that the undead bore hostility towards the living. However, it was also true that certain intelligent undead were willing to deal with humanity. While they would probably start from a weaker position if they opened negotiations first, sometimes the undead would ask for a ceasefire, and one could gain magic items made with long-lost techniques.

    The most important thing was that avoidingbat was the ideal course of action when one faced a powerful enemy like an Elder Lich. Perhaps it had shown up because it was tired of not being able to eliminate the group with its traps, but it might also be because it knew their strength and wanted to peacefully negotiate.

    After considering these possibilities, striking first would be far too rash. That would essentially be abandoning all possibility of negotiation. This was the heart of the enemy¡¯s power. It would be too risky to plunge into battle without ensuring that there was a way for them to retreat.

    Gringam and the rest of his group looked at each others¡¯ faces, and verified that everyone was thinking the same thing.

    It was his job as their leader to speak for the rest of them.

    ¡°Forgive my disrespect, but thou seem¡¯st to be the master of this tomb. WeÒ»¡±

    The Elder Lich turned its horrific face to Gringam, and then rested a slender finger on its lips.

    In other words Ò» quiet.

    While such a gesture was very unfitting for an Elder Lich, they were not brave Ò» no, they were not suicidal enough to tell this powerful entity such a thing.

    Gringam obediently shut up. Then, he heard a sound again from the silent passage, and he immediately doubted his ears.

    He had heard this sound before, that of something going tak tak tak as it rapped against the ground. And there were a lot of themÒ»

    Gringam and his group exchanged nces again. They did not want to believe the answer the sound was telling them.

    And then Ò» everyone screamed at once.

    ¡°Who was it?! Who said the Elder Lich was the master of this tomb?!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! It was me!¡±

    ¡°Are you fucking kidding me?! This is ridiculous!¡±

    ¡°Oi oi oi oi oi, we can¡¯t possibly win this!¡±

    ¡°Even divine protection has its limits!¡±

    More Elder Liches appeared behind the original one; six of them, in fact.

    There were now seven of these powerful magic casters.

    Granted, since they were the same sort of entity, they would attack in the same way. In other words, once they had a way to negate all the attacks the enemy could muster, beating seven of them would not be a problem.

    The problem now was that they did not have such a way, and they could not possibly do so.

    In the face of such utterly hopeless odds, Gringam¡¯s group lost their will to fight.

    <b>¡°Now then, let us begin.¡±</b>

    As the Elder Lich spoke in its voice that did not sound like it wanted to negotiate at all, seven staves rose into the air. At the same time, Gringam bellowed:

    ¡°Retreat!¡±

    Everyone in the team ran with all their might, as though they were waiting for that word. They ran in the opposite direction from the Elder Liches. Of course, they hardly had the luxury of contemting whaty ahead of them; all they could think of was fleeing the excessive firepower of the Elder Lich cabal and buy themselves some chance of survival.

    At their head was the thief. After that was Gringam, the wizard, the priest and the warrior.

    They ran nonstop, without hesitating.

    They reached a corner. These were ces where they ought to have been on guard against traps or monsters, but as the footsteps pressed in from behind, they did not have the free time to check carefully. Everything was up to the heavens; all they could do was run.

    There were two stone-carved doors on either side of the passage, but after considering that they might be dead ends, nobody was brave enough to rush in.

    The armored people made a cacophonous sound of metal shing as they ran, which echoed along the passage. While the sound might attract monsters, nobody had the time or energy to cast [Silence].

    They ran, and ran, and ran some more.

    They moved their legs, heedless to everything else. Turning corners and sprinting madly made them lose their sense of direction, and they no longer had any idea of where they were right now. If possible, they would have liked to return to the entrance, but nobody had the energy to consider that.

    ¡°Ò»Are they still behind us!¡± Gringam shouted as he ran. The warrior at the end of the group replied:

    ¡°They¡¯re still there! They¡¯re running after us!

    ¡°Dammit!¡±

    ¡°Why the hell are they running! Why aren¡¯t they flying?!¡±

    ¡°If they flew, we¡¯d be eating spells one after the other, moron!¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s hide in a small room and parley...¡± the mage panted. He was the physically weakest member of the group, and he looked like he would copse at any time.

    Gringam decided that this was not going to work. The mage¡¯s stamina was going to give out.

    Undead monsters like Elder Liches would not get tired. If this kept up, they would be forced into a corner, and once their endurance was gone, all that awaited them was to be slowly picked off.

    ¡°How can there be so many Elder Liches...¡±

    Such a thing was impossible if one went bymon sense.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me the master of this tomb is more powerful than an Elder Lich!¡±

    That was the only answer they could think of. However, was there really such a powerful undead being? Gringam was at a loss for an answer.

    ¡°Dammit! This goddamn tomb!¡±

    The warrior running at the end of the pack cursed between panting breaths.

    A glowing magic circle floated off the ground at that very moment. The magic circle was veryrge, big enough to epass Gringam and his team within its bounds.

    ¡°WhatÒ»¡±

    There was no telling who it belonged to, but he heard something that sounded like a screamÒ»

    ***

    Ò»There was a floating sensation, different from when they had fallen down just now.

    ¡ª¡ªÓë¸Õ²ÅµÄ×¹Âä²»Í¬ÖÖÀàµÄÆ®¸¡¸Ð¡£

    Gringam¡¯s vision was filled with ckness. The sounds of crunching and squishing came from under his feet, and he felt his body slowly sinking. It was just like falling into a swamp. He panicked for a moment, but this swamp-like ce was not very deep, and he stopped sinking after it reached his waist.

    In this silent world of darkness, Gringam called out uneasily, like a child who had lost his parents:

    ¡°...Is anyone there?¡±

    ¡°Ò»I¡¯m here, Gringam.¡±

    He immediately received a response from arade Ò» the thief. In addition, he was not far away. It was probably around the same distance that had separated them while they had been running.

    ¡°...Are the others here?¡±

    There was no answer. He had guessed it; there was no light here, so the wizard and the warrior were not present. He had been lucky enough that the thief was here at all.

    ¡°It seems we¡¯re the only two around.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, it is as... cheh! Yeah, you¡¯re right.¡±

    He stood in ce, studying the mood in the air around him. The ckness extended infinitely around him, filling him with the fear of not knowing where the darkness ended and where he began.

    Nothing seemed to be movingÒ»

    ¡°Need a light?¡±

    ¡°Might as well.¡±

    Would doing so break the silence? Would it trigger a trap? Despite the countless doubts filling his heart, it was a regrettable fact that human eyes could not see through darkness. Light was indispensable.

    ¡°Right then, hang on a bit.¡±

    The thief¡¯s voice seemed to be moving around in the darkness. And then, there was a source of light.

    The first thing he saw was the thief, holding a glowstick high in his hand. Then, he saw the light reflected of countless smaller surfaces. It made him think of the glittering treasure he had seen in the mausoleum.

    However Ò» it was not.

    Gringam fought the desire to scream, while the thief¡¯s face seized up as well.

    They saw countless reflections. The reflections were of the insects which filled every inch of the room; what humans called cockroaches. The smallest were only the size of his little finger¡¯s tip while the biggest were over a meter long. The room was filled with cockroaches of all shapes and sizes, and they crawled on top of each other.

    So the crunching sensation under his feet was caused by squashing cockroaches. The thought of being submerged up to his waist in cockroaches was that much more abhorrent.

    The room was very wide, so the light of the glowstick did not reach the walls. Given the glowstick¡¯s effective radius of illumination was around 15 meters, one could estimate the size of the room from there. He looked to the ceiling and saw countless cockroaches reflected in the glow.

    ¡°This... what is this ce?¡±

    The thief spoke like he was out of breath, and Gringam could understand how he felt. He must have had the feeling that if he made a sound, all these cockroaches would start moving.

    ¡°What on earth happened?¡±

    ¡°...This is a pit, right?¡±

    As the thief looked around in fear, Gringam thought of thest thing he had seen before his world was swallowed by darkness Ò» the magic circle that had floated up under his feet Ò» and then he told the thief:

    ¡°It can¡¯t be. I don¡¯t think this is an ordinary pit, we must have been hit by some kind of spell...¡±

    ¡°To think there¡¯d be a teleporting trap... or was that a spell from the Elder Lich?¡±

    Teleportation spells existed; for instance, the 3rd-tier spell [Dimensional Move]. However, that spell only worked on the caster themselves. The ability to teleport others, and multiple people at once, was a spell of theÒ»

    ¡°Ò»I think it was a 5th or 6th tier spell that could teleport multiple people at once, right?¡±

    ¡°Right... I remember it should have been something like that.¡±

    Could it be that our opposition is really so...¡±

    They knew very few people who could use magic of the 5th tier. However, Gringam could ept that hypothesis. If a mighty being like that existed, then the peaceful coexistence of multiple Elder Liches was easy to exin. That was because it would surely be child¡¯s y for such a powerful entity to rule over ormand Elder Liches.

    A chill settled over Gringam¡¯s heart as he keenly realized the danger of the tomb. At the same time, he felt an intense resentment towards the Count who had offered him this job. Of course, it had been Gringam and the others who had epted the job, and they had known there would be risks, and they had stillid their lives out as chips on the card table. Perhaps it could not be helped that he was looking for a scapegoat.

    However, the Count should have known something about this ce. Otherwise he would not have offered such a high payout and gathered so many Workers and offered the job to investigate this tomb.

    ¡°So he couldn¡¯t bear to share that information? Son of a bitch... let¡¯s get out of here! These ruins... are not a ce we should have touched.¡±

    ¡°Ah, got it. Then, Gringam, I¡¯ll go first, and you can follow me.¡±

    It would seem the thief still had not realized it yet. Fortunately, he had not.

    That was the fact that these cockroaches were not moving.

    Gringam sized up the mass of cockroaches in front of him.

    Their feelers were twitching faintly, so they were probably not dead yet, but they remained still. A mysterious air of dread filled the area.

    ¡°Ò»No, you two gentlemen will not be going anywhere.¡±

    Suddenly, a third person¡¯s voice rang forth.

    ¡°Who is it?!¡±

    Gringam and the thief frantically looked around, but they could not sense anyone moving.

    ¡°Oh, do pardon me. By order of Ainz-sama, I have been granted dominion over this ce. My name is Kyouhukou. It is a pleasure to meet you two gentlemen.¡±

    Their eyes went to the source of the sound, where they saw a bizarre sight. Something was forcing its way through through the pile of cockroaches as though it were going to emerge from below.

    Their melee weapons could not reach that far. The thief silently drew his bow, while Gringam nned to pull out his catapult Ò» but that was only for show. If the battle began, he could wade through this waist-deep sea of cockroaches and hack at his foe with his axe.

    Soon, they saw that the entity that had worked its way through the cockroaches was, in fact, another cockroach.

    However, this cockroach seemed different from its fellow cockroaches around it. It was only 30 centimeters tall, yet it stood erect on two legs.

    It was draped in a grand-looking red cape edged with gold thread, and it wore a tiny gold-gleaming crown on its head. Its forelegs held a pure white scepter set with a gemstone.

    The strangest thing was that it was looking right at Gringam and the thief despite standing upright. An insect would naturally look up if it were standing on two legs, but the being before their eyes was different.

    Other than that, it was not too different from the other cockroaches. No, those alone were big differences.

    Gringam exchanged looks with the thief, and they agreed that Gringam would parley with their opposition. After verifying that the thief had put down his bow and the arrow nocked to it, Gringam asked Kyouhukou:

    ¡°Who... are you?¡±

    ¡°Umu. It would seem you did not hear my introduction just now. Shall I state my name once more?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant...¡± Halfway through, Gringam realized that was not what he ought to be doing or asking. ¡°...Alright, I¡¯ll get to the point; would you like to make a deal with us?¡±

    ¡°Oh, a deal. I am very thankful to the two of you, and I am delighted to deal with you.¡±

    There was something strange about those words Ò» why was it so grateful to the two of them? It bothered Gringam, but given the overwhelmingly unfavorable circumstances before him, he could not ask the other party such a question.

    ¡°...We would like... we would like to ask you to allow us to safely leave this room.¡±

    ¡°I see, it is only natural that you should think that way. However, even if you two gentlemen do manage to leave this room, your current location is within the second floor of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. It behooves me to mention that returning to the surface will be very difficult.¡±

    The second floorÒ»

    Those words made Gringam¡¯s eyes go wide.

    ¡°We passed through the mausoleum on the surface, descended a flight of stairs and passed through a doorway Ò» was that the first floor?¡±

    ¡°Many would regard it as such, would they not?¡±

    ¡°No, I was simply confirming that.¡±

    ¡°Haha, well, you two gentlemen were teleported here from the first floor. Your confusion is eminently justified.¡±

    Somehow, Kyouhukou was nodding. Gringam felt like he had been stabbed by icicles when he saw it.

    This was a terror born of his suspicions being proven right.

    In other words, while he did not know how they had done it, their opposition used teleportation magic as a trap. What kind of spell was it, and what kind of magical technology had they used? He knew how shocking this was despite not being a magic caster.

    ¡°...Indeed, I¡¯m hoping you can tell us how to leave this tomb, but I dare not ask so much. Just allowing us to leave this room will be enough.¡±

    ¡°Hmhm.¡±

    ¡°We... are willing to give you anything you desire.¡±

    ¡°I see...¡±

    Kyouhukou nodded deeply, and looked as though it were deep in thought.

    For a short while, the interior of the room was deathly silent. In the end, Kyouhukou seemed to have made up its mind. It nodded and said:

    ¡°What I desire is already within my grasp. The terms you gentlemen propose do not satisfy me.¡±

    Gringam was about to open his mouth, but Kyouhukou raised a foreleg to stop him, and then said:

    ¡°Before that, it seems you do not understand the reason for my gratitude towards the two of you. Then, permit me to exin. In truth, my familiars have long grown tired of eating each other. Thus, I am grateful that the two of you are going to be their feed.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    The thief loosed an arrow immediately upon hearing that.

    The arrow whistled through the air, but Kyouhukou¡¯s crimson cape caught it, and it fell powerlessly.

    Then Ò» the room began to writhe.

    Countless rustling noises echoed through the room, and it became a torrent of sound.

    Then, a tsunami loomed over them.

    It was a churning flow of darkness.

    ¡°Regretfully, there are only the two of you, but even so, I hope you will fill my familiars¡¯ bellies.¡±

    The swell of the tidal wave swallowed Gringam and the thief. It looked just like being devoured by the ocean.

    As Gringam sank into the ck whirlpool, he frantically swatted at the cockroaches which had worked their way into the gaps of his armor.

    Weapons were useless against a swarm of such tiny insects, and Gringam did not know any martial arts which could attack an area. In that case, smacking them with his hands would be faster. Therefore, he had already cast aside his weapon, and he did not know where it had gone.

    He struggled and tried to il his arms, but the countless cockroaches weighing him down had already taken his freedom of movement. His actions were just like a drowning man thrashing his arms about. All Gringam could hear was the rustling of countless cockroaches.

    His thiefpanion¡¯s voice was drowned out by the rustling, and he could not hear it.

    No, it only made sense that he could not hear the thief¡¯s voice. That was because the thief¡¯s mouth, throat and stomach were stuffed full of cockroaches, and he could not vocalize.

    Prickling pain filled Gringam¡¯s body from head to toe. It was the pain from the cockroaches which had infiltrated through the gaps in his armor and were chewing at his flesh.

    ¡°StopÒ»¡±

    Gringam wanted to cry out, but the cockroaches working their way into his mouth blocked it up. He frantically tried to spit out the cockroaches, but every time he opened his mouth, another cockroach would squirm in through his lips, and then crawl around in his mouth.

    Tiny cockroaches seemed to have burrowed into his ears. The rustling grew louder, and his ears were unbearably itchy.

    Countless cockroaches crawled up and down his face, biting everywhere. Pain covered his eyelids. However, he could not open his eyes. He could imagine what would happen to his eyes if he did so.

    Gringam understood what sort of fate awaited him. He would be eaten alive by cockroaches.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want this!¡±

    He screamed out loud, and the cockroaches promptly flowed into his mouth. They wriggled everywhere, and then burrowed into the depths of his throat. Then, he felt something slide down his throat into his stomach. The sensation of a live cockroach thrashing around in his guts made him want to throw up.

    Gringam struggled desperately once more.

    He could not bear to die like this.

    He wanted his two elder brothers to look at him with different eyes. This was the sole, driving purpose which had motivated him and let him reach his present position.

    Gringam had saved up enough that he could spend his days in leisure even without adventuring, and with his reputation, he could easily marry a beautiful woman, the likes of which one could not find in a vige. Be it in terms of strength or wealth, he was far superior to his elder brothers who had chased him from the house. He should have been a winner in life.

    He did not want to die in a ce like this.

    ¡°Abbbooooaahhhhhh! I want to go back aliveeeeee!¡± he screamed as he spat out chewed-up cockroaches.

    ¡°...My, but you can endure. Then, another helping for you.¡±

    Gringam¡¯s cries vanished into the ck vortex several secondster.

    ***

    His eyes suddenly opened

    A ceiling came into view. Said ceiling was made of fitted stone bs, and there was an object which emitted white light set into it. He did not know how he hade to be here, but when he thought to look around, he realized that his head could not move. No, it was not just his head. His arms, his legs, his waist and his chest were bound by something and immobilized.

    These iprehensible circumstances sparked terror within him. He wanted to scream, but something was stuck in his mouth. He could not speak, and he could not close his mouth.

    All he could do was move his eyes. He frantically tried to see what was going on around him, and just then a voice addressed him.

    ¡°Aran~ so you¡¯re awake.¡±

    That voice was garbled. It was difficult to determine if it belonged to a female or a male.

    A horrific monster worked its way into his immobilized field of vision, appearing before him.

    That thing had a human¡¯s body, but its head was a bizarre object that looked like a deformed octopus. It trailed six long, twitching tentacles that descended to its thighs.

    Its skin was the cloudy white color of a drowned corpse. Its body was swollen like the aforementioned drowned corpse, with a few bands of ck leather to substitute for clothing. Those bands bit into its skin, looking just like butcher¡¯s twine used to wrap up cuts of meat, and it was hideous beyond belief. Perhaps they would have been bewitchingly alluring on a beautiful woman, but on a spine-chilling monster like this, it was less seductive than stomach-churning.

    The monster¡¯s hands sprouted four slender fingers each, with webs between them. They had long nails, each with beautiful nail polish applied, and they were further adorned with strange nail art.

    This bizarre being looked at him with cloudy, pupil-less eyes.

    ¡°Ufufufu. Did you sleep well?¡±

    ¡°Hahhh... hahhh...¡±

    His breathing was heavy under the twin assaults of fear and shock. The monster caressed his cheek with a gentle gesture, like a motherforting a child.

    The strangely cold sensation sent a chill through his entire body.

    It would have been perfect if it emitted a heavy scent of blood or rot. However, it instead radiated a floral fragrance. That only served to heighten his sense of terror.

    ¡°Ara~ there¡¯s no need to shrink in fear.¡±

    The creature¡¯s line of sight moved to his groin, and the sensation of the air against his skin let him finally realize that he was naked.

    ¡°Mmm, should I ask you for your name?¡±

    The monster ced its hand on what seemed to be its cheek and tilted its head. Surely it would have been a delightful gesture if a woman had done it, but instead it was an octopus-headed creature that looked like a drowned corpse. All he felt was disgust and fear.

    ¡°...¡±

    He could only move his eyeballs, and the monsterughed at him. Its mouth was covered by its tentacles, and its expression did not seem to have changed. However, he could still tell that it wasughing, because its cold, ssy, marble-like eyes were narrowed.

    ¡°Ufufufu, you don¡¯t want to tell me? You¡¯re so shy, how adorable.¡±

    The monster¡¯s hand slid over his chest, like it was tracing out letters, but all he felt was panic, like his heart might be ripped out at any time.

    ¡°Let me tell Ò» you Ò» my Ò» name <3¡± the creature said, in a sharine Ò» though garbled Ò» voice that sounded like it was appending hearts to the end of every sentence it said. ¡°I¡¯m Neuronist, the special intelligence gathering officer of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. However, everyone also calls me the torturer.¡±

    The long tentacles moved, exposing the round mouth at their base. The mouth was edged with a rung of sharp teeth, and a glistening, slender tube that looked like a tongue snaked out of it, like a straw.

    ¡°Afterwards, I¡¯ll use this to suck you dry~¡±

    Suck what dry? He was so afraid that he tried to contort his body, but he was firmly bound.

    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s like this. We caught you.¡±

    Indeed, hisst memories were of the thief and Gringam running ahead of him and vanishing. After that, he did not recall anything until now.

    ¡°You do know where you are, don¡¯t you?¡± Neuronist chuckled, and then continued. ¡°This is the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, you know. The Kingdom of the only member of the 41 Supreme Beings who stayed behind, MomoÒ»no, Ainz-sama. It is the most honored ce in the world.¡±

    ¡°Ainhu-haha?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Neutonist understood his poorly-pronounced words as its hand wandered over his skin.

    ¡°He¡¯s one of the 41 Supreme Beings, and the leader who once coordinated the other Supreme Beings. And he¡¯s also a very, very charming man. Anyone who sees him would want to pledge their utmost loyalty to him. As for me, if I were fortunate enough to be called to Ainz-sama¡¯s bed, I would dly offer him my first time.¡±

    The way this monster shyly twisted its body could not be considered adorable, but abhorrent.

    ¡°Mmmm, I¡¯ll tell you something,¡± The monster began tracing letters on his chest, like a young girl in the throes of her first crush. ¡°Thest time Ainz-sama visited me, he was staring at my body. His gaze was like a male beast selecting its prey. After that, he seemed embarrassed, and then turned his eyes away. It made my heart race and my spine shiver~¡±

    At this point, the creature stopped moving and brought its face over, staring into his eyes. He desperately tried to distance himself from that frightening visage, but his body could not move.

    ¡°That little brat Shalltear and that ugly freak Albedo both seem to be enjoying Ainz-sama¡¯s attentions, but no matter how you think of it, I¡¯m more attractive than them. Don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°Ahh, hahh hink hoo thoo.¡±

    What manner of fate would befall him if he dared disagree with her? The fear of that made him agree with her.

    Neuronist narrowed her eyes in delight, and it pped its hands together and looked into the air. It looked just like a zealot praying to the heavens.

    ¡°Fufufu, you¡¯re sweet. Or are you just telling the truth? Still, for some reason, Ainz-sama has never called for me... ahhh, Ainz-sama... your stoic attitude is so attractive...¡±

    The monster was so moved that it shuddered, and it made him think of a segmented worm crawling around.

    ¡°...Ah, I¡¯ve gone all shivery. Ara, pardon me, I¡¯ve been talking all this while.¡±

    Please forget all about me. Neuronist ignored his mental prayer and continued:

    ¡°Let me tell you what your fate will be. You know what a chorus is, don¡¯t you?¡±

    He rolled his eyes at the sudden question. After seeing his confused reaction, Neuronist seemed to think he did not know, and so it began to exin.

    ¡°They are a choir that sings hymns and psalms, praising the love and glory of God. I want to have you join the chorus, along with your friends.¡±

    If that was all, then it would be nothing much. While he was not very confident in his singing voice, he was notpletely tone deaf. However, was this monster¡¯s aim truly so simple? He could not hide the unease within him, and he nced at Neuronist out of the corner of his eyes.

    ÌØ¡£

    ¡°Oh yes~ It¡¯s a chorus~ Even a fool like you who has not sworn his all to Ainz-sama can make an offering to Ainz-sama if you but raise your voice and sing. We will have your singing in unison be our objective. Ahhh, my body¡¯s gone shivery again. This shall be the gospel music that Neuronist will offer to Ainz-sama.¡±

    A smoky color filled those disgusting eyeballs. Perhaps the monster was feeling excited about its idea. Its narrow, slender fingers writhed like worms.

    ¡°Fufufufu. Alright. I¡¯ll introduce you to the people who will help you sing in harmony.¡±

    They had probably been waiting in a corner of the room, but several people suddenly appeared in his field of vision.

    Once he saw those people, he momentarily forgot to breathe, because he knew that they were evil creatures at a nce.

    They wore tight ck leather aprons. Their bodies were not so much white as cream-colored. Below that skin were Ò» if blood could be purple Ò» purplish blood vessels.

    Their heads were covered in seamless ck leather masks. There was no telling how they could see or even breathe. Their arms were also very long. Each of them was about two meters tall, but their arms extended down below their knees.

    The belts at their waists contained countless work tools.

    There were four of these vile creatures.

    ¡°Ò»They are Torturers. These kids will help you sing with a sweet voice.¡±

    He had a very bad feeling about this. He suddenly realized what ¡°singing¡± meant, and he frantically twisted his body in an attempt to escape, but his body still could not move.

    ¡°It¡¯s useless~ Your strength won¡¯t be able to break them. These boys will use healing magic on you, so you can practice to your heart¡¯s content. I¡¯m very gentle, aren¡¯t I?¡± Neuronist said in a voice nuanced with wickedness.

    ¡°Rho rhu thiiih!¡±

    ¡°Hmm, what¡¯s wrong? Do you want me to stop?¡±

    Neuronist asked him that question as he shouted and the tears welled up in his eyes. Then, it lightly waggled its six tentacles.

    ¡°Listen now, alright~ We, the creations of the Supreme Beings, have value in existing because that great person chose to stay behind. Serving that great person is our reason for existence. How could we possibly pity miserable little thieves like you, who tracked dirt into the home of the noble Supreme One with your filthy little feet? Did you really think I would take pity on you?¡±

    ¡°Ah hourrrihh!¡±

    ¡°Yes. You¡¯re right. Regret is very important.¡±

    Neuronist produced a slender rod from somewhere. At its tip was a five-millimeter long section covered in spikes.

    ¡°We¡¯ll start with this.¡±

    He had no idea what it was for, but Neuronist was only too happy to exin.

    ¡°I hear that my creator was afflicted by a disease called urinary stones. In order to show my respect for him, we shall begin with this. As it happens, you¡¯re so small now, so I imagine it¡¯ll go in very easily.¡±

    ¡°Rho rhu thiiih!¡±

    He wailed as he realised what was going to happen to him, and Neuronist brought its face up to his.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to be together for a very long time. If you¡¯re going to cry and make a fuss over this much, it won¡¯t end well for you, you know?¡±

    <b>Part 3</b>

    Each team had taken a different route at the crossroads, and among them Eruya Uzruth had simply charged straight ahead, on the baseless assumption that there would be a strong enemy waiting for him in the tomb¡¯s depths.

    He encountered stone doors and countless turns along the way, and he picked each one at random, walking silently through the tomb. His route was peaceful, which bored him. They had not even encountered any traps, much less monsters.

    Perhaps I picked the wrong route. As Eruya thought that, he clicked his tongue.

    ¡°Hurry up already, slowpoke,¡± Eruya barked at the Elf walking ten meters ahead of him as she was about to stop. The Elf ve quivered for just a second before walking tiredly on. She had been walking continuously ever since they had entered the romb, and she had not been permitted to cken her pace.

    Fortunately, nothing had happened so far, but if there had been traps, she could very well have died.

    The way he was using his ves was not so much trapfinding as having her serve as a canary in a mine. Eruya¡¯s team wasposed of himself and three Elf ves with skills different from his Ò» a ranger, a priest and a druid. Giving such an order to someone like her, who possessed irreceable searching skills, was too much of a waste.

    However, he had his reasons.

    Simply put, he was tired of the Elf in front of him.

    Surely anyone would be shocked when they heard that answer. Their shock would not be a matter of ethics, but economics.

    ves from the ine Theocracy were not cheap. This was particrly true of Elves, whose looks and skills caused their price to soar. In most cases Elves were shockingly expensive merchandise, and not something an average citizen could afford.

    Among them, those Elves with special skills cost as much as a magic weapon enchanted with special effects. Even someone like Eruya could not simply buy one because he wanted to.

    However, Tenbu¡¯s ie was monopolized by Eruya, and so as long as a job was sessful, he could make the money back quickly. Therefore, once he got tired of a ve, he did not particrly mind if she died.

    I¡¯ll buy one with bigger breasts next time, Eruya thought as he looked at the back of the tired-seeming elf.

    Squeezing their breasts and making them scream ought to be fun.

    Since this job was a cooperative effort with other teams, he had not bedded the Elves for several days. Granted, nobody would say anything even if he had slept with them, but jealousy brought about displeasure. That was not advantageous, and as a Worker, Eruya knew at least that much.

    Therefore, his pent-up lust had led Eruya to these thoughts.

    ¡°Or maybe, next time I¡¯ll ask for someone like that bitch¡¯s type.¡±

    One of Foresight¡¯s members appeared in Eruya¡¯s mind, the Half-Elf who had been ring at Eruya.

    That bitch was truly an eyesore.

    She also had a girlish-looking female next to her, but Eruya felt that the girl¡¯s distaste for him was understandable. Women often did not understand the libido of men, and girls of that age ought to have some desire for purity. However, lifeforms that were inferior to human beings did not deserve to look at mankind with an expression like that.

    Just thinking about it filled Eruya¡¯s handsome features with rage.

    ¡°I want to bash that slut¡¯s face in, beat her until she can¡¯t resist any more...¡±

    The Elf ves were thoroughly broken before they were handed to their masters, ensuring that they could not put up any resistance.

    But if he made a move on that Half-Elf, she would surely struggle like a frenzied beast. It was not difficult for Eruya to break and conquer her. However, he would be hurt as well, and Eruya was not confident in his ability to subdue live prey. As he lost himself in imagining how it would be like to punch Imina in the face several times, he was a secondte in noticing that the Elf in front of him had stopped moving.

    ¡°Why did you stop? Keep going.¡±

    ¡°Aiieee... ah, I, I heard a sound.¡±

    ¡°A sound?¡±

    Eruya furrowed his brows as the Elf plucked up the courage to reply. He concentrated on listening. The surroundings were silent, so quiet, in fact, that it made his ears hurt.

    ¡°...I don¡¯t hear anything.¡±

    Normally, he would have simply punched her right in the face, but Elves had keener hearing than human beings. It might be that she had heard something which Eruya had not. In order to verify that, he asked the two people beside him:

    ¡°How about you lot?¡±

    ¡°Y-yes, I can hear something.¡±

    ¡°It... it sounds like metal shing against metal.¡±

    ¡°...Is that so.¡±

    There was no way the sound of metal colliding with metal could ur naturally.

    In that case, it must surely have been made by someone. In other words, this might be the first fight since entering the tomb. As he thought of that, Eruya¡¯s heart filled with excitement.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to check out the source of that sound.¡±

    ¡°Y...yes.¡±

    He let the Elf ve walk ahead of him, and they travelled in the direction of the noise.

    Soon, Eruya heard the sound of metal as well. It was the sound of an intense collision between one object and another, apanied by boisterous roars and shouts.

    ¡°Is that the sound of another team fighting? I didn¡¯t think we crossed their path when we went forward, but it seems we¡¯ve run into another team.¡±

    What had been something like joy dampened in an instant, and Eruya sighed dejectedly.

    ¡°Oh well, forget it. We might be able to back them up and kill some monsters.¡±

    Eruya continued toward the source of the sounds, but he began to feel strange. This did not sound like a battle. It was just likeÒ»

    When he turned the corner, his doubts were answered.

    After turning the corner, he saw a wide, spacious room before his eyes. It was big enough that several dozen people could run around inside it. There were ten Lizardmen in exquisitely-crafted armor within the room. All of them wore cors which had broken chains attached to them, and the ends waggled in the air.

    They were swinging their swords within the room. Each mighty hack was deflected by an unhesitating parry. Scenes like that repeated themselves throughout the room. It might have looked like an intense battle, but Eruya immediately saw that they were training.

    When Eruya and the others entered the room, the Lizardmen stopped swinging their swords, which indicated that his guess had been correct.

    Apart from the Lizardmen, there was a gigantic fellow with a huge tower shield and wearing ck te armor with blood vessel-like tracery on it, and one more person Ò» or rather, one more creature.

    It was a massive magical beast, with a coat of silver-white fur and a pair of intelligent-looking eyes.

    ¡°So, thou haste atst, intruder-dono.¡±

    Talking magical beasts were often difficult opponents. Magical beasts were usually the sort who attacked by leveraging their powerful bodies, but some intelligent magical beasts could use magic as well.

    Eruya was a genius swordsman, but his magical abilities were hardly exceptional. He channelled his strength into his core, steeled his soul, and prepared himself to resist hostile magic as he asked:

    ¡°And you are?¡±

    There was no need to bother. Since it was here waiting for him, that implied that it was the guardian of these ruins. The question now was how powerful this guardian was.

    By it looks, it might even be the overseer of these ruins. In that case, killing this magical beast would be a great aplishment. In other words, his team would be the most outstanding of all the other Workers. Tenbu was a one-man teamposed of Eruya himself, so that would mean that Eruya was the strongest of all the Workers. Luck was also an important ability for Workers.

    ¡°Someone hath appointed me to face thee, and perform several tests at the same time... but given thy strength, I fear it is somewhat insufficient.¡±

    Disappointment and frustration surged through his heart.

    The former was because the magical beast was simply a watchman, and thetter was because it had scorned him.

    ¡°You¡¯re already looking down on me without even crossing des with me? Oi!¡±

    ¡°Y-yes.¡±

    The Elf shuddered as her master addressed her. Doing so filled Eruya with satisfaction. This was the sort of attitude that he was entitled to. While it had just been a few days, he had to spend time around Momon, a clearly superior ss of being, and it had deeply displeased him. This eased the annoyance a little.

    ¡°What kind of creature is that?¡±

    ¡°I... I¡¯m very, very sorry. I... haven¡¯t heard of a magical beast like that before.¡±

    ¡°Cheh, you¡¯re useless.¡±

    He smashed the useless Elf¡¯s face with the hilt of his sword.

    The Elf copsed to the ground, shielding her face while frantically apologizing, but Eruya paid her no heed; instead, he examined the magical beast¡¯s body.

    The magical beast was quiterge; fighting it head-on would be very unfavorable. However, magical beasts were generally very big, and Eruya had killed several magical beasts like this until now. There was no need to be afraid or whatnot of a magical beast he had not seen before.

    Of course, he had to be wary, but if he was too cautious and shrank from his foe, then he would be a coward.

    ¡°I have a question; what makes you think you can beat me?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s obvious at a nce that you¡¯re very weak...¡±

    Eruya¡¯s face twisted, and he tightened his grip on his sword.

    ¡°...It seems those eyes of yours can¡¯t see anything. How about I help you cut those useless eyes out of your head?¡±

    ¡°I pray thee spare me. Very well, my master hath ordered this one to y thee here... so let us begin forthwith.¡±

    It sounds extremely casual. That angered Eruya further.

    He wanted to dispense with the pleasantries and start swinging, but if he got angry and shed at a magical beast who was taking things easy, he would end up feeling like someone had gotten the better of him. Therefore, he swallowed his anger, and snorted.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do it, beast.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of which, why dost thou dy? Will those Elves not prepare as well?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need. You should be having those Lizardmen behind...¡±

    ¡°Ah, they are not involved in this. The Lizardmen behind this one are merely to spectate the fight. Fret not about them.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re throwing away your only chance of victory for nothing? How brave.¡±

    ¡°I thank thee for thy praise.¡±

    Taunting it had not worked. Perhaps this magical beast could speak, but it was not very intelligent. As Eruya pondered this, the creature¡¯s whiskers quivered as it addressed him:

    ¡°That said, this one must y thee without mercy, so this one desires that thou assault me with all thy might. After all, as this one hath said before, this is also a test for this one.¡±

    ¡°A test? For a watchdog?¡±

    ¡°Mm~ a test to see if this one¡¯s warrior prowess hath improved. Alright, let usmence. This one shall not strike at the elves behind thee, but only at thy person.¡±

    ¡°Do what you want.¡±

    ¡°This one is known as Hamsuke! Remember the name of the one who ims thy life upon thy voyage to the next world! State thy name as well!¡±

    ¡°...Unfortunately, a mere beast like you doesn¡¯t deserve to know my name.¡±

    ¡°Then this one shall erase you my memory as a nameless fool!¡±

    The massive body charged over to him in an instant.

    There was no way he could have imagined such arge body moving so fast. A less talented warrior might have been shaken by the immense pressure bearing down on him, and he would have been unable to avoid being mmed by that huge body and taking severe wounds.

    I¡¯m not like those mooks.

    Eruya waited until Hamsuke drew near then slid to the side, without moving his legs.

    This was the effect of [Shukuchi Kai], an improved version of the martial art [Shukuchi].

    The basic [Shukuchi] was a martial art that could only be used to shorten the distance to one¡¯s foe, but [Shukuchi Kai] could be used to freely move in all directions. Sliding around without moving one¡¯s legs was quite creepy, but very practical.

    Large movements when dodging destabilized one¡¯s body. But one could avoid that with [Shukuchi Kai]; in other words, one could convert a defense to an attack while maintaining a stable center of gravity.

    ¡°Yeeart!¡±

    He swung his swordÒ»

    ¡°Ò»Guuwaaargh!¡±

    But Hamsuke¡¯s body caught up, breaking Eruya¡¯s sh and sending him flying.

    It felt very hard.

    What looked like soft fur was as hard as metal; to Eruya it was like being hit by a wrecking ball. The impact nked his mind out for a moment.

    As he crashed heavily to the ground, he subconsciously confirmed that he could still move.

    While he had been bruised and contused, he had no broken bones and so on. He could still fight.

    However, the twin facts that he was rolling around on the ground and that he had disgracefully taken an attack from the enemy almost made him go berserk. However, Eruya the warrior reprimanded himself; now was not the time to be thinking of that.

    As Eruya rose to his feet, he had already grasped Hamsuke¡¯s position, and this time he pointed his sword forward, bracing his sword to take his opponent¡¯s charge.

    A slippery fluid flowed from his nose. He wiped at it with one hand, and as expected, it was blood.

    ¡°Damn piece of shit...¡±

    Hamsuke watched Eruya rise with calm eyes. The word ¡°observing¡± would best describe the expression on its face.

    Those were not a wild beast¡¯s eyes which said, ¡°Can I eat this? Can I beat this?¡±, but a warrior¡¯s eyes, attempting to determine the best tactics from their brief sh just now.

    You¡¯re using me as a touchstone for a magical beast¡¯s growth as a warrior?!

    While it upset him, the sequence of events just now had forced him to acknowledge that his opponent was no mere beast. The attack just now had been a snap reaction to realizing that Eruya had circled around itself, a leaping tackle that had struck home. While the attack itself had not been that strong, the fact that it could respond immediately was surely due to training.

    ¡°I see... so if I keep fighting at a slow pace like this, I ought to be able to win... Ah, I pray thee pay it no heed. This one hath never before seen a human being who could ovee this one.¡±

    ¡°If you want to talk big, how about waiting until after you¡¯ve seen this, huh? Unlike a mere beast, warriors can use martial arts!¡±

    He had thought he could win easily, so he had not used them. However, he no longer had the luxury of arrogance.

    ¡°Martial Art! [Ability Boost]! [Greater Ability Boost]!¡±

    These martial arts were his pride and joy. [Greater Ability Boost], in particr, was a martial art that someone of Eruya¡¯s level should never have been able to learn.

    But I learned it, so I¡¯m a genius! I really am very strong!

    He swung the sword in his hand. The de was light and his movements were smooth. The sword moved as he imagined it.

    Eruya smiled thinly. Now it would be his turn to shine.

    ¡°Umu, this one remembers that one should keep a distance when one cannot gauge an opponent¡¯s strength, right? But this one must also face battle as a warrior... s, it cannot be helped.¡±

    Hamsuke used two legs to walk over, step by step, until it was before Eruya¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°This one wishes to fight in close quarters; wilt thou ede to this one¡¯s request?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t look down on me, beast.¡±

    The moment it entered his attack radius, Eruya swung at his foe.

    Hamsuke used its sharp ws to fend off the sword strikes that had been made with the aid of an augmented body. No, it tried to fend it off, but it had not seededpletely. The de had run over its arm. However, the force of the blow had been dissipated, and it could not tear through its sturdy hide and slice open the muscles beneath.

    Eruya did not pull his sword back, but thrust at Hamsuke¡¯s eyes. Some magical beasts had a protective film on their eyes which could repel insufficiently sharp des, and some warriors could use ki or an aura to deflect the strikes of an amateur. However, Hamsuke did not seem to have such defensive abilities.

    Therefore, Hamsuke would not let Eruya¡¯s attack strike it.

    Hamsuke¡¯s body whirled, and as it evaded the thrusting de, its tail ripped through the air and struck at Eruya.

    Eruya blocked the blow with his sword. An unbelievable impact numbed his arm.

    ¡°Gwaargh!¡±

    Hamsuke¡¯s body once more became a spinning blur in his field of vision. That meant that the same attack would being again.

    Eruya leapt back. He had roughly grasped the length of the tail; after the tail passed by, he would use [Shukuchi Kai] to charge back into close quarters with the enemy.

    Just as it was about to sh past his eyes, the tail suddenly stopped.

    ¡°Hnggg!¡±

    It had been a feint. Hamsuke used this opening to regain its bnce, and it pulled its tail away at the same time. Eruya frowned, having lost the chance to close the distance with Hamsuke.

    The tail¡¯s movements werepletely different from those of the body. It was not a rat¡¯s tail, but a serpentine tail like that of a Chimera; it could move independently.

    ¡°So its tail can move freely Ò» is it?¡±

    Eruya altered the information on Hamsuke in his head as he rushed into its embrace. Hamsuke had been waiting for this, and it responded to the attack.

    de and w crossed, and the fresh blood flying through the air came from Eruya.

    Hamsuke could attack with both ws, and so he could strike more frequently than Eruya, who only had one sword.

    Closebat was not favorable to him.

    His bodily attributes might have been improved, but Hamsuke was still superior. In that caseÒ»

    He used [Shukuchi Kai] to retreat.

    ¡°Umu...¡±

    Since Hamsuke did not pursue. Eruya raised his sword, and then swung down forcefully.

    ¡°[Void sh!]!¡±

    His sh ripped through the air at Hamsuke.

    Hamsuke covered its face and braced itself, and its hide deflected the cutting strike.

    Since it had travelled a long distance, its damage potential decreased as well, and it would be very hard to strike a mortal blow. HoweverÒ»

    ¡°So you can¡¯t block this, can you? This is the difference between a man and a mere beast.¡±

    ¡°What a headache this is...¡±

    He kept on using [Void sh], but Hamsuke¡¯s hide was very hard, so breaking through its protection would surely be very difficult. That was why he had to keep using martial arts on its face, which ought to be the least protected.

    Hamsuke remained in ce, covering its face with its forelegs. It spoke through the small gaps between its fingers.

    ¡°Wait!¡±

    ¡°Begging for mercy? An animal is an animal, after all.¡±

    ¡°No Ò» stop bothering this one. I speak of the one within this one¡¯s mouth... ahhh, what a pain!¡±

    He did not understand at all.

    Well, obviously humans wouldn¡¯t be able to understand what beasts are saying... that said, it ought to be charging over now!

    ¡°Ahhhh, how annoying! This one shalle at thee!¡±

    ¡°Bring it.¡±

    Hamsukecked ranged attacks, so its options were limited. It would probably try to rush in, but that would suit Eruya¡¯s purposes just fine.

    It was difficult for [Void sh] to strike mortal blows, so he would have to defeat it with a direct attack. When Hamsuke ran, it did so like a beast, sticking out its face, and during that time, Eruya could use a martial art that was more potent than [Void sh] to stop its movements. After that, all he would need to do was keep attacking its face and victory was assured.

    Just as Eruya smiled cruelly, certain of his victory, Hamsuke¡¯s tail suddenly twitched. ThenÒ»

    ¡°Abbbahhhhh!¡±

    The tail moved like a whip, striking Eruya¡¯s shoulder with preternatural speed.

    His pauldron dented inward with a scream of tortured metal as it was crushed with his flesh. The sound of bones breaking crackled up and down his body, and agony flooded his brain like an electric shock.

    Eruya staggered back, in so much pain that he was drooling.

    The massive, serpentine tail twitched behind Hamsuke. It had be strangely long.

    ¡°This one was saying that this one¡¯s tail was too strong. That was why this one wanted to end this in meleebat.¡±

    This was bad.

    Eruya swallowed a scream.

    If his enemy tackled him under these conditions, his defeat was certain.

    ¡°You! You lot! What are you spacing out for! Use your magic! Heal me! Heal me with your magic! Hurry up and help me with your magic, you damn ves!¡±

    After hearing her master¡¯s order, one of the Elves hurriedly cast a spell on him.

    The pain in his shoulder vanished instantly.

    ¡°That¡¯s not enough! Cast strengthening spells on me!¡±

    Spells to improve one¡¯s physical abilities, spells to briefly sharpen one¡¯s de, spells to harden one¡¯s skin, spells to improve one¡¯s senses... Hamsuke simply watched quietly as countless enhancing spells flew through the air.

    After being buffed by several spells, the cocky smile returned to Eruya¡¯s face.

    Immense strength coursed through Eruya¡¯s body.

    He had never once lost after being strengthened by so many spells. It had been the same regardless of the strength of his foes.

    He swung his de, which hummed through the air. The de moved faster than usual. This time, he was certain that he was on an even footing with his opponent; perhaps even faster than him.

    ¡°Humans and beasts have always been separated by the difference in their physical attributes! I¡¯ve made up for that difference now!¡±

    ¡°This one originally intended to take all of thee on at once, so this was only to be expected, no? Rather, if thou canst fight on even terms now, it would please this one.¡±

    ¡°Bullshit!¡±

    Eruya charged forward. He nned to use the power suffusing his form to crush his foe in one hit, and keep the creature from spouting more nonsense. As he closed in with [Shukuchi Kai] he used [Void sh] to suppress his opponent.

    ¡°Take this!¡±

    With a mighty cry, he swung his sword down with all his might. If the creature¡¯s hide was thick, then he would simply have to swing harder to cut through it.

    His de, swung with all his mightÒ»

    ¡°[sh]!¡±

    A shing attack from above him connected with his arms.

    Something spun through the air, thennded heavily on the ground. He heard the ear-piercing sound of metal, and a sound like a wet sack sttering on the ground.

    Eruya could not understand it.

    His arms Ò» which had still been holding his sword just now Ò» had vanished. Even as blood spurted from the severed stumps in time with his heartbeat, he could not ept reality.

    Agony coursed up from his arms. Some distance away, his arms fell to the ground, still holding on to his sword.

    Only after seeing that fact did Eruya finally grasp what had just happened.

    He stumbled back from Hamsuke and screeched:

    ¡°My arms, my aaaarrrrmmmms! Heal... heal me, hurry up and heal me! Hurry!¡±

    The Elves did not move.

    The silent glee of the tormented lit up their clouded eyes.

    ¡°Marvellous! A resounding sess! This one can use martial arts! Now Milord shall surelyvish praise upon this one!¡±

    ¡°Aiiiiiieeeee!¡±

    Eruya wailed hoarsely

    In this world where creatures stronger than humanity roamed, adventuring meant that pain was a constantpanion.

    Eruya had experienced many sorts of pain. He had been struck by lightning, burned with fire, froze by cold, his bones had been broken, he had been mauled, shed and bludgeoned, but through it all, he had never lost his weapon. That was onlymon sense; in this world, releasing one¡¯s weapon indirectly equalled death. No, he was confident that as long as he held his sword in his hand, he could ovee any difficulty.

    And in this moment, his self-confidence was shattered.

    This was the first time in his life Eruya had taken such a great blow.

    ¡°My arms! Hurry!¡±

    Fresh blood kept spraying, and his body started turning cold from the wounds out and became heavy.

    As they heard Eruya¡¯s pitiful screaming, the Elves were all smiles.

    Just as Eruya was at a loss to describe the emotions bursting in his heart, a voice bearing a hint of kindness reached his ears.

    ¡°My thanks to thee! This one does not delight in tormenting others, so I shall dispatch thee forthwith.¡±

    There was a whoosh.

    A momentter, something hit Eruya¡¯s face. The pain was such that he even forgot about his arms, as though his entire being had been shattered.

    That was thest burst of agony Eruya experienced in his life.

    ***

    The corpse with the half-smashed face copsed to the ground with a thud.

    Hamsuke nodded, and then backed off. If it stood by the corpse, they probably would not dare approach the man¡¯s body. While the Elves looked like magic casters, they mighte at Hamsuke with swords like this man. Hamsuke did not wish to stop them from doing so.

    ¡°Alright, wilt thou note at me...?¡±

    After leaving the corpse, Hamsuke began to speak, but its words trailed off. That was because the Elves were giggling as they kicked the body of the warrior who should have been their ally.

    ¡°But why? Is this how Elves inter the deceased?¡±

    It tried to articte its words, but the feeling waspletely wrong. That was because there was a look of delight in their darkened, cloudy eyes. No matter how one looked at it, it could not be anything other than malice.

    ¡°...Oh, what a headache.¡±

    Hamsuke had used the techniques it had been honing until today upon the intruder, in order to show the fruits of its training. It had only fought for that reason, but would attacking a non-hostile opponent truly count as showing the results of its training? Hamsuke hoped that they would challenge it, at the very least.

    ¡°Apparently, all one needs to do is to give verbal provocation... but what manner of provocation should I use? This one does not understand... it cannot be helped; I shall wait for Milord to contact me. Oh, yes...¡±

    It turned back, to the Lizardmen who were rating its performance.

    ¡°Zaryusu-dono, how was it? Did this one pass muster?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you did very well. You definitely used a martial art just now.¡±

    The Lizardman who had tutored it in warrior techniques nodded, and Hamsuke smiled broadly.

    ¡°How wonderful! Will it be armor lessons after this?¡±

    ¡°Yes. We¡¯ll start from light armor, and then slowly go heavier.¡±

    Hamsuke had not been able to wear armor until now, because wearing armor made it thoroughly ufortable and it could not move freely. Normal movement and running were fine, but once it entered battle, it lost its bnce when swinging its tail, and it could not urately strike its target with its tail. Therefore, it had taken the Lizardmen as its tutors, and trained as they directed.

    ¡°This Hamsuke shall be stronger for the sake of Milord, so Milord will look upon me with different eyes! But how much longer must this one practice before this one can count as a full-fledged warrior? Hamsuke shall be a warrior!¡±

    ¡°Well... I¡¯d say you could be a warrior in one, maybe two more months, Hamsuke-san.¡±

    ¡°...That¡¯s so far off!¡±

    ¡°I feel it¡¯s already been going very fast, Hamsuke. Normal people take a year before learning martial arts. From that point of view, you¡¯ve grown fast enough,¡± added Zenberu, the Lizardman standing beside Zaryusu.

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. You¡¯ve fought live battles and been healed for your wounds, then enhanced with support magic and made to fight enemies stronger than yourself in death battles. After that hellish regime, you¡¯ve made quite a lot of progress.¡±

    Hamsuke¡¯s body trembled. The two lizardmen trembled as well. They all recalled the training they had received.

    ¡°...I pray that our next training session will not call the word ¡®death¡¯ to this one¡¯s mind.¡±

    ¡°Personally, I think you grow stronger more easily when you fight on the edge of life and death... that¡¯s just a personal opinion, though. Besides, it would be a bit of a shame if our newly-wedded husband lost his life in training.¡±

    ¡°Ohhh! Indeed, thou art wed, are you not?¡±

    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s because she seems to be with child.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an excellent warrior for you, he¡¯s got good uracy. How many shots did it take, two, three maybe?¡±

    Zaryusu punched Zenberu on the shoulder.

    ¡°Enough idle talk, let¡¯s start training. What should we do about the Elves over there?¡±

    ¡°Ah, let¡¯s leave them there for now.¡±

    The Elves which had been kicking and beating the corpse sank into a sitting position on the ground, like puppets whose strings had been cut. Hamsuke could not sense any will to fight from them. Therefore, Hamsuke decided that unless his Master gave the order, or they tried to flee, he would leave them alone.

 Chapter 52 - Volume 7

    <h4>Overlord Volume 7 Intermission</h4>

    <b>Intermission</b>

    (Re)Tranted by: Nigel

    Proofreader/Editor: Deus Ex Machina

    There was a slight change in the movement in the air before its nose, which woke the Dragon whose alias was the tinum Dragon Lord ¡ª Tsaindorcus Vaision ¡ª from his light slumber.

    What filled its waking consciousness was the emotion of surprise. It would not have been a stretch to call it shock, even.

    The keen sensory abilities of Dragons far exceeded those of humanity. Even if their foes concealed themselves or tried to deceive them with illusions, Dragons could instantly sense their opponents from far away, even when they were sound asleep.

    As a Dragon Lord, his senses were more acute than that of the average Dragon. That being the case, anyone who coulde this close to himself must be possessed of incredible abilities.

    Even a long-lived being like himself only knew of a few beings with such abilities. First were its fellow Dragon Lords. Then, one of the Thirteen Heroes who was no longer in this world, the assassin Ijaniya. And then, there was¡ª

    As he sensed the person his mind was sketching, Tsaindorcus Vaision ¡ª Tsa, for short ¨C quirked up the corner of its mouth and slowly opened its eyes.

    To the eyes of a dragon, the darkest night was as the brightest day.

    In front of the presence which he had sensed was an old human woman standing proudly, with a stylish by her waist. She had evaded his keen senses ande all the way here ¡ª a prankster¡¯s smile spread over her age-wrinkled face.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡±

    Tsa did not answer, simply regarded the olddy.

    Her head of white hair showed how long she had lived. However, her face overflowed with a childish vibrance on her face which did not match her years.

    Age might have made her skinny and weak, but it had not changed her heart.

    Tsapared how she was now to how she had been in her memories. The olddy¡¯s brows stood up, at a dangerous angle.

    ¡°What¡¯s this? Can¡¯t even spare a greeting for an old friend? Oh my, to think even Dragons could go senile.¡±

    Tsa bared his fangs andughed amiably.

    ¡°Forgive me. Seeing an old friend moved me so much that I shuddered, so I was unable to speak for a moment.¡±

    It was hard to believe that such a gentle voice coulde from such a massive frame. In contrast, the olddy¡¯s reply was exactly as Tsa had expected, full of sarcasm.

    ¡°Old friend? My old friend is that empty suit of armor over there... beaten up though it might be.¡±

    In the past, Tsa had travelled with the olddy and her group by controlling an empty suit of armor as a substitute for himself. Therefore, when his true identity hade out, hispanions had been furious about being tricked. The resentment from back then still had not died out, and she was still making digs at him until now.

    On the one hand, he hoped that she would give him a break. On the other, he felt that being able to banter with an old friend like this was a joyous thing.

    Their usual conversation brought a smile to Tsa¡¯s face, and then it noticed the olddy¡¯s finger.

    ¡°Hm? The ring seems to have vanished. Where did you put it? I recall nobody should be able to take anything from you... but that is a powerful magic item beyond the domain of humanity. I hope it hasn¡¯t reached the hands of dangerous elements; particrly the ck Scripture of the ine Theocracy.¡±

    ¡°Trying to change the topic, are we? Still, your eyes are sharp; is that the Draconic treasure sense at work... oh well, that¡¯s fine. I gave it to a young man. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    That item was not something that could be simply given away.

    It was a magic item made through the use of Wild Magic. The power of magic today was polluted and distorted, so making another such item was very difficult. As one of the rare few practitioners of Wild Magic, it wanted very much to ask her where exactly the ring had gone.

    However, it trusted its friends implicitly.

    ¡°Really now. Well, since you decided to give it away, I doubt you¡¯d have gone wrong... right, I heard that you were an adventurer once, am I correct? Are you here on business?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. I came to look up a friend to have fun. I¡¯ve already retired, and I¡¯m no longer an adventurer. Don¡¯t ask a little olddy like me to work so hard; I¡¯ve turned my duties over to that crybaby.¡±

    ¡°That crybaby?¡±

    Tsa thought for a while and then a sh of inspiration struck.

    ¡°...You mean her?¡±

    ¡°Yes, little Miss Inberun.¡±

    ¡°Ah~¡±

    Tsa sounded dumbfounded.

    ¡°You¡¯re probably the only one who can call her little.¡±

    ¡°Oh, really? You¡¯re even more qualified to call her little. I¡¯m about the same age as that girl, but you ought to be older, right?¡±

    ¡°That is true... still, I can¡¯t believe that girl would be willing to be an adventurer. What kind of scheme did you use?¡±

    ¡°Hmph. That crybaby went on and on and wouldn¡¯t stop, so I said, ¡®If I can beat you, then you¡¯ll have to listen to me¡¯, and then I smacked the crap out of her!¡±

    The olddy went ¡±kakaka¡±. Herughter seemed toe from the bottom of her heart.

    ¡°...I think you¡¯re the only human who could beat that girl.¡±

    Tsa sounded like it had broken out in a cold sweat, and shook its head. At the same time, it recalled another one of its old friends ¡ª one who had fought the Demon Gods by its side, who had performed great deeds in the battle against the Vermin Demon God.

    ¡°Well, I had friends helping me out. Besides, if you know the undead, you know how to beat the undead. If you can¡¯t defeat the power of the Earth, you can still exploit elemental affinities andpatibilities to turn the tables in your favor. Crybaby is very strong, but others are stronger than her. For instance, you could easily beat that girl. If you didn¡¯t limit yourself, you would be the most powerful being in this world.¡±

    The olddy¡¯s gaze shifted to the suit of tinum armor. The olddy imagined she would have received a casual answer, but Tsa¡¯s voice was grave.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. The power that pollutes the world might have started moving once more.¡±

    There was a hole on the armor¡¯s right pauldron, like it had been pierced by ance.

    ¡°...Have the hundred-year aftershockse? They aren¡¯t on the side of this world like Leader was?¡±

    ¡°...It might have just been an unfortunate encounter, but I feel that Vampire was of an evil nature. Speaking of which, while I guessed that it would be about time, I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s good luck or bad that actually brought me into contact with someone who could verify the other side.¡±

    ¡°Pick whichever side of the coin you like. Oh yes, I¡¯ve mentioned this before, but why not ask the other Dragon Lords for help?¡±

    ¡°The answer is still the same; it¡¯s very difficult. After all, they¡¯re all people who didn¡¯t fight in the war with the Eight Greed Kings. For instance, I feel the Heavenly Dragon Lord ¡ª who only knows how to fly around in the sky ¡ª or the Deep Darkness Dragon Lord ¡ª who hides in that massive underground cave doing who knows what ¡ª won¡¯t possibly help us.¡±

    ¡°Really now. Aren¡¯t there others like the Brightness Dragon Lord, Dragon Lords who had children with humanity? Try talking to them; who knows, things might turn out well, you know?¡±

    ¡°...Perhaps. But I personally feel that it would be better to wake up she who sleeps in the bottom-most levels of the city which floats upon the sea for help. You¡¯d have better chances for sess.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s ¡®waiting in thend of dreams¡¯, huh? If only we had preserved all of Leader¡¯s knowledge, things would not be so troublesome. He died too young.¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. He... killed arade (yer) he had spent his journey with, and it got to him. I can understand why he¡¯d decline the resurrection. Rigrit, you were shocked too, right?¡±

    The olddy looked into the distance, and she slowly nodded with a pained expression on her face.

    ¡°Aye, yes... it¡¯s true... you¡¯re right.¡±

    ¡°Rigrit, I apologize for asking this of you even though you¡¯re no longer an adventurer, but can I beg a favor of you?¡±

    ¡°What is it? I¡¯ve got a pretty good idea, but I want to hear it from you.¡±

    Tsa¡¯s eyes went to a sword. The sword did not look suitable for shing, but its edge was sharp beyondparison. It was of a standard that modern magic could not possibly make.

    This sword ¡ª one of the eight great weapons which the Eight Greed Kings left behind ¡ª was the reason why Tsa could not leave this ce.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been doing this until now, and I hope you can lend me a hand. I¡¯d like you to collect information about magic items that can rival that sword over there... that can rival Guild Weapons. Or perhaps, special items from YGGDRASIL like the strengthened armor which Red Drop ¡ª adamantite-ranked adventurers of the Kingdom ¡ª possesses.¡±

 Chapter 53 - Volume 7

    <h4>Overlord Volume 7 Chapter 4</h4>

    <b>Chapter 4: A Handful of Hope</b>

    (Re)Tranted by: Nigel

    Proofreader/Editor: Deus Ex Machina

    <b>Part 1</b>

    Such was the ferocity of the attack that it resembled a flood from a broken dam.

    The enemy was only a mass of low-tier undead. They were nothing for Foresight to be afraid of. However, what could only be described as a human wave attack showed no signs of stopping.

    Hekkeran wiped the sweat off his face after beating his tenth group of opponents since the start of the battle, a pair of Ghasts.

    Although he wanted to rest, there was no time for it. He gulped some water from a pouch on his waist, and signaled a retreat as he calmed his breathing down. However, or rather, as expected, the enemy had no intention of giving them any time to rest.

    Aposite party of three Skeleton Warriors, each holding round shields, and a pair of robed Skeleton Mages with staves in hand jumped out of a side passage.

    ¡°Conserve your mana!¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    ¡°¡ªFully understood.¡±

    In a situation like this where they could be surprised at any time, magic¡ªwhich could easily deal with any situation¡ªwas a trump card they could not use casually. Because of this, they had conserved as much of their mana as possible.

    That being said, several of their abilities with limited uses per day had already been exhausted. This was the result of being swamped by therge amount of traps and undead.

    There were Skeleton Archers lined up behind barred windows, and out of swords¡¯ reach. It was difficult to put them down since the Skeletons were resistant to piercing attacks, but Roberdyck was able to turn the undead.

    He was also able to eradicate the undead that were throwing bottles of poisonous gas at them.

    When the Floor Imitators who glued their victims to the ground attacked in tandem with flying undead, Roberdyck destroyed them one after the other with his ability to turn undead

    He also exorcised a mixed team of several undead that could cause status ailments like poison, disease and curse.

    As a result, Roberdyck only had a few uses of undead turning left. Conversely, they had managed to conserve other abilities as well as mana. The only tough battle had been the one where something like a Flesh Golem had been mixed into a battalion of Zombies.

    ¡°Warning! Multiple footsteps from behind!¡±

    ¡°Undead reaction! There¡¯s six of them!¡±

    As Imina shouted her warning¡ªfollowed immediately by Roberdyck¡ªtensions ran high. The reason why the five skeletons ahead of them had not yetunched an attack was probably because they were waiting for a chance to execute a pincer attack.

    Hekkeran considered their next move.

    Several options appeared on a list in his mind. First, they could make a pre-emptive attack on the enemies in front of them and bring them down. Or they couldunch a suppressing attack on the enemies in front of them, then turn to attack their pursuers. This n would require good observation skills to determine the strength of the forces in front and behind them, then take on the weaker group first. They could also use magic to hinder one side, then take the opportunity to break through the other.

    They were all effective, but none of them could turn the situation around. In a moment of inspiration, Hekkeran decided to trust his instincts.

    ¡°Hekkeran! What shall we do?¡±

    ¡°Turn back! There¡¯s a path to the side! Retreat there!¡±

    The instant his voice rang out, Imina, who had been the rear guard, began running. Arche and Roberdyck followed her. Hekkeran was one step behind them.

    The fact that Imina was running meant that it was not an impossible distance.His other teammates were running with all their might, and so Hekkeran ran as fast as he could. The enemy would not let them escape easily, of course; they heard the footsteps of several undead pursuing them relentlessly.

    ¡°Have a taste of this!¡±

    Hekkeran took out a bag of alchemical glue and tossed it behind him.

    The alchemical fluid sshed out and spread over the ground.

    The results were immediate; the sound of footsteps stopped instantly.

    Intelligent undead might have made a detour, but such thinking was impossible for lesser undead. Furthermore, Skeletonscked muscle power, and thus they found it very difficult to break free once they were stuck.

    ¡°More undead reactions! Four from the right!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a wall!¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s an illusion!¡±

    Four Ghouls charged through the wall at. Although they were scrawny undead that were little more than skin and bones, they were still a fearsome sight when attacking with their outstretched yellowed ws. That said, there was nobody on this team who would be frightened by such an attack.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look down on me!¡±

    Seemingly unaffected by the ambush, Imina immediately unsheathed her shortsword and swung it at a Ghoul¡¯s neck. Dirty-looking fluid oozed out in ce of blood, and it fell. Beside her, Roberdyck swung his mace with all his might and crushed another Ghoul¡¯s skull.

    Judging that it was safe to leave those two alone, Hekkeran turned his attention to the rear. They were still being chased. Should he throw another bag of glue just to be on the safe side?

    Just as Hekkeran was about to toss one, the shape of a terrifying undead being loomed into view.

    ¡°Elder Lich!¡±

    At the same time, he noticed lightning crackling on the lich¡¯s finger. Hekkeran was familiar with the spell in question.

    [Lightning] produced a straight line of piercing electricity, and there was only one way to dodge it.

    ¡°¡ªPush the ghouls back!¡±

    Neither Imina nor Roberdyck understood why Hekkeran gave thatmand, but they obeyed without hesitation.

    A bolt of white lightning shed across the hallway just as the four of them pushed the ghouls through the illusionary wall.

    The air crackled, and Hekkeran felt a magic circle activate under his feet. In the next moment, they were enveloped in an unavoidable pale blue light, and the scenery before them changed.

    ¡°Be careful! Stay alert!...?¡±

    Although the Ghouls had vanished and the surroundings were different, they were still on edge from the battle. Even so, after such an unexpected urrence, it was no surprise that they were dumbfounded for a few moments.

    Hekkeran shook his head, regaining his focus. The most basic thing he had to do¡ªalthough learning about their current situation was also important¡ªwas to ensure the safety of hisrades.

    Imina, Arche and Roberdyck.

    All the other members of Foresight had maintained their formation as the magic circle activated, and nobody was missing.

    After mutually confirming that they were all safe and sound, the four of them continued observing their surroundings.

    This ce was a wide corridor, dimly lit and with a high ceiling. Even a Giant could walk freely through here. The flickering mes of faraway torches provided unsteady illumination, and in their light the long shadows seemed to dance. Along the tunnel and ahead of them was some kind oftticed gate, like a portcullis. Rays of white, magical light shone through the gaps in its surface. Behind them, the path stretched into darkness, and along the way, several doors opening into the corridor could be seen, lit up by torches.

    With everyone remaining quiet, only the crackling of the torches could be heard.

    In any event, they did not seem to be in any danger of being attacked immediately. After they realized this, their tension eased.

    ¡°Although I don¡¯t know where this ce is, it has apletely different atmosphere to what we¡¯ve seen up until now.¡±

    The style of this ce waspletely different to the tomb they had just left. In fact, signs of civilisation could be seen here. The members of Foresight surveyed their surroundings, and whilst they were trying to grasp where this ce was, only Arche¡¯s attitude was different from the rest.

    ¡°¡ªThis ce is...¡±

    Keenly perceiving the meaning behind the words, Hekkeran asked Arche:

    ¡°Do you know? Or perhaps you have a clue?¡±

    ¡°¡ªI know of a simr ce. The Empire¡¯s grand arena.¡±

    ¡°Ah... indeed, you are right.¡±

    Roberdyck grunted in agreement. Although Hekkeran and Imina did not say anything, they also shared Roberdyck¡¯s opinion.

    When Foresight had made their debut at the arena, they had passed through a ce simr to this one when they were making their way from the waiting room to the arena.

    ¡°That means the arena should be behind that.¡±

    Roberdyck pointed towards thetticed gate.

    ¡°That should be the case... then being teleported to this ce means that... is that what it is?¡±

    They were to fight in an arena. Although, they had no idea who or what might be waiting for them.

    ¡°¡ªIt¡¯s dangerous. Long-distance teleportation is reckoned to be 5th tier magic. Being able to use that kind of magic as a trap has only been heard of in stories. This site must have been constructed by someone with unimaginable skill in magic. It¡¯s not favourable for us to ept the opponent¡¯s invitation. I suggest we proceed in the opposite direction.¡±

    ¡°But, if we epted the opponent¡¯s invitation, don¡¯t you think there might be a path to survival? Wouldn¡¯t rejecting the invitation antagonize the other side?¡±

    ¡°Both sides seem dangerous. Rober, what do you think?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a case to be made for both arguments. But I have some doubts about what Arche-san has said. Is this really a trapid by the person who currently lives here? Could it be that they¡¯re just using something created by an unknown third party?¡±

    They looked at each other and exhaled in unison. There was no point in staying here and discussing the matter further. They did not have enough information and their opinions did not match, but they had to make a decision right now.

    ¡°¡ªWhat Rober said makes sense. Who know, maybe it was made five hundred years ago.¡±

    ¡°Ah. Magical techniques were more advanced in the past.¡±

    ¡°Are you referring to the beings that dominated the continent and whose country shattered almost immediately, of which only the capital remains today?¡±

    ¡°¡ªThe Eight Greed Kings. They are considered to be the ones who spread the existence of magic through this world. If this is a relic of that era, then perhaps...¡±

    ¡°...I see. Then I¡¯m in favour of heading out to the arena. In any case, since we were brought here by a trap, they would not allow us to escape.¡±

    In response to Roberdyck¡¯s statement, everyone nodded, gathered up their determination, and began moving.

    When they approached the gate, it rose upward with impressive speed, as though it had been waiting for them all this time. The first thing they saw as they entered the arena were rows upon rows of audience seats around the arena.

    The arena was no less impressive than the one in the Empire. In fact, it might have been even more so, given that it was covered innterns enchanted with [Continual Light], which lit the grounds up as brightly as if it were the day.

    Everyone in Foresight was astonished, especially when they glimpsed the audience above them.

    This was because sitting there were innumerable y figures, the dolls known as Golems.

    Golems were inorganic creatures created through magical means, who would obediently carry out their master¡¯smands once they received them. Without the need for food or sleep, and immune to fatigue and even the ravages of time, they were treasured as guardians andbourers. Furthermore, because their production took considerable time, effort and cost, even the weakest onesmanded a formidable price.

    Even Hekkeran and the others, who were paid well, would find it hard to purchase a golem.

    They were valuable constructs, and this arena seemed to be overflowing with them.

    To Hekkeran, it spoke of how wealthy the person who owned this arena was, as well as how lonely he felt.

    They looked briefly at each other¡¯s faces, as though they had alreadye here many times before, and then they walked silently towards the centre of the arena.

    ¡°Outside?¡±

    In response to Imina¡¯s voice, they looked up, and saw the night sky. The surrounding illumination was strong and eclipsed the light of the stars, but even so, there was no doubt that this arena was open to the night sky.

    ¡°Were we teleported outside?¡±

    ¡°Then, we could use flight magic to escape¡ª¡±

    ¡°TOOOOOH!¡±

    A figure jumped from the balcony of the VIP box, in time with the voice that had interrupted Arche¡¯s words.

    The figure somersaulted in mid-air as it descended from a height that seemed roughly equivalent to a six story building, making people wonder if it might have wings as it gracefullynded upon the ground. There was no magic at work there, only pure physical ability. Even the rogue Imina had her breath taken away by the perfection of the movement.

    The figure who had absorbed the impact with a mere flexing of its knees smiled brightly.

    Before them stood a young Dark Elf boy.

    The long ears which emerged from amongst the golden, silky strands of his hair twitched slightly, and he smiled as brightly as the sun.

    He was fully dressed in a suit of tight-fitting, light leather armour, made from jet ck and deep crimson dragon scales, over which he wore a white vest embroidered with golden threads. There was an emblem sewn onto the breast of the jacket.

    Seeing his heterochromic eyes, Imina let out a gasp of surprise.

    ¡°¡ªAh!¡±

    ¡°¡ªThe challengers have arrived!¡±

    The boy spoke into the rod-like object he was holding in his hand, and his amplified words resounded throughout the arena.

    The arena trembled and shuddered in time with the boy¡¯s bright and cheerful voice.

    Looking around, it seemed that the golems which had remained motionless so far were stomping on the ground to make noise.

    ¡°The challengers are four reckless fools who have invaded the Great Tomb of Nazarick! And, facing them is the master of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, the Supreme King of Death, Ainz! Ooal! Gown-sama!¡±

    The portcullis on the opposite side of the arena rose upwards at the same time as the Dark Elf¡¯s voice rang out. From the darkness of the path beyond, a being stepped into the light. In a word, it was skeletal.

    Crimson radiance flickered within the eye sockets of the white skull.

    It was dressed in a gown-like vestment, and because there were no muscles where the robe was cinched about the waist, it appeared unbelievably skinny. Judging by the fact that it held no weapons, it was probably a magic caster of some kind.

    ¡°Ooh! And walking in behind him is our Guardian Overseer, Albedo!¡±

    The members of Foresight held their breath as they saw the woman who followed behind like a servant.

    She was a peerless vision that surpassed even the Beautiful Princess of Darkness (Nabe). Hers was a beauty that could never be reached by human beings, and two horns curved out gently from both sides of her forehead. At her waist were a pair of ck wings. They looked so realistic that they could not possibly have been artificially created.

    The arena quaked with stomping, as if to wee the debut of these two new entrants, before turning into thunderous apuse. It was a reception befitting the arrival of a king.

    The two people approached Foresight amidst the thunderous apuse from the surrounding Golems.

    ¡°¡ªI¡¯m so sorry,¡± Arche muttered. ¡°We ended up like this because of me.¡±

    What would follow was probably going to be the most grueling battle Foresight would ever have faced. In all likelihood, one or more of them might die. Arche probably felt that they had been plunged into such a dire circumstance was because of herself. Without her debt, perhaps they might not have epted this task to go investigate a tomb they so obviously did not know enough about.

    However¡ª

    ¡°Oi oi, what nonsense is this girl babbling?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. It was everyone¡¯s decision to go on this job. It had nothing to do with you. Don¡¯t you think we¡¯d have done it anyway even if you hadn¡¯t said anything?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how it is, so there¡¯s no need to be worried.¡±

    Hekkeran and Roberdyck smiled as they spoke, and Imina patted Arche¡¯s head.

    ¡°Well then, although there¡¯s no point nning now, we should still have a discussion. Arche, can you identify that undead creature?¡±

    ¡°¡ªSeeing that it seems intelligent, perhaps it¡¯s an upper-ss skeleton-type?¡±

    The skeleton in question, Ainz, waved his hand before them. The movement looked as if he was wiping something away.

    The sounds disappeared. In an instant, the golems¡¯ movements stopped, and the almost painful silence returned. Hekkeran bowed politely to Ainz, who was slowly turning to face them.

    ¡°Firstly I would like to apologise, Ainz Ooal...dono.¡±

    ¡°...That¡¯s Ainz Ooal Gown.¡±

    ¡°My apologies. Ainz Ooal Gown-dono.¡±

    Ainz stopped and raised his chin, as if he were waiting for an inferior to continue.

    ¡°We wish to apologize for entering your tomb without permission. If you can find it in your heart to forgive us, we will dly pay the appropriatepensation to atone for our transgressions.¡±

    Time passed in silence. Then Ainz sighed. Of course, as one of the undead, Ainz had no need to breathe. However, he did so in order to get his message across.

    ¡°Is that how you do things where youe from? After someone else eats in your home and leaves waste behind which sprouts maggots, would you actually show him more mercy than a swift death?¡±

    ¡°Humans are not maggots!¡±

    ¡°They are the same. At least, they are to me. Or, not¡ªperhaps humans are even lower than them. If a maggot is born, the fault lies with the fly. You, however, are different. You were not dragged along against your will, nor do you have any particrlypelling reason toe here, but you attacked a tomb which might have had people living in it, with the intention of plundering its treasures, purely for the sake of satisfying your worthless greed!¡±

    Ainzughed.

    ¡°Ah, do not take it to heart. I am not ming you. It is only natural for the strong to take from the weak. I have done it myself and I do not consider myself an exception from this rule. It was precisely because there might be someone stronger than me that I was on guard... Now then, the time for idle banter is over. In ordance with the principle of the strong feeding upon the weak, I shall im one thing from you.¡±

    ¡°No, actually, there¡¯s a good rea¡ª¡±

    ¡°Silence!¡± Ainz dered in a voice which allowed no interruption. ¡°Do not upset me with your lies! Now then, you shall pay for your foolish mistake with your life.¡±

    ¡°What if we had permission?¡±

    Ainz froze. Apparently, that had gotten through to him.

    Hekkeran was surprised that a single sentence could have had such a great effect, but of course he did not let it show on his face. Just when all seemed lost, a ray of hope had shone through the darkness. Clearly, he had to seize it.

    ¡°...Nonsense.¡±

    It was a still, small voice, almost on the verge of fading away.

    ¡°Utter nonsense, it¡¯s nothing but a bluff. What do you gain from angering me?¡±

    His unease was spreading, and even the Dark Elf boy beside him was starting to look ufortable. When he turned to look at thest person, goosebumps broke out all over Hekkeran¡¯s body.

    The beauty behind them was still smiling. But she radiated a murderous intent that beaded Hekkeran¡¯s brow with sweat.

    ¡°And what if it was true?¡±

    ¡°...No... no... it must be a bluff. Absolutely impossible. You should all be offerings dancing in the palm of my hand...¡±

    Ainz shook his head and fixed Hekkeran with a gaze that seemed to bore right through him.

    ¡°But... however... I... yes, that¡¯s right, just in case, I will hear you out... who gave you this permission?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know him?¡±

    ¡°Him...?¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t leave his name, but he was a pretty big monster.¡±

    Hekkeran desperately thought on where the goal line was, where he could evade danger.

    It was a question that only a person paralyzed by indecision would ask, because only by asking could a person know what was true or false.

    It¡¯s as though he¡¯s human, Hekkeran thought. This was not the reaction of a monster, but of a coward. This was a good chance.

    ¡°Tell me what he looked like.¡±

    ¡°...He was very very very big...¡±

    ¡°Very very big...¡±

    As Ainz descended into another round of introspection, Hekkeran reflected that they had avoided danger yet again, and breathed an internal sigh of relief. He gestured to his colleagues with small movements of his fingers, telling them to find an escape route. Ainz would not act without confirming the truth or falsehood of Hekkeran¡¯s words. This was all the time they had to think of how to get out of here.

    ¡°What did he tell you?¡±

    Who knows, someone might have used a charm or dominate spell or some other special ability...

    ¡°Before that, I hope that you can guarantee our safety.¡±

    ¡°What? ...If you have indeed gained the permission of one of my friends, then your safety is assured. Do not be afraid.¡±

    A new word¡ªfriend.

    Hekkeran analyzed the information he had just obtained. From the events of the negotiation, he had learned that Ainz Ooal Gown had friends, which he was currently not in contact with.

    The secret of trickery was to expose the information your mark wanted, and then force him into a mistake.

    ¡°...Well? Why so quiet? Then let me hear what the person you met said to you.¡±

    He had made it across all the goal lines so far. Now he had to do it again. His palms sweated profusely.

    ¡°He said to give his regards to Ainz in the Great Tomb of Nazarick.¡±

    ¡°...Ainz?¡±

    His fidgeting suddenly stopped. Hekkeran noticed, and an ¡°oh crap¡± expression spread across his face.

    ¡°...He said, to give his regards to Ainz?¡±

    Hekkeran steeled himself. After all, words spoken could not be taken back.

    ¡°...Yes.¡±

    ¡°Kuhahahahaha!¡±

    Ainzughed when he heard Hekkeran¡¯s answer. This was not a happyugh. It was augh that could be best described as volcanic.

    ¡°Hah... well, so much for that. Though really, when you think about it calmly, there were bound to be holes aplenty in that story.¡±

    Ainz¡¯s movements stopped, and he turned to look at Hekkeran. The crimson fires zing in his eye sockets turned dark, consumed by the ck which surrounded them and reducing his pupils to points of red light. Hekkeran and the others took a step back, as though Ainz¡¯s mere line of sight was exerting physical pressure on them.

    Within that re was the purest rage.

    ¡°YOU TRAAAAAAAASSHHHH! YOU DARE! YOU DARE TO TREAD YOUR FILTHYYYYYY! YOUR FILTHY BOOTS INTO THE NAZARICK THAT I, THAT WE, MY FRIENDS AND I, CREATED!¡±

    So intense was his fury that Ainz was struck speechless. His shoulder des moved as though he were breathing deeply, and he continued.

    ¡°AND YOU! YOU DARE USE THE NAME OF ME, OF MY TREASURED FRIENDS! YOU DARE USE IT TO TRICK ME! YOU SHITS! DO YOU THINK THAT CAN EVER, EVER BE FORGIVEN?!¡±

    Ainz was screaming furiously.

    It would not have been a surprise if his anger had gone on forever. However, his rancor suddenly vanished, and he returned to his usual calm.

    It was a sudden change, as though the emotion had simply been switched off. The abrupt change was enough to make Hekkeran and his team, who were facing off against Ainz, think that something was amiss.

    ¡°...Although it made me angry, the fault does not lie with you. Of course you would tell an outrageous lie to preserve your lives. To tell you the truth, I¡¯m still very mad... I guess I¡¯m still too willful. Albedo. Aura. And all the Guardians who can hear my voice, everyone, cover your ears!¡±

    The absolute beauty and the Dark Elf boy listened intently. The boy stuck his fingers into his ears, while the beauty delicately covered her ears with her hands. This was without a doubt to show that they were not going to listen to what he said.

    ¡°From the beginning, I was opposed to this n to invite filthy thieves into my Great Tomb of Nazarick. But that said, I understand that this was the best method and I ept it.¡±

    Ainz looked back up, and regretfully shook his head.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s all. Rant over. As a final mercy, I wanted to grant you a warrior¡¯s death, but now I¡¯ve changed my mind. Now I will dispose of you like the thieves that you are.¡±

    While talking as though it were somebody else¡¯s problem, Ainz shed his gown.

    Naturally, there were bones below. A dark red orb floated under his ribs, emanating a feeling of dread. He had nothing on besides his pants and greaves... No, there was one more item. There was a leather cor around his neck, with a chain, broken halfway down, dangling from it.

    ¡°Ohhhhh!¡±

    A strange sound came from above them.

    Looking up, they could see the upper body of a silver-haired girl leaning out of the VIP box. She was immediately pulled back by a blue-gauntleted hand.

    ¡°...What the hell is she doing?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go scold herter.¡±

    By the time they had managed to recover their senses and focus them back onto Ainz, he had produced a single-ded ck sword and a round ck shield out of nowhere.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯m ready over here. Let¡¯s get started.¡±

    He slightly spread his feet out¡ªit was a fighting stance.

    ¡°Albedo and Aura, you can stop covering your ears now now.¡±

    The two people addressed reacted immediately, and returned their hands to their sides.

    ¡°I¡¯m in a very bad mood now. To think I would encounter fellows like this. So I¡¯ll toy with them without killing them, and I¡¯ll leave the disposal to you. Now, let¡¯s begin.¡±

    As Hekkeran stared down the sword-and-shield-equipped Ainz, Hekkeran¡¯s first thought was that his opponent was not a warrior or a swordsman. If pressed, he would say that he was like a monster, the kind who would use their excellent physical abilities to overwhelm their opponent.

    Both his posture and stance looked like those of an amateur. But he radiated a heavy pressure, appearingrger than life.

    For a being like this, the fearsome move they could make might be to simply attack.

    ¡°Noting? Then, allow me.¡±

    Ainz rushed over as he replied.

    His was a frightening speed that shrunk the distance between him and his foes to nothing in an instant.

    He followed it up with a grand sh downwards from above.

    The attack had openings all over it, but it had great destructive power. In the hands of a mighty being with incredible physical ability, it was a sword strike that could kill anything it hit.

    ¡ªTaking it would be very dangerous.

    Hekkeran came to this conclusion in an instant, as he sensed the high-speed de descending on him. A hard block would turn this into a contest of power, and he knew that he would be overwhelmed if he pitted his strength against Ainz.

    That being the case, there was only one option¡ª

    Ainz¡¯s sword struck down into the ground, the lingering echo and vibration of steel against steel fading into the air.

    ¡ªParry the blow and guide it away from his body.

    Normally, an attacker would be thrown off bnce after being parried, and this would be a prime chance for a counterattack. But Ainz had not even moved. It was as though he knew that particr sequence of events was going to take ce, and he had reset his stance to its original position.

    Hekkeran realized that he had made a big mistake.

    No good! I underestimated him! But, the only thing I can do is fight on!

    He aimed at Ainz¡¯s head. He used a martial art¡ª

    ¡°[Twin de Strike]!¡±

    The two swords inscribed gleaming arcs in the air as they scissored toward Ainz¡¯s head. Normally, bludgeoning weapons would be more effective against a skeleton-type enemy like Ainz, but Hekkeran was more adept with shing weapons, and not nearly as proficient with blunt weapons.

    His main objective was to try to inflict some damage on Ainz. He flurried as many attacks as he could against Ainz, not caring if they hit or missed, in the hope that at least one of them would get through and strike him.

    The twin swords sped toward his opponent¡¯s head.

    An average person would have taken it full-on.

    A first-rate opponent might have only been scratched.

    Then what about an absolutely top-ss opponent?

    ¡°Hnh!¡±

    Ainz interposed his shield in the path of the swords. Normal people would not have been able to aplish it, but with overwhelming physical strength and speed, it was possible.

    ¡°¡ª[Magic Arrow]!¡±

    ¡°[Lesser Dexterity]!¡±

    As the shield blocked the two strikes, Arche¡¯s spell sent a white bolt streaking towards Ainz. At the same time, while the sound of shing metal still rang in the air, Roberdyck cast a spell to augment Hekkeran¡¯s agility.

    ¡°Child¡¯s y.¡±

    Ainz did not even bother looking at Arche. The missile of light flickered and faded out of existence before it even managed to touch Ainz. A shocked expression appeared on Arche¡¯s face.

    ¡°Spell immunity? But from where?¡±

    ¡°Hmph!¡±

    In response, Ainz swung his shield at Hekkeran¡¯s face.

    A shield bash, is it!

    The widely-known basics of fighting skills resounded in his head. Hekkeran decided to turn this danger into an opportunity, and made his move. He aimed at the belly, reasoning that the bulk of the shield would create a blind spot in the defense.

    However, Ainz easily swept his weapons aside with the ck sword.

    ¡ªHe saw through it!

    His eyes followed the wall-like shield as it approached, and he barely evaded the blow by the skin of his teeth¡ªand then a greave kicked at him from below.

    A normal kick was nothing to be afraid of. However, through their brief exchange of arms, he was fully aware that due to Ainz¡¯s incredible strength¡ªdespite having no muscles to speak of¡ªany attack he made could kill him in a single blow. Taking the hit was tantamount to taking a mortal wound.

    Hekkeran frantically rolled away. Without Roberdyck¡¯s support, it would have been impossible. The vacuum in the kick¡¯s passing sliced off several of his hairs, and a chill raced up and down his spine.

    ¡°This way!¡±

    Iminaunched two arrows from her bow. Because she had cried out, it was not a sneak attack, and Ainz casually avoided it.

    The arrows flew past him, having missed their mark.

    To begin with, arrows were not effective on skeleton-type monsters like Ainz. She had hoped that he would not bother with evading them and casually take the hits, but it seemed that was not going to happen. The arrows she had loosed had ttened heads, like a spade; they were specially-designed magic arrows which would do bludgeoning damage. If they had not been avoided, they should have been able to effectively damage even skeletal opponents.

    At least, that was how it was supposed to happen, but even if that was not the case, there was nothing to regret. Hekkeran took the opportunity to stand up and slightly widen the gap between himself and Ainz. Imina¡¯s cry had also been to give Hekkeran the chance to rise to his feet.

    ¡°[Twin de Strike]!¡±

    ¡°Hah!¡±

    The two shes were easily deflected by the single sword. The shock of the parry sent tremors through Hekkeran¡¯s hands.

    What a troublesome guy, is this what happens when you give warrior training to a monster with superhuman abilities? Just how strong is he?

    The price of repeatedly using his certain-kill moves was the rapid draining of mental stamina. His brain felt like it was screaming from his exertions, so Hekkeran decided to back away.

    Of course, Ainz would not permit that.

    ¡°As if I would let you escape!¡±

    Ainz charged. That was only to be expected¡ªbackpedaling was slower than forward motion.

    Just as he was about to catch up to Hekkeran, something whistled through the air as it flew past the side of his face.

    A high-speed arrow came from behind Hekkeran¡¯s back¡ªhidden by his body. A normal person would not have been able to avoid it. However, against Ainz with his superhuman reflexes, it was still not enough.

    ¡°¡ª[sh]!¡±

    ¡°[Lesser Strength]!¡±

    A brilliant re of light burst in front of Ainz. Whether he resisted it or not, the spell would blind him for a moment, but it seemed pointless against Ainz. All it did was annoy him.

    ¡°Interfering busybodies!¡±

    Ainz clicked his nonexistent tongue at Hekkeran, who had closed the gap thanks to his augmented strength and dexterity.

    ¡°¡ª[Reinforce Armor]!¡±

    ¡°[Anti-Evil Protection]!¡±

    Arche and Roberdyck¡¯s support spells had solidified Hekkeran¡¯s defense.

    Having evaded Hekkeran¡¯s attack and deflected his swords, Ainz was about to riposte once more when another arrow flew into his face.

    ¡°...Hmph!¡±

    The casual ease with which Ainz evaded the arrow by simply turning his face was befitting of the ruler of the tomb, and of a monstrous warrior.

    Hekkeran used the brief opening made by the support fire to back away, and sweat coursed down his body from the brief but intensebat.

    He already knew this, but Ainz Ooal Gown was very strong.

    Human beings could not hope to match his physical abilities. Worse still, he had the technique to make full use of his superhuman strength and speed. His observational skills could see through feints. He had the measure of every member of Foresight. Combined with his resistance to magic and the enchanted sword and shield he bore; he was everything a warrior wanted to be.

    But there was a reason they could stand toe-to-toe with a man like this.

    To be fair, he had been hard-pressed to hold his ground. If he had misread the angle of the falling sword and failed to parry, his swords would have been ruined and he would probably have suffered a fatal wound. A small mistake in estimating the speed of the ck sword would have resulted in him being sliced neatly in half. The fact that all his coin tosses hade up heads was nothing short of luck.

    Yet, there was an even more important reason beyond this.

    That reason was teamwork.

    It was precisely because they had walked the edge of life and death together, and were intimately aware of what each of the others was thinking, that they could move and act like a single organism.

    This was how the united group Foresight could stand against the mightiest individual, Ainz Ooal Gown.

    A faint smile lifted the corner of Hekkeran¡¯s mouth.

    Until now, Ainz had been untouched. Certainly, he was very strong. But he was not invincible.

    With this conviction in his heart, he swung his twin swords.

    Hekkeran¡¯s sword strike, the fastest his augmented body could produce, was deflected by the round ck shield. The arrow flying in was interdicted by the ck sword. Arche and Roberdyck made use of this opening to enhance Hekkeran even further.

    Ever since Ainz had clicked his tongue, his hostility toward them had been rapidly weakening.

    After considering whether or not to press the attack, Hekkeran decided to back down and calm his frenzied breathing. The undead Ainz would not get tired no matter how long or how hard he fought, but humans like Hekkeran and the others would be exhausted. Dragging the battle out was a bad idea. He had to rest whenever he got the chance.

    ¡°So... as I thought, I still couldn¡¯t deal a decisive blow. I thought I had the advantage in strength, skills and knowing what you could do, but when I¡¯m actually engaged in battle, I¡¯m still having difficulty... For instance, why haven¡¯t I taken any of you down yet?¡±

    Ainz shrugged his shoulders in annoyance. Hekkeran, who was watching from opposite Ainz, did not feel particrly irritated by his patronizing tone.

    Truthfully speaking, this was the power of teamwork. Hekkeran smiled as though he had been praised.

    In the midst of all this, the beauty who had been silent up till now finally spoke.

    ¡°¡ªAinz-sama. Perhaps you should end this charade here?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Forgive my rudeness, but I find it hard to believe that you would permit continued freedom to these base knaves, these thieves who dared use the name of the Supreme Beings to deceive you. Perhaps it is time for the mercy you have granted them toe to an end?¡±

    ¡°Hey, Albedo. If you talk to Ainz-sama like that¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªNo, Aura. That is a good point.¡±

    Ainz shook his head.

    ¡°And that is enough. I have gained sufficient experience from this battle.¡±

    ¡°Truly marvelous. I expected nothing less of the Supreme One who rules me.¡±

    ¡°Hah, is that so. Well, this is certainly cause for celebration. Although I know you¡¯re humoring me, praise from a warrior whose skills far exceed my own is still pleasing to me.¡±

    ¡°I would not dream of deceiving you with false praise. Those words came from the bottom of my heart.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Then thank you. Cocytus can evaluate meter, and I still need to hear your opinions on future training sessions like this.¡±

    Ainz nodded several times, looking very satisfied with himself, and then he turned back to Foresight.

    The air between them had changed, and Hekkeran had a bad feeling about it.

    His instincts that had carried him through many life-and-death situations were screaming to him: there is great danger here.

    ¡°Now then, that¡¯s all for ying around with swords. It is time for a different sort of entertainment.¡±

    Ainz cast aside the sword and shield he was holding, and they vanished before they hit the ground.

    ¡°What?!¡±

    Discarding one¡¯s arms was the universal sign of giving up the fight. However, Ainz¡¯s attitude did not betray even the slightest hint of defeat, that he was in a situation where he was going to surrender.

    This was not a gesture of capittion.

    Unable to figure out what Ainz was thinking, Hekkeran was filled with confusion.

    ¡°...What?¡±

    At this, Ainz smiled. Or rather, he seemed to smile.

    He slowly spread his arms. It was an action that resembled an angel reaching out to the faithful, or a mother weing her child into her embrace; a loving eptance of whaty before him.

    ¡°You don¡¯t get it? Then let me put it in terms you might be able to understand,¡± Ainzughed. ¡°I¡¯ll y with you, so give me your best shot, humans.¡±

    The mood had changed¡ª

    He had forsaken his weapon and his shield. That should have meant he had been weakened. But Hekkeran had the feeling that the Ainz before him now was more powerful than before. Indeed, it seemed as though his body had physically grown in size before their eyes, so oppressive was his presence.

    A being that grew stronger when abandoning the sword.

    When one thought about it, only two answers remained. One would be that he was one of those warrior monks who honed their bodies into living weapons. But if that were the case, his fighting style from earlier¡ªthe way he evaded attacks¡ªdid not seem polished enough for him to be one of their number.

    Then, the alternative¡ª

    ¡°¡ªHe¡¯s a magic caster!?¡±

    That cry came from Arche, who had reached the same conclusion Hekkeran had.

    That was it. This was the question at hand. The being before them, Ainz Ooal Gown¡ªwas he a magic caster?

    It was understandable that they had not considered that earlier. Who could have imagined that any magic caster could have fought on even terms with Hekkeran, the party¡¯s strongest fighter and a veteran warrior?

    Magic casters¡ªespecially arcane magic casters¡ªhad weaker bodies than warriors. After all, if one had time to train one¡¯s body, one could easily spend that time on learning magic. As such, magic casters who could fight on par with warriors were nonexistent.

    That was simplemon sense.

    Yet there were beings who could turn that wisdom on its head. Who could have imagined such a being would be standing in front of them?

    For that reason, Arche¡¯s voice carried the hope that it was untrue, and the desire that her hypothesis would be rejected. Because if it were true, that would mean that Ainz was far more confident in his skills as a magic caster than he was as a warrior. What that meant, nobody needed to say out loud.

    Even casting a few spells could greatly improve battle performance. As Hekkeran had been demonstrating, several enhancement spells made a dramatic difference. But if that was the case¡ª

    ¡°Did you finally realize it? How foolish you lot are. Well, it¡¯s only natural to expect this level of intelligence from you miserable vermin, who track your filth into my¡ªno, my friends¡¯ Nazarick.¡±

    However, as long as Arche was around, Hekkeran and the others could deny it.

    ¡°Arche! Is this guy a magic caster?!¡±

    ¡°No! I¡¯m sure of it! At least, he¡¯s not an arcane magic caster!¡±

    ¡°Hm? And what is that supposed to mean?¡±

    ¡°¡ªI can¡¯t sense any magical power from your body.¡±

    ¡°Ahhh. So you were using divination magic, then. How rude.¡±

    Ainz showed Hekkeran and the others his hands. As one might expect of an undead, there was nothing of them but bones. He spread his fingers to show that each of them, on both hands, was wearing a ring.

    ¡°Once I remove this ring, you will understand. I also lent it to my subordinates.¡±

    Saying that, Ainz removed a ring on his right hand. And then¡ª

    ¡°Ugeeeehhhh!¡±

    It was the sound of vomiting. Sticky fluid sttered onto the floor of the arena, and a sour, rancid stench wafted up around Foresight.

    ¡°What did you do?!¡±

    Imina red at Ainz, from where she had rushed over to assist Arche. Ainz seemed a little ufortable, but still answered in a displeased tone.

    ¡°What on earth is that girl doing? There¡¯s a limit to how rude you can be, throwing up when you see someone¡¯s face.¡±

    ¡°¡ªE-everyone, run!¡±

    Arche was shouting, and tears were leaking from the corner of her eyes.

    ¡°This guy is a mon¡ªueeehhhh!¡±

    Unable to endure it, Arche threw up again. In that moment, Hekkeran understood why she had vomited.

    Ainz had done nothing to her. Rather, she had been unable to withstand thebination of terror and stress caused by seeing the enormous magical power surrounding Ainz, and so she had vomited.

    And that meant¡ª

    ¡°¡ªWe can¡¯t beat him! His strength is on a totally different level! Even the word monster can¡¯t describe him!¡±

    Arche began wailing as the tears rolled down her cheeks.

    ¡°No way no way no way¡ª¡±

    Imina tightly hugged Arche to her chest. The girl was violently shaking her head as though she had gone mad.

    ¡°Calm down! Roberdyck!¡±

    ¡°Got it! [Lion¡¯s Heart]!¡±

    Under the influence of Roberdyck¡¯s magic, Arche managed to recover from the panic which had gripped her. Like a newborn deer, she rose unsteadily on shaky legs, using her staff as a crutch.

    ¡°¡ªEveryone, we have to flee now! That¡¯s not a being humans can beat! It¡¯s an unbelievable monster!¡±

    ¡°...Understood, Arche!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I get it. When he removed the ring, the entire world seemed to change. I felt it raise goosebumps all over me.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Powerful wouldn¡¯t nearly be enough to describe this monster.¡±

    The alertness level of the three of them had gone through the roof. They stared at Ainz with nerves wound even tighter than before. Theirs was an expression that understood that even an instant¡¯s loss of watchfulness would spell their deaths.

    ¡°It looks like they won¡¯t let us run.¡±

    ¡°The moment we show them our backs, we die. Although I have the feeling that just averting our eyes would be enough.¡±

    ¡°We need to buy time or we won¡¯t make it.¡±

    ¡°...Noting?¡±

    Of course, Hekkeran would not be baited by Ainz, who waszily scratching his skull with one long finger. The enemy¡¯s fighting power vastly exceeded that of any being which had ever existed. That meant they could only count on one thing.

    That was the instant when Ainz began casting a spell¡ªa magic caster was most vulnerable when reciting an incantation. If he could cast a spell without incanting it, then it was over for them, but even so, that was a tiny possibility which existed for them.

    As though drawing a bow taut, Hekkeran gathered his strength within himself.

    ¡°Then I will go. [Touch of Undeath].¡±

    ¡°What kind of magic is it? Arche!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know! I¡¯ve never heard of it before!¡±

    The ck fog which covered Ainz¡¯s right hand was an unknown magic which put them all on their guard. Hekkeran tensed his legs, ready to dodge at any time. Hispanions behind him were also wary for an area-of-effect attack, and began spacing themselves out.

    Suddenly, Ainz began walking towards them.

    Hekkeran¡¯s eyes went wide. He had openings all over his amateurish advance. These were not the movements of a skilled warrior. Hekkeran knew Ainz was trying to bait them into a trap, but he could not read Ainz¡¯s intentions.

    Is he trying to use magic for something... or was that spell a close-range type? Or was it a defensive type?

    Hekkeran was familiar with the more famous spells, but Hekkeran was not a mage by profession, and he could not understand Ainz¡¯s intentions.

    ¡°Stay away!¡±

    Imina¡¯s angry cry pierced the air, as did the arrows sheunched at Ainz.

    Using a special technique, she hadunched three arrows at once, but Ainz deftly knocked them from the sky with a bony hand.

    ¡°...You¡¯re in the way.¡±

    It was a small but cold voice.

    The red ze in the empty eye sockets flickered, but it was only Hekkeran, who was up front studying Ainz¡¯s every move, who noticed it.

    Just as the bad feeling struck, Ainz¡¯s form vanished.

    Hekkeran turned, trusting his instincts. In his eyes, he saw hispanions¡¯ shocked faces. However, there was no time to exin. Especially to Imina. Ainz was standing behind Imina, slowly reaching his right hand out to her.

    Imina! She didn¡¯t notice! I need to shout¡ªno, useless things like that won¡¯t help!

    As he used a martial art to move at top speed toward Imina, a twinge of confusion ran through Hekkeran.

    Was it wise to protect Imina?

    Compared to Arche and Roberdyck, who could use support spells to enhance people, Imina¡¯s usefulness and importance were rtively low. The best way to increase their survival rate was to discard the stumbling blocks at their feet. However¡ª

    Dammit!

    This was the wrong thing for a leader to do. Even though this was almost equivalent to betraying hisrades, Hekkeran did not slow his steps at all. Emotion overruled reason in this matter.

    He wanted to save Imina. That was all.

    Suddenly, an image of Imina lying on his bed appeared in his mind¡¯s eye. He smiled bitterly to himself, because in a life-and-death situation, all he could think about was her curveless body.

    Even so¡ªhe put even more power into his feet.

    This was the strength of a man who wanted to protect his woman.

    ¡°Get away!¡±

    Hekkeran¡¯s sudden charge created confusion, and thus he made it in time. Before Ainz could touch h, he had already knocked Imina out of the way.

    Ainz was deciding which should be his priority¡ªreducing their pain, the small whimpering voice in his head was saying¡ªthe man who had appeared in front of him, or the woman who got away.

    ¡°Hey! It¡¯s me, dumbass!¡±

    He followed up his yell with a martial art.

    First, he used [Limit Breaker]. There would be a price to pay, but it increased the amount of martial arts he could use at the same time. Next was the technique which made his body feel like something was being broken inside it, [Dull Pain]. After that was [Physical Boost] and a [Twin de Strike] made under the influence of [Iron Fist].

    His greatest attack was born from these.

    His twin swords glowed.

    Hekkeran was counting on the fact that Ainz would be used to his sword attacks from their earlier exchange, so the sudden change in speed would confuse his senses and make it harder to evade. It was the foreshadowing of a strike which would end the battle in a single blow.

    Ainz did not react to it.

    I¡¯ve killed him!

    Just as he imagined his swords slicing into the defenseless skull, the sensation which travelled up his hands was definitely not the feeling of steel cutting into bone.

    He¡¯s immune to shing damage?

    He had had simr experiences during his adventures as a worker.

    He¡¯s immune to both shing and piercing attacks? What kind of monster is he?!

    As Hekkeran tried to retreat in a panic, he felt an icy-cold sensation enveloping his forehead. It was Ainz¡¯s hand. Hekkeran felt like he had been mped in a vise, wanting to escape yet unable to move.

    ¡°Hekkeran!¡±

    ¡°Imina! He¡¯s immune to shing!¡±

    Hekkeran tried to shrug off the intense pain and report what he had learned to his colleagues. While he was grasped by the head, he felt his entire body being lifted up. Although he hammered the backs of his swords into Ainz¡¯s arm, the grip on his head showed no signs of loosening.

    ¡°Wrong. Piercing, shing or bludgeoning¡ªnone of the weak attacks you can muster can do so much as put a scratch on me.¡±

    ¡°...That... what? The hell, what kind of con game are you running? That¡¯s not fair!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s lying! Imina, if that were true, there would be no reason to fight at all. He must have some kind of weakness!¡±

    ¡°¡ªI won¡¯t fall for it!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s truly sad when you can¡¯t even believe the truth that¡¯s right in front of you. I would have imagined that you would have realized from the melee battle, and the conversation we had, that you were nothing more than useful test subjects. Did that little skirmish we had give you the hope that you could actually win here? Consider that wishful little dream to be my mercy to you in the hell that is toe.¡±

    ¡°What kind of mercy is that? You piece of shit, you goddamn bastard, let Hekkeran go!¡±

    The arrow arrived at the same time as her voice. However, Ainz simply remained still, and the pain in Hekkeran¡¯s forehead continued unabated.

    ¡°Do you really want to do that? You might hit this man.¡±

    The pain in his forehead filled Hekkeran with fear, the fear that at any moment his head might be crushed by the hand holding it. Although he struggled, Ainz did not shift a millimeter. It was like attacking a steel block¡ªthe only thing Hekkeran hurt was himself.

    ¡°Did that hurt? Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t kill you just like that. A miserable little thief like you does not deserve that mercy ¡ª instead, paralysis.¡±

    His body was frozen. No, it was not frozen, it had been paralyzed.

    ¡°Hmm, if I all I did was inflict paralysis, then maybe [Touch of Undeath] was a little wasteful.¡±

    Hekkeran heard the words, but he did not understand them.

    Imina¡¯s bowstring hissed as she sent a continuous stream of projectiles downrange, but the only response was quietughter.

    ¡°So, how far can you... no, please, struggle as much as you want. That will only deepen your despair.¡±

    Run away.

    Hekkeran¡¯s mouth would not move to make the sounds he wanted.

    This was an opponent they could not simply evade just by running away. But fighting would be even more foolish. This was especially true given that once the vanguard was taken down, the battle line would copse.

    ¡°Then, who will be next? Of course, you can alle at once, but that would be too boring, no?¡±

    ***

    Imina turned to look at Hekkeran, who was lying on the floor of the coliseum.

    He was not dead. But he looked like it. There was no way she could save him from the clutches of the logic-defying monster known as Ainz Ooal Gown. But even so¡ª

    ¡°¡ªYou idiot! Just bymon sense, you should have abandoned me! You dummy!¡±

    She was angry.

    ¡°Idiot, idiot, idiot, stupid idiot! You moron!¡±

    ¡°...Directing abuse to a man who so gantly risked himself to protect hisrades is only going to upset me, you know.¡±

    It was a statement that showed apleteck of understanding for Imina¡¯s feelings. Then again, their opponent was a monster; trying to make him understand human emotions would be impossible.

    ¡°I already know that! I don¡¯t deserve such a great leader!¡±

    She took a breath.

    ¡°But still! You¡¯re still an idiot! Running on your emotions like that!¡±

    ¡°...What?¡±

    Don¡¯t be confused...

    Imina thought to herself. She was trying to suppress the feelings of a woman who wanted to save her man.

    She had to abandon Hekkeran and bring this information back. She had to tell the outside world about these ruins, about the fearsome monster which inhabited it, and depending on how things went, they might even need to assemble a punitive force to deal with it.

    ¡ªDemon Gods...

    Two hundred years ago, the Demon King thatid waste to the continent must have been a creature like this

    It felt as though the world she was living in had been touched by myths and legends. It clearly could not be like this, but some part of her, deep in her heart, was insisting that this was just a dream.

    Legends, huh? It sounds so bizarre when you put it that way. It¡¯s heroes that ought to be fighting a monster like this¡ª

    Inspiration struck in a sh.

    That was it. The ones who battled the demon gods were the Thirteen Heroes¡ªthey were heroes. Then, the only one who could fight Ainz was also a hero.

    ¡°Give Hekkeran back! If we don¡¯t return by the stipted time, the strongest people in the world will force their way into this tomb! If we can return unharmed, you can use us to negotiate!¡±

    ¡°What is this, lies again?

    Ainz sighed, a silent ¡°haah¡± sound. Sweat beaded on Imina¡¯s brow. it was genuine.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not lying.¡±

    ¡°¡ªAlbedo. Is there anyone who could be considered strong on the surface?¡±

    ¡°There are none, I believe she is just spouting meaningless lies.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a lie!¡±

    The girl behind Imina was shouting.

    ¡°The adamantite-ranked adventurer Momon from ¡°Darkness¡± is there! He¡¯s the greatest warrior of them all! He¡¯s stronger than you!¡±

    For the first time, Albedo appeared perturbed. She looked to Ainz, panic written on her face, and lowered her head to him.

    ¡°M-my apologies! There is such a being! P-please, forgive me!¡±

    ¡°Mmm... ah, yes, I didn¡¯t even notice, Albedo. Momon of ¡®Darkness¡¯, hmm. By the way, he¡¯s... forget it, it¡¯s not important. He cannot defeat me.¡±

    He had been acting like a demon king until now, but the way he was slumping his shoulders suggested that he was hiding something. Exactly what he was hiding, nobody could tell.

    ¡°Momon is strong! Stronger than you!¡±

    ¡°...No, those are hardly grounds for negotiation, Give it up.¡±

    Ainz waved his handzily to dismiss the topic.

    ¡°Now then, shall we begin?¡±

    The time for idle chatter was over.

    ¡°Arche! Run!¡±

    Roberdyck shouted, and Imina agreed.

    ¡°Yes, run!¡±

    ¡°Look up! This is probably the outside! If you fly, there¡¯s a chance you can escape! Run, even if it¡¯s only you! We¡¯ll try to buy you some time, a minute, no, ten seconds!¡±

    ¡°Now that is an interesting idea. Aura, open the exit. I will humor them.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    Ainz pointed at the direction Roberdyck and the others had entered from. Aura leapt up, the bottoms of her shoes glowed, and her body disappeared.

    ¡°Now then, Aura has gone to open the gate. Go ahead and flee. Abandon yourrades. Who was the one who wanted to run again?¡±

    Ainz extended his hand. His skeletal face could not disy any expressions, but from his gesture, it was clear enough. If he had flesh, it would have been twisted into an evil smile. It would have been a smile that eagerly anticipated theserades to fall into infighting.

    It was true that Workers were different from adventurers; they formed parties based on the power of money and useful rtionships, and in a situation like this, the odds of them fleeing would be quite high. However, Foresight was different.

    ¡°Arche, run now!¡±

    ¡°Yes, run,¡± Imina smiled. ¡°You still have your sisters, right? Then leave us and go. That¡¯s what you should be doing!¡±

    ¡°How could I? This is obviously all my fault!¡±

    Seeing that Ainz had no intent to press the attack right away, Roberdyck walked over to Arche, and then withdrew a small leather pouch from somewhere close to his heart for her to hold on to.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. We¡¯ll beat that monster Ainz and thene right after you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. When that happens, you¡¯re buying the drinks.¡±

    Imina also drew forth a small pouch for her to hold.

    ¡°Then, go. Use the money I left at the inn as you wish.¡±

    ¡°Mine too.¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯ll hold you to that. Then, I¡¯ll be going first.¡±

    Of course, none of the three actually believed it.

    Defeating the being called Ainz, whose power was far beyond their imagining, was something they could not even hope to do. Arche knew that this was their final farewell, and she was choking back her tears as she cast her spell.

    ¡°There are monsters in the sky that might still catch you even if you run...¡±

    ¡°¡ª[Fly]!¡±

    Ignoring Ainz¡¯s warning, Arche¡¯s spell took effect. She looked to herrades onest time, and then took to the air without another word.

    ¡°...Ah, is that how it is. Well, it¡¯s faster and less tiring than running,¡± Ainz said in a casual way. ¡°However, it¡¯s quite remarkable that you decided it without fighting with each other. I thought I would see your disgusting true selves on disy here.¡±

    ¡°You would never understand. It¡¯s because we¡¯rerades.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true. Dying to protect arade is not a bad thing¡ª¡±

    A sh of insight struck Imina.

    ¡°¡ªWere yourrades the friends you spoke of?¡±

    ¡°Muuu!¡±

    ¡°Yourrades must have been exceptional individuals, no? Then, our rtionship is as close as theirs, and yours.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    The evil atmosphere vanished as though it had never been, and Ainz continued in a quiet tone.

    ¡°Greater love hath no one than this: toy down one¡¯s life for one¡¯s friends¡ªso it was written in the Gospel of Marco.¡±

    ¡°...It¡¯s all right if we die. However, for the sake of the bond that we share, that you yourself, and your exceptionalrades shared, please let her go.¡±

    ¡°Mm...¡±

    Ainz hesitated for several seconds, and then shook his head.

    ¡°There will be no mercy for thieves like you. All that awaits is suffering upon suffering upon suffering, followed by death. But for the sake of the lives that you are willing to throw away for yourrade, I will make an exception for that girl. Shalltear.¡±

    Ainz carelessly showed his back to them, and called out to the VIP box. There was no chance he would be hurt, and it showed in his attitude.

    No, that was the reality of it. There was no attack they could use which would work. This was mere fantasy after understanding the truth of things. The two of them had no method which could wound the monster called Ainz. Because of this, they could calmly turn their heads back. At the very least, they had to buy Arche the time to flee.

    Although they had no cards to y, they still had to do it. Imina and Roberdyck exchanged looks, and nodded.

    On the other hand, a girl¡¯s voice came from the VIP box in response to Ainz¡¯s voice.

    She was a human girl with hair that gleamed like tinum. Although the two of them were filled with anger, they could not help but be captivated by that beauty, their eyes drawn to the girl who possessed it.

    Suddenly. the beautiful girl shifted her line of sight to look at the two of them. Her eyes were an entrancing crimson. Imina felt as though they were squeezing her heart. Simrly for Roberdyck, he was having trouble breathing with the crushing pressure on his chest.

    Even after the girl¡¯s eyes left them, Imina and Roberdyck still felt a little hampered.

    ¡°Shalltear, teach that child the meaning of terror. Teach her the gulf between the sliver of hope for escape that she clings to, and the inescapable reality that awaits all who dare invade the Great Tomb of Nazarick. After that, do not cause her any pain, but y her with the deepest and sincerest mercy.¡±

    ¡°Understood, Ainz-sama.¡±

    The girl¡ªShalltear¡ªsmiled to Ainz. However, when Imina saw that smile from the side, a chill ran down her spine. Her instinct told her that this was a monster draped in a very beautiful skin.

    ¡°Do enjoy the hunt.¡±

    ¡°That was my intention.¡±

    Shalltear bowed deeply to Ainz before setting forth. Every step she took was one closer to ending Arche¡¯s life, but even if Imina knew it in her mind, there was nothing they could do about it. Imina and Roberdyck were both unable to move.

    Shalltear walked past them without any sign that she had noticed them, without paying them the slightest bit of attention. Perhaps Foresight could close the distance between themselves and Shalltear immediately if they ran after her, but she seemed so far away.

    ¡°What¡¯s this? Still noting? If you have time to talk, you have time to fight... How unexpectedly honorable of you.¡±

    He was not looking down on her. His sentiment was genuine. In response to it, Imina¡¯s fighting spirit recovered somewhat.

    ¡°Wait! A question, please! What happened there, where is the mercy in that?¡±

    ¡°A priest... then, I will tell you. In Nazarick, a death without further suffering is mercy enough.¡±

    Silence descended upon them. They would no longer speak with words, but weapons.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Rober!¡±

    ¡°Yes! Ohhhhhhh!¡±

    With an uncharacteristic battlecry, the charging Roberdyck brought his mace down on Ainz¡¯s face. It was a strike made with all his strength. It was precisely because he thought that Ainz would not evade it that he put all his might into the blow.

    Although Ainz took the full-power strike in the face, he did not react with pain as expected. Roberdyck followed up his attack, reaching out with his bare hand.

    ¡°[Middle Cure Wounds]!¡±

    The healing spell was targeted at Ainz. When exposed to healing-type magic, undead would take damage instead. However, like the attack spell Arche cast earlier, it vanished uselessly against an invisible wall.

    ¡°Ahhhhh!¡±

    Imina tensed her bowstring as she cried out. Then¡ªshe loosed. Although Roberdyck was next to Ainz, she was not nearly bad enough to actually hit him. Rather, at this range, there was no way she could miss.

    Yet¡ªthe arrows struck Ainz, and fell to the ground without doing any damage whatsoever.

    Ainz vanished.

    It was the same tactic as earlier.

    ¡°Teleportation!¡±

    ¡°Not quite.¡±

    As expected, the voice came from behind.

    ¡°I¡ª¡±

    Before Roberdyck could finish, Ainz¡¯s hand gently settled on Imina¡¯s shoulder. There was no hostility in that gesture.

    However, it had a telling effect. All the strength in her body vanished, and she slumped to the ground. Although her mind was fully functional and conscious, her body felt like a puddle of immobile, insensate slime.

    ¡°What did you do to her?¡±

    Roberdyck asked his question in a trembling voice, as his eyes went from the copsed Imina to Ainz, who stood by her side.

    ¡°Was that a surprise? It¡¯s nothing special.¡±

    Ainz proceeded to exin in such a way as to break Roberdyck¡¯s spirit.

    ¡°It was almost the same as just now. After casting a silent [Time Stop] I moved over here and cast the same spell I used on that man, [Touch of Undeath]. And then, I just touched her.¡±

    The air between them froze into silence. The sound of Roberdyck swallowing was exceptionally loud inparison,

    ¡°...You stopped time...¡±

    ¡°Oh yes. Anti-time stop countermeasures are very important, don¡¯t you know? You¡¯ll need to have them by the time you hit level 70. Oh well, you¡¯re going to die here, so in your case, it¡¯srgely academic.¡±

    Roberdyck ground his teeth.

    He was lying. If only he could say that. If only he could deny everything this monster¡ªthis god¡ªwas saying. It would be better if he fell to his knees and clutched his ears to shut the words out.

    He understood that Ainz was very powerful.

    However, even with that considered, stopping time and the like was something that should not exist in this world.

    The march of time was a flow that could not be mastered or controlled by humanity. What could he do against a foe who was capable of such a feat? Cutting down an entire forest with a single sword would be an easier goal inparison.

    Ainz Ooal Gown. He was a being that the human race could never defeat. He was a man who stood in the realm of divinity.

    He gripped his mace in both hands¡ª

    ¡ªand he felt a light tap on his shoulder.

    ¡°Ah...¡±

    Roberdyck¡¯s body stopped moving. He did not have to look to know who had done it. It was Ainz Ooal Gown¡ªthat godlike being who could control the passage of time¡ªwho was supposed to be standing in front of him. When had he vanished from his field of vision?

    The cold flowing into him made him feel as though he had turned into an ice sculpture. Thus, any feeling and freedom were stripped from his body.

    ¡°¡ªIt was useless, wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    So spoke the gentle voice which carried no trace of enmity to Roberdyck. The mace fell from nerveless fingers, to the ground¡ª

    Then, Ainz muttered as he looked to Roberdyck who had lost all will to fight.

    ¡°Well, that was a waste of effort. I think I might have actually broken a sweat.¡±

    ¡ªIt waspletely useless. Every tactic and trick he had tried could not do even the slightest bit of damage to Ainz. Thoroughly defeated, Roberdyck looked quietly at Ainz, and calmly asked him a question

    ¡°I have something to ask. What is to be of me afterwards?¡±

    ¡°Mm? Is it because you¡¯re a divine magic caster and you think you won¡¯t end up in the same state as those other two?¡±

    With that as a premise, Ainz began his exnation.

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s start with those two. Aura, take them to the Large Cave. Gashokukochuuou says he¡¯s running out of nests.¡±

    The Dark Elf¡¯s ears twitched, and her eyes went wide.

    ¡°Ai-Ainz-sama! Mare! I can order Mare to go instead, right? Make him go there instead!¡±

    ¡°Oh, hm. Fine with me.¡±

    ¡°Understood! I¡¯ll let Mare go instead!¡±

    ¡°As for that, I apologize. There will be no kind fate in store for them. As for you¡ªthe subordinate I sent in pursuit is also a divine magic caster, but the god she believes in ispletely different from the gods you worship. When ites down to it, I have no idea what the Four Great Gods you worship are. As such, I need to confirm the details on them. As their subordinates, you have names for them, but whether they¡¯re the Four Gods or the Six Gods, these names are little more than job titles, like the Fire God, Earth God, is that it?¡±

    ¡°I, I don¡¯t know about that.¡±

    ¡°I see... so they¡¯re not superior beings who possess a mysterious power, they¡¯re nothing more than great men of the past who¡¯ve been deified¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªImpossible!¡±

    ¡°Well, do listen. That¡¯s just my theory. But if that were the case, if you do borrow the power of the gods to work your magic, could dead people provide it to you? Or rather, what are the gods? Do they even exist? Are you really using the power of the gods?¡±

    ¡°...What are you trying to say?¡±

    ¡°...Have you ever seen the gods?¡±

    ¡°The gods are always by my side!¡±

    ¡°That is to say, you¡¯ve never actually seen them directly, then?¡±

    ¡°No! When we use our spells, we feel the presence of a mighty being. That is our god!¡±

    ¡°...And who dered that that presence to be a god? The god himself? Or someone else drawing on that power?¡±

    Roberdyck recalled the theological debates he had taken part in. There was no clear answer to Ainz¡¯s questions. Until today, the priests still debated hotly over whether that was the proof of the gods¡¯ existence.

    Just as Roberdyck was about to speak, Ainz interrupted him.

    ¡°...Well, supposing these super-dimensional beings¡ªwhich we shall generously term gods for our purposes¡ªdo exist, I wonder if that means they were originally colorless entities. Simply put, they are masses of power. Because drawing on their power dyes them in a different color and changes the thing... well, they do exist in a world with magicalws, I just wanted someone to chat with someone about this. It wouldn¡¯t be funny if there really were gods.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°My apologies. That was off-topic. The power of the god you believe in. I think we won¡¯t be able to learn it... so do you want to take part in a human experiment?¡±

    ¡°...A human experiment?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. For instance, when we alter your memories so the god you believe in is someone else, what will happen after that?¡±

    He¡¯s insane. That was Roberdyck¡¯s deepest and most honest thought about the situation.

    No, he¡¯s undead. It wouldn¡¯t be strange no matter what he did.

    Ainz took a step back, looking with deep interest at Roberdyck. That look was the way a schr would examine aboratory animal, and it made Roberdyck want to throw up.

    ¡°Why, why do you want to do that?¡±

    ¡°To prove that god exists... eh, I¡¯m not going to bother going on with that joke. Truthfully, I want to be stronger by understanding the nature of that power. And if those beings you call gods really exist, I want to know if they have emotions or thoughts. I want to confirm that. As for me, I have never thought of myself as a chosen being. In truth, there are many others like that.¡±

    Roberdyck had no idea what Ainz was talking about.

    ¡°Therefore, expanding military preparations is essential. Of course, it may be that no enemies exist, or if they do exist, none of them are as strong as we are. However, don¡¯t you think that the leader of an organization shouldn¡¯t be negligent? After all, if we rest on oururels, we¡¯re likely to have our feet cut out from under us when we least expect it. Confirming the existence of gods is part of that. ¡°

    Ainz shrugged as he finished.

    <b>Part 2</b>

    Arche panted heavily.

    Her body trembled every time the grass rustled in the wind. Like a small animal, she looked fearfully in every direction.

    She was surrounded by forest, and there were few ces here where the light could reach. The spreading canopies of the densely-packed vegetarion blocked out any illumination from the sky, and so there was almost none on the surface.

    Although this environment would normally be difficult for a human being to navigate, in lieu of illumination, Arche used the [Darkvision] spell, which made her surroundings seem as bright as day.

    However, even with this spell, she still needed a lot of concentration to pick out grass patches which people could be hiding in, tree trunks that might conceal enemies behind them, and listen to the branches creaking as they swayed in the wind.

    As an arcane magic caster, Arche could not count on her own physical strength to shake off any monsters if they leaped onto her and pinned her down. Normally, she would have help from her friends, but now there was nobody to support her, nobody to cover her, and nobody to heal her.

    In other words, all she could do was remain alert for foes who were trying to advance into close quarters, keep her distance, and flee. She was on edge because she was keenly aware of this fact, and it sapped her mental strength even more than normal.

    Her original n was to use a [Fly] spell to make her getaway, since she was outside. But once she flew above the trees, she saw a huge ck shape in the sky which seemed to be searching for something, so she abandoned that n.

    Once she detected the presence of the giant bat, she could not find it in herself to try and turn it into a contest of speed. That was because even though [Invisibility] could fool visual senses, it could not deceive the special sensory organs of a bat.

    After verifying that her surroundings were safe, Arche took flight once more, at a snail¡¯s pace.

    She was proceeding as slowly as possible with her [Fly] spell because she wanted to observe her surroundings. If she went at full speed, she would not be able to react quickly enough even if she were on alert and spotted a threat, and that would mean she would be leaping into the mouth of any monsters which pursued her. In order to avoid this, she deliberately lowered her speed.

    Finally, Arche felt theyer of magic energy surrounding her growing thin. Her [Fly] spell¡¯s duration was about to run out.

    She slowly descended to the ground.

    The question now was what should she do. Casting [Fly] again would not be a problem. She could feel that she had enough mana for it. However, [Darkvision] was also a crucial spell, and she also had to reserve enough mana for defensive spells in case ofbat.

    The 3rd tier spell [Fly] was one of the highest-ranked spells Arche knew how to use. This also meant that it was one of the most draining spells she had. If possible, she wanted to avoid using it.

    Ignoring the present circumstances, even she did not know how long it would take to get out of this forest without the use of spells that would stave off her fatigue. And without the ability to fly, she could not even confirm her current location.

    On the way here, Arche had asionally risen above the forest canopy and used the big tree beside the coliseum as andmark. WHen she used [Fly] to travel, she lost her sense of direction. If she stayed in the forest, she could not spot the big tree, and she was not able to climb trees either.

    ¡°¡ªWhere can I rest...¡± Arche mumbled to herself.

    Certainly, if she restored her mana through sleep, she could use [Fly] more often, and movement under the sun would be safer. This was particrly true for the forest, where the monsters tended to be nocturnal.

    It might be better for her to curl up somewhere and wait for daybreak, rather than force herself to carry on in the dark forest.

    However, Arche had no idea where the safe ces were.

    If Imina were here, she would probably know. And if Roberdyck or Hekkeran were around, she could rest easy even in dangerous areas. However, her reliablepanions were not with her.

    ¡°¡ªImina, Roberdyck...¡±

    Arche curled up beside a huge tree, and thought of herrades.

    ¡°¡ªLiars.¡±

    There had been no word from them after so long.

    As expected, they had not been able to escape.

    No, that was something she had known from the beginning. There was no way they could beat the ridiculous entity known as Ainz. Even so, was she a fool for holding on to the faint hope of seeing them again?

    Arche sat on the ground, leaned her back on the great tree, and closed her eyes. She knew it was dangerous.

    Still, she wanted to close her eyes.

    As the memory of the three of them came to mind, she squeezed her eyelids shut.

    The icy-cool sensation of the bark against her head was veryfortable. It was only after she had rested for a while that she realized just how tired she had been. Her stress turned into emotional exhaustion, and it rose without stopping.

    ¡°¡ªHaaaaa...¡±

    She let her head rest against the tree.

    And then she opened her eyes wide.

    [Darkvision] painted the world of night in fresh, bright colors, but she had no exnation for what she saw in her field of vision.

    Someone was watching Arche.

    It was like nothing Arche had ever seen before, and her eyes seemed transfixed on the sight of the beautiful girl.

    She was dressed in a velvet-soft ball gown dyed in the darkest shade of ck, a garment that seemed thoroughly unsuited for her present environment. Her skin was as pale as wax. A single hand stroked her long, tinum hair, which seemed about to brush across Arche¡¯s face.

    Though she was a noble daughter, Arche had never seen a girl this beautiful before. If she were to show up at a formal dance, men would flock to her like moths to a me, purely out of desire for her beauty. Her crimson pupils radiated an irresistible charm that seemed to draw Arche¡¯s soul into them.

    But Arche immediately returned to her senses. There was no way someone like that would be in a ce like this. Especially not someone with both feet on the tree trunk, standing parallel to the ground in utter defiance of gravity.

    It was obvious that this was a pursuer sent by Ainz. Still, it was notpletely impossible that she might have been a resident in the forest for a long time.

    ¡°Tag. You¡¯re it.¡±

    Her fleeting hopes had been utterly dashed.

    ¡°¡ªA pursuer.¡±

    Arche leapt away to open up a gap, pointing her staff at the girl. The girl seemed disinterested in Arche, and neatly walked down the tree trunk and onto the floor.

    ¡°Come now, start running.¡±

    ¡°¡ªif I defeat you here, I can flee more safely.¡±

    Even as she said this, Arche smiled bitterly in her heart. There was no way she could beat any pursuer sent by Ainz, a being who existed outside the bounds ofmon sense.

    Knowing this, the reason why she said so was to gauge the other party¡¯s reaction.

    ¡°Then, by all means, although I can only y with you for a while.¡±

    Her attitude said that shepletely understood the difference in power between the two of them. Which was to say, if she fought Arche, it would be nothing more than toying with her.

    ¡°¡ª[Fly]!¡±

    Arche cast her spell and began to flee. There was not the leisurely, slow flight she had demonstrated on the ground. In one swift movement she was aloft, covering her face with her arms as she broke through the forest canopy and soared into the air.

    Under the night sky, Arche looked around once more. She was on guard for the bat-like monster she had seen earlier. However, it seemed that it was nowhere around. And so, all that was left was to escape.

    ¡°Yes, yes, keep it up, keep it up,¡±

    The beautiful voice called out to Arche, who was desperately trying to flee. Her heart lurched. Casting frantic nces around, Arche tried to see where it wasing from.

    It was from in front and above her.

    When had she¡ªthe girl from just now was there.

    ¡°¡ª[Lightning]!¡±

    Bluish-white lightning leapt from her staff¡¯s head and cleaved through the night. This was Arche¡¯s strongest attack spell. Even though it pierced the girl, the smile did not vanish from her face.

    Arche was sure of it. This was a being on par with Ainz, which meant that there was no way Arche could defeat her. The girl cheerfully spoke to Arche, who was eager to flee.

    ¡°[Come, my familiars.]¡±

    An enormous pair of wings extended from behind the girl¡¯s back. They were like a bat¡¯s in shape, but far, farrger. An enormous bat flew out from behind her, like it had detached from her body. And of course, no bat with glowing crimson eyes like that could be a mere beast.

    The girl smiled from beside the giant bat, whose wings beat steadily through the air. It was a smile that froze Arche¡¯s body like ice, a smile that did not seem to belong on someone her age at all.

    ¡°Well then, do continue to flee~¡±

    ***

    Arche fled.

    All she did was flee.

    She flew into the forest to lose her pursuer, and the branches scratched her body as she fled.

    Since she had discarded herpanions to escape, that meant she had to make it out of here no matter what. In her mind, she would do anything to make that happen.

    And after a flight of who knew how long, Arche stared despair in the face.

    It was a wall.

    An invisible wall stood in front of her.

    The world went on beyond it, but Arche¡¯s body was blocked by that wall. Arche was now two hundred meters above ground level and the invisible wall had reached this high.

    ¡°¡ªThis is¡ª¡±

    Arche muttered to herself as despair seeped into her heart. She flew and felt around with her hands. But... wall, wall, wall, still a wall.

    No matter where she flew, her hands told her there was something hard in her way.

    ¡°What is this?!¡±

    ¡°A wall, of course.¡±

    It was an answer to her self-directed mutterings. Arche turned around, with an idea of who she might see.

    It was as she had expected. The girl from earlier. But now she had a trio of giant bats as her escorts.

    ¡°Though it seems you¡¯ve gotten the wrong impression. This is the 6th floor of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. That is to say, you¡¯re underground.¡±

    ¡°...This?¡±

    Arche pointed to the world. The sky, the stars, the gently-blowing wind, the forest which stretched as far as the eye could see. Although she did not think this ce could be under the earth, when it came to these people, even that might be a possibility.

    ¡°The 41 Supreme Beings, our most august creators, once ruled this ce. It was created by them, and even we don¡¯t understand all of it.¡±

    ¡°¡ªThey created a world? That would make them like gods...¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct. To us, they are beings on the same level as gods. Gods with Ainz-sama as their leader.¡±

    Arche looked around.

    She had epted it. As expected, after seeing all this, the only thing she could do was ept it.

    There was no way she would be returning alive.

    ¡°Well then, not fleeing?¡±

    ¡°¡ªWould it even be possible?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. There was never any intention to allow you to escape to begin with.¡±

    ¡°¡ªIs that so.¡±

    Arche gripped her staff tightly with both hands and charged the girl. She could no longer use spells since she was out of mana. However, even in this most hopeless of situations she still had to try her best until the veryst moment. This was the duty of Arche, the sole surviving member of Foresight.

    ¡°There, there, you¡¯ve done your best.¡±

    The girl¡¯s reply to Arche¡¯s fully-determined charge was little more than bored dismissal.

    ¡°Then, your sad little escape attempt ends here... though it¡¯s a shame I couldn¡¯t see you break down in tears.¡±

    The girl easily caught the staff with one hand, and yanked it toward herself. Arche was thrown off bnce and fell into the arms of the girl. The two of them ended up embracing in mid-air.

    In this position, the girl buried her face into Arche¡¯s neck. Although Arche tried to struggle, the girl who stuck to her like glue could not be shaken off. She breathed hotly on Arche¡¯s neck, and Arche¡¯s body quivered.

    ¡°...Mm, the stink of sweat...¡±

    Not being able to keep one¡¯s body clean was part and parcel of the worker¡¯s life for Arche. This was true for all Workers, adventurers, travellers, and anyone who spent time moving around outside. Even if they got dirty, the appropriate response would be ¡°So what?¡±

    However, she still felt deeply ashamed at being told this by a girl who was younger and more beautiful than her.

    The girl¡¯s face left Arche¡¯s neck. A feeling of revulsion swept up over Arche as she looked into those crimson eyes. Within those eyes burned a lust for the female body, stained with the same carnal desire that men possessed for women.

    ¡°Be at ease. You will die without experiencing any suffering. Be grateful to Ainz-sama for his mercy.¡±

    ¡°¡ª¡ª!¡±

    Arche wanted to respond, but instead all she felt was surprise ¨C surprise at the fact that her body had been immobilized. It was as though those crimson pupils had stolen away her soul.

    Atst, Arche realised the true identity of the girl. She was not human ¡ª she was a Vampire.

    ¡°...And then...¡±

    The girl¡¯s face drew closer to Arche¡¯s, her tongue slipping past her lips to lightly lick at Arche¡¯s cheeks.

    ¡°...Salty...¡±

    The girlughed, and despair swallowed Arche¡¯s soul.

    That only made the girlugh harder.

    Her lips split apart to her ears. The red of her irises spread to engulf their respective eyeballs.

    With a cracking sound, she opened her mouth. What had once been neat, pearly white teeth were now things that made people think of medical syringes, in multiple rows like those of a shark. Herscivious voice wasced with lewd undertones, and clear drool oozed from the corners of her mouth.

    And then, terror enveloped Archepletely.

    ¡°Ahahahahaha!¡±

    Arche¡¯s mind lost hold on consciousness in the face of theughing monster that reeked of blood.

    Thest thing that went through her mind was the faces of her two sisters waiting for her.

    ¡°Ooooooh? Fainted already? ...Then there¡¯s no need to knock you out with magic. You can embrace Death in your dreams~¡±

    <b>Part 3</b>

    After handing the intruders over to his subordinates to handle, Ainz activated the monitor within the Throne Room and scrolled through Nazarick¡¯s data. The figure which most concerned him ¡ª their remaining funds ¡ª had only shifted very slightly. That was because they had hardly activated any cash-item traps. Thus, it could be counted as a very sessful training exercise.

    Ainz turned to Albedo ¡ª who was nervously awaiting Ainz¡¯s opinion ¡ª and smiled broadly ¡ª although a skeletal face could not show any expressions ¡ª before praising her:

    ¡°Very well done. While the intruders were all weak, they were fairly skilled among the humans of this world. In addition, you eliminated them with barely any expenditures. It would seem I can entrust the task of defense to you in future.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your praise.¡±

    Albedo looked visibly relieved as she bowed her head in gratitude.

    ¡°Then, Ainz-sama, are there any problems with the time?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve asked Pandora¡¯s Actor; while the people on top think the Workers are taking their time, they¡¯ve decided to wait one day, or until there¡¯s some change in the ruins.¡±

    After seeing that none of the Workers had returned by dawn, the adventurers had flown into a panic, but Momon ¡ª Pandora¡¯s Actor ¡ª suggested that they wait another day and see. While they had already arranged that to leave the campsite and observe from further away in case of emergency, the word of an adamantite-ranked adventurer carried more weight than their previous ns.

    ¡°Then, may I upy a bit of your precious time? In truth, I have a question to ask, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°What is it, Albedo? A moment please... alright, it¡¯s fine.¡±

    Ainz turned around after making a final check on Hamsuke and the Lizardmen through the monitor.

    ¡°What is this question?¡±

    ¡°¡ªYes.¡± She looked around before speaking. ¡°This concerns what those fools said just now; how high is searching for the Supreme Beings on your list of priorities, Ainz-sama?¡±

    ¡°At the top. So long as it does not ce the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick in danger, it will be our topmost priority, ¡° Ainz answered without dy.

    ¡°I see. I understand. Then, I have a proposal, that you will allow me to put together a unit under me that will search for the Supreme Beings.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Ainz¡¯s tone had unconsciously grown stiff, because he realised the dark side lurking within his heart.

    Until this date, he had several opportunities to actively search for his friends. However, he had kept pushing those ns back because he cked manpower¡± or ¡°had insufficient information¡±.

    This was because he was afraid of scouring every corner of the world and finding nothing, so he could not make that decision. Rather than work hard just to confirm that he was alone, bing a famous monster held more hope.

    ¡°Yes. The lies those fools told just now were of a very low grade and were instantly seen through. However, we might encounter information in future whose veracity cannot be easily determined. Therefore, I would like to form a team to verify the reliability of this information, and at the same time investigate the whereabouts of the Supreme Beings. After I investigate in detail, I can report the results to you, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Ainz caressed his chin with a bony hand.

    ¡°Is that so...¡± he murmured to himself. He thought about his conversation with the Workers, and what he felt was not anger, but emptiness. Wavering between hope and despair was truly a heart-wrenching thing. His own sentimentality aside, it would seem that as the group¡¯s leader, it was time for him to decide to advance, even if it was only by a small step.

    ¡°You do not need to do everything on your own, Albedo. I hope you will be able to continue administering Nazarick well. If you intend to gather information by heading outside... would Mare or Aura not be better choices? I hear there are Dark Elves in the outside world.¡±

    ¡°It is as you say. However, there is one factor which makes me uneasy; ¡®loss of control¡¯. For instance, if she caught wind of Peroroncino-sama, Shalltear would surely abandon everything and do as she pleased. Simrly, if Aura and Mare learned of Bukubukuchagama, there is no telling what Aura and Mare will do.¡±

    ¡°I see...¡± Ainz smiled bitterly as he thought of Shalltear. ¡°Indeed, I feel that is a possibility.¡±

    ¡°In order to avoid that, I feel a team which is directly loyal to me would be more appropriate.¡±

    ¡°...So you will not go berserk when you learn about Tab-san?¡±

    ¡°Please be at ease. As the Guardian Overseer of Nazarick, I will not do so under any circumstances. I promise.¡±

    ¡°I see...¡±

    When it came to Albedo, a wise person who was the most skilled at the internal administration of Nazarick, the chances of her going out of control due to her emotions ought to be very low. While she was a little off-kilter from time to time, there had never been any problems with the running of Nazarick while Ainz had been gone, and she was worthy of trust.

    ¡°Personally, I feel Demiurge would also be eptable, but he has many other duties to cover. Having him bear the weighty task of gathering information about the other Supreme Beings in addition to those tasks would be somewhat burdensome.¡±

    ¡°What you said also makes sense. Then how about dispatching Pandora¡¯s Actor?¡±

    ¡°I was about to mention that. If possible, I would like to ask you to assign me Pandora¡¯s Actor as my adjutant, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°I see. Having two of Nazarick¡¯s most intelligent people working together will reduce the chances of mistakespared to just one person, but... he still has his duties in the Treasury. I will lend him to you when the need arises.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Ainz-sama. May I make several other requests?¡±

    Ainz raised his chin, indicating that she should continue.

    ¡°I would like my subordinates for the Supreme Being search team to be powerful.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I will assign you a group of the highest-levelled vassals.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Ainz-sama. In addition, I feel it would be very helpful if you could bestow upon an undead lieutenant hand-crafted by yourself.¡±

    ¡°That, I cannot approve. Indeed, the lieutenants I can make are level 90, but¡ª¡±

    Rather than mercenary NPCs, one of Ainz¡¯s skills allowed him to use experience points to create undead beings ¡ª an Overlord Wiseman or a Grim Reaper Thanatos. Since he could only have one at a time, they were very powerful. However, this world was not like YGGDRASIL whererge amounts of experience points were easy toe by, and so he wanted to avoid skills which consumed experience points.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll pass on that. Albedo, you will be in charge of the team, your adjutant will be Pandora¡¯s Actor, and the other team members will be monsters.¡±

    ¡°Understood. There is also one more thing; I would like to keep this group secret and not let the other Guardians know about it.¡±

    ¡°Why is that? Won¡¯t it be better to have the Guardians¡¯ help?¡±

    ¡°No. If news is carelessly leaked, the Guardians or the other creations of the Supreme Beings might ask us to bring them along in order to visually confirm the sightings. In that case, they might end up falling into a trap if that news was bait. My abilities are oriented towards defense, so I might be able to escape on my own, but it would be more difficult if I had to protect others as well.¡±

    ¡°That makes sense. Very well, Albedo. We will proceed as you see fit.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Ainz-sama!¡±

    Albedo bowed deeply in thanks, and her long hair hung down, covering her face.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. Then, I¡¯ll leave this to you.¡±

    ¡°Please be at ease, Ainz-sama! The secret unit executing your most important order will not disappoint you.¡±

    Ainz was puzzled. The phrasing of her reply seemed a little strange.

    Forget it, it¡¯s fine.

    ¡°Then let us select your subordinates. I won¡¯t touch the vassals already assigned to the various floors, but make new ones instead. How many level 80-odd monsters do you need?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s start with 15.¡±

    ¡°15? That¡¯s a bit too...¡±

    Halfway through, Ainz shook his head. Searching for his past friends was an important task; he should not be considering the expense at all.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s fine. I understand.¡±

    ¡°There is another thing I would like to ask; may I havemand authority over Rubedo?¡±

    ¡°Denied.¡±

    Ainz replied instantly.

    Rubedo was the single most powerful individual in Nazarick. Purely in terms of meleebat, she was stronger than Sebas, Cocytus and Albedo. In all likelihood, even a fully-equipped Ainz could not beat her, and even Shalltear would be considered weak inparison to her.

    The only people who can beat her are the ones from the 8th Floor, and they¡¯d have to use World-ss Items. No matter how strong she is, she probably wouldn¡¯t be able to fight one of them to a draw, but...

    ¡°While the activation experiment was a sess, I do not intend to mobilize it for the moment. I wish to ask you; why do you need so much fighting power?¡±

    ¡°It embarrasses me to say it, but would you be willing to listen, Ainz-sama?¡±

    ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    ¡°Since this is a rare chance to do so, I wanted to put together the strongest possible team.¡±

    ¡°Hahahaha¡ª!¡±

    Albedo¡¯s wish might have sounded like that of a child, but Ainz keenly understood it, and he could not helpughing. The emotion was promptly suppressed, but ripples of mirth remained in its wake.

    ¡°Ainz-sama!¡±

    Upon seeing the distressed look on Albedo¡¯s face, Ainz smiled congenially to her ¡ª although his face did not move ¡ª and replied:

    ¡°Sorry, sorry. No, hm, that is quite interesting. So that¡¯s it. In that case, since she¡¯s your sister, I shall turnmand authority over to you.¡±

    ¡°Will you really permit that?¡±

    ¡°Of course; go assemble your dream team. For all we know, we might need to use that team¡¯s power in the future.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much, Ainz-sama!¡±

    Albedo bowed deeply, and so he could not see her face, but Ainz imagined she would be smiling benignly as always, and so he turned his attention to the monitors once more. Just then, someone entered the Throne Room; it was Entoma. She walked up to the Throne, then genuflected before him and bowed her head.

    ¡°My apologies.¡±

    ¡°What is it, Entoma?¡±

    Albedo¡¯s voice sounded very stiff. Entoma replied with a ¡°Yes¡± and continued answering from her kneeling position.

    ¡°Aura-sama and Mare-sama are due to set out, and so I havee to report it to you,¡±

    ¡°Is that so... raise your head.¡±

    Entoma replied with a clipped ¡°Yes¡± once more and then looked up.

    ¡°There¡¯s still time, so I will go send them off. Communicating with magic is far too boring. Entoma, pardon me, but go inform the two of them.¡±

    ¡°Understood.

    Entoma rose and made to leave. Albedo watched her back as she went, then leaned over to Ainz and asked:

    ¡°...Ainz-sama, are you not displeased? They should have sent a maid other than Entoma. I will scold themter.¡±

    ¡°...Why do you say that?¡±

    ¡°No, I simply felt that they should not have let you hear that rude girl¡¯s voice, Ainz-sama¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t mind. In fact, it was my suggestion that Entoma take her ¡ª wait! Entoma!¡±

    ¡°Yes! Is something the matter?¡±

    Entoma was just about to rush back when Ainz held out his hand to stop her, indicating that she should answer him from her current location.

    ¡°What happened to the other parts? Were they well-utilized?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The head went to a Silk Hat. The arms were shared between the Deadman Struggles. Demiurge-sama took the skin. The other parts were fodder for Grant¡¯s children. I believe there was no wastage.¡±

    ¡°Really now? Very good. A hunter¡¯s duty is to make good use of every bit of his kill. If all hunters did that, it would be called provision.¡±

    ¡°You really are... too kind. As expected of the Supreme One, you show kindness even to such filthy little thieves. Surely everyone in Nazarick would shed a tear if they heard what you just said, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Albedo¡¯s voice trembled with emotion as she spoke. Entoma¡¯s eyes were filled with a respect that transcended the norm.

    ¡°...Umu. Ah, it¡¯s fine... that¡¯s just my personal opinion, it¡¯s not meant to force you to be like me. Although, I still... feel that making full use of it is justmon courtesy.¡±

    ¡°Understood, I¡¯m certain the others will make good use of theirs too!¡±

    As he saw the two of them bowing deeply before him, Ainz had a feeling like he had missed something somewhere, and all he could reply with was ¡°Umu.¡±

    <b>Part 4</b>

    The Ministry of Magic had several meeting rooms and guest rooms. Fluder was headed to the mostvishly-furnished guest room of them all. It was a room which was only used for visits from the Emperor or other highly-ced people.

    Fluder stood by the door of the room and checked his grooming.

    His robe was exquisite and fit to be worn to the evening gs organized by the Emperor, while the ssh of cologne on his cor and sleeves radiated a heartening fragrance.

    Fluder had no interest in politics or social interactions. Rather, he hoped to be able to focus all his efforts on magical research, so he found all other matters annoying. However, he knew that he could notpletely ignore such problems.

    He did not want to wound the Empire¡¯s dignity by appearing unkempt.

    Very good, all¡¯s well.

    After assuring himself that his clothes were in an immacte state, he knocked on the door, and then entered.

    There were two adventurers in the luxurious room. One was a warrior, dressed in jet ck te armor like the Death Knight from just now. And then, the other one was a beautiful woman who was so fair that she even managed to mesmerize Fluder for a moment.

    So they are Momon of Darkness and the Beautiful Princess Nabe, then?

    ¡°Forgive me for keeping the two of you waiting.¡±

    As Fluder quietly closed the door, he suddenly had a strange feeling.

    ¡°...Odd...¡±

    He remained at the door, staring at the jaw-dropping beauty.

    ...I can¡¯t see it?

    Fluder¡¯s eyes should have been able to see an image superimposed over her. However, he could not see it now, which left him speechless from shock and puzzlement.

    Fluder¡¯s natural Talent was the ability to see the auras around arcane magic casters, and thus the tier of spells they could use.

    However, Fluder¡¯s talent could not sense the auras from around them, despite hearing that the Beautiful Princess Nabe of Darkness was an arcane magic caster.

    Protection from divinations?

    That was the only possibility, but that in turn raised new questions of its own. Why had she warded herself against divinations? Normal adventurers would not erect such defenses. That was because using their strength on such matters was too troublesome and few situations arose where one needed to be constantly aware of such things. Besides, not taking off one¡¯s protection for divinations when meeting them was quite rude.

    Well, I used a detection ability myself, which was somewhat impolite too... but why does she have to hide her power?

    Fluder¡¯s Talent was well known, and perhaps she had done so to protect herself, but he still did not know the reason for it.

    Upon seeing Fluder frozen in ce, his somewhat surprised guests asked:

    ¡°Is something the matter?¡±

    ¡°Ohh, please forgive my rudeness.¡±

    Fluder sat before Momon, but he could not help sneaking peeks at Nabe.

    ¡°Ah, I see. Let¡¯s begin, then.¡±

    Begin what? Before Fluder could ask, Momon took the initiative and said:

    ¡°...Nabe, it¡¯s time for you to take your ring off.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Nabe removed her ring. In that moment¡ª

    ***

    It felt like an explosion had gone off in his face.

    A cry of ¡°What¡ª!¡± escaped his throat.

    Nabe¡¯s body radiated a world-shaking wave of power.

    His body was not truly being assaulted by a wave of overpressure. This was a surge of might which only someone with Fluder¡¯s talents could see.

    Fluder curled up into a ball and trembled, like a manshed by icy winds.

    ¡°Im... possible...¡±

    It was not possible, it could not be possible. There was no way ¡ª no way that there was someone more powerful than himself.

    But he could not reject it out of hand, because the scene before him was reality. His ability had never betrayed him before ¡ª her power was far in excess of his. That was the pure and undeniable truth.

    ¡°The 7th... no, don¡¯t tell me, this flow of power is... the proof of the 8th...?¡±

    If that were so, then it would be the stuff of legends.

    Fluder could no longer speak, because magic of the 5th tier was the domain of heroes. And the 6th tier which Fluder had reached was terra incognita. And now, someone who had easily gone a tier beyond had suddenly appeared before his eyes.

    And she was such a young and beautiful woman too.

    Could it be that her appearance doesn¡¯t correspond to her age?

    As Fluder trembled in shock, he noticed Momon removing one of his ck gauntlets, and then he removed one of the rings he wore.

    ¡°¡ª!¡±

    In that instant, the world was subsumed into light, and Fluder felt his consciousness flee him.

    He could not understand what had just taken ce before his eyes. Even Fluder, who had lived over 200 years, even this man who could use the highest tiers of magic humanity could reach, could notprehend this reality.

    ¡°This... this... this is... this is too unbelievable.¡±

    Hot fluid coursed down Fluder¡¯s cheeks. However, he did not have the presence of mind or theposure to wipe it away. The immense shock had overwhelmed his mind.

    Who could have imagined this? That the Dark Warrior of song and story was actually an arcane magic caster, and one who upied a height so great that Fluder could not hope to reach the soles of his feet?.

    ¡°If that is the 8th tier... then this is the 9th... no... this really is... oh, gods...¡±

    The overwhelming might emanating from the Dark Warrior Momon far exceeded that of Nabe, who sat by his side. Since he had surpassed Nabe, a magic caster estimated to be of the 8th tier, then exactly what heights of magic could this Momon reach?

    Fluder¡¯s soul answered the question that had appeared in the corner of his mind.

    ***

    ¡ªThe 10th tier. It was an absolute zenith whose existence was known, but which had never been verified. And now, a man who came from that exalted domain had appeared before his eyes.

    ***

    Fluder rose to his feet, then knelt before Momon, tears streaming from his eyes

    ¡°...In the past, I believed in a lesser deity who governed magic. However, if you are not that god, then I shall promptly renounce my faith. That is because the true god has deigned to appear before me.¡±

    Fluder kowtowed with all his might, stering his head to the ground. There was pain, but the uncontroble joy in his heart meant that the pain lost all meaning to him.

    ¡°I know this is extremely rude, but I beg a favor of you, upon my hands and knees! Please, bestow your teachings upon me! I wish to glimpse the abyss of magic! I beg you! I beg you!¡±

    ¡°¡ªAnd what sort of price are you willing to pay for that?¡±

    That voice was as cold as an iceberg. Fully a hundred out of a hundred would describe it that way; yet to Fluder¡¯s ears, it was a sweet and pleasant voice that set his heart aflutter. Of course, he knew of the venom concealed within those words. Still ¡ª what of it?

    Fluder did not hesitate for even a moment. He was willing to pay the price. He was willing to hand over his soul.

    ¡°Everything! Yes, I will pledge everything I have to you! O Lord of the Abyss! O unfathomable one!¡±

    ¡°...Very well. If you are willing to give me everything, then my knowledge shall be yours. I shall grant your wish.¡±

    ¡°Ohhh! Ohhhhh!¡±

    Fluder ground his forehead into the floor as he shed tears of joy. His heart, frozen and stiff from jealousy, had melted. After waiting over 200 years, he had finally obtained a chance to fulfil the wish he had held for so long.

    The utterly excited Fluder kept his forehead touched to the floor as he crawled over to Momon¡¯s feet and kissed his boots. He had originally nned to lick them clean. However, the calm portion of his mind worried that his master and god would be revolted by him, and so he settled for politeness instead.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough, I understand your loyalty.¡±

    ¡°Ohhh! Thank you!... My Master!¡±

    ¡°Now then, your first order. Deliver live sacrifices to my fortress¡ª¡±

    ***

    ¡°Gramps! Gramps! What¡¯s wrong, Gramps?¡±

    Lost in thought, Fluder came round when he heard someone calling out to him.

    Fluder blinked a few times, then he remembered where he was, and nodded to the person who had called out to him.

    ¡°Forgive me, your Majesty. I was thinking about something.¡±

    Before Fluder was the only person who could call him ¡°Gramps¡±. That person was the Emperor of the Baharuth Empire, Jiiv Rune Farlord El-Nix.

    Normally, there would only be a few people in this room, but right now, there were many people gathered here. There was Emperor Jiiv and four bodyguards. There was Fluder Paradyne, the highest-ranking magic caster in the Empire. Then there were 10 loyal and capable ministers, whose abilities could effectively support their outstandingly intelligent Emperor. In addition, one of the people hailed as the strongest in the Empire ¡ª ¡°Lightning Bolt¡± Baziwood Peshmel of the Empire¡¯s Four Knights ¡ª was present.

    All of them sat where they pleased, and they had been discussing the direction that the Empire would take since just now. The sheets of paper scattered all around bore witness to the intensity of their debate. One of them had even shouted himself hoarse.

    The young Empeoror with the title of Bloody spoke something to Fluder that he would never have said to anyone else.

    ¡°No, don¡¯t worry about it. After all, I¡¯ve made you worry about a lot of things. You¡¯re getting on in years, so I¡¯d like to let you enjoy them. Unfortunately, there are many things which I must bother you about, so please forgive me.¡±

    ¡°I thank your Majesty for his concern. However, I am a faithful servant of your Majesty. Please, order me around as you see fit.¡±

    After being thanked for his service, Fluder nodded his head slightly.

    I¡¯ve raised a good boy.

    Those thoughts went through Fluder¡¯s mind as he looked upon the handsome young man.

    Fluder had begun working for the Empire about six generations ago.

    His rtionship with the Emperor at that time ¡ª the sixth Emperor before Jiiv ¡ª had been quite bad. However, Fluder was a skilled magic caster who could cast spells of a high tier, so after entering public service, he soon reached the middle to upper ranks of the Court Wizards.

    For this reason, Fluder had be closer to the fifth Emperor before Jiiv. After bing the Head Court Wizard, he began teaching the fourth Emperor before Jriv about magic.

    Ever since the third Emperor before Jiiv ascended to the throne, he had taken on the role of teaching the Emperor about all sorts of knowledge, and he had considerable influence in implementing policy.

    And now, there was the present Emperor ¡ª his beloved boy.

    None of the Emperors he had served through the generations were ipetent. The heavens seemed to have smiled upon every one of them; they were all talented and intelligent boys ¡ª thought the sixth Emperor before Jiiv had been old at the time. And among all of them, the current Emperor possessed intelligence to surpass all of them. He might have been begunying the foundations for it since two generations ago, but the fact that he could sessfully institute himself as an autocrat was thanks to his excellentpetence.

    Fluder deeply doted on Jiiv Rune Farlord El-Nix.

    Fluder had taught him like he was his own son. He was certain that the Emperor too loved and respected him like a second father.

    Even so¡ª

    ***

    Fluder could discard a man he loved like his own son.

    I want to see the abyss of magic, Jir. I will cast aside anything for it without hesitation. Even a darlingd like you.

    ***

    ¡°Then, your Majesty, we¡¯ve decided topletely halt the offensive against the Kingdom, is it?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. That¡¯s because investigating the demon Jaldabaoth is more important. Gramps, did you learn anything?¡±

    ¡°I regret to say that despite my investigations, I have not found any information yet, your Majesty.¡±

    Indeed, it had all been arranged beforehand.

    ¡°Paradyne-sama. Can you not use magic to investigate?¡±

    Fluder turned to the man who had addressed him, carefully faked an expression, and then looked coldly at him.

    ¡°Indeed, magic is potentially capable of performing the impossible. That is¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªForgive me, gramps. Once you start talking about this sort of thing, you tend to ramble on all day. Please dispense with that for now.¡±

    ¡°I understand, your Majesty,¡± Fluder replied with a somewhat unhappy look on his face. Then, he started speaking again in a pedagogical tone: ¡°There are ways to resist magical investigation. For instance, this room is soundproofed; you all should know this. Simrly, impeding divination magic is also simple enough to aplish.¡±

    ¡°...I see. In other words, there are ways to resist it, so it¡¯s very difficult.¡±

    ¡°Precisely. However, you would be lucky to get away with a simple spell failure. High-end magic casters can even prepare counterattacks against this sort of magic; if things go badly, those can directly kill the diviner who is casting spells on them.¡±

    What use would my pitiful grasp of magic be to the Supreme One... nobody is more fitting of being called the Supreme One. I need to demonstrate my usefulness as soon as possible¡ª

    Several people had disgusted looks on their faces when they learned that their adversary could instantly kill people in the process of striking back, but Fluder was utterly uninterested.

    ¡°So ording to your words,¡± one of the ministers said as he picked up a sheet of paper. ¡°Does the fact that you could detect the base of this Ainz Ooal Gown magic caster with a spell not imply that his abilities are beneath yours, Paradyne-sama?¡±

    ¡°Naive!¡±

    Fluder struggled to keep himself from smiling bitterly as he continued in a harsh tone, the better to impress the depths of his annoyance on the other party.

    ¡°You are too naive. It was only after I witnessed him saving Carne Vige... no, I noticed he had only saved Carne Vige and then conducted magical surveince of the area, which was how I noticed the ruins. Since I had no recollection of the ruins being there, I continued my observation, which was how I noticed a magic caster who looked like like Ainz Ooal Gown entering those ruins. You must remember that I discovered him entirely by chance, else you will be inviting disaster upon your own head!¡±

    Part of that was the truth. Only a fool would take such a great being lightly. No, he too had been such a fool; ignorance was a truly tragic thing.

    Fluder quietlyughed at his foolish self from the past. At that time, he had truly been clueless.

    ¡°Forgive me.¡±

    Fluder waved his hand to ept the man¡¯s apology.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right, Gramps. What about the Workers you sent into his home?¡±

    ¡°One of the spies following them sent back a report via [Message]. It seems they are all dead.¡±

    Jiiv counted the days on his fingers, and then his eyes widened slightly. He had heard that the people who had been sent out were quite capable Workers. The fact that such fighting power had been annihted in a day or less was quite surprising.

    Needless to say, Fluder was not surprised. He felt that such an oue was inevitable. However, the look on his face was one of disbelief.

    ¡°...Is that so? That said, magical information alone is notpletely reliable. How long until the adventurers return?¡±

    ¡°They decided to fall back immediately since nobody came back alive, but it seems it will take them four days toe back.¡±

    ¡°Waiting for the returning adventurers to provide us with their information... That¡¯ll be at least five days. Until then, our hands are tied.¡±

    [Message] was a very unreliable way of transmitting information. That was because it became less clear the longer the distance between them. In addition, there was another reason why the Empire did not ce its trust in methods like [Message].

    The most famous example was the tragedy of Gartenberg.

    Roughly 300 years ago, that country had set up a [Message]work between their cities to increase the speed of information transfer. It was a humanoid nation ruled by magic casters. Due to their over-reliance on [Message], it fell into chaos after receiving just three false reports. The cities warred against each other and on top of that they were attacked by monsters and demihumans, and thus the country perished.

    Apart from that, the bards also sang songs about husbands who murdered their wives after being informed of thetter¡¯s betrayal, only to find out that it had been fake news all along.

    As a result, very few people trusted [Message] for passing on information. Rather, those who ced too much faith in [Message] were treated as idiots. Jiiv was one of them. He made use of [Message]. However, he corroborated it with intelligence from other sources; he would never solely rely on magic.

    ¡°Still, that man was a moron. If he had hired Workers from E-Rantel, things would have fitted our n better. Of course, it¡¯s precisely because he¡¯s ipetent that he was dancing in the palm of my hand, but being too useless is problematic too. He ought to be better bait, at least.¡±

    ¡°It is as your Majesty says.¡±

    ***

    Jiiv furrowed his brows as he heard Fluder agree with him.

    Fluder had proposed a n several days ago, which he had epted. Said n had two aims.

    The first was to grasp Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s personality.

    ording to Fluder¡¯s investigations, Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s reaction was to not leave the tomb for several days, so they determined that said tomb was his home base. Thus, they dispatched the Workers there, to observe how Ainz Ooal Gown would react.

    Would he treat the people who barged into his domicile kindly, or mount stiff resistance?

    In the end, the Workers had been ughtered to thest, and from there, they had learned about part of his character.

    The other aim was to ruin the Kingdom¡¯s rtionship with Ainz Ooal Gown. It would have been better to hire Workers in E-Rantel, but unfortunately things had not gone that smoothly.

    It seems he was not that stupid after all.

    All the Count had been told was that those were unknown ruins. It had been enough of a risk for a noble of the Empire to barge into ruins within Kingdom territory, and hiring workers from the Kingdom would have required even more courage. It was hard to fault him for using Empire Workers.

    However that would mean they could not spoil the rtionship between E-Rantel ¡ª or perhaps the Re-Estize Kingdom ¡ª and Ainz Ooal Gown. Therefore, in order to achieve their second aim, they had to send information on this unknown tomb to the Kingdom¡¯s Adventurer¡¯s Guild.

    ¡°Momon¡¯s arrival at the Empire yed right into our hands.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Now, he will tell the Guild over there about the unknown ruins and how the Workers were all wiped out. This way, the Kingdom will know the Empire wants to search those ruins, and they¡¯ll mount an official investigation on their own.¡±

    It was in order to achieve that objective that they had forced the involvement of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild in this. Of course, they had not done so in the Emperor¡¯s name. They had simply spread some rumors through their spies to encourage such an urrence.

    This incident had to be treated as a foolish noble running wild. In this way, even if the Empire¡¯s involvement were revealed, Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s hostility would be directed to the manipted Count, and Jiiv could instead build a friendly rtionship with him.

    ¡°Naturally, the Kingdom¡¯s adventurers will invade their of Ainz Ooal Gown, who responds to intrusions with deadly force. What sort of response will a powerful magic caster make against the Kingdom? And what will the Kingdom do when it is attacked? I do look forward to it,¡± Jiivughed. Then, just in case, he asked:

    ¡°I already know the power of Ainz Ooal Gown. He can easily eliminate Worker teams. This matter ought to be neatly handled and taken care of by offering up the head of a single foolish noble.¡±

    ¡°But of course. We have taken great pains to handle this, and only the people here know the truth.¡±

    ¡°Good. But just in case ¡ª what was that?¡±

    A tremor interrupted Jiiv¡¯s words. The windows in the room and furniture rattled. However, it did not seem to be an earthquake. It was more like a single great shaking caused by some massive entity crashing into the ground.

    ¡°What happened? Hurry up and check ¡ª what¡¯s this ruckus about?! What¡¯s going on!¡±

    The wails Jiiv heard were not just from inside the room, but outside as well. The walls of this room were thick and sturdy. In that case, just how loudly were the people outside screaming? What had brought about this screaming ¡ª the least suitable sound for this ce?

    One of his vassals looked at the courtyard from whence the screaming came and after examining the situation, his face turned pale as he answered Jiiv¡¯s question.

    ¡°Your Majesty! A Dragon! A Dragon hasnded in the courtyard!¡±

    For a brief moment, a wave of stupefaction passed through the room. Nobody could immediately parse the meaning of that sentence. No, they could not understand it. Everyone knew that he could not be lying, yet they all ran to the window to witness it with their own eyes.

    They practically tore open the heavy curtains. After seeing whaty beyond them, the scene outside the translucent ss window ¡ª that of a Dragon in the middle of the courtyard ¡ª every single one of them was speechless and gawping with their mouths open.

    ¡°Why... why is there a Dragon there? Where did that Dragone from?¡±

    ¡°Foreign Affairs! Which Dragon-riding boor was scheduled to barge into the courtyard today?!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about this!¡±

    ¡°Have you seen the Council Alliance¡¯s Dragons before? Could that be a Dragon from the Council Alliance?¡±

    ¡°...That Dragon doesn¡¯t match the description I was given. A diplomat told me, so it ought to be reliable.¡±

    ¡°All that isn¡¯t important; surely the biggest problem is letting the opposition force their way into the Imperial Pce, right!? His Majesty is here; what are the Royal Air Guards doing!¡±

    Dragons possessed powerful bodies sheathed in thick scales, their lifespans vastly exceeded those of mankind, they had all manner of special abilities and magic, and they were the mightiest beings in the world. Of course, Dragons¡¯ strength varied between individuals, and there were asional stories of an adventurer defeating a Dragon. But throughout the course of history, there were also cities devastated by a wrathful Dragon, and sometimes even entire countries. A city in a country from the south had been destroyed by a Dragon some twenty-odd years ago, and it was still fresh in people¡¯s memory.

    The fact that such a being had appeared in the middle of the Imperial Pce was a grave situation.

    Even Jiiv held his breath as he surveyed the situation. Just then, he saw two people hop down from the Dragon¡¯s back.

    He squinted, and saw that they were two children whose skin had been tanned by the sun.

    ¡°Those ought to be Dark Elves.¡±

    Fluder calmly stated the species of those two.

    ¡°Paradyne-sama! Where did that Dragone from! And who are those two people?¡±

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t recognize that Dragon...¡±

    The Dragon in the courtyard was surrounded by knights, to say nothing of the two people who had just alighted from it. Those knights were the pride of Empire, yet he could not bring himself to put his faith in them when they stood before a Dragon. That was the strongest living being for you.

    A man strode forth from among the knights, a man who carried a shield in each hand.

    ¡°Oi, oi, is he going out there? While it can¡¯t be helped... losing him like this would be a shame.¡±

    The person who had stepped forth was one of the Empire¡¯s Four Knights, ¡°The Immovable¡± Nazami Enec.

    He was one of the topmost warriors in the Kingdom, the most adept of the Four Knights at defensive battles. This warrior might be able to resist many energy attacks, but he seemed awfully insignificant whenpared to a Dragon. Everyone could only nod in agreement at ¡°Lightning Bolt¡± Baziwood Peshmel¡¯s prediction of his colleague¡¯s fate.

    ¡°Your Majesty, please take shelter!¡±

    ¡°Where can we run? Tell me where can we find safety?¡±

    Jiiv snorted at the suggestion from the minister who hade to his senses.

    ¡°But!¡±

    ¡°¡ªI understand what you want to say. But if we abandon the Imperial Pce and run, we will be the butt of jokes. The same applies even if our adversary is a Dragon. While it does not look like a Dragon of the Council Alliance, if our foe did this while knowing I would not flee... they say Dragons are very intelligent; it seems it knows the Empire¡¯s political situation very well.¡±

    Jiiv could apply pressure to the nobles because he had the military power of the knights as backing. If the Emperor and his knights quit the Imperial Pce and fled because a Dragon appeared there, they would certainly make light of the Emperor¡¯s military power and revolt. He did not think he would lose to whatever ragtag bunch of misfits they could scrape together, but it would severely weaken the Empire.

    Whether we fight or flee, we still lose. What a troublesome move. Where did that Dragone from?

    Soon, more and more people gathered in the courtyard. There were 40 Imperial Guardsmen surrounding the Dragon and the two people, as well as 60 knights. In addition to that, there were arcane and divine magic casters scattered throughout their number.

    ¡°120 people will not be enough to deal with them. I think I should go over too, your Majesty.¡±

    Jiiv furrowed his brow slightly. Fluder was the trump card of the Empire. He was not sure whether ying that card against a mighty being like the Dragon would do any good. However, he was confident that Fluder could escape even after being pressed into dire straits, and that trust cut through his hesitation.

    Jiiv did not know the truth.

    He did not know that Fluder¡¯s offer to go forth was to avoid Jiiv asking him to retreat with teleportation magic.

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you, gramps. Also, could you ask The Immovable to stand down?¡±

    ¡°Understood. However, those people are unfathomable. I feel they are incredibly strong; please prepare yourself to flee, your Majesty.¡±

    With that, Fluder opened the window. He jumped straight out and flew into the sky with a flight spell.

    ***

    ¡°Er, can everyone hear me? I¡¯m a subordinate of Ainz Ooal Gown-sama, and my name¡¯s Aura Be Fiora!¡±

    ***

    Just then, an incredibly loud voice echoed through the surroundings.

    ***

    ¡°The Emperor of this nation sent a bunch of rude chaps to the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, where Ainz-sama stays! Ainz-sama is very unhappy. So if you don¡¯t apologize, we¡¯ll wipe this country out!¡±

    ***

    Jiiv¡¯s face twisted. Who had learned this answer, and how? How had he followed the clues back to the truth?

    He looked around the room. Everyone was staring in shock at the Emperor. The people who understood the doubts in Jiiv¡¯s heart all shook their heads.

    ***

    ¡°For starters, we¡¯re going to kill all the people here! Mare!¡±

    ***

    The other Dark Elf plunged his staff into the surface of the courtyard. In that moment, it was as though a localized earthquake had urred in the courtyard. It was ¡°as though¡± because Jiiv did not feel the earth move at all. However, the ground still split open around the Dragon and the Dark Elves, crevasses yawning open in patterns moreplex than a spider¡¯s web.

    The knights, the Imperial Guardsmen, the magic casters ¡ª apart from the airborne Fluder, everyone was swallowed up by the earth.

    The Dark Elf seemed to have skilfully excluded herself and her allies from the effective radius of the attack. She stood there nonchntly, and once she pulled out her staff, the ground hurriedly put itself back together, just like when the earthquake had urred. However, since it hade together too quickly, the ground swelled up, following the previous spiderweb pattern, and it became a small hillock.

    The knights who had been gathered in the courtyard just now had all vanished without a trace. The end hade too suddenly.

    ***

    ¡°Alright~ we killed them all. Now then, for all the humans in this city... er, I don¡¯t know who¡¯s the Emperor, so never mind! If the Emperor doesn¡¯t show himself right now, we¡¯ll destroy this city! Emperor-san, pleasee out now!¡±

    ***

    ¡°Your... your Majesty.¡±

    The Chief Minister was trembling, his face deathly pale as he ushered Jiiv forward.

    ¡°...So they rode a Dragon here because we trod on the Dragon¡¯s tail, then?¡±

    Jiiv fought to quash the trembling in his voice. The supreme being in the Empire, the Emperor who held all power in his hand, could not show fear before his subjects.

    ¡°Ainz Ooal Gown... what manner of man... no, now¡¯s not the time to think about that sort of thing.¡±

    Jiiv shouted from the window:

    ¡°I am the Emperor, Jiiv Rune Farlord El-Nix! I wish to speak with you! May I trouble you fine envoys to enter the pce!¡±

    He turned to the Chief Minister:

    ¡°Prepare the finest reception for them! Right now!¡±

    The ministers scrambled out of the room, and Jiiv¡¯s eyes went from their backs to the Dark Elves, who were looking at him.

    ¡°...I underestimated them. If those are just subordinates... don¡¯t tell me I can¡¯t handle these people... that said, I won¡¯t back down here. If they wish to parley... then we shall fight a war of words. Ainz Ooal Gown, watch as I break your ambitions!¡±

 Chapter 54 - Volume 7

    <h4>Overlord Volume 7 Epilogue</h4>

    <b>Epilogue</b>

    (Re)Tranted by: Nigel

    Proofreader/Editor: Deus Ex Machina

    ¡°Then, here¡¯s the 100 gold coins as promised, and here¡¯s the receipt.¡±

    He looked at the contents of the purse, then nodded in satisfaction. Arche¡¯s father signed the parchment handed to him without a moment¡¯s hesitation. Finally, he put his family¡¯s seal on it. The practiced nature of these movements proved that he had done them several times before.

    ¡°Will this be alright?¡±

    The man looked at the parchment, and then nodded. If Hekkeran and Imina were here, they would have looks of absolute disgust on their faces. This man was the one who had gone to the inn where Foresight had stayed.

    He looked over the parchment that had been handed to him several more times, made sure everything was in order and that the ink had dried, then rolled it up and slotted it into the parchment case.

    ¡°I¡¯ve confirmed that there¡¯s no problems.¡±

    Then, the man indicated the purse before Arche¡¯s father.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to make sure?¡±

    ¡°Ahhh, a coin more or less isn¡¯t a big deal.¡±

    ¡°Really now?¡± the man replied to Arche¡¯s father as he nodded grandly.

    Of course, he had checked it earlier, and the full amount was there. However, a family whose fortunes had declined enough to borrow money to survive could not take even a single gold coin for granted. No, perhaps this family had been doomed once someone like him had be its heir.

    To the man, however, none of that was important as long as the father was a good client.

    ¡°Then, the interest and repayment schedule will be the same as before, no?¡±

    The head of the house responded to his question with the same magnanimous ¡ª certain of his superior status ¡ª nod of his head.

    The man nodded in acknowledgement.

    ¡°...Ah, yes, is your daughter doing well?¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    The man remembered that this family had three daughters, and so he added:

    ¡°I refer to Arche-san.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Arche. She¡¯s off earning money.¡±

    ¡°...Is that so.¡±

    And what are you doing while your daughter¡¯s making money?

    The man adeptly hid the look of disdain in his eyes as the thought crossed his mind.

    He could not help but pity the girl for having such a father.

    After all, the man was not a monster.

    It was simply that the most important thing was that the principal and interest had to be paid, and that they had to keep borrowing money from him. He had no intention of interfering with other people¡¯s families.

    ¡°She brings a few coins back and she gets all carried away.¡±

    As he heard the father¡¯s unhappy reply, the man furrowed his brows. It would be troublesome if any sticky business happened which hampered their ability to pay up. Besides, the interest from this family had made him a fortune, so he would like very much to keep doing business with them. Therefore, he decided to try asking about something which he would normally not have bothered with.

    ¡°Did something happen?¡±

    ¡°No, nothing of the sort. Just a daugher forgetting how much care she received ever since she was a child and going against her father.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good...¡±

    ¡°Honestly! I need to give her a good scolding! She needs to know the attitude a noble ought to have!¡±

    The man would never speak what was in his heart. However, he had this one thing to say.

    ¡°It must be tough.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. Really, that stupid daughter...¡±

    The man had not specified who he was referring to, and so the father had assumed that the man was talking about his own hardship and muttered to himself.

    A hundred gold trading coins was a huge sum. However, given the usual circumstances, the father would probably spend it all right away, whereupon he would look the man up again. However, the man decided that it would be better not to lend him any more until this sum was paid up.

    As he thought of that, the man surveyed the interior of the room.

    To the man¡¯s eyes, the room was dripping with exquisite furniture. At the very least, he would be able to recover the principal amount. And if selling the furniture was not enough to raise the required money¡ª-

    The man looked down to hide the emotion rising in his eyes.

    ¡°When you get down to it, a daughter of the Furt family shouldn¡¯t be doing dirty work like that. She works with plebeians, who are doubtlessly of base character.¡±

    ¡°...Really?¡±

    The man recalled the two faces he had seen in the bar as he answered. There was no telling how he had interpreted the inflection of that response, but the father continued exining, as though to make an excuse for himself.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not saying all plebs are like that. I mean the adventuring sort.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think so? They were probably the ones who made my daughter turn on me. I need to find a chance to give her a good talking-to. Honestly, a daughter ought to be listening to her father. Actually daring to talk back to me, who does she think she is?¡±

    The man nced at the furious father, then rose from his chair.

    ¡°...Then, I have other ces to go, so I¡¯ll take my leave. Do remember to pay on time.¡±

    ***

    ¡°When¡¯s onee-samaing back?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯ll be back real soon!¡±

    There were two young girls in the room. They sat on the bed like it was a chair, and the two girls who sat side by side looked the same.

    The pale faces were flushed slightly pink, calling to mind the image of angels. Given that they looked very simr to their elder sister, it was very easy to imagine how they would look once they grew up.

    Both of them were dressed in the same way, in immacte, pure white one-piece dresses, and a pair of pale, slender legs kicked beneath their skirts.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Really!¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Just so.¡±

    ¡°When onee-samaes back, we¡¯ll be moving house, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡±

    The two of them were very happy. They had not seriously thought about what moving house entailed, only that the big sister they loved the most would no longer leave them. That made them very happy.

    Their big sister ¡ª Arche ¡ª often went out. They did not know what their big sister did, but they both knew that their big sister was doing something very important. Therefore, they decided not to be naughty, but they could not help wanting to y with their gentle sister.

    Indeed. The two of them liked Arche more than anything else.

    They liked their gentle, yet knowledgeable sister who treated them nicely.

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t onee-sama back yet~?¡±

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t she back yet~?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it, Kuuderika.¡±

    ¡°Mmm, very much, Uleirika.¡±

    ¡°I want onee-chan to read me a story~¡±

    ¡°I want onee-chan to sleep with me~¡±

    ¡°Kuuderika, you¡¯re so cunning~¡±

    ¡°Uleirika, you¡¯re cunning too~¡±

    After that, the two of them looked at each other, and then smiled in the same happy way, beforeughing in an adorable fashion, like the tinkling of silver bells.

    ¡°Then, Kuuderika cane sleep with onee-sama too.¡±

    ¡°Mm, Uleirika can sleep with onee-chan too.¡±

    Then, the two of themughed. They imagined the happy times that would soon be upon them¡ª

 Chapter 55 - Volume 7

    <h4>Overlord Volume 7 Afterword</h4>

    Seven months have passed since Volume 6 was published. Long time no see, I am Maruyama.

    By the time this volume is published, it will be the end of August, when summer is at its peak. When Maruyama was young, I felt the heat receding when September came along, but that isn¡¯t so right now, it still feels hot even in mid-September. Those are just my memories from when I was young, it would be strange if nothing had changed at all.

    Thanks to the extrayer of clothing Maruyama wearspared to normal people, known as fat,, I once again affirm that I hate summer. I spend most of my time in an air-conditioned room in order to cool theputers down, but I still sweat a lot when I travel to mypany. The smell of my swear overwhelms my cologne; this is terrible.

    That¡¯s how hot it is. Will the people who see the obi on the book shout ¡°Fuwah!¡± in amazement? They might think, this must be an illusion caused by the heat of the summer or something.

    However, this is the truth!

    Even Maruyama shrieked ¡°Are you for real!¡± as the project progressed.

    Overlord is getting an anime!!

    I will work hard in order to produce good work; please look forward to it!

    Now then, I will endure my stomach pain as I express my gratitude.

    This time round, it is an honor for the history of lightnovels to have So-bin-sama provide his unbelievable book illustrations. You really did your best. That¡¯s how Maruyama feels, and I¡¯m sure the readers are grateful too! Let¡¯s eat out together next time! To Chord Design Studio-sama, thank you very much for doing the design as always. To the proofreader Ohaku-sama, thank you for your pointers as always.

    Also, thanks to the editor, F-da-sama, who firmly corrected the half-hearted Maruyama and rmended Kyouhoku for the illustrations without hesitation. Please don¡¯t push yourself and work in moderation.

    Thank you very much, everyone who assisted in the production of Overlord. In addition, thank you for everything you¡¯ve done, Honey.

    And finally, thank you dear readers for purchasing my book!

    2014 August

    Maruyama Kugane

 Chapter 56 - Volume 8

    <h4>Overlord Volume 8 Side 1 (1/2)</h4>

    <b>Enri¡¯s Tumultuous and Hectic Days</b>

    <i>Retranted by Nigel</i>

    <i>Edited/Proofed by Deus Ex Machina</i>

    <b>Part 1</b>

    Enri Emmot rose before the sun came up to make breakfast. She was not as good a cook as her deceased mother, and there was a lot of food to prepare.

    Counting Nemu, Enri herself and the neen Goblins loyal to her, she had to make breakfast for twenty-one people. Cooking for two more on top of those would make twenty-three in total. Preparing that much food was a lot of work, and could be considered a battle in its own right. Enri trembled while looking at the vast quantity of food in front of her and realised that it would all be gone in one meal.

    ¡°This is nearly six times as much as before...¡±

    After taking a deep breath, she rolled up her sleeves, psyched herself up and got to work.

    She silently sliced up the vegetables, and then the meat. The process was engraved into Enri¡¯s mind by now.

    Although Enri was not especially talented at cooking, the fact that she had learned to cope with such an enormous task in such a short time was a textbook example of how diamonds were made under pressure.

    Her little sister woke from the sound of Enri making breakfast and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

    ¡°Morning, onee-chan. Let me help too!¡±

    ¡°Morning, Nemu. I¡¯m good over here, but there¡¯s still that thing I asked you to help me take care of yesterday...¡±

    Unhappiness shed over Nemu¡¯s face for a moment, but in the end, she did notin, although she did droop her head and reply ¡°...¡®Kay¡± as she obeyed Enri.

    Enri¡¯s hands stopped.

    Her heart ached.

    Nemu was ten years old now, and she had been a lively and spirited girl once. After that incident, the formerly naive and carefree Nemu was now vishly obedient to her sister, without any of the yfulness or tantrums of children her age. She was a good girl now ¡ª so good that it hurt.

    The smiling faces of her parents appeared in Enri¡¯s mind. Although several months had passed, the wounds from that incident had not yet healed.

    If they had died because of illness, she could have prepared herself for it. If they had died from an ident or a natural disaster, she would not have hated anyone else for it, and maybe she would not have been scarred either. But her parents had been murdered in front of her eyes, and her heart was now filled with resentment. There was no way she could feel otherwise.

    Enri squeezed her eyes shut. If there was someone nearby, then she could work hard so they would not see her weakness. But when she was by herself, the loneliness reopened the wounds in her heart.

    ¡°¨DIsn¡¯t that right?¡±

    She still saw her parents¡¯ kind smiles floating in the darkness behind her eyes. Even when she opened them, their forms did not fade from her vision. She reyed the tender moments of the past in her mind, over and over again.

    After that came the maelstrom of ck emotions in her heart ¡ª her hatred for the people who had murdered her parents. Driven by them, Enri mmed her cleaver into the meat with all her might, splitting it in half.

    However, since she used too much force, she also chopped a divot out of the block, which made her furrow her brow in frustration.

    If the de gets chipped, it¡¯s going to be hard to fix...... I¡¯m sorry, okaa-san.

    Enri covered up the hole as she apologized for damaging the cleaver that was her only link to her deceased mother.

    She gently ran a finger along the edge to make sure it was fine, and at that moment, the door beside her, which led to the living room, opened up.

    The person who entered was not human, but someone shorter ¡ª one of the demihumansmonly known as Goblins.

    ¡°Morning, Ane-san. Today¡¯s my turn to... what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    The Goblin paused in the middle of a perfect bow to turn concerned eyes to Enri¡¯s hands.

    Enri was a mere vige girl, but the Goblins served her without hesitation because she was their summoner.

    After that incident, when the vigers had wondered if they needed to take shifts standing guard, Enri remembered the horn she had been given and used it to summon the Goblins.

    The vigers were initially surprised and afraid of the Goblins since they had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, but they calmed down when Enri told them that she had summoned the Goblins with an item from their savior, Ainz Ooal Gown. Needless to say, this was because of the gratitude and trust they felt towards Ainz. Thereafter, the work the Goblins had done was enough for the vigers to put aside their suspicions and wee them from the depths of their hearts.

    ¡°Good morning, Kaijali-san, I just used a bit too much force with the cleaver...¡±

    Kaijali was one of Enri¡¯s summoned Goblins. He furrowed his brows ¡ª looking like a man-eating bear awakened from his winter hibernation ¡ª and put a concerned expression on his face before looking at Enri.

    ¡°That¡¯s no good, you need to take care of that cleaver. The vige doesn¡¯t have a cksmith, so we can¡¯t repair our equipment either.¡±

    ¡°Is that so...¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s alright. We¡¯ll think of a solution when the timees.¡±

    Kaijali spoke in an earnest, yet cheerful voice while he helped make the breakfast. He drew a smoldering wick from the pot he was holding, and with a practiced manoeuvre, lit the stove. The deft ease with which he turned a faint ember into a roaring ze was evidence of his skill.

    But they can¡¯t cook... Why is that?

    Goblins could not prepare even the simplest meals. Since they ate raw meat and vegetables without aint, she thought they might like raw food more, but it became clear that they preferred cooked meals ¨D although they could still stomach raw food without trouble.

    Is it because summoned beings don¡¯t know how to cook?

    A mere vige girl like herself had no answer to this question, and with that she threw herself into her work once more. Fortunately, the cleaver¡¯s edge was still intact.

    Eventually, breakfast was ready.

    There were a wider variety of dishes on the tablepared to the days when her mother was cooking.

    For example, there was meat. Although the local rangers often shared their kills in the past, the amount they could bring back was nothingpared to now. The reason why they had so much more meat now was because the vigers had expanded their area of activity.

    The Great Forest of Tob provided its bounty to them in the form of firewood, food in the form of fruits and wild vegetables, animals for meat and fur, and even medicinal herbs.

    Although the forest was rightfully regarded as a treasure trove, it was also home to wild beasts and monsters, which could make their way back to the vige. As a result, the forest was not a ce where the vigers could casually enter. Even the experts like professional hunters were forced to skulk like thieves seeking treasure on the edges of the Wise King of the Forest¡¯s territory. However, with the disappearance of the Wise King of the Forest and appearance of the Goblins, the situation had changed radically.

    The greatest change was that the vigers could now easily enter the forest and harvest its resources. The work of the Goblins, who were strong beings, were a key factor in this; meat, which had previously been hard to obtain, could now be easily acquired, and their tables were decked with fresh fruits and vegetables. As a result, the food situation in the vige had dramatically improved.

    In addition, since the Goblins were Enri¡¯s subordinates, they delivered the lion¡¯s share of their kills to her home.

    In addition, one of the newest additions to the vige was a ranger who had made contributions to the provisions.

    She was a woman who used to be an adventurer in E-Rantel. For various reasons, she moved to this vige, and was learning the ways of the hunter from the ranger who was living in the vige. As she had been a warrior during her adventuring days, her skills with the bow were excellent, and she could bring down even the biggest game with a few arrows. It was partly because of her efforts that the distribution of meat in the vige had improved.

    The improved standard of living brought changes, which were reflected in the vigers¡¯ bodies.

    Enri curled her biceps, flexing her muscles.

    Her gains were quite impressive.

    Mm, I feel so pumped~ they¡¯re getting even bigger...

    The Goblins praised Enri at every opportunity with phrases like ¡°Ane-san¡¯s totally ripped!¡± ¡°Yeah, pump it up again!¡± ¡°She¡¯s too swole to control!¡± ¡°Aim for a six-pack!¡± ¡°Look at how cut she is!¡±. They most likely meant well, but as a girl, it was difficult to ept suchpliments.

    If I ended up like how the Goblins described, it wouldn¡¯t be good...

    Enri swept the Goblin¡¯s idealized final form of herself from her mind, and began serving breakfast.

    That too was a tedious task. While the Goblins would not quibble over a small difference in portion size, the amount of meat in their soup was a huge issue. Enri ensured that everyone¡¯s dishes and bowls had a simr amount of meat before moving onto the next task.

    Eventually, breakfast was ready, and sweat dripped from her forehead.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s call everyone (the Goblins) and Nfirea over~¡±

    ¡°Hm, yes~¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go! Let me do it! I want to do it~¡±

    As Enri turned around, she saw Nemu standing behind her with eyes alight.

    ¡°Have you done your chores?¡± Her sister nodded by way of reply, and so did Enri. ¡°Really? Then go get Nfi¨D¡±

    ¡°¨CNo! I want to call the Goblins!¡±

    Enri had no idea how to answer her little sister¡¯s sudden outburst. Kaijali nodded gently to Nemu, presumably indicating that he would entrust her with that task.

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave that to you, then. I¡¯ll go get Nfirea.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s more like it! A capital idea! Ane-san, let me go with you.¡±

    Although this would leave the house empty, it did not bother Enri. After all, there had never been any issues with thieves breaking in before.

    Together with Kaijali, Enri left the house just after Nemu did.

    The wind blew on Enri¡¯s face, carrying the scent of grass and warmed by the gentle light of the morning sun. Enri took a deep breath, and when she turned to look at Kaijali, he was breathing in the scent as well. Enri could not help smiling at the sight, and Kaijali scowled, trying to regain his lost dignity with a fierce expression. Perhaps the Enri of the past would have been afraid, but Enri was used to living with the Goblins now, and she knew this was just how he smiled.

    On this refreshing, cool and clear day, Enri proceeded to the house next to hers.

    It had been left ownerless from the tragedy that had befallen their vige recently, and had be the home of the alchemists from E-Rantel, the Bareares.

    The house was upied by two people. One of them was an old woman, the grizzled, experienced herbalist Lizzie Bareare. THe other was her grandson and Enri¡¯s friend, Nfirea Bareare. The two of them spent their days cooped up in the house, processing herbs to make potions and other medicines.

    Not working closely with other vigers was a good reason to be isted, and in the worst case scenario, to be kicked out of the vige. But it was different for those two.

    In every vige, an apothecary ¨D someone who could prepare medicines in case of disease or injury ¨D was indispensable. They could be said to be important enough that the vigers would plead, ¡°you don¡¯t need to do anything except make medicine for us¡±.

    This went double for a ce like Carne Vige, which had no ess to priests who could use healing magic.

    Incidentally, priests would double as the vige apothecary inrger viges.

    Priests would charge an appropriate fee for their healing magic. Or rather, it might be better to say that they would need to charge the fee. If the vigers could not afford to pay, then they would offer up theirbour instead. For those whocked the ability to even do that, the priests would use medicinespounded from herbs, since herbal cures were less expensive than magical healing.

    One of the Goblins in the vige was a cleric, and he could heal minor wounds with ease, but the vigers hade together with the opinion that he should save up his power for an emergency, unless someone was very badly hurt. Not to mention, the cleric¡¯s healing spells were very limited andcked the ability to heal diseases or neutralize poisons.

    Therefore, everyone was grateful to the Bareares for the work they did.

    Even so, the vigers did not dare approach them despite the vital job they performed.

    The reason for this was abundantly clear as one approached the Bareares¡¯ residence.

    Enri scrunched up her nose, as did Kaijali ¡ª although the expression looked more evil on his face.

    An acrid stench wreathed the house which they were approaching. The odor was not actually that awful, though it still made them feel ill. The smell released from crushing up herbs might be off-putting, but ultimately it was only the scent of nts, and was not dangerous in itself.

    Breathing through her mouth, Enri knocked on the door.

    She knocked quite a few times, but nobody answered the door. Just when she thought nobody was home, the sound of someone approaching came from the other side. She heard someone hastily fumblong with the lock on the other side, and then the door opened.

    ©`!?

    She did not want to react with her expression or words, but the smelling from inside the house was truly unbearable.

    It was painful.

    A harsh, stinging pain seared her eyes, nose and mouth. Worse still, the vile stench from inside the house suggested that the miasma around the house was nothing more than what had leaked out from inside.

    ¡°Good morning, Enri!¡±

    Nfirea¡¯s eyes, which were visible from between the gaps in his long hair, were wide open and blood-shot. He must have stayed up all night for alchemical experiments again.

    She did not want to open her mouth to speak when she was enveloped by the eye-watering odour, but it would be rude not to return a greeting.

    ¡°G-good morning, Enfi.¡±

    She felt her throat dry out as she said that.

    ¡°Morning, Ani-san.¡±

    ¡°Ah, good morning, Kai... Kaijali-san... Huh, it¡¯s morning already? I was working so hard I didn¡¯t notice. Seeing the sun makes me realize how the time just flew by... ahhh, I¡¯ve been doing so many experiments recently, I need to get out of the house.¡±

    Nfirea stretched like a cat and yawned.

    ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve been burning the midnight oil, huh¨D¡±

    Enri was about to add ¡°breakfast¡¯s ready,e over with obaa-sama¡±, but Nfirea interrupted. Or rather, instead of saying he interrupted her, it might be better to say that she was overwhelmed by his boyish enthusiasm.

    ¡°It¡¯s amazing, Enri!¡±

    Nfirea rushed up to her. His work clothes reeked of that same stinging odor which filled the rest of the house. Although Enri wanted very much to back away from him, she forced herself to endure it, because Nfirea was her dear friend.

    ¡°What, what happened, Enfi?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve got to hear this! We finally managed to perfect the procedure for brewing a new type of potion. This is going to change the world! Even though all we did was to mix the herbs that we gathered into the solution, we managed to produce a purple potion!¡±

    The only reply he received was a ¡°Huh?¡±

    Enri had no idea how this was amazing. Was the potion purple because they infused purple cabbage into it?

    ¡°And it can cure wounds! The healing speed¡¯s on par with alchemically-refined potions!¡±

    Enri raised his hands, showing off his delicate, slender arms that were unmarred by injury. Enri thought, ¡°I have bigger biceps than he does¡±, but Nfirea didn¡¯t stop there.

    ¡°Which is to say...!¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, that¡¯s wonderful, tell us about itter.¡±

    Kaijali spoke as he took a step forward.

    ¡°Ani-san here looks like he¡¯s been sleeping too little and partying too hard. Maybe he¡¯s high or something? Ane-san, let me take care of this. Why don¡¯t you go back first?¡±

    ¡°Will it be all right?¡±

    ¡°Sure it will. I¡¯ll ssh some cold water on his face and when he calms down, I¡¯ll bring him over. If you take too long, others will get worried. Say, what about Baa-san?¡±

    ¡°Obaa-chan¡¯s still got her head buried in her research... I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll being for breakfast. I¡¯m sorry, you went through all this trouble to prepare breakfast for us...¡±

    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry about it. I was thinking that Lizzie-sama would probably be doing that.¡±

    Situations like these hade up quite a few times already, so it was hardly a surprise.

    ¡°Then, Ane-san, you should head back first.¡±

    With that said, there was nothing to do but leave.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll leave him to you.¡±

    ***

    As he watched Enri leave, Kaijali turned a cold stare on Nfirea.

    ¡°The hell were you doing back there? The only time a girl listens to a man talking about what he likes is if she likes the person. If she doesn¡¯t like that person, then that bbering¡¯s only going to turn her off!¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry, I just thought that since we made that amazing discovery... but it was really amazing! Revolutionary, even!¡±

    Kaijali interrupted the motor-mouthed rant with a chopping motion. Clearly, Nfirea had not gotten the message he was trying to convey.

    ¡°Look, Ani-san. Are you alright with this? You¡¯re in love with Ane-san, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Nfirea replied with an ¡°Mm,¡± and nodded his head vigorously.

    ¡°Then you have to make her the most important person in your heart. More important than your potions.¡±

    ¡°...I get it. I¡¯ll try.¡±

    ¡°Do, or do not. There is no try. You need to win her heart. Me and the rest of theds will do our best to back you up. Plus, it¡¯s not just us, even imouto-san agreed to help you out. I hope you get yourself together and do your part, Ani-san.¡±

    ¡°Mmm...¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re just waiting for her to say ¡°I like you¡± first, then more likely than not, someone else is going to snatch her away, you know? You¡¯ve got to work up the courage to tell her how you really feel.¡±

    That line pierced Nfirea¡¯s heart like a dagger between the ribs.

    ¡°Still, despite everything I said, looks like you¡¯ve been doing pretty well on that front yourself, Ani-san. Used to be you couldn¡¯t even say a word in front of her. Now you can carry on a normal conversation, right?¡±

    ¡°That was because I didn¡¯t have much chance to talk with Enri unless I came around to gather herbs... Now that I¡¯ve moved into the vige, I¡¯m around her a lot more.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it, that¡¯s the spirit. All that¡¯s left is to gather your courage and step up to the te. Maybe you should show off your strength first. ording to the vigers, strong men are still the most attractive. Well, for the forty-nine year old women in the vige, anyways.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not too confident in my arm strength. Maybe I should do more farm work or something?¡±

    ¡°Nah, what you should be using is this, Enfi-niisan,¡± Kaijali spoke while gently tapping his head.

    ¡°Settle things with this. And then work your magic. If me or one of theds think you¡¯ve got a chance to score points with her, we¡¯ll pose like this. That¡¯s your cue to say something or act in a way to make her fall in love with you.¡±

    Kaijali flexed his arms in a front double bicep curl. They bulged mightily under his skin.

    ¡°Kinda like that. And if you need a more impressive demonstration...¡±

    Next, Kaijali flexed his pectorals with a side chest spread. Although he was quite short, his athletic, muscr body attested to the fact that he was a born warrior.

    Nfirea wondered Why these poses? However, he could sense Kaijali¡¯s goodwill, so he did not actually ask that question.. Still, there was one question he wanted to ask.

    ¡°I... I¡¯m curious, why are you guys doing this? I mean, I know you¡¯re Enri¡¯s subordinates and you¡¯re loyal to her, but I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re helping me.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s simple,¡± Kaijali replied with an inscrutable expression on his face. In a tone better suited to coaxing little kids to behave, he replied, ¡°That¡¯s because we all want Ane-san to be happy. And from where we¡¯re looking, you fit the bill. So the faster you two get married, the better.¡±

    ¡°N-no need for such a rush! T-the two of us can slowly reduce the distance between us, right?¡±

    ¡°...That would be too slow. I mean, don¡¯t humans take a long time between getting pregnant and having kids?¡±

    Nfirea¡¯s eyes went wide and his face turned pink as the conversation suddenly jumped to pregnancy, the final form of male-female rtionships.

    ¡°T-that would be about nine months?¡±

    ¡°Hm, then it would take a really long time for about ten pups ¨D I mean, ten kids, right?¡±

    ¡°Ten?! Isn¡¯t that a bit much?!¡±

    Five children were the average for a farming vige family. In tough times when it was hard to survive to adulthood, this number would go up. In the city, this number was usually less, with the help of priests to cure diseases or the use of contraceptives.

    So, a woman giving birth to ten children was not a bit much, it was way too much.

    ¡°What¡¯re you on about? It¡¯s pretty normal for us Goblins.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not Goblins!¡±

    ¡°Alright, point taken, our races have our differences... but still, you gotta have lots of kids to make Ane-san happy.¡±

    ¡°...All right, I can¡¯t deny that she might be happy with a house full of children... but it still seems kind of wrong...¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Nfirea was at a loss for words as he saw Kaijali looking at him with his head tilted at an angle. But on the whole, he was still grateful for their assistance.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s head out, Ani-san. I hope you make a move soon. Although keeping her waiting for too long might cause problems... well, I think a steady, tactical advance on the main objective is a strategy worth pursuing.¡±

    ¡°Where did you learn all of this?¡± Nfirea shook his head. ¡°Oi, Obaa-chan, I¡¯m going to Enri¡¯s for breakfast, what about you?¡±

    The reply that came from the house was a refusal to Nfirea¡¯s question.

    Most likely, she was in the middle of repeating an experiment, and had no time to bother with trivial things such as eating.

    Nfirea could rte to that feeling.

    The alchemical tools and other paraphernalia in the house were of an extremely high grade, and they did not know how to use most of them. The maid in the service of the great magic caster Ainz Ooal Gown had brought them over. The two of them had been ordered to use these materials to produce new potions and alchemical items. Oh, and the maid had even brought some sort of legendary herb said to cure all illnesses.

    When he asked her about the solvents and the proper usage of the instruments, all he got in return was a ¡°figure it out yourself su~¡±, which did not help things.

    So, the two of them had foregone food and sleep in their ceaseless quest to learn how to use these devices for experiments. It was a slow process, but they had finally made some progress. Of course, they had made mistakes as well.

    The past two months had been very busy for Lizzie, of course, but Nfirea was no exception either.

    The fruits of theirbor stood on the table, that bottle of purple potion, which Lizzie examined endlessly and filled Nfirea with excited joy.

    ¡°I¡¯ll bring back some food, then,¡± Nfirea spoke as he closed the door behind him. Then, he turned to Kaijali,

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Although everyone was supposed to eat together, Enri¡¯s house was nowhere near big enough to amodate them all. As such, they usually ate outside when the weather was good.

    Because they were outdoors, a certain amount of rowdiness was expected and tolerated. Had they been inside, it might have been unbearable, but even under the present circumstances, the situation had quickly turned aggravating.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m saying, Enri Ane-san is going to be my wife!¡±

    ¡°Hey, punk, are you forgetting the agreement we all made not to touch Ane-san?!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, if you try and pull a fast one on us then I¡¯ll make my move too!¡±

    ¡°You what mate? I was first!¡±

    Several Goblins kicked over their chairs as they suddenly stood up, and some even jumped onto the table. Enri swallowed her anger and spoke kindly to them.

    ¡°Everyone, please settle down.¡±

    However, the anger in the Goblins¡¯ eyes had not faded in the slightest.

    ¡°Just give it up,ds. The victor has already been decided. Behold, this hunk of marvelous, radiant meat!¡±

    One of the Goblins, Kuunel, raised up his spoon to prove his point, disying a piece of meat that onlookers might well have mistaken for a pea. It was nothing more than a tiny bit extra that Enri had missed while portioning out the food to everyone.

    ¡°I finished my meat, yet there was more at the bottom of the soup! Do you have anything like that? I didn¡¯t think so! This is nothing less than the proof of love!¡±

    ¡°You must be kidding me! That¡¯s nothing more than a piece of meat Ane-san mistook for a chunk of vegetable!¡±

    ¡°Maybe that¡¯s just wishful thinking on your part? Maybe the ¡°meat¡± you ate was just potatoes or something, and the actual meat you got was that miniature thing. You¡¯d better watch out, it¡¯s proof that Ane-san doesn¡¯t like you. Plus, my god clearly told me, ¡°You must make Enri happy.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t the god you believe in an evil one, Cona?!¡±

    Half the Goblins were standing, and the other half were seated and squabbling, fanning the mes of conflict. Even Nemu had somehow joined the agitators. Only a few people were not participating in this battle royale. Those people had their heads lowered to the table, and the most prominent one of them was Nfirea.

    ¡°...Powdered ruby... arcane feathers... ashwood pestle... mor... mortar... tar... tatas?¡±

    Nfirea was muttering to himself as he spooned the food into his mouth, but the food in the spoon did not even reached his mouth before it went back to the bowl. His eyes were hidden by his long hair, but in all likelihood he was walking on the thin line between dreams and reality.

    ¡°Enfi, are you alright?¡±

    The Goblins were still arguing, and although it probably was not safe to leave them alone for too long lest the conflict spiral out of control, Nfirea was really out of it, and she could not ignore him. He was most likely suffering from sleep deprivation, judging by the way he had begun wobbling the moment he sat down, as though he was about to fall over to his side at any moment. When he actually started on breakfast, he looked like one of the undead,pletely bereft of life or intelligence.

    ¡°Ah... don¡¯t... worry... about... me... Enri...hu...¡±

    ¡°Hey, Enfi, get it together!¡±

    ¡°Besides, weren¡¯t you the one who said ¡®Nemu was mai waifu¡¯ and all that earlier?¡±

    ¡°That was then, this is now. I only just realised it recently. I used to think since Nemu-san was ten and was about the same height as us, that she was of a marriageable age. But humans... they only consider them adults at fifteen!¡±

    ¡°Eh? Is that true....? Ane-san isn¡¯t a species like hob-human??¡±

    The Goblins leapt from topic to topic with iparable speed. Enri wanted to ask them what a ¡®hob-human¡¯ was, but before she could open her mouth, the Goblins had already gotten tired of the discussion and started a whole new argument for everyone to participate in.

    ¡°Ah! You stole my bread!¡±

    ¡°My Wolf¡¯s still hungry, don¡¯t be such a tightwad!¡±

    ¡°Everyone!¡±

    Enri was shouting at this point, but her voice still could not carry over the racket the Goblins were generating. Spoons and tes were flying, while shouts and angry roars rose and fell like waves in a storm-tossed bay. Of course, everything being thrown was empty, because none of the Goblins would even dream of wasting the food Enri made for them. Still, it was utterly inexcusable.

    Steeling herself, Enri furrowed her brows and took a deep breath.

    ¡°Don¡¯t Wolves eat meat? Just because you¡¯re higher level than me, don¡¯t go thinking I can¡¯t whup you fist to fist!¡±

    ¡°Fist to fist, you say? Since you¡¯re so hungry, how about a knuckle sandwich?¡±

    And just as Enri stood up, everyone immediately returned to their seats and calmly resumed their meal as though nothing was wrong.

    ¡°THAT¡±S ENOUGH, ALL OF YOU! QUIET DOWN!¡±

    Enri¡¯s furious bellow echoed across the silent air above the breakfast table.

    ¡°Ah...¡±

    Surprised, Enri looked all around, but the only thing she could see were the Goblins looking at her with expressions on their faces which said, ¡°We were all quietly having breakfast, is that a problem¡±, or ¡°being suddenly shouted at for no reason at is really vexing¡±. After standing silently for a while, she plopped back into her seat, red-faced.

    ¡°Pfhahahahaha!¡±

    The first to break the silence was Nemu. Then, unable to contain herself, Enri followed suit, clutching her stomach as sheughed and then the Goblins joined in as well.

    That wless coordination and timing could not have taken ce without careful discussion and preparation. It was quite amazing how seriously they had prepared for a prank like this.

    ¡°Ah, that was just weird. Were you all nning to make fun of me from the start?¡±

    Even though she was tearing up because she wasughing too hard, Enri made a show of being angry as she asked them.

    ¡°Of course, Ane-san. We wouldn¡¯t argue about things like this for real.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Ane-san.¡±

    ¡°Yup, yup!¡±

    The Goblins bragged without the slightest hint of shame, deflecting Enri¡¯s questions with jovial expressions on their faces. In response, Enri targeted Kaijali, turning a fierce stare on him. Under her stern gaze, Kaijali wilted, averting his eyes as he responded in a small voice that abdicated all responsibility.

    ¡°You see, how do I say this... we thought you looked a little down, Ane-san.¡±

    Several nearby Goblins shrank away, their heads lowered as they looked around ufortably without saying a word.

    ¡°Everyone¨D¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because... we¡¯re all your bodyguards, Ane-san.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±

    ¡°Yep! Bodyguards!¡±

    ¡°We put a lot of thought into our bodyguard entrance pose too.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. Now, Ane-san and Nemu-san, stand here, in the middle, like this...¡±

    ¡°Eh? Me too?¡±

    ¡°Of course you do, now, the two of you, raise both your arms like this, that¡¯s right, in a totally cool and awesome way... yes, that¡¯s it!¡±

    Even if she gave them the benefit of the doubt, this pose made them look like frogs stretching their arms out to the sky.

    ¡°Look, I understand your good intentions, and to begin with, you don¡¯t need to be my bodyguards... right, Enfi?¡±

    Enri turned her head to her childhood friend sitting beside her for aid, but found that there was nobody there.

    She had a bad feeling about this, but still shifted her line of sight down just a little bit... and found that Nfirea¡¯s head was resting face down in his bowl of soup.

    ¡°Enfi!¡±

    Enri immediately scooped up the toppled Enfi, crying out as her face turned pale. Cona quickly rushed over, and peeled Nfirea¡¯s eyes open with his fingers.

    ¡°...He¡¯s just asleep. If you leave him like this until noon, he should be all right.¡±

    ¡°Enfi... what am I going to do with you?¡±

    Enri was thinking that she should return Nfirea to his own bed. So she hefted him onto her back, and began heading out, leaving behind such conversational gems as ¡°Shouldn¡¯t their positions be reversed normally?¡± ¡°Nemu-san, you can¡¯t say these things... ¡° ¡°Ani-san, you...¡±

    After the wheat was harvested, the tax collectors woulde around the vige.

    Enri was obviously worried about how she was going to exin the presence of the Goblins in the vige.

    Should she say they were summoned beasts, or that they were her henchmen, or maybe she should say...

    Enri had the feeling that they were always concerned about her.

    They did not simply concern themselves with protecting her life, they thought about her feelings too. What could she do for these Goblins?

    What could she do for these rowdy and reliable new members of her family...

    ? ? ?

    Enri bundled up the weeds she had just finished cutting and used the still-clean back of her hand to wipe away the sweat trickling down her neck. Therge pile of shredded nt matter gave off the scent of freshly-cut grass.

    Her body was tired from working long hours in the field and the way her sweat-slicked clothes clung to her body made Enri ufortable.

    To lift her mood, Enri stretched herself out.

    As she did, her eyes swept across the sprawling fields.

    The wheat they had nted had grown slowly but steadily, and as the harvest season approached, the wheat would slowly turn golden. Although a wheat field painted gold was a beautiful sight, the weeding work before that was both essential and annoying. If it was not done, the gold color would be very sparsely distributed.

    Herbour now was entirely for the sake of the harvest toe.

    She straightened her body to loosen up her stiff muscles, and to let her tightly-wound body rx. The wind felt refreshingly cool on her skin that had been overheated from long hours of field work.

    The wind also brought the sound of amotion from the vige to her ears.

    It sounded like something banging on something, and shouts for getting people tobine their strength as one. These were sounds that had never been heard before in the vige. At this moment, the vige was working to turn all manner of ns and ideas into reality.

    Of these ns, the ones with the highest priority were the wall surrounding the vige, and the construction of the watchtowers. It went without saying that all these projects were intended to turn the vige into a fortress.

    ***

    Carne Vige stood at the edge of the Great Forest of Tob, and the forest was the home of many wild beasts; in other words, it was dangerous territory. It would be impossible to live in peace there without the protection of sturdy walls.

    However, Carne Vige wasid out in neat rows of houses radiating from a central square in all directions. Without anything like a wall in ce, anyone could easily enter the vige. Until recently, the vige had been peaceful and the monsters had not entered, even though it was right next to the forest.

    That was because the mighty creature known as the Wise King of the Forest had continually expanded its territory, and as such, no beast dared move around in the forest near the vige. Thus, the vige defenses were nigh-impregnable.

    And then, all this had changed due to human intervention.

    The knights of the Empire had attacked the vige and killed her parents. As a result, nobody in the vige held onto the hope that things would go back to the way they used to be.

    To that end, the leader of the Goblin Troop ¡ª Jugemu ¡ª had proposed the fortification of the vige as a countermeasure against such a scenario. Once he mentioned that the Goblins would be unable to protect the vige if it was attacked again due to theirck of numbers, the motion immediately received unanimous approval from all parties concerned. This was because even now, many of the vigers still could not forget the nightmare that had taken ce.

    The first step was to dismantle the unupied houses and use them to build a wall. Of course, those materials were insufficient on their own, so they would have to enter the forest to cut down trees for lumber. Since entering the forest¡¯s depths might mean trespassing in the Wise King of the Forest¡¯s territory, they had to travel a long way, along the outskirts of the forest.

    Naturally, the Goblins were the ones who provided security for the wood-cutting vigers.

    As a result of them taking on that task, the vigers¡¯ wariness of the Goblins had almostpletely disappeared. Part of that was because the knights who had attacked them were human, just like themselves. They had tried to kill the vigers despite being members of the same species. In contrast, the Goblins might have been of a different species, but they worked hard for the vige under Enri. The decision of which side to trust was no longer one which could be easily settled by deciding along racial lines.

    And the most important reason was that the Goblins were stronger than anyone else. As warriors they could conduct patrols, and when people were hurt, the Goblin cleric Cona could heal them.

    It was difficult to despise Goblins like these.

    In this way, the Goblins managed to establish themselves in the vige in just a few short days and quickly became an indispensable part of vige life. This could be seen from the house the Goblins lived in; no consideration had been made of the fact that they were from another race, and arge house had been built close to Enri¡¯s own home in the middle of the vige.

    Although the vigers and the Goblins had worked together on the vige defense n, there simply were not enough hands to make the work go quickly. As such, in the beginning they had only built simple fences.

    As fate would have it, the Wise King of the Forest, who had kept the monsters at bay from the vige, became a follower of an amazingly skilled ck-armored warrior and abandoned its territory. Although they had managed toplete the fences with great effort, the vigers could not take joy in their aplishment, but instead sighed about their rotten luck.

    However, a sturdy wall now defended the vige.

    All this was thanks to the Stone Golems which the beautiful maid who served the vige¡¯s savior ¨D Ainz Ooal Gown ¨D had brought with her.

    Golems were inexhaustible constructs; when given an order they would silently execute it, and their strength far outstripped that of a human being. Although theirck of dexterity meant that they could not perform certain tasks which required precision, their participation in the work had enabled it to proceed with an unbelievable speed. With the effort of the unsleeping and untiring stone golems, the construction of the wall practically flew along.

    They could aplish the tasks which the vigers and Goblins could not, such as chopping down trees and transporting them inrge quantities, digging pits, orying the foundations for the walls. What should have taken years to aplish in theory had instead been finished in a matter of days, and the constructed wall was even bigger and sturdier than expected.

    They had not just aided in building the walls either; even the construction of the watchtowers had been sped up. Their current task was toplete the watchtowers on the eastern and western nks of the vige.

    ¡°Ane-san, I¡¯m done here.¡±

    Enri¡¯s thoughts were interrupted by the Goblin assisting her in the weeding, a Goblin called Paipo.

    ¡°Ah, thank you.¡±

    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s nothing you should thank me for, Ane-san.¡±

    Although Paipo waved his dirt and grass-stained hands to ward off Enri¡¯s thanks, Enri still felt that she owed the Goblins a debt that could never be repaid.

    After losing her parents, Enri was in a dire situation, where tending her family¡¯s plot by herself would be impossible. She wanted to ask the other vigers for help, but given the overallck of manpower in the vige, it was already hard enough for every household to take care of their own crops. With the help of the Goblins, that problem was easily resolved. In addition, she was hardly the only one the Goblins had helped.

    Turning to the direction from which her name was called, Enri saw a plump woman standing by a field. Beside her was a Goblin.

    ¡°Thank you so much, Enri-chan. Because of Goblin-san¡¯s help, the field work¡¯s almost done.¡±

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s wonderful. It was their idea to help out with the vige chores, so if you want to thank someone, you should thank them directly.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve already thanked Goblin-san. He said that he was only your subordinate, so he hoped that I would thank Ane-san as well.¡±

    Hearing the word ¡°Ane-san¡± made Enri furrow her brows, which she quickly covered up with a bitter smile.

    The Goblins themselves had suggested that they should help the households who had lost farmhands in the attack, and the woman before her was one of those people.

    There was no way the vigers would shun the contributions of the Goblins. Carne Vige thought so well of the Goblins that it was quitemon to hear people say that Goblins were better neighbors than humans,

    ¡°Speaking of which, are the other Goblin-sans around? I wanted to treat everyone to a meal as thanks.¡±

    ¡°The others should be patrolling the vige or helping the people who just moved into the vige. But I¡¯ll pass the message on to them, obaa-san.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave that to you, Enri-chan. When the timees, I¡¯ll make sure everyone gets to enjoy a feast made with all my skill. In the meantime, I think I¡¯ll make lunch for this Goblin-san first.¡±

    ¡°Really? Then, since I¡¯ve been invited, it would be rude to refuse. Ane-san, sorry I can¡¯t join you, but I¡¯ll be having lunch at Morga-san¡¯s ce.¡±

    Enri nodded, and the woman headed back to the vige with the Goblin in tow.

    ¡°It would be nice if the newly-arrived people realised that you guys aren¡¯t bad sorts.¡±

    ¡°Well, a lot of them didn¡¯t look happy to see us. After all, in their hearts we should be the enemy.¡±

    ¡°Most pioneer viges other than ours would treat Goblins as the enemy, right...¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why we sent so many people to help the vigers with their work. It¡¯s not easy.¡±

    ¡°But, but we¡¯ve cleared up a fair bit of their suspicions. I just saw how they can greet you normally.¡±

    ¡°Well, quite a few of these people remember how their family members were attacked and killed. Or no, the memories they bear might be even heavier than that.¡±

    Although Carne Vige had been devastated by the attack, about half of the vigers managed to survive. On the other hand, the other viges which had been attacked by knights had lost most of their people.

    When Carne Vige began taking in immigrants, many of the ones who came were survivors of those viges.

    The two of them fell silent.

    Enri stretched her back once more and looked to the sky. Although the lunch bell had not rung yet, it seemed like it was about time. They had worked enough of the field to take a break as well.

    ¡°Then, shall we have lunch?¡±

    Despite his smashed-looking face, Paipo managed what was instantly recognizable as a smile.

    ¡°That would be great, your meals are always delicious, Ane-san.¡±

    ¡°Oh, they¡¯re not that great,¡± Enri replied, slightly embarrassed.

    ¡°No, no, I¡¯m serious. Helping you in the fields is one of the most hotly contested positions among ourselves. That¡¯s because we get to eat your delicious lunches, Ane-san.¡±

    ¡°Ahaha, then should I make lunch for everyone as well? Like how we handle breakfast?¡±

    There were quite a few reasons why it would be hard to do so. For instance, there was a difference between lunch for three and lunch for twenty. Just slicing the vegetables would be a chore in itself. In addition, she had to make sure everyone had sufficient portions, which would be a tiring task. That said, inparison to the amount of hard work the Goblins had put in and the praise they had received in turn, it was nothing at all.

    ¡°Oh, no, we couldn¡¯t impose on you like that. Plus, enjoying your handmade lunch is something like a bonus for the one who wins the right to help you, Ane-san.¡±

    Enri could only return a troubled smile to the diminutive demihuman¡¯s beaming face. Although she knew the Goblins decided who would take the job via rock-scissors-paper, Enri did not know if she was cooking something that actually deserved all that praise.

    ¡°Then, shall we go back and eat?¡±

    ¡°Sounds great...¡±

    Paipo¡¯s words cut off halfway as he looked to the distance with his keen eyes. With a deep breath, the formerly rxed and cheerful little demihuman became a veteran warrior in an instant. Enri followed Paipo¡¯s eyesight into the distance.

    They saw a Goblin riding a ck wolf. They seemed to glide across the in as they approached the vige at high speed.

    ¡°It¡¯s Kyumei-san...¡±

    Among the Goblin Troop that Enri had summoned, there were 12 level 8 Goblins, two level 10 Goblin Archers, one level 10 Goblin Mage, one level 10 Goblin Cleric, two level 10 Goblin Riders and one level 12 Goblin Leader, for a total of 19 Goblins.

    Kaijali from this morning and Paipo who had helped with the chores were level 8, while Kyumei, who was moutned on a ck Wolf, wearing leather armor and carrying ance, was a level 10 Goblin Rider.

    The Goblin Riders¡¯ job was to patrol the ins and act as scouts. The riders periodically returning to the vige to deliver reports was amon sight.

    ¡±...Looks like it.¡±

    However, Paipo¡¯s tone was very somber. It made her think that something bad had happened.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°...He¡¯s back a little early. He should have been prowling the forest today... did something happen?¡±

    After hearing Paipo¡¯s exnation, a surge of unease rose in Enri¡¯s heart, and she feared that some bloody disaster awaited them.

    While the two of them waited in silence, therge Wolf which rode on arrived in front of Enri. From its rapid breathing, she could guess how much of a hurry he had been to get back here.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    Hearing Paipo¡¯s question, Kyumei bowed to Enri from on top of his wolf while replying, ¡°Something¡¯s happened in the forest.¡±

    ¡°...what?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure, but I think it¡¯s like before. A whole bunch of unknown guys are moving towards the north.¡±

    ¡°Are they knights?¡±

    Enri unwittingly interrupted the two of them. Even though she was powerless to change anything, she still could not ignore the conversation. She still could not forget her fear when the vige had been attacked.

    The ¡°whole lot of unknown guys heading north¡± they talked about referred to the tracks they had found of thousands of people marching to the north. Although the prints were simr in size to those of humans, they were made by bare feet, so in the end they had concluded that those people were not humans.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any hard proof, but I think it¡¯s different from that time. I sense something¡¯s happening deep inside the forest.¡±

    ¡°Is that so.¡±

    Hearing that, Enri couldn¡¯t help but sigh in relief.

    ¡°...Then, I¡¯d better go report to Leader.¡±

    ¡°All right. Good job.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡±

    After waving to the two of them, Kyumei spurred his Wolf on and departed. Enri and Paipo watched him enter the slowly-opening vige doors.

    ¡°Then, shall we go back, too?¡±

    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s.¡±

    ***

    After washing their hands beside the well, Enri and Paipo had just reached home when they heard a young girl¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Wee back, onee-chan.¡±

    The voice was apanied by the sound of rock grinding against rock. Following the sound to its source, Enri saw Nemu turning a millstone behind the house.

    A pungent smell came from the millstone. Although it was simr to the smell that had clung to Enri¡¯s hands just before, it was several times more intense, enough that one could smell it from some distance away.

    Nemu was used to the smell, which was all well and good, but Enri¡¯s eyes almost teared up as the odor assaulted her. Paipo, standing behind her, seemed unaffected inparison . It remained to be seen whether that was because the smell only had an effect on certain species, or because it would be terribly rude to make a face like that to his mistress¡¯ little sister.

    ¡°I¡¯m home. How¡¯s things? Have you ground them all up yet?¡±

    ¡°Mm, I did. Have a look.¡±

    Enri looked along Nemu¡¯s line of sight, and saw that the herbs that she had piled up before leaving the house had been reduced to a small handful.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t I great? There¡¯s not much more left.¡±

    Before she had left the house, Enri had asked Nemu to help her grind the herbs into a paste. That was because some herbs had to be dried to be preserved, but others needed to be shredded to be preserved.

    ¡°Uwah, you worked really hard, Nemu!¡±

    Enri opened her arms to praise Nemu, and a look of pride blossomed on Nemu¡¯s face. Perhaps she had been influenced by Nfirea, or perhaps she wanted to help her sister out in some way, but Nemu had diligently and quickly aplished her tasks.

    Herbs made up a major portion of Carne Vige¡¯s ie. It could be said to be the one specialty export that did not require much manpower for a frontier vige to produce.

    Given that it was a crucial method for them to obtain valuable currency, all of Carne Vige¡¯s residents knew at least a little about herbs and where they grew.

    Enri silently considered the situation. The herbs from Carne Vige were incredibly profitable. However, they could only be gathered within an extremely short window of time before the flowers bloomed, and could only be treated as a temporary ie at best. However, all the ces they knew about had been fully harvested, so they would need to delve into the forest to find clumps of herbs which had not yet been touched.

    Of course, those woods were where monsters lurked, and they were hardly a ce where people like Enri could just stroll into for a pic. However, now they had the Goblins and the experienced herbalist Nfirea. If only she could get their help, they should be able to make a great deal of money.

    After some hesitation, Enri spoke of her n to Paipo.

    ¡°I want to go to a new ce to pick herbs, could youe with me?¡±

    Logically speaking, there was no need for Enri to go herself. All she needed to do was to ask the Goblins, who could take care of themselves, to go into the dangerous Great Forest on her behalf. However, the Goblins she had summoned had a strange weakness.

    That was to say, they had no aptitude at all for herb-picking, butchering animals, and that sort of work.

    Just like how they handled cooking, even if one handed Goblins a sample of a herb, they would not be able to match it up with identical herb in front of them. The surprising thing was, it was as though they were born unable to do that sort of thing, or even learn it, as if someone had removed the capacity to do so from them.

    Therefore, if they were assigned to pick herbs, the Goblins needed to have a non-Goblin with them.

    ¡°It should be all right, but it might be a little difficult for you toe with us, Ane-san.¡±

    ¡°Hm? Why¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Well, like Kyumei said, there¡¯s some kind of change in the depths of the forest. If that¡¯s the case, the insides of the forest will be a mess now.¡±

    Seeing the surprised expression on Enri¡¯s face, Paipo patiently exined himself.

    ¡°Even the cautious ones are going to want to expand their territory. If that¡¯s the case, then for a while, their territory is going to ovep with the others, and that¡¯s going to cause all sorts of confusion. Simply put, the chances of meeting a monster¡¯s going to increase, and so will the danger. And if you¡¯re unlucky, you might even run into something outside the forest. We know you¡¯re brave and cool, but there¡¯s no need to walk into danger, Ane-san.¡±

    ¡°Is that so...¡±

    I¡¯m not too sure about the brave and cool part, but that¡¯s probably just the Goblins being polite, Enri thought.

    ¡°There was also that big movement earlier. What happened there?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Originally, we should have sent someone familiar with the Great Forest¡¯s conditions to investigate. ...but if we go, the vige¡¯s defenses will be weakened.... ah, got it! Why not hire adventurers to check it out?¡±

    ¡°That could be difficult,¡± Enri said, knitting her eyebrows. ¡°ording to Enfi, the cost of hiring an adventuring party is very high. Although the lords of E-Rantel will subsidize some of those costs, it¡¯ll be very hard for a vige like us to pay for adventurers out of our own pocket.¡±

    ¡°I see...¡±

    ¡°Collecting lots of herbs and selling them afterwards should help with one part of that problem... otherwise, all we can do is sell off the items we got from Gown-sama.¡±

    She had received two horns from Ainz Ooal Gown. Although one of them had disappeared after she used it, the other was safely hidden in Enri¡¯s home.

    ¡°Forget about that, Ane-san. We¡¯d rather you just blow the horn instead.¡±

    ¡°Of course, there¡¯s no way I¡¯d sell it.¡±

    Enri did not want to be the sort of despicable person who would sell off a gift given out of goodwill. There also existed the possibility that it might not even be possible to sell it off, so she decided not to do so. Even now they were still benefiting from the generosity of the maid who had brought the Golems to the vige. She would nevermit such an ungrateful deed.

    ¡°But that¡¯s going to be problematic. The herbs can only be gathered in this season, so although it¡¯s a bit dangerous, I still have to...¡±

    Enri smiled to Nemu, who had a worried expression on her face. She did not want to sadden thest surviving member of her family, nor did she want to pass up this chance to make lots of money. Although, when she considered her priorities, that was clearly a mistake. Rather, she should bet her life for the good of the entire vige and repay the Goblins who considered her their mistress.

    I need to earn more money and see what kind of gear I can buy for the Goblins. Full te armor looks like it could protect very well. Speaking of full body armor, there¡¯s that gentleman in the ck-colored armor... what was his name again?

    Although she did not know how much armor and weapons cost, she was fairly certain that it was not a small sum. At this moment, Paipo held out his hand in front of Enri, indicating that she should wait a bit.

    ¡°Erm... although this is just my personal opinion, how about discussing the matter with Leader? You don¡¯t need to make the decision so early, Ane-san. I don¡¯t want to be scolded by the boss because I opened my mouth without thinking. Plus, I think Ani-san would like to get his hands on all sorts of herbs too.¡±

    Just as Enri¡¯s troubles were filling her head, an adorable gurgling sound came from beside her. Turning to look, she saw Nemu looking at her with a frown on her face.

    ¡°Onee-chan, I¡¯m hungry. Can we eat yet?¡±.

    ¡°Mm, sorry. Then, wash your hands after we pack up. I¡¯ll go get things ready.¡±

    ¡°Kay~¡±

    Nemu¡¯s response was full of energy. After taking apart the millstone, she scraped the umted green paste into a small urn. Enri returned to the house, wondering what she should make for lunch.

    <b>Part 2</b>

    Enri stood before the Great Forest of Tob. Of course, she was not alone. Beside her were the loyal members of the Goblin Troop.

    The Goblins were equipped with chain shirts, round shields and sturdy machetes, which hung from their belts. They wore brown-colored tunics under their armor and furred leather boots on their feet. On their belts were bags for small items. One could not say they were under-geared.

    The fully-armed Goblins made their final checks of their personal equipment. They topped up their waterskins and made sure their machetes were sharpened.

    Everyone was well-geared, but they carried little baggage. That was because the n was to swiftlyplete their work, and not to mount a long expedition in the forest.

    Not everyone in the troop was assigned to Enri¡¯s protection. Their objective was to thoroughly scout the surrounding area and further verify the information the Goblin Riders had collected. That is to say, they were to carefully observe the current situation within the Great Forest. In order to protect the vige, the Goblins had decided to scout its surroundings and the hintends.

    Only three Goblins would apany Enri.

    There was also one more person: Nfirea. He had made his preparations too, dressed in suitable clothing for collecting herbs in a forest. With Nfirea around, the herb harvesting trip would definitely be a sess.

    Perhaps he had sensed Enri looking at him, and turned around, asking ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Although Enri had waved her hands as though to say ¡°nothing, nothing,¡± one of the surrounding Goblins took notice and drew closer to Enri¡¯s side.

    He was a Goblin whose body was so muscr and athletic that it would be hard for bystanders to think that he was a Goblin. His torso was protected by a crude, but practical breastte, and the greatsword he used was sheathed on his back.

    This was Jugemu, the leader of the Goblins, named by Enri after a Goblin hero called ¡°Jugemu Jugemu¡±. As an aside, there were other named knights who did battle alongside the Goblin hero, and she had used their names for the other Goblins.

    ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be anything wrong... what¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°No, really, it¡¯s fine! I was just looking at him.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great, after all, once you¡¯re in the forest, you can lose your life over even a tiny slip. If anything happens, let me know.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Ane-san. Just like we agreed before, we¡¯re all scouting the forest, so if anything happens and we can¡¯t get there in time... it¡¯ll be okay, right?¡±

    Jugemu¡¯s brutish face contorted with what looked like an expression of worry, and he nced at Enri¡¯s face. Seeing that, Enri smiled and replied to him.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. We won¡¯t go too deep, and they¡¯ll protect me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear...¡±

    Jugemu followed Enri¡¯s line of sight to the three Goblins ahead of them. Then he shouted:

    ¡°Oi! You punks! You¡¯d better not let Ane-san take so much as a single scratch, got it?!¡±

    ¡°Got it!¡±

    The three Goblins, Gokou, Kaijali and Unrai, responded with a hearty shout.

    ¡°And Ani-san, you¡¯ll be taking care of Ane-san too, right?¡±

    Enri suddenly noticed that Kaijali, for no apparent reason, was flexing his muscles in a front double biceps pose.

    ¡°You mean I should take over from here?... koff! Of course! You can count on me to protect Enri!¡±

    For a moment, Enri imagined Nfirea showing his shiny teeth as he radiated self-confidence through his smile. His attitude now was very different from his usual one, and to be honest, it felt kind of gross. However, that was probably just his excitement about trekking into the forest.

    Just like a little boy, Enri smiled, feeling like she was his big sister.

    ¡°Thank you, Enfi. I¡¯ll be in your care.¡±

    Strange, is he doing a side chest pose now...? What¡¯s with that?

    ¡°Ahhh, that again... oh, about that, I prepared a bunch of alchemical items that I made myself, so leave it to me!¡±

    After seeing Nfirea¡¯s second sparkly smile, the smile fell off Enri¡¯s face.

    ¡°Uh... mm. You go do that.¡±

    ¡°Ah, well, it¡¯s been settled... although. Honestly speaking, even if we weren¡¯t doing this dangerous job, this...¡±

    Jugemu turned to look at Enri, a sour look on his face. Enri was starting to get a little annoyed after hearing this question again after answering it so many times in the vige, but he was only asking out of concern for her, so she could not just ignore it.

    ¡°That might be true, but the fact remains that without the herbs, we can¡¯t bring in any money...¡±

    ¡°How about animal skins? We can get those.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not a bad idea, but herbs are the most valuable.¡±

    Animal pelts and medicinal herbs were inpletely different price categories. The difference wasparable to that between the heavens and the earth. Granted, some especially rare animals had skins that were worth a fortune, but those were few and far between.

    ¡°If Ani-san could share his...¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not touching the Bareare¡¯s money. We need to help together and split the benefits. We can¡¯t just take advantage of them.¡±

    Helping each other in difficult situations was a keystone of vige life ¡ª therefore, a family could not survive if they were ostracized from others. However that was not an excuse to take advantage of others, because that would imply that a person could not support themselves, and the vige could not take care of people to that extent. Self-sufficiency was a strict requirement.

    The two of them started looking away from Nfirea, who was quietly saying, ¡°Kaijali-san, please read the mood and stop making those weird poses...¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then it¡¯s definitely... and like that too... well, if you lived with Ani-san, you could certainly pool the wealth... but... looks like nothing¡¯s stopping that...¡±

    Jugemu¡¯s words gradually lost their force. He knew that he could not stop Enri from entering the Great Forest.

    Although Enri did not want to make things difficult for Jugemu and the others who cared for her, she would not be swayed from her course.

    After all, she had decided to venture into the forest despite knowing its dangers because she had heard Jugemu say, ¡°We can¡¯t repair our gear¡±.

    The kitchen knife was one thing, but the Goblins required the services of a professional cksmith to maintain their arms and armor. Which meant that a subtle danger threatened all the Goblins. If their equipment deteriorated, it would mean their lives would be in danger. The maintenance of their battle gear was essential.

    What could she do for them, who had pledged their lives to protect hers? How could she hide in safety and enjoy the fruits of theirbour? Just as they had given their all for her, she too had to do everything she could for them. That was Enri¡¯s decision.

    The Goblins were not just Enri¡¯s bodyguards, they were also the vige¡¯s protectors. If she decided to press that point, she could probably squeeze the money needed to equip the Goblins from the vigers. However, Enri decided to give up on that idea.

    No matter what, Enri was simply trying to repay the Goblins¡¯ service through her own efforts. This expedition was the proof of that.

    ¡°Normally, the safest thing to do would be to confirm the area was free of danger before you went in...¡±

    Interrupting from behind was the Goblin mage, Dyno.

    Dyno was an arcane magic caster who wore a humanoid skull for a helmet.

    She carried a gnarled staff that looked shabby, but was even taller than herself. She was adorned in strange tribal ornaments all over her body, and her bust swelled up slightly. Her face seemed softer than those of the male Goblins. Enri could recognize this because she was their mistress, but normal people probably would not be able to pick up on those details.

    ¡°However, you can¡¯t confirm it¡¯s safe, can you?¡±

    ¡°Mm, that¡¯s right. Sadly, we can¡¯t do that. The most we can do is confirm that the forest seems peaceful, but even that needs time. And if we want to find out when tensions are going to run high again, that¡¯ll take even more time.

    If they did that, they would miss the opportunity to gather the desired herbs. After hearing Dyno¡¯s words, a firm conviction gathered in her eyes and she made her reply.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine, we won¡¯t go too deep.¡±

    After hearing her repeat that answer several times, Jugemu finally realized that he could not change Enri¡¯s mind. Instead, he looked to the three Goblins who would travel with her. What he told them was the same as what he had said to them before.

    ¡°We won¡¯t be able to protect Ane-san, so you guys are going to have to do it for us. You¡¯d better guard her with your lives! And Ani-san too!¡±

    ¡°Got it!¡±

    ¡°It would be safest if we¡¯d all stuck together as usual. Splitting up our fighting strength is just asking for trouble,¡± Dyno muttered under her breath.

    ¡°If we did that, then we¡¯d be forced into reacting to the enemy, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. If any of the monstersing to the vige decide to settle down in the forest, getting rid of them for good would be extremely troublesome. Once they build a nest, they¡¯ll never leave. Even if we chased them away, they¡¯de right back after a while.¡±

    Since the bnce of power in the forest had changed, reconnoitering the Great Forest ¨D especially the area surrounding the vige ¨D was critical.

    This was the first pass. The first pass implied that the danger was the greatest. As such, they could only arrange for three people to be Enri¡¯s escorts.

    ¡°Good. Well then, let¡¯s move! We¡¯ll finish up quick and meet up with Ane-san!¡±

    In response to Jugemu¡¯s call, the Goblin troop thundered their assent.

    ? ? ?

    This was the interior of the Great Forest.

    Although they had only travelled about 150 meters in, the temperature had fallen by several degrees. This was simply because no sunlight shone in here. That said, the interior was notpletely pitch-dark, and Enri could still see what was happening around her. Enri and the other four members of her party advanced into the forest, surrounded by cool air.

    At the moment, the forest was dominated by silence. Apart from the gentle sounds of the tree branches swaying and the asional cries of birds or beasts, there was nothing else. The footsteps of Enri and herpanions echoed loudly. The other team led by Jugemu had already gone deeper in, and they could no longer be heard.

    Enri andpany formed a roughly triangr formation as they advanced into the forest. In the center of the formation were Enri and Nfirea.

    It was very difficult to maintain a wide formation in the forest. Normally, they would have gone single file, but in order to protect the two of them the Goblins had insisted on doing things that way. They lost speed as a result, but that could not be helped.

    As they moved deeper inwards, Nfirea began looking up and towards the north.

    He sought the treasure sleeping in the dense forest ¡ª medicinal herbs.

    Enri was not a novice to herb-gathering. A girl her age would know all about herbs that could be taken orally or smeared on an affected area, or the ordinary herbs used as ingredients for potions. However, in this field she waspletely outmatched by Nfirea. Not only was he thoroughly familiar with medicinal herbs, he even knew which ones were useful as bases for alchemicalpounds.

    ¡°Found any rare herbs?¡±

    Of all the questions Enri had asked, this seemed like the one he had been waiting for. The surrounding Goblins began posing in unison.

    A double bicep flex again... is that thetest trend or what?

    The tilt-headed Enri did not notice the faint expression of annoyance on Nfirea¡¯s face.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t I tell them to stop posing... it sucks to have no courage. Say, is that a brown moss over there?¡±

    As it turned out, there was brown moss growing where Nfirea was pointing.

    ¡°That¡¯s Bebeyamokugoke. Mix some with a healing potion and it¡¯ll slightly improve its effects.¡°

    ¡°Oh, really? I thought it was just a simple patch of moss and missed it. Without Enfi, I probably would have ignored itpletely. That¡¯s Enfi for you.¡±

    ¡°Uwah, you¡¯re pretty amazing now, Ani-san. Is it worth a lot?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s worth quite a bit of money... ah, wait. Don¡¯t pick it. What Enri and I are aiming for is worth even more. If we can¡¯t find it, then we¡¯ll pick this on the way back.¡±

    ¡°I see. Yeah, we got it. Speaking of which, to Ani-san, this forest must be like a treasure trove, since it¡¯s so easy to make wealth. Ah~ I feel much more at ease with you around, Ani-san .¡±

    ¡°This sort of thing¡ª¡±

    The surrounding Goblins¡¯ poses changed.

    ¡°Yes, hm, well, it might actually be like that. One thing¡¯s for sure, people travelling with me won¡¯t have a hard time. I¡¯m pretty confident of that.¡±

    ¡°Mmm. I¡¯m sure you can do it, Enfi.¡±

    An awkward mood filled the quiet forest.

    ¡°Then, Ane-san, is that all?¡±

    ¡°Hm? Kaijali-san, what do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Hm? No, I actually, nothing... ah...e to think of it, there¡¯s a question I forgot to ask. What sort of herbs are you looking for?¡±

    ¡°We didn¡¯t tell you? It¡¯s a herb called Enkaishi. Afterwards we¡¯ll let Nemu grind it up.¡±

    ¡°I see, I see. Got it. Although, even if you describe it to us, we won¡¯t be able to tell the difference. Then, let¡¯s move on.¡±

    Step by step, they ventured further into the forest. As they went on, their noses started itching from the thick scent of the forest¡¯s fragrance.

    There was no sign of human activity here at all. Immersed in this ce, Nfirea felt like this was a world where humans were weak and tiny. Then, he opened his mouth to speak.

    ¡°Let¡¯s start looking around here. We¡¯re looking for ces with lots of shade and humidity... are there any water sources nearby? That herb grows near them. There¡¯s no sign of monster activity around here, what a stroke of luck.¡±

    ¡°Got it, Ani-san.

    With his vast experience as a herbalist, it was unlikely for Nfirea to make a mistake.. The Goblins and Enri replied in approval.

    The group put their things down, which lightened their load.

    ¡°Ahhh... Ane-san, could you go give Ani-san a hand?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, that¡¯s right. Enfi must have his hands full by himself.¡±

    Enri walked over to where Nfirea had put down his luggage and assisted him in hisbors.

    ¡°Thanks, Enri.¡±

    ¡°No problem, Enfi. Although, now that I think of it, all this specialist equipment is amazing. You need so many things...¡±

    Out of the corner of her eyes, Enri could see the Goblins nodding as though to say ¡°very good, very good¡±. Although she was surprised by why they were so happy, she eventually decided that her first priority was getting the job done.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s start the search!¡±

    With a subdued ¡°Oh!¡± to keep the noise down, they began. The Goblins watched the perimeter, while Enri and Nfirea began searching

    Although Enri had been prepared for the work to be difficult, they were fortunate and soon found dense growths on the herbs in the cracks of tree trunks.

    ¡°It¡¯s over there. We found where they grew right away. As I thought, it¡¯s best when I¡¯m with Enfi.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing like that. We¡¯re lucky we found it in a deserted area. If there were monster tracks, it would be pretty nasty.¡±

    To the two humans, therge quantity of herbs, while not exactly a treasure in its own right, was akin to a mountain of coins. Enri desperately fought the desire burning in her heart. This ce was dangerous; it was better that she put her greed aside and worked to steadilyplete the job.

    However, Enri knelt down, and began to pluck, minding the roots of the herbs.

    Enkaishi¡¯s medicinal value resided in its roots. But they could not just pull the roots out like that. Grasses like these were incredibly hardy, and they would grow again as long as the roots remained. It seemed a shame, but depleting this patch of herbs (which had been quite a challenge to find in the first ce) by overharvesting it would be like killing the goose whichid the golden egg.

    A strong odor seared her nose as she did the picking, but she was used to that sort of thing, so the smell did not impede her work. Compared to Nfirea¡¯s house, this smell was like heaven.

    She plucked the herbs stalk by stalk, holding ir carefully to avoid crushing it by ident, and then carefully ced it into the bag under her armpits. If the Goblins came to help, they could probably have finished faster, but they were too busy watching their surroundings. Enri was not stupid enough to take them off their sentry duty to help her pick herbs

    Inparison, Nfirea¡¯s harvesting methods were like poetry in motion. He swiftly pulled them out of the ground without pause, in a way that did not damage their potency as medicine. Only a professional like himself was capable of such a feat.

    Enri silently watched Nfirea, who was staring at the herbs with a diligent expression on his face. The face that had be so familiar looked like someone else¡¯s before her.

    ...He¡¯s a man now.

    ¡°...What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Nfirea suddenly looked up. He must have sensed that Enri had stopped work.

    Enri had done nothing wrong, but she still looked down in embarrassment.

    ¡°Ah, well, I just thought you were amazing, Enfi...¡±

    ¡°Really? I didn¡¯t think it was that fantastic. I¡¯m only a dabbler when ites to herbalism. This level is about par for the course.¡±

    ¡°...Is that so.¡±

    ¡°I guess.¡±

    The conversation ended, and their bags slowly filled with herbs. After they were just over half full, the Goblins, the Goblins suddenly hunkered down and crouched next to the two of them, as though looking for somewhere to hide.

    Kaijali gestured at Enri to keep quiet. This was an emergency. Enri, who understood, pricked up her ears. From far off in the distance, she could hear the sound of nts being trampled.

    ¡°This is...¡±

    ¡°Something¡¯sing. It¡¯sing for us... or rather, it¡¯s advancing and most likely it¡¯s going to end up here, so we need to get away from here for a bit.¡±

    ¡°...Then, we won¡¯t need the noisemaker decoys?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Ani-san. It¡¯s better if we don¡¯t have to use those, it feels like things will go bad if we do. Come, let¡¯s move.¡±

    The five of them began moving away from the direction of the sound, hiding in the shadow of a nearby tree. They did not go further because they did not want to risk making noise on the nearby vegetation. If the other party was just advancing forward, there was no need to risk being discovered.

    Since the tree was not very big, it could not hide all of them. The most they could do was crouch at its roots and hope they weren¡¯t too obvious.

    In this way, the five of them quieted their breathing and prayed that the source of the sound would turn in another direction. But unfortunately, this did not happen, and the figure making the noise finally came into Enri¡¯s field of view.

    ¡°Eh?!¡±

    A tiny gasp of surprise escaped from Enri¡¯s mouth.

    It was a ragged-looking little Goblin.

    His body was covered in tiny wounds which bled profusely. His breathing was rapid and uneven, and the smell of his blood and sweat spread throughout the area.

    Even though Goblins were already smaller than humans, this Goblin was small even for another Goblin. Enri and the Goblins concurred that this Goblin was a ¡°child¡±.

    The Goblin child looked fearfully to his rear, in the direction where he hade from. There was no need to listen up for the sound of trampling nt life that followed from behind him. From the looks of things, they were hunter and prey.

    He frantically moved his spasming feet, taking cover in a patch of shade different from Enri¡¯s own.

    ¡°That¨D¡±

    ¡°¨DPlease be quiet.¡±

    Gokou had not even looked at Enri as he interrupted her. Those unrelenting eyes were fixed on the direction from which the kid hade.

    Just over ten secondster, the pursuer revealed itself.

    It was a huge magical beast that resembled a ck Wolf. The reason why they could instantly tell it was no ordinary Wolf was because of the chain wrapped around its body. The serpentine chain did not hinder its movements at all, as though it were merely an illusion. Two horns sprang from its head.

    Nfirea muttered the name of the beast to himself.

    ¡°Barghest...¡±

    Although it could not possibly have heard him, the Barghest sniffed around like a dog, and then its face twisted. It was an evil grin that no mere beast could ever make. It slowly looked around its surroundings and its eyes settled on the tree where the Goblin child had hidden.

    Just like the beast it resembled, the Barghest had a bloodhound¡¯s scenting ability. There was no way it could not sniff out the Goblin child who had bled so much on the way here.

    From the look of things, the reason why the Goblin had managed to get here was not because he had been able to evade the Barghest. Rather, it was because the Barghest was a sadistic creature; or maybe it was because it was hunting for sport.

    Suddenly, the Barghest stopped moving, surprise knotting its face, and it stared at the ce where they had gathered the herbs.

    Ah¡ª

    Enri pulled her face back. The others quickly followed suit.

    Behind the tree trunk, Enri opened her hands. Her skin was green and speckled with stray bits of nt matter. Beside her, Nfirea did the same thing.

    The sap and juices from the herbs we picked...

    This was the same sort of thing that Nemu was soaked in when she ground up the herbs. Although it did not affect those with numbed noses (like themselves), the powerful stench still hung in the air. She found the sudden pounding of her heart noisy.

    ¡°It¡¯s started moving. ...It¡¯s moving away? Could it be it didn¡¯t smell us?¡±

    Unrai had his ear to a tree, and a question mark appeared above his head.

    ¡°...Maybe it can¡¯t pinpoint where the scent¡¯sing from?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, Ani-san? Don¡¯t monsters have very sensitive noses...?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the reason why,¡± Nfirea quietly exined.

    The key point was that because it had an extremely sensitive sense of smell, the stench floating in this area was particrly effective against it. The Barghest had confused the scent of Enri¡¯s hands and bag with that of the already-harvested areas. Even better, the smell had covered up their original scent.

    It was also possible that the Barghest had torn up the herbs to smoke the Goblin child out.

    Although the powerful stench was everywhere, if they fled in haste, the disced air from where they were fleeing might catch the Barghest¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s use the kid as a sacrifice and be done with it. We don¡¯t know how strong this Barghest is, and engaging it without prior knowledge would be too risky.¡±

    That cold-blooded reply made Enri look at Gokou¡¯s face.

    However, these words were logical ones. The Goblins put Enri¡¯s personal safety as their top priority. With that in mind, avoidingbat with that magical beast was only to be expected. They would even sacrifice one of their own kind for that without a second thought.

    He was probably correct, given the conviction with which he had spoken those words.

    However, Enri disliked it. Even if they were of different species, not helping someone you could help would disgrace herself as a human being.

    Who knew, if she had not been a silly vige girl who had never known a Goblin attack andcked a sense of danger, she might not have thought that way.

    Enri looked around to the others. The Goblins knew Enri¡¯s wish. They simply did not want to speak it. After that, Enri looked to Nfirea.

    ¡°Enfi...¡±

    ¡°Haa... I¡¯ll help. Who knows, that Goblin child might be a valuable source of information. If we don¡¯t find out why he fled here, it might end up causing danger to the vige.¡±

    The Goblins knitted their brows.

    ¡°Is there a chance you might lose?¡±

    ¡°Certainly. But if that¡¯s a Barghest, we¡¯re in luck. Barghest Leaders are pretty strong. But from the look of that guy¡¯s chains and the size of his horns, I don¡¯t think he¡¯s of that type. If it¡¯s just a Barghest, we¡¯re sure to win.¡±

    ¡°Wait a minute. Ane-san¡¯s here too. We should avoid danger.¡±

    Enri swallowed. She knew what she was saying was only to satisfy her ego, and her foolish words would endanger not just herself but the others around her. But even so, Enri still opened her mouth to speak.

    ¡°...If we abandon someone we could have helped, it would be as bad as tormenting him ourselves. I don¡¯t want to be like those people who harm the weak. Please!¡±

    Kaijali, who had been watching Enri¡¯s earnest expression, sighed in defeat. At the same time, the monster¡¯s strange bark rang out. They could clearly hear the sound of mockingughter within it. In response came the Goblin child¡¯s pitiful wail.

    There was no more time for confusion or debate.

    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. Get him,ds!¡±

    The Goblins took the lead in jumping out, followed by Nfirea.

    Enri felt a terrible, wrenching pain in her heart as she watched the warriors who went into battle to fulfil her wishes.

    All she could do was watch them from behind.

    Then, Enri thought, at the very least I should stay here and watch them seriously, without blinking even once.

    ***

    The four who had leapt out saw the Barghest pressing the Goblin child down beneath it. The Goblin child sported new wounds but was not dead yet, because the Barghest had the bad habit of toying with its prey.

    The Barghest¡¯s movements stopped, and it stared at the group of people who had jumped out and then at the Goblin child. Perhaps it was afraid that its prey had led it into a trap.

    ¡°Hey hey,e on boy,¡± Unrai said, pointing to himself with his thumb. ¡°Want to y? I¡¯ll y with you. Come on.¡±

    The Barghest growled, full of menace.

    In a natural, flowing motion, Kaijali drew the machete at his waist. The other Goblins followed suit.

    ¡°No need to think so much. I¡¯ll teach an old dog like you new tricks. How about we start with ¡®y dead¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Agyaaaa!¡±

    In response to the Goblins¡¯ taunts, the Barghest squeezed the Goblin child it was stepping on, who wailed in pain

    Although it could not speak, its actions made its intentions clear. Make a move and I kill the brat. However¨D

    ***

    ¡°Very good! Go ahead and kill him!¡±

    The three Goblins ignored the Barghest¡¯s taunt, and charged in with shouts of their own.

    This unexpected response brought confusion to the eyes of the Barghest.

    The Barghest could not have known that the Goblins had not shown up with the intention of saving the Goblin child. They were only here because of Enri¡¯s wish, and their attitude was ¡°as long as we tried to save him, it¡¯s good enough¡±.

    Since they had shown themselves for a confrontation, their precious Enri might get hurt if they did not bring down the Barghest. As a result, they had to make sure they killed the Barghest. So if the Goblin child was murdered, if that wasted their opponent¡¯s first action and let them seize the initiative, then the Goblins would dly let the kid die.

    Seeing itself reflected in the des of three machetes, the Barghest understood that it could not use its hostage against them and stopped moving. It was confused as to whether or not it should finish off the boy it was pinning down.

    Taking his life would be easy. It would be gone in one bite. However, if it did that, there was no question that it would be hacked to pieces by its enemies¡¯ weapons.

    The threat to its life led the Barghest to its decision.

    Ignoring the Goblin child, the Barghest leapt at the Goblins to meet their attack.

    A Barghest was heavier than a Goblin. The Barghest was hoping to pin its foes under itself and finish them off by ripping their throats out with its fangs.

    However, this was a poor choice.

    The targeted Goblin easily twisted out of the way of the attempted attack, and at the same time the other two Goblins on the left and right shed at the Barghest with their machetes.

    One de was deflected by the Barghest¡¯s chains, but the other ripped into its body, sending blood everywhere.

    At the same time, a small hurled vial shattered after hitting the tip of the Barghest¡¯s nose.

    ¡°Gyaaaaah!¡±

    The vile miasma which now clogged its eyes and nose drew an agonized howl from the Barghest.

    And at that moment, three more jolts of pain ran through its body.

    It could sense that it was in trouble from the outflow of blood alone. The Barghest wept, its vision shaky and blurred, and made its move. Its target was the one who had thrown the vial ¨D a human.

    However, the Barghest had only taken a few steps when its feet stuck to something below and could not move.

    Looking down, it saw that the ground was covered in a strangely-colored slime. The bizarre liquid was not absorbed by the earth.

    ¡°The glue won¡¯t be able to resist a magical beast¡¯s strength for long! Take it down in one shot!¡±

    In response to the human¡¯s voice, the Goblins shouted their battle cries and charged. In addition, the human cast a powerful spell at it direction.

    ¡°SHAAAAAAAA!!!¡±

    The Barghest used all its strength to wrench its feet from the ground. Although its movements were slowed because its feet were still coated with adhesive and dirt, it was still able to fight.

    Watching the Goblins close in for the kill again, the Barghest used its superior intellect pared to a regr beast) and acknowledged the fact that ¡°these Goblins were mighty foes¡±.

    It acknowledged that these were different from regr Goblins in one crucial way ¨D they were enemies who could kill it.

    This Barghest knew three methods of attack. It could gore, piercing its foe with its horns. It could bite. It could knock its foe down and rake it with its ws. Unlike stronger Barghests, it did not have any special abilities. But in truth, it had an ace in the hole.

    This tacticpletely abandoned defense, and if the Barghest failed, it would be doomed. But now was not the time to worry about holding back. It had to make full use of what could be thest few seconds of its life.

    The Barghest howled wildly, checking the advance of the enveloping Goblins.

    ¡°[Reinforce Armor]!¡±

    The spell from behind, cast by the human, made the Goblins¡¯ armor glow brightly. The Barghest panicked, predicting that it was some sort of enhancement spell, but the Goblins in front of it simply grinned.

    Maybe it made them reckless, but with their armor reinforced, the Goblins advanced as one. Perhaps it might be called a foolish move, but then one could also say it was a brave step forward to quickly end what could be a long battle.

    Indeed, it was ¡ª if the Barghest had not expected them to do this.

    If a Barghest could change its facial features as easily as a human, it would have smiled to itself.

    The chains on its body rattled like a snake. Then, the chains binding the Barghest suddenly came to life.

    The thick chains began swinging with tremendous force.

    The special ability [Chain Cyclone] would severely wound the Goblins, if not kill them outright.

    The Barghest was giving this its all. This was a big move that could only be used once a day, and after the chains were used it would be unable to use them as armor for at least ten seconds. The risk was high.

    The unexpected attack threw off the Goblins¡¯ dodge by a second. This was a fatal mistake. However¨D

    ¡°Get down!¡±

    ¨DA thunderous order cut through the air before the chains could.

    The Barghest that had bet everything on this attack stared at the other human who had shouted, and its eyes widened.

    The Goblins who should have been toote to evade it had nimbly dropped to the ground, as though the voice had injected them with a fresh dose of vitality.

    The Barghest stared at themander who stood behind the magic caster.

    And then, the Barghest¡¯s forelegs and one rear leg were severed from its body as it took machete blows. It howled in pain. It tried to recover its chains, bare its fangs, threaten them, but the Goblins were having none of that.

    ¡°Ani-san, no need for the magic support. For safety¡¯s sake, just put up an rm around this ce.

    The Barghest, which knew it had already lost, was desperately trying to get away.

    Its normally limber body was now cumbersome and slow. That was only natural considering that three of its four legs were now stumps. Even so, the Barghest wanted to flee with all its might.

    But the Goblins would not allow it.

    ***

    Sticky blood coated the grass all around and the stench of iron drowned out the odor of the nts.

    The Barghesty dead, the viscera spilling out of its corpse still warm from its body heat. The Goblins turned away from the Barghest, their bloodstained machetes in hand, and turned to look at the Goblin kid.

    The kid had been hurt badly and had lost the strength to flee, but he still forced his body upright against a tree.

    ¡°Hey, who are you guys? Which tribe are you from?¡±

    The Goblins looked at each other, wondering how to respond to the questions of a kid who was half frightened and half suspicious.

    In each other¡¯s¡¯ eyes, they wordlessly discussed the strategy for what kind of attitude would yield the most benefits and what kind of information they should reveal, but Enri felt that there were more pressing matters than that.

    ¡°We need to take care of his wounds first. What can we do, Enfi?¡±

    The kid was hurt very badly and he had already lost a lot of blood. Left alone, he would definitely die. Although Enri had no idea how to help him, she was hoping that her childhood friend would know what to do.

    ¡°The most normal herbs can do is stop the bleeding, it won¡¯t help against blood loss. However...¡±

    Nfirea began rummaging through his pouch.

    ¡°There¡¯s the newly-created healing potion. I wanted to hand it to Gown-sama, but... could you show me your wounds?¡±

    Nfirea walked forward, withdrawing the potion vial from his robe.

    ¡°W-wait, what¡¯s this dangerous-looking liquid? Is it poison?¡±

    Hostility shed across the kid¡¯s frightened face as he saw the purple potion. From Enri¡¯s point of view ¡ª perhaps even Nfirea¡¯s point of view ¡ª this was a natural reaction. The potion looked too much like poison for him to not be on his guard. However, the Goblins were very upset by the child¡¯s words, and they immediately stalked over to him.

    ¡°¨DOi, punk. Ane-san¡¯s the one who decided to save you, along with Ani-san. You¡¯d better watch your words to the people who saved your life... That¡¯s for your own good too, got it?¡±

    The kid turned to look at the des brandished before him. Although he was only a child, he still knew that the Goblins before him were very angry. He shrank before their eyes.

    Enri felt that it would be better if they did not have to intimidate the kid, but she knew the Goblins had their own rules which they followed. It would not be a good idea for her to butt in with her human sensibilities.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m very sorry.¡±

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s all right. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    As he answered, Nfirea poured the potion on the kid¡¯s body. The wounds were visibly closing up.

    ¡°Uuuoooh! What¡¯s this? The color¡¯s so gross but it¡¯s so amazing!¡±

    The kid felt the stares of the surrounding Goblins on him and trembled.

    ¡°Ah... no, I, ah, th-thank y-you very m-much...¡±

    ¡°Oh, looks like the punk has some manners after all.¡±

    ¡°Very good. This way, I can tell Gown-san that the experiment waspleted without a hitch.¡±

    Nfirea looked around, seeking approval. Enri and the Goblins, who got what he meant, nodded to him.

    The potion Nfirea created was made from the materials provided by the great magic caster Ainz Ooal Gown, who was the savior of Carne Vige. Not only was there no need to spend money on research fees, but he had even provided all the necessary ingredients. With that in mind, the meaning and value of the potion that he had created was inly obvious.

    The fact that Nfirea had decided to use it on his own was a major problem, but perhaps he could pass it off as a practical evaluation of the potion¡¯s effects.

    If he exins it to Gown-san after the fact, he¡¯ll probably allow it... herbalists have their own rules too, I guess.

    ¡°You, you used me as a guinea pig!¡±

    Unable to read between the lines, the kid gasped in shock, while Enri and Nfirea smiled bitterly in response. A reaction like this was only natural from someone who did not know the full details of the situation.

    Although the two of them had at least managed to smile at the reaction, there were others present who did not possess their forbearance. The Goblins were clearly furious; they clicked their tongues and someone went, ¡°that little bastard!¡±

    Enri held out her hands to try and calm them down. He did not know any better, so it was only to be expected that he would react that way. Besides, he was just a kid, so there was no need to think too much about it.

    ¡°Well, if you say so, Ane-san... anyway, we should get moving. Who knows what other monsters will be drawn by the scent of blood.¡±

    ¡°And, although we won... Ane-san. Please don¡¯t do this sort of thing again, okay? Our job is protecting you.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. Still, hearing Enri shout like that really scared me.¡±

    ¡°...Well, it¡¯s because of that voice that we¡¯re fine ¨D oi, brat, you¡¯d better not run off. We have a lot of questions to ask you and if you don¡¯t want to go home in pieces you¡¯d better answer up truthfully.¡±

    ¡°Unrai-san...¡±

    ¡°¨DAne-san, this is for the vige¡¯s sake too... get over here, kid.¡±

    The kid got up, slowly and painstakingly. His wounds were healed, so they should not have hampered his mobility, but his stubborn resistance made his movements slow.

    Gokou, whose machete was dyed red with blood, spat on the ground.

    Enri turned to Nfirea for help. However, he silently shook his head. As she turned to look at the Goblins, she saw that there was steel in their eyes, and with it, silent approval of their colleague¡¯s actions.

    ¡°...Ane-san, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t kill him. I just want to ask him some questions about what¡¯s going on. Besides, don¡¯t you think he¡¯ll die if we left him here?¡±

    It seemed as though the question was aimed more at the Goblin child than Enri herself. He seemed to get it, and the resistance in his eyes faded away.

    ¡°I got it... I won¡¯t run off...¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good. Then the sooner we move, the better. Can you be sure that there¡¯s only one of those Barghests, kid?¡±

    ¡°...I can¡¯t. Apart from them, there¡¯s several Ogres too. I don¡¯t know if any of them chased after me. And I¡¯m not a kid, I¡¯m Agu, the fourth son of Ah, the chieftain of the Kigu tribe.¡±

    ¡°Agu-kun, hm.¡±

    ¡°I think ¡®kid¡¯ will do for him...¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about thatter. It¡¯s not like it¡¯s important enough to argue about it now. Since Agu wants us to use his name, maybe we should, in order to build trust between us?¡±

    ¡°Ani-san, you¡¯re really mature. Then let¡¯s gather our things and go.¡±

    In ordance with Kaijali¡¯s words, the group set off in silence while watching their surroundings warily. The heavy atmosphere that hung around them was almost visible to the naked eye.

    Although Enri wanted to lighten the mood with conversation, the forest was not a ce for humanity. She could not act lightly here, especially considering that there might be further pursuers after them.

    ? ? ?

    They left the dark and gloomy forest, and after bathing in the sunlight, the tension which filled their bodies melted away, reced by the flexibility and rxation that had returned to them. In that moment, they felt like they had returned to the world of mankind once more.

    Nfirea was walking beside Enri, and a loud ¡°fuwaah~¡± escaped him, sounding like both a sigh and a yawn.

    The Goblins¡¯ movements had lost their tense edge, but Agu¡¯s expression still looked stiff. He seemed distressed by the sunlight and the wide spaces, and it showed on his face. That was probably because he had grown up in the shadowed forest.

    ¡°There, the vige is there.¡±

    Agu¡¯s face scrunched up as he followed Enri¡¯s finger to the distance.

    ¡°What? That wall? It feels... feels kind of like that Monument of Destruction.¡±

    ¡°Monument of Destruction?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s a scary new ce in the Great Forest. Anyone who goes near it will perish. They say there¡¯s undead there too.¡±

    ¡°You say everyone who goes near it will die, but you sure know a lot about it.¡±

    ¡°...while the Monument of Destruction was still under construction, the brave ones from our tribe went there and saw monsters of bone building it.¡±

    ¡°Did you know about this?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry, but this is new to us too, Ani-san. If we go too deep into the forest we might meet enemies even our boss can¡¯t defeat. So we try not to go too far.¡±

    ¡°...Hey, which tribe are you three from? You¡¯re stronger than any Goblins I¡¯ve ever seen before, so where¨D¡±

    Agu sneaked a peek at Enri, and then mumbled something about ¡®Usually humans are...¡¯ to himself.

    ¡°Do you serve the humans?¡±

    ¡°Is that weird? Isn¡¯t it normal to work for someone who¡¯s strong?¡±

    ¡°But strong people... no, I mean, I¡¯ve heard that humans as a race have strong members and weak members... but you¡¯re a woman, right? And the one with his hair covering his face is a man, right?¡±

    Enri¡¯s eyes went wide. If she were not a woman, then what was she? No, it was just that he could not tell if Nfirea was male. Could it be that Goblins could not tell the sex of humans?

    ¡°Enri, I think this boy hasn¡¯t seen humans before. At most, he knows what his fellow Goblins told him. Also... is it really so hard for Goblins to tell us humans apart?¡±

    ¡°Well, our clothes... are different....¡±

    ¡°Like I said, he doesn¡¯t know things like that. Don¡¯t all Goblins wear the same thing regardless of whether they¡¯re male or female? Of course, sometimes there¡¯s civilized Goblins with a country of their own, but he¡¯s not one of them.¡±

    I see, Enri suddenly realised, and then she realised she had not answered Agu¡¯s question yet.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯m a girl.¡±

    ¡°So are you a magic caster?¡±

    ¡°No, is something wrong?¡±

    A profoundly disturbed expression appeared on Agu¡¯s face.

    ¡°I¡¯m the magic caster. An arcane magic caster.¡±

    ¡°...You two are husband and wife, right?¡±

    ¡°Ehhhh?!¡± The two of them eximed in perfect harmony.

    ¡°No, I mean, for some races, the wives can use their husband¡¯s power and authority... is it not like that?¡±

    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s not like that at all!¡±

    The surrounding Goblins seemed to want to say something in response to Enri¡¯s adamant refusal, but all that anyone saw them doing was sagging their shoulders in silence.

    ¡°Then... what¡¯s going on? Howe that woman¡¯s number one?¡±

    ¡°We call you a kid because you don¡¯t understand why. Ane-san¡¯s strength isn¡¯t something that can be seen with the eyes.¡±

    Enri wanted to deny that, but Agu¡¯s earnest eyes looking at her exerted a pressure that left her unable to speak. While Enri was confused, Kaijali asked a question.

    ¡°Then, another question for you. Why were you being chased by those guys? What happened?¡±

    ¡°That¨D¡±

    ¡°...Say, can this wait until we get back to the vige?¡±

    And the one who answered Enri¡¯s suggestion was¨D

    ¡°That¡¯s right ~su. It would be better that way ~su.¡±

    ¨DA woman who had not been with them until now.

    Everyone eximed in surprise, and looked to the source of the sound.

    What they saw was a stunning beauty. She was a woman with twin braids and brown skin. She was dressed in what she called her maid wear, and she carried a strange-looking weapon on her back.

    She was a suspicious-looking individual, and at the same time a familiar one.

    Lupusregina Beta.

    She was a maid serving under Ainz Ooal Gown, the savior of Carne Vige, and she had been responsible for delivering the alchemical items and apparatuses to the Bareares as well asmanding the Stone Golems. Her cheerful and carefree attitude made her very popr with the vigers.

    However, she had a habit of appearing out of nowhere, just like she had sone just now. The vigers believed that it was only natural that a maid in service to a great magic caster should know magic of her own, and Enri had shared that opinion too. Even so, appearing like that all of a sudden was still frightening.

    ¡°Lupu-san, w-where did you...?¡±

    ¡°Really now, En-chan, I¡¯ve been following behind you guys from the beginning~su. Huh? Don¡¯t tell me you guys didn¡¯t notice me ~su? I thought everyone was ignoring me because I had no presence ~su¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ehhhh?¡±

    Although she sounded like she was kidding, her tone was very serious. Enri looked around for help from the others.

    ¡°Then ¨D Lupu-neesan, could you stop joking around?¡±

    ¡°Uwah~ people think I¡¯m just a joker~su. I¡¯d like you guys to remember me ~su... Nah, I was just kidding anyway~su. Just a joke~su..¡±

    Silence resumed, until someone sighed tiredly with a ¡°Haaaa.¡±

    ¡°Well, not like there¡¯s anything wrong with that. So who¡¯s this little Goblin? ...Could ¨D could it be!¡±

    Enri felt the Goblins between her and Lupusregina swapping annoyed looks.

    ¡°Fufu ¡ª Enfi-chan, you got cucked by a Goblin? Fufufu.¡±

    As everyone rolled their eyes, Lupusregina was stillughing.

    ¡°What¡¯s all of this then~su. A pure, innocent boy¡¯s love, trampled just like that~ su. Ah, what a riot~su! Fugya! ... All right, enough kidding around, what really happened?¡±

    Agu¡¯s body trembled fiercely, as though he had seen some kind of monster.

    Although, Enri could understand why. Lupusregina¡¯s cheerful expression changed ceaselessly, like a high-strung person under stress. The way she could go fromughing to dead serious all of a sudden was frightening in its own way.

    ¡°Aw, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t eat you~su. It¡¯s okay-su. C¡¯mon, tell onee-chan all about it~su¡±

    ¡°Lupu-neesan. We should talk about thister. Didn¡¯t you agree on that?¡±

    ¡°Oya? Hm, I definitely recall saying something like that~su¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...Ah! I hope you can hand this potion to Gown-sama, Beta-san. It¡¯s newly developed, but its effects have been tested and proven.¡±

    ¡°...Oh? Enfi-chan, you finally made it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Unfortunately, it¡¯s notpletely red, but I think we¡¯ve made significant progress.¡±

    ¡°¨D Well, that¡¯s great. I¡¯m sure Ainz-sama will be very happy to hear it.¡±

    With that, Lupusregina¡¯s attitude seemed to have be that of a normal person, and not the flighty, carefree girl from before. However, that expression onlysted a moment. In the next, she was back to her old self.

    ¡°Ahhhh, how exciting¡ª Really, I picked a great day to visit~su. Also, no need to call me Beta. Lupusregina will do ~su. Special exception just for you~¡±

    With the (apparently) high-spirited Lupusregina in tow, they entered the vige gates.

    The vigers said nothing when they saw the unfamiliar Goblin child. One could say that they were not nervous, but it could also be said that they trusted Enri very much. Perhaps they had assumed that the Goblin child was a rtive of one of the other Goblins.

    They went through the vige and past Enri¡¯s home. Their destination was the Goblin¡¯s house.

    ¡°Excuse me for a bit. I¡¯m going to call Brita-san over to listen to what Agu has to say.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like a n, Ani-san. She¡¯s training to be a ranger, so she¡¯ll be entering the forest, which means it would be good to share this information with her. ...So what should we do, Ane-san?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Me?¡±

    Enri panicked briefly, not having expected her name toe up during the conversation. With no particr reason to oppose it, she simply nodded her head.

    ¡°Mm. Well, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m opposed to it or anything. Rather, I hope she hears what Agu has to say. I¡¯m counting on you, Enfi.¡±

    With an ¡°Understood¡±, Nfirea left the group behind.

    ¡°While I don¡¯t mind just waiting here... maybe I should make drinks.¡±

    ¡°Great idea~su! I¡¯m thirsty ~su¡±

    ¡°...Lupu-neesan, aren¡¯t you a maid? That means you know how to make delicious drinks, right?¡±

    ¡°Welp, I¡¯m the maid of Ainz-sama, and the other Supreme Beings, soooo... I don¡¯t want to work for anyone else ~su. I just want toze around su~. Not interested in working at all ~su.¡±

    ¡°Is that so... well, that¡¯s a shame.¡±

    Although Unrai and Lupusregina¡¯s conversation seemed quite normal, Enri could still feel a chill run through her.

    As they walked and talked, they reached the Goblins¡¯ house.

    This was a huge building, with a wide courtyard where one could raise and let wolves run around, capable of housing almost twenty people. There was ample space to train with and prepare their weapons.

    The Goblins opened the door, and led the way for Enri, Agu and Lupusregina.

    ¡°Fueeee- I didn¡¯t know there was a ce like this ~su¡±

    ¡°Hmmm? Lupusregina-san, you¡¯re noting in?¡±

    ¡°Yup yup ~su Can¡¯t just barge in without an invitation ~su. Well, it¡¯s just a matter of etiquette, it¡¯s not like I can¡¯t really go in ~su. I guess the only one with such a weird legend surrounding them is tchest-san ~su¡±

    ¡°tchest-san...?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, En-chan ~su It¡¯s the name of a tragic beauty ~su Well, it wasn¡¯t as though that person couldn¡¯t really go in ~su. It¡¯s all legends, myths and folklore. Weeeeeeell, let¡¯s not talk about that any more. We¡¯re here to listen to what Goblin over there has to say, right ~su?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. Then, drinks... ehm, how about herbal water and fruit water? There¡¯s ck grass tea and Hyueri-infused water...¡±

    Agu and Lupusregina lookedpletely baffled by Unrai¡¯s question, so Enri helped exin for them.

    ¡°Hyueri are citrus fruits, you cut them open and infuse them into water and it tastes clear and good. ck grass tea is a little bitter.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll like a Hyueri water.¡±

    ¡°Same for me ~su¡±

    ¡°Got it. How about Ane-san?¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll have the Hyueri water too. And... how about washing our hands? Even if our noses are used to it...¡±

    ¡°Ah, that should be all right. Oi, kid¡ª I mean, Agu, youe over here too. Gotta clean yourself up. And bro, sorry about this, but you mind taking care of our dirty weapons?¡±

    ¡°Is it alright?¡±

    ¡°Of course it is. Not like he can do anything. Our rules here are very simple.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case... let¡¯s go.¡±

    Kaijali left the room with three sets of weapons.

    ¡°Agu,e over here quickly.¡±

    ¡°Why do I have to wash? I¡¯m clean, aren¡¯t I?¡±

    Enri saw that Agu¡¯s hands were very dirty; there were not clean by any definition of the word.

    ¡°Your opinion is irrelevant. This is the owner of the house telling you to wash up. Or are you saying you¡¯re going to defy the owner in his own house?¡±

    Agu puffed up his cheeks, and plodded over slowly to Enri¡¯s side.

    Enri poured the water from therge tank into the pails. After preparing four sets, she stuck her hands into the unexpectedly cold water and started to wash up. The green stuck in the gaps of her nails melted away. After she was sure it was all gone, she brought her hands in front of her face. The stench was gone.

    Satisfied, she then looked around herself. Gokou and Unrai were washing their hands too, and the water was dyed red by the Barghest¡¯s blood.

    Next, she looked to Agu, but what she saw left her dumbfounded.

    Even a child would know better than to wash up like this. He stuck his arms into the water, waggled them around a little, and that was that. He did not even dry himself off.

    It was only after Enri had washed off the nt-scent on her hands, Agu still reeked of torn leaves. For Goblins who lived in the forest, a scent like this was a form of self-defense against magical beasts who had keen senses of smell. As such, they might have never developed the habit of bathing.

    Even so¡ª

    ¡°You do it like this.¡±

    Agu made an annoyed face as Enri tried to teach him. However, he thought of his own position and what the other Goblins had said earlier and grudgingly, he started to thoroughly clean himself.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, you¡¯re doing great...¡±

    ¡°Hey, after this, use this to wipe your body. Make sure you get all the blood off.¡±

    Agu looked unhappy, but he still took the towel with damp hands and used it to wipe himself off.

    ¡°So we just dump the dirty water outside?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, just like that. Ane-san, go have a seat. We¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡±

    Enri took advantage of those words and headed to the nearby table. It was surrounded by chairs since so many Goblins lived here. As she chose a ce to sit, she suddenly realized how tired she was. Her arms and legs were like logs, and her head was heavy.

    Although part of the reason had been gathering herbs, what had really worn her out was the battle against the Barghest.

    All I did was watch... Enfi and the Goblins were fighting, but they¡¯re still moving around after all that... looks like I¡¯m never going to be a warrior... or rather, Enfi¡¯s gotten stronger...

    Even though she knew that her childhood friend could use magic, she hadn¡¯t expected that magic to be so powerful.

    He¡¯s amazing...

    As she thought of her suddenly-different childhood friend, Enri¡¯s heart swelled with an emotion she could not put into words. It was a mysterious feeling that seemed to be surprise, but then again it seemed like something else entirely.

    A clear sound brought Enri back to her senses, and her eyes fell on the ceramic cups on the table. They were filled with a transparent fluid that gave off a citrus smell, and Enri decided to help herself to a cup.

    The refreshing, sweet and sour taste washed over her entire body, and she felt like she was filled with energy. Agu had sat down beside her at some point, and he gulped his down in one shot and immediately asked for another.

    Lupusregina did not touch hers.

    Come to think of it, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen Lupusregina-san eat or drink.

    ¡°...Hm? Something wrong? You¡¯ve been sneaking nces my way recently. Are you in love with me? Ahhhhh, how troubling~ my, how shocking, to think that En-chan is a lesbian~su. Looks like I need to let everyone know~su¡±

    ¡°What¡ª no! No! It¡¯s not like that!¡±

    ¡°Wahahahaha~ Just kidding. I know En-chan likes men.¡±

    Enri did not know how to reply, and her mouth narrowed into a straight line.

    ¡°Still, they¡¯re pretty slow... hm? Looks like they¡¯ve arrived.¡±

    Enri turned to the door, but she could not sense anyone outside.

    ¡°Really? But I don¡¯t hear anything at all.¡±

    Agu cupped his ear forward with his hand.

    ¡°Hey, are humans a race with good hearing?¡±

    ¡°That, that, I don¡¯t know about that, but I don¡¯t think Lupusregina-san would lie about this sort of thing... though she might... prank people a little.¡±

    Then, was she lying?

    Agu¡¯s eyes suddenly went wide as he stared at Lupusregina.

    ¡°No, really, I heard them. They¡¯reing for sure. You¡¯re amazing.¡±

    ¡°Hm? Not at all ~su. Compared to Enri-san over there, I¡¯m nothing much ~su.¡±

    Agu seemed to swallow it up, and looked back at Enri with a surprised expression.

    No, that¡¯s not how it is. That smile on Lupusregina-san¡¯s face is so damn fake! Enri wondered how she should tell Agu the truth, but before that, a knock came from the door.

    Shortly after, Nfirea and a woman in leather armor entered the room.

    Brita, the former adventurer, had moved into the vige after Nfirea did. Originally, she had been an adventurer in E-Rantel, but had retired after certain events. Even so, she still needed to earn a living, and so she responded to the vige¡¯s solicitations and moved here.

    She was studying to be a ranger, and she had potential. Even though she was weaker than Jugemu, she was still one of the strongest people in the vige and the leader of the vige¡¯s self-defense force, even though it could hardly be called that.

    They had brought her along because she led the defense force, and ebcause she entered the forest while practicing her ranger fieldcraft.

    ¡°Ah¡ª it really is a new Goblin... no, hm, I keep thinking from an adventurer¡¯s point of view... I shouldn¡¯t treat him as an enemy.¡±

    Brita smiled bitterly. It was not as though Enri did not understand where she came from. In stories, Goblins were the enemies of mankind. Killing them on sight was the right thing to do. However. this vige was different. Frankly speaking, the vigers felt that humans seemed to be the real enemies in this case.

    ¡°Then, since everyone¡¯s here, let¡¯s listen to what he has to say. Agu, can you tell us why you were running while covered in all those wounds?¡±

    ¡°Simply put, I was fleeing from an attack.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s too simple... what kind of monster attacked you?¡±

    ¡°The minions of the Giant of the East.¡±

    ¡°The Giant of the East? Who¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°...What do you call him?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not a matter of what we call him, we didn¡¯t even know he existed until just now. Brita-san, do you know anything about this?¡±

    The most widely-read person in this ce was Nfirea, but when it came to the forest, Brita still knew more than him. Even so, all she could do was shake her head.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I haven¡¯t heard anything concerning this Giant of the East. And I don¡¯t think Master Latimon knows either. We¡¯ve never ventured into the depths of the Forest and so don¡¯t know much about its residents.¡±

    ¡°Then, Agu, tell us the basics about him.¡±

    ¡°When you say the basics, you mean...¡±

    Enri understood Agu¡¯s confusion. In situations like these, it was better to ask discrete questions one by one, so it would be easier for him to answer.

    ¡°Then, can you tell us about the powerful monsters in the Forest?¡±

    ¡°Well, to me the Barghests and the Ogres are all strong... but if you want to talk about things on the level of the Giant of the East, then in the forest, there are the powerful ones called the Three Monsters. The first is the Beast of the South. They say it¡¯s amazingly strong and ughters everyone who enters its domain. However, we haven¡¯t heard anything about it recently, and apparently they did not see it even when they entered its territory, so I don¡¯t know what happened to it. Then there¡¯s the Giant of the East. He¡¯s built an army beyond the withered forest. Finally is the Serpent of the West. I heard it¡¯s a disgusting snake that can use magic.¡±

    ¡°Strange... how about the north?¡±

    ¡°There seems to be ake in the north with all kinds of races. As for who rules them... I don¡¯t know. But there seem to be twin witches in the swamp. And when the Beast of the South vanished, the forest became weird. I¡¯m not too sure what exactly happened, apparently some really scary guy showed up, and then the bnce of power shifted...¡±

    ¡°Is that the Monument of Destruction?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I also heard that the master of the Monument of Destruction canmand the undead, little ck shadows that can move through darkness. That¡¯s what the survivors told us.¡±

    Everyone ¨D with the exception of Lupusregina ¨D looked uneasily at each other.

    The first thing was the Beast of the South. Since its territory was supposed to be nearby, then when one thought about it, the creature must surely be the magical beast tamed by the adventurers who had escorted Nfirea here ¡ª or more specifically, the one who wore jet-ck te armor. It certainly had the look of power and strength about it, and so the description fit it perfectly.

    ¡°The Beast... the Wise King of the Forest, Hamsuke-san.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it! Ahh, yes, that¡¯s certainly qualifies as a Beast...¡± Brita said as she heard Nfirea. She had not been in the vige at that time.

    Apparently, she had seen it in E-Rantel, from far away.

    And there were two more monstrous creatures out there who could equal it. Nobody could not feel shock and fear at that realisation.

    ¡°Then, how did you escape?¡±

    ¡°Until recently, the three of them held each other in check. The Beast of the South didn¡¯t leave its territory, but nobody could guarantee that would always be the case. If the East and West fought, no matter who won, there was always the chance that in their moment of victory, they would be finished off by the Beast in their weakened state. As such, none of the three powers actually engaged in battle.¡±

    ¡°All right, I can ept that. However, if the East and West cooperated and... no, the Beast of the South wouldn¡¯t leave his domain, so there¡¯s no need to ally to defeat it. No need to provoke it...¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what those guys are thinking. They just imed their own territory and turned it into their own kingdoms. However, the owner of the Monument of Destruction messed up the power distribution. Because of that, the East and West decided to make war on that King of Destruction, and they went around gathering disposable troops for their forces.¡±

    Agu just kept talking and talking, without a pause.

    ¡°They forced us to ally with them. Although, we were hardly allies. I¡¯s more like we Goblins were worthless to them. They used us up and threw us away, and if we messed up, we suffered. Because of that, we ran away. However...¡±

    ¡°It didn¡¯t work, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. The Barghests and Ogres came after us. We couldn¡¯t fight them, so we scattered. I fled in this direction with a few people into the Beast of the South¡¯s territory, but we didn¡¯t expect them toe in after us without hesitation.¡±

    He said there had been a few people, but there had been no sign of anyone other than Agu.

    A pained expression drew across Enri¡¯s face, and Gokou spoke.

    ¡°...We have people scouting out the Forest, if anyone¡¯s still alive, we can bring them back here as long as they don¡¯t resist.¡±

    ¡°Yes, there¡¯s that. Wolves¡¯ noses are very sensitive. Then... the question is, besides the Barghest, what else is out there? Did they have friends that came over too? If it goes badly, the pursuers might end uping all the way here. Oi, Agu, what other monsters are there?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s Barghests, Ogres, Boggarts, Bugbears, and some kind of wolf thing...¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re fairlymon monsters. I¡¯d like to hear more about the Giant of the East and the Serpent of the West, specifically, their looks, their abilities, that sort of thing. Do you know anything?¡±

    Agu shook his head.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know the details. I know that the Giant of the East carries a big sword, and that the Serpent of the West has a head like you, but what kind of magic he uses, I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s attention went to Nfirea, who shook his head. There was simply too little information to work with.

    ¡°The question now is what are we going to do? If something that can fight evenly with the Beast shows up, frankly speaking, we¡¯re done for. The most the self-defence force can do is take the women and children to safety.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. If all we needed was a sturdy defense then it would be fine, or maybe we should think about some other methods. If the disturbance in the forest blew over by itself, it would be great.¡±

    Everyone began thinking.

    For them, as people who lived outside the forest, it would be best if matters within the forest settled themselves. However, that would mean they would be unable to enter the forest at all, which would be problematic. Still, they might have no choice but to do so if the worst came to pass.

    ¡°...However, if the enemy can easily take out a forest tribe, that means they must have gathered a lot of fighting power.¡±

    ¡°Wrong! ...Originally, our tribe was a lot stronger. However, when we went in search of new ces to live, our tribe dispatched mixed teams of Ogres and adult Goblins. If they¡¯re still alive, we can still fight back!¡±

    ¡°Then those adult Goblins still haven¡¯te back yet?¡±

    As Brita spoke, Nfirea tilted his head, as though thinking about something.

    ¡°About that... although this is apletely different topic, could I ask you about something that¡¯s bothering me? Do you speak the same way that other Goblins do?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Ah, that might be a little hard to undestand. In the past, I¡¯ve met Goblins myself, and don¡¯t take it the wrong way, but they spoke like morons. In the vige though, Jugemu-san and the others speak normally. The same goes for you ¡ª as in you both speak fluently. Because of that, I was wondering if the ones I saw were savage Goblin tribes or something.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s just that I¡¯m particrly smart for a Goblin. Most Goblins speak in single sybles. That made conversation in the tribe really troublesome, I can tell you that. I was seriously wondering if I was from another tribe instead. Now, just to be safe, let me ask you this, was I born in a tribe from around here? Have you heard anything about me?¡±

    ¡°No, we don¡¯t know... You... Could it be... Ane-san, Ani-san, could youe over here for a bit?¡±

    Nfirea and Enri followed Kaijali to the corner of the room.

    ¡°Could it be that Agu kid¡¯s not a Goblin, but a Hobgoblin?¡±

    Hobgoblins were offshoots of the Goblin race, and they were superior to Goblins in many ways. Goblins were about as big as human children when they were adults, but Hobgoblins could reach the height of an adult human.

    They were simr to humans not just in physical abilities, but in mental attributes. Since they could breed with Goblins, they typically formed mixedmunities with them. However, Hobgoblins were not as fecund as Goblins, and so they tended to be leaders or elite guards within a tribe.

    ¡°But if my father or mother was a Hobgoblin, wouldn¡¯t they know themselves?¡±

    ¡°Both his parents were Goblins and he was a Hobgoblin?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Isn¡¯t that the kind of weird plot that shows up in stories?!¡±

    ¡°...This is the first time I¡¯ve seen Enri make a face like that... but unfortunately, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the answer. Just as humans adopt children, I think the Goblins might have done something simr.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s certainly possible. Well, in that case, we don¡¯t have to worry too much about it.¡±

    The three of them returned to the table, and as they did, the hitherto silent Lupusregina opened her mouth to speak.

    ¡°Welp, made a decision ~su? If anything happens, you can always ask Ainz-sama for help ~su. Ask him to help solve the problem and all that ~su.¡±

    That would be everything they wished for.

    If the hero who saved the vige decided to make a move, not even the Three Monsters could hope to stand against him. However¡ª

    ¡°We¡¯d be counting too much on him.¡±

    Enri mumbled to herself, and the Goblins agreed. Only Brita and Agu, who did not know of Ainz, were baffled. Nfirea had aplex expression on his face.

    ¡°This vige is our vige. That means we should do as much as we can by ourselves. Although, some people might think that I shouldn¡¯t put on airs because I haven¡¯t bled or led anyone, I still...

    ¡°No, I agree with Ane-san¡¯s opinion. This vige is Ane-san¡¯s¡ª¡±

    Kaijali went ¡°Hm?¡± and then tilted his head as he corrected himself.

    ¡°Ane-san and our... no, that¡¯s not right either.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re trying to say that the vige belongs to everyone who lives here, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Ani-san. You got it, just like I expected! Well, even so, I think borrowing the power of that magic caster-sama should wait until we¡¯repletely out of options.¡±

    ¡°But if we do that, everyone might die~su... Getting hacked up hurts, you know~su¡±

    ¡°Ha! Lupusregina-san, we won¡¯t let that happen. We¡¯ll sacrifice ourselves so everyone has time to run first.¡±

    Lupusregina seemed disappointed.

    ¡°Is that so ~su? You¡¯d better work hard, then ~su.¡±

    ¡°And I also want to contact the Adventurer¡¯s Guild in E-Rantel ¡ª or maybe reporting to them would be a better word to use. The Guild will send someone over to look after they ept our request. It would be troublesome if we put in a request after it became an emergency.¡±

    Brita followed on after Nfirea¡¯s suggestion.

    ¡°That¡¯s true. The Adventurer¡¯s Guild doesn¡¯t want to lose their people to unexpected monsters. Of course, Workers and other madmen will all scoff and say that the Guild protects adventurers too much, but they¡¯re just greedy pigs looking to pick a fight. It¡¯s only natural that an organization would want to protect their own members.¡±

    ¡°Brita-san, although I don¡¯t want to speak ill of adventurers, but during emergencies, the hiring cost might go through the roof, or they might even reject it. Why is that?¡±

    ¡°Adventurers don¡¯t want to die, and the Guild doesn¡¯t want them to die either. Therefore, the Guild jacks up the prices to attract higher-ranking adventurers to deal with a problem, even if the situation ultimately doesn¡¯t warrant them. That¡¯s it, really.¡°

    As a clueless vige girl, Enri found the words of this former adventurer easy to swallow. It was quite hard to have to ept this when they were being pushed into a corner. However, when she looked at it from the adventurers¡¯ point of view, it made sense too.

    ¡°Well, even if the Guild checks it out, people might still die anyway, that sort of thing happens a lot...¡±

    Brita bit her lower lip.

    ¡°¨D When I think of that Vampire attack, I can¡¯t help but shiver... used to be I couldn¡¯t even sleep without taking medicine for it...¡±

    ¡°Vampire? What¡¯s that?¡±

    Agu asked without any reservation, and Brita smiled bitterly.

    ¡°It¡¯s a secret. Or rather, don¡¯t make me think about it. I¡¯ll piss myself.¡±

    ¡°But I was the one who was aski¨D¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not in a position to ask questions, brat.¡±

    ¡°So the n for now is to report it to the Guild, and if the situation permits we¡¯ll make a request. It¡¯ll probably be frighteningly expensive, but we should at least get a quote from the Guild. Also, we¡¯ll have to tell Jugemu-san and the chief about itter. Can you do that, Enri?¡±

    ¡°l¡¯ll take care of the self-defence force. Frankly speaking, I¡¯d have done the same thing too.¡±

    Nfirea nodded as Brita spoke.

    ¡°Then, I guess I¡¯ll go walkabout the vige for a bit before going back ~su You really won¡¯t ask Ainz-sama for help ~su?¡±

    ¡°Yes. We¡¯d like to do as much as possible by ourselves. If possible, we¡¯d like you to tell Gown-sama that much.¡±

    ¡°Got it ~su¡±

    As Agu looked at Enri and Nfirea, who were moving off, a hard-to-describe feeling welled up within him.

    ¡°Just what¡¯s so great about that woman?¡±

    ¡°Hah?!¡±

    The threatening tone in the adult Goblin¡¯s voice made Agu¡¯s body tremble.

    Agu felt that the adult Goblins were stronger than anyone else in his vige. It was only natural for him to break out in goosebumps when threatened by them.

    Yet, this still could not ovee his childish curiosity.

    ¡°Are women really that great in this Carne tribe?¡±

    From Agu¡¯s point of view, Enri did not seem particrly strong. Although she had some muscle on her arms and legs, it was nowhere near enough. She did not need to be as muscr as an Ogre, but as a leader, she needed way more than what she had now.

    If she were a magic caster he could still understand it. The female who became leaders in Goblin tribes often used that mysterious power. However, that woman did not look like a magic caster.

    Frankly speaking, Agu did not understand why Enri was superior to the Goblins.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡±

    ¡°...That hunter woman who cameter was stronger than her, right?¡±

    ¡°Well, Brita¡¯s not bad in her own way. But we¡¯re better.¡±

    Agu¡¯s opinion of the grown Goblin in front of him went up another notch. He was shorter than that woman, yet he had spoke with unyielding conviction. Surely there must have been a reason for his self-confidence.

    ¡°And then, that woman who appeared from behind you, she¡¯s not that strong either, is she? Though the way she showed up out of nowhere scared me to death.¡±

    The adult Goblin suddenly mmed up, and stared at Agu.

    Sensing a strange pressure all over him, Agu nervously asked:

    ¡°W-what? What¡¯s with that woman?¡±

    ¡°That woman who suddenly appeared... her name is Lupusregina, and she... she¡¯s very dangerous. Since you¡¯ll be staying with us for a while, do not ever go near her or speak to her. It¡¯s for your own good.¡±

    ¡°Ah. Ahhhh. I get it.¡±

    ¡°And I have to say this up front. Although it should be blindingly obvious, if you do anything to the people in the vige... let¡¯s be honest here, you won¡¯t just get away with a scolding, you¡¯d better be prepared to die.¡±

    ¡°I, I got it. So I¡¯m basically like someone from a defeated tribe, right? I promise that I will not harm anyone from Carne Tribe.¡±

    ¡°All right, that¡¯s good... stay away from Lupusregina, okay?¡±

    Agu understood the mix of caution and dread in the adult Goblin¡¯s heart, and he engraved the warning into his heart. With that done, he realised his first question had not been answered, and so he asked again.

    ¡°Why is Enri-san so great?¡±

    Even Agu could learn. Or rather, it was easy for him to learn, since he was the smartest in the tribe and could not talk much with other Goblins, so he picked up on things like that quickly.

    ¡°Ha. ...Enri... the truth is... she¡¯s very strong.¡±

    ¡°Eh?!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re too weak that you can¡¯t tell. If Ane-san got serious, she could crush a Barghest or whatnot to death with just one hand, and squeeze the blood out into a cup to drink, you know?¡±

    ¡°Really?!¡±

    ¡°Oh yes, yes, of course it¡¯s true.¡±

    Agu thought of Enri. When he thought about it calmly, it was true that she had been able to give powerful orders that shook the soul. Maybe that was just the tip of the iceberg?

    ¡°Ane-san just pretends to be weak. If you ask too much and get her mad, she¡¯ll crush you to death with one hand. After that, cleanup will be a pain. There¡¯ll be blood everywhere.¡±

    ¡°Is, is that so... then why, why does she have to pretend to be weak? If she were strong, wouldn¡¯t there be fewer problems?¡±

    ¡°If you show off your strength,you¡¯ll get peopleing from all over to challenge you. That¡¯s pretty troublesome too, you know?¡±

    Agu had thought that strength was the solution to all problems, but that was not the case.

    Locked in abyrinth of self-reflection, he did not realise that the adult Goblin in front of him had a joking expression on his face.

    ? ? ?

    In the middle of the night, Enri suddenly woke from her slumber. Though there did not seem to be anything strange nearby, Enri remained still while she moved her eyes to check around her. The world before her was pitch ck, lit only by a slim ray of moonlight from between the window shutters. She could not see anything strange in this weak light.

    But Enri¡¯s ears could hear just fine.

    There were no sounds of horses neighing, armored knights nking, or people screaming. She could not hear anything like that It was just a normal night.

    Enri sighed softly, and closed her eyes. She had been sleeping soundly until just now, so she was still groggy and could not get up right away.

    A lot had happened today. After the talk with Agu, she had gone to exin things to the vige chief and Jugemu, who had returned from his scouting.

    It¡¯ll be all right, right?

    In order to confirm the new information, Jugemu had decided to enter the forest again and they had left at night. Moving at night in the forest was just too dangerous. Goblins were different from humans; they could see with small amounts of light, so they could move freely. However, there were many nocturnal magical beasts and monsters, and they would be active after the sun set.

    It was much more dangerous than in the day.

    If there had been no need to urgently confirm that there were no more monsters chasing Agu, Jugemu would never have set out.

    It was true that the Goblins were strong, but that was only inparison to Enri. There were many creatures in the forest who were stronger than the Goblins, such as the Three Monsters.

    A sense of dread and loss fell over Enri, making her twitch, and because of that, her little sister moaned in her sleep, scooting closer to Enri¡¯s body.

    Enri half-opened her eyes, and peeked at her little sister.

    It would seem that had not woken her up. She could even hear her gentle snoring.

    Hehe...

    Just as Enri chuckled in her throat, the sound of soft knocking resounded on the door. This was definitely not a trick of the wind.

    Enri frowned. What could there be sote at night? Then again, it was precisely because it was sote at night that meant it had to be important.

    She gingerly separated herself from Nemu and the nket and slowly got off the bed, moving carefully so as not to wake her little sister.

    The boards creaked as she got out of bed, making Enri¡¯s heart beat faster as she worried about waking up Nemu.

    After that incident, Nemu had to sleep with Enri at night. She had suffered very severe trauma.

    Enri had no intention of scolding her for it. That was because because Enri felt safer when she slept with her sister.

    But she knew, even when the two of them were together, Nemu would sometimes be awoken by her nightmares. Because of that, Enri insisted on being with Nemu even when she was sound asleep.

    Quietly, and therefore slowly, she inched toward the threshold, but the knocking did not stop.

    Enri nervously peeked out the window, and the moonlight illuminated Jugemu¡¯s silhouette. She sighed in relief.

    In order not to wake Nemu, Enri quietly spoke outside the window.

    ¡°Jugemu-san, you¡¯re safe.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Ane-san. In the end, it was all right. Sorry to wake you up, but I think you ought to know this as soon as possible.¡±

    Enri opened the door slightly, and squeezed her body out through the gap. She was worried that the moonlighting in would wake Nemu. Understanding from her movements, Jugemu lowered his voice and spoke.

    ¡°There¡¯s something we need you for, Ane-san.¡±

    ¡°Right now?¡± Enri smiled yfully. ¡±Of course, I don¡¯t mind.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry about this.¡±

    Enri followed in Jugemu¡¯s footsteps while telling him not to apologize. It might have been better for Nemu to be awake for this, and she had considered that, but Jugemu hade for her knowing that everyone else was asleep. There had to be a reason for it.

    ¡°I¡¯ll exin as we walk.¡±

    He usually spoke more lightly, but when it came to work ¡ª or what Jugemu judged to be work ¡ª his tone was stiffer.

    Although Enri felt that it was okay to be more casual with a simple vige girl like herself, Jugemu had refused to change that part of him, so Enri gave up on that idea.

    ¡°Firstly, we found some members of Agu¡¯s tribe.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful!¡±

    ¡°...but they¡¯re emotionally fragile, and I think they¡¯ll need to rest for a few days. We had to borrow Ani-san¡¯s strength for this.¡±

    Sensing Enri¡¯s surprised expression, Jugemu followed up with an exnation.

    ¡°When we found the survivors of Agu¡¯s tribe, they were being held by the Giant of the East¡¯s Ogres as prisoners, and used as food. Although Cona healed their physical wounds, their minds are still scarred. Ani-san has some medicine to calm them down, and we want him to help treat them. After that, there¡¯s a somewhat more troublesome matter.¡±

    Jugemu watched Enri¡¯s expression before continuing.

    ¡°When we rescued them, we captured five Ogres. Although we only did it to question them... it seems Ogres normally coexist with Goblins, and while the Ogres fight, the Goblins provide food, shelter, and so on, in a mutually beneficial rtionship. Because of that, they said they¡¯re willing to fight for our tribe. ording to Agu, this isn¡¯t umon... so, what should we do?¡±

    ¡°Can we trust them?¡±

    ¡°Agu says we can. The Ogres have a strange habit; they won¡¯t fight for anyone apart from the Goblins of their tribe, and they betrayed the Giant of the East because he wasn¡¯t of their tribe. It¡¯s something like that.¡±

    ¡°Mm. But, man-eating Ogres sound kind of scary...¡±

    ¡°Once they ept the people in the vige as part of their tribe, all you need to do is feed them and it¡¯ll be fine. You can give them just about any kind of food too. Fortunately, they¡¯re omnivorous.¡±

    Honestly speaking, this decision was very difficult for a simple vige girl to make.

    ¡°How about killing them?¡±

    This was delivered in a casual tone.

    ¡°Frankly speaking, I have no problems with killing them outright. It would save us a big stack of problems. In the first ce, people like them who betray others might turn on us if things start to go bad. Agu says they won¡¯t, but blindly believing everything a kid says is a little...¡±

    ¡°And what do you think, Jugemu-san?¡±

    ¡°If they could fight for us, it would be great. We don¡¯t know how many pursuers mighte from the forest, so a few extra meat shields would help a lot.¡±

    ¡°Then, one more question, will they eat people?¡±

    ¡°...Ane-san. Although Ogres have a reputation for eating humans, they¡¯re just monsters who eat meat. The only thing is that it¡¯s easier to catch humans to eat than wild animals.¡±

    For Ogres, it was better to catch humans than say, rabbits. It was only natural when one considered that humans were easier to capture and gave more meat too.

    ¡°Well, if you give them something to eat, they won¡¯t attack the vigers. In the first ce, they only attack people to fill their stomachs. You have my word that we¡¯ll hunt enough animals to fill their bellies. Of course, they¡¯ll still need to be supervised and we¡¯ll have to see how things go. I promise we won¡¯t let anyone in the vige be hurt.¡±

    ¡°...In that case, it would be good if we could trust them enough to make them subordinates. Not just for now, but for the future as well.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m d you understand. Only thing is, there¡¯s a small contradiction with what I said just now. If what happens next goes poorly, we¡¯ll have to kill them all. Truthfully speaking, I¡¯ve been thinking of how to impress on those Ogres that you¡¯re their boss, Ane-san.¡±

    ¡°Eh?!¡±

    Enri let out a noise that sounded like she¡¯d been flipped upside down. This was too much of a leap for her. Why did a simple vige girl like herself have to be the leader of a band of Ogres? Would it not be enough for Jugemu to be their boss?

    ¡°This is nning for the future. It¡¯ll be troublesome if the Ogres think of you as just another human being, Ane-san. Although we listen to you, a situation where orders have to be ryed through us Goblins is potentially very dangerous. As a frontlinemander, anything could happen to me at any time, so I feel that we need someone safe in the rear who canmand the Ogres.¡±

    Enri considered the problem with her vige girl sensibilities.

    ¡°Which means you need two people who canmand them?¡±

    Jugemu nodded.

    ¡°In that case, Enfi could¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ani-san might end up being on the frontline too.¡±

    ¡°I see...¡±

    Enri suddenly understood, and nodded. Someone in a safe ce like herself ought to be useful too. That was also what Enri wanted as well. However¨D

    ¡°But can I really control the Ogres?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯re about to find out, Ane-san. How good are you at acting?¡±

    ? ? ?

    Both the front and the rear gates of the vige led outside, and Jugemu led her to the rear gate. Beyond it were five Ogres kneeling on the ground. They were also the source of the stench that had been hanging in the air.

    Surrounding them were the Goblin Troop, all of whom were present and unhurt.

    On one side of the door was an observation tform, which would normally have been manned by vigers or Goblins, but not now. The Goblins had temporarily left it.

    Nfirea was there too, along with Agu, who was some distance away.

    ¡°Yo, Enri. Nice night?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Enfi. The moon¡¯s really pretty.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. It¡¯s so big and clear.¡±

    ¡°Sorry to interrupt your conversation, but let¡¯s get this show on the road,¡± Jugemu whispered to Enri before shouting: ¡°Oi! You lot! Our Ane-san is here! She holds your lives in her hands!¡±

    When the five Ogres heard this, they raised their heads to look at Enri. It felt like there was a palpable pressure crushing her, but Enri forced herself not to take a step backward. If she gave in, the n would fail, and the Goblins would nip potential problems in the bud by killing the Ogres on the spot.

    Enri could already see the Goblins¡¯ hands going to their weapons. Enfi was calmly taking out a potion bottle himself.

    An eternity seemed to pass under the withering pressure.

    Enri endured the stares of the Ogres and returned it with one of her own. Her gaze was steady and unyielding.

    In her eyes, the Ogres ovepped with the image of the knights from back then.

    Enri clenched her fists, recalling how she had felt back then, when she had punched the helmeted knight straight in the face.

    Don¡¯t look down on me. Everyone else is protecting the vige, so I have to protect it too!

    After a tense second ¨D a second which seemed to stretch out forever to Enri ¨D the Ogres wavered.

    They peeked at each other, and then at Jugemu.

    ¡°Told you, didn¡¯t I. Our boss, our Ane-san, is the strongest.¡±

    ¡°Faces down, all of you!¡±

    Enri shouted out just as Jugemu finished.

    The forcefulness of Enri¡¯s voice surprised even herself, and Agu at the edge of her vision twitched violently, but that was fine. What was important was that the Ogres had bowed their heads to her.

    For the time being, the Ogres had acknowledged Enri¡¯s superiority.

    ¡°Well then, what do you have to say to our boss, the chief of Carne Vige, our Ane-san?¡±

    With their heads still lowered, what emerged from the Ogres was a torrent of confused voices.

    ¡°So, so scary, little boss. Forgive.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, we attacked your tribe. Please forgive.¡±

    By ¡°your tribe¡±, the Ogres probably meant Agu¡¯s tribe. Though the reality was somewhat different, it was easier for them to understand the situation as Agu¡¯s people being part of Carne Tribe, in order to avoid overloading the Ogres¡¯ brains.

    ¡°We will, work for you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right! Work for me and my tribe!¡±

    Thatst statement was made with the dregs of her spirit she could muster. She had only said two or three sentences, Enri was already very tired. It was as bad as the encounter with the Barghest.

    Just as Enri was about to drop out of Boss Mode from fatigue, Jugemu helped her out just in time.

    ¡°Wonderful! Looks like Ane-san saved your lives!¡±

    The strength had visibly ebbed from the Ogres¡¯ bodies. Given that they could be killed at any moment, that was a natural reaction.

    One Ogre looked at Enri and spoke.

    ¡°Chief, we, what do?¡±

    She had not considered that yet. Still, if she did not know, she could entrust it to someone else.

    ¡°Jugemu-san, I¡¯ll let you take care of them. Use them as you see fit.¡±

    ¡°Got it, Ane-san.¡±

    The Goblin leader bowed to Enri, then turned back to the Ogres.

    ¡°Well then. First of all, we¡¯re going to pitch tents outside the vige. You lot will be shacking up there. And you too, help them with the tents.¡±

    The Ogres left, apanied by the Goblins.

    ¡°Pitching tents outside the vige might cause all sorts of problems; we¡¯ll need to make a ce for them to live in the vige. Even so, we need to train them not to attack the vigers first.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll need to go around to talk with a lot of people to make them ept it.¡±

    ¡°Yup. Although, I think it¡¯ll be fine if you do it, Enri. And, about tomorrow...¡±

    ording to the n, Enri and Nfirea would be setting out to E-Rantel, with several Goblins as guards.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I still need to help treat the survivors from Agu¡¯s tribe, so I can¡¯t go.¡±

    After all, they would be living in the same vige as the same Ogres who wanted to eat them. The mental trauma had to be treated along with their physical wounds, and Lizzie¡¯s personality would only frighten them and have the opposite effect. In the end, there was nobody better for this than Nfirea.

    ¡°Ehhh? I feel a little uneasy about this...¡±

    Enri didn¡¯t have any experience with visiting a big city like E-Rantel, so from her point of view the burden seemed quite weighty.

    ¡°Then, how about getting the vige chief to go with you?¡±

    ¡°I think that could be difficult...¡±

    The vige chief had to maintain order in the vige, perform repairs, and keep an eye on their new residents. It would be very difficult for him to travel too far.

    ¡°...How about the chief¡¯s wife?¡±

    ¡°Mm. Well, frankly speaking, there¡¯s not enough hands in the vige. It used to be that way and now it¡¯s even more so.¡±

    Carne Vige was a vige with a very small poption. As a result, when their numbers decreased, their ability to do anything decreased with it. This was why the vigers had suppressed their opposition to inviting more residents to stay with them.

    ¡°When I go to E-Rantel, I need to go to the temples and see if there¡¯s anyone who wants to move to the vige... Really, this is too much for a vige girl to be doing...¡±

    ¡°All the best, Chief.¡±

    Enri pouted as she heard Jugemu¡¯s words. Part of her was thinking, ¡°The nerve of you¡±. After all, they were one of the reasons why Enri was so busy.

    ¡°I really wanted toe along...¡±

    Nfirea mumbled in a depressed tone, and then covered it up in a flustered flurry of desperate handwaving.

    ¡°I-it¡¯ll be fine, I¡¯ll take care of Nemu-chan. So you can go without worries.¡±

    ¡°...All right, I get it, am I the only one in the world who has to go through this? One moment people worship me and make me out to be someone great, the next I have to go somewhere I¡¯ve never been to before and do things I¡¯ve never done before...¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so pessimistic, Enri. There¡¯s got to be someone out there who can rte to you.¡±

    Jugemu and Nfirea chuckled quietly as they saw her shoulders droop in fatigue. Agu watched from the distance, muttering to himself.

    ¡°So she really did take control of the Goblins by force... the Chief of Carne Vige, Enri-anesan...¡±

 Chapter 57 - Volume 8

    <h4>Overlord Volume 8 Side 1 (2/2)</h4>

    <i>Retranted by Nigel</i>

    <i>Proofed/Edited by Deus Ex Machina</i>

    <b>Part 3</b>

    As the name implied, the Fortress City E-Rantel was surrounded by three concentric rings of fortified walls. Of the gates set into those walls, those on the outermost walls were the thickest and most solid of them all, and they radiated an air of strength and weightiness.

    It was amon sight to see travellers on the street staring open-mouthed at the gates of the city that was said to be able to repulse any invasion the Empire made. And the people on the streets had surely made simr expressions in the past.

    Besides these gates were customs inspection posts, manned by several soldiers who were rxing just out of the direct sunlight.

    Although some people might have asked if it was all right for the soldiers of a city near the frontline to be so rxed, the truth was that the troops at the inspection posts were there to vet travellers. Their job was to uncover contraband and spies from other countries, so they had nothing to do when nobody was entering the city.

    As a result, the currently idle soldiers ¨D though they maintained discipline instead of passing their time by ying cards ¨D could not resist the urge to yawn.

    Though they looked ck for the moment, but when they were busy, they were very busy. In particr, the sheer amount of work they had to do in the morning, just after the gates opened, practically defied description.

    With the sun at its highest point in the sky, the travellers began appearing on the streets in small groups, scattered sparsely among the other pedestrians. It was only natural that people would travel in numbers, given that this was a world inhabited by monsters.

    When they show up, they show up in force; we¡¯re going to be busy soon, thought the guard who was idly contemting the streets from his window. His eyes rested on a wagon about to enter the street, waiting for some pedestrians to pass.

    A woman sat on the driver¡¯s seat. He could not see anyone else on the uncovered wagon bed. She was travelling alone.

    She was unarmed and unarmored. From that, the guard¡¯s concluded that¨C

    She¡¯s just a vige girl.

    ¨CEven as he thought that, the soldier tilted his head as he promptly second-guessed himself.

    People from the nearby viges were hardly a rare sight here. However, a woman travelling by herself was a different matter entirely. Even the area surrounding E-Rantel was notpletely free of bandits and monsters. Thanks to the efforts of the legendary adventurer team ¡°Darkness¡±, most of the dangerous monsters and bandits had been wiped out. But ¡°most¡± did not mean ¡°all¡±, and there were still mundane beasts like wolves and the like to look out for.

    This situation was not unique to E-Rantel; it applied to all of the other cities as well. Ande to think of it, could girls travel by themselves?

    Perhaps she had outrun a bandit encounter, but he did not sense any tension or nervousness from her at all. She looked to be at ease, as though she knew her journey would be a safe one.

    What kind of girl was she?

    The soldier shifted his now-suspicious gaze to her horse, and that was when his confusion deepened.

    The horse was exceptional, not something a mere vige girl would have. Its condition and coat reminded him of a warhorse.

    Warhorses were extremely valuable. Even if one could actually raise the money to buy one, a normal person would not be able to acquire one easily. Leaving aside monstrous mounts like Wyverns and Griffins, warhorses were the pinnacle of steeds.

    A normal person would need money and connections to obtain such a warhorse, and a simple vige girl would not have either.

    It was also possible that she had stolen the horse from its original owner, but anyone who stole such a valuable item would be hotly pursued and targeted for retribution. This was why bandits did not dare attack people mounted on warhorses.

    In short, after considering all the visible evidence, the chances that she really was a simple vige girl were very low. So who was this person posing as a vige girl?

    The fact that she was travelling alone hinted at her true identity. In other words, she was very confident in her abilities, and those abilities were not limited by the fact that she chose to dress as a vige girl ¡ª by her gear, orck thereof. With that in mind, it was likely that she was a magic caster, since their equipment and power rarely matched their appearance.

    That was an answer he could ept. If pressed for the reason, it was because magic casters, or adventurers in general, were wealthy and connected, so obtaining a warhorse would be easy.

    ¡°Is that a magic caster?¡±

    His partner beside him had gone through the same thought process.

    ¡°Might be,¡± the soldier furrowed his brow and answered.

    Magic casters were very irritating people to inspect.

    To begin with, their primary weapon, magic, was an internal thing which was invisible to the naked eye. In other words, the guards could not tell what weapons magic casters were armed with.

    Secondly, they might be smuggling dangerous items with their magic and finding those was hard.

    Thirdly, they usually had a lot of specialist baggage, so checking them all was troublesome.

    Honestly speaking, he hated dealing with them. Because of that, theyhad a man on loan from from the Magician¡¯s Guild ¡ª after paying a suitable fee, of course ¡ª to help them out. However...

    ¡°Do we have to bring that guy out? I don¡¯t want to.¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. If we clear her through and anything happens, it¡¯ll be troublesome.¡±

    ¡°It would be nice if she¡¯d just dressed like a magic caster to begin with.¡±

    ¡°Carrying a weird staff, wearing a weird robe?¡±

    ¡°Yup. At least you¡¯d know someone was a magic caster. Either that, or we force everyone in the Magician¡¯s Guild to carry some proof of membership, like adventurers..¡±

    The two soldiers got up as one,ughing to each other. This was to wee the girl who might be a magic caster.

    Under the watchful eyes of the soldiers, the wagon rolled up to the door and stopped.

    The girl disembarked. Her forehead was slick with sweat, but she seemed used to travelling under the sun. Her sleeves and cks were long to ward off sunburn. Her clothes did not seem expensive or well-tailored. No matter how you looked at her, she was a simple vige girl.

    However, one could not judge a book by its cover. She could be hiding something. Their job was to find out what that was.

    The soldiers carefully approached the girl.

    ¡°We¡¯d like to ask you a few questions. Could youe with us to the checkpoint?¡±

    They spoke with gentle tones and expressions. They were trying to send the message that they were not wary of her, so she could lower her guard.

    ¡°Sure, I don¡¯t mind.¡±

    The soldiers escorted the girl to the checkpoint.

    In order to protect against the use of [Charm] spells and other forms of mental maniption, two more soldiers followed at a distance of several meters. The others watched her carefully, wary of any suspicious movements.

    The girl tilted her head several times, as though sensing the tension in the air.

    ¡°...What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ah, no, nothing¡¯s wrong.¡±

    Someone who could notice the minute changes in the air could not possibly be an ordinary person. The guards brought her into the checkpoint with that in mind.

    ¡°Then, could you sit down there?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The girl sat in one of the chairs provided in the small blockhouse.

    ¡°Let¡¯s start with your name and ce of birth.¡±

    ¡°Yes. My name is Enri Emmot. Ie from Carne Vige, near the Great Forest of Tob.¡±

    The soldiers exchanged looks, and one of them stepped out of the blockhouse. He was going to check the register for any matching records.

    In order to manage its residents, the Kingdom kept records of them in the form of registers. That being said, the registers were crude affairs, and the relevant details of birth and death were updated very slowly, if at all. Someone had once estimated that there were tens of thousands of mistakes in them. As a result, relying too heavily on the registers would be a bad idea, but even so, they had their uses.

    This register was muddled, but it had a lot of entries, so searching it would take a long time. The soldiers understood this, and decided to try and take care of something else in the meantime.

    ¡°Then, in ce of the toll, could I see your permit?¡±

    Normally speaking, everyone who entered a city had to pay a toll ¨D something like a walking tax. However, charging residents this money would cause trade to grind to a halt, and as a result every vige was issued travel permits with which they could enter the city free of charge. Of course, as there were different nobles in each region, there were different rules for each region too.

    ¡°Hmmm, let me see... here it is.¡±

    The soldier stopped Enri from fishing through her bag.

    ¡°Ah, we¡¯ll do that. Could you give us your bag?¡±

    Enri handed it over without protest. The soldiers carefully searched the insides, and found a parchment.

    They unrolled it on the table so everyone could see. Although the literacy rate amongst Kingdom citizens was very low, it was a given that every soldier stationed at a checkpoint could read and write. Or rather, they were here precisely because they were literate.

    ¡°I see. Well, it looks all right. This is definitely the permit issued to Carne Vige. I have confirmed this.¡±

    The soldier rolled the parchment back up and returned it to the bag.

    ¡°Next, state the reason why you came to E-Rantel.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Firstly, I¡¯m here to sell the medicinal herbs that we¡¯ve picked.¡±

    The soldiers looked outside at the wagon, whose urns were currently being searched.

    ¡°Could you tell us the names and the amounts of the herbs you¡¯re selling?¡±

    ¡°Four urns of Nyukuri, four urns of Ajina and six urns of Enkaishi.¡±

    ¡°Six urns of Enkaishi, you say?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    A look of pride spread over Enri¡¯s face. The solder understood why.

    After all, when manning a checkpoint, one eventually picked up a working knowledge of medicinal herbs.

    Enkaishi was a herb that could only be gathered during a very short timeframe, but it was a major ingredient in healing potions. The demand was very high, and thus the price was always good. If she had six urns like she said, that meant that she would have a lot of money when she sold them off.

    ¡°Then, where do you n to sell them?¡±

    ¡°I was nning to sell them at the former residence of Madam Bareare.¡±

    ¡°Bareare? You mean the herbalist Lizzie Bareare?¡±

    Although she did not live there anymore, Lizzie had been the most important person in E-Rantel¡¯s pharmaceutical business until recently. If she had a business rtionship with the Bareares, that meant Lizzie trusted her very much.

    Then, there¡¯s no need to pry deeper, the soldiers thought.

    The truth was that although their job was to stop dangerous things from entering the city, investigating these things once they entered the city was no longer their problem.

    The soldier nodded with a grunt, then nced at Enri¡¯s face.

    She had spoken quite normally until now, and they did not sense that she was lying.

    Once the cargo inspection wasplete, their job would be over.

    At this moment, the soldier who had just returned nodded his head.

    That was to say, a girl called Enri was recorded in the register.

    However, that record simply said that there was a girl called Enri born in Carne Vige. Without any guarantee that the person in front of them was the real Enri, there was also no proof of the kind of life Enri had led. Perhaps during her travels, she had acquired some powerful magic, or she had died in her journey and some criminal was using her name.

    Because of that, they needed to perform one final check.

    ¡°Understood. Then, call him over.¡±

    The soldier nodded, and left the blockhouse.

    ¡°After this, we will be examining your body. Is that alright?¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    A surprised expression dawned on Enri¡¯s face. The soldier hurried to qualify his words.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not because there were other problems. I¡¯m sorry, but these are the rules. And we won¡¯t do anything weird to you, so don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°...If that¡¯s how it is, then I understand.¡±

    Seeing that Enri was okay with it, the soldier sighed with relief. He did not want to be the one to anger a possible magic caster.

    The soldier who left returned once more, this time with a man trailing behind him.

    This man was a magic caster.

    His nose protruded like an eagle¡¯s beak, while his thin face was sallow and pale. His body was wrapped in a ck robe that looked very hot. His sweat flowed freely, and his w-like hands tightly clutched his gnarled staff.

    Personally, the soldier felt that he should have shed the robe if it was so hot, but the magic caster liked that style, and stubbornly refused to change his clothes. Perhaps that was why the room¡¯s temperature seemed to rise by a few degrees when the magic caster entered.

    ¡°So it¡¯s this girl, then?¡±

    The magic caster spoke calmly, which his soldier escort found strange, as usual.

    Although he seemed to be a man in histe twenties, his extremely hoarse voice made it impossible to determine how old he was by sound alone. Was it that his appearance was abnormally young, or that his voice was abnormally hoarse?

    ¡°Ah...¡±

    Enri turned a surprised look at the magic caster who had reced the soldier. In his heart, the soldier thought that her surprise could not be helped. After all, he too had been frightened the first time he saw the man.

    ¡°This is a magic caster from the Magician¡¯s Guild. He¡¯s going to perform a simple check, so please wait.¡±

    The soldier gestured to Enri to remain seated, and then nodded to the magic caster.

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave this to you, then?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    The magic caster took a step toward Enri, and then he cast his spell.

    ¡°[Detect Magic].¡±

    After that, the magic caster squinted his eyes. He looked like a beast sizing up its prey. Yet,Enri remained calm despite being subjected to a gaze that rattled even the soldiers, who were used to this sort of thing.

    As they saw this, all the soldiers could think was No wonder.

    Someone who could remain calm under such a mighty gaze could not be a simple vige girl. At the very least, she must have had experience in life-or-death struggles against monsters or people who wanted to take her life. The sight before them only cemented the impression in the soldiers¡¯ hearts.

    ¡°You can¡¯t deceive my eyes. You¡¯re hiding a magic item. It¡¯s on your waist.¡±

    Enri heard it, and looked to her waist in surprise.

    The soldiers immediately went on alert. They understood weapons like swords, but their knowledge did not cover magic items.

    ¡°You mean this?¡±

    Enri produced a small horn from underneath her clothing, small enough that it could fit into both her palms. The soldiers might not have understood its significance even if they had seen it.

    ¡°...Is that a magic item?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. You¡¯ve been deceived by her appearance. That thing is imbued with powerful magic.¡±

    The soldiers were speechless. If this was an item the magic caster considered powerful, then how mighty was it?

    As they began to think that the girl was dressed inly for a reason, they felt as though a de was peircing their chests.

    ¡°Ah, this is¨D¡±

    ¡°No need to speak. My magic will see through it.¡±

    In order to shut Enri up, he cast another spell.

    ¡°[Appraise Magic Item] ¨D uoooooooh!¡±

    The magic caster¡¯s face went through several expressions in a few seconds. Initially it was shock, then fright, then terror, and then ¡ª confusion.

    ¡°What, what, what is this? Even the word powerful fails to do it justice... Impossible! What on earth is this?!¡±

    The magic caster¡¯s face was red, and flecks of spittle flew from the sides of his mouth.

    ¡°What the devil are you! Don¡¯t try to trick me!¡±

    The magic caster¡¯s sudden change in attitude took the soldiers by surprise, and Enri was no exception as her eyes widened.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m just, I¡¯m just a normal person! A simple vige girl! Really!¡±

    ¡°A vige girl? You, why, are you lying? Then, how could you have obtained a magic item like this? If you really are a simple vige girl, how could you have gotten something like that?!¡±

    ¡°Eh? This, this is a gift from the one who saved our vige, Ainz Ooal Gown-sama¨D¡±

    ¡°Lies again! A priest from the Theocracy must have given it to you!¡±

    ¡°Eh? What¡¯s that about the Theocracy?¡±

    ¡°Everyone! Fall in! There¡¯s something very wrong about this girl!¡±

    Although the soldiers did not understand what was going on, up till today, they had never seen the magic caster react like this before. So if this were an emergency, they should drop whatever they were doing and respond to the summons.

    ¡°Fall in! Fall in!¡±

    In response to the soldier¡¯s shouts, several of theirrades stopped their cargo inspections and entered the room.

    ¡°You said someone else gave you this item? Nonsense! How did you get it? You can¡¯t possibly be a simple vige girl!¡±

    ¡°No, this really was given to me by Gown-sama! Please, you have to believe me!¡±

    The soldiers looked between the two of them. The magic caster was a colleague of theirs, whom they had hired, and they wanted to believe him. However, given Enri¡¯s nervous reaction to the sudden change in the situation, they could not help but think she was a normal girl.

    ¡°What, what else is there? Tell me why you think she¡¯s suspicious!¡±

    ¡°Hnh! To begin with, this horn can summon a group of Goblins ¡ª although I¡¯m not sure how many it can call up, but it can do such a thing.¡±

    The soldiers frowned. It would be troublesome if something like that was used on the streets. However, was that really a problem? Certain people, such as adventurers, possessed a plethora of magic items. It would not be strange for them to possess an item like this among their panoplies.

    ¡°And this so-called vige girl¡¯s testimony is riddled with inconsistencies. That item is worth several thousand gold coins; why would anyone just give it to a mere vige girl?¡±

    ¡°Several thousand?!¡±

    ¡°Several thousand?!¡±

    This unbelievable sum drew cries of disbelief from the soldiers, and Enri herself.

    Several thousand gold coins was a sum no normal person could earn in their entire life. It was hard to believe such a simple-looking horn could be worth so much.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Nobody would hand out such an item without a good reason, let alone to a mundane girl! I could ept it if she were a top-ss adventurer or magic caster. But she says she¡¯s just a vige girl! It¡¯s far too suspicious!¡±

    That much the soldiers understood. Exceptional people would tend to gather exceptional items to themselves. In the past, both the great men of good and evil persuasions were known for their acquisition of powerful equipment. It was their destiny, and it was inevitable.

    ¡°No, really, I¡¯m just a simple vige girl...¡±

    ¡°Besides, I¡¯ve never heard of any Ainz Ooal Gown fellow. At least, he¡¯s not part of our Guild, nor have I ever heard of an adventurer by that name.¡±

    ¡°The Warrior-Captain knows Gown-sama!¡±

    ¡°The Kingdom¡¯s Warrior-Captain, Gazef Stronoff-dono? ...You must be uttering nonsense. How would a simple vige girl know of such things?¡±

    ¡°Because he came to our vige! It¡¯s true! Go ask him and you¡¯ll know!¡±

    It would be impossible tomunicate with the Warrior-Captain, who resided in the Royal Capital, from E-Rantel. More to the point, if she really was a simple vige girl, it was unlikely that she would stay in the Warrior-Captain¡¯s memory, so proving her identity would be hard.

    ¡°So what do we do?¡±

    ¡°Detain her for now, then investigate her further. Given that she didn¡¯t conceal that horn, and was nning to take it into the city openly, she might not be a spy or a terrorist, but that is no guarantee.¡±

    Enri looked around in a panic.

    She looked just like a normal vige girl. If this was an act, she must have been a very good actor.

    Suddenly, one of the soldiers watching the perimeter eximed in surprise. At the same moment, a familiar voice rang out.

    ¡°We wish to enter the city, but... what¡¯s going on?¡±

    As they turned towards the voice, they saw a man wearing jet-ck te armor.

    ¡°Uooh!¡±

    The soldiers and magic caster all eximed in surprise. Everyone in E-Rantel knew the man who wore that armor. The adamantite te which swayed over his chest was the conclusive proof of his identity. He was a living legend, a man who made the impossible possible, the ultimate warrior.

    He was Momon the ck.

    ¡°This, this is! Momon-sama! My sincerest apologies!¡±

    ¡°Now, what¡¯s going on here... hm? This girl is...¡±

    ¡°Yes! There was a suspicious girl, so checking her out took some time. We sincerely apologize for inconveniencing you, Momon-sama¨C¡±

    ¡°¨DEnri, is it? Enri Emmot?¡±

    The air in the room seemed to freeze over. Why would a legendary adventurer know a vige girl¡¯s name?

    ¡°Er, ah, who¡¯re you... er, no, I am. Ah, you were the one who came with Nfirea that time, right? I don¡¯t remember speaking to you...

    Momon put his hand on his chin, as though he was thinking. Afterward, he gestured to the magic caster and they exited the blockhouse. Although the soldiers wanted to follow, they could not leave Enri alone.

    Eventually, the magic caster returned alone to the room, having calmed down.

    ¡°Let her go. That great man, Momon the ck, has vouched for her with his status as an adamantite-ranked adventurer. In that case, think there¡¯s no point in keeping her here. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an obvious decision... but, is it really all right?¡±

    ¡°Is it really all right to doubt him, of all people?¡±

    ¡°O-Of course not! I get it. We¡¯ll grant her passage. Enri Emmot of Carne Vige, you are allowed to enter the city. You may go.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. Thank you very much.¡±

    After bowing quickly to them, Enri left the blockhouse. As her back receded into the distance, the soldier turned to the magic caster.

    ¡°What about Momon-sama?¡±

    ¡°He left first.¡±

    ¡°Then... what connection would that hero have with that vige girl?¡±

    ¡°Hell if I know. Momon-dono told me what I told you, he vouched for her and asked that we let her go.¡±

    ¡°Then, another question. That Emmot girl. Do you really think she¡¯s just a vige girl?¡±

    ¡°Certainly not. There¡¯s no way she could be a simple vige girl, otherwise why would a great hero like him help her? And it wasn¡¯t a coincidence she was carrying that item... Could it have something to do with the Theocracy?¡±

    ¡°That Ainz Somethingorother fellow. If he¡¯s from the Theocracy, shouldn¡¯t we let the brass know?¡±

    ¡°Frankly speaking, I don¡¯t know. After all, Momon-dono already vouched for her. If we let the people on top know that someone he vouched for was dangerous... well, you¡¯d be just doing your job, but do you really want to upset Momon-dono?¡±

    The soldier¡¯s face twisted.

    The heroic exploits of Momon in the graveyards of E-Rantel were amon conversation topic when the soldiers gathered.

    The saga of how he hacked his way through a horde of tens of thousands of undead set the hearts of all who heard it aze. In addition, one could clearly see his heroic poise and actions even from afar. He had subdued a powerful magical beast with his incredible power, and his majestic riding style drove the soldiers mad for him.

    Just as women were attracted to strong men, many warriors admired Momon the Dark Hero, and it could be said that most of the armed forces of E-Rantel were his fans.

    This soldier was one of them.

    As a fan of Momon, just being patted on the shoulder by his idol was enough for him to boast about it to everyone he met. As such, he had no intention of upsetting the man he worshipped.

    ¡°There is that. Well, since Momon-sama vouched for her, I guess it¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°I think so too. If we treat a friend of Momon-dono poorly, I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll turn out well. I guess all we can do is avoid rocking the boat. Anyway, let me know if anything elsees up.¡±

    ¡°Ayup. I¡¯m heading back to my work too.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Enri drove the wagon with her back to the gate of E-Rantel¡¯s city gate, wondering what on earth had just happened. It would seem that man in the jet-ck armor ¨D she remembered that he was one of the adventurers who hade to Carne Vige with Nfirea to pick herbs ¨D had helped her out of a tight spot.

    By right, she should have immediately gone to thank him, but unfortunately she had lost sight of him once she entered the city.

    If I thank him the next time we meet... will he forgive me?

    Although she was thinking that she should immediately start searching for him once she had the time, there were reasons why she could not. Those reasons currently troubled her. The only thing that put her heart at ease was feeling something through the barrier of her clothes.

    ¨CThe Horn of the Goblin Whowhatsit.

    This... this is worth several thousand gold coins? No way. Please tell me that¡¯s not true...

    She suddenly broke out in a cold sweat. She had not expected the horns she had been given so casually to be so valuable. No, Nfirea had said it was a high-end magic item... but the amount was beyond her imagination.

    Is it alright for me to use this item? Will it be okay?

    If she was asked to return the other one she had already used, what should she do?

    I¡¯ll need several thousand urns of herbs... I might not be able to afford it in a lifetime of picking herbs...

    In addition, she had another item worth thousands of gold coins.

    Is Gown-sama a man who can give out such items so easily?! Or maybe, he didn¡¯t know its value... no way, there¡¯s no way someone like him wouldn¡¯t know... but, if he didn¡¯t know...

    Enri¡¯s stomach grumbled and ached.

    She looked around her surroundings in suspicion. There were not many people around, but it was still several times more than in Carne Vige. Distasteful thoughts like is anyone nning to steal this horn rose up in her mind.

    If only I hadn¡¯t brought it out. There¡¯s a lot of crime here, right? What if the horn got stolen... Hang on... if the horn was blown and Goblins showed up to make trouble, wouldn¡¯t that make me the criminal?

    Just as the cold sweat was pooling around Enri, a person descended upon the seat next to hers. The way shended like a feather in defiance of gravity must have been magic.

    Who¡ª

    As the surprise of seeing the neer faded, an even bigger surprise was awaiting her.

    She was a raven-haired beauty whose face couldunch a thousand ships. She was the one who hade with the ck-armored adventurer to her vige. Her ice-cold eyes resembled onyxes as they turned to Enri.

    ¡°Inferior creature (gadfly). Momon-san wanted me to ask you a few questions¨D¡±

    ¡°So pretty...¡±

    ¡°ttery will get¨D¡±

    ¡°As pretty as Lupusregina...¡±

    As she saw the consternation in the eyes which were looking at her, Enri immediately regretted the stupid things she had said. She probably did not even know about Lupusregina. However, there was nobody else who could evene close to the beautiful adventurer before her eyes.

    What should I do, I¡¯ve upset her... well, that much is clear, but...

    ¡°A-ah, Lupusregina is a very pretty person in my vige¨D¡±

    ¡°¨DThank you.¡±

    ¡°Eh?!¡±

    Her eyes were hard, and so was her voice, and even her eyebrows were strained. But the thanks she had given was genuine.

    ¡°...Haaaah. Momon-sa¨Dn has some things to ask you, which is why I came. Answer me. Why are you here?¡±

    Enri had no obligation to answer. However, this was the partner of someone who had helped her. If he wanted to know, then she should answer.

    ¡°Ah, well, before that, can I ask a favor of you? Momon-san helped me earlier, and I¡¯m very, very grateful. Please tell him that.¡±

    ¡°I will do so. So why are you here?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, I, I¡¯m here, because there¡¯s a lot of things that need to be done, for instance, selling the herbs.¡±

    The woman gestured with her chin, indicating that Enri should continue speaking.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll go to the temple, to see if there¡¯s anyone who wants to move to our vige to live. And then I need to go to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild to talk about some things. And I need to buy some things we can¡¯t get in the vige, like weapons. Something like that...¡±

    ¡°I see. I understand what you¡¯ve said. I will ry it to Momon-san.¡±

    With ethereally graceful movements which seemed independent of gravity, the woman alighted from the wagon, and left without looking back.

    Enri¡¯s impression of her was that of a frozen hurricane which tore people apart.

    ¡°She¡¯s an amazing woman... she feels dozens of times more powerful than Brita-san...¡±

    There were no girls in the vige like her. Had she be an adventurer because her personality was like that, or had being an adventurer made her personality that way? She suddenly did not feel too keen about visiting the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.

    ¡°Ahhhh, oh no!¡±

    Nabe was a powerful adventurer, but Enri had only noticed after she had vanished. In addition, she was the partner of the man who had subdued the Wise King of the Forest. She might have been able to tell Enri about what was going on in the forest.

    ¡°The Giant of the East and the Serpent of the West, and whatever that Monument of Destruction is... if only I had asked her about all of those. Ah~ I¡¯m such a dummy, why didn¡¯t I think of that earlier?¡±

    Enri drove her wagon through a gate while scolding herself for her carelessness.

    ? ? ?

    E-Rantel could be roughly divided into three zones, separated by the walls of the city. The middle zone was where people lived.

    It was also where the Adventurer¡¯s Guild could be found.

    Ideally, it would have been safest to sell the herbs at the Herbalist¡¯s Guild. However, that would have involved a lot of troublesome paperwork, so she had chosen to go to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild instead to use them as a go-between. She had considered drawing on Lizzie¡¯s help for this, but Enri had decided that using her best friend¡¯s grandmother¡¯s name would be too shameless, and reconsidered.

    After taking Enri¡¯s wishes into consideration, Nfirea had suggested going to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.

    If Nfirea hade in person, they would not have needed to use the Guild and he have sold everything directly. However, Enri was not confident about dealing with the sharks in the Herbalist¡¯s Guild, so she had decided not to begrudge the service charge and use the Adventurers¡¯ Guild as a go-between.

    Enri headed down the road Nfirea and Brita had told her about.

    Although she had been travelling with the Goblins on the way to the city, they were currently waiting outside the city for Enri to finish her business. She realized that this was the first time she was alone ever since she had set out from the vige, and her hands gripped the reins even more tightly.

    The tension stiffened Enri¡¯s shoulders. Finally, unable to stand it any longer, she looked around in all directions and her destination was in front of her.

    ¡°I did it!¡±

    Enri squeaked in joy. Now that she had gotten all the way here, she probably would not get lost.

    She handed the reins of her wagon to the sentry standing at the door of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, and pushed open the door.

    Inside, warriors in full te armor, hunters with bows on their backs, and magic casters both arcane and divine were walking around. Some were enthusiastically swapping information about the monsters nearby, others were looking closely at the parchments on the nearby noticeboard, and a few were getting a feel for their newly-purchased gear.

    The ce was filled with a heat and activity that made Enri unsteady on her feet, a world of unrelenting scrutiny and tension. This was the world of adventurers.

    Enri¡¯s mouth dropped open as she beheld a sight she would never see in her vige, then hurriedly shut it back up.

    It was true that she hailed from the boondocks, and it was hardly shameful for her to be startled by the mood of the big city. Still, a girl of her age staring dumbly with her mouth open was just embarrassing.

    Enri set out, her back ramrod straight, consciously checking her movements so that she did not move the arms and legs on the same side of her or do anything which would inviteughter. However, Enri started to have her doubts about whether it was all right for an obviously out-of-ce vige girl to be strolling so boldly among these muscr adventurers.

    At the counter, she was weed by the receptionist¡¯s smile.

    ¡°Wee.¡±

    ¡°Y-yes, I¡¯ve been weed.¡±

    Enri locked eyes with the receptionist. Following which, the two of them smiled bitterly. Enri felt her shoulders rx, for what might have been the first time since she came to E-Rantel.

    ¡°Then, may I ask what business you have with the Adventurer¡¯s Guild?¡±

    ¡°Mm. Ah, first, I¡¯d like to ask for some help with the sale of herbs.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Where are the herbs now?¡±

    Enri told her they were on the wagon outside, and the receptionist turned to speak to a woman beside her.

    ¡°The appraiser is going to check it now, please wait within the Guild until he¡¯s done.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Then, another thing... although we won¡¯t be putting out a request right away, we might do so in the future.¡±

    Enri exined the situation to the smiling receptionist. The other woman¡¯s smile became stiff as she heard Enri¡¯s story.

    ¡°Is that so... I¡¯m just a receptionist, and I don¡¯t decide the difficulty of requests, but if it involves the Wise King of the Forest, it might be a task that only the adamantite-ranked Momon-san can handle. In that case, the fees would be very expensive.¡±

    There seemed to have been a shift in the receptionist¡¯s mood. She seemed entirely unmotivated, as though she had decided ¡°It was pointless even after sitting through all that, what a pain¡±.

    While living with the Goblins, Enri had be adept at reading the emotions of others. Goblins were ugly and looked very different from humans, but she had worked hard to recognize and deduce the changes in their feelings. In this way, Enri had grown.

    She must be thinking the vige doesn¡¯t have that much money, huh... well, given my clothes, it¡¯s a reasonable conclusion to make... and she is pretty well-dressed, after all.

    Enri brieflypared her clothes to those of the receptionist, and concluded that fashion-wise, she waspletely outssed.

    But clothes like those are wasted on working in the vige, and they¡¯re far too cumbersome to work in besides.

    Thus, ording to Enri the woman, this battle was a draw.

    ¡°Ah, I heard the city would provide a subsidy...¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct. However, the subsidy is only a portion of the fee, and you¡¯ll have to pay the rest yourself. Adamantite-ranked adventurers are very expensive, and even after the subsidy they¡¯ll still cost a lot of money to hire. Of course, you could offer less money for a request, but the Adventurer¡¯s Guild might not allow it. If you offer less money than the stipted amount, your request will be a low priority, so there may be no takers. Please take that into consideration¡±

    She must have memorized the regtions, given the way she had fluently rattled all that off with her eyes zed over. It would seem the receptionist was treating Enri like a customer who was not buying anything.

    That¡¯s only natural. A customer who doesn¡¯t spend money isn¡¯t a customer at all.

    Everything the receptionist had said was turning out like how Nfirea predicted, so she did not feel too upset. It was a reality that nobody would help the weak.

    That¡¯s why Ainz Ooal Gown-sama is our savior. He even gave a simple vige girl like me a valuable treasure like that.

    She wondered how the receptionist would react if she used this horn as payment. It would be great to see the look on her face, but Enri knew she could not do such a thing. This item had been given to her by that great magic caster with the instruction to ¡°use it to protect yourself¡±. She could not sell it off, not even for the vige¡¯s sake. She could not be that ungrateful.

    And so, Enri nodded.

    ¡°I understand. Then, please tell me how much the fees will be. That way I can go back to the vige to discuss things.¡±

    ¡°I see... then how about this? Pleasee back after the inspection for the herb sales are done. W should have finished calcting the request fees by then.¡±

    After thanking the receptionist, Enri left the counter and sat on a sofa in the lounge, staring at the ceiling to while away the time while the inspection dragged on.

    So tired...

    Every moment since she¡¯d entered the city gates had been a grand adventure. Or rather, when she thought about it, ever since the day her parents had died, every day had set her eyes spinning.

    All I wanted was to lead a simple, unchanging life in the vige...

    As she thought about the things she had lost, Enri sighed.

    She thought about what had happened after that ¡ª the Goblins, her childhood friend, and then she shook her head.

    Can¡¯t they go any faster...

    If she had something to do, she would not have the free time to think about such depressing things. She would rather empty her mind and focus on work than think about things that made her sad.

    ¡°Emmot-san, the appraisal isplete.¡±

    Enri rose and headed for the sound of the merchant¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Thank, thank you very much!¡±

    ¡°The fee is¡ª¡±

    At this moment, Enri heard the sound of someone striding, no, practically sprinting over to her. As she turned, she saw the receptionist from earlier in front of her.

    ¡°Haaa¡ª haaa¡ª Enri-san of Carne Vige. No, I mean, Enri-sama. Could I have a bit to discuss the matter from just now with you?¡±

    This was the same receptionist from just now, but her attitude waspletely different. Even her eyes were bloodshot.

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry, but I was just about to tell her about the results of the appraisal¡ª¡±

    ¡°You shut up, I¡¯m talking here.¡±

    The receptionist¡¯s reply made the merchant¡¯s face twitch.

    ¡°If it¡¯s alright with you, would you like to discuss this over a drink in the receiving room?¡±

    She was smiling, but the smile did not reach her eyes. There was a strange, desperate look in them.

    Perhaps she had sensed something from the confused Enri. The receptionist¡¯s eyes were moist, and her hands were sped together as though in prayer.

    ¡°Please, I¡¯m begging you, you have to let me hear you out! If not, I¡¯ll be done for!¡±

    After hearing that desperate, almost pathetic plea, Enri had no idea what was going on, but not to giving her a chance would be too cruel. She nced back to the merchant, who seemed to pick up on her intentions, because he nodded slightly to her.

    ¡°Got, got it. Then, could you show me the way?¡±

    In that moment, the receptionist¡¯s body visibly rxed.

    ¡°Thank you very much! Really, thank you very much! Come,e, let me show you the way.¡±

    Enri followed after her, bathed in the curious stares of everyone around. The receptionist was tightly gripping her right hand, as though she did not want Enri to escape.

    Was I too rash?

    She entered the waiting room, traces of unease in her heart.

    Enri silently looked around the inside of the room. There was nobody in there besides herself, and it was intricately decorated, to the point where she had doubts about even sitting on the sofa.

    ¡°Come,e, please, have a seat.¡±

    The moment she sat down, a voice from the corner of her mind wondered if she would be imprisoned or meet some other, simr fate.

    However, nothing happened when she sat on the sofa. All she felt was thefortable furniture taking her body weight.

    ¡°Would you like something to drink? We have some excellent liquor! How about food? Too early? Yes, kind of... how about fruits... no, sweets and desserts, maybe?¡±

    ¡°Ah, there¡¯s no need to go to that extent...¡±

    The dramatic change in the receptionist¡¯s attitude was starting to scare Enri. In the first ce, she had not considered the receptionist¡¯s treatment of her to have been particrly cold. It had been a reasonable reaction enough reaction, and not really negative. At the very least, it seemed much more normal than she did now.

    But why had this leopard changed its spots? Was it because of the horn again?

    ¡°No, no, what are you saying? Anything is possible for you. We can provide liquor, brandy, and the snacks to go with them too.¡±

    ¡°No, there¡¯s really no need... and besides, I¡¯m running out of time. Can we start discussing the matter?¡±

    ¡°Certainly! You¡¯re absolutely right! Then please, by all means, do continue!¡±

    The receptionist whipped out a sheet of thin, white paper. All the paper she had seen before had been much thicker and had other colors mixed in. This must be some high-ss stuff here. Was it really all right to use it?

    Enri began speaking. She had only given a brief outline just now, so she had to patiently exin the details this time round.

    Eventually, just as Enri¡¯s throat was starting to dry out, the conversation finally came to an end.

    ¡°Thank you for your help! There¡¯s some drinks here, please help yourself before you leave! It¡¯s fine to leave the cups here, but thank you foring to us today!¡±

    The receptionist suddenly stood up, and left the room as though she had been chased from it.

    ¡°Really... what happened?¡±

    Of course, there was nobody here to answer her muttered question.

    ? ? ?

    In the end, Enri did not spend the night in E-Rantel, but headed back to Carne Vige.

    She would be sleeping on the ins, but she did not feel uneasy. On the contrary, she had a very good night¡¯s sleep. That was because unlike her journey to the city, she had a group of passengers riding with her this time round.

    ¡°Ahh~ I see it atst.¡±

    Before her stood the wall of Carne Vige. Although the neatly-arranged logs looked impressive in their own right, Enri could not help but think they looked shabbypared to E-Rantel¡¯s fortifications.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I need to report all this to the chief quickly.¡±

    Enri was replying to one of the Goblins in the bed of the wagon. Five Goblins had escorted Enri to E-Rantel, including the Goblin Proest (Cona), and there was a Goblin Rider (Chosuke) maintaining a vigil some distance away from her wagon.

    ¡°Well, half the problems have been dealt with, but apparently the chief¡¯s request of you didn¡¯t go too well, did it, Ane-san?¡±

    ¡°Yes, about that... ording to the priest-san, almost nobody wants to move to the vige.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s strange. I mean, there¡¯s already other immigrants from other viges here. Why aren¡¯t there more people? Was the priest lying?¡±

    ¡°No, a priest would never lie,¡± Enri smiled bitterly. ¡°To be honest, frontier viges are pretty dangerous, so they¡¯re keeping their distance. We were hoping for a bunch of third sons who¡¯de here for the promise ofnd... but not many people wille here if they aren¡¯t ordered to. And the people who moved here in the beginning had lived in frontier viges like us. Their situations are different.¡±

    ¡°Is that so...¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how it is. But actually, that kind of relieves me.¡±

    It would probably be very difficult for normal people to form a good rtionship with Goblins and live with them in the same vige. Any immigrants from the city would probably nch at the sight and do their best to stay away.

    And frankly speaking, if Enri were forced to choose between the city-dwellers and the Goblins, she would choose the Goblins without hesitation.

    At this moment, the wagon shook, and the sound of something metallic hitting the wagon bed rang out from behind her.

    ¡°Ah, sorry. Are you alright?¡±

    Enri turned her head to look behind.

    Although the Goblins were seated on the floor of the wagon, there were some sacks there, one of which made the metallic noise when the wagon shook.

    ¡°Ah, we¡¯re fine, Ane-san. No need to worry. Speaking of which, with this many arrows, we¡¯ll be able to hunt to our hearts¡¯ content.¡±

    The Goblins looked so happy when they looked at the bag that Enri forgot to reply to them, simply smiling instead.

    They crossed the wheat fields, and entered a half-opened gate.

    After greeting everyone, Enri drove the wagon to their original meeting point, in order to unload the cargo.

    As she stopped the wagon at the meeting point, the Goblins within, having heard the wagon, streamed out to greet her.

    ¡°Oh! Wee back, Ane-san. I¡¯m d nothing happened.¡±

    Enri smiled. Their wee was what made Enri feel that she had really returned to the vige, because to her, the Goblins were part of her family.

    ¡°I¡¯m home!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of stuff. Are you bringing it inside?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, bro. Do me a favor and lend me a hand.¡±

    ¡°Coming!¡±

    The Goblins moved as one, deftly unloading the cargo. No matter how Enri directed them, they tucked everything without making a mistake until everything was squared away. This was the proof of how much the Goblins had integrated themselves into vige life.

    ¡°Ah, Ane-san, let us handle the rest. Why don¡¯t you go meet your sister and Ani-san? Although I don¡¯t know if Ani-san¡¯s still helping with Agu¡¯s people.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, but I still need to report to the chief first.¡±

    ¡°Really? Got it. Then, just to be safe, I¡¯lle with you. After all, there¡¯s still the matter of the Ogres.¡±

    Gokou spoke to some of hisrades after leaving the meeting ce, and then he hopped up onto the wagon beside Enri, who was driving. The other Goblins who had been guarding Enri on the road to E-Rantel looked at him with jealousy in their eyes, but none of them actually voiced any opposition. It was probably because they agreed he was doing the right thing.

    ¡°Then, Ane-san, let¡¯s go!¡±

    Enri smiled faintly and said, ¡°I¡¯m counting on you guys! And thank you very much!¡±

    After thanking the Goblins, she spurred her horse into motion.

    ¡°So, what happened in the vige since I left?¡±

    ¡°Nothing special. The big thing was that we built a ce where the Ogres could stay inside the vige. Of course, the Stone Golems did most of the work, and it was pretty crudely made out of wood, but in the end, it ended up being a pretty nice ce. However, we can¡¯t do anything about their smell. Even the towels we give them end up stinking.¡±

    ¡°I see... Still, that was really fast!¡±

    ¡°Like I said, the Stone Golems did most of the work. If you want to thank someone, thank the magic caster who gave them to us.¡±

    ¡°And Lupusregina-san, right?¡±

    ¡°...Let¡¯s not talk about that Lupusregina person for now. I don¡¯t want to thank her or anything. Something about her just pisses me off.¡±

    Enri found it hard to believe her ears. This was the first time Gokou had ever spoken ill of someone.

    ¡°How should I put it... she¡¯s very scary, like a monster watching us... I don¡¯t think Ane-san¡¯s sensed it yet...¡±

    ¡°But she¡¯s the maid of the one who saved our vige, Ainz Ooal Gown, so she can¡¯t be that bad.¡±

    ¡°...Ah, what a pain ~su¡±

    Enri and Gokou¡¯s shoulders twitched. That was the voice of the woman they had just been discussing.

    Enri looked back frantically, and just like the day before, the maid was sitting on the wagon bed like she belonged there.

    ¡°Really, you¡¯re such a pain, En-chan.¡±

    ¡°Ah, what do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Maybe, maybe before that, you should tell us how you appear out of nowhere.¡±

    ¡°Mm? It¡¯s simple ~su. I fell out of the sky ~su.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not going to fly. There¡¯s quite a few times you¡¯vee from above now, but we couldn¡¯t sense you.¡±

    ¡°I can make myself invisible ~su. ...I¡¯m trying to be subtle ~su. See how nice I am~¡±

    Gokou turned his face to the front once more. There was irritation written all over it.

    ¡°But, ah, yes. It¡¯s kind of rare that we get to see you two days in a row, Lupusregina-san. Did something happen?¡±

    Lupusregina red at Enri. Enri could not help but think, a beautiful person is pretty even when she makes a face like that.

    ¡°Well, kind of. Buuuut anyway, I was just wondering what was going on ~su. Speaking of which, what happened to that miniature gobbo of yours?¡±

    ¡°...He¡¯s fine. I think he should be in the Chief¡¯s house.¡±

    ¡°Why the Chief¡¯s house?¡±

    ¡°Ah, because we rescued a few more Goblins from his tribe? They¡¯re staying there while we build a ce for the Goblins to stay in the vige.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡ª yeah, it kind of makes sense, Agu¡¯s the son of his tribe¡¯s chief. He must feel like he has a duty to protect them or something. Really, he¡¯s just a kid but he¡¯s so mature~¡±

    Although Lupusregina was just smiling lightly, anyone who saw her looks would be captivated by the charm radiating from her. Even Enri found herself looking at her in admiration despite the fact that they were both women.

    ¡°Oops, shouldn¡¯t you be watching your front instead?¡±

    ¡°That, that¡¯s right!¡±

    Enri hastily looked to her front once more, the tips of her ears bright red.

    After stopping in front of the chief¡¯s house, Enri and Gokou got off the wagon.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll bring the horse back to the stables ~su. Don¡¯t feel like disturbing you guys. Let me know what you guys talked about afterwards~¡±

    ¡°I understand. Then, I¡¯m sorry for imposing, but I¡¯ll leave this you.¡±

    Enri bowed to Lupusregina, who replied with a ¡°hoi hoi¡± and a smile before driving the wagon off.

    Enri knocked on the door, announced herself loudly enough for everyone inside to hear, and opened the door.

    The Chief and Agu were facing each other across a table.

    ¡°Oh, wee back. Please, have a seat. How were things in the city?¡±

    As the Chief spoke, Enri sat herself beside Agu. For a moment Agu¡¯s body seemed to go stiff, but she must have just been imagining things.

    ¡°Ah, then, that¡¯s it for me. In that case, Chief, please take care of us.¡±

    Enri had no idea who those words were meant for. Since the only others present were Enri, Gokou and the Chief, it seemed obvious that they had been intended for the vige chief.

    However, Agu had been looking at her, with a stiff back and pursed lips. Enri looked into Agu¡¯s eyes, and in his steadfast, unblinking gaze, she realised that he was not kidding or ying a trick.

    ¡°Eh...eh?!¡±

    Why did it have to be her?

    Amidst Enri¡¯s confusion, Agu excused himself and left the Chief¡¯s home.

    ¡°Hey! Wait¡ª¡±

    ¡°Then, Enri, can you tell me about it?¡±

    ¡°Eh? No, that... this... ah, yes. I get it.¡±

    It weighed heavily on her mind, but she could clear up her doubtster. The report was more important for now.

    After deciding that, Enri clearly and concisely rted the events that had urred in the city. The most important part was that nobody wanted to move to Carne Vige. However, the chief seemed to have anticipated this, because there was no regret on his face, only calm eptance.

    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is. Well, it can¡¯t be helped. We¡¯re a frontier vige and monsters appear frequently around these parts, so it makes sense that hardly anyone would want toe here.¡±

    The vige chief said what Enri had been thinking. It might have well been what everyone in the vige had already epted.

    ¡°You¡¯ve done a lot for us. Thank you.¡±

    The chief lowered his head, and Enri said, ¡°It¡¯s all right,¡± in return. It had been confusing at times, but it had also been a good experience.

    ¡°Then¨D¡± the chief¡¯s line of sight flickered to Gokou for a second. ¡°There is one thing I would like to entrust to you, Enri Emmot.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. What is it? You¡¯re being so serious, Chief...¡±

    ¡°...I hope you will carry on in my position as vige chief.¡±

    The sheer variety of expressions that shed across Enri¡¯s face was like a piece of performance art.

    ¡°Haaaaaaaa?! What, what is this? Hey! Don¡¯t tell me Agu was saying those... ehhhh?!¡±

    ¡°You getting flustered won¡¯t help...¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt me when I¡¯m flustered! Chief, are you retarded? Why are you saying this?!¡±

    ¡°...Maybe retarded is a bit much. I understand you¡¯re excited and nervous about this ¡ª I know that much, but I¡¯m hoping you can calm down and listen to me.¡±

    ¡°Calm down, how can I calm down? I¡¯m just a simple vige girl, why do I have to deal with this vige chief crap?!¡±

    ¡°Get a hold of yourself!¡±

    The voice was full of power, but to Enri it was just a little loud. Even so, it helped her regain a bit of herposure. No, if she didn¡¯t listen to the chief, she¡¯d never make sense of things, or at least that was what part of her was thinking.

    ¡°I understand that you¡¯re very confused. However, I hope you can sit down and consider things with a calmly. For starters, who is the heart of the vige?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that you, Chief-san?¡±

    ¡°That would be incorrect. I feel that you are the heart of the vige. The Goblins and the newly-arrived Ogres all acknowledge you as their leader, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct. Everything we do revolves around Ane-san.¡±

    ¡°Then, there¡¯s the Goblins you helped. From what Agu¡¯s told me, they also see you as the boss.¡±

    Enri¡¯s mouth turned into the shape of a ¡®¦«¡¯. It might be true that the Goblins were that way, but what would the vigers think? They would never ept this.

    ¡°I can guess at what you¡¯re thinking. The vigers will object, is that it? I¡¯ve already spoken with everyone and gotten their approval. Last night, we had a meeting of the vigers and got their opinions. And it was unanimous ¡ª they all wanted you to be the new chief.¡±

    ¡°What? Why?!¡±

    ¡°...That attack was a huge shock for all of us, Enri. Everybody is hoping for a strong leader.¡±

    ¡°How am I strong? I¡¯m just a simple vige girl!¡±

    Although there was some muscle on her arms, she was still a vige girl who could barely use a weapon. If they wanted strength, surely they should have picked from among the members of the security force, no?

    ¡°Strength is not measured by one¡¯s courage alone. Don¡¯t you think being able to order the Goblins around is a form of strength too? The Bareares both think you¡¯re suitable as vige chief too.¡±

    ¡°Enfi!¡±

    Enri sounded like a chicken being strangled to death.

    ¡°That, and I¡¯m getting on in years. I need to find a sessor soon.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®getting on in years¡¯? You aren¡¯t anywhere near old, Chief. Is that why you¡¯ve been talking like an old man?¡±

    The chief was around his mid-forties, so it was still a bit early to be calling him old. After all, he was still at an age where he could work.

    ¡°Leaving aside the matter of talking like an old man, you should have noticed by now, but the forest around the vige is undergoing a number of changes. Since the Wise King of the Forest is gone, there¡¯s a higher chance of monstersing out of the forest to attack. All I can do is use my experiences of when the vige was safe to lead us, but that won¡¯t do.¡±

    ¡°Chief, this may be rude, but I need to ask. You¡¯re just trying to run away from this, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°...Let me be frank. I cannot say that you¡¯re wrong..¡±

    What Enri saw was the eyes of a man who was honestly speaking his mind.

    ¡°I still remember that day even now. That horrible day when my friends in the vige were killed. I knew the Emmots well. If we hadn¡¯t lived idly, if we had built a wall, if we had been on guard, maybe we wouldn¡¯t have suffered so much... maybe we could have held out until Gown-sama came to help us.¡±

    That would be tough, Enri thought. This vige also had a lot of immigrants who were survivors from the other destroyed viges. Their viges had sturdy walls ¨D though not as strong as Carne Vige¡¯s were now ¨D but they had still been attacked and ughtered. But those walls could have dyed the attackers by just a little bit and allowed more people to be saved. Enri agreed on that part.

    ¡°The old way of thinking I had isn¡¯t going to work anymore. We need to reorganize and protect the vige¡¯s safety with our own hands. The only ones who can do this... are the flexible and the young. Ans those people need strength as well.¡±

    The chief had said his piece. He looked calmly at Enri.

    Enri listened to the chief¡¯s words, and seriously considered them. At first, she wanted to refuse because the burden was too heavy. If they were attacked just like that time, she was not sure that she could bear responsibility for the lives of her fellow vigers. However, like she had told the chief just now, was that not just running away from the problem?

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can handle this big responsibility.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a natural reaction. I can help with the administration of the vige, and the Goblins will support you on the security issues. Even so, making the final decision is still scary.¡±

    ¡°What about a council formed from the vigers?¡±

    ¡°To be frank, I¡¯d thought of that myself. However, the bigger the problem, the more likely something wille up that will split up the group and leave them paralyzed by indecision. In the end, without one person calling the shots, we won¡¯t be able to solve problems effectively.¡±

    ¡°What if we had two systems, one for dealing with things in normal situations and the other for emergencies?¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t work. It won¡¯t nurture our leaders. The people will follow their leaders in emergencies and work together because they know those leaders are also capable in peacetime.¡±

    The chief¡¯s will was firm and he had exined his reasons. With a sour expression, Enri asked her final question.

    ¡°...When do you need my answer?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t rush you for it. Take your time and consider it.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    After Enri said that, she stood and left.

    ? ? ?

    As she left the Chief¡¯s house, Gokou followed behind Enri.

    ¡°Say, I want to think about this. Could you let me be alone for a bit?¡±

    ¡°Got it, Ane-san. Then, take your time and think about it. The rest of us will back you up, Ane-san. If you need anything at all, just let us know.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll be counting on you then.¡±

    After watching Gokou leave, Enri returned to her own home.

    Can I be a good chief?

    Enri did not think so.

    Who knew, when the time came, she might have to give an order she did not like ¡ª sacrificing the few for the greater good.

    I can¡¯t do that at all...

    Everyone in the vige thinks too highly of me. For starters, there¡¯s the Goblins that everyone says are my strength. They aren¡¯t even allies I made with my own charisma and connections. In the end, they were merely summoned from the horn given to me by the great magic caster Ainz Ooal Gown.

    That item was the first bit of good fortune the vige received¡ª

    Strange, was I the first person he helped? I do remember Gown-sama in a mask... Hm? Was he wearing a mask?

    Suddenly, the sequence of events seemed muddled up to her, but that was only to be expected given the chaos of the situation.

    Enri shook her head to clear out her doubts.

    In any case...

    If the horn had been given to anyone else, that person would have been the next chief, not herself. Which meant that the problem was not a matter of Enri¡¯s ownpetence, but simply that destiny had decided to drop this burden on herp.

    I should talk to someone about this...

    The first person who came to Enri¡¯s mind was Nfirea. He had lived in the big city before, seen a lot of people, and Enri felt that he would know if she could be the next chief. And he was widely read, so he would definitely be able to give her an answer.

    However, the chief had said that Nfirea ¡ª or rather, the Bareares ¡ª had approved of her session. That meant that even if she talked with Nfirea, it was very likely that he would rmend she take the position..

    He won¡¯t do... and neither will any of the vigers. That leaves Agu and the Ogres, but Agu already thinks of me as the chief, and the Ogres are just in dumb.

    At this moment, someone called out to the frowning Enri with a cheerful voice.

    ¡°Yo~ Seems like you¡¯re done talking... Oyan~? What¡¯s wrong ~su, you¡¯ve got a strange look on your face? Problem, Enri?¡±

    That voice made Enri jerk up, as though electricity were coursing through her skin. That¡¯s right. She was an outsider to the vige, a neutral third party who could calmly and logically assess the situation.

    Enri ran toward Lupusregina with all her strength.

    ¡°Lupusregina-san!¡±

    She tightly clutched the surprised maid¡¯s shoulders.

    ¡°What what what what¡¯s this? Oh no~ My heart¡¯s beating so fast. But please don¡¯t confess to me. I¡¯m not a lesbian, I like the opposite sex. Noooooo~ Let me go~ I¡¯m going to be raped su~¡±

    ¡°Wait! Please, wait a bit!¡±

    Enri¡¯s hands left her shoulders, because she was nning to cover Lupusregina¡¯s mouth. But Lupusregina nimbly slipped out of Enri¡¯s grasp and smiled to her.

    ¡°Ahhhh, sorry, sorry, but you seemed so excited, I thought I needed to cool you down a bit. It was just a joke su~¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a really bad joke...¡±

    Enri sagged her shoulders. However, she immediately recovered again. Lupusregina was a person who came and went as she pleased and if she did not take this opportunity to pin her down she would vanish again.

    ¡°Please hear me out. I need an idea on what to do next!¡±

    ¡°I dunno what you¡¯re talking about, but we can talk while we walk, right? I don¡¯t want the vigers to look at me strangely~¡±

    Enri¡¯s face turned bright red. Lupusregina had a point there. However¡ª

    ¡°Then don¡¯t scream about being raped or anything...¡±

    ¡°Tehe~¡±

    Lupusregina stuck her tongue out at Enri in an adorable way.

    ¡°Really ¡ª really, Lupusregina-san!¡±

    ¡°Come,e, let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Without waiting for an answer, Lupusregina set off, and Enri followed.

    ¡°Well,ey your problems onto Lupusregina-oneesan ¡ª I can teach you all sorts of things from hi things to seducing men~¡±

    ¡°Ah, is that right? Lupusregina-san, you must be really mature...¡±

    To Enri, who knew nothing about such matters, she certainly seemed adult enough. There was no obvious change, but for some reason Lupusregina seemed to look more mature now.

    ¡°Hehe, that¡¯s because I¡¯m a mimidoshima, after all.¡±

    (TL Note: ¶úÄê‰ˆ ¨C young woman with a lot of superficial knowledge about sex, etc)

    ¡°...huh?¡±

    What does ¡°mimidoshima¡± mean? As Enri pondered the strange term, Lupusregina beckoned her over with a e hither¡± gesture, indicating that she should ask her questions. Enri began telling her about what had happened in the chief¡¯s house.

    ¡°So, what should I do?¡±

    ¡°Hm? Beats me.¡±

    That was all.

    ¡°Hey ¡ª didn¡¯t you say I couldy my problems on you?¡±

    ¡°I never said I¡¯d answer them, did I... hm, well, whatevs. To begin with, if you¡¯re being pushed into this position and you know you¡¯re going to regret it, then you¡¯d better not take it on to begin with. Think about what kind of things you can and can¡¯t handle.¡±

    The usual carefree girl was gone, and in her ce was a haunting, bewitching beauty. The usually wide-open eyes were narrowed, and her thin smile sent a chill down her spine.

    ¡°This is just my opinion anyways, I¡¯m not telling you what to do or anything. You should sit down and think carefully on this. Let me be frank, it doesn¡¯t matter if you or someone else is the chief, whoever does it is going to mess up sooner orter. There¡¯s only forty-one people I know who¡¯ll never make a mistake. So, there¡¯s no point worrying about what happens when you fail. But when you think about it calmly, nobody¡¯s better suited to the job than you.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Ask the gobs. When the vige is attacked by scary monsters and they know they can¡¯t win, what happens? Imagine the situation with yourself as the chief and yourself not being the chief.¡±

    Lupusregina¡¯s expression changed again, and she was back to her cheerful self.

    ¡°Ahhhh, this is boring. Haaa, this doesn¡¯t suit my tastes at all. Ah~ it would be more fun if you didn¡¯t be the chief and a great tragedy befell the vige, En-chan~.¡±

    ¡°¡ªEh?¡±

    ¡°Hehe~¡±

    Lupusregina smirked as she patted Enri¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Personally, I think you¡¯d make a great chief, En-chan~ Also... why don¡¯t you ask that boy over there?¡±

    After taking her hand off Enri¡¯s shoulder, Lupusregina twirled in ce. It was a movement that seemed estranged from any concept of the word ¡°friction¡±.

    ¡°See ya then~¡±

    Lupusregina strode off, her hands fluttering through the air. In front of her stood Nfirea with Nemu¡¯s hand in his. Lupusregina patted Nfirea on the shoulder, and as though she had flipped a switch, the two came to life.

    ¡°You¡¯re home, onee-chan!¡±

    Nemu must have been very worried, because she tackle hugged Enri while running at full speed. For a moment, Enri thought she might be knocked down, but her sturdy leg muscles absorbed the impact.

    ¡°Wee home, Enri. You¡¯re earlier than expected. Didn¡¯t spend the night?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m back, you two. And yes, I camped outst night.¡±

    ¡°Is that so... I¡¯m d you weren¡¯t attacked by monsters. Still, I can¡¯t approve of that sort of thing. The Goblins are strong. but there¡¯s still monsters who are stronger than them. Granted, I haven¡¯t seen any of those near the ins...¡±

    ¡°Nee-san, don¡¯t do dangerous things!¡±

    Nemu said this while clinging tightly to Enri¡¯s clothes. Enri was the sole surviving family member her little sister had. Her life was no longer solely hers. It would seem she had forgotten that little detail.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Enri smiled and gently ruffled Nemu¡¯s hair.

    ¡°Mm! I forgive you!¡±

    Nemu looked up and smiled.

    ¡°Thank you. Speaking of which, have you been a good girl, Nemu? You didn¡¯t give Enfi trouble, did you?¡±

    ¡°Really~ oneechan! I¡¯m not a little girl anymore! Right, Enfi-kun?¡±

    ¡°Ahaha... well, I¡¯ve been treating Agu¡¯s tribespeople, so I didn¡¯t look too closely, but I trust Nemu behaved herself.¡±

    ¡°Really, you too, Enfi-kun? Say, did you know, nee-chan? Enfi-kun stinks!¡±

    ¡°Nemu-chan! That¡¯s the smell of herbs! When you grind them up, didn¡¯t you say your hands stank as well?¡±

    ¡°That colorful stuff is from herbs?¡±

    ¡°...No, it¡¯s different. That¡¯s from making alchemical items, so don¡¯t make it sound like I stink or anything...¡±

    ¡°But you do stink, don¡¯t you, Enfi-kun?¡±

    Nfirea¡¯s face froze.

    ¡°Mm, It¡¯s all over your work clothes, Enfi. So maybe you should take them off when you¡¯re not working?¡±

    Enri frantically tried to exin her little sister¡¯s actual meaning, and Nfirea¡¯s face softened as he heard it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any other clothes, though... in E-Rantel I pretty much wore those all the time.¡±

    ¡°Then, what if I made a set for you afterwards?¡±

    ¡°Eh? You can do that?¡±

    ¡°Enfi, who do you think I am? I can still make simple clothes on my own.¡±

    ¡°Is that it? I bought all my clothes, so being able to make your own sounds awesome.¡±

    ¡°Well, thanks for that. But everyone in the vige can... Nemu, you¡¯d better start learning.¡±

    ¡°Kay~¡±

    ¡°Then, Nemu, do you mind heading back first? I need to discuss something with Enfi.¡±

    Nemu covered her mouth with her hands, but the smile was already making her eyes sparkle.

    ¡°Mm! Got it! Then, I¡¯ll be going first. Do your best, Enfi-kun!¡±

    Nemu waved to them, then headed back home with a spring in her step.

    Enri watched her back as she left, mumbling to herself.

    ¡°Why is she so obedient? Are you hiding anything from me?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think... there¡¯s more important things than that! Were you going to tell me something? Although I can roughly guess, since I was at the vige meeting yesterday.¡±

    That being the case, they could skip a lot of pointless exposition. Enri told Nfirea what she and the chief had discussed.

    That was not all She also told him all about her uneasiness and her discussion with Lupusregina. After she finished, Nfirea looked Enri straight in the eye. and spoke.

    ¡°I think you should do what you think is right, Enri. No matter what your answer is, I¡¯ll always support you... ugh, that line is so cheesy. I hope you¡¯ll be the new chief.¡±

    ¡°Why? I¡¯m just¡ª¡±

    ¡°No. You¡¯re not just a simple vige girl. You¡¯re the leader of the Goblins, Enri Emmot. You probably want to say that the Goblins aren¡¯t your strength, right? But in the end, the Goblins really are your strength. Lupusregina asked you to ask the Goblins, but I¡¯ll exin. If you¡¯re not the chief, and if the vige is in danger, the Goblins will evacuate you and only you if they still have the strength to fight.¡±

    ¡°No way! They would never do such a thing!¡±

    ¡°...They might say that in peacetime. However, during a crisis they¡¯ll do just that. I heard it from them myself.¡±

    ¡°No way...¡±

    Enri looked incredulously at Nfirea. She felt he must be lying. Yet, she could not sense any falseness from around him.

    ¡°The most important thing to them isn¡¯t the vige, it¡¯s you. But if you be the chief, then the vige bes your property, and the Goblins will stay and fight for the vige to the bitter end. It may not seem like a big difference, but it¡¯s enough of a difference. As an aside, they¡¯ve told me that if an emergency like that happens, they¡¯re hoping I can take Nemu and flee behind you. Enri... if you want to check with them, it¡¯s fine. But I hope that if you do, you¡¯ll keep the fact that I told you about it a secret.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t ask them.¡±

    Nfirea lifted his hair up as he heard the straight, direct reply, revealing his wide eyes.

    ¡°Is that okay? I might be ly¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªImpossible. You would never lie to me, Nfirea. I trust you. Still, they really do ce a lot of important on their master, huh.¡±

    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t that because you¡¯re their master, Enri? You bought weapons for the Goblins, right? Don¡¯t you think they¡¯d make you their top priority because of that? ...This may sound bad, but the Goblins have never gotten anything from the vigers, who treat them as nothing more than your summoned monsters. One side doesn¡¯t treat them like individuals, while the other side does. Doesn¡¯t it make sense for them to favor thetter?¡±

    Of course, none of the vigers would actually say that sort of thing out loud. However, it was true that she could not recall any of the vigers thanking them in any concrete way.

    ¡°...But, the vigers asionally make lunch for the Goblins.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a sign of their gratitude to you. It¡¯s like saying they¡¯ll pay food costs, or save you the trouble of preparing a meal.. Have you ever seen anyone in the vige call the Goblins by name?¡±

    She had not. At first she thought it was simply because they could not tell them apart, but perhaps they had never intended to tell them apart from the beginning.

    The thought of that filled Enri¡¯s heart with an indescribable loneliness.

    ¡°Is that so.¡±

    Yet, in her voice was not simply dejection, but her eyes shone with the light of resolve

    ¡°That¡¯s right. ...That¡¯s why I, personally, feel that you¡¯ll be a good chief. If nothing else, when you¡¯re chief, things will change for the Goblins too.¡±

    ¡°...Everyone¡¯s going to help me, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course. You might as well say nobody won¡¯t help you.¡±

    ¡°I understand. Then, I¡¯ll head over to the chief¡¯s ce. I¡¯d better do it before I change my mind!¡±

    Nfirea smiled as he heard Enri¡¯s deration.

    His smile was gentle, yet stern. It was as though he understood that she was hoping for onest push in the back.

    ¡°All right! Good luck, Enri!¡±

    She nodded in reply, and then without looking back, set foot on the path to bing the new chief of Carne Vige.

    ? ? ?

    From the sky, Lupusregina could see that almost everyone in the vige was gathered in the vige square. Enri walked to their head and addressed them, but she could not hear what Enri was saying.

    Enri appeared to have finished, and the vigers apuded.

    ¡°Ha... so it turned out like this after all. Ahhhh, this is fun, uhihihi~¡±

    ¡°¡ªWhat¡¯s so amusing?¡±

    The voice from behind made Lupusregina turn around to face it.

    ¡°Oya~ if it isn¡¯t Yuri-nee. Are you flying because of a magic item?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Ainz-sama bestowed it upon me himself. This would be... Carne Vige, right? That would be why you were scolded.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right ~su. Ahhh, now the real fun¡¯s about to begin~¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°A new leader has just arisen within the vige. To the vigers, they¡¯re about to turn to a new page in their history, to a new world of possibilities. However, I wonder what would happen if, right at this glorious moment, the vige was attacked and everything was lost in a great ze. I wonder what kind of faces those vigers would make?¡±

    Her cheery and beautiful face cracked open, and something flowed out from within that could only be described as evil.

    ¡°And I thought you got along with these people. Is thising from the bottom of your heart?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Yuri-nee~ I mean every word of it. I gives me a thrill every time I think of the people I get along with being brutally trampled like bugs.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re aplete sadist. You¡¯re as bad as Solution. Why are my little sisters like this? My only salvation is Shizu, honestly... although I suppose Entoma isn¡¯t a bad girl.¡±

    Lupusreginaughed as her older sister grumbled and knit her brows.

    ¡°Ah~ will the vige be destroyed after all?¡±

    <b>Part 4</b>

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m so tired.¡±

    Enri dumped the small te she was holding on the table and flopped down, devoid of energy. She heard quietughter, and when she turned to look at its source, she saw her teacher (Nfirea) there with a smile on his face.

    ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard, Enri.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s soooo haaaaard~ I¡¯m not good at using my head...¡±

    ¡°You need to learn how to read and write, you know.¡±

    Enri¡¯s reply was a mournful whine.

    She needed a basic level of education as the vige chief, which was why Nfirea was personally instructing her, but Enri¡¯s head felt like it was splitting apart.

    ¡°These stupid words, they were made up just to give me trouble...¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that. You¡¯ve already learned how to write your own name, haven¡¯t you? And Nemu-chan¡¯s as well.¡±

    ¡°Mm... well, that is a good thing... can¡¯t I get by with just that much?¡±

    ¡°s! These are merely the basics. Look at it this way, you¡¯ve only started learning for five days, we haven¡¯t even reached the important parts yet.¡±

    A look which said ¡°are you kidding me¡± appeared on Enri¡¯s face.

    ¡°Ahhh, don¡¯t make a face like that. Once you learn the basics, all that¡¯s left is applying them. That¡¯s why they¡¯re so important.¡±

    ¡°...Uuu~¡±

    ¡°You look really tired. Then, we¡¯ll stop here for today.¡±

    Enri sprang up from her seat as though she had been waiting for him to say just that.

    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful! Let¡¯s end early tomorrow too! Thank you, Enfi!¡±

    Nfirea smiled thinly before wiping the chicken scratch-like letters off the te.

    ¡°Then you¡¯d best get a good rest. Tomorrow we¡¯ll start again at the same time.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m really happy that you¡¯re using your experiment time to teach me all this. But I don¡¯t feel grateful at all...¡±

    ¡°Mm. Well, that¡¯s how it is. They say it¡¯s better for a teacher to be hated by their students than to be thanked by them.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a lie! It¡¯s a total lie!¡±

    ¡°Ahahaha. Ah, I¡¯m out of time. Goodnight, Enri.¡±

    ¡°Mm. Goodnight. Don¡¯t work too hard when you get back and sleep early.¡±

    Nfirea smiled to show he understood, and then he left through the front door. After watching the floating mote of his magical light recede into the distance, Enri returned to her house. In the darkness, it felt especially lonely.

    ¡°Ah¨D I¡¯m so tired...¡±

    Enrizily stripped off her clothing and burrowed under the covers. She had been so noisy when learning just now, but now all she could hear were the cute sounds of her little sister sleeping. Enri quietly closed her eyes.

    Having worked her brains so hard earlier, Enri was certain she would fall asleep right away. Just as she expected, she passed out within seconds of closing her eyes.

    She did not know how long she had slept, but a distant sound woke her from her slumber.

    Three knocks. A pause, and then three more knocks.

    Enri realized what that rhythm meant, and so she forced her eyes open in the darkness. Her mind woke with abnormal speed and realized she was still at home, and so she practically leapt out of bed. In the same moment, her sister bolted awake too.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    ¡°Mm.¡±

    Her voice had an undertone of fear in it, but it sounded like she could still move.

    ¡°Get ready now!¡±

    ¡°Mm!¡±

    Lighting amp would waste too much time, so Enri prepared herself to flee in the dark.

    As the sound of the bells carried over the wind, Enri and Nemu readied themselves swiftly. Theirs was a speed born not just of repeated evacuation drills, but of the old terror that remained from when their vige had been attacked in the past. And after hearing Agu¡¯s words, she had an idea of what wasing.

    ¡°Nemu! Get to the rendezvous point! I¡¯ll take care of my end!¡±

    Without waiting for her sister¡¯s answer, Enri grabbed Nemu¡¯s hand and ran out the door.

    The bell was still ringing loudly, which meant there was an emergency situation. In addition, it signalled that they were definitely under attack.

    A corner of her heart still hoped that this was just one of many training exercises, but the chill in the air denied that. It was the same chill she had felt when the soldiers attacked the vige.

    As they neared the rendezvous point, Enri pushed Nemu forward.

    ¡°All right, go!¡±

    Nemu nodded very slightly in reply, and then dashed toward the meeting ce without looking back.

    After doing that, Enri was briefly filled with the impulse to follow her, to make sure she at least got into the shelter before leaving.

    However, as a days-old vige chief, Enri had to consider how she would move the whole vige.

    If I hadn¡¯t been appointed, or if I¡¯d been appointed for a long time... those feelings now flowed out uncontrobly from her heart.

    ¡°It¡¯s as though some evil god wants to see us suffer.¡±

    Without thinking, Enri let the words slip out of her mouth. This was the worst possible timing for something like this to happen..

    ¡°Ane-san!¡±

    A Goblin ran up to Enri.

    ¡°What happened? What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°We found monsters in the forest. High chance they¡¯ll be attacking us.¡±

    ¡°Understood, now let¡¯s go!¡±

    With the Goblin leading the way, Enri soon came to the main gate. She saw that the night-time barricades were set up and the Goblins had gathered here. They looked like seasoned veterans in the weapons and armor Enri had bought for them.

    As she drew close she could scent a stink in the air, which clued Enri in to the fact that there were Ogres present. The Ogres clutched their new clubs, which looked spiky and menacing.

    Enr and the goblin reached the main gate at the same time as a panting Nfirea and the members of the self-defence force led by Brita.In addition Agu and some of his fellow Goblins, the ones whose minds recovered enough from their ordeal to fight, stood with them as well.

    ¡°Is that everyone? How about Lizzie-san? Did something keep her?¡±

    Nfirea¡¯s grandmother Lizzie was a skill magic caster in her own right. By rights, she should have taken part in defending the main gate.

    ¡°No, Obaa-chan¡¯s noting here. She¡¯s at the rendezvous point. That ce is important too.¡±

    The vigers nodded as they heard Nfirea¡¯s words. Since their family members had fled to the rendezvous point, they had to keep it secure too.

    ¡°We¡¯ve sent our guys who aren¡¯t good with bows over there. Since you guys are strong, can you spare someone to go over and keep their spirits up?¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t do that.¡±

    Jugemu tly refused Brita¡¯s request.

    Jugemu and the others had not done this out of malice toward the vigers whom he had lived and worked with. As the surging tension made Enri gulp, Jugemu exined his position.

    ¡°There¡¯s a lot of monsters. And there are many other species, in addition to Ogres. Splitting up would be very dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Do you have a clear picture of their numbers?¡±

    ¡°Brita-san, the enemy was lurking in the forest. There¡¯s no way to urately judge their numbers. However, we did manage to get an estimate... seven Ogres, several Giant Snakes, several Wargs, several Barghest-like shapes and something huge following behind them.¡±

    ¡°Wargs travelling Giant Snakes and Ogres? Is there a druid behind them?¡±

    Wargs were magical beasts that looked like wolves, but bigger. They were smarter than wolves and bad news if you encountered them in the forest.

    ¡°It¡¯s very likely. Things will be really bad if they have a magic caster on their side. We can probably assume that they also have ranged attackers. So it would be better to marshal all our fighting power here, right? Should I call Obaa-chan over?¡±

    ¡°That... is hard to say, Ani-san. The rendezvous point is one of the most solid buildings in the vige. If anything happens, it¡¯ll be the final defensive line or in other words, the vige¡¯s keep. We can¡¯t let anyone protecting that ce leave.¡±

    ¡°...So we¡¯ll be falling back as we fight, then? Where should I be fighting?¡±

    ¡°Brita-san, you¡¯ll be directing the defense force. I hope you can clearly ry my orders to them, and do as the situation requires.¡±

    ¡°So we¡¯ll use anti-invader strategy No. 2, then? After filling them with arrows, we¡¯ll use barricades to keep them at bay while we stab them through the gaps with spears. They won¡¯t need to aim at people, just keep stabbing.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯ll leave that to you, then. However, Wargs and Barghests are very agile. If allowed to roam freely, they¡¯ll cause a lot of damage. Target them first. Also, when their druid shows up, would you mind falling back?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not opposed to that, but will you have enough people on the front if the defense force retreats?¡±

    ¡°...If we¡¯re lucky, we¡¯ll be enough.¡±

    ¡°I see... as I thought, I¡¯d better tell everyone here to be ready to die. At least, if we¡¯re in the back we won¡¯t be attacked, so we can concentrate ranged fire on the druid. You know, I¡¯ve been an adventurer, but this is the first time I¡¯ve seen such brave vigers... at least, I thought that much when I watched them train with bows.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because the vige was attacked in the past... and we hated how powerless we were.¡±

    Enri, who had been silent up till now, chimed in with the sentiments of every member of the defense forces.

    The truth was, despite their pale faces, nobody here wanted to flee. They had to stand and fight, had to protect their vige. After all, their friends and loved ones were behind them.

    ¡°Speaking of which, such arge force must have been gathered by a powerful being. Does this mean they¡¯ve been sent by the Giant of the East or the Serpent of the West?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not impossible.¡±

    Jugemu softly confirmed Brita¡¯s suspicions.

    If that was the case, it would mean Agu had drawn the monsters here. That was why Jugemu had lowered his voice, so the defense force would not pick up on it and direct their aggression at Agu.

    They had already told the vigers about the Giant of the East and the Serpent of the West, as well as the fact that their power rivalled that of the Wise King of the Forest.

    Although the Beast had been tamed by the Dark Hero, the mighty monster¡¯s form and presence had been etched indelibly on the vigers¡¯ hearts. Fear was the appropriate response to the thought of fighting something on the same level as that, foes which they had no chance of beating.

    ¡°So the Serpent of the West uses weird magic? Damn, what a pain.¡±

    Nfirea nodded at Brita¡¯s mumbling.

    ¡°Usually, monsters with racial spells won¡¯t have more than ten of them, but if they¡¯re the type which can practice and learn magic, they¡¯ll have ess to many more, which makes them troublesome. If they know magic that allows them to cross the walls...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m d that Enfi and the Goblins can use it, but letting the enemy use mahgic is cheating.¡±

    Enri said so in an unhappy tone, which drew grim smiles from the vigers.

    ¡°...But don¡¯t tell Gown-sama I said that, okay?¡±

    That follow-up made the vigers smile.

    That should lighten things up a little, Enri thought. Although it would be bad if they were too rxed, being too tense would also keep them from fighting effectively. The mood now seemed just right.

    Jugemu looked gratefully at Enri. It would seem he understood that point as well.

    ¡°Defense force, don¡¯t worry. Just stay far away and shoot. We¡¯ll handle the frontline.¡±

    The Goblins had trained the defense force for precisely this role, so this was the best way to deploy them.

    Gathering enough swords and armor to equip everyone in the defense force was very difficult in a small vige. And in the end, they were still vigers. They might have strong arms from using hoes and shovels, but that did not trante into sword skills. Only a genius could train himself into a warrior of a level that could defeat monsters in his free time between chores.

    With those points in mind, the Goblins realized that they could not train the defense force to a level where they could handle frontliner duty. Instead, they decided to teach them archery to let them fight from the back line.

    Although their technique had improved and they could hit their targets, they could not pull the strong bows which had good prating power, making it difficult to inflict damage on thick-skinned monsters. However, if they were lucky and fired in unison, there was a chance they might hit a vulnerable spot.

    ¡°Alright, just like we trained, line up and take aim at the other side of the door! Agu, youe in after the main door gets broken down. Stand with the defense force and stab the enemy with spears. Treat Brita-san¡¯smands as though they came from Ane-san and listen to her.¡±

    ¡°Ohhh! Leave it to me!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit. Now, listen up. I forbid you to run. Fight like mad until you die.¡±

    ¡°Of course! I¡¯ll definitely repay the kindness you showed by saving me! In fact, why not put me at the frontline with the Ogres?¡±

    ¡°You stupid kid! If I let you do that, you¡¯d just end up dying in a few seconds. You can say that once you get stronger!¡±

    After being scolded by the leader, Agu¡¯s face was filled with regret and some of the defence force members went tofort him.

    Enri sighed in relief as she saw this. For one, it meant that the vigers did not see him as the reason for bringing the monsters in. For another, it was proof that Agu was epted by the vigers.

    They were thest outsiders to arrive in the vige. Although they had not been shunned or treated badly, there was still a distance between them. However, from the look of things, that gap would vanish if they won today. It was ironic that the battlefield was the best ce to build the bonds of camaraderie.

    And it was because he felt that divide that Agu fought so fiercely. His objective was to contribute to the vige and raise the standing of himself and his people. It was the same in human society, which respected those who shed blood for them. Considering his people¡¯s status depended heavily on how Agu and his two friends performed, it was only natural that he was so passionate about it.

    ¡°Enfi, I have something to ask of you.¡±

    Enri stood beside Nfirea, and whispered into his ear.

    ¡°Oh, no, further a little ¡ª ah. Mm. Got it. Then ¡ª Agu, I have something to entrust to you and your friends, is that alright? I¡¯m going to give you my alchemical items, so I hope you¡¯ll use them well.¡±

    Nfirea opened his satchel. Inside were many bottles and paper sachets.

    ¡°Use these and throw them at the enemy. You¡¯ll miss if you¡¯re too far away, so try to use them at medium range... are you ready for this?¡±

    ¡°Leave it to me! I¡¯ll aplish this task perfectly!¡±

    Agu epted the satchel, and as they were waiting, one of the Goblins shouted down to them.

    ¡°They¡¯re on the move! No doubt about it, they¡¯re heading this way!¡±

    If one were to listen, they could hear the sounds of many monsters rending the night.

    ¡°Alright, defense force to your positions! Ane-san, watch out! Ani-san, you too!¡±

    ¡°Yes! I got it! Don¡¯t any of you die, please!¡±

    ¡°Leave it to us! Now then, let¡¯s go, Enri!¡±

    Nfirea ran up to Enri as her escort. Their job was to inspect each house to see if anyone had not noticed the emergency.

    ***

    As they watched Enri leave, the Goblins went to battle stations.

    ¡°Self-defense force, to your ces. Wait for the enemy to enter the target area.¡±

    There was no direct line of fire to the monsters outside the wall. They would need to shoot in an arc to do so, but amateurs could not do that, and they did not have the time to train them to that level. Therefore, the Goblins responsible for training the defence force decided to specialize them in one task.

    They trained the defence force tond arrows on the other side of the wall. That meant learning how much force to use, and practicing the right angle to shoot at in order to urately hit a specific area. It was training that waspletely useless outside of very specific circumstances. However, since the enemy¡¯s aim was to break down the gate and they were massed in front of it to single-mindedly attack the gate, the training was very effective.

    The monsters¡¯ cries drew closer, and the main gate shuddered under a series of impacts which could be felt in the nearby walls as well.

    ¡°Very good! Enemies are at the target area! Suppressive fire ¨D begin!¡±

    ¡°Here we go!¡±

    In response to Jugemu¡¯s shout, the Goblin Archers on the watchtowers ¨D Shuringan and Gurindai ¨D began shooting. As long as their target was within their line of fire, the marksmen of the Goblins could not miss. Screams of agony rose up from the other side of the door.

    The awful din of the battlefield filled the air, making the members of the defense force tremble in fear and nervousness. Amidst all this, Jugemu shouted once more.

    ¡°Defence force ¨D hold! Do not raise your bows until ordered!¡±

    They were told not to shoot when the enemy had reached the ce they had spent countless hours learning to shoot. However, in the next instant, everyone who looked at the towers understood the reason for that.

    Rocks hurtled over from the other side of the wall. Each one was about the size of a human head.

    Although many went astray, even a lucky hit on the watchtowers made them shake visibly.

    ¡°Rock throwers confirmed! Enemy rock throwers have multiple rocks remaining!¡±

    ¡°Each one has about 3 rocks, and roughly 21 rocks in total ¨D whoa!¡±

    Another thrown rock struck a watchtower and the wood splintered.

    If they began shooting, the defense force would be targets too.

    It was true that the defense force was out of sight of the enemy, and their uracy would be low. However, if they were unlucky, a single hit could kill people. Even a weakly-thrown rock could severely injure someone.

    One could say that Jugemu had ordered them not to attack for safety¡¯s sake. It also showed that Jugemu did not want anyone to die before the extended battle couldmence.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think we can¡¯t hit you just because you¡¯re throwing rocks at us!¡±

    Gurindai shouted angrily, and began shooting again while weaving through the hail of flung rocks. The defence force could not tear their eyes away from him, watching the way he fearlessly returned fire, knowing that he would be severely hurt if he was hit. However, Jugemu was not watching him. He quickly surveyed the battlefield and found new enemies in an instant.

    ¡°Kyumei! Climbing Snakes on the left nk! Can you handle the, by yourself?¡±

    ¡°No problems, Leader! Leave it to me!¡±

    Kyumei, who had been standing by in the rear, spurred his Wolf forward. Ahead of him were the Giant Snakes climbing the wall.

    ¡°Fifteen, sixteen! You two hang on a bit more!¡±

    There was no need for Jugemu¡¯s words. Not a hint of fear could be seen in the shooting stances of the two archers atop the listing watchtower. Though the tower would copse under them even without further attacks, they continued targeting the monsters and baiting rock attacks. On the left nk, Kyumei seemed to be doing well against the snakes.

    Finally, the watchtower bent and broke under the barrage of thrown rocks. Shuringan and Gurindai jumped down to the ground, rolling several times to disperse the impact of their fall.

    ¡°Defense force archers ready!¡±

    In response to the call, the archers prepared their bows.

    ¡°Breathe deep! In ¨D out! In ¨D Pull!¡±

    This voice was just like their training, and for a moment, the defense force archers forgot they were on the battlefield. They ignored the sound of the timbers creaking and performed the same movements like they had learned during practice.

    ¡°Loose!¡±

    Fourteen arrows traced beautiful arcs through the sky and vanished behind the wall, drawing more screams of pain from the monsters.

    ¡°Amazing,¡± Agu muttered to himself, but Jugemu did not have the time to bother with him.

    ¡°Second wave ready! ¨D Don¡¯t panic! ¨D Breathe deep! In ¨D out! In ¨D Pull!¡±

    By this time, Shuringan and Gurindai had been healed and took their ces by the defence force.

    ¡°Loose!¡±

    Once again, fourteen arrows flew forth, followed slightlyter by two more. The door creaked louder as the cries from the enemy intensified. The arrows must have gotten them mad ¡ª and made them hit harder.

    ¡°Back up! Change weapons!¡±

    The defence force moved as a group behind the barricades positioned behind the main gate. Anyone charging in would be stuck on the sturdy bars and spikes of the obstacle. The arrangement was in an L-shape, leading the attackers to where Jugemu and the Ogres were waiting for them. For the intruders, breaking through the gate would be like jumping from the frying pan into the fire.

    ¡°If you see any magic casters, get out of their line of fire!¡±

    ¡°Leader!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Agu?¡±

    ¡°Ani-san gave me some alchemical items and there¡¯s glue in there, where do you want it?¡±

    ¡°Will it be absorbed by the mud?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but he said it would only shorten its effective duration.¡±

    ¡°If so, then wait for a good opportunity and jam up the entrance.¡±

    After showing they understood, Agu and his tribesmen moved off as one. Kyumei returned after defeating the Snakes and immediately headed off to the Goblin Cleric to receive healing.

    There was the sound of wood splintering, and one side of the main gate was down. Enemy Ogres surged through the breach.

    ¡°Kuku, a bunch of brainless fools.¡±

    Jugemu mocked the iing enemies. They had made a fatal mistake.

    The monsters had only broken down one side of the doors. Once that side was down, they gave up on breaking down the other side and forced their way in, especially since they were afraid of being hit by arrows if they remained outside. However, with only one side of the door down, they could onlye in one at a time, which meant a lot of enemies were stuck squeezing through the entrance. In addition, they were caught in the angle of an L-shaped ambush, where all the defenders could focus their attacks on a small number of attackers at a time.

    ¡°Wee to the kill zone. Time to die.¡±

    The armed Ogres on the vige¡¯s side had an advantage in a slugging match against their wild counterparts, and the defence force had their spears to assist. Any Ogres who tried to break down the barricades would be taken down by the Goblin Archers, the Goblin Sorcerer and Agu¡¯s alchemical items. The Goblins would handle any beasts who broke through amidst the chaos.

    The situation was overwhelmingly favourable to them and there were still the Goblin Riders standing by in reserve. If the enemy had no magic casters, their victory would be assured. However¡ª

    ¡°¡ªWhat¡¯s that?!¡± Panic crept into Jugemu¡¯s voice. ¡°Is that a Troll out there?¡±

    It looked different from an Ogre, but it was about the same size. It lurched stiffly toward the defenders, emitting an oppressive presence as it came. In its hand, it held a greatsword with an unnatural air about it.

    A moist substance flowed from the middle of the de to its edges. That must be some form of magic.

    ¡°The boss took the field? ...Could that be... the Giant of the East?¡±

    It certainly looked that way. Its strong body looked like it had been trained until it was as hard as steel and it waspletely unlike any of the Trolls that Jugemu knew. At a nce, he could see how it could be on par with the Beast of the South.

    Just one Troll would require all of the Goblins to handle. It was an enemy that was tougher than any they had ever faced.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case...¡±

    Jugemu thought about what to do.

    It seemed hopeless. The best way would be to cover Enri¡¯s escape. If she did not want to, then even if they had to force her¨D

    ¡°...No, that¡¯s not the best way. That¡¯s the worst way, and ourst resort.¡±

    Having given up on that course of action, Jugemu spoke to his Goblin troops.

    ¡°...Oi, you lot. Afterwards, every single one of us is going to die. Don¡¯t even think about childish things like falling back. Make sure you brand your heroic forms into everyone¡¯s eyes!¡±

    The Goblins answered with a roar full of fighting spirit. In an instant, enemies and allies alike seemed to freeze.

    ¡°Here we go,ds! Let¡¯s show them the power of Ane-san¡¯s boys!¡±

    ? ? ?

    After a circuit of the vige and confirming that nobody had been left behind, Enri breathed a sigh of relief. Just then, the sound of something breaking came from the front. It was followed by battle cries from both sides, and the thunderous bass sounds churned her guts.

    That was probably the sound of the gate breaking and the Goblins joining battle. She swallowed the bile that had flowed up her throat from stress. The bitter taste remained in her mouth, but she ignored it to look at Nfirea.

    ¡°Enfi. We should be heading to the gate.¡±

    ¡°Understood. But you need to go to the rendezvous point and reassure everyone, okay?¡±

    Enfi¡¯s words had the subtext of don¡¯t get in everyone else¡¯s way.

    Enri had also been trained in the use of a bow, but now that the gate had been broken, the battle would have moved into close quarters with a spear. To be honest, even if Enri went there now, there was little she could do.

    ¡°I can¡¯t do that. I chose to lead the Goblins and the vigers, and as long as I¡¯m able, I need to do that. Although falling back is the correct thing to do, I can¡¯t do it.¡±

    She had to stand on the frontlines and see how the battle was fought. After seeing the conviction in Enri¡¯s eyes, Nfirea swept his hair aside to reveal his hardened features.

    ¡°That¡¯s true. I understand. I¡¯ll protect you.¡±

    The serious expression on her childhood friend¡¯s usually cid face made Enri¡¯s heart beat in strange and wondrous ways.

    ¡°Mm? What¡¯s wrong, Enri? I know, I¡¯m not as cool as Gown-san, but I won¡¯t let you die.¡±

    ¡°...Don¡¯t say die.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry. That... that...¡±

    As she saw her childhood friend struggle for the words to use, like he always did, Enri smiled.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Enfi!¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes! That¡¯s right, we don¡¯t have time to waste on talking!¡±

    The two of them ran to the front gate. Because they had started running from the rear gate, which was furthest away, it would take them a while to get there even if they ran at top speed. And if they got there gasping for breath, they would only get in the way if the fighting was underway. In order not to let haste make waste, they proceeded at a moderate speed.

    However, they only ran for a few seconds.

    The two of them heard a stomach-churning sound and halted in their tracks.

    Looking back, they saw something revealing itself from behind the wall.

    It was massive and bizarre. It was much bigger than its human equivalent, and for a moment they could not figure out what it was. In truth, it was a finger. Something clutched the top of the back gate, which was four meters tall, with its hand.

    ¡°¨DThat, what¡¯s that? A giant?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know! Ah¡ª¡±

    Nfirea¡¯s words cut off halfway, and his mouth hung open. Enri frantically turned to look at what had stunned him and ended up making the same expression.

    Something was slowly climbing the wall.

    Something which could not possibly be a human being.

    ¡°Could that be a Troll?¡±

    As she heard Nfirea breathing those words, Enri stared at the emerging monster.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Although it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen one, it¡¯s exactly like how I¡¯ve heard it would be. If that¡¯s really a Troll, we¡¯ll be in trouble... Trolls are opponents that even gold-ranked adventurers would have trouble beating. Honestly speaking, even Jugemu and the others would probably have a hard time.¡±

    Enri felt the blood drain downwards as she heard about something that was stronger than the mightiest being in the vige.

    The Troll that was revealing its massive silhouette snorted, and it slowly looked around its surroundings.

    Nfirea grabbed Enri by the hand dragged her into the shadows of a nearby house. HE covered her mouth and then whispered into her ear.

    ¡°Enri, Trolls have very sensitive noses. It¡¯s okay for now since we¡¯re downwind, but it¡¯s too soon to rest easy. You need to get out of here... then meet up with the Goblins.¡±

    Enri drew closer to Nfirea and whispered back into his ear.

    ¡°I can¡¯t, Enfi. If we let that guy go to the main gate, everyone will die in the pincer attack.¡±

    ¡°That might be the case, but right now, we can¡¯t¨D¡±

    ¡°¨DWe¡¯re the only ones here. That means it¡¯s up to us to stop it.¡±

    Between the gap in his hair, Nfirea¡¯s eyes looked at Enri like she had gone mad. Granted, Enri did realize she had just asked for the two of them to do the impossible, but there was no other way.

    ¡°We don¡¯t need to win or defeat it. We just need to dy it. Enfi, please lend me your strength.¡±

    ¡°¨DHow are we going to dy it? Lure that guy away from here? I suppose I could fight it directly... but I doubt I could take even a single hit from him.¡±

    Nfirea¡¯s quiet words revealed a calm determination inside him. In response, Enriid out her n.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got a n. For starters, let¡¯s make some Ogres.¡±

    ? ? ?

    The Troll stared briefly at a wooden, human-made house and began to move.

    All the houses smelled of soft, delicious humans, but it knew that was just leftover scent. After verifying there were no other scents in the area, it began striding toward the direction where the sound of battle wasing from. The sound of humans fighting its brethren made it drool, and it imagined the humans that would be there.

    A soft, lovely feast of human flesh.

    As a gourmet among Trolls, it loved the meaty limbs and disliked the bitter innards. Therefore, it was rare that it could eat its fill, but now it looked like it would get the chance to do just that.

    Its strides grew longer as it drooled in anticipation.

    However, the Troll halted and looked carefully around its surroundings. Or rather, it looked into the shadows of a nearby house.

    There were Ogres.

    The smell of Ogres was wafting out from there.

    It frowned. Although Ogres were its allies, there was a slight difference in the scent it was picking up. It was one of which he had no prior memory. And now it wasing from behind the house, surrounding him.

    Of course it had note to this conclusion because its nose was as sensitive as a bloodhound¡¯s, but because it had remembered the unique odor of its Ogre allies. As such, it did not know how many Ogres there were.

    And that brought up a question. There was a mysterious smell here as well, like the smell of crushed grass, but far stronger.

    Had those Ogres smeared themselves with the juices of shredded grass?

    It pondered this question and was confused The strong herbal odor stung its nose, and its tears were about to flow. If the Ogres could endure this stench, it must have been because they had a bad sense of smell.

    It could take them on face to face. As a Troll, it was much stronger than any Ogre. However, that did not mean it could escape unscathed, and it would take time to deal with them.

    Because Trolls had the racial ability of regeneration, their wounds would recover over time. However, regenerating its injuries would still take a while, which was troublesome. Who knew, its fellow Ogres might have eaten all the humans by the time it got there.

    Since the opposition had dispersed, they must be nning to attack all at once when it moved to attack.

    It felt a glimmer of pride at seeing through its opponents¡¯ n and slowly began moving again, intending to circle around the house.

    Its aim was to destroy them all quickly. Thus, the fact that its opponents had split up was a golden opportunity. All it needed to do was y the Ogres one by one, starting with the one at the edge of the group.

    It moved slowly, taking care not to make noise, but suddenly, a small shadow dashed out of a nearby house.

    It was not a Goblin, but one of its favorite prey, humans.

    In contrast to the Troll who had been surprised into inaction, the caped human sshed something upon it.

    ¡°Uguooooaaaahhh!¡±

    The Troll screamed from the overpowering stench. The green stuff emitted a powerful stink which burrowed into its nose and sinuses. This reek was several times stronger than that of the grass-stained Ogres.

    Even though it could regenerate, this was not a wound it could heal. It simply could not endure the smell. Its eyes watered and it took a step toward the human, but it had already run back into the house.

    The reason why the human had managed to get so close despite the Troll¡¯s keen sense of smell was because the human¡¯s scent had been masked by the scent of the crushed grass.

    Angered by the loss of its target, the Troll returned to its earlier target ¡ª the Ogres. First, it would kill the Ogres and then find that tantalizing food (humans), the Troll thought.

    The Troll circled the house angrily, but did not find any signs of the Ogres. It was as though they had vanished into thin air.

    ¡°Guuuuu, where?¡±

    It looked around. Ogres wererge, despite being smaller than itself, but it could not find any Ogres. Once they moved their massive bodies, the troll should have spotted them eventually. Could those puny Ogres go invisible, like their master? The Troll was confused by another situation it could not figure out, and snorted.

    However, the strong stink of herbs rising from its own body interfered with its sense of smell, and it could not follow the Ogres¡¯ scent trail.

    ¡°Guuuuuuuuuu...¡±

    The moaning Troll scraped experimentally at the fluid on its body. This time, its fingers stank. ncing around, the Troll found a fallen piece of cloth on the ground.

    The Troll considered that it might be good to wipe itself off with the cloth and picked it up with a curious expression on its face. It brought the cloth to its nose and sniffed. Its nose might ahve been disabled, but it could still pick up a bit of scent.

    The Troll smelled Ogre on the cloth, and suddenly, it understood.

    It had mistaken this cloth that reeked of Ogre-stink for an Ogre itself.

    This was not a coincidence.

    ¡°Hyuu-mans!¡±

    Roaring angrily, the Troll started looking around its surroundings. No humans. Then they should still be in their homes.

    The Troll¡¯s fist pounded angrily at a nearby house and after hammering at it several times, it reached up to tear the roof off, intent on destroying the interior.

    A human rushed out in a panic as it was demolishing the house. Eager to tear the human apart as well, it gave chase.

    ? ? ?

    The target (the troll) was chasing her. That meant the n was working. Though she was grateful for that, her heart was on the verge of seizing up and she wanted to cry. A gigantic, man-eating monster was pressing in from behind, and this high-stakes game of tag ¡ª if she lost, she would disappear down that monster¡¯s throat ¡ª was something which would drive an ordinary vige girl to tears.

    The fact that she did not know how long she would have to y this game made her want to cry that much more.

    If she knew when it would be over, she might have been able to will herself to keep fleeing until the very end. However, she did not know when the battle at the gate would end or if anyone had noticed this deadly game of cat and mouse, and whenever she thought about these diforting things, she felt her strength ebb away.

    Enri regretted not sending someone over to the main gate to make a report, but the preparations had taken too long.

    She ran with all her strength, rushing into the house where Nfirea was waiting. In turn, Nfirea rushed out of the back door, wearing the same hooded cape that she was. Enri held her breath, gulping and hoping that the enemy had not seen through their scheme. The Troll continued chasing Nfirea, not having noticed the switch.

    Enri calmed her ragged breathing and sped her hands in delight.

    Trolls were far superior to humans in stamina, stride length and physical ability, therefore a single person running away would definitely be caught. In order to recover stamina and move for extended periods, they decided to switch with each other without letting the enemy notice. This was intended to both buy time and to keep it from going to the rendezvous point where the people were.

    The question, then, was how to deceive it.

    How could Trolls tell humans apart? Maybe if they lived together long enough they would have a few ways, but this was not nearly long enough. Practically speaking, it would be by appearance, especially clothing. As such, Nfirea and Enri had worn the same rain capes and ponchos.

    Next, they had to keep it from differentiating between the two of them via its sense of smell, and the herbal juice was meant to take care of its keen nose.

    Enri had prepared two traps based on scent ¡ª one was to use the Ogre-stink to halt it in its tracks, and the other was using the stench of the herbs to disorient it.

    After she got her breathing under control. Enri began stealthily moving to the next house.

    She crept into the darkened interior of the house, peeking at the situation outside. With a ¡®dong¡¯ sound, Nfirea ran inside at top speed. At this moment, Enri ran out again from the back door by which she had entered.

    But then Enri realised that the Troll was not following her, even though she had run out of the house.

    The Troll snorted, then looked between Enri and the house. Its ugly face contorted even further. She guessed that the look on its face might be surprise.

    Cold sweat beaded on Enri¡¯s throat. She touched herself unconsciously, and her hand came away, cool and wet.

    ¡°...Its nose is used to it?¡±

    The Troll had gotten used to the smell of the herbs, and now it was suspicious of the smell of her sweat. It seemed to have realised that there were two humans.

    The Troll raised its hand and brought it down onto the house. Nfirea ran out again. However, his footsteps stopped, and he did not look like he was going to flee.

    ¡°Enri! Run away! I¡¯ll buy you some time!¡±

    ¡°¨DIdiot! Run with me!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll definitely catch up with us! Even if we use the houses as shields!¡±

    Enri¡¯s eyes went wide, and Nfirea smiled to her.

    ¡°I¡¯m stronger, so there¡¯s a higher chance I¡¯ll survive if you use me as a distraction!¡±

    Nfirea cast a spell, and his body was enveloped in a bubble of soft, gentle light.

    What he said made a lot of sense, and she could not refute him. Seeing this, Nfirea smiled again.

    ¡°And besides ¨D I want to protect the woman I love.¡±

    Nfirea turned toward the ferocious monster, raising his fist and pointing his thumb to himself.

    ¡°Come on, big guy, I¡¯ll y with you! Come have a go if you¡¯re hard enough! [Acid Arrow]!¡±

    As Nfirea taunted the troll in a decidedly out-of-character way, he fired a green arrow of acid at it. As it hit, steam rose with the sound of hissing and bubbling, making the Troll scream in agony, twice as loud as he had.

    The Troll fixed its rage-maddened eyes on Nfirea. It paid no more attention to Enri.

    ¡°Go! Go and get help!¡±

    It would be foolish to waste time here.

    ¡°¨DYou¡¯d better stay safe!¡±

    Saying that, Enri ran off.

    The Troll did not look like it wanted to follow.

    ***

    Frankly speaking, his chances of survival were zero. There was an overwhelming difference in their respective physical capabilities. And there was no way he could triumph over a foe that needed gold-ranked adventurers to beat.

    It was a battle so hopeless that being able to hold on for even a minute was worthy of praise.

    ¡°Yup, I¡¯m going to die.¡±

    Nfirea smiled bitterly as he watched the Troll, who was approaching him warily.

    It could not regenerate damage caused by acid and fire. Because of this, the Troll was especially careful around Nfirea, who could defeat its greatest ability. It could have won straight away if it had just charged over, and under the circumstances, Nfirea could not help butugh.

    ¡°Well, that works for me. [Hypnotism]!¡±

    The Troll¡¯s hostility seemed unchanged. It seemed to have resisted the spell.

    Realizing that it had been targeted by a spell, the Troll charged.

    The gigantic body approaching him was like a scene out of a nightmare.

    ¡°If it worked, I could have held on a bit longer... no such luck. Ahhh, what a shame.¡±

    Nfirea seemed to have given up. This was because it was apletely unwinnable battle, which had crossed the line from bravery to recklessness. But even so¨D

    ¨DHe had to buy time for Enri.

    That thought was what drove Nfirea to move.

    Making note of the Troll¡¯s upraised left arm, he ran forward and to the left. Seeking life in death, he plunged head-first into danger to reach the safety beyond it. The Troll¡¯s fist followed him, and the wind of its passing ruffled his hair. And in front of Nfirea, a mighty foot kicked out at him like a moving wall.

    Nfirea¡¯s vision spun wildly as he flew through the air, his body making cracking sounds like shattered tree branches.

    He hit the ground hard and rolled several times, like a piece of discarded rubbish.

    Pain coursed through Nfirea¡¯s body, which was still rolling over the ground. This was the most pain he had experienced in his life.

    ¡°But, but I somehow managed to survive. That¡¯s amazing. I¡¯m amazing...¡±

    He had hung on to life was because of the effects of his defensive spell and the fact that the Troll¡¯s footing had been poor when it had kicked him. Ignoring the pain that shot through him with every breath he took, Nfirea stood, and loosed another spell.

    ¡°[Acid Arrow]!¡±

    The pursuing Troll stopped in its tracks, wary of the pool of scorching acid at its feet.

    Mmm, just as nned.

    Nfirea¡¯s aim was to buy time. If the enemy stopped attacking and went on guard, he hoped it would continue to stay that way.

    ¡°...Damn, this hurts. I don¡¯t want to die...¡±

    Nfirea gave voice to his despair.

    In the end, this was all his life had amounted to.

    There were times when one did not want to face the facts, but the situation forced one to do so. This was such a situation,

    He would die here. There was no doubt that he would die.

    He wanted to run. Maybe if he ran with all his strength, he might be able to escape. But if that happened, what manner of tragedies would ur?

    Nfirea thought of Enri.

    He was able to fight because Enri was there.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve already told Enri... no. I don¡¯t want to die before I hear her answer.¡±

    The ever-approaching Troll could not understand the heart of a young man in love.

    He could not dy it any longer.

    He did not know how he had done it, but Nfirea managed to read his opponent¡¯s thoughts through its ugly face. It was determined to kill him, even if it got hurt. If that was the case¨D

    ¡°[¨CAcid Arrow]!¡±

    All Nfirea could do was wound the Troll, in order to make things easier for his allies who would face the Troll after him.

    The Troll raised its fist, face twisted from the pain of being burnt by the acid. Nfirea ¡ª who was wracked with pain, for whom even standing up took everything he had ¡ª had no way of resisting the next hit.

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Please hurry!¡±

    Led by Enri, the three Goblins ran to save Nfirea.

    The reason they had met up was not because Enri had reached the main gate, but because Enri and Nfirea had not returned, and the howlsing from the rear had worried Jugemu enough that he had sent three Goblins out to investigate.

    If only they could have held on, the Goblins would have saved her and Nfirea. As Enri thought that, her heart was shredded by guilt.

    This was really a stroke of bad luck.

    If it hadn¡¯t been like this¨D

    ¡°There!¡±

    Enri pointed to Nfirea, in front of them. And towering over him, the Troll was raising its fist.

    They could not reach him to help. The distance was just too far.

    The Troll¡¯s hand fell like a thunderbolt. It could destroy a house in a single blow. Nfirea was dead beyond all reasonable doubt.

    Enri closed her eyes, and in the darkness she heard the Goblins gulp in surprise.

    Their out-of-ce response led Enri to fearfully open her eyes¨D

    ¡°Wow~ your HP¡¯s in the red~ You okay?¡±

    ¨DAnd she saw a beautiful woman holding a gigantic weapon.

    Lupusregina was carrying a huge weapon that looked like some sort of oversized religious symbol, holding it lengthways and using it like a shield to block the Troll¡¯s fist. The weapon¡¯s size and the maid¡¯s slender arm seemedpletely mismatched to the point of surreality, but this was no dream or illusion.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll take care of this guy. ...Oh wait, you¡¯re hurt, Enfi-chan. [Heal].¡±

    The Troll stepped back from the iprehensible scene before it. The blow which it had put its full strength into had been blocked by a human, so its reaction was only to be expected. No, perhaps it thought there was some kind of magic at work here.

    Nfirea had a stunned look on his face as turned his back on the troll and limped away. It was a thoroughly unguarded posture, but the Troll did not press the attack. No, it could not just ignore the neer who had stepped in to take Nfirea¡¯s ce before it.

    ¡°Enfi!¡±

    Enri hugged Nfirea tightly.

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s you, Enri.¡±

    His weak reply, as though he were dreaming, told Enri that he was at his limit. Although he was out of danger, he had still suffered great mental damage.

    ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re alright.¡±

    ¡°¨DY-you too.¡±

    Enri felt the warmth return to her heart recing the cold that had filled her in the moment when she thought Nfirea had died.

    ¡°I¡¯m really d you¡¯re fine!¡±

    Enri hugged Nfirea tightly, with all her strength.

    ¡°So am I.¡±

    Nfirea reached out his arms to hug Enri in return. Although they were embracing each other tightly, it felt veryfortable.

    Enri¡¯s tears welled up and spilled out, streaming down her face.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°...Idiot.¡±

    ¡°Ahhhh~ Sorry to interrupt you two while you¡¯re making out.¡±

    ¡°Lupusregina-san!

    Enri let the strength flow from her arms, and at the same time Nfirea loosened his grip. Feeling slightly disappointed, they both turned to Lupusregina.

    ¡°The Troll¨D¡±

    Shifting her line of sight, Enri saw something which was hard to describe.

    ¡°Ah, this ~su? Kinda looks like an uncooked hamburger patty, doesn¡¯t it? All it needs is a good charbroiling.¡±

    A ball of blood-spattered meat shifted and twitched under the bloodied head of Lupus¡¯ crozier. There was nothing about the pile of broken flesh that suggested that it had once been a Troll. However, what made it disgusting was the fact that it was slowly regenerating, and still breathing.

    ¡°Ahhh well~ it¡¯s good that the two of you are fine ~su. Then I guess I can clean things up on my end ~su.¡±

    Enri heard the voices of the Goblins approaching. It seemed like the battle for the main gate had been won.

    ¡°There you go~¡±

    It looked as though fire had descended from the heavens as a pir of red me engulfed the Troll, producing the stench of cooked meat.

    ¡°That takes care of the Troll. Since my job¡¯s done, I¡¯ll be taking off. Ah, Enfi-chan, Ainz-sama wants to reward you for developing the purple potion, so he invited you to his house. Hope your affairs are in order ~su. Or should I say, anyst words?¡±

    After saying so, Lupusregina walked off towards the rear gate.

    ¡°Thank you very much!¡±

    Lupusregina did not stop or turn back in response to Enri¡¯s shouted gratitude, only waved her hand.

    ¡°...Ane-san, Ani-san, we¡¯ll take over the task of guiding the others. You two should go have some rest over there.¡±

    The Goblins walked off without waiting for a reply. Shouldn¡¯t they have left someone with us, Enri thought, but her concern for Nfirea overruled that, so she lent him her shoulder to lean on.

    After leaving the corpse of the Troll behind, the two of them sat down.

    ¡°Haaaa.¡±

    The two of them sighed as one. Then, the two of them looked up almost simultaneously to the night sky.

    ¡°You were saved.¡±

    ¡°Mmm.¡±

    ¡°It was just good luck.¡±

    ¡°Mmm.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t do that again.¡±

    ¡°Mmm.¡±

    Silence flowed between the two of them. Enri suddenly spoke the words in her heart.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know whether or not this is love, but I don¡¯t want you to go anywhere, Enfi.¡±

    ¡°...Mmm. ...Mmm.¡±

    ¡°Is this love?¡±

    ¡°...I don¡¯t know. But if it is, I¡¯d be very happy.¡±

    Enri and Nfirea said no more, leaning shoulder to shoulder and watching the stars until the Goblins arrived¡ª

    <b>Epilogue</b>

    ¡°Ane-san, looks like you¡¯re ready,¡± Jugemumented on Enri¡¯s appearance as he entered her home.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right... is it odd?¡±

    As she asked Jugemu her question, Enri looked down at the dress she was wearing ¨D one of the best she had, which she usually reserved for the harvest festival.

    ¡°Not at all, don¡¯t you think, Ani-san?¡±

    ¡°Mm. You¡¯re very pretty, Enri.¡±

    ¡°Really!¡±

    With a red face, Enri looked at Jugemu and Nemu as they smiled. Or rather, Nemu¡¯s grin was not just mischievous, it was downright evil.

    Ever since Enri and Nfirea¡¯s rtionship had taken a step forward, they had been looking at them like that more and more often. However, she realised that saying anything about it would only embarrass her further, so she had wisely chosen to keep her mouth shut.

    However, leaving it alone was dangerous too. Especially for Nemu.

    Sometimes, her little sister would ask questions that she could not answer.

    It just feels like she¡¯s suddenly matured mentally over the past few days... maybe I should ask Enfi for help about this...

    Seeing the plea in Enri¡¯s eyes, her lover (Nfirea) spoke.

    ¡°Umm, ahem! Speaking of which, Jugemu-san, can you use that magic sword well? I heard it¡¯s not like normal swords, and using it is tiring.¡±

    The greatsword which Jugemu was holding had been obtained in the raid several days ago.

    ¡°I¡¯ve gotten used to the sword¡¯s weight and center of gravity, so I can use it as well as my old sword. Its sharpness and so on are much better than the other one, but that¡¯s a magic weapon for you. However... the poison in here, it weakens the people it cuts, but it¡¯s a bit strange...¡±

    ¡°It is? Is it a powerful effect?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not a particrly strong poison. Someone on my level can resist it easily. However, against weaker opponents...¡±

    Jugemu¡¯s face took on a dark expression.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Ah¨D¡± Jugemu said as he looked to the ceiling, speaking in an irritated voice. ¡°I was thinking about the Troll I got this sword from. There was something weird about it.¡±

    ¡°The corpse doesn¡¯t seem any different from a normal Troll. Maybe it was a mutant Troll?¡±

    ¡°No, no, I didn¡¯t mean that, Ani-san. From its movements, itsck of regeneration, the way it felt when I cut into it... it felt weird... that¡¯s right, like a body that was already dead. Something bizarre and foreboding like that.¡±

    ¡°A moving corpse? Like a Zombie?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. There might be a species of Troll like that¨D¡±

    ¡°¨DThanks for waiting!¡±

    The door opened in time with that fresh and bright promation.

    With the sun at her back, Lupusregina strolled boldly into Enri¡¯s house. As Enri and the others watched in stunned silence, a spang sound came from the top of Lupusregina¡¯s head.

    ¡°Owie~¡±

    ¡°You idiot. How could you be so rude? Everyone, I apologize on her behalf.¡±

    After pulling Lupusregina back, the woman in the back bowed to them.

    ¡°I am Ainz-sama¡¯s maid, Yuri Alpha. I am here to receive Nfirea-sama, Enri-sama and Nemu-sama. I apologize for the intrusion?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. Pleasee in, Lupusregina too.¡±

    The woman who had entered with Lupusregina had an otherworldly beauty, just like Lupusregina.

    ¡°Then, once you¡¯re ready, we can begin the teleportation straight away.¡±

    ¡°Te-teleportation? You can teleport?!¡±

    Nfirea was practically shouting. Although Enri did not know why Nfirea was so surprised, she could guess that it was a big deal.

    Was teleporting the Warrior-Chief and the others a big deal too?

    ¡°Ah, no. This is not my power, but that of a magic item Ainz-sama gave me.¡±

    ¡°...The horn, the potions too. He¡¯s amazing. He¡¯s so amazing I have no idea what¡¯s going on.¡±

    Nfirea¡¯s shoulders sagged. Sensing an opportunity, Enri decided to ask a question.

    ¡°Then, is it really all right for me to go? And my little sister too!¡±

    Today was the day that the vige¡¯s savior, Ainz Ooal Gown, had invited Nfirea to his home. However, she felt uneasy when she heard that even a mere vige girl like herself could apany him. Their host was a powerful magic caster, and they were people who lived inpletely different worlds. The idea that she might identally do something rude made her stomach hurt.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright ~su. Since we¡¯re celebrating Enfi-chan¡¯s new invention, his girlfriend En-chan cane along, no problem. Ainz-sama said so too, yanno. Formality¡¯s not such a big deal.¡±

    ¡°...Lupus, mind your tone.¡±

    ¡°Yuri-nee, what¡¯s wrong with that? We¡¯re friends, right? En-chan~¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ah, yes. Yes. That¡¯s right. Mm.¡±

    Yuri sighed with a ¡®Haaa...¡¯, then walked to the front of a nearby wall. Suddenly, a gigantic wooden closet appeared, as though from thin air. It was big enough for people to pass through with ease, and its exterior was intricately carved, so it looked like a decorative closet.

    ¡°...Is that [Pocket Space]? No, this is too big, it should be a higher-tiered spell.¡±

    ¡°Now then, please, enter. Lupus, can I trust the safety of this ce to you?¡±

    ¡°Understood ~su¡±

    The wooden cab should have been backed up against a wall, but when one looked inside, its interior seemed to stretch into another world.

    Yuri took the first step and walked through to the other side of the closet.

    She was followed by Nfirea, and a little bitter, by Enri, holding tightly to Nemu¡¯s hand.

    There was no resistance as they passed through the wall ahead of them, and they found themselves inside a vast, grand pathway, nked by statues on both sides that were so life-like it seemed like they might even move.

    ¡°Uwah~¡±

    Nemu eximed softly as she looked up to the ceiling, her mouth as wide as her eyes. Enri held her to keep her from falling, and she looked up as well.

    ¡°Amazing...¡±

    It was a dignified-looking passage whose floor was made of polished rock, upon which a colorful carpet had beenid to show the way forward. Enri was struck dumb with admiration; she imagined that this must be what pces looked like.

    ¡°Please, walk this way.¡±

    Yuri¡¯s voice snapped her out of her daze, and she thought of running a little to catch up with the two people ahead of them. But since that would be entirely unbefitting of a ce like this, Enri merely quickened her footsteps to advance swiftly.

    After walking for a short distance, a wall appeared with a closet door upon it, simr to the one they had used to enter. However, there were two key differences. The first was that this door was several timesrger than the first, big enough for several people to enter at the same time. The second was because they could not see what was inside it, only a thin, sparkling multicolored film.

    ¡°Then, please enter like you did previously.¡±

    Enri and Nfirea looked at each other.

    ¡°In that case, we¡¯ll go in together.¡±

    Enri and Nfirea linked their hands. From left to right were Nemu, Enri and Nfirea, and together they walked into the door.

    In an instant, amidst a shower of pink petals, there was a vision of a woman in clothes which were red on top and white below¨D

    ¡°Wee~¡±

    A harmonious chorus of voices greeted them.

    Looking around, they had arrived in an even more luxurious hallway, with two rows of astoundingly beautiful maids nking them on both sides. At the end of a passage stood a man in a ck robe that seemed to suck in all light from around him, wearing a bizarre mask. He was the savior of the vige, Ainz Ooal Gown.

    Enri froze in ce, her mouth open.

    The chandeliers on the ceiling sparkled, and the white marble floor was spotless.

    A magnificent passage and pretty maids all in two rows. It was like walking into a fantasy world.

    Lost in this ephemeral, dream-like world, Enri identally lost her grip on Nemu¡¯s hand. The part of her mind that was notpletely overwhelmed by her surrounding recognized this, and in the next moment, Enri snapped back to reality.

    Nemu ran ahead.

    ¡°Amazing! It¡¯s so amazing!¡± Nemu shouted at the top of her voice as she ran. She ran down the two lines of maids, and towards Ainz.

    Faced with a world that overwhelmed her emotional capacity, she could no longer control herself and let herself run wild.

    ¡°It¡¯s super duper amazing!¡±

    ¡°Nemu! Come back!¡±

    Enri started running a fraction of a secondter. She broke out in a sweat from Nemu¡¯s disgraceful behavior.

    However, this was a divine realm, where she was nked by beautiful maids. The sound of her vige girl¡¯s footsteps made her hesitate. Enri¡¯s self-contradictiory footsteps betrayed how she felt, and in the end she limped along like a dying frog.

    While Enri was still limping along, Nemu had already reached the side of the vige¡¯s savior.

    ¡°Is it really that impressive?¡±

    ¡°Yup! It¡¯s really amazing!¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Amazing... no, perhaps that¡¯s true.¡±

    Ainz reached out a hand, and quietly patted Nemu on the head.

    ¡°Is the ce where I live truly that wonderful?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s really wonderful! Did you make this, Gown-sama?¡±

    ¡°Hahahaha, yes, that¡¯s right. My friends and I did.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s amazing! Gown-sama and Gown-sama¡¯s friends are all amazing!¡±

    ¡°Hah! Hahahaha!¡±

    Clear and brightughter reverberated through the hallway.

    By this time, Nfirea and Enri had nervously reached the two of them. Enri tightly gripped Nemu¡¯s hand, determined never to let go.

    ¡°We thank you for your kind invitation from the bottom of our hearts!¡±

    ¡°There is no need for such formality. We are here to celebrate the production of your new potion. Be at ease.¡±

    ¡°Gown-sama, I am truly sorry. My sister Nemu has been rude to you.¡±

    ¡°Really, think nothing of it. She was moved by the sight of my residence, was she not? Then that is no insult to me,¡± Ainz replied in a cheerful mood. ¡°Now then... while I had intended to speak to Nfirea-kun after this... Nemu, how about it? Do you want to see the home that I, no, that we created together?¡±

    ¡°Yes! I wanna see! I want to see the amazing house Gown-sama and his friends made!¡±

    Nemu spoke before Enri could refuse.

    ¡°Hahaha. Very well, very well! I have such sights to show you...¡±

    Enri was unable to speak once she saw the good mood Ainz was in.

    ? ? ?

    She settled down onto a recliner, remembering that she had been asked to wait in the receiving room while Nemu was shown around.

    Rather than say she was invited here, it would be more urate to say that she was like a small animal that had been taken from its nest. She sat uneasily, and looked around herself. Beside her ¨D despite the size of this ce, the two of them stuck closely to each other ¨D her lover Nfirea was also unable to keep still, much like a small animal himself.

    Enri could understand that her vige¡¯s savior, the magic caster known as Ainz Ooal Gown, was a mighty being, but what she had seen today went beyond her wildest imaginings.

    It was as though she had stepped into a shining dreamscape, or a story where princesses and other great figures took center stage.

    The firece was decorated with ss birds that had been carved to life-like perfection. If she broke one, she could work her entire life and still be unable to pay for it.

    The sofa which she sat upon was exquisite, and Enri wondered if she was dirtying it with her clothes.

    The chandelier, the first she had seen in her short life, was not lit by torches,nterns, or candles, but by magic instead. She had seen magic lights before in E-Rantel¡¯s Adventurer¡¯s Guild, but they could notpare in brightness or style.

    The furniture was tasteful and luxurious. Of particr interest was the weightiness of the ebony table before her. Even though Enri had no idea how valuable these kinds of things were, she was still able to tell that this was a very valuable piece.

    A lifelike portrait of a beautiful woman hung on the wall, painted in intricate detail.

    Even the carpet on the floor made Enri hesitate to step on it with her shoes. It was so soft that as she sat on the sofa, she wondered if she ought to raise her feet so they would not touch the floor.

    Enri was so nervous that she was about to faint.

    ¡°I knew we should have gone with her.¡±

    Although she could not refuse Ainz, the idea of Nemu going by herself made her stomach boil in anxiety.

    ¡°I just hope she doesn¡¯t trouble Gown-sama...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine, don¡¯t worry. Gown-sama is very generous. I think he¡¯ll overlook any minor rudeness from a young girl.¡±

    ¡°Mm, but, you see, if you anger a noble, you¡¯ll be executed...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that too, but to be honest, I¡¯ve never seen it before. E-Rantel and its surrounding territory are administered by the king himself, so I don¡¯t think the nobles would dare to make a fuss... Is Gown-sama a noble?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t he? Anyone with such a luxurious manor and so many pretty maids would have to be a powerful noble, right? There¡¯s no way they could gather all these things otherwise.¡±

    ¡°Mmm? Is that so? To be honest, I don¡¯t think even a noble could assemble beautiful maids like these.¡±

    Enri¡¯s eyebrows shot up at a dangerous angle.

    She had been the first to say that the maids were pretty, but when Nfirea said it, it made her feel unhappy. Just as she was abot tto re at Nfirea ¨D there was a knocking on the door.

    ¡°Aiiiee!¡±

    Enri¡¯s shoulders twitched violently, and because the two of them were pressed against each other, the twitch was transmitted to Nfirea, who shuddered as well.

    The knocking came again. Enri frantically thought about what the knocking meant, and in the meantime Nfirea opened his mouth.

    ¡°Ah, er, pleasee in.¡±

    ¡°My apologies.¡±

    The way Nfirea had given the right answer with such calm mystified Enri, and what entered was a maid pushing a silver serving cart. She was a beautiful woman, dressed in sparkling clean and spotless clothes which even an amateur could recognize as a high-ss maid outfit. A gentle, warm smile adorned her face. However, Enri was worried that at any moment it would twist into an angry expression as she eximed, ¡°What are you two doing!¡±

    ¡°¨DThe beverages are ready.¡±

    ¡°N-no thanks!¡±

    The maid¡¯s face disyed stunned confusion for a moment as she parsed Enri¡¯s lightning-fast answer. Then she turned her gaze to Nfirea, and then back to Enri.

    ¡°...Ah, is that so?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes.¡±

    Perhaps she sensed how Enri was so tense that her body had frozen up, or Nfirea¡¯s innate nervousness, but the maid smiled, genuine and gently. She said a simple ¡°My apologies¡±, and sat herself down beside Enri. Then she gently ced a hand on the petrified Enri¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Emmot-sama, please do not be so tense. Both Emmot-sama and Bareare-sama are guests here, so all you need to do is be at ease and rx.¡±

    ¡°But, but... w-what if we break something in here...¡±

    ¡°Please be at ease. Ainz-sama will not be bothered even if the objects in here are damaged.¡±

    ¡°But, but how? All the things in here are...¡±

    Even thinking about the cost of the things she could see in a quick nce around the room made her head hurt. And to think, these items were not a big deal?

    ¡°Yes, Ainz-sama is extremely wealthy.¡±

    ¡°Tha-that I know.¡±

    After all, he was the kind of man who could freely give out valuable and potent items such as those horns.

    ¡°Which is why I would like you to be at ease. Deliberate damage aside, Ainz-sama will smile and forgive you for any idents. And even if anything is damaged, it can be repaired with magic.¡±

    ¡°Even if you say that, that...¡±

    ¡°I understand. Then, please have a drink. That way, you¡¯ll be able to rx.¡±

    ¡°But...¡±

    Enri nced at the tea service on the silver pushcart. They were exquisitely made of porcin, edged in gold, and the reverse side was a vibrant deep blue, patterned with intricate designs. They looked delicate enough that Enri was worried that they would break the moment she touched them.

    ¡°Enri, have a drink. It would be rude to refuse further.¡±

    ¡°Ah, then, ah, thank you.¡±

    ¡°Understood... hm, I see. The fragrance and taste of herbal tea is an acquired taste. Would you rather have traditional ck tea instead?¡±

    ¡°Yes, please, thank you.¡±

    The smiling maid prepared the tea for them with flowing, elegant movements. After rinsing the cups with hot water, she served the tea. In addition, she ced two more small containers before them.

    ¡°Please add the desired amounts of milk and sugar to taste.¡±

    Enri opened the sugar pot. What she saw were white solids that resembled nothing so much as powdered snow. The vige girl mechanically deposited several sugar cubes into her cup, stirring them until they dissolved. After that, she added milk. Then, Enri took a sip, and felt like her face was going to melt.

    ¡°S-sweet!¡±

    ¡°Mm, I guess adding the sugar would do that. It¡¯s not often that you get to taste sweet things in the vige, and you don¡¯t raise bees... if I¡¯m not wrong, you only have something like syrup? I remember there was spice-making magic but that¡¯s something else entirely...¡±

    Enri forgot where she was, and eximed loudly.

    ¡°Try your hardest to recall it.¡±

    After hearing him go ¡°Ah, um, yes¡± and makeother noises, Enri took another mouthful of the red tea, and the sweet taste let her heart calm down.

    ¡°Really, it¡¯s sweet and delicious.¡±

    Just then, several knocks came from the door. The maid moved quietly over and opened it.

    ¡°Ainz-sama and your little sister have returned.¡±

    As the door opened, Nemu rushed in, all smiles. Ainz followed behind her.

    ¡°Nee-san! It¡¯s amazing! It¡¯s shiny and pretty and really amazing!¡±

    As Nemu hugged her sister around the waist, Enri rose to bow to Ainz, all the while taking care to not let her little sister¡¯s feet dirty the sofa.

    ¡°Gown-sama! I apologize for any rudeness my little sister has showed you!¡±

    ¡°Certainly not. Rather, I should apologize for keeping her for so long.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no such thing. We¡¯re very grateful.¡±

    Ainz waved his hand to indicate that it wasn¡¯t a problem.

    ¡°Then before I discuss matters with Nfirea-kun, let us eat.¡±

    ¡°Eh? We¡¯re imposing too much¨D¡±

    Facing the panicking Nfirea, Ainz replied with a calming gesture.

    ¡°This is to ensure my deal with Nfirea-kunter will be favorable to me.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by deal?¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯ll exin before we eat.¡±

    Ainz sat on the other side of the sofa.

    ¡°To begin with, I have no intention to openly market the potion you make. Or rather, without the ingredients I provide, you can¡¯t manufacture the purple potion. Do you agree?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s been difficult to get this far, even when we¡¯re using the material provided by Gown-sama. There¡¯s still a lot of unknown factors, like how potent it is and what other effects it has.¡±

    ¡°Therefore, offering it publicly would only cause problems. Although simply asking about the ingredients should be fine... we can¡¯t be sure that people won¡¯t try to take it by force, no? ...And from what Lupusregina¡¯s told me, your vige has suffered a monster attack. There is the possibility that these monsters, seeking the protection of strong walls, attacked your vige in search of safety. Do you know why they did this, and did you take any prisoners?¡±

    There were none, Enri answered in her heart. When they heard the monstrous roar from behind ¨D made by the Troll Enri and Nfirea had encountered ¨D the Goblins simply did not have the time or the ability to take anyone captive, and just finishing the fight had taken enough from them that there were no enemy survivors.

    And that guy with the magic sword was very strong...

    ¡°Is that so. Well, that¡¯s a shame... I considered the reasons why your vige might have been attacked, which was what I just told you. As the vige¡¯s defenses be stronger, it will in turn create more problems. When an object is more valuable, it will be desired by more people, right? Simrly, if news of the potion leaked out...¡±

    ¡°...We should keep it a secret.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m d you understand, Nfirea-kun. If we could make the red potion using just the ingredients from around the vige, there would be no reason to keep it a secret... that is to say, everything we discuss after dinner will need to be kept strictly confidential. It concerns a duty to keep a secret. Then, preparations for the meal should be finished soon. Shall we?¡±

    ¡°Ah, no, there¡¯s no need for food, how could we possibly partake of such amazing...¡±

    Enri hurriedly shook her head.

    ¡°...Well, although I won¡¯t force you... you do know that we prepared dDagon steak for a main course, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Dragon?¡±

    Dragons. In all the stories Enri had heard, they were mankind¡¯s enemy, but some of them were friends of justice. However, no matter what stories they appeared in, they were always powerful beings. Could such beings be food?

    Impossible. He must just have been teasing them.

    If Ainz had not been the one saying it, she would have thought so.

    However, since it was the great magic caster in front of her telling her this, that meant there was a high chance it was true.

    ¡°We also have desserts. Have you ever had ice cream? Although E-Rantel had some... don¡¯t think I¡¯ve tried them before. They¡¯re ice-cold, and sweet... and they melt in your mouth. Something like sweet ice or snow.¡±

    Enri and Nemu could not help gulping.

    ¡°That¡¯s a high-ss luxury. Just one of those would cost more than a day¡¯s worth of food.¡±

    ¡°It seems you have tried something like that before, Nfirea-kun. Then I shall produce more delicious ice cream for you than you can possibly imagine. Following that ¡ª where¡¯s the menu?¡±

    In response, the maid recited a long string of words.

    ¡°For today¡¯s lunch menu, we will be serving two hors d¡¯oeuvres. The first will be a dish of Piercing Lobster, which is a form of Noatun seafood, in a velout¨¦ sauce. The second will be a dish of Poiret¡¯s foie gras of V¨ªe¨®pnir. The soup will be an Alfheim-style cream of sweet potato and chestnut soup. We have selected meat for the main course, which would be the marbled steak made from Jotunheim¡¯s ancient Frost Dragons that Ainz-sama mentioned earlier. After thates dessert, which would be Golden Applepote, served in white wine and topped with yogurt. In addition, we have ck tea-voured ice cream coated in gold leaf. For the after-meal beverages, we have considered that coffee may not suit everyone¡¯s taste, so we also have fresh peach juice. That is all. If any part of the menu requires amendment, please inform us and we will do so immediately.¡±

    Is this a spell incantation?!

    Enri, who had no clue about what had just been recited, was sure of that.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t everyone like foie gras? I think children will. Please add it to the menu for me. How about something light?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Then, we shall add scallop sd and star plum confit as hors d¡¯oeuvres.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, there is that... is this menu better than the previous one?¡±

    ¡°Eh?! You¡¯re asking me?!¡±

    Enri, who had been suddenly put on the spot, answered frantically. It would be very bad if she had to keep talking about this stuff she knew nothing about.

    ¡°Ah, er. No. Uh. I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡±

    It had taken all her effort to get a single sentence out. Ainz instructed the maid to prepare the meal as suggested.

    Nemu looked at Ainz with worshipful eyes, muttering ¡°so amazing¡± to herself. Enri felt the same way. This was too far removed from the world she usually lived in.

    Wealthy people could spend money on luxuries. And being able to eat, not just to fill one¡¯s stomach, but for nothing more than pleasure, was part of that.

    Wealth, knowledge and power. A magic caster who had all of these.

    He was a being that Enri as a simple farmer had no hope of reaching, a person better referred to as a king who stood above the tops of the clouds. This masked magic caster was such a formidable individual.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s go. Although, I don¡¯t intend to join you. The three of you ¡ª that¡¯s right, this family of yours should enjoy the meal with no reservations. After that, we will discuss business. Ah, I need to tell Lupusregina that I¡¯m adding one more person to the list.¡±

    ¡°Eh? What¡¯s that, Gown-sama?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing, Nemu.¡±

    Ainz stood up, and the sparkly-eyed Nemu stood up too.

    Enri¡¯s face had turned slightly hot from being referred to as a family, but she noticed something odd about Nfirea, who was rising slowly.

    His mouth was ttened into a straight line, with no intention of opening it. However, Enri knew the secret to loosening him up.

    That was to stare at him. Through the gap in his hair, Nfirea¡¯s eyes flickered back and forth, until atst, as though giving up, he sighed.

    ¡°I was thinking that I can¡¯t beat him. No, I know I can¡¯t beat him. He¡¯s far better than me as a man.¡±

    ¡°But you do know that I like you the way you are now, don¡¯t you, Enfi?¡±

    Was the difference in their levels as men such an important thing? As a woman, she could not understand how significant it was.

    Nfirea¡¯s face turned bright red, then he took Enri¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    There was no longer any darkness in those words.

    Although she did not know why her lover¡¯s feelings had changed, cheering up should mean that he was happy. Hand in hand, Enri and Nfirea chased after Ainz and Nemu.

 Chapter 58 - Volume 8

    <h4>Overlord Volume 8 Side 2 (1/2)</h4>

    <b>A day in Nazarick</b>

    Trantors: Rockgollem

    Editing: Skythewood, Namorax, TaintedDreams, Nigel, Ferro, NoirX, Zack Tan, SifaV6

    Special thanks to Anon

    <b>5:14 Nazarick Time</b>

    A droplet of water gathered at the end of the golden faucet, and it slowly swelled, until atst it was pulled down by gravity and sshed onto the floor of the bathroom.

    There were several bathing facilities within the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, and this was one of them.

    Someone soaked within a stone bathtub that wasrge enough to amodate several people at once.

    Blue water dripped off a slippery white body. This blue color was not a literary allusion, but an actual blue color, as though it had been produced through a deliberate application of dye.

    A blue-colored liquid licked at the porcin-like body, starting from its feet. Its slippery body defied the force of gravity and crawled upwards, unlike the water which flowed in all directions.

    ¡°...Fuaahhhh...¡±

    The bathroom was very echo-friendly, and the thus words which had unconsciously slipped out were unexpectedly loud within its confines

    Perhaps it was ashamed by its own voice, but a slender hand suddenly emerged from the blue liquid. The expected sound of water droplets and ripples in the water¡¯s surface were nowhere to be found. That was because this liquid was abnormally viscous.

    The upraised hand caressed a face which many had praised for its beauty.

    ¡°Haa~¡±

    The person in question sighed softly, then let itself fall backwards into the liquid. However, that person¡¯s body did not sink into the water. Rather, the blue liquid slowly caught that person¡¯s slender frame. The softness resembled a waterbed.

    The liquid was clearly sapient.

    That point was promptly proven in the next moment.

    The blue liquid began to writhe, extruding several tentacles that were the thickness of one or two fingers each. These tentacles began to move, as though to embrace that person. Naturally, the same thing was happening within the blue liquid as well.

    It touched the face, the chest, the belly, the arms, the legs ©¤ as well as the loins.

    After seizing its prey, the liquid began squirming, as though satisfied. In truth, it was a Sapphire Slime, a high-level slime variant.

    The Sapphire Slime began moving the long, thin tentacles which wrapped the body.

    The tentacles infiltrated the tiny crevices of the groin.

    ¡°©¤Ahhhhhh...¡±

    The cry rang out once more. While it was louder than before, that person did not think about lowering their voice this time, simply focused on the sensations of the slime working around and writhing within their body.

    The sound of someone talking to themselves echoed through the bathroom.

    ¡°©¤Ah, this feels great. It¡¯s too good for words.¡±

    ***

    The person within the bathtub ©¤ Ainz ©¤ muttered to himself as he took a slime bath.

    He scooped up a handful of slime and poured it onto his head. The slime which had been hard at work cleaning out the crevices of his pelvis seemed to sense where its master wanted it to clean next. Ainz felt the slime crawling around on his head.

    ¡°Huu, this is paradise.¡±

    Ainz¡¯s undead body wasposed entirely of bones.

    He had no metabolism, so his body would not stink or be dirty from bodily wastes. However, this did not mean he did not need to bathe. After all, dust and soot still umted on him, and sometimes he would be sshed by his enemies¡¯ blood. In the end, he would still get dirty.

    Besides, as a Japanese person, he felt very ufortable about not bathing.

    ¡°I could only take steam baths over there (in my original world). So once I knew I could bathe here, I wanted to soak my entire body into the tub... perhaps bathing is a deeply-ingrained practice for Japanese people.¡±

    He went through the motions of exhaling while he sank further into the slime. The slippery sensation received and epted his body.

    It would not feel strange if he treated it as a viscous liquid.

    Normal bathing is very troublesome.

    Ainz lowered his head to look at the most troublesome part of his body.

    The rows of his ribs came into view.

    Cleaning each rib one by one was very troublesome. Ainz recalled his struggle from when he had done it before, and sighed ©¤ despite the fact that he did not need to breathe.

    That was not the only troublesome thing.

    His spine was the same way. The protrusions snagged his towel, and he could not clean them off easily in one quick go. He had to slowly clean each individual vertebra.

    At the beginning, Ainz had taken great care in bathing himself. However, Ainz soon began to find it tiresome, despite his supposed mental resilience. It took at least half an hour to bathe, and he could not help but think ¡°Are you kidding me?¡±

    After that, he decided to soak into soapy water and turn around inside it like a washing machine. That was a pretty good idea. The problem was that he did not feel clean. If he did not scrub himself, it did not feel like he had gotten all the dirt off him.

    Following that, he used a handled brush to scrub himself. That was quite effective.

    Granted, the soap and foam went everywhere, but it was not as though Ainz was the one cleaning it anyway. Cleaning was the maids¡¯ job, and they were delighted at the chance to show their stuff. It was truly a win-win situation.

    However, even this good idea was wed.

    That w was not knowing if he had really scrubbed himself clean.

    It was just like getting a cavity despite carefully brushing one¡¯s teeth; though he thought he had scrubbed himself from head to toe, he was still worried that he had missed scrubbing some part of himself.

    In the end, Ainz hit on this solution, which was to let a slime engulf him.

    ¡°This technique... as I thought, it¡¯s truly revolutionary and unique, a perfect technique that can¡¯t be faulted,¡± he muttered to himself as he looked at the blue slime crawling all over himself.

    Ainz nodded happily, satisfied by the method he had invented for easy bathing. For all he knew, this might have been the best thing he had thought up since he came to this world.

    ¡°Well done, me!¡±

    As Ainz praised himself once more, he looked to the slime which industriously oozed all over him.

    How cute...

    Monsters like these were extremely vicious; they could dissolve their enemies with acid and they were strong enough to bend iron bars with ease. Yet to Ainz, they were his bathhouse attendants, who helped get him clean. To some extent, they felt like pets.

    Still, while slime baths are good... I¡¯d like to take a regr bath sometime.

    There were all sorts of facilities on the 9th Floor of Nazarick. One of them was arge bath. It was aplex of various bathing sub-facilities themed after a spa resort.

    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll go bathe there and see what it¡¯s like...¡±

    That said, bathing by himself was too boring. That being the case©¤

    ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll get the Guardians to go with me. It¡¯d be good if there¡¯s a time when everyone¡¯s free.¡±

    Ainz smiled at his good idea.

    <b>7:14 Nazarick Time </b>

    There were two types of maids in Nazarick.

    One group was thebat maids, as represented by Yuri Alpha, and the other was the regr maids who had nobat abilities. Thetter were homunculi, with abined racial and job level of 1, and they were responsible for various jobs in the 10th and 9th floor of Nazarick. In particr, cleaning the various Supreme Beings¡¯ rooms was a task of utmost importance to them.

    One of these regr maids, known as Sixth, moved rapidly along the corridor, for she was in a rush. This was a simple maid technique ©¤ not a special skill or anything ©¤ and it carried her to the cafeteria.

    There was only one reason to go to the cafeteria at this time.

    When she arrived, almost all her colleagues had already gathered for breakfast and started eating.

    The cafeteria was predominantly white in color, with sparse decoration. The echo of the girls¡¯ cheerful chatter echoed off the walls like ripples in water. It would not have been much of a problem if there was only one person, but since there were many people speaking, their voices blended into one iprehensible noise. On top of that, the sound of clinking tableware added to the din.

    The maids in the cafeteria could be separated into four main groups.

    The first three groups were sorted ording to their creators. There were 41 regr maids in total, but it was not because each Supreme Being had created their own maid. Rather, the regr maids were created by the trirumvirate of Whitebrim, Herohero, and Coup De Grace.

    Strictly speaking, thest group was not a proper group by itself. It wasposed of those maids who had detached themselves from the first three groups in order to eat in silence, to eat while reading or to talk to maids who had been made by other Supreme Beings.

    Sixth, who had arrivedte at the cafeteria, belonged to thest group.

    She waved to the maids made by the same Supreme Being as herself ¡ªthey were her sisters, in a sense¡ª and then headed to her usual ce.

    ¡°Good morning... have you eaten?¡±

    ¡°Good morning. And yes, we¡¯ve already eaten. Breakfast was so good~ so creamy and fluffy and tasty~¡±

    The person delivering that deadpan reply was called Foire. She was bad at lying, but lied anyway. She had short hair and her maid skirt was simrly shortened to match her energetic appearance.

    Contrasting her was Lumiere, who had a neat look about her. There was a mysterious gleam in her blonde hair, which sparkled like there were stars in it.

    ¡°Good morning. ©¤Foire, since you shouldn¡¯t need seconds, you can wait here for us. I haven¡¯t had breakfast yet, so I¡¯m going to get some. Come, Sixth, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Lumiere stood, trailed closely by Foire, who was frantically saying, ¡°I was just kidding, really~¡±

    After concluding their usual dialogue, the three of them went over to the self-service buffet counter. Naturally, they had the maid called Increment, who was quietly reading a book beside them, watch over their seats.

    The first thing Sixth took at the buffet bar was a serving of crispy bacon. As a member of the faction which believed that ¡°soft bacon is the devil¡±, she always went for that first. Next, she helped herself to some soup. Of the three vours today ¡ªsoup of the day, corn and onion¡ª she selected thest. After that were sausages, french fries and danishes. Her other te was piled high with onion sd, almost to the point of spilling. Finally, Sixth ced an order with a masked manservant.

    ¡°Um, I¡¯ll have triple cheese, double onions, and extra mushrooms.¡±

    The manservant nodded, and began making the omelette.

    Sixth returned to her seat to put down her dishes, and then poured herself a ss of milk before returning to where the manservant was waiting with her freshly-prepared omelette.

    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±

    The wless omelette was perfectly prepared, without a single singe mark on it, and she returned to her ce just as her friends did.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s eat!¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s eat~¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡±

    The three of them had their breakfast in silence. Slowly but steadily, they transferred the mountains of food ¡ª far in excess of what a normal girl would consume ¡ª from their tes into their bellies. It was because they all possessed increased appetites, as a racial penalty.

    Because of that, even though they were among friends, they never talked while eating.

    Foire chewed while her cheeks were bulging with food, Lumiere ate elegantly, but her fork moved at a ferocious speed, and Sixth ate at a rate in between the two.

    Soon, their tes had emptied with startling swiftness, and the three of them downed their sses after that.

    ¡°Huuu...¡±

    The three of them exhaled, the scent of milk heavy on their breath, and then looked at each other.

    ¡°Seconds?¡±

    ¡°Sounds good, but let¡¯s take a break first.¡±

    ¡°I approve~ Feeling kinda stuffed now, anyway. Say, Sixth, isn¡¯t it your turn to serve Ainz-sama today? You seem more determined than usual today.¡±

    Foire smiled mischievously, and so did Sixth.

    ¡°Lucky you, how much longer will it be until it¡¯s my turn?¡±

    Lumiere counted off the days on her fingers.

    ***

    The rooms of Nazarick¡¯s supreme rulers were massive in scale, so much so that one person would need half a day or more to clean one of them carefully. While the maids had the raw numbers to clean them all on a daily basis, even with Albedo¡¯s spare room factored in, that would require a lot of people to work all day without any rest.

    However, this was not a problem to the maids. They had been created by the rulers of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, the guild Ainz Ooal Gown; it was only fitting that they should work their fingers to the bone for them, because it was an act of venerating their gods.

    And then, these fanatical workers had been told to stop by the god-like being, Ainz Ooal Gown.

    Ainz knew the hardships of working under hicalpanies, and he could not bear to let these girls, who were like his friends¡¯ daughters, suffer like that.

    He had told them, ¡°Don¡¯t clean the unused rooms so frequently¡±, and then ¡°You will work and rest ion shifts.¡±

    Thus, the regr maids of Nazarick were organized into two shifts; the day shift and the night shift. The former had 30 people and thetter had 10, while the one remaining person got the day off. After calcting the working days for the maids, the announcement that they would have a break every 41 days was met withints.

    It was not that there were too few days off, but the opposite. They requested that the day off be cancelled.

    Ultimately, working for the Supreme Beings was the reason for their existence. Telling them that they did not have to work damaged their sense of self-worth and made them feel like they were no longer needed.

    As such, the maids decided to discuss the matter with Ainz. They said, ¡°Please don¡¯t take our jobs¡±, ¡°We want to do it all day and night¡±, and so on.

    Ainz shot the suggestion down on the spot. The concept of fatigue existed in YGGDRASIL and while it could be easily remedied with magic, there was no guarantee that fatigue would be healed as easily in this world. Even with magic, he was worried that it would steadily degrade their ability to function, like a cogwheel losing its teeth.

    Yet, the maids adamantly refused to back down. Faced with their tears, Ainz gave in and proposed a new type of work for them.

    They would have to personally serve Ainz.

    That task entailed staying by Ainz¡¯s side to attend to his every need and whim, and the maids would take turns filling that role.

    This offer was as tempting as sugar sprinkled with honey to the maids, whose greatest joy in life was to serve the Supreme Beings. They epted the suggestion without a second thought, along with the order that ¡°you need to take care of yourselves and rest well the day before, so you can serve with all your strength when it¡¯s your turn.¡±

    ***

    ¡°We need our nutrients so we can work hard, you know. Plus, depending on the circumstances, you might need to skip a meal too.¡±

    ¡°Of course, when you serve Ainz-sama, your brain needs all the nutrients it can get.¡±

    ¡°I want something sweet~¡±

    The three girls nodded in unison. Incidentally, all the maids carried several meals¡¯ worth of candy and other such treats on them. They would snack on them whenever they had free time while serving Ainz. However, be it fortunate or not, they simply could not find that free time. As such, the morning meal was very important to them.

    ¡°Have you heard? They say they¡¯re going to cook using ingredients from the outside world and have a food tasting.¡±

    The other two gasped at Sixth¡¯s statement.

    I expected as much, Sixth thought.

    Few of the maids thought well of the outside world ¡ª the world thaty beyond Nazarick. Some of them felt that the outside world was inferior to Nazarick, but most of them were afraid of it, because the floor right above their home, the 8th floor, had once been invaded by people from the outside.

    ¡°Will all the maids be attending the tasting? Or will only a few of us be allowed to go?¡±

    Just as Sixth was about to answer Foire¡¯s question, the atmosphere in the cafeteria changed. The air itself seemed to heat up.

    As the neer came into the maids¡¯ sight, they squealed in delight.

    ¡°Shizu-chan!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Shizu-chan!¡±

    The person who had just entered the cafeteria was one of the Pleiades, CZ.

    The battle maids were like idols to the regr maids, and CZ was the most popr of them all. There were frequent struggles to sit next to her.

    ¡°Ah, the penguin¡¯s here too.¡±

    CZ held a penguin under her arm, and a worried-looking manservant was trailing behind her. It was the Assistant Butler, Eir. He pped his wings with all his strength, but there was no way he could escape with the strength of a level 1 Birdman. His desperate struggles quickly lost their vigor as the maids looked on.

    In the end, the penguin ran out of strength and went limp, like a real stuffed doll.

    ¡°¡°Shizu-chan! Over here, over here! Come eat with us!¡±

    ¡°No,e over here! Shizu-chaaaan~¡±

    ¡°Just throw that butler away! Over there would be fine!¡±

    ¡°Send that useless bird to the head chef, at least he¡¯ll contribute to Nazarick that way!¡±

    There was a marked difference in the reception that the Assistant Butler and CZ received from the maids, but that could not be helped. He was disliked because he loudly proimed that he wanted to take over Nazarick, despite being a mere assistant butler. Even if he had been created that way by the Supreme Beings, his frequent announcements of those wild words made him quite unbearable.

    CZ peered through themotion around her, as though she was searching for someone. The adorable way in which she did so, like she were a child who did not know where to sit, made many of the maids¡¯ hearts beat faster.

    ¡°Even that bird looks cute when Shizu-chan holds him, how strange.¡±

    ¡°I want a Shizu-chan hug pillow. Albedo-sama seems to know how to make those, I wonder if she¡¯ll teach me?¡±

    ¡°Albedo-sama is very kind, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll agree. Why don¡¯t you try asking her next time?¡±

    The sound of a book closing with an audible thud came from the next table over, and when Sixth turned to look, her eyes met Increment¡¯s.

    ¡°This ce is getting noisy, so I¡¯m going back. Since you¡¯re attending to Ainz-sama today, you should probably finish breakfast quickly and head over to him. Any mistakes you make will reflect on all of us.¡±

    Having said her piece, Increment turned and left without waiting for a reply. As she watched her fellow maid leave, Sixth took out her pocket watch. Fortunately, she still had some time. After freshening up, she should be just in time.

    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll go grab some more stuff to eat while everyone¡¯s focused on Shizu-chan!¡±

    Foire and Lumiere nodded at Sixth¡¯s idea.

    ¡°Oh~ that¡¯s a nice idea~su¡±

    The sudden answer from the side made the three maids gasp.

    ¡°Lu-Lupusregina-san!¡±

    With hands sped over her lurching heart, Sixth turned to face the source of the voice. There had been nobody there just a moment ago, but Lupusregina had appeared out of nowhere while everyone was distracted by Shizu and looking away. She sat sideways on a chair with her legs up on the table and even had a share of her own food.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t scare us like that, honestly~¡±

    Foire was still clinging tightly to Lumiere, her eyebrows pressed into a / shape.

    ¡°My heart almost jumped out of my mouth~¡±

    Lumiere barely paid any attention to Foire, who was clinging to her. She spoke quietly, like she had been scared out of her wits.

    The three of them directed reproachful voices at Lupusregina, yet they were actually just a little happy inside. That was because Lupusregina was the only one of the battle maids who treated them like friends, although her actions were hard to predict. She spent her time moving between the different maid groups, so being approached by her was a sign of good fortune. The best proof was how some of the others were looking at Sixth and her group with envious eyes.

    ¡°Nishishi, seems my experiments in the vige didn¡¯t go to waste, you three gave me some pretty amusing reactions~¡±

    The way Lupusregina supported her face with her arm on the table, while having an evil grin on her face, made her look a little like a cat out of the storybooks. Although her smile was nothing but mischievous, it was still surprisingly charming. Sixth watched the battle maid smile for a while, utterly fascinated by her.

    The other two seemed to feel the same way, but the first to recover was Foire.

    ¡°The vige?¡±

    Foire tilted her head, which made her short bob hair brush against Lumiere¡¯s face.

    Lumiere resisted the urge to sneeze and shoved Foire away, and then she rearranged herself so she was looking Lupusregina straight in the face.

    ¡°Lupusregina-san, you work outside, right?¡±

    ¡°Yup, in the human vige ~su.¡±

    ¡°Humans, huh... it must be tough.¡±

    Lumiere looked at Lupusregina with sympathetic eyes.

    ¡°Nah, it¡¯s nothing like that! Since Ainz-sama ordered it, it¡¯s worth doing! ...Although, I have to say, it¡¯s kind of boring. How should I put this... it would be so much more fun to squish them beneath my feet.¡±

    Sixth had no particr opinion about that statement. Humans and their viges and whatnot were unimportant to her. Whether they prospered or were destroyed, the only thing that mattered was if they were useful to Nazarick.

    ¡°Come to think of it, Ainz-sama said that vige was very valuable, but I don¡¯t see it~su¡±

    ¡°Given Ainz-sama¡¯s personality, he must have said so because he pitied the miserable little humans there..¡±

    ¡°No, no, Ainz-sama¡¯s like a hurricane of death. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s just waiting for the right moment to kill them all, right?¡±

    ¡°What are you saying? Don¡¯t you know Ainz-sama is a genius? All this must be part of his n.¡±

    ¡°Ara, I can¡¯t pretend I didn¡¯t hear that. Isn¡¯t Ainz-sama¡¯s power the best part of him ~su?¡±

    The four beautiful girls stared at each other, none of them willing to back down.

    ¡°Ainz-sama is a beautiful,passionate person.¡±

    ¡°Ainz-sama is Death,e for this world.¡±

    ¡°Ainz-sama is an iparable hero.¡±

    ¡°Oh, looks like everyone has a different impression of Ainz-sama. Then, let¡¯s have apetition. We¡¯ll see who can pick out the most suitable title for Ainz-sama.¡±

    In an instant, everyone went silent. Lupusregina was wearing her usual smile, but she had a certain understanding of her liege¡¯s qualities and was unwilling to admit defeat. However, Sixth and her two friends felt the same way.

    The regr maids were weak beings, but their respect and adoration of their master was no less than that of anyone else¡¯s.

    ¡°Then, the three of you may start off ~su.¡±

    ¡°In that case... ¡°

    Lumiere was the first to speak.

    ¡°Then, as I said earlier, I wish to praise Ainz-sama¡¯s beauty. So how about ¡®A figure of beautiful porcin, shining and wless, the gentle lord of mercy.¡¯¡±

    Next was Foire.

    ¡°Well, if we¡¯re going to praise Ainz-sama, then we should praise his awesome power, right! As a ruler of death, what could be more fitting than ¡®Memento Mori¡¯?¡±

    The third was Sixth.

    ¡°Ainz-sama was the one who coordinated the Supreme Beings, so his management skills would be excellent. So he is a ¡®wise king¡¯.¡±

    Although everyone¡¯s names fitted their master well, in the end they all thought that their own choices was the best.

    Lupusregina coughed gently as Sixth, Foire and Lumiere looked at her. With a proud look on her face, she said,

    ¡°In the end, we shiuld call him the absolutely strongest and most¡ª¡±

    ¡°...There you are.¡±

    The source of the calm voice was CZ. The assistant butler Eir she had been holding under her arm had vanished to parts unknown.

    ¡°...Stop using invisibility all the time.¡±

    ¡°Soz~ it¡¯s a habit ~su¡±

    ¡°...And you started eating.¡±

    A sun-hot anger burned under CZ¡¯s emotionless face. Sixth had the feeling that she should not be here any longer.

    ¡°...Ah, I-I have to go to Ainz-sama!¡±

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll go too.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll send you along~¡±

    Sixth and the others quietly vacated their seats, though they did feel a little bad ignoring Lupusregina¡¯s pleading looks toward them.

    In the end, they did not manage to get seconds. It was a bit of a shame, but she had to pull herself together now.

    Sixth paid no heed to the danger in the air behind them. Instead, she lightly pped her cheeks to focus herself. Her face had the stern, brave expression of a soldier heading off to a war, but her footsteps were light and fast.

    ***

    <b>9:20 Nazarick Time </b>

    This was the 6th Floor of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.

    The undead which roamed the tomb were nowhere in sight, but magical beasts ©¤ such as the controlled by Aura ©¤ defended this location in ce of POP monsters. This area ©¤ known as the most expansive in the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick ©¤ wasrgely covered by dense forest, to the point where it could be described as a sea of trees.

    That said, the past members of the guild Ainz Ooal Gown were very meticulous about details They certainly would not paint this area green and be done with it.

    There was a Colosseum here, a giant tree, traces of a vige which had been swallowed up by the jungle, ake, a venomous cave, a twisted grove, a mangrove forest and a bottomless swamp, all of which added variety to the Sea of Trees. Recently, they had even built a small vige to receive new residents.

    In the center of this sea of trees was a bigke ©¤ that said, it was still smaller than the undergroundke area on the 4th Floor ©¤ which was surrounded not by forest, but by grasnd. While the grasnd andke were fairly small whenpared to the entirety of the 6th Floor, it was stillrge enough for their purposes.

    Their ©¤ the first of ¡°them¡± was the Floor Guardian Aura. She rode easily atop a gigantic wolf with jet-ck fur, and just a nce was enough to tell that she was an old hand at this.

    However, that was only to be expected. After all, when she patrolled thisrge area, she preferred to do so while riding the magical beasts under her dominion, although running would have been easy enough, given her preternatural physical abilities.

    There were two other people.

    One of them was the Guardian Overseer, Albedo. She was not wearing her usual, beautiful white dress, but the ck full te armor which she donned forbat. However, she was not carrying her weapon or shield.

    The other was Shalltear. She looked the same as always, and her eyes had a strange look which was less of interest than enjoyment.

    ***

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s begin ©¤e, my mount.¡±

    The skill Albedo used was called [Summon Mount].

    A magical beast slowly emerged out of nowhere, as ck as the armor she wore.

    This beast had a white mane and tail, and it resembled a horse. It was d in a suit of full-te barding, and it was fitted with reins and a saddle.

    It was slightly smaller than a horse. However, its presence was far more oppressive than that of an ordinary horse. The most defining difference could be found on its head. There, one would find two horns that protruded straight outwards.

    The first response to the magical beast which had suddenly appeared came from Aura, who knew the most about such creatures.

    ¡°Oh! It¡¯s not like an ordinary Bicorn! Its horns are strong and it looks really beefy too.¡±

    ¡°Fufu,¡± Albedoughed. ¡°That¡¯s right. This Bicorn has been strengthened by my abilities into a War Bicorn Lord... well, it¡¯s actually a level 100 Bicorn.¡±

    ¡°Can it fly?¡±

    ¡°No, it can¡¯t. It¡¯s fundamentally the same as a regr Bicorn; it doesn¡¯t have any special abilities, just improved stamina, strength and dexterity.¡±

    ¡°Looks like you can¡¯t really strengthen your mount without rider-type skills ©¤ in that case, since its special abilities are too weak, it might get in the way if it took part in our level 100 battles¡±

    ¡°Indeed. However, I can make up for that by using my skills to protect this boy, so it can fight for longer periods.¡±

    ¡°But doesn¡¯t that mean you¡¯ll be wasting your resources on it? It¡¯ll be a big hassle inbat, right? Why not power it up by changing its gear? I hear mount-type monsters can be equipped with barding and horseshoes and so on.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. You can change the equipment of mounts summoned through skills. It¡¯s rted to the question asked just now, Aura; for instance, I could equip it with horseshoes that grant flight, and it would be able to fly. However, I¡¯ve already given it magic items to boost its speed... it really is a tough decision.¡±

    Albedo lightly patted the nk of the magical beast. Perhaps she had used too much force, but the Bicorn shuddered.

    There was no way a magical beast she had summoned would be thrown off bnce by just that much. Just as Albedo frowned while wondering if it was making a fool of her, Aura asked a question.

    ¡°Say, does it have a name?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a Bicorn, right? Didn¡¯t you just say so yourself?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t mean the name of its species, I mean its name as an individual.¡±

    ¡°Does it need one?¡±

    She looked to Shalltear for her reaction. The Vampire said nothing, simply shrugged.

    ¡°Surely it needs one, right? Isn¡¯t it your pet, Albedo?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not really a pet... besides, do I really summon the same one each time?¡±

    As she heard Albedo¡¯s question, Shalltear came up with a great idea, which she decided to share.

    ¡°How about asking Kyouhukou? He excels at summoning hisrades, so he ought to know a lot about this sort of thing.¡±

    ¡°...Give me a break. He¡¯s a fellow member of Nazarick, and I shouldn¡¯t hate him, but...¡±

    ¡°Ah ©¤ indeed. They don¡¯t mean ill, but they crawl into your clothes all the same. However, Entoma seems to visit him from time to time.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s gross~ stop talking about things that make me feel all itchy... that ce really is a house of horrors. I might be in charge of that Floor, but I honestly do not wish to go in there.¡±

    ¡°...Shalltear, did you know? Entoma calls that ce the snack room.¡±

    ¡°Ugeeeh©¤! Seriously? Seriously? Uwah ©¤ I don¡¯t want to go near Entoma ever again.¡±

    Albedo felt the same way. She did not wish to approach anyone who could call that sort of thing a snack. Just as the mood started to turn queer, Aura decided to raise her voice and clear the air:

    ¡°Anyway, why don¡¯t you name it?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. If you think naming it is better, then I shall.¡±

    Albedo muttered to herself as she fell into contemtion. Since she was going to name her mount, then obviously she had to give it a name that would not embarrass her. She thought of various words and phrases, and then a sh of inspiration struck her as a song yed in her head.

    ¡°What are you mumbling about?¡±

    ¡°Ah, my apologies,¡± Albedo said, as though she had just woken from a dream. ¡°Well. If Ainz-sama permits, I would like to give it a name that represents how I feel; ¡®Top of the World¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Hmm ©¤ that¡¯s a good name. By Top of the World, you mean Ainz-sama, right?¡±

    Albedo smiled, but did not answer.

    Shalltear¡¯s eyebrows quirked up at a dangerous angle.

    As the tension built in the air, it was Aura who had to break them up, as usual.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like anything will happen. Anyway, since you¡¯ve called out your Bicorn, let¡¯s perform the next experiment!¡±

    ¡°Mm, I understand.¡±

    Having been treated as a child throwing a tantrum, Shalltear narrowed her eyes and red at Albedo as she turned to the bicorn and put a greaved foot on the stirrups. Albedo mounted up on it with a grace that did not seem like it hade from someone wearing armor. The moment she touched the saddle, she could feel the Bicorn¡¯s body quivering through the point of contact.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?!¡±

    Albedo could not help eximing. She could not think of any reason why this level 100 Bicorn would be unsteady on its feet. Suddenly, she recalled what had happened when she had patted the Bicorn.Could it be that some problem had urred then? If that were the case, then what was the cause?

    ¡°Aura! Shalltear! Something strange is going on with my Bicorn. Could you help me take a look?¡±

    Just then, the Bicorn began to wobble. It looked like it could no longer stand up. The two of them looked at it and realized that there was something abnormal going on here.

    ¡°In... in any case, you should get off first, Albedo!¡±

    ¡°Al... alright.¡±

    After hearing Aura say so, Albedo finally responded by jumping off the creature.

    The wobbling Bicorn promptly copsed. It was panting heavily and its coat was covered in a fine sheen of sweat.

    ¡°...Albedo, did you get fat?¡±

    Shalltear was not saying that to make fun of her. Any observer would have thought the same thing.

    ¡°How rude! I¡¯m always watching my weight because I¡¯ve got more muscle than most!¡±

    ¡°Then, could it be that its muscles wasted away because you haven¡¯t been riding it regrly? By the way, I raise all my kids free-range, and I often take them patrolling around the 6th Floor.¡±

    ¡°Eh? How could that be... speaking of which, [Summon Mount] ©¤ isn¡¯t it just like a normal summoned monster? There¡¯s no way it could get weaker.¡±

    ¡°Would you like me to ride it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it won¡¯t work. This is my mount, and nobody else can ride it. If anyone tries, it¡¯ll automatically unsummon itself.¡±

    ¡°Then how about asking the mount itself? Hey, Bicorn, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Aura asked it a question. It was not that Aura could speak with horses, but magical beasts like Bicorns ought to have pretty high intelligence, so Aura hoped that it would understand human speech. Of course, the Bicorn could not speak, so all it could do was neigh like a horse.

    ¡°It can¡¯t speak... don¡¯t tell me it can¡¯t write either?¡±

    The Bicorn whinnied in the affirmative.

    The three of them looked at each other.

    ¡°Aura, can you use your skills to do something amazing?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t. Besides, what do you mean by amazing? Didn¡¯t you ask me what abilities I had when we had our one-on-one chat a long time ago? Don¡¯t tell me you forgot that too, Guardian Overseer-dono!¡±

    ¡°Ara... how do you usuallymunicate with Fenrir, then?¡±

    ¡°I just tell him to do this and that.¡±

    ¡°So you speak to him, right? So if you try, you should be able tomunicate with this Bicorn, am I correct?¡±

    ¡°Just because I canmunicate with the beasts I control doesn¡¯t mean I can speak to all beasts. And besides, I already tried. The Lizardmen have a pet called Rororo, right? I don¡¯t know why, but I just can¡¯t get through to him.¡±

    The three of them looked at each other once more.

    ¡°...If we¡¯re stuck, the only one we can turn to is Demiurge, after all.¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, Demiurge is now working abroad on Ainz-sama¡¯s orders. He hasn¡¯t spent much time in Nazarick recently. I can contact him, but frankly speaking, I don¡¯t really want to consult to him if it¡¯s not rted to work.¡±

    A look of jealousy appeared in Shalltear and Aura¡¯s eyes. Demiurge ©¤ who ran around working for their master ©¤ was the object of the Guardians¡¯ envy.

    ¡°Ah~ I really do envy him. I know that the defense of Nazarick is an important job, but if nobody invades, then we won¡¯t have a chance to show our stuff, and it makes me wonder if I¡¯m actually useful. I want to go outside and aplish something so I can work hard for Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°All I¡¯ve done recently is make mistakes...¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Shalltear. I think that you¡¯ll have the chance to work for Ainz-sama soon ©¤ no, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll have the chance to do so. But you need to be a bit smarter, otherwise that might be a bit tricky.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s... a little harsh?¡±

    ¡°Ahhh, the fact is, you did mess up. You need to produce results worthy of a Guardian.¡±

    Shalltear grit her teeth, and then suddenly her face brightened up, as though a light bulb had just switched itself on above her head.

    ¡°Ku, ku, ku, now why are you all talking bad about me? What I wanted to say was that if Demiurge wasn¡¯t around and we couldn¡¯t ask him, then I would lend you a helping hand instead. Well, since it can¡¯t be helped, I¡¯ll look it up for you!¡±

    Shalltear took out a book. It appeared thick and heavy, like it had a thousand pages at the very least. However, to Shalltear ©¤ who looked like a girl on the outside but who was anything but on the inside ©¤ its weight was nothing much.

    ¡°Ohhh©¤! Don¡¯t tell me, don¡¯t tell me that¡¯s...!¡±

    ¡°Hnnng, a treasure bestowed upon you by Ainz-sama!¡±

    It was not just Aura; even Albedo looked upon Shalltear with jealousy in her eyes.

    ¡°Indeed! This is the Encyclopedia Peroroncino-sama! It¡¯s my reward forpleting Ainz-sama¡¯s orders!¡±

    While this was more of a constion prize cum appreciation award, to Shalltear it was instead the best form of praise, and she smiled in satisfaction. No, that was only natural. An item from her creator was more valuable than any form of encouragement.

    ***

    This book was called the Encyclopedia. It was an item every yer received after starting the game, and it could not be stolen or lost unless its owner chose to dispose of it. In addition, it was unique.

    YGGDRASIL was a game of enjoying the unknown, and this item could be said to be a physical expression of the developers¡¯ desire for yers to transform the unknown into the known.

    This was because the Encyclopedia recorded the visual data of all the monsters a yer had ever encountered. However, it did not disy statistics ©¤ the monsters¡¯ ability scores ©¤ but only its typical appearance and name. If it was a monster from mythology, it would also disy the relevant contents from the myth in question and other relevant information.

    In order to make effective use of this book-shaped item, one would need to personally enter the information which one had gathered into the book. Such information included a monster¡¯s special abilities or its weaknesses and so on.

    The Encyclopedia that Shalltear possessed had once belonged to the man called Peroroncino, and he was the one who entered the data within that book. Ainz remembered that he had left this item in the Treasury when he had quit the game, and so he handed it to Shalltear.

    However, a lot of the content which Peroroncino added had been erased. It was as though Peroroncino were afraid of leaving it behind and deleted it.

    As a result, the item was not very useful, but Shalltear did not mind. This was an item that her creator had once used. That was the important thing.

    ***

    ¡°B ©¤ Bi ©¤ Bicorn,¡± Shalltear muttered as she flipped through the pages.

    Aura and Albedo leaned in to take a look, but Shalltear used her body to cover up the book and then backed up, before fixing the two of them in ce with a sharp re.

    ¡°Hmph ©¤ that¡¯s fine. I too have a bracelet gifted to me by Ainz-sama.¡±

    Aura gently caressed her silver wristband. Simrly, Albedo stroked the ring on her left index finger. However, she had not been the only one to receive that ring.

    I want a special reward for me and me alone. I want a special item from Ainz-sama©¤

    Just as Albedo began caressing her abdomen, Shalltear eximed. It would seem she had found the page she was looking for.

    ¡°Bicorn! Got it, let me see...¡±

    Shalltear suddenly froze and looked up in shock, then stared at Albedo.

    ¡°Wh-what is it? Is something wrong?¡±

    Albedo nervously questioned Shalltear as she looked at the book again and read the entry.

    ¡°...a mutant species of Unicorn. Just as Unicorns are supposed to be associated with purity, Bicorns are associated with impurity. Unicorns will only allow pure maidens to ride them, but conversely, Bicorns will never allow pure maidenss to ride them... haaah?!¡±

    As Shalltear read that part, Aura¡¯s eyes went so wide it seemed as though they would fall out of their sockets.

    ¡°No way... don¡¯t tell me Albedo¡¯s a...?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean ¡®no way¡¯? What do you take me for?¡±

    ¡°Eh, but aren¡¯t you a Subus, Albedo?¡±

    ¡°S ©¤ Su ©¤ S ©¤ Subus...¡±

    Shalltear seemed to be confused and she began searching for the Subus entry.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯m a Subus! But I don¡¯t have any experience with men, sorry about that! But what can I do about it? I¡¯m the Guardian Overseer, so I¡¯m always stuck in the Throne Room! I hardly ever get to meet anyone else! Besides, Ainz-sama has never called me to his bed... and I don¡¯t want to do anything like that with men who aren¡¯t Ainz-sama...¡±

    Albedo hung her head, and then she suddenly jerked it up again.

    ¡°Since you put it that way...¡±

    Albedo nced at Aura, then shook her head. If Aura was not like that, there would be a huge problem.

    ¡°How about you, Shalltear?¡±

    ¡°...I don¡¯t have any experience with men. Now, women are a different matter...¡±

    Aura did not understand for a moment and tilted her head. Then, she seemed to get it, because she wrinkled her brow and went ¡°Uwah~¡± as her face seized up and wordlessly said ¡°no, thank you¡±.

    ¡°Ahhh! It¡¯s because there aren¡¯t any good men around! I like the dead, but rotting corpses are just... right? Right?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t look to me for approval, Shalltear. Your fetishes are just too weird and I can¡¯t understand them.¡±

    The three of them looked at each other, then simultaneously averted their eyes. They had silently agreed to end this topic here.

    ¡°...Alright, so at least we know why I can¡¯t ride a Bicorn now... I can¡¯t believe that was the reason.¡±

    Albedo¡¯s face twisted in unhappiness. The Bicorn thought it had been scolded and curled up into a ball.

    ¡°Hm ©¤ this is like sealing off part of Albedo¡¯s strength.¡±

    ¡°Still, it¡¯s not like you¡¯re really good at mountedbat anyway. It¡¯s just one ability you can¡¯t use, right? If you can¡¯t ride your Bicorn, then how about one of Aura¡¯s beasts? Maybe a Unicorn might be good.¡±

    ¡°Hm ©¤ I don¡¯t have a Unicorn. Though I want one.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a better way? It¡¯ll be fine if Ainz-sama helps me ride the Bicorn, right?¡±

    Albedo¡¯s smile seemed to tell the other two that there was no better way than that.

    ¡°That¡¯s sly!¡±

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Albedo hmphed at Shalltear. ¡°How rude, Shalltear. This is necessary in order for me to make full use of my powers as Guardian Overseer of Nazarick for Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Fufufu. Hmph! So you can¡¯t get Ainz-sama¡¯s love without using your official duties as an excuse... That¡¯s just too sad for a woman. It means you can¡¯t win it with your charm alone.¡±

    ¡°Haaaah?¡± Both of them red at each other. Aura could not bear them any more and said:

    ¡°I say, you two seem to have wandered off into a weird topic; would you mind leaving it at that? Stop talking about these pointless things. Besides, it¡¯s not like it¡¯s going to cause a problem right away. Can¡¯t you summon other mounts?¡±

    ¡°I have a magic item which can summon me a steed.¡±

    ¡°Then isn¡¯t that enough? There¡¯s no problem at all.¡±

    ¡°Using a magic item to summon a mount needs me to change my gear or take out the item, so it¡¯s more effort than just summoning a mount with a skill. And this Bicorn has much better fighting power...¡±

    ¡°Then have the Bicorn take your enemy¡¯s attacks and use the opening to summon a mount! That¡¯s a basic tactic for a beast tamer.¡±

    ¡°It seems that¡¯s the only way it can be used.¡±

    ¡°That would mean you¡¯ve be weaker, Albedo.¡±

    ¡°Could you not speak like you¡¯reughing at others¡¯ misfortune?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you delight in my suffering too, Albedo?¡±

    ¡°Do not.¡± ¡°Do too.¡± Both sides went back and forth.

    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯ve had it with the two of you... eh, stop ring at each other already. How about going elsewhere? Ainz-sama granted us time off, after all.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Albedo went with that, and Shalltear ©¤ who had been arguing with her ©¤ nodded as well. However ©¤

    ¡°...He asked us to take time off, but what should we do? We were made to protect the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick and work for the various Supreme Beings. Working is our life...¡±

    ¡°Even so, when Ainz-sama wants us to rest, we have to rest.¡±

    The three of them had gathered here because their master had told them, ¡°You all work hard every day. Since free time like this is hard toe by, you female Guardians should arrange to go out and have fun together.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve had fun, so does this mean we¡¯re going to disperse? Does this really count as fun?¡±

    ¡°I have my doubts about that. Granted, we had some fun, but I still have my doubts. That¡¯s right, what do you usually do?¡±

    ¡°I patrol between the 1st to the 3rd Floor. Then I collect feedback from the Area Guardians, or I check on the readiness of the entire floor. If I have time, I take a bath, or get a facial...?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised that you¡¯re so hardworking.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by surprised?¡±

    ¡°Bathing... how about you, Aura?¡±

    ¡°Hm~ When Mare stays in the Colosseum, I patrol the forest. A bunch of neers arrived recently, after all. Then I go home and sleep... that¡¯s all, I guess.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it!¡±

    Aura and Shalltear¡¯s faces were filled with surprise.

    ¡°That¡¯s it, that¡¯s it. The neers you mentioned ought to be the residents of the vige which was just built on this Floor, right? I haven¡¯t been there yet. Let¡¯s go together.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Really? Shalltear, you¡¯ve been there before, right?¡±

    ¡°I have.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± As she saw the puzzled look on Albedo¡¯s face, Aura exined:

    ¡°Actually, the other guardians have all been here too. First was Cocytus, for the Lizardmen. Demiurge came round too, to check on the situation. The others also drop by from time to time. Hm ©¤ then let¡¯s go take a look. Besides, it¡¯s not all that far away.

    ***

    <b>9:38 Nazarick Time </b>

    The vige built in the 6th Floor of Nazarick was little more than a row of ten-odd log houses. It barely qualified as a settlement. There was a crop field on the right side of the vige, and on the left was an orchard that was several timesrger than the crop field.

    Naturally, it was surrounded by forest, and when one looked down from above, it might resemble a hole in the forest; or a Green Hole. The trees here had been felled and then dug up by the roots, so by right the ground ought to have been uneven. However, the ground in the vige was unnaturally level. That was the effect of Mare¡¯s magic.

    Many people could be seen working hard in the orchard.

    The first person they saw was a human-looking female, whose skin was as lustrous as tree bark. Beside her was a creature which could only be described as a walking tree.

    The former was a Dryad, while thetter was a monster known as a Treant.

    The Treant ced the Dryad on its branch-like hands and raised her to the upper reaches of a fruit tree.

    ¡°There¡¯s also ten or so Lizardmen living here. Sometimes they go to the north ©¤ to theke where we just visited ©¤ to have fun. It¡¯s not like they live in the water anyway. How strange.¡±

    ¡°The vige is bigger than thest time I came. There seem to be more residents too.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s because we found a few species who were allowed to enter Nazarick after we conquered the Great Forest of Tob.¡±

    ¡°Species who were allowed to enter Nazarick... I recall the conditions were: they have to be heteromorphs, they must not need food, and they have to be good-natured, right?¡±

    ¡°Mm, that¡¯s what Ainz-sama told us. Although, the ¡®must not need food¡¯ condition is more of ¡®must be self-sufficient¡¯... the Dryads and Treants absorb nutrients from the earth, so they don¡¯t need to eat in particr. Although, it¡¯ll be bad if the earth¡¯s nutrients run out, or if it doesn¡¯t rain.¡±

    ¡°Ohh ©¤ does Mare make rain with magic? Or is it an item?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s basically Mare¡¯s job. Same with restoring the earth¡¯s nutrients. Some spells allow for big harvests, and I heard those spells can fully restore the earth¡¯s nutrients. The Dryads and Treants all say it¡¯s so delicious that they¡¯ll get fat... but I don¡¯t know about the taste.¡±

    As Shalltear chatted with Aura, Albedo slowly surveyed the vige with a cold, clinical gaze reserved for examining experimental test subjects. Then, a hint of emotion crept into her eyes for the first time.

    ¡°Ara? That ought to be Sous-Chef in the fields, right? What¡¯s he doing?¡±

    They looked along her line of sight, and there, within a patch of fenced-offnd ©¤ seemingly hiding behind arge stalk with red fruits growing all over it ©¤ was a mushroom-like monster squirming around. At a closer look, he was wearing clothes which he did not mind getting dirty as he picked the red fruits.

    ¡°It¡¯s just like what you saw. They sometimese here to gather ingredients, and they grow their own nts. Let¡¯s go take a look.¡±

    Albedo and Shalltear looked at each other. After verifying that neither of them were against it, and that it would be fine as long as they did not interfere with their colleagues¡¯ work, they went over to take a look.

    ¡°Hi~ Working up a sweat as always, I see!¡±

    As he heard Aura¡¯s cheerful voice, Sous-Chef raised its head to look at the three of them.

    ¡°Well, my body doesn¡¯t really sweat.¡±

    Sous-Chef grunted like an old man as he stood up and straightened his back. Although he was hunched over in a posture of working the fields, the fact that he had no waist ©¤ his body was the same thickness from top to bottom, so there was no part of him that was quickly identifiable as a waist ©¤ meant that they could not tell if his back really ached or if he had done so to change his mood.

    After that, Sous-Chef rotated his neck, like someone with shoulder aches. His head was like a toadstool¡¯s cap, coated with some kind of purplish-red liquid which looked like it might drip off at any time, but the fact was that it was as solid and mysteriously stretchy as dried glue, so there was no way it would drip off or ssh around.

    ¡°Say, are those tomatoes?¡±

    Albedo seemed interested in what Sous-Chef was holding, and so she asked him. He brought the fruits before his eyes, then wiggled his head in bafflement.

    ¡°Indeed, they are tomatoes. They are tomatoes as everyone knows them. They are not the type which explode after absorbing sunlight, attack people, or radiate golden light when you cut them open; they are ordinary tomatoes.¡±

    ¡°In other words, they¡¯re edible,monly avable and ordinary tomatoes, right?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. I do not have the special skills needed to grow vegetables that can produce special effects. Given your interest in these tomatoes, does that mean you are interested in tomato dishes? Unfortunately, I can only make drinks.¡±

    ¡°No, I was simply asking out of curiosity. I believe Shalltear¡¯s the one who wants to eat tomato dishes.¡±

    ¡°...Why does everyone think Vampires like tomato juice? Even if the undead eat something, they won¡¯t gain any buffs from it.¡±

    ¡°A lot of people in Nazarick don¡¯t need to eat.¡±

    Thanks to certain items, most of the NPCs no longer needed to eat or drink.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be done about it. Food and drink only add to the expenses of sustaining Nazarick. We¡¯d have to spend a lot of money if everyone ate as much as your magical beasts.¡±

    ¡°Ah, wouldn¡¯t it be better for me to go outside to make some money?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. That¡¯s because Ainz-sama and the other Supreme Beings made careful calctions when building this tomb in order to bnce ie and spending.¡±

    ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s why he decreed that only self-sufficient species could enter here. That way, no matter how many came in, the ie bnce would remain intact.¡±

    ¡°Indeed... eh, didn¡¯t you know about this?¡± Albedo looked to each of the three others present.

    ¡°How vexing. Not understanding the very ce you were protect is a very big problem. I¡¯ll make some time in future and exin everything to you in detail.¡±

    Albedo sighed, then casually regarded the fields. It was then that she noticed that she had seen the leaves of a row of certain nts before.

    ¡°Those are carrots... no, are they magic carrots?¡±

    ¡°No, they are not. Have you not heard of them before, Overseer-dono?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Sous-Chef¡¯s eyes turned to Aura.

    ¡°Ah, she did not... I see, she did not tell you about them. Then, what shall we do, Aura-sama? Will you call them, Aura-sama? Surely you must have trained them by now?¡±

    ¡°I already filed a report on it©¤¡± Aura smiled wickedly. Then, she took a deep breath, then bellowed ¡°©¤Long live Ainz Ooal Gown!¡±

    Suddenly, the row of leaves reacted to her words and began moving. They wiggled vigorously from side to side, then pulled themselves out of the earth, and their carrot-like roots popped up onto the surface.

    They resembled Asian ginsengs, but they were distinctly different from those. They had four discrete limbs, and they moved deliberately and not through reflex. The uppermost parts of the roots ©¤ near the stem ©¤ bore cavities and shadows which resembled eyes and mouths.

    Shalltear¡¯s eyes went wide and she spoke the name of these monsters.

    ¡°Could those be Mandrakes? We shouldn¡¯t have anything like that in Nazarick...¡±

    ¡°Ah! That¡¯s it! I saw the report, but this is the first time I¡¯ve personally seen one.¡±

    The Mandrakes chorused ¡°Long live Ainz Ooal Gown¡±, ¡°Long Live Ainz Ooal Gown¡± as they formed up into ranks.

    ¡°They aren¡¯t too smart really. Their rtives such as the Galgenm?nnlein, Alrunas and Alraunes ought to be smarter... but I didn¡¯t find any of those when I did a quick search of that forest. However, the forest is big, so maybe I just haven¡¯t found them yet. Also, there¡¯s a huge underground cave that leads into the mountains. There seems to be a Myconid settlement there, but I haven¡¯t made a move on them yet.¡±

    ¡°Still, teaching them to speak like that must have been difficult. I¡¯m very impressed,¡± Sous-Chef exined as he picked up one of the Mandrakes who were lined up in a row.

    The Mandrake struggled; apparently having its stem grabbed was painful.

    ¡°Long live Ainz Ooal Gown!¡±

    ¡°Long live Ainz Ooal Gown!¡±

    The Mandrakes broke their ranks to encircle Sous-Chef, as though to protest the mistreatment of their friend. During this time, they said the same thing as before.

    ¡°Forgive my rudeness. Aura-sama, can you ask them to return?¡±

    ¡°Okay~ Right! Go back!¡±

    Sous-Chef gently ced the Mandrake back on the ground, and the others followed it as they crawled back into the holes they had upied just now. In just a few seconds, the Mandrakes were back underground, as though they were hibernating for winter.

    ¡°I see, it¡¯s like an animal¡¯s call.¡±

    ¡°You could say that. They simply cry it out like a parrot imitating speech; they don¡¯t really know what they¡¯re saying. Apparently, there¡¯s a minimum level of intelligence, below which you can¡¯t understand speech. However, that¡¯s still under investigation.¡±

    ¡°Although, all that is from Demiurge-sama; I am simply repeating what I have heard,¡± Sous-Chef said.

    ¡°Hm ©¤ that¡¯s right, Albedo, can I ask you a question? As the Guardian Overseer, isn¡¯t it bad that you don¡¯t know about the neers? What if a spy came in with them?¡±

    Before Albedo could answer, somebody else voiced an objection.

    ¡°Ahahaha, that¡¯s funny, Shalltear. It¡¯s true that the 6th Floor is veryrge, so it¡¯s only natural that you might think that capturing and ughtering intruders would be difficult. Certainly, it would be troublesome if they managed to escape from the Colosseum and ran around like little spiders.¡±

    Herughter was hollow, and her eyes were as cold as ice.

    ¡°But don¡¯t you think you¡¯re looking down on me? This ce is my hunting ground. Even if they dispersed, I could swiftly hunt down and kill everyst one of them. Honestly, even if those people somehow managed to escape the 6th Floor and tried to harm Ainz-sama, they would have to pass through the zing world of the 7th Floor, and then there¡¯s the invible 8th Floor to worry about. Even if they wanted to escape, they would have to pass through the frozen hell of the 5th Floor, the dark waters of the 4th Floor, and then your levels... do you think that¡¯s possible?¡±

    Shalltear shook her head.

    ¡°Not at all.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s how it is. Therefore, there¡¯s no need to worry no matter how many neers there are on this Floor.¡±

    ¡°Aura took the words out of my mouth. Mm, in any case, there¡¯s a n going on now to gather all kinds of creatures here.¡±

    ¡°Huh? isn¡¯t it just nt-type monsters?¡±

    As she heard Aura¡¯s surprised question, Albedo smiled and answered:

    ¡°That was the n in the beginning, but after some observation, we found that no problems came up thanks to Aura and Mare¡¯s hard work, so the n was amended and expanded. That said, this is only at a draft stage, and there¡¯s no guarantee that it¡¯ll be put into practice. Therefore, even a Floor Guardian like yourself has not been informed yet.¡±

    Albedo told them to keep it a secret, and then she described the n:

    ¡°The name of the n is ¡®Project Utopia¡¯. It is arge-scale project beginning with the secret base that Aura built, and its end stage is to gather monsters who can get along with humanity and have them live here.¡±

    ¡°Why is getting along with humanity in particr a condition?¡±

    Albedo smiled, as though implying ¡°I knew you¡¯d say¡±. That smile looked terribly evil.

    ¡°That is the key to the entire n, the focus of Project Utopia.¡±

    ¡°Permit me to be blunt, but I find it hard to understand. This Nazarick is a haven for the Supreme Beings, and webor for its sake. Why has it been named that way?¡±

    ¡°This is in order to let the outside world believe that we can coexist with other races.¡±

    ¡°I see... so that was the aim.¡±

    ¡°No way, Shalltear actually understood it...¡±

    Shalltear¡¯s face filled with an expression that could shatter a million year-old love, and she red angrily at Aura.

    ¡°Do you take me for a retard?!¡±

    ¡°...Wait... hang on, Shalltear. Might I trouble you to reflect on what you usually say and do before asking me that? Please, just think about it for just a bit.¡±

    And indeed, for just a moment, Shalltear thought back on everything she had said and done until now, and her pupils widened like that of a dead creature. After that, her eyes roved all over, like they were being tossed in stormy waves.

    After seeing her utterly pathetic state, Albedo graciously steered the conversation back on track.

    ¡°Er, in any case, Ainz-sama came up with this n. When we discussed the 6th Floor, Ainz-sama once mentioned that he would like to collect various monsters. Surely someone with a limited understanding of the world would never have been able toe up with an idea like that. In the past, I discussed Ainz-sama¡¯s wisdom with Demiurge, and the conclusion we reached was that Ainz-sama is a true genius.¡±

    ¡°Anyone would know that Ainz-sama is a genius, though I hear great men tend to speak little.¡±

    ¡°Did Demiurge say that? Honestly... Ainz-sama never simply states his thoughts, and sometimes he does mysterious things. Still, as the saying goes, ¡®true courage seems cowardly, while great wisdom appears foolish¡¯. That¡¯s the sort of person Ainz-sama is.¡±

    Albedo¡¯s eyes were moist, and she shook her head.

    ¡°I did not even expect Ainz-sama to create the persona of the adventurer Momon. Truly, he is an awesome man... I did not expect everything that took ce until now to be in the palm of Ainz-sama¡¯s hand...¡±

    ¡°Momon is Ainz-sama posing as an adventurer, right? What¡¯s it for?¡±

    ¡°Soon you will understand... the Momon persona will be the bedrock of Ainz-sama¡¯s rule. Ainz-sama is far too amazing... perhaps it was his hidden hand at work behind Demiurge¡¯s suggestion©¤¡±

    ¡°What are you mumbling about over there? It¡¯s kind of scary.¡±

    Shalltear¡¯s voice called Albedo back to her senses, and after coughing lightly, she regarded the faces of the other three.

    ¡°Er, where was I? Right right right! Everything Ainz-sama says and does contains great meaning. Therefore, even if you can¡¯t reach his level, you need to try your best to Ainz-sama¡¯s true intentions from his words.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯ll be hard. Ainz-sama¡¯s just too smart ©¤ ah, it¡¯s a Spear Needle.¡±

    Two balls of white fluff, each over two meters tall, appeared from inside the vige and slowly made their way to Aura¡¯s side. They were magical beasts who looked like Angora rabbits.

    ¡°They¡¯re cute.¡±

    Shalltear stroked one of the furballs standing beside Aura.

    ¡°They¡¯re so soft, I want to raise one.¡±

    ¡°They feelfortable, don¡¯t they? However, when they encounter enemies, they be as sharp as needles, you know?¡±

    Spear Needles were level 67 monsters.

    Once they enteredbat mode, they would be a ball of extremely dense spines. If the Spear Needles were killed in this state, their fur would not return to their original soft state. Therefore, when hunting them, one would have to take them unawares and instantly kill them. That was why the yers who hunted them were often much higher level than they were.

    ¡°Ehh? Really? That¡¯s scary...¡±

    Shalltear might have said that, but she was still caressing them nonstop.

    ¡°However, if I don¡¯t give the order, they won¡¯t go into abat state. Now, if there were enemies nearby it would be a different matter, but no hostile invaders would be able to make it all the way in here. At the very least, the other Floors would send a report.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true. It¡¯s only to be expected. The top three floors are filled with vassals that have excellent detection abilities. It would be very difficult for someone to sneak in here without being noticed by them.¡±

    Just then, Aura froze, and she turned to the Colosseum.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Aura-san?¡±

    ¡°The teleport gate to the 7th Floor just activated.¡±

    ¡°From below? Demiurge ought to be outside now, so... could it be one of your subordinates? Is it alright to not take a look?¡±

    ¡°Hm ©¤ Mare¡¯s around, so there¡¯s no need to worry. If anything happens, he¡¯ll contact me.¡±

    Aura tapped the earring around her neck.

    ¡°Besides, it¡¯s hardly a rare thing. You need to take teleport gates at specific locations and go up level by level if you want to go from a lower Floor to an upper Floor. Oh yeah, didn¡¯t somebody use magic because they didn¡¯t want to run©¤¡±

    ¡°Ahem! Nazarick is an impregnable fortress.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Not even that super-tier spell [Sword of Damocles] or my World-ss Item could destroy an entire Floor at once. That¡¯s why we must not let the Ring which allows for at-will teleportation to be taken.¡±

    All eyes went to the ring on Albedo¡¯s left ring finger.

    ¡°Mare apparently hands the ring to someone else for safekeeping when he heads out. From that, you can tell how important the rings are ©¤ ah, Mare contacted me.¡±

    Aura moved away from the others and grabbed at her earring, and then she began a conversation with the absent Mare. The three of them looked at Aura, whose face was slowly turning serious, and by the time they had finished talking, she looked very unhappy.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Mare apparently needs to head out for something, so just in case, I¡¯ll be going back.¡±

    ¡°I see. Then... why don¡¯t we head back ourselves, Shalltear?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to do something in the fields first before I go. Also, I¡¯d like to chat with the Dryads and the Treants.¡±

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll each go our own ways. Thank you foring, everyone. Thanks to you, I know how to spend my vacation time. If we¡¯re free some other day... yes, next time, we should all bathe together.¡±

    <b>Part 2</b>

    <b>9:28 Nazarick Time </b>

    Mare looked up from the book he was reading, slowly shifting his eyes to peek at the teleport gate which led to the 7th Floor.

    Sensing a faint wave of power, he put his bookmark between the open pages and quietlyid it on the chair beside him. He then picked up the staff beside him, the divine-ss item known as ¡°Shadow of YGGDRASIL.¡±

    Mare brought his empty hand to the magical item dangling before his chest, but then it stopped halfway.

    There was no need to contact his sister. He had not received any reports of an intrusion, so the person who came must have been a friend.

    He moved his legs and jogged over to the teleport gate directly below him.

    His big sister enjoyed jumping down directly from the spectator seats, but Mare did not like to do that. He felt that since there were stairs installed in the arena, he ought to take them on the way down. That was how one showed their faithfulness to the Supreme Beings. The stairs were meant to be used, after all.

    But I don¡¯t dare tell onee-chan that... she¡¯ll look at me in a scary way...

    Mare decided that at the very least, he would not waste the Supreme Beings¡¯ efforts, and so he ran down the steps, and then he ran past the resting area. It was then that he saw someone standing before a huge round mirror that shed with all the colors of the rainbow.

    ¡°For... forgive me for keeping you waiting.¡±

    ¡°Oh! If it isn¡¯t the Floor Guardian, Mare-sama! Thank you foring all the way here. I am utterly delighted.¡±

    The clown before him was dressed in pure white and wore a mask that resembled a crow¡¯s beak. He bowed, and Mare nodded in response.

    ¡°Hello, Pulcine. What happened today?¡±

    ¡°Oh yes, as you know, Mare-sama, I am currently working under Demiurge-sama, and today I havee as an envoy from Demiurge-sama. Please, take this.¡±

    The clown swiftly handed over the folder he was carrying.

    ¡°If Demiurge-san wants me to have this, does this mean it¡¯s a circr?¡±

    ¡°Precisely. Ah, I¡¯m so d it was you who came, Mare-sama. How fortunate. If Aura-sama hade, I would have to ask her to fetch you.¡±

    ¡°Why? Is... is that so?¡±

    The circr notice system had been invented by the ruler of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, Ainz Ooal Gown. While it was little more than writing down non-urgent news and other misceneous matters on a piece of paper and letting the various Floor Guardians circte and read it among themselves, something like this had never been practically used before.

    Therefore, Mare stared in bafflement at the folder he had just received, muttering ¡°So this is...¡± to himself.

    ¡°H-huh? W-why can¡¯t you give it to onee-chan?¡±

    Aura and Mare were both Floor Guardians, so there was no reason not to give it to her. In addition, she was actually quite careful about these things, and she would not simply toss the circr away.

    ¡°I am unclear about that myself. All I know is that Demiurge-sama instructed me to hand it directly to you, Mare-sama, and not to Aura-sama.¡±

    ¡°Is that so... ah... then, how about Demiurge-san?¡±

    It was a somewhat vague question, but Pulcine seemed to understand what he was asking.

    ¡°...Well, I do not quite understand his intentions. But I feel the answer or reason may lie within that folder.¡±

    ¡°I see... er, then, yes, that¡¯s right, Demiurge-san, what... what is he doing now?¡±

    ¡°Conducting breeding experiments. Humanoids can breed among themselves, but demihumans cannot breed with humanoids; what a tragic state of affairs. A loving couple is denied the chance to bear the fruition of their love just because of the differences in their race. Demiurge-sama is working hard in order to save these poor souls. He will create possibilities between humanoids and demihumans!¡±

    The clown practically sang his reply, spreading his arms and looking up to the sky. Pulcine¡¯s sudden change in mood made Mare roll his eyes.

    ¡°Ah, how rude of me. I could not help but be excited by Demiurge-sama¡¯s kindness as he works to make people smile. Please forgive me.¡±

    ¡°Er, okay, I don¡¯t mind.¡±

    ¡°Demiurge-sama has even said that he would allow himself and the others ©¤ the demons ©¤ to be sacrifices so as not to make others hate themselves. What a noble spirit of self-sacrifice! I, Pulcine, am moved to tears by it.¡±

    Pulcine rubbed at his eyes through its mask. Of course, he was not crying. Even his voice sounded the same as always. He did not sound sad at all.

    ¡°...Why do people hate him?¡±

    ¡°I do not understand either. Why would the kind Demiurge-sama incur the hatred of others? But Demiurge-sama said so himself. Yes, yes, please listen to this, of how kind Demiurge-sama really is. Last time, Demiurge-sama said that it would be a shame to let the livestock starve, and so he roasted up the children of both sides whole, and served them up to each other. Surely a cruel and merciless person would not have swapped them first, but served them up directly, no?¡±

    ¡°R-really?¡±

    ¡°But of course. And in order to allow the parents of both sides to bid their children farewell, Demiurge-sama even invited them to the dinner table... Demiurge-sama specially allowed them to say goodbye with a smile... I am sure that nobody other than the Supreme Beings could be aspassionate a person as he is.¡±

    As he watched Pulcine prattle on, Mare went ¡°oh¡± in an uninterested tone.

    Those people were not entities of Nazarick, so it did not matter what happened to them. His feelings about Demiurge¡¯s livestock vanished from his heart after a couple of seconds.

    ¡°And when one is hungry, the gut may be unable to digest food even when the brain desires it. Demiurge-sama even considered that point as he warned them to eat well. His kindness is truly beyondpare~¡±

    Mare felt that this was go on forever, and so he hurriedly cut in:

    ¡°©¤Ah, then, how... how about Guren-san? I thought he would be the one sending it, but what¡¯s he doing now?¡±

    ¡°...Is it him, or perhaps her? I believe Guren-sama has no gender, but when I saw him a couple of days ago, he was waiting in ambush near the 7th Floor¡¯s teleport gate while Demiurge-sama was gone.¡±

    ¡°I... I see.¡±

    Mare thought of Guren¡¯s appearance.

    Guren ©¤ an Area Guardian who hid his massive body within flowingva and dragged careless foes into a battlefield where he had the advantage and fought them. Though he was only level 90, he was optimized forbat, and so by sheer fighting prowess alone, he was among the top fewbatants of Nazarick, and could even hold his own against some of the Floor Guardians. Thus, there was no better guardian for the 7th Floor in Demiurge¡¯s absence.

    ¡°Ah, I seem to have spoken too much. Now that I have delivered the circr to your hands, Mare-sama, I must now go spread more smiles to others.¡±

    ¡°Thank... thank you.¡±

    Mare bowed, and Pulcine gently replied:

    ¡°There is no need for thanks. I am satisfied by being able to see your smile, Mare-sama.¡±

    The clown shrugged in a joking manner. ¡°Well then, till we meet again.¡± He waved, and then vanished into the teleport gate which led to the 7th Floor.

    After Mare watched him leave, he opened the circr. The fact that it was meant for his eyes and not those of his sister filled him with a mix of emotions ©¤ superiority and guilt ©¤ and after he quickly scanned the contents, he blinked a few times.

    This... isn¡¯t so much a circr as a message Ainz-sama wanted to send to the Guardians.

    It read, ¡°To all male Guardians¡± and contained appreciation and praise for their daily work. In summary, this was an invitation to ¡°bathe together and relieve fatigue¡±.

    There was a list of participants, reading Ainz, Demiurge, Mare and Cocytus from top to bottom, each with a Going/Not Going option beside them. The top two entries already had ¡°Going¡± circled. Sebas¡¯ name should have been in there too, but he was currently under orders to gather information with Solution in a human city.

    Er, the date is...

    The circr stated that the date was not fixed, and that it would be held when it was most convenient for the participants, which was why he could circle ¡°Going¡± without any hesitation. While the circr stated that he could refuse, there was no way Mare could refuse the invitation of his generous andpassionate master. No, nobody in Nazarick would do so.

    He picked up the pencil in the folder and circled the ¡°Going¡± beside his name.

    ¡°...Ehehehe,¡± he giggled as he looked at the circled ¡°Going¡±. However, before long, clouds shrouded his heart.

    ¡°Ah, but... how am I going to get this to Cocytus?¡±

    The circr repeatedly emphasised not to inform the female Guardians about this, so it was clear that his master wanted to keep this a secret between men. In that case, the best way was to bring it over himself.

    It¡¯s not good to keep things from onee-chan... right? Because while I¡¯m receiving his... er, should I call it affection, I¡¯ll need onee-chan to guard the Floor by herself.

    It was one thing to leave when under orders, but when they had to visit the other Guardians for fun or do other things, Mare and Aura would always tell each other where they were headed. That was because Aura and Mare were assigned to guard this Floor by order of the Supreme Beings, so doing that much was only to be expected.

    Mare grabbed the magic item hanging around his neck.

    ¡°O-oneechan? Can you hear me?¡±

    He received an immediate reply.

    ¡ºI can hear you. What¡¯s up, Mare?¡»

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s great. Er, um, it¡¯s like this. Ah, I need to visit Cocytus for a while. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±

    ¡ºVisit Cocytus?¡»

    ¡°Mm, I need to get there in a hurry.¡±

    ¡ºWhat happened?¡»

    Mare¡¯s shoulders quivered in fright. He almost squeaked instead of speaking, and he barely managed to squeeze out a normal voice.

    ¡°N-nothing? It¡¯s nothing, just... I feel I have to go there.¡±

    ¡ºOh©¤...¡»

    Aura clearly sounded suspicious, and Mare¡¯s palms grew mmy with sweat as he heard it.

    But, um, it can¡¯t be helped. Ainz-sama ordered it.

    Other than the words of Aura and Mare¡¯s creator Bukubukuchagama, Ainz¡¯s words were the most highly ced of all the Supreme Beings. It was only natural to ce what he said as his topmost priority.

    ¡ºWell, I guess that¡¯s fine. Go, then. However, the 5th Floor is very cold, so don¡¯t forget to protect yourself against the cold... oh yeah, you should be fine there, Mare.¡»

    ¡°Mm, um. I can handle it with magic. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll go there ande right back.¡±

    If he continued talking, he might end up saying something strange. Therefore, Mare hurriedly released the magic item. It would seem his sister wanted to say something else right at the end, but whether it was good or ill fortune, he did not hear it.

    ¡°All... all right! I need to move quickly!¡±

    Mare activated the power of the Ring which his master had given him.

    ***

    After teleporting, chunks of a white substance flew right at Mare and stuck to his face.This was snow, carried by the wind.

    The cloud of white breath that Mare exhaled instantly flowed behind him. That was because of the supercooled wind shear.

    The snow driven by the blizzard went in all directions, obscuring all vision and covering up footprints. This was to way any intruders, but under normal circumstances the weather on the 5th Floor was not so bad. The clouds which covered the sky would only dispense scattered snowkes, and while the mood was gloomy, visibility was excellent.

    ¡°...Hm.¡±

    Mare looked around. Since he had teleported via the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown, he must be close to his destination.

    Once he found the ce where he had to go, Mare advanced with light steps. He left no footprints on the snow where he had trod. His feet did not sink into the snow, as though he were walking on solid ground.

    In this lonely world of white, the sound of falling snow seemed to carry directly into Mare¡¯s ears. Of course, Mare ¡®s always-on extrasensory perception spell let him know that this ce was not truly deserted. The ambushers knew he was the 6th Floor¡¯s Guardian, and so they did not show themselves.

    Mare arrived at his destination in silence.

    Before him was arge white sphere, which looked like an inverted ho¡¯s nest.

    Six gigantic crystals surrounded the white sphere, their sharp tips pointing to the heavens. The crystals were transparent, and there were people visible inside.

    Mare took a step, and a distasteful sound which made him uneasy issued from beneath his feet. Looking down, he saw that the ground below was different from the snowdrift just now; it was a shinyyer of ice. It looked thick enough, but there was nothing but inky ckness beneath the iceyer. It was clearly a big hole.

    Mare stepped onto the ice. He walked without any hesitation, as though he was certain that the ice below him would not crack. He trod on the ice, which made a trembling, creaking noise, and arrived at the vicinity of the white sphere.

    ¡°Ah... um, is Cocytus-san in?¡±

    Mare was not addressing the huge white sphere, but the crystals around it.

    Monsters which resembled human females emerged from the crystals in response to his voice. There were as many monsters as there were crystals, and they were dressed all in white. Their skin was pale, and their long hair was ck.

    They were Frost Virgins ©¤ level 82 ice-type monsters, responsible for defending Snowball Earth, which was Cocytus¡¯ home. They were something like a bodyguard team.

    ¡°Wee, Mare-sama. We are pleased that you came to visit in person.¡±

    ¡°Ah... um, where is Cocytus-san?¡±

    ¡°Cocytus-sama is currently outside the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. He is visiting the Lizardman vige.

    ¡°Is... is that so?¡±

    The Frost Virgin bowed her head as an affirmative.

    ¡°May I take a message for you?¡±

    Mare hesitated.

    Since he hade all this way, he could probably leave the circr in Cocytus¡¯ room and then let the Frost Virgins inform him. However, after thinking about the contents of the circr, handing it directly to him might be the best way to carry out his master¡¯s intentions.

    But how could he go outside to find Cocytus?

    There was no rule preventing them from leaving Nazarick. However, there was a requirement that had to be met in order to step outside. This was because their master had strictly forbidden anyone from moving around alone outside Nazarick.

    After analyzing the data they had collected so far, the level 100 Guardians of Nazarick were unimaginably powerfulpared to the outside world,parable to walking disasters. Thus, as one of those walking disasters, Mare would not be in danger when moving around alone outside. On the other hand, it was the world that ought to be afraid of him. However, anyone with such a reckless mindset must surely have forgotten something.

    That was the fact that Shalltear had been brainwashed by an enemy who ©¤ in all likelihood ©¤ possessed a World-ss Item. And there were also traces of yers¡¯ existence throughout the world.

    They did not know how powerful and how broad in reach these people were,so they had to be extra careful.

    ¡°Er... hm ©¤ what should I do...¡±

    Anyone going outside had to be escorted by five vassals of level 75 and above, as a bare minimum. Mare had two Dragons who were directly assigned to him as vassals, but bringing them around with him would be too conspicuous. The fastest way would be to ask his sister, but when he thought about what had happened when he came here, he could not muster up the courage to do so.

    Just then, a revtion shed across his mind. Their numbers and levels were just right.

    ¡°Ah, could I ask you toe and look for him with me?¡±

    ¡°I... I am very sorry. Cocytus-sama has ordered us to defend this ce. Unless Ainz-sama himself orders it, we cannot disobey Cocytus-sama¡¯s orders... we beg your forgiveness!¡±

    ¡°Ah, no, not at all. It¡¯s fine.¡±

    That could not be helped; or rather, he would have realized it if he had thought of it. After that, he hit on a second good idea, which was to borrow the Evil Lords from the 7th Floor. However, if he simply asked them normally, his request would probably be denied like this. Still, he could only count on Demiurge for aid.

    That was because he wanted to do his best to avoid asking Guardians whose names were not written on the circr for help. In addition, most of the vassals who were above level 80 were the direct subordinates of a Guardian, and very few were independent.

    Due to these two reasons, he would need to contact Demiurge in order to borrow his Evil Lords.

    But how will I contact him?

    In order to reach Demiurge, who was outside, he would need to dispatch a vassal or use magic.

    Then, there¡¯s©¤

    Mare thought of the book he had just read.

    He has subordinates of level 75 and above too, right? But he¡¯s not a Guardian... hm ©¤ well, he¡¯s male, so it should be alright. I¡¯ll just have to swear him to secrecy...

    ¡°Ah... ah, thank you all. Er, I think I¡¯ll figure something out myself.¡±

    ¡°Really? Understood.¡±

    Mare activated the power of the ring. His destination was the massive library on the 10th Floor of Nazarick ©¤ Ashurbanipal.

    ***

    <b>9:54 Nazarick Time </b>

    After teleporting, the scenery before Mare¡¯s eyes changed from a snowfield to an expansive room. The basic color of the room¡¯s furnishings was an ebony brown, and it appeared quite dignified as it was illuminated by warm lighting. The ceiling was a gentle dome and there were a pair of double doors opposite him.

    These massive doors were big enough to rival the ones which opened to the Throne Room, and they were nked by a pair of Golems which were each almost three meters tall. Both Golems resembled warriors and had been built from rare metals by a Supreme Being, so they were more powerful than regr Golems.

    ¡°Ah, please help me open the door.¡±

    In response to Mare¡¯s words, the golem on each side ced their hands on the door and slowly pushed it open. There was a weighty sound as the the doors opened to the point where several people could walk through them side by side, and Mare stepped through them.

    The scene which unfolded before him did not resemble a library so much as a view from a simr institute ©¤ yes, it looked like an art gallery. The floor and bookshelves were borately decorated, and the neat rows of books on them looked like ornaments as well.

    The shining, spotless floor was an intricately-patterned parquet mosaic.

    Above was a towering ceiling, and there was a mezzanine balcony on the second floor. Beyond that was a room girdled by countless bookshelves. Every inch of the hemispherical ceiling was covered in magnificent frescoes.

    There were ss showcases scattered throughout the room, each disying several books.

    While there were countless light sources, they did not produce strong illumination. A human being would surely frown in resentment at the dimness of the room..

    One could not take the entire room in with a single look. The bookshelves blocked one¡¯s view.

    The doors slowly closed behind Mare amidst this library-appropriate silence.Without the light from the outside, the room¡¯s interior seemed even darker. That,bined with the profound silence, filled the room with a creepy atmosphere.

    Of course, Mare could see in the dark like it was broad daylight, and so he did not feel creeped out at all.

    Mare walked inside, somewhat quickening his pace.

    He was currently in the Hall of Reason. This library was divided into the Hall of Knowledge, the Hall of Reason, the Hall of Magic, and various other smaller rooms with their own specific purposes ©¤ such as the individual rooms for each of the staff. With that in mind, his destination seemed quite a ways off.

    Countless books filled the neat rows of bookshelves which lined the passage on either side.

    ***

    There were roughly five kinds of books in YGGDRASIL.

    The first kind was monster data, which could be used to summon mercenary monsters.

    There were three types of monsters in Nazarick: the first were the NPCs, who were made just like the yers were; the second were the automatically spawning monsters of level 30 and below, and thest ones were the summoned monsters who could serve as mercenaries. These mercenary monsters had to be summoned via a ritual which used a book and then expending an appropriate amount of currency ording to their level. Therefore, one could not summon them without a book.

    The second kind were magic items.

    Certain data crystals could only be imbued into book-type items. For the most part, book-type items were one-use magic items. The difference between them and scrolls were that one needed to be of a spellcasting job ss to use a scroll, while book-type items could be used by anybody.

    The third kind were event items. It was not umon for the items required for changing to a specific job ss to take the form of books. When Ainz had gone from a Skeleton Mage to an Elder Lich, he had needed the item known as the Book of the Dead. There were also things like the Martial Arts Monograph and the Tales of the Four Great Elementals. Apart from these job-change items, there were also items which allowed one to learn new spells when used.

    The fourth kind was visual data.

    In other words, they were books which contained visual data for swords, shields, armor and the like. Anyone with specific cksmithing skills could use these books with the required raw materials to produce an item skin.

    The fifth kind were novels distributed in book form. The mostmonly seen examples were pieces of ssic literature whose copyright had expired, followed by background material from the development team, and then original stories created by YGGDRASIL¡¯s yers. There were also a few secondary creations set in YGGDRASIL¡¯s universe, or diary-style walkthroughs for the game.

    Within the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, the vast majority of the books within its library belonged to the first kind ©¤ books gathered in order to summon mercenary monsters. Of course, there was no need to collect that many books.

    In truth, even if one dumped the guild¡¯s coffers into the task, one could not summon even a tenth of the monsters from the books which filled this ce. Then why did they have so many books? That was because the summoning books were not particrly expensive, so the guild members decided to mess around and made a huge stack of copies. This also served the purpose of hiding important items.

    ***

    Mare looked at the books on either side as he walked.

    Suddenly, a ghostly form appeared from between the bookshelves, as though to block his path.

    The ghost wore a ck robe, and it seemed to meld into the darkness of the library. There was a jewelled wand on its waist, and several jewels tied to its belt.

    There was a waxy, corpse-like face beneath the robe¡¯s hood. Its hands were skin and bones. Every time it moved, the faint darkness surrounding it shifted as well.

    It was an especially famous monster among the undead magic casters known as Elder Liches.

    In YGGDRASIL, they were nicknamed White Counterfeiters. Monsters like these were level 30 and were ranked second among the Elder Lich family. There were other, palette-swapped monsters like these in YGGDRASIL, colloquially known as the Red Counterfeiters and the ck Counterfeiters.

    However, he differed from the average Elder Lich in that he had an armband on his left arm.

    The armband read ¡°Librarian J¡±.

    ¡°Wee, Mare-sama.¡±

    The Elder Lich spoke in a hoarse, garbled voice, then bowed in deference, slowly but deeply, with one hand sped to its chest in a prim and proper movement.

    ¡°Ah... ah, I came to look for the Head Librarian. Er, is he in?¡±

    The Elder Lich struck a thinker¡¯s pose, and then replied:

    ¡°The Head Librarian is currently making scrolls, so he is in the workroom.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Allow me to show you the way. Please, follow me.¡±

    ¡°How could I impose on you like that? I can¡¯t keep you from your work.¡±

    ¡°Think nothing of it. Aiding users of the library is my duty.¡±

    Since he had already said as much, continuing to refuse would be rude.

    ¡°I understand, then I¡¯ll have to trouble you.¡±

    A smile appeared on the Elder Lich¡¯s ghastly face, and then it led the way forward.

    As Mare followed him, he nced at the other Elder Liches and caster-type undead they passed along the way.

    ¡°Oh yes, would you like me to put that book back for you?¡±

    ¡°Ah, please do.:

    The Elder Lich took the book from Mare and looked at the title.

    ¡°The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, hm. Did you enjoy it?¡±

    ¡°Mm, it was very interesting! I¡¯m thinking about what I should read next.¡±

    ¡°Then allow me to rmend you a book. This one is very funny, it concerns a murder ©¤ ah, we have arrived.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±

    Mare opened the door which the Elder Lich had guided him to.

    What was supposed to have been a spacious room felt oppressive and cramped, thanks to therge shelves on all sides.

    The shelves were filled with countless reagents ©¤ ores, precious metals, element-imbued rocks, various powders, organs from several animals ©¤ all arranged in neat rows. There was also several stacks of parchment ©¤ some were rolled up, while some were simplyid there.

    All these were the materials needed to make scrolls.

    Of course these were not all the resources which the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick possessed. There were several hundred times this amount stored within the Treasury.

    Only those supplies which would be promptly used were stored in this room.

    There was an extrarge drawing table in the center of the room, with a piece of parchment opened upon it.

    Before the table stood a skeleton which looked like a fusion of human and animal bones.

    It was not very tall. It was around 150 cm in height.

    Two demonic-looking horns protruded from its head, and it had four-fingered hands. Below its ankles were cloven feet.

    This bizarre creature was wrapped in a saffron himation. Apart from that, a hood of simr material lightly shrouded its head without being pierced by the horns, and there was another piece of cloth around its waist.

    (TL Note: A himation is an ancient Greek garment worn over the shoulder)

    In addition, it wore a silver bracelet with a multi-colored jewel set into it, while there was a golden ankh around its neck, and it had severalplex-looking and strange rings on its bony fingers, which looked like they were twined around the digits. There were jewels attached to the himation which took the ce of a sash. Each of them was a fairly potent magic item.

    It wore several scrolls at its belt, like they were swords.

    While it had a unique outfit, it was actually a Skeleton Mage. It was one of the basic undead species, and the stage before the Elder Lich.

    However, this Skeleton Mage was the Head Librarian of this massive library ©¤ Titus Annaeus Secundus.

    This being had not been created by the Supreme Beings to focus onbat power, but production ability. In fact, its total level was higher than that of the Elder Lich just now.

    ¡°You havee just in time, Guardian Mare. I bid you wee.¡±

    ¡°Ah, nice to meet you, Titus-san. I came to ask a favor of you.¡±

    ¡°I see. Then tell me what business you have here.¡±

    ¡°Ah... yes. Um. I¡¯d like to borrow your vassals here who are above level 75.¡±

    ¡°I understand. You intend an excursion, I believe?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Y-yes, that¡¯s right. How did you know?¡±

    ¡°...I have never forgotten the words of my ruler, Ainz-sama. After that, I considered your situation and I guessed it immediately ©¤ very well.¡±

    He spent only a moment in contemtion.

    ¡°I shall lend you the Overlords within this library ©¤ Ceius, Ulpius, Aelius, Fulvius and Aurelius.¡±

    (TL Note: These are all the second names of various Roman Emperors)

    ¡°Eh? Really?!¡±

    ¡°But of course. In all honesty, their battle potential is somewhat excessive for the library. Rather than have them do dusting all day, far better to have them be your escorts. I am sure it would make them very happy.¡±

    ¡°Ah... ah, er, thank you very much!¡±

    ¡°That said, some rpense is due. I would have you assist me with a task, the creation of scrolls.¡±

    ¡°Ah, certainly! What should I do?¡±

    ¡°Fret not. Once I say ¡®now¡¯, kindly cast a 4th tier spell upon this scroll. That is all.

    ¡°What... what sort of spell should I cast?¡±

    ¡°The choice is yours.¡±

    Mare looked puzzled. Being told to decide for himself was quite difficult. He did not know if he should just use an ordinary spell.

    There was a small desk beside the drawing table with the parchment. Titus reached a bony hand out at the desk and touched a pile of glittering gold ©¤ YGGDRASIL gold coins.

    Suddenly, the gold YGGDRASIL coins melted below his bony palm, and they flowed along the parchment like they were sentient.

    The golden serpent crawled along the parchment, and then dispersed, as though it had already decided where to go.

    In the time between breaths, a golden magic circle covered the parchment. The mystic tracery was bothplex and delicate.

    ¡°Now.¡±

    Mare ©¤ who was nervously awaiting his cue ©¤ cast his spell like he had been startled.

    Mare felt his spell being sucked up by the magic circle.

    Normally, that would havepleted the scroll. That was what Mare had thought.

    Until that moment ©¤

    ***

    There was a bright red ze.

    Something impossible happened upon the drawing table.

    Mare looked in shock as the parchment burned like it had been soaked in alcohol, but within a couple of moments, the fire had gone out.

    ***

    The events just now felt like an illusion. There was no trace of a fire within the room. Not even the smell of burning lingered.

    However, there was evidence on the table which proved what had just happened was no illusion.

    That was the remains of the parchment ©¤ its ashes.

    Titus seemed to have anticipated this, and he calmly picked up the ashes to examine them.

    ¡°So you can¡¯t imbue them with 4th-tier spells. I seem to have confirmed that it has nothing to do with the caster¡¯s power.¡±

    Titus muttered, ¡°ten years old was a failure¡± and made notes.

    ¡°Er, what... what just happened? What did I do wrong?¡±

    ¡°Pay it no heed. I attempted to use the materials of this world to make scrolls in order to save on parchment costs, but their quality is simply atrocious.¡±

    ***

    The tier of a spell limited the materials that could be used to make a scroll which contained it.

    For example, scrolls made from average parchment could hold a 2nd tier spell at the very most, but not spells of a higher tier. If one used the highest grade of parchment ©¤ that made of dragonhide ©¤ one could scribe a 10th-tier spell into it.

    Naturally, dragonhide was a special material, which required one to y a Dragon.

    For that reason, the guild Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s members had banded together to farm Dragons, but that was from the YGGDRASIL days. Until they could verify that this world contained Dragons ©¤ as well as other beasts ©¤ Ainz had sensibly imposed a restriction on the use of dragonhide.

    He could not do something foolish like expend a non-renewable resource. After all, there was no telling when he might need to use it.

    ***

    ¡°You can¡¯t use my Dragons!¡±

    ¡°But of course. I will not do such a thing. Beginning with your Dragons, all these specially-summoned beings are the will of the Supreme Beings made manifest. Harming them is strictly forbidden.¡±

    Mare breathed a sigh of relief. Titus looked at him with interest in his eyes, then swept the ashes into a bin.

    ¡°Er, then, does that mean this world¡¯s parchment isn¡¯t suitable for making scrolls?¡±

    Mare¡¯s eyes looked toward the remains.

    ¡°That is quite possible. No, I do not know yet. It might be that my manufacturing methods are unorthodox in this world. For instance, they seem to produce potions in a markedly different way.¡±

    ¡°But... is that really so? If it¡¯s just one failure, couldn¡¯t it be the parchment¡¯s fault?¡±

    ¡°Just one, you say? I have already used the parchment from the outside for various experiments, but whenever I attempt to imbue a spell above the 3rd tier into them, I receive the same result each time ©¤ destruction. It is quite likely that the parchment burns because the magical power cannot be infused into it.¡±

    ¡°...But the magic casters in this world all use that sort of parchment, right?¡±

    ¡°No, what I just disposed of is probably not a typical piece of parchment used by the magic casters of this world. Of course, after considering that there are various nations in this world, I cannot guarantee that nobody has used a parchment like this one. When I used the parchments of the nations near Nazarick©¤¡±

    Titus produced a stack of parchment which seemed different from the piece just now.

    ¡°©¤The experimental results were even worse; they were limited to 1st-tier spells.¡±

    ¡°So that means the humans know how to make good use of poorer materials?¡±

    ¡°No. I believe it might be a technological difference. While it pains me to admit it, their technique is, to some extent, more refined than ours. I would love to acquire this new technology and improve my skills.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡±

    Mare felt nothing but respect for the Head Librarian¡¯s spirit of self-improvement.

    ¡°All this is for the Supreme One¡¯s sake. Then, Guardian Mare, as we agreed, I shall lend you the Overlords. Come with me.¡±

    ***

    <b>10:28 Nazarick Time</b>

    He handed his ring to someone else along the way and then reached the surface. There, Mare andpany performed a mass teleport and arrived in the middle of a room within a stone structure in the Lizardman vige.

    This building was constructed of sturdy, heavy stone. Iit could only be built in a ce with sufficiently firm ground, thus requiring construction techniques the Lizardmen did not possess. Needless to say, the people who had built this ce were a third party ©¤ a group from the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.

    The reason to have peoplee all the way from Nazarick to build this structure stood behind Mare¡¯s back. The object which stood within the depths of this building exined everything.

    Mare bowed deeply to the object in question. The Overlords travelling with him bowed as well.

    A stone statue made in the image of Ainz Ooal Gown, ruler of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, stood upon an elevated tform. It was so lifelike that it seemed as though the original had been turned to stone. The way it raised its staff radiated the dignity and gravitas of a ruler.

    All manner of offerings adorned the altar before the statue. Naturally, those offerings were worthless in Mare¡¯s eyes, meager tributes of flowers and fish and the like.

    However, Mare was not displeased.

    That was because the ones who had made those offerings were filled with genuine respect and reverence. For instance, fresh flowers did not grow in the swamnd, but in the forests which were very dangerous to the Lizardmen ©¤ they must have risked their lives to pick them. The fish were the Lizardmen¡¯s staple diet, but the offerings were much bigger than the average fish. Mare understood that they had only chosen the most impressive specimens to offer up.

    ¡°Mm,¡± Mare nodded in satisfaction.

    Seeingmon riffraff express their respect for his great master made him very happy.

    ¡°Well done.¡±

    He spoke to reassure the Lizardmen who were peeking fearfully at him.

    They were the personnel responsible for cleaning this sanctuary. They possessed druidic abilities, which were rare among the Lizardmen, and they wore badges with the guild emblem of Ainz Ooal Gown around their neck.

    There was a vast difference between their stations and that of Mare, between that of the conquered and their conquerors, so there was no need to thank them for their hard work. However, for the reasons mentioned earlier, Mare had been so satisfied with theirbors that he had decided to thank them for it.

    Mare left the Lizardmen bowing nonstop behind him, and led the five Overlords out of the sanctuary.

    Before him was a patch of swamp, the Lizardman settlement. It seemed more developed than before.

    Indeed, they had lost many people during that war. However, the five tribes were now one, and in the end they had formed a stronger,rger vige.

    The boundary fence epassed a wide area. At some point, watchtowers had been built in the muddy swamp, and upon each of them stood a skeleton ©¤ probably a Nazarick Old Guarder ©¤ scanning the surroundings with an arrow nocked to its bow. Several Nazarick Old Guarders could be seen walking around in the swamp; presumably, they were conducting reconnaissance in case of enemy attack.

    ¡°Ah, where¡¯s Cocytus-san?¡±

    Cocytus stood out in many ways. If he were in the vige, then he ought to be instantly visible from here; if he were inside a building, there ought to be vassals like the ones Mare brought along waiting outside. With that in mind, he looked around the entire vige, but could not find him.

    ¡°Could one of you please ask where Cocytus-san is?¡±

    ¡°Certainly. A moment, please.¡±

    One of the Overlords ©¤ Aurelius ©¤ headed back into the sanctuary.

    Mare looked out at the swamp ©¤ at the Lizardmen¡¯s peaceful and quiet vige. Nobody here was wary of the Nazarick Old Guarders. Even the Lizardman children were the same way. Both sides seemed to be coexisting like it was the natural thing to do.

    Though they were attacked and conquered by the undead, they don¡¯t seem to bear any resentment for them. Was this because of Cocytus-san¡¯ policy of friendliness? Or is this the nature of the Lizardmen?

    As he idly pondered the matter, Aurelius soon returned.

    ¡°Forgive the dy, Mare-sama. The people in the sanctuary do not know the whereabouts of Cocytus-sama. However, they say that Shasuryu Shasha ©¤ the leader of the tribal alliance ©¤ might know.¡±

    ¡°Ah, then, um, let¡¯s go visit him and take a look.¡±

    Mare¡¯s entourage proceeded under Aurelius¡¯ leadership. They did not cross over the swamp to go to the Lizardman vige, but followed the edge of theke, walking a short distance through the forest. The forms of Nazarick Old Guarders could be seen in the distance.

    Once the group exited the forest, they saw arge-scale construction project under way on the other side of the swamp.

    The flow of water here had been dammed, and roughly ten Stone Golems were excavating the soil. The sand and mud they dug up were carried away by Lizardmen with pushcarts on the shore.

    As Mare watched what they were doing, a strapping Lizardman ran over in a hurry.

    This Lizardman was covered in old wounds. His physique was imposing and he was distinctly different from the average Lizardman. The medal around his neck swung wildly due to his haste in running over.

    The medal was a symbol of loyalty, and also a mark of protection. It was not magical in itself, but by wearing it, they could prove that they were Ainz¡¯s property. Therefore, nobody from the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick who revered the Supreme Beings as gods could harm the Lizardmen intentionally. Of course, it would be a different matter if they deserved death, but fortunately, the Lizardmen were not that stupid. They knew their ce and acknowledged the strong as their masters.

    ¡°I wee you, Mare-sama. My name is ©¤¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re Shasuryu Shasha-san, right?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, I am. I am honored that you know my name.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I... I heard it from Cocytus-san... ah, do you know where Cocytus-san is now?¡±

    Shasuryu waxed thoughtful for a bit.

    ¡°I recall Cocytus-sama brought several of his subordinates and several dozen trainee Lizardmen on his expedition to subjugate the Toadmen.¡±

    ¡°Toadmen?¡±

    ¡°They are the demihumans who live in the northeastern reaches of theke. They look like frogs, and we do not get along too well with them. They possess the ability to controlrge monsters and magical beasts, so they are very tricky opponents for us. I hear that there was a war once during my grandfather¡¯s time. We were soundly defeated and one of our tribes was dissolved as a result.¡±

    ¡°As... as expected of the northern species, they¡¯re quite strong.¡±

    Thiske was shaped like two smallerkes joined together, or an inverted gourd. The smallerke on the south where the Lizardmen dwelled was half swamp and halfke, and due to the shallow water there were fewrge monsters there. Inparison, the water in therger northernke was deeper, so manyrge monsters lived there, and they were stronger than the monsters of the south. Of course, it made little difference to Mare.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, when you mentioned Toadmen, were you talking about a species called the Tuvegs?¡±

    Mare was referring to the monsters who lived in the poison swamp around Nazarick in the past. He knew his sister had several of those monsters as servitors.

    ¡°Well, I am not too sure about that. Perhaps you could ask Cocytus-sama after hees back? He will probably return soon.¡±

    ¡°I understand. Then, I¡¯ll ask about something else, about... about that. You seem to be building something big here, but what is it? It¡¯s quite a distance from the vige, but it doesn¡¯t look like a fence or some other kind of defense...¡±

    ¡°Yes. In truth, we are building our fourth fish preserve here.¡±

    As he heard Shasuryu¡¯s words, enlightenment dawned on Mare.

    It was good that the Lizardman tribes could be united. But once their poption grew, food shortages would naturally result. While many people had died during the war, they could not hunt or trap enough to feed their people. Of course, they could solve that problem by returning to their former viges to fish, but Cocytus, the new ruler of the Lizardmen, did not agree.

    It was one thing for the entire vige to move as one to another part of the swamp, but if only a few people moved by themselves, there was a high chance they would be attacked by monsters. The Lizardmen¡¯s numbers were already greatly decreased. Cocytus did not want to lose more of them.

    In order to ensure the prosperity of the Lizardmen, Cocytus took action to solve this problem ©¤ the food problem.

    First, he imported rations from Nazarick ©¤ with Ainz¡¯s permission, naturally ©¤ and distributed it to the Lizardmen. After that, he began studying methods to ensure a sustainable food supply. It went without saying that the solution he had discovered was the fish farms built by Zaryusu. After that, he discussed the matter with Demiurge, and began to build superior fish farms.

    They had worked at a fever pitch and built three gigantic fish farms, and this was the fourth one.

    ¡°But the fries haven¡¯t been raised yet, am I right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. What we... no, what my brother learned was not raising them from fries, but breeding already-grown fish. However, thanks to Demiurge-sama¡¯s guidance, we have made preparations to farm fish fries. If all goes ording to n, we should be able to support twice the present poption of Lizardmen through the produce of the fish farms. ¡°

    ¡°I... I see. In a few years¡¯ time, you won¡¯t need to take fish from Nazarick. Ah, of course, if an emergency crops up, I imagine you are always wee to take fish.¡±

    ¡°Every member of our tribe is deeply grateful to Ainz-sama¡¯s merciful kindness in giving us so much fish... although, the fish Ainz-sama gave usck internal organs, so how do they live? Are they like certain monsters who do not need to eat? No, they do not even have bones; what sort of lifeforms are they?¡±

    ¡°They are the food which was made by the power of Ainz-sama and the other Supreme Beings.¡±

    The food Cocytus had given them was made with a magic item called Dagda¡¯s Cauldron.

    ¡°What!? Ainz-sama could actually make enough fish to feed us all!?¡±

    Shasuryu shook his head.

    ¡°When Zaryusu and the others visited the fortress of the Supreme Ones and came back with tales of what they had seen, it sounded like they were dreaming. They said the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick contained many smaller worlds within it, a truend of the gods. Is Ainz Ooal Gown-sama truly a god...?¡±

    ¡°But of course.¡±

    Why was this Lizardman stating the obvious? Mare could not understand him and tilted his head in confusion.

    Ainz Ooal Gown was the greatest of the gods. He was their creator.

    ¡°I see. So all this was bestowed upon us by Ainz-sama. My thanks to Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Mm. I¡¯ll let Ainz-sama know that.¡±

 Chapter 59 - Volume 8

    <h4>Overlord Volume 8 Side 2 (2/2)</h4>

    <i>Retranted by Nigel</i>

    <i>Edited/Proofread by Deus Ex Machina</i>

    <b>Part 3</b>

    <b>10:30 Nazarick Time </b>

    ¡°You¡¯re making too much noise. Quiet down.¡±

    Ainz motioned with his left hand, and held that pose.

    He took a step back and returned to his original position.

    ¡°You¡¯re making too much noise. Quiet down.¡±

    Once again, he motioned with his left hand and froze mid-pose. He checked the reflection of himself in the mirror and slightly adjusted the position of his left hand.

    ¡°...Good? ...Is this the spot? No... Would it be cooler if I extended my hand a bit more to the left?¡±

    He returned to his initial position.

    ¡°You¡¯re making too much noise. Quiet down.¡±

    Finally satisfied with the pose, Ainz grabbed the memo pad on the table beside him.

    ¡°Since I¡¯ve finished the pose... I should practice the lines while I have extra time.¡±

    He circled the phrase he was practicing earlier with a pen, and then turned a page.

    The majority of the sentences written on there were variations on the phrase ¡°I shall consider it.¡± The phrases that were too dull or too over-the-top and thus toome were all crossed out.

    For Ainz, who used to be an average person, acting like a leader was difficult. Thus, he repeatedly practiced ying that role just in case a situation called for it. Of course, the entire memo pad was filled with phrases Ainz came up with.

    Even though an hour had passed since Ainz started practicing, he did not require any rest.

    Ainz was the supreme overlord, but in reality, he barely did anything. Unless there were important decisions or emergency situation that required his leadership, there was nothing to do. Albedo took care of all the details and all Ainz had to do was skim through the reports.

    Since there was never anything in the reports that required his attention, he really just skimmed through them all. It was a little dangerous for a ruler, but as long as Albedo was around, and there was no emergency, there would be no problem.

    All proper organizations should be like this anyways. It¡¯s not good for someone who stands above others to work on the frontlines.

    It was a foolish move for the suprememander of an army to participate in the fighting on the frontlines unless he was there to raise morale. If he did, it would be very dangerous.

    I should give up this adventurer business and gather knowledge to deal with emergency situations¡ª I know I have to train my mind as well, but what should I do? Who¡¯s going to teach me...? How can I not ruin the image of Ainz Ooal Gown that everybody believes in...

    Everyone inside Nazarick respected Ainz as an absolute ruler and knelt before him. That was right. Ainz received respect from his subordinates which his had formerrades created, who were, in some ways, their children. Just like how a father could not the respect his children ced in him, he could not betray them as well. That was why he practiced acting, in the hope that he could at least appear to y the part.

    Of ciue0rse, Ainz was fully aware that it was embarrassing.

    Otherwise, why would he lock the door and forbid the maids and the Eight Edge Assassins that guarded him from entering? Sometimes, he would even nt his face in the pillow and scream ¡°Arrrgghhh¡ª!¡± when he could not stand it anymore.

    ¡°Something fitting the supreme overlord of Nazarick... A form that one can respect...¡±

    Ainz felt like he would cough up blood as he flipped through the pages. There were still many more lines which he hade up with in his spare time, and the finish line seemed nowhere in sight.

    Ainz Ooal Gown was undead and emotions over a certain threshold were suppressed. But¡ª

    ¡°I need a break...¡±

    The remnant of Suzuki Satoru was weary from mental fatigue, and he wailed. ¡°I¡¯m sick of this,¡± he cried.

    However ©¤ Ainz silenced that cry with a grinding of his teeth,

    ¡°What am I doing? I need to work harder.¡±

    After rebuking himself for trying to run away, AInz¡¯s eyes filled with strength, and he looked himself in the mirror again.

    Suddenly, a digital ¡°pipipipipi¡± noise rang out.

    The sounding from the bracelet on his left arm was like music to Ainz¡¯s ears. He turned off the sudden beeping and sighed deeply.

    ¡°If time¡¯s up, then it can¡¯t be helped. Yes, time¡¯s up.¡±

    Ainz returned the memo pad to a box. When he closed the lid, he could hear the sound of several locks engaging. If someone tried to forcefully open the box, it would trigger an extensive array of attack spells, all of which would be centered on the box to destroy it. The defenses on the box were formidable enough that nobody but a level 90 rogue-type character or a level 80 specialized rogue character could breach them.

    After securely locking the item, he returned it to his pocket dimension. There were many other rare items in there as well. Still, a high level thief could steal items from a ce like that as well. That said, a thief could not just immobilize his opponents and rob them blind. They were limited to one or two items at the most. Still, the prospect of being robbed just once or twice made Ainz ¡ªwho should have known no fear as one of the undead¡ª shudder in terror.

    In addition, unknown powers such as Talents existed as well.. That was why he ced the box among other rare items, so thieves would steal them instead of the box.

    After he put it away, he checked it again to make sure.

    It was as though he were a housewife checking that the main door was locked before heading on a trip. After he did so, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

    Only after doing all that did Ainz finally leave his bedroom. The ce he was headed to was the room he regrly used as the study. The ones who bowed deeply to him there were the regr maid, Albedo, and Mare.

    The first two were hardly a rare sight, but the boy did note here often, and it surprised Ainz. He cut across the room, circle around his ebony table and sat down, in a way which he had practiced over 30 times before.

    Sitting in this way meant not stepping on his robe or making noise when pushing his chair out of the way.

    After that, he had to be careful about how he leaned back in the chair. It would not look good if his movements were too rushed or if he put too much weight into the back of his chair. Kings had a kingly way ¡ª maybe ¡ª of sitting down.

    But I don¡¯t know how kings take a seat... I should go observe how a king sits down...

    It was rmended forpany men to lightly sit in the middle of the chair without leaning on the backrest. But Ainz Ooal Gown was no longer apany man.

    Therefore, all Ainz could do was realize the image of an ideal king within his mind.

    ¡°Raise your heads.¡±

    It was only than that the three of them looked up. Ainz was annoyed by the fact that they would not raise their heads without an explicitmand, and he felt that it was a waste of time. Still, he could not disregard the loyalty they showed their master. Therefore, Ainz bore with it every time and replied in the same way.

    ¡°Then I shall begin with a question. Mare. What business do you have?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes!¡±

    Perhaps Mare was nervous, but his voice cracked a little. Ainz smiled. Of course, there was no way his fleshless face could twist itself, but he still did his best to exude an air of kindness. Perhaps Mare had sensed it, but he breathed a sigh of relief. He seemed less stiff now.

    ¡°Ah... that, this, er, I brought it.¡±

    Ainz was not a cruel superior who would go, ¡°what did you bring¡±. Since Mare had brought it, Ainz ought to receive it from him. For all he knew, it might have been an order he had given and forgotten about.

    ¡°Really now ©¤ no, that¡¯s fine.¡±

    Ainz reached out a hand to stop the day¡¯s duty maid as she sought to take the item from Mare.

    ¡°Mare, hand it to me in person.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Mare held his chest high as he walked up to Ainz and gave him the folder he was holding.

    AInz magnanimously epted the folder and opened it.

    This is... the circr I sent out.

    All three Guardians had circled ¡°Going¡± to Ainz¡¯s invitation.

    ¡°By right, Cocytus should have sent a minion to deliver this to me. Thank you for going to all this trouble, Mare.¡±

    ¡°N-not at all, it¡¯s nothing, nothing of the sort! Cocytus-san was busy, so I insisted on helping him. And besides©¤¡±

    Mare lovingly caressed the ring on his left ring finger.

    ...That¡¯s the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown. No, I¡¯m d he values it so highly, but putting it on that finger means... More to the point, why is that boy looking at me with dewy eyes...

    Ainz shivered, and then he nced aside to Albedo. She was smiling kindly, as always.

    Ainz line of sight shifted to Albedo¡¯s left ring finger.

    As expected, she had worn her Ring there, just like Mare. It seemed as though it was the right ce to wear the ring.

    Where did that practicee from? It was from ancient Greece, right?

    He recalled what Yamaiko had once told him about the meaning of wearing a ring on different fingers.

    Apparently, the ancient Greeks believed there was a blood vessel which ran from the left ring finger to the heart, and so if the left ring finger touched something harmful to the body, it would send a signal to the heart, which was why they dispensed medicine with their left ring fingers... Does Sous-Chef do the same thing too? Ah, this is bad... he¡¯s gazing at me again.

    Ainz meshed his fingers on the table.

    ¡°What is it, Mare? Did you see something? Has something gotten onto my face?¡±

    He chose his words carefully, making sure his reply did not sound like mockery.

    ¡°No... not at all. I simply thought you looked very handsome, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°I... am handsome?¡±

    Ainz unconsciously stroked his bony face.

    ¡°Fuhaha... You¡¯re quite the tterer, Mare.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not ttery!¡±

    The loudness of that voice did not sound like it could havee from Mare.

    ¡°F-forgive me, Ainz-sama. But, I really do think you look handsome. Even just now, the way you sat down looked just like how the supreme ruler of Nazarick ought to be...¡±

    Ainz looked questioningly at the duty maid. The homunculus sensed her master¡¯s intentions and nodded silently and vigorously, as if to say, ¡°precisely¡±. Ainz did not look at Albedo, yet she was also nodding vigorously, and there was a patapata sound as her wings pped.

    ¡°Really now. That is good to hear.¡±

    After that brief reply, Ainz rose from his seat and walked before Mare, then gently patted the head of the boy who had tensed up in anticipation of a scolding.

    It was a casual act, yet one filled with kindness.

    ¡°Ai-Ainz-sama...¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Mare. Your words have always pleased me.¡±

    It was incredibly embarrassing to say that, but he did not disy any of these Suzuki Satoru-like emotions.

    ¡°I have always been thinking this; I ought to thank my friends.¡±

    ¡°Do you mean the Supreme Beings?¡±

    Ainz knelt, so his eyes were level with Mare¡¯s.

    ¡°Precisely. I want to thank them for making the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, and for making you and everyone else. You ©¤ and by this I mean Albedo and Sixth as well ©¤¡±

    Albedo¡¯s wings stood fully erect.

    The maid who had just been suddenly addressed was in a panic. She was typically calm, so after seeing this rare side of her, Ainzughed cheerfully.

    ¡°You are all my treasures.¡±

    Ainz scooped up Mare.

    ¡°I can hardly bear to let Bukubukuchagama-san have you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Tears of joys streamed down Sixth¡¯s cheeks as she answered on behalf of Mare.

    ¡°When all the Supreme Beings left this ce, only you remained here until the end, and everyone in Nazarick is grateful for that. Perhaps we have failed to meet your expectations and perhaps we have often upset you. I understand that speaking in this way to our creator is deeply rude, but I pray you will allow ©¤ that you will permit us to pledge our undying loyalty to you.¡±

    ¡°I permit this. I recall that in the past, Albedo and Demiurge said something simr to me, so hear this ©¤ I am the master of Nazarick; I am your master, Ainz Ooal Gown.¡±

    Ainz had never rehearsed these lines before, so he was quite surprised by how smoothly he could recite them. However, when he thought about it, that was only to be expected. Since he was speaking from the heart, it made sense that he could do so in such a natural manner.

    Mare hugged Ainz and buried his face in Ainz¡¯s shoulder.

    Good thing I¡¯m not wearing my usual gear, the calm part of Ainz¡¯s mind said.

    He felt a wet sensation spreading through the shoulder of his robe, but Ainz left Mare where he was. As the sound of Mare¡¯s sniffling gradually died down. Ainz gently caressed his head.

    Ainz produced a handkerchief from his pocket.

    He had never wiped someone else¡¯s face before, so perhaps his movements were a bit rough, but Mare allowed Ainz to wipe him.

    ¡°Come now, Mare. Go wash your face.¡±

    ¡°Ah... what about you, Ainz-sama?¡±

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯ll be heading over to E-Rantel afterwards. I need to meet the Guildmaster. I¡¯ve been putting it off because it¡¯s annoying, but I can¡¯t dy it any longer. Now then ©¤¡±

    Ainz nced at Albedo, who had been remaining silent all this while. Her long hair covered her face, and he could not see her expression. However, the non-stop quivering of her body was enough to strike terror into Ainz¡¯s heart. The image of a volcano simmering with anger, on the verge of eruption, shed through his mind.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Albedo?¡±

    And in that moment©¤

    ¡°©¤Gu-guwaargh!¡±

    ©¤Ainz¡¯s field of vision shifted just as he felt an impact on his back.

    Naturally, it did not hurt. Ainz¡¯s body could only be harmed by magical means. He did not feel pain from the light impacts which resulted from bumping into things. However, the remnants of his humanity made him shut his eyes in reflex.

    This sudden development left him unable to think. The mental makeup of the undead meant that they did not panic or the like, so this confusion must have been Suzuki Satoru¡¯s.

    ¡°Nh, ngghhh...¡±

    He opened his eyes, and saw the Eight Edge Assassins on the ceiling. In other words, he was on his back. When he realized this, Ainz immediately tried to stand up, but a strangely soft object pinned his entire body down, and thanks to that, it was hard to move.

    Impossible. My items grant me immunity to mobility impediments such as pinning. I should have been liberated the moment I waspletely immobilized... in other words, someone¡¯s using a very powerful binding technique on me!

    Ainz checked to see what was the soft lifeform pinning him down, and as expected ©¤ it was Albedo.

    ¡°Ainz-samaaa!¡±

    Albedo was straddling Ainz in a full mount and pushed him back down as he tried to rise.

    ¡°What... what¡¯s this? What¡¯s happening?¡±

    ¡° I©¤ I can¡¯t take it any more!¡±

    Albedo¡¯s suddenly opened her eyes. Her ring golden pupils sent a chill down Ainz¡¯s spine.

    ¡°You... what are you saying?!¡±

    Albedo ignored Ainz¡¯s panicked question and instead brought her hands to the front of her dress. With a ¡°hng¡± of effort, she tried to pull it off, but she could not budge it.

    ¡°Magical clothing is so annoying. You need a skill to destroy it or take it off normally.¡±

    ¡°Calm yourself, Albedo! Get off me!¡±

    Ainz thought to push her off with sheer brute force, but Albedo was a level 100 warrior. Also, whenever Ainz tried to push her away, his hands made contact with something soft and squishy, so he could not use his full strength. Albedo¡¯s hands moved, seeking to remove Ainz¡¯s robe.

    ¡°Don¡¯t take my clothes off! Stop wiggling your hips! Wai©¤¡±

    ¡°Ah, awawawawa...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s your fault, Ainz-sama! I¡¯ve been bearing with it for so long, but then you said that and I couldn¡¯t take it any more! It¡¯s all your fault, Ainz-sama! I just need a little bit! Just a bit! Just a little bit! A little bit of your love! Just count the Eight Edge Assassins on the ceiling and it¡¯ll be over before you¡¯re done!¡±

    If Albedo had chosen this moment to scold Ainz for changing her backstory, perhaps he would have lost the will to resist. However, Albedo looked like she was going to swallow him whole, and so he did not feel guilt, but the terror of one who was about to be devoured. That instead caused him to struggle even more desperately.

    It was only then that his subordinates, who had been stunned by the sudden development, finally went into action.

    ¡°Albedo-sama has gone mad!¡±

    ¡°Albedo-sama has gone mad!¡±

    The Eight Edge Assassins descended as one from the ceiling.

    ¡°Pull her off Ainz-sama! No, don¡¯t try to immobilize her, she¡¯ll slip free right away! Just pull her away with brute force!¡±

    ¡°No good! What¡¯s with this strength! I¡¯d expect nothing less of the Guardian Overseer! Mare-sama, we request your aid!¡±

    ¡°©¤Awawa! O-okay!¡±

    ***

    In the end, Ainz was finally freed, and after smoothing out his rumpled robes, he looked to Albedo, who was seized hand and foot by the Eight Edge Assassins, and said:

    ¡°Albedo shall be confined for three days.¡±

    The Eight Edge Assassins dragged Albedo from the room.

    ¡°Ah... Ainz-sama... are you alright?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m perfectly fine... has Albedo always been that strange? Did she eat something funny? ...Granted, demons don¡¯t need to eat or drink, but it¡¯s not like they can¡¯t.¡±

    As Ainz asked that question, Mare averted his eyes.

    ¡°I see... no, well, hm. She must have a lot going on. For all I know, it could be pent-up stress from work.¡±

    Ainz rose to his feet and called out to the maid. He regained his dignity ©¤ which had been previously scattered to the winds ©¤ and spoke in amanding tone.

    ¡°...Summon Narberal and Hamsuke. It is time for me to leave for E-Rantel.¡±

    ***

    <b>13:35 Nazarick Time</b>

    Ainz pulled on the reins from where he was mounted on Hamsuke¡¯s back, bringing Hamsuke to a halt. He silently regarded E-Rantel¡¯s city gates.

    Ainz quite liked these thick and sturdy gates, which looked like they could repel an army. While there were many gates in YGGDRASIL which were bigger and cooler-looking than this one, this gate was not a mass of data, but made by the hands of mankind ©¤ although they might have had magical assistance.

    As he stood before these gigantic steel gates, an indescribable feeling welled up inside him.

    There were guilds in YGGDRASIL who conquered cities too. In the past, I thought it was troublesome to use a location that was so difficult to defend as a guild base, but... I think I can understand those guilds now. Ruling a big city might be a male ambition.

    In YGGDRASIL, there were frequent city battles between guilds. Many of Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s members simply watched coldly from the side, unable to understand them, but there had been those who said they wanted to take part.

    Were they battle maniacs...

    In the past, Ainz had not like those words much, but when he thought about it now, they were good memories.

    ¡°Is something the matter, milord?¡±

    ¡°Not at all, don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    Hamsuke had been curious and asked its question because its master had bade it stop, and yet had not done anything. Ainz¡¯s t reply had shut down that topic. He felt embarrassed about letting Hamsuke know that he was reminiscing about the past.

    ¡°Now then, to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, where we¡¯ll show our faces for the meeting and then immediately take on a monster extermination quest.¡±

    He could have stayed in an E-Rantel inn, but he did not have the luxury of making such pointless expenditures. The reason why Ainz ©¤ who did not eat or drink ©¤ had to book a room in the highest-end inns was purely to highlight his status as the most highly-ced of adventurers. After that, it was a matter of making connections. However, he had already met all the influential people in this city, and he was assured that they would receive him warmly if he sought them out. Therefore, Ainz had no need to book a room at an inn.

    Besides, whenever AInz checked into an inn, he would immediately teleport back to Nazarick, where he would produce undead and work on other things. That being the case, it would be wiser to take a monster extermination mission and leave the city as soon as possible.

    Frankly speaking, he did not feel that there was further merit in staying around E-Rantel.

    ¡°Is that so? Verily, milord does enjoy battle.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I enjoy it or anything. Besides, when I wipe out monsters, I take them out right away and spend most of the time in Nazarick.¡±

    Ainz lightly rapped Hamsuke¡¯srge head.

    ¡°I intend to give you all sorts of training so you can use weapons and armor.¡±

    ¡°This one has always been working hard! This one has asked the Lizardmen to teach this one all manner of tricks, and soon this one will surely be able to learn a super move!¡±

    ¡°Ho. Well now, it would be perfect if you could learn martial arts. Also, how about your fellow disciple? Do you think he¡¯ll be able to use martial arts?¡±

    ¡°You mean him? He never speaks so this one does not know. However, this one feels he cannot use them yet.¡±

    Indeed, Ainz thought. There was no way that one would enjoy speaking, and Ainz felt that the chances of it being able to learn martial arts were slim. It was little more than an experiment. That said, if it ©¤ a Death Knight created by Ainz ©¤ could actually learn warrior techniques, their future ns would have to be greatly altered. That was because if he could strengthen monsters by training them, then it would most likely be a top priority.

    ¡°The undead do not need to sleep, and neither do they tire. They can performbat training forever. So in theory, he ought to have learned martial arts before Hamsuke. The fact that he has not probably indicates that it¡¯s not possible.¡±

    ¡°A moment please! He strives hard in his own way! Even after this one returns to this one¡¯s abode, he continues training without a single word ofint... I pray thee spare his life!¡±

    ¡°...No, I did not intend to kill him, you know? What exactly did you take me for?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, there is nobody more merciful in all this world than Ainz-sama. Ainz-sama even took pity on a pathetic little creature like you and spared your life.¡±

    Those frigid words came from Narberal, who was riding behind them, and they made Hamsuke shudder.

    ¡°©¤Nabe, we¡¯reing up on E-Rantel. Address me as Momon from now on.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    ¡°Also, Hamsuke is a being with an important part to y in the n to strengthen Nazarick... you must take the appropriate attitude with those who work for Nazarick¡¯s sake. I am not simply referring to Hamsuke, so keep that in mind.¡±

    ¡°Yes! My deepest apologies.¡±

    Also, stop calling humans ticks or lice or whatever, Ainz wanted to say, but no matter how he ordered her, Narberal would not listen, so recently he had decided not to bother. That was because if Narberal Gamma had been designed to unconsciously refer to human beings in such a manner, forcing her to correct herself would essentially be trampling the wishes of his friend who had designed her that way.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Yes, milord.¡±

    Ainz rode forth on Hamsuke.

    He could see several people lined up in front of the gate. It was only to be expected that immigration would be more strictly vetted than emigration, and all items they carried would be carefully inspected. Therefore, if travelling merchants or peddlers wanted to enter E-Rantel, they might have to spend a long time queuing up for an inspection.

    ¡°I hope it won¡¯t take too long...¡±

    ¡°Should you not have priority in going in, Momon sa©¤n?¡± Narberal asked while they were lined up behind several travellers ©¤ including a group in adventurer¡¯s garb.

    She was right. When Ainz had firste here, he too had been subjected to extremely troublesome checks, but as his adventuring record grew, the inspection process had grown simpler, and now he practically had a free pass to walk right past them. In addition to that, sometimes he received permission for preferential entry to the city.

    This privilege was not unique to Darkness; just about all mithril-ranked adventurers and above received such special treatment. Perhaps it was because the city did not want to displease their trump cards.

    In that case, why not just do away with the entry toll as well...

    The tolls were inexpensivepared to the payments adventurers received, but Ainz was the top outside earner for Nazarick and having to pay displeased him. That said, he could not bypass the walls with flight magic either.

    Momon was a hero. Therefore©¤

    ¡°We can¡¯t cut in line... unless there¡¯s an emergency, or we have to enter the city with all due haste.

    He saw Narberal bow from the corner of his eye, and Ainz looked ahead of him from where he was mounted on Hamsuke¡¯s back.

    ¡°Still, they¡¯re not moving at all...¡±

    The queue was just like a highway choked up by a traffic jam; nobody was moving.

    ¡°What¡¯s this...? It looks like they¡¯re inspecting a cargo wagon... and doing a pretty good job of it too. No, they¡¯re just surrounding it. Did they find some contraband? Excuse me.¡±

    Ainz called out to an unsophisticated-looking man in front of him.

    ¡°Ah, yes. What is it?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I just noticed that the line wasn¡¯t moving, so I was wondering if you knew what was going on.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not too clear about what¡¯s going on, just that they took a vige girl to the duty station. And then©¤¡±

    After listening to the man, Ainz still had no idea what was going on. He stuck his neck out towards the duty station. He tilted his head to listen in, and heard the sound of an argument.

    Suddenly, something piqued Ainz¡¯s curiosity.

    When he had firste to this city, they had asked him a whole pile of questions at the main gate, but he had not expected to be let past so easily. He had been surprised at the time, and thought that this world was surprisingly kind to rootless people like mercenaries, adventurers or travellers, but the truth had not been what he had expected. In that case, what were they asking this vige girl?

    Currently, Ainz¡¯s status as an adamantite-ranked adventurer meant that very few cities would refuse him entry.

    That was why Ainz wanted to know exactly what sort of questions were being asked. In the future, he might have to infiltrate a city in future outside the guise of Momon the adamantite-ranked adventurer. He had to learn more so there would be no difficulties when the time came.

    ¡°You two wait here for a while. I¡¯ll go see what¡¯s going on.¡±

    ¡°Please allow me to apany you.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯m just taking a look.¡±

    He dismounted from Hamsuke¡¯s back, and walked towards the duty station.

    All the soldiers eximed in surprise as they saw Ainz. There was nobody here who did not know the adventurer Momon in E-Rantel.

    Ainz took care to look as cool as possible as he approached the duty station. He saw an excited-looking magic caster, a soldier, and a seated vige girl.

    ¡°We wish to enter the city, but... what¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Uooooh!¡±

    The two men eximed in the same surprise as the soldiers outside. The vige girl was stunned when she saw it.

    ¡°If... if it isn¡¯t Momon-sama himself! Forgive us!¡±

    ¡°Now, what¡¯s going on here... hm? This girl is...¡±

    She seemed familiar. Ainz felt that he knew her, and he searched his hippocampus ©¤ though he did not possess such an organ ©¤ for information confirming her.

    ¡°Yes! We were investigating a suspicious girl, which took some time. We sincerely apologize for inconveniencing you, Momon-sama©¤¡±

    Ainz was beginning to find the man¡¯s chatter intolerable. Then, inspiration struck, and he recalled the vige girl¡¯s name.

    ¡°©¤Enri , right. You must be Enri Emmot, am I correct?¡±

    ¡°Er, ah, who¡¯re you... er, no, I am. Ah, you were the one who came with Nfirea that time, right? I don¡¯t remember speaking to you... DId Nfirea tell you my name?¡±

    At that moment, Ainz instinctively pressed his hand over his mouth.

    He had met Enri when he was the masked magic caster Ainz Ooal Gown. Now, he was the adamantite-ranked adventurer in jet-ck armor, Momon.

    Crap! I spoke in my normal voice! This is terrible. I need to leave here right away. But still, what¡¯s that vige girl doing here? Won¡¯t it be troublesome if she finds me ©¤ no, finds Ainz Ooal Gown here? I need to rify the details with her.

    She did not seem to have divined his true identity from the conversation just now, but he could not rule out the possibility that he had been exposed. Granted, he did not think she would have matched his voice from several months ago to a few words spoken through ayer of armor, but it was best to be prudent.

    Ainz beckoned the magic caster over. He felt that the man ought to know more than the soldiers.

    He led the magic caster out of the duty station, and they went some distance away to avoid being overheard by the sentries.

    ¡°It¡¯s like this... that girl¡¯s a friend of a friend. Can you tell me what happened with her?¡±

    He was not lying, since Nfirea was indeed a friend of Ainz and Momon.

    The magic caster¡¯s eyes went wide. He appeared to be shocked, but that was not the case. It was more like connecting points of data to form a beautiful line. It was as though a mystery in his heart had been solved.

    ¡°I see... as I thought...¡±

    Could you please hurry up the process of epting the facts? Ainz very much wanted to say that, but he bore with it and waited for the man to speak.

    ¡°She said she was just a vige girl, but she was carrying a powerful horn-shaped magic item. I wasn¡¯t sure why she had such a powerful item, and I had other questions of my own, so I wanted to rify things.¡±

    ¡°What sort of horn was it? What effects did it have?¡±

    ¡°Its effects were©¤¡±

    After listening to the whole exnation, Ainz could not help looking up to the sky.

    That was because he was trying to run away from the knowledge that it was an item which he had given her.

    At that time, Ainz had not known that such an item was beyond theprehension of this world. He had given her the horn simply for her to protect herself. Who could have imagined that it would have created so much trouble for her? Ainz could probably havee up with an excuse along the lines of ¡°I did nothing wrong¡±, but ignoring her plight was not good either.

    I¡¯ll help her out a little. I didn¡¯t do anything wrong, but I did give her the item, after all, so the responsibility lies with me... if I abandon her and it falls into someone else¡¯s hands, it¡¯ll end up being more troublesome for me. Besides, if she gets locked up©¤

    Nfirea knew that Momon and Ainz Ooal Gown were one and the same. Given these circumstances, if Enri told him about this, he would surely think that Ainz had left her to her fate.

    It¡¯ll definitely leave a bad aftertaste between us... I don¡¯t care about causing difficulties with worthless humans, but he¡¯s a very valuable being. As the saying goes, I ought to turn this danger into an opportunity. If I lend her a hand, Nfirea ought to be grateful to me. If I do this, I can chain his heart closer to me with more obligations.

    Ainz spoke, in a tone which he believedbined calmness and dignity:

    ¡°There is no need for you to worry. I am very familiar with her character. She will not go around causing trouble, so could I impose upon you to let her pass? ©¤Could you?¡±

    ¡°But of course. If she is a friend of Momon from ¡®Darkness¡¯, and you are vouching for her, then we would allow her in, no matter how vicious a criminal she was.¡±

    ¡°Really now, my apologies, then. In that case, I¡¯ll leave that to you. Also, I apologize for this, but could you allow us ©¤ Darkness ©¤ to enter the city first?¡±

    After receiving permission, Ainz returned to Narberal and Hamsuke.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been allowed in. Let¡¯s enter the city.¡±

    He mounted up on Hamsuke¡¯s back and bypassed the line of people. The queuing people all looked at him, but once they saw his ck armor, his greatswords, Hamsuke and Narberal, they all averted their eyes. They understood that Ainz¡¯s status was far greater than theirs.

    The gate sentries bowed deeply to them as they passed by, and then they entered E-Rantel.

    ¡°Now then, Nabe. I have something to ask of you.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Pleasemand me as you see fit.¡±

    SInce they were both adventurers, it did not seem good for her to disy such loyalty on the streets. However, Ainz had gradually realized that it was pointless to lecture her, and so he continued speaking:

    ¡°The girl driving the wagon from just now ©¤ Enri ©¤ will be entering the city soon. Go ask her why she came to E-Rantel.¡±

    After that, Ainz found a ce to hide himself. This was because he wanted to avoid speaking with Enri too much.

    He surveyed his surroundings and saw a stack of tall wooden crates he could probably hide behind, and so hemanded Hamsuke to make haste towards it. The soldiers working there panicked when they saw Ainz and Hamsuke approaching them.

    ¡°Gentlemen, are you free? I¡¯d like to ask about these crates.¡±

    Once he was certain that he would not be spotted from the city gates, Ainz addressed one of the soldiers. Of course, he was not interested in the crates at all. He had simply made up a pretext to be there because he was worried others might chase him away for interfering with their work.

    ¡°Ah...alright. We¡¯re very d that you¡¯d take an interest in our work, Momon-sama. The crates are filled with vegetables from the Grandel Province, known as Kinshu. These vegetables©¤¡±

    As Ainz listened to the soldier¡¯s earnest exnation, he mumbled replies like ¡°I see¡± and ¡°So that¡¯s how it is¡±. The soldier did not seem to mind the half-hearted responses and continued his lecture. After learning how to cook the vegetables called Kinshu in exacting detail, he sensed Narberal approaching from behind him.

    ¡°©¤Forgive me for interrupting your exnation. I learned a lot, thank you. However, mypanion has returned, and so I must leave.¡±

    After his one-sided farewell to the soldier, Ainz ordered Hamsuke forward.

    ¡°How did it go?¡±

    ¡°Firstly, she wanted me to thank you, Momon-san. After that, she said that she had three aims, namely selling off the herbs she had collected, checking the temples for people who might want to move to the vige, and finally, travelling to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.¡±

    ¡°The Adventurer¡¯s Guild? What kind of request is she putting in?¡±

    ¡°Forgive me, but I did not ask about that. Shall I capture her and force her to talk?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. Besides, we¡¯ll be heading to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild too, so we can just ask the Guild when we get there.¡±

    Surely she did not intend to directly thank Ainz Ooal Gown. If it was for that objective, she could simply leave a message with Lupusregina, whom he asionally sent to the vige.

    ¡°Oh yes, Nabe. Have you received any special reports from Lupusregina?¡±

    Narberal shook her head, and Ainz furrowed his ©¤ naturally, they were nonexistent ©¤ brows.

    He had originally nned to station a Shadow Demon in the vige, but he had instead sent Lupusregina over in order to forge friendly rtions. He had ordered Lupusregina to report anything that happened in the vige to him immediately. However, no information had made its way to Ainz up till this point.

    Therefore, he had believed that Carne VIge was fine. Was that not the case?

    While there was no need to tell him about trivia such as ¡°Enri went to E-Rantel by herself¡±, uneasiness still shrouded Ainz¡¯s heart like a cloud.

    ¡°I¡¯ve always thought Lupusregina was a hard worker. Nabe, what do you think?¡±

    ¡°It is as you say, Ainz-sama. While her tone makes her seem very casual, that is only an act. She is cruel and cunning; an excellent maid.¡±

    There was no way cruelty and slyness could be taken aspliments. Ainz nced at Narberal¡¯s face, wondering if she thought ill of Lupusregina, but her cool expression only contained her respect for a colleague.

    ¡°Then milord, shall we proceed presently to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild as you said earlier?¡±

    ¡°Yes, do you know its location? Narberal, you sit behind me. Since you¡¯ve already put away the Statue of Animal: Warhorse, there¡¯s no need to go to the trouble of taking it out again.¡±

    Ainz grabbed Narberal¡¯s hand and sat her behind him. Hamsuke seemed eager to move off and picked up the pace. He was no longer embarrassed to ride Hamsuke through the streets. In addition, Hamsuke could understandnguage and take orders, which pleased him. It felt just like riding a cab.

    Soon, the Adventurer¡¯s Guild appeared before his eyes. At the same time, he saw the wagon from earlier, and Enri¡¯s back as she entered the Guild.

    ¡°...There¡¯s nothing else to be done. Hamsuke, we¡¯ll go in through the back door. Circle round the back.¡±

    ¡°Understood, milord!¡±

    Usually, adventurers were not allowed to enter the Guild through the back door. However, anything was possible for adamantite-ranked adventurers. Incidentally, it was also Ainz¡¯s first time doing this. He might be of a privileged ss, but abusing his privileges would damage his reputation.

    After entering the Guild through the back door, he asked the first Guild employee he saw to take him to the Guildmaster¡¯s room. Fortunately, the Guildmaster was in.

    ¡°Oh, if it isn¡¯t Momon-kun! Wee!¡±

    The Guildmaster ©¤ Ainzach ©¤ opened his arms wide to wee Ainz, and then he warmly embraced Ainz. While he thought nothing of it because he was wearing his armor and a helmet, there were many reasons which would have chosen made him avoid that ardent embrace if he were in a thinyer of clothing. He patted Ainz intimately on the back before slowly releasing him.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been so lonely because you haven¡¯te aroundtely. Come,e, have a seat. Let¡¯s chat a bit before the others show up.¡±

    The Guildmaster looked like he was weing a friend he had not seen for a long time as he happily indicated the sofa.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    After Ainz took a seat, the Guildmaster sat down beside him.

    The two of them were very close. Their knees were touching, and it was stifling.

    ¡°Momon-kun, we¡¯ve known each other for so long; surely we can speak more freely around each other, hm?¡±

    ¡°No, there must be politeness even as there¡¯s familiarity. This is very important; it¡¯s what my seniors taught me.¡±

    Granted, if he were a sryman, he would have spoken with more closeness ©¤ sometimes, he even spoke to customers in a normal tone. However, he did not wish to get so close to the Guildmaster. He felt that maintaining a business-like attitude was the right answer.

    Getting too close to the group will only be a burden. I don¡¯t want to be too closely tied to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild of a single city. Should I leave for greener pastures soon? Besides©¤

    Ainz nced at the Guildmaster through the eyeslits of his helmet.

    Besides, why the heck is he sitting so close to me? Normally, you¡¯d let Narberal sit beside me, and you¡¯d sit opposite me, right?

    Their proximity made him feel ufortable; it was no wonder Ainz began to suspect if the Guildmaster was gay.

    I heard the Magician¡¯s Guildmaster say he had a wife... or is his wife just a beard? I thought he was just trying to get me on his side... but it¡¯s having the opposite effect. Or does he think <b>I¡¯m</b> gay?

    That final mental image made Ainz shudder.

    Ainz was heterosexual. No, to be precise, he used to be. Incidentally, Suzuki Satoru preferredrger breasts. That point had (probably) not changed, even after gaining this body. That was because he preferred Albedo slightly more to, say, Cocytus.

    Ainz adjusted his sitting position, moving slightly away from the Guildmaster, and then he turned to face him.

    ¡°Forgive my rudeness, but I came here with a question. It¡¯s like this ©¤ one of my friends should havee to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild by now, and I¡¯d like to know what sort of request she put in.¡±

    ¡°Well, the rules make it somewhat difficult to tell you about this.¡±

    ¡°Thus, I seek your understanding in the matter. I do understand I¡¯m imposing, and I understand the need to obey the Guild¡¯s rules. However, I hope you will lend me your help in this.¡±

    Ainz bowed his head, to which the Guildmaster responded by folding his arms and staring at the ceiling, a stern look on his face. However, he only held that pose for a short while.

    ¡°I understand,¡± he smiled to Ainz. ¡°Since it¡¯s you asking, Momon-kun, I can¡¯t exactly reject it either. Then, could you tell me that person¡¯s name?¡±

    ¡°She is Enri of Carne VIge, no, Enri Emmot.¡±

    ¡°Enri, is it? Then, could you give me a little time?¡±

    ***

    Before long, the Guildmaster returned. He was followed by one of the receptionists which Ainz had seen before. She moved stiffly as she entered the room.

    ¡°Momon-sama! My apologies!¡±

    This was the first time Ainz had ever seen someone walk while moving both the arms and legs on the same sides of their body at the same time. He thought, that¡¯s quite something and there¡¯s no need to be so tense, but in the end, he still nodded haughtily. Part of the challenge of being an adamantite-ranked adventurer that he could not appear too rxed.

    ¡°This receptionist attended to Enri Emmot of Carne Vige. It would be better for you to ask her directly. Ask her anything you wish to know.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Then ©¤ no, before that, perhaps she should have a seat, Guildmaster. But this is your room, and it is not up to me to©¤¡±

    ¡°No! There¡¯s no need to bother you! I¡¯m fine with standing!¡±

    Perhaps Suzuki Satoru might have felt that it was very wrong to be seated while his opposite number was standing. However, in the process of being Ainz Ooal Gown ©¤ of being the leader of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick ©¤ he had gradually lost such feelings. He was slowly bing used to the difference between a leader and a follower. Perhaps this was an indication that his actions as a master (roleying) were not a waste of effort, but he had indeed umted experience points.

    ...How much more until I level up... Oops.

    ¡°I see. Then, let¡¯ get down to business. I would like you to tell me about her request, in as much detail and possible. This is a very important matter, so can you tell me everything about it?¡±

    ¡°Y-yes!¡±

    The receptionist¡¯s forehead was beaded in cold sweat.

    ¡°What is it? Is there a problem?¡±

    ¡°No, I mean...:¡±

    The receptionist¡¯s eyes were flickering from side to side.

    ¡°Am I asking the wrong questions? ...Perhaps, so let¡¯s try this. Was she looking for someone in particr to help with her request?¡±

    ¡°No... it¡¯s not, it¡¯s not like that.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see... then, what sort of request was it? Or was it not even a request?¡±

    ¡°...Actually, she did not make a request right away, just said that she might make one in future. And then she mentioned something about monsters called the Giant of the East and the Serpent of the West, who wereparable to the Wise King of the Forest which you tamed, Momon-sama. That, er, that¡¯s all.¡±

    Ainz was quite surprised by how tongue-tied she sounded, but he continued asking:

    ¡°So it¡¯s a future request, then?¡±

    ¡°No... it¡¯s not! I... I didn¡¯t know she was a friend of yours, Momon-sama! If I¡¯d known, I would have asked more carefully! Really!¡±

    AInz was quite perturbed by the receptionist, who was wailing while on the verge of tears. Could someone as emotional as this really man a counter?

    ¡°©¤Guildmaster.¡±

    ¡°...My apologies. We did not oversee this adequately.¡±

    ¡°Why¡¯s it like that? Isn¡¯t that how the guild¡¯s rules work?!¡±

    After listening to their conversation, Ainz realized how they had misinterpreted his intentions.

    The receptionist and Guildmaster believed that Ainz and Enri were friends, and while he had intended to take her job for free, he had decided to give the Adventurer¡¯s Guild their due deference and thus they hand arranged for him to ept her request through the Guild.

    However, the receptionist had coldly chased away Enri by bringing up the manner of fees. Therefore, the two of them were arguing about who should be taking the responsibility for chasing away the friend of an adamantite-ranked adventurer.

    No, if this was a rule of the organization, then wouldn¡¯t she be right to have obeyed it?

    Ainz stared at the Guildmaster as he rebuked the receptionist, and his opinion of the man took a sharp dive in his eyes.

    If a subordinate makes a mistake, her superior ought to cover for her. Or is this some sort of high-level technique where he savagely scolds her in front of a customer to earn the customer¡¯s sympathy and thus his forgiveness? I mean, look at how he¡¯sying into her.

    Ainz felt that that the receptionist had handled this correctly, and the Guildmaster should have known that as well. However, just like how he hade in through the back door and leaned on the Guildmaster for a favor, adamantite-ranked adventurers could easily bend the rules. That was because they were valuable enough that the Guild wanted to keep them around, even if they flouted the rules. That was probably why the two of them were arguing now.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know!¡±

    Ainz gently spoke tofort the weeping receptionist.

    ¡°The fault is not yours.¡±

    The receptionist¡¯s eyes went wide, and her tears flowed out from them and rolled down her cheeks.

    ¡°Obeying the organization¡¯s rules is very important, even if they must be overlooked from time to time. I will not hold this incident against you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you! Thank you so much!¡±

    ¡°Then, I hope I can trouble you to go get the details from her. Please don¡¯t say I¡¯ll be taking it, only that I want to be ready to make a move at any time.¡±

    ¡°I understand! I! I¡¯ll go ask now! I¡¯m very sorry!¡±

    The receptionist turned and ran off like the passing of a typhoon.

    ¡°...While I know you wanted to gain my sympathy, I would prefer if you did not falsely me someone who was innocent. It displeases me.¡±

    ¡°As I thought... I can¡¯t pull the wool over your eyes, Momon-kun.¡±

    Those words sounded like they had been squeezed out of the depths of his soul, and Ainz knew that his guess had been correct.

    So the techniques of the Japanese sryman are universally applicable. However, the problem is©¤

    The form of Lupusregina came to Ainz¡¯s mind.

    Why didn¡¯t Lupusregina have any information about monsters that even a vige girl like Enri was aware of? Was it a failure in the construction of the intelligencework? I need to make sure.

    As Ainz waited for the receptionist to report to him, he mused that he would need to return to Nazarick and sort this out.

    ? ? ?

    <b>16:41 Nazarick Time </b>

    A nervous-looking Lupusregina entered Ainz¡¯s office. The panic and unease of being suddenly summoned was written all over her face. Inside the office were Lupusregina, the regr maid Sixth, the battle maid Narberal, Aura, who was the one most familiar with the forest, the Eight Edge Assassins on the ceiling, and the owner of the room, Ainz. Incidentally, Albedo was still in confinement.

    Lupusregina was about to prostrate before Ainz when he interrupted her.

    ¡°Lupusregina, is there something you¡¯ve kept from me?¡±

    After seeing the confused look on her face, he wondered if she did not know about it after all. Ainz decided to repeat what he had heard about the Giant of the East and the Serpent of the West from the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.

    However, as he saw that Lupusregina seemed to have known about this long before, Ainz¡¯s mood rapidly deteriorated. He exhaled long and loud.

    ¡°So you were aware of this, then?¡±

    ¡°Yes. About that¡ª¡±

    ¡°You fool!¡±

    Ruled by anger, Ainz¡¯s wrath-filled shout echoed through the room.

    As the others recoiled like they had been struck by lightning, Ainz felt something suppress his emotions, but even after the peak of rage was cut off, his anger surged up again, and there was no way he could fully rein in his ire.

    ¡°Why did you not report this to me? Were you trying to keep this from me?¡±

    ¡°N-no! Nothing like that!¡±

    ¡°Then why? Why did none of this reach me at all! What was the reason for that?¡±

    ¡°B-because I th-thought it wasn¡¯t a big deal, s-so I didn¡¯t report...¡±

    For some reason, the sight of the frightened battle maid peeking up at him only incensed him further.

    ¡°Lupusregina Beta! I am thoroughly disappointed in you!!¡±

    Lupusregina was not the only one who flinched at this. Nabe and Sixth were trembling too, and the Eight Edge Assassins on the ceiling seemed to have frozen up as well.

    ¡°I gave you discretion over handling the vige, but that does not mean you can do as you please! You were told to report anything that happened in the vige, anything at all, so what is the meaning of this!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s...¡±

    Ainz¡¯s face twisted as he looked down on Lupusregina, who was unable to answer him.

    This was an unforgivable sin for a worker; no, for anyone.

    These rules were obvious for anyone who did business, or rather, for anyone who worked in society at all: ¡°Report, Communicate, Discuss¡±. It was an abbreviation of reporting what you had learned,municating clearly with others and discussing issues as they came up. They were very important; the lifeblood of the giant that was working society.

    If she can¡¯t even do that, I don¡¯t think I can forgive her from the perspective of a leader... no...

    As he looked on the terrified Lupusregina, Ainz could not help but think that he was at least partially to me. These mistakes would only result if a superior was unreliable and could not properly direct his subordinates.

    A failure in the group¡¯smunications is my fault. I couldn¡¯t take proper control of this... maybe I should step back and let Demiurge or Albedo handle this sort of thing.

    ¡°...Lupusregina, are you aware of Carne Vige¡¯s value to Nazarick?¡±

    ¡°Hah? No... yes. Er, I heard you say that vige is very valuable, Ainz-sama...¡±

    ¡°No, no, I mean, what do you, personally, feel is valuable about the vige?¡±

    ¡°W-well, there¡¯s a lot of toys there, and...¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s how it is. Well then... I¡¯m sorry. It was my mistake. I did not realize you thought like that...¡± Ainzughed tiredly. He realized it had been his fault after all. ¡°I take back what I said about you being a disappointment. I went too far. Please forgive me.¡±

    ¡°W-what are you saying? It was my foolish mistake!¡±

    ¡°In that case, just be more careful next time. Now then, I¡¯ll exin again, so pay close attention. That vige is very valuable to us. Especially that boy, Nfirea, and his grandmother Lizzie. They are of great importance to Nazarick.¡±

    ¡°Eeh? Is-is that so?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. I have handed the task of creating new potions to those two.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that-that¡¯s right! I have something to show you, Ainz-sama!¡±

    Lupusregina suddenly shouted thatst part as her face turned pale. She took out a vial of purple potion and Narberal, who was closest to her, took it and handed it to Ainz.

    ¡°This is...¡±

    Ainz looked at the potion through the light.

    ¡°Y-yes! This is Nfirea¡¯s new healing potion!¡±

    Ainz¡¯s anger red again, and he tried his best to quash it.

    ¡°With this potion, the Bareare family¡¯s importance has risen again.¡±

    Ainzughed quietly as he saw Lupusregina¡¯s clueless face.

    This purple potion Nfirea made had been concocted using various items provided by Nazarick. The most important thing was that without possessing Yggdrasil¡¯s potion creation skills, they had managed to use ingredients from Yggdrasil to create something other than this world¡¯s ¡°blue¡± potions or Yggdrasil¡¯s ¡°red¡± potions.

    ¡°For starters, the healing potions of this world are blue. But the healing potions I know of are red. Curious, don¡¯t you think?¡± Ainz rambled.

    The knowledge and powers of YGGDRASIL could be used in this world. From the angels he had first encountered, to the apparent existence of World-ss Items, there was a very high chance that yers had been here in the past. In that case, why was it that the potions were not red like in YGGDRASIL?

    There were three possibilities.

    First, the downfall of a country might have resulted in the loss of those potion-making techniques. These techniques should have been quite widespread, and nothing short of an entire country¡¯s destruction would be able to wipe them out.

    The second reason might have been that Nfirea simply did not know these techniques since they had not spread to the nearby countries. Perhaps distant countries might be using red potions. After all, in Japan, the same noodle soup lookedpletely different when prepared on different sides of the country.

    The third reason was optimization: making YGGDRASIL potions would require YGGDRASIL materials. Maybe those materials were difficult to find here, or they were not avable at all, and that was why only blue potions were the best that could be made with this world¡¯s materials.

    ¡°That is to say, except for the second possibility, this potion that Nfirea made¡ª¡± Ainz swirled the purple potion in its vial. ¡°This might be a once-in-a-century technological revolution, for all I know. Well, if it¡¯s the third possibility, this might turn out to be a failed product after all. His hard work in the future will give me the answer.¡±

    Wat Ainz wanted from Nfirea was for him to make YGGDRASIL potions without using YGGDRASIL materials. Or he mighte up with something else and end up making a third,pletely different potion.

    ¡°In that case, would it not be more effective to let more people research the subject?¡±

    Narberal¡¯s question made Ainz frown.

    ¡°That is a foolish question. Narberal. Indeed, the work would proceed more quickly, but it would be very dangerous. Knowledge is power, and freely distributing it is a foolish action.¡±

    YGGDRASIL was also like that, so Ainz could confidently say that.

    ¡°For example, there is a possibility that his potion could be refined to the point where it could kill me with a single attack. Then, it would be safer to monopolize this knowledge than to spread it... It¡¯s better for ves to be a little ignorant, but one must always keep abreast of technological advancements. This is the same for Nfirea and his potions. Though I would like to lock him up in Nazarick and make him focus solely on research and development...¡±

    This would both prevent the spread of the technique and the usage of the potion.

    ¡°Then, then why have you not done so?¡±

    Narberal¡¯s eyes seemed to say that she would do it immediately if ordered, and so AInz hurriedly squeezed out a reply.

    ¡°Rather than imprison him and force him to work, I will build his trust in us, as a long-term scheme that will bring better benefits to Nazarick. Demiurge analyzed the situation and concluded that it was better to shackle him to us with a debt of obligation¡ª Hm? What¡¯s wrong, Lupusregina?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s one thing I don¡¯t understand, could you exin it to a fool like me? Why did you give the potion to someone like Brita, Ainz-sama?¡±

    Ainz had no idea who Brita was, going by her name alone. While trying to maintain a look which said ¡°all is within the palm of my hand¡± ¡ªwhich was to say, a carefully nk expression¡ª he struggled frantically to think of a solution.

    Could it be that potion?

    Ainz recalled the first night he spent in E-Rantel.

    As he remembered what he had said then, Ainz was grateful that his body could no longer sweat.

    ¡ªWhat should I do? What should I say?

    He could not keep silent forever.

    Demiurge! Albedo! Why aren¡¯t you here! No, Demiurge is currently abroad performing his tasks, and Albedo is in confinement! It¡¯s toote to call her over!

    ¡°¡ªIs that so? You really don¡¯t understand?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I apologize for myck of knowledge. Please enlighten me.¡±

    Just don¡¯t ask! Ainz wanted to shout. However, he had no other options, so all he could do was roll the dice and hope for the best. Courage filled him as he decided on his course.

    ¡°Fufu... hahahaha. Indeed, it was a dangerous move that you, Lupusregina, have the right to be curious about. It could have resulted in a development that we would not be able to control. However, there was a motive for taking such risks.¡±

    ¡°A-a motive? Wasn¡¯t it just meant topensate her for the loss of her potion?¡±

    Narberal¡¯s interruption made Ainz swallow the words he was about to say. His brain spun into high gear, and he struggled to recall that encounter in E-Rantel.

    That¡¯s right! At that time, I just did it so I wouldn¡¯t get a bad rep! Damn!

    Ainz maintained his calm demeanour. He would have to lie to cover up another lie. He struggled to muster up the vestiges of his rapidly-vanishing courage.

    ¡°...Is that all you thought I was doing, Narberal?¡±

    ¡°I am very sorry!¡±

    ¡°...No, this isn¡¯t something you should apologize for. At the time, I wasn¡¯t confident my n would work out, so I chose a simpler exnation.¡±

    ¡°Then... what was your real aim?¡±

    In the face of Narberal¡¯s questions, Ainz¡¯s jaw hung open for a moment at a loss for words. But in that moment, inspiration struck. With that as the basis for his confidence, Ainz prepared to speak.

    ¡°...It was Nfirea...¡±

    As Ainz slowly opened his mouth, he took in the subordinates around him. If Demiurge or Albedo were present, they would probably interrupt and say, ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s how it is. As expected of Ainz-sama.¡±

    Narberal, on the other hand, could only furiously furrow her brows.

    ¡°...Nfirea...?¡±

    Ainz cupped his chin with a silent ¡°Umu¡±. Fear began creeping over the faces of Narberal and the others, because they thought Ainz¡¯s pose meant, ¡°do you still not understand, even after I¡¯ve said this much?¡± In truth, Ainz had made that gesture unconsciously, not knowing what to do with his hands.

    In a short period of time, Ainz had been subjected to extreme tension and the emotion suppression that nked it out. Between these two shing forces, an epiphany came upon Ainz. Without knowing where he would end up, Ainz clung to thatst straw and took a step into the darkness.

    ¡°...Mm. I managed to get the attention of the pharmacist known as Nfirea; was that enough of an answer...? That¡¯s right... Normally, what would you do if you got your hands on a potion that waspletely different from any other potion that you had ever encountered?¡±

    ¡°...Discuss it with someone?¡±

    ¡°Exactly! Lupusregina, it is exactly as you said. As I predicted, Brita brought the potion to the pharmacist she trusted the most. That was how I came into contact with Nfirea.¡±

    He remembered that Nfirea had apparently said something simr when they met at Carne Vige.

    ¡°Ah! So that¡¯s how it is! That was your objective all along!¡±

    ¡°You seem to get it. That was the bait for my hook to catch a master alchemist. Although there was a chance it could have ended up in a strange ce and caused problems, it was still worth a try.¡±

    A sense of understanding filled the air, and there were looks of admiration on their faces.

    I managed to join the stories together...

    Just as Ainz was about to mentally sigh in relief, a sudden, unexpected question came.

    ¡°Then... I understand I¡¯m being very rude, but could I ask one more question...¡±

    No. Stop. Please don¡¯t ask any more questions. Ainz was crying inside, but his face remained impassive.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Lupusregina? If you have something you need to discuss, feel free to look me up.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Lupusregina swallowed, and with a serious expression on her face, she asked, ¡°Do you always think two or three steps ahead when making ns, Ainz-sama?¡±

    Most of the time, Ainz made things up on the spot. Of course, sometimes he tried to n his next move, but more often than not, the results werepletely different from what he intended. Of course, he could not say any of that.

    Ainzughed quietly. It was a practicedugh.

    ¡°Of course. I am the ruler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, Ainz Ooal Gown, am I not?¡±

    Quiet exmations of ¡°Ohhhh!¡± rose up from all around him, and Lupusregina¡¯s eyes went wide.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Lupusregina?¡±

    ¡°A wise king...¡±

    Lupusregina¡¯s gasped words made Aura frown, and she took a step forward. However, Ainz stopped her.

    ¡°Pay it no heed. Is that all you have to ask?¡±

    ¡°Then, er, then, I¡¯ve got another one. Wouldn¡¯t it be better if we let the monsters attack the vige, and then Ainz-sama would swoop in to save them, wouldn¡¯t that be better? I mean, wouldn¡¯t Nfirea and his grandmother feel extra grateful to Ainz-sama for plucking them out of the fire? That would make them more useful... right?¡±

    ¡°Well, that is a very good n, and worth considering, However, if that happened, Nfirea might end up hating the monsters too much and then he would no longer be willing to cooperate with us... now, it would be a different matter if it was humans who did it. In that case, perhaps it would be more effective if we saved Enri Emmot as well, the better to chain his heart up further.¡±

    However, Carne Vige was a vige that had been saved by the magic caster Ainz Ooal Gown. It had its uses, so burning it down was of questionable value.

    ¡°By the way, the most important people in that vige are ¡ªin descending order¡ª Nfirea, his crush Enri Emmot and finally his grandmother Lizzie. You must protect these three people no matter the cost. Everyone else is expendable. If need be, sacrifice your life to protect Nfirea. That¡¯s it. Is that all, Lupusregina?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Thank you very much!¡±

    ¡°Now then, Lupusregina, I will forgive you for thispse. Now that you know my objectives, you will not be forgiven next time. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡±

    ¡°Very good. Then go. Complete your assigned tasks.¡±

    Lupusregina bowed and exited the room, followed closely by Narberal, who seemed more like a policeman escorting a criminal. After the two of them vanished out the door, Ainz turned to the Guardian beside him.

    ¡°Now then, Aura. Do you know anything about the Giant of the East and the Serpent of the West¡ª¡±

    Suddenly, a loud shout came from outside the room.

    ¡°Seriously, Ainz-sama is amazing ~su! I can¡¯t believe he thought so far ahead, and in such detail! He must be some kind of monster ~su!¡±

    The voice that came through the thick door was not very loud, but it was enough to interrupt their conversation. Given that they could hear her words so clearly, how loudly was she yelling in the corridor, just outside?

    ¡°...Should we tell her how thin the doors are?¡±

    ¡°I think she¡¯s just too excited, let me go pound some sense¡ª¡±

    There was a smashing sound from outside the door, and then the sound of something heavy being dragged into the distance.

    ¡°...Aura, I don¡¯t think you need to go any more. Back to the previous topic; let me know what you¡¯ve found.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Er, I¡¯m very sorry, but I haven¡¯t heard anything about the Giant of the East and the Serpent of the West. After we fought that tree monster called Zy¡¯tl Q¡¯ae, I did a quick sweep of the forest, aside from the underground caverns, which I didn¡¯t investigate. I didn¡¯t find any strong enemies...¡±

    ¡°Well, if they¡¯re only as strong as Hamsuke, I understand why you wouldn¡¯t have paid any attention to them.¡±

    Even a gardener could not be expected to know how many ants were crawling in his domain. Missing out on things due to the difference in strength was a problem.

    ¡°I am truly sorry. Then, Ainz-sama, will we be doing house-cleaning?¡±

    ¡°That sounds like a good idea. We¡¯ll swat those pesky flies and put the forest under Nazarick¡¯splete control.¡±

    ¡°Got it! Then, I¡¯ll send some of my pets along!¡±

    ¡°Umu. It seems a little boring that way. I¡¯d like to see what sort of monsters this Giant of the East and Serpent of the West are, who can rival Hamsuke.¡±

    ¡°Then, shall I drag them here in chains?¡±

    ¡°No, I think I shall go visit them in person. Thanks to Hamsuke, I¡¯ve found another way of appreciating the value of antiques as well.¡±

    Ainzughed at the puzzled expression on Aura¡¯s face.

    ¡°Well, of course that¡¯s not all. I also want to see if I can arrange a test for Lupusregina...¡±

    ***

    <b>Nazarick Time 19:16</b>

    Fenrir crept leisurely through the night-time forest. Neither the branches which stuck out or the coiling vines hampered Fenrir¡¯s movements or the two people on its back. In fact, they seemed to move like incorporeal wraiths, without even disturbing a twig.

    This was the effect of one of Fenrir¡¯s skills, [Landwalker].

    ¡°ording to my vassals¡¯ reports, the Giant of the East¡¯sir seems to be just ahead.¡±

    There was no tension in Aura¡¯s voice, even in this world of darkness, cut off from the starlight by the densely-packed trees. Ainz and the others were not like humans, whocked special visual modes. They took in the darkened forest around them like it was broad daylight.

    ¡°Is that so. We would be very lucky if the Giant of the East and the Serpent of the West were to gather in the same ce. However, that¡¯s probably being greedy. If the Serpent of the West is not here, then I¡¯ll leave its disposal to you, Aura.¡±

    ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll do my best! But how shall I deal with these fools who dare make hostile moves on you, Ainz-sama?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s trymunication first.¡±

    Aura looked behind herself ©¤ at Ainz ©¤ with a puzzled look on her face.

    ¡°Eh? Weren¡¯t we going to make them swear themselves to us?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because the Giant of the East and the Serpent of the West are unknown monsters. Starting with an attempt at rationalmunication ought to be better from just about every angle. If they¡¯re monsters which don¡¯t exist in YGGDRASIL, then I would like to keep them.

    ¡°You¡¯re so kind, Ainz-sama.¡±

    There was no mockery within Aura¡¯s tone.

    ¡°Is... is that so? I feel that only the worthy deserve my kindness ©¤ followed by those who belong to Nazarick... I¡¯m doing this because they might have some value if they¡¯re on Hamsuke¡¯s level. I suppose you could call this seizing an opportunity?¡±

    ¡°You mentioned Hamsuke just now, but is it really that valuable?¡±

    ¡°Oh yes. It¡¯s quite useful as a guinea pig.¡±

    Hamsuke was currently studying to be a warrior under Zaryusu of the Lizardmen. Incidentally, one of the Death Knights made by Ainz was also studying under him.

    Training the two of them ©¤ a hamster and a monster ©¤ was intended to see if they could acquire warrior ss levels. This was particrly true for the Death Knight. If he could gain warrior levels, that would greatly increase Nazarick¡¯sbat power.

    While he felt it was probably impossible, he still had to conduct the experiment to be sure.

    ¡°Are you having the cksmith make armor for Hamsuke because it¡¯s that important?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re quite well-informed. That¡¯s also one of the reasons. If I have to ride it onto the battlefield in future, so enhancing its defense might be critical.¡±

    Hamsuke should have no problem wearing full te armor once he had warrior ss levels. Currently, putting it in armor greatly decreased its evasion and mobility rates due to its weight. Ainz felt that it needed training for that reason. However©¤

    Armor hampers its movements since it doesn¡¯t have warrior levels, that much is the same as the game... no, I can¡¯t even wear metal armor at all due to the game¡¯s restrictions. From that point of view, its restrictions are a lot morex... if only there were a second Hamsuke, then I could study the differences between the two...¡±

    These restrictions which resembled those of the game were still a mystery even now. If he let Demiurge and the others perform in-depth investigations, they might be able to find the right answer, but for some reason, Ainz did not want to do that.

    This is a magical world, and it might run on physics that are vastly different from ours. Perhaps all I can do is force myself to ept that this is just one of the principles of such a world. Just assume that anything could happen...

    ¡°Ainz-sama, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Hm? No, it¡¯s nothing, what is it?¡±

    ¡°No, it just seemed like you were thinking, and I wanted to ask if something was the matter.¡±

    ¡°Oh, indeed. I was just thinking about some things, it¡¯s nothing much.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Aura seemed relieved and faced forward once more. Ainz looked at the back of her head ©¤ which was covered in silky golden hair ©¤ and his eyes roved down. His eyes passed over her slender back, and then they focused on his hands ©¤ which were wrapped around her slender waist.

    She¡¯s so slim; are children¡¯s waists all so thin?

    Having never had children of his own, AInz was curious, and he could not resist the urge to pat her waist, like he was inspecting her. Then, Ainz raised his hand to lightly pat her back. However, he did not use much force because he was mounted on Fenrir.

    However, Aura jumped up and suddenly jerked around.

    ¡°Uwaaaah! What... what is it, Ainz-sama?!¡±

    Her face was very red.

    In fact, it was so red that even someone without darkvision might be able to see how red it was.

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s nothing, I just thought your waist was very thin. Have you been eating well? You¡¯re equipped with items that negate the need for eating and drinking but you can still eat, right?¡±

    ¡°I... I can. I won¡¯t gain any magical enhancements from doing so, but I can still eat.¡±

    In games like YGGDRASIL, humanoids and demihumans had designated lifespans, and in turn they could grow; conversely, heteromorphs had no maximum lifespans and so they would stop aging after a certain period. If that character aspect had carried over to this world, then Aura and Mare would slowly grow older. Ainz did not want their growth to be affected because they had not received proper nutrition as children.

    While hispanions were not around, the growth of these kids was Ainz¡¯s responsibility.

    ¡°You need to eat well, okay.¡±

    ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll eat well and make Shalltear regret it!¡±

    Ainz had no idea why Shalltear had suddenlye up, but he did not inquire into it.

    ¡°...Items that remove the need for eating and drinking might affect growth, so depending on the situation, perhaps you should swap them out for other items. Growing up... perhaps one day, you two will have lovers of your own...¡±

    Aura and Mare were very cute children, and when they grew up, they would surely be very handsome and beautiful. Ainz imagined men and women of all sorts confessing their love to them ©¤ although, Ainz had never had experiences like those, so what he imagined had alle from TV shows.

    Perhaps he had been influenced by the previous topic, but for some reason he imagined a huge pile of Hamsukes.

    ¡°©¤Hm?¡±

    He visualized a young Aura and Mare being surrounded by vast amounts of Hamsukes. It seemed quite pleasing, but it waspletely different from the n which Ainz had in mind.

    Hamsuke¡¯s rted to rodents, so Hamsuke ought to be capable of reproducing in vast quantities. Is it best to sterilize it? Although I¡¯d like to let it breed a little more... I wonder if there are any males of its species?

    ¡°Eh? It¡¯s still too early for that, Ainz-sama. I¡¯m only 70.¡±

    ¡°I... I see, you¡¯re right. You¡¯re still young. Well, anyway, Aura, who do you like most in Nazarick? What¡¯s your type?¡±

    While Ainz had no experience in love, he still got a little jealous whenever he saw dashingds and pretty girls being all lovey-dovey on the roadside. However, Ainz was sure that he could genuinely wish the NPCs well if it were them.

    ¡°I like you the most, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Haha, well, that¡¯s good to hear.¡±

    Ainz was quite happy to hear such ttery from a young child like Aura. He loved the children (NPCs) very much, and how could he not be pleased to hear that they liked him too?

    ¡°Then, who do you like the most, Ainz-sama? Who do you like the most between Albedo and Shalltear?¡±

    ¡°Haha. Well now, I have to say I like you very much, Aura.¡±

    ¡°©¤Eh?¡±

    Ainz caressed Aura¡¯s head from behind. The soft strands of her hand fell from between his fingers.

    ¡°©¤Eh?!¡±

    Should I start considering the problem of sex education? If there are Dark Elf schools, should I send Aura and Mare there to study so they can grow into good adults? What would Bukubukuchagama-san think if she were here? But still, schools... school loveedies... Peroroncino-san once raved about it before, and he said he wanted to make a Nazarick Gakuen with Suuraatan-san. Where did the data for that go?

    (TL Note: ¥¹©`¥é©`¥¿¥ó refers to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_and_sour_soup)

    ¡°©¤Eh©¤!¡±

    ¡°What is it? You¡¯re being too loud, Aura.¡±

    ¡°Ah! I... I¡¯m sorry. The Giant of the East¡¯sir ought to be nearby, but...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, there¡¯s no need to apologize. Leaving that aside, about the future©¤¡±

    ¡°The... the future?¡±

    ¡°Y-yes. Is something the matter? You look flustered... did something happen?¡±

    ¡°No... not at all, it¡¯s nothing. Yes. Um. You were talking about the future?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes. I was thinking that if there was a kingdom of Dark Elves, it might be worth paying them a visit, and at that time, you ought toe along too.¡±

    ¡°Eh? ...Ah, yes... of course! So that was what you meant by the future. I get it! Please allow me to apany you there. Also ©¤ we¡¯re almost there, Ainz-sama.¡±

    In the darkness ahead of them, they could see a decidedly unnatural light source through the gaps in the forest.

    ¡°I see. Aura, forgive me, but could you station all the magical beasts you brought along around this region? I¡¯ll be making some preparations on my end as well.¡±

    Ainz used one of his skills and summoned powerful undead creatures.

    An sinister-looking knight appeared, mounted on a pale white horse. More appeared every time Ainz used his skill.

    ¡°All right, four ought to be plenty. Now then, Pale Riders. Stand by in the sky, and if anyone tries to flee, capture them.¡±

    The Pale Riders indicated their understanding without saying a word, and with a tug on their reins, the pale horses leapt up and galloped into the sky. The Pale Riders discorporated, passed through the tree branches, and flew into the air.

    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ve set up an encirclement. Now all we have to do is appraise them.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Ah, don¡¯t we need to test their durability?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll save that for ast resort. My aim is to settle this without anybat. I¡¯ll try and discuss mutually beneficial topics first.¡±

    That was the truth. Ainz was not looking for a fight. While he was perfectly willing to be ruthless if there were benefits to it, that did not mean that he was a cruel person. Ainz would not step on the ants crawling around in his path. A rational dialogue would be best.

    Fenrir approached the gap in the forest. It was called a gap in the forest, but the truth was that it was simply a ce within the forest where trees did not grow.

    This area was covered with withered trees, just like the mountainous region around the Evil Tree. There were some areas which ended up as withered forests for special reasons. There were many of those reasons, and in this case it was probably because of monsters.

    The trees had been felled and scattered everywhere. It would seem someone had tried to build arge structure and failed, and had then thrown the logs around in a fit of rage.

    ¡°Howughable. Aura, they were probably trying to build a structure like yours. The work of fools is truly unsightly. They live in caves and don¡¯t know how far out of their depth they are, resulting in this sort of thing.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Ainz-sama, theirir is over there.¡±

    There was a fissure in the scarred ground, which had been burnt barren.

    ¡°...Nobody¡¯s standing watch. How careless. Alright, it can¡¯t be helped. We¡¯ll knock next time.¡±

    With Aura by his side Ainz walked toward the entrance to the underground cave. He peered inside, and it looked like a gentle slope, and the interior seemed quite spacious. The ceiling was high, and it would seem evenrge creatures could live inside without problems.

    ...This reminds me of dungeon delves in YGGDRASIL. Back then, we used to get curious and excited every time we discovered mountain caves and the like.

    If this were in the past, they would have let Tigris Euphrates and people like him lead the way, while Ainz ©¤ Momonga ©¤ would follow behind them. Then, they would summon monsters, and in Ainz¡¯s case he would have the undead walk ahead of them, allowing them to trigger traps as they forged boldly ahead. This was known as a warrior¡¯s disarm, or a summon disarm.

    Those were the days...

    The memories of the past lightened Ainz¡¯s steps, but within a few seconds, his cheery mood vanished.

    The stench from below made him wrinkle his nonexistent eyebrows. It was not poison gas, but rather, an odor of beast fat and decay which clouded up the air.

    Is this a stinking gas cloud trap? I don¡¯t think these cave dwellers could set such an borate trap... perhaps it formed naturally.

    Ainz was undead and did not need to breathe. He waspletely immune to gas-vector attacks. Aura was also protected by magic items, so if this stench was some sort of attack, it ought to be ineffective. That being the case, this was probably just an ordinary stink.

    ¡°It seems the Giant of the East is not a particrly clean person. I hope he¡¯s at least a little intelligent and can speak with me.¡±

    ¡°Yup. Although, that might be a little difficult. Going by the footprints, this cave seems to house several lifeforms of the same kind, but they¡¯re all barefooted. The footprints arerge, and going by their size, they all seem to be over two meters tall.¡±

    ¡°I see... so he must be one of them.¡±

    Ainz and Aura had not stopped walking, and as they descended the slope, they saw two monsters at the base of the slope.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, those are... Ogres.¡±

    The two Ogres were tearing at something and shoving it into their mouths. A new reek wafted over to Ainz and Aura.

    Ainz slowly extended his finger and smiled bitterly. If this were a simple dungeon hack, he would have killed the Ogres quietly, and then advanced forward without making a sound to wipe out all the other enemies; however, his objective this time was different.

    ¡°...I¡¯m not here to massacre everyone, so I need tomunicate in a friendly manner ©¤ oi, you Ogres over there, sorry to interrupt your meal.¡±

    The two Ogres turned simultaneously to look at Ainz, and then they roared.

    The echoes within the cave were intense, and there was no way to urately judge position, but it would seem a simr howl hade from the depths of the cave.

    ¡°Well, this is quite a crude and noisy doorbell ©¤ stand back, Aura.¡±

    He red as the Ogres ran over. ¡°What a pain,¡± Ainz sighed. That was because he realized that they did not wish tomunicate with him.

    ¡°Skelton! Skelton! Enuh-my!¡±

    The Ogre screamed hoarsely as it came up to Ainz, and then swung its club at Ainz without a moment¡¯s pause.

    ¡°I have©¤¡±

    The Ogre¡¯s club whistled through the air as it swept at him.

    ¡°-To apologize for barging©¤¡±

    It struck Ainz with a thump, but a mere nonmagical club could not possibly hurt him.

    ¡°©¤Into your home©¤¡±

    The Ogre raised its club again and hammered at Ainz.

    Ainz¡¯s field of vision wobbled slightly as the club struck his head. While it did not hurt in the least, it was still quite annoying. That said, if anyone set foot into Nazarick, Ainz would certainly be angry enough to want to kill them. WIth that in mind, it was only natural for them to want to attack him, so Ainz should probably take the blows.

    Once an envoy of peace drew a weapon, there would be nothing left to say.

    The other Ogre approached slightlyter. It did not swing its club, but reached a hand out at Ainz. It had probably seen how the attacks of the other Ogre had proven ineffective, and wanted to grab him instead.

    Ainz quirked his eyebrows. Of course, there was nothing on a skeletal face which could move.

    Ainz was originally willing to let the Ogre grab him. However, his darkvision-capable eyes saw the blood staining the Ogre¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Disgusting.¡±

    Ainz immediately produced a staff from thin air and swung it. While this staff did not possess any special magic powers, it was focused on inflicting bludgeoning damage, and with a single strike, the head of the Ogre who was reaching out for Ainz burst like a rotten grape. A mix of fresh blood and brain matter showered the Ogre beside it, which dropped its club and took a step back.

    ¡°You... you, no, skelly...¡±

    ¡°It is quite vexing for you to lump me in with other Skeletons. I¡¯m here to see your boss, the Giant of the East. Could you go fetch him? Although, I¡¯m fairly sure he¡¯lle even if you don¡¯t shout.¡±

    Ainz waved to bid the Ogre get lost, and it promptly turned and fled into the cave.

    ¡°...Good grief. If they had seen the discrepancy in our respective strengths from the start, we wouldn¡¯t have to waste this time.¡±

    Ainz felt the area where the club had struck him as he finished descending the slope.

    There were several Goblins ©¤ more of masticated corpses, really ©¤ where the Ogres had been just now. While their remains were little more than chunks of meat and it was impossible to tell how many there had been, there must have been more than just one or two.

    Ainz and Aura detoured around that area as they continued downwards.

    ¡°What a gaffe. I was annoyed and used too much force. I¡¯d originally nned to avoid killing before negotiations broke down, to proceed in as friendly a way as possible...¡±

    ¡°It couldn¡¯t be helped! It¡¯s the fault of those filthy Ogres who tried to touch you, Ainz-sama!¡±

    ¡°Hearing you say that pleases me. Punitto Moe-san once said, ¡®punching them in the face is a good way to make the other party behave¡¯... or was it Warrior Takemikazuchi-san who said that?¡±

    ¡°Since the Supreme Beings said so, then it must be correct!

    Ainz could not recall which of these two pr opposites had said that. Just then, a horde of monsters emerged from the depths of the cave. All of them were far taller than a human being.

    ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t a pack of Trolls. While calling them Giants smacks of false advertising to me, it¡¯s not as though it¡¯s aplete lie.¡±

    Trolls were giants with long ears and noses. They had very ugly faces and their muscr bodies were as revolting as that of any heteromorph. They wore what seemed to be tiger-skin clothes their heads emerged from their shoulders.

    They were nearly three meters tall, stronger than Ogres, and possessed of powerful regenerative abilities. It was said that unless they were killed with fire or acid, they coulde back from the dead even after being reduced to scraps of meat. There were six Trolls here, and 10 Ogres on top of that.

    The one which caught Ainz¡¯s eye was the Troll standing at the head of these monsters.

    It was more muscr than the other Trolls, and its ugly face exuded confidence.

    It was better equipped than the other Trolls too.

    It wore leather armor which looked like it had been sewn together from several animal hides. Its mighty arms bore a greatsword which wasrger than the ones which Ainz used in his Momon guise. The greatsword seemed to be magical, and the central fuller oozed a slippery liquid towards its edge.

    ¡°Is he on Hamsuke¡¯s level?¡±

    ¡°Feels that way.¡±

    That being the case, this Troll ought to be the Giant of the East. That being the case, what sort of Troll was he? Ainz studied the Giant of the East carefully.

    Trolls were highly adaptable monsters. They varied greatly ording to their environment.

    For instance, there were Volcano Trolls who lived in volcanoes and who were resistant to fire. There were Sea Trolls who were adept at swimming in the ocean and could breathe underwater. There were Mountain Trolls, who lived in the mountains and were especially strong. There were also Toll Trolls, rare trolls who lived under bridges. There was a never-ending variety of mutant species and subraces like those.

    In that case, what was the Troll standing before Ainz specialized in?

    Trolls adapted to cavern living were called Cave Trolls. But they looked different from this one.

    This was a new species of Troll which he had encountered for the first time in this world ©¤ this unknown monster kindled Ainz¡¯s collector spirit.

    ***

    The Troll known as the Giant of the East had achieved a very rare form of evolution.

    He was a Troll who had been born amidst countless battles, adapted to them, and specialized in fighting ability. If one had to name it, his species would be War Trolls, a particrly outstanding example among the many Troll subraces.

    One could say that itsbat prowess was unrivalled among others of the same age as him.

    Granted, his body was smaller than that of a Mountain Troll. However, the muscles of his body ©¤ his physical abilities ©¤ far outstripped those of thetter species. In addition, he did not use a primitive club that could be easily swung with brute force, but instead used his inborn abilities to skillfully wield a sword ©¤ a weapon which was inferior even to a club if one did not know how to use one. One could say he was a Troll who had awakened his warrior abilities.

    ***

    ¡°You¡¯re the Giant of the East, I take it?¡±

    After hearing no denials, Ainz pointed slightly to the right of the Giant

    ¡°Then, I believe that chap over there is the Serpent of the West. Am I correct?¡±

    Someone with ordinary eyesight would surely think he was pointing at empty air. However, Ainz could clearly see the heteromorph hiding there, as though it were illuminated by the sun¡¯s light.

    ¡°Perhaps you think you¡¯ve hidden yourself with invisibility, but my eyes can see through it. Stop wasting your effort and answer me.¡±

    A monster appeared out of what had originally been thin air. It had probably dispelled its invisibility.

    Indeed, it was a snake. No, to be precise, it had a snake¡¯s body. It had an old man¡¯s torso from the chest up, but it had a serpentine form below that. It was a heteromorphic monster.

    Unlike the Giant of the East, Ainz had seen monsters like this in YGGDRASIL before, and so he could immediately state the name of his race.

    ¡°A Naga, then. While it wouldn¡¯t be wrong to call you a Serpent, don¡¯t you have a better name for yourself? No, there¡¯s already the case of the Wise King of the Forest, so this was only to be expected, no?

    ¡°If thou couldst see through my invisibility, then thou art surely no ordinary©¤¡±

    ¡°©¤What are you doing here, skeleton?!¡±

    The Naga was only halfway through his words when a thunderous voice filled the cave and drowned him out. The Giant of the East took a step forward.

    Ainz turned to face his counterpart.

    ¡°First of all, let me get this straight; I am not a Skeleton. I wish to correct that mistake of yours.¡±

    ¡°What are you, if not a Skeleton? The king of the easternnds, Gu, permits you to state your name!¡±

    ¡°©¤Gu?¡±

    Ainz had no idea what he was talking about for a moment. He thought that it was some kind of title, like a King or a Chief, and it was only after a while that he realized it was the Troll¡¯s name.

    ¡°I see, so your name is Gu. Pardon my dyed introduction; my name is Ainz Ooal Gown.¡±

    At that moment,ughter filled the cavern.

    ¡°Fuafuafuafua! A coward¡¯s name! A soft and weak name, unlike my strong and mighty name!¡±

    The other Trollsughed distastefully in response to those words.

    ¡°A cow©¤¡±

    Ainz stopped Aura before she could take a step forward.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t get upset over a trifling matter like this. Remain calm. We¡¯re here to talk, we¡¯re ambassadors of peace. Oh yes, just for reference, why do you think I¡¯m a coward?¡±

    ¡°Ah, his ilk takes long names to be a sign of timidity, O mysterious undead,¡±

    The old man¡¯s face of the Naga creased with a mocking smile as he spoke from the side.

    ¡°So he¡¯s not an antique, but trash. Then, do you feel my name is that of a coward¡¯s as well?¡±

    ¡°This one certainly would not think so, because this one bears a long name as well. Indeed, this one is the Serpent of the West of which thou speak¡¯st ©¤ Ryurarius Spenia Ai Indarun, O invader Ainz Ooal Gown. This one has often hoped that his mind would be as developed as his body, but if that were the case, he would have dominated this forest long ago; truly a dilemma.¡±

    ¡°...You have just saved your own life.¡±

    A look of suspicion crossed Ryurarius¡¯ face as Ainz let his innermost thoughts slip out. Unfortunately, just as he wanted to rify, Gu and the Trolls stoppedughing.

    ¡°So what are you weaklings doing here?! Come to feed me? Bones are delicious and crunchy! I¡¯ll eat you starting from your skull!¡±

    ¡°I am the one who ordered the undead and the Golems to build the fortress in the forest. You¡¯ve heard of it, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    The mood changed in an instant. Gu and his band radiated vhostility, while Ryurarius was filled with caution.

    ¡°I know! You pest! If not for this damn snake making noise I¡¯d have killed you long ago! This saves time! A coward and a ck little runt!¡±

    ¡°Ah, so we can talk. In truth, I came to negotiate with you.¡±

    Ainz gestured to Gu to kneel before him.

    ¡°Swear yourself to me if you want to live.¡±

    ¡°Are you retarded?! How could we serve a coward! I¡¯ll eat you right here and now! Then I¡¯ll eat that runt behind you!¡±

    ¡°Gu. He rules that fearsome structure. You underestimate him at your peril! And the Dark Elf behind him; this forest belonged to them before the Demon Tree chased them away. They might well be mighty foes ©¤ but he is not listening.¡±

    Ainz could not helpughing merrily.

    ¡°Hahahaha! You¡¯re better at barking than a dog, meatball. How about this. I, whom you call a coward, challenge you, who bears a mighty name, to a one on one fight. I trust you won¡¯t run in fear? If you¡¯re afraid, then get on your hands and knees and beg me for mercy, and I could find it in myself to rear you as a ve.¡±

    ¡°Very good! I can handle a mook like you by myself! I¡¯ll chop you to bits and eat you all up!¡±

    ¡°Very well. Since you have made your choice, negotiations have broken down. Aura, stand back. I want to y with him by myself.¡°

    Just as he finished saying that, the upraised sword hacked down on Ainz. This was the blow Gu had struck with the greatsword he held, which was over three meters long.

    Ainz did not move, simply took the hit square on his body.

    ¡°©¤Huh?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What¡¯s so surprising?¡±

    Ainz was untouched. Gu¡¯s ugly face twisted in surprise, and this time he chose a sweeping sh. However, the result was the same as before; Ainz took the blow head-on.

    ¡°Muuu?¡±

    Gu backed up several steps. He looked at his sword, and then at Ainz. He proudly turned his back on Ainz, then walked up to one of his minions.

    In the next moment, the greatsword whirled and cut into one of this Troll minions. The sword cleaved into the troll¡¯s neck and shoulder, effortlessly parting its flesh, and a geyser of fresh blood spewed forth.

    The Troll screamed stupidly, at the top of its voice

    Gu watched in satisfaction as his minion spun and fell to the ground, and he nodded. That was probably to verify that his weapon was working.

    ¡°I see, is that Trollish regeneration at work? Quite an impressive sight when you witness it with your own eyes.¡±

    The wound surface healed over swiftly. It was not so much turning back time as a fast-forward of the recovery process.

    Gu must have known that the Troll would regenerate before testing his de on him; but the evil look on his face as he looked down on his fallen minion suggested that he would have cut the creature up anyway, even if it could not regenerate.

    ¡°It is the privilege of the strong to kill or spare the weak. However ©¤ it deeply displeases me.¡±

    Ainz stepped forward. He was no longer in the mood to y around.

    Gu gripped his greatsword tightly, waiting for Ainz to approach him, step by step.

    ¡°Gu! That Ainz Ooal Gown is no mundane individual! Let us band together to fight©¤¡±

    ¡°Shut up! You sit there and watch, coward! ©¤Ugooooooh!¡±

    An explosive series of shes rained down on Ainz. Thebination attack was made using physical strength that far surpassed the capability of the human body, and it was among the most destructive assaults Ainz had ever faced from the inhabitants of this world.

    However, his strikes could not blow away a castle wall, and neither could it scar thend. How could it possibly harm Ainz?

    The greatsword¡¯s edge sliced through the wind, and Ainz took it full on his body.

    ¡°Good grief. Could you not crumple my clothes?¡±

    Ainz seemed to find it all uninteresting, and he turned away after tugging on his robes and straightening them out. Then, a thought apparently came to mind.

    ¡°Ah, are you satisfied yet?¡±

    ¡°Goooooooh!¡±

    Gu decided that shing attacks were ineffective, and so he took one hand off his greatsword and threw a punch. This blow struck like a huge maul. If it hit a human being, they would surely have been pulped by its power and sent flying.

    Yet, Ainz took this blow ©¤ which was assuredly fatal for a human being ©¤ straight in the face. After that, he calmly dusted off the ce where Gu had struck him, like he had been touched by dirty hands.

    Gu ceased his attack. His ugly face contorted into an even uglier shape, and he red at the unmoved Ainz.

    ¡°So, is that end of the attack you¡¯re so proud, he of the brave name?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s only your defense ©¤ guwaaaargh!¡±

    Ainz stepped forward to close the distance between them and swung his staff, which destroyed half of one of Gu¡¯s legs. Unable to stand, Gu copsed heavily to the ground..

    ¡°Even with that acorn-sized brain of yours, you should be starting to realize that cowards aren¡¯t necessarily weak, no?¡±

    The Trolls and Ogres watching the fight shouted in shock as they saw their leader¡¯s disgraceful state.

    ¡°Haaaah.¡± Ainz was beginning to tire of this, and sighed. The fact that they did not understand the situation even at this point proved that these monsters were worthless. Of course, it would be a different matter if they were smart enough to try and flee.

    ¡°Aura, seize him. He is the only one who cannot be allowed to flee.¡±

    Aura immediately understood Ainz¡¯s terse order, and sprang into action. In the blink of an eye, she had caught up to the Naga, who was trying to sneak away invisibly.

    ¡°Got him, Ainz-sama. What should I do with him?¡±

    Ainz paid no heed to Gu and looked to Aura, who had the Naga by the neck. The way he treated Gu made one thing clear to everyone present.

    ©¤In other words: he could not be bothered to deal with the Gu fellow before him.

    Gu growled from between his teeth at this utter humiliation, but Ainz did not care.

    ¡°Curse you, brat!¡± The Naga¡¯s serpentine body started constricting, and it wrapped around Aura. ¡°I¡¯ll crush you to aiiiieeeee!¡±

    A cold, calm voice came from the midst of the balled up Naga.

    ¡°You know, I can¡¯t watch Ainz-sama like this. If you continue struggling, I¡¯ll use more force and crush your throat. Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t die from it.¡±

    Her small fists were enough to make the Naga realize the difference in their respective strengths, and the Naga slowly loosened its coils with a strangled wail.

    ¡°Aura, while time is money, wastefulness is also foolishness. Please move a little further away so he doesn¡¯t end up getting killed by ident.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    Aura leisurely dragged away the Naga ©¤ who weighed several times more than herself ©¤ as she left. Ainz shifted his gaze back to Gu, who had barely managed to stand up again after his regeneration caused his shattered leg to bulge up mightily as it repaired his ruined flesh

    Ainz might not be as tall as his opponent, yet he towered over Gu.

    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re healed. Then let us continue.¡±

    Ainz rapped at his shoulders with his staff, then calmly took a fighting stance. His attitude said that he had no intention of defending himself.

    ¡°You... you, what... what did you do? What are you doing? Magic?¡±

    Gu slowly backed away as he held his sword, while Ainz stepped forward like he was giving chase. Gu¡¯s stride was shorter than Ainz¡¯s. The distance between them was greater than when the battle had begun.

    Ainz snorted.

    ¡°©¤Hm? Well, isn¡¯t this strange? I, the one with the cowardly name, am advancing, while the bravely-named Gu-sama is backing off. I wonder why that is the case?¡±

    Someone replied from behind in a deadpan voice:

    ¡°That¡¯s because Ainz-sama¡¯s name is the brave one, and that weird Gu name belongs to a coward! Isn¡¯t that right, snake?¡±

    ¡°Y-yehh! Ainz Ooal Gown-shama ish the greatest!¡±

    After hearing the sweet little girl¡¯s voice and another voice which was on the verge of tears, Ainz nodded several times.

    ¡°I see, I understand now. Short names are the mark of a coward ©¤ the name of Ainz Ooal Gown belongs to a brave and wonderful person, am I correct?¡±

    ¡°©¤Why you!¡±

    ¡°Shut up, coward.¡±

    Gu¡¯s anger overcame his fear, and he swung his de at Ainz as though to hack him in two. Ainz did not parry or dodge; simply swung back with his staff. Ainz¡¯s blow did not permit Gu to block with his sword or evade.

    The staff shattered part of Gu¡¯s body.

    ¡°Abbbahhhhhhhhh!¡±

    Gu¡¯s piteous wailing sparked fear in the hearts of his underlings as they watched the battle.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a Troll for you; with their regeneration, they can evene back to life after being reduced to mincemeat. Still, pain does seem to hurt. That was the weakest attack you made so far. All you were thinking of was protecting yourself. You feared being hit by me. It was a coward¡¯s swordsmanship.¡±

    Before Ainz was Gu, whose head was half its normal thickness. A normal creature would have died long ago, but his head was slowly returning to its normal shape.

    Gu¡¯s restored face was twisted into an especially disgusting shape. It was etched with terror. He was even more afraid than before; it was the reaction of one who had been broken by fear.

    ¡°You... what, what are you? Why couldn¡¯t I do anything to you?¡±

    Ainz tilted his head, and then slowly spread his arms.

    ¡°...I am Death. I am he who brings death to you.¡±

    ¡°You... you lot! Kill him!¡±

    ¡°Good grief... I expected nothing less of a coward, to renege on the terms of our duel... still, it does suit your name. So I will forgive you.¡±

    Ainz seemed very happy as he said this.

    Gu¡¯s minions were scared stiff by this mysterious monster, and so they remained still. That was because despite their stupidity, they could feel the sheer power of Ainz, and they had certainly witnessed enough of it. They were probably wrestling with themselves, unable to decide who was more fearsome. Nobody dared to move; they simply looked back and forth between Ainz and Gu.

    ¡°Hurry!¡±

    But they still did not move. They could not move.

    The same applied to Ainz. There was a delicate bnce here, one which rooted everyone in ce. If Ainz made a move, this bnce would copse, and they would all flee for their lives.

    It would be troublesome if they escaped ©¤ just the thought of hunting down and killing each and every one of them felt tiresome.

    ¡°In that case, let¡¯s do it this way. ytime is over.¡±

    Ainz activated one of his abilities, which he had not had the chance to use, and was too powerful for this world.

    [Despair Aura V (Instant Death).]

    The surging aura billowed out from Ainz.

    The Trolls, Ogres and Gu went limp and copsed like puppets whose strings had been cut, slumping to the ground.

    The fallen monsters did not move. It was clear that although their bodies were still warm, the mes of their life had been utterly extinguished.

    An old man¡¯s voice rang through the silent cave.

    ¡°What... what didst...thou do?¡±

    The Naga was curled up into a ball, doing his best to stay away from Ainz. Ainz turned around and replied:

    ¡°I simply used a skill. Trolls can regenerate, but that does not immunize them to instant death attacks... honestly, you lot are worthless. I was simply thinking that rather than ughtering you all outright, I should see what uses you might have, but since they refused to bend the knee, I decided to kill them all.¡±

    ¡°This one dly consents to be your subordinate! It is only natural for the weak to obey the strong! From now on, this one shallmit his entire strength to thee!¡±

    Ainz calmly looked down upon the prostrated Naga, and then shrugged weakly.

    ¡°...Eh, whatever, it¡¯s fine. Besides, I came here to talk anyway.¡±

    ¡°How... how fearsome. Thou think¡¯st nothing of this one. Thou regard¡¯st this one, who has long ruled the western forest, as little more than an animal-shaped pebble by the roadside.¡±

    ¡°No, I am somewhat more interested in you than that. Didn¡¯t you mention something about the Dark Elves. Tell me everything.¡±

    ¡°But of course... of course I shall. This one shall dly tell thee everything this one knows! Although, ah...¡± Ainz waved to bid the Naga continued, and he said: ¡°Wilt thou spare this one¡¯s life after this one tells his tale?¡±

    ¡°That I promise you. If you are loyal to me, if you serve me sincerely, I will reward you appropriately... but first, a question. Where are your minions? Or are you like Hamsuke... the beast who ruled the southern forest by herself?¡±

    ¡°No, this one has underlings. However, this one came for the sake of negotiations, so this one did not bring them along. That was because this one¡¯s minions cannot make themselves invisible, so once negotiations broke down, they would have no way to flee.¡±

    ¡°I see. Now, for my next question: do you have any Troll minions?¡±

    ¡°Only one.¡±

    ¡°Excellent. In that case, can I have him take the ce of the Giant of the East? No, that¡¯s too... that might be a little troublesome. Very well. In a few days, I will bring my subordinates to ©¤ no, you will go to the structure that she built. Aura, release him.¡±

    ¡°Is that really alright?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. He¡¯s already sworn his loyalty to me. If he betrays me, I¡¯ll simply think of some other way to use him.¡±

    Aura¡¯s slender hands released the Naga¡¯s neck, leaving hand-shaped bruises on his flesh.

    The Naga was still nervous, but he was much more relieved now. Ainz paid him no heed, but walked up to Gu¡¯s corpse.

    ¡°I wonder what sort of data a Troll Zombie contains.¡±

    Ainz could create undead beings from corpses with a skill. While they were little more than Zombies or Skeletons, he could make stronger Zombies if the corpse of the base creature was powerful enough. A more famous example of those would be Dragon Zombies.

    Ainz picked up the greatsword which had fallen to the ground. It was far longer than Ainz was tall, but thanks to the basic principle of magic arms and armor, it shrank down to a size which best fit Ainz.

    If Ainz tried to swing a sword which he could not equip, he would be forcibly disarmed, but just picking it up did not pose any problems to him.

    ¡°Should I strengthen that vige¡¯s fighting power? In that case, perhaps this magic weapon might be the best choice. Besides, there¡¯s no value in bringing it back to Nazarick.¡±

    ¡°Ainz Ooal Gown-sama!¡±

    Isn¡¯t he done yet? Ainz tiredly turned to look at the Naga.

    ¡°This... this one will never betray thee. Only the fools who have never seen thy icy gaze that regards all before him as mere ants would dare betray thee.¡±

    ¡°I did not think my eyes were as expressive as that... or is this a skill of yours too? Even Demiurge, that master of scrutiny, could not tell what I was truly thinking.¡±

    ¡°It hardly qualifies as a skill, but this one can still sense whether someone is interested in this one.¡±

    Ainz thought, perhaps that¡¯s a Naga racial ability.

    ¡°Really now... very well, I understand. Stop wasting time and gather your minions. This is my first order.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    <b>Part 4</b>

    <b>Nazarick Time 21:07</b>

    Demiurge¡¯s elegant form appeared within Ainz¡¯s office. First, he bowed deeply to the seated Ainz, and then nodded in deference to Mare and Cocytus, who were waiting within. He spared the maid assigned to this room a nce of acknowledgement.

    Ainz answered with a look, and then spoke to Entoma via [Message].

    ¡°Alright, Entoma, tell Lupusregina she has permission to set off. Those three must be protected no matter the cost.¡±

    ¡ºUnderstood. I will ry your orders to Lupusregina.¡»

    Demiurge walked to the center of the room, free of worries. His stylish stride made Ainz envious.

    How shall I describe it, every move he makes overflows with confidence. Is it because his back is very straight?

    Demiurge halted crisply, bringing Ainz back to his senses.

    ¡°It is good that you¡¯vee, Demiurge.¡±

    ¡°Yes! I thank you for summoning me before you, Ainz-sama. Have you finished speaking with Entoma?¡±

    ¡°Everything is fine. She reported back to me, and discussed the matter with me. She has passed this test.¡±

    ¡°Wonderful. In addition, I thank you for making time for me, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Pay it no heed, Demiurge. It is only fitting that I should match myself to the man who has done the most for Nazarick. In addition, you are notte, so do not worry... now then, tell me what you think.¡±

    Ainz handed the piece of paper he was holding to Demiurge. Demiurge received it, and Ainz saw him quickly scan it from top to bottom before asking:

    ¡°As you can see, this is a menu, but what do you think of it? The meal is for a human male and female, and possibly a child.¡±

    ¡°...I think that any human being must consume whatever you deign to provide for them withoutint, Ainz-sama. However, I feel that is not the answer you seek, therefore ©¤ if there is a child, they might not enjoy foie gras. In addition... hm, lighter dishes might be more ideal.¡±

    ¡°I see. That certainly bears consideration. I thank you.¡±

    ¡°You honor me with your praise... Ainz-sama, do you intend to invite people to the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick ©¤ into the sanctuary of the Supreme Beings ©¤ as your guests?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. I intend to be hospitable.¡±

    Or rather, it was not so much hospitality as entertaining them. This was a form of coercion backed by wealth, intended to keep them on good terms with him.

    ¡°Is that wise?¡±

    ¡°Does it matter? Is there a problem?¡±

    ¡°No, none at all. After all, whatever you speak is correct, Ainz-sama.¡±

    In the past, when this had all been in the game world, the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick had yed host to very few people other than the guild members. At the very most, they had invited the little sister of the guild member Yamaiko ©¤ whose yer name was Akemi-chan ©¤ a few times. However, the guild did not forbid inviting anyone. It was simply that nobody had thought to do so.

    Which is why my friends ought to have no issue with me inviting Nfirea and the others. Invaders are different from guests.

    Ainz then turned to Demiurge ©¤ who was pondering something ©¤ and the other two Guardians who had been waiting in the room before he asked:

    ¡°Guardians; are you ready to enter the baths?¡±

    ¡°Forgive me; Mare and I were nning to borrow bathing equipment along the way.¡±

    ¡°I see. Then, Cocytus ©¤ oh, you brought yours along. Then we shall meet in the baths. Increment, if anyonees, have them wait for me here.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    After hearing the maid¡¯s reply, Ainz stood up and left his room. After ordering the vassals who usually trailed him around to remain where they were, he led the way to the baths, which were also on the 9th Floor.

    Ainz very much wanted to chat with Cocytus as they walked side by side, but Cocytus was a very serious person and would never do such a thing. This made Ainz feel a little lonely. Cocytus probably had not read his heart, but he approached Ainz and asked:

    ¡°Ainz-sama. There. Seemed. To. Be. Fewer. Eight. Edge. Assassins. In. The. Room. Just. Now. Did. You. Send. Them. Somewhere?¡±

    Ainz felt a little disappointed when he discovered that it was work-rted, but he alsoforted himself by thinking that this was what Cocytus considered casual conversation, and so he replied to Cocytus. He very nearly let the excitement creep into his voice, but in the end he decided that it would be better to keep it a secret.

    ¡°They are at the E-Rantel inn. Narberal is waiting there in case we have an unexpected visitor. They ought to be observing the situation from afar.¡±

    ¡°Is. It. Not. Dangerous. To. Leave. Narberal. Alone. By. Herself?¡±

    ¡°Quite. If anyone ns to attack, they ought to do so now.¡±

    ¡°I. See. So. She. Is. Live. Bait. Then?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. If the person who brainwashed Shalltear is observing our every movement, this bait will surely have them drooling. After Momon defeated the mighty Vampire Shalltear ©¤ granted, she was known by a different name ©¤ nobody attempted to approach him. That being the case, if Momon is not around, leaving the magic caster all by herself...¡±

    ¡°They. Will. Take. The. Bait?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But if they do, I will be a master baiter.¡±

    Ainz mimed the action of pulling up a fishing pole.

    ¡°Will. We. Mobilize. All. Our. Forces. Then?¡±

    ¡°As if. I won¡¯t do that. First, we¡¯ll feel out our opponent. If they¡¯re as strong as us, or stronger, then we¡¯ll have to be more humble.¡±

    Cocytus groaned. He understood the reasoning behind that decision, so he had no choice but to bear with it.

    ¡°The. Logical. Part. Of. Me. Knows. It. Is. Only. A. Temporary. Thing. But. Emotionally. I. Find. It. Hard. To. Keep. My. Cool.¡±

    ¡°Bear with it until we¡¯ve checked them out thoroughly and found our opposition¡¯s weaknesses. Once that happens, I will have them taste the purest of pain. I will not forgive them for daring to brainwash Shalltear and forcing me to put her down.¡±

    Even if they were yers, Ainz did not feel the slightest bit of empathy for them. The only people Ainz cared for were the NPCs or his old friends. If anyone aroused his ire, he would subject them to a fate worse than death in order to show them the foolishness of their ways.

    ¡°Repay good unto good and evil unto evil. Is that not to be expected?¡±

    Ainz smiled coldly, as a surge of excitement welled up inside him. If the opposition really were yers, then he could conduct far better experiments. The first of them would probably be the one he dared not perform with himself ©¤ that of death.

    ¡°An. Eye. For. An. Eye. And. A. Tooth. For. A. Tooth. Then?

    ¡°Correct. However, did you know? That phrase was originally meant to warn against excessive retribution, so I did not use it. That¡¯s because I intend to pay them back with interest.¡±

    Punitto-san said that, Ainz added in his heart.

    ¡°Oh! I. Expected. No. Less. Of. You. Ainz-sama. Not. Only. Are. You. A. Supremely. Skilled. Warrior. But. Your. Intellect. Is. Beyond. Compare. Truly. I. Am. In. Awe.¡±

    Ainz did not need to look back to feel the wave of respect pressing down on him from behind.

    ¡°Then. Do. You. n. To. Spend. The. Entire. Day. In. Nazarick. Ainz-sama?¡±

    ¡°No, after I bathe with everyone, I¡¯ll take care of some work here before going over there in the middle of the night, because there¡¯s a lot of things which need to be settled over there as well. How about yourself?¡±

    ¡°I. n. To. Temporarily. Return. To. My. Position. Guarding. Nazarick. Since. The. Matters. Which. Require. My. Personal. Presence. At. The. Lakeside. Have. All. Been. Concluded.¡±

    ¡°Once you return, the only ones working outside will be Demiurge, who has many tasks toplete, Sebas and Solution, who are gathering information in the Royal Capital, Aura, who is building a base in the forest, and then Narberal and myself.¡±

    ¡°I. Find. It. Hard. To. ept. The. Fact. That. A. Supreme. Being. Must. Personally. Handle. Work. We. Should Have. Taken. On©¤¡±

    ¡°Haha, forgive me, Cocytus.¡±

    ¡°There. Is. No. Need. Ainz-sama. You. Rule. This. ce. And. So. Your. Every. Word. Is Law. What. I. Just. Said. Was. Mere. Foolishness. In. Addition©¤¡±

    The mood in the air seemed to have changed, and Ainz found it odd. Looking back, he saw Cocytus looking somewhat gloomy ©¤ although he could not tell from his face.

    ¡°If. We. Were. As. Capable. As. Demiurge. You. Would. Not. Need. To. Exert. Yourself. In. The. End. It. Boils. Down. To. Our. Lack. Of. Ability©¤¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not true. When everyone made you, they sought to create the right person for the job. That being the case, the most important thing for you is to finish your assigned tasks. Frankly speaking, it doesn¡¯t matter if you can¡¯t do anything else. Although, the fact that Demiurge is somewhat more intelligent and more knowledgeable means he can tackle a wider range of problems.¡±

    Cocytus did not seem to be able to ept that, so Ainz continued:

    ¡°In that case, you should focus on slowly learning how to handle more things. For instance ©¤ you are now in charge of the Lizardman vige, so you should have learned a lot from it. Ruling that vige will surely aid you in the future. As long as you slowly proceed, step by step, someday you wille to be on par with Demiurge.¡±

    ¡°Can. I. Really. Do. That?¡±

    ¡°I feel that you can¡¯t say it¡¯s impossible,¡± Ainz replied in a roundabout manner.

    ¡°Nobody can surpass Demiurge¡¯s intellect. In order to equal him, you must walk an arduous road. But I believe your efforts will not be wasted.¡±

    The two of them continued silently along the corridor. Soon, Cocytus quietly said:

    ¡°Thank you, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve said anything which deserves your thanks. Alright, Cocytus, we¡¯re almost at the bath. Cheer up before Demiurge and Maree.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ***

    Spa Resort Nazarick was located on the 9th Floor of Nazarick. It was afortable ce of leisure which boasted nine separate outdoor-themed baths and 17 indoor-themed baths for both men and women. The most impressive of them was the Cherenkov Bath. Its warm water radiated an actinic blue light, allowing bathers to enjoy a decadent atmosphere.

    (TL Note: Cherenkov radiation is the blue glow typically associated with underwater nuclear reactors)

    Ainz, who had reached the baths in Cocytus¡¯pany, was utterly shocked when he saw an unexpected someone.

    ¡°Ainz-sama <3!¡±

    It was Albedo, who seemed to be ending her sentences with hearts today. No, it was not just Albedo alone. Shalltear was behind her, along with a tired-looking Aura.

    In contrast, Demiurge and Mare were nowhere to be seen. Perhaps they were waiting for Ainz and Cocytus in the changing room.

    ¡°A-Albedo, what are you doing here?¡¯

    ¡°Hm? I simply came to bathe with everyone... you too, Ainz-sama?¡±

    ¡°Ah, erm ©¤ yes, I did. What a coincidence, Albedo.¡±

    ¡°What a lovely coincidence indeed! ... I hear that it¡¯s best to engage in some light exercise before bathing in order to work up a sweat. Shall I sweat with you, Ainz-sama?¡±

    A chill ran down Ainz¡¯s spine.

    ¡°Well, table tennis is not a bad thing...¡±

    ¡°Aw, I didn¡¯t mean that. Really, you should take a hint...¡±

    She closed in on Ainz with the technique of a level 100 warrior ©¤ something which Ainz, as a magic caster, could not hope to evade ©¤ and reached out a finger to Ainz¡¯s chest, which was covered only in a robe, in the hopes of tracing letters on it. However, her finger, as soft and delicate as a minnow, instead slipped into the space between Ainz¡¯s ribs.

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    Both of them made the same sound in unison.

    What a stupid scene. Ainz smiled bitterly, intending to address Albedo, and then his face froze up.

    ¡°I put my finger into Ainz-sama¡¯s precious ce...¡±

    Albedo¡¯s face was flushed red, her eyes dewy, and an overwhelming fragrance rolled out from her body. That scent was very simr to the odor he sometimes smelled on his bed.

    ¡°©¤Oi, I asked before, but has she always been this weird?¡±

    Ainz tried his best to speak in a normal tone to Aura, who was trying to hold back a struggling Shalltear.

    ¡°...Forgive me, Ainz-sama, a lot of things happened. Erm, please treat this as stress that she built up after working hard for Nazarick every day. Yes, please think of it that way.¡±

    ¡°If... if that¡¯s how it is, then it can¡¯t be helped. Er... umu. Albedo, thank you for your hard work every day.¡±

    Ainz nned to swiftly retreat, but someone grabbed his robe. No, there was no need to look; he already knew who it was.

    ¡°Albedo, what are you doing? Has something driven you to abandon all restraint?¡±

    ¡°What you said to me just now... it lit a fire in my heart, and it made my belly twitch. So, Ainz-sama...¡±

    ¡°Er, no, hang on, wait a minute, calm down, Albedo! Co-Cocytus!¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    A gust of chilling air filled the passage. The sudden temperature change seemed to have brought Albedo to her senses, and the light of reason returned to her eyes.

    ¡°I. Cannot. Sit. Idly. By. As. Someone. Disrespects. Ainz-sama. Even. If. It. Is. The. Guardian. Overseer. Herself.¡±

    Cocytus cut between Ainz and Albedo. He had his tinum halberd in hand, a wordless threat that he would dly use if if Albedo tried anything funny.

    ¡°©¤I apologize, Ainz-sama. I seem to have forgotten myself.¡±

    ¡°I ept your apology, Albedo.¡±

    After hearing his master¡¯s judgement, Cocytus stepped aside. However, he did not put away his halberd.

    ¡°I understand your duties are weighty, and that there are times where you wish to cast everything aside and relieve your frustrations. In any case, go take a bath and let go of your stress. Thank you, Cocytus.¡±

    Saying so, Ainz sought to scurry into the male bath, but the footsteps from behind him made him halt.

    ¡°...Albedo, why are you following me? Perhaps you do not know, so I will tell you, but this is the men¡¯s bath. You should be going to thedies¡¯ bath.¡±

    ¡°I was hoping to wash your back, Ainz-sama?¡±

    ¡°...Denied. Besides, I¡¯m not bathing alone. The male Guardians will be with me. Do you wish to appear naked before them?¡±

    Just as Ainz thought, she might actually say it¡¯s okay because she¡¯s a Subus, Albedo promptly replied;

    ¡°In that case, there are family baths elsewhere©¤¡±

    ¡°Family baths are not meant to be used that way!¡±

    ¡°But Ainz-sama, I feel it¡¯s unfair how you¡¯re only spoiling the men.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right,¡± Shalltear whined as she covered Aura¡¯s mouth. However, Aura ©¤ who had been forcibly dragged along ©¤ had dull, nk eyes that simply hung open. Behind them was Cocytus, who seemed quite unhappy.

    We¡¯re just bathing together, what does she mean by spoiling them... the same thing happenedst time; is something wrong with Albedo? Could it be she¡¯s gone a little mad ever since then?

    ¡°Albedo, permit me to say something. I prefer women to men. I am purely heterosexual.¡±

    Albedo seemed to want to say something, but Ainz raised his hand to interrupt her.

    ¡°It is certainly possible that such a rtionship might take ce someday. However, I have not even figured out our ce in this world, and so, as the leader of this organization, it is inappropriate for me to pursue such a rtionship with you all.¡±

    ¡°Uuuu...¡± Albedo knit her brows.

    ¡°Besides... you are all like the daughters of my friends ©¤ I am conflicted about that.¡±

    ¡°I was wondering what was happening at the entrance. It would seem you are all inconveniencing Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°O...onee-chan... she... she¡¯s dead.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not dead,¡± a weak girl¡¯s voice replied.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting a long time for you two.¡±

    ¡°Forgive our tardiness. However... the Guardian Overseer should probably learn how to rein her emotions in.¡±

    Demiurge¡¯s typically narrowed eyes were cracked open just a little, allowing the hostility within to seep through. The air around him turned dangerous, highlighting how scary a typically gentle man could be. Seemingly affected by this, Cocytus appeared ready to do battle with Albedo.

    The smile remained on Albedo¡¯s face. No, it had grown wider.

    ¡°©¤You fools!!!¡±

    Ainz could not hold back his anger and shouted at them.

    ¡°I forbid you Guardians to quarrel in front of me! You idiots!¡±

    All the Guardians trembled, and fell to their knees in unison.

    ¡°Please forgive us, Ainz-sama!¡±

    ¡°...Alright. Get up, all of you.¡±

    After seeing that everyone had risen, Ainz used a gentle tone, like he was chiding children, to admonish them.

    ¡°Do not squabble over such petty matters. That will only disappoint me. Do you understand?¡±

    As he heard them simultaneously reply that they understood, Ainz let his anger vanish.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go bathe and clear the air. The men wille with me. Also, Aura, I order you to keep an eye on thedies. Keep an eye on the two behind you and do not let them mess around.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    Aura¡¯s eyes zed furiously. She probably felt that this was a chance for a counterattack. Such was the scorching heat rolling out from her that Albedo and Shalltear were visibly shaken.

    Ainz entered the door hung with the ¡°Men¡± curtain, and deliberately ignored the racketing from behind him.

    He shed his clothes in the locker room. If he were normally equipped, he would have to remove many items and it would be very troublesome, but he had prepared beforeing here, and so he shed his clothes swiftly.

    After quickly disrobing, he went on into the baths.

    Every time I strip off, I always wonder how exactly I can move...

    He was a fleshless skeleton, and the fact that he could actually move was a mystery to Suzuki Satoru. That said, moving skeletons were amon sight in this world, so all he could do was take it for granted. Even so, he had his doubts from time to time.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be heading in first.¡±

    ¡°Please... please wait for me!¡±

    A naked Mare scampered up behind him.

    He might have been a trap, but looking at him like this, he was most certainly a boy.

    His body was that of a child¡¯s, with virtually no muscle mass. The fact that his body, which felt so soft, could exert so much force was probably due to some unknown naturalw of this world, much like Ainz¡¯s own.

    As he gazed upon Mare¡¯s nude body and pondered that question, Ainz chided him:

    ¡°Don¡¯t run around in here. The floor is wet, and it¡¯s dangerous.¡±

    It was impossible for a Guardian to die from falling and hitting their head. However, after seeing Mare¡¯s child-like body, he could not help but worry for him.

    ¡°Er, yes. I¡¯m very sorry.¡±

    Do you have to apologize for that, Ainz thought.

    ¡°Forgive the dy, Ainz-sama.¡±

    After that, Cocytus and Demiurge showed up.

    Demiurge¡¯s body was sheathed in firm, wiry muscle, and he gave off the impression of being toned. One could not design the body under one¡¯s clothes when making a character, so perhaps Ulbert had written his physique into his backstory..

    ¡°Cocytus, you look the same as always.¡±

    ¡°Well, he¡¯s typically naked.¡±

    ¡°Could. You. Please. Not. Phrase. It. In. Such. A. Perverted. Way?¡±

    ¡°Forgive me. Cocytus uses an exoskeleton, so his usual appearance can¡¯t be helped.¡±

    Exoskeletons were a kind of natural weaponry, much like Shalltear¡¯s nails and teeth. Such equipment gained in hardness and durability as their users levelled up, as well as increased data crystal capacity.

    Their merits were that they did not need to be changed often, and could be used for long periods. Even if they were destroyed by weapon-sundering attacks or skills, they could be restored along with their users¡¯ HP through the use of curative magic. In addition, they would not be dropped upon death, among many other advantages.

    Conversely, they were inferior to the primary gear most yers of an equivalent level used, be it in terms of hardness, durability and data crystal capacity. Even at level 100, almost no natural weapons and armor could match up to a divine-ss item. Perhaps one might be able to do so if one possessed job sses which strengthened such bodily armaments, but even Ainz did not know if it was possible.

    Natural weapons and armor were not very advantageous for yers, but they were quite useful for NPCs. This was because one did not need to gather up a big stack of armor and weapons for them ©¤ in other words, the yer making the NPC could save himself the trouble of equipping them.

    ¡°Thank you, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Cocytus bowed in thanks, but Ainz had not spoken in his defense. Still©¤

    Could it be that everyone uses that to tease him ©¤ to make fun of him ©¤ to the point where he has to thank me for stepping in? Should I try to subtly tell the others toy off?

    Was it like this for teachers with bullies in their sses? He did not know how Yamaiko-san had handled this sort of thing in the past. As he pondered the topic, he spoke to the male bathers:

    ¡°Alright let¡¯s go in.¡±

    The group entered the baths, led by Ainz.

    There were 12 areas in thisrge bathing facility.

    The first was the standard bath area, then the jungle bath (which was thergest), the ancient Roman thermae (which were very atmospheric), the pomelo baths (where pomelos floated in the water), the sulphur baths, the jet baths, the electric baths (which had a mild electric current to numb the skin), the cold baths (with charcoal floating in them), the Cherenkov baths which glowed with a mysterious blue light, as well as the open-air (granted, the outside scenery was all fake) mixed baths.

    There were also the sauna and rock bath areas, and finally the rest room.

    ¡°So, which would you like to try? Share your views with me.¡±

    ¡°I. Feel. The. Cold. Baths. Are. The. Best. I. Would. Like. Ainz-sama. To. Experience. The Virtues. Of. The. Cold. Baths.¡±

    Ainz was resistant to cold damage, and even entering the chilly cold baths was not a hardship for him. However, something felt wrong about suggesting someone take a cold bath right after entering the bathing area.

    ¡°Cocytus-san... we came to bathe, so...¡±

    After hearing Mare speak, Cocytus seemed to have realized that he had made a mistake somewhere. Just then, someone proceeded to mount a follow-up attack.

    ¡°We came here to bathe, so perhaps you should have rmended a hot bath to promote cirction... oh, that¡¯s right, I should ask you a question. Can you bathe in hot water? You won¡¯t look like a cooked lobster, I trust?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s. Fine. This. Exoskeleton. Of. Mine. Is. Fire. Resistant. Even. If. You. Consider. It. A. Naked. Body.¡± Cocytus said proudly.

    ¡°Ah... ah, then I think perhaps we should go for a normal bath...¡±

    ¡°Cold. Baths. Are. The. Best. Taking. A. Cold. Bath. While. Clinging. To. A. Chunk. Of. Ice. Is. Very. Comfortable.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t say only you would like that sort of thing, but I doubt many people would share your tastes...¡±

    ¡°All... alright, it would be quite boring if we went and bathed on our own, so let¡¯s take turns using them all. We¡¯ll start with the jungle bath ©¤ my friends put a lot of effort into making it.¡±

    After his subordinates replied, ¡°we¡¯re all looking forward to it¡± ©¤ including a somewhat dejected Cocytus ©¤ Ainz led them to the jungle bath.

    There were fake trees and fake grass here, and it was made up to look like a forest. Even though they knew it was fake, it was realistic enough that everyone half-expected monsters to emerge from the woods.

    ¡°This bath was modelled after the Amazon River of the past. Its creator was Bellriver-san, with the assistance of Blue-san.¡±

    Ainz turned his back on the impressed Guardians, then he took his basin and bath stool to the washing area.

    Why are all the basins in this spa yellow? When I asked about it in the past, he said it was tradition... are the water basins in all spas supposed to be yellow?

    ¡°Needless to say, you need to clean yourself before getting into the bath. However, the way in which I bathe is quite messy, so you should probably stay away from me.¡±

    With that terse message, Ainz dumped the basin full of hot water on himself. The water went straight through him and sshed onto the ground. Due to the many gaps in his body, it was very hard for him to rinse his entire body in just one round of pouring. After repeating this several times, and making sure that he was wet, he took out a brush.

    Ainz loaded the brush with liquid soap and began to scrub himself. Just like before, the many gaps in his body meant that scrubbing himself was like scrubbing ader, and so foam and bubbles sprayed everywhere.

    Umu... maybe I should have brought my cute little bathing assistant, Miyoshi-kun with me.

    Ainz felt that it would be unsightly to let his subordinate see him all covered in slime, so he had not brought it out. However, he had not bathed himself in a while, and it was quite troublesome

    As Ainz frantically scrubbed himself, Mare approached him with a yellow stool in hand. He was clearly nervous, but he smiled to Ainz, his face flushed from the heat of the baths.

    ¡°A-Ainz-sama! Please... please let me help you wash your back!¡±

    ¡°Hm? Oh, I see. So you want to help me bathe? Although, I have to say that my body is quite tedious to wash, so you should use this brush. Cleaning it with a towel is very tiring.¡±

    Ainz turned his back to Mare, and Mare began slowly scrubbing his back with the brush he had received.

    ¡°You¡¯re doing a good job.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much!¡±

    Honestly speaking, Ainz could not tell if it was a good or a bad job. However, he had said so to Mare because he was grateful.

    Ainz looked at the other two. They seemed to be saying, ¡°Then, I¡¯ll help you wash your back,¡± and ¡°Thank. You. Kindly.¡± Ainz could not keep the smile from his face ©¤ although skeletal faces had no facial expressions.

    ©¤The Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick really is the best ce around.

    Behind him, a boy¡¯s voice said, ¡°I think I washed this ce before, right?¡± and it only broadened Ainz¡¯s smile.

    ¡°Thank you, Mare. Now it is my turn to help you. Don¡¯t be shy.¡±

    Ainz grabbed the boy¡¯s shoulders and turned him around, then applied bathing foam to Mare¡¯s towel andthered it up.

    He gently scrubbed Mare¡¯s body, taking care not to hurt him. He thought about the strength he used to wash himself, and tried to use less force than that.

    ¡°Does that hurt?¡±

    ¡°No... not at all!¡±

    After helping Mare ©¤ who had gone all stiff for some reason ©¤ wash his back, Ainz returned him his towel.

    ¡°You can do the front yourself, right?¡±

    ¡°Of... of course!¡±

    Ainz picked up the brush and scrubbed his ribs. Mare was rubbing himself beside him, so Ainz took care not to spray him with his foam.

    ¡°Then, I shall head over first.¡±

    After Demiurge finished rinsing himself off, he headed for the tub, swishing his tail behind him. He was followed by Cocytus, who probably had as hard a time bathing himself as Ainz did, but who could effectively use all four of his arms to save time. Naturally, Mare was next. Ainz finally finished washing up several minutes after everyone was done.

    The tub was quite broad, and a skilfully-carved lion statue disgorged hot water from its mouth into the steaming tub. Ainz walked through the water vapor and noticed that Cocytus was especially distant from the others. The other two were enjoying the hot water, at a distance from him.

    ¡°Ah~ the hot water feels nice.¡±

    Ainz thought that as a child, Mare would swim around in the tub, but instead he simply folded his towel and put it on his head, a rxed look on his face. That attitude was less fitting of a child than an overworked adult. As Ainz saw it, he felt surprise, and then he wondered, is the job of a Guardian of Nazarick really that tiring?

    ¡°Oh yes. I feel the fatigue flowing out of my body.¡±

    Demiurge had removed his sses. He sshed some hot water into his face and went ¡°Ah~¡±, looking just like a middle-aged uncle.

    ¡°So. Hot.¡±

    ¡°That... that¡¯s strange, er, didn¡¯t you say you were resistant to this?¡±

    ¡°I. Am. But. I. Do. Not. Usually. Soak. In. Hot. Water. So. I. Am. Not. Used. To. It.¡±

    ¡°...Still, that¡¯s no reason to use your cold aura. I hope you will keep your distance; I prefer my hot water somewhat scalding.¡±

    Now he knew why Cocytus was so far away. The water around him was probably only warm now.

    ¡°You. Are. Fire. Resistant. So. It. Is. Fine. For. You. Why. Not. Try. A. Cold. Bath?¡±

    ¡°That does not interest me. Besides, I have not engaged my resistance; I am simply enjoying the hot water. Cocytus, do you find this much unbearable?¡±

    ¡°Demiurge. Coming. From. You. Such. Taunts. Are. Shallow. However. You. Are. On.¡±

    ¡°Stop that. Baths should be enjoyable. If you want to test your endurance, please do so in the sauna. You don¡¯t need to force yourself to bathe here.¡±

    ¡°Huwahh~¡±

    Mare exhaled hotly, his forehead beaded in sweat.

    ¡°Look, you need to enjoy the bath like Mare¡¯s doing. Mare, don¡¯t push yourself either. If you feel hot, you need to get out.¡±

    ¡°It... it¡¯s fine, Ainz-sama! If anything happens, I can use magic!¡±

    Using magic isn¡¯t quite right either, Ainz thought. However, he did not say anything, and simply looked at Cocytus.

    ¡°...Is it right to use one¡¯s resistances when bathing?¡±

    ¡°I think some people do bathe in that way, Ainz-sama. For instance, as one of the undead, you will not be dizzy no matter how long you soak. Is that not the same way?¡±

    ¡°...Indeed.¡±

    He could feel the warmth slowly seep into his body, but it did not feel as good as it had when he was still human.

    An undead body has its merits and ws...

    Just as Ainz was mourning his lost joys©¤

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    ©¤He raised his head clear of the steam rising up from the water, and looked around.

    ¡°Is something the matter?¡±

    ¡°I think someone was calling my name...¡±

    ¡°Could. It. Be. Coming. From. The. Other. Side?¡±

    Cocytus pointed at the wall behind him.

    ¡°That¡¯s ©¤ ah, I see. Thedies¡¯ bath.¡±

    ¡°I see. No, but... the walls should not be that thin, no?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps the echoes made their voices louder.¡±

    Ainz could not resist the urge to prick up his ears and listen. There was no ill intent in what he did; he was simply curious about what a group ofdies would talk about when there were no men around. Therefore, he did not ce his ear to the wall; doing so would damage his dignity as the ruler of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. He even stepped away from the wall and turned to face it.

    ¡°©¤Albedo, you¡¯re so bushy down there.¡±

    Ainz frowned as he concentrated and heard the conversation from the other side.

    ¡°©¤Aura, don¡¯t describe it like that. Ah~ Ainz-sama ought to be behind this wall. I wonder if there are peepholes or anything.¡±

    Ainz carefully studied the entire wall, because he was worried that someone might actually have installed some sort of strange mechanism into it. There was a time when some of the guild members had been obsessed with making strange devices and gimmicks. The relics of those times might have remained until now.

    ¡°©¤Usually, they¡¯d be the ones peeping, right?¡±

    ¡°©¤I doubt that¡¯s the case. There¡¯s no need to peep at us; if Ainz-samamands it, we will let him look at us. Why peep?¡±

    ¡°©¤Oh, it¡¯s rare to hear you make sense like that, Shalltear.¡±

    ¡°©¤What do you mean by ¡®rare¡¯, how rude. By the way, is that a toothbrush? Could you please not brush... I mean wash your teeth in the bathroom?¡±

    ¡°©¤I can¡¯t help it. Cleaning them is really tiring, so I have to do it in a big room like this. Otherwise it¡¯ll be very troublesome.¡±

    Albedo¡¯s voice came from a somewhat higher position, followed by the sound of loud scrubbing.

    ¡°©¤Hm... that does look quite tiring. Oh well, it can¡¯t be helped, so I¡¯ll let it slide.¡±

    ¡°©¤Thank you.¡±

    ¡°©¤Uwah, don¡¯t shake your head and look at me, it¡¯s really gross. Shalltear, not brushing?¡±

    ¡°©¤I brush on my own in my room, so I don¡¯t need to. Still, will we really get cavities and so on?¡±

    ¡°©¤Even if we don¡¯t, bad breath when kissing can cool off even an ages-old love.¡±

    The sound of brushing suddenly stopped, reced by the sound of plodding footsteps.

    ¡°©¤Eh? Wait, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to jump in like that? At least do something about your body...¡±

    First, there was a loud plunk, followed by the sound of water sshing. She must have jumped forcefully into the tub.

    ¡°©¤Waaah! Koffkoff, koff, if I were a storybook Vampire, I¡¯d have drowned by now!¡±

    ¡°©¤You¡¯re not a kid any more, don¡¯t just jump in!¡±

    ¡°©¤Fufufu. Ahh~ this feels great. I¡¯lle here to bathe from now on.¡±

    ¡°©¤You ought to learn some bathing etiquette... huh?¡±

    ¡°©¤What happened? That¡¯s weird, is that lion moving?¡±

    ¡°©¤The ill-mannered are forbidden from the bath! Exterminate!¡±

    A male voice suddenly spoke, which made Ainz and the other men look at each other.

    ¡°Er, ah, that sounded like a man¡¯s voice.¡±

    ¡°I. Have. Not. Heard. It. Before. But. Could. It. Be. The. Area. Guardian. Of. The. Baths. However. Why. Would. There. Be. A. Man. In. The. Ladies. Bath?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve heard that voice before... it¡¯s Luci¡ïFer-san.¡±

    As he heard the voice of that troublesome man, Ainz recalled how several instances where that man had given him trouble. Honestly speaking, Ainz did not like him much.

    ¡°Is. That. The. Voice. Of. A. Supreme. Being?¡±

    ¡°©¤It¡¯s so hard! This isn¡¯t an ordinary Iron Golem!¡±

    ¡°©¤Die, you golemcraft bastard!¡±

    There was a loud crash, and then the sound of something hitting the wall at high speeds. That hit even shook the walls of the men¡¯s bath.

    ¡°...Just in case, get your weapons ready and prepare to charge into thedies¡¯ bath if anything happens,¡± Ainz ordered the clearly demoralized Guardians.

    If friendly fire was not in effect, perhaps it might end inughter, but given the present circumstances, someone might actually get killed. Their fighting power was lowered without their gear, and depending on the circumstances, they might really need to be rescued.

    ¡°...I¡¯d like to be able to bathe in peace next time.¡±

    Ainz stepped out of the tub with a sshing of water and headed for the changing room. As they heard him speak, the other Guardians nodded in unison

 Chapter 60 - Volume 8

    <h4>Overlord Volume 8 Afterword</h4>

    I¡¯ve been very busy recently. As a result my tummy and chin have be plump. This is the author who evolving into Mr. Pig, Maruyama Kugane. To those who have bought this book or have it on hand, thank you very much!

    For the most part, I¡¯ve been busy because of the animation project, work and other things.

    Right now the animation is going smoothly, with such heart warming exchanges as ¡°How is Ainz going to smile?¡± ¡°Do it somehow!¡± ¡°Please do something, Mr. Director!¡±

    In addition to the anime, the Overlord manga (drawn by Miyama Fugin-san) has also begun serialization in Comp Ace. By the time everyone has this book in their hands, chapter 2 should havee out. His work makes you feel that ¡°Ainz is a really cool character!¡± Please take a look, by all means!

    Now then, there¡¯s a reversible cover with an illustration on the inside included with the limited first edition of this book

    This piece of art is easily the equivalent of any other light novel¡¯s colored illustrations, the produce of so-bin-sama¡¯s reckless desire to draw something (the female characters¡¯ bath scene), and it moved Maruyama deeply..

    Although I have the feeling that this is a one-off for this volume, I hope that readers who like this sort of thing will send their wishes to me on postcards.

    Then, after this will be the credits.

    Many thanks to So-bin-san, who solved many problems even as the work grew ever greater.

    Thanks to the designers at Chord Design Studio, the proofreader Ohaku-sama, the editor F-ta san, as well as to everyone who helped me make Overlord. In addition, many thanks to honey, who spotted a major mistake.

    And finally, thank you to all the readers out there. I hope to speak to you again in the future.

    December 2014

    Maruyama Kugane

 Chapter 61 - Volume 9

    <h4>Overlord Volume 9 Prologue</h4>

    (Re)Tranted by Nigel

    Edited/Proofread by Deus Ex Machina

    Jiiv Rune Farlord el Nix ¡ª the peerless ruler of the Empire, and the young man who was dreaded as the Bloody Emperor ¡ª reflected on his wless performance.

    He was confident that he had won his counterparts over using his charisma, that they were putty in his hands. There should have been no problems.

    The nobility excelled at such wordless expressions of personality. This was especially true for the Emperor, who had been thoroughly educated in these ways from his youth, to the point where none would be able to see through his facade. To his guests, he should have appeared to be a kindly young man.

    It was very important to understand one¡¯s opponents.

    It would be difficult to glean information from someone who was robed with suspicion. However, one could use trust and goodwill as strings to manipte them, slowly peeling away theyers of wariness which they wore, until they wereid bare before oneself. Of course, such deceptions would be hidden behind a gentlemanly smile which said ¡°we warmly wee you.¡±

    And the gentleman Jiiv¡¯s opponents were a pair of Dark Elves, who had barged into the Imperial city on the back of a Dragon.

    This was the first time he had met individuals whose appearances belied their incredible power.

    The earthquake triggered by the staff-wielding girl had imed 117 lives. Of these, 40 had been his royal guards, 60 had been knights, eight had been arcane magic casters, eight more had been divine magic casters, and then one more ¡ª a truly jaw-dropping list of casualties.

    As for the knights, being able to stand guard in the Imperial Pce meant that they were among the most elite warriors in the empire, but he could close an eye to their losses. If they were to be ranked like adventurers, one might ssify them as silver-rank. Due to the extensive systems in ce for the education and training of new knights, these numbers could be easily replenished in the future.

    Next were the royal guards, the elites among the elites. It was regrettable that half their number, each the equivalent of a gold-cranked adventurer, had been in at once. They were equipped with weapons and armor that had been forged and enchanted by the many magic casters of the Empire, a fortune that was worth more than their weight in gold.

    And then, there was the most painful loss ¡ªthest man¡ª one of the strongest knights in the Empire, ¡°The Immovable¡± Nazami Enec. Though he imed he was just imitating a fighting style he had seen before, his two-shield technique that emphasized defense was enough to earn him the title of ¡°the toughest knight¡±, even among the Four Knights who were the strongest knights in the Kingdom.

    In this world, where the fighting prowess of one mighty warrior was more valuable than that of several hundred conscripts, the passing of such a warrior could not be simply described as one man¡¯s death. In the worst case, it might even be seen as a weakening of the entire country¡¯s military power.

    In all honesty, Jiiv would have liked nothing more than to chase them away, but he could not do so against opponents who could kill without blinking an eye. He did not know if this was just a show of strength. Therefore, all he could do was wee them with a smile.

    Still, he would not let them walk all over him. Jiiv¡¯s eyes intently studied the two children in front of him, not letting a single movement or gesture escape his gaze.

    One could learn many things from even the most mundane of observations.

    Jiiv¡¯s senses were very sharp, and he had once discovered that a seemingly loyal noble had actually been scheming secretly with nobles hostile to him, much like one would sniff out spices. Now, he strained those senses to the utmost in order to pick out every clue he could uncover

    He studied their clothes¡ª

    He studied their looks¡ª

    In any case...

    The emissaries of Ainz Ooal Gown that hade to the Imperial Pce, the two Dark Elf children, were exceedingly attractive. He could not help but think that they when they grew up, they would break the hearts of many a member of the opposite sex.

    Those small, slender bodies, with their ever-changing expressions. They seem like simple, ordinary children no matter how you look at them. Knowing nothing else, it would beughable to think that they were emissaries for anyone.

    A country¡¯s emissaries ¡ªtheir ambassadors¡ª required certain qualities, one of which was their personal appearance. Making a poor impression due to one¡¯s undignified deportment would be a detriment to one¡¯s country.

    Ainz Ooal Gown should have understood that principle. Knowing this, what was the motive behind sending a pair of easily-underestimated Dark Elves?

    Jiiv racked his brains as he pondered the mystery.

    From what I can gather... it must be a demonstration of force. He sends easily-underestimated ambassadors and then tries to intimidate me with overwhelming destructive power. The stark contrast between first and second impressions is meant to maximize the psychological impact... but if that was the case, wouldn¡¯t riding in on Dragonback ruin the effect? The Dragon¡¯s formidable presence would overrule their benign appearance... or is it that these two are the only ones suitable as emissaries? Or was there another¡ª damn. I can¡¯t read their intentions. I don¡¯t know enough.

    He had several theories, but they vanished like foam on the waves.

    My first priority should be learning more about the opposition. Without this foundation to work on, nothing can be done. Then, I must verify the boundaries beyond which they would be angered. It would be a fool who allowed negotiations to break down because he offended the other party.

    First, Jiiv had to learn why they hade to this ce

    The two Dark Elves had said ¡°The Emperor sent a rude bunch to the Great Tomb of Nazarick¡±, and then they had instantly killed over a hundred people in the middle of the court. But did they have evidence for that, or was it just a leading question? Jiiv had to find out at least that much.

    After taking the timing of their visit into consideration, the ¡°rude bunch¡± in question would certainly be the Workers. If that was the case, the one giving them orders would definitely be Jiiv. However, there had been several degrees of separation from him; Jiiv¡¯s name should not even have been mentioned in the same breath as these people.

    How had he ¡ª Ainz Ooal Gown ¡ª seen through his schemes? He would need to take a different attitude with them.

    Since they came as emissaries, there should be a chance to glean some information from them. Even the slightest action might shed some light on their ns.

    Behind the two of them was a foe who had allowed them to barge into another country and intimidate its leader with sheer force. Even a tiny mistake here could spell death for him.

    He did not want to trigger another earthquake

    Jiiv turned his attention to the neighboring room.

    It should have been filled with royal guards, and there should have been more royal guards at his side. But today, he had not bothered. That was because even if he had put 50 royal guards in there, they could do nothing but die if they tried to fight against these two. Thus, there were only five other people in attendance for this meeting.

    One of them was a member of the Empire¡¯s Four Knights, ¡°Lightning¡± Baziwood Peshmel. Another was Jiiv¡¯s most trusted advisor, Fluder Paradyne. There were also three trusted scribes.

    He had also ordered the royal guards to dig up the cracks in the courtyard.

    He knew exhuming the corpses was futile, but he told them to do it anyway.

    The Empire did not have anyone who could use resurrection spells. Even the adamantite-ranked adventurers of the Empire did not have such power. The same applied to their priests. Of the neighboring countries, perhaps only the Kingdom of Re-Estize and the ne Theocracy couldmand such magic.

    Even so, he still wanted to recover the bodies, because it was a waste to let their gear and magic items be lost with their owners. Also, recovering the bodies andying them to rest would preserve morale.

    ¡°Honored emissaries, you have travelled far and wide to grace us with your presence. Will you not moisten your parched throats? We have prepared some simple refreshments for you. We hope you will try some, if it pleases you to do so.¡±

    Jiiv rang a chime, and the maidservants waiting outside quietly entered the room. There were almost twenty maids, with brightly-polished silver trays.

    After their arduous training, these maids should have moved with crispness and beauty.

    Yet, even the steps of these maids ¡ª who were Jiiv¡¯s pride and joy ¡ª were slightly flustered today.

    It was precisely because their movements had been so immacte in the past that the ws now stood out that much more.

    What¡¯s wrong? They¡¯ve entertained so many dignitaries in the past without a hitch; why are they having problems now? Are they under the effect of some kind of magic?

    Jiiv wanted to reach under his garments and grab his medallion, but he resisted the urge to do so. The medallion was effective precisely because people did not know it was there; if they knew he possessed such an item, it would have the opposite effect instead.

    When the maids faltered after looking at the two Dark Elves, he finally found the reason for their missteps.

    Aha, so that¡¯s why... it¡¯s because they¡¯re fascinated by their looks. Well, it¡¯s not as though I don¡¯t understand... no, dammit. I mustn¡¯t make a fool of myself.

    Perhaps he should be praising the maids instead for only wavering that much in the face of such beauty.

    After setting down the drinks and snacks, the maids bowed and filed out.

    ¡°Then, please, do help yourselves.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm~¡±

    The Dark Elf boy raised a ss with a bored expression on his face.

    It was easily a treasure in its own right, its transparent crystal etched with exquisite artistry.

    Jiiv was not particrly fond of decorated sses like these. However, that was not to say that he did not possess such things. Even a simple eating utensil used to wee a guest could be used to show of the glory of the Empire, to let them know exactly how important they were to the Empire.

    The Dark Elf boy took a mouthful of the beverage.

    No hesitation at all... is he not on guard for poison, or does he have magic that protects him from such things? Or did he already sense that I had no such intentions? ...Or is it something else? Hm, that girl doesn¡¯t seem worried either.

    ¡°This doesn¡¯t taste particrly good. And it doesn¡¯t have any special effects either.¡±

    The boy¡¯s words filled Jiiv with a new thrill of terror.

    Nobody had ever said something like this to him, even when he had been a child himself.

    When the surprise faded, it was reced by a mild anger zing up in his heart ¡ª what a rude boy. But of course, Jiiv was not foolish enough to let that irritation reach his face.

    ¡°Then, I sincerely apologize,¡± Jiiv smiled at the boy. ¡°I pray you might be so kind as to enlighten me as to your favored beverage, that I may prepare some for you on future visits.¡±

    ...Did ¡°no special effects¡± mean no poison? Did he believe that I would be trying to poison him from the beginning? What did he mean by that?

    ¡°There¡¯s no way you could prepare the drinks I want.¡±

    ¡°O-oneechan, y-you¡¯re being rude...¡±

    ¡°Oh? Am I now?¡±

    His sister? So he¡¯s not a boy, but a girl. They¡¯re not brother and sister, but just sisters?

    When she said that, she did look like a girl after all.

    Why... dressing as a male... no, perhaps she wanted to dress in clothes that allowed for freedom of movement? Children of their age are kind of androgynous anyway. What if... the other one was a male... no, given the way she¡¯s dressed, there¡¯s no way she could be. Still... the younger sister¡¯s quite well-behaved.

    Jiiv considered how to bring the girl with the staff over to his side, or at least to build a good rtionship with her, which might benefit the Empire. However, hecked information about them and so he could note up with anything good.

    To begin with, he could not forget how this ¡°well-behaved¡± girl had massacred so many of his men. Treading recklessly around her would be like sticking one¡¯s hand into the maw of a sleeping Dragon.

    As I thought, I just don¡¯t know enough about them. I need to find out more as soon as possible.

    ¡°Then, honored emissaries, allow me to introduce myself once more. I am the Emperor of the Baharuth Empirem Jiiv Rune Farlord el Nix. I am certainly aware of Fiora-dono¡¯s own noble name, but might I inquire as to yours?¡±

    ¡°Ah, I- I¡¯m Mare Bello Fiore.¡±

    ¡°My deepest thanks, Fiore-dono. Then, with reference to what Fiora-dono said, specifically ¡®Ainz-sama is very unhappy and will destroy this country unless he receives an apology¡¯... I assume that I, as the presumed offender in question, will be making my way to Nazarick?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡±

    It was a terse reply, but one that dripped with frostiness.

    The Dark Elf called Aura had no warmth in her eyes from the very beginning. She looked at people like she was looking at insects.

    Then, a question.

    Indeed, they were on the mark, but the question still remained as to how much he should admit to, as well as the way by which they hade to know about his involvement. Under normal circumstances, he would confuse them with ther and then send them back before learning more about them, but he did not know if he would fall for it. In the end, he still needed to feel out their boundaries, otherwise the situation would be dire for him.

    ¡°Then... am I right to say that Ainz Ooal Gown-dono personally ordered the two of you toe here?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he was... what about it?¡±

    ¡°Nothing, I was just making sure.¡±

    Jiiv sank deep into thought.

    Who was Ainz Ooal Gown? A Dark Elf, a tomb, a Dragon, none of these went together. There had to be somemon factor between them.

    Was he a Dark Elf who once lived in the Great Forest of Tob, then moved into a tomb on the ins? Then the Dragon would be the pet monster of the Dark Elf tribal chief Ainz Ooal Gown.

    Jiiv dispersed his wild theories.

    ...I should leave the tales to the bards. My job is collecting information and learning the truth.

    What he knew now was that the other side had a way of gaining information from within the Empire. So did he have a far-reaching web of spies, or...

    Ainz Ooal Gown is a person who carefully analyzes information. Then I must confirm this.

    ¡°He ordered you toe on a Dragon?¡±

    ¡°Y-yes, Lord Ainz told us to do so.¡±

    ¡°I see... so that¡¯s what it is...¡±

    ¡°What are you getting at, asking all these weird questions? Are you apologizing? Or noting? If you¡¯re noting, thene out and say it so we can tell Ainz-sama, and then return to destroy your country. It¡¯s that simple.¡±

    There was a saying, ¡°one cannot gain a Dragon¡¯s eggs without entering a Dragon¡¯sir¡±. It meant that one could not make great gains without taking great risks.

    Jiiv had heard this saying before, and so he steeled himself to take the next step.

    ¡°Naturally, I wish to expiate my wrongdoings before him. Though I have no impression of sending anyone to a ce called Nazarick, it is entirely possible that one of my underlings might have acted rashly, and independently of my orders. That being the case, the ultimate responsibility lies with their overall superior ¡ª namely, myself.¡±

    From the corner of his field of vision, he saw the three scribes¡¯ eyes widening fractionally, while Fluder nodded in approval.

    ¡°Huh~ all right. Let¡¯s go together, then.¡±

    ¡°A moment, please. While I have no issue with leaving presently, I am still the ruler of this country, and I cannot simply vacate the seat of power all of a sudden. Perhaps, if you could allow me two, maybe three days...¡±

    Jiiv nced at the twins¡¯ faces to make sure it was all right before continuing.

    ¡°¡ªIn order to get the affairs of state in order before I leave. After adding in the time to settle some other pressing matters and preparing the reparations for Gown-dono, I think ten days should¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ten days? That¡¯s a bit long, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°With ten days, I will surely be able to prepare an appropriate gift. A thoughtless offering would only be disrespectful to him. Then there is the matter of finding the parties involved. The Empire isrge ¡ª scouring it will require an appropriate amount of time.¡±

    ¡°A gift, huh,¡± Aura muttered. Beside her, Mare began to look uneasy.

    I see... they were distracted upon hearing the subject of an appropriate gift for Gown. That means they deeply revere their master. I should be able to buy some time with this.

    But before Jiiv could continue, Aura spoke first.

    She was all smiles, and her tone was one of teasing.

    ¡°Just kidding~. Ainz-sama just told me to tell you toe over now, but he didn¡¯t say exactly when. So ¡®now¡¯ is ¡®however long you think you need¡¯.¡±

    Though he wanted to spit on Ainz Ooal Gown, who had seen through his schemes, at the same time he also felt that his opponent was both an intelligent and worthy foe.

    So he wanted to see how I¡¯d react to the demand of ¡°now¡±, then. Well well, Ainz Ooal Gown, you¡¯re a tricky negotiator. You must be quite the sage to have foreseen the path this conversation would take.

    ¡°Say, aren¡¯t you going to say anything?¡±

    It was only after hearing Aura¡¯s cold voice that Jiiv realised that he had been lost in his thoughts.

    ¡°Ah ¡ª ah, forgive me. I was merely contemting what to prepare if I didn¡¯t have enough time.¡±

    ¡°Huh~ well, it doesn¡¯t matter. Then... can you give me an answer? How long before we can expect you toe over to Nazarick?¡±

    ¡°Just so,¡± Jiiv ignored Aura¡¯s provocation. ¡°All preparations considered, I think I will be able to pay you a visit in five days¡¯ time.¡±

    ¡°Got it. Then, we¡¯ll let Ainz-sama know. Ah, that reminds me, should we help you dig out the guys buried alive out there? Though...¡±

    Aura pped her hands together, and her smile was far too malicious to be childlike.

    ¡°...They may have ended up like rice crackers. Or mincemeat. That might be a bit hard to fix.¡±

    Jiiv continued smiling, because the opposition¡¯s aim right now was far too transparent.

    People revealed their true nature during times of great emotion. So they must have been trying to provoke him to see his reaction. Jiiv had used this technique during negotiations himself, and the best way to deal with this sort of thing was not to allow himself to be baited.

    ¡°Then, I am grateful for your assistance. I shall leave the rest to you.¡±

    After seeing the disappointment on Aura¡¯s face, Jiiv allowed himself to smile honestly for the first time.

 Chapter 62 - Volume 9

    <h4>Overlord Volume 9 Chapter 1</h4>

    <b>Verbal Warfare</b>

    (Re)Tranted by Nigel

    Edited/Proofread by Deus Ex Machina

    <b>Part 1</b>

    Six luxurious carriages raced over the ins.

    Their motion was surprisingly stable despite the fact that they were galloping over grass.

    Firstly, the wheels of each carriage were magic items called Comfortable Wheels. In addition, the chassis of the carriages had also been treated by a magic item called Lightweight Cargo.

    These unbelievably magnificent carriagesmanded an eye-popping price, but just as astonishing were the creatures which pulled them. The eight-legged magical beasts looked like horses and were known as Sleipnirs.

    Calcting the precise cost of fielding six of these vehicles was an exercise in foolishness.

    These vehicles ¨D far out of reach of the merely wealthy ¨D were escorted by a group of riders mounted on powerful horses.

    There were over twenty of these riders, each d in chain shirts, armed with longswords at their waists while carrying crossbows and quivers on their backs.

    Yet, a woman rode at the head of all these men.

    Alone among all these warriors, she wore a suit of heavy full te armor. She did not carry a cavalrynce, but a spear like the kind an infantryman would use. Her helmet¡¯s visor was raised, but the right side of her face was covered by some kind of golden cloth, which made her look quite strange.

    Although this band of horsemen were the very picture of mercenary warriors, their disciplined movements and their clipped, precise words were nothing like that of amon sellsword. Their eyes were keen, and they maintained a high level of alertness.

    Some might have taken their wariness on wide-open ins to be a form of paranoia or cowardice, but in a world where magic was real and monsters roamed everywhere, even being on guard against everything they could see was not enough to guarantee their safety.

    There were giant spiders which could survive for months without eating or drinking while lying in wait for their prey, unclean monsters which resembled banks of fogs that slid through the air, venomous lizards with petrifying gazes that one had to flee at all costs if they were encountered on open ground...

    They were all on edge because they were wary of monsters with such deadly powers. However, normal mercenaries did not go to such lengths for alertness.

    The thing that set them apart from mere mercenaries were the invisible people in the air. They were a band of riders who were keeping pace with the riders on the ground while under the effects of invisibility magic.

    There were creatures called hippogriffs in this world. They were born from the mating of a male griffin and a mare, and these magical beasts had the front half of a griffin and the hind quarters of a horse. Perhaps it was because of their mixed blood, but hippogriffs were easier to rear and train than griffins, and they were very popr as flying mounts.

    And then, there were the riders of these beasts to consider.

    Flying creatures ¨Deven if they were monsters¨Dmanded an extremely high price if they were put on the market. They were not something that simple sellswords could afford.

    Indeed, the entire act of being mercenaries was a facade intended to deceive various people.

    The true identities of those travelling on the ground were the Emperor¡¯s royal guards, while the ones in the air were equipped with extremely expensive magic items and cloaked themselves in veils of invisibility while shadowing the ground forces; the elites of the Royal Air Guard.

    Of course, that meant the owner of the carriages was none other than the ruler of the Baharuth Empire himself, Emperor Jiiv Rune Farlord El-Nix.

    There were several reasons why he had disguised his unit like this, but the biggest one was because the Emperor and his knights openly riding through Kingdom territory ¨D in vition of its borders ¨D would cause an international incident, and that could not be allowed to happen. As such, the exterior of the carriages was iner than the interior ¨D although it was still more luxurious than regr carriages.

    In this convoy, the security around the third carriage from the rear ¨DJiiv¡¯s carriage¨D was heavier than those around the others.

    Even the roof of his carriage ¨D originally a cargo-carrying area ¨D had been refitted and now there were two archers hiding among the luggage.

    The interior of the carriage was supremely decadent. Judging by the furnishings alone, it was more akin to a mobile high-ss suite than a simple carriage, from the furred upholstery on the walls and floor to the soft andfortable seats, which had been designed to not cause even the slightest bit of difort over long journeys.

    Only three people were permitted to share this luxurious conveyance with Jiiv, which meant that a total of four people upied the space of the cabin. Although the idea of four people squeezing into a single carriage might seem restrictive and ufortable, that was merely the uninformed imagination of those who had never rode in a first-ss carriage before. In truth, all four of them had adequate space for themselves.

    ***

    ¡°¨DYour Majesty, Your Majesty, perhaps it is time to wake?¡±

    The voice stirred Jiiv from his doze.

    He pinched the bridge of his nose with hsi thumb and forefinger, and he yawned, followed by a grunt as he stretched himself out. Relief flowed through him as his stiff body loosened up and he yawned again.

    ¡°Your Majesty, it seems like you had a good rest, but are you still tired?¡±

    Jiiv shook his head at the man who had woken him up, the secretary Roune Varmilinen, who had been allowed to ride in the same carriage as the Emperor.

    ¡°Ah, no, it¡¯s nothing like that. I still need some time to clear my head, I¡¯m feeling better now. Although, I haven¡¯t napped like that for a long time. I think I was a child thest time I did that? After all, there¡¯s a whole mountain of unfinished business back in the capital, and I never had the time to waste on that sort of thing... but now that I¡¯ve begun this journey, I find that I no longer have anything to do. This is the first time I feel like thanking Gown.¡±

    ¡°Ah, indeed, you¡¯re always busy, but why¡¯s that, your Majesty?¡±

    The man who spoke as though he was not addressing the Emperor was the leader of the Empire¡¯s Four Knights, Baziwood.

    Normally, those words would have invited censure, but nobody in the carriage said anything.

    Jiiv smiled bitterly and replied to his excessively informal, yet excellent subordinate:

    ¡°The me for that can beid at the feet of the Bloody Emperor, because his reforms were pushed through too quickly for everyone else to catch up with them. He is truly a foolish man. So much effort could have been saved if only he¡¯d waited and umted a corps ofpetent people before taking action. You lot should scold him when you get the chance. Ah, but remember that when you do, you should suggest an appropriate course of action for him to take as well.¡±

    Everyone in the cabin smiled like Jiiv had.

    Originally, the administration of the Empire was left to the nobles ¨D in particr, the Court Nobles. Only those born into money could afford education from birth, and one of the reasons was also a vested interest in the situation.

    However, due to Jiiv¡¯s purge of the nobles, the amount of officials and bureaucrats had been reduced, but the work that they had to do had instead increased thanks to his reforms. While this was a logical consequence of such actions, it meant that the workload of everyone involved had increased explosively, and Jiiv himself was no exception.

    In keeping with his name as the Bloody Emperor, he had done away with many useless nobles. However, it was only after the fact that he realized that even such worthless individuals had their uses.

    Still, he did not regret his decision.

    He had to carry out his purge when he did. Had he missed his chance, the authority tomand the knights would have been stripped from him by the nobles, and his father¡¯s death would have been meaningless.

    And so he carried out his purge, and opened a path to the future for the Empire.

    Women had to endure pain in order to give birth to a child. Simrly, the vast amounts of work he did every day was a necessary pain he had to endure in order to give birth to a radiant and reborn Empire. Thus, once he overcame the difficulty thaty before him now, he would obtain the treasure that he sought.

    That line of thinking brought the topic of his own descendants to Jiiv¡¯s mind.

    Jiiv was not married, but he already had children. He had not yet taken an empress consort, although he had some women who were more of mistresses than concubines, with whom he had sired offspring.

    Unfortunately, he did not love those children, but he hoped one of his children would prove to be suitably talented.

    That was because in the future, if his empress¡¯ children were ipetent, he would dly switch their ces in the session with a capable descendant from his mistresses.

    ¡°Even so,boring over the tasks of government by myself is hardly the way a nation should be run. If only I could train up a cadre of officials that could take over these tasks soon... it would let me go back to issuing broad pronouncements, like the Emperors of old. And I certainly don¡¯t want my child, the next Emperor, to have to suffer as I did. After all, if my descendants are overworked, they¡¯ll curse my name.¡±

    The present Empire had been built by the work of a generation of excellent people, or rather, generations of talented men hadid the stable foundation upon which Jiiv had built a magnificent structure. However, that did not guarantee that the next Emperor or the one after him would be equally talented.

    Jiiv did not say so out loud, but he wanted to found a system that could smoothly run the nation by itself so long as the people in it had a certain degree ofpetence.

    ¡°That would be very difficult. After all, Your Majesty is an absolute ruler, and you cannot administer the country in the ways the old Emperors did.¡±

    ¡°Varmilinen, your job is to find a way to achieve my aims. Of course I possess absolute power. All the Emperors of the pastbored to concentrate the powers of the nation in their office. However, even if I am such a supreme being, it would be wrong to micromanage the affairs of state. If that happened, then what use would bureaucrats be? Perhaps you¡¯ve misced your head.¡±

    ¡°At the very least, he would not have left it in the Imperial Magic Academy, Your Majesty.¡±

    Those words were spoken by Fluder Paradyne, one of the senior members of the Imperial Magical Academy and also the highest-ranking member of the Ministry of Magic. The implication was that his academy would not have raised such a fool.

    ¡°Haha, yes, you¡¯re right, gramps,¡±

    Jiiv coughed softly, and with that, the mood inside the carriage turned serious.

    ¡°In my generation, the Empire has returned to its youth, like a newborn child. We will cast out that which is old and rotted and rece it with the new. As Varmilinen said, I will have to work hard until the Empire matures, but if it never grows, that would be disastrous. In the future, I will only define general goals for the Empire, and the bureaucrats and generals under me will help make those goals a reality.¡±

    A country ruled by a single autocrat was weak. Jiiv knew that much.

    Roune lowered his head ¨D whose hair was greying and thin in contrast to his age ¨D in acknowledgement.

    ¡°The Emperor of the next generation... speaking of which, did you have a child with that one, Your Majesty?¡±

    Jiiv instantly knew who Baziwood meant by ¡°that one¡±. After all, Jiiv knew that Baziwood thought very highly of one of his mistresses.

    Jiiv¡¯s mistresses were selected for their looks or their parents¡¯ status, but one woman among them ignored those criteria. This woman was the only one who had been chosen for her intellect, rather than for her appearance or her breeding. Thus, she was allowed to share her political opinions with Jiiv ¨Dthough not in public and only in bed¨D and she was the only woman he allowed to do so.

    At first, he had not intended to take her as a concubine at all, but things had ended up like this at her own insistence.

    Jiiv, however, would have been happy if she had be his empress consort.

    ¡°No, that isn¡¯t what she desires. She went so far as to say, ¡®Looks are a treasure you are born with, and to those who upy the upper echelons of society, they are a very important trait. One canpensate for ack of intellect with hard work or excellent subordinates, but looks cannot be changed.¡¯ or something like that.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t Your Majesty¡¯s bloodline alone will ensure that any child of your union will be pleasant to look upon? Well, it¡¯s true that any of your subordinates would be happier to receive orders from a good-looking Emperor.¡±

    ¡°Is that how it really is?¡±

    Jiiv had no superiors and had no way of rting to this situation. On his part, he would use a capable person regardless of how ugly they were, and even give them a key position if needed.

    ¡°At the very least, it would be better than having to look at some toad. After all, wouldn¡¯t Your Majesty prefer the woman shaking her hips on top of you to be a beautiful one?¡±

    ¡°...Well, yes. I sort of understand, but are those two really the same thing?¡±

    Jiiv tilted his head. Something seemed off here.

    ¡°Then, has Your Majesty given any thought as to who he will wed?¡±

    Fluder¡¯s question made Jiiv furrow his brows.

    ¡°Well, if I had to choose between marrying someone from within the country or outside the country, I would have to go with thetter. Right now, there are no benefits to marrying a native, so, who to marry from outside the Empire... well, there¡¯s that ridiculous woman that fellow rmended.¡±

    Fluder stroked his beard.

    ¡°Princess Renner, is it?¡±

    Jiiv nodded bitterly.

    She was the third princess of the Re-Estize Kingdom ¨D Renner Theiere Chardon Ryle Vaiself.

    She was known as the ¡°Golden¡±, a princess whose reputation was founded on her looks, but for several years she had ranked number one on Jiiv¡¯s list of women he despised the most. In contrast, the kind of woman he most preferred would be someone like Mayor Kabelia, who administered the city of Peibart in the City-States.

    ¡°I have no idea what that woman is thinking. After hearing about her actions, it¡¯s almost as if she failed because she wanted to fail. It all seems wrong to me.¡±

    Such people should not exist. That was what he thought, but he recognized that humans were strange andplex enough that he could not rule out the possibility of such cases. Then, if she truly did n to fail from the start, what was her aim? The more he tried to understand Renner¡¯s way of thinking, the more he felt like like he was being tangled in a spider¡¯s web. It was a thoroughly unpleasant feeling.

    ¡°...If only someone could help me kill off that nauseating woman.¡±

    ¡°We will hire Ijaniya right away if that is what your Majesty desires.¡±

    ¡°Ijaniya¡± was a group of assassins that took on the name of one of the Thirteen Heroes for themselves. They were based between the northeast corner of the Empire and the City-State Alliance, and they used unusual techniques. Although he had tried to bring them under his wing as a ck ops department, they had not responded to the Empire¡¯s overtures.

    ¡°Enough of that, it¡¯s better to let that woman impart her revolutionary insights to us. Letting her live would be better than killing her...Hm. Did that woman take this development into ount as well?¡±

    ¡°Could anyone have nned that far ahead?¡±

    ¡°Who knows,¡± Jiiv said, but even as he gave that answer, he had to admit that it was a possibility.

    Renner¡¯s words had been transmitted to Jiiv through their spies in the Kingdom. The policies she proposed often left Jiiv dumbfounded in awe. When he adopted them within the Empire, the results they achieved were a sign of how admirable Renner¡¯s policies were.

    It would be the Empire¡¯s loss if anything happened to her.

    The timing of Renner¡¯s suggestions to the Kingdom made him wonder if she had anticipated the Empire¡¯s movements. If that was true, it meant that Renner could predict the Empire¡¯s ns without eyes or ears on site, and then cleverly manipte them. .

    For that reason, even Jiiv, who coveted the Warrior-Captain Gazef¡¯s strength for the Empire, could not bring himself to desire her.

    ¡°The Kingdom won¡¯t be unduly harmed even if the Princess dies, but on the contrary, the Empire will be finished if Your Majesty perishes. We (the Four Knights), might be able to deal with assassins, but other factors are a different matter entirely, so I hope Your Majesty does not immerse himself too deeply into his work.¡±

    ¡°Of course. No matter the reason, I cannot allow myself to die before a strong government has been formed for the Empire.¡±

    The loss of an autocratic organization¡¯s leadership carried the possibility that the organization itself would copse soon after.

    The Empire might be a great nation in the future. Anyone who realised this would surely pay any price to forestall that rise by killing the Emperor. The most likely suspects for this were the nearby countries, like the Kingdom and the Theocracy.

    Part of the reason why he wanted Ijaniya under his wing was so that they could be used as counter-assassins.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, if Your Majesty were to perish, things would be troublesome. We have divine magic casters on standby to ward against poison and injury, but in the end, we stillck sufficient skilled personnel for these duties. I wish my dabbling in that field was more extensive, but my grasp of divine magic is still inadequate to the task.¡±

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re already an excellent wizard, so a small weakness like that can¡¯t be helped. Oh, yes. We¡¯ve asked for the Theocracy¡¯s help, but haven¡¯t received any response from them. Why not let the temples of the Four Gods and the minor faithspete with each other? Then let the Empire back whichever of the faith that produces the best results.¡±

    Competition was the driving force for the development of new techniques. However, the mention of that made Roune shake his head violently, tossing his sparse hair about his forehead.

    ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous. The temples in the Empire are supported by donations from the popce, and they remain independent by selling various products only they know how to manufacture. If the Empire exerts any undue influence on them or interferes with their livelihoods, they would surely be displeased.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true... if only we could take control of the various temples, the Empire would grow stronger. In that respect, the Theocracy has done an excellent job. They must have done that several hundred years ago. I wonder how they did it?¡±

    ¡°The practice of divine magic is closely linked to everyone¡¯s health, so I think it would be a good idea if we could have more divine magic casters be knights, or at least, teach knights how to use divine magic. Hacking and shing at monsters with swords alone only produces casualties.¡±

    Baziwood was a man who had had to hunt down monsters in the past, and he had spent his fair share of time on the edge of death. He nodded, and continued in a low tone.

    ¡°Personally, I would feel safer if I could count on resurrection magic. With that, we wouldn¡¯t have to mourn the loss of talented young men. Although, I¡¯ve heard that resurrection magic drains life energy, and ordinary people will be reduced to ash if one tries to resurrect them. Is that true?¡±

    Fluder shifted his body forward.

    Perhaps this old man had been the Emperor¡¯s tutor for too long, or perhaps it was because his pet topic of magic hade up, but now, he was speaking animatedly, his eyes alight. Jiiv knew the old man would ramble on and on once he started on this subject, and he revealed a tired look on his face which only Baziwood and Roune noticed.

    ¡°That is a fact. Among the 5th-tier divine spells, the resurrection magic [Raise Dead] consumes vast quantities of life force. Perhaps higher-tiered resurrection spells might reduce the amount of life force that is lost... but nobody can use those, so that is merely academic. Then again, I have heard that the Dragon Lords and their ancient magic could return the dead to life without the loss of any life force¨D¡±

    ¡°¨DThen, could the Queen of the Draconic Kingdom achieve such feats?¡±

    ¡°An excellent question, Varmilinen. Indeed, that country¡¯s queen has been confirmed to have inherited the ability to use what we call ancient magic, or primal magic, or perhaps the magic of the soul. There are many names for that sort of magic. This is because the blood of the Brightness Dragon Lord flows within her veins ¨D that is known. However, whether or not she can use resurrection magic remains to be seen. Ancient magic and our current style of magic arepletely different from each other, and we who can only use modern magic may never be able to understand it.¡±

    Fluder closed his mouth, and at the same time Jiiv stared at him. Although irritation and worry was evident on Jiiv¡¯s face, Fluder¡¯s next words put him at ease.

    ¡°Ancient magic... how I want to research it. If only those with the bloodline of the Brightness Dragon Lord can use it, then the pedigree is the most important thing. Therefore, I feel that if Your Majesty is to wed, he would do well to select that Queen or one of her rtives...¡±

    ¡°Give me a break, Gramps... I¡¯m not interested in old hags who pretend to be little girls...¡±

    He did not even want to think about having to marry the woman who ranked second on his list of most hated women. In addition, even if he did not love his offspring, it would be far too cruel to have them be research specimens.

    Even so, if he had to weigh that act of cruelty against the benefits the Empire would reap frommitting it, there was no telling which course of action he would decide on.

    At this moment, a loud knocking came from the carriage door.

    This carriage had been designed to defend against divination-type magic, which meant that it was fully enclosed in metal tes and did not even possess windows. Baziwood stood and cracked the door open to peek outside ¨D or rather, at the person who had knocked on the door.

    Although they were surrounded by knights protecting them and he was sure that this person was a friendly, he could not help but remain on guard just in case.

    ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s Leinas.¡±

    ¡°Open the door.¡±

    The fresh air from the ins flowed in as the door opened fully, blowing through the hair of everyone within. During this season, the airing in from the outside should have been cold, but the breeze that reached the people inside wasfortably warm. Needless to say, this was the result of magic used on this carriage.

    The rider keeping pace with the carriage was the woman who had been at the head of the formation.

    ¡°Forgive me, Your Majesty. There¡¯s¨D¡±

    It was hard to make out her words over the rushing of the wind between them.

    ¡°That¡¯s no way to talk. Come in, don¡¯t stand on ceremony.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Then, permit me this intrusion.¡±

    With that, she gracefully vaulted off her horse andnded elegantly in the doorway of the moving carriage. Although she made it look simple, given that she was wearing full te armor and that both her horse and the carriage were moving at a full gallop, it was proof that she had considerable athletic ability.

    Still, that was only to be expected of one of the Four Knights that were the pride of the Empire. Among them, she had the greatest offensive ability. Her name was Leinas Rockbruise, also known as ¡°Heavy Explosion¡±.

    After transferring to the carriage, Leinas quietly closed the door behind her and took a seat beside Baziwood. Thest thing they saw as the outside world was shut out were the reins of Leinas¡¯ horse being taken by one of the knights riding beside her.

    Since the carriage¡¯s magic would only warm the air that entered it, anything cold that came inside would remain that way. Considering Leinas was wearing a suit of full te armor that had been chilled by the wind shear outside, she was like a block of ice when she took a seat next to Baziwood, who could not help but shiver.

    ¡°The people we sent ahead have sent a [Message] to us.¡±

    One of the defenses offered by this carriage was interference against divination-type magic cast from the outside. Although it prevented the enemy from finding them with spells, it also blocked spells like [Message], so it was her duty to receive [Messages] on Jiiv¡¯s behalf.

    ¡°The outrider element has reached the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. There appears to be a log house at that location, and after they informed the waiting maids of Your Majesty¡¯s time of arrival, the maids replied that there would be a wee waiting for Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Maids? I thought it was an underground tomb... but maids? Maids... could it be? I¡¯ve heard that some countries buried maids with their dead kings to serve them in the afterlife. Is that what happened here? Or does this mean that the Dark Elves who left the forest made this tomb their new home?

    ¡°Regretfully, the [Message] did not contain any further details, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°...I can¡¯t figure it out at all. The forest is not a human realm, so there¡¯s no history on it either....... well, I¡¯d like to hope that the maids won¡¯t be monsters like the ones that came to the capital. Tell our people to be careful.¡±

    ¡°It is as Your Majesty says. Judging by the strength of those emissaries, we are most likely heading into apletely unknown situation. We would be best served by caution. In addition, I hope Your Majesty will swiftlye to my side should anything unexpectede to pass.¡±

    ¡°By which you mean we will teleport away in case of an emergency?¡±

    Fluder¡¯s slight smile was an answer in the affirmative.

    ¡°If thates to pass, then we will fight a dying action. No matter how many enemiese at us, at the very least we will be able to buy Your Majesty some time to escape.¡±

    Baziwood said this with a smile, but hisrade Leinas did not reply at all. Rather than an agreement which needed no words, it was a form of disapproval that was immediately visible on her face. Yet the others around her said nothing.

    In the end, she had never officially sworn her loyalty to Jiiv despite her position in the Four Knights. The truth was that serving Jiiv was the most profitable course of action for her. If someone else appeared who could grant her wishes, she would immediately abandon her current position.

    In other words, she was the least loyal to Jiiv among the Four Knights.

    The Four Knights were selected solely on the basis of their fighting ability and not their personality or loyalty. Even so, there was nobody else whose motives were as mercenary as hers.

    The only reason she was here was because one of the Four Knights had to be in the Imperial capital at all times. The one selected for that duty was ¡°Violent Gale¡±, Nimble Ark dale Anock, which was unavoidable. If ¡°The Immovable¡± was still around, Nimble would be the one here in her ce.

    ¡°Forgive my rudeness.¡±

    Leinas withdrew a handkerchief from a breast pocket and held it to the right side of her face. As it turned out, the golden cloth was actually her hair. She stuffed the handkerchief under that hair and wiped lightly.

    After the brief procedure, the handkerchief turned yellow with the amount of pus it had absorbed.

    ¡°Please allow me to make my own life my top priority. I apologize if I get in your way.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, that¡¯s fine, after all, that¡¯s what we agreed to when you became one of the Four Knights ¨D or rather, what you contracted to.¡±

    ¡°I see, so everyone knows what they n to do. Then, on my part, I will do my best to squat in a corner over there and not get in your way.¡±

    Roune said so with a straight face to change the mood in the carriage, and it was met with strainedughter.

    ¡°Now then, judging by our current speed, how long until we reach Nazarick?¡±

    Jiiv¡¯s question was addressed to Roune, who withdrew a pocket watch from his breast pocket. After he confirmed the time, he turned to Leinas, watched as she nodded, and replied.

    ¡°If everything goes ording to n, in about an hour.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? I look forward to it. We¡¯ll see what Ainz Ooal Gown is up to.¡±

    <b>Part 2</b>

    Jiiv¡¯s carriage slowly reduced its speed, until it finally came to a halt. However, he still could not disembark immediately. It was troublesome, but Jiiv had to attend to his own preparations for the sake of style and security.

    Normally, preparing the Emperor would have been performed by underlings, such as the maids in the other carriages. However, they did not have the luxury of waiting for those carriages to arrive. After all, they hade to apologize, and keeping the wronged party waiting too long was a foolish move.

    After Jiiv adjusted his clothes, he fastened his cape over them. This was an extremely valuable item made from a magical beast¡¯s skin and further treated with magic. With it on, not even the coldest temperatures outside would inconvenience him.

    Then, he slid his scepter into his belt, whichpleted his minimum basic preparations.

    Jiiv looked himself over one more time, to make sure that his appearance would not shame himself or the Empire.

    After this, he would be fighting a war of words with Ainz Ooal Gown. In other words, his clothing was like a warrior¡¯s battle dress. The consequences of even the slightest crease would not be limited to simple embarrassment. Although it would be good if his opponent was not observant enough to pick those ws out, he did not want to be underestimated because he looked shabby.

    Jiiv nodded in satisfaction, and just at that moment, a knock rang out from the door.

    ¡°Then, I shall disembark first, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Please do.¡±

    After that short answer, Baziwood opened the carriage¡¯s door.

    It was a stately, proper exit that befitted the carriage which bore the highest authority in the Baharuth Empire. Just in case, Roune interposed himself between the Emperor and the outside as the door opened, serving as a shield for Jiiv.

    They could see whaty outside, beyond Baziwood.

    The first thing that came into view was the grass of the ins. After that were the royal guards, lined up to face each other. Beyond themy a hill that swelled up from the ins, and what looked like a hugettice door that seemed to have been half-buried.

    Is the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick behind that door? It seems a little different from what I¡¯ve been told... well, errors like this are within eptable ranges.

    After disembarking from the carriage, Jiiv fell in step with Baziwood ¨Dwho was already in formation with the royal guards¨D and set forth.

    Jiiv took a deep breath. The enchantment on his clothing ensured that the air which entered his lungs would be fresh and clear. Granted, it was still cold, but not ufortably so.

    As he exhaled, he worked his jaw, and quickly nced at the subordinates around him.

    Fluder was wearing his long robes and holding his staff, and he was trailed by his adept disciples.

    There were divine magic casters with holy symbols hanging at their chests. They belonged to the knight orders.

    Then there were the motionless royal guards, though he now saw the faces of the outriders from earlier among them.

    Personally, Jiiv wanted to ask them what they had seen, but now was not a good time to speak.

    It seemed the maids, who were in another carriage, had not arrived yet.

    Well, they were gifts anyway. It¡¯s only to be expected. Then, when they said a log house, did they mean thatttice door... or is that it?

    When he looked to the left, he saw a single-story wooden cabin. It seemed utterly incongruous with both the ins and the cemetery, and he smiled bitterly. After all, where had all this woode from? The Azellerisia mountain range loomed in the distance, and he thought of the Great Forest of Tob.

    Did they haul it all the way from there? I don¡¯t know how many kilometers the wood must have travelled, but it they would have needed a lot ofbour to bring it all the way here.

    Although he did not know much about log cabins, Jiiv did not feel that this structure was particrly eye-catching. Even so, when he took the surroundings into ount, he had to admit that the fact that they had managed to build this here was impressive in and of itself.

    But... that¡¯s a big door... a double door, huh? And built so high... it¡¯s three stories tall by itself. Could this ce have been built as some kind of storehouse?

    Jiiv looked to the cabin, with Baziwood and Leinas on his right, Fluder on his left, and Roune behind him.

    ¡°Your Majesty. Should we order the people in the other carriages to disembark as well?¡±

    Jiiv did not turn to Roune ¨Dwho was whispering in his ear¨D as he answered.

    ¡°No, there¡¯s no need for that. Rather, we should¨D¡±

    Jiiv¡¯s words were cut off mid-sentence. It was not just because the cabin door opened, but because their eyes had been drawn to the two beauties who were now slowly walking out of it.

    They were dressed in orthodox maids¡¯ wear ¨D well-tailored, but otherwise unremarkable. However, the maids themselves carried themselves in an abnormally prim and proper way. Even Jiiv, who had seen many fair maidens in his time, was visibly surprised, and he stared like they had grasped his very heart.

    They are... too beautiful... but...

    They were beautiful indeed. If they were noble daughters of the Empire, he would have apuded their looks without reserve. He might even have wanted to add them to his harem. However, this was a tomb in the middle of a grass in. They were utterly out of ce here, and as a result, an ominous feeling came over him.

    Jiiv could hear the sound of a tongue clicking softly beside him, but he did not have the energy to waste on such matters.

    ¡°Say, gramps, could this be an illusion?¡±

    ¡°About that... well, I cannot say for sure, but I don¡¯t think so.¡±

    ¡°Are they humans? They don¡¯t look like Dark Elves...¡±

    ¡°And about that... I cannot say for sure either, but I doubt they are humans.¡±

    Those answers somewhat relieved Jiiv. Since they were not humans, it would not be strange if they appeared in a ce like this.

    It was an answer that he could understand and which he desperately wanted to believe.

    Both maids bowed simultaneously, and the one with the bunned-up hair spoke.

    ¡°Greetings and wee, Your Imperial Majesty Emperor Jiiv Rune Farlord El-Nix. My name is Yuri Alpha and I am tasked with weing you. Behind me is my assistant, Lupusregina Beta. Though our time together may be short, I hope we will get along.¡±

    Although he dyed in responding because he was ovee by the two of them, Jiiv managed to reply in the end.

    ¡°Then, I thank you for going to all this trouble for us. Indeed, I must thank Ainz Ooal Gown-dono as well, for receiving us with such lovelydies like yourself. With that in mind, there is no need to trouble yourself by addressing me as Emperor or using other honorifics. I will be d if you treat me as an ordinary individual and called me Jir ¨D nay, indeed, I hope you will do so.¡±

    Jiiv smiled brightly to Yuri.

    However, even after receiving a smile that would have had any woman swooning for him, Yuri¡¯s serious expression remained as it was. Jiiv could also tell from peering at her eyes that her heart was simrly unmoved.

    Was he not to her taste, or was she the type that did not mix business with pleasure? Or was she filled with loyalty to the person she served?

    I can¡¯t read her. I wanted to leave a good impression, but it seems like that¡¯ll be very difficult. And I was pretty confident that I could handle anyone if they were women... ah, if Gramps is right, then it must be because they aren¡¯t humans. Well, that¡¯s nonhuman women for you... still, what species do they belong to? They look like they should be humans, or at least, close to human...

    He had no clue as to their true identities.

    Judging by those two Dark Elves and these two maids, Ainz Ooal Gown must be a man who ced great importance on appearances.

    If that¡¯s the case... since their looks don¡¯t match up to those two, they¡¯re worthless now....

    Jiiv considered thedies-in-waiting he had brought along in the carriages. He was proud of their looks, and he had brought them along as gifts for Ainz Ooal GOwn, depending on the situation Each of them were nobles who had been made fully aware of what would happen to their families if they disobeyed Jiiv¡¯smands, and they had bid teary-eyed farewells to their kin before they left ande here with determination in their hearts.

    There¡¯s no point. Still, after knowing that the other side already has beauties superior to them, would they rejoice because they were no longer needed? Or would they be jealous of them as fellow women? I guess I should have gotten some Elves as presents, shouldn¡¯t I?

    Jiiv had not been able to bring along ve Elves from the Empire with them because there had not been enough time to prepare them, and also because he wanted to hold them in reserve as capital for future dealings. Those dealings would not be with Ainz, but held secretly with Mare.

    He felt that he could carefully investigate that Mare girl, strip her bare before him, and use her for his purposes.

    We¡¯ll bait her with promises of emancipating her enved kin. In exchange, she will do some simple favours for us behind Gown¡¯s back. After that, we can use those incidents as ckmail material to have her do more things for us. At least, that was the n...

    Just as Jiiv was mulling over his schemes for Mare, Yuri responded to him.

    ¡°Your Majesty is most kind. However, our master Ainz Ooal Gown has explicitly ordered us not to show any rudeness or disrespect to the Emperor, and as such, I regret that we cannot ede to your generous request.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Well, that¡¯s a shame.¡±

    Jiiv shrugged in an exaggerated manner, like he was putting on aedic act.

    ¡°Still, please feel free to address me as intimately as you see fit. How about Gown-dono?¡±

    ¡°Understood. Our master is still making his preparations, and he will need a bit more time. I pray you will be patient and wait for him.¡±

    ¡°I see. Then, where shall we wait? Inside that cabin?¡±

    ¡°No. We hope you will wait here.¡±

    Jiiv raised his head to the sky. Although it did not look like it would rain soon, it was hard to call the weather good with those dark clouds in the sky. In addition, there must be a chill in the air since it was winter, although Jiiv could not feel it through his enchanted clothes.

    What is he thinking, telling us to wait here? Could it be that he wants us to know our ce?

    Since he had been ordered toe to the offended party¡¯s home to apologize, Jiiv was already at a disadvantage. And then, on top of that, Ainz Ooal Gown wanted to demean him further with this. Clearly, Gown had a bad personality.

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    Jiiv narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°Then, we shall return to our carriages and await him therein.¡±

    Jiiv could feel the anger boiling out of his numerous royal guards as he said those words.

    They might be in a neighboring country ¨Dand one which might end up being an enemy to them¨D but even so, letting the Emperor of a great nation wait in a ce like this was far too rude.

    However, nobody could vocalize these feelings. Since their liege lord had clearly epted these terms, there was no room for them as loyal servants to say anything else. Unless¨D

    Was it because they saw the carnage that Dark Elf could wreak? If that is so... Gown, you¡¯re a hard man to deal with. With just one move you¡¯ve struck fear into all our hearts. Even if that ability could only be used once in a lifetime, who would be brave enough to put that to the test? And then there¡¯s the fact that it was a child doing it. You¡¯re giving us the impression that even a child can be that powerful.

    ¡°I pray you to wait.¡±

    Yuri¡¯s quiet voice cut through the air before Jiiv could take a step.

    ¡°Since the dy originated from our side, we would be poor hosts and in defiance of Ainz-sama¡¯smands if we did not extend every courtesy to you inpensation.¡±

    Jiiv was somewhat surprised.

    Ainz... he allows his maids to address him so directly? Maybe they¡¯re not maids... no, I see. At the very least, they¡¯ have a close rtionship. Has he imed their bodies yet? No, any man would understand why. Given their looks, the difficulty would be in keeping one¡¯s hands off them.

    A faint feeling of sympathy grew within Jiiv, and then he replied with exaggerated politeness.

    ¡°Ohhh! Then, we must be grateful to Gown-dono. Well then... what sort of reception can we look forward to, and where can we expect to find it?¡±

    ¡°We are in the process of preparing it. To begin with, the weather does not look very weing. Let us change that.¡±

    ¡°What do you... ? Uooooh!¡±

    Jiiv was not the only one gasping in surprise. The magic casters, royal guards, Baziwood, Leinas, even Fluder, all of them could not help but exim in wonder.

    The dark clouds above them began to move slowly.

    Within moments, they had vanished without a trace, as though some invisible giant had scattered them with his hands. The hippogriff riders in the air were thrown into confusion, which was something those on the ground could empathize with.

    ¡°Why does it feel... warmer...?¡±

    ¡°You too? You mean I¡¯m not mistaken?¡±

    As Jiiv heard the quiet exchanges between his guards, he shucked off his cloak, which dispelled the magic which maintained the temperature of his body. Just then¨D

    ¡°Yo-Your Majesty!¡±

    Roune eximed at Jiiv¡¯s sudden disrobing, but the Emperor did not answer his subordinate.

    ¡°Fu... fuha... fuhahaha. What is this... what on earth is this? Gramps! What¡¯s going on?!¡±

    Jiiv abandoned his calm and looked to Fluder with a twisted expression on his face.

    The refreshing, clear air which surrounded him now should only have been found in spring. The chill grasp of winter was nowhere to be found. Jiiv had never heard of magic like this during Fluder¡¯s lessons. In that case, what kind of spell was this, anyway?

    ¡°This should not be the work of arcane magic... I seem to recall a druidic divine spell that could control the weather...¡±

    Fluder seemed unable to control the broad smile on his face as he spoke.

    ¡°Weather control should be a 6th tier spell. However, judging by Your Majesty¡¯s reaction, this may not be a simple maniption of the weather. It must be a higher tier spell... how incredible...¡±

    ¡°And this spell is the work of that Dark Elf ¨D of that emissary, then?¡±

    That much he could ept, if it was the work of that magic caster who could cause the earth to swallow his men up in its cracks. No, in truth, he hoped that was the case. He did not want to believe that there was another magic caster out there who was stronger than her. That would be a nightmare.

    ¡°Indeed, that might be the case... but I cannot be sure.¡±

    Fluder seemed to find all this terribly amusing, which made frustration well up in Jiiv¡¯s heart.

    Although his mentor was an excellent teacher who was worthy of respect, he was hopeless once magic was involved. It was extremely irritating when he got like that.

    ¡°I believe that should have refreshed you somewhat. Then, let us begin the next phase.¡±

    The maid ignored Jiiv¡¯s rising irritation and tossed out another bombshell at him.

    The young emperor desperately fought the urge to tell her to stop. Don¡¯t shake my heart any more, he thought, but in the end, his obligations as the Emperor of the Baharuth Empire won out and he managed to control himself.

    ¡°Now then. Come here.¡±

    In response to Yuri¡¯s orders, the doors of the log house opened, and something huge stepped out.

    ¡°Gehhhh!¡±

    A lone cry rang out. It was a strange sound that one might expect of a strangled chicken.

    When they realized who had cried out, terror filled the hearts of everyone present, not just Jiiv. Indeed, it felt like they were dreaming.

    The one who had made that uncharacteristic sound was the high court wizard of the Empire, ¡°Tri-Arts¡±, Fluder Paradyne. He was a man who was said to be able to rival the Thirteen Heroes. A man like that now stood with eyes wide with terror, his gaze fixed on the things emerging from the log house.

    Shortly after that, several screams filled the air, all of them from Fluder¡¯s disciples.

    ¡°Impossible! That¡¯s¨D!!¡±

    ¡°Un-unbelievable! This is impossible!¡±

    ¡°Danger! An attack ising! Defensive magic! Please allow us to use defensive magic!¡±

    Fluder red at his disciples, all of whom were in full battle readiness.

    ¡°Silence!! Calm yourselves, all of you!!¡±

    The being emerging from the log house was worthy of their caution and dread. The eyes of everyone from the entire Imperial contingent were focused on the single point.

    There was no doubt at all that it was a monster. It was a monster sheathed in ck te armor.

    Its body was excessivelyrge, and its silhouette was utterly evil. It was as though a god had drawn forth the essence of violence and brutality from all humanity, concentrated it, and given it physical form. Its rotted face had no expression, yet they could all sense a brilliant, shining hatred burning in its empty eye sockets.

    And there were five of them.

    The vast body of the one at their head was carrying arge stone table. The four behind it held various utensils and many chairs.

    None of them had any hostile intent. In contrast, the vignce and panic of Fluder¡¯s disciples seemed almostughable.

    There was a sound of something falling to the ground.

    One of Fluder¡¯s acolytes had copsed to his knees upon the ground, his face pale and his body devoid of strength. Or rather, almost all of the four acolytes he had brought along had ended up that way. Their pale faces were frozen in shock as they began hyperventting.

    ¡°Impossible. How could this... no, no, it can¡¯t be. Are those Death Knights? Are they being controlled? And in those numbers?¡±

    Something shed through Jiiv¡¯s mind. He forgot himself and shouted angrily.

    He no longer had the luxury of preserving his calm.

    ¡°Death Knights? What do they mean by Death Knights?! Gramps! Answer me! I¡¯ve heard that name before, does it have anything to do with that undead creature that¡¯s rumored to be locked up under the Ministry of Magic?!¡±

    Indeed. It was a Death Knight. That was the name of an undead creature that could plunge the Empire into dire straits just by itself.

    Nobody answered Jiiv¡¯s query.

    Fluder was staring with eyes wide open, gazing with mad delight upon the Death Knight.

    Jiiv saw that he would not be getting an answer and realized that talking further to him would be fruitless. Instead. Jiiv quickly stepped forward and seized one of the disciples by hispels.

    ¡°What are these Death Knights?! Answer me!!¡±

    ¡°Aieeee! Your, Your Majesty! As you said, that legendary undead monster sealed within theher reaches of the Ministry of Magic is, indeed, a Death Knight! They are creatures that even Master cannot control!¡±

    All Jiiv could do wasugh. The dignity that he had clung to as the Emperor of the Baharuth Empire was no more. It had crumbled to ash and blown away on the wind.

    ¡°...Fu, fufu. fufufu. What do you mean, legendary undead?! There¡¯s five of them right there in front of us! Or are you saying that Death Knightse in groups and five of them count as one entity? Huh?! Are you kidding me?!¡±

    ¡°N-no! Nothing like that!¡±

    He sensed someone standing beside him. When he nced over, he saw that it was one of the Empire¡¯s strongest warriors, Baziwood. The man¡¯s face was pale, and Jiiv could see it starting to twitch.

    ¡°Er, ah, Your Majesty. Please listen to this with a calm heart. The situation now is very bad. Even if all of us went at once, we would not be able to stop even one of them. Perhaps it would be a good idea to sound a retreat. This is bad. Really bad. Look at how my hand trembles.¡±

    As Jiiv looked over to Baziwood¡¯s hand, it began to shake. After looking at his twitching face, it was clear that these were not pre-battle tremors.

    ¡°Is that what they mean by ¡®unfathomable¡¯... do you think it could be stronger than Stronoff-san?¡±

    The other member of the Four Knights was further behind than when she had started out, and she was still continuing her slow retreat. The only reason why she had not broken into an all-out sprint was because she did not want to attract the Death Knight¡¯s attention and thus, its hostility.

    This whole thing felt like a nightmaree to life.

    And then, before them...

    The way the Death Knights were calmly arranging the furniture and utensils on the grassy ins was the very picture of the loyal manservant. There was nothing in their actions which suggested that they were legendary undead which could destroy a country.

    However, after looking at the reactions of everyone around him, he knew it was a fact that they were undead which even the most powerful magic caster in Jiiv¡¯s knowledge, Fluder Paradyne, could notmand.

    This implied that there might be more than five of these monsters, whose fighting ability was far in excess of Fluder¡¯s own.

    The object ofparison, Fluder Paradyne, was someone whose fighting power rivalled that of the entire Imperial Army. Of course, he did not have infinite mana, and in a straight fight, they might be able to win. However, fi Fluder used teleportation or flying spells, then it would be the entire Imperial Army that would be ughtered instead.

    That would mean that the five Death Knights here represented five times the fighting strength of the entire Imperial Army.

    Impossible.

    Something like this should not have happened.

    This was far too much power for an individual to possess. No, even a country would be hard-pressed to wield such might. This was the sort of power which only a few famous nations or republics of legend couldmand. And to think, the master of a meager little tomb actually possessed such puissance.

    The reality which he had been trying his best to flee from ever since those two Dark Elves hade before him now stared him straight in the face.

    ¡°Ainz Ooal Gown... he¡¯s a monster we can¡¯t stop, no, that we can¡¯t even touch...¡±

    Just like a tiny boat tossed around in a raging storm, so too was Jiiv¡¯s heart tormented by this incredible shock.

    In the end, however, he wrestled his emotions down and regained his calm with iron will.

    He had seen his royal guards annihted and the shadow of the Dragon¡¯s vast body. Those things allowed Jiiv to prepare his heart.

    Without these prior experiences, the impact on him would have been greater. He might have shown a more unsightly side of himself.

    This tomb is... How powerful is Ainz Ooal Gown? Those five Death Knights and those two. Even with that dragon included, that can¡¯t be all, can it? Why is he hiding in this ce? When did he start taking up residence here? Or perhaps his preparations are finallyplete? I¡¯ve heard that when many undead creatures gather in one ce, an even more powerful undead being is born. That¡¯s why these Death Knights... no, could it be that he¡¯s even more powerful than these Death Knights...? Not good. There¡¯s no time, but I still have to think of a way...

    As Jiiv¡¯s rapid thoughts drove him ever further into confusion, Yuri cut in.

    ¡°Please be at ease. All these Death Knights were created by Ainz-sama himself. They are absolutely obedient to his orders, and in his ce, I have gained the right tomand them. I will not permit any of you toe to harm.¡±

    Jiiv had struggled to piece his thoughts together, but Yuri¡¯s words had blown them away..

    ¡°He created them...¡±

    Ainz Ooal Gown could create undead like these through a mere act of will. That was the awful truth. Creating such beings would require expenditures equal to their vast power, and he could either meet that cost or bypass it entirely.

    No, this must be a bluff. How could anyone make things like that? He must be lying to inte his ownbat power. Because if he¡¯s not¨D

    A smile appeared on Jiiv¡¯s face.

    For some reason, everything seemed so bothersome now.

    ¨DAh. I¡¯m done with this. I don¡¯t know anything anymore. This time, let¡¯s just settle for seeing what the other side can do, yes.

    ¡°Fu, fuhahahahaha!¡±

    Just as Jiiv decided to abandon all delusions of control, augh of sheerest joy rang out from beside him.

    It came from Fluder.

    Be they royal guards, acolytes or priests, the faces of everyone except Jiiv were frozen in shock.

    Fluder Paradyne was a magic caster of the highest order, and a hero possessed of iparable education and knowledge besides. Countless entries in the history books of the Empire told of how he had single-handedly engaged monsters which threatened the safety of the nation, and emerged triumphant. His saintly demeanor also meant he was honored and respected by many people.

    In truth, many of the people here felt the same way about him.

    And now, Fluder wasughing in a way that shattered the mental image that everyone had of him.

    There was power in thatugh.

    He had the aura of a hero.

    There was no doubt that Fluder was radiating a fearsome pressure, and not the warmth that Jiiv sometimes felt from the man who was as close to him as his father.

    He possessed immense magical might, enough to take on all the Four Knights at once. And his voice took on a demented tone as he appeared to be going insane.

    It was only natural that the nearby royal guards would break out in goosebumps.

    Amidst all this, only the people from Nazarick and Jiiv kept their cool.

    ¡°...He controls Death Knights, and in such numbers! Marvellous! Marvellous!! Marvellous!!! Fuhahahaha!¡±

    A single tear oozed from the corner of his eye, and he smiled like a madman.

    ¨DNo, that was not it.

    This was the true nature of a man who had abandoned his position as a wizard of the Imperial court to glimpse the deepest mysteries of the abyss called ¡°magic.¡±

    Until now, it had been hidden under the mask of a hero, but it had surfaced in the presence of a powerful magic caster.

    ¡°Well then, Your Majesty. What shall we do now? Should we flee with teleportation magic? I think if we teleported now, we should be able to make it, no? Assuming the terrain allows for it...¡±

    Fluder said this to Jiiv, a mocking smile on his face,

    ¡°I like that face of yours, Gramps. Then, let me ask a question in turn. Do you think I will run?¡±

    Cracks spread rapidly throughout Fluder¡¯s face. That was the smile of a madman, which instilled terror in all who saw it.

    ¡°I expected nothing less of Your Majesty, no, my darling Jir. My pupils, open your eyes and be grateful for the fact that you cany your eyes upon the highest, the most exalted of all magic casters on the continent. Now that you have seen the end of your journey, you must work towards it!¡±

    The faces of Fluder¡¯s disciples and the royal guards turned paler and paler as they realized the true nature of the being whose yard they now upied.

    They knew theirrades had been massacred. However, the legendary magic caster from their history books had called him ¡°the most exalted of all magic casters.¡± The immense stress from that felt like a huge stone which had been lodged in their bellies.

    ¡°Your Majesty, this is bad, right?¡±

    ¡°...Do you mind if I run first?¡±

    Baziwood seemed confused, and Leinas¡¯ question was filled with despair.

    Jiiv looked at them.

    Fluder and his disciples aside, the strain on the royal guards was slowly increasing, and they looked like they might break at any moment.

    This was because the hero Fluder¡¯s abnormal behavior and the description of the Death Knights¡¯ power had left them at a loss for what to do.

    ¡°What else can we do? And if you want to run, go ahead. However, if you do that, you won¡¯t be one of us. Which means that to them, you¡¯ll be an intruder. I hope you don¡¯t end up like those Workers who came here earlier.¡±

    Leinas ground her teeth and her face twisted.

    ¡°Which means it¡¯s fine, right?¡±

    ¡°Baziwood, look at Gramps ¨D no, Fluder. He¡¯s the most familiar of all of us with magic and he¡¯s like that now. All we can do is leave everything to our hosts.¡±

    ¡°What about praying to the gods for luck, and then escaping?¡±

    ¡°Do you really think we can escape?¡±

    Baziwood nced at the maids. They had clearly overheard them talking about fleeing, but calmly continued their preparations anyway.

    ¡°What if we took a hostage?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like to hear people talking about doing things that are clearly impossible, ¡®Lightning Bolt¡¯, see what happens if you say that again.¡±

    ¡°...Forgive me. In truth, I feel that the maid is even more mysterious than the Death Knights... If someone told me they were stronger than them, I¡¯d probably believe that too... ah, I¡¯m talking about such rude things in front of her and she isn¡¯t batting an eye. How frightening...¡±

    That maid was monstrously strong as well.

    As he thought about this, Jiiv shook his head. He desperately wanted to believe that not everyone on the tomb was ridiculously strong. As he thought about it, he tried his best to put the cold smiles of those two Dark Elves out of his mind.

    ¡°Looks like we are almost... are we ready, then? In that case, everyone, I hope you will rx over here.¡±

    There were many tables and chairs in ce on the grass. The tables were covered in pure white tablecloths andrge parasols gave shade. The Death Knights who had been moving the furniture into ce were standing by beside the log house in order not to get in the way.

    ¡°We have also prepared refreshments for you.¡±

    Decanters beaded with moisture were arrayed on the tables, filled with an orange liquid. Beside them were high-stemmed wine sses made of clear crystal. Each of them was intricately carved with borate designs.

    Even Jiiv, an Emperor who enjoyed the best things in life, could not help but stare with eyes agape at the disy before him.

    ¡°Please let us know if you need anything else. Then, everyone¨D¡±

    The log house¡¯s door opened once more, and more maids filed out from within. Their incredible beauty was enough to wipe away all the fear and unease they had experienced until now.

    Each of them was uniquely beautiful in their own way. One of them had hair that was pinned up into a chignon, another had long, straight hair, and a third had drill-shaped hair.

    ¡°Are they having a sale on beauties?¡±

    Although Jiiv did not know which of the royal guards said that, he had to agree. After all, what would such belles be doing in a tomb?

    Does that tomb spawn beautiful women? Do they pop out of the ground one after the other?

    He heard the sound of a tongue clicking again, but paid it no heed.

    ¡°Then, please enjoy the drinks we have¨D¡±

    ¡°¨DAh, before that, could we meet Ainz Ooal Gown-sama first? I would like to expedite matters... and if it¡¯s all right, could I speak with him just before he meets with Jir¨D¡±

    ¡°Fluder, contain yourself!¡±

    No matter what, none of them could disgrace themselves or the Empire here.

    ¡°Have you missed something, Fluder? We¡¯re here as representatives of the Empire, not to satisfy your thirst for magical knowledge.¡±

    By this time, a calm light had returned to Fluder¡¯s eyes. He had, for the most part, managed to subdue his rampant desire.

    ¡°...Forgive me, Your Majesty. I was ovee by excitement. I beg the forgiveness of everyone else present as well.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Gramps. Have a drink, calm yourself down. Then, shall we?¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Yuri slowly filled the sses on the table before Jiiv with that same orange fluid. A fragrant citrus scent wafted through the air.

    Jiiv took a mouthful of the fruit juice, and the taste was such that he could not help but smile. It was a smile that seemed to say, what have I been drinking all my life. Looks of surprise appeared on the faces of the surrounding royal guards. If even Jiiv, who lived a life of decadence, could be surprised like this, how much more so thesemon men? As if to illustrate that point, there were many who had forgotten their manners and gulped the juice down as fast as possible.

    Shortly after, shocked exmations rang out from the gathered men.

    ¡°It¡¯s delicious!¡±

    ¡°What kind of drink is this, it¡¯s a perfect blend of sweet and sour!¡±

    ¡°It glides down your throat, and there¡¯s no cloying aftertaste!¡±

    Jiiv took another drink as he heard the praise from all around him. Suddenly, he felt like he was filled with power.

    So it tastes so good that my body is getting excited, huh. Does that mean Nazarick has the best drinks? It seems I did insult those two Dark Elves back then. If they availed themselves of such wondrous drinks every day, then it¡¯s no wonder they weren¡¯t impressed by what we served.

    Jiiv smiled bitterly.

    To think, even a simple drink could defeat him so thoroughly¨D

    Ahhh... I feel so calm now. This is the first time I¡¯ve felt this rxed since I came here. It¡¯s like... like I¡¯vee home...

    How long had they stayed out of the sun in the shade of the umbres and heard the wind blow through the grass? Eventually, Yuri said the words which Jiiv longed to hear.

    ¡°I apologize for the dy. Ainz-sama is ready to see you now, so please follow me.¡±

    <b>Part 3</b>

    Jiiv arrived at a hemispherical room. He stood before a pair of vast double doors. Intricate carvings decorated both sides of the doors; a beautiful goddess on the right and a cruel-looking demon on the left. Countless ominous-looking statues were arrayed around them.

    If one had to give it a name, it would probably be ¡°The Gates of Judgement.¡±

    Jiiv pondered those doors as he looked over them.

    The huge room was quiet, so quiet that he imagined he could hear the metaphorical sound of silence.

    Indeed, nobody from the Imperial contingent had uttered a single word ever since they had been brought here. The only sounds were the metallic noises of armor scraping against armor.

    They were not silent out of politeness, but rather, they had passed all manner of wondrous sights beforeing here, which had stolen their souls away.

    It would have been too much to expect them to not be entranced by the nigh-mythical scenes they had seen.

    In truth, even Jiiv found it hard to control the impulse to gawk openly at his surroundings as he walked, given the splendor that surrounded him.

    He nced over his shoulder to look at his subordinates who had followed him here.

    Behind him were Baziwood and ten specially-selected royal guards, Fluder and four of his acolytes, Roune, his secretary, and the priests from the knight orders. Leinas and the remaining royal guards had been left behind with the carriages for security.

    Everyone following him ¨Dwith the exception of Fluder¨D had drawn in their shoulders.

    This was the result of walking through this passage which even the Empire¡¯s finest artisans would not be able to replicate, which filled them with a sense of being tiny and insignificant.

    The Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick was a tomb in name only. In truth, it was a beautiful world that was closer to a citadel of the gods than anything else. Their image of the ruler of this ce, the magic caster Ainz Ooal Gown, was overwhelming beyond description.

    The smile on Jiiv¡¯s face was filled with self-mockery. Humans would naturally bow their heads to those who exceeded them. Anyone that was unimpressed by these architectural and artistic marvels must surelyck the capacity to feel.

    ...This is truly troubling.

    Ainz Ooal Gown waited beyond that door. He was a magic caster whose power surpassed even that of Fluder Paradyne. Indeed, there might be nobody to equal him in the past or the future. His magnificent domicile far exceeded the capacity of humans to imagine, and his followers possessed incredible power. He was a being who possessed every possible advantage.

    Why had someone like that hidden in a ce like this until now? Although Jiiv did not know the answer, he would probably find out soon enough.

    At least, he hoped to learn that much during the discussions that were to follow.

    I doubt he¡¯ll be satisfied with a simple apology after that spectacr show of force he put on.

    Initially, Jiiv¡¯s n was to divine and then y on Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s desires, thereby turning the situation to the Empire¡¯s advantage. This whole pretence of making an apology was merely an excuse for achieving that aim.

    However¨D

    As if I could begin to tempt someone as powerful as this. I couldn¡¯t do it, even if I used all the wealth I possessed.

    Just as a one-carat gem would not gain Jiiv¡¯s attention, Ainz Ooal Gown could not possibly be interested in anything Jiiv could offer.

    To begin with, wealth would bepletely out of the question.

    If he offered military and magical support ¨D well, why would he be interested in things that were far inferior to his own?

    As for members of the opposite sex ¨D Jiiv thought of Yuri and the maids ¨D they would be useless.

    Offers of rank and authority meant nothing to someone who lived in a ce like this.

    Then what might he want?

    Jiiv had no idea. It might be that no human being could conceive of a desire that could move the heart of Ainz Ooal Gown.

    ¡°...It would be very difficult, huh.¡±

    Jiiv¡¯s mind ran through countless stratagems and ploys to use against Ainz Ooal Gown.

    The conclusion was that he could do nothing.

    He came to the answer that the wisest thing he could do was hope Ainz did not regard him as an enemy.

    The victory conditions for this engagement are: the Empire remains intact, and that I return alive.

    As he gave voice to these thoughts, Jiiv found that they were louder than he imagined. However, nobody around him reacted. They were too mesmerized by their surroundings.

    ¡°The Throne Room lies beyond. Ainz-sama waits for you within.¡±

    After that, Yuri announced that her part was over, and bowed deeply to Jiiv.

    As though waiting for those words, the vast double doors swung open slowly, without being touched.

    Several sudden intakes of breath reached Jiiv¡¯s ears. It was not just one or two instances, but over ten of them, probably well over half the people who hade to this ce. Many among them had not been able to fully muster their resolve against the fear that gripped them and allowed their desire to flee to show on their faces. In other words, many of the Imperial contingent had been hoping that those double doors would not open.

    It was precisely because of that reason that Jiiv was grateful that the doors had opened automatically. Who knew how long they would have to wait if they needed to work up the courage to pass through those doors first?

    A vast room came into view, with a ceiling that was very high and very broad. The walls were predominantly white, with extensive gold decorations and highlights.

    Luxurious, multicolored chandeliers ¨Dmade of precious stones from all the colors of the rainbow¨D depended from the ceiling, radiating a fantastic light. Huge gs hung from poles set into the walls

    This room was the epitome of a ¡°throne room¡±. There was no better word to describe a ce like this.

    Jiiv and the others nched pale as an oppressive air swept over them from inside the room.

    A crimson carpet ran down the center of the room, and nking it were a series of immeasurably powerful beings.

    There were Demons, Dragons, bizarre humanoids, armored knights, bipedal insects and Elves. Each was different from the other in size and appearance, but the one thing they had inmon was the overwhelming might each of them possessed. These beings were arranged in two lines on either side of the carpet, and it felt too disheartening to count them.

    They watched Jiiv andpany in silence. Although it was said that one could sense a certain kind of strength in the eyes of those with power or status, this was the first time Jiiv had ever felt a physical pressure.

    The sound of low moans and the shuddering of metal armor tes came from behind Jiiv.

    It was proof that his subjects were scared out of their wits.

    However, he could be honest about this.

    Jiiv did not intend to reproach his subordinates for showing their fear. Rather, he wanted to praise them, because every single one of them had conquered that fear and stayed behind him.

    The fact that they had remained steadfast in the face of these terrifying beings was to beuded.

    Jiiv¡¯s threat evaluation of Ainz Ooal Gown rose by several dozen levels at once. His wariness had been revised ever upward since he arrived here. But even that had been far too na?ve.

    He had determined that Ainz Ooal Gown was not simply a threat to the Empire, but to the continued survival of the entire species ¨D to humans and demihumans both.

    Jiiv¡¯s eyes followed the carpet forward.

    Far ahead of them was a set of stairs, and around it were assembled people that Jiiv surmised were Ainz¡¯ aides. A beautiful silver-haired girl. A bluish-white monster that looked like an upright insect. A toad-like man in a suit. The twins from before ¨D here Jiiv felt some relief. If it turned out that the ones who wiped out his royal guards in a few seconds were mere foot soldiers, he would not have been able to keep his calm.

    Above them, upon those stairs, was a beautiful winged woman, and just behind her¨D

    ¡°That is...¡±

    Upon a crystal throne sat the physical incarnation of Death. It held a strange-looking staff in hand.

    It was a monster with a bare skull for a head.

    It was like a being that had been formed from concentrating and condensing the darkness into a single point.

    ¨DIt was Ainz Ooal Gown.

    A magnificent crown sat upon his head, and his body was cloaked in a luxurious sable robe. Rings glittered brightly on his fingers. Even from such a distance, Jiiv could clearly tell that the exquisite essories which Ainz wore were beyond the skills of his Empire¡¯s craftsmen.

    Blood-red points of light glowed within the empty eye sockets of Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s skull. As they swept over Jiiv¡¯ and his contingent, it felt as if they were tasting him.

    He did not seem shocked by the fact that Ainz was not human. Instead, he was relieved that he was not human.

    It was because Ainz was not human that Jiiv could honestly ept that Ainz was a superior being that was far out of his league.

    ¡°Hu...¡±

    Jiiv exhaled quietly.

    It was a sign of his resolve.

    The door had been opened, but it had not been opened for long. It was certainly not long enough for anyone toment on their inactivity. Still, they could not wait out here forever. And so ¨D Jiiv stepped forward.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Jiiv¡¯s words were quiet enough that only those behind him could hear them. Anyone who saw him would be surprised by how he could speak without opening his mouth. This was not magic, but pure skill. It was a skill that was particrly useful in this sort of setting.

    However, Jiiv could not sense anyone moving in response to his words.

    Advancing to stand before Ainz Ooal Gown meant that they would have to pass between the nking lines of monsters. Though he knew that they would probably not attack them, walking in front of these creatures still required a great deal of courage.

    His judgement that they would not be attacked was not simple optimism.

    The reasons for using a throne room like this were for ceremonial purposes, as well as disying the power of one¡¯s nation. These were facts that anyone would know.

    In other words, the reasons for choosing this ce were to disy the power of Nazarick, and to show that he had no intent of killing Jiiv and his followers. After all, if Ainz wanted to get rid of them, he could simply have brought them to a ughterhouse instead.

    Jiiv¡¯s underlings should have clearly understood that fact. However, that was not the reason why they remained immobile.

    The main reason for that was simply because they did not want to go near those monsters.

    Beyond the lines of monsters were Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s aides. The power of those beings was clearly beyond the reckoning of sane men.

    And upon the throne was Ainz Ooal Gown himself.

    At great length, Jiiv realised something in the depths of his soul.

    He realised that they were standing in the presence of what men would call a god.

    Jiiv possessed a magic item that defended against mental attacks, but the pressure he was facing was outside the scope of the item¡¯s protection. If he lost his focus but once, even the man known as the Bloody Emperor would be able to do nothing but kneel before Ainz.

    Still, it was precisely because of that reason that he had to go.

    Just as Jiiv was observing Ainz Ooal Gown, Ainz Ooal Gown was also observing Jiiv. If he disapproved of what he saw, what would happen to the Empire in future? At the very least, he had to let Ainz recognize the value of Jiiv, and by extension, the continued existence of the Empire.

    Jiivughed at his own na?vet¨¦.

    What had he been thinking by a war of words.

    So this is what it means to regret something. Nothing else matters anymore. All I can hope for is to minimize the damage to the Empire.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

    Jiiv¡¯s sternmand was directed at his subordinates, but more importantly at himself, in order to recall himself to life. He could sense his men following him.

    It was a very soft carpet, but to Jiiv right now, it seemed far too light and ephemeral.

    He firmly shunted aside the innumerable res directed at him and moved forward, keeping his eyes fixed on the person thaty before him ¨D Ainz Ooal Gown. He had a hunch that if he turned his eyes from his objective, his feet would no longer be able to move.

    Jiiv was not an excellent warrior or anything like that, but the reason why he could move forward, leading his men where his royal guard feared to tread was because of the mental fortitude that had been bred into him as an Emperor.

    Atst, he reached the base of the steps, in front of Ainz¡¯ aides.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, this is the ruler of the Baharuth Empire, Emperor Jiiv Rune Farlord El-Nix, who seeks an audience with you.¡±

    The sweet voice came from the winged woman standing beside the throne. Her sweet voice matches her radiant looks, Jiiv thought.

    In response, the being that was a veritable god of death spoke to Jiiv.

    ¡°I am d you havee, Emperor of the Baharuth Empire. I am the master of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, Ainz Ooal Gown.¡±

    A faint pang of relief ran through Jiiv. His voice was more normal than he expected ¨D like that of a human being.

    If that was the case, reading him from his words might yet be possible.

    ¡°I humbly thank you for your most generous wee, Ainz Ooal Gown-dono.¡±

    One could not read facial expressions from a skull. What sort of opening would best fit the current situation? Jiiv carefully pondered that question.

    However, the one who spoke first was neither Jiiv, nor Ainz.

    ¡°Ainz-sama. It is disrespectful for inferior species such as humans to address you as an equal,¡± a man¡¯s voice said. ¡°¡¸Kneel¡¹¡±.

    Jiiv heard the sound of metal tes nking, but he did not need to turn around to know what was going on. His subjects must have knelt in response to the man¡¯s voice. At the same time he could hear the desperate grunting that came from those who wanted to rise, but could not.

    It must have been some sort of powerful mental domination effect.

    Had Jiiv not worn the ne he never took off, he would be kneeling like his men.

    Countless gazes affixed themselves on Jiiv, the only one to remain standing. They were cold, clinical stares, as though Jiiv were nothing more than a guinea pig.

    ¡°¨DThat¡¯s enough, Demiurge.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    The toad-like monster called Demiurge bowed respectfully to its master.

    ¡°¡¸Releasing control¡¹.¡±

    He could almost see the pressure around them disappear, and he could hear sighs of relief from behind him.

    ¡°...Jiiv Rune Farlord El-Nix, my subordinate has done something rude to a noble guest who hase from far away to visit my domain. The sins of the vassal are those of the liege, and as such I beg your forgiveness. I hope this is a matter which can be resolved with a bowing of the head.¡±

    Commotion and activity rose from the two files of monsters behind them.

    Countless feelings danced up in Jiiv¡¯s heart.

    He was cautious, because he realized that Ainz was not the type who handled matters solely with brute force.

    Simrly, he was relieved, because Ainz was not the type who handled matters solely with brute force.

    Most importantly, he was afraid. He knew without a doubt that Ainz had theplete loyalty of all the monsters present here.

    At the same time, Jiiv had the sickening realization that everything that had happened so far had urred in ordance to Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s wishes. It was the ominous feeling that everything had taken ce just as Ainz had nned.

    ¡°There is no need to apologize for that, Gown-dono. It is not umon for subordinates to go wild and do as they please. Citizens from our Empire have done the same themselves. Truly, I am disgraced.¡±

    One of the royal guards who had been released from the domination began moving, and ced an urn beside Jiiv in a worried, nervous manner. Jiiv should have immediately taken it up, but he was dyed by his thoughts.

    Were the actions of Gown¡¯s minion intended to make me say what I just did? If that¡¯s the case, should I go off-script? No, that¡¯s not an option. This is like a staged fight with real des. A single misstep will result in severe injuries... that would be very bad.

    ¡°This is the head of the foolish noble who took it upon himself to send intruders into your tomb... although I do not know if tomb is the right word to use. I hope you will ept it.¡±

    The urn contained Earl Femel¡¯s head. He was the noble who had been induced by Jiiv to recruit and dispatch the Workers.

    These nobles who were neither boon nor bane were raised to be used at times like these.

    Dead men told no tales. Although he did not know how much information Ainz Ooal Gown possessed, it would be wiser to cover up his sins as much as possible.

    It was quite likely that Ainz sent his emissaries to intimidate him because the Workers had barged into his domain. Because of that, his best option was to deny all knowledge of the incident.

    The beautiful woman standing beside Ainz gently nodded her head, and the one called Demiurge brought the urn up the steps.

    Then, he knelt before Ainz, and presented the head from within the urn,

    Ainz lifted the head up.

    ¡°I will ept it. But what shall I do with it now? It would be a waste to simply throw it away.¡±

    ...Hm? Ah, mockery, then? I see. He¡¯s certain that Femel was manipted... the question now is where the information leaked from...

    Suddenly, the severed head of Earl Femel twitched in Ainz¡¯s skeletal hand.

    At a nce, one might think that Ainz was shaking it, but a closer look would reveal the truth. A ck liquid swallowed the head, and Ainz let it fall from his hand.

    Jiiv did not turn his eyes from the horrifying sight of a fountain of sticky ck liquid erupting from the ground.

    After the ck fluid finished flowing away, what was left was an enormous suit of ck te armor.

    It was a Death Knight.

    As one, everyone behind Jiiv inhaled sharply in surprise.

    ¡°Im... possible...¡±

    He created it. The maid¡¯s words were true. Jiiv desperately wanted to bite his lip but forced himself not to. He could not do such a shameful thing in public.

    ¡°Go. Get in line.¡±

    With a deep groan that seemed toe from somewhere far beneath the earth, the Death Knight obediently descended the stairs and vanished from Jiiv¡¯s field of vision.

    How many more of these Death Knights can Ainz Ooal Gown still make? Don¡¯t tell me... an unlimited number, as long as he has corpses? No, that¡¯s just ridiculous ¨D wait, before that, can he make even more powerful undead? If he really could make such creatures...

    ¡°Then, Jiiv Rune Farlord El-Nix-dono.¡±

    Ainz¡¯s quiet voice brought Jiiv back to his senses, and he smiled easily to Ainz.

    ¡°Ah, Gown-dono, Jiiv will do. After all, it is a long name.¡±

    ¡°Is it now? Well then, Jiiv-dono. To begin with, allow me to apologize for that unsightly disy just now. Given that my ill-mannered vassal gave offense to you and those under yourmand, I will consider the matter of that noble¡¯s invasion of Nazarick settled. Then, that is all. Although I have made youe a long way, you are now free to leave.¡±

    ¡°¨DHah?¡±

    Jiiv did not understand what he had just heard.

    ¡°Ah, forgive me. I fear I may have misheard your words. Could I trouble you to speak them to me once more?¡±

    ¡°There is no need for you to apologize. It will be fine if you return home. After all, we will be getting quite busy over here shortly.¡±

    Ainz shrugged, like he was joking.

    Jiiv had no idea what was going on any longer.

    Could it be that the apology was just a pretext to get him toe here in order to fulfil some other objective? Yet, the fact that he had been forgiven so easily was very strange.

    Something did not add up here.

    ¨DWait a minute! What did he just say?

    ¡°Forgive me, but what did you mean by ¡®getting very busy¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Thanks to Your Majesty, we now know that we will be drawn into troublesome matters even if we try to keep a low profile. That being the case, I was thinking of moving to the surface and personally dealing with all these troublesome things.¡±

    ¡°That, that would mean...¡±

    ¡°First, we will have those who plot against us pay the price for their foolishness. After that, we will crush all the troublesome people we encounter until the peace I so cherish is restored.¡±

    These words were the ranting of a lunatic.

    No ¨D that would be wrong. He was not mad. When one considered Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s abilities, his military and economic strength, those words were not mad at all. It was only Jiiv ¨D blinded by his limited experience ¨D who found it hard to ept the facts.

    Ainz Ooal Gown was a man who could do all that.

    An uncontroble feeling of dread welled up from beneath Jiiv¡¯s feet.

    The Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. It was a monster which had secluded itself away quietly. Now it had opened its doors, and it was about to take its first steps on the surface world.

    Could it be that he called me here for this? Is this a deration of war?! What should I do? Ainz Ooal Gown is essentially saying he will dere war on the Empire in the future! I should be kneeling before him now, right?

    In truth, he felt that was the wisest thing to do.

    However ¨D he did not think the people would prosper by epting a monster¡¯s rule. I f things went badly, there was a possibility that Ainz might simply kill everyone in the Empire and reanimate them as more Death Knights. That would be a fate worse than death..

    Jiiv racked his brains like he had never done before in his life. By right, he should have brought this question back and consulted with dozens of sages over what the proper course of action should be. But by then, it would be toote.

    With a smile that cut through everything, Jiiv spoke.

    ¡°I have a proposal. How about forming an alliance?¡±

    ¡°Are you confusing us with yourckeys ¨D uwah!¡±

    A clear, bell-like voice rang forth, followed by the sound of something moving swiftly. The silver-haired girl frowned slightly, while Aura, standing beside her, pretended to act dumb.

    Although Jiiv¡¯s dynamic vision was not good enough to see what had happened, it would seem the Dark Elf had just kicked the silver-haired girl in the leg.

    ¡°...Oi, you¨D¡±

    ¡°¨DYou¡¯re making too much noise. Quiet down.¡±

    With a gesture befitting a demon king, Ainz majestically waved his left hand to motion for silence.

    Such regal movements could only have been born of long years of rulership.

    Jiiv¡¯s alertness level went through the roof.

    I see, he has presided over thisnd as its ruler for a long time. To think he had such a dignified bearing...

    The two girls spoke at once, expressing their regret for their foolishness.

    He could not sense a hint of the arrogance that Aura had given off while in the capital. Right after that, he nced at Ainz Ooal Gown, hoping that he had his subordinates fully under control. Then he screwed up his courage and prepared to speak.

    This was the main event.

    His tongue moistened his dry lips.

    Jiiv picked the finest n he could think of from the numberless plots and stratagems he hade up with in the short time until now.

    ¡°To build a nation here and to rule it as king ¨D I think that is a great idea. It is a position that best suits you, Gown-dono. Our Empire will dly supply all the aid and resources you need to found this nation. How about that?¡±

    Ainz¡¯s fleshless face did not move. However, Jiiv sensed that the bright points of red light in Ainz¡¯s eye sockets were glowing slightly brighter.

    ¡°...Jiiv-dono, I do not believe that n holds any merits for you.¡±

    That was only natural, which was why he could confidently predict Ainz would ask that question. Mustering up all his acting expertise, Jiiv made his reply.

    ¡°I wish to forge good rtions with the country that your esteemed person will eventually establish. This is also a consideration for the future.¡±

    ¡°I see. Then, let it be so. I will leave the details to you.¡±

    Ainz had agreed so fast that it left Jiiv dumbfounded. It was almost disappointing. He had not expected things to go so smoothly.

    To begin with...

    Why didn¡¯t he ask me to swear loyalty to him? As an overwhelmingly superior individual in an infinitely advantageous position, why would he even ept this proposal?

    He had prepared dozens of answers for when Ainz demanded fealty from him. But Ainz¡¯ answer had exceeded the scope of Jiiv¡¯s predictions.

    What was he up to?

    Jiiv could not understand Ainz¡¯s thinking at all.

    When battling a stronger opponent, a weaker man would fight by thinking of how to trip his opponent up. This was how one exploited the arrogance of the strong. But if the stronger opponent was not an arrogant being, then that tactic was unusable. The weaker man¡¯s only way of fighting would have no effect.

    That was how Ainz was. He would never act in a way that let others feel he was arrogant.

    No¨D

    As I thought, it¡¯s possible that everything up till now has been going ording to Ainz¡¯s ns. After all, the dy in his reply was far too short. Did that mean he already predicted all my possible choices and prepared the appropriate responses?

    Jiiv was keenly aware that the frightening thing about the being called Ainz Ooal Gown was not merely his matchless might, but also from his unfathomable intellect.

    ¡°Is, is that so. Then, that is wonderful. Could, could you tell us if there is anything we can do for you?¡±

    ¡°I cannot think of anything right now. However, I would like to establish a venue where I could station emissaries from our end. I would like some way of quicklymunicating with yourself..¡±

    If all was really going as Ainz nned, then there was no way he would not have thought of everything. In that case, had this entire exchange simply been a coincidence?

    No, that might be a bluff as well. He must have thought that he would be seen through if he stated his demands immediately,. What a cunning monster he is. Or rather... perhaps it¡¯s because he¡¯s a monster that his intellect surpasses that of mankind.

    ¡°Ah, yes, indeed. How foolish of me for not having thought of that. I expected nothing less of you, Gown-dono.¡±

    ¡°...Ah.¡±

    Is he not a fan of pleasantries?

    After hearing that half-hearted response, Jiiv made a mental note of that data point.

    ¡°Then, I shall return first. I will leave my secretary here. Could you discuss the details with him? ...Roune Varmilinen!¡±

    ¡°¨DUnderstood! I shall offer up my body and soul for the Empire¡¯s sake!¡±

    Although Jiiv could not see Roune¡¯s face behind him, he could keenly feel the man¡¯s conviction in his voice. In truth, the decisions made here would decide the Empire¡¯s future. If he did not have to rush back to the Empire immediately to form the appropriatemittees to deal with Ainz Ooal Gown, Jiiv would have preferred to stay here himself.

    ¡°An excellent answer. I can feel your loyalty to your Emperor in every word. Then, we will send out Demiurge. Granted, he was somewhat rude to you earlier, but since you have forgiven him, I will let him handle this task.¡±

    The frog-like monster bowed silently from the corner of Jiiv¡¯s eye, and he sensed that he was about to lose a valuable subordinate. He struggled to control himself so he would not let the fires of hate creep into the eyes as he looked at Ainz.

    He¡¯s already making his move!

    The frog monster (Demiurge) could dominate people with his words. This was clearly dering his intention to turn Roune into his puppet and have him reveal everything he knew about the Empire.

    These are not the actions an ally would take. The fact that he¡¯s so overt about this is proof of his insidious nature. Demiurge... he must be nning to send this stupid-looking monster to do intelligence-intensive work like coordinating both sides, so he can im it was his subordinate carrying out spy work on his ownter on. Ainz Ooal Gown, how many more surprises do you have up your sleeve? You son of a bitch!

    Although he was cursing Ainz in his heart, Jiiv had to take his hat off to him.

    The ¡°mistake¡± from just now was calcted so they he (Jiiv) could not im they had no idea such a thing would happen. If he had any objections, he had to voice them now, because once he let this chance slip, his silence might be taken as consent.

    Just as Jiiv was about to say something, Ainz spoke before him.

    ¡°Demiurge is one of my most trusted followers. I am sure there will be no further problems if he and Roune discuss these matters.¡±

    ¡°That would be wonderful.¡±

    Jiiv forced himself to smile.

    This was the first time he had seen such a masterful exploitation of an opportunity. Since Ainz had already said this much, anything further would be a waste of breath.

    However, as Jiiv heard Ainz¡¯ next words, he realized how na?ve he had been.

    ¡°Now then, the present situation is different from before. You are now an ally of Nazarick, Jiiv-dono. To send you home in such haste seems rude. Since you havee all this way, why not spend the night here? I shall prepare a warm wee for you.¡±

    So it¡¯s not just Roune, he wants to get everyone here as well?!

    Worse, he might be nning an even more wicked scheme. No matter what, it was hard to believe staying the night was an innocent act of charity with no ulterior motives. He cursed the way Demiurge¡¯s ugly face twisted in a smile, as if to say, ¡°I understand¡±.

    ¡°No, no, no, we could not possibly trouble you. After all, we must return to make preparations.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? That is a shame. Then, if it is convenient¨D no, please allow one of my servants to send you home.¡±

    The thought of riding a Dragon came to mind, and curiosity welled up at Ainz¡¯ suggestion. Still, Jiiv waved that prospect aside. There was no way Ainz would simply transport him home, and he did not wish to owe Ainz a favor.

    ¡°I am deeply appreciative of your most generous offer and I thank you for it. However, I feel that since I came on a carriage, I should return the same way.¡±

    ¡°An undead headless horse could run day and night without sleep¨D¡±

    ¡°¨DPlease forgive me, but I must respectfully decline.¡±

    ¡°Must you? I see.¡±

    He could sense that there was some disappointment in those words. Was it an act, or was it the truth? Jiiv could not tell, although he suspected it might be an act.

    In any case, as long as they did not fully understand their current circumstances, he wanted to avoid announcing the news of the Empire¡¯s alliance with the undead Ainz.

    To begin with, if he rode a life-hating undead horse back to the Empire, leaving aside the priests that he brought with him, what would the priests of the capital¡¯s temples have to say about that?

    ¡°Then, we shall take our leave.¡±

    ¡°Very well. Demiurge... escort our guests outside.¡±

    ¡°No, no, there is no need to trouble... well, since this is a rare opportunity, how about the maids? I have never seen such beautiful women before.¡±

    Ainz cricked his neck in surprise.

    ¨DIt was an incredibly fake movement.

    Jiiv fought to keep his anger under control as he smiled to Ainz.

    He must have known that they were wary of Demiurge, yet he had sent him out anyway, as though to mock them.

    He had no intention of forming an alliance. This was a roundabout way of telling Jiiv exactly who was in charge here.

    I¡¯ve never seen such evil before... he¡¯s a threat to humanity¡¯s continued survival...

    ¡°Ah, thank you for your praise. Then, please speak with the maids waiting outside. Ah, what a fine day for forging an alliance. How I wish I could make it a festival.¡±

    You mean, to celebrate the day you made ves of us?!

    As he screamed internally, Jiiv smiled to Ainz once more.

    ¡°Indeed. Yes... Indeed.¡±

    <b>Part 4</b>

    After the talks were concluded, Ainz gathered the Guardians ¨D Albedo, Demiurge, Aura, Mare, Cocytus, Shalltear ¨D in his room, along with Sebas.

    He signaled to his kneeling subordinates to rise.

    He ced both elbows on his table and meshed his hands, covering the lower half of his face.

    His nonexistent belly ached. Now, they would probably start denouncing him. As he held that feeling in his heart, he peeked at Demiurge and Albedo.

    They did not seem angry. Nor did they seem speechless.

    However, who could tell if that was or was not a poker face? After thinking of that, he looked closely at them again, to see if their faces were frozen in anger.

    I want to get out of here. In the first ce, why did I sit here... no, it¡¯s toote. No use crying over spilt milk. Grow a damn spine, Ainz Ooal Gown!

    The phantom pain in his gut seemed to have subside a little, but he still felt like throwing up.

    When he learned the Emperor was approaching Nazarick as nned, Ainz indirectly asked Demiurge ¡°What shall we do next¡±, but instead the answer he got was ¡°Since all is going as predicted, we shall stick to the n.¡±

    But I don¡¯t know what the n is!

    Of course, he did not actually say that.

    As the absolute ruler of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, Ainz had to adopt an attitude that matched the expectations of the NPCs (the children). Therefore, all he could do was pretend to look determined, smile in a kingly way, and reply, ¡°Is that so.¡±

    When it came to following Demiurge¡¯s n, however, Ainz was desperately iling in the dark.

    The actual talks with Jiiv Rune Farlord El-Nix had been yed entirely off the cuff, trusting that there would be a way through no matter what. As for how confident he was of having said the right thing during the negotiations... well, simply put, he was not.

    Like a student waiting for his test scores, he peeked at the two of them.

    This is like a job interview...

    He had sat for several interviews as he made his foray into the working world, and he felt the same then as he did now.

    ¡°Now then, the Emperor has made his move, just as predicted.¡±

    Ainz took a deep breath. Just as he was about to speak, a voice interrupted from beside him.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, I fear to offend, but I have a question. Why did you have to give the human emperor a position as a coborator? Couldn¡¯t we have just conquered the Empire by force?¡±

    Ainz¡¯ non-existent lurched in response to Shalltear¡¯s question.

    The first step of their overall goal of world domination was to apply pressure to the Empire. They would allow the Empire¡¯s highmand tounch an attack on Nazarick, and use that to threaten the Empire and force the Emperor into a direct meeting. Then, they would impress the overwhelming military might of Nazarick upon them. That was how this operation should have gone.

    Ainz knew nothing else. The exact importance of why they had to impress Nazarick¡¯s power onto the Emperor and other such fine details were a mystery to him.

    Because of that, he had no idea how to properly answer Shalltear¡¯s question.

    Aura continued after her.

    ¡°Shalltear¡¯s got a point. We went to their capital and it¡¯s nothing much.¡±

    Ainz nced at the other Guardians. They all seemed to have the same doubts.

    While they had no intention of going against the decision made by their master Ainz, while they thought that whichever way he chose was correct, the doubts would still keep welling up.

    In addition, they wanted to know why Ainz made the decisions that he did, to understand his true intentions, so they could be more useful to him.

    If they did not know his motives, then they might identally work against his aims would be higher. Two of the Guardians in particr felt uneasy about thisck of knowledge; namely Shalltear and Sebas, who had alreadymitted mistakes in the past. Both of them watched Ainz with serious looks on their faces, paying close attention to his words so they would not miss out on his intentions.

    Ainz quashed the pressure he felt from being the focus of everyone¡¯s attention, and searched for a way out of this predicament.

    First, I need to decide whether or not to affirm or deny Shalltear and Aura¡¯s words. If I affirm them, that means conquering the Empire is part of the n. If I deny them, it means we won¡¯t be conquering the Empire for now... which choice should I pick to sync up with Albedo and Demiurge? Oh no, not good, I took too long...

    Ainzughed, in a tone he hoped was confident and fearless.

    After that, he exhaled deeply.

    The odds were one in two.

    If he screwed up here, all he would have to do was correct his course somehow. And besides¨D

    Shalltear is always messing up, so I should reject her in this!

    ¡°¨DI feel that would be a foolish course of action, Shalltear.¡±

    The light in the Guardians¡¯ eyes brightened as they heard Ainz¡¯s words. That was probably not a trick of the light. They wanted to listen to the words of their great master, the better to harvest the pearls of wisdom which fell from that brilliant mind of his.

    I¡¯m not what you think I am!

    Ainz looked over to Demiurge. He did his best not to look like he was crying out for help, and spoke slowly and carefully.

    ¡°...Demiurge.¡±

    A smart man like him should understand even if I just speak his name. That was Ainz¡¯ hope.

    ¡°Yes! Please forgive these ipetents¡¯ inability to fullyprehend your ns!¡±

    ¡°Ah, no, no, ipetent is a bit too much...¡±

    ¡°Once more, I offer my apologies! I beg for your forgiveness!¡±

    ¡°...Ah, ahhh...¡±

    It¡¯s not like that! Why didn¡¯t you say something else? This is bad. If I call on Demiurge again... why didn¡¯t he just give a straight answer?!

    ¡°...Albedo.¡±

    ¡°I am moved to tears by the boundlesspassion of Ainz-sama. I expected nothing less of our ruler, and our king!¡±

    ¡°...Umu.¡±

    He wanted answers more than he wanted praise.

    However, there was nobody else he could turn to.

    After gathering his resolve, Ainz began exining his conclusion.

    ¡°We require just cause.¡±

    ¡°Is. Such. A. Thing. Truly. Necessary?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Indeed, we could conquer the Empire with force alone. However, if we did that, we would raise too many enemies against us. It is different from dealing with primitive opponents like the lizardmen. If I had to exin this to someone, I would phrase it like this: ¡®While we were living peacefully in our secluded home, we were attacked and robbed by Workers from the Empire. In anger, we killed them and demanded an apology from their employer, the Empire, and they in turn said they would help us build a nation in order to make amends.¡¯ That was the general idea. Thus, making the Emperor a coborator is part of the n.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see~ But Ainz-sama, will they ept an exnation like that?¡±

    ¡°Whether they ept or not is unimportant, Aura. It is the truth.¡±

    That was what he meant by ¡°just cause¡±. And Ainz had not told a single lie to them.

    ¡°Ah, could, could that mean, it was all for this? To, uh, to get the Emperor here?¡±

    ¡°Hm? What do you mean, Mare?¡±

    ¡°Y-yes. Er, talks, talks with the Emperor might leave traces behind, and because of that, you specially brought him here to minimize the amount of leaks when you spoke. I, I think that¡¯s it.¡±

    ¡°¨DHahaha. Indeed, it was. Well done, Mare.¡±

    Mare blushed shyly, and smiled.

    As he looked at Mare¡¯s adorable smile, Ainz sighed in relief. It was true that negotiating in the Empire might leave a lot of evidence behind. However, by bringing a limited amount of Empire personnel here, they could minimize the number of leaks and ensure it would not go on the record. This would be very useful when conducting investigations.

    Ainz was impressed by the foresight of Demiurge, who had arranged for events to take ce here in the first ce, and looked to the other Guardians.

    ¡°In addition, building a nation implies that we will be defending more people. Turning countries into graveyards will only damage the name of Ainz Ooal Gown. Now, has anyone noticed anything?¡±

    The intention behind those words was to ask if anyone else had noticed anything special, like Mare did.

    The eyes of all the Guardians were now focused on Demiurge. They must have felt that Demiurge, whom they believed was the brightest mind in Nazarick, would surely have picked up on something. Ainz strongly hoped that would be the case.

    ¡°¨DKukukuku.¡±

    Demiurge¡¯sugh echoed through the room.

    ¡°...Did you really think that was the extent of Ainz-sama¡¯s n?¡±

    ¡°Kuhuhu...¡±

    ¡°U-Uhm...??¡±

    ¡°Ehh?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°What. Did. You. Say?¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡¯

    ¡°...Hm?¡±

    ¡°Everyone, you need to think harder. Ainz-sama is our master, who assembled all the Supreme Beings. Do you think that was the extent of his nning?¡±

    Ainz swallowed, as though he had been punched in the face. Meanwhile, the Guardians were nodding and murmuring ¡°Indeed¡±.

    The hell, why are you making things difficult for me?!

    Fortunately, nobody could hear Ainz¡¯ internal screaming.

    ¡°Precisely. Aren¡¯t you being too hasty by thinking that you knew the depths of Ainz-sama¡¯s intentions just because he supplied you with that easily-understood answer? That¡¯s why Ainz-sama didn¡¯t tell you the deeper meaning behind his ns.¡±

    A vague hint of regret colored the faces of all the Guardians other than Albedo and Demiurge. They were probably worried that their foolish brains were incapable of being useful to Ainz.

    All this made Ainz even more grateful for his current body. It was easier to maintain a poker face this way.

    ¡°Really... Ainz-sama. Should you not inform us of your true objective now. After all, it will inform our future direction.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s attention went to Ainz. Their earnest, pleading expressions seemed to say, ¡°Please enlighten this foolish one¡±.

    After looking over everyone, Ainz took a deep breath. No, he took several deep breaths.

    Then, he slowly rose from his chair, and turned his back to the Guardians. From this position, he offered praise to Demiurge over his shoulder.

    ¡°...As expected of Demiurge, and the Overseer of the Guardians, Albedo. To think you had discerned my true aims...¡±

    ¡°...No. Your schemes are borate and farsighted, AInz-sama. I cannot hope topare. And I believe what I understand is only a portion of your ns.¡±

    Demiurge bowed respectfully in response to Ainz¡¯ praise.

    ¡°I have heard that some of the maids speak of you as a Wise King. I believe that name is best suited for Ainz-sama. To think, assuming the role of Momon the adventurer was part of your master n. Now he has be an effective alternative to levelling a country.¡±

    Ainz nodded in smug self-satisfaction, but his heart was a vortex of doubt.

    ...What¡¯s he saying? Momon? What is the name of that adventurer from E-Rantel doing here?

    ¡°What does this all mean?¡±

    Shalltear¡¯s question carried a hint of jealousy, probably because she could not tread the same ground which those two shared with their beloved master. Aura puffed up her cheeks in displeasure as she saw Demiurge¡¯s faint smile and the beaming smile of a victor on Albedo¡¯s face.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, tell us too. We want to be useful as well!¡±

    ¡°Th-then, um, uh, please tell me too. Please!¡±

    ¡°To. Begin. With. We. Should. Not. Need. To. Have. It. Spelled. Out. For Us. Please. Forgive. This. Foolish One.¡±

    ¡°I pray you will enlighten us in this matter, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Everyone sounded quite desperate.

    Ainz kept his back faced to them, and covered his eyes with a hand. The stress made him feel like he was going to faint.

    ¨DThere is no greater joy in life for us than to serve you.

    The Guardians behind him were saying something simr, all at the same time.

    Ainz heart ached with guilt as he heard the sincere pleas from the Guardians behind him, and as he realized that he could not answer them. His strong emotions should have been suppressed, but yet this pain he felt continued unabated.

    Should hee clean and admit his own ipetence?

    However, there were many reasons which would not allow him to say that.

    He cast aside his doubts and turned around, forcefully thrusting the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown toward Demiurge as he did.

    ¡°Demiurge. I permit you to exin what you understand to the others.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    After Demiurge nodded, he began speaking to hisrades.

    <b>Part 5</b>

    The structure of the carriage had not changed between the journey to and from Nazarick, but for some reason, every slight bump and jostle along the way seemed magnified. Perhaps it was because of the gloomy atmosphere in the carriage¡¯s interior. Or perhaps it was because the people upying the carriage had changed.

    The troops escorting them to Nazarick wereposed of men from the 1st Legion. The ones escorting them from Nazarick were from the 2nd Legion.

    In ce of Fluder was one of his disciples. In ce of Roune was one of his scribes. The two original upants of the carriage who remained were Jiiv and Baziwood.

    Fluder was not here because he wanted to discuss what he had seen with his disciples. In his stead, he had sent one of his acolytes to take his ce in Jiiv¡¯s carriage. Though the acolyte was skilled, he was still a far cry from his master.

    In all likelihood, the discussion in Fluder¡¯s carriage was probably at a feverish intensity.

    The mood in their carriage would probably be the pr opposite of this one. In Jiiv¡¯s carriage, there was only silence.

    A grim mood filled the carriage.

    The one who had made it this way was Jiiv himself. His face was hard, and his expression bitter, like he had chewed on a lotus root.

    The man who was known and feared as the Bloody Emperor was a man who typically wore a thin smile on his face. In truth, that expression was carefully rehearsed. This was because he had to cultivate the impression of a strong emperor among his people. A person who stood above all others has to make a striking impression on everyone, otherwise it would cause unease among those who followed him.

    However, it seemed that Baziwood, who knew Jiiv the best among these three people, had never seen this look on Jiiv¡¯s face. Everyone present knew this, which was why they kept quiet and remained in their ces.

    Even if he felt them looking at him, Jiiv did not n to say anything.

    The reason for that was abundantly clear.

    Or rather, if anyone could think of anything else, Jiiv would split open that person¡¯s head to see what was inside. Chances are, he would find a brain the size of his pinky fingernail.

    The Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick ¨D In truth, calling it a tomb was grossly inappropriate.

    That¡¯s a demon king¡¯s castle.

    Those frightening beings, and beyond them¨D

    ¨DThe spectre of Death, which sat upon a throne.

    And it was not just fear they felt.

    They had seen myriad luxuries, glittering architecture, and all manner of decorations. Nobody could remain unawed by that.

    Jiiv could easily predict the difficulties his country would have, in the face of that being which possessed supetive military and economic power, among other things.

    If a country¡¯s leader was strong, he would give his people a sense of security. However strong a country might be, being led by a sheep would only fill it with unease. Fortunately, the Empire was a lion through and through. And then, all of a sudden, a Dragon had appeared before them. How would the Empire¡¯s citizens feel about that?

    Jiiv stared down at his hands, which were clenched so tight all the color had gone from them.

    No, it¡¯s not over yet. Our defeat hasn¡¯t been decided yet.

    Jiiv smiled. It was a smile that fit the name of the Bloody Emperor.

    Perhaps they were waiting for the return of that mocking smile, but a feeling of relief came over each of his subordinates. As he saw their reaction, his smile grew more and more genuine.

    ¡°Don¡¯t stare so hard. Aren¡¯t you losing your focus here?¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±

    The three voices ovepped. There were hints of joy within them, joy that their Emperor hade back to them. As Jiiv realised what he should be doing, he nodded vigorously.

    ¡°To begin with, I would like to confirm if everyone feels the same way about that ce. If anyone has a differing opinion, feel free to give it. Who knows, I might be the one who¡¯s gotten things wrong. Well then... I suppose we should start with the most important thing¨D What does everyone think of the ruler of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, Ainz Ooal Gown?¡±

    Jiiv deliberately said the name of that incredible monster a beat slower than normal.

    ¡°Ainz Ooal Gown is a monster among monsters who can easily create Death Knights, and if we make an enemy of him, the Empire will probably be destroyed. However, even if we do not antagonize him, there is a chance he might kill us all anyway, because he is undead and he would take joy in it. Does anyone disagree?

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°It is as His Majesty says.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, we agree, then. To add to that, I don¡¯t think we can beat him with the power of mankind. Frankly speaking, I don¡¯t think we could even get within striking distance of him, even if we mustered all the armies of the Empire.¡±

    After receiving three simr replies, Jiiv continued speaking.

    ¡°In addition, I can sense that as an absolute ruler, he possesses a charm that befits a king.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, his presence was truly formidable. It felt like he was more charismatic than our Emperor.¡±

    ¡°Baziwood-dono!¡±

    ¡°It is fine. That is a fact. The frightening thing is that he said just one sentence, and from that sentence I could feel the immense pressure of a tyrant.¡±

    ¡°¡®You¡¯re making too much noise. Quiet down.¡¯ Was that it?¡±

    Jiiv nodded lightly to the scribe.

    That was without doubt the attitude which Ainz Ooal Gown adopted as the king of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.

    ¡°Also... the scariest thing about that monster is the way he thinks. He¡¯s a rare breed of schemer whose every move is made with a purpose... don¡¯t look so surprised, you lot. Think about it. He¡¯s probably predicted the flow of everything we have discussed so far. Otherwise, why would he release us so easily? An opponent with so much power, who doesn¡¯t use brawn, but brains? He is no mere mindless brute.¡±

    That was the most troublesome part about him.

    ¡°After that, let us talk about his followers. What do you think of them?¡±

    This time, he pushed his subordinates for their opinions.

    ¡°The ones near him must have been his close aides. And the ck-winged woman beside him... she should be his queen, right? It seemed that way, from her attitude.¡±

    The jaw-dropping beauty in the white dress.

    Even if there was no kindness in the thin smile she wore, it still possessed a charm that moved men¡¯s hearts. Given her beauty, there would surely be many men who would be consumed by the desire to see that smile directed at them.

    As for the ck wings at her waist, one could tell they were not magic items or items of clothing. The main reason was because they were far too natural. While there were humans with wings and other winged species in this world, she should probably be a demon, an outsider to this world, Jiiv thought.

    ¡°She might well be.I think it¡¯s possible that she¡¯s Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s wife. If she¡¯s his wife, then, how shall I put this... is only his face made of bones? Or is he wearing a mask? Who knows?¡±

    Still, despite Jiiv¡¯s words, none of them felt that it was a mask, and they did not think it was an illusion either.

    ¡°And there¡¯s also Demiurge, who can control people with his voice... is he a bard? Perhaps he¡¯s good at singing because he¡¯s a frog.¡±

    Bards could use performances with musical instruments to produce magical effects. The power of Demiurge to control people through words was very simr to that.

    In addition, he had also heard that the fey creatures called Lorelei had an ability simr to his. However, that man was nothing like the beautiful beings that were the fey. He was absolutely certain of that.

    ¡°Ah, I see. A bard, then? That does sound quite simr. And there was a gigantic insect as well, I believe. What was that?¡±

    ¡°Although I think it could be some sort of insect-type species... I don¡¯t know much about Ant-men, so I think you would be better served asking Master about it.¡±

    The world was huge. There were many species that were not widely known, and some of them could spontaneously mutate. Also, ording to the legends, monster kings were known to be more developed than normal. It was simr to how ant queens were different from worker ants. Jiiv thought that it was a possibility.

    ¡°In that case, the remaining ones are the silver-haired girl and those two Dark Elves. Leaving thetter two aside, who¡¯s the former? Judging from her huge boobs ¨D could she be a concubine?¡±

    Laughter filled the carriage at Baziwood¡¯sment.

    ¡°Ah, well, if she was just a concubine, then she wouldn¡¯t be brought out like that, no?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s probably as strong as that Dark Elf.¡±

    ¡°Oi oi oi oi... I think you¡¯re getting it wrong.¡±

    Baziwood¡¯s words were infused with seriousness.

    ¡°It¡¯s true, in all likelihood the ones closest to that monster Ainz are probably his aides. However, that doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re all strong. Think about it. If the only criterion to be His Majesty¡¯s follower was strength, and he surrounded himself with a hundred people like me, don¡¯t you think the government would crumble in short order? Simply put, she was chosen to be his follower for reasons other than strength. Perhaps she¡¯s a very intelligent concubine? Maybe she singlehandedly manages the affairs of that fortress which calls itself a tomb.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± came the scattered replies.

    Jiiv felt that he had a point.

    Since their attention had been stolen by Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s might, they looked at how she was lined up with the Dark Elves and automatically concluded that the silver-haired girl was a strong being. Of course, it would be scary if another person had the same power as that Dark Elf. However, being led into a false conclusion by prior prejudice was also a bad thing.

    ¡°That¡¯s probably it,¡± Jiiv said as he looked at his subordinates. ¡°I¡¯ve considered that myself. Come to think of it, iI would be somewhat relieved if all his followers were undead... but it would seem he¡¯s gathered all sorts of monsters under him.¡±

    ¡°Well, rather than call it a monster gallery, it feel more like a wealth of talent...¡±

    Jiiv could not help but smile at Baziwood¡¯s blunt words.

    ¡°Indeed. We should probably try and learn more about these fellows. Apart from that... there¡¯s the matter of that fortress¡¯ grandeur. Surely there must have been something written about such a grand ce?¡±

    ¡°Regretfully, I know nothing about it. When we return to the capital, I will immediately begin looking into it starting with myths and legends.¡±

    Jiiv graciously epted the acolyte¡¯s apology.

    ¡°Ahh, I¡¯ll leave that to you. Is there anything else we¡¯ve missed? I honestly can¡¯t believe such a wicked monster could create such a stately domain. Did you find anything which could be a clue? By which I mean, is it really a tomb built during that region¡¯s history?¡±

    There was no answer.

    Which meant that they were all wondering the same thing.

    They could notpletely discount the possibility that the fortress had teleported from somewhere else ¨D possibly another world known as the Demon Realm ¨D to a ce under that tomb. Or rather, that was easier to swallow.

    ¡°We won¡¯t get an answer. As I thought, we just don¡¯t have enough information. All we can do is squeeze out as much as we can from Varmilinen, who¡¯s stationed over there, and from the fellow who¡¯sing over to the Empire. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Of course. We will try not to make the opposition hostile or suspicious.¡±

    ¡°There is no trying here. The enemy¡¯s strength is overwhelmingly superior to our own. You need to move carefully so you don¡¯t break the false alliance we have.¡±

    As the scribe lowered his head, Jiiv suddenly felt the weight sliding off his shoulders.

    ¡°...We¡¯ve done a bad thing to the people we brought along, haven¡¯t we?¡±

    Perhaps that was why he had brought up the girls who had not been released ever since they had been packed into the carriages.

    Originally, the girls were to be offered to Ainz Ooal Gown in order to tie him to the Empire.

    Sex was a universal weapon in any ce or era. Perhaps the Imperial intelligence agencies should have prepared professional honeytraps, but since the use of magical investigation could potentiallyplicate things, they had instead selected pure, innocent girls instead.

    ¡°Although I think this is disrespectful to the courage they gathered up to bid farewell to their families, don¡¯t you think they should be happy about this?¡±

    ¡°Do you think so? Being able to gain that monster¡¯s love is a pretty impressive thing.¡±

    ¡°Any woman who would dly make love to such a monster would be very brave.¡±

    Baziwood was hinting that no such people existed, but that was a na?ve way of thinking. Jiiv could confidently attest to that, being thoroughly familiar with the secret battles that women fought, with his mother poisoning her own husband as an example.

    ¡°Women are braver than men think, and they act for passion and gain. There should be no shortage of women out there who are willing to offer their bodies to that skeleton king. In that sense, we¡¯re the ones who should be happy now. After all, one of them might tell Ainz Ooal Gown that we threatened to kill her and her family.¡±

    Although the only response to his words were bitter smiles, Jiiv believed that might actually happen.

    Jiiv¡¯s reforms, pushed through with autocratic power, had made him a lot of enemies in the nobles he had disced. Of course, he had his allies, but in truth, the people he could really trust were only a few of his close aides and his mentor, Fluder¨D

    Suddenly, a question struck him like a falling feather.

    It was about Fluder.

    Not only was Fluder his mentor, but he was also a pir of the Empire and its trump card. He was a man that even Jiiv revered as the highest hero of the Empire. Jiiv was keenly aware that beneath his sage-like face was a near-fanatical desire to explore the depths of magic. It was because of that desire that he had his doubts.

    ¨DThat had been far too unlike Fluder.

    Ainz Ooal Gown was a great magic caster that far surpassed Fluder. He could effortlessly create the Death Knights that Fluder could not even control. Then, why had he said nothing and left the tomb with him?

    If it were Gramps, he would probably beg that wicked monster for magical knowledge, right? He would genuflect before him and offer everything¨D

    That sounded like what would have happened

    Everyone had knelt before Demiurge back then. However, it might have just been a distraction to focus their attention on that bizarre situation while he used the opportunity to perform some sort of mind control on Fluder.

    He could not imagine Ainz Ooal Gown wanting to take Fluder as a minion. Although Fluder was the Empire¡¯s trump card, whenpared to that monster¡¯s power, he was little more than a speck of dust.

    However, Fluder¡¯s umted knowledge was valuable in and of itself. In addition, if he could take control of Fluder, the Empire¡¯s military power would plummet, and they would lose their finest weapon against Ainz Ooal Gown.

    It would be like putting a cor on a ve.

    Is that the case? Gramps didn¡¯t say anything... was it because he already knew? Did he know about Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s power beforehand?

    ¨DIn that moment, shock ran through him like a lightning strike.

    He broke out in a cold sweat.

    ¡°You Majesty? Your Majesty? You don¡¯t look well; are you alright? Shall we call a priest¨D¡±

    ¡°...No need.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°I said, there¡¯s no need. That¡¯s right... no need.¡±

    Jiiv nced at his panicked subordinates, and he was once more consumed in a maelstrom of contemtion.

    Am I afraid? Me?

    His mind was a chaotic mess, and he could not sort his thoughts out. Or rather, it was more like he did not want to think those thoughts and was trying to avoid contemting them.

    No! If I run away from this now, it will only invite disaster upon us! Calm down. I have to calm down. I have to calm down and think.

    Jiiv continued to ponder the question as he was bathed in curious looks.

    For starters, let¡¯s consider Gramps. Assuming Gramps already knew about Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s power... no, if he did know about his power, then his weird actions could be easily exined. So Gramps has some kind of secret deal going on with that monster ¨D impossible! Unless...

    Jiiv did not have the energy to worry about the shocked looks on his subordinate¡¯s faces.

    No, that¡¯s not right, Jiiv. When Gramps saw the Death Knight, that fear on his face was genuine. Which is proof that he didn¡¯t know about Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s power... or not. Maybe, what Gra... Fluder did not know was that fellow¡¯s ability to control Death Knights. He probably knew about Ainz Ooal Gown ¨Dthat incredible magic caster¨D from the beginning.

    It was like putting the scattered pieces of a jigsaw together, to reveal a beautiful ¨Dor horrifying¨D picture.

    So, Fluder knows that monster. From how long ago were they in cahoots? From the beginning? That¡¯s right. Fluder was involved with every step of this mess, from the discovery of the tomb to the dispatch of the Workers.

    He had finally made a connection between all the scattered pieces of the puzzle.

    When one thought about it that way, most of the mysteries could be brought to light.

    ¡°Treachery, is it? Treachery. He¡¯s sold the Empire out.¡±

    Was it a voice of bitter resentment from the pits of hell... or perhaps, of a crying child?

    His subordinates did not dare ask him questions; they simply remained silent as they studied his face. Jiiv turned to face them.

    ¡°Fluder Paradyne has betrayed us all. That being the case, what damage will this do to the Empire? Can we put him in a sinecure and ce him under house arrest?¡±

    Everyone could not help but stare at that unbelievable statement.

    ¡°How, how is that possible, Your Majesty? This is too much for a joke.¡±

    Uncontroble anger burned in Jiiv as the acolyte spoke. He wanted to shout, ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear such foolishness¡± but he held his tongue. The reason he did that was because somewhere in a corner of his mind, a young Jiiv was saying that he could not believe it either.

    Jiiv had grown up watching the schemes and treachery of the dark side of noble society. With that, the adult Jiiv took a deep breath and expelled the zing heat in his chest and the burning emotions in his heart.

    ¡°I will say this one more time. Fluder Paradyne has betrayed us. That being the case, what damage will this do to the Empire?¡±

    His subordinates looked at each other, and after a few seconds of this, the acolyte spoke.

    ¡°It is difficult to imagine. The amount of damage cannot be estimated with a single nce. With master around, we could be confident of oveing any other country. We have been able to remain uninvolved with the petty politics of other nations thus far because of that.¡±

    He looked at the scribe, to see if he agreed with the acolyte¡¯s words.. The scribe turned pale and nodded.

    ¡°If the neighboring countries know he¡¯s been sequestered, they might start making moves.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what the Imperial Intelligence Agency is for? Ah, I see. Thanks to Fluder, they haven¡¯t had the chance to gain much experience.¡±

    ¡°It is as you say, Your Majesty. Master truly¨D¡±

    ¡°¨DThe possibility is shockingly high.¡±

    Jiiv¡¯ interrupted the scribe.

    ¡°...But if that is the case, then we will have an incredible amount of work to do. First, let us decide who Fluder¡¯s sessor will be. Are there any suitable candidates?¡±

    The mes of desire burned bright in the acolyte¡¯s eyes as he heard those words, and Jiiv could not help but smile internally.

    The position of being Fluder¡¯s sessor as the Imperial Court Wizard was a mouth-watering temptation. After all, it was a position that gave one the right to administer and manage arcane magic casters throughout the Empire.

    Because the position had always been filled by that great hero, nobody else could im it. Even if one had the ambition for it, their opponent was far too strong to ovee by wicked means. And now, this hitherto sealed-off position had been offered to him.

    Greed is good. Desire drives progress. I approve of that sort of desire. However, I should probably ask, just in case.

    ¡°However, one must bear in mind that as the Imperial Court Wizard, one may be called upon to do battle with that monster.¡±

    The mes of the acolyte¡¯s ambition went out in that instant. He could not even bring himself to be excited about it. The position he had longed for became one he wished to avoid more than anything else in the world.

    He would have a better chance of surviving a jump off a five hundred meter tall cliff into a shoal of rocks than he would in a spell battle against Ainz Ooal Gown.

    No, he might be better off dying on the spot.

    As the acolyte thought about that prospect, a new look came into his eyes. It was the look of a frightened mouse which had been cornered by a predator.

    The hopes in Jiiv¡¯s heart died. He could tell that this man did not have the courage to take on Ainz Ooal Gown. Or rather, he should never have expected that in the first ce.

    ¡°Yes! In that case, I know some people who can use the 4th tier of magic; how about selecting one of them? Granted, I do know some spells of that tier, but I am not very versed with them.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the most skilled of the acolytes?¡±

    ¡°How, how could that be? There are many more excellent than I. When we return, I shall furnish their names to you immediately!¡±

    It was only obvious that a man would want to surrender immediately when asked to fight an incredible monster like that. However, what he needed was a man who would not lose his fighting spirit even in that event.

    ...That won¡¯t work, huh. It would be na?ve to think he¡¯s an exception. It would probably be better to consider that anyone who knows of Ainz Ooal Gown won¡¯t have the courage to fight him. That means I¡¯ll have to hand that task to people who haven¡¯t met that being yet. Perhaps these ignorant folk will be driven by desire and struggle even more desperately against him.

    It was not the best of ns, but he had nothing else to go with.

    ¡°...I see. Then, gather information on them and then conduct interviews. After that, we¡¯ll want to have our intelligence people ready to deal with that fellow. However, we still need to help Ainz Ooal Gown, so for the time being, we¡¯ll have to be his obedient dogs, in order to build good rtions with him.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    ¡®His obedient dogs.¡¯ Nobody objected to that turn of phrase. How could anyone who had seen the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick do so?

    ¡°Then, Your Majesty. How long will we wag for that monster? Will our children have to roll over when hemands it? Our grandchildren?¡±

    Jiiv looked around himself, in order to make sure that no spies had made their way into the carriage and checked that the door was shut tight. With all that done, and with no further problems apparent to him, Jiiv began exining his strategy to fight Ainz Ooal Gown.

    ¡°We ¨Dand by ¡®we¡¯ I mean the Empire, the Kingdom, the Theocracy, the Council Alliance, the Holy Kingdom and other countries¨D wille together in a coalition. It will be a grand coalition, aimed at defeating Ainz Ooal Gown.¡±

    Six wide eyes turned to Jiiv.

    ¡°What¡¯s there to be surprised about? No single nation can defeat that monster. Then, all we can hope for is to bring all the neighboring countries into a coalition so we can turn the tide.¡±

    ¡°Are, are we really going to fight him?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Jiiv¡¯s reply was simple and curt.

    ¡°Rather, if we do not fight, we have no chance of survival.¡±

    ¡°Then why are we helping that monster found a country?¡±

    ¡°Because that is the first step in the formation of this grand coalition.¡±

    Jiiv looked at everyone.

    ¡°Are you listening? Good. We are currently on the outskirts of E-Rantel, which is a valuable location at the borders of the Empire, the Kingdom, and the Theocracy. If that monster Gown wants to found a nation there, he will be making enemies of all three of those nations.¡±

    Jiiv took a breath, and continued.

    ¡°And another thing. Gown is undead. I doubt he will treat humans ¨Dthe living¨D with anything approaching decency. The people will not suffer the rule of an undead king either. There will be rebellion, which will promptly be stamped out by that monster. The Kingdom will not be happy about yieldingnd to him either, and I doubt the Theocracy, the strongest nation in the vicinity, will do nothing.¡±

    ¡°But! But, Your Majesty! If the Empire helps him in his endeavours, surely we will be seen as taking that monster¡¯s side, right? The nearby nations will be on guard against us! That coalition you speak of will not count the Empire among them! And even if they beat that monster, we¡¯ll be next, or worse, they might target us first!¡±

    Hmph, Jiiv smirked.

    ¡°We will work behind the scenes. We need to let the other countries know that the Empire is spying on Gown¡¯s nation. It¡¯ll be difficult, but it¡¯s also the only way.¡±

    ¡°Will they really believe us? If it were me, I would think it was a trap.¡±

    ¡°Then, we will have to convince them by showing them Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s strength. If only there was a way we could show the other nations his power... well, we¡¯ll have to arrange for such a situation. For example, letting him show his power on the battlefield.¡±

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t the Empire just not help Gown build his nation, and feign ignorance of everything?¡±

    Jiiv red at the scribe as though he were retarded.

    ¡°We have to flit back and forth like bats just to ensure the minimum degree of safety for ourselves. What do you think the people in the Kingdom will do if he gains territory nearby for nothing?¡±

    In other words, Jiiv was picking the not-quite-worst case.

    ¡°For that reason, the Empire has to pretend to be that monster¡¯s friend while aiding that coalition. In other words, if we¡¯re exposed, we¡¯re most likely going to be the first on that monster¡¯s chopping block. Or rather, if it were up to me, I would certainly destroy this country first as an example to others.¡±

    ¡°Ah ¨DI¡¯m sure you would go through with that if it were up to you, your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯ll take that as praise and ept it. Because of that, we cannot be the ones to propose that grand coalition. We need to let other countries make the first move. What we should do is gather as much information about Nazarick as we can, as well as find someone who can defeat Gown.¡±

    ¡°Do people like that really exist?¡±

    Given the casual tone with which it was said, nobody would have believed those words came from the acolyte. Gown was an unimaginably powerful opponent, who might be unbeatable even by the mightiest Dragons. He was an opponent that made people think that way.

    And to that, Jiiv issued a confident reply.

    ¡°Indeed, they do.¡±

    ¡°People like that really exist?!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t they? Look within that throne room.¡±

    When he put it that way, it seemed obvious enough.

    The monsters arrayed with Ainz. Aura. Mare. The silver haired girl. The insect. Demiurge. He was referring to them.

    ¡°...Do you n to induce a revolt?¡±

    ¡°Although I don¡¯t think that may be possible, we should still prepare for it, just in case. We need to prepare wealth, prestige, members of the opposite sex and so on to make us seem at least a little bit attractive to them.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t it be difficult?¡±

    ¡°Ahh, indeed, it will be. Ainz Ooal Gown styles himself as a tyrant. Thus, they won¡¯t betray him easily However, even if that is the case, we have to take action. This is not just a conflict between nations anymore.¡±

    Jiiv looked at the three of them with a resolute expression on his face.

    ¡°Whates after this will be a battle for the survival of humanity as a species. It will be a fight for the future. Devote your hearts and souls to it.¡±

    <b>Part 6</b>

    ¡°...And so, I think the Emperor will try to put a scheme like that into practice. If he were more foolish, his actions might fall outside the predicted range, but I think the chances of that will be low. Reading the movements of a slightly-above-average intellect that imagines himself a genius is easier than trying to predict the actions of aplete moron.¡±

    Demiurge raised a finger as he said that.

    ¡°In other words, the Emperor will try to form an alliance in order to defeat us ¨D to defeat Ainz-sama, right?¡±

    ¡°Mmm, he¡¯s surprisingly stupid.¡±

    ¡°T-then, s-shouldn¡¯t we take the initiative and w-wipe him out first?¡±

    Mare followed up after Shalltear and Aura, but there was no anger in his voice. It was more like he was deciding whether or not to pick up a rock he found along the side of the road.

    ¡°More important than this problem is¨D¡±

    Sebas wanted to speak, but someone else had already anticipated what he was going to say.

    ¡°¨DIs the fact that he actually thinks we would betray Ainz-sama, is that it?¡±

    ¡°Really. Sebas. It. Seems. The. Emperor. Does. Not. Know. The. Meaning. Of. Loyalty.¡±

    Mockingughter filled the room.

    Did he really think they would betray Ainz, one of the 41 Supreme Beings who made them?

    Although this was nothing more than Demiurge¡¯s hypothesis, it was enough to thoroughly displease the Guardians. A cold light gleamed in their eyes.

    ¡°Welp, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m trying to speak like Mare, but I¡¯m still pretty mad. Shall we kill them all?¡±

    Shalltearughed as she saw Aura in a foul mood for the first time.

    ¡°I¡¯ll turn him into a Vampire. After all, if he¡¯s good enough, there¡¯s no reason he can¡¯t serve in Nazarick.¡±

    Although Cocytus had remained silent, hisrge mandibles made a cking sound of warning.

    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, you do remember that we are in the presence of Ainz-sama?¡±

    As they heard Sebas¡¯ cold, clear voice, Aura, Shalltear¡¯s and Cocytus¡¯ anger instantly vanished.

    ¡°Kuhu ¨D Mm. That¡¯s right, everyone, please calm down. Please recall what Demiurge just said. All of this has been arranged. What can we enjoy if not the antics of this clown? Instead, we should be grateful ¨D because all of this is nothing more than a part of Ainz-sama¡¯s master n. Right, Ainz-sama?¡±

    Hooh... Ainz-sama¡¯s n, huh. I see. A special n concocted by someone with the same name as me. Making the Baharuth Empire ally with and struggle against Nazarick was part of that n too, huh... I have no idea what that¡¯s all about. If only I could ask this Ainz fellow about it!

    However, running away from reality like this would not change anything.

    Honestly, Ainz wanted to ask about the details of the n, and what about Ainz that Demiurge and Albedo were imagining.

    However, he could not do that.

    Ainz turned his line of sight toward Albedo.

    He saw a woman who was sweet as honey, her eyes zed over with love and fascination, her cheeks a faint rosy pink.

    She had reacted like this because she believed that everything was proceeding as nned, because she was so ovee by her master¡¯s insight.

    As such, Ainz could no longer deny them. Who could say ¡°What?¡± when the mood was like this?

    With regard to Albedo¡¯s question, there was only one answer Ainz could give.

    ¡°I-Indeed. That is so.¡±

    He wanted to praise his voice for not wavering.

    ¡°Ohhh,¡± the Guardians chorused in respect.

    ¡°¨DKuhuhuhu~¡±

    Albedo spread her arms, and with them, her wings at her waist opened up as well.

    ¡°Ainz-sama wishes to take over a human city peacefully, and rule the region with love andpassion. Yet, the Baharuth Empire has decided to form a vile conspiracy against this paradise on earth. In the near future, Ainz-sama will show these countries the true meaning of kindness. Is that not the just cause that he seeks?¡±

    ¡°How I look forward to that day. Everything rests in the palm of Ainz-sama¡¯s hand. When that moron finds out, I wonder what sort of face will he make... after all, Ainz-sama always thinks several moves ahead.¡±

    As Demiurge delivered his reverent speech, Albedo continued with a suitably respectful expression on her face.

    ¡°Indeed, Ainz-sama¡¯s wisdom is beyond our ability to match. If Ainz-sama had not created the hero Momon, it would be impossible to rule peacefully. In that case, E-Rantel could only be controlled by violence and terror.¡±

    ¡°...Perhaps we could use the Golden Princess to achieve simr effects, but that would be a waste of a trump card. She is a human being who is just as interesting ¨Dno, perhaps even more so¨D than what I have determined from analysis of Sebas¡¯ intelligence reports. She will be an excellent pawn.¡±

    ¡°Ah, after hearing that, I too wish to take a look at her.¡±

    ¡°Then, after we found our nation, shall we have her be an envoy to us? After all, promises must be kept.¡±

    ¡°...You. Two. Have. Gone. Off. Topic. You. Are. Wasting. Ainz-sama¡¯s. Precious. Time.¡±

    Ainz responded with a simple ¡°It¡¯s fine¡± to their hurried apologies.

    In truth, he had learned a lot from their casual conversation, and he had gained time to think of more excuses. To Ainz, that had been a valuable opportunity.

    ¡°But truth to be told, Ainz-sama is really amazing,¡± Shalltear said.

    ¡°Mhm. Yup yup, Shalltear. After all, Ainz-sama thought up a n that managed to astound even Albedo and Demiurge...¡±

    ¡°A-as expected of. Ainz-sama. Y-you¡¯re too cool. I-I really admire you.¡±

    ¡°...My. Foolish. Self. Is. Ashamed. Of. My. Lack. Of. Intelligence.¡±

    ¡°All I can say is that our inability to keep pace with Ainz-sama¡¯s considerations is truly unbing.¡±

    The Guardians¡¯ praise stabbed at Ainz like swords.

    Although Ainz could not help but think of it as mockery, the Guardians eyes were filled with respect and loyalty, and their worship of him was genuine. Therefore, Ainz did not contradict them, but instead used his acting skills to answer, as usual.

    ¡°There is nothing of that sort. It was merely a coincidence. And in the end, Demiurge and Albedo saw through it.¡±

    ¡°No, if Ainz-sama had not responded thusly, I would not have been able to connect the dots.¡±

    ¡°Demiurge is correct. nning so far ahead without any knowledge of the situation is a feat only possible by the greatest of the Supreme Beings. I have fallen even deeper in love with you.¡±

    ¡°As expected of Ainz-sama, whose intellect surpasses even that of Demiurge, the wisest mind in Nazarick,¡± Shalltear said.

    ¡°It¡¯s true! Ainz-sama is really amazing!¡± Aura eximed.

    ¡°Mm! R-really amazing!¡±

    ¡°I. Have. Long. Known. Ainz-sama. Possessed. Excellent. Abilities. But. I. Could. Not. Imagine. The. Extent. Of. His. Prowess... As. Expected. Of. The. Greatest. Treasure. Of. Nazarick.¡±

    ¡°Well put. He is filled withpassion and overflows with wisdom. There is no better master for us than Ainz-sama,¡± Albedo said.

    ¡°...Ahh.¡±

    ¡°Come to think of it, there is a matter that needs to be decided. Although I have no problems addressing Ainz-sama as ¡®King¡¯, such a simple title might result in his being conted with the bugs surrounding us. I feel we must consider a more fitting form of address for Ainz-sama.¡±

    The Guardians unanimously approved Demiurge¡¯s suggestion.

    ¡°Do you approve, Ainz-sama?¡±

    ¡°It is fine. Do as you see fit.¡±

    Being called King Ainz Ooal Gown was bad enough. His emotion override had already kicked in several times when he thought about the implications of naming himself a king.

    ¡°Does anyone have any suggestions?¡±

    ¡°Then, allow me to begin,¡± Shalltear said as she raised her hand. ¡°The name we choose should obviously indicate Ainz-sama¡¯s surpassing beauty. I feel the Beautiful King would be fitting.¡±

    Ohhh, the Guardians chorused in approval.

    Beautiful King Ainz Ooal Gown?

    ¡°Oh, me! Meee~¡± Aura piped up as she raised her hand. ¡°The name should highlight Ainz-sama¡¯s power! How about the Powerful King, or Power King for short?¡±

    I see, the Guardians murmured.

    Power King Ainz Ooal Gown?

    ¡°Then, then. M-may I try? Erm... because Ainz-sama is very kind, it might be good to let people know that. Then, then, m-maybe we could try, the Merciful King?¡±

    The Guardians nodded

    Merciful King Ainz Ooal Gown?

    ¡°As for me¨D¡± Here Demiurge paused for effect. ¡°¨Dto praise Ainz-sama¡¯s exalted intellect, I propose the Wise King.¡±

    Wise King Ainz Ooal Gown? ...I¡¯m sorry, but I really have to pass on that.

    ¡°What do you think, Sebas?¡±

    In response to Albedo¡¯s question, Sebas replied, ¡°I think a simple ¡®king¡¯ will do.¡±

    ¡°Then it is my turn. Because he is the Supreme Being who stands atop all the other Supreme Beings, I think the High King would be appropriate.¡±

    The Guardians once more murmured in approval.

    High King Ainz Ooal Gown? How should I say this... all these names... sound awfully over-the-top.

    Everyone¡¯s eyes rested on the only Guardian who had not yet spoken.

    ¡°How about you, Cocytus? Although it might be a bit difficult topete with High King, do you have any titles you feel are fitting of Ainz-sama?¡±

    ¡°Umu. In. Future. Ainz-sama. Will. Rule. Many. People. Therefore. He. Will. Be. A. Magician. Who. Rules. As. A. King. I. Think. Sorcerer. King. Will. Best. Fit. That.¡±

    The Guardians did not reply immediately.

    However, all of them looked at Ainz. From the look in their eyes, they all felt there was no better title than that one, although Albedo seemed a little disappointed.

    ¡°Very well. Then I shall use Cocytus¡¯ suggestion.¡±

    Ainz slowly rose to his feet.

    ¡°When our nation is founded, I shall name myself the Sorcerer King, Ainz Ooal Gown!¡±

    Ainz waved his hands in embarrassment to ward of the thunderous apuse which followed. In truth, he was feeling so ufortable that his whole body was getting itchy.

    ¡°Well then! Let us demonstrate the power of Nazarick in the battle between the Kingdom and the Empire!¡±

    ¡°It is as Ainz-sama says. They wish to investigate the limits of Ainz-sama¡¯s power. Little do they know, they have yed right into our hands.¡±

    Demiurge continued, in an excellent mood.

    ¡°Before negotiations can take ce, the most important thing is to strike a mighty blow to the other party and let them understand the difference between our might and theirs. Foolish creatures like humans will do foolish things because they do not realize how powerful their opponents are. Indeed, that Emperor is a foolish creature for not knowing that bowing his head and licking Ainz-sama¡¯s boots is the wisest course of action.¡±

    ¡°I thought about that myself, but is letting humans lick Ainz-sama¡¯s boots not too good for them?¡±

    ¡°I see. As expected of Albedo. Ah, but if I had to lick Ainz-sama, I would choose his body~¡±

    Ainz decided to pretend he had not heard Shalltear and Albedo whispering to each other.

    ¡°Then, everyone. Begin the task of exalting the name of Nazarick!¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    The Guardians¡¯ shouts of acknowledgement blended into one and filled the room.

 Chapter 63 - Volume 9

    <h4>Overlord Volume 9 Chapter 2</h4>

    <b>Preparations for the Battle</b>

    (Re)Tranted by Nigel

    Edited/Proofread by Deus Ex Machina

    <b>Part 1</b>

    One monthter.

    The meeting was convened within the Valencia Pce of the Re-Estize Kingdom. Gazef Stronoff had been standing motionless beside King Ranpossa III, who was seated on his throne. He surveyed the serried ranks of nobles before him, and his eyes widened slightly as he picked out the forms of the Six Great Nobles among them.

    The six of them gathered together was a rare urrence indeed.

    The heads of these six families controlled almost as muchnd as the King, and between them their military power surpassed that of the King himself. Because of this, they frequently found reasons to excuse themselves from the King¡¯s summons. This was especially true for the leader of the anti-royalty faction ¨D the Noble faction ¨D Marquis Bowlorobe, who did not even bother to hide his disdain for the King. It was bad enough that for a while, people thought the Kingdom might fall apart from within.

    Next, Gazef¡¯s eyes went to the King¡¯s three children.

    The most eye-catching of them all was the King¡¯s third daughter, the ¡°Golden Princess¡±, Renner Theiere Chardelon Ryle Vaiself.

    After that was his second son, the Second Prince, Zanack Valurean Igana Ryle Vaiself. During the demonic disturbance, he had earned much praise when he had followed the King in deploying for the sake of the people.

    Last was the eldest son, the First Prince Barbro Andrean Ield Ryle Vaiself. He had a strong body and a neatly trimmed haircut, and he was the man who Marquis Bowlorobe was trying to ce on the throne. Presumably, Bowlorobe was in attendance for this court session at Barbro¡¯s own request.

    Any meeting attended by Marquis Bowlorobe of the Noble Faction was sure to be an intense one. Gazef averted his eyes from the heavy atmosphere, which seemed to loom overhead like gathering stormclouds, and looked at the rest of the nobles.

    Of the three men present, who belonged to the Royal faction, the first to catch Gazef¡¯s eye was Marquis Brumerush, the most luxuriously dressed person in the court.

    This nobleman with handsome features was approaching his forties. His domain contained gold and mithril mines, whose bounty of precious metals made him the wealthiest man in the Kingdom. However, dark whispers circted that he was extremely greedy, to the point where he would even betray his own family for a gold coin.

    There were also rumors that he had betrayed the Kingdom and was selling information to the Empire. However, because of ack of concrete evidence, nothing could be done about him. After all, beheading Marquis Brumerush ¨Da prominent supporter of the Royal faction¨D without any proof would cause all the nobles who followed him to switch to the anti-Royal faction. If he was aware of this fact and took advantage of it to keep selling off information, then he would truly be the most despicable person present.

    Next, Gazef¡¯s eyes turned to the youngest and most handsome of the Great Nobles, Marquis Pespeya.

    He was married to the King¡¯s eldest daughter, and became the head of his household at the same time as his marriage. Although little was known about his abilities and personality, his father possessed an excellent personality and was apetent man, so Gazef felt that the young Pespeya might take after his sire.

    In contrast, the eldest among the Six Nobles was Margrave Urovarna. His hair was white, and so little of it remained that there might as well have not been any at all. Though his body and limbs looked like gnarled wood, he still retained the gravitas expected of an elder.

    Urovarna was the most persuasive of the Great Nobles.

    Arrayed against them were the three members of the Noble Faction.

    First was the core of the Noble Faction, Marquis Bowlorobe, who controlled the most territory among the Great Nobles. His face was heavily scarred, a lord who looked like a warrior.

    As he was already in his fifties, his once-stout body which had been perfected through unrelenting training was little more than a memory of the past, but his voice and predator¡¯s gaze made people think that there must have been more than a little bit of his warrior-self left in him.

    Although he ¨Das a warrior¨D had lost much of his strength to age, as amander, he was a bettermander than even Gazef, which made him just as indispensable to the Kingdom as the Warrior-Captain.

    Beside him was Count Ritton.

    He was a man whose appearance called to mind the image of a fox, and also one of the lower-ranked members of the Six. As such, he resorted t ways and means to raise his status. However, his personality of not caring about others¡¯ suffering if it meant he could expand his power was not well received by other nobles. Allying himself to Marquis Bowlorobe must have been a strategic move to escape his enemies.

    The final man of the Noble Faction had slicked-back blonde hair and narrow blue eyes.

    His face was pale and unhealthy-looking, with little sign that it had seen much sunlight. He was tall and skinny. Combined with his sallowplexion, he gave off the impression of a snake. He was not yet forty, but looked older because of his unhealthy pallor.

    With mixed emotions churning in his heart, Gazef looked away from him ¨D from Marquis Raeven.

    The impending session of the next monarch had only intensified the power struggles.

    Marquis Bowlorobe and Count Ritton of the Noble Faction, as well as Margrave Urovarna of the Royal Faction, all backed First Prince Barbro, while most of the unaffiliated nobles supported Marquis Pespeya, who had married the First Princess. Raeven was on the side of Second Prince Zanack, while Marquis Brumerush did not seem to be concerned with matters of session.

    For all these reasons, the King sat on his throne without making a fuss. If he pointed a finger at anyone, there was a danger of civil war breaking out.

    Until recently, Gazef had no opinion on who should be the next King. But now, his heart was leaning toward Zanack. Either that, or Princess Renner as a dark horse, but the Kingdom, in all its long history, had never been ruled by a queen, so that was probably out of the question.

    ¡°Now then, let us begin.¡±

    The King¡¯s tone seemed slightly different than usual. Those with sensitive ears might have guessed the reason for today¡¯s gathering and showed it with curious suspicion.

    ¡°Read out the promation delivered by the Imperial emissary.¡±

    In ordance with the King¡¯s orders, the vassals nking him on both sides began reading the contents of the parchment.

    The contents were roughly as followed:

    ***

    The Baharuth Empire acknowledges the sovereignty of the independent Kingdom of Nazarick, ruled by the great magic caster known as the Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown, and formally recognizes it as an ally of the Empire.

    Originally, the region near E-Rantel was the domain of the Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown. The Kingdom of Re-Estize is uwfully upying this territory and must now return it to its rightful owner.

    If the Kingdom does notply with this demand, the Empire will aid the Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown in an invasion to reim the Sorcerer King¡¯s territory.

    This will be a just war, fought to end unjust upation.

    ***

    After the contents were read out, the room exploded into a hubbub of discussion. These terms were insane, and so was anyone who agreed to them.

    ¡°Just in case, I have also had the schrs examine the Kingdom¡¯s history, and no mention of any individual named Ainz Ooal Gown ruling the surroundings of E-Rantel was discovered. There is no legitimacy to this im.¡±

    ¡°In other words, this isn¡¯t even a proper demand, it¡¯s a madman¡¯s ravings!¡±

    The boisterous cry rang throughout the hall.

    Marquis Bowlorobe¡¯s formidable presence ¨D a testament to his former glory as a warrior ¨D seemed to give the other nobles courage, and they returned his shout with their own approval.

    ¡°Although it¡¯s been dyed, isn¡¯t this just the same old Imperial invasion they announce every year? They always find some stupid reason to dere war, so this time round, they must really be scraping the bottom of the barrel to throw up this magic caster¡¯s name, right? I want to see what kind of clown they¡¯ve given that ridiculous title of ¡®Sorcerer King¡¯.¡±

    Count Ritton¡¯s words were followed by the derisiveughter of the massed nobles.

    ¡°However...¡±

    The count turned his fox-like eyes ¨Dfilled with disdain¨D toward Gazef.

    ¡°I believe we¡¯ve heard of this Sorcerer King madman before, haven¡¯t we, O Warrior-Captain Stronoff?¡±

    ¡°...Indeed, he was the magic caster who lent me a helping hand at the outskirts of E-Rantel.¡±

    Count Rittonughed mockingly before replying:

    ¡°I see, he must have helped because he thought they were his own peasants.¡±

    The scornfulughter of the nobles could be heard all around, yet nobody stopped it, because Gazef, who was born amoner, was hated by many members of the Noble faction.

    If it had been a member of the Royal faction, the King would have intervened, but since Count Ritton belonged to the opposition, the King could only furrow his brow.

    ¡°Seems like it was the Empire who burnt down the farming viges near E-Rantel, don¡¯t you think? The Warrior-Captain-dono seems to think it was the work of the ine Theocracy. The person who rescued them was call Gown, right? Isn¡¯t that magic caster involved with the Empire? I believe someone previously said that magic caster was a spy trying to infiltrate us. And you couldn¡¯t find any trace of the bodies of the people who nearly killed you, did you, Warrior-Captain-dono?¡±

    In his mind, Gazef recalled the sight of the powerful members of the Six Scriptures, as well as the mighty form of Ainz Ooal Gown.

    ¡°Although the bodies vanished as Count Ritton said, I do not feel the Empire was involved. When I was at Carne Vige, the knights that attacked us were far stronger than those of the Empire. They used angels, and there¡¯s no doubt that they were a unit from the ine Theocracy.¡±

    ¡°And why would the Theocracy do that?¡±

    How should I know?

    Indeed, if Gazef could give an answer like that, it would make him feel a lot better.

    Just as the court was about to fall into squabbling due to Gazef¡¯s silence, a voice of aid rang out from Ritton¡¯s side.

    ¡°That mad magic caster is irrelevant! What we need to decide on is how to respond to the false Emperor, isn¡¯t that so, your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°It is as Marquis Bowlorobe says. We need to decide what the Kingdom¡¯s answer will be.¡±

    ¡°I beg your permission to speak,¡± Marquis Pespeya said as he advanced. ¡°epting the Emperor¡¯s terms will be very difficult. Our only recourse is war.¡±

    The mention of war sparked activity amongst the serried ranks of the nobility.

    ¡°Oh! Now is the time to crush them once and for all, and then take the fight to the Empire¡¯s doorstep.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right, I¡¯m tired of the constant Imperial invasions.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s time to let the fools in the Empire know how fearsome we can be!¡±

    ¡°Exactly, just as the Marquis says.¡±

    These words, sandwiched by scatteredughter and repeated throughout the throng of nobles, grated unbearably on Gazef¡¯s ears.

    Thest few years, they had regrly met the Empire on the field of battle at Katze ins.

    For the most part, they had simply drawn up battle lines and confronted each other, or skirmished briefly with minor losses to the Kingdom. This year would probably be more of the same, and the nobles took on an air ofxity as they imagined the same old events ying out again.

    However, Gazef spoke out, spurred by the cry of his warrior¡¯s instincts.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think that this battle will end in a small skirmish like it always has!¡±

    The nobles looked like they had been sshed with a basin of cold water, and turned reproachful looks on him.

    ¡°I see. This is what our Warrior-Captain actually believes. Can you give us a reason for that?¡±

    ¡°Yes, your Majesty, that is¨D¡±

    The image of a certain person set rm bells ringing through his heart.

    ¡°¨DThat is to say, it is because of that magic caster, Ainz Ooal Gown.¡±

    ¡°That being the case, the only one of us who has actually seen him face to face would be you, Warrior-Captain. That means we must give some weight to your words. Can you tell us what makes you say that?¡±

    Gazef was a loss for words. He could not give a good answer. He did not know how to exin it, but his warrior¡¯s instinct was telling him that making a poor decision about this war would be extremely dangerous.

    ¡°My King, could you not hand over the outskirts of E-Rantel to the Empire, no, to that magic caster?¡±

    After a moment¡¯s silence, angry shouts flew through the air..

    ¡°You craven coward! How shameless can you get, you chicken-heart?!¡±

    Those shouts came from the nobles of the Royal faction.

    ¡°After his Majesty showed you such kindness, you turn around and tell him to surrender his demesne to outsiders? When did you start serving the false Emperor?! Not to mention, you haven¡¯t even answered his Majesty¡¯s question!¡±

    In the face of such deserved castigation, Gazef could not answer. Had he been in their position, he would probably have done the same thing.

    ¡°Enough.¡±

    It was Gazef¡¯s King who reached a helping hand out to him in his hour of need.

    ¡°But, your Majesty!¡±

    ¡°I am deeply grateful that my subjects would be so moved on my behalf. It is because of that reason that I ask you to remember that my Warrior-Captain would never betray me. He has fearlessly thrust himself into danger countless times for me. Someone like that would never do anything which would harm me.¡±

    The nobles who had shouted at Gazef bowed to the King. While he acknowledged this fact, he continued speaking to Gazef.

    ¡°Warrior-Captain, whom I trust like my right hand. Even if you are the one who puts forth that proposal, I cannot agree to it. Giving up one¡¯s domain without a fight is not befitting of a ruler. Such an act cannot be allowed for the sake of those who live upon it. It would ruin their peaceful lives¡±

    Handingnd over while moving all the residents off without harming them was nothing more than a fairytale. Even if it was possible, there would be no way to allow the disced residents to live like they used to, and in the end their lives would be worse off for it.

    ¡°That is undoubtedly so, your Majesty, and I hope you will forgive me for my foolish words.¡±

    Gazef lowered his head as his King, who loved the people so dearly, spoke to him. If he was a foolish noble ¨D andlord who simply saw his people as a means of making money, the King would not have said what he did. It was because of the King¡¯spassion that Gazef was willing to pledge his life to him.

    He recalled the words he spoke to his vice-captain half a year ago.

    ¡°When you seek help, the ones who wille are the nobles. The strong will bring aid.¡±

    ¡°Those are the ones who wille to the aid of the weak, regardless of the danger.¡±

    The Gazef from before he had entered the grand martial tournament would never have said such things. Much like his vice-captain, he would have thought that there were no nobles who would risk themselves for themoners.

    After he began serving the King, however, Gazef realized for the first time that such nobles existed. Regretfully, said noblescked power.

    There had been many lives that he could not save, and just as many incidents where the nobles¡¯ pointless pride had led them to throw obstacles in his way.

    Even so, the man he served had not given up. He had continued working toward building a kingdom where its people would be able to live better lives day by day.

    Gazef was proud of his King, Ranpossa III. If that was not the case, he would have defected to the Empire when the Emperor himself (Jiiv) had tried to win him over on the battlefield.

    But it was precisely because he was such a man that dark clouds loomed heavy over his heart.

    What the King spoke was the truth, and he had the right view of things. The King had always been full ofpassion, but Gazef knew the reason why the King had taken such a harsh tone.

    After the demonic disturbance, the bnce of power between the two factions had shifted greatly.

    For a long time, the Kingdom had been divided into two factions that had beenrgely even until recently, but now the Royal faction had expanded, while the Noble faction had shrunk.

    Because the King had boldly ridden forth and driven Jaldabaoth back, he was seen by the people as a strong ruler, and a fair number of nobles had thrown their support behind the King. Thus, the King could not afford to show weakness here. However, saying that would mean¨D

    ¡°Still, the Warrior-Captain has a point, no? We can avoid a war by handing over a single city. A king also has a duty to prevent undue suffering to his people. Would not a true king be willing to rend his own body for the sake of the people?¡±

    The one who spoke was from the Noble faction. The words were pretty, but they were calcted to reduce the amount ofnd controlled by the King, and as such, the Royal faction instantly rebutted them.

    ¡°Thatnd is the demesne of the King! If you would give upnd to the enemy, why not surrender yours first?!¡±

    The reply came just as swiftly

    ¡°What nonsense is that?! The Empire asked for E-Rantel and its surroundings! Do you really believe they¡¯d ept mynd from the other side of the Kingdom? Why don¡¯t you think before you speak?!¡±

    The Royal faction had grown stronger, while the Noble faction had gotten weaker. That simply made the Noble faction even more desperate to hamstring the King.

    The upset bnce between the two factions was the source of Gazef¡¯s unease. Once the bnce between factions crumbled, the Noble faction¡¯s efforts to weaken the King would only intensify. That might lead to the Kingdom splitting down the middle in the near future.

    That being the case, the King would have to show off his strength to quell any attempts at revolt from the potential rebels. However¨D

    Was the inability to admit weakness not a dangerous thing in itself?

    ***

    Lost in his thoughts, Gazef only snapped back to reality after several hard stares from members of the Royal faction. They must have thought he had secretly gone over to the Noble faction because he had suggested handing over the Kingdom¡¯s territory. At the same time, they were looks of reproach for Gazef, for being an upjumped peasant who had forgotten the King¡¯srgesse.

    ¡°Hmph! Then, why don¡¯t you ask the King to exchange of yournds with the region around E-Rantel, and then hand it over?!¡±

    ¡°As thoughnd could be so easily traded! You fools!¡±

    ¡°You are the fools here!¡±

    The mes of this childish squabbling engulfed the entire meeting hall. In the past, disputes like this would have ended in a stalemate due to the even bnce of power, but now the voices of the Royal faction were louder than those of the Noble faction.

    Normally, the King would have stopped this. He did not seem inclined to do so now, probably because the Royals had the advantage.

    Just about any human being would find it hard to put an end to circumstances which favored themselves. The King must also have wanted to vent his frustrations with the Noble faction.

    It¡¯s like he¡¯s drunk a sweet poison...

    Slowly, Gazef began to feel a cold, ck conviction in the eyes of the Noble faction. A chill flowed down his spine

    The attack of the archdemon (Jaldabaoth) had been the cause of everything.

    At that time, the king¡¯s decision to lead his men into battle was arguably the best one. Without his help, the battle lines might have broken and the adventurers would have been overrun. If Blue Rose had gone down with them, the Kingdom would have been in a great predicament.

    However, as Gazef looked at the scene unfolding in front of him, he could not help but wonder if they should have done something else instead.

    What would this court session have been like if the standings of both factions had been even?

    I don¡¯t know, but... ah, that¡¯s right, what if we lost this war with the Empire? Would we continue resisting to the end? Would we not? The Royal faction would lose a great deal of its strength instantly, while that of the Noble faction would go up. Would we return to the days when both sides were evenly matched after such a great realignment? Or would the bnce of power crumblepletely and plunge the country into civil war? Would that be all right?

    He disliked this feeling, the feeling that despite making his own choices, he was ultimately still dancing to the tune of someone else.

    Could it be that all this had been nned from the moment I met Gown-dono? No, I don¡¯t want to think that might be the case. We only spoke to each other briefly, but he didn¡¯t feel like such a person to me.

    From the way Gazef addressed him with honorifics even in his speech ¨D and his thoughts ¨D it was clear that he bore no ill-will toward the magic caster Ainz Ooal Gown, even though he was now an enemy.

    ...Maybe he could peacefully take control of... ah, no, if I continue thinking like this it¡¯ll be treason.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s about time we stopped this petty squabbling.¡±

    A deep male voice cut through themotion ¨D everyone fell silent as they tried to find its source.

    Gazef bit his lip as someone else usurped the role the King was supposed to y.

    That victory was like sweet honey...

    He did not think it was a big deal. However, would the King forget himself in that sweetness? Would the King that Gazef was so proud of disappear? He could not erase such thoughts from his mind.

    ¡°Your Majesty, if the Empire¡¯s invasion is a foregone conclusion, then we must prepare ourselves.¡±

    ¡°Marquis Raeven, it is his Majesty alone¨D¡±

    Marquis Raeven interrupted those words from the Noble faction.

    ¡°¨DA moment, please. If his Majesty¡¯s troops are defeated, who knows where the Empire will attack next? Therefore, I will cooperate fully with his Majesty for the sake of protecting my domain.¡±

    Silence fell.

    The Kingdom¡¯s troops were conscripted civilians. There was no way they were a match for the professional troops of the Empire¡¯s knights. The only way to defeat the Empire¡¯s advantage in troop quality was with overwhelming numbers. That had been the way things had gone the past few years. If they could not even muster up sufficient troops to match the Empire¡¯s, then the oue of the war was already a foregone conclusion.

    After hearing Raeven¡¯s words, the members of the Noble faction imagined the Imperial knights ravaging theirnds as well.

    The first to announce their support for the King were the nobles who heldnd between the capital and E-Rantel, followed by the nobles who held close ties to the first group, and in the end, all the nobles pledged their support.

    ¡°All right. Then, we shall dy our reply to the Empire, and gather our troops at the usual ce before we dere war. Naturally, I will be going as well.¡±

    ¡°Please let me join you on the battlefield, father!¡±

    The one shouting was Prince Barbro, who had been waiting silently at the side until now.

    ¡°...No, no. There¡¯s no need to trouble you ¨D as the first in line to seed the throne ¨D to take the field. I will go this time, ani-ue.¡±

    First Prince Barbro turned to the person who had spoken from beside him, the Second Prince Zanack. Barbro¡¯s answer was short and to the point.

    ¡°No need?!¡±

    His retort was filled with hostility.

    Zanack¡¯s proposal was a reasonable one. Since the king was already headed to the battlefield, it would be far too dangerous to bring his eldest son along with him. Barbro understood this, but even so, his refusal came from his hatred of Zanack.

    That too had stemmed from the demonic disturbance.

    During the demonic disturbance, Zanack had patrolled the capital and earned the praise of many citizens. Barbro, on the other hand, hid inside the pce. As a result, the number of nobles supporting Zanack had sharply increased as well.

    At a nce, Zanack did not look particrly heroic, and the contrast between his looks and his brave deeds made him stand out. Conversely, Barbro looked impressive, but his inaction made him appear cowardly. In order to erase this shame, Barbro wanted to go to the battlefield to show his martial valor.

    The First Prince (Barbro) was a reasonably talented warrior, in keeping with his appearance. That said, he had still led a sheltered lifestyle, and he was not strong enough to beat someone like Princess Renner¡¯s bodyguard Climb, who had trained himself until he had thrown up blood.

    Even so, he could still be said to be the strongest fighter of the royal family. Someone like him could not endure losing to Zanack, whose weight meant that he could barely keep his bnce after swinging a sword once. Although Marquis Raeven had once said, ¡°What good is a king¡¯s swordy?¡±, Barbro knew that he was Zanack¡¯s intellectual inferior, and as such, he was even more determined not to lose out in his chosen specialty.

    No matter what, one could not keep trailing behind one¡¯s opponent in the game of thrones.

    Gazef¡¯s gut ached as he considered the potential crises hiding within the Kingdom.

    Although he wanted to resign hismission after the King abdicated and dedicate himself to protecting Ranpossa III, realistically speaking, it would probably be very difficult to do that.

    In addition, he would probably not qualify as a loyal subject if he did not work as the Warrior-Captain to save lives which could be saved. The King might not even allow him to do so in the first ce.

    If there was someone on his level who could rece him as Warrior-Captain, then he would dly hand his position over. However,he could not think of any such people. There was one person who was as strong as Gazef, but that person would never agree to be the Warrior-Captain in his ce.

    What¡¯s Brain nning to do in the future? Does he have something in mind?

    Although Brain had be Princess Renner¡¯s direct subordinate, Gazef had a feeling that he would leave soon. If he did vanish, it would probably be to hone his sword skills. As a man bound to the courts, Gazef could not help but admire that lifestyle.

    He recalled Brain¡¯s polished swordsmanship.

    After the demonic disturbance, Gazef and Brain had exchanged blows in a friendly spar.

    Although Gazef had triumphed in that serious match, he could feel the hours Brain had put into his sword work as the wind of his sword¡¯s passage blew through his hair.

    For all he knew, Brain might end up bing stronger than himself in a few years¡¯ time.

    If Brain agreed to take my ce as the next Warrior-Captain, I¡¯d focus my energy into training the next generation, so the Kingdom would have its share of skilled warriors in the future.

    ¡°I certainly agree!¡±

    Marquis Bowlorobe¡¯s voice interrupted Gazef¡¯s thoughts. Now was not the time to worry about the distant future.

    ¡°If you will permit me, I would dly contribute my strongest troops to the effort and to the protection of his Majesty¡¯s person. How about that, your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°Umu. Warrior-Captain, what do you think?¡±

    He could not pretend that he had not heard it. That would be a lie. Gazef put on a show of earnest consideration, while ignoring the twitch of Raeven¡¯s eyebrow.

    The suggestion for Barbro to fight at the front had probablye from Bowlorobe, who supported Barbro for the next king. However, Gazef had no proof of this, so there was only one answer he could give.

    ¡°I believe it all depends on his Majesty¡¯s opinion.¡±

    The King nodded deeply, and Gazef suddenly felt a pang of guilt.

    ¡°Is that so... well, if that¡¯s the case... then you shalle along as well.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Allow me to present the false emperor¡¯s head to you, Father!¡±

    As he listened to Barbro¡¯s enthusiastic reply, Gazef could only hope that the impending preparations would blow away the clouds of unease forming over his heart.

    ? ? ?

    Marquis Raeven¡¯s political ability was second to none among the Six Great Nobles, so one would expect that the office where he showed his abilities would be an impressive one. Yet, this was not the case. Many would be surprised if they knew the exact number of decisions which affected the future of the Kingdom that had been drafted in such a humble, cramped ce.

    The room¡¯s interior was filled with bookshelves, and the books andbelled scrolls were neatly arranged in a way that hinted at their owner¡¯s personality. However, it was not because of these things that the room was so small, although they were part of the reason for it.

    The greatest reason could not be seen by the naked eye.

    Raeven¡¯s manor home was built of bricks coated in sto. This was customary when it came to the construction of a noble home, and Raeven¡¯s office was no exception.

    However, the interior of those walls were coated with copper sheets that enveloped the entire room.

    This was done to interfere with spells used to eavesdrop, observe or detect his location.

    The windowless room felt a little ustrophobic, but from a cost-effectiveness point of view, it was practical and had to be endured.

    Upon returning from Valencia Pce, Raeven had made a beeline for this office, which was proofed against magic. He crossed to the other side of his sturdy working desk before flopping down onto his chair, in a way that suggested that he hadpletely run out of energy.

    Then, he covered his face with his hands. Anyone who saw him would not think of a great noble whomanded unrivalled power and privilege in the Kingdom, only a middle-aged man who had been worn down by the weight of stress and responsibility.

    He brought up the limp strands of his blonde hair in his fingers,bing them back up and leaning back in his seat as his face twisted.

    Perhaps it was because he was rxed now, but the stress umted during the court session turned to anger, which filled his heart. Within moments, it had surpassed his ability to contain and exploded into the air with a mighty shout.

    ¡°Idiots, each and every one of them!¡±

    Nobody understood what was going on. No, if someone had understood and was taking advantage of the situation, they would be masterful schemers indeed.

    Right now, the Kingdom was in great peril.

    The Empire¡¯s frequent sabre-rattling led to severe problems such as food shortages, and then there were other issues that were starting to precipitate. The only reason why no cracks in the Kingdom had appeared so far was because the nobles honestly believed ¡°we just need to hold on a bit longer until the other faction copses first¡±.

    The Empire employed professional warriors known as knights, but the Kingdom had no equivalent soldiers among their ranks. To resist the Imperial invasions, they needed to conscript peasants in their levies. The result of that was viges everywhere running short of manpower for a period of time.

    The Empire had a firm grasp of the Kingdom¡¯s practice of conscription, and thus they dered war during the harvest season.

    During the busiest season of a farming vige, the impact of their adult males ¨D the most important source ofbor ¨D going missing for one month could not be overstated. Of course, the idea of simply not conscripting as many people hade to mind, but in the face of the Empire¡¯s military, who were far better trained and armed, the Kingdom could not muster any resistance without the weight of numbers on their side.

    There had been one asion when ack of conscripts had resulted in tremendous casualties for the Kingdom. Fortunately, the counterattack led by Gazef had seeded, killing two of the original Four Knights and putting an end to the war, since both sides had won and lost. However, the truth was that the Kingdom had been weakened, and in light of the many citizens lost, the Kingdom hade out on the losing side of the equation.

    And even during these circumstances...

    ¡°That traitorous filth! This foolish power struggle! Those idiots, fighting over a stupid seat!¡±

    Marquis Brumerush, one of the Six Great Nobles, had betrayed the Kingdom by selling its information to the Empire. The nobles had split into two factions and were struggling for dominance. Both princes were eying the session like dogs feuding over a bone.

    Marquis Raeven pounded on his desk repeatedly, venting his anger.

    ¡°The King¡¯s no better either! He¡¯s no fool and he¡¯s not drunk on power, but he isn¡¯t thinking at all! If he doesn¡¯t give up his seat soon, it¡¯ll only make the session crisis worse! Princess Renner gave him a good opportunity by making things favorable for the Royal faction, so he should hurry up and transfer power to the next generation already!¡±

    During the demonic disturbance, the one who had encouraged the king to take the field personally was Princess Renner.

    Because of that, the Royal faction¡¯s influence had increased greatly, and they should have been able to put Prince Zanack on the throne if they had advocated it then and there. However¨D

    ¡°Things ended up like this because he pitied his first son. It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t understand his feelings, but nobody¡¯s thinking about what¡¯s important! Nobody at all!¡±

    Strictly speaking, this was not true.Unfortunately most of them were in Raeven¡¯s camp.

    He should not have concentrated them all under his wing. Instead, he should have carefully disseminated them throughout the other factions and had them influence the leaders from the inside. However, his irritation was not aimed at himself for not doing this earlier, but at the members of the other factions, whose brainlessness was giving him headaches.

    ¡°Idiots, each and every one of them!¡±

    Raeven shouted in frustration as he thought of these Goblin-brained simpletons who could only see the bait in front of them.

    ¡°¨DEven so, what should I do? Think, Raeven, think!¡±

    Raeven¡¯s frustration grew as his breathing calmed.

    He had to think of how to keep the Kingdom going, even in the face of the dangers ahead.

    ¡°To begin with, this war with the Empire is dangerous, especially if that Ainz Ooal Gownmands great power. I should start by assuming he can cause over 10¡¯000 casualties by himself before I begin strategic nning. Then at the same time, I¡¯ll push for the prince to be the next king... Will that be too difficult? ¡±

    Raeven spoke the words on his mind out loud while he organized his thoughts. Honestly, he wanted to share this matter with someone and discuss it with them. That was why Raeven supported Prince Zanack.

    The Second Prince was his only ally ¨Dthough there was now another person, Princess Renner¨D amongst the royals. Both of them understood the danger which the Kingdom faced, and he considered her arade in arms when it came to nning for the future.

    If only he could ascend to the throne, it would take a weight off his right shoulder.

    ¡°...I don¡¯t think he was joking when he promised to make me the Prime Minister. Though I can¡¯t relieve the burden on my left shoulder, at the very least it would improve the Kingdom¡¯s condition.¡±

    Raeven¡¯s current objective was to ce Prince Zanack on the throne. If he failed in that, the country would take another step toward ruin.

    ¡°With Princess Renner¡¯s help, my job would be easier, at least.¡±

    Raeven sighed heavily as he gave voice to his thoughts and future ns.

    Even he had days when he wanted to just put everything down and walk away.

    Sometimes, the excessive worrying had even made him contemte destroying the Kingdom with his own hands, although that particr thought had onlye up once or twice.

    It was like he was trying to build a sandcastle, surrounded by little brats trying to kick it down. At times, he felt like destroying the sandcastle himself, just to deny them the satisfaction. Still, he had a reason for ignoring those destructive impulses and carrying on like he did.

    There was a knocking on the door.

    The sound seemed toe from a lower position than usual. For a moment, Raeven disyed an expression that was unlike his normal self. Perhaps you could say his expression melted; his eyebrows were drooping, and even the corner of his mouth was uncharacteristically rxed.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not good. I can¡¯t make a face like this.¡±

    Raeven lightly smacked his face, since his willpower was insufficient to restore the proper dignity to it. After tidying up his wild hair, he turned to the metal door and spoke so the person on the other side could hear. Though his voice was loud, it contained a surprising gentleness that indicated that he was not angry.

    ¡°Come in.¡±

    The speed with which the heavy door opened indicated how much the other party had been looking forward to it.

    On the other side of the door was a boy.

    The boy¡¯s innocent, adorable face was colored with a slight blush on the pale skin of his cheeks. He looked to be around five years old, and he padded across the floor, stopping at Raeven¡¯s knee.

    ¡°Now now, you know you shouldn¡¯t be running indoors, it¡¯s hardly refined.¡±

    A female voice followed the boy over to Raeven.

    She was a woman with a pretty face that was shadowed by gloominess. She did not seem like a happy woman. Her clothes were of exquisite make, but their colors were muted.

    The woman bowed primly to Raeven, and then she smiled.

    With a hint of embarrassment, Raeven returned the smile.

    When had his wife started smiling?

    Suddenly, the memories of those days came unbidden to Marquis Raeven.

    When Marquis Raeven had been a younger man, his heart brimmed with the ambition and drive that was the hallmark of youth. And the target of his ambition was the throne.

    Aspiring to the throne was a treasonous dream.

    The young Marquis Raeven, filled with confidence in his abilities, probably felt that he had no other goal that was worthy of being his lifelong objective. Toward that end, he had worked quietly, expanded his influence, umted wealth, expanded his connections, crushed his political enemies¨D

    Taking a wife was nothing more than a part of his n. As long as he could sell off the position of marchioness at a high price, he did not care what kind of woman he ended up with. As it turned out she was a beautiful, yet gloomy woman, but Raeven did not mind. After all, the important thing was the connections he made with his wife¡¯s family.

    Their home life was ordinary.

    No, that was just how Raeven felt it was. He cared for the woman he married as a tool, but there was no love between them.

    As fate would have it, it was a tiny thing indeed that changed Raeven.

    He turned his eyes to the boy in front of him.

    The first thing he thought when he learned he had a son was that he had another tool to use. However, as the newborn boy clutched his finger with his tiny hands, something broke inside Marquis Raeven.

    This was his soft, squishy son, who seemed as much a monkey as a human being. He certainly did not think that he was adorable. Yet, when he felt the warmth that radiated from his finger, everything else suddenly seemed silly.

    The throne felt like garbage to him.

    The man driven by ambition had passed away at some point.

    Then, when Raeven smiled in thanks to his wife that had just given birth to his son, he vividly remembered the expression on her face. It was a funny one, even if he would never say that out loud. He remembered that it seemed to ask, ¡°Who is this person?¡±

    Of course, his wife had thought that this was just a temporary change caused by learning that he had an heir. However, Raeven continued changing after this, and it made his wife wonder if there was something wrong with him.

    In the end, when his wife considered her husband before and after his change, she came to the conclusion that she preferred the new Raeven, and her attitude shifted as well. The two of them were, at longst, a normal married couple.

    Raeven reached down and lifted up his son, who was trying to scale his kneecap.

    The boy gurgled in delight as he was ced on Raeven¡¯s thigh. He could feel the heat of his body through his clothes, and the familiar weight feltfortable. A warm, steady satisfaction filled his chest.

    Now, Raeven had only one objective.

    ¡°I want to leave a well-kept domain to my son.¡± It was a goal that any noble father would have.

    Raeven looked warmly to the boy on his leg, and spoke to him.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter-chu? Rii-tan? Chuchu~¡±

    Only two people in the world would ever see a Great Noble puckering his lips and going ¡°~chu¡±.

    One of them, the boy, gurgled in delight.

    ¡°...Darling, babytalking him will spoil his grammar.¡±

    ¡°Hmph! Nonsense, that¡¯s nothing more than a baseless rumor.¡±

    That said, Raeven reflected that it would be bad if he raised his son poorly.

    Since he was his son, that meant that he must have some measure of talent. Or rather, it was fine even if he was not talented, but as his parents, they had an obligation to discover or cultivate their child¡¯s abilities. As such, it would be bad if they negatively influenced him. Even so, he refused to give up the loving nicknames for him.

    Love was the best teacher, after all.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Rii-tan? What¡¯s the matter? Do you want to tell Papa something?¡±

    Raeven ignored his wife¡¯s perturbed expression and asked again.

    ¡°Ehehehe, well~¡±

    He looked like he wanted to share a secret of some sort, judging from the way he covered his mouth with his little hands. As he saw that movement, Raeven¡¯s heart melted, the corners of hsi eyes drooped, and he made a face one would never expect of the man who had been referred to as a snake.

    ¡°Well, what is it? Can you tell Papa~n? Uwah~ what is it?¡±

    ¡°Tonight¡¯s dinner~¡±

    ¡°Mm, mm!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Papa¡¯s favorite!¡±

    ¡°Uwah! Papa~n will be very happy! What¡¯s for dinner tonight?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Gabra fish ¨¤ meuniere.¡±

    ¡°Is that so¨D What¡¯s wrong!? Rii-tan?¡±

    Raeven saw the unhappy expression on his son¡¯s face and frantically followed up with a question.

    ¡°I wanted to say it!¡±

    Lightning seemed to sh behind Raeven¡¯s back.

    ¡°Is that ~chu er, I mean, is that true? Well, then it¡¯s Papa~n¡¯s fault. Please forgive me. Rii-tan, do you want to tell me anything?¡±

    As Raeven looked at her with furrowed brows, his wife, not knowing what to do, covered her face.

    ¡°Rii-tan, why don¡¯t you tell Papa~n?¡±

    With a hmph of annoyance, the boy jerked his head aside. Raeven looked like he had just experienced a tremendous shock, so despondent that he wanted to die.

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Rii-tan, Papa~n is a moron and forgot everything~ Therefore, could you tell me?¡±

    His son nced at him from the corner of his eye. It would seem he was almost there.

    ¡°Not telling Papa~n? Papa~n¡¯s going to cry~¡±

    ¡°That ¨D well, it¡¯s Papa¡¯s favorite fish~¡±

    ¡°Really now! Papa is so happy to hear that!¡±

    Raeven could not help kissing his son¡¯s pink cheeks over and over. It tickled, and so the boyughed innocently.

    ¡°All right, then let¡¯s go have dinner!¡±

    ¡°¨D-I don¡¯t think it¡¯s ready yet.¡±

    ¡°¨DReally now.¡±

    It felt like a basin of cold water had been dumped over his head, and an annoyed expression spread over Raeven¡¯s face,. It would have been an easy matter to order the chefs to hurry up, but they still needed to follow the appropriate steps to do their work, and those steps had to be executed with specific timing. Thus, if he selfishly disrupted their routine, the food would not be as good as it could be.

    This was why Raeven did not give those orders, even if he was not happy about the wait. It was also because he wanted his son to have the best meal possible.

    ¡°All right, your father is in the middle of work. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Kay~¡±

    Raeven could not hide his loneliness he felt as he heard his son¡¯s lively reply.

    ¡°Ahem! Wait, actually, I¡¯m done with work.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Umu. I really am done with work.¡±

    ¡°...Is that so? Are you just nning to put it off until tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Even if his wife was rolling her eyes at him, Raeven would not let his son down from his knee. He clutched the boy tightly, and sighed as he felt the heat from his son¡¯s hot body flow into him.

    ¡°...Well, I was already at a dead end anyway,¡± he muttered. ¡°Not like I could finish it in a day.¡±

    This was not an excuse. The fact was that he did not have anything urgent to take care of.

    His wife seemed to realize this and nodded several times.

    ¡°I understand, but still... it seems really troublesome.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I said. I don¡¯t need more arms or legs to do my work, just good heads.¡±

    ¡°How about my brother?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s talented, but given that running your family¡¯s estate is taxing enough as it is, I don¡¯t think I could throw more work at him. Do you know anyone else who can be trusted?¡±

    Raeven had already asked this question several times, and his wife had given him the same answer; there¡¯s no noble who can work on the same level as you.

    The truth was that if someone else was like that, his life would not have been as difficult as it was now. In the end, all that he could do was to look among themoners. If this was a ce like the Empire, where there was a national system of education that trained people up for public service, it would have been fine, but in the Kingdom, looking for hidden talents was like finding a needle in a haystack. All he could do was listen to rumors of talented people and recruit them.

    As he thought of how much time and effort this would need, Raeven¡¯s heart sank. At this moment, his son had a good idea and spoke up.

    ¡°Papa~n, I want to help you to work too~¡±

    ¡°Uwah~ Rii-tan, thank you very much! I love ~chu most of all!¡±

    Raeven did not stop kissing his son as he continued his baby talk. This was without doubt the happiest moment of his life.

    He could forget the stress of his daily life and achieve a small measure of peace.

    Even if I have to sacrifice myself, I will protect all of this, Raeven vowed in his heart.

    <b>Part 2</b>

    It had been two months since the Empire¡¯s deration of war, and now it was the season which turned one¡¯s exhaled breath white.

    In viges all over the Kingdom, the bulk of the work had transited from outdoors to indoors. Few people ventured outside now. Not many people were still working. This was true even for the adventurers, who gave the impression of working all year round.

    Although there were cases where hungry monsters suddenly appeared in viges and there were emergency requests to fill, there was less to do for the most part. Stepping into uncharted territory was more dangerous during this time, be it to explore ruins or unknownnds during this period. Because of that, adventurers considered this something like a season of rest, and channelled their energies into training, recreation or their side businesses.

    That said, the Fortress City of E-Rantel was not like that at present. It was filled with life and activity.

    Thismotion, however, was somewhat different from that of the other cities in the Kingdom. The activity here was not born of the usual energy of city life.

    The source of this activity came from the outermost sector of the three walls.

    The countless people gathered here were shabbily dressed. Most of them weremoners. But their numbers were astonishing ¨D there were around 250¡¯000 of them. Of course, E-Rantel did not always have so many people in it.

    It was true that E-Rantel was the nexus of trade and traffic between three kingdoms, with people, money, goods and other things flowing freely through it. Because of that, the city was arge one.

    However, that by itself was not enough reason for just one sector to be packed with 250¡¯000 people.

    In that case, why were there so many people here?

    The ones who could best shed light on this was a group of young men.

    Carrying deless spears ¨Dmore like sticks, really¨D many young men stabbed and thrust at dummies made of wood and straw, d in rusted armor and shields.

    This wasbat training. Yes ¨D the people gathered here today, all 250¡¯000 of them, had been gathered for the battle against the Empire.

    Loud battle-cries rang out everywhere. Of course, few of them were actually shouted in earnest. Most of them were gripped by the fear of theing battle, and they trained to distract themselves from the nagging worry that they would not be going home after this.

    Even so, not all of them were practicing in earnest.

    The wars with the Empire were a yearly urrence. As a result, many people had been broken down by them. There were those whoy down in unobtrusive niches. There were those who vented their frustrations to those around them. There were those who sat down and hugged their knees.

    The older they were, the more likely they were to do this.

    They had no fighting spirit at all and only wanted to return home alive.

    This was the true face of the Royal Army. Yet, it could not be helped. To begin with, they had been rounded up by force. Then they were told that they would have to risk their lives in bloody battle for no gain to themselves. Even if they managed to return alive, they would return to a wasted harvest, and their lives would be very difficult, like a noose slowly strangling them.

    This was no different from a drawn-out execution.

    The wagons rode past the soldiers. Their beds bulged with vast quantities of foodstuffs.

    Logically speaking, it would be difficult to house and feed 3% of the Kingdom¡¯s poption within a single city. However, E-Rantel was the frontline of the wars with the Empire, and had been designed to amodate the Kingdom¡¯s military might.

    After several battles with the Empire, the city had been prepared to handle 250¡¯000 people with ease. Their storehouses were massive, and were probably thergest buildings in the city.

    The supplies kept pouring into those storehouses.

    The unmotivated people looked fearfully at those wagons. It was as though they were staring at Death slowly creeping towards them.

    Everyone knew what was going to happen next.

    This was arge-scale transfer of rations.

    That meant the war with the Empire was going to begin.

    ? ? ?

    This was the innermost sector of the E-Rantel¡¯s triple walls.

    In the center of the city was the mansion of the mayor of E-Rantel, Panasolei Guruze Dale Rettonmai. Although it was a luxurious home worthy of the city¡¯s leader, it still paled inparison to the building beside it.

    That building was the most impressive in the city ¨D the VIP vi. It was typically sealed up, and only the royal family or those close to them would be permitted to use it.

    And now, in a room within that vi, several men were gathered around King Ranpossa III and the Great Nobles.

    Gazef stood silently beside the King, who sat upon a crude throne.

    Arge table dominated the center of the room, surrounded by nobles, who were studying therge map that had been rolled out upon it. There were several troop position markers on the map, an around it were countless scattered documents, nominal rolls, reconnaissance reports,bat logs, monster appearance reports and the like. Although there were waterbearers behind them, there was little water left.

    It was testament to the intensity of the debates that had taken ce here.

    The truth was that fatigue was starting to appear on the distinguished, pedigreed faces of the Great Nobles. As one¡¯s forces grewrger, there were more things which had to be discussed, and more decisions that had to be made. While low-level issues could be delegated to subordinates, they had to coordinate the matters of the nobles within their factions personally.

    As nobles with their pride on the line, they could not afford to embarrass themselves before others, which only added to their workload.

    However, that was over now.

    Marquis Raeven, who looked the least exhausted of everyone here, opened his mouth to speak.

    No, it was better to say that he was always the first to speak. He might have been slighted as a ¡°bat,¡± but nobody doubted his intelligence. Having him chair these cross-factional meetings was the fastest way to get things done.

    ¡°Thank you all for your hard work. For the most part, I believe we¡¯ve finished our preparations within the deadline. From now on we will begin discussing the strategy for the uing war against the Empire.¡±

    Raeven¡¯s gaze swept across everyone present, and he held up a parchment for all to see.

    ¡°This is a deration from the Empire that arrived several days ago. It states the proposed site of the battlefield.¡±

    The concept of proposed battlefield locations stemmed from the fact that battlefields invariably became cursed locations which spawned the undead. Therefore, when battles were to be waged between members of fellow species, they would designate specific locations where they would fight. Assuming both sides agreed, they could do battle there without harming each others¡¯ countries.

    Of course, not all wars were fought like that. Or rather, it was rare for such agreements to be made. However the Kingdom and Empire had fought on designated battlefields for the past few years.

    Even if they took newnd, it would be more trouble than it was worth if it spawned undead nearby, and there was no point in defendingnd from invaders if it ended up cursed and uninhabitable anyway. Both sides shared the same point of view, hence the agreements.

    For that reason, someone sighed in relief as Raeven announced the missive. That noble must have thought this war would be the same as any other, given the familiar nature of the deration.

    ¡°Then, the battlefield will be¨D¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it the same old ce, Marquis Raeven? Where else could it be?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. As Marquis Bowlorobe says, the battlefield is the same ce as all these years. That cursednd enveloped by mist, the Katze ins. Specifically, the northwest region.¡±

    ¡°Since it¡¯s the same ce, does that mean the Empire¡¯s invasion will be the same as always?¡±

    Although the Empire imed to be helping the magic caster Ainz Ooal Gown reim his rightful territory, most of the nobles felt that this was merely a casus belli for them to dere war like they always did.

    If that was all, Gazef would have agreed, but Raeven shook his head.

    ¡°Unfortunately, Marquis Brumerush, that does not seem to be the case. ording to my sources, the Empire has mobilized a great deal of military power for this engagement. I sent my subordinates ¨D a team of formerly orichalcum-ranked adventurers ¨D out to follow up on this, and while they aren¡¯t sure of the exact figure, judging by the insignia and badges of the activated units, the Empire has fielded six full legions.¡±

    ¡°Six?!¡±

    Consternation rippled through the gathered nobles.

    The Empire had eight legions of knights, but up to now, the most they had evermitted four to the field at any one time. But this time, they had brought out one and a half times that amount.

    ¡°Are they... serious?¡±

    The question came from a noble with an uneasy expression on his face.

    The six legions of the Empire contained 60¡¯000 men. The Kingdom had 250¡¯000 men, but although they had the advantage in numbers, the reverse was true in terms of troop quality.

    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure, but we may need to consider that this may not end in a simple skirmish.¡±

    In the battles to date, where the Empire¡¯s 40¡¯000 men went up against the Kingdom¡¯s 200¡¯000, the Empire wouldunch an attack, which the Kingdom would weather, and that would be the end of it. The Empire¡¯s objective was to slowly exhaust the Kingdom and waste their stocks of food, so just forcing the Kingdom to take the field would aplish one of their objectives.

    If they were nning on doing the same thing, there would be no need to mobilize 60¡¯000 men. That meant they had another motive for doing this, Raeven thought.

    ¡°It seems increasing the levy was the right decision to make.¡±

    However, the increased costs of fielding more soldiers were also a headache.

    In the past, their battles had been fought during the harvest season of autumn. This war would be fought in winter, requiring expenditures for things like firewood, warm clothing and so on which had never been needed before.

    This war was financed by the King. If the Royal faction¡¯s power had not increased, it would have been hard for the King to gather funds, and the King¡¯s own power would have sharply declined.

    ¡°Still, Marquis Raeven. Don¡¯t you think they¡¯ve mobilize more men then usual in order to impress that magic caster calling himself a king which they allied with, or just putting on a show? After all, not raising arge army against us would result in them losing face in front of their allies.¡±

    ¡°I believe that is very likely. In truth, given that we¡¯ve received nomunication from this Ainz Ooal Gown, I suspect that this incident may have been masterminded by the Empire and this Ainz Ooal Gown is only a bystander who was drawn into this. He might not even be participating in this of his own free will.¡±

    Personally, Gazef felt that it would be wonderful if that were really the case. That way they would not truly need to make an enemy of that mighty magic caster, and how many people would that save? However, that might be too optimistic.

    Gazef opened his hitherto tightly shut mouth.

    ¡°May I speak?¡±

    ¡°Granted.¡±

    With the King¡¯s permission, Gazef began unburdening himself of his doubts.

    ¡°I do not think that is the case. Much like with that document from the ine Theocracy, I do not think this deration of war is a mere sham.¡±

    Displeasure was clearly evident on the nobles¡¯ faces.

    E-Rantel and its surroundings was the meeting point of three nations. Every time the Kingdom and the Empire had their little wars, the Theocracy would make its opinion known. ¡°To begin with,¡± they would say, ¡°E-Rantel and its surroundings originally belonged to the ine Theocracy. The Kingdom has taken control of it uwfully and they are obliged to return it to its rightful owners. It is deeply regretful that such improperly appropriated territory should be the object of a power struggle,¡± and so on.

    When they heard this, both countries wanted to tell them to stop cutting in from the side, but to date the Theocracy had never mobilized their troops, so they believed that their disagreement was purely verbal.

    This time, however, the tone they had taken was very different.

    ¡°The Theocracy has no records of him and cannot make a ruling on the matter, but if thisnd rightfully belongs to AInz Ooal Gown, then we will acknowledge the legitimacy of his im.¡±

    That was what theirmunique had said.

    The nobles of the Kingdom were furious at this statement, which sounded like the Theocracy was spouting utter rubbish out of nowhere. However, there were those who understood the true meaning behind the document.

    The ine Theocracy was saying, ¡°We have no intention of antagonizing Ainz Ooal Gown¡± on a national level.

    That implied that the ine Theocracy, the strongest nation in the region, was not willing to risk a confrontation with a single magic caster.

    But that was understandable, Gazef thought.

    ¡°He easily wiped out one of the Six Scriptures... and although he said he didn¡¯t kill them, the ine Theocracy feels that it would be a bad idea to make an enemy of someone with such power. If Ainz Ooal Gown was pulled into this war by the Empire, they wouldn¡¯t need to roll over like this.¡±

    ¡°Hmph. So what if they have one more magic caster? Aren¡¯t we the ones with 250¡¯000 people?¡±

    Count Rittonughed in the face of Gazef¡¯s caution, the mockery evident in his voice.

    Gazef fought the urge to furrow his brows. Although he understood the shocking power of a great magic caster, he also understood where Ritton wasing from.

    If he knew nothing else, he would have thought the same way too.

    For example, there was the famed magic caster of the Empire, Fluder Paradyne. His name was known in distant countries. He was rumored to be able to use magic of the 5th or 6th tier, but to be honest, nobody knew how powerful he really was.

    That was because he had never taken part in the Empire¡¯s wars, nor had he used his magic to rout the armies of the Kingdom.

    While the 6th tier of magic was impressive, exactly how impressive it was remained to be seen.

    Even Gazef, someone who had survived countless battles as the Kingdom¡¯s Warrior-Captain, felt that way.

    The nobles were not magic casters, but had probably only been told about magic as part of their education. Many of the Kingdom¡¯s nobles thought little of Fluder, thinking of him as nothing more than a posterboy for the Empire¡¯s propaganda. The nobles who had little contact with magic-users like adventurers were even more likely to think that way.

    Count Ritton was one of them. To him, magic casters were little more than stage magicians. Of course, the priests he turned to when he was sick or injured were a different matter.

    ¡°...I don¡¯t think that¡¯s quite right. They can be quite hard to deal with if they use flying magic and attack with area-effect spells. Long-ranged attacks can be quite damaging. Of course, professional magic casters won¡¯t do things which don¡¯t benefit them. Still, the Empire¡¯s treatment of Ainz Ooal Gown is just too strange. They wouldn¡¯t go this far if he was a simple magic caster, so we had better stay on our guard.¡±

    Those severe words were spoken by Margrave Urovarna, whose head of white hair and wrinkled face conveyed the stern dignity of a senior individual. As the oldest of the six Great Nobles, he was a clear contrast with the young Count Ritton. Every word and gesture of his made the Count nod in reluctant agreement. However, there was someone who opposed him ¨D Marquis Bowlorobe.

    ¡°Hmph! Who¡¯s this Ainz Ooal Gown? Like Ritton said, what can one man do? If he flies through the air, we¡¯ll shoot him down with bows. The same if he attacks from far away. What can one magic caster do? Those stories of magic casters who change the battlefield by themselves are just that, stories!¡±

    ¡°...I beg your pardon, but isn¡¯t it possible that some of the heroic sagas which the bards might be true?¡±

    ¡°I believe that the Warrior-Captain-dono is not in possession of all the facts. Stories are embellished to draw attention. After the facts are exaggerated, the stories are well-removed from reality. This only gets worse when bards spread stories heard from other bards.¡±

    ¡°However, if they could gather a lot of magic casters that could use [Fireball]¨D¡±

    ¡°And how likely is it that they¡¯ll be able to gather a whole group of people who can use [Fireball], hm, Warrior-Captain-dono?¡±

    ¡°I... don¡¯t think it¡¯s too likely.¡±

    [Fireball] was a 3rd-tier spell. It would be impossible to amass arge number of magic casters who could use that spell, even if one had the magical academies of the Empire.

    ¡°Then, isn¡¯t that the answer? Magic is a good weapon, but no matter how powerful he is, one man cannot change the battlefield! You ¨Dforgive me¨D the Warrior-Captain-dono is a perfect example. While nobody can match yourself in a duel, even you can¡¯t y tens of thousands of people in one go!¡±

    He was right. Gazef could not find anything to rebutt Marquis Bowlorobe¡¯s argument.

    Those tales of ying ten thousand men with a single spell were dubious at best. Even that granny, Rigrit Bers Carau of the Thirteen Heroes, could not aplish such a feat.

    However, the disquiet still lingered in Gazef.

    Could it be that he had not met a truly amazing magic caster, but was simply clueless?

    ¡°...Then, what if it was a dragon?¡±

    ¡°Marquis Brumerush... that magic caster is a human. Why would you even bring up a dragon?¡±

    ¡°No, I meant in terms of one man fighting a brigade...¡±

    ¡°In the first ce, there¡¯s no point mentioning dragons when we¡¯re discussing humans! I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re all thinking, being so afraid of a measly little magic caster¨D¡±

    He turned a sharp re to Gazef.

    ¡°As nobles of the Kingdom, you should be ashamed of yourselves, cowering at the sight of his shadow! ...Still, it¡¯s not like I don¡¯t understand the Warrior-Captain-dono¡¯s concern... then, let us consider Ainz Ooal Gown to be a force capable of equalling five thousand men.¡±

    ¡°F-five thousand?!¡±

    Count Ritton¡¯s eyes went wide.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a little much, valuing one man as equal to five thousand? Equating him to half would still be too much.¡±

    ¡°I, for one, consider the Warrior-Captain-dono to be a match for a thousand men, and given that our Warrior-Captain-dono is so wary of this individual, we shall count him as being able to battle five times that amount. I have faith in the Warrior-Captain-dono¡¯s appraisal of him.¡±

    ¡°You honor me.¡±

    Although he still doubted that Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯sbat power was only equal to five thousand men, that much was already difficult enough to believe. It would be better to thank him and try to improve the other man¡¯s mood. With that in mind, Gazef lowered his head.

    At this juncture, the hitherto silent First Prince Barbro opened his mouth.

    ¡°If I might be allowed a bit of your time... I¡¯ve been thinking. Why don¡¯t we draft those adventurers into the army? After all, they work in the Kingdom, so aren¡¯t they subject to the Kingdom¡¯s conscription? Why can¡¯t we force them to join the military? I don¡¯t recall anyw in the Kingdom forbidding that.¡±

    The Great Nobles nced at each other. Asndlords, they clearly understood the value and power of adventurers. Because of that, they did not think as Barbro did.

    On his part, Gazef felt that the reason why Barbro had such thoughts was because of the King. If the King had granted him a fief to manage, he would not have thought like that.

    Marquis Raeven coughed.

    ¡°My prince. I trust you understand that aside from the copper ranks, every adventurer is stronger than the average soldier?¡±

    ¡°Umu. Of course. That¡¯s why they¡¯ll produce excellent results once they¡¯re drafted. They¡¯ll be able to defeat the Imperial knights with ease!¡±

    ¡°I do not dispute that point. However, if we did that, then our enemies ¨D the Empire, for instance ¨D would also conscript adventurers. The result of that would not be a battle between adventurers, but a systematic ughter of the rank and file by adventurers. The losses would be far greater, and many of the weak would die. This is why both sides don¡¯t use adventurers, to avoid such an arms race. In addition, the rules of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild would never allow it.¡±

    Workers were also not used for simr reasons. In addition, they were usually more expensive than adventurers, and less reliable.

    ¡°I see... I understand the idea, even if I don¡¯t ept it. Then what if a city they stayed in was attacked? If they still didn¡¯t lend their strength then, wouldn¡¯t that be unforgivable as citizens of the Empire?¡±

    ¡°I understand the point you¡¯re trying to make. However, they feel that they have discretion over whether or not they count as citizens of the Kingdom. In addition, they might also be travelling abroad at the time. In any case, the better they are, the more the nation is diminished when they perish in battle. It may lead to a situation where a monster appears, but there¡¯s no adventurer around capable of stopping it. As such, we need to handle adventurers carefully.¡±

    ¡°...Marquis Raeven, didn¡¯t mention earlier that you had conscripted some retired adventurers into your forces? Something about... formerly orichalcum-tanked? Why is that allowed?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. They¡¯re no longer bound by the rules of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild once they retire and are no longer members. That¡¯s why I hired them.¡±

    ¡°...How shall I say this, I hear it, but I still can¡¯t bring myself to ept it.¡±

    Softughter and sounds of approval came from the noble contingent.

    ¡°Still, that only applies up to adventurers ranked up to orichalcum. Adamantite-ranked adventurers are a different matter entirely. Of the two adamantite-ranked adventurer parties in the Kingdom...¡±

    There was nobody here who did not know of the daring exploits of Blue Rose during the demonic disturbance.

    ¡°Before they took center stage, there was another group of adamantite-ranked adventurers. Although they¡¯ve all retired, they haven¡¯t been hired since then...Right, Warrior-Captain-dono?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct. There are four of them. One opened an exclusive sword school for pupils he chose himself. Two more went on a journey. Thest one was the granny who once belonged to Blue Rose before vanishing.¡±

    Gazef counted the familiar faces on his fingers as he recalled them.

    While he was strolling through the capital, he had been dragged into a training hall by his future teacher, and he had been subjected to hellish days of sword training and lectures.

    Because of that encounter, the Gazef who should have only been a mercenary had ended up serving the King, but even if that was the case¨D

    No,e to think of it, those were good memories too.

    ¡°I see. I¡¯ve also heard that the adventurer team called Darkness are within this city. If only we could count on the ¡®Beautiful Princess¡¯ Nabe to fight Ainz Ooal Gown... although that seems difficult.¡±

    While that was fundamentally a good idea, the Adventurer¡¯s Guild would never allow it.

    Several nobles began loudly cursing the Guild.

    For instance, ¡°they¡¯re nothing more than peasants!¡±

    For instance, ¡°who do they think pays them?!¡±

    For instance, ¡°if they¡¯re citizens of the Kingdom, they should be working for the Kingdom!¡±

    It was only natural that those in power would be displeased by the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, which refused to submit to that power. However, it was also a fact that they were the only ones who could deal with monsters.

    If the Adventurer¡¯s Guild left the Kingdom, they would have no way of beating back powerful monsters. As a result, the Kingdom would be slowly destroyed, and not even Gazef¡¯s presence would change that.

    Monsters had many special abilities, and defeating them would require an equally diverse repertoire of attacks, defenses and healing methods. Because of this, adventurers were indispensable. It would be a different matter if they could incorporate magic casters and rangers into their forces, like the Empire had..

    ¡°Ah, as expected of your Highness! I feel that this is a marvellous idea!¡±

    The one who spoke was a baron.

    He was too lowly-ranked to be taking part in this meeting, which meant he was someone¡¯s vassal.

    ¡°As a magic caster, she might have some insights into this situation. It might be good just to listen to what she has to say. Maybe we should send an emissary over, just in case.¡±

    The idea met with a small amount of approval. Most of the ones who agreed were low-ranking nobles, and given the way they were praising Barbro, they were probably running dogs from the Noble faction.

    They did not seem to have noticed the faces which the more keen-eyed people were making

    ¡°Then go,¡± the king ordered in a tired voice. ¡°Momon-dono is an adamantite-ranked adventurer. You are not to offend him under any circumstances!¡±

    ¡°Understood! This Cheneko will carry out the royal decree to the letter!¡±

    ¡°Is that so. Well, then take care not to offend Momon-dono.¡±

    The king waved him off again after repeating his orders. The noble in question left the chamber, brimming with pride.

    He did not seem to have realised that he would be heartlessly cast aside if anything went wrong.

    ¡°Hah... we¡¯vee a long way from the original topic. Now, where were we... ah. So for Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯sbat power, I don¡¯t think anyone objects to him counting for five thousand men?¡±

    Marquis Raeven looked to Gazef.

    ¡°I have no objections.¡±

    Personally, Gazef felt that twice that figure would not be enough, but he understood that those who had not seen his power firsthand might not be able to ept that fact.

    ¡°I see. Then, as the Empire has already agreed on the choice of battlefield, I trust we can all begin moving our armies out toward the Katze ins?¡±

    Marquis Raeven¡¯s line of sight swept through the room, and one by one the nobles answered in the affirmative. When he reached Marquis Bowlorobe atst, the man¡¯s reply was loud and clear.

    ¡°There will be no problems, Marquis Raeven. My troops are ready to move out at any time. Then, your Majesty, might I make a suggestion? I wish to entrust something to the Prince...¡±

    There was only one prince present. Everyone¡¯s eyes turned to Barbro.

    ¡°It seems that Ainz Ooal Gown once appeared to save a settlement called Carne Vige. If it was purely out of altruism, that would be well and good. However, he might have had a strategic motive in mind. I feel it would be best if we mobilized some troops and tried to question the vigers on the details. I would like to entrust themand of that unit to the Prince.¡±

    ¡°¨DMarquis!¡±

    Barbro red at Marquis Bowlorobe.

    ¡°Be quiet,¡± the king said. ¡°That is not a bad idea. My son, Imand you ¨D go to Carne Vige and learn what you can from the vigers.¡±

    Gazef tried his best not to furrow his brows.

    If they went to Carne Vige now, they would not be likely to learn useful information about that magic caster. In addition, splitting their forces was hardly a wise move, even if it was aparatively small amount.

    ¡°...The King orders and I obey. However, I wish to express that this posting is not of my will.¡±

    Seeing that the king had no intention of withdrawing his orders, Barbro lowered his head without bothering to hide the unhappy expression on his face.

    ¡°I will lend you some of my elite troops to apany you to the vige. I will also send noblemen to apany the prince. The total strength of your unit will be around five thousand men.¡±

    ¡°I see. You¡¯re on guard against a nking force from the Empire. I expected nothing less of your insights, Marquis Bowlorobe.¡±

    Gazef could see the logic in Raeven¡¯s words. However, he still had his doubts that the Imperial Army would use such underhanded methods (nking troops) even after agreeing on the location of the battlefield. While this was a basicbat tactic, conducting a sneak attack like this after the agreement would only disgrace themselves among the surrounding nations. The Empire would be shooting itself in the foot.

    ¡°Although I don¡¯t feel I need so many soldiers, since the Marquis has graciously proposed the idea, I am left with little choice but to ept it.¡±

    ¡°Many thanks, your Highness. Then, I have one more question.¡±

    Marquis Bowlorobe paused for a moment. Rather than catching his breath, the dy was to draw attention to what he was going to say next.

    ¡°Who will be the overallmander for this battle? I trust nobody will object to myself?¡±

    The room¡¯s atmosphere changed.

    This was an indirect deration. It was phrased as a query, but it carried with it the unspoken weight and power of selecting the man who would wield authority over the entire army.

    If asked who was the bettermander between King Ranpossa III and Marquis Bowlorobe, many nobles would point to thetter. This was especially true given that the Marquis¡¯ forces made up one-fifth of the Royal army ¨D 50¡¯000 men.

    In addition, Marquis Bowlorobe alsomanded elite troops. He had been inspired by Gazef¡¯s warrior band, and had thus created a unit of professional warriors.

    They were very good fighters. Although they were still inferior to the warrior band under Gazef, they were still a match for the Empire¡¯s knights ¨D perhaps more than a match. Of particr note were their numbers, which were numbered around 5,000. If they shed with Gazef¡¯s warrior band, Bowlorobe¡¯s more numerous elites would triumph by a great margin.

    If the king was not personally present,mand authority would undoubtedly fall to Marquis Bowlorobe. But since the king was here, it would only be natural to have King Ranpossa III as the suprememander, though the nobles of the Noble Faction would probably not ept that.

    Gazef¡¯s face turned stern as Marquis Bowlorobe ced pressure on the King with his question, but Marquis Bowlorobe remained unmoved even as he saw Gazef¡¯s expression. To Bowlorobe, Gazef was merely amoner who was good with a sword, and allowing one not of noble blood to remain in this room was nearly intolerable.

    ¡°...Marquis Raeven.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you. Conduct the army safely to the Katze ins. From there, you will also be in charge of the encampment and entrenchment.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Raeven nodded in eptance of the royal decree. Although the spot Bowlorobe wanted had been snatched away from him, he could notin if it was Raeven. He knew the man was talented, and as a result, criticizing him would be very difficult. More importantly, Raeven had broad connections, and many of Bowlorobe¡¯s men owed him favors. If he tried to criticize Raeven too harshly, it would only make them doubt him instead. As such, Bowlorobe had no choice but to grin and bear it.

    ¡°Marquis Raeven, my troops will be in your hands. Please let me know if you need anything.¡±

    ¡°Many thanks, Marquis Bowlorobe. I will be counting on you when the timees.¡±

    Gazef was as happy over the King¡¯s brilliant decision as though it were his own.

    ¡°Is there anything else?¡±

    The King waited for a while, but nobody replied.

    ¡°...Then let us begin the preparations to move out. We shall leave tomorrow. It will take us two days to reach the battlefield, so do not growx in your preparations. Then, you are dismissed. Marquis Raeven, carry on.¡±

    ¡°I understand, your Majesty.¡±

    The nobles steadily filed out of the room to begin their marching preparations, leaving only the King and Gazef.

    Ranpossa III slowly turned his head. A cracking sound reached Gazef¡¯s ear. He must have been very stiff. After stretching, an expression of relief bloomed on the King¡¯s face.

    ¡°Thank you for your hard work, your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Ahhh, it was hard work indeed. I¡¯m tired.¡±

    Gazef smiled wryly to his king. ¡°Tiring¡± was an understatement of managing the Royal and the Noble factions. However, there were still people who were more fatigued than Ranpossa III.

    ¡°It¡¯s about time¨D¡±

    Just as Ranpossa III was about to continue, several knocks came from the door. Then the door slowly opened, and the waiting guest entered.

    He was a in-looking, plump bulldog of a man who seemed otherwise unremarkable. His scalp reflected the light, his hair was sparse to the point of nonexistence, and what little remained was snowy white.

    His body was round, his belly was fat, and his chin and jowls were bby.

    Yet, despite his in appearance, the light of intelligence sparkled within his eyes. Ranpossa III smiled amiably to him.

    ¡°I¡¯m d you came, Panasolei.¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± said the Mayor of E-Rantel as he bowed to his liege lord. Then, he shifted his gaze.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Stronoff-dono.¡±

    Panasolei was a noble, yet he was exceedingly courteous to Gazef, amoner. It was precisely because he was a man like that which resulted in him being posted to this ce.

    ¡°Greetings, Mayor. You took care of me back then.. My thanks for arranging to heal my subordinates. I was in a hurry to report to the capital, so I rushed off without properly thanking you. Please ept my apologies.¡±

    ¡°Ah, no, no, think nothing of it. I understand how important it was for you to report the ambush, Warrior-Captain. How could I be so inflexible as to hold a grudge against you for that?¡±

    Seeing that both parties were bowing to each other, the Kingughed in joy.

    ¡°Panasolei, aren¡¯t you going to do that wheezing thing with your nose?¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty... There is no need to do so around people who do not patronize me. Or perhaps his Majesty and Stronoff-dono feel I am a jester who trades on that particr act?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, sorry, it was a joke. Please forgive me, Panasolei.¡±

    ¡°Ah, no, your humble servant overstepped his bounds. It is I who must beg your forgiveness, your Majesty. Then... shall we begin?¡±

    ¡°No...¡± The King hesitated, and then replied, ¡°No, there¡¯s still one more person who¡¯s yet to arrive. Let¡¯s wait for him.¡±

    ¡°Very well. Then, may we first discuss the issue of food costs within the city? After that, I shall report the projections on the Kingdom¡¯s national strength for the next year, based on the data collected by the Marquis.¡±

    ¡°Umu. The sooner we get these headaches out of the way, the better.¡±

    As Panasolei began to speak, even Gazef, who was unused to managing domestic affairs of state, ended up frowning.

    His report concerned the rming state of the country¡¯s present and future expenses. The collection of food throughout the Kingdom was making food shortages even worse. Of particr note was the fact that the country would continue declining even after the citizens here returned from their conscription.

    Panasolei¡¯s predictions were on the optimistic side, and they still painted a dire picture of things.

    As for the King, his face was a nk mask.

    ¡°How did it get like this...¡±

    ¡°If... if the Empire continues its yearly attacks, the chances of the Kingdom copsing from within will be quite high. Keeping taxes as they are will cause a lot of people to starve to death, and if we reduce taxes, we won¡¯t have enough to fund our policies.¡±

    Ranpossa III ced his hands on his forehead, covering his face.

    This was the result of responding to years of saber-rattling with the Empire. By the time they realized the Empire¡¯s aim of paring away at the Kingdom¡¯s strength, it was far toote.

    ¡°Your Majesty...¡±

    ¡°How... disturbing. If we¡¯d known earlier... if only we¡¯d dealt with this before the nobles had fully split into their factions... how foolish.¡±

    ¡°Certainly not, your Majesty. I feel trying to address it would only have caused the Kingdom to split into two and triggered civil war, and the Empire would have taken advantage of our weakness to invade and conquer us.¡±

    Gazef was certain of this ¨D the King, Ranpossa III, had done a good job.

    The conditions that had led to this situation were the result of the previous kings¡¯ inaction. It was impossible for one generation to erase the umted sins of all its ancestors.

    ¡°I just want to leave a decent Kingdom to the next ¨D to my children.¡±

    Although the King spoke slowly, every word wasced with powerful purpose.

    ¡°Then... is this not the chance to do so? I have many supporters now due to the disturbance. Should we not strike a telling blow to the Empire, no matter the cost, so we can win a few years of peace for the Kingdom?¡±

    Gazef could see a light in the King¡¯s eyes. That light made him worry. He knew he should have opposed this, but he could not make a sound.

    If the King had spoken to advance his own desires and ambitions, perhaps he might have been able to bring himself to chide him. But as he realised the King was speaking of ensuring the safety of his people and country, the words caught in his throat.

    As a first-hand witness to the King agonizing over his country, the Warrior-Captain could not speak out against him.

    ¡°While that is certainly possible, I trust you¡¯re also aware that this is a very dangerous move. If you act to reduce the power of the nobility, the country may fall into chaos.¡±

    The King knotted his brows, and Gazef¡¯s heart ached.

    ¡°You¡¯ve hit the nail on the head as usual, Panasolei. Although one might die during surgery, there¡¯s also a chance that one might live longer. If we leave things be, the disease will spread through the body and slowly kill us. In that case, shouldn¡¯t we step forward and seize the day?¡±

    ¡°My King, surgical operations are not reliable. It would be better to find another solution instead.¡±

    ¡°If there were some magical solution to the Kingdom¡¯s woes, I would like to entrust my hopes to it. Unfortunately, there is none. The barbaric method of cutting open the body to remove the diseased portion is the only cure for our present predicament.¡±

    This frightening and crude procedure (surgery), advocated by the Minotaur Sage, was the only remedy for the Kingdom.

    A gloomy silence dominated the room, which had seen a king forced to extreme measures to save his country.

    Then, just as it seemed this oppressive atmosphere wouldst forever, a knock rang out from the door, as though to shatter the despondence in the air.

    The man who entered without waiting for a response was Marquis Raeven.

    ¡°Gentlemen. I apologise for the dy.¡±

    Relief spread through the room.

    ¡°Ah, just the man we were looking for. Marquis Raeven, I put a great burden on you.¡±

    Raeven looked confused for a moment as he tried to figure out what exactly the King spoke of, but he immediately reacted by recing it with a tired expression.

    ¡°No, don¡¯t take it to heart, your Majesty. In truth, entrustingmand to Marquis Bowlorobe would have been foolish in the extreme. After all, he only knows how to order charges and retreats.¡±

    It was unclear whether Raeven sincerely meant his harsh criticism. Perhaps he might have said so on purpose to lighten the gloominess he had sensed when he entered the room.

    ¡°In addition, if your Majesty was to assume direct control of the army, a misstep might result in the Noble faction retreating on the eve of battle. As such, there is nomander better suited to the role than myself. That being said, I¡¯d like a break from all this work without rest. I wish to announce in advance that after this war is concluded, I would like to rest on my ownnds for several months.¡±

    With that, Raeven¡¯s expression suddenly turned severe.

    ¡°I apologize for my curtness, but we can¡¯t waste time here, so let¡¯s get this over with quickly.¡±

    Although his face remained as cold as that of a snake¡¯s, Gazef could sense human emotions within him, as well as qualities that he could bring himself to admire.

    I was a fool to not have seen his true nature beforehand. Am I really so bad at reading people?

    With regret in his heart, Gazef recalled the meeting in the King¡¯s chambers before they left the Capital. There had been five people present; King Ranpossa III, Gazef himself, Third Princess Renner, Second Prince Zanack and Marquis Raeven. The things which thest two had said filled Gazef with surprise and shattered his set-in-stone preconceptions about the court. In particr, there was that man whom Gazef despised, the man who reminded him of a snake and a scorpion... In particr, learning that the man Gazef despised as vermin was actually the man who worked hardest for the King shocked him beyond the capacity of words to describe.

    ¡°I seem to be constantly causing trouble for you, and my daughter, Marquis Raeven.¡±

    Ranpossa III lowered his head to the seated Raeven, a sincere expression on his face.

    ¡°Your Majesty, please don¡¯t do that. I¡¯ve already acted on my own without consulting yourself; I only regret that I did not take action earlier.¡±

    ¡°Marquis Raeven, allow me to apologize to you as well,¡± Gazef said as he bowed deeply. ¡°I was deceived by surface impressions and harbored disrespectful thoughts about you without understanding your true intentions. Please forgive this foolish one.¡±

    ¡°Warrior-Captain-dono, there is no need to worry about that.¡±

    ¡°Even so, if I am not punished for my foolishness, it will stick like a thorn within my heart.¡±

    Raeven¡¯s face seemed to say ¡°really?¡± and then he shook his head several. After that, he dictated Gazef¡¯s punishment

    ¡°I understand... then, from now on, I shall not address you as Warrior-Captain-dono, but as Gazef-dono. Consider that a token of my respect towards you.¡±

    It was a punishment that did not even count as a punishment.

    A thought ¨D that he had eyes, but could not see ¨D started growing in his heart, and Gazef replied with sincere gratitude.

    ¡°Many thanks, Marquis Raeven.¡±

    ¡°Think nothing of it, Gazef-dono. Then, let us begin discussing the direction in which the Kingdom will go from this day forth.¡±

    <b>Part 3</b>

    Gazef passed through the main gate and reached thepany stables on the outer ring of the city. He exhaled deeply, to relieve the fatigue clouding his mind.

    He was exhausted.

    The meeting he¡¯d just attended made him acutely aware that he was a meremoner.

    As he stood by the King¡¯s side and moved through noble society, he had graduallye to understand the way they thought.

    Even so, he frequently encountered responses and attitudes that only those born and bred to the nobility would understand. Gazef could not understand why they would think that way, especially the concept of valuing the pride of the nobility over concrete benefits.

    No, even more inscrutable than that was the idea of prioritizing one¡¯s pride over one¡¯s citizens.

    Gazef slowly scanned his surroundings.

    The soldiers, shouting as they ran back and forth ¨D they were the people. They were the people of the Kingdom, who came from viges all over the country to fight this war. They did not look too reliable as soldiers. Their hands were meant to hold hoes and shovels.

    Protecting them should have been the duty of the ones who ruled over them.

    If they handed E-Rantel over, they would be hurting the people who lived within the city, just like the King said.

    However¨D

    Gazef recalled the image of Ainz Ooal Gown, wearing his strange mask.

    He had returned to Carne Vige just after dusk, with no sign of having fought a hard battle.

    That was right. The two of them had easily defeated the enemies which had utterly decimated Gazef and his troops.

    Truly, he was a Sorcerer King ¨D those words suited his peerless form that night.

    FIghting him directly was foolish. Rather ¨D but that would make the people suffer.

    ¡°Dammit!¡±

    Gazef cursed, unable to think of a solution. What should he do? Confusion on the battlefield was a sign of impending death. Even the man hailed as the strongest in the region could still die if he could not focus.

    This was especially true if his opponent was Ainz Ooal Gown.

    It was true that he had not witnessed the battle which had saved Carne Vige. And he himself did not say he had won, just that he¡¯d chased them off.

    But anyone could tell that was a tant lie.

    ¡°Speaking of which... why did he have to lie that they¡¯d run off?¡±

    After Ainz and Albedo had left, he went to the ins where they had fought, but he found no signs of a ughter. He had not found a single corpse, but burying dozens of bodies would have been very time-consuming. Without bodies ¨Dwithout physical evidence¨D the statement of ¡°they ran away¡± gained credence.

    However, that was assuming Ainz Ooal Gown had not used magic. Who knew, there might be spells which could send bodies away or destroy them.

    In addition, Gazef had a hunch.

    Although it stemmed purely from his warrior¡¯s instinct, but when he saw the uninjured Ainz return to the vige, he could smell the faint scent of death rising up from him.

    It was not so much that they had fled, but he had ¡°let them flee¡±.

    Because of that, Gazef trusted his instincts over what Ainz had said. There was no basis or evidence for this at all. The bodies of the Sunlight Scripture were nowhere to be found, but they were most certainly dead.

    ¡°...I don¡¯t get it...¡±

    He was a magic caster who could annihte the foes which had defeated Gazef, and he could do so without a scratch..

    How powerful was he? Certainly, he was several levels above Gazef and his warrior band.

    What would happen if a being like that appeared on the battlefield and used his magic?

    Gazef once more looked at the people, filled with excitement, fear, despair and frustration.

    When two magic casters using magic of the same tier, the stronger magic caster would naturally be able to bring forth a more powerful spell.

    Then, what horrors would result if Ainz Ooal Gown was to cast a [Fireball]?

    The fathers who had to feed their infant children, the sons who had to support their ailing parents, the youths about to be married, all of these people had left their families behind toe here. How likely was it that they could endure an attack like that?

    It would be impossible, right?

    They would expire in one hit with just a single spell from that great magic caster

    If it was a fire spell, they would be charred corpses. If it was an ice spell, they would be frozen corpses. If it was a lightning spell, they would be electrocuted corpses. That much was certain.

    Then, what about Gazef? Could he take it?

    He was fairly certain he could take one hit without dying.

    However, that sort of thinking might be too na?ve.

    ¡°Ahhhh... why did it all turn out like this?¡±

    Fighting against Ainz Ooal Gown was most definitely a mistake.

    Gazef felt that Ainz Ooal Gown was not a heartless man, given the way he had saved Carne Vige. Yet, at the same time, he sensed that he was no ordinary good Samaritan. The image he had of Ainz was that of a man who showed no mercy to those that opposed him.

    They should have avoided conflict with him and treated him with politeness. After that, he might have been amenable to selecting a different location.

    As Gazef looked out on the people surrounding him, a weighty feeling in his heart, he caught sight of a white-armored youth from the corner of his vision. Along with him was a swordsman who seemed to float lightly on his feet. It was Climb and Brain.

    There was a third person behind them, and they were eagerly discussing something.

    ¡°Who¡¯s that? I feel like I¡¯ve seen him before... ah! He¡¯s one of the formerly orichalcum-ranked adventurers under Marquis Raeven.¡±

    Gazef was familiar with the former adventurer team were the ones whom themon folk pinned their hopes on, given that they were all ofmon birth themselves. In some ways, they were his seniors, the ones who hade before him.

    The pdin of the Fire God, whose job ss excelled in battling evil-aligned monsters, the Evil yer, Boris Axelson, aged 41.

    The priest of the Wind God, a warrior priest that could hold his own inbat with any fighter, Yon Dixgort, aged 46.

    The warrior who incorporated dancing swords into his four-sword style, Francen, aged 39.

    The wizard praised as a schr, who had created several spells bearing his name, Lundquist, aged 45.

    And finally, the thief known as ¡°The Unseen¡±, Lockmeyer, aged 40.

    Gazef recalled them as he counted them off on his fingers. The one chatting idly with Climb was the thief, Lockmeyer. Speaking of which, he¡¯d apparently worked with Climb and Brain during the demonic disturbance, helping them infiltrate enemy territory to rescue people.

    They did not seem to have noticed Gazef, but it felt wrong to just barge in like that.

    That being said, it would still be rude to not greet them at the very least. Besides, they would all be heading to the battlefield soon. Although the chances of them enteringbat were low, given that they would be protecting the King, one never knew what might happen.

    ¨DIt might be thest time they ever saw each other again.

    If possible, he wanted to have a private chat with the two of them. As though the world was granting his wish, Lockmeyer waved to the two of them and departed.

    Climb and Brain remained, smiling over something.

    The bonds between the two of them had grown strong during the demonic disturbance in the capital. Be it as friends or disciples orpanions, they had built aplex and mutually beneficial rtionship.

    And it was because of that rtionship that Brain was now arade of Climb, a fellow soldier under Princess Renner.

    Gazef could not help regretting the fact that he had allowed a warrior who could have rivalled him to be snatched away.

    However, he managed to calm down as he watched the two of them. THis was how it should have been.

    Gazef smiled as he approached the pair.

    Still, that¡¯s a really shy suit of armor. It¡¯s still all right in the capital, but on the battlefield he¡¯ll be easy to notice. Should I warn Climb about that?

    There were many soldiers on the battlefield, but Climb stood out among them because almost none of them wore full te armor. On top of that, his armor was painted an eye-catching white. Bowmen would aim at him, and cavalry would use him as a target. Although Climb¡¯s chances were pretty good against the average Imperial knight, there were still warriors who were stronger than him. The Four Knights of the Empire were one such example.

    If I¡¯m not wrong, Renner-sama gave him that armor... she must not be very familiar with the battlefield if she ordered it painted in that color.

    She might be good with tactics, but it would appear she was out of touch with the realities of the battlefield.

    If Climb dies, the Princess will be sad...

    With magical dyes, they could temporarily change the color of the armor, and return it to normal once they returned to the capital.

    He approached the two of them from behind as he thought about this. Brain turned his face, and his hand reached for the hilt of his katana.

    As expected of Brain. He could sense me from a distance like this.

    Metal armor made noise when its wearer walked.

    It would not be strange for people to notice and react to the sound if it drew close to them.

    However, there were many people here, all busy preparing for battle. It would be hard to notice the sound of him moving forward amidst the mor here. Of course, it was a different matter for a thief, especially one with specialized training.

    Brain widened his eyes. Then, he nced at Climb and grinned, as if he had pranked him.

    Although Brain seemed to have gotten the wrong idea, this was fine as well.

    He grinned in a simr way and took care not to make noise as he carefully advanced on the still-unaware Climb. Although he had not been trained in moving silently and was wearing metal armor, Climb still had not noticed him, and seemed to be discussing something with Brain.

    His challenge was to reach the spot directly behind Climb¡¯s back, which he seeded in doing.

    Gazef brought his hand down in a karate chop, directly onto Climb¡¯s unguarded head.

    ¡°Uwah!¡±

    Climb stumbled back while squeaking in a thoroughly unmanly way. As his eyes recognized Gazef, they goggled open.

    ¡°This! Isn¡¯t this Strono¨D¡±

    ¡°¨DQuiet.¡±

    After Climb swallowed his half-formed words, Gazef continued.

    ¡°Quiet. Revealing my identity here will be very troublesome. Just call me Gazef.¡±

    Although he was the Warrior-Captain, the strongest man in the Kingdom, many vigers from the rural areas of the Kingdom did not know what he looked like. In their minds, the Warrior-Captain was probably two meters tall, bearing a gigantic sword, and armored in a suit of shining gold.

    Gazef did not want to dash their expectations, and besides, drawing attention would be annoying.

    ¡°I-I apologize for myck of¨D¡±

    ¡°No, you did nothing wrong,¡± Gazef said as he interrupted Climb¡¯s apology with a wry grin. Then, the grin took on a new meaning.

    ¡°Although, I have to say that you need to be more alert. After all, you did miss someone in full te armor sneaking up on you. Still, there shouldn¡¯t be any enemies here.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying, Gazef? Being rxed isn¡¯t necessarily bad. Being wound too tight is.¡±

    ¡°Then, Brain, how did you discover me from so far away?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? There was a strange presence in the air.¡±

    Gazef noticed that Climb was looking at Brain and himself with eyes full of surprise.

    ¡°Climb, as Princess Renner¡¯s personal guard, you need to be able to sense presences like that. If you miss a hidden assassin, your charge will be hurt.¡±

    ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s what it is. I was wondering what you were up to. Now I see. Climb-kun, if I¡¯m not wrong, you¡¯re using a self-invented style, right? Does that include training your senses?¡±

    ¡°Ah, no, it doesn¡¯t. I focused onbat techniques. My apologies.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not finding fault with you. I just wanted to make sure. To be honest, I used to be like that in the past as well. It¡¯s easy to forget about practicing sensory skills like that when you train by yourself. That¡¯s a dangerous habit. After all, a lot of the time you won¡¯t have a straight fight against an attacker that you know about.¡±

    Gazef¡¯s face was a little red. The look on his face as he nced at Brain seemed to say, ¡°You didn¡¯t have to tell him that here.¡±

    In the first ce, training this hard-working young warrior was also a duty of the Warrior-Captain. He felt ashamed that he could not aplish that.

    Because Climb had been born amoner like him, it was important not to let the nobles see them falter while in service to the royal family. For example, if Gazef crushed Climb in a spar, the nobles would whisper that Climb was not worthy of protecting the Princess. Meanwhile, if Gazef stumbled against Climb, they would turn their malicious gossip on him.

    There was no need to praise a man like him for doing a little good deed ¨D not when that man had proudly dered that he would serve the King and thus abandoned a young warrior.

    No, I shouldn¡¯t feel ashamed. If I have the time to do that, I should¨D

    ¡°¨DAh, never mind, I¡¯ll leave it at that. Since you¡¯ve been so kind as to point out Climb¡¯s weaknesses in front of me, I¡¯ll do my best to train them out of him.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Gazef-sama.¡±

    ¡°...No, there¡¯s no need to bow to me. You serve the royal family like I do ¨D that makes you my subordinate. Even so, I have not guided you, and have instead passed that job to someone else. You need not thank someone like that.¡±

    The more Climb thanked him, the guiltier he felt.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a pain in the ass, being someone with a foot in noble society. People hold you back over pointless things, and you can¡¯t even do the things you want.¡±

    ¡°Since you¡¯re Climb¡¯srade, protecting Princess Renner alongside him, doesn¡¯t that make you one of those people as well?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m as free as a bird. Being that princess-dono¡¯s flunky or whatever... no. I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have said that. Being the Princess¡¯ subordinate is only a temporary thing. Once I¡¯m tired of it or had my fill, I¡¯ll move on.¡±

    Brain smiled, his expression as cool and clear as the autumn sky. The drenched man Gazef had met in the capital was nowhere to be seen.

    He was envious of how Brain could live in such a free-spirited way.

    ¡°Come to think of it, is it alright for you to chat idly with us, Gazef-sama?¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m actually kind of busy right now, but I just wanted to take a break... Say, do you two have spare time?¡±

    Brain and Climb looked at each other in response to Gazef¡¯s question.

    ¡°Spare time... huh.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I guess. Don¡¯t have much that needs doing, just prepping my gear.¡±

    ¡°Then, I hope you... right,¡± Gazef said as he looked to one of the watchtowers on the city walls. ¡°Want to head over there?¡±

    Nobody refused, and Gazef led the way.

    As the Warrior-Captain, no soldier stopped him. In this way, they made it to the ce Gazef had in mind, the ce with the best view in the city.

    E-Rantel¡¯s outermost walls were the highest point in the city Which was to say, they had the best scenery and one could see furthest from there.

    And because the air warmed by the heat from the many people below them did not reach this ce, the cool, fresh winter wind refreshed their bodies.

    ¡°What a great view!¡± thed eximed in heartfelt delight as he looked toward the southeast.

    ¡°Those are the Katze ins, right?¡±

    ¡°Correct. It¡¯s a ce filled with undead, shrouded by mist all year round. It¡¯ll be a battlefield in a few days.¡±

    After answering, Gazef took a deep breath and then forcefully exhaled. The fresh air filled his body, and he hoped it would drive out the uneasy feelings he had about Ainz Ooal Gown.

    ¡°This is a magnificent view. It was worth bing the princess¡¯ subordinate for this. Is this what magicians who can use the [Fly] spell see all the time? No wonder they have so many weirdoes among them.¡±

    ¡°I guess seeing the world like this really changes your perspective, huh.¡±

    ¡°As if. Why don¡¯t you bring a few nobles up here and see it if works? If they don¡¯t change their tune, we¡¯ll chuck them off the side of the wall. Two birds with one stone.¡±

    Gazef smiled wryly at Brain¡¯s joke. If people could be changed that way, he would drag them over in chains if need be.

    Climb looked like he did not know how to respond, which made Gazef feel better.

    ¡°Haha. Coming here with you guys was the right thing to do. I feel relieved now.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s good to hear. Then... why did you call us out here? Are you sure nobody¡¯s watching us? Don¡¯t tell me you gathered three strapping men together just to look at the scenery? Or is there someone you want dead?¡±

    Brain¡¯s sudden surge of aggression perturbed Gazef.

    ¡°Well, I guess I won¡¯t be able to protect the Princess and it¡¯ll be a shame to not be able to train Climb-kun any more... but Gazef, I owe you. I¡¯ll do any dirty deed you want with a smile on my face.¡±

    Brain was not kidding. The look in his eyes was serious.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing like that, Brain. I don¡¯t want you to do that sort of thing.¡±

    ¡°...You do know I didn¡¯t exactly lead a clean and spotless life, right?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, Brain. Your sword was quenched in blood. However, so was mine.¡±

    ¡°In your case, it was the blood of the Kingdom¡¯s enemies, right? Mine¡¯s the result of my own desires, and the blood I¡¯ve shed is nothing like yours.¡±

    ¡°...Are you trying to atone for your sins?¡±

    ¡°No, nothing like that. I¡¯ve done all sorts of things to beat you. I dedicated my life to it. But even after finding out that the goal I¡¯ve been working toward is nothing special, I don¡¯t feel any guilt for what I¡¯ve done. But you did me a good turn, and I want to return the favor. That¡¯s all there is ¨D don¡¯t think too much about it.¡±

    ¡°Then, my request is that you not think of doing such things. Besides, what did you mean by ¡®kind to you¡¯? Was it when we met again in the Capital?¡±

    Brain¡¯s answer was a bitter smile.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, I just felt like you helped me out.¡±

    ¡°The more you tell me not to worry about it, the more I end up worrying about it...¡±

    In the face of this unyielding refusal, Gazef decided to change the topic.

    ¡°Ah, speaking of which, you do know I had no particr reason for bringing you here, right?¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    Climb spoke, but Brain merely raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°...I was just thinking that it would be good for the three of us to have a chat while we had some free time, and that this was the only ce where I could take my time to talk without worrying about what others would think of me. If we were in the capital, I know a ce where we could have a quiet drink too.¡±

    ¡°What, so we¡¯re really just talking? I thought you had some secret orders for me...¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that. How shall I put it...¡±

    We could die at any time on the battlefield, and this could be thest time we see each other. Yet, how could he say such inauspicious things?

    ¡°Never mind. Oh, that¡¯s right, Climb, that armor is a bit distinctive. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to paint it a different color? As it is, you might be a priority target on the battlefield.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Stronoff-sama, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t do that.¡±

    Climb refused without hesitation.

    ¡°When I wear this distinctive armor and achieve excellence on the battlefield, I will bring credit to Princess Renner. In addition, many of the nobles know I wear white armor. If I change its color because I fear danger, they will mock me and it will inconvenience Renner-sama as well. Rather than that, I would prefer to meet my fate bravely on the battlefield, and win approval for her.¡±

    As he looked into Climb¡¯s eyes, Gazef swallowed the words he wanted to say.

    ¡°Princess Renner doesn¡¯t want you to die.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t confuse bravery and foolhardiness.¡±

    ¡°Endure a little hardship now for a better future.¡±

    However, nothing he hade up with was persuasive enough to sway Climb from his course.

    It was as Climb said. His armor was like Princess Renner¡¯s g. His heroic actions would improve her standing, and the reverse was true as well.

    Climb had been saved by Princess Renner, and in his heart was the notion that ¡°my life belongs to the Princess¡±. Gazef had no way to shake that kind of conviction.

    It was the same sort of thing as his loyalty to the King, and therefore¨D

    ¡°I would dly throw my life away for Princess Renner.¡±

    Gazef had no idea how to respond to the youth who had already made up his mind.

    ¡°Oi, oi, oi. Why are you talking like you¡¯re going to die at any time? Don¡¯t worry, Gazef, I¡¯ll keep an eye on Climb-kun. I won¡¯t let him do anything stupid. No matter what kind of trouble he gets into, I¡¯ll pull him out of it.¡±

    ¡°If it were only the Four Knights of the Empire, there¡¯s no question you¡¯d win, Brain. However... against that man, Ainz Ooal Gown... I fear even you would lose your life.¡±

    ¡°...Is Ainz Ooal Gown really that powerful? Ah, I remember you mentioned him before at your ce.¡±

    After the demonic disturbance, Gazef and Brain had drunk and discussed how their lives had gone ever since the grand tournament. That was how Ainz¡¯ name hade up.

    ¡°I can confidently say no Imperial knight can beat you. The Four Knights, strong as they are, will be no match for you. Even if the Empire¡¯s mightiest magic caster, Fluder Paradyne, took the field, you could probably escape if luck was with you. But against Ainz Ooal Gown... Brain, I¡¯m sorry, but your life will end there.¡±

    ¡°That strong, huh. How powerful is he, really?¡±

    ¡°...All I can say, Brain, is that he¡¯s beyond your imagination. You can take whatever you imagine after that and multiply that by a few times.¡±

    ¡°Well, if he¡¯s that strong... I wonder if he could stand against Sebas-sama?¡±

    ¡°Sebas? Is that the old man Climb was speaking of? Although that old gent does seem to be astonishingly powerful, I still feel Gown-dono would be stronger than him.¡±

    ¡°I find that hard to believe, personally. I honestly can¡¯t imagine anyone could be stronger than Sebas-sama... but more importantly, why do you address an enemy with such respect?¡±

    ¡°He is a worthy enemy. Although, saying that would be troublesome for the King, given the person of whom I speak.¡±

    Brain shrugged.

    ¡°You¡¯ve done a great deal for us, Warrior-Captain-sama. Climb-kun, you¡¯ve done your fair share for the Kingdom. As for me, I¡¯m okay with anything. That air-headed Princess-sama is really too kind for her own good.¡±

    Words like those suited Brain well. However, his disrespectful attitude toward the royal family could not be dismissed just like that.

    Although the Gazef Stronoff who was a loyal vassal of the King might have knotted his brows in annoyance, the Gazef Stronoff who was a warrior would only grin at the man¡¯s boldness.

    If someone else were watching, he would have had to scold Brain, but right now, only the three of them were here. That meant that he only needed to be his warrior-self now.

    ¡°Although it¡¯s true Renner-sama is too carefree... well, enough of that. I¡¯ll understand if Climb doesn¡¯t want to repaint his armor. Then, please take care of yourselves.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m extremely grateful for the concern everyone has shown me. However, Princess Renner told me before that I would need to work hard to match this suit of armor. So, although I am very sorry I cannot meet your wishes, I will not be changing my mind.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Then I guess that¡¯ll do.¡±

    The cool wind blew past the three of them. The sky was a brilliant blue, and there was no feeling that a war was about to break out. Against this backdrop, Gazef saw Climb, with a serious look on his face. As he thought about not letting too many people die, his heart was filled with joy and sadness.

    As though to wipe these feelings away, Gazef decided to change the topic.

    ¡°Speaking of which, what were you two talking about just now?¡±

    Brain and Climb looked at each other, and then Brain spoke for them.

    ¡°Well, we had some free time just now, unlike you. So I had Climb follow me around on an errand. There was one more person, Lockmeyer; I had him show us around and take us to the messiah of the capital, that adamantite-ranked adventurer. We heard he was based in this city, so we decided to visit him.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Momon-dono, am I correct?¡±

    ¡°Right, right, that¡¯s him. I saw him in passing in the capital. I heard them calling him the mightiest warrior ever¨D¡±

    Here Brain¡¯s attitude changed. He was more serious now.

    ¡°¨DSo I wanted to discuss some things with him.¡±

    ¡°Discuss?¡±

    Gazef repeated the word like a parrot learning to speak. Brain¡¯s expression was hard to read.

    ¡°About that vampire. Shalltear Bloodfallen.¡±

    Shalltear Bloodfallen.

    The almighty vampire, who had shattered the spirit of Brain Unus, Gazef¡¯s rival.

    She was a monster that humanity could not defeat, and she had appeared in the Capital.

    Brain thought she might have had something to do with Jaldabaoth, but¨D

    ¡°...Speaking of which, did you know that Momon-dono used a very rare magic item to defeat the vampire Honyopenyoko? Apparently, a part of the forest was destroyed by arge explosion, and when Momon-dono returned, his armor was covered with signs of a great battle.¡±

    Gazef had heard that much from the Mayor.

    ¡°Ah, yes, I¡¯ve heard of it too. That¡¯s why I wanted to speak with him. To begin with, in my opinion, Shalltear Bloodfallen is a being that not even an adamantite-ranked adventurer could beat. And not that I suspect him or anything, but I wanted to ask if he really finished it off. And I was also interested in the vampire Honyopenyoko as well.¡±

    ¡°You mean, there might be other vampires like that around?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Climb-kun. From what I¡¯ve learned, Momon is chasing two vampires. I wanted to confirm if they¡¯re Honyopenyoko and Shalltear.¡±

    ¡°And then what happened?¡±

    ¡°Well, about that...¡±

    Brain shrugged.

    ¡°Unfortunately, he wasn¡¯t around. He was out of the city because of a request. I have no idea when he¡¯sing back.¡±

    ¡°Well, that is a shame. I didn¡¯t have any luck either. I didn¡¯t have a chance to speak with Momon-dono. If I had some time, I¡¯d like to talk to him. If nothing else, I¡¯d like to thank him for saving the Capital.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Then... after this war¡¯s over, why don¡¯t we go together? If we¡¯re lucky, we¡¯ll be able to meet him. Climb-kun, want toe with us?¡±

    ¡°I would be d to go with you.¡±

    ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll have something to look forward to after this. He¡¯s an adamantite-ranked warrior. I¡¯ll be able to learn a lot, I¡¯ll bet.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. We¡¯ll definitely learn something useful. What kind of enemies he¡¯s fought with... I look forward to hearing about his exploits.¡±

    ¡°Well, this is a surprise. Gazef, you like this sort of thing?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. After all, I am a warrior; it¡¯s only natural that I¡¯d be interested... So you¡¯d bettere back safe, all right?¡±

    Gazef turned his eyes toward the Katze in.

    ¡°There¡¯s a tavern in the Capital with excellent food. Once this war is over, we¡¯ll go there to celebrate. It¡¯ll be my treat. Savings are meant for things like that.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s hope we¡¯re going there to celebrate victory.¡±

    Brain walked up to Gazef¡¯s side, and looked in the same direction as him.

    ¡°Then, er, erm... could Ie too?¡±

    ¡°Climb-kun, do you drink?¡±

    Although the Kingdom¡¯sws did not technically set a legal age for drinking, nobody would sell alcohol to a boy in his teens.

    ¡°No, ¡®ve never drunk before, so I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Then you should drink a little and see how it¡¯s like. There maye a time when you need to drink with others, like now.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. It might be good to get drunk and see if you can deal with it.¡±

    ¡°I understand. Then, I hope you will let me apany you.¡±

    ¡°Good! Then, the three of us must return safely. Don¡¯t throw your life away for nothing!¡±

    After Gazef finished, Brain and Climb nodded to him.

    <b>Part 4</b>

    A crimson expanse spread before the eyes. It was a barren wastnd, devoid of almost all greenery. Those who waxed poetic called thisnd of death a field of blood..

    It was the Katze ins ¨D a ce where the undead and other monsters wandered, feared as a dangerous ce by all.

    The most fearsome thing was the thin mist that shrouded its monsters no matter the time of the day. This fog produced weak undead reactions.

    By itself, the mist did nothing to living creatures. It did not drain life energy, nor did it inflict damage. However, because the mist registered as an undead creature to spells, it negated attempts to detect undead beings, and as a result many adventurers had been ambushed by undead while inside it.

    However, that mist was absent now. Visibility was excellent and one could see a long way. It was as though thend was weing thebatants of the uing war onto itself as future undead.

    The undead had dispersed with the fog, and none of them could be seen. A silent, lifeless stretch ofnd spread before them.

    Copsed towers, built hundreds of years ago, jutted out from the earth like scattered tombstones. Of course, none of them was intact.

    The towers were originally six floors high, but everything above the third floor had copsed, and the debris was everywhere. Less than half of the thick walls were left. The cause was not so much weathering by time and the wind as battles between monsters.

    Scenes like these existed right next to normal grass-covered ins, sharply demarcated by an invisible line. This was why the Katze ins was called a cursednd.

    ***

    The sun shone on thend which had not seen its light for nearly a year. As though to look down on this unhallowednd, a vast structure loomed high over it from the other side of the boundary ¨D the world of the living.

    It was built with huge logs that were nowhere to be found on the surrounding ins, with sturdy walls that seemed to deny passage to everything in its vicinity. It was ringed by a shallow ditch that was nevertheless carefully excavated and filled with sharpened stakes. This was to ward against unintelligent undead.

    On the other side of the ditch flew countless gs. Of these, the most numerous were the Empire¡¯s gs ¨D bearing the insignia of the Baharuth Empire.

    That was only to be expected. After all, this building, this castrum, was the Imperial Army¡¯s Katze in garrison base.

    The Empire had mobilized 60¡¯000 knights for this operation. The garrison could house all of them, which itself spoke volumes about the base¡¯s size. And this formidable castrum, as mighty as a fortress, was built on a piece of easily defended terrain.

    It was built on top of a hill. This hill was not native to the Katze ins, but built up entirely through magicalndscaping.

    Even the Baharuth Empire, which had adopted a national strategy of increasing the number of their magic casters, could notplete work like this in a short time. This structure had been built over a period of several years.

    Originally, this ce was intended to be the starting point of invasions targeting E-Rantel. That was to say, this massive castrum had been built with the intention of withstanding an extended siege by the Kingdom¡¯s hundreds of thousands of troops.

    The Kingdom had no answer to the creation of this castrum, simply because they had no spare manpower or resources to attack the garrison.

    Although they would unite when the Empire invaded their own country, when it came tounching an invasion, they had to discuss things with fellow members of their faction. In addition, deciding who would foot the bill for dering war despite none of theirnd being at stake was also an issue.

    In the end, none of the nobles would bother unless they were in the line of fire.

    Three Hippogriffs flew in the skies above that massive castrum. They began with a wide aerial orbit, followed by a slow descent. Any knight would know that this was the ceremonial descent of the Royal Air Guard ¨D troops under the Emperor¡¯s directmand ¨D which meant that an emissary of the Empire was about tond.

    On the surface, there were around 10 mounted knights in a circr formation, each raising the Imperial g. This was a return salute from the ground ¨D the ceremony for weing an Imperial emissary. The griffinsnded in the center of the circle, and the uracy of thending was a test of the riders¡¯ skills, but all three passed with flying colors, which showed the excellence of their ability.

    Afternding, the Imperial emissaries mounted on the Hippogriffs revealed themselves. Although these knights were given the honor of carrying out ceremonial duties, they were so surprised that the gs they were holding wavered.

    The reason for their brief panic was the man who was dressed in a mannerpletely unlike the other two people apanying him.

    Once he removed his helmet and revealed his handsome features, everyone immediately knew who he was.

    The wind lightly tossed his blond hair, and his eyes were as blue as the sea. His mouth, which suggested an iron will, was tightly shut. He was the picture of the perfect knight.

    There was no knight who did not know who this man was.

    More importantly, there was nobody who did not know about the full te armor he wore. It was made of the rare metal adamantite, and further enchanted with powerful magic. There were only a few suits of armor like this in the Empire.

    The wearer of this armor was one of the highest-ranking knights in the Empire.

    He was one of the Empire¡¯s Four Knights, ¡°Violent Gale¡± Nimble Ark Dale Anock.

    In a strident voice that matched the image he projected, Nimble addressed one of the knights.

    ¡°I seek your suprememander, General Kabein of the Second Legion. Do you know where he is?¡±

    ¡°Sir! General Kabein is in a meeting now to n the offensive against the Kingdom in a few days¡¯ time! I will have you escorted to the General¡¯s praetorium, Anock-sama!¡±

    ¡°I see. Then... has Sorcerer King Gown-dono arrived here as well?¡±

    ¡°Sir! No sir! The Sorcerer King-dono has not been sighted here.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Nimble sighed in relief at the fact that the General had been informed ahead of time and that he had arrived before him.

    ¡°Then, may I ask you to lead the way? I also have another favor to ask of you.¡±

    Nimble slowly closed his hands around something concealed in a breast pocket.

    ? ? ?

    The knights brought Nimble to a luxurious tent, where he waited for almost an hour, until the owner of the tent returned in thepany of numerous guards.

    He was an oldman whose hair was pure white, and he had a dignified air about him.

    Although he was armored like all the other knights, he gave off apletely different impression from them. One could say that he looked like a noble, rather than a soldier.

    ¡°Wee, Nimble.¡±

    The broad smile on his face made him seem even more like a noble than a knight. His voice was calm, far too out of ce on a grim ce like the battlefield.

    Nimble responded in the approved ceremonial fashion.

    Natel Inyem Dale Kabein.

    He was a noble who had been overshadowed by others, but the previous Emperor had recognized him for his talents and ced him inmand of the Second Legion. Although he was not possessed of martial valor as a person, he was famed for his ability tomand, with rumors saying that he had never lost a battle. With him inmand, the Second Legion enjoyed very high morale.

    In fact, the knights apanying Kabein were unable to hide their respect for him in every move they made.

    ¡°I do not know how to begin thanking the general-kakka, who came all this way to see me even though he is the suprememander of this expedition.¡±

    The Imperial Army was divided into eight legions, and every legion¡¯smanding officer was bestowed the title of ¡°general¡±. The general of the First Legion was known as the Field Marshal, and he was themander-in-chief of the entire Imperial Army.

    If the First Legion ¨D if the Field Marshal was not present, the general of the next legion would assume his position as the overallmanding officer. That was to say, General Kabein of the Second Legion was inmand of the entire Imperial Army.

    ¡°No, no, Nimble. Dispense with the formalities. You¡¯re here on his Imperial Majesty¡¯s orders, right? You¡¯re not under mymand. You need only speak to me as an equal.¡±

    Even as he said that, Nimble smiled bitterly.

    The Imperial Army was loyal first to the Emperor, and then the generals.

    The Empire¡¯s Four Knights, its strongest fighters, would often be tasked with carrying out the Emperor¡¯s will. In terms of authority, they would be considered equal to a general. However, in terms of age, experience and prestige, none of them were equal to Kabein. It was very difficult for him to treat Kabein as merely an equal unless an outsider were present.

    Kabein smiled, as though he relished the disquiet on Nimble¡¯s face.

    ¡°It itches at me that one of the Four Knights, the Empire¡¯s mightiest warriors, should be so stiff and formal around an old man like myself. How about just dispensing with the honorifics?¡±

    ¡°Understood, General Kabein.¡±

    General Kabein nodded, as though to indicate his approval.

    ¡°Although, you picked a good time toe. The mist has dispersed, as though weing you.¡±

    ¡°General Kabein, I think the wee is not for me, but for the tragedy that is about to unfold. I shudder to imagine what will happen.¡±

    ¡°A tragedy, hm... Well, then, Nimble. Can you tell me what this war is meant to aplish? Until now, our strategic objective has been to exhaust the Kingdom, but this time round, it¡¯s different. Our current objective is to take E-Rantel by diplomatic means, and for that we will need toprehensively defeat the Kingdom in battle.¡±

    Kabein¡¯s eyes hardened as he said this.

    ¡°...We face thergest army the Kingdom has ever mustered in recorded history. Although our knights are more than a match for any of the conscripts the Kingdom can field, quantity is a quality of its own. An open field battle will result in many casualties. And all of this is for the purpose of seizing E-Rantel, which we will then immediately hand over to this Sorcerer King fellow. What is his Imperial Majesty thinking?¡±

    ¡°Before I answer this question, I hope you will send away everyone present.¡±

    The old general opened his mouth as if to speak, then nodded his head instead.

    ¡°All of you are dismissed.¡±

    Kabein¡¯s advisors bowed as they retreated.

    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±

    ¡°Wasting time would be foolish. Now, can you tell me why?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I was originally dispatched to inform the Field Marshal of the objective of this war.¡±

    Nimble shifted himself in his seat.

    ¡°The objective of this war is to build good rtions with the Sorcerer King, Ainz Ooal Gown. As such, we are to obtain E-Rantel by any cost in lives, and then relinquish it at no cost to Ainz Ooal Gown, in order to strengthen the ties with both sides.¡±

    ¡°If the knights who maintain order in the Empire are depleted, the Empire will be in danger. Is the Sorcerer King really worth all that?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Kabein folded his arms and closed his eyes. That was only for a brief period.

    ¡°I understand. If this is his Imperial Majesty¡¯s desire, then I shall carry it out.¡±

    ¡°You have my utmost gratitude.¡±

    ¡°There is no need for gratitude... though we will have to work hard to meet with the Sorcerer King¡¯s approval.¡±

    ¡°About that, I have a request,¡± Nimble said.

    This was his main aim foring here.

    ¡°We have asked the Sorcerer King to cast a spell to begin the attack. I would ask you dy the knights¡¯ charge until after that spell.¡±

    ¡°And what does that mean? Are we not supposed to buy the Sorcerer King¡¯s sympathy with our blood?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, that is the idea. However, we also intend to investigate the power of the Sorcerer King. As such, we intend to have the Sorcerer King use the most powerful spell he is capable of. His Imperial Majesty has asked for this in order to see what manner of magic that might be.¡±

    ¡°...So, the Sorcerer King... he is an enemy?¡±

    ¡°You seem to understand. The Sorcerer King ¨DAinz Ooal Gown¨D is an enemy of the Empire.¡±

    ¡°I see. Then I will have the knights charge the breach created by the Sorcerer King¡¯s spell in order to widen it. But what kind of spell will that be? I hope it¡¯s not a simple [Fireball]?¡±

    ¡°We do not know, so we must find out what he is capable of. However, we can probably assume it is more powerful than Paradyne-sama¡¯s attack magic.¡±

    Kabein¡¯s eyes widened, but that was only for a moment.

    ¡°I see, I see. Although I find it hard to believe anyone could be more powerful than that mighty magic caster, I can see why his Imperial Majesty would want to build good rtions with him if he really possesses that sort of power.¡±

    Nimble remained silent.

    ¡°ying hundreds in a single stroke would be a mighty blow. It would be a good chance for a prating charge. With that kind of power at our side, we would take fewer losses.¡±

    If only that were all, Nimble thought.

    After speaking with his fellow members of the Four Knights, ¡°Heavy Explosion¡± and ¡°Lightning Bolt¡±, he realised that Ainz¡¯ power surpassed mortal imagination. He might be able to use a spell that slew thousands, perhaps tens of thousands if they were densely packed. Of course, he ahd his doubts, but there was a high chance that it was true if both of them concurred.

    Just as Kabein said, the deaths of the knights which policed the Empire would be a huge loss.

    While it would be a joyous asion if Ainz, theirtent enemy, turned out to be toothless, just this once, he wanted to believe what hisrades had said.

    ¡°Ah, General. There¡¯s another thing I want to ask you. The Sorcerer King will be bringing his troops to the front. I hope you will allow them to apany you to the battlefield.¡±

    ¡°Hoh. And how many thousand men does he have?¡±

    ¡°About that¨D¡±

    ¡°Forgive me for interrupting your conversation, Kabein-kakka, Nimble-kakka!¡±

    A great cry rose from the knight outside the tent.

    Kabein looked apologetically to Nimble, before speaking to the man outside.

    ¡°You may enter.¡±

    The man who came in was a highly-ranked knight.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Is it an emergency?¡±

    ¡°Sir! A carriage flying the g of the Sorcerer King has arrived at the main gate. They request entry. Do we have permission to let them in?¡±

    The knight¡¯s eyes turned to Nimble. Kabein looked at him as well. On his part, Nimble nodded.

    ¡°...Understood, let them through.¡±

    ¡°Sir! Then... do we need to inspect the carriage?¡±

    Nobody could enter the castrum without being cleared by the sentries. The normal procedure was to use magic to check the personnel in question, to ensure they were not intruders disguised by illusions.

    If this were the Kingdom, they would not have used magic for inspections. The reason why it was used here was because magic and magical technology was a cornerstone of the Empire¡¯s might. They were aware of the terrifying power of magic, and were thus vignt against its use.

    This was especially true for a huge military base like this which employed thetest magical technology. Such technologies were the pir which shored up their future, and if they were leaked, it might cause great harm to the Empire. Were Emperor Jiiv to show up in person, he would still be closely scrutinized by the guards.

    As a result, even if the visitors were from an allied country ¨D no, precisely because they were from an allied country, they would be subject to inspection.

    However, there were situations where such things would not be allowed.

    Kabein nced to Nimble again.

    Weighed down by the oppressive atmosphere and the power of the item in his breast pocket, Nimble could only smile bitterly in response.

    ¡°General Kabein, I tender my sincerest apologies. They are extremely important guests to the Empire. This is a special amodationg and an exception among exceptions. Please permit them to enter as they are.¡±

    Kabein¡¯s face, which had borne a warm smile until recently, froze into an emotionless mask.

    That was because he knew that Nimble had given an order to the knight over his own head.

    However kind a man was, he would not be happy if his own people were given orders by someone else.

    Nimble understood the reason for Kabein¡¯s aggravation, but that was an order he had to give.

    Otherwise¨D

    While Nimble was hesitating about whether to reveal the item he was concealing in his breast pocket, General Kabein spoke up.

    ¡°If it is the Emperor¡¯smand, then we must obey. After all, the Empire and all within it are under themand of his Imperial Majesty.¡±

    ¡°I am very d you understand, General.¡±

    The object Nimble carried was an imperial decree. It was written on parchment, and said that the bearer was empowered to act with the full authority of the Emperor. Its remit extended to everyone involved within this war. Within this war, Nimble would outrank Kabein, and he would even be able to relieve him ofmand if needed.

    For a moment, Nimble was relieved because he would not have to ruin the rtionship between an elder officer that he respected. Then he tensed up again, because now was not the time to rx.

    ¡°Then, shall we go meet this Sorcerer King? After all he has received much favor from his Imperial Majesty, so surely he must be a man who can rival that great hero.¡±

    Personally, Nimble did not wish to go.

    After speaking to the other Four Knights ¨Dno, there were only three now, including himself¨D and remembering what they had said to him, Nimble¡¯s expression turned bitter. However, he had no choice but to follow the General.

    ¡°Of course, General Kabein. Do allow me to walk with you.¡±

    ***

    A magnificent carriage advanced outside the castrum, following behind mounted outriders. What made onlookers gasp was the fact that the carriage had no driver, and that the horse which pulled it was bigger than an ordinary horse. It was not a Sleipnir, but a magical beast which looked like a scaled horse.

    Nimble addressed the surrounding knights and Kabein.

    ¡°Please present arms to our guest.¡±

    (TL Note: Highest form of military salutation, reserved for senior officers and high ranking dignitaries.)

    What? Nimble could imagine that was what all the soldiers and Kabein were thinking, given the expressions on their faces.

    Protocol dictated that one should present arms to the heads of state of allied powers.

    However, that protocol did not exist in military instations. That was because foreign dignitaries would not normallye to a military base.

    Even within human nations, there would be squabbles and infighting. Nobody would be that open-minded.

    Presenting arms to an outsider was something which should be done in a safe, open ce, and not in a military instation. That was what the soldiers present must have been thinking.

    In addition, there was one more thing.

    One would almost never present arms on the battlefield.

    This is because soldiers might think that the person to whom theirmanding officer was presenting their arms to was superior even to him. That was one of the unspoken rules of the battlefield.

    As one of the Four Knights, Nimble understood their feelings perfectly. However¨D

    ¡°Gentlemen, please present your arms.¡±

    Nimble repeated himself in a voice which was underpinned by steel.

    After that, he heard Kabein sigh.

    ¡°You heard him, didn¡¯t you? Present arms as the Sorcerer King approaches.¡±

    Kabein¡¯s orders calmed the disquieted soldiers. If it was an order, then all they had to do was follow. There was no need to think too much about it.

    Nimble shot a thankful look at Kabein, but as he did, he noticed a mocking look on Kabein¡¯s face. It seemed to say it might be hard on you, but it¡¯s even harder on me.

    The carriage stopped before them.

    Nimble and the others gasped, for more than one reason.

    The first was because the carriage itself was breathtakingly beautiful. Its base color was a ck that seemed to have been cut from the night sky itself, and the entire chassis was covered in borate ornamentation. Said decorations had the subdued radiance of brass, while the leather was a copper color, giving the whole an air of elegance and ssiness. Although the embellishments might have been a little overdone, it did not reach the point of tackiness. Instead, it resembled nothing so much as a giant treasure box.

    Nimble had ridden the Emperor¡¯s personal carriage on asion, and he was of the firm opinion that the one before him was superior to it.

    The other reason why he gasped was because of the beast pulling the carriage. It was most definitely not a horse. The creature gurgled softly, a liquid ¡°gurururu¡± sound, and its sharp teeth could be seen in the slight opening of its mouth. Its entire body was covered in scales that seemed to belong to a reptile, and underneath those scales were prominent, rippling bands of muscle.

    It was like a horse-shaped avatar of brutality and violence.

    Everyone around it was filled with an acute sense of rm. Nimble himself was starting to hyperventte, and sweat broke out on his back and palms. The beast was that terrifying.

    Amidst the storm of panicked breaths, the carriage¡¯s door opened.

    A dark elf girl alighted.

    All thinking ground to a halt.

    Nobody could speak. Their eyes were drawn irresistibly to her.

    The girl holding her twisted ck staff was adorable. When she grew up, she would surely break many hearts. Her beauty would be such that men would do anything for her. Even her demure expression was like a flower blossoming under the moonlight.

    However, the things on her hands were utterly incongruous with the image she projected.

    They were gauntlets.

    The left gauntlet was an evil-looking thing that resembled the hand of some demonic lifeform. It seemed to be made out of some sort of ominous ck metal which was covered in twisted thorns. Its fingertips were sharpened into points, and the dirty radiance surrounding it seemed vaguely metallic, but resembled some sort of strange secretion. Just a single look filled all who saw it with a distasteful feeling, like their very souls were rejecting it.

    In contrast, the right gauntlet looked like the pure, immacte hand of a maiden. It was white in color and its slender proportions were covered in borate gold embroidery, which further emphasized its exquisite beauty. It drew the eye like bees to honey, and just like seeing a world-ss beauty, the onlookers felt like they might lose their souls to it.

    ¡°A-Ah, Ainz-sama. I think we¡¯ve arrived.¡±

    ¡°Have we now. Thank you, Mare.¡±

    With that, another figure revealed itself.

    In that moment, the air suddenly turned stagnant.

    The bodies of every man present was suddenly covered in goosebumps. This was not killing intent, but a feeling that was harder to describe.

    Ainz Ooal Gown was dressed in the trappings that one would associate with an arcane magic caster. To begin with, he wore a jet-ck robe, and on top of that, another ck cloak, which was doubly curious. In addition, he bore a staff which wasvishly decorated, but not to the point of being overly ostentatious. Around his neck was a silver ne set with a gemstone. And on his face was a strange mask.

    ¡°We bid you and your entourage wee, your Majesty, Sorcerer-King Ainz Ooal Gown.¡±

    Nimble lowered his head. However, he did not hear anyone else following suit.

    Despite knowing it was very rude, he had to turn behind to look. The general and knights behind him were frozen in ce.

    They had been overwhelmed by the Sorcerer-King¡¯s presence and could not move.

    He could understand that. However, if this went on, it wouldn¡¯t turn out well.

    In the end, it was the general who delivered the solution to Nimble¡¯s predicament.

    ¡°Legion!¡±

    The roar belonged to Kabein. It was a crisp, bracingmand that did not seem to suit a noble like himself, but which perfectly fitted his rank as a general.

    ¡°A salute! To his Majesty, the Sorcerer King!¡±

    ¡°Sir!¡±

    The knights chorused their reply, and as one, they presented their arms to Ainz.

    ¡°I thank you for your wee, you knights who are the pride of the Empire.¡±

    It was a thoroughly mundane response, which made it that much more frightening. It felt strangely out of palce, like something monstrous was trying its best to act like a human being. Having heard of the face underneath the mask, Nimble experienced that sensation even more acutely than the others.

    ¡°Please raise your heads.¡±

    The first time he said it, nobody responded.

    ¡°Can you not raise your heads?¡±

    After the second time, theyplied. After all, waiting until the third time was an honor only granted to one¡¯s own ruler.

    ¡°Your Majesty, please forgive those who did not immediately raise their heads.¡±

    A quick nce across the knights revealed that their lips were white and their faces were pale.

    ¡°They were so excited to see your Majesty that they forgot themselves.¡±

    ¡°No, I should be the one to apologize. I was excited because we would be heading to the battlefield. I hope you understand that I hold none of you at fault.¡±

    Ainz cast off the ck cape on his shoulders. The jet-ck fabric pped like a raven¡¯s wings as it spread open. In that moment, the cold, oppressive air that surrounded him vanished like it had never been.

    All that was left was an ordinary human being, with the presence of an ordinary human being.

    It was frightening.

    That was the emotion Nimble felt most keenly now.

    He had heard of Ainz¡¯ monstrous nature from hisrades. Even so, the man standing in front of him seemed too ordinary, which only deepened his fear. He felt like arge predator was slowly drawing close to him.

    The knights, who knew nothing, were probably beginning to sense the oddity of the situation. The air filled with a growing disquiet. Kabein seemed to understand. He did not use his mind, but his heart and soul. Through them, he knew what sort of attitude he should hold toward the person in front of him.

    ¡°Please allow me, Nimble Ark Dale Anock, to lead you to your quarters.¡±

    ¡°Is that so. Then, I am in your care. Do alow me to apologize for any inconvenience I am causing you.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Then, this is themander-in-chief of this expedition, General Kabein.¡±

    ¡°I am Kabein, your Majesty, Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown. If you are inconvenienced by anything in this garrison, please inform me and we will immediately rectify it. Please, take your pick of the knights here to be your followers...¡±

    ¡°There is no need for that. I have a subordinate here.¡±

    He gestured to the dark elf girl.

    ¡°And I will provide for myself in case of any insufficiency.¡±

    Kabein froze.

    The true intention behind Kabein¡¯s offer was to assign minders to Ainz in order to keep him from doing anything strange in the base.

    Yet, the answer had been a t denial, an answer only the powerful could give.

    However, given Kabein¡¯s circumstances, he could not allow this sort of thing to happen. At this rate, they would nevere to a consensus.

    Although Nimble obviously understood Kabein¡¯s feelings, he could not leave this matter be.

    ¡°Is that so... then, Sorcerer King-kakka, please feel free to inform us if you require anything at all. General Kabein, I hope you will allow me to handle things from here.¡±

    ¡°¨DUnderstood.¡±

    ¡°Ah... there¡¯s something I forgot to mention.¡±

    ¡°Is something the matter, Sorcerer King-kakka?¡±

    ¡°I believe that I am to open this battle with a spell. In that moment, I would like to have my troops participate in the battle as well. I hope you will permit this.¡±

    ¡°We could ask for nothing more.¡±

    Since it had already been discussed, Kabein promptly acquiesced.

    Yet, he wrinkled his brow in puzzlement.

    ¡°...However, the battle willmence in several days, perhaps as early as tomorrow. From whence shall your forces arrive, your Majesty? We cannot wait too long...¡±

    ¡°That will not be a problem. They are already nearby.¡±

    The answer raised doubts in Nimble¡¯s heart. Looking at the sky, there did not seem to be any airborne troops approaching.

    Kabein must have had the same suspicions as him. Naturally, the garrison was surrounded by an extensive security. The approach of anyone apart from Imperial troops would be immediately reported to general-ranked personnel. Could it be that a report had been lost?

    Nimble looked around, but it did not seem like anyone present knew anything about it.

    ¡°My apologies. No, saying they¡¯re nearby would not be urate. Well, I just wanted to say they can arrive immediately.¡±

    ¡°I see...¡± Kabein did not seem able to ept that, but he continued to ask, ¡°How many troops will being?¡±

    ¡°Around five hundred.¡±

    ¡°Five hundred...¡±

    Although Kabein hid his reaction masterfully, Nimble could not conceal his own disappointment.

    In order to demonstrate their loyalty to Ainz, the Empire had to shed oceans of its peoples¡¯ blood. As such, Ainz¡¯ unit would probably not be used at all, so putting them into the Imperial Army¡¯s formation would be fine.

    ¡°General, will there be a problem integrating the Sorcerer King-kakka¡¯s unit with our formation?¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s just five hundred, then we won¡¯t even have to rearrange our formation. As for the Sorcerer-King¡¯s honor guard, perhaps we should leave that duty to his subordinate.¡±

    He was hinting, ¡°Don¡¯t be so eager to rush into the fray.¡± The Imperial army would have to go in first and take losses in order to prove their sincerity to Ainz, so letting Ainz¡¯ unit do too much would be troublesome.

    Ainz seemed pleased nodded in eptance of Nimble¡¯s suggestion. A great weight lifted quietly from Nimble¡¯s heart, but when he thought about it calmly, it did not seem logical at all. What could a mere five hundred troops do? In all likelihood they were merely a guard of honor.

    However, what happened next far exceeded Nimble¡¯s predictions.

    Ainz seemed to have cast some sort of spell and was speaking into thin air.

    ¡°Can you hear me¨D Shalltear? Open a [Gate] to my position and then send the troops over.¡±

    The eyes under Ainz¡¯s mask seemed to move.

    ¡°Now then, General, I have summoned my unit.¡±

    As he finished saying that, amotion rippled through the onlookers.

    A ck, hemispherical object appeared behind Ainz¡¯ back.

    Nimble remembered something about a [Gate] being mentioned earlier.

    The gate opened, and what came forth was¨D

    The world went silent.

    A strange absence of sound filled the surroundings. The proverbial sound of silence rang forth.

    The five hundred troops revealed their forms. Compared to the 60¡¯000-strong Imperial army, they seemed so few as to be sad. However, nobody could look down on these five hundred soldiers.

    The bizarre forces before them made that abundantly clear.

    ¡°These are my troops.¡±

    Ainz merrily introduced his men to the speechless spectators.

 Chapter 64 - Volume 9

    <h4>Overlord Volume 9 Intermission</h4>

    (Re)Tranted by Nigel

    Edited/Proofread by Deus Ex Machina

    A young girl sat on the only chair ©¤ a throne ©¤ in a small yet luxurious room. Her voice was adorable and innocent, perfectly matching her age.

    ¡°Okie! I¡¯ll let you handle it!¡±

    ¡°Yes! Leave it to me, your Majesty!¡±

    The man who was kneeling to the girl resembled a knight. He rose, then strode stylishly from the room.

    The door closed, and after several seconds, the girl turned to the minister standing beside her.

    ¡°Is it okay now?¡±

    ¡°Yes. He was thest one, so it should be fine.¡±

    After hearing the man¡¯s cool voice, the innocent expression the girl was making copsed.

    It was like she was throwing a tantrum.

    Perhaps it was fatigue, but her eyes were half-lidded with cloudiness, her lips were formed into a ¤Ø shape, and her shoulders were rounded.

    ¡°So tired...¡±

    Her attitude did not resemble a child so much as a beleaguered woman in her 40s. However, the pitch of her voice still sounded very young; it was as though she had retained the same external appearance, but she hadpletely changed inside.

    ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m seriously tired here. I¡¯ve had enough of meeting people while looking like this.¡± She lifted the hem of her skirt. ¡°Who the hell thought up these clothes which bare the entire leg, anyway?¡±

    ¡°Once more, I must repeat that you cannot, your Majesty.¡±

    This girl was the Queen of the Draconic Kingdom, the ck Scale Dragon Lord, Draudiron Oriuclus.

    She had the title of Dragon Lord, but herbat power was only that of a regr person. While the Theocracy ssified her as a true Dragon Lord, that was simply due to her inborn talents, and so some people used the very rare title of True False Dragon Lord to describe her.

    That was because the quality which determined her truth or falsehood was whether or not she could use Wild Magic.

    ¡°It is precisely because your Majesty evokes the urge to protect yourself in others that they work so hard for you.¡±

    ¡°Is everyone in this world a lolicon? I think being bigger would be better in various ways.¡±

    Draudiron raised her hands to her t chest, and wiggled them around like she was carrying something in them.

    ¡°Indeed, that form is©¤¡±

    ¡°©¤It is not a form; that¡¯s my original shape.¡±

    ¡°Forgive me, your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Oi, you don¡¯t sound sorry at all.¡±

    ¡°Certainly not.¡±

    Draudiron stared at the minister¡¯s cold smile. She could not see the emotions lurking beneath it and turned away unhappily.

    ¡°Now that your Majesty understands, let us return to our original topic. That form might be able to win the hearts of men, but women will not favor it. In contrast, your present form is well-received by men and women, young and old. You ought to understand that. Now, if you insist on taking that form, then you must solve the problems which face this country. Have you any suggestions?¡±

    ¡°...Don¡¯t call it a form.¡±

    ¡°That said, if the present situation continues, you may take any form you wish, because nobody will be there to witness it.¡±

    A heavy silence descended upon the room as she contemted the state which the Draconic Kingdom was in.

    ¡°The Beastman invasion this time is different, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Given the size of their forces, their aims cannot possibly be as petty as before. I am certain that they aim to conquer our nation. They must have finally made up their minds to build a livestock pen.¡±

    There was a Beastman Nation near the Draconic Kingdom.

    Beastmen were bipedal demihumans who resembled carnivorous animals like lions or tigers. The fact that they ate meat and thought nothing of eating humans was immediately evident by looking at their heads.

    Man-eating species were not rare. Of the six great nations struggling in the center of the continent, three of them viewed humans as good. For instance, the Troll Kingdoms that were close to the center of the continent considered six month-old infants, served in the belly of their mothers, to be a delicacy which they served to guests.

    To these people, this nation was a hunting preserve.

    In the past, they seemed to consider this ce a self-replenishing feeding ground, and they had neverunched an all-out invasion. However, for some reason, they had done so this time round, and three cities had already fallen to them.

    The feasts held there made even someone like her want to throw up.

    Faced with an external invader who could not be negotiated with, the entire country had rallied to give desperate resistance, but Beastmen were far stronger than human beings.

    The Beastman Nation was one of the powerful nations on the continent, which spoke of how much greater their physical attributes were than those of human beings.

    For instance, the performance parameters of an adult Beastman were ten times those of a simrly adult human.

    Adventurers used values called difficulty ratings to quantify the strength of monsters. If an adult human was a 3, then a Beastman would be 30. The sole saving grace was that there were few exceptional individuals among them, probably because their base statistics were already so high to begin with.

    ¡°Currently, adventurers led by adamantite-ranked adventurers have barely managed to push back the enemy, but they are simply too numerous. They cannot stop the invaders if they split up into several tribe-sized elements. ...Perhaps we must gather all the people to the capital and starve the enemy out of food, but we will probably run out first.¡±

    ¡°What a headache. The future¡¯s nothing but darkness.¡±

    ¡°Alternatively, we could dispatch a hand-picked force tounch a decapitation strike at the enemy. However, if it is handled poorly, we might simply agitate them for nothing, but if we cannot stop the invasion, we might be forced to resort to it.¡±

    ¡°And he¡¯s going to be the leader?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, him.¡±

    The ¡°he¡± in question could only be one man. He was ¡°Brilliant sh¡± Cerebrate of ¡°Crystal Tear¡±, the sole adamantite-ranked adventurer team in this country. His nickname derived from his proficiency with the sword technique known as the Shining de, and he possessed the vocation of Holy Lord.

    ¡°He¡¯s definitely a lolicon. Whenever he talks to me, his eyes roam all over my body. Does looking at a washboard like this make him happy? Why doesn¡¯t he just go stare at a wall?¡±

    ¡°It is his fetish. Ah, yes, your Majesty is correct. He is a lolicon.¡±

    Draudiron¡¯s face twitched.

    ¡°I honestly don¡¯t want to hear you agreeing so readily. The adamantite-ranked people in my country... If only they were a more decent lot.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying? All you need do is pretend to be cute and y the role of a pure, innocent girl, and people will fight to the death for you. Is that not very useful to us?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to have to satisfy his desires one day... oi! Don¡¯t look at me like I¡¯m a pig who¡¯s going to be served up as tomorrow¡¯s breakfast!¡±

    ¡°Hahh...¡± the man sighed with deliberate exaggeration. That caused her veins to pop out.

    ¡°But that is all that will happen. Your Majesty, please bear with it. It is a better fate than your people who have already been physically eaten.¡±

    She had no reply to give.

    ¡°...If we had the money, we could hire Optics. Speaking of which, what¡¯s the Theocracy doing?¡±

    ¡°That, nobody knows.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t we donaterge sums to them every year? Usually, they ought to havee to help us by now, right? It¡¯s not like I want them to send out the ck Scripture, but they haven¡¯t even sent out the Sunlight Scripture.¡±

    The Theocracy had always sent their troops to aid the Draconic Kingdom in secret. The reason why it was a secret was probably because she was its leader.

    ¡°So this is our retribution for entrusting our national defense to another country. What a tragedy.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I like relying on others, it couldn¡¯t be helped! Don¡¯t say you don¡¯t know that our military budget¡¯s always been very tight. If we spent more, the country would have gone bankrupt. Besides, it¡¯s not like the troops will immediately get stronger if we spend the money on the military.¡±

    The Draconic Kingdom had poured a lot of funds into dealing with the Beastmen over the years, but the oue was every bit as tragic. She wanted to think that they had kept casualties this low because of the money they had spent.

    ¡°If the Theocracy¡¯s abandoned us... ah yes, why not ask the Empire for help? If our country is wiped out, the Empire will be next, right?¡±

    ¡°There is still the Katze ins between them, so it will not be the Empire¡¯s turn right away. They might also detour around theke to attack the Theocracy.¡±

    ¡°...True, I doubt they¡¯re brave enough to charge into a ce where the undead appear en masse.¡±

    Incidentally, both of them had skipped over the Wyvern-controlling tribes along the way.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that they¡¯re not brave, but that the undead are inedible, so there¡¯s no point conquering that ce. Only fellow undead would be happy to take a ce like that. Besides, the Empire ought to be busy too, right? Their yearly war is about to take ce.¡±

    ¡°Seems a littlete this year.¡±

    ¡°Yes, by about half a year. Some ridiculous magic caster made a deration. Do you wish to read it?¡±

    ¡°Ahh, who cares about other countries! Enough of that, saving our country¡¯s the important thing!¡±

    ¡°Well, you did bring it up, your Majesty... how about your Majesty¡¯s magic?¡±

    The minister waved his finger. To him, that was probably all he thought of magic. Draudiron smiled bitterly.

    ¡°Wild Magic, hm? That kind of power isn¡¯t the sort of thing a human can control; not even with an eighth of Draconic ancestry. If things go badly, it might hasten our country¡¯s demise, so it¡¯s ast resort.¡±

    ¡°Ast resort, hm? I hope that day neveres. Then, I shall attempt to request aid from the Theocracy.¡±

    ¡°Ohh! Please do~¡±

    The minister turned a cold stare at Draudiron as she gave her childish reply.

    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit, your Majesty. Since you have the strength for it, then I trust you can write thirty letters of encouragement to our troops on the frontline ©¤ letters of trust from a young child. Naturally, I hope you will write like a child as well.¡±

    ¡°Guehhh... I can¡¯t do that sober. Bring me wine!¡±

    ¡°Understood. While you may intoxicate yourself as much as you please, I hope you willplete this task by today.¡±

    The minister bowed and left the room.

    Draudiron watched his back as he departed, and then looked at her own hands.

    ¡°The magic of the soul, huh...¡±

    Wild Magic was different from normal magic. It was magic that used souls. Therefore, if she sacrificed many of her people and then destroyed the souls which were produced, she could cast a powerful spell. Her great-grandfather the Dragon Lord had told her about the great explosion which was the tinum Dragon Lord¡¯s ultimate attack. In all likelihood, she could imitate it easily.

    However, since she was much weaker than a Dragon Lord, she would have to sacrifice over a million people to cast a spell like that.

    Draudiron covered her face with her hands.

    She trembled, because she had the feeling that no matter what she did, Hell was her destiny©¤

 Chapter 65 - Volume 9

    <h4>Overlord Volume 9 Chapter 3</h4>

    <b>Another Battle</b>

    (Re)Tranted by Nigel

    Edited/Proofread by Deus Ex Machina

    <b>Part 1</b>

    The First Prince Barbro Andrean Ield Ryle Vaiself was furious as he led his men north, leaving behind the mor of E-Rantel and the troops preparing to march out to the Katze ins.

    ¡°Dammit. That damn Marquis Raeven...¡±

    Barbro could not hold back his cursing.

    During the demonic disturbance, his younger brother had borrowed Raeven¡¯s men to patrol the city and maintain order, giving the nobles the impression that he was willing and able to step into the fray. As a result, the nobles who had originally supported the First Prince Barbro were beginning to have second thoughts. Now that Marquis Raeven had thrown his support behind the Second Prince, some of those nobles had jumped ship to his side as well.

    Not moving out during the demonic disturbance had been a fatal mistake.

    Barbro had not stepped onto the frontline and stayed in the Royal Pce because he had no men of his own.

    It had been the right thing to do; what good could just one man do by himself on the frontline? He would simply get in others¡¯ way. Besides, the demons might have attacked the Royal Pce too.

    Without Marquis Raeven¡¯s men, his younger brother would not have been able to maintain order either.

    Barbro believed that he had made the right choice. However, those fools did not understand it and had been deceived by appearances. In the end, they had all yed into Marquis Raeven¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Could it be that none of them had any idea what he was plotting? Besides, they were just patrolling, they didn¡¯t even fight any demons, no?¡±

    If his younger brother had fought, he would surely have made a fool of himself. When one thought about that, one could tell how smart Marquis Raeven was.

    There was also one more thing that displeased Barbro.

    That was the fact that he was on his way to the insignificant little settlement of Carne Vige.

    He had fallen behind in the struggle for the session.

    That was why Barbro had to distinguish himself as the First Prince during this battle with the Empire. He had to regain the fame his younger brother had stolen in order to let everyone know that he was the best choice to inherit the Kingdom.

    Thus, this battle was very important to him; yet he had been given orders which had him running around on a useless errand like someckey. What prestige was there in investigating the link between a frontier vige and Ainz Ooal Gown?

    In that moment, a chill ran down Barbro¡¯s spine.

    Could it be that this had been done to keep Barbro from achieving anything?

    His father had long since made up his mind to give the throne to his younger brother, and he did not want to let Barbro make any aplishments to turn the tables, so he sent him on to this tiny little hamlet©¤

    Barbro¡¯s breathing grew chaotic. His heart burned with hatred for his father, who was looking down on him, the First Prince and wanted to give the throne to his younger brother for showing just a tiny bit of courage.

    The fact that he noticed a horse drawing up to him as frustration blinkered his eyes was purely coincidence.

    ¡°My Prince, are you unwell? Shall I call over a priest?¡±

    The shrill voice at close range echoed loudly and seemed to w directly at his brain, and it even making him want to throw up. However, he overcame it. It was fortunate that the cool air of winter helped soothe him, and that growing up in the royal household had trained him to keep up appearances.

    Only a fool would reveal his inner feelings.

    ¡°No, no, pay it no heed. I was simply thinking about how to handle the task Father gave me. Enough of that; Baron Cheneko, didn¡¯t you visit the adamantite-ranked adventurer Momon? What happened?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you must hear me, My Prince! A deeply upsetting thing happened! Right, Momon was not in, and I did not meet him.¡±

    ¡°Well, that was just bad luck. After all, he is an adamantite-ranked adventurer. So why are you so angry? You didn¡¯t make an appointment, so it couldn¡¯t be helped that he wasn¡¯t in.¡±

    ¡°No! It¡¯s not because of that! It was Momon¡¯spanion who displeased me, that Nabe woman.¡±

    ¡°Nabe? Ah, the Beautiful Princess.¡±

    Barbro recalled the ravishing beauty he had seen in the Royal Capital, so fair that she couldpare with his little sister. Barbro desired her, but she was thepanion of an adventurer whom his father had favored, so he could not just do whatever he wanted to her like she was amoner.

    ¡°And what did that beauty do to you?¡±

    ¡°She raised her hand against me! Please look, my Prince!¡±

    Baron Cheneko removed his gauntlet, revealing arge bruise.

    ¡°What? Even an adamantite-ranked adventurer can¡¯tmit violence upon a noble.¡±

    ¡°But that Nabe woman suddenly grabbed my hand and chased me out!¡±

    There was far too little information to act on, and Barbro did not wish to ask any further. That was because he kept thinking that there was some reason behind it which had been hidden.

    ¡°My Prince! I beseech you to severely punish that foolish woman for harming me!¡±

    If he used that as leverage, could he not do as he wished to that woman?

    Babro considered it.

    He thought about whether there was a way for him to help the Baron and take Nabe for himself, but he could not think of anything. This Baron was an utter idiot, and he might think that he was doing the prince a favor.

    What a useless man. Well, I¡¯ll guess I can buddy up to him for now, but once I take the throne, he¡¯ll be the first one that I¡¯ll discard. Before that, I¡¯ll make good use of him.

    Barbro was already plotting how things would go, but at the same time he was somewhat depressed by the fact that someone like him had his own fief and vassals ©¤ the ability to wage war without having to rely on anyone else ©¤ while he had no sworn soldiers.

    As the Baron looked at him with anticipation-filled eyes, Barbro waved him away.

    ¡°When I be King, I will consider it.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, my Prince!¡±

    Barbro no longer wished to speak to this bowing buffoon any longer, so he asked a question of one of the knights under Marquis Bowlorobe. He was amander of the Marquis¡¯ elite troops.

    ¡°Oi, I have a question?¡±

    ¡°What is it, your Highness?¡±

    In truth, he did not actually have anything to ask, but he could not say he no longer wanted to speak to the Baron, so he was simply looking for an excuse. He paused to think for a moment, ande up with a suitable question, whereupon that hateful notion from just now appeared in his mind again.

    It was Marquis Bowlorobe¡¯s idea to send Barbro to this pioneer vige, which meant©¤

    Could it be that the Count¡¯s turned on me? Has he switched sides to my brother?

    He wanted to deny that possibility.

    Barbro was wed to the Marquis¡¯ daughter, and he had been a good son-inw all this time. Once Barbro took the throne, he would be the leader of the Six Great Nobles. Choosing to support his younger brother now would only lead to conflict with Marquis Raeven. But what other reason could there be?

    If that¡¯s true, then... is the fact that I¡¯ve been sent to this pissant vige to tell all the other nobles that I can¡¯t contribute much to the war?

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you need a rest?¡±

    ¡°©¤Shut up.¡±

    No matter how hard he tried, he could not keep the malice from escaping him.

    He saw that the knight was startled, but he still could not bear it.

    As the murderous intent leaked from between his teeth, Barbro ordered:

    ¡°Imand you to swiftly conclude the matter of Carne Vige while making ready to proceed to the Katze ins at the same time. Once we reach Carne Vige, we will promptlyplete our objective and leave, and I think we will be able to reach E-Rantel by nightfall. After that, we¡¯ll rest for the night and then make haste for the Katze ins at sunrise.¡±

    The knight frowned.

    ¡°With all due respect, I feel that is very difficult. Please have a look, your Highness. Our formationprises 3500 men from the Marquis and 1500 men from the various nobles who have lent their support. In order to swiftlyplete our mission, we have reduced ourposition of supply troops, recing them with 50 cargo wagons.¡±

    ¡°I know that. What¡¯s the problem?¡±

    ¡°Our formation has 4500 infantry and 500 cavalry. Even if weplete our business in Carne Vige within an hour, returning to E-Rantel by nightfall will be quite a rush.¡±

    ¡°Which is why I was asking. I¡¯ll say it again; is there a problem? If there is none, why can¡¯t you do it?¡±

    ¡°My Prince... the infantry may end up being exhausted to the point of copse.¡±

    ¡°It seems you¡¯ve gotten the wrong idea, haven¡¯t you? Ultimately, there¡¯s no value in going to a pitiful little vige like that. What we need to do is proceed to the Katze ins and defeat the Empire. Aren¡¯t you the Marquis¡¯ man? In that case, let me ask you this; is this battle easy enough that they can afford to have 5¡¯000 men gallivanting around the countryside? Do you think so?¡±

    The knight¡¯s mouth tightened into a straight line.

    ¡°Get your priorities straight. The men will be tired, you say? Thensh them to make them run. After all, you were all gathered here to do battle on the Katze ins.¡±

    ©¤And to build my reputation.

    ¡°...It is as your Highness says. I understand.¡±

    The knight bowed his head in acknowledgement.

    ¡°You should have answered like that from the beginning. Go n when we can arrive at E-Rantel and when we can set forth; I¡¯ll leave the details to you.¡±

    ¡°Yes! I shall quickly discuss the matter and return with the answer you seek, your Highness!¡±

    By the time the knight spurred his horse toward hisrades, Barbro had long since put him out of his mind.

    Does my father hate me? Or has he gone senile and can¡¯t think straight any more? So that¡¯s why he wanted to give the throne to my younger brother. It¡¯s only proper that the eldest sibling should inherit; otherwise won¡¯t that offend the nobles?

    He swore to recover from the dire straits he was in, and make them regret giving him 5¡¯000 men tomand.

    It was this determination that drove Barbro.

    ¡°Baron!¡±

    ¡°Yes, milord!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t disappoint me!¡±

    The Baron seemed to have replied in a shrill voice, but it went in one ear and out the other for Barbro.

    Damn you, Zanack. Go gaze at your navel in the Royal Capital.

    While they were rted by blood, he was also an adversary in the race for the session and thus had to be bumped off. He would not insist on killing him, but if he got in the way, he would not mind giving the order to do so.

    Once I ascend to the throne... what can I do with him? Should I kill him, so those stupid nobles can¡¯t rally around him in revolt? Or would that be a waste? If he were a woman, he¡¯d have many uses... My sister (Renner) might be stupid but she has a pretty face. I¡¯ll sell her off to the highest bidder... It¡¯ll be troublesome to have a branch family bearing royal blood, so ideally I¡¯d marry her off to the royalty of some distant kingdom... although, if she could be useful and serve as the foundation for my power, well, I could consider that.

    As he imagined the ideal future of the Re-Estize Kingdom he would found, Barbro absentmindedly narrowed his eyes.

    He saw himself seated on the throne, with the massed nobles bowing respectfully to him.

    He saw his vassals scurrying to carry out the orders which he gve.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be wonderful?¡±

    He smiled thinly, then quickly covered it up.

    After promptly finishing their mission in Carne Vige, could they rush over to the Katze ins quickly? Barbro felt that was what would determine if his dream would be reality or remain a fantasy.

    ...Assuming the soldiers can be forced to march, the most important thing would be whether or not we made it in time for the battle, right? Or rather, should we quietly observe the battle and act as ambushers?

    He felt that it was a clever n, but he was not confident that he could skilfully use his troops to attack the enemy in the nk or rear while they were unaware of him.

    He very much wanted to let the knights handle this, but this battle was a chance to demonstrate his worthiness of the throne, so letting others arrange things was not a good idea.

    What should he do to get the most impressive results and secure the throne for himself? As Barbro thought, an idea suddenly came to him.

    Would it be possible to use the people of Carne Vige to negotiate with Ainz Ooal Gown?

    It was as though a shaft of blinding light had fallen from the heavens to illuminate him.

    Truly, that was a masterful move.

    Whatever reason Ainz Ooal Gown had for saving Carne Vige, their existence ought to be coteral for negotiation.

    If this magic caster Ainz Ooal Gown that nobody had heard of before backed out of the war, the Baharuth Empire would lose their justification and would probably withdraw their troops to avoid beingbelled as invaders.

    And if it turned out that it was Barbro¡¯s actions which made the Empire withdraw©¤

    Would that not be an amazing thing? Father will no longer be able to take me lightly, and my ession would be guaranteed.

    ¡°Good. Very good.¡±

    If it turned out that Ainz Ooal Gown had simply helped them in passing, then he might not withdraw his forces. In that case, all he would have to do was force the people of Carne Vige to take up arms. People from all over the country were being mobilized for this. The peasants of Carne Vige had no right to refuse.

    Father seemed to have exempted the people of Carne Vige from conscriptions, but now the situation was different. It was up to themander ©¤ Barbro, under these circumstances ©¤ to deal things as they came up.

    If Ainz Ooal Gown killed the farmers of Carne Vige, then it could be used as a form of propaganda too. They couldmbast him as a petty viin. Propaganda like that ought to be effective against his backers, the Empire, as well.

    Barbro shivered at the sheer perfection of his n.

    In all honesty, he had thought that he was dumber than his younger siblings, but now that was hard to say. The fact that such wisdom slept within his mind thrilled Barbro.

    <b>Part 2</b>

    Winter was hell for small viges. All they could do was pray for theing of the warmer seasons while weathering the cold days in their homes. If spring waste, or if the harvest in autumn was meager, they might be forced to eat their seed stock, and people would still starve to death even if they did so.

    While there was nearly no field work to be done in winter, vige life was still closely associated with the words ¡°activity¡±. There were many tasks to be done indoors, like tending the livestock, maintaining the farming tools, repairing their homes, livestock coops, and so on. There was simply no time to rest.

    This was especially true in Carne Vige, where they raised pigs to feed the carnivorous monsters known as Ogres. They had bought those pigs after selling their herb harvest, and said pigs supplemented what the rangers brought in.

    The Goblins led those pigs into the Great Forest of Tob to graze on roots and stems. Since the n was still at an experimental stage, there were only a small number of pigs right now, but if they managed to raise them sessfully and if they could make it through the winter, they would steadily increase their number in the future.

    Normally, they would need to pay taxes to thendlord of thend they were grazing on, but fortunately, Carne Vige did not need to do that. The reason was because the Great Forest of Tob was the dwelling ce of monsters, and was not ruled by humans.

    Carne Vige¡¯s future seemed very bright indeed.

    All of this was thanks to Ainz Ooal Gown, who had saved the vige and helped it in many ways. In addition, the Dark Warrior Momon had subdued the Wise King of the Forest. Many people in the vige gave thanks to the two of them, and some even prayed to them over breakfast, revering them in the same breath as they did the gods.

    It was precisely this overflowing of hope that gave the new chief, Enri Emmot, so much work.

    Today, Enri, headed to a small hut to do her work, followed by Nfirea.

    In a frontier vige like Carne, everyone in the vige worked together like they were family. If they did not do this, there would be no way for them to survive. They shared their farming implements and their food and even took turns to use their cows to till the fields.

    Because of this, the care and feeding of the livestock was everyone¡¯s responsibility. The hay for the cows in winter was stored in small huts just like this one.

    Enri opened the wooden door and entered, followed closely by Nfirea. Enri went straight in after opening the door and sat herself down onto a pile of hay, sinking her rear into the dried grass with a soft pomf.

    After closing the door, Nfirea sat by her side, his magic light illuminating the surroundings.

    ¡°Chief, you should save the ying around for after you finish this; we still need to see if we have enough hay and then make several decisions afterwards.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re calling me Chief again...¡±

    Nfirea could not help giggling at Enri¡¯s depressed reply.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s fine, isn¡¯t it? I am the Chief, after all! That¡¯s right, Agu thinks I can squish all the Goblins into paste if I felt like it! Compared to that, all these problems are nothing!¡±

    Ever since she had won every single arm-wrestling match with Agu andpany, there seemed to be an air of ¡°it might be true¡± hovering around the vige people, which pricked at her heart. Incidentally, she had not challenged the Ogres. If she lost, it would not prove anything, and if she won, or at least lost narrowly, it would get even worse.

    ¨DDoes this mean I¡¯ll never be able to get married if I let Enfi get away?

    Sweat slowly beaded on Enri¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Ah¨D right. Aren¡¯t you going to open the window? It¡¯s dry now, so opening it should be fine.¡±

    ¡°Eh? No, no need, we don¡¯t need to, right? And look, we¡¯ve got a magic light here.¡±

    ¡°Really? Well, if you don¡¯t mind, then neither do I, Enfi.¡±

    Magic illumination was brighter than sunlight. She knew this, but Enri¡¯s suggestion was based purely on the logic that ¡°since the sun¡¯s out, isn¡¯t it kind of wasteful to use mana for a magical light¡±? In addition, she wanted to change the current mood in the room. There was no particr reason for it, and it was no problem if he refused. However, Nfirea seemed to be having some kind of strange reaction to sitting next to her, what with his ears being bright red and all.

    Is he really using so much of his mana? But I heard that making magic lights wasn¡¯t that tiring... did he use some other spell beforeing here? Come to think of it, he doesn¡¯t smell of herbs. In fact, he smells kind of... nice.

    ¡°W-what¡¯s wrong, Enri?¡±

    Nfirea¡¯s words came out in a panicked squeak as Enri pressed her nose close to him.

    ¡°Hm? Hmmm? Ah, it¡¯s nothing, I just thought I smelled something nice...¡±

    ¡°Y-you did? Well, that¡¯s good to hear. That must be the cologne I made.¡±

    ¡°Really? Why don¡¯t you try selling it in town next time? I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll fetch a good price.¡±

    ¡°No, that... this... isn¡¯t meant for sale...¡±

    ¡°Hmm... well, forget it. Anyway, there should be enough hay in this hut. Shall we move on?¡±

    ¡°Mm, yeah. Then, before we move on, let me check on something first. It¡¯s cold outside, after all.¡±

    ¡°...Well, this ce isn¡¯t that warm either... ah, forget it.¡±

    ¡°That... about that. I wanted to discuss several things with you.¡±

    Nfirea, who was sitting beside her, seemed a little tense.

    What was going on with him?

    As Enri bathed the side of his face in a suspicious stare, Nfirea took out a handful of papers.

    They were covered in tiny letters. Enri had learned quite a few words by now, but her quick glimpse revealed more words she did not understandpared to those that she did.

    ¡°The first thing is how to feed the surviving Goblins from Agu¡¯s tribe and the Ogres.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Aren¡¯t we fine as we are? They helped with the harvest in the autumn, and we managed to buy the Ogres¡¯ food from the city.¡±

    ¡°Mmm, and the herbs sold for a good price, so we can say we¡¯ve got ample food reserves. It should be enough to deal with this winter. Even if we add a few extras, our food stocks should still hold out. But if our numbers keep increasing, life¡¯s going to be quite harsh. Maybe we should acquire our food by other means.¡±

    There were 14 people in Agu¡¯s tribe now. They were not born, but instead, they managed to escape from the territory of the Giant of the West and the Serpent of the East.

    ¡°Mmmm. Although I don¡¯t see a problem, we should probably buy more food from E-Rantel. However, I was nning to save some money tomission some metal farming tools for the Ogres.¡±

    ¡°If we could make some farming tools for the Ogres, the spring seeding should go a lot faster. ...But the problem is that if we order tools for the Ogres, they¡¯ll be big enough that no human could use them, and that¡¯ll make them suspicious.¡±

    ¡°And if word about the Ogres working in the vige gets out, it¡¯ll cause a lot of problems, right?¡±

    When the tax collectors came in autumn, Jugemu and the other demihumans had to hide in order to evade detection. Incidentally, it was due to their efforts that the grain harvest was so bountiful.

    Since Carne Vige had been attacked by Imperial knights, they only needed to pay a nominal tribute, which was a stroke of luck for them. In addition, they were excused from the draft for several years.

    Most of that was a form of apology for not protecting Carne Vige properly, but it looked like they felt genuine guilt about that as well. They thought that the high walls would arouse suspicious, but the tax collectors had simplymented ¡°so that¡¯s the kindness of that magic caster at work, hm?¡± and left matters at that. That being the case, Enri believed that they ought to be able to ept the presence of the Ogres as well, but Nfirea shook his head.

    ¡°There¡¯s no doubt about that ©¤ yup. If it goes bad, the Kingdom might even send a punitive force out.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s terrible!¡±

    ¡°You might be angry, but the truth is that Ogres usually eat people. The only reason why they can live with us in this vige is because of Jugemu-san, who are stronger than the Ogres. Don¡¯t forget that.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t...¡±

    ¡°Another thing is that we have far too few people in this vige. We need to think about how to get more residents. It would be great if the neers arrived with the spring nting season.¡±

    ¡°That might be hard. Also, it¡¯ll be troublesome if the neers get scared off by the Goblins and Ogres ©¤ what is it?¡±

    That question came from Enri. Nfirea had been acting strange since just now. It was as though... his mind was not fully there or something like that.

    ¡°Eh? Ah, no, nothing¡¯s wrong!¡±

    It certainly did not look that way. Was he running low on sleep? After all, her lover had a bad habit of dropping everything to obsess about his potions.

    As he saw Enri¡¯s eyebrows furrowing, Nfirea took a deep breath and shifted his body over.

    Hm? So he really is tired, after all? He does do a lot of experiments everyday... but it¡¯ll be cold if he sleeps here. Although it¡¯s kind of warm in the hay...

    While Enri was thinking about this. Nfirea slowly leaned more and more of his weight on her.

    What¡¯s wrong? Thoughe to think about it, it would be better if Nfirea were a bit stronger... I guess he needs more meat. He hasn¡¯t been eating and sleeping enough.

    A yful impulse came over Enri, and she pushed back on Nfirea. She had originally intended to use just a bit of force, but because she used too much strength, she ended up pinning him below herself instead.

    ¡°¨DUeeeeh?¡±

    Below Enri, Nfirea¡¯s surprised and confused face slowly turned bright red.

    Aaaah~ It must be embarrassing for a man to lose to a woman in strength. That¡¯s why I said you need to eat more...

    Just as Enri rolled herself off him, Nfireay down in the hay and closed his eyes.

    They stayed like this for several seconds, letting the air flow around them.

    ¡°...What¡¯s wrong, Enfi? Do you want to sleep?¡±

    Nfirea sat back up, his face uncharacteristically red.

    ¡°Uh... oh... um. N-nothing...¡±

    ¡°¨DAne-san!¡±

    The door flew open without a knock as the shout reached her ears. So forceful was the entry that the door crashed loudly against the nearby wall.

    ¡°Hueeee?¡±

    The curious squeak came from Nfirea.

    ¡°W-w-w-w-what happened?¡±

    ¡°Sorry for disturbing you two, but this is an emergency!¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    This was the first time she had seen Jugemu this worried ever since that Troll attacked. A strange, terrible premonition seemed to run through her body.

    ¡°It¡¯s an army! There¡¯s an army headed this way!¡±

    ¡°Eh?! What, what did you say? Whose troops are they?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know about heraldry so we couldn¡¯t tell. But there¡¯s a lot of different coats of arms, so you shoulde and look... In any case, we should shut the gate first. What should we do?¡±

    ¡°Ah! Ah... well, can you tell us which coats of arms make up the most among them? If you can describe or sketch them for me, I can help.¡±

    After listening to Jugemu¡¯s exnation, a puzzled expression spread over Nfirea¡¯s face.

    ¡°How strange. Those are gs from the Kingdom. If we knew which nobles¡¯ crests they were, we could identify who wasing here.¡±

    Carne Vige was a frontier vige, and before it had been founded there had only been forest here. It was obvious that their objective was Carne Vige, but why they wereing here was still a mystery.

    ¡°What on earth¡¯s going on? Do you know why, Nfirea?¡±

    ¡°Why would the Royal Armye to the vige? If they wanted to go to the Great Forest of Tob, it¡¯s strange that they¡¯re sending so many troops. They could have just sent adventurers instead. If that¡¯s the case... maybe there¡¯s a revolt or something...¡±

    ¡°Did such a thing really happen?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just hearsay, but I¡¯ve heard that the King¡¯s power in the Kingdom isn¡¯t actually very strong. Currently, it seems like the nobles are in conflict with the King. If that¡¯s the case, are theying to Carne Vige to attack the King¡¯s territory?¡±

    The blood drained from Enri¡¯s face.

    Could it be that the vige would be subject to a dreadful assault likest time?

    ¨DHowever, the circumstances now were different from then.

    Enri decided to face it head on.

    ¡°We should flee into the forest before the troops reach this ce!¡±

    ¡°...Ane-san, I¡¯m sorry. We spotted them toote, so if we ran now, we¡¯d have to leave all our things here. In addition, since it¡¯s winter, the chances of monsters appearing in the forest are also very high. If we run from one problem, we end up running right into another instead.¡±

    Jugemu¡¯s pained expression made Enri feel dizzy.

    They would not be able to survive if the troops burned the vige down in winter.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case... ah! That¡¯s right! If we can¡¯t flee with our possessions, then we should prepare for battle and hide food and the other necessities at the same time!¡±

    ¡°Yes! That¡¯s a good n, Enri! The cers where Jugemu and the Ogres hid from the tax collectors shouldn¡¯t have been buried yet. We¡¯ll move everything in there!¡±

    Just as Enri was about to move into action, she remembered a question she hadn¡¯t asked yet.

    What were their numbers? The vigers could estimate how much people to mobilize if they knew how many there were.

    ¡°How many are there? It should be about a hundred, right?¡±

    ¡°No...¡±

    Jugemu¡¯s hesitant answer made Enri want to stuff her fingers in her ears.

    ¡°That¡¯s not all... they number in the thousands.¡±

    Enri¡¯s eyes went wide. So did Nfirea beside her.

    ¡°They have about 4000 people at the very least, I think.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s... why would they send so many...¡±

    ¡°I have no idea. Why would they send so many troops to a vige like this? ...Enri, could it be that word got out about the Goblins in the vige?¡±

    ¡°No way. It¡¯s impossible.¡±

    Enri answered immediately.

    No matter how she thought, she could not think of a reason for a leak. There had been immigrants to the vige, but they all felt that the Goblins were more trustworthy than humans. Ever since the Troll attack, the barriers between the original and new residents of the vige had all but disappeared.

    It might have been because of adventurers who hade to the vige ¨D they were all dead, with the exception of Momon and Nabe ¨D but Nfirea insisted that could not be the case.

    ¡°Then... while we prepare to flee, we should ask them why they came. Fighting... is ast resort.¡±

    Challenging an army of 4000 men was nothing short of suicide.

    ¡°Like Ani-san said, that¡¯s all we can do... I guess against these numbers, there¡¯s no other way.¡±

    ¡°Umu. That¡¯s why, we should get ready to flee at any moment, while trying to buy time for our escape. Then, let¡¯s go!¡±

    ***

    They sen trhe vigers and the Ogres by the vige gates to go hide the food. The only ones left were Enri, Jugemu, and some of the Goblins, along with Britta and several members of the defence force.

    The first thing Enri did was to question Britta about the situation, asking about the identity of the interlopers and whose crests they bore. But sadly, Britta could not give her any answers.

    ording to her, someone else had always handled that sort of thing. In that moment, Enri realised how important it was to be well-informed. Because of that, all they could do was to wait for Nfirea to make his report aftering back from the watch tower.

    The sound of hooves came from the other side of the wall, and then a loud voice.

    ¡°This one is the envoy of the First Prince of the Re-Estize Kingdom, Barbro Andrean Ield DDale Vaiself! Open the gate and let us in!¡±

    Enri doubted her ears again.

    Although she had heard many surprising things in a short period of time, this one took the cake.

    ¡°The, the First Prince?!¡±

    What on earth was someone like that doing here?!

    Enri had no idea what was going on. All this was starting to feel like a dream.

    However, judging by the way Nfirea was scurrying back from the watchtower, she was certain that the envoy¡¯s words were true.

    ¡°The King¡¯s g is among them. Only the royal family or those rted to them would be allowed to bear that g.¡±

    ¡°Eh? What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°It means that the royal family has brought troops to our vige!¡±

    Enri raised her voice, unable to understand what was going on.

    ¡°Why, why do you need to send so many troops to a frontier vige like this?¡±

    ¡°Vigers like you don¡¯t need to know about that! Thisnd belongs to the King, and obeying the Prince is the proper thing to do! Or could it be that you¡¯re defying the King ¨D rising up in revolt?¡±

    Enri¡¯s body shuddered.

    As subjects of the King, they should open their doors. However¨D

    ¨DJugemu exchanged a nce with Enri from the side.

    Even if they went to open the gate right away, they could not do it instantly. Before that, they had to hide the Goblins and the Ogres.

    ¡°Ah, Ane-san. We¡¯ll hide ourselves as quickly as we can. Until then, please buy us some time.¡±

    Enri nodded. Why did I order them to hide the food there, she thought, but it was toote for regrets now.

    ¡°I repeat. Open the gate!¡±

    ¡°My, my apologies! Right now, right now we¡¯re preparing to wee his Majesty the Prince! Please, hold on a bit!¡±

    ¡°Repeat yourself, woman! Are you in charge of this vige? This dy is uneptable! Do not waste even a single second in opening the gate!¡±

    ¡°...Why are you so desperate to get in?!¡±

    Enri was already uneasy, and she responded with an angry shout. While she knew it was very rude, she could not rule out the possibility that they were soldiers from another country masquerading as Kingdom troops.

    Carne Vige¡¯s defenses were extremely solid. They had shocked the tax collectors who had seen them.

    It would not be a surprise if another country wanted to use it as a fortress. After all, the Trolls had attacked for precisely that reason.

    The other side fell silent for once, and both sides hesitated uneasily.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering! You¡¯re impostors pretending to be Kingdom troops, aren¡¯t you!¡±

    After that panicked shout, she finally got an answer.

    ¡°...the magic caster called Ainz Ooal Gown came to this vige once, did he not?¡±

    The image of the vige¡¯s savior appeared in Enri¡¯s head.

    ¡°That magic caster is now an enemy of the Kingdom. As such, we wish to ask you, who are rted to Ainz Ooal Gown, about him.¡±

    Ovee by surprise, Enri was unable to speak.

    However ©¤ the whispers of one of the defense force members worked its way into her ear.

    ¡°If Gown-sama is opposed to the Kingdom... then isn¡¯t it the Kingdom that¡¯s wrong?¡±

    The eyes of the vigers reflected their agreement.

    Of particr note were those vigers who moved to Carne Vige after their original homes had been burned down. Their hatred of the Kingdom for not being able to defend them swiftly turned into respect for the magic caster who saved this vige.

    Be it the gift of the horn that had summoned the Goblins, or the provision of the golems that built the sturdy walls that now protected them, or the maid (Lupusregina) who had saved the vige when they were attacked by the Troll, all these had only deepened their trust in Ainz.

    ¡°Should we really open the gate?¡±

    ¡°...But, there¡¯s a lot of them. If we don¡¯t open the gate...¡±

    ¡°If we betray him like this after receiving his kindness...¡±

    ¡°Wait! They said they just want to ask us something. It doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re betraying him...¡±

    ¡°You think so? It just sounds ungrateful to me.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s eyes were on Enri.

    She understood well the hearts of both sides. Because of that, Enri was unable to choose, and hesitated. Just at this moment, an angry shout came from outside the gate.

    ¡°Do you understand? If you do, then open the gates right now! If not, you will be treated as traitors to the Kingdom!¡±

    Pushed to the limit, Enri shouted back something to try and buy time.

    ¡°There-there is cow dung everywhere! W-we can¡¯t let the Prince walk into a ce like this!¡±

    After a brief silence, a calmer voice pierced the air.

    ¡°Oh, um. Understood. Then how about this. We will enter instead of his Majesty the Prince. We¡¯ll think about what happenster.¡±

    There were no more excuses she could give.

    Enri¡¯s mind had gonepletely nk. Not caring what it was, she shouted the first thing she could think of in response.

    ¡°S-sorry! The dung¡¯s on my hands! I can¡¯t rub it off! Let me wash my hands and I¡¯ll be back!¡±

    ¡°¨DO-oi!¡±

    Enri watched the retreating backs of Jugemu and the others. She was worried about how much more time she could buy for them.

    ? ? ?

    Barbro¡¯s frustration had reached its limit . He red at the reporting knight with a look usually reserved for an enemy and not an ally.

    ¡°Say it one more time, what foolery is this?!¡±

    Barbro¡¯s anger overflowed with every word he spoke from between the gaps of his grinding teeth, and the knight repeated himself.

    ¡°Sir! Carne Vige still has not opened their gates.¡±

    As he listened to the knight¡¯s calm reply, Barbro was filled with the sudden desire to punch him.

    However, that would have been foolish. Barbro struggled to control the anger welling up in his fist.

    This knight included, nobody here was actually sworn to Barbro. In the first ce, Barbromanded no troops. Every man here was under orders from their liege lord, or in thepany of their lord. Because of that, he could not strike this knight while hisrades were watching.

    ¡°¨DWhy is that? Why are those peasants in Carne Vige not opening the gate? Thend is directly ruled by the royal family! They have a duty to obey me! I order them to open the gate right now!¡±

    As his frustration built, so did his agitation, and Barbro no longer picked his words carefully.

    ¡°I don¡¯t get it! Do they take me for a fool? What the hell are they thinking?!¡±

    The vigers were beings far inferior to the First Prince.

    These beings were now insulting him.

    As that thought came to mind, his aggravation over the past few months ©¤ all the niggling little things that had frustrated Barbro ever since the demonic disturbance ©¤ seemed to have found an outlet, and it exploded forth.

    The dam burst in an instant.

    ¡°Traitors! Traitors, all of them! I dere that everyone in Carne Vige is a traitor!¡±

    The shout sparked a surprisedmotion from the men who had heard it.

    ¡°A moment please! If you do that©¤¡±

    The furious Barbro red at the panicked knight who had replied.

    If they designated the vige as traitors, they would need to exterminate each and everyst one of them, then burn the vige down until no trace of its existence remained.

    But so what?

    Prince Barbro had given his orders, and he could not understand why his subordinates were not following them. Could it be that these men of the Marquis were looked down on him and thus refused to obey his orders?

    ¡°So what if I do?! Allowing them to live after disobeying a royalmand is a sin!¡±

    The royals would be looked down upon if they sparedmoners who rebelled against them. Not killing them would eventually result in a loss of their authority.

    Even on the nobles¡¯ own territory, once any of their serfs rose up in revolt, they would undoubtedly be destroyed. These knights of the Marquis should have known that much.

    ¡°Please wait, my Prince! The war with the Empire ising soon. If we kill citizens of the King¡¯s demesne, it will negatively affect the morale of the entire army! I also pray you will look at the fortifications ranged against us. There is no way this is an ordinary vige. Although the vigers are not numerous, trying to break down the gate with brute force will be difficult in the extreme. If that is the case, we should handle the situation peacefully and ask them their reasons for not opening the gate after things settle down here.¡±

    ¡°...Ask them nicely, then. But I want a few of them to swing for this.¡±

    ¡°...It can¡¯t be helped. After all, they did keep the gate shut in defiance of your orders, Barbro-sama.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll see them hang from the gates! They shall be made into examples for the others!¡±

    ¡°It is as you say.¡±

    Prince Barbro gazed at Carne Vige.

    As the knight said, the sturdy gate was set into thick curtain walls. Given that the vige was right next to the Great Forest of Tob, this might even have been intentional. However, from the way the watchtowers were ced, it resembled a fortress more than a frontier vige.

    Bringing it down would take a long time.

    Over a thousand soldiers were lined up in front of the gate, shouting at them to open up.

    If one listened carefully, one could hear the same sounds in the distance, from the rear gate.

    These shouts were like sparks from a flint, which relit the dark, sticky mes in Barbro¡¯s heart. He was no longer acting rationally.

    ¡°Oi! Fire the me arrows!¡±

    ¡°F-me arrows?!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Who knows how long this is going to take if this keeps up. You listen and you listen well, we don¡¯t have time to waste on this vige any further! It would be one thing if you could open that gate in a few minutes that would be fine, but you can¡¯t, can you?!¡±

    The knight bit his lip and nodded.

    ¡°Threaten them with me arrows. The time for ying childish games like standing outside the wall and shouting is over. Now we show them how adults do things!!¡±

    As the knight stared, open-mouthed and dumbfounded, a man stormed up from his side.

    ¡°To think you would disobey his Highness... I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re one of the Marquis¡¯ men. Your Highness, will you permit my men to carry out that attack?¡±

    It was Baron Cheneko. Behind him were several of his fellow brown-nosers.

    Prince Barbro was d that such foolish men could be useful at times like these. No, he was a noble as well, and if a vige in his fief had dared rise up in revolt, he would probably have done the same thing as well. He might even understand Prince Barbro¡¯s position.

    ¡°...Really now. Then I order you to make it so, Baron. Fire me arrows at the vige... no, this way is better. Target the watchtower. That ought to avoid casualties, right?¡±

    ¡°Ohh! Such a merciful decision! As expected of your Highness! Then, you have but to watch us!¡±

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Ane-san! We¡¯re ready! Everyone¡¯s taken cover. We¡¯re the only ones le¨D what¡¯s that?¡±

    Jugemu seemed to sense an oddity in the air around them, and swallowed his words.

    The defense force members who had remained here werepletely opposed to each other. Half of them were reluctantly in favor of opening the gates for the army outside while the other half were fiercely opposed to it. The root of the dispute was whether or not they would be betraying the vige¡¯s hero, Ainz Ooal Gown. As a result, it was hard to make a decision.

    ¡°Actually...¡±

    Enri was about to say something to Jugemu when a loud voice came from outside the walls.

    ¡°¨DCitizens of Carne Vige. Because you did not immediately open the gate when ordered, the fact of whether you are loyal subjects of the Kingdom has been called into question. As such, we will take representatives from among you onto the battlefield, where you will convince Ainz Ooal Gown to surrender. You must prove that your loyalty remains with the Kingdom, and that you are loyal subjects!¡±

    The atmosphere started to change. The hatred in their hearts burned so fiercely that it seemed to shake the very air..

    Enri was no exception.

    It was true that the vigers were citizens of the Kingdom, and loyal. However, that loyalty paled inparison to the gratitude they felt to the man who had saved their vige for no charge or obligation. After all, when their families, friends and lovers had been murdered, the only one who had reached out a hand to help them was that great magic caster.

    ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll let myself be dragged onto the battlefield to get in Ainz-sama¡¯s way!¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t we just hide in the forest and see how things go before making a decision?¡±

    Loud arguments like these echoed from all around.

    However, the one thing they had inmon was that nobody wanted to do anything which might inconvenience their hero.

    It was at this moment that cracking sounds reached their ears from the outside, followed by the sound of several objects whistling through the air. As the sound came closer, streaks of brilliant red light appeared before their eyes, and arrows fell like rain onto the watchtower. The crisp sound of arrows piercing into wood filled everyone¡¯s ears.

    ¡°...No way...¡±

    Enri drew a sudden breath as she realized that the Kingdom was using lethal force on them.

    Fortunately, nobody was in the watchtower at the time. They must have known that before they attacked. Or maybe¨D

    ¨DMaybe they would have fired anyway, even if there was someone inside.

    ¡°A-Ane-san! They don¡¯t seem to be targeting us yet, but you shouldn¡¯t be standing in their bow range! Over here, quickly!¡±

    Jugemu grabbed Enri¡¯s hand as she looked at the watchtower in a daze. He led the unresisting Enri away. She ran with him, but her eyes remained glued to the watchtower.

    Just as the defense force fell back, the watchtower began to burn..

    The thatched roof caught alight in an instant and turned into a fire which got fiercer by the second, and the roof copsed..

    Everyone in the vige could see the destruction of the tower, no matter where they were. Wails of sorrow rose from all around her. One in particr was especially loud. As Enri¡¯s breathing turned chaotic from this revisited trauma, she saw the man who had screamed the loudest, whose voice carried the most anguish.

    He was a man who had moved into the vige.

    His face was a mix of equal parts hatred and despair. She looked around herself, and many of the immigrants had simr expressions on their faces.

    Enri remembered.

    She remembered that their viges had been burned down in a simr way.

    ¡°They¡¯re the enemy!¡± the man screamed. ¡°They¡¯re the enemy! If they weren¡¯t the enemy, they wouldn¡¯t be doing this! I want to fight them!¡±

    ¡°To hell with the Kingdom! They¡¯re scum who didn¡¯t even help us! And now they want to burn this ce down too?!¡±

    That shout came from a plump woman.

    ¡°I won¡¯t forgive them for this! If they want to kill me, go right ahead! I¡¯ll take as many of the bastards down with me as I can! I¡¯ll take revenge for him!¡±

    A young man followed up with a cry of his own.

    Madness and hatred were saturating the air, thanks in no small part to the me arrows.

    ¡°...Ane-san. It¡¯s time to make a decision.¡±

    Jugemu¡¯s was as hard as steel as he quietly delivered his ultimatum

    ¡°Eh? ...But they¡¯re all so mad they can¡¯t think straight. Shouldn¡¯t we wait before making a decision?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no time. And nobody can guarantee they won¡¯t go berserk. It¡¯s best if you decide what the vige is going to do right now.¡±

    That was a reasonable suggestion. The army had already destroyed the watchtower with me arrows. The next time round, they would probably do something worse. They could not hesitate for a moment.

    As Enri screwed up her determination, she took a deep breath. She nced briefly to Nfirea, who was holding Nemu¡¯s hand, and they nodded to her, as though in encouragement.

    Her chest felt a little warmer.

    That was the final dose of courage Enri needed.

    ¡°Everyone! I want to have everyone here decide what we, as a vige are going to do! Whatever the decision, I hope you will abide by it!¡±

    A great chorus of approval was her answer.

    ¡°Hands up everyone who wishes the vige to do as the Kingdom says!¡±

    Not a single hand was raised.

    As her heart pounded mightily in her chest, Enri shouted once more.

    ¡°Then! Everyone who wants to fight the Kingdom to theirst breath, hands up!¡±

    With a thunderous roar, countless hands rose in unison. They did not just raise their hands; their fists were tightly clenched. The looks on their faces showed their determination to resist to the end.

    Of course, they were afraid. But that was only to be expected. Everyone here had chosen a path that would end in their deaths. Even so, there was something which motivated everyone here that outweighed the fear of death.

    It was the desire to not repay the kindness and sour they had received with treachery.

    ¡°Then ¨D we¡¯ll fight! We¡¯ll all fight! We¡¯ll repay the debt we owe! Jugemu-san! I¡¯ll leave the battle n to you!¡±

    Jugemu swiftly strode forth to stand by Enri¡¯s side.

    ¡°...I¡¯ve seen your resolve. You¡¯re all going to die here. Are you all alright with that?¡±

    The veteran¡¯s words were met with unanimous approval.

    ¡°You¡¯re able to shout so loudly despite your pale faces. Magnificent. ...However, I¡¯m sorry to rain on your parade, after you all loudly proimed your willingness to fight to the end. Shouldn¡¯t you let the young ones run away first? After all, if anyone¡¯s going to die, it should be us and the old-timers.¡±

    An older man spoke up.

    ¡°He¡¯s got a point ¨D but isn¡¯t that impossible? They¡¯ve got men outside both gates. Even if we climbed over the walls, they¡¯d spot us right away.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true... if we were just running away normally, like you said.¡±

    Jugemu grinned evilly as he continued.

    ¡°We can¡¯t hide and then run. So what we¡¯ll do is, we¡¯ll open the main gate and bait the enemy inside. When they get cocky ande in, we¡¯ll hit them hard. If we can do enough damage, the enemy will gather their dispersed troops and focus on us.¡±

    Jugemu looked around.

    ¡°That said, the enemy may know it¡¯s a feint. Even so, as long as we have enough attack power, the enemy will have no choice but to gather their troops up. Any questions?¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like it, but Jugemu-san, where should they flee?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious, Ane-san? Into the Great Forest of Tob. I¡¯ll assign Agu and Britta, who both know the forest, to the escape party. I¡¯m sure we can manage for a while without them around.¡±

    The vigers had already prepared themselves for death, but it was only natural that they would not want their children to perish with them. Knowing that their children had a chance to survive tempered their fighting spirit.

    As Jugemu saw addressed them with a grim expression on his face.

    ¡°Listen up. The first strike is a battle to make the enemy consolidate their troops. The second strike will be a battle to deplete their fighting strength, so they don¡¯t have any left over. The fiercer that battle is, the better the chances for the escapees.¡±

    ¡°Hahahaha! Is that all! Ahhhh, well, that¡¯s a relief.¡±

    Those words were joined by severalughs. Thatughter was not born of desperation or madness ¨D it was just a simple, rxedugh.

    ¡°As long as my wife and children can be saved, I have no regrets. Now¡¯s the time to repay the kindness Ainz Ooal Gown-sama showed us!¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right! I¡¯m not going to grow old as a useless excuse for a father!¡±

    ¡°Then ... who¡¯s going to be in the escape team?¡±

    Jugemu looked carefully at everyone as he answered Nfirea¡¯s question.

    ¡°You and Ani-san will be responsible for protecting the women and children. Then, like I said earlier, we¡¯ll need Britta, Agu, and the other Goblins to help guide them through the woods.¡±

    ¡°¨DEh?¡±

    Enri eximed in surprise.

    As the vige chief, she had an obligation to stand with the others. Since she had ordered the vigers to die, then she could do nothing less than stand by their side as they fought. Even so, the vigers spoke before Enri could.

    Everyone agreed with Jugemu. Just as Enri was thinking of how to refuse, they had already reached a decision without consulting her.

    ¡°Enri-chan, I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡±

    ¡°Please take care of my children. My wife died back then... but at least, the kids...¡±

    The vigers¡¯ hands were filled with their thoughts and feelings as they squeezed Enri¡¯s hands. Enri¡¯s eyes grew hot and moist, and then Nfirea stepped up to her side.

    ¡°Enri, let¡¯s go. Our battle begins after we survive, and that¡¯s a battle we¡¯re not allowed to lose. Besides, Ainz Ooal Gown-sama mighte to save us again. When the timees, it¡¯ll be better if we¡¯re around, as the ones who set foot inside his domain.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s right, you know.¡±

    ¡°Jugemu-san...¡±

    ¡°That horn you used to summon us... I think you should use it afterwards, don¡¯t you think? If you used it now, it would be like trying to put out a burning house with a ss of water. It would be better if you blew it after all this was over and summoned more of ourrades to help you.¡±

    Enri wiped her eyes, which were full of tears.

    ¡°I got it! I¡¯ll protect everyone¡¯s wives and children! Let¡¯s go! Enfi!¡±

    ? ? ?

    One side of the gate opened slowly.

    ¡°As I thought, we should have used the me arrows from the beginning. Well, the follow-up me arrows were wasted...¡±

    Prince Barbro¡¯s face twisted in displeasure. They had wasted too much time. In order to make up for the dy, the men would need to be force-marched. But that was unavoidable.

    This was all the fault of the Marquis¡¯ men. If he had not given the order to use me arrows himself, who knew how much more time would have been wasted?

    Barbro looked to the sky, cursing his misfortune for being saddled with ipetent underlings.

    He considered the time that would be neededter ¨D the first thing being how long it would take to hang the vigers.

    He would hang them on the vige¡¯s walls, to show everyone the final fate of anyone foolish enough to defy the royal family.

    Next, he had to find anyone who had close ties with Ainz Ooal Gown. That might take longer than stringing the vigers up.

    ¡°Damn. I should have brought an interrogator along. We¡¯ll offer to spare the lives of anyone who cooperates... the problem is the children...¡±

    There was no point in letting them live. To begin with, children could not live without their parents, so hanging children with their parents was a form of mercy.

    ¡°Is there enough rope for all of them? If we could get some from the vige, that would be good...¡±

    The soldiers slowly advanced to the gate. Pride filled Prince Barbro¡¯s chest as he saw the royal g advancing at the head of the column. When he ascended to the throne, he would make sure he had ceremonial guards like that.

    The soldier holding the g entered the gate ¨D and was then flung back out.

    The royal g which he was holding fluttered to the ground.

    Shortly after, the gigantic creatures that had sent them flying loomed in the opening of the gate.

    ¡°¨DO-o-Ogres?! What are Ogres doing here?!¡±

    Thepletely unexpected development took Prince Barbro by surprise, and he had forgotten the dignity of the royal family as he cried out.

    Yes. Those were the demi-humans known as Ogres. The soldiers were just as shocked by their sudden appearance as Barbro was. Their mighty clubs sent several people flying with every swing.

    Amidst a spray of blood and gore, the stricken soldiers flew into the distance and impacted on the ground, which woke their fellow troops from their stupor. They panicked, turned tail and desperately began fleeing. Several more Ogres appeared from behind the gate, as if to pursue them.

    As the soldiers fell back in a disgraceful rout, they were struck by the Ogres¡¯ clubs and sent flying. It looked like children kicking their dolls into the distance.

    The reason for their flight ¨Dbecause there was no way this was any kind of withdrawal¨D was because these soldiers were all the Baron¡¯s levied troops. They had loosed the me arrows in order to make them open up faster, and Barbro had granted them the honor of being the first into the vige.. Who could have thought that it would have backfired so badly?

    Just as Prince Barbro was about to frown at the Baron, who had abandoned the very men he led ande scampering back to him, the sound of a horn rang through the air.

    The Marquis¡¯ knights had raised theirnces in unison. It was a textbook motion that showed that they were professional soldiers. However, the men were fleeing and the Ogres were in hot pursuit, and it seemed difficult for them to plunge into the chaotic battlefield.

    Lances were weapons which showed their power during a charge. They could not shine in a pitched melee.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you shooting yet?!¡± Barbro shouted

    Allowing the Ogres to get closer would only increase the losses they would take. It would be better to abandon these soldiers and kill their fellowrades along with the vigers.

    Just as Barbro¡¯s aggravation began to mount, the Ogres suddenly began to retreat. They used the fleeing soldiers as meat shields, preventing the cavalry from pursuing, and in the end they fell back into the gate.

    Barbro¡¯s men received the survivors and then began reorganizing into a proper battle formation. He gripped his reins rightly.

    He had originally nned to finish this boring mission swiftly, and then rush back to the battlefield to gain glory in battle against the Empire.

    Now, this unsightly mess was all that was left of his dream.

    While they had not expected the Ogres to show up, if they simply retreated to E-Rantel with nothing to show for it, his reputation would plunge even further. There would be no catching up with Zanack, the Second Prince and the backup sessor, in the race for the throne.

    Or could it be¨D had all this been nned out beforehand?

    He could not help clicking his tongue in annoyance, knowing the surrounding nobles¡¯ eyes were on him.

    However, he had no time to pretend to be calm. Barbro turned a keen eye on the knight running toward him. He was themander of the Marquis¡¯ elite troops.

    ¡°...What the hell was that? Has that vige been taken over by Ogres? What¡¯s going on?!¡±

    ¡°I, I don¡¯t know, sir. Nobody expected there would be monsters there... this vige should have been visited by tax collectors recently. But we received no word that this vige was taken over by Ogres. If they went and didn¡¯t return, that would be abnormal... what on earth happened in that vige...¡±

    He could feel the confusion in the knight¡¯s words. If there was a scheme to make Barbro lose his dignity and fall into a trap, he probably was not aware of it either.

    That being the case, he was on the Prince¡¯s side, in a sense..

    ¡°In any case, we don¡¯t know enough about the enemy. Well, that¡¯s only to be expected. Only five Ogres showed up. If they had more, they would have continued attacking us. So in all likelihood, they probably don¡¯t have more than ten in total. You should be able to take down five Ogres, no?¡±

    ¡°Of course! Every one of us is as strong as a member of the Kingdom¡¯s Warrior Band. A mere five Ogres are nothing to us!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not doubting you. I¡¯m just saying, you need to be on the lookout. Ogres are stupid monsters, but their actions just now were too intelligent. They opened the door to lure us in, and then counterattacked with perfect timing. It looks like the other side has amander. If one of the vigers was leading them...¡±

    ¡°Forgive my rudeness. No mere peasant could control an Ogre. I believe there must be some other force at work here. If we could just learn more about the enemy¨D¡±

    Barbro could no longer control his impatience.

    ¡°What are you babbling about? Look there!¡±

    Barbro pointed at the gate, at the tattered rags that used to be a royal g.

    ¡°The country¡¯s g is now in that sad state. You will destroy that vige no matter the cost. Gather your troops, loose me arrows, and burn the vige down. Now¡¯s the chance to put your siege experience to good use! It looks like we won¡¯t be able to finish this without any losses. So you will attack with the intention of razing that vige to the ground!¡±

    ¡°Please wait! It might be that some Ogre sorcerer or some other intelligent demi-human might be the mastermind here, and not the vigers!¡±

    ¡°And if that were the case, so what?¡±

    Barbro looked at the knight¡¯s surprised face, and began exining slowly to him, like an adult lecturing a child.

    ¡°Are you listening? Good. It doesn¡¯t matter if the vigers have control of the Ogres, or if they¡¯re controlled by some intelligent demi-human. Those vigers have rebelled against the rightful ruler of theirnd, the royal family. That being the case, we must disy the consequences of such foolishness to the world.¡±

    ¡°But, there might be some vigers being held as hostages; aren¡¯t they innocent?!¡±

    ¡°Were you listening to what I said earlier? Who cares if they are?¡±

    Barbro shrugged at the knight, who seemed to have trouble epting what he had just heard.

    ¡°I get it, I get it. I understand how you feel. Then I will show them the greatest amount of leniency possible. Capture those vigers who don¡¯t resist, and then we will put them on trialter. Is that better?¡±

    ¡°Understood, sir!¡±

    The knight bowed deeply to Barbro. After hearing his forceful response, Barbro nodded in approval.

    ¡°However, I have one condition. I want an overwhelming victory. If we take losses here, all sorts of gossip will spread. The same goes for you. People will talk about how the Marquis¡¯ trump card was sent out to a pissant vige to be bloodied.¡±

    ¡°But that was because of the Ogres¨D¡±

    ¡°¨DYou can¡¯t use that as an excuse. That¡¯s just how the world works.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    ¡°If you understand, then get to work. Get the troops from the rear gate. At the same time, cut down trees from the forest and start making battering rams. I¡¯ll leave the details to you. Minimize casualties while ensuring victory. Kill anyone who flees.¡±

    ? ? ?

    A steady stream of oil-filled pots impacted on the sides of the wall, followed by me arrows.

    The explosive impacts wereparable to the bursting of a [Fireball], creating bright red mes which gave off endless plumes of ck smoke.

    Jugemu could feel the uneasiness radiating off the nearby members of the defense force. The Goblin leader raised his magic greatsword and roared.

    ¡°Hold fast! mes like these can¡¯t breach the wall! As for the defense of the gate¨D¡±

    The sound of a heavy impact, doom, came from the outside of the gate.

    The walls were much thicker and bigger than the watchtower, which nowy in ashes. Even when struck by ming arrows, they did not catch fire easily. As such, they concluded that this was just a feint to draw attention from their real objective, which was breaching the gate. It seemed that this was the right decision. Once more, a great doom came from the gate.

    It was a deeper, more powerful sound than the impacts of the Ogre¡¯s clubs. It was the sound of siege weapons ¨C most likely battering rams.

    ¡°Loose!¡±

    In time with Jugemu¡¯s shout, the vigers fired their arrows with practiced ease.

    Cries of pain rose from the other side of the wall. However, the battering rams did not stop. They must have been using multiple rams in a sequential attack.

    ¡°Loose!¡±

    Once more, the arrows flew aloft on Jugemu¡¯smand. However, this time, they were answered by arrows from the enemy. Several times the number of arrows they let loose fell upon the vige like rain.

    Yet, not a single one struck the defenders.

    The enemy attack had been a series of ranging shots, so they had all missed, impacting harmlessly on walls and buildings. However, the enemy had more archers they had on their side, and their uracy was slowly increasing. If they could not reset their uracy to zero once more, the consequences did not bear thinking.

    ¡°Fall back! Fall back! We¡¯re changing location!¡±

    The vigers obeyed Jugemu, who could still make himself heard despite his lowered volume. They hurriedly shifted their location.

    To date, the vigers had only learned to shoot from fixed positions. Their aim was to urately target the area just outside the main gate. As such, when they could do both, their uracy was quite high, but conversely, once they had to move to an unfamiliar location, their arrows would no longer hit their marks well.

    Fighting a ranged battle now would be very difficult.

    ¡°Spears up! We¡¯re moving into closebat!¡±

    A loud ping came from the other side of the wall. It sounded like something metallic striking the wall,pletely different from the dooms of the battering rams. In all likelihood, it was the sound of axes, and they wereing from everywhere.

    Quantity was a quality of its own. They could use the door or wall attacks as feints in order to attack from apletely unexpected direction. If Jugemu were themander for the other side, he would do that too.

    Just as nned... it looks like the situation¡¯s going well and the enemy is dispersing.

    Most conventional attack strategies would be useless in the face of the opposition¡¯s numerical superiority. For the vigers of Carne, their best bet would be to steadily erode their enemies¡¯ fighting strength.

    As long as the enemy formation weakened, they could attack from the vige at any time. Ideally, they would charge the enemymander in a fish-scale formation. That way, the panicked enemy would immediately consolidate their troops.

    Bringing the Ogres back halfway was part of the preparations for that event. Even if the Ogres pressed their attack by themselves, it would be difficult for them to make the enemy panic and achieve their objective of drawing the troops at the back gate out to the front.

    Once they pull their people back, we¡¯ll be encircled with no way out... I guess this is what it means to walk into the dragon¡¯s gullet...

    In other words, this was a suicidal tactic.

    Even so¨D

    ¡°Well, we¡¯ve achieved half of our objectives already.¡±

    Jugemu muttered cheerfully to himself as his line of sight moved to the obstructed rear gate.

    He had already prepared an escape route for his master with the highest probability of survival. There was nothing more to worry about. It might be cruel to say so, but as long as all the vigers here died, the enemy would know how many had survived and Enri would remain cloaked in a shroud of mystery.

    Protecting Enri was Jugemu¡¯s first and highest priority. He would pay any price for that and not regret it in the slightest. Therefore¨D

    ¡°Everyone! Wait for the door to go down! We¡¯re going to charge! Our target is the enemy headquarters! Our only chance of survival is to kill their boss!¡±

    ¡°Ohhhh!¡±

    A series of determined howls answered him. There was a slight wavering in some of the voices, but nobody looked like they were going to back out.

    All that remained was the raw courage of men who were fighting to protect their children and their loved ones.

    ? ? ?

    Enri and Nfirea ran down from the rear watchtower, herding the women and children toward the area in front of the rear gate. Nfirea¡¯s grandmother Lizzie was not there, because she was currently hiding all the alchemical wares she had borrowed from Ainz.

    She would have no time to escape, but she had already epted her fate.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry! There¡¯s nobody around! We¡¯ll open the gate now and head for the forest!¡±

    The gathered children, faces pale from fright, nodded desperately.

    Meanwhile, Nfirea and Britta turned the handle, slowly opening one side of the gate.

    At the moment they opened the gate, Enri stuck her head out to look around. There was nobody around. Just as she saw from the watchtower, there were no troops in sight. Jugemu¡¯s n had seeded.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s go!¡±

    The first to exit were Agu and his Goblin tribesmen. If they were ambushed in the forest, they would carve a bloody path through their enemies. Next was Britta. Her job was to spot soldiers which Agu missed.

    The pioneer team took the children following them into consideration and slowed down as they ran to the forest. Behind them, the children followed them two by two. The mothers would apany the children as they ran. Children without parents would be led by older children.

    At the end were Enri and Nfirea, who looked at each other and ran.

    Even after getting out of the gate, the forest was still far away. The distance felt several times longer than it actually was.

    They frantically pumped their legs and ran.

    It was still far away.

    There was still a distance to go.

    Just then, they heard horses from behind them.

    Recently, Enri¡¯s cardiovascr endurance had been so well developed that even she found it strange. Still, her heart was pounding and her breathing was in disarray. Fear drove her to look behind, and there she glimpsed something she could not believe was there ¨D despair.

    ¡°No way...¡±

    Over a hundred mounted knights had appeared from behind them. They must have been hiding in the blind spots of the watchtower, sticking close to the walls. They had only emerged because they were sure nobody else was going toe out.

    It was a long distance from the vige to the forest. However, there was a huge difference between the speeds of horses and humans.

    Maybe Agu and Britta could flee. But it was impossible for the children. They would be overrun.

    The knights held gleaming objects in their hands. There was no doubt they were nning to cut them down from behind. The fearful memories from back then made her shudder. Although Nemu was running at the head of the column, it was doubtful if she would be able to escape.

    ¡°Enri, keep running!¡±

    Nfirea had stopped.

    ¡°Enfi!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll buy us some time!¡±

    ¡°Are you crazy? Don¡¯t think this will be likest time when Lupusregina-san saved you at thest moment!¡±

    ¡°Just run!¡±

    Nfirea¡¯s angry shout was directed at Enri, who had stopped as well.

    ¡°If you want to buy time, I have a better way!¡±

    Enri withdrew the battered old horn from her pocket.

    It could only summon 19 Goblins. Although they were not numerous, each of them was still quite strong. It should be enough to buy some time.

    ¡°Idiot! There¡¯s so many of them! What can you do with less than 20 people!¡±

    She could not argue against Nfirea¡¯s reasoning. The enemy would surely circle around the Goblins and attack. However, not blowing the horn would be even more stupid.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it the same with you?!¡±

    Enri no longer had time to waste on talking. She ced the horn to her lips.

    ¨DGoblin-sans! Please help me!

    What rang out was a basso profundo note that made the verynd tremble.

    Enri¡¯s eyes went wide at what she had done. In the past, when she had summoned Jugemu and the others, all she had gotten was a soft poot. All she should have gotten was the noise a shabby child¡¯s toy would have made.

    ¡°En-Enri...¡±

    Enri realized that the panicked Nfirea was not looking at her, but beyond and behind her. She followed Nfirea¡¯s line of sight and turned her face.

    The knights were charging right at them, and Enri and Nfirea should not have had the luxury of spacing out. However, for some reason, the knights were pulling on their reins to halt their horses. Due to the sudden stop, some had even fallen off their mounts.

    Enri looked behind her, and¨D

    ¡°¨DEh?¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ? ? ?

    Many items in YGGDRASIL could be freely named by the yers. However, a very few were exceptions to the rule. Among them were artifacts, finished products that dropped from monsters.

    One such artifact was the Horn of the Goblin General.

    The horn was a small and in item, but there was a curious quirk about it.

    It could only summon 19 Goblins. However the Goblins it summoned were so weak that they did not even qualify as credible opposition for a YGGDRASIL yer. So why would such an item be given the grandiose name of ¡°General¡±? It would not have been unusual to just call it a ¡°Goblin Horn¡±.

    The truth was that many yers in YGGDRASIL thought that way. However, none of them could think of a convincing reason, and in the end they simply wrote it off as just a name..

    However, there was a reason for that name.

    And that reason was¨D

    ? ? ?

    Jugemu swung the magic greatsword he had taken from the Giant of the East. The soldier blocked the strike he had made with all his might. However, he could not fully neutralize the force of the blow, and he lost his bnce for a moment. Normally, Jugemu would have immediately followed up, but the other soldiers harrying him would not let him do so.

    They nked Jugemu from both sides, in order to cover the soldier who had left himself open.

    Clicking his tongue, Jugemu weaved the sword through the air like an extension of his own body, neatly parrying the two sword strokes that came at him.

    ¡°...This Goblin¡¯s pretty good. He¡¯s actually forcing the three of us back at once.¡±

    ¡°What an unbelievable fellow. I didn¡¯t know Goblins could be this strong.¡±

    Jugemu could sense that his opponents were not at their limit yet, which made him worry.

    If he fought these soldiers one on one, he could win. If he fought two at once it would be a matter of luck. Three at once meant he would most likely lose. And now¨D

    There was still another soldier circling behind him. Jugemu took a small step back.

    ¨DAgainst four people at once, Jugemu had no hope of victory.

    His first few opponents had been some weak soldiers, which he broke through easily.

    The brave warriors of Carne Vige broke through the Kingdom¡¯s battle-lines in a fish-scale formation.

    But then, strong opponents had started appearing, as though the terrain had changed. Their equipment was of a high standard. They must have been the elite troops of the enemy army.

    Although they were close to the enemy headquarters now, their formation did not seem very dense..

    However ¨D it was still hard.

    He turned his attention away from the four of them and surreptitiously observed his surroundings. The Goblins under him had slowly been overwhelmed by superior numbers.

    He was stronger and tougher than his opponents... but on the flip side, those were his only two advantages ¨D much like the Ogres. All he could do was watch his opponents kite him around.

    Several people from Carne Vige had already died. Even though the Goblins had taken the brunt of the attacks on the leading edges of the formation, the enemies were far too numerous, and it was impossible to block all their attacks. Invariably, the enemy would make it in, and when that happened, somebody would fall.

    It was a reckless strategy to begin with, and this oue was only to be expected.

    However, Jugemu wanted to believe that this might not be the case.

    And in this moment¨D

    He could not fully block the sword swung at him, and it left a scratch.

    ¡°Cheh!¡±

    Jugemu swung his greatsword, forcing his opponents to back off.

    ¡°You guys, who are you? Not ordinary farmers, I¡¯ll bet.¡±

    Jugemu was level 12. With that in mind, his current opponent was roughly level 10, or maybe 11. The other three might be level 9.

    An ordinary viger was level 1. Maybe some of the trained members of Carne Vige were level 2. The troops apanying the tax collectors from E-Rantel felt like they were below level 3. This meant the soldiers he was fighting now were very strong.

    As an aside, it was difficult to urately judge Enri¡¯s and Nfirea¡¯s strength because they were not warriors, but they were strong in their own way.

    ¡°This Goblin... no, is it a Hobgoblin? Or is it only natural to meet strong opponents like this?¡±

    ¡°But, they say Hobgoblins are bigger... is it a Goblin king? Maybe those guys took control of the vige by force... but if that was the case, why would the vigers fight so hard?¡±

    ¡°Haaaa! Humans have such dull minds. It¡¯s because we have hostages! Don¡¯t you get it?¡±

    ¡°He must be lying. They wouldn¡¯t fight for such a lousy reason. Rather, they¡¯d stab you in the back. I can sense there¡¯s something like a camaraderie between you guys that goes beyond racial barriers. Why? Why would humans and Goblins fight side by side?¡±

    ¡°As if I¡¯d know, dumbass!¡±

    ¡°It would seem I was right about them beingrades after all; otherwise¨D¡±

    ¡°Ahhhh, shut the hell up! Busybodies like you piss me off!¡±

    Jugemu swung the greatsword once more.

    But the oue was the same as before.

    The soldier could take the hit, but he could notpletely bleed off the transmitted force. The soldier¡¯s bnce broke, but when Jugemu wanted to follow up, he was interrupted by the attacks targeting his vitalsing from both sides

    With that in mind, Jugemu decided to forgo avoiding the blows.

    The attacks were aimed at the unarmored parts of his body and they cut him open.

    Rather than pain, all Jugemu felt was heat oozing out of two points on his body.

    Jugemu grit his teeth, and activated his special skill. His sword changed direction, striking at the soldier that shed at him from the side.

    ¡°[Goblin Blow!]¡±

    The mighty stroke cleaved through the weak spots of the soldier¡¯s chainmail and dealt a grievous wound to the flesh beneath. In this moment, the soldier started twitching.

    This was the magic power of the greatsword ¨D poison. However, it would seem his opponent had partially resisted it and it had not taken him out of the fight.

    Jugemu was not distracted, but he still failed to avoid the sword blow that came from behind him.

    Although his breastte meant that his wound was not serious, his body groaned from the sword thrust.

    ¡°Shit!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s our line! You got Bike!¡±

    ¡°Bike, fall back. Get behind him!¡±

    During the wild melee, there were more opponents than just these four. Some had tried to attack Jugemu and had been cut apart the moment they entered his range. Judging by their poor equipment, they were probably conscripted farmers.

    Even so, there were a lot of them. Being outnumbered was truly unfair.

    ¡°Get back! This Goblin is strong! Fall back! We¡¯ll take care of him. You lot go deal with the vigers behind him!¡±

    ¡°You think I¡¯ll let you?!¡±

    Jugemu snarled at the conscripts and swung his sword. Intimidated by him, they backed away.

    The heat he was feeling in his body was slowly turning to pain.

    There was one lesson in a warrior¡¯s training which was more important than swordy, and that was to endure pain.. Another secret was to tell how much damage he had taken, which was how he would know when to flee.

    He sensed that he could still fight, but he knew that he was pushing his limits. It was anyone¡¯s guess how long he could hold out.

    Another brave warrior of Carne Vige met his end in the corner of Jugemu¡¯s eye, the earth drinking up his blood..

    They had never had a chance to begin with, but now their defeat was inevitable.

    Even so, he still had to buy time for Enri and the others to flee. He could not allow himself to die until then.

    ¨DMy objective is the enemy camp.

    ¨DI¡¯ll head there by myself.

    Perhaps he had seen Jugemu¡¯s resolve, but the soldier in front of him stiffened up.

    In that moment, Jugemu gripped his sword, preparing himself for a charge. A great mor washed over the battlefield. Jugemu looked where his opponent¡¯s eyes were pointing, and he could not could not look away.

    That was because from the side of Carne Vige¨D

    ? ? ?

    ¨DThe reason was simple. Its true power was not simply a matter of summoning 19 Goblins.

    In YGGDRASIL, this item had been unable to reveal its true value and was discarded as a trash drop.

    However, in this New World, this item was about to unleash its true power.

    Let us go over the name of the item once more.

    ¡°Horn of the Goblin General¡±.

    Its true power, revealed only when three conditions were met, was¨D

    <b>Part 3</b>

    The powerful, rhythmic sound of drums came from the side of the vige, filling the entire battlefield. All the eyes which went to the source of the sound went wide in the next instant. That was because an army of over 5000 people was moving in lockstep formation, advancing in time with the beat of the drums.

    At first, both Prince Barbro¡¯s forces and the defenders of Carne Vige thought that they were reinforcements from Barbro¡¯s side, the sole difference being whether or not they had expected such backup. However, the forms of the new troops immediately told them that it was not the case.

    The members of that army were all Goblins.

    The demihumans known as Goblins were smaller than human beings, only about the size of a child. However, their presence made them seem twice asrge as they actually were.

    In addition, they were sheathed in gleaming steel. They bore potent, brightly polished weapons and armor, the equipment a warrior ought to have.

    These were not peasant levies. This was an army of true warriors.

    ¡°Now! Anyone who¡¯s still alive, run like hell! They¡¯re reinforcements! Reinforcements havee! Run to them!¡±

    Jugemu shouted at the top of his voice.

    Their identities were a mystery. He did not know if they were friend, foe, or apletely unrted third party. Telling the surviving defenders to flee in their direction because they were of the same species was not the right thing to do. He should have told them to run back into the vige.

    However, Jugemu had a feeling which one might call sympathy. He had the feeling that he shared the same master as those people. He had the feeling that they would take him and his friends in, and protect everyone.

    The surviving citizens of Carne Vige fled toward the Goblin Army without hesitation.

    The encirclement was beginning to crumble. The Royal Army knew that they ought to pursue, but their movements were slow. That was only to be expected. There was a highly regimented army out there. Approaching it carelessly was dangerous.

    There were two reasons why they let them flee.

    The first was because they felt that it would be better to consolidate and form up rather than mount a pursuit. Their drums were pounding a signal to fall back.

    The second was because they were afraid that they would suffer a terrible revenge for killing members of the same species as that army.

    The Goblins happily epted Jugemu and the others as they ran over to them. Jugemu and the rest entered through gaps in their rxed formation. After everyone had entered, they immediately closed ranks once more, like a door shutting.

    Jugemu looked around at his exhaustedrades, who were copsed on the ground. Nobody had made it out unscathed, and many people had promptly passed out upon reaching safety.

    He looked around, and it was tragic. The number of Goblins, Ogres and vigers had decreased.

    ¡°Still, more than half of them survived... we¡¯re lucky. Cona!¡±

    He called the name of the only person among the Goblins who could use healing magic, the priest Cona. However, Cona shook his head, indicating that he had exhausted his healing magic in that battle.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s do whatever first aid we can©¤¡±

    Just as Jugemu was about to shout, he saw a Goblin in a turban, carrying a scarf, and stroking his whiskers.

    Given his attitude, he was most likely a central figure in the Goblin Army.

    ¡°Ho ho ho ho. You must be General Enri¡¯s retinue. I am the Goblin Strategist, responsible formanding the Goblin Army. Now that we have arrived, nobody will harm you gentlemen any further. Please be at ease. Our medical corps will attend to you forthwith.¡±

    The Goblin Strategist waved his fan, and a squad of brawny Goblins ran up with boards in hand.

    ¡°Come,e, everyone, please lie on these boards and we will ferry you off. Now that we havee, it would be a shame if any more of you were to lose your lives.¡±

    The casualties were carried off one after the other

    ¡°You have been hurt too. Come, we shall take you to our chirurgeons for treatment©¤¡±

    No, I¡¯m sorry. I feel bad about declining your kindness, but can you please tell me what¡¯s going on? I¡¯m still alright.¡±

    Jugemu¡¯s attitude did not look like he was acting tough. After verifying that, the Goblin Strategist nodded, and began speaking.

    ¡°I expected nothing less of the leader of General Enri¡¯s retinue. What do you wish to ©¤ ho ho ho. No, I already know. General Enri is in amand tent in the rear. She will surely be d to see that you are fine.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Then that¡¯s good.¡±

    Jugemu let out a soul-deep sigh of relief. In fact, he was so relieved that the strength fled his body as well, and his knees nearly buckled under him. However, as a predecessor, he could not let his sessors see that unsightly side of himself.

    ¡°Right. I¡¯ll go see her, then. Besides, I doubt there¡¯ll be anything left for us to do in the uing battle.¡±

    ¡°Ho ho ho ho. Thank you for yielding the field to us neers.¡±

    ¡°As if. It¡¯s nothing much. It¡¯s the job of the seniors to pass the torch on to their juniors... thank you.¡±

    ¡°Ho ho ho.Then, we must disy our prowess to our seniors. That being the case ©¤ all that remains for us is to achieve victory. Order the heavy infantry forward.¡±

    ***

    ¡°What the hell is that?! Dammit, we were so close!¡±

    Barbro¡¯s eyes went wide as he surveyed the interlopers who had ruined everything.

    Nothing had gone as he had nned. Why was he deadlocked with a Goblin Army at a tiny vige like this? He was so frustrated that he wanted to w at his hair.

    If this were an Imperial Army detachment, he would dly order his men to fight. However, these were Goblins. Even if he won, who would praise him?

    ¡°My Prince! Please allow the men to fall back!¡±

    He red angrily at the knight addressing him.

    Rationally speaking, they ought to fall back now. While he did not know what such arge Goblin host was doing here, as long as he brought the information back, it ought to count as achieving something.

    However, running away with his tail between his legs without so much as fighting them would surely lead to him earning the hateful moniker of ¡°the Prince who fled from Goblins¡±.

    And if he lost, then he would be the Prince who was beaten by Goblins. The topic-starved nobles would surely spread it all around and make it public knowledge. The people who had not seen the battle with their own eyes would not care how strong the Goblins before him were. They would only be concerned by how amusing it sounded.

    WIthin his heart, Barbro cursed those nobles who mocked him from safety.

    ¡°...Denied. Keep fighting.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness! Please observe their equipment and their regimented formation! They must surely be elite troops who are the equal or superior of the Goblins from just now! Our side isrgelyposed of peasant levies; our chances of victory are slim. I beg you to order a retreat!¡±

    Barbro knew that as well, even if the other party did not say anything. However, there was no other way to protect his good name than by fighting. All he could do now was pray that those Goblins were just for show.

    ¡°You fool! Do I have to tell you how dangerous it is to let those troops be?! Right now, the Royal Army is making their way to the Katze ins! What do you n to do if that army attacks E-Rantel while they¡¯re undermanned?!¡±

    ¡°Un-understood.¡±

    They would cross des with the enemy once. If they were as tough as their appearances suggested, he would fall back immediately. The battle with the Empire was the truly important thing, and Barbro did not want to be defeated here. He was at least calm enough to think of that.

    The soldiers formed up into ranks before Barbro. As though matching their movements, the Goblins began their advance.

    The enemy had taken a long snake formation, which was threeyers deep.

    Barbro¡¯s forces had adopted a crane wing formation instead. They had not used the fish-scale formation because they wanted to make effective use of their powerful cavalry, and the enemy formation was poor at handling nking attacks.

    The leading edge of the Goblin formation wasposed of their heavy infantry, carrying greatshields that were tall enough to cover themselves. Their immacte battle line was like a wall bearing down on them, and it ced great pressure on Barbro.

    The hand holding the reins of his horse were slippery with sweat under his gauntlets, and it felt disgusting.

    When the spear-wielding levies made contact with the shield-bearing heavy infantry, his troops would block the enemy advance, effectively treading on the serpent¡¯s head, and then the cavalry would charge from the nks.

    The levies shed with the heavy infantry.

    And then, the loud voices of the Goblins reached Barbro¡¯s ears.

    ¡°We are the subordinates of her Excellency, General Enri ©¤ the Goblin Heavy Infantry! Do not insult us by thinking we will be halted by this much!¡±

    Rather than harboring doubts about this General Enri person, Barbro was focused on how his forces¡¯ formation was buckling under the contact.

    The levies were being pushed back by the enemy shields. Naturally, when they were pushed back, they collided with theirrades behind them, and their formation began to copse.

    The cavalry on both nks hurriedly sprang into action. The right wing was slightly quicker to move, and they aimed to attack from the side. However, cavalry in gleaming silver emerged from the enemy nk ©¤ riding white wolves in ce of horses ©¤ seventeen riders in all, sprinting forth to intercept them.

    ¡°We are the subordinates of her Excellency, General Enri ©¤ the Goblin Pdin Corps! We pledge our loyalty to her Excellency!¡±

    From the left nk came a horde of magical beasts that looked like wolves, who raced across thend. There were Goblins mounted on them. Leading the way was a winged wolf, and the Goblin mounted on its back shouted loud enough to drown out the wails of the levies and reach Barbro¡¯s ears.

    ¡°We are the subordinates of her Excellency, General Enri ©¤ the Goblin Beast Rider Corps! Here wee!¡±

    As the cavalry were bogged down in melee, Barbro heard the sound of strings twanging, one after the other.

    He saw dozens of arrows falling from the sky like rain, peppering the chaotic battlefield. Barbro wanted to see who was shooting, and surveyed the enemy formation.

    They were in the enemy¡¯s second rank. There he saw a group of Goblin dressed in bright red, wielding huge bows. There was a clear difference between the sizes of the left and right sides of their bodies, and their bodies tilted noticeably with every step they took. One of them was particrly eye-catching and carried an extrarge bow. He opened his mouth:

    ¡°We are the subordinates of her Excellency, General Enri ©¤ the Goblin Longbowmen Corps! Know that there is no escape for you!¡±

    That was not the end of the enemy¡¯s long-ranged attacks. The enemy¡¯s third rank discharged several spells, which detonated within the Royal Army¡¯s formation, some distance ahead of Barbro. Great shes of light apanied the blossoming of crimson flowers, and the petals of scorching me drove a shockwave before them, the repeated explosions flinging the peasant levies away.

    The spellcasters were a group of whose faces were veiled by their lowered hoods. Each of them carried a long staff, which gleamed with a mysterious radiance.

    The person at their head pulled back his hood, revealing a face covered in wrinkles.

    ¡°We are the subordinates of her Excellency, General Enri ©¤ the Goblin Magic Support Corps. Be it strengthening, weakening or attack magic, we wield them all with the same proficiency.¡±

    They were not the only unit casting spells. Barbro shifted his eyes to the side of the Magic Support Corps, and he saw a simr-looking unit there. Although they were only a team of five people, each of their faces was filled with an absolute confidence. Before them stood the one with the boldest smile of all, and he shouted with all his might:

    ¡°We are the subordinates of her Excellency, General Enri ©¤ the Goblin Arcane Artillery Squad! We who specialize in area-attack spells are the most potent attackers of the Goblin Army!¡±

    ¡°Your Highness!¡±

    The knight returned to Barbro¡¯s side. He knew what the man was going to say with just a look at the shocked expression on his face. With magic casters in their ranks, the enemy was even more dangerous now.

    ¡°We¡¯ve had it! We can¡¯t hold them! It¡¯s only a matter of time before the enemy reaches us! We need to retreat!¡±

    He could not deny him now. Even if Barbro ordered everyone to stay and fight, the nobles who came with him would climb over each other to flee. Even if he somehowpelled them all to fight, they would resent him and be future enemies.

    ¡°Do it. Also, order the Baron to run first.¡±

    Barbro wanted to be the first to flee, but if he did that, it was not hard to imagine how he would bebelled as a coward who was number one at running from Goblins. That being the case, he would let the Baron bear that shame instead.

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    Just as the knight began barking orders to his subordinates beside him©¤

    ¡°©¤There¡¯s no escape.¡±

    An unfamiliar voice came from right beside him, and for the first time, Barbro felt that his life was actually in danger.

    His retinue drew their swords and surveyed their surroundings, and they saw a group of ck-clothed people emerge from the shadows. Their faces were covered with cloth, but their eyes gleamed with a keen light.

    ¡°We are the subordinates of her Excellency, General Enri ©¤ the Goblin Assassin Squad. We lurk in the shadows, and this is thest time you will see us.¡±

    There was one more person.

    He emerged like he had been drawn out; he wore a red cap and steel boots. The way he carried a long scythe made him look like the Grim Reaper.

    ¡°I am a subordinate of her Excellency, General Enri ©¤ one of the thirteen Redcaps who serve as her bodyguard. Well, I guess there¡¯s nothing left for me to do.¡±

    ¡°Protect his Highness! Sound the retreat!¡±

    ¡°Pathetic.¡±

    To Barbro¡¯s eyes, it seemed as though the shadows were moving.

    Everything above the knight¡¯s neck disappeared in an instant, and his blood spurted like a geyser.

    Barbro realized what he was looking at, and he immediately spurred his horse into a gallop. There was no longer any time to worry about the order in which to run. Right now, he was treading the edge of life and death.

    Behind him, he heard, ¡°We are the subordinates of her Excellency, General Enri ©¤ the Goblin Musician Squad!¡± apanied by the sound of pounding drums, and it grated on his ears.

    ***

    ¡°...Is it really alright to let him run?¡±

    ¡°The Strategist-dono ordered it. If the prince¡¯s head is taken, they¡¯ll scour thend to find where it fell.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, but of course. If General Enri fell to the enemy, I wouldn¡¯t stop killing until they were all dead either. Well, that¡¯s the Strategist-dono for you. He sees the big picture. Is that why he didn¡¯t order us to wipe them all out?¡±

    ¡°Precisely. We need to let them take their prince back to their city. I¡¯m not happy about it either. I want to make them pay for attacking General Enri¡¯s vige... I guess that¡¯s how it is, Redcap-dono. We¡¯ll begin cleaning up the corpses, then.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. We need to recover the bodies of the brave warriors who fought by our seniors¡¯ side too.

    <b>Part 4</b>

    The ins were brightly lit by the moon, and in their midst was a military field camp. No, there were no tents here or a wooden palisade, so it was doubtful whether it actually qualified as a camp. It would be more urate to say that there was a military unit on the grass.

    Just about everyone was lying on the ground, immobile from fatigue.

    The winter air was cold enough to dye their exhaled breath white, but the fact that they could sleep in conditions like these without bedrolls or the like was a sign of how tired they really were. Amidst all these people, who had copsed like puppets whose strings had been cut, one man was walking.

    He was the general of the defeated army, Barbro.

    Should he feel lucky that he had survived, or should hein because he had met such a powerful foe?

    The Goblin Army that had appeared at Carne Vige had been a powerful foe ©¤ no, his forces had been no match for them at all. With just a single contact with the enemy, Barbro¡¯s forces had been crushed in an instant, and he had no choice but to flee in defeat. His soldiers had been killed so fast it was as though they had melted away.

    What exactly were those Goblins?

    Barbro wanted to figure that out too.

    The possibilities which came to mind were that they were the army of a huge nation of Goblins within the Great Forest of Tob. That was the easiest exnation to ept when one considered that they had encountered them south of the Forest. The other nobles who had survived with him seemed to have reached the same conclusion too, and they had said so several times to console themselves during their flight here.

    Some said that their luck had been bad.

    Some said that the army they encountered wasposed of their elite troops.

    Some said that just bringing back news on those Goblins would be a great effort.

    ¡°Are they idiots...¡±

    Barbro clenched his fists tightly.

    Defeat was defeat. It was true that the Goblins had been strong. Anyone who fought them would have understood why there had been no hope for Barbro.

    However, those who knew nothing would simply think that Barbro was the prince who had been beaten by Goblins. He would surely be the butt of many jokes.

    ¡°Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!

    A fire burned in his belly. That was the reason why Barbro could not sleep, despite being as tired as the soldiers.

    Once he closed his eyes, he could hear the insults and mockingughter that would surely await him after he returned to the Royal Pce.

    For Barbro, the war was over. In his present state, there was no way he could hustle to the Katze ins and take part in the battle against the Empire.

    Just then ©¤ he felt a presence. It did note from the men lying on the ground, but from the direction they had fled from.

    Were they fleeing soldiers who had caught up with them, or a Goblin pursuit force?

    His heart filled with terror, Barbro shifted his line of sight, and in the next moment, his face filled with puzzlement.

    That person had probably noticed Barbro. They raised a hand in a casual greeting.

    ¡°Hai~¡±

    He had no idea when they had appeared in the middle of these ins. Not far away ©¤ 20 meters at the most ©¤ stood a ravishing beauty, with a smile on her face that could only be described as innocent. If this were a city, Barbro would surely stare at her. However, this was the middle of a in. There were no viges around.

    The strangest thing was the clothes she wore ©¤ they looked like a maid¡¯s outfit.

    If she were an armed and armored woman, he might have guessed that she was an adventurer. However, this was not possible.

    Is she a monster?

    That thought rose through his mind. Certain monsters were very beautiful. Fairies, for example. However, he could not make sense of the maid uniform.

    ¡°Hello ~su. I came to y with you ~su. Can I bother you for a bit?¡±

    Judging by her question, she was clearly taking him for a fool.

    ¡°Who¡¯re you?!¡±

    He reached for the sword at his waist as he questioned her.

    That question was utterly meaningless. However, he had nothing else to say. Her existence was so ridiculous that he did not even know where to start asking.

    ¡°I¡±m Lupusregina ~su. One of the maids who work for Ainz-sama ~su.¡±

    The peculiar woman waved again as she greeted him. The meaning of what she ©¤ Lupusregina ©¤ said gradually began to filter through his mind.

    ¡°What... what did you say?¡±

    Barbro was so shocked that he forgot to wake the nearby soldiers.

    ¡°No, no, don¡¯t worry about that for now ©¤ that must have been really hard on you ~su. Still, that really was unfair ~su. A huge army of Goblins like that¡¯s on the level of cheating ~su. I saw them from behind the humans and En-chan and it made me cry out in surprise ~su. I didn¡¯t expect so many Goblins woulde out~ hahahaha!¡±

    Lupusreginaughed in an incredibly fake way.

    She was clearly trying to pick a fight, but Barbro could no longer hold his feelings back.

    ¡°So why are you here?!¡±

    He could hear several people behind him reacting to his shout.

    Still, if this woman wanted to attack him, then her actions were far too bizarre. There was no need for her to appear before them. Or was this part of a n to draw away their attention? Perhaps she intended tounch an ambush while everyone was listening to her.

    No ©¤ as the First Prince, he knew he was very valuable.

    If he was lucky, he could negotiate. If he was unlucky, he would be a hostage.

    However, negotiating with them might be too much to ask for. He might end up bing a prisoner of war.

    Barbro felt the throne draw further and further away from him.

    That said, the people who should have been punished were the higher-ups in the Kingdom who did not know that there were so many Goblins within that vige before sending him there.

    If he became a prisoner of war, he ought to have a chance to meet Ainz Ooal Gown. Perhaps he could trade him a quarter of the Kingdom in exchange for his help to make himself King.

    Perhaps this was actually a blessing in disguise.

    Barbro pondered that possibility.

    ¡°Well well, there¡¯s only one reason I came here ~su.¡±

    Lupusregina paused for a single breath, and then announced:

    ¡°I came to kill all of you ~su.¡±

    Barbro blinked several times, and then he shouted:

    ¡°Hahh?! What the hell are you saying? Do you know who I am? I¡¯m the First Prince of the Re-Estize Kingdom, Barbro Andrean Ield Ryle Vaiself!¡±

    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re a human, then ~su. What¡¯s the difference ~su? To us, you humans are equally worthless ~su. Ah, but you¡¯re a prince ~su.¡±

    ¡°In that case... I see! You mean to say you¡¯ll kill everyone except me, right? I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea. You need to take us prisoner and let someone live to bring the news back to Father, otherwise things will be difficult in the uing negotiations.¡±

    Lupusregina tilted her head in surprise.

    ¡°No, no, what are you saying ~su? Shall I repeat myself again ~su? I came to kill all of you ~su. Since I came to kill all of you, I¡¯ll kill each and every one of you ~su. Are you particrly stupid ~su? Ah~ well, that does make you a rarity, but it¡¯s not like I want that ~su.¡±

    ¡°What are you babbling about?! Don¡¯t you know how valuable I am? I¡¯m the First Prince! Why are you thinking of killing me?! Normally, you¡¯d take me hostage and demand a ransom, no?! Using me as a negotiation tool holds more merit than killing me, right?!¡±

    ¡°...My my, what a troublesome person you are.¡±

    Lupusregina grinned in a difiting manner. Then, she spoke gently and kindly, like she was exining things to a child.

    ¡°You are not necessary to the ns of the matchless one, Ainz Ooal Gown-sama, and so I will kill you. Do you understand?¡±

    Barbro was speechless.

    He understood that Lupusregina was not joking or trying to probe his reaction with a threat.

    He swallowed unconsciously.

    ¡°...You¡¯re serious? You¡¯re seriously going to kill me...¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s a nice expression on your face ~su. You¡¯ve jumped a great deal in my internal ranking ~su.¡±

    ¡°Then©¤¡±

    Barbro was trying to smile with a twitching face, but Lupusregina¡¯s face went nk in the next moment as she said:

    ¡°Ainz-sama ordered me to exterminate all of you. Therefore I will not let any of you return alive.¡±

    She immediately resumed her half-joking expression.

    ¡°So¡¯s anyway, I was thinking for a long time, about what opponents you¡¯d have fun with. In the end, I found the best ymates for a bunch of people who got their asses kicked by Goblins ~su!¡±

    With a ¡°jajajajan~¡± she raised a hand. A horde of shadowy shapes emerged from behind her, out of what seemed to be thin air.

    ¡°These are the Redcaps that I had summoned for me ~su!¡±

    There were 30 of them.

    The Goblins which revealed themselves resembled the army from back then, their bodies twisted and evil.

    All of them wore bright red caps and steel boots upon their feet. They carried hatchets which glowed blue in the moonlight.

    ¡°Enemy attack! What the hell are you doing! Wake up! Take up your arms! The enemy is upon us!¡±

    Barbro¡¯s bellowing woke the soldiers from their slumber. They bolted upright, and then stared at the enemy under the blinding moonlight.

    ¡°©¤They¡¯re level 43, so really, they¡¯re kind of overkill for you, but the library didn¡¯t have any weaker Goblins ~su.¡±

    Screams filled the air.

    The survivors of that hellish battle with the Goblin Army could not possibly muster up the fighting spirit to stand against more Goblinoids.

    They did not draw their swords, but scattered in all directions, running for dear life.

    ¡°Don¡¯t run! Fight! Fight! Fight! Hurry up and protect me!¡±

    Not a single soldier listened to Barbro¡¯s orders. The nobles ran for their horses as well.

    ¡°Ahahaha! This is wonderful! You actually think you can escape on a in like this! Ahh, this is fun! This is the best! I love it!¡±

    Lupusregina¡¯s mockingughter mirrored what Barbro was thinking.

    There was only one way to survive. He had to defeat his enemies.

    ¡°So there¡¯s people who think mounting up is going to help... Would you kindly chop off their legs for me ~su?¡±

    With a shrill cry of delight at the impending ughter, the Redcaps sprang into action.

    They were like wild beasts.

    They ran amidst the fleeing masses.

    And then ©¤ there was a scream.

    It came from one of the nobles who was trying to escape on horseback.

    It was followed by several more screams.

    ¡°There¡¯s fewer people now, so ytime¡¯s been shortened too... well, that can¡¯t be helped ~su. On my part, I¡¯m going to have all kinds of fun ~su. I might not have the abilities Sol-chan has, but I can show you a trick or two ~su~¡±

    Lupusregina walked toward Barbro, who had his sword drawn. It was as though she was taking a walk through a field.

    The smile which split her beautiful face like a fissure chilled Barbro¡¯s heart with fear.

    ***

    It was only after 30 minutes that Barbro received Lupusregina¡¯s permission to die.

 Chapter 66 - Volume 9

    <h4>Overlord Volume 9 Chapter 4</h4>

    <b>Massacre</b>

    (Re)Tranted by Nigel

    Edited/Proofread by Deus Ex Machina

    <b>Part 1</b>

    The two armies formed their battle lines along the gentle slopes of the crimson ins, staring each other down.

    The awe-inspiring army of the Kingdom was 245,000 men strong, divided into a left wing of 70,000 men, a right wing of 70,000 men, and a central column of 105,000 men, skillfully encamped throughout three hills. However, this encampment was not ringed by wooden fences, but formed of a gigantic mass of troops.

    The foremost five ranks of infantry carried two-handed pikes, each one easily over six meters long, and they were formed up into a spear line into a spear line.

    Their job was to substitute for an anti-cavalry fence in order to counter the heavy cavalry thatprised the core of the Empire¡¯s fighting strength. They did not use actual anti-cavalry palisades for a simple reason; protecting that many people would require a ridiculous amount of wood. For arge army, it was better to make good use of a spear line.

    Although this formation was quite solid and presented many problems for any attackers, it had its weaknesses as well.

    Since the formation was dense and the weapons carried were very heavy, it was all they could do just to stay in ce and prevent enemy charges. As such, theycked the ability to react quickly to enemy maneuvers, and if the Empire used bowmen or magic, their losses would be heavy.

    Then again, not much more was expected from mere peasants. All that was required was that they deflect the first charge of the enemy.

    On the other side, the Empire had 60,000 men.

    Their numbers were vastly inferior to those of the Kingdom.

    However, the Imperial knights were rxed, without so much as a hint of fear. They did not feel they would lose at all.

    This confidence came from knowing their own personal strength.

    Even so, it was a simple fact that there was a vast disparity in the military power of both sides. Although it would not be a problem if they could fight forever without fatigue, they were only human. Once they got tired, even the difference in their individual abilities would eventually be caught up to.

    The Kingdom also had one more advantage, arge one.

    That was the value of each individual.

    Most of the Kingdom¡¯s troops wereposed of peasant levies. In contrast, the Empire fielded professional soldiers called knights. A peasant was simply expected to hold a weapon, while each Imperial knight was carefully trained. Every loss by the Empire was more keenly felt than a simr loss by the Kingdom. The Empire simply could not afford to squander their knights in foolish offensives or wars of attrition.

    Therefore, a pitched battle on open terrain like this was to the Kingdom¡¯s advantage.

    Because of this, the battles fought between the Empire and the Kingdom were typically minor skirmishes.

    The Empire¡¯s objective would be aplished simply by pulling the Kingdom¡¯s serfs onto the battlefield. There was no need to waste valuable human resources, and the Kingdom knew this as well.

    This scripted pageantry was what passed for ¡°war¡± between the Empire and the Kingdom.

    Even if that magic caster called Ainz Ooal Gown took part, it would still end in a minor skirmish. That was what most of the Kingdom¡¯s nobles thought. After all, the Empire¡¯s knights were not just a military force, but a police force as well. They were the people who protected the safety of the Empire. Needless losses to them would threaten the Empire¡¯s stability.

    And so, the nobles awaited the Empire¡¯s next move.

    By tradition, the Imperial forces would parade before the Kingdom¡¯s troops, and then fall back. The Kingdom would then sound a victory cry.

    This was how it had always been.

    However©¤

    The Imperial army did not move.

    There had remained still ever since they had deployed from the fortress-like castrum and arrayed themselves before the Kingdom¡¯s forces. It was as though they were waiting for the Kingdom to make the first move, or for something else.

    ¡°They¡¯re not moving. What¡¯s going on?¡±

    This was at the headquarters where the King was. It was located behind a host of 105,000 men.

    Marquis Raeven stood beside Gazef, speaking quietly as he surveyed the motionless Imperial knights from the safest ce he could find, an observation point atop a hill that was slightly higher than the others.

    If the Empire did not move, then neither could the Kingdom.

    An attack by the Kingdom now would be extremely foolish, given that they had already formed their spear line. Once the nobles had tried a pre-emptive attack on the Empire. However, the attackers had been ughtered in short order, and the Kingdom had suffered significant losses as a result.

    Ever since, the Kingdom¡¯s preferred tactic against the Empire had been to form a spear line and prepare to receive a charge. Since the enemy was willing to retreat, there was no need for risky forays.

    ¡°All right, then. looks like they¡¯re waiting for us...¡±

    ¡°The final derations have been made, so they should be joining battle soon... Warrior-Captain¨D Gazef-dono, do you have an idea on what the Empire might be waiting for?¡±

    Thirty minutes ago, representatives from both armies had begun negotiations in the central area between them. Granted, that was simply a statement of uneptable conditions from both sides that was more of a stage y than actual arbitration. Its true purpose was to show that each side waspassionate and willing to avert war until thest moment.

    Of course, negotiations would break down, and that would be the signal for the fighting to begin

    If they were following the example of previous years, the Imperial Army should have begun moving out immediately. However, this was not the case. They remained stationary.

    ¡°I have no idea. Do you know anything about this?¡±

    ¡°As if. I¡¯m not too familiar with military matters. I usually let my subordinates handle those.¡±

    ¡°Somehow, the idea that the wise Marquis would know nothing about his enemy sounds like a lie.¡±

    ¡°A lie... I did not expect you to be that direct, Gazef-dono.¡±

    ¡°Did I give you offense? I apologize if I did.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha, no, none was taken. You¡¯re much friendlier now than you were back then.¡±

    Gazef¡¯s brow furrowed, as he sensed the barbs in those words.

    ¡°Hahaha. Take it for what it is. It¡¯s a fact that I¡¯m no general and that¡¯s not a lie. It just so happens that one of my subordinates is a good leader of men, so I left military matters to him.¡±

    ¡°Could it be... one of the former adventurers working for you, the ones who became famous during the demonic disturbance in the capital?¡±

    ¡°Ah... no. They¡¯re over there.¡±

    Raven pointed to a group of five men standing together.

    Although they were all well into their middle age, and their strength was not what it used to be, they had been orichalcum-ranked adventurers in their prime, and there was something about the way they carried themselves that made Gazef feel that he could not take them lightly.

    ¡°They will be my bodyguards during the battle.¡±

    ¡°With men like these protecting you, Marquis Raeven, I¡¯m sure you will have no problems returning safely to the Royal Capital... well, as long as they don¡¯t confront that great magic caster. Oops, I almost forgot; what about your strategist?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll know him since he¡¯s amoner from my domain, Gazef-dono. When a Goblin horde attacked his vige, he beat them off with a group of vigers half their size, and thus he came to my attention. Ever since, I¡¯ve entrusted him with themand of my house troops and various other tasks. The big surprise is that he¡¯s never once lost a battle. I also gave him a high-ranking position as my aide.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to see thismander that you praise so highly, Marquis Raeven. If he¡¯s really everything you say he is, we might do well to give himmand of the Kingdom¡¯s armed forces.¡±

    ¡°If you gave it to him... gave himpletemand of the military, and the Royal Army moved together under hismand, we might be able to fight a battle which makes our neighbors sit up and say, ¡®The army of the Re-Estize Kingdom is not to be underestimated¡¯...¡±

    Gazef exchanged a look with Raeven, sighed, and then smiled tiredly.

    ¡°The nobles would never allow amoner to rise to such a station. It¡¯s nothing more than idle fantasy at the moment.¡±

    ¡°Certainly not while the nobles are divided into their factions.¡±

    The Empire organized its legions by appointing a general over each one, under whom served divisionmanders, brigademanders, and other officers, all in strict regimentation.

    In contrast, the Kingdom¡¯s armies wereposed of the house troops and levies each of the Kingdom¡¯s nobles could muster. The King was the overallmander, but each host would act as they or their faction saw fit.

    Simply put, it was a rag-tag bunch of misfits.

    Although Gazef had the title of Warrior-Captain, in the end, he was only themander of the warrior band which was directly loyal to the King, and he had no authority to give orders to the nobles. While it was possible for the King to order the nobles to listen to Gazef, the nobles had always disdained Gazef themoner, and doing so would sow the seeds of future grudges. The King was aware of this, and so he ordered that Gazef would do no such thing.

    The two of them considered their ces in the Kingdom, and sighed heavily. Then, they exchanged looks, andughed.

    This conversation should have been had elsewhere, not on the eve of the sh of swords and the spilling of blood.

    ¡°Even if we return home alive, there¡¯ll still be a battlefield waiting there...¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what being a noble¡¯s all about?¡±

    ¡°After this is over, I¡¯ll petition the King to raise you to nobility. It angers me that someone who calls himself the King¡¯s sword doesn¡¯t engage with noble society as eagerly as he should.¡±

    Although Raeven looked like he was joking, Gazef could tell from the light in his eyes that his anger was sincere.

    When someone skilled at hiding their feelings revealed them to oneself, it would be a cause for celebration. However, it was a different matter if it was not a positive emotion. Gazef quickly changed the subject.

    ¡°...Let¡¯s leave that aside for now. Why don¡¯t we bring that strategist-dono of yours over, and hear his opinion... ah, calling him over will be difficult.¡±

    ¡°After all, I entrusted him with my base camp. I don¡¯t dare move him unnecessarily while we don¡¯t know what the Empire¡¯s up to.¡±

    Although the nobles had all pledged to work together for the Kingdom, in the end, Raeven¡¯s holdings were still his top priority. It was only natural that he would refuse.

    ¡°Haaaah... it¡¯s the same thing as always, but I dislike the tension in the air. While I don¡¯t actually want the Empire to attack us, they should hurry up and do it if they¡¯re going to and spare us the anxiety of waiting.¡±

    Gazef could sense the unease from the Kingdom¡¯s army. As he tried to see where it wasing from, he furrowed his eyebrows.

    ¡°...I see. When you think about it, this might be an Imperial strategy to get us anxious before they make their move. It¡¯s difficult to coordinate and control so many soldiers, so even the slightest flinch in any unit could be magnified into a great disruption at the end. Arge group is difficult to attack, but once the individuals break from the pack and run, they¡¯ll be easily hunted down and killed. It¡¯s the same principle animals use for hunting.¡±

    A surprised Raeven followed Gazef¡¯s line of sight to the worried-looking troops on the left nk, and then realization dawned on his face.

    ¡°That... looks like they¡¯re rotating the troops on the inside to the front line.¡±

    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t have to worry if they were just reorganizing their formation...¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s Marquis Bowlorobe¡¯s g. Looks like the left wing¡¯smander is moving himself to the front.¡±

    The Kingdom ced the Noble Faction on both wings, while those of the Royal Faction were concentrated in the middle.

    King Ranpossa III was the overallmander of the central column, while Marquis Bowlorobemanded the left wing.

    ¡°Moving one¡¯smand to the head of the formation is quite strange. Do you see, Gazef-dono? The Marquis is moving those elite troops who are directly loyal to himself. His n is to distinguish himself inbat against the individually powerful Imperial knights, under the eyes and ears of the gathered nobles. That way he¡¯ll make a reputation for himself as the lord of the strongest unit in the Kingdom.¡±

    Raeven cast a challenging look to Gazef. Will you let someone else gain greater glory than your beloved warrior band, it seemed to say.

    Gazef did not take the bait.

    ¡°The warrior band¡¯s duty is to protect the King. We won¡¯t move without the King¡¯s directmand, even if the Empire sounds the charge. There is no greater duty for us than ensuring the safe return of the King to the capital.¡±

    Gazef tapped the sword at his waist.

    ¡°Still, it¡¯s possible that I might deploy by myself to blunt the enemy¡¯s attack.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s one of the four treasures of the Kingdom, Razor Edge... ah, I see.¡±

    Marquis Raeven stepped back, and studied Gazef from top to bottom.

    The Gauntlets of Vitality, which negated fatigue. The Amulet of Immortality, which let him regenerate his wounds. The Guardian Armor, crafted of the hardest metal known to man (adamantite), and enchanted with magic that deflected lethal blows. And finally, Razor Edge, a magic sword crafted in pursuit of absolute sharpness, which could carve through enchanted armor like the proverbial hot knife through butter.

    ¡°Now that you¡¯re fully equipped with all these treasures, you are the Kingdom¡¯s greatest treasure. I heard once that the Kingdom actually had five treasures, but it seems they had all been gathered from the start.¡±

    Gazef blushed as he waspared to those treasures, even though he knew it was just ttery.

    ¡°Ah, give me a break, Marquis Raeven. The King is far greater than I am. His Majesty knew what it would mean to entrust these things to amoner like me, but he did it anyway.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a reasonable opinion. Honestly speaking, I once thought that it was foolish to announce that he¡¯d be handing them over to amoner (you). All that would aplish was to make more people leave the Royal Faction. However, now that I¡¯m standing beside you on the battlefield, I can¡¯t help but think that it was a masterful move. You really are too selfish.¡±

    ¡°If only I could live up to your expectations...¡±

    Gazef looked out at the serried ranks of the Imperial knights.

    He did not think there were any strong opponents in the Empire besides ¡°Tri-Arts¡±Fluder Paradyne. Now that he was equipped like this, he even dared harbor the faint hope that he might be able to defeat Fluder.

    On the other hand, he did not feel like he had any chance of defeating Ainz Ooal Gown.

    He could not even imagine the possibility.

    No matter how hard he tried to think positive and consider how things might go in his favor, the only thought that came to mind was of himself being instantly in by the mysterious magic caster.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°No-nothing...¡±

    He knew he was the greatest warrior in the Kingdom. Allowing himself to appear weak would only lower the army¡¯s morale.

    ¡°Ah, no... I was just feeling sorry for Prince Barbro...¡±

    ¡°Feeling sorry?... Could it be... I see. Is that so? Gazef-dono, you also feel... I see.¡±

    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±

    ¡°I mean, don¡¯t tell me you feel that the King sent the prince to Carne Vige so he could not distinguish himself...?¡±

    ¡°Is that not the case?¡±

    Raeven smiled thinly.

    ¡°Mhm, far from it. I feel that his Majesty has truly ced his trust in you, Gazef-dono.¡±

    Marquis Raeven decided to exin when he saw that Gazef did not understand at all

    ¡°Given that the King¡¯s most trusted Warrior-Captain was supremely wary of the opponent called Ainz Ooal Gown, it was only to be expected that the King would be on guard against him as well. The King did not want to risk his beloved son in battle with an unknown quantity like that, so he wanted to send him to a safe ce, even if he would only be able to make some minor aplishments there... Although, to be honest, the old me would have been upset by the way the King was only concerned with his son when so many other people had sent their children to the battlefield.¡±

    Raeven smiled in a fatherly manner.

    ¡°Of course, I understand why he did such a thing now. I¡¯d have done the same to ensure my son¡¯s well-being.¡±

    ¡°Ah, Marquis. That¡¯s a very fatherly thing to say.¡±

    Raeven smiled. Gazef felt that it was quite unlike him, which was itself a fairly rude thought, yet his smile was equal parts kind, happy and proud.

    ¡°Well, I am a father, after all. I promised my son that, after this battle¡¯s over, I¡¯m going to y with him as much as he wants, like a normal father. Ah ¡ª we¡¯ve gone off topic. Let¡¯s leave things at that. Although... it seems Prince Barbro doesn¡¯t quite understand the King¡¯s point of view. It feels a little sad how the father can¡¯t get his feelings across to his son.¡±

    Gazef agonized about how to answer him. It was hard for him, who had no children of his own, to put himself into that mindset.

    ¡°Right, right. By the way, is it possible that they mightunch a sneak attack on E-Rantel with a separate force? Although it would be frowned upon, they might do anything to win.¡±

    Gazef thought that the topic change was incredibly forced, but to his surprise, Raeven ran with it.

    ¡°It¡¯s not an easy matter to attack E-Rantel, defended as it is by its threeyers of curtain walls. Even if the remaining two legions of the Empire mobilized in full, it would be a difficult task for them. My strategist also says the enemy wouldn¡¯t do such a thing.¡±

    ¡°Is it? What if they had flying beasts, or a secret legion of some kind?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s still not possible. Ultimately, it¡¯s very difficult to take control of a city with a small number of men... Speaking of which, Gazef-dono. Do you know the conditions required topletely dominate E-Rantel?¡±

    Gazef shook his head.

    ¡°One needs to face the Kingdom in open battle and gain an overwhelming victory. If the aggressors barely manage to triumph, governing the conquered popce will be extremely difficult. The citizens won¡¯t respond well to the invaders and there¡¯ll definitely be a resistance movement. So even if the Empire used a separate force to attack E-Rantel, as long as our soldiers are untouched, they¡¯ll immediately to take back the city. As such, the Empire needs a total victory. With that, the citizens will be frightened to the point they can¡¯t even think of resisting, and they won¡¯t be able to mobilize troops.¡±

    The important thing was that the Empire had to win here. In addition, they had to achieve a victory soplete and absolute that none of the surrounding nations ©¤ in particr the Kingdom, which could instantly deploy its troops to take the city back ©¤ would dare think of making a move.

    Suddenly, Gazef had the feeling that he had put all the pieces of the puzzle together. However, the picture they formed was beyond hisprehension.

    A vaguely distasteful feeling tormented Gazef.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Gazef-dono?

    ¡°No...¡±

    Gazef wanted to tell Raeven about the scattered pieces of the puzzle that he had managed to sweep together in his head. He believed that Raeven, with his superior intellect, could extract insights from them that he could not. However, at that moment, the Marquis¡¯ eye turned back to the Imperial formation.

    ¡°Gazef-dono. It seems they¡¯re making their move.¡±

    The Imperial army parted in two, to make a path. As Gazef was wondering if they were nning to attack the left and right wings of the Kingdom¡¯s army, he saw an unfamiliar g rising into the air.

    It was a g that Gazef had never seen before, adorned with a bizarre crest that belonged to neither the Kingdom nor the Empire. The group nearing the g advanced.

    All eyes were on thatpany.

    And then... Gazef¡¯s heart ran cold with terror. Raeven, who was standing beside him and saw the same thing he did, swallowed loudly. Knowing that he was not alone in his feelings, bitterness began rising at the back of his mouth, and his heart pounded madly.

    It was a bizarre army.

    What appeared was a group of roughly 500 riders. It seemed entirely insignificantpared to the two armies facing each other down.

    However, those troops were highly abnormal. They seemed to radiate an oppressive air that he could feel even from so far away.

    It stirred up Gazef¡¯s memories from his time in Carne Vige. There had been a knight-shaped monster back then, which Ainz said he had created. There were roughly 200 of them now, warriors bearing massive shields and d in spiked armor.

    The rest were simrly inhuman soldiers, but they wore leather armor, and they were armed with axes, pikes, crossbows or simr weapons.

    If the former were knights, then thetter could be called warriors.

    But whatever they were, they were not humans. They were monsters, down to the marrow of their bones.

    And then, those monsters rode monsters of their own. Said creatures were beasts of bone, with flickering mist in ce of their flesh and blood. The fog sparkled everywhere, pus yellow and emerald green.

    Goosebumps sprouted all over his body.

    This was bad.

    This was very bad.

    It was a vague statement, but Gazef simply did not have the words to describe the situation more clearly than this.

    ¡°...So the Empire has enlisted monsters into their ranks, it seems. This is quite surprising. It¡¯s made me break out in goosebumps.¡±

    ¡°...No. No, Marquis Raeven. That¡¯s not the case. What the Marquis feels now... what fills your body with said goosebumps... is definitely not surprise.¡±

    ¡°Then what would that be?¡±

    Seeing that Raeven waspletely baffled, Gazef answered curtly.

    ¡°It¡¯s the fear of death. It¡¯s triggered your basic survival instinct.¡±

    Turning his eyes from the visibly shaken Raeven, Gazef looked at the Imperial Army.

    ¡°The horses are shying. Even these trained, hardened warhorses are so frightened they can¡¯t move.¡±

    ¡°...What are they? A secret division of the Empire?¡±

    ¡°...Impossible. Those monsters are not things that humans can control or use!¡±

    Gazef knew nothing about the true identity of these monsters, but his warrior¡¯s instinct supplied enough information for him to speak conclusively.

    ¡°There¡¯s no doubt about it... they must be the knights of Ainz Ooal Gown!¡±

    ¡°Is that!... Is that the army of the magic caster you feared?!¡±

    ¡°Marquis Raeven! Please gather the former adventurers immediately! Ask them what¡¯s our best move! They¡¯ve fought many monsters in the past and survived; please ask them to share their wisdom with us!¡±

    ¡°Un-¡±

    He probably wanted to reply that he understood, but his bodyguards were faster than that, and had already moved up to protect him. However, that was only expected. They had sensed the power of this threat before Gazef had.

    ¡°Marquis Raeven!¡±

    The formerly orichalcum-ranked adventurers rode over on horseback.

    ¡°Did you see it? Do you feel it?¡±

    At the head of the adventurers was their leader, the pdin of the Fire God, Boris Axelson.

    Within his voice was a thrill of fear he could not hide.

    Raeven could not speak. Gazef understood why.

    There was a note of fright in the voice of an formerly orichalcum-ranked adventurer, in a ce defended by such a vast army.

    Gazef felt that this was no longer time for etiquette, and asked:

    ¡°¡ªTell me! What is that? No need to greet me! Please tell me everything you know, all of you!!¡±

    Boris clutched the holy symbol that dangled around his neck. It was a gesture of warding.

    ¡°...We can¡¯t be sure, but we believe the creatures they ride are legendary monsters known as Soul Eaters. They¡¯re said to be undead creatures that hunger for the souls of the living. ording to legend, they once appeared in the middle of the continent, in a city of the Beastmen Kingdoms.¡±

    ¡°Then... how many casualties were there?¡±

    The words Boris spoke sounded unnaturally quiet.

    ¡°¡ª100,000.¡±

    The breath caught in Gazef¡¯s throat.

    ¡°...They say three Soul Eaters appeared, and they destroyed the city. 95% of the popce, over 100,000 people, died as a result. The city was abandoned, and it was called the Silent City.¡±

    A heavy silence fell on the group.

    ¡°...And there¡¯s 500 of them out there?¡±

    Nobody could muster up the strength to answer Raeven.

    Gazef forced his words out to break the silence.

    ¡°Like I said earlier, I find it hard to believe the Empire could subdue monsters of that level with their own power. Even that mighty magic caster, Fluder Paradyne, shouldn¡¯t be able to do it. That means¡ª¡±

    He did not need to finish his sentence. Marquis Raeven understood.

    ¡°Is... is that the power of Ainz Ooal Gown? Then, then... what manner of creatures are riding on those monsters¡¯ backs?¡±

    ¡°That...¡±

    The adventurers looked nervously to each other.

    ¡°©¤We don¡¯t know. The only thing we¡¯re certain of is that they must be very dangerous. No, I apologize, I shouldn¡¯t be using such vague terms as dangerous. However, I can think of no other words to describe what we are facing now.¡±

    ¡°Then, then what should we do? Gazef-dono?¡±

    In response to Raeven¡¯s panicked question, Gazef replied tersely and clearly.

    ¡°Retreat.¡±

    They already knew that the enemy had prepared an awe-inspiring force. With that in mind, what else could they do but run?

    ¡°Advise the King to order a retre¡ª¡±

    Gazef could not finish his sentence.

    That was because a masked magic caster stood at the head of the enemy. At his right was a short person in a hooded robe. At his left stood one of the Empire¡¯s Four Knights.

    Even at this distance, Gazef could not have mistaken that man for anyone else

    ¡°...Gown-dono.¡±

    ¡°Is that the mighty magic caster, Ainz Ooal Gown?!¡±

    ¡°Is he the one who summoned the Soul Eaters? Him? Marquis Raeven, we¡ª¡±

    The fearless warrior of countless battles swallowed heavily, and continued in a lowered voice.

    ¡°¡ª¡ªWhat the hell are we fighting here?!¡±

    Ainz waved his arm. In response, a magic circle sprang into existence, roughly ten meters in radius and shaped like a dome. It was centered on him. The people on his left and right were engulfed by it, but they seemed fine. It would seem the magic circle did not harm allies.

    This fantastic sight drew everyone¡¯s attention, even if they knew this was an emergency situation.

    The magic circle glowed bluish-white, and translucent symbols appeared across its length and breadth. The sigils changed with kaleidoscopic speed, shifting between runes and letters that nobody had ever seen before.

    The Kingdom¡¯s troops gasped out in surprise.There was no fear or tension in their voices, like they were watching a beautiful show. However, the ones with keener instincts started looking around themselves in obvious difort.

    ¡°I¡¯m returning to my unit. There¡¯s no more time to waste. Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s power is immeasurable. Doing battle with him was a mistake from the start. What we need to do now is minimize the number of casualties, and at the same time we need to get back to E-Rantel as fast as we can. Gazef-dono, please protect his Majesty. After that, retreat without dy!¡±

    The calm which Raeven had managed to cling to until recently was all gone now.

    ¡°Aye! Although I don¡¯t trust my abilities that much, but I will definitely protect his Majesty¡¯s person. Also, don¡¯t think about an orderly retreat¡ª¡±

    ¡°Of course. We¡¯ll retreat as fast as we can... no, we¡¯ll flee like rabbits.¡±

    ¡°Then, I wish you well, Marquis Raeven!¡±

    ¡°The same, Gazef-dono!¡±

    The two men who stood at the pinnacle of the Kingdom¡¯s military might and strategic thought hurriedly flew into action. However¡ª

    ¡ªIt was all toote.

    ? ? ?

    Nobody¡¯s there.

    After Ainz deployed his magic circle, that was what he had thought.

    There were no yers in the Kingdom.

    YGGDRASIL¡¯s super-tier magic was incredibly powerful.

    Because of that, during arge-scale battle, bringing down a person who could cast super-tier spells first was a basic tactic.

    One could hamper one¡¯s opponents in many ways. Teleportation assaults, for instance. Bombardment from atop a magic carpet. Pinpoint shooting from extreme range. There were countless methods to aplish that aim.

    However, no attacks like these came toward Ainz. In turn, that proved that there were no YGGDRASIL yers present.

    Under his mask, Ainz smiled, a fact which went unseen by anyone. Of course, his skeletal face could not form a smile.

    The bitter smile,ced with faint traces of joy, highlighted the feelings in Ainz¡¯s heart.

    ¡°So I don¡¯t need to serve as bait, then?¡±

    His joy came from the fact that he had not met any yers from YGGDRASIL.

    Ainz could not be counted as the greatest among the yers of YGGDRASIL. There were others who were better than he was, and his odds of survival against stronger yers were not good. While ying, Ainz¡¯s strength had stemmed from his knowledge. Although he won often in PVPbat, those were consecutive victories after forfeiting the first round of a match.

    Ainz was surprisingly skilled at using the information he had gathered. Conversely, his chances of defeat were also very high if he fought an opponent he had never encountered before.

    Ainz was fully aware of his abilities, and was deeply grateful that he had not encountered a powerful enemy that he knew nothing about.

    But at the same time, he also felt a hint of regret.

    He regretted the fact that he could not find the one who had brainwashed Shalltear among his enemies, people who were rted to a possessor of a World-ss item.

    Hatred, thick and cloying, pooled at the bottom of Ainz¡¯s heart. Although his strong emotions were suppressed, the weaker ones persisted within him.

    Ainz opened his hand, and within it was a miniature hourss.

    If he used a cash item, he could immediately cast the super-tier spell. The reason why he had not done this was because he was serving as bait to verify the existence of any possible yers from YGGDRASIL. However, if there were none, then there was no need to wait out the long casting time for the spell. Having to stand immobile in the middle of a magic circle was quite uncool.

    During the battle with Shalltear, he did not have that luxury.

    Against the lizardmen, he had not used an attack spell.

    Then¡ª

    ¡°This will be fun. Ah, it¡¯s going to be fun.¡±

    ¡ªWhat exactly would a super-tier attack spell do against the armies of the Kingdom?

    Although it was not a particrly strong spell in YGGDRASIL, what effects would it have in this world?

    Suddenly, Ainz knotted his nonexistent brows.

    Many people were about to die, but he did not feel any pity for them, and it somewhat frightened him. He did not even feel cruel, like someone trampling ants to death. In truth ©¤ in truth, he felt nothing at all.

    There was only the desire to see the results of his actions. And of course, the benefits he would reap for himself ¡ª for the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.

    Ainz clenched his fist.

    The particles of sand leaking from the shattered hourss moved against the wind and flowed into the magic circle surrounding Ainz.

    And then ¡ª the super-tier spell activated instantly.

    ¡°[Tribute to the ck Bounty (Ia Shub-Niggurath)]!¡±

    A ck wind blew, racing past the Kingdom¡¯s army, which had just finished changing its formation.

    No, there was no physical wind blowing. Neither the scattered weeds growing on the ins or the hairs on the heads of the Kingdom¡¯s soldiers had been touched.

    There were 70,000 men in the left wing of the Kingdom¡¯s army.

    Every single one of them was in in an instant.

    <b>Part 2</b>

    What on earth happened?

    Nobody could answer immediately.

    Every living creature thatprised the left wing of the Kingdom¡¯s army ¡ªnot just humans, but their horses too¡ª had suddenly copsed to the ground like puppets whose strings had been cut.

    The ones who realized the answer first were the Imperial troops, ranged against them.

    It took a while for the human mind to properly parse the events that had just transpired before their eyes. So after a short dy, shouts of panic rose into the air, bing a great wave that engulfed the entire Imperial Army.

    Certainly, they knew Ainz Ooal Gown was going to cast a spell after he had deployed his magic circle.

    However ©¤ who could have possibly anticipated this?

    Who could have guessed that he would cast such a horrific spell?

    Who could have imagined that he had cast a spell which could ughter 70,000 people ¡ª a number greater than the entire Imperial army¡ª in an instant?

    The Imperial knights doubted their eyes, even as they prayed to whatever gods they believed in.

    They prayed that the people of the Kingdom were not dead.

    They prayed that such terrible magic did not exist in this world.

    Of course, as they took in the truth before their eyes ¡ªthat not a single person had stood back up from where they fell¡ª they were fully aware that it was nothing but wishful thinking.

    Even so, there was no way they could ept it. There was no way they could ept this as reality.

    The man hailed as one of the strongest in the Empire, one of the Four Knights, Nimble, could only grind his teeth in naked terror and stare dumbly at the suddenly depopted left wing of the Kingdom¡¯s army.

    Nobody stood back up. That was a reality which was far, far too horrible to ept.

    No, the awful truth could not be described with just these simple words.

    Ainz Ooal Gown ¡ªthis magic caster, all by himself¡ª was a monster who could take the nations forged by men and obliterate them in the way that a child would kick down a sandcastle.

    That was a reality which was beyond the ability of any words to describe.

    The panic enveloping the Imperial Army gradually vanished like draining water. In the end, everyone simply fell silent, unable to speak.

    Yet, a strange noise rose up among the silence of the Imperial army¡¯s formation. The noise was born of many sounds blending together into a great mor. It was the sound of every single knight gnashing their teeth.

    This was the terror born of realizing that the Empire, where they and their families lived, now stood on the edge of extinction, just like the Kingdom.

    This was an understanding that if they dared to raise their hands against Ainz Ooal Gown, that same awful magic might end up being turned on themselves©¤

    Under these circumstances, Nimble suddenly thought of something. What kind of expression did a magic caster like this ¡ªwho could work a sorcery that could ughter the living in quantities that beggared mortalprehension¡ª what kind of expression did he have?

    Without moving his face, he spied on the monster standing beside him, Ainz Ooal Gown, but all he saw was indifference.

    How can this be? How can this be possible? How can someone like him... like this... be so calm? Even after taking 70¡¯000 lives?! Granted, the battlefield is a ce of death. The weak losing their lives is only to be expected. But even so, shouldn¡¯t he feel something in his heart after killing so many people?!!

    Regret or guilt would be the natural response. If he felt joy or excitement, that might even be understandable, abnormal as such a reaction might be.

    However ¡ª

    Is this indifference some sort of defensive reaction to protect his heart? No, this, this must be familiar scenery for a monster like him!There¡¯s no sadistic joy or pity in his heart like when a human being crushes ants!! What... what is this?!!! Why is this happening? Why does someone like this exist in the world?!!!!

    ¡°¡ªIs something the matter?¡±

    ¡°Aieee!¡±

    The words sounded like a spike of cold steel driven into him. Nimble¡¯s response to the question was a stupid-sounding cry.

    ¡°No-nothing¡¯s wrong. That, that spell just now, it was magnificent.¡±

    Nimble gave silent thanks that he was still able to speak. More than that ¡ª the fact that he could praise Ainz under such circumstances was nothing short ofudable.

    ¡°Ha ha ha¡ª¡±

    Nimble¡¯s desperatepliment was answered by faintughter.

    ¡°Have, have I given offense?¡±

    ¡°No, none at all. You said that spell just now was magnificent, right?¡±

    ¡°Y-yes.¡±

    Was that worthughing at? Sweat flowed down Nimble¡¯s forehead like a river. After seeing the dreadful consequences of angering this person, he had no intention of incurring his ire.

    ¡°Please, be at ease. Although... I must say, my spell is notplete yet. Now is when the real show begins. After all, when one makes an offering to the ck Goddess of the Bountiful Harvest, she will reciprocate with a gift of her offspring. Those cute, adorable children...¡±

    That was right.

    And just as ripened fruit would fall to the earth in the fullness of time ¡ª

    ? ? ?

    The Imperial knights were the first to see it.

    It was expected that the knights, watching from afar, from a safe distance, would see it first. Because they felt safe, they dared to peer outside from the narrow slits in their helmets.

    After the storm of death had imed the lives of the Kingdom¡¯s soldiers, something appeared in the sky; a repulsive ck sphere which seemed to pollute the world with its very presence.

    Then, who on the Kingdom¡¯s side saw it? It was most likely the troops of the right wing, who had no direct line of sight to what had happened on the other side. They sensed that something abnormal was going on, but they did not know what exactly had happened, and as they looked around to find out what was going on, they saw it.

    As though their eyes were being guided there, the soldiers beside them noticed it. In this way, everyone on the Kattse ins, who had gathered to wage war, ended up staring silently at the sphere floating in the sky.

    The sphere ¡ªwhich resembled nothing so much as a hole in the heavens¡ª was like an opened spiderweb; once one caught sight of it, one could not pull away.

    The ck sphere slowly grewrger.

    Be it fighting or fleeing, no human could engage in any meaningful thought or activity. All they could do was stare dumbly.

    And eventually ¡ª the ripened fruit fell.

    ***

    In a thoroughly natural fashion, the falling sphere broke apart when it touched the earth.

    It burst like a water balloon striking the ground, or perhaps like an overripe fruit doing the same.

    It was full of something that spread out from the point of impact. It was something like coal tar. It absorbed the light, like a wave of infinitely-expanding ck stickiness, and it swallowed the corpses of the dead Kingdom soldiers.

    Informed by a strange instinct, nobody thought it would end there.

    They had a premonition ©¤ this was only the beginning.

    Indeed ©¤ this was the beginning of their despair.

    ***

    Suddenly, a vast tree grew from the ck tar that covered the earth.

    No, that was nothing as pleasant as a tree.

    At first, there was only one of them, but then it multiplied. Two, three, five, ten... these objects waved in the absence of the wind. What was grew there... were tentacles.

    ¡°MEEEEEEHHHH!!¡±

    Suddenly, they heard the adorable bleating of a goat. It was not just one goat. It was as though a herd of goats had appeared out of nowhere.

    As though drawn by the sound, the coal tar writhed up, and it seemed to vomit forth something.

    It was something that was far too strange, too unnatural.

    It was 10 meters in height. If one added the length of the tentacles, that figure became unclear.

    At a nce, it resembled some sort of turnip. In ce of leaves, it had numberless ck tentacles, and its thick root portion was a b of meat covered in frightening lumps. Below that were five legs, like those of a goat¡¯s, tipped with ck hooves.

    Fissures appeared on the root-like portion of its anatomy ¡ªa thick b of meat covered in lumps¡ª as it peeled and split open in multiple ces at once. And then©¤

    ¡°MEEEEEEHHHH!!¡±

    The adorable bleating of goats rang forth from those fissures. They were gaping maws that oozed sticky drool.

    There were five of them.

    They disyed their hideous bodies to everyone on the Katze ins.

    ***

    The Dark Young of the ck Goat.

    These monsters appeared in proportion to the number of deaths caused by the super-tier spell [Sacrifice to the ck Bounty (Ia Shub Niggurath)] Although they did not possess any powerful special abilities, they were outstandingly resilient.

    Moreover, they were all over level 90.

    In other words, this would be a storm of carnage.

    ***

    Besides the adorable bleating of goats, so sickeningly sweet and cute that it made people want to vomit, there were no other sounds. That was because nobody could speak, unwilling to believe or ept that the events unfolding in front of their eyes were truly happening. Over 300,000 ¡ªor if you counted only the living, 235,000¡ª people were gathered here, and none of them could say anything.

    Amidst all this, Ainzughed heartily.

    ¡°Marvelous. This is a new record. In all of history, I might be the only one who ever managed to call forth five at once. Remarkable. I must give my thanks to everyone who died here today.¡±

    Under normal circumstances, being able to call forth one of the Dark Young was not bad. Being able to bring out two was a rarity.

    And now, there were five.

    Just like a yer who was celebrating over beating his own high score, Ainz was overjoyed by the fact that he had set this new record. So what if tens of thousands of people had died for it?

    ¡°Although... it would be better if there were more... is five the upper limit? Wouldn¡¯t it be quite amazing if I managed to max it out?¡±

    ¡°Congrattions! As expected of Ainz-sama!¡±

    Ainz smiled under his mask as Mare praised him.

    ¡°Thank you, Mare.¡±

    After that, Ainz turned to look at Nimble, which startled the poor man. His face was somewhere between tears andughter as he praised Ainz as well.

    ¡°Con-congrattions.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±

    Ainz was in a good mood as he made his reply.

    The sincere emotion on Nimble¡¯s face moved Ainz¡¯s heart.

    Then, he remembered his days as a yer in YGGDRASIL, of how he had been simrly moved when he had first seen the casting of [Ia Shub Niggurath]¡±

    shy or powerful spells can shake the hearts of the masses. Well, that was only to be expected of one of YGGDRASIL¡¯s most popr spells. When I said I was going to cast it, Albedo and Demiurge couldn¡¯t stopvishing praise on me.

    ***

    A gachigachi sound rose from the ranks of the Imperial army.

    It was the sound of armor ttering against itself.

    The soldiers were trembling, but who couldugh at them?

    The Sorcerer King hadughed cheerfully after casting such a horrific summoning spell, and nobody could hear it and not break out in goosebumps.

    Every Imperial knight present was thinking the same thing.

    They wished that the wrath of Ainz Ooal Gown would not fall upon them.

    It looked more like a prayer to the gods.

    ***

    As the soldiers pleaded sincerely behind his back, Ainz began the next phase. He felt that he had already done enough, but he was in high spirits, and felt that it might be better to kill a little more to be sure.

    This time round, his goal was to proim the might of Ainz Ooal Gown, a practitioner of super-tier magic, to the gathered nations.

    That objective had been achieved. However, letting these minions fade away would be a shame.

    Indeed, it would be too much of a waste.

    Ainz snorted.

    If he had a tongue, he would be licking his lips in anticipation.

    This was a joy he could not feel in YGGDRASIL, the joy of being able to simultaneously direct five Dark Young.

    ¡°¡ªAh, let¡¯s give it a try. Overrun them, my darlingmbs.¡±

    As they received themand of their summoner Ainz, the Dark Young began to move slowly.

    Their five goat legs moved in a bizarre gait as they segued into swift motion. It was not so much graceful as energetic, and perhaps one might smile to see it.

    As long as they did note for you.

    Their vast bodies moved lightly, and the five Dark Young broke into a run as they hurtled towards the Kingdom¡¯s army.

    ¡°Ah, right, there¡¯s three ¡ª no, four people you can¡¯t kill. I absolutely forbid you to harm them. ¡°

    As he recalled the three people that Demiurge wished to be spared, Ainz sent out a mentalmand to the Dark Young.

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Is this a dream?¡±

    A soldier from the Royal Army muttered to himself, far from the inhuman monsters. Of course, he received no answer. Everyone¡¯s eyes were fixed on the scene unfolding before them, and they had lost the power of speech. It was as if their souls had been snatched away.

    ¡°Hey, this is a dream, right? I must be dreaming, right?¡±

    ¡°Ahh. This is a fucking nightmare.¡±

    The second time the question was asked, someone managed to answer. But their voices sounded like they wanted to run away from reality.

    Impossible.

    I don¡¯t want to believe this.

    Thoughts like these spread through the infantry. Even as the lumbering shapes grew steadilyrger ©¤ even as the inhuman beings approached them, they still did not want to ept that this was reality.

    If they were simple monsters, perhaps they might have been able to gather up the courage to raise their weapons. However, the monsters which had appeared after an entire wing of the army ©¤ a full 70,000 people ©¤ had been ughtered in an instant could not possibly be simple monsters. It was like watching an advancing hurricane, and nobody could muster up the courage to brave the storm.

    The gigantic, bizarre beings galloped nimbly on their thick stubby legs, charging at incredible speeds.

    ¡°Get your spears up!¡±

    A voice rang out.

    That shrill, high-pitched scream came from the mouth of a noble. His eyes were bloodshot and foam flecked the corners of his mouth.

    ¡°Spears up! Get your spears up!! Get your spears up if you want to live!!!¡±

    Although he had already gone mad from fear and it was hard to understand what he was saying, the soldiers still managed to make out the order ¡°Spears up¡±, and they knew it was probably the bestmand he could have given.

    Acting on reflex, the soldiers raised and set their spears, forming a braced spear line.

    They nted the butts firmly on the ground, so their opponents¡¯ speed would only harm themselves when they charged into the hedge of points.

    Although this formation was nigh-unbreakable by Imperial knights, the Kingdom soldiers wondered ¡ªin some small, detached corner of their minds which still held onto calmness¡ª what good they could possibly do with the tiny spears they were grasping. Even so, they knew it was their only chance of salvation.

    Given the speed at which those bizarre creatures approached, escape would probably be impossible. Even if they ran with all their strength, they would still be squashed t from behind.

    They prayed that the monsters would note for them, even as they braced for their charge.

    The monsters ¡ªwhich should have been very small in the distance¡ª closed the gap with frightening speed.

    As they grewrger, and the earth began shaking under their thunderous hoofbeats, the soldiers¡¯ hearts began pounding madly. Then, as their hearts felt like they would burst in their chests, the enormous silhouettes were upon them.

    It was like a dumptruck smashing into a swarm of rats.

    The soldiers of the Royal Army raised countless spears in trembling hands. But what use were they against the massive, solid bodies of the Dark Young? The spears snapped like toothpicks without so much as scratching the Dark Young.

    The massive bodies of the Dark Young trampled the Royal Army underfoot.

    Splinters from countless shattered spears flew through the air.

    Although they crushed the meaningless resistance that did not even count as resistance, the Dark Young of the ck Goat were merciful in their own way.

    There was no pain.

    There was no time for their victims to feel pain before they were squashed t under the titanic weight of the Dark Young¡¯s charge.

    The spear-wielding soldiers did not even have time to realize that the pikes they were holding had been pulverized by those massive bodies. All they saw were ck shadows falling over them.

    They screamed and they screamed and they screamed.

    Gobbets of meat flew through the air. They had note from just one or two people, but tens, hundreds of victims. They were stamped t by the enormous hooves, and thrown¡ª no, flung away by the waving tentacles.

    Be they patricians or plebeians, now they were all the same chunks of bloody flesh.

    Some of them had families in their viges. Some had friends left behind. Some had people waiting for them. Once they were ground into the mud, none of that mattered any more.

    The Dark Young treated everyone the same way, bestowing death upon them all.

    Surely they must have been satisfied after crushing countless humans underfoot, but they showed no signs of stopping.

    The Dark Young began to run.

    They ran on. They did not stop while in the midst of the Kingdom¡¯s forces, simply running on.

    ¡°Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!¡±

    ¡°Abbaaaaaaahhhhhh!!¡±

    ¡°Stoooooooooooooop!¡±

    ¡°Save meeeeeeeeeee!¡¯

    ¡°Noooooooooooooooo!¡±

    ¡°Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaahh!¡±

    The screams rose up every time those gigantic hooves came down. It blended with the sound of humans pulping under the Dark Young¡¯s mighty legs, and the sound as they yfully batted humans away with their tentacles.

    A sound which men had never heard before went on and on without end.

    Trampled.

    What better word was there to describe this scene?

    Several people desperately thrust their pikes forward. The Dark Young, whose bodies were massive and who had no intention to evade the attacks, were hit solidly by the points. However, the pikes could not pierce deeply enough to cause harm to their b-like bodies. They were masses of iron-hard muscle sheathed by thick, rubbery skin.

    The Dark Young did not mock their futile resistance, but simply charged forward.

    Before the soldiers realized that their fatal resolve was meaningless, the Dark Young had already reached the centermost portion of the Kingdom¡¯s army.

    ¡°Run away! Run away!¡±

    They heard the shouts from the distance. In response, all the soldiers began to flee. It was exactly like a swarm of spiders scattering in all directions.

    But of course, the Dark Young were much faster than human beings.

    St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St.St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St.St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St.St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St.St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St.St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St.St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St.St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St.St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St.St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St. St.

    The sounds of humans being crushed to death and turned into chunks of meat went on and on.

    ? ? ?

    As though they had arrived in a barren wastnd, three of the monsters crossed the center column of the army drawing near the right wing amidst sprays of blood and gore. In moments, they would be upon Raeven¡¯s troops.

    ¡°Retreat! Retreat!¡±

    The way Raeven shouted these orders was closer to a wail.

    They could not fight those monsters.

    They should not throw their lives away for no reason.

    As they heard Raeven¡¯s words, the surrounding soldiers threw down their arms and fled in a panic.

    Of course, since there were just too many people, it was impossible for them to move freely.

    At first he had signalled an orderly retreat. His was because he was wary of an attack from behind, but now he realised that the time he had wasted in doing that was a big mistake.

    ¡°Ainz Ooal Gown, what kind of creature, what kind of magic caster are you?!¡±

    He had underestimated him. No, he had not done so on purpose.

    After taking Gazef Stronoff¡¯s words into consideration, he had viewed him as an enemy of the highest caliber imaginable. However, all he could say now was that he had still underestimated the man¡¯s abilities.

    His imagination simply had not been enough.

    Who on earth could have predicted that Ainz Ooal Gown was so powerful? Who could have known that such power existed in this world?

    Seeing the ever-approaching, ever-expanding silhouettes of the monsters, Marquis Raeven shouted orders at the troops surrounding him.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a battlefield any more, it¡¯s a killing floor! Just run!¡±

    ¡°My lord!¡± a knight said as he removed his helmet. ¡°The King! What about the King?¡±

    ¡°You idiot! There¡¯s no time for that! My lord! It¡¯sing right for us!¡±

    As they looked in the direction of the shouts, the monsters had already begun trampling the fleeing men, and the crushing of the right wing had begun. Although it seemed as though they were charging toward them in a straight line, they were not aiming for Raeven so much as trampling wherever they wanted. In truth, the other Dark Young were far away from where Raeven was.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the King?!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s there!¡±

    He saw the royal g in the direction where the soldier was pointing, but a Dark Young was already bearing down on it.

    Raeven hesitated. What could he do if he went to help? However, if King Ranpossa III was lost here, the entire country mighte apart.

    However¡ª

    ¡°Leave it to Gazef-dono!¡±

    Raeven had faith in Gazef.

    He was a warrior worthy of praise from the King. Although even he would still be unable to defeat those ck goat monsters, at the very least, he could bring the king safely out of this hellscape.

    ¡°Marquis Raeven! The situation is bad! Please retreat with all haste!¡±

    The voice of the formerly orichalcum-ranked adventurers, the subordinates he most trusted, wiped away Raeven¡¯s hesitation.

    ¡°¡ªMy lord!¡±

    It was less of a shout than a scream. Raeven bellowed a reply.

    ¡°I know, let¡¯s run!¡±

    Things being what they were, with the monsters at such close range, there was no point disguising it with fancy words like ¡°retreat¡±.

    ¡°Please leave the task of rallying the men to me! My lord, you need to get out of here now, and head for E-Rantel!¡±

    The shout came from a sleepy-eyed man. Although he looked unremarkable, Raeven could not have entrusted hismand to a better person.

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you! Use my name as you see fit! I¡¯ll bear the consequences!¡±

    The sound of hooves was very near. Marquis Raeven was so afraid that he did not dare turn around to see how close they were, and his fear led him to stick his spurs into his horse¡¯s nks with all his might. However, the horse did not move. Even when he kicked it with more force, it still did not move. It ttened its ears against its head and stayed still.

    At that moment, amidst the chaos, a group of horses kicked their way through a horde of fleeing people. The men on their backs clung tightly to their horses¡¯ bodies, seemingly ignoring the reins that dangled loosely.

    Ironically enough, the trained warhorses were frozen in panic, while the untrained horses were running wild in terror.

    ¡°To think training would have the reverse effect!¡±

    In the first ce, horses were timid animals. It was only after training that they could be considered fearless warhorses. However, it was precisely because of this training that they could not move. Their minds were already overloaded, but they had not forgotten their training.

    ¡°Forgive me! [Lion¡¯s Heart]!¡±

    The priest of the Wind God, Yon Dixgort, cast a spell of fear resistance on the horse. The calmed horse whinnied loudly.

    ¡°Marquis Raeven! We¡¯ll lead the way!¡±

    ¡°Please do!¡±

    With the voices of his subordinates wishing him well echoing at his back, Raeven spurred his horse into wild motion, escorted by the former adventurers.

    Riding a horse through a violent mob that had lost their discipline in the chaos was very difficult. However, it was possible because they had once been orichalcum-ranked adventurers, who stood close to the pinnacle of humanity.

    The group skilfully threaded between the flow of humanity.

    ¡°That magic caster¡¯s a monster! How can someone like him be allowed to exist in the world?!¡±

    Raeven cursed Ainz as his horse jerked up and down in its top-speed gallop.

    ¡°Dammit! We have to do something! I need to think of some way to protect our world ¡ª our future!¡±

    Fear was probably the reason why he was subconsciously mumbling to himself. If he did not say anything, if he did not distract his mind, that intelligent brain of his would probably sketch horrific nightmares of the danger approaching him.

    When he returned, he would need to sit down with the Prince (Zanack) and the Princess (Renner) and draw up some form of countermeasure against that iparable magic caster.

    If this went on, all of humanity would be conquered ©¤ no, that was still alright. In the worst case, all of humanity might be toys for Ainz Ooal Gown, to be tormented until the ends of their lives.

    The sound of a tongue clicking carried over the sounds of the horse¡¯s hooves.

    ¡°Not good! My lord, please guide your horse to the right! It¡¯s caught up with us!¡±

    ¡°How did it find us without eyes?!¡± Lockmeyer the thief shouted. ¡°Lund! Do you have any magic for this?¡±

    ¡°Of course not! Do you think any spells would work against that monster, Lock?¡±

    ¡°Even so, how will we know if we don¡¯t try¡ª¡±

    ¡°Stop! Don¡¯t do anything until you have to! It might just be advancing in the same direction as us! Marquis Raeven! Move in front of us! We¡¯ll form up single file!¡±

    Their voices were trembling.

    In ordance with the instructions, Raeven moved his horse to the pole position. Then, he turned his horse toward the direction where less people were fleeing.

    The cry of a Dark Young came from nearby, and it felt like it was going to squash his pounding heart in his chest.

    ¡°MEEEEEEEEEHHHH!¡±

    ¡ªIt was close.

    The sweat poured off Marquis Raeven¡¯s head like a waterfall. He was so afraid that he did not dare turn around, but he could sense the air behind him getting warmer and warmer.

    And then, he heard it again¡ª

    ¡°MEEEEEEHHHH!!¡±

    ¡°Son of a bitch! No good! It wasing this way all along! ...Everyone! Prepare yourselves!¡±

    THe magic casters responded to the shouts of the leader Boris with their spells

    ¡°[Reinforce Armor]!¡±

    ¡°[Lesser Strength]!¡±

    ¡°Good! Then, my lord! Let us receive the enemy¡¯s attack! Do not look back under any circumstances and continue riding!¡±

    There was only one thing he could say to the adventurers, who had conquered their fear.

    ¡°...I¡¯m counting on you!¡±

    ¡°Understood! Let¡¯s go!¡±

    ¡°Ohhhhh!¡±

    He could hear the horses of the former adventurers drawing away from him.

    Raeven lowered his head, doing his best to minimize wind resistance. Although he did not know how much time they could buy, he knew he had to run as hard as he could without looking back ¡ª returning alive would be the only way to repay their loyalty.

    ¡°I¡¯ll blow you away! [Fireball]!!¡±

    ¡°[Invulnerable Fortress]!¡±

    As he rode away on the back of the wildly-galloping horse, Raeven thought he could hear the sound of the former adventurers joining battle, even through the wind whipping past his face.

    And then ¡ª within two seconds he could not hear the former adventurers any more.

    What he did hear was the sound of an enormous hoof falling.

    His heart lurched in his chest.

    As he saw the shadow from his lowered field of vision, Raeven did his best to hold back a scream.

    He realized there was a massive shadow beneath his feet ©¤ his body carried by the speeding horse ©¤ and that a long and thick tentacle was reaching out for him.

    ¡°No...¡±

    The horse ran like it had gone mad. It was faster than Raeven had ever ridden it. It might have been the fastest it had ever gone. Even so, the mighty shadow still stretched out across the earth.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want this!¡±

    He screamed. He had not expected himself to scream, and so loudly.

    Warmth spread through his crotch.

    Raeven forced his eyes open, and without looking back, he forced the horse forward.

    He could not die yet. It did not matter what happened to the country. If it was to fall, then let it fall.

    If taking up arms against Ainz Ooal Gown meant death, then he was willing to abandon this country and flee.

    He had been an idiot.

    Truly, he had been an idiot.

    Coming to this battlefield was truly foolish.

    Since he knew how powerful Ainz Ooal Gown was, he should have stayed in the Royal Capital no matter the cost.

    He would not think of the Kingdom¡¯s future any more.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want this!¡±

    He could not die yet.

    He could not die while his son was still so young. And... he could not leave his beloved wife alone by dying.

    ¡°I don¡ª¡±

    Raeven imagined the form of his son before him.

    My lovely boy.

    A tiny little life had been born. It slowly grew up. It got sick. Back then, he had made a huge fuss because of that. The image of himself running around half-mad, bellowing orders, while his wife sat there in silence was deeply embarrassing.

    His hands were soft and his cheeks were rosy. When he grew into a youth, he would be the talk of the Kingdom. He believed his son¡¯s abilities would surpass his own. He could already see traces of that from time to time.

    His wife kept saying that any parent would think the best of their child, but he did not think that was the case.

    Raeven was deeply grateful to his wife, who had bore his beloved son. However, he rarely said so because it embarrassed him.

    It was time for a second child.

    If he had note to this battlefield, he might have been able to hold their hands©¤

    ¡°...Eh?¡±

    The sound of the hooves had stopped.

    Driven more by curiosity than courage, Raeven turned around. All he saw was the Dark Young standing motionless, as though frozen in ce.

    <b>Part 3</b>

    He had no idea where he was. It was like he had been hurled into a nightmare.

    The title of the Four Knights ¡ªthe title belonging to the mightiest warriors of the Baharuth Empire¡ª now seemed so shockingly superficial.

    How pathetic a creature was he, to be so proud of such an insignificant little thing? That was how great of a shock he had received.

    Nimble could hear the sound of subdued weeping. It was the sobbing of people who had been pushed past their limits by fear and unease. It was a childish ¡ª no, it was the agonized wailing of men who had been reduced to children. The ones who wept were the Imperial knights.

    He heard people beg ¡°just run away.¡±

    That was the prayer of the knights who had ¡ª with eyes full of pity ¡ª watched that hideous carnage swallow up their fellow human beings.

    So wretched was this tragedy that even the enemies of the Royal Army, the Imperial knights, offered up prayers for them.

    They prayed that at least some would survive. The more, the better.

    They hade here to kill the enemy. However, no human being could remain unmoved and not feel pity when they witnessed the massacre taking ce in front of them. Anyone who could remain unmoved would be a fiend with a man¡¯s face, an inhuman being.

    In addition, Nimble and the knights realised that this could not be dismissed as a matter of ¡°us vs them.¡±

    Certainly, from the point of view of the Kingdom against the Empire, this disaster was happening to ¡°them.¡± But when you looked at it from the perspective of men against monsters, this brutal ughter was happening to ¡°us.¡±

    ¡°Well then, I think it¡¯s time.¡±

    All eyes went to Ainz as he spoke quietly.

    There were 60,000 people present, and his voice was not loud enough to reach all of them. However, they could tell when the people beside them turned their heads. And once they knew that the faces of their neighbors were turned to Ainz Ooal Gown, they too followed suit.

    After all, every move and gesture made by the man who had orchestrated this nightmare ¡ªAinz Ooal Gown¡ª filled all present with uncontroble terror.

    Ainz slowly removed his mask.

    He exposed his skinless, fleshless, polished white skull to the world.

    If the circumstances had been different, perhaps they might have thought he was wearing a mask under his mask. However, as they saw this, the hearts of Nimble and all the knights of the Empire sank.

    They understood that this was his true face; that Ainz Ooal Gown was a monster.

    That was because they had a premonition; anyone who could wield such power could not be human.

    Ainz slowly spread his arms. He looked like he was embracing a friend ¡ª or was it a demon spreading its wings? In the eyes of all who were watching, he seemed to double in size.

    In the silence ¡ª interrupted only by the anguished screams of the Kingdom¡¯s soldiers in the distance ¡ª Ainz¡¯s still, small voice rang out with exceptional rity.

    ¡°¡ª Apuse, then.¡±

    What is he saying, Nimble thought as he stared at Ainz with his mouth open.

    Everyone who could hear him thought the same thing, and as Ainz¡¯s words were whispered throughout the army, more and more people turned their eyes to him.

    Then, when everyone¡¯s attention was on him, he spoke again.

    ¡°A round of apuse, in celebration of my supreme power.¡±

    The first to apud was Mare, who stood by Ainz¡¯s side, opposite Nimble. As though sparked by it, the scattered sounds of pping began rising up from the soldiers, until it be a thunderous ovation.

    Of course, they were not truly cheering for him.

    Nobody wanted to apud a person who brought this kind of cruel butchery with him. This was not war. It was ughter. A massacre.

    Only, nobody present could speak these words. Nobody dared.

    Their earth-shaking apuse was the sum of all the knights¡¯ fears.

    And then the intensity of the riotous apuse, which all present thought could not get any greater, rose several more notches.

    That was because one of the Dark Young had slowly changed its course. It would soon reach the Imperial army.

    Shouts of praise rang out, to match the apuse.

    The Imperial knights cried out in praise of Ainz Ooal Gown. They screamed until their throats bled.

    Yet, the Dark Young did not slow its pace.

    And so, the knights cried out even louder. They thought the beast was approaching because he was not pleased with their volume.

    ©¤But still, it did not stop.

    ©¤And thus, their tightly wound nerves snapped.

    Nobody knew who started it. It might have just been the wavering of a single knight. However, that was enough for the terror which filled them beyond their limits to burst forth..

    ¡°Aieeeeeeeeeeee!¡±

    The soul-wrenching scream echoed throughout the ranks and shook the Imperial army.

    One of the monsters which had trampled the Royal Army underfoot was bearing down on them. This abnormal situation so terrified some of the Imperial knights that they abandoned their unmoving horses and fled for their lives. After seeing the hellish sight from just now, even those whocked vivid imaginations knew exactly what would happen when it was their turn under that beast¡¯s hooves.

    And of course ¡ª fear was contagious.

    While less than a hundred people fled at first, that number swelled within moments, until it was a flight of sixty thousand.

    ©¤Yes.

    The Imperial army had fallen into panic, their regimentation in tatters.

    It was a disgraceful rout.

    The knights had obviously been taught how to fall back in good order. However, they no longer had the luxury of adhering to such discipline. If it would let them leave this ce one second faster, if they could move one step more in flight toward a safe ce, they would push down theirrades in front of them with all their might and flee.

    When shoved from behind, it was unavoidable that people would lose their bnce and fall. And once they fell down, the panic-driven throng behind them would not give them the chance to rise.

    The ones who fell would be trampled by the ones behind them.

    Even if they wore metal armor, everyone else wore metal armor as well. They would be stamped into a single fused mass of metal and meat.

    Scenes like this were happening everywhere.

    The Imperial army¡¯s casualties were not caused by the enemy, but by themselves.

    Nimble did not know what to do next, and he hesitated.

    He wanted to run as well. However, he could not do so, and not all the knights had escaped, in any event.

    As he looked back across the formation, he saw a scant few people remaining, stock still atop their horses.

    They had not remained because of their fear. Rather, it was because they were mesmerized by the sight of overwhelming power, and had forgotten themselves in their excitement.

    For instance, normal people would flee when they saw a huge tornado sweeping in toward them. However, there were certain beings who admired the beauty of the tornado and stood still ©¤ even though they realized it would im their lives. Those that remained could be considered deviants.

    The Dark Young arrived before Ainz, bent its knees, and lowered its tentacles. It was probably disying its submission.

    Nimble smiled, his face twitching, as the monster acted in a decidedly non-monstrous way.

    The Dark Young¡¯s body should have been sttered in fresh blood, but it was nowhere to be seen because it had already been absorbed by its skin.

    It wrapped its tentacles around Ainz¡¯s waist, then extended several more to firmly grip his body before raising him up. Then, it ced him on its head.

    ¡°I believe the original n was that I would cast a spell upon the enemy, and then the Imperial army would follow up with a charge, but it would seem you have no intention to act.¡±.

    Nimble had nothing to say.

    Ainz was right. The Empire had broken the terms of the agreement which they themselves had made with the King of their allied country.

    However, one could not me the knights for losing their nerve. Nimble would defend them even in front of Jiiv, because he knew the overwhelming terror which had gripped them.

    ¡°Ah, I have no intention of rebuking you. I understand you¡¯re concerned that if youunch an assault, there is a chance you may be trampled along with the enemy. Truthfully speaking, if that happened, I would be hard-pressed to exin those deaths to your Emperor. Well, in that case, I guess I¡¯ll handle your part of the job as well.¡±

    Nimble looked to thepany of the undead, which had remained still all this time.

    ¡°Will... will... will those undead troops make an assault, then?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, I¡¯ll let thesembs handle it since it¡¯s such a rare chance for them to do so. I simply perform some light cleaning up. Mare, do not lower your guard.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes! Please leave it to me, Ainz-sama!¡±

    Nimble was speechless.

    He said he would press the attack; him, in person, the one who had cast a spell like that.

    His tone suggested that he did not intend to let anyone return alive from this battlefield. It was clear that his hunger for carnage was insatiable.

    ¡°To think... it¡¯s not enough. Is he a devil?¡±

    Although he was muttering to himself, Nimble¡¯s words were louder than he thought, and Ainz turned his terrible visage on him from where he was seated atop the Dark Young.

    He shook his head at the quivering Nimble.

    ¡°Do not be mistaken. I am undead.¡±

    What Ainz must have been trying to say was that he was not a demon that exalted the idea of evil, but an undead being that hated the living. As such, he would not permit a single soldier of the Kingdom to escape. He would take even more lives.

    That was the most likely answer, and also the most disastrous one.

    If Ainz wanted to y everything that lived because he was undead, then it was possible that his sights might someday be set on the Empire, which was filled with the living.

    No, that was sure to happen in the future.

    What should I do? Assaulted by confusion and fear, Nimblecked the ability to focus, and he did not hear Ainz¡¯sst whispered words.

    ¡°...And it seems I have found my target.¡±

    ? ? ?

    The headquarters of King Ranpossa III was located in the center of the Royal army. It was surrounded by countless banners belonging to numerous nobles of the Kingdom of Re-Estize.

    Although there had been many nobles gathered here before, only a few remained here. Most of them had already fled, and only a scant few remained in this camp. Of course, the king had no intention of ming the court nobles for running away.

    ¡°You lot, leave me behind and run!¡±

    ¡°This is no time for jokes! Your Majesty, please flee with all haste. Once it has its eye on us, we¡¯ll have no chance to survive!¡±

    The speaker was Gazef¡¯s subordinate, the vice-captain of the warrior band.

    ¡°How can I run away, as the King?¡±

    ¡°Even if your Majesty stays, there is nothing you can do. Should you not return to E-Rantel and n the counter-attack?¡±

    Ranpossa III smiled bitterly. It hurt to listen to those words.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Even if I stay here, there is nothing left for me to do.¡±

    It was impossible to rally his broken, routed army under these circumstances. It was not just Ranpossa III who could not do it; even the famed generals of old would have found this unreasonable task to be impossible.

    ¡°Your Majesty! There¡¯s no time! Listen up, you lot, you must bring his Majesty home even if you have to tie him up!¡±

    Gazef¡¯s subordinates leapt into action.

    Wasting more time would endanger not only himself but the people around him. With that in mind, Ranpossa III made his decision and rose to his feet.

    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go. But what will change if we flee now?¡±

    The footfalls shook the ground like an earthquake as they drew closer. But even under these extreme circumstances, Ranpossa III remained calm. It was a far cry from the chaotic noises the nobles had made.

    ¡°First of all, it¡¯s impossible. If we try to flee on horseback, it¡¯lle after us. It seems to targetrge groups of fleeing soldiers first. Therefore, there¡¯s only one way for us to be saved.¡±

    It was only now that Ranpossa III realised why they had urged the nobles to mount up and flee in groups just now.

    ¡°So all we can do is run on foot.¡±

    Some of the warriors began removing and discarding their armor.

    ¡°These men will carry your Majesty and flee.¡±

    ¡°And what about you?¡±

    Not everyone had removed their armor. For instance, the vice-captain was still wearing his.

    ¡°I¡¯ll act as a mounted distraction and flee in the opposite direction.¡±

    Ranpossa III saw the bright smiles on the warriors¡¯ faces, and realized that they had made their peace with death.

    ¡°Impossible. You are the treasures of our Kingdom! No matter what, you must survive! I still need you to serve my descendants!¡±

    ¡°Of course. Although we intend to be bait, we do not intend to die!¡±

    That was a lie. They were nning to die. Or rather, they had epted that death was their destiny.

    Ranpossa III tried to think of something to convince them, but he could not speak. In the face of the warriors¡¯ smiles, everything he came up with sounded insincere and shallow..

    The warriors around him helped remove Ranpossa III¡¯s armor.

    A warrior in pure white armor stepped forward. He was Climb, his daughter Renner¡¯s sole subordinate, who had given everything he had in her service.

    ¡°Allow me to assist in the diversion. Although we don¡¯t know if these monsters have eyes, but if we wave our gs non-stop, we should be able to draw their attention. And this armor should be quite eye-catching.¡±

    Climb held the Kingdom¡¯s g in his hand. it had been dirtied by the footprints of fleeing soldiers, and it seemed to summarize their current current situation.

    ¡°Aye. Then I¡¯ll go too.¡±

    Beside Climb was Brain Unus. Apparently he was a first-rate warrior who was the equal of his trusted vassal, Gazef Stronoff. Brain had entered this war as Renner¡¯s subordinate. In other words, he was in the same position as Climb.

    ¡°Are you sure? Strictly speaking, you are not exactly the Princess¡¯ subordinate.¡±

    ¡°Ah? Well, don¡¯t worry about that. During the demonic disturbance we were on the frontlines, and somehow we still made it back alive. This time, we¡¯ll just hope that luck is with us. And we hope that luck is with you too.¡±

    ¡°The gods will not watch in silence. During that disturbance, a hero came to save us. I trust they will change our fate too.¡±

    Before Ranpossa III, Brain and the vice-captain touched their knuckles together to bid him farewell.

    ¡°How did it end up like this...¡±

    Where had it all gone wrong?

    Ranpossa III moaned softly. In all likelihood, none of the men in front of him would survive.

    The vice-captain and Climb would die as bait.

    And he did not know what had happened to Gazef, who had vanished into the chaos after saying he intended to stop the Dark Young.

    His eyes burned.

    Forgive me, he wanted to say.

    They were going to act as decoys for an old man, throwing their lives and futures away for him.

    But he could not say that. They probably knew they were going to die, but they were going to cling to life as hard as they could.

    In that case©¤

    ¡°Return safely to E-Rantel, and I shall grant you any reward you desire.¡±

    Climb and Brain paused mid-step and turned around.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for a reward, your Majesty. I exist to aid Renner-sama. How could I dare ask for a reward...¡±

    ¡°As for for what I want, well, I¡¯d like this kid I¡¯m interested in here to marry the prettiest princess in the country.¡±

    ¡°...Hahahaha. Well, that is avish reward.¡±

    ¡°Brain-san! What are you saying?¡±

    ¡°Well, we¡¯ll have to start by giving the kid a lordship. Work hard!¡±

    ¡°Then you must return alive no matter what, Climb-kun.¡±

    Climb¡¯s frightened eyes and open mouth no longer had the warrior¡¯s spirit they had possessed just now. The King, however, had forgotten everything and allowed a bright smile onto his face.

    ¡°Then, we¡¯ll be off, your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡±

    The now-unarmored Ranpossa III was borne aloft by a soldier.

    ¡°Your Majesty. Even now, our flight is still a matter of luck. If the worst happens... I pray you will forgive us.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. It was my decision to use your idea. If it fails due to misfortune, then I will have noints.¡±

    ¡°Then! Your Majesty! May we meet again in E-Rantel!¡±

    The vice-captain galloped off on his horse. As though it was waiting for him, one of the Dark Young changed its direction.

    ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s go while everyone¡¯s drawing it off!¡±

    <b>Part 4</b>

    Amidst the chaos caused by men desperately fleeing for their lives, Gazef fixed his eyes ahead of him, and then slowly drew the national treasure of the Kingdom, Razor Edge. Every time he had drawn this coldly gleaming de, he had achieved victory. In other words, this sword was the proof of Gazef¡¯s triumph.

    However, the sword seemed terribly weak and fragile today.

    He was tiny and insignificantpared to the Dark Young which was charging right at him.

    ¡°If I let it past me, the King¡¯s main camp is next. I need to stop it here.¡±

    As he said that, Gazef face¡¯s softened, as though he were mocking himself.

    There was no way for Gazef to beat that monster. Just dying it for a second was worthy of praise.

    Even a man hailed as the Warrior-Captain of the Kingdom ¡ªa warrior renowned throughout the surrounding nations¡ª could only do so much.

    ¡°Take his Majesty and flee. Pave his way home with your lives.¡±

    Gazef whispered these orders ¡ªalmost like a prayer¡ª to his subordinates who were not here. The strongest soldiers in the Kingdom had stayed behind to protect their King. However, even if they stayed behind, they would not worthy of protecting the King from the savagery of those monsters. Even if they put their lives on the line, all they could do was serve as meatshields that would crumble after one hit.

    However, that was enough.

    They would die if the enemy hit them, but as long as they could make sure that hit was wasted on them, the King¡¯s life could be extended just a little more. Maybe it would work if 80 men were there to be shields, he thought optimistically.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Gazef apologized to his subordinates even as the monster approached with uncanny speed, churning up sprays of flesh and gore in its wake. He knew that an apology to absentrades was nothing more thanforting himself. Even so, he did not want to die without having spoken those words.

    As he felt the earth trembling under his feet, Gazef exhaled forcefully.

    He gripped the sword in his hands tightly, and raised it.

    Compared to that vast body that crushed humans into red paste, his sword seemed utterly useless.

    If it were a runaway horse cart, he could easily get control of it. Even if a ferocious tiger pounced him, he could evade its first blow and strike off its head.

    Yet, in front of the Dark Young, his chances of survival seemed very low indeed.

    ¡°Huuuuu¡ª¡±

    As Gazef breathed out, a dramatic change appeared in the flow of people around him. Until now they had gone in all directions, but now it seemed like they were moving to avoid Gazef. It looked as though they were creating a clear path between Gazef and the Dark Young.

    The Dark Young continued sttering humans under its feet as it closed in.

    As Gazef raised his sword, he studied its body. Where could he attack for the best results?

    He activated a martial art ¡ª [Sense Weakness].

    However¡ª

    ¡°¡ªIt has no weaknesses.¡±

    Gazef did not know if that was because it truly had no weaknesses, or because it was so much more powerful than him that he could not read them.

    Still, he did not despair. He had expected that much, after all.

    He activated another martial art.

    This was a secret move that was truly worthy of being called a secret move, a technique that strengthened his extrasensory perceptions, [Possibility Sense].

    The difference in their physical abilities was so vast that it made no difference if he shrunk a gap of miles by an inch or two through augmenting his own physical attributes. In that case, he decided to rely on something else ¡ª perhaps his sixth sense might be more effective.

    ¡°Come, beast.¡±

    The Dark Young seemed to have heard the challenge, and set a course straight for Gazef. The distance between the two shrank dramatically.

    This was the truth.

    Gazef was afraid.

    If it was at all possible, he would have liked to flee with the surrounding soldiers.

    Even after activating [Possibility Sense], he could not feel anything. It was like he was enveloped by an imprable wall of night.

    As the Dark Young closed in, he studied its form in greater detail.

    Judging by the way its hooves remained undamaged, it was likely that normal swords would not be able to deal any harm to it. From the deep prints it left in the ground where it stepped, its weight would instantly kill anyone it was applied to.

    The more he learned about it, the more his fear of it grow.

    Right now, Gazef was exposed to a terror far more intense than those of the soldiers fleeing willy-nilly around him.

    But he could not turn back.

    The Kingdom¡¯s strongest warrior could not flee. He cancelled [Possibility Sense], and calmed his breathing.

    The Dark Young closed in.

    It was close enough that the clods of dirt kicked up by its hooves could reach Gazef.

    It ignored the soldiers around it, like they were nothing but crawling worms, and headed straight for Gazef.

    No, he was wrong.

    The Dark Young swerved to the side, like it had hit a wall. Because it had turned so quickly, the Dark Young¡¯s footsteps were messed up, and even with so many legs, it lost its bnce.

    Of course, Gazef did not think it had run away from him.

    It had simply considered where it could find more prey and felt that it could trample more people if it turned to the side.

    The Dark Young charged past Gazef, making the world quake in its passing.

    Because there was only a meter or so of separation between them, the ground under his feet shook like an earthquake. Anyone but Gazef would have fallen down.

    He aimed at the Dark Young¡¯s gigantic hoof as it ran past¡ª

    ¡°¡ªYeeart!¡±

    Gazef swung his sword. At this speed, the enemy¡¯s own velocity would be a weapon that would tear itself apart on the edge of his de.

    In the instant the hoof touched the sword, a massive impact travelled up the weapon and into Gazef¡¯s arms. It made him feel as though his arms had been torn off.

    His feet, nted firmly in the ground, left two trenches in the dirt as he was dragged backward.

    ¡°Gwaaargh!¡±

    Somehow, he had kept his grip on his sword, but pain spread through his entire body. Be it his muscles or his tendons, every part of him hurt from the stress it had to bear.

    Gazef panted heavily, and stared at the giant body that passed him.

    Not far from Gazef, one of the Dark Young had finally stood still as opposed to running madly.

    One of its tentacles became a blur.

    Fear shot through his body. Gazef hurriedly raised his sword.

    In that instant, an extraordinary impact struck him, and his body floated into the sky.

    Gazef could not see anything, but he guessed that he must have been pped away by the tentacle. His body flew through the sky.

    After hanging in the air for a surprisingly long time, Gazef¡¯s body finally struck the earth. He rolled several times. This rolling was not the tumbling of a flung corpse, but the deliberate action of a human that was trying to bleed off the energy of his rotation.

    Gazef slowly stood up, spurring his ungainly body into motion. He stared at the distant Dark Young.

    It had been just one hit.

    The arm that took the strike had broken. It was probably sheer good luck that his sword had not snapped as well.

    All emotion vanished from Gazef¡¯s face

    Why had he been spared? Why had it not pursued him?

    It was probably because it had no need to finish him off. Gazef felt that was the most appropriate answer.

    This was not a defeat. He had not evene anywhere close to the arena.

    Fresh blood flowed from his bitten lip.

    Following that, Gazef suppressed the intense pain which filled him and ran forth with all his might.

    Even if he could not beat his opponent, even if his limit was one more hit, even so, he still had to protect his King.

    However, his footsteps ©¤ filled with conviction and determination ©¤ faltered after several paces.

    He looked at the Dark Young that had changed direction toward him ¡ªthere was no mistake here¡ª and he realized why he had managed to survive.

    Upon the Dark Young, there was a king seated upon what looked like a throne made of tentacles. However, he had a bizarre face. It was skeletal, and there was no doubt that he was an undead monster.

    He was not nearly foolish enough not to recognize who that king was.

    ¡°Ainz Ooal Gown... dono. So you weren¡¯t human after all.¡±

    The Theocracy¡¯s special forces. Gazef had no hope of defeating them, yet they had been easily wiped out. No human could have done that, which made this realization simple to ept.

    Yes. Why had he even thought someone that powerful could have been human to begin with?

    ¡°Stronoff-sama!¡±

    Even before he looked back, he knew who it was by the hoarseness of the voice. The familiar pair came running toward him.

    ¡°Are you two alright?¡±

    Climb and Brain were unhurt, and Climb¡¯s pure white armor had not been so much as stained. Considering the two of them had not tried to escape at once, that was a considerable stroke of good luck.

    ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re safe!¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would die, and turns out you didn¡¯t. However, it¡¯s not over yet, right?¡±

    The two of them joined their lines of sight to where Gazef had been looking just now.

    ¡°That is...¡±

    ¡°It can only be one person, Climb-kun. The monster who rules over other monsters. That is Ainz Ooal Gown.¡±

    ¡°That is... that is... How shall I say this... I, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    At a nce, Climb¡¯s body was shuddering. His stiff, frozen expression betrayed the fact that he was not quaking in excitement or anticipation.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Climb-kun. This is nothing to be ashamed of. Or rather, it can¡¯t be helped! A third person whose strength surpasses all rational sense! What has my life be ever since that day!¡±

    Brain radiated a powerful fighting spirit he took a stance. Gazef was surprised at his facial expression, which was casual and easy and did not suit the circumstances.

    ¡°I-I mustn¡¯t run away either!¡±

    Climb and Brain stood at Gazef¡¯s side.

    Amidst flying chunks of meat, the Dark Young halted in front of Gazef.

    Distant screams echoed over, and only this ce was silent.

    It was as though this area was no longer part of the world.

    Ainz¡¯s line of sight turned from Gazef, passed uninterestedly over Brain, and then halted on Climb. He shrugged, and looked back to Gazef.

    ¡°...You¡¯re looking quite lively, Stronoff-dono.¡±

    ¡°I could say the same to you, Gown-dono... huhu. Would that be a problem, to say you¡¯re lively? After all, if you stopped being a human after we parted ways back then, it would be terribly rude.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha. No, I have not changed since that time.¡±

    Ainz floated down from the top of the Dark Young as he chuckled. He must have been using some sort of magical effect, given how he slowly floated down in defiance of gravity.

    Although he thought it might be that famous spell [Fly], after considering the fact the Ainz Ooal Gown was a mighty magic caster, he concluded that it must be a superior version of that spell ¨C though how superior it was, or what kind of spell it was, Gazef did not know.

    ¡°Truly, it has been a long time, Stronoff-dono. Ever since Carne Vige.¡±

    ¡°Indeed it has, Gown-dono. Then... permit me to ask, why have you sought me out? Could it be that you found a familiar face on the battlefield and decided to meet me?¡±

    ¡°Well, yes. I don¡¯t like fancy talk, and beating around the bush is not appropriate for this ce. So... I¡¯ll get right to it.¡±

    Ainz slowly raised a skeletal hand.

    There was no enmity there, but instead, it was a gesture of friendship.

    ¡°Be my subordinate.¡±

    In that instant, Gazef¡¯s eyes widened into circles.

    At the same time, one could hear Brain and Climb on both sides of him gulping audibly.

    Who could have imagined that such a mighty magic caster could say such a thing to him?

    ¡°If you do¡ª¡±

    Ainz snapped his fingers. How exactly he had done it with skeletal fingers remained a mystery.

    Gazef¡¯s body shuddered, as though something had been done to him.

    However, there had been no changes in his mind or body. He felt nothing.

    ¡°Look around you.¡±

    Gazef turned his eyes to his surroundings. Everything was¡ª

    ¡°I see. They¡¯ve stopped.¡±

    The Dark Young had all stopped in the middle of whatever they were doing. The way they hung motionless in the air, halfway through stomping down, made them look like statues.

    ¡°This is only temporary. What happens after this will depend on your decision. If you refuse, I will give orders to thesembs once more. I trust I don¡¯t need to tell you what those orders are?¡±

    Gazef stared dumbly at Ainz.

    Even if he forced Gazef to swear allegiance to him by using hostages, the bond wouldck loyalty, and it would be courting betrayal from within. Surely Ainz must have considered all of this before making his offer.

    Then, it meant there must have been some other reason behind his words.

    But what it was, Gazef did not know.

    Still, there had to be some reason why he ¡ªa being who couldmand an army like this¡ª was interested in Gazef alone.

    ¡°How about it? Gazef Stronoff, enter my service.¡±

    Ainz extended his bony hand.

    If he took that hand, he would save many lives.

    Gazef¡¯s heart wavered mightily.

    He had been granted the chance to save the lives of the Kingdom¡¯s people.

    However ¡ª Gazef could not take that hand.

    It was a poor decision.

    That choice would only satisfy his ego.

    A hundred out of a hundred people would curse Gazef for a fool.

    Even so, Gazef could not do anything that would betray the Kingdom.

    Gazef firmly shook his head in refusal.

    ¡°I refuse. I am the sword of the King. He has shown me his kindness, and I cannotpromise on this.¡±

    ¡°Even if, in the end, your choice costs more lives? You risked your life to challenge a mighty foe at Carne Vige. Will you now throw others¡¯ lives away that you could have saved?¡±

    Gazef¡¯s heart felt like it was being carved by a knife.

    But even then, Gazef Stronoff still could not take Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s hand.

    The Kingdom¡¯s Warrior-Captain could not betray the King.

    That was the extent of Gazef¡¯s loyalty.

    His irritation building in the face of the silent Gazef, Ainz shrugged.

    ¡°Such a foolish man. Then¡ª¡±

    Gazef did not allow him toplete the sentence, but turned his de on Ainz.

    ¡°¡ªWhat?¡±

    His injuries from facing the Dark Young just now had not fully recovered, even with the power of the Talisman.

    Even so, it was not his wounds which made the tip of his sword tremble. Gazef¡¯s entire body radiated fighting spirit.

    ¡°Gown-dono. As one who has benefited from your kindness, I wish to apologize for this disresepctful act... I wish to request a one-on-one duel with you.¡±

    Ainz¡¯s face was a fleshless skull. Because of this, one could not tell what kind of expression he had, or discern what he was thinking.

    However, for some reason, Gazef thought he was speechless. It was the same for the two behind him. They were silent, but he could sense their consternation.

    ¡°...Are you serious?¡±

    ¡°Naturally.¡±

    ¡°...You will die.¡±

    ¡°There is no doubt of that.¡±

    ¡°If you knew, then why do so? I had no intention of killing you at first... are you suicidal?¡±

    ¡°I did not think so at first, no.¡±

    ¡°...What are you thinking? I cannot understand your logic. If you believed you could win and challenged me, I could understand it. If you thought there was a chance of victory under the circumstances, that would be reasonable as well. However, you firmly believe that you will lose. Have you lost the ability to make proper decisions?¡±

    ¡°The enemy king stands before me, and he is within the reach of my sword. Is it not natural to see if I can take the head that presents itself?¡±

    ¡°It is true that the physical distance between us is very small. However, it seems to me that there is an overwhelming gulf between us. Am I wrong?¡±

    With a whoosh, the sagging tentacles of the Dark Young behind Ainz snapped forth, gouging a crater into the earth beside Gazef.

    Even Gazef¡¯s motion-tracking vision could not follow the tentacle striking the ground beside him.

    ¡°That may be so, Gown-dono.¡±

    ¡°Are you pushing your luck because I said I did not want to kill you?¡±

    Gazefughed from the bottom of his heart.

    ¡°Certainly not. I simply wish to do what I, as the Warrior-Captain of the Kingdom, should do. That is all I was thinking.¡±

    ¡°...If I ept your challenge, you do realize I will y you without mercy? It is only to be expected.¡±

    ¡°Indeed it is.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s how it will be... even after I¡¯ve said all this, you refuse to change your mind. What a shame. Speaking as a collector, it is a poor thing to have to destroy a rare specimen (you).¡±

    Gazef had no intention of backing down.

    This was an unbelievable stroke of luck. To begin with, Ainz, who surrounded himself with incredible subordinates, was now standing alone in front of him without any bodyguards.

    On top of that, his pride as a mighty individual meant that he would not order the Dark Young behind him into action.

    He would never get a chance like this again.

    His enemy stood at a height that he could not reach with both hands. However, right now, he had a chance to bridge the gap between them.

    The next time they met, he would probably surround himself with a multitude of guards, as befitted a magic caster who was poor in closebat. Gazef would never get within sword range of Ainz again. Having considered that, he had challenged Ainz to a duel.

    And there was another reason for the duel.

    While it was a very slim chance, even so¡ª

    Gazef issued his formal challenge.

    ¡°Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown-dono! My name is Gazef Stronoff, Warrior-Captain of the Kingdom of Re-Estize! I formally request a duel with you!¡±

    ¡°Gazef!¡±

    ¡°Warrior-Captain...¡±

    The other two could not bear it any longer, and Brain cried out while Climb murmured. However, Gazef did not heed them and continued speaking.

    ¡°If you find it eptable, Sorcerer King-dono, I pray you will find these two suitable witnesses for ourbat.¡±

    Ainz shrugged.

    Go ahead, it seemed to say. When Gazef realised this, he nodded.

    ¡°Wait, wait a minute! Hang on, Gazef! I can always die alongside you! Don¡¯t go alone! My lord Sorcerer-King! Please, I beg you! I know this is shameless beyond belief, but this is a heartfelt request! Please allow us both to face you! I know it won¡¯t inconvenience you in the slightest!¡±

    As he heard Brain¡¯s strangled plea, Gazef thought, as I expected...

    The carefree expression he had seen on Brain¡¯s face then was that of a warrior that had embraced his fate.

    He had long since resolved himself to die beside Gazef at the hands of Ainz Ooal Gown.

    However, he did not ept it. He could not ept it.

    ¡°Brain Unus! Do you wish to stain my conviction as a warrior?¡±

    Brain¡¯s face was a picture of shock.

    ¡°¡ªThat is fine, Stronoff-dono. I don¡¯t mind taking you two on at once.¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t, Sorcerer King-dono. This duel is with me. You two, stay out of it.¡±

    The pinpoints of red light floating in Ainz¡¯s skeletal eyesockets glowed even brighter.

    ¡°...I see. I¡¯ve seen those eyes before. They are the eyes of a man who has embraced his death and advances anyway. Firm, unyielding eyes. I admire them.¡±

    Ainz was speaking like a human being.

    ¡°Very well. I ept your proposal. I will duel (PVP) Stronoff-dono.¡±

    ***

    Brain¡¯s knees crumpled, and he copsed to the ground.

    His low-hanging face could not be seen, but droplets of rain spattered the crimson earth below him.

    I¡¯m sorry.

    Gazef told Brain in his heart.

    ¡°The corpse will be returned intact. It will facilitate the use of resurrection magic¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªThere is no need for that.¡±

    Gazef¡¯s words left both his friends and enemy speechless.

    ¡°I do not wish to be brought back to life. You may dispose of the body here if you wish.¡±

    It was not that resurrection magic was bad. However, Gazef disliked it.

    Everyone only had one life.

    That was why the decision to stake one¡¯s life meant so much.

    In addition, he could note back from the dead, for the sake of the Kingdom.

    If Gazef died, then the King could spread the news that he had lost an important subject. THat way, the King could temper the hatred and resentment which the people would feel towards the royal family for all the deaths in this battle.

    This was a final act of loyalty from the Kingdom¡¯s Warrior-Captain, who had chosen to act selfishly.

    Ignoring the surprised stares around him, Gazef smiled calmly.

    ¡°Then, let us begin. You two, I hope you will bear witness to my final battle.¡±

    ***

    Climb could not have imagined that the man called Brain Unus could have shown such a fragile side of himself.

    The Brain he knew was strong, free-spirited and untouchable. However, he saw no traces of that in the man whose head was lowered. Even so, he did not think Brain was weak.

    ¡°Brain. Will you notplete this duty?¡±

    Gazef spoke these words without looking back.

    Brain refused to move. The way his hands wed at the ground conveyed his regret to Climb. Even so, Climb had to say it.

    ¡°...This is Stronoff-sama¡¯s wish.¡±

    He did not think Gazef Stronoff could win at all.

    That was why Climb and Brain had to fulfil Gazef¡¯s request.

    Slowly, Brain rose to his feet

    It was hot.

    Climb nearly turned tail and ran.

    There seemed to be some kind of hot air propelling Brain upwards.

    ¡°...How many times have I made you see the disgraceful side of myself, Climb-kun? I¡¯m fine now. I¡¯ll scorch Gazef¡¯s noble form into my eyes.¡±

    ¡°...Thank you.¡±

    What kind of rtionship did Brain Unus and Gazef Stronoff have?

    Climb could not understand the bond between them, especially on Brain¡¯s side.

    After losing to Gazef, he had embarked on a journey to advance his sword skills. This was the Brain that Climb knew. However, he did not think their rtionship was that simple.

    ¡°Then, Stronoff-dono. Could you let me take a look at that sword? I wish to quickly look over it.¡±

    Ainz made that request like he was asking about the weather. Enchanted swords could have all kinds of abilities imbued into them. Examining one would be like revealing the inner workings of one¡¯s strategy. Bymon sense, nobody would ever agree to that proposal.

    Climb was not the only person who had thought that way, which was why Brain¡¯s eyes also went wide at what happened next.

    Gazeff turned his sword a full 180 degrees and presented the hilt to Ainz.

    ¡°Gazef! Have youpletely given up on winning?!¡±

    ¡°Brain! Don¡¯t say such rude things! The Sorcerer King is nothing like that.¡±

    Ainz held the sword and cast a spell. After that, heughed happily.

    ¡°What a marvellous sword.¡±

    Ainz returned the sword to Gazef hilt-first, the same way it had been given to him.

    ¡°Stronoff-dono. How much of this sword¡¯s power do you know?¡±

    ¡°I fully understand it. This sword has an unreal sharpness that can cut metal like paper.¡±

    ¡°Incorrect. That is only a fraction of the sword¡¯s power.¡±

    ¡°¡ªWhat? What do you mean, Sorcerer King-dono?¡±

    ¡°Well, in short, this sword is a weapon that can kill me. Something like that is the absolute minimum condition for a duel. Without a weapon that can harm me, this would be nothing more than an execution.

    Sorry forparing you to the rats that entered my fortress.¡± Ainz muttered as he suddenly produced a shortsword out of thin air.

    Without hesitation, he dragged the edge of the gleaming de across his face in a forceful slice.

    However, it did not leave so much as a scratch.

    ¡°Weakly enchanted objects like this cannot harm this body of mine. Incidentally, this shortsword is imbued with about as much data ¡ªor rather, as much mana¡ª as that sword you bear, Stronoff-dono. However, your sword can harm me, in clear defiance of what I know to be true. Could I request that sword after I win?¡±

    Gazef smiled thinly.

    ¡°Forgive me for refusing, but this sword is a national treasure.¡±

    ¡°Mm. PVP under the pretext of returning dropped items, then? Very well.¡±

    ¡°My deepest thanks, Sorcerer King-dono.¡±

    After returning the sword to Gazef, Ainz stroked his chin in thought. He backed up, one step at a time, as though conforming to some regted distance between them.

    ¡°I think this should be about five meters. And... because there¡¯s no countdown, we will need a signal. You, in the white armor. Find something to start us off.¡±

    Having been suddenly named, Climb shuddered.

    ¡°Climb, please.¡±

    ¡°I, I have a magical handbell here. I¡¯ll ring it, and it will signal the start.¡±

    The two of them nodded silently to Climb¡¯s proposal.

    Gazef raised his sword, pointing it at his enemy¡¯s eyes. Strength suffused every fiber of his being. In the eyes of Climb who stood behind him, Gazef¡¯s body seemed to growrger before his eyes.

    This was an overwhelming fighting spirit. He had never seen the true pressure the Kingdom¡¯s Warrior-Captain could exert. Yet, his body seemed distant and illusory, like a mirage.

    ¡°Stronoff-sama...¡±

    This was thest time he would see Gazef alive.

    ¡°It¡¯s not guaranteed.¡±

    ¡°¡ªEh?¡±

    Suddenly, Brain denied Climb from where he stood beside him.

    ¡°There¡¯s no guarantee Gazef will lose. The chances are extremely low, but there¡¯s still a chance of victory. That guy has a killer move, you know? The martial art he uses as a trump card?¡±

    ¡°The [Sixfold sh of Light]?¡±

    Brain smiled quietly.

    ¡°No. It¡¯s an ultimate martial art that far surpasses it. That fellow learned it.¡±

    ¡°Is, is that so?!¡±

    As Climb prepared his handbell, he looked to Gazef¡¯s raised sword, and the profile of his face, which was filled with the utmost focus.

    It was the steely face of the man hailed as the Warrior-Captain, renowned in the surrounding countries.

    ¡°Yes. It came from a former adamantite-ranked adventurer of the Kingdom. It was a martial art invented by Vestia Croft Di Lofan, but he could not use it because of his advanced age. If my greatest secret move, [Nail Clipper] is the result of using multiple martial arts at once, Gazef¡¯s trump is the strongest single technique. Who knows, that blow... it might even be able to reach Ainz Ooal Gown.¡±

    Perhaps that was why he had asked for a one-on-one duel, Brain muttered. His eyes did not leave the scene before him for an instant.

    Climb swallowed.

    The hand holding the bell felt heavy. Once he rang it, Gazef¡¯s fate would be sealed.

    ¡°Want to swap with me?¡±

    ¡°...Thank you. But... I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    Is that so, Brain mumbled, but he did not say anything else.

    Climb raised the bell. He could only pray that victory went to Gazef.

    And then ¡ªlouder than expected¡ª the bell rang.

    His consciousness focused to the absolute limit, Gazef stepped in with an unbelievable speed¡ª

    Without missing a single moment, Brain and Climb opened their eyes and watched¡ª

    ***

    ¡ªAnd before any of them, the world went quiet.

    ¡°I see... so time-stop countermeasures are important, after all.¡±

    Because Ainz had instantly cast a silent [Time Stop], Gazef was frozen in front of Ainz, his sword raised high.

    No attack would work while time was stopped. Even if he used attack magic to barrage Gazef, it would cause him no harm. Because of that, Ainz cast a spell while keeping track of the time.

    ¡°[Dy Magic: True Death].¡±

    This was a 9th-tier spell.

    He did not use it often because [Grasp Heart] was a more convenient spell.

    If no spell could affect an enemy while time-stopped, then all one needed to do was dy the activation of the spell until the moment the spell ended. Although it was a basicbination attack, the timing for it was extremely difficult. As such, only about 5% of all magic-users could pull it off.

    Naturally, after much training and practice, Ainz was one of them as well.

    ¡°...Farewell, Gazef Stronoff. I never hated you.¡±

    The spell ended, and time returned to the world.

    Before anything else could happen, the spell took effect.

    ***

    ¡ªGazef slowly fell.

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°Wha-what?¡±

    Climb and Brain had no idea of what had just happened.

    In the moment Gazef had stepped forward, he had suddenly fallen over.

    Ainz caught Gazef¡¯s body.

    His sword fell from nerveless fingers, and fell to the ground.

    The battle was over.

    Yet, they could not understand it.

    Nobody knew what was going on.

    ¡°What on earth happened...?¡±

    ¡°The hell should I know!¡±

    Brain gave voice to an angry cry.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Get up! Gazef!¡±

    However, Brain¡¯s earnest hope was coldly denied.

    ¡°He is dead.¡±

    Respectfully, perhaps even reverently, the Sorcerer King Ainzid Gazef upon the ground. After that, he slowly closed the man¡¯s wide-open eyes.

    While looking at Gazef¡¯s face, he spoke to the two people nearby.

    ¡°...Seeing how he made a challenge with no chance of winning reminded me of that time. As a sign of respect for the Warrior-Captain, I will call off the Dark Young. His body will be returned to you after it is properly prepared.¡±

    ¡°...No, there¡¯s no need for that. We will bring Gazef back. There¡¯s no need to trouble you.¡±

    Climb exhaled heavily.

    Would Brain challenge Ainz to a hopeless battle? he wondered, However, there was no need for that.

    ¡°Is that so,¡± Ainz replied before standing back up.

    ¡°The instant death spell I used, [True Death], will invalidate lower-tier resurrection magic. Tell this to the people of the Kingdom. Tell them I will be merciful to those who submit respectfully.¡±

    Ainz lightly floated into the air.

    Even as they saw his defenseless back, the two of them knew they could notmit a shameful act like attacking from behind.

    Ainz sat on the tentacles of the Dark Young.

    It was truly a terrifying throne.

    ¡°Cede E-Rantel and the surrounding areas to me without dy and thesembs will not frolic through the royal capital. Tell the King this, when you see him again.¡±

    The Dark Young turned and left, and the other four Dark Young also began making their way back to the Imperial castrum.

    ¡°Climb-kun. I have one request...Could I bring Gazef-dono back?¡±

    ¡°...Very well. Then I will bring Stronoff-sama¡¯s sword home.¡±

    ¡°A lot of people died.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, too many to count.¡±

    ¡°...What just happened?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But, if someone as powerful as that calls himself a king and ims this territory...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure that in the future, a war will definitely break out. And who knows, the dead may outnumber the corpses here today.¡±

    Walking behind Brain, who was carrying Gazef on his back, Climb¡¯s thoughts turned to the future of the Kingdom, which was wreathed in dark clouds.

    Brain¡¯s words would definitelye true. What was important was what he could do, and then, what he would do.

    And the most important thing was©¤

    ¡ªI have to protect Renner-sama.

    Climb clenched his fist, and made up his mind. At the very least, he had to protect his mistress, no matter the cost.

 Chapter 67 - Volume 9

    <h4>Overlord Volume 9 Epilogue</h4>

    (Re)Tranted by Nigel

    Edited/Proofread by Deus Ex Machina

    The cold night wind whistled past him.

    It stirred up Brain Unus¡¯ hair and set his clothes fluttering as well.

    ¡°...It¡¯s freezing out here...¡±

    The wind scattered his pale white breath and his mumbling, carrying them into the distance.

    Even the deepest parts of his body felt like they were frozen.

    Brain was alone atop the walls of E-Rantel, where the three of them had been before they had moved out.

    There was nothing here except darkness.

    Many of the Kingdom¡¯s people had lost their lives during the battle¨D no, the massacre of the Katze ins.

    He remembered what he saw when he crawled off that battlefield.

    The defeated people dragged their feet lifelessly, their clothes were tattered and they looked utterly wretched.

    Even though Brain was a warrior who trod the edge of life and death on a regr basis, the image of that hellscape ¨Dcreated by a single magic caster¨D remained seared into his eyes.

    Even E-Rantel ¨Dprotected by its city walls¨D could not be considered a safe ce by any means. However, the soldiers who had fled here were utterly exhausted and they copsed like puppets whose strings had been cut.

    Upon this unmanned tower, Brain slowly exhaled again.

    Then, he looked silently to the sky.

    ¡°I just keep thinking... nothing really matters anymore.¡±

    Brain looked at his hands.

    Even now, the weight from when he had carried the lifeless lump of meat that was that man¡¯s body remained in them. Try as he might, he could not forget it.

    He was a great man, and a rival who had always been a step ahead.

    The death of that man ¡ª Gazef Stronoff ¡ª filled him with a profound sense of loss.

    What Gazef meant to Brain could not simply be summed up by the word ¡°rival¡±.

    Brain had be the man he was now because Gazef had fought him during the martial tournament, because he had soundly defeated Brain and his ever-growing pride, because he had ignited Brain¡¯s burning desire to defeat Gazef.

    Brain Unus had lived, grown and refined himself because of Gazef. The strength of the man called Gazef was enough for Brain to invest his life into surpassing it. It was just like how a son had to surpass the barrier he called his father.

    However, the person he should have surpassed no longer existed.

    RIght until the end, Gazef had loomed tall before him until he passed into death.

    Brain had once seen the true meaning of power in the form of Shalltear Bloodfallen. So for a time, he had fallen and could not rise.

    He had relied on his strength as the basis of his confidence, so when his strength had been broken, the rest of him proved unexpectedly fragile. The Brain who stood here now could admit that.

    However, Gazef had been different.

    ¡°Ainz Ooal Gown must surely be a monster of the same caliber as Shalltear Bloodfallen. And yet Gazef stepped forward to confront him anyway.¡±

    At that time, Gazef did not request the duel for a worthless reason like his own survival. He must have had apletely different motivation than Brain, who had iled his sword at Shalltear while on the verge of tears.

    What on earth had made him do that?

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Why didn¡¯t you run?¡±

    Forcing the words out was like coughing up blood.

    ¡°Why did you choose to die? That monster said he¡¯d have let you go, no? Shouldn¡¯t you have conserved your strength to challenge himter? Why did you do it?! If you had to die, I wanted to go with you!¡±

    If he could not surpass Gazef, then Brain wanted to die with him.

    Brain turned his vision to the weapon at his waist.

    It was Razor Edge, which he had been temporarily allowed to carry.

    Brain drew Razor Edge, and activated the martial art.

    ¡°[Fourfold sh of Light].¡±

    This was the technique Gazef used to defeat Brain in the martial tournament.

    Four arcs of light cleaved the nearby railing to pieces. There was virtually no resistance and the de flowed through the metal like it was water.

    ¡°I learned this because of you... I admired you... I wanted to die with you. Why wouldn¡¯t you let me fight by your side? Why didn¡¯t you tell me that I could die with you!¡±

    Brain covered his face.

    His eyes were hot, but the tears did not flow.

    Just then, the sound of footsteps reached Brain¡¯s ears. Only one person woulde here.

    ¡°I hear men cry more easily when they get older. I guess that¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°I think the pain of losing someone precious to you has nothing to do with age.¡±

    It was the hoarse voice he expected.

    ¡°...Forgive me, Climb-kun. In the end, I left everything to you.¡±

    Brain rubbed his eyes, and sheathed his sword. He turned and saw Climb, wearing his armor with a puzzled expression on his face.

    ¡°However...well, even if I was there, it would have been useless, right? Under these circumstances, nobody¡¯s going to try and kill the King. Tell me, what happened after that?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Prince Barbro hasn¡¯t returned yet, so they decided to send out a search party for him tomorrow.¡±

    And because they could not spare enough soldiers for this duty, they were nning to use adventurers instead.

    ¡°After that, there was the matter of ceding E-Rantel ¨D it was a unanimous decision. All the nobles approved. Even the King agreed.¡±

    Even the nobles of the Royal faction had approved.

    During the demonic disturbance, the power of the Royal faction had grown. Although this increase in power meant that they could mobilize the vast army they had sent to the Katze ins, it also meant that the grievous losses they suffered there would had massive repercussions. And if they gave away E-Rantel, which was directly administered by the Crown, then only the royal family would lose out. They probably though that since this was the case, they might as well do it, since it was the only way for them to survive.

    This time round, the Royal faction had been severely weakened, while the Noble faction had grown stronger.

    What would all of this mean for the future?

    Suddenly, he realised that Climb¡¯s body was trembling

    He was not shaking anger from anger, but fear. Remembering the horrific sights from back then must have set his broken soul screaming. That absolute despair was probably drawing close to him.

    ¡°...Even now, I get frightened when I think about them.¡±

    Perhaps it was something like a strength born of desperation.

    In his memories, he recalled how Climb stood with him in preparation to battle the Sorcerer King. Maybe he knows the answer, he thought.

    ¡°Hey, tell me something. Why did Gazef ask for the duel?¡±

    Climb¡¯s face was a picture of surprise. Just as Brain wondered if he had not been clear enough and prepared to rify his question, Climb answered him.

    ¡°This is just my personal opinion, is that all right?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s all good, go ahead.¡±

    ¡°...Could it be that he wanted to show it to us?¡±

    ¡°...Show what to us?¡±

    ¡°The power of the Sorcerer King, Ainz Ooal Gown. And then... he must have wanted to give us a future.¡±

    ¡°A future?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It was so that we¡¯ll have some tactics and information in case we have to do battle with him in future.¡±

    It hit him like a bolt from the blue.

    There could be no other answer. Climb was right.

    That man had bet his life in order to squeeze out what little information he could for them. Although, he did not think that the Sorcerer King, as a magic caster, would willingly enter meleebat again without bodyguards by his side. Even so, he had staked his life on the miraculous chance that it might happen again. Then, who would he entrust with that possibility?

    Brainughed at himself. I never even thought that might be the case.

    In that case... how would he live on, now that he knew what Gazef¡¯s thoughts were?

    As Brain lost himself in thought, Climb asked a question, as though he were unable to bear the silence.

    ¡°...If I¡¯m not wrong, Stronoff-sama won¡¯t allow himself to be resurrected?¡±

    ¡°Gazef was that kind of man.¡±

    Even if they used resurrection magic, it did not necessarily mean the dead woulde back to life. The legends said that people who were happy with their lives would refuse resurrection.

    ¡°The King does not seem to have epted that yet.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s only to be expected. However, that guy won¡¯t be back... Still, it¡¯s quite a surprise.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t understand what Gazef-sama was thinking. Shouldn¡¯t hee back to life and continue pledging his loyalty? It¡¯s what I would do.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? As for you, Climb, I think you would do that. As for me... don¡¯t bring me back after I die. I don¡¯t think... I¡¯ve lived a life that I regret.¡±

    ¡°For my part, I would still choose to return. I want to grind this body to dust in service to Renner-sama... if I can afford to.¡±

    Only one person in the Kingdom could use resurrection magic. There was no doubt the price she would ask would be staggering... but that was the rightful price of defying the grave.

    During the demonic disturbance, all the adventurers technically belonged to the same team so there was an exception, but under normal circumstances, resurrection would cost a sizeable amount. It was a sum that would make one¡¯s eyes pop out, and normal civilians or soldiers could work their whole lives and never be able to afford it. The same went for Climb.

    Your Princess-sama would dly pay up, Brain did not say. Instead, he replied, ¡°Is that so?¡±

    The silence descended on them again. This time, Brain broke it.

    ¡°I really wanted to defeat that guy...¡±

    Climb did not answer. Brain did not expect him to either. No, if he thought about it rationally, these words meant nothing to Climb. However, he felt that he had to say the things piled up in his heart.

    ¡°I lost to him in the past. So I thought I wanted to beat him. But now, that¡¯s impossible... Ah, I let him get away,¡± Brain said as he looked to the night sky. ¡°Dammit...¡±

    ¡°...Brain-san.¡±

    What should I do?

    What should I do about Gazef¡¯s will?

    ¡°No, it should be like this. What am I confused about? There¡¯s only two choices. Carry it on, or don¡¯t carry it on. I want to... win? Ah, is it like that?...¡±

    In the end, isn¡¯t there only one answer for me?

    A savage smile bloomed on Brain¡¯s face, and he raised Razor¡¯s Edge to the sky.

    ¡°Hmph! Who the hell wants to carry on your will!¡±

    Brain shouted loudly, from the bottom of his heart.

    ¡°You chose to die! How dare you take the easy way out! Go regret it in the afterlife! I ¨D I will, I will surpass you in my own way! Climb! Let¡¯s go drink! Let¡¯s get some wine and have some fun!¡±

    He did not know what to do.

    However, he knew that he did not want to simply inherit Gazef¡¯s will. If he did that, then no matter what he did, he would never be able to beat him.

    Besides, he would probably end up thinking about Gazef over and over again in the future. Therefore, he ought to forget him for a short while.

    Brain reached out to grab Climb by the shoulder and pushed him forward. The weight on his hands lightened a little.

 Chapter 68 - Volume 9

    <h4>Volume 9 Brand New Chapter</h4>

    (Re)Tranted by Nigel

    Edited/Proofread by Deus Ex Machina

    Everyone looked forward to theing of spring. This was more so on the part of the peasants, who could feel the earthing back to life under their feet. However, city residents weed spring as well. Granted, they did so because they would not need to spend extra on heating their homes.

    The first day of spring in E-Rantel was silent, however.

    The main streets were empty, as though everyone on them had all died. Still,one could sense people from the houses that faced the streets through the small gaps in the shutters and doors. Those people were people were holding their breath and peeking at the world outside.

    Today was the day when E-Rantel would be officially ceded to Ainz Ooal Gown and be a city in the Sorcerous Kingdom of Nazarick.

    The first city gate opened, and bells of wee pealed forth.

    After much time had passed, the second gate opened, and the bells echoed through the city once more.

    Between the second and the third doors was the residential zone of the city.

    The residents of E-Rantel were afraid, but they had not fled was because they knew that even if they ran, all that awaited them was a life of despair.

    Even if they were masters or expert tradesmen in E-Rantel, in other cities, they would have to start over as apprentices.

    Cities with long histories had a seniority system. Outsiders who were new to the city would naturally need to start from the lowest, most junior positions. That was to say, even if they fled to another city, most of them would not be able to find a proper job, and they would live and die as paupers in the slums.

    Without anywhere to run to, most of the residents remained in E-Rantel.

    However, if their lives were in danger, they would choose to flee. That was only to be expected. After all, the gossip about the new ruler, no, their new king, was that he was a fearsome being.

    They said he was a magic caster who massacred the Royal Army.

    They said he was a cold-blooded being who looked like one of the undead.

    They said he was a monster that enjoyed bathing in the fresh blood of children.

    The rumors circting were all of this nature, with hardly a single positive word about him.

    And so, everyone hid behind their doors, nning to spy on Ainz Ooal Gown from between the gaps in their windows.

    Eventually, Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s procession arrived on the main street.

    All who saw him lost the power of speech.

    He was a being who matched the rumors circting about him.

    The first person they saw could still be considered alright. At the head of the contingent was a beautiful woman who was as radiant as the full moon.

    She wore a figure-hugging white dress, with silky ck hair and baster skin. Her body, adorned with a constetion of jewelry, could not inspire lust or envy. However, the fact that she sprouted horns from her head and long ck wings from her waist, in addition to her supernatural beauty, were all signs that she was not human.

    Behind this beautiful goddess were the warriors. As they looked at them, the residents shuddered uncontrobly.

    The warriors were divided into two groups, differentiated by the styles of armor they wore.

    The first group could be called ¡°a corps of death knights.¡±

    In their left hands they carried tower shields which covered three quarters of their bodies, and in their right they carried mberges.

    Their tattered ck capes shrouded massive frames that were over two meters tall. Their ck metal, full te armor was covered in wavy crimson patterns, reminiscent of blood vessels. It was also covered in sharp spikes. They looked like physical incarnations of brutality.

    Their demonically-horned helmets exposed their rotted faces. Their empty eye-sockets zed with a crimson fire, filled with hatred for the living and a longing for ughter.

    The second group could best be described as ¡°a band of death warriors.¡±

    They carried long-ded swords, while various weapons hung on their waists; hand axes, maces, crossbows, whips, shortspears, and many other weapons. All of them bore countless dents and scratches ¡ª proof that they had been heavily used.

    They were roughly two meters tall, and the armor they wore wasparatively light. Their bodies were d in leather armor made from the hide of some unknown beast. Their tattered armor, both arms, and parts of their faces were covered in spell-strips ¡ª strips of cloth covered in arcane runes.

    Below those strips were visages simr to those of the previous group; ruined faces that could not possibly belong to human beings.

    Everyone could feel an overwhelming power radiating from these groups, but as the pnquin carried by several of these beings came into view, the shock they had already experienced was blown away by an even greater one.

    An undead being sat on the pnquin. An overwhelming aura of death floated around him, a ck mist that roiled like a maelstrom. Obsidian radiance shone from behind his back.

    Everyone¡¯s instincts immediately told them who this was.

    It was Ainz Ooal Gown.

    We cannot possibly survive under the rule of this monster; dangerous does not even begin to describe how our lives will be. Just as everyone started to think this, the sound of a door opening carried through the air.

    The citizens of E-Rantel pressed their eyes to their gaps and slits to peek outside in order to see what was going on. What they saw was the form of a running child. He held something in his hand and he was sprinting towards Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s parade of inhuman beings. Behind him, his pale-faced mother was chasing him.

    ¡°Give me back my daddy!¡±

    The boy¡¯s young voice echoed through the streets.

    ¡°Give me back my daddy! You monster!¡±

    The boy threw something. It was a rock.

    The rock flew toward the parade ¡ª its target was probably Ainz Ooal Gown.

    Perhaps it was due to nervousness, but the rock fell short of its mark and rolled across the cobbled road.

    Behind him, his mother looked like her soul had left her body. She knew what would happen to them now.

    The mother embraced her son from behind as her body shuddered. She desperately tried to protect and conceal his body in her arms.

    ¡°He, he¡¯s just a boy! Please, I beg you! I beg you to forgive him!¡±

    The beautiful woman smiled in response to the mother¡¯s frantic plea.

    They were saved. That was a warm, motherly smile that would put anyone¡¯s heart at ease.

    ¡°¡ªRudeness to Ainz-sama deserves nothing short of death.¡±

    The beautiful woman produced a gigantic bardiche out of nowhere. The fact that she could wield it so easily spoke of her inhuman arm strength.

    The residents could easily imagine the uses for that axe, and their guesses were most likely on the mark.

    ¡°I must say, this is quite a low grade of livestock you¡¯ve raised. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s shameful when the price per kilogram of their flesh goes down?.¡±

    As she watched the slowly-approaching woman, the mother realised what was going to happen to them, and hugged her child tightly.

    ¡°Please! Spare my son, even if it¡¯s just my son! Take my life, do anything you want to me! Please!¡±

    ¡°What are you saying? There is no reason to kill you, is there? Ainz-sama does not enjoy meaningless ughter. The innocent will not be killed. Please rest at ease and await the mincemeat that will be made for you in your arms... although if it were up to me, I would prefer to turn him into a croquette.¡±

    The boy in his mother¡¯s arms did not seem to realize that he would soon be in. However, anyone watching knew that the child¡¯s short life would end in a scant few seconds. Yet, nobody was willing to step forward to save him.

    Although they wanted to turn from the impending tragedy, nobody could pull their eyes away.

    Both mother and child were transfixed by the murderous aura that the beauty emitted.

    ¡°Regret your crime of rudeness against the most exalted one as you die.¡±

    In the moment that the woman swung down her massive weapon, the earth shuddered as the sound of metal shing against metal rang out. The source of that sound was a thrown greatsword protruding from the ground, separating mother and son from the beautiful woman.

    That sword ¡ª and its wielder ¡ª was known to every person on the street.

    He was a living legend.

    He was an invincible warrior.

    He was a gentle hero.

    ***

    As they beheld the entrance of the only being who could save the pitiful pair, the people cried the name of the swordsman in their hearts.

    ¡ªThe name of the Dark Warrior, Momon.

    ***

    A man d in jet-ck armor slowly emerged from one end of the alley, and wrenched out the greatsword stuck into the ground. With a mighty flick of his wrist, he shook the dirt off of it. His other hand was already holding a sword, and the battle-ready Momon faced the beautiful woman down.

    ¡°Is there a need to use so much force on a boy throwing a stone? Nobody¡¯ll want to marry you.¡±

    ¡°Even if you lecture me, I won¡¯t be hap... ahem! The sin of rudeness against Ainz-sama knows no age! All whomit it must perish!¡±

    ¡°And what happens if I don¡¯t allow it?¡±

    ¡°Then you will be a traitor to the lord of thend, and will be exterminated!¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Well, that¡¯s not a bad thing. However, don¡¯t think you can take this head so easily, hm? If you want it, you¡¯d better be prepared to risk yours as well.¡±

    Momon deftly spun the swords in his hands and took a fighting stance. That bold and dominating posture was surely the stuff heroes were made of.

    ¡°You lot, protect Ainz-sama.¡±

    After giving an order to the ck-armored warriors behind her, the beauty readied her bardiche in turn.

    The spectators originally believed that the winner of this confrontation would be Momon. But the battle aura radiating from the two of them denied it. They could feel that the beautiful woman was a warrior who was Momon¡¯s equal.

    The two of them closed the distance to each other in terms of millimeters. The one who disrupted the impending conflict between the two was Ainz Ooal Gown himself. By the power of magic, he soundlessly flew up from the pnquin andnded upon the earth, before putting a hand on the beauty¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Ainz-sama!¡±

    He leaned in and ced his mouth to the beauty¡¯s ear before whispering into it. Her face lit up with a bewitching, gentle smile.

    ¡°I understand, Ainz-sama. It shall be as you say.¡±

    She bowed to Ainz, and then pointed her bardiche at Momon. However, her murderous intent from just now was absent.

    ¡°...I have not yet heard your name. Speak it.¡±

    ¡°I am Momon.¡±

    ¡°I see. Momon. Then, I ask you. Do you think you can defeat us?¡±

    ¡°...No, I cannot. Even if I fought to the death, I could only defeat either you, or the one beside you.¡±

    Despair filled the hearts of all who heard these words. It was because they knew that even the great hero could only kill one of those monsters.

    ¡°And besides... if I fought with all my strength, many innocents would be caught up in our battle. I cannot do such a thing.¡±

    ¡°How foolish. Despite your impressive skills, you would go so far for these weaklings ¡ª I¡¯ve spoken too much. Ainz-sama has a proposal for you. Listen to it with gratitude. Surrender and swear fealty to us as a warrior of Nazarick.¡±

    ¡°¡ªAre you kidding me?¡±

    ¡°How rude. Ainz-sama does not wish to rule this city with despair and bloodshed. Besides, ying humans does not hold any merits to Ainz-sama. But even if we said this, the people here would not believe it. So we will have you work at Ainz-sama¡¯s side.¡±

    ¡°...What sort of work is that?¡±

    ¡°In the future, there may be more fools who would throw stones at Ainz-sama. At that point, we will have you remove their heads. In exchange, you may see how Ainz-sama does not mistreat the innocents of this city.¡±

    ¡°...I see. So, I will be a watchman who will stand by his side?¡±

    ¡°Not quite. As I said, you will be responsible for eliminating traitors. Thus, you will be a representative of the people cum enforcer.¡±

    ¡°I have no intention of swearing myself to the service of evil.¡±

    ¡°Neither do we have any ns of perpetrating that sort of evil. Then, what will you do? If you will not pledge your sword to Ainz-sama, then you shall be in here and now as a dangerous individual, no matter how many people we have to kill to get to you.¡±

    Momon looked around.

    ¡°I intend to travel, and I had no intention of being anyone¡¯s subordinate...¡±

    ¡°That is also an eptable answer. Then, shall we begin the coteral damage to the surrounding people now?¡±

    ¡°Wait! Don¡¯t jump to conclusions. I haven¡¯t made my decision yet. I have a partner. What will happen to her?¡±

    ¡°Then she must pledge herself to Ainz-sama as well. There can be no other answer.¡±

    ¡°The old me might have put travelling as a higher priority... but it seems I¡¯ve gotten attached to this city. Will it be alright if I don¡¯t kneel?¡±

    Ainz once more whispered into the ear of the beauty.

    ¡°That is permissible, and so it is decided. Momon, work hard for Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°...I understand. But remember that if you harm the people of the city for no reason, this sword will be aimed at you and your master.¡±

    ¡°...In that case, when the people of this city rise up in revolt against Ainz-sama, I hope that sword will also be pointed at those who rebel. It doesn¡¯t matter if they are children or not. I look forward to the time when this city will rise up against us, and to your agonized face as you execute its people. Then, we shall be going ahead first. Do join up with us afterwards.¡±

    Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s entourage continued steadily forward. After the monstrous procession finally faded out of sight, the people streamed out of their homes. It was amazing how so many people had managed to keep themselves so well hidden.

    Everyone was praising Momon.

    Just as Momon started started to shyly wave away the tide of adoration, a crisp sound rang out clearly over the crowd. It was the sound of the mother pping her son.

    ¡°Why did you do that?!¡±

    Again and again, she pped her son.

    Both mother and child were crying, but even so, she did not stop hitting him.

    Momon grasped the mother¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s enough for now? There¡¯s something I¡¯d like to ask him.¡±

    ¡°This boy has caused so much trouble for you, Momon-sama! We sincerely apologize from the bottoms of our hearts!¡±

    ¡°No, please, pay it no heed. There¡¯s no need to apologize, Ah, there¡¯s no need to cry either. I have some questions for you.¡±

    As Momon tried to hush the boy¡®s crying, he asked the boy why he had done it.

    Everyone thought the boy must have wanted to avenge his father, but the boy said that after a strange man lectured him, he felt that throwing the rock was the right thing to do.

    ¡°I see... ma¡¯am, there¡¯s no need to punish your child. This was probably the result of magical control. In all likelihood, it¡¯s a plot by the Theocracy, trying to force me into a confrontation with Ainz Ooal Gown.¡±

    ¡°...No, the Theocracy wouldn¡¯t do that. Wasn¡¯t this Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s plot to make you into his vassal, Momon-sama?¡±

    Momon nodded deeply to the shopkeeper who spoke. He had opened his shop here just a couple of years ago.

    ¡°That is certainly a possibility. But on the other hand, it is also a good opportunity. Since I have an excuse to be by his side, I can monitor his movements. If he ns to harm you, I will take his head. But in exchange, you must not revolt against Ainz Ooal Gown.¡±

    ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t we?! As you¡¯re around, Momon-sama¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªPlease do not continue that line of conversation. They¡¯re waiting for someone to speak those words. If you rebel, he will order me to kill you for his amusement.¡±

    Momon spread his arms, and continued speaking to everyone openly.

    ¡°I cannot be the one who breaks the agreement made just now. Because of that, I hope everyone will cooperate with them so long as they do not make any unreasonable demands. However, if you feel you have not been treated fairly, then pleasee to me.¡±

    The faces of the people took on pained looks as they realized that they were hostages for Momon.

    Momon smiled gently to them.

    ¡°However, I hope you will not worry too much. To begin with, that fellow might end up being an unexpectedly good ruler. Let¡¯s wait and see. Also, if the Theocracy makes a move, they might try to incite you to revolt. I hope you will all keep your eyes open.¡±

    Nobody could ept this.

    But at the same time, nobody could oppose it.

    Ainz Ooal Gown was undead. Nobody could trust a dangerous being like that which bore a hatred for the living. However, everybody trusted Momon. In fact, Momon had even given up on his goals for the sake of the city folk. It was only natural that they would give their allegiance to Momon in turn.

    Everyone present agreed with Momon¡¯s proposal, and after promising to spread these words to the people around them, they dispersed.

    As a result, the rule of E-Rantel was a peaceful one without any bloodshed, something which the surrounding nations could hardly believe.

 Chapter 69 - Volume 9

    <h4>Volume 9 Afterword</h4>

    Thanks to everybody who bought Volume 9. For some reason, it became another big and heavy volume.

    When I first started writing this, I asked the editor ¡°Since there¡¯s not much to write for this volume, I should be able to wrap it up in around 200 pages, right?¡±. But when I received the printed volume, I wondered ¡°Why is it so thick?¡±

    It is a mystery.

    It¡¯s really strange. Where did the extra 200 pagese from?

    Still, I want to try finishing a volume that¡¯s around 300 pages long, and not 300 pages each for just Part 1 and Part 2.

    Either way, I don¡¯t know what happened, but the developments in the next volume will bepletely different from the web novel, which makes me kind of nervous. Still, I hope everyone will enjoy it. I¡¯m going to say up front that Volume 10 will be 300 pages long.

    Speaking of which,st week, the ¡°Overlord¡± manga drawn by Miyama Fugin-sensei went on sale. This week, Volume 9 of the light novel came out, and next week will be the start of the Overlord animation broadcast. These 3 weeks will be full of Overlord.

    We produced something great thanks to the help of everyone working on it. (Especially So-bin sama... He has so much work to do, it makes me tear up everytime I think about it. It¡¯s like... well, sometimes I feel like I¡¯m giving myself a hard time). I hope you all can enjoy the manga, the novel and the anime.

    And now for, the usual acknowledgements.

    Thank you very much to So-bin-sama, for his amazing illustrations and working on the animation and manga with all his soul.

    The designer, Chord Design Studio not only worked on the light novel, but on the Overlord animation¡¯s logo as well. The anime logo is cool and amazing. Murata-sama, who worked hard for drawing out the map. Ohaku-sama and Itou-sama edit and performed detailed checks, so thank you as well. I¡¯m gratefulto everybody who worked hard to help me make this thick volume, but to F-da-sama who doesn¡¯t think Overlord is very thickpared to other books he¡¯s in charge of, thank you as well. And to Hani who, as a father, said ¡°children are amazing¡± at the scene with Marquis Raeven, thank you very much, as always.

    Although I can¡¯t fit everyone in here, I thank everyone who took part in not just the novel, but in manga and Overlord animation as well!

    And of course, my greatest thanks goes to those readers who have followed all of the volumes.

    2015 June

    Maruyama Kugane

 Chapter 70

    Overlord Blu-ray 4 Special ¨C Overlord Prologue (1st Half)

    Trantor: Nigel

    Editor: PervySageChuck, TaintedDream, Skythewood

    Part 1

    The massive door seemed to shriek as it slowly opened. The ear-piercing sound never went away, no matter how many times he oiled it.

    The reason was clear ¡ª because the door¡¯s metal parts were warped beyond repair.

    Recing those parts meant the door would no longer make that sound, but he ¡ª Suzuki Satoru ¡ª did not feel it was necessary.

    Spending money on this door, which he only used when he went to and came back from work, was too much of a waste.

    In addition, he hade to think of this creepy noise as a wee, so he was somewhat attached to it.

    The most important thing was that this noise could serve as a burr rm of sorts ¡ª provided any burrs actually came to this broken-down apartment.

    Nobody would think there was anything valuable hidden behind a door that made this kind of noise.

    After all, if anyone was going to the effort of robbing a house, they would probably rob another, more promising home instead.

    The white lights in the ceiling came on, triggered by motion sensors, and the ancient air purifier rumbled to life.

    The hollow, cold and dark sensation still remained, despite the lights turning on. The scene beyond this door was the very picture of lonely, gloomy abandonment. However, this was an everyday sight for him.

    He closed the door and engaged the three locks, but even so, any thief could probably still break in.

    ¡°An electronic lock... huh?¡±

    Perhaps he should use something better here.

    However, Suzuki Satoru¡¯s high-speed mental calctions concluded that he should not waste his limited capital on theft prevention. The possibility of someone robbing him was very low, and at the moment he felt that his effort would be wasted, so he discarded the idea of spending money on it.

    Truthfully speaking, he was not that poor. His sry was meager, but he still lived above the poverty line. He had an ample bnce in his bank ounts, but he had no idea how to spend that money.

    He forced himself to be thrifty because he felt that he should not waste money. He felt that some day, he would have the chance to use that money to enjoy himself.

    He tossed his beat-up shoes aside, and suddenly his steps through the entrance hall felt very light, as though the heaviness of his previous movements were all because of his shoes.

    The kitchen was near the hallway, and it was practically empty. To begin with, there were no cooking utensils at all. Suzuki Satoru washed his hands in the kitchen, then took out a towel, which he wetted. After that, he opened the small, old fridge ¡ª for some reason, he felt bad that it was still there ¡ª and took out his dinner.

    Eating was important. Hunger would reduce his ability to think, and it would inconvenience hisrades. He passed three doors along the way ¡ª the toilet, the bathroom, and the bedroom, before finally opening the innermost door, to be greeted by a somewhat small room.

    A ck frame about 100 centimeters wide rested upon a stand of some sort. In front of that was afortable-looking, high-ss chair,plete with a footrest. On the side was a remote control and power cables, resting on a wheeled, twoyered table. These were the only things in the room, apart from a calendar on the wall.

    The furniture was clustered in the center of the room. Theck of anything else might make people think that the owner of this room was an empty shell of a human being who had no interest in anything. Upon the table was the sole bastion that attested to his humanity; a photo of a happy family cradling a baby.

    Suzuki Satoru came to the chair andid his dinner on the table. Then, he undid his necktie and dumped it on the ground. After that, he pulled off his air filtering mask and his goggles in a single motion.

    His coats were next. He peeled them off, one after the other, and the sense of liberation he felt blooming from within was evident on his face.

    Then, he shed his pants. In his unsightly attire of shirt and boxers, he wiped himself down with the damp towel. Although he nned to take a steam bath afterwards, he could not stand the difort of a sticky body.

    As he wiped himself, he hooked his clothes on the tip of his toe and kicked them into a small pile in the corner of the room. Although they were contaminated by the outside air, they were still his property, which he had paid for, so he would need to wash them to get the dirt off. However, he would do thatter ¡ª it was too troublesome right now.

    He focused on wiping his face and hands, the parts of him which had been exposed to the outside air, and thenid the ckened cloth on the desk. After that, he practically threw himself onto the chair. It was brand name stuff, made by one of the Big Eight corporations in the world. It might well have been the most expensive thing in the entire apartment. Despite how delicate it looked, it did not even creak under the weight of a grown man, in stark contrast with the main door.

    The man sighed deeply, and looked at the ceiling with dull, expressionless eyes. Then, he turned a keen gaze on the calendar.

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s still a long way off...¡±

    It was still the middle of the week. His next rest day seemed unbearably distant.

    ¡°Ah¡ª. Ah¡ª. Ah¡ª. Ah¡ª.¡±

    As Suzuki Satoru mused on the number of days remaining, he ended up making a bunch of strangely modted, and ultimately unintelligible noises with his mouth. After that ¡ª as though his batteries had run out ¡ª the noises stopped.

    Then, a smile dawned on his face.

    ¡°Ah well, forget it.¡±

    Indeed. As long as he thought of what would soone, even pain like that could be forgotten.

    Suzuki Satoru picked up his dinner, which he had justid on the table.

    He inserted the straw into the steak-vored liquid food, and sucked it up.

    It was little more than a sticky, meat-vored gel. The truth was that it was awful, but he strongly felt that the pursuit of perfection in food was pointless. After all, it all became shit in the end, so investing money in it was pointless. The important thing was filling one¡¯s stomach, and if it was not nutritious enough, there were always pills for that.

    After that, Suzuki Satoru gulped down several multivitamin and supplement pills with a mouthful of health drink.

    That was the end of his 220 yen dinner. He usually ate lunch outside, which was more expensive than the most economical meal he could get, so he had to save money on his breakfast and dinner.

    After replenishing his nutrients, Suzuki Satoru finally began acting like a human being.

    Unlike the clumsy fumbling when he first came home, his eyes were bright and his movements were nimble.

    He picked up a ck power cable, which was connected to a wall outlet.

    Suzuki Satoru removed the protective stic covering on one end of the plug, revealing a plug that was roughly three centimeters across. A silver gleam blended with the liquid glittering of the slippery protective fluid.

    He held the cable in one hand and lifted up the hair on the back of his neck with the other. The subdued glint there came from the man-made object embedded in the nape of his neck.

    With practiced ease, he opened the roughly-three-centimeter cover on the back of his neck. The sliding motion exposed the socket hidden beneath it.

    He pressed the plug home, without any hesitation.

    ¡°Ohh...¡±

    In time with his quiet sigh, he could feel light moving through his body, as though his blood vessels were filled with radiance.

    The room had not changed, but his field of vision was different now.

    Several windows popped up within his line of sight, showing him the information flowing into the processor within his brain.

    He began operating the CPU.

    Someone from an earlier age might look askance at the strange gestures he was performing in empty space. However, his cranial CPU read the weak electrical impulses of his synapses ¡ª in other words, it was thought-controlled ¡ª and converted it into data.

    His thoughts reached his supeputer through the medium of the cable, and turned on the television. The power came on, and a screen appeared in the ck frame.

    Within it, a primly-dressed Japanese female began reading the news.

    ¡°¡ªThe conflict that startedst year between the 2nd European Arcology and the 3rd European Arcology¡ª¡±

    He manipted an invisible console and changed the channel.

    ¡°¡ªRegarding the three mega corporations in the capital, Neo Kyoto¡ª¡±

    He changed the channel again.

    ¡°¡ªArrested for the sale of illegal cyberware in Neo Kyoto Hachijo¡ª¡±

    The screen flickered rapidly between several channels, but the news he was hoping to see did not appear. Suzuki Satoru moved his hand, and turned off the TV.

    ¡°Then ¡ª let¡¯s begin.¡±

    He picked up the helmet that almost covered his entire head as mandated by theputerws, connected another wire to his neck and linked it to the helmet, then put it over his head.

    Although it was supposed to be a full-face helmet, the camera mounted on the outside would transmit its video signal directly to the brain, so his field of vision was still clear.

    This helmet included a system that would automatically record everything which went on in the virtual world. As an aside, it would retain footage for a month, automatically deleting it after that.

    A lot of people wanted to avoid wearing this helmet. It was only natural, since putting it on was something like giving up one¡¯s privacy.

    Yet, almost everyone wore these helmets.

    It was not just because of thew.

    It was because it protected people.

    The neural nano-interface was a human brain augmentation which allowed it to function as a supeputer ¡ª a super high-performance personalputer. It was essential for daily life, but sometimes they were used in crimes as well.

    In particr, hackers would use the brains of others as a springboard tomit crimes.

    Because of that, helmets like these could prove one¡¯s innocence, even if the wearer was implicated in a crime. One could say this was the safety of theputing world. In contrast, not having one of these greatly increased the chances that one might be charged when involved in a crime, so only a handful of people chose not to wear them.

    He noted the words that said recording had begun, and then he operated the console window floating near his hand. He opened several new windows nearby, then brought one of them near his hand and touched it.

    The window he touched had the word Yggdrasil on it.

    Soon, Suzuki Satoru¡¯s real life would begin. However¡ª

    Suddenly, an alert rang in his ear. Only he could hear it.

    A frustrated expression came over his face.

    The newly-appeared window said, ¡°Intracranial nanomachine depletion over 85%. Please replenish nanomachines.¡±

    ¡°Haa...¡±

    Suzuki Satoru sighed with exaggerated loudness, in response to the damper on his enjoyment. Nobody was here, of course, but he could not help wanting to express his feelings.

    ¡°Fine, fine, I got it, I got it...¡±

    Suzuki Satoru minimized the window, which was making annoying alert noises.

    ¡°I know. I don¡¯t want to be booted out halfway during the game because of an error, so sit there and wait...¡±

    He grabbed the painless syringe as he mumbled to himself.

    The injector looked like a seal stamp as he brought it to his arm, and then he pressed it. Much like how he felt when he inserted the plug into his head, he felt a radiance moving through his body.

    It started from his arms, and then spread through his body like wildfire.

    He calmly ced the empty syringe on the table. He could cheaply exchange it for a new one at a clinic, but if he broke it, the recement would be very expensive. Therefore, he treated it carefully, in order not to waste money needlessly.

    A message told him that a quantity of cerebral nanomachines had been infused into his body, and then it automatically vanished.

    And now, the preparations wereplete.

    That should be everything. There should be nothing else to get in his way.

    Nobody would call him, so there was no need to switch off the integrated mobile phonework.

    His eyes gleaming like a teenager at a theme park, Suzuki Satoru clicked the window named Yggdrasil.

    ¡ªThe world changed.

    His cerebral nanomachines began theirputations, disrupting his field of vision and taking control of his voluntary nervous system, and everything changed.

    An empty void extended in all directions ¡ª no, there were things sparkling in the darkness like stars ¡ª like space. Among them floated a gigantic tree that seemed to epass everything.

    Part of his visual field flickered, and if he tilted his head to the side, he could see something.

    It was a monster.

    Red-ck mes burned in the eyes of the skeletal monster.

    He was not at all confused or afraid by the inhuman being that had appeared out of nothingness. Naturally, it was because that creature was his other self, with which he was intimately familiar.

    He reached out a hand ¡ª and in the moment that he touched the skeleton, his point of view changed once more.

    Countless lines of algorithms swept across his vision, and they vanished in an instant. They seemed to have some significance, but since he knew nothing about them, they were meaningless to him. Besides, not knowing them would not inconvenience him in the slightest.

    However, there was one line that he recognized.

    It was on the bar at the top of his view. If the number on the right did not reach 100%, the adventure would not begin.

    With nothing to do, he looked at his hands. They were now bereft of flesh, with only skeletal, inhuman hands in its ce.

    He clenched his fists and opened them again. While the sensations were dull, it was close to reality now.

    The number on the top row became the 100% he was hoping for, and several icons appeared. The one he selected wasposed of a triangle joined to a rectangle.

    In other words, the HOME button.

    If he clicked it, it would in turn change shape into a bar that represented a waiting area.

    The 18/30 on it represented that out of the maximum of 30 people, there were 18 already there. He hid his growing excitement under his unmoving, skeletal face, and then touched it with a bony hand. After that, he selected YES when he was asked ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    ¡ªBeginning entry.

    ¡ªPlease stand by.

    The female voiceing from beside his ear had a musical quality about it, and sounded like a human speaking. Of course, it was electronically generated.

    Even people with good senses could not tell the difference. He knew that only someone like his friend, with excellent hearing ¡ª which his friend called ¡°useless pitch¡± ¡ª would know about it. That piece of information came from that friend¡¯s elder sister, who told him about it in great detail.

    While it was good that she told him that, she had no intention of hiding her hatred of the people who stole her job, so he looked back on that thirty-minute lecture ¡ª more of a protest, actually ¡ª with a small amount of dread.

    Even if people with experience in the field knew it was pointless, he still believed in that rumor of the online world ¡ª that telling the voice to hurry up would let you into the game more quickly. Therefore, he said to the voice: ¡°Let me in faster.¡±

    Part 2

    The world of darkness filled with light.

    It was a strange feeling ¡ª though he closed his eyes, it felt like they were still open ¡ª but after it passed, he found himself standing in a room within a building. The brief disorientation he felt as his mind switched over to a fictional world quickly faded away.

    He carefully looked around his surroundings.

    The room was made of some kind of gray inorganic material, which looked like concrete, and it had a high ceiling. Though there were no obvious light sources, a side of the ceiling glowed with white light.

    ¡°Yo~ Momonga-san. Thanks foring.¡±

    Someone called out to him.

    Suzuki Satoru ¡ª Momonga ¡ª had logged into Yggdrasil countless times before, but nobody had ever spoken to him in this room, so he was confused for a moment. However, because it was a familiar voice ¡ª or perhaps it was the voice of one of the people in this n that he was closest to ¡ª his mood immediately changed, and he answered:

    ¡°Ah ¡ª Peroroncino-san, good evening. d you came.¡±

    The voice addressing him came from a man with the head of a ferocious beast, with wings on his back. He wore a suit of shiny golden armor.

    ¡°Ya~ it scared me. Momonga-san is the first person I¡¯ve ever encountered here.¡±

    ¡°Same here! It seems we logged in at almost the same time.¡±

    ¡°Well, this sort of thing happens. The real surprise is why it didn¡¯t happen before now. After all, there should be a lot of people who get off work and log in right away, around the same time.¡±

    His friend ¡ª Peroroncino ¡ª walked toward him.

    With every step Peroroncino took, golden motes scattered from his armor and vanished in mid-air. Bathed in the afterglow, he cut an imposing figure.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen that effect before. What¡¯s up with that? Could it be that it¡¯s from a data crystal dropped by monsters in the newly discovered area?¡±

    ¡°Nope~¡±

    Peroroncino¡¯s face did not change. A regrettable deficiency was that one¡¯s avatar could not change expressions to match one¡¯s voice. Still, his voice was perfectly clear, and so was the happiness in his words.

    ¡°It¡¯s a character effect, from a cash shop item.¡±

    Momonga felt like the ground had just opened up under him. He should have disyed an emoticon, but he was not in the mood for that. Instead, he stalked up toward Peroroncino.

    ¡°No way! Why? Peroroncino-san, how could you betray me like this? How could you betray our fiery friendship! Didn¡¯t we both promise to y without using cash items?¡±

    Indeed. Though they knew that one could pay to win with cash items, they had formed a No Cash Item Alliance, their souls zing with the idea that they couldpensate for weakness with skill. More to the point, Peroroncino and Ulbert had been the ones who came up with that idea first. Being the first to betray it as well was absolutely unforgivable.

    ¡°Momonga-san, I¡¯m sorry!¡±

    Peroroncino put his palms together in apology, but his words were unremorseful.

    ¡°You wanted to stuff all those effects in no matter what, but look now. Hasn¡¯t your armor gotten weaker?¡±

    In Yggdrasil, yers could design their equipment as they liked. This included their powers as well. However, abilities could not be stacked willy-nilly; the capacity of an item for data was determined by the item¡¯s construction and the material.

    In contrast, special effects took up a smaller amount of data capacity, so it was not umon for them to be imbued in an item to use up the leftover capacity.

    However, Peroroncino was a power gamer, and people of that sort sought power at any cost. They were the type who obsessed over skills and character builds. Thus, devoting even a little bit of data capacity to special effects was a waste.

    ¡°Well, I know that...¡±

    Momonga nodded, having changed his tone a little. He had not been serious about his usations anyway.

    ¡°Peroroncino-san, you¡¯ve always been about perfect builds.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. I wouldn¡¯t load useless data into my outfit.¡±

    Peroroncino was trying to build the itembo ¡°Sunfall¡±, which needed a stringent selection of many data crystals, as well as armor and weapons to install them in. Still, there was some payoff to his hard work; he had managed to recreate the look of the item.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I had no choice but to install the effect into my avatar with a cash shop item! You should know, right? I don¡¯t like using cash items either. If I could stick it in my armor, I wouldn¡¯t need to do all that. It can¡¯t be helped. Man, I¡¯m so envious of Touch-san¡¯s explosion effect and hisnding effect. I wish I had those too.¡±

    ¡°Ah. Those. Yeah, those are pretty shy.¡±

    The person in question was the leader of their n, as well as the person Momonga was indebted to. He was in love with transforming heroes, and if the topic came up, he would be more than happy to begin discussing masked heroes who had debuted on wireless radio wave broadcast more than 150 years ago.

    Thus, one could say that it was his style. One of his special effects was programmed to automatically trigger a meaningless explosion behind him when he struck a certain pose. The other one¡ª

    ¡°Still, the explosion is one thing, but those words... The first time I saw them, I honestly had no idea what kind of face to make. I mean, they¡¯re...¡±

    ¡°Really? I kind of like it.¡±

    ¡ªJustice Has Arrived. The words would appear behind him, when he took the appropriate pose.

    ¡°Eh? Seriously? Peroroncino-san, you¡¯re amazing. You¡¯re really amazing.¡±

    ¡°Amazing?¡±

    ¡°Well, I think among us, only you like that sort of thing.¡±

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s true, my big sis said she wasn¡¯t into it... Wait, does that mean I¡¯m the one with weird taste?¡±

    ¡°...If I agree with you, it¡¯ll reflect on Touch-san¡¯s tastes too, so I¡¯ll reservement.¡±

    ¡°...Isn¡¯t that the same as just agreeing with me?¡±

    Although their expressions had not changed, the mood in the air had be very solemn. Well, it was not really that gloomy. Or rather, it felt more like they were ying around.

    Momongaughed.

    For some reason, talking about these unimportant things made him very happy.

    He felt like he could keep chatting like this forever, but that would only impose on his friend Peroroncino, and he wanted to see his other friends too.

    Momonga pointed to the tunnel.

    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t talk here. Let¡¯s go to the meeting point.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, I got it.¡±

    The two of them walked forward, with matching strides.

    The tunnel was made of the same inorganic material as before, which could be easily mistaken for a prison, and it extended straight ahead. Although there were doors on both sides, the two of them ignored them and kept moving forward. One could say that the doors beside their destination were little more than decorations, and they could not open them even if they really wanted to.

    ¡°Speaking of which, what¡¯re we going to do today?¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t written on the mail, but we¡¯re probably going to take people to level up. I mean, the new people are all somewhat low-levelled. Still, they can still fight if they want to, even with a difference of two or three levels.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯d be good if we could enrich ourselves along the way.¡±

    In Yggdrasil, defeated monsters tended to drop money easily. This was because there were many crafting sses in the game. Most of them made scrolls or wands and staves, which were frequently used by magic casters, and which they could use as well.

    If less money dropped, magic item production would be very difficult, and magic-using sses would have to think twice about going on adventures with intensebat. This went against the design philosophy of having yers explore the world. Therefore, the game was much more generous than its contemporaries with dropped money.

    ¡°What do you mean? Data crystals? Or money?¡±

    ¡°Money, of course. Though there¡¯s some data crystals I want too...¡±

    The two of them walked side by side.

    The two of them were in their full gear and were walking shoulder to shoulder, so they needed a lot of space. However, the dimensions of this tunnel were designated as variable, so the path would automatically change to match their body sizes. This was why they could walk this way.

    ¡°The data crystals you want are for your dream build¡¯s weapon, right?¡±

    A dream build.

    Creating a second character was forbidden in the DMMORPG Yggdrasil. As a result, in order to make the most of their one avatar, the average yer would develop their characters through trial and error. The aim of most yers was power, or to fully develop the abilities of a nonbat profession such as cooking or alchemy or the like.

    But among them were people who proceeded in a way, towards their dream builds.

    This was the title given to those people who proudly dered their romantic streak, who eschewed the pursuit of power and sought to role-y.

    For example, in order to make a barbarian who sang in battle, they would not gain levels in the vanguard sses which suited barbarians, but instead levelled up in sses like Dragon Priest or Bard, which was considered a waste.

    By the way, most people disdained dream builders.

    In Yggdrasil, the maximum size of a raid was five parties of six people each, or 30 people in total. Apart from exceptional cases like guild battles or fighting a World-ss enemy, people who were over the limit would be subjected to friendly fire. In other words, they had to take on bosses with just these 30 people. If there were joke characters among them, it would reduce the amount of fighting power they could bring to bear.

    Because of that, it was popr for most dream builders to form guilds with others who felt the same way as them.

    Then, what about Momonga?

    The n he was in was not filled with dream builders, but at the same time, they were big-hearted enough to amodate those people.

    ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s why it¡¯s hard to bring it up. I don¡¯t know if that dungeon drops any data crystals that other people want... well, from a different point of view, you could always say that nobody¡¯ll fight with me for the drops.¡±

    ¡°Where did you find that out?¡±

    ¡°I went to Nyaru-chan.¡±

    After hearing the name of that famous intelligence website from Momonga, though his face did not move, Peroroncino disyed an emoticon of uneasiness.

    ¡°From Nyaru, huh. Those free sites tend to have a lot of fake news. They¡¯re probably in cahoots with paid sites, so the best way to get useful info is to go to those paid sites. There¡¯ve been cases where they spread false info on purpose, in order to draw people away from ces that drop rare data crystals, you know.¡±

    There were many websites with false information on Yggdrasil, especially the ones where contributors could freely edit in their information.

    All this was because knowledge was power in Yggdrasil. As a result, most yers would not disclose what they had learned to the masses, whom they did not know or trust. Therefore, if one saw a piece of valuable, highly sought-after information, one could be sure that there was some kind of scheme behind it.

    ¡°Ah, I know that too. But this information looks reliable. You know how there¡¯s a top-tier guild called Seraphim, the one which only allows angel-types to join? They say the info came from them.¡±

    ¡°Ah. Well, if that¡¯s the case, it may indeed be credible, after all¡ª¡±

    At this point, the two of them had finally reached the double doors at the end of the tunnel.

    Momonga opened the doors, and let Peroroncino go first. Naturally, this was the courtesy one would expect of a sryman. Incidentally, if a situation like this happened again, ording to etiquette, it would be Peroroncino¡¯s turn to open the doors.

    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±

    After Peroroncino stepped through the door with those words, Momonga followed after him.

    The room on the other side of the doors was built of concrete. If this were a guild homebase, perhaps it would not have been so inly made, but given that this ce had been rented with in-game currency, they did not have the luxury to spend data on useless things. Still, there were advantages to such a nd room. Since the amount of data used was exceedingly small, the room could be made veryrge.

    There were several sofas and chairs scattered throughout the room, with quite a number of heteromorphic characters ¡ª there should have been 18 in total ¡ª seated at their favorite ces in their favorite poses. A wave of wees and smiling emoticons appeared as the two of them came in.

    Momonga popped several smileys of his own in response.

    ¡°Where should we go?¡±

    ¡°How about there?¡±

    Momonga and Peroroncino sat themselves down on a couple of chairs, which they moved to face each other.

    ¡°Ah, now where were we?¡±

    Momonga thought about their prior conversation in response to Peroroncino¡¯s question.

    ¡°Ah, I think we were talking about reliable information.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it! That¡¯s it! Like I was saying, you have to determine whether or not information can be trusted with your own eyes. Tell you what, if there¡¯s no n activities today, I¡¯ll go there with you.¡±

    ¡°Eh?! Is it really all right, Peroroncino-san?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Momonga-san! My sis says she¡¯sing too ¡ª well, she might not be here yet, but we can bring her along too. Besides, a party needs a tank.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much, Peroroncino-san.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, it¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s okay as long as it¡¯s Momonga-san. Although next time, you¡¯ll have to go hunting with me.¡±

    ¡°dly!¡±

    ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the case, we¡¯ll have an Attacker, a Tank, and a Wildcard. For a perfect party, we¡¯ll need three more people ¡ª a Healer, a Seeker, and another Attacker.¡±

    ¡°Oh, and where do the two of you n to go hunting?¡±

    They looked to the sound of the third voice, and what they saw was the organizer of this n.

    ¡°Ohh, it¡¯s Touch-san. Good evening~¡±

    ¡°Good evening.¡±

    ¡°Ah, good evening.¡±

    There stood a warrior in silver. Below his appearance of a Pdin was an insectile body.

    He wore a red cape that looked like a scarf.

    Although there was no wind, it still swayed like there was one. However, Momonga-san had long since ceased to be curious about that. It must be some sort of cash item. All he felt now was admiration ¡ª the desire to have a fluttering red cape like that if he ever wore a suit of armor.

    The man called Touch Me sat beside Momonga with a grunt of ¡°yoi~sho~¡±, like he was an old man. Under hismand, the cape settled down. Perhaps he felt that it got in the way,

    ¡°n leader, are we supposed to go anywhere today?¡±

    While the leader of a guild would be called the Guildmaster, this was not a guild. Rather, it was a step below a guild, or a n. Therefore as the leader of this n, Touch Me was called the n leader.

    ¡°No, actually. There¡¯s no ns yet. Although, I think we have to carry out the usual meeting.¡±

    Momonga¡¯s n held regr meetings on a weekly basis. Although there were quite a few people who did not ¡ª or could not ¡ª take part, those members were also asked to look at the n¡¯s message board.

    ¡°Oh, in other words, you were nning to go, then?¡±

    Meetings were a chance for most of the members to meet, and thus chances were high that they could conductrge-scale activities like hunting. If there was really nothing nnedter on, it would be the best ce to recruit members for a party, so they nned to chat up some people and suggest that they go along.

    In response to Peroroncino¡¯s questions, Touch Me simply went ¡°Hmm¡ª¡± and looked at the ceiling.

    ¡°...Well, not exactly, there¡¯s some things, this or that, which I want to change, that...¡±

    Momonga and Peroroncino looked at each other as Touch Me drifted off into mumbling.

    This waspletely unlike Touch Me. He was a very straightforward person, the kind who was very direct in his words and deeds.

    Just as Momonga was about to ask him about it, he saw the door open from the corner of his eye and Bukubukuchagama entered the room.

    Being Peroroncino¡¯s elder sister, she looked like a pink slime. Although she called herself guro-kawaii, nobody agreed with her. Everyone was certain that she had said so to trap them.

    Momonga, Peroroncino, and then Touch Me greeted her, which she returned in kind.

    Several other people had arrived in the room after Momonga and Peroroncino. Momonga had done his best to pop smileys at them as they came, but when he was absorbed in conversation, he sometimes forgot to do so. However, he would definitely notice if she arrived. After all, pink slimes were especially outstanding even among this n of heteromorphic beings.

    Bukubukuchagama¡¯s body wobbled as she flowed toward Momonga and the others. She might be a slime, but she could move fairly quickly.

    ording to Bukubukuchagama, she said it was like walking on her own two feet, albeit with the hassle of wearing a long skirt.

    She reached Momonga and the others and immediately sat down. Although the body of a slime did not possess feminine curves, one could still approximate a ce which should have been her waist from the way her body was bent.

    ¡°Yo. You seem to be talking about something serious. What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing much. Just discussing what we¡¯re going to do today.¡±

    ¡°Haha, well, it¡¯s just like what my brother said. Touch-san, what will we do after today¡¯s meeting?¡±

    ¡°Come to think of it, it¡¯s about time. Everyone... oh, that¡¯s pretty good. Everyone¡¯s here.¡±

    Struck by Touch Me¡¯s words, Momonga looked around. He saw 27 other heteromorphic beings of all kinds ¡ª it would seem the entire n was here. This was quite rare, even for a regr meeting.

    This n was a rarity in that it contained no students, only working adults. As a result, their free time hardly ovepped, and it could hardly be considered a good guild. Having all the members together was not amon thing.

    ¡°Hey, Yama-chan, good evening~¡±

    Bukubukuchagama waved a slimy hand, and an ugly giant waved its gigantic hand back at her.

    ¡°Ah, good evening, Bukubukuchagama-san.¡±

    It was a gentle woman¡¯s voice.

    This was Yamaiko, the nephilim. Unlike giants, who were demihumans of a sort, nephilim could not hide their ugliness no matter how they tried to disguise themselves. It was hard to imagine that within that body was the only other female member of the group, besides Bukubukuchagama.

    She had said in the past that she might change her character race, but given that she still had not done so, she must have found it oddly satisfying.

    The gracefully seated Yamaiko slowly stood up, and lumbered over to them with heavy, plodding footsteps.

    ¡°Yama-chan~ call me -chan too~ Ne, how about it~¡±

    ¡°Ehh?¡±

    Yamaiko disyed an ¡°Oh dear¡± emoticon as she descended into thought. Then, she replied:

    ¡°...Buku-chan?¡±

    Bukubukuchagama froze. Yamaiko realized that she did not like that name, and tried something else.

    ¡°Then, Bukubuku-chan?¡±

    Bukubukuchagama copsed into a pile after suffering another direct hit, and in a dull, demoralized voice, she said:

    ¡°...Sorry. Please don¡¯t say Buku-chan.¡±

    Because of her job, she could deliver on a truly evocative performance when she put herself into it. This was a voice of a defeated soul in anguish.

    ¡°Ah... sorry about that, Chagama-chan.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not bad, but, hm... it doesn¡¯t sound cute enough.¡±

    Her little brother was saying something along the lines of ¡°Look at your appearance¡±, but Momonga and Touch Me remained silent.

    They knew that saying nothing was the wise choice.

    ¡°Okay! Next, call me Kazhi.¡±

    ¡°Kazhi? I thought you wanted -chan?¡±

    ¡°I do~ Yama-chan~¡±

    A revitalized Bukubukuchagama swiftly oozed up next to Yamaiko¡¯s side.

    Like Yamaiko, Momonga and Touch Me had no idea why they had to call her Kazhi. They looked to the only person who might be able to shed some light on this.

    ¡°Ah, big sis... she had a less mainstream stage name, Kazeumi Kumi. Her old fans used to call her Kaze-chin. She changed it several times, but she liked it the best.¡±

    ¡°I see...¡±

    At a nce, the pink slime seemed to be spinning round and round the nephilim. Although it might be a kind of dance, this bizarre, unbelievable sight reminded onlookers of some wicked ceremony. Of course, it was an everyday scene in a n of heteromorphs.

    ¡°Then, my apologies for interrupting youdies¡¯ fun, but since everyone is here, we should be able to begin. Or rather, the faster we start, the faster we finish. Oi, guys, the meeting¡¯s about to start.¡±

    After Touch Me raised his voice and stood up, so did everyone else. Everyone shuffled to the round table, one by one, finding a ce they liked and sitting down.

    ¡°Then, we shall begin the meeting. I have some things I want to discuss with youter, so I hope everyone can give me some time. Next, has anybody discovered anything this week? Does anyone have anything to share?¡±

    One could say that these meetings were conferences formunication. It was a weekly organized sharing of information and requests for help. That said, new information did note easily.

    ording to the developers¡¯ website, Yggdrasil was a game of exploration, and so many things were mysteries. It was a game where all you were told was the controls before being thrown into the deep end. While a lot of information had already been collected, most of it pertained to dungeons or other locations, and it was estimated that only 30% of the nine worlds had been mapped so far.

    For instance, there were the World-ss Items, also known as the ¡°crapped out¡±. There were supposed to be 200 of them in total, but ording to the developers, only 50 had been found so far. Many yers had tried hard to look for them, but this was all they coulde up with.

    As working adults, the members of the n yed during their free time and did not have time for in-depth investigations. Therefore, they usually did not have any information worth mentioning.

    However, today was different.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    A hand went up in response to Touch Me¡¯s question to the n.

    Described in a word, the speaker was a ninja. He wore the stereotypical ninja outfit and a weird mask, with two swords at his waist. Saying he was anything other than a ninja would be a lie.

    He was one of Momonga¡¯s earliestrades ¡ª Nishiki Enrai.

    ¡°Nishiki-san. Did something happen?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, Touch-san. This is a truly incredible discovery.¡±

    As he said that, everyone else went ¡°ohhhh¡± in curiosity and excitement.

    ¡°¡ªI¡¯ve discovered an unexplored dungeon.¡±

    Joy and curiosity were masked by surprise, and many of the n members made even greater sounds of awe.

    Everyone asked Nishiki Enrai questions. Momonga, Peroroncino and Touch Me were no different. The only one who didn¡¯t seem excited were the girls, Yamaiko and Bukubukuchagama.

    The game Yggdrasil wasposed of nine separate worlds. Each of them was ridiculously huge, and there were many ces within them which were difficult to explore. For instance, there were gigantic swamps, verdant expanses of rainforest, scorching deserts, and the like. One needed special equipment to delve into the dungeons there, as well as a proper strategy and the determination to throw one¡¯s life away for the trip. Even so, there were many people who wasted their time on a trip.

    This was because these hard-to-find dungeons contained monsters which dropped valuable data crystals. Anyone would be excited to find a hitherto unexplored dungeon. One could say it was a gold mine.

    In addition, discovering a dungeon could affect the world ranking of a guild. So there were no downsides to it.

    ¡°Where exactly did you find it?¡±

    The one who asked on behalf of the incredulous n members was not the n leader Touch Me, but the man who had taken a goat-headed demon as his avatar, Ulbert in Odle.

    He was a member of a ss that was called World Disaster. In Yggdrasil, there were a limited number of people who could join it ¡ª because the requirement for taking levels in this ss was killing its previous holder. It was a ss which specialized in destructive magic, and he was the man with the highest firepower in the n.

    Before opening his mouth, Nishiki Enrai ¡ª who was as nk-faced as the rest of the n ¡ª snuck a peek at Touch Me.

    ¡°...Are you aware of the huge poison swamp in the marshes of Helheim?¡±

    ¡°Do you mean the gigantic camp of the poison-resistant Tuvegs? That poison swamp?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the one. I found it in the swamps there.¡±

    ¡°Amazing. But how did you do it? A lot of people did aerial reconnaissance, but none of them reported finding a dungeon. I¡¯ve seen their recordings, and they weren¡¯t lying.¡±

    The quiet speaker was part of the n¡¯s intellectual elite, Tab Smaragdina.

    His fearsome heteromorphic avatar, wearing gear which made onlookers think of torture tools, was the fruit of his hard work.

    ¡°We¡¯re not doubting you~¡±

    The man who continued was also part of the n¡¯s intellectuals, the man who went by the alias of Zhuge Kongming, Punitto Moe.

    He wasposed entirely of the nt known as Death Vines.

    ¡°When Tuvegs spot intruders, they cry out and alert their entire tribe. Thus, they¡¯ll be troublesome opponents, because it can¡¯t be easy to remain undetected until we reach the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s quite deep into the swamps. I found it while searching for something else, so I can¡¯t tell you how far away it is in a straight line.¡±

    ¡°Did anyone here travel with Nishiki-san?¡±

    Everyone shook their heads when they heard Punitto Moe¡¯s question.

    ¡°Then, did you lead a huge band of NPC mercenaries there? No, if you brought them along, you would be discovered and overwhelmed by sheer numbers. It¡¯s far too difficult, which is why people have only ever reconnoitered the area from the air. Well, if everyone here went there it wouldn¡¯t be a problem, but I guess that¡¯s not the case. Then, how did you find it out, Nishiki-san?¡±

    Punitto Moe tapped his temple with a vine that looked like a finger. There might have been some reason behind it, but sadly, Momonga did not know why. However, his questioning style of speech was not like his usual self.

    Even so, Punitto Moe¡¯s dramatics were quite effective in disseminating the information to the other members of the n.

    ¡°Policeman-san, you¡¯ve made a fatal mistake,¡± the masked ninja dered with augh. ¡°All you need to do is silently approach a Tuveg and relieve him of his head in one strike. That way you won¡¯t alert his friends as well.¡±

    Punitto Moe had nothing to say.

    This was the end of the guessing game.

    ¡°Yaa, you see, it¡¯s child¡¯s y for me to take someone out from behind in one blow. That was how I delved into the depths of the swamp. While there were some worm-like monsters which used vibrations to navigate, I¡¯m pretty sure I can sneak myself past their detection ability.¡±

    ¡°...Nishiki-san, something¡¯s been bothering me. Doing that much, even for a ninja... how did you build your character to do all this weird stuff?¡±

    Punitto Moe delivered those lines in a daze, and Nishiki Enrai responded with augh.

    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t you know? It¡¯s just a simple sneak attack. There¡¯s a damage multiplier for backstabbing people. My defense is rubbish and I¡¯ll die if I get found... but I love that thrill. I¡¯ve always liked the ss cannon, high speed sort of character. You could say that it¡¯s my dream build. Speaking of which, Punitto Moe-san, you also y Aberage, right? What machine was it? It¡¯s just like what I was talking about.¡±

    The game they were talking about was one which Momonga did not y. It involved building power suits, and then using them to fight each other.

    ¡°Ah, I y a bnced type with average armor. The aim is to take on anyone.¡±

    ¡°That sounds like what you would build. Like I said, mine has paper armor, high speed and high firepower. I even dumped my radar, relying on my eyes alone, to move faster.¡±

    ¡°...That is pretty weird.¡±

    ¡°Still, Punitto-san. My machine¡¯s among the upper ranks, with the title of Violet.¡±

    Beast King Mekongawa, seated beside Nishiki Enrai, suddenly eximed, ¡°Ehh?! What did you say? Doesn¡¯t that mean you¡¯re a super top-ss yer? ...I¡¯m just a Green. Maybe I should quit Aberage...¡±

    ¡°No, no, please don¡¯t say that. Group up with me next time.¡±

    It was kind of lonely to see one¡¯s n members get excited over things that one knew nothing about. Just as Momonga was feeling hurt, the sound of several ps rang out.

    ¡°All right, all right, we¡¯ve gone off-topic. Nishiki-san, tell us about that dungeon.¡±

    ¡°Ahhh, yes, Touch-san, my apologies. Then, there¡¯s an ind in the deepest reaches of the poison swamp ¡ª or rather, there¡¯s a base there, and in the middle is the entrance to the dungeon.¡±

    Nishiki Enrai said it was called the Tomb of Nazarick.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t anyone find it by aerial recon before?¡±

    In response to that question, Punitto Moe replied:

    ¡°I think it¡¯s a dungeon that can only be discovered under special circumstances.¡±

    Some dungeons could only be found under certain conditions. For instance, the entrance to a dungeon amidst a field of flowers in the depths of a forest could only be seen under the light of the full moon. A notable example of this was the Frozen City in Niflheim, which could only be entered during a blizzard.

    Although this was only a hypothesis, Tab Smaragdina continued:

    ¡°Perhaps the Great Tomb of Nazarick only appears to people who¡¯ve traversed the poison swamp on foot? Or perhaps it¡¯s only visible under a certain altitude.¡±

    After the replies of ¡°I see¡± and ¡°That might be so¡± passed, Nishiki Enrai continued speaking.

    ¡°Then ¡ª I have a suggestion. Why don¡¯t we go there after this is over?¡±

    The response was more subdued than when the news that ¡°there¡¯s an unexplored dungeon¡± was announced.

    Being unexplored, there was no way to tell what dangers awaited you. It might be a very difficult dungeon, which would lead to a total party kill. Yggdrasil dungeons were not the sort that told you what levels were suitable for them.

    What changed everyone¡¯s mind was the woman who was said to have muscles for brains.

    ¡°It¡¯s interesting, don¡¯t you think? This is an unexplored dungeon, right? We should just attempt it regardless of the difficulty level.¡±

    ¡°I agree as well. Being that the dungeon is dangerous, it will also offer a great reward when weplete it. I want to take advantage of our early discovery and attempt it by trial and error so we can gain the reward for clearing it. Unknown dungeons are troublesome. We should go gather information on how to beat it before other people find out about it.¡±

    There were many points in Yamaiko and Ulbert in Odle¡¯s words which people could agree with.

    Momonga supported the idea as well.

    The first time one ran a dungeon, there would be a bonus, or about 10% more treasure chests. Also, the first time a dungeon was cleared, the big treasure chest would offer equipment with item levels up to 10-20% higher than usual.

    It would be a regrettable thing if they could not find these treasures and let other people im them. How could they allow the goldmine before their eyes to be plundered by others?

    ¡°It would seem a majority of people approve of this. Then, we shall head to that dungeon after the meeting. After all, it¡¯s quite rare that everyone¡¯s gathered in one ce.¡± Cheers of approval rang out in response to Touch Me. Although there were a scant few who opposed this, they were moved by the passion of the other excited people.

    Excitement boiled off the n members gathered around the table.

    ¡°Then, is there anything else that anyone wants to share?¡±

    There was no response to Touch Me¡¯s question.

    ¡°Good. Then, although this isn¡¯t the end yet, I would like to say something.¡±

    Touch Me looked around, and then dropped a bombshell.

    ¡°Firstly, I want to dissolve this n.¡±

    For a moment, everyone was struck silent.

    Then, the room was swallowed by confusion and panic. Momonga¡¯s cry came from the bottom of his heart. While it was true that this n had very few people in it, and it had been founded by Touch Me, the n had gotten to where it was today through the efforts of everyone here. It was very frustrating if one person was allowed to decide this sort of thing by themselves.

    Touch Me raised his hand, apparently to say something else, but then a voice cut through the chaos.

    ¡°He left because you¡¯re so damn selfish.¡±

    The air froze.

    The one who had spoken was Ulbert. His prior politeness was nowhere to be found; no, it would be more urate to say that his hidden feelings had finally risen to the surface. His words were earnest, given that the person he was closest to left the game.

    Characters in Yggdrasil could not show facial expressions, but Ulbert¡¯s face seemed to have a shadow over it, as though twisted by hatred.

    ¡°You son of a bitch.¡±

    ¡°Ulbert-san, you¡¯ve said too much.¡±

    Momonga could not help but say those words. Ulbert turned to face Momonga, but there was no enmity in his eyes. His shoulders rose and fell, as though they were breathing. Then, after quelling the mes of his anger, he spoke again in a calm voice that sought approval.

    ¡°Momonga-san... You¡¯re right. I went too far. Still, don¡¯t you think he¡¯s being selfish? First he chased that person away, and now this. If this is the case, shouldn¡¯t he have disbanded us earlier?¡±

    The fact was that Momonga partially agreed with what Ulbert said.

    When the n was founded, there was a great disagreement that led to one person leaving the game. The matter had left a great scar on Momonga¡¯s heart. It felt like a stain on the glorious memories of a closely-knit guild and his cherished friends.

    Even so, Momonga still had to rebuke Ulbert for this.

    The feud between those two people could have been solved if either of them could have spoken calmly to each other. If he left Ulbert to his own devices, it might happen all over again.

    ¡°I fully understand how Ulbert-san feels, and I was shocked when that person left the game. ...This might not sound too good, but I knew that person longer than Ulbert did. However, I think it would be better if we heard out Touch-san first. How about it, Touch-san? Could we hear everything you have to say?¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Momonga-san. Ah... I¡¯m sorry for rming everyone because I chose my words poorly. I¡¯ve been thinking for a while that since our numbers have increased, our n name no longer suits us. Therefore, I nned to dissolve the n and re-found us as an official guild.¡±

    Exmations of ¡°Oh¡± and the like were heard throughout the room.

    Unlike a n, there were many advantages to being a guild. Therefore, a lot of things had to be decided while founding a guild. This was because there were many things which could not be taken back if a mistake was made.

    In particr, there were two things which deserved particr attention:

    The name of the guild and the guildmaster.

    The n had not been upgraded to a guild because of these two reasons.

    The room had settled down, and Ulbert could be heard to say, ¡°Then, he should have just said so¡±. Touch Me saw that this was the time and raised his voice.

    ¡°...Are there any objections to disbanding this n and re-founding us as a guild?¡±

    There were none. That was only to be expected ¡ª after all, everybody was looking forward to bing a guild. However, Momonga felt a little lonely.

    This was because the reason he had been so absorbed in this game ¡ª the reason why he had worked so hard and made so many precious memories ¡ª the n name, was going to vanish. On the other hand, he had never thought that the name would no longer fit the present circumstances. He had not even thought that people might not be happy with it.

    The n¡¯s name was Nine¡¯s Own Goal.

    It had been founded when hunting heteromorphic beings was all the rage. It was because there were some strong job sses which needed yers to PK a certain number of heteromorphic beings for entry. Therefore, yers of heteromorphic characters hid out in the three worlds which were advantageous to them ¡ª Niflheim, Helheim and Muspelheim ¡ª and refused to go to other worlds. After all, a world was big enough to y in even if they did not leave it.

    However, Touch Me and the founding members ¡ª including Momonga ¡ª were different. They were unwilling to restrict their ambitions, and bravely adventured to other worlds. How many people had managed to get into a strong ss because of PKing Momonga and the others? That was their self-deprecating name for a group of suicidal fools who only served to make their enemies stronger.

    Now their numbers had grown, and there were more members than could be counted on both hands. Also, one of the founding members was no longer around. He left the n and the game.

    That being the case, it might only be natural to change the name.

    Although Momonga came to that conclusion himself, his heart ached as he thought of his absent friend, the one who had yed with him from the beginning, who was no longer with him.

    As Momonga sank into rumination, the conversation continued around him. After that, Touch Me opened his words with a ¡°Finally¡±.

    ¡°This time round, I¡¯ll beg off on the position of n ¡ª no, guildmaster. I feel bad about saying this sort of thing even before being picked, but I hope everyone will take that into consideration.¡±

    The n members looked at each other in silence. Was he serious? What did he mean by that? And who would be Touch Me¡¯s sessor? Their eyes conveyed the questions in their hearts.

    ¡°Then, who will be the next leader ¡ª the next guildmaster? Does anybody want the role, or does anybody want to rmend someone for that role?¡±

    Momonga kind of agreed with whoever had asked that question. Nobody could rece such an outstanding man. He felt sorry for whoever the next man was.

    Touch Me looked around at everyone, and what he said next blew Momonga away.

    ¡°Personally, I would like to rmend Momonga-san.¡±

    ¡°Guehhh!¡±

    Momonga could not help but make a strange noise.

    He could not understand why his name was being brought up at this time.

    Looking around for someone to help him, he instead found a chorus of voices saying things like ¡°Not bad¡± and ¡°We can leave it to Momonga-san.¡±

    Though it should have been impossible, he did not hear a single voice of dissent. It made him wonder if there was a conspiracy going on.

    ¡°Are you guys serious?! Do you really think I can do it?!¡±

    In response to Momonga¡¯s exmation, Touch Me performed a magnificent feint, one worthy of the strongest warrior.

    ¡°Well, I sprung this on you so suddenly and I didn¡¯t get Momonga-san¡¯s approval, so is there anyone else you want to rmend? Does anyone want to volunteer?¡±

    Nobody answered Touch Me¡¯s questions.

    No good.

    Although his body could not sweat, he could feel that sweat on his back all the same. This was amon situation inpany meetings. If he did nothing, he would be chosen.

    As he looked at Touch Me ¡ª the strongest warrior who had used a feint to throw him off his bnce and deal him a fatal blow ¡ª Momonga decided to solidify his defense.

    ¡°Oi, oi, oi, oi, oi,e on, give me a break. Really, give me a break, Touch-san. This is all too sudden; won¡¯t everyone be put off by it? You can¡¯t decide these things so quickly. Give me a little more time.¡±

    The person who answered Momonga¡¯s protest was not Touch Me, but Ulbert.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Personally, I feel Momonga-san is an excellent candidate. He logs in regrly, is meticulous, and he doesn¡¯t have any strange habits. Also, he¡¯s a neutral party who isn¡¯t biased towards anyone.¡±

    Et tu Brute¡ª!

    Honestly speaking, it was not a betrayal. It was just that the rmendation of a fellow member of the No Cash Item Alliance drew noises of approval from all around him, so it felt like he was being betrayed. Although he was faintly proud that nobody opposed him, this was not the time for that sort of thing.

    ¡°No, wait, wait a minute! Ulbert-san! I, I¡¯m not confident that I can lead everyone as outstandingly as Touch-san. Wouldn¡¯t someone else be better for this?¡±

    ¡°Everyone here supports you in that respect. There¡¯s nobody in this n who won¡¯t help you out, Momonga-san.¡±

    Touch Me kept repeating, ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s fine.¡±

    Momonga looked around, and everyone he saw was nodding.

    This was a level of anxiety Momonga had never felt before in his life.

    How could he possibly be a Guildmaster? There were many reasons why not. Besides, how could someone like him substitute for a man like Touch Me?

    As Momonga thought about how to refuse this nomination, a new window appeared in the corner of his eye. He had received emails from three people. Allmunications which did not go through in-game magic were the province of cash items, so it would seem these emails were very important.

    His hands moved below the table, and he opened the emails.

    Momonga was very surprised to see that there were three different senders, but if he thought calmly about it, it would seem that all three emails had been sent at nearly the same time.

    The three senders were Punitto Moe, Tab Smaragdina and Bellriver.

    He quickly scanned through them while the others were excitedly discussing the new Guildmaster. Although they were written in different ways, they all said the same thing.

    If someone other than Momonga became the Guildmaster, the guild ¡ª in other words, this n ¡ª would surely tear itself apart. Therefore, they wanted to join a different guild with Momonga.

    This was the reason why Momonga had to be the Guildmaster.

    It was clear that the three of them were certain the guild would break up, but at the same time they had differing opinions. The main difference was in which side they were leaning towards.

    If they yed the game for pleasure and entertainment, it would only be natural for a guild to break up because they wanted different things. Since it was hard to gather all these diverse members, keeping everyone together so they could all have fun was the right thing to do.

    Personally speaking, Momonga wanted thetter oue.

    Since the three people who had sent him the emails were either smart or learned, there was most likely some sort of ulterior motive behind them. However, they had nothing to do with Momonga.

    In the end, the choice was up to him.

    Momonga searched his soul.

    The conclusion was very simple.

    This was a game. One of his friends had already left, and the day mighte when everyone else would follow suit as well, because the real world was more important than a game. But it would not be this day. Besides, Momonga wanted to keep ying with these people.

    Thus, there could only be one answer.

    Of course, Momonga was worried, and he wondered, ¡°Is it really okay if it¡¯s me?¡± He was uneasy about whether he might bring everyone trouble, and afraid that he could not handle the many things which would happen in the future.

    Even so ¡ª though he was still somewhat hesitant, he had already made his decision.

    ¡°I understand. If there is nobody else, then I will take the role.¡±

    Everyone turned their eyes to him. Well, some people did not have faces, so it was more of turning in his direction. Still, Momonga could feel the weight of their gazes on him, and he was suddenly very aware of the saying that there was power in stares.

    Crushed by the sudden pressure, Momonga thought of backing out, but the words that came out of his mouth werepletely different from those in his brain.

    ¡°Of, of course, that is only if everyone is willing to help me.¡±

    Without a single word, the members of the n had already made up their minds to aid Momonga.

    If that was the case ¡ª Momonga screwed up his determination and rose from his seat.

    ¡°Then... although I¡¯m not too reliable and I might cause trouble for you, I will take the position of Guildmaster. Let¡¯s work together in the future.¡±

    Momonga bowed to thunderous apuse.

    ¡°Then, as the future Guildmaster, I will get down to business. What about our guild name? Should Ie up with one?¡±

    A hubbub filled the air after thatst suggestion by Momonga. Was this a sign of their difort?

    Yggdrasil characters had no facial expressions, but he felt that there were ck lines all over everyone¡¯s faces. It weighed heavier on him than their gazes.

    ¡°No, there¡¯s no need, don¡¯t worry about that, I think¡ª¡±

    Bukubukuchagama spoke, and her words scoured away the toxic clouds hanging in the air.

    It was followed by several voices of approval. Although they tried to cover it up, they all sounded quite panicked.

    Momonga could not imagine why they would feel that way, and just at that moment he noticed his friend nervously raising his hand.

    ¡°Go ahead, Peroroncino-san.¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯d like to know, just to test the waters, as a hypothesis, forparison... but what kind of name would Momonga pick for the guild?¡±

    Momonga racked his brains as he heard the question.

    ¡°Right now, I don¡¯t have anything in mind.¡±

    ¡°Well, any name will do.¡±

    Why were they so adamant about this? As those thoughts ran through his mind, Momonga started trying to think of a good name.

    ¡°How about Heteromorphic Zoo?¡±

    That seemed like a decent name. Someone must have muttered it from somewhere.

    ¡°Heteromorphic Zoo, huh? It¡¯s surprisingly good, and it does fit our image. Just that... well, it makes us sound like small fries.¡±

    ¡°It sounds a bit exotic, but it¡¯s not bad... Although it does sound like a cameo organization you find in mangas. You know, in tournaments.¡±

    ¡°It feels like the sort of team that shows up on the fight list, but ends up losing before getting a chance to show up. That¡¯s what I would do, to make the readers think they were strong, but then they¡¯d lose in the next panel.¡±

    ¡°I kind of like it, though, it has a nice viinous feel to it.¡±

    ¡°I personally think it makes us sound like trash mobs, so I don¡¯t like it. Ah, sorry, Momonga-san.¡±

    Yamaiko was muttering to herself among the people discussing nearby.

    ¡°Still, I feel that it¡¯s a waste topletely abandon our current n name. It would be nice if we could pick a new name that had some rtion to the old one.¡±

    Silence suddenly fell across the room, followed by voices agreeing with Yamaiko.

    Momonga could ept that suggestion ¡ª although she probably had not meant to make one. Closing his eyes brought to mind the enjoyable times spent with these n members. He considered that these unforgettable memories would vanish with that name, and he hated it.

    ¡°Nine¡¯s Own Goal. Nine suicidal people? Is there something rted to¡ª?¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, how about the Knights Temr? After all, Touch-san is kind of like Hugues de Payens. Well... though we are missing one person.¡±

    Although he had no idea what Tab Smaragdina was talking about, Momonga felt it must be rted to some ult knowledge. After all, he was quite versed in ult lore. There were far too many things that Momonga did not know anything about.

    ¡°Knights Temr doesn¡¯t even have a word inmon with Nine¡¯s Own Goal.¡±

    ¡°Tab Smaragdina-san is always talking about things we can¡¯t understand.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, sorry about that.¡±

    ¡°How about baseball? A baseball team needs nine people.¡±

    ¡°Even football is on its way out. Besides, you should remember that the reason we¡¯re discussing this is because we aren¡¯t nine people any more. You should think about something that doesn¡¯t have anything to do with the number nine.¡±

    The nephilim Warrior Takemikazuchi did not take part in the dialogue. Instead, he sank into thought, scribbled some things onto his PDA, and then he spoke.

    ¡°If we want to use the ¤ó sound... how about Ains? Nine¡¯s starts with the letter N, and in Hiragana, n is ¤ó. That way, if we take the first character N and substitute it with an A, we get Ains.¡±

    ¡°Not bad. So it represents the end of the current n, and a new beginning in the form of Ains?¡±

    ¡°It feels a bit forced, but it¡¯s definitely the best suggestion so far. ...Ains... ites out as Ains, right? Or how about Ainz?¡±

    ¡°Both are fine, right? It¡¯s not a big problem. Rather than think about that, we should try and find a way to use Own and Goal.¡±

    ¡°If we go with that,¡± Punitto Moe began. ¡°How about Ooal Gown? Have Own Goal be Ooal Gown.¡±

    ¡°Ohh! It¡¯s perfect... hm? There¡¯s an extra O, where did ite from? Without it, it bes Gwn? Ainz Ooal Gwn? Hm...¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not often that you get the chance to y with anagrams.¡±

    ¡°Before that, Ooal is pronounced oo-ul, right?¡±

    ¡°Just like that. After all ooze is for slimes.¡±

    That great insistence came from Herohero, the slime.

    ¡°N, W and G are all used. North, West... gone.¡±

    Though the topic hadpletely shifted to making anagrams of the name, the voices slowly grew softer, like they were tired.

    Amidst this heated debate, Momonga felt that there would probably not be any better ideas. He carefully considered the suggestions and after making sure that there were no others, he looked to all the members and made his decision clear.

    ¡°Then, we willbine the suggestions from Takemikazuchi-san and Punitto Moe-san to make the new guild name. Does anyone disagree?¡¯

    ¡°Nope~¡±

    Everyone seconded Bukubukuchagama¡¯s statement.

    If that was the case¡ª

    ¡°Then, our guild¡¯s new name is Heteromorphic Zoo!¡±

    In that instant, the sounds ofughter and teasing reached Momonga. He showed both his palms to indicate that he got it, and then he coughed.

    ¡°Well, that was a silly joke. So ¡ª we¡¯re decided on Ainz Ooal Gown then?¡±

    The n members agreed in one voice.

    ¡°Then, who will take the quest for setting up the guild? Is anyone willing to help? If you¡¯re busy, I¡¯ll progress it slowly in my free time..¡±

    One needed to carry out a mission when it came to registering a guild. There were eight types of missions to choose from, but only one needed to be perfectlypleted. Momonga wondered which of these would be the simplest.

    And then, there was no need for that.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Momonga-san. The fact is, I alreadypleted the mission and brought the mission item back, so we can use that .¡±

    It was Touch Me who said that.

    ¡°Can we?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I gave up halfway ¡ª this is the least I can do.¡±

    Momonga took a scroll from Touch Me.

    When he unfurled it, a new window opened in his line of sight.

    It was a guild setup request form.

    If he followed its instructions and entered the relevant information, he could found a guild.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll disband the n.¡±

    Somber, mournful music came from Touch Me¡¯s position.

    After about a minute of music, the n disbandment message that appeared informed everyone that Touch Me¡¯s request had beenpleted. Momonga entered his eptance of the disbandment with the keyboard floating over his console, and then hit Enter.

    In that moment, a brief burst of fanfare rang out.

    ¡°Everyone! I made the guild. Next, I¡¯ll send out the invites. Look out for them.¡±

    After making enough invitation scrolls to Ainz Ooal Gown for everyone, he sent them out. This was shortly followed by messages appearing in front of everybody.

    Momonga thought it was quite amusing how everyone opened the scrolls and entered characters in the same way.

    A bell rang continuously as the number of guild members kept increasing. In the end, all the members of Nine¡¯s Own Goal were now in Ainz Ooal Gown.

    Thus, the n of the past vanished, and a brand new guild was born.

    His status window indicated that the territory belonging to the n called Nine¡¯s Own Goal had been transferred over to the guild called Ainz Ooal Gown.

    It was nothing much in the big scheme of things.

    New guilds popped up in Yggdrasil at about the same rate as old ones vanishing. However, there was a strange feeling in Momonga¡¯s heart.

    This was because he had been saved from PKing by Touch Me when he first started ying. He had been invited into Nine¡¯s Own Goal and learned how fun the game could be. Then when its members had increased, he had enjoyed ying the game with his new friends.

    And now, the n which was the source of so much of his joy was now gone.

    However, the loneliness he felt passed in an instant.

    This was because the newly-founded guild would carry on everything.

    Indeed, this was not an end, but a beginning. However, it was not just happiness that he felt.

    A mighty burden weighed down on his back.

    Until now, he had been happy enough ying with and helping his fellow n members. But now, as a Guildmaster, he had to help everyone enjoy themselves.

    As Momonga watched everyone talking about what they would do next, Momonga felt the crushing stress his sense of duty gave him. He took a breath, and then stood up.

    Judging by the movements of the new Guildmaster, he probably had something to say, so they immediately shut up.

    Amidst this silence, Momonga exined what he was thinking about.

    ¡°Then, for our first guild activity as Ainz Ooal Gown, I n to conquer the dungeon in the swamp which Nishiki-san just found.¡±

    Replies of ¡°sounds good¡± came from all around him. Amidst this atmosphere of excitement, Momonga gulped, and struggled with the buzzing tension inside him.

    He might be branded as a failure of a Guildmaster because of what he would say next.

    But before Momonga could speak, someone asked:

    ¡°Guildmaster, I have a question. Since it¡¯s an unknown dungeon, we should only be making a reconnaissance first. When will we seriously try to clear the dungeon? Our gear and preparations may need to be changed depending on that.¡±

    It was a heaven-sent question.

    This was thest decision point. If he wanted to stop, he would have to do it now. However, Momongamitted himself to his decision.

    ¡°No. Actually, I have an idea.¡± Momonga coughed, and raised his voice. ¡°Everyone, listen to me.¡±

    Tension hung heavy in the air, given that Momonga had raised his voice.

    Suppressing the crushing pressure to run away that made him want to vomit, Momonga stated his piece.

    ¡°Please listen to me. I was hoping to clear the unexplored swamp dungeon in one go.¡±

    An uproar.

    There was an uproar. It was only to be expected.

    Momonga knew full well how foolhardy his words had been.

    Unexplored dungeons had unknown monsters waiting in them , and there was no indication as to what traps were present.

    Therefore, they had to mount multiple attacks on a dungeon. In this way they could identify effective ways to bring down the monsters and the shortest way to the heart of the dungeon, as well as some way to beat the dungeon boss. No, usually a dungeon could not be cleared without using these methods.

    ¡°Still, that should be impossible. We don¡¯t know the ideal level to clear that dungeon, and trying to clear a dungeon blind will be difficult, even if it¡¯s a very low-levelled dungeon.¡±

    The person who put that forward was Bellriver, a heteromorphic magic knight who looked like a lump of meat covered in mouths.

    Several others also began voicing their opposition, in support of Bellriver¡¯s sensible conclusion.

    Naturally, Momonga understood how they felt.

    However, he wanted to go forward with it.

    It was natural to frown on using this dungeon run to celebrate the founding of Ainz Ooal Gown. A simpler activity would have been a wiser choice, in order to leave good memories and strengthen their bonds.

    If they failed here, it would be an inauspicious start for them.

    However, great difficulties could also leave behind strong memories. Momonga¡¯s thinking was that the struggle would unite the guild, much like how enemies might be allies in desperate circumstances.

    Momonga had a premonition that if he did not unite them now, the guild would fall apart on its own sooner orter. The possibility for that was very high, just like he had seen in the letters which the three wise men of the guild had sent him. The only reason why it had not happened so far was because of Touch Me, as well as their sense of camaraderie for Nine¡¯s Own Goal, which they had fought for until now.

    Right now, the bonds between them were weakening. Therefore, Momonga had to glue them together again, even if it meant using his position as Guildmaster to force them to do so.

    As expected, there were those who strongly opposed Momonga¡¯s unusually eager proposition. A silent count revealed that about a third of them opposed this.

    He could fully understand their opposition.

    They felt that the benefits were far too small inparison to the penalties of a total party kill.

    Dying incurred two kinds of losses.

    The first was the loss of XP and a consequent loss of levels, though that depended on the way in which they were resurrected.

    This was not a big drawback in Yggdrasil, because XP could be regained easily, unlike in other games. Even if one¡¯s levels went down for a while, the loss could be quickly recovered.

    What everyone hated was the second kind of loss, which was the random dropping of an equipped item.

    Weapons and armor in Yggdrasil were made by inserting a data crystal into an item skin. Very few people could remain unmoved after losing a personalized piece of equipment.

    One could lose one or more pieces of equipment if a dungeon expedition was very difficult. Because of that, people sometimes geared themselves up with second-rate items, the kind they would not mind losing. However, yers could not clear the dungeon in one go with second-rate stuff, so they had to use their best equipment. In addition, the developers designed the game so that the most valuable gear would be dropped first, which meant that the chances of an item which was key to the yer¡¯s strategy being dropped was greatly increased.

    That was why they felt uneasy about this.

    Just as the uneasiness was about to leap to the other two-thirds of the guild¡ª

    ¡°Let¡¯s do it. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯ll be fun?¡± Warrior Takemikazuchi said.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not going to say Touch-san is wrong or that he¡¯s cowardly, but dungeon delves that he ns aren¡¯t really exciting. I still want to take part in this foolish expedition and il around like an idiot. Momonga-san, you¡¯re the best. I knew picking you as Guildmaster was the right choice.¡±

    ¡°If we all get taken out, then we¡¯ll really be fools.¡±

    Punitto Moe had not voiced any opposition until now. As soon as he finished speaking, Warrior Takemikazuchi chuckled.

    ¡°This is a game. A game. A total party kill is just part of the fun. After all, Nine¡¯s Own Goal was a n founded by fools. Why do you think the n was named that way? Didn¡¯t we all do foolish things in the past? Humanoids mocked us for fools, while our fellow heteromorphic yers hated us for doing unnecessary things. We only became more respectable after our numbers increased. Actually, no, do you remember how the first World-ss Item we found got snatched away? And I¡¯ll say again, Touch Me did nothing wrong. But... but I still want to mess around like a fool again.¡±

    In the silence, arade who had been with them ever since Nine¡¯s Own Goal was founded ¡ª Ancient One ¡ª spoke up.

    ¡°...I agree with Take-san¡¯s sentiments. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s great? We¡¯ll start off our guild with a bang. After all, wasn¡¯t it those very same fools who obtained that World-ss Item in the first ce? Or why don¡¯t you look at it from the basics. This game was meant for yers to thrust themselves into danger. With that in mind, isn¡¯t clearing an unknown dungeon a good thing? Let¡¯s be a guild that does this sort of thing.¡±

    ¡°What about our dropped gear? I don¡¯t want to rely on cash items...¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s true. Bellriver¡¯s worries are well-founded. After all, item loss is a nightmare to we who have been the prey of PKs. There¡¯s people here who are trying to suppress their anger at that unfairness too.¡±

    Warrior Takemikazuchi looked earnestly at the katana he was holding.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯d be upset if I lost this chap. However, all I need to do is make an even stronger de, right? Since I don¡¯t know everything about this game, I can¡¯t say that the gear I possess is the strongest. The more I learn, the better a weapon I can make. The same goes for my Mk Six. I levelled it up all the way from its Mk One state. Mm. If I made the strongest katana, I¡¯d call it Zero or Ultimate or Void or something like that.¡±

    Warrior Takemikazuchi scratched his head. He was not tired, just confused by what he had just said.

    ¡°Ah ¡ª what was I saying? Equipment is nothing more than equipment. Don¡¯t you think it would be too sad if we denied ourselves the world ¡ª our enjoyment of the game ¡ª because we were too afraid to lose it?¡±

    ¡°I think everyone enjoys the game in their own way, and forcing one¡¯s point of view on others is wrong.¡±

    ¡°Uwah, I didn¡¯t think Momonga-san would say that. I¡¯ve been shot in the back by arade.¡±

    After apologizing to Warrior Takemikazuchi, Momonga looked at the guild members and said:

    ¡°Frankly speaking, the idea of clearing an unknown dungeon in one go is my own wilful idea. And you¡¯re right to wonder, ¡®Is this challenge worth the risk of losing the gear we spent our time and effort creating?¡¯ Bellriver is right. I am the one who is wrong. However, I still think we should go for it. I feel that the members of our guild are people who¡¯ll make an idiot their leader, and when that idiot asks them to do something foolish, they¡¯llugh and take care of it right away. Can you help me with the foolish thing I said? Please.¡±

    Momonga lowered his head slightly.

    Several secondster, the first reply came.

    ¡°Well, since this is a request from myrade Momonga, I¡¯m happy to help.¡±

    It was Ulbert¡¯s voice.

    ¡°As a guild leader, I would put safety first... but as a yer I want to have a good time.¡±

    After him was Touch Me.

    ¡°I was nning to do this from the beginning. I just kept quiet because Takemikazuchi said it first.¡±

    ¡°As a guild member, I¡¯ve got to back the new Guildmaster up, you know.¡±

    The siblings Peroroncino and Bukubukuchagama made their opinions known. Now, it was Bellriver¡¯s turn.

    ¡°I¡¯m not too keen on this, but since Momonga said that, I¡¯ll take part. Although I¡¯d like it to be noted that I opposed it.¡±

    Although his words sounded like those of an unhappy child, Bellriver¡¯s approval seemed to have started a fire, and the ones who opposed the idea at first came around one by one.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Momonga lowered his head, ¡°Then, our next objective is to defeat the boss in the depths of this unknown dungeon!¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡± the gathered members answered with hearty shouts.

    ***

    There were 27 people gathered here.

    In Yggdrasil, parties were made of six people, and a raid could have a maximum of 5 parties.

    Judging by the current member count, there were three vacancies.

    Since three missing people was a huge gap in a party¡¯s capabilities, the intention was to fill those ces with NPC mercenary characters.

    One good thing about NPC mercenaries was that they could allow a solo yer to form a group, but their AI was not very good, and theirbat ability was lower than even a poorly put-together character of the same level. Because of that, when grouped with NPCs, people who were not good enough were hindered when running difficult dungeons.

    Momonga thought about who was the right person to lead the NPCs.

    It was a choice between the fighting power of Touch Me or the cunning Punitto Moe. As he thought about it, he realised that he had made a fundamental error.

    Rather than leaving the entire mission to one party, he should split it up between two parties.

    ¡°Ah, my apologies. Punitto-san, Touch-san, I have something to ask of you.¡±

    The two of them were the most reliable powerhouses among everyone present.

    Touch Me had fighting power while Punitto Moe hadmand ability. The two of them could probably make good use of the NPC mercenaries.

    ¡°Ahh, Momonga-san. I have a suggestion to make. Could youe here for a bit?¡±

    Momonga had no reason to refuse Punitto Moe¡¯s request.

    The two of them went to the corner of the room.

    ¡°My suggestion is that you ce sentries at the entrance of the dungeon.¡±

    The sentries was a party which would be used to stand guard at the dungeon entrance, keep an eye out for anyone approaching, and depending on the circumstances, they would eliminate any interlopers.

    Momonga sighed and rejected it. This was a group activity, and everyone would be clearing the dungeon together. He did not want to leave any of hispanions at the door.

    ¡°No, I won¡¯tpromise on this. I don¡¯t want to be squashed.¡±

    ¡°Squashing¡± was Punitto Moe¡¯s name for a PK method that involved attacking a yer group that had just began delving into a dungeon from behind. Once their opponents were forced deeper into the dungeon, they would have to deal with the dungeons¡¯ monsters as well as the PKs attacking them from behind. This was a kind of pincer movement.

    Although it was a PK tactic he had used to great sess, on the other hand, he was probably making that suggestion because he knew how potent it could be.

    However¡ª

    ¡°¡ªDon¡¯t you think you¡¯re being a bit too paranoid? Nobody else knows about this dungeon, right?¡±

    Punitto Moe defeated Momonga¡¯s reply with a ¡°Naive¡±.

    ¡°We won¡¯t know about the situation until we¡¯re there. For all we know, it might be a trap or some sort of hunting ground.¡±

    ¡°Well, that said... can¡¯t we use the icon that shows up when we¡¯re near it to tell if the dungeon has been explored before? There¡¯s no way to disguise that, so it should be okay, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s naive too, Momonga-san. Unexplored and undiscovered are simr, but different. If it was me, I¡¯d stay about one step before the dungeon is gged as discovered, so any other people who discovered it ¡ª this is just a hypothesis, of course ¡ª jump in with their guards lowered.¡±

    ¡°...Punitto-san, you¡¯re a very scary person. You¡¯re the number one scariest person in this n, no, in this guild. But you¡¯re right, it¡¯s good to be cautious about this.¡±

    ¡°Number one scariest, huh. Then, I¡¯m not so much cautious as cowardly.¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t think you¡¯re cowardly. After all, that time¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh! Momonga-san, please don¡¯t mention that. Well, let¡¯s leave that aside for now. I¡¯m fully aware of the dangers of splitting up our fighting power, but this is our guild¡¯s first group activity, after all. We wouldn¡¯t want to fail because of a silly little mistake, no?¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true...¡±

    ¡°During this enterprise, the worst case scenario is that we get PKed. Momonga, I understand how you want everyone to delve into the dungeon together. However, leaving someone at the entrance is an important part in our n. After all, you don¡¯t want to be wiped out, but you want topletely clear the dungeon, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Then you should understand.¡± Momonga had nothing to say in the face of Punitto Moe¡¯s words.

    Though he was still trying to ept this proposal, on an intellectual level, he had already concluded that it was the right answer.

    He would burden the group if he allowed himself to be ruled by his emotions. Therade before him knew that the Guildmaster should have reined himself in, yet chose to help and contribute his wisdom to this endeavour. Momonga deeply regretted how he had troubled everyone with the difficult task of clearing an unknown dungeon.

    A Guildmaster should act rationally. He had no idea what he had been doing in the throes of his excitement.

    He recalled the loneliness he felt when one of hisrades left, and then he nodded to Punitto Moe.

    ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll bring it up with everyone afterwards.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m counting on you.¡±

    Momonga already had several candidates in mind for the rear guard. As expected, this sort of thing was best left to members of building sses.

    ¡°Ah, please say that I suggested it.¡±

    He had no idea what that was about, but he agreed anyway.

    ¡°Eh? Ah, alright. I understand. However, this is just like Punitto Moe-san. I didn¡¯t think of PKs or whatnot.¡±

    ¡°Well, PKing is pretty popr in this game. Most games wouldn¡¯t let PKing get this far, or promote PKing at all.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? I¡¯ve never yed other games, so I¡¯m not sure about that.¡±

    ¡°Ah, then why don¡¯t we try a different game together? There¡¯s one that I¡¯d really like to try.¡±

    ¡°Mm, while that¡¯s not a bad idea, shouldn¡¯t we master Yggdrasil first?¡±

    ¡°Can you really master this game? No, you might be able to do it, after several years.¡±

    One thing that the developers of Yggdrasil forgot was to make the game user-friendly. The very fact that the joke existed highlighted how little information there was in the game. In addition, there was a mountain of things which could not be verified about the game despite the yers¡¯ best efforts. Even after several years, it was not strange that there were still a lot of unknown things about the game.

    What kind of lunatic would master this game, Punitto Moeughed.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll need to impart the PK tactics I came up with to you, Momonga-san. I¡¯m also thinking of writing a book called ¡®PKing For Dummies¡¯ as well.¡±

    ¡°On the outside?¡±

    The outside ¡ª in other words, the real world.

    ¡°No, no, how could I? I meant inside, in this world.¡±

    In Yggdrasil, one could store a manuscript in book form and read it like a book in the real world.

    There were people in the game who put works whose copyright had expired into books, and sold them cheaply.

    ¡°I see. Then, can you let me see that manual of yours when you¡¯re done? Lessons on how to attack are useful for defense as well.¡±

    ¡°Naturally. When the timees, please, by all means.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it! Fufufu. I¡¯ll make sure I copy it and pass it down.¡±

    ¡°Momonga-san, what are you saying?!¡±

    After his embarrassed outburst, Punitto Moe sank into deep thought, and spoke quietly to Momonga.

    ¡°...Is that really alright? If a lot of people know about it, then you¡¯ll lose your advantage, Momonga-san. There¡¯s no need to share knowledge with everyone. Only a select few need to know. Knowledge is valuable because it¡¯s rare. When you spread it, it bes useless.¡±

    ¡°Come to think of it, that¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right! Momonga-san is my friend, as well as my Guildmaster. That¡¯s why I¡¯m teaching you.¡±

    ¡°Apart from that, is hiding your dark history because it is too embarrassing the other reason?¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s usually that way. It¡¯s like how you get into a song and record it for an album or something, and then when you listen to it several yearster you want to kill yourself.¡±

    That was a cry of despair. However, Punitto Moe¡¯s face remained unchanged.

    This was an inconvenience of Yggdrasil.

    It would be more interesting if his expression could change with his words.

    As he thought about that, he also realised that it was impossible.

    It would not be that difficult for humanoid yers, but writing macros to move the faces of demihumans and heteromorphic beings was extremely difficult. In addition, there was Ainz¡¯s bony face to consider. The creaking of bones as they moved would probably be quite gross.

    ¡°Ah, my apologies. I opened the door to my cruel past, which should never have been touched. If any doors should have been opened, I¡¯d pick one leading to a warmer season ¡ª right, Momonga, what did you want to discuss with me. Does it have anything to do with the NPC mercenaries?¡±

    ¡°Mm. How many can I trust you tomand?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I should be able to handle three with no problems.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much. I might not need to give you that many, depending on the number of door sentries. Then, I¡¯ll be counting on you.¡±

    Momonga left Punitto Moe, and after making the same request of Touch Me, he returned to the center of the room and shouted, ¡°Sorry for repeating myself! Everyone, please listen to me!¡±

    Just like before, Momonga felt the attention of everyone focused on him.

    Yet, although expressions did not change in this game, he could pick up their mood, which surprised him. ording to Touch Me, when in battle, one could instantly sense an opponent¡¯s intentions, thus evading his attacks. Something simr seemed to be happening here. However, Momonga was not that sensitive. Perhaps only a warrior ss could do that.

    ¡°I intend to assign the parties. As usual, they¡¯ll be grouped into physical attackers, magical attackers, defenders, healers, and others. I also need to assign the scouts¡ª¡±

    Momonga paused briefly.

    ¡°Let¡¯s assign door sentries as well. Does anyone object?¡±

    This was something that he, the Guildmaster, had decided based on the suggestion of a guild member. Mentioning his name did not seem right.

    Everyone shook their heads. Although Momonga made eye contact with Punitto Moe for an instant, thetter merely shrugged and smiled bitterly.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case... well, we can carry on as normal.¡±

    ¡°¡ªNo objections.¡±

    ¡°¡ªThat¡¯s fine.¡±

    Several people approved, and nobody seemed to object.

    ¡°Then, we¡¯ll decide the door sentries next... How many will we need?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be happy to stay behind.¡±

    The first person to raise his hand was the cksmith Amanomahitotsu. After that, two more people raised their hands. They were members of crafting sses as well.

    The n had never really focused on dungeon clearing and PKing. There were many people who yed the game with the spirit of adventure within them. They were filled with the desire to set foot on unknownnds and discover unknown things. Naturally, even members of crafting sses did not spend all day in their workshops, and took levels in basicbat sses so they could handle any problems, to a certain extent. That said, since their builds contained crafting sses, they felt that they were a burden during dungeon assaults.

    Momonga knew fully well why they would rise when faced with this proposal. It was because he knew that he felt bad about it. Still, Momonga lowered his head to the three of them.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but can we leave this to you?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, Momonga-san. Please raise your head. We¡¯re the ones chatting idly while everyone else is fighting.¡±

    ¡°I want to try making a new weapon too. I just discovered a rare metal processing technique, so I want to try it out.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re just bringing our tasks to the dungeon entrance. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    After Amanomahitotsu spoke, the other two rapidly followed suit.

    Still, Momonga nodded to them again.

    ¡°Then, Nishiki-san, I¡¯d like you to share your map with the rest of us. You don¡¯t mind, right?¡±

    ¡°Naturally. Ah, then, I just finished collecting information on the monsters that appear in the swamp. Nobody¡¯ll mind if I share it, right?¡±

    There was no reason to object.

    Nishiki Enrai produced a number of scrolls ¡ª one for everyone ¡ª out of thin air and began working on it.

    A sh of light leapt from the scrolls.

    Everyone present reached out a hand to take a scroll. Momonga did the same.

    Once the scroll opened, letters reading ¡°New Information Obtained¡± appeared.

    Momonga ignored the scroll which had vanished into light and touched those letters. Immediately, line after line of text appeared.

    The first piece of information pertained to the terrain.

    There was an X in the exact center of the sprawling swamp. A man had written in not very presentable letters ¡°Dungeon Here¡±. Beside it were three symbols marked ¡°Frog Base¡±. Then, there were other iconsbelled ¡°Lots of Slippery Things¡±, ¡°Poison Gas¡±, ¡°Boss Level¡± and so on. In addition, there were linesbelled ¡°Probable Patrol Routes¡±.

    I see, Momonga mused as he digested the information. Then, he touched the characters corresponding to the next set of information.

    Next was the monster data.

    There were blurry pictures of monsters, with their name, level and other data.

    Lv64 Grenbera Devil Lich

    Lv74 Grenbera Purple Worm

    Lv78 Grenberan Swarmlord

    Lv80 Mad Eater

    Lv80 Swamp Naga

    Lv80 Grenbera Tuveg

    Lv83 Grenbera Tuveg Fighter

    Lv83 Grenbera Tuveg Priest

    Lv84 Grenbera Tuveg Knight

    Lv85 Grenbera Tuveg Warlord

    ¡°And then¡ª¡±

    Nishiki¡¯s words made Momonga stop halfway through his study of the monsters, and he turned to look at him.

    ¡°¡ªThese are the guys I met. I visually confirmed them, but there might be monsters I have not encountered yet, so be careful. Also, I saw some stronger guys in the distance, but they were near thebelled bases, so I didn¡¯t close in to check.¡±

    ¡°Hm. Level 80ish means the highest levelled monsters in the depths of the dungeon will be 90 or so. That should also be the ideal level.¡±

    Most of Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s members were around level 90 or so. He felt like they could clear the dungeon without a problem.

    ¡°Take-yan. Carelessness is forbidden. It¡¯smon knowledge that dungeons are more difficult than their surrounding areas.¡±

    Of course, the opposite case could also be true, but they had never heard of such examples before.

    ¡°Still, luck is going to be a big factor. Clearing a level 90 dungeon in one shot isn¡¯tpletely impossible. If that¡¯s the case, then let¡¯s go in all guns zing. Now¡¯s the time to burn up our cash items.¡±

    ¡°If we do that, it¡¯ll be a pretty amazing sight.¡±

    The idea that they might be able to do it filled the room, and Momonga felt his stomach cramping up.

    If they felt it was impossible, they couldfort themselves when they failed by saying ¡°It was as expected¡±. But if they thought it was possible and failed, the impact would be much greater.

    Momonga regretted his foolish announcement.

    Trying to temper their excitement with a caution was the thinking of a loser. However, that caution might help matters.

    However, he could not say that, as the organizer of the event.

    Just then, a savior appeared.

    ¡°¡ªEveryone, you¡¯re being too overconfident. Do you know how low the odds are of one-shotting an unknown dungeon? The effective level of a dungeon goes up several times when you try it for the first time.¡±

    The speaker was Ulbert.

    Granted, those words were rain on their parade, but because of that, everyone calmed down.

    At the same time, a ringing reached Momonga¡¯s ear. It was a magical ¡®Message¡¯, and it was from Punitto Moe.

    ¡º¡ªGood luck, Momonga-san.¡»

    Momonga signed onto the dedicated ¡®Message¡¯ channel, and cast his spell. This way, his voice would only reach the recipient of his ¡®Message¡¯.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡ºDon¡¯t worry about it, but do keep in mind that panic is the seed of defeat, so you must keep calm and think logically. Remain calm, look beyond your surroundings, and don¡¯t waste your effort on unnecessary details, Momonga-san. Carelessness is your greatest enemy. However, I¡¯m also nning to clear this in one go. So, all the best!¡»

    After saying what he wanted to say, the ¡®Message¡¯ ended.

    ¡°All right! Then, everyone, we¡¯ll set out for our objective in 30 minutes¡¯ time. Please get yourselves ready!¡±

    To be continued¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 71

    Overlord Blu-ray 6 Special ¨C Overlord Prologue (2nd Half)

    Tranted by: Nigel the Overlord of the Great Tomb of Trantion

    Edited by: PervySageChuck AKA ¡°Nigel¡¯s Court Jester¡±

    Edited by: Sky the Hardest Morning Wood in the World

    Edited by: TaintedDreams and his Wet Dream Stained Pajamas

    Edited by: Someone who just happened to stumble here

    Part 3

    The members of the guild Ainz Ooal Gown ¡ª once known as the n Nine¡¯s Own Goal ¡ª gathered on the outskirts of Helheim, roughly one hundred meters away from the toxic fog-covered Poison Swamp, in a ce called the Piercing Crystal ins.

    Much like the Poison Swamp, the Piercing Crystal ins were a hazardous environment, covered in frozen vegetation that resembled crystal razors. These razors dealt damage with every step taken within the ins, and they could damage yers wearing Relic-ss armor. In addition, mineralized monsters wandered through the ins, and anyone who did not use bludgeoning-type weapons would have a hard time dealing with them.

    In any world ¡ª especially on the heteromorphic species¡¯ home turf of Niflheim, Helheim and Muspelheim ¡ª things became more dangerous the further one went from the center of the world. In addition to the wandering monsters, the very terrain itself became a hazard.

    Still, this was nothing for the members of Ainz Ooal Gown. Although certain countermeasures had to be taken, and though these countermeasures were not permanent, with them it was still possible to move at full speed through the Piercing Crystal ins. In fact, they were making preparations on the ins.

    Of course, this was not to say that they were not tense, or that they were careless.

    After casting severalyers of defensive magic, they used magically-created eyes to scout their surroundings. In addition, they used illusion magic of the highest tier, the [Mirror World] spell, to create a hemispherical screen which enclosed the members of the guild.

    One could observe the outside world from inside the bubble without any problems, but from the outside, the inhabitants of the barrier were invisible, and people outside would only see the background. Aside from making the user harder to detect, the spell could also deflect a certain proportion of attacks directed at the upants within.

    Such extensive preparations were made not because they feared monsters, but because they were on guard against yers of simr power to themselves. Not only was there no penalty for PKing heteromorphic species, there were even benefits for doing so. In fact, some powerful sses were unlocked by PKing heteromorphs, and although heteromorph hunting was not asmon now as it was in the past, it was still a very real thing. Only a fool would lower their guard, even in a heteromorphic home world.

    Momonga fiddled with the console by his hand. There he saw a list of guild members, along with their HP and MP gauges. At the top was Touch Me, followed by Nishiki Enrai, Wish III, Warrior Takemikazuchi, Momonga, Ancient One, tfoot, and Amanomahitotsu, the eight remaining founding members. After that were the neen who joinedter: Peroroncino, Bukubukuchagama, Herohero, Blue, Ulbert in Odle, Ga, Bellriver, Variable Talisman, Nearata, Nuubou, Genjiro, Yamaiko, Whitebrim, Punitto Moe, Tab Smaragdina, Beast King Mekongawa, Tigris Euphrates, Temperance and than.

    In total, there were 27 people ¡ª the full strength of Ainz Ooal Gown.

    As he looked at the names, an indescribable feeling welled up within him and heat surged through his chest.

    Amanomahitotsu the cksmith was the leader of the guild¡¯s crafters, who typically preferred to adventure by themselves. They were here now to take part in the guild¡¯s first group event.

    He had to thank them. It would be wrong not to do so.

    However, on the other side of his tion was a hefty burden.

    His stomach ached as he thought of what would happen if their maiden venture ended in failure. There would be no guarantee that they would ever adventure together again if that came to pass. As he thought of how Touch Me had struggled under this stress for so long, Momonga could not help but bow his head in respect.

    Failure was not an option.

    Momonga quietly took several deep breaths, cleared the screen away, forced himself to get it together and then approached one of the guild members.

    ¡°Nuubou-san, how are things going?¡±

    ¡°Hm? Ah, it¡¯s fine. For now, I can say nobody¡¯s spying on us through magical means.¡±

    This conclusion came from Nuubou, who built his character as a divination specialist. He was also known as the ¡°Eyes of Nine¡¯s Own Goal¡±. His words guaranteed that there was no magical surveince observing them. It would have taken an infiltrator of unprecedented ability to hide from his eyes.

    ¡°Also, there¡¯s nobody spying on us via physical means, Momonga-san.¡±

    That report came from tfoot and Nishiki Enrai, who had gone to reconnoiter the surroundings.

    Though the assassin and ninja duo were not as good as pure scouting-type characters, no stealth- specialized character had evaded their eyes so far.

    After taking their feedback into consideration, he could be certain that nobody was paying attention to this ce.

    Momonga looked around.

    A lot of the people here had frightening appearances. The way they sat around the ce looked like some sort of dark cabal conducting an evil ritual. However, all Momonga saw were the figures of veteran yers.

    ¡°Then, everyone! Are you ready?¡±

    As one, thumbs-up icons blossomed around them.

    This was the signal that their preparations wereplete. After all, there were nearly thirty of them, so individually asking if they were ready would waste a lot of time. In order to avoid that, this was how they had responded, ever since they had started out as a n.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go. Advance party, we¡¯ll leave the details to you.¡±

    ¡°OK~¡± replied Nishiki Enrai, leader of the scouting team.

    After that everyone changed their equipment, stepping into the Poison Swamp once they were immune to poison.

    The toxic areas in normal wends were scattered throughout the terrain, so one could simply go around the poisoned areas to reach the dungeon which was their objective. However, the detours involved would take a long time, so instead they chose to take the shortest path and cut straight through the toxic regions. The reason for that was because they were all working people, and thus wanted to avoid wasting time. There was also a father whoughed and said that despite the day off tomorrow, his family would kill him if he did not take care of them.

    A system message appeared.

    [Grenbera Swamp]

    That was the only thing Momonga saw, but some of hisrades knew more about the region, and they raised their voices to inform the others.

    ¡°This is a huge patch of wends littered with poisonous marshes, controlled by the Tuvegs, who are immune to poison.¡±

    yers received different pieces of additional information upon entering a new area, depending on the skills and abilities they possessed. For example, alchemists and herbalists, with their herbological skills, would learn about the various herbs they could harvest in the area.

    ¡°And then... huh, it¡¯s nothing special. Monsters in residence ¡ª they¡¯re about the same as what Nishiki-san discovered. There¡¯s no information on rarities either... could it be hidden? Or maybe there¡¯s no rare info? Which could it be?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no way there¡¯s no rare info, it must be hidden. You probably need to wade in until you¡¯re covered in mud to find it. I feel it¡¯s most likely in one of the Tuveg hamlets. Let¡¯s try to swing by there and take it down as soon as possible. If there¡¯re some undiscovered herbs there, we might be able to make a rare potion. Man, the game devs are insane. They make you scrounge for the ingredients for your potions... I¡¯ve already made over 200 types of potions, but there¡¯re still a lot which haven¡¯t been discovered yet.¡±

    ¡°Aside from potions, there¡¯re still a lot of undiscovered ores as well, right? The description on apoitakara says that it¡¯s a type of rainbow ore, which means that only two of them have been found so far...¡±

    ¡°Well, the devs are one thing, but I think the gamepany¡¯s mad as well. I mean, with all the content, you can y for a long time... but they seem to have forgotten the word restraint. They must have left the term ¡®user friendly¡¯ back at their main office.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Speaking of the main office... the guy they sent over from ourpany¡¯s head office a while back was terrible...¡±

    ¡°Uwah, sorry, let¡¯s not talk about this. I seem to be having an allergic reaction to the word pany¡¯... Should we make it a guild rule not to talk about the workce? Maybe only allow it in the half an hour or so before you log off. You know, when you have to return to reality.¡±

    Momonga chased away the words in his ears.

    He did not know who had spokenst, but he agreed fully with him. He did not want to think about work. Whether you wanted it or not, tomorrow woulde anyway.

    As these dark thoughts slowly began to swallow Momonga, he decided to use the conversations around him to try and motivate himself. Therefore, he kept his ears open for anything game-rted which the others might be talking about.

    ¡°¡ªKnowledge-type skills, huh? I¡¯ve been thinking about resping towards those. I¡¯ve almost unlocked a ss which uses special attacks derived from monster lore. Do you think my DPS would go up if I branched out from there?

    DPS was an acronym for Damage Per Second.

    It measured how much damage one could do in a second, and to attackers, it was the most important thing in the game. Theoretically speaking, one could create the ultimate weapon by embedding damage-increasing data crystals into a big weapon with high data capacity. However, weapons like that were unwieldy, and would result in fewer attacks due to the difficulty of using them. As a result, the wielder¡¯s overall DPS would go down. No right-thinking attacker would even think of using a weapon like that.

    In addition, as monsters went up in level, they gained all sorts of special abilities. At this level, they could greatly decrease any damage done to them. Therefore, it was quitemon to require weapons made of special materials or with the appropriate elements to bypass these abilities.

    ¡°But that would mean you wouldn¡¯t be as focused on attack power as you are now, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking I could make up for it with an elemental weapon.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s not a bad idea, but then you¡¯d really need those divine-ss items, right? Wouldn¡¯t that be difficult?¡±

    ¡°Is that so~? Well, it can¡¯t be helped~ I wanted to experiment a little but it¡¯s too troublesome...¡±

    If one could make a second character in Yggdrasil, this sort ofint would not exist. However, that was impossible in games like these. Experimenting with different sses was only possible by dying and losing levels.

    Even if it was easier to gain levels in this game aspared to other DMMOs, it was still a time-consuming process. One would not go to that kind of trouble just to fool around.

    Momonga often longed for a second character himself. He had heard peopleining about how unfair it was that one could not make another character in this game, and he personally agreed with them.

    If he could, he would like to be a warrior, like Touch Me.

    Although it was said that the warrior sses were limited by one¡¯s real-world reflexes, that restriction only came into y during duels between top-ss warriors. It was not a deciding factor during normal y.

    Touch-san gave himself a scarf, but I think I¡¯d like a big, flowy red cape... My sword would have to be huge, just like Warrior Takemikazuchi-san¡¯s. I could swing it around stylishly.

    Incidentally, Momonga had learned the warrior transformation spell, but it was not very useful, and so he had almost no chance to use it. In a party, each person divided the workload among themselves and did their part in order to achieve victory for the team. In order to do that, they had to excel at their assigned function.

    Momonga was a back-liner, and when he went adventuring in a party, he was obliged to use magic that made a meaningful contribution to the group.

    If he could not do that, then there was no point in ying in a group.

    That being the case, if he were travelling alone ¡ª if he were ying solo, there was a good chance he could bring it into y.

    However¡ª

    Momonga looked to his guildmates, quietly advancing through the poison swamp. He watched his friends chat as they walked, flitting from topic to topic.

    He was suddenly lost in a memory of loneliness.

    When the guild had still been a n ¡ª although it had been a n until recently¡ª the only members had been working folk, oddly enough, and they had gathered to meet at night. While some of them had unusual jobs and thus kept odd hours ¡ª Bukubukuchagama the seiyuu being a prime example ¡ª for the most part, nobody would be online during the day.

    Momonga would return straight home after work, log on ahead of everyone else, and then he would summon undead to protect himself and hire NPC mercenaries to hunt monsters. So technically speaking, he was used to ying alone.

    However, he never felt lonely, because he was certain that someone else would log on. But if they were not around ¡ª if nobody logged on any more, what would he do?

    Should he quit this guild, and join a new one?

    Or should he recruit new members?

    He disliked both options. It was not as though he was afraid of strangers. After all, he could get along normally with the people in hispany ¡ª although they probably thought he was antisocial because he did not go drinking with them.

    Still, he disliked having to make that choice.

    This opinion was not born of logic, but his emotions. Therefore, he could not bring himself to ept those options.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Momonga-san? Are you low on nanomachines?¡±

    Herohero was beside him.

    ¡°My nanomachines are fine. I topped them off before going online.¡±

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s good, then. This may take a long time ¡ª although I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯ll be the case ¡ª but it would be a good idea to make sure you¡¯re topped off before entering the dungeon. It would be bad if you were forcibly ejected at a critical moment. I¡¯ve a friend in real life who was ying a different game, he was kicked out of the game during a guild ranking battle, and by the time he came back, his guild had lost and they reamed him out for it. And it wasn¡¯t even his fault that they lost.¡±

    ¡°...That¡¯s pretty scary.¡±

    ¡°I know our guild won¡¯t be like that, but there are guilds like that out there. You know, the try hard types. I hate those picky guilds. Games are meant to be yed, after all. ...Oh, what¡¯s this? You look pretty suspicious,rade. The type that Touch-san would arrest.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s mean, saying I¡¯m suspicious,¡± Momonga smiled bitterly. ¡°I¡¯m just a guildmaster wondering about how we¡¯re going to breach the dungeon soon, and it made me feel a little mncholy.¡±

    ¡°...Hahaha. Seems you¡¯re worrying right from the start... However, if we manage to find data crystals loaded with rare data or artifacts, it¡¯ll be worth it. Well, if you ask me, being able to actually clear an unknown dungeon in one shot would be a greater treasure than any of those.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. It¡¯ll be an unforgettable memory.¡±

    Halfway through their conversation, a squishy sound, as though one were walking in a pair of flooded long boots, came from the side.

    ¡°Oh, visibility is poor now.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°Looks like some mist just rolled in. Momonga-san, if you change your vision mode, you¡¯ll see it.¡±

    Momonga had cast the spell [Widen Magic ¨C Complete Vision], which could pierce fog up to a distance of 200 meters ahead of him. This was why everything looked clear to him.

    Although there was no reason for him to put himself at a disadvantage, he had a friend at his side, so there was no harm in doing as Herohero said and briefly disabling his magical vision.

    He entered themand to change vision modes into the console.

    In that moment, the world became a sea of cloudy white.

    ¡°Uoh!¡±

    The difference between his expectations and reality forced a quiet gasp of surprise from him.

    ¡°Haha, scared? Actually, it¡¯s been like this for a while now.¡±

    An aura of wicked amusement seemed to being from Herohero. It might even have qualified as satisfaction.

    ¡°Come on, give me a break.¡±

    Although the bitter smile he was showing seemed to imply nothing was the matter, the fact was that it had touched a nerve. The terror of not being able to see anything aside, the shock blended with the lingering dark thoughts from earlier, and he felt as though he was alone again.

    Momonga operated his console, and restored his vision.

    It seemed everyone in his party could see through the mist. Or rather, that was to be expected. They had been through all sorts of adventures to get to their current levels, so everyone had already made the necessary preparations for this endeavour.

    Just then, Momonga felt something was amiss, and asked:

    ¡°Still, Herohero-san, how did youe to have human eyesight?¡±

    Herohero was a slime. Slimes used a sort of motion detection sense to learn about their surroundings in ce of ordinary vision, so he should not have perceived the world like a human did.

    ¡°Ah, I equipped a magic item that gave me that ability. The innate motion detection ability which all slimes possess is very useful, but it¡¯s only effective within a limited radius. I can¡¯t see beyond 100 meters, which is pretty spooky if you ask me. I¡¯d be in trouble if someone attacked me from outside that range, so I decided to give myself something to let me see normally.¡±

    ¡°Any advantagees with a weakness. It¡¯s how this game works.¡±

    ¡°The good bnces out the bad. Oh, I¡¯m picking up something on my vibration sense.¡±

    He turned to where the ck tentacle was pointing, and saw the outline of a massive worm.

    It was a vast purple worm, over ten times the width of a human torso, its surface gleaming wetly.

    These worms moved in packs, so it would be troublesome if it detected them.

    The group suddenly halted. The magic casters pointed their fingers at the worm, while the warriors readied their ranged weapons.

    If it spotted them, they were ready to destroy it in an instant, before it could summon its friends.

    Momonga had a spell ready on his console, and took the stance he always did for attack spells. While Momonga¡¯s usual role was to buff and debuff people, it would be more effective to attack directly given their numbers now.

    After several seconds had passed, it seemed that their enemy had not spotted them, and slowly slithered back into the swamp.

    ¡°I¡¯m not one for sneaking about. I want to cut a swathe through them,¡± Ulbertined from somewhere in the distance.

    ¡°Ulbert-san, please don¡¯t waste your MP. You should spend it all on the boss.¡±

    Ulbert¡¯s character build revolved around World Disaster, a ss with incredible firepower. On top of that, he took levels in sses which further specialized in offensive ability. By attack power alone, he was easily among the top five in the guild, but he had a weakness. Though he had an ample supply of MP his consumption rate outstripped even that, in other words, he burned through MP quickly.

    One could say that the difficulty of a dungeon expedition was directly rted to how much MP he could bring to face the boss.

    ¡°Aw, I was just kidding. I know that. I¡¯ve been saving up all this time, haven¡¯t I? This is the maiden adventure of Ainz Ooal Gown, no? I¡¯ll make sure it all works out!¡±

    He clenched his right fist to show his sincerity. Momonga could feel his motivation, which was quite uncharacteristic of him.

    ¡°Ah, but I wouldn¡¯t mind if you gave me some MP. That way, we could blow right through them and still have enough for a grand disy at the boss.¡±

    ¡°Hm? Were you talking to me?¡±

    Yamaiko was a magic caster who was adept at spirit-type magic, and she had further specialized within that field as a healer, which granted her curative spells. If it was her, she could transfer MP to another person via the appropriate spell.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a bad idea, actually. Do you mind if I do it when the timees? I can use staves and wands for healing anyway.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t trust wands and staves for healing during a boss battle, and besides, you run out of juice fast, Yamaiko. If you want to transfer MP, I¡¯d rather you get it from someone else.¡±

    Yamaiko¡¯s role in one sentence was that of a defensive healer. With her innate defenses and regeneration,bined with a build which emphasised those two qualities, she could even serve as a tank of sorts. Even when surrounded by the enemy, she could still heal her allies.

    That said, being able to off-tank was a far cry from being able to main-tank.

    Her weapon of choice, a huge gauntlet, could not do much damage. In exchange, it had an increased ability to inflict knockback on her foes. The fact that she used a weapon which put distance between herself and her enemies was ample proof that she was a healer at the core.

    In this sense, she had two weaknesses.

    The first was that she did not have much MP. Of course, she had more than enough for general healing, but it was insufficient when one factored in the need to cast buff spells and other things. The other weakness was that her attack power was very low, in exchange for improved regeneration.

    With these in mind, she could be said to be the final defensive line of the group. Her role was to off-tank if the battle line started to crumble, heal everyone¡¯s wounds and revive dyingrades.

    ¡°Still, why are we speaking so quietly?¡±

    Ulbert and Yamaiko looked at each other¡¯s¡¯ faces, and confusedly replied, ¡°I have no idea.¡±

    It would seem that they had unconsciously lowered their volume since they were trying to be stealthy. After all the monsters could detect them with their programmed senses ¡ª vision, hearing, smell, and magic. Because of that, it was not wrong to crouch and speak softly.

    However ¡ª those considerations were only applicable at low levels. Once yers reached high levels, they could use a variety of spells and skills to conceal the entire party and infiltrate together. Given the abilities they had been using up till now, there was no need to sneak around.

    When the worm from just now had appeared, the others only raised their weapons because they saw someone do it first and thought, ¡°me too¡±.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just because visibility is better here.¡±

    ¡°Ah. Yes, that¡¯s right. Like how you¡¯d feel, leaving the house in just your underwear.¡±

    Although Ulbert¡¯s meaning was quite subtle, Momonga managed to get it, more or less.

    ¡°Mm, it sounds kind of wrong, but I guess that¡¯s how it is.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t get it.¡±

    Keeping quiet for reasons they did not quite understand, the group followed the pioneers into the swamp.

    They encountered many Tuvegs along the way, but they carefully went around the detection radius of the bipedal frog-monsters. Their attitude was different from just now, because some monsters had the ability to see through concealment, and the Tuvegs were such monsters.

    Of course, they used magic to improve their mobility, but the journey still took a long time, given that they had to detour around the Tuvegs. However, they could finally see something different on the other side of the swamp.

    This was their destination, the dungeon. Part of it looked like a small ind

    ¡°So that¡¯s it...¡±

    After oveying the map drawn by Nishiki Enrai on top of the current area minimap, it was easy to ascertain that they had arrived at their objective.

    If they rxed at this point, there was a possibility that guardian monsters might ambush them. It was not umon for the monsters to employ the old trick of hiding underground.

    Given the malicious nature of the Yggdrasil devs, this might be the cue for a Tuveg boss to jump out and draw everyone into a full-scale battle. Or rather, Momonga had seen such things before in game videos, where the result was a total party kill.

    This was why the scouts had such an important job.

    First, Momonga made sure that there was nothing that would be triggered by the presence of the undead nearby.

    Then, he essed the hotkeys on his console, selecting the number 8 out of the numbers 1 to 10. This 8 represented 8th tier spells.

    Aplex menuposed ofyers of ring-shaped pages appeared before him. There were 12 spells in each of the four rings, for a total of 48 spells.

    In this way, he could hotkey up to 480 spells.

    Normally, a level 100 magic caster would learn around 300 spells over the course of the game. Even cash items could only increase that number by another 100. However, there were more than a few yers who looked at the extra empty spaces on the shortcut menu and took it as a challenge from the developers.

    The ability to skilfully navigate these menus ¡ª fully understanding and memorizing the effects and proper application of each spell ¡ª was one of the biggest factors in one¡¯s ability as a magic caster.

    Just as warriors were affected by their real-life reflexes, magic-using sses relied heavily on their memory.

    Momonga fluidly navigated the menus.

    Although he would not browse his spells so leisurely inbat, he had the luxury of taking his time for now. As he went through the pages of spells by rote, he recalled the order in which the spells were arranged, an order which he had forced himself to memorize.

    He tapped the fourth ring, the outermost one.

    Out of the ring of 12 spells that becamerger than the others, he tapped on one of them.

    ¡°[Remote Viewing].¡±

    There was no need to tap any other hotkeys, given that he was not nning to apply any metamagic enhancements to the spell.

    As the spell was cast, an arcane eye ¡ª a magic sensor ¡ª appeared. There were other members of the guild who had already released simr sensory organs, so there was no need for Momonga to do that. Still, Momonga was the best undead detector in the guild, so just in case, he deftly manipted the arcane sensor and sent it toward the small ind.

    His right hand held the control stick for the sensor¡¯s movements, while he used his left hand to direct the sensor¡¯s field of view. Missing a huge chunk of one¡¯s visual field was frightening, to say the least, but it was fine now, because he had trustworthy allies nearby.

    The wall which separated the ind from the swamp was overgrown with moss and broken in many ces, and could no longer serve its purpose as a barrier. One could see the inside through the gaps.

    There were remains there ¡ª the remains of a tomb.

    The destruction was thorough, even the tombstones had been smashed. There seemed to be something like a mausoleum in the middle, but it was beginning to copse. There was a shrine of some sort as well, but it was little more than a ruin. Not even monsters could hide within it. At a nce, there was nothing else which was suspicious.

    Still, after viewing this scene, Momonga seemed even more tense than before.

    In games, tombs would almost certainly be inhabited by undead creatures. Yggdrasil was no exception, which was why Momonga had cast this spell.

    If there were any undead in there, he would definitely find them.

    With that resolve steeling his movements, he turned the control stick, sending the arcane eye in a full orbit of the small ind. However, there were no undead reactions.

    ¡°No sign of monsters. No sign of incorporeal beings either.¡±

    ¡°Same here. No signs of moving objects above or below ground.¡±

    ¡°No undead reactions either.¡±

    ¡°Do you think a boss is going to pop out?¡±

    ¡°Or a trap? Multiple summoning-type traps at once are hard to deal with.¡±

    ¡°In any case, I¡¯ve used my trump card once already, out of four times a day. At the very least, there are no magical traps here.¡±

    The other guild members had already examined the ind in their own ways, and the reports slowly filtered in. They paused for a moment to look at each other, and then began heading out for the small ind. The rear guard team remained on alert, keeping an appropriate distance from the delving team in case something should happen.

    ¡°...So this is the sort of dungeon where the real fight starts after we step into that broken-down old building?¡±

    ¡°No, it should be once we pass through the mausoleum and enter the underground, right? After all, we¡¯re still quite close to the swamp.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s pretty meta.... In any case, keep your sensors away from the building so you don¡¯t trip any gs. After we set foot on the ind, it¡¯ll be a different matter. Then, Momonga-san, please do the honors.¡±

    ¡°Well then...¡±

    The moment he set foot on the ground from the swamp, text appeared in his field of view, just like when he had entered the swamp. However, this time, beside the words Great Tomb of Nazarick was an icon which indicated an unexplored dungeon.

    ¡°Nazarick, huh... I wonder which mythology it came from?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve never heard of this before.¡±

    The prompt answer came from Tab Smaragdina, part of the rear guard. They were steadily catching up with the advance party, and establishing a formation against possible enemy attack.

    ¡°It¡¯s not Latin or Greek either. Ah well, not all names in Yggdrasil are from mythology anyway. This is probably one of those exceptions. Also, there¡¯s no special info about this ce either.¡±

    Just then, Nuubou stepped forward and cast a spell. He should probably be able to scan the area with no problems.

    Several secondter, he informed the group of his findings.

    ¡°¡ªThere¡¯s nothing, Momonga-san. I sent my arcane eye into the central mausoleum, but there were no contacts on the enemy sonar.¡±

    ¡°In other words, this is a safe area, then?¡±

    ¡°Still, those shitty devs built this ce, there might be some sort of timed effect waiting for us...¡±

    Many people indicated their approval of the scathing criticism. Most yers thought poorly of the Yggdrasil devs.

    ¡°Scouting party, is everything alright? If it is, then I believe the dungeon is in the basement of that building. Then, shouldn¡¯t we change our team lineups for dungeon exploration?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll make a shelter for us, then.¡±

    Blue the druid raised his shovel in response to the suggestion from Punitto Moe, the strategist.

    Then, he cast the 10th-tier divine spell, [Nature¡¯s Shelter], and everyone entered the bunker which had sprung forth from the earth.

    The massive doors swung open easily.

    The roof of the vast chamber they entered was just like the outside, the sky spreading endlessly above them.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about this for a while. It looks like anyone could see everything inside from above, and it kind of unsettles me.¡±

    ¡°True, I mean, even though they say it¡¯s so you¡¯ll know if the enemy is above you or something, I¡¯m still uneasy about it. Still, I heard this thing can remain standing after taking a hit from super-tier magic¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s not true. I¡¯ve seen a video, it¡¯s been breached by a [Sword of Damocles] before.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an orbital weapon, right? But isn¡¯t that an exception to the rule? After all, it¡¯s super-tier magic designed to target structures. Bit unfair to use it as aparison, right? Shouldn¡¯t youpare it to other super-tier spells?¡±

    ¡°All right. Everyone, your attention please~¡±

    The idle chatter died down in the wake of Punitto Moe¡¯s voice.

    ¡°We will now begin assigning parties for the dungeon expedition...¡±

    In response to this, Tab Smaragdina put up his hand in opposition.

    ¡°Hang on! Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a little early for that? I think we should stay in our current movement parties and go as deep as possible before changing up. If we break up now, we¡¯ll need to dispel our whole-party spells.. In addition, we should be able to go through the dungeon in this state, with only a little more trouble with the mid bosses, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s certainly possible, but shouldn¡¯t we be more careful? Besides, there¡¯s a pretty good chance those shitty devs will spring a raid boss on us.¡±

    The other guild members began discussing the matter with each other, as though Punitto Moe and Tab Smaragdina had given them the cue to start talking. However, Momonga, who had stopped to think early on, felt that he couldbine their ideas, despite the differences in the details.

    And then Punitto Moe, who knew that this would end up going nowhere, turned to look straight at Momonga.

    ¡°What do you think, Momonga-san? Should we change partyposition before we enter the dungeon, or go in and take things one step at a time?¡±

    This was one hell of a curveball. Neither side was absolutely correct, and there were pros and cons to both courses of action. In all likelihood, everyone would agree with whichever option he went with.

    However, he was ufortable enough even when he thought of picking the right course of action. The very idea of choosing wrongly made his stomach start to ache and the burden on his shoulders felt even heavier.

    This was the burden a guildmaster had to bear, and personally, Momonga would prefer to decline on deciding for them. However, that would not be possible.

    Momonga turned the matter over and over in his mind.

    At this point, Touch Me the n leader would have eagerly led everyone forward. So, should Momonga the guild leader imitate him?

    However, Momonga¡¯s chest ached.

    Thest time that happened, there was an argument, which resulted in a person leaving.

    Although Momonga deeply respected Touch Me¡¯s leadership, that memory stuck in his craw. Or no, for all he knew, that incident weighed heavily on Touch Me as well. That might have been why he abdicated his position as leader, and put forward a sessor with a different personality from his own.

    If that was the case, then Momonga should not do as Touch Me would have done.

    ¡°¡ªThen, we¡¯ll go by majority vote. Everyone, those in favor of changing parties pleasee to my right, and those in favor of carrying on without any changes please proceed to my left.¡±

    After some quiet discussion, everyone moved toward their respective sides.

    Momonga counted their numbers, and came to a conclusion.

    ¡°It seems there¡¯s more people who want to move on. Then let¡¯s go. Also, everyone, I wish to use majority vote as the standard procedure for resolving guild-wide problems like these. If a tie results, we¡¯ll have the suggesters y rock-scissors-paper... though that might be difficult for some of us here, so maybe some other form of tiebreaker might be better. In any event, I would like to settle disputes in this way. Does anyone have any objections, or a better idea?¡±

    Nobody spoke up.

    Was it because they had no objections, or was it because they felt ufortable about voicing their thoughts?

    Things like this happened at work as well. When asked ¡°what do you think?¡±, few people would speak up. Sometimes, the reason for their silence was not because they had nothing to say, but because they were afraid that voicing their opinions would lead to them being put in charge of any courses of action born from those words, or because they were afraid of having their ideas rejected, and so on.

    Momonga would need to speak with people in private after these meetings, and made a mental note in his mind.

    ¡°Then, everyone, let¡¯s make a move.¡±

    After indicating their acknowledgement, everyone headed outside.

    Although the losing side might be dissatisfied, nobody would throw a childish tantrum in the face of a majority decision. One could say that it was expected of adults... no, that was not quite right.

    There were many kinds of adults as well. Momonga knew of adults who had never really grown up, like children. The fact that none of them could be found here was due to Touch Me¡¯s good judgement in picking friends.

    At this moment, Momonga was once more keenly aware of the gravity of a guildmaster¡¯s position.

    And then, Momonga heard a conversation which dispelled his unease.

    ¡°Aw man! I thought you were one of us, tfoot-san!¡±

    ¡°Nah, I like them t, but not necessarily lolis.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re one to talk, naming your weapon Tsururinpettan... Or are you referring to something else? Could it be you like men¡¯s chests, tfoot-san?¡±

    (TL Note: Smooth and Shiny tchest)

    ¡°M-men¡¯s chests?¡±

    ¡°Am I wrong? Don¡¯t you like them t? If that¡¯s the case, then men¡¯s chests would be... are you a homo?¡±

    Peroroncino!

    Momonga suppressed the urge to yell at him. His introspection from earlier was nowhere to be found. Still, Momonga understood his friend¡¯s personality... or rather, his fetishes. With him around, it would not be a surprise if this sort of thing was brought up.

    Should he get himself together, and lend a helping hand to the dumbfounded tfoot?

    Just as Momonga was waffling over this decision, he heard another voice.

    ¡°...People mightugh it off at a drinking party, but do you really think you can shout this sort of thing out just because you¡¯re among friends?¡±

    It was Bukubukuchagama. A premonition of dread filled Momonga as he noticed that the pitch of her voice was a bit low. However, for some reason, her little brother Peroroncino had not realized this yet.

    The truth was, tfoot had already backed away from Peroroncino.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s because you¡¯re t yourself, Aneki, that men don¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªOi.¡±

    That cold voice carried a hint of impending doom, like a guillotine de slicing down.

    ¡°Oi, brat. Do you want me to tell everyone about what you did when you were twelve?¡±

    ¡°...I, I¡¯m very sorry for what I said.¡±

    ¡°...Hey, did I give you permission to shut up? Did that sound like a joke to you? Hah? You¡¯d better¡ª¡±

    Sensing that something terrible was about to happen, Momonga hurriedly interposed himself between the two of them, forcing them apart with his body.

    ¡°Chagama-san, Chagama-san. Calm down a little, please.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡ª Momonga-san.¡±

    Bukubukuchagama¡¯s voice seemed to have reverted back to normal, but the mes of her wrath were notpletely extinguished yet. This was probably a small respite at best, so Momonga quickly continued:

    ¡°Well, ah. We¡¯ll be heading into the dungeon soon. I think it would be best if you let go of your anger, right?¡±

    After seeing Momonga pleading with his palms pressed together, Bukubukuchagama ¡ª presumably ¡ª rxed her shoulders.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t understand how you feel, Bukubukuchagama-san, but this is probably for the best. Thank you.¡±

    With that, tfoot came to Momonga¡¯s side and put his hands together as well. Now that the two of them had spoken up, Bukubukuchagama had a hard time getting mad. Therefore, she sighed in an exaggerated way.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for you two to apologize since you did nothing wrong. Ahhh, I¡¯m the one who should be apologizing. I can¡¯t believe I let that dummy get under my skin. Sorry about that.¡±

    With that, she turned her face ¡ª presumably ¡ª toward Peroroncino.

    ¡°Oi, dumbass brother of mine. Remember this well ¡ª mind your manners, even if you get along with people. Especially when you crack your dirty jokes. Don¡¯t embarrass me just because you get excited around friends. Got it?¡±

    ¡°...Yes.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be thanking Momonga-san and tfoot-san?¡±

    ¡°Mm. Thank you, guys. Sorry about that, I think I got a bit carried away.¡±

    Peroroncino¡¯s words were devoid of energy. His subdued, obedient way of speaking made him sound like a dog which had been hit by a shock baton.

    After hearing her brother¡¯s apology, Bukubukuchagama left the bunker.

    Of the three people watching her leave, tfoot was the first to break the silence.

    ¡°...Haaahh, your big sis is scary. Super scary. Scarier than my department chief. She really knows how to change her voice.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not a bad person. And I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because she¡¯s a seiyuu, but she has a really powerful voice. Its impact is even greater in Yggdrasil, since our faces don¡¯t move in the game...¡±

    ¡°You sure are tough, Momonga-san.¡±

    tfoot ced his hand over his heart. There was no heartbeat for him to feel, but it had affected him there.

    Momonga fully understood what he meant by that.

    Games like Yggdrasil ¡ª DMMORPGs ¡ª were all very realistic. As a result, it was not at all unusual to feel that this was reality.

    Of course, the fact that expressions did not change, or because there was no sense of taste and so on were handy indicators that this was still a game world.

    ¡°I¡¯m not that tough. Still, I felt like I was standing in front of a scary boss.¡±

    The two of them chuckled quietly.

    Momonga smiled ¡ª though his face did not move ¡ª and then urged the other two onward.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s move out! We¡¯re the only ones left.¡±

    Part 4

    With one eye on their surroundings, the yers climbed a run-down flight of stairs into the building. The interior was unexpectedly impressive, with five statues standing tall. Stone bs were set near the feet of the statues. However, the group was some distance away and could not read what was on them. Of course, there were spells to read the writing, but nobody was in the mood for that.

    Momonga had a bad feeling about this.

    He had seen this sort of dungeon design several times in the past.

    The enthusiasm he had up till here was nowhere to be found.

    ¡°Ah, Momonga-san, this looks like a simultaneous attack dungeon. And it looks to be the hardest kind, the sort that needs five parties to progress. Then again, we should probably be d it¡¯s not one of those dungeons that needs 36-man parties (a legion) and allows two guilds to cooperate on invading them. Those are just crazy.¡±

    Momonga groaned quietly as Tab Smaragdina¡¯s words vindicated his sense of foreboding. There was muttering from around him as well.

    Many people hated simultaneous-attack dungeons, also known as ¡°die-by-yourself dungeons¡±. Dungeons like these required several parties working in unison along different routes toplete.

    Of course, it was only right that everyone should work together toward amon objective. However, it was annoying to be split up.

    This was an unknown dungeon which nobody had explored before.

    The fact that they knew nothing about it fueled their anger at the shitty devs and honed their excitement at the idea of finding rare data crystals. If they could not stay together and share their joys and sorrow, the fun factor would be halved ¡ª no, it would be worse than that.

    Although he was not the superstitious sort, he could not help but feel ufortable that the guild¡¯s first activity was something like this.

    Still, he could not whine about it. After all, it was his idea to delve into this dungeon, and everyone was gathered here because they supported him. Being even more wilful than this was not what a guildmaster should do.

    Just then, Punitto Moe began suggesting team assignments, as though ignoring Momonga¡¯s internal shock.

    ¡°How shall we proceed then, Tab-san? This is a deviation from the original n, and now we¡¯ll need five parties.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. The question now is how to allocate everyone. We should probably discuss this together. Things being as they are, we should have the crafterse in as well, since it would be hard to be pressed from behind anyway.¡±

    The basic 6-man party configuration in Yggdrasil was one tank, two attackers, one healer, one seeker and a wildcard, who was capable of adapting to changing situations.

    They had to evenly allocate their manpower into five parties, which was a fairly brainpower-intensive task.

    Anyone taking on this task needed to be intimately familiar with everyone¡¯s abilities and preferences. A team that was put together sloppily would not be able to seed. Therefore, assigning party rosters was one of the greatest challenges of such an endeavour.

    The question now was how to clear this dungeon.

    Dungeons like these were typically designed so that everyone would meet up at the boss room, whereupon they would face the raid boss together.

    If this pattern held true, then the parties had to be bnced.

    For instance, even two parties filled with the strongest members would have a hard time sessfully clearing the entire dungeon. That being the case, it would probably be better to have four teams reach the boss and defeat him. There was strength in numbers after all. If there was no vast difference in individual abilities, 24 people would always be better than 12 people.

    Even if Warrior Takemikazuchi ¡ª one of the strongest members of Ainz Ooal Gown ¡ª was attacked by two yers of equal level, there was a high chance of him being defeated. The fact was that for every one attack heunched, he would be taking two in exchange. Of course, there were some monstrous types who could win when outnumbered two to one, but those were few and far between.

    Therefore, the most important thing was to not lose anyone and reach the dungeon¡¯s core.

    Punitto Moe stood before everyone and discussed the matter of personnel assignment.

    Momonga remained silent. Punitto Moe was the best nner in the group, so it would be fine to let him handle things. Most likely, everyone here would think that too. It would probably be fine even if he began giving orders.

    In many games, one could not reorganize a party outside of a safe zone, or certain designated locations. However, in YGGDRASIL, one could freely change one¡¯s party anywhere and anytime. This allowed for very flexible parties, and with a good team, one could ovee any difficulty.

    However, the effects of party-wide magic and skills terminated once the party was disbanded. One had to take that drawback into consideration when regrouping. That trick would not work if used in a dire situation.

    He looked around at his guildmates. Some of them were changing their gear. Some of them were briefly offline for a bathroom break, and some of them were talking excitedly with Punitto Moe.

    Although they all seemed to be doing their own thing, Momonga could feel a strange sense of coordination permeating the scene.

    Slowly, the Magical Attackers, Physical Attackers, Tanks, Healers, Seekers and Others were assigned to their parties.

    Momonga fell into the ¡°Other¡± category.

    ¡°Others¡± were not unnecessary. While they were umon for the most part, this guild ¡ª Ainz Ooal Gown ¡ª was different. To them, ¡°Others¡± were challenging sses who could adapt to many different circumstances.

    Momonga used the drops from PKing ¡ª the corpses of other yers ¡ª to learn many different spells. Because of that, he was typically ced in this position during dungeon raids.

    Of course, he was not given this position because he could use many different spells, but because he could use suitable spells for the appropriate situation.

    Because he had to handle this difficult task, Momonga had priority on the corpses from PKing, as a sign of hisrade¡¯s faith in his abilities.

    In return, Momonga gave his all for hisrades, and they all felt that he could do no wrong.

    Finally, Punitto Moe announced the party assignments.

    Momonga¡¯s group wasprised of:

    Magic Attacker: Ulbert in Odle

    Physical Attacker: Warrior Takemikazuchi

    Tank: Bukubukuchagama

    Healer: Yamaiko

    Seeker: Nishiki Enrai

    And Momonga was the wildcard.

    Momonga gasped in surprise as he heard the lineup.

    There were people in the guild who could clear a dungeon easily, and more than half of them were in his party.

    First was Ulbert in Odle, who had levels in several sses boasting high firepower. His burst damage was unrivalled.

    Next was Warrior Takemikazuchi, who had levels in offense-oriented sses like Kensei and so on. Much like Nishiki Enrai, his defense was low, but at the same time he had the highest physical damage ability in the entire guild.

    Bukubukuchagama the tank was a specialized character who had maximized her defense. She had the title of ¡°the Unsinkable¡±.

    The healer Yamaiko was a Nephilim, who banked on her race¡¯s ability to take two very high ability scores and three very low ability scores to maximize her spirit and endurance. In addition she was fully equipped with gear that abandoned offense to focus on defense. Combined with her regenerative abilities, she was far more survivable than even a half-baked tank ss.

    Nishiki Enrai was their seeker, but due to his absolute focus on attack power, he also made a good attacker in his own right. In addition, when he used his stealth abilities, he could deliver a single blow whose power could outstrip even Warrior Takemikazuchi¡¯s.

    This was a team made of members who were fully optimized for their role.

    The fact was, if these members were redistributed throughout the other parties, it would not be a surprise if their survival rate went up.

    ¡°Eh? Is this really okay?¡±

    Upon hearing Momonga¡¯s voice, Punitto Moe turned around.

    ¡°Oh, Momonga-san, is something wrong?¡±

    ¡°Mm. Frankly, I think this party is a little unbnced. They¡¯re all good yers and it seems they would be better off distributed out to groups supported by NPCs in order to shore up their abilities.¡±

    Momonga looked around.

    The people who weren¡¯t here must have briefly returned to town to hire several NPC mercenaries. By teleporting to their allies, they could avoid having to go through the swamp and return here directly.

    ¡°I think putting Bukubukuchagama-san and Warrior Takemikazuchi-san in parties with NPCs would be more even. However, we know nothing about this dungeon. Therefore, I think it would be better to have two strong teams rather than an even distribution.¡±

    And the members of the other team are...?

    Momonga looked over to the guild¡¯s strongest man, Touch Me, and he had his answer. He must be leading that team.

    He looked at the people with him, and it was true. All the strongest members of Ainz Ooal Gown were now gathered together.

    Punitto Moe understood what Momonga was looking at, and nodded.

    ¡°Thats right, it¡¯s them. Momonga-san, if the worstes to pass, please take down the boss with them. Although I understand that defeating a 30-man boss with only 12 people is incredibly difficult, I feel that it would be better to make preparations for that situation.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, wouldn¡¯t I be better reced by someone else?¡±

    Momonga had faith in his skills as a wildcard, but he had his doubts about whether he could be considered a superior yer.

    Punitto Moeughed and replied, ¡°Of course not,¡± before exining.

    ¡°Momonga-san, invading the Great Tomb of Nazarick, this virgin dungeon, was the result of your wilfulness, no? Therefore, it¡¯s only fair that you clear it beautifully, oh guildmaster. Show us how it¡¯s done.¡±

    Waves of heat surged out from Momonga¡¯s belly.

    Punitto Moe was right. He was the one who had selfishly brought all these people here, so he could not be the one to demoralize them. How could he not do his part in clearing this dungeon with everyone else?

    ¡°Got it!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit! Plus, you¡¯re a very good wildcard, aren¡¯t you, Momonga-san? Frankly speaking, I think you¡¯re the most adaptable person here, which is why I put you with them. A party of specialists can fall apart quickly if things go bad, so I had to include you and your flexibility, Momonga-san. Let me be honest with you here ¡ª your party is the best party because you are in it.¡±

    ¡°No, no, the others are like that, but not me.¡±

    ¡°There you go being weak again. Believe in yourself a little. The fact is, Nishiki Enrai the seeker is more of an attacker, so having you there is also to help with reconnaissance. So... please bring them safely to the boss, Momonga-san.¡±

    Now that Punitto Moe had praised him to the heavens, Momonga could not show his weak side.

    ¡°I understand. Please ept my humble contribution.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡±

    ? ? ?

    After assembling the parties, they each arrived before the stone statues. As though on cue ¡ª or rather, they had triggered an automated sequence ¡ª something activated.

    ¡°How dare you profane the Great Tomb of Nazarick, oh foolish and greedy ones.¡±

    That was a male voice. It was followed by a female voice.

    ¡°Or should I say, brave ones.¡±

    ¡°Be you foolish or brave, we shall take your measure. We stand before you, the Five Rulers.¡±

    It was a hoarse man¡¯s voice, different from the first two. Somewhere near Momonga, Bukubukuchagama muttered, ¡°Yes, boss.¡±

    ¡°You who desire thisnd. Defeat us, and show us your true power.¡±

    Light appeared on the stone bs. Taking the right actions would probably engage teleportation of some sort.

    ¡°...Thest voice belonged to the Lord of Helheim. To think he came all the way out here. What a long way to go! If it¡¯s that bearded old man, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s pretty suspicious? Should we kill him off with Longinus?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s leave it at that. I was hoping they would reuse that seiyuu elsewhere. I heard they lowered the quality of rare gacha drops in order to hire arge cast of seiyuus.¡±

    ¡°Personally, I¡¯m all for them hiring more people. I can use another alias to perform. There¡¯re still some I haven¡¯t even used yet.¡±

    The kneeling Peroroncino looked over to Momonga. He must have heard his sister¡¯s conversation.

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s leave it at that. ¡®You who desire this ce¡¯. Is that what it said? In any case, it¡¯s clear that this is a guild base dungeon.¡±

    ¡°An unexpected bonus.¡±

    Clearing a dungeon often yielded a variety of items, from rare data crystals to artifacts. However, clearing a guild base dungeon merely gave you owner¡¯s rights. In addition, guilds could only own one dungeon at a time. If they wanted to im another dungeon, they would need to relinquish their im on their present one.

    Dungeons like these were hardly an unexpected bonus if the guild did not seriously intend to im it.

    ¡°...Would anybody want to found a guild base in a far off ce like this?¡±

    ¡°Probably not. Besides, we don¡¯t know what kind of base this is.¡±

    It was unknown how many total levels of NPCs they could create. And then, there was another problem beyond that.

    It was called POP bankruptcy.

    The monsters which automatically spawned under level 30 had maintenance costs, depending on their type. It was zero for undead, but living creatures, in particrrge creatures, had maintenance costs which increased proportionally to the size of their bodies. In other words, a guild base which only poppedrge living creatures would rack up a ruinous maintenance bill. If a guild base¡¯s innate ie was not sufficient to cover those costs, the guild members would have to earn that money themselves. In addition, trap activation and monster summoning were expensive as well. Being attacked by an enemy guild could incur incalcble expenses for the defenders, and might even force them into bankruptcy.

    ¡®¡°We won¡¯t know until we im this ce.¡±

    ¡°...Well, we could always sell the information.¡±

    Their enthusiasm had cooled off by now. After all, even if they did take this ce, they would have to either give it up or sell off the very thing the entire guild had worked so hard to conquer.

    Sensing the mood in the air, Touch Me spoke up.

    ¡°Still, everyone. Don¡¯t you think we ought to have a proper guild base? Not a rented one like we have now, but something we can change and rearrange as we see fit.¡±

    ¡°Well, if we¡¯re talking about making anything we want, I¡¯ve been thinking of settling down somewhere and then making something in earnest. However, will it be here?¡±

    ¡°Even if we don¡¯t find a ce to settle down, I agree with Touch-san that we need a proper guild base. I mean, we can¡¯t leave too many things behind because we¡¯re afraid of being attacked at any time, right? And we won¡¯t need to be on alert after going to an empty rental ce.¡±

    He was answered by a chorus of people saying, ¡°That¡¯s right¡±.

    ¡°I think using this ce for experiments in building a guild base would be a good reason for conquering it. Besides, I read up on the guild base system on the developers¡¯ site, but it seems different from how it actually is in the game.¡±

    ¡°The Experimental Tomb of Nazarick, huh. So if we use this as a stepping stone, what sort of ce will we use as our guild base?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to think big, of course. A level 3000 guild base should do.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s too much~¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡±

    Everyoneughed.

    Momongaughed with them.

    There were nine of these huge bases ¡ª one for each world ¡ª but holding on to all of them was practically impossible. To begin with, even if they really managed to seize control of all of them, a weak guild would immediately be embroiled inplex guild wars, and holding on to the base would be very difficult.

    ¡°Even if we did hold such a ce, we¡¯d go bankrupt from repeated attacks. That being the case, why not find a smaller ce? We wouldn¡¯t have to spend so much on maintenance either.¡±

    ¡°We could collect tax in a city base, which would help with the upkeep.¡±

    ¡°City bases don¡¯t have a lot of NPC levels, right? The maximum is 700, I think. The shitty devs like doing it that way. Harder areas give higher levels.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, so could that mean this ce might have an unexpectedly high number of levels? After all, nobody¡¯s discovered it until now.¡±

    ¡°Well, we won¡¯t get anywhere just talking here... let¡¯s just do as Momonga-san says and clear this ce once. We can discuss everythingter. Let¡¯s not count our chickens before they¡¯re hatched.¡±

    Everyone agreed with that.

    Soon, they would be treading into uncharted territory, an unknown dungeon.

    Clearing an unknown dungeon which was not far below the rmended level was unheard of in Yggdrasil.

    This was the difficulty they faced here.

    Momonga could no longer detect any lightheartedness from hispanions.

    In their ce were serious yers who could ovee any difficulty.

    Momonga was filled with a baseless but strange confidence that his people could conquer a dungeon they had never seen before.

    There were people who said that those who were too invested in the game were weird and gross. It was just a game, why so serious?

    However, there was nothing wrong with getting into a game.

    Who decreed that things like piano and ballet were high-ss hobbies, while games were formoners? The people who said this did not know that they were merely forcing their inflexible attitudes on others.

    Momonga felt a deep sense of gratitude to hispanions, who were earnestly discussing how to clear this dungeon.

    ¡°Say, you think we can sustain our buffs? If we could, then we could use extended buffs on ourselves, right?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think the devs would be that nice. Be ready to have them all stripped off you the moment you step through that door.

    ¡°Those devs are real shits.¡±

    Someoneughed uncontrobly.

    This was how much the Yggdrasil devs were trusted. Fully 100% of yers agreed that they were sadists.

    In fact, they would be more worried if the devs did not put in any evil traps.

    Therefore, when something unreasonable happened, there would be a great cry of ¡°shitty devs¡±. In fact, calling them ¡°shitty devs¡± was in its own way a form of affection.

    ¡ªAlthough there had been numerous asions where they cursed the devs in earnest.

    ¡°Then, why don¡¯t we have our lovely guildmaster Momonga-shi, who suggested we attempt this unknown dungeon,e out and address us? Come, Momonga-san, say something.¡±

    He nervously squeaked out an ¡°Eh?¡± as Punitto Moe spoke, but the gazes of everyone ¡ª though their faces did not change ¡ª filled the air, and he eventually spoke.

    ¡°Everyone! I¡¯m the newly elected sadistic guildmaster, Momonga!¡±

    Amidst the chuckling, Momonga continued.

    ¡°This is Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s maiden venture! We shall conquer this difficult dungeon that we have seen for the first time! We shall make the shitty devs grind their teeth in frustration! We shall do what no normal guild can do! Everyone! Let¡¯s go!¡±

    Ohhhh! An overflowing cheer echoed through the building.

    Part 5

    After passing through the rightmost of the five doors before the statues, they saw a ssic graveyard sprawling before them.

    The ce was veiled in fathomless darkness, aside from the parts lit by magical illumination.

    These guild members had delved into countless dungeons. There was nothing to be afraid of. However¡ª

    ¡ªMomonga could see in the dark, but he could not see hispanions. It would seem they had been teleported elsewhere, after all. If there were only one teleport destination, there would be no need for so many doors. It was a logical conclusion.

    Momonga abandoned his vain hope. All he could do was pray they all met up again inside. However, a cold part of himself was saying, that¡¯s impossible.

    ¡°Good grief, what a relief. Those devs might be shit, but even they aren¡¯t shitty enough to split up the team. You know, split them up and make them meet up again.¡±

    ¡°Take-yan, so you¡¯re saying that if they ended up sending multiple people of the same roles together, we might as well forget about trying to conquer this dungeon, then.¡±

    ¡°...I really think those shitty devs would actually do that.¡±

    ¡°Mm, I agree with you, Buku-chan. Honestly, sometimes I feel the developers are too evil. ¡®Ah, sucks to be you¡¯, is what I imagine they¡¯d say.¡±

    ¡°Uwah~ Yama-chan¡¯s bullying me~¡±

    ¡°Tehe~¡±

    Perhaps she might be cute when sheughed in the real world, but she looked like a monster in here. Since it was only her voice which was adorable, that just made her appear even scarier.

    ¡°Kazhi! Repeat After Me~ Kazhi!¡±

    ¡°Kazhi!¡±

    ¡°Oh~ Good, Gooder, Goodest!¡±

    ¡°Then, Buku¡ª Kazhi, since you¡¯ve gotten your energy back, let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Yama-chan¡¯s bullying me~¡±

    They talked andughed as they prepared themselves. There were many things to do. For instance, the frontliners had to activate longsting skills, or buff themselves up with magic items.

    ¡°Undead reactions... ah, forget it, they¡¯re everywhere. In any case, I¡¯ll let you guys see for yourselves.¡±

    Momonga, the eternal backliner, cast a spell which let everyone detect undead reactions.

    ¡°Well, I expected as much, but to think it really was undead... Mm, well, it kind of bothers me to go in so directly, but I guess this works too. Controlling hate is a pain, after all,¡± Bukubukuchagama grumbled as she saw the red dots in her field of vision.

    When monsters attacked, they would target ¡°the one they wanted to hit the most¡±. This could be expressed as a numeric value, called hate. Causing more damage, healing HP, buffing, debuffing or using taunting-type skills would increase hate. When a yer was hit by a monster, it would ¡°resolve¡± the matter and that monster¡¯s hate of the yer would decrease. Because hate values fluctuated often during a battle, tanks had to pay close attention to monster hate values, lest the backliners take a hit.

    In order to manage golems or the undead, who were immune to mental maniption, tanks had to use certain specialized hate control skills. Of course, that was no problem for Bukubukuchagama.

    ¡°Then, how should we proceed?¡±

    They had been teleported into a burial chamber of some sort, with only one door.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like there¡¯re any secret doors.¡±

    ¡°Then I guess we have to go forward... or do we? Still, we need to know what the undead outside are like.¡±

    There were four red dots Ò» representing undead reactions Ò» on the other side of the door. If these undead were of the same level as themselves, then there would be no need to trouble the backliners to cast offensive spells, but their level was unknown, and there might be other enemies besides the undead.

    Nishiki Enrai and Warrior Takemikazuchi raised their weapons, while Bukubukuchagama the tank moved to the front, holding up two shields. The reason why Bukubukuchagama did not equip herself with weapons was because slimes like herself had poor strength, and they were not suited to dealing physical damage. In return, however, they had extremely high resistance to that same physical damage.

    In order to DPS as a slime, one needed to specialize in assassin-type sses which killed in one hit.

    It would seem she was going to test the waters, and see what the enemy was like. The proof of that was how they had not seen her preparing to use a powerful skill before moving to contact.

    ¡°Then, as discussed earlier, you¡¯ll be ourmander, Bukubukuchagama.¡±

    ¡°O-kay~ I gotcha~¡±

    ¡°It seems you¡¯re always trying to sound like a cute kid when there¡¯s no need to. Your voice as Kazhi is pleasant enough, so there¡¯s no need for that, right?¡±

    ¡°Yama-chan... I think I¡¯m in love.¡±

    ¡°Ah, sorry. I¡¯m not into that sort of thing.¡±

    ¡°I, I was dumped~! And instantly too! Uuu...¡±

    Bukubukuchagama emitted a mournful cry of despair.

    Of course, anyone could tell that it was merely acting.

    Still, she was a seiyuu, for games where sound was important because expressions could not change. Therefore, it sounded quite realistic.

    ¡°In the past, I¡¯m not sure if it was because I said the wrong thing , but one of my female kouhais actually confessed to me for real. So I hope you¡¯ll give me a break here.¡±

    ¡°Ah, really?¡±

    The was no trace of her prior dejection in the way Bukubukuchagama was asking Yamaiko.

    ¡°Mm. Come to think of it... nothing good came of it at all. That kouhai of mine loved to make trouble... and she kept arguing with my little sister. What a headache.¡±

    ¡°And so your kouhai¡¯s words depress you when you recall them now?¡±

    ¡°Do you think so, Takemikazuchi-san?¡±

    ¡°Ahh, even if it was nothing much at that point in time, after several years, you¡¯d want to get rid of them. ¡®Ahhh, why did I do something like that.¡¯ It¡¯s like your own ck history.¡±

    Momonga merely thought ¡°Hm¡±, since he had not had any memories like those at that time. These should have been mistakes of one¡¯s youth. However, he was a proper adult now, and he was certain that he would never make such a mistake.

    ¡°Well, it would be good if it was like that. For all you know, that troublesome kouhai might have gotten married, and became a wife and mother.¡±

    The men looked toward the pink slime.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about marriage, Yama-chan. You see, I am everyone¡¯s idol Chagama-san, so all talk of lovers and weddings are forbidden.¡±

    What was she worried about? What Bukubukuchagama said made him want to tease her.

    Good thing Peroroncino-san isn¡¯t here, Momonga thought.

    If he was, he would definitely make a big deal out of it.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s enough girl-talk for now, no? We ought to move on. It would be bad if we were thest to arrive at our destination.¡±

    ¡°Oh-kay~ Then, we¡¯ll go with the standard lineup. Nishiki-san, are there any traps?¡±

    ¡°Definitely not.¡±

    ¡°Then, shall we? Buff us all up, please. Extended buffs for me.¡±

    ¡°Take it away, Momonga-san.¡±

    Momonga began buffing up the group, and Yamaiko followed suit from beside him. If the enemy had been here, who knew how much hate they would have gained?

    ¡°Ah, honestly, it¡¯s quite surprising how many spells you know. Even with cash items you can only get up to 400. It would be nice to get levels in something which gives an ability simr to Dark Wisdom. A magic caster¡¯s strength is measured by the number of spells he knows, after all.¡±

    ¡°Really? I feel firepower should be the main consideration, right? Personally, I¡¯m quite envious of your attack power, Ulbert-san.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it recently, but if damage is all you want, wouldn¡¯t that be more easily done by the frontliners? Magic casters ought to know utility spells.¡±

    ¡°However, magic casters are limited by MP, so they¡¯ve got higher DPS than frontliners as long as their MP holds out, no? Seems firepower really is more important ¡ª oh, I¡¯m done buffing over here.¡±

    ¡°O-kay~ Then it¡¯s my turn. First, open the door and let the undead in. We¡¯ll be inbat once theye in through the door, okay?¡±

    After receiving acknowledgement from the others, Bukubukuchagama waddled stickily over to the front and opened the door. She immediately fell back. Although it would be good to bottleneck the enemy at the door, the chance of things cocking up would be lessened if they have more space to fight.

    Four undead surged in. There was no sign of other monsters.

    Their skin was the color of rotted wood, covered in livor mortis, over which they were nominally wearing some rags. Their hands were twisted into strange shapes, like a ball covered in dagger-like spikes. Their jaws hung open, revealing long, tusk-like teeth that grew up and out.

    Momonga saw the names of the enemy in his field of vision, and judging by the color of those names they were lower-level than him. Still, this was an unexplored dungeon, so it paid to be cautious. He could not rule out the fact that they might be variant monsters. Even if they looked the same on the outside, if their names included the name of the region, they would probably be somewhat higher in level than other monsters of their type. There were yers who were either careless or arrogant, and fought unknown monsters without collecting information about them. In the end, not a single one of them got away without learning a painful lesson.

    The others should have seen the names as well, so it was likely that all they could infer from the color of the names was the monsters¡¯ rtive level.

    ¡°[Discern Enemy]!¡±

    This spell was not as useful as the lore skills of the sage-type sses, but Momonga had a certain degree of insight when it came to the undead.

    Another window popped up, and among the information there was the monster¡¯s level.

    ¡°Level 83!¡±

    ¡°Hmph! If that¡¯s all, we won¡¯t need to trouble the two of you!¡±

    ¡°Oraaaaaa!¡±

    Nishiki Enrai and Warrior Takemikazuchiunched their attacks at the four undead. Given that they were merely level 83 monsters, there was no need to use their more powerful skills, which had limited uses per day. They could finish this battle easily with skills that refreshed after a short rest.

    ¡°It seems you didn¡¯t take much damage, so what should we do, Kazhi?¡±

    ¡°Hm ¡ª well, if that¡¯s all, it¡¯ll regen by itself, so let¡¯s push on,¡± answered Bukubukuchagama, who had skilfully controlled the group¡¯s hate and taken all the attacks aimed at the others upon herself. The reply was directed at Yamaiko.

    Meanwhile, Nishiki Enrai was picking up the gold and data crystals that had dropped after wiping out the undead.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s over.¡±

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s advance, Momonga-san.¡±

    Naturally, Momonga knew what Bukubukuchagama was getting at.

    ¡°Understood,¡± he replied, and as he said that he cast his spells.

    ¡°[Extend Magic ¨C Bless of Titania].¡±

    ¡°[Extend Magic ¨C Lead of Yatagarasu].¡±

    A tiny fairy appeared in front of them. She wore a crown, yet was only the height of a little finger. She pped her butterfly wings, enveloping her in a sphere of light, and floated at the head of the group.

    The next spell created a three-legged crow. Unlike normal crows, it exuded a stern majesty. It pped its wings, and flew to the head of the formation as well, beside the little glowing ball.

    The Yatagarasu guided yers along the shortest path to the heart of the dungeon, while the fairy queen beside him would take them along the least dangerous path.

    They would decide which to follow depending on the resource expenditures, traps and monsters encountered along the way. However, neither of these spells indicated hidden routes. In addition, there were magical traps which were designed to confuse spells like these, so they had to stay on guard.

    ¡°Huh, to think you actually knew two 9th-tier divinations. I¡¯m pretty envious of your Dark Wisdom.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m a specialized necromancer. I¡¯d be nothing more than a burden if I couldn¡¯t even do that much.¡±

    ¡°I think your dream build is actually quite practical.¡±

    ¡°Is that so,¡± Momonga chuckled.

    It could not be helped, after all one of his friends had praised him.

    ¡°Then, lead on, Nishiki-san~¡±

    ¡°Roger that, Commander-dono.¡±

    Behind their guides, the party proceeded in the order of Nishiki Enrai, Warrior Takemikazuchi, Bukubukuchagama, Momonga, Ulbert and finally Yamaiko. If this was not the first time they had seen this dungeon, they could probably go straight to the heart of the dungeon without further ado. However, they knew nothing of this ce, so they had to keep an eye out for traps as they moved.

    Momonga most cherished the times when they chatted with each other as they moved along, one eye on their surroundings. Although people derived enjoyment from the games in different ways, Momonga was happiest when talking with the others.

    For all he knew, it was because he only talked about business at work, and thus he thirsted after genuine conversation.

    Momonga aimlessly contemted that possibility.

    ¡°Still, this does seem like your average tomb-type dungeon. Nothing really stands out. Could there be some gimmick here?¡±

    ¡°...Or some kind of evil trap. Wouldn¡¯t some unfair battlefield that tests our preparation be par for the course? Maybe there¡¯s nothing devious besides the splitting up at the beginning of the dungeon.¡±

    The others shook their heads as they heard Nishiki Enrai speak.

    ¡°No, there¡¯ll definitely be something. The developers would definitely pull something like that. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if these elemental dungeons pushed people towards making optimized parties.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, I think the developers would be capable of that.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re the shitty devs, after all. Why would they let you clear a dungeon you¡¯d never seen before?¡±

    ¡°Nishiki-san, you¡¯re underestimating the Yggdrasil devs... hm? Or could it be... I say, Momonga-san...¡±

    Bukubukuchagama turned what was probably her face toward Momonga.

    ¡°Sorry about this, but could you contact my little brother with a [Message]? I need to double-check the situation with him.¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    With no reason to refuse, Momonga cast the [Message] spell, and sent it to Peroroncino. After a brief ring tone, about ten seconds¡¯ worth, the other side picked up.

    ¡°Yo~ free to talk?¡±

    ¡°Yup. Well, we¡¯ve finished fighting, so it should be all right.¡±

    ¡°How are you over there? We¡¯re moving through a tomb now.¡±

    ¡°¡ªAs I thought, those shitty devs!¡±

    ¡°Wha-what happened?¡±

    ¡°We were teleported to some kind ofvand. Fire-type monsters have been attacking us. And something ambushed us from the magma, it really did a number on us.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    He passed on what Peroroncino was saying through the [Message] to hisrades, about being teleported to a magma-rich area. Their responses were along the lines of ¡°Ah, as expected.¡±

    ¡°...Do you think we could swap party members with teleportation magic?¡±

    ¡°Well, I think it¡¯s worth a try, but do you think the devs would be that nice? Since we¡¯re on different floors, we might not be able to teleport at all. Otherwise why would they put those doors at the entrance?¡±

    ¡°...In the worst-case scenario, we might have been warped into another dimension through those teleport traps.¡±

    Momonga switched the [Message] spell back.

    ¡°Then how are you guys over there? Can you break through?¡±

    ¡°Right now, we should be able to handle it. Man, if you thought undead would be around because it was a tomb and selected fire-type gear to deal with them, you¡¯d be screwed. All you¡¯d be able to do is run and hide. They really are pieces of shit, those devs.¡±

    ¡°Got it. Good luck, guys.¡±

    ¡°You too.¡±

    Momonga then tried contacting the other parties.

    After that, he learned that the dungeon they had invaded was one with multiple floors, with five different zones ¡ª or floors ¡ª a cier, a volcanic region, an undergroundke, a forest and the tomb which Momonga and the others were presently in. In addition, the monsters in each floor were different, and it seemed the undead were only present in the tomb.

    ¡°Wow, as expected of our new guildmaster! Not bringing specialized gear was the right choice.¡±

    If they had simply loaded themselves with fire and holy-elemental equipment in order to take on the undead expected from this ce, quite a few teams would have had a hard time.

    However, because this was the first time they were raiding an unexplored dungeon, they had brought along all sorts of gear, in ordance to the differing information they had collected. In other words, they had the ability to adapt their loadouts in response to changing situations, and thus they had a fighting chance to make it deeper into the dungeon.

    ¡°Totally different from the previous leader! Well done!¡±

    Momonga furrowed his brows in response to Ulbert¡¯s exmation. For once, not having facial expressions in Yggdrasil was a great help.

    ¡°However, the shitty devs are really shitty. I won¡¯t forget to add ¡®shitty¡¯ in front of the developers whenever I speak of them.¡±

    ¡°...Did you only just realize that now? Like the Longinus, what the hell is up with that? And then there were those events that were impossible to clear...¡±

    Just as everyone was passionately venting their spleens at the Yggdrasil developers, Momonga sent a [Message] to Ulbert, who had wandered off to the side.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Momonga-san. Something wrong?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve noticed any mistakes so far... well, I just wanted to talk to you in private, and to be frank I¡¯ve been thinking about this for a while. Ulbert-san, do you really hate Touch-san that much?¡±

    He could have just kept putting it off. Momonga did not want to tread on andmine, after all. However, this hidden bomb might explode in the future. If that were the case, he had to know if there was anything which might cause the guild to disband. Besides, if it did go off now, at least the damage would be limited.

    As though mocking Momonga¡¯s resolve, Ulbert remained silent.

    And then, just as Momonga was about to give up, there was a quiet answer.

    ¡°I dislike him. Though I know it¡¯s just pointless jealousy.¡±

    ¡°Is that so...¡±

    ¡°Momonga-san, I¡¯m really sorry for saying this, but aren¡¯t you a born loser like me, Momonga-san? No matter how hard you try, you¡¯ll never be able to lead afortable life.¡±

    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t try that hard to begin with anyway, so I think I¡¯m getting what I deserve. Besides, it beats being bored. I get paid, after all, and I don¡¯t mind sinking my money into Yggdrasil.¡±

    ¡°...Well, I guess that¡¯s true. Maybe you¡¯re a half-loser then. Personally, I only made it through elementary school. I think it was the same for you, am I right, Momonga-san?¡±

    Ulbert seemed to have brought it up in the past, ording to Momonga¡¯s recollections. Indeed, his attitude towards Ulbert had changed since then. At first he thought it was pity, but now it would seem he was feeling a sort of kinship to him instead.

    ¡°That¡¯s true. However, being able to find a job with elementary school education isn¡¯t bad, right?¡±

    ¡°If they didn¡¯t teach you the bare minimum in elementary school, you couldn¡¯t even be a subordinate to the born winners, so they made elementary school easy... Honestly, it¡¯s ridiculous how you end up at one of two extremes in this world from birth. It¡¯s insane how unfair this world is. You can climb the ranks if you work hard? Don¡¯t make meugh.¡±

    Compared to Ulbert¡¯s cloying, sludgy resentment for society, his dislike for Touch Me wasughable at best. Momonga marvelled at Ulbert¡¯s ability to hate.

    ¡°Ulbert-san¡ª¡±

    ¡°My parents died pretty horribly. Working in such a dangerous ce... they couldn¡¯t even find their bones, you know. And thepensation they paid to their employees was miserable. That¡¯s why they didn¡¯t stop the production lines. After all, stopping them would incur huge losses. Losers like us... they use us up and throw us away.¡±

    Momonga suddenly recalled his own mother.

    ¡°...That¡¯s how it was, huh. That¡¯s what happened to your parents, Ulbert-san? My mother worked herself to death. When I woke up in the morning I saw her copsed in the kitchen. Evenshed with fatigue, she pushed herself to make my favorite dish. If only she hadn¡¯t worried about it and just taken a rest instead... she might still be around now... When I found her, her body was already ice cold... at least, that¡¯s how I remember it. My memory¡¯s a bit hazy on that count.¡±

    After a brief silence, he was answered by a voice which sounded like it had been forced out.

    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry for bringing up such an unpleasant topic.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, I barely remember it myself...¡±

    ¡°...Still, I apologize for it... all in all, I personally can¡¯t stand the winners. Although it¡¯s not like Touch-san did anything wrong...¡±

    ¡°I understand. However, how should I say this...? What happens out there has nothing to do with what happens here. Look, I¡¯m enjoying myself too, right? So... how shall I say this... it would be good if you could enjoy yourself too, Ulbert-san. If I¡¯m not wrong, it¡¯s not like you don¡¯t want to mix with the others, right? So, uh, how shall I put it¡ª?¡±

    ¡°Ah ¡ª it¡¯s just like you said. Ahhhh, I¡¯m sorry for causing you all this trouble, Momonga-san. I¡¯ll do my best not to throw tantrums from now on.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave that to you. We should probably wrap this up around now.¡±

    ¡°Got it. Although, the thing about this game is¡ª¡±

    ¡°Speaking of which, Chagama-san, shouldn¡¯t I make those undead adjutants around now?¡±

    ¡°Hm? You should save the skills which cost experience until the end, so either a Death Grandpa or a Death Grandma should be fine, right?¡±

    Obviously, the monsters were not actually called Death Grandpa or Grandma. They were merely nicknames for the monsters known as the Death Emperor and the Death Empress.

    ¡°That¡¯s true. So, Grandpa or Grandma? Since our vanguards are happily cleaving through the enemy, Grandpa would be better, right?¡±

    ¡°Well, they do look pretty motivated...¡±

    As they loudly taunted their opponents as mooks, small fry and the like, Nishiki Enrai and Warrior Takemikazuchiid into the undead with powerful blows. The reason that they could attack so unreservedly was most likely due to Bukubukuchagama¡¯s masterful hate management.

    ¡°After all, we still have resources. Heeeeeeey, Yama-chan, Yama-chan~¡±

    As she waited for the right moment to use a skill while the undead mauled her, Bukubukuchagama called out to Yamaiko, who stood behind them with a healing wand.

    ¡°Yes, Chagama-san?¡¯

    ¡°It¡¯s Kazhi~¡±

    ¡°...That again? Then, what¡¯s the matter, Kazhi?¡±

    ¡°How¡¯s your MP? How well can you heal everyone?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Actually, I¡¯ve been healing with a wand since just now.¡±

    Even wands imbued with high-tier spells would only heal about half as much as Yamaiko could if she personally cast a healing spell. Still, that was adequate for the task at hand, which was a sign of how well the three frontliners had yed their roles.

    ¡°I see~ then, could you not summon your switch attacker right now, Momonga-san?¡±

    ¡°Got it. Then, I¡¯ll await your instructions.¡±

    ¡°Ahhh~ that¡¯s not necessary. I¡¯ll leave that to your own discretion, Momonga-san. I trust you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best, but let me know if I mess up.¡±

    ¡°Mm, of course. Though I feel your skills are pretty good, so it should be fine, Momonga-san. If you train yourself, you can get even better ¡ª oops, hate control, hate control...¡±

    She must have used a skill that built hate. The undead, who had been wavering a little, turned to assault Bukubukuchagama again.

    She was immune to the negative status effects that undead could inflict, like poison or paralysis.

    In other words, she was the perfect tank.

    Of course, Momonga could not keep staring at her.

    He cast a tenth-tier spell which was naturally targeted on Bukubukuchagama.

    ¡°[Ultimate Disturb].¡±

    Technically, there was no need to speak when casting spells, but one¡¯s colleagues would not know what was going on if nothing was said. Therefore, magic casters announced their spell names as a sort of courtesy.

    ¡°Thank you~ and now¡ª¡±

    And because he observed that courtesy, Bukubukuchagama could spring into action right away.

    Thanks to this spell, Bukubukuchagama¡¯s magic resistance rapidly increased, and the hate which should have been allotted to Momonga instead went to her.

    She was a very skilled yer. Her swift and urate judgements, born of long experience with the game, ced her firmly in the top ss of Yggdrasil¡¯s yers.

    In particr, she was skilled at hate management, which was a difficult task since hate was a hidden value. There was virtually no way to know how much hate any given action produced without personal experience. Being able to do such a thing in the data-heavy Yggdrasil was a feat that required long hours of battles and practice.

    In a sense, Momonga admired Bukubukuchagama.

    ¡°Well, if there was a way to cast this on the enemy, their caster-types would be useless,¡± Ulbert muttered as he used a wand to cast spells.

    [Ultimate Disturb] was a spell which greatly increases an ally¡¯s magic resistance, at the price of wrecking their ability to cast spells. It was inly obvious that one could neuter an enemy mage if the spell could be cast on them.

    ¡°Well, I doubt you could ever pull that trick off,¡± Yamaiko replied as she cast a healing spell from her wand.

    In contrast, Bukubukuchagama chimed in with approval.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t say that, Yama-chan~ people discover new things because of folks like Ulbert-san who want to find them. Sometimes they might even find a loophole, but that¡¯s expected of those shitty devs.¡±

    And so, the battle with the undead ended, with the sense that it was an easy fight.

    ¡°If the shitty devs knew the meaning of bnce, they¡¯d probably make the boss here very strong.¡±

    ¡°No, if you¡¯re going by that, the boss here would be very weak. Why would the developers know about bnce? It¡¯s been amply demonstrated in the past, right?¡±

    As theyughed and agreed, the group followed their magically-created guides once more.

    After several easy battles, as they moved through the tomb¡ª

    ¡°Oops, hang on!¡±

    ¡ªThe group ground to a halt from Nishiki Enrai¡¯s sudden warning.

    ¡°It¡¯s a teleport trap. Disarm difficulty looks to be... red.¡±

    A red disarm rating meant that the chances of sessfully disarming the trap were very low. The mostmon methods of disarming traps were through the use of a skill to temporarily raise one¡¯s sess rate, using a magic item, or by casting a trap-disarming spell.

    ¡°Then, I guess it¡¯s my turn.¡±

    However, this team had a method apart from those. It was a brute-force method that was also known as the warrior¡¯s disarm, or a summon disarm.

    Momonga created a low-tier undead being ¡ª a skeleton.

    ¡°[Undeath ve Sight].¡±

    He cast his spell on the skeleton. A small window appeared in the corner of Momonga¡¯s field of vision, allowing him to see through the skeleton¡¯s eye sockets. Momonga then ordered it in the direction Nishiki Enrai was pointing at. They advanced, and then the skeleton suddenly vanished.

    He erged the small window.

    They had been teleported to arge burial chamber, and he could see the imposing figure of a huge monster. The monster¡¯s name and level did not appear because he was looking through the eyes of the skeleton, but Momonga was already familiar with the stats of that big monster.

    ¡°...Well, that skeleton travelled quite a distance. That¡¯s a level 95 undead creature, a Greater Graveyard, I think. Ah, it died.¡±

    With a swipe of a massive arm, the window turned ck and the spell terminated.

    ¡°...20 seconds have passed. The teleport trap¡¯s stopped operating... which means it¡¯s inactive for now. Wait a little longer.¡±

    A minuteter, Nishiki Enrai received a notification of the trap reactivating.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s try it again.¡±

    Momonga created another skeleton, and sent it into the trap with the same spell as before.

    The teleport destination was the same burial chamber from earlier, guarded by the same monster.

    ¡°Same ce. Can we conclude that the trap only goes to one location?¡± Momonga asked Bukubukuchagama as the screen cked out again.

    ¡°Of course~¡± she replied.

    Momonga and the others, who strongly doubted that there was a proper route through the teleport trap, hurriedly ran through the trap while it was inactive.

    ¡°If we get a new member in the guild, I hope they¡¯re good at trap-disarming. After all, our rogue-type members are more focused onbat.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true. However, I don¡¯t think we should be too picky. I think it¡¯ll be fine as long as they¡¯re heteromorphs. I don¡¯t want us to be like other guilds with trial periods that are several weeks long, all sorts of entry requirements and so on. After all, Punitto-san said so himself, games are meant to be enjoyed.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve got a point, Momonga-san, and I agree with it. I guess it¡¯s just us being selfish in wanting a proper thief.¡±

    ¡°No, no, Yamaiko-san. I was just thinking that it would be good if we had someone like that. It¡¯s not like we won¡¯t let someone in who isn¡¯t a thief.¡±

    ¡°Ah, is that so? My apologies, Takemikazuchi-san.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine, don¡¯t worry about it. I said something weird myself. Well, we beat the trap, though we had to spend some resources on it. If anything happens, we can hire NPC mercenaries.¡±

    ¡°Enough chitchat, the enemy¡¯sing. Stay alert until we make contact.¡±

    In ordance with Bukubukuchagama¡¯s directions, Momonga steeled himself forbat. Carelessness was dangerous as long as one did not know about the enemy.

    Just as a murky, monstrous silhouette appeared in the corner of their eyes, Momonga and Ulbert simultaneously cast area-of-effect attack spells from their wands.

    Part 6

    There was a statue in what seemed like the heart of the dungeon. There were glowing magic circles before the statue, and it seemed likely that stepping into them would transport one to the boss.

    Since they had made it all the way here, even those shitty devs would not have put in endlessly-respawning monsters, so they had the luxury of changing out their gear for an anti-boss loadout. That said, nobody in this group trusted the developers. Nishiki Enrai carefully surveyed their surroundings while the magic casters used spells to check for secret doors nearby.

    Momonga did not have much gear to switch out, so he was the first to finish. Then, he contacted the other parties with a [Message].

    Since [Message] was a spell that created a one-to-one conversation, it was difficult to share information with the rest of the group. While there were certainmander-type sses who had skills that allowed for simultaneousmunication with many people, Ainz Ooal Gown did not possess individuals with such skills.

    After speaking to everyone and discussing what he had learned with Punitto Moe, Momonga returned to hispanions, who were almost done with their preparations. He also carried the sense of guilt which came with knowing something troublesome and knowing that he would have to rope others into helping him.

    ¡°How goes it, Momonga-san? Did the other teams all make it?¡±

    Momonga answered Bukubukuchagama, the party leader:

    ¡°Yes, the other four teams have reached the dungeon¡¯s heart. They¡¯ve all expended some resources, but they¡¯re all in tip-top condition and ready to fight.¡±

    A small cheer came from the group. However, beating trash mobs and the environment made up 40% of the difficulty of raiding a dungeon, while beating its boss was the other 60%. In a way, they were not even halfway through.

    Still, one could turn it around and say that that they hadpleted almost half of the raid perfectly.

    ¡°Still, there¡¯s two... three problems. Two teams have already started fighting their respective bosses. Judging by shared information, the bosses they¡¯ve encountered have different abilities, appearances, and boss rooms. The volcanic region¡¯s boss seems to be some sort of dragon with lightning breath, while the party in the underwaterke seems to have encountered some kind of pure white bat.¡±

    ¡°I see... so we can¡¯t use information gained from people who went in first. What¡¯s the second problem?¡±

    ¡°There were announcements once they entered the boss rooms, and judging by the content of those announcements, the bosses get stronger in order of encounter. Which means, the team that fights their bossst...¡±

    The veteran yers instantly knew what Momonga was trying to say.

    ¡°I see... it would be simple enough if the bosses were even in power, but after several encounters, a strong boss might get even stronger. Is that it?¡±

    ¡°Well, if it¡¯s the shitty devs, they¡¯d probably level up the boss until it¡¯s unbeatable. ¡®How many times should we make them fight before letting them win,¡¯ they¡¯d ask with smug grins on their faces.¡±

    ¡°...And without any concrete information, we can¡¯t formte a battle n. Hm, I think I know what you¡¯re trying to say, Momonga-san. Come, speak your mind.¡±

    Pushed forward by everyone else, Momonga decided toe clean:

    ¡°My apologies. I want to have our team pick the short straw. Can I trouble everyone to bear this hardship?¡±

    There was no hesitation in their answers.

    The others agreed unanimously. There was no reluctance or a sense that it could not be helped ¡ª only excitement.

    ¡°Momonga-san, don¡¯t be mistaken. This isn¡¯t taking on a hardship, but rather, it¡¯s because we¡¯re like this that we can take it on at all. Look, in terms of physical damage dealing, defense, magical damage dealing, healing and support, we¡¯re probably the most specialized members of Nine¡¯s ¡ª no, of Ainz Ooal Gown. If I could put a team together to fight that boss, I¡¯d probably pick all of us again.¡±

    After Bukubukuchagama, Warrior Takemikazuchi spoke up:

    ¡°I came here because this was what I wanted to do. I couldn¡¯t ask for anything more. I¡¯ve always wanted to predict the foe¡¯s tactics in a battle with no clear means of victory. Plus, if I¡¯m backed up by you guys, that move of mine might...¡±

    ¡°Ohhh! The Bright King Combo? It¡¯s certainly possible, no it¡¯s definitely possible,Take-yan!¡± Nishiki Enrai eximed in excitement.

    (TL Note: The Bright/Wisdom Kings, or Myo-O/Ã÷Íõ are warrior deities in Buddhism.)

    ¡°Bukubukuchagama can manipte karma values, and Yamaiko¡¯s super-tier spell works on people with positive karma too! Come on, Momonga-san, help us out!¡±

    The attacker and attacker cum seeker were practically shouting in joy.

    Momonga had heard of the Bright King Combo. If pulled off sessfully, it would push their DPS through the roof. It was a move that was worthy of being called an ultimate attack, but at the same time, it could only be used once a day, and the boss would enrage due to the depletion of its health. Therefore, if they got the timing wrong when paring down its health, the move would not seed.

    ¡°We¡¯ll also need to see how much of its health we can burn off in a short time. You can handle that, right, Ulbert-san?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Since you let me conserve all my MP, I n to spend it all on damage... but of course, I¡¯ll follow Bukubukuchagama-san¡¯s directions for hate management.¡±

    ¡°Looking forward to it~¡±

    ¡°All right, then next up...¡±

    Momonga continued exining after seeing that everyone had calmed down.

    ¡°...This is probably the most important thing, but we won¡¯t be able to retreat from this fight.¡±

    A prickly sensation of nervousness flooded through him. They had one shot at this. They had to bet everything on that one shot.

    Boss battles typically took ce in a separate map, and there were some boss battles which allowed yers to retreat from the fight. Therefore, most yers would do so if they felt things were getting dangerous. Of course, the enemy would recover all their lost HP, so it would be best not to use trump cards and the like before retreating.

    ¡°Really, they don¡¯t want neers to beat this dungeon in one go.¡±

    ¡°Ah, there¡¯s almost nobody who could beat this dungeon blind anyway.¡±

    ¡°Then, Momonga-san, I have two questions. Did anyone lose their buffs when they went in?¡±

    ¡°That didn¡¯t seem to have happened.¡±

    ¡°I see... then, will we have time to buff up inside?¡±

    ¡°No chance. The boss appears immediately and attacks.¡±

    ¡°So we¡¯re fighting without knowledge or preparation? This is tough.¡±

    ¡°¡ªThe battle is over before it begins.¡±

    ¡°Ohhh! You sound just like him, Momonga-san!¡±

    It was apanied by a giggle.

    ¡°Just so. The deck is stacked pretty high against us. However, I feel our team can do it. Right, guys?¡±

    Bukubukuchagama¡¯s statement was met with approval all around.

    In a grateful tone, Momonga announced:

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll let everyone else know that our party will be thest ones in.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Then, another problem is that we know nothing about the enemy¡¯s attacks... Though since we¡¯ve encountered nothing but undead all the way here, the boss might end up being some other type of creature, right? No, those shitty devs would definitely do something like that.¡±

    ¡°Since we don¡¯t know enough about this fight, we can¡¯t assemble the proper elemental enchants... so how about something that¡¯s wide-spectrum but low-potency? No matter what, we can¡¯t learn without taking a hit. Plus, we have to worry about hate resets...¡±

    ¡°We could use food to buff our basic stats. Would you mind sparing me some for resistances?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not making undead to add to the damage rotations, but I¡¯ll be using them as meatshields when the timees. I won¡¯t use them to attack.¡±

    Everyone loudly discussed their preparations for this battle, and when it was over, Momonga had received confirmation that the other two teams had started their respective battles.

    ¡°Then ¡ª shall we?¡±

    Bukubukuchagama oozed forward, a shield in each hand.

    Various magic items floated into view within her pink body. When slimes were equipped with magic items ¡ª with the exception of hand-held items ¡ª they were not shown on their exterior, but within their bodies.

    Incidentally, in Yggdrasil one could equip magic items in the following slots: head, face, body, three pieces of jewellery apart from one¡¯s rings, underclothing, arms, hands, left and right rings, waist, legs and feet. Even a suit of full te armor only counted as taking up the body slot.

    ¡°Then, we¡¯re going for it. One-sixth of a raid boss.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t go into your rotations right away, watch the enemy¡¯s attacks first. I¡¯ll manage our hate, so please listen to my instructions. You guys don¡¯t need me to tell you this, right?¡±

    Five ¡®evil grin¡¯ emoticons were their response to Bukubukuchagama¡¯s provocation.

    They had yed together for a long time now. All of them knew what they could and could not do.

    With Bukubukuchagama leading the way, the party entered the magic circle.

    They ended up in a room that resembled a colosseum. The walls were high and curved into a dome. Since there was a roof, there probably would not be any flying monsters dropping in on them.

    Next, they inspected the ground beneath their feet. It seemed to be regr dirt, with no sign of traps.

    Still, they could not be careless. Altering the terrain was amon tactic of raid bosses.

    They needed to have a response for anything the enemy tried to do. If they knew what the enemy was capable of from the start, they could take steps to foil the enemy action, or even turn it to their advantage.

    One could also use the super-tier spell ¡®The Creation¡¯ to directly alter the circumstances to their advantage, but all super-tier spells had an unavoidable cooldown time whenever they were cast. Therefore, the trump card of super-tier magic could only be used when it was absolutely vital.

    Momonga and friends turned their eyes in unison, to the massive being that stood in the center of the room like a wrathful Nio statue.

    (TL Note: the Nio are Japanese war gods who defend the Buddha. Like the Myo-O, they are fierce in appearance.)

    It was a boss which stood nearly five meters tall, with six arms, and it resembled an Asura. From the exquisite craftsmanship of its armor, they could guess that it boasted a strong defense.

    (TL Note: Asura are demigods in Buddhism)

    Four of its six arms held melee weapons ¡ª a sword, an axe, a spear and a club, each wreathed in an aura of fire, cold, electricity and acid respectively. Its remaining two hands held a bow. All this suggested that it was a physical attacker with multiple elemental attacks. Though it did not seem to be undead, it was still a boss monster, and those boasted a plethora of resistances. It certainly did not seem like the sort of creature which could be felled by an instant-death attack.

    There were very few monsters in Yggdrasil with attacks that were vastly different from what their appearances suggested. However, there were many enemies whose moves could not be predicted. Still, this boss seemed like a special case.

    Most monsters were generated by the same rules used for generating yer characters. Even the magic they used was the same. The values derived from their basic stats ¡ª such as HP ¡ª were also of a simr nature.

    In Yggdrasil there were two major patterns of raid bosses.

    The main problem with designing boss encounters in Yggdrasil was that the yers had the same skills and spells that monsters did, but during raid boss encounters, there would be 30 yers facing a single monster. Even if with enhanced stats, one monster would still be obliterated by sheer weight of numbers, which meant that there was no challenge at all.

    As such, two main patterns of boss encounters appeared to address this issue.

    The first was to meet numbers with numbers. Sometimes the boss woulde with minions, or the boss arena would constantly spawn monsters. In this approach, the boss was usually not very strong. In some cases it would only have several times the HP of a yer character.

    The other method was to send out a single boss, generated with different data from the yer characters. This sort of boss typically had abilities which would give a lot of trouble to parties which encountered them for the first time, and it could use those abilities continuously

    Judging by the look of the boss, it was highly likely that it fell into thetter category.

    ¡°Oh foolish ones who challenged usst, know the might of those who be stronger with everyyer of binding removed from us.¡±

    ¡°...There wasn¡¯t any foreshadowing about bindings before this. Here wee!¡±

    Bukubukuchagama leapt forth. She circled around the boss, moving in order not to let the boss¡¯ first strike hit anyone but herself.

    The boss thrust its ming sword, and a dark red circle formed around Bukubukuchagama¡¯s feet, indicating that she was the target of its attack. From the way the circle moved with her, it would seem this was an undodgeable move.

    ¡°[Sr re].¡±

    Those words floated in the air as it activated a unique boss skill, which did not exist as a spell which yers could ess. A burst of fire erupted, centered on Bukubukuchagama.

    Bosses with multiple unique skills were very hard to deal with. This was because there was no way of knowing what type of attack or magic would be effective. There was no time to feel the boss out by trial and error either, all they could do now was use all the tricks they had learned during their time as gamers.

    Judging by Bukubukuchagama¡¯s HP bar, she had not been badly hurt. However, that was because being attacked was her objective. Having eschewed offensive power, Bukubukuchagama instead boasted immense resistance to all sorts of elemental attacks.

    Even so, if the boss focused its fire on her, she might end up being pounded to death. Of course, normal monsters could not do that, but it was certainly possible for bosses, who were designed as solobat units. After all, they were special beings which were unlike a normal enemy. As such, even light wounds could not be overlooked.

    Thus, Yamaiko promptly cast her healing spell.

    The boss began pursuing Bukubukuchagama, while Momonga approached from the opposite side of the boss. It swung at Bukubukuchagama with its gigantic sword, but she deftly blocked it with her shields.

    A top-ss yer could not only deflect a boss¡¯ attacks without harm, but even respond with a counterattack of their own. However, Bukubukuchagama could not do that. Within Ainz Ooal Gown, the only person who could was Touch Me. He was a super-tier yer who could serve as a tank even though he was an attacker.

    The two frontliners advanced. Like a rubber band stretched to its limit, they snapped forth, reaching the boss in an instant.

    ¡°[Shadowbind], [Hobble].¡±

    (TL note: Ó°¿p¤¤, ×ãš¢¤·)

    ¡°[Razor Edge], [Rasetsu].¡±

    (TL note: ¥ì¥¤¥¶¥¨¥Ã¥¸, Á_„x)

    As the textboxes popped up above their heads, several ck des flew through the air. Those were attacks which lowered evasion and movement speed, and now that the boss was presumably weakened, the physical attacker Warrior Takemikazuchi shed wildly at the boss.

    Multiple shes appeared on the boss¡¯ body, and Momonga saw the boss¡¯ HP bar waver, thanks to his ¡®Life Essence¡¯ spell. It had taken less damage than expected, and it was this, more than anything it said, which made them think that this was really a raid boss.

    ¡°[Arm Slice], [Headshot].¡±

    (TL note: Íóš¢¤·, î^š¢¤·)

    ¡°[Rasetsu], [sh-All].¡±

    (TL note: Á_„x, ËÄ·½°Ë·½)

    More words popped up above their heads, and their chained attacks mauled the boss¡¯ body.

    They could still chat while fighting mooks, but against a boss they had no time to banter. However, their teamwork would break down if they did not indicate what they were doing, so they used macros to create those text boxes.

    (TL Note: macros are miniature programs that execute a series of actions linked to a single button press, they¡¯re used in games tomunicate information quickly)

    The acid-wreathed club swung at Nishiki Enrai. Thanks to the debuffs he had inflicted, the boss¡¯ hate for him had gone up beyond Bukubukuchagama¡¯s ability to manage.

    Although the blow should have struck home, no damage numbers appeared. He must have used some sort of ninja skill.

    ¡°Watch your hate! Stop attacking!¡±

    ¡°R!¡±

    ¡°R!¡±

    (TL Note: R here is used as a shorthand for ¡°roger¡±, or ÁË½â/ryokai in JP)

    Bukubukuchagama used the shield on her left hand to protect herself, while she attacked continuously with the one on the right.

    The text boxes above her read [Shield Attack], [Shield Stun] and [Mega Impact]. This was also known as the Hate Combo, which built hate towards her quickly.

    After that was [Knight¡¯s Challenge]. Normally, hate increased along with damage done, but Bukubukuchagama did very little damage. As a result, she could not generate hate quickly, which was why shepensated with a skill that built hate twice as fast as normal.

    The boss once more targeted Bukubukuchagama, and began attacking.

    The two frontliners matched their movements and attacked, while Ulbert and Momonga cast their spells.

    ¡°[Boosted Magic ¨C Magic Arrow]!¡±

    ¡°[Prate Magic ¨C Slow]!¡±

    Ulbert¡¯s first-tier spell, which had been temporarily boosted in tier, streaked toward the boss, leaving a white trail in its wake.

    Doing too much damage made hate management difficult, and it would be hard to control the flow of the battle. In order not to build too much hate, he decided to use a weak spell.

    As usual, Momonga was casting debuffs. Breaking through the enemy¡¯s resistances was difficult, but if the debuffs managed to connect, it would greatly help his team.

    The battle was progressing smoothly. The vanguards suppressed the boss while the rear guards whittled it down. It felt like they were off to a good start, though they did not let it go to their heads. Just as Momonga was thinking that, a [Message] notification appeared in his line of sight.

    Don¡¯t you know I¡¯m fighting a boss, Momonga grumbled as he tapped the notification and took the [Message].

    ¡°Sorry to bother you in the middle ofbat, Momonga-san.¡±

    It was Punitto Moe¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Ah well, it happens. I¡¯ll talk to you in a while¡ª¡±

    ¡°How much longer?!¡±

    How should I know? Although Momonga wanted to tell him not to disrupt his concentration, he could sense a growing anxiety in Punitto Moe¡¯s voice.

    Momonga had already cast a 7th-tier spell, [Focus Magic], on Ulbert. While this buff would end after the next spell Ulbert cast, that spell would do over twice the normal amount of DPS. Plus, only Ulbert¡¯s hate would go up, so Bukubuchagama would have an easier time managing hate.

    Because of this, Momonga had a little bit of breathing room. While he kept an eye on the boss¡¯ movements, he replied to Punitto Moe.

    ¡°It should be a fair bit, we haven¡¯t even brought him down to 75% health.¡±

    Normal parties would take roughly 10 to 15 minutes to defeat a boss. Not even a quarter of that had passed so far.

    ¡°Could you hurry it up a little? Three teams have already beaten their bosses and moved on to the sixth floor¡ª¡±

    Momonga did not congratte Punitto Moe because he had a bad feeling about what came next.

    ¡°They ran into a constantly-respawning horde of monsters and are currently fighting. They might have to fight until everyone wins and reaches the 6th floor.¡±

    What the hell is this?!

    Momonga resisted the urge to exim out loud. This was a dire situation for the teleported parties. Being forced to fight even more monsters after expending their MP and limited-use skills against the bosses was an arduous task.

    The proper way to clear a dungeons like this was probably to learn which bosses would get stronger, and in which order. Then, the parties would simultaneously enter their boss fights and beat them at the same time.

    He cursed the shitty developers in his heart. Did they really hate first-time clears so much? No, it was because of traps like these that first-time clears were so difficult.

    ¡°So, please hurry!¡±

    After terminating the [Message] to Punitto Moe, Momonga shouted, ¡°Finish it quick!¡±

    ¡°R!¡±

    They replied in unison, and nobody asked for the reason why.

    ¡°Uwah, time to spend! Damn cash shop!¡±

    ¡°3000 yen! No more than 3000 yen! Those shitty devs must have done this to force people to use the cash shop!¡±

    As Momonga heard Nishiki Enrai and Warrior Takemikazuchi shouting, he also heard Ulbertment quietly, ¡°I¡¯ll have to use cash items too...¡±

    Momonga could empathize with him. Right now, it would probably be best to make a minimal investment in cash items. They were in a team, after all, and it would not do to hold everyone else back.

    Although he did not know what kind of cash item the frontliners had used, the boss¡¯ health was dropping faster than before. Because of that, the boss used a new attack ¡ª it brought the freezing axe above its head.

    ¡°[Neptune Lightstorm].¡±

    The freezing vapors flowing from the axe formed a sphere of bluish-white energy over the boss¡¯ head.

    This must be some sort of super move. With that in mind, Momonga immediately ran over to Yamaiko¡¯s side. Lasers sprayed in all directions from the blue-white orb. Although most of the beams seemed to fly at random, some of them seemed to follow a specific pattern. Of course, it was impossible to tell what that pattern was on the first encounter.

    Momonga was hit by a bolt of light, but he was unscathed. As expected, that attack was a cold-elemental one. Since he was immune to it, he was not affected by its negative status effects or debuffs either. However¡ª

    ¡°[Haste].¡±

    Momonga cast the spell on the frontliners.

    The three vanguards were under a Slow debuff, which should have been because they were struck by thesers. That being the case, he could counter it with the appropriate, opposed magic. At this level, one could negate a lot of elemental attacks and debuffs with innate elements or resistances, but it was impossible to eliminate all ws in a character. The problem then became where a yer allowed themselves to be weak.

    In all likelihood, the frontliners left themselves vulnerable to Slow effects because they trusted in Momonga to help dispel them. Momonga in turn, promptly tended to them. This was the true meaning of teamwork.

    Just as they thought they were through it, the boss began another round of attacks.

    The shrinking interval between the usage of skills was a sign that the boss was picking up the pace.

    ¡°[Venus Monsoon].¡±

    Heavy clouds appeared above the boss¡¯ head, nketing the battlefield. The boss raised its corrosive club. It would seem it was going to call down acid rain.

    ¡°[Shark Cyclone].¡±

    A gigantic hurricane whirled into existence as Momonga cast his spell, but it did not disperse the gathering clouds overhead.

    ¡°Shit!¡±

    Momonga muttered ¡°Shitty developers¡± over and over again, until it became a sort of mantra.

    If the boss used a spell which yers had ess to, he would probably be able to counter it in some way. However, if it was a skill, all he could do was guess.

    This time, his guess was off.

    He should have used a defensive spell instead, but it was toote. This was not the sort of opponent that would give him the luxury of a second move.

    A torrential rainstorm filled everyone¡¯s vision. It made them think of the acid rain in the real world. However, since this was a game, the rain vanished immediately. The puddles left behind on the ground did not inflict any DOTs (damage over time effects).

    This was a surprisingly mild attack. Since he had acid resistance, he had not taken much damage. Of course, his equipment durability had decreased, but that was not a big problem. This might have been the sort of attack which would have extra effects if the Slow debuff remained on them.

    Yamaiko ran over to him, and the moment he touched her, a text box with the words [Greater Lethal] appeared. This was a spell which caused damage with negative energy, but it had the opposite effect on Momonga.

    Momonga also had the ability to infuse negative energy by touch, but it could not heal the undead. Apparently it could heal undead by touch during the first week of the game, but it was immediately patched out. The ray of hope which shone down on undead magic casters was snuffed out, as though it had been nothing but a dream.

    ¡°Thanks!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±

    Yamaiko cast healing spells on the front liners, whose health had been reduced almost by half. Bukubukuchagama was still very energetic, so her spells were focused on the other two.

    The boss raised its lightningnce.

    Because its health was going down very fast, the dy between each attack was now very short. There were good and bad things about this, but since Bukubukuchagama kept quiet, it implied that it was fine.

    Judging by the weapon the boss raised, it was most likely some sort of lightning-elemental attack. If that was the case¡ª

    ¡°Yamaiko-san! Ulbert-san! Heading up!¡±

    There was no time to wait for their responses. Momonga cast a [Greater Teleportation] spell. His destination was the sky. Just as the view in his eyes shifted from the teleport¡ª

    ¡°[Jupiter Tempest].¡±

    ¡ªStreaks of blinding white lightning raced across the ground. A simple [Fly] spell would not have allowed them to make it up here in time.

    Normally speaking, flying up was a bad move. However, Momonga had ascended because the boss¡¯ previous attack descended from above. He guessed that there would not be two consecutive attacks which came down from the sky.

    He was lucky.

    ¡°Going down.¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    They were of one mind. After all, there was a chance that the next attack would heavily damage anyone in the air. Of course, he was quite nervous about his descent, but his body was supported by the [Fly] spell as he returned to the ground. Once there, he did not forget to cancel the spell. The truth was, using [Fly] inbat was quite difficult, only a few people were capable of it.

    Still, if one nned out a simple course and let the spell¡¯s autopilot handle things, one could fight in the air. Landing, in particr, was an easy task.

    When the boss swung its weapon, the shockwave it produced ripped through the area surrounding it. However, only Bukubukuchagama was hurt. Judging by their text boxes, the two attackers had used some sort of technique to withstand the damage and continue their attack.

    As Momonga, Ulbert and Yamaiko descended, the boss raised all four of its weapons, and used some sort of skill.

    ¡°[Great Ore of Mercury].¡±

    It would seem the boss had buffed itself.

    ¡°So hard!¡±

    That voice belonged to Warrior Takemikazuchi. His damage output had dropped to 1/10th of normal.

    ¡°Meteoric Turtle!¡± Bukubukuchagama shouted, naming a boss they had defeated in the past. Momonga immediately understood the meaning behind those words. The Meteoric Turtle had a move where it enhanced its defense, then took to the sky before crashing down again like the meteor it was named after, dealing a party-wiping amount of damage to everyone in the area.

    The countermeasures to this move were: unbnce the boss and forcibly break its defensive stance, take to the skies and halve the damage taken, or to continuously use defensive spells or skills to endure the onught.

    Warrior Takemikazuchi and Nishiki Enrai began using their unbncing skills, Momonga and the others coordinated with them and cast debilitating spells on the boss as well.

    A prickly sensation hung in the air ¡ª about 15 secondster, the boss swung its weapons, as though remembering that it had forgotten to attack while its defense rose. The sense of relief that came from disrupting the boss was reced by the pressure of knowing that the boss was going to make its move.

    ¡°[Lunar Sword].¡±

    The air pressure from the strikes turned into shing shockwaves which tore through the air. It made no difference whether one was in the sky or on the ground, there was no hiding from it.

    ¡°[Wall of Jericho].¡±

    Bukubukuchagama used her area-defense skill to be a wall behind which everyone could hide. Even so, she had still been heavily hit. It was unclear whether unbncing the enemy meant that they had taken less damage, or if the damage taken was evenly distributed throughout the group, or if they had taken damage at all because they failed to evade the attack.

    As he was being healed, Momonga went to his console and looked over his spells, at the same time considering how to proceed given the attack they had just taken. Now that the boss had lost quite a bit of HP, its attack patterns were bing more aggressive. There was a chance it might use that attack repeatedly.

    In the meantime, the boss¡¯ HP was decreasing steadily. Although the boss had abnormally high HP, the attackers¡¯ firepower was more than up to the task.

    Suddenly, the boss pointed its bow to the sky and drew it back. There was no way of telling how it would attack since it had not used its bow and arrow before now. They hindered it as much as possible, and let the backliners take care of the boss¡¯ target.

    Should I have checked the bow¡¯s element? Momonga thought as he clicked his tongue.

    ¡°[Saturn Meteor].¡±

    The boss fired toward the sky. The arrow flew to the ceiling, and an inky ck void appeared ¡ª the void of space ¡ª which swallowed it without a trace.

    The sudden void expanded to cover the entire battlefield. It would seem that the range of this attack was asrge as the previous one.

    Momonga immediately selected [Wall of Skeleton] from the control console, deploying it above himself like an umbre.

    ¡°Momonga-san, let me in!¡±

    Ulbert, the offensive specialist, had to conserve every scrap of MP he had. Thus, he ran over. Yamaiko was in a simr situation as well.

    ¡°[Field of Force].¡±

    ¡°[Sanctuary Protection].¡±

    As Yamaiko put up anotheryer of protection, Momonga cast yet another defensive spell. This was because they had no idea what kind of attack wasing next.

    Just then, a shrill screech rang through the air, and countless meteors flew through the air at them.

    The initial impact shattered the [Wall of Skeleton] which had been further reinforced by the [Sanctuary Protection]. After that, the shockwave broke the [Field of Force] and damaged Momonga, far more than the previous [Lunar Sword] had. Half of his previously full HP bar vanished in an instant.

    However, that was the end of the attack, and Momonga was still alive. Nobody had died, and Bukubukuchagama still had more than half her HP left.

    If the tank was fine, they could still fight.

    Yamaiko used a powerful skill to heal everyone quickly. However, this did not include Momonga, since normal curative methods did not work on him.

    In addition, Yamaiko¡¯s big skill spread its healing among its targets, so there was no benefit for including Momonga.

    If Momonga took another attack from the boss, he would die. Therefore, Momonga watched the boss¡¯ movements as he made a Death Knight and had it await orders. If the boss attacked the weakened Momonga, he would use the Death Knight as a shield.

    ¡°I¡¯ll heal you, Momonga-san!¡±

    After healing everyone else, Yamaiko announced her next move to the vanguards and then cast [Greater Lethal] on Momonga. While Momonga was healing up, the frontliners stopped attacking and took defensive stances, healing their wounds with potions. This was so that they did notplicate the hate management.

    All the weapons the boss was holding rose into the air, orbiting around it.

    Given these special effects, there was no doubt that it was preparing for something big.

    ¡°To think you have made it this far! It appears I have underestimated you! In that case! Come forth, my minions!¡±

    The floating weapons arranged themselves into the points of a five-pointed star, and then thrust themselves into the ground. Five monsters appeared from those ces.

    Level 87: Primal Fire Elemental

    Level 87: Primal Water Elemental

    Level 87: Primal Air Elemental

    Level 87: Primal Earth Elemental

    Level 90: Primal Star Elemental

    Each of them was the same size of the boss, and they were monsters of equivalent level to Momonga and the others.

    The six of them, including the boss, would surely crush the party into a paste.

    Momongaughed.

    He had not expected the boss to be this powerful.

    We might have gotten the sequence wrong. The boss in this arena is the kind which won¡¯t relent right until the end.

    ¡°Or are you saying the other bosses are this strong? If that¡¯s the case... then we made the right decision.¡±

    As though answering Momonga¡¯s muttering, a man¡¯s voice gave a great cry:

    ¡°Roar, my secret arcana! Descend, o ultimate disaster! Flow, ye tears of despair and regret! ¡ª [Grand Catastrophe]!¡±

    This speech, which waspletely unlike his usual style ¡ª incidentally, the preamble before the spell name was different each time ¡ª was the naked expression of his soul.

    When Ulbert in Odle mastered the ss of World Disaster, he gained this power, which outstripped the might of even super-tier spells. It was an ultimate move which required 60% of his MP.

    The fallen leaves of the world tree had a malice of their own, and now that curse was given a physical form. Pure destructive energy surged through the battlefield.

    The five elementals, which should have been at full health, were instantly annihted. The boss itself lost an rming amount of HP.

    At the same time, Ulbert ran toward the boss.

    Thanks to the hate generated by [Grand Catastrophe], the boss would not stop attacking until it hit Ulbert at least once.

    As though to switch with him, Bukubukuchagama ran to the back.

    In the moment where Ulbert was hit by the boss, Bukubukuchagama ¡ª who had run to the back ¡ª immediately exchanged ces with him.

    A text box reading [Transposition] popped up from Bukubukuchagama, and then vanished.

    The boss¡¯ weapons returned to its hands.

    It might be that the boss would lose ess to a weapon as long as its corresponding elemental was on the field. In that case, it might have been better to leave the appropriate elementals alive ¡ª possibly two of them, one left-hand and one right-hand weapon ¡ª but of course they could not know that on a first encounter.

    ¡°¡®[Sr re].¡±

    The boss opened up on Bukubukuchagama with the move it had first used.

    ¡°Everyone! Kill it quickly! It¡¯s starting its rotation again!¡± Bukubukuchagama shouted.

    Now that Ulbert had used his trump card, they had no way to beat the elementals quickly if the enemy summoned them again. In other words, they would be defeated. Therefore, they had to bring it down before that.

    There was no reason to hold back now.

    ¡°[Triplet Maximize Magic ¡ª Reality sh]!¡±

    Momonga could feel the boss turning on him now that his hate had gone up. Or rather, it was only to be expected after hitting it with three maximized 10th-tier attack spells at the same time.

    The boss closed in swiftly, but it was exactly as Bukubukuchagama had predicted. It was natural to expect the enemy to attack someone who attacked it.

    The proof of this was that Bukubukuchagama did not rush over to him, but reapplied an expired buff instead. This was because she firmly believed that Momonga could deal with it, and could respond as a yer should.

    ¡°Death Knight!¡±

    He sent amand to the Death Knight with a macro. The Death Knight roared, and took on the hate that should have been borne by Momonga.

    At the same time, in ordance with the orders given, the Death Knight ran to Bukubukuchagama.

    The boss paused, and turned on the iing Death Knight.

    Its attack swung down on the Death Knight.

    It went without saying that given the gigantic level difference, the Death Knight should have been destroyed.

    That was what should have happened if a level 90 being attacked a level 35 opponent, unless the attacker held back a lot. However, the Death Knight¡¯s skill activated. It took the hit and survived with 1 HP remaining, and continued running toward the frontliners. Or rather, it tried to run ¡ª the boss¡¯ next blow obliterated the Death Knight.

    However, it had fulfilled its purpose.

    ¡°You¡¯re the best, Death Knight-kun! Now look at me, you son of a bitch!¡±

    Bukubukuchagama raised her gelid arms, probably trying to get the boss to target her. The boss, which had been nning to charge the others, changed its target to her.

    All these were the movements of the switch attack, which Momonga was skilled at executing.

    ¡°Push it!¡±

    ¡°R!¡±

    ¡°R!¡±

    The boss raised its freezing axe, and used the [Neptune Lightstorm], which Momonga had already experienced before. As he shielded the other backliners with his body, he dispelled the debuffs on the frontliners.

    This was when the boss began attacking in earnest.

    Until now the boss had followed up all its skills up with simple auto-attacks. However, at this stage, it was using its skills back to back.

    Was it because it was low on HP?

    The implication here was that it would summon the Primal Elementals after using each skill once. In other words, they were running out of time.

    Can we deplete its HP fast enough?

    Despite his growing anxiety, Momonga operated his console with speed and precision. This was what they meant when they said ¡°the frontline was a sports meet, while the backline was a theatre performance.¡±

    A single mistake would disrupt his rhythm.

    Momonga groaned as he thought of the boss¡¯ attacks and watched its movements. They might not be able to beat it in time.

    However¡ª

    ¡°¡ªHow about it? Can we kill it in one shot?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m in range! We can do it! Everyone, we¡¯re going for the Bright King Combo!¡±

    ¡°Ohhh! I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡±

    ¡°Roger! Then let me begin! [Sacrifice]!¡±

    The boss hit Bukubukuchagama, who had both her arms spread wide. Bukubukuchagama took a huge amount of damage, even through her extremely high defense. At the same time, a ck mist enveloped the boss.

    After that, Bukubukuchagama activated the [Aegis] skill. HP restoration should have been Yamaiko¡¯s job, but they no longer had the time for that. All she could do was minimize her damage taken and try to push through this with her current HP.

    Momonga cast a spell, targeting it on Nishiki Enrai.

    ¡°[Conflict Karma]!¡±

    Yamaiko watched as Momonga cast his buff, then crushed the hourss-like cash item in her hand, instantly activating her super-tier spell.

    ¡°[Judgement of Osiris]!¡±

    (TL Note: the kanji reads ¥ª¥·¥ê¥¹¤Î ²Ã¤­/Judgement of Osiris, the furigana is ¥Ú¥ë¥È ¥¨¥à ¥Ø¥ë¥¦/Prt M Hrw, part of the name of the Egyptian Book of the Dead.)

    Scales appeared over the heads of everyone on the battlefield.

    On one side was a heart, and on the other was a feather.

    Yamaiko, Nishiki Enrai and Warrior Takemikazuchi¡¯s scales pended down on the feather¡¯s side. In contrast, Momonga, Ulbert, Bukubukuchagama, and the boss¡¯ scales weighed down on the heart¡¯s side. In that moment, the heart was promptly devoured by a beast that appeared out of nowhere.

    Momonga was not hurt.

    However, his karma value plummeted, reaching -1000 in an instant.

    This super-tier spell could manipte karma values ¡ª it reduced negative values, and increased positive ones.

    Karma values affected the damage inflicted by certain spells and skills. The reason Yamaiko cast this spell went without saying ¡ª it was to intensify the effects of thebo which relied on karmic imbnce.

    Warrior Takemikazuchi was all smiles as he began the Combo.

    ¡°Here I go! [atha]! [Fudo Kensaku]!¡±

    The form of The Immovable One, Fudo Myo-o, appeared behind Warrior Takemikazuchi, casting forth ariat from his hand.

    The first blow of the Bright King Combo, [atha], had two attackponents. The first, the [Kurikara Sword], did more damage the lower its opponent¡¯s karma score was. Without the appropriate countermeasures, it would be fatal. The second was the [Fudo Kensaku], which reduced the evasive abilities of opponents with low karma values. This decrease was directly proportional to the amount of negative karma its target had.

    Perhaps the boss¡¯ karma was never that high to begin with, but Bukubukuchagama¡¯s skill made sure of that.

    Bukubukuchagama¡¯s [Sacrifice] greatly decreased defensive power, but in exchange the damaged party¡¯s karma dropped to the absolute minimum. And then, Yamaiko¡¯s super-tier spell lowered it even further.

    ¡°[Trailokyavijayar¨¡ja]!¡±

    The Conqueror of Three nes, Gozanze Myo-o appeared behind him as well and ran the boss through with hisnce.

    ¡°[Yam¨¡ntaka]!¡±

    After that, The Defeater of Death, Daiitoku Myo-o materialized, smiting the boss with his massive club.

    ¡°[Kundali]!¡±

    The Dispenser of Heavenly Nectar, Gundari Myo-O released a serpent from his hand, which suddenly expanded and coiled around the boss, further locking it in ce. If this was not done, the boss might be able to escape its bindings in the dy between strikes.

    ¡°[Vajrayaksa]!¡±

    The Devourer of Demons, Kongo-Yasha Myo-O, mauled the boss with his electrically-charged vajra-sword.

    And then, while the boss could not evade, the five Wisdom Kings charged it. They surrounded him and as one, they took stances which pointed their palms at him.

    Their foe would not be able to move if it had so much as one point of negative karma.

    ¡°Ossha!¡±

    Nishiki Enrai switched out his weapon in that moment.

    This was his trump card, Susanoo. It was a weapon that was over three meters long, and due to various penalties, it swung very slowly. However, that hardly mattered when his opponent could not move. Perhaps it was a loophole in the system, or a deliberate decision by the developers, but the attack power of this gigantic ninjato far surpassed that of even a special being like this boss.

    The instant that slow-moving de touched the boss, a frightening series of damage numbers that looked like they came from a multi-part attack spewed forth.

    Momonga could not help butugh as the boss¡¯ HP went down in his eyes.

    And then¡ª

    ¡ªCracks appeared all over the boss¡¯ body.

    Light flowed out from between the gaps, followed by a great explosion.

    Momonga was stunned for a moment, and then the overflowing joy in his heart made him cry out.

    This might be a game, but jubtion from oveing a great difficulty was universal. Nor was he the only one rejoicing. The other members of the party, who had beaten this dungeon alongside him, were cheering as well.

    An orb floated in the ce where the boss used to be. It did not look like a data crystal, nor did it resemble an artifact. They had to take it and get the group to the 6th floor. Momonga wanted to grab it, but was it really all right for him to do so, given that he had not contributed that much?

    ¡°Momonga-san, the boss dropped an item.¡±

    ¡°In that case, the two attackers should¡ª¡±

    ¡°Momonga-san, it¡¯s not like that,¡± Bukubukuchagama said.

    ¡°Things ended up like this because everyone did what they had to do. The attackers are supposed to damage the boss. The tank should control hate and bears the boss¡¯ attacks. The healer has to heal the group¡¯s wounds. And of course, the wildcard uses buffs and debuffs, guiding the flow of the battle.¡±

    She panted, and took a breath.

    ¡°Therefore, everyone yed their part!¡±

    Something along the lines of ¡°What she said¡± came from Yamaiko¡¯s direction.

    ¡°Momonga-san, you protected us in many ways, didn¡¯t you? It¡¯s not just the front liners who shone in this fight, don¡¯t you two agree?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right, Yamaiko-san. However, I feel a little embarrassed to have someone say I was shining. We¡¯re just the ones who entrust our backs to the rear guard and focus on attacking.¡±

    ¡°Yup, yup. Come on, go take it, Momonga-san. Didn¡¯t you say we had to hurry?¡±

    Nishiki Enrai urged Momonga on after Warrior Takemikazuchi spoke.

    There were no facial expressions in Yggdrasil. However, Suzuki Satoru knew that his friends were smiling happily.

    ¡°¡ªThank you, everyone! Then, don¡¯t mind if I do!¡±

    With that, Momonga reached out for the floating sphere ¡ª and touched it.

    In that instant, the world cked out.

    By the time he could see again, he was in a wide-open space,pletely different from before. These were ruins, perhaps. They seemed to be in a slightly-elevated ce, at the top of a flight of stone steps. The ruins were located within a sprawling expanse of wilderness, but there seemed to be something glowing in the sky which cast enough light that they could not see beyond 200 to 300 meters away.

    The sound of cheering came from below them.

    Looking down, he saw his guildmates. They were holding weapons, and it would seem they had been fighting until just now.

    ¡°The auto-spawning enemies vanished, so I was pretty sure that you and the others defeated your boss, Momonga-san.¡±

    ¡°Yoshaaaa! Damn we¡¯re good, beating an unknown dungeon in one try! How about that, you shitty devs?!¡±

    ¡°Oi oi oi, if you want to take a toilet break, you¡¯d better go now! Don¡¯t miss out on what happens next!¡±

    When he heard their shouts, Momonga suddenly understood what they had done, and heughed. In truth, he had beenughing since just now, but he could not help himself now.

    Momonga and the others descended the stairs, bathed in everyone¡¯s praise. These were their des for beating the strongest boss.

    ¡°Then, Momonga-san. Put that in there.¡±

    Momonga looked in the direction Touch Me was pointing, and saw a stone que. There were four orbs like the one Momonga was holding, and one empty slot. There were no clear directions, but he knew exactly what he had to do.

    He headed straight for the que, and slotted his orb into the final depression. The orb fit into the indentation as though it had been sucked in, and then all the orbs glowed gently.

    Momonga gulped.

    A scroll descended from the sky,nding beside Momonga. In its ce, the que vanished, reced by a throne made from a single gigantic crystal.

    There was no doubt that the scroll was the ownership deed, which meant that the throne was some sort of artifact. Usually, the dungeon reward was one or the other, but this seemed like an exceptional case. An artifact of this ss ought to be pretty useful. If not, they could probably still sell it for a pretty penny.

    However, certain artifacts were weird, and he prayed that this was not the case.

    ¡°Huh.¡±

    Momonga, who was very worried about the throne, looked up to the sky. The glowing scroll was falling at an almost insufferably slow speed.

    Although this sort of forced dramatics usually annoyed him, he had to be grateful for them this time.

    Momonga extended his hand, and grasped the scroll from mid-air.

    He had been thinking that he would look terriblyme if he fumbled it at a moment like this, so he had to keep the relief he felt when he took it into his hand a secret from everyone.

    ¡°Congrattions! For conquering the Great Tomb of Nazarick, you have earned the ownership rights to the Guild Homebase: Great Tomb of Nazarick.¡±

    As though urged on by that calm male voice, Momonga opened the scroll, allowing everyone to see the contents of the title deed.

    There was a cry of surprise as they looked through the data on the guild territories and ie.

    ¡°This...! We can make up to 2750 levels of NPCs!¡±

    ¡°Ehhhhh? Really? It¡¯s true!¡±

    ¡°Why is it so high?¡±

    Everyone anxiously went over the contents again, Momonga included. He essed his console and went over the number of NPC levels. When he realised what was going on, his eyes went wide.

    There were only nine ces in the game which offered more NPC levels, at 3000. Was this homebase location a ce on par with those? It had not been discovered until now, so was this the result of something like points umting?

    Was there any reason for this? If so, it would be very helpful. They read through the guild homebase details again, and the person who had first discovered it eximed again.

    ¡°The base amount is 2250, with a bonus of 500... has anyone heard of anything like this before?¡±

    Everyone shook their heads. Then, someone had an idea.

    ¡°Could it be that if you sessfully beat a guild homebase location in one shot, your maximum NPC levels increase?¡±

    Silence fell across the group in an instant, and then someone shouted angrily:

    ¡°Uooooohhh! You shitty developers! As though anyone could do that!¡±

    ¡°Damn shitty devs!¡±

    ¡°Is that what you mean by seeking knowledge with no fear of death, you bastards?!¡±

    Momonga joined in as well. This was to cover up the joy overflowing in his heart. The truth was, the people who had vented their emotions were nowughing.

    In fact, everyone wasughing.

    They pped each other on the back, patted their shoulders and their heads, all to celebrate the achievement which they and their friends had won. From the corner of his eye, Momonga even noticed Ulbert and Touch Me patting each other on the back as well.

    ¡°¡ªThen, is this an artifact?¡±

    Punitto Moe stared at the throne.

    ¡°How nice of them to provide a throne for us. Then, please take your rightful ce, Guildmaster Momonga-sama. After that, let¡¯s take amemorative picture with him in the middle!¡±

    ¡°Sounds good! Sounds great! Come,e! Guildmaster,e have a seat!¡±

    Nishiki Enrai and Warrior Takemikazuchi¡¯s words were met with general approval.

    He could no longer put this off. Momonga did as he was told and sat on the throne. In that moment, a voice which only Momonga could hear spoke to him:

    ¡°Congrattions! Forpleting a dungeon of rmended level 80+ in one attempt, you have received the World-ss Item, The Throne of Kings!¡±

    As the notification slowly sank into his mind, Momonga felt his heart clench tightly and shrink.

    It was a shock that took his breath away.

    One of the greatest treasures in Yggdrasil now rested beneath him.

    Suspecting that he might have misheard things, he touched his console with trembling hands. As he looked at his status disy, Momonga realised that the voice he heard was not some blissful hallucination that was the product of his own mind.

    He saw a buff on his status screen. It was the same as that time when they had once obtained a World-ss Item, but then lost it.

    That was ¡ª WORLD. It implied an entire world, and the ultimate protection it bestowed.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Momonga-san?¡±

    Even in a world without facial expressions, anyone would find it strange if someone suddenly froze and did not move.

    ¡°Is it a nanomachine depletion message?¡±

    ¡°No... This... this is a World-ss Item.¡±

    Silence fell across the guild members, who were lined up for the photo shoot. They could not understand what Momonga was saying.

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s true. Seems to be a reward for clearing the dungeon on the first try.¡±

    It was a calm voice that startled the listener himself. Nor could Momonga properly express himself due to the magnitude of the shock he had just received.

    A greatmotion erupted from his friends. At first, it was only the phrase ¡°World-ss Item¡± that fell from their lips ¡ª and then it was thunderous cheering.

    Just like before, great shouts of ¡°shitty devs!¡± rang out.

    ¡°I knew it from the start. Clearing this dungeon in one shot would give us a World-ss Item.¡±

    ¡°As if you really knew that.¡±

    ¡°Awesome! How about that?! You Seraph bastards!¡±

    ¡°Yahoo~¡±

    As everyone began dancing strangely, Momonga decided to rise from the throne and vacate it, so anyone could sit down. He moved to a quieter, more distant ce.

    Soon, Touch Me and Ulbert came to stand before Momonga.

    ¡°Well, that was amazing, Momonga-san!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right! A guildmaster who gets us a World-ss Item in our first guild event ¡ª that¡¯s crazy, right? Seriously!¡±

    As he mused about whether ¡°crazy¡± should be used as a form of praise, Momonga nodded to Ulbert and Touch Me.

    ¡°What are you saying, all this was because everyone gave freely of their resources to help us clear this dungeon.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so humble. Takemikazuchi-san was right. I couldn¡¯t have done something so wild. I would¡¯ve been afraid of our first guild activity failing and suggested a safer and more sensible monster hunt instead. This is something only you could do, Momonga-san.¡±

    ¡°No¡ª¡±

    Momonga wanted to say that it was a miracle that happened because everyone tried their hardest. Saying that it was all thanks to himself made him feel guilty.

    His friends touched the throne all over, arguing over who should be next in line to sit on it.

    It was because of them.

    ¡°Nonono, Momonga-san. There¡¯s no need for that. If the venture failed, you were willing to bear everyone¡¯s disappointment and unhappiness, weren¡¯t you, Momonga-san? If that¡¯s the case, then you should ept the praise thates from seeding. Otherwise it would be strange, no?¡±

    It was hard for him to ept those words, even if Ulbert said them.

    ¡°Aw, don¡¯t be like that. I regretted this thing so many times. I¡¯ve been psyching myself up to be a guildmaster who handledmunication, coordination, and other odd jobs.¡±

    He spilled his guts in a thoroughly exhausted voice.

    The two of them seemed to find it amusing, but theirughs were not those of scorn.

    ¡°Got it. For all we know, this reluctance of yours might make you a good guildmaster. Though I think it would be good if you were more of a take-charge kind of person¡ª¡±

    ¡°What are you saying? Isn¡¯t that one of Momonga-san¡¯s virtues? I mean, aren¡¯t we all following him because he¡¯s like that?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right... yes, indeed, it¡¯s just as you say,¡± Touch Me said in a self-reflective voice.

    Was he thinking about him, the one who left the game?

    ¡°Oi, oi, what are you babbling about over there? Come quick! We¡¯re taking the photo now!¡±

    ¡°Come,e! Guildmaster! Have a seat on the throne!¡±

    Nishiki Enrai and Warrior Takemikazuchi practically pushed him onto the throne. His other friends were already lined up and waiting for him.

    ¡°All right! We¡¯re taking the photo!¡±

    Everyone struck a pose of some sort. They used their bodily motions topensate for theck of facial expressions in the game. Momonga touched his console, and selected a smiling face from one of the emoticons.

    ¡°Here we go! Three, two one!¡±

    The floating orb-like camera before them was a cash item, which made the sound of a shutter clicking. At the same time, a ding-dong rang in Momonga¡¯s ear.

    He knew without looking that this was the chime of a received message ¡ª a picture of Ainz Ooal Gown and the prize they had won in their maiden venture.

    Momonga smiled.

    He let his thoughts wander to what he and Ainz Ooal Gown would do now, and in the future¡ª

    END

 Chapter 72 - Volume 10

    Overlord Volume 10 Prologue

    Trantor: Nigel

    Editors/Proofreaders: Namorax, JcqC, TaintedDreams, rockgollem, Viet Nguyen, Ferro

    Prologue

    Albedo entered the room, and then filled her lungs with air.

    Sadly, there was nothing in the air to stimte her nose, but that was to be expected. After all, not only did her beloved master not possess a metabolism, he did not even breathe, so there was no scent he could have left behind.

    Still ¡ª she could feel it in her heart.

    After breathing in the air where her master had been, she felt peace flowing through her soul.

    This was what it meant to be a girl in love.

    ¡°Ku~ fufu.¡±

    As the soft chuckle escaped her lips, Albedo pressed her hand over her mouth.

    It was not that anyone was there, or that her teeth were showing. However, it was not something a properdy should have done.

    Albedo sat primly upon the bed, and thenid down.

    She sniffed again, and as expected, there was nothing in the air. Still, the fact that she could do this while lying on her beloved master¡¯s bed filled her with the deepest joy.

    This was a perfectly reasonable course of action for a girl in love to take. If there was a woman who could lie on the bed of the man she loved, do the same things Albedo was doing and yet not feel anything while daring to call herself a ¡°girl in love¡±, then she would certainly consider that woman to be one that did not understand true love, and swiftly eliminate such an unpleasant person without dy.

    ¡°Haaa~¡±

    Albedo pulled back the hands wandering down her belly. Now was not the time for such things.

    It seems this is bing a habit, Albedo thought as she pulled herself upright.

    In any case, she had to finish the day¡¯s tasks.

    After founding the Sorcerous Kingdom and cing E-Rantel under their rule, Albedo¡¯s workload had dramatically increased. Much of the reason for that was because the officials who were supposed to manage E-Rantel had fled to the Kingdom, leading to a shortage of administrative personnel.

    The n was to use the undead created by her master to handle this task. However, since they were still in the training phase, the result was that it consumed her time instead, and increased her workload. In addition, there were many other things that she had to do. While her schedule would probably free up in the near future, for the time being she would still be very busy.

    Of course, to Albedo, thesebors were not onerous. Or rather, there was not a single denizen of Nazarick who would say that service to their master was a hardship. This was what Albedo believed. One might even go so far as to say that the heavier her burden, the greater her joy.

    ¡°It¡¯s about time to check on the results of their training...¡±

    Said training had stretched from a few days to a few weeks. Even after a month, they were still only half-ready, but she would have to hand the reins of administration over to them and see how things turned out.

    Recently, she had been considering a visit to the Kingdom, to meet with the King. In truth, her presence was not necessary, as long as her master ¡ª who overflowed with wisdom ¡ª was around. However, such tasks were little more than petty errands, which did not suit his role as an absolute ruler.

    Kings had things which kings needed to do.

    ¡°Although,e to think of it... where does Ainz-sama n to lead the Sorcerous Kingdom?¡±

    A nation had policies which it could implement.

    Once one had decided on them, they could to determine thews of thend and the future direction of the entire country. For instance, they might decide to turn humans into ves and have the entire country serve Nazarick. If they chose that path, then they would need to pass the appropriatews to rule over humans as ves. Then, with that as a forethought, they would need to consider various problems, such as how to deal with the nearby human countries, how to treat other countries¡¯ humans, and other rted problems.

    However, her master had not been able to give her a clear answer, even until now.

    In other words, the Sorcerous Kingdom was building itself on the foundations of the old house called the Kingdom, and it was missing its central leadership as it did so.

    Could it be that this was the ideal sort of country for her beloved master? Or was he waiting for something? If it was thetter, she could only feel embarrassed that she could not read her master¡¯s thoughts.

    This was one of the few times that she was troubled by her master¡¯s brilliant intellect.

    There were many meanings to every move her master made, as a being of deep insight and distant considerations. She felt the most bitter regret because she could not immediatelyprehend the significance of her master¡¯s actions.

    Even Demiurge ¡ª whose intellect rivalled, or perhaps even surpassed hers ¡ª had said in the past: ¡°my wisdom could not even begin to catch up to the master¡¯s; it is truly unbearable¡±. Still, even so¨C

    ¡°All I need to do is obey Ainz-sama¡¯s decisions, no matter what kind of country he wants to create.¡±

    In all ways but one, Albedo would faithfully follow her beloved husband.

    ¡°Still, what¡¯s happened to him?¡±

    But of course, there was no answer to the sound of Albedo¡¯s muttering.

 Chapter 73 - Volume 10

    Overlord Volume 10 Chapter 01

    The Sorcerous Kingdom of Ainz Ooal Gown

    Trantor: Nigel

    Editors/Proofreaders: Namorax, JcqC, TaintedDream, rockgollem, Ferro, M, Anon

    Part 1

    The Sorcerer King. The absolute ruler of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick and the Sorcerous Kingdom of Ainz Ooal Gown. A being who ruled the 41 Supreme Beings, and thest of them who had remained in Nazarick. At this moment, that entity who should have been enjoying the attentions of his subordinates was curled up on a soft bed, reading a book.

    Said bed had been moved from the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick to this ce ¨D to the private chambers of the former ruler of E-Rantel, Mayor Panasolei, which had been partially remodelled and converted into Ainz¡¯s own chambers. Ever since it had been moved here, he could no longer detect the fragrance which it used to emanate when it had still been located in Nazarick.

    Perhaps it¡¯s because the bed here doesn¡¯t have perfume sprayed on it, Ainz thought as he leaned his weight onto the bed in question.

    Of course, sleep waspletely unnecessary for an undead being like Ainz.

    Indeed, it was only the remnants of his humanity telling his mind that he should be tired. That was why Ainz asionally did this sort of thing, lying down on a bed to cool down his overheated head and heart. However, that was only a temporary solution. Thus, lying down like this for a long time, like a human being would do, was actually quite meaningless.

    Of course, there were always a few exceptions to the rule.

    For instance ¨D yes. While he was reading for instance. In particr, when he was mindful of the way others were looking at him.

    It should be daytime soon... oh!

    A weak ray of sunlight filtered in through the gap in the curtains, giving Ainz a rough idea of the time. With that, he stuffed the book he had been reading until now back under his pillow.

    Then, he inclined his skull to look over to a corner of the room.

    He saw a maid there.

    She was one of Nazarick¡¯s regr maids, and she was attending to Ainz today ¨D to be precise, she had attended to him since yesterday. Currently, she was elegantly seated on a chair with her back ramrod straight. However, that posture had not changed sincest night. From what Ainz knew, none of the maids had failed to hold that position.

    Her line of sight was constantly fixed on Ainz, barring several momentary distractions.

    It was a truly indescribable burden.

    Of course, she had certainly not intended to exert this pressure. It was simply because paying close attention to him would allow her to respond immediately to any situation that might arise. However, it made an everyman like Suzuki Satoru want to cry and beg ¡°spare me, please¡±.

    Nobody would feelfortable if they were constantly stared at like this, especially if it was a member of the opposite sex doing it. Even if nothing happened, it made him feel like he had left something undone somewhere.

    The most important thing was the way she silently responded to Ainz if he made any movement at all.

    Simply put ¨D it was a miserable experience.

    Of course, Ainz was an absolute ruler. If he forbade her to do so, she would stop. However, when he thought of the look on the maid¡¯s face if he said so, he could not bring himself to speak the words waiting in his mouth.

    Aftering to this world, Ainz had quickly sprung into action in the guise of Momon. That was the first time the maids had surrounded him like this. Even now, they continued to render their service to him with awe-inspiring loyalty. It was because he knew this that Ainz could not bring himself to make them obey him by force.

    Besides, they will get tired of it after a while.

    It had been a month since he had thought that.

    The idea that this state of affairs might continue forever filled Ainz with some degree of unease. Because the maids took 41 days toplete a single shift rotation, he had decided to leave that matter for the future, but that line of thinking had merely kicked the can down the road until now.

    Is this what they call the burden of leadership... administering Nazarick, nning for the group¡¯s future, responding to my subordinates¡¯ wishes... people who stand at the top really are great. No wonder they have such high sries...

    The people on top do so little and yet collect so much pay. Now that he understood what they were going through, Ainzughed at his past foolishness. Then, he slowly rose from the bed.

    At this moment, the maid silently rose from her seat as well. It made him feel as though there was a string connecting them.

    How could her movements be so graceful after staying awake through the night?

    ¡°¨DI¡¯m up.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Then, your servant shall take her leave. After this, today¡¯s maid wille to take over for me.¡±

    Ainz did not say anything along the lines of ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you¡±, but simply grunted ¡°Umu¡± and waved his hand to indicate that she should carry on.

    Perhaps I¡¯m being too arrogant, Ainz thought.

    Still, it might be better like this.

    He had sent Hamsuke to ask around, and the maids¡¯ first response seemed to be, ¡°It feels like he¡¯s dominating us, Ainz-sama is the best¡± or something like that. It would seem they were all masochists, and while it troubled Ainz when he first heard it, after calmly considering the matter, he realized that a ruler needed to act and dress the part. It was what his subjects would wish for.

    Using apany as an example, a boss had to look and act like a boss.

    When he thought about it in that way, Ainz felt that what he had done was what the Sorcerer King should have done. The fact was, when he had been spying on the ruler of the Empire, Jiiv Rune Farlord El Nix, in his spare time, he noticed that the man conducted himself in pretty much the same manner.

    Still, Suzuki Satoru had been a working man, and he felt a little uneasy about not saying something along the lines of, ¡°Thanks for your hard work¡±.

    ¡°...Then, you should go have a good rest yourself.¡±

    ¡°Ah! ¨D Please allow your servant to offer her deepest thanks for your generosity, Ainz-sama!¡±

    The maid bowed deeply as she expressed her gratitude.

    ¡°However, it is thanks to this item that you so graciously lent me that your servant could stay by your side to attend you without having to rest, Ainz-sama.¡±

    No, that¡¯s not what I meant, Ainz muttered in his heart.

    It was true that once one put on a Ring of Sustenance, one could go all day and night without any sleep. Still, sitting on a chair and watching Ainz all night should have been nothing short of hellish. Although he was very pleased by their dedication, there was no need for them to go that far.

    At least they should cancel the night shift... the part where they watch me sleep, right?

    As maids, it was only natural for them to faithfully serve their master with their hearts and souls.

    He did not know exactly which of the maids had said it, but he remembered hearing it from one of them.

    Faithfully serve their master, huh. What would you say if I wanted to live as an equal to you?

    Unlike how he felt when he first came to this new world, Ainz was now confident that all his subordinates were absolutely loyal to him. As long as Ainz paid attention to his actions and did not do anything which would disappoint them, there was no chance of their betrayal ¨D barring outside interference. In that case, perhaps he should change the rtionship between them, and put himself on equal footing with the NPCs. That might be a good choice to make, at some point.

    If that happened, Ainz would be free from this life of being a ruler, of having having to rack his brains all day long. In addition ¨D

    ¨Dit would be like before, indeed, just like during the guild days. I wonder if I could go back to that sort of life again.

    Whenever he spoke to the NPCs, he kept imagining his former friends superimposed over them. Because of that, Ainz hoped that he would not have to rte to them in the capacity of a master to a servant, but rather, the way they had in the past ¨D

    ¨DNo, Ainz thought as he mentally shook his head.

    While he did not know what might nt the seeds of disappointment in his subjects, such a dramatic change in circumstances could not possibly be a wise decision. In addition, since he knew that they desired a master-servant rtionship with him, it was his responsibility as their master to continue in that capacity. At the same time, as thest person who remained here, he had to do everything he could for the NPCs (the children).

    The maid excused herself to Ainz, and left the room.

    In that moment, Ainz sprang into action. First, he reced the book under the pillow with another book. The book he substituted in had a veryplex title ¨D just looking at it would make anyone lose the will to continue reading. Then, the book he was readingst night went into his personal pocket dimension ¨D his inventory.

    After cing the book where it would not be easily stolen, Ainz breathed a sigh of relief.

    That too, was part of his responsibilities as their master.

    He certainly did not want to read those difficult books which made his head hurt all night. If possible, he wanted to read some popr books instead. However, being spotted reading such books would damage Ainz¡¯s dignity as a ruler. Therefore, Ainz was forced to take such troublesome measures.

    Incidentally, he had already taken into consideration the fact that the maids would move the book under the pillow to another location.

    Now that he had finished everything he could do on the bed, Ainz pushed aside the thin gauze canopy which shrouded the bed and rose to his feet.

    Just then, several knocks came from the door. Shortly after that, the maid who was due to take over the next shift opened the door and entered the room.

    As she saw Ainz getting off the bed, she smiled and approached him. It looked like she was the maid assigned to apany Ainz today.

    ¡°Good morning, Fifth.¡±

    A blindingly radiant smile dawned on the maid¡¯s face.

    ¡°Good morning, Ainz-sama! I¡¯ll be in your care today!¡±

    If Fifth had a tail, she would probably be wagging it with all her might. Suddenly, he thought of Pestonya wagging her tail in the past.

    Her maid uniform was the same as the one worn by the previous maid, Fourth. Unlike the battle maids, the regr maids all wore the same uniform. However, their exact appearance varied between each maid ¨D probably because each maid wearing them was different.

    Ainz recalled something that one of his friends had said so often that it seemed to have taken up residence in his ear: ¡°Simple maid outfits are good, but decorated maid outfits are the best¡±. There was also a follow-up to that: ¡°In other words, maid uniforms are the best, no matter how they look. Maid uniforms are the greatest invention in human history. Viva maid uniforms~¡±

    Although Ainz did not know what he meant by ¡°viva¡±, it was probably some sort of exmation. It might have also been some personally-invented term of his. In this way, Ainz recalled the memories of his pastpanions, bit by bit.

    Ainz smiled bitterly ¨D though his facial expression did not change, of course ¨D and silently looked at the maid.

    ¡°Ai-Ainz-sama, is, is there some way I can serve you?¡±

    Fifth blushed as her hands tightly gripped the apron of her uniform. It was then that Ainz realized his carelessness.

    ¡°Forgive me. It seems I was... yes , it seems I was somewhat entranced by you.¡±

    ¡°¨D!¡±

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°¨DHieh? Ah, yes. Understood!¡±

    The maid froze for a moment, but still managed an energetic reply as she fell into step behind him and they left the room.

    Ainz passed through several other rooms. What he saw there could not possiblypare to the scenery in the 9th Floor of the Tomb. Thus, when Ainz had decided to stay here, the Guardians voiced their objections one after the other.

    Point. This ce iscking in taste as a residence for a Supreme Being.

    Point. The defensive capability of this ce iscking and it has inadequate protection against spies.

    Point. Point. Point¨D

    However, Ainz shrugged all these objections aside and selected this ce as his home.

    This was his responsibility as a King ¨D after all, Jiiv too lived in the Imperial Pce of the Imperial Capital. Or at least, that was what he wanted people to think. The fact was, this ce was luxurious enough for Ainz, no, for Suzuki Satoru. His old home was even less worthy ofparison. In addition, his room on the 9th Floor had always been too shy and toorge.

    He did not mind it when it was still a game. However, now that he actually had to live there, he was acutely aware that there was no ce for him within its walls. All Ainz wanted to do was to burrow into a corner of the room.

    Ainz led Fifth and the Eight Edge Assassin that dropped down from the ceiling to the dressing room.

    Several regr maids were already there waiting for Ainz. They executed respectful bows to him in unison. Fifth swiftly joined their ranks as well.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, what would you like to wear today?¡± Fifth asked in a voice that was bursting with energy.

    ...Oh, there¡¯s a sparkle in Fifth¡¯s eyes. Come to think of it, didn¡¯t everyone who had this job have the same sparkle in their eyes as well? They do say thatdies like clothing... is that how they express it? Or do they just like coordinating clothes and essories?

    A steady sensation of fatigue crept over him, but he could not show it. Instead, he went ¡°Umu¡± in a conceited way ¨D or at least, that was how it felt when he practiced beforehand.

    Frankly speaking, Ainz did not need to change his clothes.

    His magic robes would not get wrinkled even if he spent all night rolling around on the bed. His body did not excrete any waste products. The dust floating in the air could settle on him, but all he had to do was brush it off. In addition, any ce where Ainz went would have already been thoroughly cleaned by the maids. Furthermore, he did not need to eat or drink, and thus he would not get dirty from those activities.

    Wearing the same set of clothes would not pose a problem to him.

    However, none of his subordinates could permit that. Yet it was only to be expected; having their absolute ruler wear the same thing everyday would ruin his image.

    That said, Ainz was not confident in his ability to coordinate his outfit.

    Now, if he was preparing his equipment for battle, after considering his opponents¡¯ abilities and skills and nning out his tactics, he would be quite confident in his ability to select the appropriate loadout to bestbat the foe he was facing. However ¨D

    Well, to some extent, the experience gained by Suzuki Satoru allowed him toment on whether this necktie would work with that suit. It did not let him say anything about whether this purple robe with silver filigree matched a silver ne socketed with four diamonds and so on. In addition, he had to select clothes to match a skeletal body.

    However, if he wore a mismatched outfit, people might doubt his sense of style as a leader. That would be like betraying his loyal subordinates. Therefore, Ainz had to give his utmost even in the matter of dressing himself.

    Thereiny a fatal problem.

    Would any of his subordinatesment even if Ainz wore something unsuitable? It was a simr situation to a toupee slipping off the head of the CEO of somergepany; nobody would dare say anything.

    That being the case, there was only one alternative left to him.

    ¡°¨DFifth, I¡¯ll leave it to you. Prepare a set of clothing that best suits me.¡±

    ¡°Understood! Leave it to me, Ainz-sama! Your servant will take the greatest care in her choices!¡±

    You don¡¯t have to get so worked up over this ¨D well, Ainz thought that, but he had never actually said so to the maids before.

    ¡°I ¨D I think red suits you well, Ainz-sama! Therefore, I was thinking of using red as a base color for coordinating your attire. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°...I just said that I would leave that matter to you. That being the case, there¡¯s no need to confirm your choices with me.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Understood!¡±

    If he had no confidence in himself, then all he needed to do was hand the task to someone else ¨D like how he had allowed the maid to pick for him.

    Ainz was very troubled by the crimson robe she had selected, however. The red color was so bright that it almost hurt his eyes, and it was further adorned by many huge button-like gemstones. It might have been eptable if they were all the same color, but the many gemstones reflected half a dozen different colors of light. In addition, the garment was edged with strange characters embroidered with gold thread.

    ¨DIs this really normal clothing? Can it be considered clothing in the normal sense of the word?

    He felt like a sandwich-board man illuminated by neon lights. He would never have picked this clothing of his own ord. Or rather, Ainz began to wonder why he had ever bought this in the first ce. Since he had no recollection of his guild members forcing it upon him, by process of elimination, he himself must have obtained it somewhere.

    Was it a gift? Did I win it in a lottery or some kind of an event? ... Still, well, it can¡¯t be helped, huh.

    Even recalling how he had obtained it would not make the crimson robe before him vanish.

    While it would be easy to simply refuse, it would turn the ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you¡± that he had told Fifth into a lie. More to the point, Ainz might be the only one who found it embarrassing while everyone else liked it. Or rather, that was quite likely to be the case.

    And, to put it more bluntly, since Fifth had selected this robe, he could me her if anyonemented on it.

    I really am a terrible boss.

    Ainz knew that this was not something of which he could be proud, and he felt guilty about it.

    Pushing the me to someone else was notudable conduct for a boss ¨D for a superior. Ainz knew this, but even so, he needed some way to preserve his dignity.

    He had to protect himself by sacrificing his subordinates. It could not be helped.

    ¡°¨DSorry about that.¡±

    ¡°Ah, my sincerest apologies!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine... I was just talking to myself. Pay it no heed. Come to think of it...¡±

    Ainz decided to choose his words carefully as he asked his question.

    ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯d like to ask. Do you think this robe is a bit too gaudy for me?¡±

    ¡°Certainly not! After all, just about anything looks good on you, Ainz-sama! Although I feel that ck as a base with dark brown as a secondary color would look good too, wearing such colors all the time would not show off your other virtues, Ainz-sama! All this is to imprint your powerful image into the eyes of everyone who¨D¡±

    Ainz interrupted the gushing flow of her words.

    ¡°¨DIt¡¯s fine. As long as it¡¯s suitable, it¡¯s fine. Then, could you dress me?¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    Fifth and the other maids got to work.

    As Ainz remained standing, the maids silently removed Ainz¡¯s clothing. The act of having his clothes changed by women, even if his body was nothing more than a skeleton, filled him with a burning shame.

    But of course, such a gesture was a natural act for an absolute ruler.

    At least, it was that way for Jiiv. Ainz had also read the same thing in one of his books.

    Ainz remained still and allowed the maids to work, while he silently looked into the dressing mirror.

    Soon, a red-robed Ainz appeared in the mirror. As expected, it was gaudy. It was nothing but gaudy.

    ...No. This world has a pretty divergent sense of aesthetics. For all I know... these clothes might be quite suitable for a ruler to wear.

    He recalled Hamsuke as an example, and quashed his unease.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Those thoughts went through his head as he strode forth, apanied by Fifth. How he wished he had the time to sigh.

    ? ? ?

    The swaying, gaudy red robe advanced toward his office. As Ainz neared the door, Fifth swiftly darted forward and courteously opened it for him.

    Sometimes, he thought of saying, It¡¯s just a door, let me open it. However, as he watched the look on the maids¡¯ faces which said, ¡°Whoa, look at me, I¡¯m working!¡±, Ainz could do nothing but ept this as a form of automatically-opening door.

    Ainz led Fifth and the Eight Edge Assassin into the office.

    The desk in the center of the room was like the one Ainz had in his own room, and it radiated an air of gravitas.

    It had been brought here from Nazarick, along with his bed. A g hung in the depths of the room ¨D the g of Ainz Ooal Gown ¨D of the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    Ainz passed through the room, and approached the balcony.

    There was a ss box on the balcony. It was not veryrge and contained a jungle environment. Ainz inserted his bony finger into the box, which seemed devoid of life, and lifted up a leaf. Hidden beneath was a creature that hid in the darkness to avoid the sunlight.

    Its brightly-colored body was coated with sticky yet slippery secretions, and the front part of its body resembled a pair of human lips.

    Ainz carefully studied the Lip Bug before his eyes.

    ¡°¨DThat¡¯s a good color. You look quite lively.¡±

    He remembered what he had been once told, which was that color was very important. He also recalled having several Lip Bugs ced in front of him, and being taught to tell when they were most energetic by their color. And indeed; the Lip Bug before him seemed much livelier than the others at that time.

    Ainz picked out a fresh cabbage leaf from a nearby te.

    ¡°Come, Nurunuru-kun. It¡¯s time to eat~¡±

    He brought the leaf close to the Lip Bug, whichtched onto it with a nom. After he let go of the leaf, the Lip Bug frantically tookrge mouthfuls out of it.

    Ainz brought out two more leaves, which the Lip Bug readily devoured as well.

    He decided to stop there, because Entoma had told him that overfeeding it was not good,.

    Ainz gently returned the fed and happy Lip Bug to its shaded home in the ss box ¨D to the ce it loved the most .

    ¡°It seemed a little gross at first, but after taking care of it for a while, it¡¯s grown to be quite cute.¡±

    He was not speaking to anyone in particr, just talking to himself. Ainz had a cheerful smile on his face as he closed the thin box lid. The box was not very sturdy, and the Lip Bug could escape if it really wanted to. The reason Ainz used it was to prove his confidence in being able to take good care of its upant. That said, it was a mercenary monster spawned with gold, so the question of whether or not it would escape still had no answer.

    Ainz gently cleaned his hand with a nearby cloth, and after finishing all his tasks for the morning, he took a seat in his chair. He leaned his weight onto its back and let his body sink in deeply.

    ...Ah, work. There¡¯s no official working hours, but my heart still sinks around this time. I guess old habits die hard.

    The desk did not have so much as a speck of dust on it, to say nothing of documents.

    It waspletely unlike Suzuki Satoru¡¯s desk.

    All this was because he did not need to work through the night. Ainz¡¯s job was to make the big decisions, not worrying about the fine details. After he decided the overall direction, his subordinates went into action.

    ...Still, this is why it¡¯s so difficult. For the first time, I realise that the difficulty of a job is determined by how much responsibility it ces on oneself. It¡¯s more mentally than physically tiring... and it¡¯s certainly more stressful. Ah, is it time to start work?

    There was no need to look at a watch.

    At that precise moment, a knock came from the door. Fifth ¨D who was standing at attention by the door ¨D verified the identity of the caller.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, it is Albedo-sama and the Elder Liches.¡±

    There was respect in Fifth¡¯s voice, because these Elder Liches were Ainz¡¯s personal creations.

    ¡°I see. They may enter.¡±

    Fifth stepped away from the door to make way for the visitors. Albedo entered the room at the head of six Elder Liches.

    ¡°Good morning, Ainz-sama.¡±

    After Albedo¡¯s greeting, the Elder Liches bowed their heads deeply.

    ¡°Umu, good morning, Albedo. It seems today¡¯s weather is quite fine.¡±

    ¡°Indeed it is. I have reports that it will be sunny all day ¨D of course, if it is your wish as the ultimate ruler of this world, we can produce any kind of weather you desire. Shall we proceed, Ainz-sama?¡±

    This was just using an irrelevant topic to begin a conversation, but he did not expect her to start off with a suggestion like that.

    ¡°That will not be necessary. I like changes in the weather. Sunny days are fine, the roaring of thunder on rainy days is to be savored, and the gentle falling of snow is quite intriguing. One could say that one could draw a day¡¯s entertainment just from watching the natural changes of the weather.¡±

    Ainz did not dislike this world¡¯s changing climate. In this unspoiled world, he found that he understood his formerrade Blue¡¯s words: ¡°The rain was originally Nature¡¯s blessing.¡±

    It was best to let nature remain natural.

    ¡°Yes, understood... Of course, I sensed that you had no desire to alter the weather, but I had to ask to be sure, Ainz-sama. After all, you are not the sort of leader who would directly order us around to satisfy your desires.¡±

    ¡°...Is that so? It doesn¡¯t feel like that to me...¡±

    Ainz thought about it, but he could note up with anything he particrly wanted. When he was still Suzuki Satoru, his mind was filled with thoughts of YGGDRASIL. After his body had be like this, it had only gotten worse. Although he was not sure if that was a side effect of bing an undead creature, the chance of always having been this way was quite high. If he had to speak of a desire for anything, it would be a desire for collecting rare items. And also¨D

    Ainz smiled in loneliness, and gently shook his head.

    ¡°No, it might be just as you say. However, that is simply because there is nothing I truly want. If I develop any desires, I will naturally give the appropriate orders at that time.¡±

    ¡°When the timees, I hope you will allow me, as the Guardian Overseer, to select the people who will immediately respond to your desires,¡± Albedo replied as she lowered her head. When it came back up, her face appeared somewhat flushed. ¡°However, your clothes today are quite spectacr. They are extraordinarily radiant. No, they shine this brightly because you are wearing them, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Albedo continuedvishing her praise on him.

    The radiance of which she spoke of was probably the gemstones which seemed to substitute for buttons, since his skull did not reflect the light. Ainz nodded as he thought about this.

    ¡°Is that so, then I must thank you for that, Albedo.¡±

    ¡°You are too kind. I was simply stating the obvious. Ainz-sama, you are truly¨D¡±

    Ainz raised his hand to interrupt Albedo as she excitedly prepared to continue. He had the feeling that letting her go on would drag the conversation out for a long time.

    ¡°Let¡¯s leave that matter aside for now. Then, what of the documents you and the others were handling yesterday, Albedo?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Albedo puffed up her cheeks in an adorable manner, and the Elder Liches followed her directions and ced their documents on the table.

    The pile of documents stacked one on top of the other came to a sizable thickness. The files themselves did not contain much in the way of proposals, but they had a lot of supporting documents attached to them. Much like how he needed data from many fields in his old job, it would seem that this was all in preparation to deal with aplicated problem.

    He had prepared his heart for this. Ainz had spent all morning psyching himself up and stiffening his resolve for this moment.

    Suzuki Satoru was a mere employee, and he was not the sort who interacted with thepany¡¯s operations. If asked whether someone like that could manage an entire country, Ainz would have confidently answered ¡°no¡±. Or rather, even an operations manager would find it very difficult to run a country.

    What made it worse was that Ainz was an absolute ruler. Even if there were any mistakes in the words he spoke, his subordinates would rally together to turn them into reality.

    Was there anything scarier than that? A single word from Ainz might lead to a mass suicide.

    That being the case, what should he do?

    The answer was very simple. Much like his clothes, he had to hand that responsibility to capable people.

    Being able to skilfully allocate one¡¯s subordinates ording to their strengths was also an essential quality in a boss.

    That said, there were also problems withpletely delegating everything to others. Indeed, he could rest assured if everything was left to Albedo¡¯s care. However, he was a king, not a mere figurehead. As someone in a high position, being a superior ordingly entailed bearing a superior¡¯s responsibilities.

    There were some tasks which could not be escaped by saying ¡°I know nothing.¡±

    As such, Ainz began carefully reading the stack of documents from top to bottom, cing the royal seal on each one.

    After rhythmically stamping several documents, Ainz paused, having selected one of them as the day¡¯s target. He opened it to peruse its contents. And then¨D

    ...I don¡¯t get it, after all. Does this have something to do with material resources? Is this very important? Do the Elder Liches really understand? ...Well, they were all made by me... how can this difference in ability be exined ¨D although, reading all this is really tiresome, it¡¯s just like reading legal documents...

    Because there were cross-references to other pages, there were many repetitions of these few words which required repeatedly flipping back and forth between pages. The final point was based on the previous conclusion in order to arrive at a negative judgment. Moreover, because many negative statements appeared in the text, interpreting the content was very difficult.

    ¡°¨DAlbedo.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Ainz-sama! Has something caught your attention?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s unrted to this, but I thought of something. How goes the enactment ofws?¡±

    This country was called the Sorcerous Kingdom, but it had not passed any unique legition, instead continuing the use of the Kingdom¡¯s oldws.

    ¡°Yes. This is simply a draft for now. If we pushed the newws too aggressively it could lead to widespread discontent. Thus, we are unsure whether or not to do so.¡±

    These words sounded strange when they came from Albedo, who cared nothing for humanity. Still, Ainz could not help but pat his chest in relief.

    ¡°Although I¡¯ve discussed it with Demiurge before... thews of the Kingdom simply do not grant enough power to an absolute ruler such as yourself, Ainz-sama. We are currently considering simply retaining the first edict of the Kingdom¡¯sw and then pushing it through by force.¡±

    ¡°While I am more confident in other areas...¡±

    That was a bald-faced lie ¨D Ainz had no confidence in just about everything.

    ¡°I regret to say that I am not versed in the ways of thew. Do as you see fit. You have myplete trust.¡±

    ¡°Yes! I understand.¡±

    Albedo had a look of delight on her face. If Ainz looked closely, he could see her wings quivering behind her. She ¨D and Demiurge, for some unknown reason ¨D seemed to consider Ainz to be a genius who was always one step ahead of them.

    Thus, when Ainz said he did not know or something along those lines, he could keenly understand the joy which they ¨D who were made as highly intelligent beings ¨D felt at being able to validate their existence.

    ¡°Still, there¡¯s no need to lie about not understanding thew...¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s true. I¡¯m not adept at dealing with matters of thew.¡±

    ¡°I see... that must be how you see it, from the perspective of a supreme leader who has never been bound by anyws. I understand your meaning.¡±

    Ainz felt that he was being misunderstood, but he decided to ignore the matter. After all, he had no idea how to exin it to her. Instead, he simply smiled. This feeling was only vaguely familiar to him, but that might be how children felt when proudly showing off their talents to their parents.

    ¡°Is something wrong?¡±

    Albedo¡¯s look of surprise only made Ainz that much more delighted. Still, it would be rude for the joy to be all his.

    ¡°Forgive me, but when I saw how happy you were, I was struck by how cute you looked... how shall I say this, umu, it¡¯s somewhat difficult to exin.¡±

    As he said that, there was a brief burst of movement from the Eight Edge Assassins on the roof, but then they stayed still.

    ¡°Ah~, how embarrassing.¡±

    Albedo pressed her hands to her cheeks. As Ainz saw how she blushed, he realised how ufortable he must have made her feel, and with a slight cough, he decided to study the documents before him instead.

    It would seem that his way of treating the NPCs as the children of his friends made him say things which embarrassed them.

    He felt a little guilty about his rudeness, but in the end, he stamped the final document instead. With that, one task wasplete.

    He handed the files to Albedo, who was covering her mouth with her hand. She in turn handed them to the Elder Liches.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s begin the usual. These are the proposals we will screen through today.¡±

    Ainz opened his cab and took out a stack of papers. These were suggestions and opinions collected from everyone in Nazarick in order to aid in the development of the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    After reading them, Ainz would copy these suggestions out and read them out for Albedo to hear around this time every morning.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to waste your valuable time with petty tasks like writing them all down, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°No, because there might be some suggestions in there which are directed at me. In addition, my body does not require sleep. It would be a waste of time if I did nothing.¡±

    That too was a lie. Or rather, it was true that he would be left idle if he did nothing. However, he could spend that time on things like reading, bathing, practicing his acting skills and simtedbat. Even so, he still had to do this by hand because Ainz was sneaking in his own suggestions among the others.

    Ainz had to do this because if he made those suggestions directly, his subordinates would force themselves to make them happen, even if they were impractical. That could lead to tragic consequences.

    Therefore, by anonymously submitting his suggestions, he hoped that Albedo, as an impartial third party, would judge them by their merits alone. In addition, by not disclosing the names of the suggesters, Ainz¡¯s own abilities would not be called into question, which was like killing two birds with one stone.

    Ainz began reading the uppermost suggestion out loud.

    ¡°Muu... ¡®I believe that we need child education services which can scout out talented individuals and cultivate them. This way, we might be able to strengthen Nazarick. Even if it does not work out, we can still use it to develop technologies for ourself, which can also be used as a foundation to strengthen Nazarick as well.¡¯ Something like that.¡±

    Ainz looked at Albedo, who was standing with her eyes facing forward.

    ¡°The benefits are clearly outlined, and it is an excellent suggestion. One can sense the suggester¡¯s excellence through it. It might be good to circte this as a model for others to study.¡±

    After that round of praise, Ainz resumed his usual stern countenance ¨D though of course his face did not move. ¡°Come to think of it, who do you think wrote that?¡±

    ¡°I believe that would be Yuri Alpha.¡±

    It was an instant answer. Ainz felt the same way as well.

    ¡°I agree. It should be Yuri¡¯s suggestion. Then, Albedo, what do you think of that suggestion?¡±

    ¡°It is utterly foolish. Swine should live like swine and die after giving everything they have for their breeders. There is no need for them to live in any other way. Since there is no meaning in allowing them to live differently, there is no point in allowing them to choose differently.¡±

    ¡°Well, that was quite a harsh way of looking at it, but I do agree, to an extent. One needs basic education in order to serve as a cog to turn in society¡¯s wheels. This is how people should live, age and die. Allowing technology to spread would only threaten our power ¨D umu?¡±

    ¡°Ainz-sama, are you alright?¡±

    ¡°I recall having heard these words before. Someone said them to someone else, but who? Narberal and... ah, Lupusregina. When she was asking about the healing potions... I guess there is no need to tell you since you already know, Albedo. Oh, what a gaffe, please pay it no heed.¡±

    ¡°Of, of course not, I believe that I need to understand your profound insights, Ainz-sama. Please, share them with me.¡±

    ¡°Is, is that so.. Well, although it embarrasses me somewhat, I can¡¯t be the only one sharing my thoughts. If you are unhappy with anything you hear, please feel free to correct me.¡±

    There was nothing more embarrassing than acting like a know-it-all in front of someone he knew well. With the worry of being treated like an idiot in his heart, Ainz decided to share his thoughts on the matter.

    Knowledge, education and information were the basic weapons of humanity ¨D which also included non-human beings in this world. As a nation¡¯s knowledge increased, so would its power, but on the flip side, so would resentment at knowing they could not have everything.

    Thus, a ruler had to consider whether or not to arm the masses with the weapon called knowledge, because that weapon might someday be pointed at the ruler himself.

    In the game called YGGDRASIL, Ainz had learned the importance of possessing information. This was why he had brought the two Bareare herbalists to Carne Vige, where he could keep an eye on them, and had them make potions there. This was so that he could monopolize the fruits of their research and hoard any knowledge gained from it.

    From Ainz¡¯s point of view, those who were ruled over ought to act the part, living and dying in their ignorance. However one needed to develop new technologies as a nation¡¯s power increased. In the end, the question was at whom would the spears of knowledge be pointed.

    ¡°In short, we should only share our new technologies with those who are absolutely loyal to the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. We will give themon folk outdated technology which poses no threat to us. The ¡°Fruit of Knowledge¡± only has value when we alone possess it.¡±

    After he got to that part, he sneaked a peek at Albedo, to make sure she did not doubt or distrust him.

    ¡°And now, this is what I¡¯m really getting at. Albedo, in contrast to what I just said, I think we should ept this suggestion.¡±

    Albedo¡¯s eyes went wide for a moment.

    ¡°May I know what led you to that conclusion?¡±

    ¡°Sentimentality. In addition, I feel Yuri has a point.¡±

    ¡°Still, I feel there are too many demerits to that suggestion... or are you saying that you intend to test it out in the outskirts? Once you seal off all information leaks and thenmence education through brainwashing, the merits do start to appear.¡±

    ¡°We will not do that. Though this might deviate somewhat from Yuri¡¯s suggestion, we shall found an orphanage in this city.¡±

    While Ainz had been living here as Momon, he had heard of the orphanages run by the temples. He had immediately hit on the idea of founding an orphanage in the name of Ainz Ooal Gown.

    ¡°In any event, we should consider the possibility of Nazarick¡¯s technology leaking into the outside world. It should be fine if we run a regr orphanage and limit the knowledge we teach there to those close to us. If we find talented individuals there, we can then consider what to do with them.¡±

    ¡°...I see. That arrangement should not pose any problems.¡±

    ¡°Then, I intend to use widows for the orphanage staff.¡±

    ¡°The women who lost their husbands in the battle where you demonstrated a fraction of your almighty power. It serves as financial aid of sorts for those women who are struggling below the poverty line. And indeed, such aid will only improve the popr opinion of yourself... as expected of you, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Umu, though if we only act after Momon tells us of the widows¡¯ plight, then only his reputation will improve, and not mine. Thus, we must take action swiftly, before anyone cane to him for help. In order to aplish this... I order Pestonya and Nigredo to be released from their confinement.¡±

    Ainz sensed a faint glint in Albedo¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Forgive my directness... but if you grant amnesty to those who have been judged guilty of disobeying yourmand and forgive them, I fear it might disrupt the order in Nazarick.¡±

    ¡°Did we not ce them in confinement for that?¡±

    ¡°That is far too mild a punishment. Your will is everything to us, Ainz-sama. The crime of disobeying yourmand is utterly unforgivable. Your servant submits that they should be relieved of their heads as a warning to others.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s for those¨D¡±

    Ainz wanted to say that it was a petty matter, but the women were all motivated by their reverence for Ainz ¨D one of the 41 Supreme Beings. If would be quite tragic to deny their loyalty.

    Still, that was why he had to forgive the two of them. Their personalities were created by Ainz¡¯s past friends. Thus, Pestonya and Nigredo¡¯s actions could be said to speak for his friends.

    Ainz knew that if he gave Albedo an order, she would obey it without question. However, that was ast resort for him. First, he had to try to persuade her with words.

    ¡°¨DThe fact is that allowing those orders to leak out to the outside world would be problematic. Anyone would be able to connect the dots and trace the incident in the Royal Capital back to Nazarick, hiding in the shadows. That was why even the young children had to be eliminated.

    However, the two of them were only trying to defend those infants who had no memories of the incident, which meant that there was no need to eliminate them. One could also say that they urately understood my intentions.¡±

    ¡°They were simply twisting the facts for their own convenience. Their actions are unforgivable.¡±

    ¡°Albedo¨D¡±

    He understood Albedo¡¯s feelings as the Guardian Overseer. That was why he had to think as hard as he could to convince her.

    Ainz smiled; a troubled, bitter smile. Of course, his expression did not change.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, that look of yours is too unfair...¡± Albedo muttered, with somewhat pink cheeks. Ainz patted his face, as if to check.

    ¡°Oh, really now?¡±

    ¡°Mm, that is...¡±

    Albedo sighed powerlessly, and let her head droop down. Haa~, she went as she exhaled deeply.

    When she lifted her head up again, she had returned to normal.

    ¡°I understand. Nothing is more important than your wishes, Ainz-sama. They are everything to me. Please direct me as you see fit.¡±

    ¡°I do not want you to obey me because of your feelings. I want you to obey me because it is the sensible thing to do.¡±

    ¡°That will not be a problem. In all likelihood, nobody in Nazarick will object to freeing those two other than my previous self.¡±

    ¡°Is that so... then that¡¯s good. Put the two of them in charge of running the orphanage.¡±

    ¡°I understand. I shall convey your instructions to them.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave that to you. Then ¨D the next suggestion.¡±

    Ainz murmured to himself. The next suggestion was one he had written.

    ¡°...Ahem. Well, this isn¡¯t a terribly good suggestion... eh, it can¡¯t be helped.¡±

    Ainz snuck a peek at Albedo¡¯s expression and continued to speak.

    ¡°Let us make a uniform for athletic activities (gym clothes) to strengthen the unity of Nazarick. What do you think?¡±

    Just as he finished speaking, Albedo furrowed her brows in anger.

    ¡°...If there was a lower limit to the definition of the word ¡®inferior¡¯, that idea has certainly managed to break through it. Who made that suggestion, anyway?¡±

    Ainz made a supreme effort to check his impulse to go, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± and instead took on a troubled expression.

    ¡°Er, that ¨D I¡¯m not quite sure. I disposed of the original sheet of paper.¡±

    ¡°I cannot imagine how put upon you must have been. How could anyone waste your precious time with such an utterly idiotic suggestion, Ainz-sama? Let us immediatelyunch an investigation to root out this person and determine the appropriate punishment.¡±

    ¡°...No! There¡¯s no need for that! Listen, Albedo! You must not do that, no matter what!¡±

    Though he was going ¡°awawawa¡± in his heart, Ainz managed to thrust out his chest:

    ¡°I have told everyone in Nazarick that in order to encourage feedback from many angles, I will not censure them for any kind of suggestion made to me. If you rebuke them for it, that would turn my words into lies. That would also mean that everything I say in future would also be a lie.

    In addition, it is difficult for frightened people to give their opinions... therefore, I hope that once you leave this room, you will forget that suggestion.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I shall. It is as you say, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Good, good. You must do that.¡±

    Ainz was deeply grateful for the fact that his body could not sweat. If that was not the case, the floor would have probably been drenched by now. However, despite the marvelous constitution of his body and mind, the word ¡°inferior¡± stuck deep in his heart, leaving a wound that would not heal for a long time.

    ¡°...Ainz-sama, I have a proposition. In the future, please allow me to select the suggestions. That way, you will not be troubled by such foolish suggestions a second time.¡±

    ¡°Guh... no, there¡¯s no need to trouble you with that. Besides, if you selected all of them, then my role would merely be to sign off on your choices. Our discussions here would then be meaningless.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, that¡¯s right, Ainz-sama. We must work closely together and do it.¡±

    Albedo¡¯s wings pped, and the Eight Edge Assassins overhead squirmed once more.

    ¡°All, all right. Since you understand, let¡¯s move on to the next one, Albedo.¡±

    Personally, he did not think that suggestion was unworkable, but the mood in the air was not one which would allow him to bring that up, nor did he feel confident enough to mention another simr topic.

    ¡°Then, next¨D¡±

    Just as Ainz was about to continue reading, a knocking sound came from the door.

    Both of them looked at Fifth. She bowed slightly, and then went to see who the visitors were.

    A lively child¡¯s voice came through the gap in the door, along with an almost inaudible voice thatcked any confidence.

    ...Isn¡¯t this the first time those two havee here at this hour of the day? Did something happen? If that¡¯s the case, then it¡¯s probably good that Albedo is here too.

    Since Ainz already knew who the visitors were, he could have immediately allowed them entry. However, Fifth seemed quite happy to be performing her duties, and granting them permission to enter before she could report their names would mean having to interrupt her.

    Going over her head might make her lose the motivation to work. It was important for people on top to understand and take these matters into ount.

    I guess Jiiv does this too. After all, he leaves a lot of things to his maids, Ainz thought, as hemented on the role model as a king whom he had been constantly studying.

    At some point, I should have a rxed chat with him about the burdens of rulership.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, they are Aura-sama and Mare-sama.¡±

    Now that she hadpleted her orders, Ainz indicated that the two of them were permitted to enter his office.

    The door opened, and a pair of petite dark elves stepped in. Their beaming smiles did not seem to imply that anything troublesome had happened, and Ainz was relieved.

    ¡°Morning! Ainz-sama!¡±

    ¡°G-g-good morning, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Ah, good morning. The two of you look quite lively today.¡±

    The two of them greeted Albedo as well. Aura went around the table and stationed herself next to Ainz.

    Once she was very close to him, she stuck out both hands, making two V-for-Victory signs.

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    She did not say anything to the baffled Ainz, merely raised her hands and made the signs.

    Her sparkly eyes, so full of anticipation, trained themselves on him, and then she began hopping from foot to foot.

    After realising what she wanted, Ainz pulled his chair back, grabbed Aura under the armpits, and picked her up.

    ¡°What, what are you doing, Ainz-sama¨D¡±

    Ainz paid no head to Albedo¡¯s strangled cry of surprise. Instead, he turned Aura a full 180 degrees, facing her back to him, and then he sat her down onto his right thighbone.

    Unlike a normal thigh, bones were hard, so Ainz had to ce her parallel to it, allowing Aura¡¯s soft rump to cushion her.

    ¡°Ehehe~¡±

    It was a somewhat bashful, yet thoroughly delightedugh from Aura, and Ainz returned it with a smile. Then, he turned and beckoned to the nervous-looking Mare.

    He picked up Mare as he approached, and ced him on his left thighbone.

    ¡°Ah, um, Ai-Ainz-sama, what, what about me?¡±

    As Ainz wondered whether he should get them a cushion of some sort, it was Albedo¡¯s turn to speak nervously. However, it was too embarrassing to let a grown woman sit on his thigh ¨D his thighbone.

    ¡°No, that... I can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°But, but, the two of them...¡±

    ¡°...Albedo, these two are just children. You¡¯re an adult, are you not?¡±

    For a moment, he thought he saw something behind Albedo ¨D a sh of light that was the physical manifestation of the blow she had just suffered. Although he felt a little sorry for her, embarrassment was still embarrassment. Besides, if he actually followed through with the act, it would be sexual harassment.

    ¡°Then, you two. What¡¯s going on?¡±

    The fortress in the Great Forest of Tob ¨D the fake Nazarick, or perhaps a resource depot ¨D had beenpleted for now.

    Aura¡¯s next task was to conceal the fortress and strengthen its defenses.

    The original n was to flee there if enemies showed up and conceal the real Nazarick, but Jiiv now knew the location of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.

    That being the case, it would now serve as a bunker and a resource depot.

    Mare, on the other hand, had been tasked to dig an underground tomb on the outskirts of E-Rantel.

    There were no ns to utilize that facility right away. It was simply because he had the manpower to spare but nowhere to use it.

    The use of humans for such work would incurbor costs, but golems and the undead did not have that problem. In addition, they could use Mare¡¯s magic to produce simple stonework.

    Incidentally, among the other Guardians, Shalltear was assigned to [Gate]-rted teleportation duties and the security of Nazarick. Cocytus was in charge of the Lizardman vige and its nearbyke. Demiurge, on the other hand, was on an assignment to the Holy Kingdom.

    In other words, all the Guardians in E-Rantel were now in this room.

    Since their tasks had already been allocated, what were the two of them doing here?

    Aura cheerfully answered Ainz¡¯s question:

    ¡°We came here to see you, Ainz-sama!¡±

    Her innocent words brought a beaming smile to Ainz¡¯s face.

    ¡°I see. Well, I am very delighted to see the two of you as well.¡±

    Ainz patted Aura¡¯s head. Aura seemed to find it veryfortable, and nuzzled back into Ainz¡¯s hand. It was kind of like ying with an adorable puppy.

    ¡°Then, then. Ainz-sama, w-what are you doing? I, I hope we aren¡¯t causing you trouble...¡±

    ¡°Yes¨D¡±

    ¡°Certainly not. How could meeting you be any trouble to me?¡± Ainz gently replied to Mare.

    Ainz then turned to Albedo.

    ¡°Forgive me, Albedo. I got sidetracked just as we were about to start on a new topic. Ah, that¡¯s right, I feel the same way about meeting you as well.¡±

    ¡°Y-yes,¡± Albedo said, her face turned as red as an apple as she pouted and tried to look serious.

    ¡°Ainz-sama!¡±

    What is it? Ainz thought as his eyes went wide.

    ¡°Ogyaa!¡±

    Ainz wondered if he had misheard something. What did she just say?

    As though to inform Ainz that his hearing was fine, Albedo went ¡°Ogyaa!!¡± again, in a terribly shy voice.

    ...She¡¯s probably trying to act like a baby. No, the scary thing would be if she tried to act like anything else. Still, why is she doing this? Is she tired from working too hard? Ah! This might have something to do with Nigredo and releasing her from confinement.

    Confusion overwhelmed Ainz, despite his undead body, and at the same time, Mare began shifting uneasily in his seat.

    ¡°That, um, it, it¡¯s fine for me, so, um, I should let Albedo-sama...¡±

    Those words were like a revtion to him.

    Just now, I said that it was fine because they were kids, so as an adult, you ought to be able to bear with it. Is that why she¡¯s pretending to be a kid now?

    Still, why a baby? And besides, letting Albedo sit on my thigh is too...

    That said, she¡¯s gone to such embarrassing lengths to put herself forward. I can¡¯t just overlook that, both as a superior being and as a man. In addition, Albedo is one of the children, like Aura and Mare. I must be fair to her.

    ¡°Forgive me, Mare,¡± Ainz said. Having resolved himself, he let Mare alight from his leg and beckoned Albedo.

    ¡°Come here, Albedo.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Albedo¡¯s shyness from earlier vanished like mist in the morning sun, reced by a look of anticipation which a puppy might have just before going for a walk. In an instant, Albedo moved to Ainz¡¯s side.

    Albedo made the V-signs as well.

    It was somewhat difficult for Ainz to do while seated, but he nevertheless ced his hands under her armpits and lifted her up.

    ¡°...Um, sorry about this. Would you mind just sitting down as you are?¡±

    ¡°Of course! Understood!¡±

    Albedo took Mare¡¯s ce on Ainz¡¯s left thigh, and shifted herself in a coquettish manner.

    The first thing Ainz felt was her softness. Unlike the children, it was the softness of a mature body. Then, her warmth flowed into him, which made him itch a little.

    Even so, she¡¯s still really soft!

    She was a level 100 warrior, but he had no idea where her muscles had gone. One could phrase it in a less polite way and wonder if she was a mollusc.

    ¡°Kufufufu~¡±

    He heard Albedo¡¯s quietughter.

    A fragrance wafted over from Albedo¡¯s long hair. It tickled Ainz¡¯s nose.

    ¡°¨DMm?¡±

    In this moment, something sparked inside Ainz¡¯s nonexistent brain.

    This scent is familiar; where have I smelled it before? Albedo¡¯s clothes? No, her perfume?

    Ainz was quite sure he had encountered the scent Albedo was currently emitting in the past. However, he had no idea where he had first picked it up, and he could not remember the details.

    ¡°Mmm... Albedo. Are you using some kind of perfume?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I do use perfume. Does it displease you?¡±

    ¡°No, of course not, it smells nice.¡±

    Albedo hurriedly turned her face towards Ainz. Her bulging eyes frightened Ainz a little.

    ¡°Really, Ainz-sama! If you¡¯d like, how about sniffing me? An hour would be fine, a whole day would be fine too!¡±

    ¡°No, besides, an hour would be too...¡±

    Still, no matter what he said, it was a fact that he was quite interested. Besides, if he sniffed her, he might be able to recall more details about that scent.

    ¡°Then, may I sniff a little?¡±

    Ainz carefully brought his skull close to Albedo and inhaled her aroma. Since he was closer to her than just now, he could smell that pleasing scent more clearly. As he thought, it was familiar, but he still could not ce where he had encountered it before. Just as Ainz was racking his brains to solve the mystery in his head, a cold voice reached his ears.

    ¡°...Ainz-sama.¡±

    Although he had no idea who it was for a moment, that voice clearly belonged to Aura. Ainz nervously turned to look at her, and saw that Aura was pouting with her cheeks puffed with.

    ¡°That looks kind of perverted.¡±

    ¡°Ah, sorry...¡±

    She did have a point...

    Ainz cursed himself for doing something like this in front of the children. This would have a bad effect on their sexual education.This was why she had addressed him in the same tone that his old friend did when she was angry at her little brother.

    ¡°Th-then, Albedo, Aura. Please get up. Oh, Albedo, let¡¯s continue discussing that matter from just now.¡±

    However, there was no movement.

    Both of them remained still. They were waiting for the other side to get off first.

    ¡°Good grief...¡±

    Ainz picked up Aura and ced her on the ground next to him. A quietugh of ¡°Kufufufu~¡± came from Albedo¡¯s side.

    ¡°...Aura was the one who sat down first. Albedo, you¡¯d best get down as well.¡±

    ¡°But, but... Aura¡¯s been sitting for 3 minutes and 41 seconds. I¡¯ve only been sitting for 57 seconds. Though it may sound foolish, I believe I should be allowed to sit for another three minutes.¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you spent more time meeting with Ainz-sama already?¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped, that was work.¡±

    ¡°Oh, work, is it? You just came to meet him for work? I came all the way here just to see Ainz-sama, you know.¡±

    ¡°!!¡±

    Albedo wiggled her rump on Ainz¡¯s thigh, adjusting her position to stare Aura in the eye.

    Ainz thought, I can guess why Albedo wanted to sit on my thigh, but why did Aura want to do that? It¡¯s not like she loves me like Albedo does.

    He could not remember what he had done to make a girl like Aura love him. The feeling called love should have been a mystery to Aura. And then ¨D Ainz finally found the answer.

    ¡°I see. So she was being possessive.¡±

    In addition, she might long for a father¡¯s love. Aura and Mare were designed as children, and they were still at an age where their parents would care for them. Perhaps they were unconsciously looking at Ainz to fill that gap in their hearts.

    If there was a country of Dark Elves, he had considered the possibility of sending them over to make friends. However, Suzuki Satoru had not experienced a father¡¯s love himself, so he felt it might be a bitte for that.

    I wonder if there are books for children¡¯s sex education in the library?

    It had been fine when they were just data. However, he had been thinking up till now, and noticed that there were still some things missing in order for Aura and Mare¡¯s healthy mental growth.

    As I thought, they really need to make Dark Elf friends! Let¡¯s make that a priority. That being the case¨D

    ¡°Aura. There is something I¡¯d like to ask; what happened to the three Elves I left with you and Mare?¡±

    ¡°You mean the Elves who set foot in Nazarick but who were pardoned by your mercy, Ainz-sama?¡±

    Ainz nodded.

    When he had drawn those workers in, he handed the Elven ves following them to Aura and Mare. Normally, anyone who entered Nazarick without invitation would not be allowed to leave with their lives. However, they probably had not been there of their own will, and they had no intention of taking the treasures of Nazarick for their own. That being the case, it was not unreasonable to show them some measure of kindness.

    In addition, if they were Wood Elves, they would probably have a beneficial effect on Aura and Mare¡¯s development.

    ¡°Yes. For the moment, we¡¯ve put them all on our Floor.¡±

    ¡°Where are they?

    ¡°Yes. How shall I say this... they have nothing to do, but keep trying to take care of us. It¡¯s kind of annoying how they keep hanging around us.¡±

    ¡°That, that¡¯s right. Like, our, our clothes and so on. I, I can dress myself, but they keeping over to help me...¡±

    ¡°You need to pull yourself together. They keep trying to dress you because you keep acting like that. Look at me, I don¡¯t have that problem, no?¡±

    I see, so they wish to do something. Just like the maids around me. I feel your pain, Mare. Still, that means the three people I rescued aren¡¯tpletely useless, after all. Would it be bad for former ves to teach sex education? Hm~¡±

    ¡°Well, we did save their lives. Don¡¯t kill them on impulse, even if you¡¯re mad. If you feel they¡¯re truly troublesome, tell me and I¡¯ll send them somewhere else.¡±

    ¡°Got it! I¡¯ll let you know when the timees.¡±

    Ainz nced at Mare, who had his head lowered, and muttered ¡°What,¡± to himself. Then, he shifted a somewhat icy look to Albedo.

    ¡°Albedo, it¡¯s about time to get off. It¡¯s been over three minutes now.¡±

    Albedo looked disappointed for a moment, but she still obediently dismounted from Ainz¡¯s thigh without saying anything.

    ¡°Come to think of it, what were you two doing, Ainz-sama?¡±

    ¡°Hm? Ahhh. I gathered suggestions from people in Nazarick on how to make this country great. Ah, that¡¯s right. You two as well. If you¡¯ve got any good ideas, why not give it a try. I¡¯ll listen to anything, you know?¡±

    Aura¡¯s face lit up.

    ¡°If you say so, Ainz-sama! I have a great idea!¡±

    ¡°Hohoh ¨D And what would that be, Aura? Come, tell me.¡±

    ¡°Yes! I think boys should dress like girls, and girls should dress like boys!¡±

    ...Bukubukuchagama¨D!

    Ainz screamed the name of one of his old friends internally.

    For a moment, Ainz even saw the phantom image of a Pink Slime going ¡°Sor~ry!¡± in an adorable voice that waspletely at odds with its appearance.

    ¡°I see. So that was Bukubukuchagama-sama¡¯s idea. It is certainly an excellent proposal. Moreover, in this country, any decision of the Supreme Beings will surely be the correct one.¡±

    Correct? Ainz wanted to make fun of Albedo, but he could not do it.

    In any case, this idea could not be allowed to happen. However, there was a problem with that.

    The two of them only dressed like that because Bukubukuchagama designed them that way. If Ainz denied Aura¡¯s idea, he would then have to exin the exact reason why to the others.

    Ainz could not immediately think of such an exnation.

    ¡°Ainz-sama. Shall we implement Aura¡¯s suggestion immediately?¡±

    Why are you making the decision so quickly?!

    He was out of time.

    If he agreed to this suggestion, it would be dering to all parties inside and outside the country that the Sorcerous Kingdom of Nazarick was a nation that valued cross-dressing. That would be incredibly bad. Perhaps only Bukubukuchagama would be interested in that. No, if Bukubukuchagama was in this world, Ainz felt she would definitely not want to make a country like that.

    If they knew the NPCs had developed their own egos, some people would be intrigued and want to meet them, while others would want to avoid them. Bukubukuchagama would probably fall into thetter group. Yamaiko and Ankoro Mochimochi would probably want to meet them. Why is it they¡¯re so different despite them all being girls...

    As he reminisced about them, Ainz slowly rose and looked out the window. Of course, that action had no special significance. He was simply trying to buy himself time. Once he had a rough idea of what he was going to say, Ainz turned to look at the three of them.

    ¡°I cannot possibly allow that idea.¡±

    ¡°Why, why is that?¡±

    Of course they¡¯d ask that, right? ...I mean, giving single men masks on Christmas would still be a betterw than that...

    Ainz sighed. Of course, that action had no special significance. He was simply trying to buy himself time.

    ¡°There are manyplex reasons for that, Albedo. Do you need me to exin each and every one of them?¡±

    ¡°Y-yes. P-please, if you don¡¯t mind.¡±

    Ainz was nning to say that to Albedo, but Mare was the one who intercepted it instead. He¡¯s normally such an honest boy; why¡¯s he being so wicked now, Ainz thought sadly. If it was Albedo, she would have definitely said, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. Allow me to exin to the two of you on Ainz-sama¡¯s behalf¡±. But under these circumstances, Ainz had to do it himself.

    ¡°...Is that so. Then, I shall enlighten you. But where shall I start from to make it easy to understand...?¡±

    Umu, Ainz went as he supported his chin with his hand. Needless to say, that too was to buy himself time. Ainz desperately forced himself to think, so hard that he thought his brain would start sweating, and then an idea struck him.

    ¡°¨DFirstly, ah yes, that should be it. The two of you must feel that because you¡¯re dressed that way, the entire country must dress like you as well, am I right? After all, you must feel that such was Bukubukuchagama-san¡¯s will. However, that would be incorrect. ¨DYes, the two of you are special.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re special?!¡±

    ¡°Indeed you are. The two of you are special to Bukubukuchagama-san. That is why you have been permitted to dress in that way... so do you intend to grant that specialness to many people that you do not know?¡±

    ¡°How could we?!¡±

    The person who had retorted so loudly was ¨D surprisingly enough ¨D Mare.

    ¡°Never! I¡¯ll never let anyone but Nee-chan have Bukubukuchagama-sama¡¯s specialness!¡±

    ¡°That, that¡¯s right. That¡¯s how it is. Do you understand, Aura?¡±

    ¡°Yes! I was so stupid that I didn¡¯t think about how Bukubukuchagama-sama felt!¡±

    ¡°Also...¡±

    Aura and Mare had already epted that reasoning. It should be fine to slowly exit the topic now. However, there was one more thing that worried Ainz.

    Ainz muttered something about there being several other reasons, and he peeked at Albedo as he murmured.

    Someone as extraordinary as her would probably have thought further ahead than Ainz. Would she find it strange if he terminated the topic now? That was what made Ainz uneasy.

    As their eyes met, Albedo smiled, and then inclined her neck.

    Not knowing what that response meant, Ainz averted his eyes. And then, there just happened to be an Elder Lich in front of him. Ainz nonchntly eyed the files he was holding.

    ¡°¨DAhhh. So you were thinking about that too, Ainz-sama. After all, you were looking at that document the most. It should be alright to tell the two of them as well, right?¡±

    Ainz turned to Albedo again as she suddenly spoke.

    ¡°¨DUmu. So you thought of it too, Albedo.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I did. I was wondering if you were going to mention that idea as well, Ainz-sama. I believe what you are thinking about is whether or not to exin to the two of them, am I right?¡±

    ¡°As expected of you, Albedo. You know my thoughts without the need for me to speak them.¡±

    ¡°You are too kind,¡±

    Albedo smiled and lowered her head. On the other hand, Aura puffed up her cheeks in annoyance.

    ¡°Still, I cannot believe I did not think of Bukubukuchagama¡¯s will, though it should have been the most important thing to consider. As expected of our creator, our Overlord. I will never be able to equal your wise decisions, made by considering countless points of view.¡±

    ¡°No, don¡¯t say that, Albedo. I¡¯m certain you will disy talents that will exceed mine someday.¡±

    The fact was, she had already exceeded him by far. Ainz felt ashamed of himself as he thought about that, but Albedo simply nodded, her face full of conviction.

    ¡°Yes! I shall!¡±

    ¡°¨DThen, what other reasons are there?¡±

    ¡°Really now, Aura. Albedo, exin to the two of them. Make it easy enough to understand that even a child could get it. Yes, it must be easy to understand,¡±

    After Ainz said this, he fell silent and and then looked out the window once more. However, all the nerves of his body were concentrated on listening, because he did not want to miss a single word Albedo said.

    ¡°Indeed. Actually, I wanted to bring this up with Ainz-sama afterwards. The fact is, a small problem has cropped up.¡±

    ¡°Ehhh? Did someone cause you trouble? Want us to go over there and wipe him out for you?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that. The truth is, we¡¯ve discovered that our resource stockpiles might not be sufficient for the future. So if we ordered everyone to change their clothes right now, we would only be able to take troublesome measures like exchanging old clothes and so on.¡±

    Eh, really? Of course, Ainz could not say that. All he could do was desperately try to recall the contents of the file he had just seen.

    Indeed, it contained something about resources, but the amount seemed quite adequate. However, if Albedo said so, then it must be true.

    In other word, this is a pretty bad situation, no? Still, if that¡¯s the case, can¡¯t we just purchase more from the Kingdom or the Empire? A city like this should carry enough capital for that, right?

    Albedo had an answer to Ainz¡¯s justified doubts:

    ¡°This city was an excellent storehouse for resources, and it functioned as a trade city. However, since Ainz-sama has taken control, the traders from the other three countries rarely visit this ce. Thus, we are in a situation where our remaining resources are ebbing away.¡±

    ¡°If we don¡¯t have them, then let¡¯s grab them from elsewhere. How about from the Empire or the Kingdom?¡±

    ¡°Onee-chan, we, we can¡¯t do that. Ah, A-Ainz-sama said we were forbidden to use force on those three countries, right?¡±

    Indeed. Though he did not know about the future, he had ced a nket ban on the use of military force until he had fully assumed control of this city. Of course, if the other side attacked first, that was a different matter entirely.

    ¡°Then, what should we do?¡±

    ¡°Er, erm, we shouldn¡¯t need to worry. A-after all, A-Ainz-sama will settle it.¡±

    Are you going to dump all this on me now? Ainz wanted to refute Mare with that, but he forced himself not to. After Aura replied to Mare with, ¡°I see!¡± he could not bring himself to betray the trust those two kids ced in him.

    However, an ordinary employee like Ainz could not possibly think of a proper financial policy. Because of that, Ainz decided to y one of his two trump cards.

    Ainz slowly turned, and confidently said:

    ¡°¨DAlbedo. You¡¯re taking care of this, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    In other words, he would dump it all on another talented person (Albedo) and be done with it.

    ¡°Yes. Recently, the seeds Demiurge has been sowing should be ready to be harvested.¡±

    ¡°Just so. The two of you have nothing to worry about.¡±

    Their sparkly-eyed looks of respect and adoration made Ainz feel a twinge of guilt. At the same time, the fear of seeing the looks of disappointment in their eyes when they found out all this was fake took root in his heart.

    Still, that Demiurge. I don¡¯t know what seeds he nted, but he¡¯s really amazing.

    Ainz wanted to ask about the harvest, but he could not.

    This was because Ainz Ooal Gown should have been a luminary who knew everything.

    I know I should have studied economics, but I could only skim through thoseplicated books... like, they should have made the ones on Keynesian economics and so on easier to understand. Or could it be that I¡¯ve be set in my ways because of my age?

    Ainz was thoroughly versed in the game mechanics of YGGDRASIL. This was not an idle boast; he had learned over 700 spells and had memorized the details of each one, a feat which shocked his friends. Even those spells he had not learned could still be a weapon to read his opponents¡¯ strengths, once he knew of them. This was why Ainz had done his best to memorize all those spells. He was easily in the top five amongst his guildmates when it came to magical knowledge.

    Still, while he could do that, he waspletely clueless about academics.

    Eh? Could it be that I can¡¯t remember more things because I don¡¯t have a brain?

    Ainz knew that he had learned many things sinceing to this world, so he also knew that was impossible. Still, he trembled a little at that frightening theory.

    ¡°And then, I have a matter which requires Ainz-sama¡¯s approval...¡±

    ¡°¨DWhat? Did you say approval?¡±

    Ainz did not feel any suggestion Albedo made would require his approval. After all, she was a clever girl, and would surely make choices that were better than his own. However, if that was the case, the organization would not be able to function properly. After all, the people on top had to bear responsibility for their subordinates¡¯ actions. Because of that, it would seem that superiors had to grant seals of approval in this fashion.

    ¡°Someone must visit the Royal Capital to stir up those humans. Would you permit your servant to go?¡±

    ¡°What?!¡±

    Ainz was takenpletely by surprise, and eximed louder than normal.

    Sending Albedo out while Demiurge was not around made Ainz feel very uneasy. Besides, his control over this city was not perfect.

    More than anything else, the reason why this was so shocking was because this was the first time Albedo spoke of something like this.

    ¡°...If I send you out... I would be quite troubled...¡±

    ¡°My,¡± Albedo smiled in delight. ¡°It will be fine, Ainz-sama. I shall immediately settle matters and return to your side.¡±

    ¡°Is that so... well, if it¡¯s just for a while it should be fine. Who will be given control of Nazarick and this city?¡±

    Aura and Mare looked quite surprised, so it was obviously not them. Not me, I hope, Ainz hoped.

    ¡°I n to entrust them to Pandora¡¯s Actor.¡±

    Aura and Mare said something along the lines of ¡°It¡¯ll be fine if it¡¯s him.¡±

    ¡°...Him, you say.¡±

    ¡°He is an excellent individual created by you, Ainz-sama. As they say, like father, like son ¨D ah, I apologize. To think we who were merely created would dare im to be the children of the Supreme Beings. I pray you will forgive my rudeness.¡±

    Albedo¡¯s sudden apology stunned Ainz ¨D even the red points of light in his eyes faded.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to apologize. That is, well, my child... sorry. I do not dislike him, that, hm. foolish child... no, that¡¯s not his fault either... Well, how shall I put it. He¡¯s like a child. Umu.¡±

    Before he knew it, everyone had gone quiet. Ainz knew that the conversation would dry up if this went on, so he steeled himself and asked:

    ¡°If we let Pandora¡¯s Actor manage this, what about Momon, who he is portraying? Should I do it?¡±

    ¡°No, how could we have you do that sort of thing, Ainz-sama? I was nning to have Momon ept a request and be sent abroad for reconnaissance.¡±

    Mm, Ainz nodded. Although he thought about rxing by taking the guise of Momon, things were now vastly different from when he was ying the role of an adventurer.

    There would be many troublesome things, or things which had to be carefully handled. That being the case, sending Momon out on a scouting mission might be the best choice.

    ¡°Ah, a-about that... if you send Mo-Momon-sama out, will the people in this city behave?¡±

    ¡°It will be fine. This single move by Ainz-sama has had a great impact here. Because we have not trivialized humans ¨D although there was hardly any intention to do so ¨D Momon has be deeply trusted. Thus, all we need to do is have Momon tell the local leaders to obey us before he leaves and all should be fine. Still,e to think of it, they have no idea that they are puppets dancing on strings, ruled by Ainz-sama... As I thought, only he could have anticipated this turn of events right after being transported here and made the appropriate preparations.¡±

    ¡°Mm ¨D it¡¯s kind of strange, how they trust Momon-sama, but not Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Still, this is an important part inpletely controlling this city in the name of peace. All we need to do is gradually remove Momon and instil loyalty to Ainz-sama in his ce. This might take several years, but it can¡¯t be helped.¡±

    ¡°Good. Then, Albedo, hand it to Pandora¡¯s Actor. After you have prepared yourself and handed over your tasks, go and reap the harvest. Is there anything else you need?¡±

    ¡°Understood. Then, I n to conduct some negotiations when I go to see the humans¡¯ king. Could you spare some of your valuable time to go over a draft with me?¡±

    ¡°Umu. Bring it to meter.¡±

    Besides, all he would be doing was something simple like putting his seal on Albedo¡¯s draft.

    ¡°In addition, though it shames me to ask, I would be delighted if you could give me several sets of clothing. I was simply thinking that it would be necessary to change clothes there.¡±

    ¡°Is that so. Then I shall give you several sets of my clothes. Come look for meter. Speaking of which, Demiurge ¨D no, there¡¯s no need. It¡¯s fine. Then, let¡¯s continue... hm, since you¡¯vee all the way here, I¡¯d like to hear from the two of you as well.¡±

    Part 2

    After their business was concluded, the three of them left the room with the Elder Liches, leaving Ainz and Fifth. And, of course, the Eight Edge Assassins on the ceiling.

    Frankly speaking, this was the end of Ainz¡¯s work for the day. The rest was all free time. While there were some matters which were best settled earlier on, once they were finished, he found himself quite free. As he mused on what to do with his time, Ainz suddenly thought of something and rose to his feet.

    ¡°I will be seeing Pandora¡¯s Actor next.¡±

    With that order, Ainz strode forth. Fifth followed in silence. Naturally, so did the Eight Edge Assassins.

    Once he left his home, he found that the outdoors was still quite cool, as befitting the season. The wind had a hint of chill in it, but Ainz waspletely immune to the cold. After ncing at Fifth to make sure she was all right, he continued walking.

    This district contained three kinds of buildings: Ainz¡¯s own residence, all manner of government structures, as well as guest houses. Pandora¡¯s Actor ¨D no, Momon lived in one of those guest houses.

    Normally, he would have summoned Momon before him as befitting his status as a ruler, but what he did now was because he had changed his mind.

    ¡°¨DHm? What¡¯s this?¡± Ainz muttered as he neared the guest house. He was looking at the stables which adjoined the guest house in question. The word ¡°stables¡± implied that it would be used to quarter horses, but now the only one in there was Hamsuke. Or rather, that was how it should have been.

    Somewhat confused, Ainz drew near to the stables, and heard a quiet hyu~hyu~ of snoring. Sleep was a privilege of living creatures, so Hamsuke should be inside.

    The sun was already quite high in the sky, but Hamsuke was still asleep.

    Hamsuke could see in the dark like a cat, but ording to Hamsuke, she was neither diurnal nor nocturnal. She ate her fill and then slept until she was hungry. That was her way of life.

    When Ainz first heard of this, he wondered, ¡°What part of this sounds like a Wise King of the Forest¡±. He felt like a fool for expecting her to behave like an intelligent being.

    ¡°She hasn¡¯t noticed us even though we¡¯re so close. Did she lose her feral instincts? Really... what a degenerate fellow. No, perhaps it worked all nightst night.¡±

    ¡°That is not the case. Hamsuke-sama was here the whole of yesterday as well.¡±

    ¡°...I see.¡±

    Ainz wanted to speak to Hamsuke despite Fifth¡¯s merciless words, but he could not think of anything to say.

    Well, she was just a pet anyway. I shouldn¡¯t have expected anything from her. Doesn¡¯t matter if she allowed herself to fall to that level... still, I¡¯m busy with all sorts of things, but she¡¯s here taking it easy. It really pisses me off... although I know I¡¯m just taking my anger out on her.

    He peeked his head into the stables, and the giant hamster was sleeping on the ground in an unguarded manner. All she needed now was a giant bubble from her nose and it would be the very picture of a sleepyhead.

    However, there was something else which drew Ainz¡¯s attention, apart from the way Hamsuke was sleeping like a middle-aged uncle (although her body should not have allowed for it).

    There was a Death Knight that had Hamsuke¡¯s tail wrapped around its waist. That undead creature must have been what drew Ainz¡¯s attention to this stable in the first ce.

    Since it was an undead creature which he had made, there was a bond between them and so he could judge its approximate location. However, there were too many undead in E-Rantel, so that particr sense had grown confused.

    In all honesty, it was very difficult for him to finely discern the location of the undead he had made. Even so, Ainz did not recall stationing one in the stables, hence his confusion at picking up an undead reaction here.

    ¡°Wake up, Hamsuke.¡±

    ¡°Muuu, yes....¡±

    Her eyes blinked like those of a human being as her big face moved, and then she caught sight of Ainz.

    ¡°Ohhhh! I was wondering who it was, but as it turns out, it is milord!¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who I am. Normally you should be calling me Ainz-sama, right? After all, you are Momon¡¯s steed, not mine.¡±

    ¡°Of course I am, milord!¡±

    ¡°Is that so... well, as long as you understand...¡±

    That said, Hamsuke¡¯s reaction made Ainz think, Do you really understand?

    In addition, magical beasts were not particrly resistant to mind control. Hence, Ainz lent an item to Hamsuke which made her impervious to mind control, but he was still uneasy that someone might try to manipte her through means other than magic.

    ¡°Well, since you haven¡¯t made any mistakes to date, I shall trust you. Then, onto the main topic. What¡¯s with that Death Knight?¡±

    ¡°Ohhh! He is a friend who trains with this one, milord!¡±

    It was then that Ainz remembered.

    He had conducted an experiment in learning martial arts while Hamsuke was training to be a warrior. In other words, he used this Death Knight to see if it could continue gaining levels as a warrior.

    He had equipped the Death Knight with artifacts that increased XP gain but that would greatly weaken it. However, in the end the Death Knight did not gain any levels. Ainz had anticipated that oue, so he was not angry. Still, for some reason, Hamsuke had been going on and on about the Death Knight, so in the end, he took back the artifacts and left the Death Knight with her.

    So that¡¯s the one... Come to think of it, the spikes on its armor look rounded down... I didn¡¯t loan it out to be a hug pillow, but because I wanted it to be a warrior, or perhaps master something... Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. There¡¯s enough Death Knights to go around. Giving it one won¡¯t matter.

    In fact, there were more than enough Death Knights, so much so that Ainz no longer made Death Knights when he created undead every day.

    ¡°Is that so. I understand. Still, no matter what, you used to be a wild magical beast. It¡¯s quite problematic that you let someone get so close without noticing. We¡¯re not as stealthy as Aura, are we? Shouldn¡¯t you be taking this a bit more seriously?¡±

    Hamsuke looked depressed, and her whiskers drooped down.

    ¡°This one sincerely apologizes. This one used to be the strongest creature in that forest. This one never needed to be on alert because this one was never ambushed before.¡±

    ¡°You should have had a childhood... period... or something, right? But before that, wasn¡¯t there the Giant of the East and the Serpent of the West?¡±

    ¡°Who are they? These gentlemen... East? West? Of whom do you speak?¡±

    A question mark appeared over Ainz¡¯s head.

    ¡°...They were beings whoid im to the forest, just like you.¡±

    ¡°Hoho~ I did not even know such people existed in that forest! As expected of you, milord! Your insight is indeed keen. This one knew little outside of this one¡¯s territory.¡±

    ¡°You... you call yourself the Wise King of the Forest and you still...¡±

    ¡°In the past, a human warrior who trespassed in the territory of this one addressed this one in such a way. Speaking of which, this one spared that warrior and that warrior alone because this one thought the name sounded quite impressive. Ah, how nostalgic¨D¡±

    Ainz felt that he had finally solved the mystery.

    After that warrior returned alive, he must have greatly exaggerated the tales of his enemy, Hamsuke. It was probably some way of justifying his own survival when all hisrades had perished.

    That too was not hard to understand. The fact was that Hamsuke was very strong. Of all the human warriors Ainz had met, perhaps only Clementine and Gazef could have beaten Hamsuke.

    Ainz suddenly recalled Gazef.

    ¡°Ohh? Is something the matter, milord?¡±

    ¡°No... it¡¯s nothing. Just... yes... it¡¯s just that you don¡¯t qualify as a Wise King of the Forest, just a Hamster of the Forest.¡±

    ¡°Hamsters, you say ¨D indeed, you have spoken of those creatures before, milord! So is this one truly a hamster?¡±

    ¡°Umu. You are a Giant Hamster.¡±

    ¡°Ohhh! So this one was actually a Giant Hamster! Then, do you know where to find other members of this one¡¯s species, milord?¡±

    ¡°That, I do not know.¡±

    After that curt reply, Hamsuke fell into despair once more. Was I too harsh? Ainz thought and tried tofort her by saying:

    ¡°I have guaranteed all who serve Nazarick that they will be rewarded appropriately for their service. As long as you continue working for Nazarick, I shall someday find fellow members of your species for you.¡±

    ¡°Ohhhh!¡±

    Hamsuke¡¯s whiskers bounced as they stood up.

    ¡°Although this one was already loyal to milord, this one shall serve milord even more loyally from this day forth!¡±

    ¡°Umu umu. Then, Hamsuke, is Momon ¨D no, is Pandora¡¯s Actor within the guest house?¡±

    ¡°Milord¡¯s double? This one is not too confident in that regard. After all, he often rides the coaches and wagons which the humans of this city prepare for him, and he does not always take this one with him.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I seem to recall that he takes such transport to share information.¡±

    Kuku, Ainz chuckled evilly.

    Everything had developed as he had anticipated. Under the guise of sharing information with him, people would say things to Momon which they wanted to keep secret from Ainz, or perhaps they might plot to drive a wedge between Momon and Ainz. However, the truth was, they were the ones who would be unknowingly poisoned by the thoughts of Pandora¡¯s Actor.

    Ainz was a trustworthy king, a merciful being who thought of the people, and so on.

    ¡°I understand. However... you seem to be able to wear armor now. If you have nothing to do, how about putting it on and training in it?¡±

    The prototype armor should beplete.

    ¡°This one understands, milord! Then, this one would also like to see those lizardmen-donos, if possible.¡±

    ¡°Very well. I shall grant your wish. I will speak to Cocytus afterwards and have him send someone here.¡±

    ¡°You have this one¡¯s undying thanks, milord. Come, Death Knight-dono! Let us work hard together!¡±

    Ainz paid no heed to the burning friendship between a beast and a corpse and moved on.

    Behind Ainz was a voice which said something along the lines of ¡°Really ¨D how annoying!¡± but he could not think of what the Death Knight might have to say. Although Ainz was vaguely interested in what Hamsuke was up to, he soon cast the thought away.

    Speaking of which, some time ago, I think I gave Hamsuke... it feels like I¡¯ve forgotten something. Oh well, if I can¡¯t think of it, it couldn¡¯t have been that important, I guess.

    Ainz¡¯s head was filled with these thoughts, which he could not quite articte. It felt a bit like waiting for a sneeze which would note. He arrived before the door to the guest house, but he would not do anything like knock. Fifth, who had been following behind Ainz, immediately advanced before him.

    ¡°Open it.¡±

    ¡°Understood, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Fifth looked terribly serious as she opened the door, but the corner of her mouth seemed somewhat rxed. This must havee from the satisfaction she felt at being able to help Ainz in some way.

    It seems I was right to observe Jiiv. I have truly be a proper ruler. Granted, that¡¯s not exactly the right way to treat him, but I¡¯ll continue studying him from now on. After all, it¡¯s to help me learn how it is to be a king.

    Ainz did not thank Fifth, but looked to the open door.

    ¡°¨DEight Edge Assassins.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Ready for orders!¡±

    The Eight Edge Assassins that were following behind Ainz swiftly formed up into a line.

    ¡°¨DGo.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Their jaws opened and closed, and then the lined-up Eight Edge Assassins responded with a voice that seemed more forceful than usual before entering the building. Only Pandora¡¯s Actor was supposed to be in this guest house. On asion, Narberal was here, but for the most part, she was in the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, carrying out Ainz¡¯s orders.

    He could have stationed a regr maid here, but it could be troublesome if people who came to visit Momon thought they were being observed. Thus, it hade to this. However, if Pandora¡¯s Actor stayed here alone, there was the possibility that the people who had brainwashed Shalltear might infiltrate this ce. Thus, Ainz felt it was better to set up some countermeasures.

    ...Still, in order for that to happen, someone would need to infiltrate all the way in here. Well, only fools don¡¯t prepare enough. ...Mm ¨D still, how long should I wait here? Or should I move forward? Bymon sense, I should wait here. After all, the Eight Edge Assassins will return to me. However, is a king really supposed to wait at the door?

    After hesitating for a bit, Ainz thought, ah well, forget it, and entered the guest house.

    He advanced, using the regal, proper bearing he had practiced dozens of times, in a way which he felt best fitted a ruler.

    However, within less than 20 paces, one of the Eight Ege Assassins returned and genuflected before Ainz.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, we have summoned Pandora¡¯s Actor-sama. He will present himself to you soon.¡±

    ¡°Is that so. Then I shall wait in the guest room.¡±

    Ainz had been to this guest house before, so Ainz had a rough idea of itsyout. After Fifth opened the door for him, Ainz moved without hesitation to the main seat in the guest room.

    This vited much of the manners he had picked up as a sryman and felt wrong to him. However, this was an easy task for Ainz, who had spent much time practicing to be a ruler.

    Shortly after, a knocking came from the door. Ainz nodded to Fifth.

    Having received permission, Fifth opened the door, and Pandora¡¯s Actor entered the room. He was not using magic to appear as Momon, but was in his usual military uniform.

    ¡°Oh Supreme One, my creator Ainz-sama¨D¡±

    ¡°No need to greet me. Sit.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    He clicked his heels together before marching in.

    His movements were as smooth and crisp as that of a soldier¡¯s, but to Ainz, they were entirely unnecessary. The best word to describe this was ¡°overacting¡±.

    And so, Pandora¡¯s Actor advanced to the ce beside Ainz and sat.

    Don¡¯t people usually sit opposite each other?

    Everyone possessed an area around them called their personal space, but Ainz could not help but stare at Pandora¡¯s Actor¡¯s remorseless blitzkrieg upon him.

    ...Well, I guess it¡¯s all right. Still, he¡¯s really close...

    Ainz closely inspected Pandora¡¯s Actor as he sat down. He no longer felt the same shock he had when he had first seen him in the Treasury. Perhaps the passage of time and meeting him several times to give orders had softened the impact on him.

    ¡°May I ask¨D¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing, don¡¯t worry about it. All right, I have some things to ask you. First, I¡¯d like to know about Momon¡¯s condition. I know what you¡¯ve reported to Albedo... so, are there any problems?¡±

    ¡°It would seem that there is nothing spec¨D¡±

    ¡°Is that so. Good. Then, I¡¯d like to ask you, as Pandora¡¯s Actor ¨D are there any problems on your end?¡±

    The mood in the air changed.

    ¡°In truth, Ainz-sama!¡±

    Ainz leaned back, as though the tremendous presence of Pandora¡¯s Actor was crushing him.

    ¡°I, I have suffered greatly!¡±

    Who¡¯s the one suffering here?!

    However, Ainz did not have the time to shoot back with that before Pandora¡¯s Actor continued speaking.

    ¡°During this time, I have not once been able to touch magic items. I have been unable to maintain the various magic items created by the Supreme Beings. The sorting of data crystals has ground to a halt as well. Please! No matter what, Ainz-sama! I beseech you to grant me some time with those items!¡±

    ¡°...I, did I design you that way?¡±

    ¡°Of that there is no doubt! These feelings were bestowed upon me by yourself, Momonga-sama!¡±

    ¡°...Ahhhhh.¡±

    Ainz desperately tried to recall the way he had designed Pandora¡¯s Actor. He could recall giving him a backstory that stated he liked managing magic items and the like. Ainz¡¯s original intent was to design him in such a way that he would not find it strange to be alone in the Treasury ¨D indeed, one could consider being surrounded by the things he loved to be a heavenly job. So it would seem that Ainz¡¯s personality settings were the source of the problem. However, for some reason, it seemed to have reached the level of a fetish.

    ¡°Did I not permit you to return to Nazarick every day?¡±

    While half of Nazarick¡¯s undead were made by Ainz, the other half were made by Pandora¡¯s Actor. Granted, the undead made by Pandora¡¯s Actor were weaker than those made by Ainz, to some extent. Still, that was within eptable parameters, and there were adequate frozen corpses on the 5th Floor for that purpose.

    In fact, there were so many of them that the two of them working together could not use them up.

    ¡°However, I have not received permission to return to the Treasury!¡±

    What could he be feeling that made him omit his usual theatrics?

    ¡°I understand. Then, I shall inform Shalltear and have her give the Ring to you. In addition, I grant you permission to work on myrades¡¯ weaponry and equipment. Don¡¯t damage them.¡±

    ¡°It shall¨D¡±

    ¡°Stop that. Speaking normally will be fine. Didn¡¯t I tell you this before, hm, Pandora¡¯s Actor?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°The rtionship between us is one of creator and created. The fact is, I am very happy with the way you have worked hard to show me the being I intended to make. However, sometimes I wonder; should children not work to exceed their parents?¡±

    ¡°Ohhhh... Ainz-sama. To think you would refer to me as your child!¡±

    ¡°Umu, umu. You are, er, my son, or something like that. That, er, how shall I put this, should most likely, er, that should be the case. Therefore, there¡¯s no need to use German or salute or be so dramatic in front of me. Since I made you, I want to see the parts of you that I did not make, as proof that you have grown.¡±

    Ainz nced behind at the sound of sniffling, and saw that Fifth was dabbing at the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief.

    What?

    Isn¡¯t she crying too easily?

    Just as Ainz was feeling confused, Pandora¡¯s Actor bowed his head.

    ¡°I understand ¨D Father!¡±

    ¡°...Oh.¡±

    ¡°I shall show you what you wish to see, Father!¡±

    He was wrong. He had been too reckless. Although it was impossible, Ainz felt a headache assailing him.

    ¡°Pandora¡¯s Actor. You must not tell anyone else of what has happened here. Understood? If people know that you¡¯re receiving special treatment, it might result in friction with the others. Also ¨D in fact, because of that, I will be cing you lower on my priorities. If the timees when I have to choose between helping you or the Guardians, I will abandon you.¡±

    ¡°But of course! Please, sacrifice me as you see fit!¡±

    As Ainz watched him thrust out his chest while speaking, a sense of guilt grew in Ainz¡¯s heart.

    ¡°I am sorry. And... Fifth. Do not speak of what has happened here.¡±

    After seeing Fifth nod in acknowledgement, Ainz nodded as well.

    ¡°Then, I will be on my way.¡±

    ¡°Ah, about that, could you hold on a little? Since we meet rarely, there is a matter I would like to ask you, Father. May I know how you intend to rule this Sorcerous Kingdom?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Many humans have their doubts about the path upon which you intend to take this country, Father. For instance, if you wish to adopt a policy of expansion, they fear that they will be sent onto the battlefield, and so on.¡±

    Ainz froze in ce.

    Where was he going to take Ainz Ooal Gown?

    To begin with, Ainz was just a regr person, yet he had stated a nigh-unreachable goal like conquering the world. Ainz had stopped thinking about it. He felt that it would be better to hand this matter to intelligent people like Albedo or Demiurge.

    That said, the matter of how to run this country was a question which he could not evade.

    ¡°Is, is something wrong, Father?¡±

    ¡°...I intend to let you know, but I¡¯m still drafting it up in my mind. I shall discuss the matter with the various Guardians of Nazarick and then inform you.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Ainz rose silently.

    ¡°Then that will be all, Pandora¡¯s Actor.¡±

    After hearing Pandora¡¯s Actor bid him farewell, Ainz left the room.

    Before he left through the main door, he sent a [Message] to Shalltear before he forgot, informing him of Pandora¡¯s Actor¡¯s request. If he put it off, he would probably forget itter on.

    Once he reached the door, Ainz moved faster than Fifth and opened the door before she could do so for him.

    Then, he looked to the sky.

    It was a clear, blue sky.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be flying,¡± Ainz curtly said. Although the people behind him began to panic, Ainz chose to pay them no heed.

    Ainz floated into the sky thanks to the [Fly] spell, and thennded on the roof of the guest house.

    Because E-Rantel was a city protected by threeyers of walls, from this vantage, half of his field of vision was blocked by the city walls.

    ¡°I can¡¯t see from here, huh? Looks like I¡¯ll have to go for a walk.¡±

    He might be able to think of something if he walked the streets. Staying here meant that there was no way he would be able to think of anything.

    Just then, the forms of the Eight Edge Assassins ¨D who had climbed the walls ¨D appeared before Ainz as well.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, please wait! It¡¯s dangerous to go alone!¡±

    He could not simplyugh off the Eight Edge Assassins¡¯ words.

    Someone standing in the middle of a wide-open area with good visibility in all directions was practically asking to be sniped.

    ¡°That¡¯s true. I¡¯d make a good target if my opponent was Peroroncino-san.¡±

    Peroroncino the archer ¨D who was the most specialized in rangedbat within the guild Ainz Ooal Gown ¨D would probably be able to hurt Ainz very badly. That man could easily attack from even two kilometers out. His favorite tactic was concealing himself and then sniping his opponent ¨D albeit with a bow. That said, even if his opponent was Peroroncino, Ainz had no intention of allowing himself to be toyed with until he died.

    Ainz was confident that he could use various means to defend, escape, or counterattack. He had honed his skills through PVPing, and he would definitely not die with no means of responding. However, if he had to be wary of attack methods which only existed in this world, the Eight Edge Assassins had a point.

    Ainz could not die now. At the very least, before experimenting with resurrecting yers, he had to assume he only had one life, and prepare a meatshield for himself.

    His best and safest option for that job was Albedo, whose defensive strength was the highest among the Guardians. However, he would need people to protect her as well, which would necessitate arge deployment of forces. He did not want to do that unless it was for the purpose of baiting an enemy attack.

    If that was the case, the best choice would be disposable and high-level vassals, but¨D

    I don¡¯t have any high-level vassal monsters. Even if I wanted to use mercenary monsters, I spent a lot of money summoning Albedo¡¯s subordinates, so I don¡¯t have the cash out of pocket to casually summon monsters.

    He had decided to make a big show of spending to prove his generosity, and now he vaguely regretted doing so. All he could do wasfort himself by saying that he had to maintain his image as her boss.

    Hang on, let¡¯s think this through step by step.

    Ainz listed various possibilities in his mind.

    Mercenary monsters. He had no money, so they were out.

    The skill, [Undead Lieutenant]. It required XP, so he decided against it.

    Using the summons from the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown. The very fact that he had to carry the Guild Weapon with him meant that it was out of the question.

    The skill, [Create Undead]. Even if he created upper-tier undead, they would only be level 70, which he would not even trust to escort the Guardians.

    No, I still have a trump card in store.

    He had enhanced his undead creation skills through the use of a dark ritual.

    He could only create upper-tier undead four times a day. However, if he divided those up into two uses, he could make undead of roughly level 90.

    Ainz stroked his chin, and wondered what sort of undead to make. The thief-type Eternal Deaths, or sensory-focused Eyeball types...

    Granted, the Eternal Deaths were excellent undead to use, but they had a passive skill called [Aura of Death and Decay] which was constantly in effect. It was a potent skill whichbined the effects of Ainz¡¯s [Despair Aura V (instant death)] and [Despair Aura I (fear)], making it a creature that could inflict instant death and stat penalties upon the enemy. In particr, the stat penalty was not a mind-affecting ability. This allowed the skill to bypass immunity to mind-affecting effects, which made it very hard to deal with.

    That said, if this ability was used when friendly fire was enabled, it would swiftly paint a hellish picture of suffering and misery. Of course, he might be able to order them to suppress the ability, but bringing undead like that onto the city streets wasplete insanity.

    Several other scary monsters appeared in his mind, but he shot all those ideas down.

    ...How should I say this... they¡¯re very capable, but they all look ugly.

    None of them were at all suitable as guards which a king would have with him when walking the streets.

    Just as Ainz was puzzling over the matter, he noticed Fifth beneath him, trying desperately to climb the wall.

    Without another word, Ainz jumped off, using [Fly] in mid-air to slow his descent, and hended gracefully on the ground below.

    Fifth ¨D who was gripping a window frame and whose face was flushed red ¨D hurriedly assumed her position behind Ainz.

    ¡°Fifth.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°I will be going out to the city after this.¡±

    ¡°Understood, I shall ready the carriage immediately!¡±

    ¡°No, there is no need for that. I intend to observe the conditions in the city. I rule these streets, so I n to go on foot.¡±

    ¡°Eh?! But that would only stain your precious feet! Please order us to clean the streets for you! And we must prepare the followers!¡±

    Few roads on E-Rantel were cobbled, so after the rain, the rest became stretches of mud.

    ¡°There is no need for that. I have lived in this city before.¡±

    That said, after checking into the inn, he immediately returned to Nazarick to make undead.

    ¡°In addition, I intend to summon followers with magic, so there is no need to send over people from Nazarick.¡±

    ¡°...If that is the will of the Supreme One.¡±

    Still, the question of what to summon remains. If I call up demons or undead, it will lead to bad rumors and vicious gossip. So I¡¯ll need to summon something pretty, to raise opinions of me. What fits the bill...

    As he thought of that, Ainz found the answer.

    ¡°I will be summoning angels after this. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Although Ainz¡¯s karma value was extremely negative, he would not have a problem summoning angels, whose karma values were highly positive. There were some sses which had the penalty of not being able to summon monsters whose karma values were too different from their own, but Ainz did not have such sses.

    Incidentally, the monsters summoned by those sses got stronger the closer the monsters¡¯ karma values were to their masters.

    In YGGDRASIL, any disadvantages would have matching advantages as well.

    Ainz headed toward the courtyard.

    As expected of a ce used for putting horses through their paces, training hunting hounds and other such activities, the expanse of trimmed grass which made up the courtyard was vast indeed.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s begin. This may take a while, so talk with me in the meantime.¡±

    ¡°W-who, me?¡±

    ¡°Exactly. In other words, I want to know everything about Nazarick¡¯s 9th Floor ¨D right. Tell me about your work. Is there anything about the rooms you are cleaning?¡±

    Ainz did not wait for Fifth to reply. After changing out parts of his equipment, he cast his spell.

    This spell was the super-tier spell [Pantheon], which was simr to the 10th tier spell [Armageddon ¨C Good] and the super-tier spell [Nibelung I], and which was diametrically opposed to the super-tier spell [Pandemonium].

    He listened to Fifth¡¯s words as he waited for the super-tier spell to take effect. If there was a sudden need to take urgent action, he would naturally use a cash item, but doing so at this time would have been terribly wasteful.

    Chatting with the maids isn¡¯t bad, Ainz thought.

    In addition, this was the first time he heard that Albedo¡¯s room was forbidden to the maids.

    ¡°¨DI see. Well, this was quite a meaningful conversation. Although I just thought about it, go back to my room and bring Nurunuru-kun over. It would be troublesome without him.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    Ainz watched Fifth¡¯s maid outfit sway wildly as she jogged off, while he remained in the courtyard.

    While he waited, he recalled Fifth¡¯s words.

    Apparently, Albedo had told the maids that she would handle the cleaning of her own room as part of her bridal training, so she did not wish for anyone to enter her room.

    Ainz muttered ¡°Good grief¡± to himself.

    ¡°Albedo, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t understand your feelings, but the fact is that you¡¯re a busy person, so you should leave the cleaning to the maids. I can¡¯t really say this, but it seems I¡¯m a better ruler than you are, in that sense.¡±

    Before long, Fifth returned, panting and presenting Nurunuru-kun. Ainz smiled, satisfied by his ability tomand.

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    Ainz epted the Lip Bug from Fifth with a brief word of appreciation. Then, he applied the Lip Bug to the base of his bony throat.

    ¡°Ah, er, um.¡±

    For some reason, there was a change in Ainz¡¯s voice. Granted, that was the creature¡¯s special ability, but he still did not understand it. All he could do was ept it.

    Ainz put his doubts aside and cast the super-tier spell. Six pirs of light appeared around him, and from them came six angels.

    These angels had lions¡¯ heads, with one pair of wings stretched out and another pair folded around them, for a total of four wings. They each wore suits of shining armor and held shields with eye patterns in one hand andnces of fire in the other.

    These angels were around level 80, and they were called Cherubim Gatekeepers.

    Ainz did not know much about mythology, so he did not know why they were called gatekeepers, but he did know about their strengths as monsters.

    The Cherubim Gatekeepers were quite well-suited to the task of being a tank, and their considerable sensory abilities also made them very good sentries.

    ¡°Protect me. Do not kill my enemies, but render the foe powerless while doing as little damage as possible.¡±

    ¡°Understood, o summoner.¡±

    This order had not been given out ofpassion. Although Ainz had no hesitation about killing his opponents, he had to consider that people might be scheming behind the scenes. In addition, he had to let Momon perform the executions, hence his instructions to capture the enemy alive.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Once the Angels had taken a defensive formation around Ainz, he immediately strode forth.

    Summon spells ¨D including this super-tier spell ¨D would terminate after a while. Thus, he had to avoid wasting time.

    ¡°Angels, Fifth will be walking with us. Defend her as you would me.¡±

    ¡°Understood, o summoner.¡±

    ¡°Ai-Ainz-sama, how could my body bepared to the precious form of the Supreme One?¡±

    ¡°...Fifth. You might be a maid, but you are still a creation of one of my friends. Thus, you are very valuable to me. Remember that well, because I find it troublesome to repeat myself. Then go tell all of your fellows.¡±

    ¡°Thank, thank you very much!¡±

    Incidentally, he did not say the same thing to the Eight Edge Assassins, as they were beings summoned from YGGDRASIL gold. He might have felt vaguely regretful about having to sacrifice them, but they had no value to him beyond that.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    With the six Angels, Fifth, and several Eight Edge Assassins ¨D the rest were left as sentries ¨D in tow, Ainz headed for the gate.

    There loomed the form of a Crypt Lord, whomanded over twenty Death Knights.

    It was dressed in tattered purple robes which were once magnificent, and it wore a crown that shone uncharacteristically bright. It was a level 70 undead creature from Nazarick.

    Itsmander-type skills could strengthen any Death Knights it controlled, but it could not do so since the Death Knights which were its subordinates were under Ainz¡¯s control. That said, Ainz had put it here because he acknowledged its excellentmand abilities.

    ¡°I will be heading out after this, let Albedo know.¡±

    After walking past the Crypt Lord ¨D who was bowing deeply ¨D Ainz arrived at the streets.

    He had no objective in mind.

    Rather than taking a walk, it was more like he wanted to find the answer to Pandora¡¯s Actor¡¯s question. He would not be able to sort out what he could normally figure out if he was being bothered from all sides.

    Ainz opened up his stride as he imagined the future which the Sorcerous Kingdom of Ainz Ooal Gown would have under him.

    Part 3

    Ainz and thepany advanced in a straight line along the main road.

    It was hard to say the streets were filled with life. That much was obvious when hepared his memories from his time as Momon to the scenes before him now. The expressions of the pedestrians were grim, and they seemed to be moving a little quicker.

    In contrast, the Death Knights walked proudly through the streets. They were probably patrolling in ce of the usual city guard. Ainz had only given them simple orders: apprehend anyone engaging in violence, protect anyone who asked for help.

    Ainz turned his gaze toward the city wall.

    A portion of the mass-produced Death Knights were assigned to sentry duty on top of the walls. There were others like them who were watching the city gates or patrolling. However, the most bizarre way in which they were employed was in being ordered to build new viges with the denizens of the slum district.

    The people who ended up being residents of the slums were typically the second or third sons of a family in viges: those who did not have their own farm to work. They dreamt of a better life in the city, but in the end, they could only scrape out a pauper¡¯s miserable existence amidst the ashes of their dreams. Thus, Ainz promised to grant them a plot ofnd, and sent them out there.

    They were sent to the ruins of viges that had been burned down due to the ine Theocracy¡¯s plot. Since they had fallen due to external reasons, all one needed to do was to clear the rubble away, seek new vigers, and the vige would naturally recover.

    Because they had been attacked in the past, Ainz permitted the Death Knights and Soul Eaters to go with them as guards, and he also ordered them to help the vigers with their farm work.

    Granted, neither of them were particrly adept at working the fields. However, they were far superior to ordinary human beings when it came to raw, physical strength. Essentially, they were heavy duty farm equipment which did not require fuel and which could function 24 hours a day. They were ideal for the task of breaking ground and heavybor, and they would surely make great contributions in theing harvests.

    Ainz¡¯s aim was to build the viges back up within a year, and allow them to achieve basic self-sufficiency. They would then begin a regr harvest in the second year.

    However, the aim of rebuilding the viges was merely to collect their produce as taxes and dump them into the Exchange Box, where they would be YGGDRASIL gold coins. Albedo and Demiurge had praised this idea to the heavens, so it should be quite workable.

    He had lent the undead to them in order to avoid foolishly wasting time on colonizing the wilderness.

    At the same time, since the undead were on loan, he would collect additional rental fees on them in addition to the agreed taxes. While he did not need to charge them rent, he came up with the idea after considering that he might end up loaning the undead to various other people in the future.

    While that n prioritized sendingrge numbers of the slums¡¯ residents ¨D with their families in tow ¨D out of the city, that alone was not the reason for theck of people on the streets.

    That would probably be because of Ainz. When pedestrians encountered him on the streets, they would stare with eyes wide before going back the way they came, or circling around him.

    It was like walking in an abandoned wastnd.

    Still, being feared was not bad. It was a dozen times better than being disrespected.

    That said, it¡¯s hard to believe my city would be such a lifeless ce...

    He did not care what happened to anyone else as long as the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick and its NPCs were happy. However, what would his past friends think if they were around?

    Would they be like Ainz, who had been affected by being undead, and end up being influenced by their nature as monsters? Would they end up treating humans as little more than fodder? Or would they continue holding on to their strong emotions from their time as humans?

    What on earth do I want to build this country into...

    Just as Pandora¡¯s Actor had said, Ainz needed to decide on how to run this country and the aim of ruling this city.

    For example, by farming wheat and the like, and tossing them into the Treasury¡¯s Exchange Box he could obtain coins that could be used to to strengthen the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. The country would then be one whose sole aim was to produce currency.

    For example, he could breed and ughter humans, thus making the country produce XP which would be stored within Greed and Generosity.

    For instance, he could hand over all production tasks and work to the undead, making it a country where the living did not need to work.

    And for example¨D

    From and filled with love to one ringing with resentment, how would this country which bore the name of the guild turn out?

    He could not hand this decision to his subordinates. This was his duty, his responsibility, as the ruler of Nazarick and the Sorcerous Kingdom of Ainz Ooal Gown.

    ¡°¨DFifth, what do you think of this city? Of this country?¡±

    ¡°My deepest apologies. May I know how you would like me to answer?¡±

    He had been too abstract. Ainz decided to ask again:

    ¡°Do you feel this is a country where you can live in happiness? Tell me the whole truth and hold nothing back.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I am very happy in this country because you rule it, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Ainz looked to the sky and sighed. Well, he should have expected an NPC to give him an answer like that.

    ¡°Just¨D¡±

    ¡°Oh, what¡¯s the matter? Tell me anything thates to your mind.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Why is it that despite you being here, Ainz-sama, that nobodyes out to pay homage to the ruler of this country, to your mighty form? And the way they hide in the buildings and peek out at you... it¡¯s very upsetting!¡±

    Fifth snorted. Indeed, many people were spying on Ainz and his entourage while hiding in the shops along the roads. In fact, some of them had gone weak at the knees when they saw the angels.

    ¡°Fifth, do you think humans are boring creatures?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It is as you say. They were not created by the Supreme Beings, thus they are pitiable lifeforms.¡±

    More than half the beings in Nazarick thought that way. Even the level 1 maids were no exception.

    ¡°Fifth. All of you are still the most important to me.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much!¡±

    ¡°However, I should show some measure of mercy to the people I rule. After all, they are citizens of the Sorcerer King.¡±

    ¡°It is as you say.¡±

    ¡°Then, why not turn this ce into a utopia? A wonderful, dream-like world that is as sweet as soaking in honey. A world where they will wish to be ruled eternally.¡±

    ¡°I feel this is an excellent n.¡±

    ¡°Since I intend to conquer the world, these subjects of mine will not just be humans. All the races of the world must kneel before me.¡±

    ¡°Naturally.¡±

    Project Utopia.

    This n was being carried out on the 6th Floor, and was started with the intention of appealing to any yers they encountered with the idea that Nazarick was a good guild which weed all races.

    Using this ce for the experiment sounds like a good idea, Ainz thought.

    ¡°I shall proim to the world: only those who serve the Sorcerer King shall have eternal prosperity.¡±

    ¡°There is no doubt that it is the truth.¡±

    If he could do that, then if he ever found his former friends ¨D his former guildmates ¨D he could proudly show this city off to them.

    It would seem the country Ainz wanted was one where he ruled various races who lived in harmony.

    He would take the vision of Ainz Ooal Gown within the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick and reproduce it throughout the entire world.

    Just like how his friends might be hiding in some corner of the world, he would make a world where different heteromorphs and races could smile and live.

    The light in Ainz¡¯s eyes grew brighter.

    The Sorcerous Kingdom of Ainz Ooal Gown should be a country where all races could coexist. This was something only the Sorcerous Kingdom could do.

    Even if the founder of a nation was a genius, there was no guarantee that his children would be simrly gifted. And the generation after that, his grandchildren, and his great-grandchildren after them ¨D there was no guarantee they would be talented either. If the second generation was ipetent, they would be wiped out by society in the third generation. Ainz had heard this story quite often.

    However, if they were ruled by an unaging, undying genius, this sort of thing would not happen. The ideal form of this was to have a dictatorship run by a handful of geniuses.

    With people like Demiurge and Albedo in the Sorcerous Kingdom ¨D no, it was because they were there that they could make it an eternal paradise. Like Ulbert had once said, a dictatorship run by an iron hand would be great, or something like that.

    Ainz pondered the matter further.

    Led by Demiurge and Albedo, the Guardians were proceeding with their objective of world domination. Ainz could notpletely deny their point. After all, this could spread their name to hisrades.

    However, would it not be better to spread that name through means other than ruling through force? By letting the Sorcerous Kingdom of Ainz Ooal Gown be known as a utopia, they could make many people choose to bend the knee and submit to his rule for that sweet, honey-like promise.

    It was like using sugar and a whip.

    If Demiurge and Albedo were the whip, then Ainz would be the sugar.

    What a great idea...

    Ainz had decided.

    Ainz was different from the NPCs that could only disdain those outside of Nazarick. This form of world conquest was something which only he, with his vestiges of humanity, coulde up with. He would dominate through overwhelming charm.

    Then, what should he do in order to carry out this n?

    As Ainz walked again, he thought desperately on the subject.

    He would need methods unlike those of Demiurge and Albedo ¨D methods which did not rely on strength.

    He could not imagine running a country by himself. Because of that, Ainz would imagine himself as an employee of a smallpany.

    It would be a smallpany, the kind which only had a single floor in a building, and the sole employee of thatpany was Ainz.

    The product of thispany would be ¡°The Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s Outstanding Rulership¡±. He would be promoting the sales of this product.

    First, he had to consider his target market. Only then could he deliver this product to the hands of those who needed it. However, hecked information on his consumers. Why was that? It was simple ¨D because he did not have enough publicity.

    That said, it was not a matter of running to various cities and giving out pamphlets at the entrance. That would just be a waste of time. Ainz was the sole employee, so he had to consider other methods.

    There was nothing like the mass media in this world. Although traders and other such professionals had their own intelligenceworks, any publicity from them was hardly guaranteed to be urate. Before Ainz had noticed, he was already at the entrance of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.

    Perhaps it was because he hade here often as Momon, but it seemed to have be a habit. That was probably a symptom of workaholism, right?

    Ainz smiled bitterly, and opened the door.

    The counter within the building loomed into view. There was a female receptionist seated there. On her left was arge set of double doors, and on the right was a noticeboard, which had requests on parchment attached to it. And the adventurers who should have been standing before it ¨D were not there.

    The Guild was empty. There was noparing it to what he had seen during his time as Momon.

    Ainz ignored the goggle-eyed receptionist who was staring at him, and walked to the noticeboard.

    While he still could not understand their letters, he had memorized a few phrases, which included the month and the year.

    At a nce, there were only old requests from a month ago. In other words, they were unimportant, repeating jobs.

    ¡°...Receptionist. There seem to be much fewer jobs now. Has nobody put in any new requests?¡±

    ¡°Hiii... yes, yes, that¡¯s right. These are all we have, Your Majesty.¡±

    So the number of adventurers had gone down because the number of requests had gone down as well.

    The cause of that was Ainz.

    Ainz had used his own military forces ¨D the Death Knights ¨D to patrol the streets and maintain the internal security of the Sorcerous Kingdom. In the end, it caused people to flee the threat of those monsters.

    He considered that if they kept up their patrols, people like adventurers mightpletely cease to exist.

    He would need to prepare requests for them in order to keep them around ¨D no, there was no need to keep the adventurers around.

    Anything adventurers could do, Death Knights could do better ¨D though they might have difficulty with certain tasks, like picking herbs. But in that case, all he had to do was to rent the Death Knights out to herbalists as bodyguards.

    Ainz still could not think of any uses for adventurers. And when one got down to it, the fact of the matter was that adventurers cost money to hire. E-Rantel and its lowered ie did not have the luxury of such things.

    In addition, they were hardly indispensable.

    With that in mind, Ainz turned to the outside.

    What a banal job...

    He recalled the first time he and Narberal hade to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild in this city.

    He had thought that adventurers were like what he had seen in YGGDRASIL, those who ventured into the unknown and trekked to various ces around the world.

    If they¡¯re just anti-monster mercenaries, then once the need for them is gone, they¡¯ll be out of a job. It¡¯s the same all over the world. To think that the image of adventurers as they were represented in YGGDRASIL was ultimately nothing more than a dream... A dream? Of exploring the unknown and travelling the world? Could it be...

    Inspiration shed through Ainz¡¯s mind.

    If he changed adventurers from monster-hunting mercenaries to explorers of the unknown like in YGGDRASIL, that would mean they would carry the name of the Sorcerous Kingdom into unexplorednds.

    Ainz did not just want to reach the human world, but all the other races as well. He could easily promote himself in the human world through traders¡¯ connections. However, since that was not enough, adventurers were the best choice for the job.

    ¡°Hmhm,¡± Ainz nodded.

    Although the receptionist looked at him in a puzzled way, he paid her no heed. Or rather, if he had minded her, that rare sh of inspiration would have vanished.

    Thinking like the head of a small business, Ainz decided to contemte the oue of this n.

    However, the number of adventurers in the Sorcerous Kingdom is slowly dwindling. If this keeps up, the situation will continue to deteriorate. They might even vanishpletely in the near future. What can I do to reverse this trend?

    It was simple enough to increase their numbers. All he needed to do was reverse the current circumstances ¨D in other words, the Sorcerous Kingdom would pay for monster elimination. However, that went against Ainz¡¯s goal of having adventurers be explorers of the unknown. While he could also ce requests to have them advertise him, Ainz did not have the money for that.

    There were literal mountains of gold in the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, but those were not Ainz¡¯s personal funds. While the NPCs would all agree that all the wealth in Nazarick belonged to Ainz, he did not want to use that money on a personal project.

    Just as Ainz was deep in thought, the sound of a door opening came from the entrance.

    As he turned around, he saw adventurers ¨D who he seemed to have met before ¨D standing in the doorway, frozen in ce as they watched him.

    Hm? That guy¡¯s name is... let me see... Yokmok? No, that¡¯s not right, but it¡¯s close.

    It felt like he could reach it with his fingertips, but he could not quite get his hands on it. This frustration made Ainz dredge up the depths of his memories with all his will.

    ¡°Moknak...?!¡±

    Just as he had found the answer, he blurted it out without thinking. Having been addressed by name, the adventurer froze in ce.

    Crap!

    It was toote by the time he realized it. He could feel the eyes of the guild receptionist looking in this direction.

    It was impossible that the new ruler of E-Rantel, the Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown, would possibly know of a mere mithril-ranked adventurer. And if he did know the man, what did that imply? Ainz¡¯s brain spun into high gear as he cogitated, but before he came up with an answer, Moknak spoke:

    ¡°Did, did you hear that from Momon-dono? My name, that is...¡±

    ¡°Umu, yes. That is correct.¡±

    Ainz decided to catch that pass. A pair of dramatically opposite emotions appeared on Moknak¡¯s face, expectation and fear.

    Having recovered from his prior perturbation, Ainz began a deeper analysis of the situation.

    He remembered that this man was the leader of the mithril-ranked adventurer party ¡°Rainbow¡±. The first time he had seen him was during the Vampire Disturbance incident. They had spoken several times after that, but since they had not met recently, the man had slipped from his mind.

    Much like other adventurers and soldiers, he seemed to worship Momon as a hero. So how would he feel about Momon bing a minion of the Sorcerer King?

    Why would Momon mention him to the Sorcerer King? Idle chatter? Or did Momon sell him out? His heart was probably awhirl with doubts and suspicions like that.

    Ainz began looking for a way to turn this danger into an opportunity.

    ¡°When I asked him about capable adventurers around here, he told me about Moknak, the leader of ¡®Rainbow¡¯.¡±

    Moknak, who had originally lowered his head, suddenly looked back up.

    ¡°Is ¨D is that true?¡±

    ¡°Do you doubt my words?¡±

    ¡°No! Of course not...¡±

    When discussing business with a client, the first thing one should do was praise one¡¯s counterparts. Few people would react poorly to praise. Once they were in a better frame of mind, they could then talk business. This was both a basic skill for a salesman, and also an ultimate secret.

    Now that he had shaken up the other side and fully seized the initiative, Ainz did not waste the chance to fire off another question.

    ¡°Tell me, why are you in E-Rantel?¡±

    If he wanted to learn more about adventurers, the fastest way to achieve that was to directly question an adventurer.

    Moknak was baffled by Ainz¡¯s question, but before long, he seemed to have gathered up enough courage to answer him.

    ¡°Because of the undead, Your Majesty. This ce is close to the Katze ins, and we can kill monsters for money without ever running out of them.¡±

    Although Ainz did not quite understand, it would seem that even as the sweat gushed off him, Moknak had a rebellious smile on his face that seemed to say, ¡°There, I said it¡±.

    Ainz had ns to bring the Katze ins under his dominion in the near future. Of particr note were the rumors of a ship that cruised along thend, which piqued Ainz¡¯s interest.

    ¡°Is that so.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡¯

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    ¡°Ah, no...¡±

    What a frustrating man. Ainz refused the urge to sigh and impulsively asked:

    ¡°Is that all?¡±

    ¡°...No, there¡¯s more. Before Momon-dono came here, we were the only mithril-ranked adventurers among the senior adventurers, so it was easier for us to get well-paying jobs.¡±

    So it was money after all. Perhaps earmarking part of the budget for adventurer remunerations might be the best course of action.

    ¡°Also, I was born in this city, so I know many people here. And also, all sorts of magic items flow through here.¡±

    ¡°Hoh, magic items, you say.¡±

    ¡°Yes. After all, magic items have saved my life in the past, so as an adventurer, I would naturally want to base myself in a ce with good ess to them.¡±

    In YGGDRASIL, there were also stories of how a simple magic item averted a total party kill. That said, he had also seen many people who looked like adventurers in the Imperial Capital¡¯s markets. In other words, if he could set up arger-scale magic item business than the Imperial Capital, it would be sure to draw adventurers over.

    He would probably be able to achieve excellent results by making magic items with appropriate data crystals and then auctioning them off. However, that would fundamentally be raiding Nazarick¡¯s reserves, and there was no guarantee that Ainz and the others would not find the technologies developed with those items as a base pointed at their throats instead.

    It should be fine if I use it as bait, right? No, I¡¯d rather avoid using Nazarick¡¯s resources if I can avoid it. So how about items made using the magical technology of this world? That way, we could hand them off to other countries without causing any problems... ah, this is hard. I¡¯ll leave that idea for another time.

    ¡°Ah...¡±

    Moknak¡¯s worried voice jolted Ainz¡¯s mind back from the depths of contemtion.

    ¡°Your Majesty, may I know why you are asking me these questions? If you will permit me to be frank...¡±

    Moknak grit his teeth, and continued in a deeply pained voice.

    ¡°We are like dust whenpared to even one of the undead that Your Majestymands. With such powerful undead defending the area around this city, there is little point to the existence of adventurers within the Sorcerous Kingdom.¡±

    What should he say now? What turn of phrase could he use to leave him ¨D and the receptionist looking over here, and the guild staff who had managed to cluster around them unseen ¨D with a good impression of himself?

    Or perhaps, he could take a dangerous risk and directly shut him up by saying ¡°There is no need to exin that to you.¡± That might be safer. However, if he did that, it might make them even more suspicious. There ought to be a better¨D

    No, I have to believe in myself. I¡¯m a man who has ovee many dangers in the past. I ought to be able to think of some way past this problem!

    Ainz allowed his presence to radiate forth from him.

    Come to think of it, you¡¯ve already got such a clear picture of things in your mind. So why are you still in this city? Because you were born here? Do you have a girlfriend?

    The answer to those questions would determine the direction in which the Sorcerer King would take this conversation.

    ¡°Before I answer you, I would like you to answer my first question. Why are you still in this city?¡±

    ¡°That, that¡¯s because...¡±

    Moknak began stumbling over his words. Then, despite hesitating a little, he continued:

    ¡°It¡¯s because of Momon-dono. Momon-dono stayed in this city to be our shield. That being the case, how could I, a native of this city, do something as disgraceful as running away?¡±

    In that instant, Ainz smiled.

    Granted, while he had been Momon, he had understood this man to a certain extent. However, he had not expected him to bare his heart so readily.

    ¡°Is that so. Then, I shall answer your question.¡±

    Ainz pretended to fall silent for a while, and then in a stern voice he announced:

    ¡°It is because of Momon. Since all of you might someday be people like Momon, I wanted to know what adventurers wanted, and what they sought.¡±

    Moknak¡¯s eyes went wide. The sounds of gulping could be heard from the nearby guild employees.

    ¡°Momon is strong, but more importantly, he has a noble spirit.¡±

    It felt a little embarrassing to say that sort of thing about himself, but that was how Momon¡¯s character had been nned, so it could not be helped.

    ¡°And then, I saw something like Momon¡¯s radiance among you adventurers.¡±

    Did my acting practice pay off, Ainz wondered as he uttered those words. A thunderbolt seemed to sh behind Moknak and the others.

    ¡°But, but Momon-dono is a supreme being, that only a chosen one could aspire to be. We couldn¡¯t possibly reach his¨D¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that Momon is blind to his own greatness, then?¡±

    ¡°What! Did, did Momon-dono say that too?!¡±

    ¡°Not directly.¡±

    While he did not think it was funny at all, he nevertheless strove to imply that he found it amusing. Ainz took on a king¡¯s smile ¨D the result of much practice ¨D and showed it to everyone.

    ¡°Even if you cannot do it, how about your children? Your grandchildren? Are you saying nobody around you could possibly give rise to someone like Momon? I am an immortal being, and the ruler of the Sorcerous Kingdom. It is only natural that I would want to take action to inspire genuine loyalty toward me from the next Momon. This is the meaning that I, as a ruler, have found for the existence of adventurers within the Sorcerous Kingdom. Well, there is another reason, but since it has not fully taken shape in my mind yet, I shall leave it at that for the moment.¡±

    The air around him was silent.

    Hm? Didn¡¯t it work? Is this man not a zealous fan of Momon?

    Just as unease was beginning to descend upon Ainz, Moknak bowed deeply to Ainz.

    ¡°Your Majesty, I am grateful for this meeting with you, and the opportunity to learn of your thoughts.¡±

    As Moknak raised his face, there was no trace of the unease, fear or doubt that had originally been there. In contrast, he had a cheerful, carefree smile in its ce.

    ¡°...What an awesome man. To think you possessed such incredible charisma, surpassing even your own potent magic.¡±

    ¡°I too am d to have encountered such excellent adventurers. Someday, I would like to take you under my wing.¡±

    Moknak¡¯s face rxed, feeling a little happier now.

    ¡°Still, Your Majesty. The Adventurer¡¯s Guild remains unaffiliated with the government. Neither am I. Can you really take us on as subordinates?¡±

    ¡°Umu. I came for precisely that objective. Granted, this is just a rough draft and has not yet fully taken shape... Receptionist, tell the guildmaster that the Sorcerer King would like to speak with him.¡±

    ¡°Y-yes!¡±

    The receptionist ¨D who had been dumbly listening to their conversation ¨D ran out of the room in a hurry.

    ¡°Then, Your Majesty, we bid you farewell.¡±

    This waspletely unlike how they had acted when they had first showed up. Moknak delivered a bow full of respect before he turned and left.

    Now then... what should I do next.

    The main thrust of Ainz¡¯s iplete n was to use adventurers to extol the virtues of the Sorcerous Kingdom. There were three main points to that n:

    The first was the expansion of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. There was no point in an organization that only had 10 members or so.

    The second was to nurture them. Weaklings could not go far, and if the gospel of being ruled by the Sorcerous Kingdom spread too slowly, it would not reap him many benefits.

    The third was to make them want to genuinely help him. It was not that he could not use Momon, but if Ainzach wanted to help him out of his own free will, it would make things much easier in the future.

    I need to solve these three problems before negotiating with Ainzach. Still... it¡¯s really hard to negotiate without any information at all. Ah~ my stomach aches.

    All he could do now was to pray that the Guildmaster was not in. Unfortunately, the first thing which the receptionist said when she returned was, ¡°This way, please.¡±

    Ainz looked up to the ceiling, and then followed behind the receptionist.

    Part 4

    He had walked through this corridor quite a few times as Momon, and he passed by the guildmaster¡¯s room ¨D though he did not enter, but was instead taken to the room beside it. That room was used for entertaining guests.

    A powerfully built man came out to meet him ¨D the guildmaster Pluton Ainzach.

    Ainz had met him as Momon several times before ¨D he had dragged Momon with him to adult establishments in the past. However, this was the first time he had encountered the man as the Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown, so he had to be deeply aware of his words and actions.

    ¡°Oh, it is Your Majesty, the Sorcerer King. As a citizen of this country, nothing could delight me more than to receive you within my humble abode. Please,e in, and though this is a dirty ce, I bid you take a seat if it pleases you.¡±

    Ainz sat down at the ce where Ainzach had indicated.

    Fifth stood behind Ainz, while three of the angels followed Ainz inside. The rest remained outside the room, awaiting orders.

    ¡°By right, I should have been the one to visit you, but I am deeply grateful that you came all this way to see me.¡±

    Ainzach genuflected, and bowed his head deeply.

    Ainz smiled bitterly as he saw Ainzach putting on that act.

    It waspletely different from how he had been when speaking to Momon. His kind voice was tinged with respect, but that was just a front. Ainz could not help but smile after realising that all this was just professional technique at work. Of course, his own expression had not changed at all.

    Ainz turned his eyes toward the other door in the room, the one which was not the entrance.

    That door led to the guildmaster¡¯s room. He would probably be talking in there if he was Momon. The fact that the guildmaster had received him here made Ainz aware of the distance between the two.

    ¡°Is something the matter, Your Majesty?¡±

    Ainzach had raised his head to peek at Ainz, who seemed to have ignored him in favor of looking at the room to the side. Ainz could not help but snort at his foolishness.

    Ainzach¡¯s face froze. Perhaps he thought thatughter was directed at him.

    Ainz felt disgusted by his rudeness, but the Sorcerer King could not apologise. Instead, he decided to push ahead with the conversation in an attempt to gloss it over.

    Still, what sort of attitude should he take toward the guildmaster?

    Ainz was still feeling out the proper way to be a king, and did not have any knowledge in that field. The only thing guiding him was a vague feeling of ¡°this should be right¡±. With that, he decided to try something.

    ¡°I think you should have heard about it by now, Ainzach, but I have a proposal for you.¡±

    ¡°¨DForgive me, Your Majesty, but I am unsure of what you speak. If it is possible, could you start from the beginning?¡±

    From his previous interactions with the man, Ainz knew that Ainzach was a capable man who was also capable of lying through his teeth. There was a high chance that he already had a firm grasp on the situation. That was probably why he had not been rmed by the angels.

    That being the case, there was no need to beat around the bush. Ainz decided to speak directly.

    ¡°I intend to incorporate this Adventurer¡¯s Guild into the Sorcerous Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°...Is that so. I do not think anybody will object to that.¡±

    ¡°Hoh. I have heard that the Adventurer¡¯s Guild has always held itself to neutrality. Are you truly fine with this?¡±

    ¡°All shall proceed as you desire, Your Majesty. This nation is governed by thews which you have set down. If Your Majesty wishes to subordinate the Adventurer¡¯s Guild to his will, nobody can gainsay that decision.¡±

    Ainz snorted again. That reaction seemed to get a rise out of Ainzach. Ainz sensed that he had gotten to the guildmaster, from the deep look in his eyes.

    ¡°Indeed, it shall proceed as I desire. However, do you truly intend to go along with it? Or perhaps you intend to warn off the adventurers and send them to the Empire and the Kingdom before turning over an empty shell of a guild to me.¡±

    Ainzach looked intently at Ainz, and then he rounded his shoulders, as though to say, ¡°So that¡¯s as far as I go, huh.¡±

    ¡°As expected of Your Majesty. To think you would not only im and rule this city, but even see through my innermost thoughts... did you read my mind with magic?¡±

    ¡°No, I did not use magic. It was nothing more than experience.¡±

    ¡°Because you have lived a long time, I take it. My my, what a fearsome lord you are. Then, what is to be of me?¡±

    ¡°Nothing will happen to you.¡±

    ¡°...I will not thank you for that, you know?¡±

    ¡°I do not need your thanks. More than that, I want your opinions. I have heard that adventurers exist to defend the people. Thus, they do not wish to be used in wars between humans and have maintained a degree of independence from any nation. Is this true?¡±

    ¡°It is as you say, Your Majesty. In truth, when Your Majestyid im to this town, we had no intention of offering any resistance.¡±

    ¡°And yet the man called Momon stood before me...?¡±

    Ainzach grunted, ¡°Oh.¡± Well, there was no point giving himself a hard time. Ainz decided to continue speaking, and of course, he had to help cover for Momon.

    ¡°Ah, I won¡¯t pursue that matter. After all, we are working together, in a sense. Indeed, that cooperation is one of the reasons I can peacefully rule this ce.¡±

    Ainzach seemed to be on the verge of saying something, but Ainz ignored him and pressed on.

    This was the real meat of the issue.

    He had to bring Ainzach over to his side, and make him want to aid the Sorcerous Kingdom out of his own volition.

    After recalling the various gripes andints he had heard during his time as Momon, Ainz said:

    ¡°...Then, I have a question after hearing your words. You were quite certain that ¡®Adventurers exist to defend the people¡¯. However, who exactly are these ¡®people¡¯?¡±

    ¡°May I know what you mean by that?¡±

    There was a baffled look on Ainzach¡¯s face.

    ¡°In other words, does the word ¡®people¡¯ epass all humanoids, or just human beings? Are Elves, Half-Elves and other species that live in harmony with humanity covered by that word?¡±

    ¡°Well, about that, yes, they are included.¡±

    ¡°How strange, then. I seem to recall that Elves are ves in the Empire, are they not? That being the case, can you really say that you are protecting them? Are they not ves because they ran afoul of the Empire¡¯sws?¡±

    Ainzach lowered his head. Then, he looked up to face Ainz again.

    ¡°...I am but the master of the Kingdom¡¯s Adventurer¡¯s Guild. Thus, I do not know what the Empire¡¯s Guild has in mind.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re just trying to weasel out of it with wordy, then...¡±

    AInzach¡¯s eyes went wide, and there was clear anger there.

    ¡°Your Majesty, such mockery¨D¡±

    ¡°Mockery? Is this not the truth? ...I shall ask you again. Are you not trying to get yourself off the hook by being ambiguous?¡±

    Ainzach lowered his eyes.

    ¡°...It is as you say.¡±

    ¡°You say that you will defend Elves and Half-Elves, but you have not done that at all. Why is that?¡±

    Ainzach gave his exnation, beginning from the position that he was unclear about the intentions of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild in the Empire.

    ¡°Though we are an Adventurer¡¯s Guild, we cannot fully escape the bonds of countries. While the Adventurer¡¯s Guild proudly deres itself to be above their rule, we remain obedient to thews of the nations. We are an armed organization. It would be very dangerous if a group with our strength was to turn that power against the nation. I believe the Empire¡¯s Guild thinks along the same lines.¡±

    ¡°That is what I meant. Since you are bound by a country¡¯sws, then there should be no problem with being incorporated into that country. That being the case, why do you dislike that?¡±

    ¡°Both the Empire and the Kingdom covet our strength. After all, only adventurers like ourselves can fight on an even footing with powerful monsters. Because of that, nobody has made any difficult requests of us until now. However, that point is moot where Your Majesty is concerned. If we are made subordinate to you, there is a chance that our strength may be directed against the people.¡±

    ¡°And so, you seek to resist assimtion into the country because you fear being made to use force against themon man, am I correct?¡±

    ¡°It is as Your Majesty says. We do not wish to be made to suppress people or to fight in wars. It would make us essories to many deaths.¡±

    Ainz could not help butugh at this. Well, I knew that already. But of course, he could not actually say that.

    ¡°Then sit. I shall now exin what I intend for you in the future.¡±

    Ainz had to tell him to sit again before Ainzach finallyplied, taking a seat out of fear. Then, Ainz began his exnation.

    ¡°I am considering the possibility of having adventurers take on other, more meaningful types of work. I want adventurers to discover the unknown and explore this world.¡±

    Ainz felt Ainzach looking directly at him for the first time.

    ¡°For instance, there is a patch of wilderness to the south, between the Theocracy and the Holy Kingdom. But do you know the details of the terrain and what manner of monsters live there?¡±

    ¡°No, because there are many demihuman settlements there. The Adventurer¡¯s Guild of the Kingdom has sent people there, but none have returned in one piece. Therefore, we know next to nothing about it.¡±

    ¡°Then, there is a mountain range to the southwest which serves as a natural barrier between yourselves and the Theocracy. What do you know of that ce?¡±

    ¡°No, we do not have any detailed information about that region.¡±

    ¡°Are you not ashamed of that ignorance? No, perhaps it may seem unavoidable from the point of view of an adventurer. After all, you are an organization that protects the people, so there is no need to know about ces which do not contain any people. Although, there is a chance that lifesaving herbs might grow in such regions.¡±

    Ainzach¡¯s mouth tightened into a straight line at that provocation.

    ¡°Once I take the Adventurer¡¯s Guild under my banner, I n to fill in all the nk spaces on the map.¡±

    ¡°...Would it not be better to hand that task to the people close to Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish. I heard that you used to be an adventurer, Ainzach, so let me ask you again: When you think about the word ¡®adventurer¡¯, really ponder it, do you think you exist merely to fight monsters? Before I learned more about adventurers, I thought that they were beings who turned the unknown into the known.¡±

    Ainzach bit his lip so hard that it seemed as though he was trying to draw blood.

    ¡°¨DWe must protect the people.¡±

    ¡°There is no need for that. In this Sorcerous Kingdom, I will protect the people as their ruler. Given the sharp drop in requests, you should be able to understand the truth of my words, am I wrong?¡±

    Ainzach answered in the affirmative, in a pained voice that sounded more like a groan.

    ¡°Then what will you do next? Will you move to the Kingdom or the Empire to protect the people? That sounds a lot like what a specialized monster-hunting mercenary would do.¡±

    Ainz paused here. The next step would be persuasion. He had to devote the full capacity of his mind to what he said next.

    ¡°Earlier, you said ¡®my subordinates should do it¡¯. From a certain point of view, that would be a good solution. It is true that my subordinates excel at ying the enemy. However, many of them raise serious doubts in my mind about whether or not they can build good rtionships with the beings they meet in this unknown world. It is a great mark of shame for me. Therefore, I wish to leave this task to you adventurers.¡±

    While he was quite interested in the silent Ainzach¡¯s reaction, his presentation was not yet finished.

    ¡°Well, since I n to have them do such a dangerous job, I will naturally give them my full support. Do you not think it is necessary for me to assimte the Adventurer¡¯s Guild for that?¡±

    ¡°...All you have to do is hire us.¡±

    ¡°I see. So you are quite confident in your strength. I do not dislike that courage.¡±

    ¡°What, what do you mean, Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°Discovering the unknown includes the possibility of making unfortunate encounters with other civilizations. If that happened, do you not think the Sorcerous Kingdom would disavow you? In addition, the Adventurer¡¯s Guild would then be solely responsible for dealing with any problems which arose, am I wrong? Since you im to be an independent organization, do you not think that is to be expected? After all, any contracts I make with you will not incur any loss to the Sorcerous Kingdom.¡±

    Ainzach fell silent.

    ¡°That is what it means to act independently, free from any nation¡¯s control, is that not the case? And if a situation esctes to an international level, you would thus have to deal with it yourself... is what I am saying soughable?¡±

    ¡°Certainly not, Your Majesty,¡± Ainzach nodded deeply, to show that he understood. ¡°Every word you have spoken is correct.¡±

    ¡°Just so. But if that happens, valuable adventurers ¨D professionals who possess special skills ¨D will end up being depleted. As it takes human beings a long time to mature, the death of any talented individual will be a great loss. Because of that, I wanted to acquire the Adventurer¡¯s Group. And then, they would receive my full support as the price for having to carry out my orders.¡±

    ¡°That is a very attractive proposal... However, I have a doubt I wish to rify. Once we have understood the unknown, does that mean we will then be invasion forces for the Sorcerous Kingdom?¡±

    ¡°That is a veryplicated question. I cannot rule out that possibility entirely. After all, if we learn that an enemy which exists in unknownnds ns tounch an invasion, it is quite reasonable to use that information to take the initiative and strike the first blow instead. Said enemies might include demihumans like Ogres or Orcs who live in the wilderness. Or perhaps, it might be necessary tounch an invasion to show them the difference between their strength and ours. If there was a ferocious monster beside you which was sharpening its fangs, would you not want to strike first instead?¡±

    ¡°I see, it is as you say, But¨D¡±

    ¡°...Hm.¡±

    ¡°Is something the matter, Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, forgive me for interrupting you. What were you about to say just now?¡±

    ¡°...Understood. However, what troubles me is whether or not it is right to subdue by force those races who are living in peace.¡±

    ¡°What races are you thinking of? Elves, perhaps?¡±

    ¡°Well, perhaps.¡±

    ¡°...The details of this sort of thing are top secret as they are linked to national policy, so I cannot discuss this openly. If invasion and conquest would be advantageous to the Sorcerous Kingdom, we might end up doing so, or if they would only beget disadvantages, we would avoid such acts. This is quitemon among countries, am I correct? However, if ites to the simple matter of invasions, I can inly state that I have adequate military forces at my disposal. I do not expect adventurers to collect information on enemy nations, nor do I need them to scout routes for me. As I said earlier, I simply desire them to explore the unknown and discover all sorts of things. I give you my word on this.¡±

    However, right after saying that, Ainz asked Ainzach:

    ¡°Still, it does seem you treat races differently depending on how attractive they are. Why did you not say that line about ¡®whether or not it is right to subdue by force those races who are living in peace¡¯ when the topic of invading Orcs and Ogres came up?¡±

    ¡°That, that¡¯s because they¡¯re demihumans¨D!¡±

    ¡°Hahahaha. I see, I see. So that is what you think. I understand, I understand. So, what is your answer?¡±

    Ainzach seemed to want to say something, but he immediately shook his head. That was probably to change his mind.

    ¡°Must I answer that question immediately, Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°Certainly, I would like you to answer right away. However, this matter is of weighty importance, and you must prepare for it by discussing it with others. The fact it takes time cannot be helped. However, I would like to know what you think, Ainzach.¡±

    Ainz leaned forward, so he could look right into Ainzach¡¯s eyes from close up.

    ¡°I am very angry. But more than that, I am saddened by the fact that you are nothing more than simple monster exterminators. How dare people like you call yourselves adventurers? Ainzach, what do you think? Are you willing to adventure under my rule? It is my hope for you all that¨D¡±

    Here, Ainz paused for a beat. Then, he let the strength flow into his eyes and his voice.

    ¡°¨DThat you will all be able to be ¡®Adventurers¡¯.¡±

    Tension filled the room. As though observing an opponent who had been in by his finishing move, Ainz held his breath ¨D although he could not breathe to begin with ¨D and awaited Ainzach¡¯s response.

    ¡°...I feel this is a very attractive proposition.¡±

    The lights within Ainz¡¯s empty orbits dimmed. It seemed like he would find some reason to refuse.

    ¡°¨DTherefore, I intend to ask the others if they can ept this proposal. It is true that using adventurers like us for such a purpose is like a dreame true. Bing agents of the Sorcerous Kingdom is something we cane to terms with at some point. If I might be allowed to speak as a former adventurer... I would be happy to help.¡±

    ¨DEh, does that mean it worked?

    ¡°Really now...¡±

    Ainz leaned back against the sofa.

    The joy of his speech¡¯s sess spread steadily through him. It was like the feeling of leaving a client after clinching a deal, then rushing to a coffeeshop to call up one¡¯s own firm and shouting ¡°I did it!¡± over the phone.

    He had not expected his experience as an adventurer to end up being used here. No, it was because of that experience that Ainz coulde up with that proposal.

    And just then, Ainz thought of something that was so important it had to be addressed right away. It concerned the future of the Sorcerous Kingdom which he envisioned.

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. One more thing.¡±

    Ainz raised a bony finger.

    ¡°When you said you wanted to protect the people, you defined it as epassing all humanoids. Thus, the purpose of adventurers is to protect all people within that definition.¡±

    ¡°Yes. That is true, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°And then, when the topic turned to invasion, you indicated that it would be alright as long as they were demihumans. Is that correct?¡±

    Ainzach nodded, his expression saying, ¡°so what?¡±

    ¡°The Sorcerous Kingdom will ept all races as its subjects. That is to say, not just humanoids, but demihumans and heteromorphs. Therefore, if the philosophy of adventurers is to protect the people, then you must defend demihumans and heteromorphs as well.¡±

    Ainzach¡¯s eyes went wide.

    ¡°What are you saying?!¡±

    ¡°...What¡¯s wrong? I do not understand why you are so agitated. In my country, there is no difference between humans, demihumans or heteromorphic beings. If they acknowledge me as their king, then they shall be my subjects.¡±

    ¡°This, this is too ridiculous. This is impossible, Your Majesty!¡±

    ¡°Is that so? I have heard of a country to the north of the Kingdom called the Republic. Are there not many races which coexist there?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, I have heard of such a country... no! Do you intend to have us coexist with those races which see humans as little more than food?¡±

    ¡°I see, it is as you say. The Sorcerous Kingdom will not permit its subjects to eat fellow subjects. I will make that a matter of thew. That should be enough, right? However, I will not stop them if they seek to prey upon those who are not my subjects. After all, I am not the sort who will interfere with my people¡¯s dining habits... no, seeing the members of one¡¯s race being butchered and sold for meat is damaging to the mind... perhaps that matter will require further debate.¡±

    ording to Lupusregina, the vigers of Carne lived in harmony with Goblins and Ogres. Thus, there was no reason for that to be impossible for this city. That said, the sheer number of people involved wouldplicate the matter.

    ¡°What, what exactly do you intend, intend to do?¡±

    ¡°You certainly do ask a lot of surprising questions. Why not ask why all of you, as fellow living creatures, cannot be united? As one of the undead, I find that point quite difficult to understand. To me, there is no difference between humans and Goblins. All races will be equal under my rule. Of course, I shall be above you as your absolute ruler, as will the subordinates under me.¡±

    Ainzach¡¯s breathing seemed to shift through a variety of speeds, before calming down in the end.

    ¡°So you will take Goblins under your banner ¨D make them into your citizens?¡±

    ¡°Did you not hear what I said before? I said I would take Orcs and Ogres as my subjects as well, no?¡±

    ¡°Forgive, forgive me. I did hear that, but I believed that they would be your ves.¡±

    ¡°That answer certainly suits a race which would take Elves as ves. Let me repeat myself ¨D all citizens under my rule will be equal.¡±

    As he nced at the way Ainzach was panting, Ainz considered if the man had picked up on his intentions.

    An extreme interpretation of those words would be that every subject of the Sorcerous Kingdom was a ve of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick and its members. Of course, he would not say that. Nor was there any need to say that. It would be best if Ainzach did not pick up on that at all.

    ¡°There are many Goblins under my protection. In a few days, a group of Goblins will visit E-Rantel. Do try mixing with them. The preconceptions you have of Goblins will surely be shattered. In addition, Lizardmen do not eat much meat, their primary diet being fish. Dryads and Treants love clean water and sunlight, and they only attack humans in self-defense.¡±

    ¡°Have you already taken that many vassals under your banner?¡±

    ¡°There is no doubt about that. There are quite a number of demihumans and heteromorphs which have be my subjects. Oh, it seems we¡¯ve drifted quite far off-topic. Then, Ainzach, I take it you personally approve of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild bing a part of the Sorcerous Kingdom?¡±

    ¡°¨DAs long as Your Majesty is true to his word.¡±

    ¡°You do worry a lot, do you not? I am not lying. Adventurers should seek to explore the unknown.¡±

    If possible, he hoped to put all sorts of races together into parties and send them out.

    ¡°Then, I will leave the task of exining the matter to the other adventurers in your hands. If any adventurers do not approve of bing public servants, then I will have no qualms about letting them leave.¡±

    ¡°Will that really be alright?¡±

    ¡°Forced cooperation will not be effective. That said, one can imagine thatrge changes to the organization¡¯s structure and sudden deviations from current practices will cause a lot of problems. Therefore, the status quo will be maintained, to some extent. The most obvious change will only be the establishment of an investigative office for the guild and the guildmaster.¡±

    All that was left was the most important part; the inducements which would make more adventurers want to join the Adventurer¡¯s Guild of the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    ¡°The support which the Sorcerous Kingdom offers will primarily include the establishment of a training facility. It would be a terrible loss to ze a trail into distantnds, only to be in by unknown monsters. Therefore, a more practical training method than the current model ¨D that of livebat against monsters ¨D will be required. Considering that adventurers need to get used to teambat, it might be a good idea to build abyrinth for them to delve into.¡±

    And the part of the monsters would be filled by Nazarick¡¯s POP undead.

    ¡°I feel that this is a very good idea. Only, it would surely be a sizeable undertaking.¡±

    Since the staff would beposed of the undead, who did not require sries, the operating costs would not be too high. However, there was no need to bepletely open with the information. One ought to sell favors without hesitation when the need arose.

    ¡°Indeed, this would require a sizable initial investment. However, that is within the allowable limit for necessary expenses. After all, adventurers are a valuable human resource for the Sorcerous Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°I am deeply grateful, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°No need to stand on ceremony. Then, how about it? Do you not think the adventurers would be attracted by this?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, thebyrinth would be quite attractive to low-level adventurers... but what if the adventurers decide to transfer to the Kingdom or the Empire¡¯s guilds afterpleting their training?¡±

    ¡°Of course that will not be allowed. This is a state organ; misuse of it could well be considered treason.¡±

    ¡°I see... it seems I will need to carefully exin that part.¡±

    ¡°Then, how shall we attract higher-ranked adventurers?¡±

    ¡°It would seem remuneration is the best answer.¡±

    ¡°Well, it is not as though one can eat dreams.¡±

    ¡°It is as you say. In addition, without better weapons, armor and other magical items, it will be impossible to defeat powerful monsters. These items are typically very expensive.¡±

    ¡°...Hm. There is that.¡±

    Mass-production could lower the price of such equipment. However, powerful adventurers were very rare. Thus their gear was custom-made, which naturally drove their prices up. In addition, people who could make such items were very rare, which only contributed to the price. He had to think of a way to deal with the problems which followed that as well.

    ¡°In addition, I would like to let more adventurers ¨D those of the Kingdom and the Empire ¨D know of this ce. Do you have any ideas?¡±

    ¡°The Adventurer¡¯s Guild which Your Majesty intends to establish is an unimaginably desirable thing,pared to the Adventurer¡¯s Guilds of the Kingdom and the Empire. Once the news gets out, the Guilds of the various nations might try some means to interfere with it in order to keep their adventurers from being drawn away. After all, each country counts adventurers as their trump cards, and they would not be pleased to see their adventurers go to another country.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, that is correct. What do you think would be a good solution to this?¡±

    ¡°It is difficult for me to answer promptly. Might I be allowed a bit of time?¡±

    ¡°Come to think of it, that is true. I too must plot a course for the future..¡±

    The fact was, this lofty goal was a bit too much for Ainz to handle by himself. He had to calm down, think about things, and discuss it with someone else.

    Ainz rose to his feet.

    ¡°Then, we¡¯ll leave¨D¡± Ainz quickly shut his mouth before he could say something rude. That was not how a king should speak. ¡°We will leave matters at this for today. I shall see you again.¡±

    Ainzach hurriedly rose to his feet and lowered his head.

    ¡°Understood, Your Majesty.¡±

    Without looking back, Ainz left the room through the door Fifth had opened.

    Although he wanted to sigh, he was still in the guild. Doing so right now would be premature.

    Ainz led the Cherubim out of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. After walking a little further on, he allowed himself to sigh quietly.

    Ahhhh~ I¡¯m beat...

    While Ainz Ooal Gown could not possibly say that he was tired, Suzuki Satoru was practically crying for a rest for his overheated brain.

    Before I talk to Albedo about absorbing the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, I should take a brief rest. I also need to find some way to convince Albedo about the merits of this n... there¡¯s so many things to do now...

    Ainz strode forth in silence. He did not use teleportation magic, instead he prayed that he would stumble on a good idea before he reached home.

    ? ? ?

    The door to the adjacent room ¨D Ainzach¡¯s office ¨D opened, and a new guest entered.

    The man with an excessively skinny body ¨D to the point where some might even consider him anorexic ¨D was Ainzach¡¯s old friend, the head of E-Rantel¡¯s Magician¡¯s Guild, Theo Rakesheer.

    ¡°Pluton, that was quite a surprise. I didn¡¯t expect the Sorcerer King toe calling in the middle of our discussions. Did he notice something?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not so sure about that.¡±

    This morning, Ainzach had gone through the daily routine of meeting Rakesheer early on to exchange information.

    Ever since the city had fallen under the sway of the Sorcerer King, they only met in the morning. The reason for that was because they believed that most undead did not like the sun. Still, after seeing the undead army patrol the streets, they knew that it was little more than a way to put their minds at ease.

    Their meetings were essentially undertaken for the purpose of swapping news, with no consideration to the future movements of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild and the Magician¡¯s Guild. Or rather, ever since the founding of the Sorcerous Kingdom, everyone who could flee had already left for the Empire and the Kingdom. The Magician¡¯s Guild had also transferred all their magic items out of the city, with only a few members staying behind. In other words, the Magician¡¯s Guild of this city was effectively disbanded.

    However, there was still much that needed to be discussed in the field of information analysis.

    Although adventurers were not particrly bound to countries, could they still carry on as they had before, from within the Sorcerous Kingdom? Would the Sorcerous Kingdom send harriers after the former citizens of thisnd who were busy fleeing it? If they managed to sessfully cross the border, would the Sorcerous Kingdom demand the extradition of the refugees at a national level? What about magic casters?

    How could they handle this situation without sacrificing Momon, who was now a resident here? In addition, how should the Adventurer¡¯s Guild treat Momon?

    The temples remained silent, sensing that the Sorcerer King was keeping a distance from them too. However, would this carry on in the future? Would they lead a resistance movement against him?

    Each of these questions was a challenging one, which taxed both their brains to the limit with nothing to show for their effort. However, it would be troublesome if they did nothing and simply let things unfold. The temples were particrly problematic in that respect.

    Could the temples really ept their mortal enemy, one of the undead, as their king? They held their peace for now, but that in turn frightened the people even more.

    In addition, there were the religious factions from the surrounding countries. If things went poorly, they might decide to unterally dere a holy war, with the temples within the Sorcerous Kingdom serving as a fifth column. That situation had a chance ofing to pass.

    The reason why there was nobody here to represent the temples was because their stance on the matter was unclear. While it was easy enough to call them over, it would be bad if they ended up being drawn into something else instead.

    That said, neither of them thought the temples would actually be able to defeat the Sorcerer King. What made them uneasy was the massacre that would surely unfold after they tried. Even worse, they feared that this would result in Momon, the Sword of the Sorcerer King, ughtering them all. In addition, how would they heal the wounds in the hearts of the country¡¯s people after something like that happened?

    Just as their heads were aching from this chaotic mess of events, the Sorcerer King had arrived.

    ¡°However, His Majesty seems to have sensed your presence here.¡±

    The best proof of that was the Sorcerer King¡¯s snort ofughter as he looked at the room next door.

    ¡°If it goes poorly, everything we¡¯ve talked about might well have been leaked.¡±

    ¡°What? That means...?¡±

    ¡°Exactly what you think. He also meant for you to hear his words.¡±

    The acoustics of this room were tuned such that everything said here could be heard in the other. Because of that, Rakesheer ¨D who was hiding in the room next door ¨D should have heard everything the two of them had said.

    ¡°Do you think he could have been mistaken?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s impossible. To some extent, he should have sensed someone was there. However, His Majesty might have thought it was someone from the temples.¡±

    At that time he had been more confused than shocked due to the suddenness of the situation. When he thought back to it, all he felt was regret for his actions. How he wanted tough at himself, who stowed his friend out of the way.

    He should have invited Rakesheer out, so the three of them could speak their minds.

    Granted, the Sorcerer King probably had not put all his cards on the table yet. However, he had stated his opinions to a mere citizen, with the regal bearing of a ruler. How had he performed, in contrast?

    As he watched Ainzach knit his brows, Rakesheer icily asked:

    ¡°Then, what will you do next? No, I already know. After all, you used to call him the Sorcerer King, but now you refer to him respectfully.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think someone might be listening in on our conversation?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s the reason I¡¯m telling you this now?¡±

    ¡°Could it be that I was magically charmed?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not confident inpletely ruling it out, but I don¡¯t think so. Charm magic is time-limited, and even if the Sorcerer King wanted to sustain it, he probably would not be able to.¡±

    ¡°Then again, it might be possible for His Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Come on, give me a break. That would be a real headache if it was true. After all, that¡¯s magic of the 8th tier and above, the realm of the divine.¡±

    The two of themughed briefly, and then Ainzach resumed his serious expression.

    ¡°I believe helping His Majesty in this matter is a good idea.¡±

    ¡°Even if that makes you all aplices in invading other countries?¡±

    ¡°...Is it not natural for strong nations to subjugate weaker ones?¡±

    ¡°So you know it will result in tragedy and have chosen to permit it?¡±

    ¡°Things may not necessarily develop in that way. After all, ever since His Majesty took control of this country, who among us is worse off?¡±

    Rakesheer fell silent.

    The surprising thing was that nobody in this country could say they were in a worse situation than before.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t there adventurers who lost their jobs because of this?¡±

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re right, but isn¡¯t it a little...e on,y off me already.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true. I spoke without thinking. Still, given that this was such a rare opportunity, why didn¡¯t you ask the Sorcerer King what he thought about the temples?¡±

    ¡°Give me a break. If His Majesty decided that they were a nuisance and decided to destroy them because of something I said, I¡¯d have to live the rest of my life knowing I caused a great ughter. How do you think I could live with myself if that happened?¡±

    ¡°Do you think the Sorcerer King is someone who would do such a thing?¡±

    ¡°No. In fact, I¡¯d say it¡¯s the opposite. His Majesty is very rational, to the point where it¡¯s quite shocking. To the point where sometimes, I wonder if that undead face of his was actually made by magic. Yes ¨D it feels just like when I talk to Momon-dono.¡±

    ¡°Well, that would be a slight on Momon-dono.¡±

    Ainzach smiled thinly as he saw his old friend with a displeased look on his face.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true. It¡¯s disrespectful topare a hero of humanity to the undead Sorcerer King. However, when you consider that they¡¯re both beings of superhuman might, they do seem quite simr. If I had to describe it... yes, I can feel the same presence around them, one which only those extraordinary entities could radiate.¡±

    ¡°I see. That does make sense when you put it that way.¡±

    The two of them recalled the form of that great hero (Momon).

    Then, after that brief pause, Ainzach looked directly at Rakesheer.

    ¡°¨DRakesheer. If you do not wish to aid His Majesty, could I trouble you to note here any more?¡±

    The reason for that hardly needed to be said. After all, Ainzach¡¯s room might well be used to store data pertaining to the national administration of the Sorcerous Kingdom. Allowing outsiders to traipse in and out of such a room was definitely not appropriate.

    In addition, the Sorcerer King¡¯s words ¨D which had made such a great impact on Ainzach¡¯s heart ¨D had also been spoken to his old friend.

    The new vision of adventurers of which he had spoken was a shining and glorious one. In the past, there had been adventurers who had set foot upon unknownnds. However, most of them died far from their homes, or had broken down in the face of reality. Only a handful of people could actually do such a dangerous thing. But now, the Sorcerer King ¨D a magic caster who wielded absolute power ¨D was offering his full support to them. That opened up a whole new vista of possibilities to them.

    Contained within that was the possibility of bing true Adventurers.

    After a brief pause, Rakesheer finally spoke.

    ¡°I say, Ainzach. You do know that the Magician¡¯s Guild in this city is practically disbanded, right?¡±

    ¡°Ahh, so it is.¡±

    ¡°Then, please allow me to support you with all my strength, as your formerrade. After all this is over, why not let us go explore the unknown as well?¡±

    ¡°¨DHaha,¡± Ainzach chuckled. ¡°Think of our age, though. Huhu ¨D are we really going for it?¡±

    ¡°Why not? Although, you¡¯ll have to speak to His Majesty then, and convince him not to put an age restriction on the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.¡±

    And so the two of them filled the room with their cheerfulughter.

 Chapter 74 - Volume 10

    <h4>Overlord Volume 10 Chapter 02</h4>

    <b>The Re-Estize Kingdom</b>

    Trantor: Nigel

    Editors/Proofreaders: TaintedDream, M, JcqC, Ferro, Anon

    <b>Part 1</b>

    The magic item in his pocket vibrated, and Climb took it out.

    It was a pocketwatch, justrge enough to fit into his palm, with three hands ¨D the hour, the minute, and the second ¨D which traced a halo of twelve numbers.

    Whilerge mechanical clocks existed, personal watches only existed within the Kingdom as magic items. As pocket watches were closely linked to everyday life, they were fairly cheap, as far as magic items went. That said, they were still not something amoner could afford.

    Climb had borrowed the pocketwatch which he now bore, and so it differed from regr magic items in that it possessed a magical ability. The name of the watch was Twelve Magical Power. Once per day, when the watch reached a set time, it would unleash its magic.

    However, one would need to have carried the pocket watch for at least a full day in order to enjoy that ability, so Climb ¨D who had just obtained this watch ¨D could not make use of its magic.

    ¡°Hm? Is it time already? That was fast...¡± said the girl who seemed to be looking aimlessly at the blue sky. Naturally, those words were addressed to Climb.

    ¡°It seems that way,¡± Climb answered the girl ¨D Tina, a member of the adamantite-ranked adventurer party ¡°Blue Rose¡±.

    ¡°Hm~ It¡¯s hard to tell the time when we¡¯re spacing out.¡±

    One could poke many holes in that statement.

    To begin with, Tina was not spacing out. She was guarding the main door of the building behind Climb. While she had said things like ¡°Is it time already¡± and ¡°That was fast¡±, the fact was that she had a very acute perception of time.

    There were some people in the adventuringmunity whose time perception was preternaturally keen. In particr, many people in the thieving profession had trained up that ability. It was very important to them, given that they often needed to move independently on stealth operations.

    ¡°Hm? Were you about to say something?¡±

    ¡°No, not really.¡±

    Tina replied with a ¡°Is that so,¡± when she heard Climb¡¯s answer, and then looked at the sky again.

    She was hiding something. Yet, there was no way someone like Climb could ask why she was lying.

    In the first ce, they did not have the money to hire Tina and the others; they just happened to be operating in the same area by chance. Given theirck of manpower, he could not do anything which might upset her.

    ¡°Then, I will go report to the Princess.¡±

    ¡°See ya~¡±

    Climb turned toward the building he had been protecting all this while.

    He had seen it during its construction several times, but this was the first time he hadid eyes on it after it wasplete. The size of the building ¨D and the presence of his mistress within it ¨D filled the depths of Climb¡¯s heart with warmth.

    After opening the door, the unique scent of recentlypleted woodwork reached Climb¡¯s nose.

    He continued forward, and after passing through the corridor, he opened the door to a room in the depths of the building.

    Within that room was his mistress.

    She was a stunningly beautiful princess, Renner.

    Surrounding her were several children.

    The way she smiled tenderly at the rowdy children and the posture which she took to listen to their words made all who saw her think of a saint.

    As he beheld this picturesque scene, Climb lost the ability to speak.

    He was afraid that he would ruin this sacrosanct vision before him. The same applied to the women who stood by the window, none of whom dared do anything unnecessary.

    However, someone within the room did not share their feelings.

    ¡°Oi, it¡¯s the little punk. Well, it¡¯s about time.¡±

    Renner raised her head in response to the cold voice which came from below the mask, and looked directly at Climb.

    Climb could see himself reflected in those eyes which reminded him of sapphires.

    ¡°...My deepest apologies, Renner-sama. It is time to return to the Pce.¡±

    ¡°Is that so~ Then, although it pains me to do so, I must take my leave.¡±

    The kids chorused ¡°Ehhhhhh~¡±, in voices filled with longing and reluctance. They would not have made such a sound if she had not thoroughly ensnared their hearts.

    In response to the children, the other women hurriedly sprang into action. They patted the children soothingly, and pulled away those children who were slower on the uptake from Renner¡¯s side.

    ¡°Everyone, can Ie y with you again?¡±

    The kids energetically answered in the affirmative to Renner¡¯s question.

    ¡°Then, we¡¯ll cook next time. Climb, let¡¯s go, You too, Evileye-san.¡±

    ¡°Hm~ Well, I¡¯m your bodyguard too, even if you don¡¯t say it ¨D although, since this isn¡¯t a request, it¡¯s more like we happen to be travelling together. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be behind you.¡±

    The group exited the building just as a horse-drawn carriage drew up nearby.

    Tina entered the carriage without introducing herself. Although it seemed like she was being rude, she was simply ensuring the safety of the carriage. Shortly after that, Renner, Climb and finally Evileye entered one after the other, and then the carriage set off.

    Within the bumpy carriage, Evileye could not help but mumble:

    ¡°...It must have been pretty hard to build an orphanage like that.¡±

    ¡°Pretty hard?¡±

    ¡°Yes. A lot of people are saying that too. Where in the world did you get all that money to spend on a ce like that?¡±

    Renner cupped her chin with one hand, tilting her head slightly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, right? Onii-sama was quite happy to listen to my request. Besides, it¡¯s because the world is like this that we need to take good care of the children, right?¡±

    Evileye raised her chin slightly, as though to permit her to continue speaking.

    ¡°As we all know, the ruler of the Sorcerous Kingdom has caused many deaths. As a result, I believe there are many orphans who have lost their parents. Thus, this orphanage was built to protect those orphans. In addition, those women who have lost their husbands will also need a ce to work, right?¡±

    ¡°The Sorcerer King, huh... well, we¡¯ll talk about thatter. Couldn¡¯t that money be better spent on things besides these brats? If you ask me, the weak losing their lives is just the way things work in this world, no?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not right.¡±

    Renner¡¯s statement was clear and sinct. Unlike her tone from just now, those words were filled with tremendous power.

    ¡°Saving the weak is what the strong should do. And...¡±

    Climb felt Renner¡¯s eyes suddenly turning to him.

    Perhaps¨D

    The image of himself as a child appeared in Climb¡¯s mind.

    Perhaps the Princess had built the orphanage because she remembered his state from that time. In a way, it was to prevent children like Climb from appearing again.

    A wave of heat shed through his chest.

    Of course, he could not verify the Princess¡¯ actual thoughts. Even so, Climb did not doubt that it was that way.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure some people would think that way, And it seems wrong to force my own views on others. Still, did you really have to make it so big?¡±

    ¡°Yes. After all, we have to consider that we will take in many children in the future, and there will be others from those regions directly administered by the Crown. With that in mind, even a building of that size might not be big enough. Children are my treasure, and we need to take care of them to make sure they don¡¯t go down the wrong path.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm. Hime-sama, that¡¯s a good head on your shoulders.¡±

    ¡°What are you trying to say, Tina?¡±

    ¡°I was thinking about how children without their parents would live, Evileye.¡±

    ¡°That is... I see... since we can¡¯t spare precious manpower to replenish the depleted number of troops, you¡¯re using alternate means to maintain public order... I see.¡±

    ¡°One can live a good and righteous life under supervision. But people will end up following their desires if they are not careful. And then, when theymit those crimes, they will fall further into wickedness. Thus do small sins growrger, like a rolling snowball, so we should not let such chances appear. However, since it is difficult, we use these methods to reduce those chances.¡±

    ¡°Hm. So you¡¯re saying, ¡®¨DNot everyone has a strong will¡¯, then?¡±

    ¡°Well, people have said that about you before, Evileye ¨D could it be it¡¯s bothering you?¡±

    ¡°I think she¡¯s said something like that about three times already.¡±

    While thetter half was something that nobody but Evileye and Tina could understand, the first half was simple enough that even Climb could understand.

    Those children who had lost their parents often turned to crime in order to survive. If that happened, even the weakened Eight Fingers would soon return to full strength, which would worsen the security of the Royal Capital.

    In other words, his beloveddy had done this to prepare for the future.

    However ¨D Renner asked Evileye in a curious tone:

    ¡°¨DWhat does that mean?¡±

    ¡°Oi... did we read too deeply into it? Or is this just an act?¡±

    ¡°Hm~ it looked genuine enough at a nce.¡±

    ¡°Well, if you say so, then it must be true. I feel like I was moved for nothing.¡±

    ¡°Well, it feels like you¡¯ve decided to lower your opinion of me all of a sudden... but, it¡¯s true. I think about a lot of things, you know? Right now, this orphanage is giving these kids a certain degree of education, and once we start identifying talented individuals among them, the other nobles will surely start to copy us. Because of that, we need a certain amount of kids... Although that¡¯s not really something to be proud of.¡±

    ¡°No, I can understand gathering those brats for that reason, and it¡¯s pretty admirable too. If you can actually produce results, it would be worthy of praise. It¡¯s just that people are going to be suspicious if you do something without expecting anything in return.¡±

    ¡°Evileye¡¯s heart is twisted because she works too hard.¡±

    ¡°Oi! You¡¯re the same type as me, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Certainly not. I am very pure. It¡¯s only you who has been stained.¡±

    Cheh! The sound of an explosive scoff came from beneath the mask.

    ¡°Yup, yup. Brain-san gave me the idea of building the orphanage.¡±

    ¡°Brain Unus, huh. What happened to him. Howe he isn¡¯t around today?¡±

    ¡°Brain-san is busy with something else. He¡¯s running around the Capital now.¡±

    ¡°Hoh? Could there be something more important than protecting the Princess?¡±

    ¡°Yes. He¡¯s doing something in order to fulfil the wishes of thete Warrior-Captain. And, about the Warrior-Captain... well, thank you for your help.¡±

    Tina narrowed her eyes, as though to conceal her feelings.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m pretty annoyed that our oni leader¡¯s pretty face got hurt.¡±

    ¡°I am very sorry about that. Please allow me to apologize on Father¡¯s behalf.¡±

    ¡°I know you¡¯ve already apologized to the boss, which is why I forgive you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±

    ¡°...It seems that sometimes, the words of the dead are more powerful than those of the living.¡±

    For a moment, Evileye nced out of the carriage as she was deep in thought. Of course, that was just for a moment.

    ¡°Speaking of which, what is Brain Unus doing?¡±

    ¡°Well, the Warrior-Captain told Brain that he hoped for Brain to seed him as Warrior-Captain, but he felt that he was not up to the task. Therefore, he¡¯s looking for someone suitable to be the next Warrior-Captain and then he¡¯s going to train him up.¡±

    ¡°So he¡¯s looking for someone who¡¯s not from a noble family... I see ¨D after all, both Gazef and Brain weremoners. So he was thinking in that direction. And what you took away from that was¨D¡±

    ¡°¨DThat¡¯s right, to build the orphanage. Next time, I¡¯ll go visit the children with Brain-san. For all we know, there might be a talented child among them.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m hardly that perceptive,¡± Tina said. ¡°How about you, Evileye?¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t discern magical talent at a nce. At the very least, they¡¯ll need to go through a lot of magical training before I can roughly understand whether or not they can use magic. In addition, that¡¯s only for arcane magic. If those brats are talented at spiritualism or divine magic instead, I won¡¯t be able to see anything.¡±

    Renner went ¡°Hmmmm~¡± in a bothered tone, and then a smile blossomed on her face.

    ¡°Then, in future, I think we ought to invite all sorts of people to the orphanage and have them look over the children for talents.¡±

    Renner was looking at the two of them, apparently trying to convey something with her gaze. To some extent, it was more persuasive than actual speech.

    ¡°...That¡¯s pretty na?ve. But if it was her, ah¨D¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Evileye, if it was our oni leader¨D¡±

    ¡°¨DYes. Still, I won¡¯t agree so easily, even if it¡¯s for her, no? After all, we need a certain amount of remuneration for this ¨D since we¡¯ve been hired, we¡¯ll need a minimum payment. Besides, if we don¡¯t collect anything, it¡¯ll be bad for the others too. It¡¯ll also vite the adventurers¡¯ rules. In addition, a price has to be paid for teaching techniques.¡±

    ¡°Well, I do agree with everything you¡¯ve said, but I¡¯m very sorry. The truth is, I don¡¯t have any money...¡±

    Renner hung her head in dejection as she said that.

    The Third Princess was a spare among spares, and nobody had any expectations of Renner besides her ability to join a noble family to the royal bloodline through marriage. Because of that, no nobles backed her, and she thuscked any money of her own to spend as she wished. Of course, this was not much of a hardship for Renner, who lived a simple lifestyle. However, there was no way that the First or Second Princesses would be able to tolerate this sort of thing.

    Because of that, Climb could keenly feel her intentions through the armor he wore.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard princesses all wear pretty dresses and lead graceful lives...¡±

    ¡°Reality¡¯s hardly that nice. Still, we can¡¯t say there aren¡¯t any princesses like that.¡±

    As he watched Princess Renner¡¯s eyes light up with admiration, an emotion which he could not express with words welled up within Climb¡¯s heart.

    How he wanted to give that sort of life to she who was both the most beautiful person in the world, and who had the most noble soul in the world.

    On the flip side, all this had been because of her. He was standing here now because she had saved him. Just then, Renner turned her face, and her sparkling eyes met Climb¡¯s own from the side.

    ¡°¨DThinking of something, Climb?¡±

    ¡°Ah, no, it¡¯s nothing, Renner-sama.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Well, if you think of anything, you should speak up. We need to help each other in tough times, after all.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes! Thank you very much!¡±

    ¡°Oi. Sorry to interrupt you lovebirds, but I really don¡¯t like handing down my skills for free. No matter what she says, I¡¯m still going to ask for an appropriate payment.¡±

    ¡°I will strive to meet your price.¡±

    Renner lowered her head.

    ¡°Hmm~ but what you want to know is whether they have talent or not, right, Hime-sama? If it¡¯s me, I can watch their movements, but how about you, Evileye?¡±

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯ll level with you. You can¡¯t fathom a person¡¯s depths just by seeing them carry out a few exercises. Magical ability is more internal than external. In addition, I might seem like a genius when ites to magical ability, but that¡¯s all there is. I don¡¯t have the abilities of that great magic caster from the Empire.¡±

    ¡°So, identifying talents¨D¡±

    ¡°Talents, huh,¡± Renner sighed. ¡°It would be a big help if we could identify them during childhood. It would also help soften the nobles¡¯ stubbornness toward themoners too.¡±

    ¡°Then, how about setting up a universal identification system for talents in children? There are 3rd-tier spells which can verify the presence or absence of a talent. However, if you want a full picture of what that talent might be, you¡¯d probably need a higher-tiered spell... well, in the end it¡¯s just an idle conjecture.¡±

    ¡°Really? Can you really identify talents?¡±

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know what that sparkle in your eyes is for, but don¡¯t get your hopes up. I¡¯ve heard there¡¯s a 3rd-tier spiritualist-only spell which can verify if someone before the caster¡¯s eyes has a talent. That said, even if there was such a spell, the troublesome part woulde after that. You¡¯d need to learn how to properly develop that talent. And it¡¯s also quite likely that after expressing that talent, it¡¯ll end up being a meaningless ability.¡±

    ¡°Is that so...¡±

    The light in Renner¡¯s eyes dimmed.

    ¡°I think it would be better to test them in various ways. Have them stand under a waterfall, or have them inhale some rtively safe sleeping drugs to go into a trance. Apparently, it makes you sense your own natural talent, mixed up with something else. ¡±

    ¡°Really? ...Hm, is that really true?¡±

    ¡°Ara, do you have a natural talent too, Evileye-san?¡±

    At this, the hitherto chatty Evileye suddenly fell silent. It would seem someone had brought up a topic she did not want to discuss.

    However, his master was clueless enough to actually ask that question.

    ¡°Could you tell me what kind of talent it is?¡±

    It was not that she liked such incisive questioning, but the fact was, she tended to be this way. One might say she did not know how to read the flow of a conversation, or perhaps that she would unintentionally ask about things which were usually quite difficult to bring up.

    Neither was it because she did not care about the other party; it was simply because she had grown up in the royal family.

    ¡°What, are you getting excited over a question like this?¡±

    ¡°There are very few people with such talents around me, so I¡¯d like to know what sort of ability you have, Evileye-san.¡±

    ¡°Is that so. Well, since it¡¯s gotten to this, I might as well tell you.¡±

    Evileye leaned her body forward, and Renner ¨D her face a picture of excitement ¨D leaned forward as well.

    Natural talents could sometimes serve as a trump card, and this was even more so for adventurers. While he did not think Renner would go around bbing out that secret, Climb felt that this was something which should not be shared lightly.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t something I really want other people to hear, so could you bring your ear closer?¡±

    ¡°All right.¡±

    Renner brought her ear close to Evileye.

    And then¨D

    ¡°AS IF I¡¯D GO AROUND BLABBING IMPORTANT THINGS LIKE THAT!!!¡±

    Her angry voice echoed through the carriage.

    Tina seemed to have anticipated this, and had plugged her ears beforehand.

    ¡°How mean! My ears are ringing!¡±

    Renner threw herself into Climb¡¯s embrace. A suitable sound effect for this would be pomf.

    She looked up from his chest, her eyes brimming with tears.

    Climb immediately cast aside such thoughts like ¡°She¡¯s cute¡±, ¡°She smells nice¡± and other meaningless things from his mind. It was forbidden to have such fantasies about one¡¯s mistress.

    ¡°Evileye-sama, I understand how you feel, but could I ask you to forgive¨D¡±

    ¡°¨DAh? Punk, she¡¯s be like this because you keep spoiling her, no?¡±

    ¡°It, it¡¯s nothing like that, I, it¡¯s not like I spoil the Princess or...¡±

    Even if he wanted to spoil her, there was no way he could do it.

    ¡°Yes, I feel that Climb can and should spoil me more. I approve of what you said, Evileye-san.¡±

    ¡°No, no, that¡¯s not right, Princess-sama. It feels kind of wrong...¡±

    ¡°Of course not! If you spoil me more, I can take scoldings like that more easily. Therefore you must spoil me more. Let¡¯s start by napping together like we used to as children. Come, Evileye-san, please go on!¡±

    ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m such an idiot... In any case, I don¡¯t intend to go around telling others my talent, kid. Got it?¡±

    ¡°Is it really that dangerous?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. It¡¯s my ace in the hole. If I use it... yes, it would be like if our leader¡¯s sword went berserk. It could easily annihte an entire city.¡±

    There seemed to be a terrible weight in Evileye¡¯s voice as she said this.

    Still, a baffled ¡°Hm?¡± made its way up from his chest. He wanted to look down, but if he did, it would make him very aware of the reality that Renner was very close to him. There was no way he could do that.

    He thought about pushing Renner away, but after taking her soft and fragile body into consideration, he did not know how much force he should use.

    As Climb¡¯s heart continued pounding, the conversation continued without him.

    ¡°The sword Lakyus carries?¡±

    ¡°Ah, ording to her, once it goes wild, it¡¯ll lead to grave consequences. A city, no, a nation, was it? Apparently it¡¯ll bepletely wiped out. She did say something about having to use use part of her strength to suppress it...¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s what was going on... I didn¡¯t know about that...¡±

    Climb had not told his mistress about that demonic sword yet.

    ¡°It¡¯s best not to mind it. Our oni leader didn¡¯t mention it to the two of you because she didn¡¯t want you to worry. I¡¯d be d if you continued pretending like you didn¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°...I see. I understand. Then I¡¯ll do as you say.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of which, what happened to Aindra-sama? I haven¡¯t seen her around recently...¡±

    ¡°Hm? I don¡¯t think anyone mentioned it, right? Princess, didn¡¯t you tell him?¡±

    ¡°...I forgot. It seems like she¡¯s training with Gagaran-san and Tia-san.¡±

    Evileye took up the verbal baton from Renner and continued.

    ¡°The two of them lost their lives during the battle with Jaldabaoth, the Demon Lord who attacked the Kingdom. Of course, they were resurrected after that, but it expended arge amount of their lifeforce. Thus, they need to ce themselves in danger, treading the edge of life and death in order to regain their strength.¡±

    ¡°In truth, I wish I could have gone with them.¡±

    ¡°Still, if you did that, you¡¯d begin to depend on that method somewhere in your heart. The best path to strength is through a small amount of short battles.¡±

    ¡°I doubt that.¡±

    ¡°Umu, it does seem like the an effective way to ir-bellup¡± (level up)... Well, if you don¡¯t rely on that method, you might not even be able to stall for time when that fellow attacks the Royal Capital again.¡±

    ¡°Stall for time? Ahh ¨D time for that person you rmended, Evileye?¡±

    ¡°Of course! Until that hero-sama can arrive!¡±

    Evileye¡¯s mood seemed to have suddenly changed.

    One could clearly feel her passion and excitement through that mask of hers.

    ¡°It¡¯s Momon¨Dsa¨Dsama, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right! The great hero, Momon-sama! The mightiest warrior ever, who swings his twin greatswords like they were little more than twigs! There¡¯s no doubt that he¡¯s the strongest fighter in thend! Even if Jaldabaothes again, as long as Momon-sama is around, he¡¯ll definitely ughter him! Although, it was a shame that he managed to escapest time. Still, that great man should havee up with some way to deal with that by now!¡±

    Overwhelmed by the ardor of her words, all Climb could do was weakly answer, ¡°Ah, yes.¡±

    ¡°But will that person reallye? Isn¡¯t he a minion of that Sorcerer King?¡±

    Tina¡¯s expression suggested she was thoroughly exhausted as she spoke out to Evileye, who had her fists clenched.

    ¡°Ahhhh~ Momon-sama! Shit, that damn Sorcerer King! To think he would actually dare to take control of that great man! Even if Heaven permits it, I won¡¯t! If only I could defeat him and free Momon-sama! What on earth was he thinking, anyway? Maybe I should go to E-Rantel and ask Momon-sama about his thoughts, how about that?¡±

    ¡°...That will have to wait for after the two of them recover.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll just pop over for a bit, and once I familiarize myself with the ce I can just teleport back. Plus, if I use [Fly] and travel by myself, it won¡¯t take much time!¡±

    ¡°Evileye, you really do break down once ites to Momon... Didn¡¯t our oni leader say you can¡¯t do that sort of thing?¡±

    ¡°So help me keep it a secret!¡±

    ¡°Well, my lips are pret~ty loose, so they¡¯ll reveal everything in an instant.¡±

    ¡°Oi, that would be impossible given your prior vocation, right?¡±

    ¡°s, I am now Tina of ¡°Blue Rose¡±, also known as ¡®Can¡¯t Keep A Secret To Save Her Life¡¯.¡±

    It was then that Tina¡¯s eyes took on a serious gleam.

    ¡°...Hm, this is a good opportunity. I¡¯ve been wanting to ask you, Evileye ¨D can you kill the Sorcerer King?¡±

    Evileye froze. Her excitement drained away in an instant. In its ce was the highest-levelled magic caster among adventurers.

    ¡°If those rumors are all true ¨D then he is more powerful than any other magic caster. I did some investigations after the incident at the Katze ins and looked up all my contacts ¨D I even got in touch with that granny ¨D and then analyzed the information I obtained. However, it¡¯s so ridiculous it¡¯s not even funny any more. It¡¯s absurd to the point where I was seriously suspecting if the punk was mesmerized by an illusion.¡±

    ¡°That was definitely not an illusion. And there were so many dead...¡±

    Renner¡¯s face twisted in agony.

    ¡°Of the 260,000 people who took part in that war, 180,000 of them lost their lives. I¡¯ve also heard that there are survivors who were mentally scarred and can¡¯t live a normal life any more. Some of the orphans had fathers who ended up like that.¡±

    ¡°...Well, after listening to the punk, I can see how they¡¯d end up like that. If they were chased by such monsters...¡±

    ¡°...Yes. It was hell. Fortunately, I had Brain-san... and the Warrior-Captain with me, and thanks to those two strong men, I didn¡¯t suffer any mental wounds. Even so, sometimes I reflexively find myself wanting to look back over my shoulder. It must have been worse for the peasant levies, and it wouldn¡¯t be strange for them to be mentally ill as a result.¡±

    ¡°You really need to thank your luck for that.¡±

    Climb could only nod in response.

    ¡°Then, Tina. Let me answer your question honestly. I cannot defeat the Sorcerer King.¡±

    That was the answer she had expected.

    ¡°As I thought...¡±

    ¡°Well, yes. I might be able to think of a way to deal with those monsters he summoned. Granted, it¡¯s hard to say that, given that I was not at the scene. Still, the Sorcerer King ¨D who can not only summon multiple monsters of that kind and control them ¨D is a being that should not exist in this world. Someone like that possesses the power of the gods.¡±

    ¡°Is it possible that they could have been summoned from an item, and not from the Sorcerer King¡¯s power?¡±

    ¡°The possibility does exist, but if that was the case, it would also be very dangerous. That said, we have no way of verifying that.¡±

    ¡°If only he would end uping into conflict with Jaldabaoth.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a development we¡¯re all looking forward to. After that, the best-case scenario would be Momon-sama ying the Sorcerer King...¡±

    ......¡¹

    ¡°Who do you think is stronger, between Momon-sama and the Sorcerer King?¡±

    The person who asked this question was Climb, but personally, he felt that the Sorcerer King that had summoned those powerful monsters was far superior. Yet, Evileye¡¯s pensive expression shocked him.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Personally, I feel that Momon-sama ¨D who drove off that Jaldabaoth ¨D is stronger. But the Sorcerer King also possesses unimaginable might. Both sides are far superior to us, to the point where I can¡¯t even picture the oue.¡±

    ¡°Still, having someone like him under the banner of the Sorcerer King is pretty much the worst-case scenario. Nobody would dare dere war on him.¡±

    Indeed.

    The only person who might be able to take the Sorcerer King on even terms had instead be his vassal. That was a truly troubling development. Anyone who dered war on the Sorcerer King would effectively be dering war on two Sorcerer Kings.

    Just as the mood in the carriage grew grim, there was a knocking on the board which separated the passengerpartment of the coach from the driver¡¯s seat, and then it opened.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be reaching the Royal Pce soon.¡±

    As she heard the driver¡¯s words, Renner slowly rose to her feet, and locked eyes with the two adventurers seated before her.

    ¡°Today, I have received your care in various ways. When Lakyus returns, I will thank her properly. May I ask if you have time to dine with me?¡±

    ? ? ?

    After the report of his younger sister¡¯s return reached him, the Second Prince ¨D Zanack Valreon Igana Ryle Vaiself ¨D departed his chambers to wee her home.

    The location of his elder brother ¨D Barbro Andrean Ield Ryle Vaiself ¨D was still unknown. Given that a long time had passed, his chances of survival were considered extremely small. That being the case, Zanack was effectively the heir to the throne. Thus, the way in which he went to receive his younger sister was entirely inappropriate. While they were siblings, there was a clear distinction in their respective stations.

    The reason why he had chosen to go in person despite knowing that fact was because he had a proposal he urgently wanted to discuss with her. Zanack might not have been entirely willing to do so, but he had lost his closest confidant and thus had nobody else to turn to.

    Soon, his younger sister appeared before him.

    Climb ¨D d in his pure white armor ¨D was close by. Wherever Renner went, Climb often followed her. This too was nothing out of the ordinary.

    The pauper¡¯s child that Renner had picked off the streets ¨D Climb.

    In the past, he had thought she must have gotten a bee in her bo and picked him up out of a moment¡¯s fancy. However, after he came to understand Renner¡¯s strange personality and her iparable intellect, Zanack began to think she might have had a reason for doing so.

    And then, after Jaldabaoth assaulted the Royal Capital, and the Sorcerer King wrought his grand massacre, he slowly began to understand the meaning behind her actions.

    There were very few warriors in this city who were stronger than Climb. Even among the men of Gazef¡¯s hand-picked warrior band, one could count the number of people who were stronger than Climb on one hand.

    In addition, there was the man called Brain Unus, who hade with Climb, as well as her close friendship with Lakyus, the leader of the adamantite-ranked adventurer party called ¡°Blue Rose¡±. There was no doubt that his younger sister now possessed the most physical power in the Royal Capital.

    ¨DWas she really not conspiring to overthrow him with military force?

    Zanack was right to suspect her of doing so.

    Even if Renner was not one to resort to such measures so easily, one still had to take precautions. Therefore, Zanack had begun to secretly build ties with orichalcum and mithril-ranked adventurers.

    Zanack quietly thanked his elder brother.

    The reason why he could work so hard on these matters was because his brother had gone missing and had virtually left him the throne. Another big reason was because his brother¡¯s stipend now went to him.

    That said, the fact that Crown Prince Barbro¡¯s corpse had not yet been found left a hint of unease in his heart. It would be very troublesome if he had been imprisoned by the Sorcerer King or was hiding in a vige somewhere while recovering from his wounds.

    ¡°Really... Is he going to give me trouble right until the end?¡± Zanack muttered, quietly enough so that the members of his retinue could not hear.

    He had to avoid agitating the nobles before he consolidated his position.

    Currently, Zanack¡¯s backing was still not very secure.

    Marquis Raeven ¨D who had joined with him to revitalize the Kingdom ¨D had thrown off Zanack¡¯s hand as he reached out to pull him back, and returned to his ownnds. It could not be helped, as he had lost many people from his demesne, but at that time, there had been an air around him which seemed to say that he would never being back again.

    Part of the reason for that must have been the deaths of his formerly orichalcum-ranked adventurer team and that of his peasant-turned-strategist, a man who Raeven considered a treasure.

    Zanack felt a slight pain pricking at his gut. Could discussing matters with his younger sister soothe that pain?

    He had been agonizing over a certain problem for the past few weeks.

    That was ¨D should he offer a tribute to the Sorcerer King? If he did so, should he send them in the name of celebrating the founding of his nation? Or should he do so for another reason?

    Judging by the current circumstances, not sending the gift would be the right choice. Why would anyone send a gift to someone who had taken one¡¯s own territory and founded a nation on it? The surrounding countries would surely take it as a mark of vassge. That said, it was crucial to remain on the best of terms with the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    Though the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s fighting strength remained unknown, the fact that the Sorcerer King could destroy a nation by himself wasmon knowledge.

    No matter what, he had to avert the possibility of that man¡¯s eye turning to the Kingdom once more.

    Because of that, he had to send a gift. Zanack felt that it could not be helped, even if other nations believed it to be a sign of fealty. No matter what, he had to buy as much time as possible.

    However, the nobles would never ept that. This was the troublesome part.

    The Sorcerer King¡¯s might was widely known. That said, there was no way they would ept an attitude of submission from the future ruler of the Kingdom (Zanack), even in the face of that strength.

    The nobles had suffered tremendous losses, so they were looking for scapegoats upon which to vent their frustration.

    Due to the loss of his confidant Gazef Stronoff, the current King, Ranpossa III, was ovee with grief and despair, and had fallen into a state of extreme mental distress. To some extent, seeing the King in this sad state had mollified the nobles¡¯ anger, but their hatred toward their broken King ¨D and perhaps the entire royal family ¨D would not vanish so easily.

    If that fellow was around, he¡¯d probably be able toe up with something good.

    If possible, he would have like to havee to a conclusion himself. However, time was tight, and he needed a n for action soon.

    Zanack stood in ce, while stomping his boots loudly.

    Renner reacted to the sound, and turned to look at him. Then, she changed her direction and headed toward Zanack. That way, Zanack¡¯s dignity as one of higher rank would remain intact.

    Soon, his younger sister stood before him, but Zanack did not speak first. Moments like this were very delicate. He had to let more people understand who exactly was on top here.

    ¡°I¡¯ve returned, Onii-sama.¡±

    ¡°Wee back, my sister.¡±

    In the face of Renner¡¯s respectful greeting, Zanack responded with equal generosity. He saw Climb saluting from the corner of his eye, but there was no need to return the salute of a mere soldier.

    ¡°Let us walk together.¡±

    ¡°It would be my pleasure, Onii-sama.¡±

    Zanack and Renner set out together, side by side. He raised his chin, indicating that his retinue should keep their distance. If he had looked over, he would have seen Renner gesturing to Climb that he was permitted to stay further away.

    ¡°Speaking of which, Onii-sama, you seem quite worried. What has happened?¡±

    Renner smiled as she gently asked her question.

    ¡°Could it be that the Sorcerous Kingdom has sent an envoy over?¡±

    Zanack could distinctly hear his heart thump in his chest. He had been too focused on what action to take on his part, and hadpletely overlooked the fact that they might try to initiate contact with him.

    In other words, Renner felt that it was about time for the other side to take action.

    Zanack made a mental note of that, and shook his head.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡±

    ¡°That is to say, you came all this way to see me for some other reason?¡±

    ¡°Ahh. I was pondering the problem of tribute.¡±

    ¡°I think that once their emissary arrives, it would be better for you to offer twice as much as what you are currently imagining, Onii-sama. Half of that is a token of thanks for theiring all this way, while the other half ¨D I trust that goes without saying?¡±

    Zanack did not say anything, but carefully reviewed Renner¡¯s proposal.

    Indeed, it was a very good move.

    Surely none of the nobles would object to presenting a gift to a guest who hade to their home, even if there were ulterior motives for doing so.

    The fact that Renner had instantly solved a problem which had been troubling him for a long time once more struck fear into Zanack¡¯s heart. In addition, as long as Renner possessed her powerful subordinates, even assassination would not be effective. That being the case, his only option was to try and appease her.

    ¡°...When I be the King, I will grant yound on the border. You will proceed there.¡±

    ¡°I understand. I shall obey any orders that you give me, Onii-sama.¡±

    ¡°After I send you out, I will not summon you to the Royal Capital again. It might somewhat limit your freedom, but I will choose a domain which ensures you do not suffer hardship. You should spend the rest of your life there.¡±

    ¡°I see. My deepest thanks.¡±

    In all likelihood, Renner already understood what he was aiming for, but he had to actually vocalize it in order to let her understand the kindness he was showing to her.

    ¡°You may take any of the orphans to be your children. In that respect you may do as you please.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much, Onii-sama.¡±

    The fact that she replied without a dy was evidence that Renner already knew what Zanack was going to say.

    Zanack could not understand why Renner loved Climb themoner. His looks were very in, and he was not particrly special. He did not seem to match his little sister at all.

    Ahh,e to think of it, I heard of her fetish back then.

    Once he recalled that shameful memory of his little sister, Zanack began to feel a little sorry for Climb.

    ¡°Then, I do look forward to the day you will be King, Onii-sama. After your coronation, I would be happy if you would think of me from time to time as I live on a farm.¡±

    ¡°Ohh, I shall, my dear sister. However, it would be best if I could look you up for a discussion from time to time ¨D muu?¡±

    Zanack turned his gaze to the soldier that was jogging over to them.

    That man was one of the surviving members of Gazef¡¯s warrior band.

    He had fought to protect the King on that battlefield. Now that the Warrior-Captain was gone, he had a good position and the trust of the King. Incidentally, Renner¡¯s two subordinates enjoyed that same trust.

    The mental image of his father¡¯s withered frame appeared before his eyes.

    ¡°My Prince, His Majesty desires your presence.¡±

    The instant he finished that, he turned to look at Renner.

    ¡°He requests your presence as well, my Princess.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°We have just received a report that the Sorcerer King will be sending a diplomatic party to call on us soon.¡±

    Zanack snuck a look at Renner, but still managed to answer the man.

    ¡°I understand. Notify him that we will be arriving shortly. My sister, I will be proceeding first. Please proceed with all haste once you are ready.¡±

    ¡°I understand, Onii-sama.¡±

    Given that she had been at the orphanage until recently, Renner¡¯s clothes were in and weathered. Appearing like that before the nobles would only embarrass herself.

    With that, Zanack stalked off with a stern expression on his face.

    ¡°Hmph. Things being as they are, that proposal is no longer appealing. Ah, it¡¯s toote, after all.¡±

    <b>Part 2</b>

    It was estimated that the envoys of the Sorcerous Kingdom would take about a week to travel from E-Rantel to the Royal Capital.

    Today was the seventh day. If all went ording to n, the envoys would reach the Royal Capital today.

    Zanack, dressed in armor that he was not ustomed to, stood in line with his knights at the gates of the Royal Capital which faced E-Rantel.

    The cloudy weather of the past few days had cleared up, like it had all been a joke, and the sky was the very picture of spring.

    However, one could see heavy cloud cover in the distance. It would seem the azure sky was limited to the air directly above the Royal Capital.

    This sort of scenery was quite bizarre. In fact, the Royal Capital¡¯s meteorologist had shouted, ¡°This is impossible!¡± as he scratched his head.

    He had been working in the Royal Pce for a long time now, and he could predict the next day¡¯s weather with over 90% uracy. Thus, when he dered that this was impossible, it implied that these blue skies were anything but natural.

    Zanack sighed deeply under his helmet.

    He had never heard of weather-controlling magic from his teachers. However, that Sorcerer King might well be able to use such magic with contemptuous ease.

    Zanack¡¯s men were not only unskilled in the area of magic, but theycked any knowledge of other strange phenomena. This made his head ache. More urately, it was because he had relied too heavily on Marquis Raeven.

    He had gathered the knowledge from his adventurers,piled it, and called it the Tiger Scroll. It contained information on various kinds and appearances of magic items, the types and powers of various monsters, all sorts of spells, and so on.

    Until now, he had freely shared that scroll with Zanack, his ally. However, since Raeven was no longer in the Royal Capital, the Tiger Scroll was naturally gone with him.

    He had tried to find nobles who had learned from adventurers, like Raeven had, but sadly, there were none. This was not because these nobles were stupid, but because they lived in apletely different world from those adventurers. While some nobles did hire adventurers, it was merely to make use of their strength. The nobles were not interested in the adventuring world or the news which adventurers had.

    The nobles had been that way throughout the Kingdom¡¯s 200 years of history. From that point of view, Raeven was quite atypical.

    It¡¯s probably hard to find retired adventurers ¨D especially those of mithril rank and above.

    He heard that adventurers hated troublesome things like politics. Indeed, once one entered the world of politics, one would lose one¡¯s freedom. Would adventurers like that want to work for him after retiring?

    Zanack¡¯s heart sank as he thought about that.

    ¡°¨DMy Prince!¡±

    The shout of the knight next to him brought Zanack back to his senses. He looked to the end of the street ¨D and saw it.

    He could begin to make out the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s envoys.

    They had exerted pressure beforehand to shut this street down for today, closing it to traffic. As a result, nobody would be popping out of doors behind them. The city gates had also been locked down just for today.

    ¡°All right, let¡¯s go over this again. We are to treat them like foreign dignitaries. Trying anything on the envoys of the Sorcerous Kingdom is a grave offense. It will be punished by summary execution.¡±

    ¡°Sir!¡±

    The reply of the ranked knights was quite forceful, and the swords at their waists made a clear, crisp and unified sound.

    ¡°All right! Then, show them the utmost respect, and impress the glory of the Kingdom upon them!¡±

    ¡°Sir!¡±

    The group remained absolutely still until the envoys had arrived.

    Before long, the envoys¡¯ vanguard reached them.

    It was a ck-armored knight. It rode a red-eyed unicorn that had a jet ck body and sported two horns on its head. One could imagine that the rider was not human either. It emanated an aura of mortal danger, as radiant as the sun. Its full te armor pulsed as if it was alive.

    Zanack could feel his warhorse trembling in fear beneath him.

    It clenched its wed gauntlet and thumped its chest.

    ¡°Apologies! We are the envoys of the Sorcerous Kingdom of Ainz Ooal Gown!¡±

    One mightpare that voice to music squeezed out of rotted instruments. It made its listeners¡¯ hair stand on end just by hearing it. Zanack gathered up his courage to banish his fear, and then he spoke.

    ¡°I am the Second Prince of the Kingdom of Re-Estize, Zanack Valreon Igana Ryle Vaiself! By His Majesty¡¯s order, I am to guide your party to the Royal Pce. Please follow behind us!¡±

    ¡°Acknowledged. Then, we shall avail ourselves of your guidance. This one ¨D forgive me, this one does not bear a name, so please allow this one to introduce itself by the name of its species. This one is a Death Cavalier!¡±

    Zanack gawked a little when it had given the name of its species, but he responded immediately so as not to give offense through his dy.

    ¡°Then, may I address you as Cavalier-dono?¡±

    ¡°This one would be honored to be addressed in that manner.¡±

    ¡°I see. Then, may I greet the leader of the envoys? As the Second Prince, I am also responsible for said leader¡¯s actions within the Kingdom. If possible, I would like to exin the circumstances to your leader.¡±

    ¡°Acknowledged. This one shall convey your message to our leader-dono.¡±

    ¡°You have my deepest thanks.¡±

    With that, the outrider retreated to deliver his report.

    While the whole process sounded quiteughable at times, he was facing up against the Sorcerous Kingdom, after all. It was a nation that could control the undead and make use of monsters, so it would be best to assume that the usual ways of doing things were inapplicable here. He felt stupid for even expecting the leader of the envoys to have a vaguely human shape.

    ¡°Now then, stiff upper lips, everyone. We cannot afford to do anything that would offend them.¡±

    ¡°Sir!¡±

    As he heard the knights¡¯ response, Zanack poured strength into his belly.

    The envoys had passed through several towns on the way here, which was how Zanack knew of the party¡¯sposition.

    There were five coaches.

    Each of them was pulled by a horse-shaped monster that radiated an inauspicious air. Then, there were numerous Death Cavaliers, who had been tasked with perimeter security. There were also other monsters beside them.

    Zanack was unclear on the names of those monsters or how dangerous they were. Still, whether he knew them or not, his duties remained unchanged. Since they were envoys dispatched by the Sorcerer King, he could not possibly allow any slight to be shown to them.

    A Death Cavalier ¨D probably the same one from just now ¨D approached him from the envoys¡¯ side.

    ¡°Forgive the long wait. Our leader ¨D the right hand of the Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown, Albedo-sama, has agreed to meet with you. Zanack-dono, please, proceed this way.¡±

    After signalling to the other knights to hold their position, Zanack guided his horse after the Death Cavalier.

    In all honesty, it was quite terrifying.

    After all, Zanack was moving amongst monsters he had never seen before.

    Even so, he still had his pride as a member of the Royal Family. Zanack would soon be the King, and since he would have to meet with emissaries of the Sorcerer King, he was forbidden to disgrace himself. Instead, he had to demonstrate his ability at this time, and let them take home news of the talented people in the Re-Estize Kingdom.

    Zanack¡¯s horse could not keep itself from breaking out into a cold sweat as it approached the coach. Zanack dismounted, standing before the coach.

    ¡°Then, this is the leader of the envoy party, Albedo-sama.¡±

    What sort of monster is going to show up next? Zanack willed his expression not to change.

    The door slowly opened, and a human figure slowly emerged.

    What he saw there ¨D was beautiful.

    No, Zanack could not think of an adjective that could better describe her. The only thing which came to mind was ¡°world-ss beauty¡±

    Nobody in this world could possibly possess looksparable to Renner¡¯s. Zanack had believed this until now, but then he realised that was mistaken. If Renner¡¯s was a radiant beauty, then Albedo¡¯s was a seductive beauty tinged in darkness.

    Albedo trod on the stepboard of the coach. The faint sound of her high heels jolted Zanack back to reality.

    Zanack immediately genuflected before her and lowered his head.

    One might think that it was embarrassing for a prince of a royal family to kneel before anyone, even if they were an emissary from another nation. However, after considering the difference in power between the Kingdom and the Sorcerous Kingdom, this was the right course of action. What the Kingdom needed now was not glory, but concrete benefits.

    ¡°Could you please raise your head?¡±

    The quiet, lovely voice rang out from above him.

    ¡°At once.¡±

    As he looked up, the fair maiden¡¯s face was all smiles as she tenderly looked down on him.

    This was a practiced attitude which superior men would adopt ¨D no, was she even human?

    Zanack moved his eyes to size her up. First, were the wings on her waist magic items, or something else? Simrly, the horns curling out from the sides of her head.

    Whether they were magic items or if she was actually a heteromorphic creature, neither of them seemed particrly bizarre once he considered that she hailed from the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    ¡°I am the envoy of the Sorcerous Kingdom of Ainz Ooal Gown, Albedo. Though it is but for a few days, we will be imposing upon you. Rise, Prince-dono. You certainly cannot continue speaking as you kneel.¡±

    ¡°You have my deepest thanks.¡±

    Zanack straightened up, and then a problem presented itself.

    Though he had learned her name was Albedo through conversation, was that really all?

    In the Kingdom ¨D and in the Empire ¨Dmoners had two names, nobles had three names, and titled people had four names. For the royal family, they had four names ¨D plus their titles for a total of five names.

    This was why Jiiv Rune Farlord El-Nix and his four names were mocked for not being an actual member of royalty. However, a name like Albedo sounded like an alias, or a nickname. One could not possibly be as foolish as to address a member of the nobility by such a moniker.

    Though he might have been worrying needlessly, he could not be sure that such a situation would not ur.

    The reason why he said this was because many nobles had died in the previous battlefield. It was not just family heads who perished, but even the firstborn heirs of some families. Currently, many noble families were led by the ¡°spares¡±, the second or third sons.

    Spares were spares. Nobody expected much of those nobles. Not only did theyck ss, but theycked knowledge as well. In short, theycked the appropriate upbringing.

    Under normal circumstances, they would have been properly educated by the higher-ups in their faction, but the previous war meant that they no longer had the manpower for such efforts. As a result, many ipetent people were forced onto the center stage, and these ipetent people gathered together to form a faction of ipetents.

    Currently, the ss of the Kingdom¡¯s nobility had plummeted, thanks to these people. At this crucial moment, could they meet a woman like Albedo with adequate etiquette?

    ¡°...Forgive me, but may I know how I should properly address you, Albedo-sama?¡±

    This was a somewhat disrespectful question.

    Normally, he should have asked. ¡°What title do you hold among the peerage, Albedo-sama, or perhaps what is your position in the Sorcerous Kingdom?¡±

    The problem was, she might have shot back, ¡°Do you not even know the rank of an emissary from your neighboring country?¡±

    Still, that was the fault of the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    After all, no information about the Sorcerous Kingdom had flowed out from its borders. Though it had dered its own sovereignty for several months now, they hadrgely restricted themselves to internal affairs. This was the first time they had engaged in diplomatic rtions of their own ord.

    All Zanack knew about Albedo was that she was the leader of the envoys, and the hand of the Sorcerer King.

    The Empire would probably know... but they didn¡¯t tell us anything... Well, anyone who would have asked for that sort of spell to be used on us must hate us to the bone.

    As though sensing his worries, Albedo answered:

    ¡°Though it may not appear that way, I have been appointed as the supervisor who leads all the Floor Guardians and Area Guardians within the Sorcerous Kingdom of Ainz Ooal Gown.¡±

    ¡°Ohh, I see.¡±

    He said that, but he had no idea what being the ¡°supervisor¡± meant. In addition, he waspletely clueless regarding the ¡°Floors¡± of which she spoke.

    Albedo continued speaking, having seemingly seen through his concealed confusion:

    ¡°Indeed. I am Ainz-sama¡¯s ¨D no, I should say, I am the Sorcerer King¡¯s second-inmand, the Guardian Overseer . Perhaps that would be more appropriate?¡±

    ¡°Ohhh, I see now!¡±

    Ainz-sama, it looks like she¡¯s close enough to address him in that manner. So she¡¯s a marchioness, no, a duchess, perhaps? I need to get this information back to the others. But still, Guardian... Overseer?

    ¡°Then, Albedo-sama, permit me to escort you to the Royal Pce. There are suites in the Royal Capital where I pray you will take residence for the time being. My father ¨D King Ranpossa III is of advanced age, so he assigned me the task of meeting you at the gates of the Capital. I pray you will forgive us this slight.¡±

    ¡°It is fine.¡±

    Her smile had not changed at all.

    Normally, she should have been thanking the Prince. However, he could clearly sense who was the superior party from her attitude.

    Zanack was gushing cold sweat from his back. This was because he understood that forging good rtions with them would probably be a very difficult task.

    ¡°...In addition, we would normally ring the bells in celebration, but the unfortunate misunderstanding between our countries led to tragedy, so please forgive us for not doing so. In addition, themon folk do not yet know of your arrival, so please take that into consideration.¡±

    ¡°Of course, it is not a problem.¡±

    He had no idea what would the people would do if they knew that an emissary of the Sorcerer King hade to call on them. In that respect, Albedo¡¯s answer was a great relief.

    Is it better to think that I owe her a favor?

    He was not at all worried that the envoys would be attacked by an angry mob. Those Death Cavaliers ¨D indeed, everyone present was probably very strong, even within the Sorcerous Kingdom. He could easily believe that each of them was a match for that Gazef Stronoff.

    ¡°Then, may I ask a few questions of my own?¡±

    ¡°Of course! I will answer as long as it is in my power to do so.¡±

    ¡°Well then, could you tell me of the itinerary after we reach the Royal Pce?¡±

    ¡°Yes! First, there is a dinner scheduled with myself and the rest of the Royal Family tonight. Tomorrow, we will visit the theaters in the day to watch the dances and hold a dinner party at night, where all the nobles of the Kingdom will be invited. The day after that will feature a concert by the Pce¡¯s orchestra ¨D after which we will begin the diplomatic negotiations.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is... then, I trust there will be no issues if we decide to freely tour the capital?¡±

    ¡°Of course. We shall select exceptional knights to serve as your guards.¡±

    Although the word itself meant that the knights would defend them, it also implied observation, and even to restrain them if the need arose.

    ¡°May I know if any ce interests you?¡±

    They would need topletely lock down the area on that day, to make it impossible formoners to go near that ce.

    ¡°No... there are no ces which particrly interest me. Since I do not know which locations are worth visiting in the capital, could you guide me on a tour?¡±

    ¡°Understood. I shall make the appropriate preparations.¡±

    Albedo smiled as she nodded.

    <b>Part 3</b>

    For the past month or so, Philip felt that he was one of the luckiest men in the Kingdom.

    He was arguably the luckiest of such men, if he did say so himself. However, modesty was a virtue. Besides, there might be other nobles luckier than himself, so it would be best not to speak in absolutes.

    Nobles ¨D huh.

    Philip tightened up his smile while smoothing out his clothes.

    This was only the second time he had participated in a noble party like this. Still, perhaps he should say that this was expected of a dinner party organized by the Royal Family ¨D the sheer decadence of this event outshone the one he had previously attended.

    The formal attire of the other guests seemed much more costly than the ones at the earlier party. How much did their outfits cost, anyway? Philip nced at his own clothes, and began to feel a little frustrated.

    As he thought, the upper-ss nobles had really awesome clothes.

    The noblewomen in their fancy dresses all had smiles on their faces, but were those smiles mocking him for his in attire? Philip could not help but think that way, even without any basis for such assumptions. When he looked around, he imagined all the surrounding noblesughing at him.

    It¡¯s all because I have no money.

    If his domain was wealthier, he would have been able to afford better clothes. However, Philip¡¯s domain had never been that prosperous to begin with. Even his clothes now had been hastily stitched together from his older brother¡¯s formal wear. As a result, they still felt a little tight around the shoulders.

    Well, money¡¯s scarce because the family heads until now were useless. So once I be the next head, I¡¯ll make my domain wealthier.

    Philip was born the third son of a noble family.

    Simr tomoners, third sons were not individuals who were particrly wee in noble families. No matter how rich a family was, splitting its assets multiple ways would ultimately weaken it. Therefore, it was all inherited by the eldest son. In this respect, the nobles followed the same basic principle as themoners.

    Perhaps a wealthier family might have been able to give a third son some financial support. Perhaps they could count on connections to other noble families and foster him out. However, this was not the case for Philip¡¯s family.

    Once the eldest son came of age ¨D in other words, when the chances of him dying of disease were greatly decreased ¨D the third son Philip was no longer necessary to his family.

    Would he be given a bit of money and then chased out of the family home? Or perhaps he would be sent to live with a poor family and work like a peasant. He could only see tragedy waiting in both options. Yet, things had not unfolded that way. Instead, he was making his debut at a grand society ball.

    That was why Philip felt he was lucky.

    The first bit of luck was his elder brother, the second son, dying of illness before he came of age.

    Since his eldest brother ¨D the first son ¨D was already a man by then, there was no longer any value to his elder brother, the second son. In addition, theirs was not a wealthy fief, and they could only use herbs instead of priests to treat him. In the end, his condition had taken a turn for the worse, and he shuffled off the mortal coil.

    At this point, Philip was now elevated to the position of a spare. His value had risen from that of a farmer to that of a butler.

    Things like these were not umon.

    However, what had catapulted Philip into the upper crust was the result of Philip¡¯s next stroke of luck.

    Several years after reaching adulthood, it was time for Philip¡¯s elder brother to take over the family estate. Then, that war with the Empire had broken out. If it had been like previous years, it should have ended after a few bumps and scrapes. Therefore, it was a safe way for his elder brother to obtain a battle record, and his family could take pride in the fact that they had pledged men to the battle.

    However, his elder brother had note back.

    He had been consumed by the Sorcerer King¡¯s magic, and perished with the twenty peasants that went with him.

    Philip could not forget the instant of joy he felt when he heard that news. It was the joy he had carried within him ever since bing a spare.

    His elder brother¡¯s body was missing, and so was the suit of full te armor passed down from his ancestors. Still, that was not a big problem. Once his domain grew wealthier, he would make a better suit of armor for himself. The more important thing was that the title of estate heir had gone from unattainable to practically his.

    The timing for that was perfect.

    If his brother had died after inheriting the family estate, Philip would have had to spend his time waiting for his nephew to grow into a man. However, since his brother had died without iming his inheritance, his lordship was a done deal.

    It was as though the Sorcerer King had gone out of his way to arrange all this for Philip.

    Because of that, Philip even felt something like goodwill toward the Sorcerer King that he had never met before. If only he could convey his gratitude directly to the Sorcerer King¡¯s emissary.

    In addition¨D

    That¡¯s right. I¡¯m going to ride on my streak of luck. How can I let such a good chance get away before my eyes?

    Philip¡¯s heart zed like a bonfire.

    He could only think of his father and elder brother as idiots after seeing what they had been doing all this time. Why don¡¯t you do this? Doesn¡¯t this bring you more benefits? Of course, he never told them that to their faces.

    That was because none of the gains made would trickle down to him. Neither would any prestige for doing so be his. Therefore, over a long time, Philip had cooked up ideas on how to properly administer his fief and stored them in his heart.

    I will let the nearby lords know that I am the one who deserves this title. I will let Father know how poor his taste was in choosing Nii-san. Selling the good-quality wheat and vegetables to those traders ¨D no, what should I do? That would draw too much attention, and what if my revolutionary proposal was stolen by others? Still, there¡¯s no money without trade. I need to find tight-lipped and reliable merchants ¨D in other words, not that guy.

    Philip¡¯s face twisted as he recalled the face of that merchant.

    The unpleasant memory of that man overcame his joy at being able to stand in thisvish hall.

    How dare he look down on me! Although I have to bear it for now, once I find a better merchant in the Royal Capital, I¡¯ll boot him away! I¡¯ve already got connections of my own!

    Philip had already found his own underground connections during his few weeks in the Royal Capital. His pride at this chased away the unhappiness in his heart.

    As expected of me, I¡¯ve already got my path all mapped out. I¡¯ll make my domain rich and obtain a huge fortune. Those idiots who looked down on me will see who¡¯s the true idiot now.

    Just as Philip was envisioning his glorious golden future, a male voice rang through the hall.

    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen! I present to you the leader of the envoys from the Sorcerous Kingdom, Albedo-sama!¡±

    At this moment, the grand hall¡¯s orchestra lowered their instruments, and the mood of joviality in the air died down.

    Judging by the noises, it would seem the master of ceremonies had just announced the star of the dinner party which the Royal Family was hosting.

    ¡°Albedo-sama serves as the right hand of the His Majesty the Sorcerer King in the Sorcerous Kingdom, andmands a position equivalent to that of a prime minister as a Guardian Overseer. Albedo-sama will grace us alone this evening.¡±

    A soft woman¡¯s voice said, ¡°Huh, alone?¡±. A wealthy-looking noble standing nearby chastised her with a ¡°Quiet, you.¡± Philip felt a little surprised at this.

    Coming by oneself is all well and good. But to think someone like that would serve as an emissary! Does the Sorcerous Kingdom truly have such high hopes for the Kingdom?

    As Philip wondered what sort of man this emissary would turn out to be, he looked toward the doors by which the master of ceremonies was standing.

    ¡°Then, let us wee the leader of the envoys, Albedo-sama!¡±

    As the great doors opened, the entire hall fell silent.

    A goddess-like woman stood there. Her perfect features were more beautiful than any peasant, more beautiful than any whore in the Kingdom¡¯s brothels, more beautiful than any woman Philip had ever seen in his life. Of course, the Princess from earlier was pretty, but Philip preferred what he was seeing now.

    Her clothes were beautiful as well. Her tinum dress was ented with golden hair ornaments, while the lower half of her dress was covered by what seemed like ck feathered wings. Her reflection in the magical lights above made it seem as though she was glowing.

    Philip looked at the woman who had spoken earlier. She was standing in ce with a retarded look on her face.

    What¡¯s this, what¡¯s this. Is this the sort of face thepanion of some big-name noble ought to have? You look just like a roadside peasant.

    The tion he felt at at the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s triumph ¨D to which he was favourably inclined ¨D made the joy of victory surge up in his heart.

    ¡°We wee your presence, Albedo-dono.¡±

    Ranpossa III rose to wee Albedo.

    ¡°Your Majesty, I am grateful for this reception.¡±

    Philip could only see a side of Albedo¡¯s face, but when he saw Albedo¡¯s tender smile, he was acutely aware of one thing.

    She¡¯s beautiful beyond words...

    ¡°I do hope you will forgive me for taking a seat, due to my age. Then, nobles of the Kingdom. Our main guest has arrived. Tonight, please enjoy yourselves to your hearts¡¯ content. Then, Albedo-dono, I hope you will enjoy yourself as well.

    ¡°My thanks, Your Majesty.¡±

    A sweet smile bloomed on Albedo¡¯s face.

    He snuck a peek at that noblewoman from earlier, and saw that she was mumbling something about ¡°she didn¡¯t lower her head¡± or something along those lines. Philip cast aside that foolish woman and her foolish words and instead feasted his eyes on that world-ss beauty.

    He burned the image of her speaking closely with Princess Renner into his eyes.

    If only I could make that woman mine...

    He understood that it would be a very difficult task. However, when one thought about it, it was notpletely impossible.

    Once my fief bes wealthy, the other nobles will start introducing their daughters to me. The wealthier I get, the better the girls will be. Even that Princess, even that emissary isn¡¯t out of the question!

    Philip felt a wave of heat surge up from his lower body.

    Well, the Great Nobles usually have a concubine or three... the best case would be if I could enjoy those two beauties at the same time.

    Philip looked back and forth between Renner and Albedo.

    Philip hurriedly picked up a beverage from nearby before his fantasies grew out of control,. It would be very bad if he got hard here. The cool sensation of the drink sliding down his throat helped him regain a measure of calm.

    Come to think of it, how did they make this ice? Is it magic...

    The only people in Philip¡¯s estate who could use magic were the priests. While they could help cure illness, they would demand money for doing so. They would ask for an appropriate payment if they had to make ice.

    Since they¡¯re in my domain, I¡¯ll have them heal me for free next time. A mere resident daring to charge his lord money, how ridiculous is that!

    Philip made a mental note of this new way to deal with the priests in future.

    He looked forward to getting to work on his domain once he returned. He could imagine all his brilliant ideas being put into action, lighting up his life with golden radiance.

    ¨DOya?

    When he looked back to Albedo, he saw her standing by herself.

    There were many nobles around, but nobody knew how to approach her.

    The Sorcerous Kingdom, huh... What will be of the Kingdom after this?

    Philip did not particrly care what happened to the Kingdom, but it would be troublesome if it affected his estate.

    That being the case¨D

    Philip shuddered at the idea he had just had.

    ¨DOi oi, don¡¯t think about such dangerous things. It¡¯s just... well, it¡¯s not exactly a bad move, right? How should I say this... I can¡¯t believe I actually thought of an idea like that...

    He looked at the side of Albedo¡¯s lonely face.

    There¡¯s no use in being third. There¡¯s no point in being second. The most important thing is to be the first.

    The emissary of the Sorcerous Kingdom looked like she had been outcast because nobody was talking to her. Philip had read about howdies were quite vulnerable to this sort of thing.

    Do it. You have to make a gamble to get a return. The chance to rise hase because everything has changed. I¡¯m a lucky man, so I should make good use of my luck.

    Philip¡¯s family had always been bound to a faction, but they were typically at the tail end of that faction. There were only so many benefits he could gain from continuing to be bound to that faction.

    Then, he recalled some words he had heard recently. A certain very skinnyndy had said, ¡°Why not make a faction of your own?¡±

    After making up his mind, Philip downed the ss of wine he had been holding all this while.

    It was unlike the watery wine he had drunk at home. It felt like his throat and belly were burning. As though propelled by the heat which rose from his belly, Philip stepped forward.

    ¡°Albedo-sama, mind if I cut in?¡±

    Thanks to his voice, Albedo turned her smile to him.

    He was not just blushing because of the wine.

    ¡°Ara, how do you do¨D¡±

    Her brows creased for a moment, as though deep in thought. Philip immediately realized what she was looking for.

    ¡°I am Philip.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Ah, Lord Philip ¨D no, Philip-sama. It is an honor to meet you.¡±

    ¡°The pleasure is all mine, Albedo-sama. Nothing could delight me more than to make your acquaintance.¡±

    Philip was keenly aware that the air around him seemed to have changed.

    A quick nce aside revealed that the higher-ranked nobles had shocked looks on their faces.

    He could not stem the joy within him as he realised all eyes at the dinner party sponsored by the Royal Family were on him.

    I, I¡¯m now, I¡¯m now the center of attention!

    To think that he ¨D who had only eaten cold meals in the past ¨D was now the focus of these people who stood at the pinnacle of the Kingdom. As he thought about this, an unexpected excitement took control of Philip.

    That¡¯s right! I¡¯m Philip! Watch me! Watch the man who will be the central figure of the Kingdom!

    Philip racked his brains, and then made the biggest bet in his life.

    That was to say, he invited Albedo to a ball which would take ce a couple of dayster.

    ? ? ?

    ¡°You moron!¡±

    That rebuke extinguished Philip¡¯s excitement. Yet, at the same time, it lit a me within his heart. It was a fire that seemed to consume all the fuel Philip had hidden within his heart his entire life.

    Philip looked disdainfully at the white-haired man before him.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t send you there for that sort of thing! You imbecile!¡±

    Philip sighed as his father asked him about the dinner at the Royal Pce.

    ¡°In the first ce, that invitation to that dinner party organized by the Royal Family would never havee to our house. I worked my fingers to the bone to secure it so you could express your gratitude to the Count and to the other nobles while you made yourself known to them!¡±

    The Royal Family¡¯s dinner party gathered people from both factions. When this happened, the fact that the head of a family had changed would probably note up. Thus, nobody would pay too much attention to that fact and he would be readily epted by others. After that, once they had tacitly acknowledged him, it would be quite difficult for them to protest that fact.

    In other words, Philip¡¯s father had no faith in his abilities at all. He felt that if he had tried to introduce himself to the other members of his faction in the normal manner, he would mess something up.

    As Philip realised this, he strove to suppress the annoyance within him, and put on a fake smile.

    ¡°No, no, Father. Don¡¯t get so worked up. I was doing this for our house¨D¡±

    ¡°¨DWhat do you mean, ¡®our house¡¯? What you¡¯ve done ispletely absurd!¡±

    What did he mean, absurd, Philip griped in his heart. Everyone else was a coward without the courage to make a move, so why should he not take the first step?

    Was he supposed to pretend to be polite to all those ipetent cowards and remain in this pathetic ce for the rest of his life?

    ¡°Father! Think a little! Although the road joining the Sorcerous Kingdom and the Kingdom is quite long, our domain lies on the middle of it! If the Sorcerous Kingdom makes war on the Kingdom, we¡¯ll definitely be drawn into the mess. Therefore, we should forge good rtions with the Sorcerous Kingdom, shouldn¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°You, you idiot!¡±

    His father¡¯s face was even redder than before.

    ¡°Those bastards from the Sorcerous Kingdom killed your brother! And you want to work with them! Isn¡¯t that treason against the Kingdom?!¡±

    So what, Philip thought.

    Since the Sorcerous Kingdom was stronger, what was wrong with betraying the Kingdom? All he needed to do was pledge his fealty to the Sorcerous Kingdom. What was wrong with the weak following the strong? Who had the right to reproach him for that?

    ¡°What on earth are you thinking?!¡±

    Philip could not help but feel frustrated at his father¡¯s foolishness.

    The fact that he actually had to exin such self-evident things struck him as terribly stupid. Still, it had to be said.

    ¡°It¡¯s simple, Father. This is for m-¡±

    He swallowed the word ¡°my¡± the moment he thought of it. Sooner orter it would be true, but for now, it was not entirely his.

    ¡°¨DOur domain. It¡¯s to protect our serfs. The Sorcerous Kingdom is overwhelmingly powerful. More so than the Kingdom. That being the case, it would hardly be strange if they attacked the Kingdom. This is a way out for when that timees.¡±

    ¡°Cheh! What do you mean, way out? What do you think the surrounding lords will think when they hear about what you¡¯ve done?!¡±

    ¡°They won¡¯te and attack us, not in this day and age.¡±

    Many people within Philip¡¯s domain had died because of that battle. The same applied to the surrounding estates. Therefore, they would not have the excess strength needed to attack Philip¡¯s domain.

    ¡°Did you consider anything else?¡±

    ¡°Hah?¡± Philip replied. He had no idea what his father was getting at.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I say your thinking is shallow. You¡¯re acting as though your daydreams are already reality. This is¨D¡±

    ¡°¨DI think you should stop there for now,¡± interrupted the man who had been standing behind his father all this time.

    He was the butler who had attended his father all this time. Philip disliked that man, who was the type that never let anyone see his feelings. He was one of the people Philip intended to chase out after he had solidified his position as the family heir.

    His father worked to get his breathing under control once he heard the butler¡¯s words. The red in his face receded, leaving a pale, anemic face.

    ¡°...Haaah. Hah. Philip. I have a question for you. Are you not afraid of making enemies of the surrounding nobles?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re nothing to be scared of, no?¡±

    His father rounded his shoulders in disappointment. That response sparked frustration and unease within Philip.

    Had he missed out something? Still, he could not think of what that might be.

    ¡°Many young men died in the battle of the Katze ins. This will lead to all sorts of problems within the next few years. Therefore, the surrounding nobles will need to work closely together in a cooperative rtionship. This domain will produce food, that domain will weave clothing. Nobody¡¯s estate isrge enough to be self-sufficient, nor do we have much money left over. Under these circumstances, who will help a family that actively courts the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s favor?¡±

    Cold sweat broke out on Philip¡¯s back. His father had a point.

    ¡°You know that too, right? Our demesne does not produce anything the others do not ¨D we have no unique exports. Therefore, they will have no problem with kicking us out of their co-operative.¡±

    Philip racked his brains. He had a good head on his shoulders. He should be able to refute any number of his stupid father¡¯s assertions.

    ¡°That¡¯s why we have to rely on the Sorcerous Kingdom, Father.¡±

    His father bade him to continue.

    ¡°Once we build ties with the Sorcerous Kingdom, we¡¯ll just have them support us.¡±

    ¡°...Then let me ask you something. If you were someone from the Sorcerous Kingdom ¨D no, if you were the king of a certain country, and a vige from a country that you were at war with asked you for food, would you give it to them?¡±

    ¡°Of course. If it was me, I would definitely do so.¡±

    ¡°¨DWhy is that?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? By doing so, I¡¯ll show everyone that I¡¯m a merciful ruler.¡±

    ¡°...Apart from that?¡±

    ¡°...Nothing else.¡±

    His father¡¯s jaw dropped. He must have been impressed. Still, that sort of reaction was quite strange. After all, the Sorcerer King would surely want to be known as a kind ruler, particrly since the Sorcerous Kingdom had been founded on E-Rantel and the area surrounding that city. He would surely make some concessions to quiet them.

    ¡°Is that so... so that¡¯s what you were thinking. Well, if it were me, I would surely send aid as well, in order to create a casus belli to invade the other country. After that, I would dere war on the Kingdom, under the pretext of liberating that vige which the Kingdom was oppressing.¡±

    ¡°Impossible. It¡¯s fanciful thinking. Besides, that sort of cause won¡¯t work at all.¡±

    ¡°Really now, and why do you think it¡¯s impossible?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s back up a bit here. Let¡¯s assume it¡¯s really as you say, father. Isn¡¯t that more of a reason to deepen our rtionship with the Sorcerous Kingdom?¡±

    ¡°You¨D¡±

    His father was at a loss for words.

    ¡°Have you no pride at all as a nobleman of the Kingdom?¡±

    ¡°Of course I do. However, it would be better not to have it than be destroyed, no?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the demon king who slew your brother and countless people of the Kingdom with frightening magic, no? This is the king you¡¯re going to support.¡±

    ¡°That was war, father. What difference does it make if they died to swords or spells?¡±

    ¡°...Why is it that you have so much trust in the king of the Sorcerous Kingdom?¡±

    That was not trust, though there was some goodwill there. More importantly, they were all just pawns for Philip to y in order to improve his lot in life.

    A pawn! That¡¯s right! To me, even the Sorcerer King of the Sorcerous Kingdom, who is feared by all the people of the Kingdom, is little more than a pawn in my hand!

    Philip grew excited as he imagined himself ying a massive ¨D on the scale of nations ¨D game of chess.

    Still, it¡¯s only natural that father would be worried. That said, if I can rebutt him so easily, it just means that¡¯s all there is to him... Although, it might be best to discuss the matter with Albedo-sama the next time we meet.

    ¡°I tire of this... Did you thank the Count for the dinner party? I¡¯m asking about whether he acknowledged you as the new family head.¡±

    That was the one thing Philip could not ept.

    Even if he was the head of the faction, why did he have to bow his head to a count who was nothing more than an outsider?

    It was the family head¡¯s prerogative to decide who the next leader of the family would be. It had nothing to do with that Count. Now, perhaps if the count had backed him when his brother was around and he was still a third son, leading to him bing the heir, he might have been grateful for that. However, that was not the case. Philip had achieved his current position entirely through his own luck.

    In other words, there was no reason to bow and scrape to him.

    Therefore, Philip had not gone before the Count to lower his head and offer his thanks. However, if he said that, his father would probably get agitated again. This was a lie for the sake of his father¡¯s health.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°I see. That¡¯s good. Since you¡¯ve done that, there ought to be a way. When the timees, all you have to do is ask the Count for help.¡±

    With that done with, just as Philip was beginning to feel at ease, the butler interrupted again from behind.

    ¡°¨DThere is one more problem. The matter Philip-sama mentioned at the beginning has not yet been resolved. Philip-sama said he was inviting the emissary of the Sorcerous Kingdom to a ball organized by this family... What shall we do about that?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Philip! What were you thinking? Our family doesn¡¯t have a ce to host a ball!¡±

    Allndlords had an estate in the Royal Capital.

    There were small mansions set aside for their visits to the Capital.

    Of course, they were not as tiny asmoners¡¯ homes. They might only be used a handful of times a year, but they were also a sign of the nobility¡¯s power. Therefore, they had to berge enough to amodate the entourage the lords brought with them. However, they were not muchrger than that, and the interior was notrge enough for a ball.

    Still, that problem had already been dealt with.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s true that our estate cannot host such an event, but I¡¯ve already managed to rent another ce.¡±

    ¡°Ohh, could it be the Count?¡±

    Philip shook his head at the faint flowering of joy on his father¡¯s face.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s a ce belonging to someone I know in the Royal Capital. Thendy there said she could loan it to me. The fact was, I spoke with her before I came back, and she assured me that it would be fine.¡±

    ¡°And what will we have to pay for it?¡±

    Philip sighed internally at the butler¡¯s question.

    So that¡¯s the first thing he asks, huh.

    ¡°It¡¯s free of charge.¡±

    ¡°Free of charge, you say? ...Is that even possible?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The words of thendy came to Philip¡¯s mind: ¡°I have high hopes for your future, so I¡¯ll invest in you. However, I hope you¡¯ll return my kindness in the future.¡±

    ¡°I do not believe such good fortune would fall upon you just like that... Could you have been deceived?¡±

    Anger zed up within Philip, but he knew that his father trusted the butler implicitly, so he could not rebuke him just yet.

    ¡°I¡¯ll owe a favor, but since I promised to return that favor, it will be fine.¡±

    ¡°...So that¡¯s the venue taken care of, but how about the invitations? Shall we have the Count send them out?¡±

    What is he saying, Philip thought. This event was being run by his family to raise their reputation. Why, after putting in all that hard work and preparation, did he have to hand over the most beneficial part of that to others?

    So that¡¯s his ve mentality talking. How sad... I don¡¯t want to end up like him.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ve asked thendy who lent me the venue to help me with the preparation work. Of course, I will decide the guest list.¡±

    ¡°...Still, it would be quite rude not to let the Count vet them. It¡¯s not toote to ask the Count for help now. In addition, do you really know which families to invite which won¡¯t cause offense?¡±

    ¡°I do, to some extent, and I intend to invite some special people this time. Thendy has already given me their names.¡±

    ¡°You...¡±

    Doubt appeared in his father¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°...Have you been manipted by thatndy¡¯s words?¡±

    ¡°Father! How can you say that? I came up with this and made it happen! It¡¯s true that I had to borrow some help to do it. But thatndy agreed that my n had merits after she heard it ¨D which means that she saw that my n could seed, and she felt that I could pay the appropriate price! What have you been thinking all this while? Under normal circumstances, you should be giving me your full support as the next head of the family!¡±

    That much was true. Thendy had said, ¡°I will dly help you if you will allow several nobles close to me to take part.¡± It was because both of them had a mutually beneficial rtionship that he had gone to her for help. He was definitely not being manipted.

    She waspletely different from that Count who controlled his father, stole all the gains away, and left him with nothing.

    You¡¯re the one who¡¯s being controlled, Philip wanted to say.

    ¡°...Forgive me. But can you tell me the name of thatndy?¡±

    Philip suppressed his anger. After all, he was talking to someone who had not yet shed his nature as a ve. He had to open up his heart and take all this in stride.

    ¡°Her name is Hilma Cygnaeus. Have you heard that name before?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve never heard of her before. How about you?¡±

    The butler shook his head. Philip was proud that he had managed to acquaint himself with someone that even his father, who had long immersed himself in noble society, did not know.

    ¡°I will get thendy¡¯s opinion on the matter of the Count. It might be troublesome to bypass her and ask the Count for help instead. Is there anything else, father?¡±

    His exhausted father had no response to this.

    Though he was still a little unsatisfied, Philip began putting his n into motion. The next step was sending an invitation to the emissary of the Sorcerous Kingdom, Miss Albedo, and then thinking about how to consolidate his position from there.

    <b>Part 4</b>

    A grand hall filled Philip¡¯s eyes, easily equal to that ballroom in the Royal Pce ¨D no, it was even better than that.

    He could not help but think of how to show this off to others. Granted, Hilma had arranged the preparations for this venue. However, she had asked him beforehand: ¡°Should I arrange for a regr ballroom event, or an iparable spectacle? Thetter will require a heftier favor in return?¡± and Philip had chosen thetter without any hesitation.

    In other words, this ball had been organized by the favor Philip had paid for ¨D in other words, this was an event which corresponded to the effort he had put in. And then, there were the many nobles who had gathered here because of him.

    It was perfect. However, it was because of this that Philip felt very unhappy about a certain detail.

    He had decided the location on the invitation ¨D though he had to rely on others¡¯ wisdom, the final decision had still been his ¨D and the wax seal on the letters had belonged to his family. More importantly, everyone was here to meet the emissary of the Sorcerous Kingdom. And it was Philip who had invited that emissary here.

    In other words, he was the host and the one who had worked to make this happen, so he was the one who should have been receiving words of praise and nods of gratitude. They should have been thanking Philip for inviting them to such an event. They should also have been praising his courage in inviting the emissary of the Sorcerous Kingdom, who nobody else had dared approach.

    Instead, what was happening now?

    The first person everyone spoke to once they came here was Hilma. Only after that did theye to greet him. In addition, they only did so reluctantly, after Hilma mentioned Philip¡¯s name. What would they have done if she had not brought it up?

    Since he owed Hilma a favor, he had to bear with the fact that she was more noticeable than he was. However, all he felt toward those nobles was annoyance. Going by the basics of noble society, it should have been obvious who they should have been addressing first.

    That¡¯s why you¡¯re all a useless lot. Cheh, it seems epting Hilma¡¯s suggestion was a bad idea.

    He had invited the nobles here by tapping on Hilma¡¯s intelligence.

    The nobles he had chosen were newly elevated heads of their families thanks to the war with the Sorcerous Kingdom, or those who would soon be the heads of their families. In other words, these people were in simr situations to Philip.

    The reason why he had epted Hilma¡¯s suggestions was because there were not many people who thought like Philip did. If there had been no change in the family leadership, it was very likely that they would all only think ill of the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    However¨D

    Is there anyone here who isn¡¯t ipetent?

    He looked over the guests who had just arrived, and then he walked toward Hilma.

    What a cock-up, Philip thought.

    Those idiots buried in their family trees were truly idiots. That was why they had messed up on the person to whom they should have first spoken to. Or rather, one could say there was no other reason for that.

    ...Still, isn¡¯t this a good thing? They won¡¯t be able to take leadership because they¡¯re idiots, right? If there was a noble here with a better brain than mine, I wouldn¡¯t be able to takemand of the new faction that I intend to found, and regretfully, my family isn¡¯t that powerful either.

    This might be a chance for him. Since this was their error, he would consider them to owe him one for not speaking to him first, and then he would collect on it in future.

    Just as he was plotting eagerly, Hilma appeared before him.

    She was a woman who was little more than a bag of skin and bones.

    Her sickly thinness made her look like she had a severe illness. She would probably have been beautiful if she had more meat on her bones, but that was already a thing of the past.

    ¡°Philip-sama, it seems all the invited guests have arrived.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    In other words, they all saw him as number two here, Philip thought. He tried to conceal his feelings of inferiority, but Hilma seemed to have seen through him.

    She cackled.

    ¡°You seem dissatisfied.¡±

    ¡°No, certainly not.¡±

    Philip smiled. He was a nobleman ¨D he could deal with such intrigues.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to lie. I am your supporter in this because I stand to gain from it, Philip-sama. We cannot have any secrets between us.¡±

    Her words were tinged with ttery.

    That was it.

    Philip¡¯s heart quivered.

    This was the proper attitude amoner should have toward a noble.

    He was finally experiencing the situation he had long been looking forward to, and the unhappiness in his heart vanished like it had all been a lie.

    ¡°Is something the matter, Philip-sama?¡±

    ¡°No... well,e to think of it, I¡¯m not upset, but I am uneasy.¡±

    ¡°What diforts you? Is somethingcking? If that is so, shall I prepare it before the emissary-dono arrives?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that,¡± Philip said as he affected a cough. ¡°I simply didn¡¯t expect the people here to be so... unexceptional. Even if I gathered all these people into a faction, I wonder if they couldpete with the other factions. That is what diforts me.¡±

    ¡°I see, so that¡¯s how it is.¡±

    Hilma smiled.

    She was too skinny to inspire lust. Even so, her charm was such that it made him gulp.

    ¡°But then, isn¡¯t it because they¡¯re this way that they will need your careful leadership, Philip-sama? I wish to call your attention to your domain ¨D are the peasants there very intelligent?¡±

    ¡°No¨D¡±

    ¡°Which is why they need a wise leader, no?¡±

    ¡°Yes, indeed, that¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s you, Philip-sama, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to steer this faction well. I will also provide as much help as I can give.¡±

    ¡°Because you stand to gain from it, am I right?¡±

    ¡°But of course. I am helping you because I am certain that I will reap benefits from doing so.¡±

    Hilma chuckled.

    The anger in Philip¡¯s heart waspletely gone.

    Everything Hilma said was correct.

    Philip thanked his luck for being able to meet a woman like Hilma.

    She had broad contacts, great wealth, and had ess to a great many things which Philip could not obtain within the Royal Capital. Her exnation for why someone like her would want to curry favor with him was also quite reasonable. In addition, his terms of repayment were also very simple, which was why he felt at ease in making use of her.

    ¡°If you help me, I will make you wealthier than any other woman.¡±

    Hilma¡¯s eyes widened a little, and then she smiled happily.

    ¡°That would please me very much. I would be d to be able to wear a ne set withrge gemstones like the noblewomen do. Then, please work hard, Philip-sama.¡±

    ¡°Ah, leave that to me... Then, may I ask another question of my supporter?¡±

    ¡°Yes, by all means.¡±

    ¡°...May I know why you are so slim? Does something about your body trouble you?¡±

    It would be troublesome if she could no longer support him. If even the priests could not heal her, then he would have to find someone to rece her, or allow her to rmend a sessor.

    ¡°Oh, it is not a problem worth mentioning, no.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that some heiresses diet to lose weight, is that the reason?¡±

    Hilma smiled. This was the first time Philip had seen a smile which conveyed such unease without words.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that. The fact is, I can no longer eat solid food, so I can only consume drink, and I can¡¯t take in too much either... yes. Please, do not worry. I will have someone use healing magic if it¡¯s because of an illness.¡±

    Her mood returned to normal, as though nothing had happened.

    ¡°I will definitely not die before I profit from our acquaintance, Philip-sama.¡±

    ¡°Oh, ohhh, really, then that¡¯s good. However... why can¡¯t you eat solid food?¡±

    That had been nothing more than a throwaway statement, but it had a telling impact. It seemed as though all emotion had fled Hilma¡¯s face.

    The change was greater than before, and it made Philip anxious.

    ¡°Is, is ¨D something the matter?¡±

    ¡°Ah, ahhh, my apologies. I simply remembered some things.¡±

    Hilma covered her mouth as she said that, and she looked very pale.

    ¡°Ah¨D my apologies for making you remember something unpleasant.¡±

    What had she gone through to make her incapable of eating solid food? While she now enjoyed broad social connections and enough wealth to live in decadence, there must have been a time when she could not eat properly too. He wanted to probe further, but it would probably be a very bad idea to do so.

    ¡°Philip-sama, I believe it is about time to summon the emissary. I believe that if you were to be her escort, everyone would look at you with different eyes. That would prove you were the organizer more than any number of words ¨D it would show who is the most powerful person here.¡±

    ¡°Ohh! Indeed, that¡¯s right.¡±

    Because she had showed up alone at the Royal Family¡¯s dinner party, Philip had thought that sort of thing was normal. So it was not. It shamed him to know that was not the case, and he put on an act of having forgotten but just remembered.

    ¡°Everyone will surely be surprised. Many who did note to speak to you will surely feel anxious and uneasy, Philip-sama.¡±

    A sadistic glee awoke in Philip¡¯s heart. Some of the nobles here were higher-ced than him and hadrger domains than himself. What sort of expressions would they show him, he who had once been regarded as the burden of his family¨D

    ¡°That¡¯s right, it would be bad to keep her waiting. I¡¯ll head over.¡±

    ¡°Then, I shall have one of my people show you the way there.¡±

    Led by one of Hilma¡¯s servants, Philip set forth toward the room of the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s emissary, Albedo.

    He knocked on the door, and then opened it.

    What he saw behind that door was a woman whose beauty knew no equal.

    She wore a jet-ck dress, a different one from their encounter in the Royal Pce. Her bare shoulders gleamed like baster, and while her ne consisted ofrge gemstones linked together, it did not seem tacky, but instead entuated her beauty.

    How beautiful...

    Philip blushed in spite of himself.

    ¡°¨DThen, shall we?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Please permit me to be your escort.¡±

    Philip took a hand that was sheathed in a ckce glove, and helped Albedo up.

    A fragrance came from his side. What kind of perfume is this, it makes my heart feels so light. Although he subconsciously wanted to sniff at it, that would have been terribly rude.

    While the two of them were already walking side by side toward the ballroom, proceeding in silence like this made the air seem heavy. Philip struggled to think of an appropriate topic to bring up, but by the time he hade up with something, they were already near their destination.

    ¡°There are many nobles in the ballroom. All of them have gathered to see you, Albedo-sama.¡±

    It seemed a little rash, but it nevertheless received an immediate response.

    ¡°Is that really true? Thank you for your assistance, Philip-sama.¡±

    Albedo smiled tenderly to him, and Philip¡¯s heart pounded.

    While this probably was not the case, could it be that she was starting to like him?

    He was a man who would soon stand at the top of a great faction. In contrast, the Sorcerous Kingdom wielded overwhelming military power, but for now it was little more than a city-state.

    When one thought of it that way, he was quite the catch himself.

    Not to mention, he was unmarried too.

    ¡°Come to think of it, are you already wed, Albedo-sama?¡±

    Albedo froze. He had seen her gentle smile several times already, but this was the first time he had seen that expression on her.

    Philip felt shame creep up through him as he realised that he had asked an inappropriate question.

    ¡°What a strange thing to ask, Philip-sama. Regretfully, I do not yet have a partner in that capacity, and I am sadly single.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Given your beauty, I would have expected the suitors toe thick and fast, Albedo-sama.¡±

    ¡°Fufu ¨D it is quite a surprise that no such suitors havee my way. Still, such offers would be quite troubling for me, so it is hardly a bad thing, in my opinion.¡±

    ¡°Is that so...¡±

    Before he reached the door, Philip ced his hand on Albedo¡¯s fragrant shoulder, and made to slowly draw her over to him.

    There was a strange gichiri sound. Philip looked to his right to see where it came from.

    ¡°Did something happen?¡±

    His tiny doubts faded away as Albedo asked him that question with a smile on her face.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. Then, please allow me.¡±

    ? ? ?

    What exactly did their eyes see?

    How did this scene appear to these fancily-dressed nobles?

    Hilma was interested in the answers to those questions.

    First-ss cuisine, first-ss servants, first-ss utensils, first-ss music, and below third-rate trash nobles.

    The people gathered here werergely good-for-nothing wastes of food, third sons and below who were the spares of spares. They had been forced to bow their heads to the world for various reasons and were filled with resentment.

    The looks on their faces said everything.

    Many of them expressed the carefree joy of liberation. Many others were consumed by the mes of desire. To these people, this ce was one where they could fully indulge their vanity.

    Then again, this ce had always been intended to be a feeding ground.

    Noble society in the Kingdom was now in a state of chaos.

    It had been several months since the war with the Sorcerous Kingdom, but the scars it left behind wererge and could not fully heal. Several factions had dissolved because of this and new ones had risen to take their ce. The upper-ss noble houses had been disced by the those families which had previously been lower-ranking.

    The current chaos in the Kingdom was an incredibly good chance for all those people who were unaligned to any of the factions. No, it might be theirst chance. If the factions established themselves again, they might find themselves banished to the sidelines once more.

    Because of that, this gathering was a gigantic feeding ground for them.

    It was one where hungry fish would lure the small fry into their bellies.

    In contrast, would the small fry be eaten without them ever noticing? Or would they realize something and skilfully disengage? Or perhaps ¨D would there be nobles filled with desire who would turn their tables on their would-be devourers?

    After studying this scene for nearly an hour, Hilma concluded that there were no nobles here which could be considered first-rate, the kind which she wanted to ensnare with all her might.

    Even so, she was not disappointed by this oue. Indeed, she would be worried if there were any first-rate nobles parading themselves in a dangerous ce like this.

    She had been quite careful when sending out her invitations, but Hilma did not think she was perfect. There would surely be someone from one of the factions in here.

    Still, that would be interesting, she thought.

    The more she had to say in her report, the more her own value would rise. This was not a bad thing at all for her.

    Then, it¡¯s about time, no?

    It had been an hour and a half since the ball started, so it was the appointed time.

    Hilma¡¯s real work was only beginning.

    ¨DIt was frightening.

    Her previous arrogance vanished as if it had been nothing more than a lie.

    Perhaps a gentle term like ¡°frightening¡± would not be able to epass the sheer terror that welled up from her stomach. She thought of fleeing with all her might as she imagined the hell that awaited her if she displeased them.

    Of course, if she actually did that, she would assuredly suffer a fate which would make that hell feel like blissful paradise.

    As a member of the Eight Fingers, she had handed down many assassination orders to her underlings. She had also ordered people to be tormented before they were killed. Butpared to what those monsters had done, her orders overflowed with the milk of human kindness.

    ¡°¨DHilma.¡±

    The voice from behind startled her, and her shoulders twitched.

    When she turned around, she saw the stupidest man in this hall.

    ¡°Hm? Is something wrong?¡±

    ¡°No, Philip-sama, nothing is wrong.¡±

    Hilma concealed her true emotions within her smile. Among those emotions was anger at being surprised by a piece of trash like him.

    ¡°Albedo-sama wanted to rest for about ten minutes, so I came to find you.¡±

    ¡°That is quite reasonable, given that she was speaking with all those guests. I understand; then, I shall apany Albedo-sama to the break room.¡±

    ¡°Really? Then, I shall go too.¡±

    What the hell is he talking about? That was the reply Hilma wanted to give. No, it might be that he had sensed something.

    With caution in her heart, Hilma continued her act:

    ¡°I feel it would be better not to do so.¡±

    ¡°Why is that? I was by Albedo-sama¡¯s side until just now. It shouldn¡¯t be strange for us to go together, right?¡±

    Now, Hilma was sure that this man had not suspected anything.

    In other words, he was a moron amongst morons, a good-for-nothing with neither the knowledge nor the etiquette to be a nobleman.

    ¡°I fear that if ady is apanied to the rest area by a gentleman who is not her husband, it might lead to the spread of... inappropriate rumors for both parties.¡±

    ¡°Ahhh. However, my n is to immediately return once I get there.¡±

    ¡°Even so, it is not quite appropriate. I understand your concern for her as the host of this event. However, I am also the provider of the venue, so please allow me to take on this responsibility and escort Albedo-sama safely to the rest area.¡±

    ¡°Ahh...¡±

    It looked like he was going to say something else, so Hilma waited in silence for him to finish.

    The truth was, she wanted to get this over with as soon as possible. Unfortunately, this imbecile was also the driving force behind this gathering. She could not be too rude towards him.

    ¡°What do you think I should do in order to join myself to her in matrimony?¡±

    ¡°Haaaah?!¡±

    Hilma hadpletely forgotten to stay in character because of his words.

    ¡°Eh? Say what?¡±

    ¡°As in, a way to have Albedo-sama marry me.¡±

    Seriously?!

    Hilma desperately fought the urge to shout those words. She could hardly believe anyone could actually be this stupid. ording to Hilma¡¯s information, the person he was courting was the Sorcerer King¡¯s right hand ¨D in other words, someone who held a position equivalent to that of a prime minister. It was unthinkable for a low-ss noble from a neighboring country to actually utter those words to someone like her.

    Perhaps if he had asked to marry Princess Renner instead, Hilma might have been less shocked.

    ¡°Ahhh, but you see, I¡¯m a man who managed to gather this many nobles too. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m that far behind her, what do you think?¡±

    Without her realizing it, Hilma¡¯s throat had contracted tightly.

    Even though she knew those things would not be sliding down her throat, the unease and terror of the trauma she had suffered drove her to do so.

    No, that was not a thing which could be summed up with the word ¡°trauma¡±.

    What if that person heard those foolish words, which held zero appeal to that woman? What would happen? It would be alright if only Philip had to bear those consequences. But if she was to be punished for it as well, that ck hell might well be waiting for her.

    ¡°In, in any case, it¡¯s hardly workable. I heard she holds a position equivalent to that of a prime minister in the Sorcerous Kingdom. That is to say, she would be a duchess in the Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°But isn¡¯t the Sorcerous Kingdom a tiny marble of a city-state?¡±

    ¡°No, no, you can¡¯t speak of it that way.¡±

    Those words, which seemed to sneer at the Sorcerous Kingdom, made Hilma break out in goosebumps.

    It was true that in terms of territory, the Sorcerous Kingdom was notrge, even with the Katze ins factored in. However, was their military power not overwhelmingly superior? Regardless of how much effort one put into trade, diplomacy and other fields, rtionships between nations were still decided by theirparative military strengths. It did not matter howrge a nation¡¯s territory was, because once that nation lost, it would all be taken away.

    If he did not even understand that fact, then how could she possibly exin it in a way that this twit could understand?

    Hilma pondered deeply, but could not find an answer. After all, wisdom and stupidity were two sides of the same coin.

    In the end, she had to reason it out for him.

    ¡°It cannot be done. There is no chance that woman would wed you, Philip-sama.¡±

    ¡°...But I thought the mood was pretty good. Didn¡¯t the two of us look good together when we made our entrance?¡±

    So that¡¯s what he was thinking, Hilma thought in surprise.

    Could it be that he was trying to get people on his side by acting like he had the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s backing? This fellow is the ultimate moron... seriously, spare me, I¡¯m begging you. Please don¡¯t make that person angry.

    Hilma felt something sour rising up from her stomach.

    Yet, at the same time, she wanted to let this fellow feel what it was like to have something squirming into his stomach.

    ¡°...Perhaps I¡¯ve said too much. Please allow me to escort Albedo-sama. You should stay here and enjoy yourself as the host, Philip-sama.¡±

    ¡°...Well, since it¡¯s like that, it can¡¯t be helped. I¡¯ll leave Albedo-sama to you, then.¡±

    I¡¯d do that without you having to say it. Hilma lowered her head, keeping those words in her heart. Then, in order not to hear any more of that nitwit¡¯s babblings, she made a beeline to Albedo¡¯s side.

    Albedo was speaking to a nobleman. Under normal circumstances, Hilma might have watched the mood and bade her time. However, dealing with that nipoop had exhausted her, so she immediately cut in and addressed Albedo:

    ¡°Forgive me, Albedo-sama, it seems it is about time for you to have a rest.¡±

    ¡°Indeed... My apologies, do allow me a short break.¡±

    Taking Albedo by the hand, Hilma led Albedo out of the ballroom.

    ¡°Fu~ ...Ahh, how disgusting.¡±

    Hilma turned around as she heard the voice from behind her. If things were really that bad, what should she do?

    As she turned around, she saw Albedo dabbing at her shoulder with a handkerchief.

    Albedo¡¯s eyes met Hilma¡¯s.

    ¡°That disgusting man touched me. Only one man in this world is allowed to touch my body in a lustful way... Shit. That piece of brainless dogshit...¡±

    Her words were apanied by a gnashing of teeth. To think that her face, which typically bore a gentle smile, would actually disy her displeasure so openly. Was that an indicator of how unhappy she really was?

    Hilma hesitated. Should she speak to her? Or was this a prelude to her punishment?

    ¡°...What should I do? Say something.¡±

    ¡°Ah, y-yes...¡± Hilma replied as her heart filled with an iparable terror. ¡°I can understand how you feel, Albedo-sama.¡±

    ¡°Ara, if that¡¯s the case... can you get rid of that creature and then prop up another human in his ce?¡±

    ¡°If it is your wish, then I shall immediately prepare another puppet for your strings, Albedo-sama.¡±

    Albedo opened her mouth, and then closed it. She repeated that action several times.

    It was a very attractive suggestion, one which would make anyone hesitate.

    That said, it did not matter what she chose. Only hell would await him. Still, whatever happened to that idiotic Philip, one could only say that he had asked for it.

    ¡°Hu... Never mind. He was just a regr nuisance. That person¡¯s foolishness made quite an impression on the nobles at the royal dinner, so switching him out now would be a bit of a waste... Hm, it might be fun to follow up on that. But no, probably not.¡±

    Hilma recalled the conversation from just now, the wild fantasies and ravings of the absolute madman who wanted to marry Albedo.

    What would change if she told her that?

    No, that was too scary. She could not possibly bring herself to tell Albedo. After all, she might get caught up in that as well.

    ¡°He did nothing, but believes that he¡¯s the only special one. He has truly reached the ultimate level of ipetence.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Soon I¡¯ll be able to stter him all over the ground. He must be punished for the crime of touching this body of mine, which belongs to Ainz-sama, with his filthy hands.¡±

    They did not speak after that, nor did they meet anyone else. Hilma brought Albedo to a certain room.

    Once she reached that room, Hilma nearly copsed due to her legs going soft in relief. Handling that woman alone ¨D a confidant of that demon king who could even subdue that Jaldabaoth ¨D had drained an enormous amount of her stamina. However, not being able to remain standing was absolutely forbidden.

    Hilma gathered up all her strength. In her heart, she resolved to sleep for a full day after all this was over.

    ¡°This way, please.¡±

    After Hilma opened the door, the men seated on the chairs within rose as one. All of them were as skinny as Hilma. They were Hilma¡¯s colleagues; the five branch leaders of Eight Fingers and their chairman, making a total of six people.

    They were also the people she trusted most in this world. In the past, they had feuded over profits, but now they no longer thought that way. After learning about the link between Jaldabaoth and the Sorcerous Kingdom, their fates were now linked. They had no choice but to work like ves until this country was consumed and they were liberated.

    These close friends of hers lowered their heads deeply as they beheld the very incarnation of terror (Albedo). The fear they could not hide made itself visible in the trembling of their shoulders.

    Hilma closed the door to the room, and Albedo took the highest-ced seat in the room. The men and Hilma did not sit down, but remained standing as they awaited their orders.

    ¡°Now then, an order for you lot. You are to transfer resources to the Sorcerous Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°Understood, I am eager to serve.¡±

    The head of the Smuggling Division did not waste a moment in replying. How could he dy? Once they had been summoned like this, the only possible response to any order they were given was ¡°Understood¡±. There was nothing else they could do apart from that.

    The Smuggling Division¡¯s leader had lost a lot of power in the traders¡¯ guild during Jaldabaoth¡¯s disturbance, when much of his resources had been stolen away. Even so, there were advantages to being in his position. This was because his dealings with the nobles that had taken part in the war against the Sorcerous Kingdom had been conducted entirely with cash. Or perhaps, it would be more urate to say that his power was slowly returning now that the merchants ¨D who had extended credit to the nobles ¨D were now agonizing about repayment.

    ¡°I am not referring to that. All you need to do is conduct trade at an appropriate price. After that, you will use the money earned to import food in preparation for the uing famine in the Kingdom. Buy the rations which the Royal Army could not move out in time ¨D no, start by trading in grain futures. After all, Ainz-sama has already begunrge-scale food production.¡±

    The future which she spoke of would surelye to pass, given the massive drop in the kingdom¡¯s workforce.

    ¡°Understood. I shall mobilize the traders immediately.¡±

    ¡°These are especially important. Make sure they¡¯re in the first shipment toe over.¡±

    The man carefully and graciously epted the piece of paper that she had tossed out.

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°Then, what news is there about magic items?¡±

    Another man seemed to jump into the air.

    ¡°My deepest apologies!¡±

    He bent his waist and bowed so hard that he hit his head against the table, striking it with a startling amount of force.

    ¡°My subordinates are currently infiltrating the Magician¡¯s Guild to conduct an in-depth investigation on them. If I can be allowed a little more time ¨D no, if you are willing to ept an in-progress report, I can deliver one right now!¡±

    ¡°Never mind, then. Just speed your actions up. In addition... yes. Have you decided on your new colleagues yet? If so, we¡¯ll need to bring them back for baptism.¡±

    The colleagues in question were meant to fill the empty seats of the Eight Fingers as the new division heads.

    As she recalled exactly what that baptism entailed, Hilma choked back the urge to vomit. Simr expressions to hers appeared on the faces of her friends, who were desperately trying to keep their facial nerves under control.

    It was a fiendish rite which broke the will andpletely erased any inkling of resistance within its subjects. If any of the people in this room were told they would have to undergo it again, there was no doubt that they would start bawling like children.

    ¡°I am very sorry, but we have not yet decided,¡± said the Chairman.

    This was the truth, and it was also a lie.

    The reason why he said so was because the divisions which the neers would head were now meaningless. The empty seats belonged to the chiefs of the Security and very divisions. There was hardly any trade in thetter, so there was little benefit to having someone fill that position. As for the former position, the very need for its existence was in doubt. In addition¨D

    ¡°The gentlemen we were allowed to borrow have performed very well. It might not be out of the question to have them serve as division heads themselves.¡±

    The gentlemen in question referred to the undead which had been lent to them, each of which possessed unbelievable power.

    Once they realised that the Six Arms were dead, a group of subordinates ¨D the leaders of whom had originally been Workers ¨D began plotting a violent overthrow. As a result, they sent out one of those undead creatures. In the end, that entity had eliminated nearly 40 people without letting a single one escape.

    There was another reason for doing so; quite aughable one, in fact. That was because nobody here wanted anyone else to go through the same thing as them. These hardened masters of the underworld who could calmly order the death of a man did not want anyone else to taste the same despair they had. This was how they protected them.

    ¡°...I understand. It will be fine as long as the organization can function as normal. Then, do you have any particr requests for me?¡±

    ¡°I fear to ask, but we have discovered that the Skeletons have produced outstanding results in the mines I have acquired. If possible, we would like to hold on to them for a little longer.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, of course. If you can pay the appropriate fee, there will be no problem.¡±

    ¡°My deepest thanks.¡±

    The speaker¡¯s forehead began sweating profusely. He wiped at it with a handkerchief which was so wet it had changed color.

    The frightening thing about the Sorcerous Kingdom was not simply the whip that it wielded, but the sweets which it offered.

    They did not take everything away like the strong would do with the weak, but they conducted business like skilled traders and yed by the rules. As long as they did not show any signs of betrayal, they might even feel the peace of mind that came from being protected by powerful beings. Of course, if the chance presented itself, they would still choose to flee in terror.

    ¡°Then, there¡¯s not much else for me to say in front of you. I believe I¡¯ve mentioned this before, but do work your hardest to help the Sorcerous Kingdom swallow up the Kingdom in the future. In preparation for that day, you would do well to start making inroads at bing legitimate businessmen.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    All of them nervously bowed to her.

    None of them would possibly object to the Sorcerous Kingdom devouring the Kingdom. Since these monsters had made their deration, it was only a matter of time before it surely came to pass.

    At first, they had considered asking Blue Rose, Red Drop and Darkness for help. However, after hearing of the awesome power of the Sorcerer King, who counted Jaldabaoth as one of his minions, they realised that there was no hope. All they could do was lower their heads and wait for the end toe.

    ¡°Oh right, right¨D¡±

    Hilma and all the other members shuddered.

    ¡°There¡¯s one more thing I wanted to say. There¡¯s a magic item that I want you to use your intelligenceworks to locate for me. Record your findings on a parchment at regr intervals and send them to Albedo in the Sorcerous Kingdom. However, I don¡¯t know anything about its external appearance, so there is that.¡±

    ¡°...What sort of magic item would that be?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a magic item that can control a target¡¯s mind.¡±

    ¡°Mind control... a wand of charming or the like?¡±

    ¡°No, it feels like it should be something stronger. I¡¯m looking for something not in general cirction, a legendary item, or at least news about it. You must let me know anything you find, however insignificant it might be. Do you understand?¡±

    The mind control of which she spoke was a terrifying effect.

    It was obvious why she would be wary of such an item, and so they immediately showed that they understood.

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Pri-Pri-Princess-sama!¡±

    The maid opened the door and barged in, clearly panicked.

    She had not knocked, which was hardly an act that was worthy of praise, but instead implied something had happened which flustered her to the extent of not doing so.

    Renner immediately saw through what was going on. However, in front of the maids, Renner was an innocent princess. Because of that, she put on a suitably clueless impression and asked in an equally air-headed voice:

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    The maid¡¯s eye twitched.

    That tic had probablye from her anger within. Why was this princess so daft while she herself was so worried?

    Rennerzily ced her cup on its saucer.

    The sound of doing so seemed to jolt the maid back to reality, and she hastily sprang into action.

    ¡°A-a-about that¨D¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, It¡¯ll be fine, Calm down, take a deep breath.¡±

    The maid did as Renner told, taking several deep breaths to regte her panting. After regaining a measure of calmness, Renner asked, ¡°What happened? Is it demons again?¡±

    ¡°N-no, that¡¯s not it. The Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s emissary-sama says she wants to meet you, Renner-sama!¡±

    ¡°Is it ady?¡±

    ¡°Yes, a very beautifuldy!¡±

    Renner¡¯s question should have been strange, because there was only one woman among the envoys from the Sorcerous Kingdom. If someone pressed the point, they might wonder what she was on about. However, the maid was currently confused, and answered in earnest.

    Well, it¡¯s fine, Renner thought. The more silly things she did, the more she built a reputation which she could use. It was all just setup, anyway.

    Climb had been standing by her side. His armor ttered in response.

    He must not have been able to follow what was going on.

    His adorable actions, like an innocent puppy, filled Renner¡¯s heart with a surge of tenderness.

    There was probably no way he could figure out why the emissary wasing here to meet Renner. He had already seen her exchange greetings with Renner. That being the case, speaking with the Third Princess ¨D who was little more than an ornament ¨D would not bring any benefits to the Sorcerous Kingdom. At least, that was what Climb should be thinking.

    Renner smiled warmly in her heart.

    What they said about children being cuter the dumber they were was most assuredly true. Or rather, one could say that one loved them despite their shorings. Well, it was probably correct no matter how you looked at it.

    If someone other than Climb had done this, other emotions would havee to the surface.

    Although she was driven by the impulse to look into Climb¡¯s sparkling eyes forever, she had to bear with it for now. At least, until the moment she was enveloped by that delicious sugary candy.

    ¡°Why exactly would Albedo-sama want to meet me?¡±

    Tilting her delicate little head was very important. Doing so would induce a negative reaction in the worried party. Its effectiveness had been proven after several experiments.

    And sure enough, weak mes flickered in the maid¡¯s pupils.

    They were mes of anger. At the same moment, Climb¡¯s armor ttered softly.

    He must have sensed that maid¡¯s feelings and thought of something. But the sound soon stopped, and he returned to his upright and locked position.

    How adorable.

    He was like a puppy that was confused over whether or not to step forward, in order to protect his mistress.

    That was because it would be better not to move if Renner had not noticed. The maid was the heiress of a good family, and no matter what Climb said, one word to her parents and Renner might be in trouble. Climb had probably thought of that.

    He was probably crying inside, since he believed so much in Renner. If only he had a good upbringing, this sort of thing would not be happening.

    Renner resisted the desire to turn to look at Climb, who was standing behind her. This was because the interfering maid opened her mouth to speak:

    ¡°I do not know the reason, only that she wanted to meet you.¡±

    ¡°Is that so... Albedo-sama¡¯s a woman too, so maybe it¡¯s girl talk... is it about makeup?¡±

    She asked that question in an innocent ¨D or perhaps in a t-out brainless way.

    ¡°I do not know about that either. Then, may I bring her in?¡±

    ¡°Of course you may!¡±

    After her reply of feigned delight, Renner turned to look at Climb.

    ¡°Hmmm~ Climb, I¡¯m sorry, but since this is a matter betweendies, could you step out of the room for a while?¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    It was kind of a shame, but that could not be helped either. Climb did not need to know about bothersome things. All he needed to do was look at her with those pretty eyes of his.

    When Albedo entered the room, there was only one person inside.

    Albedo had four objectives ining to the Royal Capital.

    The first was the transportation of resources. The second was to create a casus belli. The third was toy the foundation for her personal objectives. The fourth was to make a trade with the owner of this room.

    No, calling it a trade would not be entirely urate. This was more of a reward.

    Albedo strode across the room and took a seat without waiting for the owner of the room to give her permission.

    Then, she looked to the girl who was genuflecting before her with her head lowered, and said:

    ¡°You may raise your head.¡±

    ¡°¨DYes.¡±

    The girl called Renner lifted her face.

    ¡°You have done an excellent job.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much, Albedo-sama.¡±

    ¡°Ara~¡±

    Albedo seemed quite interested in Renner¡¯s reaction, which waspletely unlike what she had shown thus far.

    This was the Renner of whom Demiurge had spoken.

    She had betrayed her family, her bloodline and her people, but there was not a shred of regret on her face. She was human, yet she was inhuman. Perhaps she was a spiritual heteromorph. Her mindprehended good and evil, but that was all. She was the type who was not bound by the petty constraints of morality, but who calmly worked to advance her own agenda.

    ¡°...As a reward for your efforts, I have brought you a gift from Ainz-sama.¡±

    Albedo reached into the air, and pulled out the item which her master had given her for safekeeping.

    It was a box that bore severalyers of seals. It was impossible to open without fulfilling specific conditions.

    ¡°This would be...¡±

    As the girl epted it with gratitude, Albedo watched her with a cold gaze, as though the girl was little more than a guinea pig.

    Indeed, she was a guinea pig. But because of that, both sides shared the same goals.

    ¡°You have my deepest gratitude. Please convey my thanks to His Majesty, Ainz Ooal Gown-sama.¡±

    ¡°That I promise you. I trust I need not waste words on the other item you want?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I shall receive that boon once I have delivered the appropriate rpense. There is nothing more delightful than that.¡±

    The girl smiled.

    It was a very lovely smile.

    That was why she asked:

    ¡°...Although opening that box can fulfil your wish, can you really open it?¡±

    What would the others in Nazarick think if they saw Albedo showing concern over a human being? That said, if her wish really dide true, then this could be regarded as preparatory work for her elevation to a status equivalent to that of an Area Guardian. In that case, it was perfectly understandable to show concern over a candidate for a subordinate¡¯s position.

    ¡°Yes, Albedo-sama. The preparations have already begun.¡±

    ¡°Really now. Then, make sure they¡¯re finished before we invade.¡±

    ¡°Understood, exalted mistress.¡±

    As the girl lowered her head again, a pair of eyes appeared in her shadow.

    The Shadow Demon lurking within slithered forth and lowered its head along with the girl.

    Albedo considered whether or not to lend her extra reinforcements, but in the end she decided not to mention it.

    If the girl¡¯s actions were exposed before the Sorcerous Kingdom invaded the Kingdom, that would mean there was no value in taking her into Nazarick.

    In other words, all this was a test.

    ¡°Then, let us dispense with the formalities here.¡±

    There seemed to be a change in Albedo¡¯s tone, and there was a surprising expression on Renner¡¯s face.

    ¡°Ending the meeting at this point would be too hasty. Is there anything ¨D let¡¯s chat, then. All right, sit. Can you tell me about your puppy?¡±

    Albedo was greeted with a full-faced smile.

    ¡°I would love to, Albedo-sama. In addition, if I may, could you tell me about His Majesty as well?¡±

 Chapter 75 - Volume 10

    <h4>V10 Intermission</h4>

    The innermost reaches of the ine Theocracy.

    Very few people were allowed into this invible sanctum.

    The first was the highest-ranked member of the Theocracy; the Pontifex Maximus.

    Next were the Cardinals, the highest appointment holders of the six sects that were devoted to the Six Gods. Incidentally, each of them (aside from the one belonging to the same sect as the current Pontifex Maximus) was a potential candidate to be the next Pontifex Maximus.

    The Cardinal of Fire ¡ª Berenice Nagua Sandeni.

    She was the sole female among them. She was over 50 years old, and a little plump, possibly due to her age. Her well-fed face bore a motherly smile which put all who looked upon it at ease.

    The Cardinal of Water ¡ª Ginedine Dn Gwerfe.

    He was a shrivelled old man. He was so old that one could not tell his exact age, and his skin was a dusty brown. Although people worried about his health, none could exceed his intellect.

    The Cardinal of Wind ¡ª Dominic Ire Partouche.

    He looked like a kindly old man, but he was originally of the Sunlight Scripture, and had exterminated many heteromorphic beings during his time as a holy warrior. His wrath was like a wildfire while his murderous intent was like chilling frost.

    The Cardinal of Earth ¡ª Raymond Zag Lauransan.

    He was a keen-eyed man and the youngest of his presentpany. That said, he was still in his mid-40s, though his energy made that fact difficult to believe. He was a former member of the ck Scripture who had served for 15 years ¡ª a hero who had defended his nation.

    The Cardinal of Light ¡ª Ivon Jasna Dracrowa.

    His narrow eyes and skinny frame made him look like a sinister person, but that was definitely not the case. Everyone here knew the reason. As a user of divine magic, he ranked at or near the top of all the people present.

    The Cardinal of Darkness ¡ª Maximilian Oreio Lagier.

    He was surrounded by countless books that hovered in the air, supported by improved versions of the [Floating Board] spell. He wore round sses, and he had originally been a priest from the judiciary. Hence, many of the books levitating next to him pertained to thew.

    In addition, there were the heads of the Judicial Branch, the Legitive Branch and the Executive Branch of the Theocracy¡¯s government. There was the head of the research institute which handled magical research. In addition, there was the Grand Marshal, the highest appointment-holder in the military.

    These 12 peopleprised the highest executive authority of the ine Theocracy.

    After entering the room, they took up cleaning tools and began cleaning the room. Some of them got rid of dust with feather dusters. Some of them wiped with dry cloths, while other wiped with wet cloths. Someone used a magic item to vacuum up dust.

    There was no wastefulness in their movements, and they cleaned the room with well-practiced movements.

    Not a single one of these people ¡ª who stood at the pinnacle of the ine Theocracy ¡ª was cking off. Sweat gushed from their foreheads, their beautiful and pristine robes were stained by dust, and none of them stopped in their efforts until the room was spotless.

    The room had been quite clean before they started working on it. Now, it seemed to glow.

    None of them thought to wipe off their sweat. Instead, they lined up in front of the six statues ¡ª which appeared to be defending this room ¡ª and lowered their heads.

    ¡°Today, we give thanks to the gods that human beings like ourselves are still alive.¡±

    After the Pontifex Maximus said those words, everyone repeated them after him.

    ¡°Thus do we offer our thanks.¡±

    They raised their deeply bowed heads and stored their cleaning equipment in the corner of the room. Then, they cast [Clean] spells, cleaning their clothes and their equipment, and the towels they used to wipe away their sweat smelled sweet.

    It was a trivial matter to clean dirt and dust with a first-tier spell. Widening that spell would allow the entire room to be cleaned with ease. However, there was nobody among them who was sacrilegious enough to do so in this sacred room.

    After cleaning themselves, they took their seats at the round table.

    This included the Pontifex Maximus of the ine Theocracy.

    At this table, everyone was equal. There were no superiors or inferiors here. Everyone was a coborator and arade. Indeed, all this was for the glory of mankind.

    ¡°Then, let us begin the meeting.¡±

    The organizer of this meeting was the Cardinal of Earth, Raymond Zag Lauransan.

    ¡°Our first topic is the seizure of the Kingdom¡¯s Fortress City E-Rantel and its surrounding area as the heart of the Sorcerous Kingdom of Ainz Ooal Gown, a fortnight ago.¡±

    There was nothing that could possibly be any more important than the sudden advent of this mysterious nation.

    However, far too few people knew the details of the situation. Most of what they knew was little more than hearsay.

    For starters, they knew that the Sorcerer King was an undead creature, that he was an extremely powerful magic caster who had obliterated the Royal Army, that he controlled an army of the dead, that there was a Death Knight among those undead, and so on.

    Raymond, whomanded the Six Scriptures, reported these details in his capacity as the meeting¡¯s organizer.

    Just then, someone spoke out:

    ¡°I knew we shouldn¡¯t have let it happen, we should have intervened in that war!¡±

    ¡°...What are you saying? Open battle against a magic caster who controls a Death Knight is extremely dangerous. Didn¡¯t we all agree on that earlier? You might have objected then, but don¡¯t try to overturn our previous decision... Although, I didn¡¯t think he would actually establish a nation.¡±

    The group nodded one after the other.

    ¡°What does the Empire n to do? They¡¯re allies of the Sorcerous Kingdom and they¡¯ve endorsed the founding of that nation, so does that mean they¡¯re officially coborators now? Or are they being controlled by magic?¡±

    ¡°I doubt it. Paradyne¡¯s there.¡±

    ¡°Then, I guess we made a mistake in thinking that Emperor could be trusted.¡±

    ¡°...Well, a more important problem is the fact that he¡¯s one of the few talented individuals who isn¡¯t being properly utilized. Should we begin the n to draw him to our side?¡±

    ¡°Then¨C¡±

    After a brief pping of hands, the debate which was about to heat up promptly cooled down.

    ¡°¨CThousand Mile Astrologer was observing the battle between the Empire and the Kingdom. However, there¡¯s been a slight problem, so the report was dyed. I beg your forgiveness.¡±

    The problem in question probably referred to the fact that she had locked herself in her room and had been in there for quite some time. At least, that was what everyone thought.

    ¡°Then, we shall distribute the records of what she saw. These have not been verified by others; they¡¯re just her ount of what she saw of the Sorcerer King¡¯s army at the battlefield.¡±

    How troublesome, everyone thought, though they did not say it. They took the records and studied them.

    They stopped after thest piece of paper. They went over the same part over and over again. They had the same stiff expressions and their faces slowly grew pale.

    Raymond smiled to see the changes in their expressions. He had been through the same thing that was happening to them now, and he was d because misery lovedpany.

    And then, as though to represent everyone else, Maximilian shouted. His mouth opened so wide that his sses fell off, but he did not seem to care about that.

    ¡°Impossible! How could anything like this possibly exist?!¡±

    ¡°I told you earlier, didn¡¯t I? This is just a description of what she imed to have seen.¡±

    Maximilian shut up in the face of Raymond¡¯s cold response.

    He was panting like he had just been sprinting. As Maximilian struggled to get his breathing back under control, Berenice decided to ask another question, to see if someone shared her opinions.

    ¡°Can you say that again? Is this actually real?¡±

    ¡°If everyone here still believes the word of ¡°Thousand Mile Astrologer¡±, then it is.¡±

    With pained looks on their faces, they all looked back to the papers they were holding.

    They had all stopped at the same ce ¡ª theposition of the Sorcerer King¡¯s army.

    ¡°Hundreds of Death Knights (at least 200), hundreds of Soul Eaters (at least 300)... is it? If they went berserk, it won¡¯t matter if it¡¯s the Kingdom, the Empire, the City-State Alliance or the Holy Kingdom ¡ª they¡¯d all be destroyed!¡±

    ¡°...As would we. If these things swarmed us, we¡¯d need centuries to recover from the damage.¡±

    Death Knights. Difficulty estimated at 100 or higher. They were able to create Squire Zombies which could themselves make other Zombies. The Zombies themselves did not have muchbat power, but they might lead to the spawning of stronger undead.

    Soul Eaters. Difficulty estimated at 100 to 150. They were undead with point-nk area-of-effect abilities. They could consume the souls of the deceased for sustenance and grew stronger the more souls they ate. They radiated an aura of fear. Without at least a 3rd-tier magic caster, even facing them was impossible.

    All of them were undead on a level that could destroy a city or a small country singlehandedly.

    ¡°Was she mistaken? Maybe the Sorcerer King noticed our surveince and used illusions to confuse us.¡±

    Ivon put that possibility forward as he stretched out his withered, branch-like arms.

    ¡°Oh¡±, the surrounding people murmured, but Raymond shattered that possibility.

    ¡°The ck Scripture knows of many monsters. While it is true she might not have the full picture of things, she ¡ª Thousand Mile Astrologer ¡ª was in charge of providing intelligence support to her team. There is no way she could have been mistaken. In addition, we have verified sightings of Death Knights and Soul Eaters in the capital of the Sorcerous Kingdom ¡ª the former city of E-Rantel.¡±

    That was answered by several defeated sighs.

    All they could do was acknowledge the point in voices full of fatigue, and then they continued discussing the matter.

    ¡°What should we do? What is the best course of action for ourselves, as the protectors of mankind? What can we do about 500 monsters, each of which can destroy a nation by themselves?¡±

    ¡°So their forces are equivalent to 500 small countries... that¡¯s insane, right? How badly could that country upset the bnce between nations?¡±

    ¡°The question is, what does the Sorcerer King intend to do with that kind of military power? If he just intends to have them defend his territory, it won¡¯t be a problem in the short term.¡±

    ¡°How could that be? It¡¯s far too much just for defense. Also, isn¡¯t the Sorcerer King one of the undead, who hate the living? I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll use his power to assault the neighboring countries.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how the Sorcerer King intends to use his military strength. What matters is what we can do about it.¡±

    It was a valid opinion, and the direction of the meeting began to turn.

    ¡°Then... can the ck Scripture deal with it? That¡¯s the most important thing.¡±

    They were the ine Theocracy¡¯s final ace in the hole, a special forces unitposed of heroes. One could think of them as adamantite-ranked adventurers, but there was a critical difference between the two, that of their equipment.

    The gods had left divine equipment behind in this world, but adventurers would need to go on epic quests, the likes of which were the stuff of heroic sagas, all just to obtain a single piece of their panoply.

    In contrast, each member of the ck Scripture possessed multiple articles of such gear.

    If even they could not handle a threat like this, then they could still conduct a grand ritual to summon the highest-ranked angel to deal with the problem.

    Surely the most exalted of angels would be able to triumph over Death Knights and Soul Eaters. However, the sheer number of foes made them very uneasy.

    All eyes went to Raymond.

    He chuckled. Some people smiled in response to hisughter, but those smiles froze on their faces as they heard what he said next:

    ¡°It¡¯s impossible. I say this as a former 3rd Seat of the ck Scripture; anyone who expects us to face 500 of them must be an absolute madman. It would have been bad enough even if they were only present in equal numbers. No, if not for this, why would Thousand Mile Astrologer have locked herself up in despair? However...¡±

    The nature of his smile changed.

    ¡°It¡¯s different for the God-kin.¡±

    ¡°Ohh,¡± went the sounds of rejoicing.

    ¡°The two of them should be able to deal with an army of Death Knights and Soul Eaters. Of course, just in case, we still need to give them the best backup we can.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯ll be fine with those two.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief.¡±

    Amidst this jubtion, only Ginedine went ¡°hmph¡±. Sensing the weighty air of fatigue around him, everyone quietened down.

    ¡°...You¡¯re not telling us everything, are you?¡±

    ¡°Ginedine, what are you getting at?¡±

    ¡°Thew does not prohibit false testimony and obscuring the truth in this ce, but we are colleagues serving under the same g and lying is a grave offense. If you agree with this, let me ask you one more time: What are you hiding?¡±

    ¡°Ginedine. What¡¯s wrong with you? Why are you saying this?¡±

    ¡°Dominic, I have a question. Why did Thousand Mile Astrologer lock herself away?¡±

    Knowing that nobody could answer that question, he continued to speak.

    ¡°She did so out of despair. Or perhaps she must have suffered some sort of shock. It¡¯s true that an army of the dead is frightening. However, she¡¯s a member of the ck Scripture. Do you really think she would go into hiding just because of that? ... It¡¯s because she saw something that even the God-kin could not beat. This report isn¡¯tplete, is it?¡±

    Everyone looked at Raymond and Ginedine.

    ¡°..What are you trying to achieve by hiding that point? I trust you. I know you¡¯re not the sort of man who would use the Scriptures for his own gain. But why are you not revealing this?¡±

    ¡°Well done. As expected of you, Ginedine. I simply wanted to explore the possibilities... then, I¡¯ll say it. Agonizing over this problem alone would simply give me an ulcer, so I¡¯d be d to share it with all you gentlemen here.¡±

    Raymond looked at his seated audience.

    ¡°How much do you know of the battle between the Kingdom and the Empire ¡ª no, between the Kingdom and the Sorcerous Kingdom?¡±

    The person who answered on their behalf was the Pontifex Maximus.

    ¡°I heard that the Sorcerer King used a powerful spell. As a result, the Royal Army routed and was defeated. Because of that, they abided by the requests made before the battle and ceded E-Rantel to the Sorcerous Kingdom for the founding of a nation. That¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°And the number of deaths?¡±

    The Pontifex Maximus simply shook his head at Raymond.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. That news has not reached me yet. It should be the same for the rest of you, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Priests and traders don¡¯t go to E-Rantel now that it has be the heart of the Sorcerous Kingdom, with an undead king. So all we hear are rumors of unknown provenance.¡±

    ¡°So we need the Scriptures ¡ª this sort of thing is better suited to the Clearwater Scripture than the Windflower Scripture, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, which is why only themander of the Six Scriptures ¡ª namely, you ¡ª knows the truth. All we learned is what little leaked out.¡±

    ¡°...I see. Then, release the full, unabridged version of what Thousand Mile Astrologer saw during that battle to us.¡±

    After reading the rest of the report, the room filled with the silence of despair.

    Feeling that this could not be allowed to go on, Ivon raised a question:

    ¡°I see, I see. ...You were afraid our hearts would stop if we saw this first, right?¡±

    ¡°Not really. Your hearts are strong enough to sprout hair. I was simply afraid that if I opened with this, none of you would believe it.¡±

    Ivon nodded, unable to refute that.

    ¡°It¡¯s true that we would have doubted this if we had seen this first. We would not have believed it at all. But after understanding the reality of the Sorcerer King¡¯s army, we have no choice but to believe.¡±

    ¡°Still... I don¡¯t want to believe this. With just one spell, he killed over half of the Royal Army. During this battle, the Kingdom mobilized 260¡¯000 men. Half of that would be at least 130¡¯000 people, right? I heard the Royal Army was defeated, but this...¡±

    ¡°Only she saw it, right? It¡¯s not umon for death tolls and casualty counts to be exaggerated...¡±

    ¡°Even so, the description of wiping out an entire wing of the Royal Army with one spell means over 80¡¯000 deaths. And then there¡¯s the hideous monsters summoned from those sacrifices...¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t deny what she¡¯s seen any more. This is magic of the gods. 11th tier magic, I believe? That should be it.¡±

    ¡°The advent of the gods.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s written here is simr to the description of that god... is it possible He has descended from the heavens once more?¡±

    ¡°Impossible. The oral traditions state that the God of Death, Surshana-sama, was in by the damnable Eight Greed Kings.This must be something else. And if Surshana-sama had actually descended once more, that person would surely have told us. After all, that person is Surshana-sama¡¯s first follower.¡±

    ¡°Then, it¡¯se atst?¡¯

    ¡°Probably, yes. After 200 years.¡±

    ¡°It should be correct, judging by the oral traditions. It might appear somewhere on the continent.¡±

    ¡°Their national power increased so slowly because those piles of trash messed up so much of the n.¡±

    ¡°Those idiots in the Kingdom...¡±

    Everyone had looks of hatred in their eyes as they heard those words.

    The Kingdom was the most geographically secure country of all. Because of that, the ine Theocracy had assisted them in the hopes that the Kingdom would be the nation which would save mankind. By breedingrge quantities of humans on safe and fertilend, many talented individuals would also appear, who could be groomed into heroes that could resist non-human invasions. However, peace and prosperity caused them to fall into degeneracy, and the Kingdom rotted from within.

    What was more troubling was how they produced narcotics and exported them to the other promising country, the Empire.

    Thus, the Theocracy had changed their n.

    Their backup n was to allow the Empire to devour the Kingdom, and then educate the talented individuals within the Empire.

    The reason why the Theocracy did not conquer the Kingdom themselves was because they would then be neighbors with the Republic, which might lead to a dangerous movement within the people to destroy the Republic.

    The basic t of the Theocracy was that humanity was chosen by the gods, and all other races had to be exterminated.

    Thus, they inculcated an attitude in the people that they were surrounded by enemies and that they had no choice but to work together. This was the only way they could focus their national power and be a strong country. However, if they became neighbors with the Republic, there was a chance that their philosophy might lead them in a dangerous direction.

    Everyone here understood that they could only n the future of the ine Theocracy by knowing the strength of their country, those of the other countries, and which matters to prioritize. However, themon folk would shout for war with the Republic in order to destroy the enemies of mankind.

    That would be disastrous.

    The Republic was very strong.

    To be precise, the dangery with one of the councillors of the Republic, the tinum Dragon Lord, child of the Dragon Emperor. If they did battle with him, the mightiest of the Dragon Lords, they ran the risk of their country being reduced to scorched earth. But what of the people who did not know that? What would they think? They would see enemies to destroy, yet all they could do was bite their nails and wait.

    Of course, everyone here could easily quash such resentment through force, but that would produce bacshes that would weaken their national power. In addition, they could not deny that a war might break out in the future.

    Thus, the Theocracy could not share a border with the Republic, nor could they directly control the Kingdom. Even if they wanted to rule it from the shadows, the Kingdom was toorge.

    ¡°Let¡¯s consider the Sorcerer King first. To begin with, he should have been the one who destroyed the Sunlight Scripture, some time back.¡±

    The air seemed to crackle and freeze.

    ¡°A magic caster with that name appeared in a nearby vige with that name at almost the same time. I don¡¯t think we¡¯re mistaken, are we?¡±

    ¡°What about the Vampire that the ck Scripture encountered? A minion of the Sorcerer King?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s very possible, but I think it¡¯s more likely that it was a being on the same level as the Sorcerer King, just like those people. Otherwise there¡¯s no way to exin that power.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, so since we¡¯re on the topic of multiple appearances, Jaldabaoth ought to be such a being, right? That would exin the power he wielded in the Kingdom, as well as the reason for a monster with that sort of power appearing all of a sudden.¡±

    ¡°Then how about Momon? He seems to have been chasing that Vampire, but if that prediction is correct, he should be a simr entity to the Sorcerer King. That would also exin why he was as strong as Jaldabaoth. The question is whether or not he¡¯s an ally of the Sorcerer King...¡±

    ¡°Momon slew the Vampire and stood against Jaldabaoth. Given that they might be the same manner of creature yet opposing each other, it¡¯s possible that they might still have been enemies then? After that, he negotiated a truce with the Sorcerer King and became his ally.¡±

    ¡°Then there¡¯s only the question of why he killed the Vampire and opposed the Sorcerer King. Perhaps he killed it because it was controlled by the Supreme Treasure. Still, why would he oppose Jaldabaoth? ...If Momon was arade of the Sorcerer King, in what sort of scenario would he be Jaldabaoth¡¯s enemy?¡±

    ¡°...Perhaps the Vampire and Jaldabaoth were working together, while the Sorcerer King and Momon were allied. Or there might be one where the Vampire, Jaldabaoth, the Sorcerer King and Momon were all enemies. There are also other possibilities. But there¡¯s too little information to tell.¡±

    ¡°The worst-case scenario is all four of them being on the same side, but the likelihood of that is very low. Momon is too humble. Normally, someone with that much strength would sh it around much more. Yes, just like the Eight Greed Kings. Or perhaps, like our Gods.¡±

    ¡°I see. So the reason why he did not do that was because he was on the lookout for others. No, perhaps he was being watchful for others on the same level as him.¡±

    ¡°Then, since the Sorcerer King has taken the stage and begun building his nation, someone will be taking action to make up for the difference in fighting power. If Momon¡¯s words are to be trusted, Honyopenyoko has apanion. We have to watch out for it, as well as Jaldabaoth.¡±

    ¡°This is all just conjecture at the moment. We just need to think about making contact with the Sorcerer King or Momon.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too risky. It¡¯s far too risky. We should instead go to the Empire and gain information from the people there, and then make contact with the Emperor.¡±

    ¡°That would be good, as long as the Emperor doesn¡¯t wag his tail for the Sorcerer-King, that is.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a gamble, but it can¡¯t be helped. If we do nothing but cower in a corner, we¡¯ll end up having to y catch-up with others.¡±

    ¡°Still, when you say a gamble... how much of a gamble? If we mess it up, it¡¯ll be a casus belli to attack us, no? We should try to understand the Emperor¡¯s stance on the matter before making contact.¡±

    As everyone agreed on that proposal, someone else asked a reasonable question.

    ¡°...Still, have there been no revolts in E-Rantel, that city ruled by the undead? Have they all been killed? Or is there a perfect reign of terror in ce?¡±

    After hearing that question, hardly anyone could believe Raymond¡¯s answer.

    ¡°ording to our reports, it seems to be ruled in peace.¡±

    Hah?! That sound did not fit these people at all, but it could not be helped that they made it.

    ¡°Hmhm. At my age, I do end up hearing things that aren¡¯t there, but it seems my condition has suddenly worsened. Raymond, what was that about peace?¡±

    ¡°It looks like the sun¡¯s going toe up from the north tomorrow. ¡±

    ¡°...All right, enough with jokes. If Raymond is telling the truth, that would be a truly unimaginable sight. Is our informant a madman or a satirist?¡±

    ¡°The report states that the Death Knights are used as city guards, Elder Liches as public servants while Soul Eaters are used to pull cargo wagons.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s jaws dropped besides Raymond¡¯s.

    ¡°Nonono, wait a minute. What? Could you say that again?¡±

    In the face of Maximilian and his missing sses, Raymond¡¯s did not change his words as he repeated himself.

    Haaah?! Once more, that same unfitting sound escaped them.

    Each of them was an undead creature of jaw-dropping power. But now, that knight of the underworld maintained public order like a good little soldier, that lord of thebyrinth sat at a desk managing the flow of goods, and a monster that could ughter an entire city did the job of a horse and its groom.

    And such a country existed right on the other side of their borders.

    ¡°What the hell. What pit of hell did thate from?¡±

    Undead were strolling about on the streets and managing the city. All they could imagine was that all the humans there were dead.

    ¡°No. The former residents of E-Rantel ¡ª the current citizens of the Sorcerous Kingdom are living ordinary lives there. There was some confusion at first, but it is peaceful now.

    ¡°...It seems we have all been underestimating the Kingdom all this while.¡±

    ¡°Umu... how strong are their spirits?¡±

    Just imagining the act of walking beside an undead creature which hated the living made everyone present shiver in fear.

    That would be like living next to a starving monster. It would be normal for a regr person to be afraid.

    ¡°They¡¯re probably putting up with it because they trust that great warrior, the heroic adventurer Momon the ck.¡±

    Raymond rted an ount of what happened on the first day of the Sorcerer King¡¯s rule over E-Rantel.

    They all listened intently.

    ¡°As I thought. It¡¯s impossible for Momon to have been the Sorcerer King¡¯spanion.¡±

    ¡°Ara, isn¡¯t that further proof of Momon and the Sorcerer King being in cahoots? They did show up at practically the same time, right?¡±

    Mmm... Everyone held their heads in contemtion.

    They felt that the chance of that was not insignificant, but there was honestly no way to tell.

    ¡°Is there a way to set Momon against the Sorcerer King? Perhaps if we used the people of E-Rantel, we could¨C¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s dangerous, far too dangerous. If it goes poorly, we¡¯ll make an enemy of Momon and the Sorcerer King at the same time.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. As it is, we¡¯ve taken considerable losses. Though the dead have been revived, the ck Scripture will still be short on manpower, while the Sunlight Scripture is effectively dissolved. The Crown¡¯s been stolen, the Miko Princess and Kaire are dead. It¡¯ll take us at least 10 years to recover our strength. We can¡¯t go around roasting meat next to a sleeping Dragon in this state.¡±

    ¡°Yes. We need to avoid opening up two fronts at the same time.¡±

    At this moment, the hostility in the room seemed to swell.

    ¡°Those filthy traitors.¡±

    ¡°Those bastard elves.¡±

    The Theocracy was currently at war with the Elves of the Great Southern Forest. Originally, the Theocracy and the elves had a cooperative rtionship. But that rtionship had been broken, and the Theocracy was now fighting the Elves with their own power.

    They had built a forward base at Crescent Lake, seat of the Elven Capital. ording to the n, the Capital should have been destroyed in a few years, but that n was slowly going off-script.

    ¡°How about a ceasefire with them for now?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish. How much blood do you think has been spilled in the fighting up till now? Firstly, how can we not take revenge for that person?¡±

    ¡°That child¨C¡±

    After saying this, the old man smiled bitterly.

    He treated her as a child because of her appearance, but the fact was that she was older than anyone in this room.

    ¡°¨CHow is she?¡±

    ¡°In the same room nearby, as always.¡±

    ¡°Umu, we need to give her a chance to avenge her mother.¡±

    ¡°Yes, otherwise it would be far too unfortunate. Her heart should probably be at ease after taking her revenge.¡±

    Pained looks appeared on the faces of everyone present.

    ¡°..Frankly speaking, I take offense with the priests of the time. They raised a poor little girl with that sort of personality.¡±

    ¡°Well, if you want to say that, you might as well me the barbarians of the forest. The Cardinals didn¡¯t think it was good to snatch her away from her mother¡¯s side.¡±

    ¡°...What a troublesome topic.¡±

    ¡°Still, if we deploy that girl, that Dragon Lord might respond in kind.¡±

    ¡°The power of the gods, Downfall of Castle and Country, will probably not work on that fellow who can use wild magic, unlike with the Catastrophe Dragon Lord. How about using it on the Sorcerer King?¡±

    Silence descended over the meeting room. It was a proposal that they were thinking, but could not speak.

    ¡°...It¡¯s not a bad idea, but the fact that we don¡¯t know what sort of power the Sorcerer King¡¯s subordinates possess makes me uneasy.¡±

    ¡°...If only it could charm without limit, there would be no problems.¡±

    ¡°How dare you! The gods gave their lives to protect us, humanity! And to think you would be dissatisfied with the secret treasures they left behind? The audacity!¡±

    After the rebuke, the old man bowed his head deeply.

    ¡°I misspoke.¡±

    ¡°Watch your tongue!¡±

    ¡°Then, back to the topic. We are all against using Downfall of Castle and Country on the Sorcerer King?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous.¡±

    ¡°If the Catastrophe Dragon Lord appears, we could control it and use it as a vanguard...¡±

    There was no point in hoping for what was not there.

    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. Should we send a messenger to talk with that Dragon Lord about the Elves?¡±

    ¡°Who knows what they¡¯ll ask for?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s just ept if the request isn¡¯t too unreasonable. After all, it¡¯s for the peace of that girl¡¯s soul.¡±

    There were no objections. Everyone here was deep in introspection.

    ¡°Fufu¨C¡±

    A quiet chuckle rang out, and everyone¡¯s eyes went to the person who made the sound.

    ¡°Fufu. Now that the people who knew the situation back then are all dead... well, you lot are quite apassionate bunch.¡±

    Those words might have felt insulting, but the tone was otherwise.

    ¡°...Our aim is to defend all of humanity from the other races, and all of humanity includes that girl. I think we can be forgiven for a little abuse of our offices if it¡¯s to save arade.¡±

    ¡°..I have no reason to object if this does not result in any deaths.¡±

    As he heard this , the Grand Marshal smiled bitterly.

    ¡°It would be better to directly distribute this knowledge rather than going by oral transmission, no? It¡¯s all right if we¡¯re going up against someone distinctive, but it¡¯ll be dangerous if the other guy has gone to ground. Spreading that knowledge will also make it easier to gather information.¡±

    This was a suggestion which had been made fairly often over the centuries. Naturally, it had been rejected each time.

    ¡°Our world is as fragile as a little boat which has been tossed into the ocean. The fewer people who know about it, the better. After all, there might be a typhoon every 100 years or so. Do you think people could sleep easily if they knew that? The fact is, the powerful cannot hide in the shadows for long. They will be very obvious, even if they try to live a normal life.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, what do you think that former Cardinal-dono will do?¡±

    They all hadplicated expressions on their faces.

    ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure, but there¡¯s a very high chance of movement... Perhaps there¡¯s some kind of trump card in store.¡±

    ¡°Or maybe the former 9th Seat, Windstride, might know something...¡±

    ¡°How worrying. Is she close to us? Nothing is more troublesome than that...¡±

    There were several sighs in the room.

    ¡°What about asking the retired members of the ck Scripture for help? That way we can restore our fighting strength, no, maintain our vignce. We can send them to the Draconic Kingdom as reinforcements. The chances of them dying are very low.¡±

    The ck Scripture wasmonly assigned to very dangerous tasks, and so they had a very high attrition rate. However, as long as the corpses remained, they could be brought back to life. The problem was that resurrections drained a person¡¯s lifeforce, and one would need to train for a long time to recover the strength they had before death. Thus, some people chose to retire instead.

    There were also others who had retired due to their age, but no matter the reason, any retirees had priority on whatever post they wanted. While there were those who were content to live a degenerate, jobless lifestyle, there were very few of those. Most of them would not be able to bear the repeated looks from their wives and questions like ¡°Daaaad, why haven¡¯t you found a job yet¨C?¡± and thus they returned to work.

    It would take a while to refamiliarize these people with the feel of actualbat, and there were those older ones who could not perform as they had in their prime due to age. Still, they were more reliable than most others.

    ¡°Just exin the situation to them and make our request. Don¡¯t expect everyone to take up arms, though.¡±

    ¡°Of course. It would take a real bastard to put pressure on people whopleted missions in the most dangerous ces and then retired.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Just ask them. But if anyone agrees, pay them more than they expected.¡±

    ¡°If only they paid us at all.¡±

    Self-deprecating chuckles echoed through the room.

    Comining about ack of wages was a private joke for them.

    In the Theocracy, sries fell off after one rose past a certain rank. This was a form of self-purification, in order to ensure that people would not be motivated to rise through the ranks by greed. Thus, many of those who took high office did so because they were moved to serve their nation.

    After theughter stopped, the Pontifex Maximus spoke again:

    ¡°Then, everyone, let¡¯s begin the next topic. Raymond, go ahead.¡±

 Chapter 76 - Volume 10

    <h4>Overlord Volume 10 Chapter 3</h4>

    <h4>The Baharuth Empire</h4>

    Trantor: Nigel

    Editors/Proofreaders: Anon, M, Zack, Rocko, Ferro, JcqC

    <b>Part 1</b>

    Albedo was to leave for the Kingdom on a clear, sunny day, and Ainz came to see her off at the courtyard of his residence.

    There were five luxurious coaches parked there. One of them was for Albedo and another was for her luggage. One of the remaining coaches contained gifts to the King, to impress upon them the difference between the might of the Kingdom and the Sorcerous Kingdom. Surrounding these carriages were 20 Death Cavaliers which Ainz had created.

    It would have been simple enough to just teleport to the Kingdom, but they had not chosen to do so.

    Albedo and her party were responsible for demonstrating the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s power. Part of that was using monsters in ce of horses to pull their coaches; an implied threat, so to speak.

    ¡°Then, Ainz-sama, please take care of yourself for a while.¡±

    ¡°Umu, be careful. We haven¡¯t found the people who brainwashed Shalltear yet. Thus we cannot rule out the possibility that they might seek to control you, and then use you as part of a great gamble to inflict massive damage on Nazarick.¡±

    ¡°Of course. I will be careful and never let this leave my person.¡±

    Albedo was hugging a World-ss Item to her breast.

    ¡°I believe possessing that should eliminate the risk of being brainwashed by a World-ss Item. However, the opposition might not be limited to just that item. In addition, while that is the most powerful World-ss Item against physical objects, don¡¯t forget that it is not very useful against individual targets.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? My main weapon is the transformed version of this...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s weaker than a specialized divine-ss item. Even so, it¡¯s still quite strong in that it will never be destroyed or damaged. All I want to say is, don¡¯t be careless because you¡¯re strong. Although I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll make a mistake like that...¡±

    Come to think of it, Albedo had never been outside until now.

    He had stationed her in Nazarick and had her serve as a rear guard. Because of this, Ainz felt worried, as though he was letting a child go out on an errand by themselves for the first time.

    ¡°Remain alert and do not be careless. If you feel there is danger, retreat immediately. Do you have any teleportation items? Some of them need time to take effect, so does yours work immediately? Some enemies can also impede teleportation before attacking, have you thought of a way to deal with them? There might also be enemies who distract you with bait before ambushing you. Don¡¯t be fooled by your enemies¡¯ strength, alright? Although I¡¯ve heard you¡¯ve gone throughbat training in order to improve your flexibility, you still need to study up a bit more. In addition¨D¡±

    He thought, it would have been good if I had lectured Shalltear like this while he thought about the tactics he would use for PKing. As he did so, he sprayed Albedo with a stream of words at machine-gun speed.

    How long had he spent on thinking up all kinds of attacks? Ainz only returned to normal after he realised Albedo was looking at him with a delighted expression on her face.

    This was terribly embarrassing.

    Ainz coughed.

    ¡°Well, something like that. I believe that you of all people, Albedo, will not ck off on preparations and countermeasures. I¡¯m sorry for dying you. Take care when you travel.¡±

    ¡°Understood, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Although it might not be appropriate to ask right before you go, about Demiurge ¨D no, never mind.¡±

    ¡°He should be fine, I believe?¡±

    If he had received somemunication from Demiurge, he would not have a huge pile of questions to ask him. For instance, Albedo had not opposed the formation of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, but it might be better to ask him in person when he returned. Albedo seemed surprised, but after she realised that Ainz did not intend to reply, she resumed her usual gentle expression.

    ¡°Then, Ainz-sama. As the Guardian Overseer, I will show you results which will not bring shame upon the office.¡±

    ¡°Your actions have never insulted your station.¡±

    Granted, right after that he recalled Albedo mounting him cowgirl-style, but that was not the sort of thing one could bring up at this juncture.

    ¡°There is one more thing I have to say. While you are immune to disease, this world might possess illnesses that can bypass even that immunity, so be careful. I¡¯ve heard that it¡¯s exceptionally easy to fall ill at the turn of the season.¡±

    The transition between the four seasons was not very clear in Suzuki Satoru¡¯s world.

    A thought struck him ¨D what would Blue do if he were here? He would probably have the same sparkly-eyed expression that Albedo did. ...Although, whether he could actually make that expression was a different matter entirely.

    Then, Albedo volunteered a suggestion, with a look on her face like a freshly-bloomed flower:

    ¡°Ainz-sama! I, I know of a remedy that works very well against illness!¡±

    ¡°Hoh...?¡±

    That was quite a surprise. He had not expected her to know of medication which was unique to this world.

    Nfirea the herbalist should not havee into contact with Albedo. That being the case, could it havee from knowledge within YGGDRASIL, or perhaps something Tab Smaragdina programmed into her? His curiosity now aroused, Ainz looked forward to what she would say next.

    ¡°A kiss!¡±

    ¡°...A kiss?¡±

    ¡°Yes, kissing relieves stress and activates the parasympathetic nervous system. Once the efficiency of the parasympathetic nervous system increases, the performance of the immune system improves with it. In other words, if you get kissed, you won¡¯t get sick!¡±

    ¡°What you¡¯ve said sounds kind of familiar...¡±

    He recalled someone mentioning something about the parasympathetic nervous system while he was ying YGGDRASIL. That must be it. However, he did not feel that it would be effective in this world too.

    ¡°Therefore, I want a kiss~¡±

    Albedo closed her eyes and puckered her lips.

    All he could see now was an octopus.

    That description might sound like it was ndering a great beauty, but the truth was, her looks had not been greatly diminished. After all, a beautiful woman remained beautiful no matter what expression she had on her face.

    That untimely thought shed through Anz¡¯s mind.

    Ainz had considered running away at this point.

    He wanted to say, ¡°Certainly not¡±, but it was inly obvious that she was hoping for a kiss. In addition, this was a wish from someone who was about to run a work errand, so he wanted to help fulfil it, to a certain extent. In addition, it would make his heart ache to ignore the wishes of Tab Smaragdina¡¯s daughter.

    Ainz took Albedo¡¯s chin in one hand, and nted a kiss on her cheek. That said, Ainz had no skin, and thus no lips, so the kiss Ainz gave was little more than pressing his front teeth against her. In addition, since he had no saliva, all she should have been able to feel was something dry and hard poking her.

    Although this was terribly embarrassing, he had to inflict himself on her.

    I¡¯m d I brushed my teeth, even though I didn¡¯t eat anything.

    After his hand left her chin, he met Albedo¡¯s wide-eyed gaze.

    ¡°What, what¡¯s wrong? Besides, it would have been too much to kiss you on the lips, so the cheek will have to do. Was it not right?!¡±

    ¡°...I did not think you would have considered it at all.¡±

    Before Ainz could ask her about what she really meant, tears welled up in the corner of Albedo¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Fueeeen~¡±

    Albedo wept. Those were not crocodile tears. She was truly crying.

    After the long-awaited shock of his emotional suppression washed over him, Ainz hurriedly scrambled to do something. That said, he had no idea how to proceed.

    In the past, when he had made Albedo cry in the Treasury, he had thought of somethingforting to say. However, nothing came to mind now that Ainz had made her cry after kissing her. What would that pretty boy Emperor (Jiiv) do at a time like this? Although he thought about that topic, it would seem that none of the scenes which Ainz witnessed had ever covered a situation like that.

    ¡°Albedo, please don¡¯t cry.¡±

    He desperately wanted to look to the duty maid behind him for help, but he had already embarrassed himself badly enough. He could not disgrace himself even further.

    ¡°Albedo, don¡¯t cry.¡±

    Ainz pulled Albedo into his embrace and gently patted her back.

    They stayed like this for a while, and then Albedo sniffled. It would seem her tears had stopped.

    Ainz released the hands holding Albedo, as relief washed through him.

    ¡°Are you alright, Albedo?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Ainz-sama. I am very sorry for letting you see that shameful side of me.¡±

    Though stained with tears, hers was still a very beautiful smile.

    There was only one reason she could be crying.

    His nonexistent stomach began aching after he realized how cruel he had been. At that time, he thought it was fine, because the game was going to end soon. If only he had not thought that way, she would not have cried like this.

    ¡°Is that so. ...Well, it¡¯s about time. You should set out if you¡¯re fine.¡±

    ¡°Understood, Momonga-sama!¡±

    ? ? ?

    The curtains mounted in the coach windows opened, and through them, he saw Albedo waving to him. In response, Ainz waved back to her.

    This was a scene straight out of those railway train farewells one might have seen on television.

    The coach stirred slowly into motion, and the sentries began moving as well.

    Ainz watched until he could no longer see Albedo¡¯s coach, and as he stared into the distance, he issued a somber, gravemand.

    ¡°Forget everything that happened here.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Ainz walked past the maid, whose head was lowered. Ainz had no way of seeing what the kind of look she had on her face.

    <b>Part 2</b>

    The Bloody Emperor, Jiiv Rune Farlord El-Nix clutched at his head.

    This was not a recent thing. He had been doing this for quite some time now.

    In the past, he had purged all manner of nobles, heard about treachery which could shake the Empire, and learned of deteriorating rtionships with neighboring countries. Through it all, this man had neither panicked nor fallen into confusion. However, in the face of an insoluble problem, even this man could do nothing but bitterly cradle his head.

    ¡°Dammit! You son of a bitch! Die! Die and rot away!¡±

    While magic could curse someone to death, Jiiv did not have that kind of power. Therefore, he was simply speaking offensive words. If he could actually kill that hateful man who had wrought such devastation on his mind and his stomach lining for the past few months, he would dly seek out such techniques.

    ¡°No, wait. It would be better to tell him to ¡°live¡±, right? Or maybe, ¡®be destroyed¡¯ would be more appropriate? I¡¯ve heard of some priests destroying the undead with sacred power.¡±

    He was even thinking about such meaningless things.

    Jiiv¡¯s stomach ached and strands of his fallen hair adorned his pillow every morning. The culprit, the man responsible for all of this was the Sorcerer King, Ainz Ooal Gown.

    There was no satisfactory solution to the problems posed by the Sorcerer King.

    The first problem concerned the casualties among the Imperial Knight Corps at the Battle of the Katze ins.

    There were only 143 deaths; a trivial number, for a direct sh with the enemy. However, the losses at the Katze in had been entirely self-inflicted.

    In addition, 3,788 people had expressed their desire to leave the Knight Corps upon their return to the Imperial Capital. In other words, over 6% of the 60,000 men of the Imperial Knight Corps had lost their courage.

    And then, there were thousands of people whoined of uneasiness and night terrors. ording to the reports, there were at least 200 mentally unstable people as well.

    Knights were professional warriors, and training even a single one of them entailed considerable expense.

    Nor was it just a matter of money. Training time was also essential. One could not simply grab somebody off the streets and say, ¡°From tomorrow onwards, you are a knight.¡±

    The Empire would need to spend a great deal to fill the shortfall in the number of knights. But where would he get the funds for those expenditures?

    At this critical moment, it was too risky to purge the nobles and seize their assets to make up the required amount.

    The reason for that was because of the second problem ¨D namely, the petitions which the Imperial Knights themselves had submitted to Jiiv.

    The Knight Corps were permitted to make proposals to Emperor Jiiv. This was because there were some things which only blooded veterans could understand, and it was also to reduce the conflicts between military officers and bureaucratic officials. At the same time, it was also to give the impression that Jiiv ¨D who had a martial background ¨D was especially fond of the Knight Corps.

    Of course, one could not expect such letters to always be positive, but the recent petitions were harsh indeed.

    These petitions, from the upper echelons of the Knight Corps¡¯mand structure, expressed their desire to avoid warfare with the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    Jiiv could understand that sort of thing even if they did not bring it up.

    Anyone who dared face that Kingdom in openbat would be far beyond a mere fool; he would be an absolute madman. That was a nation that could trample 200,000 enemy troops with a single spell. There was no way Jiiv would conceivably pick a fight with such a foe.

    Even so, the reason why the Knight Corps had tendered such a petition was because they had lost their faith in Jiiv.

    Before the Battle of the Katze ins, Jiiv had proposed to the Sorcerer King: ¡°I hope you will use your strongest spell¡±. The upper echelons of the Knight Corps knew this, andid the me for that miserable hellscape squarely at the feet of Jiiv.

    In other words, they were using him as a scapegoat.

    When Jiiv learned this he was both furious and frustrated in the extreme.

    If he had known that such magic existed, he would never have said such a thing.

    Besides, the reason why Jiiv had asked that damnable Sorcerer King to use his strongest spell was to verify how powerful his magic was.

    Originally, it should have been the other way around. ¡°Thank you for drawing out part of the Sorcerer King¡¯s power. Now we know better than to act recklessly around him,¡± they should have said while expressing their gratitude. After all, if things had gone poorly, that magic might have been unleashed in a city.

    However, the Knight Corps did not see things that way. It was because they felt that Jiiv was a splendid Emperor that they believed he had asked for the use of that magic, knowing full well what it did. Thus, many suspicious gazes now fell upon Jiiv.

    This was the first time Jiiv had been so disgusted by his own reputation.

    However, crying andining would not help things. If someone could do something in his ce, Jiiv would dly cry and scream and rest until his stomach pains went away. Of course, nobody could do Jiiv¡¯s job for him, so he had to handle it himself.

    ¡°Damn that Sorcerer King! It¡¯s all his fault!¡±

    He pressed against the pain that radiated from his stomach, no ¨D Jiiv paused to think.

    This was not ¡°the Sorcerer King¡¯s fault¡±. This was ¡°the Sorcerer King¡¯s conspiracy.¡±

    It was very possible that the state of the Empire might have been orchestrated by him. When he calmed down and considered it, the possibility of that was very high.

    Jiiv took out a key and opened a drawer. He withdrew a bottle from within.

    Then, he pressed the silver ring he wore on his left hand against it.

    The Ring of Unicorn ¨D an item which could detect poisons and which enhanced resistance to poison and disease, which could also heal wounds once a day. After confirming that there was no reaction, he gulped it down.

    Jiiv ced the bottle on his desk, and frowned.

    He took a mouthful of water from a bottle on the desk, to wash away the now-familiar astringent taste spreading through his mouth. After that, Jiiv pressed the area around his belly again.

    Was it just a cebo effect, or had his wound really been healed? While there was no way he could know for sure, at least his stomach pains had subsided for now.

    ¡°Haaah~¡±

    After that abnormally heavy sigh, as though ponderous tasks awaited him, he continued his work. First, he had to start with that umted pile of documents.

    A quiet knocking rang through the room, as though it were waiting for his hand to reach out.

    The man who entered was a scribe. All of Jiiv¡¯s hand-picked scribes were excellent workers. However, this man was easily the equal of Roune.

    Incidentally, there were no women among the scribes. The only woman who Jiiv trusted to handle this sort of work was one of his concubines.

    ¡°Your Majesty¨D¡±

    Jiiv waved to cut short a greeting that might take a very long time.

    ¡°¨DNo need for that, spare me the greetings. Don¡¯t waste time, get to the point.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Those traders from that nation have finally replied to us. They seem to have very good stock with them, and they will be visiting the Imperial Capital soon.¡±

    ¡°Really now!¡±

    Jiiv smiled at this, the best news he had heard in the past few weeks.

    The nation in question was the ine Theocracy. Needless to say, the trader in question was an emissary from them.

    While this room was warded against spying, after witnessing that spell from the Sorcerer King, he hade to believe that all these countermeasures were little more than stage dressing. The fact was, he hade to feel that someone was spying on him ofte.

    Still, no matter how many people he sent to investigate, they found no observers. The only conclusion they could reach was that this was a paranoid delusion on Jiiv¡¯s part. Granted, his nerves had been wound up quite tightly ofte, so it might actually be the case. However, he could not get rid of the sense of foreboding that came from being watched.

    In the past, he might have let Fluder set up anti-spying measures, but he could not do that now. For all he knew, Fluder might already have betrayed him. Therefore, Jiiv had to operate under the assumption that spies had already infiltrated the Imperial Capital.

    Therefore, all policies concerning important matters needed their own codewords. Of course, there were a few small problems which cropped up at a result, but it was still better than letting the alliance against Ainz Ooal Gown be exposed.

    ¡°Then, when will it be?¡±

    ¡°I believe they intend to arrive within the next few days.¡±

    Normally speaking, he would have openly invited them to the Imperial Capital, but that would be far too obvious.

    It¡¯s best to meet them while pretending that it was a coincidence. However, what sort of location would avoid suspicion?

    He was out of options, but even if that were the case, he could not give up like this was just a regr game. Casting that spell of utmost cruelty was essentially telling Jiiv, ¡°I am undead, so ying the living is only natural.¡± He could not possibly ignore a being like that.

    It was the duty of the Emperor of the Baharuth Empire to improve his chances of victory, even if it was only by a little.

    In order to achieve that aim, one of the measures he had taken was to forge a secret alliance with the ine Theocracy. The Theocracy was a country with a longer history than the Empire, and it also counted divine magic as one of the pirs of their nation. There was no doubt that it was the best nation one could appeal to for ways to deal with the undead.

    However, it would be very bad if the Sorcerous Kingdom learned of his contact with the Theocracy.

    The Empire was now an ally of the Sorcerous Kingdom, and one which had helped guarantee its sovereignty. The reason why the Empire had done this was to understand the strength and organization of the Sorcerous Kingdom, as well as everything else within it. If it was discovered that they were working against the Sorcerous Kingdom, the Empire would undoubtedly be the first target for the might of the Sorcerer King.

    ¡°Permission to speak, Your Majesty.¡±

    Jiiv raised his chin, indicating that the man should continue.

    ¡°Is the act of opening hostilities with the Sorcerous Kingdom not a most foolish course of action?¡±

    Jiiv red at the scribe. You too, huh. He chucked a scroll case into a specially designated trash bin as he thought that.

    Don¡¯t crush my gging heart, please... However...

    ¡°Then, what would you suggest we do instead?¡±

    ¡°Well, about that...¡±

    Jiiv smiled as he watched the scribe gulp audibly.

    ¡°Rx. I will not censure you for anything you say. Come, speak your mind.¡±

    ¡°Yes, then, I apologize beforehand for any offense I might cause.¡±

    With a cough, the secretary shared his thoughts:

    ¡°I believe we should continue strengthening our bond of alliance, and if the Sorcerous Kingdom has any requests... we should give in to them.¡±

    The scribe¡¯s face was still pale despite Jiiv¡¯s guarantee.

    Within his heart, that treasonous statement warred with the fear that his very life might be extinguished.

    Jiiv once again smiled bitterly.

    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±

    ¡°¨DHah?¡±

    It was because he knew the man¡¯s caliber that he felt that his gaping mouth was quiteical. Jiiv smiled in a different way than before, and then continued speaking:

    ¡°I feel what you are saying is correct. In your position, I might well make the same proposal. No, it would be strange if any man I appointed as a scribe did not suggest such a thing.¡±

    Simply put, the Sorcerous Kingdom was far too powerful.

    Though they could only judge from a military standpoint, it was clear that the Sorcerous Kingdom was on a level that they could not even hope to deal with.

    The personal power of the Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown alone was already far too risky to face. Then there was the army of the dead he had brought to the battlefield, each of which was rumored to be able to level a nation by themselves.

    They were inpletely different dimensions. When one thought about it, the very idea wasughable.

    ¡°Although I feel that is the best choice, does that mean we should not prepare to take some other action? For instance, if the Sorcerer King intends to destroy the Kingdom, do you think bending the knee to him will suffice to spare us?¡±

    He had not yet heard of any massacres in E-Rantel.

    Could it be that the undead were not there? After trying to gather some information, he discovered that the undead openly upied the city, turning E-Rantel into a demon city.

    It might be that he intended to rule the residents of the area without ughtering them, but that was jumping to conclusions. After all, there was the news of how he had subdued that adamantite-ranked adventurer (Momon), so just from that point alone, it was dangerous to think that the Sorcerer King¡¯s tender mercies would extend to the Empire.

    ¡°It is as you say. It would seem I was so cowed by the Sorcerer King¡¯s overwhelming power that I could not even make such a rational decision. My deepest apologies.¡±

    ¡°No need to apologize. After all, the thought came to mind in the past... back to the point, where have the traders of that country chosen to rest?¡±

    ¡°It seems they will be lodging in thergest of the second of four.¡±

    The second of four referred to a shrine of the God of Fire. The word rgest¡± was not code, so it probably referred to thergest shrine in the Kingdom ¨D the Central Temple.

    From this point on, Jiiv began nonchntly chatting about random issues, with some lies sprinkled into the mix.

    Sometimes, he would casually speak of made-up things. Even if anyone heard, investigating the truth of those words would be a tedious process. For the time being, he might have to continue this brain-straining work. As he thought about this, he realised they had been talking for several minutes.

    Jiiv then decided to get to the main issue.

    ¡°How is your family? Are they still well?¡±

    ¡°Hah? Ah, yes. They¡¯re very well.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s great. Good health is the most important thing, after all. I won¡¯t lie; the truth is, my body¡¯s been doing quite poorly ofte. Medicine only keeps it at bay for a while. Do you think I should bring a priest over?¡±

    ¡°It seems the temples are not too happy with Your Majesty¡¯s recent actions. Applying pressure might result in a bacsh. Why not visit in person, Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°What a wonderful idea.¡±

    The temples battled the undead. Thus, to the priests, the founding of a nearby country which was ruled by a powerful undead being was something about which they were very wary. Thus, they had sent many requests to meet with Jiiv.

    However, Jiiv had refused each time.

    Jiiv was now in a state where he would take any help he could get, but he had his reasons for not epting. One of them was because he did not trust their ability to keep out spies. The other was because Jiiv feared that if he told them what he knew, they might do something unpredictable.

    If both sides reached an ord, and the priests then decided to dere war on the powerful Sorcerer King ¡°because he is undead,¡± the consequences hardly needed to be stated. It would result in the Empire being caught up in their suicidal actions.

    In short, Jiiv was afraid that once he made contact with the temples, the Sorcerer King would assume that the Empire was hostile toward him.

    Jiiv sighed deeply.

    Although he had hoped they would wait for the right moment, it would seem they did not understand that point, However, the Theocracy¡¯s diplomatic party had covertly reached the Imperial Capital. Perhaps if he waited for them to make contact with the temples, there might be a chance to turn it all around.

    ¡°Then, I should make some time in the next few days to visit the temples and let them take a look at my body.¡±

    ¡°That seems like a wise course of action. Then, I shall go make the arrangements now.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Then, what shall we do about the arena? I remember there was an exhibition match scheduled soon; shall we let it go on as nned? I¡¯m not going to be stopped by words like ¡®you said you were going for a checkup, so you can¡¯t go there¡¯, you know. If any of you wants to watch the fight with me, you may join me in my VIP room.¡±

    The scribe¡¯s eyes widened, and his eyes gleamed as he tried to divine the true meaning of that statement.

    Yes, that¡¯s right. You¡¯d be right to suspect me. Come, see what I really mean.

    Jiiv wanted to avoid meeting the people of the Theocracy in the temples.

    The temples contained knowledge on healing and various other kinds of wisdom. If they were chosen as targets for a pre-emptive strike, far too many things would be lost, at a time where this umted knowledge was more important than anything else.

    ¡°Understood. Then let me handle the arena. I believe you were scheduled to visit the war wounded at the hospital on that day as well?¡±

    Jiiv had not received this news, so this was probably a bluff.

    In other words, he was suggesting to Jiiv that the hospital might be a better location than the arena.

    Jiiv had chosen the arena because he had heard that it often hired priests to heal the wounded. With that in mind, he was thinking of bringing the emissaries from the ine Theocracy over in the guise of those priests.

    ¡°Dy the visitations. We¡¯ll follow the schedule we agreed on earlier.¡±

    With that, all talk about the traders had disappeared halfway through the conversation. If there were any eavesdroppers, what would they think of this? What could they learn from the phrase ¡°second of four¡±?

    However fiendish the Sorcerer King¡¯s intellect, he could not make any ns without any information to work with. In addition, not all of the Sorcerer King¡¯s subordinates could be as intelligent as he was. Also, the more spies there were, the higher the chances they would be exposed. Since no information on those spies had been found yet, there probably were not many spies. Or rather, he hoped that was the case.

    The spectre of the Sorcerer King¡¯s absolute and undeniable magic haunted his mind. Part of him constantly thought ¡°Since they¡¯re the Sorcerer King¡¯s men, they must be exceptional too.¡± Indeed, he had seen many incredibly powerful beings arrayed before that throne, so that implied that those spies might be of the same caliber as them.

    If that¡¯s really the case, then we don¡¯t have a chance at all... if swearing vassge to him will settle things, then wouldn¡¯t that be the best course of action?

    He had just drunk a healing potion, but Jiiv felt a spike of pain in his stomach again.

    ? ? ?

    Two weekster, a coach with Jiiv on board left for the arena.

    On the surface, he seemed to be going to the Arena to watch a fight, but in truth, he was there to enter into an agreement with emissaries of the ine Theocracy and high-ranking priests of the Empire.

    He had not brought any of his imperial guardsmen with him to avoid standing out, but two of the Empire¡¯s Four Knights ¨D ¡°Lightning Bolt¡± and ¡°Violent Gale¡± ¨D were on the vehicle as Jiiv¡¯s guards.

    If possible, he would have liked to use all of these outstanding warriors to protect him. However, ¡°Heavy Explosion¡± was not reliable, so he had left her behind under the pretext of guarding the Imperial Capital. No, saying that she was unreliable was not exactly correct. To be precise, he could already tell from her actions that she wanted to move on to the Sorcerous Kingdom. Thus, in order to avoid leaking any information to her which she could offer to the Sorcerous Kingdom as a gift, Jiiv had decided to keep a distance from her.

    She had originally said, ¡°I will do anything to lift this curse, even point this sword at Your Majesty¡±. Jiiv understood this, but had still decided to make use of her. Therefore, he could not rebuke her even if she decided to betray the Empire. However, he still could not allow her to take away information that was critical to the Empire.

    That said, if she really had managed to eavesdrop on the Empire¡¯s state secrets, then he would need to have her arrested. However, she was one of the strongest people in the Empire, so he would need to send out people on her level to eliminate her. In terms of swordsmanship, only ¡°Lightning Bolt¡± and ¡°Violent Gale¡± were up to the task. Sending anyone else would only result in a one-sided ughter for them. In addition, suppressing her with numbers meant that the Imperial Capital and the Emperor¡¯s security details would be thinned out.

    That being the case, he would have to turn to Fluder¡¯s disciples, workers, or perhaps assassins as represented by Ijaniya, all of whom possessed skills outside of meleebat. However, no matter which option he chose, he would have to be prepared to pay dearly for it.

    The disciples were paid on a yearly basis ¨D although ever since Fluder¡¯s betrayal, he had confiscated Fluder¡¯snd and made them nobles ¨D so there would not be too many additional expenses there. However, dispatching them would require them to stop their work, which would incur losses invisible to the naked eye. In addition, if they were actually killed instead, the damage done would be more than what thetter two would cost.

    Therefore the best option was to deny ¡°Heavy Explosion¡± the chance to obtain valuable information and let her go empty-handed to the Sorcerous Kingdom. That might well be the most satisfactory solution for everyone concerned.

    Jiiv had hinted as much to ¡°Heavy Explosion¡±.

    However, ¡°Heavy Explosion¡± was still in the Imperial Capital. Her response was along the lines of ¡°I shall remain until I repay the kindness that Your Majesty has shown me¡±.

    He wanted to take that at face value, but that was impossible.

    ¡°Heavy Explosion¡± might be one of the Empire¡¯s Four Knights, but the Sorcerous Kingdom would most likely rate her fighting power very poorly. Each and every one of the many undead directly loyal to the Sorcerer King were stronger than her. Because of that, she was looking for a way to raise her value in their eyes.

    Jiiv¡¯s stomach began aching again as he thought about the hopeless reality that the Sorcerer Kingmanded a thousand undead who were individually stronger than ¡°Heavy Explosion¡±, one of the mightiest warriors of the Kingdom ¨D and that was not including the Sorcerer King himself.

    What should I do about this?!

    A single strong person cannot change the course of a battle, they said. Yet, reality said otherwise.

    The Kingdom¡¯s Gazef Stronoff was a man who could do just that. It was even more true of the Empire¡¯s head magician, Fluder Paradyne, a being who could shake an entire nation.

    Each of them was a figureparable to an army, or a country.

    In other words, even without considering the frightening power of its undead king, the Sorcerous Kingdom already wielded the might of a thousand armies.

    There¡¯s nothing to be done, is there? If... well, you couldn¡¯t stop him even with a thousand armies, right? ...As I thought, giving up is better...

    Of course, he could not actually say that in front of his subordinates, but the idea had appeared in Jiiv¡¯s mind several times already. In fact, it had been his first thought once he heard about the Battle of Katze ins.

    ¡°¨DThen, Your Majesty. After we meet with Silver Canary, we¡¯ll move out. Will that be alright?¡±

    Jiiv shifted his gaze to regard the man seated before him.

    Before him was one of the Four Knights, ¡°Lightning Bolt¡± Baziwood Peshmel.

    Jiiv nodded in silence.

    They had hired a team of adamantite-ranked adventurers as security for today. While they were ostensibly there as a security detail, their main objective was to seek out any spies from the Sorcerous Kingdom. Regretfully, he could not meet up with Ijaniya, which had been considered as one of the alternatives. This also made Jiiv realise that inducting them into the Empire would be very difficult.

    ¡°Your Majesty, although adamantite-ranked adventurers possess the highest fighting strength of all humanity, they still cannot step beyond the bounds of human ability. Please do not lower your guard.¡±

    Jiiv was painfully aware of those words which ¡°Violent Gale¡± Nimble Arc Dale Anoch was trying to tell him. In fact, having seen the serried ranks of monsters within that throne room, he understood those words better than Nimble, who had watched that grand massacre with his own eyes.

    ¡°Of course. However, they might well be able to hold out. Consider the Kingdom¡¯s adamantite-ranked adventurer, Momon. He pointed his sword at the Sorcerer King and defended the people with his strength. Since the members of Silver Canary are adamantite-ranked adventurers as well, it¡¯ll be quite troubling if they can¡¯t do the same.¡±

    As he said this, Jiiv smiled sadly.

    ¡°And if even they... if even they can¡¯t do it, what then?¡±

    Jiiv¡¯s question brought pained expressions to the faces of both knights. That look was a better answer than anything they could have said. Unconsciously, Jiiv began mirroring their expressions.

    ¡°Your Majesty, please do not make that face. We might not be strong, but we will still devote our hearts and souls topleting our task.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Your Majesty. Please, adopt that confident, swaggering attitude of yours again. This fragile state you¡¯re in now doesn¡¯t suit you.¡±

    Their gentle words pierced Jiiv¡¯s heart, and he could not bring himself to say, ¡°doesn¡¯t that apply to you as well?¡± Yet, he decided to ept them withoutint. Those words might have had as much effect as scattering water on the desert, but it was true that they had soaked into the desert of his heart.

    ¡°..Forgive me. Thank you for your sincerity. Then... since only the two of you are here, would you mind listening to my foolishness for a while?¡±

    The two knights nodded wordlessly.

    ¡°What do you think I should do? Why would a monster like that appear next to the Empire? Why? What sin did Imit against heaven and earth to warrant that? What should I do to y that monster ¨D or failing that, to seal it away? Now that the Empire¡¯s trump card has been stolen away by the enemy, is there really any way to turn the situation around?¡±

    He had not nned to say that much.

    If Jiiv did not stand at their head, his people would not be able to follow him. One who ced himself above others needed to adopt an appropriately superior attitude. This was especially true for the Bloody Emperor, who had purged many nobles.

    The Emperor could not afford to show weakness. That was a lesson which his respected father had taught him.

    However, all humans had a limit to what they could take.

    The human side of Jiiv was one he would only show to his concubines. Now, that part of him was shouting.

    ¡°It¡¯s true I asked him to cast us a spell. But that couldn¡¯t be helped! We can¡¯t n any countermeasures if we have no idea of his abilities! Am I at fault for that? Must I take responsibility for everything that went wrong? Everyone seems to think so!¡±

    Jiiv bit his lip and clutched at his hair.

    The truth was, this was merely the tip of the iceberg. If Jiiv hadpletely given himself over to the feelings in his heart, he would probably be crying and screaming and rolling around on the floor. He was simply trying to protect the image of the Emperor.

    Still, he had some sense of self-awareness about how he was letting himself go.

    It would seem this was bing a habit, so Jiiv returned himself to normal.

    ¡°Forgive me. It seems I got a little excited. I¡¯ve been under a lot of stress recently.¡±

    He nced down, and saw strands of hair on his fingers.

    Judging from the portraits, none of his ancestors had thin hair. Jiiv could not help but muse that he might be the first Emperor in the history of the Empire to go bald.

    He waved his hand to keep his subordinates from noticing. Sometimes pity hurt more than a rebuke, and the same applied to the matter of hair loss.

    ¡°That said, it might not be very convincing after you¡¯ve seen that side of me. However, the two of you need not worry. I¡¯ll take care of it, somehow. I won¡¯t let him do what he wants to the Empire.¡±

    That confident smile of his seemed to soften the faces of his subordinates.

    However, none of them was truly at ease.

    They too understood that Jiiv¡¯s words were just temporary relief.

    No matter how they thought, they could note up with any way to deal with that monster.

    In truth, Jiiv felt it would be impossible unless there was a weapon which could permanently y the undead, or unless another very powerful human being showed up.

    That¡¯s why we need to rely on the ine Theocracy. Their history is longer than ours, so they might be able to find a weapon that can y the undead in one blow. No, just sharing information with them will allow us to keep fighting!¡±

    All he could do now was pray that this was the case.

    The coach continued forward, and with it rode Jiiv¡¯sst hopes.

    ? ? ?

    The arena was circr in shape. There was arge entrance at one of its sides through which the coach entered. This entrance led to the VIP rooms, and very few people made use of this entrance. The other entrances were used for the entry and exit of the regr patrons or for the transportation of cargo. These were the three main types of entrances to the arena.

    The first to alight from the coach were, naturally, the two knights serving as bodyguards. After they had verified the safety of the location, Jiiv dismounted from the coach.

    Five men waited for them there.

    Their manner of dress looked entirely out of ce for the VIP entrance.

    Jiiv could evaluate the worth of any particr work of art with a nce, but he could not divine such information from their gear and equipment. This was because what they were wearing was both artwork and wargear. Theirs was not the outfit of a noble¡¯s house guards, but the panoply of battle-hardened veterans.

    By the normal rules of etiquette, the inferior party should have introduced themselves first. However, some adventurers did not care about status or rank, and these were such adventurers.

    Still, he was the ruler of the Empire. Was it really appropriate for him to be lowering his head to adventurers?

    Amidst this awkwardness, the man standing in the center of the group of five spoke up:

    ¡°Your Majesty, Emperor Jiiv Rune Farlord El-Nix. I believe this is the first time we have met, and it is an honor. We are the adamantite-ranked adventurer team Silver Canary, who have epted the request of providing security services. I am the team leader, Freivartz. Pleased to meet you.¡±

    His dignified voice echoed through the surroundings.

    He had a lute on his back and a rapier at his waist. He wore a chain shirt which wreathed his body in bizarre lights.

    All his equipment did not just reflect the light, but emitted magical radiance from within. Every piece of his panoply looked like it was a first-rate magic item, especially that lute, which was also known as Star Symphony.

    As he observed the man¡¯s thoroughly confident attitude, Jiiv recalled himself from several months back, and could not help but feel some envy.

    ¡°... I have heard about the deeds of you gentlemen, the highest-level adventurer team in my country. That heroic saga of how you slew the Radiant Crawler truly got my blood boiling. Therefore, I know about all of you to some extent. However, since this is a rare opportunity, could I trouble you to personally introduce the heroes of my country to me?¡±

    ¡°Then, allow me, as the bard to...¡±

    ¡°¨DC¡¯mon chief,y off a bit, will ya? Hate ta say it, but when I hear ya go at it, I break out in bumps. Shiny shortsword or whatnot... anyway, can we just skip that part? Ayy, Yer Majesty. Sorry ¡®bout the way I talk, I was born this way. No worries, yeah?¡±

    The man beside Freivartz stepped forward and gently inclined his head.

    He was a stocky and short man. Though he had a smile on his face, those disproportionately small eyes of his had no mirth in them.

    He was Ke No Seydeshtin, a man with thief sses known as the ¡°nner¡±.

    (TL Note: ¡°nner¡± here is used in the same way as ¡°Assassin¡±)

    There was not much information about the ¡°nner¡±, so there was much which remained unknown about him. He was probably closer to the underworld and more involved in ambushes and assassination than regr thieves.

    Jiiv indicated that he should not worry about it, and then Baziwood chuckled.

    ¡°Haha, it¡¯s fine. His Majesty¡¯s long used to it.¡±

    ¡°Oh, and this would be... you must be ¡°Lightning Bolt¡±-san of the Empire¡¯s Four Knights. Could it be you were born there as well, friend?¡±

    ¡°Hm? Ahh, no, probably in a different ce. I popped out in a dirty little alley. You must have crawled out of a deeper and darker ce than me.¡±

    ¡°Seems that way. The air around you¡¯s different... sorry ¡®bout that. Guess I was too hasty.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, ¡°Dark Cloud¡±.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never called myself ¡°Dark Cloud¡± before... really, this is all your fault, chief.¡±

    Freivartz simply quirked up the corners of his mouth as Ka looked to him.

    ¡°It¡¯s better to let us introduce ourselves rather than go by strange nicknames. My apologies, Your Majesty. First, this is Seyde, our eyes and ears. Next is our fighter. You might be a bit surprised when you see him, but I can guarantee his strength.¡±

    ¡°No, of course His Majesty won¡¯t doubt him. After all, I feel he might be stronger than me.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m d to hear that from a strong man. This is Fan Rong.¡±

    The person being introduced was a red-furred ape which stood around 170cm tall. He was wearing armor that looked like it was made of white furs, and he had battle axes on either side of his waist.

    He was an Ape Beastman, as well as one who channelled the spirit of the apes through the power of his warrior ss, the Beast Lord. He had read about this in a report before, but actually seeing it with his own eyes was quite the shock.

    And indeed, by appearances alone, he looked stronger than even Baziwood, the mightiest of Jiiv¡¯s subordinates.

    Fan Rong raised his right hand and waved to Jiiv and the others.

    ¡°Then, next is the one who heals our wounds.¡±

    Freivartz hurriedly began the next introduction. This was because he was worried Jiiv would be displeased.

    This time, the man at Freivartz¡¯s left stepped forward.

    ¡°Forgive me,¡± he said as the strange staff he held made a ringing noise. That weapon was apparently called a ¡°shakujo¡±.

    ¡°This humble monk goes by the name Unkei and is a follower of the Buddha. Pleased to meet you.¡±

    Though he was dressed strangely, he seemed quite a bit more civilized than the Beast Lord from just before.

    After he removed his bizarre,rge hat ¨D called a fukaamigasa ¨D the head thus revealed had no hair upon it. If he had not known that the man had shaved it all off himself, Jiiv might have looked pityingly upon him. He was quite young, after all.

    (TL Note: the fukaamigasa is a straw hat associated with monks)

    He wore a strange battle robe called a kasa. He was a soryo, who were spiritual magic casters thatcked a bit in the healing department, but which showed exceptional power when battling the undead.

    (TL Note: kasa are cassocks associated with Buddhist monks)

    The Buddha he followed hailed from the far South, and had few followers. Some viewed him as one of the followers of the Four Gods. There was little known about him and there had been no interest in building a temple to such a god within the Imperial Capital. However, Jiiv did know that this man¡¯s existence was considered a nuisance of sorts.

    Basically, the temples set the price for the use of healing magic. However, when a lone, unaffiliated user of healing magic appeared, how would they deal with him? What would they do if that man was also an adventurer of the highest order ¨D an adamantite-ranked adventurer?

    There was no particr link between the Empire¡¯s government and its religion. The fact that Jiiv had no ties to them could be considered good fortune.

    He did not want to be further embroiled in troublesome issues.

    However, when checking through the man¡¯s record, he found that he disyed exceptional performance against the undead, which immediately drew Jiiv¡¯s attention. If need be, he might need to apply the necessary pressure to the temples. Of course, that was only if his abilities were really that effective.

    ¡°I see. Then, thest one must be Powapon.¡±

    ¡°It is as you say, Your Majesty.¡±

    The man Freivartz had saved forst was stranger than the ones before him. He was arguably the most bizarrely-dressed of the five men, and he lowered his head to Jiiv.

    His bare upper body was tanned ck with strange white patterns painted all over him. This was probably because he was a member of the odd ss called the Totem Shamans.

    ¡°...Aren¡¯t you cold?¡±

    ¡°I have already equipped a magic item which protects against shifts in the temperature, so there is no problem at all.¡±

    Jiiv could not help but feel surprised at the reply, which was more normal than he had expected. He had received reports about his queer appearance, as well as the news that he was a regr person under all that. Still, the sheer dissonance filled him with surprise. At a closer look, he seemed quite handsome, and quite young as well.

    Why had he chosen this ss? Part of him wanted to know, but at the same time he did not want to now.

    Jiiv regarded Silver Canary before him.

    This was a weird team made up of weird members. The only thing they had inmon was that they carried a feather of the silver canary their team had once raised somewhere on their persons (in the case of the Totem Shaman, it was on his waist).

    Those feathers glittered with silver light, as though they had just been shed.

    ¡°Understood, gentlemen. Then, I¡¯ll be in your care today.¡±

    ¡°Leave it to us, Your Majesty. Think of it asing aboard our ship.¡±

    Jiiv could not help but grin wryly as he heard Freivartz¡¯s words, and made to leave. However ¨D

    ¡°¨DHang on a bit, Yer Majesty,¡± Seyde said in a dull voice.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been hired to protect ya, Yer Majesty, so please don¡¯t walk so far ahead. That okay?¡±

    ¡°It is not a matter of being okay or not. You were hired to protect me, so I will do whatever you deem necessary. In addition, if you feel that you need to make use of their strength, please feel free to order them around. However, I¡¯d like to request that they be kept near me as much as possible.¡±

    ¡°Well how about that. So we canmand the Empire¡¯s Four Knights as we please, I guess we¡¯ve really hit the big leagues now. Still, it¡¯ll be fine if you two stay by His Majesty¡¯s side. If anything happens, just run when we give you the instruction. That oughta do it. Then, y us a tune, chief.¡±

    ¡°Got it. My apologies for Seyde¡¯s tone, Your Majesty. No matter how many times I tell him, he always ends up doing that...¡±

    ¡°No need to worry. That said, it might be troublesome if he did that in a public area...¡±

    Perhaps Freivartz had gotten the message, but he nodded slightly. That implied that he knew the right time and ce for this sort of thing.

    And then, he sang. No, this was less of a song than a collection of bizarre sounds. This was because there were some parts he could hear, but not understand. It stopped after several seconds, although the strange music lingered in their hearts. Then, Seyde made his move.

    If one had to attach some form of sound effect to his movements, both ¡°sluggish¡± and ¡°slimy¡± would be appropriate. Either way, Jiiv was not capable of those movements.

    ¡°Then, please keep about ten meters back and follow me.¡±

    They did as Seyde said, keeping ten meters back before moving on. Jiiv took the opportunity to ask Freivartz about the song from just now.

    ¡°What was that, anyway?¡±

    ¡°Does Your Majesty not know? That was a bard skill, a spellsong. It differs from user to user, and can be performed with various instruments, but in my case, I evoke its effects through song.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s it, huh.¡±

    Freivartz could not help but smile as he saw Jiiv mumble to himself. Just at that moment, Jiiv remembered something he wanted to learn about, but did not have a chance to follow up on. He decided to take this opportunity and asked:

    ¡°...I have something to ask you. Can that spellsong control people?¡±

    ¡°Spellsongs can convey a suggestion effect, just as spells can. It should be possible. In addition, they should be able to charm people, to a certain extent.¡±

    Jiiv looked at Freivartz.

    ¡°I see... is that so...¡±

    ¡°That should be it, yes.¡±

    So that monster had the power of a bard, unless¨D

    ¡°Then, what do you know of monsters which look like frogs?¡±

    ¨DUnless it was an innate ability as a monster. That possibility could not bepletely crossed out. It was very important to make sure of that.

    ¡°Frogs? You mean like Giant Toads?¡±

    ¡°No, not like that. Something more intelligent. I¡¯m talking about a monster which stands on two legs, and can instantly activate something like that spellsong.¡±

    ¡°...Do you mean a Toadman? A Toadman bard would fit your description... but if I recall correctly, Toadmen are not particrly outstanding demihumans. Perhaps if it was an old, tribe leader-ss Toadman... I¡¯ve heard those can use special abilities to confuse the foe.¡±

    What happened there was not quite confusion.

    He had read about the demihumans known as Toadmen, but their appearances differed slightly from the monster called Demiurge. Could he be a mutant or offshoot Toadman, or perhaps a king-type Toadman? Those possibilities could not be discarded, but it was most likely that those were not the case.

    ¡°It seems not. My deepest apologies, Your Majesty. There is simply too little information. Perhaps, if you could tell me more about the creature in question, I might be able to solve this mystery for you.¡±

    That was like a life preserver to a drowning man.

    ¡°Really now. Then, I shall tell you about the appearance of this monster. If possible, could you use your wisdom to help me out? In addition, could you tell me in detail about spellsongs?¡±

    In the Empire, there was probably nobody who knew more about monsters than adamantite-ranked adventurers.

    ¡°Your Majesty, that would be imposing on them. These are their livelihoods you¡¯re talking about.¡±

    Freivartz chuckled in response to Baziwood¡¯s words.

    ¡°Well well, it¡¯s true we can¡¯t talk too much about our trump cards. Still, answering that question earlier should be fine. Just... would it not be better to ask that great magic caster-dono? I¡¯m sure he would know more than us...¡±

    Jiiv strove not to show any information when the topic of Fluder came up.

    He had already issued a gag order on Fluder¡¯s betrayal, so no information had been leaked. For now, Fluder was still in his position as the head magician, though his privileges and powers were slowly being stripped away so he would not notice. At the same time, he was looking for a way to fill the gap Fluder would leave.

    From the size of that gap, Jiiv realised exactly how much of a boon Fluder had been for the Empire, but it was already toote.

    ¡°We can¡¯t keep relying on the old man. This is like homework for a student. If one simply waits for all the answers because one had a good teacher, he¡¯ll wind up being scolded for it.¡±

    Jiiv¡¯s words were met with severalughs.

    ¡°Indeed, Your Majesty has a point. I understand. Well, the fees for this request were quite above average, given the task we were hired to perform. Then, I¡¯ll summarize the matter of spellsongs for youter.¡±

    ¡°I see. I¡¯ll leave that to you, then.¡±

    There were several VIP rooms in the arena. One was reserved for the arena¡¯s investors. One was reserved for high-ranking nobles. Then, there was the one reserved for the Emperor, for a total of three. They were currently heading for the room that had been set aside for the Emperors through the generations. Perhaps Seyde had scouted the route before, but he did not ask the way even though he was leading the group.

    Atst they arrived, but at the corner before they could see the door of the room, Seyde reached a hand out to Jiiv, indicating that he should stop.

    ¡°Not picking up anyone here, but let me go first. Can you guys wait at this corner for a bit?¡±

    He did not wait for a response to his whispered words, but instead turned the corner like he was going for a stroll. His curiosity piqued by this, Jiiv had a look of curiosity on his face as he tried to spy out the situation.

    He approached the door without making a sound, and after doing something, he slowly opened the door. Although he had barely cracked it open, that seemed to be enough for him to enter, and his entire body vanished into the room.

    After a while, the door opened, and they could see Seyde¡¯s face within.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. This room is safe.¡±

    The group entered the room, which had been verified as safe.

    Jiiv looked around.

    It was a little small, but the exquisitely-made furniture was all first-ss. The room had been immactely cleaned for the Emperor, who hardly visited.

    Arge window had been opened on the side of the room which overlooked the arena, allowing a panoramic view of the scenes below. If one squinted, they would be able to see rows upon rows of fully upied seats, packed with an audience which was excited to a fever pitch and cheering wildly.

    The reason for therge crowd was because the Martial Lord had been suddenly scheduled for an appearance.

    The king of the ring ¨D the Martial Lord ¨D was overwhelmingly powerful. There was nobody he could fight in earnest. Therefore, it had been a long time since there had been a match with the Martial Lord.

    It was because of such a long-awaited battle with the Martial Lord that the crowd hade, drawn by anticipation of the heroic figure who would battle him.

    As expected, a big reason for that was admiration for strength. Since the Empire had its professional warriors called knights, the battlefield was like another world for the dwellers of the Imperial City. This was why they looked forward to the spectacle of a life-and-death battle.

    No, he had heard there were knights who enjoyed the arena as well.

    In other words, they looked forward to a spectacle and disy of brutality.

    Just as Jiiv was spaced out while thinking of this, Silver Canarypleted their sweep of the room.

    ¡°Were there any signs of divination magic being used in here?¡±

    ¡°We discovered no traces of such magic, Your Majesty. Is that right?¡±

    ¡°Yup. Well, seeing if spells have been cast is pretty hard for me, so I did a look-see around, checked for any magic items, but nothing turned up. Still, hope ya don¡¯t forget that I don¡¯t have the perception of a thief. Please don¡¯t think it¡¯s absolutely safe... well, our chief¡¯s boosted our detection ability with his spellsong, so it should be fine.¡±

    ¡°Regarding the field of magic, this humble monk has used a divination to investigate the surroundings. However, there were no traces of any spells being cast. In any event, I have created a magical barrier which should impede divination spells, so one can assume that it should be fine.¡±

    Unkei thumped his shakujo on the ground, and a clear ringing echoed through the room.

    ¡°Then, may I make another request? Is there magic which detects the presence of people nearby? It would be best if it was a spell which could detect even an invisible person.¡±

    ¡°Regretfully, this humble monk does not count such spells among his repertoire. However, I believe our leader has such a spell.¡±

    Freivartz, whose name hade up, signalled that he understood and left the room.

    ¡°Now what? What measures will you take if the foe intends to eavesdrop upon us?¡±

    Jiiv strove to think of what he could do against Ainz Ooal Gown. However, it was impossible to imagine what surpassed the imagination. The fact was, that man seemed so massive in his mind that everything he could visualize felt insignificant against him.

    ¡°...Frankly speaking, I think it should be fine after doing this much. At least, that¡¯s what I think. Don¡¯t look at me like that, we¡¯ve fortified ourselves with several spells already, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how it is, Your Majesty. This humble monk has already used anti-divination magic and configured it so that any attempt at magical investigation will send an alert to me. Please be at ease.¡±

    Seyde and Unkei spoke thusly, one after the other.

    Did they think he was obsessed? Or did they think he had gone a little mad because he was worried about assassination?

    Still, what would these two think if he told them they were going up against the Sorcerer King? Now that was what really interested Jiiv. Would they say, ¡°we can¡¯t possibly prepare enough against him?¡± Or would they say, ¡°If we¡¯d known that, we wouldn¡¯t havee for this measly sum¡±?

    Naturally, the best scenario was to not tell them anything about the Sorcerer King and have them prepare against all threats as best as they could.

    Still, no matter how much he tried to censor information on the Sorcerer King, he could not stopper 60,000 mouths.

    News had probably gotten out. That being the case, since adventurers tended to spend more time gathering information the higher-ranked they were, there was a veryrge chance they had already learned about the Sorcerer King¡¯s abilities.

    It wouldn¡¯t be hard for them to figure out why I really wanted them here, no?

    After pondering various possibilities, Jiiv decided to bluff his way through with a warm smile.

    The two of them realised that Jiiv could not ept what they had said. Neither did they have anything else to say beyond that.

    A great cheer rose up from the arena.

    From where they were, it would seem that one of the battles between the diators had a winner.

    In the past, the defeated were condemned to death, but not any more. There were still cases of deaths in battles, but there would be no killings after the victor was determined.

    Apparently, a diator had been spared because his repeated defeats were amusing. This allowed him to awaken his true power and he became champion, whereupon that particr restriction had been abolished. This decision had been made because there might be another person like him someday.

    Which Martial Lord was that? Although he couldn¡¯tpare to the current Martial Lord, he was apparently quite a powerful chap. But, these people aren¡¯t loyal to any country. I need to think about how to get them on my side...

    ¡°In any event, we¡¯re done here, Your Majesty.¡±

    Jiiv turned when he heard Freivartz¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    He should probably have been more sincere in his thanks toward these adamantite-ranked adventurers. However, he had simply tossed off the usual appreciation instead.

    ¡°You¡¯re wee. Still, we were hired for protection, so should we stand by in this room?¡±

    They were hired as bodyguards. With that in mind, it was a reasonable suggestion.

    However, would it really be alright to have secret talks with them in the room?

    Granted, there might be merits to involving them in this. However, once they realised what he was aiming for, he ran the risk of making unnecessary enemies.

    Still, they¡¯re nothingpared to that ¨D what am I thinking? I¡¯mparing every challenge I meet to that monster, that¡¯s proof that I¡¯m starting to go mad, if nothing else. Besides, it would be stupid to keep making enemies.

    Jiiv shook his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but there will be important talks taking ce after this. It would be quite troublesome to have you waiting in here.¡±

    ¡°However, it¡¯ll be very difficult to protect you that way, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°There are two men I trust in this room. They ought to be able to buy enough time for you to get here.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true,¡± the hereto silent Ape suddenly said. ¡°However, if the enemy is an assassin on the level of Seyde and if things go wrong, they might end up making quite a mess.¡±

    ¡°When you talk about an assassin of my level, you¡¯re probably talking about that girl from Ijaniya. She¡¯s the kind who can use ninjutsu to suddenly attack from the shadows.¡±

    ¡°Well, with these two warriors around, a sword-wielding foe should not pose any difficulty. However, what about magic? It is precisely that point which makes this humble monk uneasy. In addition, I feel that we will be more interested by the match than any talks Your Majesty is conducting, no?¡±

    They had all ended up trying to persuade him to let him stay, but since Jiiv was this determined to not let information leak out, he could not ept their suggestions.

    ¡°Your doubts are well-reasoned, gentlemen. However, I cannotpromise on this point, be it as a man or as the Emperor of the Empire.¡±

    Silver Canary looked to their leader, who sighed deeply.

    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped, then. I¡¯m sure Your Majesty must have your reasons which you can¡¯t disclose to us. Then, we¡¯ll stand watch outside. However, can you tell us exactly who ising?¡±

    ¡°A reasonable question. However, you have to pretend that you saw nothing. Can you?¡±

    ¡°Of course. We will not reveal anything, no matter whoes. If it gets out, we will dly bear the consequences.¡±

    ¡°I trust you. First are the High Priests of the God of Fire and the God of Wind. There will be four other priests with them.¡±

    ¡°I see. Then, we¡¯ll be on guard for anyone besides these people.¡±

    ¡°Ah, please do. This VIP room was segregated from the other VIP rooms during its construction. I doubt anyone will get lost and wander here by ident.¡±

    ¡°Understood... Also, is it alright if we break the lock on the doors, Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°You may destroy them if you see fit.¡±

    Fan stepped forward. A sinewy, scratchy sound came from his hands, which clutched the hilts of his battleaxes with a force that no human could match. It seemed a bit excessive just to break a lock, but Jiiv was no warrior, and had no room toment.

    However, the two members of the Four Knights had surprised looks on their faces as they spoke quietly to each other. That got Jiiv¡¯s attention.

    Fan slowly raised his battleaxes.

    ¡°¨DAh, you can¡¯t break the doors.¡±

    Fan stopped halfway as he heard Freivartz speak. Jiiv¡¯s brows furrowed.

    ¡°Why not? Weren¡¯t we going with the n of ¡®Oh, we were nning to break the lock, but we wrecked the door too, what a shame, why don¡¯t wee in as well?¡¯ or something?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t do that this time. I don¡¯t want to get involved in thatplex political stuff.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. This humble monk does not wish to be even more hated by the temples.¡±

    ¡°All right. Then this much should be enough.¡±

    Fan gently swung his battle axe, and effortlessly broke the lock.

    He should have been speechless. Or perhaps he should have been displeased. Perhaps he should have felt many things, but all Jiiv felt was impressed. It made him think, as expected of an adamantite-ranked adventurer.

    He was not impressed with how he could so easily break a lock with a battleaxe, but by the sheer audacity of openly saying such things in front of the highest authority in this country. In addition, there was the arrogance it took to dere that they were willing to ignore the wishes of their client ¨D who was also the most powerful man in the country ¨D in order to do the best job they could.

    These were the things that Jiiv nowcked.

    ¡°...I might as well drag them all into the mud of bureaucracy so they can¡¯t escape.¡±

    Just as Jiiv quietly mumbled that, the members of Silver Canaries fled like frightened rabbits, as though they had arranged it from the beginning.

    The only people left with Jiiv were the two knights, who looked at each other.

    ¡°That was impressive. They worked together so closely without any form ofmunication. ...Perhaps that¡¯s only to be expected? They¡¯re adamantite-ranked because they can do that.¡±

    ¡°...Well, I don¡¯t know what to say. Though, it might not be quite right to admire them... Your Majesty, should we make drinks?¡±

    ¡°We should. Sorry about that. Can you help me with the preparations?¡±

    ¡°Understood. Then,e help out too, Baziwood-dono.¡±

    Baziwood frowned at the suggestion.

    ¡°Eh? Me too? Your Majesty, we should have brought a maid along, shouldn¡¯t we? Our guests would probably find the drinks tastier if a girl was serving them. I mean, I know I would.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes. Enoughining. Baziwood-dono, please be extra careful.¡±

    ¡°Please, Baziwood. There¡¯s no point wishing for what we can¡¯t get. We have to work with what we have. Just like the Empire.¡±

    ¡°That analogy could use some work, Your Majesty,¡± Baziwood spoke as he busied himself with the preparations.

    Cries of encouragement rang out from the arena below, and there were howls which sounded slightly different from those of wild beasts.

    The next match had already started.

    Jiiv searched his memories.

    The match before the Martial Lord¡¯s was apparently between adventurers and monsters. Matches where adventurers fought were quite popr with the audience, because it was more likely that they would be shy affairsced with magical explosions and the like.

    Jiiv felt very touched as he looked down on the heated intensity below him, and he said

    ¡°What a peaceful sight.¡±

    ¡°Really, Your Majesty?¡±

    As he wondered why someone was responding to his self-directed mutterings, Jiiv turned to see Baziwood standing before him. Nimble had a look of annoyance on his face as he handled Baziwood¡¯s share of the work as well.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem peaceful to me at all. Just look.¡±

    One of the adventurers was struck by the w of a bestial monster, and blood flew through the air. The audience wailed and shouted their encouragement.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean the fight, I meant the audience.¡±

    Jiiv looked over the loudly-shouting crowd.

    ¡°Is this not a peaceful sight,pared to the situation which the Empire is in? If the people knew the sort of monsters which lurked under that thin, fragileyer of skin, do you think they could enjoy themselves like this?¡±

    ¡°But isn¡¯t peace good? There¡¯s no point letting the people go around with aching bellies, is there?¡±

    Baziwood was right.

    Jiiv deeply regretted the pointless words he had spoken.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, Baziwood. Then, it¡¯s almost time. What about the preparations?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. I was a bit worried we would not make it in time because somebody was not helping out, but the drinks and paper are allid out. So is the ink.¡±

    The astounding quantity of ink and paper was in case someone was eavesdropping on the VIP room. Although he felt that the cheering was loud enough and this room was distant enough from the others for that not to be a problem, and listening alone could only get one so much, it did not hurt to be redundantly prepared.

    He knew it was very troublesome. He had done this before in the Imperial City, but this was really very tiring.

    The reason he had gone to such cumbersome lengths was because the might of the Sorcerous Kingdom was an unknown value.

    If he knew what they could and could not do, his response might have changed.

    He had nned to use the war to mount an investigation, but it had ended in a truly horrific manner, leading to a terrible tragedy. Still, he could notpletely give up on his investigations. He thought of other methods, but if they were no safer than before, then he could only tremble before the enemy¡¯s shadow. But even if he did get any results, even if he did uncover any actionable methods, he might end up being paralyzed by that same shadow to the point where he might as well give up.

    No, he could not forget that heat that passed through his throat.

    ¡°Ainz Ooal Gown ¨D if I knew the limits of the Sorcerer King¡¯s power, I might not have needed to go this far.¡±

    At that point, he had asked him to help as a coborator, but now that he was a king and a peer, asking him for such help was nearly impossible. No, he could still ask, but thinking about the potential price of such aid made his head ache.

    ¡°It¡¯s not just the Sorcerer King, Your Majesty. It¡¯s pretty bad as long as we don¡¯t know what his vassals can do, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±

    ¡°...What if those subordinates are stronger than the Sorcerer King himself?¡±

    ¡°How could that be? That¡¯s impossible, right?¡±

    Jiiv broke into a cold sweat at that answer.

    As he reflected on the fact that the Four Knights were stronger than him ¨D and that they were his subordinates ¨D he could not bring himself to say that it was impossible. One who stood above others did not need pure physical strength, but other things.

    What if Ainz Ooal Gown was like that?

    ¡°¨DNo, it can¡¯t be. Listen, Nimble. You¡¯ve got it wrong. Understood?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Sorry, Your Majesty.¡±

    If that was really the case, then they were finished. He hoped that at the very most, those subordinates would be equal to the Sorcerer King ¨D and Jiiv was desperately praying to the gods that they would be weaker than him.

    As he thought, they did not have enough information.

    I guess we should continue that n of trying to learn something from that Dark Elf girl, with the knowledge that it could be dangerous. Granted, we can¡¯t buy a lot of ves from the Theocracy, but maybe that method could... Or perhaps trying the boy (Aura) would be better? No, he looks too young, so using women on him probably won¡¯t work. Besides, he seems quite strong-willed.

    Just as Jiiv settled in for a long contemtion, a knocking came from the door.

    The three men looked at each other, and then Nimble went to open the door.

    As expected, Freivartz was there.

    ¡°Your Majesty, the guests have arrived. There are six people in total and I¡¯ve met the High Priests before, so I believe it¡¯s them.¡±

    ¡°Then, pleasee in¨D¡±

    Just as he said that, Seyde chipped in.

    ¡°Whoa, whoa hang on a tick, you guys in the back. Numbers add up, but something¡¯s off? The two of you in the back feel like me. So, you¡¯re from the punishment squad of the temples ¨D the ones who kill apostate priests? I thought you guys were just supposed to be boogeymen?¡±

    ¡°This humble monk is quite surprised too.¡±

    ¡°Whose people are you?¡±

    ¡°Good grief, how troublesome. It would have been fine if you had just let us pass without incident... Firstly, you are mistaken. I ¨D no, we have a good reason to be here. Namely, because the Emperor invited us. He¡¯ll be unhappy if you show hostility to us, you know.¡±

    ¡°H¨Dm. Okay, so could you wait there for a bit? Let me check if you guys are telling the truth here.¡±

    He let Jiiv see their faces. There was the High Priest of the Fire God, the High Priest of the Wind God, as well as four others he had not seen before. They wore dark-colored hoods which prevented him from seeing their full faces, and that was the most suspicious part.

    Since this was the first time they had met, there was no guarantee that they actually were emissaries of the Theocracy. However, since the High Priests were there as well, things would not be able to progress if he did not believe them. The Sorcerer King would be the only one who benefited from any internal disputes which resulted.

    ¡°They are the guests I was waiting for. Sorry, but could you let them in?¡±

    The members of Silver Canary had shocked looks on their faces, but they still let them pass.

    Even after the doors were closed, they did not lower their hoods.

    Jiiv did not say anything about their impolite behavior. They were probably just as wary as Jiiv was, and the object of their mutual caution was the Sorcerer King.

    ¡°It seems my guards have inconvenienced you. I apologize.¡±

    ¡°Please, pay it no heed. The truth is, those adamantite-ranked adventurers were right about the two people in the back.¡±

    The two emissaries took a seat, while the other two people stood at attention behind them.

    Jiiv wrote the word ¡°Scripture¡± on the sheet of paper he had. His response was a faint smile, but it spoke more than any words could. The Theocracy¡¯s special forces were known as the Scriptures, so they must havee from one of the Six Scriptures.

    ¡°Then, why don¡¯t we enjoy the fight first? The main event is about to begin, is it not?¡±

    Jiiv nodded to that question.

    The main event was when the excitement of the crowd reached its peak, and so the noise intensified. This would make eavesdropping very difficult, which was why he had chosen this time and this ce.

    The emissary produced a document and handed it to Jiiv.

    Jiiv carefully revealed the document, so as not to let it be seen from the back or the sides, and saw several questions there.

    Simply put, they were asking why he had asked the Sorcerer King to use that spell.

    Then, they asked about the Emperor¡¯s position on the matter.

    About how much they knew about the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    It was couched in the most diplomatic of terms, but it was still a questionnaire.

    While they could have simply mailed it to him, the reason why he had managed to get them all the way here was because they feared the reach of the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s arms. Or perhaps it was because they did not trust the Empire.

    Dissatisfaction welled up in Jiiv¡¯s chest. However, when he recalled their rtionship with the Sorcerous Kingdom, it was only natural that they would not trust them at all.

    Jiiv filled in his answers just as a round of cheering went up. It would seem the match was about to begin.

    ¡°Before this grand bout, let me call your attention to Emperor El-Nix, who hase to spectate the battle! Ladies and gentlemen, please look to the VIP room above you!¡±

    It was the announcer¡¯s voice, amplified by a magic item.

    ¡°Excuse me.¡±

    Jiiv rose, so the audience below him could see his face.

    The people cheered as one for Jiiv. He turned his handsome face to the people, and smiled silently to them. The women began shrieking for him, and Jiiv felt quite satisfied that his poprity had not yet waned.

    ¡°Thank you very much! Then, next up,dies and gentlemen, the long-awaited battle with the Martial Lord! The preparations will take a while, so please be patient.¡±

    ¡°The Martial Lord, huh,¡± Jiiv muttered.

    Jiiv had once asked Baziwood about letting all the Four Knights battle the Martial Lord. He hadughed and said they had no chance of winning. The answer worried him, so he let Fluder gather some information about the Martial Lord. The results showed that the Martial Lord was a being that was so powerful that it was unfair.

    ¡°Still, who is the Martial Lord fighting, Your Majesty?¡±

    The question from the emissary was an obvious one. The fact was, Jiiv did not have an answer for him.

    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure myself. This match with the Martial Lord seems to have been hastily decided and did not appear on the program either, for secrecy¡¯s sake.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± the emissary replied.

    ¡°Well, anyone who could go one on one with the Martial Lord must be an adamantite-ranked adventurer. However, Silver Canary is here, so it must be someone from Eight Ripples. Honestly, I really can¡¯t approve of exhibition matches with a chance of killing one of the rare adamantite-ranked adventurers.¡±

    ¡°I cannotpletely refute that, but the fact is that strength is attractive. This ce is probably best suited for letting the people see an example of overwhelming power and giving them a dream of making it their own.¡±

    The man who interrupted was the High Priest of the God of Fire ¨D in other words, the highest-ranking member of the God of Fire¡¯s faith.

    ¡°That said, after considering the Empire¡¯s present condition, it¡¯s possible that it might end up lowering its military strength. The Martial Lord is the Empire¡¯s mightiest being. Why not enlist him into your forces?¡±

    ¡°...To think someone like you would actually say something like that.¡±

    The ine Theocracy was a human-centric country. No, it would be better to say that they looked down on the countries of other races.

    They were a nation that could still exist in a world filled with various races after advertising that fact. One had to hand it to them. Or rather, one could say that uniting a species was a condition of building a strong nation.

    ¡°That¡¯s just my personal opinion. It doesn¡¯t reflect on my country. Well, that¡¯s enough chit-chat for now, Your Majesty. Can I have your reply?

    ¡°Indeed. Then¨D¡±

    ¡°¨DThe wait is over,dies and gentlemen! Introducing our challenger!¡±

    Jiiv¡¯s hand stopped as he was about to write the answer to the first question. This was because he was curious about the challenger, who was brave enough to issue a challenge to that Martial Lord. Being acknowledged as a challenger meant that he must be able to put up quite a fight. Did anyone like that still exist in the Empire?

    If he was outstanding enough and was willing to serve the Empire, he would employ him even if he lost. Depending on how things went, he might end up giving him the seat on the Four Knights that ¡°The Immovable¡± had left empty after his death.

    ¡°..The name of the challenger may well be known to many in the audience. That great man hase to grace us today! I give you, the Sorcerer King of the Sorcerous Kingdom, His Majesty! Ainz! Ooal! Gown!¡±

    ¡°¨DHaaaah?¡±

    That sound of utter stupefaction escaped from Jiiv.

    He did not understand the announcer¡¯s words as they buried themselves into his brain.

    Confusion filled the arena, and the VIP room was deathly silent.

    Jiiv looked around him, and he was sure that everyone had heard the same thing.

    ¡°Ainz Ooal Gown?¡±

    ¨DImpossible.

    Of course it was impossible. The leader of a country could not possibly appear in a diatorial match in another country. This was obvious to anyone withmon sense. It was not as if he was a barbarian.

    In the first ce, they had been keeping an eye on the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s movements. If the Sorcerer King had entered the Empire, that matter would have reached Jiiv¡¯s ears immediately. It would have been an absolute top priority matter. He had arranged to have that news reach him whether he was in his harem or in some other ce.

    If that news had not reached him despite all these efforts, that meant¨D

    He secretly entered the country? Why would anyone do that? And he came to the arena? What on earth is he think¨D what? Could it be? Is that how it is? This... how is this possible?

    Jiiv¡¯s body shuddered uncontrobly.

    Then, he shifted his line of sight to look at the emissaries from the ine Theocracy.

    There were keen looks in those eyes under their hoods, and the looks in those eyes said only one thing. No, in all likelihood, Jiiv would have reached the same conclusion if he was in their shoes.

    They were thinking: Jiiv called the Sorcerer King here.

    ¡°Please wait. This is a trap!¡±

    Indeed.

    All this was a conspiracy of Ainz Ooal Gown. If they did not understand that ¨D no, if they could not ept that, the situation would be very dire.

    ¡°A trapid by the Sorcerous Kingdom? Or by someone else? After all, this is the ce you specified, Your Majesty, and we only learned about it a few hours ago.¡±

    That was correct. He had been keeping everything hidden until thest moment in order to reduce the risk of information leaking out.

    Jiiv desperately tried to recall who knew about this matter. The number was very small, and all of them were reliable people. Or was that really the case?

    No¨D

    ¡°¨DIt¡¯s possible that the information was extracted through magical domination. This is definitely not a part of my n. This is the proof. If I had set this trap, would I be so panicked right now?¡±

    ¡°You expect us to believe that? Were you doing this to draw us in? Or perhaps, to sell us out?!¡±

    They did not trust him at all.

    No, that was to be expected. Jiiv would be castigating them if he were in their ce.

    Still, where was the leak? No, did it really leak? Could it be all this was all within the palm of his hand? He set out the bait, and waited for me to take the hook¨D

    Suddenly , a chill wind blew across his back.

    How many of his actions had the Sorcerer King predicted?

    It was very possible that everything that had happened until now was part of his n.

    The Sorcerer King is such an opponent, Jiiv¡¯s brilliant mind concluded.

    How borate was his scheme, anyway? No, now¡¯s not the time to be afraid of his cunning! If I don¡¯t act quickly¨D!

    ¡°No good, we have to leave now¨D¡±

    However, it was toote.

    The intruder¡¯s voice was like that of a hunter who had seen his prey fall into a carefullyid trap.

    ¡°Jiiv Rune Farlord El-Nix-dono. It has been a while.¡±

    As he struggled to control his panicked breathing, he saw the form of the Sorcerer King, who had ascended from the heart of the arena to the same height as that of the VIP room.

    That hateful face of his was on full disy. It must have been to let everyone know that it was the man himself.

    ¡°Thuh, the¨D huu. The same to you, Gown-dono. I did not think I would meet you in a ce like this.¡±

    He had no idea what to say. Just about anything he said could be held against him. However, Jiiv¡¯s lips did not open, as if they had been glued shut.

    ¡°The feeling is mutual. What a coincidence!¡±

    Kuku, the Sorcerer Kingughed evilly. He obviously did not feel it was a coincidence.

    It was not a coincidence at all.

    Jiiv was certain that all this was part of Ainz Ooal Gown¡¯s scheme.

    By taking control of the secret talks with the Theocracy, he would simultaneously apply pressure on both Jiiv and the Theocracy and prevent them from allying with each other.

    That was a truly twisted genius.

    He wiped his sweaty palms on his clothes.

    A lot of information must have leaked out. The question was, how much of it did he know?

    Just as Jiiv was struggling to think, the hateful lights in the Sorcerer King¡¯s eye sockets turned to regard the Theocracy¡¯s emissaries.

    ¡°Friends of yours, Your Majesty?¡±

    Jiiv had no way of answering Ainz¡¯s question.

    This was no simple question.

    It was a test of his intentions.

    Would he lie to protect the people of the Theocracy, or sell them out, as a friend of the Sorcerous Kingdom?

    It was such a malicious scheme that Jiiv began feeling nauseous.

    That emotionless skull looked like it was twisted by evil. It must be mocking him, Jiiv, who could not speak.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? El-Nix ¨D no, Jiiv-dono. You look pale. Are you unwell?¡±

    The fact that he sounded genuinely concerned first disgusted, and then terrified him. He felt like a small animal, squirming within a loving hand. As a human being, it was only natural to feel that terror wrapped up in that joy.

    ¡°It, it¡¯s fine, it¡¯s nothing. I seem to have gotten a little dizzy from standing up so suddenly.¡±

    ¡°Is that so. Well, they say your body is your best asset, you¡¯d best take care of it.¡±

    Jiiv¡¯s excuse sounded very unnatural, but at least he was off the hook for now. Was he waiting for the right moment to finish off his prey, or was he indulging his beloved hobby of sadism? Or perhaps¨D

    ¡°Then, would you gentlemen like to introduce yourselves? I am the Sorcerer King, Ainz Ooal Gown.¡±

    ¨DPerhaps that was what he was aiming for.

    Since he, as the leader of a country, had already stated his name, the other side could not retreat without saying a word. If they gave a false name, if the Sorcerer King learned their real names, how would he react then?

    Stop toying with us!!!

    His expression had not changed, or rather, that was because it was a skinless and fleshless skull. Not only did he not have eyes, the empty orbits of his eyes were upied only by dancing crimson mes, from which no emotions could be read. Yet, Jiiv could feel that evil grin widening.

    ¡°Thank you very much, and in truth we would have introduced ourselves as well. However, a dire emergency awaits our attention, so we must leave immediately. I am sure His Majesty will be more than happy to tell you about us afterwards.¡±

    The emissaries rose from their seats.

    ¡°Is that so? What a shame. I do hope we will meet again. Please be well until then. Then, there is still the matter of the match, so please excuse me.¡±

    With those parting words of mockery (probably), the Sorcerer King descended.

    As his shape vanished below, the emissaries red at Jiiv.

    ¡°How dare you set us up.¡±

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t? No matter how you look at it, he knew everything about his ce. Everything he has done is clearly to mock a bunch of fools who are moving exactly as he predicted ...How much of this did you tell him? How many people were you going to betray to save your own country? You must have asked him to use that illogically destructive spell too, did you not?¡±

    Jiiv desperately cast his eyes toward the priests, seeking help.

    However, he did not see suspicion and doubt in their eyes, but hostility and disappointment.

    The Sorcerer King had struck a magnificent blow at the moment when it was most effective. It was one which would utterly cripple the Empire. It told the Empire that they had no choice left other than to betray humanity¨D

    ¡°Please believe me, I didn¡¯t sell this information to him¨D¡±

    ¡°...Even if we did believe you, there¡¯s no way you can deny the fact that your entire operation has beenpromised. Your Majesty, I am sad to say that we will not be meeting again.¡±

    After saying that, the emissaries made to leave, followed by the priests.

    ¡°Wait! I forbid you to leave this room until I hear your opinions!¡±

    Nimble and Baziwood drew their weapons and prepared to make their move.

    As Jiiv struggled to restore some life to his shattered heart, he stared at the two High Priests. The emissaries did not even look back as they left.

    ¡°You, tell me what the temples think. What do you think about the Sorcerer King!¡±

    ¡°...The Sorcerer King is a wicked, undead being, and we will not suffer it to call itself King.¡±

    Before Jiiv could answer, the High Priest of the God of Fire continued: ¡°However, we cannot defeat it in battle, so we must find some way to destroy it.¡±

    ¡°Betray us if you will, oh Emperor, you who have been seduced by the power of evil.¡±

    That statement, made by the High Priest of the Wind God, clearly illustrated their hostility towards Jiiv.

    This was extremely bad.

    The temples could not influence the government. However, they might well decide to emunicate an Emperor who was in league with the universal enemy, the undead.

    He could not purge them, because the temples were in charge of healing, as well as the saviors of the peoples¡¯ souls.

    If he did that, the Empire would fall apart from the inside.

    To Jiiv, that single move by Ainz Ooal Gown felt like the sweep of the Grim Reaper¡¯s scythe. Even if he did nothing, the Empire would copse. Then, the Sorcerous Kingdom would find some reason toe calling.

    If it was Jiiv doing it, he would use an excuse along the lines of ¡°The country of our ally is in chaos, so we¡¯re sending troops over to help maintain public order.¡±

    Judging by their reaction, the ine Theocracy would not criticize the Sorcerous Kingdom for doing such a thing. The Kingdom would not have the strength to do anything about it, while the City-State Alliance would take a while to make such a statement.

    What kind of enticements could he offer to remove the doubts from their hearts? Or rather, to keep to theirmitments, even if they had doubts?

    Jiiv had always ced that topic foremost in his heart when he spoke to others in his capacity as Emperor. The simplest way to get people to take action was to appeal to their desires. Jiiv had grown up knowing this to be the right way to view things. There were so many humans who were ruled by desire for a pretty face that it was hardly surprising.

    However, at this moment, Jiiv could not find an answer.

    Now that others thought he had betrayed humanity to work with the undead, there was nothing he could offer them.

    All he could do was sincerely and earnestly tell his side of the story.

    ¡°Please allow me to say onest thing. That fellow¡¯s cunning surpasses mine. These developments might well be his doing. ...While I know I would not believe that so easily if I were in your shoes... I truly did not sell you out. And while you might not believe this either, as a human being I wish to tell you one thing. The Sorcerer King¡¯s reign is very merciful. The people of E-Rantel still live in peace.¡±

    ¡°But we have no idea how long that willst, do we?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps. But for the time being, at least, they are safe. If we embark on a war which we cannot win, our country will start going down the road to annihtion. So I hope you will think carefully and not make any rash moves.¡±

    The two High Priests looked at each other.

    Then, their previous hostility toward Jiiv seemed to mellow a little.

    ¡°...It seems we may have been too emotional. If that undead creature truly is as the rumors say he is, we cannot discard the possibility that all this might have been part of his n. Then, may we meet again somewhere, if it is meant to be.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. And before that, I have a request. No matter where, please watch that fellow fight in the arena. If you can see a way to defeat him, please tell me.¡±

    Jiiv lowered his head.

    Conspiracies included, there was no way to beat Ainz in a battle of wits. The human heart was the sole trump card left to those who wished to fight him evenly.

    Cheering came from downstairs, and Jiiv turned to look at it.

    ¡°...Good luck, Martial Lord. Oh, gods!¡±

    Jiiv prayed in earnest for the victory of the Martial Lord.

    <b>Part 3</b>

    The much-awaited Imperial Capital.

    As he peered through the slight gap he had opened in the coach¡¯s window, Ainz felt a terrible sense of defeat.

    Life and energy abounded here.

    The faces of the people were bright. It was a bustling city,pletely unlike the dreary Sorcerous Kingdom.

    And then, the sense of defeat soon faded away. After all, his city had been annexed recently. When a city was taken over by a new ruler, life would change. It was only natural that people would feel uneasy, leading to a temporary state of low energy.

    Punitto Moe had once taught Ainz about strategy games. When one conquered territory during a war, the happiness value of the people would plummet. Also¨D

    ¨DWhat did he say about partisans appearing? The heck? Why would arge amount of weapons appear all of a sudden?

    The first part waspletely unrted to the second. He had the feeling that he had gotten something wrong somewhere.

    Since the game had nothing to do with YGGDRASIL, he had lost interest halfway. However, they should have been vaguely rted, at least.

    He was probably talking about some kind of betrayal. Or maybe it was some form of yer ng, huh... Partisans... seems to be a kind of polearm. So, when he talked about weapons being sold inrge quantities, he was talking about a reason to fight? Citizen levies, maybe? Hm? Maybe they¡¯re fighting the new ruler, but that would be an uprising, right? Then it should have just been called a rebellion from the beginning. Why partisans? Well, it doesn¡¯t matter anyway...

    The reason why there had been no rebellion in E-Rantel was because the Death Knights were patrolling to maintain public order. Or was it because the character of Momon had a calming effect on them? No, perhaps the root reason was because of his benevolent social policies.

    ...Nothing¡¯s better than a peaceful reign. Killing the goose for the golden eggs is utter foolishness. I guess I need to make the asional concession like returning dropped items to an opponent after PKing them, perhaps.

    As he recalled the contents of ¡°PKing for Dummies¡±, Ainz realised that he had gotten distracted, and hurriedly got his thoughts back on track.

    Hang on, I was thinking about high energy. Well, no matter what, I only rule one city, and this is the capital of the Empire, which has many cities, so the difference in their energy levels can¡¯t be helped. Even their poptions are different... So I guess as long as the number of people increases, the Sorcerous Kingdom will also be more vibrant... I guess I need to focus on policies which encourage a poption increase. Albedo can carry them out.

    After Ainzforted himself, he decided upon a new direction to take, in his capacity as a ruler.

    ¡°Then, ah, Your Majesty...¡±

    The man who was looking out the window as well spoke to him, and it brought Ainz back from his thoughts.

    ¡°I, I fear to ask, Your Majesty, but is this not the Imperial Capital, Arwintar?¡±

    The man ¨D who had practically been kidnapped ¨D asked that question in a trembling voice.

    ¡°Indeed it is. As expected of the Adventurer¡¯s Guildmaster, you recognized this ce at a nce.¡±

    ¡°Thank, thank you very ¨D no, wait! I don¡¯t recall us passing through any checkpoints! Isn¡¯t this illegal immigration?¡±

    That was, in fact, what had happened. Since they had used the [Gate] spell to directly transit to the Imperial Capital, they would not have passed through any checkpoints.

    ¡°¨DDetails, details.¡±

    ¡°These aren¡¯t just details! A king crossing the border illegally into another country is an international incident!

    Jiiv did the same thing when he came to Nazarick. Ainz did not say that, of course. Common sense would dictate that the Guildmaster was right and Ainz was wrong.

    After thinking as hard as he could, he still could not think of an exnation which Ainzach would ept. Instead, he ended up sighing at the man¡¯s surprising stubbornness. He had thought he would be the kind of man to say, ¡°Well, as long as you don¡¯t get caught¡±.

    His opinion of the man changed a little.

    ¡°...Guildmaster, I have a very good rtionship with El-Nix-dono. I¡¯ve even eded to his requests in the past.¡±

    Ainz recalled what had happened during that war.

    ¡°Well, I know it¡¯s hardly the same thing, but I¡¯m sure he would dly approve if I just asked him. Granted, it would be after the fact... but wouldn¡¯t it be alright if the Emperor himself permitted it?¡±

    ¡°If, if you put it that way...¡±

    ¡°The most important thing is that neither you nor I have brought anything bad with us. Doesn¡¯t that mean it¡¯s fine?¡±

    ¡°Muu,¡± Ainzach mused.

    Ainz smiled in his heart, believing that he had convinced the other man.

    In truth, there were two reasons for their ndestine crossing of the border.

    If Jiiv knew about this, he would probably prepare a reception for me. He might be wary of Nazarick, but since I¡¯m the king of an allied country, he would have to wee me at the front door. That would be very bad.

    The Emperor would surely host some kind of ceremony to wee the king of an ally¡¯s country. That was something which Ainz, who was unfamiliar with the customs of noble society, had to avoid at all costs.

    If he became aughingstock because of that, he would not be able to look the Guardians ¨D who were working hard for the Sorcerous Kingdom ¨D in the eye.

    There was also another reason.

    Now, I need to think about how to get Ainzach involved in this. Perhaps I should ask for his help like I did when I spun that story at the guild?

    The other reason was because he wanted to pressure Guildmaster Ainzach into his schemes.

    Ainz¡¯s objective ining here was to recruit adventurers.

    He had already incorporated the Adventurer¡¯s Guild as a national organization. However, even if the shell was ready, filling it up would take a long time. This was quite bad for the Sorcerous Kingdom, since it only controlled one city and the number of adventurers they could draw on waspletely insufficient. Using adventurers of other races ¨D like Lizardmen, for example ¨D was a matter forter. Right now, he had to increase the number of human adventurers.

    This was why he had toe here to do talent scouting. If it was not enough, he could recruit from the surrounding countries as well.

    However, this sort of recruitment was not easy, especially since Ainz was essentially going to do door-to-door sales ¨D one of the hardest kinds of work in the sales business.

    ording to Ainzach, adventurers were supposedly frencers, but in truth, they were a form of national defense against monsters. Headhunting them aggressively would lead to stiff bacsh.

    Of course, Ainz did not think he would lose, even if the Adventurer¡¯s Guilds of every single nation mounted a full-scale campaign against him. However, that would reduce the morale of any adventurers he did manage to recruit. It was quite easy to see how they would lose their motivation when seeing a conflict between their new allegiance and their former home.

    This was why he had to involve Ainzach ¨D who understood Ainz¡¯s aims and concepts ¨D in all of this. Surely things would go smoothly if he was the middleman. He had considered that Ainzach would t-out refuse if he told him about this in E-Rantel, so he had dragged him along like this.

    In addition, he was also considering the fact that Ainzach would have something inmon with the other side.

    That was a secret of salesmanship. People tended to gravitate towards those who were simr to them.

    Ainz ¨D no, Suzuki Satoru had seen colleagues leverage the fact that they had been born in the same ce or that they supported the same team as prospective clients to clinch a sale.

    Having once been Momon the adventurer, Ainz understood the life of the adventurer, to some extent. However, he had risen through the ranks so quickly that he could not say that he truly knew the hardships of being an adventurer. Thus, he had to let Ainzach ¨D who was a veteran adventurer and also the Adventurer¡¯s Guildmaster ¨D speak for him to improve the other side¡¯s closeness to him.

    In other words, the sess of their little expedition to the Empire was reliant on Ainzach¡¯s performance.

    Still, the question is, how can I truly motivate Ainzach to help?

    If it was a matter of money, he could certainly pay. However, he did not imagine that such means would make Ainzach give his all.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Aftermanding the driver, the coach began moving quietly. The driver in question was a creature which Ainz had summoned with what little gold he had left, a monster whose level was over 80, called Hanzo.

    Hanzo was a humanoid ninja-type monster, and was skilled in countering stealth. There were others of roughly the same level, such as Kashin Koji, which was skilled in illusion. Fuuma, which was skilled in hand-to-handbat and special techniques, Tobi Kato, which was skilled with weapons, and so on.

    The interior of the coach ttered noisily as it travelled forward.

    Ainz had considered that using a heavily-enchanted coach would be very suspicious. Thus, he had chosen a regr stagecoach instead.

    ¡°...Then, Your Majesty. Since we have already arrived at the Imperial Capital, can you tell me what we will be doing here?¡±

    Ainzach furrowed his brows.

    ¡°We will be recruiting adventurers for our country.¡±

    A bitter expression crossed Ainzach¡¯s face. It was clear he was having trouble epting that.

    ¡°...Could it be that you intend to persuade the adventurers of the Empire to join you?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. We will be headhunting in this country.¡±

    While it had been done during a time of war, the fact that he had killed so many soldiers of the Kingdom would make it very difficult to attract the adventurers from the Kingdom to his camp. In addition, Albedo was visiting the Kingdom, so he could not make things difficult for her. That being the case, their allied country, the Empire, was the ideal option.

    The City-State Alliance was some distance away from here, ording to Fluder¡¯s intelligence on the countries. However, after consulting Demiurge and Albedo, he decided that intervening there was not wise.

    ¡°In what way will you proceed? I...¡±

    Ainzach took a deep breath.

    ¡°...Your Majesty, I have engraved your views on adventurers deep into my heart. Thus, I wish to aid Your Majesty with all my strength. That said, I am still a man of the system, for the most part. I feel that having adventurers abandon everything they have known up till now would be very difficult. This is particrly true for the adventurers of the Empire.¡±

    A sensation of new, fresh joy welled up within Ainz¡¯s chest.

    Indeed, Ainz wanted opinions like this.

    It was not that the Guardians were at fault, but they took everything he said as a divine pronouncement and rushed to execute them. Thus, Ainz was frequently uneasy about whether or not he had given the right orders. Because of that, he had longed to hear someone oppose one of his statements. That way, he would know where the problemsy.

    Ainz¡¯s opinion of Ainzach went up by a notch.

    Still, he could notpletely ept his views.

    Heaven only knew why, but all his subordinates seemed to think that the Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown was a genius. Thus, Ainz could not say or do anything to betray that faith. He could not disappoint them.

    ¡°...How baffling. The benefits ought to outweigh the drawbacks. I do not understand. It seems I do not know enough about adventurers.¡±

    His face ¨D which showed no emotion ¨D was a great help, because nobody could tell he was lying. It was the ultimate poker face.

    At this point, Ainz stopped for a moment and looked Ainzach straight in the eyes. He could not imply that he was waiting for the man¡¯s response.

    ¡°What would you do, if it was up to you? Is there a proposal which would be attractive enough to make adventurers who have already picked out a home base change their minds?¡±

    ¡°...Your Majesty, must we start headhunting right now?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Are we going to start trying to entice the adventurers of the Imperial Capital right away?¡±

    Ainz cupped his chin with a hand as he thought.

    If possible, he would like to do so as soon as possible. However, if he could not, he did not mind waiting. After all, the aim was to sing the praises of the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    Heteromorphs did not possess the concept of a lifespan. In that sense, there was more than enough time.

    ¡°Indeed, it is not particrly urgent.¡±

    ¡°Then, should we noty a strong foundation first? We should build the desired organization within the Sorcerous Kingdom, and then make various other preparations as needed. Once the shell is ready, we can fill it at leisure, is that wrong?¡±

    ¡°That is an excellent suggestion, one which I have considered before. However, it poses a problem of its own. If we do not estimate the contents before we begin to build, the finished vessel may be toorge or too small... Would you care to try?¡±

    ¡°In-indeed, that task is beyond me. After all, I remain unsure of how Your Majesty wishes to nurture adventurers, and I do not understand the extent of your ns for the Sorcerous Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Frankly speaking, I am still feeling things out. In particr ¨D I know you are interested in my words, but I do not know how many hearts they can move. In order to observe their reactions, I havee to the Empire to attempt a test recruitment, and to see the oue.¡±

    ¡°I see... as expected of Your Majesty, you have already nned so far ahead. I am ashamed of my shallow thinking.¡±

    ¡°Certainly not. You and I are different beings. Because of that, I might make a mistake when ites to the reactions of human beings. For all I know, I might say something which upsets others. Please tell me if such a situation urs. In that respect, I will need a helper... Ainzach.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be counting on you in the future.¡±

    Ainzach paused to think for about a second, and then he bowed his head deeply.

    It looked just like how the Guardians of Nazarick did it.

    Ainz graciously nodded as he reflected on his previous words.

    In any case, can I really leave the task of appealing to the Empire¡¯s adventurers to Ainzach alone?

    This was a very important point.

    He could do the presentation himself if need be, but it was not because he particrly liked it. If someone was more adept at a task and more capable, then he should hand it to them. However¨D

    ¨DI can¡¯t leave it all to him. If a problemes up, I ought to deal with it as his superior.

    He did not want to be a bad boss. Ainz clung to that determination. Just then, he realized that Ainzach seemed to have fallen into contemtion.

    ¡°Is something wrong?¡±

    ¡°...Your Majesty, could it be that you do not intend to limit yourself to the current crop of adventurers, but to incorporate the adventurers of the future into your organization and have them explore the unknown world?

    ¡°That was my intention.¡±

    ¡°With that in mind, I feel trying to persuade the present batch of adventurers will be very difficult. However, it might be possible to have those people who wish to be adventurerse to our Sorcerous Kingdom. That is to say, we will gather the hatchlings and then raise them.¡±

    While adventurers knew no borders, the people who became adventurers belonged to a certain country. Ainz had thought of this point as well, but since this man ¨D who was more familiar with this world than Ainz ¨D shared his opinion, then it should be fine.

    ¡°I see. Then, what should we do?¡±

    ¡°The strong have always been admired. Thus, may I ask how your Majesty feels about showing his might as a form of advertisement?¡±

    And what would that aplish? Ainz thought.

    That said, publicity was very important. After all, the reason why he was founding his own Adventurer¡¯s Guild was to spread the name of the Sorcerous Kingdom of Ainz Ooal Gown.

    ¡°...So I have to show my might and do what adventurers do?¡±

    All I have to do is make an Empire-brand Momon, then, Ainz thought. However, Ainzach shook his head.

    ¡°On that note, Your Majesty. This is the Imperial Capital. How would you feel about disying your might in the arena?¡±

    ¡°Hoh...? That sounds interesting. borate.¡±

    ? ? ?

    The coach stopped in a spacious courtyard.

    Momon and Nabe had walked the streets of the Imperial Capital, but Ainz had never seen such a huge personal home during that time. Not even in E-Rantel had he seen a mansion more impressive than this.

    ¡°Is this the home of the arena¡¯s owner? This is quite an impressive ce.¡±

    Ainzach¡¯s response to Ainz¡¯s question was along the lines of ¡°That might be stretching it.¡±

    ¡°The arena itself is state property. People rent it for events, so calling them ¡®promoters¡¯ might be more urate. The person who lives here is among the most powerful of those people.¡±

    ¡°I see... a friend of yours?¡±

    It would be good if that was the case. Regretfully, Ainzach shook his head.

    ¡°There are many events in the arena, and sometimes adventurers end up fighting monsters. I¡¯ve only met this person a few times, when I captured those monsters and shipped them here.¡±

    ¡°Is that so. Still, it ended up being quite useful indeed, so I must thank you for your connection. That said, what sort of monsters did you capture around the outskirts of E-Rantel?¡±

    Ainzach had an ufortable look on his face.

    ¡°We captured the undead from the Katze ins. The undead didn¡¯t need food, so they didn¡¯t incur additional expenses after we captured them.¡±

    ¡°Hoh. Good eye. You do know your stuff, after all.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? I don¡¯t strike myself as a very likeable person... still, Your Majesty. I fear to offend you, but is it really alright to speak of capturing your kind?¡±

    Ainz looked straight at Ainzach.

    What on earth was he on about?

    ¡°Because they¡¯re undead...¡±

    ¡°Ahh, I see ¨D well, there are many kinds of undead. I do not count all undead as my kin.¡±

    ¡°Forgive my disrespect... Then, may I inquire as to what type of undead Your Majesty might be? If it does not offend, of course.¡±

    ¡°I am an Overlord. Have you heard of them before?¡±

    ¡°My deepest apologies, but I have not. I was not inclined toward my studies, so I do not know.¡±

    Well, that¡¯s to be expected, Ainz thought.

    In YGGDRASIL, there were several types of monsters in the Overlord family: the Overlord Wiseman, which was skilled in magic, the Overlord Kronos Master, which could use time-rted special abilities, the Overlord General, which was adept at controlling armies of the undead, among others. Even the weakest of those was at least level 80.

    He had a rough grasp of the strength of this world and the amount of strength one needed to be considered powerful in this world. That being the case, the appearance of an undead being like an Overlord would cause a huge disturbance, particrly because the undead did not age, so they would continue ruling thend for all eternity until it was defeated.

    In other words, the fact that nothing like this had happened implied that there were no Overlords here.

    ¡°Is that so. Well, I intend to send adventurers into the unknown reaches of the world to collect information of that sort. It would be quite troublesome if others of my kind were around, bearing a hatred for the living. Do you understand?¡±

    Ainzach¡¯s eyes went wide, and he nodded.

    ¡°It is as you say. I now thoroughly understand the true nature of adventurers.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Consider me an undead being that is an exception to the rules. I understand the value of humanity, so I will not engage in meaningless ughter. However, other Overlords might not think the same way, no?¡±

    ¡°Is that really the case?¡±

    ¡°That remains to be seen. I do not know if I am the exception, or if my species is an exception in itself. However, should we not assume the worst-case scenario and prepare ordingly?¡±

    ¡°...It is as Your Majesty says. I shall engrave it into my heart.¡±

    Ainzach nodded.

    If there were traces of one having appeared, and having being defeated ¨D it might have had some involvement with whoever brainwashed Shalltear. No, one could not rule out an Overlord being dominated the same way Shalltear had been.

    ¡°Then, I shall go secure an appointment for the meeting.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Ainzach got off the coach. After Ainz watched him leave, he took out his mask and put it on. He could go around barefaced in E-Rantel, but this was the Imperial Capital ¨D and he had crossed borders illegally to be here ¨D so at the very least it was better to hide his true face. His robe was also something that was more subdued.

    Although it meant that his personal equipment would go down by one ss, it could not be helped. After all, Ainz only had one set of divine-ss robes. While he still had the things left behind by his friends, in the end, the armor his friends left behind was more customised than their weapons. Therefore, it was not so much that he could not equip them, but that he could not bring out their full power, being that he could not make use of therge amounts of data that were used to benefit their abilities. That being the case, it was still better for Ainz to use the items which had been made for him, even if they were a little weaker.

    After swapping out his gear, a knocking came from the door of the carriage, followed by Ainzach¡¯s voice.

    It would seem less than five minutes had passed.

    ¡°My deepest apologies, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°What happened?

    ¡°I regret to say that today does not seem convenient. The other party hopes we cane again tomorrow. However, I believe we can force our way in to convey Your Majesty¡¯s words to his ears. What shall we do?¡±

    ¡°There is no need for that.¡±

    Forcing an unsolicited meeting during a busy period would not endear anyone to him. On the contrary, when one looked at it from a business¡¯ point of view, the very fact that they hade uninvited and not been chased away, but given a time to visit again could be considered a major aplishment.

    ¡°Then, we¡¯lle again tomorrow. Good thing there¡¯s been a lot of free timetely ¨D what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Ainz realised Ainzach was goggling at him, and so he asked him why.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. I just felt that Your Majesty is a truly generous person... after all, there are those nobles who look down on merchants...¡±

    ¡°And you believed I would insist on a meeting?¡±

    The fact that Ainz did not answer immediately told him ¡°I did believe that¡± in a way that words could not convey.

    Would that be the right thing to do from a ruler¡¯s point of view, Ainz wondered. While it seemed a bit toote to think of that now, Ainz Ooal Gown was a king. If that was what a ruler ought to do, then he needed to do it, even if it seemed strange to Suzuki Satoru.

    ¡°This is my first time upying a position over humans. Should I not do so, if it was appropriate?¡±

    An ufortable look appeared on Ainzach¡¯s face again:

    ¡°I am unsure, Your Majesty. I have never met the King, so I cannot say if it is true or not. Although, personally speaking, I prefer Your Majesty¡¯s point of view. That said, high-ranking nobles might consider such forcefulness to be appropriate.¡±

    ¡°Human society is soplicated.¡±

    For some reason, Ainzach smiled warmly to Ainz after he muttered that.

    ¡°It might well be as Your Majesty says. There are manyplicated things indeed.¡±

    Their chuckling filled the coach.

    Ainz clenched his right fist where nobody could see. It would seem Ainzach was no longer so guarded. He was sure of it.

    ¡°¨DThen, did you tell him them that I would being tomorrow as well?¡±

    ¡°No, I did not do that. I wanted to hear what you thought of it first, Your Majesty. Or am I permitted to use Your Majesty¡¯s name?¡±

    ¡°...It¡¯s fine as long as they are not humans who will make a fuss. Since they are friends of yours, I will leave it to your own discretion.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Then I shall not disclose it for now.¡±

    After discussing details like the time and so on, Ainzach stepped down from the coach again.

    Ainz felt a bit guilty about using him as a runner. While he knew this was not a world where seniority mattered, Suzuki Satoru was a working man, and it bothered him to order an older person around.

    Now I understand why people dislike having old subordinates.

    He would not have had a problem ordering someone around from apletely differentpany. For instance, if Ainzach was from the Empire, he could point and dictate with no problems at all. The reason why Ainz could not do so was because he hade to see Ainzach as one of his subordinates.

    I need to reward him appropriately. The people of Nazarick don¡¯t ask for payment, but they¡¯re an exception. If I forget this, they¡¯ll think of me as a terrible ruler. I must not be the boss of a ck-hearted enterprise.

    Ainz vowed that to the voice of Herohero in his mind.

    Although, when ites to rewarding Ainzach... how much should I pay him, as a king? The same as a mithril-ranked adventurer? No, there should be a duty allowance as well... so another 5% on top of that? Is there anyone I can ask about how much is appropriate?

    He could discuss it with Demiurge or Albedo, but it was unclear whether the two of them had any idea of what kind of payment was appropriate. He had the feeling they would reply with something along the lines of ¡°He should be d to serve you, Ainz-sama¡±.

    As expected... I need to find a wise human. Fluder said he was very confident in his magical knowledge, but knew next to nothing about other matters.

    Nazarick was arguably invincible, but he felt uneasy about hisck of knowledge concerning human society.

    ¡°...So I¡¯ll start by using him until someone betteres along, then? I guess agreeing with Demiurge¡¯s proposal was the right choice. Then again, I had no intention of denying him when he brought it up...¡±

    (TL Note: This part is fairlyplex; Ainz uses a saying here which refers to taking the first step with something sub-par. However, Ainz has mis-stated one word, going from Úó¤è¤êÊ¼¤á¤è to Ø¤è¤êÊ¼¤á¤è. )

    As Ainz drifted off into contemtion once more, someone knocked on the door.

    ¡°Forgive the dy, Your Majesty.¡±

    It¡¯s not as though I was waiting for you. However, Ainz decided to allow Ainzach to continue, with a magnanimous attitude that best fitted a ruler.

    ¡°As you have desired, the appointment has been made to meet at ten in the morning tomorrow, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Umu. Then, there¡¯s just the matter of waiting until tomorrow... Next, I shall use teleportation magic to send you to E-Rantel. Rx and ept the spell. [Greater Teleportation].¡±

    Ainzach¡¯s body disappeared in an instant.

    The [Greater Teleportation] would safely transport him to the outermost of E-Rantel¡¯s triple gates. Even if there was someone at the destination, the spell would deposit him at the nearest safe location, so there was no need to verify the destination with magic.

    ¡°Then, I should contact that guy with [Message].¡±

    Ainz muttered to himself. This was a distasteful task, so he did that to pull himself together.

    He was sending the [Message] to Fluder, who had offered everything to him. The reason why he had been dragging his feet on giving the man what he had promised was because he did not feel confident he could actually give that old man what he wanted.

    Fluder wanted Ainz to teach him everything he knew about magic.

    Yet, Ainz¡¯s power did note from the study of magic.

    Perhaps if this was YGGDRASIL, he might be qualified to talk about magic. Sadly, the magic system of this world worked slightly different from that of YGGDRASIL.

    Why was it that they learned the same spells in different ways? He had asked himself that question many times, but he could not find an answer. In addition, there was a veritable mountain of other unanswered questions. In the worst-case scenario, he had to consider that he might not be able to use his powers from YGGDRASIL.

    Perhaps he could find the answer by using the level-draining option of the super-tier spell [Wish Upon A Star]. In this world, that spell could alter reality itself, and by draining multiple levels, it could fulfil a greater wish.

    However, that was a very risky gamble.

    It was unknown if he would find the answer even if he used it. It was very likely he would just be wasting effort. More importantly, he was afraid to use a spell which qualified as a trump card. Of course, it would be a different matter if he had a way to obtainrge amounts of experience, but sadly, he had not discovered such a way so far.

    Although he had no lungs, Ainz went ¡°Haaah~¡± as he sighed. He had the attitude of a salesman who was prepared to to apologize for failing to deliver the requested goods to a client as he cast the [Message] spell.

    ¡°Fluder Paradyne. It is I, Ainz Ooal Gown.¡±

    Once he reached him, he continued speaking the pre-arranged words.

    ¡°You were born in Belmous Vige. Your earliest contact with magic was through the spellcaster in your vige.¡±

    ¡ºOhhhh! It is you, Teacher! Long have I awaited this!¡»

    He could feel the gratitude from Fluder.

    Those pre-arranged words were a form of code, because Fluder had said that there was no way to tell if the person on the other side of a [Message] was a friend or a stranger. Thus, they had arranged to verify their identity by mentioning the (already-changed) name of his vige and his memory.

    Still, even after doing that, Fluder¡¯s doubts about the [Message] spell remained.

    He¡¯s got it pretty bad. That said, there was not much Ainz could do about it.

    Ainz made his reply, feeling slightly intimidated by the burning intensity of Fluder¡¯s enthusiasm.

    ¡°Forgive the slight dy. I believe it is time to teach you magic, as we agreed. Are you free now?¡±

    ¡ºOf course! I will make as much time as needed for you, Teacher!¡»

    He wanted to say, ¡°You don¡¯t have to try so hard¡±, but Fluder¡¯s enthusiasm about magic was the truest expression of his character. In the face of this magic-crazed madman, Ainz could not help but feel a little tongue-tied, as a regr person.

    As he considered this great task, which seemed like settling a im by a difficult customer, his stomach began to ache.

    ...My stomach must hurt the worst of anyone in the Imperial Capital.

    Still, he could not dy it any further.

    Before teleporting to Fluder¡¯s room, Ainz decided to verify his destination with a divination spell.

    ¡°All right. I shall now cast [Greater Teleportation] to reach your chambers.¡±

    ¡ºOhhh! Not [Teleportation], but [Greater Teleportation]! Dare I ask which tier of magic it belongs to?¡»

    ¡°...Let¡¯s leave that forter. The [Message] will notst forever. Neither do I have levels inmander-type sses... Still, I would like to ask you something before that. What sort of anti-divination countermeasures have you taken? What spells have you cast? How did you cast them? Did you do anything to ward against teleportation?¡±

    ¡ºNone, none at all, I have not taken any such measures.¡»

    Ainz¡¯s non-existent brows twitched as Fluder replied.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t doing nothing at all a little careless...?¡±

    In other words, everything he said in Fluder¡¯s room might well be leaked to a third party.

    ¡ºMy sincerest apologies. However, I am not adept in that field of magic.¡»

    ¡°In that case, you should use magic items to substitute for that, right? I have seen many magic items in the Imperial Capital, all purportedly made by you.¡±

    Ainz recalled what he had seen when he first came to the Imperial Capital. He had been startled by the fact that they had things like refrigerators on sale.

    ¡ºIt is as you say, but as you must surely know, one must know a rted spell in order to make a magic item. For instance, one must know the [Fireball] spell to make a ming weapon. However, only a few people are willing to learn anti-divination spells...¡»

    ¡°I see,¡± Ainz muttered.

    In YGGDRASIL, one could normally only learn three spells per level. A level 20 character would thus be able to learn a maximum of 60 spells. It would be quite difficult to incorporate anti-divination magic into such a limited selection of spells.

    Perhaps those who were not in the know might think 60 was a sizable sum, but if Ainz was limited to 60 spells from the 3rd tier of magic, he would probably have to spend all day worrying over his choices.

    This was because he had to consider future uses, whether or not he would change his ss and so on. There were many things which needed to be nned for and anticipated .

    From that point of view, his rebuke of Fluder was petty and sad.

    ¡°Indeed, I misspoke. It is as you say. Divination magic would necessarily be a lower priority when studying offensive and defensive spells.¡±

    In the game, he could say, ¡°I¡¯ll learn this, so I¡¯ll leave that to you¡± and easily settle things. However, the choice of spells was a life-changing decision to the people of this world. It would take a very brave person to learn an unpopr spell.

    In addition, the divination school of spells was quite deep. One needed to anticipate the means that the foe would use to collect information.

    Simply put, bing a divination specialist was something which one would stake their lives on.

    ¡°Alright. Then I shall give you the anti-divination item I possess. Use that to ward yourself in future.¡±

    ¡ºYes£¡¡»

    Even without looking, he could tell that Fluder¡¯s head was deeply lowered. For all he knew, he might even be genuflecting.

    ¡ºI have certainly received your loving words, Teacher!¡»

    Ainz had originally nned to give him a decent item, but the thought of that pained his heart.

    ¡°Ah, ahhh... Then I shall scry your room now.¡±

    Ainz cast his spell on Fluder¡¯s chambers.

    He looked down upon the genuflecting Fluder.

    Then, he decided to check for magical auras, and as expected of Fluder, there were many different colors in his room. However, none of them looked like a dangerous color which would impede teleportation. After verifying that, he cast [Greater Teleportation].

    His field of view changed, showing that he had sessfully teleported to Fluder¡¯s room. Though there had been no dys, and he did not sense anyone spying on him, and he was quite certain that he had not jumped into the enemy¡¯s base, he still took a quick look around himself.

    In truth, there was no need to be so worried. However the brief period of vulnerability after teleportation was when it was easiest to be attacked. These protective actions ¨D to defend against being PKed ¨D had been long drilled into Suzuki Satoru¡¯s body.

    ¡°I bid you wee, my Teacher.¡±

    ¡°...Raise your head,¡± Ainzmanded Fluder. In all honesty, there was no need for him to go that far.

    That sort of loyalty ¨D or rather, his thirst for knowledge that led to a desire to obey ¨D was abnormal.

    It was quite simr to how the people of Nazarick acted. Although Ainz had finally started getting used to that sort of thing, seeing it from someone he barely knew made him want to back away.

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°Speaking while standing is not good. I¡¯ll take a seat.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Everything I have is yours, Teacher. Please, sit anywhere you like!¡±

    Complex feelings of whether or not to get used to this ran through Ainz¡¯s heart as he sat on the sofa. However, Fluder did not take the seat opposite him. Instead, he remained as he was, kneeling on the ground with his head raised.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Have a seat.¡±

    ¡°Is, is it really alright? That is, for me to sit in the same way as you, Teacher.¡±

    ¡°...You should have disciples too, right? Do you treat them this way as well?¡±

    This sort of sports-team attitude rmed Ainz, which prompted his question. In response, Fluder shook his head.

    ¡°Not like that, but the difference between myself and you is like that between the heavens and the earth, Teacher. I fear to even begin to mention myself in the same breath as¨D¡±

    ¡°¨DIt¡¯s fine. I grant you permission to sit down. Come. have a seat.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    After he made sure Fluder was seated, Ainz thought, my belly really hurts as he spoke.

    ¡°First, how is the matter that I as¨D¡±

    He changed his mind halfways through the word ¡°asked¡±.

    ¡°¨Dthat I ordered you to handle? That is to say, making a written record of the Empire¡¯s information on the various countries?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Most of the information pertaining to the neighboring countries has already beenpleted. However¨D¡±

    ¡°What happened? Is there a problem?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Or rather, I should say, as expected of the Emperor.¡±

    A look of pride crossed his face. It was the expression a teacher might have toward an outstanding pupil.

    ¡°He seems to have noticed my treachery.¡±

    It was only natural for employees to swear not to reveal their formerpany¡¯s secrets before job-hopping. With that in mind, Ainz was a viin for making Fluder feed him sensitive information on the Empire.

    However, Ainz knew well that he did not run apany, but a country. Nothing was off-limits for the sake of his nation¡¯s prosperity ¨D for the happiness of the people who belonged to the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.

    Ainz held no grudge against Jiiv. However, that meant nothing inparison to the well-being of his own country. If his misfortune made the Sorcerous Kingdom prosper, then he would simply have to suffer.

    That said, Ainz still preferred coexistence and mutual prosperity over conflict.

    Punitto Moe once said something about Mr. Nash and prisoner¡¯s conditions and something along those lines, but the gist of it was, if opportunities were unlimited, cooperation would reap the greatest benefits for all parties involved.

    (TL Note: Ainz is getting it wrong again ¨C see Nash Equilibrium and the Prisoner¡¯s Dilemma)

    Ainz knew that international rtions were basically a matter of each party using the other, but he wanted to maintain a good rtionship with Jiiv.

    I kept the number of Imperial casualties to a minimum as the price of poaching Fluder, so we¡¯re probably even on that count. I feel a sense of closeness to him now. It must be because of all the times I¡¯ve spied on him.

    ¡°...Is something the matter, Teacher?¡±

    ¡°Er, um, nothing. Just thinking about certain matters.¡±

    ¡°Really? My deepest apologies for interrupting your thoughts, Teacher!¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to apologise. I am here today because of you.¡±

    ¡°Ohhh! Thank you very much, Teacher!¡±

    Why is he thanking me so vigorously? Though Ainz was puzzled, he eventually managed to get the topic back on track.

    ¡°Ah¨D yes, the fact that you¡¯ve been turned. Well, it¡¯s alright for you to be exposed, but there is a problem. That is to say, your safety.¡±

    ¡°Ohh! To think you would actually be worried about the safety of someone like me, Teacher!¡±

    Why did this old man have to overreact to everything? The basic duty of a boss was to look out for the well-being of anyone he did not intend to discard from the beginning. Or did they do things differently in the Empire?

    If it¡¯s thetter, that would be scary... Well, I might kill people who got in my way, but killing someone who was once my subordinate is still...

    ¡°Fluder, that¡¯s right, do not get too excited. It would be odd if anyone around you noticed.¡±

    ¡°That will not be a problem. This floor is exclusively for my use. Nobody else is around.¡±

    He hade here before. That said, this tower was quiterge, so it was no wonder the greatest magic caster of the Empire was allowed an entire floor to himself.

    ¡°Back to the matter of your personal safety. Has anyone tried to kill you after your treachery came to light?¡±

    ¡°Nothing of the sort. However, my responsibilities have steadily decreased, and while the Emperor frequently came to consult me in the past, he has not summoned me ever since he returned from the glorious domain that you rule, Teacher.¡±

    ¡°I see... Then, Fluder. Do you want toe to my side?¡±

    ¡°Ohhh! dly!¡±

    He answered right away...

    ¡°Then, after considering your profession ¨D no, before that, there is something I must do. It concerns your reward.¡±

    After saying that, Ainz exhaled, and then reached into his pocket dimension. He had rehearsed the flow of the conversation which would follow many times, poking fun at the words even as he corrected them.

    Although he had no way to be sure if Fluder would react as Ainz imagined, he had put in enough practice already.

    ¡°As agreed, I shall now impart a portion of my knowledge to you. Take and study this book.¡±

    Ainz handed a tome called The Book of the Dead to him.

    It was a fairly ancient volume, which gave off a musty smell. Surprisingly enough, the book itself was very sturdy, with no trace of being worm-eaten.

    Fluder epted the book Ainz offered with trembling hands. Ainz was d that he was undead. If he was still human, the book might be wobbling nonstop from nervousness.

    Fluder¡¯s goal was to plumb the abyss of magic, but Ainz did not know what the abyss of magic was. He could teach him about YGGDRASIL, but the abyss of magic or whatnot was another topic entirely.

    That said, not giving it to him would be a betrayal of his loyalty. One had to repay good unto good and reward loyal service. Thus, Ainz had given him a book from his collection, which seemed the most likely to hold the secrets of magical knowledge. The parts he had flipped through seemed to contain something about magic which he could not understand.

    ¡°Then, please excuse me.¡±

    Fluder reached out to the book, and that delighted expression of his soon twisted into despair after flipping though a few pages.

    ¡°¨DWhat¡¯s the matter? Is this not what you sought?¡±

    Ainz suppressed his unease as he asked that question. It was fine even if it was not what he wanted. He had already practiced for that eventuality.

    ¡°No, it is nothing like that. I simply cannot understand this.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see.¡±

    Ainz took the book from Fluder, flipped through it, and stopped at a certain page.

    ¡°This chapter concerns the transformation of the dead into souls; specifically, the section about differentiation.¡±

    It was written in Japanese, so obviously Fluder could not understand it. However ¨D

    This looks more like a setting book for a fantasy world than a fantasy novel. The hell is this differentiation stuff. And then there¡¯s souls as clouds and so on. It looks really hard and I can¡¯t wrap my brain around it at all. Feels like I can only scratch the surface... Could it be that I can¡¯t understand this book, even though I can read it?

    Books were like the ult, or rather, this book was pretty much an ult volume. To Suzuki Satoru, who had no knowledge in this field, all he saw was a collection of scribblings. Still, all this seemed to have been taken from some kind of mythology. If Tab Smaragdina was around, he would probably be able to exin it to him.

    ¡°Ohhh!¡±

    The sense of guilt in Ainz¡¯s heart grew as he watched Fluder look at him with joyful eyes.

    ¡°Indeed... Well, I cannot give this to you because I only have one set, but give this a try.¡±

    Ainz ced a pair of sses on the book and handed it to him. Fluder put it on and hurriedly flipped through the pages.

    ¡°This, this is! It¡¯s saying that souls are entities like the foam left by the waves of this great world, and so whether great or small, they are fundamentally the same. That meeeeaaaannnns!!!¡±

    Hieh~ he¡¯s gone mad.

    Even Ainz was startled, to the point where he nearly shrank back.

    The way Fluder¡¯s eyes were wide open and bloodshot, his breathing like a wild beast¡¯s, made it seem as though he was about to pounce on someone.

    ¡°How, how is it?¡±

    Fluder¡¯s eyes pivoted and stared straight at Ainz.

    ¡°This, this is amazing, Teacher! This is the lore that I sooooooooooouuuuught! Hyaaaaah!¡±

    The rm he felt at the old man¡¯s mania exceeded a predetermined threshold, and Ainz swiftly calmed down again.

    ¡°¨DIs that so. Then, return me the sses.¡±

    ¡°Wha! But, this..¡±

    ¡°Consider the trantion of that book to be your training. Once you can understand and digest it, you will be able to set foot in a higher domain. It would be pointless for you to use these sses.¡±

    ¡°How could this be... Then, may I be allowed to give this book a once-over first?¡±

    ¡°One page should still be all right. But if you continue after that, it will negatively affect your growth.¡±

    Fluder closed the book shut with a patan, and then closed his eyes.

    After several seconds, he opened his eyes and spoke. His voice had returned to normal.

    ¡°Understood. I will abide by your teachings, oh Teacher. May I seek your aid if there are matters I do not understand?¡±

    ¡°Umu. As long as it is within my power to answer.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Fluder removed the sses and returned them to Ainz.

    Excellent! I won¡¯t hear anything from Fluder for a while now. Ah, I need to instruct him about this first. That... how shall I say this...

    Ainz struggled to pry open the vaults of his memory. Then, in solemn, heavy tones ¨D which made one think of the voice a leader would have ¨D Ainz spoke:

    ¡°Fluder.¡±

    ¡°Yes!!¡±

    ¡°I have entrusted you with this book of arcana because I trust you. You must never hand it to a third party. The same applies to any notes you make to study it. Nothing about this book can be allowed to spread.¡±

    ¡°Yes!!!¡±

    ¡°There is hardly a need to tell you the reason for that, but this is knowledge that surpasses what humans canprehend. It would be very troublesome if others came to learn of it... Although someone of your talent might not be beyond salvation. I do not want to have to clean up behind you ten years down the road.¡±

    ¡°But of course. I will not leak any of the knowledge I have obtained from you to others. I swear it.¡±

    ¡°¨DI trust you, Fluder. Do not disappoint me.¡±

    ¡°Yes!!!!¡±

    Fluder got up from his chair and knelt on the ground.

    He wanted to say that there was no need to go to that extent, but this too was proof of how effective his air of majesty had been. Ainz could not help but feel proud that his hours of acting and vocalization practice had been put to good use.

    ¡°Enough. Since you understand, I shall say no more. Return to your seat. Still, it will be very difficult for you to decipher an unknownnguage without any help. Do you have some way of oveing that?¡±

    ¡°Yes! I can use a trantion spell, though its efficacy is very limited. I believe that with that, I can slowly decipher the text.¡±

    ¡°Really now. Really now! Marvellous.¡±

    This answer was exactly what Ainz wanted to hear. By slowly giving him the appropriate practice, he would be able to buy himself time. In addition, a problem like that would not be enough to make Fluder give up.

    ¡°Then I shall hand this to you... no, that¡¯s it. I will lend you a box for you to store it in. I do not think that you will treat it lightly, but someone might wish to steal it from you.¡±

    Ainz pulled a box out of his pocket space. It was an item of the same grade which he used to store his personal notebook.

    ¡°Once you store the book in here, even if this box is stolen, it will take quite some time to open it. Of course, it will all be for nothing if someone overhears themand word to open the box... so be careful.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Teacher! I will never do anything like that!¡±

    ¡°Good.¡±

    Ainz shifted his gaze from Fluder ¨D who was caressing the book in delight ¨D to the ceiling. Now, what would he talk about next?

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. The matter of your treacherying to light, and thus youing over to me. When can you leave?¡±

    ¡°If Teacher wishes it, I can leave at any time. I have no attachments to this country.¡±

    Ainz mentally furrowed his brows.

    He had no idea what to say to someone who could casually discard his position of trust. He might well do the same thing to Ainz in the future.

    Ainz marked Fluder down several points with a red pen in his heart¡¯s ledger.

    ¡°...Then, Fluder. I wish to have you participate in the magical research of the Sorcerous Kingdom. However, your spells will not be put into cirction. They will only be shared with me and those whom I trust. Can you bear it? Can you forsake your desire for fame?¡±

    ¡°There will be no problem at all. The only thing I desire is to glimpse the secrets of magic. I desire nothing else.¡±

    Ainz studied Fluder in earnest, the man who could make such a statement.

    Ainz had no ability to evaluate a person¡¯s character. As human beings, it was obvious that Fluder ¨D a genius sage who had lived far beyond the span of a normal human being and who was deeply involved in the operations of the vast nation called the Empire ¨D was superior to him. There was no way for him to see through any attempt by Fluder to deceive him.

    However, being unable to see through such things and not trying to see through such things were two different matters. With that attitude in mind, Ainz stared at Fluder, and in the end he simply said, ¡°Good.¡±

    ¡°I will entrust you with all the powers and privileges of your office once you arrive in the Sorcerous Kingdom. I also intend to help you with magical research as much as possible. Then¨D¡±

    Now, there would be one more person helping Nazarick, beyond the Bareares. If he could obtain the woman which Demiurge and Albedo had rmended, Nazarick would be further strengthened.

    He had to increase his power as much as possible, so long as he could not see the true face of his enemy.

    The enemy possessed a World-ss Item, so he had to obtain a power aside from YGGDRASIL¡¯s as soon as possible. He had to assume that anything he could do, the enemy could as well.

    However, there was one more problem.

    That would be, how would he protect the Empire.

    Demiurge felt that the Empire was a potential enemy, but Ainz did not think so.

    Although the future was unclear, the use of force alone in world conquest was not a wise decision. If the Sorcerous Kingdom was painted as a nation which annihted everyone who stood against it, countries which could have been friends would probably end up as enemies.

    That being the case, why not form a deep friendship with his fellow dictator Jiiv, and send that message to their subordinates?

    This way, I¡¯ll be able to minimize the force Demiurge and the others use in world conquest. What a brilliant n. More than the alliance of nations, or the alliance of guilds... friendship?

    The shapes of his heteromorphic friends appeared in Ainz¡¯s mind.

    Still, how should I make friends with him? Giving people things isn¡¯t the right way to make friends, right... Thus, protecting the Empire, the most precious thing to Jiiv, should be the best way. It¡¯s quite likely that my enemies will set their sights upon it.

    He put himself in the role of the people who brainwashed Shalltear. If they used the methods Ainz used, then¨D

    In the worst-case scenario, they might use [Ia Shub-Niggurath] on the Imperial Capital. Everyone would think I did it, regardless of the actual culprit... Then, they would spread that news throughout the world. That would greatly decrease the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s influence.

    Ainz recalled his YGGDRASIL days.

    It was foolish to directly fight a powerful guild, so it was quitemon to instigate wars with other guilds to weaken the powerful guild¡¯s influence. These methods would probably be applicable here. Ainz would probably do so if ced in that situation, and so it was very likely his foe would do the same thing.

    In order to prevent this sort of thing from happening, Ainz considered allowing Fluder to spread rumors that he could not use that spell again (a lie, naturally). However, Fluder could no longer be used, so he had to consider some other method.

    This is close to forbidding the carrying of palm-sized dangerous objects... As expected, I¡¯ll need to discuss the matter with Demiurge, maybe order him to think of a way to deal with this. However, would he not think it strange? Ahh, how troublesome, I can¡¯t figure it out.

    If only he could hand everything to those two. However, if he did that, it would damage his image as an absolute ruler. He had to think of a way to solve his problems while maintaining his position.

    ¡°Teacher, what is wrong?¡±

    ¡°...Fluder, I intend to protect the Empire for some time. Do you have any ideas?¡±

    ¡°...May I know why you ask?¡±

    ¡°Conquering it would be easy, but I have no interest in standing atop a pile of rubble. I wish to keep the Empire intact, and so I would like to prevent the loss of fighting power that would result when they lose you.¡±

    Fluder¡¯s wrinkles deepened.

    ¡°It is difficult to answer that question immediately. I believe that there will be no problems for a while even if I am not around. That said, it is also true that nobody can fill the void that I will leave... If it is fine, then I shall stay for the time being.¡±

    ¡°Are you willing to do so? Then, I will contact you again tomorrow, after the discussions areplete.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°Right, there are two more things I want to ask you. First, I would like to know the details of the Martial Lord. The second matter concerns Death Knights...¡±

    ? ? ?

    As the appointed time drew near, Ainz cast a detection spell. Normally, he would have stacked numerous defensive spells on himself first, but it would be too wasteful to expend a lot of valuable scrolls. Unlike how things were at the graveyard, when he was sure there were hostiles present, Ainz simply cast the spell.

    That said, he picked a ce where any counterattacks would not strike others.

    A different scene appeared in his field of vision. This was the interior of a coach. Ainz manipted the floating point of view and observed the exterior of the coach.

    Then, Ainz cast [Greater Teleportation].

    The teleport took ce without incident, and Ainz opened the door to the coach. Ainzach, who was seated within, had a look of shock on his face. However, Ainz nonchntly boarded, closed the door, and dispelled the invisibility spell he had cast on himself.

    ¡°As I thought, it was Your Majesty. Although I understand the need for secrecy, could you please not use an invisibility spell next time?

    ¡°If I do not use invisibility, I will be spotted, no?¡±

    ¡°It should be fine because of Your Majesty¡¯s mask, am I wrong?

    ¡°Indeed, that might be the case, but I used a teleportation spell. I would like to avoid being drawn into troublesome matters.¡±

    ¡°Indeed...¡±

    ¡°Well, since you understand, shall we leave?¡±

    ¡°All right. Let us depart.¡±

    The coach passed through the opened gate, and reached the ce designated by the doorman. This was a parking area which could amodate several coaches.

    ¡°Then, let us proceed.¡±

    Ainz dismounted from the coach after Ainzach.

    An old man in a butler¡¯s uniform awaited them there. He was apanied by a maid.

    Though he looked like a butler, he did not feel as powerful as Sebas. He seemed like a very ordinary, albeit well-bred old man. The butler was human, though the same was not true for the maid.

    A pair of ears adorned the top of the maid¡¯s head; not human ears, but ears from some kind of animal. Although it was hard to be sure since they were obscured by her hair, there was no swelling at the site where normal humans had their ears. She had a cute face, but it was not the same way a human being was cute ¨D more like an animal sort of cute.

    ¡°Wee, Ainzach-sama and ¨D Your Majesty the Sorcerer King, I believe. The master awaits you. Please allow us to lead the way. May I ask you to follow behind us?¡±

    ¡°Wha?!¡±

    After he heard the butler¡¯s speech, a strangled cry of surprise escaped Ainzach¡¯s mouth.

    Ainzach had said in yesterday¡¯s talk that he would not bring up Ainz¡¯s true identity, so he must have been shocked because they had managed to guess who Ainz was. For Ainz, however, this was nothing to be rmed about. His mask might have concealed his face, but he had not changed his clothes. Anyone with a good informationwork would have heard about him. Under these circumstances, not replying would be rude.

    ¡°Thank you. Then, please show us the way.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The butler lowered his head. A beatter, so did the maid.

    After the two of them started walking, Ainzach quietly told Ainz:

    ¡°Thank you very much, Your Majesty.¡±

    His thanks was because Ainz had responded to the butler.

    No need for that, Ainz wanted to say, but in the end he epted the thanks in silence.

    To Suzuki Satoru, a superior ought to cover for his subordinates if thetter made a mistake. Ainzach¡¯s thanks was a natural reaction. It was an unavoidable step in his future growth as one of Ainz¡¯s subordinates.

    Once more, Ainz keenly realized that being a boss was not rxing at all.

    Suddenly, Ainz realized that he had never once said ¡°Thanks¡± while he was ying the role of a ruler.

    I need to find a time to thank the Guardians and all the NPCs. I need to show my appreciation for their hard work.

    Ainz¡¯s objective was to run the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick like a benevolentpany. As he idly pondered the matter, he did not stop moving, but continued walking toward the direction where he was being led.

    ¡°Although, it was quite surprising to actually encounter a Rabbit Man, Your Majesty.¡±

    Wouldn¡¯t it be better to discuss this sort of thing after the person in question was gone? Ainz thought that, but the topic interested him, so he decided to go with the flow.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t it be Rabbit Woman?¡±

    ¡°No... well... their species name is Rabbit Man.¡±

    ¡°Ainzach, it was merely a joke. Taking it so seriously is somewhat troubling.¡±

    ¡°...I wonder if she came from further east than the City-State Alliance. How exotic.¡±

    ¡°Hm...¡±

    Ainz had no idea how far away ¡°east of the City-State Alliance¡± was. His information did not yet cover such distant regions.

    Still, he had not seen any in the Kingdom, and she was the only Rabbit Man he had encountered in the Imperial Capital. It must be hard to live in a ce without other members of one¡¯s kind, even without considering discrimination from other races.

    Ainz was curious and wanted to ask her some questions, but he could not do so. It would be troublesome if he stepped on andmine during their conversation.

    Before long, they reached a house.

    ¡°The master awaits you within. Please.¡±

    The interior of the house was decorated with many articles of lovingly-oiled and maintained weapons and armor. They were clean, free of dust and disyed in neat rows.

    Upon closer inspection, many of the weapons were scuffed and dented on their business ends. It was clear that these weapons had been used in actualbat.

    Rather than a weapon merchant¡¯s shop disy, it seemed more like the gallery owner disying the weapons of his glorious past.

    After a hasty nce around, Ainz¡¯s gaze returned to the sword he saw first.

    It was the most beautiful of all the weapons in the room.

    There was no sign of damage on the sword. The gallery¡¯s owner must have been quite fond of it, judging by how it had been ced to be the first thing anyone would see when they entered the room.

    ¡°Does it please you?¡±

    ¡°Ah, truly an excellent collection.¡±

    Thus did Ainz answer the room¡¯s owner seated on the sofa ¨D in other words, the owner of this gallery. The owner was stout-bodied and his hair was cut so short that one could see his scalp.

    They did not bother with greetings, but continued talking about weapons.

    ¡°So, which piece do you favor most ¨D ah, that one. Everyone whoes into this room says that.¡±

    Ainz entered the room and stood before the sword.

    ¡°May I pick it up?¡±

    ¡°Of course, by all means.¡±

    Ainz thanked him and picked up the sword. Of course, it would drop if he actually tried to wield it in earnest, but holding it was fine.

    He peered at the sword, and then he noticed the characters carved on the de. These bizarre characters were vaguely familiar to Ainz. He searched his memories, and finally found the answer.

    ¡°Runes?¡±

    ¡°Ohhh! As expected of Your Majesty. You know of these letters!¡±

    What? Seriously? ...Are runesmonly used in this world?

    Runes were an alphabet which had apparently been used in the past of Suzuki Satoru¡¯s world. The fact that such characters existed in this world meant that it was very likely someone from the same world as Suzuki Satoru had spread them here. Thus, Ainz carefully answered:

    ¡°...Probably, I believe. I only know of them. I cannot create rune-engraved items. May I know which smith made this?¡±

    ¡°Ohhh, that was a good question. That sword was forged by a runesmith of the Dwarven Kingdom in the Azellisian Mountain Range. It is about 150 years old. The de can umte electricity, and there¡¯s a maker¡¯s mark on the hilt. Did you see it?¡±

    The gallery owner was standing next to Ainz.

    The overwhelming smell of cologne assaulted his nose.

    ¡°This is a piece by Stonenel, a famous artisan.¡±

    A Dwarven artisan? ...Looks like I¡¯ll have to learn more about that.

    ¡°Hoh. That does sound like a famous artisan. Are there any more examples of his work here?¡±

    Ainz looked around, and the manughed heartily.

    ¡°Hahahaha. No, not in here. I store them elsewhere. However, this is the only piece which bears such a powerful enchantment.¡±

    ¡°Hoh.¡±

    Ainz concealed his disappointment as he quietly emoted.

    That said, he had still learned something about the artisan called Stonenel. He had to see if there was a yer there.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the weapons made by dwarven runesmiths rarely circte on the market. And you actually have more of them in store?¡±

    Ainz gave Ainzach a mental thumbs-up for asking that question.

    ¡°Indeed I do, Ainzach,¡± the man smiled. ¡°I snatch them up whenever they¡¯re on auction. Recently, there was a really persistent adventurer trying to outbid me. I ended up paying three times what I had originally nned.¡±

    Ainzach shook his head incredulously (sort of), while Ainz nodded in approval. This was how things were for a collector. An outsider would never be able to understand. At times, even Ainz did not understand the actions of his past self.

    Ainz wanted to keep asking, but in the end he decided to return the sword to its original ce.

    ¡°It seems I was entranced by your marvellous collection without even greeting you. Do forgive myck of respect.¡±

    The man was all smiles.

    ¡°Your Majesty has a way with words. Then, allow me to reintroduce myself. I am Osk, an insignificant merchant.¡±

    ¡°You will surely anger the other merchants of the Empire if you call yourself insignificant. I remain the Sorcerer King, Ainz Ooal Gown.¡±

    ¡°Not a day goes by when I do not hear of your mighty name. Please, have a seat. I will have the servants prepare drinks.¡±

    ¡°...While this is a rare opportunity... there is no need to prepare my share.¡±

    Osk¡¯s eyes did not seem quite proportional to his head. He studied Ainz with those eyes.

    ¡°Your Majesty, I have heard the rumors... but could I trouble you to remove that mask?¡±

    ¡°...Since this is a request of the home¡¯s owner, I mustply.¡±

    Ainz took off his mask, revealing his bare face.

    There was no look of surprise on Osk¡¯s face. His eyes were very small, so once he narrowed his eyes to smile, there was no way to look into their depths.

    ¡°Ohhh... I see, I see...¡±

    Osk nodded several times before speaking again.

    ¡°In truth, I was worried that I would not be able to prepare tea that would be able to satisfy the tastes of the renowned Sorcerer King, but it would seem that was wasted effort on my part.¡±

    After those cheerful words, Osk¡¯s belly wobbled withughter.

    ¡°Say, Osk. Why did you think His Majesty woulde with me?¡±

    ¡°Ahhh, it¡¯s not hard to tell, right? E-Rantel is under the control of His Majesty. When I heard that the Guildmaster of E-Rantel¡¯s Adventurer¡¯s Guild was visiting, in thepany of someone more important than himself, only one person came to mind. Granted, it could have been some other confidant of the Sorcerer King, but my instincts told me otherwise,¡± Osk said.

    ¡°Then, is it my turn to ask questions now? Did you once use the weapons disyed here?¡±

    Osk chuckled at Ainz¡¯s question.

    ¡°How could that be? Your Majesty, do consider my body! I can wield an abacus, but I have never once swung a sword. That is just a hobby of mine... Since I was a child, I have always admired the strong, as well as swords and other weapons.¡±

    ¡°I see...¡±

    ¡°It seems you understand. Now then, I have a question of my own. I have heard of Your Majesty¡¯s unstoppable might; was that due to the long time you have lived ¨D well, I suppose it does count as living?¡±

    ¡°That is correct, inparison to the lifespans of you humans.¡±

    As Ainz said this, he thought of something. What kind of being was the Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown?

    Obviously he could not say, ¡°Certainly not, you two are older than me.¡± Even if he did say so, they would not believe him. So he had to speak while in-character as the Sorcerer King. However, if he did not lock down the exact details of the Sorcerer King¡¯s character, things might turn out badly.

    In any case, it¡¯s confirmed that the undead live a long time. If anyone asks why I do not know certain things despite my long life, I can reply that I was focused on researching magic. Let¡¯s use that as a basic detail for the Sorcerer King¡¯s character.

    ¡°That being the case, do you possess weapons of the past?¡±

    Judging by that question, Osk did not intend to hide his curiosity.

    ¡°Of course I do. However, I cannot just give them to you, no?¡±

    ¡°For a suitable amount ¨D no, I will try to pay three times the market value.¡±

    Ainz could not reject him on the spot. This was because he recalled the precarious state of his personal finances. However, it would hardly be dignified for the ruler of a country to go ¡°Sure, let¡¯s do it.¡±

    ¡°...Money does not exactly appeal to me.¡±

    ¡°I sincerely apologize. Saying so to Your Majesty ¨D who is the ruler of a country ¨D was terribly rude of me... Then, what can I offer to make you want to trade them to me?¡±

    So he wants to phrase it as receiving a bounty for meritorious service to my country, or something like that? Hm? Well, in that case...

    Ainz took out a shortsword. It was wreathed in a billowing mist effect. Its faintly translucent blue de was made of blue crystal metal, and it contained little mana. That said, its overall ability ssified it as a high-ss item in YGGDRASIL, and it was certainly more powerful than the average magic item in this world.

    ¡°This, this is!¡±

    Two voices cried out those words.

    Ainzach¡¯s eyes went wide as he stared at the shortsword. ¡°Umu,¡± Ainz muttered, before cing it in front of Ainzach.

    ¡°Take it.¡±

    ¡°Hah?!¡±

    Once more, those words were spoken by two voices.

    ¡°Ainzach, this is a gift for your hard work. That said, this is not an award, nor is this meant to symbolize your station, I simply felt that this sort of thing is simr to the reward I wish to hand out in my ideal nation, so I give this to you. If you require cash instead, it is fine to sell it off.¡±

    This shortsword did not contain enough data to harm Ainz. Nor was it one of the weapons made by his former guildmates and thus filled with memories.

    ¡°I, how could I dare ept such...¡±

    Ainzach¡¯s body shuddered uncontrobly.

    ¡°This is nothing amazing. Well, if you do not want it, I can change it for something else when the timees. A healing potion, perhaps. That should be fine. What do you think?¡±

    Ainzach hesitated for a while, but in the end he decided to keep the shortsword.

    ¡°I shall ept it. Thank you very much, Your Majesty! I will continue serving Your Majesty with all my strength, with effort that will not be outshone by this sword!¡±

    ¡°Congrattions, Ainzach. If you run into any trouble, remember to think of this friend of yours.¡±

    Osk eyed the shortsword as he said this. Ainzach had a look on his face like a mother bear protecting her cubs.

    ¡°It won¡¯t happen. Never.¡±

    Ainz decided to change his tone.

    ¡°Well then. Let us move on to the real business.¡±

    Osk reluctantly pulled his eyes away from the handkerchief that Ainzach had used to wrap the sword, and replied:

    ¡°...Understood. May I ask why you have graced my humble estate with your presence?¡±

    ¡°Umu... I am not given to dressing up my words. Let me get to the point.... I would like you to arrange a bout with the Martial Lord of the arena.¡±

    Osk¡¯s eyes widened, but soon they returned to their normal shape.

    ¡°I have heard that the Martial Lord is not part of the arena personnel, but a diator you have raised since he was a child. Ainzach told me that you can quickly put a fight on the cards if you agree to have the Martial Lord fight, which is why I came to make this request of you.¡±

    ¡°Fuhahahaha. Are you serious, Your Majesty? You do know that the Martial Lord is the mightiest man in the arena, with a monster¡¯s body and outstanding fighting skills? He might be the strongest one in history. Perhaps Your Majesty counts strong individuals among his followers as well, but defeating him is...¡±

    Osk shook his head with pride.

    ¡°...Is he stronger than Fluder?¡±

    ¡°No, this is from the perspective of a warrior. It¡¯s not applicable to a magic caster. All they have to do is fly up and attack repeatedly with magic and that¡¯s the end of it.¡±

    Osk¡¯s quiet grumbling somewhat perturbed Ainz, and then Ainzach chimed in:

    ¡°Once, an adventurer team took to the sky and won by raining spells and arrows on him from a distance. That was a pretty disappointing fight. Ever since, the arena has forbidden teleportation and flight magic.¡±

    Then, Osk looked at Ainz. He seemed to have recovered.

    ¡°Cough! Well, that was rude of me, Your Majesty. I recalled some bitter memories... Then, back to the topic, Your Majesty. May I ask who intends to fight the Martial Lord? Are they human?¡±

    Ainz and Ainzach looked at each other. Then, Ainz answered:

    ¡°That would be me.¡±

    ¡°...Eh?!¡±

    ¡°I, Ainz Ooal Gown, shall be his opponent.¡±

    After a brief period of silence, Osk asked in a panic:

    ¡°But, but but, but are you not the ruler of a country, Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°Indeed I am. What of it?¡±

    ¡°Eh? No, that¡¯s correct, but... that...¡±

    ¡°Ahh, I understand what worries you. You must be thinking, what would happen if I came to be hurt?¡±

    ¡°It would be fine if it ended in just getting hurt,¡± Osk muttered under his breath. Ainz pretended not to notice.

    ¡°Be at ease. There will not be a problem, no matter what happens to me. I will leave written proof of that.¡±

    ¡°But if that sort of thing does happen, I won¡¯t be able to do business any more. I have heard that the Empire is supposed to be an ally of the Sorcerous Kingdom. If I allow the king of an allied country to be seriously injured, the state will have its eye on me.¡±

    ¡°I promise you ¨D you will not be inconvenienced by this.¡±

    ¡°Even if you say so...¡± Osk paused to think, and then asked again: ¡°These words might be unpleasant to the ear, but could you offer up something as a guarantee?¡±

    ¡°A guarantee? Like what?¡±

    ¡°...Please give me something like what you gave Ainzach earlier. If anything happens, it¡¯ll be fine as long as I can keep that item.¡±

    ¡°If that is what it takes to satisfy you, then I shall make that promise. However, I cannot give it to you right away. I promise it will reach you by tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much, Your Majesty. ...There is also another matter I would like to ask, though I fear it is inappropriate.¡±

    Ainz waved, indicating that Osk should continue.

    ¡°As a promoter, I collect a lot of information. Much of that information pertains to powerful beings which might appear in the arena, or monsters. There are also rumors concerning Your Majesty ¨D dare I ask if it is true that Your Majesty slew tens of thousands of the Kingdom¡¯s people with a single spell?¡±

    ¡°Koff!¡±

    Ainzach coughed in a very contrived way. He was ring at Osk with reproachful eyes, but this was nothing that had to be hidden, nor was it something to be ashamed of.

    ¡°Indeed, that is true. I slew them with my magic. Will you reproach me for it?¡±

    ¡°No, I was simply asking to gauge the extent of Your Majesty¡¯s mystical powers. After all, if you did use that spell from the rumors, it would be... very bad. After all, the arena is within the Imperial Capital.¡±

    ¡°No, no, I will not cast a spell like that.¡±

    Even Ainz had no intention of using such a spell in the middle of an allied country. What kind of terrorist would do that sort of thing?

    ¡°Of course, I feel the same way as well. Unlike themon image of the undead, Your Majesty is a noble and rational man. I do not believe you will enact a great ughter because you hate the living. That said, making assumptions and neglecting to confirm these things might lead to failure.¡±

    Ainz agreed on that point as well. This was one of the dangers that came with allowing a new person to join. In truth, Suzuki Satoru had failed like this in the past.

    ¡°Your concerns are valid. Allow me to repeat myself ¨D I will not use that spell.¡±

    ¡°Why is that? Is it because it has something to do with the alignment of the stars?¡±

    ¡°While that is not rted to the mat-¡±

    A lightbulb went off over Ainz¡¯s head.

    ¡°Well, that spell is one of my most powerful trump cards. Because El-Nix-dono desired it, I went out of my way to cast that grand spell, which I can only use once every ten years. Thus, for the next decade, I must conserve my strength.¡±

    ¡°Hoh!¡± A strange gleam lit up Osk¡¯s eyes. ¡°Is it really alright to tell me that? After all, this might be considered to be a weakness of Your Majesty...¡±

    ¡°It is fine. I may not be able to use a destructive spell like that, but ughtering any fools who oppose me is still easy. After all, it does not mean I cannot use other spells.¡±

    ¡°As expected of Your Majesty. In other words, the Martial Lord will also be an easy opponent; is that what you are implying?¡±

    After Ainz nodded with confidence, a smile lit up Osk¡¯s face. However, when Ainz studied him, he could not be sure if the smile was genuine.

    ¡°I see. Finally, please allow me one more question. Why do you want to fight the Martial Lord, Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°Because I have heard that he is a powerful foe... I wish to know who is stronger, between him and Gazef Stronoff. There was Gazef in the Kingdom, so perhaps the greatest reason is because I want to know who is his equivalent in the Empire.¡±

    Of course, that was not why Ainz was fighting. However, it was the reason he and Ainzach had agreed upon after discussing the matter.

    It would have been fine to state the real reason, but Osk was not a trustworthy person. In truth, he seemed like the sort who prioritised his own gains. Ainz felt that being honest with him would not end well.

    ¡°I understand. Thank you very much... Then, I shall schedule the fight with the Martial Lord. However¨D¡±

    Osk raised his hand to interrupt Ainz¡¯s thanks.

    ¡°I hope you will abide by the rules of the arena. In addition, while Your Majesty might be taking the match with the Martial Lord seriously, it is still a performance of sorts for us. Thus, an overly one-sided fight would be terribly boring. With that in mind, I would like to request that Your Majesty not use magic, and that you will use a sword ¨D a weapon ¨D to battle the Martial Lord. I submit that these conditions should make for a good fight.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying?!¡±

    Ainzach sprang up from his seat. His face was red from anger.

    ¡°Is that even possible?! His Majesty is a magic caster! How do you expect him to win?!¡±

    ¡°Hoho. Indeed, that is the case. There would be no way for His Majesty the Sorcerer King to win once his magic was sealed. My my, to think I actually brought up such a sensible matter. Still, I did not expect to hear these words from your mouth. I would have expected you to be alright with His Majesty losing. It seems my opinion of you has changed.¡±

    ¡°You¨D!¡±

    ¡°Ainzach, don¡¯t get too worked up. It is fine.¡±

    ¡°...Your Majesty, what did you say?¡±

    Ainz chuckled, because Osk and Ainzach were looking at him in an amusing way. However, it would be bad if thatugh was interpreted as sneering, so Ainz tried to mask it with a snort.

    However, that was impossible for someone who had only a hole for a nose.

    Ainz decided not to waste his energy and decided to try and bluff his way through with words.

    ¡°You seem to have misheard me. I said, it is fine.¡±

    There was no change in Osk¡¯s expression, but his mind was working at high speeds. That much was obvious.

    ¡°...Then, will you swear it on the name of the Sorcerer King, Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°Swear on my name? ...I understand. I, Ainz Ooal Gown, swear by my own name that I shall not use any form of magic during the battle with the Martial Lord.¡±

    ¡°Wait! Your Majesty! How can you make such an oath without even seeing the Martial Lord¡¯s strength?¡±

    Ainzach¡¯s words were very sensible. However, if his information on the Martial Lord was correct, there should be no problems in doing so.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯ll work out somehow.¡±

    ¡°Do you really think it¡¯ll work itself out?!¡±

    Ainz was vaguely moved by Ainzach¡¯s retort. Nobody had stated their opinions like this ever since he had begun his reign as the ruler of Nazarick. That hade up a little during his time as Momon, but even that had faded away after he had risen through the ranks.

    ¡°You too! If the king of another country dies in the Empire¡¯s arena, there¡¯ll be hell to pay!¡±

    Of course, Ainz thought as he locked eyes with Osk.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s only to be expected. What will you do, Your Majesty? It is not toote to ept the advice of your loyal subject and give up now.¡±

    Ainz shrugged in response. He could understand Ainzach¡¯s worries. After all, this n had originally been his idea. Granted, he had been operating under the assumption that he could use magic when he came up with that n. However, did he really think that Ainz without magic was that weak?

    ¡°It will be fine. More importantly, shouting like that is quite shameful, Ainzach. Then, Osk. I¡¯m not too clear on this, but what good does my death do you?¡±

    Osk¡¯s eyes went wide in surprise. A reaction like that was not the slightest bit cute on a middle-aged man like him.

    ¡°It seems Your Majesty is mistaken. I would gain nothing from it. As the Guildmaster says, it would be a far greater hindrance for me.¡±

    There did not seem to be any ulterior motives behind proposing these disadvantageous conditions for Ainz. In all likelihood, it had been born from his thoughts as a promoter.

    ¡°¨DIs that so. Then, we will proceed as nned..¡±

    ¡°...Your Majesty, do you have a way to defeat the Martial Lord ¨D who is stronger than Gazef Stronoff ¨D without magic?¡±

    ¡°...Stronoff, huh. Truly a man of enviable strength.¡±

    Ainz noticed the look of surprise on Ainzach¡¯s face, but Ainz did not say a word as he recalled the former Warrior-Captain.

    ¡°If the Martial Lord is stronger than that man, then obviously, I¡¯ll have to be on my guard. However, the strength I speak of refers to his spirit and not his fighting ability. Now, if we wereparing the strength of the Martial Lord¡¯s and Stronoff¡¯s sword arms, surely the former would y thetter in a moment.¡±

    ¡°I see. Speaking of which, I must continue answering the question which you asked earlier, Your Majesty.¡±

    Osk raised both his hands. His arms were muscr and bereft of b.

    ¡°I love the sh of sword against sword and fist against fist. Regretfully, I have no talent for fighting skills, and all my efforts could win me victory. That was why I thought of making a warrior who could substitute for me, and have him attain victory in my ce.¡±

    Osk sneered. This was not the merchant¡¯s attitude he had been showing until now, but his face as a human being.

    This was the first time Ainz had encountered such a strange person, although he knew that fetishes varied from person to person. In other words, Osk had a particrly abnormal fetish. Ainz made a mentalpartment called ¡°Perverts¡± and filed Osk into it.

    ¡°Therefore, it would feel very good should Your Majesty lose to the Martial Lord I have trained.¡±

    ¡°Is that so.¡±

    Osk and Ainzach looked at Ainz, surprise written all over their faces.

    Ainz wanted to ask, what have you been doing since just now?

    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that dumb look. If you have something to say, say it.¡±

    ¡°No, no, that¡¯s all I have to say.¡±

    ¡°I have no idea what sort of reaction you want from me, Osk... Humans are trulyplicated creatures. Well? If that¡¯s all, does that mean you expect me to fill the gap? ...Hm, how about this. Are you really that happy to beat me while I cannot use my magic?¡±

    For some reason, Osk stumbled over his answer.

    ¡°Eh, ah, that... It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t really like magic that much...¡±

    ¡°I see. Then, let¡¯s leave the matter at that.¡±

    Osk and Ainzach looked at each other. Come on, spit it out, Ainz thought. Still, this was how the working world went. If someone who has no permission to speak bared his heart, he would get into trouble.

    ¡°We have made our true intentions known to each other, so let us not waste time with petty deceptions and get on with things. How will you arrange the schedule for the fight with the Martial Lord? If possible, I¡¯d like to make a big event of it.¡±

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll officially announce a challenger to the Martial Lord after today¡¯s events. I¡¯d better get on it. However, I intend to keep the fact that the challenger is Your Majesty a secret until the match starts.¡±

    ¡°I do not understand your reasons for that. Would that not be a waste, from a promoter¡¯s point of view?¡±

    ¡°Logic dictates that the king of an allied country showing up at an arena match is... oya? Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t heard of a weing ceremony. Is it scheduled forter?¡±

    Ainz could not help but look away.

    This was bad.

    Ainz gave thanks that he did not have a heart, and then forcefully shook his empty, undead skull. Then, he shrugged helplessly.

    ¡°I came to the Empire in a personal capacity. El-Nix-dono does not know that I am here.¡±

    Osk¡¯s expression vanished. He must have scented something suspicious. As a merchant, it made sense that he would be very sensitive to potential profit. In other words, if there were no gains to be made, there would be no point in participating.

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    Eh?

    ¡°Publicly announcing Your Majesty¡¯s challenge would surely drawments from all sides. Naturally, the identity of the challenger must be kept secret. Then, can I assume you will handle all the issues which will result from this, Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Leave that part of things to me.¡±

    ¡°I understand. Then, can I take up a bit more of your time? I would like to finalize the schedule for the day of the match.¡±

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Has he gone back?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±

    The butler had returned from sending off the Sorcerer King, and that was his answer to Osk¡¯s question.

    ¡°Really now,¡± Osk replied, and then he looked to the maid standing behind the butler.

    ¡°¨DHeadhunter Rabbit.¡±

    What, the man before him thought as he tilted his dainty little head.

    Yes, ¡°his.¡± He was a man, dressed in an outfit that best fit a maid.

    ording to him, he did so because dressing like a woman made others underestimate him and be careless, and also because people would not attack his groin.

    It would seem that it was for those two reasons, and not because of personal preference. However, given that he disyed adorable motions like those from just now even in everyday life, he probably enjoyed this sort of thing to some extent.

    The fact that his thoughts had actually wandered that far was a sign that he was thinking too much about this.

    It did not inconvenience Osk in any particr way, so he did not mind.

    Then, there was the matter of his alias, ¡°Headhunter Rabbit¡±.

    It did not suit a cute-looking man, but then again, he was a mercenary who hailed from a nation to the east of the City-State Alliance, famous as a warrior-cum-assassin.

    Osk had signed a contract with him and hired him for a staggering amount. He had contracted worker teams and diators as bodyguards too, but nobody else was paid as highly as him.

    His strength matched his price tag ¨D above an orichalcum-ranked adventurer, at the very least. The fact was that he had not been embroiled in any troublesome matters ever since he had employed him.

    ¡°Tell me what you think of His Majesty, the Sorcerer King.¡±

    He had another ability, besides being a first-rate fighter-cum-assassin.

    That was the ability to analyze his opponents. Through long experience in the murderous profession of being a warrior and assassin, he had attained the ability to evaluate people ¨D to see if they were strong.

    ¡°It¡¯s extremely bad.¡±

    To date, there was only one other person about whom he had stated a simr opinion. That person was the Martial Lord himself. In other words, this was the second person he could not defeat.

    Incidentally, the rank below that was ¡°It¡¯s bad¡±, which he had said when he had seen the Empire¡¯s Four Knights.

    ¡°Is His Majesty a strong warrior as well?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Judging by his footsteps alone, he¡¯s not that strong. He doesn¡¯t walk like someone who¡¯s been trained as a warrior or assassin. Rather, the uncle beside him feels more like a warrior. Still ¨D it¡¯s bad. Just standing behind him made me want to run away.¡±

    After he said that, he extended his arms.

    Osk¡¯s eyes were entranced by his fists.

    They were round fists.

    His fists had been reshaped by punching hard objects tens, perhaps hundreds of thousands of times, until they were now in a round, ball-like shape.

    These hands were made for battle.

    A chill ran through Osk, followed by an uncontroble excitement.

    ¡°¨DWhere are you looking, you pervert.¡±

    ¡°I was just thinking that those were good hands.¡±

    It was true he liked those hands very much, but sadly, Headhunting Rabbit did not interest him.

    Gender was not a big matter for him. However, Osk¡¯s ideal partner was the warrior from the Kingdom¡¯s Blue Rose (Gagaran). Granted, Headhunting Rabbit would make a good partner as well, but he felt too skinny,pared to her. In contrast, the Martial Lord was a little too thick.

    ¡°...So you don¡¯t want me to renew my contract with you next year?¡±

    ¡°That would be very troubling! Hardly anyone can match up to you... Well, the heiress of Ijaniya aside. Oops, it seems we¡¯ve gotten off-topic. Then¨D¡±

    Osk¡¯s eyes left those round fists, and travelled up. Goosebumps broke out on Headhunting Rabbit¡¯s skin.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to calm down yet. It feels really bad.¡±

    ¡°So he¡¯s nothing much as a warrior, but he¡¯s an extremely bad opponent...¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s just like another Martial Lord.¡±

    Osk picked up on what Headhunting Rabbit was trying to say. He was referring to that Martial Lord.

    There were powerful and weak races in this world.

    Humans typified the weak races, being little more than meatbags without darkvision, with no hard carapaces to protect their bodies, or other special abilities.

    In contrast, there were the mighty races, like Dragons, for instance. They were protected by hard scales, they were graceful and mighty, they were equipped with ws and teeth which could easily rend steel, they possessed fiery or icy breath and other special abilities, and they were furnished with wings that they could use to soar through the sky.

    They were a race that was strong, even without warrior training.

    What Headhunting Rabbit was trying to say was that the Sorcerer King belonged to such a race.

    The undead had poor physical stats. This was what Osk knew to be true. Yet, it did not seem to be the case for the Sorcerer King.

    ¡°Osk-sama, why did you ept this match? His Majesty knows about the Martial Lord, but we do not know about his abilities. I feel it will be a very unfavorable match.¡±

    ¡°...Ara? You don¡¯t get it?¡±

    Headhunting Rabbit replied in a tired voice, ¡°I don¡¯t think about these pointless things¨D¡±

    ¡¹

    The butler looked to Osk in a surprised way. Thus, Osk answered:

    ¡°Does the champion flee from challengers?¡±

    ¡°Is that all?¡±

    ¡°That is all. However, that is also why it is so important. There¡¯s no need to just kill each other. But if this is an official challenge,plete with a letter sent up to request a match, it can¡¯t be avoided. The Martial Lord would think the same way as well.¡±

    ¡°What an idiot¨D¡±

    ¡°Perhaps. Still, that¡¯s men for you. However, I feel His Majesty is the type who reveals his true strength in battle, rather than during apetitive match. Now, consider a regted bout, and a no-holds-barred deathmatch. Under which circumstances would you prefer to face the Sorcerer King?¡±

    ¡°Neither. I¡¯d turn tail and run.¡±

    Oskughed, because that was the wisest choice.

    ¡°Then, next up. What do you think of the Sorcerer King?¡±

    That line was not directed at his master, but at the butler waiting in the rear who did not change his expression.

    In the past, he might have expressed his displeasure silently, to indicate that was not the proper attitude a hired man should have toward his master. Still, that displeasure had vanished somewhere along the way. Perhaps it was when Headhunting Rabbit had in a would-be assassin.

    ¡°He has a very charming personality.¡±

    ¡°Ho~n,¡± Headhunting Rabbit mused in a strange way.

    Ainzach did not appear to be under duress. In other words, the Sorcerer King had something which allowed him to secure the cooperation of a city¡¯s residents within a few months of conquering it.

    ¡°Did you see his regal bearing? Whether it was in bringing only Ainzach, or agreeing to not use magic in his battle, he radiated the pride of the mighty. In addition, he¡¯s a very intelligent man. It feels like he¡¯s very used to this sort of negotiations.¡±

    Even he felt it was surprising.

    Osk was a merchant, but the Sorcerer King viewed him as an equal. Under normal circumstances, some nobles would want to establish who was on top, to say nothing of a king.

    This was what baffled him.

    He could understand it if he had been a trader in the past, but that was impossible. In other words, he was simply adept at negotiations.

    ¡°In terms of overall ability, he isparable to our Emperors.¡±

    Of course, he had not read that deeply into him. It was simply that the Sorcerer King frightened him that much.

    ¡°No, I should say that he¡¯s equivalent to the Bloody Emperor, at the very least.¡±

    So at a minimum, he was equal to the greatest Emperor in history. What a nightmare.

    Osk shook his head. He would be paralyzed by contemtion if this went on. Of course, he did not want to gaze into the abyss of the Sorcerer King. However, there was one thing he had to do right now.

    ¡°...I must inform the Martial Lord of this, and keep him in prime condition from now on.¡±

    ¡°Will he agree?¡±

    ¡°He is a warrior. He will not run from a challenge.¡±

    ¡°Ho~n. Well, it¡¯d be good if he could win~¡±

    <b>Part 4</b>

    On the day of the match with the Sorcerer King, Osk asked the usual question:

    ¡°How are things?

    ¡°No problems. I¡¯m in top form.¡±

    A gigantic monster answered him.

    It was a member of the Troll species of monsters, but one major difference set it apart from them.

    That would be the air of a warrior that surrounded it, a mantle which none but those who had survived countless intense battles would be able to assume.

    However, that was only to be expected. He was a troll who had adapted to fighting and who had specialized in battle. He was an outstanding individual even amongst the diverse troll species, and he was known as a War Troll.

    He was the Martial Lord, the strongest diator in the arena.

    Osk looked tenderly at that body.

    It was true that there were many people who could beat the Martial Lord in terms of martial prowess (strength). Most silver-ranked frontliners in adventurer teams could do that. However, the reason why the Martial Lord could easily defeat such people was very simple.

    This was because the bodies of War Trolls were far superior to those of humans, be it in terms of strength or endurance, or in the huge attack radius their massive frames granted them.

    In addition, there were the racial abilities he possessed which humans did not.

    The first of them was his skin. Wearing a suit of armor over that thick hide of his was sufficient to cause the majority of attacks directed at him to simply bounce off. Granted, one could target the soft-looking and mobile joints but his regeneration presented a formidable barrier to anyone attempting to cripple him via that route.

    An attack that would certainly y a normal human being would not kill a troll. Their astounding regenerative ability caused wounds to seal shut and it could only be stopped by fire or acid.

    With this immense biological power on his side, the current Martial Lord was truly the strongest in history.

    The warrior that Osk praised as the mightiest donned his armor before the man¡¯s eyes.

    He had hired adamantite-ranked adventurers to gather theponents for that armor, and then had the masterwork result enhanced with magic. At that time, he had sunk about 20% of his assets into that particr project. The club he carried was made of a magical alloy as well, and it had been made in a simr manner.

    The Martial Lord put on his magic rings, amulets, and the otherponents of his panoply.

    ¡°¨DI¡¯m ready.¡±

    Those words sounded far more intelligent now than how he had spoken in the past.

    Every time Osk saw his majestic frame, his chest grew hot. He was the one who had raised him into this state.

    ¡°Then, Martial Lord, let¡¯s go.¡±

    They walked together to the entrance of the arena. This was a ritual they had always performed.

    The Martial Lord remained silent after leaving his room.

    His silence was because he had once been excited and looked forward to fighting his foes. Somewhere along the way, it had turned to disappointment in his opponents¡¯ abilities. How would it be now?

    Suddenly, the Martial Lord stopped in his tracks.

    Osk did not recall anything happening like this before.

    He began to panic at this unprecedented urrence, and looked up to ask what was going on. The Martial Lord slowly raised the visor of his armet helm, revealing his face.

    ¡°Thank you...¡±

    It sounded as though he was squeezing out that voice.

    Osk blinked.

    This was only the fourth time he had heard those words of thanks. The previous three times had been when he was given his weapon, his armor, and then when he had fought his best opponent, the previous Martial Lord ¡°Rot Wolf¡±, Krelvo Pntynen.

    ¡°What, what¡¯s wrong, Martial Lord?¡±

    His eyes stared at the corridor before him.

    ¡°Fu, fu.¡±

    The Martial Lord¡¯s body quivered as he chuckled.

    It was the excitement of a warrior.

    That was what Osk believed, but it did not seem to be the case.

    ¡°What kind of... What kind of challenger is this? No, am I the challenger?¡±

    ¡°Wha-what?¡±

    ¡°Fu, fu... How scary. Osk, I¡¯m shaking in fear.¡±

    Osk could not help but doubt his ears.

    ¡°This, this must be what living beings call instinct. My legs won¡¯t move... It¡¯s as though they¡¯re telling me that if I go, I¡¯ll die, fu, fu.¡±

    That was notughter. He was simply trying to calm his disturbed breathing.

    ¡°I heard my opponent was the Sorcerer King, and I wondered what sort of foe he would be... It would seem my arrogance up till now will be repaid in full.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying, Martial Lord? What do you mean, arrogance?¡±

    ¡°I am strong.¡±

    Osk wanted to reply that there was nothing wrong with the Martial Lord¡¯s statement, but the Martial Lord continued before he could say so.

    ¡°No, my strength is a lie. Ites from my racial abilities, and it is not actual strength. Still, there are very few people who can contend with me. In particr, ever since I learned to use warrior techniques, I have never tried to understand my challengers¡¯ abilities or equipment, in order to create an unfavorable situation for me. There is no other way to train myself. But in the end, I have found a foe which my instincts are screaming at me to run away from. Thank you very much. You havepletely fulfilled the agreement we made when you met me.¡±

    ¡°Martial Lord... Go Gin.¡±

    He had met the Martial Lord about ten years ago.

    There had been a rumor on the streets about a monster on the outskirts of the Empire. That monster was very rational, and would not y a foe who put down their weapons. Osk was interested, and hurriedly set forth from the Empire to meet that bizarre monster. This was because he heard that the greatest power in the Empire, Fluder Paradyne, was on his way to dispatch the monster.

    He had been afraid at first. That was only natural. After all, the humans who had encountered him had only survived by chance.

    However, the Martial Lord had taken one look at Osk and snorted in disinterest, preparing to leave.

    That was why he forgot his fear and asked: ¡°Why are you doing this?¡±

    The answer he got was not quite as articte as it was now, but it had been along the lines of ¡°I am training to be stronger.¡±

    Osk felt the scales fall from his eyes.

    Osk had a dream. That dream was to make a strong fighter. It was a dream of raising the ultimate warrior, in order to substitute for his talentless self. However, at that point, he realised that he did not need to limit himself to human beings. No, since nonhuman species were higher-spec to begin with, would that not be the way to make a strong ¨D the ultimate warrior?

    At that point, Osk was not thinking about bringing a monster back. He was scouting someone who might well be the ultimate warrior, the tyrant of the arena, the future Martial Lord.

    It had been almost ten years since that fateful encounter. And now, for the first time, he witnessed the Martial Lord shaking in fear.

    ¡°Martial Lord¨D¡±

    Several things popped up in Osk¡¯s mind. The first was, ¡°Do you want to forfeit this match?¡± The risk of death existed within this bout, and Osk could not bear to lose him, the Martial Lord that he had raised until now.

    However, he could not bring himself to speak those words.

    To the strong, having someone show concern for them was like an insult. For all he knew, those words might shatter the friendship he had built between himself and the Martial Lord.

    There was only one thing he could say here.

    ¡°¨DDon¡¯t lose, Martial Lord.¡±

    ¡°Hmph. What are you saying? I have no intention of losing. All my challengers felt the same way. Everyone stood before me in the hopes of achieving victory. Now, it is simply my turn.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the way!¡±

    Osk pped the Martial Lord on the back.

    ¡°The Sorcerer King is a magic caster, but that would be too boring of a contest. So, I have ruled that both sides cannot use magic. You will not lose to a foe like that.¡±

    ¡°...His magic? The Sorcerer King agreed to fight me, even under those conditions?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, and he did so with an attitude which did not even consider the possibility of his defeat.¡±

    ¡°Hoh...¡±

    The Martial Lord clenched his fist. It was a fist that called to mind the image of a giant maul.

    ¡°The strong are often proud. I shall teach him the foolishness of his ways.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit! However, do not get cocky. The Sorcerer King is the sort of man who can give away jaw-dropping weapons on a whim. In all likelihood, he possesses magic items of awesome power.¡±

    Restricting the use of magic items would probably increase the Martial Lord¡¯s chances of victory. But that would be too much of a handicap.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. I now possess the mindset of a challenger. I will not be overconfident. I will not lose because I did not use my full strength.¡±

    The Martial Lord took a step forward with a muscr leg, and Osk scrambled to follow.

    ¡°Say, could you seriously consider what we talked about earlier?¡±

    The Martial Lord suddenly stopped in his tracks, a look of disgust on his face.

    ¡°Earlier... you mean that?¡±

    ¡°Yes, the matter of your wife.¡±

    ¡°Why now... Huhaha.¡±

    The Martial Lordughed, and Osk furrowed his brows while he blushed. If you understand, don¡¯t act like that!

    ¡°Really, can you not cheer me on some other way? How many times must I say this... I will return to my vige if I want a wife. You want my partner to be a human, right? Thank you very much, but I¡¯ll pass on any humans or whatnot. I¡¯m not into perverted things like that, or rather, any human who would actually want to sleep with me would be absolutely disgusting. What kind of sick fetish would that be, anyway? Besides, you want my child, right? I can¡¯t make those with humans.¡±

    While it should be possible for humanoids to breed with each other, having children with demihumans was the sort of thing that only existed in stories.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true... That being the case, why not bring your wife back with you? If you need anything to return in triumph, let me know and I¡¯ll get it for you.¡±

    ¡°...Let me get this out of the way first. We Trolls think of humans as food. My wife might end up calmly eating humans, for all I know.¡±

    To Osk, it would be fine if she only ate unnecessary humans. However, he did not say that.

    ¡°Is that so. Then bring your child back before he knows the taste of manflesh. If we train him up more intensively, he¡¯ll surely be stronger than you are now.¡±

    The Martial Lord crinkled his face with a smile.

    ¡°Well, that would be interesting. Alright, I will consider that seriously.¡±

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Your Majesty, can you really win this?¡±

    Ainz replied to Ainzach¡¯s question with the answer he had given countless times:

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    A person who would take on a hopeless battle was either a true man of courage or an utter fool. This was not a random encounter; the battle had been decided from the nning phases.

    Ainz reviewed what he had learned in his mind.

    If the Martial Lord was only on the level of the Giant of the East, he would surely be able to win. That said, if he had the same strength as a warrior as Gazef, then after adding up his racial and job ss levels, he would be a very tricky foe.

    However¨D

    Well, it was a pretty despicable fighting method to begin with. I even asked Fluder for help after that.

    Ainz had the ability topletely negate weak attacks. He did not think the Martial Lord would be able to breach that defense. Therefore, Ainz had disabled that particr ability.

    Victory was not assured for him.

    At that battlefield, Ainz had killed over 100,000 people with magic. In YGGDRASIL, the amount of experience points gained was reduced in ordance to the level difference between both parties, to a minimum of one point. In other words, he should have earned over 100,000 experience points. Coupled with the umted experience from beforeing to this new world, he should have gotten enough to level up. However, Ainz did not feel that he had levelled up or seen any rted phenomena.

    In other words, Ainz could not get any stronger, as he had expected.

    Still ¨D he could not be content with that.

    If level 100 was the limit, then it could not be helped. However, he was then obliged to fully utilize the power of those 100 levels and refine his skills. If he believed he was the strongest and rested on hisurels, someone might someday surpass him.

    Ainz knew that he had a certain amount of strength from being a mage. The skills and abilities he had honed in YGGDRASIL were also effective here. However, he had not practiced his abilities as a vanguard in YGGDRASIL.

    I learned a lot from the battle with that woman.

    He felt nothing but gratitude for that woman, who had taught him howcking he was as a frontline fighter.

    That battle had sparked the desire in Ainz to improve his closebat ability. Right now, Ainz was confident that in stats, skills and even tactics, he was the equivalent of a level 33 warrior.

    This battle with the Martial Lord would be the proof of that. Ainz eagerly looked forward to it.

    Ainz looked at his neck.

    He did not have the luxury of wearing that any more. During the encounter with the Workers, he did not feel that he had earned much experience or learned any techniques. Honestly speaking, it felt like a waste of effort.

    As he thought about that, Ainz recalled a more pressing problem.

    Ah~ Jiiv is watching this fight too, right? Why is he here? He wasn¡¯t around when I came to check just now. It looks like the illegal border crossing is going to be exposed... Well, I guess I can just apologise for it. If he makes a big deal of it, I¡¯ll just ask him if he got the Kingdom¡¯s permission when he came to Nazarick and be done with it... I should probably go up and say hello to him. I guess not greeting him will ruin my image in his eyes.

    ¡°Your, Your Majesty, it¡¯s about time to enter,¡± the man from the arena said as he entered the room to notify Ainz.

    They had met several times, but he froze up every time he saw Ainz¡¯s true face.

    Should I fight while masked? He considered that, but he had gained permission to make a speech after beating the Martial Lord. For all he knew, there might be people in the audience who wanted to be adventurers in the Sorcerous Kingdom. With that in mind, it would be better not to engage in any deceptions.

    All he could do was to trust his own choices.

    Ainz slowly stepped forward.

    Normally speaking, the higher-ranked person ought to enterter. However, Ainz was the challenger in this arena, and was thus the lower-ranking one. Thus, he was obliged to enter first. Of course, Ainz saw it as natural and did not question it.

    Ainz smiled to the very worried-looking Ainzach.

    It seemed strange that he was more worried than the one who was about to go into battle himself.

    ¡°¨DDon¡¯t make me repeat myself, Ainzach. I will not lose.¡±

    ? ? ?

    After greeting Jiiv, Ainz returned to the arena.

    He had promised not to use magic during the fight, but the fight had not started yet. Surely his opponent would not quibble over something like that.

    He didn¡¯t seem too angry despite the fact that I crossed the border illegally. Is he going toin afterwards? Or did he think I entered normally? If that was the case, they might end up hosting some sort of wee for me, or maybe I¡¯m being too self-conscious... Will he be mad because I directly addressed him as Jiiv?

    Ainz mocked his thoughts, and then turned his eyes toward the entrance which faced him.

    The Martial Lord had not showed up yet.

    Then...

    Ainz looked around at the audience in the arena.

    A shocked silence ruled the scene. Even the slightest movement was clearly audible.

    Well, it can¡¯t be helped... No, you people over there, this is not a mask.

    Ainz felt his smooth and shiny face. Now he understood. Anyone who could look at this face nonchntly must be quite brave.

    Because of this, my poprity will increase once I get the audience fired up.

    While his objective was not to boost his poprity, it was better to have it than not. Plus, if it ended up raising the general opinion of all undead, it would probably improve their opinion of the Sorcerous Kingdom, which controlled many undead.

    Ainz gripped the staff in his hand.

    As a pure magic caster, Ainz¡¯s selection in weapons was very limited,rgely to staves, daggers and the like. This time round, he had selected a staff used for physical attacks. It was a weapon he had made as a prototype in YGGDRASIL, but which had ended up unused. Since it was something he had used a long time ago, it was not very strong. Ainz as he was now could probably make a better weapon.

    That said, Ainz had not made such preparations.

    After considering the difference in strength between himself and the Martial Lord, Ainz had decided to fight him with his present weapon, to see how it ¨D and the fight ¨D turned out.

    This was the ultimate in foolishness to the YGGDRASIL yer Suzuki Satoru, an unforgivablepse of carelessness. If his friends were nearby, they might rebuke him with a ¡°That won¡¯t do~¡±

    However, he had already learned about all of the Martial Lord¡¯s magic items from Fluder. Thus, he had to subject himself to these unfavorable circumstances in order to use this as training.

    He did not want to show them a one-sided ughter. Ainz¡¯s objective was an overwhelming victory of just the right amount.

    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen! From the north entrance! The! Martial! Lord!¡±

    Unlike how they had treated him earlier, the entire arena erupted in cheering. Ainz could hear Jiiv¡¯s voice from the VIP room where he had shown his face earlier. The man was screaming as though to break his throat.

    ...He sounds pretty excited. Does Jiiv really like the Martial Lord that much? The king of the ring seems to be an idol of sorts, so this should be a normal reaction, right? It was the same in YGGDRASIL ¨D the strong fighters in PVP matches were very popr with the spectators.

    As he reminisced about his YGGDRASIL days, Ainz began to pity Jiiv a little.

    He¡¯ll be shocked when I win. Like a client whose sports team lost...

    It weighed on his heart, but he could not throw the match.

    A massive shadow appeared from the opposite entrance.

    The cheering he thought could not get any louder went up another level, and now it sounded like an explosion.

    In all honesty, he wanted a part of that cheering for himself, but he would simply have to im it with his own strength.

    In YGGDRASIL, the voices of the supporters would slowly turn toward the challenger if they did well. In other words if Ainz fought well against the Martial Lord, more and more people would start to support Ainz.

    So it seems conditions like these where I hardly have any support are pretty good for advertising myself, no?

    He could slowly see the form of the Martial Lord.

    He wore a suit of full te armor, and carried a gigantic club.

    As he beheld this walking fortress before him, Ainz¡¯s eyes ¨D the flickering red mes within the empty orbits of his skull ¨D narrowed into points.

    Hm... He looks about the same as the description. That being the case ¨D no, that would be reckless. I¡¯d better be careful.

    ording to the information Fluder had supplied, he did not possess any particrly lethal equipment.

    However, in YGGDRASIL, some people would prepare a set of identical-looking gear, equipped withpletely different data crystals. In PVP matches, small tricks like that improved the chances of victory. Although backup gear was typically weaker than one¡¯s main panoply, being able to surprise a foe had effects beyond mere data values.

    He could not guarantee that the Martial Lord would not do that.

    Ainz took that into consideration as he continued to study the Martial Lord.

    He had heard of him before, but seeing the real thing made him think, ¡°No wonder¡±. That was probably what they meant by the saying ¡°seeing is believing¡±. From what Fluder had told him, the creature under that armor looked very simr to the War Troll he had turned into a zombie, but the Martial Lord had apletely different air around him.

    One could say it was the difference between a domesticated pig and a wild boar.

    ¡°This is... interesting... Interesting?¡±

    Ainz furrowed his eyebrows at his own excitement. He felt the same way as he did then; that this was going to be a good fight. Perhaps he was bing a battle maniac, given the way he relishedbat.

    That was not a good sign.

    The distance between them shrank. His opponent was the first to speak.

    ¡°I am the War Troll Go Gin, known as the Martial Lord.¡±

    ¡°I am ¨D¡± here Ainz puffed out his chest. ¡°The Sorcerer King, Ainz Ooal Gown, an undead being of the highest order, an Overlord.¡±

    ¡°Is that so. Then let us fight with all our strength.¡±

    ¡°...Oya?¡±

    Ainz was quite surprised.

    There were two things about which he was curious, and he decided to start with the bigger one.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to make fun of my name?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re asking why...?¡±

    Ainz tilted his head at the counter-inquiry. That was how it had gone back then.

    ¡°I seem to recall long names are something to you...?¡±

    ¡°I see. It would seem you do understand my species well, Your Majesty. Indeed, my species considers those with short names to be strong. However, I have lived in this country for many years. During that time, I have learned that humans take long names. Thus, I will not make fun of such things. In addition, I sense that you are quite proud of that name, Your Majesty. Insulting the names of the strong is shameful for a warrior.¡±

    ¡°Is that so... It would seem I need to revise my opinion of War Trolls now.¡±

    ¡°Fuhahahaha. No need for that. I am merely an outlier. In addition, different species have members with different opinions. That is all.¡±

    ¡°...Hahahaha! Indeed. I like you, Martial Lord... If I win, how about I keep you?¡±

    Ainz extended his right hand.

    Although it had been rejected back then, the present circumstances were different. The Martial Lord considered the matter, and replied:

    ¡°...Alright. If I lose, I will be your subordinate. And if I win?¡±

    ¡°Well, that is a tricky question. What do you want? Name your desire.¡±

    ¡°...Then I will have you, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°...Hah?¡±

    ¡°To date, I have not encountered anyone worth killing for a meal. But if I can eat you, who are stronger than me, I will obtain your powers, Your Majesty.¡±

    Ainz calmed down a little. He had heard a lecture from a guildmate about the culture of cannibals. Although they ate people, the motive behind that was the same as the Martial Lord, to obtain the power of the enemy¡¯s soul. There were also other reasons for that, like fetishes and so on.

    At least it¡¯s not sexual. I wouldn¡¯t lose from that, but it would feel really gross if someone was looking at me in that way during a fight.

    ¡°Alright. After all, the right of life and death rests in the hands of the victor. So even if I kill you, you must not reject the resurrection.¡±

    Ainz stepped forward. The Martial Lord assumed a fighting stance for a moment, but then he immediately rxed.

    Ainz advanced with his right hand extended. The Martial Lord returned the gesture, extending his own massive right hand.

    This was less a handshake than the Martial Lord¡¯s hand swallowing up his own. A great cheer rose from the audience.

    ¡°Then, I have another question. Why do you address me respectfully?¡±

    The Martial Lord¡¯s attitude was not like a reigning champion greeting a challenger.

    ¡°It is only sensible to address the strong with respect.¡±

    ¡°I see... Alright, I understand. That¡¯s all the questions I have. Let¡¯s start. How far apart should we be? Like the distance just now ¨D about ten meters or so? I will strive to abide by the rules of this arena.¡±

    ¡°There are no rules for distance, but it doesn¡¯t matter. You¡¯ll soon be within my striking range.¡±

    ¡°This is a handicap, a handicap.¡±

    The Martial Lord did not speak, but nodded to show he understood.

    His face could not be seen, but his breathing and actions were calm.

    Had he seen through the taunt, or was that not enough to upset him?

    Ainz mentally clicked his tongue.

    What a troublesome foe. If his emotions were vulnerable, he could y on that, but one could not look down on a vignt foe, even if they were lower in level.

    The Martial Lord turned his back to Ainz, and walked away.

    He turned back again after travelling about ten meters.

    ¡°Then, we¡¯ll start when the bell goes, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Right... say, Martial Lord, I¡¯ve fought your kind before, but have you fought my kind before?¡±

    ¡°Overlords? No, I have not. I¡¯ve never heard of that undead... species.¡±

    ¡°Is that so... Well, that¡¯s true. If you met anyone of my kind, you wouldn¡¯t be alive to stand here. Overlords are the highest-ranking undead... Then, have you fought any undead before?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve never fought the undead. After all, the undead they bring here are obviously no match for me.¡±

    ¡°Really now... Then I can¡¯t say ¡®don¡¯t think I¡¯m like the other undead you¡¯ve fought. I¡¯m several times more powerful than an Elder Lich¡¯... What a shame.¡±

    The Martial Lord chuckled.

    Ainz shrugged, and raised his staff like a greatsword. Ainzach should be watching from behind, but he had not shown him his fighting stance as Momon, so it should be fine.

    The Martial Lord raised his gigantic club as well.

    The bell went off.

    In that instant, Ainz was swallowed up by an enormous ck shadow.

    Cheh, he¡¯s fast!

    That was the shadow of a club swinging down.

    Block the strike with the staff ¨D Ainz wanted to do that, but immediately abandoned the notion. While he did not know enough about the enemy, the best thing to do in the face of a big move ¨D one which was highly damaging ¨D was to dodge.

    Thus, not caring if he lost his bnce, Ainz threw himself into evasion.

    Ainz managed to dodge by the skin of his teeth. The club mmed into the ground, releasing a thunderous impact that even produced an echo. The smoke and dust it produced gusted up like an explosion.

    Worried about any follow-up strikes, Ainz fell back several paces.

    After the dust cleared, the shadow of the Martial Lord, club in hand, appeared from within it.

    A great cry rose up from the arena.

    Was it a martial art? Still... this is pretty exciting.

    He could clearly hear Jiiv¡¯s shouting his support amidst the ear-splitting cheers. ¡°Get him! He¡¯s right there!¡± and other such childish cries.

    Ainz could not help but chuckle as he heard these cries from Jiiv, which werepletely unlike him. He could not have imagined him acting like that from all the times he had spied on him in the Imperial City.

    ...He¡¯s an unexpectedly interesting chap...

    Ainz¡¯s opinion of Jiiv rose rapidly. At first, he had believed that he was a perfect man with the air of an Emperor. However, now that he saw how passionate he was about the match, he felt that he could get along even better with him. Ainz¡¯s heart filled with a sense of closeness.

    Then, Ainz returned his attention to the Martial Lord.

    The Martial Lord was pointing that giant club of his toward him, implying that he would be intercepted if he came close and pursued if he backed off. It was a stance well-suited to pinning down one¡¯s opponents.

    It was a defensive stance that made full use of his weapon¡¯s length, practically turning it into a shield.

    In all honesty, Ainz had no clue how to break that stance of his.

    This... might be troublesome. It would seem being unable to use magic against an evenly-matched opponent is quite difficult. Well, I am a magic caster, after all...

    That being the case , there was only one thing he could do.

    ¡°Well? Aren¡¯t youing? Or will you cower there like a turtle?¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, I will not let my guard down. Even though the rules keep you from using magic, the fact that you could dodge that strike cannot be taken lightly.¡±

    ¡°So, you want me to take the offensive? In that case, would you mind moving that club of yours aside? It¡¯s kind of in the way and makes it hard to attack.¡±

    The Martial Lord did not answer. His keen gaze remained affixed on Ainz through the slits of his helmet¡¯s visor.

    ¡°Well then... In that case, allow me.¡±

    Ainz savagely swung his staff at the tip of the club. The club forcefully struck the ground, as the Martial Lord grunted ¡°Ggh!¡±

    The impact should have been transmitted into the Martial Lord¡¯s hands and numbed them. In contrast, Ainz had no such biological functions.

    In an instant, Ainz charged into the Martial Lord¡¯s attack range.

    Ainz sent a mentalmand to his staff, and mes billowed from it. That said, ¡°billowing mes¡± simply meant ayer of fire that surrounded the staff. The mes did not constitute an attack in themselves. However, Ainz sensed the Martial Lord¡¯s attention shifting from himself to the staff.

    That¡¯s right. You Trolls have regenerative powers. Thus, it¡¯s perfectly rational to be mindful of weapons that negate your regeneration, such as those which can inflict fire or acid damage. However, that is a fatal mistake.

    Ainz touched the Martial Lord¡¯s armor with his empty left hand. In that moment, the Martial Lord shuddered like he had been electrocuted, making him swing his club without thinking.

    ¡°Kuh!¡±

    Ainz failed to dodge, and the sounds of cracking came from his body as he was smashed into the distance. Since he had disabled his High-Tier Physical Immunity and he was weak to bludgeoning attacks, that strike dealt a lot of damage. Ainz¡¯s body flew several meters, no, over 10 meters through the air, like a ball struck by a bat.

    Then, he hit the ground, tumbling head over heels several times.

    Thunderous cheering erupted from the crowd.

    Ainz heard Jiiv shouting in delight as he rolled across the ground, and the surge in goodwill he had toward the man dropped swiftly.

    Dammit, we¡¯re allied countries, aren¡¯t we? Shouldn¡¯t you be a bit more concerned about the fact that an allied king is down on the ground, huh?

    Though he had taken damage, Ainz no longer felt pain, and he peered at the Martial Lord from where he was on the ground.

    There was no follow-up attack.

    The sounds of cheering gradually died down, reced by a sense of disquiet that covered the entire arena. Why had the Martial Lord not pressed the attack? No, why was the Martial Lord bending over? What was slowing down the Martial Lord¡¯s movements.

    Ainz gracefully rose to his feet, dusting himself off. He did not seem at all bothered at being sent flying.

    In contrast, the Martial Lord¡¯s movements were extremely sluggish.

    Ainz chuckled.

    This was the best way the show could have gone.

    Ainz returned to his original position, amidst a cacophony of noise. The Martial Lord asked in doubt:

    ¡°Wh-what is this? Poison... no, what is this?¡±

    ¡°I did not break the rules. This is a proper contest. That said, this is far beyond the word ¡®poison¡¯. My touch can infuse negative energy into an opponent¡¯s body. However, a Troll¡¯s regeneration should be able to heal that.¡±

    Ainz made the same gesture he used when touching the Martial Lord, opening and closing his fingers.

    ¡°However, I have another ability in addition to that. I can inflict physical ability damage by touch. Thus, your strength and dexterity have been reduced. I don¡¯t think you can heal that, can you?¡±

    From what Ainz knew, Trollish regeneration could only heal damage, but not the weakening of the body.

    ¡°In other words, Martial Lord, the more I touch you, the lower your stats will be, until you end up like a caterpir.¡±

    Naturally, that was a lie.

    He could inflict ability penalties on a foe, that much was true, but even that had a limit. He could not reduce stats to zero. Of course, his opponent could not possibly know that.

    However, there were other undead with simr abilities, so he could not conclude that his opponent really did not know. He might have been bluffing about not fighting the undead, and he might know something rted to them.

    That was why Ainz had openly stated the name of his species.

    Overlords are a very powerful species, and one which you know nothing about. Once he left that impression in the Martial Lord¡¯s mind, he would feel that Ainz¡¯s power was mysterious and unfathomable. Ainz had mentioned that he was of the highest order and whatnot to further reinforce that sense of unease.

    The most important thing was that he had given an unnecessary exnation to the Martial Lord. That too was to confuse him with false information.

    ¨DBroadly speaking, all warfare is based on deception.

    Ainz calmly studied the Martial Lord, who did not seem to be recovering from his ability penalties.

    This was to see if the Martial Lord was trying to bluff with his actions.

    He might have the ability to recover from his ability penalties but chose not to use it, in order to create a fatal w in Ainz¡¯s defense. He might also have a talent, or some other hidden ability which Ainz knew nothing about.

    One could only trample one¡¯s foe in an open fight when there was an overwhelming difference in strength.

    ¡°...The ability penalties I inflict will not heal with time, you know. I will shave away at your physical stats bit by bit, until I deliver the final blow with this staff, understood? Well, if you do, then let¡¯s continue.¡±

    Ainz stepped forward, and the Martial Lord slowly took a stance.

    He could not see the Martial Lord¡¯s face because of his helmet. Was heughing to himself, or was he growing anxious?

    Thetter, I hope...

    Ainz moved his left hand, the one which was not holding his staff. The Martial Lord shifted in response. It would seem he was very wary of it.

    The Martial Lord must be thinking that all he needed to do was worry about the left hand.

    That was it. During Ainz¡¯s experiments, he found that he could initiate touch attacks with any part of his body. If he felt like it, he could even use a headbutt to do so.

    As Ainz got closer, the Martial Lord backed away from him.

    Ainzughed coldly.

    From their movements, it was readily apparent to the audience who had the advantage here.

    Do you know what the difference between us is, Martial Lord? Indeed, you might be better than me as a warrior. But there is something which decisively sets us apart.

    The biggest difference between himself and the Martial Lord was that of their HP.

    Ainz had the health of a level 100 character. Even if both parties abandoned defense and engaged in a slugging match, Ainz would emerge victorious.

    However, the problemy in martial arts, those attacks which Ainz did not know about.

    ¡°Iid down another restriction on myself besides not using magic. That would concern magic items. I did not use magic items during this bout with you ¨D in other words, I gave myself an equipment restriction. Still, this is thoroughly beneficial to me.¡±

    Ainz possessed numerous magic items from his time in YGGDRASIL. Each and every one of them was a peerless treasure in this world. Thus, if Ainz had used those, he could have easily won his battle with the Martial Lord. However, Ainz did not feel that was the proper way to fight.

    Therefore, Ainz was equipped with low-tier items.

    ¡°I have restricted myself to using weapons which someone of your level can wield. On the other hand, I feel this is an excellent opportunity to test out a new acquisition.¡±

    Ainz plunged his staff into the ground and withdrew two of the four stilettos sheathed at his waist. He gripped them tightly.

    ¡°Let¡¯s test these weapons I borrowed from Momon.¡±

    The Martial Lord probably did not understand Ainz¡¯s thering. Ainz had no intention of enlightening him. He was simply talking to himself.

    ¡°Then ¨D here Ie.¡±

    Ainz could not imitate that bizarre stance ¨D that strange crouching start. However, after practice, he had learned to run in a simr way. He shot out like a loosed arrow, toward the Martial Lord.

    The distance was very short. Still, even in the brief opening before his opponent¡¯s attack, the Martial Lord¡¯s club swept across at him. The blow was slowed because his strength had been sapped by ability penalties, but it was a strike that should have connected.

    Ainz could not execute a magnificent dodge like that woman. However, Ainz could do something which that woman could not.

    He activated his ability, and the Martial Lord¡¯s movements halted for a moment.

    Ainz closed the gap between them and thrust his stiletto, aiming for the shoulder. That full-power strike, boosted by his running speed, shot out like an arrow.

    When she had hit him back then, she managed to damage Ainz¡¯s magically-created armor, which was harder than adamantite. This strike was on the same level as that, and the stiletto pierced the Martial Lord¡¯s armor and hide, prating the Martial Lord¡¯s body.

    ¨DHowever, in that moment¨D

    ¡°[Reinforce Hide], [Greater Reinforce Hide]!¡±

    The Martial Lord activated his martial arts.

    It was as though he had released something from within his body which pushed back against the tip of the stiletto

    The startling thing was that Ainz¡¯s full-strength hit only inflicted a tiny amount ¨D a scratch¡¯s worth ¨D of damage. With Trollish regeneration, that sort of damage would heal within seconds.

    The Martial Lord must have felt reassured by this. The club swinging toward Ainz was still very fast, and he had only taken a scratch from Ainz¡¯s all-out attack. One could say that victory was at hand for the Martial Lord.

    However, that would be a very foolish thing to say.

    ¡°¨DActivate.¡±

    ¡°Goh! Gowaaaaaaaaah!!¡±

    He released the spell, channelling the [Fireball] which Fluder had cast into the weapon into the ce where he had stabbed the Martial Lord, thus burning his body from within. He thought of plunging his other stiletto into the opposite shoulder, but he was not strong enough, and the armor deflected it.

    As Ainz thought of targeting a chink in his armor, Ainz sensed movement from the Martial Lord and dashed to the side without looking.

    A gale blew from behind him. It must have been the wind pressure from that club.

    After fleeing for about 10 meters, Ainz turned back.

    The Martial Lord was grabbing at his shoulder with the arm holding his club. His other arm dangled beneath him, probably immobile. It would seem Fluder¡¯s spell was a little too strong. Perhaps he should have asked for a weaker magic caster to infuse it with magic.

    After realising the Martial Lord was in dire straits, the crowd wailed in sympathy.

    Ainz looked around the arena.

    No matter where he looked, he could not see anyone cheering for him.

    How strange... In YGGDRASIL, it wouldn¡¯t be unusual for someone to start cheering for me at this point... I guess away matches are hard.

    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. I guess I¡¯ll have to abandon the n of seizing the audience¡¯s heart. Now then, Martial Lord... time to die.¡±

    Ainz sheathed the stiletto whose magic was expended and drew another one. This new stiletto was imbued with a 3rd-tier acid-element attack spell. He had prepared this in case the Martial Lord had rendered himself immune to fire damage.

    Granted, the Martial Lord looked like he had been hurt by that fire-elemental spell, but that might have been an act. Regenerating monsters could notpletely resist attacks which shut down their regeneration, but that was only for YGGDRASIL.

    For all he knew, it might be possible in this world.

    If that was the case, his n was to kill him by activating his skill when the audience ¨D when everyone ¨D could see that victory had been decided.

    ¡°If you admit defeat now... I¡¯ll end things here.¡±

    ¡°No... Your Majesty. Not... not yet. I am still the Martial Lord. I am still the king of this arena. I will struggle until I die.¡±

    ¡°Then, take off your helmet and let me see your face.¡±

    It was a surprising request, but the Martial Lordplied, and showed his face.

    Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his face was twisted by what was probably intense pain. Yet, there was great strength in those eyes.

    ¡°Those are good eyes. They remind me of Gazef Stronoff.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Being praised by a mighty being like yourself fills me with joy.¡±

    ¡°...Tell me. Do you have any moves which can beat me? Do you have any moves which can turn the tide?¡±

    ¡°¨DI do not. Even so, I still wish to fight.¡±

    They were very honest words.

    Ainz felt ashamed of using so many bluffs in this fight. In addition, there were all the abilities he had sealed off to make this a good match.

    Since his opponent was fighting in earnest, Ainz was obliged to respond with everything he could do, within the range of what he was allowed to do.

    The Martial Lord, who hade straight at Ainz, seemed to shine in his eyes.

    ¡°What would the Guardians think of the light in those eyes...¡±

    Still, he knew that they would scorn any being that was not of Nazarick. If that was the case ¨D unease and loneliness filled Ainz.

    Ainz cast aside these emotions, and slowly raised his stilettos.

    The Martial Lord wiped off his sweat with his forearm, and put his helmet back on.

    ¡°¨DCome at me, Martial Lord.¡±

    ¡°Gooohhhhhhh!¡±

    With a roar, his vast body pressed in on Ainz.

    He was faster than just now. Perhaps he had activated a martial art.

    That incredible speed and that immense body ¨D the two of them synergized to produce an overwhelming sense of oppression that would freeze any foe in ce. No, that would apply to normal people, but the undead were immune to such mental effects.

    Ainz calmly studied the Martial Lord.

    He was fast ¨D but that was all.

    His bnce was off, probably because the shoulder pierced by the stiletto was unable to move.

    ¨DWorse than that time.

    More importantly¨D

    Do you know the truth behind how I slowed you down? If you don¡¯t know, it¡¯ll be over for you, no?

    Ainz activated the same ability from just now.

    [Despair Aura I (Fear)]

    This ability had five effects.

    I was for Fear.

    II was for Panic.

    III was for Confusion.

    IV was for Insanity.

    V was for Instant Death.

    Fear referred to an abnormal status of being afraid, which inflicted a penalty to all actions.

    Panic was a more severe version of Fear, caused by stacking additional Fear effects on each other. Anyone afflicted by that status would want to flee the ability user at all costs ¨D in other words, they would be unable to take anybat-rted actions against that person.

    Confusion was as the name suggested. Without any recovery measures, the target would be in a state of confusion.

    Insanity was an extremely annoying bad status, being a permanent version of Confusion. It could not be removed without magic from a third party.

    And it went without saying that Instant Death caused death.

    The effects changed as one¡¯s level increased.

    Ainz had used the Fear effect first, and then cancelled it almost instantly afterward. By doing so, there would be a moment where the actions one imagined did not match up to the actual actions taken, and thus the body would feel as if it had been paralyzed.

    However, the Martial Lord had anticipated that this would happen if he tried a frontal attack. Even after his mind and body went out of sync, he still swung his club.

    After factoring in thebined penalties Ainz¡¯s touch and the fear status, evading the Martial Lord¡¯s attack should have been child¡¯s y. However¨D

    ¡°[Strong Strike], [Divine Skill Single sh]!¡±

    Ainz thought he saw a sh of light.

    In that instant, intense pain ¨D immediately suppressed to tolerable levels ¨D and a floating sensation filled him.

    ¡°[Flow eleration]!¡±

    A dull impact came from above, followed by a burst of pain in the next moment.

    Although he was briefly confused by the situation, Ainz quickly came to his senses.

    This was probably a two-hitbo. The first partunched Ainz into the air, while the second smashed him down into the ground.

    If he was Suzuki Satoru, he might not have been able to grasp the situation and fallen into confusion. However, Ainz Ooal Gown was immune to such bad statuses.

    Ainz knew that he was down on the ground, and that the club wasing down on him.

    ¡°Cheh!¡±

    Ainz flipped away just as the club struck. Perhaps it was because of a martial art, but the impact flowed through the ground and into Ainz¡¯s body.

    However, this did not deal any additional damage.

    As Ainz leapt, the club that buried itself in the ground sprang up. That move, like dredging up something from the depths, seemed to say ¡°I¡¯ll finish you with this¡±.

    Ainz made a split-second decision to block the strike with his stiletto, and Ainz¡¯s body sailed through the air once more. The audience¡¯s cheers rang through the arena, but the Martial Lord bitterly cursed, ¡°Dammit!¡± He had been hoping to finish off Ainz with thatbination attack.

    After being knocked several meters through the air, Ainz tumbled a few times on the ground and then swiftly regained his stance as he muttered about himself.

    ¡°Nothing to turn the tide? He tricked me. Punitto Moe would scold me for this.¡±

    Much like Ainz, the Martial Lord had saved his trump card ¨D his martial arts ¨D until the final moment. That proved he was a first-rate warrior.

    Ainz sheathed one of his stilettos, freeing up a hand.

    His arrogance and haste to seize victory had earned him a hard blow ¨D no, two of them. It was time to discard his naive thinking. He would cut his opponent¡¯s stats down to size before ending things.

    How noisy...

    The audience¡¯s cheers were really annoying. They had just been wailing, and now they were rejoicing. Especially¨D

    ¨DDammit, Jiiv! What the hell do you mean, ¡°finish him?!¡± Ah, seriously...

    Ainz moved slowly. He had not been severely injured, but he had been punished for his carelessness with pain, so he would not make that sort of mistake again.

    Still, I really don¡¯t get martial arts. These are skills which don¡¯t exist in YGGDRASIL... did someone develop them to counter YGGDRASIL yers? Or am I just trying to force a theory here...? Hang on, that martial art should have been something which increased attack speed. He¡¯ll probably try that again, so I¡¯d better prepare my body for it, no?

    (TL Note: Once again Ainz seems to have misremembered a saying, Èâ¤òÇÐ¤é¤»¤Æ¹Ç¤ò¶Ï¤Ä, to prepare your flesh to be cut and your bones to be broken. Of course, he has no flesh...)

    Ainz entered the Martial Lord¡¯s reach, and the Martial Lord swung down. Yet Ainz did not evade.

    He advanced, taking the Martial Lord¡¯s attacks.

    The pressure and pain filled him, but he could do this, given the huge difference in their HP. It was fine. In addition, his undead body immediately suppressed his pain, so he could bear agony which the living could not endure.

    In this way, Ainz touched the Martial Lord¡¯s body. Having just finished an attack ¨D and being under the influence of the fear status from Ainz¡¯s aura ¨D it was quite difficult to evade it.

    Then, he maintained contact with the Martial Lord¡¯s body and circled around to his back. Of course, he was continuously infusing the ability-damaging negative energy through his armor.

    ¡°Uooooooooh!¡±

    This time, it was the Martial Lord who backed away from him, as though rolling along the ground.

    Ainz was puzzled over whether or not to pursue, but decided to stay still, in case of some hidden move.

    The Martial Lord ponderously raised his weapon. His breathing was ragged, and his imposing demeanor from when they had first met was gone.

    Ainz gripped his stilettos tightly.

    The preparations wereplete. This would be the final strike.

    Perhaps he had sensed the change in the air, but the Martial Lord removed his helmet and cast it aside.

    As surprise began to fill Ainz, the Martial Lord shed the rest of his armor as well. While he was currently weakened, it did not seem to be at a level where he was unable to move due to the weight of his armor.

    However, after seeing the determination on the Martial Lord¡¯s face, Ainz understood his n.

    I see. Armor protects against the stilettos, but it does nothing against ability penalties. He must feel quite threatened by it, which is why he¡¯s gambling on his foe¡¯s HP being low and lightening the load on his body, just so he can continue attacking.

    That was his final ¨D and also a very disadvantageous ¨D gamble.

    ¡°Tell me... Am I weak?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty. you have not revealed a fraction of your true power until now. Even without the mighty wings of your magic, this is clearly not taxing you. Am... Am I really that weak?¡±

    Ainz closed his eyes in thought, and then he opened them again.

    ¡°Yes, you are weak.¡±

    ¡°...Is that so.¡±

    The arena fell silent.

    Ainz¡¯s voice had not reached them. However, the victory was already decided in their eyes.

    ¡°During this battle, I forbade myself the use of many magic items and the use of all sorts of abilities.¡±

    ¡°Otherwise, you would have ended this in an instant?¡±

    Ainz nodded in confirmation.

    ¡°Just so. However, I know about you, so¨D¡± Ainz shook his head. This was not meant tofort him. ¡°Well, you just had a bad opponent. If you are the strongest man in the Empire... I may well be the strongest man in the world.¡±

    ¡°I see... Still... I am d. Knowing that someone is better than me is what drives me to improve.¡±

    ¡°I do understand that, to some extent.¡±

    There were some of his friends ¨D for instance, Touch Me ¨D whom he had never beaten in PVP. Even so, he looked back fondly on how he had pondered the ways to beat his tactics and equipment.

    Ainz smiled to the Martial Lord, and the Martial Lord smiled to Ainz.

    ¡°...Then, make your move.¡±

    ¡°¨DYour Majesty, Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown. At the very end, please show me ¨D even if it is just a fraction ¨D of your true power. Allow me to experience the zenith of might!¡±

    The Martial Lord forcefully brandished his weapon.

    ¡°Really now... Very well. Then I shall reveal the pinnacle of power to you.¡±

    Ainz activated his skill, and strode forth.

    He entered the Martial Lord¡¯s attack range. The Martial Lord swung down.

    It waspletely different from the speed at which he had raised it. He might have used martial arts to elerate it. Still, it was nothingpared to the speed before he had his abilities penalized. It was far too slow.

    The club swung down on Ainz¡¯s body, but Ainz paid it no heed.

    The attack could no longer harm Ainz¡¯s body.

    Ainz walked through it, as though caressed by a gentle wind.

    He took blow after blow, but Ainz continued advancing, looking straight into the Martial Lord¡¯s eyes.

    The Martial Lord smiled, as though giving up. Ainz plunged his stiletto into the Martial Lord¡¯s unresisting chest, and then released the spell imbued within.

    ? ? ?

    Ainz looked down on the Martial Lord¡¯s corpse.

    Then, he activated a borrowed magic item. It was a simple loudspeaker.

    ¡°Hear me! People of the Empire! I am the Sorcerer King, Ainz Ooal Gown!¡±

    His voice seemed to echo with a high-pitched whine of feedback amidst the silence. Thus, Ainz decided to wrap this up quickly.

    ¡°I intend to establish a program to train and raise adventurers within my country. This is because I consider it advantageous for my country to both cultivate and protect adventurers, and send them travelling to various ces in the world. Many adventurers must survive with their own resources. But how many have been cut down before they reached their prime?¡±

    Ainz recalled the adventurer team he had travelled with for a short time.

    ¡°...Therefore, I intend to incorporate the Adventurer¡¯s Guild into my nation. There are those who fear that they will lose their freedom and be shackled down once the Adventurer¡¯s Guild bes a national organization. I cannotpletely rule that out. However, like I have just shown, my strength is more than adequate. I do not intend to use you as tools for war. The Sorcerous Kingdom thirsts those who truly seek adventure! All you who wish to explore the unknown, who wish to understand the world and thus dream of bing adventurers,e to me! I will help you stand on your own, with the aid of power you cannot imagine. Now behold a fraction of that might!¡±

    Ainz walked over to the Martial Lord.

    ¡°The Martial Lord is dead! Who will verify his death?¡±

    There was no answer.

    ¡°Death is the end of everything. Yet ¨D as some here might know, death can be fought off.¡±

    Ainz withdrew a wand, and pointed it at the Martial Lord¡¯s chest.

    It would be terribly embarrassing if he did note back to life. His nonexistent heart pounded within his chest.

    ¡°Witness this!¡±

    The wand activated, and then the Martial Lord gasped. Then, his chest began moving.

    ¡°Resurrection magic is the province of high-level priests. However, it is not a challenge for me! That said, the appropriate payment in gold must still be made! I, who have conquered death, shall back you up! Come to my nation, you who seek to be true adventurers!¡±

    Amidst the tides of sound, Ainz cast a [Fly] spell.

    His destination was Jiiv¡¯s VIP room.

    ncing around, he noticed that only Jiiv and his two bodyguards were left. The others seemed to have departed early. Ainz was delighted at having less to worry about, but he said nothing.

    ¡°Well, sorry about that just now, Jiiv-dono. Oya, your face looks better now. What a relief.¡±

    His dizziness when standing up seemed genuine. However ¨D since he had been cheering so energetically, it must have only been for a moment.

    ¡°I apologize for worrying you, Gown-dono.¡±

    ¡°Ahhh, don¡¯t mind it. Anyone would be worried if they saw someone they knew looking unwell.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your concern. Still, that was an exciting match. As expected of you, Gown-dono. To think you could triumph so easily over the Empire¡¯s strongest warrior. There are no words for that but ¡®magnificent¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Certainly not. This was a good bout. It could have gone both ways; I simply had luck on my side.¡±

    Given the way Jiiv was cheering for the Martial Lord, he must have been a big fan. That being the case, he could not go wrong by praising the Martial Lord.

    Or rather¨D

    ¨DDamn you, you didn¡¯t cheer for me at all. I heard it!

    Of course, he could not voice these thoughts. When one thought calmly about it, in a battle between the warriors of one¡¯s own nation and that of another country, it was only natural for one to cheer for one¡¯s own countrymen.

    Well, if he had actually cheered for Ainz, his affection meter ¨D a phrase Peroroncino frequently used ¨D would probably have gone through the roof.

    ¡°While outsiders might not be able to tell, I am sure you are not mistaken, Gown-dono. Then, next ¨D forgive me. What am I saying at this time?¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Ainz agreed. Put in another way, he did not wish to be chatting with Jiiv for so long in a ce like this.

    He did not want him to realize that Ainz Ooal Gown was just a mortal man.

    Although he thought he would be scolded for promoting the Sorcerous Kingdom in the arena and for his illegal border crossing, Jiiv did not seem to want to rebuke him. That being the case, it was best for him to quickly make his exit.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s¨D¡± Ainz swallowed the informal words he was about to speak. That would be like digging his own grave. ¡°Let us end things here for now. I shalle to visit another day, Jiiv-dono.¡±

    Personally, Ainz wanted to escape with teleportation magic, but he had to go pick up Ainzach first. So he would return to the ground, and then teleport away ¨D and then, as he was pondering that matter, Ainz realized that Jiiv was staring at him, a serious look on his face.

    He was definitely going to say something weird.

    This situation was familiar to any sryman. Ainz turned to look at Jiiv.

    ¡°Your Majesty. I have a proposal. May I prevail upon you to hear it?¡±

    No. How wonderful would the world be if he could say that?

    Ainz decided not to run away from reality. He smiled ¨D although his face did not move ¨D and replied with a ¡°Do continue.¡±

    ¡°Then, I hope ¨D no, the Baharuth Empire would like to be a vassal state of the Sorcerous Kingdom of Ainz Ooal Gown.¡±

    ¡°...Hah?¡±

    Ainz could not help but exim at those thoroughly unexpected words.

    His brain had not yet parsed what he had just heard.

    ¡°Vas¨D a vassal state?¡±

    His guards ¨D both of whom he had seen before ¨D were also staring in shock.

    For some reason, Ainz felt like patting Jiiv on the forehead.

    Why had he suddenly requested vassal status? Come to think of it, what sort of rtionship did vassal states have, anyway? He recognized the word, but what exactly did it mean? Then there was all that self-governing stuff and so on.

    Ainz could not decide something important like that by himself. He would need to discuss this matter with Demiurge and Albedo first before giving an answer.

    ¡°...Jiiv-dono, taking your nation as a vassal state...¡±

    So the n of forming a bond of friendship between kings is... eh?

    What should he say about the vassal state issue? Would it be alright to go with ¡°I had not considered it¡±?

    However, Demiurge and the others might have intended to vassalize the Empire. He did not wish to put his own head in a noose, and yet it might be troublesome to leave it unaddressed.

    It would seem the best option was to bluff his way through, somehow.

    After deciding on the direction his words would take, Ainz made his reply.

    ¡°It is too dangerous to verbally agree on such matters. I cannot make an immediate reply, but I believe such issues should be set down in writing.¡±

    ¡°Then, does it mean that once I hand the document to you, you will approve of it?¡±

    Eh? There¡¯s seriously going to be one? Ainz thought of asking that, but he managed to swallow those words. It was probably because he had calmed down somewhat. The truth was, he was no longer perturbed as he had been just now. He could not thank this body of his enough.

    Still, the problem was yet to be solved.

    That¡¯s not what I meant, I¡¯m just stalling for time. Since he could not speak those words, he had to think of something that Jiiv could ept. There was no other way.

    ¡°...Certainly. Then, do send a copy of the petition for vassge as well as a draft of the Empire¡¯s future status and treatment to my residence in the Sorcerous Kingdom, Jiiv-dono. After that, we shall n at length.¡±

    ¡°Then I shall do so. I will endeavour to finish it swiftly and deliver it to Your Majesty¡¯s hands. ¨DThen, for the time being, please allow me to speak to you as a king ¨D as an equal. I shall be in your care.¡±

    Although his emotional state had calmed down, Ainz still had no idea what was going on and why the situation had ended up like this. He simply nodded in response.

    Then, trying not to appear too panicked, Ainz descended onto the arena with a [Fly] spell.

    ¡°How did it all end up like this? Or rather, what would Demiurge and Albedo do...?¡±

    Ainz rounded his shoulders, like a child who was certain he would be scolded by his parents when he got home.

    ? ? ?

    The air in the VIP room was silent in the wake of the Sorcerer King¡¯s departure. As though to shatter this silence, Nimble shouted:

    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±

    Jiiv furrowed his brows in an exaggerated manner as he looked at Nimble.

    ¡°You¡¯re being too loud. I¡¯m still nearby.¡±

    ¡°For-forgive me. But, but, may I know what just happened?!¡±

    ¡°You wish to know why I made a decision like that?¡±

    Nimble nodded in response. Jiiv nced to Baziwood, who had a simr attitude.

    ¡°I see... Then, what else would you suggest I do?¡±

    Jiivughed at himself.

    ¡°Ever since he came here, along with his ¨D ah! Negotiations with the ine Theocracy have broken down. The temples don¡¯t think well of me either. How long would it take to bring the matter of those negotiations up again? Is that even a problem which can be solved with enough time?¡±

    Jiiv thought about what he would do if he were one of the higher-ups in the ine Theocracy. If another country gave an excuse as pathetic as, ¡°That was just Ainz Ooal Gown seeing through our scheme, we didn¡¯t intend for anything else,¡± they would surely think there was no value in allying with that country and abandon it. No, they might end up using that country as fuel for some kind of plot in the future.

    It would seem an alliance with the ine Theocracy was pretty much out of the question.

    ¡°So he¡¯s saying, ¡®please struggle as hard as you can by yourself without the Theocracy as allies¡¯, hm? My my, as expected of His Majesty, the Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown. I have to take my hat off to him. His reach is truly longer than I could have imagined. First, he lets his foes grow proud, and then he destroys them in one hit when they lower their guard.¡±

    Though he was an enemy, Jiiv could not help but praise that perfect scheme.

    It was so perfectly calcted that he had no choice but to admit defeat. There was no sign of any reinforcements for the Empire, while Ainz already had solid proof of the Empire¡¯s actions. In other words, Ainz held the power of life and death over the Empire.

    Baziwood shook his head. It would seem they understood the situation they were in.

    ¡°Ahh, this is really... how shall I put this. He really put the boot in. He hit you right in your weak spot. Something like that.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. I can¡¯t think of any way to deal with him. I guess I¡¯m broken in mind and body. It feels like anything would be fine at this point.¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty...¡± Nimble looked toward Jiiv, speaking quietly.

    ¡°He¡¯s not so much undead as he is a devil. It feels as if he knows how to thoroughly break a man¡¯s will.¡±

    ¡°Still, even so, bing a vassal state...¡±

    Jiiv looked gently upon Nimble, who still seemed unable to ept it.

    He could understand the man¡¯s feelings.

    However, he would have preferred a rationally considered solution to this problem, rather than that childish revtion of his feelings. Still, if even Jiiv could not solve that problem, how much more so for Nimble?

    ¡°...I¡¯ll speak inly now. We cannot win. The only option we have is, as I said earlier, to subvert his subordinates. I cannot imagine any other way to oppose him. As you might have felt in that war, it¡¯s clear that he¡¯s most powerful as a magic caster.¡±

    The two knights nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Then how is he as a warrior? Can you kill him with a sword?¡±

    Jiiv shrugged.

    ¡°You should have seen it, right? Even as a warrior, the Martial Lord could not beat him. And what was that? He took the Martial Lord¡¯s attack and remained unhurt? Did he use magic?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but it might be possible.¡±

    ¡°Really now. In other words, he can render any attack ineffective with magic, then? So assassination is impossible. Could he be immortal?¡±

    ¡°Well, he has a physical body, so I doubt he¡¯s immortal.¡±

    ¡°Then why was he unhurt?¡±

    Nimble was left dumbfounded, and he turned to Baziwood beside him for help. However, Baziwood kept his lips pressed t into a straight line.

    ¡°...So, let¡¯s do this for now. Gather all the information you can about the Martial Lord¡¯s weapon, and then we¡¯ll round up all the magic casters and adventurers we can find to ask them about why he was unhurt. Fortunately, that pronouncement of his should have set him against the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, so they should be happy to help us.¡±

    ¡°Then, shouldn¡¯t we have offered vassge after trying all of those? Fortunately, he refused.¡±

    Jiiv was somewhat annoyed by this, but he suppressed his displeasure and did not show it. Instead, he looked at Nimble with a troubled expression on his face.

    ¡°Fortunately? Do you really think of it that way? I think it¡¯s the other way around. On the contrary, is it not best to push for vassalization as quickly as possible?¡± Jiiv asked Nimble, who had a baffled expression on his face.

    ¡°Why do you think he would refuse our offer of vassge?¡±

    ¡°That, that is... your servant is unsure...¡±

    ¡°Perhaps if he were ipetent, unsure of how to handle the changing situation ¨D he might think of something like that. However, our opponent is that man, remember? Judging by his intellect, he must have alreadye up with a n for the future in the brief period after we proposed vassge. If he refused the offer after thinking it through, that would indicate something about that course of action did not mesh with his aims.¡±

    ¡°And what would that be?¡±

    Jiiv¡¯s face turned bitter from Baziwood¡¯s question.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Still, well, it probably can¡¯t be good for us. Otherwise he would not be so disturbed by the offer of vassge. For all we know, the objectives he has in mind are things which he cannot carry out in his own country. In that case¨D¡±

    Jiiv let his overworked brain, which was soon to emit smoke, run wild.

    His opponent was that Ainz Ooal Gown. He must surely have some objective in mind.

    As the king of the Sorcerer Kingdom, what would he want? What would he hate?

    Sweat beaded on his forehead, and Jiiv struggled to think.

    ¡°¨DThe Adventurer¡¯s Guild? Could it be he wants to do something to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, which is why he opposed the vassge?¡±

    ¡°What about that deration? ...Would permitting it be a good idea, Your Majesty? In a few years¡¯ time, a lot of the best and brightest of the Empire might end up flowing out of the country.¡±

    ¡°...I did not get that at all. Tell me how you arrived at that.¡±

    ¡°While doing as he says means that one¡¯s freedom might be restricted, having the incredibly powerful Sorcerer King as backing is a very attractive proposition. In the adventuring profession, far more people die than manage to make a name for themselves. However, with someone that powerful supporting them... well, at least that¡¯s what those people with no confidence in themselves will think. Also, since we have knights, there aren¡¯t many jobs for low-ranked adventurers in the first ce.¡±

    ¡°An outflow of talent... Although they may not have faith in themselves, it doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re not capable.¡±

    There were people who were talented, yetcked self-confidence. Yet, it would take a very confident person to explore a new world.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, aren¡¯t these all reasons to oppose vassalization? Still... wouldn¡¯t it be more convenient for us to be a vassal state? That way, he can swallow up the Adventurer¡¯s Guild up directly... Ah! Ainz Ooal Gown! Why must your intellect surpass mine so greatly?! Your schemes are so fiendish I can¡¯t even begin toprehend them!¡±

    ¡°Is it possible that he¡¯s not thinking about anything at all?¡±

    Jiiv red hatefully at Baziwood¡¯s jokingment.

    ¡°What nonsense is that? He anticipated our movements to this degree... no, it¡¯s unthinkable. We also need to consider the effects of his unknowable feelings that drive him to hate the living...¡±

    Perhaps assuming that he thought like one of the undead was a mistake.

    Perhaps Ainz had already anticipated that he would agonize and guess about this, and worked it into his n. He might well be waiting with open arms for a panicked Jiiv to hasten the vassalization process.

    ¡°What should we do now?¡± Nimble asked. He was referring to the Empire¡¯s future actions.

    ¡°...I intend to spread the news to the surrounding countries. First, I will gather the scribes and tell them in rough terms that the Empire chooses submission and to be a vassal state of the Sorcerous Kingdom, and that we have no choice in the matter. We will get the news out to the surrounding countries quickly and let it spread, so the Sorcerous Kingdom has no choice but to acknowledge it.¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty...¡±

    The two of them lowered their heads. The fact that even Baziwood had an expression like that on his face made Jiiv wonder if it was a joke.

    He deleted the bitter smile from his face, and spoke in a friendly manner.

    ¡°Why so glum? There are all sorts of vassal states. If we are allowed to govern ourselves for the most part, then we can continue living as we always have. No ¨D if the Sorcerous Kingdom defends us with their incredible power, then would we not be safer than before?¡±

    As they heard about a slightly brighter future(probably), a little color returned to their faces.

    ¡°Therefore, we need to deal with any internal dissatisfaction. If the Sorcerous Kingdom does not allow us to rule ourselves, the Empire might start to fragment. There might be factions which are not pleased with vassge that might make their move as well.¡±

    Jiiv began thinking about the disposition of the factions within the Empire.

    The most important ones were the Knight Corps. However, they would not switch over to the anti-vassge faction. Even if they opposed it , it would only be lip service. They would not actually take action.

    Next were the nobles. They could not be predicted. While there were few people who wouldin about Jiiv¡¯s decision, those few might be aiming for a chance to depose the Bloody Emperor. These were people who might try anything to be the new rulers of the vassalized Empire.

    Themoners could be deceived. To them, as long as life went on as normal, they would not mind bing a vassal state.

    ¡°¨DThe priests will be a problem.¡±

    The temples would never acknowledge this. And, it would be worse if the temples not only opposed it, but forbade all recuperative activity. He would need to talk with them repeatedly and get them toe over to his thinking.

    ¡°...Will you be alright, Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°Who knows? While I¡¯m around, we¡¯ll have the best chance of vassalizing, and I n to show the results of doing so... but that might not be good to say.¡±

    Why me, he thought.

    He had inherited this task from his father, and the Empire had steadily grown stronger. He should not have misstepped at any point during that process.

    But then that monster appeared, and everything had gone mad.

    There was probably nothing wrong in the way he negotiated with that monster. It was simply that Ainz Ooal Gown was a being whose thought processes transcended those of mankind.

    In just a month, everything had changed.

    Jiiv sighed deeply.

    ¡°I must be the unluckiest man in the world...¡±

    Though that was merely idle chatter, the news of Silver Canary changing their home base from the Empire to the City-State Alliance soon reached the demoralized Jiiv. In theing days, Jiiv woulde to bemoan this as ¡°blessings do note in pairs, while cmities do note alone.¡±

 Chapter 77 - Volume 10

    <b>Volume 10 ¨C Epilogue</b>

    Demiurge walked happily through the 9th Floor of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.

    The sensation of returning after a long time was probably an illusion of some sort. After all, he returned to this ce from time to time, and the longest stretch of time he had been away from here was a fortnight at the most. Thus, the reason for his misperception was clearly due to the joy he felt at walking through this ce.

    His mood lifted the closer he got to his objective.

    Demiurge paid no heed to the guards Cocytus had stationed on either side of the doors as he adjusted his tie and inspected his appearance. Naturally, he paid attention to it at all times, but he did not want his master to see a side of him which was less than immacte.

    After a very earnest inspection of his personal grooming, Demiurge knocked on the door of the room.

    One of the maids opened the door, poking her head out to see who was calling.

    Demiurge wanted to try and spy out a glimpse of his master through the gap, but he could not do anything that embarrassing.

    ¡°May I know if Ainz-sama is in his room?¡±

    ¡°My sincerest apologies, Demiurge-sama. Ainz-sama is not in.¡±

    His mood plummeted but he did not let it show on his face.

    ¡°Is that so. Then, where has Ainz-sama gone?¡±

    ¡°My sincerest apologies, I do not know... However, Albedo-sama might know something about it.¡±

    She was right.

    ¡°Really now. Then, where is Albedo now?¡±

    ¡°She is in this room.¡±

    Demiurge knew Albedo treated her master¡¯s room as her workroom. Can¡¯t you just use the room you¡¯ve been assigned, he often thought, but after considering her personality, he ended up keeping quiet. The most important thing was his master¡¯s approval. With that, there was nothing else for him to add.

    ¡°Is she working? ...Could you help me check if this is a convenient time to visit?¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    The door before him closed. A momentter, it opened again.

    ¡°Pleasee in, Demiurge-sama.¡±

    Demiurge thanked the maid and then entered. Before his eyes was the Guardian Overseer, seated on a chair in front of his master¡¯s desk.

    Her lowered line of sight moved, and caught hold of Demiurge.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Albedo.¡±

    ¡°Ah, Demiurge. You¡¯ve worked hard abroad. What is it today?¡±

    ¡°Ah, it concerns the matter in the Holy Kingdom. I was nning to obtain permission for the final stages of the n. I will need a Doppelganger... where is Ainz-sama?¡±

    ¡°He is somewhat far away. I doubt he will be able to return quickly...¡±

    In other words, he is not in E-Rantel, Demiurge mused. Otherwise she would not describe it in such a strange way.

    ¡°That is somewhat of an inconvenience. Then, I shall perform preparation work on the 7th Floor until Ainz-sama returns.¡±

    ¡°If it is urgent, could you notmunicate with [Message]?¡±

    Demiurge frowned, and observed Albedo¡¯s expression.

    She had her usual smile on, but the perceptive Demiurge detected some other emotion within her.

    If she was just toying with him, it would be fine.

    Demiurge attempted to quickly study her, but he could not read that deeply.

    It ached at him, but then again, this was not a contest in the first ce.

    Among all the people of Nazarick, the only two people he could not read were his master and Albedo. He set them aside as rare exceptions for the sake of his inner peace.

    Demiurge shrugged.

    ¡°It is not that urgent. If Ainz-sama returns the day after, I shall inform him myself.¡±

    ¡°Ainz-sama did not mention how long he would be gone. He might take a very long time.¡±

    ¡°Then, I shall go to Ainz-sama¡¯s side, Albedo. It is not a matter which requires the use of [Message].¡±

    ¡°Ara? Why is that? If it is truly important, would it not be more loyal to inform him as soon as possible?¡±

    The context of Albedo¡¯s smile had changed. Earlier, it was her usual fake smile, but now it was a wicked, bullying smile. She must have some sort of ill intent in mind.

    It would seem there was something she wanted to say, no matter what.

    How tiresome, Demiurge thought as he stated his reasons.

    ¡°I desire to disy my achievements to Ainz-sama, so I do not wish to use such methods to contact him. While I can receive his praise through a [Message], in the end, I would still prefer to hear his voice in person. That is all... Is that not the shared dream for all in Nazarick?¡±

    ¡°Mm, indeed, Demiurge. It is as you say. Anyone would feel that way.¡±

    ¡°Then, where has Ainz-sama gone?¡±

    ¡°He has gone to visit the Dwarf Kingdom, about which little is known and which has not made diplomatic contact until now. Thus, we do not know how much time it will take.¡±

    ¡°Who apanies him?¡±

    ¡°Shalltear and Aura.¡±

    That should be fine in terms ofbat strength. However other aspects were more worrisome.

    Aura was fine. All she needed to do was not inconvenience Ainz-sama. Yet, the face of the other person appeared in Demiurge¡¯s mind.

    ¡°Still, by bringing Shalltear along, does he intend to destroy the Dwarf Kingdom?¡±

    Mare would have been a much better choice for verbal negotiations. Thus, that choice was made for other reasons.

    ¡°¡ªWhat are the other Guardians doing?¡±

    ¡°Cocytus is managing theke. Mare is building a dungeon outside E-Rantel. Sebas is carrying out his duties in E-Rantel. Although I do not know what Ainz-sama intends, the fact that he did not bring an army along would suggest a peaceful visit, no?¡±

    ¡°...There is insufficient information for that. Why did Ainz-sama want to go to the Dwarf Kingdom?¡±

    ¡°Demiurge. We cannot predict Ainz-sama¡¯s thoughts.¡±

    It was as Albedo said.

    His master, Ainz Ooal Gown, was the supreme ruler of Nazarick, who concealed countless stratagems within a single move of a chess piece. Demiurge ¡ª who had been created with outstanding talents ¡ª could not even hope to graze the soles of his brilliance with his outstretched hands. Attempting to read his master¡¯s motivations was a mistake.

    That said, sensing his master¡¯s will and preparing for it was a mark of true loyalty.

    If I don¡¯t work hard enough...

    As Demiurge rebuilt his conviction once more, Albedo picked up a piece of parchment from the table.

    ¡°This came from the Empire yesterday. I opened it after receiving Ainz-sama¡¯s permission via [Message]. It contains an offer of vassge from the Empire. The exact details of the vassalization are to be finalizedter.¡±

    Demiurge was shocked. This was much earlier than he had anticipated.

    ¡°What¡¯s this? ording to my predictions, the Empire should only have offered to be vassals after the Kingdom was destroyed...¡±

    ¡°That is the result of Ainz-sama¡¯s visit to the Empire.¡±

    ¡°This is... As expected of Ainz-sama...¡±

    ¡°Say, Demiurge. Did you really think the Empire would only be a vassal after the Kingdom would?¡±

    ¡°Of course. That was how I nned it.¡±

    ¡°Regardless of what methods you used?¡±

    ¡°...What are you trying to say?¡°

    ¡°Ainz-sama often mentioned your name. It came up in the context of ¡®Did you hear from Demiurge? Then it should be all right.¡¯ In other words, there was something about you ¡ª about your n which he could not ept.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying.. Albedo, why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier? If that¡¯s the case¡ª¡±

    ¡°If what is the case?¡±

    Demiurge could not speak.

    ¡°...Let me ask you again. Was there no way to make the Empire a vassal before the Kingdom?¡±

    ¡°...There was. However, it would have required Ainz-sama himself to act. It would be a shameful course of action for a subordinate to advise. In addition, I felt that it would require the execution of several methods ¡ª requiring at least a month ¡ª in order to cause a violent upheaval within arge city. That being the case, I believed that it would have been better to begin by subjugating the Kingdom and then applying pressure on other areas... how long did Ainz-sama take?¡±

    ¡°I was in the Kingdom, so I am not sure, but I think it was three days at the most.¡±

    Demiurge¡¯s eyes went wide.

    That was too fast.

    How had he demonstrated his subjugating might? How had he broken the will of the Emperor, who sought to ally with other nations?

    Although Demiurge had prepared a perfect n that would render the Emperor unable to take action, his master seemed to have crafted a scheme which surpassed even that.

    ¡°Three days? How did he do that...¡±

    ¡°Incidentally, there were almost no casualties.¡±

    His gaping mouth felt like it had been stoppered. All he felt was an unstoppable flow of admiration and respect for that absolute ruler. He was like Death itself, quietly standing behind the Emperor and then crushing his heart.

    The trembling he felt just now spread from the top of his head to his entire body. Savage delight, admiration, fear and respect mixed within him, and thisplex blend of emotions made Demiurge shudder without end.

    ¡°As, as expected of Ainz-sama. Someone like me could not hope to even approach him. He is truly a peerless and perfect master. Nobody else could have led the Supreme Beings. I cannot help but envy Pandora¡¯s Actor, even if just a little.¡±

    Albedo went kuku, her smile full of superiority.

    It must have been the sense of superiority a woman felt when she was ordered to love such a marvelous man.

    ¡°In addition, Ainz-sama has ordered us to decide how to handle the vassge of the Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°Ordered us? Why?¡±

    ¡°Is that not obvious? Much of the developments in this field have been due to the use of your n, Demiurge. Even so, Ainz-sama said nothing to you and pushed the vassalization of the Empire forward with his own n. Thus, his heart ached.¡±

    He could not understand that. Perhaps if he was displeased at his own ipetence, he could understand that. But not this.

    ¡°...Why? I do not understand.¡±

    Hah~ Albedo sighed tiredly.

    ¡°It is because he trusts you. In other words... how shall I put this. You should be able to understand it with that mind of yours, but this is probably how it is. Not following your n is equivalent to doubting your abilities. Ainz-sama awaited yourmunication because he did not want to do that. However, Ainz-sama felt you were too concerned about him. Thus, his independent action was meant to tell you, ¡®don¡¯t worry about me¡¯, I believe.¡±

    It was an answer he could ept. No, it would be better to say there could be no other answer but that.

    ¡°This truly is...¡±

    Demiurge lowered his face in shame. At the same time, he was filled with delight after he realised how his master had thought of him.

    ¡°Demiurge. We must work to repay Ainz-sama¡¯s kindness.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Albedo.¡±

    Demiurge was excited.

    ¡°In order to fulfil Ainz-sama¡¯s expectations, let us finish a vassge n for the Kingdom for him to see before he returns!¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Ainz-sama has gone in person, so there must be many schemes in store. He will surely be busy once he returns from the Dwarven Kingdom.¡±

    Demiurge grinned.

    ¡°Indeed, Albedo. Indeed.¡±

 Chapter 78 - Volume 10

    <h4>Overlord Volume 10 Afterword</h4>

    Thanks to Risky Anon for typesetting this image.

    Trantor: Nigel

    Editors/Proofreaders: M

    <b>Afterword</b>

    ¡°A man should not give excuses¡±. I heard these words once, I will not say anything. However, please allow me to say one thing ¡ª if my memory serves me correctly, the current date should be 17th month of 2015, right?

    Also, I recall hearing someone say, ¡°Prearrangements are not fixed, thus they aren¡¯t the same as the final oue¡±. Ah, what a charming phrase! How full of romance it is!

    ...I¡¯m very sorry.

    Volume 11 will not be like this one. There is no intention of making you wait, so I hope everyone can find it in themselves to forgive me. Also, the next volume is ¡ª well, anyone who¡¯s read all the way to the end, it can¡¯t be helped if it¡¯s written down.. In addition, volume 11 will feature a much-awaited special edition. Anyone who¡¯s seen the anime will understand. It¡¯s a new 30 minute-long episode of Pure Pure Pleiades, isn¡¯t that surprising?!

    Then, how do you feel after reading Volume 10, everyone?

    How different is running a country from running an organization?

    Ainz started from his interests, but how would you all do it? Maruyama is very interested in the answer. If it were me, I would do this. If it were me, I would do that. I would be very d to hear everyone¡¯s opinions on that matter.

    And if it should turn out that someone created another work based on this, or even another original light novel, I would be even more delighted. Because in truth, that¡¯s Maruyama for you.

    And then, you already know of the poprity poll from the tail end of the book. Please tell me the characters you like best. Unlike ordinary poprity polls, the fact that the first ce is already decided is something which has never been seen before.

    I won¡¯t give extra appearances to unexpectedly popr characters. This is simply to see which characters everyone likes best.

    Next, the people I want to thank:

    Sorry for ruining your schedule, so-bin-sama. Thank you very much for this.

    My sincere thanks to Ohaku-sama the proofreader, the designers, Chord Design Studio-sama and the editor, F-da-sama. Also to honey, my friend from my student days, thank you as always.

    Most importantly, thank you to all you readers out there. The story is nowpletely divorced from the WN, so I would be very happy if you liked it.

    2015/17

    Maruyama Kugane

 Chapter 79 - Volume 11

    <h4>V11 Prologue</h4>

    <b>Prologue</b>

    Gondo Firebeard changed into his work clothes.

    They were a set of coarsely-designed coveralls, stitched together from sturdy cloth. They stretched poorly and did not feelfortable when worn. They were a poor choice for everyday wear. However, they were exceptionally suited for working in the mine tunnels, where conditions were poor. Putting it on might not have seemed like a big deal, but being able to wear such gear was revolutionary when one looked back on the history of the Dwarven people and how they had first worked the tunnels while practically naked.

    After that, he put on a metal helmet, of the sort that light infantry might wear. The insides of the mines were very humid, and wearing it directly against the skin would be ufortable due to the heat and the trickling of sweat. Thus, the miners all padded the insides of their helmets with thick towels.

    Finally, he put on a set of dog tags around his neck. The number 5 was inscribed onto the metal te. It implied that he was on the final day of his five-day-on, five-day-off work regime.

    In other words, Gondo would briefly be free from tomorrow onwards.

    After his preparations wereplete, Gondo emerged from the changing room and headed straight to the usual ce, the waiting room.

    Gondo squeezed between several dwarves and immediately picked out his name on the message board. There were four other names on the same row as his, and they would be Gondo¡¯s shiftmates ¡ª his working buddies for today.

    Finding one¡¯s colleagues, the people with whom he would share his toil, was a piece of cake in this cramped waiting room. It would seem Gondo was thest to arrive, because his buddies had already noticed him before he could rush over.

    ¡°Ohhh! Gondo! It¡¯s been a while!¡±

    ¡°Ho! Gagaiz! I¡¯m fortunate to have you as shift leader. It¡¯ll be good to work with you. Same goes for the others!¡±

    ¡°Ho, Gondo! Let¡¯s do our best today!¡±

    ¡°Mm, mm. Today¡¯s the fifth day! Thest day. I¡¯ll give it all I¡¯ve got!¡±

    ¡°Ha~ I feel like cking off~¡±

    They chattered on like this as they left the waiting room and signed out pickaxes, shovels, and other mining tools. Then, they drew rations and refreshments ¡ª lunchboxes and two liters of water, stored in a magic item which maintained a steady temperature.

    However, there was no sign of the dwarves¡¯ beloved beverage, beer. There was no way it would be there. While it was true that the dwarves were highly resistant to alcohol and would not be intoxicated by just a few drinks, no mining boss would ever allow his prized workers to touch the demon drink while working in the dangerous tunnels.

    That said¡ª

    One of the dwarves took a swig from a sk at his waist, which had not been issued to him.

    ¡°Puhaa~¡±

    The air he exhaled was redolent with the scent of alcohol.

    Neither was he the only one to do so. Gondo had several pouches like that as well.

    Of course, he did not have alcohol with him. However, he had sks of water, soup, five sticks of boiled sweets, and dwarven bread to supplement his rations.

    The interior of the tunnels were hot and humid, so in addition to consuming additional calories, they had to take in extra water as well. The fact was that their issued rations were the bare minimum needed for them. Their bosses were the sort who would cut costs whenever they could.

    After finishing all their preparations, they stepped up before the Dwarf who was in charge of this state-run mining tunnel.

    He was seated on the other side of a counter, a creepy, sinister-looking Dwarf in sses. He raised an eyebrow, and looked over Gondo andpany.

    He muttered quietly when he came to the humming Dwarf who reeked of alcohol, but in the end he did not say anything. He might have been their manager, but he was still a Dwarf, and he understood these things. Or rather, it was because Gagaiz made the first move and spoke up.

    ¡°I am Gagaiz. Where will we be digging today?¡±

    The creepy-looking Dwarf snorted, and then turned his attention from the group to the map he was holding. Although their view was blocked by the counter, it was reasonable to assume that it was a chart which held the assignments for all the dig sites.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be in Sector 8821.¡±

    ¡°8821... heatstones, then?¡±

    Heatstones were very important things to the Dwarves.

    Dwarves were a race of the earth. For the most part, they lived underground. When they used coal or firewood to produce the heat needed for warmth, cooking and smithing, it would pollute the air and make life difficult for them.

    Granted, there were magic items which could cleanse the air. However, such items required druids to make, and they were regrettably rare among the Dwarves. Thus they could not mass-produce such magic items.

    Therefore, they used the metal called heatstones as a recement for those things.

    Heatstones were a special kind of metal. If one struck them with a very hard metal ¡ª mithril, at the barest minimum ¡ª they would produce intense heat. The Dwarves used this curious metal like coal, and their refineries and smithies consumed vast quantities of them. Thus, one could say that heatstones were a central part of Dwarven life.

    Incidentally, firewood and the like were rare in this ce.

    A set of metal tes hit the counter; they were permits which allowed passage in and out of the tunnels. Gagaiz threaded them onto his ne with a dexterity one would not have expected of his stubby fingers.

    After that, he studied the sheet of paper which had been passed to him. He let the others read it as well after he had verified the contents.

    Soon, the paper reached Gondo¡¯s hands. As always it contained the route leading to their dig site. Gondo imprinted the location of several critical junctions into his mind. They woulde in handy if they had to flee due to an emergency. After all, monsters might show up even in a Dwarven mine, so it paid to be careful about these things.

    ¡°Use the mining cart at the third junction.¡±

    ¡°Got it. Then, let¡¯s go!¡±

    They oiled up the manually-operated minecart at the third junction and then pushed it forward ording to Gagaiz¡¯s directions. The interior of the tunnels were lit bynterns containing naturally-glowing oil. However, thosenterns were spaced very far apart, so at times, entire sections of the tunnel were shrouded in darkness. That said, all Dwarves had darkvision, which could easily ovee the darkness. Of course, this darkvision did not have unlimited range, but it was enough to go fromntern tontern.

    Perhaps the races from the outside world would not be able to bear the sense of pressure which the tunnels imposed on its upants. However, it had no effect at all on the underground-dwelling Dwarves. The tunnels might have seemed narrow, but they were quite spacious to the Dwarves. Given that the average height of a Dwarf was around 130cm, a tunnel of around 180cm across was broad enough for them.

    Before long, the sound of footsteps came from ahead.

    If they were miners like Gondo and the others, they should have heard the sound of a minecart as well. However, there was nothing of the sort. What was this, then? If it was the patapata of bare feet on the ground, they would have dumped everything and fled back to where they came. However, that was not the case; the footsteps sounded like they had been made with boots.

    They had an idea of who might be making those sounds.

    Soon, they saw a squad of Dwarves.

    Gondo and the others pressed themselves to the sides of the walls so as not to impede their progress. Well, they did that, but the minecart still took up space in the middle of the tunnel, so saying that they were trying to keep out of their way was merely wishful thinking on the part of Gondo and the others.

    ¡°¡ªHeading up? There¡¯s nothing there now, but be careful anyway.¡±

    ¡°Ah, thanks for your concern. We¡¯re very grateful for your help.¡±

    After that brief exchange, they parted ways with Gondo¡¯s crew.

    The Dwarf at their head was a tunnel doctor, a magic caster from an alternative system.

    His job was to cast spells which would reinforce the ceiling and prevent chunks from falling out of it, keeping the miners from being hurt by sharp edges in the rocks they were excavating, and so on.

    It was critical to shore up the tunnels due to the constant danger of their copse, but wood ¡ª the mostmonly-used material for such reinforcement ¡ª was hard toe by in the Dwarven Kingdom. Thus, tunnel doctors used their magic to strengthen the walls of the tunnels.

    In addition, they could tell if they were digging too close to water or gas. With them around, the miners could work in peace, without having to worry about copse and the like.

    Behind the tunnel doctor ¡ª who had many important jobs to perform ¡ª were lightly-armored Dwarven warriors.

    Tunnel doctors were notmon, which was why they were escorted by four men.

    After they passed each other, the sound of their footsteps faded into the distance.

    Much like other Dwarven cities, the city of Fio K sat at the heart of several ore veins which it worked. Only the west remained unexcavated for some reason. Ity beneath the earth, under the steep slopes of several sheer peaks.

    In contrast to their casual, easygoing attitudes, the Dwarves were excellent mathematicians. The many tunnels which radiated from the city like blood vessels from a heart were the product of intricate calctions, and they formed geometric works of art once they were excavated. Tracks wereid down in therger main tunnels for minecarts, while hand-powered elevators serviced the shafts which had been sunk for vertical mining. In addition, there were the countless smaller tunnels which emanated from them. When added up, the distance these tunnels spanned easily exceeded several hundred kilometers.

    Due to their size, there was no way to fully man them with guards. Even guarding every single shift of miners was beyond them. Therefore, if a monster showed up, the miners had no choice but to drop everything and flee back to the nearest critical juncture, where guards would be stationed.

    Unfortunately, as the people on the surface knew well, the Dwarves all had short legs. It would take a miracle for every single person to escape with their lives.

    Gondo and the others halted their minecart in the middle of the passage and activated their magicalnterns. They then proceeded into a side passage with their mining tools in hand. Their destinationy at the end of the tunnel ahead ¡ª their dig site for the day.

    Gagaiz gave his orders, and the miners moved to their positions without anyints. One to swing his pickaxe and dig, one to split the bedrock with wedges, one to shovel the earth and rock into a basket, one to carry the basket to the minecart, one to push the minecart to the spoil tip¡ª

    ¡°All right, let¡¯s start.¡±

    And with that, the day¡¯s work began.

    ***

    Despite their developed muscles, the countless mechanical repetitions of their work meant that their bodies craved rest the moment theirbors ceased.

    They stripped off their work clothes and headed to the miners-only bathhouse.

    This bathhouse ran off the tremendous amount of heat given off by the gigantic crucibles of the national foundries. Though the water was not very hot, it was the perfect temperature to melt away the fatigue umted by their tired bodies.

    Gondo filled adle with hot, brownish water from a basin, and then dumped it on himself with no reservation.

    It would seem there was some sort of iron content in the water, and indeed, one would be able to taste something if they swilled it in their mouths.

    This hot water cleansed Gondo¡¯s body of the dirt which clung to it.

    He scrubbed hard at his beard and his hair. A dwarf who did not care for and clean their beard could hardly be considered an adult.

    ¡°Oi, Gondo! How about getting a drink after this!¡± Gagaiz shouted as he scrubbed at himself with a towel from a stool opposite of him.

    Gondo dumped more hot water on his head and settled into the hot tub before shouting back:

    ¡°Afraid I¡¯ll have to decline! I¡¯ve workter on which can¡¯t be put off! Another time, perhaps!¡±

    ¡°Really now! What a shame! If you change your mind,e down to the White Beer Pavilion and have a cup or two with us!¡±

    ¡°Oh! I¡¯ll look forward to it!¡±

    Gagaiz then moved on to talk with his other buddies, and before anyone else could ask him out, Gondo rose from the tub with an, ¡°I¡¯ll be off now!¡± and strode off.

    After towelling himself dry and putting on his clean everyday clothes, Gondo walked up to the counter with the sinister-looking Dwarf manager. He took off the ne he was wearing and handed it over.

    The manager looked it over, and then ced a pouch on the counter.

    This was five days¡¯ worth of wages. Due to the fairly high mortality rate in the mines, wages were calcted on a weekly basis. Apparently they had paid a daily rate in the past, but that led to situations where the workers did not have enough to drink at taverns. One could say that the present system was designed to cater to that sad state of affairs. While the pouch before him did contain a sizable sum, Gagaiz and the others would probably spend half of that on beer.

    ¡°...Gondo, it¡¯s been a month, if you count today. Let me look upon your face.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. There¡¯s no problem with my breathing.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be the judge of that, not you.¡±

    He picked up a handlight from the counter, and shone it at Gondo.

    Gondo was not happy at the bright illumination, but he continued looking forward.

    Inhaling dust particles over long durations degraded the functional capacity of one¡¯s lungs. This caused the skin to gradually turn pale. That condition was called Whitesnow Sickness, and this examination was to see if he was showing any signs of it.

    ¡°...Hmph, you do look well.¡±

    ¡°That disease causes strange sounds while breathing. If there are no sounds, then it¡¯s fine, right?¡±

    ¡°...Yes. In truth, I used to discover the symptoms in that way. However, examining the face is more urate than listening to the lungs. Or are you making light of my experience?¡±

    ¡°Perish the thought. Experience is vital.¡±

    ¡°Then cease your petty griping. It helps nobody. Also, Gondo. Have you not considered a permanent position here? You could be a crew leader. After all, you are quite experienced in that field.¡±

    ¡°Allow me to beg off on that, for I cannot... I will need to leave after this, and I have already umted the funds for my travels.¡±

    Gondo had scrimped and saved to the extent that people considered him antisocial, but in truth that was all to purchase the items needed to travel.

    ¡°...And where will you be headed now?¡±

    ¡°I intend to delve into the abandoned city, Feoh Rai?¨­ of the south, and go digging there.¡±

    The sinister-looking Dwarf manager¡¯s eyes went wide as he heard this.

    ¡°What!... I trust my asking is redundant, but you do know that ce is a dangerous region, no? Who will you be travelling with?¡±

    ¡°To the former question: I am abundantly aware of that. To thetter, my answer is no.¡±

    The more people who moved together, the higher the chances of discovery. Once discovered, some or all of them might have to die. Rather than risk that, it would be better to go alone, and lower the chances of being found.

    ¡°...Did you leave something behind there?¡±

    ¡°No. I told you, did I not? I n to go digging.¡±

    ¡°It is the nature of that digging which baffles me. Can you not do enough digging here?¡±

    ¡°Hmph! It matters not how hard I work here... well, there are subsidies for the amount that we move, but that is merely a fixed sum. The truth is, working here simply does not pay enough.¡±

    ¡°It pays better than regr work.¡±

    The Dwarf before him was right. Gondo had chosen to work here because he needed to raise funds in a short period of time.

    ¡°Not enough for my aims. That is why I intend to go digging around in the abandoned city. None may gainsay my im, no matter what kind of metal I excavate.¡±

    The manager knitted his brows into a mass.

    Gondo¡¯s words might have been quite extreme, but he was also correct.

    ¡°You seek the white iron, then?¡±

    ¡°Yes, exactly. After all, nobody will quibble with me if I recover it from there.¡±

    The fundamental fact was that all these mines were nationalized. Thus, one would have to pay an appropriate ¡ª appropriately high ¡ª price if they wanted white iron. However, anything one dug out of an abandoned mine was essentially finders keepers. However, if anything happened to them there, the country would not provide any assistance, of course.

    ¡°...Would you sell it to me? I¡¯ll pay well, of course.¡±

    They had not yet dug up white iron from the mineral veins near this city. Thus, once the ores ran out, the price of the metal would rise asymptotically.

    However, Gondo knew that the Dwarf before him was not making that proposal out of self-interest. He was doing so purely out of the kindness of his heart.

    He probably intended to negotiate with Gondo with a higher price than what a middleman would charge. However, Gondo was not digging the white iron up to sell it ¡ª in other words, he was not prospecting for profit.

    ¡°How shall I say this... I have already decided what to use it for. It will all be going to my research.¡±

    A shadow fell across the sinister-looking Dwarf¡¯s face.

    ¡°Are you still saying that sort of thing... Well, I cannot say I do not understand how you feel, but should you not face reality and settle down here as a crew leader? What would your father think?¡±

    In that moment, anger zed up in Gondo¡¯s heart. However, he lowered his face to hide the rage twisting it before it could show. After all, the Dwarf before him had helped Gondo¡¯s father many times before. That was why he was so concerned about Gondo, his son, immersing himself in research that could not possibly bear fruit.

    While the other man had said what he had out of goodwill, Gondo could not bring himself to ept those words.

    ¡°I face reality every day. Father did not walk a false path. I will revive the arts that were lost!¡±

    In the end, he could not hold back his wrathpletely. As he vented the dregs of his rancor with those words, Gondo turned and strode away without looking back.

    He felt guilty about making people worry for him, but it was overruled by the passion he felt for what he had to do, no matter the cost.

    Yes.

    That was what he lived for, as someone who could not bepared to his outstanding father.

    Gondo bit his lip, and looked forward.

 Chapter 80 - Volume 11

    <h4>V11 Chapter 1</h4>

    <b>Chapter 1: Preparing for the Unknown Land</b>

    <b>1</b>

    After returning from the Empire, Ainz sat at his desk in E-Rantel and leaned heavily against the back of his chair.

    While he had already begun recruiting for the newly-founded Adventurer¡¯s Guild of the Sorcerous Kingdom, it would take quite some time before the results could be seen. Until then, he would have to amply prepare himself.

    His top priority was setting up a school to train the adventurers, but if circumstances permitted, he could use the Adventurer¡¯s Guild itself. It would probably be a sign of hospitality to prepare a hostel for the volunteers who had travelled a long distance to seek him out. Their instructors would be those adventurers who had chosen to remain within the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    I should probably ask Albedo and the others about how to manage the territories... but before that... why did he bring up the matter of vassge... it¡¯ll be troublesome for Albedo and Demiurge, right?...?

    Ainz had no idea what Jiiv was thinking. Neither did he know how to exin the situation to those two sagacious individuals. Why had Jiiv made a proposal like that? For all he knew, Demiurge might have been working behind the scenes here.

    I should have discussed all this with Demiurge beforehand. Ah, but he went to a faraway ce, and now all I can do is think of how to take care of it between Albedo and myself... as I thought, it¡¯s impossible, huh...

    Haaa, he sighed internally. His unease and confusion made his nonexistent stomach ache. And then, when he thought about what would happen when they returned, the pain intensified.

    Ainz shook his head, and then considered the information he had learned in the Empire as a way to avoid thinking about what loomed ahead of him.

    ¡°...Runes, huh.¡±

    Bits and pieces of knowledge from YGGDRASIL were scattered throughout this mysterious new world, like stars glittering in the night. He had found traces of other yers, the existence of World-ss Items, and so on.

    He could now add the existence of runes ¡ª a form of writing from Suzuki Satoru¡¯s world ¡ª to that list.

    The reason why the people of the Theocracy could summon angels from the religions of Suzuki Satoru¡¯s world was probably due to magic originating from YGGDRASIL.

    Then, what about these runes? How had theye to exist in this world? Were the runes in this world the same as those in Suzuki Satoru¡¯s world? Or were they simply a form of magical writing which happened to resemble them, and thus the term had been automatically tranted as ¡°runes¡±?

    ...The Dwarven Kingdom is located in the nearby Azellisia Mountain Range. I¡¯ll need to investigate it thoroughly. As I thought... I can¡¯t avoid going there, can I?

    Naturally, Ainz had asked Fluder about runes before returning to E-Rantel.

    However, all he knew was that the King who hailed from the Azellisian Dwarven nation had once visited the Empire, that he was a runesmith, and that the Empire purchased weapons and armor from the Dwarven Kingdom. However, about a hundred years ago, all traces of rune-carved magic items were lost.

    While this was very valuable information to Ainz, it was not what he truly wanted to know.

    There was no runesmith job ss in YGGDRASIL. If that¡¯s a profession which is unique to this world, then there¡¯s a chance that the technology of both worlds might bebined into one. Therefore, I¡¯ll need to investigate this matter in greater detail. However, who should I send there?

    All he wanted was to visit the Dwarven Kingdom and ask about runes and the like. As for the profession of runesmith ¡ª well, it was a technical matter and a potential state secret. In the worst case scenario, he could make them talk by using charm spells and the like if they were very tight-lipped about it.

    If it was simply a matter of using charm or domination magic, or kidnapping people with teleportation magic, then just about anyone would do. But what if there was a yer behind these runes? For all he knew, the person who had brainwashed Shalltear was hiding there.

    I want to learn more before going in, but it won¡¯t be easy to find out about something that even Fluder doesn¡¯t know.

    Ainz slowly rose from his seat.

    In an instant, the woman beside him sprang into action. She had an energetic look on her face that matched the boyish cut of her hair. She was Decrement, Ainz¡¯s duty maid for the day.

    Ainz reached out a hand to halt Decrement, and then began to pace slowly around in his office.

    As Ainz logically considered the potential profit and loss of this endeavour, old memories sprang unbidden to mind in the gaps between numbers. He recalled the dangers he had encountered in unexplored regions, the joy of discovering new things, the sorrow of failing a quest, and the expressions and words of therades with whom he had shared these experiences. They were merely memories, but even his recollections of party wipes were transmuted into a brilliant radiance that lit Ainz¡¯s empty skull.

    After he slowly filed away these painful reminiscences away into his heart, Ainz¡¯s thoughts finally took shape.

    ...I guess I¡¯ll have to go in, even though I know there might be danger.

    The guild called Ainz Ooal Gown was an organization which had been founded on those principles.

    Naturally, some people might scoff at the idea ofparing games ¡ª which held no danger to their yers ¡ª to reality. Still, hesitation could cost one the chance to gain new knowledge, and result in one losing the initiative. Who could say it was not possible?

    After he decided to investigate the runes of the Dwarven Kingdom, a question appeared in Ainz¡¯s mind.

    That would be the choice of personnel.

    Who would be the best candidate to send there?

    Should I ask the opinion of Demiurge and Albedo? No, if I do that, I won¡¯t be able to send out the most capable fighter of all.

    That person was Ainz himself.

    Ainz could say without any false pride that there was nobody in the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick who was better at him at adapting to unknown phenomena and magic. Simply put, the most efficient course of action was for Ainz to proceed by himself. However, if there really was an enemy yer there, it would also be the most foolish move he could make.

    ...If there¡¯s only a few of us, I can at least take them with me when I flee. That means I should pick people who can buy me time while I prepare to make our escape.

    The first people to appear in his mind were the Floor Guardians.

    As level 100 NPCs, they would be able to buy time for Ainz to escape, even against other yers. That said, could he really use the NPCs, the beloved children of his former friends, in such a way?

    What if I used high-level vassals led by an undead lieutenant? No, their flexibility is too low,pared to the NPCs who were built from scratch.

    Vassals had the merit of being much more easily disposable, as opposed to the NPCs. But at the same time, their abilitiescked breadth and thus theirck of adaptability was a weakness.

    When he excluded the emotional side of the issue from his considerations, the NPCs were the ideal choice. Ainz the yer had not conducted experiments to that effect, and thus he could not be sure if he could be resurrected. However, there was no doubt that the NPCs could be resurrected, as he had done with Shalltear.

    Ainz sat down in his chair once again.

    ¡°Hmm...¡±

    Ainz steepled his fingers in front of his face, and mulled over the best choice to make.

    But in the end, he still could not reach a conclusion.

    Could it be that idiots can¡¯t find the answer no matter how much they think?

    With a self-deprecating smile, Ainz looked over to Decrement.

    ¡°Would you be willing to die for me?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Ainz-sama. You have but to give the order and I will throw my life away for you,¡± Decrement responded, without a moment¡¯s hesitation.

    ¡°Do the others think the same way? Would they think I was a cruel master?¡±

    ¡°I believe everyone else would dly ept death without a second thought. Nobody would even think of refusing. We were made by the Supreme Beings, and thus we exist only for the Supreme Beings. There is no greater joy for us than to carry out anymand they give us.¡±

    ¡°Really now... Also, I was merely asking out of curiosity. There was no deeper meaning to my question. Put it out of mind.¡±

    As Decrement bowed, Ainz made up his mind.

    ¡ªHe would use the NPCs.

    Ainz pulled out a map of the surrounding area.

    This map waspiled from the findings of Aura¡¯s explorations. In particr, Ainz was sure that there was no other map which covered the interior of the Great Forest of Tob in more detail. Sadly, he could not be sure of the uracy of the scale, and so he could not conclude that it was a perfect map. However, with this in hand, it was much less likely that he would get lost.

    Ainz ced a finger on E-Rantel, and then slowly traced a line north, passing through the Great Forest. There was no problem up to this point. Most of the Forest was now under Nazarick¡¯s control. After eliminating the monsters and beasts with low intelligence, they took control of several demihuman and heteromorph settlements and that was the end of it. There was arge cave underground, but he had no intention of messing with it for the time being. Of course, he could take control of it if doing so was profitable to him.

    His finger reached the gourd-shapedke at the northern tip of the forest.

    Further north of there was the Azellisia Mountain Range. It was uncharted territory.

    ¡°An unknown region, huh...¡±

    Hmph, Ainz smiled.

    He had just impressed upon adventurers the importance of exploring the unknown. Practicing what he preached would make for good publicity.

    ¡°Come search for the Dwarven Kingdom of the Azellisian Mountain Range.¡±

    It sounded like a slogan one would hear on television shows.

    He waved away the smile that came naturally, and began his contemtion in earnest.

    He considered the advantages that woulde from personally going to a ce where there might be other yers.

    Obviously, having the Sorcerer King show up in person was a clear sign of his sincerity.

    It was like apany¡¯s boss personally going to another firm to conduct negotiations. The effects of that were immediately evident, in Suzuki Satoru¡¯s experience.

    In addition, his perspective was unlike his subordinates, who tended to view those outside of Nazarick as inferior lifeforms. Ainz qualified as a moderate among the members of Nazarick. As a result, he felt that he was not a bad choice for negotiating with the Dwarven Kingdom ¡ª or a non-courageous choice, if he was being honest with himself.

    In addition, he could always send Pandora¡¯s Actor over.

    He was the ideal choice, be it in terms of intelligence, adaptability or other areas.

    However¡ª

    Who will administer this country in the meantime?

    Somebody else had to answer that question.

    That person was naturally Ainz Ooal Gown.

    I can¡¯t do it.

    Ainz screamed internally, over and over again.

    If he had to pick between the two, he would rather go to the Dwarven Kingdom.

    More to the point, all he needed to do was to visit once and he would be able to teleport there in the future. If any problems came up, all he had to do was to y his trump card of ¡°I shall consider this in greater detail back home¡±. Even if the other party countered with ¡°We hope you will decide on the spot¡±, he could just throw another excuse together on the fly.

    Ainz knew many techniques to escape a situation like that.

    I had Ainzach aroundst time, but now I¡¯ll be ying the role of the door-to-door salesman for my wares. It¡¯s not like I need to clinch a sale either, so it should be easy.

    Ainz smiled as he took on the expression of Suzuki Satoru the salesman. Then, the context of his smile changed.

    Plus... as time goes by, I might be able to hand over the vassalization of the Empire to Demiurge and Albedo, and let them draw up the ns for it. Yes! It can¡¯t be helped. It¡¯s not like I want to flee from my work or anything!

    As he fervently made excuses for his behavior, Ainz began thinking about the next problem:

    Who would he take with him?

    Ainz folded his arms with a puzzled look on his face.

    While he would like nothing more than to have Albedo or Demiurge around, they had more important things to do and they were also project leaders. If he brought either of them along, then problems would crop up in their affairs.

    Aura and Mare were very good choices, especially because they were humanoids like the Dwarves. Thus, their counterparts would not be too wary of them.

    Cocytus would be tricky. Granted, he was a good pick for visiting a cold and mountainous region, but he was now in charge of the Great Forest of Tob, which also made him a project leader of sorts. Ainz hoped that he could focus his energies on that task. In addition, his unusual appearance ¡ªbined with that of Ainz ¡ª would probably make the other party unnecessarily nervous.

    Sebas was a good choice too.

    He was currently providing administrative support in E-Rantel, with Tsuareninya as his assistant. It should be fine to bring him out with Pandora¡¯s Actor around, but Ainz had some doubts about.his fighting ability.

    Gargantua and Victim were out of the question, of course. The images of several other NPCs loomed up in Ainz¡¯s mind, but most of them were not suitable to follow Ainz around as bodyguards.

    If that¡¯s the case, then it¡¯ll have to be ¡ª Aura and Shalltear.

    Aura ¡ª and the monsters shemanded¡ª could be considered an ideal choice for the role of a tank. In the worst-case scenario, he could sacrifice her beasts and escape with Aura. And then there was Shalltear, the best one-on-one fighter. She could serve as a trump card against a strong foe. In addition, there was another reason why he wanted to use Shalltear.

    He should have brought Mare along instead, considering that he might be facing an army. However, if they encountered a yer, their priority would be to retreat and not exterminating the enemy. Thus, he would leave Mare behind this time around.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case...¡±

    Just as Ainz was about to make a move, the sound of a [Message] rang within his head.

    ¡ºAinz-sama.¡»

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Entoma.¡±

    ¡ºYes. I am currently travelling with Shalltear-sama and we have reached the vige of the Lizardmen. Cocytus-sama wishes to send over a Lizardman with a report concerning the vige¡¯s status and seeks your permission to open a [Gate]. What should be done, Ainz-sama?¡»

    Cocytus would asionally send over reports on the vige which he was tasked to run.

    Ainz did not really know how well Cocytus had done, so typically he would give these reports a quick once-over and reply with a ¡°Good job.¡± There were times that he wanted to say, ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this anymore¡±, but reporting to one¡¯s superiors was the proper attitude to have, and in turn, he had to fulfil his responsibilities as Cocytus¡¯ superior.

    ¡°Then open the [Gate] at the usual ce... ah, no, the defensive spell should still be active. Wait an hour before...¡±

    Ainz took out a schedule sheet and made sure of the time.

    ¡°Cast the spell at 13:46. I will lower the defenses for about two minutes at that time.¡±

    While this building was not Nazarick, it was still shrouded in magical fields which impeded teleportation and the like, powered by the MP of high-level vassals. These fields were strong enough to impede fairly high-tier spells, but they drained the vassals to the point where he had to rotate them out several times a day. In addition, they also impeded friendly teleportation.

    This was because of the friendly fire effect, which did not exist in YGGDRASIL.

    Thus, there were asions when he needed to briefly disable the defense grid to permit direct teleportation to this ce. Of course, lowering the defenses meant that enemies could teleport in as well. In order to keep them from being hit by an ¡°explosion¡± ¡ª as they called it in YGGDRASIL ¡ª Ainz decided to limit these brief openings to predetermined periods.

    ¡ºUnderstood. I shall ry your message to Shalltear-sama.¡»

    Ainz replied, ¡°Good¡± before cutting off the [Message] and rising to his feet.

    ¡°...I¡¯ll leave the choice of my clothing to you. A Lizardman ising as an emissary of Cocytus. Pick something which won¡¯t embarrass me.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    A fire zed in Decrement¡¯s eyes.

    Her too? Ainz thought, but he did not give voice to those words. A man with no confidence in his sense of style could not say such things.

    With Decrement in tow, Ainz walked while giving orders to an undead being he had created on the fly. Said orders were to inform the undead guarding the great hall of this manor about the arrival of a Lizardman via [Gate].

    As he watched it disappear into the distance, Ainz contemted the effective use of the undead which he had created.

    If Ainz¡¯s undead could report to him, then he could ce them all over the world and create an undead intelligencework. Unfortunately, that would be very difficult to aplish. Even if Ainz gave amand, the undead could only give vague responses. In addition, it was very hard for Ainz to manage the massive increase in the number of undead which he had created. There was always the risk that he might slip up and give an order to apletely unrted undead minion by ident.

    In the future, he might be able to set up some sort of system to address this problem, but that was impossible given the present circumstances.

    Perhaps I could let Pandora¡¯s Actor handle that sort of thing in my ce. But then I¡¯d have to deal with the problem of all the undead he made freezing up when he¡¯s not in my form.

    He would have to consider the matter in earnest after seeking the opinions of Albedo and Demiurge. While pondering this problem, Ainz reached his changing room.

    As usual, the two lines of maids greeted him with eyes aglitter. In particr, Decrement¡¯s eyes ¡ª as Ainz¡¯s duty maid ¡ª were practically bloodshot.

    Ainz permitted the maids to help him change while asking about Aura¡¯s location.

    Today, he would wear something in pure white.

    It seemed too shy for someone like Ainz, who was used to wearing dark browns.

    On top of that, the maids adorned him with a gigantic ne made of gold and other metals. It made him worry that the magpies would try to steal it on ount of its shininess.

    But the part of the outfit that made the least sense was the feathers which protruded from his back.

    Am I a peacock or something? Ainz wanted to say, but when he nced around, he saw a shared look of pride and satisfaction on all the maids¡¯ faces. None of them looked worried, or had any expressions that could be considered anywhere close to negative. All of them had the same look of nervous awe on their faces, their cheeks tinged pink.

    They were like a bunch of fangirls standing before a beloved idol.

    Is this really all right? Is this really so attractive todies? ...Looks like I have no fashion sense, after all.

    As Ainz waxed mncholy within his soul, the maids finished dressing him up.

    From the mirror, he noticed that there were feathers sprouting from under his arm, which made Ainz think of a monster from YGGDRASIL.

    Was it an Archaeopteryx or something... I think they were pet dinosaurs for druids.

    They ruffled when he folded his arms in front of himself, which was quite annoying.

    But what would they say if he told them, ¡°this outfit won¡¯t do¡±? They would reply with something along the lines of ¡°How is this unsuitable? Please tell us what clothes we should pick in future.¡±

    ¡°Alright!¡±

    In the end, Ainz decided to cast these bothersome things aside.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

    ***

    When the appointed time came, Ainz felt a magical portal ¡ª a [Gate] ¡ª open in the great hall.

    While he had already dispelled the magical field surrounding this building, the person passing through the [Gate] did not appear right away, thanks to the [Dy Teleportation] spell he had cast. This was the same spell he had used during the battle with Shalltear.

    [Dy Teleportation] briefly hindered teleportation effects that had their destination near the caster, buying them several seconds of time, which the caster would typically use to flee or prepare an attack. In addition, the spell also informed the caster of how many beings would be teleporting into their vicinity.

    Thus, Ainz knew that only one person had teleported here.

    Entoma might not havee here with Shalltear, but she would probably be arriving soon.

    [Dy Teleportation] only dyed a teleport. It could not cancel it entirely. Thus, some timeter, a ck half-sphere appeared within the area of the [Dy Teleportation] spell.

    Shortly after that, a Lizardman fearfully poked its head out from within.

    As he ¡ª it should have been a he, right? ¡ª looked around, his line of sight met that of Ainz, who was seated upon the simple throne in the middle of the great hall.

    ¡°Your, Your Majesty, Ainz Ooal Gown. Forgive your servant¡¯s rudeness before you.¡±

    Ainz could not fully conceal his consternation at the Lizardman¡¯s fluent speech. While Zaryusu was a cut above the rest of his tribe, this Lizardman¡¯s diction sounded polished and natural.

    Is this the result of Cocytus¡¯ training?

    The question percted in his mind, but there was something to do before that.

    Ainz¡¯s [Dy Teleportation] spell had already told him that only one person would being. Once he was sure that nobody else wasing, he ordered a Death Knight standing by on the sidelines to reactivate its magic item. The Death Knight nodded in acknowledgement and strode forth, and then Ainz turned his gaze to the kneeling Lizardman.

    At the same time, Decrement ¡ª who stood at Ainz¡¯s side ¡ª chimed in with expert timing.

    ¡°Lizardman, you are granted an audience.¡±

    This waspletely different from how she had been when picking out clothes for Ainz.

    She radiated the air of an icy princess.

    Under normal circumstances, most people would be upset at a maid in a pce (or a simr location) taking this tone with them. The supplicant might well smirk as he noted that the ruler doing so was apanied by just a single maid. Alternately, he might pity the Sorcerous Kingdom for having so little manpower that a maid had to perform such duties.

    However, these Lizardmen were trained by Cocytus, and they fully understood that any of the NPCs was vastly superior to them. Therefore, they did not question Decrement¡¯s attitude.

    Ah, what a pain. Why can¡¯t you dispense with this nonsense and speak inly? Well, that¡¯s what I think, but as the saying goes, when in Rome, do as the Romans do.

    Ainz Ooal Gown was briefly troubled by the remnants of the spirit which belonged to Suzuki Satoru the sryman, but that could not be helped.

    The Lizardman rose to his feet, unaware of Ainz¡¯s inner turmoil. In truth, Ainz could not tell the difference between one Lizardman and another. If their scales were a different color, or if they had obvious distinguishing features ¡ª brands or an abnormallyrge arm, for instance ¡ª it might have been possible, but he could not tell how the Lizardman before him differed from any other.

    In any case, Ainz had Decrementmand the Lizardman to identify himself.

    ¡°Ainz-sama graciously permits you to state your name.¡±

    ¡°Understood! I thank you for your magnanimity! Your servant is Kyuku Zuzu, former chieftain of the Razor Tail tribe!¡±

    Ainz had never heard that name before.

    Should he openly disy his ignorance, or pretend that he knew? Ainz chose neither of these, but picked a third option ¡ª in other words, he nodded to continue the flow of the conversation. After all, Cocytus might have mentioned this during a previous report.

    Following that, Ainz ordered Decrement to have the Lizardman tell him why he hade here.

    What a pain!

    This was basically how things went whenever he met with a subordinate¡ª his servants.

    If I wasn¡¯t worried about people looking down on the Sorcerous Kingdom, I would have suggested doing away with this bothersome business...

    Just as Ainz sighed internally, Decrement gave the Lizardman amand.

    ¡°In his mercy, Ainz-sama permits you to state the reason for seeking an audience with him.¡±

    ¡°Understood! Cocytus-sama, the ruler of our viges and the master of theke, wishes to present something to His Majesty the Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown, Supreme Overlord and ruler of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, as well as the liege of Cocytus-sama.¡±

    Ainz was surprised by how many titles the Lizardman had managed to string together, but he did not show it on his face. Instead, he inclined his head toward Decrement, who stepped forward and received a scroll from the Lizardman. Then, Ainz had to wait for Decrement to return and present it to him before he could finally read it.

    It was covered in Cocytus¡¯ script. There were so many numbers recorded within that it would take quite a while to read through it here.

    Therefore, Ainz rolled the scroll back up and gave it to a Death Knight who was standing nearby. Only then could he finally address the Lizardman directly.

    ¡°Well done.¡±

    ¡°Thank you!¡±

    While that was all Ainz could say, he did not intend to end the conversation there.

    Ainz rose from his throne, and spoke to the Lizardman.

    ¡°Now then, I will ask you a question, not in my capacity as the Sorcerer King, but as the master of Cocytus. After all, they say speaking to one¡¯s vassals directly will deepen their mutual understanding.¡±

    The Lizardman looked vaguely confused. This was because he had no idea how to handle being directly questioned. At least, that was what he thought was going on, despite the difficulty of reading a Lizardman¡¯s face.

    ¡°Be at ease. This is not a formal interview. Once you leave this ce, no trace of the events here will linger in anyone¡¯s thoughts or memories. Neither will I censure you for anyck of respect in your behavior.¡±

    These words were addressed to Decrement and the surrounding Death Knights, as much as they were directed to the Lizardman before him.

    ¡°Now then, how is Zaryusu? I understand he has remained within the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick as ofte?¡±

    ¡°Indeed! By Your Majesty¡¯s grace, he is in good condition. He is the father of a healthy child, and his rtionship with his wife is simrly excellent.¡±

    ¡°Oh, is that so! I permitted him to return because his child was about to be born, and now it has. I see, I see. Well, it is good that the happy couple is getting along.¡±

    There were married people within the guild Ainz Ooal Gown. Ainz could not help but remember them. ¡°My wife¡¯s feeling kind of grouchy¡± became a magic word that allowed anyone to disconnect in the middle of a game, and no one would be able to find fault with them for that.

    Smiling from the memories of the past ¡ª although his expression did not change ¡ª Ainz continued asking questions.

    ¡°Was the child white as well?¡±

    Zaryusu¡¯s wife was the white Lizardman. Being that she was a very rare breed of Lizardman, she aroused the collector¡¯s spirit within Ainz, and left a deep impression on him.

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. It is as Your Majesty has surmised. While the child will assuredly be a superior individual regardless of whose bloodline it inherits, it would seem it has tended toward its mother¡¯s ancestry, being that its scales are snow white.¡±

    ¡°Oh, so there¡¯s only¡ª¡±

    Ainz closed his mouth before he could blurt out ¡°one hatchling¡±. Referring to them as people would probably be more prudent. While none of them would actually express displeasure at his choice of words, that did not mean Ainz could casually make mistakes. If his poorly chosen words led to problems in Cocytus¡¯ rule, Ainz would not know where to begin apologizing.

    ¡°¡ªOnly one child, then?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Just one.¡±

    ¡°Oh... I see. Only one child, then.¡±

    It would seem they differed from reptiles, who had big clutches. Still, as long as the couple had a good rtionship, they might well have more children in the future.

    Ainz felt the collector¡¯s blood stir within him. He kind of wanted to know if he could have one of them to y with, but forcefully separating a child from its parents was a poor thing to do.

    However, he had heard that the Lizardmen had a tradition of branding themselves before travelling on long journeys. If Zaryusu¡¯s child chose that path, then he might be able to train them up as an adventurer.

    The Adventurer¡¯s Guild Ainz envisioned was an organization made up of many species. If he could get a rarely-seen Lizardman in there, it might end up being good for publicity, like an idol enrolling in a school.

    ¡°How are the mother and child? Are they being fed well?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Many thanks for your kind concern. The mother and child are in good health, and the child looks like it will grow to be exceptionally lively.¡±

    ¡°Really now, is that so. This is certainly cause for celebration. Then, tomemorate the birth of a child with a glorious future ahead of him, permit me to present a gift. However, I am not fully apprised of the intricacies of birth-gifts within Lizardman culture. Share your opinion with me, then; what would be a good present?¡±

    It would be terribly boring to give fish or something in ce of a birthday cake. He would rather give them something more tangible and permanent.

    ¡°I understand. While my tribe does not have the practice of giving gifts to celebrate births... I feel that Zaryusu would be delighted to receive arms and armor.¡±

    ¡°Wargear, then... umu.¡±

    If possible, he would have liked to give something which would please his wife as well, but since armor would protect her husband¡¯s life, one could say that it would indirectly make her happy.

    Just then, Kyuku fearfully spoke up.

    ¡°¡ªMay your servant venture a question, Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Why is Zaryusu worthy of such high praise?¡±

    The fact was that Ainz had no intention of praising Zaryusu. He merely thought of him as the husband of a rare white Lizardman. Still, he could not actually say that, so he racked his brains for an excuse to give.

    ¡°...He is an outstanding man. In truth, I hear that his training in Nazarick has shown admirable results. As such, I shall reward loyalty and excellence with matchingrgesse.¡±

    ¡°I am eternally grateful for your kind words, Your Majesty. We shall strive to show greater loyalty and devotion in the future.¡±

    ¡°Mm. Hold on to that determination of yours.¡±

    After nodding in a magnanimous manner, Ainz considered if there was anything else he wanted to ask. A truly excellent ruler would probably want to hear about the status of the Lizardmen¡¯s viges andpare it to Cocytus¡¯ reports, and as such he would immediately have more in-depth questions to ask. However, Ainz could not do that.

    Just as Ainz was about to dismiss him, something came to mind.

    ¡°This may not concern your vige, but what do you know about the Dwarves of the Azellisia Mountain Range?¡±

    The vige of the Lizardmen was located at the base of the Azellisia Mountain Range.

    ¡°Your Majesty, I have heard about them before.¡±

    Ainz had not expected an answer to his casually-posed question. Ainz ordered the Lizardman to tell him about the Dwarves as he rejoiced within his heart.

    ¡°With the greatest respect, your servant submits that the following was merely overheard from an acquaintance. The Dwarves are a species which builds cities in productive mines, and they use the ores thus extracted to manufacture all manner of wargear. Among those are weapons and armor made of very rare metals.¡±

    ¡°Very rare metals, you say?¡±

    For a moment, Ainz thought that he had gulped in surprise.

    Those words were extremely tempting to a yer that loved collecting rare items.

    ¡°Do you know what these metals are called?¡±

    ¡°Regretfully, your servant does not, Your Majesty. My understanding does not reach that far.¡±

    Disappointment set in for Ainz, and he chided himself for his foolish expectations.

    While adventuring as Momon, he had learned about metals, but there had been no news about anything harder than adamantite. In this world, even orichalcum and adamantite qualified as ultra-rare metals. It was hard to imagine the exotic metals which the Lizardman had described being anything more than that.

    Even so, Ainz could not suppress the swelling anticipation within him.

    If they were a race that lived within the earth, would they have ess to metals which were rare even by Ainz¡¯s standards?

    If... yes, if. What if this world possesses the prismatic ores of YGGDRASIL, and the Dwarves are mining them? Granted, that assumes that there are prismatic ores in this world, but if that was really the case, could it be possible to have them produce a [Caloric Stone] ¡ª one of the hidden items of YGGDRASIL?

    The [Caloric Stone] was a World-ss Item. It could only be obtained by gathering vast quantities of the prismatic ores and then expending a certain amount of them. Usually, that would entail an extremely difficult process, but Ainz Ooal Gown had aplished it once.

    They had found a hitherto undiscovered mine for Celestial Uranium, one of the seven prismatic ores, and a critical element for the [Caloric Stone].

    Under normal circumstances, a guild which found a new mine would thoroughly exploit it before selling its ores on the market. That was because tapped-out mines in YGGDRASIL would slowly recover and be ready for further harvesting. Ainz Ooal Gown had nned to do just that.

    That said, the reason why they had managed to attain that World-ss item was entirely due to an extraordinary stroke of luck.

    At first, they had let the prismatic ores trickle into the market, hoping to drive the price up due to their rarity. And then, therge stockpiles of prismatic ore in the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick underwent a spontaneous reaction.

    Ainz could still vividly recall the bizarre mood in the air, generated by everyone as they realised almost all the prismatic ores had disappeared, and in their ce was an item which had rolled to the ground. Should we be happy for this, they wondered as they nced at each other, a vague look of emptiness on their faces.

    After that, they used the [Caloric Stone] when they learned that they could obtain that expendable-type World-ss Item in the same way as before. Then, they tried to produce it again, but sadly, the Celestial Uranium mine was taken from them, and that dream had gone up in smoke.

    As Ainz and the others saw the Celestial Uranium being sold at a high price, they were equal parts happy and disgruntled. Given the way it was being handled, there was no way for them to produce a World-ss Item.

    A wicked smile appeared on Ainz¡¯s face as he basked in his memories, and he mocked them in his heart.

    You idiots. The whole point of monopolizing it is to store up the necessary amount. There¡¯s no way you could make it if you put the ores up for sale. Unless¡ª

    Ainz recalled Punitto Moe¡¯s words.

    ¡°There should be other sources of Celestial Uranium besides the one which Ainz Ooal Gown (we) discovered. For all we know, they actually have other mines for it, and they took ours in order to keep it hidden from outsiders,¡± he had said.

    However, he quickly refuted his own deduction. That was because he learned that the guild in question had used the World-ss Item [¦Ï?¦Ñ¦Ï¦Â?¦Ñ¦Ï?] to banish Ainz Ooal Gown from that mine. ¡°Even if they wanted the ability to reliably produce the [Caloric Stone], was it really worth expending one of the World-ss Items known as The Twenty?¡± he had wondered.

    (TL Note: Ouroboros)

    Ainz shook his head, chasing away the memories of the past from his mind. Even so, he could not fully eliminate the idea that hade to mind.

    ...Even if there¡¯s no prismatic ore there, the Dwarves might know about other metals. What if there was knowledge there which had not spread to the outside world? If I used a charm spell or the like ¡ª oh, I¡¯m being too hasty. I shouldn¡¯t let my imagination run wild. Still, this does involve runes as well. As I thought, this is a top priority and should be addressed immediately.

    Just then, Ainz noticed the Lizardman sneaking peeks at him. Apparently he had been lost in a world of his own.

    ¡°...It seems I was lost in my contemtion.Tell me, who told you about the Dwarves?¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, that would be Zenberu, a former tribe leader like myself.¡±

    ¡°Hoh! That Zenberu, hm? ...Umu. Are you saying that Frost Pain was also a creation of the Dwarves? Was it a gift Zenberu gave to Zaryusu as a sign of their friendship?¡±

    He had heard about the origins of the sword from Zaryusu. However, it would be wise to ask others about it as well.

    ¡°That was an heirloom from days past, and it did note from Zenberu.¡±

    ¡°Is that so...¡±

    It was exactly as he had heard. However, there might be something there which the Lizardmen did not know about.

    There are many weapons in this world which could not be made in YGGDRASIL. For example, there¡¯s that weapon with the passive ability to cut through defenses...

    The magic weapons in this world were made by having a magic caster enchant a weapon produced by a cksmith. In other words, a skilled magic caster was more important than a skilled cksmith when it came to making a powerful magic weapon.

    However, there were exceptions to that rule. Fluder could make the stilettos which Clementine carried through his magical knowledge, but the same could not be said for Gazef¡¯s sword.

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Fluder had begun by saying, ¡°Gazef¡¯s sword was spontaneously created by the natural absorption of mana, or perhaps through the magic of the Dragons.¡±

    Still, I can¡¯t be certain that he was correct. There¡¯s many things Fluder himself does not understand. Could the Dwarves make a weapon like that as well? While I know I¡¯m looking forward to this a little too much...

    YGGDRASIL¡¯s weapons ¡ª Guild Weapons and a few others aside ¡ª possessed a data capacity that was determined by the value of the materials used in their construction and the skill of their maker. This data capacity limited the number of data crystals which could be added to it. Thus, rarer metals allowed for the creation of a correspondingly more powerful weapon.

    The smith was also a key part of the equation. Much like it was in this world, the humanoids called Dwarves in YGGDRASIL had bonuses to craftsman-type sses. Therefore, Dwarves were very popr among those people who wanted to y weaponsmith or armorsmith characters.

    That being the case, would they possess weapon-crafting knowledge which Fluder did not?

    Does that mean runes are part of it? Mm. Taking control of the Dwarves... Not bad. The Head Librarian and Demiurge are conducting experiments with scrolls. Nfirea is working on potions. Fluder is handling magic items. Then I shall let the dwarves take charge of weapons manufacture.

    All sorts of experiments to strengthen Nazarick were taking ce concurrently. Ainz smiled in satisfaction as he thought about them. And then, he realised that if the Six Great Gods really were yers, then Ainz might well be 600 years behind them.

    We may need to spend the next few years, no, the next few decades on technological development. We can¡¯t be careless here.

    For all he knew, others may have noticed those things which even he had picked up on. As a leader, he had to eliminate the baseless notion that he was special or unique.

    If someone was thinking along the same lines as me, then there¡¯d be a higher chance of discovering something useful among the Dwarves. Other yers might have asked the Dwarves to help develop technologies ormissioned weapons from them, and in the process they would have learned about their application of runes. ...Should I get Albedo and Demiurge¡¯s opinion on this, and ready our forces for a full-scale operation?

    An hour ago, he was still thinking about visiting the Dwarven Kingdom with just himself and Aura forpany. However, given that the Dwarven Kingdom had just gone up in priority, the n for that excursion had to be remade.

    He had to learn about the Dwarven Kingdom and ensure that his spy could gather information in a ndestine manner. At the same time, avoiding magical surveince was very important.

    The problem now was how long all this would take.

    If the yer who brainwashed Shalltear was hiding there, it would be extremely dangerous to give the opposition too much time. If he took a passive stance, the enemy might well pick the most opportune moment tounch an attack. In order to avoid this, they had to take the initiative and make the first move.

    ...So this will be a gamble, after all. An ambassadorial party, hm. We will establish diplomatic rtions with the Dwarven Kingdom. If a yerunches an attack, it will be a casus belli for us to mount an invasion in turn. We can then dig out the necessary information from the debris.

    Ainz enumerated the things he had to do after meeting the Dwarves.

    One: verify the presence or absence of yers.

    Two: investigate the runes and their origins.

    Three: Obtain information and samples of their metallurgy and ores.

    Something like that.

    However, they would hardly tell all of that to Ainz up front. It was only natural to conceal one¡¯s technological prowess. Information was more valuable the more hidden it was.

    If there were YGGDRASIL yers who let their knowledge leak out all over the ce, Punitto Moe would surely give them a vicious tongueshing.

    ...Also, what if I could get them to export weapons to the Sorcerous Kingdom so our adventurers could acquire them at a lower price? Pretty attractive, no? But in order for that to take ce, I¡¯ll have to be on good terms with the Dwarves. While I could always take them as ves within Nazarick, that will be ast resort. I¡¯d like to make my words to Ainzach that much more convincing.

    Still, all this was ultimately nothing but a conjecture.

    ¡°...Lizardman. Does Zenberu know about the Dwarven city?¡±

    ¡°Yes. He told me that he had lived in the Dwarven city for some time.¡±

    ¡°Is that so. Do you think Zenberu would take me there?¡±

    The Lizardman fell into thought, and then tilted his head.

    ¡°My deepest apologies, but your servant cannot answer that question. Of course, I am certain that if Your Majesty orders something, Zenberu will strive eagerly to fulfil it. However, it has been several winters since he returned from the Dwarven City, so I am not sure how much he still remembers...¡±

    ¡°Really now... Well, if that¡¯s the case, I can deal with it using magic. It¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    [Control Amnesia] might well be able to clear things up.

    After praying that Ainzach or Fluder knew something about this, Ainz permitted the Lizardman to leave.

    <b>2</b>

    Two hours after meeting the Lizardman, Ainz sighed quietly within his room.

    That was because he had just finishedmunicating with Fluder and Ainzach via [Message].

    Why do I have to teleport over there in person to prove my identity? Especially Fluder. I thought he¡¯d be used to it by now, but I guess I was wrong.

    When he used [Message], neither of them believed that he was Ainz, so he had no choice but to [Teleport] to where they were and speak to them in person.

    The way in which they apologized for the inconvenience in the same way and asked Ainz to only use [Message] in times of emergency made him feel like they had nned it out beforehand.

    Ainzach aside, you¡¯d think Fluder wouldn¡¯t want to waste time on other matters, considering the book which I gave him.

    Of course, Ainz was wise enough to remain silent.

    Speaking of which, while he had heard of the tragedies caused by the use of [Message] in the past, it was hard for him to understand why they could not put their faith in the spell until now. That said, it probably was not something they could ept so easily. In addition, it would be quite damaging if they, as his coborators, were deceived in such a way. In that case, all he could do was suck it up and ept that the MP cost of teleportation magic as a necessary expense.

    His dejection was also rted to the results of his conversations with the two of them. The use of teleportation would have been worthwhile if it had yielded good information. Unfortunately, that was not the case.

    Ainzach knew that there was a Dwarven Kingdom in the Azellisia Mountain Range, but he was not sure of its location. The Kingdom had not attempted to forge any national-level ties with the Dwarves either. Even if they had, those would probably be limited to small deals within the mining city of Re-Brumshul. Ties like these would be closely linked to the city¡¯s profits, in any case, and so it would be hard to try and cut in on them.

    (TL Note: ¥ê.¥Ö¥ë¥à¥é¥·¥æ©`¥ë)

    Fluder felt the same way too.

    Although he had heard of Dwarven culture and their government, the fact was that he knew next to nothing about them. There was something about how a powerful Dragon had caused great damage to a Dwarven city, but he had no clue about the name of the city, or the name and abilities of the Dragon.

    It would seem Fluder had not investigated the matter because it did not interest him. However, they could probably begin researching it through Imperial channels after this. At least, that was what Fluder suggested, but Ainz shot that suggestion down. It would take too much time, and having an exposed traitor like himself perform said research might lead to trouble.

    In the end, the only person he could count on was Zenberu the Lizardman.

    It¡¯s about time I sent a [Message] to those two and told them about the Dwarves.

    ¡°I¡¯ll contact Shalltear first. Hm... the right person for the job?¡±

    That was high praise and cruel criticism at the same time.

    Ainz closed his eyes ¡ª though he had no eyeballs ¡ª and thought about the matter for a few minutes. Then, he opened his eyes and cast the [Message] spell.

    ¡°¡ªShalltear Bloodfallen.¡±

    ¡ºIs, is that you, Ainz-sama? Where do you need a [Gate] opened at this time?¡»

    Shalltear was the strongest of the Floor Guardians, and the only one to administer multiple floors. The fact that the first thing she asked was where to open a [Gate] was terribly sad. At the same time, Ainz felt a little guilty about assigning that task to her.

    ¡°No. This time, I shall entrust a weighty duty to you.¡±

    ¡ºA, a weighty duty?¡»

    ¡°Umu. You shall apany me on my travels, and ensure my safety.¡±

    The silencested several seconds.

    Don¡¯t tell me she didn¡¯t hear that. What¡¯s going on? Just as Ainz began to wonder if something was wrong, Shalltear¡¯s voice ¡ª off-key, probably from over-excitement ¡ª rang through his head.

    ¡ºYour servant shall fulfil this task, even if she must grind herself to dust in the process!!!¡»

    ¡°U-umu. Then I shall exin in greater detail. Come to my quarters in E-Rantel.¡±

    If he did not specify that, it was quite likely that she would teleport to Ainz¡¯s room in Nazarick. However, that had only happened once. He had sent a [Message] to Narberal telling her toe to his room, and after waiting and waiting for ages she had not arrived. It was only after he sent another [Message] to her that he discovered she had been waiting at his room in Nazarick.

    Ainz reflected on it, and realized that the faulty with the order which he had given. Thus, he resolved never to make that mistake again.

    ¡ºUnderstood! Your servant shalle immediately!!!¡»

    ¡°Also, give Mare your task of maintaining surveince on the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. Inform him of whatever he needs to know when you hand your duties over to him. Considering the time needed for that... Come over when you¡¯ve settled your affairs over there. I don¡¯t have any appointments which will take me away from my chambers, so I will wait until you arrive.¡±

    ¡ºYes!! I, Shalltear Bloodfallen, shall carry out your orders faithfully and without dy!!¡»

    ¡°The handing and taking over of duties is very important. Don¡¯t rush and make a mess of it just because I¡¯m waiting, got that? I shall order Mare to proceed to your room, the Adipocere Chamber.¡±

    ¡ºUnderstood!! Then I shallmit the tasks which I will be handing over onto paper!!¡»

    ¡°Also, I trust I don¡¯t need to say this, but you are to give your ring to Mare.¡±

    ¡ºOf course!! I understand that it will only be in his safekeeping for a while!!¡»

    It was very dangerous to bring that ring outside of Nazarick. On the other hand, as long as it and the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown were not taken, there would be enough time for all the Guardians to gather. Therefore, the rings were hidden within the piles of gold within the Treasury, apart from the one which Ainz wore and the ones issued to certain people within Nazarick.

    The reason why Ainz wore the ring despite knowing the danger was because it would be impossible to enter Nazarick if nobody wore it and the enemy had blockaded the entrance to Nazarick.

    ¡°Very well. Begin your preparations, then.¡±

    ¡ºYes!! Then, is there anything I should bring to your room, Ainz-sama?¡»

    ¡°A reasonable question, but there is nothing you need to bring. I will exin my n to you when the timees, and then I will give you time to ready yourself.¡±

    ¡ºUnderstood!!¡»

    Shalltear¡¯s passionate response vanished as the spell terminated.

    Then, he sent Mare a [Message]. There was little difference in the contents of their conversation, save that he told him to take Shalltear¡¯s ce as the protector of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.

    After hearing Mare¡¯s still, small yet clear voice, Ainz ended the [Message].

    Finally, Ainz sent Aura a [Message].

    ¡°Aura, it¡¯s me.¡±

    ¡ºYes, Ainz-sama! What do you need me to do?¡»

    ¡°Umu. I would like you to apany me to the Dwarven Kingdom.¡±

    ¡ºUnderstood!¡»

    ¡°First, I hope you will meet me in my chambers at E-Rantel while we wait for Shalltear¡±

    ¡ºShalltear?!¡»

    The ensuing cry of disbelief made Ainz grateful that he did not need eardrums to hear.

    ¡°Aura, lower your voice.¡±

    ¡ºI, I¡¯m very sorry, Ainz-sama!¡»

    Like I said, lower your voice... Ainz thought that, but did not say it.

    ¡ºAh, are we going to destroy the Dwarven Kingdom?¡»

    ¡°No. How did you reach that dangerous misunderstanding? I just want to conduct some friendly negotiations.¡±

    ¡ºAh, I see! So you¡¯ve already foreseen that peaceful negotiations will break down, then?¡»

    ¡°Aura, your¡ª¡±

    ¡ºAinz-sama, I¡¯m here!¡»

    ¡°What? You mean you¡¯ve already arrived at my room?¡±

    ¡ºYes, exactly!¡»

    A knock came from the door just as she said this.

    Ainz smiled bitterly as he watched Decrement go to answer it.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, Aura-sama requests your permission to enter.¡±

    Ainz gestured his approval, and Decrement took one step away from the door.

    ¡º¡±Sorry to disturb you, Ainz-sama!¡±¡»

    Aura¡¯s voice ovepped with that of the [Message] spell as the Dark Elf girl greeted him.

    ¡°All right, then. Have a seat and we¡¯ll talk.¡±

    Ainz indicated a pair of sofas which faced each other, and then turned to Decrement.

    ¡°Prepare refreshments for Aura.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Ainz-sama. We have apple juice, orange juice, lemon squash, tea and coffee on hand at the moment.¡±

    Decrement ced the apple juice which Aura requested on the small table between the two sofas. As Aura began sipping at it, Ainz began his exnation.

    ¡°First, let me exin myself about your question concerning the destruction of the Dwarven Kingdom. Bringing Shalltear along does fulfil a requirement forbat power, but there is another reason for that.¡±

    ¡°Eh?!¡±

    Aura¡¯s eyes went wide. Given her attitude, it was clear that she considered Shalltear to have very limited uses. Still ¡ª Ainz found it hard to hold back the warmth surging within his chest.

    It reminded him of Bukubukuchagama and Peroroncino¡¯s rtionship.

    Every now and then, Bukubukuchagama would ask, ¡°Has my stupid little brother given you any trouble?¡±

    When people replied with an, ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t think so?¡± she would immediately respond like Aura had, with a ¡°Seriously?!¡±

    It was hard for Ainz to contain himself as he realized that Aura and Shalltear were carrying on that same rtionship. The memories fell like powdery snow, filling his heart with bliss. His joy welled up, and just as he was about tough ¡ª the emotion was suppressed.

    ¡°...Shit.¡±

    Ainz quietly cursed as his moment of happiness was ruined by his emotional suppression. It had helped him out many times in the past, but he found it tiresome when it got in his way. Ainz knew he was being selfish and hypocritical, but he still found it hard to ept this interruption of the memories of his former friends.

    ¡°Ah, er... Ainz-sama? What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    However, his displeasure vanished like smoke in the wind as he heard the girl¡¯s tremulous voice. He could not allow himself to express these negative emotions in a way which even a child could see. Ainz took a deep breath, and smiled to Aura.

    ¡°No, my apologies. It¡¯s nothing. As I was saying earlier, I¡¯m bringing Shalltear along this time around to investigate her adaptability. She was created to be the strongest Guardian. At that time, if she had fought properly, even I might not have been able to beat her.¡±

    ¡°Well, if it¡¯s for something like that¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªNo, it¡¯s not like that. If I were Shalltear, I would have summoned my Einherjar right away and then prepared for battle while it engaged my enemy, then attacked with magic as my MP permitted, followed by the use of my skills. Then, I would have triggered my Blood Frenzy in some way and then charged into melee with the Spuit Lance while my attack power was increased.¡±

    Ainz smiled, a little ufortable.

    ¡°If that had happened, I would have run away without a second thought.¡±

    His skill as a yer aside, Ainz¡¯s character could only be considered to be in the upper portion of the middle tier of all yers. Shalltear¡¯s character build and equipment ced her in the lower portion of the top tier. If she was fully equipped ¡ª with divine-ss items ¡ª she would be in the middle portion of the top tier. If she could change her gear to match her opponent, she might well be able to fight on even terms with the upper echelons of the top tier.

    ¡°However, her reputation as the strongest Guardian has instead hampered Shalltear¡¯s growth.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°The most effective use for Shalltear is to deplete the enemy¡¯s resources, so she has to beunched out like an arrow. Once she is deployed, she has to be left to run amok through the enemy lines. However ¡ª is that really the right thing to do? It might be the best way to fully utilize Shalltear¡¯s strength, but can we really say that it¡¯s the most suitable method to use?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand... but if you feel that it¡¯s right, then it should be correct, Ainz-sama.¡±

    That sort of answer really makes it hard to keep the conversation going. What Ainz truly wanted to hear right now was a carefully reasoned reply about the pros and cons of Ainz¡¯s statement, which was what a proper adult would have said. Still, children were expected to be frank, after all.

    ¡°Is, is that so. However, I don¡¯t think that is the case. When I said that it was the best way, it was only in terms of fully utilizing her strengths. However, it might not be the best way once Shalltear starts umting experience.¡±

    Ainz was making progress as a warrior. No, it would be best to say that he had learned to make full use of all his abilities. While his physical abilities might not have improved, other parts of him were still growing.

    Unlike how they had been when they were merely data, the NPCs now had minds and the capacity for independent thought. The same applied to Shalltear. The Shalltear of tomorrow would be different from the Shalltear of today.

    ¡°Having her do different things instead of repeating the same old tasks might help her grow... Of course, she might fail, although I do not wish for that. Still, even if she does mess up, all we need to do is to have someone beside her to pick up the ck. That is precisely why I asked for you, Aura.¡±

    Aura had a better rtionship with Shalltear than Mare. Ainz had selected the elder sister of the twins because she could keep Shalltear in line.

    Having listened attentively to all of this, Aura forcefully nodded in acknowledgement.

    ¡°...Still, while I said that I want her to umte various experiences, that might vite the social contract, and it would cause problems for thepany ¡ª for the group.¡±

    ¡°Eh? What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°...Think of it this way. It would not be good to force Shalltear to do things she does not want to do.¡±

    ¡°Obeying you is what we should do, Ainz-sama!¡±

    ¡°...Don¡¯t you think it would be wrong to make her do something that goes against Peroroncino-san¡¯s wishes? If my orders conflicted with Bukubukuchagama¡¯s desires, how would you feel about obeying them, Aura?¡±

    ¡°Ng! Well, I, ah, I would...¡±

    Aura nervously lowered her head, and muttered something along the lines of, ¡°It¡¯s hard to say.¡±

    ¡°All right, don¡¯t worry about it. It was just aparison. My reason for picking Shalltear this time around was to challenge her and see if she has grown.¡±

    ¡°I see! That¡¯s Ainz-sama for you, yourplex insights run so deep!¡±

    A superior had to let his subordinates experience challenges in order for them to grow.

    This was one of the secrets he had gleaned from a book he had read not long aftering to this world.

    The reason why he had not given Shalltear an opportunity like this until now was because the situation had been very dangerous, and also because there was no time for such things. Now, however... no, there would be no better chance than this..

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the rest when Shalltear arrives. That way, I won¡¯t have to exin myself twice.¡±

    Just as Ainz said so, knocking came from the door, followed by Decrement going over to check on the visitor.

    ¡°It is Shalltear-sama.¡±

    The person he was waiting for had arrived. Ainz indicated that Decrement should let her in.

    As the door opened, he saw someone in the doorway.

    ¡°Shalltear Bloodfallen is ready to go!!¡±

    Ainz ¡ª who was prepared to thank her for hering all this way ¡ª froze up for a moment, and it took him a while before he could gather his wits and speak.

    ¡°Why... why are you in your full battle gear?¡±

    Not only was she in her full te, but she was even holding her Spuit Lance.

    ¡°Yes!!! I am fully prepared to protect you, Ainz-sama!!!! I shall exterminate anyone who dares to oppose you, Ainz-sama!!!!!¡±

    Ainz nced at the panting Shalltear, her eyes wide open. Then, he nced to Aura, as if to say, what should I do about this? It was not as though he could say Shalltear had gotten the wrong idea.

    ¡°Haaa~ you¡¯re being too hasty. How about taking action after Ainz-sama finishes speaking?¡±

    Shalltear pouted as Aura took a jab at her. Before the two of them could start quarrelling, Ainz raised his hand to get their attention.

    ¡°Shalltear. You might have the right idea, but things are different this time. Forgive me for not exining things to you.¡±

    Ainz hurriedly exined the objectives of this operation to Shalltear ¡ª and his ns to forge friendly rtions with the Dwarven Kingdom.

    A baffled look appeared on Shalltear¡¯s face after she took it all in.

    ¡°If, if that¡¯s what you want, is it really alright to bring me along?¡±

    ¡°...I have many reasons for choosing you. Having you protect me is one of them. But the greatest reason is so that you can gain experience. It is my selfish opinion that you consider yourself unsuitable for this task due to your Blood Frenzy. Perhaps after you give it a try, you might discover that you are surprisingly suited for this sort of thing.¡±

    Shalltear¡¯s eyes went wide.

    ¡°I understand, Ainz-sama!! I shall make sure you do not regret your decision!!¡±

    ¡°...Umu. Then, Shalltear, I will be cing you under Aura¡¯smand for this journey. Since Aura is in charge of you, I hope you will obey her.¡±

    ¡°Understood!!¡±

    Shalltear bowed to him.

    Ainz wondered if her response was too high-strung, but it was better than a dispirited answer. Still, it would be troublesome if it all turned out to be for nothing.

    ¡°I appreciate your eagerness, but you should calm yourself down, Shalltear. ...Then, let us consider the matter of followers. Who else should we bring along?¡±

    ¡°Ainz-sama ¡ª may I be allowed to speak?¡±

    Ainz was somewhat startled because the response hade from an unexpected quarter, but he coolly turned to face Decrement.

    ¡°What is it? Is something the matter?¡±

    ¡°Ah, I was wondering how you would feel about bringing some of us maids along to serve as your attendants during your trip to the Dwarven Kingdom. Traditionally speaking, those in power have always brought followers with them to handle misceneous tasks. I feel that the Dwarven Kingdom will think poorly of you if you do not bring handmaidens with you, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°I see. ...You do have a point there.¡±

    While spying on Jiiv, he noticed that the man went out escorted by several carriages, and some of them contained well-dresseddies. They must be the people who waited on him. If he had stayed in Nazarick back then, Ainz would have observed him more carefully, but regrettably he had not, which was a bit of a shame.

    No, the fact was that Jiiv hade a long way to visit Ainz, and Ainz had been terribly rude to Jiiv by not insisting that he stay the night. Granted, the man had firmly refused every offer of lodging Ainz had made, but perhaps the right thing to do was to make him change his mind.

    Perhaps if they had established good rtions back then, the matter of vassge might not havee up at the arena.

    Oops, I¡¯m getting off-track... Decrement has a point, but¡ª

    Ainz considered her data. The 41 regr maids might look different, but their equipment and statistics were identical.

    The heteromorphic species known as Homunculi were not particrly outstanding, and they were very weak, being only level 1. While they were still superior to level 1 human beings in terms of stats, if it came down to a fight, a Homunculus would only have a 60% chance of victory.

    The maid uniforms they wore did provide them with a measure of defensive strength, but that was only on the level of a high-ss item. Those might seem incredibly resilient to the inhabitants of these world, but they were nothing more than scraps of paper to a YGGDRASIL yer.

    Frankly speaking, there was no way he could bring them to the Dwarven Kingdom, given that he knew next to nothing about it. There was a chance that a yer might be waiting with his forces deployed and ready for battle.

    ¡°Still... Unfortunately, I cannot do that. If we must have followers ¡ª Shalltear, can I bring your Vampire Brides with us?¡±

    ¡°There is no need to ask. Everyone in Nazarick serves you. You have but to order us.¡±

    ¡°Is that so. ¡ªDecrement, your proposal is very reasonable. However, it contains a problem, in that you are weak and I am uneasy about your safety when travelling into unknownnds.¡±

    ¡°We are all prepared to face any form of danger!¡±

    Ainz raised a hand to calm Decrement down.

    ¡°I am pleased by the loyalty which you ¡ª which you all show. Therefore, once I ensure that the Dwarven Kingdom is safe, I shall send for you via teleportation. Until then, what do you think about handing the matter to the Vampire Brides?¡±

    Decrement¡¯s mouth moved several times, but no words came out. Eventually, she bowed her head. Ainz hoped that she was not agreeing because he had ordered her to, but that was most likely not the case.

    Since he had nothing else to persuade her with, and he would not change his mind no matter what she said, Ainz turned his eyes from Decrement.

    Resurrecting level 1 NPCs was cheap, but that was not the problem here.

    Nobody would bring their friends¡¯ children into a dangerous ce.

    ¡°Then, Shalltear, bring ¡ª let me see ¡ª six Vampire Brides along. Then add 30 more riders on top of that. Five of them will be the recently summoned Hanzos.¡±

    There was no particr significance behind the number 30. It was simply that he felt that number would be sufficient. Perhaps it was because this was the amount of yers allowed in a raid group?

    ¡°I¡¯ll contact Cocytus while waiting for everyone to gather. Right, I should finish up first. Once everyone is assembled, the two of you will travel to the Lizardman vige through Shalltear¡¯s [Gate]. After that, we¡¯ll head north to find the Dwarven Kingdom. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s do that.¡±

    The two Guardians replied in the affirmative. They did not suggest a better idea, which Ainz had hoped for. While the two of them were hardly yes-women, the fact that they had said exactly that in response to his suggestion made Ainz feel a little uneasy. This was because Ainz did not have much confidence in his own idea.

    ¡°Then, do you have any suggestions on who the other followers should be?¡±

    ¡°My magical beasts¡ª¡±

    ¡°My undead¡ª¡±

    The two of them spoke up at the same time, and then red at each other. Just as he thought they would start arguing, Shalltear looked away first.

    ¡°After you.¡±

    ¡°...What? Did you eat something weird?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just that I was ordered to listen to you.¡±

    ¡°...It just feels gross.¡±

    Shalltear¡¯s eyebrow twitched, but she said nothing.

    ¡°In that case, how about having 25 of your undead ride my magical beasts?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind ¡ª¡± Shalltear looked to Ainz ¡°¡ªBut that would be more than the number you mentioned, Ainz-sama. Would that be all right?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll do that, then.¡±

    Since the two of them seemed to have reached a consensus, Ainz continued speaking.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s get to work on our own ounts. I¡¯ll give you two hours to select your personnel. Keep in mind that you may not be able to return for a while after leaving, and do not think that you can teleport back to Nazarick with teleportation magic. Aura, you need to be particrly careful about this as one of the living. If that¡¯s all, let¡¯s split up. I have a lot of things to discuss with Pandora¡¯s Actor.¡±

    At the same time, he made a mental note to contact Albedo about this with a [Message].

    ***

    ¡°Atst, the time hase!¡±

    After she was sufficiently far away from the supreme being¡¯s room that her voice would not reach it, Shalltear clenched her fists and shouted in joy.

    ¡°It¡¯s been so long... but atst, I can make up for my past failure and let everyone know that Shalltear Bloodfallen can be of use to everyone!¡±

    Shalltear gazed off into the distance.

    Aura was quite aware of the feelings contained within Shalltear¡¯s voice, which was unusual for her. Although Shalltear had already been punished for her mistakes and Ainz-sama had personally told her that it was not her fault, Shalltear still wanted to erase the mistakes she had made. As a fellow Floor Guardian, Aura could understand her feelings very well. Still ¡ª she was a little uneasy.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a long timeing... All the work I¡¯ve been given until now had been so easy that anyone could do it. However... However...¡±

    ¡°Ah~ I feel that the work Ainz-sama gave you was very important, Shalltear.¡±

    ¡°Well, it is as you say, to some extent. Still, was that work really important?¡±

    ¡°Protecting Nazarick is pretty important, no? After all, being the first line of defense against any invader is a task you¡¯d give to reliable Guardians, right?¡±

    ¡°Nngg!¡±

    Shalltear could not deny that.

    Then, she nervously pressed her fingertips together and pulled them apart again.

    ¡°Does Ainz-sama really think that way?¡±

    ¡°Mm~ probably. Ainz-sama said that you were very strong, Shalltear.¡±

    Shalltear smiled broadly. That response let Aura sigh in relief. If she had let her go on like that, Shalltear would surely have gone to a lot of trouble for nothing and that would only inconvenience Ainz-sama. If that happened, she had no idea how she would apologize to him for it. In addition, she felt pity for Shalltear.

    ¡°But when I was in the human city, Demiurge singled me out. He must have felt I was useless. If that was what Demiurge ¡ª the greatest mind of Nazarick ¡ª thought about me, then wouldn¡¯t the others, especially Ainz-sama ¡ª whose wisdom surpasses that of Demiurge ¡ª feel the same way?¡±

    ¡°Hm, you can¡¯t really say that. Perhaps it¡¯s because Ainz-sama is smarter than Demiurge that he felt that way about you.¡±

    In that moment, Shalltear moaned wetly with a ¡°Ho...¡±

    ¡°As expected of Ainz-sama...¡±

    ¡°...Haah.¡±

    Aura was starting to feel a little tired. However, she had the feeling that being direct with Shalltear would not work, so perhaps an indirect method would be effective.

    ¡°Still, that means that the others feel the same way as Demiurge.¡±

    ¡°...I can¡¯t deny that.¡±

    Or rather, that was definitely the case. Aura spoke up before the wide-eyed Shalltear could continue.

    ¡°Ainz-sama wanted to test your flexibility by exposing you to various situations, so I think encountering difficulty isn¡¯t a bad thing. Until then, if you take notes and learn from around you, you¡¯ll be able to impress Ainz-sama and the others.¡±

    ¡°So I should study up before that?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Think about it, you¡¯re travelling with the greatest person in all of Nazarick, right? Doesn¡¯t that mean you can learn something from Ainz-sama?¡±

    ¡°I see! ...But, what should I do?¡±

    ¡°Shalltear, that¡¯s where the learning starts.¡±

    ¡°That ¨C that¡¯s right!¡±

    At a loss for words, Aura had simply thrown that question back to her.

    That ought to be okay... right?

    A flicker of unease passed through Aura¡¯s heart. Still, the ball was in Shalltear¡¯s court now, and there was nothing else she could do.

    Will she behave herself...

    Aura offered up a prayer to Bukubukuchagama, the Supreme Being who was also her god:

    Bukubukuchagama-sama, please watch over Shalltear, who was made by your little brother Peroroncino-sama!

    <b>3</b>

    Ainz travelled to the Lizardman vige through a [Gate].

    He was escorted by Hanzos for his protection. Of the five Hanzos, one had a red cloth tied to his right arm.

    It was not enchanted in any way; it merely indicated that he was their leader.

    At first, he had simply thought that doing so would make it easier to manage them. However, the newly appointed leader was delighted at being chosen, and Ainz could tell that he was smiling under his mask.

    Frankly speaking, Ainz felt somewhat guilty. After all, he had merely given him a piece of cloth.

    Defended by his vassals, Ainz could now see the statue of himself.

    Ainz had already been here several times before, since it was a pre-arranged teleport destination. Still, it deeply embarrassed him.

    There were statues of historical figures and so on in Suzuki Satoru¡¯s world, but surely anyone would be ashamed to witness a monument to themselves while they were still alive.

    What truly disturbed him was the fact that the facial bones were slightly different from his own. It would seem they were trying to beautify him

    Do the cheekbones look more handsome when they¡¯re like that? I don¡¯t get it at all. What kind of aesthetic sense could have produced this?

    As Ainz contemted the matter, he turned and noticed Cocytus and his Lizardmen kneeling before him.

    He was used to such genuflection now that he was more experienced in ying the role of a superior being. Still, it did not please Suzuki Satoru the sryman. That said, he understood that it was a sign of their loyalty, so he did not ask them to stop.

    ¡°¡ªRaise your heads.¡±

    After that permission ¡ª given with mixed feelings ¡ª was granted, the Lizardmen looked back up, as though they hade back to life.

    ¡°Thank. You. For. Coming. All. This. Way. Ainz-sama.¡±

    Ainz indicated to the still-kneeling Cocytus that he should rise.

    ¡°Umu. Thank you for your hard work. I have received your report on the vige. Though I only nced through it, I did not see any problems, which is good. Your aplishments here are worthy of praise.¡±

    ¡°Many. Thanks! All. This. Was. Aplished. By. Your. Glory. Ainz-sama.¡±

    I didn¡¯t do anything, Ainz wanted to say. Instead, he epted Cocytus¡¯ loyal praise with dignified grace. After all, if he had said anything else, it would have devolved into an infinite loop of ¡°Nono,¡± ¡°Nonono¡±, ¡°Nononono¡± and so on. Ainz was quite certain of that.

    ¡°...That said, the excellent results you have shown deserve to be rewarded.¡±

    Thinking back, Albedo and Mare had already received a Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown each, Aura had received a watch with Bukubukuchagama¡¯s voice recorded into it, Shalltear had been given Peroroncino¡¯s bestiary, and Demiurge ¡ª he had given Demiurge that demonic statue made by Urbelt.

    His gift to Cocytus was the lives of these Lizardmen, but it was probably time for some other reward.

    ¡°Perhaps you might say it is not needed, but it is only natural that rewards and punishment must be handed out as they are deemed necessary. ...Tell me, Cocytus, what do you want?¡±

    ¡°No. Ainz-sama. I. Desire. No. Reward. Other. Than. To. Serve. You. Loyally.¡±

    While Solution¡¯s request for ¡°innocent humans¡± was quite disturbing, a request like Cocytus¡¯ was also quite hard to grant.

    One of his guild members hadined about a certain type of annoying woman, the kind who said, ¡°Anywhere is fine¡± when you asked ¡°Where do you want to go for lunch¡±, and then went on to say, ¡°We should have gone to an Italian ce after all¡±. Ainz felt the same way. It was a hundred times easier to get along with someone who inly stated what they wanted.

    ¡°...Cocytus. Ack of desire can sometimes be more troubling than greed. I nowmand you ¡ª tell me what you want within a week¡¯s time, limited to material objects. Do you understand?¡±

    A distressed look appeared on Cocytus¡¯ face. Ainz paid it no heed.

    ¡°Do you understand?¡± he repeated.

    ¡°If. That. Is. Your. Will. Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Umu. That is my will. Alright, then. Cocytus, it is time to move onto my reason foring to this vige. I wish to speak to Zenberu.¡±

    ¡°Understood! I. Have. Already. Brought. Him. Here. Please. Come. This. Way. Ainz-sama.¡±

    Cocytus moved behind and to the side of Ainz, and then addressed the kneeling Lizardmen.

    ¡°Zenberu. Answer. Ainz-sama¡¯s. Questions. You. Are. Permitted. To. Directly. Address. Him.¡±

    Zenberu raised his head with a ¡°Yes¡±, but there was confusion in his voice.

    ¡°Then, I shall get to the point. I wish to visit the Dwarven Kingdom. Thus, I wish to employ you as a guide. Can you take me there?¡±

    The Lizardman looked like he had narrowed his eyes.

    He did not understand the expressions of Lizardmen, and he could not tell what kind of look he had on his face, but it did not seem like a good one.

    ¡°My sincerest apologies, Your Majesty, but may I ask your intentions for heading to the Dwarven Kingdom?¡±

    As he finished speaking those words, a cking of mandibles issued from behind Ainz.

    ¡°...Zenberu. Seeking. To. Know. The. Intention. Behind. Ainz-sama¡¯s. Decisions. Is. The. Height. Of. Disrespect.. All. You. Need. To. Do. Is. Answer. The. Question. Truthfully.¡±

    Cocytus was using the same tone he always did, but there was distinct displeasure in his words.

    Ainz wanted to shrink away from the clearly unhappy voiceing from behind him.

    Still, while Ainz was already like this despite not being the target of Cocytus¡¯ aggression, Zenberu remained silent. He watched Ainz¡¯s reaction, his gaze unwavering.

    Tension filled the air amidst the fearsome silence, which was broken only by the threatening sounds from Cocytus. Not much time should have passed, Ainz thought. when he suddenly realised that Cocytus was about to make a move and stepped in to block him. Not doing so would be dangerous.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Cocytus. Zenberu did not show me any disrespect.¡±

    ¡°But. Ainz-sama¡ª¡±

    ¡°It is fine. Then, I shall take a small measure of pity on you, Zenberu. What gave rise to the misconception you now hold?¡±

    Zenberu¡¯s reaction was only natural considering what he had done to this vige. Still, Ainz did not let those thoughts show on his face. If Ainz willed it, then no me could be attached to the servants of Nazarick for their actions. Acting otherwise in front of his subordinates might make them doubt themselves and affect their future activities.

    ¡°Zenberu. I have no intention of harming the Dwarves. I havee in person because I wish to form a friendly rtionship with the Dwarves.¡±

    ¡°Is that really true?¡±

    ¡°You¡ª¡±

    Ainz turned to Cocytus.

    ¡°Cocytus. Your loyalty pleases me. But I have already said that it is fine. Pay no heed to what Zenberu says here and forget it.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    Was this what they meant by ¡°speaking your mind frankly¡±? If the boss asked you to ¡°speak your mind frankly¡±, it was clearly a trap.

    Ainz turned back to Zenberu.

    ¡°Indeed, that is so, Zenberu. I will swear it on my name if need be. I wish to forge a friendly rtionship with the Dwarves. However, it is also possible that the use of force may be required if it is warranted by their response. Can you understand that such a course of action might be unavoidable?¡±

    ¡°Naturally. It makes perfect sense. In this world, might makes right. Even so, how shall I say this... I do not wish to repay kindness with malice.¡±

    Zenberu paused to take a quiet breath. Ainz was reminded of how warriors breathed when they were about tounch an attack.

    ¡°In addition, if youunch a surprise attack and begin their extermination after I lead you there, I pray you will forgive me for taking up arms against you.¡±

    A quiet grinding came from behind him, and Ainz said, ¡°It¡¯s fine¡± to Cocytus.

    Even without checking, he already knew it was the sound of Cocytus tightening his grip on his weapons.

    What shall I do with you, Ainz thought as he looked haughtily upon Zenberu. It would seem his repeated practice had paid off, because Zenberu¡¯s body froze in terror.

    ¡°Well, if that happens, I shall simply have to destroy you as well. Not that I mind... But that is quite a brave thing to say. Have you considered the fact that your betrayal might end up destroying all the Lizardmen in the vige as well?¡±

    ¡°...I trust you would not really do that, Your Majesty?¡±

    As Zenberu stared hard at him, Ainz cupped his chin with his thumb and forefinger. Then, he made an announcement.

    ¡°It seems you are mistaken. I consider matters in terms of benefits and liabilities. While I will probably not destroy the entire group for the treachery of one man, if it turns out that simr betrayals might ur in the future, and that the drawbacks outweigh the benefits of leaving them alive, do you not think I will exterminate them all without dy? Or do you think I am a brainless, all-loving being?¡±

    Zenberu¡¯s expression changed.

    However, Ainz did not know what kind of expression it had changed to.

    It seemed odd to be saying this as an undead being himself, but he felt that the Lizardmen were sly.

    There was no need to understand the expressions of other races. After all, he was merely an undead being with the memories and experiences of the human being called Suzuki Satoru.

    Since Zenberu did not look like he was going to continue speaking, Ainz carried on:

    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry. I will not destroy this vige even if you do betray me. After all, it would not be an organized uprising, and your reaction is quite understandable given your personality and history. They are your old friends ¡ª your benefactors? I understand why you would side with them. However, allow me to repeat myself: I will not destroy the Dwarven Kingdom for no reason.¡±

    Whether yers were present or not, Ainz did not want tounch straight into hostilities without a dialogue.

    After all, things were not progressing very well with the neighboring countries.

    Now that they had to vassalize the country which they appeared to have had the best rtions with, their name would live in infamy if they ended up waging war on the Dwarves as well.

    Therefore, they had to do their best to sign a treaty of friendship with the Dwarves. This way, they could show the nearby countries that the Sorcerous Kingdom was an entity which could abide by pacts and agreements. This would also give them the moral high ground and allow them to limit the actions which could be taken by any yers hiding out there.

    What would yers do if they were wary of the Sorcerous Kingdom?

    The most likely oue was that they would deem the Sorcerous Kingdom an evil empire, and use that as a rallying cry to make war on them.

    On the flip side, what would they do if they heard that the Sorcerous Kingdom had signed a treaty of friendship with the Dwarven Kingdom, like a proper, decent nation?

    Some people might think that it was signed under duress or that it was gunboat diplomacy. However, on the surface it would appear to be a fair and normal treaty.

    Hypothetically speaking, if a yer decided to wage war on the Sorcerous Kingdom, that yer would certainly invite entities on his level ¡ª most likely other yers ¡ª to join him in his crusade. However, some of these people might think of the Sorcerous Kingdom as a decent nation. These war-averse people might cite the Dwarven treaty as a reason to stay out of the conflict.

    Granted, this was a presumptuous conjecture, but he might even be able to strike while the foe was in disunity and defeat them, whereupon the bombshell of ¡°That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t want to fight¡± would go off and tear the enemy apart.

    This was the reason why he wanted to ce himself on the moral high ground.

    After all, the only thing Ainz feared was a group of yers, not just one or two other yers.

    It was true that yers with World-ss Items were fearsome, and so were yers with very powerful sses, like World Champion. That said, if they were alone, they would not be able to defeat Nazarick without using one of the Twenty.

    ¡°So you can be at ease.¡±

    ¡°¡ªI understand that now.¡±

    ¡°Umu. That is for the best. Can I entrust that task to you then, Zenberu?¡±

    ¡°I understand, Your Majesty. I will take you to that cave city of the Dwarves where I once briefly resided.¡±

    Ainz nodded in satisfaction, and then turned to Zaryusu.

    ¡°Good, I will address Zaryusu now. Please ept my felicitations on the birth in the family. Are both mother and child well?¡±

    Zaryusu nervously(?) answered:

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. They are doing fine. It seems my child is about ready to start walking.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fast!¡±

    That said, his investigations revealed that the human children in this world developed faster than those in Suzuki Satoru¡¯s world in all aspects, be it in terms of teething, speaking or walking on their own. Of course, that was merely something he hade up with afterparing his observations to his recollections of what Touch Me had said in the past.

    ¡°Is that so? I feel it is quite normal...¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see. I seem to have considered that from a human¡¯s point of view. Children... hm. Currently, I am in the process of building a nationposed of beings from various species working together. If I asked you to live in a nation of humans under my rule for the purpose of advancing that agenda, would you ept?¡±

    ¡°I cannot refuse Your Majesty¡¯s orders.¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be like that.¡±

    While Zaryusu might not have intended it toe out that way, it sounded like mockery.

    The same thing happened with Ainzach earlier, Ainz mused as he continued speaking.

    ¡°I wish to hear your opinion on the matter. Having left the Lizardmen as a Traveler, you should have experience with this sort of thing, am I wrong? In other words, you should be able to think in ways that differ from regr Lizardmen. Because of that, I would like to hear what you think and feel about the ever-changing world that lies ahead of you.¡±

    ¡°I became a Traveler because I felt that things could not go on as they had. I was forced to do so by my circumstances.¡±

    ¡°Even if that was the case, your perspective should have been broadened by seeing the world. If possible, why not substitute yourself with a regr Lizardman and thus evaluate the merits of Lizardmen travelling to a human nation?¡±

    ¡°Yes...¡±

    After thinking briefly, Zaryusu spoke once more.

    ¡°Personally speaking, I would not want to travel to a human city. I would feel uneasy about doing so with a wife and child in tow. Even if it was a country ruled by Your Majesty... it would be quite difficult.¡±

    Having to abandon familiar surroundings and travel to apletely different environment was deeply distressing. It was only natural that one would want to preserve the surroundings which they were used to. This was especially true for Zaryusu, who was a man that had to shoulder the burden of a family.

    There might be some people who did not want to be protected for their entire lives. But Ainz felt that people who could not ept protection when the circumstances called for it were weak, be they PKs or PKKs.

    ¡°I see. Then... Is it possible for the children to be ustomed to that sort of thing?¡±

    ¡°Does that mean you only intend to take the children, Your Majesty?¡±

    Ainz sensed faint criticism within those words.

    Zaryusu must have thought that Ainz would forcibly separate the children from their parents.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let your imagination run wild. I intend to build a nation where different races can coexist in harmony. The first step of that is to create a ce where the children of Lizardmen, humans, Goblins and so on cane together and y happily. That is all. ...Still, I trust that all of you do not intend to live and die in this tiny little world of ake, but that you n to step into the world atrge?¡±

    The faces of the Lizardmen filled withplicated expressions.

    ¡°Do you mean... You want more people to be Travellers?¡±

    ¡°I take it the job of Traveller is not very morous among the Lizardmen, am I wrong? I am simply saying that you should broaden your minds. ...I am not quite clear on this, but could it be that you and your wife do not intend to grant your child a wider view of the world?¡±

    A strange look crossed Zaryusu¡¯s face.

    ¡°That... is hard to say. I would like to have our children live in a vige that is safe and does notck food, but times are different now.¡±

    He must have been speaking in his capacity as a parent. This was little different from how Ainz wanted the NPCs to live in happiness. As he mused on that, Ainz began feeling a certain kinship with Zaryusu.

    ¡°I understand how you feel. One cannot expect change from those who are set in their ways. The quicker the change, the more the older generation will whine and reject it.¡±

    Ainz shrugged while Zaryusu and Zenberu smiled.

    ¡°It is as Your Majesty says,¡± Zaryusu replied. ¡°The elders stillin every now and then.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean you¡¯re one of those old folks then, Zaryusu?¡±

    Zaryusu looked at Zenberu in bafflement, but even Ainz had picked up on it.

    ¡°Parents with children, then? ¡ªYes. Exactly.¡±

    Ainz looked fondly upon Cocytus, who stood by his side.

    ¡°Well, it seems I will have to make this point clear. Cocytus, I shall now give you an order.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    ¡°Even if Zenberu chooses to oppose me, you are forbidden to harm his friends within this vige.¡±

    ¡°I. Hear. And. Obey. Oh. Supreme. One!¡±

    Ainz nodded in satisfaction to the deeply bowing Cocytus, and then looked back at Zenberu.

    ¡°Then, Zenberu. I would like to know everything you know. Tell me where you met the Dwarves, what sort of life you had with them, what sort of gifts please them, and so on. Tell me everything.¡±

    ¡°No problem, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Such. Rudeness¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Cocytus. He would lose his head for something like that under official circumstances¡ª¡±

    Ainz looked around.

    ¡°However, this is hardly a formal setting. I shall allow this to go unpunished. I believe I am capable of that much.¡±

    Ainz chuckled, and Cocytus spoke again, confused.

    ¡°Ai-Ainz-sama...¡±

    Ainz reached out to interrupt Cocytus, and then red coldly at Zenberu. Then, he used a move he had practiced countless times before the mirror.

    ¡°However, Zenberu, there is one thing you should not forget. Cocytus will feel guilty because of the shameful tone you take with me.¡±

    Zenberu¡¯s body shuddered, possibly out of fear.

    Are these pre-battle tremors?

    ¡°...My sincerest apologies, Your Majesty. Your servant has overstepped himself.¡±

    ¡°¡ªIt is fine, You should be grateful to Cocytus, the administrator of this vige. Because of him, I will not harm it directly... hm, it seems I have said something pointless. Shall we begin discussing the Dwarven Kingdom?¡±

    ¡°Before. That. Will. You. Not. Take. A. Seat. Ainz-sama?¡±

    Ainz was mildly diforted by Cocytus¡¯ suggestion.

    Ainz did not feel fatigue, so he did not need to sit down. However, he could not simply ignore a valuable suggestion like that.

    ¡°Indeed. Let us do so. Cocytus, don¡¯t use something too decadent. Anything I can sit on will be fine.¡±

    ¡°Understood! Then. Please. Excuse. Me.¡±

    Cocytus went to his hands and knees, prostrating himself on the ground.

    The image of Shalltear oveid itself on Cocytus from Ainz¡¯s memory.

    ¡°...I think I know what is going on, but it might be best to ask, just in case. What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°I. Heard. That. Shalltear. Once. Did. This. As. Well. Therefore. I. Sought. To. Imitate. Her.¡±

    ¡°That was a punishment for her. There is no need for you to do this.¡±

    ¡°But. The. Lizardmen. Under. Me. Have. Spoken. Disrespectfully. To. You. Ainz-sama¡ª¡±

    ¡°There is no need to bring up the past. I already said I did not mind. Did you not hear me?¡±

    ¡°That. Is. True. But¡ª¡±

    Haa¡ª

    Ainz had tried to talk him around, but Cocytus was proving unexpectedly stubborn. Despite the fact that the undead did not get tired, fatigue filled Ainz¡¯s soul. Sensing difficulty all around him, Ainz decided to abandon his resistance and made a pronouncement.

    ¡°¡ªAh, that¡¯s enough. Then, I shall be taking a seat, Cocytus.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    His reply was quite forceful.

    Sitting down like this in front of others was very ¡ª well, to some extent, it was embarrassing.

    Still, the others would find it strange if he hesitated here. What he should have done was to adopt the air of an absolute ruler and matter-of-factly sit upon the body of his vassal.

    Ainz bent at the waist. In truth, it was very ufortable. In truth, it was very uneven. And in truth, it was very cold.

    On top of that, Cocytus seemed to be huffing and puffing in excitement, leaking an ever-thickening white mist, so it looked as though someone had sprinkled water on dry ice and the vapors were billowing out from between Ainz¡¯s legs. It looked like some cut-rate special effect used to make someone look more impressive, and it made him feel like he was sitting on a bed of nails.

    ¡°Does. It. Please. You. Ainz-sama?¡±

    Crap. He could not be honest here.

    A bizarrely curious part of him wanted to know what would happen if he did speak his mind, but the thought of Cocytus¡¯ reaction was too frightening.

    ¡°Mm, it¡¯s not bad...¡±

    Will I sound like a pervert if I say that, Ainz frantically thought. However, he could not think of anything else to say.

    ¡°Then. May. I. Know. Whether. You. Prefer. Shalltear. Or. Myself?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Ainz was struck dumb. How should he answer?

    ¡°Eh... Why, why do you want to know?¡±

    ¡°Yes! I. Feel. That. I. Must. Practice. For. When. I. Must. Someday. Bear. My. Master. Upon. My. Back.¡±

    ¡°...Eh?!¡±

    What the hell was he talking about?

    Was Cocytus of a species which allowed the female to mount them during reproduction? Or was he just a sexual masochist?

    Takemikazuchi-san!

    No, he should have been more decent than that. He might have loved fighting, but he should have been a good man who rarely gave people trouble.

    But why did Cocytus turn out this way? Ainz was shaken to the core, as though he had discovered someone else¡¯s secret fetish.

    ¡°Is, is that so. That¡¯s good.¡±

    Although, Ainz did not know whether it was good at all.

    ¡°Yes! Then. Dare. I. Ask. What. Your. Answer. Is. Ainz-sama?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s slightly uneven, but not to the extent that I can¡¯t sit down. In that sense, Shalltear is slightly better.¡±

    ¡°Is. That. So...¡±

    ¡°No! No, I mean, you have your advantages as well. Ah, how shall I put this, cold... yes, this cool sensation would be best on summer days.¡±

    Ainz could not help but wonder why he was so desperate tofort Cocytus.

    ¡°I. See! However... Mm.¡±

    While silently rejoicing that Cocytus had fallen silent to think, Ainz addressed the Lizardman.

    ¡°Th-then! Pay no attention to what is happening over here. Come, Zenberu, tell me.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes.¡±

    ording to Zenberu, he had climbed up and down slopes and peaks to find the Dwarves, spending a month in a fruitless search. It was only when he was about to give up that he encountered a Dwarf who came out to explore the surface. After that, various things happened, and he earned the Dwarves¡¯ trust and was brought to their city.

    His appearance had not done him any favors at first, but he had apparently gained their trust after baring his heart to them.

    After that, he had learned martial arts in the Dwarven city. He left once he gained enough confidence in himself and returned to the Lizardman vige.

    The most important thing among all this was whether or not Zenberu could lead Ainz and his party to the Dwarven city.

    Zenberu looked a little ufortable, but in the end he replied that he could probably do it.

    The Dwarven city was underground, in the depths of a cavern, so he should be able to lead him there as long as the mountain¡¯s terrain did not change. When he heard this, Ainz was reminded of the underground cities in YGGDRASIL, and he could not help but get excited.

    Thest thing he asked about was the distance to the Dwarven city.

    Zenberu replied that the journey back from the Dwarven Kingdom had taken about a week along the mountain trails. That had brought him to the northernmost tip of theke.

    Given the Lizardmen were not used to walking onnd, a week¡¯s journey on foot roughly tranted to about 100 kilometers.

    Unfortunately, they had to rely on Zenberu¡¯s memories, so they could not plot the shortest course on a map.

    I should be prepared to stray off course repeatedly.

    It made him think of his adventures in YGGDRASIL, and Ainz smiled broadly.

    ¡°...Is this information useful to you, Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I wee expeditions in the dark with only a feeblentern to light the way. That is what they call excitement, no?¡±

    Perhaps they thought Ainz was making a joke, but quietughter came from the ranks of the Lizardmen.

    Ainz did not intend to correct their mistake. People who did not know YGGDRASIL would find it hard to understand.

    ¡°Then, I shall appoint Zenberu as my guide, and we shall prepare to set out ording to what he has told me. Aura and Shalltear will arrive soon with their followers in tow, so you should get yourself ready too.¡±

    ¡°I hear and obey, Your Majesty.¡±

    Ainz nodded graciously to him, and then rose from Cocytus¡¯ body.

    He paid no heed to the quiet, mournful sound from below him.

 Chapter 81 - Volume 11

    <h4>v11 Chapter 2</h4>

    <b>Chapter 2: In Pursuit of the Land of the Dwarves</b>

    <b>1</b>

    Shalltear and Aura gathered at thekeside near the Lizardman vige, apanied by their hand-picked followers.

    Under Shalltear were 25 undead beings, each around level 80 or so. Aura had picked out 30 magical beasts. There were six Vampire Brides who were attendants to Shalltear, Aura and Ainz. Then, there were the five Hanzos Ainz had brought with him. After that were five Mammoth-like magical beasts of burden which had been summoned with in-game currency. Said beasts had cargo harnesses on both sides, the kind that wasmonly used in YGGDRASIL.

    They could be considered the weakest beings in the group, given that they were only level 40 or so. Still, their cargo-carrying capabilities were quite impressive, and their cold and fire resistance meant that they could move easily through frozen tundra or near calderas filled with churningva. The most important thing was that their appearances belied their incredible mobility and ability to operate for long periods without eating or drinking.

    Ainz ordered Cocytus to stand by behind him, and then called Zenberu forward.

    ¡°What do you wish of me, Your Majesty?¡±

    Zenberu stepped away from Zaryusu and Crusch ¡ª Ainz remembered their names ¡ª and came before him. Ainz could not help but look at the little white Lizardman that Crusch was cradling.

    Perhaps Crusch sensed Ainz¡¯s collector spirit, but she instinctively moved to protect her child.

    It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to snatch it away...

    Feeling a little depressed, Ainz handed Zenberu three items.

    ¡°Take them. This ring eliminates the need to sleep, eat or drink. This ring grants cold resistance. And this ne grants the ability to use the [Fly] spell. I will teach you how to use itter. It¡¯s in case you fall off a cliff.¡±

    ¡°Many thanks, Your Majesty.¡±

    This was the basic mountaineering gear he used during his YGGDRASIL days. He could swap out his gear in response to any unique area effects he encountered in the Azellisia Mountain Range.

    ¡°Sorry about interrupting your preparations. I have done everything I needed to do. You may return.¡±

    Zenberu nodded and returned silently.

    ¡°Cocytus. It would seem the children are quite curious.¡±

    The children did not flee but kept their distance, looking at Ainz and the others with sparkly (?) eyes.

    Mm. Would the kids be able to adapt if I brought them to a human city? No, what if I did the opposite and brought human children here? Maybe I could build a campsite nearby, and then bring the Lizardman children there.

    Ainz imagined a scene of human, Lizardman and Goblin children ying together. Then he added Aura and Mare, the Dark Elf children. And then he decided to throw in Shalltear as well.

    He had put Shalltear in because he saw her making preparations alongside Aura, the undead and the magical beasts. There was no special significance to it.

    I like that image. Maybe I should suggest this to Albedo and Demiurge...

    ¡°If. They. Displease. You. Shall. I. Order. Them. To. Leave. Immediately?¡±

    ¡°That was not what I meant... Don¡¯t you feel that children might be able to get along, even if they are of different races? Don¡¯t you think human children could walk hand in hand with Lizardman children?¡±

    ¡°I. Am. Unsure. But. If. It. Is. Your. Will. Then. I. Am. Sure. That. They. Will. Join. Their. Hands. Ainz-sama.¡±

    ...This has nothing to do with my will or orders or whatnot, it¡¯s just a matter of getting people of different species to work together. I guess I can¡¯t make this suggestion due to my position as King...

    Ainz¡¯s ideas would all be interpreted as absolute orders. Thus, to some extent, it was quite frightening.

    ¡°...Really now. Then, it¡¯s about time we set off. ¡ªAura, Shalltear! Are you ready?¡±

    The two of them replied almost instantly

    ¡°Yes! We¡¯re all set!¡±

    ¡°The same. If you give themand, we can move out at any point, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Zenberu!¡±

    ¡°No problems here!¡±

    ¡°All right, then let¡¯s go!¡±

    ¡°Ainz-sama. Be. Careful! If. Anything. Happens. I. Can. Mobilize. My. Forces. At. Any. Time.¡±

    Cocytus had a point. If there were enemy yers around, things might escte into a full-scale battle, and that would require the use of military force. However¡ª

    ¡°¡ªThat might happen eventually. However, this is more of a reconnaissance in force. If we encounter anyone strong, we will fall back after gathering sufficient intelligence. If that happens, we will look forward to your aplishments on the battlefield.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    ***

    The n was to head north and climb the mountains, guided by Zenberu¡¯s memories.

    The mounted undead acting as their vanguard proudly disyed the g of the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    All the intelligent beings who lived near theke were under Cocytus¡¯ banner. Thus, raising the g meant that they did not need to fear any attacks. Even so, that only applied to intelligent creatures ¡ª those that understood the concept of being ruled. It meant nothing to low-intelligence creatures, like beasts, for example. On the contrary, it raised the chances that such creatures would attack them. Still, there were no monsters in this forest which Ainz and his group could not handle.

    Shalltear seemed to be looking around for such foolish beings, but she could not find a single monster. In the end, they reached the northernmost end of theke.

    Their eyes followed the course of a small stream that fed theke, and ahead of themy the serrated peaks of the Azellisia Mountain Range. Under a clear blue sky and sunny weather, it was quite a majestic sight, and it stirred a faint emotion within Ainz¡¯s heart.

    Just then, Zenberu closed the distance to Ainz, and made a suggestion.

    ¡°Could I be allowed to walk ahead of you? I think looking at the surrounding scenery might help me recall something.¡±

    Naturally, there were no objections.

    ¡°All right. Go to the head of the column, then. But don¡¯t go alone. Take one of my people with you. If anything attacks, use them to cover you and fall back. You are a very valuable member of this expedition.¡±

    ¡°My deepest thanks.¡±

    Aftermanding ¡ª or rather, asking ¡ª the magical beast that he rode, the creature obeyed and began moving. Since Zenberu had no experience in riding, Ainz had put him on one of Aura¡¯s magical beasts, which could be controlled by speech rather than technique.

    There was a big difference between their speed in the mountains and their speed while travelling along thekeside.

    In other word, they moved very slowly.

    At first, they simply followed the stream north, but they slowed down after detouring to avoid a waterfall.

    Zenberu tried his best to recall the route he had taken, but it was very difficult to retrace the steps he had taken only once, several years ago, while heading in the opposite direction. In addition, their elevation was still very low, so the tall trees blocked their line of sight.

    Even if the shape of thend had not changed, the trees still grew as time passed.

    Zenberu continued forward as he struggled to jog his memory.

    Most of the group¡¯s members did not require rest, but Zenberu ¡ª the most important person of all ¡ª was among the few exceptions to that. Thus, they had to stop several times to take a break before they continued on in silence.

    They caught glimpses of what seemed to be monsters in the distance, but they did not seem to want to approach. Perhaps Ainz¡¯s group was too numerous, or perhaps the monster had fed itself already. Ainz thought that capturing an unknown monster to y with might be fun, but he decided to give up on that idea this time round.

    Their current objective was to reach the Dwarven Kingdom.

    Ainz knew very well that a hunter who chased two rabbits would catch neither.

    With a faint twinge of regret, Ainz chose to hurry on their way.

    As the group neared the edge of the forest, the trees gradually grew shorter, and the sun began falling behind the mountain.

    The blue sky was dyed a madder red, and then it passed into night. The silhouette of the mountains against an endless sea of stars could only be described as majestic. The knowledge that even this magnificent view was but a fraction of this world made Ainz feel like nature itself was bearing down on him.

    His sinuses quivered, and he took in the fresh, fragrant air.

    Why could he do that ¡ª or rather, if he could do this, why could he not tell how food smelled? Ainz pushed those thoughts out of his mind, and instead chose to savor this air, which could not be found in Nazarick or the outskirts of E-Rantel.

    In YGGDRASIL, he would not have been able to experience the greatness of nature in this way.

    He felt a sense of fulfilment, just like when he had gained new experience while adventuring as Momon, and Ainz¡¯s heart filled with satisfaction. In all honesty, they could go back now without ever finding the Dwarven Kingdom and he would not mind at all.

    Isn¡¯t ¡ª isn¡¯t this the sort of scenery adventurers should be seeing?

    Ainz chuckled, and then spoke to the people behind him.

    ¡°Then, we shall camp here for tonight.¡±

    After they all replied in the affirmative, Shalltear asked Ainz, ¡°Shall we return to the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick?¡±

    Indeed, the wisest thing to do would be to make a mark here and then teleport them all back to a safe ce to spend the night. However, for some reason he did not feel like it. It was not a matter of the merits or demerits of the situation, but a purely emotional issue.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. We shall set up camp here.¡±

    ¡°But Ainz-sama, the thought of making you camp at such a ce...¡±

    A quick look around would reveal only bare rock, and the frigid mountain winds ¡ª granted, they had no effect on Ainz, who was immune to cold ¡ª stole body heat. Anyone without cold resistance or thick woollen clothing would feel as though they were being pricked by needles. This was probably because the wind had blown across heaped piles of snow and brought the cold air down the mountain slopes.

    Ainz smiled as his respect for the grandeur of nature grew ever deeper.

    In YGGDRASIL, there were guilds that explored and adventured to turn the unknown into the known. They travelled on an endless journey with those feelings in their hearts.

    They were weak in guild battles, but threw themselves singlemindedly into the unknown reaches of the world. At that time, he did not understand what they were thinking. However, after encountering a magnificent world like this one, he began to see where they wereing from.

    While he had been Momon, he too had entertained the thought of letting go of everything and travelling the world¡ª

    ¡°¡ªAinz-sama?¡±

    The thoughts that had begun floating up in his head were suddenly scattered.

    ¡°What is it, Shalltear?¡±

    ¡°F-forgive me for interrupting your contemtion, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, no, it¡¯s fine. I wasn¡¯t thinking of anything important.¡±

    ¡°Really? All right, then...¡±

    ¡°Then, what¡¯s the matter? Ah, you¡¯re talking about camping here, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Please ept my sincerest apologies for not preparing a suitable tent despite knowing that you might wish to stay here, Ainz-sama. I wish to retrieve one from Nazarick. Might I be allowed to use [Gate]?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. It wasn¡¯t that you forgot the tent, but rather, I didn¡¯t write it down on the list because it wasn¡¯t required. Did you know that Mare can make a shelter with magic?¡±

    Shalltear nodded.

    I see. Then, you should know that I can do so as well. I could use a magic item like the Green Secret House instead, but that might be a bit too cramped for our numbers. Now, watch this.¡±

    Ainz looked for a suitable location. It could be nted, but the important thing was that it had to be open and free of rocks.

    He found one almost immediately, and then Ainz cast his spell. It was a 10th-tier spell.

    ¡°[Create Fortress]!¡±

    As the spell took effect, a mighty tower appeared where there had been nothing before. It was a tower which stood over 30 meters tall, standing erect and proud like it was going to swallow up the starry sky.

    Its massive double doors looked strong enough to shrug off battering rams. The walls were studded with countless spikes to keep anyone from climbing them. Four demonic statues adorned the corners of the uppermost level of the tower. They felt weighty and oppressive even at a nce.

    This sturdy fortress-like fortification was the physical incarnation of the word: ¡°towering¡±.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s go.¡±

    As Ainz approached the door at the head of his group, the iron doors swung open. He waited there for everyone else to enter. In YGGDRASIL, anyone on the same team could open those doors with a touch. On the contrary, everyone else could only gain entry by destroying the door. He wondered how the door in this world would make that judgement.

    Ainz left two of the undead outside, and then ordered them to open the door after it shut. The doors remained closed.

    He waited a bit longer, but there was no sign that the doors would be opening.

    ¡°...Could it be that only I can open them? Aura, go touch the doors.¡±

    With a ¡°Sure!¡± Aura touched the doors experimentally, but they did not seem like they wanted to open.

    It would seem only Ainz could open those doors. He mentally furrowed his brows. Friendly fire was a pain in the ass... If other yers existed in this world, small changes like this might end up affecting others, and in the worst-case scenario he might end up killing someone by ident.

    It¡¯s been nearly a year now... And I still have to be careful about using my power. It would be a tragedy if someone got caught in our area-of-effect attacks. Should I point it out to the higher-ranking people? Mare, especially... although they might resent me for nagging them about it if they¡¯ve already realised it... I guess I¡¯ll try and pass it off as an off-hand remark or something.

    Subtly reminding people was unexpectedly difficult. It waspletely different from just going up and scolding them. Ainz had be thoroughly acquainted with that fact during his time in the working world.

    As his heart grew heavy, Ainz decided to terminate his experiment and open the gate to let the two undead outsidee in. He closed the gates once more after ensuring that everyone was through, and then moved forward.

    A pair of double doors faced the entrance, and a passage stretched on beyond them. At the end of the passage was yet another set of double doors. The way was lit by magical lights, so there were no problems travelling along it.

    The instant he opened the inner doors, a blinding light shone upon them.

    Before them was a round hall. The floor was as white as snow and the ceiling was high above. A spiral staircase coiled up from the center of the room and connected to the upper levels.

    ¡°Then... we shall spend the night here. Anyone who needs to rest can do so. Anyone who does not... well, standing here isn¡¯t very good either. Everyone, stand by in your rooms.¡±

    Ainz indicated ten doors with his pointing hand. Incidentally, space here was expanded, so this ce wasrger on the inside than the outside.

    ¡°There are more rooms like these on the second and third floors, so go ahead and use them. Aura, Shalltear, Zenberu, the three of you stay behind. I want to plot our future route given what we have learned today. Ah, yes, let¡¯s gather on the couch over there. Then, carry on, everyone.¡±

    ¡°Ainz-sama, what shall we do with the Vampire Brides?¡±

    ¡°Umu...¡±

    Ainz could not answer Aura¡¯s question right away. After all, bringing them along had been Decrement¡¯s idea, and he could have done perfectly fine without them. Ainz paused briefly to think before saying, ¡°I¡¯ll give them orderster. For now, have them wait in their rooms.¡±

    Thus he handed the problem off to his future self.

    Then, Ainz headed to the sofa and sat down. Shortly afterwards, the three people he mentioned earlier sat down as well, he began speaking.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s start by recording our travels for the day. Aura, please.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Aura flipped open a memo pad, holding it open with one hand and sketching a map on it with another.

    ¡°I¡¯m not too confident on some of the smaller details, but it should roughly be like this.¡±

    ¡°Umu. Thank you, Aura.¡±

    It was a fairly crude map, but they could verify distances and the like from the air.

    ¡°Now then, I know you¡¯re tired, Zenberu, but I would like to request your cooperation. You might not like this.¡±

    ¡°...What do you mean, Your Majesty?¡±

    Ainz smiled to the somewhat nervous Zenberu.

    ¡°In other words, I wish to look through your memories.¡±

    ¡°W-what does that mean?¡±

    ¡°...I think I came off like a viin when I said that. I can control others¡¯ memories with magic, but that same magic can browse through the memories of others. Frankly speaking, it drains a lot of mana and I¡¯d rather not use it if I could avoid it, but relying on your clouded memories alone is somewhat worrisome.¡±

    ¡°I, I trust it will not have any side effects?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. Thanks to the assistance of a certain cleric, I can safely say that I¡¯m quite the veteran at this. There won¡¯t be any problems as long as I don¡¯t do any weird things in there. In fact, I¡¯ve performed the same procedure on one of my maids and there were no problems either.¡±

    ¡°You mean Shizu, right?¡±

    ¡°Exactly, Aura. That said, the spell isn¡¯t all-powerful. If the person himself has almost forgotten an event, I can only get rough details. There are also other things whichplicate the spell¡¯s use. For instance, the memories might not reside within the brain, but essed from a more primordial source¡ª¡± Ainz shrugged as he realized he had gone off topic. ¡°Well, something like that. In any case, I¡¯d like to investigate your memories.¡±

    ¡°I see... Just in case, I would like to ask again, but is it really going to be alright?¡±

    ¡°I understand your concerns. Do not worry, Zenberu. I will not alter your memories. I swear that on my name.¡±

    ¡°Then ¡ª what should I do?¡±

    ¡°Umu. Sit there, and rx. This won¡¯t hurt a bit. However, I need to verify some details with you before I cast the spell. Things like, how many months and years ago and where these memories took ce, and so on.¡±

    After hearing Zenberu¡¯s exnations, Ainz cast the spell.

    Having cast this spell many times before, Ainz had an expert¡¯s confidence in his handling of the magic, but still, using it was extremely difficult.

    Since any changes to the memories remained forever, mishandling them might lead to an irrecoverable situation. It was like trying to reprogram aputer without making any backups of the data. One could say it was an excellent spell for making vegetables.

    More importantly, the spell expended a vast amount of mana while it was in effect. That was what made it hard to use.

    Ainz felt his mana draining away in torrents after briefly browsing Zenberu¡¯s memories.

    Ainz¡¯s original n was to find the targeted memories and then browse around at his leisure. However, he estimated that his MP would run dry before that. In addition, the problem with this spell was that even if he wanted to wait until the next day for his mana to recover before casting the spell again, he would still have to start from the beginning.

    As a result, other spells were more effective at gathering information.

    After grumbling in his heart, he saw what looked like a mountain. Just as he found the ce he was looking for, his mana ran out.

    Examining memories of the past are the most tiring. It¡¯s much easier to view recent memories...

    As he had expected, the memories he found were blurred, as though shrouded in mist. He saw the faces of Dwarves, but they all looked the same to him. He did not know if that was Zenberu¡¯s fault, but he could not tell them apart. All of them were simply beards who bellowed in crude tones and swilled beer.

    This is no good. I used that cleric as a test subject and it worked well on Shizu. But I feel like I still can¡¯t use it well enough... I can¡¯t afford to make mistakes with delicate things like memories. I wanted to continue experimenting with that cleric, but he can¡¯t even speak coherently any more... Well, rewriting memories works if I limit myself to the recent few years. I guess I should conduct an experiment on what¡¯ll happen if I wipe a person¡¯s memories clean...

    Maybe I should select a few people sentenced to death from E-Rantel and use them for experiments...

    With that thought in mind, Ainz ended the spell.

    ¡°How are you, Zenberu? Do you feel unwell?¡±

    ¡°Eh? I feel fine, but weird...¡±

    Ainz smiled.

    ¡°I merely looked through your memories. It would be strange if that felt weird to you, given that I made no changes. That is probably a cebo effect of some sort; it should fade soon.¡±

    Zenberu shook his head forcefully. Ainz paid him no heed, but turned his attention to the map.

    Even after looking at Zenberu¡¯s memories, he still did not quite get it.

    There were no distinguishing features there, and how could he confirm his position in the confusing scenery of the mountains? In addition, the memories of hiding from monsters had been far more vivid inparison.

    The fact was that even if his mana recovered by tomorrow, he would not gain information which was worth that massive expenditure of magical power.

    ¡°Then, we shall stick to the n and have Zenberu lead us north. I didn¡¯t see anything helpful in his memories anyway.¡±

    It was not as though he had any better ideas.

    Dispatching outriders would only serve the purpose of massacring the monsters ahead of them.

    ¡°Dismissed. Everyone, rest... well, it looks like nobody needs to rest besides Zenberu. Well then, prepare yourselves for tomorrow.¡±

    ***

    As she watched her master return to his room, Aura turned to Shalltear, who was seated beside her.

    ¡°There are rooms to the left and the right of Ainz-sama¡¯s own room. Which do you want?¡±

    Aura had a magic item which allowed her to go without sleep, and Shalltear was undead. Strictly speaking, neither of them needed a room. However, it would be rude not to use the rooms provided for them, and it would be bad for security if they were too far away from him.

    ¡°Hm~ well, I¡¯d think either side would be fine, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°Well, I guess that¡¯s right... Say, what are you doing?¡±

    Aura looked over to Shalltear after hearing her distracted response. This was when she realized Shalltear was writing something in a memo pad.

    ¡°Hm, Ainz-sama said that, check. I¡¯m taking notes, of course. I don¡¯t want to forget Ainz-sama¡¯s words.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm~ that¡¯s pretty hardworking of you. Lemme see.¡±

    Aura paused to peek, and saw that the memo pad was covered in densely-packed script, with hardly any nk space left in between the letters.

    After a quick nce, she discovered that Shalltear had essentially recorded her master¡¯s words down in exacting detail, as well as the actions he took.

    This... how shall I say this? Of course, it makes sense to preserve Ainz-sama¡¯s words for posterity, but I doubt Shalltear is writing them down for that purpose...

    Shalltear should have recorded the key points of her master¡¯s wisdom, and then learned from them. However, this situation was beginning to make her feel uneasy.

    ¡°Ah, you know. I feel that taking notes is a good idea, but that shouldn¡¯t be the whole point, right?¡±

    Shalltear looked at her with a baffled expression on her face.

    ¡°Got it? Maybe taking notes makes you think that you¡¯ve done a good job. But what you should be doing is recording the important things and using them to teach yourself how to deal with simr situations, right? Is it really okay to take notes like this?¡±

    ¡°It seems okay...¡±

    ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the case, then great. Just in case, you should go over them again once you return to your room. Try to think about what Ainz-sama had in mind and then put yourself in his ce and imagine what you would do in his shoes.¡±

    ¡°Oh, really?¡±

    ¡°Yes, really.¡±

    After saying that, Aura suddenly wondered why she was saying that sort of thing to Shalltear. And then, for some reason, she felt that guiding her in that way was very natural to her.

    Haaa. For some reason, I feel like I have a useless little sister... It might be a little disrespectful, but I wonder if Bukubukuchagama-sama felt the same way?

    ***

    They prepared to set out on a particrly brilliant morning. That said, their preparations were nothing more than walking out of the magically-created tower and forming up in a column. Ainz felt that this was much less enjoyablepared to his travel preparations from his time as Momon.

    After that, they continued their search, but their efforts from dawn to dusk yielded no fruit.

    As the sun sank below the slopes of the mountains, Ainz narrowed his eyes.

    They had travelled more than 100 kilometers on the backs of their magical beasts ¡ª in other words, they had exceeded the distance to the Dwarf city which Ainz had estimated. Yet, they found nothing. In other words, they would have to begin the time-consuming task ofbing the countryside.

    Ainz used magic to create a resting ce as before, and then, it was time for the next day ¡ª in other words, the third day.

    Suddenly, Zenberu eximed in a strange voice.

    ¡°Over here! I remember this ce!¡±

    There were no more trees in sight, only a field of rocks. Zenberu¡¯s voice echoed exceptionally loudly in this ce.

    ¡°Your Majesty! We should be very close!¡±

    ¡°Is that so! Then, everyone, proceed with caution!¡±

    In ordance with Ainz¡¯s orders, the group formed up into a neatly-ordered column.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll leave this to you, Zenberu.¡±

    ¡°You can count on me!¡±

    The group advanced, led by Zenberu.

    Finally, they saw something which looked less like a cave than a crack in the mountain.

    Ainz had seen something simr in Zenberu¡¯s memories, but he felt that it should have been bigger. Still, this was probably the right ce, given Zenberu¡¯s overjoyed reaction.

    The memories were Zenberu¡¯s own; the Lizardman¡¯s perspective ought to be more reliable than Ainz¡¯s fragmentary glimpses.

    Ainz smoothed out his mussed-up robe, and gestured to Aura.

    Acting as they had nned earlier, Aura led her beast towards the fissure.

    ¡°Kingdom of the Dwarves! His Majesty Ainz Ooal Gown, King of the newly-founded Sorcerous Kingdom of Ainz Ooal Gown to the south, hase to pay you a visit! Will you not send someone to receive him?!¡±

    The voice of Aura the herald echoed through the fissure.

    Yet, there was no response.

    Aura looked at Ainz with an expression that said, ¡°What should I do now?¡±

    Ainz indicated that she should announce them again.

    And so, Aura shouted at the top of her voice once more.

    However, there was still no response. There was no sign of anyone appearing even after waiting a while.

    Zenberu had said that there should be guards watching this exit in order to prevent intruders from the outside. If this was the case, someone should have heard Aura¡¯s voice.

    Were they avoiding the Dark Elf?

    Ainz recalled Aura for the time being, and then summoned Zenberu.

    ¡°It¡¯s your turn now. Go shout a bit and see how it goes.¡±

    Ainz cast several buff spells on Zenberu. While it did not guarantee his safety by any means, it greatly reduced the danger he might facepared to being sent out without those spells.

    Zenberu drew near the cave and shouted. Still, there was no response.

    ¡°...Hanzos.¡±

    ¡°Presenting ourselves to the Master.¡±

    The ninjas poured out of Shalltear¡¯s shadow. The other Hanzos were arranged behind the Hanzo Leader.

    ¡°Infiltrate the interior and verify the situation. Do not be spotted.¡±

    ¡°It shall be done. May I ask how far we should investigate? The Dwarven city is said to be riddled with mining tunnels. Fully investigating the intricate web of those tunnels will take a long time.¡±

    ¡°Perform a cursory inspection. Focus on the central region and the administrative areas of the city. You may investigate the tunnel interiorster.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    The Hanzos took off in a sprint, following their Leader. The way in which they ran, leaving afterimages behind them, was a motion unique to high-level ninja-type monsters.

    Ainz indicated that Zenberu should return to the center of the group ¡ª allowing him to wait in a safe space. He could be very useful when negotiating with the Dwarves.

    ¡°¡ªShalltear, don¡¯t ck off on security.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    After using a skill, Shalltear was fully armed and armored in an instant. She surveyed her surroundings carefully, not letting a single detail escape her.

    Now that Shalltear ¡ª the strongest Guardian of Nazarick ¡ª was ready for battle, no opponent, however strong they might be, could instantly kill her with a singlebo. That said, experience was the important thing when fighting yers, and giving that task to the inexperienced Shalltear was quite dangerous.

    In other words, the experienced Ainz might still need to act as a role model for her.

    Ainz carefully watched his surroundings as well. Soon, the Hanzos returned. They had taken longer than expected, probably because they had travelled a long way.

    The Hanzos lined up before Ainz and fell to one knee. Naturally, their leader spoke for them.

    ¡°¡ªAinz-sama, we have discovered what might be a Dwarven residential area. We searched it, but found no signs of life.¡±

    ¡°¡ªWhat happened?¡±

    ¡°We did not investigate thoroughly, but there were no corpses or any sign of household products within the houses. Neither were there any signs of battle.¡±

    ¡°It would seem the Dwarves abandoned this city of their own will, for some reason.¡±

    He nced at Zenberu, who seemed very shocked as well. He might only have known him for a short time, but he had gained a bit of insight into Zenberu¡¯s personality, and this did not seem like an act.

    ¡°¡ªAll right, then. Lead us to the residential district.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Ainz followed behind the Hanzos. This was unknown territory and he could not be careless here. Shalltear, Aura and Zenberu were also escorted by high-level undead and magical beasts.

    The only ones left outside were the low-level Vampire Brides and the Mammoth-like magical beasts.

    This was done to set a trap. Any unknown beings who saw them as enemies would surely start whittling down their fighting strength from the part of their forces which they were confident in beating. In addition, it was basic tactics to begin attacking their supply lines in the hope of learning something from the objects which they dropped.

    Thus, he did not leave them there alone. He had also positioned a Hanzo nearby, in concealment.

    That Hanzo was not there to rescue them.

    Rather, it was there to observe the enemy and learn about their attackers. After that, being able to learn their fallback point ¡ª or better yet, their home base ¡ª would be an unexpected bonus.

    The reason why they had not returned to Nazarick at any point during their journey was also to prevent the opposition from knowing that they could replenish their forces infinitely using the [Gate] spell. This would make them think that Ainz andpany could be worn down over time.

    Well, even if the enemy does appear, it would be good if the Vampire Brides were safe.

    Ainz did not want the Vampire Brides to die. However, he did not mind sacrificing respawning POP monsters to gain information on the enemy.

    Was this being a little cruel, Ainz thought as he entered the cave.

    There was no light from the outside in the cave, and soon they were immersed inplete darkness. However, it posed no problems to Ainz, who had darkvision. Shalltear, Aura, the other undead and the magical beasts also possessed that ability. At their level, mere darkness was not a disadvantage to anyone present.

    Zenberu, on the other hand, was being cradled like a princess by one of the undead.

    Given the fact that all the stctites and stgmites in the area had been cleared away, and the fact that the area was ttened and easy to walk through, there was no doubt that this ce was a Dwarven city.

    The Hanzos led them onwards. There were many forking paths along the way, all of which led quickly to dead ends, ording to the Hanzos guiding them. They had probably been dug to confuse intruders and buy time, or perhaps to help mount a counterattack.

    There were spells which Ainz could use under these circumstances, but the Hanzoscked such abilities. It only made sense that they had taken a long time considering they had to investigate all these possible paths.

    As he thought about that, one of the Hanzos turned to face him.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, we are about to reach the residential district.¡±

    ¡°Really now. ...There¡¯s some kind of blurred lighting in the distance, Hanzo. Didn¡¯t you say there were no Dwarves here?¡±

    ¡°Yes, there are none. This light is being emitted by a crystalline mineral.¡±

    A vast open space sprawled ahead of them.

    As he looked for the source of the illumination, he saw multiple sturdy pirs supporting the ceiling. Crystal-like objects grew from the ceiling, and they radiated the light which the Hanzos had spoken of.

    There were no other sources of light ¡ª no man-made ones, at least ¡ª as far as Ainz could see.

    This ce seemed like a residential district, as the Hanzos had described it. It certainly looked like a city, with long rows of dull buildings, roughly two stories tall.

    Perhaps it was because their builders were a short race, but their structures were all shorter than human-constructed buildings. Even so, they were still taller than Ainz, and he could not tell the size of the city on ount of his line of sight being obstructed by the buildings. However, the sheer number of buildings here made him feel that counting them all was an exercise in futility.

    ¡°Hmm...¡±

    As Ainz surveyed the city, the me of hope in his heart went out with a ¡°chu~¡±, as if extinguished by a basin of cold water.

    (TL Note: the chu~ refers to a rakugo called ¤ªÆß¤ÎÊ®)

    It was too run-down.

    The stories he had heard of the Dwarven city conjured up a mental image of a shining, intricate and dignified ce, but there was no sign of that here. There was no trace of YGGDRASIL ¡ª of a yer¡¯s presence ¡ª here either.

    Ainz stepped forward, and pushed open the door to one of the buildings.

    As the Hanzos had said, he was greeted by an empty space.

    He could not see any furniture from where he stood at the entrance. The only things that remained were shelves which had been installed into the walls and other things which could not be moved. White dust covered the ground. It would seem nobody had been in here for quite some time.

    ¡°¡ªZenberu! Call out and see if there¡¯s anyone there!¡±

    After hearing Ainz¡¯s order, Zenberu shouted the name of the Dwarf who had taken care of him in the past.

    The fact that there was no echo within this confined space clearly demonstrated the sheer size of the cavern.

    Zenberu shouted several more times, but as before, there were no signs of anybody emerging in response.

    ¡°¡ªHanzos. Search the tunnels outside this city for anything that might serve as a clue. Find the reason why this city was abandoned. However, given that we know nothing about the extent of the tunnelwork, return if you feel you have gone too far.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    While it might have been faster to have everyone head out on their own and search, Ainz was not nearly stupid enough to split the party under these circumstances where he did not know what was going on. He ordered everyone to gather and conduct a little investigation. As Ainz waited behind, they opened the doors of one building after another.

    All of them were the same as the first.

    Some of them contained abandoned furniture, but that was more of a bookshelf here and a table there. He had not found a residence with aplete set of furniture.

    Checking all the houses like this would take a lot of time.

    ¡°Aura, you have the best senses of all of us. Have you found any clues?¡±

    ¡°Nope. Can¡¯t feel anyone around.¡±

    ¡°Is that so... Then we¡¯ll split up into two teams to search further. Shalltear, takemand of the undead and act as our lookouts. Aura, go ahead to the house where Zenberu stayed thest time he was here. Search the city for the reason why the Dwarves are no longer around, but take care not to stray too far.¡±

    The two Guardians replied in the affirmative, and then he saw Zenberu bowing in gratitude.

    After nodding magnanimously, Ainz cast [Fly].

    He slowly floated up.

    This would be a dangerous course of action if anyone was waiting in ambush, but for some reason, Ainz had a feeling that there was nobody around.

    ¡°Ainz-sama!¡±

    Shalltear flew over in a panic.

    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous! Please descend!¡±

    ¡°Come to think of it, you¡¯re right. It seems I got careless.¡±

    It was only natural that Shalltear would be angry. After all, he had flown up ¡ª where anyone could draw a clear line of fire to him ¡ª purely because he was acting on a baseless instinct.

    ¡°Still, the fact that I was not attacked is further proof that there¡¯s nobody here. Also, there¡¯s a chance that anyone who spotted me might want toe closer to learn more, so I¡¯ll leave perimeter security to you.¡±

    ¡°Please do not use yourself to lure the enemy into a trap.¡±

    Punitto-san had a point; depending on the circumstances, a leader might have to use themselves as bait. ...Still, I guess it¡¯s hard for someone like Shalltear to understand that, given that she isn¡¯t one of my friends, but my protector.

    ¡°Forgive me,¡± Ainz said to Shalltear before looking downwards.

    This was a city, filled with many identical buildings, as neatlyid-out as a go board.

    ¡°¡ªThere¡¯s an impressive-looking building over there, and there and there.¡±

    Although most of the buildings looked like they had been cast from the same mold, there were few which seemedrger than the others.

    ¡°Shall we go and look?¡±

    ¡°...Let¡¯s call Aura back first. It feels like things might be very troublesome if there¡¯s an ambush there.¡±

    Everything Shalltear had said since just now had a point.

    ¡°Ainz-sama!¡±

    Just then, Aura¡¯s voice came from below. Looking down, he saw Aura and Zenberu waving to Ainz, and given the way they were doing so, it would appear something out of the ordinary had taken ce.

    ¡°Looks like they¡¯ve found something.¡±

    ¡°It seems that way.¡±

    The two of them exchanged looks beforending alongside Aura, followed shortly by the undead hurrying to their position.

    ¡°Come see this, Ainz-sama!¡±

    Aura led them into one of the houses she had opened up.

    Ainz gave the ce a once-over, but he could not detect any differences from the other buildings, and he found nothing special within it.

    ¡°Is this the Dwarven home where Zenberu once stayed?¡±

    ¡°No, this isn¡¯t it. On our way to the home of the Dwarf who took care of Zenberu, we found several buildings that had been opened up. After checking them, I found footprints on the ground, and those might not be Dwarven footprints. Here, have a look. Zenberu, Dwarves don¡¯t go barefoot, right?¡±

    ¡°Ahh, of course not. They all wear shoes, and they don¡¯t take them off even inside their homes. I used to see them in sturdy, metal-soled boots.¡±

    ¡°That means these footprints are clearly not Dwarven.¡±

    ¡°How much can you learn from them?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, let¡¯s see...¡±

    Aura tilted her head in contemtion.

    ¡°They seem to have been made by a biped, and the drag marks between the left and right footprints suggest a tail of some sort.¡±

    ¡°Was it something like a Lizardman?¡±

    Shalltear turned to look at Zenberu.

    ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t. The tail is slim, not thick like Zenberu¡¯s. Also, the footprints were filled in with dust, so they must have been left there for quite some time. Whoever left them did not go back and forth often. Also, it looks like the person who came in here left immediately after entering. ...Did theye because they were interested in a Dwarven city?¡±

    Aura shifted her gaze from the house to the road outside.

    ¡°And it¡¯ wasn¡¯t just one person... there were a lot, at least 10 of them.¡±

    ¡°How far can you follow this trail? This is our only clue, after all, so I¡¯d like to follow up on it as much as possible.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Could you follow behind me, then?¡±

    There was no possible reason to refuse.

    Everyone trailed after Aura, while Shalltear stood by behind Aura to protect her.

    The owner of the footprints moved as Aura had predicted ¡ª it had the same objective as Ainz, wandering around and looking into the Dwarven buildings.

    Halfway through the trail, Aura suddenly ground to a halt and stared at the road ahead. She was looking at one of the huge buildings that Ainz had spotted from above.

    ¡°There¡¯s many identical footprints here. It looks like a squad of them came from over there. What should we do? Should we investigate this squad?¡±

    ¡°...No, it might be better to see where these footprints¡¯ owners disappeared to. We¡¯ll investigate the other groupter.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    Aura started moving again. In the end, they reached a building that was fused with the walls and seemed to span the entire city.

    It looked like a bungalow, but it was huge.

    ¡°...There shouldn¡¯t be anyone inside, but for safety¡¯s sake, I will use magic after this. The enemy¡¯s defensive spells might take effect centered on me, so everyone should keep their distance.¡±

    Using divination-type magic carried the risk of being targeted by counterattacks. While the only one among them who might actually be killed in one hit by such a bacsh was Zenberu, there was no reason to unnecessarily deplete his subordinates¡¯ health.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, please allow me to guard your person.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Then I¡¯lle too.¡±

    ¡°No, you need to stay where you won¡¯t be affected and watch your surroundings.¡±

    After being rebuked by Shalltear, Aura looked pleadingly at Ainz, but in this case, Ainz shared Shalltear¡¯s opinion.

    ¡°Indeed. Your sensory abilities are the best among us, Aura. While it does not seem likely, if there actually is an ambush, you may end up being the first one to deal with it.¡±

    After hearing that from her master, Aura had nothing left to say. All she could do was reluctantly express her acknowledgement.

    Ainz conjured a magical sensor and sent it into the building.

    As expected, there was no sign of anyone hiding within, and so he sent it deeper inside.

    What was this building used for? A counter and ¡ª are those lockers? It looks like a bathhouse, but there¡¯s no separation for genders... is this a Dwarf-only building?¡±

    As Ainz observed the interiors of several rooms, he found a ce that looked like the tunnels through which he and the others had passed through just now.

    Could this building be a checkpoint or base of some sort? Maybe it was meant to stop the enemying from the depths of this tunnel. Does that mean the tunnel leads somewhere else?

    A quick search of the building¡¯s interior revealed no trace of the enemy. He quickly summarized the state of the inside of the building, and then let Aura head inside, in order to verify if the footprints ended inside that tunnel.

    After that, Ainz, Shalltear and Zenberu followed. He left the magical beasts and undead waiting outside in case the Hanzos returned in the meantime.

    As they followed behind Aura, Ainz whispered to Zenberu: ¡°What do you know about this building?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, Your Majesty, but I don¡¯t know that much. All I know is that the gigantic building that ourpany saw just now ¡ª the one in front of the building where we picked up the trail of the footprints ¡ª was apparently used for administrative tasks. Also, the other big buildings we glimpsed from time to time used to house taverns or cksmiths and the like. Even the Dwarven chiefs ¡ª no, their people in charge ¡ª don¡¯t live in big houses. I don¡¯t know the reason for that,¡± Zenberu concluded.

    Just then, Aura stopped at the tunnel¡¯s entrance.

    ¡°The footprints came from here. Shall we go on?

    Ainz was briefly stymied by Aura¡¯s question, but it soon passed.

    ¡°No, let¡¯s not. There¡¯s other ces to investigate in the city. We¡¯ll leave this ce to the very end. Also, it would be better to have the Hanzos around for it.¡±

    One could also say that the tunnels were very extensive, considering that the Hanzos still had not returned.

    After they went back outside, Ainz cast a [Message] spell to speak to the Hanzo Leader.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Hanzos? Haven¡¯t you found anything yet?¡±

    ¡ºOur deepest apologies for taking so long. However, please take heart; though it has taken some time, we have finally found a trace of someone¡¯s presence.¡»

    ¡°What? Really? Did you discover any evidence about the disappearance of the Dwarves?¡±

    ¡ºThis is not proper evidence, but there seems to be something ¡ª a sounding from the depths of this tunnel.¡»

    ¡°Not a natural sound, I take it?¡±

    ¡ºIndeed! It sounds like someone digging out an ore vein. What should we do? Would it be best if we went forth to investigate?¡»

    ¡°No, forget it. Before you do that, take us there. Our present location is¡ª¡±

    Come to think of it, he probably could not get the message across clearly using speech alone.

    ¡°That¡¯s it, we¡¯ll use a torch as a signal.¡±

    ¡ºUnderstood!¡»

    After ending the [Message], Ainz took out a torch. It was self-igniting, and he handed it to one of the undead waiting nearby. The undead creature waved it from side to side, signalling the Hanzos, whose location was unknown.

    Of course, this was no ordinary firebrand. It was an artifact sold in shops; it did twice the damage of normal torches when pressed against the bodies of slime-like monsters.

    This was somewhat wasteful, but Ainz did not have any ordinary torches with him.

    The torch seemed to sear a red band into Ainz¡¯s vision before the the Hanzos finally appeared before him.

    ¡°Forgive our tardiness, Master.¡±

    ¡°Dispense with the formalities, time is money. Take us there now.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    Ainz rode atop a magical beast in pursuit of the running ninjas.

    Eventually, they came before a building like the one they found while following the footsteps. The Hanzos stopped here, so this was probably their destination.

    After alighting from his beast, Ainz listened to the Hanzos¡¯ exnation of the situation.

    ¡°There is a hidden tunnel within this building. The entity in question is inside that tunnel.¡±

    ¡°Ainz-sama, there¡¯s a new set of footprints here. It doesn¡¯t look like it came out of the tunnel, and they only lead inside. The person who made them wore boots, and given their size, I would put them around Shalltear¡¯s height. Also, there¡¯s only one of them.¡±

    Ainz nodded to Aura, who was staring at the ground in front of the building.

    ¡°...Let¡¯s try to open a friendly dialogue with this person. Even if they attack, you are only allowed to defend yourselves. Under no circumstances are we to make the first move. Do you understand? In order to avoid rming the other party, we¡¯ll have Aura try to talk to them, and then¡ª¡±

    Ainz touched his face.

    Were humans the only species that shunned the undead? Or was it a given fact of this world?

    In any case, his subordinates still stood at the head of an undead army. That being the case, he might make a better impression by exposing his face and not hiding his identity.

    ¡°Alright, Hanzos. Take us to where you heard that sound.¡±

    The Hanzos led them through the building and into the tunnel.

    The ceiling was fairly low, so it should have been excavated by Dwarves. Dwarves in YGGDRASIL were universally short in stature.

    If they had dug this tunnel, it would probably be around this height.

    Aura¡¯s ears twitched as they moved through the tunnel. That confirmed the uracy of the Hanzos¡¯ report.

    Ainz strained to listen, but he could not pick up the sound Aura had heard.

    ¡°Is that it? ...Is it close?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to tell. I can¡¯t judge the distance urately because of the echoes.¡±

    ¡°Umu. If it¡¯s in a straight line, an arcane eye would be able to reveal the other side¡¯s identity...¡±

    Someone without Aura¡¯s keen hearing ¡ª derived from racial or job sses ¡ª would not be able to hear anything due to the distance between them. However, if they drew closer, the other party might pick up on the presence of a long procession on the move.

    If anyone heard an unknown group approaching them, their first instinct would probably be to flee for their own safety. Of course, having Aura around meant that they would not be able to escape, but the opposition might still be able to elude her if they could [Teleport] or if they had skills which allowed them to meld into the earth.

    The wisest decision would be to send Aura and the Hanzos, or for Ainz himself to go, since he could go invisible.

    ¡°Then, we¡¯ll send out the stealth-capable people from this point on. Aura and the Hanzos, you¡¯ll go first. I will follow. Shalltear, you should wait here.¡±

    ¡°If that is your order.¡±

    ¡°...No, would it be a bad idea to wait here?¡±

    Ainz looked to the ceiling. It looked like sturdy bedrock, but there were no such things as absolutes.

    ¡°Fair enough. Return to the building from earlier and wait for us to return. ...No, if I do that, the Hanzos will also... Aura, do you think the footprints lead toward the source of the sound?¡±

    ¡°Yes, they¡¯re heading there. The person who made them is probably the source of the sound.¡±

    ¡°I see. Then, can you lead me there?¡±

    Aura nodded.

    ¡°Then, the two of us will go ahead first. Everyone except Aura and myself will proceed to the building at the entrance of the tunnel. If anything untoward happens, particrly the appearance of powerful beings on our level, fall back immediately. In that case, we will make our own escape, so do not be worried. The destination for any [Gates] will be Aura¡¯s building in the forest.¡±

    ¡°Understood! But will the two of you really be alright by yourselves?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Well, I¡¯d like to think that we¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    One could consider ws all day long and end up nowhere. All he could do was ept that he waspromising his safety to some extent as he took action. This was something Ainz had learned recently.

    Shalltear had not said anything which made him want to change his mind. Or rather, it might be that Ainz¡¯s orders left no room for objection, so all she could do was obey gracefully.

    Ainz set out with Aura. He did not use magic yet since they were still some distance away.

    The two of them walked in silence for some time, and then the sound reached Ainz¡¯s ears.

    ¡°...It seems whoever¡¯s doing this is doing their best to minimize the amount of noise generated.¡±

    Ainz had no idea why that topic came up, but if Aura mentioned it, then it should probably be correct.

    ¡°Does that mean we can assume the other side is on high alert as well?¡±

    ¡°So should we start by capturing them?¡±

    ¡°Only if they seek to flee. After all, if our first contact is violent, it might be very difficult to have friendly rtions with them in the future.¡±

    ¡°I understand. Then, let me go ahead and talk to them normally.¡±

    ¡°Proceed. Then, I shall make myself invisible ¡ª no, for safety¡¯s sake, I¡¯ll follow behind you while invisible, Aura. If the other party makes a run for it, then we¡¯ll have no choice but to capture them.¡±

    <b>2</b>

    After a brief discussion, the two of them prepared themselves and headed for the maker of the sound.

    There was a Dwarf-shaped creature in the depths of the tunnel. In this pitch-ck world, all they saw was him diligently digging at the walls of the tunnel with his pickaxe.

    They were some distance away so they could not be sure, but he seemed to be around 140cm tall. His body was shaped like a beer barrel and his legs were not long. In fact, it was instantly clear that his legs were short.

    He wore a brown-colored cape, and the itemsid out nearby should all have been his property as well. One of them was an unlitntern and a water sk.

    What¡¯s a miner doing all by himself in an uninhabited city? This is strange. Let¡¯s ask him and solve this mystery.

    Aura silently crept towards the miner.

    In contrast, Ainz did not seem to care.

    [Perfect Unknowable] erased one¡¯s traces and sounds, making the caster very difficult to detect if one did not have very high-level thief-type job sses. Even someone of Aura¡¯s level would have a very hard time spotting him. Ainz registered on her senses as a vague presence.

    Once she was close enough to the miner, Aura called out to him.

    ¡°Heya. Whatcha doing?¡±

    ¡°Hiiieeee!¡±

    The miner wailed like he was about to die as he turned to face her.

    His beard was long ¡ª there was no doubt that he belonged to the Dwarven race.

    The wide-eyed man pulled his brown cape tight around himself.

    However, that was all. The man was still there. However, it would seem Ainz was the only one who thought that way.

    ¡°Hmph! Invisibility, huh¡ª¡±

    Aura¡¯s voice made Ainz ¡ª who could see through invisibility ¡ª look carefully in the Dwarf¡¯s direction. Just as Aura had said, the Dwarf¡¯s image seemed somewhat fainter.

    The cape must be a magic item, and doing that probably activates its powers of invisibility. Feels pretty much the same as Shizu...

    ¡°Hey, hey, you know I don¡¯t intend to hurt you, right, Dwarf-san? I know you¡¯re there. Let me take a look at you.¡±

    Aura¡¯s adorable and heart-warming tone must have had a great impact on the Dwarf¡¯s heart.

    He parted his cape slightly, and peeked at Aura through the slit.

    ¡°Are, are you a Dark Elf? What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°Hm? When I came to the Dwarven city, I found that it was an empty shell, so I decided to find out why there was nobody around. I looked around and here I am.¡±

    ¡°I, I see...¡±

    ¡°Dwarves were still living here until five years ago. Where are they now? Did something happen? And speaking of which, why not let me take a look at you?¡±

    The Dwarf shifted slowly, but Aura followed him with her eyes.

    ¡°Sure enough. It seems you really can see me.¡±

    The Dwarf folded up his cape. That was probably to terminate the effects of the magic. It all seemed quiteical to Ainz, given that nothing had changed from his perspective.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s start afresh. How do you do? I am Aura Be Fiora, from the Sorcerous Kingdom of Ainz Ooal Gown.¡±

    ¡°The Sorcerous Kingdom? Forgive me for my ignorance, but is that a Dark Elven Kingdom? Something like that? Oh, pardon me. I am Gondo Firebeard of the Dwarven Kingdom. Pleased to meet you.¡±

    Aura extended a hand. Gondo seemed to pick up on the meaning of the gesture and wiped off his own dirt-stained hand before shaking.

    Things seem to be progressing well. Ainz nodded as he watched the proceedings, still sustaining his spell of unknowability.

    ¡°Well, I guess we don¡¯t need to be so formal. How about speaking normally?¡±

    ¡°Ohhh! I was about to ask that myself. I am a meremoner myself. But if you were an important figure, then all I can do is keep quiet.¡±

    Aura saw Gondo¡¯s smile, and she smiled in turn.

    ¡°Then, back to the previous question. There were Dwarves still living here five years back. Where did they go?¡±

    ¡°Mm, they all moved to another city three years ago. Is something the matter?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, sort of. I came here with a Lizardman who said he stayed here for a while. He told me about this ce.¡±

    ¡°A Lizardman? Five years ago?¡±

    Gondo thought briefly, and then he pped his palm.

    ¡°Ohhh! I didn¡¯t see him myself, but I know that it did happen. It was the first time a Lizardman visited us, so it became quite a hot topic. I believe he was a fellow with an exceptionally thick arm, am I correct?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right! That¡¯s him.¡±

    Gondo muttered ¡°I see, I see¡± to himself over and over again. A look in his eyes suggested that he had lowered his guard.

    ¡°The person who was kind to that Lizardman seems to have moved as well. Could you tell me where he went?¡±

    ¡°Well, telling you should be fine... But I¡¯ve heard that Dark Elves don¡¯t dwell beneath the earth, am I right? Even if you knew the underground way there, could you reach it safely?¡±

    ¡°Well, I think it would be fine, but if possible, I¡¯d like to know the aboveground route as well.¡±

    Gondo scrunched up his bearded face.

    ¡°Oh, I must apologize. I rarely travel the surface, so I¡¯m not confident in describing the route to Feoh G¨¥r ¡ª that is to say, the city that they moved to. All I can give are rough directions, like so and so kilometers north, and so on.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine too. Actually, I wanted to ask you to lead the way... What if I hired you? You¡¯ll be paid, of course...¡±

    ¡°What an attractive proposal. Still, did you ¡ª no, you mentioned the Lizardman just now ¡ª did the two of youe here by yourselves? You¡¯re not an adult yet, right? How many people came with you?¡±

    ¡°Quite a few. Still, if we all came in, it would cause problems, so I had them wait at the tunnel entrance.¡±

    ¡°Entrance? ...Hm?¡±

    Gondo fell into thought, as though he had just remembered something. Still, that was only for an instant. He cast it aside and continued speaking.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief. Walking by yourself in a tunnel... that¡¯s not a good idea. You¡¯re not an underground-dweller so you probably don¡¯t know, but some monsters can swim freely through the earth. It¡¯s not a ce where someone can go alone, you know? Well, if you had my magical gear, you might be able to do something about it...¡±

    He nced repeatedly at Aura¡¯s outfit to see if she had any magic items.

    ¡°Well then, I need toin to yourrades. Sending a child out alone is a terrible disgrace for adults.¡±

    Gondo turned his back towards Aura and tossed a chunk of rock into a bag which had beenid out beside him.

    The bag did not swell up. It must have been a magic item as well. Then, he picked up the nearbyntern, and pulled up the shutter.

    A surprising blue glow ¡ª a magical glow ¡ª illuminated the tunnel. Until now, the two of them had been conversing inplete darkness.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s go. It seems you can see inplete darkness, but a little light would help, right? ... Well, it greatly raises the chances of being spotted by monsters, so I don¡¯t rmend it. Do you have a way to flee if a monster attacks? They aren¡¯t verymon here, but you can¡¯t rule out the possibility entirely.¡±

    Ainz nodded. The Dwarf did not know Aura¡¯s power, so it was quite admirable for him to take this mature attitude with her. However, Ainz felt that Gondo¡¯s caution was not enough. He should have taken various possibilities into consideration before advising her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I can escape by myself just fine, and I¡¯m not alone either.¡±

    Aura looked towards Ainz. However, her line of sight seemed to be slightly off.

    ¡°Hm? Really now? I have a Cloak of Invisibility, so you can abandon me and flee. However, the monsters that burrow through the earth can sense their opponents¡¯ location through vibrations in the ground. Therefore, I wanted to warn you not to move carelessly.¡±

    With a grunt, Gondo shouldered his bag and rose to his feet.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, then.¡±

    Gondo headed forward. Aura and the still-unknowable Ainz followed closely behind.

    ¡°Come to think of it, you mentioned earlier that this ce was not safe, but wasn¡¯t this once a Dwarven city? What made it so dangerous that you had to evacuate?¡±

    ¡°Well, it wasn¡¯t this city, but our current capital, Feoh G¨¥r. It lies to the northeast. We spotted Quagoa (Tunnelling Beastmen) nearby. It would be a tragedy if our cities were destroyed piecemeal, so we decided to temporarily abandon this city ¡ª Feoh Rai?¨­.¡±

    ¡°Quagoa? What kind of race are they?¡±

    ¡°Umu. They¡¯re underground dwellers like we are... but they¡¯re troublesome fellows. Things are bad enough between us that it¡¯s kill-on-sight when we encounter each other.¡±

    Gondo rambled on about the Quagoa as he walked through the tunnel. This was probably to keep Aura on her toes as well.

    At a nce, they were bipedal demihumans who resembled moles. They were about 140cm tall, weighed about 70kg on average, and they had short but powerful builds.

    They were predominantly dark brown, with ck and brown being lessmon. Special colors like blue or red apparently denoted an individual of some power.

    They lived in ces where light could not prate, but their vision was stronger than those of human beings.

    Their technology level was low, on par if not lower than the Lizardmen. They could not make armor or weapons, probably because their own bodies ¡ª their ws and fur ¡ª were superior to subpar wargear.

    The fur that covered their entire bodies was about as tough as metal armor, and it could dissipate blows from metal weapons. The fur grew tougher if they fed on rare metals in their youth. One could tell their resistance to damage by the color of their fur.

    From a YGGDRASIL yer¡¯s point of view, one could say that they probably possessed a racial skill rted to damage resistance ¡ª in this case, the damage of metal weapons. The question now was how resistant to metal weapons they were. It was unlikely that their damage resistance was broken to the point ofplete immunity, but it still warranted investigation.

    Then there were their ws ¡ª like those of armadillos and anteaters ¡ª which could even pierce steel.

    ¡°Those guys, huh... I think we found traces of them in the city just now.¡±

    Gondo suddenly stopped and turned to face Aura.

    ¡°What did you say? Is this their nest now? It¡¯s be just like that ce!¡±

    ¡°That ce... Well, it doesn¡¯t feel like they¡¯ve taken up residence here. I think they probably just came as scouts. Still, if you were going to abandon this ce, why not destroy it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but we don¡¯t intend to abandon this ce forever. Once our armies are ready, we intend to take it back. As you can see, there¡¯s a lot of ore here, like in the ce where I was digging just now.¡±

    ¡°Hm~¡±

    The two of them walked on in silence. Gaps in conversations weremonce, and if they did not fill the space with a new topic quickly, their dialogue would end here. Ainz judged that they had asked everything that could be asked, and decided to show himself. It might be better to tell Gondo about himself before he left the tunnels and saw the undead.

    ¡°Then, it¡¯s about time I introduced myself.¡±

    Ainz said that, but thanks to the [Perfect Unknowable] spell which was still in effect, his voice did not reach the two of them.

    Feeling a little embarrassed, Ainz dispelled the magic.

    Perhaps Gondo sensed Ainz¡¯s presence behind Aura, but he turned around, and his eyes widened into saucers. His expression underwent a surprising andplex series of changes. Bafflement, shock, terror, confusion, and then¡ª

    ¡°¡ªGeehhhhhh!¡±

    Ainz wondered if he had made a sound which might have disturbed him, but Gondo gripped Aura¡¯s hand tightly.

    ¡°Amon, a mon¡ª! Ruh, run away! Quickly, run away!!¡±

    However, Aura knew the person who had appeared, and had no reason to run.

    ¡°Come on, hurry up and run!!!¡±

    Gondo could not move, as though he had been chained to a great boulder.

    ¡°It, it¡¯s so heavy! What¡¯s wrong! Did something happen to me?!¡±

    ¡°Fear not... Gondo.¡±

    As Ainz spoke, Gondo¡¯s frightened face twitched.

    ¡°How, how do you know my name! Did you see through me!!! Or was it magic!!!!!¡±

    I should have worn the mask after all, Ainz thought. Then, he spoke calmly, so as not to agitate Gondo any further.

    ¡°Calm down. I merely overheard your conversation. I am the Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown, ruler of the Sorcerous Kingdom.¡±

    Gondo¡¯s face underwent another series of changes, and this time Gondo¡¯s eyes flickered between Aura and Ainz.

    ¡°The, the Sorcerous Kingdom? Is the Sorcerous Kingdom not a nation of Dark Elves?¡±

    ¡°No. It is a country of various species which acknowledge me as their King.¡±

    ¡°...Eh? Seriously?¡±

    There was only wariness and suspicion within the eyes of Gondo, while his tone was taut with apprehension.

    ¡°One of the undead, huh... So that¡¯s not a mask? Eh? You mean those undead? Those beings who hate and ughter the living?¡±

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s just as Ainz-sama said. He wasn¡¯t lying at all. I¡¯m a Dark Elf and the story about the Lizardmaning here was true too. Ainz-sama¡¯s been with me ever since I met you, you know? Like I said, I didn¡¯te alone.¡±

    ¡°Eh? I thought my ears deceived me. But...¡±

    Gondo mumbled to himself, and then took several deep breaths before putting a determined expression on his face and asking:

    ¡°Could it be that Your Majesty ¡ª may I use that term? Ah, was Your Majesty formerly a Dark Elf?¡±

    That was an unexpected question. The correct answer was probably that he was an undead being of human origin. Ainz paused briefly to consider his answer, and then replied ording to his predictions:

    ¡°No, I am a natural-born undead creature... although I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s the right term to use. ¡ªWell, there¡¯s no need to be afraid. Human, Dwarves and Elves all have good and bad members of their species, right? Simrly, there are undead who hate the living, and those who seek friendly rtions with them. Naturally, I belong to thetter group.¡±

    ¡°But, but friendly undead, that¡¯s about as unthinkable aspassionate demons...¡±

    That was pretty well said, Ainz thought as he shrugged.

    ¡°Really? I know of an angel who fell into the darkness and a demon who aspired to the light...¡±

    The demon in question was an NPC in YGGDRASIL, called Mephistopheles. He was a character who was famous for spouting tsundere lines to good-aligned beings. He looked fearsome but was surprisingly friendly and logical, and he gave out missions that ranged from trivial to high-level, which made him almost as popr as the Dark Young.

    ¡°To think such things actually existed...¡±

    Ainz shrugged at the shocked Gondo.

    ¡°I understand your caution. However, I only ask that you remember this. I have no intention of harming you. Let him go, Aura.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Halfway through, the person holding onto the other¡¯s hand had changed from Gondo to Aura, and naturally, their intentions for doing so was exactly the opposite to each other.

    Gondo stumbled back quite a distance once Aura let go of him, but he did not appear to be fleeing.

    A very rational move, Ainz mused. A misstep could have led Gondo to make the emotional choice of fleeing. That would not have ended well for him. However, Gondo as he was now qualified as someone who could be negotiated with.

    ¡°Then, shall we start again? I understand your caution, but I ¡ª we have no intention of harming you. Rather, we would like to be friends with you.¡±

    Gondo did not respond. As expected, he was still peeking at Ainz with doubt written all over his face.

    ¡°In particr, my nation would like to sign a treaty of friendship with the Dwarven Kingdom. Therefore, we have no intention of harming any Dwarven citizens.¡±

    ¡°And what do you mean by a treaty of friendship?¡±

    ¡°...Pardon me. It¡¯s best not to mention national-level issues to an individual who cannot represent a nation, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°Mm. That¡¯s right, ah, no, I mean, it is as you say¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªDon¡¯t worry. Both phrasings are fine. Dealing with someone who stumbles over their words is tiresome.¡±

    Ainz¡¯s rxed answer drew the first bitter smile from Gondo ever since they had met.

    ¡°Thank you very much ¡ª Your Majesty. And if the words of this girl ¡ª this youngdy are true, I take it you came to this city for that purpose?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, that is so. But Gondo, why don¡¯t we leave the tunnel first? Talking to the Lizardman who came with us might be a good idea. You¡¯ve heard of him before, haven¡¯t you? Also, I¡¯d like to discuss the matter of the Quagoa with you.¡±

    ¡°Hmm...¡±

    Gondo narrowed his eyes at Aura.

    Aura smiled, as though to say, ¡°who, me?¡±

    ¡°Alright. It seems this littledy has a lot of trust in you. And it¡¯s clear that that you¡¯re no ordinary undead.¡±

    Gondo walked before them, while Aura and Ainz followed him through the tunnel.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, might I ask you a question?¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Gondo replied as he turned back to look at Ainz.

    ¡°I would like to know more about the runic characters and the craft rted to them.¡±

    Gondo¡¯s brow bunched up, his eyebrows squishing up into steep slopes.

    ¡°What do you want to know about runes? What¡¯s there to ask?¡±

    The unhappiness was inly audible in Gondo¡¯s voice.

    Until recently Ainz could sense confusion and fear while talking to him, but there was no anger. In other words, Gondo¡¯s rancor was entirely due to that simple question. Did he recall a bad memory concerning runes, or was this some sort of secret that could not be revealed to non-Dwarves?

    Ainz hesitated. Should I continue asking?

    Gondo was the first Dwarf he had encountered. Upsetting him was not wise. However, if he could learn the source of the anger, it could prove beneficial when negotiating with the Dwarven Kingdom.

    Of course, that assumed Gondo¡¯s anger did not spring from a personal reason.

    Ainz coldly considered whether he needed to eliminate Gondo as he shared what he knew about the runes. Granted, most of that was parroted from Tab Smaragdina.

    The truth was that he did not know much. He knew how many different characters there were and that they were a form of writing, but that was it.

    He barely remembered the individual meanings of each character, so he had to fumble through the description.

    In contrast, a dramatic change urred in Gondo.

    He halted in his tracks, and turned back.

    His face was twisted in a grip of apletely different emotion. He was overflowing with excitement.

    ¡°You... who are you... no... the Sorcerer King... an ageless, eternal undead being... lost knowledge...¡±

    He could hear Gondo muttering to himself. There was no meaning in his words. It appeared to be an unconscious response.

    Ainz held out a hand to stop Aura, who was anxious and had been preparing to make a move since Gondo did not answer immediately. It would be best to let him think this through first.

    After Gondo got himself together, he studied Ainz intently. His attitude still spoke of wariness towards Ainz, but it seemed to have been supnted by some other emotion.

    ¡°I know of more runes than these. There are 50 lesser runes, 25 middle runes, 10 upper runes, and 5 top runes, for a total of 90. That said, many of them have been lost, and only a few are left. Exactly how many secret and divine-ss runes there are is the stuff of legends.¡±

    ¡°Really now... there might be some differences, but the runes I know of look like this. Do you recognize them?¡±

    Ainz traced a rune from his memory on the ground.

    ¡°Ho! This is one of the middle runes, Lagu.¡±

    (TL Note: this is an Anglo-Saxon rune meaning ke¡±.)

    Although Ainz did not know why there were so many of them, it was certain enough that some of them matched the ones which Gondo knew.

    ¡°I understand. Then, please continue telling me about the runes.¡±

    What Ainz really wanted to know was who taught this knowledge and information rted to other yers . However, that question would be best addressed to a historian. For the time being, he would build a knowledge base with other rted information.

    ¡°About 100 years ago, the Dwarves exported rune-carved magical weapons to a human nation to the east of these mountains ¡ª the Empire. However, the flow of such weapons stopped after that. What is the reason for that?¡±

    What he really wanted to know was whether a yer died 100 years ago, but pushing too eagerly for such information could end up exposing him. Ainz had been contemting this question for some time now, and it seemed like a good question since it did not run the risk of leaking anything about himself.

    Gondo¡¯s face darkened. He paused briefly, and then continued walking.

    ¡°This will take a long time. Let¡¯s talk as we walk.¡±

    ¡°Umu...¡±

    For a while, the only sound audible in the tunnel was the footsteps from the three of them.

    He¡¯s probably silent because he¡¯s smoothing over the gloominess in his heart.

    ¡°Firstly, my friends know me as the rune developer.¡±

    Does that mean he gave himself that title?

    Gondo continued speaking without waiting for Ainz to respond.

    ¡°Dwarven magic items have always been made with runes. But 200 years ago, we were attacked by the Demon Gods, and thest remaining royals left our Kingdom to join the fight against them. Technology from the outside flowed in and as a result, runes were regarded as outdated.¡±

    Gondo produced a sword from his pack and gave it to Ainz. There was a runic character on the de¡¯s body.

    ¡°This is Cuern, a lesser rune which means ¡®sharpness¡¯. When carefully engraved, it creates a magic sword. Its effect is to increase the weapon¡¯s sharpness and makes it easier to inflict deep wounds upon the enemy.¡±

    ¡°This is a very basic effect on magic weapons, no? The time it takes to inscribe a rune depends on the amount of bonus damage the rune adds. That said, I¡¯ve heard that it should not take long toplete a low-end weapon, am I correct?¡±

    ¡°That is exactly why runecraft fell behind the times. The same item takes three times longer to make with runecraft aspared to other methods. From a mass-production point of view, it isn¡¯t even in the same league as the enchantments of mankind.¡±

    Gondo sighed deeply.

    ¡°Thanks to superior technology from the outside, the number of runesmiths who could inscribe runes gradually dwindled. That was because everyone felt that it was better to be a magic caster, who could perform enchantments.¡±

    That was probably why the flow of weapons into the Empire had stopped. Ainz understood that much. In other words, the ancient traditions and crafts had died out.

    Gondo narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°Still, abandoning our Dwarven techniques was utterly foolish! More to the point, runecraft has its merits too! For instance, you don¡¯t need to spend money on it!¡±

    Gondo¡¯s voice echoed through the tunnel. After realising how dangerous it was to get worked up in a ce like this, he took a deep breath. That, in turn, allowed him to speak more calmly.

    ¡°Did you know? The typical enchantment costs a lot in reagents and supplies.¡±

    That was correct. Ainz had once heard that half the market price of magic items came from the ingredients.

    While the production cost for magic items was abnormally high, one could ignore markups from suppliers and retailers when calcting their price. That was because the Magician¡¯s Guild did not collect administrative fees ¡ª probably because they felt that those were included in their yearly dues ¡ª and so magic casters could sell directly at no further cost, or negotiate directly with their clients.

    Therefore, when one sold them through a retailer of magic items, the price would go up.

    ¡°However, in contrast, rune-empowered items have hardly any material costs.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡±

    Ainz suddenly leaned forward.

    He had agonized over this expense many times, both as the adventurer Momon and as the ruler of Nazarick. Therefore, the wonderful idea of something being ¡°almost free¡± was very dear to Ainz¡¯s heart.

    That was why he could not understand it. In truth, Ainz would never have allowed such a technique to die out.

    ¡°...Are there any other ws?¡±

    ¡°Ah, those do exist. Mainly, they¡¯re hard to produce. Taking too long to make is one thing, but there¡¯s too few people who are suited to bing runesmiths as well. ording to the people of the Empire, there¡¯s fewer of them than those who can be magic casters.¡±

    ¡°Hm. I have a question. While you said that runes fell out of fashion 200 years ago, why does the title of rune developer still exist? Isn¡¯t it toote for that sort of thing? Or is that normal for the Dwarven lifespan?¡±

    Gondo did not respond, so Ainz asked another question.

    ¡°What sort of runecraft are you developing now?¡±

    Ainz took several steps forward,ing up alongside Gondo.

    Gondo¡¯s face was fixed forward, with none of his passion from before. He simply answered Ainz¡¯s question with another question.

    ¡°Why do you wish to know about runecraft?¡±

    Answering a question with a question implied that he did not want to give a proper reply. If he could give the answer Gondo sought, he should be able to uncover what he was hiding. After all, he had gone from addressing him as ¡°Your Majesty¡± to ¡°you¡±. This must surely be an important question.

    However, they were not close enough that they could bare their hearts to each other. And more importantly¡ª

    Why is he leaking this knowledge? Is it a trap? Or does he not know the importance of the information he holds? ...If it really is a secret art, he should understand what that means, right?

    It was somewhat confusing, but for the time being, he would give him the exnation for his motives which he had prepared beforehand.

    ¡°It¡¯s because these runes differ slightly from the ones which I know of. You understand how someone can be interested in the historical background and spread of runecraft, no? If so, I hope you can answer my question.¡±

    Gondo looked away, and fell into contemtion. They continued walking forward in silence for a while.

    Just as Ainz was starting to get restless, Gondo finally answered him.

    ¡°I¡¯m now experimenting with reducing the time it takes to performing runic enchantment, as well as a way to mass produce them. However, that is only a means to an end. My final objective is to develop techniques that make runes essential. In other words, I want to make runecraft unique and able to stand the test of time.¡±

    In other words, he wanted to add value to runes. The boss of anypany would understand that motivation. When developing a product, it was quitemon for that point to be repeatedly emphasized, to the point of revulsion.

    ¡°Hoho. That¡¯s pretty amazing research, is it not? How is it progressing?¡±

    He did not think he would actually get an answer, but Ainz had asked that question anyway because he was confused on one point. Namely, that anyone who was developing a new technology like this should be a VIP in the Dwarven Kingdom.

    I have no idea why he¡¯s out here by himself, collecting samples in such a dangerous ce. Shouldn¡¯t someone like him be better guarded?

    Ainz¡¯s question was immediately answered.

    ¡°Not at all. There hasn¡¯t been any progress,¡± Gondo mumbled in a depressed tone. ¡°People who use runecraft to make magic items are called runesmiths, but I¡¯m nowhere near amazing enough to be addressed by that title. I can¡¯t even do what an apprentice should be capable of.¡±

    Eh? Ainz mouthed in surprise. Did that not mean that someone who could not even apply proper runes was trying to advance the field of runecraft? This was an utterly ridiculous situation.

    Could he really make any breakthroughs like this, or was this very normal for them?

    No, this could not possibly be normal. If it was normal, Gondo would not have been so depressed. In other words, he too must have felt that he was merely fumbling around.

    In truth, Ainz was in quite a quandary. He had no idea how to make use of Gondo.

    ¡°I¡¯m not talented. I can carve runes, but it takes too long for me to do so... although, they say all runesmiths have to pass through this phase before they can grow. But other runesmiths progressed forward instead of being stuck at a teau like me.¡±

    Gondo drooped his head powerlessly.

    ¡°I¡¯m no good as a runesmith. I¡¯m just a useless descendant that my great father left behind.¡±

    I see, Ainz mused. So his problem was simply ack of talent.

    After considering the knowledge from this world and that of YGGDRASIL, he was quite sure that this was the case.

    One needed ten other levels in certain job sses before being able to take levels in the runesmith career. However, if his overall level cap was 11, then he would not be able to gain further levels as a runesmith. And if he had only one level of runesmith, he would only be able to learn skills of no great import.

    There was nothing Ainz could do to help Gondo, so he said nothing else.

    There were times whenforting someone could save them, and times when all they could do was give up.

    If Ainz were in Gondo¡¯s situation, he would not want someone he had met for the first time tofort him either.

    ¡°...Is that so. Speaking of which, do all Dwarves have the goal of advancing runecraft and developing new techniques for it?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m the only one who does that,¡± Gondo replied, with a terribly lonelyugh. ¡°All the runesmiths have given up on their craft. There¡¯s nobody left who wants to break free of the current state of runecraft and develop new technology for it. They all feel that it¡¯s alright to abandon it.¡±

    ¡°I see... Then, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to know. What will you do after developing new runecraft techniques?¡±

    ¡°What will I do? I just want to use runecraft to enchant things and increase the number of runesmiths. Runes are an amazing technology. It would be a terrible waste to let them die out.¡±

    ¡°Is anyone helping you in this?¡±

    ¡°No. Like I said, almost all the runesmiths have given up their craft and spend their days drinking and cursing bitterly about how it¡¯s going to die out with their generation. I¡¯ve tried to talk them around in the past, but they all rejected me.¡±

    ¡°...Hm. Well, the weak perish. It¡¯s only natural for useless technology to vanish.¡±

    Gondo suddenly red at Ainz, but his gaze lost its strength within moments.

    As he watched Gondo hang his head and move on, Ainz contemted the value of runes.

    Frankly speaking, he had no interest in them beyond their historical involvement with yers.

    However, abandoned arts could be developed on the cheap, and a brief investment might not be a bad idea. The concept of not having to spend money was also very attractive. In addition, he wanted to collect rare technologies.

    Also, if other yers appeared, one could use their interest in runes as an excellent lure.

    ¡°...I have a question or two. What basis do you have that techniques like what you mentioned earlier can be developed? What I heard just now sounds like empty fantasies thought up by someone who knows nothing about the craft.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not true! Well, it¡¯s true that I don¡¯t have the talent to be a proper runesmith. But my father, and my father¡¯s father ¡ª my grandfather ¡ª were both the top runesmiths of this country, and they served thest royal ¡ª the Runesmith King ¡ª as his right and left hands. I¡¯ve seen it with my own eyes. I¡¯ve read the literature and theses my father and grandfather left behind. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s possible! My father confirmed my theories on his sickbed. He told me it was difficult but not impossible!¡±

    Gondo looked like he was going to cough up blood with his words as tears welled up at the edges of his eyes.

    The feelings and thoughts he had long kept inside of him had finally burst forth.

    Though that torrent of emotion crashed against him, Ainz remained unmoved. While Gondo¡¯s words made him hope that the Dwarf¡¯s research would bear fruit, the fact was that Ainz merely wanted ess to rare techniques which might have otherwise been lost. If Gondo could not deliver concrete results, then Ainz would give up on him.

    ¡°It¡¯s true that I¡¯m useless as a son! Still, I don¡¯t want to let the art which my ancestors passed down die out! I won¡¯t let the glorious name of my father vanish from the history books, no matter what I have to do!¡±

    And then, those words struck a chord with Ainz.

    He too wished to preserve all the things left by hisrades in Ainz Ooal Gown. He wanted them to endure for all time.

    In that instant, Ainz could understand Gondo¡¯s feelings deep in the marrow of his bones.

    His affection gauge maxed out in a sh.

    At the same time, he understood why Gondo went on and on about runecraft.

    To him, runecraft was dead, or perhaps, close to death. Thus, he had no reason to hide it. For all he knew, he might have wanted to let it spread as far and wide as possible, so it could survive in one way or another. Of course, he did not know if he had thought that far ahead.

    ¡°...Forgive me. This might anger you, but I hope you will permit me to say this. From my point of view, you are you, and you are neither your father nor your grandfather. Am I wrong?¡±

    An inexplicable blend of emotions appeared on Gondo¡¯s face. It was hard to tell if he was angry, hurt or touched. But it eventually faded into dejection.

    ¡°¡ªYour Majesty, I am very grateful to you. But I have already decided my reason for living.¡±

    ¡°Then, allow me ¡ª no, the Sorcerous Kingdom to provide the financial assistance for your endeavours. Allow me to be your patron and aid you in the advancement of runecraft.¡±

    Gondo¡¯s eyes went wide, and he eximed in shock:

    ¡°You, are you serious? This, this is incredibly good fortune... this is unbelievable!¡±

    There must be some catch to this unimaginably tempting offer. Anyone would think that way. Ainz understood how Gondo must feel.

    ¡°Well, all I can say is that I hope you can believe me. However, someone like you who isn¡¯t a runesmith probably won¡¯t be able to develop those techniques you were talking about, am I right?¡±

    Gondo¡¯s mouth pressed t, and he went silent.

    ¡°Therefore, I wish to recruit all the runesmiths in the Dwarven Kingdom to my country, to work on developing runecraft techniques under your direction.¡±

    ¡°What, what does that mean?¡±

    ¡°It means exactly what it implies. I will gather all the runesmiths andpare their knowledge to serve as the prototypes for new techniques. For that reason... I hope you can help me recruit them. Is that impossible?¡±

    Gondo considered it, and then replied

    ¡°No, it should be doable. Almost all the runesmiths have given up on their craft, but there should be a lot of them hoping for a chance to shine.¡±

    ¡°And then you will move their hearts... then, Gondo. How about it? Will you help me? WIll you give your soul to me? How far are you willing to go for me?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°It will be very difficult to revive an almost-lost art if you do not focus all the runesmiths on a single objective. This is why you cannot ck off on the recruitment of talent. I want to bring all the runesmiths to my country. Thus, it is quite likely that I may have to employ certain... unsavory methods. This may lead to my coborators performing actions which might be termed treason to this country.¡±

    ¡°What, was that it? The answer is simple. If you want my soul, then take it all, the whole thing. It is a small price to pay in order to make runecraft live forever.¡±

    Gondo extended his hand.

    Ainz took it.

    ¡°I am undead. Does that sit well with you?¡±

    Gondoughed at Ainz¡¯s words.

    ¡°As long as you can make my dreame true, I don¡¯t care if Your Majesty is undead or the fearsome Lord of the Frost Dragons.¡±

    ¡°Then, first things first, can you lead us to the Dwarven Kingdom? I n to sign a treaty of friendship with the Dwarven King in order to recruit runesmiths for my country. After all, it would be difficult to recruit people if our countries have no ties between them. In addition, I believe the Dwarven Kingdom has strict controls on the export of technology, am I correct?¡±

    ¡°That should be fine. There¡¯s hardly any demand for runecraft. Ah, also, the Dwarven Kingdom no longer has a King. The country is ruled by a regent council which is headed by several leaders.¡±

    ¡°Umu. I¡¯d like to hear about that. Can you talk as we walk? I¡¯d like to hear a rough outline of it.¡±

    As Gondo spoke to him, the exit to the tunnel finally appeared before their eyes.

    After the three of them emerged, they were weed by Shalltear, among others. Naturally, Zenberu was there as well.

    Although Gondo had been expecting a mass of undead, he could not help but take a defensive stance as he saw the magical beasts as well. The fact that ¡°there are no Dark Elves¡± had already dealt him a blow, but now his mumbling reached Ainz¡¯s ears.

    Shalltear quietly stepped forward and bowed.

    ¡°Ainz-sama. Forgive me for bothering you just as you returned, but there is a slight problem.¡±

    ¡°...Where are the rest of the Hanzos? What happened?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Actually, someone else entered this cave, through the tunnel in the building to which Aura guided you. My deepest apologies for only telling you now, but I have already sent some of the Hanzos to investigate.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to apologize, Shalltear. You chose wisely. We¡¯ll wait for the Hanzos to return, analyze their reports, and then decide what to do. Then¡ª¡±

    He paused, then nced at the Dwarf who had once stayed here. The Dwarf was not paying attention to the events on this side. Instead, he was engaged in an animated conversation with Zenberu. Listening closely, it seemed to concern the Dwarf that had saved Zenberu.

    ¡°¡ªGondo. Pardon me for a moment, but it seems someone has infiltrated this city. There is a possibility that the use of force will be warranted here. When the timees, I hope you will serve as a witness to your nation that such a course of action could not be avoided.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Leave that to me. Although, I hope you will limit any damage caused to a minimum.¡±

    Ainz nodded. It was only natural to avoid obstacles that would affect future negotiations.

    ¡°Shalltear, how¡¯s our perimeter?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already dispersed Aura¡¯s beasts into the vicinity... How¡¯s that, Aura?¡±

    ¡°That should work. Even if the enemy can turn invisible, my beasts can still sniff them out.¡±

    ¡°I see. Then let¡¯s wait for the Hanzos to return.¡±

    After a while, they did.

    ording to them, the opposition seemed to be Quagoas. There were over 100 of them. Gondo was listening from the side and seemed quite shocked. This was far in excess of a mere scouting force; in all likelihood, this was abat group, or a migrating tribe.

    There was only one course of action Ainz could take.

    ¡°...Shalltear. Capture them all. Can you do that?¡±

    ¡°If that is yourmand.¡±

    ¡°Then Imand you to do so. Do you understand why I want you to capture them?¡±

    ¡°It is to question them and prevent word about us from leaking out.¡±

    Ainz nodded grandly.

    ¡°Correct. If we only capture one of them alive, then we can only interrogate one of them. This increases the chance that we might bepromised and that we might end up learning false information. In addition, we must consider that we may need to make an example of them.¡±

    There was one more thing Ainz did not mention because Gondo was there ¡ª that simply believing one side of the story might turn out poorly for them. Who knew, it might be better to strike a deal with the Quagoa than the Dwarves.

    ¡°Go then, Shalltear. I await your good news.¡±

    <b>3</b>

    Shalltear and her underlings picked up the pace as they headed towards the location of the Quagoa. They leapt from roof to roof at breakneck speeds. Since she was already in armor, she did not have to worry about the severalyers of breast pads within her clothing.

    She nced back at Aura, who was following from behind.

    The fact that she was being followed by a Guardian ¡ª who was supposed to stay by her Master¡¯s side ¡ª was proof that he did not trust her.

    That was only natural.

    She might not remember her failure, but she had heard the details from others.

    Although herpassionate Master had said ¡°Shalltear, you did nothing wrong¡±, that could not possibly be true. Thus, she had been waiting for a chance to scrub away the stink of failure from herself, but sadly that chance had note.

    Aura might haveforted her, but that was not what Shalltear wanted.

    Shalltear looked ahead, her gaze full of strength. She would not allow herself to make any mistakes on this journey.

    Before long, they reached a building near their objective. Shalltear looked down on the Quagoa from its roof.

    There were many silhouettes visible, of the kind that the Hanzos had described.

    ¡°Now then ¡ª what shall I do...¡±

    Shalltear pondered the matter.

    Aura should have heard what she said, but Aura merely folded her arms, intent on remaining silent. That too, was expected. Before Aura hade here, her Master gave her an order: ¡°Keep an eye on Shalltear¡¯s movements. If she looks like she¡¯s about to begin massacring them, make her stop by any means, even if you have to hit her. Apart from that, you are not to interfere with Shalltear¡¯s battle ns.¡±

    Shalltear had also been told that Aura would merely observe from behind, and she was not to be used in anybat operations. In other words, the entire operation, from nning to execution, was solely Shalltear¡¯s responsibility.

    Firstly, she had to perfectly and elegantly fulfil her Master¡¯s orders.

    She unclenched her fists.

    ¡°Hanzos.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    The ninja-costumed minions gathered before her.

    ¡°I want to make sure that none of them escape. Can you verify that there¡¯s nobody else in the tunnel?¡±

    ¡°Certainly. We await yourmand.¡±

    As expected of her Master¡¯s minions. Their enemy would have no means of retreat now. The next thing she had to worry about was if the enemy was scattered throughout the city. Of course, she could take some time to hunt down and root them all out, but she wanted to avoid wasting time. While her Master had not given her a time limit, wasting too much time was proof of ipetence.

    ¡°Alright. How about this...¡±

    Shalltear ryed the details of the n she had thought up on the way here.

    She would surround the enemy, and then disable everyone within the perimeter.

    In other words, she would use the Hanzos to cut off their retreat, thenpact them into a mass before taking them all out in one blow.

    Granted, this n was a little dangerous, given that she did not know the abilities of the opposition. However, if the enemy had the power to kill Shalltear and the Hanzos, the Dwarven Kingdom could not possibly have survived this long.

    Well, provided that Dwarf Gondo was not especially weak.

    After dispatching the Hanzos, Shalltear counted out three minutes. She had to do so because she had no means ofmunicating with the Hanzos.

    Fortunately, the Quagoa seemed to have circled their wagons around the building, with no intentions of dispersing.

    ¡°Let¡¯s start. Begin as ordered; keep them from escaping into the surrounding area.¡±

    After giving orders to the undead she had brought along, Shalltear ran along the rooftops, and then leapt in front of the Quagoa. At the same time, her undeadnded around them.

    They had taken control of all the major thoroughfares around the building. The Quagoas¡¯ routes of retreat were almostpletely cut off.

    Shalltear sensed their confusion, and she cast a spell long before they could recover.

    ¡°[Mass Hold Species].¡±

    As she had expected, they were not high-level opponents. Many of the Quagoa had stopped moving, frozen in ce.

    Those Quagoa who had not entered the spell¡¯s area of effect managed to recover from their confusion, but none of them attempted to attack Shalltear. She had appeared out of nowhere and used a spell they had never seen before to pin down theirrades. Even choosing between fighting or fleeing must have been very hard for them.

    Shalltear smiled thinly.

    It would seem the conclusion she had reached from observing them, that of centering the spell on an outstanding-looking Quagoa ¡ª for now known as themander ¡ª had been a worthwhile one.

    ¡°[Mass Hold Species].¡±

    She cast the same spell again, and now even the fleeing Quagoa were neutralized.

    ¡°Close in!¡±

    In response to Shalltear¡¯s shouted orders, the surrounding undead shrank their perimeter.

    The Quagoa within the building heard Shalltear shout and sensed the abnormality in theirrades, but it was far toote for them.

    As a sadistic grin grew on her face, Shalltear pped her cheeks. She could not be careless. Her failure in the past was most likely because of that.

    After recovering herposure, Shalltear stormed the building. While breaking through a window would have given her the element of surprise, she considered the effort of breaking through and decided on going straight through the door instead, using herself as bait.

    The waiting Quagoa swiped their ws at Shalltear over and over again.

    Three in front of me, four deeper within, nobody who looks like amander. I should take their attacks and verify their strength.

    Shalltear did not avoid their attacks, but bore the brunt of the Quagoa offensive.

    As expected, she was unhurt.

    Shalltear could only take damage from magical silver weapons. Some high-level monsters had natural attacks which counted as magic, while others had attacks which counted as silver, but those were very rare in low-level monsters.

    While she might have expected this, the Quagoa were taken aback. As though unable to believe what they were seeing, the surrounding Quagoa wed at her, but to no avail.

    ¡°Alright, the experiment¡¯s over. Shall we end here? [Mass Hold Species].¡±

    As the spell was cast, all the Quagoa present stopped moving.

    ¡°Now then, next up.¡±

    Shalltear looked around and saw the Quagoa in the next room through the remains of a broken door. Their wide eyes held the emotion she most loved ¡ª fear.

    As Shalltear¡¯s stride brought her forward, the Quagoa mbered over themselves to flee.

    However, they were too slow. To Shalltear, they were as slow as slugs. She resisted the impulse to give voice to mockingughter, and instead cast her spell at their backs.

    There would be no escape.

    Shalltear would not tolerate any slipups.

    Now that all the Quagoa within the building had been captured, she entered the tunnel and found six Quagoa by the feet of the Hanzos. Given the faint movements from their bodies, it would seem that they were still alive. Shalltear then asked the Hanzos:

    ¡°Now then, are these the Quagoa who tried to flee?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Nobody else managed to escape through here.¡±

    Since Shalltear had not let anyone get away, one could consider her mission to have been perfectly aplished.

    ¡°Just in case, go make sure there¡¯s nobody else lying in wait within the building. After that, have the undead who are bringing them in carry these Quagoa out. You can tell the undead to bind them with ropes, right? I¡¯ll wait here until you finish searching the interior and see if anyone else is trying to make a run for it.¡±

    After receiving Shalltear¡¯s orders, the Hanzos picked up the Quagoas on the ground and returned to the building. They returned to Shalltear after two minutes had passed.

    Having wlesslypleted her task, Shalltear emerged from the building, where she saw many bound Quagoa and the forms of Ainz, Aura, the Hanzos, the Dwarf and Zenberu.

    ¡°Well done, Shalltear. It seems you aplished your mission and didn¡¯t let anyone escape.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Thank you very much, Ainz-sama!¡±

    ¡°Now then, Shalltear, I shall give you your next order. Interrogate these people, but do your best not to hurt them.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    To begin with, she ordered the undead to drag out one of the Quagoa who had been captured with magic ¡ª in other words, one of the first captives.

    ¡°Hiiiiii! Save me!¡±

    ¡°Hehe, well, if you¡¯re honest, I won¡¯t kill you. If you¡¯re honest. First things first, who¡¯s the greatest of you people here?¡±

    ¡°Him, the one with the streaks of blue in his fur.¡±

    ¡°You son of a bitch! You sold me out!¡±

    The one shouting back did seem to have a faint hint of blue in his pelt.

    ¡°Okay, okay, don¡¯t fight. Then, can you bring him to me? Send this one back.¡±

    They brought the highest-ranking Quagoa was brought before her.

    ¡°Hmph! You must be a friend of the Dwarves! I¡¯ll never talk! I¡¯ll stake the pride of my race on it!¡±

    ¡°Really now. All right, then. [Charm Species]. Done, can you answer my questions?¡±

    ¡°Ahh, of course! What do you want to know?¡±

    The Quagoa behind him could not help but gasp at his earnestness.

    Charm magic caused the target to regard the caster as a trusted friend or colleague. However, since friends would not tell friends to kill or hurt themselves, the targets would not obey orders which would result in such. Also, the term ¡°friend¡± was also a bottleneck of sorts; there were secrets which people would keep even from their friends, so this magic would be ineffective at winkling out such information. If that were the case, more powerful mind control spells would be needed. However, such measures did not appear to be necessary this time round, a fact for which Shalltear thanked her luck.

    ¡°Firstly, are you really the greatest one here?¡±

    ¡°Ahhh, I was appointed the leader of this group. Oi, quiet down there, she¡¯s a friend so it¡¯s fine to tell her. Ah, could you keep that a secret?¡±

    ¡°Of course. We¡¯re friends, aren¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°Ahhh, yes, we are, I¡¯ll trust you, then. Still, those guys... Especially that guy, is he undead?¡±

    The Quagoa stared at Shalltear¡¯s glorious master. It annoyed her, but she had to bear with it to extract information from him.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right. We¡¯re friends so you¡¯ll believe me, right?¡±

    ¡°Is he your minion?¡±

    I¡¯ll fucking kill you, Shalltear almost said. However, she swallowed those words. That was because her master spoke before she could.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. She is my mistress.¡±

    ¡°Ho, that¡¯s my friend for you, you¡¯re amazing.¡±

    ¡°Th-thank you.¡±

    Shalltear agonized over theseplex feelings, which she could not put into words. Although she wanted to roll around on the floor, she could not waste the loving assistance which her Master had given her.

    The Quagoamander fell into deep thought, and the Quagoa behind him went, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Are we the only ones who don¡¯t know that she¡¯s a friend¡± and so on. However, the Quagoamander ignored them, and a twisted look dawned on his face, which was probably a smile.

    ¡°I get it. Since you said so, I¡¯ll believe you. After all, we¡¯rerades joined by a firm bond of friendship, aren¡¯t we?¡±

    Shalltear snorted.

    ¡°Then, could you speak loudly enough that the people behind me can hear? Who are you people? What are you doing in this city?¡±

    Normally speaking, they should have been suspicious that a friend did not know this. However, this was the greatness of magic. The Quagoamander replied without raising any doubts.

    ¡°We¡¯re a detached force from the invasion force. We came here to kill the Dwarves which might have fled to this city.¡±

    ¡°Say what?!¡± the Dwarf eximed in shock. ¡°What, what does that mean?¡±

    ¡°Shut up and keep quiet, Dwarf. Filthy races like yours should be exterminated.¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright, that¡¯s about enough. You were saying something about an invasion force?¡±

    ¡°Ahhh, sorry, I seem to have gotten a little over-excited. There¡¯s a Dwarven city north of here. The invasion force was raised to destroy that city. The problem is that the suspension bridge over the Great Rift is protected by a fortress, so our attacks have always been defeated. However, we¡¯ve found a shortcut that bypasses the Rift and runs alongside the fortress, so we¡¯re nning to use that to wipe them out in one fell swoop.¡±

    Shalltear narrowed her eyes at the Dwarf. His expression looked ghastly. Apparently this was very bad news.

    ¡°When will the attacke?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re a detached force, we split off from the main body so we don¡¯t know the exact time. But I think it should be today, or maybe tomorrow.¡±

    Shalltear overheard the conversation between her master and the Dwarf.

    ¡°That said, will the city actually fall if the suspension bridge is taken?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I¡¯ve heard that since the enemy needs to use the bridge, they can only attack one spot. Thus, we can use the magic items within the fortress to repulse them. However, if the fortress is taken, the enemy will have a clear path to the city, and it¡¯ll be hard to stop the advance of arge army. If that happens, we might have to abandon the city and escape to here, but if we¡¯re ambushed here, the Dwarven race might be wiped out.¡±

    The Quagoamander chuckled deviously as he listened to their conversation.

    ¡°So are you the only detached group?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re the only ones who were sent here. We don¡¯t know how strong the Dwarven city is or how many men we¡¯ll need, so most of our troops are there.¡±

    ¡°Ain¡ªeh, ah, then, then, is there anything you want to ask?¡±

    I can¡¯t say Ainz-sama, Shalltear fretted as she tried to piece her next words together.

    ¡°...There¡¯s not much else. Strictly speaking, we only need to know how tomunicate with their main body or something simr.¡±

    After Shalltear repeated her Master¡¯s question, the charmedmander babbled like a brook.

    ¡°Nope, our mission wasn¡¯t seen as very important. In the end, our job was just to hunt down anyone who fled.¡±

    Shalltear looked back to her Master, who nodded to her.

    ¡°How should we deal with them?¡±

    ¡°...Gondo, I¡¯m sorry about this, but can you prepare to travel?¡±

    The Lizardman and Dwarf understood the meaning behind those words, so they turned and left in silence. Ainz watched them leave, and gave Shalltear her next orders.

    ¡°...Then, let¡¯s go. Shalltear, send them all back to Nazarick. They are to be observed. Whether they are to be killed or spared depends on the kind of rtionship we forge with the Quagoa. Do not kill them until they are fully hostile to us. However, order some light experiments to be conducted. The hardness of their ws, the physical and magical resistance of their bodies, that sort of thing. Although, some of them might die as a result... Order them to minimize the number of deaths.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Shalltear immediately cast her [Gate], opening a portal to the surface of Nazarick.

    ¡°Come, you lot get in here.¡±

    Led by the Quagoamander, the others followed him in one after the other. Some of the Quagoa stood in ce, frozen by fear, but Shalltear simply picked them up and chucked them through the [Gate].

    After sending them all through, Shalltear briefly returned to Nazarick as well. She repeated her master¡¯s orders to the Old Guarders standing by there, and then returned through the still-open [Gate].

    Beyond it was Shalltear¡¯s Master. His arms were crossed and he seemed to be waiting for her.

    ¡°Your collection of information was very thorough, Shalltear.¡±

    The first thing he said was to praise her! Shalltear¡¯s t chest surged with heat.

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Shalltear reflexively got to her knees. That was the only appropriate position to take in response to her Master¡¯s praise.

    ¡°¡ªMm, umu. I look forward to your loyal service in the future.¡±

    ¡°I understand, Ainz-sama!!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t stay like that. Stand up. We¡¯ll need to discuss things with Gondo. ...This is a chance to have them owe us a big favor.¡±

    ¡°How fortunate. Ainz-sama, your actions seem to be blessed.¡±

    Their gazes met, and they smiled.

    Granted, her Master¡¯s face did not move, but Shalltear was absolutely certain that he was smiling.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Mmmm~ This is great! The two of us, walking side by side... Haaa, I¡¯m so happy.

    Shalltear left the building as she savored the taste of happiness.

    ¡°Gondo, sorry for the wait. What do you want to do now?¡±

    ¡°Would anything we do even make a difference... It takes about six days to travel underground to the city. It¡¯s too far for us to bring that information back to the city.¡±

    Shalltear¡¯s slightly ck face tensed up, and as she exchanged nces with Aura, her Master and the Dwarf began their discussion. She strove to memorize it so she could record it into her memo pad.

    Since he was her glorious Master, he probably intended to crush the Dwarf¡¯s heart into utter submission. Either that, or he would fasten a heavy shackle around his neck and ensure that he would never betray him. Something like that.

    ¡°Is that so? Well, since you can¡¯t make it there in time, what¡¯s there to be done? If that¡¯s the case, why note to my country? You can¡¯t do anything by yourself either, right?¡±

    ¡°Mmm... umu.¡±

    ¡°Although, I¡¯d like to save the runesmiths... but even if we rushed there to help them, could we maintain an advantageous position during negotiations? Are the Dwarves a species that appreciates kindness shown to them?¡±

    ¡°Umu, I hope you can believe that. If you save the Dwarves from the threat of the Quagoa, I¡¯m sure the negotiations will go well.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then we¡¯ll need to pick the right time to step in.¡±

    After her Master made his experimental deration, the Dwarf shrugged, as though to say he was alright with anything.

    ¡°I have already taken my lord¡¯s... Your Majesty¡¯s suggestion to heart.¡±

    Shalltear had no idea what those words meant, but for some reason, she knew that the Dwarf had chosen her Master over his race.

    Shalltear was both awed and frightened by the fact that her Master had managed to utterly dominate the soul of this Dwarf during the brief period in which he had entered the tunnel.

    It must have been this charisma which enabled him to lead and coordinate the Supreme Beings.

    ¡°...No, I guess we ought to make haste. After all, we want to avoid the deaths of the runesmiths, and there¡¯s no telling what will happen if we go underground, so we shall proceed from the outside. Can I trust you to guide us?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not very confident, but I shall do my best.¡±

    ¡°Alright, then prepare to move out!¡±

 Chapter 82 - Volume 11

    <h4>v11 Intermission</h4>

    <b>Intermission</b>

    He walked to the balcony, a ss of amber liquid in his hand.

    The balcony was located on the tallest building in this city. From here, he could see the city which he ruled.

    His people lived between the myriad pinpoints of light below.

    He smirked as he took in the view, and pressed the ss to his lips.

    The hot, smoky sensation spread through his body from his belly. The wind was quitefortable. Now that he was in a good mood, he asked the weakling who knelt in his room a question:

    ¡°¡ªSo what?¡±

    The weakling drew in a breath, but he had no interest in that. All he felt was displeasure in not receiving an immediate answer to his question. However, he was not angry enough to kill someone yet, so he did not make use of his might.

    He was a merciful king.

    Also, the scent of blood would linger. Even if he had someone clean it up, he would still feel annoyed for a while.

    That being the case, the cleanest way to do it would be to push the weakling off from here. The most important thing was that the extreme circumstances of the fall might awaken the power of the weakling.

    He wanted to say that it would be a good idea, but unfortunately, the weakling opened its mouth before he could do so.

    ¡°The Theocracy is building a field camp nearby. If this carries on, they will attack our Royal Capital in theing years.¡±

    ¡°So what?¡±

    ¡°...If this goes on, we will all be destroyed. Please, I beseech your Majesty to use his might¡ª¡±

    ¡°Worthless.¡±

    He ¡ª the King ¡ªughed it off.

    ¡°Why should I use my might on behalf of you weaklings?¡±

    If he turned his head over his shoulder to look, he would see a citizen of his country kneeling there ¡ª a female Elf.

    How stupid she looked.

    She was so weak, with no special abilities, and thus utterly worthless.

    Because of that, she could not understand how wonderful the Theocracy¡¯s invasion was.

    ¡°...Don¡¯t be stupid. Do youck the will to muster up the strength to defend your own country? Or do you expect me to save you from any difficulty that crops up?¡±

    ¡°But, but, the Theocracy is very strong, and our strength alone...¡±

    There was a distinct difference between the power of the Theocracy and that of his nation.

    Be it in the amount of magic items, the skill of their troops, the resources they could allocate, their tactics ¡ª everything.

    The only reason why the Elves could still hold the line in the face of the overwhelming power of the Theocracy was due to their gueri tactics ¡ª the only field in which they surpassed the Theocracy ¡ª and the fact that the Theocracy feared losing troops to the monsters of the Great Forest of Evasha. Thus, they had slowed their advance.

    However, the Theocracy had recentlymitted the Holocaust Scripture ¡ª which had hitherto been assigned to the defense of their home nation ¡ª to the fray. They were experts in assassination, gueri warfare, and counter-terrorism, and thus the Theocracy¡¯s advance had sped up immensely.

    ¡°...How surprising. Are you at your wits¡¯ end because you are all weaklings? This is truly a country of idiots. All the children that I sired turned out to be nothing but useless.¡±

    People born in wartime were stronger than those born in peace. That being the case, warfare was an opportunity to awaken the powertent in all living things. However, he had not heard about anyone whose power had awakened so far.

    Still, he should not hold the people solely to me. His many children had turned out that way as well. Their true number meant nothing to him so he paid it no heed; why would anyone bother counting pieces of garbage? It was probably because their mothers¡¯ blood was too strong. None of the offspring he had bred from them possessed even a fraction of his power.

    ¡°Get lost. You are loathsome in my sight. Better yet, train up the children you bore for me.¡±

    The woman bowed deeply, and left.

    He finished the wine in a single gulp.

    The children born of weaklings would only be weak. Thus, he needed strong mothers.

    That was why he had sent the women to the frontlines during the Theocracy¡¯s invasion. This war might have allowed those weaklings to grow.

    ¡°And they fell short of my expectations.¡±

    However, nobody had be as strong as him. Or rather, they would only be bornter.

    ¡°... Should I go all-out on the humans? I can breed with them, after all.¡±

    Humanoids and demihumans could not produce offspring, but matings between humanoids could bear fruit.

    Suddenly he turned his gaze to the distance, and memories of the past surfaced.

    ¡°Well, she got pregnant in the end.¡±

    In the past, he had tricked the woman who had been known as the trump card of the Theocracy, and then he had captured her. He had chained her up and raped her, and even impregnated her. However, she had been stolen away by the ck Scripture before she could give birth.

    He clicked his tongue.

    That child was his. Since it had been born, they should give it back.

    ¡°...After this country falls, perhaps I¡¯ll go over to the Theocracy in person and take the child back.¡±

    This was not kindness of any sort.

    After all, that child was the get of himself and that powerful woman, so it had the potential to be even more powerful.

    ¡°¡ªI do look forward to that.¡±

    Someday, he would use an army of his mighty children to epass the world.

    He walked back into the room, imagining the glorious future that would soon dawn. Facing him was a full-length mirror which reflected his image.

    It was that of an Elf whose eyes had mismatched colours.

 Chapter 83 - Volume 11

    <h4>v11 Chapter 3</h4>

    <b>Chapter 3: The Impending Crisis</b>

    <b>1</b>

    The Great Rift.

    It referred to the huge chasm that ran along the western side of the Dwarven Capital, Feoh G¨¥r.

    It was a massive crevasse, over 60 km long and 120m across at its narrowest point. Its depth was unknown. Nobody knew what was waiting down there, and nobody had returned alive from the two expeditions that had been sent out to investigate it.

    For the longest time, this natural barrier had protected Feoh G¨¥r from all manner of monstrous attacks. They could thwart any monsters from the west that tried to invade so long as they defended the suspension bridge which ran across the Great Rift.

    Yet today, Feoh G¨¥r¡¯s garrison ¡ª the military base that stood between the Great Rift and Feoh G¨¥r ¡ª was in a whirl of shouts and confusion.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Someone tell me exactly what is going on!¡±

    That cry came from themander-in-chief of the Dwarven Army, a veteran of over 10 years of service.

    The informationing in was garbled and contradictory, and nobody had any idea of what was happening. The only thing he could be certain about was that something had happened at the fortress which defended the Great Rift.

    ¡°The most recent information we have says that the Quagoa are attacking!¡± one of the toonmanders said, repeating a report from the fortress.

    News like that was hardly umon. The Quagoa and the Dwarves were mortal enemies, and they frequently attacked in groups of hundreds. There had been more attacks during themander-in-chief¡¯s ten years of service than he could remember, but until now all of them had been turned away at the fortress. None of them had managed to get close to the garrison, much less Feoh G¨¥r itself.

    This was because the Quagoa were a race that was strong against weapon attacks, but very weak against electrical attacks. Knowing this, they had stocked the fortress with magic items that could produce [Lightning] andparable effects.

    [Lightning] was a spell that pierced the enemy in a straight line, and thus extremely effective against an enemy which lined itself up to attack a bridge. It could wipe out an entire wave of Quagoa in one shot, and on top of that, the Dwarves guarding that ce were armed with crossbows enchanted with the ability to inflict additional electrical damage.

    In contrast, the Dwarves in the garrison were inferior in both gear and numbers. However, it was not because they did not wish to allocate military power to an important base, but because the Dwarven Army had alwayscked in manpower. Thus, the fortress had to draw its defenders from their meager pool of troops, and they had to do so in numbers which would not invite censure.

    Despite all this specialization against Quagoa attacks, the fortress was now in a state where they did not even have the people left to call for aid. What did that mean?

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me they were attacked by too many enemies for them to fight off! Have there been any other messages from the fortress?¡±

    ¡°Nothing until now.¡±

    Cold sweat poured down themander-in-chief¡¯s back.

    The words ¡°big invasion¡± appeared before his eyes. There had been rumors of such a thing several years ago, but even so, he had been trying his best to deceive himself, saying that there was no such thing. Yet, it was unfolding before his eyes.

    Themander-in-chief pulled himself together. Now was not the time to contemte such ghastly things.

    What was the right thing to do now?

    A gently-sloping tunnel in the shape of a spiral led from this garrison to the fortress, and ahead of them was the capital Feoh G¨¥r. The cavern where the garrison was located at was their final defensive line, and on top of that, they had gates of mithril which were alloyed with orichalcum. They could withstand an enemy attack from the tunnel if they closed the gates.

    Should they close the gates?

    If they did so, they would not be able to send out reinforcements from here. In other words, they would be abandoning theirrades, who might be fighting for their lives at the fortress.

    Still, his hesitation onlysted for a moment.

    There were less than 20 people in the fortress. There were over 100¡¯000 Dwarves in Feoh G¨¥r. There could be only one answer when one thought of which side had priority.

    ¡°Close the gates!¡±

    ¡°Ry the orders! Close the gates!¡±

    Before the echoes faded from the air, a thrumming sound came from the earth. Slowly, the gates covered the entrance. These gates, which had not been touched except during training, were now being used for their true purpose.

    ¡°Sir! It¡¯s the Quagoa!¡±

    ¡°What?!¡±

    After hearing the cry from the soldiers guarding the tunnel entrance, themander-in-chief turned to look. He saw the disgusting form of a demihuman, foaming at the mouth, its eyes bloodshot.

    Without lightning-enchanted weapons, even one of them was a formidable foe. And now, hordes of them, so many that they could not counted with both hands, were rushing at them.

    How could this be? Had the fortress really fallen? How many men had the Quagoa brought with them? Could they hold against them even if they shut the gates?

    Themander-in-chief had these and many other questions in his heart, but in the end he shook his head.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let them in! Spearmen, forward!¡±

    With great cries, the soldiers formed up into a spear line.

    Even seeing this did not slow the speed of the Quagoa charge. This was because they trusted in their fur and hide to protect them against metal.

    Themander-in-chief clicked his tongue. The Quagoa had made a wise choice. Their skin was such that crossbow bolts might bounce off when fired at them. The only thing a spear line could do was to hold them at bay. However, the people here had anticipated that the Quagoa would try something like this, and they had naturally taken steps against it.

    ¡°Mages! Blitzkrieg!¡±

    A third-tier area-of-effect spell, [Thunderball] and two second-tier spells, [Thundences] came from the balcony overlooking the spearmen, at an angle which would not hit them.

    The casters of these spells were the three most powerful mages in the army.

    The group running at the head of the horde was instantly in by the [Thunderball], as one would expect of the Quagoa¡¯s bane. The Quagoa behind them stopped to avoid being hit by it as well.

    It was only for a short period, but it gave them breathing room.

    The gates closed with a great ng. The sounds of hammering and banging filtered through from the other side of the sturdy doors.

    The tense atmosphere in the air lightened somewhat. However, themander-in-chief, the men around him, and everyone here knew that this was not over yet.

    The gates were very tough. The teeth and ws of regr Quagoa would not be able to damage them. However, some Quagoa had teeth which were said to rival the hardness of mithril. While these were leader-level beings, it would not be unusual to find such entities participating in an attack like this. There was no way to rule out any problems.

    ¡°Dammit! If only the gate was electrified!¡±

    That was a suggestion themander-in-chief had made when he had first taken his position. After all, the gates alone were not reliable enough as a final line of defense. Of course, there had been various reasons for why they could not enchant the gates, such as ack of national power, but a big part of that had been because the fortress had always managed to stop any enemy invasions. Thus, the higher-ups had the attitude that ¡°as long as the fortress holds, everything will be fine¡±.

    Looking around, he saw grim and dark expressions on everyone¡¯s faces.

    This was bad. If they lost their hope for the future, they would end up losing when the fighting became desperate.

    Themander-in-chief decided to turn the situation around, and shouted:

    ¡°Well done! We¡¯ve ensured the city¡¯s safety! But it¡¯s not guaranteed by any means! Start setting up barricades in case the enemy breaks through the gates! Hurry up!¡±

    New determination filled the faces of the Dwarven soldiers. The knowledge that there was still something they could do rekindled their motivation. Even a fragile hope was better than none at all.

    Themander-in-chief¡¯s chief of staff stood beside him and whispered into his ear.

    ¡°Sir, should we bury the gate with sand and dirt?¡±

    Themander-in-chief pondered the other Dwarf¡¯s words.

    If they sealed it offpletely, many Dwarves would express their disapproval.

    ¡°They have no idea what¡¯s going on.¡±

    Themander-in-chief noticed his chief of staff¡¯s expression. He had probably assumed themander-in-chief¡¯s statement to be a reply to his question.

    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean you. I meant that lot ¡ª the Regent Council.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re one of them too, aren¡¯t you,mander-in-chief? So that¡¯s their response to aplete lockdown? Personally, I don¡¯t think sealing it off is enough. We should abandon Feoh G¨¥r.¡±

    Themander-in-chief narrowed his eyes and dragged his chief of staff by the hand to a ce where the men would not hear them.

    He did not want their conversation to be overheard by anyone.

    ¡°You think so too?¡±

    They had no idea how many Quagoa were on the other side of that gate.

    The enemy attack had been too swift and they had been forced onto the back foot. Thus, they had lost many chances to learn about the enemy. What they were doing now was like locking themselves up and closing their eyes.

    The only solid piece of data they had was that the enemy had enough fighting power to bring down the hitherto impregnable fortress, and they had to think of a way to deal with that.

    Under these circumstances, and after taking their fighting power into consideration, it would be extremely difficult for the Dwarves to open the gates and beat back the enemy. The best solution might well be to abandon their capital.

    ¡°Then, how much time will burying it in dirt and soil buy us?¡±

    ¡°If we copse the cavern, we¡¯ll be able to buy a lot of time, but if we use sand and dirt alone, we¡¯ll only gain a few days at most.¡±

    ¡°What dangers will a copse pose?¡±

    ¡°As you know, we aren¡¯t far from Feoh G¨¥r. Although I can¡¯t really be sure without having the Tunnel Doctors check, there¡¯s a chance that it might affect the city as well. The worst case scenario is that a shortcut opens up from beyond the gates and the Quagoa pour through it and into Feoh G¨¥r...¡±

    ¡°In other words, we need to find out right now. Then, next question. Do you think the fortress fell under sheer weight of numbers? Why didn¡¯t the people in the fortress inform us sooner?¡±

    ¡°I thought of a few possibilities. Personally, the most likely option is that the Quagoa have enlisted the help of another species.¡±

    ¡°Could it be the Frost Dragons?¡±

    The Quagoa had conquered the former Dwarven capital of Feoh Berkanan, and had taken it as their home. However, the Royal Pce at the heart of the city was ruled by a Frost Dragon.

    Both parties did not have a perfectly cooperative rtionship, but since they lived together, they might help each other out.

    Themander-in-chief¡¯s face nched. Frost Dragons were essentially natural disasters once they reached a certain age.

    There had originally been four Dwarven cities.

    Feoh Berkanan, which had been abandoned during the attack of the Demon Gods 200 years ago.

    Feoh G¨¥r of the east, which was their current capital.

    Feoh Rai?¨­ to the south, which had been abandoned several years ago.

    And finally, Feoh Tiwaz, to the west.

    This western city had been destroyed during a battle between two Frost Dragons ¡ª sird¡¯arc=Haylilyal and Munuinia=Ilyslym, and it was little more than tumbled ruins.

    ¡°I feel that it¡¯s very likely. While I don¡¯t know what they did to induce that arrogant lot to take action, the other alternative is that they did it themselves; either they invented some kind of spell, or they found a route that bypassed the Great Rift.¡±

    ¡°Even we Dwarves haven¡¯t found a way around the Great Rift.¡±

    ¡°Still, how many years ago was that? Perhaps the Quagoa dug a tunnel or something as other monsters moved, or the earth¡¯s crust shifted and gave them a detour. If you think about it, they might have gone above ground too.¡±

    ¡°The Quagoa on the surface?¡±

    ¡°There might be an individual with that ability.¡±

    The Quagoa werepletely blind under the sun, so it was impossible for the Quagoa to move their forces on the surface.

    However, that was merely wishful thinking on his part.

    No, it was toote to regret it now. He had to take that into consideration when nning future strategies.

    ¡°Chief of Staff, we need to consider that they might be able to travel aboveground and enhance our surface defenses ordingly. Send a few people over withoutpromising our defense here. We also need to get word to the Council and have them evacuate to the south.¡±

    In addition to this garrison, the fortress in front of the Great Rift and the Council Chamber in the city itself, there was one more military base in the Dwarven city of Feoh G¨¥r.

    It was a fortress erected for the benefit of those people taller than Dwarves ¡ª humans, for example ¡ª at the exit leading to the surface. Themander-in-chief gave the order to reinforce that area and stay alert for any surface attacks.

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    ¡°Also, have the men prepare to bury the door. If we need the Council¡¯s permission, I¡¯ll find a way to convince them.¡±

    ¡°What if the Council takes their time deliberating?¡±

    ¡°Do your best. I¡¯ll do my best too.¡±

    That was all he could say. Of course, his n was to push for it as hard as possible, in his position as one of the eight councillors, but if the others vetoed him, then all he could do was try as hard as he could on his own.

    ¡°Report! Report! I have a report! Where¡¯s themander-in-chief?!¡±

    Looking toward the source of that voice, themander-in-chief saw a Dwarven soldier mounted on a Riding Lizard.

    Riding Lizards were a kind of Giant Lizard. They wererge reptiles that measured three meters from head to tail. They were not very numerous, so the Dwarves raised them as mounts and used them as pack beasts for day to day work.

    However, most runners would not use them to ry a message. They were only employed in dire circumstances ¡ª when they needed to let the garrison know about the conditions on the frontline.

    Unease filled the heart of themander-in-chief.

    ¡°Where¡¯s that man from?¡±

    ¡°He should have been posted to the fortress at the surface entrance this week.¡±

    That validated the feeling of dread in themander-in-chief¡¯s heart. No, given the man¡¯s expression and his near-crazed tone, it was inly obvious. Asking that much was simply because he did not want to acknowledge the reality before his eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m here! What is it?¡±

    The messenger ran towards themander-in-chief at full speed. It could not be dyed. This was something which had to be heard immediately so a course of action could be quickly determined.

    The messenger fell off the Lizard¡¯s back, and shouted as he desperately tried to right himself.

    ¡°Commander-in-chief! There¡¯s an emergency! Mon-monsters! There¡¯s monsters!¡±

    He had expected it to be about Quagoa, but he quickly ruled that out. The man would not have used those words to describe Quagoa.

    ¡°Calm down! We can¡¯t figure out what you¡¯re saying! What happened? Is everyone else alright?¡±

    ¡°Y-yes! There¡¯s scary monsters at the entrance! They say they want to talk about the Quagoa army headed this way!¡±

    ¡°Whaaaaaaat?!¡±

    Their timing was too perfect. He could not imagine that the two events were unconnected. Could they be the bosses of the Quagoa, or the ones who helped them cross the Great Rift?

    ¡°Who, who are they? What do they look like! Chief of Staff! Gather every man who can move right now!¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    Themander-in-chief did not even have the time to watch his panicked subordinate leave.

    ¡°How many of those monsters are there?! What are your losses?!¡±

    ¡°Y-yes! There¡¯s about 30 of them. But they don¡¯t seem to want to fight! They even said they wanted to make a deal with us, but they looked very evil, so I don¡¯t think that was their real intention. There must be some sort of scheme at work!¡±

    How exactly did they qualify as evil? More importantly, this man had not described them yet. After being questioned again, the soldier gulped and exined,

    ¡°They¡¯re fearsome-looking undead surrounded by an inauspicious-looking aura!¡±

    ¡°What?! The undead?!¡±

    Beings who hated the living, who sowed death in their wake, the enemies of everything that lived.

    Several images appeared in themander-in-chief¡¯s mind as he heard the word ¡°undead¡±. For instance, Freezing Zombies, Frost Bones, and the like. However, none of those undead were powerful adversaries. This man should have known that. In that case, why was he so afraid?

    Besides, why had the undeade here? Were they here to delight in the mutual massacre of the Dwarves and Quagoa, both of which were living beings?

    ¡°Chief of Staff, are you ready yet?! Move out once you¡¯re done! We don¡¯t know what kind of undead are out there, but do not take them lightly! Don¡¯t let them underestimate us! They may not be acting haughtily, but if they look down on us, we¡¯ll be in danger!!¡±

    <b>2</b>

    The group advanced, with Gondo in the lead.

    Since Gondo usually travelled underground, he was not very familiar with the surface. Therefore, he had to rely on his sense of direction over the terrain when it came to moving forward. Initially, Ainz was worried about this. But after seeing Gondo advance without hesitation, he began to trust the man. Now, he had wholly entrusted the task of guidance to him.

    The fact was that Gondo had no reason to deliberately lead Ainz astray now that the Quagoa were attacking the Dwarven capital. That being the case, there should be no problem having him lead the way.

    Under Gondo¡¯s leadership, Aura¡¯s magical beasts moved across the snow like it was a grassy in.

    They boasted high dexterity and great stamina, as expected of high-level magical beasts. Even in the thin air of the snowy mountains and bearing Ainz and the others on their backs, their speed did not decrease one bit. They headed north at speeds of over 100 km per hour.

    They had spotted several flying monsters during their journey, but a few threatening growls from the magical beasts scared them all away. Thanks to that, their travel time was cut to a minimum.

    In less than a day, they had reached the sole remaining Dwarven city, Feoh G¨¥r.

    Ainz guided his beast over to Gondo and asked him a question.

    ¡°...Well then, Gondo. The southern city of Feoh Rai?¨­ was essed through a fissure in a cave. Is Feoh G¨¥r like that as well?¡±

    If that was the case, they would need to search for a way in. Gondo ¡ª who had initially been frightened by his magical beast, but was now used to riding it ¡ª replied:

    ¡°Umu. Most cities where Dwarves live are like that. However, Feoh G¨¥r was designed with considerations forrge-scale trade with humans, so it¡¯s slightly different from Feoh Rai?¨­. Firstly, it¡¯s easy for humans to find, and in order to minimize any difort for visitors, they built a huge fortress on the outside. You¡¯ll know it when you see it.¡±

    Ainz looked around after hearing that, but he still could not find any trace of a structure.

    ¡°You won¡¯t see it if you don¡¯t head further northeast.¡±

    Gondo¡¯s words were full of confidence. It would seem he was quite certain of where their destination was. Since he was the only one who could lead them, there was nothing Ainz could do if he was wrong, so all he could do was trust him.

    While saying ¡°Is that so,¡± Ainz cast his [Message] spell.

    The captured Quagoa had been taken to Nazarick. There, they had been questioned, and their knowledge used to supplement Gondo¡¯s report.

    The Quagoa were a race that submitted to the strong, but the Quagoa of the Azellisian Mountain Range were divided into eight ns, all of whom were united under the n Lord. They numbered 80¡¯000 in total.

    After analyzing this information, Ainz stamped them as a race which held no charm for him.

    If he had to choose between helping the Dwarves or the Quagoa, Ainz would choose the former without hesitation.

    However, he learned that the metals which the Quagoa ate when they were young determined their strength when they matured. If he let them eat the metals of Nazarick, it could give rise to a powerful individual.

    Then, he thought about the prismatic ores in the Dwarven Kingdom.

    Even if he had not eaten one of the prismatic ores, perhaps this n Lord had reached his station by eating one of the rare metals of YGGDRASIL.

    If he was strong enough to capture, then it was worth investigating him.

    I should consider taking them in if they can obey the Sorcerous Kingdom, even though I¡¯m not confident about feeding 80¡¯000 people. After all, that¡¯s the sort of country I want.

    The country Ainz wanted.

    It was a nation where many races lived in harmony under his rule. It was a nation which reproduced the image one had of the guild Ainz Ooal Gown.

    It was a nation where his friends, wherever they were, could live and smile.

    That being the case, he ought to show these Quagoa some mercy.

    Still, if they swear their loyalty to me, where should I put them? This mountain is a little sparse... what about the mountain range to the south of E-Rantel? But there might be residents there too... Umu, what a pain. The Lizardmen have the same technology level as them. Perhaps my experience in ruling them could be put to use. It might be a good idea to let Cocytus handle them.

    After thinking this far, Ainz considered the opposite side of the coin.

    What if they don¡¯t bend the knee? Shall I rule them by force? Shall I exterminate them? Or should I kill all the adults and use the children for experiments? Is forcing them into one n and then ruling over them the best way?

    As he considered various matters, Gondo¡¯s shout interrupted Ainz¡¯s train of thought.

    ¡°Over there!¡±

    Ainz looked where Gondo was pointing, and sure enough, there was something which looked like a fortress built up against the side of the mountain.

    The group headed straight for it. While there were many ways to conceal themselves, there was no point in doing so, and thus they proceeded directly and openly.

    As they closed the distance to the fortress, the defenders at the fortress spotted them, and the sentries came to life.

    Much like what he would do before a sales pitch, Ainz inspected his clothing, and made sure his robe was neat and tidy. Of course, it was a magic item and could not get torn or wrinkled, but his memories as Suzuki Satoru told him that he should check anyway.

    After they approached the fortress, the Dwarves cocked their crossbows and took aim from the windows.

    The only people who might be lethally wounded by the bolts were Gondo and Zenberu.

    While he had thought of sending them to negotiate to prove that they had no hostile intentions, they might end up being shot by bolts if things went wrong, so he abandoned that idea. Instead, Ainz would proceed first, while Gondo and Zenberu would show upter.

    He halted his beast outside the effective range of their crossbows and then dismounted. Because he was still within the maximum range of the crossbows, he ordered Shalltear and Aura to stand by and protect Gondo and Zenberu.

    After that, all that remained was anti-yer strategies.

    If there were any yers, they would immediately take a defensive stance and fall back. While he could not confirm the presence or absence of yers during his talks with Gondo on the road, it was more likely that they did not exist. However, if he was careless, he might end up losing the NPCs (the children) and Ainz did not want to experience that a second time.

    All the Dwarves watching him from the window had the same frozen expression on their faces. Thanks to their messy beards, he could not differentiate one individual Dwarf from another, but how should he put this ¡ª they lookedical.

    Suppressing the urge tough, Ainz stepped forward, faking an air of calm.

    His hands were raised, to show that he had no hostile intent.

    As he drew closer to the fortress¡ª

    ¡°Hold it right there!¡±

    ¡ªA warning cry rang out. It sounded like its owner was having a seizure. Granted, he was undead, but Ainz could not help sighing internally as he mused, this is a pretty bad reception for someone who¡¯s showing no signs of hostility.

    ¡°Why have youe here, undead!¡±

    Ainz stroked his shiny cheekbones.

    ¡°I am the Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown of the Sorcerous Kingdom, and I havee to forge a friendly rtionship with the Dwarven nation. We will not attack you if you do not attack us, so please lower your weapons.¡±

    Confusion appeared in the eyes of the Dwarves watching from the windows. Ainz took this chance to continue speaking:

    ¡°After capturing the Quagoa who invaded Feoh Rai?¨­, I learned of their ns to attack this ce. If you have no faith in your strength of arms, then I ¡ª my Kingdom ¡ª will dly render assistance. Yes, that¡¯s right ¡ª it will be a good show of friendship.¡±

    He smiled, but because he had no skin, the benevolence of his gesture did not carry over to the opposite side.

    ¡°What about that Dwarf behind you? Is he a hostage?!¡±

    It would seem the Dwarves were still wary of him.

    ¡°How rude. I am a king, you know? Is that any way to talk to a king?¡±

    The Dwarves looked at each other, and then one of them responded.

    ¡°No, no... hang on, show us some proof that you¡¯re really a king!¡±

    ¡°¡ª-I see. That does make sense,¡± Ainz agreed. ¡°Then, allow me to introduce him. He is one of you, Gondo the smith, whom I met in Feoh Rai?¨­.¡±

    Ainz showed off the kingly movements he had been taking great pains to practice.

    With the air of a natural-born leader, he gestured to his subordinate to step forward.

    A deep sense of satisfaction filled Ainz as he heard the stifled gasps of aweing from the Dwarves. It would seem his long hours of practice had not gone to waste.

    Now that Gondo was here, Ainz ¡ª who was in a good mood ¡ª showed off another pose of a gracious king and yielded the floor to him.

    ¡°Sorry, but can you enter the fortress and exin the situation to them in detail?¡±

    ¡°Umu, leave it to me.¡±

    Gondo advanced to the fortress gates and requested permission to enter, but the gates did not open.

    ¡°...What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe something happened?¡±

    ¡°... Is, is that really him?! Is that really Gondo the Weirdo? Maybe someone used magic to take his face!¡±

    Ainz frowned as he heard the Dwarves¡¯ voices. Staying alert was very important, and even Ainz approved of it. Still, they would not be able to make any progress if nobody trusted them.

    However, he had heard something about the possibility of meeting an acquaintance here. If that was the case, they would be very fortunate.

    ¡°I say, Gondo, can you prove yourself to them by showing your knowledge of this city? Like say, where you live, something that only a person who lived in this city would know?¡±

    ¡°Oh, ohhh, yes... I¡¯ll tell that guy¡¯s wife his secret. Ah, there¡¯s a restaurant called the ck Gold Beard Pavilion! It¡¯s run by a guy whose face looks like an anvil. His food tastes terrible, and the only decent thing there is the stew!¡±

    The Dwarves fell silent. Ainz looked at Gondo, somewhat lost for words. His reply seemed like he was trying too hard.

    ¡°Idiot! That ce isn¡¯t for eating, but for drinking! Their stout tastes best!¡±

    ¡°Liar! It¡¯s the red mushroom beer that¡¯s the most delicious!¡±

    ¡°What are you saying, their cloudy wine is the best! Just imagine that bubbly fragrance!¡±

    (TL Note: á¤ê¾Æ ¨C nigorizake)

    ¡°None of you know what real beer tastes like! Bearded Lady¡¯s the best!¡±

    Ainz made a mental note that the Dwarves liked their beer a lot, and then replied to them:

    ¡°How about it? Can you ept that this is the real Gondo? Speaking of which, all we wanted to do was inform you that the Quagoa are trying to circle around the Great Rift and attack this city. All you have to do is send our warning to the people at the top. This way, our country will have discharged its duty, even if the Quagoa attack is a fierce one. It would be quite upsetting if you chastised us afterwards.¡±

    Several Dwarves pulled their heads back from the windows.

    Some time passed. It would seem several people were having a discussion.

    ¡°Wait there! We¡¯ll send a report to ourmander-in-chief!¡±

    ording to Gondo, that person was the highest appointment holder in this country¡¯s military.

    It would seem they realised that this had to go to their highest authority.

    ¡°Kukuku~¡±

    Ainz did not suppress his chuckling.

    There was a ttering noise, and when Ainz nced towards its source, he saw that Dwarves had trained their crossbows on him once more. Their breathing was ragged; they seemed to be in the grip of powerful emotions.

    Crap. Are they angry because Iughed?

    ¡°Forgive me. In any event, is it all right if only Gondo enters? He¡¯s proven his origins, hasn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°No, he can¡¯t, no, it¡¯s not allowed, stay there! Wait there!¡±

    He had not beenughing at them, but it would seem he had upset them all the same.

    Ainz¡¯s strong emotions were suppressed, but small emotional ripples could sneak by.

    How would apany react if a salesman whom they had never met before before smiled at them as though he had something to hide? Ainz was annoyed at himself for not thinking about that. It had resulted in a mistake.

    I should be more careful, Ainz thought as he backed away together with Gondo.

    And so they stood there for some time.

    When Jiiv came to visit, I provided refreshments, furniture and made all sorts of preparations to wee them. Don¡¯t the Dwarves do things like that? ...No, the circumstances now are different from back then.

    In contrast to Jiiv¡¯s prearranged visit, Ainz was essentially a cold-calling door-to-door salesman. He should be grateful that they had not chased him away on the spot.

    In addition, he would not be able to enjoy any drinks they gave him, considering his body.

    Still, we did give the Dwarves very valuable information. I was hoping for an appropriate response. Well, I can use that as fodder for negotiation during official diplomatic rtions. I¡¯ll bear with it for now.

    Still, it would probably be better to change and avoid giving offense.

    First, he took out a fake Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown. It was a perfect cosmetic copy, down to the metal used in its construction. However, that was all; it did not possess even a tenth of the power of the original, and it was merely socketed with jewels that had the same color as the original.

    Ainz imbued the staff with a red glow, which quickly darkened. Why did it have such an adjustment function? His pastpanions¡¯ obsession filled him with irritation.

    It did not seem to be linked to his own aura.

    Ainz radiated a ck halo from behind him, but as expected, the staff¡¯s aura did not change.

    Is it just a visual effect?

    There was a sudden tter, which snapped Ainz out of his thoughts. When he turned to look at the source of the sound, he saw three Dwarves seated on the ground.

    They looked like the Dwarves manning the fortress, but at the same time they seemed more impressive. In truth, two of them were better-dressed than the other. That one must have been a soldier in this fortress, and the other two would probably be his superiors.

    ...Why are the three of them sitting there? Is sitting down to talk the proper etiquette amongst Dwarves? ...They¡¯re staring at me with eyes wide open. It would be annoying if it¡¯s a Dwarf-only expression.

    Their mouths were hidden by their beards, so it was difficult to see the looks they had on their faces.

    Baffled, Ainz nevertheless extended a hand to the seated Dwarfs.

    One could take that as the intention to help them up, or that he wanted to shake hands. But in truth, he wanted to tell them that he would rather talk while standing.

    It was hard adjusting to different cultures. If he handled this poorly, the other side might take offense.

    If they attacked him with something like, ¡°You should have done some research on our country¡¯s customs since you wanted to form a rtionship with us¡±, he would have nothing to say in response.

    Though he was very uneasy about this, Ainz gave thanks to his unmoving face, and kept his hand extended.

    The Dwarves nced back and forth between Ainz¡¯s face and hands, a troubled look on their faces.

    Hm? Could it be that they¡¯re afraid of me?! ...Well, given that I look like this... it can¡¯t be helped, right? Reactions like this are kind of expected from humanoid society...

    Although they feared him in E-Rantel as well, they had not reacted in this way. Therefore, it might be that taking the hand of a highly-ced person was impolite in their society.

    In the end, the worried Ainz decided to pull them up by the hand.

    Since they have the time to waste on this pointless business, it should mean that the Quagoa haven¡¯t attacked yet. If they did attack, we could have them owe us a big one, but just warning them about it would count as a small favor, so I should bear with it. Ahhh, what a shame. Still, which one of them is their leader?

    ¡°Well then, I am the Sorcerer-King Ainz Ooal Gown. Are you the gentlemen who are in charge of weing me?¡±

    He did not know which of the higher-ups was of higher rank, so he addressed the space between them. Then one of the Dwarves nodded forcefully, like he was trying to shake something off his face.

    ¡°Ahem! I, I am the man in charge of the military¡ª¡±

    ¡°The military¡ª I see.¡±

    So this was themander-in-chief. Ainz was surprised. He had not expected their top man toe down in person.

    Could it be that this country has heard of the Sorcerous Kingdom before? Or rather... was it because I brought them news at a very opportune time?

    ¡°¡ªAre there any problems with the Quagoa? I do apologize for making youe down in person during a busy time,mander-in-chief.¡±

    Themander-in-chief¡¯s eyes went wide.

    ¡°I see... so you already know why I came, then?¡±

    What the hell is he talking about, Ainz thought. Naturally, he did not actually say it.

    ¡°¡ªOf course. That is correct.¡±

    He nodded magnanimously, in the regal manner he had practiced many times before.

    ¡°...I see. ...Well, as you know, we¡¯ve somehow halted the Quagoa advance for now ¡ª no, we¡¯re trying to hold them back.¡±

    ¡°Ho. Hoho. ...And?¡±

    Ainz wanted to ask the Dwarf what he thought Ainz knew, but since Ainz had already pretended that he was well-informed, that line of questioning was ruled out.

    But has anything leaked out about me?

    All he could do was hang on to that thought as he looked forward to their response.

    ¡°Before that, I heard from my men that you obtained your information after questioning some Quagoa captured in Feoh Rai?¨­. Do you have any evidence to support it?¡±

    ¡°There is Gondo, a citizen of this country¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªMaterial evidence.¡±

    ¡°Hm, so, you want to see the captured Quagoa, then? I can bring forth several of them and you can ask them yourselves.¡±

    ¡°An immediate answer... It seems I will have to be frank with you, then. ...At this rate, an evacuation to Feoh Rai?¨­ will be very difficult.¡±

    ¡°Commander...!¡±

    Judging by the reproachful tone taken by the man beside themander-in-chief, Ainz guessed that the man was harping on the fact that themander-in-chief was talking about military secrets in front of Ainz. However themander-in-chief calmly continued:

    ¡°His Majesty already knows everything. It is as he said ¡ª the fact that someone who should bemanding at the frontlines is here is a clear sign of a stalemate. Since he already knows that, it should also be easy to imagine what our troops ¡ª who cannot look forward to any reinforcements ¡ª intend to do.¡±

    No, I was just asking to be polite. However, Ainz could not speak the truth, and instead he nodded, in the practiced manner of a true ruler.

    Themander-in-chief described the terrible state they were in.

    The fortress defending the Great Rift had fallen, and they had been pushed back to their final defensive line. Only one gate stood between them and the enemy, and if it fell, the foe would pour into the city and many Dwarves would die. While they had originally nned to buy some time for people to flee to Feoh Rai?¨­, it was clear that the survival of the entire species would be in doubt if the n was not radically altered.

    After Ainz learned of the Dwarves¡¯ dire straits, he smiled in his heart. Everything was developing in a favorable direction for him.

    ¡°How about this? I will lend you the use of my forces to beat back the Quagoa for the time being. What do you think?¡±

    Themander narrowed his eyes, as though to hide the emotion within them.

    ¡°Can you do that? But...¡±

    Traditionally speaking, one would need to put down the terms of a deal in writing before a contract could be signed. There were many advantages in handling matters in that way. However, if he freely lent them his strength, he would earn the gratitude of everyone present. One could make gains with a loan that one could not with a written agreement, and Ainz was gunning for that.

    Between the fixed and the formless, the formless was generally more troublesome. It was like paying for a meal at a restaurant based on one¡¯s mood. There was the chance that one would be overchargedpared to paying a fixed price.

    Generosity is often simr to greed, hm? Did Punitto Moe-san say that?

    ¡°Aftering all this way and taking so much effort to find you, it would be quite troublesome for me if the country I wished to befriend was destroyed. Won¡¯t you ept my help?¡±

    ¡°...But if we don¡¯t have the approval of the Council...¡±

    ¡°Well, as long as there¡¯s enough time, it should be alright. This is simply an offer of assistance from me. The final decision is yours. Of course, the Council should settle important things in session... but you should know how this sort of thing usually ends up. Meetings go on from dawn to dusk and in the end nobody cane to a conclusion. While it would be a shame to let my journey up to now go to waste, it can¡¯t be helped.¡±

    ¡°...Your Majesty, are you confident in your ability to repulse the Quagoa?¡±

    ¡°If they are only of the calibre that we saw in Feoh Rai?¨­, then it should be child¡¯s y.¡±

    Mm, Gondo nodded from the side.

    ¡°Of course, that is before the Quagoa break into the city. It is very difficult to eliminate only the enemy during a chaotic melee. I trust you wouldn¡¯t want to stand by and let the fighting spill over into the Dwarven city? So I think that right now, your one little door is yourst chance, right?¡±

    A bitter expression came over themander-in-chief¡¯s face¡ª

    ¡°¡ªHow much longer do you have? How many more days can the gate hold out?¡±

    Ainz¡¯s repeated hammering on the point seemed to have made up themander-in-chief¡¯s mind for him.

    ¡°...I understand. Your Majesty, I pray you will lend us your nation¡¯s strength.¡±

    ¡°Commander-in-chief!¡±

    Another soldier called out in a panicked voice, and themander-in-chief red sharply at him.

    Then, themander-in-chief apologized briefly to Ainz before taking the other man some distance away, so he could not hear.

    Then, they talked.

    He could hear fragments of conversation, like ¡°this is bad¡±, ¡°un¡ª¡±, ¡°Quagoa¡±, ¡°we still¡±, ¡°danger before us¡±, ¡°in any case¡± and so on.

    The general idea seemed to be that it would be hard for them to deal with the Quagoa on their own, so they should take advantage of this opportunity and gamble on it.

    It would seem the time hade for onest push.

    Infusing strength into his voice, Ainz called out:

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s about time to decide your future ns now?¡±

    <b>3</b>

    There were eight ns of Quagoa living in the Azellisia Mountain Range.

    They were the Pu Rimidol n, the Pu Randel n, the Pu Surix n, the Po Ram n, the Po Shyunem n, the Po Gusua n, the Zu Aygen n and the Zu Riyushuk n.

    The children of Pu ¡ª the hero of old ¡ª formed three ns that took his name, and they feuded with the ns which named themselves Po and Zu. There were slight differences between each individual n, but on the whole each wasposed of 10¡¯000 Quagoa, for a total of 80¡¯000 Quagoa distributed throughout the Azellisia Mountain Range.

    Now, if someone wanted to know if the Quagoa people were strong, the answer was that they were not.

    Even if one n had 10¡¯000 members, the Quagoa had little in the way of technology or civilization, and ranked among the lesser races of the mountains. They were little more than prey for the strong.

    Now, if one asked who the greatest enemy of the Quagoa race was, the answer would be the fellow ns of their race. No, sometimes even the people of their own ns could be their enemies. Other monsters viewed the Quagoa as little more than food. They did not hate the Quagoa, nor did theypete with them. However, their fellow Quagoa thought differently.

    That was due to the way in which the Quagoa grew.

    The ores and rocks which the Quagoa ate at a young age determined their abilitiester in life. In other words, they had topete with their own people for rare ores and metals to strengthen their bloodline. Thus, their fellow ns were their enemies, but it was only natural that the nearby foe was more troublesome than a distant one.

    Simrly, the Dwarves who contended with them for ores were also their enemies, but it was more likely that the dwarves would chase them away with their lightning-enchanted weapons.

    However, at some point, a hero of legends ¡ª one who surpassed Pu, the hero of old ¡ª was born.

    He was the Lord of the ns, Pe Riyuro.

    His might far surpassed that of the Blue and Red Quagoa. His overwhelming power allowed him to unite the ns.

    Riyuro¡¯s revolution did not stop there.

    After discovering an abandoned dwarven city, he gathered the ns there and formed monster-fighting units, using Dwarven prisoners to develop agriculture and animal husbandry.

    That was not all. Usually, when a new n leader was born, he would exterminate the bloodline of the previous n leader. This was themonly-epted means by which power was exchanged within the Quagoa people. However, Riyuro did not do that. Instead, he chose to let the leaders of the various ns rule themselves. However, Riyuro ordered all the ores to be brought to him. Those who obeyed Riyuro and performed well would be given rare ores, regardless of their status.

    For instance, those ns that defeated monster invasions would be known as brave, while those ns that found more gold or precious stones would gain favor and more members. He would reward them for their work with the appropriate ores.

    Theirpetition against their lord turned intopetition with each other, and the Lord¡¯s seat was secure.

    He had done all these things which no Quagoa had even dreamed of to expand his influence and to set into motion a certain n.

    That n was to attack the Dwarven city.

    The ns gathered their best warriors in response to their Lord¡¯s summons. They sent 2¡¯000 people per n, for a total fighting strength of 16¡¯000.

    This was an army never before seen in history. However, even with that much manpower, a direct attack across the suspension bridge would lead to horrendous casualties. Not only would that defeat the purpose of gathering such numbers, but it ran the risk of being defeated without being able to bring down the fortress.

    Thus, Riyuro ordered them to find a way around the fortress.

    Although several of the scouting teams did note back, they managed to find a route to bypass the Great Rift in the end. After that, his troops divided themselves up into three to carry out their tasks.

    One group was assigned to find and capture fleeing Dwarves. This task was divided among many smaller squads.

    One group was designated as the main force. They were to conquer and loot the Dwarven city. If the elite group took too long in bringing down the fortress, they would step in to help.

    Thest group was filled with elite Quagoa, who would bring down the Dwarven fortress. This group would move ahead of the main force, bring down the fortress and they might be used to conquer the city as well.

    The third group, the vanguard, was led by a Quagoa called Yozu.

    He was one of Riyuro¡¯s top men, an exceptional Red Quagoa. His mind was sharp, he was a capable fighter, and he was one of the top candidates for the spot of leader within his own n.

    Even so, it was not easy for someone like him tomand his mixed battle group.

    After all, the elites from the various ns held deep-seated grudges against each other. However, Yozu could even managed to make use of that.

    By fanning the mes ofpetition between the ns, he brought down the fortress.

    Their victory was assured by taking the nking route and then the fortress, but even then, nobody could doubt his extraordinarymand ability.

    In truth, nobody else among the Quagoa could match his skill as amander.

    And now, the Quagoa were preparing to checkmate the Dwarves.

    ***

    The first Quagoa among the vanguard who attacked the fortress were assault troopsposed of the best of the best. These Quagoa wed savagely at the hateful gate, but they could not break through.

    One more step. Just one step closer, and they could break through that door and trample their hated enemies, the Dwarves. One more step, and they could take this entire domain for their own. They would be ranked first for their achievements, and as their reward, they would receive enough ore to make their heads spin.

    However, that chance was denied and sealed away by the cold gate before them.

    The Quagoa had a saying; the worm that hides deeper grows bigger.

    One of the Quagoa was so angry at being so close but so far that he tried biting the gate. Naturally, he did nothing more than scratch the surface.

    Seeing him, several others tried the same thing.

    However, regr Quagoa could not harm it at all. They could try for a hundred years and still get nowhere.

    Even when they thought to burrow through the rock and bypass the gate, they found that the walls were reinforced byttices of the same metal which made up the gate.

    Regr Quagoa could not breach that gate. Their rare elites like the Blue or Red Quagoa were held in reserve as a secret weapon and not assigned to those assault teams. In other words, their advance was briefly halted here.

    Anyone would be frustrated by being denied their glory at their veryst moment. However, they were not anxious. This was because they had already reported this to the vanguardmander. If the great Yozu was here, he would surely think of a way that they could not.

    Even so, they formed up in ns to rest, because they did not know how much time it would take.

    If they were regr troops, they might fidget and wander from stress, or start fighting with other ns. However, everyone here was the best of the best. They rested when it was time to rest, saving their rage and strength for the next battle.

    And then, after resting for some time, the Quagoa suddenly looked up, as though their heads were mounted on springs.

    There was a low bass creaking that sounded like it came from deep beneath the earth, and the gates began to slowly open.

    The assault Quagoa looked at each other.

    The Dwarves had sealed the gates in a panic. Why had they opened them again? Did they want to surrender? There were many Quagoa who thought that way, and theyughed mockingly as they bared their teeth.

    As if they would ept a surrender.

    Their n was to exterminate the Dwarves. They would not give the Dwarves the time to spout useless words.

    They would flood in like an avnche through the opened gates and brutally ughter all the Dwarves in their way. After that, they would trample the city underfoot and massacre with all their strength.

    A gap slowly opened before the bloodthirsty Quagoa. It was still too small to fit through. One of the murderous Quagoa worked his arm into that gap.

    He ventured his sharp ws forth, trying to murder any Dwarves in front of the Gate.

    And then¡ª

    ¡°Gyaaaaaaaaah!¡±

    The Quagoa who wanted to be number one screamed and rolled back. The arm he thrust in was gone, reced by a fountain of fresh blood.

    Their shock at this development was like dumping cold water on the fires of their bloodlust.

    It was easy to imagine what had happened.

    In all likelihood, someone had cut his arm off with some kind of weapon, but was that even possible?

    The Quagoa special ability was that they were extremely resistant to the weapons which the Dwarves typically used. During their surprise attack on the fortress, some of them had been hurt but none of them had died. That should have held true as long as they were not hit by electrical attacks.

    But then, why had theirrade¡¯s arm been chopped off?

    There was only one reason for that.

    That would be the existence of an extraordinary swordsman, who could easily cut through the arm of a Quagoa, a member of a race whose skin and hide repelled all des.

    In other words, there was an unimaginably powerful warrior behind the slowly-opening door.

    The Quagoa stepped back, gripped by an emotion they had not yet felt in this battle ¡ª fear. During this time, the gap in the door continued to widen.

    ¡°Why are you backing down?¡± called a powerful voice from the rear of the assault team.

    ¡°There are no cowards among n Pu Rimidol!¡±

    ¡°Ohhhhh!¡±

    That cry of agreement must havee from the members of n Pu Rimidol who had been chosen for this assault team. Panicked, those from the other ns shouted as well, proiming their strength.

    ¡°n Po Gusua knows no cowards either!¡±

    ¡°Nobody from the Zu Aygen n will lose to the Pu or the Po! How can we let our ancestorsugh at us from the Land of Derey?!¡±

    To the Quagoa, the valorous dead would watch their children prosper from the Land of Derey. It was said that the ancestors would mock those who shamed themselves.

    Those words were the trigger that reignited the fighting spirit of the Quagoa.

    They dragged the disarmed Quagoa aside, to the wall. The assault teams kept their distance and took a close formation, ready to ughter this mighty swordsman.

    ¡°Charge! No matter how strong he is, the enemy only has one sword! We¡¯ll hit him with more people than he can handle,¡± someone said.

    ¡°No, we just need to rush straight ahead once the door opens. Once we knock him down, we¡¯ll trample him. Then we¡¯ll sack the city.¡±

    ¡°Then, let me take the lead!¡±

    There was a mineral called Nuran which was crushed into powder and mixed into paint. The courageous would take this paint and draw two stripes through their fur as proof of their bravery.

    The Quagoa gathered behind one such brave soul. If he was struck down by that sword, they could still shove him in.

    The gap in the door was now big enough for a single Quagoa to pass through. While it was too cramped to burst through, they would be losing men for nothing if they hit the entrance with the lightning magic from just now and then closed the doors again.

    ¡°Charge!¡±

    With a valorous cry, over 10 Quagoa made their move.

    The brave Quagoa at their head stiffened. The people pushing him from behind felt him being killed by the swordsman. However, they could not stop. If they stopped now, they would be insulting his courage.

    Because of that, the Quagoa from behind pushed forward with single-minded intensity, intent on letting their momentum carry them into the Dwarven city to loot and pige it...

    ¡ªAnd then they stopped.

    No matter how hard they pushed, they could not carry on. It was as though a thick, massive wall was blocking them.

    One of the Quagoa raised his head and looked forward.

    It was only natural to wonder if the Dwarves had made a wall.

    Because indeed, there was a jet-ck wall there.

    All their eyes could see was the wall. And then it started moving.

    ¡°OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!¡±

    It was a mighty cry that made the air quiver.

    What they had thought was a wall was in actual fact a gigantic shield.

    The Quagoa had no history of weapon or armor use, but they had seen the Dwarves use them before. However, they had never seen anything this big. Before them was a shield that could have been mistaken for a wall.

    As the Quagoa were baffled by this development, the loathsome creature behind the shield revealed itself.

    It was a creature sheathed in ck full te armor, its crimson eyes glowing with hatred.

    Even the ignorant Quagoa could understand that it was evil, it was violence ¡ª it was Death itself.

    A pyun! rang out.

    In that instant, the heads of three Quagoa took flight as one.

    ¡°UUUOOOOHHHHHHHH!!¡±

    The roar battered at the bodies of the Quagoa.

    The hair-raising impact made the Quagoa want to run away with all their heart.

    Within their tribes, they considered themselves courageous warriors who did not fear death. However, they had never imagined a being like this in their wildest dreams. The monster before them obliterated their courage.

    That being the case, why did they not flee right away?

    That was because theycked the strength to do so. Their instincts told them that if they ran, they would be in in a single blow from behind. Even so, the eyes of that ck being reminded the Quagoa of their desire to live.

    ¡°OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!¡±

    That roar seemed toe from deep beneath the earth. The Quagoa whimpered in response, and took several steps back.

    And then, as though to seize the opportunity which had presented itself, another being identical to it appeared. And then¡ª

    ¡°Hiiiiiii!¡±

    One of the Quagoa screamed.

    As they looked toward the owner of that voice, they saw theirrade who had lost his head.

    He was dead. There was no doubt about that. However, his arms started moving, as though grasping for something. It was clearly not a spasm or anything like that.

    The only conclusion they could draw was that the corpse was moving.

    As though trapped into a nightmare, the still-living Quagoa found themselves imprisoned in a cage of fear.

    ng, ng, went the two massive suits of armor, and then they raised identical, bizarre swords: mberges.

    ***

    ¡°So, ording to the assault team¡¯s report, they haven¡¯t found a way to bring down the door yet, am I right?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    The Quagoa whose pelt was streaked with red frowned as he listened to his underling¡¯s report.

    He was Yozu,mander of the Quagoa vanguard. He possessed a hide that was as tough as orichalcum and his resistance to metal weaponry was even greater than that of regr Quagoa. He was a superior member of his species, a Red Quagoa.

    Yozu turned his eyes from his bowing subordinate to the fortress on the other side of the suspension bridge. Beyond the fortress was a tunnel, and after the tunnel was the Dwarven city.

    After conquering it, they would have a good location for a base and all theirpetition for ores would also be eliminated at the same time.

    Thebination of expanded territory and an unprecedented haul of ores and minerals would make the Quagoa great.

    Once that happened, the Quagoa would somedaye to rule the entire mountain range.

    ¡°If only we could defeat those Dragons...¡±

    Yozu looked around worriedly after identally blurting out his true thoughts.

    If anyone reacted, they gave absolutely no sign.

    That put Yozu somewhat at ease.

    The Quagoa had taken the former Dwarven capital as their home base.

    The Royal Pce still stood proud within the city, but it was now the domain of the White Dragon. He was a Frost Dragon, who could exhale freezing breath.

    The Quagoa had forged an alliance with the Frost Dragons. However, anyone who knew even a little bit about the truth would know that this was nothing like a rtionship of equals. The n Lord might have prettied it up by saying that it was for mutual co-prosperity and whatnot, but not even the Lord himself believed what he was saying.

    The truth was that the Dragons were strong, and their servants, the Quagoa were weak.

    To the Dragons, the Quagoa were little more than emergency rations or convenient pawns.

    Yozu had once met the Dragons in the presence of the Lord of the ns, and that was the impression he got after hearing the mighty voice which emanated from its massive jaw. He was also shocked at the sight of the Lord grovelling before the Dragons.

    He did not want to see a great hero reduced to that state, but Yozu was not stupid. He keenly understood the insurmountable difference between the might of the Dragons and the Quagoa.

    Even so, he could not permit the Dragons to treat them like idiots.

    ...We can¡¯t do anything about it now. If we fight that Dragon Lord, the Quagoa race (we) will suffer irrecoverable damage even if we win. But... someday.

    He was not the only one holding that wish in his heart. All the Quagoa who had met the Dragons ¡ª in other words, all the upper-ss Quagoa ¡ª had the same desire.

    To begin with, they needed to find a way to be immune to freezing breath. If Quagoa like that were not born, they would take terrible losses.

    The search for that way would take a lot of time.

    Yozu swept away his dark emotions. Right now, he had to destroy the Dwarves. That had not been done yet. It would be foolish to let worrying about the future affect what he could do in the present.

    Yozu summoned his subordinates.

    ¡°Oi, destroy the fortress and then see if we can widen the tunnel walls to let more people in. We need to prepare as much as possible before the main force¡ª¡±

    Suddenly, Yozu¡¯s ears stood up. He thought he had heard a scream from somewhere.

    No, it might not have been a scream. It might have been a threatening noise made by a monster. The problem with being underground was that it was very difficult to tell where sounds came from.

    This time, however, he knew instantly.

    That was because he saw the Quagoa from the assault team fleeing from the fortress while screaming at the top of their lungs.

    A hubbub came from the Quagoa around Yozu.

    Given the state of the Quagoa who hade back, it was very clear that they were terrified and confused. Several Quagoa even shoved their buddies from behind, and thetter tumbled into the Great Rift.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is there an emergency?¡±

    One of Yozu¡¯s subordinates answered: ¡°We¡¯re not sure. Could it be a Dwarven counterattack?¡±

    That was not possible. A Dwarven counterattack was well within the expected range of responses. It would not cause the assault teams to flee in panic.

    It must have been some sort of special attack. Yozu had once heard that boiling oil was very painful.

    ¡°Gather the men and find out what¡¯s going on. If it¡¯s a Dwarven counterattack, continue the advance. We must not let them take the fortress back.¡±

    Yozu¡¯s men formed up into apany per his instructions, and they began crossing the bridge.

    The screams continued during this time, and the assault team continued fleeing.

    What were they running from? Was it the result of the mysterious power called magic?

    As Yozu thought about the matter, a pair of silhouettes appeared at the door of the fortress.

    They were big, ck... somethings.

    ¡°¡ªWhat, what are those? Giant Dwarves? Dwarf Lords?¡±

    Yozu had never seen such beings before. Although he knew that the Dwarves used armor as part of their equipment, and that some sets of armor covered the entire body, what he saw now waspletely different from what he had seen then.

    In their right hands they carried wavy-ded greatswords, while in their left they had massive shields.

    Given that the Lord of the ns was slightly different from regr Quagoa in appearance, the Dwarven Lords probably looked different from regr Dwarves.

    Yozu did not know the true identity of the beings which stood at the entrance of the fortress like Nio statues. However, his animal instincts told him that they were dangerous entities.

    (TL Note: Nio statues = temple guardian statues modelled after the Bright Kings of Buddhism)

    He also understood why the assault teams had fled from those monsters with all their might.

    His subordinates around him were frozen in shock, the same way he was. The only beings that still moved were the Quagoa running from the fortress. They did not look back; their energies were fully focused on getting across the suspension bridge.

    The ck suits of armor roared.

    Even at such a great distance, the cry ripped through the air and made his fur stand on end. Yozu¡¯s guts clenched and turned cold. It was like feeling a Dragon¡¯s roar through his entire body.

    As though on cue, he saw Quagoa slowly emerge from beside the ck suits of armor.

    Did they escape? Or did they betray us? No, that¡¯s not¡ª

    Yozu¡¯s eyes went wide.

    One of the Quagoa he saw was missing its head.

    He squinted, and saw that several Quagoa were trailing their innards behind them, while others seemed to be shambling in an uncoordinated manner, the left and right halves of their bodies moving out of sync, as though they had been cut in half.

    Beings that moved even when they could not be alive were ¡ª

    Magic! Magic that controls the dead!

    ¡°Is that the Dwarves¡¯ secret weapon?¡±

    Yozu agreed with what his subordinate had said.

    Did they have an ace in the hole besides lightning-enchanted weaponry?

    ¡°...Are they Golems?¡±

    It was said that when the Dragon took possession of the Royal Pce, it had fought monsters with those names. Apparently, they looked like armored statues.

    ¡°Are those the Dwarves called Golems?¡±

    Yozu shook his head at his subordinate¡¯s question.

    ¡°No, Golems are monsters. The Dwarves probably raised those.¡±

    ¡°Like the Nuks we tamed, then?¡±

    (TL Note: ¥Ì©`¥¯)

    These Nuks were magical beasts.

    Their males were 3.5 meters long and weighed 1200 kg. They were shaggy four-legged herbivores who could survive on even a little bit of algae. They were tough enough to survive in heavy snowfalls, so many monsters in the Azellisia Mountain Range fed on them.

    In any event, there was no telling how well those ck Golems could fight, but given the fleeing Quagoa and the assault teams¡¯ diminished numbers... no, more than that, Yozu¡¯s goosebumps and his cold sweat told him everything.

    Beating them would not be easy, but fortunately, they only seemed to be watching them from afar and not trying to cross the bridge.

    ¡°It, it seems they came to take back the fortress.¡±

    ¡°Y-yes, that¡¯s right. Alright, form up again while they¡¯re still stopped. At the same time, we¡¯ll prepare to ¡ª they¡¯re moving!¡±

    The ck suits of armor broke into a run, charging at the suspension bridge.

    ¡°Who was that! Who said that they were there to take back the fortress?!¡±

    ¡°Commander! Now¡¯s not the time for that! What should we do!?¡±

    The Quagoa which Yozu had sent out bared their ws, ready for battle.

    The ck suits of armor braced their shields and blew through the Quagoa where they made contact.

    Sent flying by overwhelming power, many Quagoa fell from the suspension bridge. The ck suits of armor did not stop. Though they slowed down a little, they continued their charge forward with shields raised, like rampaging walls.

    If this kept up, they would soon cross the bridgepletely and reach this ce.

    And then, when that happened... what would happen? Realizing the mortal danger which awaited him, Yozu shouted.

    ¡°Cut, cut the bridge!¡±

    If they destroyed the bridge, the main force would only be able to use the nking route, and that would waste a lot of time. The Dwarves would probably strengthen their defense in the interim. Thus, one could consider their first objective of taking the fortress to be a failure.

    After the loss of manpower and resources during this operation, failure would not be a matter that could be simply excused by a rebuke. However, all that paled inparison to the danger of letting those ck suits of armor cross the bridge.

    If they reached this ce, everybody here would die. The ck suits of armor were such beings.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to cut the bridge?!¡±

    The Quagoa could not help but watch the ck suits of armor smash their men away with their unimaginable might. At the second cry, they finally managed to move. However, almost all the Quagoa who had been sent out from the rear were had been sent flying into the abyss, and there were only a few Quagoa left on the bridge to face the ck suits of armor.

    All of those Quagoa desperately bit and wed at the steel suspension cables of the bridge.

    ¡°Have one of the assault teams stall their advance!¡±

    Being told to stop the Golems right after hearing themand to destroy the bridge was no different from a suicide mission. Even so, a suicide squad immediately assembled and bravely went forth.

    As expected, the suicide squad bounced off the shields, but some of them managed to get past and hurled themselves upon the ck suits of armor. However, the ck suits of armor paid them no heed. Being bitten did not seem to hurt them, and they continued their advance.

    The bridge had not yet fallen.

    If this kept up, the ck suits of armor would make it all the way across.

    As Yozu realized this, his body began moving on its own. He leapt down from hismand post high above, and used the force of hisnding and the sharpness of his ws to deliver a hit to the steel cables of the bridge.

    A great ping tore through the air.

    The suspension bridge rose and fell like a gigantic wave, and broke.

    Yozu could not withstand the serpentine thrashing of the suspension bridge and was thrown into the air. However, he managed to grab a dancing cable before he was swallowed up by the yawning darkness beneath him. Since Yozu could not control his movements in mid-air, it was an unimaginable stroke of luck for him. He pulled himself along the cable as his body swayed in mid-air, and managed to make contact with the edge of the cliff.

    However, he did not even have the time to catch his breath. A malevolent cold filled his body. Yozu listened to his instincts and threw himself prone.

    In that instant, a screaming object swept past the fur on Yozu¡¯s back. Unbelievably enough, that object was a flying Quagoa. Under these dire circumstances, the ck suit of armor had managed to throw one of the suicide squad members at Yozu with its ridiculous arm strength.

    The thrown Quagoa hit one of Yozu¡¯s men, who was still frozen in shock. The two of them disintegrated into chunks of gory meat with a brief, agonized cry of ¡°Pigya!¡±

    However, that was all, because the suicide squad and the ck suits of armor vanished into the Great Rift.

    Silence filled the air.

    Yozu slowly peered into the darkness of the Great Rift. He was not the only one to do so; all the survivors looked into the darkness that had swallowed everything. All of them knew that there was no surviving that drop; even so, they could not erase their fear that the ck suits of armor woulde mbering up the sides of the chasm.

    After what seemed like forever, Yozu finally sighed in relief.

    They did not look like they would being back.

    Looking around, he saw that there were precious few of his men who had survived.

    Even so, the fact that they had survived against those ck suits of armor was worthy of praise.

    ¡°We¡¯re pulling back!¡±

    If they did not report those Golems to the people on top, things would be very bad for them.

    If those were being mass-produced, it was the Quagoa who would be annihted instead. Yozu did not feel that there were only two of them.

    ¡°...How fearsome those Dwarves are.¡±

    Yozu deeply regretted underestimating the Dwarves. To think they knew how to produce such monsters¡ª

    ¡°In any case, we need to inform the main body about this. Messengers!¡±

    The people who ran over in response to Yozu¡¯s call were the Quagoa Riders, who far exceeded the average Quagoa in mobility. They possessed a special ability which made them immune to the fatigue caused by extended sprinting.

    The reason why he had called this many of them over was because moving in small numbers ran the risk of the entire group being wiped out by a monster ambush. That was not to say that moving in force guaranteed safety, but that it did not matter how many died as long as one of them survived to pass their message on to headquarters.

    ¡°Alright! Go! Don¡¯t forget, your mission is very important!¡±

    Yozu gave another order as he watched them leave.

    Needless to say, it was to fall back immediately to meet with the Lord of the ns.

 Chapter 84 - Volume 11

    v11 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4: A Craftsman and Negotiation

    Image

    1

    The two summoned Death Knights vanished from the other side of the gates. They roared in anticipation of joyful ughter, while the cries of the dying rang out. Once the gates slowly closed, the thickness of the double doors meant that the sounds of carnage on the other side did little more than tickle the eardrums.

    ¡°Things should be alright for now.¡±

    There was a time limit on Death Knights that were not made with corpses. Even so, if the estimates of Quagoabat power from their captives was urate, they should be able to defeat a sizable portion of the attackers even without knowing their opponents¡¯ numbers. If the enemy was not ipetent, they would surely pull back to regroup after taking sufficient losses.

    I hope they don¡¯t retreat just yet. If they build a camp, it¡¯ll mean the danger is still clear and present. That way, the Dwarven nation will have to work with us. I should order the Death Knights to hold back for now... it¡¯s quite troublesome when you can¡¯t win by toorge a margin.

    As Ainz contemted these details in silence, he nced to themander-in-chief, who was looking at him with a twitching smile on his face. Ainz had no idea why he had that smile born of terror on his face ¡ª and in that moment an imaginary light bulb shone above Ainz¡¯ head.

    He should have be used to my appearance by now, so it¡¯s probably because of the Quagoa screaming outside. Well, it¡¯s true that the wails of the dying can be somewhat disturbing.

    That said, Ainz felt that he should not mind the screaming of the enemy so much. Still, he would not be human ¡ª or a Dwarf, rather ¡ª if he did not think that way.

    But how can someone like that be amander of warriors? This is somewhat worrying.

    He knew he was thinking too much about this, but Ainz continued looking at themander-in-chief. At this moment, Gondo approached him.

    ¡°Then, Your Majesty. I shall be returning home for a bit.¡±

    ¡°Ahh. Then, will you help me settle things on your end?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I will arrange for it and send it out. It¡¯s alright if the time or whatever isn¡¯t adjusted, right? I can count on your spells if something happens, right?¡±

    Ainz extended a fist and bumped it against Gondo¡¯s. They had talked about many things beforeing here, and it would seem it had been effective.

    Gondo really does talk a lot...

    He tended to monopolize the conversation, and he spoke at such lengths that it seemed never ending. This must have been the result of being obsessed about the almost lost-art of runesmithing and then being ostracized. That was why he kept babbling about the topic to Ainz ¡ª who had an interest in the topic ¡ª like a burst dam.

    Ainz could understand how he felt, because there were times when Ainz had also wanted to talk to people who shared his interests. However, Ainz was not going along with this long monologue out of the kindness of his heart.

    Gondo lightly tapped his magic rucksack and began walking away.

    Themander-in-chief seemed to have something to say to the retreating Gondo, but he did not call out to him.

    ¡°Then, what should we do now? Should we wait a while before opening the gate and inspecting the results of the battle?¡±

    Themander-in-chief must have anticipated Ainz¡¯s question. He replied instantly, as though he had already prepared the answer beforehand.

    ¡°It is deeply disrespectful to have the sovereign of a nation waiting here. I feel we should proceed to the Council Chamber and present your suggestion to everyone.¡±

    ¡°Why not take a look at the aftermath?¡±

    ¡°I think Your Majesty¡¯s introduction is more important. I sent a message to the Council while the Quagoa were attacking. They are probably still fumbling for some way to deal with the situation now. I feel that we should present them with new information before they panic and give bad orders.¡±

    ¡°I see. In that case, I have no objections. Please, lead on.¡±

    ¡°Understood. However, Your Majesty¡¯s magical beasts will surely terrify themon folk. It shames me to ask, but could you have them stand by here? We will take care of them to the best of our ability if you inform us of the key points...¡±

    Ainz looked towards Aura, who nodded.

    ¡°I see. Then they shall wait here.¡±

    Ainz indicated to a corner of the garrison with a bony finger, and themander nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Also, there is no need to care for them. We will take care of that. I will have three of my followers apany me.¡±

    Ainz selected Shalltear, Aura and Zenberu. He ordered the others to wait here.

    Themander-in-chief looked somewhat relieved. It would seem he did not want to have the undead strutting through the streets.

    ¡°Then, shall we go?¡±

    ¡°Ah, please do.¡±

    Ainz andpany walked proudly through the Dwarven city, led by themander-in-chief. An almost painful amount of curious stares focused on him, while Dwarven mothers who saw Ainz hid their children indoors. That made him somewhat disappointed.

    Of course, he could have been less obvious if he wished.

    If he had put on a mask, much fewer people would have stared at him. That said, there was a reason why he did not choose to cover his face.

    It was because he wanted to announce his arrival in the city of the Dwarves. It was not very likely that there would be a yer in the Dwarven nations if it had to seek external help against an invasion like this. However, there might be low-level yers here, or items they had left behind.

    Like that spell-sealing crystal.

    In order to avoid being attacked by such items, he would have to manufacture proof of his visit in an aboveboard manner. In this way, they would not be able to settle things ndestinely.

    In addition, while he had not yet decided what sort of ambassadorial party he would send, it was quite likely that he might end up using undead beings for that purpose. Therefore, he wanted to let them get used to it.

    ¡°Still, nobody seems worried, despite the extent of the Quagoa invasion.¡±

    Ainz asked themander-in-chief that question after seeing two red-faced Dwarves stagger out of a tavern, arms around each other¡¯s shoulders.

    The unmistakeable scent of alcohol surrounded them.

    ¡°That is because the people do not know the Quagoa have attacked.¡±

    ¡°And... why is that?¡±

    Their sense of self-preservation appeared to be terminally defective.

    Themander-in-chief seemed to have read Ainz¡¯s mind, and he replied:

    ¡°The Quagoa advanced too quickly, so the information did not spread. Depending on the Council¡¯s decision, it ought to start spreading within an hour.¡±

    ¡°Hm. Well, I did order my subordinates to retake the bridge, so once they do so, the city will be safe for the time being, no? This is quite an important factor for when we begin trade with this country.¡±

    ¡°That is hard to say. Given the size of the enemy force, we don¡¯t know when the opposition will begin their advance in earnest. Once we take the bridge back, we¡¯ll need to solidify our defenses, investigate their nking route, and n a strategy against them.¡±

    Ainz smiled evilly within his heart.

    It looked like there would be many chances to sell this country favors in the future. That being the case, it might be best not to change his Death Knights¡¯ orders to retake the bridge.

    ¡°¡ªWhat?!¡±

    Ainz¡¯s voice set themander-in-chief¡¯s shoulders trembling.

    ¡°Aiiiee! What, what is it, Your Majesty?!¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. Something on my end. There¡¯s no need to worry. There¡¯s no need to ask further,¡± Ainz emphasised those words in iron tones to shut down the other man¡¯s questions.

    This reaction ¡ª which was quite unlike Ainz ¡ª was because he had lost hisposure.

    There was no response from the two Death Knights he had made, which should have been in the vicinity of Feoh G¨¥r.

    There was only one conclusion he could draw from this shocking conclusion.

    ¡ªThe Death Knights had been defeated.

    Hoh!

    Death Knights were fairly weak to Ainz. However, by the standards of this world, they were formidable opponents even for the most powerful members of a nation. Anyone who could defeat two fearsome knights like that must be very powerful.

    In addition, their responses had vanished at almost the same time.

    Had they been simultaneously destroyed as part of a carefullyid n?

    Had someone finished them off with an area-effect spell?

    Had a powerful individual simply obliterated them in one stroke?

    Whatever the answer was, there was certainly another mighty being present, apart from the bizarre masked magic caster he had encountered in the Royal Capital.

    Someone who could defeat the defense-oriented Death Knights by themselves would probably be over level 45.

    ¡°Does that mean I¡¯ve been found out?¡±

    Themander-in-chief looked at Ainz in response to his mumblings, but Ainz had no time to worry about him.

    An unknown, powerful being was most likely to be a yer. If an enemy of Ainz¡¯s level hade to this world, a measly two Death Knights would be child¡¯s y to deal with.

    If there¡¯s a yer-rted entity here who¡¯s not connected to the Dwarves, does that mean they¡¯re on the side of the Quagoa? Then, are they rted to the people who brainwashed Shalltear?

    Searing fire zed up in his chest.

    Hitherto smoldering embers red into a raging inferno, as though someone had poured gasoline on them. However, they were swiftly suppressed.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not possible. If they were rted, the Dwarven city would have fallen long ago. It¡¯s more likely that it¡¯s a mighty individual from this world. However, I can¡¯t conclude that there¡¯s no connection. That being the case, I will need to alter my ns.¡±

    Ainz had originally hoped that the war between the Quagoa and the Dwarves would go on.

    With the obvious enemy of the Quagoa before them, the Dwarves might well choose to flock to Ainz¡¯s banner. However, leaving the Quagoa alone ¡ª giving them too much time ¡ª would be very dangerous.

    If they were a race that habitually spawned powerful individuals, then while they might only have in Death Knights now, who knew what else they would destroy in the future? Right now ¡ª while he could still deal with them ¡ª the best thing to would be to either enve them or annihte thempletely.

    Thetter might well be the better course of action.

    Ideally, I would be able to subjugate the Quagoa and have them threaten the Dwarves from the shadows, but... A single misstep might lead to a fatal error. It would be safer not to do that.

    ¡°Your Majesty, the Council Chamber is in sight.¡±

    As he turned to look in the direction where themander-in-chief was pointing, arge building ¡ª certainly big for a Dwarf, but sizable even by Ainz¡¯s standards ¡ª came into view.

    Themander spoke briefly with the guards at the door, and they let Ainz and the others pass without inspection.

    The reason why they waived the inspection for Ainz andpany while still staring unabashedly at the undead Ainz was surely because themander had exercised his authority.

    ¡°Then, Your Majesty, I shall make a full report to the Council. May I trouble you to wait here for a while?¡±

    There was no reason to object. More to the point, it might be troublesome if he did not exin Ainz¡¯s contribution to this nation.

    ¡°Where shall we wait, then?¡±

    Themander-in-chief nced to one of the Dwarf guards, and the man stepped forward.

    ¡°The, the waiting room is that way. Permit me to escort you there.¡±

    ¡°Really now. I¡¯ll leave that to you, then.¡±

    The Dwarf ¡ª who trembled in both body and voice ¡ª brought them to a somewhat cramped room. Then again, it would probably not have been cramped for a Dwarf. It was just the right size for Aura and Shalltear. However, they had Zenberu there, who wasrge of stature. Just waiting in the room felt very ustrophobic for him.

    Given that the soldier had taken a look at Zenberu before bringing him here, this must have been thergest and the most luxurious VIP room in this building. Sure enough, the ornaments around them were all exquisitely crafted and looked as though they might actually move.

    Ainz had once made Avatara of his pastpanions, and he deeply appreciated the difficulty of making such intricate statuary. It was possible for something to look beautiful in profile but ugly when viewed head-on.

    Ainz picked up a statuette ¡ª a Dwarf riding on the back of a lizard.

    It¡¯s inly obvious that the Dwarves have outstanding craftsmanship. Mm, I¡¯d like to have such skills... I wonder if I could remake the Avataras? If I could, would I be able to make something better after practicing? ¡ª alright.

    Ainz decided to address Zenberu, who seemed distinctly out of ce here.

    ¡°Zenberu, continue with us for a bit longer.¡±

    ¡°Ah, Your Majesty, I¡¯d like to stay here instead, if it pleases you. Frankly speaking, it gives me a headache to talk with those great people.¡±

    A strange turn of phrase. It was different from how he had been during the trip here. Perhaps he had changed the way he spoke because he hade to the Dwarven Kingdom.

    ¡°...You are the overseer of a tribe, am I correct?¡±

    ¡°Shalltear-sama, one can be good or bad at various things. Also, I would feel bad if I inconvenienced His Majesty.¡±

    Ainz understood Zenberu¡¯s meaning, but he shook his head nheless.

    ¡°No, I will take you along. If something happens, I won¡¯t be able to protect you if you¡¯re too far away. I don¡¯t think there¡¯ll actually be any danger, but carelessness is for fools. For all we know, we might be within the palm of the enemy. Remember that at all times.¡±

    ¡°Yes! I have seared it into my heart!¡±

    Even though Ainz did not feel that the Dwarves would harm someone who had saved their country, he repeated for safety¡¯s sake.

    What¡¯s this? Shalltear¡¯s responding pretty well today. Did something happen?

    ¡°Ah, then, Your Majesty... What should I do?¡±

    ¡°Hm? Frankly speaking, just listen to us, Zenberu. No matter what happens, do not take part in any fighting.¡±

    Ainz nodded as Zenberu indicated his understanding.

    ¡°Very good. Now then ¡ª Aura, Shalltear, can you inspect my clothes and see if they¡¯re messed up?¡±

    The Dwarven soldier sent to show them the way arrived just after the two of them finished inspecting their attire.

    ***

    Ainz was led to a room where the Dwarves waited.

    Resplendent in his full panoply, Ainz strode forth with chest upthrust. His back was ramrod straight, his head was held high, and his bearing was that of a king. The obsidian radiance from the aura behind him glowed softly, as a substitute for cologne. Surely nobody would look down on him after all these preparations.

    He kept the wand ¡ª which substituted for a royal scepter ¡ª at his waist. It was infused with a 1st-tier spell, but since he had no intention of activating it, it should not pose any problems.

    After looking at himself up and down, he felt that this getup was somewhat at odds with the objective of seeking friendly rtions, but Aura and Shalltear strongly approved of it.

    The problem was that both of them thought too highly of Ainz, so he felt uneasy about relying on their opinion.

    Thus, he asked Zenberu for his view on the matter.

    After some fidgeting ¡ª from being asked about something whichy outside his field of expertise ¡ª Zenberu finally said something along the lines of ¡°Your attire would surely inspire awe in anyone who sees it¡±. Ainz took his word for it, and came here.

    However, the Dwarves he encountered turned pale, their postures shot through with nervousness. Of course, that too was an appropriate reaction to a king.

    ¡°Announcing the arrival of His Majesty, the Sorcerer King!¡±

    He could hear the Dwarf announcer from the other side of the door.

    When the door opened, Ainz entered the chamber.

    It looked like a meeting room, and there were eight Dwarves there.

    Incidentally, he had learned their names, their posts, their looks and features from themander-in-chief.

    There was the High Priest of Earth, who governed everything to do with magic. He held sway over divine magic casters and even arcane magic casters.

    There was the Forgemaster, who controlled all production which derived from the forges.

    There was themander-in-chief who had brought them here. He was responsible for all security and military matters. Once, he hadmanded many Dwarven soldiers, but the fact that he only had less than a hundred men now made the title a joke.

    There was the Director of Food Production, who managed food production and other industries which did not concern the forges.

    There was the Cab Secretary, who was in charge of everything which fell outside the jurisdiction of the other leaders here.

    There was the Brewmaster, who was on this Council because there had to be a leadership position for the Dwarven people¡¯s favorite pastime of alcohol.

    There was the Master of Caves and Mines, who had a lot of power in this city due to his influence over the sphere of mining and resource extraction.

    Once, there had been an organization called the Merchant¡¯s Guild, but due to theck of traders and trade in general, the title of Merchant¡¯s Guildmaster was now a hollow position in charge of foreign affairs.

    Those were the eight of them.

    Ainz slowly swept his gaze across everyone. Seven of them stared at him. Thest one ¡ª themander-in-chief ¡ª had a look of fatigue on his face instead, and his eyes met Ainz¡¯s.

    Ainz was pretending to be the picture of calm, but his heart was in chaos.

    Oi! I can¡¯t even tell them apart! Maybe some of them have shorter beards than the others, but aren¡¯t they all pretty much the same length? Was he lying to me? No, that must have been how he saw it. What should I do?

    Zenberu¡¯s memories had depicted them all with identical faces, and at first Ainz thought it was simply because the Lizardman saw all Dwarves as the same. He had even felt that Zenberu¡¯s ability to recognize faces needed improvement. However, that was not the case.

    I¡¯m sorry I doubted you, Zenberu. You were telling me the truth all along.

    In this world, there was no practice of exchanging business cards upon a meeting, a fact which he had longmented. Ainz felt the same way today, and then he gathered his strength into his belly.

    Next woulde a presentation which he had already made several times. Of note was the fact that he had two Guardians behind him and a subordinate of his subordinate. He could not allow them to see him make a fool of himself.

    ...If only I hadn¡¯t brought the three of them...

    However, his regrets were immaterial. The die had been cast, after all.

    (TL Note: Alea iacta est)

    Still ¡ª while he had psyched himself for it, there was not a single trace of the dialogue starting. The silence remained unbroken for a full minute after his arrival.

    What¡¯s going on? Standard practice for apany would be to start by the host introducing their staff, right? Shouldn¡¯t themander-in-chief introduce us? ...Or should I make the first move? I¡¯m not too well-versed in courtly etiquette and I don¡¯t want to appear boorish.

    ording to courtly etiquette, inferiors could not address the king directly. Direct interaction required a permission of some sort. In other words, the king was an untouchable being. Therefore, if Ainz initiated the dialogue, would the Dwarves look down upon him?

    After looking at the Dwarves, was the answer yes or no?

    That said, I doubt anyone will slight me, given the country¡¯s situation and the actions I took. If that really happens, then I might as well say that I won¡¯t negotiate with a pack of buffoons like them.

    Having made up his mind, Ainz decided to make his pitch.

    ¡°I am the ruler of the Sorcerous Kingdom, the Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown.¡±

    The Dwarves sprang into motion, as though they were reconnected to a power supply.

    ¡°We, we bid you wee, sovereign of the Sorcerous Kingdom, Your Majesty Ainz Ooal Gown. May we offer you a seat? There are seats for your esteemed followers over there.¡±

    Ainz nodded, and then he was ushered to what he called the birthday boy¡¯s ce. He sat down with regal aplomb, using movements he had practiced over and over. Shalltear, Aura and Zenberu sat behind Ainz.

    ¡°Then, we shall introduce ourselves. Firstly, I am this country¡¯s¡ª¡±

    And so, the Dwarves gave their names.

    The opening seemed to have gone without a hitch, but Ainz could not contain his worries.

    Just keeping their eight names in mind was already difficult. Having to associate each of those names and titles with a face was proving to be quite the challenge.

    Names were easy enough to remember, but adding a title onto that made him uneasy. Things like whether it was Master of Caves and Mines or Master of Mines and Caves only made things worse.

    That said, Ainz managed to remember them. He would not have been able to do it had he not inquired about them with themander-in-chief earlier.

    ¡°Please allow us to thank you on behalf of this country. Without Your Majesty, this country would have been destroyed.¡±

    Those words were spoken by the Master of Caves and Mines. All the Dwarves present nodded in response.

    The members of the Council apparently took turns leading it, so the leader this time around was the Master of Caves and Mines.

    ¡°Pay it no heed. Saving someone in trouble ismon sense.¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty is a truly magnanimous person. We will surely aid you to the best of our ability if any trouble besets you. That said, I fear we cannot do much to aid your august person, whomands the troops that saved our nation from extinction with but two of their number.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing like that. My country is indeed powerful in a military sense. However, there are some inadequacies when ites to other fields. I would be very grateful if you could provide help to me in those aspects.¡±

    ¡°I see. We would be d to be of service to Your Majesty ¡ª to the Sorcerous Kingdom. However, before that, we pray Your Majesty will tell us the reason for your visit to our country, if it is convenient. Themander-in-chief has already told us, but we would like to hear it directly from you.¡±

    The Master of Caves and Mines narrowed his eyes slightly.

    We¡¯ll see through any lies. His unyielding determination was palpable.

    I can¡¯t expect them all to feel goodwill towards me... Well, given the difference in power between our nations, anyone would be cautious.

    The same applied to Ainz. If the top-ranked guild in YGGDRASIL ¡ª Seraphim ¡ª offered a World-ss Item and asked to negotiate, Ainz would also suspect some kind of a trap.

    Therefore, he was not displeased with the Dwarves¡¯ reaction.

    ¡°Firstly, I would like to initiate friendly rtions between our nations. Then, I would like to engage in trade.¡±

    ¡°¡ªIs that so.¡±

    ¡°I have heard from one of your countrymen that your staple foods are mushrooms and meat, am I wrong? I recall something about farms at the feet of the mountain which raise fresh vegetables, but apparently they are few in number and their variety is quite poor. My nation can supply fresh vegetables and ¡ª do the alcoholic spirits of human kingdoms and the Sorcerous Kingdom hold any interest for you?¡±

    The topic of alcohol made the Dwarves¡¯ eyes light up. That was a very frank reaction.

    ¡°I also hear that this country trades with the human nation to the east, but not to any great degree.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Our traffic is merely twenty dwarves¡¯ worth of merchandise. Currently, we are developing magic items which can hold an unlimited supply of goods.¡±

    The Merchant¡¯s Guildmaster gave that reply.

    ¡°I see. Is it true that there are few Dwarven trade caravans due to the dangerous mountain roads?¡±

    ¡°That is indeed the case.¡±

    Another Dwarf supplied that answer.

    ¡°We cannot carry too many goods due to the steepness and danger of the mountain paths. In addition, moving in groups draws the monsters¡¯ attention. There are many monsters which will attack regardless of the numbers of their prey. In particr, aerial ambushes are hard to deal with.¡±

    It was true that conventional trading methods would require great effort. The Empire only engaged in limited trade with the Dwarves due to theck of profit in doing so. However, it was precisely that reason which made them a very lucrative trading partner for the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    Unfortunately, the only notable export which the Sorcerous Kingdom could boast was their undead. However, to the Dwarven nation, even regr food would sell well.

    What a marvellous trading partner.

    Ainz smiled evilly in his heart as he asked his question.

    ¡°If that is the case, then I must further rmend national rtions with me ¡ª with the Sorcerous Kingdom, so we can export foodstuffs.¡±

    ¡°...We have not yet inquired of the precise location of the Sorcerous Kingdom. Can we transport our trade goods there by ourselves?¡±

    ¡°Having your country¡¯s people move cargo by themselves would still be quite dangerous. I feel that my nation should take the lead in establishing a proper trade route so your nation¡¯s people can safely transport their wares. When that happens, wagons and carriages will be able to move smoothly. Of course, they will not be pulled by anything as fragile as horses, but by other beasts of burden.¡±

    ¡°Could those be... the undead?¡±

    One of the Dwarves, his face filled with disgust, asked that question.

    Ainz recalled that he was apparently the Forgemaster.

    ¡°Precisely. I propose the use of undead-pulled cargo wagons, which possess the power to defend themselves and will never tire. They will surely make for excellent transportation tools. In truth, our nation has already made use of them, and the response from the citizens is very good. In addition, there are other advantages to using the undead¡ª¡±

    Just as Ainz was about tounch into an enthusiastic presentation, the Forgemaster interrupted him.

    ¡°¡ªIs it not true that the undead will attack the living?¡±

    Ainz pouted internally, but he responded with supreme confidence.

    ¡°It is true that many people would think that way about an average undead being. And to be fair, it is true. The undead are beings which hate and attack the living. However!¡±

    Ainz ced particr emphasis on that word.

    ¡°Under my absolute authority, the undead of the Sorcerous Kingdom will not pose any problems for you. You may rest easy knowing that.¡±

    The Forgemaster¡¯s mouth pursed into a ¤Ø shape. He did not seem to believe Ainz at all.

    He must have had a bad experience where the undead slew his family, or something. As Ainz contemted that possibility, he yed one of his trump cards.

    ¡°In addition, my nation can supplybor.¡±

    ¡°Labor?¡±

    ¡°During my journey, I spoke with one of your countrymen whom I saved from the Quagoa¡ª¡±

    Ainz had not done so on purpose, but it was not aplete ident, so he decided to phrase it as doing them a favor.

    ¡°¡ªAnd I heard of the work that goes on in your country¡¯s mines. While it is work for Dwarven miners, the undead can handle it for you.¡±

    ¡°What? Can they really do that?¡±

    The eyes of the Master of Caves and Mines went wide, having taken the bait.

    ¡°Of course. I have conducted this experiment in human nations, and it was sessful. In fact, the owner of the mines who rented them even requested for additional undead miners.¡±

    He had heard about this from Albedo when he had sent her a worried [Message], so it was not a lie.

    ¡°So you¡¯ve done that sort of thing in human nations...¡±

    The Master of Mines and Caves muttered as though in awe.

    ¡°It would seem your country is familiar with the special characteristics of the undead...¡±

    ¡°Mm, well, we know about their moremon traits...¡±

    Ainz raised his voice to address the High Priest of Earth.

    ¡°Then, I trust I need not borate on how the undead make for excellentborers?

    The Dwarves exchanged looks, and then began speaking one after the other.

    ¡°Your Majesty¡¯s words are understandable. If we could safely control the undead...¡±

    ¡°Being able to reallocate the manpower assigned to mining is a very attractive proposal.¡±

    ¡°However...¡±

    That ¡°however¡± would probably be followed by doubts about whether they could really trust the undead. It was natural they would feel conflicted about a method that was different from how they had done things until now.

    Ultimately, this was merely publicity for his firm¡¯s products, and not a serious attempt to close a sale. Of course, if they could ept undeadbor, it would certainly delight him.

    ¡°Well, I merely meant to say that I could provide suchborers. I understand your unease towards the undead¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªYour Majesty, I would like to ask a question about the undead before that. Could we purchase them as a defensive force?¡±

    Themander-in-chief¡¯s question sent ructions through the Dwarves.

    ¡°Commander-in-chief, it is too risky to rely on the military power of other nations to keep the peace!¡±

    ¡°I know that. However, the undead of the Sorcerous Kingdom are extremely powerful. With them, around, we have no need to fear any Quagoa attack. There are many benefits to purchasing them as a final defensive line. The most important thing, the thing we must all consider, is the safety of our nation. Now that we have lost our fortress, we need power, more than anything else.¡±

    ¡°Even so, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s more dangerous to have the hands of another nation around our throats?!¡±

    ¡°I told you, now isn¡¯t the time to talk about that sort of thing!¡±

    The Forgemaster and themander-in-chief red at each other.

    ¡°...We¡¯ll leave it as that. Those words will be saved for when it¡¯s only us. This is not something we should be saying in front of His Majesty, who came all the way here from his kingdom. Forgive this gaffe, Your Majesty. This conflict was caused by the attractive nature of Your Majesty¡¯s proposals, and we would be very grateful if you could permit it to pass unnoticed. ¡ªThen, may I know what Your Majesty desires from this country? I feel that we have practically nothing to offer.¡±

    ¡°Certainly not. First, I desire ores. My country¡¯s stockpiles are limited.¡±

    ¡°¡ªI see,¡± the Merchant¡¯s Guildmaster smiled. ¡°So that¡¯s why you suggested undeadbor. If we could excavate minerals inrge quantities, then there would be an ample surplus. In other words, you want to keep the price of ores low. Is that it?¡±

    Ainz had not thought that far ahead, but Ainz nodded and pretended that it was the case.

    ¡°Indeed it is so. You have seen through me.¡±

    No wonder, the Dwarves thought as understanding dawned on them.

    ¡°Also, I would like the weapons and armor crafted by the forges of your nation. I hear that Dwarven battle equipment is of exemry quality.¡±

    All the people Ainz had asked about this topic agreed that this was an unassable fact.

    However, processed weapons and armor were more expensive. If they bought from the Dwarves, then there would be fewer armorsmiths and weaponsmiths in the Sorcerous Kingdom. If there was a clear technological difference between the two countries, it would be better to improve the technology of one¡¯s own nation rather than take the foolish action of buyingrge quantities of superior arms and armor.

    However, if there was nopetition, the smiths within the Sorcerous Kingdom would not hone their skills. The weapons and armor purchased from the Dwarves might serve as a positive stimulus for that.

    Of course, there were many ways to handle this, such as by collecting tariffs and the like. One had to ensure that he could make a profit off the Dwarves and not constantly import from them, among other headaches.

    The simple answer would be to hand all this to Albedo and Demiurge. However, Ainz had his own considerations as well.

    His n was to limit sales to the newly-founded Adventurer¡¯s Guild, or rent them to adventurers.

    Low prices were very attractive to adventurers, and keeping them alive would also benefit the Sorcerous Kingdom. If they could sell old goods at low prices, they might be able to increase the survival rates of adventurers at the same time.

    ¡°While we have not thanked Your Majesty for sharing all this with us, these are questions which cannot be answered immediately, in particr on the matter of wargear. Could you give us some time to discuss this?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Discuss until you reach a conclusion. I will not be upset even if we cannot begin trade immediately. My own subordinates are already equipped with high-end gear. I merely wish to acquire arms and armor for my people.¡±

    All right, Ainz thought.

    This was the crucial moment. It was time toplete his objective foring to this city.

    ¡°Shall we discuss the matter of the Quagoa?¡±

    Tension immediately filled the air.

    ¡°The response to the Quagoa invasion was merely a personal decision. Is that correct,mander-in-chief?¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    ¡°However, what would have happened if I was not around?¡±

    ¡°If Your Majesty had not been around, we would have had to rely on a single gate to block the enemy advance. Once the gate was breached, we would have needed to mobilize the citizens to engage in a decisive battle within the city in order to buy time for the children to flee. I imagine that would have been the case.¡±

    The Dwarves all had bitter expressions on their faces.

    Perhaps it was due to themander-in-chief¡¯s earlier report, but the utter absence of objections or counter-arguments spoke of the excellence of everyone here.

    There was nobody present who was driven by idealism, emotion or personal gain. If there was anyone like that here, particrly if they possessed authority or influence, they would waste time pointlessly before even the basics werepleted, chattering away until the meeting was concluded. The fact that there was nobody like that here was worthy of praise.

    ¡°Then, please exin to me in more detail. What would this decisive battle entail?¡±

    ¡°It is difficult to answer because we do not know the enemy¡¯s full battle strength. However ¡ª assuming there were 1,000 Quagoa ¡ª we would be in dire straits. Repelling them would be very difficult, and all we would aplish would be to weaken our nation due to the loss of resources and manpower.¡±

    Why did it end up this way, themander-in-chief muttered.

    It was probably because the fortress at the Great Rift was too strong. The Dwarves had grown arrogant, believing ¡°it¡¯ll be okay as long as we have it¡±.

    Ainz felt this way as well.

    He had tasted the bitter fruit of carelessness in the form of Shalltear.

    ¡°If we have only one ace in the hole, when it is defeated, then we are undone. Thus, I feel we need another trump card, in the form of Your Majesty¡¯s power.¡±

    Ainz raised his hand to silence the Dwarves, who seemed about to speak. Themander-in-chief might have seized the reins of the conversation, but Ainz was not done speaking yet.

    ¡°The Quagoa have been repulsed for the time being, but Feoh G¨¥r is not yet at peace. That is my opinion.¡±

    The expressions on the Dwarves¡¯ faces were universally sour.

    After making sure that everyone was fully aware of his prior point, Ainz decided to seize the moment and speak.

    ¡°Without me, it will be very difficult to repulse the next Quagoa invasion. Even for someone like me, the destruction of a nation which I am about to begin trade with would be quite troublesome. What do you think? Will you not make use of my strength? Given the power of my nation, I can guarantee that your nation will not be attacked for a time. ...Yes. For instance I could help in taking back that Quagoa nest, the former Dwarven capital, I believe.¡±

    The air seemed to shudder.

    This was an entirely new reaction.

    The Master of Caves and Mines licked his lips.

    ¡°Your Majesty, do you mean that such a thing would be possible?¡±

    ¡°If I prepare for it, of course.¡±

    The Forgemaster folded his arms before him and red at Ainz.

    ¡°...That seems far too idealistic. Why are you giving us so much help? What do you want from us?¡±

    ¡°Oi, you¡¯ve said too much.¡±

    The Forgemaster snorted at his colleague¡¯s words.

    ¡°It¡¯s like waving a bottle of fine wine in front of a stranger. Do you really think there are no strings attached?¡±

    ¡°Ngg!¡±

    ¡°A reasonable question. Then let me be frank with you. One of the reasons is because I believe it is better to establish diplomatic rtions with your country than the Quagoa. I believe that you gentlemen of this fine country understand the concepts ofmon sense and indebtedness, and that you owe me a certain debt of gratitude. Now ¡ª consider a side which is about to win, and a side which is about to lose. Who will be more grateful if I lend them my strength?¡±

    ¡°Mm. That is the case.¡±

    ¡°In addition, I would like this debt to be paid not in words, but in a material fashion. This leads to another reason.¡±

    ¡°I see, so it¡¯s about payment. Then, do you want gold, or rare metals, or exotic ores? Or do you want mining rights as well?¡±

    Of course. Ainz wanted to say that, but he swallowed those words and resisted the urge to speak them.

    ¡°No, I want something different. I want to recruit the runesmiths of this country to my nation.¡±

    The Dwarves blinked as one.

    ¡°What? Is that so hard to understand?¡±

    ¡¸ÎªÉ¶£¿Õâ»°ÓÖÓÐÐ©ÄÑÒÔÀí½âÁËÅ¶£¿¡¹

    The Forgemaster frowned more deeply than the others.

    ¡°...It is because runic arms and armor are very rare in the nations surrounding the Sorcerous Kingdom. I find them to be very valuable articles. In other words, they are very valuable. Therefore, I thought of recruiting runesmiths and having them produce runecrafted wargear in my nation.¡±

    ¡°Will you take them as ves?¡±

    Ainz sighed with exaggerated loudness at the Forgemaster.

    ¡°I will do nothing of the sort. Did you not hear me speak? I said I wanted to open international ties and begin trade, did I not? Do you actually think I would take the people of such a partner nation as ves? ...Frankly speaking, I¡¯m a little disappointed. All I had in mind was recruiting runesmiths and having them make runic equipment in my country.¡±

    ¡°In that case, what if we gave you top priority on the sales of runecrafted gear?¡±

    ¡°...No. It would not be worth the investment. If you wish to use my strength, then you must let the runesmiths work in the Sorcerous Kingdom and allow us to form a monopoly on the sale of their products. That is what my nation wants and it is the price of taking back your former capital. When can you give me an answer?¡±

    The Dwarves looked at each other.

    ¡°I see. Perhaps tomorrow¡ª¡±

    ¡°That might be a little troublesome,¡± interjected themander-in-chief. ¡°Don¡¯t forget this city is still in danger of being attacked by the Quagoa. Even if His Majesty epts the task of defeating the Quagoa, it will take time for him to gather his troops. With that point in mind, we cannot wait until tomorrow. We should give him an answer right away.¡±

    Ainz looked over the Dwarves.

    ¡°It is not my ce to speak here. However, if you are truly in such dire straits, then having me fulfil my earlier promises will also be quite troublesome. If the situation bes very bad, then I will have to add several more conditions. After all, one must expect to pay more forst-minute work.¡±

    ¡°Mm. Themander-in-chief is right, and Your Majesty¡¯s words are also very sensible. Then, Your Majesty, while we apologize for the imposition, can you wait for us in the room from just now? We would like to reach a conclusion as quickly as possible.¡±

    ¡°I have no objections to that. I shall wait there, then.¡±

    With that, Ainz rose, and left the room in thepany of his subordinates.

    ***

    The room was still veiled in silence even after the departure of the Sorcerer King. Shortly after, somebody exhaled, and that dispersed the tension that hung in the air.

    ¡°What, what the hell was that?!¡±

    ¡°That was an unbelievable monster! Commander-in-chief, that monster made my hair stand on end. There¡¯s no doubt about the fear hemands.¡±

    ¡°I almost thought I was going to piss myself!¡±

    The Dwarves all began shouting. They poured out all the things their strained nerves had been holding in check.

    ¡°What should we do? He¡¯s evil incarnate. If even a single thing of what he said is true, it would scare the hell out of me.¡±

    ¡°How could anyone radiating such an evil light be benevolent? Look at him, how many of the living do you think he¡¯s murdered up till now?¡±

    ¡°Mmm. He must have taken so many lives he can¡¯t even remember them all. And to think that spine-chilling face could actually utter such normal-sounding words.¡±

    ¡°He must be gathering equipment for some great invasion. For his army of darkness!¡±

    ¡°Also, I hate how he¡¯s so easy to understand and agree with. He feels just like those devils who steal souls with contracts.¡±

    They were unanimous in rejecting the Sorcerer King¡¯s proposal. Many of them agreed that the words of the undead could not be trusted.

    ¡°However, His Majesty¡¯s proposal is very attractive to our country. In the first ce, our country will be destroyed if we don¡¯t do something about the Quagoa. In addition, the Sorcerer King is the only person who can save us.¡±

    Themander-in-chief was the sole voice of opposition.

    His words made the other Dwarves look like they had chewed a bitter worm.

    ¡°Let me make sure again. Is there no way we can deal with the Quagoa with our strength alone?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no way. With the help of the Sorcerer King we might be able to take the fortress back, but there are far too many things we need to do. Right now, all we can hope for is to take the fortress back. Had His Majesty note here, the Quagoa might be flooding into the city by now.¡±

    ¡°If the Sorcerer King spoke the truth, then there were sightings of Quagoa in Feoh Rai?¨­ as well.¡±

    The Dwarves clutched their heads.

    ¡°...What if we just borrowed the Sorcerer King¡¯s power and then pretended that we knew nothing about it?¡±

    ¡°That would only aggravate that monster. Even I would be unhappy in his position. After all, we¡¯d be the people who only cared about borrowing military power for our own gain and whatnot.¡±

    ¡°Still, the timing for this is just too much of a coincidence. Could the Sorcerer King be pulling the strings behind the scenes?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s quite likely, but we have no proof. All we can do is guess.¡±

    ¡°The important thing here is that the Sorcerer King chose us and not the Quagoa. If we displease him, we¡¯ll be putting a noose around our own necks. Trying to investigate him would also be very dangerous.¡±

    ¡°...Does the Sorcerer King drink?¡±

    ¡°Do you think he can? ...I guess you can¡¯t trust a guy who doesn¡¯t drink, after all.¡±

    ¡°Still...¡±

    Here the hitherto silent Merchant¡¯s Guildmaster spoke up.

    ¡°I believe we can all ept what the Sorcerer King is saying. It makes perfect sense. I¡¯d do the same in his position, picking the Dwarves over the Quagoa.¡±

    If hemanded an army which could easily annihte the Quagoa, then helping the Quagoa kill the Dwarves would not offer him a lot of benefits.

    ¡°He said he wanted to lend undead workers to us. Wouldn¡¯t taking the mines for his own be more profitable?¡±

    ¡°Well, there would be no point in taking us as ves. ...Besides, we know the mountain, don¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°I see. That¡¯s very likely. He feels that exploring the mines by himself would be very troublesome, so he¡¯ll let us excavate the ores. So he¡¯ll give us a pretty cor to please us, then?¡±

    ¡°...Still, after talking to the Sorcerer King, I get the feeling that everything will be alright as long as we trade with him. In other words, he doesn¡¯t intend to exploit us with uneven trade deals?¡±

    ¡°In that case, I can understand why he¡¯s offering such generous terms. Still, wouldn¡¯t it be alright to agree to his proposal?¡±

    ¡°Why do you say that?¡±

    ¡°Because we can help each other. As long as the Sorcerer King wants ores, he will protect us. We can think of the Sorcerer King as a mercenary with a huge appetite for wine, in that sense.¡±

    The general opinion had shifted from ¡°dealing with him is dangerous¡± to ¡°we¡¯ll be safe as long as we have value¡±. However, during the course of this change, one Dwarf spoke coldly.

    ¡°...Do you all intend to be the minions of that undead creature?¡±

    All eyes turned to the man who had been staunchly opposed to Ainz since the beginning ¡ª the Forgemaster.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a question of good or evil. Right now, our country is in a crisis of survival. If we don¡¯t do something about the Quagoa, we¡¯ll be destroyed for sure.¡±

    ¡°...And our strength alone cannot defeat the Quagoa.¡±

    ¡°Then, how about asking the Empire for help? We¡¯ve had dealings with them for many years. Wouldn¡¯t that be safer? We don¡¯t know anything about the Sorcerous Kingdom, you know.¡±

    ¡°Even if we ask the Empire for help, they¡¯d have no chance against the Quagoa. They¡¯re very tough foes for anyone who uses a weapon. The most important thing is that humans can¡¯t see in the dark and they¡¯re not suitable for undergroundbat. While they might have a chance if we could lure them to the surface, we have no way of doing so.¡±

    ¡°Then it seems dealing with the Sorcerous Kingdom is our only option. In any case, we¡¯ll start by asking for help, and leave the trade deals for after we¡¯ve seen the Sorcerous Kingdom. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°That might be the safest way of doing it. Still, we¡¯re doing business with them to defeat the Quagoa, right? Then, if we don¡¯t make a deal with them, we¡¯ll need to pay for services rendered, won¡¯t we? ...I don¡¯t even want to think about what kind of price one can put on saving a country.¡±

    The Dwarves were all sour-faced.

    ¡°I guess the only way to save the country is to ept his proposal. That means we¡¯ll have to rely on the Sorcerer King¡¯s strength for the next few decades.¡±

    Amidst the murmurs of agreement, the Master of Caves and Mines muttered something along the lines of, ¡°Using undeadbor means that they can keep going for all those decades,¡± but nobody paid too much attention to him. That was because there was another pronouncement which seized their ears.

    ¡°You seem to have forgotten something important. I oppose this. I will never let our people go and be his ves!¡±

    ¡°ves?¡±

    ¡°The runesmiths!¡±

    ¡°The Sorcerer King already said they would not be ves, no?¡±

    ¡°Really?! Do you really believe what he says?!¡±

    Thus rebuked, the Dwarf who asked lowered his head.

    ¡°Oi, look. We can¡¯t rule that out.¡±

    Even if everything the Sorcerer King stated was fact, anyone who knew the undead hated the living would not be able to believe it.

    ¡°Hostages, then?¡±

    ¡°No. There¡¯d be no need for him to specify runesmiths, in that case. He could just as easily have stated demands for our family members instead.¡±

    ¡°Then, can we refuse the matter of the runesmiths but ask if anything else would serve as payment?¡±

    ¡°...Are there any treasures which might change his mind?¡±

    ¡°No. Although, if we take back the capital and if the treasury is intact, we might be able to pay him with its contents.¡±

    ¡°No, he won¡¯t ept that. We¡¯ll need his strength to take back the Royal Capital, right? If we give it to him under that, what will we say when he asks us, ¡®Did you take these treasures from the vaults of the city I took back for you?¡¯ Do you think it would be a good deal if you were in his shoes?¡¯¡±

    ¡°...Frankly speaking, I think it would be fine if we just epted all his terms.¡±

    The Forgemaster red at the Merchant¡¯s Guildmaster.

    ¡°¡ªves!!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just your opinion! The Sorcerer King has already said he won¡¯t take them as ves! All we need to do is send people over to make sure of that, right? And most importantly... While this might seem a bit much... Runecraft is an outdated technology. Considering it might vanish at any moment, I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be a problem to hand it over. Pretty cheap for what we¡¯re getting, right?¡±

    ¡°But we¡¯ll lose that entire branch of our craft, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°Still, now¡¯s the best time to sell it, right?¡±

    ¡°I oppose it!!¡±

    Bubbles formed at the edge of the Forgemaster¡¯s mouth as he shouted.

    ¡°Is that the result of logic, and not emotions? Doesn¡¯t look that way to me.¡±

    ¡°I have no idea why you all have so much trust in the Sorcerer King!!¡±

    At this point, themander-in-chief spoke in cold tones. Having faced the Quagoa in battle, he knew the situation of this city better than anyone else. Therefore, he did not wish to waste words in useless conversation and had stood aside as an observer, but he had finally reached his limit.

    ¡°Trust aside, this city will assuredly be destroyed if we do not borrow the strength of the Sorcerer King. What you¡¯re doing is casting aside the single lifeline that we have.¡±

    ¡°What did you say, you whippersnapper?!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m in charge of this city¡¯s military. And I say that the only way we can protect the city is with His Majesty¡¯s power! Do you want to destroy this city? Otherwise, give me a way to beat the Quagoa without using his strength! You old relic!¡±

    ¡°You! You¡¯ve been calling that monster His Majesty ever since you stepped into this room! Have you betrayed this country?!¡±

    The Forgemaster grabbed themander-in-chief by thepels.

    ¡°What bullshit is that, you addled old fool? You want a fight?! It¡¯s only natural to refer to someone with such power with terms of respect! You¡¯re the ones who can¡¯t be trusted! He could easily annihte this country, you know! If you say I betrayed this nation, then you lot are jeopardizing the safety of the people!¡±

    Themander-in-chief seized the Forgemaster by the cor as well, and their foreheads collided.

    ¡°Oi! It¡¯s one thing to disagree, but don¡¯t fight!¡±

    The other Dwarves hurriedly rose to separate the pair.

    However, the two of them still red at each other, as though they were getting ready for round two.

    ¡°In any case, let¡¯s take a vote. If anyone disagrees, we¡¯ll discuss itter. It¡¯ll be more constructive than a fistfight.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the vote about?¡±

    ¡°First, whether we will let the runesmiths go to the Sorcerous Kingdom in order to make use of the Sorcerer King¡¯s power. All in favor, raise your hand.¡±

    Everyone except the Forgemaster raised their hands.

    ¡°Mm. Then, the next item. Do we want to forge rtions with the Sorcerous Kingdom and begin trade? All in favor, raise your hand.¡±

    The oue was the same as before.

    ¡°I see. Then, the vote concerning the Sorcerer King ¡ª His Majesty is decided. Sorry,mander-in-chief, but you can call His Majesty back now.¡±

    2

    Ainz andpany were once more invited to the Council Chamber. After entering, they saw a single disgruntled Dwarf while the others were brimming with positivity. Themander-in-chief also seemed quite at ease.

    In other words, everything had developed as he had hoped for. Ainz smiled inside.

    ¡°Please ept our sincere apologies for making youe and go constantly. After our discussions, we have decided to proceed as Your Majesty wishes. To begin with, we will throw ourselves upon Your Majesty¡¯spassion with regards to the matter of stationing of the forces. After that, we shall open diplomatic rtions and begin trade with Your Majesty¡¯s nation. That said, the nature of the trade goods and the methods of the transaction will require further negotiation to work out the minute details.¡±

    ¡°Naturally. In any event, I shall promptly furnish you with the fighting strength needed to retake the fortress and hinder any further Quagoa invasion. I shall send a representative over to handle the finer points of international rtionships in a few days, whereupon you may discuss the matter at length.¡±

    Ainz breathed a sigh of relief.

    He had to hand tasks like this ¡ª which required relevant knowledge ¡ª to Albedo. Fortunately, they had not insisted on hashing things out here.

    ¡°Then, there is the matter of Your Majesty¡¯s price for the recovery of the Royal Capital; the dispatch of our runesmiths to the Sorcerous Kingdom. We shall pledge that to you. However, we would like to send a group of inspectors to the Sorcerous Kingdom to see how our brethren are being treated, and to ensure their welfare. May we have your permission to do so?¡±

    ¡°Of course. The Sorcerous Kingdom will ept interviews from these inspectors.¡±

    The Dwarves looked much more relieved now.

    Did they intend to conduct a workce inspection? Rather, it seemed more likely that they wanted to see if the Sorcerous Kingdom was adhering to its side of thebor agreement between the two nations.

    Typically,bor contracts are never honored. However, I swear I won¡¯t let anyone end up like Herohero-san. I¡¯ll need to draw up a contract with terms which the Dwarves will respect, let the runesmiths focus on development and the like, among other things.

    Ainz nodded to the Dwarves and their concern for their colleagues.

    No, all this is thanks to the Quagoa. This situation came about because they conquered the fortress. If they had not picked this time to attack the Dwarven nation, events would not have unfolded so smoothly. Putting on recruitment shows for the runesmith would have taken a lot of time and resources. I almost feel sorry about exterminating the Quagoa now...

    One good turn deserved another, after all.

    ¡°Then, when does Your Majesty intend to begin the recapture of the Dwarven Kingdom?¡±

    ¡°Umu... As soon as possible.¡±

    While it was not likely that the Quagoa who had defeated the Death Knights was a yer, he could not rule out a connection entirely. He had to verify this as soon as possible.

    ¡°Then, we will ce ourselves in your capable hands. To us Dwarves, being able to take back Feoh Berkanan is like a dreame true. I am certain the people will rejoice at Your Majesty¡¯s matchless might. It might sound forced, but they doe from the heart.¡±

    In other words, if I don¡¯t take back the capital, international rtions will be very tricky. It¡¯s not like they¡¯re trying to impose on me, but it does sound very selfish.

    ¡°I see. Then, I shall hasten to prepare,¡± Ainz nodded. Then, he thought of something.

    ¡°Oh yes, I have a request. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll mind.¡±

    ¡°What, what sort of request is that, Your Majesty?¡±

    The Dwarves asked that question nervously. Ainz was confused by their fearful attitude. He had not said anything which should have frightened them. Still worried about whether he had done something strange, he asked:

    ¡°I intend to present a gift to a certain Lizardman, and I wish to draw upon the exceptional workmanship of the Dwarves to present him with a suitable set of armor.¡±

    There was a sharp intake of breath from behind him.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Zenberu,¡± Ainz turned to look behind him, to the Lizardman who was holding his breath. ¡°It is for Zaryusu. Call it a present to celebrate the birth of his child.¡±

    Ainz had spoken of this because he intended to preserve Zaryusu¡¯s life. He would surely father many rare Lizardmen in the future. Thus, presenting him with such excellent armor only made sense.

    The Dwarves¡¯ attention turned to the Forgemaster.

    He folded his arms in front of him, still frowning at Ainz. He did not seem to approve at all.

    ¡°How about it? Can you do it?¡±

    After being questioned again and prodded by the people beside him, the Forgemaster finally nodded, unwillingness written all over his face.

    ¡°What are the measurements? We can pay for it.¡±

    ¡°Magical armor ought to resize itself to fit its wearer. Can you enchant it here?¡±

    ¡°I have no confidence in magical matters. You¡¯ll have to ask the High Priest about that.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re alright with a low-levelled enchantment, there shouldn¡¯t be any problem. Do you not mind, Your Majesty? I believe you should have better enchanters within your domain...¡±

    In truth, there were few skilled enchanters within the Sorcerous Kingdom. Enchanters were essentially specialized magic casters, and they were originally affiliated with the Magician¡¯s Guild. However, the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s Magician¡¯s Guild was essentially disbanded.

    In addition, Nazarick used a different enchantment process, that of data crystals. He wanted to preserve them as much as possible, given that he could not obtain data crystals in this world. Naturally, nobody in Nazarick could perform the enchantments of this world.

    In other words, the Sorcerous Kingdom had no ability to enchant magic items. That said, there was no need to let them know about it.

    ¡°If the need arises, all I have to do is reinforce the existing enchantment. In any event, I would like a suit of armor from this city. It will also serve as publicity for Dwarven armorsmithing.¡±

    ¡°Ho,¡± The Forgemaster¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°It should be ready within a week.¡±

    ¡°Really now. That would be wonderful. Until then, I shall be engaged in taking back the capital. Well, if the battle ends before it¡¯splete, I might end up waiting around for it in this city.¡±

    ¡°Hmph. Then I¡¯ll work on it faster.¡±

    It was quite clear that he did not mean ¡°it would be a shame to keep you waiting¡±. It was more like ¡°I¡¯ll finish it up quick so you don¡¯t take too long hanging around in this city.¡±

    Why does he hate me so much? I should be a hero to this country, right? Or the liberator who reimed their Royal Capital, right? I don¡¯t recall doing anything to deserve such resentment... is that it? Is he really just a stubborn old fool?

    ¡°Regarding the payment¡ª¡±

    ¡°Like I said just now, there¡¯s no charge.¡±

    ¡°That settles the price of that particr article. When I talk about payment, I¡¯m referring to the fact that it is both a finished product and a sample. I need you to tell me how much it costs so I can estimate how much it takes to produce this sort of thing.¡±

    ¡°...I don¡¯t decide the prices. Oi, Merchant¡¯s Guildmaster, you¡¯re in charge of that.¡±

    ¡°...To begin with, we¡¯d have to consider the material of which the armor is made. That would certainly affect the price range...¡±

    ¡°Ah, so it¡¯s like that,¡± Ainz replied, trying not to let it show in his attitude. ¡°...So tell me, what¡¯s the highest-grade metal in this city?¡±

    If the names of one of the prismatic ores came up, Ainz might well abandon his present negotiations and subjugate the Dwarves by force.

    However, his worries were ill-founded.

    The metal of which they spoke was adamantite.

    ¡°Adamantite, hm? Is there nothing harder than that here? No, even a slightly softer metal would do if it was a rarity in this mountain range.¡±

    They could not answer that question either.

    There was a possibility that this was ssified information and they could not speak openly of it to Ainz. However, direct questioning would not help. Using charm magic to make them talk would leave the memories of being controlled, so if he could not eliminate them afterwards, it was not an option. Sadly, he had no other way to inquire further.

    Since Gondo did not know either, he could only pin his hopes on the more senior runemiths.

    As Ainz concealed his disappointment, he produced an ingot from beneath his robes.

    ¡°Then, we shall supply the metal. Just tell me the processing fee.¡±

    This was a level 45 metal. It was not particrly strong, but it was much stronger than adamantite.

    Zaryusu¡¯s defensive abilities would soar if he wore a suit of armor made from this material. It would be enough to protect him from the vast majority of foes in this world.

    ¡°And this is...¡±

    Judging by the expression on the Forgemaster¡¯s face as he examined the ingot, Ainz was sure that this ore could not be excavated anywhere near here.

    ¡°A wo...¡±

    Ainz shut his mouth just before he could say ¡°worthless¡±. After all, this was the raw material for a suit of armor he was giving to Zaryusu. He could not say this sort of thing in front of the armorsmith who would be taking on the task.

    ¡°It¡¯s a serviceable metal. I have some weapons made of the same material. One moment, please.¡±

    Ainz rose and left the room before looking through his inventory.

    After some searching, he withdrew a strange ¡ª one of the weapons in YGGDRASIL which had been designed for form over function ¡ª shortsword. Then he returned to the room. Frightened by the fact that Ainz was holding a shortsword, the Dwarves shifted uneasily in their seats. Ainz ced the shortsword on the table and slid it over.

    Fortunately, it stopped in front of the Forgemaster.

    He did not pick up the short sword that slid before him, but instead studied it with a scary look on his face. It must have bothered him in some way.

    ¡°This one. Since it¡¯s a short sword, I don¡¯t know if you can use it as a reference for armor... How about it? Can you make it?¡±

    For some reason, those words caused the Forgemaster to flush red.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it and show you!¡±

    Sensing the powerful determination in the Forgemaster¡¯s voice, Ainz nodded.

    ¡°Umu. Then, please take care of that. I¡¯d like a suit of chainmail armor, if possible. I¡¯ll lend you the shortsword too; if you need anything else, feel free to let me know. Zenberu, you should be more familiar with Zaryusu. Answer him about his body size, shape and whatnot.¡±

    ¡°I understand, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Then... that¡¯s all for my request. If it¡¯s fine with you, I will excuse myself.¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, may I ask where you are going?¡±

    ¡°Ahh,mander-in-chief. There was a Dwarf from the southern city whom I rescued, no? I was invited to his home, and I will be a guest there today. ...Let¡¯s leave the wee reception forter.¡±

    Or rather, Ainz did not want to embarrass himself, so he wanted to avoid such a ceremony. Of course, he did not actually say that.

    Themander-in-chief looked a little uneasy.

    ¡°I understand Your Majesty¡¯s wishes. However, it would be somewhat distressing if word got out that the savior of our nation had to personally procure amodations. We have already prepared a high-end room for yourself; would you consider resting there for the day?¡±

    Ainz considered the proposal. Themander-in-chief¡¯s words were eptable, and there was no reason to refuse.

    ¡°Then let us do that. I shall go visit Gondo ¡ª the Dwarf who brought me here ¡ª and apologize for standing him up.¡±

    I trust you won¡¯t try to hinder me any further. It would seem themander-in-chief and the others had no objections either.

    3

    Another Dwarf came in. He was a runesmith. There were very few people in this city who called themselves runesmiths now, and he was one of them.

    The Sorcerer King had given something to Gondo, which he had in turn passed on to all the runesmiths he knew. The results were excellent. Even before the appointed time, nine-tenths of the runesmiths he had approached were already at his atelier cum researchb. There was no doubt that the rest would also arrive early.

    ¡°Over here!¡±

    ¡°Oh! Gondo! I¡¯ming!¡±

    Anticipation was written all over the face of the Dwarf who walked over.

    ¡°All right, now give it to me as agreed!¡±

    How many times had those words been repeated up till now? While Gondo found it irritating, he rationalized it away as a form of work, and he gave that Dwarf the same answer he had given all the others:

    ¡°The Sorcerer King has something to tell everyone. You¡¯ll get it after that.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? Before I gave you that small bottle. His Majesty has something to say, and after you listen to the end, you¡¯ll get therge bottle.¡±

    ¡°Hm, well, that does sound kind of familiar...¡±

    ¡°Alright, if you understand, then sit down over there.¡±

    ¡°Umu... Also, ah, Gondo. About that...¡±

    Gondo knew what wasing even without hearing it. Every single smith who hade had said the same thing.

    ¡°Nobody else but His Majesty has such wine. Do you understand? Do you understand that such a wine can only be found in his country?¡±

    ¡°Mm, mhm. That¡¯s true. That taste, like joy spreading through your mouth... It glides down the throat, but burns in the gut...¡±

    ¡°Mhm. Alright, if you get it, then sit down over there.¡±

    Gondo pushed the smith ¡ª who was imagining delights unseen ¡ª in the appropriate direction.

    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t be like that. You¡¯ve tasted it before, haven¡¯t you? You understand how I feel, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never touched it. I¡¯m not a fan of drinking.¡±

    ¡°Oh, what a waste! Gondo, you¡¯ve missed out on four-fifths of life!¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, yes, hurry up and sit down. Look, those guys have all drunk it, you should go discuss it with them.¡±

    ¡°Ohhh! Really?!¡±

    The excited smith began running and then suddenly stopped. Then, he turned to look at Gondo. Many of the smiths here had done that too.

    ¡°I say, Gondo.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡±

    ¡°Really? But...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. That¡¯s why...¡±

    ¡°...I understand. However, there¡¯s one thing you must remember. You cane to me for help at any time.¡±

    After saying that, the smith moved to sit with the others. Then, he joined their enthusiastic discussion on the joys of alcohol.

    Gondo sighed, his heart aching faintly.

    The Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown had given Gondo a certain item in order to gather the runesmiths.

    That item was wine.

    Gondo did not drink, but no Dwarf could resist the taste of delicious wine. Thus, by whetting their appetites with a small sample of exotic alcohol and promising them arge bottle of itter, they should be able to gather about half the smiths. That was what the Sorcerer King had said. However¡ª

    Every seat here looked to be filled up.

    Gondo sighed again. Personally speaking, he did not want to gather them with such cheap tricks. Instead, he wanted to inme their pride as craftsmen and have them rally round.

    Or rather ¡ª that was just Gondo¡¯s selfish wish.

    The Sorcerer King had used the quickest and most effective method to gather the smiths. Relying on their pride to bring them together would have wasted a lot of valuable time.

    The runesmiths were in dire straits. They had lost the proof that they and their ancestors had existed, while all thaty ahead was darkness. Mired in negativity, it was no wonder that many of them had given up on themselves. Very few Dwarves still called themselves runesmiths and practiced their craft. Most of them had taken down the shingles on their workshops and merely lived day by day of a hopeless, dreamless existence.

    Could he have relit the fire in hearts like theirs?

    Gondo eagerly looked forward to Ainz and what would happen next.

    At the appointed time, Gondo checked the number of Dwarves which had shown up. Every single one was present.

    ¡°Well? Ainz-sama asked if he could begin.¡±

    The girl who ran up to Gondo was one of the Sorcerer King¡¯s trusted aides, Aura.

    ¡°Oh, can you tell His Majesty that everyone has gathered?¡±

    ¡°Got it~¡±

    The girl ran off. As he watched her leave, Gondo tilted his head.

    He was not quite sure what exactly that girl was. Why did that nigh-omnipotent undead lord ce so much trust in her? Was she the proof of his friendship with the Dark Elves?

    As Gondo pondered this, Ainz Ooal Gown stepped forward on a raised tform. Beside him was the other female who served as his aide.

    ¡°Ohhhhhhh!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the undead!¡±

    ¡°An enemy?!¡±

    The Dwarves were thrown into chaos. That was only to be expected. The undead were the enemies of all that lived.

    ¡°That¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªSilence.¡±

    The female ¡ª Shalltear Bloodfallen ¡ª raised the bottle in her hand.

    Everyone¡¯s eyes could pick out the amber radiance within. They were an intensely practical lot, so their attention went to the bottle instead of Ainz¡¯s undead face, and they fell silent.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, what is your will?¡±

    ¡°No, there¡¯s nothing. Thank you for your hard work, Shalltear. ...Alright, thank you foring, everyone. There¡¯s enough wine for everyone, so after this, just take one bottle as you go. Until then, I hope you will keep quiet and listen to me. Of course, if you feel that the words of the undead are not worth listening to, you are free to leave on the spot. Of course, you will not get a bottle of this wine.¡±

    The Sorcerer King swept his gaze across the Dwarves.

    Every fiber of his being ¡ª from his attitude to his diction and many other things ¡ª was certain proof of his overwhelming power. Then there was his haughty, regal bearing which made them instinctively cower before him. It was as though every single joint of his fingers was infused with power.

    ¡°Then... I trust there are no objections if I begin speaking?¡±

    The Dwarves nodded in silence.

    ¡°Firstly, I am the Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown. The domain to the south of this mountain range, beyond the Great Forest of Tob, belongs to me. Being able to meet you esteemed runesmiths delights me from the bottom of my heart. Alright: my words are a very simple proposal, as well as a request. Come to my country. I want to use your runecraft to begin a revolution in magic item enchantment.¡±

    As he heard the Sorcerer King¡¯s words, a spike of pain ¡ª born of disappointment and despair ¡ª pierced Gondo¡¯s heart.

    Gondo shook his head.

    He cast away the matter of his father and his grandfather, and looked at the faces of the smiths from the side. They all had bitter expressions on their faces. Their response did not look like it would be positive.

    ¡°Forgive me, but I have a question I wish to ask.¡±

    The Dwarf who raised his hand nced at Gondo.

    ¡°Why do you want our craft? Frankly speaking, it¡¯s practically a dying art in this country too.¡±

    The Dwarf who spoke was one of the older smiths present.

    ¡°...Simple. I want you to rediscover the lost secrets of your art.¡±

    ¡°Lost?¡±

    Under the runesmiths¡¯ eyes, the Sorcerer King produced a sword from his pocket dimension.

    The Dwarves gasped in unison.

    It was shock, born of seeing a sword being pulled out of thin air. There was also terror at the sight of the skeletal king, wreathed in unholy light, holding up a de.

    But the reason why Gondo eximed despite himself was the same awe which filled every other person here.

    It was a ck-ded sword of extraordinary quality. The unbelievably fine edge practically shone with magical radiance.

    ¡°Such an... An amazing sword...¡±

    ¡°Incredible... I¡¯ve never seen anything like it in my life...¡±

    ¡°Is this the sword from Dwarven mythology?¡±

    ¡°Ohhh! What, what a beautiful sight this is...¡±

    The Sorcerer King raised the sword, as though to show it to the Dwarves. Gondo¡¯s eyes instinctively followed its glow as well.

    ¡°Alright, gentlemen, please pay attention to the body of the sword.¡±

    Gondo followed where the Sorcerer King was pointing, and cried out. So did the other smiths.

    There were 20 purple runes carved upon it.

    However, only Gondo noticed that one of the runes on the sword was the same as the one which the Sorcerer King had described during their encounter in the tunnel.

    I see. So that¡¯s why he knew so much about runes.

    He must have gained that knowledge from careful study of that sword.

    ¡°Then, I wish to ask you gentlemen. There are 20 runes on this sword; is such a thing possible?¡±

    The answer went without saying ¡ª it was impossible. Nobody here could do it, no matter how hard they tried. And then, there was this sword, which seemed to exist only to mock their inability to do so.

    The smiths rose from their seats, each with a raging inferno in their eyes. There was a passion in them which had not been there when they were talking about drinks. Then, the crowd surged forward like a horde of zombies pouncing on the living, to the feet of the Sorcerer King.

    ¡°Let me see!¡±

    ¡°Please! Let me touch it!¡±

    ¡°I might learn something! I beg you!¡±

    ¡°Insolence!¡±

    The silver-haired girl red at the encroaching dwarves with a frightening look in her eyes. The Dwarves froze for an instant, as though impaled by a fear which cut like icy des. And then ¡ª

    ¡°¡ªYou¡¯re being too noisy. Quiet down.¡±

    There was no doubt that they stood in the presence of a true ruler.

    His aura was one of a leader that was utterly confident of his position. Then again, it might have been because he was a peerless master of death.

    Gondo had known this ever since he had met Ainz in that tunnel, but Ainz had not revealed that side of himself back then. It must have been an act to keep Gondo from shrinking away in fear. This must be the true nature of the Sorcerer King.

    I can¡¯t tell his expression, but he seems pleased. It must be because everyone¡¯s moving as he nned.

    ¡°A moment, good smiths. Please hear me out to the end. After that, you may touch it directly. I will not continue until you are seated, and neither will you be able to obtain this sword.¡±

    Dejected ¡ª cowed by his air of sovereign power ¡ª the smiths returned to their ces.

    ¡°Thank you. Then, I shall pick up from where I left off. My question still stands ¡ª is a sword with 20 runes carved upon it within your abilities?¡±

    Everyone looked to the oldest and most experienced of the smiths. He shook his head powerlessly and replied:

    ¡°It is not. To the best of my knowledge, I have only ever heard of six.¡±

    A torrent of questions erupted.

    ¡°What? Six? I¡¯ve only ever heard of five!¡±

    ¡°...Is that so. It seems few know of this, but 200 years ago, the hammer which the king bore had six runes carved upon it. That was the secret treasure of the runesmith¡¯s art.¡±

    Gondo recalled his grandfather.

    He thought of the face of a runesmith from 200 years ago, a man who was a veteran of weapon-forging.

    ¡°Ohhhh! Is that the warhammer which could shake the earth? I think I heard of it in a song once...¡±

    ¡°Correct. Even the runesmiths ¡ª hailed as geniuses and prodigies ¡ª of that time could not produce a weapon with 20 runes on it...¡±

    ¡°I see. So this must be a weapon made with lost techniques, then.¡±

    ¡°Hm? Do you not know either, Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°I am not sure how this sword was made. In all honesty, it is merely my possession. And... its creators are no longer in this world.¡±

    ¡°By that you mean... More valuable techniques were lost, then?¡±

    Pain filled the faces of the smiths. Gondo felt the same way as well.

    ¡°Because of that¡ª¡±

    Everyone looked up at the Sorcerer King¡¯s words.

    ¡°Because of that, I want to revive those techniques. Thus, I need your strength. I want you to make something like this sword, no matter the cost.¡±

    Silence descended.

    Needless to say, it was because they were all aware of how close to impossible this task was.

    Even the most skilled of the runesmiths present had strained themselves to carve four runes at once. The Sorcerer King was asking for five times that amount. However, none of them said ¡°it¡¯s impossible¡±. They had their pride as craftsmen, and after seeing the masterpieces of a prior artisan, they could not bring themselves to deny it.

    That sword is like a challenge from the smiths of old to the smiths of today, Gondo thought.

    ¡°I want to make it.¡±

    Someone whispered those words.

    Soon, that voice was not alone.

    ¡°Me too.¡±

    ¡°I want to try it.¡±

    ¡°Mm, I want to show the world what a real legend looks like.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll be the one who¡¯ll be hailed as a legend.¡±

    ¡°What nonsense is that. I¡¯m the one who will bear that heavy burden.¡±

    The sound of a apuse rang through the air. Its source was the Sorcerer King upon his stage. Although they did not know how he had done it with his bony hands, it was said that all things were possible for a magic caster.

    ¡°Marvellous. However, can you do so by yourselves? Can you raise your voices and speak your challenge to a legend? It might be possible. It might not. Thus, I hope you wille to my country and devote your lives to creating new techniques.¡±

    Silence descended once more.

    Gondo was very aware of their feelings.

    The Sorcerer King was offering these people ¡ª who were keenly aware that their art was practically extinct in the Dwarven nation ¡ª a shining opportunity within the palm of his outstretched hand.

    Should they not bet their lives on this challenge?

    ¡°All right then, I will entrust this sword to you.¡±

    The Sorcerer King stepped off the stage, presenting its hilt to one of the aged smiths. Perhaps it was coincidence, or perhaps he had researched it beforehand, but the man to whom he presented it was considered a genius second only to Gondo¡¯s ownte father, and his voice carried much weight among the runesmiths.

    He did not reach out for it.

    It was only natural to be confused when presented with such a mighty de.

    ¡°Is, is it alright? Is it alright to hand such a powerful ¡ª a weapon which I may never see again in all my life to someone like me?¡±

    ¡°Right now, you are not Dwarves tempted by wine, but runesmiths who wish to take up a challenge. I can ce my trust in that. In addition, I will be leaving this city for a while. Thus, I am simply lending it to you.¡±

    The Dwarf straightened himself up.

    ¡°...I see. Then, please permit me to borrow it, Your Majesty.¡±

    He bowed deeply, and received the sword with the utmost respect.

    ¡°Still, I have to say that I do not quite understand the techniques of runecraft. Is it possible to carve runes upon a de and then further enchant it with magic?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t work that way, Your Majesty. Runes are characters imbued with mana. Thus, carved runes and enchantments are mutually repulsive. If a powerful magic caster tries an enchantment, the runes will distort.¡±

    ¡°Is that so...¡±

    ¡°Incidentally, when you say you will be leaving Feoh G¨¥r, where will you be heading?¡±

    ¡°Ah, I will be going to your former Royal Capital.¡±

    The Dwarves groaned all at once.

    He could hear them say things like ¡°That ruined¡ª¡± ¡°To such a dangerous ce¡ª¡± ¡°Where the Quagoa still rule¡±

    Gondo knew that much, but there was a message within them which he could not overlook.

    ¡°They say there are three trials awaiting those who wish to go there from this ce. Will it be alright?¡±

    ¡°The three hazards, said to be impassable. Even if you make it past the first of them... the Maze of Death is imprable.¡±

    All the speakers were elder Dwarves. As expected of those who were old and full of years, it would seem they knew things even Gondo did not. It might be best to ask them about it and inform the Sorcerer King.

    The runesmith who had straightened himself up gave his counsel to the Sorcerer King.

    ¡°Your Majesty, that ce should be their of a gigantic Dragon. That lord of the Frost Dragons, the White Dragon Lord, might be in residence. He was the reason for the destruction of Feoh Tiwaz. I know Your Majesty is possessed of great power, but in my humble opinion, that Dragon Lord is equally powerful. I pray you will take care of yourself.¡±

    ¡°...A Dragon, then. Indeed, it would make for a very interesting opponent. Then I shall proceed with the greatest of caution and deal with it carefully.¡±

    After that, there were several more simple questions, and the meeting was dissolved. This was because everyone realized that the sooner it ended, the more time the Sorcerer King would have to take back their capital. They couldn¡¯t bear to get in the way of that, Gondo thought.

    Or perhaps, they wanted to inspect the sword they had received.

    Gondo did not know which answer was correct, but given the inferno in the eyes of the Dwarven artisans, it was probably thetter.

    ***

    The desire to shout ¡°Yahoo!¡± filled Ainz.

    He had felt that way ever since he had finished his presentation. It was no different from when he had been Suzuki Satoru. Whether he had seeded or failed, he wanted to cry out as he basked in the feeling of liberation and relief.

    ¡°That was amazing, Ainz-sama! You really got that lot all fired up!¡±

    ¡°That was truly incredible. The only person in Nazarick who could do that is you, Ainz-sama!¡±

    Ainz resisted the urge to go, ¡°Ah, no~¡± in embarrassment as Aura and Shalltear praised him. Perhaps if they were Demiurge or Albedo, he might peek at them while wondering if they were mocking him. But since it was Aura and Shalltear, he could take their words at face value. Perhaps if he was Suzuki Satoru, he might even say, ¡°I¡¯m beat, want to grab a drink?¡± and head toward a vending machine, but the man who ruled Nazarick and the Sorcerous Kingdom could not say such things.

    ¡°¡ªHm, well, it was nothing much. I¡¯m sure Demiurge or Albedo could do a better job.¡±

    ¡°Certainly not!¡±

    ¡°Yup yup! Even those two couldn¡¯t y those Dwarves that well!¡±

    Ainz did not feel that way, but he had not expected the situation to develop this well. And then, the creeping feeling of guilt over whether this sess was a good thing began creeping up on him.

    Naturally, the sword he had shown the Dwarves was an item from YGGDRASIL.

    YGGDRASIL did not have a rune system. Then again, it might have existed within the game¡¯s data, but it had not been discovered by anyone until the very end. Therefore, the runes carved on that sword were merely cosmetic ¡ª for decoration.

    At first, he had thought, maybe they might get interested if they saw this sword. But he had been caughtpletely off guard by the intensity of their reaction, to the point where he kind of regretted saying that he wanted them to make a sword like that.

    However, Ainz tamped down that feeling.

    He had to strengthen the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. Since a foe with a World-ss Item might appear in the future, and there might be hidden yers out there fighting him, he had to increase theirbat strength.

    Ainz looked at Shalltear.

    She was a Vampire girl who seemed to be blushing in embarrassment ¡ª which was actually quite surprising when he thought about it. She was a seed Peroroncino had left behind. And she was the first NPC he had no choice but to kill with his own two hands.

    His emotion suppression cancelled out the surge of hatred that followed, but even so, he could not forget it. He could not forget the shadow of the holder of the World-ss Item that had made him do such a thing.

    In order to reach his goal, even making people miserable with lies was hardly worthy of consideration. The most important thing in this world was the residents of Nazarick. All other lives were two or three rungs below them.

    Equality of lives was nothing more than a madman¡¯s ravings.

    If all life was equal, then he would like to put a man who tortured people to death in one electric chair and a champion of said equality in another, and then make thetter decide which of them should die. Anyone who could actually say that they could entrust their fate to a roll of the dice was a true believer.

    However, Ainz would kill the former without hesitation. This was because Ainz knew that lives were not equal. There was noparing the lives of the NPCs within Nazarick to the lives of the people outside it.

    ¡°That¡¯s Ainz-sama for you!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right!¡±

    Before he could finish his train of thoughts, the praise of Aura and Shalltear stabbed at his heart. In any case¡ª

    ¡°Don¡¯t say they were ¡®yed¡¯. I merely told them the truth.¡±

    He had said that to them for the sake of Gondo, who should have been behind him.

    However, when there was no response from behind, a somewhat puzzled Ainz turned around.

    Gondo padded closer, prepared to send Ainz off.

    ¡°...What is it, Gondo?¡±

    Upon being addressed, Gondo raised his head.

    ¡°...Your Majesty. Since you said all that to them, am I to take it that the Council approved of sending over the runesmiths?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. They did say they would also send an inspection team in the future to see if they were being treated as ves, but fundamentally, they agreed to do so.¡±

    ¡°Is that so... So did those great people really feel that runecraft was no longer necessary?¡±

    Gondo¡¯s tears flowed down his cheeks

    Ainz was shocked, Outside of childhood, a man¡¯s tears were a rare thing.

    Those tears must have been shed because he had learned that the art which he admired and which he took such pride in had been judged worthless and abandoned by his country.

    But was that really the case, Ainz thought. Given the Dwarven nation¡¯s circumstances, it would be very hard for them to refuse the request of a nation who had pledged to send them reinforcements.

    The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. That was a truth among nations.

    Even Ainz would kill hundreds of millions of people for Nazarick.

    Still, there was no need to tell Gondo any of this.

    ¡°Indeed, Gondo. This country seems to view its runesmiths as disposable. They handed them over with hardly any resistance when I asked for them.¡±

    Gondo, as well as the runesmiths who might hear of this from him, had to abandon their country to some extent. While it was very difficult topletely forsake thend of one¡¯s birth, it was still a necessary step to have them devote their utmost loyalty to the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    Ainz gently patted Gondo¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°However, the same is not true of me. I sense potential from the runesmiths.¡±

    Even if Gondo¡¯s dreams could not be realized, monopolizing these skilled people and using their research might allow him to develop a countermeasure against enemies with runic weapons.

    Knowledge was power.

    ¡°...Even if you¡¯re discarded by one country, it¡¯s not over as long as another one needs you, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Ainz patted Gondo¡¯s shoulder several times. Gondo wiped his face clumsily.

    ¡°...Thank you very much, Your Majesty. Please allow me to meet your expectations with all my strength.¡±

    ¡°Umu, umu. I shall look forward to it.¡±

    Ainz smiled ¡ª although his face did not move ¡ª as though to say, ¡°I trust you.¡±

    Then again, Ainz had been thinking.

    It would be good if he could learn about the Dwarven Capital. He would probably need to have Gondo do some legwork to obtain more information. And then, he had to speak to themander-in-chief.

    Dragons in YGGDRASIL could live forever. It would not be strange for them to be individuals of unimaginable power. So in all likelihood there¡¯ll be a Frost Dragon waiting for me...

    Suddenly, the face of a young man ¡ª no, a young woman appeared from within his memories.

    ¡°Come to think of it, she did say she wanted to help me learn more about them... What a shame.¡±

 Chapter 85 - Volume 11

    v11 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5: Frost Dragon Lord

    Image

    1

    It was the next morning. Ainz had decided to set out early to take back the former Dwarven Capital, Feoh Berkanan, but just as he was about to leave, a familiar face appeared at the door.

    It was Gondo.

    Ainz tilted his head. He had no idea why he might be here.

    ¡°¡ªAre you here to send me off?¡±

    ¡°No, I havee to lead the way.¡±

    Ainz blinked. Granted, he had mentioned that he would need a Dwarf to show him the way. Judging by how the Council had immediatelyplied with the request, Ainz surmised that this Dwarf¡¯s mission would be to keep an eye on him, so he thought that they might select an unrted Dwarf.

    ¡°After parting ways with you yesterday, I heard many things from the other runesmiths. I feel that I know the route to the Royal Capital better than any other Dwarf.¡±

    ¡°Then, can you find an alternate route if the tunnel to the Capital copses? You may need to adapt to changes in the situation as theye up. Is that alright?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve studied up as much about them as I could. Please allow me to guide you.¡±

    ¡°Umu.¡±

    Ainz began to think.

    In truth, bringing Gondo along carried more demerits than merits. However, if the Council had approved, then if Ainz was the only one who disapproved and requested a change, the chances of him getting someone else as a guide would be very low.

    ¡°...Are you a warrior, or do you have some way to fight?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t. I have no confidence in my skills pertaining to that field. However, I am prepared to face any danger, and nobody will me you if I perish. In addition, I have my father¡¯s cloak. That was also a reason why they chose me.¡±

    The cloak of invisibility lent a lot of weight to his argument.

    While Ainz had nned to protect his guide anyway, he felt uneasy about bringing along a Dwarf with nobat ability. And while he could still resurrect him with magic even if he died (provided he had sufficient levels), Gondo might have the mindset of ¡°it¡¯s all over¡± if he died.

    ¡°Do you need to verify if I¡¯ve chased all the Quagoa out of the Royal Capital? If you die along the way, it¡¯ll make things very difficult for me... and then there¡¯s the matter of the runesmiths. I¡¯d much rather you stayed here.¡±

    Gondo slowly approached Ainz and quietly said:

    ¡°The Royal Capital has a vast treasury. If it hasn¡¯t been plundered yet, then it will contain many Dwarven treasures. There should also be some of my father¡¯s weapons and technical manuscripts from the royal family in there. Who knows, there might even be secret manuals left behind by runesmiths of the past.¡±

    ¡°Hoh...¡±

    With that response, Ainz indicated that Gondo should continue.

    ¡°I wish to secretly obtain them. ...While it seems rude to ask this of Your Majesty, may I please ask you to turn a blind eye to this when you retake the Capital?¡±

    ¡°...Before that, do you have any way to open the Treasury?¡±

    ¡°No. However... I believe Your Majesty should be able to do something about that, right?¡±

    Does he really think I can do anything?

    ¡°So you want me to be an aplice to a petty thief?¡±

    ¡°I believe the correct exnation of what would happen is that Your Majesty wished to see if the Treasury had been burgled, and thus opened it to check. Then, you were briefly distracted, for just long enough. I would be that petty thief, bearing no rtion to Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°...The line of Dwarven royalty has been severed. Is that correct? Is there a ledger recording the treasures that should be within the vaults?¡±

    ¡°I am afraid there is none.¡±

    ¡°It is very important to make sure of that. It would be very dangerous if there was a record, you know? I cannot approve of this. ...More importantly, does that treasure not belong to your country? Does it not shame you to steal it?¡±

    Gondoughed scornfully.

    ¡°Well, those manuals don¡¯t mean anything to a country that gave us and runecraft up, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    It¡¯s treason, then? Though that thought passed through Ainz¡¯s head, the truth was that it did him no harm. On the contrary, letting these booksnguish in the Dwarven nation would be a waste.

    More to the point, Gondo¡¯s theft wouldpletely break his ties to the Dwarven Kingdom. The Dwarven Kingdom would not tolerate a criminal who had looted their treasury. This matter could be used as a form of ckmail, and it would be a shackle that would render Gondopletely incapable of betraying the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    However, it could also be used against Ainz in a simr manner.

    ¡°...Indeed. There¡¯s no point in letting people who don¡¯t need it have it either. Indeed, it might be that my eyes might fail me at that time. Still, like I mentioned earlier, you need to search out any catalogues of the treasures. I¡¯d like to avoid any future disputes.¡±

    ¡°Understood. I shall do as Your Majestymands.¡±

    ¡°Then, we¡¯ll leave matters at that.¡±

    While they had walked some distance away to discuss this, someone with keen hearing might be eavesdropping on them.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s change the topic. Tell me about the hazards we might face before reaching the Dwarven Capital. A basic outline is fine.¡±

    ¡°A good question. All who wish to reach the Dwarven Capital must pass three trials.¡±

    ¡°Trials? Interesting. Summarize them.¡±

    ¡°Mm, the first trial is the Great Rift. There is a slope ahead of the gate that leads to the fortress. After the fortress is the Great Rift that splits the earth. Now that the suspension bridge has been strung, it hardly qualifies as a trial. However, when crossing it, one must prepare oneself to receive concentrated attacks from the enemy.¡±

    ¡°Do the Quagoa use ranged weapons?¡±

    ¡°Umu, I haven¡¯t heard of that before. However, it might be dangerous to assume they don¡¯t, right?¡±

    It made a lot of sense. The possibility also existed that they could use the magic weapons from the fortress.

    ¡°Then, the next trial is an area of flowingva. Even the heated air alone can be fatal. One must cross it via a narrow path of trimmed rock. There have also been sightings of a huge monster there from time to time.¡±

    ¡°A monster, you say?¡±

    The form of Guren, Area Guardian of the 7th Floor, came to mind.

    If the monster was simr to it, things would be very troublesome indeed.

    ...Come to think of it, Slimes and human society are quite closely linked. Is it the case in this country as well? If they have rare slimes here, I¡¯d like to bring them home.

    Just as Ainz thought of the slimes that lived near the sewer filters, Gondo moved on to thest trial.

    ¡°The final trial is the Maze of Death. It is a cave with countless branches, filled with poisonous vapors. If one inhales those vapors, their limbs will be paralyzed and their hearts will stop beating.¡±

    Gondo looked towards Aura and Shalltear.

    That gesture seemed to be saying that Ainz might be fine, but those two would be in trouble.

    They¡¯ll be fine... Well, I guess I can tell him when we get there.

    ¡°And what is the right path through the caves?¡±

    ¡°Regretfully, I do not know. I looked through all my connections, but even the elders did not know. Neither did the members of the Council. Perhaps it might be recorded in an archive...:¡±

    ¡°But you didn¡¯t find it either, did you? Well, I doubt you¡¯d be able to easily locate a document that was so critical to national security. We¡¯ll gather information when the timees and adapt to the situation.¡±

    Ainzmitted the information about these trials to memory, and gestured to the others.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, then.¡±

    Ainz, Shalltear and Aura took the lead. Gondo lined up with ten or so soldiers and theirmander on their way to retake the fortress, and then the gates slowly opened. The stench of death filtered through the gap, so they had an idea what to expect, but then a gruesome scene revealed itself to all present.

    The gentle tunnel which sloped down was broad and it had been levelled for easier passage. However, the walls and floor were covered in blood, guts and chunks of meat. Quagoa corpses littered the ground.

    ¡°Urk!¡±

    The stench of gore, offal death filled the room. It was too much for Gondo, who had no experience as a warrior, and he began retching. The Dwarven soldiers¡¯ faces had turned green, and not because of any trick of the light.

    Ainz¡¯s body had no concept of nausea, so it did not cause him any problems. However, he did not enjoy this smell.

    A squelching noise came from underfoot. It would seem he had stepped on the innards which had fallen out of a bisected Quagoa.

    Ainz sighed and then cast [Mass Fly], allowing everyone to take flight.

    It would seem the Death Knights had revelled in their carnage here. Anyone who slipped and fell in this tunnel of blood would surely lose their strength to the filth and the stench. More importantly, the sight of someone lurching around beside them while covered in blood was a gruesome one.

    The group descended the sloping passage, unblemished due to the flight spell.

    Thanks to the dimly glowing rocks embedded along the way, there was still some light to see by. However, the space between each rock was filled with darkness. Of course, Ainz possessed darkvision, and it posed no problems to him.

    After going down the slope ¡ª a distance of about 100 meters ¡ª they could see the entrance to the fortress before them. No, it would be more urate to say that it was the fortress¡¯ back door.

    Once they passed through the opened doors into the fortress, they could go beyond the fortress and cross the suspension bridge ahead. After travelling west from there for several days, they should be able to see the former Dwarven Capital.

    The Fortress¡¯ entrance was littered with Quagoa corpses. Some of them looked like they had not been killed by the Death Knights, but gnawed. Those must have been the victims of the Death Knights¡¯ zombies.

    Ainz¡¯s undead detection did not pick up any contacts. It was probably because the zombies had reverted to regr corpses after the Death Knights were destroyed.

    Ainz looked around. There were no undead reactions now, but if he left them like this, things might be dangerous, given the characteristics of this world¡¯s undead.

    ¡°It ismonly epted that leaving corpses untended will result in undead spawning. What do you n to do?¡± Ainz asked the soldiers who had been following them.

    ¡°Yes, sir. We will clean them up,¡± themander answered. ¡°Well, we say clean, but it¡¯s more like dumping them into the Great Rift in a ce where it won¡¯t matter even if we attract a monster.¡±

    ¡°And after that, you¡¯ll need to repair the fortress, and then find out how the Quagoa attacked? It seems you have a lot of work ahead of you.¡±

    They would part ways here. The only people who would be taking part in the remation of the Dwarven Capital were Ainz, Aura, Shalltear and Gondo. Well, the Hanzos were around as well, but they did not need to know that.

    The Dwarves smiled bitterly. While it was true that the investigations were risky ¡ª they ran the risk of encountering Quagoa, after all ¡ª it was nothingpared to Ainz¡¯s task of attacking the Quagoa main camp. That was probably what they meant.

    ¡°Then, we¡¯ll enter the fortress. We will go in first to ensure it is safe, so wait outside until then. To be on the safe side, could you protect Gondo?¡±

    After themander replied in the affirmative, Ainz stepped through the open door.

    As he stood at the center of the tragedy, Ainz asked Aura (who was standing behind him) a question.

    ¡°Aura, can you sense anyone using a stealth ability to hide here?¡±

    ¡°Nope. There¡¯s nothing alive in this fortress.¡±

    Aura put her hand on a long ear, and made a listening gesture as she answered. If Aura the ranger said so, then there would be nothing living within this fortress.

    Still, they could not lower their guard.

    The person who had defeated Ainz¡¯s Death Knights should have passed through here. If that person had taken a lot of stealth-specialized sses, they might be able to deceive Aura¡¯s perceptive abilities.

    Still, anyone like that would generally have poor attack power, and they would be easy to deal with even if theyunched an ambush.

    There were many corpses within the fortress, but unlike the sloping passage from earlier, there were Dwarven corpses everywhere.

    Ainz passed through the fortress and towards the gate which was opposite the one through which they had entered. After opening the gate, he saw the Great Rift yawning before him, and not even Ainz¡¯s vision could see its bottom.

    Since there were no Quagoa beyond, it would seem they had retreated without setting up a base of operations here..

    ¡°This should be the Great Rift...¡±

    Ainz turned to look from left to right.

    ¡°But there doesn¡¯t seem to be anything like a suspension bridge here... no, is that a bridge stump? If that¡¯s there, then that means...¡±

    ¡°It might be that the the enemy destroyed the bridge during their retreat,¡± Shalltear said from the side.

    ¡°Hm...¡±

    If their enemy was a powerful being who could easily defeat a Death Knight, was there a need to destroy the bridge? If this was meant to block their attack, that meant that they were not confident in their strength ¡ª No.

    Ainz shook his head.

    Death Knights were rare in this world. Thus, the enemy must have surmised there was a powerful entity controlling the two Death Knights. That being the case, losing the bridge would not be a big loss.

    ¡°Not bad... Tell the Dwarves that the path is safe.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    As he watched Shalltear head towards the Dwarves, he saw Aura squatting down. He wanted to ask what she was doing, but given her diligent expression, it would be best not to interrupt her focus.

    Ainz turned to look at the Great Rift, then picked up a stone and threw it in. There was no particr meaning to it; he had done so on a whim. Still, he could not hear the stone striking the bottom.

    ¡°Its depth is unknown, Your Majesty,¡± said themander whom Shalltear had brought back with her. He must have seen what Ainz was doing. ¡°We¡¯ve sent two expeditions to investigate, but neither of them came back.¡±

    ¡°I see. There were probably monsters there. ...Have those things evere out?¡±

    ¡°Sir, there hasn¡¯t been anything like that to date. Therefore, we decided not to send in expeditions. Probing too deep would be unwise.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s right.¡±

    Ainz could make incorporeal undead like ghosts, and by using magic to share their senses, he would be able to mount a full investigation. However, now was not the time for that sort of thing.

    Given the present circumstances, investigating the Great Rift was a low priority. Still, it had to be done. In YGGDRASIL, ces like this often concealed valuable items or dungeons.

    If the shitty devs had their way, they¡¯d hide a tunnel at the bottom of the Great Rift, and there¡¯d be rare ores inside that tunnel. No, they¡¯d definitely do that. In fact, it¡¯s happened before.

    ¡°¡ªThen, we shall cross to the other side, pursue the fleeing Quagoa, and press them back into the Royal Capital, then.¡±

    The flight spell was still in effect, so that was not a problem in itself. However, what worried Ainz was whether or not something would crawl out of the darkness.

    It was an incident from YGGDRASIL, but Ainz could not help but recall the time when he had been crossing ake and spotted a giant serpent-like monster swimming below. It was not a pleasant memory, but that experience had been put to use in the creation of the 5th Floor¡ª

    After bidding themander farewell, the four of them took flight, with Shalltear and Aura looking out below them. His worries from just now were ill-founded, and they reached the other side without seeing anything else below.

    That said, he breathed a quiet sigh of relief when his feet were once again firmly nted on terra firma. Granted, he had to keep it secret from the others.

    Ainz surveyed his surroundings.

    There were only four enemy corpses here, which meant that the Death Knights had been defeated in this ce.

    ¡°Shalltear, there are a few things I need to tell you now.¡±

    After calling Shalltear to him, Ainz nced at Aura, and saw her inspecting the ground.

    Perhaps it would be better to call Aura over as well. He thought that, but then he mused that he wanted to have Shalltear take the lead this time round. He could exin a simplified version to Aura afterwards.

    ¡°Hang on a bit, Ainz-sama!¡±

    Shalltear took out a notebook and flipped it open.

    ¡°Please, go on.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Umu. A notebook, huh... Very attentive of you. Ahem! Er¡ª we are now about to enter a very dangerous area. As for why it is dangerous, that¡¯s because there is a being who can defeat two of my Death Knights. Whileparing Death Knights to you is something of an insult¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªIt¡¯s nothing of the sort, Ainz-sama. I will use my full strength to do battle with any powerful being who could defeat the Death Knights you created.¡±

    ¡°No, you must not use your full strength.¡±

    ¡°Why, why is that? If the enemy is strong, shouldn¡¯t I attack in earnest ¡ª forgive me for asking such a question of you, Ainz-sama!¡±

    ¡°Not at all. Your question is very sensible.¡±

    Ainz put his hands behind his back, and then told her how to deal with an unknown enemy.

    ¡°That said, you must be aware of how the opposition expects us to act. What the enemy wants most is information ¡ª our fighting ability, in other words. They might use expendable ambush troops and the like to gauge ourbat strength. In other words, they will verify our abilities and when they feel they can achieve victory, they will attack us in such a way that they cannot lose and we cannot flee.¡±

    ¡°To think they would actually do that...¡±

    ¡°Granted, we don¡¯t know if the enemy will go that far¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ah... Ainz-sama...¡±

    Aura called to him in a nervous tone, something which was very unusual for her. Under normal circumstances, he would stop his exnation to Shalltear and listen to Aura.

    However, he was in a very good mood since this was a chance to speak at length about one of his specialties.

    Therefore, Ainz turned to Aura and put his index finger to his mouth.

    ¡°Ah, yes!¡±

    Understanding dawned on Aura. Ainz was giving an earnest lecture, so he wanted her to be quiet. She understood what Ainz was trying to say.

    ¡°Like I was saying, Shalltear. I would do the same thing if I were fighting a strong foe. No, my friends would do the same as well.¡±

    ¡°The Supreme Beings would do that too? But,paring this enemy to the Supreme Beings is a little...¡±

    ¡°Really? You should assume that the enemy can do everything I can do. Only a fool thinks that they are special and gets full of themselves. Remain ever-cautious. In any case, I do not wish to let the enemy see our full fighting strength.¡±

    Keeping the Hanzos in hiding was also to disrupt the schemes of the enemy.

    ¡°Therefore, Shalltear, I willy several restrictions on you when you are travelling with me to the Dwarven Capital ¡ª before we reach the enemy¡¯s headquarters.¡±

    ¡°Yes! What sort of restrictions are these?¡±

    ¡°Umu. Concerning magic... while I permit you to use spells of up to the 10th tier, you are not to use too many different spells. At the very most, limit yourself to one or two of them.¡±

    ¡°...I see, this is to deceive the enemy and make them overconfident, and then defeat him with a counterattack. That being the case... why not limit me to 5th-tier magic or lower?¡±

    ¡°No, the enemy will not be lulled into a false sense of confidence that way. In the moment that the enemy thinks they have the measure of our true strength and seeks to utterly destroy us, we have a chance to strike a fatal blow to the enemy. In my case, if I saw the enemy attack me with just a few techniques and no spells beyond the 5th tier, I would immediately conclude that the enemy was trying to keep their abilities a secret.¡±

    ¡°In that kind of situation, what would you do against that sort of enemy?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d think of how to learn more about them. For instance, I¡¯d briefly abandon an expendable base. Then, I¡¯d slowly gather intelligence. Once the enemy gains a base, they¡¯ll feel the desire to hang on to it. That sort of attitude will limit the enemy¡¯s actions, and they¡¯ll invariably reveal their true colors.¡±

    ¡°Is there a need to be that cautious?¡±

    In a game, one could still recover from a loss. However, in this world, there was the chance that they would not be able to bounce back. This was especially true when it came to Ainz, who had not yet finished his experiments on yer deaths.

    ¡°All these are things you do in response to the circumstances. Shalltear, you need to think, no?¡±

    In any event, he should leave things at that. Ainz turned towards Aura.

    ¡°Then, Aura, what is it?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡±

    Aura¡¯s eyes were sparkling.

    He had no idea what had brought that on, but perhaps she had felt impressed by the tactics he had exined to Shalltear.

    Hm~ it might be the absolute basics, but I guess I should give Aura some guidance too, no? Should I lend out that book of PK tactics? But that¡¯s the only thing I have which gives me a leg up on the NPCs... What should I do. Also, letting information spread too widely isn¡¯t good, someone told me that before...

    Just as Ainz fell into thought, Gondo spoke up.

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry to interrupt you while you¡¯re discussing strategy, but shouldn¡¯t we move forward? If the path copses, we¡¯ll have to find another route.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true... Shall we travel by magical beast?¡±

    ¡°It might be better not to. We might encounter small passages along the way, and if we¡¯re mounted, we¡¯ll have to leave the beasts there.¡±

    He had thought of using a ridable undead creature like a Soul Eater. He could simply re-create one if there were any problems. However, it would be wiser to listen to the words of his guide.

    ¡°I understand. Let¡¯s go, then.¡±

    ***

    ¡°His Majesty has set out!¡±

    As they heard this, six of the Dwarven Councillors ¡ª the High Priest of Earth, the Director of Food Production, the Cab Secretary, the Brewmaster, the Master of Caves and Mines, and the Merchant¡¯s Guildmaster ¡ª shivered in delight.

    It was true that the Sorcerer King had not done anything so far. Still, they could not rest at ease when an undead being ¡ª one who hated the living ¡ª of such power walked the streets.

    The people here were gathered to ensure the safety of the city and its people. Thus, they had to consider the worst possible scenarios that might result beforemitting to a course of action. For instance, the Sorcerer King might have suddenly turned violent and begun massacring children. These worries gued them all day, and they considered various countermeasures and useful proposals.

    Now that the object of their whispered discussion was no longer here, what was wrong in savoring the sweet release from their burdens?

    ¡°Bring the wine! Bring the wine!¡±

    Just as the parched earth craved the rain, alcohol was essential for exhausted hearts to heal.

    Nobody could possibly object to that.

    ¡°Still, he¡¯ll be back, right?¡±

    The air turned stagnant all of a sudden, and a gloom settled across all of them.

    Their pumped fists sank powerlessly down.

    ¡°Should we run?¡±

    ¡°Where can we go? If we flee after signing that pact with him... Also, we asked him to reim the Royal Capital for us, right? If we were in his ce, wouldn¡¯t we be angry at this?¡±

    ¡°Well, he might get angry... but I wouldn¡¯t have the confidence to take a hardline stance against a being like that.¡±

    ¡°Ah. Yes, I understand how you feel.¡±

    ¡°...Is that really alright? What happened to your pride, Merchant¡¯s Guildmaster?¡±

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s not as though we could make a fair deal with such a thing, right? Generally speaking, deals can only be made between two equal parties in equal circumstances, right? Therefore, it¡¯s de facto impossible to make a proper deal with someone who¡¯s far more powerful than you.¡±

    The Dwarves sighed as one.

    Nobody here felt that the Sorcerer King would fail to reim the Royal Capital. That much was obvious just by ncing at the magical beasts he left behind. And then, he was a person who had the luxury of leaving behind monsters like that when he knew there was a Dragon waiting for him.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s change the subject. Can anyone estimate when he¡¯ll return?¡±

    ¡°How would we know? It¡¯s not as though we can ask the man himself. If he chuckled and said ¡®Right now¡¯, I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯d piss myself.¡±

    Those were shameful words, but none of the Dwarvesughed at them.

    ¡°...It can¡¯t be helped. If he did that to me, I¡¯d piss myself too.¡±

    ¡°Same here. I might even shit my pants.¡±

    They looked at each other as they uttered those crudities.

    ¡°Have we learned anything new? Do we know anything about that Gondo?¡±

    ¡°Nothing at all, only that he gathered the runesmiths.¡±

    ¡°The runesmiths? Was it about going to the Sorcerous Kingdom?¡±

    ¡°Who knows? Why don¡¯t we summon one of them and ask him about it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea, but it¡¯ll tip our hand to His Majesty, no? It¡¯s too dangerous to act rashly. Only an idiot would touch a heated crucible, after all.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then we¡¯ll have to tell the runesmiths that we want them to go to the Sorcerous Kingdom. Then we can casually ask them about it. How about that?¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯m not confident in my ability to do so.¡±

    The Dwarves murmured, ¡°Me too¡± in response.

    ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s forget about asking them. It would be foolish to dig needless holes and end up falling to our deaths.¡±

    Everyone here agreed with that. If they angered Ainz by prying too deeply, many lives might be lost.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s inform the two of us who aren¡¯t here about tomorrow¡¯s business and not to interfere with the smiths. I heard themander-in-chief will being here afterwards, but what about the forgemaster?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go, then,¡± said the Cab Secretary. ¡°I¡¯m interested in the sort of masterpiece he¡¯ll produce. Also, I¡¯m wondering what sort of metal the Sorcerer King gave him.¡±

    ¡°He only said it was a rare metal, but you can¡¯t get any rarer than adamantite, can you?¡±

    ¡°So it would be more like orichalcum, then?¡±

    The Dwarves were an underground race. Even if their jobs had nothing to do with metallurgy, they would be very interested in a metal they had never seen before.

    ¡°If only we could grab him and make him show us. He¡¯s been very busy ofte, right?¡±

    After receiving the metal from the Sorcerer King, the Forgemaster hurriedly returned to his workshop. Everyone knew the reason for his haste, and so they did not stop him.

    ¡°Well, the smithing should be well under way, considering it¡¯s him. Making a chain shirt ought to result in a few extra loops, so maybe we could borrow a few of those.¡±

    After a chorus of approvals, the Council session dissolved.

    After that, their tired bodies craved rest, but the Dwarves were a race which hosted drinking parties even as they spoke of taking a break.

    ¡°Wine tastes especially good at the workce,¡± they said as they downed special, Dwarf-only beverages with high alcohol content. Amidst all this, the Cab Secretary suddenly thought of something snuck out of the meeting room that was now a beerhall.

    Needless to say, he was going to meet the Forgemaster.

    The Forgemaster¡¯s workshop was huge, as befitted a man who was responsible for the Dwarven nation¡¯s cksmithing. In all likelihood, it was one of the biggest buildings in Feoh G¨¥r. It employed many Dwarven artisans and its heat ¡ª which could melt adamantite ¡ª and the pounding of its hammers on anvils had never stopped before.

    However, it was silent today ¡ª an urrence which made the Cab Secretary¡¯s hairs stand on end.

    He was sure that the crucibles were lit.

    That was because the temperature went up as he neared them.

    In that case, what was the reason for this silence?

    The Cab Secretary quickened his pace, as though impelled by the unease flowing out of him.

    He hade here before, so there was no hesitation as he plunged in towards the crucible where the smiths should have been working.

    He saw the cksmiths, all of whom were familiar faces.

    Unable to help himself, he sighed in relief. However, when he noticed the worried looks on the cksmith¡¯s faces and the direction where they were all looking, the unease which seized his heart seemed toe back to life.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    As he called out, the eyes of the cksmiths lit up, as though their savior had arrived.

    ¡°He¡¯s locked himself in there and refuses toe out.¡±

    Apart from its gigantic crucibles, this foundry also contained a workshop for the personal use of the Forgemaster, although it was closer to a miniature foundry in its own right. The Forgemaster was a dedicated worker, and when handling important projects, he would often lock himself inside and not emerge for several days.

    That was a fairlymon urrence. The Forgemaster¡¯s disciples and the other cksmiths should not have had that distressed look on their faces.

    ¡°...It¡¯s not strange, is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s true that he locks himself up fairly often... but there¡¯s no sound of hammering. And it¡¯s been half a day ¡ª no, almost an entire day.¡±

    ¡°...So maybe he¡¯s just drawing up the ns for the design?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s never happened before.¡±

    The Cab Secretary stroked his beard.

    He did not feel this was particrly surprising. However, if the forgemen all felt the same way, then it should probably be an emergency.

    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you open the door? Is it locked?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not locked. However, whenever the Forgemaster retreats to that room, he hates people opening that door.¡±

    ¡°I see. ...So you want me to open it, am I right?¡±

    It would be difficult for the Forgemaster¡¯s disciples. But someone of an equivalent rank might have a better chance of not incurring the Forgemaster¡¯s wrath.

    I drew the short straw. Well, it can¡¯t be helped.

    ¡°I understand. Then, let me do it. You lot should go first. Just take it as though I insisted on going in myself and you won¡¯t get involved.¡±

    After the smiths thanked him, the Cab Secretary stepped up and knocked on the door.

    However, there was no response, no matter how many times he knocked.

    Fearing the worst, he flung the door open with all his might.

    It was the same familiar room. Surprisingly, there was no heat, even though he was only a door removed from the huge crucible. That was due to magical air conditioning. When he shifted his gaze, he saw a crimson me zing within the depths of the crucible.

    And then, he saw someone facing the fire.

    What, he¡¯s there, isn¡¯t he? Just as the Cab Secretary was about to sigh in relief, he once again held his breath.

    That was because he could sense something strange and inexplicable in the air. Why was the Forgemaster silent? ording to the smiths outside, he ought to have reacted immediately to the intrusion.

    ¡°Oi.¡±

    Those words were little more than an exhaled breath, but the man should have heard it. Yet there was no response from the Forgemaster.

    ¡°Oi!¡±

    The Cab was nervous now and he shouted, but as expected, the Forgemaster did not react.

    Panting heavily, he advanced to the Forgemaster¡¯s side.

    ¡°¡ªHey!¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    An answer atst. The Cab Secretary almost copsed on ount of the strength fleeing his limbs.

    ¡°What? What? Don¡¯t make me¡ª¡±

    The Cab Secretary¡¯s words trailed off.

    Why had the Forgemaster not turned around to look at him?

    Worried for his friend, the Cab Minister circled around to look at his face.

    He looked different from usual ¡ª as though he were a hunted animal. More important than that, he had a ghastly expression on his face, as though he was ready to massacre his own people.

    ¡°...What happened?¡±

    The Forgemaster¡¯s face finally moved in response to the words which had slipped out by themselves. No, only his eyeballs moved, turning to look at the Cab Secretary¡¯s face.

    ¡°What happened? What... happened? Hmph!¡±

    The Forgemaster¡¯s hand moved. He picked up his tongs, plucked out the searing-hot metal ingot from the fires of the crucible, and then chucked it at the Cab Master.

    ¡°Uwaaaaah!¡±

    The Cab Minister scrambled away desperately, and the ingotnded on the ground with a thud.

    ¡°You bastard! Are you trying to kill me?!¡±

    He could not tolerate this, not even from a friend.

    However, the Forgemaster smiled coldly.

    ¡°Kill you? Well, you¡¯d think that.¡±

    Then, he reached out and grabbed the ingot. cksmiths typically wore heat-resistant gloves, but the shocking thing was that the Forgemaster did not. Neither was he wearing any magic items that bestowed such an effect.

    He had grabbed the heated metal ingot with his bare hand.

    So reckless and ridiculous was that move that the Secretary imagined he could smell and hear the Forgemaster¡¯s flesh sizzling. The Forgemaster practically spat his words out at the wide-eyed Cab Secretary.

    ¡°It didn¡¯t heat up!¡±

    ¡°What, what did you say?¡±

    ¡°This damn thing won¡¯t heat up at all!¡±

    Before he knew it, the Cab Secretary had caught the ingot tossed his way. For a moment, he imagined that it was emitting a searing heat, but t was not hot at all. In fact, it was surprisingly cold.

    ¡°What, what is this?¡±

    That was a pointless question. In all the Cab Secretary¡¯s knowledge, there was only one thing which corresponded to the description of a metal that did not get hot even when heated. Thus, the question was merely a formality.

    Indeed, the Forgemaster¡¯s next words confirmed his suspicions.

    ¡°It¡¯s the ingot that damned undead gave me! I¡¯ve heated it for an entire day and it won¡¯t get hot! I¡¯ve hammered it and it won¡¯t change shape! I can¡¯t even leave a mark on it! How the hell am I supposed to make armor with this?!¡±

    ¡°You, you don¡¯t think he gave you a metal even he couldn¡¯t work with?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to think so too. But look, there¡¯s a shortsword made of the same metal! I can mark the ingot with it! The hell does ¡®most experienced craftsman¡¯ mean?! I¡¯m nothing more than an idiot who can only stare dumbly at a hunk of unknown metal!¡±

    The Cab Secretary struggled to think of how tofort the high-strung Forgemaster.

    ¡°Then, then what if you asked that undead being how to work it¡ª¡±

    ¡°Those who ask when they don¡¯t know are wiser than those who don¡¯t ask when they don¡¯t know? Something like that, right? That¡¯s true. The dwarves of days past do have a point. But ¡ª what does my experience count for? Look at these hands.¡±

    He forcefully thrust them out. They were a pair of craftsman¡¯s hands; thick, heavy and scarred from old burns. Any artisan could take pride in such hands.

    ¡°I¡¯ve touched metal ever since I was a stupid disciple. I¡¯ve done it longer than anyone else, until now. Because of that, it was only natural to be praised as the most outstanding artisan of my peers. And the reason for that is because I worked harder than anyone else!¡±

    The Forgemaster¡¯s face was twisted into knots.

    ¡°I¡¯ve given my life to cksmithing. I don¡¯t think anything is impossible, and I¡¯ve always believed that any metal can be shaped to any desired shape. ¡ªWhat a joke I am! Haha! What was I using to deceive myself? I was nothing more than a tiny frog in a well! And to think I dared call myself a genius. I was such a fool.¡±

    ¡°No, all you need to do now is start learning again, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Yes, you¡¯re right. Though it pains me to hear it...¡±

    The Forgemaster tightly clutched the ingot in his hand.

    The fact that the Forgemaster¡¯s face had gonepletely nk worried the Cab Secretary.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You¡¯re right. All I need to do is start learning again. Then, what are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°What am I... you... Ah, forget it. That undead king has left this city. We¡¯ll be holding a Council meeting tomorrow, and I came to get you. Also, don¡¯t interfere with the runesmiths.¡±

    ¡°Is that so... I understand. Then, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡±

    The Cab Secretary still felt uneasy, but he could not bring himself to show it.

    Fatigue of the body tranted to fatigue of the spirit. The Forgemaster would probably recover after a good night¡¯s rest. After forcing himself to ept that exnation, the Cab Secretary returned home.

    However, the next day, he learned that the Forgemaster had disappeared with the ingot.

    2

    It was said that there were three trials along the way to the former Royal Capital of the Dwarves.

    The first was the Great Rift.

    Needless to say, one could not cross it on foot. Of course, one could also look for a way around it, but that increased the chances of encountering monsters. The monsters whoy in wait within such terrain were a fearsome threat to the Dwarves.

    It was very difficult to evade an ambushunched by monsters who could sense the footsteps of their targets and attack from underground. One false move might lead to being swallowed and digested. In addition, there were monsters who couldunch psychic attacks and deliver lethal blows while the minds of their victims were still confused.

    In ces like these, humanoids like humans, Dwarves and Elves were little more than prey animals.

    While the safest way across would be to take the ovend route which cut across the mountain range, that path was still dangerous even for surface-dwellers. One had to worry about being attacked from above by creatures like Perytons, Harpies, Itsumades, Gigant Eagles and other monsters, as well asrge flying animals. Since humans had small cones of vision above and below them, a moment¡¯s carelessness might lead to missing an ambush from above, which in turn contained the risk of being in in one blow.

    Thus, merely crossing the Great Rift was a trial in itself.

    Because of that, the Dwarves had built a city nearby and raised a suspension bridge. Once the bridge had fallen, nobody would be able to cross, and the Great Rift would serve as an impassable barrier to protect the city.

    Now that the suspension bridge had been cut by the Quagoa, the Great Rift was an imposing challenge.

    However¡ª

    It did not bother Ainz and hispany at all. After all, the use of the [Fly] spell rendered it a trivial obstacle.

    Then, there was the second trial ¡ª thend of molten magma.

    This sea of scorching heat shone with blinding radiance. It was an extremely dangerous region where inhaling a single lungful of searing air could char one¡¯s lungs within the chest.

    The reason whyva could flow uncounted kilometers beneath the earth was most likely because this world was a magical one. There were naturally-formed portals which were close to [Gates] in power, and they joined the magma flows of this region to those of a distant region.

    Amidst this searing ocean lurked the reason why this ce was considered a trial.

    That would be the monster who swamzily through the scorching sea.

    It was a gigantic monster over 50 meters long, which resembled a fish. To be precise, it resembled an anglerfish. However, it did not have a lure on its head, but a tentacle which substituted for hands. It could seize a distant foe and deposit it into the monster¡¯s oversized jaws.

    Its skin was sturdy and tough, and it grew scales like a normal fish, but their toughness far surpassed that of even orichalcum.

    Many monsters grew very powerful because they lived a long time. These individuals were famed as superior specimens, and in many cases they would be ssified as a different kind of being from their parent race. This monster hadpleted a specialized form of evolution, and it had be a unique being, found nowhere else in the world.

    And so, these were the three rulers of Mt. Rappaslea, as linked by the [Gate]¡ª

    The Phoinix Lord, who ruled the sky;

    The Ancient me Dragon, who ruled the earth;

    And the La-Angler Lava Lord, who ruled the underground sea of magma.

    If ranked by the adventurers¡¯ difficulty estimates, the master of the molten ocean would score around 140. In all likelihood, one would not survivebat with it.

    Fortunately, it was poor at engaging terrestrial targets. One would not be attacked if one stayed out of the magma. However, the road to the Dwarven Royal Capital ran along a narrow, unsteady path that was only a little higher than the sea of molten rock below it.

    Quite a number of Quagoa had fallen into the magma during their invasion. Unable to withstand the superheated air which blew up from below, their bodies trembled, which sent them plunging into the sea of molten rock.

    However¡ª

    The crossing posed no problems for travellers prepared with fire immunity and flight magic. They flew through the air, far above the reach of the La-Angler Lava Lord, and neither party realised the presence of each other.

    Thus did Ainz and hispany cross the sea of magma.

    The trials until now had been easily ovee with flight magic, so it was hard to consider them trials. However, the final trial was a challenge in the truest sense of the word, being a long, twisting and branching series of caves.

    It certainly qualified for the title of byrinth¡±.

    Still, that alone would be too easy to count as a trial. There were no monsters in this area, so as long as one spent time on making a map, one could eventually ovee it. And if that were all that were to it, then it would only qualify as a trial to those whocked food and water ¡ª or, in other words, those with limited time.

    Yes ¡ª there was another reason why this ce was considered a trial.

    This area was filled with vents which spewed plumes of volcanic gases at regr intervals, and there were ces where the gases collected. In other words, it was a hellish area of invisible, fatal poison,shed by fierce winds.

    There were several routes which led to the exit, but there was only one which did so and also avoided the gas. Even that route might end up being filled with gas if one did not traverse it quickly enough.

    Even the use of the [Fly] spell ¡ª which had trumped every challenge thus far ¡ª would only allow them to scrape along the ceiling. The sprayed gas would fill even the air up there with poison as well. At most, all the spell would do was allow one to avoid the areas where the gas had settled and collected.

    However¡ª

    Ainz and the Guardians had adequate countermeasures against gas-vector attacks, so it posed no problems to them. Rather, the only one who might be affected by gaseous attacks was Gondo. The undead had their immunities, and gases which did not inflict acid or fire damage would not harm them at all. Aura had a magic item which surrounded her in a bubble of fresh air, so mere gas counted for nothing against her.

    In other words, as long as Gondo was protected by magic, he could walk safely through the billowing vapors of death.

    And so, the three trials ¡ª terrain hazards which were deemed impassable to those without preparation or prior knowledge ¡ª were easily conquered by Ainz and his party.

    Ainz¡¯s spell ¡ª the [Bless of Titania], which told its userthe best way through a dungeon ¡ª slowly faded away. That was either a sign that its duration had expired, or that its purpose had ended.

    ¡°...Hm. It looks like there¡¯s a fresh Quagoa corpse inside that cave. But we haven¡¯t caught up with their unit yet. I guess a day makes a huge difference.¡±

    ¡°Still, we¡¯ve closed the gap greatly. We¡¯ve almost caught up with them now,¡± Aura said after inspecting the footprints on the ground.

    ¡°...Really now. Then, let¡¯s discuss what we¡¯ll do afterwards. ...Gondo, we¡¯ll be reaching the Royal Capital soon, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve only heard of it in legends, but if those caves were the legendary Maze of Death, then we ought to be there soon.¡±

    A bitter expression came over Gondo¡¯s face.

    ¡°Was that really a Maze of Death, though... The legends said that those who didn¡¯t know the way would only find death at the end of their journey...¡±

    Ainz could not answer that question. After all, it had been too simple a challenge. Perhaps it was only a ruse, designed to trick the opposition into thinking they had cleared it before the true trap was sprung. That was not entirely out of the question.

    ¡°...When that happens, all we need to do is break through any traps that await. That said, stepping into a preset snare is the height of foolishness. Let¡¯s slow down and advance while staying alert.¡±

    They had been moving at great speeds to catch up with the enemy. However, they had not caught up with them yet, even aftering all the way here. They should rethink their strategy while operating under the assumption that the enemy had already returned to their base.

    ¡°Then, we shall consider what we will do after reaching the enemy headquarters.¡±

    After verifying that everyone had nodded, Ainz turned towards Gondo.

    ¡°To begin with, Gondo and I will take on the Royal Pce. I will handle the Dragon there.¡±

    Neither the Guardians nor Gondo objected to this.

    The highest-ranked Dragons were some of the strongest opponents in YGGDRASIL. It was very dangerous to move separately from the Guardians while they did not know the enemy¡¯s strength. However, Ainz possessed a World-ss Item. It possessed many powers, and one of them was very effective against Dragons. Therefore, even in the worst-case scenario, he ought to be able to escape it.

    In contrast, if he brought the Guardians with him and the enemy was more powerful than expected, then he would have to work harder in order to make his escape.

    With Gondo around, the worst that could happen was that Ainz would have to abandon him. He could not abandon the lives of his friends¡¯ children. Therefore, the best solution was to not have them with him in the first ce.

    Dragons, huh... I¡¯m looking forward to this.

    In YGGDRASIL, Dragons were mighty foes and also a bounty of riches.

    They dropped good data crystals, and they had a higher chance of dropping artifacts than normal monsters. One could harvest their skin, meat, blood, fangs, ws, eyeballs, scales and other body parts for various uses.

    One could say they were delicious enemies.

    Knowing that he would soon encounter his first Dragon in this world filled his heart with a blend of unease, anticipation and desire. Ainz was so delighted that he was barely able to contain himself.

    ording to the Dwarves, the mighty Frost Dragon which hadid waste to the Western city might be there. If things went poorly, he might face another battle with questionable odds of victory, much like the one with Shalltear.

    Could the Dragon have defeated the Death Knights? I can still manage if it was the same entity, but it¡¯ll be troublesome if there was another one. Should I remain hidden and bring up everyone except the Hanzos ¡ª no, this ought to be the right choice.

    ¡°¡ªAinz-sama?¡±

    ¡°Hm? Ahh, Shalltear. Forgive me, I was lost in thought. Then, I shall give you two your orders as well. Aura and Shalltear, you are to face the Quagoa and have them submit to my rule. If they dare to refuse, then show them the power of Nazarick!¡±

    The two Guardians replied with forceful affirmatives.

    Ainz¡¯s gaze shifted to Gondo. He did not look like he had anything to say. That attitude seemed to imply that he would go along with any decision Ainz made.

    While Ainz had agreed to clear out the Quagoa, Ainz did not intend topletely exterminate them. He simply felt that the genocide of a race which did not exist in YGGDRASIL was a bit of a waste. Indeed, killing them all might eliminate this race from the world. No, even if that were not the case, they might end up being beneficial to Nazarick in the future.

    Of course, they might also be harmful to Nazarick. However, extirpating them before verifying that was something of a waste.

    Extermination is easy, but revival is difficult. Thus, there¡¯s only one path I can take. And besides¡ª

    ¡°If they are fools who will not swear their loyalty to me, then reduce their numbers to around 10¡¯000 or so. Try and keep the strong ones alive. However, after considering future issues, do not select them purely based on strength. You must make sure an equal number of them are female. In addition, you must not let any of them escape, do you understand? Especially the one that is the equivalent to their king.¡±

    ¡°But... Ainz-sama...¡±

    Ainz urged Aura ¡ª who looked depressed ¡ª to continue speaking.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know exactly howrge the Dwarven capital is, but it seems like quite arge area. It¡¯ll be difficult for just the two of us to ensure that none of the Quagoa escape from such a broad space. What should we do?¡±.

    ¡°Hm. A reasonable question. Because of that ¡ª Aura, it¡¯s time for you to shine. Use the World-ss item I gave you earlier.¡±

    ¡°Is, is that really alright?¡±

    ¡°Umu. This is when it should be put to use.¡±

    ¡°I, I understand!¡±

    Tension was written all over their faces.

    ¡°While that there are no use limits on that World-ss item, if the enemy fulfils certain conditions and escapes, ownership of the Item will automatically shift to them. That is the worst-case scenario and must be avoided at all costs.¡±

    Ainz recalled the incident where Ainz Ooal Gown had seized possession of it.

    How many mails had the enemy sent, begging them to ¡°give it back¡±?

    Ainz snorted.

    ¡°If you didn¡¯t want to lose it, shouldn¡¯t have used it,¡± was the matter-of-fact reply. Nothing was more stupid than a guild which could not ept such a rational conclusion. If they did not want it to be taken, they should have stashed it in their treasury and never taken it out. Therefore, Ainz kept harping on it, even though he felt that there would be no problems with its use.

    ¡°Also, you must be cautious of foes you cannot suck into it, because such enemies possess World-ss Items as well.¡±

    ¡°That means you won¡¯t be able to enter either, right, Ainz-sama?¡±

    ¡°Not when it opens up. However, there are ways to go in if you choose to do so. You need to pay attention to the timeg when that happens... Alright, let¡¯s go, then.¡±

    Led by Aura, the group set forth.

    Perhaps they were near the former Dwarven Royal Capital, but even the naturally-formed caverns were easy to traverse. All the stctites and stgmites had been cut down, probably for convenience of passage. They walked on for a time, surrounded by thebor of the Dwarves.

    Aura ¡ª who walked at their head ¡ª suddenly stopped. Then she cupped her hand to a long ear, listening intently.

    Ainz and the others kept quiet, waiting for Aura to give the word.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, I can hear many living beings ahead, numbering in the hundreds. I can¡¯t gauge the exact distance, but I think we¡¯ll make contact with them within minutes.¡±

    ¡°Hoh... have we caught up to them?¡±

    ¡°No, they don¡¯t sound like they¡¯re moving. It feels like they¡¯re waiting...¡±

    ¡°I see. Did they sense our pursuit? Are they ambush troops?¡±

    If that were the case, they had probably used some sort of divination magic to spy on Ainz and the others.

    Ainz smiled thinly.

    Until now, he had not let the enemy observe their power. Because of that, they wanted to throw their unit against Ainz and observe their abilities.

    From the enemy¡¯s resolve and actions, he could sense their anxiety and willingness to sacrifice lives to learn about them. It made Ainz feel that he had won his battle of wits against his opponent.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, shall we capture them?¡±

    ¡°Hm,e to think of it, we haven¡¯t shown too much of our abilities to the enemy yet. Therefore, let¡¯s gather some information before we roll over their headquarters in one fell swoop.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    In addition, even if they did learn about them, they could not devise a counter-strategy that easily.

    There were two main types of characters in YGGDRASIL.

    There were those who specialized in a certain field, and those whose abilities were evenly distributed.

    In the former case, even if one learned about an enemy, they would have a hard time dealing with them if the information did not pertain to their specialty. In thetter case, they might be able to deal with them, but given the even spread of their foe¡¯s abilities, said countermeasures against them would not be foolproof.

    Of course, there might be people like Ainz who knew many spells and who possessed many items left behind by theirrades, and were thus able to adapt to many circumstances, or someone like Touch Me with very high overall stats, but those were the exception to the rule. Therefore, there was only one thing they had to worry about.

    ...The number of powerful entities. The fact that I don¡¯t know that figure scares me a little. Given that I can¡¯t fully verify that particr point, I should probably keep the idea of retreat in mind ¡ª hm. Well, in any case, we can¡¯t proceed without punching them to see what the enemy has up their sleeve. ¡ªOhh, the spirit of Yamaiko-san is possessing me...

    ¡°Shalltear. You are not to go berserk this time, alright?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡±

    Shalltear readied her Spuit Lance.

    ¡°Very good. Normally, we should avoid revealing the fact that we possess divine-ss items to the enemy. However, they won¡¯t be able to see through it without very good detection skills. Alright, go.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    ***

    In Feoh Berkanan ¡ª the stately, magnificent former Royal Capital of the Dwarves, built during the flower of their civilization ¡ª thergest building besides the Royal Pce was the Merchant¡¯s Guild, because it contained many rooms used during meetings and temporary vaults used to briefly store resources.

    This building was used by many Dwarves, and it wasrger than any other structure in the city. However, it was now the residence of the Lord of the Quagoa ns, Pe Riyuro.

    By the time Yozu returned, Riyuro was seated ¡ª almost sinking ¡ª into arge and soft cushion. His attitude was one which carried on as normal, without entertaining the possibility of anger or anxiety, even after hearing about Yozu¡¯s failure.

    Yozu bowed, and described what had happened.

    While the important details had already been sent via messenger, he was here to exin the details. In particr, he needed to thoroughly borate on the Dwarven Kingdom¡¯s trump card, the ck suits of armor which he had seen with his own two eyes.

    Riyuro listened in silence, and then he slowly moved his hand, reaching into a cage beside him. He withdrew a squeaking lizard; a fat, round and juicy lizard, a snack fit for a king.

    Riyuro extended the hand holding the lizard toward Yozu.

    ¡°¡ªWant a bite?¡±

    ¡°No, no thank you.¡±

    ¡°Really now,¡± Riyuro muttered. Then he crushed the lizard¡¯s head with his jaws, and Yozu smelled the faint scent of blood and innards.

    All 20 centimeters of the lizard disappeared into Riyuro¡¯s mouth within three bites.

    Riyuro wiped his bloodstained hands and mouth clean with a nearby towel.

    ¡°¡ªAnd so you retreated. What of your pursuers?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re unsure of that. However¡ª¡±

    Since the suspension bridge had fallen, he did not think the enemy would continue their pursuit. And frankly speaking, they had the Dwarves by the throat. All the Dwarves could do was reinforce their defenses, find and seal off the nking route, and then perhaps they might mount a counterattack on this ce.

    The reason why they had onlymitted those two suits of ck armor was either because they were foolish enough to split their forces or because that was the sum of their military power.

    That was Yozu¡¯s opinion, which he shared with Riyuro.

    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be strange if there were one or two more of them.¡±

    Riyuro seemed to have sensed Yozu¡¯s unconscious disy of surprise. He poked repeatedly at the lizards in the cage whilezily exining his meaning.

    The Dwarves were confident in their fortress¡¯ defense. If it was brought down, they would feel that the chances of their city being conquered were very high. Therefore, it was not wrong to assume that the ck suits of armor they had sent out were a significant portion of their total number.

    However, since they did not know how exactly the fortress had been conquered,mitting all their forces to the frontlines was a dangerous gamble. If there were multiple avenues of infiltration, then they might be lost.

    While it was not a situation where they could dole their fighting strength out bit by bit, they did not have the information tomit their entire force to a counterattack either.

    Therefore, even if there were more, there would only be one, maybe two more. This was what he hade up with.

    Yozu felt that it was exactly as the Lord had said, and he was filled with awe at the wisdom of his Lord.

    ¡°Then, who do you think can defeat those Golems?¡±

    ¡°I am certain that you could defeat it, my Lord!¡±

    Riyuro was the mightiest being among the eight ns of the Quagoa. Indeed, his fighting ability was exemry.

    He might well be able to fight the entire Quagoa race by himself and emerge victorious. There had never been anyone as powerful as him in the history of the Quagoa.

    Yozu recalled the sight of Riyuro battling a monster in the past. He was absolutely confident that Riyuro¡¯s might was superior to that of the Golems.

    ¡°Dispense with the pleasantries. Do you truly think so?¡±

    ¡°Yes! I do think so!¡±

    Riyuro chuckled bitterly, but Yozu¡¯s reply was earnest. He had no answer besides that.

    ¡°...Which n were you born in?¡±

    A surprising question. After Yozu stated his birth n, Riyuro fell into thought once more.

    ¡°I see... In that case, you must really think I can win, then?¡±

    ¡°What, what does that mean?¡±

    ¡°I simply suspected that you might consider this a chance to eliminate me. It is true that I am stronger than anyone else in the entire species. Because of that, you might seek to have me battle the Golems after underestimating their strength. Then, the Golems would kill me. Well, if you did that, then nobody would be able to defeat the Golems... but they would be damaged during their battle with me, and then you might be able to crush them with numbers.¡±

    Although the Lord to which he had pledged his loyalty cast his suspicions upon him, Yozu¡¯s heart was filled with nothing but respect.

    If he were in Riyuro¡¯s ce, he might not have thought so deeply into the issue.

    Yozu firmly believed that Riyuro was the true Lord of the Quagoa, and his loyalty deepened ever further.

    Riyuro did not quite understand the man before him, and asked Yozu a question.

    ¡°...Why did you not immediately answer that you had no such intentions?¡±

    ¡°Yes! My, my deepest apologies! I was merely entranced your deep insights, my Lord! As you have said, I harbored no such intentions!¡±

    Riyuroughed loudly.

    ¡°What an interesting fellow you are! ...The men I granted you were lost for nothing, so there must be a punishment for that. But I will not inflict wounds upon you, which might affect your future development. In truth, you learned about the Golems and returned here after realizing that it was important information. In addition, your anticipation of enemy pursuit and the allocation of part of your troops to the defense of the city shows your keenness of thought.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much!¡±

    Yozu bowed deeply.

    ¡°Now, I have a question for an excellent leader like you. How shall we gather more information about those Golems?¡±

    ¡°By attacking the shorties¡¯ nation.¡±

    ¡°That is one way to go about it. If you do so, we might be able to learn if there are truly Golems in reserve.¡±

    ¡°Yes! If there aren¡¯t any more, then we must conquer the city as soon as possible no matter the losses we suffer.¡±

    ¡°Umu¡±, Riyuro nodded.

    If it was a matter of lives, then much time would be needed to bear and raise them. However, Golems only needed to be built. Time was not on their side, but on the enemy¡¯s.

    ¡°What other methods are there?¡±

    ¡°Forgive me, but I cannot think of any at the moment.¡±

    Riyuro thrust his hand into the lizard-filled cage and withdrew another lizard.

    ¡°...Would you like one?¡±

    Do I look that hungry?

    It was true that he had fled back here with all his strength, and he had not even eaten or rested properly so far. However, he was not thirsty or hungry enough to beg from the king¡¯s table.

    ¡°No, thank you.¡±

    ¡°Really now,¡± Riyuro replied. Then, he chewed off the lizard¡¯s head like he had the previous one. After devouring it like before, Yozu asked Riyuro a question.

    ¡°Then, my Lord. Have you thought of any other methods?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. We can ask that fellow. His wisdom is far beyond mine... Although, the troubling thing is that the payment he demands will be equally high.¡±

    ¡°By payment you mean... could it be!¡±

    Yozu immediately guessed it from those words.

    ¡°Correct. We must give the Dragons¡ª¡±

    Just as Riyuro was about to speak, there was a disturbance from outside, and then the doors swung open with a great crash.

    ¡°n Lord!¡±

    It was one of the guards.

    ¡°Looks urgent, what happened?¡±

    ¡°Yes! There seems to be someone headed toward this city!¡±

    ¡°Where are theying from?¡±

    ording to the guard, they hade from the nk where Yozu had positioned his troops. In other words, they hade from the Dwarven nation.

    ¡°So they¡¯ve sent out pursuit troops... I underestimated the stunties.¡±

    With that, Riyuro rose to his feet.

    Yozu¡¯s eyes seemed to ask him where he was going. Riyuro sensed this, and replied:

    ¡°It seems we¡¯ve been saved a lot of decision-making. I will go meet the Dragons now.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to ask about the Golems?¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯m going to convince them to deal with the approaching stunties. Since they¡¯re stunties, they¡¯ll have their Golems in tow. Then, we should have them fight the Dragons and weaken both sides. ...Hmph. Might as well let them earn their keep.¡±

    The n Lord was deeply furious about how the Dragons had taken the best spot in the city ¡ª the Royal Pce ¡ª for their own. This was something which only his most trusted confidants knew, in addition to how the n Lord had cleverly hidden those feelings and bowed to the Dragons.

    There was an overwhelming difference between the power of Dragons and the Quagoa.

    Therefore, they had to feign an air of servitude until they could pare down the Dragons¡¯ strength. However, there were very few beings who could fight on even terms with the Dragons in the mountain range. With one notable exception aside, those would probably be the Frost Giants.

    And now the chance hade, Riyuro said.

    ¡°Yozu, it¡¯s not too likely, but just in case, begin moving toward the ruins district. I don¡¯t want you to get involved in the battles of Dragons.¡±

    One district of the Dwarven Royal Capital had beenpletely destroyed before the Quagoa had taken it over. The Quagoa had not rebuilt this area, in order to use it as a staging ground to gather a vast army. It would seem that it would finally be put to use.

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    ¡°Then... can you help me prepare some offerings for the meeting with the Dragons? They like jewels, so prepare some of them. I trust you also know that they¡¯re very greedy and won¡¯t agree to the initial payment right away. They¡¯ll surely raise their price. With that in mind, prepare some lower-valued items as well.¡±

    After nodding to Riyuro to show he understood, Yozu immediately began the preparations.

    ***

    The mightiest species in this world were the Dragons. There were races which could adapt to the harshnds where humanity could not reach. The Azellisia Mountain Range was no exception, and the Dragons ruled the roost here.

    These Dragons were known as Frost Dragons.

    Usually, Dragons had slender bodies. Those did not resemble the crawling forms of lizards so much as they did those of cats. Among them, Frost Dragons were even slimmer, like snakes.

    Their scales were bluish-white, but as they grew older, they turned the white of snowfall. Having adapted to their environment, they possessed cold immunity, but in contrast, they were vulnerable to fire.

    In addition, there was the trump card of the Draconic races. They possessed the fearsome power of freezing Dragon¡¯s breath.

    The Lord of these Frost Dragons, sird¡¯arc=Haylilyal, coiled around his throne, looking down on the Quagoa who craved an audience with him.

    ¡°So, you havee. What is the matter?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am deeply honored to be granted an audience with the mighty White Dragon Lord, sird¡¯arc=Haylilyal¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªDispense with the formalities. Get to the point.¡±

    That said, sird¡¯arc¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly.

    Being a Dragon Lord had a special significance among Dragons. It was a title only given to those who had reached the highest age category (Ancient) among the Dragons, or powerful Dragons who possessed special powers, or those Dragons who could use exotic magic. These outstanding Dragons were awarded the title of Lord.

    Being addressed by such a glorious title was quite pleasing.

    ¡°Yes! Firstly, I wish to thank you for granting an audience.¡±

    The Quagoa waiting behind the Quagoa Lord produced a beat-up old sack.

    They opened it, and as expected, the glitter of gold spilled forth.

    It was not enough to satisfy him, but that amount should have been all the Quagoa could manage, so he had to bear with it.

    ¡°Alright then, what do you want.¡±

    ¡°Yes! In truth, there are some uninvited guests with designs upon our homes, so I was wondering if we could call upon your matchless might, White Dragon Lord-sama.¡±

    ¡°Hm...¡±

    To sird¡¯arc, Quagoa were an inferior species. They were beings who should revere the mighty Dragons, and they wereparable to his possessions. It was somewhat aggravating to allow them to be killed at will. However, it was equally infuriating for him to have to take action on the behalf of such inferior lifeforms.

    sird¡¯arc¡¯s gaze fell upon his glittering throne ¡ª a small mountain of gold and precious stones.

    One habit which united all Dragons was the love of precious metals, jewels, magic items and rted wealth. sird¡¯arc was no exception in this regard.

    However, while he might be able to dig tunnels and excavate precious metals or raw gemstones, he could not process them. In addition, the mighty should not be doing such things. That was what ves were for.

    Thus, it did not matter if he roused himself tobor on the behalf of his ves. His heart surged with such generous feelings.

    ¡°And who are these people?¡±

    ¡°We are not sure. We have not grasped their true identity yet. However, they should be Dwarves.¡±

    ¡°Dwarves. ...Umu.¡±

    sird¡¯arc nced at the great door behind him.

    Behind that door was the Dwarven City¡¯s former treasury.

    No matter how many times sird¡¯arc had attacked it, it had not opened or been destroyed. The protective magic worked on it by the Dwarven runesmiths had defended their treasures from all the attacks he had brought to bear on it.

    His obsession with the contents of the vault had long faded, and that door was little more than a scratching post for his ws. However, when he heard about the Dwarves, the smoldering embers in his heart ignited once more.

    If these Dwarves could make it here, perhaps they might have a way to open this vault.

    Is it time to abandon the Quagoa? The Dwarves are more useful, in various ways.

    As sird¡¯arc contemted these matters, he red coldly at the Quagoa beneath him, and the Quagoa Lord¡¯s pleas finally came to an end.

    ¡°I am sure that you will be able to defeat the Dwarves or whatnot with contemptuous ease, White Dragon Lord-sama. Please, lend your strength to us! Needless to say, when they are defeated we will offer up double the sum from just now, no more than that!¡±

    His greed tickled by thatst line, sird¡¯arc¡¯s face twitched.

    ¡°...I see. I shall consider it.¡±

    ¡°Please wait! White Dragon Lord-sama, the enemy is close! And the Dwarves seek to retake this city!¡±

    sird¡¯arc turned his keen gaze upon the Quagoa.

    ¡°What do you mean by that? Are you implying that these measly Dwarves can evict me from my nest?¡±

    ¡°I did not say that! But, there¡¯s no telling what the Dwarves intend to do! For all we know, they might have a way to destroy this city!¡±

    ¡°Do you not think they would have done so already if that was the case?¡±

    ¡°It is very likely they intend to destroy the city from the inside!¡±

    ¡°Hm,¡± sird¡¯arc thought. It seemed a little far-fetched, but it could not be entirely ruled out.

    This ce was absolutely necessary for the creation of a Draconic Empire.

    After iming the Dwarves¡¯ Royal Pce, he had ordered his wives toy their eggs here, and then raise his children as they grew.

    In the past, they had randomly found a ce toy eggs and left them there, or kicked them out of the nest a year or two after they were born. That would not strengthen the Draconic race.

    I must increase the number of my offspring, and then subjugate the Frost Giants. Then, I canpletely dominate this mountain range, sird¡¯arc had thought.

    The Frost Giants and the Frost Dragons were the apex predators of this mountain range. Therefore, they had struggled for a long time to determine who was the top dog.

    The Frost Giants were immune to cold, which meant that the Frost Dragons¡¯ trump card of icy Dragon breath could not harm them. The power of the massive weapons which the Frost Giants wielded could not be overlooked, even by Dragons. If they came in numbers, the Dragons might well be defeated. Indeed, there were Frost Dragons who had lost to Frost Giants, and who were used as hounds by them.

    Naturally, the Frost Dragons knew that too. If sird¡¯arc were one of them, he would not miss the chance to destroy a powerful foe before their numbers could increase. If he had to abandon this territory, then the Frost Giant tribes would surely unite to attack them before he could seize a new seat of power.

    sird¡¯arc regarded his concubines, sprawledzily around the room.

    They were three female Dragons.

    There was the youngest of them, with a single baster horn, Mianatalon=Fuviness.

    The one who had fought with sird¡¯arc for territory many times, Munuinia=Ilyslym.

    And then there was the only Dragon in residence here who could use divine magic (albeit only of the 1st tier), Kilystran=Denshushua.

    ¡°What do you think?

    ¡°...Why not help them? After all, the miserable little Dwarves are hardly fearsome foes.¡±

    ¡°I agree too. Frankly speaking, I don¡¯t care what they say. But if the Dwarves attack, knowing that we¡¯re here, that would be equivalent to looking down on us. We ought to carve fear into the hearts of those cocky little creatures.¡±

    He turned his gaze from Muninia ¡ª who was scratching at the floor with a sharp w ¡ª and towards Kilystran.

    ¡°And what say you?¡±

    After addressing Kilystran, she tilted her head.

    ¡°I oppose and approve of it. I oppose it because we cannot be sure that these attackers really are Dwarves. In addition, if they¡¯re attacking while aware of our presence, they must have surely taken our power into consideration. However, while the very idea of destroying the city is absurd, a mechanism capable of doing so is not out of the reach of Dwarven technology. It would be foolish not to respond to that.¡±

    sird¡¯arc smiled bitterly. She had such a twisted personality. That was why he liked her.

    ¡°So, the ayes have it. ¡ªWell then. I shall ept your request, inferior Quagoa.¡±

    ¡°Yes! You have our deepest thanks!¡±

    As sird¡¯arc red coldly at the Quagoa kowtowing before him, he made a pronouncement.

    ¡°However, you must offer ten times the previous amount of tribute.¡±

    ¡°Ten! Ten times?!¡±

    sird¡¯arc snorted at the Quagoa Lord, who had raised his head.

    ¡°You do not even know who is attacking. That much should be expected. ...Then, what will you do? If you cannot produce the requisite amount, then you can deal with it yourselves.¡±

    ¡°Please, please wait! We will offer the tribute! Please let us offer the tribute!¡±

    Suddenly, sird¡¯arc thought of something.

    Could the Quagoa actually pay that much gold? Or was it because the Dwarves were unimaginably powerful foes, which was why they were trying their best to get him tomit no matter how much they had to pay?

    Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. If they can¡¯t pay, then just as Munuinia said, I will carve an indelible terror into the hearts of those weaklings (Quagoa).

    ¡°Then, begone.¡±

    ¡°Yes! But... when can we expect your arrival?¡±

    ¡°Soon. Until then, wait.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    As sird¡¯arc watched the Quagoa leave, Mianatalon asked: ¡°Will you be going in person?¡±

    ¡°As if. Of course not.¡±

    sird¡¯arc was the most powerful Dragon here. That being the case, it would be foolish for him to actually fight on the behalf of his ves even if he was paid. Therefore¡ª

    ¡°Who should I send over... Whose child would be best?¡±

    They were all his children. Every Dragon here with the exception of his concubines was bound to sird¡¯arc by blood.

    ¡°In that case, send my child.¡±

    ¡°Yours? Who?¡±

    Kilystran had birthed four children for sird¡¯arc, and each of them was a Dragon of over a century of age. They were far more powerful than the Quagoa.

    ¡°The eldest, of course.¡±

    ¡°Hejinmal, then?¡±

    sird¡¯arc frowned.

    ¡°That boy might look like that, but he has a good head on his shoulders and he will see the opposition for what they really are. If they turn out to be Dwarves, don¡¯t you think he¡¯ll bring about a most agreeable negotiation? You must be starting to tire of Quagoa ves, no?¡±

    ¡°Can he do all that? Can the other children not do it?¡±

    sird¡¯arc agreed with what Munuinia said.

    ¡°Better than Toranjelit, at least.¡±

    ¡°...Kilystran. The most important thing for Dragons is the power of their bodies. One cannot defeat power and speed with one¡¯s head. sird¡¯arc beat me because his body was stronger than mine. Remember that. Toranjelit¡¯s superior body is far better than that of Hejinmal¡¯s!¡±

    Toranjelit was one of sird¡¯arc¡¯s children by Munuinia. In terms of raw strength, he was the best among his offspring.

    ¡°But things will turn out poorly if you don¡¯t think. If you send out your child ¡ª who might kill the Quagoa for no reason ¡ª who knows what they¡¯ll end up doing?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡±

    sird¡¯arc halted Munuinia, who was about to say something, and then looked at Mianatalon¡¯s face. She seemed to find all this squabbling terribly boring.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go with Kilystran¡¯s idea and call Hejinmal over.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s no use. He won¡¯te.¡±

    sird¡¯arc sensed his n falling apart right from the start.

    Munuinia chuckled, a thin, unhappy sound. It would be troublesome if they argued again, and sird¡¯arc raised his voice.

    ¡°Just break down the door or whatnot and drag him out.¡±

    ¡°Ara, I didn¡¯t destroy your fortress because you asked me not to. Does that mean you¡¯re giving me permission? Although, it may not just be the door that gets destroyed.¡±

    Indeed, he remembered saying those words. While Dragons were skilful, they could not rebuild a door once destroyed, and they did not know magic which could do that. Therefore, if they destroyed something, they would leave it where it was.

    As the White Dragon Lord, it would be a shame to live in a castle filled with holes. Therefore he had demanded his concubines and his offspring adhere to that rule.

    Although his concubines would probably go if he ordered¡ª

    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. I¡¯ll go, then.¡±

    ¡°Please.¡±

    sird¡¯arc looked at Kilystran with an indescribable expression on his face.

    The fact that he had to go in person despite being a Lord did not sit well with him. In response to that, should he allow a few Quagoa to live here and let them work for him?

    However, sird¡¯arc abandoned the many possibilities which appeared in his mind.

    He could not bear the thought of having inferior lifeforms like the Quagoa running around his fortress. Someday, when he defeated the Giants, he would have them work for him as ves.

    Until then, he would have to bear with it.

    ***

    When one considered the height of the Dwarves, their Royal Pce was of a staggering size. It was because it was sorge that the Dragons could live here, and it was a long distance from one end to the other.

    sird¡¯arc climbed and climbed, until he reached the door on the highest level.

    Then, he shouted:

    ¡°It¡¯s me, open up.¡±

    He waited for a while, but there was no movement from the other side of the door.

    It was impossible that he was not in. The son who lived in this room was a hikkikomori. He had not recalled him ever leaving his room. Even his meals were sent to him by his siblings.

    It was deeply aggravating that he would dare pretend he was not in, in front of his own father, a Dragon Lord.

    ¡°I¡¯ll say it again. It¡¯s me. Open up.¡±

    Dragons had very keen senses. The way he was shouting, anyone inside should have heard it, and they would have woken up even if they were sleeping.

    However ¡ª the door did not open.

    The anger which zed up turned into motion.

    Heshed out at the door with his tail.

    Struck by a tail that was the size of a log and sheathed with scales that were harder than steel, the door creaked as it twisted. The Dwarves who had built this door had probably not expected it to take a Dragon¡¯s tail p.

    There were signs of movement inside, but this was not enough to quell sird¡¯arc¡¯s anger.

    He mmed the door again, breaking it half down. Shattered and scattered stones flew inside like buckshot.

    A distasteful ¡°Hieeeeee¡± came from within.

    ¡°Get out of there, right now!¡±

    In response to the angry shout, a Dragon sprang up.

    Frost Dragons had slender bodies, but not this one. Simply put, it looked obese.

    It had a pair of tiny sses on its nose, and it regarded sird¡¯arc from head to toe with a nervous look in its eyes.

    This was his son, but this shameful disy made sird¡¯arc sigh.

    Well, given that he was standing in front of a ruler like himself, cringing and twitching like this was unavoidable. Still, he had hoped to see some strength in his own son¡¯s eyes.

    And then there was that disgusting fat body of his. He was more like a swine than a Dragon.

    In truth, having to send a child like this out to fight on his behalf might dmage his reputation.

    As sird¡¯arc contemted this, his son ¡ª who seemed afraid of the way his father was staring right at him ¡ª ventured a question.

    ¡°F-father, what, what do you wish of me?¡±

    That said, he might not be much of a Dragon, but he was still a Dragon. Dragons grew more powerful with age. With that in mind, perhaps even that bby frame of his could still be of use.

    ¡°I have a job for you, Hejinmal.¡±

    ¡°A, a job?¡±

    ¡°Ahh. The Quagoa seem to have been invaded by the Dwarves or something. Repel them.¡±

    ¡°Hieee.¡±

    ¡°Hieee?¡±

    ¡°N-nothing. It¡¯s nothing, Father. J-just, I, I¡¯m, er, how shall I put this, I¡¯m er, not very confident in my strength...¡±

    ¡°Then what are you confident in? Do you feel you can defeat the enemy with magic?¡±

    Dragons slowly gained the ability to use arcane magic during their maturation, but those were little more than innate abilities. They could not bepared to magic casters at all. However, there were some Dragons who had learned to use actual magic.

    For example, there was one of sird¡¯arc¡¯s own concubines, Kilystran=Denshushua. There was also one of the Republic¡¯s Councillors, the ¡°Blue Sky Dragon Lord¡± Suveria=Myronsilk, who had the powers of a druid and could use divine magic. It was also said that in the far east, there were Dragons who had attained the Pdin ss and who could use magic from other systems.

    ¡°...Well, that¡¯s one thing. I had to learn by myself because I had no mentor to teach me...¡±

    ¡°Then what the hell have you been doing in there all this while?¡±

    There was a forceful gleam in Hejinmal¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Learning. I¡¯ve been gathering knowledge.¡±

    ¡°...What? Knowledge? Weren¡¯t you learning how to use arcane magic?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that, Father. The knowledge I sought was not to use magic, but to further my studies, learn how this city was built, what sort of races live in this world and so on. I was learning about that sort of thing.¡±

    ¡°...I don¡¯t understand at all. Does learning these things make you strong? None of that matters if you don¡¯t be powerful.¡±

    There was nothing more important in this world than bing stronger. Since this was a world where only the strong survived, one needed to grow stronger to live. In contrast, one could say that not wanting to be strong was essentially rejecting life.

    Just then, he spotted it. Hejinmal had tried to cover it up, but he saw that his son had done something, like a wordless gesture.

    ¡°What is it? Spit it out.¡±

    His son remained silent. That disgraceful attitude of his made sird¡¯arc re up again.

    Just as he was about to begin bellowing at him, he thought of why he hade here.

    While he did not care what happened to the Quagoa, debts had to be paid.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you lock yourself up in your room until you lose your agility, but there¡¯s no point losing yourself in books. If you want to acquire knowledge, leave this ce and travel the world.¡±

    sird¡¯arc had already begun losing interest in Hejinmal. He had abandoned his body in exchanged for something utterly useless. There was nothing else he could say about this, and he had lost any semnce of concern for his own son.

    ¡°I, I was preparing for that. If I don¡¯t know what sort of people there are in the world, I might die before I manage to see it.¡±

    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you die? ©¤ You¡¯re being too foolish. Why not seek strength from the beginning? Once you¡¯re strong, you¡¯ll be feared even when you leave this ce, no? Like me.¡±

    ¡°But, Father. Knowing what sort of powerful beings there are in the world is very important too. It¡¯s the same with you, isn¡¯t it, Father? Aren¡¯t the Frost Giants strong? If you went against them without knowing anything©¤¡±

    ¡°©¤I¡¯m not afraid of those Frost Giants.¡±

    ¡°F-forgive me, Father.¡±

    As he red at Hejinmal, who had his head stered to the ground, sird¡¯arc rounded his shoulders powerlessly.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough. Imand you toplete your task. Then, I will kick you out after a month. You can live as you please from then on.¡±

    3

    ¡°Haa~¡±

    Hejinmal was currently in a tunnel which led to the Royal Capital. He sighed, the way his father had.

    ¡°I¡¯m not good at fighting...¡±

    ¡°Not being good¡± did not cover the whole of it. In all honesty, he was so weak that if he went up against his younger brothers, he might end up losing to them. Thus, he was uneasy, which resulted in him muttering to himself.

    ¡°The enemy... hopefully they¡¯ll be scared of the way I look and run away.¡±

    Hejinmal inhaled forcefully, sucking up his protruding gut. Then he syed his ws and opened his maw. That way, he would look more like a proper Dragon.

    ¡°Oh, I almost forgot.¡±

    Hejinmal gingerly removed the sses on his nose. They were not a magic item, but if they broke, there would be no recements for them. Thus, he had to treat them with care.

    ¡°Haaa... Dragonscale makes for strong armor... but all I can do is pray the Dwarves aren¡¯t savages...¡±

    But what if they were?

    No, that was almost certain to be the case. That was because Dwarven libraries were the source of much information about Draconic materials.

    Hejinmal forced himself to stop trembling.

    He knew all the Quagoa in the Royal Capital were watching him. If possible, he would have preferred to fight in a deeper tunnel, where he would not have an audience. However, if that was the case, the Quagoa would not be able to see him do battle, so his father had forbidden it.

    Father had told him to investigate the enemy to the best of his ability, and take them as servants if possible. But this was not a sign of friendship. Instead, it was an order to disy his strength and dominate the weak as one of the strong.

    Therefore, defeat equalled death. He would die if he was defeated in battle. Even if he survived a defeat, the Quagoa would lose their respect for Father. That would displease him, and then Hejinmal would be killed by his father anyway.

    Then, how about fleeing right away? After all, he would be exiled in a month, no matter what he did.

    It was a good idea, but he needed a month to prepare for it.

    Hejinmal expelled his breath.

    The supercooled suspire froze an entire wall into an expanse of solid white.

    ¡°Good! My breath is normal, and its power is consistent with my age.¡±

    This was one of a Dragon¡¯s trump cards ©¤ Dragon breath. Frost Dragons possessed freezing breath, and its power grew with age. Hejinmal¡¯s breath was quite well developed, and it was more reliable than his own physical strength.

    ¡°...Still.¡±

    Dragon breath was a frightening thing. Anyone who knew even a little about Dragons was aware of that. After all, this was a fundamental ability of all Dragons.

    In fact, the Dwarven libraries had said just that. There was no way the Dwarvesing this way would not be prepared for it.

    Hejinmal sank further into despair.

    Although Father had already said so, if he could really use magic or whatnot, things would surely be different©¤

    ¡°I¡¯m just a sacrificial pawn.¡±

    His brothers faithfully obeyed his father in a very Draconic way. The fact that he had not given this task to them but to Hejinmal was a sign that he did not care if the hikkikomori of his family died off.

    He did not resent his fate.

    If he had not encountered books, if he had not known the satisfaction of seeking knowledge, he would not be what he was today. There was no point regretting that now.

    Suddenly, Hejinmal¡¯s nose twitched.

    He turned his ear to listen, and picked up multiple footsteps approaching from within the tunnel.

    Those were not the sounds of Quagoa feet, because they were clearly wearing shoes.

    Are those Dwarves?! There¡¯s only a few of them, which means... They¡¯re very confident of victory with just those numbers? Or are they an advanced scouting party? So if I defeat them the job¡¯s done and there¡¯ll be no problem if I go back?

    Strictly speaking, he would have fulfilled his orders even if he only defeated that scouting party. The question now was whether an excuse like that would be epted.

    Illuminated by glowing stones, four silhouettes ©¤ though he could not be sure as they were still far away ©¤ emerged from the cavern.

    Are the smaller three Dwarves? Then what¡¯s thatrger one? Even the Dwarven subraces shouldn¡¯t be that big. Then, did the Dwarves beg that bigger shape for help, much like the Quagoa did with Father?

    Whether or not the Dwarves had requested its help, he had to be wary of the bigger shape.

    Still, while it was arge silhouette, it was still much smaller than a Dragon.

    Should I strike first with my breath? Hejinmal immediately discarded that notion.

    No. I should ask them what they want and try toplete this task through negotiation.

    Regr Dragons would immediatelyunch into a fight. However, Hejinmal had no confidence in himself and did not want this encounter to end in tragedy. Therefore, he sought a way to safely resolve the situation.

    Finally, his keen Draconic vision ©¤ although Hejinmal¡¯s was somewhat subpar for his kind ©¤ finally verified that the one walking at the head of the group was not a Dwarf.

    Haven¡¯t I read about them in a book before? Isn¡¯t that one of the Dark Elves, who live in the depths of the forests?

    It was impossible for one to be here.

    However, that one¡¯s far too short,pared to the Dark Elves in the books. Could it be a child between a Dark Elf and a Dwarf? Or is it just a Dark Elf child?

    As Hejinmal pondered these things and many others, he shifted his gaze to the huge shadow behind the Dark Elf, and then his eyes went wide.

    Haaah?! Isn¡¯t that an Elder Lich?! What is it doing here? This is bad. They¡¯re immune to freezing breath, and they can cast [Fireballs].

    Fire was the weakness of Frost Dragons. In other words, his most powerful attack was useless against this Elder Lich, and his opponent could grievously wound him.

    And... What¡¯s that? It looks like a really expensive robe...

    Dragons had a keen nose for treasure. They could roughly sniff out the value of any item, no matter how valuable. Right now, his nose was telling him that the Elder Lich before him was wearing an unimaginably expensive set of spellcaster¡¯s robes.

    ...No, at a closer look, it¡¯s the same way with the clothes of the Dark Elf walking ahead of them. I¡¯ve never seen something as valuable as that before...

    Hejinmal was a hikkikomori, so the only thing he could value was the Dwarven libraries. Thus, his nose for valuable treasure might have lost its keenness. It might have been a natural ability, but it would still atrophy if it was not used. However, he did not think that was the case.

    And then, the shadow after that looks female... Isn¡¯t that a Dwarf as well? It¡¯s not a Dark Elf, and neither is it an Elder Lich. Then... an Elf? Or a human? I don¡¯t get it. Still, she looks like she¡¯s wearing very expensive clothing too. ...Hm, is my nose not sensitive any more? But if that¡¯s not the case...

    Finally, he saw the Dwarf at the rear of the group, and Hejinmal was relieved.

    Just a regr Dwarf, and he¡¯s not wearing anything valuable.

    Then, Hejinmal shook his head.

    That¡¯s being too naive, right? The three people in front of him are anything but normal. Maybe this Dwarf is something special too. Carelessness is dangerous.

    After that, the Dark Elf pointed towards him, as though to tell everyone that he was there.

    Although he thought he might be suddenly attacked ©¤ by a [Fireball], in particr ©¤ the opposition merely paused to confer, and soon they were headed towards Hejinmal again.

    ...Should I prepare myself for the worst?

    If they had attacked immediately, he would have gone on his guard. But that was not the case. What should he do now?

    Nggg ©¤ my stomach aches. I hope that¡¯s just a kind-hearted undead being who¡¯se to negotiate!

    He could be killed. To Hejinmal ©¤ who had lived in safety all his life ©¤ the time until the group stopped was interminable torment.

    The group finally reached Hejinmal¡¯s vicinity.

    Hejinmal took a deep breath, and then ©¤ careful not to seem too imposing ©¤ he spoke.

    They were a group who had approached Hejinmal, a Dragon, without any hesitation. Therefore, Hejinmal sensed that trying to appear threatening would be very dangerous.

    ¡°The area from this ce on belongs to the Quagoa and we Dragons. Why ©¤ ahem ©¤ may I ask you fine folks your reasons foring here?¡±

    The Dark Elf standing at the head of the group changed ces with the Elder Lich. In that moment, he realised who was the leader of the group.

    ¡°Hm? We¡¯re about tounch an attack and there¡¯s only one Dragon here? The Dragons I know of grow stronger with age ©¤ in other words, their bodies getrger and more powerful. Given your size, you don¡¯t seem particrly strong... What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡±

    What did he mean by ¡°what¡¯s the meaning of this¡±? Hejinmal had no idea. However, it would seem this Elder Lich was not at all wary of a Dragon like himself.

    Ah, this... this is really bad. It¡¯s so bad I can¡¯t even describe it.

    ¡°In any case, I doubt they¡¯d send just one Dragon to collect information on us... Is this a strategy on the enemy¡¯s part, or am I being paranoid? Given the information we got from the Quagoa we captured, probably thetter.¡±

    He had no idea what the Elder Lich was talking about from the beginning. It did not look like the Elder Lich wanted to enlighten Hejinmal either. In other words, he was probably talking to himself, but why did he feel so afraid, then?

    ¡°...Thinking too much about this is annoying. Let¡¯s see what kind of Dragon you are.¡±

    A thrill of terror shot through Hejinmal¡¯s body.

    He was far too rxed. He was talking as though he had picked up a stone from the ground. It was a tone which demonstrated his confidence in being able to do what he spoke of.

    And then, in the moment when he saw the Elder Lich raise his hand©¤

    ¡°[Grasp©¤¡±

    ¡°WAIT!!¡±

    After his thunderous roar, Hejinmal pressed his head to the ground.

    This was the greatest degree of respect a Dragon could show ©¤ the posture of servitude.

    ¡°©¤Heart], hang on, what?¡±

    Hejinmal desperately pleaded with the Elder Lich, whose hand had stopped moving.

    ¡°Please wait! My name is Hejinmal! May I please inquire about your mighty name?¡±

    Looking around, he saw the Dwarf¡¯s jaw drop in shock. However, the Dark Elf and the Elf-like person did not seem surprised. In other words, this was a natural urrence for them.

    Hejinmal was certain his judgement was correct.

    ¡°...My name is Ainz Ooal Gown... what is the meaning of that pose of yours?¡±

    ¡°Yes!! I believe this is the proper form of address for when humans know each other¡¯s names, Gown-sama! This posture is is the greatest sign of respect we Dragons can show!¡±

    ¡°Er... Then, why are you doing this?¡±

    ¡°Naturally, it is because I immediately realized that you are an extraordinary person, Gown-sama. Could I possibly take any other position before a mighty being like yourself? No, I could not!¡±

    This was a huge gamble. He had bet everything on it.

    The Dwarves used ¡°heated steel¡± to describe the burning sensation when gambling, but what Hejinmal felt now was a chill that froze him to the core.

    Time seemed to freeze over for several seconds, but finally, the Elder Lich said, ¡°Umu. ...So, you intend to submit to me, then?¡±

    ¡°Yes! If you allow it, Gown-sama!¡±

    He peeked again, and as expected, the Dark Elf and the Elf appeared to think all this was normal.

    ¡°...There are many uses for Dragon flesh, hide, teeth, scales and the like. Hm? You... raise your head.¡±

    The Elder Lich¡¯s attitude was one that was used to giving orders, so he must have found it natural that even someone like Hejinmal had submitted so readily to him. Clearly, the Elder Lich did not consider Hejinmal worthy of mention.

    Dragons were the strongest species, but they were not an invincible species. Many beings could kill a Dragon. Frost Giants were a good example of that.

    However, if onepared the two species, in the end, Dragons were probably still stronger.

    The reason for that was their growth. Dragons continued growing as time passed, and they would someday grow into the strongest entities of all. They were a very long-lived species, and the fact that they could keep growing throughout it all was a form of strength in itself.

    From that point of view, the undead might be even stronger than Dragons. High-level undead did not grow in bodily might, but they could umte knowledge and experience.

    In addition, Hejinmal had read about legendary undead from his books.

    Soul Eaters, which devoured the souls of the living. Wriggle Pestilences, which spread disease. Mage cabals which gathered many undead around a core of Elder Liches. Guphandera=Argoros, the undead dragon that lurked in a mountain of the dead and used psychic-type magic. Astral Rippers, masses of shadows which stalked the Valley of Shadows, and so on.

    This Elder Lich must surely be a legendary undead creature whose name had gone down in the history books. However, it would seem the Dwarven libraries had not recorded it.

    Hejinmal slowly rosey.

    He felt like the Elder Lich was appraising his body. He was ashamed by his decidedly un-Draconic frame.

    ¡°I see. So Dragons that live in these frigid environments store fat under their skin. Although, I thought Frost Dragons were immune to the cold... Or could it be that you were storing up nourishment in case you couldn¡¯t obtain food?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that. I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s like this...¡±

    ¡°Hooh... That is to say, you¡¯re a rare specimen, then? Is that what you mean?¡±

    Hejinmal was not sure if he had any value for being rare, but there was nobody else in his family like him. Therefore, it was a correct statement.

    ¡°That might be so, Gown-sama.¡±

    ¡°Really now,¡± the Elder Lich said. Then he continued in a quieter tone.

    ¡°Killing you would be a waste, then.¡±

    Hejinmal¡¯s keen Draconic hearing picked up those words.

    He struggled desperately to keep his breathing under control. It would seem he had made another correct choice, which would permit him to live.

    ¡°Are they any other Dragons?¡±

    ¡°Yes, there are. There are four Dragons older than me, six around the same age as me, and nine who are younger than me.¡±

    ¡°Hoh!¡±

    The Elder Lich seemed very happy, but Hejinmal was sure he had some sort of evil scheme in mind.

    ¡°How many of them are stronger than you?¡±

    ¡°The four who are older than me are all stronger than me. The Dragons of the same age as me are also stronger than me.¡±

    I might even lose to my younger siblings. Hejinmal could not say that. After all, if his value dropped in the Elder Lich¡¯s eyes, he might be killed on the spot.

    ¡°I see. Then, what tier of magic can these elder Dragons use? Are they only capable of arcane spells?¡±

    ¡°The strongest of them can use magic of up to the 3rd tier. As you have said, it is arcane magic.¡±

    As Dragons grew, they naturally acquired the ability to use arcane spells even without going out of their way to learn them. However, they could only cast a few spells. Even Hejinmal¡¯s father could only use three spells of the 3rd tier.

    ¡°What? They only have 3rd-tier spells?¡±

    The Elder Lich seemed disinterested, but then he perked up as though he had noticed something.

    ¡°No, I should probably ask. What if this is just a ruse? They say that a mighty eagle hides its ws. Is it possible that the strongest Dragon there can use 8th-tier spells?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s impossible. Or rather©¤¡±

    Besides, 8th-tier spells could not possibly exist. Would it be better to tell him that?

    No, he could not. The truth sometimes hurt more than lies. If he gave offense to this undead magician, there was no way he would prosper from it.

    ¡°©¤No. He can¡¯t possibly use spells of such a high tier. I once heard that he had learned a 3rd-tier spell of me resistance.¡±

    He should probably say that, right? His father was not a foe who should be underestimated.

    ¡°Umu ©¤ I see. Well, it¡¯s only natural that one would want to cover up one¡¯s weaknesses.¡±

    This nonchnt tone made Hejinmal feel uneasy.

    ¡°Aura.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Ainz-sama.¡±

    It would seem the Dark Elf was called Aura. Judging by her smell, she was probably a female.

    The other one who looked like an Elf did not have a female scent about her. In fact, she had no scent at all, much like the Elder Lich.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you this Dragon. I recall you said you wanted one?¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much. But can this chap fly?¡±

    Two pairs of eyes looked at him, one filled with doubt, one apparently saying, ¡°That¡¯s a good question.¡±

    ¡°I, I can probably fly.¡±

    He might have been a hikkikomori, but he ought to be capable of flight. Flying was the same as walking for Dragons. There was no way he could forget how to do so. Hejinmal gave that answer as he regretted the fact that he had not flown here.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll take him, Ainz-sama. Hm, then, I need to show him who¡¯s the boss around here, and make him obey mepletely.¡±

    Before Hejinmal could wonder what exactly she was going to do, he felt thousands of frigid razors impale him.

    He was dead. There was no doubt that he was dead. The fear which informed his instincts of that fact became invisible des that pierced his entire body.

    In an instant, his mind went nk. In his diminished state of awareness, he clearly felt his heart stop beating.

    ¡°Uwaaaaah©¤!¡±

    As he cried out, it banished the ck chill crushing his entire body.

    His heart slowly began beating again. His limbs trembled, and his lungs struggled to pull in oxygen.

    He recalled something like this from a book somewhere. It was called ¡°murderous intent¡±. In other words, the Dark Elf who would be his Mistress was a being who could radiate murderous intent that was powerful enough to instantly put a Frost Dragon into a near-fatal state of shock.

    In that case, what sort of being was the Elder Lich which she called ¡°Master¡±?

    There was no doubt about it. He was beyond Hejinmal¡¯s imagination.

    He was a being of absolute power ©¤ an Overlord.

    He had made the right choice.

    By the time Hejinmal hade to his senses, he found that the group had backed off, looks of surprise on their faces.

    Just as he was wondering what was going on, he realized the disgusting sensation below his waist. As he looked down at his feet, Hejinmal was shocked.

    It would seem his dder had gone ck and he had wet himself. A puddle spread below him like ake.

    ¡°Uuu...¡±

    What should he say now? It was possible that he had displeased them and he would be killed.

    ¡°I, I was so overjoyed that I peed a little!¡±

    He had abandoned all delusions of control. Though he had the feeling that they would not believe him, it was better than saying that he had pissed himself out of fear.

    ¡°From today onwards, this one shall serve and attend his Mistress, Aura-sama, and offer his utmost devotion and loyalty to her!¡±

    ¡°Ehhhh...¡±

    Hers was an expression of absolute disgust.

    This was bad. If she felt he was worthless, he might be discarded like a piece of trash. The mighty could do that. In fact, had his father not done the same thing? However, help came from an unlikely corner.

    ¡°I see... Well, that can¡¯t be helped.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Really, Ainz-sama?¡±

    ¡°Mm. I once heard about something like this from one of my friends ©¤ Ankoromochimochi-san. She once told me about how upset she was when her dog peed out of joy. It seems this sort of thing happens when they get too excited.¡±

    ¡°You mean, Ankoromochimochi-sama? Really? So it¡¯s like how Fen and some other magical beasts mark their terrain, then?¡±

    ¡°That might well be. Granted, I¡¯m not too clear on Draconic biology. However, that was probably the reason why that chap did it.¡±

    The being who might or might not have been an Elf had been listening quietly all this while. She tilted her head and asked the Elder Lich:

    ¡°Ainz-sama, would it be better if we did it as well?¡±

    ¡°Shalltear. Is it really appropriate to say that?¡¯

    ¡°Mm. As Aura said, if you did that, I would copse in shock. This sort of thing is only cute on small pets. ...Well, Ankoromochimochi-san was worried because that dog was getting on in years. She said something about not getting him too excited... ah, those were the days.¡±

    The air around them changed, to something that was the pr opposite of the murderous intent from just now.

    In any event, Hejinmal moved to wipe the soaked portion of his body on a nearby wall and scraped off the stain.

    ¡°Say. What will we do next?¡±

    The Dwarf ©¤ who had been watching the proceedings in silence ©¤ finally spoke up. Hejinmal sensed that this Dwarf was unlike his threepanions, in that he was not powerful.

    Had the Dwarves hired them as mercenaries and sent this Dwarf to keep an eye on them? If that was the case, Hejinmal would have to show this Dwarf respect as well. Still, where did he rank as their subordinate? What sort of orders would he be given from now on? These uneasy questions flew through his mind.

    ¡°You have a point. We¡¯ll leave the Quagoa to Aura and Shalltear. I shall go with this Dragon and eliminate all the Dragons opposing us.¡±

    Hejinmal¡¯s body shuddered again.

    He spoke in a casual tone. Dragons were beings which he could take lightly. This was the attitude of the mighty.

    Hejinmal hesitated about what to do. It would probably be wise to beg for the lives of the other Dragons. After steadying himself, he spoke:

    ¡°...Gown-sama, Aura-sama, may this one be permitted to speak?!¡±

    ¡°Very well. Speak.¡±

    ¡°Understood! A thought urred to this one. The people here do not know the greatness of Gown-sama. Would you be willing to extend your mercy to those fools? In other words, the other Dragons should know of the glory of Gown-sama!¡±

    ¡°Umu... what do you two think?¡±

    ¡°Everything depends on your will, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. We won¡¯t object to any decision you make, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°In any case, all we need to do is chase them out of the Royal Pce, right? Ahem. Dragon, may I ask you a question?¡±

    The speaker was the Dwarf.

    Hejinmal nced at his masters¡¯ faces. In all honesty, he had no idea what sort of attitude he needed to take towards this Dwarf. That said, acting arrogant would be very dangerous. However, a servant who bowed and scraped before others would devalue their master.

    ¡°Please do.¡±

    After hesitating, Hejinmal chose a short reply to avoid offending either side.

    ¡°Umu... Still, I didn¡¯t expect you couldpletely dominate a Dragon... No, after seeing that power of yours, it might be natural. Um, sorry. Are there any other Dragons around besides the ones in this ce?¡±

    ¡°There might be.¡±

    ¡°There might be, huh. Then, if there were, could you order around those Dragons as well?¡±

    ¡°I could not. They belong to a different tribe.¡±

    ¡°Umu ©¤ Then we should fulfil the request to chase the Dragons out first. After that, we¡¯ll tell them that there are other Dragon tribes around. That way, they¡¯ll have to count on Your Majesty¡¯s strength to protect their reimed Royal Capital. Surely they would not easily surrender thisnd which they took so long to reim. Is that not the most profitable course?¡±

    There was a word there which he could not ignore.

    It would seem this Elder Lich was a king of sorts, and his subjects were the Dark Elf and the Elf, perhaps.

    ¡°Are you alright with your race being squeezed dry and used up?¡±

    What are you saying, the Dwarf¡¯s shrugging seemed to convey.

    ¡°Your Majesty has chosen me ©¤ us. Is it not natural that I would pick your side in any dispute?¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your considerations, Gondo.¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t say that. I am the one who should be thanking you. The pain that has gued me all this time has been wiped away by the few days I have spent with Your Majesty. Truly, you are my savior.¡±

    ¡°I am pleased we have forged a mutually beneficial rtionship.¡±

    ¡°While I do not feel Your Majesty may benefit from this, I shall surely repay the kindness you have shown me.¡±

    Even Hejinmal the outsider could understand their rtionship.

    The Dwarf was deeply indebted to the Elder Lich. It was a debt that he would pay even if he had to betray his race.

    ¡°...If you feel that way, then I don¡¯t mind...¡±

    The Elder Lich shrugged and turned to Hejinmal.

    ¡°Alright. Then, take me to the Dragons you say are stronger than you. Also, where is the treasury of the former Dwarven Royal Capital?¡±

    Hejinmal knew where the treasury was, and nodded confidently.

    ¡°This one feels that your question is quite fortunate, because both of them are at the same ce.¡±

    ***

    With his Master and the Dwarf on his back, Hejinmal headed to his father¡¯s location. His body might not have been used to exercise, but it was still a Dragon¡¯s body, and carrying two people posed no problems to him at all.

    He listened to His Majesty speak as he walked, and as he did, he was certain that his knowledge and instincts were the most valuable thing in this world.

    If he had shown the arrogance typical of a Dragon when they had first met, he would have been ughtered. No, if he had not loudly proimed his allegiance and gained their interest, he would have died without ever knowing what had happened to him.

    It had truly been a narrow escape.

    Hejinmal clenched his ckened dder.

    If he peed himself again, their opinion of him would not just drop to rock bottom, it would grab a shovel and continue digging underground.

    Fortunately, they had not encountered any other Dragons along the way. Thus, they proceeded directly to his father¡¯s room ©¤ or rather, the throne room cum treasury.

    Hejinmal took a deep breath.

    ¡°Your servant wishes to inform Your Exalted Majesty that apart from my father, there are three Dragons there who serve as his concubines. Will you be bringing that Dwarf in there with you?¡±

    If they were assailed by the freezing breaths of four Frost Dragons at once, he feared the Dwarf would be in.

    ¡°Is there a problem?¡±

    ¡°No, not at all. If Your Exalted Majesty feels it is fine, then naturally your servant has no objections.¡±

    ¡°I have granted him immunity to freezing cold, so it should be fine. However, it might be a little troublesome if we are subjected to numerous area-effect spells of other elements.¡±

    ¡°Your servant feels that will not be a problem, Your Exalted Majesty. Breath weapons are the favored attacks of Dragons, and it is natural for them to openbat with their breath. They would not consider using their arcane spells, which are far weaker.¡±

    ¡°Then it¡¯s not a problem.¡±

    ¡°Ah, Your Majesty. May I say something? Certainly, there is no way a mere four Dragons could begin to oppose Your Majesty. However, it would seem this one¡¯s mother is in there. Could I ask you to spare her?¡±

    ¡°Hm...¡±

    Hejinmal tilted his neck and awaited his Master¡¯s judgement.

    Hejinmal had not intended to go so far as to ask for his mother to be spared. It would be good if she could be saved as he had been, but he did not want to bet his life on it. It was not that he hated her, but simply that the bonds of familial kinship were not very strong among Dragons.

    After leaving the nest, even their own siblings would be rivals for living space. In addition, it wasmon for the treasure-loving Dragons to fight when they saw each others¡¯ troves.

    It was very rare for many Dragons ©¤ particrly those who had left the nest ©¤ to live together in one ce. It would never happen at all without an overwhelmingly powerful Dragon to gather them.

    In that sense, his father sird¡¯arc ©¤ who had united everyone as a family against external enemies ©¤ was an anomaly. One might even call him wise.

    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. I shall try to let your mother survive.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much, Your Exalted Majesty.¡±

    The words of praise immediately fell from his mouth, because he did not wish to displease the person showing him suchrgesse. In addition, he mused that if his mother survived, the burden on him might decrease in the future. On the contrary, if there were more Dragons, his own rarity would decrease. If he did not want them to think his death would not be missed, he would have to do everything he could to please them.

    ¡°Still, Your Exalted Majesty seems a bit too... eh. From now on, you may use Sorcerer King or Ainz as well.¡±

    Was it a trap, or was it a test? Without hesitation, Hejinmal spoke the words he felt were correct:

    ¡°Understood, Your Majesty, the Sorcerer King!¡±

    How could he omit the respectful terms of address which Ainz was due?

    ¡°Mm, let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    He carefully hid his quiet sigh of relief .

    It was a test, after all. If he had been careless and failed to pay him the proper respect, he would surely have been punished appropriately. For all he knew, he might have been killed and then dissected.

    If there was one thing Hejinmal had engraved into his heart, it was that he must never be arrogant.

    Soon, they reached the doors leading to their destination.

    They were a set of double doors that looked like they needed a Dragon¡¯s strength to open. Apparently, the Dwarves used a set of smaller doors beside it to enter or leave. The huge doors were only used for ceremonies and the like.

    Hejinmal pressed his shoulder against the doors and applied force ©¤ mindful not to dislodge his Master from his back ©¤ and pushed the doors open.

    He saw his father ©¤ sird¡¯arc ©¤ coiled on his Golden Throne. His mother Kilystran and the other two concubines ©¤ Munuinia and Mianatalon ©¤ were also present.

    Three pairs of puzzled eyes trained themselves on Hejinmal. One more pair looked in a different direction ©¤ at the people mounted on his back. Thatst pair belonged to his mother, Kilystran.

    Before anyone else could speak, Hejinmal shouted:

    ¡°He who sits upon my back is the Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown! He is the king who shall rule thisnd and us Dragons!¡±

    Strictly speaking, he was the servant of Aura the Dark Elf. However, it would be easier for them to understand this way, and in any event, he had made this deration after seeking and receiving permission to do so.

    Silence filled the room as the words faded. It took some time for the other Dragons to parse the words Hejinmal had just said.

    ¡°Have you gone mad, you little whelp?!¡±

    In an instant, his father¡¯s anger boiled over.

    That was only natural. His father was the lord of thisnd. ©¤No. The former lord. Thus, it was a natural reaction for him.

    He rose from his coiled position and took a fighting stance that would allow him to pounce right away.

    Hiiiieee!

    In truth, it was very scary.

    Between himself and sird¡¯arc, there was no doubt that his father was stronger. It was not simply a matter of might and toughness, but there was also a vast difference in terms of battle experience. In addition, sird¡¯arc¡¯s body was also leaner and more conventional, inparison to Hejinmal¡¯s.

    Saying that Hejinmal had no chance of victory was stating the obvious.

    However, he had no choice but to make that deration. ording to Hejinmal¡¯s books, no follower would ever make their master state their identity.

    Therefore, he secretly looked at his father with an expression which said, ¡°it wasn¡¯t my idea¡±. However, it waspletely ignored. The angry re was targeted at Hejinmal alone. In the eyes of his father, who believed that Dragons were the strongest race of all, people like his Master and the Dwarves were not worth considering.

    ¡°©¤King of Dragons. Will you submit to me in exchange for your life?¡±

    ¡°The hell you say, you damn Skeleton?!¡±

    How could he be a Skeleton! Hejinmal wailed internally.

    At the same time, there was a certain indignation, at the fact that he had not picked up on the treasures his Master wore. Perhaps he was so angry that he had not even noticed.

    If I hadn¡¯t aggravated him, maybe he wouldn¡¯t have ended up this way...?

    No, that was impossible. For all he knew, it might have been even worse. As Hejinmal¡¯s mind whirled with delusions, a look of surprise appeared on his father¡¯s face.

    ¡°...No, wait. What are those clothes you¡¯re wearing?¡±

    Perhaps after calming down somewhat, his Draconic nose for treasure had kicked in.

    Hejinmal felt that this was very bad, and he looked around for help. However, all the concubines had the same excited look on their faces, a bestial hunger for treasure in their eyes. Only his mother was trying to surreptitiously leave this ce, but she had no intention of helping her son.

    ¡°This is the first time I have seen such treasure. If you want me to forgive your foolishness, then offer me your raiment, Skeleton.¡±

    ¡°Umu... dealing with fools is truly tiresome.¡±

    A cold voice rang forth.

    Why did his father¡¯s instincts as one of the living not tell him that Death awaited him? It must have been his Draconic avarice at work here.

    ¡°You idiot! You¡¯ve just thrown away the only chance you had to survive! No, I should kill you©¤¡±

    ¡°[Grasp Heart].¡±

    And with that, his father¡¯s body slumped powerlessly to the ground.

    All eyes went to the body of the strongest Dragon here.

    The way he did not move at all looked like he was sleeping. Of course, that was definitely not the case.

    The air in the room turned cold, and the Supreme Being spoke.

    ¡°I have no interest inst words. Then, Hejinmal, which of them is your mother? I shall show her mercy and spare her life. As for the others, well, I¡¯m sure there will be various uses for them after we¡¯re done picking them apart.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s me!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s me!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s me!¡±

    Three voices rang out at once. For a moment, Hejinmal almost said ¡°That¡¯s me!¡± as well.

    ¡°...What¡¯s this? Don¡¯t tell me there¡¯s the mother who bore you, the mother who raised you, and the mother who cared for you?¡±

    Hejinmal looked at the two Dragons who were not connected to him by blood.

    The two of them were gripped by fear.

    Their eyes were clouded over with terror. That too was natural; after all the mightiest Dragon present had just been in in an instant.

    They did not contemte fight or flight or whatnot. They sprang on the sole chance of survival which presented itself. Much like himself, they had made the most correct choice to live on.

    Their fearful eyes looked towards Hejinmal, trying to ingratiate themselves with him. How would they react if he said, ¡°No, I only have one mother¡±? His absolute master would surely y the other two without any hesitation.

    Currently, the power of life and death over the other two Dragons rested in Hejinmal¡¯s hands. However, he could not take delight in this. All he felt was a tremendous sympathy for others in the same situation as himself. At the same time, he nned to have his ¡°mothers¡± owe him favors for a long time toe.

    ¡°It is as you say, Your Majesty. I have three mothers!¡¯

    ¡°Is that so? What a shame. However, a promise is a promise. Alright, I shall spare them... Still, is there only one Dragon corpse? Dragons are far too useful. One does not seem quite enough... What a shame.¡±

    After peeking around, the three concubines bowed before Ainz in the pose of submission.

    ¡°Leave this ce and gather all the Dragons here. Then, inform them that you are now under my rule. ...If anyone refuses to ept this, then I will deal with them personally. Now go.¡±

    The concubines burst into motion and ran at top speed. It was a speed that either inspired awe in onlookers or frightened them speechless.

    Hejinmal did not think for a moment that they might try to escape. In the face of this mighty magic caster, their chances of escape were slim to none. They ought to have realised that as well. No, to Hejinmal, it made no difference even if they escaped. After all, if they did so, he would know how the Sorcerer King would find and deal with them.

    Tok. Someone tapped lightly on Hejinmal¡¯s head, Turning around, he saw his Master¡¯s eyes looking at him.

    ¡°I have another order for you. It is a very important order. Gather all the Dwarven books you have, including those you have not yet finished, as well as all the other books outside your room, and bring them to me.¡±

    ¡°Yes! I understand! I shall do so at once!¡±

    After nervously setting the two of them down, Hejinmal ran with all his might.

    ***

    ¡°So, they¡¯ve gone.¡±

    Ainz watched as Hejinmal vanished into the distance. He had inquired about how many Dragons lived here from him. Therefore, if the numbers did not add up, it would still be of benefit to him.

    There was only one Dragon corpse. After thinking about all the uses he had for it, he wanted more. However, punishing freshly subjugated people who had done nothing wrong for the purpose of generating corpses would vite his ideals of fair reward and punishment.

    Kuku, Ainz chuckled.

    If they ran, he would hunt them down, kill them, and take back the corpses. As he pondered how to make use of said corpses, Ainz turned his gaze to the glittering pile of gold which the Dragon before him had been lying on.

    ¡°That¡¯s a Dragon for you. It¡¯s a veritable mountain of treasure.¡±

    It was nothingpared to Nazarick¡¯s Treasury, but it was still thergest pile of wealth he had seen ever sinceing to this world.

    There were gold coins, but those were outnumbered by gold-bearing ores, and what looked like raw gemstones.

    There was a golden chain over five meters long, a pelt from some beast, golden gloves studded with jewels, a in staff that looked magical... where had he gotten all these things from?

    Perhaps only the Dragon that had be a corpse knew.

    ¡°Umu, hardly any brass or fool¡¯s gold. So most of that is natural gold? Is that a Dragon¡¯s sense of smell at work...¡±

    Gondo muttered all that to himself as he studied the glittering ores. Are those any different from gold, Ainz thought, and he resolved himself to properly appraise them once he got home.

    ¡°I trust there are no problems with exercising my victor¡¯s rights over the Dragon¡¯s hoard?¡±

    ¡°Those rights are yours, of course. However, how about trying to open that while nobody¡¯s around?¡±

    ¡°Huhu. You¡¯re quite the viin.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s purely for research, of course. Then, please tell me if there is anything you desire, Your Majesty. ording to that Dragon, there¡¯s no ledger of treasure or anything, but it might not be good to take a Dwarven treasure that¡¯s too famous.¡±

    ¡°Why not say the Dragon took it?¡±

    ¡°If that happens, they might request that Your Majesty return the Dragon¡¯s hoard, no? While I don¡¯t think the Council will say anything to Your Majesty, it would be best not to sow the seeds of future conflict, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°It is as you say. Then, I shall open the door to the entrance. It¡¯s better if less people know about what will happen.¡±

    ¡°Please, Your Majesty.¡±

    Ainz and Gondo went about their respective business.

    First, Ainz used [Gate] to bring over his Eight Edge Assassins.

    ¡°©¤I have an order for you. Search this pce, hidden rooms included, and bring all the books you find to this ce. If you meet any Dragons, say you are my subordinates. If you are attacked, you may kill them. However, avoid making the first move. Also... while I doubt there are any around, there might be powerful beings present, so move in groups. If you encounter any such entities, prioritize bringing that information back to me.¡±

    Since the books were written in Dwarven, only Gondo could understand them, so Ainz had no choice but to let him read them.

    As he watched his subordinates disperse through the Royal Pce, Ainz chucked the Dragon corpse through the [Gate].

    Mm, first I¡¯ll harvest all the materials, and then process them. And then, if the Dragon is willing to ept resurrection, I¡¯ll have another batch on hand. Though I doubt that¡¯s likely...

    As Yuri Alpha of the Pleiades looked at him, he ordered her to store the corpse on the 5th Floor. In order not to let the corpse rot, he ordered her to put it on ice.

    ¡°Your Majesty! There are no signs that it was opened. It would seem the treasures should still be in ce.¡±

    ¡°Really now. Then I shall open it.¡±

    He bade Yuri farewell, and after the great doors closed, Ainz stood before the entrance to the Treasury.

    As he recalled his YGGDRASIL days, tion soared in Ainz¡¯s chest. It had always been an exciting experience to encounter a treasure chest-shaped drop. Even if there was only a single data crystal inside, one would not know before opening it. He felt that same excitement now.

    However ©¤ it was forcibly negated.

    Every time his joyous emotions were cancelled, it gave rise to some measure of displeasure. Even so, it still enlivened him somewhat.

    Ainz took out a magic item which looked like a board.

    It was an artifact: Epigonoi.

    (TL Note: ÆßÃÅÖ®·ÛËéÕß, Shatterer of the Seven Gates)

    It was a magic item which could only be used seven times, but it possessed the lock-opening abilities of a level 90 thief.

    It was very valuable, and he did not want to use it if possible, but he had not summoned any vassals with high-level lock-opening abilities. The Eight Edge Assassins were specialized in stealthybat, and they had very poor lock-opening abilities.

    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped.¡±

    Ainz ©¤ who very rarely used any rare items he obtained ©¤ decided to use it after some waffling. It would seem that he was looking forward to the treasures within.

    He touched the artifact to the Treasury door, and activated its power.

    As they peeked through the slit of the opening door, Ainz and Gondo clenched their fists.

    Neither of them said anything, but their expressions said everything.

    The glitter of gold was little more than a trick of the light. Without any light, it would not shine. However, what they saw was a massive pile of treasure that seemed to shine from within. Unfortunately, the word ¡°tidy¡± could not be applied to it.

    ¡°...Amazing.¡±

    Much like the Dragon¡¯s hoard, the Dwarven trove could notpare to that of Nazarick, but to Ainz, it was also amendable sum.

    Ainz picked up a gold coin. He had never seen coins like this before, and it did not look like the gold pieces used for trade nowadays. However, it did not feel like it was Dwarven-made, simply because of the profile of a human carved onto its surface.

    ¡°They say that in the past, the Dwarves traded with the huge human nation which ruled the area around this mountain range. This must be a portrait of the ruler of that nation. Runesmiths flourished then; it was their golden age.¡±

    ¡°Umu.¡±

    Ainz flicked the coin from his fingers, dumping it into the pile of treasure. Gold clinked against gold, producing a crisp sound that pleased the ears.

    ¡°Then, please excuse me for a moment while I look for technical manuals and any items made by runesmith researchers, and so on.¡±

    ¡°Do so. I will look around myself.¡±

    Pandora¡¯s Actor would probably be very happy to see this.

    As he recalled his bizarre attitude, the mental image of Ainz making sure the Treasury¡¯s door was properly locked came to mind.

    He saw armor and weapons seemingly buried by gold pieces. Would that not damage them? Why did they not mind that damage?

    I see, if it was neat and tidy, then any thieves who got in could quickly find the treasure they were looking for. So instead they messed things up? If that¡¯s the case, then they might use that old dodge as well...

    ¡°Gondo, I have something to ask you. Is it possible that there is a secret door under this mountain of treasure?¡±

    Gondo looked back in surprise.

    ¡°I see! ...It¡¯s not impossible, but even if there were, it would be very difficult to find. After all, we would have to move out all the treasure in here.¡±

    At the very least, they would need to move the gold coins.

    ¡°Then, we could estimate the distance from this level to the one below, and if there¡¯s a discrepancy in height we¡¯d be right, then?¡±

    ¡°I feel that even if one wanted to put in a secret chamber in this ce, it wouldn¡¯t be anything more than a sliding secret door to hide several pieces of treasure. Measuring thickness would also be quite difficult. Also, since this is the Treasury, the walls and floor would naturally be thicker.¡±

    Gondo¡¯s gaze seemed to be asking what they should do next, but Ainz shook his head. Frankly speaking, taking the items from here felt like aplimentary gift. It seemed a waste to go to too much effort for it.

    ¡°That is not our reason foring here, and we do not know if it really exists. Wasting too much time and effort on it would be foolish. In any event, once the Dwarvese to reim their city, we will have them serve as witnesses and buy those items at their proper price.¡±

    ¡°I understand. Then I shall go and see if our objective is in this ce.¡±

    Gondo began searching again, and Ainz picked out several items which seemed more magical than others.

    ¡°Hm? This is...?¡±

    Among those items, Ainz discovered a sword.

    It might well be the most magical item out of everything here.

    ¡°Umu... going by levels, it would be around level 50, then?¡±

    It was long enough to be considered a longsword, and it was intricately decorated.

    He was not sure if this was made in YGGDRASIL. But if it was an item of this world, then its magical power would beggar belief. Ainz felt the body of the sword. It was smooth and even.

    ¡°What a beautiful and exquisite sword. But there are no runes carved on it. How could that be?¡±

    Ainz gripped its hilt. In that instant, the sword vibrated. It felt as though mana was flowing through it.

    ¡°This is... something even I can use?¡±

    Ainz could not use longswords due to his ss restrictions. However, it would seem this sword had been imbued with some sort of magic which waived that restriction.

    ¡°Interesting.¡±

    After swinging it several times, Ainz casually poked his hand with it.

    There was no pain. It would seem Ainz¡¯s immunity to attacks below level 60 was still in effect. It did not have the special magic that was imbued into Gazef¡¯s sword.

    Having lost some of his interest, Ainz cast a spell.

    ¡°[Greater Magic Item©¤¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty! How goes the search? Did you find anything interesting?¡±

    ¡°©¤Several articles, but I¡¯ll decide which one I want to take afterwards.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? I¡±ll leave you to it, then!¡±

    Now that Gondo¡¯s call had interrupted the spell, Ainz tossed the sword back into the pile.

    While a sword which he could wield was quite interesting, given his present circumstances, it was nothing more than that. Any item Ainz took from here would have to be more special and beneficial.

    Is that the calibre of the magic items here? What a shame. Well, I guess I shouldn¡¯t have been hoping for a World-ss Item or whatnot.

    Ainz continued searching, and an item caught his eye.

    ¡°Gondo, I¡¯ve made my selection. I¡¯m not sure if this is a national treasure, but could youe over and help me take a look?¡±

    4

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s begin.¡±

    After saying that to Shalltear , who was standing beside her, Aura unfurled the scroll ©¤ the World-ss Item she had brought with her ©¤ and activated its power.

    [Depiction of Mountains and Rivers].

    Simply put, it was an item that sealed a target into a closed-off space. To be more precise, it swapped a paintedndscape with the real world, and then it would convert the real world into a paintedndscape.

    The definition of ¡°target¡± in this case was the same as that of the super-tier spell [The Creation], and referred to a specific area. Nothing within that area ©¤ animate or inanimate ©¤ could resist its effects.

    This time, she was going to trap everything within this gigantic cave into the otherworld created by [Depiction of Mountains and Rivers].

    Shalltear and Ainz were protected by World-ss Items, so they would not be imprisoned within the otherworld. Instead they would appear in the paintedndscape which substituted for the region of devoured reality. However, as the item¡¯s user, Aura would automatically be sucked in.

    This painted world was almost the same as the real world, with nothing strange or outstanding within it. However, it was fundamentally an illusion. Without the power of [Depiction of Mountains and Rivers], once one exited the target area, everything would vanish into mist. In other words, any treasures gained from within the painted world would also dissolve into mist.

    Of course, the two of them had entered this oublietted segment of reality of their own volition. Normally speaking, World-ss Items could not affect holders of other World-ss Items, but it would be a different matter if those holders epted that influence. All that was thanks to a patch from the devs.

    One could choose from 100 otherworlds to ovey onto the targeted portion of reality.

    For instance, there were lethalvands which dealt ongoing fire damage, borealndscapes which dealt ice damage, thunder ins that rained down lightning strikes at periodic intervals, monsoon regions where visibility was practically zero, or mist-shrouded worlds, as basic options.

    The strange thing was that there were also battlefields which could be oveid. After a certain period of time, a sizable number of reinforcements would show up to attack the enemy. However, these troops would only be about 60% as strong as their opponents, so they were generally limited to depleting the enemy¡¯s resources.

    If one-on-one confrontations were desired, one could instead face the enemy with an equal number of stronger entities, each of which had 80% of the user¡¯s power. Due to this ability, it was quite useful if one¡¯s opponent was to defeat the foe.

    The most fearsome aspect of this item was not drawing people into an otherworld, but that it allowed the user to choose which targets would suffer its effects. The user could also choose these effects. In other words, even if the user created a region of moltenva, they could exempt chosen people from the fire damage it inflicted.

    However, it had its weaknesses.

    Unless specific otherworlds were used, one of 40 escape routes would be randomly chosen during each activation, and if the enemy managed to escape via that route, ownership of the item would transfer to the enemy. Of course, none of these escape routes were simple, but the fact that one could seize the item without defeating its holder meant that obtaining it was easier than most other World-ss Items.

    This time, Aura chose one of those specific otherworlds, a simple region of sealed-off space.

    Besides being trapped, the enemy would not suffer any deleterious consequences. However, there was only one specific way to escape from this ce.

    ¡°Alright, Hanzo, I want you to block off the escape route from this world. It¡¯ll be troublesome if any of them got away. Lean over a bit.¡±

    The Hanzo leaned over from his hiding ce in the shadows, and paid close attention to Aura¡¯s exnation of the escape route.

    Although Aura had not detected any ambushers nearby, it paid to be careful.

    ¡°Then, Aura. How many more people have entered this world after the others?¡±

    ¡°Hm? Only two people.¡±

    That answer meant the enemy did not possess World-ss Items. They breathed a sigh of relief.

    Shalltear looked around the residences of the old Royal Capital. It was arge city, but it was quiet, as though its citizens had all fled.

    They had to quickly capture the n Lord, the ruler of the Quagoa, and convey the Supreme Being¡¯s words to him. However, their visibility was impeded by the houses and they could not find the ce where he was staying.

    ¡°Can you burn those houses away?¡±

    ¡°Hm? I can¡¯t. However, I could create a hazardous environment to deal damage over time. For instance, if there were a line of log houses, we could create ava region and burn them to ash.¡±

    ¡°That might kill them all, so you can¡¯t do that.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Still, I could activate it briefly and deal with everyone who survived... but it would be a shame if their ores melted.¡±

    The Quagoa fed their children metal and the like, so there ought to berge quantities of metal or raw ore and minerals lying around. Destroying them would be a waste, and Shalltear agreed.

    ¡°Besides, Ainz-sama¡¯s order was to see if they were willing to flock to our banner.¡±

    ¡°And then he said that if they refused, we would cull their ranks to a specific amount.¡±

    ¡°...Shalltear.¡±

    After seeing Aura narrow her eyes, Shalltear realised what she was getting at.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine! I won¡¯t mess up this time! I ab-so-lute-ly won¡¯t mess up!¡±

    ¡°If only that were the case.¡±

    ¡°I think I get it now. You have to use your head. Shall we?¡±

    ¡°Mm, let¡¯s go. Then, can I leave the thinning of their numbers to you?¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯m more suitable for that task. Are you okay with that?¡±

    Aura¡¯s strength was tied up in her magical beasts, so she was not as good at this sort of thing.

    ¡°Yeah... If Mare were here, he¡¯d trigger an earthquake and wipe a whole bunch of them out.¡±

    ¡°That boy has the strongest area attacks in Nazarick. I¡¯m pretty confident in that field, but my power is limited in a ce like this.¡±

    Speaking of which, using an earthquake to obliterate them would not fulfil their master¡¯smand of ¡°selection¡±. If she could do that, then she could simply summon her familiars to perform an indiscriminate massacre.

    ¡°So you¡¯ve already received orders like that? All these tasks were for you to learn, Shalltear.¡±

    Aura repeated the orders their master had handed down many times.

    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Shalltear replied, and then she mentioned something she had been thinking about for a while.

    ¡°Judging by the strength of the enemies we¡¯ve encountered so far, it doesn¡¯t look like there¡¯s anyone here who could defeat a Death Knight. Then, could it be that they were beaten by chance? It¡¯s more likely that they used an item or defeated them with a summon that waster recalled... It¡¯s quite rare that Ainz-sama¡¯s predictions are wrong.¡±

    Shalltear realised Aura was staring at her. She did not want to ask why she was doing so.

    ¡°What? Did I miss something?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that... hm... ahhhh. What a dummy~¡±

    A look of displeasure crossed Shalltear¡¯s face.

    If she had missed something out, then why not just tell her directly? It was a while before Aura gave her answer.

    ¡°Say ©¤ how could Ainz-sama make that sort of mistake?¡±

    ¡°Was getting the Death Knights defeated part of Ainz-sama¡¯s n? It¡¯s true that Death Knights made by Ainz-sama have very high stats. Nobody we¡¯ve encountered so far should have been able to defeat them...¡±

    Aura thumped her fist into her hand. ¡°Is that possible too?¡± she wondered.

    ¡°I see. So it¡¯s possible that he intentionally let the opposition kill the Death Knights. I didn¡¯t think that far ahead, but I wanted to say that ¡®his predictions weren¡¯t wrong¡¯. The Death Knights went down with the bridge, but I think they died from the fall. Their footprints were there when we passed through that fortress, but they weren¡¯t there on the other side. In other words, they were defeated halfway through. That means, there¡¯s only one reason they could have died.¡±

    ¡°If that was the case, does that mean this has exceeded Ainz-sama¡¯s predictions?¡±

    ¡°I told you, it¡¯s not like that. If Ainz-sama was talking to you seriously, it might be like what you said, Shalltear.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    Shalltear knitted her brows, unable to understand. Aura went ¡°Ahhhhh!¡± and stomped her feet.

    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®what do you mean by that? I told you, right? Ainz-sama already knew that the Death Knights died from falling into the Great Rift.¡±

    ¡°Ehhh?!¡±

    ¡°Haaa... why don¡¯t you think about what happened back then? You see, when Ainz-sama was exining things to you, I wanted to ask if the Death Knights had been pushed to their deaths, but Ainz-sama looked right at me and ordered me to be quiet. Didn¡¯t you notice? It was in the moment when he gave his instructions.¡±

    Shalltear blinked in surprise. She had seen her master make that gesture. At first, she had thought it was because he wanted Aura to keep quiet because he was saying something. However, that Supreme Being was a genius strategist, so Aura¡¯s exnation was more likely as opposed to her potentially wed reading of the situation,.

    Still, if that was the case, why had he exined all that to her?

    ¡°What kind of face are you making? Think about it a little and you¡¯ll know.¡±

    Aura¡¯s absentminded words made Shalltear¡¯s heart shrink like it was being tossed around in a whirlpool.

    ¡°Could it be... for me? Did he do that on purpose to train me? Is that what you mean?¡±

    ¡°...What other answer could there be? Along the way, you said there could be a strong enemy and asked Ainz-sama many things. If you knew they had fallen into the Great Rift, would you have asked so much? Ah, can you keep this a secret from Ainz-sama? It¡¯s all because you doubted Ainz-sama...¡±

    ¡°You say I doubted Ainz-sama¡¯s ability? How could that be?¡±

    Shalltear hoped that she could keep quiet about how she hade out and said that she did not trust the prowess of a Supreme Being.

    ¡°Well, just keep it a secret. Just as Ainz-sama wanted me to keep it a secret from you, you have to watch your lips too.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    When one reflected calmly on this, Aura hadmitted a mortal sin, that of ignoring a Supreme Being¡¯s orders. However, that was because she felt Shalltear had shown disrespect to the Supreme One...

    So was it me or Aura who was rude to the Supreme Beings? Or was it neither of us? Hm©¤

    Shalltear¡¯s head ached, and she decided to stop quibbling and not brood about the matter of keeping secrets.

    ¡°...Still, isn¡¯t that a sign of disrespect in itself? Hm...¡±

    ¡°...Hm ©¤ speaking of which, if they don¡¯t submit to Ainz-sama, he said something about cutting them down to about 10¡¯000 people. While he did say to spare some of the females, what about the children?¡±

    ¡°Did he specify to leave a certain amount alive?¡±

    ¡°Although, don¡¯t they get stronger by eating metals as children? And if we¡¯re going to rule them, wouldn¡¯t children be easier to brainwash? Shalltear©¤¡±

    An evil grin appeared on Aura¡¯s face.

    ¡°If Ainz-sama didn¡¯t leave any specific instructions, that means... it¡¯s a test, right? While we could always send the Hanzos to ask for directions, Ainz-sama said he left it to you, right? So I think Ainz-sama wanted to see how you would deal with it... Can our Number One Floor Guardian take good care of this task?¡±

    Shalltear smiled thinly by way of reply. She had been thinking about this ever since she had been given her orders.

    ¡°¡±4¡¯000 males and females and 2¡¯000 children ought to be enough.¡±

    ¡°Hm? Hm ©¤ I guess. You seem to be handling this pretty easily ©¤ hm?¡±

    Aura fell silent and cupped her hand to her ear. Shalltear knew what she was doing and kept as quiet as possible. In the end, she was all smiles.

    ¡°Ah, I heard what sounded like arge group of Quagoa making their move.¡±

    ¡°Are they fleeing, or are they deploying their forces?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t be perfectly sure because I¡¯m going by sound, but they don¡¯t sound like they¡¯re running away. It¡¯s more like they¡¯re dispersing outside the city.¡±

    Apparently, there were 80¡¯000 Quagoa here. Demihumans were the kind who grew stronger with age. In other words, everyone was a soldier. If they mobilized over 10¡¯000 people but deployed them within the city, their advantage in numbers would be cut down by half.

    While the intruders were so few they did not qualify as an army, they possessed incredible fighting power. The matter of the Dragon should have spread throughout the Quagoa. If that were the case, the smarter people would lead the others outside the city to evacuate, while setting up in formation to lure the enemy into the city for a fight. If a small number of enemies moved into the city, the Quagoa could surround the city and mount waves of attacks to tire them out before dealing the finishing blow with a team of elite warriors. That seemed like the most appropriate battle strategy.

    In any case, one needed a wide, open space to deploy arge force.

    Shalltear was hoping for just that.

    ¡°They¡¯re over there. Then, we should begin negotiations now.¡±

    ¡°Of course. We need to work hard so we don¡¯t keep Ainz-sama waiting.¡±

    ***

    Over 60000 battle-capable Quagoa were formed up and waiting for the enemy.

    Female Quagoa who were not pregnant or bearing children were just as good at fighting as the males, which was how they had managed to mobilize these numbers. Still, despite mustering a force bigger than any in recorded history, n Lord Pe Riyuro was not happy at all.

    This was far too strange. The cave which contained the Royal Capital had suddenly been wreathed in mist.

    What on earth was going on?

    The battle-ready troops began lining up, facing the Royal Capital. If the enemy feared their numbers and did note out, then that would be the best case. Therefore, they took the minimum provisions with them, and left their Dwarven treasures behind. As long as their enemy was not stupid, they would see that there was no point in fighting.

    However, someone emerged from the Royal Capital.

    One of them was dressed in red armor, and another was a dark-skinned shorty that was not a Dwarf.

    ording to the ones who had watched the encounter with the Dragon outside the Royal Capital, there should have been two more, but they did not see them. They must have been grabbing treasure, while these two were buying time for them.

    ¡°In any case, just to confirm, that is not a Golem right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s not a Golem.¡±

    ording to Yozu, the Golems were tall of stature and wore ck armor. So that suit of red armor was something else. However©¤

    Perhaps that¡¯s a type of Golem. It might be better to think of it that way. Still, why did theye out to face an army in the tens of thousands head-on? Is it because they¡¯re confident of killing us all ©¤ No way, it can¡¯t be. That¡¯s impossible.

    Riyuro shook his head to disperse the horrific image that had appeared within it.

    He could guess that the opposition possessed unimaginable power, given that they had created this bizarre dimension. The fact that they could make a Dragon prostrate before them without a fight also suggested they were very strong.

    Still, his side numbered over 60¡¯000. It waspletely iparable to having only hundreds or thousands of people. There was no way to fight this many opponents.

    However, if they were Golems, then it was understandable.

    Golems did not tire like living beings. They could fight forever, and if they were strong enough to defeat Riyuro, then they could theoretically kill everyone here.

    Still, that was merely theoretical.

    Even if only one out of several Quagoa dealt damage through a lucky hit, over the course of thousands of rounds of fighting, the umted scratch damage would result in injuries that could take the enemy out ofmission.

    Numbers were strength. With his army of 60000, as long as they fought on the ground, they should even be able to y a Dragon Lord.

    ¡°©¤I¡¯ll go talk to these people. You wait here. If I¡¯m killed... Well, do as you please.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too risky,¡± one of his advisors said, stating the obvious.

    ¡°...We can¡¯t talk to Golems, so I¡¯ll talk to the one beside it. It would be bad if we didn¡¯t find out their objective, at least.¡±

    In any case, Riyuro was determined to attempt a dialogue.

    The enemy must be strong. That being the case, he would ask them their objective. If they could be reasoned with, then he would not mind paying a certain price. If they could chase off the Dragon Lord, then acknowledging them as their new masters would also be fine. Even if that was impossible, he could pay them more than the Dwarves did in exchange for switching sides.

    ¡°Nobody must follow me. If a lot of use at once, it might trigger hostilities.¡±

    Without saying anything more to his aides, Riyuro stepped forth.

    His troops parted on both sides of him, and the opposition seemed to have noticed that someone wasing. He could see the enemy had stopped to observe his movements.

    ¡°Sorry for the wait.¡±

    Riyuro was the first to speak, and his voice made the enemies look at each other.

    He looked around. As expected, there was nobody else around. There were two other people from that face-off with the Dragon ©¤ the Dwarf and the skull-helmeted chap ©¤ neither of which was here.

    ¡°Hm? Who¡¯re you?¡± the dark-skinned shorty replied.

    It would seem the red-armored one was a Golem. It seemed paler and taller than the humanoid next to it. Still, at a nce, there was no telling that it was an artificial being ©¤ it looked very realistic.

    ¡°I am Pe Riyuro, Lord of the Quagoa ns who live in this ce. And you ©¤ who might you be?¡±

    ¡°We are under orders from the Supreme Overlord who hase to thisnd in order to rule you.¡±

    It spoke!

    The red-armored one spoke. Since he heard that Golems could not speak, it was obviously not a Golem.

    Trying to hide his consternation, Riyuro replied:

    ¡°Rule?¡±

    ¡°Correct. Our Lord hase to subjugate you. Bend the knee and bow before him.¡±

    Then, what should I do? Riyuro thought fast.

    He did not mind bowing and weing a new ruler. All they needed to do was grow strong beneath that ruler and then overthrow them.

    The problem was that they could not submit to the opposition without knowing their power. They might have made that Dragon kneel before them, but that Dragon was not the Dragon Lord. For all he knew, after bending the knee, they might be made to fight the Dragon Lord.

    ¡°...There should be two more of you. What happened to them?¡±

    ¡°You do not need to know. You are only allowed to say if you ept our rule or not.¡±

    They were not revealing anything to him. That would mean that investigating the enemy¡¯s intentions ©¤ whether or not they truly intended to fight in earnest ©¤ was very important.

    ¡°...You say you want to rule us. However, it is very difficult for us to ept your proposal without knowing your strength. Does that make sense to you?¡±

    In other words, he was implying that ¡°if you tell me how strong you are, I don¡¯t mind being ruled by you.¡± However, the two of them merely looked at each other and shrugged.

    ¡°Is that so. Our orders state that if you will not ept our rule, we are to reduce your numbers until you are forced to bend the knee. After that, you are to kill yourselves until there are only 4000 males, 4000 females and 2000 children left. You should be able to differentiate who is more valuable, am I correct?¡±

    ¡°Then, once there are only 10000 of you left, we will take you back to our country, the Sorcerous Kingdom, where you will be put to work.¡±

    Fear coursed through the n Lord for an instant.

    It was not because of the cruel content of the message. It was because they had delivered it in a matter-of-fact tone that waspletely devoid of arrogance.

    He felt that these two people could actually do it.

    Yes.

    These two people could kill an army of over 60¡¯000.

    Were they mad? Were they overconfident? Or©¤

    That unbelievable attitude left Riyuro at a loss for what to do next.

    They could not listen to such insane orders without so much as a fight.

    Perhaps they had sensed the hostile intent from his side, but the two of them looked at each other, and their faces twisted into grins.

    The Dwarves were hairy, so he could understand them. These two people had no hair except on the tops of their heads, so he could not read their expressions. Such was the gulf between two different species.

    ¡°W-wait©¤¡±

    He could not finish his request for them to wait.

    ¡°©¤Then, I shall now begin reducing your numbers to an eptable level. That being the case, do not give your clothes to anyone else.¡±

    Normally speaking, the Quagoa did not wear clothes. After all, they were covered in fur from head to toe.

    However, a king needed to show his authority, and thus he needed something to easily differentiate himself from others. That was why he wore clothing and a crown made by Dwarves, with the sigil of the n Lord. At the same time, he could let others wear them to serve as doubles for him, in order to deceive enemies from other races.

    Had they seen through that n and thus tried to cut him off halfway?

    Taking out the enemy leadership to cripple the enemy army was the most obvious victory condition. However, why had they not done that?

    No, that¡¯s not it. There¡¯s another reason for that... Could it be... That must be it. They¡¯re not trying to kill me, they¡¯re trying not to kill me by ident!

    The differences between species ran very deep. However, as long as he wore his clothes, they could tell who the n Lord was and thus they would spare him. That was the meaning of their haughty deration.

    ¡°Then, isn¡¯t it about time you went back? We will start once your side moves towards us. I would be d if you picked out the ones you wanted to survive before that.¡±

    ¡°Hurry up and go back.¡±

    They waved him off, indicating that he should return. In other words, there was no need to negotiate any further.

    This was far too different from his expectations.

    I told them I was willing to bend the knee, but why couldn¡¯t they make even a little concession? If they aren¡¯t even willing to do that... does that really mean they view our lives as worthless...?

    In the face of this arrogance, the n Lord struggled to suppress the terror overflowing from this heart.

    In any case... they can¡¯t possibly cut the 60000 people here down to 100000... Yes. That must be it. They must have lost their minds after seeing our forces!

    Under normal circumstances, that sort of thinking would be correct. Even Dragons could not reduce their numbers by suchrge amounts.

    In that moment, realization struck the n Lord.

    Could it be that they intend to mount flying hit-and-run attacks?

    If they fought like Dragons, then things would be very tricky.

    Deploying in a wide open area like this would be detrimental instead.

    Then, should he pull his forces back to the residential district?

    However, that would be very dangerous. If the enemy could destroy buildings, then it would cause great damage to their homes. In the end, this was the only ce they could fight.

    After returning to his troops, the n Lord gathered his aides.

    ¡°Was that a Golem? ...What happened? You look very ufortable.¡±

    His expression must have frightened the other two. The n Lord patted his face and gave his orders.

    ¡°Ahh... In any case, gather the Blue and the Red Quagoa.¡±

    ¡°Will they be a personal guard?¡±

    ¡°Not just that. Gather all the exceptional individuals of each n together.¡±

    ***

    Riyuro gave voice to a mighty cry. It was a cry infused with the skill he had obtained when he had ascended to the position of n Lord. As he saw his army of over 10¡¯000 charge the enemy in response to the cry, he even felt a little pleased. However, the results of that charge were too horrible to watch. Like a flow of water striking a wall, the charging soldiers struck an invisible barrier and were sent flying.

    What sshed everywhere was not frothy water, but Quagoa ©¤ or what used to be Quagoa. Perhaps a sight like this would be fitting of Dragons or Giants, but their opponents were creatures that were even smaller than Quagoa.

    ¡°They¡¯re flying...¡± one of his aides muttered dumbly to himself.

    This was not a metaphor. The charging Quagoa were literally flying through the air. Neither did they do so one by one. Several dozens of them were sent flying all at once.

    Their pulverized corpses became a shower of meaty chunks which rained down on theirrades. The gore-caked troops continued their charge, whereupon they be lumps of flesh themselves which fell on yet more of theirpanions. It was a scene straight out of a nightmare.

    For some reason, the fact that they could not see any blood spurting made the sight even more surreal.

    ¡°What, what the, what the hell is that?!¡±

    Riyuro did not even have the strength to answer his advisor¡¯s mournful cry. His thoughts merely leaked out through his mouth in the form of words.

    ¡°This many...¡±

    ¡°n Lord! What is that!? It¡¯s nothing like the Golems we saw before!¡±

    They smashed away every single Quagoa charging them in a single blow. This was no longer a battle. It was not even a massacre. It was simply disposal. Therades he had gathered to increase their influence were now being mangled up in vast quantities like so much rubbish.

    ¡°We, we have to run!¡±

    ¡°Where will you run to?!¡±

    He shouted at his panicked aides.

    ¡°Where can you run to in this strange dimension?! These people said they¡¯re going to kill us until there¡¯s only 10000 of us left!¡±

    His aides had nothing to say.

    After seeing this overwhelming ©¤ this monstrous strength, they understood that their threats were not a joke. While it was hard to believe, they had no choice but to believe it. Out of their 80000 citizens, only 10000 would be permitted to survive.

    Although he wanted to beg their forgiveness right now, there was no warmth in the eyes of those two. Even that Dragon Lord¡¯s eyes held morepassion.

    They have no intention of changing their statement to cut us down to 10000 people.

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible! n Lord! What the hell are they? What have the Dwarves brought here?!¡±

    ¡°Why are such tiny people so powerful...¡±

    As he heard his advisors, another sh of inspiration struck Riyuro.

    ¡°Could it be that red-armored chap is also a Dwarven weapon? They sent something stronger because they knew the Golems were destroyed?¡±

    ¡°...So if we defeat it, they¡¯ll send something even stronger than that?¡±

    The cries of his men echoed all around. Only the region around Riyuro was silent.

    ¡°Let¡¯s pull the men back©¤¡±

    ¡°Stop! They have to fight! There¡¯s no other way out for us! However strong it is, it¡¯ll get tired eventually! When that happens, we¡¯ll wait until it can¡¯t swing its weapon any more, then force them to negotiate and demand concessions from them!¡±

    ¡°I, I see... But... Will it really get tired?¡±

    He had mentioned something Riyuro had thought of in the corner of his mind. However©¤

    ¡°In any case, as long as it lives, it ought to get tired. It might have more stamina than us, but it¡¯ll definitely get tired. Until then, make it keep swinging its weapon! ...Even if it doesn¡¯t get tired, once it gets bored of killing we might be able to discuss something.¡±

    The n Lord was reluctant to speak the words which came next, but they had to be said.

    ¡°Besides, we can¡¯t win even if we fight it! Not against a monster like that.¡±

    His troops would not be demoralized to the point of flight. The cry Riyuro had used to sound the charge turned his men into warriors that did not know fear. Much like the Berserk state of Berserkers, it increased their attack strength but reduced their defense. More importantly, they were immune to all fear-rted effects. However, the fact that they would not refuse the n Lord¡¯s orders no matter how dangerous they were could be said to be a double-edged sword.

    The great mass of soldiers continued charging without ever looking back, and they were cut down to half their previous number with such swiftness that hardly anyone could believe it.

    At this point, nobody had the strength to speak.

    The fact that this tragedy was unfolding before them and it was the doing of one person traumatized their hearts.

    All except for one person.

    That person ©¤ Riyuro ©¤ scraped up thest of his courage.

    ¡°You chosen heroes!¡±

    He could not raise his voice.

    Riyuro saw the Red and Blue Quagoa before him, as well as the other Quagoa with special abilities, all of whom had been formed up into the strongestbat units of the ns.

    The reason why none of them responded to Riyuro¡¯s cry was because they were all watching that suit of red armor with despair in their eyes.

    They too must have felt that they had no hope of victory. When they had first been gathered, their eyes had shone, but now there was no light in their eyes, as though they were dead.

    He had chosen not to drive them berserk to preserve their defensive strength, but it had been the wrong decision.

    The n Lord raised his voice to try and psyche them up.

    ¡°You are our ace in the hole! The enemy has killed many of ourrades, so it should be tired! You will be able to make it suffer!¡±

    It ought to be tired ©¤ he said that, but there was no sign of it. That red suit of armor showed no signs of stopping as it cut every single Quagoa which charged it to pieces and sent the chunks flying into the air, swinging and thrusting its strangence-like weapon without end.

    ¡°That¡¯s right! No matter what, it¡¯s living, so it¡¯ll get tired! You can do it! Go! Our heroes!¡±

    WIth a prayer in his heart, Riyuro sent out those heroes.

    He gave his men orders to clear the path to the red suit of armor. Then, the heroes would assault the red armor©¤

    ©¤Riyuro closed his eyes.

    ¡°My, my Lord... Mighty n Lord of us all...¡±

    After hearing his aides¡¯ trembling voices, he slowly opened his eyes.

    ¡°You... you don¡¯t need to say anything. I know. I, I saw it too...¡±

    Nothing had changed. That was right. It had made no difference.

    Just like the regr soldiers, the chosen heroes had been chopped into mincemeat and sent flying as lumps of flesh. And it had all happened in an instant. They had met the same end as the regr soldiers.

    ¡°...So... so...¡±

    Riyuro could not say anything else. Although he did not know what that red suit of armor was, it was something which was undoubtedly stronger than a Dragon.

    Riyuro could no longer feel anything. If he simply waited quietly for time to pass, the oue would be as the enemy willed it.

    ¡°...said they wanted 2000 children. Pick out that amount.¡±

    ¡°My Lord...:

    ¡°...There¡¯s nothing else we can do. Even if there¡¯s only 10000 of us, as long as we survive, someday... someday, we can make the Quagoa great again...¡±

    Nobody could say anything in the face of Riyuro¡¯s words. That was because everyone clearly understood in their hearts.

    They understood that there was nothing else they could do.

    Riyuro¡¯s head drooped powerlessly. It was as though he had been walking in a safe ce, and then suddenly ambushed by a monster..

    ¡°Speaking of which, what is the Sorcerous Kingdom, anyway? Does it have anything to do with the Dwarves? Someone please tell me...¡±

    His muttering came straight from the heart.

    However much he tried to deny it, the carnage before his eyes gave him the feeling that an even greater tragedy would soone.

    Suddenly, he saw his Quagoa servants holding cages, Those were the cages used for storing food lizards. Riyuro knew that now was not the time for this, but the stress on him made him reach out to the cage. He grabbed a live lizard, but just as he was about to bite its head off, an intense pain coursed through his belly, bending his body into a ¨Ñshape.

    There was no way he could beat the absolute ruler who would soon subjugate his race. The idea of flourishing again was so oundish that even he had nothing to say in its defense. No matter how many generations passed, they would never be able to rise up in revolt. The Quagoa of the Azellisia Mountain Range would forever wear cors in service to their dreaded master.

    The wildly-thrashing lizard slipped from Riyuro¡¯s hands and vanished between his men¡¯s legs. Riyuro went ¡°ahh¡± in what was more a sigh than a shout, and then he copsed into silent sobbing from sheer misery.

    ¡°If you were that strong, you should have said so in the first ce! Why, why didn¡¯t you tell me!¡±

    The whimpering of the Quagoa Lord, hailed by his people as the greatest ruler in their history, blended with the screams of the children as his own soldiers butchered them.

    5

    Ainz and Gondo left the treasury together. A flight of Dragons bowed their heads before them. There were 19 of them in total, including Hejinmal.

    In other words, all the Dragons Hejinmal had mentioned were here. Now there would be no need to hunt them down.

    ...It¡¯s good that they¡¯re all being obedient, but it¡¯s a shame that I don¡¯t have more Dragon corpses... Should I find some excuse to kill a few more? No, that would be evil. Then why not let them breed and then harvest themter... hm? Isn¡¯t that the same thing?

    ¡°©¤Most Exalted Sorcerer King. Your faithful servants have gathered before you.¡±

    Hejinmal spoke as Ainz was thinking. Putting aside his contemtions for the moment, Ainz replied:

    ¡°Raise your heads.¡±

    The kneeling Dragons raised their heads as one.

    Due to the massive size of their bodies, they were far taller than Ainz once they rose, but there was no sense of them looking down on him.

    However, there were a few surprised looks among them.

    They had heard about it, but it was still hard to believe that Ainz had in the Dragon Lord, their father. Or rather, even Ainz would think the same thing if he were in their shoes. There were many things which had to be seen to be believed.

    Just as Ainz was thinking that, one of the Dragons roared.

    ¡°I won¡¯t ept this! To think the person who killed Father is actually ©¤ what?¡±

    Ainz walked in front of the roaring Dragon. Then he smiled, and beckoned with his hand, as though to say ¡°Give it your best shot.¡±

    The Dragon swiped its ws at Ainz.

    They were fast, but not as fast as the Troll he had fought recently.

    Ainz did not dodge them. He took the Dragon¡¯s attack head-on. The Dragon ¡ª who thought Ainz could not evade in time ¡ª grinned broadly, but when he realized that Ainz had no need to dodge, that grin froze on his face. After making sure that the Dragon knew that, Ainz cast a spell.

    ¡°[Grasp Heart].¡±

    Ainz¡¯s gaze moved from the Dragon who had copsed like his father, and turned to the others.

    ¡°Is there no one else?¡±

    After that quiet query, the Dragons were bowed even lower than they had been earlier, as though they were trying to lie t on the ground. Nobody here doubted Ainz¡¯s power any more.

    Ainz opened a [Gate] and chucked the Dragon¡¯s corpse through it. Then he took Gondo and got onto Hejinmal¡¯s back.

    His mother¡¯s back wasrger, so mounting would be more suitable for a ruler than taking Hejinmal.

    However, Ainz had already ridden Hejinmal all the way here, so he might as well ride him the rest of the way.

    ¡°Leave this city. My subordinates should be waiting there.¡±

    The Dragon flight took wing in unison, and the Hanzos led them to a ce where many Quagoa were kneeling down.

    The sight of countless Quagoa in silent prostration was quite bizarre, and as Gondo saw this, he croaked hoarsely.

    Ainz was about to make the same noise himself, but he could not do such a thing in front of his Guardians, whose brightly smiling faces seemed to say, ¡°We worked really hard!¡±

    ¡°Ainz-sama! As you ordered, we¡¯ve finished the selection from the Quagoa. There are 4¡¯000 males, 4¡¯000 females and 2¡¯000 children. The rest are all corpses. Also, we allowed them to recover the intact bodies and ce them elsewhere.¡±

    ¡°I see. So they rejected mypassion, but now they cling desperately to their final chance for survival. What a bunch of fools.¡±

    The clothed Quagoa kneeling in front of all the others shuddered visibly.

    ¡°Then, where is their king?¡±

    ¡°Over there,¡± Shalltear pointed. As expected, it was the trembling Quagoa. Before Ainz summoned him, he activated his halo of obsidian radiance. ording to his research, that effect best suited a ruler.

    As he listened to the mutterings and whisperings from the Dragon flight, he called out to the Quagoa Lord.

    ¡°King of the Quagoa, raise your head.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    The Quagoa Lord¡¯s body shook violently as he raised his head. Then, his eyes went wide, and he went still, as though he had been frozen.

    Ainz could clearly hear him going ¡°Hiiiiiiiieee...¡±

    ¡°...I am known as a merciful king. The sin of not immediately epting my proposal shall be absolved by the blood of your people. Yet, if you will give your lives and your loyalty to me, I shall guarantee your prosperity.¡±

    ¡°Understood!! We are your servants, and all our children and our children¡¯s children shall grind ourselves to dust in Your Majesty¡¯s service!!!¡±

    ¡°A good answer. It pleases me.¡±

    ¡°Yes!!!! Thank you very much!!!!!¡±

    As though to terminate the conversation, Ainz waved his hand, as though to indicate that the Quagoa Lord could resume his submissive posture.

    Excellent! It seems all my practice paid off.

    The endless repetition of lines and poses before the mirror had finally borne fruit. After striking a victory pose in his heart, Ainz turned back to his two Guardians, who had wlessly discharged their duties.

    ¡°You have done very well. I am very proud of the two of you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much!¡±

    ¡°Your words have cleansed my heart of the shame of my previous mistake, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.¡±

    ¡°Hm, hm...¡±

    After seeing Shalltear¡¯s delight, Ainz was sure that he had used the right words.

    ¡°Then, is this amount alright? If it¡¯s too much, we can cull them again until their numbers please you, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°No, there¡¯s no need for that... this ought to be a good number. Come to think of it, could any of them be powerful adversaries? Not by our standards, of course, but by those of the people of this world.¡±

    ¡°My deepest apologies. Those people were©¤¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. The n Lord whom you spoke to was considered quite strong, although we never saw his strength.¡±

    ¡°Is that so...¡±

    While he was not sure how the Death Knights had been defeated, it was most likely a coincidence. For all he knew©¤

    They might have fallen into the Great Rift...

    As he thought of that, Ainz felt deeply ashamed. Realizing that he had been mistaken after lecturing Shalltear so passionately made his face feel like it was about to erupt in mes ©¤ and then, the shame was gone. In its ce was a smoldering depression. And then, as he thought about how Shalltear had been taking notes, it deepened ©¤ and then he was back to normal.

    Should he try to bluff his way through this?

    However, if he messed it up, they might tell the others, ¡°Ainz-sama said this, but actually~¡± and so on.

    This is bad! This is really bad! I shouldn¡¯t have gotten carried away by my joy and lectured them like that! I feel like crying now.

    Ainz sighed deeply.

    Well,e to think of it, isn¡¯t this a good chance to tell the Guardians that I can mess up too? From there, I can move from the position of an incredibly wise ruler to an ordinary ruler, and that might free me from my emotional torment. And if I do that, the Guardians might notice my mistakes and warn me about them.

    He ordered the Dragons to leave, because he knew they had very keen senses. Then, he had the Quagoa move some distance away. Gondo looked very lonely all by himself, but he would just have to bear with it.

    Once the three of them were alone, Ainz gulped.

    What he would do next might well send all his hard work down the drain. Ainz felt uneasy over how the way the situation would change and what might happen in the future. His body ©¤ which knew no fear ©¤ started to feel afraid. Despite that, he gathered up his courage to speak.

    ¡°Ah, you two, listen up. ...Do you remember what I said about the possibility of a being in this ce that could easily defeat the Death Knights?¡±

    The two of them looked at each other, and their faces suggested that they had realised something.

    ¡°Yes, that. It seems I was mistaken. Maybe the Dragon I killed could have destroyed the Death Knights, but it doesn¡¯t seem like anybody else could.¡±

    ¡°I understand, Ainz-sama. Your words were intended to make me learn. To think that you had to disgrace yourself on ount of my inexperience... I, Shalltear Bloodfallen, tender my utmost gratitude to your exalted self for your merciful considerations!¡±

    ¡°...Eh?¡±

    Much to Ainz¡¯s surprise, they were looking at him with respect in their eyes. In particr, Shalltear¡¯s face was flushed red, her eyes were moist, her lips were pressed t and her mouth was quivering as though she was on the verge of tears.

    What part of that deserved respect? It baffled Ainz. Had he touched their hearts in some way?

    Also, I should deny what Shalltear said, right? No, Shalltear learned a lot from this journey. Then I¡¯ll put my faith in you, Shalltear!

    ¡°It seems you realized it, Shalltear.¡±

    ¡°Yes!!¡±

    Their eyes seemed to shine even brighter.

    Say what©¤? Ainz thought that, but he still had to rify himself.

    ¡°Still, even I can fail, and I can make mistakes. I hope you will keep that fact in your hearts.¡±

    ¡°Yes! While I don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible for our great ruler to ever make a mistake, I understand, Ainz-sama!¡±

    Shalltear seemed to have reached the limits of her endurance. She sank to her knees and began sobbing. As she clenched her teeth and wept copiously, Aura put her hand on Shalltear¡¯s shoulders, her own eyes brimming with tears. While it was a touching scene which illustrated their friendship, Ainz had no idea what was going on, and all he could think about was where Shalltear ©¤ as an undead creature ©¤ was secreting her tears, saliva and other bodily fluids from. Thus, he took refuge from reality by thinking about biology.

    While Ainz had no idea how things had gotten this way, he decided to leave things as they were for now. Yes, there were far too many things in this world which defied understanding, or rather, they were situations where he had to feign said understanding. That was how he felt when he listened to his CEO exin important cases.

    Ainz felt that this was merely kicking the can down the road, but at the same time, he felt that his future self who would encounter the problem again would be a better person. Thus, Ainz did the only thing his present self could do now.

    After kneeling down in front of Shalltear, he wiped her tears away, like a parent would for their child.

    And then, in that moment, even more tears coursed down her cheeks.

    ¡°Ainzsh-shama...¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright. Don¡¯t cry, Shalltear. I told you the same thing back then, didn¡¯t I? You can¡¯t waste your beautiful face on tears.¡±

    ¡°Wash I usheful to you?¡±

    ¡°Yes. You did very well. You were everything I expected of one of my Guardians.¡±

    ¡°Ainzsh-shama©¤~¡±

    Shalltear clutched the material of Ainz¡¯s robes.

    ¡°Er, erm. Alright, it¡¯s about time you stopped crying.¡±

    ¡°O-okie...¡±

    Shalltear looked up at Ainz as she breathed in through her nose and tried to wipe her tears away.

    ¡°Thank you so much for all the kindness you have shown me!¡±

    ¡°Mm, hm. Alright, then we ought to move on now. There¡¯s still a lot to be done, no?¡±

    ***

    The Council Chamber had been noisy all morning, but after receiving thetest piece of news ©¤ it fell silent.

    If they were not hugging their heads, they were scratching them. Not a single Dwarf in the room could stay calm.

    And then, someone spoke.

    ¡°...He¡¯s back.¡±

    ¡°...Well, that... that was fast. Did he really... really take back the Royal Capital?¡±

    ¡°...Are you trying to find fault with him?¡±

    ¡°What a brave fellow you are, putting yourself at odds with the monster ©¤ no, the mighty being ©¤ who returned after seizing control of that Dragon¡¯s nest of a Royal Pce. I¡¯d say you¡¯re as brave as that hero-king from the legends. ...By the way, please tell him that all of us believed in His Majesty from the beginning.¡±

    ording to the messenger, he seemed to have returned on Dragonback.

    Dragons were very strong, and thus they were very proud. They were thus very interested in how anyone could have performed the shocking feat of subjugating such a being.

    The obvious exnation was that he had used magic to force itspliance. However, when they took into consideration the matchless might of the Sorcerer King, it was equally usible that he could have cowed the Dragon into submission by sheer force alone.

    No, thetter was more likely. It did not seem like that Sorcerer King needed any magic to rule over Dragons. The absurd mental image of a Dragon kneeling before him in submission even flitted through his mind.

    The Director of Food Production sighed deeply, and then he turned a stiff, stern gaze on everyone else.

    ¡°Then, what should we do? We¡¯re out of time, aren¡¯t we? His Majesty has returned. If we don¡¯t meet him right away, we¡¯ll be in trouble. That means we have to make a decision right away, about that ©¤ about the Forgemaster!¡±

    The Forgemaster had fled the country with the metal ingot which the Sorcerer King had entrusted to him.

    Needless to say, the act of running away with an item that another country had given to them for the purpose of making something was unforgivable.

    This ck mark would be visible for all to see when the Dwarven nations made deals with other nations.

    It was a fatal blow to a country which traded on its smithing abilities.

    Who wouldmission any work from a country with such a bad reputation? Worse still, it was not an average cksmith who had run off with the item, but a member of the nation¡¯s leadership. It might well be interpreted as the nation pulling strings behind the scenes.

    As they imagined the future which might result from this, they began searching, all the while discussing what they should do if they could not find it.

    However, none of them could find an answer which would result in the Sorcerer King granting them his forgiveness.

    ¡°...I still can¡¯t believe he actually ran off with that ingot...¡± the Cab Secretary muttered, but those words had no meaning here. They were long past the point of feeling anything for them

    Themander-in-chief looked coldly at the Cab Secretary.

    ¡°Then what should we do? There¡¯s no doubt that he ran away with the ingot. We¡¯ve also received eyewitness reports of the Forgemaster leaving.¡±

    ¡°...Could he have been controlled by the Sorcerer King¡¯s magic?¡±

    The room returned to silence in an instant.

    Nobody here actually expressed their agreement with the statement, but rather, themander-in-chief grew more and more displeased.

    ¡°Even if you don¡¯t want to acknowledge this crimemitted by a fellow Dwarf, by one of us, anyone who says that about the person who reimed the Royal Capital that we could not... simply put, that person is the scum of the Dwarves.¡±

    ¡°©¤Don¡¯t be like that,mander-in-chief. You should know as well; he searched the hardest among all of us, and he¡¯s the most tired.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think the problem can be exined by simply saying that he was fatigued...¡±

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s leave non-constructive talk like that forter, Commander-in-chief. We need to make a decision about more important matters now. Should we inform His Majesty right away? I feel it might be better to try and dy things and use the time to continue searching. What do you think?¡±

    The Merchant¡¯s Guildmaster shook his head.

    ¡°It¡¯s a bad move. That leads to the problem of us covering things up. We might as welle clean and beg forgiveness. Besides, have we found him yet? For all we know, he might be in the belly of a magical beast now. If only we could recover the ingot... that idiot.¡±

    This was not something they should be saying about a friend, but nobody would speak out against the people rebuking the Forgemaster for causing such a big problem. On the contrary, themander-in-chief even nodded in approval.

    ¡°Fortunately, he didn¡¯t take the shortsword as well. But, ah, well, if we apologize... will we be forgiven? ...Well, it¡¯s not like we can do anything but apologize.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s important to apologize, but it¡¯s even more important to state the truth. And after that, all we can do is ept whatever terms he dictates.¡±

    Everyone agreed on this.

    ¡°Then, what will he demand from us?¡±

    The Dwarves did not know what metal made up the ingot which had been taken, so they could not estimate its value. This, they could not suggest payment in cash terms. If they underestimated the value of the item, they might end up angering the Sorcerer King beyond all hope of their rtionship ever recovering.

    Therefore, they had to let the Sorcerer King name his price. Still, would he actually ask for money? They imagined that he would ask for something else, but even they could not imagine what exactly he would ask for.

    ¡°I can¡¯t think of anything. Let¡¯s turn it around ©¤ what can we agree to? No... what requests should we deny him?¡±

    ¡°Can we even do that? It would be hard, right? This city might have historical value, but we don¡¯t have any national treasures of a physical or magical nature.¡±

    When the Demon Gods had rampaged through the Royal Capital, only one member of the Dwarven royal family had survived. He was thest king of the Dwarves, known as the ¡°Runesmith King¡±, and after taking powerful magic items with him on his journey, there had been nothing left behind which could be considered national treasures.

    ¡°...Oh! I¡¯ve got it! What about the Treasury within the Royal Capital?¡±

    ¡°We talked about this earlier, didn¡¯t we? Saying that sort of thing to the person who reimed the Royal Capital for us is just too... Still, it¡¯s also true that there¡¯s nothing else.¡±

    Looking around, everyone nodded in a show of agreement.

    ¡°...Hopefully, the Dragons didn¡¯t destroy it.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that. ...Then, let¡¯s invite the Sorcerer King to enter by himself this time.¡±

    ***

    Hm? There¡¯s one less person. What happened?

    There was a strange expression on the faces of all the Dwarves as Ainz entered the room.

    The one who spoke for them was ©¤ well, they all looked the same to Ainz, so he had no idea who it was. All he knew was that it was certainly not themander-in-chief. He began with ¡°Thank you for reiming the Royal Capital¡± andunched into a long string of thanks, which made Ainz feel tired. Then, once he had forgotten what they were talking about in the first ce, themander-in-chief¡¯s mood changed.

    ¡°There is also another matter which we must tender our sincere apologies, Your Majesty. The ingot which Your Majesty entrusted to us has been stolen by the Forgemaster, who fled the nation with it. We are currently searching for him, but we have had no luck in finding him. ...Your Majesty gave us that ingot and your trust, but yet an incident like this urred on our part. We do not know where to begin apologizing.¡±

    The Dwarves bowed as one.

    Frankly speaking, Ainz had no idea what was going on. Therefore he asked:

    ¡°Why would he do something like that?¡±

    Did running away with the ingot mean that he was going to sell it to someone? Was it financial greed that made one of the Dwarven nation¡¯s councillors abandon his post?

    For a moment, Ainz wanted to say that there was a yer involved, moving their hidden pawns in the Dwarven nation. However, a yer would not need an ingot like that. It was not valuable enough to make people forsake their position, even for very low-levelled yers That being the case, it would have been more advantageous to keep their subordinate hidden and in a position of power.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know. We honestly do not know. None of us have any idea why he would perform such a rash act.¡±

    ¡°...Then, my next question: what about the armor I requested?¡±

    The Dwarves exchanged nces.

    ¡°...We cannot possibly apologize enough for that. While he left the shortsword, he took the ingot, and we are unable to return it to you. We have already sent out search parties and we will return it once we find it. Then, if you will permit it, please allow us to offer a substitute for the armor. While it pales inparison to the ingot you entrusted to us, it is the greatest effort we can muster.¡±

    ¡°We n to prepare three sets of adamantite chainmail, and then enchant them to the best of our ability.¡±

    ¡°If ©¤ if you desire a shield, we can fashion one for you out of orichalcum.¡±

    ¡°Umu...¡±

    Now if he were a malicious customer with aint, now would be the best time to make a scene. However, Ainz did not want to be such a customer.

    Still, the loss of the ingot©¤

    ©¤Does it pain me? It¡¯s not rare; I have many more like it. ...And for all I know the metal isn¡¯t found here, but it might be obtainable in other regions. That being the case, it¡¯ll be better to have more suits of armor, right? They did say they were going to enchant them too... Plus, even if they do find that ingot, it¡¯s not like they¡¯re going to ask for all the other items back, right? That would make this a pretty good deal...

    ¡°...If you don¡¯t have it, it can¡¯t be helped. Then, let¡¯s leave matters at that. Discuss this with Zenberuter and prepare what he wants.¡±

    The Dwarves sighed in relief.

    Should he have given them a harder time? Still, it would be bad if people doubted his kingliness due to his pettiness. In that case, perhaps epting their offer would allow others to view him as a generous person.

    Still, they ought to be alright with a request or two.

    ¡°...Then, may I add another request to that?¡±

    ¡°...What is it, Your Majesty?¡±

    Their stiff voices implied indicated that they were all on guard against him.

    ¡°There is no need to be so tense. It isn¡¯t a big matter, after all. I simply wish your country¡¯s support for the matter of recruiting runesmiths.¡±

    ¡°What, what do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°Could you hold a ceremony in this country and make a public announcement about them working in my nation? That would surely make them happy.¡±

    The Dwarves looked at each other and nodded instantly.

    ¡°Really now. Then please allow my nation to handle the matter of catering. Preparing for these will take some time, so I hope you won¡¯t mind my staying here for a while.¡±

    There were no objections from the Dwarves.

    Ainz smiled in his heart. Now he would not need to return to E-Rantel.

    At first, he thought he would have to spend more time on all this, but in the end he had taken back the Royal Capital in a sh. That was bad.

    The first reason was because he wanted to inform Albedo about the Empire¡¯s request for vassge with [Message], so she could n it with Demiurge. Things would be very bad if he were present. Therefore, Ainz needed a reason to not go back.

    Also, he wanted to improve his friendly rtionship with the Dwarves, which was also a very understandable reason.

    Ainz also wanted to learn three pieces of information from the Dwarven city:

    1: The presence or absence of yers. If there were none now, there might still have been some around in the past.

    2: Further investigation of runes and rted information. He did not know enough about this topic. He had already learned quite a bit from the runesmiths; runes had been around for a long time, but it was unclear when exactly they had appeared and who had introduced them. Part of the reason was the chaos of the Demon Gods¡¯ attack, but Hejinmal¡¯s books did not contain any information on this, and neither did the Treasury.

    3: Knowledge on smithing and ores. Now that he had enlisted the runesmiths to his cause, all he had to do was slowly tease that information out of them. However, there did not seem to be any of the prismatic ores here, as expected.

    Regarding the second point, Ainz intended to have the Dwarves find out more when after they returned to the Royal Capital in the future, which was why he needed a firm friendship with them.

    ***

    The long lines of tables were set with many tes, each of which wasden with a sumptuous variety of dishes.

    The piping hot food exuded a bewitching aroma, which drifted over to Ainz.

    As one of the undead, Ainz had no desire for food, but the remnants of Suzuki Satoru did. His wish to try some and his curiosity over how it would taste pricked at him.

    This body does have its good and bad points...

    He could curb his hunger, but not his curiosity. After all, his curiosity was part of his mind, which was not affected by his undead body.

    Perhaps if the dishes before him were made by the chefs of E-Rantel or Nazarick, it might not piqued his curiosity so, but these were made by Dwarves.

    Since the runesmiths wanted to bring their entire families to the Sorcerous Kingdom, they had their wives, mothers, daughters and other female rtives cook for the event. Of course, most of the 2¡¯000 shares of food here today were supplied by Ainz ©¤ by Nazarick.

    Of course, Ainz was not a person who would use items wastefully, so most of these were essentially E-Rantel¡¯s cuisine. The meat had been collected by the Dragons from this mountain range, while the wine had been sourced from the Kingdom and the Empire by those traders who remained in E-Rantel.

    The tables were groaning with tes of food, but even now thedies were still serving up the food they had made.

    There was little difference in the external appearance of Dwarven males and females. The biggest differencey in their beards. Male beards were very long, and they were typically woven into three braids, while female beards were sparser. That said, sparse still meant that their beards resembled those of human males. However, thedies seemed to have a habit of trimming the whiskers under their noses.

    I don¡¯t really see how it¡¯s a habit... Well, that¡¯s culture for you. The Sorcerous Kingdom has gathered all sorts of humanoids. Probing too deeply about this sort of thing might cause problems in the future.

    Ainz turned his gaze away from thedies who were still serving food. His eyes crossed the countless Dwarven heads before him and rested on the raised tform in front of him.

    Some of the smiths bound for the Sorcerous Kingdom were standing with the members of the Council.

    And then, the Council informed them about the migration to the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    ¡°It has begun.¡±

    ¡°So it has.¡±

    The answer came from Gondo, who stood by Ainz¡¯s side.

    ¡°...You¡¯re their representative. Is it alright if you don¡¯t stand out there in front of them?¡±

    ¡°Give me a break, Your Majesty. I¡¯m almost useless as a runesmith. It would be a shame to let someone like me represent them. ...Wouldn¡¯t you be a better choice, Your Majesty?¡±

    Ainz and Gondo locked eyes for a moment, and then they chuckled.

    Naturally, Ainz simply did not want to stand on the stage to meet and greet people. His earlier words were simply something he had forced out.

    ¡°Still...¡± Gondo¡¯s face turned serious. ¡°I can¡¯t thank you enough, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°This farewell party. Please look at the people on stage.¡±

    Ainz looked at the stage once more. They were not finished speaking, and that was all that came to mind. However, it would be a bit insensitive to say that he had not noticed anything after Gondo had brought it up.

    ¡°Umu... I see...¡±

    In the end, he simply used the appropriate answer as a smokescreen.

    ¡°It is as Your Majesty surmises. Everyone¡¯s eyes have changed.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, they have,¡± Ainz replied without thinking, though he still had no idea what was going on. ¡°Still, why is that?¡±

    Gondo chuckled, like he found it amusing.

    ¡°It is the joy of feeling admiring gazes on them once more. Today¡¯s ceremony ©¤ with dishes made with ingredients never seen before, as well as all kinds of alcohol ©¤ was to let the runesmiths realize that they weren¡¯t being sold, but being hired by the Sorcerous Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be expecting great things of them, you know?¡±

    ¡°Mm. I remember I once said that I would repay Your Majesty¡¯s kindness. That applies to the others as well. Thank you very much. Oops, looks like it¡¯s about time, Your Majesty.¡±

    After taking arge stein of beer from Gondo, he thumped it against the table like the others were doing. Ainz then raised a tiny cup of liquor in a toast, and then gave it back to Gondo because he could not drink it.

    The Dwarves ©¤ who had been holding themselves back all this while ©¤ burst into activity. Many Dwarves flocked towards the food, gorging themselves nonstop with the dishes on disy.

    ¡°What¡¯s this? It¡¯s amazing! Did your wife really make this?¡±

    ¡°Mm. His Majesty provided the ingredients. We had a lot of failures while trying it.¡±

    ¡°Mhm. It¡¯s good, that¡¯s a fact. But to an old fogey like me, it could stand to be a bit nder.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re meant to wash it down with wine.¡±

    ¡°What? Let me try... Ohoh! Incredible! The taste is just right!¡±

    ¡°The wine¡¯s good too. I wonder if my wife could make this too?¡±

    ¡°It seems that the Sorcerous Kingdom will be sending us food for some time. Looks like we¡¯ll be eating well, then.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather have their wine. This is from the Sorcerous Kingdom, right? Better be prepared to pay!¡±

    They talked at the top of their voices as they ate. And then©¤

    ¡°I envy those runesmiths. They get to eat this sort of thing whenever they like?¡±

    ¡°No, these should be pretty expensive, right?¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem that way, does it? Look, in human countries, vegetables are cheap. Seems to be the same way with the Sorcerous Kingdom too.¡±

    ¡°Mm, they really are a fortunate lot. And, I only had a bit, but is it me or is the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s wine top-notch stuff?¡±

    ¡°Umu. I only had a sip of that myself. Ahhhh, that was delicious. Still, grape wine is good; though maybe not that strong.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t we have a reason to visit the Sorcerous Kingdom?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard tell that they¡¯re nning to let the citizens of both countries move freely between them.¡±

    ¡°Oi oi, Everyone here¡¯s pretty highly-ced, but shouldn¡¯t you be more careful about letting that sort of thing get out?¡±

    ¡°Nah, seems they¡¯re going to make a public announcement. In the future, this country will be active in a lot of ces... and although this is just a rumor, they say that we took back the Royal Capital.¡±

    ¡°...Rumor has it that the Royal Pce was a nest of Dragons. The Sorcerous Kingdom is really amazing.¡±

    Naturally, Ainz picked up on those words as well.

    Rather than praise Ainz directly, their opinion of the Sorcerous Kingdom seemed to have gone up instead. That probably meant they could continue being friends in the future.

    Ainz smiled in satisfaction, and turned to Gondo again.

    ¡°Go speak to them, Gondo. I may not be back for a while.¡±

    ¡°Is that so. ...Then I shall go talk with those chaps from the mines.¡±

    Gondo was looking at a Dwarf with an evil look in his eyes.

    ¡°And what will you be doing, Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°...A messenger from my country hase. I need to meet them. Then, see you again.¡±

    Ainz raised his hand in farewell, and walked away.

    He had originally been standing in a corner of a vast, spacious room. He opened the door to leave and headed for a guest reception room cum lounge room cum parlour.

    It was quite a luxuriously furnished room, with tables, chairs, cabs and the like. Demiurge was standing there.

    ¡°Forgive me for making youe all this way.¡±

    ¡°Certainly not. Your location is where I should be headed, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Ainz walked across the room and sat in a chair. Then he bade Demiurge to take a seat as well.

    ¡°...I¡¯ve seen the reports. I¡¯m working here, so I must apologize for having you put them in writing instead of just delivering them by mouth.¡±

    The reports in question detailed Demiurge¡¯s preparations and activities in the Holy Kingdom. Of course, if he heard them from Demiurge himself, it might damage Ainz¡¯s disguise. This had also been taken into consideration.

    ¡°...Even so, you¡¯ve done well as I expected, Demiurge. Your aplishments can only be described as outstanding.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Demiurge bowed.

    ¡°Still, I could not hope to equal your feats, Ainz-sama... You have firmly secured a ce in the Dwarves¡¯ hearts.¡±

    Ainz thought that he must surely be referring to how he reimed the Royal Capital, or recruiting the runesmiths. However, was that really the case?

    ¡°...Hm, so it seems you¡¯ve seen through it already, Demiurge. Do you think the Dwarves have noticed?¡±

    ¡°Rather than notice it, I think they have no other alternative.¡±

    Why wasn¡¯t there anyone else here? If only there were, he could use his usual tactic. As Ainz studied Demiurge in detail, he noticed a smile on his face.

    ...What¡¯s so funny?!

    Demiurge¡¯s smile made Ainz¡¯s nonexistent stomach ache. Albedo¡¯s smile was simrly terrifying. The idea that they might have seen through his act made his nonexistent heart pound faster.

    ¡°If... if the Dwarves see through it, what do you think I should do?¡±

    ¡°I doubt that will be a big problem. After all, you did provide the catering for the runesmiths¡¯ farewell party. With that, you can shrug off anything the Dwarves say.¡±

    ...What¡¯s he talking about?

    ¡°I trust it¡¯s not important, then.¡±

    Now that his attempts to lead Demiurge on had failed, Ainz decided to leave it at that. Asking too much about an intelligent person like him was very dangerous.

    ¡°Then, how goes the vassalization of the Empire?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Albedo and I have discussed the matter and we have drawn up a draft. After that, we hope you will look over it and share your opinions with us.¡±

    If Demiurge and Albedo finished it together, then I won¡¯t need to step in. Ainz thought that, but did not say it.

    ¡°...Have you given the Empire enough benefits? Enough that the neighboring countries will look at the Empire and think, ¡®life will be good for us once we be vassals of the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯, or something along those lines?¡±

    ¡°It will be fine.¡±

    Ainz muttered ¡°Yes¡± in his heart. In that case, he could give it his OK without even looking at the draft.

    ¡°Even so, your achievements in the Dwarven Kingdom and the Empire were truly breathtaking. I imagine the term ¡®fathomless wisdom¡¯ exists to describe you, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Certainly not. I¡¯m confident you could have done this easily as well, Demiurge.¡±

    Demiurge revealed a rare expression ©¤ a bitter smile. Then he shook his head.

    ¡°Indeed, if that was all. Even so, how far into the future have you predicted the course of the Sorcerous Kingdom?¡±

    Not even tomorrow. But of course, he could not say that.

    Ainz wondered what sort of answer would fit the style of a ruler. Just then, he remembered a guild name from YGGDRASIL.

    It was called Millenium Kingdom.

    If only the Sorcerous Kingdom could reallyst a thousand years. Perhaps it was because of that thought, but a relevant memory came to mind.

    He had no idea why the guild¡¯s emblem was that of a crane, and so Ainz had asked Yamaiko about it. After that, she told him that it was because Cranes were said to live for a thousand years in mythology. Simrly, tortoises would live for©¤

    ¡°©¤Ten thousand years.¡±

    Ainz frowned as the words slipped out. He had identally overstated the scale. Just as Ainz hurriedly looked toward Demiurge, intending to correct himself, he realized that it was already toote.

    ¡°To, to think your ns were of such a grand scope...¡±

    Demiurge¡¯s eyes went wide, and those jewel-like pupils of his shone even brighter.

    Ah, this is bad.

    ¡°I was kid©¤¡±

    ¡°©¤That being the case, things like spreading the undead around must surely be to encourage the other nations to rely on you rather than viewing our troops as dangerous elements, Ainz-sama. That must be the right answer for someone who views the world from such a wide angle. Still... how fearsome you are...¡±

    Ainz did not know what he was saying, but he knew there was only one thing he could do at this point. ¡°Well done, Demiurge, you havepletely anticipated my ns, as I expected.¡± However, he could not use that tactic all the time. Therefore, this time, he would say ©¤

    ¡°Fufufu, I haven¡¯t thought that far ahead, Demiurge.¡±

    ¡°...Is that so. Understood. I shall carve this matter into my heart.¡±

    As he saw Demiurge¡¯s gentle smile, Ainz¡¯s heart flooded with cold sweat.

    Eh? What? What¡¯s going on? ...I¡¯m not too sure, but doesn¡¯t this mean I¡¯m in an even more precarious situation now?

    However, Ainz had not thought of any solutions. Then, he would have to deal with it with a fake smile.

    ¡°Fufufu... I¡¯ll leave it to you then, Demiurge.¡±

    ¡°Fufufu... Understood, Ainz-sama.¡±

    In contrast, Demiurge¡¯s smile shone even brighter than before.

    Even though he wanted to cry, Ainz managed to pull himself together enough to ask a question in a trembling voice.

    ¡°...Then, Demiurge. About the report you sent... when do you think it will take ce?¡±

    ¡°It will begin in the fall, but I shall have to trouble you in the winter, Ainz-sama. The beginning should be fine, but once the opposition makes their move as well, there might be some discrepancies even if we manage to manipte them.¡±

    ¡°Well, you did n this after all, Demiurge. I can leave it to you in peace.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much, Ainz-sama. As for the matter of the Empire¡¯s vassalization©¤¡±

    ¡°©¤I¡¯ll listen in detail once I return. Can you give me a copy of the n first?¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    ¡°...Then, I look forward to how this project of yours will unfold, Demiurge.¡±

 Chapter 86 - Volume 11

    v11 epilogue

    Epilogue

    It was morning when Enri woke up. She quietly left the bed, so as not to wake her husband who was still asleep beside her. The air outside was very cold, and it made her want to get back into the bed that was still warm from their two bodies.

    The bed creaked as she rose, but her husband of half a year was too tired to react. He slept like a puppet whose strings had been cut.

    Now that Enri managed his life for him, he kept a more regr schedule. Thus, his deep slumber was simply because that was the way he was.

    ...Although it didn¡¯t use to be like this.

    When they had just gotten married, he had not slept this soundly.

    Maybe he was nervous... But now he¡¯s used to it, so that¡¯s good.

    Enri yawned and stretched.

    Her bare breasts jiggled.

    Enri¡¯s face flushed pink, and she reached for a piece of discarded clothing.

    Granted, only Enri and her husband lived in this house, but this was hardly presentable.

    If her little sister Nemu were here, she would definitely not be dressed like this. However, Nemu would not wake up here ¡ª in the Emmott house ¡ª but in the Bareare house.

    Let¡¯s not disturb the newlyweds, her mother-inw Lizzie had said. Nemu had listened because they had decided not to rebuild the Emmott or Bareare houses. And so, this had happened.

    It had been two years since the incident where they had lost both their parents. That said, Nemu was still scarred by the incident and was unwilling to leave her big sister at night. It was only by the grace of some unknowable instinct that she had managed to ept the new arrangement.

    Since Enri lived in a farming vige, she often saw animals engaging in those activities. She might also have heard about what young couples did when they vanished into the forest after leaving the dancing circle on harvest festival nights. Before she realised it, she had also learned what husbands and wives did at night.

    However, nobody had exined it to her in detail before. Enri and Nemu were not old enough to have heard such things. Still, someone needed to teach her what to do, but knowledge was as much a poison as a cure.

    Lupusregina-san does say a lot of weird things...

    Everyone in the vige treated the aide of the nation¡¯s ruler with respect. Enri was one of them as well. However, they could not fully ept every aspect of her personality. Over the long time they had known each other, Enri had realised one thing: Lupusregina was a criminal who delighted in people¡¯s reactions to her crimes, and she was the type who could watch someone fall into a trap with a smile on her face.

    Enri had the feeling if she did not go out and say, ¡°Please teach me¡±, Lupusregina would not teach her anything concrete.

    On the other hand, if she did not keep an eye on Nemu before she spoke to Lupusregina, Enri had the feeling that Lupusregina would describe all sorts of things to Nemu in exacting and loving detail.

    I can teach you all sorts of adult things any time you like. Enri had not forgotten those words from Lupusregina.

    After making up her mind to find Lupusregina, Enri picked up her clothes which had fallen to the floor, and put them on.

    After that, she headed for the kitchen, and turned the tap on.

    She collected the water which flowed out in a small container. She turned the faucet in the opposite direction once it was full, and the water stopped flowing.

    In the past, she had woken up early to draw water from the well. Now, she could use this magic item to obtain fresh water. Its temperature stayed the same even in freezing or warm seasons.

    This magic item, the Faucet of Spring Water, could make 200 litres of water a day. Apparently, it had been designed by the sage of a certain country.

    This was not amon item, even in big cities. She had heard that there were certain ces where gigantic versions of this item served as a city¡¯s water supply.

    Enri wiped herself down with a moist towel.

    ¡°Uuuu, it¡¯s cold.¡±

    While the water¡¯s temperature was fixed, one would still lose a lot of heat from wet skin if the air was cold. However, Enri grit her teeth and bore with it, then rubbed herself down with the towel. She had done so before she slept, but still she did it again.

    Enri still remembered that incident ¡ª when Lupusregina had called out to her while humming, a yful grin on her face ¡ª and vowed that she would never drop her guard.

    Still, magic items were really great.

    Enri had thought that countless times.

    Carne Vige had a lot of residents now.

    Over 90% of them belonged to the Goblin Army Enri had summoned, and this vige could not support all of them.

    The first problem was amodation.

    The Goblins had solved that by chopping down logs from the Great Forest of Tob and building simple housing. However, the problems of insufficient food and water were harder to deal with.

    Their initial solution to theck of food was the produce of the forest, but they could not forage enough to support all the Goblins. Therefore, they had asked Lupusregina for help, and in return they had received food aid. Of course, that food was only borrowed and would have to be paid back, though fortunately there was no deadline attached.

    The next problem was ack of water. In the past, the vige well had been sufficient, given that there had not been that many people. But now that the amount of people in the vige had increased so drastically, they had to set up a roster to draw water all day long.

    Even then, they could not collect enough water, so they had to dig new wells very far away. If they dug them nearby, they would be tapping the same water source, and there was no telling if the wells would dry up.

    Fortunately, the Dwarves who had moved to this vige had solved that problem.

    They hade in the summer, and during the course of fall and winter, they had be close friends.

    Are those people still making new magic items?

    Until about two months ago, the sound of explosions and shes of light had been amon urrence, but now everything had settled down. At most, some of them would drink outside and get into fights, but that was all.

    The existence of the Dwarves was now an integral part of the vige¡¯s functioning.

    In the past, there had been no cksmiths in Enri¡¯s vige. Thus, she had to go to the city to buy tools, or beg the very rare travelling cksmiths to make them for her.

    There had been a cksmith in the Goblin Army she had summoned, but having him bear the heavy burden of the vige¡¯s repair work would surely lead to problems. And then, the Dwarves had appeared, and they had taken up that job.

    The most important thing was that their loyalty to the Sorcerer King rivalled that of the humans from Carne Vige. This vige had been saved several times by the magic caster who became the Sorcerer King, Ainz Ooal Gown. Anyone who heard someone badmouthing His Majesty would immediately go up and beat the offender into a pulp.

    The Dwarves seemed to feel the same way, and they often said things like, ¡°That celebration made me feel proud of myself again¡± ¡°Did you see how jealous they were?¡± ¡°Drinking time!¡± and so on while they imbibed. Enri did not quite understand what they were talking about, but they could feel their gratitude to the Sorcerer King in their words, so the vigers opened their hearts to them.

    After she was finished, Enri put on her clothes.

    Her husband did not seem to have woken up yet, so she decided to get the chores done.

    Until recently, her husband had been handling the task of potion-making. But recently, he had stopped working on such tasks. Instead, he was involved in the storage and preservation of herbs, which would be important in the future now that the vige¡¯s poption had increased. In addition, he also helped with Enri¡¯s work as vige chief. He worked hard for the vige, so she had to work hard for him too.

    After stepping outside, the familiar scenery ¡ª that of the ever-growing Carne Vige ¡ª came into view. Carne was nowrger than an ordinary vige because the Goblins Enri had summoned had added their own living quarters to it.

    ¡°Alright then...¡±

    Enri clenched her fist.

    In order to make breakfast, she had to draw the ingredients from the food store.

    ¡°Good morning, General-kakka.¡±

    The form of a ck-d Goblin emerged from a murky shadow.

    This was something she saw every morning, so Enri replied without any surprise:

    ¡°Good morning. Nice weather we¡¯re having.¡±

    ¡°It is as you say, General-kakka. ording to the Goblin Weather Forecaster, it seems it will be sunny all day long.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Enri had long since abandoned any resistance to being called General.

    She had told them countless times that she was not a General, but the message had not gotten through. At this point, being the Vige Chief was pretty much the same as being the General, so she had decided to ept it.

    Incidentally, there was a unit called the Goblin Rear Echelon Support Unit. It was popted by people with rare vocations. Apart from the Goblin Weather Forecaster, there was also the Goblin Strategist, Goblin cksmith and so on, for a total of 12 jobs.

    ¡°Oh, General-kakka, it seems your bodyguard has arrived. Your servant shall now excuse himself.¡±

    The ck-d Goblin faded back into the Shadows, and the familiar Redcap took his ce by Enri¡¯s side.

    Personally, Enri did not like the Redcaps. They had an evil look on their faces; in short, they were very scary.

    In the past, Jugem had apanied her, but as the former troop leader, he was now one of the many managers of the greatly-expanded Goblin force.

    In truth, the duty of escorting her should have fallen to the silver-armored Goblins after his departure, but for various reasons, the Redcaps had ended up filling that role.

    Frankly speaking, there¡¯s no need for escorts or whatnot.

    She did not think anyone could evade the Goblins¡¯ eyes and reach the heart of the vige, but she could notpletely ignore their worries.

    Trailed by the Redcap, she headed toward therder that adjoined her house.

    She opened the door and saw a cramped ce packed with barrels and bottles, with many ss sks lining the shelves. In its depths was a small mountain of grain, and hanging from the rafters were bales of sweetgrass and jerky.

    The reason why they had so much food was because the Goblins had put a lot of effort into breaking ground and opening up new fields.

    Currently, there were a lot of new crop fields surrounding the vige in arge radius. While repaying the food they had borrowed would be difficult, they were at least self-sufficient for this year. In addition, they had captured chicken-like monsters and tried breeding them. If all went well, they would be able to fully repay the food they had borrowed.

    After selecting the ingredients for today¡¯s meal, Enri headed back outside.

    There was a massive wall in the corner of her vision.

    It might have been within the vige, but the wall was not made of wood. It protected the Dwarven workshops, and standing sentry within it was the Death Knight who had ughtered the knights that had terrorized Carne Vige in the past.

    The wall which enclosed the Dwarven ateliers had been personally raised by the ruler of this nation and the savior of this vige, the Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown. ¡°Its purpose is to minimize the damage caused to the surrounding vige when their experiments fail,¡± he had said.

    She had wondered if they could not simply build it outside the vige, but obviously she could not say such a thing to His Majesty.

    ¡°I wonder what magic items the Dwarf-sans are working on now?¡±

    ¡°Shall we investigate?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve told you before, you can¡¯t.¡±

    While nobody had told her what the Dwarves were working on in their workshops, she was confident that it would not harm the vige. Enri could ept that.

    Should she try to stealthily gather information about them? The Goblins had suggested that several times in the past, but Enri had always shut down those suggestions with irond finality.

    Carne Vige¡¯s savior, Ainz Ooal Gown had said that he wanted the vige to ept these Dwarves. At the same time, he had told them that what they were working on was top secret.

    Even if he was an undead being who hated the living, he was still the magic caster who had saved the vige several times, and so they trusted him more than anyone alive.

    Just then, the Redcap slid in front of Enri. They only did that under certain circumstances.

    Enri shifted her line of sight and saw the familiar form of a beautiful woman, who was surrounded by four Redcaps.

    ¡°Hiya, En-chan. How ya doin¡¯~¡±

    ¡°Ah, good morning, Lupusregina-san.¡±

    Things had been like this ever since the person called Lupusregina met the Goblins. The Redcaps were few in number, but whenever Lupusregina showed up, they appeared in groups. In addition, they wielded weapons that they would not normally carry around.

    It was said that there were other Goblins present in the vicinity besides the Redcaps, but Enri had never seen them before.

    Even Enri could tell that the reason why they had gone to such lengths was because the Redcaps ¡ª no, the Goblins were wary of Lupusregina. That said, Lupusregina might be a mystery, but Enri did not think that she would do anything to a vige which hosted a bronze statue of her master. In addition, she had saved Enri and Nfirea¡¯s life in the past.

    On the contrary, Enri could not help but worry that this would upset her.

    She had spoken to the Goblin Strategist and he had said that he would talk to them about it, but it would seem nothing hade of that thus far.

    The sole saving grace was that when she had told Lupusregina about this, she told Enri not to worry about it.

    ¡°I¡¯ve only been here a while and already there¡¯s people dashing out. Poor me~¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no way we wouldn¡¯t be on guard against you when you arrive in that way. You should know that.¡±

    The answer came from one of the Redcaps surrounding Lupusregina.

    His voice was calm, but there was a clear sense of wariness in his voice.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Enri raised her voice as she considered that the situation was developing in a bad direction. ¡°How exactly did youe here, anyway?¡±

    ¡°Hm? I took tchest Vampire Airlines Frost 05, from Nazarick to Carne~¡±

    ¡°Eh? tchest Vampire Airlines?¡±

    ¡°Yup. It¡¯s the name of the person in charge of all outdoor movement~¡±

    ¡°Pettan Ketsuki Koukuu-san, then?¡±

    ¡°Yup. Pretty much, Oh, and if you meet her in person, just tell her I said it. Or rather, I hope you¡¯ll mention my name. Otherwise, who knows what¡¯ll happen to you~¡±

    As she looked on Enri¡¯s puzzled face, Lupusregina broke into a smile.

    ¡°En-chan, you¡¯re really funny. Really, you¡¯re quite interesting...¡± Lupusregina¡¯s eyes narrowed in an instant. ¡°Really~¡±

    Lupusregina¡¯s bright red tongue peeked out from her slightly opened mouth and licked her lips.

    It was not a seductive gesture. However, Enri felt something crawl up her lower back.

    In that moment, the Redcap standing by her sprang into action.

    He pulled Enri back and slid into the gap ¡ª in front of Lupusregina ¡ª which had appeared.

    In this highly tense atmosphere, Lupusregina shrugged, wearing her rarely-seen serious face.

    ¡°...I won¡¯t do anything to her~ Is that enough to calm you down? Still, if you don¡¯t believe me, why don¡¯t you alle at once and have a go? That way, I can deal with you without holding back.¡±

    The Redcap lowered his head, and returned to his original position.

    ¡°¡ªAnd that¡¯s that. By the way, Frost refers to Frost Dragons.¡±

    ¡°Frost¡ªDragons?! By Dragons you mean the Dragons from legend, right? Amazing! Are those Dragons Gown-sama¡¯s servants as well?¡±

    ¡°Yup. Air transport is flourishing in the Sorcerous Kingdom~¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡±

    Enri¡¯s eyes were sparkling.

    The Dragons in question were incredibly powerful monsters sung about in legends. Anyone who could subjugate them was no ordinary magic caster.

    ¡°Gown-sama is really amazing!¡±

    ¡°...Well, that¡¯s true,¡±

    A troubled expression came over Lupusregina¡¯s face.

    ¡°A Dragon like that... hm~ someone like me... Well, it¡¯s fine~¡±

    There were some things Enri wanted to ask, but since she seemed to havee to terms with things, it was alright. Probably.

    ¡°Ah, why did youe around today?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, yes. Hm... I might not be able toe by for a while. I came to tell you that I hope you can take care of yourself.¡±

    They had known each other for over a year, but this was the first time she had said such a thing.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Hm~ I guess it¡¯s okay to tell you, En-chan. Actually, it seems Ainz-sama was defeated in battle and died.¡±

    Enri pondered the meaning of those words, and then their meaning sank in.

    Her response was equally understandable.

    ¡°EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?!¡±

 Chapter 87 - Volume 11

    v11 Afterword and Character Sheets

    Afterword

    This is Volume 11, the longest one of all. Did it excite you? Books get tiring to carry when they¡¯re heavy and I¡¯d like to avoid that, so why did it end up so long... And if I were to cut pages, where should I cut from? By the way, this has already been heavily cut down from the original proofreading. It feels like there were at least six more pages before... Hm. I guess there wasn¡¯t much of a change, after all.

    Well, please forgive me and just think of this as a form of savings, then. I think in the future, the volumes will only be 300 pages long. When that happens, please don¡¯t think ¡°so thin!¡±, but instead consider that the use of what¡¯s been saved until now. After all, it¡¯ll still be quite thick if you average all the books out.

    Then, let¡¯s think about other things ¡ª I¡¯m writing this on a hot summer day. The AC in my room is working at full st and saving Maruyama from the scorching fires of hell.

    I hate summer. When I walk to the office, there¡¯s nothing I hate more than touching other people with my sweaty body. ¡°I won¡¯t touch you, so don¡¯t touch me,¡± I scream internally. The only salvation is that the decrease in students means the trains aren¡¯t so packed. On that note, winters are great! I want to sleep under the nket and never get out! ...Well, the people in Hokkaido and Tohoku might not think that way, but Maruyama still wants to say; Winters Are The Best!

    It seems the Overlord Comption Movie will be made in the Best Season! For some reason, it seems Maruyama has to work hard... I¡¯ll work hard. And that¡¯s that. There should be more newsing out in future, and I¡¯d be happy if you could look forward to it.

    I¡¯ve given a lot of people this time round too. So-bin-sama, I made you redraw the insert images several times, thank you very much. To my editor Ohaku-sama, I¡¯ll reduce the pagecount for sure next time! And thank you for doing the design for the deluxe edition package this time round, Chord Design Studio-sama.

    Then there¡¯s Ashina-san and the staff; just hand the gags to them and it¡¯ll be alright.

    (Please watch the deluxe edition if you bought it, everyone)

    F-ta-sama, let¡¯s meet up to discuss how to cut down the page count.

    And a big thank you to my readers who have finished this (very thick) light novel!

    2016 September

    Maruyama Kugane

    ¶þ©–Ò»ÁùÄê¾ÅÔÂ ÍèÉ½¤¯¤¬¤Í

 Chapter 88 - Volume 12

    <h4>Volume 12 Chapter 1</h4>

    <b>The Demon Emperor Jaldabaoth</b>

    <b>Part 1</b>

    The Roble Holy Kingdom was a nation whose territory was the penins to the southwest of the Re-Estize Kingdom.

    It was led by a Holy Queen who could use divine magic, and the leadership was closely tied to the temple factions. It was a very religious country, though not to the extent of the ine Theocracy.

    In addition, there were two special features about the Roble Holy Kingdom¡¯s geography.

    The first was that itsnd was divided into northern and southern halves by the sea. Of course, the halves were notpletely separated. Rather, there was a gigantic bay between them ¡ª forty kilometers long and two hundred kilometers wide ¡ª which made its geography look like a horizontal U.

    Thus, some people called them the Northern and Southern Holy Kingdoms.

    Then, there was another feature.

    The entrance to the penins sported a great wall, over one hundred kilometers long from north to south.

    It was built to withstand invasions from the many demihuman tribes which upied the hills to the east of the Holy Kingdom, between them and the Theocracy.

    This grand wall, built through the expenditure of a great deal of time and resources, was a silent testimony to how troubling the existence of the demihumans were to the Holy Kingdom.

    There was a vast power gap between demihumans and humans.

    Granted, it was true that there were certain demihumans who were weaker than humans, such as Goblins.

    Be it in height, physical strength, knowledge, or the rate at which they produced magic casters, they were a race inferior to humans in every way.

    Still, even Goblins like that possessed eyes which could see in the dark, and if they took advantage of the fact that their small bodies could be easily concealed ¡ª for instance, whenunching a nighttime ambush in a forest ¡ª they would surely be troublesome foes for humans.

    Needless to say, most demihumans had more powerful bodies than humans, and there were also many races who were naturally endowed with magical ability. If they let the demihumans invade as they pleased, they would have to pay an incalcble price in blood to fight them off.

    Therefore, the Holy Kingdom chose to solidify its defense.

    They did this to keep the demihumans from taking a single step onto theirnd.

    They did this to let the world know that theirnd did not belong to the demihumans.

    They did this so the demihumans would understand that any attempt to set foot on theirnd would be met by frenzied resistance.

    ? ? ?

    Yet, the wall built for that purpose possessed a few problems.

    In order to keep it operating at full capacity, they had to keep a great deal of manpower permanently on site. The Holy Kingdom¡¯s leadership had once calcted how much fighting strength would be required to defeat an invading tribe of demihumans. The answer was that the country would copse before the demihumans even attacked them.

    While they did not have the luxury of raising troops which would go unused, there was a need to station an appropriate amount of manpower there.

    In the Holy Kingdom¡¯s history ¡ª after the construction of the wall ¡ª the gravest intrusion into theirnds hade during an invasion which took ce amidst the Long Rain.

    It was a night attack,unched by a race called the Srush, who possessed sucker-cup hands, tongues envenomed with a paralytic toxin which could extend a long way, and advanced members of their species could even change their skin color as though using the ¡¸Camouge¡¹ spell.

    The Srush crossed the wall, and headed west.

    Quite a number of viges had been lost to them, and such was the tragedy which had unfolded back then that to this day, there were still rumors about whether or not the Srush were still hiding within the borders of the Holy Kingdom.

    They wanted to fully man the wall in order to prevent such a tragedy from urring again, but stationing troops at every single point along its length would strain the nation. Thepromise which the nation came up with was to build small forts at fixed intervals along the walls. These strongpoints would then be overseen by several gigantic fortresses.

    They stationed a small number of troops in each of these strongpoints, their purpose being to fight extended battles down to thest man. If they encountered an enemy attack, they would immediatelyunch skyrockets to request reinforcements from the fortresses. In addition, there werepanies of soldiers who would staff and patrol the fortresses, serving as reserve troops during emergencies, to be deployed flexibly as the situation required.

    After putting these measures into practice, the demihumans had not managed to prate the wall again.

    However, the diligent nning of the Holy Kingdom¡¯s leadership back then had turned into a form of obsession. Even countermeasures like a defensive line of fortresses could not reassure them.

    Indeed, it was an incredibly massive wall ¡ª to human beings. Yet, it was no threat whatsoever to races who were several times taller than humans or who possessed the ability of flight. For those reasons, even such a sturdy wall was by no means a guarantee of absolute safety when one considered the many special abilities of demihumans.

    The Holy King at the time was a prudent man, and he had even prepared a stratagem for when the wall was breached. His solution was to mobilize the entire nation.

    For that reason, the citizens of the Holy Kingdom were conscripted as a form of national service. All adult citizens, male and female, would spend a certain necessary amount of time undergoing military training, after which they would be assigned to sentry duty on the wall. The hope was that they would be the manpower with which to protect theirnd in case the demihumans crossed over the wall.

    All residences above a certain size were also fortified. This gave the local vigers enough fighting power to hold out until the regr army could arrive, and allowed said viges to serve as military outposts. In the end, the viges of the Roble Kingdom were far better protected than those of other countries, and they could also function as military bases.

    ? ? ?

    The Holy Kingdom¡¯s fortress line wasposed of three fortresses linked by the wall. Each of them protected one of only three fortified gates along the full length of the wall, which was in excess of one hundred kilometers long, and they also functioned as garrisons to dispatch troops to the surrounding strongholds. If the demihumans invaded and an overall mobilization order was given, they would be staging areas where the troops would gather in order to attack the enemy.

    This was one of them, the central fortress.

    As the sun slowly sank beneath the horizon, the red-tintednd was slowly soaked with the color of night.

    A powerful-looking man stood with one foot on the battlements, looking out over thend ¡ª at the western foothills. After that, he put his foot down.

    He was a man who bulged with muscle.

    His neck was stout, and his chest muscles were impressive enough that one could sense them even through his thick armor. His powerful arms protruded from his rolled-up sleeves. There was no better way to describe him than ¡°athletic,¡± regardless of which part of him one looked at.

    His face was like a boulder, weathered by harsh conditions, and his thick brows and unkempt moustache spoke of a savage, wild nature. His mighty body and his stern appearance ought to have matched each other, yet his eyes broke that trend.

    They were tiny and round, beady like those of a small animal, and they felt almostically out of ce.

    Such a man now looked to the sky.

    The wind carried the thin clouds at incredible speeds, but even the starry night beyond their gossamer veil could not produce enough starlight to illuminate thend.

    The man¡¯s nostrils red, and he took a deep breath, smelling the breath of night through the early autumn air, which was vored with a hint of winter chill. The violet night sky was swallowing the faint light of dusk upon the horizon with a speed visible to the naked eye.

    The man turned his back to the hills, and looked at the men around him.

    They were fierce warriors, who trusted him and who followed him. It was because he was surrounded by such warriors that he permitted himself a moment¡¯sxity.

    After all, the day¡¯s work was done and nobody could dispute that.

    ¡°¡ªOi, has anyone asked the forecaster about tonight¡¯s weather?¡±

    The question was asked in a mighty voice which befitted his powerful body. The soldiers looked at each other, and one of them spoke up on the group¡¯s behalf.

    ¡°My deepest apologies! Corporal Camparno sir, it seems none of us have heard the report in question!¡±

    This man ¡ª Olrand Camparno ¡ª was a fairly low ranked man in the Roble Holy Kingdom¡¯s military hierarchy.

    From bottom to top, the Roble Holy Kingdom¡¯s military ranks went from Recruit, Private, Private First ss, Corporal, Sergeant, toon Sergeant, and so on. Of course, different ranks existed in different units, and these were simply the ranks for the regr infantry.

    Usually speaking, a simple corporal would not need to be addressed as ¡°Sir.¡±

    However, the man calling Olrand ¡°Sir¡± did not do so to mock him. His respect for him was evident in his attitude and tone. Neither was it just that man; every soldier present, each of whom walked and talked like a skilled veteran of many battles, felt the same way about Olrand.

    ¡°Really now?¡±

    Olrand slowly stroked his stubbly face.

    ¡°Sir, if time permits, will you allow this one to go and ask immediately?¡±

    ¡°Hm? No, no need for that. Our job is over now. What happens next is the business of the people after us.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Olrand Camparno.

    He was a man of many aplishments who, through his fighting skill alone, had earned the honor of being named one of the Holy Kingdom¡¯s Nine Colors by the previous Holy King.

    The reason why such a man remained at such a lowly post stemmed from two problems which Olrand had.

    The first was because he was very free-spirited ¡ª he hated taking orders.

    The second was because he was obsessed with fighting skills.

    When these two points came together, they led to a way of life that said, ¡°If you want to tell me what to do, beat the crap out of me first.¡± If he met a worthy foe he would say, ¡°You look pretty strong. How about sparring with me?¡± and then they would fight until one of them passed out.

    This personality of his had led to many violent incidents involving nobles and his superiors, so he had been demoted over ten times already.

    There was no need for people who could not obey orders in the military and they were universally loathed as well. Under normal circumstances, it would hardly have been strange if he were disciplined or dishonorably discharged. However, he had not met with such a fate, purely due to his strength. In addition, there were those who admired men like him.

    The rough sorts who were unhappy about being ordered about by destitute nobles found Olrand¡¯s way of living by the strength of his arm most thrilling

    His unit was a squad of delinquentsposed of such violent people ¡ª no, they were more of a gang.

    They were quite numerous, so calling them apany would not have been out of ce. In addition, its members may not have been Olrand¡¯s equals, but they were all skilled fighters, which led to him assuming an unofficial post which his superiors could not tolerate, but which they could do nothing about.

    ? ? ?

    Olrand nced around, and after verifying the identity of the man approaching them, a smile appeared on his face, like that of a carnivore about to pounce its prey.

    That man seemed quite slender inparison to Olrand¡¯s brawny form. However, his was not the scrawniness of a twig. Rather, he had a wiry, steely look about him. If one forged and reforged a man, burning away everything unrted to his intended function, it would produce a textbook slimness of the kind he embodied.

    In addition, his narrow eyes were keen, as though he was about to attack at any moment. Then there were his narrow pupils which did not look like they belonged to anyone engaged in a legitimate enterprise. In polite terms, he was an assassin. In less than polite terms, he was a mass murderer.

    ¡°Speak of the devil and here hees. Fancy meeting you here, Night Shift-san. Nice to see you~¡±

    The other man made no sound as he approached them with silent footsteps. He was dressed very differently from Olrand.

    Olrand and the men around him wore suits of heavy leather armor made from the hides of magical beasts called Lanca Cattle. In addition, they carried small round shields and single-edged swords, the standard outfit of the Holy Kingdom¡¯s superior troops. Incidentally, Olrand was the only one who had eight of those swords at his waist.

    In contrast to that, the other man wore a suit of enchanted light leather armor. There was an owl crest stitched on his right chest, while the emblem of the Holy Kingdom adorned his left.

    ¡°...Olrand. I haven¡¯t received your shift report yet. Also, is that the attitude you ought to be taking with a superior? That¡¯s practically insubordination. How many times do I have to remind you of that?¡±

    ¡°Well, do forgive me, toon Sergeant-dono.¡±

    As Olrand saluted him sloppily, the men under him saluted as well. It was a proper salute, the kind which they would never give a nobleman or any mere superior officer. It was a salute which showed genuine respect.

    The man sighed with a haaah. It was a sigh made by one who knew that his conduct was uneptable, but who also knew that lecturing him about it would be pointless.

    Sorry, boss. Old habits die hard, as they say.

    The reason why Olrand saluted this man, however reluctantly, was because he had defeated Olrand.

    I¡¯d like to beat you once before I leave this ce. On your terms. Don¡¯t you think, toon Sergeant Pavel Baraja?

    The man ¡ª Pavel Baraja ¡ª was nicknamed ¡°The Night Watchman.¡± Like Olrand, he was one of the Nine Colors. The massive, exquisitely-made bow on his back gleamed with the faint light of magic, and the quiver hanging at his waist glowed in the same way. He was an archer, just as his appearance suggested. He was a superb marksman, with a reputation of perfect uracy.

    ¡°I think this all the time, but working at night sure is hard. The demihumans do just fine in the darkness but it¡¯s hard enough just to find their traces, let alone fight them.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re here. The only way to gain magic and talentsparable to demihumans ¡ª their vision aside ¡ª is through training. And we¡¯ve received that training.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes. Same goes for that daughter you¡¯re so proud of, right?¡±

    Pavel¡¯s face twitched and Olrand instantly regretted his poor choice of words.

    This was a man whose expression remained unchanged even in the midst of a drinking party. The only exception was when the topic of his daughter and wife came up. That was where the problemy.

    ¡°Oh yes. She¡¯s an outstanding girl.¡±

    ¡ªIt was happening. It had already begun.

    Pavel paid no heed to Olrand¡¯s regret and continued speaking.

    ¡°That said, I honestly have no idea why she wants to be a pdin. She¡¯s weak little girl, certainly not the type who thinks of fighting power as everything ¡ª honestly, she¡¯s even been scared to tears by caterpirs in the past ¡ª and while I did say that might was everything just now, that doesn¡¯t extend to my wife... although my wife does seem like that in some ways ¡ª and she¡¯s adorable because she grew up like me, no, I should say that it¡¯s a pity she ended up growing up to look like me ¡ª but the true shame is that she doesn¡¯t have any talent for using swords. However, she¡¯s adept with the bow. If only she could hone her skills in that respect, but then here she is wanting to be a pdin and whatnot¡ª¡±

    He let the meandering monologue flow in one ear and out the other, making the appropriate noises in response when they were needed, but it would seem he had still been found out.

    ¡°Oi, are you listening to me?¡±

    That question was only to be expected.

    No, I wasn¡¯t listening. I think I stopped after the third time.

    After hearing the same thing about five or six times, under normal circumstances Olrand would have unhappily retorted ¡°Hell no.¡± However, taking that tone with Pavel would be a terrible mistake. That was because he knew that he would surely reply, ¡°Then I¡¯ll tell you again.¡±

    This was the right answer:

    ¡°Of course I did. What a lovely girl she is!¡±

    Pavel¡¯s face changed dramatically. While it was an ugly, fiendish expression that put Olrand on his guard, the fact was that the other man was simply embarrassed.

    If he did not capitalize on the way Pavel¡¯s mind was savoring the joy of hearing his daughter being praised by others and ovee Pavel¡¯s desire to praise his daughter, he would be plunged into that hell once more.

    ¡°Also¡ª¡±

    Only one thing could trump the topic of his daughter. That was work.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t night work mess with your biological clock? Won¡¯t your body get weird?¡±

    The butcher¡¯s expression on Pavel¡¯s face returned to his usual killer¡¯s expression.

    ¡°...How many times have you asked that question already? The answer¡¯s the same as always; it¡¯s nothing to be concerned about. Still, why do you keep asking that question? What are you really getting at?¡±

    He knew the cause for it, but he still stared at his rapid shift in attitude.

    Where did the you from just now go, he wanted to say, but Olrand did not want that hell to return once more.

    ¡°...Hah. What I really want to say? Well, that¡¯s a surprising question... I was just thinking that it¡¯d cause a lot of trouble for me if the man who beat me ruined his body and ended up having to retire over a trivial thing. Of course, once I win, such minor things won¡¯t matter any more.¡±

    In the past, Olrand had been full of himself when he was first assigned to this strongpoint, and thinking back to those days embarrassed him. Skilled soldiers gathered around him in admiration, fuelling his ego ever further, and somehow, he had ended up fighting a mock battle with Pavel.

    Olrand favored the sword ¡ª closebat. In contrast, Pavel favored the bow ¡ª rangedbat.

    If the two of them shed, the question of engagement range would be extremely important. However, Pavel dered that he was fine with closebat.

    And then, Olrand lost.

    Olrand respected Pavel for that reason. At the same time, he harbored the desire to beat him next time. This time, he would fight Pavel in his field of expertise, rangedbat, and emerge the victor there.

    ¡°Is that so? You want to fight me, then? While I¡¯m at peak physical condition, with no handicaps on my part.¡±

    A bestial smile crossed Pavel¡¯s face as he said so, and it made Olrand¡¯s chest heat up.

    Oh yes, definitely. Isn¡¯t that obvious? I want to fight you. I want to put my life on the line against you. However, that won¡¯t be allowed, will it? Even so, if possible, I¡¯d like us to have a battle where both of us could die at any moment. That¡¯s how I want to fight you.

    However, Olrand remained silent. That was because his instincts said there was no telling where the beast before his eyes would go. And in fact, what Pavel said after that confirmed those instincts.

    ¡°Still, I have to apologize. You should know why too.There¡¯s very few people who can beat you as you are now in meleebat, and I¡¯m not one of them.¡±

    Then let¡¯s settle it with rangedbat. Those words did not issue from Olrand¡¯s mouth. That was because he knew it would only be an insult to a worthy opponent.

    He recalled Pavel¡¯s bow skills. He was still not confident that he could evade his attacks and close the distance at the same time.

    ¡ªNo, not yet.

    ¡°Well, if that¡¯s all, time to make your report.¡±

    ¡°No need to rush, boss. It¡¯s not time for the shift change yet, right? Look, the bell hasn¡¯t rung yet.¡±

    Indeed, the chime that signalled a shift change had not yet sounded.

    ¡°You still need to prepare to change shifts, right? There¡¯s things to do before the bell goes. You ought to be getting yourself ready so you can change over the moment the bell rings.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s still too early even for that, right boss? Come talk with us for a bit.¡±

    ¡°Then, may I make a report to the toon Sergeant¡¯s second-inmand?¡±

    The person who spoke was one of his men.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a great idea. Excellent job, you. How about that, boss?¡±

    ¡°...Hah. You¡¯re being really persistent today. You want to say something, right? Good grief... if you want to say something,e out and say it.¡±

    But of course, he could not.

    While he had acknowledged the other man as someone he could talk with because he respected him, Olrand was the type who did not speak to people precisely because he respected them. That was because he wanted to be seen as a man who could stand on his own.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s why you¡¯re the boss. You get it, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°...Hahhh. So, what is it? I won¡¯t let you off lightly if it¡¯s some trivial nonsense.¡±

    ¡°Well, about that...¡± Olrand took off his helmet and scratched his head. The cool air felt strangelyfortable on his heated scalp.

    ¡°The truth is I want to go on a warrior¡¯s pilgrimage. So can I leave this ce?¡±

    He could hear the gasps of surprise from all around him. However, the expression on the slender man in front of him remained unmoved.

    ¡°Why tell me?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re the man I respect the most in this nation, boss. If you won¡¯t stop me either, then I won¡¯t have any more doubts.¡±

    ¡°...Aren¡¯t you an NCO? If you¡¯ve finished your conscription period, I can¡¯t possibly stop you.¡±

    The Holy Kingdom practiced conscription. Therefore, they sometimes called those people who chose to be career soldiers nomissioned officers, in order to differentiate them from those people who had been conscripted. Pavel and all his men were NCOs, while Olrand had some NCOs and conscripts under hismand.

    ¡°In that case, you don¡¯t mind if I quit, right?¡±

    Being asked that question marked the first time Pavel¡¯s face had changed apart from when the topic of his wife and daughter hade up. Olrand had barely managed to discover it by dint of his extraordinary powers of perception gained from being a warrior. Nobody else around them had noticed it.

    He was someone that Olrand acknowledged as a man of steel, but he was actually perturbed by the question of his staying or departure. His heart swirled with a mix of delight and sorrow.

    ¡°...Well, legally speaking, I have to ept that. I can¡¯t stop you... That said, we¡¯ll sorely feel the absence of a strong man like you. You should have gone on your warrior¡¯s journey earlier, right? Why now? Is it because there aren¡¯t any more demihuman attacks?¡±

    Since that time half a year ago, the demihumans had stopped attacking this fortress. In the past, they had attacked about once or twice a month, in groups of about a few dozen each time.

    While they only numbered a few dozen, they were still demihumans, who had superior physical abilitiespared to mankind, and many of them possessed special abilities on top of that. Those were numbers which could easily ughter an entire outpost wholesale.

    Both Olrand and Pavel had experienced many situations where they had to send out elite troops for relief operations.

    ¡°You know I don¡¯t enjoy ughtering the demihumans, right? I like fighting strong people and bing strong.¡±

    ¡°So how about the Grand King, then?¡±

    ¡°Ahhh, that guy...¡±

    ¡°Oh, and then there¡¯s the Demon w, the Beast Emperor, the Ashen King, the Iceme Lightning, and the Spiral Lance.¡±

    Pavel had mentioned the nicknames of several notable demihumans, but none of them moved Olrand¡¯s heart apart from the one he had first mentioned.

    The Grand King Buser.

    He was the king of a certain demihuman tribe, a being known as the Lord of Destruction.

    That nickname came from the fact that he was skilled in martial arts that destroyed weaponry and his fighting style that revolved around such sundering techniques. He was a mortal enemy of the Holy Kingdom who had defeated many famed warriors, and he had fought Olrand in the past. Back then, he had destroyed Olrand¡¯s longsword, his backup weapons of a shortsword and handaxe, and even a billhook used to cut trees for firewood.

    Although he had broken all of Olrand¡¯s weapons, the Grand King withdrew after seeing the reinforcements sent from the fortress. In a sense, being able to hold out until help arrived was a win for Olrand, and many people praised him for his valor. To Olrand, however, it simply meant that the Grand King did not think that ying Olrand was worth the risk, and so all Olrand felt was a hollow sense of defeat.

    ¡°I do want to fight him again, but... I guess I still can¡¯t beat him now. You¡¯d probably need one of those people they call heroes to defeat him, otherwise it would be very difficult. Therefore... ah, you¡¯ve also heard of it, right boss? How that great warrior, Gazef Stronoff, died in battle.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, I did. The higher-ups are debating hotly about how that¡¯s going to affect the surrounding countries, after all.¡±

    The death of Gazef Stronoff, known as the mightiest warrior of the Re-Estize Kingdom, was a matter of great interest to the soldiers of the Holy Kingdom ¡ª particrly the skilled ones.

    ¡°Do you know any specifics?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard some rough details. Apparently, he duelled a magic caster known as the Sorcerer King and was struck down. Frankly speaking, the fact that he would actually challenge a magic caster to a duel is quite hard to take in.¡±

    Olrand agreed as well.

    However, the term ¡°magic caster¡± was quite broad. Divine magic casters could, after using spells which enhanced their physical abilities, end up stronger than a half-baked warrior. In addition, the pdins who were the pride of this nation could use magic too, so to some extent, one could not say they were not magic casters. In that case, he could understand the reasons for the duel.

    ¡°...In addition, others say that the Sorcerer King massacred an entire army. Apparently he summoned gigantic goats, or sheep, rather.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard that. Still, gigantic goats? What a weird magic caster.¡±

    The mention of goats reawakened unhappy memories of Olrand¡¯s defeat. That said, while the rumors said he had summoned goats, they were clearly not ordinary goats.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s also because of that weird magic caster. That¡¯s why I need to do this.¡±

    ¡°...That¡¯s why? I don¡¯t quite get your meaning.¡±

    ¡°This hasn¡¯t changed from when I lost to you, but I¡¯m the sort of person who disregards items that grant flight, spells, and the like. I¡¯ve always thought that all you need to do is beat them with your sword. However, after the Kingdom¡¯s Warrior-Captain-dono ¡ª who was stronger than me ¡ª lost to those, I began to think that maybe I shouldn¡¯t look down on them.¡±

    ¡°Which means?¡±

    ¡°Which means I need to go on a warrior¡¯s pilgrimage.¡±

    ¡°...Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to challenge those people in our country that you can¡¯t beat?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±

    Some of the opponents which Olrand could not win against were fellow members of the Nine Colors.

    The Vice-Captain of the marines, Enrique Belsway, known as ¡°the Blue.¡±

    The Captain of the Pdin Order, Remedios Custodio, known as ¡°the White.¡±

    Pavel Baraja, known as ¡°the ck.¡±

    Ran Tsu An Rin, one of the Mermen who lived in the sea, known as ¡°the Green.¡±

    And then, outside of the Nine Colors, there was the most powerful priest in the nation, Queralt Custodio.

    In other words, they were some of the most highly ced people in thend, and challenging them would surely cause great ructions in the country. If it was just a mock battle, then it ought to be all right, so long as it was against a fellow member of the Nine Colors, but an all-out duel would never be allowed.

    However, that would not do.

    A true sh of des waspletely different from a mock battle. Sometimes, the winner and loser could bepletely reversed between them. Many people became much stronger ¡ª or weaker ¡ª when going from training to a livebat. Naturally, the strong were recognized as such because they showed their power in actualbat. Therefore, one could not consider a warrior pilgrimageplete without fighting a real battle.

    ¡°That¡¯s good, then... still, where do you n to train yourself?¡±

    ¡°I was thinking of visiting the Sorcerous Kingdom you mentioned earlier. It seems there¡¯s powerful undead there.¡±

    The Sorcerous Kingdom of Ainz Ooal Gown.

    It would have taken an incredible attention-seeker to actually name a country after themselves, but it was not entirely unthinkable. More to the point, it was a fact that the person who had done so had the power to back it up.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of it from the merchants who travel between the Kingdom and the Holy Kingdom.¡±

    Thanks to the teachings of the Holy Kingdom¡¯s temples, themon man both hated and despised the undead. Even Pavel was no exception. No, Olrand thought. Pavel did not hate them because they were the enemies of the Holy Kingdom, but because they were his wife¡¯s enemies.

    However, he could not bring that up. While he did not lose himself in chatting about his wife as he did with his daughter, he still spoke far too much.

    ¡°The Holy Kingdom¡¯s stance is to tacitly acknowledge the existence of the Sorcerous Kingdom, right? They say it¡¯s okay for people of the Holy Kingdom to go over there... right?¡±

    There was no way to hide the fact that the Sorcerous Kingdom, with its armies of the undead, was an intolerable foe of the Holy Kingdom. Many people had urged them to send out troops when they thought of how the people in the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s Capital of E-Rantel must be suffering. However, the Holy Kingdom presently faced the threat of the demihumans, and they would not be able to conduct military operations in other countries without first pacifying the hill region.

    The feelings of the people aside, the leadership¡¯s response to the Sorcerous Kingdom did not escte beyond half-hearted criticism.

    ¡°...The Sorcerous Kingdom, hm. Well, if you apply to the brass, you ought to be able to go over there as a member of the army. They view the Sorcerous Kingdom as a threat second only to the demihumans. It seems they want to ally with the Theocracy against them.¡±

    ¡°Really now. It seems there¡¯ll be a lot of problems due to religious differences, then.¡±

    ¡°Yes, precisely. Well, that aside, if your affiliation doesn¡¯t change, you can receive the country¡¯s aid and you can skip those annoying immigration checks... I think. If you go over, you¡¯ll be a godsend to the people who want to know more about the inner workings of the Sorcerous Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°Well, wouldn¡¯t that be nice. Still, if I did that, I couldn¡¯t just go around picking fights.¡±

    ¡°You... the way you say that so seriously is really headache-inducing.¡±

    ¡°I guess it¡¯d be hard on you if it became an international incident, huh.¡±

    The cold wind blew past them. For a while, Pavel went silent, his expression unchanged, but after that, he began muttering unhappily (as usual).

    ¡°I¡¯m going to miss that ugly face of yours.¡±

    Olrand smiled wickedly. It was a ferocious, bestial grin, but he was being uncharacteristically shy. Pavel had not said, ¡°don¡¯t go,¡± but neither had he said, ¡°go.¡± He decided to make sure that he would have somewhere to return to.

    ¡°Sorry about that... Well, I¡¯lle back after I be stronger. Want me to train you up at that time?¡±

    ¡°Fancy you saying that.¡±

    As Olrand chuckled, Pavelughed back at him in turn. Theirughter was every bit as ferocious as two wild beasts growling at each other.

    Just then, the bell rang.

    It would seem that it was time to change over to the night shift. They had spoken at great length, so they would wrap it up with one more thing. As Olrand thought that, that notion evaporated from his mind as the bell continued to ring.

    Pavel, followed closely by Olrand, looked to the hills.

    Those bells meant ¡°Demihumans sighted.¡±

    Their visibility was clear up to to over four hundred meters away. In the past, there had once been forests and trees there, but the country had conducted a massivendscaping project as part of the wall¡¯s construction to tten it out.

    However, at the furthest reaches of the expansive ins ¡ª where there were hills and other obstructions ¡ª they saw sparkles in the darkness and moving ck shadows.

    ¡°Boss...¡±

    It was impossible for Olrand to discern the true identities of those demihumans at this distance while in the dark. Therefore, he called on the man with the keenest eyesight.

    ¡°Yes, they¡¯re demihumans... Snakemen,¡± Pavel immediately answered.

    Snakemen had heads like a cobra and scaly, humanoid bodies, as well as tails. They were demihumans that were considered close rtives to Lizardmen. Their serpentine heads had venomous bites and their spears were coated in powerful toxins. Closebat with them was to be avoided as much as possible.

    That said, Olrand and his men were seasoned veterans, and they possessed very high resistance to poisons. While their scales provided some protection, they were not hard enough to deflect metal weapons. They might be skilled with their tails, but one could simply consider them another weapon. In addition, they had the advantage at night due to their ophidian sensory organs, but that was not a problem.

    Is leading the charge on them going to be our job? No, by the time they reach here, Boss¡¯s unit would have shot them all to death.

    Snakemen despised cold objects, so they did not use metal armor and other such items. As a result, it was a simple task for first-rate archers like Pavel and his men to fill them full of arrows.

    ¡°So how many of them are there, Boss?¡±

    Usually, there would be less than twenty of them.

    ¡°...Boss?¡±

    Olrand was briefly puzzled by theck of a response. He looked at Pavel, and saw a look of clear vexation on that typically nk face of his.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Boss?¡±

    ¡°...There¡¯s more of them? Could this be ¡ª this is bad! I¡¯ve spotted members of other species! Armatts, Ogres, and are those Cavens?¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡±

    There were all kinds of demihumans in the hill region, but they did not have good rtionships with each other. On the contrary, they often fought over territory, and apart from cases where Ogres took Goblins as ves and cruelly used them, these races very rarely worked with each other.

    There had even been cases where some of them had attacked the Holy Kingdom after being driven from theirnds.

    Then this ought to be the same thing. Because if it was not¡ª

    ¡°A big invasion?¡±

    He did not know who had said that. Perhaps the person saying so might have thought he was speaking to himself, but it sounded clear enough to his ears.

    ¡°Olrand, I¡¯ve got something to ask you.¡±

    There was tension in Pavel¡¯s voice. No, that was only to be expected.

    Race, culture, and religion. Just as how there could be many nationsposed of members of the same species, creating a cohesive nation was a very difficult task. It was even more difficult when the species of the members were different. Therefore, uniting the demihuman tribes in the hills was a nigh-impossible task.

    If that was what had happened, that would mean the beginning of a battle for the Holy Kingdom¡¯s survival.

    After that ¡ª Olrand¡¯s body trembled uncontrobly.

    Uniting all these races would require obvious power. Among mankind, wisdom and wealth would qualify as a form of strength, but the demihuman races prized power. In other words¡ª

    That means there might be a frighteningly powerful enemy out there, is that it?

    ¡°Tell me with your warrior¡¯s instincts. Why do you think these guys chose to reveal themselves at a fortress like this ¡ª at such a well defended ce? One ¡ª they¡¯re serving as bait to draw out our forces to thin out our defences. Two¡ª¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re confident of breaking through in a head-on attack. Twenty percent of the Holy Kingdom¡¯s fighting strength is stationed here, and they¡¯re going to crush us like cockroaches.¡±

    Despite feeling Pavel¡¯s keen gaze from beside him, Olrand did not stop talking.

    ¡°At the same time, they¡¯re going to use this fortress as a bridgehead. Then, they¡¯re going to crush the morale of the Holy Kingdom and boost their own morale. Is that it?¡±

    ¡°...They might issue a mass mobilization order.¡±

    ¡°Haha! A war like this has only urred once before in the history of the Holy Kingdom, and now there¡¯s going to be another one like it in our time! What can we say to that!?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to report to the higher-ups. Youe with me too.¡±

    ¡°Got it, boss! Oi, you lot! This is going to be one hell of a party! Keep the backup weaponsing!¡±

    If the enemy was an army, they would have to spend a lot of time forming their troops up. This was especially true if they counted numerous races among their number. However, the same applied to the defenders as well. Since they were an army, they would need time to prepare themselves. This held true even on the frontline.

    There was a shocking amount of things which needed to be done. There was no more time to idle around.

    Olrand ran after Pavel.

    ? ? ?

    <b>Part 2</b>

    As the enemy troops slowly formed up, Pavel felt a sharp pain in his throat.

    The slower the enemy attack, the more forces they could gather to this fortress, and the more time they would have to give the mobilization order. This was the perfect scenario for theirmanding officers, but Pavel did not share their opinion.

    There were demihumans with intellect that surpassed humanity. Surely themander of such a vast army was no fool. In that case, he would know that giving their opponent time to prepare was a disadvantageous thing. In addition, it waste at night now, and theing battle would be to the demihumans¡¯ advantage. It would be the same even if they lit bonfires.

    Pavel looked at the enemy lines, four hundred meters away.

    While they were organized by species, no consideration seemed to have been given to things like the weapons they wielded, their respective tactics, their various racial characteristics, and so on.

    In all likelihood, the demihumans were not marching under the same g. Otherwise they would have fielded a more logical battle line. Or was this something like an oligarchy, an alliance of demihumans led by a council of equals?

    ¡°Can¡¯t quite make it out, Boss. Can you see the enemymander?¡±

    ¡°...No, I haven¡¯t spotted their leader yet.¡±

    His men had not reported sighting anything like that so far.

    However, there had to be amander. Otherwise, even forming up into units would be very difficult.

    ¡°He can¡¯t keep hiding forever. He¡¯ll surely show up on the battlefield.¡±

    Given the nature of demihumans, their leaders were strong, and they would show up to unt their strength.

    That would be the best time for Pavel to work.

    Pavel clutched his bow.

    It was a magicalposite longbow, infused with enchantments specialized against demihumans. In addition, he also had a Mantle of Shadow, suitable for blending into shadows and conducting ambushes, Boots of Silence, which eliminated the sound of his footsteps, a Vest of Resistance, to improve his resilience against various attacks, a Deflection Ring, to protect him from ranged weapons, and many other such items. These were a sign of how much Pavel¡¯s nation valued him.

    ¡°You lot. Prepare to shoot at any time,¡± he ordered his subordinates, who were hidden beside him as though they had vanished into the night.

    If they were humans, they would exchange envoys to read out derations and pronouncements; that was a characteristic of wars between nobles. However, nobody from the Holy Kingdom who was quartered in this fortress, the generals included, wanted to parley with the demihumans of the hills. At the very most, they would hold talks to deceive them, or something like talks in order to buy time, and once they spotted the enemymander they would shoot him dead on the spot.

    ¡°...You ought to be heading back to your unit now.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do that. Take care, Boss.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, you too.¡±

    A wisp of unease wound through Pavel¡¯s heart as he watched Olrand leave.

    Some demihumans possessed lethal special attacks.

    For instance, the mystic eyes of the Giant Biclops.

    These demihumans had unbnced faces and a pair of disproportionately massive eyes. One of these Mystic Eyes contained the ability to ¡¸Charm¡¹ their foes. Its victims would unconsciously approach the opposition. Indeed, they would disregard the fact that they were on walls to take the shortest path towards the demihuman who had enthralled them.

    Usually, they would be equipped with magic items to improve their resistance to such special abilities, but Olrand had not been furnished with such items. If his luck was bad, he might be taken out in one shot.

    He closed his eyes to clear away his unease, and a woman¡¯s figure appeared in Pavel¡¯s mind.

    She was one of the Nine Colors, the woman known as the White.

    She worries me too, but in a different way. She¡¯s clueless and often gets the people around her in trouble. That¡¯s why Pink has it so hard... why does my daughter want to join her? Wouldn¡¯t it be good enough for her to just normally meet a good man, fall in love with him and then marry him ¡ª no!

    He shook away the worry for his daughter that swelled in his heart.

    At the same time, he looked back at the demihuman lines, to change his mood.

    He did not know how many demihumans stood at the foothills, but there were many gs waving there. Those gs were not camouge; the sole third tier magic caster in this fortress had already verified it from the sky.

    In other words, there really were that manybat units gathered here today. Things would not end with a simple staring match.

    Pavel began his usual ritual.

    He took out a carved wooden doll from his breast pocket, and then kissed it.

    This was a figurine his daughter had made when she was six. It was a grotesque doll with four sticksing out of a ball, made to look like her father. He still clearly remembered the day when he had praised her by saying ¡°This is a really cool monster,¡± and how she had burst into tears, and how his wife had kicked him.

    The doll was worn out because he had touched it countless times, and the carved eyes and mouth were faded away. She had grown much older since that time, so he wanted her to make a figurine that looked more like him. But perhaps she did not know his heart, because she showed no signs of wanting to remake it.

    It was probably because of his long tours of duty stationed here, but he rarely had the chance to see his wife and daughter. He felt himself drawing further and further away from her every day. In the past she would have hugged him immediately, but at some point, she no longer hugged him after he returned home.

    She¡¯s grown independent of her father, his wife had smiled, but this was a big thing to Pavel.

    If I could take two month¡¯s leave, I¡¯d like to go camping as a family, like we used to.

    His daughter would listen with rapt attention whenever he taught her his ranger knowledge. That was what he was aiming for. That said, he knew it would probably not work out.

    He put the doll back into his pocket.

    His daughter was rarely home due to her aim of bing a pdin. When Pavel returned to his home after a long absence, his daughter was often away.

    It would be best if she married a neighbor after all... no, someone who lived a little close by, or no, someone who stayed in the vicinity.

    A pdin¡¯s way of life was the least suitable for his daughter. He had been observing her all this time, so he was sure of it.

    His daughter had chosen this path because she admired how her mother looked as a pdin. However, that was not enough to be a pdin.

    Only a knight who physically expressed the justice they believed in could be called a pdin.

    Therefore, although he did not say it ¡ªrgely because his wife was very scary ¡ª to him, pdins were essentially zealots.

    I wonder if my girl knows that.... While I don¡¯t want her to know...

    ¡°¡ªThat really is an incredible number out there.¡±

    His adjutant muttered to himself under his breath, which brought Pavel to his senses.

    ¡°Ahhh, that¡¯s right. Still, there¡¯s no need to be scared. All you need to do is support me.¡±

    In addition to his adjutant, the mood from the men around him rxed somewhat.

    That¡¯s right, that¡¯s it. Tension is the archenemy of sniping.

    And just as Pavel broke his own nk face ¡ª although he did not realize it ¡ª with a thin smile, there was movement in the enemy lines.

    A lone demihuman slowly stepped forward.

    Despite the many demihumans around him, he was unescorted. Did he not need an escort, or was he full of arrogance, or perhaps he was a messenger whose death would not be missed?

    ¡°Should we shoot him?¡±

    ¡°Not for now. But move to a ce where it¡¯ll be easy to shoot and then wait for my order.¡±

    After quietly giving his orders, his men sped away in droves, like lengthening shadows.

    Was he the enemy general, or just a simple messenger? Pavel studied him carefully to find out.

    That demihuman... what species does he belong to? Doesn¡¯t feel like I¡¯ve seen him before... and what¡¯s with those clothes? Is it a tribal outfit? Is that mask something like that too?

    He was definitely not human. There was a tailing from behind his waist.

    The problem was the demihuman¡¯s clothes. One could think of it as a tribal costume, and indeed, it felt like it might have been something like that. However, even at this distance, one could tell that the clothing was of excellent make, even whenpared to that of humans.

    Highly civilized demihumans are very troublesome...

    It was not just Pavel. All the soldiers waiting on the walls gulped as they watched every move the demihuman made. Amidst the oppressive mood in the air, the demihuman approached to within fifty meters of his location.

    ¡°That¡¯s far enough! Any further and you¡¯ll be encroaching on the Holy Kingdom¡¯s territory! This is no ce for you demihumans! Leave at once!¡±

    The voice was loud enough that even Pavel, who was some distance away, felt it was loud. It came from the man inmand of the fortress, one of just five generals in the Holy Kingdom. He imagined he could feel the voice of the man in unadorned, battle-scarred armor resonating in his gut.

    The reason why he only had one staff officer by his side was probably because he did not intend to get the others caught up in it if the enemyunched an attack. In their ce were many troops with tower shields hidden behind them, ready to rush out if anything happened.

    In contrast, the demihuman¡¯s voice was gentle and pleasing to the ear. It seemed to worm its way into every man¡¯s heart. Even at this distance, it still reached Pavel¡¯s ears.

    ¡°That we already know. Now then ¡ª may I know who you are?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m ¡ª I¡¯m the general in charge of this fortress! Who are you!?¡±

    There was no need to tell the opposition that, Pavel frowned, but he already knew that the general was not a shrewd man. Therefore, he should have regarded this oue as inevitable.

    ¡°I see, I see. Since you have given your name, I fear it might be rude not to respond in kind. Greetings,dies and gentlemen of the Holy Kingdom. My name is Jaldabaoth.¡±

    ¡°Could it be!?¡±

    The man who shouted was the staff officer near the general.

    ¡°The archfiend Jaldabaoth! Are you the demon who led an army of demons in that disturbance in the Kingdom¡¯s Royal Capital!?¡±

    ¡°Ohh! I am honored that you know my name. Indeed, I was the architect of that magnificent feast in the Re-Estize Kingdom. However... the title of Archfiend is quite saddening... yes, I was wondering if you could address me as the Demon Emperor Jaldabaoth.¡±

    Pavel tasted that phrase, ¡°Demon Emperor Jaldabaoth.¡±

    It was a truly arrogant title, but given the many demihumans it led, and after thinking back on what he had heard about the disturbance in the Royal Capital, that title might be well-deserved.

    ¡°Damn you! Are youying your designs on us after what you did to the Kingdom!?¡±

    ¡°No, that is not quite right. It is because I met a fearsome warrior in the Kingdom¡ª¡±

    Jaldabaoth shrugged boredly. There was an indescribable sense of style to that movement, and it made Pavel imagine he was looking at a human noble for a moment.

    ¡°¡ªWell, do permit me to keep that knowledge to myself.¡±

    ¡°Then what business do you have here? Why did you lead these demihumans to this ce?¡±

    ¡°I havee here to turn this country into a living hell. I wish to make this country one which echoes with cries, curses, and screams evesting. However, making sport of millions of human beings individually is impossible, and so I have brought them along. In my ce, they will plunge you pitiful humans shoulder-deep into a morass of despair, in order to draw wails of regret and suffering from you all.¡±

    Jaldabaoth said so very happily.

    At this point, Pavel learned the meaning of evil. What the holy men shouted about the ¡°wicked demihumans¡± was nothing more than propaganda to raise fighting spirit. It was practically sleeptalking. From a detached point of view, demihuman invasions were nothing more than going to the farm to feed themselves.

    Terror filled Pavel¡¯s body. At the same time, he made up his mind.

    He would not allow that demon to set foot upon the Holy Kingdom¡¯snd, where his wife and daughter were.

    He tightened his grip on the bow in his hand.

    If Jaldabaoth¡¯s words were intended to intimidate them, then they had been aplete failure. Humans were not cowardly and weak creatures. They would let him taste the foolishness of underestimating humanity with their vicious counterattack.

    The people here possessed the iron will to defend the Holy Kingdom, and even if it had rusted a little in the past few years, they were still fiercely devoted to their home nation.

    ¡°¡ªDo you think we¡¯d let you do something like that!? Listen now, Jaldabaoth the fool!¡± the general barked.

    Indeed. He was barking.

    ¡°This is the first line of the Holy Kingdom¡¯s defense! It is also thest line of its defense! Beyond us lies the peace of the Holy Kingdom¡¯s people! Did you think we would let you trample it as you wish!?¡±

    The nearby soldiers shouted, ¡°Uoooohhhh!¡± in response to the general¡¯s bellowing. In that moment, their fighting spirit red up. Pavel would have cried out as well if he were not hiding himself, and perhaps his subordinates, whose bodies trembled faintly, felt the same way.

    However, a round of out-of-ce apuse threw a damper on that. After pping for a while, the demon spoke up.

    ¡°Watchdogs which guard the cradle, hm? I cannot say I disapprove. It is very important to protect things. ¡ªYes, I approve very much. That being the case, I shall give the people I capture here the finest possible reception.¡±

    The way heughed as he spoke made him sound like he was enjoying himself.

    Jaldabaoth did not speak particrly loudly. Therefore, it would have been understandable if his voice did not carry over to where Pavel was. Even so, the words reached him with a mysterious rity, as though they wereing from behind himself.

    ¡ªDon¡¯t worry about it, that might be the work of magic.

    Spells and magic items which amplified sound existed, and it was very likely that Jaldabaoth was using those. However, he could not escape the unpleasant feeling which seemed to adhere to his back.

    ¡°I will not ept surrender or anything of the sort. Entertain me to the best of your ability. Now then ¡ª let us begin.¡±

    Pavel gave his subordinates the order to shoot.

    There was no need to wait for the General¡¯smands. They were permitted a degree of independence, because opportunities to snipe the enemymander were not readily avable. Waiting for approval from their superior might result in them missing their chance.

    Pavel stood up.

    The men around him followed suit.

    It took only a moment to lock onto his target. A distance of fifty meters was essentially point nk range to Pavel. He drew his bow, filled with the intent to kill ¡ª and Pavel felt Jaldabaoth¡¯s eyes meet his through the mask.

    We won¡¯t give you the time to flee or defend yourself. If you want to me anything, me your own arrogance foring out onto the frontlines alone!

    ¡°¡ªLoose!¡±

    Fifty one arrows flew out in time with Pavel¡¯s voice.

    Their enchanted bows discharged magical arrows.

    The ming arrows left red lines hanging in the air, blue trails lingered behind the ice arrows, the lightning arrows¡¯ path was marked in yellow, green streaks followed in the wake of the acid arrows, and Pavel¡¯s own holy arrow traced a white trajectory as they all soared through the void.

    The arrows loosed from the fully-drawn bows travelled t paths as they streaked through the air, each one striking Jaldabaoth¡¯s body without deviating in the slightest.

    Pavel¡¯s shots were exceptionally potent, and after being enhanced with his martial arts and his skills, each of them possessed powerparable to a mighty downward sh from a heavy trooper. If he were hit by this, even a man in full te would be knocked back and sent rolling over the ground.

    However ¡ª Jaldabaoth did not move in the slightest even after taking fifty one arrows.

    And then, something happened which made him doubt his eyes.

    The arrows which should have punched through his body fell to the ground.

    What!? Is he defended against projectiles!?

    Pavel quickly nocked his second arrow as he thought about how Jaldabaoth had defended against those arrow shots.

    Some monsters were able to nullify attacks through their special qualities. For instance, lycanthropes and the like were nigh-invulnerable if one did not use silver weapons against them.

    He considered that Jaldabaoth might have a simr ability. In that case, what sort of attack could breach Jaldabaoth¡¯s defenses?

    The arrow he hadunched just now was made of steel, and it was enchanted with holy power that was especially effective against those of evil alignment. While it was said that demons could not defend against it, there was no denying that Jaldabaoth had proven immune to it. In that case, it would be best to use other arrows to learn more about the opposition, tearing down his veil of mystery to chart a course for victory.

    Pavel readied a silver arrow next. It too was imbued with righteous power.

    ¡°...Now then, do permit me to make a move of my own. It is a trifling present, but I would be delighted if you would ept it. This is a tenth tier spell: ¡¸Meteor Fall¡¹.¡±

    Pavel sensed something from above him, approaching with unavoidable speed. Looking up, he saw a mass of light.

    It was a gigantic heated rock ¡ª no, it was something bigger than that.

    Light gradually filled his vision, and for a moment he glimpsed the forms of his wife and daughter amidst the light.

    He knew it was an illusion. His daughter was old enough that she could choose her own path in life. Even so, the daughter he saw was still young, and his wife who held her still looked very young.

    No, if I don¡¯t say she¡¯s still young now, she¡¯ll probably kill me¡ª

    ? ? ?

    The falling meteor shed through the sky and hit the wall, where it burst into an explosion. A thunderous roar echoed all around. The massive shockwave ttened everything it touched and shattered the wall.

    As the sand and dirt thrown up by the shockwave of the explosion begin falling back to earth, the dust slowly began to settle.

    What it revealed was the remains of the broken wall, sted to smithereens, and drifting smoke.

    After looking at the devastated fortifications, there was no need to think about what had happened to the soldiers stationed there.

    Humans could not possibly survive such conditions.

    Of course, Demiurge knew that some humans could endure such things. For instance, there were the fools who had stepped into the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, the holynd created by the Supreme Beings. However, he had done thorough research beforehand, and he had verified that no such humans existed here.

    ¡°Now then, this ought to be enough for preparations.¡±

    Demiurge dusted off his suit with his hands. He had not been showered with sand or dirt, but the dust from the st had reached him, so there was a slight earthy scent clinging to him. No ¡ª he would have done so even if that had not been the case. After all, this was a valuable item from the great being who had made him.

    Of course, Demiurge had many other clothes besides this set, but that did not mean that he could treat it carelessly because of that.

    As he thought of his mighty creator, he smiled behind his mask, and then looked out at the pitiful humans.

    If he followed up with an attack, the enemy¡¯s confusion would be that much more apparent, and at that point, the demihuman assault would cause aplete rout. However, he had not used that spell just now for that purpose.

    Demiurge could only cast a very small number of spells; there was only one other tenth tier spell avable to him. His true powery in his skills, and while he had used that spell just now to conserve his strength, the scene before his eyes was sufficiently tragic as it was.

    There was no sign of a counterattack. It would seem they were desperately trying to collect information and regroup.

    Theirmander is not dead... and their confusion doesn¡¯t seem because they¡¯re suspicious of us... are they really all right?

    Demiurge turned his back to the humans, walking back to the formation of his ves.

    He was not even on guard against the possibility of being attacked from behind.

    He could afford to be thisx because of all the information he had gathered.

    Demiurge was very strong.

    Indeed, he might be ranked lowly among the Floor Guardians, but he was confident of victory in battle. That was because he knew that battles were fought because one was confident of winning them. That was to say, one should not choose to fight if one was unable to win, unless otherwise ordered.

    There was only one person that Demiurge could not defeat ¡ª in other words, there was only one opponent against whom Demiurge could not prepare enough to assure his own victory.

    That person possessed intellect which surpassed his, schemes which beggared the imagination, a view of the world which seemed to extend out unto eternity, the ultimate pinnacle who held everything in the palm of his hand.

    He was the supreme ruler of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick ¡ª Ainz Ooal Gown.

    That Supreme Being was the one to whom Demiurge owed his loyalty.

    Producing a great deal of undead was part of his n. Once that scheme takes effect, nobody will be able to harm Ainz-sama. How fearsome he is. It seems the others do not yet realise how joyful it is to be ruled by such a Supreme Being¡ª

    There was a thud. This was the first time something had happened which Demiurge had not expected. He turned to look at the source of the sound.

    It would seem someone had jumped down from the wall. The man in question slowly rose to his feet.

    ¡°The, the boss is dead. He, he was the man I wanted to defeat!¡±

    The man drew his swords with both hands as he said so.

    Demiurge evaluated the man from his appearance. He reached an answer immediately.

    Threat Level ¡ª E (Worm).

    Error Probability ¡ª E (None at all).

    Importance ¡ª E (Guinea pig).

    In other words, he was nothing but trash. Still, he was one of the Nine Colors ¡ª while not all of them were impressive, he thought that it would be good to capture him and run all sorts of experiments on him.

    ¡°Uoooooooh!¡±

    The screaming man ran over to him.

    Slow. So slow. If this is the extent of his speed, should he not have used his brain more? For instance using ¡¸Silence¡¹ to approach quietly and close the gap between us...

    This was a distance hisrades would have been able to close in an instant. The man ¡ª slowly ¡ª ran over to him.

    ording to the information Demiurge had collected, this man of inferior ability could apparently use a special attack that was several times more powerful than normal in exchange for breaking his weapons. Therefore, he had a sword in each hand, and several more swords like it at his waist.

    How should I kill him? If I finish him off as cleanly as possible, then when I take him back I can ¡ª ah, he¡¯s finally arrived.

    After ensuring that he would not be sshed by the man¡¯s spraying blood, Demiurge gave an order.

    ¡°¡º...Stab yourself in the throat with your swords.¡»¡±

    There was a choked gurgle.

    A look of bafflement appeared in the eyes of the man who had just pierced his own throat with the des he held. His eyes clouded over like marbles as he copsed to the ground.

    Pained cries rose from the wall.

    Demiurge turned, walked over to the man¡¯s side, and picked him up by the cor with a single hooked index finger before returning to his formation.

    After he returned to his lines, the representatives of the various tribes ¡ª not their leaders ¡ª gathered before him.

    Demiurge had mentally divided the demihumans into two groups.

    One kind craved fresh blood and viewed humans as food. They would obey the strong, and they dly obeyed Demiurge¡¯smands. The other kind were those who had been made to kneel before the terror of Demiurge, and they obeyed him due to negative inducements like fear.

    Demiurge had selected a group of thetter kind.

    ¡°You took your time in assembling.¡±

    Saying so, he seized the shoulder of a random demihuman he had selected from the group. Its species was known as Zerns. After doing so, he ripped the skin from its shoulder.

    While Demiurge was among the weaker Floor Guardians, he could still do that much.

    The demihuman whose skin ¡ª and some of its flesh ¡ª had been ripped off copsed to the ground in intense agony, shrieking wordlessly.

    ¡°Now then, begin the attack. Take care not to sustain too many losses. The main course begins after we get past this wall,¡± Demiurge said in a gentle tone.

    His kindness was genuine when it was directed to his fellow denizens of Nazarick. He was a very gentle person when it came to his friends. However, to everyone else, his kindness was merely the care he gave to his tools.

    After receiving his orders, the demihumans ran back to their various tribes. The demihuman rolling around on the ground was no exception.

    The message they bore was that those who obeyed Demiurge¡¯s orders and achieved good results would meet a happy fate. Naturally, they also carried the message that achieving the opposite results meant that their future would be anything but happy.

    Demiurge smiled gently as he watched the receding backs of the beastmen.

    ¡°¡ªThen, let us begin the next step of our n. ¡ªDemons.¡±

    Demiurge activated one of his skills and summoned a vast quantity of the demons he intended to use as sacrificial pawns.

    While these demons were extremely weakpared to Demiurge, summoning stronger demons would mean he could not summon as many. The important thing in this operation was to spread the word that the Holy Kingdom¡¯s army had been assaulted by demons, which meant that quantity was the priority here.

    ¡°Listen carefully now. Support the demihumans in their efforts. Also, limit your pursuit of the humans. Do not do something as foolish as not allowing a single one to flee the fortress.¡±

    The low ranked demons nodded, and soared into the sky as one.

    While summoned monsters were supposed to know a portion of what their summoner knew, said information was generally quite vague.. It would be best to regard it as the ability to tell friend from foe. Therefore, it was important to give verbalmands to summoned creatures.

    Now then... it would be good if the ballnded on target.

    Demiurge¡¯s perspicacious mind pondered all manner of situations, and afterputing dozens of eventualities, he made the appropriate corrections to achieve his aim. Slight deviations were within his predictions. However, there were times when utter fools would lead to situations developing beyond their expectations.

    Surely someone with Ainz-sama¡¯s intellect could even predict the actions of fools... I¡¯m still a long way off. Come to think of it, it would be good if I could share this with Ainz-sama...

    As he thought that, Demiurge¡¯s heart raced unbidden. He had spent a great deal of time preparing this stage; if he could not even share it with his supreme master, what would Demiurge do?

    Ladies and gentlemen of the Holy Kingdom, I have a sincere wish. Please allow Ainz-sama to enjoy himself with your suffering forms. ... Although, how will Ainz-sama adjust my ns for a better oue?

    Like a student waiting for a respected teacher to dispense instruction, Demiurge smiled as his heart filled with the fires of anticipation and excitement.

    Oh, to learn from Ainz-sama¡¯s actions, progress towards a better self, and further deepen my loyalty. How wonderful it is!

    To Demiurge, who had been born to serve the Supreme Beings, nothing was more delightful than giving his all for his master.

    ¡°Ahhh, this is truly marvellous...¡±

    <b>Part 3</b>

    The news of a demihuman alliance ¡ª one thatprised a massive army ¡ª crushing the strongest central fortress and its vast quantities of soldiers, then subsequently crossing the wall, had already begun spreading throughout the Holy Kingdom.

    The leader of the demihuman alliance was called the Demon Emperor Jaldabaoth.

    He was a demon who had caused great havoc in the Kingdom, and he had used powerful magic to shred the wall like tissue paper.

    The demihuman alliance was made up of eighteen species, and their numbers were estimated in excess of one hundred thousand. This army of demihumans was now focused on destroying the walls and fortifications, and their advance had ground to a halt.

    After learning this, the leader of the Holy Kingdom ¡ª the Holy Queen ¡ª issued a general mobilization order to the entire nation.

    Since the Holy Kingdom¡¯s territory was stretched around the northern and southern edges of a central bay, any mobilized forces would naturally be formed into two armies ¡ª the Northern Holy Kingdom Army and the Southern Holy Kingdom Army.

    The armies each moved towards their own important locations ¡ª the city of Kalinsha in the north, and the city of Debonei in the south ¡ª where they spied on the enemy¡¯s movements for several days.

    The reports they received from the troops observing the wall made the situation even more pressing.

    ¡ªThe demihuman alliance, in all its strength, was moving west¡ª

    ¡ªThey would reach the northern fortress city of Kalinsha in a few days¡ª

    ¡°Really now? So this ce is going to be a battlefield after all...¡±

    The speaker was the Holy Queen, Calca Bessarez.

    Due to her low ce in the order of session ¡ª only males had inherited the Holy Kingdom until now ¡ª she should never have taken the position of Holy Queen. However, due to two qualities she had, the crown had eventually been ced upon her brow.

    The first was her beautiful looks. Her face was as beautiful as a freshly-bloomed flower, filled with cuteness and dignity, and it was praised as ¡°the treasure of Roble,¡± while her radiant, vibrant long hair was like threads of spun gold. Since it resembled an angel¡¯s halo, many who saw her gentle smile went on to describe her as a saint.

    The other quality was her excellence as a divine magic caster. She was a genius who could use fourth tier spells at the tender age of fifteen, and she had ascended to the throne with the firm backing of the previous Holy King and the temples.

    Almost ten years had passed since then, while certain voices disapproved of her excessive kindness, she had not made any mistakes which could be considered critical and thus she had ruled the Holy Kingdom to this day. However, this rule was not solid, and embers smoldered out of sight.

    ¡°I understand your sadness, Calca-sama, but the people who live in Kalinsha do so because they have prepared themselves for a day like this. In the past, there was also... ahem, that battle, where this city was the heart of the fighting. That¡¯s why the walls here are even taller and sturdier than anywhere else.¡±

    The person trying to console her was a woman with brown hair.

    While she was as beautiful as the Holy Queen, her eyes contained a cold, razor-sharp look, like the edge of a de. She was dressed in a suit of silvery full te armor and a surcoat. These were the traditional vestments of the Pdin Order¡¯s Captain, an ancient article of magical masterwork. The most important thing was the sword at her waist, whose name was known to everyone in the Holy Kingdom.

    It was renowned as one of the four Holy Swords, the holy sword Safalrisia.

    One of the Thirteen Heroes, known as ck Knight, was said to have carried four swords ¡ª the evil de Hyumilis, the demonic de Kilineyram, the de of rot Crocdabal, and the fatal de Sfeiz. This was one of the four swords which existed as a counterpart to them. Incidentally, the other three holy swords were known as the sword ofw, the sword of justice, and the sword of life.

    Wielding a powerful sword often led to one bing drunk on its power and neglecting the fundamentals of swordsmanship. Therefore, the fact that she carried that sword which she would normally never carry was a sign of her unshakable determination to join the uing battle, and to win it.

    Her name was Remedios Custodio.

    She was a close friend of Calca, and as the strongest Captain of the order in history, a feat founded upon her fighting prowess. She was ¡°White¡± of the Nine Colors.

    ¡°Yup, yup. And we¡¯ve also sent all the nobatants off to take shelter so there won¡¯t be casualties among them. Rather, don¡¯t you think the more pressing problem after the war will be the expenses incurred during the fighting?¡±

    The person going ufufufufu in an indecent way was a woman.

    While the shape of her eyes and mouth varied slightly, her face still bore a close resemnce to that of Remedios. However, those faint differences were enough to change the impression others had of her. She always looked like she was plotting something ¡ª or in less polite terms, that she was surrounded by a sinister air.

    She was Remedios¡¯s sister, younger than her by two years, Queralt Custodio.

    She was the high priestess of the temples, and leader of the priesthood.

    It was public knowledge that she could use divine magic of the fourth tier.

    However, that was but a deception; those close to her knew that she could cast fifth tier spells.

    Incidentally, she was not one of the Nine Colors. While the temples were under the Holy Queen, it was government policy not to bestow a Color title on one of their number in order to avoid problems with the bnce of power.

    These sisters were known as the genius Custodio sisters, the twin wings of the Holy Queen.

    Until now, many nobles had their doubts about Calca¡¯s ascension to the throne as a female, and they wondered if she had done something with or to the sisters. Therefore, they often spoke ill of all three of them at the same time.

    While many rumors about them had been cleared up, one particr piece of gossip remained. All three of them were unmarried ¡ª without so much as a male lover ¡ª and so it was said that their rtionship was anything but ordinary. However much Calca denied it, she could not shake herself free of that rumor, and it was a major source of frustration for her.

    ¡°Just hearing that gives me a headache. It¡¯s pretty bad that we won¡¯t stand to gain anything even if we win.¡±

    ¡°Still, they say that the demihumans this time round are outfitted pretty well. Why not sell their gear?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right ¡ª you know I can¡¯t approve of that, nee-sama. Let¡¯s say we wanted to sell their armor ¡ª where would we sell it? You haven¡¯t thought about that, have you? We can only sell them overseas, but demihuman armor isn¡¯t going tomand anything but bargain basement prices. Besides, we ought to avoid strengthening other countries¡¯ arsenals until the destroyed wall is rebuilt. In particr, I hope they don¡¯t fall into the hands of the Sorcerous Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°Huh? You don¡¯t like the Sorcerous Kingdom? I¡¯ve never heard you say that in court, though.¡±

    ¡°No priest would like them. You¡¯re the same way too, right, Calca-sama?¡±

    Calca pondered the matter. As part of the clergy and the Holy Queen, she disliked them. However, as a head of state¡ª

    ¡°¡ªA king¡¯s duty is to love his nation, love his people, and grant them peace. As long as he does that, it should be fine, right?¡±

    The sisters looked at each other in front of Calca.

    ¡°Love? No way. Could an undead being ever think like that?¡±

    ¡°I agree with nee-sama. The undead ¡ª I don¡¯t think they could love like you do, Calca-sama.¡±

    ¡°The two of you are harsh. Still, you can¡¯t just badmouth people without even seeing them, right?¡±

    The puzzled looks on their faces looked very simr. Calca mused that they were siblings after all, and after quelling the smile on her face, her voice turned serious.

    ¡°What did your adjutants say? Queralt, tell me our n for dealing with Jaldabaoth.¡±

    The Holy Queen did not take part in strategy meetings. Instead, she went around the soldiers to boost their morale. While the Holy Kingdom¡¯s troops were better trained than those of other nations, they were ultimately conscripts. It was important to motivate them.

    ¡°Yes. We¡¯re already discussing how to deal with situations where the demihumans encircle this city, bypass it, advance to the south, split up to aplish different objectives, and so on.¡±

    It was times like these that reaffirmed her belief that the sisters were simr, but not alike. If she had asked the elder sister that question, the answer she would get would make her want to grab her head in frustration.

    ¡°I see... then, which possibility do you think is the most likely?¡±

    ¡°Given the invasion path of the demihumans so far, it¡¯s most likely that they will choose to encircle this city. However, there is a problem with that.¡±

    ¡°Mm, yes.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Remedios had not participated in the meetings either, given that she was Calca¡¯s bodyguard. However, the fact that she had not grasped the answer which the Holy Queen had instantly realized was due to another problem.

    ¡°...Nee-sama. I¡¯m talking about the demon who wrought havoc in the Kingdom, Jaldabaoth. While there¡¯s no telling how smart he is, demons are skilled at schemes and trickery. He might adopt a n we did not foresee.¡±

    ¡°I see... the adjutants who have to handle strategy and nning sure have it tough...¡±

    While there was much she wanted to say to the leader of the Pdin Order, Calca resisted the urge to do so

    ¡°...This is quite vexing. Then, if the demihumans encircle this city, what will happen after that? While food supplies are ample, fighting a defensive siege is going to wreak horrors on morale. Have you considered that as well?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Normally, all we would have to do is wait for reinforcements from the south to arrive, but we have reports saying that Jaldabaoth used a mysterious power to destroy the wall in a single blow. As long as that tremendous factor of uncertainty in y...¡±

    The three of them frowned as one.

    Anyone would be upset when they thought of what had happened to the wall, but Calca knew what was going on.

    Remedios was simply imitating what the other two had done.

    Remedios did not like to think, and she was a very stubborn person. That was a w, but it was also the reason that she could embody absolute justice.

    The nature of justice was difficult to contemte. For instance, imagine if there were two children, one human and one demihuman. Being pure and innocent, they became friends. However, if the demihuman child was discovered by adults, he would be locked up, and the human child would plead for his life. However, if they let the demihuman child go, he might grow up to be a threat to humanity. Was killing the demihuman child just or unjust? This was not a question that could be easily answered.

    Calca would have spared him without any hesitation.

    Remedios, however, would kill him without any doubts. In addition, she would insist that she was righteous, and not feel a shred of guilt about it. In her heart, anything she did for the sake of the nation and people was eptable.

    When she took the throne of the Holy Queen, Calca had dered to her two close friends, ¡°I will grant happiness to the smallfolk, and make a country where nobody will cry.¡± In response, she had said, ¡°I will support you and uphold your just cause.¡± With that pledge in her heart, she was more forthright than anyone else, her heart filled with conviction, and the light in her eyes was like that of a fanatic.

    Someone like that was clearly dangerous, yet Calca did not distance herself from her friend. The righteous impulses of loving others, loving peace, hating evil, and the desire to aid the weak were all things she ought to wee.

    And it was because of that nature of hers that what she thought and what she did were the same. Because she did not think about her words, everything she said came from her heart.

    Any organization ¡ª particrly those that had stood for a long time ¡ª would be sluggish due to worries and cares. In addition, their original purity of purpose would tarnish and grow dim.

    Since power rested in the hand of one person, it was only natural that power struggles would take ce. Even if a victor was decided, the battle against suspicion, jealousy, and fear would continue, until one side eventually perished.

    Calca had been freed from this curse halfway though. That was because she had attained magical power that ranked highly even whenpared to the past generations of Holy Kings. Others haduded her for it, and her heart was at ease. Therefore, Calca could put aside her mental preparations to take the throne of the Holy Queen, but her brothers did not feel the same way.

    There was only one elder brother among her rtives whom she could trust: Caspond.

    Since she lived like this all this time, Remedios was a spiritual oasis for Calca.

    ¡°Umu. Such unbelievable power makes me think of the might of the Demon Gods from the stories.¡±

    ¡°Nee-sama, even the Demon Gods weren¡¯t this powerful. For all we know, Jaldabaoth might be a being superior to the Demon Gods.¡±

    ¡°...What a pain. Then how shall we beat him?¡±

    ¡°What are you worrying about, Calca-sama! They say he was defeated by the adamantite ranked adventurers of the Kingdom. Don¡¯t you think we could do the same too?¡±

    ¡°...That is true. If adventurersparable to us could do it... but the problem now lies in whether or not Jaldabaoth can repeatedly use that power which brought down the wall.¡±

    ¡°On that note, the adjutants feel that given the wall was only struck once, he ought to have problems using it in session.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s understandable. If he could use it repeatedly, then he could have just done so. He didn¡¯t because he could only attack once.¡±

    Calca agreed with Remedios¡¯s opinion. If there was a way to do it, there was no reason not to repeatedly use that attack.

    It was the same with Calca. She lightly stroked the crown she wore. It was a magic item that was the binding focus for the grand ritual spell that had been passed down through the Holy Kingdom, the ¡¸Last Holy War¡¹.

    ¡°...Well, we can conscript high ranking adventurers, the kind who are used to defeating monsters and the like, as part of mobilizing our people. If we muster up our full fighting power, Jaldabaoth¡¯s hardly an unbeatable foe. The fact is, he¡¯s already been defeated once before.¡±

    The Adventurer¡¯s Guild had strongly protested the conscription of adventurers into the army, but Calca had not revoked her order. It was only to be expected ¡ª this was a matter of national importance, and splitting their strength was foolish in the extreme. In addition, the Adventurer¡¯s Guild was hardly as powerful as the Holy Kingdom itself, so forcing them to obey was a simple task.

    ¡°That¡¯s true. Though I guess we failed in that we didn¡¯t gain detailed intelligence about Jaldabaoth¡¯s activities in the Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°I apologize for that.¡±

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t mean that, Queralt. You¡¯re not at fault. The me lies with me, since I didn¡¯t pay attention to news about other countries.¡±

    ¡°Certainly not, Calca-sama. It¡¯s definitely Queralt¡¯s fault.¡±

    ¡°Nee-sama...¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s certainly not my fault. I did my job by protecting Calca-sama and clearing away monsters! I didn¡¯t mess up in my job. That¡¯s what they call making appropriate use of talent!¡±

    Remedios puffed up her chest and hmphed in triumph.

    She was correct to say so. That said, it still bothered her.

    ¡°...Could it be that Jaldabaoth was behind those incidents where all the people from several viges went missing?¡±

    ¡°That might be the case...¡±

    Some time ago, the residents of quite a few viges had all gone missing. In the end, they had not managed to collect any information pointing to a culprit, but it was possible that Jaldabaoth was pulling the strings behind the scenes.

    ¡°In that case, we need to sort this out before we defeat Jaldabaoth. Speaking of which, if only the Kingdom had properly finished him off, we wouldn¡¯t have had trouble like this... did Gazef Stronoff fight him?¡±

    Queralt looked at Calca with a puzzled look on her face.

    Her eyes seemed to be asking, Didn¡¯t you tell Nee-sama about it? Therefore, Calca gave her an answer whichid those doubts to rest, and then she smiled tiredly.

    Tranted, it meant, Of course I told her. I told her about how Jaldabaoth attacked the Royal Capital, how the adventurers defeated Jaldabaoth, the other demons that appeared, and how the Warrior-Captain defeated them all. I told her everything... so it must have been squeezed out by other things and gone in one ear and out the other.

    ¡°...I really feel sorry for Nee-sama¡¯s Vice-Captains.¡±

    ¡°Hm? Why are you talking about them all of a sudden?¡±

    Queralt did not answer that question, instead curling a lock of hair around her finger.

    Since Remedios did not do any thinking, then there had to be someone to cover her ass. That would be them.

    She could keenly appreciate the suffering they went through. However, Remedios¡¯s innocence ¡ª or stupidity, if one were not inclined to be polite ¡ª also had a healing effect on the soul, so the positives and negatives cancelled each other out.

    ¡°...Hah. I only know the rough details, but apparently, he fought with another demon, which was covered in scales.¡±

    ¡°Really now. Well, if he had defeated Jaldabaoth, things wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this. Or don¡¯t tell me those adamantite ranked adventurers are stronger than him?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure about that, but I think that might be the case.¡±

    Remedios frowned in distaste.

    She was probably unhappy because someone whose strength she had acknowledged was being slighted by someone else.

    ¡°Well, all he knows is how to use a sword. If he had anti-demon attacks like we do, things would probably have been different.

    In pure fighting power, pdins were a notch below warriors. However, that was not the case when fighting evil beings. Remedios was right, but Queralt still sighed quietly.

    Just then, Calca imagined that she had heard the sound of bells.

    Remedios immediately sprang into action. At times like this, she was still the first to act.

    She flung open the windows.

    The early autumn air flowed in, and the air warmed by their three bodies flowed out.

    The bracing, cool air brought with it the sound of ringing bells. That was proof that what she had heard earlier was not a ghost sound caused by her ears ringing. No, it would have been much better if she had just misheard things.

    At the same time, she heard the sound of several footsteps from the hallway.

    ¡°Calca-sama, please stand behind me.¡±

    Remedios quickly drew the holy sword Safalrisia and moved up, putting herself between Calca and the door.

    The door opened with a pon.

    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±

    She recognized the first man to enter the room as he shouted at the top of his voice ¡ª he was the chief of staff.

    ¡°What happened? Why are you in such a rush?¡±

    Remedios¡¯s voice carried a hint of rebuke, and the chief of staff replied in a clearly disconcerted tone.

    ¡°There was no time to slowly walk over! Your Majesty! It¡¯s Jaldabaoth! Jaldabaoth¡¯s appeared inside the city! He¡¯s begun destroying the city with many demons in tow! Also, the demihumans have made their move! It looks like they¡¯re advancing on this ce!¡±

    ¡°What did you say!?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve sighted the demihuman army in the vicinity. We don¡¯t know how they deceived our sentries, but we were fed false information! The fighting¡¯s going to start any moment now!¡±

    While the sudden excess of information confused her, thatsted for only a second. Calca immediately resumed her queenly demeanor and gave orders.

    ¡°While this is a great departure from our ns, we will beginbat with Jaldabaoth now. While we stall him, prepare to engage the demihuman army. Convey my orders to the adventurers!¡±

    As she heard her subordinate¡¯s words, the doubts in Calca¡¯s heart flooded back again.

    Had she underestimated Jaldabaoth?

    Of course, she had no intention of underestimating the demon who could easily destroy the wall. But was the feeling that she could beat him a mistake in itself? Would it not have been better to fall back until they had finished learning about their enemy?

    No. Calca waved away the budding weakness in her heart.

    If they did not fight now, then when would they fight? While it was important to know the enemy, now was the only chance they had to strike with all their might. After this, the attrition of battle would deplete their resources, and it would be more and more difficult to muster the power they couldmand now.

    In addition, continuously retreating until they hadpleted their intelligence-gathering operations was essentially permitting their country to be trampled underfoot.

    If that were the case, an unimaginable number of her citizens would end up suffering.

    ¡°...I will let the smallfolk live their days in happiness, and make this a country where nobody will be hurt.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, Calca-sama!¡±

    All smiles, Remedios followed up on Calca¡¯s self-directed mutterings.

    However, those were words she had spoken in the past, before she knew the truth of the world. Things being what they were now, it seemed a nigh-impossible aim to achieve.

    ¡°Hmph! He¡¯s gotten cocky now that he¡¯s crossed the wall, but to think he didn¡¯t bring his demihuman army with him!¡± Remedios fumed angrily.

    Was it really like that? No, it ought to have been that way. Yet, she could not peel away the undeniable sense that something was wrong which coiled around her heart.

    ¡°...Don¡¯t lower your guard, okay? Is this the way you ought to be treating an opponent of such power?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Calca-sama! I don¡¯t intend to be careless at all! With this holy sword, I shall relieve the demon of his head and present it to you!¡±

    No good. I can¡¯t calm her down any more.

    That was what Calca thought, but she was not worried about her. That was because Remedios was a different person when she stepped onto the battlefield.

    ¡°Ahh~ there¡¯s no need to bother with the head, but your loyalty makes me very happy. In that case, regarding the n to defeat Jaldabaoth... can you buy us some time?¡±

    ¡°But of course. Your servant has already dispatched an advance force to carry out our ns.¡±

    At that moment, Calca felt a dull ache in her heart. That was because carrying out that order was actually sending them out to die. The soldiers would be going out to fight Jaldabaoth, despite having no chance of victory.

    One of her duties as a monarch was to trade the lives of the few for the survival of the many. Therefore, she could not weep or wail here. The soldiers were giving their lives for her, so she would need to put on a show to convince them that this was a glorious assignment.

    She would have to y the part of the supreme queen, the Holy Queen who was respected above all others.

    ¡°In that case, let¡¯s head out!¡±

    The ringing p of her hands was the signal for everyone to make their move.

    <b>Part 4</b>

    Remedios gripped her holy sword and shed a demon ¡ª her Vice-Captains had told her its name, but she hadpletely forgotten it ¡ª in half. Imbued with holy power, the de could inflict grievous wounds upon evil beings, and it was doing so to great effect. She had cut down the demons rampaging through the city one after the other. The fallen demons vanished as thick white smoke steamed from their wounds. Within seconds, there was no trace that the demons had ever been there.

    However, the signs of how the demons had ravaged the city remained.

    ¡°How could this be!?¡±

    She looked at a fallen soldier ¡ª not one of the vanguard troopers, but a local patrolman ¡ª and Remedios bellowed in rage.

    His leather armor had been cleanly severed, and the hands clutching his abdomen were stained a deep red. She could even see the pink of his innards. His face was well past the point of paleness, now a bloodless white.

    While she had almost no medical knowledge, her own experiences supplied enough information for her to make a judgement. There was no time to send the wounded soldiers back to a casualty collection point. She would need to treat them on the spot with magic.

    The soldiers were not yet dead, but it was neither a miraculous survival, nor was it because the soldiers were simply that good, so was this the demons¡¯ aim? That said, she had no idea what the demons were nning.

    Still, the option to simply let the soldiers die did not exist in Remedios¡¯s heart. Nobody would ever discard the brave soldiers who had chosen to be a shield for their nation in order to buy their country time. And the most important thing was that she was a pdin of righteousness.

    ¡°Begin healing him!¡±

    Remedios was apanied not just by the elite pdins behind her, but also by several priests. Her order was directed at them.

    In response, one of her Vice-Captains stepped up and whispered in her ear:

    ¡°Would it not be better to let the medics in the rear aid him? If we use the priests¡¯ mana here, we might run out when fighting Jaldabaoth, which might be the demons¡¯ aim¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªAhhhh, you talk too much! This is an order! Heal him to the point where he can move on his own! Also¡ª¡±

    At this point, Remedios nced at the adjutant beside her and said:

    ¡°¡ªI can¡¯t hear you muttering through your helmet, so speak up!¡±

    ¡°Ah, no, it¡¯s fine...¡±

    ¡°Very good!¡±

    The healing magic mended the soldiers¡¯ wounds swiftly. Of course, the recovery was notplete. After all, this was only a first tier spell, and it could not fully restore a soldier on the verge of death. Even so, it was enough to heal the soldiers to the point where they could stagger around. Since the soldiers were no longer in danger of dying, there was no need to heal them any further. Remedios still remembered her sister¡¯s incessant nagging to wisely use limited resources.

    ¡°You brave gentlemen, stay that way and listen. We¡¯ve performed first aid on your wounds, so fall back. After that, let the medics at the rear tend to you.¡±

    The pain of walking was probably enough to drive the soldiers to tears. However, she no longer had the time to hear them out. She had to reach her destination before Jaldabaoth arrived.

    The soldiers also sensed the meaning in Remedios¡¯s powerful gaze. None of them spoke up or protested; they simply agreed with each other.

    ¡°All right! Then let¡¯s meet againter!¡±

    Remedios broke into a sprint at the head of her troops. Her metal armor was lighter and easier to move in than it appeared, and given her physical abilities, she could reach her destination faster than anyone else. However, her sister, Calca and her adjutants often told her, ¡°Don¡¯t charge in by yourself all the time!¡± so Remedios throttled back the desire to sprint with all her might and quashed the desire to make up for lost time.

    Soon, Remedios reached her destination, which was a corner of the city.

    The streets spread out before them. The evacuation had beenpleted long ago, and so there was nobody there.

    ¡°Captain, if we follow this avenue and turn right, then turn right again, we¡¯ll be at the za where we¡¯ll be awaiting Jaldabaoth. Do you want us to scout ahead?¡±

    ¡°No, wait for Calca-sama and my sister ¡ª and the adventurers. After that, make your final checks and then hoist the banner high!¡±

    Obeying Remedios¡¯s orders, her subordinates tied a g to a distant building. This was to inform the other units that the elite pdins led by Remedios had arrived.

    Their operation would involve Calca and her personal guard, Queralt and the pick of the temples, high ranking adventurers, and a squad of Remedios¡¯s elite pdins. The four units had split up and then headed to Jaldabaoth¡¯s location.

    There were roughly five hundred pdins in the order. Most of them wereparable to difficulty twenty monsters, and among them were great warriors capable of ying a difficulty sixty monster one on one. All in all, there were twenty five of these ultra-elite warriors, who formed the core of Remedios¡¯s forces.

    Incidentally, the remaining three hundred-odd pdins were currently standing watch on the city walls against the advancing demihumans.

    Originally, they should have formed up into a single group and moved out as one. However, Jaldabaoth possessed an area-attack ability that could bring down the wall, so they had chosen to split up in order to avoid being destroyed when their forces were concentrated. The reason why they had hung the g in the distance was so that even if Jaldabaoth saw the g and attacked it, it would not hamper the rest of the group.

    ¡°Can Jaldabaoth¡¯s wall-breaking attack be used more than once, Isandro?¡±

    There were two Vice-Captains in the Pdin Order.

    One of them was an average swordsman, but excelled in other areas, and his name was Gustavo Montanjes. Right now, he was directing the pdins who were reinforcing the city walls, so he was not here.

    There was another, who currently stood by Remedios¡¯s side. The person to whom Remedios addressed her question was one of the Nine Colors as well, Isandro Sanchez, called ¡°the Pink.¡±

    ¡°If he could use it multiple times, then I have no idea why he has not done so already. It might make more sense to consider that there might be some condition or some kind of dy until he can use it again.¡±

    ¡°Pretty much. I guess splitting up was being too paranoid.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing of the sort. Perhaps he¡¯s conserving his strength in order to bring forth some great power. We mustn¡¯t be careless.¡±

    ¡°Yes yes, I know.¡±

    Remedios broke off their conversation. She was not suited to thinking, after all.

    Politics in particr made her head ache. She waspletely baffled by the reason why the nobles frowned upon the fact that a woman had ascended to the throne of the Holy Queen.

    They felt the same about Calca¡¯s title, which was thebination of Holy King and Woman. They protested both the fact that they had a woman leading them and that a new term had to be coined for her.

    On that note, it would be simpler to understand if it was just a matter of who was stronger or weaker.

    ¡°¡ªCaptain Custodio, the priest contingent and the adventurers have raised their gs.¡±

    ¡°How about Calca-sama?¡±

    ¡°Not yet.¡±

    ¡°Is that so... well, it¡¯s about time to start casting longer-duration defensive spells. Once Calca-sama arrives, we¡¯ll advance on Jaldabaoth first and act as bait to draw his attention. Keep your will strong and beware any special attacks the enemy has.¡±

    ¡°No movement from the za.¡±

    They had confirmed that the advance force had been wiped out, and if their target had shifted location, the adventurers responsible for reconnaissance would have told them. If there was no news from them, that meant Jaldabaoth had not moved from the za where he had appeared.

    ¡°He¡¯s looking down on us, that miserable little demon. Probably thinks that if he can kill us all here, he can conquer the country easily.¡±

    ¡°No, Captain. It¡¯s also likely that he¡¯s trying to stall for time. If we¡¯re pinned down here fighting Jaldabaoth, the demihuman army will be able to win elsewhere.¡±

    ¡°...I see. So that¡¯s possible too... this Jaldabaoth is pretty smart, huh.¡±

    ¡°I think he¡¯s good at scheming because he¡¯s a demon.¡±

    ¡°...Hmph. He¡¯s just a demon who¡¯s gotten full of himself, I¡¯ll beat him like a dog and make him weep bitterly.¡±

    Just as Remedios swore that to the gods, the final g went up, as though it were waiting for that moment.

    ¡°Vice-Captain!¡±

    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am! Everyone, we¡¯re moving out!¡±

    ¡°All right! Follow me!¡±

    Remedios began to run, determined to bury her sword in that demon¡¯s face.

    She turned a corner, ran again, then turned a corner once more.

    And so, she saw a suspicious-looking person, standing in the middle of a za painted bright red and strewn with the bodies of the fallen. A tail protruded from that person¡¯s waist.

    His description was almost identical to the one provided by the fleeing soldiers.

    He did not have bat-like wings or curled horns, and the only sign that he was inhuman was his tail. From that point of view, he was little more than a man in a mask.

    However¡ª

    ¡°Are you Jaldabaoth!?¡±

    ¡°Red ca ¡ª whoa!¡±

    An acrid stench filled the air as they entered the za, that of blood and burst innards. There was a sound of squelching meat as she stepped in, but she was no longer concerned about such things. All that remained was charging with all her might and swinging her sword.

    Her irritation built as Jaldabaoth effortlessly avoided her, and she swung again.

    That too was evaded.

    Remedios knew that however much time she put into her studies, she would never be able to excel in academics. For that reason, she spent all her time on improving her fighting skills instead, because she understood that she was more talented in that field. Thus, she had be known as the greatest warrior of this nation.

    And now, the instincts of the pdin Remedios Custodio were screaming to her.

    Jaldabaoth¡¯s evasion was not a coincidence. He put on a show of conceit because he had the strength to back it up. Few human beings could keep up with the battle that was about to take ce, and she would need to further enhance herself with magic.

    Remedios¡¯s instincts had never failed her at times like these.

    ¡°Fall back! All of you fall back! ¡ªNo, form a cordon! This demon¡¯s strong!¡±

    Saying so, she backed away with her men. Her subordinates retreated further than her, but she could not go too far away. At most, she could move four meters back, at a range where she could take a single step and then cut him down.

    Jaldabaoth rounded his shoulders.

    ¡°Haaa... what a bullish girl you are. What is it? Could it be you¡¯ve seen something red?¡±

    Remedios ignored the demon¡¯s yful words, and the troops led by Queralt and Calca appeared in her field of vision. Shocked by the sight of Remedios engaged with Jaldabaoth, they made haste.

    Jaldabaoth turned to face Calca, exposing his defenseless back to Remedios. However ¡ª her instincts told her that Jaldabaoth might just be waiting for her to attack him from behind, and so she froze.

    ¡°You two! He¡¯s very strong! If you don¡¯t pull your men back, they¡¯ll only die for nothing!¡±

    The two of them immediately responded to Remedios¡¯s shout, and they were the only ones to step forward.

    Remedios kept her distance from Jaldabaoth while circling around him until she stood in front of the two of them.

    ¡°Remedios, please don¡¯t push yourself.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s right, nee-sama. Shouldn¡¯t you take him on with everyone at once?¡±

    Her eyes had not moved from Jaldabaoth even as she listened to their quiet words from behind her. Perhaps he was nning to unleash that wall-breaking power of his; if he made a move, she would dash up and hack him down.

    However, Jaldabaoth showed no sign of doing so.

    His rxed attitude made Remedios unhappy.

    I must, I have to strike him down!

    ¡°So you are Jaldabaoth?¡±

    Jaldabaoth¡¯s shrug in response to Calca¡¯s question only intensified her displeasure. Every little thing that demon did only served to make her mad.

    ¡°Indeed. ...Your ve charged right at me without saying a word. What would she have done if it was a case of mistaken identity? Well, it does interest me that there are savages in the Holy Kingdom who are incapable of speech. Ah, just to be sure, may I ask if you are the reigning Holy King?¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to tell him your name, Calca-sama.¡±

    Remedios levelled the point of her sword at Jaldabaoth.

    ¡°All you need to know is that he¡¯s Jaldabaoth, and all we need to do after that is kill him and send him back to hell. Talking with him is just going to taint your tongue¡ª¡±

    ¡°A-Ah, Remedios. We¡¯re talking...¡±

    Calca¡¯s puzzled words made Remedios tilt her head. Had she said something about this earlier?

    Queralt seemed to have a spell from the rear, because a surge of heat zed up within her body, apanied by incredible strength. Her attack from just now had been evaded, but now she was confident that she could strike him in this state. At this point, Remedios thought, So that¡¯s it, because talking to him was meant to buy them time.

    ¡°¡ªStill, I am magnanimous, so I shall chat with you for a while. Do you have any questions?¡±

    Jaldabaoth pressed at the eye region of his mask, a motion Remedios had seen Calca, Queralt, and her Vice-Captains perform many times in the past.

    ¡°...Also, please, prepare yourselves until you are satisfied. The sight of you ¡ª who are desperately preparing yourselves to defeat me ¡ª being trampled and your lives taken by a power which surpasses even that; truly it is a sight to evoke ever greater despair in those who witness it with their own eyes. ¡ªWhat a wonderful sight it will be.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t let that happen!¡±

    ¡°Sorry, Remedios, but could you quiet down for a bit?¡±

    There was a hint of steel in Calca¡¯s voice, and Remedios shut up. It was merely a slight change of tone, but from experience, Remedios knew that Calca was angry.

    ¡°Remedios, step back for a bit.¡±

    ¡°But, but if I move back, I won¡¯t be able to cut him down if he does anything weird...¡±

    ¡°Ah, that is fine. I will not attack until we finish speaking, or until youunch an attack of your own.¡±

    ¡°As if we could believe what a demon say¡ª¡±

    ¡°Remedios!¡±

    ¡°¡ªUnderstood.¡±

    Remedios fell back as ordered, and her sister whispered to her through her helmet.

    ¡°Calca-sama is trying to learn more from the opposition. You need to ignore what that demon says and bear with it.¡±

    Muu, Remedios grimaced, her face seemingly saying, I¡¯m not happy with this.

    Their opponent was a demon. That being the case, they ought to consider that everything he said was probably a lie. Rushing in and cutting him up would save effort and brain cells. However, impeding her mistress was a betrayal of her loyalty. Thus, she had grit her teeth and endure this.

    ¡°Now then, Demon Emperor Jaldabaoth. I have some things to ask you. Why have youe here? If you wish to trample this country, why not move with the demihuman army from the fortress? Or could it be¡ª¡±

    ¡°...Ah, you need say no more. I can imagine what you wish to say. It would seem you are mistaken. The reason I havee here alone is not to parley with you.¡±

    A quiet ¡°I see,¡± came from Calca, who was standing behind Remedios. She sounded clearly disappointed.

    ¡°There are two reasons why I havee here alone. The first is because crushing you by myself will deepen your despair that much morepared to if you were in in a chaotic battle with the demihuman forces. The other reason is ¡ª in order to avoid making the same mistakes as from the Kingdom. I had not expected to meet a warrior there who was as powerful as myself. Therefore, the fact that I havee here alone is to see if there is a beingparable to me.¡±

    ¡°There might be, you know?¡±

    ¡°Of this I am certain ¡ª there are none. That is why I have given you all this time. If anyone like that did exist, they would be in this city ¡ª by the side of you, the most important person in this nation. Yet, I have not found anyone like that. That includes those snivelling rats hiding themselves away.¡±

    ¡°You bastard! Are you saying we¡¯re weaker than that warrior!?¡±

    Remedios could not pretend she had not heard those words, and they made her forget her forbearance and shout in anger. Calca and her sister¡¯s words were already halfway out of her head, but the order not to cut him down just barely held on.

    ¡°That is exactly what I am saying. Did you not hear me? Is that all you wish to know, Holy Queen-sama?¡±

    ¡°While there¡¯s one more thing ¡ª Angels, advance!¡±

    Calca¡¯s powerful voice filled the za, and the angels in the perimeter and hidden among the priests spread their wings and took flight.

    There were five angels who held swords of fire, summoned through third tier spells ¡ª Archangel mes. There were twenty more summoned through second tier spells, Angel Guardians. And then, there was a single angel which Calca had summoned before arriving here ¡ª a Principality of Peace.

    While she did not remember what powers the angels possessed, she remembered that the Principality of Peace which Calca summoned could use low tier divine spells and could use abilities such as the ability to grant protection from evil, smite evil, and cause mass silence, among others. That was because she had often seen Calca summon it.

    Sensing the murderous intent around her, Remedios understood that she no longer needed to hold back, and so she charged. Normally, the priests would have supported her with attack spells, but there were none. Perhaps they were conserving mana to summon angels.

    Remedios activated a skill from one of her job sses, Evil yer. The divine power within her holy sword intensified.

    In that moment, five adventurers suddenly appeared behind Jaldabaoth. They must have used invisibility magic to close in on him. She did not know why they had suddenly be visible. While she knew that there was a spell called ¡¸Invisibility¡¹, she had no idea what sort of spell it was or how it could be negated.

    Jaldabaoth did not respond to the adventurers who had suddenly appeared. No ¡ª it did not seem like he had even noticed them.

    At that moment, she wondered if she had been mistaken about the aura of intimidation from Jaldabaoth. Or rather, was this just an illusion or a copy, and the original was not here?

    No ¡ª she denied thetter deduction. That could not be. Her instincts ¡ª her ability to sniff out evil ¡ª told her that Jaldabaoth was right there.

    The adventurers looked shocked, and shed at Jaldabaoth in a panic. Just as she thought that their weapons would be able to reach him, Jaldabaoth sprouted a set of strange wings behind him. They impaled the adventurers who had tried to attack him from behind.

    Perhaps the frothy blood he was coughing up was because he had been stabbed in the chest and blood was flowing into his lungs, but with hisst trace of life, a single adventurer swung his weapon down on Jaldabaoth.

    However, Jaldabaoth let the strikes rain down on him, with no sign he had been harmed.

    Since they were here, those adventurers ought to have been quite skilled. It was only reasonable to assume that they would be wielding holy-elemental weapons as part of their preparations. Even so, they could not leave a mark on him, showing that this demon was quite a highly ranked being.

    In the few moments that it took the battle conditions to change, the charging Remedios screamed Yeeart! and shed down diagonally with her holy sword.

    Jaldabaoth hopped one step back, and those tentacle-like ¡ª no, they probably were tentacles ¡ª wings threw the perforated adventurers at her.

    She had no intention of taking it head-on.

    She took her left hand off her sword¡¯s hilt, beating them all aside ¡ª

    ¡°¡¸¡ªFlow eleration¡¹.¡±

    ¡ªthen activated a martial art, stepped forward, and thrust.

    The holy sword stabbing in at Jaldabaoth¡¯s throat was blocked by a set of suddenly-sprouted ws¡ª

    ¡°¡¸Holy Strike¡¹!¡±

    She infused the holy power within her sword into the ws in the instant they made contact.

    This was an elementary technique for pdins, and it was originally intended to be used in the moment one¡¯s de bit into a foe¡¯s flesh, but that did not mean it could not be used as a touch attack. Since most of the divine power simply exploded on the surface, it would not do much harm, but she had still used it anyway. That was because in the moment that the adventurers had been killed, her instincts as a pdin ¡ª which her little sister called an animal instinct ¡ª screamed that she needed to show that they could still resist Jaldabaoth, and prevent the morale of the surrounding soldiers from falling.

    ¡°I see...¡±

    The Angels jammed themselves in between Remedios and Jaldabaoth as thetter was backing off. Theyunched their attack while floating at roughly head height.

    ¡°Tch,¡± Remedios clicked her tongue.

    The metallic sound that rang out as her holy sword made contact with Jaldabaoth¡¯s ws showed how hard those ws were. In addition, the fact that he could easily evade a blow from her magically-enhanced self ¡ª although in a somewhat clumsy fashion ¡ª showed how high his physical abilities were.

    There were only a few people who could contend with such a mighty being. While the angels summoned through third and second tier spells usually excelled at ying monsters, they only served to get in the way during this battle. In particr, the greaves of the angels floating back and forth were an eyesore.

    ¡°¡¸Prate Magic ¨C Holy Ray¡¹.¡±

    Her sister cast a spell. However, it vanished before Jaldabaoth¡¯s face like it had been deflected.

    ¡°¡¸Twin Prate Magic ¨C Holy Ray¡¹.¡±

    Calca emitted two rays of light. She was probably thinking that it would be fine as long as one of them could pierce Jaldabaoth¡¯s spell immunity, but unfortunately her attack was ultimately as ineffective as her sister¡¯s.

    That meant he possessed very high magic resistance. In other words¡ª

    I need to give it my all!

    She shouted a battle cry to fire herself up.

    ¡°Use your head and let the angels fight! There¡¯s no point in this!¡±

    The fact was that even though the angels had the advantage of height and surrounded him on all sides, Jaldabaoth was still quiteposed. But that was only natural. Even after being surrounded by so many people, not a single attack had hit Jaldabaoth.

    The adventurers ran over to collect theirrades who had fallen by Remedios¡¯s feet. While their immobile bodies were clearly dead, they still believed in the faint probability that it might nor be so.

    ¡°...How bothersome. Even if they are nothing more than insects, a swarm of them is still unpleasant.¡±

    Jaldabaoth sounded perfectlyposed.

    Indeed, being able to negate the spells cast on him from the rear and perfectly evade physical attacks made him seem overwhelmingly superior. However¡ª

    Do you think we¡¯ve never fought enemies like this before?

    Unless their summoners were specialists, summoned monsters were generally weaker than the ones who called them forth. Therefore, there were cases where angels¡¯ attacks ended up being useless.

    Against a powerful foe, the best way to use angels was¡ª

    The airborne angels rushed Jaldabaoth as one. They did not use their swords, but tackled him.

    ¡ªTo hinder their opponents¡¯ movements in this fashion.

    It was quite effective.

    Perhaps he was starting to grow tense, but Jaldabaoth went on the offensive, and a single swipe of his ws caused several angels to vanish into nothingness.

    However, the angels from behind filled the gap, continuing the attack in ce of their absent fellows.

    This was the frightening thing about summoned monsters. Since they were beings that did not die even when they were killed, they could be fully utilized in this fashion.

    The angels came like a ferocious waterfall, without rest or respite, and Jaldabaoth¡¯s flowing counterattacks left Remedios staring in awe. However¡ª

    That¡¯s carelessness on your part!

    Remedios had moved subtly to step into an opening in Jaldabaoth¡¯s defense, a fatal w that was exposed when he was on guard against the angelsing from above.

    ¡°¡ªWhat!?¡±

    ¡°Yeeart!¡±

    She activated a skill, and then her martial arts, using her holy sword to strike a blow with all her might.

    She had chosen to conserve the greatest power of her holy sword because her instincts told her that then was not the time for that powerful move, which could only be used once a day.

    Stricken by the mightiest blow she could muster apart from that move, Jaldabaoth flew back as though he was being smashed to the horizon, until he crashed into a store on the other side of the za.

    Remedios looked down at the hands which held her de.

    ¡°¡ªOh crap.¡±

    ¡°Nee-sama! You did it!¡±

    She shouted angrily in response to her little sister¡¯s excited exmation.

    ¡°It¡¯s not over yet! How could he have flown so far!?¡±

    ¡°Given your brute strength, I think it¡¯s possible, Nee-sama...¡±

    ¡°He flew out by himself!¡±

    Indeed, not only had she allowed Jaldabaoth to escape the encirclement, she had even given him the chance to hide in a house.

    The reason why they could take on enemies like Jaldabaoth was because they could encircle their opponent and force them to face many people at once. Allowing him to hide in a cramped home was too dangerous.

    In addition, Jaldabaoth¡¯s actions would change now. It was possible he would stop ying around now.

    ¡°Remedios! What should we do?¡± Calca shouted.

    Usually, Remedios would ask and then Calca would answer, but now the opposite was the case. During battle, she was better able to make the right choice than the other two.

    ¡°Demolish the house without going near it!¡±

    After hearing that, the priests cast attack spells one after the other.

    They copsed the house in short order. However, it was hard to believe Jaldabaoth had been crushed under the falling debris. Even Remedios in her enchanted armor could survive that much unless she was very unlucky. Also¡ª

    Remedios looked down at her de, which was unstained by blood.

    Could he have rolled with that blow just by flying away? Had he used a martial art like ¡¸Fortress¡¹ or something? Or was it a demon-only skill? There were many possibilities for that, but things would be troublesome if she could not see through it.

    Amidst the sounds of destruction, the neighboring houses crumbled under the area-effect spells. Dirt and dust filled the air, and she could not help coughing.

    ¡°Say, Remedios, why hasn¡¯t Jaldabaothe out yet?¡±

    ¡°...Nee-sama, could it be he¡¯s already escaped by teleportation?¡±

    That demon, who spoke so arrogantly? I can¡¯t imagine he¡¯d escape without being hurt...

    ¡°...We ought to use fire. Pour on the oil and ignite it. May I ask you to bless it, Calca-sama?¡±

    ¡°Nee-sama, are we going to conduct the ritual of Holy Fire? Doing so to harm an opponent... is that really what a pdin ought to be doing?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, if Remedios thinks that¡¯s the best way, then we¡¯ll go with it. No, we should do it. Since he¡¯s a demon, there¡¯s no reason he won¡¯t be hurt.¡±

    Many demons were resistant to fire, but the Holy Fire was of the holy element, and fire resistance was only half as effective against it.

    ¡°Then, Calca-sama, the preparations for the ritual¡ª¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have time for that. Please use the simplified version.¡±

    Calca looked straight ahead as she said that, and from the corner of Remedios¡¯s eye, she saw her little sister wondering if she should go ¡°But that¡ª¡±

    Simplifying the Holy Fire ritual spell would ce a great deal of strain on the user¡¯s body. This was not something which she, as one of Calca¡¯s subordinates charged with keeping her safe, ought to rmend. However, it would be even worse if they gave Jaldabaoth time.

    ¡°If you think this is the best way, then we¡¯ll do it. However, if I perform it by myself, I won¡¯t be able to help you after that. Please keep that in mind... Then, can you light the fire right away?¡±

    ¡°Understo¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªKukuku. My, this is quite vexing.¡±

    Suddenly, Jaldabaoth¡¯s voice issued from the pile of debris.

    ¡°Nee-sama!¡±

    ¡°I know!¡±

    Remedios immediately stood in front of Calca and readied her sword.

    Jaldabaoth had been buried under the house after all. Therefore, bringing up the Holy Fire attack just then was the right choice. They had not thought that he might have lost consciousness because of the shock of being buried under the fallen house.

    ¡°It would seem that it is time for me to get serious.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Then we should have done it earlier. I¡¯ll wait, so why don¡¯t you show me your power? ...Calca-sama, Queralt, get back.¡±

    Remedios whispered her directions to the other two. At the same time, Remedios fell back as well, allowing the resummoned angels to form a wall along the path between themselves and Jaldabaoth.

    ¡°Oh yes. In that case, please get back. It would be quite disappointing if you were to die from my shockwave.¡±

    The copsed pile of timbers and bricks swelled up. As they copsed to the ground, something massive slowly stood up from among them.

    ¡°...Jaldabaoth?¡± Remedios could not help muttering under her breath.

    That was because he lookedpletely different from the previous Jaldabaoth. It made her wonder if he had changed ces with another demon. However, there could not be many demons who looked like that.

    Indeed, that was Jaldabaoth. That was Jaldabaoth¡¯s true form.

    It pped its fiery wings, and mes burned at the end of its long tail. Its brawny, frightening arms were also on fire. Its wicked face bore a wrathful expression.

    ¡°Priests, order the angels to charge!¡±

    Obeying Calca¡¯s order, the priestsmanded their summoned angels to rush in. Jaldabaoth did not strike back at the angels as they swung down with their weapons, it simply endured the blows in silence. Even though it was surrounded and pounded, it did not seem hurt in the slightest. It looked just like a horde of children trying to hit a fully armored pdin with sticks.

    ¡°This is my true nature.¡±

    Jaldabaoth spoke in a coarse, basso profundo voice that seemed to shake the pits of their stomachs. It took a step forward, and the mass of angels pressing against it were forced back.

    It ignored every single attack the angels made as it slowly raised its me-wreathed hands, and then clenched them into fists. Its fiery form resembled a red-hot volcanic bomb.

    ¡°Now, you foolish and bothersome insects ¡ª disappear.¡±

    With a bang, the angels which should have been in front of Remedios vanished.

    Jaldabaoth had punched with extraordinary speed, and even Remedios¡¯s trained motion vision could not capture a single frame of its movement. Just that single hit was enough to exterminate all the angels that were forming a wall for Remedios.

    This was Jaldabaoth¡¯s true form.

    Remedios gulped as she witnessed that overwhelming power which could easily ughter multiple angels in a single blow, and then she gripped her holy sword tighter. Her sweat gushed forth and it seemed like it was making her clothes change color under her armor.

    Could ¡ª could she win this? No¡ª

    ¡°¡ªYeeeeeeeaaart!¡±

    Remedios shouted to banish her fear. While it was a thoughtless move, if she did not charge right now, she would be essentially admitting defeat to him in her heart. She gripped her holy sword tightly, and leapt forward.

    She used the full might of her body in a massive downwards chop.

    Jaldabaoth did not block or dodge it.

    And then ¡ª it bounced off withughable ease.

    ¡°...Eh?¡±

    The sword, made of an unknown metal that was harder than adamantite, bounced off Jaldabaoth¡¯s skin.

    She looked up and saw that Jaldabaoth was not looking at her. It was simr to how a human being would not care about a worm writhing around on the ground.

    ¡°Dealing with you empty-handed is a little troublesome... no, there is an excellent weapon here.¡±

    Jaldabaoth stepped forward, paying no heed to Remedios. His massive body shoved her aside.

    ¡°Wha¡ª? D-Dammit!¡±

    Remedios and the freshly-summoned angels chopped at Jaldabaoth¡¯s back. However, his metallic-gleaming skin remained untouched beneath their des.

    They hit him with attack spells. However, all of them bounced off.

    This bastard¡¯s not stopping at all, what¡¯s he looking at¡ª

    Remedios¡¯s face turned pale as she looked in the direction Jaldabaoth was headed. Calca and Queralt were there.

    ¡°You lot, do something! Stop him! Hurry up and stop him!¡±

    Remedios barked her orders at the pdins behind them. She could not think of what use they could be, but she could not let Jaldabaoth reach Calca and Queralt.

    ¡°Let Calca and Queralt pull back! He¡¯s going for the two of them!¡±

    The pdins and priests closed ranks in front of the two of them, forming a wall. What a pathetically weak wall.

    ¡°Stop! Stop!! STOP!!!¡± Remedios screamed as she swung her sword over and over again.

    However, nothing she did managed to pierce Jaldabaoth¡¯s skin.

    The pdins swung their swords, the priests cast their spells, but even so, they could not impede Jaldabaoth in the slightest. He walked on nonchntly, without saying a word.

    The people who touched the mes coiling around him wailed and copsed to the ground, but Jaldabaoth did not look like he intended to attack.

    ¡°The two of you, run! We can¡¯t stop him as we are now!!¡± Remedios shouted, her head in a state of total confusion.

    Jaldabaoth should have been driven off by the adventurers of the Kingdom. She was in the same league as adamantite ranked adventurers, perhaps even stronger. In that case, why could she do nothing about Jaldabaoth?

    There¡¯s got to be something I can do! I have to find it! I have to find something I can do to harm him!

    There must have been some reason for Jaldabaoth¡¯s invincibility. Just like how some monsters were highly resistant to all metals besides silver, there must be some kind of racial defensive ability protecting his body.

    But what kind of ability is it!!!!!?????

    Her ever reliable instincts told her nothing.

    Until this point, it had always been her Vice-Captains or Queralt or Calca giving orders. All she had to do was carry them out. However, all three of them had nothing to say now.

    Frustration began to build in Remedios, but she was clear about one thing.

    As long as the two of them escaped, they would prevent Jaldabaoth from achieving his aims.

    The two of them seemed to understand that too, because they turned and ran without looking back.

    That was good. There was no time for people to lollygag around like idiots on a real battlefield. Even if Remedios died, so long as the Holy Queen, the head of state, survived, there would still be hope, And even if the worst-case scenario unfolded and the Holy Queen died, so long as her sister was still alive and they managed to recover her body, they could bring her back to life.

    Several priests ¡ª probably capable of third tier spells ¡ª stood guard by Calca¡¯s side. With them serving as walls, that ought to be able to buy the two of them more time to flee.

    ¡°Hmph. ¡¸Greater Teleportation¡¹.¡±

    Suddenly, Jaldabaoth vanished, and the sword in her hand struck nothing but air.

    ¡°What!?¡±

    Remedios panicked and looked around, and then a piteous wail reached her ears. Remedios¡¯s heart lurched. The sound hade from the direction where the two of them had run.

    However, the wall of pdins kept her from seeing what was going on.

    The power of the magic items she possessed suppressed her terror, but her anxiety continued welling up. If her sister and their guards were killed, then only Calca could stand against Jaldabaoth. She was the pinnacle of the Holy Kingdom; if she was lost, then the country would fall with her.

    ¡°Out of my wayyyyy!¡± Remedios shouted as she broke into a sprint. The pdins hurriedly parted their ranks for her.

    She was too far from Calca.

    How slow her body was.

    Remedios had always thought her strength of arm and fleetness of foot were at the zenith of human ability, and it was a silent source of pride for her. However, this moment was the first time she learned that it was nothing but false vanity.

    All she needed to do was survive a single hit. However badly hurt she was, there were many priests here. There was a way, so long as she did not die.

    While Remedios told herself that as she ran, she saw that Jaldabaoth had taken hold of Calca. She did not have the luxury of verifying Queralt¡¯s safety.

    Jaldabaoth¡¯s massive hand was closed around Calca¡¯s legs. Those hands were wreathed in me. She heard something like her flesh sizzling under the heated armor, and her helmeted face seemed to have gone mad with pain as she clenched her neat rows of teeth.

    The despicable bastard! He¡¯s taken a hostage!

    Was Jaldabaoth going to make some kind of demand ¡ª having taken a fighting stance, Remedios found herself doubting the words he said next.

    ¡°An excellent weapon.¡±

    ¡°¡ªHuh?¡±

    Remedios nced at the holy sword she was holding.

    Did he want that?

    ¡°From the moment I first saw it, I felt that it would make an excellent weapon.¡±

    He raised his arm, lifting Calca to his line of sight. Jaldabaoth flexed his arms. It looked just like he was making practice swings.

    There was a crack, and Calca whimpered in barely-suppressed agony.

    Unable to bear the force of Jaldabaoth¡¯s overwhelming power and the weight of her own body, the joint of her knee now bent in a direction it was never intended to face.

    It was then that Remedios realised Jaldabaoth¡¯s meaning.

    He meant to use the Holy Queen, Calca Bessarez, as a weapon.

    ¡°You, what are you...¡±

    She could not understand it.

    However, she had no choice but to understand it.

    ¡°All right, is it my turn now?¡±

    A wicked smile appeared on that furious face, and Jaldabaoth approached her.

    What should she do?

    Remedios backed off, and the pdins behind her retreated as well.

    What, what can I do at a time like this? What should I do?

    Remedios looked around for help, and behind Jaldabaoth, she saw the priests protecting Calca and Queralt copsed on the ground.

    While the priests were motionless, her sister was still moving faintly. Perhaps she had secretly cast a spell.

    Queralt¡¯s still alive! But who should I save first ¡ª I have to ask Isandro.

    ¡°Isandro! What should we do!?¡±

    ¡°Retreat!¡±

    ¡°Understood! Everyone, retreat! Fall back! Fall back!¡±

    ¡°¡ªWhat? Not fighting? And after I went to all this effort to obtain a weapon with which to crush you... ¡¸Fireball¡¹.¡±

    Jaldabaoth extended the hand that was not holding Calca and discharged a third tier attack spell. The fireball flew over and burst, immting the pdins within its area of effect.

    Protected by fire resistance spells, the pdins barely managed to avoid being fatally wounded. However, it was simply that they had not died.

    Calca squirmed and struggled desperately, but she could not escape Jaldabaoth¡¯s hold.

    ¡°What an annoying woman. You are a weapon now. Act like one.¡±

    Jaldabaoth¡¯s body flexed slightly as he raised the arm that held Calca.

    ¡°STOP!¡± Remedios cried out in mournful agony as she realized what Jaldabaoth intended. And then, Jaldabaoth swung down, ignoring her wails.

    St.

    Calca could not protect herself in time, and her face smashed viciously into the ground.

    After that, Jaldabaoth slowly raised his arm again, and Calca dangled limply from his hand, having lost the will to resist him.

    Her helmet was open-faced. That was to raise the troops¡¯ morale with her beauty.

    However, that beautiful face was now a mass of fresh blood. It would seem the bridge of her nose had been crushed t, because that part of her face was a smooth expanse now.

    ¡°You son of a bitch!¡±

    ¡°You idiot! Stop!¡±

    One of her men ¡ª a pdin ¡ª could not stop himself from drawing his sword and charging out. She wanted to stop him, but it was toote.

    Jaldabaoth swung his weapon at the pdin, with a speed that did not seem like he was holding a human body

    The two of them collided, and the pdin was sent flying with a thunderous crash of metal.

    His armor was staved in like he had been hit by a giant, showing how intense the collision with Calca had been.

    Remedios¡¯s eyes could not leave Calca¡¯s body.

    Humans might have softer skins than other species, but strong humans could enfold their bodies in ki or magic, and if they were still conscious, they might be able to be endure a sh without being hurt.

    Indeed. If they were conscious.

    Perhaps it had been knocked loose by the impact, because her helmet had flown off and her long hair yed wildly in the wind. Her inverted face was a bloody mess, her nose smashed and her front teeth shattered, her eyes rolled up and a faint moan leaking from her throat. Her beauty, regarded as a national treasure, had vanished without a trace. Her present state was too tragic for words.

    ¡°What should we do, Isandro!? How can we save Calca!?¡±

    ¡°I, I don¡¯t know!¡±

    ¡°What the hell are you good for, then!? Doesn¡¯t that brain of yours exist for times like these!?¡±

    ¡°I never imagined something like this could happen! There¡¯s nothing we can do but pull back!¡±

    ¡°So you want me to abandon my sister and Calca here!?¡±

    ¡°What else can we do!?¡±

    And Remedios had nothing to say.

    ¡°Good grief. The sight of humans squabbling before their enemy is a fearsome sight. Well, it is about time. ytime is over.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Jaldabaoth slowly looked to the sky.

    ¡°It is about time that my army arrived at this city. I need to smash the gates and usher in a storm of ughter and carnage.¡±

    ¡°Do, do you think we¡¯ll let you do that?¡±

    ¡°Allow me?I do not need you to allow me anything. All you need to do is ept it. Like say, the gift of a star.¡±

    Jaldabaoth raised the hand that was not holding Calca, and then, like he was searching for something ¡ª he pointed to the sky.

    ¡°¡ªSTOP!!!¡± Remedios shouted because she did not know what he was going to do.

    However, everyone was frozen in ce, their hands tied. That was because they could not attack Jaldabaoth, who held the Holy Queen hostage.

    No, everyone was afraid that if they attacked him, he would block it with Calca¡¯s body. What would they do if Calca died from their blows?

    Heedless to the confusion of Remedios and the others ¡ª the star fell.

 Chapter 89 - Volume 12

    <h4>Volume 12 Chapter 2</h4>

    <b>Seeking Salvation</b>

    <b>Part 1</b>

    A lone girl walked the Kingdom¡¯s streets.

    There was nothing adorable about her face. There was nothing about her looks that made observers want to do a double take. However, she still drew attention, albeit in a negative sense.

    Her beady ck eyes nted upwards, giving the impression that she was constantly ring at others, while the dark circles around her eyes made people think that she was the kind of person who hung around with criminals in seedy back alleys.

    It was useful for walking among crowds, but once she reached city gates and other such ces, she would receive intensive scrutiny and searches from the local authorities.

    That girl, Neia Baraja, looked to the sky.

    Above her, the sky was covered in dark clouds, giving observers the wrong impression that it was close to dusk when it was still daytime.

    The heart of winter had passed, but spring was still a long way off.

    Neia sighed tiredly, then marshalled the keen senses she had inherited from her parents and walked toward the street which led to the inn where she was staying.

    The reason why she had to be so wary even in a city was because she felt a powerful sense of exclusion towards herself, an outsider, ever since she had entered this city.

    Naturally, it was nothing more than the girl¡¯s imagination.

    After all, when she wore a cloak with the hood drawn up over her head, there was no way to tell whether she was a foreigner. However, she had not been mistaken about the heaviness in the air. She peeked at the passers-by and saw that their faces were downcast and their footsteps were heavy. It was as though they wore the gloominess of winter around themselves.

    Under normal circumstances, she might have thought it was because of the overcast weather. However, she felt that the sense of entrapment ¡ª or perhaps a nameless mncholy ¡ª which she felt here, in the capital of the Re-Estize Kingdom, ought to have stemmed from some other source.

    Maybe it¡¯s because they were defeated in battle not long ago. Still,pared to the people of the Holy Kingdom, they¡¯re practically jumping for joy.

    Although the southern bay region of the Holy Kingdom was still rtively safe, the northern reaches were essentially hell now.

    To the Liberation Army ¡ª formed from the remnants of the Northern Holy Kingdom¡¯s army ¡ª and to her, who hade here as a member of an ambassadorial delegation, such news was of littlefort.

    The more she thought about it, the more depressed she became, and Neia reached to her waist in search of salvation. The cool sensation of steel travelled up her hand.

    It was the sword she carried, emzoned with the crest of the Holy Kingdom¡¯s knight order, which served as proof of her identity.

    Usually, a pdin¡¯s sword would be imbued with minor enchantments, but hers was not. That was because this was a sword of the sort issued to trainee soldiers.

    Only afterpleting her training and being officially ordained as a pdin would her trusty de be enchanted with magic. That was one of the rituals involved in donning the mantle of a pdin. While it was little more than a sharpened b of steel until she officially became a pdin, it was still a personal weapon which had apanied her through long years of training and practice. One could not fault her developing the habit of caressing it when she felt uneasy.

    The sensation of steel calmed Neia down slightly, and she sighed a cloud of white vapor. Then she opened her cape and quickened her pace.

    Her feet dragged every time she thought that she had to report bad news. However, it was because she disliked such things that she had to move quickly, to get this over with as soon as possible.

    Finally, the inn where their delegation resided came into view.

    It was a high ss inn, with prices as lofty as its reputation. It was said to be among the top five in the Kingdom.

    As she thought about the tragic state of her homnd, the northern Holy Kingdom, she could not help but feel guilty over how she was basking in such luxury while her countrymen were suffering. The truth was, the female leader of the ambassadorial delegation had opposed staying here precisely due to its decadence. She felt that they ought to reduce their expenses on this journey and use the leftover money elsewhere.

    However, her opinion had been rejected, thanks to the suggestion of the male assistant leader.

    ¡°As representatives of the Holy Kingdom, if we do not lodge in an appropriate inn, people who see us might think that the Holy Kingdom is not long for this world. Therefore, we need to stay in a superior inn to show that our nation is still strong.¡±

    The assistant leader¡¯s logic was irrefutable. Nobody else in the group could deny him. However, their leader was driven by emotion and could not ept that proposal, and she stubbornly refused to go along with it. After a long deadlock, she was finally persuaded by all the other members of the delegation to reluctantly choose this inn.

    However, everyone understood that they could not rack up any unnecessary expenses. In order to aplish their tasks as soon as possible, even Neia, a squire, had been roped in to carry out missions.

    The aim of the delegation¡¯s visit to the Kingdom was none other than to secure aid for the Holy Kingdom. Therefore, Neia and the other members of the delegation were running around trying to arrange appointments with the movers and shakers of the Kingdom.

    Anyone could make an appointment, even a squire. There was no problem with that part of the leader¡¯s thinking.

    However, Neia was the sole squire among the delegation. The others were proper pdins. Even if she made an appointment, what would the other party think in the future when they found out that others had been visited by pdins, but they had only merited a mere squire?

    Surely they would be unhappy. Even Neia knew that much. However, despite her roundabout protests, the orders handed down to her had not changed. As a squire, there was little she could say about it. That said, Neia had not given up because of that.

    If it was a personal failure, she could dly ept it. However, doing so might lead to the ailing Holy Kingdom losing more aid from the Kingdom. Neia could not simply write off the possibility that her failures might lead to more of her countrymen dying with a simple, ¡°Yes, I understand.¡±

    However, the fact that a mere squire had immediately rushed into action without waiting for orders had only made the leader even more unhappy. She seemed to think that everything was Neia¡¯s fault. Fortunately, the assistant leader had managed to smooth things over, but the delegation¡¯s leader had a poor impression of Neia now.

    Neia had been selected for this ambassadorial party solely because of her keen senses, which had ensured their safety on the road here. Asking her to contribute in other ways would be a tall order.

    But it¡¯s not like I can say that...

    Neia looked to the sky and sighed Haaah. Then, she watched as the white mist she exhaled drifted slowly in the air and vanished. As she thought about the ufortable reception awaiting her at the inn, her gut began to cramp up.

    The noble Neia was supposed to meet was not a very important person ¡ª he was not highly ranked in the Kingdom ¡ª so not being able to make an appointment with him was not a great setback, but even so her leader would gripe at her.

    ...Usually, even if you wanted to meet someone important right away, they¡¯d still need some time to research your history and learn more about you. So the earliest you could have a meeting was in a week¡¯s time.

    Well, at least that did not sound like she was justining about the other party¡¯s refusal.

    ording to our leader¡¯s instructions, we¡¯ll be leaving the Royal Capital in a few days... our leader, huh...

    Their leader was now constantly on edge. She did not look like she could properly control her emotions.

    In the past, she had not been that way. Neia knew that much. She had been an easygoing... or clueless person, if one were not inclined to be polite. However, ever since the battle where they had lost the Holy Queen, there had been a dramatic shift in her personality.

    ¡°...An unsatisfactory performance, huh.¡±

    As a squire, the only thing she could do about her leader¡¯s unreasonable scoldings was to bow her head and silently ept them.

    Even so, this was nothingpared to how the surviving people in the Holy Kingdom were struggling. All she had to do was keep her head down and weather the storm.

    After steeling herself for the worst ¡ª or perhaps she had given up ¡ª Neia reached the front of the inn.

    She took a deep breath, pulled back her hood, and then pushed open the inn¡¯s fancy doors.

    As one would expect of a high-ss inn, she did not step into a lounge right away, but a small room. It would seem it had been designed for guests to clean the dirt off their footwear.

    That said, the ce she had just visited was in a high-end district, much like this inn, and it had been paved with stone. Neither had it rained, so there was nothing she needed to shake off.

    Therefore, Neia went on to open the door before her.

    A gust of warm air flowed out and washed over her.

    The conciergey straight ahead of where she had entered the room, while the bar was to her right, and the stairs were on her left. There were sofas used for receiving guests near them.

    There were no heating stoves inside the room. However, the fact that there was still a temperature difference despite their absence was probably because of a magic item.

    Magic casters in the Holy Kingdom were generally priests, and while they could make some magic items, precious few of them were useful in daily life. In that respect, the Kingdom was technologically superior to the Holy Kingdom. That being the case, how much more advanced was the Empire, which her father had once mentioned?

    Although she might never have the chance to visit it in her life, Neia still harbored a vague sense of admiration for the Empire.

    Typically speaking, a vige girl would only be able to see her vige throughout the course of her life. Since Neiacked any distinguishing qualities as a warrior, she might spend her entire life serving her nation and never get the chance to visit other countries.

    In that case, perhaps the chance to travel abroad which this trip afforded her might be a faint silver lining on a grim, dark cloud.

    These thoughts ran through Neia¡¯s head as she climbed the stairs, toward the room on the second floor where the delegation was staying. The people in the inn seemed to have remembered Neia¡¯s face, as none of them shouted for her to stop.

    Considering the matter of expenses, only the leader and the assistant leader ought to be staying here; the other members should have stayed in cheaper inns. However, pinching pennies like that might make the other side think that there was no future for the Holy Kingdom. In the end, the assistant leader had managed to convince their leader of the wisdom of his words.

    Neia reached the door of her superiors¡¯ room and knocked on the door, whereupon it opened slightly. Within were the pdins stationed within the room for protection.

    The person they were guarding was the strongest pdin in the Holy Kingdom, who was the leader of their delegation. In that case, they would be more of followers than protectors. Going by that logic, would it not have been wiser for herself to stay behind? Of course, Neia knew the meaning of the phrase ¡°the nail which sticks out gets hammered down,¡± so she did notment on that.

    ¡°Neia Baraja, reporting back.¡±

    The door opened, and she entered the room.

    Before her was arge room. There was a long table in the middle, where her Captain sat.

    Captain Remedios Custodio and Vice-Captain Gustavo Montanjes were both seated there. And of the seventeen members of their delegation, more than half of them stood at attention along the walls.

    She snuck a peek at the documents piled on the table before them. Most of them had been crossed out.

    ¡°Captain. Neia Baraja has returned.¡±

    She puffed up her chest, adjusted her posture, and stated her name.

    ¡°¡ªHow did it go?¡±

    ¡°My deepest apologies. They declined because of ack of time. They said they would like at least two weeks.¡±

    ¡°Tch,¡± Remedios clicked her tongue.

    Neia¡¯s gut cramped. Was she expressing her displeasure at Neia, or rather, at the nobles who had rejected them? While both the former ortter seemed likely, she dared not rify such a frightening matter.

    ¡°Really now. Thank you for heading out amidst the cold. Go back to your room and rest, then.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Neia suppressed her sigh of relief at Gustavo¡¯s words. While she wanted to leave right away, Remedios called out and stopped her in her tracks.

    ¡°...I wanted to ask you before, but did you really tell them that we wanted to open negotiations as soon as possible?¡±

    ¡°¡ªHuh? Ah! Yes! Of course I tried to ask them, but unfortunately they said no...¡±

    ¡°So it wasn¡¯t because of your poor negotiation skills, then?¡±

    ¡°Ah, that, that¡¯s¡ª¡±

    That¡¯s not true, she wanted to say, but who would dare say it? In addition, she already knew that she would not be able to escape this reprimand no matter how she answered.

    ¡°...Captain. It is not just the nobles she asked who refused. Other nobles have rejected the request for a meeting in the same way. Among them were some nobles who indicated they could not lend aid to the Holy Kingdom, but who wished to speak nheless.¡±

    Remedios red at Gustavo, who seemed to have spoken up in order to interrupt their conversation. No words passed between them, but the tension built in the air.

    ¡°¡ªNeia Baraja.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    So she was still gunning for her, after all. While Neia had mentally rounded her shoulders in defeat, she did not express it externally, instead responding in a timid tone.

    Gustavo had now moved to stand between the two of them, but Remedios paid him no heed and continued ring at Neia.

    ¡°While we are wasting time here, many of our people are being ughtered by the demihumans led by Jaldabaoth. In addition, four major cities have already fallen, in addition to many more smaller and viges.¡±

    The four cities in question were, respectively: the capital Hoburns, which housed the Great Cathedral that was regarded as the high temple of the Holy Kingdom¡¯s faith.

    The port city of Rimun, whichy to the west of the capital.

    The fortress city of Kalinsha, which was the closest to the wall, and the first to be attacked by the demihumans.

    And then there was Prart, the city between Kalinsha and Hoburns.

    In other words, most of the major cities of the north were now under the control of Jaldabaoth¡¯s demihuman hordes.

    ¡°In addition, they¡¯ve captured many of the survivors, who they have imprisoned in camps made from captured viges and cities. Just the mention of being sent there is enough to chill one¡¯s blood.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Those camps were surrounded by walls, and nobody had personally witnessed what was happening inside because nobody had managed to infiltrate the interior. However, the rumors said they were guarded by demihumans. Those people who had probed as closely as they dared said they could hear groans and screams of agony from within.

    In addition, what was more convincing was the fact that nobody felt Jaldabaoth, as a demonic ruler, would grant any form of humane treatment to his human prisoners.

    ¡°So knowing all that, you still came back with results like this? Did you really try your best? Normally you¡¯d have something to show for it if you did, no?¡±

    ¡°Yes! My sincerest apologies!¡±

    Indeed, she was right. Remedios was correct. However¡ª

    The thought that welled up in Neia¡¯s heart refused to fade away.

    In that case, what good is the Captain of the Holy Kingdom¡¯s pdin order if she failed to rescue those prisoners?

    She dearly wanted to retort with those words. However, as a squire of the Holy Kingdom, she could not possibly say such a thing.

    ¡°Since you feel sorry, what do you n to do? What can you do to show concrete results?¡±

    Neia was at a loss for words.

    At the heart of it, Neia was just an ordinary citizen of the Holy Kingdom. She had neither a noble peerage, power, or wealth. She was not even a pdin, just a squire. There was nothing which Neia, as she was, could offer a noble of the Kingdom which could appeal to them. In that case, all she could do was¡ª

    ¡°I¡¯ll work harder.¡±

    ¡ªPsychology. However, it would seem that answer did not meet with Remedios¡¯s approval.

    ¡°I¡¯m asking you how you intend to work harder. Futile effort is¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªCaptain.¡±

    Gustavo interrupted Remedios as she was about to say something.

    ¡°Why not leave things as they are for now? After all, it¡¯s about time we began our preparations, no? The esteemed members of Blue Rose will be arriving soon. If we take too long weing them, we will upset them, won¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Squire Baraja, work harder and do better next time.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    Remedios made a shooing motion with her hand. In other words, she was saying Hurry up andget lost.

    ¡°My apologies, Captain Remedios!¡±

    Even though she was tired, Neia was shouting All right! in her heart and trembling with joy as she made to leave the room. However, her ally from just now transformed into her most dire adversary in an instant.

    ¡°Captain, may she be present when Blue Rose arrives?¡±

    Gustavo¡¯s words made Neia¡¯s vision ck out for a moment. However, this was a topic that involved her, since she was a squire.

    Remedios looked at her adjutant. It waspletely unlike the way she had looked at Neia. Her eyes were so caring that it seemed like she had changed personalities at some point, and it confused Neia.

    ¡°Really? Well, if you say so... but why?¡±

    ¡°The main reason for bringing her along as a squire was because she has exceptional senses. Perhaps there might be things which only she can notice.¡±

    Many pdins and squires had died during the battles with Jaldabaoth. However, quite a few of them had survived. Even so, the reason she had been chosen to apany their group was precisely because of her senses.

    While pdins were excellent fighters, they were little different from the averagemoner in other respects. On this mission, there might be a need for someone to pass unseen, spot the enemy at a great distance, pass through encirclements, and perform other such tasks, which meant that they would need someone who possessed such reconnaissance skills.

    Under normal circumstances, one would call on an adventurer or hunter, but most of them were already dead, and the remainder had already fled to the south or to other countries. Therefore, with no more experienced candidates to choose from, Neia had been selected.

    While she was far inferiorpared to her father, she harbored some pride in the fact that her senses were sharper than those who had only been trained as pdins. She was very happy that her talents could serve her nation, but that feeling was steadily being worn away. Now, she was starting to resent the fact that she had been chosen.

    ¡°Really? ...Well, if you think so, then that¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll allow it.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much, Captain.¡±

    ¡°...Squire Baraja. Like we just said, you will remain in the corner of the room and listen to our conversation. If anything happens, inform us. ...Now go back to your room and freshen up beforeing back.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    Finally, I¡¯m free, Neia thought, but then Gustavo followed behind her just as she made to leave. After they left the room, he spoke quietly to her.

    ¡°Sorry about the Captain.¡±

    Neia halted in her tracks, turned around, and then she voiced the doubts she had been harboring in her heart all this while.

    ¡°...Did I do something to upset the Captain? I mean, I¡¯ve heard that the battle where we lost that city changed herpletely, so what happened?¡±

    ¡°...Many pdins died in the battle with Jaldabaoth, including the Holy Queen-sama and the Captain¡¯s sister.¡±

    I know that. But so what?

    The same thing had happened to Neia.

    Both her father and mother were dead. People like this were hardly umon throughout the Holy Kingdom. Of course, she could not actually say that.

    ¡°Without a ce to vent the grief and anger she felt from that, the Captain chose to take it out on you. I think the reason why she did not do so with us pdins was because we fought and suffered with her.¡±

    What the hell, Neia grumbled in her heart.

    In other words, all this was because Neia had not taken part in that battle.

    This was just unfair.

    Half of Neia¡¯s fellow squires had travelled to the same city and many of them had ended up dying. The reason why Neia had not been in that half was due to her luck, and not because of any choice Neia had made.

    ¡°Let me also say this: please bear with it. Right now, the Captain is irreceable to the Holy Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°...Even if she takes her anger out on others and gives them a hard time, then?¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡°

    Gustavo looked at her with a pained look in his eyes.

    Anger raced through her body. She wanted to shout at him. Neia knew that woman was strong, but still, Neia had also done her part in getting them safely to the Kingdom. She had spotted the demihumans¡¯ lookouts and she had been more careful than anyone else when they pitched camp at night. Neia had a role in getting the ambassadorial party to their destination. That being the case, Neia did not feel she was any less valuable than that woman.

    However, Neia quashed her feelings as they boiled up.

    She had to bear with this for the sake of the people suffering in the Holy Kingdom. Allowing any of them to be lost, and thus prolonging the plight of countless people, was the most foolish course of action imaginable.

    In addition, she would be free of this duty once she returned to the country. Thus, all she would have to do was bear with it for a while longer.

    Neia smiled and nodded.

    ¡°Understood. If it is for the sake of the Holy Kingdom, I will endure it with a smile.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Blue Rose arrived at the inn not long after Neia returned to the room.

    Neia waited, among the pdins who stood motionless by the walls.

    Soon, the door opened, and a group of people entered.

    She was not a fangirl of theirs, but their reputation still shone brightly in the Holy Kingdom, and it made Neia¡¯s heart flutter. These were great people of her gender who had ascended to heights which she herself could not reach. Personally, she would have liked to ask them all kinds of questions. That said, she could not do such a thing.

    They¡¯re... one of the three adamantite ranked adventurer teams in the Kingdom. Blue Rose... they¡¯re awesome...

    While she had heard their descriptions and names from rumors, this was the first time she had seen them in the flesh. There was quite a big discrepancy between how she had imagined them from their stories and how they actually were.

    Standing at their head was Blue Rose¡¯s leader. She was a priestess who bore the holy symbol of the Water God, the wielder of the demonic de, Kilineyram ¡ª Lakyus Alvein Dale Aindra.

    Her beautiful features were such that even her fellow females might fall in love with her, and it was hard to believe she was a top-ss adventurer of the like which only fighting geniuses could be. If she wore a dress, she would be the very picture of a princess from the dreams of amoner like Neia

    That beautiful woman spoke with a gentle voice that matched Neia¡¯s image of her.

    ¡°Thank you for your invitation. We are Blue Rose.¡±

    Remedios, who had stood up to wee them, nodded slightly to express her gratitude.

    ¡°I cannot thank you enough for epting our invitation, honored members of Blue Rose.¡±

    ¡°We are the ones who are grateful to receive an invitation from the pdin who bears a holy sword and who has skills to match, Remedios Custodio-sama.¡±

    Their exchange contrasted Remedios¡¯s formic greeting and somewhat stiff tone against Lakyus¡¯s natural way of speaking. It would seem she really was a noble heiress.

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m the one who should be happy to meet the wielder of a demonic de like yourself. Ahem. Please take a seat. The people around us are all pdins of the Holy Kingdom. It would be good if we could all listen in. Erm, if there¡¯s time after that, I would like very much to see the demonic de.¡±

    ¡°dly, and the chance to behold your holy sword would delight me as well. Then, let us do as our host bids and take a seat, everyone.¡±

    The members of Blue Rose each sat down in their own way. Some of them had already folded their arms and grasped their elbows. It made one wonder if their bold attitude came from knowing their strength or if they were simply acting in a manner that best fitted it.

    ¡°Shall we start by introducing ourselves?¡±

    The Vice-Captain answered, probably to help Remedios out.

    ¡°No, there¡¯s no need for that. News of your exploits has made its way around the Holy Kingdom. Ah, and while it¡¯s a littlete for this, I¡¯m the Vice-Captain of the Pdin Order, Gustavo Montanjes.¡±

    Lakyus smiled gently at Gustavo¡¯s answer.

    ¡°Really now. It would be good if that news was ttering.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªYes. We¡¯ve heard nothing but good things about you. In truth, your heroic exploits make my heart beat faster in excitement.¡±

    It would seem Remedios wanted to say something, but Gustavo had interrupted her. After that, he smiled to Lakyus like nothing was the matter.

    ¡°That is quite pleasing. While I wish to ask about the details of those thing you heard, we are here today to fulfill a request. It is not our intention to waste our client¡¯s valuable time. That being the case, let us discuss the particrs of this request.¡±

    ¡°Hmm~ Before that, I¡¯d like to ask the name of that girl¡ª¡±

    Neia jumped in fright as she realized one of the twin thieves was pointing at her. The other one was also looking at her in interest.

    The two of them ought to be the twin thieves known as Tia and Tina. Despite being members of Blue Rose, which was famed even in the Holy Kingdom, there were no rumors or tales of their deeds. They were a pair of mysterious individuals.

    And now those individuals were pointing at her.

    She felt like she had suddenly been shoved into the limelight from the shadows of an audience seat. Thoughts like why, what is this, what¡¯s happening and other such phrases bounced around inside her mind.

    ¡°That girl doesn¡¯t have a warrior¡¯s body. Different from our musclehead¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°Oi! What was that supposed to mean!?¡±

    The person who had spoken up was Gagaran, thedy warrior who was built like a brick shithouse.

    ¡°Exactly what I said. ...She¡¯s not a warrior, no matter how you look at it. Now this is a warrior.¡±

    ¡°Oi oi, you can train your body with experience, you know.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re going to evolve then, Gagaran?¡±

    The thieves¡¯ faces quietly hardened.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be mean, I feel sorry for that girl.¡±

    ¡°Hey! Is it me or have you gotten full of yourself since you went training with me? Oi!¡±

    ¡°Nothing¡¯s changed. It¡¯s just that my sides hurts when you grab me with your ridiculous strength when I¡¯m sleeping¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªThat¡¯s enough out of the two of you... I¡¯m sorry, that¡¯s just how we are.¡±

    ¡°Please pay it no heed. Her name is Neia Baraja. She has keen senses, and she¡¯s made a lot of contributions during our journey here.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    The reply was t and emotionless, not cute in the slightest.

    ¡°...Mm. Well, while that was our fault, we haven¡¯t made any progress at all. If nobody minds, shall we begin discussing the matter? Also, there¡¯s no point talking like fancy nobles, is there? Let¡¯s get right to it, shall we?¡±

    ¡°Evileye,¡± Lakyus said in a reproachful tone.

    That was the arcane magic caster Evileye. d in her mask, she could use powerful spells, but she never removed it under any circumstances. She had a very petite frame ¡ª some rumors said she might be from a small-bodied species.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s fine. I¡¯m not good at all this plotting stuff myself.¡±

    ¡°Captain...¡±

    ¡°...Fufu. Well, the other side¡¯s boss has given their approval ¡ª how about ours? Besides, once they¡¯ve paid the appropriate fee for the information, they¡¯ll be our clients. Let¡¯s not bother with feeling each other up and get to the question of money. Won¡¯t it be better to seal the deal sooner rather thanter?¡±

    ¡°Haaah,¡± Lakyus sighed, and Evileye continued, seemingly sneering at them.

    ¡°Well, our boss has given her okay too, so shall we firm up the details before we talk about payment? I take it you want to talk about the one who¡¯s been running wild in your country. Jaldabaoth?¡±

    ¡°You knew?¡±

    ¡°OI oi, do you think we wouldn¡¯t know something the nobles did? The Kingdom has traders who use sea routes too, you know. Plus, the Adventurer¡¯s Guilds do exchange information as well. That said, how about it? Want to share what you know, too? Frankly speaking, we¡¯d be happier to obtain information than money.¡±

    ¡°Mm... may, may I have a moment to discuss this with Gustavo?¡±

    Evileye waved to indicate that they should proceed, and then Remedios and Gustavo rose and entered the adjoining room ¡ª the bedroom.

    ¡°Then, can we use this sk?¡±

    Gagaran pointed to the sk of water and the sses around it as she addressed Neia.

    Why me, Neia fretted as she replied, ¡°Please do.¡± She wanted to praise herself for her perfect tone and not letting her voice tremble.

    After Gagaran had poured water for everyone, Remedios and Gustavo returned.

    ¡°We¡¯ll pay your fee, so can you tell us what you know?¡±

    Huh, Neia thought. For some reason, she had the feeling that Remedios, who hadined about the expense of staying in an inn, would not approve. While Gustavo had probably said something, Neia had no idea what reasons he had used to convince her.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine too, although I think we¡¯d be able to tell you what you need to know if you told us about the state of the Holy Kingdom now.¡±

    ¡°Please let us pay the appointed fee.¡±

    Gustavo promptly ced a small pouch on the table.

    ¡°Mm. Oi.¡±

    Evileye jerked her chin at one of the thieves. In response, she swiftly reached out and snatched up the pouch, lightly bouncing it up and down in her hand. Then she caught it and nodded to Evileye.

    She was probably trying to see if it contained the expected amount by the sensation from throwing it up and catching it.

    ¡°All right. Then I, Evileye, shall exin on their behalf... Although, like I said just now, asking for all the information we have about Jaldabaoth is a bit like trying to seize a cloud. Let¡¯s start by talking about what happened in our country. But before that, I want to verify something with you. Your Jaldabaoth looks like this, right?¡±

    Evileye took a pen and paper from beside the table and began drawing with fluid strokes. However, the picture she produced could only be regarded as childish scribblings as best.

    Remedios was about to say, ¡°No, that¡¯s not...¡± before one of the twins snatched back the paper and tore it in half.

    ¡°What the hell are you doing!?¡±

    While Evileye was furious, the other twin snatched away the pen in the meantime and drew swiftly on the new piece of paper, then showed Evileye the finished product. The masked magic caster muttered, Uguu... in a disgruntled tone. The truth was, it was of far greater quality than the picture just now.

    His appearance was very difficult to describe with words. He was dressed in foreign clothing and wore a strange mask. After seeing the picture, Remedios angrily clenched her fists and growled like a wild beast.

    ¡°That¡¯s the bastard.¡±

    After seeing this, the twins and Evileye ceased their feuding and turned back towards Remedios.

    ¡°Then we¡¯ve verified one thing, that this is the same per¡ª the same demon. Well, if demons like that could appear one after the other, we¡¯d be in trouble. Thank heavens for small mercies, as they say. Now¡ª¡±

    Evileye then proceeded to narrate the events that had transpired in the Royal Capital, and Neia winced in her heart.

    She knew Jaldabaoth was strong. And she knew that the demon army and that scaly demon existed, so she was not shocked by them. But the fact that there were five maid demons who could each take on an entire adamantite ranked adventurer team by themselves deepened her sense of utter despair.

    I don¡¯t think anyone spotted those maid demons in the Holy Kingdom. So they¡¯re Jaldabaoth¡¯s trump card? To think he had something like that...

    ¡°¡ªThen, what would you estimate Jaldabaoth¡¯s difficulty rating to be?¡±

    Gustavo¡¯s question caused Blue Rose to look at each other, but in the end it was still Evileye who spoke on everyone¡¯s behalf.

    ¡°Let me get this out of the way first; this value is just a conjecture. It might be higher, it might be lower, so I hope you¡¯ll keep that in mind. We estimate that demon¡¯s difficulty to be around two hundred.¡±

    ¡°Two hundred...¡±

    Gustavo gasped. Neia very nearly gasped as well, but she managed to resist that impulse. Some of the pdins lining the walls were not so sessful. Remedios was the only one to remain calm, her expression unchanged.

    If Neia recalled correctly, difficulty one hundred monsters were not something which humans could defeat.

    ¡°Exactly how powerful is a rating of two hundred?¡±

    Evileye seemed to have a bit of trouble answering Remedios¡¯s direct question.

    ¡°While difficulty two hundred beings have never appeared in the human world before... well, old Dragons would be roughly around one hundred.¡±

    ¡°An old dragon... while I¡¯ve never fought those before, would that be around the same as the Guardian Deity of the oceans?¡±

    The Guardian Deity of the ocean referred to a Sea Dragon which dwelled in the ocean.

    It had two arms and feet and a long, thick tail that reced its atrophied wings. It resembled a Sea Serpent more than a Dragon, and its intellect was on par with or surpassed mankind. It was quite a benevolent being that would protect ships if it was properly venerated.

    Neia had the very good fortune of seeing it once, from a distance, when they had gone to Rimun on holiday.

    It had raised its head high above the surface of the seas, and it was a sight majestic enough to earn it the title of Guardian Deity. It was hard to imagine a human being could defeat such a being.

    ¡°Captain Remedios. If we use defeating the Guardian Deity as a baseline... hm, if there were a fisherman here he¡¯d be giving us the stink-eye. Still, that means he¡¯s twice as strong as an old Dragon.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. We¡¯ve determined that he¡¯s stronger than the legendary Demon Gods who were defeated by the Thirteen Heroes. That is to say, his appearance in the human world would be a great tragedy and multiple nations will be destroyed. That¡¯s how powerful he is.¡±

    ¡°Although, I hear that when Jaldabaoth was wreaking havoc in the Kingdom, he was driven off by Momon-dono. That would mean Momon-dono must be just as powerful, right?¡±

    Remedios swallowed, and then continued.

    ¡°Or does that mean ¡ª he used some kind of special item when defeating Jaldabaoth?¡±

    That was when Evileye¡¯s attitude changed.

    Neia could not see her face, but she had the feeling that her face was flushing under that mask of hers.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think he used any such item. However, Momon-sama fought magnificently when he duelled Jaldabaoth. I was fighting Jaldabaoth¡¯s subordinates back then, so I did not see the full fight, but it was a terrifying battle. It was a battle fought by a hero among heroes, a champion among champions.¡±

    ¡°Is, is that so?¡±

    It was all Gustavo could do to squeeze those words out after being crushed by Evileye¡¯s presence as she leaned herself out.

    ¡°Precisely! Ah, what an amazing battle. Momon-sama defended me while he was fighting Jaldabaoth, you know.¡±

    ¡°So he fought Jaldabaoth ¡ª that monster ¡ª and drove him off? Is that true?¡±

    ¡°What? Are you saying what I saw with my own two eyes was a lie?¡±

    Evileye countered Remedios¡¯s question with a vicious retort. Gustavo struggled to clear the uneasy mood in the air.

    ¡°Ah, no, what our Captain meant was that if Darkness could attack some weak point of Jaldabaoth¡¯s, perhaps we could do something too. I apologize for not rifying.¡±

    ¡°No, we should be apologizing for the immature tone our Evileye is taking with a client.¡±

    That reply came from Lakyus. What was this, when the two main yers were sidelined and their supporting cast went on to smooth things out between themselves.

    ¡°Hm... well, assuming Jaldabaoth really does have some weak point, Momon-sama must have won by attacking it. Still, it¡¯s hard to imagine a demon like that would leave his weaknesses unguarded.¡±

    ¡°Indeed... perhaps he used an item or a subordinate to make up for it.¡±

    While this was the first time she had heard of the maid demons, Jaldabaoth had several powerful demon minions.

    After questioning demihuman captives, they knew there were at least three of them.

    There was the demon who ruled the wilderness where the demihumans lived.

    There was the demon who ruled the port city of Rimun.

    And then, there was the scaly demon whomanded the demihuman army.

    ¡°So, can you tell us in detail about that scaly demon you mentioned earlier?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, can you tell us what abilities it has?¡±

    ¡°Yes I fought it before, so I¡¯ll take Evileye¡¯s ce and describe it in detail.¡±

    She described its abilities and how they fought it. Lakyus¡¯s tale ended with Brain Unus ¡ª a man on Gazef¡¯s level ¡ª ying that demon.

    ¡°...That¡¯s strange. Jaldabaoth hasn¡¯t made any movements after conquering the Holy Kingdom¡¯s capital, but that scaly demon¡¯s beenmanding the demihuman armies in his ce. Wasn¡¯t it already defeated?¡±

    ¡°I see... however, we¡¯ve met this Brain fellow before, and I don¡¯t think he was lying. It¡¯s probably not a unique demon, just a high level one.¡±

    ¡°In other words, Jaldabaoth can conjure that demon any number of times as long as certain conditions are met? Or perhaps he can summon the same demon multiple times?¡±

    Neia could not cast spells, but she had heard this during her lectures.

    It was difficult to summon multiple beings with summon magic.

    In other words, when a summon spell was active, casting another summon spell would cause the previous summon spell to end. The currently-summoned monsters would go back from whence they came and new monsters would be summoned in their ce.

    However, people capable of high tier summoning spells could simultaneously conjure several weaker monsters at once, of the sort that one would evoke with a low tier summon spell. For instance, one could use a fourth tier spell to summon multiple monsters that could be invoked by a third tier spell.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand at all. His method of summoning demons is still a mystery. While it felt like he was summoning them with spells, he couldn¡¯t have summoned multiple demons of such power... but if he could, that would beg the question of why he did not do so in the Kingdom. Perhaps if he were a magic caster who specializes in summoning, he could simultaneously summon multiple copies of such a creature...¡±

    ¡°So even if we defeated the scaly demons, Jaldabaoth could immediately resummon it?¡±

    ¡°Just so. However, that refers to the situation where Jaldabaoth conjures them with magic. If he used some kind of special ability to do it, that would be another matter entirely.¡±

    ¡°So you don¡¯t know much about that side of things?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, but I don¡¯t. We know very little about him.¡±

    Evileye sounded clearly disheartened.

    ¡°...Erm, I didn¡¯t get any of that at all, you know?¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯ll exin it to youter, Captain.¡±

    ¡°No, start rifying now. I haven¡¯t been able to keep up since just now.¡±

    This is our Captain... the person in charge of all of us...

    ¡°That being the case, was that disgusting insect maid one of Jaldabaoth¡¯s summons too?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t want to think that way...¡±

    Blue Rose¡¯s members began discussing among themselves.

    ¡°Erm, may I ask a question?¡±

    Everyone turned to look at Neia after she nervously spoke up, and the tremendous pressure made her regret doing so. Perhaps it might be better for someone other than her to bring this up. However, the die had been cast, and after firming up her resolve, she asked:

    ¡°This might be a very basic question, but where did Jaldabaothe from? Was the name of Jaldabaoth passed down from earlier days?¡±

    ¡°That is unclear. We¡¯ve studied all sorts of literature, but we haven¡¯t been able to find that name in any of them. We¡¯ve also tried looking for clues based on his appearance, but simrly, we haven¡¯t been able to make any headway either.¡±

    ¡°Could it be an alias? Maybe he caused trouble under a different name in the past?¡±

    ¡°I doubt that. To demons ¡ª this applies to angels as well ¡ª their names are a very important part of their very being. If a demon wants to show up, it has to engrave its name into the world. Therefore, they can¡¯t use false names. Experiments show that using a false name might even cause them to disappear on the spot.¡±

    Neia knew next to nothing about demons and angels, but if an adamantite ranked magic caster said so, then that ought to be the case.

    ¡°As for his origins, if he came from the other side of the continent, then it¡¯s only natural that there¡¯d be no information about him... but after thinking so much, every possibility seems equally likely, and so there¡¯s no telling where to begin.¡±

    Evileye shrugged.

    ¡°...Say. What if you got Jaldabaoth¡¯s appearance wrong? Was the Jaldabaoth you looked into the Jaldabaoth in the picture? What if that appearance of his was a deception?¡±

    ¡°Ho,¡± Evileye leaned over the table towards Remedios. ¡°Can you go into more detail?¡±

    ¡°We managed to press Jaldabaoth in that form quite badly, and then he revealed his true form...¡±

    Remedios closed her eyes.

    ¡°It was an utter defeat for us.¡±

    ¡°Can you be more specific?¡±

    ¡°Telling them that much should be fine, right, Gustavo?¡±

    ¡°Yes, no objections here. If we can learn more about him from his appearance, hiding that information would be harmful instead.¡±

    ¡°While I feel a full disclosure would be better....¡±

    Remedios began muttering and grumbling, and then she told Evileye about Jaldabaoth¡¯s appearance.

    Halfway through, Remedios¡¯s face twisted in anger. She had probably recalled the battle that nobody here knew anything about.

    ¡°I see, then we¡¯ll continue our investigations based on what we have just learned. We¡¯ll keep you informed with our findings, so could you tell us if you wish to stay in the city?¡±

    ¡°We haven¡¯t decided that yet. In any case, does that mean you do not know anything about that form of his?¡±

    ¡°¡ªLakyus, do you remember?¡±

    Lakyus shook her head.

    ¡°That¡¯s how it is. Sorry.¡±

    ¡°I understand. Then, after we make our decision, we will contact you immediately.¡±

    ¡°But in that case, we¡¯ll have to consider the worst-case scenario ¡ª the possibility that his appearance in the Kingdom was intended to create a false impression, so he deliberately refrained from showing his true power.¡±

    ¡°In other words, our country was Jaldabaoth¡¯s true objective, and that he had some other n for the Kingdom?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps. If the Kingdom was his main priority, he would have shown his true form like he did in the Holy Kingdom, no? Or was it because he was startled by Momon-sama¡¯s strength, and chose to protect his true identity rather than let his n be ruined? I really don¡¯t want to think that¡¯s the case.¡±

    Evileye¡¯s words left the room in a gloomy silence, so profound that even the faint sounds of breathing seemed very loud. Who would speak first? In this tense atmosphere, Lakyus proved her bravery.

    ¡°Now then, let me say again ¡ª we¡¯re in the same boat as you. We want to know more about Jaldabaoth. Frankly speaking, everything we¡¯ve learned is basically analysis from our encounter with him. We have no inkling of Jaldabaoth¡¯s aims, true identity, or abilities.¡±

    ¡°Maybe we could summon demons to learn about Jaldabaoth... But that will stain the soul... And even if we summon low ranking demons, it¡¯s quite likely that they won¡¯t know anything about high ranking demons. In that case, we¡¯ll need to contact a summoning adept...¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, we don¡¯t know anyone who¡¯s good at summoning demons.¡±

    Evileye had been the first one to supplement Lakyus¡¯s words, followed by one of the twins.

    Surely nobody would, at least not under usual circumstances, Neia mused.

    Diabolists were typically evil beings, and fortunately very few of them were powerful in their own right. That was because most of the time, they either destroyed themselves or they were in by death squads.

    Of course, there might be some experts in the field who had submersed themselves into the darkness, but they typically hid themselves and did not make friends.

    ¡°Still, just waiting there to die is very frustrating. The next time that monsteres to the Kingdom, I want to make him weep with my own two hands. In order to do that, I need to learn as much as I can about him.¡±

    ¡°Also, he was not leading any demihumans in the Kingdom. If he recruited the demihumans due to his failure in the Kingdom, then we¡¯ll need to be even more wary of him.¡±

    Those words were spoken by Gagaran, and then the other twin.

    ¡°Is that why you wanted to know what we knew?¡±

    Everyone in Blue Rose nodded. Lakyus summed up for them.

    ¡°We¡¯ll pay a sum equal to the fees we¡¯d receive for a simr request..¡±

    ¡°Captain. May I handle the uing negotiations?¡±

    Remedios immediately agreed with Gustavo¡¯s question.

    ¡°¡ªIn ce of money, we would like some other form of payment.¡±

    ¡°What is it? While we would like to meet your wishes, we can¡¯t do everything... However, if you want to make contact with powerful nobles, that could be arranged.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Thank you very much. However, we were not thinking of that ¡ª could youe to our country and fight alongside us?¡±

    The room was silent once more. Itsted several seconds ¡ª no, perhaps it was longer. The next sound they heard was that of Lakyus leaning on her chair.

    ¡°I am very sorry, but we cannot offer that form of payment.¡±

    ¡°...We¡¯re gathering intelligence because we don¡¯t want to die. Doing that would be counter to our purposes.¡±

    Evileye shrugged, as if to say there was nothing that could be done about it.

    ¡°We won¡¯t ask you to fight Jaldabaoth. All you need to do is wait in the rear and help with healing magic.¡±

    ¡°Bullshit, you don¡¯t have the luxury of doing that.¡±

    Gagaran¡¯s words left them speechless.

    She was correct. The northern half of the Holy Kingdom was now subjugated by Jaldabaoth¡¯s beastmen, and all they could do was mount a feeble resistance. Many of the people had been incarcerated in camps, and the surviving pdins were hidden in caves as defeated soldiers.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not the case. We stopped the demihuman advance in the nick of time.¡±

    They still held the south, where the Army and Jaldabaoth¡¯s forces were staring each other down, so saying that they were at the edge of extinction might be urate.

    To Neia, who knew what was going on, Gustavo¡¯s words sounded more like lies than the truth.

    ¡°Can youe, in that case?¡±

    ¡°I refuse.¡±

    Remedios sat up to ask her question, and Evileye tly rejected it. Given the way everyone in Blue Rose remained silent, she was most definitely not alone in her opinion. They must have all felt the same way.

    ¡°...Frankly speaking... we might have stopped them in the nick of time, but we¡¯re also at the end of our rope. The Holy Kingdom is in ruins, but the southern troops are still intact. However, they alone won¡¯t be enough to beat Jaldabaoth.¡±

    Gustavo poured a ss of water for himself, drank from it, and then continued.

    ¡°The reason why we haven¡¯t beenpletely conquered yet is because the navy has been pinning down Jaldabaoth¡¯s army on the northern coastline and holding them off. If Jaldabaoth manages to figure out some way to deal with that and advances his troops to the south, they won¡¯t be able to offer the slightest bit of resistance.¡±

    However, that was the thinking of a man from the north, who knew Jaldabaoth¡¯s power. The people of the south would probably have different ns. For instance, driving off Jaldabaoth with their own might.

    While part of the reason for that was because they had not shared their intelligence, it was also due to the long-standing feud between the north and the south.

    From the start, many of the nobles in the south had always protested the fact that a woman ¡ª skipping ahead of her elder brother ¡ª was to be crowned as Holy Queen for the first time in history.

    For that reason, in order to avoid a rift between the north and the south, the former Holy Queen ignored even such baseless allegations as ¡°The Holy Queen assumed her position because she had something going on with the temples, and she was secretly assisted by Queralt Custodio.¡±

    After that, the south did not escte matters any further and thus a full-scale confrontation was averted, but that was only because the north and south had been in a bnce of power. Now that the north was in ruins, the south no longer had any reason to hold themselves back any more. Thus, the south began snubbing the north now.

    Even in the face of Jaldabaoth¡¯s invasion, the humans still bore grudges against each other. Neia simply found thatughable. In addition, there were whispers of a power struggle for the position of the next Holy King, and it only served to make Neia, amoner, even more unhappy.

    ¡°That¡¯s quite bad.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. The navy has very few assets which can do battle against flying demons, and their battles have taken a terrible toll on them. If this keeps up, they won¡¯t be able to hold off Jaldabaoth¡¯s army forever. We need strength to ovee this situation! Please, I beg you, lend your strength to us! All we need is a month or two! We can pay anything you want! I beg you, please save the Holy Kingdom.¡±

    As Gustavo bowed his head to them, Neia and the other pdins went ¡°Please!¡± and bowed as well.

    The room was silent once more, and then Lakyus¡¯s voice spread through it.

    ¡°Please, raise your heads. And ¡ª I am very sorry, but we cannot go to the Holy Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°Why!?¡±

    Neia jerked her head up at the sudden shout from Remedios. She saw Remedios had risen from her seat and was ring at Lakyus.

    ¡°There¡¯s no way Jaldabaoth will stop at conquering the Holy Kingdom! He¡¯ll gather his strength there and then invade the Kingdom, you know! If you don¡¯t beat him now, he¡¯ll be even stronger in future!¡±

    ¡°You are correct. The possibility of that is very high.¡±

    ¡°Since you understand, why aren¡¯t you helping us!? And it¡¯s not just you, it¡¯s also the nobles of this country, of our country! None of you get it! Isn¡¯t now the time toe together and fight as one!?¡±

    ¡°...The reason why this country¡¯s nobles won¡¯t lend you their strength is slightly different from our own. What do you know about the Sorcerous Kingdom?¡±

    It was a frightening ce ruled by the undead, a city taken from the Kingdom and used as the heart of a nation. That was all the average citizen of the Holy Kingdom knew about it. As Remedios said as much, Lakyus smiled bitterly to her.

    ¡°That¡¯s true, and it¡¯srgely urate... but it¡¯s wrong in some ces... While the undead are everywhere, the humans there live safe and peaceful lives.¡±

    ¡°...Eh? In a country founded by the undead, who hate the living?¡±

    ¡°There are many kinds of undead, and the Sorcerer King is a ruler of the undead. Ordering the undead under hismand not to harm human beings and enforcing that order is a simple matter for him.¡±

    Evileye made a noise of disapproval.

    ¡°Evileye... Mm, anyway, we still have the Sorcerous Kingdom before our eyes to deal with, so it¡¯s hard for them to aid your country. Also, a lot of people perished during the battle with the Sorcerous Kingdom, which will have grave consequences in the future. The nobles who appear so well-off are hardly as well-to-do as you might think.¡±

    ¡°Even so, isn¡¯t Jaldabaoth a problem that should be taken care of as soon as possible? The fact is, countless people are suffering because of Jaldabaoth. And the Sorcerous Whatever hasn¡¯t harmed anyone, has he?¡±

    ¡°...Fighting on two fronts at once while you¡¯re exhausted is very dangerous. I trust I don¡¯t need to tell you that, right?¡±

    Remedios shut her mouth.

    ¡°Also, it¡¯s the same with us. Two of us were killed inbat with Jaldabaoth and while they were resurrected from the dead, they still have not regained their full strength yet. If we invade Jaldabaoth¡¯s territory in this state, we might all end up being killed.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t Gustavo say that you wouldn¡¯t need to fight Jaldabaoth?¡±

    ¡°What the heck, she actually believed that...¡±

    ¡°Tia! Excuse me. Ahem. I¡¯m very sorry, but I don¡¯t think things will turn out as you imagine. So long as it involves the risk of facing Jaldabaoth, we will refuse this job. We need to be stronger than we are now in order to prepare for the future. ...This is just a hypothesis, but we need to get ready in case Jaldabaoth decides to attack the Kingdom once more.¡±

    The faces of every member of Blue Rose were unmoved. It would seem they could not be swayed.

    Soon, Remedios managed to squeeze a few words out.

    ¡°Then, who else is there who can save our country?¡±

    Blue Rose¡¯s members looked at each other.

    ¡°There¡¯s only one person,¡± Evileye replied. ¡°Or rather, he¡¯s the person you should have gone to in the first ce, no?¡±

    ¡°...Who¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Momon-sama, of course. The Momon-sama who beat off Jaldabaoth.¡±

    ¡°Ohhh! Did he!?¡±

    ¡°A moment, Captain Custodio... If I¡¯m not wrong, he¡¯s...?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve heard, haven¡¯t you? Yes, Momon-sama is now in the Sorcerous Kingdom and is one of the Sorcerer King¡¯s subordinates. Therefore, you will most likely have to convince the Sorcerer King to help you.¡±

    ¡°Geh!¡± Remedios grunted bitterly.

    Neia understood how she felt. Any citizen of the Holy Kingdom would have veryplex feelings about asking anything of the undead.

    Considering she, as a squire, felt that way, how much worse would it be for the captain of an order of pdins who bore a holy sword? However ¡ª Remedios looked forcefully at the members of Blue Rose.

    ¡°...If that is the best way to defeat Jaldabaoth, then let¡¯s do it. No, that¡¯s all we can do. If we can, we¡¯ll pin our hopes to that Momon¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªI believe it¡¯s Momon-sama, Captain.¡±

    ¡°Er, yes! Can you please write a letter introducing us to Momon-sama?¡±

    <b>Part 2</b>

    After the talks with Blue Rose ended, the diplomatic delegation from the Holy Kingdom to which Neia belonged made an early departure from the Royal Capital. This was because they had already seen that nobody in the Kingdom was willing to aid the Holy Kingdom, researching Jaldabaoth¡¯s true form would need several month¡¯s time, and also because they knew that the only one capable of beating Jaldabaoth was Momon.

    In addition, the thought of the Holy Kingdom¡¯s citizens suffering made them anxious to do something for them.

    They rested their horses as little as possible, sometimes even casting spells on them, and they travelled east along the roads at speeds that normal travellers could not match.

    They passed the final vige of the Kingdom, and now they were at the buffer zone between the Kingdom and the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    The gently-swelling hills blocked the travellers¡¯ lines of sight, and they could catch the asional glimpse of a densely-packed primeval forest. It felt like a monster might leap out at them at any time. This might have originally been the Kingdom¡¯s territory, but that was all. The chance of being attacked by monsters had only decreased. It was by no means gone.

    On terrain like this, Neia¡¯s sense of vision and smell sharpened, and she forged ahead.

    There¡¯s no sign of creatures waiting in ambush nearby. No tracks ofrge carnivores near the road either.

    There were many patches of bare earth exposed on the road. If they continued onwards, they would be entering territory which had formerly been controlled by the Crown, whose roads seemed to have been paved. Paved roads were more convenient for travellers, but to Neia, the bare earth from just now would make it easier to spot best tracks.

    Neia looked at her hands.

    She did not like these hands.

    It was not that she resented the hardening of her hands from her training. It was simply distaste for herck of talent.

    She might have inherited her father¡¯s keen senses, but sadly, she had not received anything from her mother.

    Neia¡¯s mother had been a famous pdin in her time, and she had excellent sword skills. However, as her daughter, Neia had no talent for the sword, no matter how much she practiced. Strictly speaking, the bow techniques passed down from her father meant that she could use bows skillfully even without any training.

    No, the fact was, Neia was fortunate just to inherit that half of her heritage. However, the skills used by the pdins which Neia so admired could only be used with melee weapons. For Neia, who wanted to be a pdin, being talented with ranged weapons was a waste.

    Once more, she gripped the reins tightly.

    She straightened her waist and adjusted her position on the saddle. She had spent a long time on horseback after leaving the Royal Capital, and her butt and thighs were quite sore now.

    She could have asked the Pdins to use low tier healing spells to get rid of the pain. However, she was a girl, and she was a little embarrassed to ask that of them. Also, it was still not yet at a level where it would affect her ability to work the reins, so that made it even more difficult to ask.

    ...I¡¯ll just apply the herbs afterwards, as usual. I need to thank Dad for that. In the past, when I said my butt hurt, he¡¯d run over with an annoyed look on his face... Did I thank him back then? ...Hah.

    Neia forced herself to stop before her tears spilled out.

    ¡°¡ªAh, Captain, I can see paved roads. We¡¯re about to enter the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s domain.¡±

    The dirt road suddenly turned to cobblestones halfway through its course. It felt strange.

    Neia looked to the sky.

    ¡°So, will we ride all the way to the Sorcerous Kingdom? Or will we set up camp at night?¡±

    ¡°I think we ought to be able to make it before sunset if nothing else happens. However, we might be taken for an invading force. What should we do?¡±

    ¡°Let me discuss this.¡±

    Remedios tugged on her reins and her horse slowed down, and then she began speaking to Gustavo.

    However, this ought to be the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s domain from here on in... but where are their troops? There aren¡¯t any fortresses either. There were forts on the Kingdom¡¯s side...

    Usually, there would be forts at a country¡¯s borders, but there were none here. Since the Sorcerous Kingdom was just one city, had they concentrated all their forces into the city?

    Neia¡¯s gaze travelled along the paved road.

    The gentle slope ran between the hills. In the distance, she could see a patch of leafless winter forest.

    She recalled how she had gone camping in the winter with her father. That did not change, no matter where she went. The scenery here felt just like that of the Holy Kingdom.

    ...Living in the human world¡¯s a pain, huh.

    The words her father had casually mumbled pricked her heart like a thorn.

    Her father had chosen to live in a city because of her mother. If her mother was not around, he would have chosen to stay in a little vige near the forest, living off the bounty of nature.

    When she had still been a child, she felt that living in a natural setting was a pain. However, after going on this journey, she could understand what her father had meant by his words. Was that a sign of maturity? She ought to be able to talk about different things with her parents now.

    Pain shed through her heart as she thought about these things. However, it was only for a moment. That was because ahead of them ¡ª due east along the road ¡ª she could see something blurry along the snaking path that passed between the hills.

    ¡ªCould it be a fire!?

    Neia squinted her eyes, and then looked carefully again.

    There was a milky-white, smoke-like object there. No, it was not smoke, but fog. And¡ª

    ¡°Sorry to interrupt you while you¡¯re speaking! There¡¯s something like fog ahead!¡±

    ¡°So what?¡±

    After Neia reported to the rear, Remedios took off her helmet. There was a puzzled look on her face.

    ¡°Neia Baraja. Is there anything about it that bothers you?¡±

    ¡°Yes. ording to this map, there are norgekes around, yet there¡¯s arge bank of fog ahead. I¡¯m sure it must be an abnormal urrence.¡±

    The bank of thick, milky fog seemed to be spreading wider and wider, and it looked like it would reach Neia and the others any time now.

    Her father had taught her about all sorts of natural phenomena, and when she pondered the situation based on that knowledge, the appearance of this fog really was quite strange.

    ¡°Squire Baraja. Could it be some sort of abnormal climate change?¡±

    That question came from Gustavo, who had picked up on what was going on before Remedios.

    These abnormal climate changes referred to usually impossible phenomena urring in arge area. For instance, there might be a ce where arge scale ritual spell gone wrong filled an area with toxic rot-gases, or a ce where once a year, a desert might rage with sandstorms for a week, or perhaps a ce where multi-colored rain fell at certain times.

    In other words, he was asking if this fog was one of those mysterious urrences. However, Neia had not gathered any information on such things. She sensed that she would probably be scolded if she answered as much, but she had no choice but to answer honestly.

    ¡°My sincerest apologies, but I have no information about the fog that has appeared before us.¡±

    ¡°In other words, you didn¡¯t gather enough intelligence, did you?¡±

    Yet another difficult question. Who could say that they had collected enough information?

    ¡°Captain Remedios. Deciding what to do now is more important.¡±

    Their horses hade to a halt.

    The fog was getting thick enough that horses could not advance through it. Given what they had learned earlier, there were no cliffs near E-Rantel. If they advanced slowly, they ought to be able to deal with whatever came up. However, this rapidly brewing fog made them hesitant to move through it, however slowly they travelled.

    Neia sniffed the fog.

    It smelled of water vapor and nothing more. There was nothing about it that would have bothered her. However, that was exactly what bothered her.

    ¡°Captain, could this fog have been generated by a monster? My father once said that some monsters had the magical ability to generate fog, and they would hide in it to stalk their prey.¡±

    ¡°...Everyone, draw your des! Anyone still on the road, clear off right away!¡±

    This quick decision-making was a sign of Remedios¡¯s excellence in battle.

    Neia and the Pdins moved their horses as directed and left the road, whereupon they circled up. By this time, the thick fog looked like it was going to swallow up the entire world.

    It was thick enough that she could barely make out herpanions next to her, and visibility was zero beyond fifteen meters. Her unease boiled in her chest, and she imagined she saw wraiths in the movement of the fog¡¯s currents.

    It would be good if she could determine what was approaching them by sound, but she was surrounded by fully armored knights. Every move they made caused metal to scrape against metal, and it hampered Neia¡¯s sense of hearing. Under these conditions, it would be very difficult to detect anything that was closing in on them. By Neia¡¯s reckoning, the only one who could still discern objects by sound in these conditions was her father.

    As she realized her father¡¯s greatness once more, she desperately pricked up her ears to listen.

    ¡°This is a really weird fog; it doesn¡¯t get this thick even on the sea.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t we about to reach the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s city? Are there still monsters this close to the city limits? Or are these strange things par for the course because it¡¯s the Sorcerous Kingdom?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know... could it be some sort of defensive spell used by the Sorcerous Kingdom?¡±

    ¡°...Let¡¯s leave magic out of it, just talking about it makes my head hurt. If you see anything, let me know, and make it easy to understand. If it¡¯s a monster, we¡¯ll kill it so we can have the Sorcerer King owe us a favor when asking him to send out Momon. How about that?¡±

    ¡°How do you think that will turn out? While they say clearing out monsters within a country¡¯s borders is the responsibility of that country...¡±

    Perhaps it was because she had focused all her energies on listening intently, but she could clearly make out the contents of the conversation between the Captain and Gustavo. However, if she moved away, she was no longer confident that she could hear them. What would her father do at a time like this?

    I can¡¯t keep relying on someone who isn¡¯t here! I need to stand on my own two feet!

    However, the fact remained that staying here would only impede her abilities. In that case, should she ask if she could be allowed to move away by herself in order to verify the situation?

    ¡ªIt would be better not to.

    Neia quelled her desire to speak up.

    Even if she did not do so, the Captain was hardly close to her. If she asked for that and failed, there was no telling how she would be punished. It would be best to avoid causing more problems for herself.

    Also, it would be bad if the Captain stopped trusting my guidance as a result.

    Neia struggled to make excuses in her heart. However, it would be very bad for her mental health if they ran into danger and she thought, I could have handled this better.

    Although part of her mind thought, If we all die here, the people suffering in the Holy Kingdom will have to wait even longer for salvation, Remedios¡¯s barbs had already punched countless holes in Neia¡¯s heart, and she could not bring herself to care any more.

    Just then, Neia saw something from the corner of her eye that she could not possibly miss.

    Amidst the dense fog, she glimpsed the murky outline of something hugeing from the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    ¡°Say, can you take a look over there?¡± Neia poked one of the mounted pdins beside her.

    ¡°...I don¡¯t see anything. Sorry, but the fog¡¯s too thick and I can¡¯t see anything. Is something there?¡±

    She heard the pdin reaching to his waist and fluidly drawing his sword, then the sound of him tightly gripping its hilt.

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s nothing. I thought I saw something, but maybe I was mistaken.¡±

    ¡°Really? Well, if you think there¡¯s something there, just tell us, no matter what it is.¡±

    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll be counting on you when the timees, then.¡±

    After thanking him with an earnest look on her face, Neia turned back to the front. If one divided the women in the world into those who were suited for smiling and those who were not meant to smile at all, Neia would fall into thetter category. Even a word of thanks from her was better delivered with a serious expression than with a smile.

    Neia continued studying the fog bank intently. It was possible that only Neia could see it because it was too far away, but she was sure she had not been mistaken.

    Perhaps her interaction with the pdin had restored her spirits, but Neia decided to say something to the Captain. However, she was still talking to Gustavo.

    ¡°What should we do next?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s very dangerous to move around in this fog. Let¡¯s wait a bit more, and if there¡¯s nothing we¡¯ll dismount and rest. Come to think of it, are there fog-emitting monsters in the sea?¡±

    ¡°Of course. However, there aren¡¯t any seas orkes nearby. It¡¯s just like Squire Baraja said.¡±

    ¡°Is it possible that she made a mistake or overlooked some piece of information?¡±

    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t screw up like that. Frankly speaking, she¡¯s brought us safely all the way here, hasn¡¯t she? When we were leaving the Holy Kingdom, the demihumans patrolling near the broken wall didn¡¯t spot us either. We couldn¡¯t have done it by ourselves, could we?¡±

    ¡°We could have broken through by force.¡±

    Once again, the health gauge for Neia¡¯s heart plummeted.

    How much frustration had she gone through to bring them all the way here?

    Memories awoke in her mind, of how she had asked them to stay behind while she scouted by herself in the freezing rain, crawling around on the ground and getting all muddy in order to prevent herself from being spotted by ranger-type ambush skills.

    If she were spotted, Neia, as the sole vanguard would most assuredly die. Even so, Neia had carried on with the determination to die, clinging to the belief that she was doing this to save her suffering countrymen.

    That¡¯s right, I¡¯m not working hard because I want someone to praise me or anything.

    She tried her best to talk herself round. Even if the Captain refused to acknowledge her contributions, the others would surely approve of her efforts, even if they did not say so.

    Wanting to be praised or rewarded for working hard is just a child¡¯s selfishness. This is what it means to be a shield of humanity. Biting your lip, making yourself a shield, all in order to keep pain and suffering from the people is the duty of a pdin. Surely the Captain must be the same way. Still... could she lower her volume? No, maybe the two of them think they¡¯re speaking quietly enough.

    The two of them were still talking.

    Neia personally thought that they should not focus on talking and instead keep an eye on their surroundings. Especially Remedios, whose beast-like danger sense and fighting ability meant that she ought to be able to respond better than anyone else.

    She quashed the frustration in her heart, and focused on the shadow in the fog. That was also because she had not yet regained the strength needed to call out to them again, and also because she did not want to continue listening in on their conversation.

    And then ¡ª perhaps the fog had been parted by the currents of the wind ¡ª for a moment, just a moment, Neia clearly glimpsed a shadowy wheelhouse.

    Eh? No way... is that... a ship?

    Indeed, Neia had discerned the true nature of the shadow; a ship which floated upon the sea.

    In addition, it was arge ship, simr to a galleass. It was a momentary thing, and it was promptly veiled again by the heavy fog, so even she was not sure that she had actually spotted a ship.

    Of course, such a thing was not possible bymon sense.

    The information she possessed notwithstanding, Gustavo himself had already said there were nokes in the vicinity. No, even if there was, only a madman would float a galleass in ake.

    If this were a coastal region, it might be possible that they had used an old ship as a fortress or moved it onto drynd for some other purpose. In fact, there were several examples of such things in the Holy Kingdom. However, doing so this far ind was impossible.

    I was seeing things, right?

    That was the best way to think of it.

    Still, her eyes refused to leave that direction, scanning over and over again.

    ¡°...So you did see something after all, huh?¡±

    Neia squeaked out an Eh!? in response to the question from the knight she had spoken to earlier.

    ¡°You were looking in the direction from just now, which means you did see something over there, right?¡±

    ¡°Ah? No, that...¡±

    I saw a shadow that looked like a ship. If she actually said that, they would probably think she was insane. Certainly Neia would. In that case, what should she say?

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter if you were mistaken, but could you tell me if you saw something? It¡¯ll help if something¡¯s happening over there.¡±

    It was a perfect argument.

    She peeked around from side to side. Everyone was listening in to Neia¡¯s exchange with the pdin, and all eyes were on Neia. Things being what they were, she could not simply bluff her way through this by saying ¡°Oh, I was just mistaken.¡±

    ¡°...Ah, I just felt that there was a big shadow out there.¡±

    ¡°Is that big shadow a monster?¡±

    The person Neia least wanted to hear fired a question her way. Dammit, don¡¯t ask me, she thought, but obviously she could not actually say that.

    Neia sighed several dozen times in her heart before answering:

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that. I had the feeling I saw a building or something simr.¡±

    ¡°...Did you really see it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure. It just felt that way. It¡¯s quite likely that I was mistaken.¡±

    ¡°A building? A fort of the Sorcerous Kingdom or something like that?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. However, the fact is that we haven¡¯t seen anything that looks like a fort of the Sorcerous Kingdom near the roads, or near the viges. Those wouldn¡¯t be out of ce on the bordends.¡±

    While she had felt that it was a ship, it would go across better if she said that she had seen a building which looked like a ship rather than a ship itself.

    ¡°I see... what do you think, Gustavo?¡±

    ¡°I believe her. Although ¡ª you didn¡¯t verify that it was a building, did you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it was just for a moment. It might have been something else entirely.¡±

    ¡°Captain Custodio, in any event, I think waiting in the fog is the best option. I don¡¯t think the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s forts will permit foreigners to enter.¡±

    ¡°Makes sense. Let¡¯s do it, then. Everyone, stay alert.¡±

    She was answered by a chorus of voices, as well as Neia.

    While they were ostensibly keeping watch, everyone¡¯s attention was focused on a single point. That was because everybody wanted to verify what Neia had seen.

    The thick fog continued to obscure all vision, and just as everyone was starting to lose interest in the building, something happened.

    ¡°¡ªWhat!?¡±

    Neia and the knight to her right both gasped in surprise.

    A shadow was moving in the thick fog.

    ¡°W-What? What was that?¡±

    Neia could not answer the pdin¡¯s question. Saying it was a ship was crazy talk.

    ¡°Is that shadow... moving? Isn¡¯t that a building?¡±

    The Captain¡¯s question was very reasonable. However, since Neia had not told her what it actually was, all she could say until the end was that it looked like a building.

    ¡°When I saw it, it looked like one...¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s moving now, isn¡¯t it? Also... the shadow looks like it¡¯s getting darker; is it headed our way?¡±

    Indeed, if that was really a ship, then it could move towards them. In other words ¡ª that ship was one which could sail onnd.

    How could that... it¡¯s impossible...

    In the end, the shadow approached close enough through the fog until even the people other than Neia could see what it really was.

    It was indisputably a ship, and it was moving as though it were sailing upon the waves. Rows of long, thick oars protruded from its sides, rowing like they were actually pushing through the water.

    ¡°Are you kidding me?¡±

    The shocked words which escaped Remedios¡¯s mouth spoke for everyone in the group.

    ¡°Do the ships of the Sorcerous Kingdom travel onnd? The ind countries have all sorts of surprising toys...¡±

    No, no, not like this, Neia said in her heart. She was probably not the only one to think that way.

    ¡°A ship that travels through fog... I seem to recall hearing about something like that before...¡±

    ¡°I expected nothing less of you, Gustavo! Come, try and recall it, I¡¯m sure you can do it. You taught me all kinds of things in the past, I¡¯m sure you can do it. Right, want me to shake your head for you?¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t do that. Besides, I¡¯m not a sage or anything. It¡¯s just because our Captain has no head for such facts which requires me to remember them on her behalf.¡±

    ¡°...That¡¯s because all I needed to do was ask you or Queralt.¡±

    ¡°It seems we¡¯ve been spoiling you too much. Once we send Jaldabaoth back to hell, I¡¯m going to make sure you make up for all your years of lost learning. Ah, thanks to that, I remember now. It¡¯s a Ghost Ship. I heard some sailors talk about it, a ship that appears out of the fog. It¡¯s a ship that should have sunk, but which sails once more, and it is helmed by the undead.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Yes, I¡¯ve heard that Ghost Ships are preceded by thick fog. ...Everyone, form up! If it¡¯s a Ghost Ship, then we¡¯ll be facing the undead! It¡¯s the enemy!¡±

    Even the pdins could not help but be shaken by their Captain¡¯s order.

    ¡°Wait! Please wait, Captain Custodio! The Sorcerous Kingdom which is our destination is ruled by an undead king, so what if this is one of the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s ships?¡±

    ¡°What!? He brought a Ghost Ship onto drynd and then used it? ...What the hell is this?¡±

    It was only natural that Remedios would be dumbfounded.

    The undead could control other undead. However, what kind of undead being could put a Ghost Ship, that would originally have sailed the seas, under theirmand?

    Soon, the ship revealed itself in its entirety.

    Indeed, it was truly a Ghost Ship.

    It was broken down all over. There was a huge hole in the side of the hull, and the deck nks were curled upwards in many ces.

    It was gigantic, even bigger than the Holy Kingdom Navy¡¯s gship ¡°Iron Hammer of the Holy King.¡± If it were not so dpidated, it would give off an impression of tremendous power.

    Thest of its three masts flew aft sails, while the others had regr square sails. However, they were all torn and tattered, and they did not look like they could aplish their mission of propelling a vessel.

    There was an abnormal sharpness to the way its prow protruded forth. It looked very impressive, like it had been polished. In addition, it glowed with a dim, mystical light, and it gave the feeling that the ship was proud of itself.

    After that, the most eye-catching feature was the ensign it flew on top of the main mast. It bore the symbol of the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    The ship floated a meter off the ground as it moved forward.

    Soon, the ship passed by the group ¡ª who were frozen in ce by the bizarre sight ¡ª from the side.

    Nobody was able to move, and then the fog began to thin. Did that ship spew fog as it sailed? No, if that were the case, then the fog would have been thickest when one was near the ship, so they should not have been able to even see the hull itself. It was probably like some sort of concealingyer that shrouded the area around the ship with fog.

    Or perhaps it was a cage to keep its prey from escaping. Neia was scared stiff by that thought of hers.

    The Sorcerer King... an undead king. He might turn out to be a very scary person.

    When she heard he had summoned gigantic goats of uncertain origin, she had imagined them as adorable sheep, so perhaps Neia might have underestimated the Sorcerer King in some small way.

    It made her uneasy.

    Just like how pdins viewed the undead as enemies, the undead might consider pdins to be their enemies too. If that were the case, the fate of their group would be¡ª

    Even so, they had no choice but to beg him for aid, in order to meet Momon, the man who had once fought on par with Jaldabaoth. Neia wiped her sweat away with her palm.

    ¡°...The fog¡¯s cleared. Everyone, let¡¯s go.¡±

    The undead king who ruled these bizarre beings.

    Neia gathered up her resolve.

    The Sorcerer King is undead, yet he permits humans to live... What sort of person is he, really? Well, I won¡¯t be able to see that side of him, being a squire and all.

    <b>Part 3</b>

    In the distance, she could see the outermost of E-Rantel¡¯s ¡ª the capital of the Sorcerous Kingdom ¡ª three walls, and the imposing gate set into it.

    However, neither of them could draw Neia¡¯s attention away from the two gigantic statues which nked the gate.

    They depicted an undead creature which held a bizarre staff that resembled snakes coiling around each other. Those statues were probably made in the image of the Sorcerer King, Ainz Ooal Gown.

    Despite being a good distance away from them, Neia could make out the intricate detailing of the statues. In all likelihood, she would not be able to find a w in them even at the statues¡¯ feet.

    Then, she saw several human-shaped creatures working near the statues.

    Eh? Ah... aren¡¯t they too big? Aren¡¯t they as high are those walls? While I know the statues arerge... who are those people working down there, anyway?

    The others seemed to have the same questions as Neia, and the pdins began discussing the identities of those human-like creatures.

    ¡°...Those aren¡¯t humans, are they?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Are they Giants? Although, they don¡¯t seem to be the same as Hill Giants...¡±

    Neia, a mere squire, had never seen a Giant in the flesh before, but she had heard about these beings during her monster knowledge ss.

    Giants were essentially erged humans, but in addition to their powerful bodies, they also possessed racial abilities. Thanks to these abilities, they could endure environments which humans would be hard-pressed to survive, so they typically made their homes in such ces. They were a demihuman species which had little to do with humans, who could only live on the ins.

    Some races which were skilled in magic were more advanced than humanity.

    Race alone did not determine the goodness or wickedness of a being. One of the Thirteen Heroes was a Giant. In the Holy Kingdom, the Giants known as Sea Giants sometimes showed up to trade.

    That said, Giants were generally a violent and dangerous race.

    On the subject of dangerous Giants in the human world, one would have to mention Hill Giants, who lived in the hills. Giant-kin such as trolls and the like were also quite (in)famous.

    In that case, what were these Giants doing in a city of the undead?

    ¡°...Were there Giants here in the past? Did he conquer them?¡±

    ¡°Does that Sorcerer Kingmand Giants? I¡¯ve never heard of something like that before.¡±

    That surprised exmation from one of the pdins was only to be expected.

    They had gathered a great deal of intelligence in preparation for their journey to the Sorcerous Kingdom. Of course, a lot of that information was iprehensible, so they could not be said to have seeded in their objective, but that still counted as doing their due diligence. Both the Ghost Ship and Giants were matters of mystery.

    Was the Sorcerer King an undead Giant? Neia thought. But such a distinguishing characteristic ought to have showed up in their intelligence reports.

    Just then, Gustavo addressed her from behind.

    ¡°Squire Baraja, it¡¯s about time we changed formation. Move to the rear.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    During their journey, Neia had been at the head of the formation, but now that they were near the city, Neia would upy the rearmost position. In turn, Remedios and Gustavo would take Neia¡¯s ce at the front.

    ¡°Captain Custodio, shall we send an envoy out to announce us?¡±

    Surely anyone would be wary of a group of people showing up near a city in full te armor and bearing arms. Therefore, when they entered a city or vige of the Kingdom, they would typically send out a pdin to inform them that they wereing, and then the group would approach, bearing the g of the Holy Kingdom. This was etiquette.

    After receiving Remedios¡¯s permission, they sent a pdin out before them.

    After reaching the gates to the Sorcerous Kingdom, he turned and came back.

    ¡°Captain, I¡¯ve informed the watchmen of the Sorcerous Kingdom. They extend a wee to us.¡±

    ¡°Is that so, got it. Then let¡¯s go! Raise the gs! Hold your chests high! Do not disgrace the name of pdins of the Holy Kingdom!¡±

    With that, the group slowly guided their horses towards the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    Finally, they reached the stately-looking gates, as well as the Giants working there.

    The Giants seemed to be cleaning the statues, as though to make the beautiful statues even more beautiful.

    They nced at the Giants¡¯ appearance, and their skin was bluish white, while their hair and moustaches were white. They seemed to be dressed in primitive clothing made from the hide of some kind of beast, as well as exquisitely made chain mail armor.

    ¡°What kind of Giants are those?¡±

    Neia¡¯s keen senses picked up the conversation from the front row.

    ¡°This is just a guess, but I think they should be Frost Giants, right?¡±

    ¡°H-mm~¡± Remedios replied vaguely. ¡°Are they strong? What powers do they have?¡±

    ¡°...Honestly, give me a break... Frost Giants are Giants who live in cold climates, and they are immune to cold. In contrast, they are weak to fire.¡±

    ¡°I see. So if we have to fight one, we should use fire, is that right?¡±

    ¡°Well, pretty much. Mithril ranked adventurers should be able to beat them with ease. However, they can train and learn like us, and sometimes you might encounter a Giant with warrior skills. Therefore, you must be careful.¡±

    Those were Giants.

    One could train to be a warrior, a magic caster, or a thief. It was not just humans who could train themselves in such techniques. While creatures with racial advantages generally were not inclined towards such training, some of them would put in the effort to pick up such skills, and that made them very difficult opponents.

    Neia¡¯s father had repeatedly told her, ¡°Beasts intimidate you with their appearance. But a powerful foe who does not appear to be one is very frightening.¡±

    ¡°H-mm~ Well, I¡¯ve never fought a Giant before. Still, Ogres are a different matter.¡±

    ¡°Take care you don¡¯t upset them by mentioning Ogres in the same breath as them. To the Sea Giants, at least, it would be likeparing a monkey to a human. Of course, that¡¯s a rumor from a bard, so there¡¯s no telling how much of that is true.¡±

    ¡°H-mm~ The Holy Kingdom can¡¯t hire Sea Giants, but the Sorcerous Kingdom can employ Frost Giants. Which of them is stronger?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t know the answer to that...¡±

    While the Captain obviously wanted Sea Giants to be stronger, the important thing now was the sort of treatment these Frost Giants faced in the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    Were they treated as friends, enved with force, or were they paid for their services in a mutually beneficial rtionship?

    There was no way to tell from the forms of the silentlyboring Giants.

    Still, it would seem these Giants are excellentborers. The Holy Kingdom has worked with demihumans in the past, but if they expanded the scope of that, it could do many more things. Of course, the Holy Kingdom would never do that.

    While there were races such as the Mermen, with whom the Holy Kingdom had a long history of mutual cooperation, the memories of war with demihumans still remained, so such a thing would never be epted.

    Had the Sorcerous Kingdom only epted Giants? Or did it also take in other strange races? If she encountered demihumans here simr to the ones who had attacked the Holy Kingdom, could she rein in the anger within her heart?

    No, if I don¡¯t control myself...

    For instance, what would happen if she met a Snakeman here? It would be a Snakeman who came from and far removed from the Holy Kingdom, living in peace with humans in this nation. Perhaps it might not be possible to use an emotional appeal to dissuade the others from showing hostility, but given the present circumstances, they would have to do just that.

    Neia looked uneasily at Remedios¡¯s back.

    Could she do it?

    She mentally shook her head. Worrying about Remedios like that was very rude. She was the leader of this diplomatic party, and she was working to save the country. She could certainly do that much. Such concerns were were being disrespectful to her.

    ¡°Can we just enter like that? How about going in through another gate?¡±

    The gates might be open, but the Giants were working. She was worried about whether they would mind the passing of the humans at their feet.

    ¡°We¡¯ll go in like this. If word gets out that the Hoy Kingdom¡¯s emissaries went in through another door because they were afraid of Giants, everyone who knows willugh at us.¡±

    ¡°...Understood. Then we shall obey your instructions, Captain.¡±

    And so, the group advanced toward the gates.

    Fortunately, the Giants took a look at them and then stopped their work for a while, allowing them to pass without incident. Neia felt that this was less goodwill towards humans than a mysterious sentiment towards visitors to the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    Normally, they would have been stopped outside the gates, but since they had sent someone to announce them, they were ushered in by human soldiers who looked like street guards, and the group passed through the gates, under the light of magicalnterns. Their illumination was distinctly different from that of the sun, and the trained warhorse harrumphed uneasily under their radiance.

    ¡°Wee to E-Rantel, city of the Sorcerous Kingdom. Is this your first time visiting here, honored pdins?¡±

    ¡°Ahh, yes.¡±

    ¡°I see. Then, I beg your pardon, but can you please dismount?¡±

    This was probably a luggage check, Neia thought. While it was somewhat inconsiderate to conduct one on people calling themselves emissaries from another nation, they were justified in doing so

    There was no protest as the group got off their horses and obeyed the instructions to ¡°Walk this way please,¡± which brought them to a huge door beside the gates.

    Going bymon sense, this ought to be a side tower, abination of troop barracks and a defense base.

    ¡°Please enter here. This city is different from the cities of the Kingdom and the Empire in that it possesses all manner of different locations within, so first time visitors will have to attend a workshop in the room ahead.¡±

    ¡°A workshop?¡±

    ¡°Yes. This is to minimize unnecessary disturbances. Only people who have attended this lecture may enter the city. What say you?¡±

    They hade all this way, so obviously they could not refuse the request to attend. While it was to be expected, Remedios¡¯s answer was a definite ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then, may I request that you give your weapons into our safekeeping?¡±

    Naturally, they could not refuse that, but just as naturally, Remedios had a put-upon look on her face.

    Remedios¡¯s sword was a divine treasure of the Holy Kingdom. Just by bearing it, she would not even need to kneel before the Holy King. She could not surrender such a treasure before even meeting the king of the realm, and after hearing that much, the soldier nodded in understanding.

    ¡°Is that so? Then it can¡¯t be helped. Then please remain as you are and enter, everyone. The truth is, holding onto your swords was intended to ensure your safety. In that case, please promise me that you will not draw your weapons no matter what once you¡¯re inside. If you can¡¯t do that, I¡¯d advise you to leave this city instead.¡±

    ¡°Understood. We shall return the trust you have shown in allowing us to bear our swords, and so we shall not draw our weapons while we are inside.¡±

    Remedios touched her hand to her chest ¡ª to the emblem of the Holy Kingdom there ¡ª as she made that deration. She swore to do so on her honor as a pdin and that of the Holy Kingdom.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll trust you to do that. First, I shall ask the guard for this area to step outside.¡°

    Within the Holy Kingdom, this was an absolute oath that might even draw gasps of surprise from those who saw it, but it was much more mildly received in other countries. After that nd response, the guard knocked on the door.

    After that, the door slowly opened, and what suddenly appeared before their eyes was¡ª

    Neia went Aiiiieeee, in a voice that was somewhere between a gasp and a wail.

    The being that slowly emerged was excessivelyrge in every dimension.

    Its ck colored full te armor was covered in red tracery that resembled blood vessels, and it was covered in spikes. Demonic horns protruded from its helmet, and its open-faced helmet revealed a rotted human visage. Its empty eye-sockets contained points of red light filled with hatred and the anticipation of carnage.

    The temperature in the room plunged in an instant, as though the darkness was chilling them.

    ¡°Please do not draw your weapons!¡±

    Everyone¡¯s shoulders shuddered from the guard¡¯s shout.

    ¡°Nothing will happen if you do not draw your swords! But if you do, you will be in instantly! After that, you will be bound to eternal suffering! Please don¡¯t make me have to witness something like that again!¡±

    His mournful cry sounded like he had experienced this sort of thing before. Had he personally witnessed such an event in the past?

    The undead being slowly red at Neia and the others. There was the feeling that it was waiting for them to draw their des.

    ¡°...And this undead being is...?¡±

    Remedios¡¯s voice trembled faintly as she spoke.

    ¡°They are guards who are stationed throughout this city inrge numbers.¡±

    ¡°...Really?¡±

    Remedios¡¯s quaking voice was somewhere between surprise, fear, and consternation. Neia felt the same way as her. It was unthinkable that a nation would possess so many undead of such extraordinary power.

    ¡°A-Ah, excuse me. Is this undead creature under the control of His Majesty ¡ª the Sorcerer King?¡±

    The guard nodded in response to Neia¡¯s reflexive question.

    ¡°Indeed, that is so. Also, he rules over undead who are more powerful than this one over here.¡±

    ¡°Is it not dangerous?¡±

    The soldier responded immediately to Gustavo¡¯s question. He sounded like he was dying to inform them of this.

    ¡°Yes, to date, there have been no incidents in this city where people were killed without provocation.¡±

    The undead were beings who hated the living. As someone who could utterly dominate them and keep them from harming living creatures, the Sorcerer King must be a truly incredible person. Neia was deeply impressed by the might of the Sorcerer King.

    ¡°...I see. Ah. Then, can you take us inside the room?¡±

    ¡°Please follow me.¡±

    The ck undead creature slowly stepped away from the door, and the soldier boldly walked past him. In contrast, Neia and the others seemed to be looking at each other to see who would make the first move.

    While he said that this undead creature was ruled by the Sorcerer King, those bonds were not visible to the naked eye. This made walking in front of it several times more frightening to them than going before, say, a carnivore who was unchained, but which would not attack because its belly was full.

    Remedios nned to go forward first, but Gustavo stopped her. After that, he looked to Neia.

    I¡¯m the canary, huh.

    There was nothing wrong with that logic when one considered whose life would matter least if it was lost. Even so, despite their determination to protect the weak, their own squire was a different matter.

    Neia steeled herself for whaty ahead, squeezed her eyes shut, and then strode forward.

    After taking several steps forward, she slowly opened her eyes. She had not been cut down. She quickened her pace, and hastily moved past the undead being.

    After seeing Neia had crossed safely, the other pdins followed behind her. In the end, nobody was attacked, and they reached their destination.

    The soldier opened the door, revealing a long table and many in chairs.

    ¡°Please wait in this room for a while.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Thank you for leading us here.¡±

    Remedios jerked her chin, and Gustavo produced a small pouch from safekeeping and handed it to the soldier who had brought them here. It was a tip.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t!¡±

    His rejection was so fierce that it was almost like a cry of despair.

    The soldier raised his hands above his head, utterly unwilling to touch that pouch.

    Everyone was shocked by his reaction, as was Neia. She could not think of any reason for the soldier¡¯s reaction.

    ¡°We are all paid by His Majesty, so please allow me to refuse your show of consideration.¡±

    ¡°But, but since you did us a service... and it¡¯s not a very big sum, no?¡±

    ¡°No, there¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯ll wait outside until the seminar is over.¡±

    The soldier swiftly retreated from the room. The remaining people looked at each other, mystified by the soldier¡¯s overwrought reaction.

    ¡°Is that really all right?¡±

    ¡°He said no, so there¡¯s nothing we can do about it.¡±

    Tipping was a natural thing. While not tipping was not a problem, most people of stature did practice tipping. Of course, some people did so to minimize the time needed for luggage inspections and ask people to take care of various small matters, but they had not made any such requests. Frankly speaking, they were simply doing what would be expected of people in their station.

    If that was an instruction from the Sorcerer King, then what was his aim in doing so?

    ¡°We weren¡¯t told where to sit. So it¡¯s free seating, then.¡±

    After everyone sat as the Captain had directed, a short time passed before the door opened once more.

    Neia turned back, and then her eyes went wide.

    The entity who had entered was not human.

    It was a creature whose species had a human¡¯s upper body and a snake¡¯s lower body, a Naga.

    There were several offshoots of the Naga race ¡ª for instance, the Sea Nagas which asionally appeared along the Holy Kingdom¡¯s coasts ¡ª but which subspecies this one belonged to was unclear. However, all of them were demihumans who held no goodwill for humanity, yet Neia did not feel terribly afraid.

    All this was thanks to that ck undead. Compared to that, she could at least muster up a rational response to this.

    Ah! Was that what it was all about? That frightening undead creature was not just intended to frighten people, but to numb people to the shock of seeing demihumans? They really did put a lot of thought into letting demihumans coexist with humans...

    It would seem the Sorcerer King was not just a powerful undead being.

    The Naga slithered through the silent room, paying no heed to the group¡¯s response as he moved in front of them, whereupon he bowed slightly.

    ¡°Thank you for waiting, dear humans who wish to enter this city. This one isan immigration official for the Sorcerous Kingdom, Ryurarius Spenia Ai Indarun. Well, it is hardly a vocation which will bring this one into contact with you, so there is no need to remember that name. Then, without further ado, let us begin. This one will briefly exin the differences between living in this city and the surrounding cities, as well as things one should be aware of... firstly, drawing weapons within the city is strictly forbidden.¡±

    That was a very reasonable admonition, and Neia let the tension flow out of her shoulders.

    ¡°Mm, many would think of it as an ordinary reminder,¡± Ryurarius pointed to his face with a slender finger. ¡°It¡¯s written all over your faces. However, I would like you to remember that many races walk the streets of the Sorcerous Kingdom. You have already seen the undead holding their heads up high and walking proudly through the streets. Even if they strike you as dangerous beings, drawing your weapon on them without provocation would be a serious crime, no?¡±

    ¡°A moment please. Does that mean we must flee if a dangerous being appears?¡±

    ¡°That is not the case. Even if there are dangerous entities in the city, none of them will harm you. Even so, there are cases where people feel afraid, or they feel they might be attacked, and thus they draw their weapons anyway. That is what this one was talking about.¡±

    ¡°Can you be sure we won¡¯t be attacked?¡±

    ¡°Oh yes... of the many dangerous creatures who walk through this ce, those who will most rm you are probably His Majesty¡¯s subordinates.¡±

    Ryurarius smiled tiredly.

    ¡°Once you stay here for more than a day, your wariness will wane and you will no longer mind them. Well, the first day is the biggest problem. And of course, drawing your weapons in self-defense is perfectly fine.¡±

    ¡°I see. So it¡¯s all right as long as it¡¯s done in self-defense.¡±

    ¡°Mm, yes. Also, mind control magic will be used in the course of investigating crimes in this city. Please keep that in mind.¡±

    Neia¡¯s eyes went wide. Nor was she the only one to do so. Amotion erupted from the pdins. As their representative, Remedios stated her opinion.

    ¡°A moment please. Is the Sorcerous Kingdom such a crude nation? Do they allow the use of spells? Are the courts also that way?¡±

    In general, mind control magic was not used when questioning people about crimes.

    For instance, by using ¡¸Dominate¡¹, one could make anyone a criminal for a brief period of time. By using ¡¸Charm¡¹, one could find a patsy for any crime. The fact that mind control magic could be used to manufacture offenders to one¡¯s liking caused it to be viewed as a crude act practiced only by tyrants.

    ¡°The courts also use simr means. Oh, but I can confidently say that His Majesty will notpel you to speak untruths. On that point you need not worry.¡±

    How could anyone believe that? The use of mind control magic meant that once a nation decided that someone was a dangerous individual, they could paint them as a criminal and then deal with them. No human being would trust an undead being they had never met before.

    Nobody said that, but they probably all felt the same way.

    ¡°Also, I wish to ask... if you will not enter, will you be returning right away?¡±

    ¡°...No, we can¡¯t do that. Please allow us entry.¡±

    ¡°Ho. That was the quickest answer yet. Traders would usually ask for time and then discuss among themselves. Then, let us continue.¡±

    After that, Ryurarius touched on how ¡°Undead horses drew carriages along the roads,¡± and other weird things that seemed to mess with her mind. However, when he said, ¡°Sometimes Dragons will fly overhead, so do not be rmed or let your horses run amok,¡± her face twitched.

    Having Dragons fly above a city was not something that could be summarized as a ¡°big incident.¡±

    Dragons were creatures against whom even fully armed and prepared heroes might fall inbat. That was why all warriors dreamed of ying a Dragon. ying an overwhelmingly superior creature with the strength they had honed, theirrades, and their weapons was a glorious deed and a deed that only the most supetive of warriors could perform.

    Surely it would cause a great disturbance if such a Dragon were to appear in a dwelling ce for humans.

    The undead are fine, because we¡¯ve already seen them as guards, but Dragons... no, still, having one fly overhead as a sentry ought to be fine, right? Also, they have many age categories, and their strength varies greatly depending on their age...

    Freshly hatched Dragons were still Dragons. However, such a tiny Dragon was more easily controlled than the undead creature from just now.

    ¡°Then, that is about it. Thank you for listening. Now, can you follow the soldier back to the gate after you leave this room?¡±

    ¡°Forgive me, but may I ask a question?¡±

    Remedios raised a hand.

    ¡°Hm? And what might that be?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t intend to kill or eat us, do you?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps this one might have thought of doing so in the past. However, that is strictly forbidden now. In addition, after seeing His Majesty, I feel that there is no point in feuding with my fellow inferior lifeforms.¡±

    ¡°Is His Majesty really that powerful?¡±

    Ryurarius smiled tiredly.

    ¡°He is ten times more powerful than you can imagine. Him aside, even his subordinates are extraordinarily potent... simply put, there is no safer city than one which His Majesty defends.¡±

    Perhaps she was thinking of something, but Remedios fell silent.

    ¡°This one does not know why you havee here. However, let me give you some sage advice that a friend with whom I take tea ¡ª a widow ¡ª told me. Dering your opposition to His Majesty would be extremely foolish. A wise man would immediately throw himself at his feet and beg for mercy.¡±

    There was a shocking sense of reality to those words. While he said he had heard it from a friend, it was more like that the Naga called Ryurarius was speaking from personal experience.

    ¡°Thank you for your advice.¡±

    Remedios stood, followed closely by everyone else.

    Neia bowed to Ryurarius from where she stood at the rear of the group before leaving the room.

    <b>Part 4</b>

    They walked along the streets of E-Rantel. The group¡¯s destination was the inn which the gate guards had told them was the highest ss establishment in this city, the Shining Gold Pavilion.

    Neia looked at the assorted people along the streets.

    Ryurarius¡¯s words had given her the impression that this nation was filled with demihumans and the undead. However, the reality was different ¡ª most of the pedestrians were human.

    The only undead she saw were groups of the same undead being they had seen near the city gates, as well as horse-shaped undead with bodies of bones and fog who pulled carriages. There were no other kinds besides them.

    On the other hand, there were all kinds of demihumans.

    A group of Goblins marched down the streets in neat formation, each of them radiating the aura of a seasoned veteran. That immediately shattered the impression Neia had of Goblins. No, it was not just Neia who was that way. Gasps of surprise came from the pdin contingent.

    There were also a demihuman with a rabbit¡¯s face wearing a maid¡¯s uniform, as well as a bipedal, frog-like demihuman, but she had only seen one example of each in the city.

    It seems more normal than I imagined... well, not that normal, but still, it¡¯s quite simr to a human nation. You can hardly tell that it¡¯s under the thumb of a terrifying undead king.

    There were no looks of fear on the faces of the citizens walking along the streets. Neia was not sure if this was because they had resigned themselves, they had grown used to it, or they had decided that there was no need to worry about living with the undead. However, there were no signs of chaos on the streets. At times, she even heard the sound of childrenughing.

    This is much betterpared to Jaldabaoth, I guess.

    Just then, Remedios suddenly halted her horse. Since their leader, who was travelling at the group¡¯s head, had stopped, the rest of them had no choice but to follow suit.

    ¡°Excuse me, Dwarf-san. May I ask you a few questions?¡±

    Remedios was addressing three Dwarves who were working by the side of the road. There were also three Skeletons performing earthworks under the Dwarves¡¯ orders.

    The culture shock she had received after entering the city had been so great that she now thought little of seeing Skeletons. There was even a hint of relief in her mind which came from seeing an opponent which even she could win against.

    ¡°What? Who are you guys? Which country do you hail from.¡±

    ¡°I apologize for speaking from horseback. However, we are from the Holy Kingdom and we are looking for the inn known as the Shining Gold Pavilion. May we ask how to get there?¡±

    ¡°Shining... Shining Gold Pavilion? Ahhh, that¡¯s a ssy ce.¡±

    The Dwarves gave them rough directions. However, it differed slightly from what the gate guards had told them and it felt like they were being sent slightly off-course. However, her real objective was not asking directions.

    ¡°I see. Thank you very much. Gustavo, give them a token of appreciation.¡±

    Gustavo dismounted from his horse and produced a small pouch of coins.

    ¡°You do know all we did was give directions, right?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. After all, we¡¯ve interrupted your work.¡±

    ¡°Really? Well, sorry about that.¡±

    The Dwarves epted Gustavo¡¯s gift, and smiled.

    ¡°Well, when we get some good grub with this, we¡¯ll thank the men and women of the Holy Kingdom for it.¡±

    ¡°No, there¡¯s no need... speaking of which, what are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°Hm? You can¡¯t tell? We¡¯reying roads. His Majesty himself requested it of us. While it¡¯s mainly the residents who are doing the work, we¡¯re here to serve as technical advisors.¡±

    Gahahahaha, the Dwarvesughed heartily.

    ¡°I see. And the undead over there are...?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re Skeletons that His Majesty lent us, can¡¯t you tell? Ahhh, honestly, you can¡¯t beat the undead when ites to pure manualbor. It¡¯s certainly changed my view of them.¡±

    ¡°Controlling the undead, huh...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like there¡¯s anything surprising about it... Well, I guess it can¡¯t be helped because you¡¯re travellers. Still, it¡¯s only to be expected in the Sorcerous Kingdom, no? I¡¯ve heard that the undead are showing their stuff in the nearby viges. After all, they canplete tedious chores like nting and so on with just an order. I mean, look, the undead don¡¯t tire, they don¡¯t sleep, and they don¡¯t eat. In addition, they also understand what we want to say, so they do fantastically when given a task within their means. Things being what they are, you don¡¯t even need to work like a dog any more. Even our country¡¯s starting to make use of them too.¡±

    ¡°By your country, you mean a nation of Dwarves separate from the Sorcerous Kingdom?¡±

    ¡°Oh yes. That¡¯s where wee from, but now we stay in the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s demihuman district.¡±

    ¡°Demihuman district?¡±

    ¡°Yup. It¡¯s where all the races who aren¡¯t human live. They say it used to be the pauper¡¯s district of this city, but it was torn down. Then, it was rebuilt in order to let races of all kinds livefortable lives. Well, it might be a while before it¡¯splete, but work on the dwellings for races smaller than you humans ¡ª like we dwarves, for instance ¡ª has already begun.¡±

    ¡°Originally, we came here to take charge of that building work!¡±

    The Dwarf¡¯s colleague jumped into the conversation.

    ¡°I see. But if the pauper¡¯s district was torn down, where did the original residents go?¡±

    Remedios¡¯s eyes went to the undead.

    ¡°We¡¯re not too sure, but I think they were sent to viges or something. There¡¯s a lot of ruined, abandoned viges around this city, and I heard they were sent there to rebuild them and work the fields. That¡¯s where being able tomand the undeades in handy. If I¡¯m not wrong, they¡¯ve begunrge-scale farming with the undead, or something. That¡¯s why food prices in this country are pretty cheap.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter that it¡¯s cheap! The important thing is that it¡¯s good! And the wine! Ohhh, I fattened right up after moving to this city!¡±

    ¡°If I go back all plump like this, my wife¡¯s going to yell ¡®Where¡¯s my share!?¡¯ at me. I¡¯d better slim down before returning home!¡±

    ¡°Ahhhh, we really lucked out in the lottery!¡±

    Gahahahaha, the dwarvesughed again.

    ¡°Finally, there¡¯s those horse-shaped undead. Do you know their names?¡±

    ¡°Beats me. Still, doesn¡¯t matter if we don¡¯t know, right? They¡¯re not harming anyone. They¡¯re a bag of bones, yet they¡¯re so damn strong, makes them perfect for moving goods, right?¡±

    ¡°I see... Thank you!¡±

    ¡°Same here. Best of luck to all of you!¡±

    After bidding the Dwarves farewell, the group continued toward the inn once more.

    ¡°Captain, why did you ask the name of that horse-shaped undead creature?¡±

    Neia was mystified. She had thought that was what would have interested the Captain least.

    ¡°...Gustavo. That was because you were acting strangely when you saw that thing.¡±

    ¡°Really...?¡±

    ¡°Say, do you know the name of that undead being?¡±

    ¡°...Well, a name doese to mind... but I think I must have made a mistake. It can¡¯t be, I was probably mistaken. I can¡¯t imagine an undead creature like that could ever be controlled.¡±

    ¡°H-mm~ Well, if you say so, then so be it.¡±

    And that was the end of that.

    Before long, the instructions they had followed brought them before a luxurious inn, probably the Shining Gold Pavilion which the gate guards had rmended to them. While its name was written on the signboard, the Kingdom¡¯s script was different from that of the Holy Kingdom, so they could only make a rough guess at what it said. The Kingdom and the Empire had once been the same country, so there were many simrities between them, but the Holy Kingdom had never been tied to either of those countries, so they differed greatly.

    ¡°Gustavo, go ahead before us and book our rooms.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Oi, you two, with me.¡±

    Gustavo brought two pdins with him to the inn. Several minutester, one of them returned.

    ¡°Captain, we¡¯ve sessfully booked the rooms. The stables are behind the inn, so they¡¯d like us to bring the horses there.¡±

    ¡°All right, I understand. Squire Baraja, bring the horses over.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    She tied the horses¡¯ reins to a tree in front of the inn, and then she led them to the stables one at a time. Taking care of horses was a squire¡¯s job, but the inn was also obliged to help out as well, and so Neia epted their goodwill and entered the inn.

    She smelled a fragrance in the air and thought, Maybe this is to prevent the stink of the stables from getting in.

    Was it from some kind of fragrant wood or perfume?

    From the outside, it seemed to be of the same grade as the inn from the Kingdom, but after seeing the interior, it might have well been a rank above thetter. She even felt a little embarrassed walking around inside it with her body that was dirty ¡ª bathing for them was essentially just rinsing with water until they thought they did not stink ¡ª from their long travels.

    Neia stepped forward to the room which the inn staff had told her about, and knocked on the door.

    ¡°Who is it?¡±

    ¡°Squire Neia Baraja.¡±

    In front of the door stood a pdin, still in armor. The discrepancy between the E-Rantel they imagined and what they had actually seen made them feel that resting would be a waste of time, and so they had decided to take action without dy.

    ¡°You¡¯vee just in time. We¡¯re about to start the meeting.¡±

    While she wondered if she needed to take part, it did no good to ask too much. The people on top had spoken, and obeying them was the proper course of action.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go seek an audience with the Sorcerer King as we nned. Gustavo, I¡¯m counting on you.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Captain. But what else should we do apart from that? The original n was to meet people in power and ask for their aid...¡±

    Since Momon was an adventurer, they had originally nned to head to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. However, ording to Ryurarius, the Adventurer¡¯s Guild now was essentially closed down, and requests were handled by the Sorcerer King¡¯s underlings.

    ¡°Let¡¯s drop by the Guild anyway. Let¡¯s see if we can¡¯t entice some idle adventurers who cane to the Holy Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°I understand. In that case¡ª¡±

    Gustavo gave orders to two pdins, and they immediately sprang into motion.

    Neia wondered what kind of tasks she would be given.

    Usually, it was a squire¡¯s job to polish the pdins¡¯ armor and swords, do theirundry, among other sundry tasks. Ironing and arranging their rumpled clothes was also part of that. Most pdins now should have gone through such experiences.

    Although, that might not be the case for our incredibly talented captain, who directly became a pdin...

    ¡°Then how about the others? Will they wait within the inn?¡±

    ¡°Ahh, when I was gathering rumors in the Kingdom, I was led to believe that this would be a grim and dark city. However, it¡¯s far more ordinary than I expected... I trust letting a few people outside would not pose a problem?¡±

    ¡°While it¡¯s hard to tell at this stage, I believe there should be no sudden danger in that.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Then have several people go to the temples and see if they can help introduce us to Momon.¡±

    ¡°The ruler of this city is the Sorcerer King, an undead being. It won¡¯t be too good to have ties to the temples, no?¡±

    ¡°Still, we¡¯re pdins. Where should we go if not to the temples?¡±

    Gustavo had a sour look on his face. Remedios had a point.

    ¡°That¡¯s... also true.¡±

    ¡°Also, it would also be good to see and hear about life in the city from its people in addition to what the Sorcerer King has allowed us to see, right?¡±

    ¡°You have a point there...¡±

    But what should they do if they saw something which they, as pdins, could not tolerate?

    Gustavo was having trouble responding because he was thinking about that question.

    Neia answered her own question.

    Pdins were beings who embodied justice, so perhaps the right thing for a pdin to do would be to censure the Sorcerer King. However, if the result of doing so meant that the Sorcerer King would not help the Holy Kingdom, meaning that they could not save the masses from their suffering, would that still be the right thing to do?

    She remembered that her father had once said he did not understand the justice of a pdin. She had not given much thought to it during her days of training with the goal of bing a pdin in mind. But perhaps her heart had be soft and weak because of the Holy Kingdom¡¯s present state, since she had started thinking more and more about that subject recently.

    Perhaps her doubts might be cleared up if she could ask her mother, but her mother was no longer among the living.

    In the end, she could only rely on herself to find the answer.

    As Neia continued pondering these things, the dialogue continued. A pair of pdins would go to the temples of the Four Gods, while two more groups of two would collect information in town. Remedios and the others would stay behind to take care of anything that might happen.

    As expected, Neia was ordered to polish their armor.

    After the meeting ended, Neia began working on everyone¡¯s armor.

    She wetted a cloth with cold water and then wiped the mud from the armor.

    As one might expect of magic armor, there was no damage on its surface. If there were any dents, one would have to hammer them out from the inside, but if one¡¯s fingers were clumsy, that would make the surface uneven and ugly. Since Neia had very little confidence in that field, the enchanted armor which the pdins wore was ideal for her.

    She was very happy to bury her heart and mind in work. That way, she did not need to think of unnecessary things.

    And so, her forehead beaded with sweat, Neia finished cleaning everyone¡¯s armor.

    ? ? ?

    Their audience with the Sorcerer King came earlier than expected. Neia could not hide her surprise. That was because it was set to take ce the day after Gustavo had gone to plead his case.

    The pdins of the Holy Kingdom ¡ª trailed by Neia ¡ª found that the residence of the Sorcerer King which they arrived at was quite shabby. Perhaps it might have been quite ostentatious for someone ruling a city of this grade, but it was entirely unfitting of someone who called himself a king. There was no sense of tranquility born of a rich history, no aura of stateliness, and it did not reflect the whims of one who held power. It seemed like a building constructed for practical purposes.

    It was quite pitifulpared to the royal pces of the Kingdom or the Holy Kingdom. Yet, this was the domicile of the Sorcerer King. Since this had once been a regional city of the Kingdom, he had probably decided to make use of the existing small pce after taking control of it.

    As the pdins removed their helmets and surveyed the pce, faint traces of disdain appeared on their faces, which only Neia could pick up. Perhaps they wereparing their surroundings with the royal pce of their home country

    Who could me them for that?

    And then, Neia recalled the Ghost Ship that they had previously encountered, as well as the undead walking along the streets.

    Why would a king who held dominion over so many undead of that level choose to stay in such a shabby old pce?

    I have the feeling that there¡¯s some reason for it... if he wanted a luxurious pce, all he¡¯d have to do is order craftsmen like those Dwarves to direct the untiring undead to build one...

    As they passed through the gates of the pce, there were two facing rows of undead creatures, simr to the one they had first encountered uponing to the city. Unlike the undead they had seen at the gate, they were slimmer and crossed theirnces high in the air between them.

    gs hung from the tips of the crossednces. On the right were the gs of the Sorcerous Kingdom, and on the left were the gs of the Holy Kingdom.

    Below the gs was a passage that they could move through.

    After that, music yed. While it was a tune she had not heard before, it was probably best to ept this as part of the ceremony of the whole thing.

    From the depths of her brain, Neia recalled a lecture she had received once.

    The most important factor of resisting spells is to have a clear mind.

    No, there was no way this music could be a magical attack. If this was a trap, there would be no need to raise the Holy Kingdom¡¯s g.

    Neia walked in what she hoped was a proud and bold way, as she scanned her surroundings.

    There was an honor guard and the gs of the Holy Kingdom. This was a clear sign that the Sorcerer King was weing their delegation as honored guests; in other words, he acknowledged Neia and the others as official ambassadors to the Sorcerous Kingdom, which meant Neia also had to uphold the reputation of the Holy Kingdom.

    It delighted her, but at the same time it filled her with gut-cramping stress.

    She walked along the path below the hanging gs, and at the end of the passage was ¡ª Neia sucked in a surprised breath.

    A world-ss beauty stood there.

    She¡¯s beautiful... she¡¯s incredibly beautiful...

    Her face was elegant and attractive.. Her incalcbly expensive white dress was free of stains.

    Herpassionate smile was enough to make her a woman who might have been mistaken for an angel. However, she was no angel. The proofy in the pair of jet-ck wings sprouting from her waist.

    ¡°Wee,dies and gentlemen of the Holy Kingdom. While this might be arrogance on my part, I am Albedo, and I have the honor of being the Guardian Overseer of the various Floor Guardians and Area Guardians throughout the Sorcerous Kingdom of Ainz Ooal Gown. To use a term that is more familiar to you, I hold the position of Prime Minister.¡±

    ¡°I, I am grateful for your warm wee. I am the leader of the Holy Kingdom¡¯s diplomatic party, Remedios Custodio, and I am very grateful that you have arranged to make arrangements to meet with us.¡±

    ¡°There is no need for thanks. His Majesty the Sorcerer King is deeply concerned over the developments within the Holy Kingdom. His Majesty has said that it is only proper that he make time for you.¡±

    ¡°We, we are very thankful for that.¡±

    Albedo was all smiles, and her presence crushed Remedios¡¯s words underfoot. Her preternatural beauty was such that even a member of the same sex ¡ª no, it was precisely because they were of the same sex ¡ª would be swallowed up by it. Albedo¡¯s line of sight swiftly flickered over everyone, Neia included.

    ¡°Now then, His Majesty is waiting for you, so I shall guide you to the audience hall. Can I trouble you to follow behind me?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes, of course. T-Then, how about our swords?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, there is the matter of those.¡±

    Albedo smiled in amusement.

    Why would she smile like that? Neia wondered. They could not possibly carry weapons into the presence of a king, so normally they would be asked to surrender their weapons. This was also a show of trust in the other party.

    ¡°Normally, we would hold onto them for safekeeping, but there is no need for that. You may bear your arms.¡±

    Albedo said something which Neia could notprehend.

    Remedios was also going Why? Surely someone who had spent all her time by the Holy Queen¡¯s side would have even more reason to question this.

    Faced with their justified questions, Albedo smiled once more.

    ¡°Naturally, this is because we trust our honored guests from the Holy Kingdom, and also because we, as a nation that contains many undead, must seem like quite a bizarre country to you. Therefore, I feel that permitting you to keep your des will ce you at ease. Of course, we have no intention of harming any of you. But if you wish to leave them with us, we can certainly amodate that request.¡±

    ¡°Then, our country shall graciously ept His Majesty¡¯s goodwill... May I ask you to hold onto the swords of everyone apart from myself. I apologize, but I carry a national treasure of my country, so I hope you understand when I say I cannot leave it in your hands.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    Albedo nced to the side, and the undead creature that appeared took their swords for safekeeping.

    Perhaps some of the pdins were unhappy about giving their swords to the undead, but since their Captain had ordered it, there was no way they could refuse.

    Neia looked at Albedo as she handed over her weapon.

    There was no telling what she was thinking as she continued smiling that beautiful smile of hers. Rather, one could say that she had looked upon them with pure goodwill, as though she werevishing heartfelt kindness on Neia and the others. However, was Neia¡¯s assessment correct? For instance, if that were not the case¡ª

    ¡ªShe permitted armed people to stand before her master. Was it due to the Sorcerer King¡¯s orders? Or... was it because she knew there was no way we could harm him?

    The Sorcerer King was a powerful magic caster. Was this due to his arrogance that no amount of pdins from the Holy Kingdom could defeat him?

    Or perhaps he has undead guards stationed nearby. Albedo-sama doesn¡¯t look like she has any fighting ability...

    The Prime Minister whose beauty was as far removed from violence as possible smiled gently.

    ¡°Now then, everyone. The Sorcerer King awaits. Please go forth and meet him.¡±

    ? ? ?

    The throne room was also not asvish as she had imagined. It would seem it had also been pressed into service directly after being taken.

    However, the throne itself glittered brightly; one could say it shone with a golden radiance. Surely it was not forged of solid gold; it must have been gilded with gold foil. But even so, one could see how much effort and expense it must have taken to do so, given the size of the throne.

    In addition, the g behind the throne was just as impressive. There was no telling what had been used to weave it, but there was a depth to its hue that its simple ck color could not properly express. A slight alteration to the light levels might make one think that it was a deep purple.

    ¡°Please enter, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Everyone, bow,¡± Remediosmanded.

    Pdins are bowing to the undead, while Neia was surprised by how Remedios could make a decision like that, she offered no resistance as she fell to one knee and lowered her head. She had learned this ceremonial practice because she was a squire. That said, her experience with meeting kings was limited to when she had glimpsed the Holy King once, as a squire. She lowered her head as she moved her eyes, frantically stealing nces at the pdins around her.

    It seems... everything¡¯s fine.

    Of course, that was a decision made based on looking at their backs. Perhaps if she looked at them head-on, they might differ slightly from herself.

    It¡¯ll be fine! I wasn¡¯t scolded by anyone even in front of the Holy King-sama. Dad said I did well too, and he even praised me.

    ¡°Announcing the arrival of His Majesty, Ainz Ooal Gown.¡±

    As Albedo spoke from where she stood ahead of and to the side of their group, Neia heard a very faint sound that only she could pick up, like that of tearing paper, followed by the sound of footsteps and a gatsun sound of something hard striking the ground. Soon, she sensed someone sitting upon the throne.

    ¡°His Majesty grants you leave to raise your heads.¡±

    It was very difficult to breathe during this time. Looking up too early or toote would be a breach of etiquette. After a dy of a few seconds, she silently raised her head.

    And then, the being in front of Neia captured her attention.

    He, he¡¯s the Sorcerer King, Ainz Ooal Gown...

    His face was that of a bare skull. Points of red light zed within his eye-sockets. Truly, his appearance fitted one of the undead. However, Neia knew he was something else entirely.

    The first thing which surprised her was his clothes.

    He was dressed more richly than a noble would be at the feast to celebrate the inheritance of his title.

    The length of his vestments and the spread of their hem seemed veryfortable, and his sleeves were surprisingly loose. The hem and sleeves were made of spotless white fabric and they were lightly decorated with gold and purple. It was bound up at the waist with a sash, but it did not seem strange at all. Bizarre as it might be, it exuded an exotic vor, and ¡°beautiful¡± was the only word she could use to describe it.

    After that, he wore gloves that were colored the same as his garments, fitted with metal tes that sparkled in all the colors of the rainbow. One of his hands held a mystic staff which looked like seven serpents coiling around each other. That must have been the source of the hard sound from earlier.

    However, it was the halo of obsidian radiance from behind him that was truly surprising.

    ...Is he really one of the undead? No way...

    In Neia¡¯s mind, the undead were creatures like Zombies, Skeletons, Ghasts, and other such creatures.

    In that case, the Sorcerer King could not possibly be described as one of the undead in Neia¡¯s eyes. Mysteriously enough, his skeletal face did not frighten her. In fact, one could even say he had an air of purity and divinity about him.

    He was a powerful being, a fearsome being, a being whose power exceeded the capacity of the human mind to grasp ¡ª in other words, he was a Supreme Being.

    Neia forgot Albedo, who stood beside the throne, and looked repeatedly upon the Sorcerer King.

    What brought her back to her senses was the Sorcerer King¡¯s voice, which said ¡°Well then.¡±

    ¡°You havee a long way from the Holy Kingdom, Custodio-dono, and youdies and gentlemen of the pdin order.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°While we could have organized a banquet of wee for you, I trust none of you are in the mood for such a thing. Therefore, I have taken the time out of my busy schedule to arrange an audience with you. That being the case, rather than wasting time to no use ¡ª by beating around the bush and bandying insincere ttery ¡ª let us be frank with each other. I trust there are no objections?¡±

    ¡°Not at all, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Very well. Then, tell me the present state of the Holy Kingdom. Speaking without deception or omission will allow we in the Sorcerous Kingdom to better aid you.¡±

    After Remedios indicated her understanding, she poured her heart out regarding the state of the Holy Kingdom.

    Neia did not understand the reasoning that Remedios followed which led her to be so forting. Although, it was very likely that Remedios felt thinking itself was troublesome.

    The contents of her spiel were just like what Gustavo had told Blue Rose, and she ended by saying that the situation on the frontlines was in a tense state. She probably did not want to say something like the Holy Kingdom was on the eve of destruction to another country, much less to an undead king.

    ¡°I see, I see. Therefore, what is your aim ining to my country?¡±

    ¡°We wish to submit a request to Your Majesty; they say the adventurer called Momon has sworn himself to your nation, and if we could borrow that warrior who could fight on par with Jaldabaoth, there would be nothing for our country to fear. Thus, I beg you to dispatch the warrior Momon to our country.¡±

    The crimson glow in the Sorcerer King¡¯s eyes suddenly vanished, and then it reignited a momentter.

    ¡°As I thought. I have also prepared an answer for this eventuality ¡ª which would be no.¡±

    ¡°May I ask the reason for that answer?¡±

    ¡°While this is something of a ck mark on my nation, Momon is, for the time being, vital for the peace of my country. It is precisely because he is around that the people can live with their hearts at ease.¡±

    ¡°But do you notmand legions of the undead, Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°Huhuhu,¡± the Sorcerer Kingughed quietly. ¡°It would seem youdies and gentlemen of the Holy Kingdom have seen my undead forces and deemed them quite satisfactory. Then, will you not ept a loan of these undead troops in ce of Momon? I trust you have all seen that all the undead Imand are quite potent. They ought to be able to eliminate mere demihumans.¡±

    Remedios was left speechless.

    She was probably imagining the sight of herself leading an undead army back to the Holy Kingdom. No, it was unimaginable. Commanding the undead was utterly antithetical to being a pdin.

    It was true that the undead boasted many advantages as troops. They did not need to eat, they could lie in wait in the middle of primeval forest, and one could call them an ideal army.

    However, enlisting the undead ¡ª the enemies of all living creatures ¡ª into their forces was more frightening than anything else. For starters, bringing another nation¡¯s troops into one¡¯s own country was a source of unease. After solving the Holy Kingdom¡¯s problems, they might then proceed to conquer the Holy Kingdom.

    ¡°In, in that case...¡±

    The Sorcerer King chuckled at Remedios¡¯s perturbation.

    ¡°Indeed, Custodio-dono. There are those in my country who think the same way as you. Using the undead for agriculture, clearingnd, and security are all applications which the people are growing to ept. But unfortunately, those among my citizens who have little contact with these activities have note to fully ept them yet. Of course, the situation is much better than when I was just establishing my rule, but more time will be needed for that. Momon can listen to their concerns and ay them in many ways. If I send him out now, there is no telling how the discontent of the people might erupt.¡±

    ¡°In that case, surely we pdins can stay behind andplete the work of building trust in the undead, could we not? Many people know that pdins are the foes of the undead. Therefore, would it not be very effective to have us stay behind and dere that Your Majesty¡¯s undead are trustworthy?¡±

    ¡°Muu... That is a proposal which is worthy of consideration.¡±

    After a brief period of cogitation, the Sorcerer King turned his face to the hand which did not carry his staff.

    ¡°...Hm. It would seem having foreigners handle that is not quite appropriate, no. One can trust someone who has gone through the same joys and sorrows as themselves; surely there is no way for them to believe someone who appeared out of nowhere and said the undead were their friends, is there? As I thought, you will not be able to take the ce of an adamantite ranked adventurer, who is already renowned throughout this city.¡±

    His logic was faultless.

    Therefore, she could not refute him with logic. This was particrly true for Remedios, who was the type that was driven by her emotions.

    The Sorcerer King then asked the speechless Remedios:

    ¡°¡ªVery well. Then let us change the topic. I wish to ask about some people you did not mention, Custodio-dono. In the past, Momon told me that Jaldabaothmanded maids of considerable power. May I ask if youdies and gentlemen have encountered people dressed like that in the Holy Kingdom?¡±

    ¡°We have not found anyone so dressed in the Holy Kingdom. In fact, we only learned about them for the first time when we engaged Blue Rose of the Kingdom in conversation.¡±

    ¡°I see... which means it is possible that the maids might be Jaldabaoth¡¯s trump card, is it not? Or does that mean they are active in other locations?¡±

    ¡°We cannot be sure.¡±

    ¡°...I believe you mentioned that the south is still holding out. Are you maintaining secretmunications with them?¡±

    ¡°To a certain extent, yes.¡±

    ¡°...So they have not yet infiltrated the south, then? Perhaps I was being too worried. Umu...¡±

    The Sorcerer King suddenly looked up to the ceiling.

    ¡°Does Your Majesty feel that Jaldabaoth¡¯s henchmen have infiltrated the south?¡±

    ¡°I did not say that. But I was thinking that if he possessed such powerful pawns, why has he not used them yet... and I believe I asked for full disclosure at the beginning, did I not? Therefore, let me get right to the point ¡ª what kind of remuneration can the Holy Kingdom offer me in exchange for the provision of my nation¡¯s aid?¡±

    This was a perfectly normal question and entirely to be expected. However, answering it was very difficult.

    ¡°We can offer my country¡¯s friendship, trust, and respect.¡±

    The Sorcerer King snorted at Remedios¡¯s answer.

    However, one could not conclude that Remedios¡¯s answer had been wrong. There were times when that was all a pdin would need to rush into a life or death battle. For example, one who championed a poor vige that could not afford to pay properpensation and challenged a demihuman horde would be held up as an exemr of pdinhood.

    ¡°That is very much what a pdin would say. Perhaps one of my past friends might well have been willing to take action based on that alone. But unfortunately, such words cannot move me. I have said before to dispense with meaningless ttery. Can you offer me any tangible benefits?¡±

    Is he saying that Momon-dono is a friend of the Sorcerer King? Is he addressing him so familiarly because he is not just a subordinate?

    As Neia pondered that question, Remedios remained silent.

    No.

    She could not speak. The truth was that Remedios Custodio was in no position to make any promises.

    What would happen after they beat off Jaldabaoth?

    Of course, they would need to name the next Holy King. However, the likelihood of such a person heeding the words of a pdin would be very low. If he was chosen from the southern nobles, who were unfriendly to her, Remedios and the others would probably be ced under house arrest for their inability to protect the Holy Queen.

    In that case, even if they forged a pact with the Sorcerer King, there was no guarantee that said pact would actually be honored. No, before that, it was very dubious that this group even had the right to represent their nation. Ultimately, the true purpose of this ambassadorial delegation had been to build sympathy among themoners who did not understand the situation.

    For that reason, they had no ability to make any promises. No one person could represent an entire country by themselves; the only one who could do that was its king.

    ¡°Forgive me, Your Majesty. I am Vice-Captain Gustavo Montanjes, serving under Captain Custodio. Please permit me to speak on her behalf.¡±

    The Sorcerer King lightly raised his chin, to indicate that the man should continue.

    ¡°Thank you very much. What Your Majesty asks for is something that we cannot guarantee. Even if we reim the Holy Kingdom¡¯s territory, restoring thend that has been ravaged by Jaldabaoth will take a very long time. I do not believe we can offer you anything we promise here with any degree of haste. However, there is one thing I wish to tell Your Majesty, which is the danger of Jaldabaoth.¡±

    ¡°Hm... do go on.¡±

    ¡°Yes. The disorganized demihumans who threatened the Kingdom in the past are now under the thumb of Jaldabaoth. If he is not stopped now, and he is allowed to hide himself, there is no telling what sorts of preparations he can make and where he will show himself again.¡±

    ¡°In other words, you are saying that now is the best time to kill him, given that he has shown his face. Therefore, one should eradicate the seeds of any potential discord as soon as possible. Is that what you mean?¡±

    ¡°It is as you say. I expected nothing less of Your Majesty. Therefore, may we plead with you to dispatch Momon-dono?¡±

    ¡°I see. It is a perfectly understandable reason. Indeed, it is high time this Jaldabaoth was exterminated.¡±

    ¡°In that case¡ª¡±

    Just as Gustavo¡¯s face was lighting up with joy, the Sorcerer King extended a hand to stop him before rapping his staff on the ground.

    ¡°However, dispatching Momon is still very difficult. Even if he dispatches Jaldabaoth, Momon¡¯s absence will lead to uneasiness in our political situation and rm the people. In that case, what should be done? If I had more time to stabilize my nation¡¯s internal politics, I would then send out Momon ¡ª with his approval, of course. Given what you have just said, you ought to be able to hold on for a little longer, no?¡±

    ¡°But, but of course... may I know how long will that take?¡±

    ¡°Umu... Albedo, what do you think?¡±

    The Prime Minister who had been standing by the side all this while reported to her master for the first time.

    ¡°After considering the gradual induction of demihumans into our nation, it will dy the process more than anticipated. It might take a period of several years. Yes... if we had five years, it would not be a problem.¡±

    ¡°Just so. I trust you have no questions?¡±

    Five years. Gustavo tasted the words in his mouth before gently shaking his head.

    ¡°That might present some problems with respect to the time...¡±

    ¡°I see... indeed. I ought to have considered your country¡¯s situation. After all, it is a request from a friendly nation.¡±

    The Sorcerer King ced particr emphasis on the words ¡°friendly nation.¡±

    ¡°Our country will do our best to elerate the process. Albedo, what is the minimum time needed to carry this out?¡±

    ¡°In that case, how about three years? However, that might lead to unrest in our country.¡±

    ¡°That cannot be helped. We¡¯re saving a friendly country, after all. I suppose there will be some loss of life on our part... well, metaphorically speaking.¡±

    The Sorcerer King seemed to be making a joke, but nobody wasughing.

    ¡°...Ahem. Now then, how about that? We¡¯ve sped it up by two years.¡±

    He had already made a concession of two years, but even three years was too long. How much damage could ur during that time? And then, there was the question of whether the Holy Kingdom could even survive as a nation during that time ¡ª no, there was no way they could. However, if they came out and said that, perhaps even the promise of sending out Momon after three years might be rendered moot as well.

    However, the possibility of the Holy Kingdom¡¯s salvationy before their eyes.

    Perhaps she hade here for this moment. She ought to bet her life on it.

    After preparing herself for death, Neia took a deep breath, and spoke.

    ¡°My sincerest apologies, Your Majesty the Sorcerer King.¡±

    ¡°...And you are?¡±

    ¡°I am Neia Baraja, a squire of the pdin order of the Holy Kingdom. I understand this is exceedingly rude, but please permit me to request your early dispatch of Momon-dono.¡±

    The Sorcerer King appeared to be deep in thought.

    ¡°Neia! How dare a mere squire like you beg a favor of the Sorcerer King!?¡±

    There was only one thing which came to mind when Neia heard Remedios¡¯s rebuke.

    If you must y your squire for her disrespectful conduct, please wait a little bit longer.

    ¡°Ahh, don¡¯t worry about it. Your name is Neia, is it not? In that case, how much earlier would you like me to send out Momon?¡±

    ¡°I feel that he should be sent as soon as possible, even if it only hastens his arrival by just one day.¡±

    ¡°And you insist on your request, even though knowing that sending out Momon will damage the Sorcerous Kingdom?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Neia bowed her head.

    She had long since prepared herself to request that her Captain take her head if her words displeased the Sorcerer King, in order to pay for her sins with her life.

    She closed her eyes, because she knew she might be cut down at any moment.

    ¡°Your Majesty! I sincerely apologize for my squire¡¯s disrespect! We have never once harbored any intention of harming the Sorcerous Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°No, pay it no mind. As a resident of the Holy Kingdom, it is only natural to want to save one¡¯s homnd even at the expense of others... Umu. Albedo, can we cut it down to two years?¡±

    ¡°I believe it would be very difficult.¡±

    ¡°Really now. Still ¡ª do it.¡±

    Neia reflexively looked up at the Sorcerer KIng.

    ¡°Yes! I understand, Your Majesty!¡±

    As she was bathed in the voice of that powerful, absolute ruler, the faint trembling in Albedo¡¯s shoulders must have been because she was uneasy about the reckless challenge she had just been given.

    ¡°Neia... Baraja. How about two years? Perhaps it might still be too long for you, but you ought to be able to hold out so long as the southern armies remain, no?¡±

    Indeed, two years was too long. However, she could not prevail on the Sorcerer King¡¯s generosity any further.

    ¡°Thank you very much, Your Majesty!¡±

    The gratitude in her voice was genuine, because she felt that the probability of her nation¡¯s salvation had risen from just now.

    After that, Remedios bowed her head.

    ¡°Thank you very much, Your Majesty! We are deeply grateful that you have eded to our squire¡¯s request.¡±

    ¡°It is fine. ¡ªCaptain Custodio, you have a good woman under you. If she did not love her country so deeply, how would a mere squire dare plead in such a way with the king of another nation? ...I am not mocking her, of course.¡±

    ¡°No, I am certain she must be overjoyed by Your Majesty¡¯s words.¡±

    ¡°Is that so. Then that will be all. This has been a beneficial dialogue.¡±

    ¡°¡ªAnnouncing the departure of His Majesty, the Sorcerer King.¡±

    Neia bowed her head in response to Albedo¡¯s words.

    Once again, the staff rapped along the ground in time with his footsteps, the same way it had when he had entered. Those sounds drew further away, and soon they heard the sound of the door closing. The Sorcerer King had probably left the room.

    ¡°He has departed.¡±

    When Neia raised her head, she saw a slightly red-cheeked Albedo smiling and saying, ¡°Then, please allow me to escort you outside.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Neia had prepared herself to be scolded by Remedios, and sure enough, after they returned to the inn, it came.

    ¡°You! Do you know what you¡¯ve done!?¡±

    Remedios¡¯s face was red as she closed in on Neia. VIce-Captain Gustavo hurriedly held out his arms and stepped between Neia and the Captain.

    ¡°Captain Custodio! A moment please! There is no denying the Squire Baraja¡¯s actions were those of a rogue, but ultimately, she saved us a year of waiting. Is that not something worthy of praise?¡±

    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about!? The whole thing might go up in smoke because of her! Also, you want me to praise her for acting on her own? Are you kidding me!?¡±

    ¡°I sincerely apologize.¡±

    Neia bowed her head as she apologized with heartfelt sincerity.

    ¡°¡ªAre you really sorry for this? Maybe you were lucky this time, but can you take responsibility if things end up turning bad for us?¡±

    ¡°...The me rests on your servant.¡±

    ¡°I know that already! Answer me! Can you face all the suffering people of the Holy Kingdom and tell them that help won¡¯t being because of you!?¡±

    ¡°No, your servant cannot bear that responsibility.¡±

    ¡°In that case, then why did you just jump in and do that? What on earth were you thinking!?¡±

    Neia raised her head and looked straight at the Captain.

    ¡°Should the need arise, I feel you should take my life and offer it to the Sorcerer King as an apology for my actions.¡±

    Remedios¡¯s eyes went wide as she heard that. However, they quickly narrowed in displeasure once more. Beside her, VIce-Captain Gustavo nodded vigorously in what seemed like respect.

    ¡°Do you think that¡¯s enough to earn forgiveness? Do you think a life like yours will be enough of an apology?¡±

    ¡°I do not not know, but I am certain you and the others will be able to think of something, Captain.¡±

    ¡°And what will you do if we can¡¯t think of anything!?¡±

    It was as the Captain said. It was likely that even executing Neia would not be enough to earn the Sorcerer King¡¯s forgiveness. However, Neia had still said what she had in the audience chamber because three years was far too long to wait.

    Could it be the Captain was willing to ept waiting for three years? Why am I being scolded by someone who didn¡¯t do anything? I know that the lives of the Holy Kingdom¡¯s people hang in the bnce, so I shouldn¡¯t act of my own ord. Even so, someone should have done something back then...

    Was it not all right as long as there was a good oue, or was the process more important? She probably could not give an answer like that.

    Even so, it was hard for someone who had stepped forward to do something to endure a lecture from someone who had done nothing.

    Of course, Neia had a pretty good idea of what would happen if she actually said that. Therefore, she remained quiet and simply lowered her head.

    ¡°Captain, that should be enough. Thanks to her efforts, we¡¯ve saved a year of waiting. Rewards and punishment need to be used in bnce. Perhaps you ought to be praising her to a simr extent.¡±

    ¡°...Cheh.¡±

    The Captain looked like she had not yet said her fill as she turned and left.

    Gustavo sighed, and then turned to face Neia.

    ¡°Your resolve is truly admirable. The Captain might look that way, but the truth is, she respects your contributions.¡±

    That was most definitely a lie. That was a lie which nobody could cover up.

    Perhaps Gustavo had sensed her thoughts from her expression, but he looked her in the eye and then smiled bitterly.

    ¡°In any case, I¡¯ll go talk to the Captain about this. However, if you run into her now, things might get a bit prickly. Could I trouble you to take a walk outside for a bit?¡±

    ¡°I understand. Thank you, Vice-Captain.¡±

    Once outside the inn, Neia wandered aimlessly through the chill of winter.

    ¡°I just feel... hahhh...¡±

    While she had been told to go outside, where should she go in this country?

    Neia felt around in her pockets and produced a small leather pouch. There was little money inside, just a few copper and silver coins from the Holy Kingdom. If those could not be used, Neia still had a trading gold coin. It would be more than enough to get a meal.

    However, this gold coin was the veryst piece of pocket money Neia¡¯s parents had given her. Where should she spend this valuable piece of pocket money?

    Neia looked at the foreignnd before her.

    ¡°What a pain... hahh...¡±

    ¡°You seem to be sighing quite heavily.¡±

    The sudden voice from close by made Neia¡¯s shoulders shudder

    ¡°Hurry up and go down that road over there. This ce is too obvious,¡±

    The owner of this voice was not someone she would forget in a hurry. Neia managed to stop herself from eximing reflexively. After that, she walked as directed, and then she heard something moving from behind her. It would seem that it was not just a voice she was hearing, but that there was someone actually behind Neia, although said person had made themselves invisible so Neia could not see them.

    After turning down the road as directed, she heard the voice say, ¡°Take the alley on the left.¡± Neia obeyed silently.

    The alley was surprisingly clean, with no passers-by .

    After walking several steps, Neia turned and spoke the name of the voice¡¯s owner.

    ¡°Your Majesty, dare I ask why you havee here? Am I unable to see you because of magic?¡±

    ¡°I see, so that¡¯s why you were so obedient. You already knew who I was, hm?¡±

    Saying so, the Sorcerer King revealed himself.

    He had changed into an unassuming ck robe, but even that gleamed like velvet. It would seem it was a very well-made piece of clothing.

    Neia immediately genuflected before him.

    ¡°Yes, it is as Your Majesty says. Also... may I ask where Your Majesty¡¯s followers are?¡±

    ¡°No, there are none. After all, having followers around would make things troublesome.¡±

    ¡°W-Why is that?¡±

    ¡°Hm, I want to speak with your Captain in private, so please go and get her... no, it would be better to do so in a room... Can you help me open the window of her room? I will enter through there.¡±

    That was a bizarre request. Normally, she would not open the window just like that. However, she was dealing with the king of this country, and a king who had agreed to aid the Holy Kingdom. She could not do anything to ruin his mood.

    The word ¡°assassination¡± shed through Neia¡¯s mind, but if the Sorcerer King had wanted to do that, he could have done so in the audience chamber.

    Of course, this might be someone masquerading as the Sorcerer King. However, the person before her had the form of an imposing ruler, so he was unmistakably the Sorcerer King from back then. Every move he made was something that was only possible by someone who was a born ruler.

    Should she trust him? Or not?

    Neia pondered this, and chose the former.

    ¡°Understood. I shall do so immediately.¡±

    ¡°Umu...e to think of it, were you sent out on a mission? If that was the case, I ought to apologize to your Captain.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°...Eh?¡±

    Neia¡¯s eyes met those of the Sorcerer King.

    ¡°...If it was not a mission, then this must be your own free time, no? In that case, it is very valuable ¡ª mm, I should apologize to you for taking up your precious rest time by making you do things.¡±

    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s not, it¡¯s nothing of the sort in any case, I will go and open the window to the Captain¡¯s room now.¡±

    Neia immediately ran from the Sorcerer King¡¯s side.

    Those kind words from a third party were like someone carefully applying a soothing liniment to a palm covered in scrapes and bruises. They seeped into Neia¡¯s heart, and they surprised her.

    Neia ran with all her might, and swiftly returned to the inn.

    Of course, running was not permitted inside a high end establishment like this, but that was no reason for Neia to slowly walk around. All she could do was move as quickly as she could without causing any offense, but despite all that, she could feel icy res directed at her by the inn¡¯s staff. In the end, however, Neia finally reached the Captain¡¯s room.

    Neia immediately knocked on the door, and then found it was locked when she tried the handle. A chill ran through Neia¡¯s heart as she realized she had been ostracized, but now was not the time to worry about that sort of thing.

    ¡°I am Squire Neia Baraja, please open the door.¡±

    The door clicked, and a pdin showed his face from behind it.

    ¡°Forgive me,¡± she said; now was not the time to observe each and every point of etiquette. Neia then turned to Remedios, who was within the room, and said, ¡°The Sorcerer King wishes to speak to you in private, Captain.¡±

    Neia could sense everyone¡¯s eyes looking behind her back.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. He¡¯s not there.¡±

    Saying so, Neia strode over to the window and opened it.

    As expected of a high ss establishment, the windows slid smoothly open, without any trace of jamming.

    ¡°What the hell?¡±

    From a third party¡¯s perspective, this was a sudden, rash outburst. It was only natural that a pdin would bellow at her. It was even less tolerable for a pdin who had once been ced in charge of the Holy Queen¡¯s security.

    However, Neia ignored them as she leaned her upper body out of the window and waved to the Sorcerer King, who ought to be outside.

    After that, Neia was dragged back in by her cor.

    ¡°What are you doing, Squire Baraja? Don¡¯t just open the windows like that, and more importantly, there¡¯s no sign of the Sorcerer King.¡±

    Looking back, she saw a red-faced pdin. His anger was understandable. However¡ª

    ¡°That will do, I think. She broke your rules at my behest. If me must be assigned, then let it fall upon me.¡±

    A quiet voice echoed through the room.

    The Sorcerer King slowly revealed himself from where he stood upon the window frame.

    Neia saw a pdin reaching for the longsword at his waist, and frantically made to stop him.

    ¡°Mm... I apologize for rming you. I chose toe by myself because I wished to speak with you in private. While it might be somewhat rude to enter via a window, it cannot be helped for the sake of going incognito. I hope you can understand that... And I must apologize to her as well.¡±

    After descending from the windowsill, the Sorcerer King surveyed the interior of the room with the regal poise of a king.

    ¡°....I am the Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown.¡±

    Upon the mention of his name, Neia fell to one knee before anybody else. A momentter, she heard the pdins behind her simultaneously genuflecting.

    ¡°Very well... You may rise, Since there is no time, is it convenient to have a word with you, Captain Custodio?¡±

    ¡°We have no objections, Your Majesty. Then, pleasee this way.¡±

    As Neia rose, she let her breath out ¡ª just in time to meet the eyes of the Sorcerer King, who had turned around. Of course, there were no eyeballs in the Sorcerer King¡¯s eye sockets, so saying she gazed into his eyes was purely Neia¡¯s imagination.

    ¡°Will that squire not be taking part?¡±

    ¡°She is but a squire, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Was she not present at the audience chamber just now?¡±

    The Sorcerer King¡¯s natural tone made him sound like he genuinely did not know. However, his words contained a powerful sense of sarcasm.

    ¡°Squire Baraja,e join us.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Although Neia was not very keen on taking part, for some reason she dearly wanted to know why the Sorcerer King had chosen to pay them a visit.

    Remedios and Gustavo faced the Sorcerer King over a table, while Neia and the others stood by the walls. This was the same way in which they had received Blue Rose.

    ¡°Now then, Your Majesty, please permit me to ask a direct question. May I inquire as to why you have graced our humble lodgings?¡±

    Remedios nodded after Gustavo spoke.

    ¡°But of course. Like I said earlier, I dislike beating around the bush. After all, doing so makes it easy for one¡¯s words to be misinterpreted or have their meanings twisted.¡±

    There was a sense of reality to the Sorcerer King¡¯s words which could not quite be articted.

    ¡°While I have decided to send Momon over in two years, if you will ede to a request of mine, it would not be impossible for me to dispatch someone on par with Momon from the Sorcerous Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°On par with Momon?¡± Remedios could not help but exim.

    ¡°...May I know the nature of the request which Your Majesty wishes to make? Depending on the nature of the request, I pray you will forgive us if we cannot immediately give Your Majesty an answer.¡±

    The Sorcerer King chuckled in response to Gustavo¡¯s words, and then he spoke.

    ¡°But of course. Given your present state, I can roughly imagine... now, calling you a resistance movement would be a pretty spin on things, but the fact is that you are most likely a band of gueris hiding in caves, am I wrong?¡±

    Everyone present held their breath.

    Neia was no exception.

    Why could the Sorcerer King speak about the true nature of their circumstances? How had he divined this? Pinpointing the cave issue was particrly impressive.

    The Captain and Gustavo¡¯s faces were stony masks, only their eyes turning to look at Neia. They must have thought she had leaked the truth to the Sorcerer King. Therefore, Neia shook her head, to indicate It wasn¡¯t me.

    The Sorcerer King ignored Neia and the others¡¯ shock, and continued speaking.

    ¡°The strength of the south is untouched, but yet you did not seek to cooperate with them and conduct joint operations. That is because a rift exists between yourselves and the southern nobles. That being the case, once you ¡ª who failed to protect the Holy Queen ¡ª fall under themand of the new Holy King, it will probably be very difficult for you to hold on to your previous positions. Therefore, you cannot offer mend, titles, trade concessions, and other such privileges. If you actually kept your words on this matter, the possibility of war with my Sorcerous Kingdom exists, depending on what the next Holy King decides.¡±

    The Sorcerer King clearly highlighted the key points of the war with the demihumans, as well as the decisions they had made about their future.

    ¡°Simrly, you cannot use your nation¡¯s treasures as bargaining capital. For instance, the holy sword which you bear, Captain Remedios. If you actually did try to trade them, the most you could do was treat the country¡¯s treasures as having been plundered by Jaldabaoth and then turn them over to me. However, doing so is very dangerous. Should someone inform the next Holy King that said wealth was actually obtained from you, trust in you pdins will most likely sink like a stone. Worthless, in other words. Therefore, all youdies and gentlemen can do is what you did at the audience chamber, informing me of your plight ¡ª mm, I imagine that I have hit the nail on its head, given the expressions on your faces.¡±

    After saying all this, the Sorcerer King leaned back against the back of the chair.

    Silence filled the room.

    Perfect. He was just too perfect.

    Neia felt nothing but respect for at the Sorcerer King¡¯s reading of the situation.

    Was this the man they called the Sorcerer King? Neia thought.

    Neia had once met the Holy Queen close up, but the Holy Queen had simply greeted her, and Neia had not had the chance to truly interact with a true monarch. To Neia, now was her first time meeting an absolute ruler ¡ª one possessed of a dignity and insight that surpassed all others, in addition to incredible might ¡ª or in other words, a perfect being. This powerful impact left an indelible impression on Neia¡¯s heart.

    ¡°That said, anybody could have imagined that. In truth, I am somewhat ashamed ofing in here and smugly spouting all that... I trust you all did not think I had not even considered that much?¡±

    ¡°O-Of course, Your Majesty!¡± Gustavo replied with a stiff smile on his face.

    ¡°Wonderful. If I had been regarded as an idiot who could not even think of that much, I would not be able to face my subordinates whobor for my sake... now then, based on all that, let me be clear about what I want ¡ª which would be maids. I want maids.¡±

    Everyone ¡ª Neia included ¡ª could only stare dumbfounded at the utterly ridiculous words which had just left the Sorcerer King¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°...Ah, my apologies. I was being unclear. Mm, how shall I say this? I believe that during our previous meeting, the topic of Jaldabaoth possessing powerful maids came up. Those are what I want. What degree of magical knowledge do you have?¡±

    ¡°None at all.¡±

    After Remedios said so, the Sorcerer King looked around, as though seeking help.

    ¡°Is, is that so... well, in that case, I wonder where I should start exining from... ah, well, that too... Ah ¡ª you can imagine that Jaldabaoth has bound the maids to him by some mechanism. Therefore, my n is to defeat Jaldabaoth, take that form for my own, and then ce the maids under my control. In this way, my country will gain powerful minions.¡±

    ¡°But, but we have not sighted those maids of Jaldabaoth¡¯s...¡±

    Gustavo¡¯s answer made the Sorcerer King chuckle.

    ¡°They were sighted in the Kingdom, after all. I find it hard to imagine they were not there. Or perhaps they will not appear until Jaldabaoth is forced into dire straits?¡±

    ¡°Let me repeat myself... we are not sure if the maids actually exist. What will Your Majesty do in the event that the maids do not exist?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll cross that bridge when wee to it. I am not asking you to produce something that could substitute for it, in any case. At the very most, I will just write it off as a wasted effort. However, there is the possibility that they might have appeared outside of a maid¡¯s guise, so my request will probably include Jaldabaoth¡¯s subordinates as well. Ahh, that¡¯s right. He might have used some kind of special item to dominate them, so I intend to add a condition that any of Jaldabaoth¡¯s magic items which cannot be determined to be the property of the Holy Kingdom will be mine. It may turn out that the maids which ravaged your Holy Kingdom might end up bing part of my Sorcerous Kingdom, and in that event I hope I can count on your forgetting your grudges against them since they will then fall under my rule.¡±

    ¡°You mean you want us to forgive people who might devastate our country?¡±

    After Remedios retorted unhappily, the Sorcerer King shrugged.

    ¡°That is because I stand to gain nothing else from the Holy Kingdom. Or do you mean to say you have something else to offer me?¡±

    Remedios bit her lip, unable to answer.

    ¡°Your Majesty, the Captain means to say that as outsiders, it will be very difficult for us to convince the victims to forget their grudges.¡±

    ¡°Then you will simply have to work hard to convince them,¡± the Sorcerer King said in a cold voice. ¡°...No, then, just say that the maids were dominated by the Sorcerer King¡¯s magic and taken away. That ought to quell their hatred somewhat, no?¡±

    What would they do? Neia thought as she heard the Sorcerer King speak. If they still refused to ept the Sorcerer King¡¯s terms after he had made this many concessions to them, it was very likely that they would end up with nothing to show for it. It was in that these were extraordinarily favorable terms for the Holy Kingdom. If they did not seize this chance, then the only word to describe them would be ¡°foolish.¡±

    ¡°That would be quite vexing. Allowing those who ravage¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªYour Majesty!¡± Gustavo shouted over Remedios¡¯s words. ¡°Please allow us to discuss this for a moment! Please give us some time!¡±

    Do you still need to discuss matters after he¡¯spromised this much? Even Neia felt that it would not be strange for the Sorcerer King to rebuke them. But¡ª

    ¡°Very well. However, taking too long will cause me problems, and moving around is troublesome. You don¡¯t mind if I wait here, do you?¡±

    Neia could not help but be surprised by the Sorcerer King¡¯srgesse.

    ¡°Thank you very much. Then, we shall quickly discuss things. I pray you will be patient, despite the disservice we do you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. Go talk it out.¡±

    The two of them rose to leave, and then they returned with surprising swiftness. No, they had already reached the conclusion from the beginning.

    ¡°Forgive the dy, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Oh no, go ahead and discuss more, it¡¯s fine. Well then, how goes it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, our conclusion is that we will abide by all of Your Majesty¡¯s terms.¡±

    ¡°I am not asking you to obey me. I am simply making a trade. Well, that doesn¡¯t matter. Now then, while we should put it in writing, Ick the necessary equipment and stamps. Let us discuss thister... You don¡¯t mind if I use the Kingdom¡¯s writing, no?¡±

    ¡°There are people here who can read it, so it is fine. Then, may I trouble you to introduce us to the person who is on par with Momon?¡±

    ¡°Ahh, he is standing before you right now ¡ª in other words, myself.¡±

    Silence filled the room once more, and Neia and the others were unable to speak as they stared.

    After blinking several times, their brains finally regained the ability to function.

    ¡°Your Majesty is as strong as Momon?¡±

    Remedios¡¯s words made Neia freeze in ce, but there was a man who had made a move because of these words.

    ¡°Please, please wait a moment, Captain. There¡¯s something else we need to ask His Majesty before this.¡±

    Gustavo turned to the Sorcerer King. ¡°Ah, will it really be all right if Your Majesty leaves your nation and goes to the Holy Kingdom? I do not know how much time that will take.¡±

    ¡°That will not be a problem. Unlike Momon, I can use teleportation magic, So long as I can find your base, I can move between it and the Sorcerous Kingdom at any time.¡±

    ¡°B-But, even so, surely having the ruler of a natione in person is just too¡ª!¡±

    ¡°After listening to me, did you not think that I would being in person? I did say I intended to defeat Jaldabaoth and bring the maids under my control, you know? It would be too much of a stretch to do all that from the Sorcerous Kingdom. In addition, with regards to Captain Custodio¡¯s question, I am stronger than Momon.¡±

    ¡°Then, there should be no problems with that, Gustavo.¡±

    ¡°Of course there¡¯s problems with that! Your Majesty! This jest of yours is really quite vexing for us!¡±

    The Vice-Captain clutched his gut as he shouted that.

    ¡°This is no jest. Nobody other than me can defeat Jaldabaoth. In addition, I will be going by myself. I will not bring an army with me. Therefore, I came alone in order to discuss the matter in private with you.¡±

    ¡°But if Your Majesty sustains an irrecoverable injury from Jaldabaoth, that would be very bad for the rtionship between our country and the Sorcerous Kingdom!¡±

    ¡°It, it is as Gustavo says. Your Majesty, are there truly no problems in that respect?¡±

    ¡°None at all.¡±

    ¡°But¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªGustavo! I¡¯m still talking. Don¡¯t interrupt me!¡± After holding out her hand to stop Gustavo, Remedios bowed deeply.

    ¡°Then, we will be in Your Majesty¡¯s care.¡±

    ? ? ?

    The air in the room calmed, as if a storm had just passed ¡ª and indeed, it had ¡ª but Gustavo¡¯s shout echoed off the walls.

    ¡°What are you thinking!? Recruiting a king! The king of a country! To fight Jaldabaoth and whatnot!¡±

    Neia agreed with him.

    He might not operate bymon sensibilities, but this was simply senseless.

    Amidst all this, Remedios spoke quietly.

    ¡°Say, don¡¯t you think that it doesn¡¯t matter what happens to the undead?¡±

    The room fell silent once more.

    ¡°...You have a demon, and you have an undead being. We won¡¯t be harmed regardless of who gets wiped out. Don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Gustavo¡¯s eyes went wide. This was not eptance of his Captain¡¯s opinion, but shock at what his Captain had just said.

    ¡°Both of them are enemies of mankind. Then ideally, it would be best if both sides destroyed each other... that said, we won¡¯t just sit back and reap the profits. Even if the Sorcerer King is wounded unto death by Jaldabaoth, we will not take advantage of his plight. However, that is all.¡±

    Remedios¡¯s voice grew louder.

    ¡°...Captain. If the Sorcerer King, who controls so many undead, is destroyed, then when these undead are freed, will it not cause an incredible amount of havoc?¡±

    ¡°When the timees, the Kingdom, the Empire, and the Theocracy will cushion the blow. Of course, we will do our best to aid them as well, but the Holy Kingdom has been too badly ravaged by Jaldabaoth. Until our country recovers its strength, all we can do is cheer them on... From that point of view, our country stands to gain the most from a sh between Jaldabaoth and the Sorcerer King...¡±

    ¡°¡ªCaptain!¡± Gustavo¡¯s face was stone as he spoke. ¡°How is this justice?¡±

    ¡°It is. It¡¯s all for the sake of our nation. It is to save the people who suffer the most. It isn¡¯t like I hope that the seeds of suffering will spread to other countries. I also wish for the victory of the Sorcerous Kingdom as it assists the Holy Kingdom.¡±

    Who is this? Neia thought as she looked at Remedios, who was saying all this in a calm, even tone.

    Was this really the captain of the pdins of the Holy Kingdom, Remedios Custodio?

    Neia was not too clear about her situation. After all, she had always been looking at her from afar. However, she felt that this was apletely different person from the Captain she had heard of.

    ¡°Gustavo, you don¡¯t object, right? If you can ept this, then we ought to consider our next move.¡±

    ¡°Our next move, you say?¡±

    ¡°...We have to think about how to properly make use of the Sorcerer King.¡±

    A chill ran down Neia¡¯s spine.

    Why am I hearing a conversation like this? Neia thought. No, she was not alone. Peering around, she saw that the pdins standing near her all had the same expression on their faces. Neia must have looked the same way too.

    ¡°Gustavo, do you have any ideas?¡±

    ¡°No, no, not at all. Shouldn¡¯t we think about what we should do after bringing the Sorcerer King back with us?¡±

    ¡°Well, if the Sorcerer King isn¡¯t all talk, and he really can fight Jaldabaoth, how about retaking the capital? And then we can ask him to defeat Jaldabaoth right after that.¡±

    ¡°...That would be bad. His Majesty has said that he intends to defeat Jaldabaoth, im the maids for himself, and then return to his country. Therefore, we ought to leave defeating Jaldabaoth forst in order to reap the greatest benefits... If we follow your suggestion, Captain, we won¡¯t have the strength to defeat the leftover demihumans.¡±

    ¡°Then what do you propose?¡±

    Gustavo paused to think, and then he made a suggestion.

    ¡°Let¡¯s increase our numbers first. In other words, we need to rescue our capturedrades from the camps.¡±

    ¡°I see! An excellent idea. After all, there are important people we need to rescue.¡±

    ¡°You mean the members of the royal family, right?¡±

    Remedios agreed with an Ah.

    Although the Holy Queen had already perished, they had not received news that the entire royal family was dead. If one of them was still alive, perhaps they could use them as a figurehead, and perhaps gain the full cooperation of the southern nobles.

    ¡°Also, the nobles we can rescue will surely appreciate their liberators.¡±

    Most nobles had not expressed their approval of the Holy Queen, and by the Captain¡¯s reckoning, there was nobody there who liked her. However, there ought to be some northern nobles with blood ties to the southern nobles. If they did them a favor, they ought to be able to better make a formal request to the southern nobles.

    Remedios looked at Neia.

    ¡°Squire Neia. Go apany the Sorcerer King. Make sure you sway him to our side for our sakes.¡±

    ¡°Hah? Haaaahh!?? Please, please wait! I can¡¯t possibly serve a king or something as a squire!¡±

    ¡°All you need to do is work hard on it, no?¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a matter of working hard!¡±

    Usually, she would have agreed immediately, but now she was desperately trying to refuse. This was not something she could casually ept. There must be something wrong with Remedios¡¯s head.

    ¡°Th-That¡¯s right! Captain,¡± Gustavo chipped in. ¡°If we don¡¯t have someone of appropriate status to serve as his handmaiden, it¡¯ll be taken as an insult to His Majesty.¡±

    ¡°...How many other women are there in the Liberation Army?¡±

    Those women who could not fight had long since fled to the south. However, that was not to say that they did not exist. The Liberation Army still had a few women among them. Gustavo was about to name some of them when the Captain cut him off.

    ¡°We need a woman from the pdins. If I gave orders to a woman from the priesthood, what do you think the temples would do? My sister¡¯s no longer around, you know? Also, the person for this duty should be chosen from people who are present and who have heard my thoughts. Can we force this onto a third party?¡±

    So instead you¡¯re pushing it onto me, right, Neia thought, but did not say.

    ¡°In that case...¡±

    Gustavo looked at the Captain.

    ¡°I need to be fighting on the frontlines, you know? Also, do you want me to go apany the Sorcerer King? Or should we yield all authority to the Sorcerer King?¡±

    ¡°Even if we¡¯re using him, we can¡¯t just go out and do that, right? There¡¯ll be problems with trust, and if the Sorcerer King sees that we have no fighting power and decides to conquer the Holy Kingdom while he¡¯s at it...¡±

    After seeing the tongue-tied Gustavo, Neia realised the fact that their allies might end up turning on them.

    ¡°¡ªUnderstood. While I might not be sufficient for the task, I will work hard and do my best.¡±

    ¡°Ahh. I¡¯ll tell you this first. Your mission is make the Sorcerer King more easily usable. tter him and keep him in a good mood.¡±

    This was no longer just an impossible request. It was just in absurd. She had no confidence that she could do such a thing at all. However, no matter what she said, Remedios would not change her mind. Neia hung her head in resignation.

    ¡°Understood! I will do my best to achieve that aim, and I hope I can count on the aid of everyone here.¡±

    ¡°Good. If there¡¯s anything, just look for me or him (Gustavo).¡±

    Even as despair filled her heart, Neia was surprised that she was actually feeling a little ted.

    His Majesty, huh...

 Chapter 90 - Volume 12

    Volume 12 Chapter 3

    Beginning the Counterattack

    Part 1

    The carriage was shaking.

    This carriage was the property of the Sorcerer King, and in contrast to its in appearance on the outside, its interior was ssy, refined, and functional to boot. Neia was particrly grateful for the soft cushions that did not hurt her butt no matter how long she sat on them.

    Neia peeked at the Sorcerer King, who was seated opposite her and gazing outside.

    He may be a fearsome undead king, but she did not feel the oppressive grandeur he had shown when he had met them in the audience chamber.

    This was probably because she had spent more time conversing with the Sorcerer King during their journey.

    During all this, one thing which Neia had learned was that the Sorcerer King was extremely magnanimous.

    It was true that the Sorcerer King acted with the dignity of a sovereign, his every action reflecting his quality as a monarch.

    However, when Neia sat in the carriage with him, he would act like an ordinary person from time to time. In addition, these urrences had been getting more and more frequent recently.

    In all likelihood, the Sorcerer King had considered that Neia would be nervous while sharing the same carriage as him, and in his generosity, he had chosen to act more like amoner. The reason why such incidents were recurring more and more were surely because his skills were improving.

    The reason why he did not act that way around the others was probably because they were still ying the role of pdins.

    To think he would treat another country¡¯s citizens this way... what apassionate man he is...

    What was he looking at? Was he looking at the pdins riding alongside the carriage? Or perhaps something else, something that Neia did not see¡ª

    ¡°Hm? Is there something interesting on my face?¡±

    ¡°Eh! ¡ªNo, my apologies, Your Majesty! There¡¯s nothing on your face...¡±

    It would seem she had been staring too intensely at the Sorcerer King. Puzzled, the Sorcerer King touched his face with those bony hands of his.

    ¡°I suppose it must be quite awkward to sit in a carriage and not say anything. Yes, in that case, let us speak.¡±

    Although she had gotten slightly used to it, conversing with the Sorcerer King always made her stomach ache.

    ¡°We are not entirely familiar with each other, so previously I did not ask questions which might have intruded on your privacy, but we have shared the same carriage for several days now. I suppose we can be honest with each other now. Neia Baraja. Can you tell me about yourself?¡±

    ¡°About me?¡±

    Even talking about herself was too vague a topic. She had no idea what she could say to please the Sorcerer King.

    ¡°Yes, indeed. For instance, why you wanted to be a squire. What sort of work a squire does. Could you tell me about that?¡±

    ¡°If it pleases you, Your Majesty.¡±

    After bowing her head, Neia began talking about what had been asked of her, but it was hardly an exciting topic. Talking about family and the work of a squire was not particrly interesting.

    Besides, I was told not to reveal anything to the Sorcerer King about matters within the country but this much ought to do.

    Rather, if she had to cover up even those details, then there would really be nothing to talk about.

    Soon, the drab exposition with no structure ended, and the Sorcerer King nodded deeply.

    ¡°I see, I see. So you¡¯re an archer, a rarity among squires, Miss Baraja.¡±

    ¡°My skills aren¡¯t good enough for me to proudly call myself an archer, Your Majesty. I am simply better at archery than swordsmanship, and the truth is that people have scolded me and told me I ought to focus more on training up my sword skills.¡±

    To Neia, an archer was someone like her great father, and she was only a little more talented than amoner.

    ¡°...No, I should say that a pdin candidate who has an affinity for ranged weapons is quite a rare thing. If it were me, I would advise you to hone your bow skills. Since there are others better suited to swordy, then you should let those people handle swordsmanship.¡±

    ¡°¡ªThank you very much.¡±

    The Sorcerer King¡¯s words were sincere, and it made Neia feel that he was earnestly thinking, What an oddbination; she must be travelling a path towards a rare vocation. However, she had no idea what to make of what the Sorcerer King said next, and his mutterings bothered Neia.

    ¡°I feel embarrassed about dumping the work of minding me onto you. Nor is it just you; the same goes for the rest of you pdins. The best way to make use of your skills would be to station you outside.¡±

    His gentle words made Neia stare at him.

    This was why talking to this king was so bad for her heart.

    Not only did he stand at the peak of his country, he was also an individual of overwhelming might. Yet he had not chosen to talk down to her from above, but he had lowered himself until he could see eye to eye with her before engaging her in a conversation.

    No! I can¡¯t let His Majesty spoil me like this! If I don¡¯t lower myself a little more¡ª

    Neia pulled herself together.

    ¡°Everyone knows I have been designated as Your Majesty¡¯s follower, so please do not take it to heart. In addition, there is no job more important than apanying Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Really now... Still, I would like to offer you some form of rpense.¡±

    In the past, the Sorcerer King had mentioned the topic of payment. She had declined, of course, but it would seem he was bringing up that topic again. Neia immediately began to think about how to reject his offer without causing offense, but the Sorcerer King was not finished yet.

    ¡°That said, it might not be good to receive a gift from the king of another country. So at the very least, allow me to verbally express my thanks. I believe I have inconvenienced you in many ways, and I hope I will continue to be in your care.¡±

    And then, the Sorcerer King bowed to her.

    A king was actually bowing to someone like herself, who was nothing more than a squire.

    It was only natural for a king to carry the weight of his nation upon his shoulders. Slighting a king would be the same as slighting the entire country. The idea that a country lived through its king was a verymon notion.

    In other words, the fact that a king was bowing was the same as a nation bowing. Of course, it was hardly unthinkable when a king did so to someone of high station.

    However, Neia was little more than a citizen of another country, and frankly speaking, there was no need for him to apologize to someone of Neia¡¯s stature.

    I can¡¯t believe it. His Majesty is wise and sagacious, and surely he must know the meaning of bowing. Even so, he still bowed to me like an ordinary person¡ª No. Don¡¯t get full of yourself. I can¡¯t possibly be that valuable. This simply shows how magnanimous the Sorcerer King is; he even treats amoner politely. ¡ªAh! He mustn¡¯t!

    ¡°Please do not do that! Your Majesty! Please raise your head!¡±

    Yes. That was what she should have said before anything else.

    The Sorcerer King looked up, and Neia sighed quietly. Frankly speaking, if anyone else had seen what had happened just now, something terrible would have happened.

    ¡°Your Majesty¡ª¡±

    Neia took a knee within the cramped confines of the carriage¡¯s floor.

    ¡°Your servant is of humble origins, but I swear that until Your Majesty¡¯s work isplete, I will loyally and faithfully serve you.¡±

    Since a king had given her his respect, it was only natural that she return it.

    Neia ignored the voice in her head which said that he was not the king of the Holy Kingdom, and bowed.

    ¡°No, no. Raise your head... Come now, could you take a seat and continue your previous topic? We haven¡¯t reached our destination yet, have we?¡±

    ¡°No, not yet.¡±

    She sat back onto the cushion, and looked outside.

    ¡°Yesterday, we passed safely through the ruins of the wall by the grace of Your Majesty¡¯s power. We have chosen a route that will make us harder to discover, so it may take a little more time, but I believe we will arrive at our base tomorrow, or the day after.¡±

    Although, said base was just a cave.

    ¡°Is that so? Even then, we still have some time, do we not? Tell me about the topic from just now. Also, I have not yet heard why you have your sights set on bing a pdin. Given your talent for the bow, surely there must have been some other path you could have taken. Why aim to be a pdin? For the sake of justice? Or perhaps to be the pride of your nation?¡±

    ¡°No¡ª¡± When she narrowed her eyes, what came to mind was her personal experiences. ¡°¡ªMy mother was a pdin.¡±

    She was a pdin who was skilled with the sword,pletely unlike Neia.

    ¡°I see, so you heard something from your mother, or you admired her, hm.¡±

    ¡°Ah, no. My mother often said I shouldn¡¯t aim to be a pdin. And my mother couldn¡¯t do the work of being a mother, and while she could do theundry and sew, she waspletely inept at cooking and that sort of thing. She did everything sloppily, the roast meat was always undercooked, that sort of thing wasmon.¡±

    Therefore, it was only natural that her father had been the one who cooked in their household. When she was young, she even thought that it was true for all families.

    ¡°...Is that so? Well, she still didn¡¯t stop her daughter from bing a pdin, so I guess she was still a good mother.¡±

    ¡°Ah, no. When I told my mother I wanted to be a squire, she went and took out her sword and said, ¡®I¡¯ll let you if you can defeat me!¡¯ and so on. The only reason why I was allowed to be one was because my dad desperately blocked for me. If I had fought her normally I could never have beaten her.¡±

    That was the first time she had understood the meaning of killing intent.

    ¡°...Ahhhh, mm, good, how shall I say this... it was a good family... mm.¡±

    ¡°Yes. While the neighbors often looked strangely at us, I thought it was a good family.¡±

    ¡°...Really, how nice... th-then, why, why be a pdin? Did you not think to follow your father¡¯s path¡ª Hm. Was your father a househusband?¡±

    ¡°No, my father was also a soldier who served his country. However, I never really thought of following in my father¡¯s footsteps... why was that. Maybe it¡¯s because dad gave me these eyes, so I sort of ended up resenting him for it...¡±

    Neia pressed her index fingers to the corners of her eyes and tugged them around in circles.

    When she was young, her friends often said, Why are you staring at me? Are you angry with me? and the like, and she had oftenined to her father for it. After that, Neia had been beaten by her mother, who had overheard her saying so.

    Thinking of them was quite nostalgic, Neia thought.

    ¡°But perhaps after bing a squire, I became more open-minded. At some point, I started to think that this was a gift from my father. Well, I could do without the fierce re, though.¡±

    ¡°How are your parents now?¡±

    ¡°My father fought Jaldabaoth¡¯s army at the wall and died. I lost contact with my mom, and I don¡¯t know what happened with her, but I think she must have died during the defense of the city. After all, she was the sort who would have struggled to the bitter end.¡±

    ¡°It seems I have inquired about a painful topic.¡±

    The Sorcerer King bowed to her once more. Since this was the second time, the impact was not so great. However, it was enough to make Neia feel anxious.

    ¡°Please, please raise your head! How could you bow to someone like me!?¡±

    ¡°I thoughtlessly inquired about your dead kin. Although I did was not aware of that beforehand, now that I know the facts, an apology is still in order.¡±

    The Sorcerer King tilted his head after he raised it.

    No, that¡¯s not right, that¡¯s how it should be between equals. A king is not the equal of a citizen from another country. Moreover, we¡¯re the ones requesting his help...

    ¡°Erm¡ª well, such exceptions are everywhere. Er, if someone sees Your Majesty bowing to me ¡ª ah ¡ª they might look down on Your Majesty, because I¡¯m just a squire, after all.¡±

    ¡°...Umu, I see, you do have a point. That¡¯s how kings are.¡±

    These things areplicated, the Sorcerer King muttered.

    He must have meant that it was difficult to mix with people from other nations even if he wanted to show his sincerity, probably.

    ¡°Yes. While this cannot begin to count as an apology, I shall lend this to you, Miss Baraja.¡±

    The Sorcerer King swiftly reached into his robe and produced a bow.

    ¡ªHah?

    It was bigger than what could have been hidden inside his robes. Neia blinked several times, but reality refused to change.

    ¡°This is a magic weapon. Use it to protect me.¡±

    Portions of the bow were made with animal parts, but it did not feel raw or gory; instead, she felt an air of holiness around it.

    She could tell at a nce. In other words, this bow was a masterwork which needed to be described with the word ¡°super.¡±

    ¡°This is the Ultimate Shootingstar Super, made with the ancient art of runecrafting. For various reasons, I was carrying it on me to lend it out to someone else. Ahh, normally there would be runes carved here, but you can¡¯t see them now because of wear and tear. What do you think?¡±

    Neia used all her strength to suppress the urge to cry out.

    Typically speaking, she ought to refuse it. This was very likely to be a national treasure of the Sorcerous Kingdom. However, would anyone lend such a treasure to a follower from another country?

    Maybe it just looks amazing ¡ª as if! This, it¡¯s definitely a very powerful weapon!

    ¡°What do you think? Will you not ept it? Your job is to keep mepany and protect me, is it not? In that case, it would be good to equip you with a better weapon, am I wrong?¡±

    ¡°Ngh!¡±

    He was right.

    Neia felt her head spinning around.

    ¡°Ahh, my apologies. Is it because it looks too showy? In that case, I have something more sedate, the Great Bow Special, which is also a product of runecraft.¡±

    Saying so, he reached into his robe again¡ª

    ¡°P-Please do not trouble yourself! I am more than satisfied with this one! Please allow me to politely decline!¡±

    Neia¡¯s words came out as a mournful cry as she begged the Sorcerer King to stop producing any more weapons. If he took out another weapon in front of her, Neia did not think she would be able to retain her senses, and lending it to her would probably entail that she had to spend the whole day on maintaining it.

    ¡°Your Majesty! I humbly ept this Ultimate Shootingstar Super which you have bestowed upon me!¡±

    She took the bow with trembling hands.

    Given its essories and decorations, it looked to be very heavy, yet it felt surprisingly light in the hand. In the moment she took hold of it, she felt her body strengthening, as though power were coursing into it, or was that just due to the shocking lightness of the bow?

    Ah, this is bad. I wanted to reassure myself with the thought that this was nothing more than a fancy-looking magic item. This... this is definitely a bad thing. For all I know... This might be better than the holy sword... eh? Wait, wait a minute... no, surely it can¡¯t...

    ¡°Do you? To me, that¡¯s hardly worth being proud of, you know? If you¡¯d like some other ¡ª if you¡¯d like a better weapon, please let me know.¡±

    This was bad. If this sort of thing continued, if she kept hearing about it, things would be extremely bad. She could not begin to imagine what would happen if a squire ended up with better gear than the top ranking person in the Holy Kingdom.

    ¡°Thank you very much, Your Majesty. I am very grateful that you have spent so much time considering someone like myself...¡±

    Letting someone else hold this would be very dangerous, so Neia clutched it tightly to herself.

    She smiled to the Sorcerer King while she nodded. While the smile was a little stiff, she had managed to skillfully conceal her thoughts.

    ¡°If others see this, tell them I lent it to you.¡±

    Can¡¯t I not let them see it? If possible, I¡¯d rather wrap it up or something ¡ª but I can¡¯t do that with a weapon His Majesty lent me to protect him... Ahh... wait, my head¡¯s starting to hurt. So something like this is nothing to be proud of... His Majesty¡¯s standards are just too high... Will I have to pay him back if I damage this bow? Me? Ahhh, my tummy hurts... I wish I didn¡¯t have to think about this bow... Ah!

    Neia thought of a wonderful topic she had not yet mentioned.

    ¡°Your Majesty! I saw those huge and grand statues of yourself in Your Majesty¡¯s country!¡±

    ¡°¡ªHoh.¡±

    He responded in a quiet voice that was tremendously different from the one he had used in the past. It made Neia uneasy about whether she had made some sort of mistake.

    He had named his country after himself. Thus, Neia guessed that the Sorcerer King was eager to show himself off, which was probably why he had built those huge statues of himself to proim his might to those around him.

    Did I not praise him enough?

    ¡°Those statues not only showed off Your Majesty¡¯s greatness, but they also demonstrated your power as well! We don¡¯t have any statues like that in the Holy Kingdom!¡±

    That was most definitely not a lie. Size notwithstanding, one would need engineering techniques that had been refined down to an art in order to produce such a life-like product. There was a simrly-sized statue of a Sea Dragon at a ce called Lighthouse Cape, but it was cruder, and it looked quite pathetic after being worn away by the elements.

    ¡°My subordinates often say that.¡±

    Ahhhh, is that it? He¡¯s heard praise like that from his subordinates, so this much is only to be expected, is that what he means?¡±

    ¡°My subordinates are now nning to raise statues like these in various ces of my nation.¡±

    ¡°I see. Indeed, it would be a good way to dere the glory of Your Majesty!¡±

    The Sorcerer King looked at Neia in what seemed like surprise.

    ¡°...Uh, mm. Still, I feel that cing statues of myself within my country is a little... how shall I put this? Even so, my subordinates built statues of myself that are over a hundred meters tall in the middle of the city in order to show me off to the world... I think they¡¯ve gotten carried away with the concept of bigger is better.¡±

    ¡°But why is that?¡±

    The Sorcerer King coughed to clear his throat, and that was when a question arose in Neia¡¯s mind, Did the undead still have throats to clear? However, the Sorcerer King was speaking as that question echoed in her head, and she could not interrupt him.

    ¡°A king¡¯s greatness cannot be shown with physical objects.¡±

    ¡°Ahhh!¡±

    Neia was shocked, but that was only to be expected.

    Neia had not only forgotten that the Sorcerer King was undead, but hade to harbor feelings of genuine respect for him.

    This man was truly a King.

    Suddenly, she saw the Sorcerer King clenching his fist out of the corner of her eye.

    ¡°Of course, dering my greatness to the world by allowing my people to live without impediment is a different matter. But showing it off with statues of myself is... well. I wish to be known by the peace of my rule.¡±

    ¡°It is as you say!¡±

    Neia gulped, and then asked a question.

    ¡°Your Majesty is one of the undead, but why do you spend so much time thinking of the people?¡±

    Neia did not think the Sorcerer King¡¯spassion for the masses was an act. She even began to wonder if he was even undead.

    ¡°...I have not spent much time pondering that. But doing that much should be par for the course, no?¡±

    Neia was shocked.

    Were all kings such amazing people?

    Could the Holy Queen and the nobles rule the people with these thoughts in their heart?

    Or ¡ª was it because he was undead? Did he have this perspective because he was undead?

    Neia could not answer that question.

    ¡°Also, if it really was one hundred meters high, there¡¯d beints about things like not getting enough sunlight and so on.¡±

    The Sorcerer King followed up with what sounded like a joke, which only served to drill the humility of this incredible monarch into Neia¡¯s heart once more. This man was truly a King of Kings.

    ? ? ?

    As the Sorcerer King had pointed out earlier, the Holy Kingdom Liberation Army¡¯s base was a natural cave in a mountain.

    There was an underground spring in one corner of the cave, and while the ceiling was not very high, it was very spacious, enough for a horse and carriage to enter. In addition, mushrooms, which emitted bluish-white light sprouted all around ¡ª around half the height of a man ¡ª so they did not need other sources of light.

    The reason why they knew of this ce was because the pdins had once been sent here to exterminate a monster which had made this location itsir.

    After they fled here, they refurbished the ce and divided it into several sectors, each serving a different purpose. They had even managed to make their sleeping quarters look like proper rooms. They cut down the trees around the mountain ¡ª each of them around one hundred meters tall, and made simple furnishings and furniture from them.

    But ultimately, it was just a cave.

    There were a total of 347 people here: 189 pdins, 71 priests ¡ª including trainees and other such personnel ¡ª as well as 87moners with nowhere else to go. Naturally, hoping for a private room was out of the question.

    Even so, they could not let the king of another country stay with everyone else.

    Of course, there was the wish to minimize contact between the undead Sorcerer King and the citizenry of the Holy Kingdom, as well as the desire to keep him froming into contact with the secret information within their base, and other considerations on the part of the Holy Kingdom.

    However, they could not say that they would like him to use teleportation magic so he could take his rest in the Sorcerous Kingdom instead.

    In the end, they had to forcibly move others¡¯ things away and create a private room for the Sorcerer King.

    Under normal circumstances, they would have sent messengers to report the arrival of the Sorcerer King¡¯s arrival and have the others make preparations to receive him, but the Holy Kingdom was now in the thrall of demihumans. They could not send out pdins, who had poor enemy detection abilities, as outriders. In addition, Neia was now in the Sorcerer King¡¯s carriage and waiting outside the cave. The people in the cave were frantically moving personal effects and transferring beds and cabs and the like. In addition, they had already hung up a borrowed g of the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    ¡°...Hm.¡±

    ¡°What is the matter, Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°...While I do not intend to insult you, I have a few questions about all of this which I hope you can answer to the best of your ability. It would seem you are not hiding your tracks; is that not a problem? Or will someone else take care of that?¡±

    The Sorcerer King delivered his question in a t ¡ª as though he was reading off something ¡ª tone of voice, and then Neia¡¯s eyes went wide.

    He was correct.

    They would leave tracks in the process of climbing this mountain, which was untouched by human hands.

    When one added the hoofprints of the pdins¡¯ mounts to them, it would be immediately obvious. In that case, the fact that they had not yet been discovered was pure coincidence. Or was it?

    ¡°Your, Your Majesty. We have not performed any concealment work until today; could it be they¡¯ve deliberately let us off? ...But why?¡±

    Neia¡¯s voice trembled as she asked the Sorcerer King her question.

    Along this journey, Neia had be fully aware that the Sorcerer King before her was an extremely wise individual. Therefore, she thought that he might immediately supply her the answer, and her thoughts were not mistaken.

    ¡°...There are many possibilities for that, but under normal circumstances, that would be the most likely one...¡±

    For a moment, Neia thought that she should not be listening to the Sorcerer King¡¯s answer alone, but in the presence of the Captain. However, she could not control the curiosity welling up inside her.

    ¡°Could it be because they do not wish to lose track of you ¡ª or rather, the Liberation Army?¡±

    ¡°Lose track of the Liberation Army?¡±

    ¡°Hm¡ª well, I apologize for thisparison, but say you¡¯ve found a nest of rats causing trouble, letting them run hither and yon would be very troublesome, no? The best thing to do would be to wait for all the rats to gather and then eliminate them all in one fell swoop.¡±

    He¡¯s right! It¡¯s just as His Majesty says. I find it hard to imagine any other possibility. He¡¯s already thought this much in just a few minutes aftering to this ce... it¡¯s as though he knows exactly what the enemy is thinking, he¡¯s amazing...

    ¡°Well, as long as the situation stays the same, there will be nothing to worry about. However, I¡¯m not just talking about the situation here. Changes on the enemy¡¯s side might lead to a very high chance of being attacked, which would be troublesome.¡±

    Neia felt nothing but awed respect for the Sorcerer King¡¯s intelligence as he highlighted the finer points of their circumstances.

    ¡°Thank you very much, Your Majesty! I shall report this to the Captain right away!¡±

    ¡°Then I shall go too.¡±

    ¡°Eh? But surely you must be tired from the long journey. We have prepared a room for you, would it not be better to rest there for a while?¡±

    ¡°Have you forgotten? I am undead, you know? I do not need to rest.¡±

    He was right. Neia hadpletely forgotten that.

    The undead were beings who did not feel fatigue. That was why trying to flee an undead being ofparable speed was very difficult, ording to her lessons. While that wasmon knowledge, Neia¡¯s experiences with the Sorcerer King hadpletely shattered her perception of the undead. At times, she even found herself thinking that he was just a human magic caster in a skeletal mask.

    ¡°Thank you very much. Then, may I trouble you toe with me?¡±

    ¡°But of course. And there is no need to thank me. Since we are here to defeat Jaldabaoth, we ought to be helping each other out.¡±

    While she knew that ¡°we¡± in this case referred to the Holy Kingdom and the Sorcerer King, it could also be interpreted as talking about Neia and the Sorcerer King. That made Neia feel a little excited.

    Eventually, someone knocked on the carriage door from the outside.

    ¡°Your Majesty, we have prepared a room for you.¡±

    Neia opened the door.

    When the pdin outside saw the bow Neia was holding, his eyes went wide in surprise.

    This was the first time she had brought the bow she had received from the Sorcerer King outside the carriage. That was because the Sorcerer King had not left his carriage ever since he had lent her the bow. In the end, nobody else had seen it until now.

    ...You must be surprised, huh? Mm. I understand how you feel. This isn¡¯t a weapon you¡¯d let a squire carry...

    While the pdin bathed her in his gaze, Neia turned to face the carriage and bowed.

    Though she was simply looking at the ground, after sensing that the Sorcerer King had dismounted, Neia raised her head and asked the pdin:

    ¡°Sorry, but we need to speak with Captain Custodio, so can you lead us to her? His Majesty says he will be going as well.¡±

    ¡°Ah, ah, yes. Understood. Then, please follow me.¡±

    The pdin ¡ª followed by the Sorcerer King, and then Neia ¡ª entered the cave.

    The bluish-white illumination from the mushrooms that was creepy. In ces where the mushrooms were particrly prolific, monstrous shadows danced on the walls in the spaces between the mushrooms. In addition, their bluish-white light made her look like a corpse, but mysteriously enough, she did not mind it now.

    As they walked through the cave, they asionally sawmoners and priests, as well pdins standing watch.

    They should have heard all about him from the Captain and the others who had gone ahead of them but they still could not help gawking at the Sorcerer King.

    It¡¯s kind of rude, though...

    The Sorcerer King would not get angry, right? He was a very kind ruler. However, the kinder people were, the more frightening they tended to be when they did get angry.

    Should she tell them they were being very rude, in order to avoid such an event? However, she could not go and tell each and every one of them in person, and it was not a problem that could be resolved by words alone anyway. After all, to the citizens of the Holy Kingdom ¡ª to all of the living ¡ª the undead were fundamentally the enemy.

    I¡¯ll tell the Captain about thister... well, it¡¯s good that they haven¡¯t drawn their weapons.

    Suddenly, Neia sensed that the Sorcerer King had produced a piece of paper, and that he was looking at the letters written on it. Although Neia was interested in what was written there, she could not see the letters owing to the way it was concealed within his hand.

    Finally, they were brought to a room that was partitioned off by a hanging curtain, and the sounds of a noisy exchange of opinions came from inside.

    ¡°Captain Custodio. The Sorcerer King and Squire Baraja have arrived.¡±

    The interior fell silent.

    The paper in the Sorcerer King¡¯s hand had vanished to ces unknown.

    ¡°Let them in.¡±

    After hearing the Captain¡¯s voice, the pdin pulled away the curtain.

    The pdins and the priests who rose to wee the Sorcerer King ¡ª the ones who had not been part of the delegation ¡ª had aplex blend of emotions in their eyes. Even Neia could sense this. Naturally, the Sorcerer King must have felt it too. However, there was no way to tell how he had reacted to it just by looking at his back.

    There¡¯s no way His Majesty can¡¯t feel the mood in the air... perhaps he simply doesn¡¯t care about the petty fumblings of tiny men. Is this the bearing of a king?

    ¡°Everyone, listen up. Before us stands His Majesty, the Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown. Unable to ignore the plight of our nation, he has speciallye here on his own to aid us. You will ord him all due respect!¡±

    After Remedios said so, everyone in the room bowed to the Sorcerer King.

    Once everyone had raised their heads, the Sorcerer King spoke in a grand tone.

    ¡°Greetings. I am the Sorcerer King, Ainz Ooal Gown. I havee to thisnd in order to help you, not on the behalf of my nation, but in a personal capacity. Therefore, while this might be a little sudden, I have noticed a few things on my way here, so I wish to seek your opinions on the matter. Please allow my follower to exin.¡±

    The Sorcerer King stepped aside, allowing Neia to walk past and in front of him.

    ¡°Excuse me, everyone. Allow me to exin what His Majesty said earlier.¡±

    Neia ryed the Sorcerer King¡¯s questions to everyone present. After the short speech, a heavy silence filled the room.

    ¡°...Then what does His Majesty propose we do?¡±

    Remedios addressed her question to Neia, who stood by his side.

    ¡°No, before that, what do you think? I have onlye to do battle with Jaldabaoth, not to lead you all. If I end up participating too heavily in your strategic nning sessions, do you not think things will be very troublesome after defeating Jaldabaoth?¡±

    Murmurs spread through the room.

    ¡°...Or do you mean to say you will subordinate yourself to mymand? In that case, I will also use the most appropriate means to save this nation.¡±

    That ought to be the best way to do it, right? His Majesty might be undead, but everything he says makes perfect sense. He will surely abide by any agreements he makes too. Right now, at this very moment, if you want to save the suffering people, bending the knee to another country¡¯s king for a time ought to be the right choice to make, no?

    ¡°The only one who may stand above us is Her Majesty, the Holy Queen. Regretfully, we cannot eptmands from the king of another nation.¡±

    However, Remedios promptly rejected the offer.

    ¡°¡ª!¡±

    You should be willing to do anything to save the people! Wasn¡¯t that the reason why we¡¯re using the king of another nation, and such an incredible king at that!?

    Neia hung her head. That was to hide the dark, muddy emotions which stuck to the interior of her chest.

    ¡°May we inquire as to what course of action Your Majesty would take in our position?¡±

    ¡°If it were me, hm? Well, the logical thing would be to immediately move your base to a new location, no?¡±

    ¡°A new location...¡±

    Everyone in the room, Remedios included, had a distressed look upon their face. That was because they did not know of any other ce which was suitable as a hideout.

    ¡°Judging by your response, I guess you do not know. In that case, you need to n your future operations under the assumption that the quicker you move, the sooner Jaldabaoth¡¯s army will attack you. ...Then, since that is all, I will retire to my room.¡±

    Just as Neia was about to follow him, the Sorcerer King held out his hand to stop her.

    ¡°Forgive me, but I would like you to stay here and listen to the others¡¯ opinion on my behalf, Miss Baraja.¡±

    ¡°Understood, Your Majesty.¡±

    While he had not acknowledged her as one of his people, it would seem the Sorcerer King was treating her as a substitute for himself. In that case, if she did not properlyplete this task, he would be disappointed. Just imagining the Sorcerer King being disappointed made her heart flutter for some reason.

    ¡°I can count on you, then? You don¡¯t mind, do you, Captain Custodio?¡±

    ¡°If Your Majesty permits it, we will not object.¡±

    After hearing that, the Sorcerer King turned to leave with the pdin assigned to be his guide.

    Once he vanished around a corner, a priest spoke up.

    ¡°So that¡¯s the Sorcerer King... Captain Custodio. Will it really be all right? I hope the cure is not worse than the disease. That would be very troublesome.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Taking future poison to escape present agony... is that not what paupers do?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve talked about this before, haven¡¯t we? Don¡¯t make me repeat myself. The poison¡¯s already in us now.¡±

    Not His Majesty, huh. They aren¡¯t going to address him with respect?

    Neia was irritated by the dramatic change in attitude they had shown the moment the Sorcerer King was gone.

    If one understood the attitude of the citizens of the Holy Kingdom towards the undead, then their attitude was only to be expected. Rather, it was Neia¡¯s displeasure which was abnormal. Why did she feel unhappy about this?

    ¡°Well, he¡¯s still useful now, so it can¡¯t be helped... and we¡¯ve concretely seen how he can help us... but as priests, we might have trouble neutralizing that poison, no?¡±

    What do you mean, useful? Someone notices a mistake we made and even goes on to supply a solution, but not only are they ungrateful, they¡¯re still thinking about how to use him¡ª Ah, so that¡¯s it. That¡¯s what I sensed from His Majesty, something which the Holy Kingdom nowcks... a sense of integrity. That¡¯s why I feel like this...

    How much of his grace had she received?

    After sharing a carriage with him, she had been given the chance to realize the fact that despite being one of the undead, the Sorcerer King was a king that was worthy of respect.

    Therefore, what she felt for these people would be more urately termed ¡°pity.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of which, Squire Baraja. What¡¯s that bow you¡¯re carrying?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. His Majesty said that he would lend me this weapon for the duration of my assignment.¡±

    ¡°...May I take a look at it, Squire Baraja? I wish to see if the bow is enchanted with any sinister magic.¡±

    The priest extended his hand to her.

    Normally, she would have handed it to him. However¡ª

    ¡°Please permit me to refuse.¡±

    The priest was stunned. It was a face that said he had not expected to be denied.

    ¡°This is a weapon I have received from His Majesty in order to protect his person. I will not allow it to leave my hands.¡±

    She would not allow someone who was only thinking of using an ally to touch it for even a single moment. Neia lowered her head as she replied to keep the anger in her heart from showing in her eyes.

    ¡°¡ªCaptain Custodio, what¡¯s the meaning of this?¡±

    ¡°Ahhh, Squire Baraja, hand that bow¡ª¡±

    ¡°In other words, you don¡¯t mind if I report this to His Majesty, then?¡±

    The air in the room froze over.

    ¡°Enough. I understand. Let¡¯s continue talking.¡±

    Hmm~ so at least they still know that things will go poorly for them if His Majesty finds out.

    ¡°Before that, Captain Custodio, would it not be better to let Squire Baraja return to the Sorcerer King¡ªdono¡¯s side?¡±

    Neia noticed one of the priests ncing at the bow for just a moment.

    Neia understood the meaning he was trying to convey, but despite the anger boiling in her heart, she did not let it spill over to her words or actions.

    ¡°I apologize, but I am here to listen to everyone¡¯s words by order of His Majesty. I would be very grateful if you would let me continue to remain here and listen to your words from the side.¡±

    ¡°True enough... Gustavo. What do you think we should do?¡±

    ¡°His Majesty said so in front of all of us. If we have her leave now, it will probably cause more problems in the future.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true. So we¡¯ll let her remain, then?¡±

    Is this something you should be saying in front of the person in question? As Neia thought this, she bowed in silent gratitude.

    ¡°Now then, following on what the Sorcerer King has said, what should we do? Does anyone have any ideas about leaving this ce and looking for a new refuge?¡±

    Perhaps someone with her father Pavel¡¯s ranger skills might be able to find a ce for this many people to stay for extended periods. However, there was nobody like that here.

    ¡°The Sorcerer King ¡ª His Majesty said earlier that if we do not do anything, Jaldabaoth will not make a move either. In that case, why not search for a new ce before they take action?¡±

    That suggestion, made by one of the pdins, met with scattered approval. However, Neia knew very well that putting the matter off would not solve anything. In the end, all it would do was cause a pileup of problems in the future.

    ¡°The problem isn¡¯t just finding a new ce, but also the matter of provisions. While this is winter so food is easy to preserve, finding enough to tide us through the entire season is not easy. Even if we have not secured the Kingdom¡¯s cooperation, shouldn¡¯t we at least buy some food from them? Wouldn¡¯t that help things?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, prices are unbelievably high on the Kingdom¡¯s side. Also, even if we did manage to buy the food, we¡¯d need a massive amount to sustain this many people for several months, so transporting it would be very difficult.¡±

    ¡°Vice-Captain-dono, I understand what you¡¯re trying to say. However, there won¡¯t even be anything to discuss without that food. In the end, we need some way to get rations from the south, no? Or perhaps shift our base closer to the coastline, so we can ship it in from the Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, weck the funds for that, and we didn¡¯t get a good response from the Kingdom¡¯s traders. As for getting it from the south...¡±

    Gustavo smiled bitterly as he replied:

    ¡°They probably haven¡¯t realised that danger is drawing near for them. Our navy is being slowly worn down. It¡¯s like they¡¯re taking a step closer to the chopping block with each day that passes.¡±

    ¡°So we need something to make the south want to help us, is that it?¡±

    ¡°The base, the food, our problems are piling up.¡±

    ¡°...As for resurrecting the Holy Queen-sama... can it be done? After all, once we can get that settled, everything else will be moot.¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, ording to what we learned from Blue Rose, even that fifth tier spell will have a hard time working without a corpse, or if it¡¯s badly-damaged.¡±

    ¡°...Can we count on His Majesty¡¯s power?¡±

    ¡°You want to borrow the power of the undead?¡±

    ¡°Things being what they are, what else can we do? If the Holy Queen-sama were to be resurrected, then only the main problem (Jaldabaoth) would remain.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s eyes turned to the sour-faced Remedios.

    ¡°¡ªLet¡¯s set that aside for the moment. We discussed this while travelling through the other countries, but our main objective will be to attack the camps and liberate the people.¡±

    Many people nodded in agreement.

    ¡°I see. All of the Holy Kingdom¡¯s people arebat-trained. In that case, just freeing a single vige will grant us a certain amount of fighting strength... assuming they¡¯re willing to help, of course. However, in that case, wouldn¡¯t that make the food problem worse?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m saying we should attack the camps. There ought to be food there.¡±

    ¡°I see! That¡¯s Captain Custodio for you!¡±

    Remedios smiled as she heard one of the pdins say so.

    However, Neia¡¯s eyes were cold as she looked at the smug Remedios. After all, she knew who that suggestion hade from.

    ¡°Also, with the help of the people, we¡¯ll continue attacking and liberating the camps in various locations. That way, we¡¯ll be able to find nobles with ties to the south. We¡¯ll gather their troops before Jaldabaoth can destroy us and strike him a crushing blow. That ought to keep them from doing anything too.¡±

    ¡°I see!¡±

    This time, there were more voices of agreement.

    ¡°We¡¯ll go with that. In that case, Squire Baraja, go ry this to the Sorcerer King¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªPlease wait, Captain. I feel it would be better if I told him myself. It would be the basic courtesy to show a nation¡¯s king when informing a king about our operations.¡±

    Gustavo was correct, but for some reason, something seemed off.

    However, Neia could not object to this without knowing what that was.

    ¡°Very well. Do so, then. I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    ? ? ?

    Neia and Gustavo returned to the Sorcerer King¡¯s room together. Its door was little more than a piece of cloth, but a pdin still stood in front of it. Was he there to look out for people who might harm the guest within, or watch over the guest himself?

    After being ordered to stand down by Gustavo, the pdin left.

    Neia mentally furrowed her brow.

    Since he had sent away the guard,ing here definitely meant he had something else in mind besides telling him about the n. It was hard to imagine that they would want to assassinate him. However, should that reallye to pass, then she would need to wield her weapon as the Sorcerer King¡¯s shield.

    ¡°Your Majesty, this one is Gustavo Montanjes; I and Squire Neia Baraja seek your permission to enter.¡±

    After it was granted, Gustavo took a step into the room.

    When one recalled the inns they had seen in the Kingdom and the Sorcerous Kingdom, this ce seemed terribly austere. This was no ce for a nation¡¯s king to rest.

    There was nothing to be done about the fact that the cave walls were bare rock, but even the furniture was in in a sad state.

    While pdins learned to sew during their squire days, it was not enough for them to make furniture.

    However, the bed where the Sorcerer King sat was extremely beautiful. It gleamed with ck radiance, like it was made of onyx. In addition, there were pure white sheets upon it.

    Anyone else would have been scared senseless by the sight of this beautiful bed which had been produced from ces unknown. However, to Neia, she had long sincee to think that such matters were nothing to to be hung up about when it came to the Sorcerer King. Besides, it was possible that he had simply teleported home and came back with a bed.

    Still, it was a different matter for Gustavo, who did not know the Sorcerer King like Neia did.

    ¡°Your, Your Majesty. What, what is that?¡±

    ¡°Oh, this?¡± The Sorcerer King indicated his bed. ¡°I made it with magic. As for this nket, well, I also made it with magic. That said, I have no idea where this one hundred percent wool came from, but it feels good to lie down on. I¡¯m sure you could have afortable rest on it.¡±

    Even after receiving that answer, all Gustavo could do was stiffly reply, Ah, ahh. However, Neia did not have an intention to criticize him for it. After all, she too was looking into the distance and thinking, Magic really can do anything~

    ¡°Now then, I understand why Miss Baraja has returned. But why have youe as well, Vice-Captain-dono?¡±

    ¡°Ah, ah, yes! While I have no intention of slighting Squire Baraja, I felt that it would be more appropriate, as the Vice-Captain, to conduct the uing briefing myself; hence my presence here.¡±

    ¡°Hm... if that is what you all think, then I as an outsider have no room to disapprove. However, I would like to say something.¡±

    Just then, something ck seemed to blend with the crimson points of light which served as the Sorcerer King¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°I gave her those orders because I felt she could carry them out. Interfering in the matter by weight of your position as a superior isparable to slighting my judgement. I trust you understand how that would displease me, no?¡±

    Until now, no matter how he had looked at her, no matter how he had treated her, the Sorcerer King had never once shown Neia his unhappiness. However, for the first time, he was showing his anger before Neia. This anger was born from his trust in Neia, and it caused a current of heat to course through her chest. He was the only one who held that opinion of her.

    ¡°I sincerely apologize!¡±

    ¡°That apology should be directed at her. Still, well, nevermind. Go ahead and brief me.¡±

    Gustavo briefly summarized the details of what had been said, but his only answer was a vague Hmm.

    ¡°I see. Then ¡ª what do you expect me to do? Or are you saying you have trulye just to inform me of this?¡±

    ¡°Of course not; I wished to ask if Your Majesty had any opinions about this operation.¡±

    So that was it.

    He wanted to borrow the intellect of the Sorcerer King. That was what had worried Neia about his insistence oning along. Ordering that pdin away was also for that reason. If he overheard what Gustavo said, if he learned that the Vice-Captain had bowed his head to the king of another country, who was also one of the undead, things would go very badly indeed.

    At this point, what¡¯s the use of covering things up...

    It was in to see that they were helpless without the might of the Sorcerer King. That being the case, news of this would certainly circte throughout the people. It was only a matter of whether it took ce sooner orter.

    What the people of the Holy Kingdom should have done was to spread the word of the Sorcerer King¡¯s mercy andpassion throughout thend, and then treated him with gratitude.

    While I understand they¡¯re wary of him because he¡¯s one of the undead, I don¡¯t think the Sorcerer King¡¯s that kind of man...

    Still, even if Neia told everyone, it was likely that no-one would believe her. They might even think she was the subject of a ¡¸Charm¡¹ spell or simr magic.

    What can I do to make everyone trust the Sorcerer King? In the end, it seems I¡¯ll need to do something to change the first impression of him. However, I can¡¯t possibly say something rude like, ¡°Please let more people apany you...¡±

    While Neia pondered the matter, the Sorcerer King was still speaking to Gustavo.

    ¡°...No, I¡¯ve already said this. I will notment on your battle ns.¡±

    ¡°I pray you will furnish us with a solution on this point, because we have nowhere left to go. We would like to avoid the possibility of failure, however slight.¡±

    ¡°And that is the reason why I will not. If you heed my suggestions and the operation ends in a failure, what shall be done? I do not intend to shoulder that responsibility, you know?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Therefore, I feel that what we discuss here should remain with my heart, that of Your Majesty¡¯s, and Squire Baraja¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°Miss Baraja too? Would it not be better not to let her hear this?¡±

    ¡°No, for various reasons, it would be better if there was a third party other than ourselves present. Also, with someone of her skills around, we might be able toe up with more ideas.¡±

    ¡°...Hm, then we may briefly discuss the matter. Miss Baraja, I trust you are fine with this?¡±

    ¡°Ah! Yes, I don¡¯t mind.¡±

    ¡°In that case... there were several points in the operation you suggested just now which bothered me. The first is the question of rations. I agree that there might be food stocks in the prison camps, but I do not feel there will be much there. When you think about it, do you think they would feed their captives properly? If it were up to me, I would decrease their daily food intake and weaken them so they would have no chance to revolt. Also, there is the matter of pressing them into service as soldiers after rescuing them. What about their weapons? Have you transported them to this cave?¡±

    ¡°No, we have not. I would like to think we could obtain those from the camps.¡±

    ¡°Your n of wagering everything on these camps is very dangerous. You do understand this, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. However, saving the people suffering in there is very important.¡±

    ¡°On that point I concur. The more time passes, the less they will love this country. However, it would be best to do something about the food situation. In truth, I feel that seeking the aid of the south is the best choice in many ways. What can be done to aplish that more easily?¡±

    ¡°The royal family will help. While the Holy Queen-sama has already passed away, I do not think all the royals have been wiped out. We could aid the members of the royal family supported by the southern nobles, and then have them ask the southern nobles to cooperate with us. If we did that, we would also have a safe refuge... speaking of which, Your Majesty. The Holy Queen is dead, but perhaps Your Majesty could do something about it?¡±

    ¡°What do you want me to do about it?¡±

    ¡°Resurrection.¡±

    ¡°I see. That is not impossible.¡±

    He said so in such a casual tone that Neia doubted her ears for a moment. Resurrection magic could be considered the ultimate secret of divine magic. Very few humans could use it. How many people in this world could speak those words so easily?

    ¡°Naturally, I will expect some form ofpensation for this. Then where is the body? In what state is it?¡±

    ¡°The body¡¯s location is currently unknown, as is its status. On the subject ofpensation, we will dly pay as much money as Your Majesty desires.¡±

    The Sorcerer King waved his hand before his face.

    ¡°Theck of a body will make things very difficult. Even with one, damage to the body mightplicate matters. Without an intact corpse, there is a chance that if I used resurrection magic, it might be one of the undead.¡±

    ¡°That, that would be very problematic for us.¡±

    The Holy Queen bing an undead being would not just be problematic, it might plunge the entire Holy Kingdom into war.

    ¡°Are there no magic casters in the Holy Kingdom which can use resurrection magic of the fifth tier?¡±

    ¡°I apologize, but I have not heard of any.¡±

    ¡°Hoh... and what about the remaining members of the royal family?¡±

    ¡°They are probably in one of the internment camps. After so long, I doubt any of them are still hidden within the cities.¡±

    ¡°Ho, prisoners, then? ...Do you have any information on where they might be?¡±

    ¡°None at all,¡± Gustavo replied with a shake of his head. The Sorcerer King looked at the ceiling.

    ¡°Umu. You really are making this up as you go along, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, it is so. Nobody among the pdins is skilled at collecting information...¡±

    ¡°Is that so...¡± The Sorcerer King hmmed to himself. ¡°As I thought, a solid organization to allow every subordinate to deal with all kinds of situations is essential. In addition, one needs multiple intelligence-gathering apparatuses.¡±

    ¡°There-therefore, we were hoping to draw on Your Majesty¡¯s might. May I know if you could help us with your magic?¡±

    ¡°Well, magic is not that omnipotent... for starters, we need detailed information on the prison camps. I trust you have a detailed map for me to peruse?¡±

    ¡°My sincerest apologies¡ª¡±

    ¡°I do not think there is one here; shall I fetch one?¡± Neia interrupted halfway.

    Maps were the treasure of a kingdom. The more urate they were, the more useful they were in battle. Allowing a possible enemy nation to know so much about one¡¯s geography did far more harm than good. Therefore, Gustavo must have been nning to refuse him.

    However.

    Neia could not concede on this point.

    She could not tolerate their one-sided usage of the Sorcerer King.

    If they wanted to draw on his wisdom, they would have to pay that price.

    Although Gustavo stared daggers at her, Neia pretended that she had not noticed.

    ¡°Ah, in that case, let me take a look at it afterwards. Also, I apologize, but do tell me everything you know about the terrain, Miss Baraja.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    After the two of them spoke to each other, Gustavo pulled aside the curtain and left. Once the sounds of his footsteps faded away, the Sorcerer King muttered:

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about it. I came here for my own gain, That¡¯s how valuable Jaldabaoth¡¯s demon maids are.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    He must have been talking about the maps.

    Neia¡¯s chest burned. Truly, it was a joyful thing to have everything you did validated by others.

    ¡°Still, this really is pushing it. I¡¯m surprised an organization that splinters so easily has held out for so long.¡±

    ¡°¡ªMy deepest apologies.¡±

    ¡°No, there¡¯s no need to apologize to me... however, it¡¯s quite troublesome when an organization isn¡¯t united. Do you not use majority vote when a difference of opinion urs? And of course, a rule to not hold grudges whatever the oue.¡±

    ¡°How wonderful it would be if we could unite the group in that way. It sounds like a dream organization.¡±

    ¡°Mm... wonderful, you say?¡±

    The Sorcerer King suddenly looked at the ceiling, but his eyes seemed to be gazing at something further away.

    ¡°Yes, that truly was the organization of my dreams.¡±

    ¡°Could it be that Your Majesty¡¯s nation is organized along those lines?¡±

    ¡°Ah, ahhh. No, not like that. Unfortunately, my country is not such a group. Still... kuku.¡±

    The Sorcerer King went quiet, and then heughed warmly,

    ¡°It would be interesting if it was.¡±

    ¡°Interesting, you say?¡±

    ¡°¡ªNow then, can you tell me about the surrounding area?¡±

    Part 2

    A group of people forged through the night towards a prison camp.

    They had decided to adopt the Sorcerer King¡¯s suggestion of attacking the prison camp by the shore which was as far from their base as possible. It would be easier to hide their tracks by the sea, and given the distance, they would be able to buy some time before the enemy verified the location of the Liberation Army after the attack.

    However, there was a problem.

    If it was too far, the chances of being spotted by enemy scouts was very high.

    Therefore, they decided to attack the furthest prison camp within their travel range.

    Neia asked a question of the Sorcerer King, who was riding a horse beside her.

    ¡°Your Majesty, we will be making our approach on horseback until we reach the vige. Are your preparationsplete?

    ¡°Ah, but of course. However... I did not hear much about the operation details. What sort of tactics will they use? I do look forward to it.¡±

    ¡°You look forward to it?¡±

    ¡°Kuku, I¡¯ll be able to see some of the Holy Kingdom¡¯s tactics at work. What abilities will they use to break down the camp gates? Or will they fly over the walls and infiltrate through the air? I doubt they will be so unwilling to let me see that... The thought that they might have an ability I have not encountered excites me.¡±

    The Sorcerer King will surely be disappointed, Neia thought uneasily.

    The Holy Kingdom¡¯s basic siege tactic was tounch a two-pronged attack with angels from the air and infantry from the ground. They would probably do the same thing this time round. Or rather, they did not have the manpower to do anything else.

    Neia looked at Remedios.

    Practically all of the Liberation Army¡¯s fighting power was now advancing.

    The Captain raised hernce, from which the Holy Kingdom¡¯s g fluttered in the wind.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

    ¡°Ohhh!¡±

    The Captain spurred her horse, which began to move, and the pdins followed behind her. They were still some distance from the vige, so they could not go at a full gallop, but a trot.

    ¡°The pdins are carrying freshly-cut logs; are they battering rams?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Our Liberation Army only has pdins and priests. Nobody is skilled at opening doors or other infiltration skills. Therefore, all we can do is mount a frontal assault. Our Captain is a skilled swordswoman, but for breaking down gates, tools like that would be faster.¡±

    ¡°So they¡¯re not using magic, but seek to physically break it down with a battering ram? Aren¡¯t they going to usedders or the like? Can the magic of pdins carry them over walls?¡±

    There were several broad types of spells, like arcane, divine, and spiritual. The magic that the pdins used fell into the ¡°other¡± category, and they typically cast spells in the form of blessings. Dark knights, who were fallen pdins, also used blessing spells.

    From what Neia had seen and heard, there were no spells which let them makedders.

    ¡°I apologize, but I have never heard of such magic before.¡±

    ¡°Neither have I. That said, I have heard that there are some pdin spells which allow them to fly, although those are of quite a high tier.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? You even know about pdin spells...¡±

    Truly, he was the Sorcerer King. He possessed great knowledge even about spells he could not cast.

    ¡°That¡¯s because the enemy might use them. It took a lot of effort to memorize every spell there was. Since I was not talented, I had to make up for it with hard work. The more you know, the closer you are to victory, although that was what a friend told me, hm.¡±

    She could not believe what he said about having no talent. However, there was something more important that she had to say.

    ¡°Your Majesty, if you have any strategies to rmend, I will ry them to our Captain.¡±

    It was quite likely that someone as capable as the Sorcerer King had alreadye up with a more effective n than what the Liberation Army had. That was why he was acting this way.

    ¡°Eh? No, no, I shouldn¡¯t. Ah, well¡ª about that. Liberating this prison camp is not my job, but yours. Attacking these prison camps is the first step in finding a better way to do things. They need to realize that themselves, which is why it must be done this way.¡±

    The Sorcerer King was right. Or rather, everything he said was right.

    However, just for today, Neia wanted to borrow the Sorcerer King¡¯s strength. That was because their war was fought to save the suffering masses, and she wanted to choose a path which was faster and which could save more people.

    ¡°I fully agree that what Your Majesty said is correct. However, I pray you will still lend us a hand.¡±

    She immediately knew she was being very rude. However, Neia still bowed her head and pleaded with the Sorcerer King anyway,

    The Sorcerer King looked forward for a while before speaking again.

    ¡°Umu... Neia Baraja. Don¡¯t make me repeat myself so many times. Failure is the mother of sess. The consequences of not relying on me and instead thinking for yourself, even if they should end up being failure, should not be feared, but embraced. This is because they are the failures necessary for sess.¡±

    The Sorcerer King¡¯s words stabbed at Neia¡¯s heart. She could not keep asking the Sorcerer King to help. The Sorcerer King was saying that the consequences of nning on their own were a necessary sacrifice for the recovery of their nation.

    Indeed, it was as His Majesty said.

    But with the power of the Sorcerer King, they might be able to save more lives.

    Would sacrificing them for the sake of self-reliance be justice?

    What was justice, anyway?

    Was saving more lives justice? Or¡ª

    Her thoughts went around in circles, and she could not find an answer.

    ¡°Now then, let us look forward to their skills.¡±

    Right now, Neia was simply praying that the many sacrifices they would make would not be wasted.

    The group advanced towards the prison camp in a straight line.

    The terrain around the vige was uneven, but there were watchtowers. If they made a direct approach, they would definitely be spotted. However, it was also a fact that this was the only way they could attack.

    Soon, they spotted the vige.

    There seemed to be sentries on the watchtower above the gate. They banged on the rm bells, and amotion arose from within the vige.

    Neia narrowed her eyes, and stared at the watchtower.

    The demihumans there looked like bipedal goats, wearing chain shirts and carryingrge spears.

    If Neia recalled them correctly, those demihumans were known as Bafolk.

    They were a demihuman species who lived in mountainous regions, and their legs were every bit as capable as a mountain goat, making them fearsome warriors who could scale even city walls if they had so much as the slightest bump or depression on their surface. In addition, their fur tangled on shing swords and steadily blunted their edges, so after killing one, it was important to clear the fur off the de, or so her father had taught her.

    The Bafolk¡¯s spears were long enough that they could stab people passing underneath from above.

    She mused that things would be troublesome if they immediately strengthened their defense. However, they did not seem that well drilled, given how they were running around wildly and giving their side a lot of time to prepare.

    The priests dismounted, and immediately summoned angels.

    The pdins also dismounted, and raised their shields. This was probably to protect the people carrying the battering rams from attacks.

    However, not all the pdins were like that. About ten or so people remained mounted and began circling around the vige.

    ¡°Miss Baraja, I trust dispersing some troops around the area is meant to intercept any demihumans from the camp who are trying to flee with intelligence about this battle? If anyone gets away, then even if you win the battle, you will lose in the long run.¡±

    ¡°That, that¡¯s it! It¡¯s just as you say!¡±

    He had seen through the pdins¡¯ tactics with such ease. The only thing Neia could say about him was that he was amazing.

    Still, that raised a question. Where had the Sorcerer King learned such tactics from?

    A being with a demihuman¡¯s tough skin would not wear armor on top of it. With sharp ws, one would not need swords. Humans wore armor and carried swords because of their fragile bodies.

    If there was no need to rely on one¡¯s wits, then tactics would naturally be unnecessary too. Why did the overwhelmingly powerful Sorcerer King know of siege tactics?

    ¡°Your Majesty, may I know where you acquired such knowledge?¡±

    ¡°Hm? By knowledge you mean¡ª ah! My predictions just now? Umu.Those tactics were taught to me by one of the friends I mentioned before. After that, I tested them out in livebat. Well, I learned a lot of things, but I didn¡¯t expect them to be put to practical use here.¡±

    ¡°...Since he was Your Majesty¡¯s friend, surely he must have been very strong too?¡±

    ¡°Oh yes. Well, his strength was not in melee or magic, but in another field. In that sense, I have not yet attained his level of strength yet.¡±

    Huhu, the Sorcerer Kingughed happily. It was the kind ofugh one had when reminiscing about the past.

    Right now, he seemed just like a human being.

    Could it be that the Sorcerer King was once human...?

    Perhaps he had transformed himself into one of the undead with the power of magic, but that would be a perplexing matter. That should not have been possible. To Neia¡¯s knowledge, the undead were naturally urring things. However¡ª

    The world isrge, after all.

    Neia¡¯s journey with the ambassadorial delegation had let her realise how tiny the world she once knew had been.

    Across the ocean, beyond the mountain, and in the depths of the forests ¡ª there ought to be something out there. The sages who could scoff at Neia¡¯s problems and tell her the answers ought to be out there too.

    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±

    ¡°Ah, my, my apologies.¡±

    ¡°No, I am not ming you. I was a little worried when I saw you spacing out on horseback... the battle is about to begin, and I understand if you¡¯re uneasy.¡±

    ¡°Th-Thank you very much, Your Majesty.¡±

    Just then, Remedios nted her banner in the ground and drew her holy sword.

    ¡°Everyone! The first battle to save thisnd from Jaldabaoth is about to begin! Justice shall triumph!¡±

    There was a heated response of ¡°Justice shall triumph!¡± to Remedios¡¯s shout. Once they gathered, they began their charge.

    ¡°So it¡¯s begun. Miss Baraja, would it not be better to move up if you wish to fight?¡±

    ¡°No, my duty is to apany you, Your Majesty. Abandoning Your Majesty to fight¡ª¡±

    Is something I cannot do, Neia shook her head.

    ¡°Hm, mm, is that so? Then, then let¡¯s talk about something else... You haven¡¯t lent that weapon to anyone else, have you?¡±

    ¡°Not even once! This is a weapon I borrowed from Your Majesty! I would not dare allow anyone other than myself to touch it!¡±

    ¡°Ah... really now. Umu, I suppose. I thank you.¡±

    His tone sounded a little depressed, but there was no way to divine his intentions from it.

    Have I done something to offend His Majesty? ...I¡¯m not too sure what¡¯s going on, but perhaps I should apologize?

    While Neia was waffling, the Sorcerer King changed the topic.

    ¡°Ah ¡ª this is a rare opportunity. I looked around our surroundings, but I did not discover any demihumans hiding with invisibility magic. Perhaps we should move forward a little to observe the battlefield conditions. I doubt there¡¯ll be any problems with leaving the priests here... What do you think?¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    It would be very disrespectful to tell the Sorcerer King ¡ª who possessed might which far exceeded her own ¡ª that moving to the front would be dangerous.

    As the sound of bells rang through the prison camp, she stayed close to the Sorcerer King as he moved up. That was when the fighting began.

    The angels attacked the watchtowers on top of the gate, and the Bafolk there met them with their spears.

    The archer towersunched arrows. They were not aiming at the angels, but at Remedios as she led the charge. It was only natural to aim for her, given that she was not carrying a shield and there was no chance of hitting friendlies.

    However, her strength was far removed from the others.

    She easily cut down all the arrowsing at her with her sword, maintaining her speed as she ran.

    As if to counterattack, several angels rushed the archer tower. Shortly after that, three Bafolk corpses fell from the tower.

    This was when the pdins reached the gate and began pounding on it with the battering ram.

    The log doors began to shake, and there was a faint sound of cracking from inside, along with the cries of the pdins going, ¡°One more time!¡±

    The gate shook again, more violently than before.

    And then the battering ram struck again.

    One of the logs making up the gate bent heavily, and they could hear the pdins¡¯ cries of triumph even from here. While the gap was not yet big enough to let people in, they ought to be able to break the gate downpletely after several more tries.

    Several angels flew past the gate. Neia could not see what they were doing from here, but they were probably trying to hold off the Bafolk defenders.

    ¡°¡ªGet back, all of you!¡±

    All eyes went to the source of that shout.

    It came from a watchtower above the gate. The angels should have taken that ce. Yet, a single Bafolk appeared there. However, the problemy in what the Bafolk was carrying.

    ¡°Get back!¡± the Bafolk shouted again.

    The Bafolk was holding a girl, aged around six or seven, and he had a sharp de to her throat.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t back off, I¡¯ll kill this human!¡±

    The girl was dressed in filthy clothing ¡ª her face looked dirty too ¡ª and her body shook from side to side. Was she still alive? They could not detect any signs of life from her. It seemed to speak for how everyone inside the camp had been treated.

    ¡°You¡¯re despicable!¡± one of the pdins shouted.

    ¡°Hurry up and back off! Look!¡±

    There was amotion among the pdins. What had happened? Even Neia could not see what was happening at this range and at night. However, it was different for the Sorcerer King.

    ¡°...The child¡¯s throat seems to be bleeding.¡±

    ¡°Could it be!?¡±

    ¡°It was just a nick; she is not dead yet. Otherwise her value as a hostage would¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªEveryone, fall back!¡±

    The pdins obeyed Remedios¡¯smand and moved back.

    Although the priests in the rear had a hard time grasping the situation, they still understood what was going on, and they pulled the angels back. At the same time, the priests ran up to Neia and the Sorcerer King. They had probablye closer to see what was going on.

    ¡°Further! Go further back!¡±

    After the Bafolk said so, the pdins began retreating slowly.

    They could see the Bafolk hurriedly swapping positions atop the watchtower. They swapped the people who had been wounded in the earlier battle with the angels for fresh fighters.

    ¡°This is bad.¡±

    ¡°Yes, very bad.¡±

    Neia slowly raised the bow she had been lent. The Bafolk seemed to be using the girl as a shield. Therefore she had a very small space in which to aim for. Killing it in one hit would be very difficult.

    Even so, if she did not do it, who would?

    I wish I¡¯d practiced my bow skills more, Neia thought as she drew an arrow from her quiver.

    Just then, the Sorcerer King swiftly held out a hand, as if to block her shot.

    ¡°I don¡¯t intend to insult you, but you should stop. There¡¯s no longer any point to it.¡±

    Just as she was about to ask what he meant, the Sorcerer King walked over to where the pdins were gathered.

    There was an argument raging there about how to save the girl.

    Priestly magic could freeze the enemy in their tracks. Many people approved of that, but spells had an effective range. Could they get into that range? Would the hostage be killed? All these questions and more flew back and forth, but there was no sign that an answer had been reached.

    Just then, the Sorcerer King and Neia arrived.

    ¡°How long are you going to twiddle your thumbs about this? The situation looks bad.¡±

    After he spoke, the others turned to look at the Sorcerer King as one.

    ¡°Of course we know that¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªCaptain... please calm down. The enemy is over there.¡±

    Remedios was at the end of her tether, and Gustavo spoke to her.

    ¡°No, Captain Custodio. You know nothing. Since the enemy knows that hostages are effective, they¡¯ll show that this is not a threat, and they¡¯ll use her as an ex¡ª¡±

    As though waiting for those words, the girl hostage¡¯s head was hacked off. They could see her bright red blood spurting even from here. The Bafolk let go of the girl¡¯s body, and it crumpled weakly to the ground.

    Everyone was silent.

    Their minds refused to ept what had just happened.

    Remedios was the first to recover, and as she shouted, Neia came to her senses as well

    ¡°You bastard! How dare you kill the hostage!? Even after we obeyed your demands!¡±

    ¡°Hmph!¡± The Bafolk dragged a boy in front of him this time. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ve got another one, see? Now back off!¡±

    ¡°You shameless scumbag!¡±

    ¡°Hmph. You really are an idiot, aren¡¯t you? Perhaps you¡¯ll understand after I bring another over?¡±

    Remedios¡¯s clenched fist trembled mightily. Then, as though to vent her feelings, she ordered:

    ¡°Everyone, fall back!¡±

    ¡°Also, gather up the people on horses around the sides! Move it!¡±

    She could hear the sound of grinding teeth from Remedios. It was loud enough that one might think she was crushing her teeth.

    ¡°Vice-Captain. Order them to gather here.¡±

    ¡°B-But¡ª¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t do it, the child will die. Move!¡±

    ¡°Everyone fall back!¡±

    ¡°A very bad move. You¡¯ve shown the enemy that hostages are effective and given them so much time to prepare. If the enemy does something to break your will to fight again, won¡¯t that cause even more damage?¡±

    A red-faced Remedios red at the Sorcerer King like she was looking at the enemy.

    ¡°If this goes on, your surprise attack will be pointless. Also, I can hear the sounds of something moving over there. If they set up barricades, breaking them down will take more time, and things will be more troublesome¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªShut up!¡± Remedios interrupted the Sorcerer King.

    ¡°Who¡¯s got an idea? A way to solve this without anyone dying!?¡±

    Nobody said anything.

    Of course nobody had such a convenient solution. For instance, if they had someone adept at infiltration skills, this situation might not have arisen. However, there was nobody like that around.

    Even Remedios should have understood this. If her animal-like instincts analyzed the battle situation and told her there was no way, then such a method did not exist.

    Even so, why did she refuse to admit it?

    Why was she hung up on not letting a single person die?

    The Sorcerer King¡¯s words shed through her mind ¡ª was this not one of those necessary sacrifices which he mentioned? There was no way toe out of this without losing a single person unless one had an overwhelming advantage in strength or a great deal of luck.

    ¡°Captain Custodio,¡±

    Neia¡¯s voice sounded abnormally loud.

    ¡°Right now, can we not finish the fight with only a few casualties?¡±

    Remedios¡¯s furious gaze shifted to Neia.

    The powerful emotions boiling off that mighty warrior¡¯s body made her own body tremble, but Neia was sure that she was right.

    ¡°There¡¯s no justice in that!¡± Remedios shouted.

    Justice? That justice¡ª

    The surrounding pdins remained silent. It would seem nobody was prepared to say anything. Neia felt like she was surrounded by enemies and she unconsciously backed off, and then she felt someone¡¯s hand supporting her from behind.

    Looking back, she saw the Sorcerer King, as she had expected.

    ¡°¡ªI support Miss Baraja¡¯s opinion.¡±

    He had affirmed her in a quiet voice. But to Neia, it was like a hundred-million strong ovation.

    ¡°Shut up!¡±

    Remedios barked again. However, this was not something she should be saying to a king from another country who hade all this way to save her. There were actions which were eptable, and actions which were uneptable.

    Anger welled up in Neia¡¯s heart.

    ¡°What you need right now is to change the situation, not sit around and butt heads in frustration... Ah, it can¡¯t be helped. I shall turn things around, then.¡±

    After muttering to himself, the Sorcerer King turned away from them ¡ª towards the gate ¡ª and began walking. Due to his sudden movement, nobody managed to call out to him before the Bafolk shouted a warning.

    ¡°You there, in the mask! I told you to back off, didn¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°I will not back down! What do you think a single human life means to me!?¡±

    ¡°W-What!?¡±

    ¡°Our aim is to kill every single one of the Bafolk here! It doesn¡¯t matter what happens to the humans! ¡¸Widen Magic ¡ª Fireball¡¹!¡±

    The Sorcerer King extended his hand with a shout, and the fireball that flew forth blew away the Bafolk and the boy he was holding.

    The enormous burst of me also consumed the watchtower.

    Everyone on top had been in by that attack. The Bafolk and his hostage fell onto the Sorcerer King¡¯s side of the wall.

    ¡°¡¸Maximize Magic ¡ª Shockwave¡¹¡±

    The spell which followed sted away the half-ruined gates. In addition, it scattered the Bafolk who were erecting barricades behind it, blowing a huge hole into their defenses.

    ¡°Come, you pdins! Attack! Kill the Bafolk inside to the veryst man!¡±

    As though awakened by his voice, Remedios came to and replied:

    ¡°You son of a bitch¡ª!¡±

    ¡°¡ªCaptain!¡±

    ¡°Grrrrgh! ¡ªCharge!¡±

    The pdins moved forward in response to Remedios¡¯s words. Or rather, it might be more urate to say that they had abandoned all attempts at thinking and fully subordinated themselves to her orders.

    ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty!¡±

    Gustavo left those words behind and moved on. After that, there the pdins and priests ¡ª the more sensible ones, at least ¡ª directed grateful looks at him. Remedios was the only one who was staring at the Sorcerer King with open displeasure.

    The Sorcerer King addressed Neia in a quiet voice.

    ¡°¡ªMiss Baraja. Did you think I would save the boy with a spell beyond your imagination?¡±

    Indeed, the thought had crossed her mind. However, the Sorcerer King must have had some reason for his actions.

    ¡°Ah, yes, I did. It is as you say.¡±

    ¡°Hm, perhaps that might be so.¡±

    The Sorcerer King nodded, and Neia listened in silence.

    ¡°Indeed, I could have done so. By using the various spells I have learned, saving a single boy would be a trivial task. However, I could not do that. That was because I could not allow the Bafolk to see me rescue a boy.¡±

    Doubt crossed Neia¡¯s face for the first time, and the Sorcerer King gently exined to her.

    ¡°If I allowed them to know that hostages were effective against us, the prisoners inside would be used as meat-shields to block our attacks in battle.The pdins would be at a loss, and they might end up being wounded or killed. Due to our direck of manpower, even one fewer pdin would constitute a great disadvantage... at least, ording to Lanchester¡¯sws.

    (TL Note: Lanchester¡¯sws are mathematical forme designed to calcte the rtive strength over time of a predator and prey pair. They¡¯re usually used for military modelling. In this case, even one loss can lead to more losses over time.)

    The Sorcerer King walked to the gate, and Neia hurried after him.

    ¡°On the other hand, once they know the hostages are useless, they will simply be hindrances to the Bafolk. Now, when they are being attacked and the enemy is about toe through the walls, do you think they have the time to leisurely kill off their prisoners? Murdering people who can¡¯t resist ought to be a very low priority then.¡±

    ¡°It is as you say.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Rather than waste time killing people, they would prepare to stop the enemy incursion instead. Therefore, it was necessary to use a method that would clearly illustrate the pointlessness of taking hostages.¡±

    He was right,

    If Remedios had her way, they might end up being unable to save anyone in the end.

    The Sorcerer King slowly lifted up the body of the boy by his feet.

    ¡°Your Majesty, let me¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªThis is a job for me.¡±

    Neia apanied the Sorcerer King as he carried the boy to the ce where Remedios had nted her banner.

    The Sorcerer Kingid the boy on the ground. Neia wetted a cloth with water from a waterskin, and wiped away the grime on the boy¡¯s face.

    His cheeks, his wrists and his thighs were all shockingly thin.

    It clearly illustrated the harsh conditions under which they lived.

    ¡°Those Bafolk bastards...¡±

    ¡°Perhaps this should not be said, but do allow me to say it anyway. I am the king of the Sorcerous Kingdom, and not the king of the people who reside in this country. Thus, I can calmly make this decision. I would choose to save a thousand people¡¯s lives over a single life. But if this boy alone were a citizen of my nation, I would prioritize saving him instead. If you cannot ept that¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªNo, thank you very much. I can understand how you feel... Your Majesty is just.¡±

    ¡°...Hm? What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°My apologies. Ah, maybe it should be, Your Majesty is righteous?¡±

    What on earth am I saying? she could not help but wonder.

    While she felt that this left him with nothing to reply with, the merciful andpassionate Sorcerer King still answered her.

    ¡°...Eh? Ah, no, I do not feel that I am just. And frankly speaking, justice ought to be determined by others. The motives for everything I do are very simple. Well, I have thought of spreading my reputation too...¡±

    Neia recalled the matter of the statues.

    Does wanting to spread his reputation mean the Sorcerer King is a show-off after all?

    ¡°That said, I now feel there¡¯s no need to try so hard with that... I ended up talking about pointless things. All I desire is to live in happiness with my children. That is all there is to it, but at the same time, it is also everything to me.¡±

    She did not think the undead Sorcerer King could have children. Therefore, he probably did not mean children in the sense of carrying on his bloodline, but children in a broader sense. It felt like he regarded the citizens of his nation as his children.

    He is a kind man in every sense of the word... indeed, what a wonderful world it would be if even the frailest child could live in happiness. What was he thinking when he took this boy¡¯s life...

    As she looked at the profile of his face, she saw something like grief for killing a child.

    ¡°Well, that was pointless. In that case, let¡¯s drop the topic here. Miss Baraja, while I am not qualified to speak pretty words, I hope you find the justice that belongs to you.¡±

    ¡°...May I ask one more question? If your own subordinates had been taken hostage like that, would you have done the same thing?¡±

    ¡°...Well, this might be grumbling on my part, but it would be troublesome in another sense.¡±

    ¡°What exactly do you mean?¡±

    ¡°In the past, I asked them out of curiosity, ¡®What would you do if you were taken hostage to force me to negotiate?¡¯ At that time, every single one of them promptly said they would rather kill themselves than inconvenience me in any way. ¡®No,¡¯ I told them. ¡®Can¡¯t you say you¡¯d wait for me to rescue you?¡¯ and things like that... While it pleases me to see their loyalty, this is still, how shall I put it? My subordinates are all a little too fanatical.¡±

    As he rotated his wrist, the Sorcerer King continued in a tired voice.

    Just as Neia began to think, Weren¡¯t these unnecessary worries for someone in his position? Remedios appeared at the gate, carrying a bloodstained longsword, her armor simrly sttered in blood. Though she had removed her helmet, her bangs were stuck to her forehead by sweat. She looked utterly exhausted.

    After saying something to Gustavo, Neia sensed that for a moment, Remedios¡¯s eyes had met hers. No, it was less that she had locked gazes with Neia, but rather, she had been looking at the Sorcerer King and Neia was in the way.

    Remedios said nothing, simply going back inside with a nk look on her face.

    In her ce, Gustavo approached the two of them.

    ¡°Your Majesty, I wish to express my thanks. While there were some slight losses, we were able to minimize them thanks to Your Majesty¡¯s power. Normally, the Captain would be thanking you in person, but she is somewhat distraught at the moment due to the tragic condition in which we found the people, so I pray you will forgive me for taking her ce.¡±

    Gustavo sneaked a peek at the boy, and then he looked back at the ground.

    ¡°It is fine. Go tend to the Captain.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±

    ¡°Come to think of it, what were those tragic conditions?¡±

    ¡°Yes. We questioned several of the people we rescued, and they said that ¡®They were skinning the prisoners.¡¯ It would seem ¡®they¡¯ were not demihumans but demons sent by Jaldabaoth...¡±

    While she felt that the Captain was using her emotions as an excuse for her rudeness, that did not seem to be the case.

    Just as Neia was starting to feel surprised, the Sorcerer King beside her tilted his head in bafflement.

    ¡°Why the skin? Why that? Are they going to eat it? Like chicken skin?¡±

    ¡°No, we have no idea either... although, the demihumans did not seem to have taken part in those activities... Does Your Majesty know anything about this? Could this be for some kind of demonic ritual?¡±

    ¡°No, I apologize. I have no clue either. Why would Jaldabaoth do such a thing?¡±

    The Sorcerer King¡¯s puzzlement seemed to stem from the bottom of his heart, and after that everyone looked at each other, but they still could not unravel the mystery. Even so, since it was the work of demons, they might have done so just to make the humans suffer.

    ¡°...I¡¯ll ask the priestster. Then, Your Majesty, we are now trying to figure out the demihumans¡¯ hiding ces in order to clear them out, so I would like to monopolize a bit of your precious time afterwards.¡±

    After saying so, Gustavo went back inside the gate.

    About ten minutes after that, they could start seeing scattered human forms through the gate.

    They were the captives. Just like the boy who had been taken hostage, they were dressed in tattered, threadbare clothing that did not look like it could resist the winter chill. The pdins who should have escorted them to the door simply went back past them and vanished behind the gate. Had they done this because they had too few people to handle the prisoners, or was it because the suppression work was still ongoing, or both of them?

    The prisoners had looks of delight on their faces as they rushed toward Neia.

    However, they suddenly stopped in their tracks.

    That was probably because they had seen the form of the Sorcerer King. And then, some people continued to approach them. Perhaps they felt that the Sorcerer King was just wearing a mask or something.

    A man ran over from amidst the walking people.

    The man panted heavily, and then knelt down beside the boy which Ainz hadid at Neia¡¯s feet. No, it would be more urate to say he had copsed there.

    The man caressed the boy¡¯s cheek, and after seeing for himself that the boy was dead, he burst into mournful tears.

    Clearly, he was the boy¡¯s father.

    Neia bit her lip.

    As the father cried his son¡¯s name while he wept, the Sorcerer King calmly said:

    ¡°I was the one who killed that boy.¡±

    Neia looked at the Sorcerer King in surprise. Was now the time to say this sort of thing?

    However, surely the wise Sorcerer King would not have suddenly said so for no reason.

    ¡°Why, why did you kill him!?¡±

    The fires of hatred burned in the father¡¯s eyes. Faced with that¡ª

    The Sorcerer King replied with a mockingugh.

    ¡°To save you, of course.¡±

    ¡°What, what did you say!?¡±

    For just a moment, the father¡¯s eyes filled with fear. That was because he realized that the Sorcerer King¡¯s face was not artificial. Then, his eyes roved to the sides in search of help, and they settled on Neia.

    However, before Neia could say something, the Sorcerer King spoke first.

    ¡°Then may I ask you something? Why did you not protect your son? Your son was brought before me as a hostage.¡±

    ¡°I protected him! But he was snatched away! Those bastards were stronger than me, so I couldn¡¯t do anything!¡±

    The Sorcerer Kingughed again.

    ¡°Then let me ask you ¡ª why are you still alive?¡±

    The father did not know how to answer, and froze up.

    ¡°I am asking you why you did not die to protect your child. It is said that not all lives are equally important. You should have been the one who valued that child¡¯s life the most of all. So why did you not struggle wildly to protect him to yourst breath?¡±

    The other people were peeking at the situation here from a distance.

    They must have felt unease, fear, and anger at the Sorcerer King who had taken the boy¡¯s life.

    ¡°What, what are you saying...¡±

    ¡°You are the one who failed to protect him. Do not push the me onto others. You, who were weak, are at fault. Also, you seem to be mistaken about something... you do realize that I am much more powerful than the Bafolk you im to be stronger than you, no? ...Although I can forgive some insults because I pity you for the loss of your child, I will y you if they get out of hand.¡±

    The Sorcerer King reached out a bony index finger and rested it on the father¡¯s face.

    ¡°That, that¡¯s because you¡¯re strong ¡ª that¡¯s why you can say that! Not everyone can be as powerful as you!¡±

    ¡°Well said. I can say this precisely because I am powerful. Then, it is precisely because you are weak that being taken from is your lot in life, no? The strong preying on the weak is a very natural sequence of events.¡±

    The Sorcerer King turned his eyes to the people around him.

    ¡°Have you not also experienced suffering because the Bafolk are strong?¡±

    ¡°Are you saying the strong can do what they want!?¡±

    ¡°Exactly. The strong do what they will, and the weak suffer what they must. This is the way of the world. The same rule applies to me. In the face of a more powerful opponent, I would have no recourse but to suffer. That is why I seek strength.¡±

    Neia understood why the Sorcerer King sought Jaldabaoth¡¯s maids.

    His Majesty must be seeking strength because he wants to protect his nation, to protect the children of his country. So strength is the most important thing after all...

    ¡°Well, originally, the weak like yourselves should have been defended by the Holy Kingdom, those who should have been strong... I really do pity you. If you were under my protection ¡ª under the protection of my country, the Sorcerous Kingdom, something like this could not possibly happen. That is because I would have used all my strength to protect the people and strike down the Bafolk.¡±

    Everyone around them was silent.

    The Sorcerer King¡¯s arguments were cold and heartless, but at the same time they expressed the truth of the world.

    If they could not oppose his words with reason, would they choose to protest with their emotions? However, their fear of the Sorcerer King stopped them from doing so.

    ¡°You, isn¡¯t he one of the undead? What are the undead doing in a ce like this?¡±

    The father could not say anything to the Sorcerer King because he feared thetter, and so he directed his wrath at Neia instead.

    However, before Neia could answer, the Sorcerer King stole a march on her, as expected.

    ¡°To help your country, of course. And the fact is, you were all rescued by the undead of which you speak. If you are unhappy with that, why not save this nation by yourselves?¡±

    As he heard that, the father questioned Neia with his eyes. However, she could say nothing.

    That was because it was the truth.

    If the people of this country were enough to defeat Jaldabaoth, the Sorcerer King would not be here.

    The man hugged the boy¡¯s corpse in fear, and then he turned and ran. The people to which the man ran had frightened looks on their faces as well.

    Neia heard the Sorcerer King say something, but she did not know if he was addressing the fleeing man or himself.

    ¡°Even I would be oppressed if I were weak. Therefore one cannot forget to seek strength. I need to engrave into my heart the fact that beings ofparable power to myself most definitely do exist.¡±

    Part 3

    After attacking the first prison camp and freeing the Liberation Army troops imprisoned within, they went after their next prison camp the on the next day.

    They were not riding on the momentum of victory. Rather, there were several reasons why they could not do anything else. The most pressing one was because the food stocks in the prison camps were less than they had estimated.

    This, in turn, was the result of the twin policies of the demihumans not feeding their captives enough, and regrly shipping food in from a small city nearby.

    In addition, the demihumans who apanied the food shipments were also responsible for inspecting the prison camps for any abnormalities.

    Even if they killed all these demihumans and took all their food, the opposition would definitely conclude that something had gone wrong at the prison camps.

    Of course, Jaldabaoth would learn of that as well. That being the case, it was very likely that he would dispatch a huge force which Neia and the others would not be able to defeat.

    After standing behind the Sorcerer King and participating ¡ª but obviously not speaking ¡ª in meetings, after a long argument that made Neia¡¯s legs hurt to stand on, they had finally arrived at two possible courses of action.

    The first was to flee to the south after liberating one prison camp and throwing in their lot with the armies that ought to be stationed there.

    The second was to strike first and conquer the aforementioned small city.

    While both of these opposed courses of action had their own merits and ws, they eventually went with thetter, after the Captain of the Pdin Order, Remedios, shouted for it.

    Remedios had a top secret reason for choosing to assault the city.

    After questioning the demihumans ¡ª and of course, killing them afterwards ¡ª the town which was their target apparently contained a someone with royal blood in their veins.

    If they were truly of the royal bloodline, it was very likely that the situation would improve. Even if they were not royalty, it would be a godsend if they were a great noble with a certain degree of status and connections. They could bank on the fact that they had saved his life to ask the southern armies to apply pressure, and possibly ask for reinforcements.

    However, Neia had her doubts.

    ¡°Your Majesty, do you really think there will be a member of the royal family or a powerful noble there?¡±

    Neia had been allowed to ride a horse out of deference to the Sorcerer King¡¯s status. Otherwise, the sort of horse which a low-ranking squire like Neia would have been allowed to ride would have been taken for use as a pack animal long ago.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s a trap. Even if it isn¡¯t, the city will be garrisoned with many troops, and depending on the situation there might be demons present. Captain Custodio ought to be very aware of that. Even so, she has decided to fight an uphill battle like this. Sometimes, you need to wager everything on one bet.¡±

    If they did not seek the aid of the south, people would begin to starve soon. If that happened, Neia knew that the Liberation Army would not be able to carry on.

    Soon, they saw their objective, the small city, in the distance.

    From her horse at the tail end of the column, Neia looked at the militiamen marching ahead of herself.

    They were citizens of the Holy Kingdom who had been rescued from the prison camps. The reason why the pdins had pressed them into military service when they should have been resting was because they discovered that there were far more demihumans in the town than in the earlier prison camps.

    There were many more weakened people than expected, so they were not expected to make good foot soldiers. Even so, it was better than nothing, and so they were mobilized.

    Neia¡¯s level of skill would be hard-pressed to hide such arge force from the eyes of the demihuman scouts, so they needed to move as quickly as possible.

    And the result of doing so was that the people only became more and more exhausted, and the number of adults sitting on cargo wagons only grew. The fact that they could actually sleep on the shaking and rattling wagons only served to show how tired they were. In contrast, the children were cheerfully running along.

    The priests were probably not used to long journeys on foot either, given how they would look enviously at the cargo wagons from time to time.

    Even in this state, they¡¯re going to be thrown straight into a battle once they arrive. Are they really going to be all right?

    During their strategy meetings en route, they had decided to immediately attack the city upon reaching it. That was because theycked both provisions and time.

    Attacking a city with enemies lying in wait during daytime was extremely dangerous.

    It would be easier to approach at night, but it would be very disadvantageous to humans, who did not have night vision abilities. In particr, night battles were very dangerous for the citizens, who only had whatbat training they had received as conscripts.

    With that in mind, they had decided to attack during the day.

    The battle lines had already been formed up ahead of them. At their head were the pdins. Behind them were militiamen holding wooden walls they had made after wrecking the prison camps, and at the back were the priests.

    The n was the same asst time, using the angels to suppress the enemies on the walls while the pdins broke down the gates; a tactic which relied on brute strength for everything. The citizen-soldiers¡¯ job wasrgely limited to frightening the enemy through weight of numbers. Therefore, they had ordered the civilians to avoid fighting, and if they had to fight, to gang up on their opponents, among other things.

    ¡°...Now then, show me how you will do this.¡±

    The Sorcerer King muttered to himself.

    As an observer, the Sorcerer King would not be involved with the battle.

    While they wanted to draw on his strength for a siege like this, nobody opened their mouth to ask him during their meetings. The Sorcerer King paid no heed to the pleading gazes directed at him, and he was now positioned in the rear echelon.

    The battle began like it had thest time.

    It may have been a small city, but it was veryrge for the region. Its portcullises were reinforced with iron, and there were murder holes above it. The walls were not built of wood, but stone. The walls and gates were also much better made than those of the prison camps, which hadrgely been scavenged from materials taken from the vigers. However, because this city had less than ten thousand residents, one could not say it was impregnable.

    The attackers found it troublesome, while it left the defenders uneasy. That was probably a more appropriate evaluation of the situation.

    Remedios led the pdins in a charge, while the angels attacked the demihumans on the walls.

    However ¡ª the angels asionally vanished into motes of light after being hit by enemy attacks.

    It would seem the demihumans were the same Bafolk they had encountered previously in the camps, but as expected, the ones defending this city were very skilled troops.

    The most obvious of them was a Bafolk on the walls ¡ª hiding among the battlements ¡ª and holding a well-made longspear. He had already impaled many angels.

    That Bafolk gave a mighty cry.

    Perhaps it was some kind of skill, but it did not affect the angels or the pdins breaking down the gates beneath him. Was it because of a narrow area of effect, or was it only effective on allies? The details were unclear. However, it would be good to remember that he possessed some sort of special ability.

    Looking down, both sides were fighting fiercely outside the gates

    The Bafolk thrust their long spears from the other side of the portcullis ¡ª from inside the city ¡ª at the pdins, who blocked them with spiked shields. Thus, they prevented the enemy from attacking the pdins with the battering rams. Remedios, on the other hand, directly cut apart the longspears they stabbed at her.

    The demihumans dumped boiling water on them through the murder holes. However, the pdins already had ¡¸Protection Energy Fire¡¹ cast on them in anticipation of this, and so no matter how much water got on them, the pdins were unscathed.

    Of course, since this was winter, things would be troublesome if they were drenched and then the temperature fell, but it was fine for the moment.

    If they had used boiling oil instead of water, their swords would have slipped easily from their hands. Perhaps oil was precious to the demihumans but they did not make such preparations.

    The slowly-advancing civilians carried the wooden walls which they had brought along to use as shields. While it would have been better if they had been made out of metal, it could not be helped given theirck of proper arms. It might not have been terribly sturdy, but it was better than nothing, and the citizen-soldiers hidden behind them began spinning up their slings. They were aiming at the demihumans fighting with the angels. Of course since they were not used tobat, the stones they threw struck the angels more often that not.

    Even though they were taking friendly fire, the angels were resistant to unenchanted attacks, so it was not a problem for them. Of course, it was merely damage reduction and not immunity, but still, the citizen-soldiers did not do that much damage to the angels. It was simply because the sling stones would hurt the demihumans more if they hit them.

    Every time an angel fell, the priests would summon a new angel and throw it into the fray. While there were very few of them, this inexhaustible and untiring supply of fresh troops kept pouring on, and the demihuman resistance began to falter.

    ¡°...Mm. After considering the opposition might use defensive magic, they ought to have sshed cold water on them. Combined with the cold of winter, it would make their opponent¡¯s body temperature plunge... after all, most people would cast spells to protect against fire.¡±

    As the Sorcerer King looked at the battlefield, he muttered to himself, as though he were conducting a calm analysis of the fighting.

    It was hard to respond to those words. While nobody had died yet, there were those who were already wounded, so she could not bring herself to speak.

    ¡°Speaking of which, is it really all right if you don¡¯t participate in the battle, Miss Baraja? You ought to be able to make a good ounting of yourself with the bow I gave you.¡±

    Neia was assigned to stand watch by the Sorcerer King¡¯s side. Using her own body as a shield for him was her duty. Therefore, she had not been ordered to fight.

    However, just like before, the Sorcerer King seemed very eager for her to use that bow of hers.

    Does he want me to use the weapon he lent me? I could try taking a shot from here, but missing the first shot with a borrowed weapon would be a little too¡ª

    Just as Neia was hesitating over how to answer, a mighty noise came from the vicinity of the city gate. Looking over, it would seem the portcullis had been broken down. The noise was abination of the pdins¡¯ rejoicings and the demihumans¡¯ anxious cries.

    Once the city gate went down, the pdins would flood into the city like an avnche.

    After seeing Remedios¡¯s superb skills, the shaken beastmen grew more and more frantic.

    After that ¡ª the pdins retreated amidst a great mour.

    Neia¡¯s keen vision saw within what was inside the narrow aperture of the gates before the pdins had made it there.

    It was the same as before.

    A Bafolk was clutching a child, even younger than before, and issuing orders to the pdins on the other side of the city gate. While his voice did not carry over to them, one could imagine the orders which had been given.

    The pdins began falling back and leading the retreat were Remedios and Gustavo. After that, they told the priests to ¡°Have the angels fall back, otherwise they¡¯ll kill the child.¡±

    ¡°Here we go again. I can¡¯t listen in from over here, I want to go over there and take part in their conversation. How about it?¡±

    ¡°You have no need to seek my opinion, Your Majesty.¡±

    Neia and the Sorcerer King walked towards Remedios, who was stationed some distance ¡ª between the Sorcerer King and the city gates ¡ª and discussing something under the eyes of the uneasy citizen-soldiers.

    ¡°We should negotiate with them, after all,¡± Remedios said, but the one who was frowning after taking off their helmet was someone else. Perhaps it was because they knew what had happened at the first prison camp, but all of them had How can we approve of this? written on their faces.

    Even after the Sorcerer King came, they still had not found an answer.

    No, everyone was trying to think of how to talk Remedios down from her position of ¡°In any case, we need to save that child,¡± but that seemed unlikely.

    After proposing a few vaguepromise ns that were ultimately a waste of time, several people exchanged looks, and soon Gustavo raised his voice to shout, ¡°Captain!¡± as he poured strength into his eyes.

    ¡°We¡¯ve gone over this countless times already! Even if we had the time, even if we discussed this more, there wouldn¡¯t be a way to do it! We can¡¯t save that child!¡±

    After hearing what Gustavo said, Neia knew that the Captain had continued the strategy meeting even after the Sorcerer King had left themand tent. At the same time, she knew that the pdins would not be able to solve this problem without spilling blood.

    Remedios bit her lip and remained silent. However¡ª

    ¡°Captain! We can¡¯t win this battle without sacrifice! Right now, we ought to sacrifice the few to save the many!¡±

    Neia saw Remedios¡¯s eyes re crimson at those words.

    ¡°¡ªThat is not the kind of war Her Majesty would wage! We are Her Majesty¡¯s swords! We serve the Holy Queen, she who wants the people of this nation to live in peace!¡±

    ¡°But the Holy Queen-sama is...¡±

    Is dead, but before Gustavo could say that, Remedios shouted to interrupt him.

    ¡°The next Holy King hasn¡¯t been appointed yet! Shouldn¡¯t we protect the ideals of the Holy Queen-sama to whom we pledged our swords until then? What does a vow of loyalty we made mean when we break it ourselves!?¡±

    Ah, I see. Neia understood.

    Remedios was bound, bound by the wishes of the person to whom she had pledged her loyalty.

    Since they were knights of the Holy Queen who loved the people, they could not do anything which would harm the people.

    The only one who could break her bonds was the next person to whom she offered her loyalty.

    ¡°Is that wrong? Who did you pledge your swords to? You all went through the ceremony to be ordained as pdins! Who do you think the pdin order serves!?¡±

    When a squire became a pdin, they would meet with the Holy King and ritually offer the sword they held to him. Simrly, when there was a change of Holy King, the pdins would meet with him and offer their swords to the reigning Holy King while swearing their loyalty. Therefore, everyone in this band of pdins had pledged their swords to the Holy Queen.

    ¡°Or did you not?¡± Her tone changed in an instant. After heating up, she cooled down right away, and her voice was filled with a freezing chill. ¡°Was the Holy Queen-sama wrong to wish for the smallfolk¡¯s happiness and a nation where nobody would need to cry?¡±

    ¡°She wasn¡¯t wrong! But.. depending on the situation... we might need to change.¡±

    ¡°Who? Who needs to change? Tell me, then. Is there a higher form of justice than ¡®Not having to sacrifice anyone!?¡¯¡±

    Gustavo shut his mouth.

    Neia realised that she had made a mistake just now.

    She was not ruled by her loyalty to the will of the Holy Queen whom she had pledged to serve.

    Remedios said that one ought to carry out justice. However thorny the path, however difficult it was to walk, one ought to trudge through all the difficulties in one¡¯s way and continue forward without heed for what was around oneself.

    Sacrificing the few to save the many, and saving everyone no matter how great or small; which of these was truly just?

    That much was obvious.

    Clearly, it was thetter. However, it was far too idealistic, and a normal person would immediately give up on it. However, even after knowing this, Remedios still insisted on saving everyone.

    She held firmly to an ideal that a normal person would abandon immediately.

    That was why she was the Captain of the pdins, the highest ranked pdin of them all.

    Remedios was the only one seeking her lofty definition of justice, and those who could not understand this were the pitiful ones.

    Several pdins lowered their heads in shame. Perhaps they felt the same way.

    If one considered the Sorcerer King¡¯s justice of ¡°killing one to save a thousand¡± to be a king¡¯s justice, then Remedios¡¯s justice of ¡°one or a thousand, they are all the same¡± was an ideal ¡ª a shining form of justice.

    Both sides were just. Neither was wrong. Even so¡ª

    Is there no justice without strength?

    For instance, if Remedios were stronger ¡ª if she possessed a godlike power which Neia could not imagine, she could save the child, and save the inhabitants of the city. In that case, there would not have been any problems.

    However, that was not the case.

    She was stalled here because there was no way to carry on without sacrifice.

    Carrying out justice requires strength. Ahhh, I want to be strong... that way, I can wipe away Jaldabaoth¡¯s taint from this country...

    ¡°...Forgive me for interjecting while you are at a deadlock, but you will not reach a conclusion this way.¡±

    That exceptionally cold voice blew away the building heat in the air.

    ¡°Your Majesty...¡±

    ¡°Captain Custodio. If this goes on, you will only serve to make the enemies know about the effectiveness of hostages. In my view, you will not be able to conquer this city without sacrificing anyone.¡±

    ¡°Certainly not. There ought to be a better way to do this. A way where nobody needs to be sacrificed and where nobody needs to be sad!¡±

    In response to that voice, which sounded like it was being bled out of her, the Sorcerer King gave a t reply.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think such a way exists... we¡¯ve wasted too much time. If this goes on, the past is only going to repeat itself.¡±

    Remedios bit her lip tightly. A tiny rill of blood flowed down it.

    ¡°...Then... Captain. Just sacrifice that child.¡±

    ¡°That¡ª!!¡±

    ¡°Hm. Leave the rest to me. Since so much time has passed, I doubt you will be able to resolve this with a tiny sacrifice, even if you charge in with the will to die¡±

    ¡°Is that really all right!?¡± It was Neia who could not help crying out. ¡°Your Majesty has been conserving his mana to fight Jaldabaoth; won¡¯t using that mana make the fight against Jaldabaoth unfavorable?¡±

    ¡°It is as you say, Ms. Baraja. However, there is no other way in order to save more people... while I cannot possibly guarantee that there will be no losses, at the very least, there will be far fewer than if you try. How about it? Will you leave it to me?¡±

    ¡°So there will still... be sacrifices...¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately so, Captain Custodio.¡±

    Remedios bowed her head and left without a word. She walked toward the city ¡ª where the citizen-soldiers were looking with uneasy eyes.

    ¡°My apologies, Your Majesty. In the Captain¡¯s ce, please allow me, Gustavo, to beseech you to aid us.¡±

    ¡°Umu... Well, it¡¯s a pointless question, but you will thank me for it, right?¡±

    Everyone present was puzzled by the Sorcerer King¡¯s question, but they immediately responded in agreement. Neia did not miss the uneasiness in their hearts over why he had asked such a reasonable question.

    ¡°Really now? Then I will pacify the city by myself. You gentlemen should keep an eye out for any fish that slip the and kill them or take them prisoner. Personally, I would rather take them captive in order to question them for information. Also, I will be using the undead, so don¡¯t get too excited.¡±

    Saying so, the Sorcerer King set out for the city gates without waiting for an answer.

    ¡°¡¸Greater Magic Seal¡¹, ¡¸Mass Hold Species¡¹.¡±

    The Sorcerer King did not stop walking as he cast his spells.

    After incanting those two spells, he waved a hand and conjured several flickering shadows.

    There were ten of them in total.

    They radiated an aura unique to the undead, one which the living could not abide. Their translucent forms disyed expressions of misery.

    They were Wraiths. Neia had once heard that they would take the shape of the species who saw them from her monster lore lectures. However, their bizarre appearances looked like three people¡¯s shadows blended together, unlike what the lectures had said.

    ¡°You, High Wraiths.¡±

    The monstrous-looking shadows followed the Sorcerer King as he walked. The grass by their feet crackled as it withered. Already brown from winter, they shrivelled up rapidly as they lost their water content.

    ¡°Go over there and wait for my instructions.¡±

    The undead moved in perfect unison, unconstrained by gravity, and they floated swiftly into the air. In seconds, the undead melted into the azure sky overhead, and the fact that she could not see them with those eyes of which she was so proud only intensified her shock.

    While she wondered if it was really all right not to exin in detail to those summoned undead, the Sorcerer King who could make such perfect battle ns would surely not have overlooked that point.

    ¡°Those, those were...¡±

    ¡°High Wraiths. Since they are incorporeal beings, they can pass through walls and other obstacles... of course, they can¡¯t pass through things without limit... you probably don¡¯t want to know the specifics, do you? Well, they¡¯re part of my preparations for taking the city. Now then, please wait here, Ms. Baraja...¡±

    ¡°¡ªPlease allow me to apany you.¡±

    ¡°Mm... in that case, please wear this item around your neck.¡±

    ¡°This, this is?¡±

    The Sorcerer King produced a ne with a five-pointed star pendant, set with arge carnelian in the center.

    ¡°This item grants immunity to fear. High Wraiths have the ability to emanate terror. ...Let me get this out of the way first. Afterwards, you will be walking intoplete chaos. People driven by fear can sometimes show fearsome strength. Even I might not be able to protect you, so if you still wish to follow...¡±

    ¡°¡ªPlease allow me to apany you.¡±

    ¡°U-Umu. Is, is that so? I understand.¡±

    Neia fastened the ne around her neck.

    ¡°Even so... good grief, they are at war, you know. How could there be a war without casualties?¡±

    Neia smiled bitterly in response to the Sorcerer King¡¯s slight jest.

    Of course, that was not what Remedios had meant. The Sorcerer King could not possibly have missed the meaning of her words. This was probably the Sorcerer King¡¯s way of cracking a joke, but even so...

    His Majesty does not seem particrly talented at cracking jokes.

    Perhaps this might be the Sorcerer King¡¯s sole weakness. Just as that thought came to Neia¡¯s mind, they had reached the vicinity of the city gates.

    ¡°Fall back, pdins. I am going to conquer this city now. Move to the rear... I believe you ought to get at least that far back, no?¡±

    The Sorcerer King indicated the rearmost pdins and then, he walked into the city gates, like he was strolling into an empty field.

    ¡°Get back! If you don¡¯t move quickly, this brat will¡ª¡±

    Soon enough, the Sorcerer King ran into the Bafolk who was holding the child hostage.

    It was hard to tell what kind of expression the demihuman was making. It was probably shock. The other demihumans around the Bafolk probably had the same looks on their faces. No, even Neia would be shocked if she suddenly saw the Sorcerer King.

    ¡°...The, the undead!?¡±

    With that, the word ¡°undead¡± rippled through the demihuman ranks.

    ¡°Indeed. Ah, I believe they are called ¡®The Living?¡¯ I heard that once, but I do not quite trust my recollection.¡±

    ¡°Wha-what? Why are you? What on earth... are you really... no, a human?¡± The Bafolk¡¯s eyes turned to Neia. ¡°You! You control that undead creature, right? What a creepy guy he is!¡±

    Thoughts like, I¡¯m not a necromancer, or You¡¯re being rude to the Sorcerer King, ran through Neia¡¯s mind, but she remained silent.

    ¡°Sorry to intrude while you¡¯re in chaos, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªGet back, undead! Or else this kid gets it!¡±

    The Bafolk tightened his grip around the boy¡¯s throat.

    All signs of life fled the boy¡¯s face. His zed-over eyes reflected the Sorcerer King¡¯s visage, but he did not react. Even so, he still gasped softly when his captor grabbed his throat.

    ¡°Fuhaha! You¡¯re actually trying to use the living as a hostage against me, one of the undead? My, my.¡±

    The Bafolk¡¯s eyes went wide. His expression¡¯s kind of disgusting, and Neia mused that the reason she had the room to calmly think like this because she was backed by the mountain that was the Sorcerer King.

    ¡°Human! Call this undead off!¡±

    It¡¯s not like I¡¯m controlling him...

    ¡°Hm. Now then, shall we begin?¡±

    ¡°What? Stay back! Get back right now!¡±

    Perhaps it had sensed something, but the Bafolk took a step to the rear while still holding its hostage.

    When she looked around closely, she could see the forms of other children. Had they been brought here as hostages as well? Even so, they did not seem to want to kill their hostages to teach them a lesson. They probably thought, Would living hostages really work on the undead, who were the enemy of the living?

    Neia sensed something like a ck wind curling past her. In that moment, all the Bafolk froze in ce. Ever since the Sorcerer King had shown up, everyone present had remained still, studying him so as not to miss a single move he made, but this change was far too extreme. Their eyes and mouths gaped open, and their faces twisted in an ugly manner. Also ¡ª it was not just the Bafolk. Even the near-lifeless children showed a dramatic response to this.

    While she could not read the demihumans¡¯ faces, Neia understood human expressions. Fear was written on the children¡¯s faces. It was an absolute, unimaginable, and overpowering fear.

    ¡°Aiiiieeeee!¡±

    The Bafolk screamed in a strange way¡ª

    ¡°¡ªHmph. Release, ¡¸Mass Hold Species¡¹.¡±

    A magic circle appeared, and some kind of spell flew forth from the Sorcerer King. In the next moment, the numerous demihumans and their child hostages froze in ce like hideous statues, their faces still twisted. However, they did not look like they were dead. She could hear the faint sounds of breathing ¡ª quite ragged, it would seem.

    And then, above them ¡ª countless cries rang out from near the city wall. After that, the thump, thump sounds of meat being bludgeoned came from behind Neia.

    ¡°All right, let¡¯s go.¡±

    She was briefly distracted by that sound, so when she looked forward again, at the portcullis¡ª

    ¡°¡¸Greater Break Item¡¹.¡±

    ¡ªA shrill noise rang out. It was the sound of the pieces of pulverized gate falling like rain.

    ¡°As I thought, destroying buildings with this drains a lot of mana... although I didn¡¯t use it like that over there... I guess all I can do is ept the fact that I need to pick my targets for best effect. You can¡¯t look down on small things, after all.¡±

    The Sorcerer King muttered to himself as he walked over the hill of the gate¡¯s debris and passed through the city gate, with nobody to block his path.

    The rapidly changing situation left Neia confused and unable to move. Once she regained her calm, she smiled to herself.

    The Sorcerer King had destroyed in seconds the portcullis which the pdins had worked so hard to just dent.

    The strong really are unfair...

    Neia jogged after the Sorcerer King, and he turned around in front of the immobile Bafolk.

    ¡°So, how about them?¡± he said, while indicating the motionless demihumans and the children they were holding. ¡°It¡¯s only temporary, you know. Go tie up everyone here.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll call the pdins over.¡±

    ¡°That would be a great help. Unfortunately, I am still radiating a fear aura. Everyone who steps into it will be terrified. Therefore, please ask them to take the appropriate measures. I believe priests ought to have ¡¸Lion¡¯s Heart ¡¹ while pdins have... hm, ask them to use ¡¸Under Divine g¡¹, how about that?¡±

    ¡°You actually knew about that...¡±

    The Sorcerer King chuckled, and then walked through the Bafolk, as if to fill the gaps between them.

    ¡°Gooooohhh!!¡±

    A strong-looking Bafolk fell from above with a growl, holding a spear. It had probably jumped down from the city wall.

    Its eyes were red and he was foaming at the mouth. It was clearly not in a normal state of mind. It looked like he had gone mad.

    ¡°I see. Savagery... no, berserking? Certainly, that would negate fear and other mental effects ¡ª oops.¡±

    The Sorcerer King skillfully evaded the stabbing spear. It was a crisp, efficient movement, one unique to trained individuals. However, the Sorcerer King¡¯s evasion meant that a Bafolk who had be a statue ended up being stabbed by itspatriot¡¯s spear instead. The spear pierced straight through its body, and it copsed to the ground, spraying blood everywhere.

    The berserk Bafolk no longer seemed able to tell friend from foe.

    ¡°Give me a break.¡±

    The Bafolk raised its spear. Was he going to sweep with it? However, Neia could notunch an arrow.

    The Sorcerer King approached the Bafolk, like he wanted to block her shot.

    Certainly, it was wise to close the distance given the spear¡¯s length. However, the Sorcerer King¡¯s next move deviated frommon sense.

    With a swift movements, he pressed down on the Bafolk¡¯s head from left and right.

    Perhaps it was because the Sorcerer King was surprisingly strong, but the Bafolk could not escape the Sorcerer King¡¯s grasp no matter how it thrashed. Having given up on that, the Bafolk thought of something else; it gripped the front portion of the spear and drove it through the Sorcerer King. No, to be precise, it looked to Neia like it had driven the spear through him.

    However, the Sorcerer King did not flinch. Perhaps a defensive spell had stopped it.

    ¡°You¡¯re not like that Troll, after all.¡±

    With a sickening squitch, the Bafolk¡¯s eyes popped out of its skull.

    This was clearly a lethal injury. No, one could say that this was even worse than a fatal wound.

    The Sorcerer King let go, and the Bafolk copsed on the ground. Its limbs twitched around on the ground, but it was hard to say that those movements were consciously driven.

    ¡°May, may I know what you did?¡± Neia nervously asked from behind, and the Sorcerer King dusted his hands off as he nonchntly replied:

    ¡°I crushed its skull. Sometimes, berserk individuals don¡¯t go down even when they¡¯re fatally injured. Still, if you destroy the brain, it should be fine... Still, it really was weak. Barely harder than an eggshell... are you kidding me?¡±

    Neia¡¯s face twitched.

    His Majesty really doesn¡¯t have any gift for making jokes...

    ¡°All right, Ms. Baraja, call the pdins. Tell them to secure this area so I ¡ª we can continue forward together.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Neia ran back outside at top speed, to where the pdins were. When she looked there she saw several Bafolk lying at the pdins¡¯ feet.

    Since they could not have run out from the gate, they had probably been Bafolk who, in their attempt to flee the Sorcerer King who was the source of their fear, had chosen to jump off the walls, and this was the result.

    After reaching the pdins, Neia hurriedly ryed the Sorcerer King¡¯s instructions. After that, she rushed back at top speed to the Sorcerer King¡¯s side.

    After Neia returned, the Sorcerer King said, ¡°Then let¡¯s go,¡± and entered the city streets.

    The question of why no new Bafolk hade after the city gates had been breached immediately faded away.

    Neia heard groan after groan. It made her think that this unliving city was moaning.

    ¡°This, this is...¡±

    ¡°I ordered the undead I released to spread fear. This is the result. Some hostages might have been trampled in the confusion... well, all you can do is treat it as a sad ident. Give up on them.¡±

    She cast her eyes outward, and a horde of Bafolk was running towards them, with desperate ¡ª probably ¡ª looks on their faces. They looked just like harried prey animals, and Neia even found them a little pitiful.

    They must have been exposed to extraordinary fear. Otherwise, why would they run towards a being who was even more powerful than the undead creature from which they were fleeing?

    ¡°Hm... no signs of humans then? In that case ¡ª ¡¸Maximize Widen Magic ¡ª Fireball¡¹¡±

    The Sorcerer King discharged a fireball into the center of the Bafolk horde, and it erupted into a massive ze. After that vanished, demihuman bodies rained down everywhere.

    ¡°While waiting here might be the best thing to do... the enemy seems to have a leader. He¡¯s waiting in a za near the center of the city, and he¡¯s resisted the fear of the High Wraiths, so let¡¯s move on... what do you think?¡±

    ¡°I believe all will go well if we do as Your Majesty wishes.¡±

    ¡°Really now? Then let¡¯s go.¡±

    Every time they took a step forward, soul-chilling cries seemed to echo from everywhere, as though a great massacre was taking ce. Also, due to the demihumans¡¯ck of hygiene, their raw waste, feces, and urine were everywhere, which made Neia wrinkle her nose.

    ¡°...Speaking of which, Ms. Baraja, what should be done about those?¡±

    She looked in the direction where the Sorcerer King was pointing at. There were a group of naked human beings there.

    Regardless of gender, their hands had been nailed to wooden stakes that had been driven into the ground. In their efforts to flee their fear, they had struggled violently, and their arms were coated with fresh blood.

    In all likelihood, those were probably fences made out of human beings

    They were exhausted, bone thin, but their lives did not seem to be in danger.

    She had attacked this city in order to free the people. Even if she continued following the Sorcerer King, Neia would not be of any use. In that case, helping them now and taking them to a safe ce was the right thing to do. However, there was one thing which made her uneasy.

    What should she do if the people were attacked by demihumans while they were evacuating?

    What a joke. What am I hesitating for? The Captain would have chosen to help them without any hesitation. And the reason why I can¡¯t is... is it because of strength... after all?

    ¡°You¡¯re confused, hm. Then, just leave them be for now. There shouldn¡¯t be any demihumans nearby. Leaving them here should be safer. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    While she still had her doubts, Neia continued following the Sorcerer King to the city¡¯s za. Why was it that the Sorcerer King could advance without the slightest dy? Though she had her doubts, she convinced herself by saying, ¡°He must have cast a spell.¡±

    Soon, the two of them came to a za which looked like a market with streets everywhere.

    ¡°Hm... as I thought, there was no way this could have been resolved without sacrificing people.¡±

    She followed the Sorcerer King¡¯s eyes, and there were human corpses mixed with demihuman corpses. They were probably people who had been trampled to death in the fear-induced chaos.

    ¡°...It can¡¯t be helped.¡±

    While the Sorcerer King was joking, attacking this city by brute force would probably have caused a matching number of casualties. Going by that, letting the Sorcerer King use his overwhelming might to conquer the city minimized the number of lives that were lost.

    The Sorcerer King shrugged silently, and then he indicated the center of the za with his chin.

    There was a demihuman there who wasrger than all his peers.

    His curled horns resembled those of a mountain goat, and he was covered in silver fur. His excellent physique clearly showed that he was not an average demihuman.

    The tips of his horns were encased in a shell of gold which was socketed with jewels, and he wore a green breastte that had turtle-shell patterns on it. He wore a reddish-brown cape made from worked animal hide. His left hand held arge shield with a topaz socketed into it, while his right hand held a bastard sword whose de was light yellow. His panoply vividly illustrated the courage and ferocity of a gant warrior.

    He was the most fearsome and well-trained of the demihumans. He was probably a Lord or some kind of simrly ranked special being.

    If Neia were alone, she would have fled this opponent with all her might.

    ¡°Wonderful. I wonder which one of your items stopped the fear.¡±

    The Sorcerer King¡¯s delighted words referred to the magic items adorning the demihuman. He had rings on both hands and jewelry hanging from his neck that covered his entire chest. There were things dangling from both sides of its waist, things which might have been a set of three human baby skulls strung together.

    The green-eyed demihuman studied the Sorcerer King as he approached, and then his gaze shifted to Neia.

    ¡°A newly-appeared undead... and is that a necromancer in the back?¡±

    The demihuman obscured itself behind itsrge shield, as though wary of a gaze attack like the kind a Medusa wouldunch.

    ¡°Not bad. You managed to push this city, my tribe to this point... You, who controls the enemy of all life, the user of fearsome magic. State your name.¡±

    The Bafolk pointed his sword at Neia.

    ¡°¡ªNo, wait, hang on. You¡¯ve gotten it wrong. It¡¯s not me!¡±

    ¡°...What?¡±

    She looked to the Sorcerer King for help, and he folded his arms and looked to Neia.

    ¡°So you do understand. That¡¯s right, it¡¯s her. She¡¯s my master.¡±

    ¡°No, no! Wait, wait!! Your Majesty!!!¡±

    What on earth was he saying? Truly, he had no talent for making jokes at all.

    As he saw how Neia pped her hands around in panic, the Sorcerer King chuckled.

    ¡°Mm. Feeling better now?¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°Ah ¡ª it was just a dumb joke.¡±

    ring his cape with the regal motions of a king, the Sorcerer King turned to regard the demihuman before him.

    ¡°I am the entity who set the undead upon you. I am the the undying king who rules a country to the northeast, the rule of the Sorcerous Kingdom, the Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown. And what is your name?¡±

    ¡°My name is Buser ¡ª the Grand King Buser... O Sorcerer King, how about the woman by your side?¡±

    ¡°She is my follower. Well then, what do you want to do? Would you rather be killed by me? Or kneel in servitude? Choose as you wish.¡±

    ¡°With my name as Lord at stake, kneeling once in subservience will be enough!¡±

    Buser raised his shield and advanced, raising his sword into a horizontal position. He looked like a goat about to charge.

    ¡°Mm... Then I shall y with you for a while. ¡ªMs. Baraja, you just sit back and watch. Speaking of which, goat. You¡¯re equipped with all kinds of magic items, but I detect no magic from that thing at your waist. Is that some kind of special item?¡±

    ¡°Fuhahaha. It¡¯s thetest fashion. They¡¯re just bones.¡±

    ¡°Mm... that does remind me of my subordinates.¡±

    Neia shuddered from behind as she heard that. So he has such subordinates...

    ¡°They¡¯re well-shaped, no? They¡¯re the best this city has to offer.¡±

    ¡°...I see. I understand. I sympathize with your feelings. It seems this fashion thing is quite important. The maids have taught me that very well... all right, let¡¯s begin. ¡¸Create Greater Item¡¹.¡±

    After casting his spell, a jet-ck sword appeared in the Sorcerer King¡¯s hand.

    Why is His Majesty using a weapon?

    The Sorcerer King should have been an arcane magic caster. And a top rate one to boot.

    In that case, weapons were to be used only after he ran out of mana and options. Arcane magic casters knew that well, which was why they did not touch any weapons.

    The Sorcerer King must have chosen to fight with a sword for some reason.

    ¡ªCould it be that he¡¯s expended a great deal of mana? That would be bad... His Majesty came here to do battle with Jaldabaoth...

    After the repeated casts of ¡¸Fireball¡¹, the spell which had immobilized arge group of the enemy, and then ¡ª his mass summonings of the undead ¡ª she could understand if his mana had been heavily depleted.

    The spell to summon those undead must have been of quite a high tier...

    While she did not know how powerful High Wraiths were, they were most definitely stronger than Wraiths. Therefore, summoning so many High Wraiths would have required a great deal of power.

    Under normal circumstances, every time a priest cast a spell to summon angels, he would only be able to summon one at once. If they were willing to summon weaker angels, they could call forth multiple entities. By that logic, he must have used a very high tier spell ¡ª possibly a unimaginably potent spell of the sixth tier.

    ...The sixth tier...

    Neia gulped.

    The sixth tier was a realm where none had explored before. ording to legend, the Holy Queen could use spells of the fourth tier. This was two tiers above her.

    It might have been a realm beyondmon knowledge, but the Sorcerer King might have been able to make it a reality.

    Maybe, if he used a sixth tier spell for his summons, I could understand how he used a vast quantity of mana. But in that case, wouldn¡¯t it be better for me to help the Sorcerer King?

    Neia looked at the Sorcerer King¡¯s back as he squared off against the demihuman. The demihuman she could see over the Sorcerer King¡¯s shoulder was very strong, and no amount of Neias would help against him. However, the Sorcerer King carried himself with a sovereign¡¯s forthright bearing, with no sign that he was picking a fight he could not win.

    Could it be that His Majesty is a magic swordsman-type arcane magic caster?

    There were benefits and drawbacks to improving one¡¯s swordsmanship and spellcasting at the same time. The benefits included being able to use many fighting methods, but the drawbacks were that one would be mediocre in both fields.

    In that case, what was the Sorcerer King like?

    The two of them studied each other, and then they slowly began to move.

    They closed the gap between them, until they were in melee range. Buserunched the first strike.

    ¡°¡¸Shield Bash¡¹.¡±

    It was a sudden charge, made with a shield held in front of himself. And the Sorcerer King took it head on with his sword.

    As expected, there was no way to take the force of that massive body as it suddenly charged forward. The Sorcerer King was sent flying. No, his feet were still firmly nted on the ground when hended, so that did not quite fit. Rather, he had been knocked back.

    While the fact that the Sorcerer King ¡ª who could crush a Bafolk¡¯s skull with his bare hands ¡ª had been knocked back was quite surprising, surely a body of bones would not be able topletely defend against that attack. From what Neia knew, there was an advanced martial art called ¡¸Fortress¡¹ that couldpletely nullify the force of an impact, but that was a technique only a veteran warrior could use.

    The two of them stepped forward, and their swords collided with each other.

    Their back and forth was too fast for Neia¡¯s eyes to follow. The only things she could clearly see were the brief moments when their des hit each other and froze in ce.

    If Neia joined this battle, she would surely be hacked to death.

    Steel shed with steel at high speeds, and the ear-piercing sound of metal echoed all around.

    Both of them had equivalent arm-strength, so when they crossed des, their attacks and defenses took ce simultaneously.

    Should she be impressed by how Buser could swing such a heavy de with one hand, or show respect to the Sorcerer King for wielding a two-handed sword while being a magic caster?

    This was a super high level battle of the sort she had never seen before, and Neia was certain that she could not possibly interfere.

    In order not to get in the way of their fight, Neia slowly shifted behind a piece of cover and hid herself.

    They¡¯re swinging at each other like that, but neither of them is hurt... speaking of which, the Sorcerer King seems a little too strong...

    Neia¡¯s brain could no longer keep up with a magic caster who could fight with a sword to this extent.

    Did he use some kind of amazing spell?

    All Neia could do was attribute it to some form of incredibly magic she had never heard of before.

    Even so¡ª

    If this keeps up, there¡¯s no doubt that the Sorcerer King will win. No, was he nning to draw out the battle because of that?

    The undead did not feel fatigue and they would not be shaken inbat. All of these were unfavorable to Buser.

    Buser seemed to realise this, because his face started to contort.

    If he has some sort of trump card¡ª

    Neia was shocked. The Sorcerer King had suddenly thrown his huge sword at Buser.

    After that, a hemisphere of light appeared around Buser and blocked the thrown sword.

    The bubble of light vanished, and the thrown sword had only slightly scratched Buser.

    This is bad!

    Neia prepared to rush out from behind her cover. The Sorcerer King was unarmed now¡ª

    ¡°¡ªHuh?¡±

    At some point, a jet-ck halberd had ended up in the Sorcerer King¡¯s hands.

    Buser must have felt the same way as Neia. His eyes were as wide as saucers.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t incant a spell, how did you do it... And where did that sword you threw go to...¡±

    ¡°I simply cast a silent spell. Don¡¯t worry about it... All right, my subordinate taught me this, but I¡¯m not very confident in my skills. I apologize in advance if I end up fumbling around.¡±

    The Sorcerer King readied his halberd. He radiated a strange sense of oppression.

    Warriors often favored weapons within the same broad sses. Swords, axes, maces, that sort of thing.

    The Sorcerer King used momentum to swing his halberd. He attacked Buser¡¯s feet ¡ª which were hard to defend ¡ª with a sweeping motion. This was a technique one could only perform with a long-shafted weapon.

    Just as Buser brought his sword low to try and block the attack, the halberd suddenly jumped up.

    It was a feint.

    This was a move that would require considerable arm-strength to perform, but Buser raised his sword to block it in an instant.

    As expected, the Sorcerer King favored the sword, and he did not seem very skilled with the halberd. While he could elegantly execute textbook attacks, there seemed to be something strangely off about his attacks, and even Neia could spot it with her eyes.

    After blocking the halberd¡¯s momentum, Buser leapt back.

    ¡°¡¸Sandstorm¡¹!¡±

    The sand particles from within the sword spread out like a wall, rushing towards the Sorcerer King. It had probably obscured the Sorcerer King¡¯s visionpletely.

    While she doubted if the Sorcerer King had eyeballs, having one¡¯s visionpletely obscured blocked was a tremendous disadvantage.

    ¡°¡¸Essence Seal¡¹!¡¸Grand Power Strike¡¹!¡±

    One was a martial art Neia had not heard of before, while the other was an advanced technique, a powerful strike that would inflict additional damage. After using both of them, Buser charged out, faster than before.

    Buser¡¯s horn decorations glowed with a bizarre light, and he looked like a shooting star.

    ¡°Yeeeeeeaaart!¡±

    ¡°Hmph!¡±

    The Sorcerer King caught the blow on his halberd¡ª

    ¡°Haha!¡±

    ¡ªAnd Buserughed.

    The sound of metal being ground away rang forth.

    Neia¡¯s eyes went wide.

    ¡°Could it be! A sunder attack!¡±

    Sunder attacks directly damaged a foe¡¯s weapons, but the amount of damage done was greatly affected by theposition of both weapons and their damage potential. Buser¡¯s martial arts were probably intended to strengthen these two attributes.

    Neia began to panic, but in the next moment, she froze as she saw Buser staring with wide eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯s unharmed!¡±

    Buser cried out in shock.

    ¡°What the hell is that weapon!?¡±

    As Buser scrambled back, his expressionpletely changed and with no intention of pressing the attack, the Sorcerer King spun his halberd, tracing a beautiful arc in the air.

    ¡°... Well. I did make this weapon with my magic, you know? How could it be so easily broken?¡±

    ¡°But weapons made by magic are fragile, right?¡±

    ¡°Oh, it seems you¡¯ve had experience fighting opponents with magically-created weapons, but it¡¯s dangerous to be bound by such a fixed worldview, no? In other words, there might be opponents who can make weapons which you can¡¯t break.¡±

    The Sorcerer King let go of his halberd. The halberd then vanished, as though it had melted into the air. The same thing must have happened with the greatsword from just now.

    After that, the Sorcerer King made a grasping motion, and now he had a ck longsword in each of his hands.

    ¡°...Now then, what will you do? Don¡¯t tell me that attack was your winning strategy? Can you help me gain more experience?¡±

    The Sorcerer King took a step forward, shortening the distance between them,

    ¡°...If you¡¯ve got any more trump cards, it¡¯d be better if you hurried up and used them, no? I¡¯m not kind enough to let a useless enemy live.¡±

    ¡°Fu, fufu! What are you saying, undead one!? Indeed, I¡¯m very impressed by how you managed to fully defend against my attack. Very well done. However, wasn¡¯t that because you were focused on defense? ...I know you won¡¯t get tired, so you feel that you can beat me if you grind me down.¡±

    He saw through it!

    Neia felt nervous again. Even she had noticed it. Buser, a far better warrior than herself, could not have failed to notice that.

    ¡°I see. So that was what you thought. Indeed, you would be correct to think so. But unfortunately, that was not the case.¡±

    The Sorcerer King spread his arms and approached. The swords in his hands vanished like smoke.

    ¡°Watch¡ª¡±

    Buser had already stabbed that unprotected body faster than Neia could shout.

    And then¡ª

    ¡°...What?¡±

    Buser frantically, repeatedly swung his sword.

    ¡°Why! Why!! What is this!?¡±

    He shouted with every swing he took. That was because the Sorcerer King was unharmed despite taking every blow.

    ¡°In that case¡ª¡±

    Buser braced his shield and used a martial art. Yet, the Sorcerer King remained unmoved despite taking a shield bash.

    Instead, it was Buser who stumbled back.

    ¡°Why... wh-why...¡±

    Humans had a hard time reading demihuman expressions, but right now it was very easy.

    His face now showed terror and despair.

    ¡°...Martial arts are an unknown technique to me. Did martial arts derive from skills, or are they a warrior¡¯s magic? Even until now, I still don¡¯t know. Still, don¡¯t you feel that when fighting an opponent of equal ability, victory might be decided by experience and knowledge of martial arts? That¡¯s why I will take your attacks head-on. However... You¡¯ve shown them all to me, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    The Sorcerer King shrugged in an exaggerated fashion, and at the same time he plucked one of the nine rings he wore from its finger.

    He did nothing else. That was the only move the Sorcerer King had made. However ¡ª a wave of unnaturally frightening and cold air filled the surroundings.

    Neia hurriedly looked to the sky. She had almost thought that the sun in the sky had frozen and shattered. However, the sun was still there, shedding its radiance.

    ¡ªThen could this frigid and jet-ck emanation be something released by the Sorcerer King? Could a single individual do something like this?

    This, this is the Sorcerer King. This is the true form of the magic caster who slew an army of tens of thousands...

    ¡°And now it seems ¡ª there is no longer any need to fight you.¡±

    He stepped leisurely towards Buser.

    Buser, on the other hand, took a trembling step back. It was like he was being pushed away by an invisible pressure radiating from the Sorcerer King.

    Buser could feel that abnormal presence more keenly than Neia. He clearly understood the fact that the Sorcerer King was not an opponent he could fight. The way his fur stood on end proved that.

    ¡°Wait, hang on. No, wait a second. I¡¯m begging you, just wait a bit!¡±

    Buser raised his right hand and let the sword he was holding fall to the ground.

    ¡°Sur-Surrender. I surrender.¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    ¡°I have news about Jaldabaoth. How about it? That should be very useful, right? It¡¯ll definitely be useful.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°...Also, there¡¯s more. You want to fight Jaldabaoth, right? I¡¯m much stronger than human beings. I can arrange to bring my tribe along to help you fight Jaldabaoth ¡ª that piece of shit Jaldabaoth. We¡¯ll go in first. How about that?¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°...Wait, please wait! That¡¯s not all! If you want, I can give you part ¡ª no, all of my collected treasure! That ought to be enough for my life, right?¡±

    ¡°Is that all? Are you done making your pitch?¡±

    ¡°Oh, wah, eh,¡± Buser frantically looked around, and then looked at the Sorcerer King once more. ¡°Yes, yes. No, that¡¯s not it. I, I have more, much more besides that. I can help you get whatever you want ¡ª no. I¡¯ll definitely get it for you! Really! Please believe me!¡±

    ¡°Mm. What I really want is something you will never be able to obtain.¡±

    Neia sensed the irritation in the Sorcerer King¡¯s tone. Naturally, Buser, as the one confronting him, must have felt it even more strongly.

    ¡°Wait, wait-wait, wait a minute. Seriously, wait a bit. Aw, heh, heheheh.¡±

    He wasughing like a servile minion. The kingly attitude he had demonstrated when he had faced them at the za was nowhere to be seen.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I said the wrong thing. No, I apologize. Really. It was my fault. Really.¡±

    ¡°Hm...¡±

    ¡°Then, then, how, about it? I, I, this one feels, this one can be useful to you. Hehe. Ah, how stupid I was to make an enemy of the great undead king. Therefore, if you would give me a chance to make up for that mistake, I would.. hehe, you won¡¯t regret it!¡±

    Buser got on both knees and sped his hands as he begging for mercy.

    What a pathetic pose that was. Yet Neia did not think that way at all. No, she had already epted that this was the proper action an enemy ought to be taking when faced with the true form of the Sorcerer King. At the same time, she vividly recalled the words of that Naga they had met in the Sorcerous Kingdom: ¡°A wise man would immediately throw himself at his feet and beg for mercy.¡±

    In that case, the fate of those who did not kneel right away was¡ª

    ¡°I see... well, I like those who understand they were wrong and work hard to correct their mistakes.¡±

    ¡°That, that means!¡±

    Buser¡¯s face lit up with joy. However, that joy was snatched away in an instant.

    ¡°¡ªHowever, if I let you be one of my subordinates ¡ª Pestonya and Nigredo would not be happy. Also, be at ease. I will not do anything wasteful like only using the skull. I¡¯ll make full use of every part of you.¡±

    Now die, the Sorcerer King said as he erected a slender fingerbone.

    ¡°Aiiiieee! No, no, nooooo! I don¡¯t want to die!! Wait!! I¡¯m begging you!!! Please, I¡¯m begging you!!! I, I still, I still have some value!!!! ¡ª I¡¯m useful enough to make you happy!!!! Really!!!!! Believe me!!!!!¡±

    ¡°All things which live must die. The difference is in how soon orte they meet their fate.¡±

    ¡°No!!!!! Don¡¯t look at me that way!!!!! Don¡¯t, don¡¯t kill me!!!!!¡±

    Buser rose to his feet, then turned around and ran.

    Neia stared, dumbfounded at how fast a living creature could run when its demise was at hand.

    However, the Sorcerer King¡¯s spell was faster still.

    ¡°How boring. ¡ª ¡¸Death¡¹.¡±

    Nothing happened. There was no big explosion, no cataract of roaring lightning.

    Buser simply fell to his knees and keeled over.

    That was all.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a shame about the information... well, that¡¯s how it is. Do you object, Ms. Baraja?¡±

    ¡°Eh, no, not at all, Your Majesty¡¯s decisions are wless.¡±

    ¡°Really? Well then... go find the pdins. Tell them I¡¯ve taken care of the demihumans¡¯ leader. Although... this is kind of bad...¡±

    Part 4

    Both retaking the city and freeing its citizens were trivial before the power of the Sorcerer King.

    The attacking pdins and militiamen were virtually unhurt, and while some of the imprisoned residents had lost their lives in the chaos, it was a shockingly small amount.

    This oue was only possible due to the Sorcerer King¡¯s presence, to the point where some people thought, If only we had handed everything to him from the start, we might not have needed to lose anyone.

    Everyone was smiling as Neia and the Sorcerer King walked down the street, whether they were rejoicing over being freed or shedding tears over a bowl of hot soup.

    Although they had been told that their freedom was thanks to the Sorcerer King¡¯s aid, once they saw the Sorcerer King moving around in person, the residents¡¯ eyes were filled with shock, confusion and aversion, but that could not be helped either.

    Of course, whether Neia could ept this state of affairs was a different matter entirely. While she wanted to do something in case the Sorcerer King was displeased, it would seem the man himself did not seem to mind. That being the case, it would be very rude of Neia to do something on her own.

    Neia addressed the back of the Sorcerer King, who was walking in front of her.

    ¡°Your Majesty, where are you going now?¡±

    The Sorcerer King was looking at his palm, and he did not look back at Neia.

    ¡°Umu. I¡¯m heading for this big building in the center of town. If that¡¯s an enemy base, I¡¯ll need to investigate it as soon as possible. The pdins are all tied up with tasks like freeing the captured residents, distributing food, treating the wounded, imprisoning the captured demihumans, and other things.¡±

    Neia nodded slightly.

    ¡°That building is quiterge. If the pdins judged it to be a base, shouldn¡¯t they have already investigated it?¡±

    While the Sorcerer King was the one who had conquered the city, the minor assorted tasks after that had been given to the citizen-soldiers and the pdins toplete. In that case, surely they would have inspected the building that was the Sorcerer King¡¯s objective.

    The Sorcerer King stopped walking for a moment and then looked intently at Neia. Then he shrugged and continued walking.

    ¡°Ah, umu. Actually, I posted my subordinates outside to make sure the pdins did not draw near. So I doubt they¡¯ve checked it yet.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Then what you said earlier¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªMs. Baraja. I have told you many things until now, but it would be best if you considered matters on your own from time to time. For instance, the reason why we are the ones who are going to investigate the building.¡±

    ¡°Ah! Yes, Your Majesty!¡±

    The Sorcerer King looked at his palm again. Within it was an item once worn by that demihuman ¡ª thete Buser. The Sorcerer King was appraising the item as he walked, using the power of magic to carefully examine it.

    From what the Sorcerer King said, the sword was called Sand Shooter, the armor was known as Turtle Shell, the shield was named Lancer¡¯s Merit, the horn coverings were called Charge Without Hesitation, the rings were Ring of Second Eye and Ring of Running, while the cape was called the Mantle of Protection.

    There also seemed to be other magic items like the ne and such. Although he said none of them possessed any impressive enchantments, the Sorcerer King still seemed quite happy about them.

    Neia shifted her eyes from the Sorcerer King¡¯s back to the ground, and then she did as the Sorcerer King said, which was to ponder the reason why the Sorcerer King had to personally investigate that building. However, she did not reach any answer which made her think, That¡¯s it!

    However, if she asked the Sorcerer King for the answer because of that, surely he would be speechless. The thought of the Sorcerer King she so respected thinking of her as useless and casting her aside was terrifying.

    While she desperately tried to find the answer, the aforementioned building had already appeared before her eyes.

    Two undead beings ¡ª High Wraiths ¡ª stood at the entrance to the building.

    As the Sorcerer King approached, they stepped aside to allow the Sorcerer King and Neia to pass.

    ¡°This... seems to be the residence of the city¡¯s former lord.¡±

    Neia was not too sure which noble had ruled this city. However, given the size of the city, he must have been more than a baron, but less than a count.

    ¡°Yes. Not even the undead have entered this ce. We are the first to do so. Be careful. There might be more demihumans who have not yet been subdued.¡±

    ¡°Eh!? Your Majesty! Then¡ª¡±

    She hesitated over whether she should say ¡°You should stop,¡± but the other Neia in her quietly said that it ought to be fine if it were the Sorcerer King.

    ¡°I have to go here. This is the enemy headquarters, and it might be their of the demihumans¡¯ leader. While the only reason for that conclusion is because this building is veryrge ¡ª there might be a powerful being on par with Buser ahead of us. I want to neatly tie off all the loose ends in this city.¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    After learning the answer to the question from just now, Neia suddenly pressed her head in realization. At the same time, gratitude flowed forth in her heart for the Sorcerer King¡¯spassion.

    He didn¡¯t let the pdins get close because there might be powerful foes within! Unlike what he said just now, could it be that he wasn¡¯t willing to tell me about this because he felt embarrassed about fighting as someone else¡¯s shield?¡±

    While Neia knew that thinking this way about the Sorcerer King was very rude, for some reason she felt the Sorcerer King was a little cute.

    ¡°...Well? Do you understand?¡±

    The Sorcerer King looked at Neia¡¯s face as he asked that question. Neia nodded, and the Sorcerer King seemed happy as he replied, ¡°Ah, that¡¯s good.¡±

    He¡¯s actually happy that I can understand him... what a gentle and kind person he is.

    ¡°Your servant understands why Your Majesty does not wish to draw attention from others!¡±

    ¡°...Hm? Ah... exactly. Then... you understand, right? I don¡¯t wish to stand out too much.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    The Sorcerer King looked like he was pondering something. For some reason that also looked very adorable.

    ¡°...Ah¡ª let¡¯s go then.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    As a squire, she felt it was wrong to let the Sorcerer King walk out in front, but the Sorcerer King would not allow Neia to walk ahead of him. Neia looked with admiration at the back of the generous and magnanimous person before her. As his subordinate, watching a king lead from the front was truly a heart-warming sight.

    After passing through the wide entrance, Neia asked a question.

    ¡°Where shall we begin our search? There doesn¡¯t seem to be any sign of others around...¡±

    ¡°Mm... your eyesight and hearing are both quite keen, Ms. Baraja, but how about your sense of smell?¡±

    ¡°Frankly speaking, I¡¯m not too confident in my sense of smell. However, I think I¡¯m better than most in that field. As for taste, I think mine is just average. However, I¡¯ve never tasted poison before, so I can¡¯t be a poison-taster or anything...¡±

    ¡°Really now? Then, can you detect the smell of death and hatred?¡±

    As he said ¡°death and hatred,¡± his kingly aura of dominion coiled up around him.

    ¡°Death and hatred?¡±

    ¡°¡ªThis way.¡±

    The Sorcerer King set off. There was no trace of hesitation in his footsteps. He walked as though he was familiar with this ce and whaty ahead of him.

    Death and hatred... these things shouldn¡¯t have a smell... or could it be that His Majesty, who is undead, can make out such smells? That means whoever¡¯s making that smell is waiting here!

    Neia clutched the bow she had borrowed from the Sorcerer King. Depending on the circumstances, she would have to serve as the Sorcerer King¡¯s shield and step forward to fire her bow. Yet she had not been able to do anything during the battle with Buser. If she did not make herself more useful, there would be no reason for her to be here.

    They did not encounter any demihumans along the way, and before long, they came to a door that was about the same size as the one they had passed through earlier. It was made of steel, and iron, and thus looked very sturdy.

    This was what looked like a prison door, in the middle of a regr noble¡¯s residence. The juxtaposition filled Neia with a powerful sense of foreboding. It felt like she had been thrown into an unfamiliar and spine-chilling ce.

    ¡°This is...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s inside here... you can stay outside if you want, you know?¡±

    It was impossible for Neia to make that choice. After seeing Neia shake her head, the Sorcerer King shrugged and opened the door.

    The Sorcerer King¡¯s strength opened the iron door with ease. However, it was surprisingly thick, so it must have been specially made.

    The Sorcerer King entered the room.

    Oh no! I can¡¯t believe I actually let His Majesty walk into this unknown ce first! I¡¯m an idiot!

    Neia hurriedly entered the room as well.

    While the heavy door had given her some inkling of what to expect, the interior of the room felt strange. It gave her the impression of being a torture chamber ¡ª although she had only heard descriptions of those.

    For starters, there were no windows.

    There were sticks set into the wall which glowed with a faint red light. This was not a natural light, but created by magic

    There was a table made of wood and two wooden chairs. Further inside was another door, also made of iron.

    The Sorcerer King stood in the center of the room, carefully surveying every corner of it. This was when Neia noticed something on the table.

    ¡°...Your Majesty. This looks like a piece of paper, but what¡¯s that written on it?¡±

    The piece of paper Neia picked up was covered in illegible characters. They were certainly not written in Holy Kingdom script.

    ¡°Hm... they seem to be written in words from the demonguage.¡±

    The Sorcerer King took out a monocle from a pocket. Perhaps he had noticed the surprised look on Neia¡¯s face, because he then proceeded to exin it.

    ¡°This is a magic item that can decipher writtennguages. That said, it drains a vast amount of mana. ¡ªMs. Baraja, do you know of any humans who can decipher these characters?¡±

    ¡°WIth the ability toprehendnguages?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Or at least, someone who knows what these letters are. Also... any humans who have a talent which lets them deciphernguages.¡±

    ¡°My deepest apologies, I don¡¯t know about...¡±

    Neia was simply a squire for the Pdin Order. She had not had the chance toe into contact with news about people like those.

    Granted, she had heard some rumors from her squire friends. For instance, ¡°My friend has a talent that lets him know many degrees hot water is. Of course, nobody knows the exact temperature,¡± or ¡°My rtive¡¯s a boat pilot who can walk five steps on water, but more than that and he¡¯ll sink,¡± and so on. Most of them were abilities which would make people sigh and fall silent. There was no information about people who possessed abilities which the Sorcerer King wanted to know about.

    ¡°Really now? What a shame. Do you think Captain Custodio would know?¡±

    Surely the Captain of the Pdin Order would havee into contact with all sorts of intelligence. However, Neia did not know what to think of Remedios. Would the Captain really allocate her headspace to information?

    ¡°...I am not sure about that either. However, I feel it would be better to ask the Vice-Captain.¡±

    ¡®Well, that¡¯s true. If I ask him...¡±

    The Sorcerer King was probably stumbling over his words for the same reason Neia had.

    ¡°However, what do you intend to do if such a person does not exist?¡¯

    ¡°Hm? Ah, I did not intend anything. But if there was someone who could decipher the intelligence Jaldabaoth left behind, our future ns would change, no?¡±

    This was an obvious question which she could have answered on her own if she had just thought a little, yet she needed the Sorcerer King to exin it to her. Neia was ashamed about asking such a foolish question without giving it any thought.

    ¡°If there¡¯s nobody who can trante this, then I¡¯ll just have to expend mana to decipher it. However, doing so would lead to a disadvantageous state where I would have to be more wary of Jaldabaoth. If I encountered Jaldabaoth after expending a great deal of mana, my only option would be to flee... although, this makes me quite curious. If it¡¯s just one piece of paper, then I shall read it.¡±

    ¡°Will it be all right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I just need to pay more attention to my mana reserves.¡±

    The Sorcerer King put on his monocle and looked at the paper. Although there were no visible signs of activation, it ought to have taken effect. The Sorcerer King looked like he was deciphering it now. That said, the Sorcerer King had no eyes, so it simply looked like he was reading it.

    After a short while, he took of the monocle.

    ¡°It was a lot of mana after all.¡±

    Neia had seen priests wobble around shakily after using a great deal of mana, but she saw no signs of that in the Sorcerer King. However,paring the Sorcerer King to an average magic caster was the height of rudeness. It was probably because he had enormous stores of mana.

    As Neia contemted this, the Sorcerer King approached the door further within and gently slid open the vision slit.

    Neia heard many weak breathing sounds from inside, and her nose picked up the scent of blood.

    She gripped her bow tightly, thinking to squeeze between the Sorcerer King and the door, but the Sorcerer King stopped her with his hand.

    It meant Don¡¯te here.

    ¡°Mm... Ms. Baraja. The people using this room were not demihumans, but demons. The reason why I say that is because this paper contains details on the experiments the demons were performing.¡±

    ¡°...The demons¡¯ experiments?¡±

    Even without further exnation, she was sure that these experiments were not decent or proper by any means.

    ¡°Yes. They seemed to have done things like chopping arms off and then reattaching them to other creatures, or cutting open the subjects¡¯ abdomens and exchanging the internal organs within. They started with blood rtives as a control group, and they branched out tobinations of humans and other lifeforms ¡ª not just demihumans, but animals too ¡ª and then they healed them with magic to see what changes urred.¡±

    ¡°What dreadful experiments! Especially that blood rtives and body swapping stuff, how could any sane person think of such things?¡±

    ¡°...All right. After conducting these experiments, it¡¯s natural that they¡¯d want their test subjects to live. In particr, they want to keep them alive as long as possible until they find out why they die.¡±

    Saying so, the Sorcerer King turned around, his back to the door. Then, he indicated the door behind him over his shoulder with his thumb. For some reason, Neia knew what wasing next.

    ¡°Some of those test subjects are in there. They¡¯re still alive despite having their bellies cut open.¡±

    She had anticipated this, but the cruel reality still dyed Neia¡¯s mind stark white for an instant. After that, she burned with hatred for the demons who had conducted such inhumane experiments.

    ¡°Ms. Baraja! Get the priests right away! Fetch Captain Custodio too! Hurry!¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    There was no need to question the reason why they had to be called over. Neia ran with all her might.

    In the corner of her mind, she heard a voice ask, Is it really all right to leave His Majesty here by himself? but this was an order from a powerful man who was both trustworthy and wise. There was no need to worry. He would not be wrong. The voice vanished in an instant.

    ? ? ?

    The priests opened the door and entered the room. The way their shoulders trembled for an instant illustrated the hideous conditions inside the cells better than words ever could.

    In front of her, the Sorcerer King showed the paper to Remedios and Gustavo.

    ¡°Have a look at this. This paper contains the names of the people in there and what happened to them. In addition, there are other papers with simr things written on them, or perhaps other things ¡ª Jaldabaoth¡¯s ns, for instance. I¡¯m not too sure about that. Can you understand what¡¯s written on this paper?¡±

    Remedios looked at the paper and wrinkled her brows, then immediately handed it to Gustavo.

    Gustavo shook his head too.

    ¡°I have no idea. But you understand it, don¡¯t you, Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, by using the power of this magic item. However, that item drains a tremendous amount of mana. That mana must be conserved for the sake of doing battle with Jaldabaoth. And what I want to know is, do any of you know anyone who can read these characters? Anyone who might have the chance of understanding it will do.¡±

    ¡°No, I have no leads at all. While I feel there might be someone like them among the southern nobles... I think the possibility of that is very low.¡±

    ¡°I see... then how will you deal with this? On my part, I would hope you would put more effort into trying to decipher their script.¡±

    ¡°Can we not borrow Your Majesty¡¯s magic item?¡±

    ¡°I refuse. This is a treasure of my nation. It is just as how you would not easily loan out the holy sword at your waist. And to magic casters like myself, magic items like these are more valuable than swords.¡±

    Remedios and Gustavo looked at each other once more.

    ¡°I understand. Then let us work hard together. Also ¡ª we have a new problem. It would seem there are Orc captives. How shall they be dealt with?¡±

    It would seem the Orcs had not attacked the Holy Kingdom out of their own will, but they were brought over by Jaldabaoth. They had not yielded any useful information when questioned, and the Pdin Order was at a loss as to how to deal with them.

    ¡°Mm... I understand. Can you tell me where they are? Can you leave them to me?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Thank you for your trouble.¡±

    Gustavo supplied a rough location. Since the city was not very big, they would probably not get lost.

    After sketching a rough map in her mind, the cell door opened and an utterly exhausted-looking priest showed up.

    ¡°Ohhh! What happened!? What about the condition of the people inside?¡±

    ¡°We started by using healing magic on the survivors. This is the first time we¡¯ve tried to heal the subjects of such inhumane experiments, so we¡¯ll stay here and observe them. If they¡¯re fine, we¡¯ll move them outside. At least, that¡¯s what I think.¡±

    ¡°I see. Then, we¡¯ll send some pdins and militiamen over to help you move these people out.¡±

    ¡°Understood, Captain Custodio. Then, I¡¯ll take my leave, Your Majesty.¡±

    The priest opened the door again and went back into the cell.

    After watching the priest leave and concluding that there was nothing left to do, the four of them each went to their respective destinations.

    Naturally, the Sorcerer King and Neia parted ways with the other two and headed for the location of the Orcs.

    ¡°That said, since there are demons around, it would be good if we had someone who could see the original forms of shapeshifters,¡± the Sorcerer King said as he walked.

    While they could not verify the presence of demons in this city, the piece of paper with demonic characters on it suggested the possibility that there might be demons about, or that there might have been demons here recently.

    ¡°Can demons transform themselves?¡±

    ¡°Ahh, demons like that do exist. They can shapeshift into men, women, or even animals.¡±

    ¡°I see... Someone with the ability to see through shapeshifting ¡ª or a simr talent. My deepest apologies. I have not heard of anyone with these abilities. Ah, no, I¡¯ve heard legends about such things. I remember reading about them in a book. However, if you asked me if there were any of them around now...¡±

    ¡°...It seems I would be best served discussing this matter again with Captain Custodio, then.¡±

    ¡°Is shapeshifting a form of illusion? I¡¯m more familiar with petty tricks like illusions.¡±

    ¡°For starters, shapeshifting is vastly different from illusions, but exining that will take a long time so I¡¯ll skip it for now. However, looking down on illusions is very dangerous, you know? Illusions are a fearsome type of spell that be scarier the more skilled the caster is. Also, there are those illusionists who aren¡¯t satisfied with a surface understanding and choose to specialize along that path.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s when they specialize?¡±

    ¡°Ahh, yes. For example, there are spells like ¡¸Perfect Illusion¡¹ which can defy all five senses. And beyond that, there are those who have refined their illusions to the utmost limit, who can use a certain skill once every few days to deceive the world itself.¡±

    An illusion that could deceive a world was beyond her capacity to imagine.

    ¡°Ah, how exactly does that worldly illusion work?¡±

    ¡°From what I know, it¡¯s a spell that lets you rewrite any aspect of the world, I think. Well, simply put, using an illusion like that could even bring the dead back to life?¡±

    ¡°Eh!? You¡¯re talking about an illusion, right?¡±

    ¡°Oh yes. An illusion which tricks the world ¡ª the ultimate secret of illusions. By deceiving the world itself, an illusion can be made real.¡±

    All she could think was Wahhh~ Even if one said that the pinnacle of illusion could do such a thing, it was so incredible that she did not quite understand what he was saying.

    ¡°So, does nobody manage the inborn talents of this country?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve never heard of it before. Does the Sorcerous Kingdom do such things?¡±

    ¡°My country does not have that practice either. I n to do so in the future, but that will require considerable effort... it might end up being a matter of ten or more years in the future.¡±

    The Sorcerer King had already envisioned the events of the next ten years in his mind. This was the difference between a king and amoner.

    In other words, a tremendous difference.

    ? ? ?

    The Orcs were held in a building whose windows were boarded up from the outside. This was quite a big structure, probably the second or thirdrgest in this city.

    There were many pdins gathered at the entrance. It would seem they were on guard against what was inside.

    After seeing the Sorcerer King approach, the pdins genuflected before him to express their respect.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard from Captain Custodio that the Orcs are in this building. May I enter?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Of course you may, Your Majesty!¡±

    ¡°Then you should go from this ce and return to what you should be doing.¡±

    The pdins looked up.

    ¡°But the Captain ordered us to be stationed here. We may not leave our posts.¡±

    ¡°...Did she now? Then I take back my previous words.¡±

    Saying so, the Sorcerer King passed between the pdins and pushed open the door. Naturally, Neia was following him.

    There was a sour odor in the air which seared Neia¡¯s nose. This was not poison gas, but the smell reminded Neia of when she had once followed a pdin to a jail. In addition, there were other smells mixed into it ¡ª smells that made her want to throw up.

    ¡°This is...¡±

    When she heard the Captain mention it earlier, she had thought about why the Orcs had been specially brought along.

    Neia knew that she was about to learn the truth, but at the same time she deployed the wings of her imagination. If this was not just a problem that the Orcs faced, if there was a grand alliance against Jaldabaoth, would the demihumans who wanted to fight back against him rally to their banner?

    As Neia thought all this, the Sorcerer King kept pushing doors open as he advanced. One could say that letting the Sorcerer King go first was a matter of fact now.

    They crossed rooms and passed through corridors.

    Just by walking, she realized that this ce was filthier than a jail.

    The ce was filthy with blood, vomit, and other detritus. The conditions here were so terrible that there was no way to imagine what had happened here.

    Orcs were demihumans around the height of a man, with porcine facial features. They were said to be a species that loved cleanliness. They would not be happy to live in such a ce.

    (TL Note: The pigman depiction of orcs apparently derives from Ludovico Ariosto¡¯s Ondo Furioso, where they had piggish features. Other depictions include the original corrupted-elf Uruks by Tolkien and the Warhammer greenskins. It seems Maruyama has decided to make them full-on pig beastmen. No, this is not a trantion of the CN TL note below.)

    Neia watched the hem of the Sorcerer King¡¯s cloak. While she was worried about how his magnificent garments might be stained, she could not tell him to wait outside either. After all, nobody could possibly speak for the wise Sorcerer King.

    Soon, Neia¡¯s keen senses picked up traces of many creatures breathing and moving ahead of them. There was also what sounded like crying children and mothers trying tofort them.

    Orcs...? Not humans?

    Neia was confused. She had never considered the possibility that Orcs might have families and raised children. The Orcs who came to the Holy Kingdom were invaders. They were hated enemies. Therefore, she had stopped thinking about them in any other sense.

    As Neia sank into confusion, the Sorcerer King opened the door.

    The vile odor intensified, and there were several screams.

    ¡°The undead!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a Skeleton! Why!?¡±

    ¡°Those bastard humans! They sold us to the undead!¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re actually using the undead! Those filthy humans!¡±

    ¡°Mama¡ª! Save me¡ª!¡±

    ¡°My boy¡ª!!!¡±

    The Sorcerer King stopped at the entrance. As expected, even the Sorcerer King was puzzled by this.

    ¡°Ah ¡ª ahem! Silence!¡±

    After the Sorcerer King bellowed his order, the noisy room fell silent. Of course, that was only for a moment. It immediately filled back up with a racket that was several times louder than before. They were wailing about roughly the same things. No, there seemed to be more voices bemoaning their fate and begging for mercy for their children, regardless of what happened to themselves.

    ¡°...Haaah.¡±

    The Sorcerer King sighed, as though he were tired. After that ¡ª he mmed on the door. His bony white hands possessed incredible power, and the door bounced away, swinging out until it struck the wall with an incredible sound. The demihumans fell silent immediately.

    ¡°Shut up. The next one of you who speaks without permission had better be ready to die.¡±

    The Sorcerer King took a step into a room that seemed to have been frozen in silence ¡ª with some parents trying desperately to cover their children¡¯s mouths ¡ª and the demihumans all retreated from him.

    ¡°I did note here to kill you. On the contrary, I am here to save you.¡±

    Usually, Neia the human would have a lot of difficulty trying to read the face of a demihuman such as an Orc. However, just this once, Neia was absolutely confident in herself.

    Every single one of them was going No way.

    ¡°Exining to everyone at once is troublesome. Send out a representative.¡±

    A momentter, an Orc looked like he was about to rise, but the Orc beside him stopped him. However, he still took a step forward.

    He may have been a skinny Orc, but he had clearly possessed a strong body once.

    ¡°...May I assume that you are the representative?¡±

    The Orc said nothing and simply nodded.

    ¡°...What¡¯s wrong? Why do you not speak?¡±

    ¡°Ah, perhaps it is because Your Majesty ordered them to shut up just now?¡±

    ¡°While I felt that I had given my permission, it would seem nobody understood it that way. You, the Orc who has stepped forward, I permit you to speak. Begin by stating your name.¡±

    ¡°I am Dyel of the Gan Zu tribe ¡ª Dyel Gan Zu.¡±

    ¡°Dyel, then. Here is my first question. Are there people here you do not know, or whose personalities have changed drastically?¡±

    ¡°No, no, there¡¯s nobody like that.¡±

    ¡°Next, tell me why you were imprisoned here.¡±

    ¡°...You know that demon called Jaldabaoth, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course I do. He is my enemy. Rather, you could say I came here ¡ª to the Holy Kingdom ¡ª in order to kill him.¡±

    Their faces still said No way, as expected. Indeed, Neia might have thought the same way before she hade to understand the Sorcerer King. However, Neia was different now.

    Neia looked at the Sorcerer King¡¯s profile, and then she spoke.

    ¡°It is as His Majesty says. I am a person of this country. In that case, you should be able to understand, right? Jaldabaoth led an allied army of demihumans to invade the Holy Kingdom.¡±

    Dyel¡¯s face changed slightly.

    ¡°Wait, a human ¡ª probably, a female.¡±

    What did they mean by ¡°probably?¡± she thought, but to Neia, judging the sex of an Orc would be very difficult. It would probably be the same way for them as well.

    ¡°We did not attack this country. Nobody from the Orc tribes should have helped Jaldabaoth. Because of that, he brought us ¡ª who defied him ¡ª along to this ce as punishment.¡±

    ¡°Hm... and what did Jaldabaoth do after he brought you here?¡±

    The Sorcerer King¡¯s question seemed to given Dyel and the other Orcs a powerful shock. The Orcs who looked like mothers clutched their children tightly. After that, there were sounds of moaning and vomiting.

    ¡°...What happened here, seriously?¡± the Sorcerer King could not help but say.

    ¡°Ah, it seems I¡¯ve asked a question I shouldn¡¯t have asked. Shall I bring some water? Or do you want something else?¡±

    The Sorcerer King¡¯s attitude seemed to have changed. For some reason, he seemed very nervous. Perhaps he felt guilty about asking the Orcs about a question that had dredged up bad memories. While it might be somewhat rude to think of him that way, the Sorcerer King looked like a parent trying tofort another child which their own offspring had driven to tears.

    This is something only a king who counts both humans and demihumans as his subjects would do...

    To the people of the Holy Kingdom, demihumans were the enemy. Therefore, under identical circumstances, they would not say anything kind orforting.

    ¡°We do not want anything else. But we beg you not to ask us what happened. You would not enjoy hearing it, and it was a hellish experience for us. If you order us to speak of it we will do so, but I pray you will do it away from others. Please.¡±

    After hearing the sobs and weeping of the female Orcs, Neia began to feel a little afraid of what had happened to them.

    ¡°...How vexing,¡± the Sorcerer King muttered to himself, but so much had happened that Neia did not know what he was referring to.

    ¡°Ah, erm, well. Since you seem to be enemies of Jaldabaoth, why not discuss the matter of joining forces with us, since we have amon foe?¡±

    Dyel shifted his gaze downwards.

    ¡°We had thought of fighting once, but now we no longer think of such things. We`ve been broken by the fiendish things which happened here. We no longer have the courage to fight.¡±

    ¡°Then if I free you, what will you do?¡±

    ¡°If possible, we would like to return to our viges. If there are still people who are safe there, we would like to take them and run far, far away, until we find a ce where Jaldabaoth cannot reach us.¡±

    The Sorcerer King nodded.

    ¡°Then,e to the domain which I rule¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªPlease allow us to refuse! I am keenly aware of the dangers of upsetting you, but even if we agree here, we will surely flee once we reach a ce where we can escape. However, betrayal is the vilest act imaginable. Then, we should refuse here, since what awaits us is a death that will not be so agonizing.¡±

    ¡°What...¡±

    The Sorcerer King was probably a little baffled by this staunch refusal. However, Neia keenly understood what Dyel was thinking. That was because until she had met the Sorcerer King, Neia had felt that the undead were the enemy of all that lived.

    ¡°...No, but my domain is not a fearsome ce, you see? There¡¯s many demihumans who live there, you know?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re lying! It sounds like a lie! We, we won¡¯t be tricked! You¡¯re talking about demihuman undead, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Dyel seemed to have gone half-mad, but he was just like how she had been in the past. Then, as one who had some experience in these matters, she ought to tell him about the true face of the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    ¡°His Majesty is telling the truth. He is a great man who, while being undead, also possesses a heart filled withpassion for all living things. He loves children, he rules demihumans fairly, and he receives the respect of his subordinates. As proof of that, they have even built enormous statues of him which astound all who see them¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªMs. Baraja! Really, that, that¡¯s enough...¡±

    ¡°But, Your Majesty!¡±

    ¡°Please... say no more...¡±

    Since he had said ¡°please,¡± she had no choice but to keep quiet.

    ¡°Human, have you been brainwashed!?¡±

    ¡°I have not. I have seen His Majesty¡¯s kingdom with my own eyes. The first demihuman I saw was a Naga.¡±

    There was amotion as the demihumans looked at each other. There were voices asking, ¡°What¡¯s a Naga?¡± but they were ignored.

    ¡°Also, I saw a rabbit-like demihuman. I am not a citizen of the Sorcerous Kingdom. Therefore, my time there was short. Even so, it was enough for me to understand what was going on. The people living there did not have pained and frightened looks on their faces like you do. And of course, none of them were covered in cuts and bruises like you.¡±

    The demihumans looked down at their stick-thin bodies. Their muscles had shrivelled up, and they were little more than skin and bone.

    ¡°It is as she ¡ª as Ms. Baraja says. That said, you will probably not believe me. However, once you be my vassals, I will never allow you to suffer such cruelty again. I can swear that to you upon my name, Ainz Ooal Gown. The reason for that is because all that I rule belongs to me. Should it be damaged, it is the same as damaging my property. Therefore, you may be at ease. If you do not wish to ept my rule, I will not force you to do so. Live as you please. In any case, I shall prepare to send you back to your homes.¡±

    ¡°...Why are you being so kind to us?¡±

    This was the first time Dyel had cast aside his preconceived notions. Neia could feel him looking at the Sorcerer King himself.

    ¡°Fufu... I wish to defeat Jaldabaoth. Therefore, the demihumans under him are quite troublesome. Having you go back to your viges is also a way of eroding his power.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Unlike Jaldabaoth, I am a merciful king. If you spread the word for me, that will surely cause unrest throughout his forces, and there might even be those who decide to turn coat and support us, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°I see, so that¡¯s how it is.¡±

    It was difficult for people to put their faith in benefits offered to them with no strings attached, but a mutually beneficial transaction was more trustworthy. It would seem the same logic applied to demihumans.

    ¡°However, don¡¯t you think that¡¯ll be difficult? Many of Jaldabaoth¡¯s vassals are bloodthirsty maniacs. Even if we spread the word in our viges, it would not have much effect.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine too. I intend to use everything I can use. And if Jaldabaoth carries out a reign of terror, there might be demihumans who will betray him too. Mm, speaking of which, will you not help me fight Jaldabaoth?¡±

    ¡°...We can¡¯t. We¡¯ve told you before, right? We don¡¯t have the will for that now.¡±

    ¡°Huh. What a shame. And you still do not wish toe to the Sorcerous Kingdom?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, it would be a good thing to live under the protection of a mighty being like yourself. However, this is not a decision we can make by ourselves. Depending on the result of our discussion with the others, we might end up relying on you.¡±

    ¡°Dyel!¡±

    ¡°Donbass. I know what you want to say. However, with the appearance of Jaldabaoth, a fiend against whom we are helpless, we cannot protect our viges by ourselves. Sooner orter, this will be our fate.¡±

    The Orc called Donbass bit his lip and looked down. He understood that point as well.

    ¡°Is that so? Then, if youe to my country, then I, the Sorcerer King will offer you my full support. Many species live upon mynd. At that time, I hope you will work together with them ¡ª live with them as people of my country.¡±

    The Sorcerer King¡¯s tone softened.

    Demihumans were viewed as the enemy in the Holy Kingdom, yet in the Sorcerous Kingdom they were seen as beings with whom one could coexist. From where did this enormous difference spring? As Neia thought about it, she immediately found the answer.

    It¡¯s because of His Majesty, huh... Because His Majesty possesses such incredible power. As I thought... power is what¡¯s important....

    ¡°Now then, after this, I will provide the rations you will need until you return to your viges. In addition, I will supply soldiers to defend you. Returning home safely with those bodies of yours will require much time and effort.¡±

    ¡°You would go this far for us?¡±

    ¡°Of course I would. Do weep and wail at great length about the generosity and magnanimity of the Sorcerous Kingdom and spread my name. After this, Ms. Baraja, could I trouble you to leave the room? I am about to use a national secret of the Sorcerous Kingdom which I do not wish to allow anyone from another country to see.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Neia stepped out of the room after answering, and she felt a little lonely. The Sorcerer King¡¯s words made perfect sense, and while she could understand them, she could not ept them.

    As she stood outside the broken door, the breathing sounds of Orcs from within the room began to dwindle. It was as though they were vanishing from the room, and in truth, that was probably the case.

    The Sorcerer King had once said that as long as he remembered a location, he could teleport to it. He must have used such a spell on them.

    Soon, the room was silent. A momentter, the sound of footsteps approached Neia. As her mind registered that fact, she saw that the only person on the other side of the door was the Sorcerer King.

    ¡°Forgive the long wait.¡±

    ¡°No, it was not long at all.¡±

    The room was empty. He must have used magic potent beyond the ability of Neia to imagine to teleport all the Orcs away. Or perhaps he had used some other means ¡ª he had teleported them with an item.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s meet with Captain Custodio and hear about our future ns from her.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Your servant understands!¡±

    ? ? ?

    After exiting the Orc internment camp, the two of them asked a pdin they met along the way about Remedios¡¯s location. There was no sign of her at the building they were directed to, but Gustavo was there.

    ¡°Ohhhh! Your Majesty! We were just about to invite you over!¡±

    Gustavo seemedpletely different from when they had met him earlier. He was lively, as though the light of hope was spilling out from him, and his voice had perked up too. Had something appeared which had changed the currently-dire situation? Perhaps the Sorcerer King had the same question in his heart, and so he asked:

    ¡°What happened? Did you receive some good news?¡±

    ¡°Yes! There¡¯s a very important person you must see. Come, this way.¡±

    If they wanted to show him somebody, he must be a powerful noble, or someone rted to the royal family.

    The Sorcerer King ¡ª trailed by Neia for some reason ¡ª was guided to a certain room by Gustavo.

    It contained several simple wooden chairs. Remedios was seated there, as was a skinny man.

    The two of them turned to look at the Sorcerer King as he entered, and they both rose in wee.

    ¡°This is the royal brother in whose veins flows the blood of our Holy King, Caspond-sama.¡±

    Indeed, his face resembled the profile of the second Holy King which adorned the Holy Kingdom¡¯s gold coins. Neia blinked at the fact that someone like this had actually been imprisoned here.

    ¡°Caspond-sama. This is the king of the Sorcerous Kingdom of Ainz Ooal Gown, His Majesty Ainz Ooal Gown, who hase to aid our nation.¡±

    ¡°Ohhh! Words cannot express my gratitude, Your Majesty. I am honored to meet you. As others have said, I am the brother who was eclipsed by my outstanding little sister.¡±

    As the royal brother said something that was very difficult to respond to, Remedios had an annoyed look on her face which seemed to say, Are you making fun of her? Still, he was the next sessor for thete Holy Queen¡¯s position, so she could not put on the same attitude she had held all this time. Thus, Remedios simply cast her eyes downward without saying anything.

    ¡°Ahhh, is that so? An honor to meet you, Royal Brother-dono.¡±

    Then, their eyes met again.

    Neia watched and wondered what they were doing, and a momentter the Sorcerer King extended his hand, which Caspond took.

    Shaking hands was a practice that arose among those of higher status.

    When onepared a man who was simply in the line of session to the throne to someone who ruled a country of his own, however small it was, thetter would be of higher status. The fact that thetter was also aiding the country of the former only served to heighten his importance. The fact that the Sorcerer King had not immediately extended his hand was probably a sign of respect to the other side.

    Truly, he is a thoughtful and generous man.

    That convinced Neia. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that Caspond was also nodding and making noises of approval.

    ¡°Your Majesty, I apologize for greeting you in this shabby attire. It would have been well if I could have changed before your arrival, but...¡±

    ¡°There is nothing to be ashamed about. Mere clothes cannot degrade a man of ss. You must be exhausted from your long imprisonment. Will you not take a seat before speaking?¡±

    ¡°I am grateful for your kindness. Then please allow me to avail myself of your goodwill.¡±

    The Sorcerer King was the first to release their handshake, and Caspond sat down after he did.

    ¡°In any event, I am d to see Your Highness is safe and sound. Still, how did youe to be imprisoned here?¡±

    ¡°That was because I happened to flee here. Baron Bagnen took very good care of me. ¡ªHow is he? Captain Custodio. I believe you took him away after he spoke to me.¡±

    ¡°Baron Bagnen¡¯s wounds are not severe, and his life is not in danger. However, due to his poor physical condition and great exhaustion, he is still sound asleep.¡±

    ¡°Can the priests not use their magic to aid him? Now would be the time to draw on his intellect, no?¡±

    ¡°The priests have exhausted their remaining mana on healing the wounded, and they are currently resting. I sincerely apologize, but if the situation is not critical, I feel it is better to let them conserve their mana.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then it can¡¯t be helped, Captain. However, he was the one who brought me here and fought desperately to protect me. If possible, please¡ª you understand what I¡¯m saying, right?¡±

    It was not Remedios, but Gustavo who nodded deeply.

    ¡°All right, then there is one thing I must verify first. Is there anyone in this country who can see through shapeshifting or illusions?¡±

    ¡°Why do you ask, Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°That is because I am wary of demons using magic to hide themselves among the imprisoned people.¡±

    Caspond looked at Remedios.

    ¡°Captain, can you answer His Majesty¡¯s question?¡±

    ¡°Ah, my apologies. Please answer on my behalf, Vice-Captain. I do not recall anyone like that.¡±

    The Sorcerer King went ¡°Mm¡ª¡± and sank into contemtion. Caspond then asked Remedios another question.

    ¡°If it troubles the Sorcerer King so, that clearly indicates that this must be a vital question. I shall ask you again. Can you swear to the gods that you do not know?¡±

    The two pdins nodded, and then Caspond¡¯s gaze turned to Neia. Surely he would not know a squire like herself, right? As Neia thought that, she hurriedly nodded as well.

    ¡°So even Squire Baraja does not know... what¡¯s wrong? You look puzzled. I¡¯ve heard your name from the Captain. I¡¯m very grateful that you can serve by His Majesty¡¯s side.¡±

    ¡°My deepest thanks!¡±

    Neia hurriedly bowed to Caspond.

    ¡°Just so. She is exceptional. I would like a follower like that.¡±

    ¡°What, surely, you must jest...¡±

    Neia¡¯s voice was trembling. As he saw her in that state, the Sorcerer King and Caspondughed happily. Then, they resumed their ¡ª although the Sorcerer King had no facial expressions, of course ¡ª serious looks.

    ¡°While it shames me to admit my ignorance, do demons possess the power to transform into other people?¡±

    ¡°Demons can take human form to make people fall, but that does not mean they can transform into others. It is simply that they can take human form, not that they can imitate anyone¡¯s looks. Therefore... if there is anyone unfamiliar among the people imprisoned here... there will be a need to be careful.¡±

    ¡°In that case, we will need to have the people who were captured vouch for each other...¡±

    ¡°Now, illusions are more troublesome. With illusions, one can take the faces of others. For instance...¡±

    The Sorcerer King cast a spell, and his skeletal face transformed into that of Caspond.

    ¡°This is an illusion. However, low level illusions like this one might be able to change one¡¯s attire, but not one¡¯s voice. Also, they cannot imitate memories and thoughts. Therefore, they will be immediately exposed if someone close to the subject speaks to them.¡±

    The Sorcerer King¡¯s face resumed its skeletal form.

    ¡°There are many ways to disguise one¡¯s clothes and voice. Therefore, the best way is to speak to them and check for a sense of wrongness.¡±

    His questions to the Orcs must have been intended to guard against that, Neia mused.

    As expected of His Majesty. His considerations are surprisingly thorough.

    ¡°I see... well, you heard that, no? Go check it out immediately.¡±

    ¡°A moment please. You should also consider the possibility of a demon running amok once it is exposed. Do you not think that letting a powerful person like Captain Custodio stay by your side to protect you would be better?¡±

    ¡°I see. I understand. I will perform investigations with the Captain as a witness.¡±

    Gustavo bowed his head.

    ¡°Royal Brother-dono. That is all I wished to verify. If you have more to say, then by all means.¡±

    ¡°Then ¡ª Your Majesty. As for our future ns, I feel it is necessary for us to head south, link up with the local forces and thenunch a full-scale attack. That is because there were several nobles imprisoned with me, and I wish to ask them to see who can lend their strength to us. That is the n I intend to adopt.¡±

    ¡°Mm. I do not understand this country¡¯s nobles, so if you feel that is best, then by all means... Will you not attack the other prison camps and rescue the prisoners there?¡±

    ¡°It is not yet time for that. Leading many people to areas controlled by Jaldabaoth is very obvious, and our rate of advance will be very slow. I wish to avoid an oue where we lose more than we gain by helping others.¡±

    ¡°...Then why not let the civilians flee south while we alone attack the prison camps?¡±

    ¡°Captain Custodio. You were allowed to be present, but I did not seek your opinion.¡±

    Caspond spoke in a tone that waspletely different from how he addressed the Sorcerer King.

    Remedios clenched her teeth as she bit back her anger.

    ¡°I also approve of Royal Brother ¡ª no, Gaspond-dono¡¯s opinion. However, you have already taken two prison camps, including this ce. I imagine you can continue to skillfully apply the experience gained here, do you not?¡±

    ¡°We shall do nothing,¡± Caspond shrugged. ¡°I do not feel we can take thisnd back without deaths or wounded. The number of casualties will grow from the tens, to the hundreds, to the thousands. There is something else which is more important than this.¡±

    As they heard his words, which cast the people aside, Neia saw looks of shock cross Remedios¡¯s and Gustavo¡¯s faces. As for Neia herself, she calmly thought, This is all ordinary royals amount to.

    ¡°Caspond-sama, you¡¯ve changed. In the past, you were a great man who was as kind to the masses as Her Majesty.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s this, Captain Custodio? Are you disappointed? Hmph!¡±

    Caspond¡¯s face twisted. His lips curled, baring his teeth. His razor-sharp gaze was full of mockery.

    ¡°Your heart would be as twisted as mine if you had tasted the same hell I did. I can¡¯t spout pretty words any more, huh. They make me sick... As for what did they do to us... I guess you haven¡¯t heard yet. In that case, go find someone and ask them. That way, you¡¯ll know exactly how evil and sphemous demons are.¡±

    He was like apletely different person, Or perhaps it would be more urate to say that the inky ck substance under his forcibly-repaired personality had emerged again.

    ¡°If possible, I¡¯d like to kill all those demihumans...¡±

    He nced at the Sorcerer King, who shrugged and answered:

    ¡°You may do as you please after you¡¯ve questioned them. I¡¯ve already liberated the Orcs.¡±

    ¡°That can¡¯t be helped, then. What a shame. Well, the Orcs tasted misery alongside me... although, could you hand them over to me in exchange for the holy sword?¡±

    ¡°I am a magic caster. What would I do with a sword even if you gave it to me?¡±

    Caspond chuckled at the Sorcerer King¡¯s yful reply.

    On the other hand, Remedios¡¯s nk face stood as a contrast to Gustavo¡¯s pale features.

    It sounded like a joke, but Caspond was probably serious.

    Neia¡¯s body trembled. To think he hated those imprisoned demihumans enough that he was willing to hand over a national treasure just to get them back in his hands... What on earth had happened to him?

    ¡°So you will abandon this city?¡±

    ¡°I would like to if I could. But before that, I want to interview some of the prisoners and send messengers to the south. I think that will take a week at the earliest. When we take thisnd back, I shall offer you a gratuity corresponding to your kindness in addition to what Captain Custodio has already arranged.¡±

    ¡°I do look forward to that.¡±

    ? ? ?

    The Sorcerer King left with Neia a minuteter. Caspond went, ¡°All right. Since the Sorcerer King is already gone, let¡¯s get to the main event.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Protecting this many people at once will be very difficult. If possible, I believe we will need to borrow reinforcements from the south, or perhaps obtain some sort of transport like horses and carriages.¡±

    Caspond smiled thinly as he heard Gustavo¡¯s suggestion.

    ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? Who said we¡¯re talking about that?¡±

    ¡°Were we not supposed to consider how to move ourselves south?¡±

    ¡°Let me speak inly. We will not flee south right away. We will do battle with Jaldabaoth¡¯s army here.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s far too rash!¡±

    As she heard Gustavo¡¯s words, Remedios continued speaking.

    ¡°While we have city walls, we¡¯ll be finished once we¡¯re surrounded and the food runs out. A siege would be foolish without reinforcements to count on.¡±

    While Remedios may not have been good at thinking, she was very reliable when it came to battle. Gustavo nodded as he heard his Captain¡¯s confident words.

    ¡°Even so, we must fight here.¡±

    As the two of them turned questioning gazes on him, Caspond smiled cruelly and exined himself.

    ¡°You heard it too, right? The Sorcerer King is conserving his mana for the battle with Jaldabaoth...¡±

    After seeing Gustavo nod, Caspond continued.

    ¡°That would be troublesome. After he defeats Jaldabaoth and takes the maid demons, the Sorcerer King will return to the Sorcerous Kingdom. Before that, we need to have him decrease the amount of demihumans who have invaded this nation. Therefore, we must ce ourselves in dire straits.¡±

    ¡°But our agreement with the Sorcerer King...¡±

    ¡°Every time the Sorcerer King ys several demihumans with his magic, fewer people of the Holy Kingdom will be lost, no? Which will you choose? Your pact with the undead, or the lives of the Holy Kingdom¡¯s innocent civilians?¡±

    Gustavo had a bitter look on his face, while the nk-faced Remedios promptly answered:

    ¡°The innocents of the Holy Kingdom, of course.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how it is, Captain. Therefore, you must make the Sorcerer King fight. Since we have made an agreement, there must be a good reason to break it.¡±

    ¡°And so we must fight Jaldabaoth¡¯s army for that?¡±

    ¡°Correct. Or rather ¡ª we began our work to flee to the south, but since we took more time than we expected, we were surrounded by Jaldabaoth¡¯s army. With no options left, we had no choice but to seek the Sorcerer King¡¯s strength. What do you think?¡±

    He¡¯s right, Remedios and Gustavo¡¯s eyes seemed to say to each other. However¡ª

    ¡°I have a question. What if the mana that the Sorcerer King expends bes a disadvantage during the battle with Jaldabaoth?¡±

    ¡°I hear mana can be recovered quickly, no?¡±

    ¡°My sister said so too.¡±

    Remedios¡¯s little sister was a priestess. If she said, ¡°I heard it from her,¡± nobody could refute it.

    ¡°We¡¯ll release a few demihumans on purpose and lure Jaldabaoth¡¯s army here. We need to do it before we run out of rations, remember.¡±

    ¡°...But how many of Jaldabaoth¡¯s men wille?¡±

    The three of them had already shared what they knew. After a series of battles, Jaldabaoth¡¯s army was less than one hundred thousand strong.

    The army was formed of twelve species, as well as six other species who were not numerous enough to qualify as armies in their own right, for a total of eighteen species.

    The twelve races were:

    Snakemen ¡ª serpent-headed demihumans, considered close rtives of Lizardmen.

    Armatts ¡ª a bipedal rat-like species with iron-like fur. They were considered close rtives of the Quagoa.

    Cabens ¡ª they resembled apes that were slightlyrger than human beings, whose eyes had atrophied.

    Zerns ¡ª a slimy species with whose upper bodies were like eels with arms and whose slimy lower bodies were like blue-colored maggots. Some people wondered Are you sure they aren¡¯t heteromorphs? but they were affected by spells that worked on demihumans, so they were ssed as demihumans.

    ders ¡ª an insectile species whose fingernails sprouted knife-like des and whose bodies were protected by an armor-like exoskeleton. Much like the Zerns, they were also affected by spells that worked on demihumans, so they were ssed as demihumans

    Horuners ¡ª demihumans with horse-like legs who were adept at sprinting. They could run for long periods without rest and possessed shocking mobility.

    Spidans ¡ª Spider-like demihumans with four long and slender arms and legs who resembled spiders. They could spit all sorts of silk from their mouths and make all manner of clothes and items with that silk. The silk clothing they made in this way was as hard as steel.

    Stone Eaters ¡ª armed with crude weapons, their most frightening feature was their ability to spit the rocks they ate. They could spit stone fragments that could easily dent metal armor, and do so at ranges in excess of one hundred meters. However, they could only do that a limited number of times, so if one could weather their onught, they were nothing to fear.

    Orthrous ¡ª they were a version of Centaurs whose lower bodies were reced by those of carnivorous beasts. They had better fighting power than Centaurs, but conversely they were less mobile.

    Magilos ¡ª born with the ability to use spells of up to the fourth tier. The spells they could use apparently appeared on their bodies like tattoos. Their more powerful members were covered in tattoos. Sometimes there were individuals who could develop skills as magic casters, and those were rumored to be able to cast spells of up to the fifth tier. They might be Lord level entities.

    Pteropos ¡ª a species which lived on cliffsides, they were very adept at long distance gliding. While they could fly, it seemed to require a lot of strength, so they could only fly for a while every day, and after that they could not even glide. If they did not fly, they could rend armor with the wind, so defending against it was very difficult. They were a species which was stronger when they could not fly.

    And then, there were the Bafolk.

    The remaining six races were not particrly numerous, but each of them was quite powerful.

    Ogres.

    Buri Uns ¡ª an Ogre-like race with the power to control the earth, who could be considered a superior species. They possessed special abilities associated with the earth.

    Vah Uns ¡ª Simr to Buri Uns, they were water-controlling beings. They had water-linked special abilities.

    Nagarajas ¡ª they looked like snakes with scaly bodies and arms. They were apletely different species from the simrly-named Nagas, and they did not get along well with thetter. They were born with the ability to cast many spells, and sometimes they would even equip themselves with swords and armor.

    Spriggans ¡ª a species that could freely change their size from small torge. They were fundamentally a good species and evil Spriggans were very rare. That said, both good and bad Spriggans were unmanageable when they went berserk.

    Zoastia ¡ª carnivores with the upper bodies of beastmen. They were rtives of Centaurs and Orthrous. They wore te armor and carried round shields. They had no special abilities, but they were heavy cavalry with the savagery and strength of wild beasts. Just one of them was very powerful, and the Orthrous often relied on them. It was apparently a rtionship like the one between Goblins and Hobgoblins. However, due to theirck of special abilities, they were not very strong foes against adventurers who could cast the ¡¸Fly¡¹ spell. Still, in a head to head sh, even orichalcum ranked adventurers would have a hard time.

    ? ? ?

    ¡°ording to the Sorcerer King, your base might be under surveince, right? Then if they know how many troops we have, they might not send too many troops over. That works to our advantage. However, there¡¯s a problem.¡±

    ¡°Food.¡±

    ¡°Yes. While the priests can make food, they can only make very little even after exhausting their mana. They also can¡¯t feed like demihumans.¡±

    Remedios and Gustavo had looks of distaste on their faces. All three of them knew that demihumans preyed on humans.

    Therefore, even if they tried to starve the invading demihumans, they all knew they would lose in the end. That was because the demihumans¡¯ prison camps could be consideredrders for them.

    ¡°Go check how long our food can hold¡ª¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re checking already. We¡¯re also looking for any cksmiths who might be able to modify the demihuman gear for use by humans.¡±

    ¡°I expected nothing less of you, Captain.¡±

    The three of them continued discussing their preparations for the siege. After another hour, they reached a conclusion which all of them could ept, and the three of them smiled.

    ¡°All right, then let¡¯s prepare for the siege.¡±

    ? ? ?

    One weekter, as their food supplies dwindled and it was about time for them to move, the demihuman army appeared from over the horizon.

    However, it was a massive army whose scale far exceeded their expectations.

    Part 5

    Ainz looked out over the city, which was in a panic over the appearance of the demihuman army, and he slowly copsed.

    This was not a figure of speech.

    Ainz¡¯s heart and soul were stretched to their limits by fatigue, and despite his undead nature, he fell to his knees from mental exhaustion and grabbed his face.

    What should I do... what should I do after this...

    Fundamentally, Ainz had been following Demiurge¡¯s script.

    Of course, not every word and action was nned, so he had improvised a fair bit, but even so, Ainz was counting on following the developments of Demiurge¡¯s n.

    Or rather, the problem was that he had improvised too much.

    Frankly speaking, the operational directives he had gotten from Demiurge basically said: ¡°Please adapt to the situation,¡± and other things like that.

    This was too much. That was what Ainz had thought when he first looked at the instructions.

    If Ainz was an excellent person, perhaps he could follow those directions and y the role of a perfect Sorcerer King. However, much to his regret, Ainz¡¯s abilities were perfectly normal, or perhaps even worse than that.

    Therefore, Ainz had gotten into a spirited debate with Demiurge over the matter.

    He recalled things going like this: Ainz had pleaded, ¡°I don¡¯t understand, write in more detail,¡± whereupon Demiurge had humbly replied with ¡°How could I possibly do something that rude to the sagacious Ainz-sama?¡± and this had led to an intense back and forth. He had roped Albedo into this battle halfway, and Ainz ¡ª who had begun at a great disadvantage ¡ª had finished at aplete loss.

    And so, the operational directives granting himplete discretion ended up in Ainz¡¯s hands.

    If this was a prank on Demiurge¡¯s part, he might be able to deal with it in some other way, but this was the fruit of his subordinate¡¯s trust and respect.

    In particr, that was made very clear by such pronouncements as ¡°You will surely be able to reach a better conclusion, Ainz-sama ¡ª how could one as insignificant as myself bind you with my words and deeds?¡±

    If you went bymon sense, why would the king of another countrye over alone... what an unreasonable argument... still, I¡¯vee all this way. Although I stirred up some problems along the way and got careless a few times, I still came all this way...

    He did not believe in the gods, but he wanted to pray to them with all his heart.

    Couldn¡¯t Demiurge and Albedo consider my abilities before dumping missions onto me...

    Being asked to do the impossible made his motivation shrivel up.

    ...All right, pull it together, me. It¡¯ll be easier after I get through this.

    Ainz poured his strength into his legs, and then he stood up.

    The n hade to the vital middle stages, and that was the worst part.

    ording to Demiurge, if they formed a defensive line at this city, they would attack until there were eighty five percent casualties.

    Ainz had no idea what he was talking about.

    Since Demiurge felt it ought to be this way, then it should be a better answer than anything Ainz came up with. If all those deaths brought benefits to Nazarick, then let them die. Rather, Ainz would think about whether killing more would bring even more benefits to Nazarick and such things.

    However, the problemy in the fact that Demiurge had asked Ainz for humans here which could not be killed.

    Frankly speaking, if that was all, then he would randomly select a few and be done with it, but there was one more thing to note.

    That was humans who were devoted to Ainz, or who might be persuaded to join Ainz¡¯s side.

    ¡ºI feel that there must be several humans who are as devoted to you as those Dwarves, so please tell me their names, and when I make my move, I will take care not to kill them off.¡»

    When he received that message from Demiurge, he had even thought, Are you kidding me? as he doubted Demiurge¡¯s thinking.

    ¡°...There¡¯s nobody like that.¡±

    Those despondent words escaped Ainz.

    There were no humans here who were devoted to Ainz.

    Rather, he had keenly experienced how much the undead were hated in the Holy Kingdom.

    Under these dire circumstances, how many people would be devoted to his undead self?

    However, he could not tell Demiurge that there were none.

    Demiurge sincerely believed that Ainz could fascinate several humans. So what would happen if he told Demiurge that he had not managed to do so with anyone?

    My stomach hurts...

    The Dwarf Demiurge was speaking of must have been Gondo Firebeard, but that had simply been lucky. He had scored a critical hit on a weakness in his heart by pure chance, and such luck would not repeat itself.

    And it was precisely because he had the font of information which was Gondo that he had managed to strike a chord in the hearts of the runesmiths. However, there was nobody like that in the Holy Kingdom.

    There was one person with whom he had formed a friendly rtionship, Neia Baraja, but that was all.

    Besides, he had given her a magic item to improve their rtionship, as well as for another reason, but how effective it had been was still unclear. She kept ring at him with murderous eyes, so he probably should not expect anything good toe of it.

    What would Demiurge think if I told him there was only one person? Ainz asked himself.

    Would the image of Ainz which Demiurge held in his heart not crumblepletely?

    And then, what would happen in the future?

    In the Dwarven Kingdom, I told Demiurge that I wasn¡¯t that smart, but at that time it didn¡¯t seem like he believed mepletely... this is bad. How great a person am I in his eyes? Or rather, it seems I¡¯m getting greater and greater; am I imagining things? Normally, wouldn¡¯t it be the other way around?

    The expectations ced on him hurt. They were not weighty; they just hurt.

    In the past, he had pondered how heavy and painful the word ¡°loyalty¡± could be. In particr, the part where his subordinates viewed Ainz as a great being was the most painful of all.

    I guess I should take this opportunity to tell Demiurge that I¡¯m not really that amazing, but what would happen if I did? What should I do if it caused the n that Demiurgebored for so long over to end in failure? If I spent several years courting a big client, only to have it fall through because of a stupidment from my boss...

    Ahhh, Ainz said as he scratched his hairless head.

    What should he do?

    What was the best answer he could give?

    No matter what simtions he ran, they all ended in Demiurge looking at him in disappointment. He could not reach a conclusion that he could ept.

    He¡¯s expecting too much of me ¡ª the higher the climb, the longer the fall. That¡¯s why I said I¡¯m nobody amazing...

    And then, Ainz¡¯s own n had been quite the failure.

    Ainz reached into his pocket space and drew a sword.

    It was an ordinary sword inscribed with runes.

    However, it contained powerparable to the bow he had lent to Neia.

    Of course, these were not Dwarven runes. The runes carved on it had no power at all. This was a piece of equipment made with YGGDRASIL techniques.

    ¡°Haaaa...¡±

    Ainz sighed. He had several weapons like this. The original n was to lend these weapons to the Holy Kingdom.

    The people of the Holy Kingdom would be awed by the overwhelming power of the sword and think, So this is the power of runic weaponry, which would in turn improve the reputation of the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s rune weapons.

    This was the other reason why he had lent Neia the weapon.

    He felt that the people of the Holy Kingdom would see that weapon and secretly borrow them from Ainz.

    However¡ª

    Ainz grabbed his head.

    Why didn¡¯t anyone borrow them? I even thought people would talk about it because it was so shy... I guess I should have forced her onto the frontlines and made her fight, huh...

    Just then, there was a tok tok tok as someone knocked on the door.

    He quickly checked his robe and other messy ces before putting the sword back into his pocket dimension. Then he put his hands behind his back, looked at the door like a sovereign, and spoke loudly:

    ¡°Who is it?¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, may I enter?¡±

    There was no way to tell if it was a male or female voice through the door. Normally, he should have asked the visitor¡¯s name, but Demiurge had already told him that someone wasing, and so Ainz granted his permission without any hesitation.

    ¡°Ahh, it¡¯s fine. Come in.¡±

    The person who entered Ainz¡¯s room closed the door behind himself, and its body changed as well.

    It had an egg-shaped head with a mouth and two eyes that looked like sunken holes. Its three-fingered hands were as slender as stick insects.

    It was a Doppelganger.

    It was a Doppelganger he had lent Demiurge at his request.

    Since it was a monster Doppelganger, it was not very strong.

    Even when transformed, it could only copy level forty abilities, and it was even weaker without transformation. Its more potent abilities was how it could freely make use of karma-restricted gear. That said, it could not use magic items above legacy ss.

    Its vacuous hole-like eyes turned to Ainz, and then it bowed deeply.

    ¡°I sincerely apologize for the many offenses I have caused you during the course of my duties. I pray you will forgive me.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. You were just doing your job. I have nothing to say about that.¡±

    ¡°Your servant is grateful for your generous words.¡±

    Ainz looked at the room¡¯s door.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you very busy now? There ought to be many things you need to direct, no? And is there anyone outside? If there¡¯s anyone, we¡¯ll be in trouble if we don¡¯t keep our voices down.¡±

    ¡°It is fine. Nobody will object to your servant going alone to see you, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Is that so...¡±

    Oh yes, the Doppelganger replied. However, it was still important to be careful.

    ¡°Then, Ainz-sama, please inform your servant of your decision.¡±

    ¡°Inform you of what?¡±

    That said, Ainz knew very well why the Doppelganger hade here.

    Or rather, it was time to tell this Doppelganger.

    Yes, the question of who he had enthralled.

    ¡°Forgive me. This one speaks of the matter from earlier ¡ª the matter of those humans who are devoted to you and whose lives must be spared, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Hm...¡±

    Ainz nodded forcefully, and began to walk.

    Of course, he could not leave the room. Ultimately, he could only pace around inside this room. There was no telling where the Doppelganger¡¯s eyes were looking, but Ainz was certain that they were following his movements, Ainz was certain. In truth, it would be quite scary if they did not look his way.

    Time was running out. As Ainz thought with all his might, he suddenly stopped in ce.

    ¡ªHe could not find the right answer. However, he did not have any ideas about how to continue covering things up any more.

    If he were human, his heart would be pounding now, but his bodycked any organs which could move in that way.

    A powerful emotion welled up, causing his emotion override to take effect, and as the small ripples bounced around inside his heart, Ainz told the Doppelganger the answer.

    ¡°Umu. I¡¯ll be frank. There are no human beings who need to be saved. Leave a few alive as needed.¡±

 Chapter 91 - Volume 12

    Volume 12 Afterword, Character Sheets and Credits

    Afterword

    I¡¯m sure that as children, many people must have wished for August to be sixty days long when they were doing their holiday homework while their parents scolded them, or when they flipped through the calendar in August.

    Maruyama has always been that way. He thought that way when he forgot to do his homework and had to raise his hand up on the first day of school in September.

    However, this time, I made it real!

    My childhood dream came true! Maruyama wanted to be an adult like this in the past, and now it¡¯s be reality! Oh what a wonderful thing!

    Everyone¡¯s ¡ª I guess I should stop here. Spouting these pointless excuses to drag things out won¡¯t help things.

    Therefore, while it was slightly dyed, we managed to publish the book atst. Well, this ought to be within the margin of error. No, the truth is that it was because a lot of things happened. Seriously, there were a lot of them both good and bad.

    Speaking of which, Maruyama bought several ebooks while in hospital, ebooks are really great! I didn¡¯t expect them to be handy. I think it would be good for Overlord to have an ebook version. Therefore, I have decided to convert Overlord into a digital format. As I thought, there are many things that humans won¡¯t understand if they don¡¯t try them out. Simrly, if you are not involved in a situation, there¡¯s many things you won¡¯t understand about it.

    Incidentally, while this is offtopic, the ebooks I read were manga, specifically loveedies.

    Now then,st of all, I need to thank a lot of people. In particr, the people holding this book, as well as a certain hospital.

    I¡¯ll be d if I can meet you again in the next volume. Thank you very much, everyone.

    September 2017

    Maruyama Kugane

 Chapter 92 - Volume 13

    <h4>Overlord Volume 13 Chapter 4</h4>

    <b>The Siege</b><b>Part 1</b>Winter¡¯s end was a long ways off, and the air was cold, though he did not feel it. That was thanks to his fur. His entire body was covered in lustrous ck fur, and wearing a set of clothes on top of that would provide for excellent instion. He would not shiver even if he wore a suit of metallic full te armor instead.However, he was shivering for a different reason now.That reason was anger.Calling that tremendous anger ¡°wrath¡± would not be too far off.A low growl escaped him ¡ª like that which a carnivorous beast would make ¡ª and he clicked his tongue in embarrassment.For members of his race ¨D the Zoastia ¨D making animal noises was proof that they could not control their emotions; a shameful disy for an adult.However, that was only among fellow members of his species.Anyone else who heard that growl leak from between his sharp teeth would have been trembling in fear or frozen in terror.He turned his back on the human city which he had been staring at just now and returned to his camp.Their suprememander was Jaldabaoth, their ruler who wielded overwhelming might. Many races were gathered beneath him, and many pointless disputes broke out between them every day.The forces of the Demihuman Alliance were divided into three main detachments.The first were the 40,000 troops arrayed against the Southern Holy Kingdom¡¯s military.The second were the 50,000 troops responsible for managing and guarding the camps which held prisoners from the Holy Kingdom.The third were the 10,000 troops responsible for scouting the Northern Holy Kingdom, recovering various resources, and other misceneous tasks.The personnel hereprised 40,000 of the 50,000 troops allocated to managing the prison camps.It was only natural that with such numbers in attendance their campgrounds would be bustling, yet nobody blocked his path, and he did not stop or even slow his pace.Surely there was nobody in the world who would dare stand in the path of a massive, rolling boulder.Nobody present dared stand in his way, given the air of dominance around him.He walked as though he were alone in a wastnd, and soon a particrly ostentatious tent came into view.There were demihuman soldiers standing before it, but they were not guards. They were there to heed the orders of the tent¡¯s upants. In other words, they were servants.They fearfully cleared a path for him, and he savagely pulled aside the cloth hanging over its entrance, whereupon the five demihumans within immediately red sharply at him.The demihumans within could be counted among the top ten members of the demihuman forces, demons excepted. While he could feel the physical weight of their gazes upon him, his calm demeanor did not change in the slightest.As a fellow member of those ten beings, he instead snorted and plopped himself down onto one of the empty seats. That said, his bestial lower body meant that taking a seat was more like lying down.Although one of the five nodded lightly to him, he paid that person no heed as his eyes fixed firmly on the demihuman upying the seat of honor.Said demihuman was a being that looked like a snake that had grown arms.The scales on its body had a wet sheen to them and threw off a bizarre riot of colors that did justice to its nickname of ¡°Rainbow Scales.¡± Not only were they beautiful, their hardness was said to rival those of Dragons. In addition, it possessed high-level magic resistance and was equipped with arge shield and a suit of enchanted te armor. When one factored in its warrior prowess as well, said being might well qualify as the toughest entity in the Abelion Hills.This demihuman was Rokesh of the Nagarajas. He was the demihuman who had been appointed asmander of this detachment by the Demon Emperor.Resting beside him was his favored weapon, the Trident of Desation which possessed a dreadful power.¡°¨DWhy aren¡¯t we attacking yet?¡±He directed the question to Rokesh in a subdued tone.It had been a full three days since they had reached the city which the pitiful human resistance had taken over, yet not even a skirmish had broken out since then.¡°...I know the human walls are troublesome, but surely they¡¯re nothing in the face of our numbers, aren¡¯t they?¡±This was especially true for those members of the Demihuman Alliance who couldpletely disregard the existence of such walls. There ought to be no difficulty if said individuals were carefully managed.¡°Frightened, are we?¡±¡°Demon w-dono.¡±A vicious expression bloomed on his ¨D Vijar Lajand¡¯s ¨D face as he was addressed with the title of ¡°Demon w.¡± He swept his eyes over the other member of his species who was present before turning back towards the Nagaraja.The title of ¡°Demon w¡± was known throughout the foothills, and had been for almost two centuries now.This was not because Zoastias were a long-lived race but because the title was passed down through the generations.To him, this title was something he had inherited from his father. He knew very well that it was inappropriate for him at the moment. That was why he had to build his reputation in the uing series of battles. Yet, he had not been able to prove his strength ¨D as the inheritor of the title ¨D to the world so far.Everyone he had beaten so far was weak. There had not been any who could take more than a single blow from his enchanted two-handed battleaxe, ¡°Edge Wing.¡±This state of affairs could not be allowed to continue.He could not allow this war to end while others still knew him as a mere minion of the archfiend Jaldabaoth. He needed a chance to make a name for himself as a warrior, and now was the time.However, Rokesh still did not intend to attack. Vijar¡¯s dissatisfaction with that decision was why he spoke to the former in that way.¡°They say the Grand King used to hold that city. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re scared just because the enemy has someone who could defeat him?¡±The Grand King ¨D the king who had led the Bafolk to greatness.He had been one of the top ten demihumans, like himself.Vijar was confident that he stood on even footing with the Grand King, despite thetter¡¯s annoying martial arts which could break weapons. Anyone who could beat the Grand King must surely be a worthy opponent.¡°I¡¯ll deal with her, so why aren¡¯t we attacking yet?¡±He could think of only one person who could defeat someone of the Grand King¡¯s power.It must be that female human pdin from the rumors. If what they say is true, she might have been able to beat the Grand King.He sketched a hazy image of a pdin with a glowing sword in his mind.¡°Vijar-dono. The fact that you, amander, would say such things despiteing inte without a word of apology makes me... don¡¯t get so excited, I know, I know.¡±Rokesh waved him off in a rxed fashion.¡°My my. Ignorant chicks do make a lot of noise even when they know nothing.¡±The person who was snickering just now had four arms. She was the queen of the Magilos, a woman with the moniker of ¡°Iceme Lightning¡± ¨D Nasrene Bert Kiuru.Vijar wrinkled his brow.He felt that he could beat her in a melee fight, but Nasrene was adept at magic, so he was afraid she could turn the tables on him in some unexpected way if it came to a fight. Even so, he ¨D as an inheritor of the name ¡°Demon w¡± ¨D would not be able to face his ancestors if he meekly let someone call him a chick.¡°And old hags who like to sit on their asses cause trouble for the rest of us too.¡±The Magilos were quite long-lived, but she ought to have been more than halfway through her lifespan, given that Vijar had heard of her nickname throughout the hills when he was a child.He could not tell the age of her skin when inspecting her face due to all the cosmetics she wore, but the fact that she was covering it up meant that she must have felt her age too. In addition, surely that floral fragrance surrounding her was a sign of using perfume to mask her old folks¡¯ stench, was it not?¡°¨DHo.¡±Nasrene narrowed her eyes and an icy chill filled the air in the tent. This was a physical, not psychological phenomenon.¡°¨DI¡¯m not lying, am I?¡±Vijar straightened himself up as he said that. A Zoastia¡¯s lower body was not a pretty decoration, but something which possessed a beast¡¯s dexterity and explosive power. While his usual fighting style would have involved hunkering down for a charge in order to make full use of his physical abilities, he did not do that now. That was because he wanted to present himself as the one with the advantage, who had simply ceded the initiative to his opposition.¡°This isn¡¯t just a matter of lying, is it? I ought to teach you how to addressdies with respect. That¡¯s also my duty as your predecessor.¡±Amidst all this tension, Rokesh spoke up:¡°Contain yourselves, you two. This is a war council. If the two of you continue making trouble here, I¡¯ll have to report this to Jaldabaoth-sama.¡±Now that Rokesh had brought up the name of their absolute superior, the two of them had no choice but to back down. Still, they continued ring at each other, as though to say ¡°This isn¡¯t over yet,¡± and ¡°You start a fight and I¡¯ll finish it.¡±¡°Hah... well, as someone who¡¯s strong myself, I know you can¡¯t really help being strong, but you two ought to know what it means to cooperate.¡±¡°Heeheehee, you don¡¯t have the right toment on others either.¡±A simian demihuman covered in white fur jeered at Rokesh¡¯s grumbling with augh.¡°Hm, that¡¯s true. Now then, Demon w-dono. About your question earlier, it is not that I am afraid. The Grand King was a valiant individual, but surely everyone present is his equal, am I wrong?¡±Rokesh looked to Demon w and Iceme Lightning, and then to the remaining three people.One of them was an ape-like demihuman who was covered in long white fur. He wore many protective items made of gold.He was the king of the Stone Eaters ¨D Harisha Ankara.As a superior specimen of his species, he and others like him could gain various special abilities from eating raw minerals. For instance, by eating diamonds, they could temporarily gain physical damage resistance which could only be bypassed by bludgeoning attacks. Usually, only three such abilities could be active at once, but he could stock far more than that number. That was also a reason why he was called a mutant.Then, there was the Orthros general who had nodded to him as he had entered the tent.He wore a suit of intricately carved armor. His equally ornate helmet and his cavalryncey beside him. His name was Hektowyzes Ah Rahgara.His nod to Vijar was not out of respect for Vijar¡¯s personal abilities, but towards the Zoastia species as a whole. That was the reason why it made Vijar unhappy.Still, he could not simply challenge Hektowyzes to a duel to prove his strength. Certainly, Vijar would be the victor in a one-on-one fight. However, Hektowyzes had not gained fame because of his individual might, but because he was a renowned general who could triumph despite having a tenth of his opponent¡¯s forces. The tables would be turned if it came to massbat, and there was nothing more shameful than crowing about one¡¯s personal strength and saying ¡°I¡¯m stronger than you¡± while knowing this. That was why Vijar had a hard time dealing with that Orthros.Thest person was the fellow member of his species, who had remained silent all this while: Muar Praksha.Also known as ¡°cksteel,¡± he was a ranger who was often called a shadow running through the darkness.He was a rarity among the Zoastia, who typically took advantage of their physical gifts and fought with brute force. He used stealth, surprise, and cunning techniques as part of his fearsome assassination skills. His nickname came from his unshakable will and the fact that he would eliminate any quarry he had marked.While he did not think he would lose to them, every person seated here would be a troublesome opponent for him in a straight fight.¡°Then let¡¯s go back to the topic of why we¡¯re not attacking them. That would be because I received orders from Jaldabaoth-sama in the city of Rimun.¡±¡°What¡¯s that? Is that true?¡±Vijar¡¯s question was due to the fact that among this army of 40,000, Rokesh was the only one who had had direct contact with Jaldabaoth. By the time the others had been summoned to this city of Kalinsha, his men were already in fighting order and waiting to be deployed.Jaldabaoth was always teleporting between multiple cities, so there were few opportunities to receive directions from him in person.¡°Jaldabaoth-sama said to give the humans upying the city several days¡¯ time.¡±¡°Give them time? Whatever for?¡±¡°He said it was to frighten them. There are fewer than 10,000 people in that city. There are fewer still people among them who can fight. In contrast, all of us here can fight... how afraid do you think the humans holed up in that city will be?¡±¡°I see... so that¡¯s it. Jaldabaoth-sama is truly fearsome.¡±¡°Heeheehee, indeed. That said, I do understand how you feel, Vijar-dono. The question now is how much more time we should give them?¡±¡°No, we can decide exactly how many more days to give them. That said, we might have two months¡¯ of rations stored up, but it would not be good to actually give them that long.¡±¡°Is it because we still need to deal with the prisoners?¡±There were only 10,000 demihumans left to manage an overwhelming number of human captives. While demihumans were stronger than humans, quantity was a quality all of its own. It was very likely that they would not be able to deal with any riots or uprisings.¡°Precisely. That¡¯s why I have gathered all of you here, in order to hash out our ns for the future. Personally, I think we can make our move after another couple of days and wrap things up. Does anyone disagree?¡±None of the demihumans present ¨D Vijar included ¨D objected to him.¡°All right. We attack in two days. We will continue observing them until then.¡±There was the possibility the enemy mightunch a counterattack, though he did not think it very likely.¡°That would mean it¡¯s about time to deal with the humans we¡¯ve brought along, then.¡±Some demihumans ate human beings. Species like those preferred fresh food. The Zoastia had no particr preference for manflesh. To them, beef and horse meat were better. However, most of them would prefer fresh human meat to beef jerky.In contrast, Iceme Lightning had a look of revulsion on her face. Perhaps it was because the Magilos did not eat humans, as they were visually simr to human beings.¡°Heeheehee. How about killing and eating them in front of their city tomorrow. That ought to terrorize them, no?¡±¡°An excellent idea. After that, we¡¯ll dere that we¡¯re attacking the next day...¡±¡°There¡¯s no need to press them that hard. What¡¯ll happen if they surrender? Fighting is only fun because they have hope, and thus struggle with all their might. Nothing¡¯s more boring than killing people who have lost the will to live.¡±Vijar wanted to fight strong foes. There was no point in facing weaklings.¡°Indeed. Also, there is another important point. This is an order from Jaldabaoth-sama. We must not kill them all, but let a few escape. Therefore, my n is to kill everyone guarding the western gate ¨D our side ¨D and chase away the ones manning the eastern gate.¡±¡°In other words, whoever¡¯s attacking the eastern gate needs to be able to keep firm control over their men, am I right? Otherwise, it feels like it¡¯ll end in aplete ughter.¡±After Nasrene said that, everyone¡¯s eyes went to a single individual.¡°I see... Then you won¡¯t mind if I bring all my kin with me, then?¡±¡°Can you leave a few as messengers?¡±¡°Certainly, Rokesh-dono. In that case, Hektowyzes Ah Rahgara and myself will be responsible for the eastern gate.¡±¡°After that, we need some people on the north and south walls to give them some pressure. While there¡¯s no need to actually take those points, we ought to kill off an appropriate number of defenders there. I¡¯d like to send some ranged fighters over...¡±There were three people present who were adept at long-rangebat. The person Rokesh chose from among them was the silent Zoastia.¡°Muar Praksha-dono.¡±¡°¨DAcknowledged.¡±That was all ¡°cksteel¡± said in reply.¡°Everyone else will be on the western gate. While I don¡¯t think there¡¯ll be a chance for you to show your stuff, I¡¯ll leave any strong opponents that show up there to you. After all, I need tomand the entire army, so I won¡¯t be able to make it to the frontline.¡±The remaining three demihumans ¨D Vijar included ¨D all nodded their heads.¡°Since we are all in agreement, we shall attack that city in two days. I hope you will all get your rest and gather your strength before the humans wail in despair.¡±<b>Part 2</b>Neia swallowed the stomach acid rising inside her as she walked towards the Sorcerer King¡¯s room. As she did, an intense sourness spread through her mouth.She took up the pouch tied to her belt and drank the water within.The water tasted bad since it was tainted by the odor of the leather which held it, but it helped quell the burning sensation in her throat and the stench in her mouth. However, the anger still remained in Neia¡¯s chest, and her face was still pale.She recalled the stomach-churning scene that she could not forget, even if she wanted to.The demihuman army had encircled this city for a full three days now.The enemy had not attacked or attempted to parley, simply letting time pass. But today, the demihumans had brought out their captives from the Holy Kingdom to the outer walls of the Loyds district, where Neia had been posted. If they had skilled archers or slingers present, they might have been able tounch an attack, but they unfortunately had nobody like that on hand.Neia was confident of hitting the demihumans if she used the Sorcerer King¡¯s bow. However,unching a rash strike may have triggered an all-out attack. That would have led to a battle of 10,000 against 40,000, and they would have to open the city gates if they wanted to save those captives.Once the gates were opened, the demihuman forces would surely pour in like an avnche. Such a thing could not be allowed to happen, and so all they could do was stand aside and watch.There were less than twenty captives. They were made up of males and females, adults and children, but there were no old people among them. All the prisoners were naked and covered in scars and bruises.Just as the gathered people of the Holy Kingdom began to think they had been brought out as coteral for some kind of negotiations, a tragedy unfolded.The demihumans began to kill the captives.A demihuman who seemed to be about three meters tall had decapitated a prisoner and then raised the severed head in an inverted position. Neia had clearly seen how the earth had drunk the vast quantities of fresh red blood spilled upon it.After that, the demihumans began to butcher the prisoners¡¯ corpses.Neia had seen her father process animal carcasses before. However, the sight of such a thing happening to human beings dealt a mighty blow to Neia¡¯s psyche.After that, the demihumans ate the captives one after the other, while they were still fresh.The most cruel part was watching how some people had been eaten alive.Even now, Neia¡¯s ears still rang with a child¡¯s cries as a demihuman chewed his belly open. It was apanied by the sound of his innards being torn out.Fortunately, Gustavo had been wise enough to keep Remedios from following him, under the pretext of protecting the prince. Surely they would have been fighting by now if she had seen something like that.Neia sighed deeply, then took another mouthful of water and forced herself to swallow it.She had heard someone say that it would feel better to throw up if one was nauseous, but given that she was heading to the Sorcerer King¡¯s room, it would be disrespectful to arrive with the stench of vomit clinging to her.After checking her breath several times, Neia stood before the door to the Sorcerer King¡¯s room.There was nobody on either side of the door.Now that the city had been encircled by the demihumans, there was nobody to spare on protecting ¨D or rather, keeping an eye on ¨D the Sorcerer King.Neia knocked on the door to indicate her presence to the person within.¡°Your Majesty, I am Squire Neia Baraja. May I enter?¡±¡°Come in.¡±After receiving permission, Neia quietly entered through the room¡¯s door.The interior was simply furnished since the demihumans had wrecked most of it. Even so, it was still more than what anyone else in the city had.The Sorcerer King stood with his back to Neia as he looked outside the window.¡°It seems quite chaotic outside, given how I¡¯ve seen so many people running around from up here. We¡¯ve been encircled for four days, but this is the noisiest it¡¯s been since the first day. That would mean... are there signs that the enemy is preparing to attack?¡±The Sorcerer King had shown no intention of participating in this battle, simply staying in his room without incident. He had not even shown up for the strategic meeting when the demihuman army began fanning out around the city.Naturally, the Liberation Army¡¯s leadership had not been happy about this, but they found it very hard to ask anything of the Sorcerer King after he had said, ¡°After taking future matters into consideration, don¡¯t you think it would be bad if the king of another nation stuck his nose into your business?¡±Neia had been ordered to attend various meetings in his ce. This was the Liberation Army¡¯s n to share what they knew with the Sorcerer King, and Neia approved of it. However, that had led to Neia witnessing the tragedy which had unfolded earlier.¡°...No, the demihumans haven¡¯t made any big moves like that. But... the demihumans, ah... how shall I put this, maybe they are trying to make a show of force, so their positions have shifted a little.¡±¡°I see. In that case, this standoff will only continue for a while more, no? The demihumans are trying to shake your troops and weaken their morale...e to think of it, do you think you can win this battle?¡±No. Neia longed to say as much.For starters, there was a vast difference in the respective strength of their forces.10,000 humans versus 40,000 demihumans.Even that figure of 10,000 included the elderly and children. In addition, they had not yet fully recovered from the wounds ¨D both physical and mental ¨D and the fatigue they had incurred at the prison camps.While the defenders typically had the advantage during a siege, that only applied when both forces were evenly matchedWhen onepared the average demihuman to a humanmoner, thetter was so weak that evenparing them seemed like a foolish act.At the very most, the only people who could stand on equal footing with demihumans were the pdins, the priests, and professional soldiers, but they did not have many of those. Compared to the 40,000 strong army they were now facing, it was as pointless as trying to put out a Fire Dragon¡¯s breath with a bucket of water.Still, one could not say this was an entirely unwinnable battle.There was one person who could beat back the demihuman hordes by themselves, even without counting the Sorcerer King.Assuming physical exhaustion and lucky hits from the enemy were not a factor, the strongest pdin in the Holy Kingdom ¨D Remedios Custodio ¨D could take on about 40,000 demihumans and kill them all.However, one could not say there were no powerful individuals in the demihuman army who could stand toe-to-toe with Remedios. In fact, it was very likely that there were such beings out there.Neia recalled the Grand King Buser, the demihuman who had previously ruled this city. While the Sorcerer King had killed him like he was nothing more than a pile of rubbish, that was simply because the Sorcerer King was incredibly powerful. Buser was overwhelmingly strong in his own right. Neia could not have beaten him, no matter how hard she tried.Demihuman kings like that might be Remedios¡¯s equals, or perhaps even her superiors. They were all very strong in Neia¡¯s estimation, so she could not urately judge the oue of a showdown between two such powerful beings.In addition, physical exhaustion had to be taken into consideration if one was being realistic. No matter how strong they were, nobody could escape the spectre of fatigue. Magic could briefly ease it, but fatigue would continue to umte once more.Even after killing an army of 10,000, Remedios could still be attacked in a moment of exhaustion and weakness and be killed by an average demihuman. Quantity had a quality of its own, after all.However, if there was some being who could overturn that logic ¨D Neia¡¯s eyes went to the great ruler who still stood with his back to her.That person would be an absolute force.An entity who surpassed this world (Overlord).He was none other than the Sorcerer King, Ainz Ooal Gown.As Neia gazed upon his regal back, she suddenly realized that she had not yet answered the Sorcerer King¡¯s question, and she hurriedly spoke.¡°I, I¡¯m not sure!¡± Panic caused her to exim louder than usual and she blushed before continuing in a normal tone, ¡°¨DTherefore, I¡¯ll do my best to find out.¡±The Sorcerer King seemed entirely unmoved by this, and asked another question.¡°I see. Then, have you learned anything new about the enemy? Have you verified Jaldabaoth¡¯s presence?¡±¡°The situation on that front has not changed in the past few days. We have not yet sighted Jaldabaoth among the demihuman forces.¡±¡°Hm. That makes things difficult. It may be very hard for me to help you in this defense. After all, I need to replenish the mana I¡¯ve used up. I must consider the possibility that his n might be to deprive me of mana before I take any action.¡±¡°But of course. Everyone is fully aware of Your Majesty¡¯s opinion.¡±During a strategy meeting, someone had once said they had spotted a demon who looked like Jaldabaoth, but when Neia said they had to make sure, that person had immediately said they had probably been mistaken. Given the mood in the air, it was clear that everyone present ¨D with the exception of Neia ¨D was nning to involve the Sorcerer King in the fighting by spreading false reports of Jaldabaoth¡¯s presence.They might despise the undead, but lying to the king of a nation means they have no integrity to speak of. Even when backed into a corner, isn¡¯t it proper to disy their best side to someone who ought to be respected?¡°In that case, what do you make of the demihumans¡¯ movements?¡±¡°Ah, yes, the demihumans had been previously massing at the west gate, but now they¡¯ve split their forces and are sending some of their troops to the other ¨D the eastern ¨D gate. We believe they¡¯re about to make their move ¨D probably preparing for a siege.¡±¡°That is to say, enough time has passed for them to finish building siege weapons, then? Well, that¡¯s probably a good thing. After all, the enemy isn¡¯t trying to starve you out.¡±Neia could not tell if it was a good or a bad thing, but they would have no response to starvation tactics.If the demihumans attacked on an open field, then they would be promptly annihted due to the opposition¡¯s overwhelming advantage in military strength. However, if they were fighting from behind the protection of the city walls, it would not be such a lopsided battle. Of course, that was merely going from ¡°incredibly bad odds¡± to ¡°pretty bad odds.¡±¡°Of course, that might also be due to the fact that the demihumans aren¡¯t aware of our supply situation. Then again, it¡¯s more likely that they simply don¡¯t care about a small city like this.¡±¡°Well, the demihumans did conquer the fortress line we saw when we entered the Holy Kingdom, so it would be reasonable for them to hold a small city like this in low regard... if you give them a hard time during the defense and make them feel that a siege is to their disadvantage, that¡¯ll draw the battle out. After that, you¡¯ll have a very hard fight ahead of you.¡±It appeared that the Sorcerer King believed that they would have to win this unwinnable battle before the true battle began.¡°Your Majesty, may I ask your opinion of how you think the situation will develop?¡±¡°Future developments, hm. I don¡¯t honestly know. In truth, one could say that you¡¯ve lost by being forced to hole up within the city. Taking shelter in a city is typically done under the pretext that reinforcements will arrive. Either that, or the enemy is operating under a time limit or something simr. However, you are simply defending a city in enemy territory, so your chances of victory are despairingly small.¡±¡°Still, we managed to send the nobles we freed to the south before this, so we can¡¯t say for certain that no help will arrive.¡±Neia might have said those words, but she knew in her heart that she should not be counting on reinforcements.The southern armies would need to break through the Demihuman Alliance forces blocking their path to reach Neia¡¯s location, and even if they did that, there was still an army of 40,000 demihumans to contend with.Fighting repeated battles would be a huge drain on theirbat strength. It would be wiser to abandon the 10,000 people in this city.¡°That would be good...¡±It would seem the Sorcerer King did not believe it for a moment either.But that was only to be expected. Given the circumstances, who could turn things around without sacrificing anyone¨DNeia dispelled the notion rising in her head.His Majesty is here to fight Jaldabaoth, so diminishing his chances of victory by having him waste mana on unrted manners cannot be allowed.¡°...It will take me a while before I can once again cast the teleportation spell which I used on the Orcs, but I can still cast the spell which I asionally use to return to the Sorcerous Kingdom several more times. Taking a few dozen people with me would not be a problem... but I guess you can¡¯t decide who to send, and you won¡¯t.¡±¡°I am grateful for your understanding, Your Majesty.¡±Perhaps it would have been a better idea to ask the Sorcerer King to take Prince Caspond and flee, but that move was of dubious merit.When a king from another nation was willing tomit himself to a fight in order to face a fearsome demon, having a member of one¡¯s own royal family shamelessly beg someone else to take them away from the battlefield was utterly disgraceful.Just as Neia was pondering this information, the Sorcerer King turned to face her for the first time since she had entered the room.The red points of light in his empty eye-sockets looked straight at Neia. While they had once frightened her, Neia had grown used to them, and she hade to feel that they were quite attractive.¡°This is what I think, Miss Baraja. We have ended up in a confrontation with the enemy forces because of the stupidity of the Liberation Army¡¯s leadership. Such a situation cannot be changed by the efforts of a single squire. How about focusing on your personal safety rather than the big picture? You do understand that my nation will ept your allegiance, if you are willing to give it? Given that you have been trained as a pdin, I am certain you will be able to fully exercise your talents in my country.¡±Neia did not know how to answer, and she hesitated.While she was grateful that the Sorcerer King was concerned about her, she trembled in fear as she considered what she might lose if she epted the Sorcerer King¡¯s proposal.The sacrifice which her parents had made.Her love for her hometown.She might never be able to return to the nation of her birth.She remembered several friends she had made.Many things circled in front of Neia¡¯s eyes, and they disappeared one after the other with a poof, but among them was something that refused to shatter, that remained to the end ¨D in other words, the most important thing.She was a member of the pdin corps.While she did not yet know what was justice, it was the only thing Neia could say with her chest puffed out and her head held high.¡°As a citizen of the Holy Kingdom, I feel I am bound to save as many of the people as I am able. That is because saving the helpless ¨D saving those in suffering ismon sense.¡±The Sorcerer King suddenly stopped moving, as though he had been frozen in ce.¡°...Hm.¡±The Sorcerer King murmured to himself, and then he stroked his chin.It would seem Neia¡¯s words had struck a chord with the Sorcerer King, because he studied Neia once more.It was just a throwaway remark, and Neia found herself fidgeting ufortably.¡°Am I correct to say that when the demihumans attack, you will be posted to the walls near the western gate, on the left side of the city? It is a very dangerous ce, and counting on me to save you will be a mistake, you know?¡±¡°I know that very well.¡±Neia was skilled in archery, and given that she had been assigned to the thick of the action, there was no doubt that she would be killed in action. However, she had steeled herself for death, since she would be going onto the battlefield.She drew her lips thin, and Neia looked the Sorcerer King in the eye.¡°Ahh, those are his eyes. I liked those eyes.¡±The Sorcerer King¡¯s self-directed mutterings made Neia blush. While the Sorcerer King probably did not mean anything else by his words, hearing someone she respected say that he liked her made quite an impact.¡°In that case... I¡¯ll lend you several things, Miss Baraja. Please make good use of them.¡±There was a whoosh as something huge suddenly appeared out of thin air. The same thought had crossed her mind when the Sorcerer King had produced the bow in the carriage, but magic truly was a surprising thing.Neia had seen the magic item ¨D the suit of armor ¨D which had sprung forth from nothing. It was a suit of armor which looked like a green carapace, which thete Grand King Buser had worn.¡°This, this is¨D¡±¡°This armor ought to be useful, by which I mean it will ensure your safety.¡±The armor was toorge for Neia ¨D and its dimensions would be quite sizable for just about any human being. However, given what Neia knew about enchanted armor, it would not be an issue if she tried it on.Ordinary armor would need to be altered by a cksmith in order to suit its wearer¡¯s frame. However, there was a limit to how far such alterations could go. Such arge suit of armor simply could not be resized enough to fit.However, it was different for magical armor. Anyone could wear it regardless of gender or race, provided there were no special restrictions on its use. While the changes would not be too drastic, the armor would automatically adjust its shape to fit its wearer.One could even have a giant wear a suit of armor no bigger than his own thumb, but the durability of magic armor varied with the materials it was made with and their quality. A ring-sized suit of armor would be easily damaged if it was subjected to spells, acidic, or equipment-sundering attacks, and that would greatly reduce the potency of the enchantments upon it.There was no such thing as a free lunch, and so-called shortcuts often did not work out. Even so, Buser¡¯s armor was probably quite tough, given that it was this size even without anyone wearing it.¡°In addition, I will lend you three more things.¡± The Sorcerer King personally handed those items to Neia. ¡°A circlet, gauntlets, and a ne. Are any of them redundant with your personal gear?¡±¡°No, not at all. I did not have any magic items to begin with.¡±¡°Excellent. Now, I will briefly exin how to use these items.¡±As the name implied, the Circlet of Iron Will defended the mind against charm, fear, and other such mental attacks. Still, while the circlet rendered one immune to magical attacks, it could only strengthen the wearer¡¯s resistance against attacks derived from special abilities. Another thing she had to note was that the circlet would also negate positive magical effects.The gauntlets were Gauntlets of Archery. Out of all the spells in the world, there were some which could only be used if their caster possessed shooting skills, which was why the Sorcerer King had made that item. However, the Sorcerer King had abandoned those spells after making that item, and so the gauntlets were useless to him. They hadnguished in storage until now.Finally, the ne was an item that consumed mana to cast the Third Tier divine spell ¡¸Heavy Recover¡¹. While one could use it indefinitely as long as one possessed sufficient mana, it consumed more magical power than casting it directly. Given Neia¡¯s meager reserves of mana, it was best for her to consider it a one-use item. Therefore, she would have to think carefully about when to best use it. This item had not been made by the Sorcerer King or his peers; he had simply been taken with its appearance and had purchased it from somewhere.Indeed, a closer look revealed that the ne was of very fine workmanship. It looked like a goddess holding up an emerald. Indeed, it was a very attractive work of art.Neia looked at these valuable items, and then shook her head in refusal.¡°I, I¡¯m very sorry, Your Majesty, but I cannot ept these items.¡±The magic items that the Sorcerer King offered were most definitely top notch gear. However, what would happen if Neia died while wearing them? These items would fall into the hands of the demihumans, and they would end up strengthening the demihumans instead. Even if they did not fall into the hands of the demihumans, what would happen if her corpse went missing during the chaos of battle and her equipment vanished with her? More to the point, Neia already had the bow which the Sorcerer King had bestowed upon her, so how could she be discontent with that and borrow more things from him?Speaking of which, she ought to return that bow to the Sorcerer King before going to battle.¡°Why is that? These items will be useful to you in the fighting toe, will it not? After all, you are a warrior-type, and youck mana, so you might not even be able to use that ne¡¯s ability. Why don¡¯t you take it and give it a try?¡±Neia confessed her uneasiness in response to the Sorcerer King¡¯s question. The Sorcerer King heard her words and simply smiled.¡°How about this? Go onto the battlefield with the determination to bring these items back to me, no matter the cost.¡±Neia had been resolved to do just that all along, but resolve alone could not break through her uneasiness. After hearing her answer, the Sorcerer King waved his hand in a magnanimous fashion.¡°Oh, just take them. I have spells that can locate magic items. I can find them even if they¡¯re lost.¡±¡°Is that so?¡±¡°Yes, it is... all right, no need to stand on ceremony. Make use of them.¡±If the Sorcerer King could make facial expressions, he would have probably been smiling ¨D those thoughts ran through Neia¡¯s mind as she heard his kind words.Now that he had offered them with such sincerity, rejecting them would be an act of rudeness. The notion of epting his goodwill warred with the desire to apologize for incurring a loss to the Sorcerous Kingdom. Those thoughts swirled in Neia¡¯s mind¨D¡°Well? Can you not make me a promise? A promise to return them all to me afterwards?¡±¡°!¡±Come back alive. That was the meaning behind those words, and they moistened the corners of her eyes with tears. Only her parents had ever treated her with such kindness before.The Sorcerous Kingdom is blessed to have such a merciful sovereign. As Neia thought that, she bit her lip and lowered her head.¡°Thank you very much! I swear I will return them!¡±¡°...Hm.¡±She lifted her head, and wiped away the tearsShe could not put the armor on here after all. However, putting on the gauntlets, ne, and circlet should not be an issue. She began by fastening the ne around her neck.In the moment that she put it on, she immediately understood the abilities of the magic item and how to use them. It was as though the item was a part of her, and making use of it was as natural and effortless as using her own limbsNext was the circlet. However, she did not feel anything special when she put it on. Still, ording to the previous exnation, she would probably understand when the time came.Thest item was the gauntlets.Unlike the others, she could clearly feel the difference.Power coursed through her.It felt very much like the time she had strengthening magic cast upon her. Her muscles felt like they had suddenly doubled and her movements were both swifter and more precise. In addition, she could make out tiny details, and even her cardiovascr fitness had improved. She felt full of stamina.It was as though every aspect of her physical abilities had improved.¡°This is amazing...¡±Strength gained through training umted slowly, so it was hard to perceive. However, she could clearly feel the intense augmentation of her physical capabilities. More surprising was the fact that she did not feel any awkwardness in controlling her body given the differences between her previous and present self.¡°Magic really is amazing...¡±The Sorcerer King shrugged as he heard Neia react in awe.¡°That¡¯s true. In fact, I¡¯ve been quite surprised by utility spells myself.¡±¡°By that, do you mean...?¡±¡°Spells which can create sugar and pepper and ice. Then there are spells which can even create ores, though they¡¯re not very mana-efficient. Some cities also depend on utility spells to supplement their water supply... It would seem utility spells are closely linked to the development of this world¡¯s culture.¡±¡°Is... that so?¡±Why would a great magic caster like the Sorcerer King be surprised by such trivial spells? Still, it must make sense, given that the Sorcerer King had said it. And indeed, utility spells hade to be of great use in many ces; daily life might not have been possible without such magic.¡°Also, there are those sewers which use slimes... or rather, coexist with them... ah, I¡¯m straying from the point. Miss Baraja, pay me no heed and return to your work.¡±In truth, there was no task more important than keeping the Sorcerer Kingpany. However, it was also true that theycked manpower, and Neia had a surprising number of things to do, While said tasks werergely rted to standing guard, which anyone could do, they were still very important.¡°Thank you very much, Your Majesty. I promise that I will return alive.¡±¡°Ah, if things get really bad, then flee to the east. In all likelihood, that¡¯s the only ce where you might have a chance to survive.¡±Neia picked up Buser¡¯s armor and bowed before leaving the room.***Inside the operations room, Remedios Custodio and three pdins studied a force distribution chart.Unlike how she would make people sigh in exasperation most of the time, her mind was nimble and perceptive when it came to warfare. While her younger sister would say, ¡°You¡¯ve got a great body there, all you need now is to study a little more,¡± she could not have gained her present fighting skill if she had heeded that advice.That was because she was different from her sister, who had been blessed with three gifts ¨D wisdom, talent, and beauty.Our fighting strength is 10,000. Theirs is estimated at 40,000. Our win conditions are to hold on until reinforcements from the south arrive, or the enemy retreats... we might actually be able to do it if there were ten of me around...If the members of the Nine Colors who had been chosen for their fighting strength were present, they might have been able to put up a good fight, but the fact remained that the present situation was incredibly grim.If we want to buy time, we need to counterattack the enemy hard during their first offensive. That¡¯ll put the enemy on their guard and give us the time we need. After all, the enemy doesn¡¯t know what forces we possess, right?She had also seriously considered the proposal ofunching a first strike.They could gather their forces at the east gate and crush the enemy there in one mighty blow before wheeling around to head for the west gate.However, she had quickly reached a conclusion ¨D all would be lost if they failed. It was very likely that the west gate would be lost to the enemy¡¯s main force before they defeated the small detachment positioned at the east gate, and thus the city would fall.And of course, there was the disparity between their forces. They had topensate for that gap if they wanted to win.But that¡¯s impossible.Remedios wrinkled her brow and looked at the tokens ced on the map.She hoped for a sh of inspiration to descend from on high. However, no such thing happened.¡°Do you lot have any ideas?¡±¡°Yes. Personally speaking¨D¡±She listened to the pdin¡¯s proposal, shot it down, then asked for more ideas, and the process repeated until none of them coulde up with anything. Just then, a knock rang through the weighty silence of the room.¡°Captain, you¡¯re here.¡±The person who entered was the vice-captain ¨D Gustav Montagnes. It felt like she had been saved by the bell. It would seem the other pdins in the room also felt that way, as a faint glimmer of hope appeared on their crestfallen faces.¡°Ahh, you came just in time. I wanted to ask if you had any ideas.¡±Remedios gestured to the map sprawled across the table with her chin. It would seem Gustav had gotten her meaning, because he nodded.¡°I can supply a suggestion or two, but can I discuss a few things with you beforehand?¡±¡°Hm? What is it? Go ahead and tell me.¡±¡°Ah...¡± Gustav continued in a more subdued tone. ¡°Actually, things have gotten quite bad. Some of the people want to know if the Sorcerer King will be taking part in the fighting.¡±The Sorcerer King would not be fighting in this battle. This was both to recover the mana he had expended until now, and and to ount for the case that Jaldabaoth¡¯s n was to make him expend mana here.Remedios had difficulty epting the first reason, since her little sister Krt could restore her mana within a day. However, everybody else felt that the Sorcerer King could not be held to the same standards as human beings, given that he had taken back the city single-handedly, and so Remedios said nothing more. Come to think of it, there had been priests present as well, and they too had agreed with him.However, even Remedios could ept the second reason.Who could tell if Jaldabaoth was hiding within the enemy ranks?In the first ce, they had brought the Sorcerer King here to fight Jaldabaoth. While it would be best if both of them ended up killing each other, she had no wish to see the Sorcerer King defeated. Therefore, it was only natural for her to work as closely as she could with the Sorcerer King so that he could fight to the fullest of his ability, even if she intensely despised the undead.Even so, there had still been some who wanted the Sorcerer King to take the field. Some of the nobles who had remained in the city had offered huge sums of money ¨D which had made even Remedios¡¯s eyes go so wide that they looked like they might fall out of her head ¨D to induce him to fight, but the Sorcerer King had rejected their offers.¡°What¡¯s wrong with that? The Sorcerer King won¡¯t be fighting in this battle. You should know that too, right? Just tell them and be done with it.¡±¡°Captain. We can¡¯t tell them about this. If things go badly ¨D no, even if all goes well, it¡¯ll cause a huge uproar.¡±¡°Why is that?¡±She could not understand it. What was wrong with the Sorcerer King not fighting?After seeing the doubt written all over Remedios¡¯s face, Gustav frowned and replied:¡°That¡¯s because the people who watched us take back the city know that there are things which we pdins can¡¯t do, but which the Sorcerer King can aplish with only two people.¡±She still could not understand what Gustav was trying to say.¡°That may upset some people, but that¡¯s how things are. What¡¯s wrong with that?¡±¡°No, what I¡¯m trying to say is, they trust the Sorcerer King more than us pdins. If the people of this city learn that the Sorcerer King ¨D the most reliable and powerful asset we have ¨D is not fighting, morale will plunge to rock bottom.¡±¡°Trust? ...You do realize the Sorcerer King is undead, don¡¯t you?¡±¡°It doesn¡¯t matter that he¡¯s undead. The Sorcerer King freed the city and rescued prisoners. So to them, the Sorcerer King is a hero.¡±¡°A hero?¡±Remedios rolled her eyes as she repeated Gustav¡¯s words back to him.¡°The people think he¡¯s a hero? But he¡¯s undead, no? They hate the living and love death. He abandoned the hostages ¨D no, he killed them off without any hesitation, didn¡¯t he?¡±¡°It¡¯s all the same to them. Also... it would be one thing if they simply regarded him as a hero. If this goes on, people will start thinking of the Sorcerer King as their savior. If things go wrong, it might affect the Holy King¡¯s¨D¡±¡°The Holy Queen¡¯s, you mean,¡± Remedios¡¯s face twisted into a frown. ¡°I¡¯ve said this many times already, but Calca-sama must be locked up somewhere. There were pdins and priests copsed everywhere after that battle with Jaldabaoth, but we couldn¡¯t find Calca-sama and Krt anywhere. He wouldn¡¯t need to move her if she was dead. I¡¯m sure she must have been taken hostage.¡±¡°I misspoke, Captain. I feel that it might be a problem that could cause problems for Her Majesty¡¯s reign.¡±¡°Her reign?¡±¡°Yes. ...Our fortress line has been smashed and nobody can stop the demihumans from invading. There will start to be people who want to flock to the side of a supreme being who can protect them.¡±¡°But he¡¯s undead... you know?¡±¡°I say again, it doesn¡¯t matter if he¡¯s undead. He saved them in their hour of need, didn¡¯t he?¡±Remedios still could not understand that point.¡°But the Sorcerer King wasn¡¯t the only one fighting, was he? We fought too, under the Holy Queen¡¯s g.¡±¡°Yes. You¡¯re right. We all fought, even themon folk. But even with all that taken into consideration, if the Sorcerer King does more than us, then there might be people who would value him over the Holy Queen and seek to make him their new ruler.¡±¡°Hah!?¡± Remedios unconsciously raised her voice. ¡°How did that happen? Not only is he a hero, that undead creature¡¯s being ced above the Holy Queen? Do you even know what you¡¯re saying?¡±¡°No, the people¨D¡±¡°¨DIt doesn¡¯t matter, he¡¯s still undead! How much suffering and effort do you think Her Majesty had to go through for the sake of the people? How could the people¨D¡±¡°¨DPlease wait, Captain!¡±¡°What do you mean, wait!? What the hell are you talking about, Gustav? No, is that what you truly believe?¡±In the grip of her powerful emotions, Remedios mmed her fist down on the table. As someone who had entered the realm of heroes, that blow crushed the area of the table beneath it and gouged a chunk out, which fell to the ground. The bizarre damage pattern looked like some giant had pressed out the edge of the table, and it spoke of the extent of her anger.¡°Please calm down, Captain! We all know the greatness and kindness of Her Majesty as a matter of course. There¡¯s no way the Sorcerer King or any other undead creature couldpare to the great Holy Queen. But we only know that because we stood by the Holy Queen¡¯s side.¡±¡°Are you out of your mind? Even if they¡¯ve never had an audience with her before, there¡¯s no way anyone would respect the undead of another country more than the ruler of their own nation! You¡¯re delusional!¡±¡°Captain!¡± Gustav eximed, his voice close to a wail. ¡°Even if the Sorcerer King is undead and the king of another nation, he was still the one who freed them from torment! And that is something... something that Her Majesty, that wecould not do!¡±Gustav spewed those words out in one big burst, and the room echoed with the sound of him trying to calm his flustered breathing.¡°...What do you all think?¡±The pdins who had previously been in the room all looked at each other as they heard Remedios¡¯s quiet voice. After that, one of them spoke up, a look of mortal determination on his face.¡°Naturally, we pdins do not consider the Sorcerer King a hero. However, we also know that themon folk might feel that way.¡±After that, another person spoke.¡°Most of the people know that the Sorcerer King conquered this city with the strength of just two ¨D no, one person. Those who have not seen the Sorcerer King¡¯s power in turn exaggerate these rumors, further deifying him.¡±Thest one added:¡°It is a fact that the Sorcerer King stepped forward by himself to offer aid to a country which was neither an ally nor one that was friendly to him. If we disregard the fact that he is undead... those actions would qualify as heroic.¡±It would seem Remedios was the only one who could not ept this state of affairs. In that case, how could she respond to Gustav¡¯s question after all this had sunk in?It was true that not having their hero take part in the fighting would cause morale to drop, and thinking about the reasons for that would lead to amotion. After all, the enemy outnumbered them four to one. Anyone would be in that frame of mind when they thought about having to fight something like that.¡°...Then why don¡¯t we paint the Sorcerer King as a viin and kill two birds with one stone? How about telling the masses that the Sorcerer King won¡¯t help us any more?¡±¡°Lying would be a very bad idea,¡± Gustav said. ¡°The mood of the people is like a dam just before it bursts. If they learn the truth through one channel or another and discover that we were trying to hide the truth, the matter would spiral out of our control.¡±¡°Well, we don¡¯t have to tell a t-out lie. We can do it in a roundabout way.¡±¡°If the people think it¡¯s a lie, then they¡¯ll treat it as a lie.¡±¡°Then all we need to do is keep them from seeing the Sorcerer King, no?¡±¡°...So if a riot breaks out or if someone wants to plead with him in person, we¡¯ll kill them off?¡±¡°...I don¡¯t want to do that.¡±Gustav sighed heavily.¡°This is frustrating. The Sorcerer King showed too much of his strength. I feel we wouldn¡¯t be like this if we had taken this city back under our own power... If the worstes to worst, the country itself might be torn apart. Who¡¯s going to stop the Sorcerer King if he deres thisnd an enve of the Sorcerous Kingdom?¡±¡°This nation belongs to Her Majesty and the people who live upon it! Not to the undead! And besides, do you think the surrounding nations will ept that!?¡±Remedios pounded on the table again. However, Gustav¡¯s face did not change, and he interjected:¡°They probably will. Captain, you saw them too, right... the monsters in his city. No other nation would want to be the enemy of the Sorcerous Kingdom, which possesses such frightening military power. It would be wiser to simply turn a blind eye to the Holy Kingdom, which is now impotent... and if this ce bes an enve, the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s defensive strength will be divided between two fronts, and many of the nearby countries will agree that it is a good thing. And if the people wish for this to happen as well, the Sorcerer King will have just cause for his actions.¡±¡°...So being a country of the undead is better than being a nation whose people can¡¯t even defend themselves... is that how it is, vice-captain?¡±Gustav nodded at the pdin¡¯s question. ¡°Just so.¡±¡°Gustav. Did I make a mistake in bringing the Sorcerer King back here?¡±¡°Of course not, Captain. It was the best choice at the time. However... it is true that we¡¯ve relied too much on the Sorcerer King¡¯s power. Like I said earlier, if we had taken back those prison camps with our own strength, we wouldn¡¯t be in this situation now. For all we know, the people might still fear and hate the Sorcerer King, being that he¡¯s one of the undead.¡±¡°...So what should we do?¡±¡°We need to appease the people, buy time, and defeat the enemy army by ourselves. If we can¡¯t even do that, then even if we defeat Jaldabaoth... the fighting might still continue.¡±Remedios looked up to the ceiling.¡°...Then that¡¯s what we have to do. Damn that Sorcerer King... did he n all this out beforehand?¡±¡°I don¡¯t know... I really don¡¯t know. But he might have.¡±¡°Maybe he desires to expand his domain. Is the Sorcerous Kingdom very small?¡±¡°I wouldn¡¯t say it¡¯s very small, but it¡¯s true that the Sorcerous Kingdom is only his city and thend around it, as well as that in which is rumored to spawnrge quantities of the undead.¡±So that was why he had his eyes on the Holy Kingdom¡¯snd. There was certainly more than enough evidence to lead to that conclusion.¡°That damn undead creature! We should have asked for Momon¡¯s strength after all!¡±¡°Perhaps things might have ended the same if Momon hade. The shock would simply not have been as great as the impact which the Sorcerer King made. A king conquering a city by himself is an incredibly striking image. The fact that said king is one of the undead who are our nation¡¯s sworn enemies is also a big factor in this.¡±In other words, a viin doing a good thing had a greater impact than an average person doing the same thing.¡°...Damn it.¡±Now that silence had returned to the room, Remedios ¨D who finally realised that Gustav was asking for her opinion ¨D gave her orders.¡°We¡¯ll discuss this with Caspond-sama. If, perhaps, though I feel it¡¯s not too likely, just in case, Her Majesty has passed away, then he is the most eligible person to be the next Holy King.¡±¡°Since we have not yet found any other members of the royal family, that will certainly be the case. We¡¯ll go ask his opinion of all this, then.¡±Remedios left the pdins in the room and led Gustav to Caspond¡¯s room.In the end, things turned out just like Gustav had predicted. The conclusion was that they would dy in answering the people and if the enemy should attack during this time, they would face them without the assumption of the Sorcerer King¡¯s assistance and beat them back, thus showing the world that the strength of the Holy Kingdom was still undiminished.<b>Part 3</b>There wererge movements in the demihuman camp ¨D upon receiving that report, Neia knew that the time hade.There was no doubt about it; this was a prelude to an attack.Neia ran through the city, wearing in the gear she had borrowed from the Sorcerer King.She knew that the people she was running past were staring at her.Their line of sight was drawn to the magnificent bow she had borrowed from the Sorcerer King, and then they looked at the armor previously worn by the ex-ruler of the city, the Grand King Buser, and they were filled with shock. Neia¡¯s acute hearing picked out people asking a question through the noise of the crowd: ¡°Who is that warrior?¡± It was answered by ¡°It¡¯s the Sorcerer King¡¯s squire¡± or ¡°The woman from the Sorcerous Kingdom.¡±I¡¯m not from the Sorcerous Kingdom...It bothered her every time she heard false rumors like that. Part of her wanted to know, yet did not want to know how the rumors had wrongly depicted her. However, she would need to clearly and firmly deny any rumors which might inconvenience the Sorcerer King.Still, the Sorcerer King¡¯s squire...It pleased her, but just as she was about to smile, a quiet groan came from one of the people she ran past.Even if he does resemble Father...That thought passed through Neia¡¯s mind as she arrived at the wall adjoining the west gate, where she had been assigned. That was also where practically all of the demihuman forces were gathered.Close to eighty percent of all the pdins, priests, soldiers and able-bodied men in the city had been stationed at the west gate or in its vicinity. The remaining twenty were assigned to the east gate, while the women, children, old folks, and other nonbatants were keeping watch from the north and south city walls.Remedios Custodiomanded the west gate. Gustav Montagnesmanded the east gate. Caspond Bessarez was the nominal suprememander. Of course, the suprememander stayed within the headquarters in the center of the city and did not venture out.She could see the west gate atst.The Sorcerer King had demolished the east gate¡¯s portcullis, but the west gate¡¯s portcullis was still intact. However, many demihumans were stronger than human beings. They could probably wreck it easily with logs.Neia clenched her hand into a fist before it could tremble.If they broke through this point and made their way inside, it would be very difficult to deal with the demihumans once they began spreading through the city. In other words, the city would be lost.Given the circumstances, Neia could not run. She would probably fight and die inbat against a vast swarm of demihumans.Neia brought her trembling hand to her mouth, and then bit down.Don¡¯t be afraid! If you¡¯re scared, you¡¯ll miss a target you could have hit!The magic item she borrowed from the Sorcerer King could defend against magical mental attacks, but it could not suppress the fear born of her own heart. Even so, she would probably have been even more frightened if she had not worn it.As she felt the pain spreading from her fingers, Neia entered a tower on what seemed to be the left side of the city and ran up the stairs to the top of the wall.Neia had been assigned to the Sorcerer King¡¯s side, and so she was apparently thest to show up ¨D of course, her superior officers had granted her special dispensation so she would not be censured for beingte ¨D and the other people who were supposed to be here were already present.As Neia prepared to rush off to her station, the pdinmanding the left nk of the western wall stopped her.¡°The Sorcerer King ¨D His Majesty seems to be missing.¡±For a moment, Neia looked at the pdin in surprise. She had already reported to her superiors that the Sorcerer King had no intention of taking part in this battle, but they were still asking her this question. Did that mean they had not yet informed the others about it?However, Neia immediately sensed that this was not the case. This man was holding on to a sliver of hope ¨D he was wondering if the Sorcerer King would change his mind and show up.Neia looked upon the demihuman army that was sprawled outside the city. There were well over 30,000 demihumans there, but the pressure of looking directly at them made them feel more numerous than they actually were.Neia could understand why anyone would wish for the aid of the overwhelmingly powerful Sorcerer King in the face of such a force. That was because Neia had once felt the same way too. However¨D¡°Yes. The Sorcerer King is not here. That¡¯s because this is our ¨D the Holy Kingdom¡¯s battle.¡±The pdin was speechless for a moment.Neia slipped past him and ran to her post¨D¡°¨DHold on! Squire Neia Baraja!¡±¡°Yes!¡±Neia stopped and stood at attention.¡°Stand by here for the time being.¡±¡°Eh!?¡±Neia looked around. This ce was close to the exit of the tower which led to the top of the city wall. A lot of people would be moving through this ce. Would she not be getting in everyone¡¯s way if she stood here? In addition, this ce was far from Neia¡¯s assigned position, which was close to the center.¡°May, may I ask the reason for this? Is there something you need me to do?¡±¡°No, no, it¡¯s not like we need you to do anything, it¡¯s actually a little troublesome. ...Squire Baraja. Just stay put here. Do you understand!?¡±¡°Ah, yes...¡±She had no idea what was going on, but there must have been some reason for it. There was no reason to keep a trained soldier here for no reason when the fighting might break out at any moment.Was my assignment changed? Is it so that I can focus on sniping the enemymanders? ...The bow I borrowed from the Sorcerer King looks amazing even at a nce, so does that mean they¡¯re using me as a trump card?¡°I understand. How long will I be waiting? Also, where shall I wait?¡±¡°Ah, um, well, just until the enemy moves in. As for where, anywhere is fine.¡±¡°Huh? I need to wait right until thest moment?¡±It was indeed weird. Just as a sense of wrongness began to fill Neia, several men who looked like they hade from the militia carried a huge pot up the stairs. This was probably food for the defenders standing by on the walls. They were sweating far more than the cold weather warranted, and it was clear that these men hade back and forth many times. It was only to be expected, given that they were feeding several hundred men.Neia leaned against the wall to give them room to pass, and the men moved hurriedly past her. However, one of them lifted their head a little and noticed Neia¡¯s face.¡°Huh? Aren¡¯t you the Sorcerer King¡¯s squire ¨D ah, no, would that be you, ma¡¯am?¡±¡°Ah, no need to be so formal... er, forgive me. Yes. I have been assigned the duty of serving as the Sorcerer King¡¯s squire.¡±Perhaps they had heard Neia speak with the man, but the other pot-bearers stopped and looked at Neia in surprise. It was probably for the same reason as the man from just now.She was slightly embarrassed to be known as the Sorcerer King¡¯s squire, but at the same time she felt very proud of herself.The men did not know how Neia felt, and they worriedly asked, ¡°I say, ah, actually, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to ask the Sorcerer King¨D¡±¡°¨DStop that! No, could I please ask you to save it forter? She¡¯s very busy. Would you mind carrying on with your work?¡±Suddenly, the pdin stepped between Neia and the men, as though to hide her.That was a strange thing to do. It looked as though he did not want her to speak with those men¨DWas that the reason for the order just now? He doesn¡¯t want me to talk to them... why is that? Is it because they were going to ask a question about the Sorcerer King?She did not know why he was doing this, but finding the answer would be simple enough.¡°I don¡¯t mind. What seems to be the problem?¡±Since the pdin did not want her to speak, then she would just have to address them directly.¡°Squire Baraja!¡±¡°Are you trying to keep people from asking about the Sorcerer King!?¡±Neia answered as loudly as the shout which had been directed at her.In truth, it was quite shameless to keep borrowing the Sorcerer King¡¯s reputation like this, but she had to make sure the Holy Kingdom was not doing anything which might negatively impact the Sorcerer King. She did not want her home country to disgrace itself.Neia gently addressed the man who had asked her the question earlier. Of course, she knew that it was probably going to frighten him, even if she felt her tone was gentle.¡°I will answer to the best of my ability if your question is rted to the great Sorcerer King. That said, I am not of the Sorcerous Kingdom, so I regret to say there are many things I do not know either.¡±¡°Eh!? But you ¨D aren¡¯t you from the Sorcerous Kingdom, ma¡¯am?¡±¡°Eh!? No, no, it¡¯s not like that. I¡¯m a squire from the pdins of this country.¡±¡°Eh? Really?¡±¡°Well, yes? So you don¡¯t need to be all formal with me...¡±The crowd burst into amotion. Perhaps it was because the pdin had shouted at her just now, but at some point the militiamen on the walls had started looking her way.While matters had taken quite an embarrassing turn, she could not look let herself look bad now that she had invoked the name of the Sorcerer King. Neia puffed up her chest proudly, determined to let all the soldiers present hear her. It would seem the pdin had resigned himself to the fact that he could not hide this, and so he stood to one side while ring angrily at Neia.¡°Then, first off... That armor of yours looked like something that the boss of those goat-headed monsters wore. Were you the one who defeated it?¡±¡°No, not at all. The previous wearer of this armor was the Grand King Buser, and the Sorcerer King ughtered him with a single spell.¡±Ohhh, the crowd enthused.She could hear snatches of conversation from the crowd: ¡°He actually beat that monster!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe he used only one spell,¡± ¡°Did he really take down a whole city by himself... he actually defeated so many demihumans...¡± ¡°He¡¯s super strong... I think I¡¯m falling for him...¡± ¡°He¡¯s not like the undead I know at all...¡± and so on.Even though they were whispering into each others¡¯ ears or muttering to themselves, Neia¡¯s keen ears could clearly hear them.Of course, it made her very happy to know that others felt the same way about the great man she so admired. This was particrly true for those people who maintained that opinion despite knowing that he was undead.His Majesty¡¯s efforts were not in vain, there are people out there who get it...¡°Then, then, ah, will His Majesty be lending us a helping hand this time round?¡±The ruckus fell silent in an instant, and that reaction told Neia that this question was a critical one.¡°...His Majesty will not be taking part in this battle. This is because it is a battle that we, as citizens of the Holy Kingdom, are fighting to save our nation, and not another country¡¯s war. In addition, His Majesty needs to conserve mana for when he faces Jaldabaoth.¡±The men¡¯s faces fell as they heard her reply. Neia prepared herself for a rebuke¨D¡°Well, that makes sense... normally, the king of another country wouldn¡¯te over by himself. Heaven will punish us if we¡¯re not grateful to him despite all he¡¯s done for us.¡±¡°Yeah. Also, she said that he¡¯s saving up his mana to defeat Jaldabaoth.¡±¡°...That king is very cool-headed, but even so he¡¯s a man who¡¯ll choose a method that saves more people... no, he¡¯s undead. In that case, there must be a reason why he won¡¯t take part in this battle. I mean, I saw it back then.¡±¡°Ahh, I saw it too. It¡¯s true that we¡¯re the ones who value this country the most. ¨DI¡¯ll protect my wife!¡±¡°What are you talking about?¡±¡°We came from the prison camps before this city was liberated¨D¡±She could hear voices of goodwill from all around her.Of course, there were some who were unhappy that the Sorcerer King was noting to help. However, they were outnumbered by the people who could understand the Sorcerer King¡¯s considerations, and it warmed her heart.¡°May I return to my post now?¡±Neia addressed her question to the pdin. She now understood why he did not want her to go to her post earlier. In that case, there ought to be no problems in letting her head there now.The pdin did not hide how he felt as he told Neia to ¡°Go,¡± with a bitter look on his face.Neia walked past the soldiers who were loudly discussing the Sorcerer King and arrived at the ce she had been assigned to. She then intently studied the enemy encampment.It was a vast army. It boasted enough manpower to devour everyone here in one gulp. It was the enemy which would be attacking them.She felt like she was going to throw up again.How many times had her father felt like this when he was manning the fortress line?Neia looked up at the sky, which was as overcast as her heart.***The demihuman army made their move during the day.Neia hurried to finish up her porridge.Said porridge was made of oat grains boiled with milk and served in a wooden bowl. Thanks to the winter air outside, it was cold by the time it reached Neia¡¯s hands and, frankly speaking, it was awful. However, if she did not eat her body would not be able to endure the extended exertion it would have to go through afterwards, and there would be no more food waiting for her. In addition, while there was supposed to be a relief shift for her, Neia had the feeling that she would not be sessfully relieved, and that she would be too busy for a proper mealter on. That was why they had been given such arge portion for lunchShe forced the spoon into her mouth, forcing herself to swallow the thick, white clumps of oatmeal that were swollen with milk.The sheer amount she had to swallow bloated her belly, and the knowledge that this horrible stuff might be herst meal filled her with despair.At the battlements overlooking the demihuman army, Neia curled herself up on a cotton mat. Her grey-colored coat would be her only defense against the winter cold from now on. The militiamen had started eating at the same time as her but they had not yet finished.Everyone was frowning. Clearly nobody was happy with the taste. That could not be helped.However, their tense expressions were not due to the oatmeal porridge. Their eyes were not looking at the food in their hands, but the demihumans making their advance.There was no way anyone could be happy ¨D or hopeful ¨D when looking upon those overwhelming numbers.Then there were those who had once been prisoners. Their taste of demihuman rule had engraved an intense fear into them. They were under so much stress that they were unable to eat.What would the Sorcerer King do under these circumstances?Would he give a grand, spirited speech to heighten their will to fight? Or would heugh it off?Neia had no idea what heroic actions he would take. Still, even if she knew, she could not emte him. After all, she waspletely different from the Sorcerer King, who was both a hero and a king.Also, it would probably cause problems if Neia said something like ¡°rx and don¡¯t worry¡± to them. After all, appropriate tension was what drove things forward.Their faces might have been downcast, but there was no sign that they had given in to despair, nor were there any signs that they wanted to flee. There was something about them, something that one could only find in soldiers who had prepared themselves to meet their fate.The reason for that was apparently due to something that one of the militiamen ¨D who had been one of the first to be freed from the prison camps ¨D had said about the Sorcerer King. It spread through the soldiers stationed at the walls like wildfire.Lives were not equally important.They were unhappy when they heard he had killed a hostage whom the demihumans were holding. It was a ruthless act that was very characteristic of the undead. However, the people who had been there strenuously insisted that it was not the case. They spoke of how that iparably powerful Sorcerer King had said, ¡°Even I would be the victim in the face of someone stronger than me.¡±Neia remembered those words too. Back then, he had seemed extremely human, even radiating a tragic stoicism which felt like determination and resolve personified. It was a powerful promise to protect those things which were important to him and it had a persuasive power to it which could not be put into words.And then, they thought about what would happen to the people dear to them if they were defeated here.Their fighting spirit was strengthened by a powerful sense of purpose, which said ¡°I don¡¯t want to let my loved ones go through hell again.¡±Had His Majesty considered that things might end up like this all that time ago?If he had not said those words to stiffen the people¡¯s resolve, their forces might have lost their morale in the face of the overwhelming army before them, and they might even have dissolved into a rout.Neia had only seen the Holy Queen once. She had almost no idea of her abilities or her character. Still, she was certain the Sorcerer King was superior to her as a ruler in both aspects. Or rather, the Sorcerer King was probably the sort of sovereign who was known as the King of Kings, the highest order of monarch, even among other kings.¡°And here I used to feel that the people of the Sorcerous Kingdom were pitiful because they were ruled by the undead...¡±However, they might have been very lucky now that she thought about it. Those words caught in Neia¡¯s throat, did a loop and refused to leave her mouth. After all, it would not be good if the people around her heard them. Just then¨D¡°Confirmed enemy advance! All hands prepare for battle!¡±A great shout came from the distance.Everyone gulped down their porridge and went to battle stations.If an army which was over 10,000 strong made its move, the air would shudder, to the point where it might even shake the walls of the city. It felt like the oing pressure would squash them t.In fact, Neia¡¯s acute hearing had picked up the earthshaking mor of an advancing army, and despondent wails rose up from the militiamen.Morale was falling fast.Still, there was nothing Neia could do, and she was not in a position to do anything either. Neia¡¯s job was to fill every enemies who entered her range with arrows.Ever since this city had been taken back, she had spent every waking moment practicing her archery when she had not been performing her duties as a squire. She mused that it was thanks to that practice that she had gotten used to Ultimate Shootingstar Super, and she was now able to use it properly.Still, why are the demihumans attacking now? Attacking at night would be better for them... do they have something in mind? If the Sorcerer King were here, I could ask him about this...The absence of the magic caster who had walked beside or in front of her for the past month made her feel like there was something important missing from her heart.No. I can¡¯t rely on His Majesty for everything. I need to stand on my own two feet... Although I¡¯m not sure exactly what the demihumans are nning, there ought to be a reason forunching their attack in broad daylight. In that case, it would be best not to be careless.As Neia observed the demihumans from the battlements, the frontline of demihumans drew her attention....Hey, that¡¯s...There was an Ogre standing three meters tall in the front rank. That demihuman carried a massive weapon.It was some kind of ranged weapon that was protected by a wooden shield. It was a ballista. Although it seemed just right for the demihuman due to thetter¡¯s massive size, the fact was that they could be used as siege weapons.Many Ogres carried these weapons, which ought to have been mounted in ce, and they stood in a row.Had they scavenged them from a city and remodelled them for upright shooting?The drums thundered, and the ballistas were prepared to fire.And then¨D¨DThe city walls literally began to shake. The battlements copsed in some ces. While they would have to have been lucky not to take any casualties given the circumstances, luck was with them for now.A gigantic arrow shattered the battlements. It was not so much an arrow as a javelin. A thick javelin that was longer than Neia was tall raced through the air and embedded itself in the walls. At this point, the only word for it was ¡°siege weapon.¡± Surely nobody could take a hit from it and survive.The Ogres looked like they were preparing for a second volley.¡°You bastards!¡±Neia stared at them.The Ogres were far, far away.Given the power of her bow, she could probably hit them at that range. However, its pration ability would be greatly diminished, and the fact was that she could not practice long-range shooting like this within the city limits. She did not know the range to them, and she was not confident that she could shoot through the ballistas¡¯ shields and kill their wielders.That being the case, all they could do was open the gates and fight a pitched battle to kill the ballista team, but that would be an extremely foolish move.In other words, all they could do was keep on taking this one-sided attack.We have to pull back... but if we do, we can¡¯t stop the enemy advance. What kind of n does the brass have?Although the enemy was only shooting so far, they would move to take the walls if the men retreated, and if the enemy seized the walls, then the city was all but lost.They would take control of the stairs leading down from the walls and force the soldiers around it back to open the gates in order to let the main body of their forces into the city. All they needed to do was force that sequence of events through by dint of sheer power. There was nothing they could do about it. Even Remedios would have a hard time being surrounded by enemies in a melee.In that case, all they could do was sacrifice their rear guard and flee the city from the east. However, that would probably lead to the situation they had discussed in a previous strategy meeting ¨D they would be harried along the ins, or they would be crushed between this army and the one arrayed against the south.What would the pdinmanding the west gate decide?Would he fall back, or would he fight to the end?As Neia contemted the matter, a second volley came from the enemy.The walls shook again as thence-sized projectiles struck it. The trembling felt more intense than thest time, and at the same time she heard an unrecognizable sound.¡°Abbbahhhhh!¡±She looked at the source of the sound and witnessed a horrific sight.One of the ballista bolts had shot clean through a wall and impaled a militiaman hiding behind it. Blood bubbled out of his mouth. Several secondster, the man¡¯s twitching stopped and he copsed like a puppet whose strings had been cut. The bolt had nailed him to the wall like an insect specimen, and his arms and legs dangled limply downwards.Screams broke out from around her as the men saw the hideous corpse which had suddenly appeared among them.Neia grabbed the ne which the Sorcerer King had lent her, and bit her lip.That was a fatal wound. No amount of healing magic could cure that.The death of one soldier did not greatly affect their fighting strength. However, the fear generated by his gruesome death infected the surroundings. The thought that they might be next and that there was nowhere safe for them triggered the survival instincts of the men, and their bodies trembled.¡°¡¸Under Divine g¡¹!¡±Someone cast a spell.The terror coursing through the militiamen was suppressed in that moment. This was the result of using magic to improve their resistance to fear. While the divine spell ¡¸Lion¡¯s Heart¡¹ providedplete immunity to fear, it was only effective on a single target. In contrast, ¡¸Under Divine g¡¹ affected everyone in a sphere around the caster.That was why the pdins stood among the militiamen.¡°Don¡¯t be afraid!¡± The pdin who had cast the spell shouted, ¡°Take up your weapons to save those who have gone through the same pain as you!¡±Spells and certain special abilities could briefly panic people, but the fear they felt now came from their own hearts. Under the effects of the fear-suppressing spell, the fire zed anew in the militiamen¡¯s eyes.Still, that was simply covering up the actual problem. The important thing was whether they could do anything about the one-sided attack they were taking from the enemy. Otherwise, the only thing that woulde of it would be more dead and wounded. However, Neia could note up with any good ideas.¡°Take cover! The enemy doesn¡¯t have unlimited ammunition! They couldn¡¯t have brought so much with them!¡±I see, Neia thought. Most of their resources ought to be going to the south in order to provision the army standing off against the southern forces, so was that why they thought that they would not have brought enough ammunition for their weapons here? Still, even a captive craftsman could make a lot of those bolts in a short time, although the crossbows were a different matter. This was a gamble.¨DThe third wave came.The ogres were not used to archery, and many of them missed their shots. Even so, many of the battlements crumbled under the third volley, and there were many casualties among the militiamen.The massive,nce-like bolts could pierce a man and the man behind him as well.¡¸Under Divine g¡¹was a spell that was centered on the pdin who had cast it, which meant that its effect were strongest when many people were bunched up within its effective radius. However, that only led to more casualties.The sound of pping came through the air before the enemy could fire a fourth time. Winged angels flew through the sky and passed over the heads of Neia and the others.While they were angels of the lowest order, they headed straight for the demihumans. They had burning brands in their right hands and they held pitchers with cloth sticking out of their mouths in their left hands. Those pitchers clearly contained oil or powerful spirits.In other words, they were carrying explosive throwing weapons ¨D firebombs.Of course, the mes produced by those weapons would not harm fire-resistant opponents in the slightest, or demihumans with thick hides orrge bodies. They might not even have an effect at all.On the other hand, there were also those demihumans who could not deal with fire, and damaging the ballistas would also stop the enemy attack.The angels filled the sky above the ballista-wielding Ogres and lit their pitchers. However, they did not even have the time to cast them down.There was a pping sound as demihumans took to the sky. They were Pteropuses. Their hands were shaped into leathery wings, and their arms remained still as they rose straight into the air like they were riding the wind. That was probably the effect of some kind of spell.A white weblike substance flew out at the same time, entangling the angels. It had probably been produced by a special ability of the Spidans.The angels looked like butterflies caught in a spiderweb, and they plunged to the ground since they were unable to move freely. They were swallowed up by the demihuman hordes, and it was needless to say what happened to them after that.However, the angels had not sacrificed themselves in vain.Several firebombs hit the ground, and roaring mes sshed all around.Neia judged that this was the best chance she would get, and tensed her bowstring.Until now, it had been impossible to aim directly at the Ogres due to the shields mounted on their ballistas. Even if she took aim at their unshielded legs instead, it would be nearly impossible to kill them in one hit.Her father would have been able to shoot out an Ogre¡¯s eye through a tiny opening. However, Neia¡¯s skills were not as honed as his. However, the Ogres raised their ballistas and pointed their shields upwards. Perhaps it was because they feared the mes or they were afraid for their ballistas, but whatever the reason, their attention was focused on the fire, and they did not pay her any attention.If she missed this chance, she would probably not get another.She drew her bowstring to its limit, and then loosed her arrow.The magic item she had borrowed from the Sorcerer King aided Neia in bringing forth a result that approached what her father could do.The arrow flew on a startlingly straight path, and struck an Ogre¡¯s head.Neia had not aimed for the thick skull, but a squishy eyeball. While some monsters possessed a protective membrane over their eyes, she judged that it would be easier to strike a fatal blow there rather than targeting the skull.However ¨D things did not go as nned.Her arrow sank into the vicinity of the Ogre¡¯s jaw.The stricken Ogre howled loudly, shuddering from the pain.The Ogre dropped its ballista, and it clutched its face ¨D the part where it had been shot. Then, it shakily turned its back on Neia before falling back. While she had not dealt it a mortal blow, she had at least broken its will to fight.If the demihuman army had healers, it would probably be able to return to the frontlines in no time.¡°Tch!¡±This was all Neia could aplish, even with the aid of the powerful magic items the Sorcerer King had lent her.Neia clicked her tongue and immediately took cover behind the battlements, then pressed herself to the city side of the wall and began to move. The militiamen beside her stared in surprise as she suddenly left her post, and she addressed them in harsh tones.¡°¨DGet out of here! They¡¯re going to counterattack this ce!¡±It was not because they had heard Neia¡¯s shout, but several of the ballistas discharged their projectiles in her direction. While most of the bolts had gone awry, some of themnded in Neia¡¯s vicinity, and they wrecked the nearby wall.If Neia had been unlucky, she might well have been impaled by those bolts.She peeked at the demihumans again. The chaos from the angels and fire attack was being steadily contained, and the Ogres raised their ballistas again. It would seem news of being hit by an arrow had spread throughout the enemy army. In that case, they would probably not make the mistake of lowering their shields again. Therefore ¨D would she gamble on being able to emte her father¡¯s skill by a stroke of luck, hitting them even if she could only strike their exposed bodies? Or would she shrink up like a turtle and wait for her chance?Amidst her confusion, the bow she had borrowed from the Sorcerer King caught the sun¡¯s light and gleamed beautifully.You won¡¯t be praised for rashness...Yes. She had managed to borrow such incredibly potent items, and she had to return them no matter the cost. Therefore, she ought not to take risks.They can¡¯t have that many special bolts!It would seem the demihumans were volleying an endless hail ofnce-sized bolts at them. However, their crude manufacture meant that very often, they flew towards ces with nothing to hit, and some of them even fell into the city streets without striking anything.She could not return fire, so all she could do was hunker down and wait for the enemy attack to stop.Fragments of the destroyed city walls showered Neia. Some unlucky militiamen were hit and died on the spot, but while others silently prayed for the enemy attack to stop, since they could not do anything else.Soon, she heard a mighty doom, the beat of a drum. The same sound repeated itself four times. In the distance, the same sound came from what should have been the left wing of the enemy¡¯s formation....They¡¯re coordinating their movements with the number of drumbeats. It looks like the right and left wings are using that tomunicate. If I could enter the enemy camp and steal one of those drums, then beat wildly on it, that ought to disrupt the enemy¡¯s cohesion ¨D that said, it would be impossible.The enemy ought to know the importance of their drums. Therefore, they would be heavily guarded. In that case, who could charge into their camp?Perhaps an adventurer could use ¡¸Invisibility¡¹ or ¡¸Silence¡¹ or other spells to cause chaos among the enemy and then sneak in.There¡¯s no point hoping for the impossible...Still, there was no doubt that the enemy was changing tack. Neia ¨D and many militiamen ¨D nervously rose up to peek at the enemy¡¯s movements.After that a greatmotion rose up from them.It was a feeling whichbined shock, fear, and furious anger.The army arrayed on the other side of the wall was advancing atst. The left and right wings of the Demihuman Alliance forces moved forward in parallel. The center detachment approached the city gate in ayered formation.The demihumans advanced with earthshaking steps, as though they wanted to hunt down and kill Neia and the others.And then there was another unit ¨D a very small one ¨D which seemed to be nking the city. Were they nning to scale the walls, or was this a feint?In any case, the enemy had alreadyunched the second wave of their attack. From now on, it would not be a one-sided struggle, but a mutual struggle of savage bloodshed.However, that was not where the problemy. After all, they had been waiting a long time for this, though they could not take joy in the fact that the time hade atst.What angered the militiamen was the advance of the left and right wings. Their foremost units wereposed of many different species. While theycked a sense of unity, they had two things inmon.One was that they were all carrying assaultdders.In other words, their unit was meant to scale the walls and break into the city. That also implied that they were Neia¡¯s objective.The other thing was that they had human children bound to their bodies.Some of them were crying and wailing, while others hung limp. All of them were naked, and all of them were alive.Neia bit her lip hard.But at the same time, Neia¡¯s heart was surprisingly calm.From her darkened nook in the walls, she watched the demihuman tide pressing down on them. Neia then slid an arrow out of her quiver and began to draw her bow.Even if the enemy pioneers had entered her shooting range, she had to hold on.It was still too early.She took several deep breaths, focused herself, then turned as fast as she could and drew her bowstring taut.She had only a moment to aim, and there was only one point where she could aim.¨DHere!She released her arrow.Her unhesitating shot pierced the human shield ¨D the chest of a child ¨D and the demihuman behind it.Perhaps even that powerful shot would have been hard-pressed to bring down something with the toughness of an Ogre. However, the demihuman she had just hit did not seem to possess such unreasonable vitality.Neia paid no heed to the demihuman she had downed and drew another arrow.She had killed a person, the child bound in front of the demihuman.Her hands would not stop shaking. Her vision turned ck, and her heart trembled.Though she knew this would happen and had prepared herself for it, this was how she had reacted.She reached for the hilt of her sword by force of habit, but her fingers touched the bowstring instead.It was as though her bow was chiding her, telling her that now was not the time for that sort of thing.A faintmp lighted up in Neia¡¯s frozen heart. It spread like wildfire, and dispersed the chill winds blowing through her soul.She stopped shaking, and her vision no longer felt narrowed. What filled her heart were the words of the person who embodied an unshakable justice.Ahh, to think it would have such a great effect.Neia reconfirmed that what the Sorcerer King said had been correct.The demihuman pioneers that Neia had attacked were visibly slowing down. That was because they had been shaken to discover that their human shields were not effective.Therefore, she shouted.Neia opened her eyes, and shouted at the staring militiamen.¡°What are you doing? Hurry up and throw your stones down! We can¡¯t save those hostages!¡±indeed. Neia and the others could not save the hostages. And then, they had already seen what the enemy would do to hostages that had lost their value. Therefore, what could they do?She fired another arrow to speed the demihumans on their way to the afterlife.Neia used her practiced vision and saw that her shot had pierced a boy through his forehead. She did not know if it was because she had been aiming for an Armatt or because the boy¡¯s skull had lessened the impact, but this arrow had not been immediately fatal. However, the enemy¡¯s front line was in chaos. That was only to be expected. Both humans and demihumans would slow their pace when things did not proceed as nned.However, all she could see of the enemy lines stretched from one edge of her vision to the other.Neia had only had an effect on the region where she had shot. Everywhere else, things were continuing as though nothing had happened. It looked like a small dent in a long, long line.¡°Hurry up and throw the stones!¡±Neia shouted at them again.If they did not throw their stones, everything Neia had done would have been for nothing. That was something even more unforgivable than taking the lives of people ¨D children who had futures ahead of them.The enemy was attacking on the left, right, and center at the same time. A head-on sh with an enemy that outnumbered them several times to one result in them being crushed under the sheer weight of numbers. However, if even one of the enemy elements slowed down, it would relieve the pressure on them.If the enemy reached the walls, they would climb up while using the children as shields. If they managed to make it up the walls, the militiamen would not be able to resist the demihumans. What she had to do now was see how much fighting strength she could shave off the enemy before they arrived.It¡¯s very difficult for militiamen to kill children. Therefore, there has to be someone who¡¯s willing to set an example, even if they get their hands dirty!Neia fixed her eyes on a pdin in the distance.You should have realized that when you took the prison camps and this city! You ought to have known that the Sorcerer King was right! You ought to know that you can¡¯t do anything else! And you certainly ought to know that it¡¯s pointless to obsess over lives you can¡¯t save! What you should be doing is devoting all your strength to save the people you can save!Neia fired another arrow.Just like before, her shot killed a girl and the demihuman to which she had been tied.¡°Hurry¨D¡±¡°¨DUooooohhhh!¡±A shout echoed all around Neia as a stone flew. It seemed to sweep away the anxiety in her heart.The thrown stone hit the demihumans, who were still hesitating. While it was a long way from being fatal, it would seem that it had done some damage.¡°Hey, you guys! Hurry up and attack the demihumans! Give up on the kids they¡¯re holding hostage!¡±Neia recognized the militiaman who was shouting.He was the father of the boy that the Sorcerer King had killed when they had liberated the first prison camp.Neia was surprised to find him here.¡°If they get past us, the women and children will suffer worse than they did before we saved them! If you still love your children, then throw those rocks as hard as you can!¡±His voice seemed to banish all their doubts, and it was shortly followed by a volley of several rocks. While they flew on weird paths and there was no telling where they were aimed at, the fact was that they had been hurled out.By the time Neia drew her bow again, a hail of stones descended on the demihumans. Many of those stones hit the front-running demihumans, the ones using children as meatshields. Rather, it would be more urate to say that they hit the children tied to those demihumans, than the demihumans themselves.The children cried and wailed in a heart-rending way. Even so, the rocks smashed mercilessly down on those pitiful children. They were the most tragic sacrifice of all, caught between the savagery of both sides.Neia prioritized aiming for those children.She did that to liberate them from their pain and torment as soon as possible.This was a sign of respect for the few which had to be sacrificed to help the many.Neia leaned out to find her next target, and then she felt something tearing through the air as it approached her, but all she saw was a burst of light.Is this an enemy magic attack ?Neia froze for a moment. At the same time, she felt a gentle impact from her belly. It felt like something had struck her lightly there.Startled, she stumbled a step back and then she heard a ttering from her feet. She looked closely and saw something that looked less like ance than a gigantic arrow ¨D in other words, a ballista bolt.Its tip looked like it had been hammered into a right angle by a hammer.Neia hurriedly ducked back behind the wall. After that, she heard a scraping sound as something huge struck the city walls.Cold sweat ran down her back.Neia unconsciously stroked the part of her where she had felt the impact.She thought of how the Sorcerer King had thrown his sword earlier, and it had been deflected by the bubble of light from Buser¡¯s armor. That would exin what had taken ce just now. It would seem Buser¡¯s armor ¨D which the Sorcerer King had lent her ¨D had protected her. In other words, Neia¡¯s life had been saved in the nick of time.Is that some kind of protection from ranged attacks? My chest, shoulders, and belly are protected by the armor, but what about other ces? Does that ability have to be activated? No, more importantly, how many more times can I use it? Or has it already been used up?Without the armor that the Sorcerer King had lent her, there was no doubt that Neia would have been impaled through her abdomen.That fact sent shudders through her body.¡°Huh... huh... huh. Come on,e on, dammit!¡±Neia had not entered the radius of ¡¸Under Divine g¡¹. She had felt that it was unnecessary because she had the circlet which the Sorcerer King had lent her. That was why she could feel the fear of death like this. However, there were no tears in Neia¡¯s eyes ¨D instead, she gripped her bow before revealing herself.She had resolved herself to continue fighting, even if it meant taking the children¡¯s lives. She could not allow herself to lose the will to fight after taking a measly little ballista bolt.This was to keep the children they could not save from suffering any further. At the same time, it was also to y the demihumans who had dragged them into battle. The arrow she loosed embodied both these things.The intention to attack without regard for the children spread from her portion of the wall, until everyone was throwing rocks at the demihumans.Neia even saw the pdins throwing rocks.¡°Bastards! You bastards!¡±¡°Ahh, dammit, those demihumans...¡±¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry!¡¯¡°I¡¯m sorry... please forgive me...¡±Although those cries of remorse echoed up and down the line, they did not stop throwing their rocks for a moment.This was the attack made by those people who had epted that some blood had to be shed to save the highest number of lives.However, the enemy was far too numerous. By the time they had struck down the front row ¨D the ones who were using children as shields ¨D the demihumans had already reached the vicinity of the walls, and they began deploying theirdders one after the other.While the technologically-backward demihumans could only make battering rams and assaultdders when it came to siege weapons, the truth was that there was no perfect countermeasure against both of those. Several men pushed thedders away with long sticks and the angels destroyed several more, but regretfully, there were just too many enemies to face.¡°How are the firebombsing? Get the priests to assist with their spells!¡±¡°This is bad! They¡¯ve got adder up over there! I¡¯ll be going over, take care of this side for me!¡±¡°Throw those rocks!¡±There was a bigmotion on top of the walls. The defenders were throwing rocks or stabbing with longspears to repel the demihumans who were mbering up thedders, but thedders went up one after the other, and it became difficult to deal with all of them.Several demihumans nimbly avoided the spear thrusts from the militiamen, instead grasping the spears and pulling their wielders off the wall. Then there were those demihumans like the Armatts and the ders, whose natural defensive strength wasparable to full te armor. They ignored the spears and rushed all the way up.While the pdins had been trained inbat and could deal with these heavily-protected demihumans, the number of demihumans on top of the walls grew and grew. Any gaps which appeared were immediately filled up.After stiffening her resolve, Neia leaned out from behind a battlement and shot a climbing demihuman from the side.It was not Neia¡¯s skill so much as the weapon she wielded which killed the demihumans in one shot. She could y the resilient Armatts and ders because she possessed the Ultimate Shootingstar Super.Neia¡¯s body was clearly visible as she leaned out, and she was hit several times by stones spat by Stone Eaters. Although those stones could put dents in metal tes. Neia was protected by Buser¡¯s armor. Still, she would probably be bruised and she might have suffered a fracture or two.Though she was sweating heavily, she did not stop firing on the demihumans for a moment.I can still do this... I only have enough mana to use the ne of healing which His Majesty lent me once, so I need to save it!As she continuednding shot after urate shot, part of her mind tried to estimate how long she could hold out. After all, Neia¡¯s single use of recovery magic was her trump card.She pulled an arrow from her quiver, nocked it to her bow, took aim at a demihuman¡¯s head or heart, and then loosed it. She repeated that sequence countless times.A rock hit her hard enough to knock the arrow from her hand.Neia hurriedly ducked behind a battlement.She had dropped her arrow because the Stone Eater¡¯s attack had made Neia¡¯s entire body groan in pain, but that was not the only reason.Pdins were sword-users. As a squire, she had trained with swords, so even if she knew the fundamentals of archery, she had not spent much time practicing with bows. Thisck of practice made her arms cramp up and her fingers ache.If she could not use a bow, then she would only be getting in the way. It was far too soon for her to use her trump card now, but she had no other way to restore her ability to fight.¡°Activate:¡¸Heavy Recover¡¹!¡±The mana drained from Neia¡¯s body, and it made her feel a little dizzy. She would not be able to do this a second time.At the same time, all the pain in her body vanished, be it the cramps in her arms or her aching fingers.¡°I can do this!¡±Neia leaned out again and continued shooting.Fortunately, Jaldabaoth¡¯s forces possessed some degree of leadership. Otherwise, the ballistas would have fired on Neia to kill her without hesitation, but since they were being led, they did not shoot for fear of hitting their friendlies.Neia continued shooting as if she were in a dream. Eventually the hand that reached down to her quiver came up empty.She looked down in panic and saw that she was out of arrows.Just then, a scream came from the militiamen.There was a very strong-looking demihuman standing in front of adder. While it was no different from the Stone Eaters who had fired rocks at Neia, its physique was excellent. Though it was no match for Buser, it still radiated the aura of a powerful being.It held a crude-looking greatsword in its right hand, which resembled a meat cleaver. The other held a helmet that seemed to contain something. It was the head of the pdin whichmanded this area.¡°The great Jajan-sama of the Lagon Tribe has taken the head of the enemymander! Now, you dogs, kill them! Kill all the humans!¡±***The situation immediately turned grim.Pdins were few in number, and a death from among those small numbers meant that the defensive strength of this area would plummet. And then, there was one more thing.There was a tremendous disparity in fighting strength between a militiaman and a pdin, even if thetter were not part of a hand-picked elite. There was no way the militiamen could win against a demihuman that could kill one of those pdins.As the militiamen froze in fear, the demihumans scaled thedder behind the Stone Eater from just now ¨D Jajan. They burst forth like water from a broken dam, one bing two, and two bing four. It was like mitosis.Demihumans began to fill the top of the wall, and in turn, the number of militiamen began to diminish.Demihumans and militiamen. The difference in their individual abilities was in to see.She looked around in panic.Arrows. She could not do anything without arrows.She cast her eyes around like a traveller in a desert searching for an oasis, and then she saw a thoroughly exhausted soldier leaning against a battlement. There was a quiver with arrows beside him.That¡¯s it! I¡¯ll take the arrows from that wounded man and send him back to the rear.But Neia sucked in a breath as she ran over. The man who looked like an archer was missing half his face. He was clearly dead.He had probably taken a direct hit from a Stone Eater. His brains were oozing out, his ssy eye stared out into nothing, and his fate might very soon be Neia¡¯s as well.She looked more closely, and found several simr corpses. Her usually-sensitive nose finally picked up the thick scent of gore in the air. No, her nose was fine, her brain simply had not received the input from it.As the porridge suddenly rose in her throat, Neia forced herself to swallow it back down with all her might. She barely seeded, but there was no telling if it was because she had been lucky, or because she had be resistant to this after watching the ¡°live eating performance¡± earlier.(TL note: the term here is Ó»¤êÊ³¤¤, or eating live and twitching seafood)Neia grit her teeth and transferred the arrows remaining in the nameless archer¡¯s quiver to her own. Restocking her quiver felt like she was restoring her own fighting spirit.I can still fight. There¡¯s still things I can do....After quickly finishing up her work, Neia put the corpse¡¯s hands together and closed his remaining eye. There was no time to spare on doing that, but she could not stop herself from doing it.¡°I¡¯ll fight for your sake too. Until the very end...¡±As Neia turned and rose, she no longer muttered to herself.Her spirit rose to a peak it had never reached before, and her senses were incredibly keen. She felt like she was a part of the bow which she held.The top of the wall was now a chaotic melee. Considering Neia¡¯s skills, it seemed almost impossible to snipe Jajan ¨D who was holding up the head of the pdin ¨D given the sheer numbers of friends and foes between them. However¨DI still have these gauntlets! And the Ultimate Shootingstar Super His Majesty lent me! ¨DI can do this!She loosed her arrow as she filled herself with that powerful conviction.By the time Jajan noticed the whistling in the air, it was toote.The arrow pierced his head, and Jajan fell limply to the ground.¡°Jajan of the Lagon Tribe has fallen by the hand of Neia Baraja!¡±Although she shouted those words, she was not answered by a cheer. That was only to be expected. There was no time for a long hurrah in the middle of a life-and-death battle. Neia felt a little embarrassed as she realized that, but she had seeded in shaking the demihumans¡¯ morale. She could feel the pressure on them easing off.It would seem this had not been aplete defeat.Neia took up her arrow again, then turned to face a suitable demihuman before sending an arrow his way. She shot the demihuman through the head and he fell from the wall.Neia drew another arrow from her quiver. She was doing it like it was nothing, like it could not be helped. Was she a master archer like her father now?Her bowmanship had rapidly improved during the course of this battle. That was how she had managed to kill Jajan, though thetter had been wounded during the battle with the pdin.Amidst the chaos of war, Neia sought new prey to bring down.¨DI¡¯m an archer, so why aren¡¯t they targeting me?That question was answered as her next arrow pierced another demihuman skull.¡°Don¡¯t approach that human carelessly! She¡¯s wearing the Grand King¡¯s armor!¡±¡°The Grand King?¡±¡°Grand King Buser? Grand King Buser¡¯s armor?¡±Neia¡¯s sensitive ears caught the chatter which the demihumans exchanged.¡°No doubt about it! That¡¯s Buser¡¯s armor!¡±¡°Don¡¯t tell me that human brought down...¡±Ah! Is that it!? When the Sorcerer King said it would protect me, was he not referring to the armor¡¯s ability to defend against ranged attacks but the reputation of defeating Buser!?The Grand King Buser¡¯s name was well known throughout the demihuman forces. Therefore, the demihumans who had mounted the wall were under the false impression that they were fighting the warrior who had defeated Buser. The fact that Neia had killed a leader-ss demihuman in one shot only added to that.That was why they refused to advance against her, even though they knew Neia was an archer.I have to hand it to the Sorcerer King, did he take this into ount as well?In all likelihood, few demihumans would chase her now even if she turned tail and ran. They would probably prioritize holding their ground over chasing a strong foe, even if they were making a mistake. Therefore, Neia¡¯s life was probably in no great danger. The Sorcerer King¡¯s advice to ¡°flee to the east gate¡± suddenly came to mind, but she could not do it after all.Anyone like that would never havee here in the first ce.Neia loosed another arrow, and killed another demihuman.¡°Uoooh! That... that re again...¡±re... well, I am looking at them...¡°It¡¯s the eyes of someone who hungers for ughter! That, that female human, at least, I think it¡¯s probably a female, she¡¯s no ordinary enemy!¡±Probably... a female...¡°Look at that bow! It¡¯s amazing! It¡¯s not just her skills!¡±Hehe!¡°The Mad-Eyed Archer!¡±...Eh?¡°What, what do you mean by that name? Do you know that human?¡±...No, no...¡°Does that female human have a nickname?¡±...Hang on!¡°I once heard there was a human archer with a devil¡¯s face and amazing skills with the bow... could that be it!?¡±That was Dad!¡°The Mad-Eyed Archer! The archer who killed Buser!¡±For some reason, the phrase ¡°Mad-Eyed Archer¡± spread through the demihuman ranks like a wave. They¡¯ve already decided it! As that thought ran through her mind, Neia no longer had any opportunity to correct them.As Neia loosed her arrows, the militiamen began moving.¡°¨DEveryone, hold the line! Don¡¯t let the demihumans near that girl!¡±¡°Ohh! Form ranks! Remember your training!¡±¡°I¡¯m moving up!¡±About twenty militiamen moved to act as shields for her.¡°Just kill those bastards for us! We¡¯ll protect you!¡±¡°Got it¨D¡±The sound of pping wings came from the enemy encampment.Neia pivoted and pointed her arrow at the source of the sound.Her eyes were filled with the sight of Pteropuses rising from the enemy formation. There were many of them.While it seemed as though bypassing the wall should have been their objective, several of them dove from the flock and descended on Neia.She had long since abandoned the thought of who to aim at. In this silent, pure white world where all she could see were her enemies, Neia calmly loosed an arrow at each and every one of her enemies. Her shooting was inhuman, unhesitating in its mechanical precision.After downing the Pteropuses heading at her, Neia exhaled lightly. She could hear again after being released from that state of hyperfocus.To the side¨DShe wanted to dodge, but a torrent of pain came from her left arm.The Armatt beside her had torn her arm apart.¡°Gwaaargh!¡±Despite her cry of pain, Neia still made to pull out another arrow, but then she thought that she might not be able to properly brace her bow. In that case, perhaps drawing her sword might be better.Her hesitation was a huge weakness, and the savage-looking Armatt raised its arm, preparing to follow up on its previous attack with a strike to the face.She wanted to backstep, but her opponent was a superior fighter and managed to close the distance to her, so she could not evade it.Intense pain filled her face. While she had managed to turn her head and thus avoided having her eyes shredded, the ws had ripped through her left cheek and opened a wound that exposed the interior of her mouth.Fresh blood filled her mouth, and the taste of blood spread over her tongue. In addition, she could feel her warm blood oozing from her cheek, the sensation spreading down her neck and chest.Neia had no time to draw her sword, and so she mmed Ultimate Shootingstar Super into the Armatt¡¯s face.The Armatt had probably not expected her to do that with the bow, so it tried to back up to avoid the attack.Since she could not move her left arm well enough to brace her bow, Neia drew her sword with her right arm.Neia performed a ramming stab like she was prepared to die for it. The Armatt immediately countered with razor-sharp ws, but a nearby militiaman had wounded its leg and its aim was off. The w missed her ear by a fraction of an inch, and in turn her steel de sank into the Armatt¡¯s throat.She nced down to the Armatt as it copsed and then surveyed the situation.While she had been focusing on loosing arrows, the militiamen on the wall had been almostpletely wiped out. The demihumans had reached Neia, and there were only five more men remaining, all pressed close to the wall.The nearest reinforcements were fighting on the other side of the demihumans who had scaled thedders, and they would be hard-pressed to help her over here. Frankly speaking, they seemed to be engaged in melee, so they would not have the free time toe help her.There were over thirty demihumans in Neia¡¯s block, and there were only six people on her side.Neia red at the demihumans and they backed off. The pressure on Neia and the others eased a little.¡°Sorry about that, Baraja-san!¡±The militiamen who had been pressed to the wall took a defensive formation in front of Neia.¡°We won¡¯t let those bastards past us, even if it¡¯s thest thing we do!¡±The person who said this looked like a cowardly man in his forties, with an unhealthy, protruding gut. However, his face was flushed with what seemed like the excitement of battle, and his body was covered in so much blood that one could not tell if it was his or the enemy¡¯s. Even so, he refused to kneel, standing tall with an indomitable spirit.He certainly looked like a reliable warrior.¡°Thank you very much!¡± Neia said as she spat out a mouthful of fresh blood which had pooled there. Then, she continued ¨D ¡°I¡¯ll leave this to you!¡±He was not the only one who was like this. None of the fallen militiamen showed any sign that they had attempted to leave the perimeter they had formed around Neia. What else could she say except that she trusted them?The man¡¯s eyes went to Neia¡¯s left arm, and his face stiffened.¡°I can see the bone...¡±¡°Please don¡¯t say that, it hurts a lot when you point it out.¡±¡°Ah, ahhh, sorry.¡±Once one reached a certain degree of skill as a pdin, they would be able to use low tier recovery spells. However, Neia was only a squire, so she could not do so. There were no pdins or priests by Neia¡¯s side, and her mana had not yet recovered enough to use the magic item again. It would probably be best to abandon the thought of using her left arm in this battle.Neia red at the demihumans, but just moving her eyeballs made the wound on her face ache.The pain made her gaze that much more ominous, and as the demihumans felt it, they went on their guard.¡°Thanks to your shots, nobody else made it up here like that guy just now, Baraja-san. It¡¯s because of you that we managed to survive this long.¡±If the demihumans before Neia¡¯s eyes rushed them all at once, the militiamen would probably be routed in an instant. However, they were all wary of Neia the archer, so they could not move together. In truth, she could understand their caution once she heard what the demihumans were saying.¡°The Mad-Eyed Archer... could it be that she¡¯s nothing much with a sword?¡±¡°Don¡¯t get careless, she¡¯s just pretending she can¡¯t use a sword to throw her opponents off.¡±¡°Really? You¡¯re a real smart guy.¡±¡°Should we get the Snakemen over and kill her from a distance with spears?¡±Neiaughed in her heart. It would seem that she had gained quite an undeserved reputation thanks to the power of the magic bow she had borrowed.¡°...Is there hope for me?¡±Neia asked herself that question quietly enough that the demihumans could not hear, and then sheughed.¡°...If it¡¯s the bow... the bow I borrowed from His Majesty, the Ultimate Shootingstar Super, shooting wouldn¡¯t be a problem, but...¡±The man tried saying the name Ultimate Shootingstar Super, and then heughed forlornly.¡°I see... so it¡¯s very bad, huh. Say, Baraja-san... you jump down from the wall and flee. You should live on.¡±Neia looked at the man.¡°Aiieee! For-Forgive me. It¡¯s only natural for you to be angry at such foolish words. But, but, while I don¡¯t know what sort of hell you¡¯ve gone through, you¡¯re around my daughter¡¯s age... I think, but letting a girl like that die is just...¡±I wasn¡¯t angry, I was just looking normally at you. The thought crossed her mind, but this was amon thing by now and Neia did not take offense at it.The man was speaking the truth. It would be wiser to fall back for the time being and heal her wounds until she could use her bow, rather than swing a sword she was not used to.¨DWhat¡¯ll happen to them if I do that? I know very well. I can¡¯t help them even if I stay and fight. I¡¯ll just die for nothing. But...Neia swept the bow in her left hand down and to the side.I need to return this weapon. There¡¯s many reasons why I should run. But, but, what will His Majesty¡¯s enemies think if I run away while I¡¯m wielding a weapon that He lent me? In that case¨D¡°How could I run!?¡± she bellowed. ¡°How could I, as one who holds a weapon borrowed from His Majesty, turn and run!?¡±She tightly gripped the sword in her right hand.Repaying one¡¯s obligations was only natural for a human being.The people of this country ¨D specifically, the head of their pdins ¨D were not the sort to do that, but she wanted to show the Sorcerer King that not everyone in this country was like them.¡°Uwaaaahhhh!¡±Neia¡¯s shout sounded like she was wailing. Since she could not use her bow, the militiamen would die for nothing protecting her. In that case, she ought to take advantage of the demihuman¡¯s mistaken fear of her power and attack while they could not bring their might to bear.The enemy had probably not expected Neia to charge so many enemies, and they moved slowly enough that even Neia¡¯s meager swordsmanship was enough to cut them up.The remaining militiamen behind Neia followed her lead.Neia swung her sword.It bounced off, and the demihumans swung at her open body, only to have their attacks deflected by Buser¡¯s armour.Neia thrust her sword.She stabbed into a demihuman¡¯s body, and when she pulled it out, its organs followed. Before that demihuman hit the ground, another demihuman¡¯s ws struck at Neia¡¯s face. The wound on her left cheek was followed by one on her right, and the blood which flowed out got into her eyes.Intense pain filled her legs.A demihuman drove his dagger deep into flesh.One of the militiamen fell.Swords swung.Two more militiamen went down.One demihuman copsed.All the militiamen were dead.There were nothing but enemies in front of her and to her sides.Her breathing was ragged, and her heartbeat irritated her.The parts of her body which had been struck by the enemy zed hot, and every time she moved them, waves of seizing pain filled Neia with agony.¨DI¡¯m scared.Neia was afraid.She was going to die, and the thought of that frightened her.She had been prepared to die here.The enemy outnumbered them several times to one, and their individual fighting power was superior as well.The enemy had all the advantages, and the only advantage her side had was their defensive position.That being the case, it would be stranger if she did not die.Still, looking death in the eye was terrifying even if she had prepared herself for it beforehand.The word ¡°east gate¡± ¨D said by the person she deeply respected ¨D echoed through her mind. Though she was prepared to die, she still wanted to live.Neia had once thought about what would happen when people died.What would the moment of her extinction be like?Her soul would return to the great flow, where the gods would judge her, and those who did good as written in the scriptures would go to and of eternal rest, while the wicked would be delivered into and of torment.Still, even if she had umted good deeds throughout her life with the aim of reaching her eternal rest, she was afraid to face the end of her life.She swung her sword.That powerless strike could not possibly y a foe in one hit.Anyone attacking even when surrounded, would take vicious counterattacks from the enemy.A sword pierced Neia¡¯s armor and cut into herNeia was still alive thanks to the armor which the Sorcerer King had lent her. She would have died long ago without it. Indeed, she would have be a corpse like the countless dead militiamen and civilians who had been scattered throughout the city like they had been carelessly thrown away.I must be in really bad shape...Neiaughed at herself for being able to think about such inappropriate things even as she was this close to the afterlife.Her feet slipped due to the force of her swing. Her left thigh seized up and her right thigh was injured and could not hold her upright.She lost her bnce and fell. She leaned against the battlements, but it was all she could do not to copse.The world was turning white and cloudy, and she could hear a distant, wheezing panting.It was an annoying sound. She wondered who was making it, and realized that it was herself.She was at her limitNeia was going to die.¡°Just a bit more and the Mad-Eyed Archer will be dead!¡±¡°Ahhh! All together now!¡±The voices of the demihumans came from far away.This is... a real pain...Neia could no longer tell what the demihumans were saying. However, they were probably not singing her praises. As her thoughts scattered into the void, a part of her mind thought only of things like that.She was simply waving the sword she held ¨D her attacks were meant to keep the enemy at bay.I¡¯m... so scared... but everyone... is waiting for me...In that white and cloudy world, she saw the smiles of her mother, her father, and her friends from her home vige.Who... are they... ahh... Bu-chan... Mo-chan.. Dan-nee...? I¡¯m... scared... Your... Majesty...¡±Her lungs and her heart and her arms and her brain wanted to rest.Neia could no longer resist that temptation, but still, she had not broken yet. Why was that?She was afraid of death. She was filled with her squire¡¯s conviction to fight to the very end.Apart from that ¨D she wanted to perform feats that were worthy of the wargear she had borrowed.The demihumans¡¯ weapons thrust out all at once, stabbing into Neia¡¯s body.And thus, Neia Baraja died.<b>Part 4</b>The air of the battlefield had a unique smell to it. It was a muddled mess of all kinds of odors, and simply put, it was a revolting stench. Still, it was a stench that one could get used to.One of the people behind the closed portcullis ¨D Remedios ¨D took several deep breaths of that stinking air.Her eyes were fixed on the advancing force before her, which numbered over 10,000.The leaders of the assault on this location were Ogres and horse-like demihumans. Remedios gripped her holy sword tightly.She liked using the sword to settle matters. She loved it. It clearly defined winners and losers. After all, there would be no more trouble after you killed the opposition. Life would have been so much easier if things were all so simple. Her sister ¨D Krt ¨D and her master ¨D Calca ¨D would no longer knit their brows.¡°Haaaah.¡±She sighed.After that, Remedios thought about what she had to do.Gustav had said a lot of hard-to-understand things just now, but the gist of it was that they could not let a single demihuman past this gate.The demihumans numbered in the tens of thousands. Around 10,000 of them were bearing down on the gate.Not letting a single one past would be impossible if we were fighting on the ins, but here I can use the gate to limit the numbers who can attack me. So as long as I can keep fighting, it¡¯ll be easy enough to keep them from getting past! I just need to keep drinking fatigue recovery potions and keep fighting them one-on-one!If Gustav were here and had heard this, the look on his face would probably say ¡°Are you fucking serious?¡± and as she calmly considered that mental image, Remediosughed. Still, the idea was quite ridiculous, and it was no wonder he would often grab his head in frustration.See how perfect my n is! Calca-sama said I could delegatemand to someone else, and Caspond-sama seems like an excellent person.Umu, Remedios nodded.After that, Remedios thought about the only w in her n to ¡°fight one-on-one ten thousand times.¡±That was the existence of Jaldabaoth.Remedios¡¯s n broke down when it encountered someone stronger than her.She had trouble using her brain for the most part, but her mind was quite adept when it came to war.That was why she understood that it would be very difficult for her to defeat Jaldabaoth. Of course, she could not admit that in front of her subordinates. She was the strongest pdin in the Holy Kingdom, and if she admitted her weakness, morale would probably plunge to rock bottom.That was why they had brought the Sorcerer King over.The Sorcerer King, huh...The fact that they had to entrust one of the undead with the fate of the nation upset her so much that she wanted to throw up. However, they had no other option.Tch. If only that undead creature had fought in a sneaky way, like using those goats or sheep which killed all those Kingdom troops. That way, no innocents would have to be sacrificed. Don¡¯t the undead understand that people with strength have to protect the weak? Still... he¡¯s really strong, isn¡¯t he?Taking a city by oneself was an impressive feat. Buser was a famous demihuman ¨D ording to Gustav ¨D and defeating him was also quite outstanding. However, Jaldabaoth was a different matter altogether. She had her doubts as to whether even a magic caster who could conquer a city without assistance could actually defeat him.Perhaps she would have learned the truth if she could have crossed des with him just once, but Gustav had desperately pleaded with her not to. Therefore, she did not know exactly how strong the Sorcerer King was.Remedios remained dubious of the Sorcerer King¡¯s strength.She had personally experienced Jaldabaoth¡¯s might when he had revealed his true nature, but she could not sense anything like that from the Sorcerer King. If he was truly able to crush the Kingdom¡¯s army, then he ought to be surrounded in an aura of power that could not be hidden.Was that because he was a magic caster? However, if he was on Jaldabaoth¡¯s level, she ought to have been able to sense something from him.It would be good if he was really as strong as he imed. Well, we won¡¯t lose much if he dies. That undead creature will be a thorn in the Holy Kingdom¡¯s side in the future. Ideally, the two of them would kill each other.Remedios¡¯s opinion had not changed even after her subordinates protested it. No, it had only solidified after the Sorcerer King killed the boy who had been taken hostage. As a pdin, she could not tolerate anyone who could calmlymit such inhuman acts.The people of that country were actually ruled by fear, right?When she thought about it, she found a lot of points which pointed to that conclusion. Perhaps having him and Jaldabaoth kill each other would be for their good too.The problem is the people of our nation. Gustav was right when he said that this was a chance for us. We pdins can show our strength and abandon the Sorcerer King¡¯s foolish opinions... Still, if Jaldabaoth shows up, we have to let him handle it.Remedios took off her helmet. She wanted to scratch her head.It was hard to imagine that the citizens of a country run by an amazing individual such as Calca would tolerate one of the undead like that. Just thinking about the matter should have revolted them.Squire Baraja also ¨D hm? Could it be that she¡¯s been charmed by a spell or something? Yes! He might be using some spell with a wide area of effect that forces people to like him!Dammit! Remedios thought. She had not considered that possibility.I should tell Gustav about this. That said, it¡¯ll have to wait until we win this battle!Remedios looked behind her.There stood neat ranks of civilians holding spears and shields.¡°Brave gentlemen! Regretfully, the Holy Kingdom is currently being trampled by demihumans, but you must ept it! Defeat the demihumans and save the innocent civilians ¨D your friends and family ¨D from their suffering! This is the first step towards our goal, which is to drive out these bastards here and take the Holy Kingdom back with our own hands!¡±As Remedios shouted imposingly, anxious looks filled the faces of the militiamen.¡°The filthy demihumans are attacking this ce. Gentlemen, raise your shields and thrust your spears! Be a wall that will not let the enemy past you! There¡¯s no need to be afraid. Other than their first wave, the only demihumans you will have to deal with are the demihumans fleeing from me! All you need to do is hold them for a while so that the pdins and I can take them down!¡±That eased their tension a little. While being too rxed was not a good thing, being too tense was even worse. Remedios mused that all the militiamen she could see were in an ideal frame of mind.¡°You lot were trained all day yesterday! All you need to do now is show the fruits of that training. No need to be so tense!¡± Remedios paused for a moment, and then shouted louder than before.¡°First rank! Shields up!¡±The first row of the militiamen ¨D who looked like they were encircling the gate ¨D braced their shields.These were greatshields which couldpletely conceal a human body, and their bottoms were lined with spikes that were the length of a finger.¡°Shields! Dig in!¡±The shield-wielding civilians mmed the spiked portions down with all their might. Thus, they produced a wall of steel in moments.Yesterday, these shieldbearers had vigorously practiced three drills. The first was to raise their greatshields into the air and m them back down, in order to drive the spikes deep into the ground. The second was not to falter, regardless of the pressure they were under.¡°Second rank! Shields up!¡±While the shields they carried were roughly the same size as those of the first rank, theirs did not have spikes. Those shields would go over the heads of the first and the second ranks, like a lid on top of them. This way, they would protect against attacks which made it past the first rank.There were also pdins who could cast ¡¸Under Divine g¡¹ spaced evenly through the second rank, to protect them from the fear of being pushed by the enemy.¡°Third rank spearmen, advance! Fourth rank spearmen, advance!¡±The third and fourth ranks wereposed of longspear users.Their longspears would protrude from between the shield teams, their butts firmly nted in the ground to stop the enemy¡¯s advance. The third rank and the fourth rank¡¯s spears were slightly different from each other in that the fourth rank¡¯s were slightly longer. Normally they ought to have had several more ranks of spearmen to form a spear wall, but since they werecking in numbers, their aim was to ovep killing zones to prevent the enemy from breaking through.It was a perfect formation.However, it had a w.While this formation did very well against warriors, it was very weak against demihumans with special abilities or magic casters.It was true that the shield wall could block spells like ¡¸Fireball¡¹ and greatly minimize the damage done. However, spells like ¡¸Lightning¡¹ that had a piercing, line-shaped area of effect would pierce straight through them and out the rear. One could not say the demihumans did not have simr special abilities.They knew this, but they had taught them to take that formation anyway because no other formation was effective in these circumstances.¡°Very good! Then let¡¯s begin! Open the gate!¡±The portcullis began to rise as Remedios shouted. The advancing demihumans were shaken, and their movements slowed down. The defenders were opening the gate of their own ord ¨D optimists might think it was a surrender, but realists would consider it a trap.Remediosughed.¡°You filthy demihumans! I¡¯ll skin you and wipe my ass with your hides!¡±After being taunted by a feeble human, the frustrated demihumans broke into a charge.Remedios turned and ran. She nted both hands on the militiamen¡¯s shields and vaulted over them.The demihumans continued their charge, several of them falling down as they approached the gate.Large quantities of oil had been poured there, and only two oues awaited those who fell during the charge. Either they would pull down those behind them, or they would be trampled t instead.Unfortunately, the big-framed demihumans like the Ogres did not fall, and they made it into the city. The horse-like demihumans slipped and fell, which slowed them down.Arge demihuman¡¯s charge ought to be on par with a collision from a warhorse. However, if they could not follow through with it, then all bets were off.The Ogres continued charging even though their pacing was messed up. They swung theirrge mauls back and forth, but the spears were longer inparison, and they impaled several Ogres who had failed to properly judge the distance. Unfortunately, the Ogres were not fragile enough to be killed by that.¡°Now! Throw them!¡±In ordance with Remedios¡¯s instructions, firebombs flew over the heads of the militiamen, and the sounds of pottery smashing could be heard near the gate as an inferno sprang up. The demihumans around the gate were surrounded by a great fire.The demihumans should have predicted something like this, but Remedios was certain that the fires were far beyond what they had expected. That was because both the oil on the ground and the oil on their bodies had ignited at once.The Ogres facing the shieldbearers began to falter.It was only to be expected, considering there was a zing fire behind them.While they had thicker skin than a human being, that did not mean they could not be burned.Wails and cries rose from the vicinity of the gate. However, not many of them had lost the capacity to fight despite being enveloped by a fire of that intensity. One had to acknowledge the great vitality of demihumans.Those demihumans only had two options. They could advance or retreat.ck smoke blocked their lines of sight. Thus, they were robbed of all other options. While many demihumans could see in the dark, that ability did not allow them to see through smoke.Nobody could act calmly while they could not see, were in anguish from the smoke, and when they were being burned by the mes.Retreating was very difficult given the circumstances. That was because others were following closely behind them in order to storm the city. In fact, the demihumans outside the gate were hesitating due to the fire, but the ones inside could not know that, given that smoke obscured everything.Therefore, the demihumans chose to advance.That was exactly as Remedios had predicted.The demihumans attempted an assault, banking on their powerful bodies to carry the day. However¨D¨DThe shieldbearers¡¯ third drill consisted of maintaining their shield wall even when surrounded by billowing ck smoke.¡°Spearmen! Pull!¡±The spears retreated as one¨D¡°Spearmen! Thrust!¡±¨DAnd they thrust out in unison.The demihumans gave voice to savage howls, thinking only of getting out of the smoke, and it was under these circumstances ¨D where defense and evasion were very difficult ¨D that they ran into the spear line. However, amoner¡¯s strength would be hard-pressed to impale a demihuman¡¯s body. This was particrly true of the hand-picked demihumans who were intended to break through the gate in a frontal assault.However, that was no problem.Remedios did not think that they would go down in a single attack.As long as the shieldbearers were in ce, the spearmen could attack over and over again.¡°Pull ¨D thrust!¡±As she repeated the order, Remedios jumped over the shields in the opposite of her previous actions and cut down the demihumans where the spears could not reach.ck smoke filled her eyes and throat, but she did not have the time to worry about that. There were very few demihumans who had made it through the oil and the portcullis, about fifty at most.First she would kill them all and weaken the enemy¡¯s willingness to fight. Since they were part of the vanguard, they must have surely been highly motivated elite troops. Wiping them out would be more effective than killing mooks.Remedios¡¯s breathing was calm and unhurried as she killed one enemy after the other.Large demihumans like Ogres could not bring their full abilities to bear in a pitched melee.The holy sword roamed everywhere without restraint.Eventually, the shapes of the demihumans vanished from her tearstained vision. However, she could still hear arge force of demihumans on the other side of the smoke. They might have been in the middle of reforming their lines.As Remedios slowly backed away, the silhouettes of several demihumans came into view.¡°Captain! Come back here!¡±Her subordinate pdin shouted to her as he cast ¡¸Under Divine g¡¹.However, Remedios did not retreat. Her instincts were telling her something.As the smoke thinned, she could sense three demihumans slowly approaching her, and shortly after that, her hunch was proved right.One of them was a warrior with the upper body of a beast and the lower body of a carnivore.One of them was a four-armed demihuman woman.And thest was a simian demihuman who was festooned in golden essories.Remedios had originally nned to kill tens of thousands of demihumans by herself here, and she was very confident of doing so. However, she now sensed that fighting these three demihumans at once was extremely dangerous.There were only three of them. While she could not make them out due to the smoke, she could tell they were brimming with confidence, given their unhurried pace. Even their fellow demihumans seemed to have handed their task over to those three, unwilling toe any closer....They¡¯re strong. I don¡¯t know if I can beat them even if it¡¯s a one-on-one fight... or can I? I¡¯ve got no chance if it¡¯s three-on-one.Remedios¡¯s instincts screamed at her to flee rather than take these three on at the same time. But how should she escape? She had no idea. In contrast, if she beat those demihumans, it would amount to a wless victory for this theater ofbat.Remedios gripped her holy sword tightly, and spoke without looking back.¡°...Pdin Sabicus, Pdin Esteban.¡±Both of them replied with a ¡°Yes!¡± and, from the sounds they made, she judged that they hade to her side.¡°Can you pin two of them down until I kill one of them?¡±The two of them replied in unison, ¡°Leave it to us!¡±Remedios¡¯s instincts told her that she was being unreasonable. They might be able to buy a few minutes for starters. But how about sending more people to take the demihumans on?No. Remedios shook her head,Her opponents were a mere three people, who had entered the fray by themselves. Clearly, they were confident in their own abilities and wanted to show off their strength. Enemies like those would surely ept a one-on-one challenge. Such was the arrogance of the mighty.In addition, such arrogant beings typically took pleasure in making the weak suffer. They would take the extra time to torment their victims even if they could have finished them off in a matter of seconds.With that faint hope in mind, she decided on a three-on-three.¡°Pdins, if the two who stepped up are defeated, continue fighting them one-on-one. The order goes: Sabicus, Esteban, Franco, and Galban.¡±They were abandoning their advantage in numbers to buy time. Simply put, she was ordering everyone to kill themselves. However, the pdins did not hesitate for a moment when they received those orders.This was what it meant to be a pdin.This was what it meant to embody justice.This is what it means to sacrifice yourself for others.This was probably thest time they would be seen alive and unscathed. Even so, Remedios did not take her eyes from the three demihumans for even a moment. She did not want to miss any chances to glean information from them.I don¡¯t have a clear picture of what¡¯s going on, but the first two demihumans look like skilled fighters. Perhaps that ape-like demihuman is a monk. That four-arms looks like a magic caster. Or is it something else?There was nothing to fear when dueling demihumans who relied on brute strength alone, but demihumans who had been trained were truly frightening. If they had received warrior training, then they could stack their training and their natural physical abilities to be exceptional individuals who could surpass even veteran warriors of the Holy Kingdom. In truth, the opponent who had given Remedios her hardest fight ¨D Jaldabaoth aside ¨D was such an entity.She recalled the blow that had stabbed her through her abdomen. That was why she paid attention when fighting demihumans and heeded the warnings of her instincts on top of that....Spellcasting demihumans are the most troublesome to deal with. It¡¯ll be bad if they can fly through the air.While Remedios could use her armor¡¯s abilities to fly for short periods of time, she would not have her full range of movement while in flight. Ascending, descending, and turning were all very exhausting, and she would not be able to use her usual fighting style. If her opponent could cast ¡¸Fly¡¹, she might never be able to reach them with her attacks. While she possessed martial arts which allowed her to make ranged sword attacks, it would be difficult to win quickly when one took into ount the fact that their effectiveness was a great deal lower.The three demihumans entered through the gate, and then stopped.¡°¨DTo think we¡¯d have to join forces for a puny human.¡±She could not make the three demihumans out clearly through the smoke, but their rxed tone had reached her.The hand gripping the holy sword beaded with sweat, and a bitter taste spread over her tongue, something that only happened when danger drew close.She could keenly feel her opponents¡¯ approach.The beast and the ape were definitely among the best of the best. While she was not sure about the four-armed one, the fact that she could stand by their side meant that she was on their level. In other words, these three demihumans were a match for Remedios.¡°This smoke¡¯s getting in the way. What a pain in the ass.¡±A strong wind blew the remaining smoke away with a whoosh.The demihumans¡¯ forms were revealed. Standing at their head was a gigantic demihuman who wielded a battleaxe.¡°Zoastia!¡± Pdin Esteban eximed.Remedios was somewhat baffled. Zoostia? she thought. Was that the demihuman¡¯s name?¡°Hmm... well, it makes sense that you¡¯d know of me,¡± the beastman said with an evil grin on his face. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll spare you on ount of your learning, so that more people will hear of my strength.¡±¡°Heeheehee, Vijar-dono. Jaldabaoth-sama will get angry if you take matters into your own hands like that. At the very least, have him drop his weapon and take him prisoner.¡±The entity addressing the Zoastia was the ape-like demihuman.Thoroughly confused, Remedios turned to the people around her, a question mark floating above her head.¡°Zoastia? Vijar? Vijar Zoostia? Zoostia Vijar?¡±While she was simply asking the names of the opposition, Vijar did not realize that and so heughed in delight.¡°Kuhahahaha! You¡¯re calling me that because you¡¯ve concluded that I¡¯m the leader of our race? You humans have good taste!¡±¡°She¡¯s just being polite, Vijar-dono,¡± the four-armed demihuman behind and to the left of Vijar said in a mocking tone.¡°That, that¡¯s right, it¡¯s just a courtesy, Vijar!¡±It was only then that Remedios realised she had made a mistake about his species¡¯ name.Right after that, the demihuman called Vijar twisted his face in displeasure.¡°Hm, and I even asked Jaldabaoth-sama for permission to spare anyone who pleased me. Don¡¯t regret it.¡±¡°Who¡¯s going to regret it? You can regret fighting us in the afterlife!¡±¡°Heeheehee, what a spirited youngdy you are... you are a youngdy, right? I¡¯m not good with the ages of other species...¡±¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, that ought to be it.¡±The demihumans were probably being very serious. This was simply the difference between their species.¡±Now then, human girl, I shall introduce ourselves. I am Halisha Ankara. This is Vijar Lajandara, who needs no introduction. Andst of all is Nasrene Bert Kyuru-dono.¡±¡°Those names! Aren¡¯t they the White Elder and Iceme Lightning!?¡± Pdin Sabicus eximed.¡°Kukukukuku. Even the humans know our names. The fledgling, on the other hand¨D¡±¡°¨DHuman. Do I not have a title like that?¡±¡°I¡¯ve never heard of the name Vijar Lajandara. However, there¡¯s an axe-wielding Zoastia like you who¡¯s quite famous. It¡¯s the Demon w, Demon w, Vaju Sandiknara.¡±¡°That was my old man,¡± Vijar snorted. ¡°I¡¯m the heir to the title of Demon w, Vijar Lajand. I¡¯ll make sure you think of my name when you hear the words Demon w.¡±¡°Heeheehee. We¡¯ll leave the human general to you then, Vijar-dono.¡±¡°So be it. It¡¯s hard enough that you¡¯ve been forced toe right up to your opponents instead of using spells from a distance. Frankly speaking, I was nning to fight them all by myself.¡±¡°Heeheehee. We were ordered to work together, you know?¡±¡°So you¡¯re having trouble because you¡¯re getting on in years?¡±¡°Tch!¡±The four-armed demihuman (Nasrene) who had clicked her tongue turned and gave Vijar a scary look. In truth, it felt like they might start killing each other at any moment if they were left unchecked.¡°Now then, I really am fine doing this by myself...¡± Vijar stared at Remedios. ¡°But let¡¯s hear your name before that. While it¡¯s a pain to have to listen to some mook name themselves, that sword of yours looks pretty good.¡±¡°Remedios Custodio.¡±Vijar and Halisha¡¯s expressions changed, but in different ways.Vijar was smiling with bloodlust at the thought of meeting a strong foe, while Halisha was surprised.Nasrene, on the other hand, remained unmoved.¡°So you¡¯re the one, huh? You¡¯re Remedios Custodio? They say you¡¯re the strongest pdin in this country. Excellent. If I kill you, I¡¯ll be famous. I¡¯ll be the Zoastia who defeated the strongest pdin in the Holy Kingdom. The new sessor to the title of Demon w!¡±¡°Hmph. In that case, that must be the holy sword, right? Say, Vijar-dono, how about letting me face her instead? I¡¯ll have my people sing your praises if you let me take your ce.¡±Both demihumans reacted immediately to Nasrene¡¯s words.¡°Heeheehee. So you¡¯re nning to hand it over and then ask Jaldabaoth for a child?¡±¡°Hmph, we¡¯ve decided that I¡¯ll deal with her. There¡¯s no need for you to do anything.¡±¡°¨DBegging to be bred by a demon? You make me sick.¡±Remedios could not help blurting out what she really thought after hearing that exchange, and Nasrene turned to give Remedios an irritated look.¡°So you don¡¯t even understand what it means to bear the child of the supreme ruler... humans truly are moronic creatures.¡±¡°Even Jaldabaoth-sama wouldvish care on the species of his offspring, no? When you think about it, there¡¯s a lot of advantages to being a woman, huh.¡±¡°Oh yes. And if the father¡¯s excellent blood could be passed down, the child that¡¯s born mighte close to ¨D no.¡± Vijar puffed up her chest. ¡°Might even be able to bear children that surpass their father ¨D hm? Though you could consider me an exception too.¡±These three demihumans did not act like they were feeling threatened despite being on the battlefield.Remedios began to boil with anger as she watched them chatter idly.¡°How dare you demihumanse here and spout nonsense? There¡¯s no use thinking about a future you won¡¯t have. I¡¯ll crush your stupid dreams here. No, not just you, I mean all of you.¡±¡°Heeheehee. Oooh, I¡¯m soooooo scared.¡±While Halisha looked like he was iling his arms and legs around in panic, he was not actually afraid. That was because he was confident of victory even against an opponent like Remedios. It only served to displease Remedios even further.Remedios shouted an order to the pdins, loud enough for the demihumans to hear.¡°Listen up. This is a duel. I¡¯ll fight Vijar. As for you¨D¡±¡°I¡¯ll take him on,¡± Sabicus said as he pointed to Halisha. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll take that one on,¡± Esteban said as he walked in front of Nasrene.¡°...Oya? ...I¡¯m not a warrior so I¡¯m not too sure, but they¡¯re pretty weak, aren¡¯t they?¡±¡°Heeheehee... who knows? Best not to be careless, Nasrene-dono.¡±Remedios picked up Vijar snorting at her, and she roared, ¡°Here Ie!¡± He must have sensed that those pdins were weak. No good woulde of letting him mention it.The first strike was key. The militiamen were watching her from behind with bated breath; not only would it wipe away their unease, it would also let her opponent know that he was facing a worthy opponent. For these reasons, she had to make an unreserved blow with all of her might.Remedios hacked down on Vijar, holding the holy sword in one hand.In response, Vijar raised his massive battleaxe to intercept her blow.Both sides collided, and the very air shuddered.She could hear shouts from the militiamen behind her. There was no time to slowly determine if they were cheers or cries of panic. Her full power strike had been answered by a counterattack of equal force.The weapons of both sides were undamaged from that exchange of evenly matched blows.If someone had brought a mundane weapon to this intense sh, it would probably have been chipped or bent. In other words, Vijar was also wielding an enchanted weapon.¡°Kuh!¡±¡°Nuuu!¡±Remedios¡¯s next swing grazed Vijar¡¯s upper body, sending forth a spray of blood. However, the battleaxe struck Remedios¡¯s chest at the same time.While her enchanted armor turned the battleaxe¡¯s keen de, the impact knocked the wind out of her, and it became hard to breathe.In contrast to Remedios ¨D who had been knocked back by the blow ¨D Vijar roared and stepped forward, bringing his battleaxe down on her.She did not have enough oxygen to counterattack. Remedios raised her holy sword high and gracefully deflected the battleaxe¡¯s force. That hair-raising strike missed her by a few millimeters and mmed into the ground. So powerful was the hit that for a moment it felt like she was floating.Remedios turned to face Vijar ¨D now defenseless because his battleaxe was buried in the ground ¨D and lunged in with her holy sword.¡°¡¸Strong Strike¡¹!¡±¡°¡¸Fortress¡¹!¡±Having judged that he did not have the time to extricate a heavy weapon like his battleaxe, Vijar took one hand off its hilt and used it as a shield.Vijar¡¯s right arm spurted fresh blood.However, the holy sword did not reach Vijar¡¯s face. There were two reasons for that.The first was because he had used a defensive martial art. The other was because Remedios¡¯s arm was numb and could not exert its full strength.In that case, she would simply force the holy sword that had already prated deeper in ¨D but then the intense pain racing up from Remedios¡¯s leg froze her briefly in ce.The source of the pain was Vijar¡¯s lower body; the forelimbs of his bestial body had swept across Remedios¡¯s legs. Her greaves protected her from most of his razor-sharp ws, but one of them had still managed to slice her leg apart.At that moment, the battleaxe was pulled free and rose up.Remedios took a step towards Vijar to keep the battleaxe from moving. Just moving her leg filled her with agony.¡°¡¸Strong Strike¡¹!¡±¡°¡¸Strong w¡¹!¡±As the holy sword stabbed in, Vijar deftly deflected it with his battleaxe.In response, Remedios redirected the holy sword as it bounced away and guided it into a sh over the strengthened animal forelimb.If Vijar backed off, Remedios would advance to close the distance between them.They went back and forth several times, both sides using martial arts.While neither side had sustained any mortal wounds, each round they fought sent blood sshing all around.Remedios was certain that she had her opponent on the defensive.If this keeps up, I¡¯ll win!Delight boiled up in her heart.If she could defeat these three powerful demihumans, she could protect the people here. That way, they would regain their trust in the Holy Kingdom.There¡¯s no need for that undead being to show up!Simply put, the difference between warriors and pdins was that warriors were offensive frontliners while pdins were defensive frontliners.While it was hard to express in figures, one could say that a warrior¡¯s attack rating was 11 and his defense was 9, while a pdin¡¯s attack was 8 and his defense was 11. Needless to say, pdins could cast spells, but warriors could learn all sorts of martial arts, so it was impossible to make a simpleparison. Still, this was the easiest way to exin the situation to someone who knew nothing.If the question was who would be better against a magic caster, the answer would be a pdin. Thanks to the protection of the gods, they boasted superior magic resistancepared to warriors. Therefore, if Nasrene had been a magic caster on the same level as Remedios, she would not have been much of a threat.Next was Halisha, who was very likely to be a monk-type given his wargear and movements. Monks had the advantage against magic casters or thieves, but the reverse was true against pdins. For that reason, that monkey was not a frightening foe either.Therefore¨DIf I can beat this Vijar, chances are high that I can ughter all three of them.Between ¡°fighting Vijar after being worn down by previous fighting¡± and ¡°fighting Vijar while unhurt,¡± thetter option promised better odds for her. Remedios had challenged Vijar based on that decision. There should not have been anything wrong with that decision. However, she had miscalcted¨D¡°My my. Dead already?¡±¡°Heeheehee. Same here.¡±¨DBecause the pdins fighting the other two were far too weak.¡°What!?¡±Had she overestimated those two pdins, or underestimated the strength of those two demihumans? Or was it both?¡°You¡¯re insulting me by taking your eyes off me!¡±Vijar swung furiously at Remedios.¡°Guwaaargh!¡±While she had barely managed to stop that strike, she had still been forced a short distance away. The tide of battle had turned in an instant.¡°Remedios, was it... You do know that I am the great Vijar, a being of great power whose name will resound throughout the world? If you don¡¯t put all of your body and soul into it, you¡¯ll die in seconds, you know?¡±Remedios bit her lip as she heard the sounds of the others fighting.¡°Heeheehee. I wonder if this pdin is strong enough?¡±¡°...He¡¯s no different from the previous one... well, I can¡¯t really tell since I¡¯m not a warrior.¡±¡°I am Pdin Franco.¡±¡°And I am Pdin Galban. I will be your opponent.¡±Several seconds after they had spoken, she once again heard the sound of armored men copsing.Pdin Franco was a good man. While he was not a very strong pdin, he ced a lot of emphasis on getting along with others and he was well-liked as a result. In truth, he had been assigned here because Gustav trusted him. Remedios knew his character, and so she had given him the task of organizing the militiamen here.She had heard that Pdin Galban was a newlywed. However, his wife was currently locked up somewhere. He had extinguished his desire to save her and hade to assist Remedios instead, in order to help more people.These two people ¨D who were too young to die ¨D had been killed.¡°Distracted again!¡±Vijar roared, and dealt her a blow that was even more ferocious than the previous one. Remedios flung herself towards Vijar, taking the blow on her sword arm, and then she slid her de ¨D but Vijar nimbly evaded it.¡°Hm. What¡¯s this, some kind of bluff? Or did your body remember that movement because of all your training?¡±Vijar growled. He was not wary of a worthy foe, but delighted.¡°Hey, fledgling. We¡¯re done here, but you¡¯ve been at it a long time. How about it, need help?¡±¡°You must be kidding. My legend will be tainted if I need your help to kill her. Many people will speak of this if I beat her in a one-on-one.¡±¡°Vijar-dono¡¯s words are correct. How about this, Nasrene-dono. We¡¯ll destroy the humans¡¯ shields, and then¨D¡±¡°¨DAs if I¡¯d let you!¡±While she was still confronting Vijar, Remedios took her eyes off him and turned to look at the defenseless pair. However¨D¡°You bitch! I told you already, I¡¯m your opponent!¡±Vijar did not allow her to do so. Her defense was full of holes, but he did not swing at her with his battleaxe, insteadunching a kick. Remedios took the blow and was sent flying into the shield wall with tremendous forceThe shock of the impact threw her breathing into chaos for a moment.¡°Aiiieeee!¡±The militiamen cried out in fear.¡°Keep your attention on me, human! Fight seriously!¡±Vijar¡¯s shout was followed closely by the sound of his footsteps. If he swung his long-handled battleaxe, he would send the shield-wielding civilians flying, creating a gap in the formation big enough that recovery would be impossible.Even though Remedios had lost her bnce, she still took a step forward, lunging at Vijar who stood in front of her.If possible, she would have liked to finish off Vijar with her own abilities. That was because of the power that Remedios was holding in reserve to deal with the other two.It was a powerful move that the holy sword Safalrisia possessed, which could only be used once a day.It was a strengthened version of a pdin¡¯s holy strike.It was the most powerful attack that a pdin wielding this sword could unleash.Her instincts told her that it would be best not to do so. However, if she did not immediately defeat Vijar, the other two demihumans would kill more people.I¨D want to protect Calca-sama¡¯s wish¨D!¡°!!¡±She cried out without words, ignored her instincts as they screamed at her, and mentally sent amand to the holy sword. At the same time, she infused her holy strike into the de and made her move.The holy sword glowed with divine radiance, and light extended out to twice the length of the actual de.This light was apparently more dazzling the more evil a being was. In this state, avoiding or blocking this blow would be more difficult. The word ¡°apparently¡± came to mind because it did not seem that bright to Remedios¡¯s eyes.Remedios raised her holy sword to the sky, and swung it down with all her might.Since Remedios had lost her bearings, predicting the course of the attack was child¡¯s y. Vijar casually prepared to check the blow with his axe and then shove her back. However¨D¡°!!¡±Following another wordless cry, Remedios pressed down on her holy sword while it was still locked with the battleaxe, and continued forcing it down.She did not intend to have her sword strike its target through brute force.The reason for this was because the radiance on the sword followed the path of the de as it travelled down, passing through the battleaxe and entering Vijar¡¯s body.This was the ultimate technique of the holy sword Safalrisia.It was a holy wave that ignored defences and armor.The sturdiest armor, scales, and hides meant nothing to it. Since it could even pass through magic weapons, it could not be stopped by weapons or shields, which made it an unavoidable trump card.Of course, if one did not choose to sh with the blow and was nimble enough to avoid it, they would not be hit by the wave of light. However, there was no way to avoid Remedios¡¯s shing strike while one¡¯s eyes were dazzled by the light.As the wave of light blew past like the wind, the holy radiance on the de vanished as well.However ¨D Remedios¡¯s eyes went wide.She had clearly hit her target, but Vijar did not look like he was in pain.¡°...What? That was a shy move, but... it hardly hurts at all. Is it just for show? Though I have to say, it did startle me...¡±Remedios was shocked.This guy ¨D he¡¯s not evil-aligned!This technique was more effective the more evil one¡¯s foe was. In contrast, it did little damage to non-evil targets. It did practically nothing to good-aligned people. In other words, the fact that it had hurt Vijar meant that while he was not good, he was certainly not evil either.He made the people suffer! He invaded our country! How can someone like that not be evil!?¡°Heeheehee. Well, that was quite a spectacr light show, Vijar-dono. Are you really unhurt?¡±Halisha narrowed his eyes as he questioned Vijar.¡°It was so bright... it¡¯s still burning my eyes.¡±Nasrene grumbled from the side.She had made a mistake ¨D she should not have used that move on Vijar after all.Vijar tested his limbs and made sure his body was fine before shrugging. While he seemed defenseless, Remedios could not find any weaknesses in his defense no matter how hard she looked.¡°...A light show? Well, I¡¯m not too sure what that was all about, but it¡¯s nothing much, right?¡±¡°...Vijar, I¡¯m kind of surprised. To think you were unharmed by that attack... I might have underestimated you.¡±¡°Fuha! You get it atst! Hahaha! All right, human. You did well in making me look good. If you surrender, I¡¯ll kill you painlessly. How about that?¡±¡°Don¡¯t make those unfunny jokes! We haven¡¯t settled this yet!¡±Remedios raised her sword and shouted at the three demihumans.Remedios could still fight, like she had said. She ced a hand over her wounds and used her healing abilities. Her pain was carried away by the sensation of warmth.A lot of pdin techniques won¡¯t work on him since he¡¯s not evil... but since the two of them were dazzled by it, I¡¯ll save them for those two instead.All she had to do was fight Vijar as a pure warrior.¡°Heeheehee. Well then, we¡¯ll leave her to you, Vijar-dono. We¡¯ll be hunting the humans in the rear.¡±¡°What? You scumbags!¡±All the pdins she had called up were dead. The militiamen could not possibly stop them.¡°As if I¡¯d let you have your way!¡±Remedios backed off and repositioned so she could face the three demihumans at once.¡°It seems you¡¯re ready to take the three of us on at once, but Vijar said he wanted to take care of this.¡±¡°Heeheehee. Our aim is to wipe out the humans in the city as needed, not to serve as your opponents. Nasrene-dono, may I count on you to wipe out that rabble in the back with your power?¡±¡°Ah yes...¡±There were masses of magical power in three of Nasrene¡¯s four hands. One was ice, the other was fire, and thest was lightning.¡°Damnit!¡±Remedios ran toward the female demihuman¨D¡°I told you just now! I¡¯m your opponent!¡±¨DAnd blocked the battleaxe swung at her with a roar, but she was flung far away.At this moment, Remedios realised that there was no way she could deal with Nasrene while fighting Vijar at the same time. While she could have just jumped right to Nasrene¡¯s side, defending against Nasrene¡¯s attacks would have left her defenseless body exposed to Vijar.What do you mean no way... I won¡¯t ept this! Not being able to do anything is just an excuse!The moans of the militiamen stirred up Remedios¡¯s emotions.These people had not fled in the face of terror because they believed in her. She could not show them a disgraceful side of herself.She would not abandon Calca¡¯s ideals ¨D to make a country where nobody would cry.¡°Militiamen! Everyone, fall back!¡±As she gave themand, Remedios gathered her resolve.I won¡¯t die from taking a single hit. I¡¯ll rush that female demihuman while activating ¡¸Fortress¡¹!Vijarughed as he watched Remedios break into a run. It would seem he had misunderstood something.¡°Ho. It seems you¡¯ve made up your mind. That¡¯s the way! Fight me with all you have! Give me a battle worthy of a legend! ¡¸Showdown Deration¡¹!¡±¡°¨DHuh?¡±Vijar roared, and there was a special power in that roar. Remedios¡¯s legs, which were supposed to carry her towards Nasrene, charged towards Visha like they had gone mad. Nor was it just her legs ¨D her sword, her mind, her vision, she could not pull any of them from Vijar.¡°¡¸Fireball¡¹.¡±A third tier spell flew past Remedios¡¯s body and at the militiamen. Remedios could endure that spell, but it would be fatal to the militiamen¨D¡°¨D¡¸Wall of Skeleton¡¹!¡±The fireball collided with the grotesque-looking wall of bones that had sprung up in front of the militiamen and vanished.Someone eximed in surprise.Initially, it was because they had no idea what had just happened. However, it slowly changed. That was because they saw something descend lightly ¨D like it was unaffected by gravity ¨D andnd on top of the frightening wall of skeletons.That person possessed none of the intense emotions of the battlefield, and spoke with a gentle tone that seemedpletely out of ce with his surroundings.¡°While this is amon enough urrence on the battlefield, I find it a little difficult to watch a three-on-one battle. You don¡¯t mind if I join in, do you?¡±The owner of that voice was undead.Everyone in this city recognized him. He was the person who had originally refused to fight in order to recover his mana.He was the Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown.Ohhhh! An earth-shaking cheer came from the other side of the wall.Remedios tightly clenched her sword hand.¡°What, what¡¯s that, who is that?¡±¡°...By the looks of it, I think it¡¯s an Elder Lich. So there¡¯s a type without skin. Still... does a mere Elder Lich have the power to stop my spells? Is it because of his robe? It does look quite impressive. Or no, is it because its summoner possesses great power?¡±Remedios did notprehend the demihumans¡¯ words at all. She heard the sounds, but she did not understand what they meant. That was because all her energy was focused on quelling the intense hatred welling up within her. She did not even notice that she was standing defenseless in front of Vijar¨DAhhhhhhhhhh!!! Why did he show up!? Why are they cheering for him!? Why! Why!! Why!!! For this filthy undead being!!!??A corner of Remedios¡¯s mind was calm enough to note that it was a natural reaction to help someone in difficulty. However, it was overruled by her inability to forgive the civilians for cheering on the undead. The corpses of the pdins who had sacrificed themselves as shields to protect the people were clearly visible.You¡¯re not cheering for the people who fought as your shields, but for someone who showed upte!!!!!She was so angry that she wanted to rip her helmet off and scratch her head while rolling around on the ground.Remedios struggled to curb the anger in her heart, and she addressed the undead being on the wall.¡°¨DWhy did youe here?¡±The Sorcerer King¡¯s movements stopped, as though he had been frozen in ce. The red mes in his empty eye sockets turned to Remedios.¡°...Why? ...I came? ...To help you?¡±¡°...I see.¡±Why had he note earlier? Was he waiting until the pdins had died? Did he n to make a stylish entrance in front of the people?She wanted to shout that at him, but¨D¡°Then I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± She did not phrase it as a request. She could not. ¡°And get rid of the wall.¡±¡°Hm?¡±¡°I said I¡¯ll leave it to you!¡± she shouted without thinking. Remedios strove to quell her rising emotions. ¡°¨DAnd tear down that wall. You can¡¯t?¡±¡°...Certainly not.¡±In an instant, the wall beneath the Sorcerer King¡¯s feet vanished. The Sorcerer King did not fall down, probably because he was using a ¡¸Fly¡¹spell.Remedios turned her back on Vijar. She did not mind if he killed her from behind. That way she couldugh at the Sorcerer King for not protecting her.Having abandoned herself to despair, Remedios found it somewhat regretful that the demihumans did not attack her as she trudged back in front of the militiamen.There was a hint of fear in the militiamen¡¯s eyes. Was the look on her face so horrible?¡°¨DWe¡¯ll let the Sorcerer King handle this ce! Let¡¯s go help where they need us more!¡±After hearing Remedios¡¯s orders, the militiamen looked at each other, and they seemed confused.¡°Are you disobeying orders!?¡±After Remedios red at them, one of the militiamen quietly asked:¡°Ah, n-no. But... the Sorcerer King, by himself...¡±¡°The Sorcerer King is strong! Isn¡¯t that right!? In that case, something like that won¡¯t be a problem for him! Let¡¯s go!¡±***Remedios led the militiamen to another battlefield. They repeatedly looked back at him as they left.Ainz looked at the empty space where they had been and muttered to himself.¡°Eh? ...That bitch, she actually dumped it all on me.¡±This ridiculous state of events made Ainz reveal his true nature.Normally, wouldn¡¯t we have a scene like ¡°Oh, let¡¯s fight together~¡± or something? Or ¡°Thanks foring, we¡¯ll leave them all to you?¡± At the very least she could have been polite about it, we could have gone back and forth several times about ¡°Will you be alright here?¡± and so on... And not even a single word of gratitude after being saved? What the hell, man?Frustration built in his heart. However, it did not reach the level of true anger, so it was not suppressed. It was like a tiny me of indignation simmering inside him.It was as though how someone had messed up and forced him to work overtime, and the person in question had said that they had something on and just up and left.No¨DI would¡¯ve been more angry. Like say, if I was going home to y YGGDRASIL... and the guild had ns already, and beingte would cause problems for everyone. It happened before, and while everyone forgave me back then...Thus fuelled, the miniscule mes zed up into an inferno, and then they were forcibly extinguished.¡°Hm... While my anger¡¯s been suppressed, I¡¯m still unhappy. That¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve been treated so rudely.¡±While she had shouted ¡°shut up¡± at him before, the situation had been different back then. In the first ce, they had agreed that Ainz could sit this battle out, but Ainz had still rushed over as reinforcements. Surely anyone who had an inkling ofmon sense would have taken a different tone when addressing him.Everyone Ainz had met until now had been at least minimally polite.That was why Ainz found it strange.After cooling his head and searching through his memories, Suzuki Satoru recalled having met people like Remedios several times before.Still, none of itforted him.Ainz turned his still-irate gaze on the three demihumans.Granted, it was not entirely their fault either.Ainz understood that he was simply taking it out on them.What should have happened was that Remedios¡¯s rtionship meter with Ainz should have maxed out when thetter saved her from danger, she should have apologized for treating Ainz this way all this time, and then worked hard for Ainz in all ways in the future. That was why Ainz had been observing Remedios from the air with ¡¸Perfect Unknowable¡¹active all this time, and then stepped in to help her when she was in trouble.But in the end, things had turned out like this.He could not understand how they had ended up this way.If the department¡¯s quota was not met and it was close to the end of the month and someone stepped up to make up for the shortfall, surely everyone would be grateful to that person, right? Especially if that person had finished his own work long ago and hade back from his leave to help them.Ainz had been observing the battlefield from above, and he had a firm grasp of the big picture. There were many more dangerous ces than this. He was even aware that the girl who had red at him all this time was in danger.Even so, he had chosen toe to this ce because he wanted to sell a favor to the highest ranking person he could ¨D better to rule in hell than serve in heaven and all that ¨D and he had judged that the captain of the Holy Kingdom¡¯s pdin corps was the highest ranking person here.However¨D¡°I really am annoyed.¡±As he grumbled without thinking, Ainz heard a piercingugh.¡°Heeheehee. Looks like you¡¯ve been left here. Heeheehee, how sad, how sad.¡±¡°An Elder Lich. In other words, an individual that¡¯s powerful as a magic caster. Is there a need to be careful? I haven¡¯t seen that wall-making spell before, but it seems to be of a fairly high tier.¡±¡°Hmph. So it¡¯s still a magic caster, then? Don¡¯t really feel like fighting it. In the end, you need to beat a warrior if you want people to sing tales about you.¡±The three demihumans seemed to have recovered from the bizarre situation enough to banter with each other. Ainz turned to look at them, and his eyes focused on the ape-like demihuman among them who seemed to haveughed just now.¡°Does it matter? First we kill him, then¨D¡±¡°¨DShut up.¡±Ainz interrupted their conversation and cast a silent eighth tier spell, ¡¸Death¡¹.The ape-like demihuman¡¯s smile was frozen on his face as he slowly copsed.¡°...What? What did you¨D¡±¡°¨DI told you to shut up, didn¡¯t I?¡±Ainz once again cast a silent ¡¸Death¡¹ spell.The four-legged demihuman copsed in the same way as just now.¡°Eh? Ehhh? What happened? What¡¯s going on?¡±The female demihuman who remained still did not understand what was going on, but it would seem she had already recognized who had done it.¡°Was, was it you? You killed those two in an instant...?¡±Terror was deeply etched on her face. Her body was shaking hard.¡°Yes, yes,¡± Ainz carelessly cast a silent ¡¸Death¡¹ on the female demihuman as well. ¡°¨DHmmm?¡±She did not die. Ainz¡¯s ¡¸Death¡¹ had been resisted.In the moment he realized this, Ainz¡¯s mind immediately switched gears, entering a mental state that could be considered abat mode.Was it a defensive racial characteristic? A protective spell she had cast on herself? Had she resisted it normally? Had a magic item protected her? Or was it something else?While one could notpletely rule out the possibility that it might have been a coincidence, surely she could not have resisted it under her own power. Ainz had observed the three of them as they fought. While he did not think that he had the full measure of their abilities, Ainz was certain that they could not resist the power of his magic in a direct contest.As Ainz mulled over the reasons for this, he felt that it would be best to stay on his guard and let his opponent make a move.Perhaps he might discover something that could only be found here. He would like to see the trump card wielded by someone who could resist Ainz¡¯s usual attack methods.¡°Hmm... Well, it doesn¡¯t matter what she did. What a waste of time. If I¡¯d known, I would have left that woman alone and gone to help elsewhere. I was thinking that if I fought together with that woman, we could have put on a show of hard fought triumph, so we would have spent a bit more time on the back and forth...¡±***A chatty undead being stood before her.What kind of undead creature is this? ...The undead couldn¡¯t possibly ally themselves with humans. Is it being controlled by a necromancer? Still, that power...While she had no idea what he had done, he had instantly killed two warriors who were on par with her. Could such a powerful undead being even be controlled?If his finger pointed to her, would she be the one to perish next?The only people she knew who could do this besides the Demon Emperor Jaldabaoth would be the great demons who were his henchmen.¨DThat¡¯s impossible! Anyone who could control an undead creature who was on par with those mighty beings must be on the level of a god! How could such a necromancer exist?If this human nation had such a necromancer, how could the Demihuman Alliance have pressed their invasion so far?Should I run? Should I take the chance to flee while he¡¯s acting all rxed? Or can I even escape?She did not possess any spells which were handy for escape. After all, she had never been in such danger before and had not felt the importance of learning such spells.In that case, the only way out is through!¡°Ahhhhhhhhh!¡±She used her battlecry to rouse her spirit, and began to cast spells with her trembling lips.There was a fourth-tier arcane spell called ¡¸Silver Lance¡¹. It was a physical-type spell, but since it possessed silver properties, it was a tremendously damaging spell against enemies who were weak against silver. In addition, it also had a special effect known as ¡°piercing,¡± which made it do more damage to unarmored opponents. However, it also had the drawback that its damage could be reduced by armor.Her trump cardy in altering this powerful spell to produce new, unique spells.There was the ¡¸Burn Lance¡¹, which inflicted fire-element damage.There was the ¡¸Freeze Lance¡¹, which inflicted cold-element damage.There was the ¡¸Shock Lance¡¹, which inflicted lightning-element damage.These three spells all did elemental damage, so armor could not reduce their potency, and they still retained the deadly ¡°piercing¡± ability.Of course, in keeping with their deadliness, those spells consumed far more mana than fourth tier spells.She activated three of these potent ¨D to her ¨D spells at once.She was simultaneously casting three spells, each one of which used a significant amount of mana. In addition, simultaneously casting spells was very draining in itself, and as the shock of using huge quantities of mana hit her, she felt light and floaty, as though she were about to pass out.¡°Diiiiiieeeee!¡±The threences flew toward the undead being ¨D and then vanished without a trace.¡°¨DHah?¡±She could not understand what had happened before her eyes. She could understand if it had taken damage, or shrugged it off. But this ¨D this was like nothing had happened at all.Thences had simply vanished.¡°Eh? Eh? What? What what?¡±¡°...I gave you all that time and this is the best you can do? Is this the ace up your sleeve? Hm. I guess I didn¡¯t need to let you make the first move out of caution. Now then, there¡¯s not much time left, so hurry up and die. ¡¸Maximize Magic Reality sh¡¹.¡±<b>Part 5</b>There was a world of darknessShe did not know what ¡°she¡± wasShe wanted to open her eyes ¨D but she did not know what eyes wereShe did not know what darkness or the world meantShe did not know why she was thinking of these thingsShe knew nothingShe was vanishingShe did not know what ¡°vanishing¡± meantBut she was vanishingHowever, suddenly, she felt like she was being pulled by somethingFrom above, from below, from the left, from the right, from somewhere¨DApleted world was pulling herA pitiful being who had beenpleted by the works of their friendsSomeone who had sealed away all thoughts that there was a greater treasure than thatAnd then ¨D an explosion of white light dyed the worldThere was a tremendous sense of loss¨DA sense of separation from a whole¨DNeia Baraja blinked several times, seeking to return her unfocused field of vision to normal.She sensed that something had happened, but she could not remember anything about it. However, she ought to have been fighting demihumans. What on earth had happened?¡°...That was a dangerous ce.¡±As she heard that calm voice, Neia narrowed her eyes and looked up with an abnormally keen gaze.It looked like darkness.It was not the darkness a child would fear, but the darkness which granted peace to those who were tired.It was the Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown.¡°Yhour... Mhajeshty...¡±Neia reflexively reached up to him, like a worried child reaching for her parents¨D¡°Neia Baraja. Do not force yourself to move. Let me take care of this ce and rest.¡±Behind him, she could see the demihumans frantically attacking the Sorcerer King, stabbing him with swords, hacking at him, punching him.However, the Sorcerer Kingpletely ignored them. He spoke to her as though nothing was happening.The memory of Buser came to Neia¡¯s mind.The Sorcerer King reached into the sleeve of his robe and, after a brief dy, he withdrew a purple, poisonous-looking potion. Normally, potions were blue.Neia did not question the Sorcerer King even as he poured that poisonous-looking potion on her. What the Sorcerer King did must surely be correct.Reality turned out as she had imagined it. The purple potion that he poured on Neia¡¯s body instantly healed all of her wounds. It would seem the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s potions were of a different color.¡°While it seems a full recovery will be a long way off, you should recover your energy before that ¨D what a pain. Tch. The militiamen are all dead... looks like there¡¯s a few left over there. In that case...¡±The Sorcerer King turned to face the demihumans as they attacked him from behind over and over again.There was fighting all over the city at this very moment, and someone was dying with every second that passed. However, in that moment Neiapletely forgot about that, because her eyes were stolen by the glorious back of the Sorcerer King who had risen to protect her.Her unease and worries about the demihuman army werepletely gone.That was ¨D what Neia had longed for.So it was here all along. I see...Neia was certain that she had found the perfect answer to the doubts that she had been holding on to all this time.The Sorcerer King casually cast a spell.A dazzling stroke of electricity raced along the top of the city wall. It was apparently a spell called ¡¸Chain Dragon Lightning¡¹.The demihumans on the wall were swept away, so easily that it was hard to imagine there had been a life-and-death struggle here earlier.¡°Did... yhou... dhefeat... them... all?¡±¡°No, there were some people still fighting nearby, so I was trying not to catch them in it. However ¨D ¡¸Napalm¡¹ ah, that¡¯s all of them. Next we have to deal with the idiots climbing up.¡¸Widen Magic Wall of Skeleton¡¹.¡± A wall of bones suddenly sprang up on the outside of the city wall, where the demihuman forces were. While she could not see the other side because her vision was blocked, she could hear the demihumans on thedders wailing, followed by the sound of objects falling and hitting the ground hard.¡°Now to take care of their forces which are already in formation... I sent some undead over there earlier, they¡¯ll deal with it soon enough.¡±As he spoke, he took out another potion. It waspletely different from the one just now, being stored in a beautiful, slender phial. While she had no idea what the potion inside it could do, it looked like it must be a very valuable item.¡°I, ahm fhine, Yhour Mhajeshty...¡±¡°...Enough of that. I¡¯m sorry I waste in saving you.¡±The Sorcerer King shielded the upper halves of his eye sockets like he was being dazzled as he poured out the contents of the bottle. The sense of weakness she had been feeling since just now melted away. However, her body still felt heavy. She felt like something had been scraped away from herself, but matching it ¨D no, exceeding it ¨D was a warmth in the core of her body.She could get up like this. While her body still hurt so much that her tears had leaked out, she could not remain in such a disgraceful posture in front of the person who hade to save her.¡°Stop ¨D Miss Baraja. There¡¯s no need to force yourself to stand.¡±While she wanted to get up, Neia obedientlyy back as he pushed her shoulders down.¡°Yes, like that... I¡¯ll get someone to carry you. ¨DYou lot, over here!¡±The Sorcerer King waved to what seemed to be militiamen.It was at this point that Neia realized that for the sake of expressing her gratitude, she had not yet asked a question which had to be asked.¡°Your Majesty, will you be alright? You came to help us and used the mana you should have been saving to fight Jaldabaoth.¡±¡°It¡¯s fine. When you think about it, it couldn¡¯t be helped considering that it was for the sake of saving you.¡±¡°Your Majesty...¡± A weighty stone seemed to have fallen from her chest. ¡°I understand now.¡±¡°Hm? What is it?¡±The Sorcerer King waited for Neia¡¯s reply.¡°I understand what justice is.¡±¡°¨DAh, so you¡¯ve found the justice that belongs to you? That¡¯s good. ...Is it protecting the weak, or something?¡±His voice was full of tenderness, and so Neia replied with confidence.¡°Your Highness is justice.¡±For a moment, the Sorcerer King froze.¡°....Hm?¡±¡°I understand now! Your Highness is justice!¡±¡°...Ah, is that so. You must be tired. Don¡¯t you think it would be better to rest? You¡¯ll think of strange things when you¡¯re tired. Surely you won¡¯t want to roll around on the bed and make weird noises after you calm down, right?¡±¡°I¡¯m a little tired, but more importantly, my heart has cleared up. I am absolutely certain that Your Highness is justice!¡±¡°No, nono, I said so back then, but I¡¯m not justice. Look, what they call justice ought to be something like protecting the weak ismon sense, that kind of... uh, abstract concept. Right? I mean, normally speaking.¡±¡°No. Justice without power is meaningless, but power like what Jaldabaoth possesses is not justice either. Therefore, being strong, and using that strength to aid others is truly justice; in other words, you are the incarnation of justice, Your Majesty!!¡±As Neia¡¯s eyes went wide while she spoke, the Sorcerer King suddenly raised his hand, and then ced it over Neia¡¯s eyes like he was coaxing her to sleep. The pleasant coolness of his fingerbones made Neia¡¯s cheeks rx.¡°...Ah. If you shout too loud, won¡¯t it make your wounds hurt? After this, we can slowly continue what you were talking about just now.¡±¡°Yes! Your Majesty!¡±She heard the sound of several footsteps, and by shifting her gaze, she saw the forms of pdins and militiamen approaching her.¡°Your Highness! Thank you very much foring here to help us!¡±¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡±As he answered, the Sorcerer King slowly rose to his feet. Neia felt lonely as he stood up and wanted to reach for the Sorcerer King¡¯s robe, but then she realised that doing so would be terribly shameful and so she curbed herself.¡°¨DNo, actually, maybe you should. Therefore, I hope you will take Squire Baraja to a safe ce in order to show your gratitude. While you can¡¯t see it from here, I¡¯ve already sent the undead I made into the demihuman encampment, so it should be alright for you to stand down for a while.¡±¡°Your Majesty¨D¡±¡°¨DNeia Baraja. And also, the people of this country. Let me handle the rest. I promise you that I will do my best to save the people of this city.¡±The Sorcerer King floated lightly into the air.¡°Also, there¡¯s one more thing. Can you help me move the bodies of those three demihumans over there? They were strong foes, so I want to study them carefully.¡±The three corpses to which the Sorcerer King pointed looked like they had once been very impressive demihumans.¡°Move them with their wargear. Don¡¯t worry about being rough with them, but do not misce their equipment. I¡¯ll leave that to you.¡±As he watched the Sorcerer King fly into the air, a pdin turned to Neia.¡°Squire Neia Baraja, while we would like to carry you... theck of materials for a stretcher makes things difficult. Can you stand?¡±¡°Yes, though it¡¯s difficult.¡±Neia slowly got to her feet. Her legs were trembling, and they ached as soon as they took her weight. Neia leaned on a militiaman¡¯s shoulder and hung on tightly to him.Looking down from the city wall, the unit that was supposed to be defending the west gate was gone, and there were no bodies. The sound of shing des on the wind seemed to being from far away, so taking the shortest route down from the side tower ought to be fine.Neia sought the form of the Sorcerer King who had disappeared into the sky, and as she thought that it was a shame that she could not see him, Neia entered the side tower.***As he greeted the demihumans invading the city with attack spells from the air, Ainz thought about the sequence of events which had transpired and wrinkled his nonexistent brows.¨DThat was a huge mistake. The order was all wrong. I should have prioritized Neia Baraja over that annoying woman.Neia had died because he helped Remedios and was thus dyed in going to Neia¡¯s side. He had to use a high level wand to resurrect Neia, because he was not sure how high level Neia was, and he was afraid of her turning to ash like the Lizardman from back then.In truth, he had no idea whether the price of resurrecting Neia was justified by the benefits she could bring to Ainz and Nazarick. That said, since the n to help Remedios and indebt her to him had been aplete failure, he ought to at least try again with Neia, which was why he had chosen to resurrect her. However¨D...Would a Wand of Resurrection ¨D a seventh tier spell ¨D have been fine as well? ...It seems I was being too generous. Also, it¡¯ll take an hour before I can swap out this ring.Ainz was looking at one of his eight rings, the one on his right thumb.It was the Ring of Wand Mastery.Said ring was an ultra-rare artifact dropped by a boss.Normally, only magic casters of the appropriate tradition would be able to use the spells stored within a wand. For instance, only a divine caster could use a wand imbued with the first tier divine spell ¡¸Light Healing¡¹. If they could be used by magic casters of other traditions, then they would be staves, which were more expensive.That said, a patch had updated certain wands so they could be used by all yers. Unfortunately, the wand imbued with the ninth tier spell ¡¸True Resurrection¡¹ that he had used to resurrect Neia was not one of them, and Ainz would not be able to use it under normal circumstances.However, he could use it as long as he had this ring.Yet every time the ring was used, it only applied to one wand at a time, and he would have to wait an hour before he could change it out. It also carried the drawback of requiring mana to use, but it was still a very valuable item regardless.Due to its high rarity, very few people in the guild ¡°Ainz Ooal Gown¡± possessed it, and the one which Ainz had was left to him by Amanomahitotsu when he had quit the game.Well, it doesn¡¯t look like I¡¯ll need to use that wand anywhere else, so I shouldn¡¯t let it bother me. Speaking of which, I just realized when I covered her eyes, it feels like she simply respects me. Given what she said... does that mean I¡¯ve gained her trust? Umu. I wonder what happened?Ainz recalled Neia¡¯s reaction.Her gratitude sounded sincere... but at the same time it felt like she was ring at me. Is it because her face is scary? How about rmending she wear sunsses or something?Ainz might have thought that, but of course he could not actually say it. In the carriage, she had mentioned being conscious of how scary her eyes had looked.If one encountered ady with smelly armpits, how would they react when you said, ¡°You stink,¡± and gave them a bottle of perfume?It feels like all the respect I¡¯ve cultivated would vanish and she would only resent me...In addition, Ainz ¨D Suzuki Satoru ¨D was not brave enough to say such things.Ainz spotted a cluster of demihumans nearby and discharged an area-effect spell at the ground, ughtering them all. The militiamen who had been facing them waved to him. Ainz raised his arm as well by way of response. Originally, he had intended to just raise his hand, but there was a distance between them, so he put his arm up high in order for them to see him.That¡¯s right~ It¡¯s the merciful Sorcerer King~ Be grateful to me~ speaking of which, does resurrection magic make people go mad or act weirdly? Compared to that, it would be better if she was just pumped up or on a buzz...Ainz thought about Neia.It felt strange no matter how he thought about it. She had been perfectly normal when he had parted ways with her, but she had ended up like that after being brought back to life.Is she mad? Should I heal her with magic? It would be a little scary if it was a side effect of resurrection. I don¡¯t want to end up warping her personality as time passes.There had been a strange force in Neia¡¯s murderous eyes, an insane, ferocious gleam that frightened him.It¡¯s so bad that she mistook me for justice, huh. Some rest ought to help with that... oh.Ainz turned his gaze to the demihuman position.Half of it had already been destroyed, and Soul Eaters were walkingzily among the fleeing demihumans. Even that much was enough to send the demihumans copsing in droves from their instant death auras. The Soul Eaters who consumed their souls became stronger in turn.When Soul Eaters appeared in YGGDRASIL, they were almost always level-appropriate encounters, so the chances of a yer being downed by an instant death effect would only be one in a hundred or less. That was why this special ability of Soul Eaters rarely got the chance to see use.However, it was different this time. This was the perfect opportunity to show it off.¡°Souls, huh... oh no. I should have experimented with this.¡±Ainz suddenlynded. Then he used his ability to create mid-tier undead to craft a Soul Eater.Go.After he issued a mentalmand, the Soul Eater immediately began to move. At the same time, he sent an order to the Soul Eaters who were obliterating the demihumans outside.It went: leave some prey for the newly-made Soul Eater.Undead created with corpses did not vanish with the passage of time. But why did they not vanish?If it¡¯s not because they¡¯re using the corpse as a medium, but the soul, does it mean that Soul Eaters which have eaten souls won¡¯t vanish? ...Well, even if I found the answer I wouldn¡¯t know where to apply it. Still, knowing is better than not knowing.He ascended into the sky once more, and verified that the city was safe. Most of the demihumans should have been wiped out by now, but he ought to be careful, just in case.Muu, that annoying woman is there. Ignore her, ignore her.Ainz looked away from Remedios and flew elsewhere.As Ainz flew, he could hear cheersing from below him, and Ainz responded with a wave of the hand. After verifying that there were no more demihumans ¨D that the fighting had ended, Ainz began making his way to the war room. He would need a lot of time to return to Nazarick and take care of all sorts of annoying meetings.¡°I need to handle this properly...¡±A crushing surge of uneasiness flooded into him, and then his emotion suppression calmed him down. The only thing that remained was a chilly sensation in his heart.I need to use ¡¸Message¡¹ to tell Demiurge to meet me in Nazarick.***Once Ainz made his move, victory was all too easy. After wiping out the demihumans attacking the city and finishing a couple of other things, Ainz returned to his own room.One of those things was to show his face at Caspond¡¯s chambers and ask him for some minor favors in the future. The long and short of it was that after trampling the demihuman encampment underfoot, he had no issue with giving them the leftover rations and everything else ¨D magic items excepted.Since Ainz had devastated the demihuman camp by himself, then the spoils from the demihumans should have rightfully belonged to him. Dumping them into the Exchange Box would have yielded quite a tidy sum. However, if he monopolized it all, the goodwill he had so painstakingly built up might end up losing its value. That being the case, he ought to write it off as an investment and give it all to the Holy Kingdom. Of course, there might be valuable magical items among the loot, and he had no intention of giving those up.Normally, Ainz would have gone to the camp by himself and used ¡¸Greater Magic Vision¡¹, ¡¸Detect Magic¡¹ and other such divination spells to examine the scene, but he felt that there was no need to do so. In addition, Demiurge ought to have investigated what magic items the demihumans possessed ahead of time. Even if something had slipped the, there ought to have been nothing there which could harm Ainz. If there was, then it would have been more eye-catching.After that, he went to recover the equipment from those three demihumans. As expected, nobody had dared loot the corpses, and so Ainz recovered their magical items without incident. Of course, he had an idea of how powerful those items were from the mana they contained, but he still held out hope for something bizarre or unusual.He dumped them onto the bed and prepared to magically investigate each and every one of them, but he had something he needed to do first.¡°¨DNow then!¡±He deliberately made noise.Part of that was to psyche himself up, but there was another meaning to it.There was something he needed to do before sending the ¡¸Message¡¹ to Demiurge.Ainz took out a scroll ¨D Demiurge-brand ¨D and cast a spell, whereupon a pair of bunny ears sprouted from Ainz¡¯s head.He used them to check for nearby sounds, and it seemed like there was nobody hiding to spy on him. However, that was not enough to put him at ease. After all, there was magic, such as the second tier spell ¡¸Silence¡¹, which could eliminate sound, and then there were also thief skills, so it was too early to conclude that there was nobody around just because he could not hear anything.It¡¯s thanks to Demiurge¡¯s farm ¨D which allows us to obtain raw materials easily ¨D that I can use scrolls this casually. Dumpingrge quantities of produce into the Exchange Box means we can make back the gold spent on the scrolls without any problems. I¡¯ve thought about this before, but I have a good feeling about the various ways in which Nazarick is developing.They could still use the ordinary parchment from this world for first tier spells like ¡¸Rabbit¡¯s Ear¡¹. One would need YGGDRASIL materials to go any higher. However, part of the supply problem had already been solved.While it was true that they could only be used as substitutes for up to third tier scrolls, Demiurge had already done a great deal of work. The first and most indisputable thing was that when considering everything that had been done until now, he was the most deserving ofmendation for his contributions. Next would be Albedo and her perfect management of Nazarick.Ainz then went on to use his ability to create lesser undead and brought forth a Wraith.Check the surroundings and see if anyone¡¯s spying on me.After receiving the order, the Wraith left the room without opening the door. Wraiths had astral bodies, and so they could move straight through walls and other such obstacles. Still, there was a limit depending on how thick those walls were, so it was hardly unlimited, but the thickness of the room¡¯s walls were no problem for it.Ainz focused his mind on the ears he had sprouted.Even if there was a skillful thief lying in wait, could they really remain motionless if an undead creature suddenly appeared, especially if it was surrounded by an aura of fear? In addition, they would need a concealment ability that could hide them from detection by a Wraith. Of course, deceiving low tier undead was easy, but if someone actually possessed these abilities, then they must be very capable indeed.Ainz concluded that there could not be such a person. If there was someone like that in this nation, then they should have had them take part in the previous two battles.That said, I can¡¯t rule out the possibility that someone like that might be wary of me and thus lying in wait. Still, given that woman¡¯s personality, it shouldn¡¯t be possible... if there was someone like that, it wouldn¡¯t be unusual for Demiurge to inform me about them.It would not be unusual. As he thought of those words, Ainz wondered, Is that really the case?Surely Demiurge would not have felt that Ainz would have understood even if he did not say anything, right?...Ah, the more I think about it, the more my stomach hurts...If such a mistake had resulted, then he ought to gather his resolve and sit Albedo and Demiurge down for a good chat.Eventually, the undead being returned.¡°Was anyone there?¡±The undead being replied in the negative. Ainz¡¯s ears had not picked up any suspicious sounds either.¡°Is that so? Then hide in the walls and keep an eye on the surroundings.¡±After watching the undead being enter a wall, Ainz mentally prepared himself.Now then, I¡¯ll be casting ¡¸Message¡¹ next.It was a simple thing, but he could not bring himself to do it.He felt like an employee who knew he would be scolded by his boss after returning to the office.Still, he could not stay this way forever. His heart would also be heavy if Demiurge contacted him first.¡°Time to do it, me!¡±After cheering himself up, he sent a ¡¸Message¡¹ to Demiurge. He had rehearsed what he wanted to say in his head countless times and had run more than enough simtions. All he had to do now was say it.However the ¡¸Message¡¹ connected before he could breathe in deeply to ease his stress ¨D or rather, there was practically no dy between casting the spell and opening a channel to Demiurge. The response had been way too fast.¡°Demiurge, is that you?¡±¡ºIndeed it is, Ainz-sama.¡»¡°Umu.¡± He had practiced this many times. All he had to do now was say it.¡°...I was wondering if you had any questions about the divergence of my actions from the report, and so I contacted you. While I understand what you want to say, I feel that Albedo ought to be present as well if there are detailed questions. Return to Nazarick without dy. I will be returning presently as well. We¡¯ll meet in the log cabin on the surface.¡±¡ºUnderstood. Then I will contact Albedo from my end.¡»¡°Ahh, please do.¡±He immediately cut off the ¡¸Message¡¹. After that, Ainz sighed deeply.Ahhh, that¡¯s good. He didn¡¯t sound mad. Ahhh, that was scary.What should I do if a talented subordinate gets mad at me? he had thought. Ainz¡¯s heart was full of fear; in order to put himself at ease, he channelled new strength into his faltering body and stared at the wall.The Wraith¡¯s mission wasplete. Thanks to friendly fire being on, he could destroy the undead like Shalltear had, but there was no need to waste his strength. Ordering it to return was also a simple task. Incidentally, there was no need to speak either; he could simply issue a mentalmand. In that way, he could break the tenuous link between them.That said, there were countless such links stretching back towards E-Rantel. Over there, he was not confident of being able to give a clear order without speaking it. That much was true. However, Ainz had made very few undead in this ce, so issuing a clear-cutmand would be simple enough.¨DDisappear. Now then, to return to Nazarick for a while...After this woulde a very frightening task ¨D a task of deception that had to bepleted. He would have liked someone else to handle it if he could, but that was impossible, Besides, who could he hand it to?He touched the magic items from the three demihumans on the table in the hopes of clearing away his unease.Fufu. They¡¯re weak, they¡¯re cheap, but still, obtaining magic items in this world makes me happy... well, maybe I¡¯m not as happy as Pandora¡¯s Actor would be, but it does feel like I enjoy magic items too, huh?The first thing he did was appraise the magic items belonging to the four-armed demihuman. Among them, was the armband that had protected against Ainz¡¯s instant death spell, and its name was the Deathguard Armband. It could grant immunity to death magic once a day.Ainz picked it up and twirled it in his hand several times, then put it back on the table.Boring. If only there were better items. Now then¨DJust as he was about to set out, he heard the sound of knocking on the door. A voice from the outside said, ¡°Your Majesty, this is Neia Baraja.¡±Ainz immediately inspected himself. Then he looked around the room to ensure that his bearing was that of the absolute sovereign that was the Sorcerer King. After that, he slowly settled himself into a chair and the pose he adopted was King Ainz No. 24.¡°¨DEnter.¡±He did his best to speak in a low, weighty voice. This change in pitch was also the result of repeated practice.The door opened, and Neia ¨D her injuries now recovered ¨D entered the room and bowed to him.¡°I am deeply grateful to be granted permission to enter, Your Highness. I havee here in order to discharge my duties as a squire.¡±¡°Umu. I am d you came, Miss Baraja. But there is no need to fulfill your squire¡¯s obligations today. While your wounds might have healed, the fatigue of the battle must¨D¡±Ah, it¡¯s been taken care of, Ainz thought. The potion he had used back then was one which removed both fatigue and exhaustion. It was a potion that Nfirea ¨D his skin dry and rough ¨D had praised to the heavens.¡°I am able to fulfil my obligations as a squire thanks to Your Majesty¡¯s power. Also ¨D I am very happy to be allowed to stay by Your Majesty¡¯s side.¡±Neia smiled ¨D or was it a smirk? One¡¯s body would naturally go on the defensive in the face of a hostile or evil smile, but Ainz¡¯s kingly poise was unbreakable.¡°...Is that so? However, I must return to the Sorcerous Kingdom for a while to handle some critical tasks. I apologize for wasting your trip.¡±¡°I see...¡±She looked very sad, but she did not look cute at all. All he could think was that she was ring at him. However, Ainz had already thought of a way to deal with Neia.All he had to do was close his eyes. That way, her eyes would not frighten him any more.¡°Speaking of which, I am d that you are well ¨D that you are alive, Miss Baraja.¡±¡°Thank you very much, Your Majesty! All this is thanks to your power. In particr, without this suit of armor I might not have been able to hold out until Your Majesty arrived.¡±But you didn¡¯t hold out, you died... well, all¡¯s well that ends well. Come to think of it, I heard she was fighting on the city walls, so giving her that armor which could defend against ranged attacks was the right choice!¡°Fufu. Well, that is good to hear. How about the bow? Did you show off its power to the masses?¡±¡°Yes... many people saw the the amazing power of this bow... although, they¡¯re all dead now.¡±¡°What!? ¨DI see, so that¡¯s what happened. What a shame.¡±He had failed again. Ainz was filled with a profound sense of regret. If everyone who saw it was dead, it was no different from nobody seeing it at all. Maybe I should give up on trying to promote rune weapons, Ainz thought. Still ¨D I think there ought to be more chances for it. Even if this n fails, it doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ve lost anything, and there¡¯ll be great benefits if it seeds.¡°I am sure that without the gear which Your Majesty lent me, I would be in Heaven with the others... thank you very much, Your Majesty.¡±Ainz sensed that her words came from the heart, and so Ainz thought, Well done. Of course, he could not express that emotion. He had to keep showing her a ruler¡¯s poise, after all.¡°Pay it no heed. All you need to know is that a master¡¯s duty is to protect his followers.¡±Ainz cracked his eyes open a fraction to study her reaction. Neia¡¯s face had twisted slightly when she had heard the word ¡°follower.¡± It was probably not anger, but it felt like some kind of unhappiness. If her present attitude and the flow of the conversation were to be trusted, that was not the case.In other words, opening his eyes had been a mistake. Ainz closed his eyes again.¡°Thank you very much, Your Majesty. Also, the people whom Your Majesty saved also wish me to express their gratitude to you.¡±¡°Ho...¡± All right! Ainz struggled to hide the way he felt. ¡°You need not worry about it. I simply happened to save them because they were there. However, I hope they will not expect this good fortune to repeat itself, I used quite a lot of mana in this battle, so I might not be able to help next time, you know?¡±¡°Understood, I will convey your message to them.¡±¡°Ahh. However... that¡¯s right. Please inform these people that I am d to receive their gratitude... and now, Miss Baraja, I apologize but I really must be going. After this ¨D yes, can youe back in four hours¡¯ time?¡±¡°Yes! No problem at all! Then, please excuse me, Your Majesty!¡±Neia left the room, and Ainz opened his eyes.Hm. Her gratitude does seem quite genuine. Looks like I¡¯ve got one person atst. No, as the saying goes, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Should I give out free healing potions as advertisement? That ought to win me more gratitude... but can it make up for the mistake with the rune weapons?Ainz took out the purple potion.This was Nfirea¡¯s potion. Its quality was slightly inferior to that of YGGDRASIL-made potions, and it was still in the development phase. However, its effects might catch up in the future, or he might end up being able to make YGGDRASIL¡¯s red potions.It would have been too wasteful to spread the news of YGGDRASIL¡¯s red potions for nothing, so I didn¡¯t use them... still, I don¡¯t know whether people who are used to blue potions can ept purple potions. Using them here and collecting the results sounds like a good n.Right now, he intended to have Nazarick conceal the potions which Nfirea and his grandmother had made. He did not n to distribute the technology. However, that n might change in the future, and the time mighte when he could sell that potion. It would be good to prime the pump for such a situation.This isplicated. There¡¯s merits and demerits on both sides...Frankly speaking, the fact that he¡¯s discussing his sex life with me is causing me a lot of problems. I mean, at least they¡¯re not doing it in front of me, but wouldn¡¯t it be bad if word got out that he was talking about his wife?In the first ce, why is Nfirea even discussing this with me? Is it because he has no male rtives and is far away from the city he had lived in until now, so he thought that he had nobody to talk to? For all I know, he might be thinking that Narberal and I have that sort of rtionship.But he ought to know that I¡¯m a skeleton...While Ainz had thought of spying on the two of them at night to satisfy his curiosity, he felt that doing so would change his attitude towards the two of them, so he had curbed the impulse. However, it took a great deal of effort to shake off the curiosity that shed through his mind every time Nfirea came to discuss it with him.I remember something about it feeling very good, so he was asked to do it a lot of times... could it be that the reason he made so much of that potion ¨D some kind of nutrient supplement, I think ¨D and then gave it to me was because...In any case, he had decided to give it to those two Lizardmen so they would work hard on making more rare children.The fruits of technology are first applied to the military, then sex and medicine. Is that true? ...Ah, time to go back.

 Chapter 93 - Volume 13

    Volume 13 Chapter 5 Ainz Dies

    Part 1

    There were a total of four people in the room.

    There were two pdins, who hade straight here after the fighting and were thus still in bloodstained armor ¡ª Remedios Custodio and Gustav Montagnes. There was the person in charge of the surviving priests, a middle-aged man who could use third tier spells ¡ª Siliaco Naranho. And then there was Prince Caspond Bessarez.

    Two of them hade from the battlefield and one of them had been in charge of healing the wounded. As a result, Prince Caspond¡¯s room was filled with the stench of blood.

    Remedios had not removed her helmet even now. That was not proper etiquette for visiting a prince¡¯s chambers at all ¡ª one could even call it disrespectful ¡ª but Caspond did not seem bothered by it and he appeared very calm.

    At the same time, the atmosphere in the room was terrible, though not because of the preceding point. It was true that it reeked in here, but the reason was because the mood in the air was harsh. It was so weighty that it even seemed to dull the sunlight entering through the window.

    This was not how people who had beaten overwhelmingly unfavorable odds and emerged victorious ought to be.

    Caspond was the first person to speak in this weighty silence. Still, who else could speak first but him?

    ¡°Then tell me about our casualty situation.¡±

    ¡°Of the 6,000 militiamen we brought onto the battlefield, roughly 2,400 of them have been injured or killed.¡±

    ¡°...If I may add to the Vice Captain-dono¡¯s words, there were around 1,000 wounded. The priests tried to heal them, but we failed to reach about half of them in time and they died.

    ¡°...And then half of the pdins survived, and eight priests died.¡±

    Caspond closed his eyes and shook his head as he heard Gustav¡¯s words.

    ¡°Against a demihuman army like that¡­ while we can¡¯t say losses like these are a good thing, should we be grateful that those were all we took? Or should we be sad for the sheer number of casualties¡ª¡±

    ¡°Thetter.¡±

    Remedios¡¯s still, small voice interrupted Caspond.

    ¡°Thetter.¡±

    ¡°...Captain Custodio is right. We ought to be sad to have suffered such losses.¡±

    Gustav and Siliaco looked down as they heard Caspond¡¯s words.

    They knew that it was a miracle ¡ª albeit a man-made one ¡ª that the woefully outnumbered Holy Kingdom Liberation Army had so many survivors when they had taken on a 40,000-strong army of demihumans. However, they also understood that saying something like this would be disruptive and unproductive, so they had no choice but to do this instead.

    ¡°Was it the Sorcerer King who defeated the demihuman forces in their formation?¡±

    ¡°Yes. We¡¯re unsure about the details due to the ofck eyewitness reports during the chaos of defending the city walls, but there¡¯s talk of mysterious undead beings destroying the army.¡±

    ¡°I see. That matches up with what I heard from the Sorcerer KIng. So he used the undead he created to clean them up ¡ª wiped out a massive army like that, hm? In that case¡­ do you think the Sorcerer King can defeat Jaldabaoth?¡±

    Caspond shifted his gaze to Remedios, but she simply pursed her lips and remained silent. The highly vtile air around the Holy KIngdom¡¯s strongest pdin made her a figure of dread to the weak. Caspond turned away from her and toward Gustav, who immediately returned his gaze with a deeply apologetic look in his eyes and bowed his head.

    ¡°Hahh¡­ is it really alright to bet the entire KIngdom on him? Or rather ¡ª should we think of what to do if the Sorcerer King loses to Jaldabaoth? Does anyone have any ideas for the next best thing we can do if thates to pass?¡±

    He was answered by silence. Amidst all this, Remedios spoke up.

    ¡°In that case, how about calling Momon over?¡±

    The three people other than Remedios looked at each other with severe expressions on their faces.

    Remedios ¡ª who felt it was a good idea ¡ª frowned.

    ¡°What? Do you have any better ideas? It¡¯s more proper than that damn undead, no?¡±

    ¡°...Captain. We are now discussing what to do if the Sorcerer King dies. In such a situation, expecting to go to the Sorcerous Kingdom to get more help would be very risky.¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Siliaco said as he stroked his white moustache.

    ¡°A moment please, Vice Captain-dono. The Captain-dono¡¯s idea is risky, but not a bad move. How about lying about the Sorcerer King being captured by Jaldabaoth and getting Momon toe over?¡±

    ¡°Priest-dono, that would be too dangerous. Even if Momon defeated Jaldabaoth, discovery of the lie could trigger a war. Even if all goes well, the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s impression of our country will plunge to rock bottom. And if things go badly, Momon might very well be a second Jaldabaoth and lead the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s undead army into our nation.¡±

    ¡°Precisely, you two. And the worst thing is that the Sorcerous Kingdom will have a justified grievance against us.¡±

    Remedios tilted her head at Caspond¡¯s exnation.

    ¡°We¡¯re not adjacent to the Sorcerous Kingdom, so that¡¯s okay, right?¡±

    ¡°...Captain Custodio, please stop thinking of dangerous things. I don¡¯t want to adopt any policies that will endanger us¡­ that said, I don¡¯t have any good ideas. How about you two?¡±

    Siliaco and Gustav could not think of anything either.

    The room was plunged into a brief silence.

    Eventually, Caspond quietly spoke up.

    ¡°...For the time being, let¡¯s each go back and think about it on our own. There¡¯ll be no problems if the Sorcerer King can defeat Jaldabaoth.¡± Caspond pped his hands together. ¡°Then let¡¯s talk about something else. What about the rations that the demihumans brought? Can we eat them normally? And if we can consume them, how long can theyst?¡±

    Normally, they would belong to the Sorcerer King since he had defeated the demihuman army, but he had already said that he would hand them over free of charge.

    Gustav answered. He was in charge of sundry tasks like that.

    ¡°There seem to be a lot of hardened bread-like objects and vegetables that we should be able to eat. Thanks to the attack of the Sorcerer King¡¯s undead creatures, they were captured intact, so they are in very good condition. In addition, there are also some food items which need to be further investigated, such as sour-smelling vegetables and so on.¡±

    Preserved food was verymon in the Holy Kingdom. However, these were demihuman rations, so they might belong to a species which ate rotting food, which was why Gustav said they had to investigate further.

    ¡°There is only one problem. That would be the meat.¡±

    ¡°Which means?¡±

    Gustav¡¯s face was dark as he looked at Caspond.

    ¡°A portion of the meat looks like it came from humans. That conclusion came from looking at its shape and we¡¯re not certain about it. Maybe we could tell if we ate it, but I¡¯d rather not sample it, if you don¡¯t mind.¡±

    ¡°How much meat are we talking about here?¡±

    Siliaco had a disgusted look on his face.

    ¡°Many demihumans eat meat, so there was a lot of it. At a nce, it seems like half of the rations they brought were meat.¡±

    ¡°What!? Half of the rations for an army of 40,000 troops is meat?¡±

    Hypothetically, if a demihuman ate a kilogram of meat a day, that would make 40 tons. If they had enough for two weeks, that would be 560 tons. In that case ¡ª the Prince grabbed his face.

    ¡°...How much of that is human meat?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know. Checking each and every piece would take a lot of time, and if they aren¡¯t in their original shapes¡­¡±

    ¡°It would be a shame to pointlessly discard food when the future seems grim. I would like to separate the human meat from the other meat¡­ Priest Naranho, can your spells do anything on that front?¡±

    ¡°My apologies, Prince. We cannot do something like that. I feel my colleagues among the pdins should be the same way.¡±

    Caspond saw Gustav nod and sighed deeply.

    ¡°So magic can¡¯t do everything huh? How about having the captive demihumans eat it to find out?¡±

    ¡°We should let the dead rest in peace. If there¡¯s human meat, we ought to return it to the earth.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, Captain Custodio¡­ what do you think, Vice-Captain Montagnes?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I agree with the Captain. I feel that no matter what, we won¡¯t have enough time to investigate each and every barrel of meat. We ought to use our time and effort on other areas.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­ very well, I understand. So with regards to the demihuman meat, we¡¯ll dispose of everything that looks questionable. In that case how about the demihumans¡¯ arms and armor?¡±

    The Sorcerer King had also handed them over for free, but he had also said that that he would be expecting something in gratitude, so they would have to hand over the appropriate items if the time came.

    If they could defeat Jaldabaoth or take back the Royal Capital, Caspond nned to announce to the people that he would be handing the nation¡¯s riches over to the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    ¡°Firstly, recovering the equipment from the demihumans and burying the corpses will need time, therefore we won¡¯t even have time to check their quality¡­ Priest-dono, if any undead spring up here, will they be the Sorcerer King¡¯s minions?¡±

    Undead spawned easily in ces where many people died. A ce where more than 10,000 demihumans had died fit perfectly.

    Upon being addressed, a profoundly distressed look appeared on Siliaco¡¯s face.

    ¡°I do not know. I truly do not know. But anything could happen, so we ought to deal with the bodies and sanctify thend as soon as possible. I would like to rely on our strength alone for that, but we simply cannot manage that way, so I would like to get some help from the pdins.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, leave it to us. We¡¯re used to dealing with the undead, after all.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d expect no less from Captain Remedios, it puts my heart at ease¡­ If only the Holy Queen-sama or Krt-sama were here¡­¡±

    Everyone fell silent as Siliaco¡¯s words tapered off.

    After what seemed like a period of silent prayer, Caspond spoke.

    ¡°Ah, something on that point, Vice-Captain Montagnes. The Sorcerer King seems to want to take the magic items back to his nation, so he picked them out first. Of course, he¡¯ll return anything that belongs to the Holy Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°Understood. That said, while we have some knowledge of swords and armor, we¡¯ll have difficulty with other items. If anyone here has knowledge of magical items, I would like them to step up and help.¡±

    ¡°I could help when ites to items passed down through the royal family. As for religious items, though¡ª¡± Siliaco nodded as Caspond looked to him. ¡°¡ªIn that case, we¡¯ll go get helpers from among the civilians. Still, this was really unexpected. No, we should say it was more than we hoped for. We ought to thank the Sorcerer King¡¯s power for surpassing our expectations.¡±

    Nobody present voiced any objections. Amidst the silence, Caspond spoke again, like he was their representative.

    ¡°This city did not fall thanks to the Sorcerer King¡¯s power.¡±

    There was a very audible sound of teeth grinding, and Caspond looked worriedly at Gustav.

    ¡°After this, I will need to thank him on behalf of the Holy Kingdom. When the timees, I hope you will all be present¡­ in any event, being able to draw on the Sorcerer King¡¯s power and achieve victory is a joyous asion.¡±

    ¡°We did our best too. Don¡¯t forget that.¡±

    Remedios¡¯s words seemed to freeze the air in the room. No, it was two people who had frozen up; Gustav and Siliaco.

    Gustav¡¯s mouth opened and closed like a koi. He looked like he had no idea how to apologize for his superior¡¯s outburst.

    ¡°...Indeed. Captain Remedios, it is a fact that we would not have won this battle without the fierce resistance that you and the people put up.¡±

    Caspond saw Remedios nod, and then he continued speaking,

    ¡°However ¡ª it is also a fact that without the Sorcerer King¡¯s help, we would have lost, and it is just as true that he could have won by himself. Am I wrong?¡±

    Remedios savagely ripped off her helmet and flung it at the wall, making a loud bang.

    ¡°Your Highness! Did something happen!?¡±

    The door to the room flew open, and the pdins on guard outside rushed in.

    ¡°Nothing happened. Continue waiting outside.¡±

    The pdins¡¯ eyes went back and forth between Remedios¡¯s helmet and the look on her face, and they realized what had happened. After indicating that they understood, they quietly left the room.

    ¡°Captain Custodio, please do not get worked up. I ask you to be calm.¡±

    ¡°How can I be calm!? Almost everyone I¡¯ve met on the way here was praising him! It¡¯s as though he won the whole thing by himself! Didn¡¯t he only show up halfway? How many people died before he won!? That was a victory paid for by the lives of the people, the pdins, the priests, men, women, elderly, and children!¡±

    Remedios red at Caspond.

    ¡°It¡¯s not true that he won by himself!¡±

    ¡°Captain!¡±

    Gustav could no longer hide his fear at the way Remedios was acting in front of the prince. Remedios had never been one for thinking, but at the very least she was smart enough to know who was her superior. However, things were different now ¡ª she seemed like a pain-maddened beast.

    ¡°That bony bastard was flying around in the sky when it was all over to show himself off! Is war a game to him!?¡±

    ¡°...Captain Custodio, it seems witnessing the deaths of so many of the smallfolk has upset you. Would you like to take a rest?¡±

    In response to Caspond¡¯s mature answer, Gustav shot the man a grateful look.

    ¡°Before that, there¡¯s one thing I¡¯ve been thinking of. I¡¯m sure Jaldabaoth and the Sorcerer King are in league with each other.¡±

    The three people other than Remedios looked at each other.

    ¡°Do you have a single fact to back that up, Captain-dono?¡±

    Siliaco looked coolly at Remedios. If one looked calmly at what she had done until now, she was clearly saying that because she hated the Sorcerer King and wanted to bring him down. Now was not the time to let one¡¯s personal preferences dictate one¡¯s decisions.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t he the only one gaining from this? Both the demihumans and the people of the Holy Kingdom are dead. He ¡ª the Sorcerous Kingdom is wearing away at our fighting strength in order to someday take control of the nation and the hills! That¡¯s why he came here!¡±

    ¡°...I see. That certainly makes sense from the perspective of profit. What do the two of you think?¡±

    Gustav furrowed his brows as he answered Caspond¡¯s question.

    ¡°The Sorcerer King came here because we asked him. Also, was it not the Captain¡¯s suggestion to have the two of them fight?¡±

    ¡°...Indeed it was. That masked bitch in Blue Rose is also one of them. If not for what she said, we would never have gone to the Sorcerous Kingdom. If not for that suggestion, we would have gone to the Empire or the Theocracy. And who knows, he might havee anyway even if we didn¡¯t say anything.¡±

    Haaaaah,Caspond sighed deeply.

    ¡°Captain Custodio, your logic has been nothing but self-serving from the start. You¡¯re simply twisting the facts to match what you¡¯re saying. I recall the Sorcerer King saying he wanted the maid demons, am I wrong?¡±

    ¡°...Please forgive me for saying these things which are unbing of a priest. I hear that those maid demons are quite powerful. In that case, I can understand why the Sorcerer King would like to obtain them. Demons do not need to eat or drink and they do not have a maximum lifespan. Being able to dominate such powerful demons might be better than gaining an army.¡±

    ¡°In that case, it would mean the Sorcerer King is aiding our nation because he felt there was sufficient value in it. It is onlymon sense for a king who rules a nation.¡±

    ¡°Still, nobody¡¯s seen those maid demons before, right!?¡±

    As Remedios screamed while in the grip of her emotions, Caspond looked at her like she was a pitiful, sad child.

    ¡°Captain Custodio. I would like to have a reasoned conversation with you, and not an emotional one¡­ but it seems you are tired. Go and rest. That is an order.¡±

    The red-faced Remedios still looked like she wanted to shriek something else, but Caspond was a step ahead of her and continued speaking.

    ¡°Go visit the wounded men. That¡¯s part of your duties as a fieldmander, am I wrong?¡±

    ¡°...I understand.¡±

    Remedios picked up her helmet and left the room.

    There was no way to describe how the air in the room rxed after that. It felt like the sense of fatigue one would have after a storm had passed and all the pieces had been picked up, mixed with a sense of relief at the fact that one had managed to survive.

    However, one man was not finished yet.

    ¡°Your Highness! I sincerely apologize for Captain Custodio¡¯s actions!¡±

    Caspond smiled bitterly to Gustav as thetter bowed his head.

    ¡°It must have been really hard on you too. However, could you think about the future too? I honestly have no idea what¡¯s going to be of this country after this war is over. If only we could find my sister, the Holy Queen¡­ what happened to the Holy Queen during the battle of Kalinsha? Did you hear anything from Captain Custodio?¡±

    Gustav was Remedios¡¯s personal assistant. Therefore, he would have been present when Remedios told Caspond about it.

    The fact that he knew but was asking again proved one thing ¡ª the prince suspected that Remedios might have been lying to him.

    ¡°...My Prince, I heard the same thing from Captain Custodio that she told Your Highness when we met for the first time.¡±

    She had been sent flying by a shockwave and when she came to, the Holy Queen and her sister ¡ª Krt Custodio ¡ª were nowhere to be seen. Although there were corpses of pdins and adventurers and priests everywhere, the bodies of those two were nowhere to be found.

    ¡°Is that so? Maybe I was worrying too much¡­ Captain Custodio does not seem like one of those people who say one thing and mean another. It would be better if they were captured by him. If they were killed¡­ the matter of the session would be veryplicated.¡±

    Startled, Siliaco asked him a question.

    ¡°Caspond-sama, are you tired of the position of Holy King?¡±

    ¡°Are you ttering me? In truth that might be the case if my sister had perished of an ident under normal circumstances. However, things are different now. The North is tired and the South still has the ability to fight. In that case, it¡¯s very likely that the South might support someone else to be Holy King. Frankly speaking, it¡¯s very likely that one of the great nobles from the South might end up as Holy King.¡±

    ¡°What!?¡±

    Caspond smiled as he looked at Siliaco¡¯s shocked face.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that shoulde as such a surprise¡­ in that case, with regard to what Vice-Captain Montagnes said earlier, if things go well, the first thing the Southern nobles will do is request that Captain Custodio take responsibility for the whole affair and ce her under house arrest.¡±

    ¡°Why would they do that?¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask you, Vice-Captain Montagnes ¡ª why would they not do that? Is a pdin who failed to protect Her Majesty not the perfect outlet for their unhappiness? And of course, that¡¯s not the only reason either. She can beat an army single-handedly. In that case, surely defanging your enemy is a basic tactic in warfare, am I wrong?¡±

    ¡°The enemy!? Who¡¯s the enemy!?¡±

    ¡°The enemies of the Southern nobles. In other words, the Holy Queen¡¯s faction. Remedios Custodio was a confidant of the Holy Queen. Surely the pdins she leads would also be seen as the enemy, am I wrong?¡±

    ¡°In that case, what about the priests that Krt Custodio-sama led?¡±

    ¡°While there are priests who climbed the ranks thanks to their connections with the Southern nobles¡­ don¡¯t you think that would be the case too? Priestly magic is indispensable in everyday life. While I feel that anyone knows how stupid it is to put someone ipetent in high office, people sometimes do things that can only be described as foolish by others.¡±

    ¡°My Prince¡­ what should we do?¡±

    ¡°Vice-Captain Montagnes, what do you mean by that? Do you want to keep her from being ced under house arrest? Or do you want to keep the pdins from getting involved?¡±

    ¡°I want a better future for the Holy Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°...We need to find my sister. Then, we need an achievement that all the people will ept as having saved the nation. For instance, by driving out the enemy without having to draw on the strength of the South.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible¡­ we can¡¯t possibly win without the Sorcerer King¡¯s power.¡±

    Caspond looked at Gustav, who wasining unconsciously, and shrugged.

    ¡°Still, that hasto be done. Otherwise there won¡¯t be any way to stop the pressure from the South after we win. Hm, yes, or we could damage the South as badly as the North. All that matters is that the bnce of power is preserved in the end.¡± Caspond looked up at the ceiling. ¡°If only we¡¯d made a deal with the South sooner. She was too kind for her own good. And I understand how all this might have struck a nerve with Captain Custodio. After all, the only one who looked good in this battle was the Sorcerer King. If things go badly, the Sorcerer King might end up bing the Holy King as well, am I wrong?¡±

    The other two felt it was impossible, but neither of them could deny it.

    ¡°In that case, we need to start thinking about our ns from now on. While I would like Captain Custodio to be here, will she disobey a direct order?¡±

    ¡°...I feel it would be fine as long as it¡¯s in keeping with this country¡¯s justice.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­ I¡¯ve been thinking about how to attack the prison camps. The reason for that is¡ª¡±

    Caspond began to exin.

    Roughly 100,000 demihumans had attacked the nation.

    Since they had not heard of any movements from the demihumans squaring off against the forces of the Southern Holy Kingdom, they estimated that the 40,000 demihumans that had attacked them this time round were arge portion of the forces assigned to manage the prison camps in the North.

    ¡°I agree with your opinion. By attacking the undermanned prison camps, we can both destroy them piecemeal and increase our own forces at the same time. I feel it will kill two birds with one stone.¡±

    ¡°Captain Montagnes, I am d to hear you approve. How about yourself, Priest Naranho?¡±

    Siliaco also agreed with Caspond¡¯s suggestion.

    ¡°The Sorcerer King is in this city. Since he can keep us safe, I would like the pdins to attack the prison camps¡­ can you do that? Also, one more thing. I would like Captain Remedios to stay here while you areunching the attack. Make her think that she¡¯s in charge of bodyguarding me.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much, my Prince!¡±

    ¡°...I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve said anything you need to thank me for, Vice-Captain Montagnes,¡± Caspond said as the smile faded from his face. ¡°...The absence of the country¡¯s strongest pdin means that if there¡¯s someone like the Grand King at the prison camp you¡¯re attacking, you might all be wiped out, am I wrong?¡±

    ¡°Can we decide which camp to attack?¡±

    ¡°But of course. I¡¯ll leave it to you. There¡¯s no need to force yourself to attack arge camp that¡¯s more dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Understood. In that case, I feel only we should go.¡±

    ¡°Captain Montagnes, may several of our battle-capable priests go with you?¡±

    ¡°Certainly. Then we¡¯ll set out in a couple of days¡¯ time.¡±

    ***

    Ainz used ¡¸Greater Teleportation¡¹ to reach his destination, which was in front of the log cabin on the surface of Nazarick. Albedo, Demiurge, and Lupusregina were all standing there already, although he did not know how long they had been waiting.

    Albedo and Demiurge had been summoned by Ainz, while Lupusregina must have been the one on duty in the cabin.

    Since Lupusregina was in charge of all matters concerning Carne Vige, she should have been excused from the log cabin¡¯s duty roster, but that was not set in stone.

    Perhaps someone else was on duty, but they had not been able to make it, so Lupusregina had rushed over instead. That would be wonderful it it were the case. After all, that would imply that even if there was ack of manpower for a shift afterpleting a mission, there was a system to immediately swap someone else in to make up the shortfall.

    Still, hang on.

    While the Pleiades each hadpletely different job abilities, their maid skills were all equal. It only made sense that they could substitute for each other in a professional capacity.

    However, in contrast to that, there were also personnel who were hard to rece. Starting with the Floor Guardians and the Guardian Overseer, there were some NPCs with highly specialized abilities who might need someone to take over them for one reason or another. This was especially true because Ainz had been working hard towards establishing a vacation system.

    After all, letting Pandora¡¯s Actor substitute for all of them is also dangerous.

    To take an extreme case, what if Ainz himself was not around? For instance, if he were imprisoned, or if he were charmed, or something else. While he did not think that everything would break down without him there to make decisions, he had the feeling that Albedo and Demiurge would both say, ¡°Ainz-sama would never let that happen to himself,¡± and thus not n for unforeseen circumstances.

    I need to seriously assess the need for this, and quickly.

    In a grave tone, Ainz bade the three people bowing to him to raise their heads.

    ¡°It has been a while, Demiurge.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    In truth, Ainz agonized over the Holy Kingdom¡¯s affairs every day, and he also thought about Demiurge every day, so it did not actually feel that way. However, it had been quite a long time since they hadst met in person.

    ¡°Now then, you probably have questions about why I acted as I did. While I would like to answer you, speaking in this ce is not quite appropriate. Let us go somewhere else.¡±

    Ainz was the first to enter the log cabin.

    He could havee here straight away because there was a Gate Mirror set up, but he did not use it today.

    There was a table in the center of the room, and there were two chairs facing each other on either side of it. Ainz took the seat of honor with familiarity and without hesitation. He had already experienced the problems which came of not doing so many times already. While he had once needed to ponder which was the top seat before sitting down, he had now reached the point where he could unconsciously take the seat of honor

    As he approached the chair, Lupusregina immediately pulled it out for him.

    In truth, he was of the opinion that he ought to pull his chair out himself. However, his observations of Jiiv had made him understand that it was very important for a ruler to let his subordinates do work. Still, letting them handle even trivial tasks like this gave Ainz themoner a bit of difficulty.

    After Ainz sat down, Albedo and Demiurge did not take a seat, but instead knelt on the floor. Behind them, Lupusregina went to her knees as well.

    ¡°¡ªI permit the two of you to sit down.¡±

    The two Guardians politely refused in unison. Ainz once again granted his permission to the two Guardians, whereupon they finally sat opposite Ainz after a great deal of thanks and gratitude. Lupusregina, on the other hand, stood stock still behind the two of them.

    This takes so long and it¡¯s a waste of time. Couldn¡¯t it be simpler like¡­ ugh.

    ¡°Then let us continue our previous topic. While I said there was nobody who needed to be saved, I rescued the people of the Holy Kingdom nheless. I am sure you have your questions about that, do you not?¡±

    ¡°No, not at all.¡±

    ¡ªEr? W-Why?

    Demiurge shook his head gently, unable to resist the urge to sigh in admiration.

    ¡°Everything you do is correct, Ainz-sama. I feel that the reason why you did so was because you saw that it held merits which I could not imagine.¡±

    ¡°That is correct. If you feel it needs to be done, then it must be correct, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡ªEh?

    Albedo¡¯s words froze Ainz¡¯s facial expressions solid. But of course, Ainz had no facial expressions to speak of.

    The way the two Guardians ¡ª who were also the most knowledgeable Guardians in Nazarick ¡ª nodded in unison before him filled him with various vors of terror and anxiety.

    ¡°Wait, wait. Indeed¡­ yes, it is true.¡± Ainz began to panic. The conversation had travelled a path that was slightly different from what he had foreseen, and so he had be confused and could not clearly think of what he wanted to say. However¡ª ¡°¡ªIndeed, under normal circumstances I would have acted as you had imagined.¡±

    Huh?Ainz was slightly confused. He struggled to piece some words together and threw them out as appropriate. Even so, the two of them continued nodding vigorously, and Ainz found that a little odd. He continued speaking, desperately hoping for ast second save.

    ¡°However, yes, however. This time was slightly different. I did not do this because I was nning something.¡± Having found a way to amend his words, Ainz delightedly continued, ¡°This time round, I was deliberately introducing a w into the n.¡±

    ¡°What would be the reason for that, Ainz-sama?¡±

    Ainz slowly leaned on the back of the chair with a Hm.Then he adopted a well-practiced posture, a grand one that was befitting of a ruler, which a master ought to have, and then spoke.

    ¡°Demiurge. Albedo. The two of you are more intelligent than me.¡±

    ¡°That¡ª¡±

    Ainz held up his hand to stop the two of them from speaking.

    ¡°I am just saying that this is how I feel. In that case, what would happen if something unexpected urred during parts of the event described in your n? If everything proceeded as you outlined, then everything would have been perfect and ended in excellent form.¡±

    That said, your n was really over the top,Ainz grumbled in his heart. I felt I was sure to fail given how you threw everything in your operation outline at me.

    ¡°Therefore, a question suddenly came to mind, Demiurge. A perfect tactical mind cannot only function when everything is going on course; it must also be able to work when the situation changes dramatically or when it diverges from your expectations. That is to say, I wanted to know if your adaptability was also asudable.¡±

    ¡°I see, so that¡¯s it!¡±

    Eh¡ª!? He already got it!? And he sounds like he understands it all too!

    Ainz resisted the urge to make a jab about Demiurge¡¯s preternatural processing speed, something along the lines of, You¡¯re already so smart, why do you think I¡¯m smarter? Are you bullying me!?

    ¡°As expected of, ah¡­ you¡¯re as impressive as I expected, Demiurge.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Still, I, ah, apologize, though it feels like I was testing you¡­¡±

    ¡°Certainly not, Ainz-sama. To me, the fact that you would wish to assess my abilities is an honor that knows no equal. I will assuredly return results that match your expectations, Ainz-sama!¡±

    ¡°Umu. I¡¯ll leave that to you, Demiurge. In that case, during the course of our activities in the Holy Kingdom, I will cause problems as needed and you will amend the n in response. Will that be alright?¡±

    ¡°Yes! I understand!¡±

    All right¡ª!Ainz rejoiced within his heart. He was so happy that the emotion was suppressed.

    Even so, excitement still remained inside him.

    Good, good, good. This way, even if I screw up, I can say that I was doing it on purpose! No, of course, I need to try not to screw up in the first ce. If I¡¯d known, I should have said this from the start.

    While he did not have the bad habit of gloating when a subordinate¡¯s n went awry, it was possible that he might identally do something to make them worry. In this way, they would not have to guess if he had some intention in mind, but instead move on to revising the n as needed. Ainz felt the sense of bliss which came with taking a heavy weight off his shoulders.

    ¡°...Your servant understands your concerns, Ainz-sama. So does that mean that you will be simultaneously assessing the abilities of each Floor and Area Guardian as well?¡±

    As he heard Albedo¡¯s question, Ainz was briefly puzzled for a moment and thought, What¡¯s she saying?However¡ª

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to do so right now. I am doing so for Demiurge because he must work outside Nazarick for extended periods. As for the others, I will test them when it bes necessary.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡±

    ¡°Umu. Now, for the next topic¡­ the initial n was to take those people of the Holy King who were enthralled with me and proceed to the eastern part of the Holy Kingdom, to the Abelion Hills where the demihumans lived. However, I am going to amend this part of the n. I will go there first. From there, spread the news of my death.¡±

    It felt like time had stopped for a moment. And then¡ª

    ¡°¡ªEh? What are you saying, Ainz-sama!? How could we announce the death of the Supreme One, Ainz-sama!?¡±

    That protest came from Albedo. This might have been the first time he had seen Albedo¡¯s expression crumble in this way. At least, that was how the look on her face made him feel. But before Ainz could exin his true intentions to Albedo, it was Demiurge¡¯s turn to speak up.

    ¡°Albedo. Since Ainz-sama has stated this, he must have some wonderful aim in mind. Do you not think rejecting it on an emotional basis is inappropriate?¡±

    ¡°Demiurge. I question where your calmes from. Would you react in this way if Ulbert in Odle ¡­-sama were to say the same thing? Or¡­?¡±

    ¡°Fufu¡­ Albedo. Could you tell me what you mean by that? Or do you mean that you have something to say to me afterwards?¡±

    The two Guardians red at each other, one with a freezing-cold gaze, the other with boiling-hot eyes, and a strange atmosphere began to brew between the two of them. This choking sensation was much like what had happened when Ainz had been fighting Shalltear. Perhaps it was due to fear or tension, but even Lupusregina was starting to pant heavily.

    ¡°¡ªEnough!¡±

    The dangerous mood in the air instantly vanished as Ainz shouted. The sudden change made Ainz wonder if he had been mistaken about what had happened just now. However, Lupusregina¡¯sbored breathing proved that it had not been an illusion.

    ¡°Calm down, both of you. This is the reason why I must fake my death. There are activities called disaster drills. We must mentally prepare ourselves and n ahead of time in case of an emergency. In that case, what would you do if I died? I¡¯ll start with you, Albedo. Tell me what you have in mind.¡±

    ¡°Yes! I would immediately subject the person who dared disrespect you to all the suffering in this world, and resurrect you, Ainz-sama!¡±

    ¡°I see. Your turn, Demiurge.¡±

    ¡°Yes! While preparing for your resurrection, I would strengthen Nazarick¡¯s defenses and then obtain information on the person who offended you.¡±

    Albedo red at Demiurge out of the corner of her eye.

    ¡°Merely gathering information on them is too lenient. Regardless of who dares offend the Supreme One, they must be captured with all the strength Nazarick can bring to bear and then tormented to the point where their ego breaks down.¡±

    ¡°Albedo, I feel what you say is very sensible. However, the enemy is someone who can kill Ainz-sama. Thus, we cannot be careless. Learning the enemy¡¯s movements and strengths is vital. If the enemy is stronger than we can imagine, then the ce in which we resurrect Ainz-sama will be very important.¡±

    Before Albedo¡¯s expression could turn even more grim, Ainz rapped his staff on the floorboards. The hard impact was like sshing a bucket of ice water on the two of them, and their faces immediately regained their calm.

    ¡°I did not specify that I was killed by someone. If things go badly¡­ it is not impossible that I might end up dying naturally from some unforeseen circumstances.¡±

    In truth, he could not think of any natural cause from which he could die, which was why he was using such vague terms.

    ¡°However, it would seem that even the two people that I consider the most intelligent of all have differing opinions. That distresses me. That is why we must undertake this training, so that there will be no problems if this imagined scenarioes to pass.¡±

    The two of them bowed their heads.

    ¡°Of course, I am not the only one who could suffer that fate. Demiurge, as Nazarick¡¯s defensivemander during a time of attack, if an unexpected situation urs and you are struck down, could Nazarick continue functioning normally?¡±

    ¡°Yes! I have made thorough preparations in that respect. I recall submitting a report on that to you in the past, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Eh, did I receive something like that?Ainz decided that it would be better to trust Demiurge¡¯s memory than his own.

    ¡°Umu. Still, that is only on paper, is it not? The reason I am asking is because I would like to know if you have tested to see if it truly works out.¡±

    ¡°I sincerely apologize! I have not done so!¡±

    Demiurge bowed his head, his face a mask of deepest regret as his voice trembled.

    ¡°My, my deepest apologies, Ainz-sama! Signing off on the document without making that suggestion was foolishness on my part!¡±

    Albedo had the same look on her face as Demiurge as she bowed her head.

    Ainz was filled with a tremendous sense of guilt. Whose fault was it? The answer was that it was his own. If he had been more reliable, the two of them would not need to apologize like this. Was he not a scummy boss?

    ¡°¡ªThere is no need for you two to apologize. It was my fault for not properly exining matters to you. I was the one who should have noticed that no test had urred. The mistake is mine.¡± Ainz bowed his head until his forehead touched the desk. ¡°All this was due to my unworthiness, and I seek everyone¡¯s forgiveness.¡±

    ¡°What!? Ainz-sama!¡±

    ¡°Please, please do not do that!¡±

    The two of them hurriedly tried to stop Ainz. However, Ainz did not raise his head. He was too ashamed to show them his face, because he knew that he was so shallow that he could not evene clean when apologizing.

    ¡°Lu-Lupusregina! Hurry and raise Ainz¡¯s head!¡±

    ¡°Eh! Me? Please, please forgive me, I can¡¯t possibly raise Ainz-sama¡¯s head by force!¡±

    ¡°Please, please raise your head!¡± they all said in unison.

    It was only after the three of them ¡ª Demiurge in particr ¡ª started looking especially flustered that Ainz hurriedly looked up. After that, he heard sighs of relief from the three of them.

    ¡°...I am grateful that you have epted my apology. Now then, when I reach the Abelion Hills, we will use my death as the basis for an exercise. Yes. Since this is a rare opportunity, why don¡¯t we conduct other exercises as well? For instance, if Demiurge and I were killed off by someone, that sort of thing¡­¡±

    At this point, Ainz began to feel uneasy about his own suggestions.

    ¡°That said, even I have not fully nned out the details when ites to this training. Therefore, if you havee up with a better n, go ahead and carry it out. Ahh, no need to ask my permission. After all, this is an exercise founded on the premise that I am dead.¡±

    The two of them smiled bitterly.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, having to consider you dead from the start of the exercise¡¯s nning phase is a little¡­¡±

    ¡°It is as Demiurge says, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Hahahaha, theughter of three people rang through the cabin.

    Two of them wereughing from the heart, but one was merely pretending.

    ¡°Still, you don¡¯t need to take it too seriously, you know? After all, the objective of this exercise is not to spread ill-will throughout Nazarick, like what happened with the two of you just now. However, I would like to conduct various kinds of training and umte knowledge in that field, so that every Guardian can be interchangeable ¡ª well, I know what I¡¯ve said is pointless given your respective intellects. Do what you feel needs to be done, to whatever extent you deem fit. Can I leave that to you?¡±

    Now that he thought about it, Suzuki Satoru had never been the type of person who had seriously carried out disaster drills, so was it really convincing when someone like that told others to do their best? That was why he could not forget to tell them to take it easy.

    After seeing the two of them bow deeply to him, Ainz said, ¡°Now then, while this is a different matter¡ª¡±

    Let¡¯s go, me!

    The reason why he had drawn up all these flowcharts and simted ways of talking down the two Guardians was for this aim.

    ¡°¡ªYou are to freeze all progress on the giant statue of me that is currently in nning.¡±

    ¡°I understand. We will do as you direct.¡±

    Albedo¡¯s single sentence seemed to put an end to the entire topic.

    Huh?Ainz¡¯s attitude turned from baffled to fearful as he nervously asked what was on his mind.

    ¡°...Is that alright? It was your idea, was it not, Albedo?¡±

    ¡°How could anyone contradict a decision that the Supreme Being has made, Ainz-sama? If you say it is white, then it will be white even though it is ck. That is all.¡±

    Ainz gulped. That line of thought frightened him, and he trembled.

    ¡°...I do not like that way of thinking, Albedo. That is just like abandoning all thought, and even I will most certainly make mistakes at some point.¡±

    He was just saying ¡°most certainly,¡± but it felt like it had been happening all the time.

    ¡°And in that case, won¡¯t everything be over if I¡¯m captured? The person who brainwashed Shalltear is still out there, you know? While there is no need to question each and every one of my aims, if I suggest something and you think of something, you ought to bring it up.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    Albedo and Demiurge nced briefly at each other through narrowed eyes.

    ¡°Then, may I ask why you wish to cease construction? Is the aim of that statue not to let the world better understand your glory, Ainz-sama?¡±

    ¡°Umu,¡± Ainzughed coldly in his heart. ¡°My greatness is not something that can only be expressed through material objects.¡±

    He recalled that this line had received approval from Neia.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s perfect.

    ¡°Would it not be better to teach them with material objects? After all, fools are those who can only understand what they see before their eyes.¡±

    Albedo¡¯s words froze Ainz in ce. It was just like a pitcher throwing a ball at a batter, but instead of having it being hit back at him the batter caught it instead and threw it back at full force.

    ¡°...I see. You have a point, Albedo, but¡ª¡±

    As Ainz thanked his voice for not trembling, he struggled to work his brain, and then gave up when nothing came to mind. While he nearly rounded his shoulders, he could not allow his image as a ruler to crumble before his subordinates.

    ¡°¡ªNo, forget it. I¡¯m sure that Albedo can pick out at least five of the ws I¡¯ve spotted, and the merits outweigh them. In that case, there is nothing else for me to say.¡±

    ¡°Five, five ws? ...Demiurge, I need to discuss something with youter. May I borrow your intellect for a while?¡±

    ¡°But, but of course. I, I expected nothing less of you, Ainz-sama, to think you would say our minds were superior¡­ truly, you are too humble.¡±

    The two of them began to get flustered, and Albedo bowed her head deeply.

    ¡°I, I am truly sorry, Ainz-sama. While my n to build your statue has already received your approval, please allow me to temporarily suspend construction. I sincerely apologize.¡±

    ¡°Hm, mm. Well, it can¡¯t be helped then. Proceed, Albedo.¡±

    Ainz had merely tossed out an offhand remark, but Albedo and Demiurge seemed abnormally shaken by it. He could even hear Lupusregina whisper ¡°amazing¡± from behind them.

    He looked away, feeling guilty because he had once again confused the two of them by talking nonsense. However, he was d that the n to build the giant statue would be briefly halted.

    Next, I need to do something about the four festivals with my name on it, like the Sorcerer King Grand Thanksgiving, the Sorcerer King¡¯s Birthday and so on! If the Sorcerer King Grand Thanksgiving is cancelled because the statue¡¯s been cancelled as well, that just leaves three of them! Besides, if these were normal festivals, I wouldn¡¯t want to stop them either!

    In truth, Ainz had once nonchntly suggested a n for organizing festivals. However, that had led to the formation of a strange and embarrassing festivalmittee. Ainz sighed long and loud in his heart, and then looked at Demiurge.

    ¡°Alright, that leaves the details which I need to discuss with Demiurge. After this, you¡¯ll have the demon you summoned, that is to say, Jaldabaoth, attack that city, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Indeed, that is so.¡±

    ¡°Therefore¡­ I have a couple of requests. The first concerns a personal project I am carrying out which is not going too well, for which I will need your help. Ah, don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s no need to get too shy with it. And the second thing is, can youmand that summoned demon to fight in earnest with me?¡±

    ***

    Neia quietly closed the door to the Sorcerer King¡¯s room and turned on her heel. And then¡­ her body quivered.

    She lightly patted her somewhat scalding cheeks to force her face to tighten up before shepletely lost herposure. One reason for that was because she knew how her rxed face made others wary, while the other, more important reason was because it deeply embarrassed her.

    Neia did not want to walk around outside with an unseemly look on her face. She would have to meet otherster, so at the very least she had to look presentable.

    More to the point, Neia was the squire of the Sorcerer King, so anything disgraceful that she did would also damage the Sorcerer King¡¯s reputation.

    Still, I¡¯m only acting as his temporary squire, so it¡¯s the Holy Kingdom which would be disgraced¡­

    However, the people who hated the Sorcerer King would not think that way. As the saying went, one was blinded by one¡¯s hate. Or rather, it was like how those who hated swords hated swordsmiths as well.

    Alright!

    Neia did not want the Sorcerer King to regret the fact that she was his squire. In other words, all Neia had to do was her job.

    As Neia headed for the ce where she had arranged to meet, she thought incessantly about the kindness that the Sorcerer King had shown just now.

    ¡ªIs that so, is that how it is, what a shame.

    She had sensed deep regret from the Sorcerer King when he said those words back then. There was no way he could have been rattling them off casually.

    ...His Majesty really is a kind person¡­

    The Sorcerer King had grieved for someone from another country who had died in battle as though she had been one of his own people. Where in the world could you find a king like that? Of course, Neia did not know any other kings, so perhaps that simply reflected her dreams.

    For instance, if Neia and the others had held on a little longer, they would have been saved along with Neia, and that father who had lost his child would also have survived.

    Neia was not unhappy that the Sorcerer King had beente in his rescue. In the first ce, she was grateful for the fact that he hade to rescue her, because he had already said that he had to conserve his mana for the battle with Jaldabaoth. In addition, she had heard some of the militiamen in Remedios¡¯s unit say that he had fought several powerful demihumans at the west gate before he hade to rescue Neia.

    The Sorcerer King had fought two demihumans who could each kill a pdin in a single attack and another one whose strength was on par with that of the Holy Kingdom¡¯s strongest pdin.

    The militiamen telling Neia all this had been hard-pressed to hide their excitement as they rattled the proceedings off like a machine gun, and they added, ¡°We¡¯d all have been killed if not for the Sorcerer King.¡±

    Indeed. Neia felt a surge of heat in her chest.

    The Sorcerer King had gone elsewhere to help others beforeing to save Neia.

    While she was slightly disappointed that the Sorcerer King had not prioritized helping her, it was wrong to feel that way. The defense of the city wall was important, but it would be a far worse matter if the city gate were to fall. If the gate had been breached and the demihumans managed to get into the city, there would have been merciless ughters everywhere.

    Anyone with any sense would have prioritized the city gate to save more lives.

    People who acted ording to logic were more reliable than people who were ruled by their emotions.

    That¡¯s the Sorcerer King for you!

    Neia thought of the strongest pdin in her country.

    Justparing the two of them is disrespecting His Majesty!

    After that, the Sorcerer King had also hunted down the few demihumans who had made it into the city, and many people had been saved as a result. In fact¡ª

    ¡°Ohhh! If it isn¡¯t His Majesty¡¯s squire-sama! Did you tell him for us?¡±

    It would seem that Neia had reached her meeting point while she was pondering how cool the Sorcerer King had been.

    In a certain sector of the city, six men gathered on a street which still smelled of the battlefield.

    They addressed Neia like they had been waiting impatiently for her. In fact, they had actually been quite impatient.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve ryed your gratitude to His Majesty.¡±

    Several people unconsciously went on the defensive as Neia looked at them, but after hearing her words, they smiled and thanked her.

    ¡°Ah, thank you very much. It¡¯s hard to express your gratitude to the king of another nation. No, it¡¯s hard enough just to thank the Holy Queen-sama.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, you can¡¯t even meet her to begin with.¡±

    The people before her had ages which ranged from fourteen to forty. However, all of them were squad leaders. Some of them had even been professional soldiers once.

    Judging by their attitude, they did not feel any sense of dread toward the Sorcerer King because he was undead.

    It was true that some people were still wary of the Sorcerer King because of his undead nature. In addition, people like that were moremon among the smallfolk than the priests or pdins. They often said that the Sorcerer King was being kind in order to betray them at the right moment, and other such things.

    However, Neia felt that their reaction was because they did not understand the Sorcerer King and had simply acted out of the usual disdain for the undead. The reason for that was the group of people before her. There were many people who had changed their way of thinking once they got to know the Sorcerer King.

    ¡°No, please don¡¯t worry about it. I simply conveyed your gratitude to His Majesty. Ah, yes, His Majesty said that your thanks made him very happy.¡±

    There were bashful looks on the representatives from the militiamen.

    ¡°No, we¡¯re the ones who should be happy¡­ oh, what should we do¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, His Majesty really ispassionate. I¡¯m embarrassed by how we used to fear him because he was undead.¡±

    ¡°His Majesty is truly a kind person. However, I hope you will not expect such good fortune to happen again and again. After all, His Majesty did say that he had used a great deal of mana in this battle, and he would not be able to help you again next time.¡±

    The group¡¯s faces immediately sobered up.

    ¡°So we might not have His Majesty¡¯s help next time¡­ this is bad.¡±

    ¡°A lot of people will be afraid if they know they can¡¯t rely on His Majesty to help them, my team especially.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not just your guys. It¡¯s the same on my side too¡­ we can¡¯t tell them about this.¡±

    Neia quietly addressed the shaken group.

    ¡°Everyone, I havee to understand one thing. That is: weakness itself is a sin.¡±

    As puzzled looks appeared on their faces, Neia slowly exined herself.

    ¡°Do you get it? If we were strong enough, things would not have gotten to where they are now. We could have saved our parents, our children, our wives, our friends, we could have saved all of them with our own hands. The Sorcerer King once said that we are the ones who ce the most value on the things which are important to us. After all, His Majesty is not the king of this country, and he simply came to assist us for a special reason.¡±

    Neia took a breath.

    Neia raised her voice, so the people watching her and the people of the Holy Kingdom passing by would hear her words.

    ¡°...When the Sorcerer King defeats Jaldabaoth and returns to his own country, what will we do when the demihumans attack again? Will we cry and beg the Sorcerer King, the king of another country, for help once more? For all we know, the Sorcerer King might not help us next time. That¡¯s because this time was an exception. Have you ever heard of a country¡¯s king working so hard for another nation?¡±

    Nobody answered Neia, because such a thing was nowhere to be found.

    ¡°Maybe you don¡¯t feel happy that a girl like me is telling you this. But who can protect the things that are important to you other than yourselves? That¡¯s why I want to be stronger. When I be stronger, I can protect myself and I won¡¯t need to borrow the Sorcerer King¡¯s strength.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. Exactly. I¡¯ll train myself too.¡±

    ¡°Ah, me too. Next time, I¡¯ll be the one to protect my wife and kids.¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯ll do that too. I didn¡¯t want to when I was first conscripted¡­ but now I feel d that I was drafted.¡±

    ¡°Still, the Sorcerer King does make a lot of sense. Valuing the things important to us¡­ mm, when you think about it, that really is true.¡±

    ¡°So if someone else values my wife the most highly, I have to kill him, then?¡±

    ¡°...I, I don¡¯t think so, right? I don¡¯t think the Sorcerer King was talking about something like that, right?¡±

    ¡°...Hey, I¡¯m just kidding, you know?¡±

    ¡°It didn¡¯t sound like a joke...¡±

    As the crowdughed, Neia made a suggestion.

    ¡°Everyone, would you like to train with me? While I can¡¯t teach you all swordsmanship, I know a thing or two about archery.¡±

    Weakness was a sin. That was because the weak only created problems for the Sorcerer King, who was justice. In that case, all they had to do was be strong. She could not allow herself to cause trouble for the Sorcerer King next time. She had to allow His Majesty to focus on fighting Jaldabaoth. That was what she ought to do, as a squire.

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s a good idea.¡±

    ¡°We need to be strong. I¡¯ll protect them next time.¡±

    ¡°¡ªWhy are you all gathering here? Are you discussing something?¡±

    ¡°Ah ¡ª Captain.¡±

    After being questioned out of nowhere, Neia looked back and saw Remedios Custodio standing behind her. In fact, Neia had heard footsteps approaching, but she had not thought that it would be Remedios.

    Herees trouble,Neia thought as she tried to keep her face from revealing how she felt. The representatives, on the other hand, were visibly ufortable.

    ¡°Can you answer my question?¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am! I was telling these gentlemen that I had conveyed their gratitude to His Majesty.¡±

    ¡°To him, you say?¡±

    ¡°...It is hardly appropriate to address the king of another nation as ¡®him.¡¯¡±

    Remedios red at Neia.

    ¡°The strong protecting the weak ismon sense, is it not?¡±

    ¡°...I do not know if it ismon sense, but I feel that only the strong are qualified to say such things, and not the weak.¡±

    ¡°What!? Are you saying that I¡¯m weak?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Neia replied without any dy. ¡°Compared to His Majesty, you areweak¡­ Captain, have I said something wrong?¡±

    Remedios red at Neia, and Neia stared back forcefully at Remedios.

    ¡°Hmph, it doesn¡¯t matter if you want to be friends with the Sorcerer King, but he¡¯s undead, you know that, right? A monster who inhabits a different world from the living.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I know that.¡±

    ¡°I said that because I was worried about you. It seems my concern was wasted.¡±

    Remedios looked disappointed, but it felt very fake to Neia. That was definitely not what the pdin before her really thought.

    ¡°I¡¯m certain you must be busy with many things, Captain, and I would not dare take up your time. In addition, I have things to tell the others. Would it not be better for yourself to move on to the other ces you have to be, Captain?

    ¡°...Very well then. You lot, it¡¯s only natural for the Sorcerer King to help you. You don¡¯t need to think too much about it, you know?¡±

    After saying that, Remedios left. As they watched her go, someone quietly spoke up.

    ¡°How should I say this¡­ that was amazing¡­ is that the strongest pdin of this country¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what she is.¡±

    After hearing the representative speak his mind, Neia unconsciously replied to him. After that, the representatives covered their faces with their hands. It would seem they had suffered quite a shock.

    Although Neia had not done anything wrong, she still felt a little guilty.

    ¡°The, the pdins aren¡¯t, aren¡¯t all like that. How shall I put it¡­ she¡¯s a little special. That¡¯s¡­ how she is. Yes.¡±

    ¡°It must be hard for you, Squire-sama¡­ if you can drink, I¡¯d like to buy you one.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate your intentions¡­ uh, where was I again? Yes, training together. I can find a way to borrow a ce and equipment. Can I contact youter once everything¡¯s ready?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll let you handle that,¡± ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll wait,¡± the men cheerily answered.

    Part 2

    Neia drew her bowstring back in one smooth motion.

    She turned her keen gaze to the target, and she could see the silent white wisps of her exhaled breath drawn to the edges of her vision by the wind, where it disappeared. Spring was close, but it was still cold.

    Neia buried the random notions in her mind deep within her, staring at the target in a state of no thought, and then she slowly drew herself back.

    During the defense of the city, Neia hade to understand that nobody had time to slowly take aim on the battlefield, but right now they were training to improve their uracy, so quick-fire drills could be left for another time.

    And then ¡ª she released her arrow.

    The arrow whistled as it tore through the air. It flew in a straight line and hit the target dead center.

    Hoo,Neia exhaled.

    Of the ten arrows she had fired, not a single one had been off target.

    This was an outstanding uracy rate, but Neia took no joy in it.

    She could not do it in the past, but right now, Neia could even split the arrow she had justunched. Of course, she would damage the arrow if she did that, so she did not.

    The reason why she had ended up like this, why she could do something that was previously impossible for her was because after that battle, she was not just capable of archery, but of harnessing what they called divine power. However, the strange thing was that it was slightly different from the abilities that pdins were said to possess. This was because normally, pdins could only channel their powers through melee weapons, while she could imbue ranged weapons with her powers.

    While she did not quite understand what that meant, the Sorcerer King had seemed quite interested when he had heard about this. Still, even the Sorcerer King had only said, ¡°It¡¯s hard to tell from just that, let me know if other abilities awaken.¡±

    Apuse rang out, and Neia smiled bitterly, because she felt ufortable.

    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re amazing, Baraja-chan.¡±

    ¡°Oh yes, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen anyone who was so good with a bow. Nobody in my vige could do that.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, it¡¯s true. I used to be a hunter by trade, and I knew a few people in my own right, but none of them had Baraja-chan¡¯s skills.¡±

    The people praising Neia were the same ones sweating and training with her at the archery range. Many of their faces had not been seen on these streets during the defense of the city three weeks ago.

    The reason for that was because people had been rescued from the nearby prison camps, and the city¡¯s poption rose swiftly as a result. Those with a knack for archery or who had used bows before were drafted into archery units and ced under Neia¡¯smand.

    Normally, people would balk at being made subordinate to a squire girl, especially if some of them were old enough to be her father. However, none of the men ¡ª and women ¡ª gathered here protested.

    The main reason was because nobody dared voice any objections after being subjected to her vicious gaze, and also because they had to acknowledge her skill with the bow. Some of them were even more grateful to Neia after learning that she was the Sorcerer King¡¯s squire.

    There were also some who were afraid she was undead because they had heard that she was the Sorcerer King¡¯s squire, but not everyone was like that.

    In these three weeks, the pdins had been sent out to liberate prison camps, but at the same time, the Sorcerer King and Neia had also gone out to attack camps and rescue prisoners.

    When the Sorcerer King had first broached the subject, there had been a shocking number of objections. However, the Sorcerer King then said, ¡°Now that the Demihuman Alliance is short on manpower, they will start to execute the captives if they judge that theyck the ability to run the prison camps, so they must be rescued without dy,¡± and that had convinced Caspond to ept the Sorcerer King¡¯s suggestion and send the two of them out.

    Neia had originally wanted to argue that the Sorcerer King ought to conserve his mana in order to battle Jaldabaoth. However, Neia admired how he acted to protect the people of another country and felt the justice emanating from him, so she could not bring herself to stop him.

    And so, Neia and the Sorcerer King had freed many captives and brought them to this city. For this reason, there were people who were happy to serve under Neia.

    ¡°Ahhh~ I ought to learn a few things from Baraja-chan.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. She¡¯s amazing. Also, that bow you borrowed from the Sorcerer King ¡ª the Ultimate Shootingstar Super ¡ª you can do even more amazing things with that bow, right?¡±

    ¡°The Ultimate Shootingstar Super, huh. What an amazing bow¡­¡±

    All their eyes went to the bow stowed behind Neia¡¯s back ¡ª the Ultimate Shootingstar Super.

    She ought to have used it during her training, but she had avoided doing so because she did not want to rely too heavily on her weapon.

    ¡°Yes, during the battle for the city walls, it was thanks to the Ultimate Shootingstar Super that I was able to survive until His Majesty arrived¡­ no, that¡¯s not it. It wasn¡¯t just the Ultimate Shootingstar Super, but the armor I borrowed from His Majesty and all his other items that helped me too¡­¡±

    Neia caressed Grand King Buser¡¯s armor.

    ¡°This armor came from a renowned demihuman, it looks amazing to me no matter how many times I look at it¡­¡±

    ¡°I was allowed to touch it once, its hardness is amazing. I chopped at it with a sword and it just bounced off.¡±

    ¡°Seriously? I¡¯ve never heard that before.¡±

    As Neia¡¯s wargear became a hot topic, she pped to get everyone¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Alright, enough chitchat, back to training. ording to the Sorcerer King, Jaldabaoth¡¯s preparing to make another move soon, so we can¡¯t waste a single moment.

    There was a chorus of acknowledgements.

    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s time to begin practical shooting. Let¡¯s start, everyone.¡±

    As she watched her subordinates ¡ª the word made her feel like a big shot, and it embarrassed her a little ¡ª disperse, Neia removed the item which covered half her face. It was an item she had borrowed from the Sorcerer King.

    This magic item was a visor-shaped set of mirrorshades that allowed her to use a special ability known as the Serpent Shot once every three minutes. It was a technique that allowed an arrow to twist and turn in front of one¡¯s opponent, pouncing them like an animal bringing down its prey.

    She was not too sure what it did because she had not fired it at anyone, but in all likelihood, one would need to be very agile to avoid it.

    It was a very handy item for someone like Neia, who used the bow as her main weapon, but more importantly, the fact that it hid her eyes was amazing. Or rather, without that item, she could not have gotten along so well with the others.

    Neia put her visor on once more, and took up her bow again.

    Everyone here was experienced, and now that time was tight, she did not need to instruct them on the finer points of finger positioning. She had touched briefly on how to fire quickly, and after that all that was needed was to give them individual coaching and have them practice until their fingers ached. The most important thing for them was to umte shooting experience.

    As usual, Neia wondered about requesting healing magic from the priests as she loosed an arrow.

    Just at that moment, Neia¡¯s keen ears picked up a noise.

    It hade from the outside. While Neia¡¯s shooting form nearly broke down, she managed to keep it together. It might not have been what she expected, and even if it was the person she had hoped to meet, they might have only been passing by, and not intended toe here.

    However, the being that appeared at the door to the training yard was the great king with the skeletal face ¡ª the Sorcerer King.

    In the beginning, everyone had feared the undead, but many of them had been rescued by the Sorcerer King during the defense of the city and from the prison camps. The mor of respectful and thankful voices soon came to herald the arrival of the Sorcerer King.

    However, nobody stopped practicing. Normally, they would have knelt before the Sorcerer King when he appeared, but the Sorcerer King himself had put a stop to it.

    This isn¡¯t a public ce, so you don¡¯t need to do that when I¡¯m just looking in on you, am I wrong?

    No king, especially one who was a nation-saving hero, should have been treated that way.

    Even so, the Sorcerer King had said that they did not need to do so.

    What an amazing person he is¡­

    After sighing in awe, Neia went to the Sorcerer King¡¯s side, and tightly shut her open mouth.

    She kept her visor on.

    The Sorcerer King had said that she she did not need to take it off, since she ought to be ready to fight at any time.

    He was probably concerned about whether she could use a magic item like it was part of her own body and thinking that she ought to be on guard no matter what unexpected things happened. Neia was deeply impressed by the depth of the Sorcerer King¡¯s considerations.

    Neia understood that the Sorcerer King¡¯s eyes had gone from looking into his hands to herself as she ran over. For some reason, observing the Sorcerer King¡¯s habitual movements made Neia a little happy.

    The thought that she understood the tiny quirks of an extraordinary individual made Neia¡¯s cheeks rx.

    ¡°Your Majesty! We are grateful that you have chosen to visit a ce like this in person!¡±

    Neia was still the Sorcerer King¡¯s squire, even after being appointed themander of the archery unit. That said, it was hard to say that she had done a squire¡¯s job properly when she had left his side to train others in archery, not to mention she had even made hime here instead.

    Neia wanted to prioritize her work as the Sorcerer King¡¯s squire, but instead she had chosen to do this, because she no longer wanted to be a burden to him. And there was also another reason, which she had not told anyone else.

    That was because the Sorcerer King refused to have anyone except Neia serve as his follower. He had said that to Caspond¡¯s face with Neia in attendance.

    The number of people here was steadily increasing. There were many more skilful or charming people than this mad-eyed maiden. Even so, he had said that Neia would be fine. The person she viewed as justice had said that about her.

    Could anything have made her happier?

    ¡°¡ªUmu. While I know you¡¯re being humble, I don¡¯t think this is a mere ¡®ce like this.¡¯ After all, it is where you sharpen your fangs, is it not?¡±

    ¡°Th-Thank you very much, Your Majesty!¡±

    She looked around ¡ª perhaps it would be disrespectful to look away from the Sorcerer King, but the visor she wore made it possible ¡ª and saw that her people had heard it and the tips of their ears were turning red. The problem was that their performance deteriorated, possibly because they were nervous, or because they had stiffened up their shoulders in order to look good for the Sorcerer King.

    That said, her own ears felt a little hot too.

    ¡°...Miss Baraja. Your men have made a great deal of progress sincest time. Surely that must be due to your hard work as their leader.¡±

    His pleasantries both embarrassed Neia and left her at a loss for how to answer.

    It would be embarrassing to say that they got nervous and can¡¯t show their full ability because Your Majesty arrived. They would think so too.

    Therefore, Neia decided to take his words as they were given. However¡ª

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing of the sort. I hardly taught them anything. They could have done that by themselves.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Well, if you say so, then it must be true.¡±

    In other words ¡ª the Sorcerer King did not think so. Which meant that the Sorcerer King thought very highly of Neia.

    Neia raised her voice a little to try and hide her desire to skip in delight.

    ¡°In, in that case, Your Majesty, does your presence here mean that the meetings are over?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. They¡¯re done for the day, but that said, I did not make any special suggestions.¡±

    Right now, this city had a mountain of problems, all of which stemmed from the increasing poption. The small city of Lloyds had originally been home to less than 20,000 people, but after gathering the people from the liberated camps, there were more than 150,000 people here now.

    The most recent of these overpoption problems was the slimes used in the sewers ¡ª the Sanitary Slimes ¡ª whose own poption had surged due to an abundance in food and had thus caused a panic when they erupted from the waterways.

    When the slime poption grew, they were typically burned back down with magic items, but the unexpectedly rapid growth meant that this was not done in time and several men and women had been attacked.

    When these men and women were surrounded by the slimes, a group of rubbish-clearing monsters called the Filth Eaters appeared from the sewers to help them.

    Unlike how they appeared, the Filth Eaters were intelligent monsters, and they knew that humans could produce a great deal of their food, and so they saved the people with their acid-resistant bodies.

    However, the people were not grateful to the Filth Eaters. That was because Sanitary Slimes were not infectious themselves, but the Filth Eaters who helped them were masses of disease. Thus, the people they had helped had fallen ill and were in a very bad state, particrly those who had contracted encephalitis.

    In addition, it was winter now, so firewood and other fuels were scarce. Then there was the fact that there had been dys in the construction of housing. While there was no food shortage yet, that would be a danger in the future.

    The Sorcerer King had been invited to many of the meetings to deal with these problems, possibly because they were counting on his prodigious knowledge to solve their problems.

    While the Sorcerer King had simply said that he did not know that much and had merely sat aside to listen, such a person could not have been summoned to meetings time and time again.

    The fact that he conducted himself so humbly despite being the king of a nation only deepened Neia¡¯s respect for him.

    ¡°What do you intend to do next, Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°Umu. I had intended to see if the transportation of logs was going well¡­ Are you busy with practice, Miss Baraja? If you don¡¯t mind, would you like to apany me?¡±

    In order to solve theck of fuel and housing, they were using the Sorcerer King¡¯s undead horses to transport logs from a distant forest. Initially, many people had been averse to using undead horses for transport, but now there was a steady stream of praise for the merits of these undead horses.

    ¡°No, please allow me to go with you! I am Your Majesty¡¯s Squire, after all!¡±

    The knowledge that she would be able to perform her squirely duties at longst and her delight at being alone with the Sorcerer King caused Neia to unconsciously speak faster and louder.

    As a result, Neia¡¯s ears burned.

    ¡°Is, is that so? Then let us proceed.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Please¡ª¡±

    Then, as though to interrupt her, a sky-scorching inferno erupted in the distance.

    For a moment, Neia wondered what was burning.

    But that was wrong. She had been too far off. That could not have been caused by any form of naturalbustion.

    That fire seemed to be enveloping the city. In other words, it was a wall of fire ¨D Neia¡¯s mind immediately recalled what the members of Blue Rose had said.

    ¡°¡ªYour Majesty! That¡¯s¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ah, it is as you are thinking, and the same as what I heard from Momon¡­ the time hase atst. It¡¯s Jaldabaoth. He¡¯s attacking atst. Miss Baraja, I¡¯m heading out.¡±

    Had he anticipated this series of events? As though influenced by the Sorcerer King¡¯s calm attitude, Neia¡¯s heart calmed down as well. Or no, it would be better to say that the presence of a supreme being like the Sorcerer King gave her peace of mind.

    ¡°Where to!?¡±

    ¡°Ah ¨D hm. Jaldabaoth¡¯s aim is still unclear. So, ah ¨D he might just be here to ughter indiscriminately. However, if he has an objective, he¡¯ll either be targeting me or the Holy Kingdom¡¯s leadership, so it would be best if we met up. Tell your men to get ready for battle and then have them flee to a safe ce.¡±

    ¡°Eh!?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll be of no use against Jaldabaoth. In that case, it would be better to have them prepare to deal with any demons which might appear. Since the city will probably be in chaos now, once you form up your unit, won¡¯t it be better to have them head outside the city?¡±

    While his words had been unclear at first, perhaps he had organized his thoughtster on, because the middle part onwards was a nonstop series of instructions to Neia.

    ¡°Yes! Thank you very much, Your Majesty! Alright, everyone!¡±

    While they had made ns in case Jaldabaoth led an army against them, they had not expected a ze to surround the entire city. Another big problem was the fact that they did not know the extent of the preparations that the enemy had made.

    Neia gave her instructions. There was only a single squad here and they could not do as they pleased, but as a team leader, she had a responsibility to do several things before her orders came.

    The instructions went roughly like this:

    Everyone in the squad was to take their families and head to the east gate, because if the enemy attacked, it was more likely that they would attack from the west gate. After that, they would form up at the east gate, and if there were demons outside the east gate, they would climb the walls near the east gate and attack them. In addition, they were to listen to Neia¡¯s adjutant until she arrived and adapt to changes in the battlefield conditions.

    Neia¡¯s subordinates obeyed her instructions and moved swiftly into action.

    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±

    After giving her orders, Neia turned back and saw that the Sorcerer King¡¯s eyes were on his hands, while he had used a flight spell to rise to somewhere around the level of Neia¡¯s head.

    ¡°Your Majesty! Let me go with you!¡±

    Perhaps he was startled by Neia¡¯s shout, but the Sorcerer King suddenly closed his hand and a quiet sound came from within.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ well, all right.¡±

    The Sorcerer King cast a flying spell on Neia as well. In that moment, she realized the greatness of magic as she learned what it was to fly.

    Neia and the Sorcerer King moved as though they were skimming along the ground. They did not leave the surface except to soar over crowds of people, who had descended into chaos, because they could not get a grip on the situation. The reason for that was because flying in the air without cover made them very obvious, and if there were demons about, they might be subjected to attack spells from all directions.

    Neia bit her lip in unhappiness, feeling like she was being a burden. Whatever spells the demons used, they could not possibly pose a problem for the Sorcerer King. She could not help but think that he had chosen to go the long way around instead of flying directly to his destination because she was around.

    Eventually, they reached their destination ¨D the headquarters, which also doubled as Caspond¡¯s chambers.

    The two pdins at the door had their hands full trying to manage the people jammed up near the door.

    ¡°Miss Baraja, we¡¯ll go in from above.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    After seeing that it would be a little difficult to enter from the front door, the two of them floated up and arrived at the balcony. Just then, the window facing them opened up.

    ¡°Your Majesty! Thank you foring.¡±

    It was a pdin.

    ¡°Are the others here yet?¡±

    ¡°No, Your Majesty. The priests are assembling. Vice-Captain Montagnes is off to liberate a prison camp and isn¡¯t expected to return today. Right now, only Captain Custodio and Prince Caspond are present.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Still, it¡¯s good that the two of them are here. Lead the way.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    After the pdin led them to Caspond¡¯s room, they could hear a loud discussion through the door. It seemed quite chaotic.

    The pdin opened the door for them, and over a dozen pairs of bloodshot eyes greeted them.

    ¡°Sorry I¡¯mte. We¡¯re out of time, so what ns were you discussing just now?¡±

    Everyone nced at each other, and Caspond spoke up on their behalf.

    ¡°We have not spotted Jaldabaoth yet. Your Majesty, could this fire have been made by a magic item or a demon other than Jaldabaoth?¡±

    ¡°I am unsure. After all, even I could not do such a thing.¡±

    The others were shaken. The Sorcerer King employed magic that beggared the imagination. How powerful must Jaldabaoth be if he could use a spell that even the Sorcerer King could not?

    ¡°In that case, what effects does that fire have? Blue Rose said that they managed to pass through it, then surely normal people can do so as well, right?¡±

    After saying so, Remedios turned to look straight at the Sorcerer King.

    ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem. As for its effects, demons standing inside the fire benefit from improved attributes, negative-karma spells will do slightly more damage, item drop rates will increase, and many others. But ording to the results from the investigation team, none of those were in effect. Still, whether it does anything else remains to be seen.¡±

    ¡°Which means we can freely move in and out of it, right?¡±

    ¡°Hm? Didn¡¯t I say that at the beginning?¡±

    ¡°In that case, we ought to evacuate as long as there are no demihumans or demons around, and then form up into units there. After all, I heard that demons appeared within the area surrounded by the fire when it wasst seen in the Kingdom. Let¡¯s go with that n of action, everyone.¡±

    After giving the pdins their orders, he asked the Sorcerer King again, ¡°Can you use your magic to pinpoint Jaldabaoth¡¯s location, Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°If I could, I wouldn¡¯t need to stay in this city now, would I?¡±

    ¡°You have a point.¡±

    Just as the Sorcerer King was dealing with one question after another, everyone heard an ominous creaking.

    It started out quietly enough, and then it steadily grew to drown out the mor in the room. One by one, they all quieted down, and finally, the only sound in the silence was the creaking.

    Everyone looked around uneasily. Just then, Neia noticed something odd on the outside wall of the building and eximed an ¡°Ah¨D¡±

    A crack appeared on the wall, and as everyone watched, it began to spread. The wall bulged, and then¡ª

    ¡°Get away!¡±

    Just as Remedios shouted, the Sorcerer King stood in front of Neia.

    The wall broke apart with a mighty crash. Bricks flew through the room like a spray of shotgun pellets. Groans filled the air; they came from those people who had been hit by the fast-moving masonry.

    If the Sorcerer King had not shielded Neia with his body, Neia might have ended up wailing on the ground with them.

    ¡°Th-Thank you¨D¡±

    The Sorcerer King held up his hand to stop Neia before she could thank him, and then he pointed at the smoke-spewing gap in the wall to draw her attention there.

    There was a gigantic silhouette there, the color of a roaring ze.

    ¡°¨DThank you for the warm wee, humans.¡±

    It was a deep and powerful voice.

    As though cutting through the smoke, that being slowly leaned in through the hole in the wall and entered the room.

    It was ¨D a demon.

    Due to his vast size, he had to bend down in order to barely fit inside the room. His posture looked a little stupid, but now was definitely not the time forughter. Her throat could not work properly; she wanted to swallow the saliva pooling in her mouth, but it stuck there instead.

    This was an overwhelming mass of power.

    Neia had never been very good at judging the strength of her foes rtive to herself, but she understood that she could not win against him even with tens of thousands of Neias. She was swallowed by a wave of powerparable to the Sorcerer King after removing his ring, and she could not move a muscle.

    It was then that she realized who she was facing.

    That, that¡¯s Jaldabaoth¡­ the Demon Emperor Jaldabaoth¡­

    His face was filled with wrath, his wings were red, and his burning arms ¨D he seemed to be holding something in one hand, and Neia could not help but doubt her eyes.

    That was ¨D though she dared not believe it ¨D a lower body. It emanated a vile stench, one of advanced decay.

    ¡°Kyaaaaahh!¡±

    It was a shout ¨D no, a scream. It was a sound that only one who had burst the shackles on their emotions and fallen into madness would make. It came from behind Neia.

    Neia¡¯s back shuddered. The person making that sound was Remedios.

    Remedios raised her holy sword high and charged straight at Jaldabaoth, not caring about her own defense.

    This was too rash. Even Neia, who was not skilled with swords, felt that it was a foolish charge.

    ¡°¨DGet lost.¡±

    Those weighty, quiet words were apanied by the sound of sshing. At the same time, Remedios flew in a straight line and crashed into a wall. Her impact was so loud it seemed as though the entire building would copse. After that, Remedios ¨D who had been swatted aside like a fly ¨D copsed limply from the wall.

    It would seem Jaldabaoth had sent Remedios flying with the object that looked like a human¡¯s lower body.

    Neia would have surely died if she had taken that hit. But as expected of the country¡¯s strongest pdin, her life did not seem to be in danger.

    In its ce, a revolting odor began to spread through the air.

    The room was filled with chunks of meat from the decayed lower body that Jaldabaoth had used to strike Remedios.

    ¡°Ahh¡­ what a mess. I sincerely apologize for getting the room dirty. Of course, it would not have ended up like this if that woman had not charged at me without thinking ¨D well, that¡¯s just an excuse. Please forgive me.¡±

    Jaldabaoth slowly bowed his head. He seemed genuinely apologetic, but that only made everyone else more afraid.

    And then, he casually dumped what he was holding ¨D something that looked like the charred remains of a human ankle ¨D to the ground.

    ¡°My my, I guess I got a little too carried away while swinging it around and the top half flew off somewhere. It¡¯s a dirty little thing, so I¡¯ve been looking for a chance to dispose of it¡­ but in the end I managed to make good use of her. Am I not a kind demon? She must be thanking me from the afterlife.¡±

    Jaldabaoth muttered to himself.

    ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhh!¡±

    Remedios touched herself as she wailed in anguish, fresh blood streaming from the corner of her mouth. No, she was collecting the chunks of meat that were stuck to her. What was she doing? Has she lost her mind?Neia wondered.

    No, there was a meaning to her bizarre actions.

    Don¡¯t tell me, that corpse was¡­ how could this be¡­

    Although the lower body had tattered bits of what looked like armor stuck to it, it should have belonged to a woman. In that case, she could imagine two people that it could have been.

    If that was really the case¡­

    ¡°What a lovely sound,¡± Jaldabaoth waved his hand like a conductor. ¡°In that case, I believe this is the first time we have met, Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown-dono ¨D or perhaps -sama would be a better form of address?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Now then, I trust you¡¯re here for a showdown with me?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. No amount of weaklings will make a difference.¡±

    ¡°I concur on that point. I have no intention of generating meaningless deaths.¡±

    Still sniffling, Remedios looked towards the Sorcerer King.

    ¡°Your Majesty, you are strong. Stronger even than Momon. I hope you will allow me to adopt a strategy that will guarantee my victory.¡±

    Jaldabaoth raised his hand, and a head poked itself through the hole.

    It was a woman wearing a mask and a maid¡¯s outfit. There were two of them, in fact.

    ¡°I trust you will not call me despicable?¡±

    ¡°¨DUh, hm. Well, this is¡­ mhm¡­ uh¡­ um.¡±

    The Sorcerer King was starting to get worried. No, that was only to be expected.

    Nobody could have expected Jaldabaoth to arrive with his maid demons in tow. However¡ª

    That¡¯s probably not the case. The Sorcerer King is wise, and he must have anticipated this. In that case, why is he like this? Could it be that it¡¯s because we¡¯re here? Perhaps he¡¯s not confident of protecting us all as well, which is why he¡¯s worried!

    ¡°Your Majesty, please do not worry about us.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    The Sorcerer King made a tiny exmation of surprise.

    Neia knew very well that the maid demons were beings who could kill everyone in this room, and they were so powerful that she could not be at ease even if someone told her not to worry. Compared to someone on the Sorcerer King¡¯s level, Neia and the others, probably including Remedios, were little more than valueless pawns.

    However ¨D she would rather die than get in his way.

    She had once heard that the Sorcerer King¡¯s subordinates were prepared to die if they became hostages. While the Sorcerer King said it had disturbed him, Neia could finally understand how his subordinates had felt. They did not want to be a burden to the person they respected.

    ¡°Hahaha! Do not worry, humans. I will slowly torture you all to death afterwards. We will be waiting in the fountain at the center of town. Of course, you may flee if you wish, Sorcerer King.¡±

    ¡°I take those words and return them to you, Jaldabaoth.¡±

    The Sorcerer King and Jaldabaoth stared each other down.

    After that, Jaldabaoth turned ¨D and Remedios jumped up, her holy sword in hand, and rushed at him.

    The weakly glowing holy sword looked like a band of flowing light.

    ¡°Dieeeeee!¡±

    And then, she stabbed it into Jaldabaoth¡¯s back.

    ¡°What? This is¡­ Are you satisfied?¡±

    ¨DIt was a cold, t voice.

    ¡°Why¡­ why¡­ after taking a strike from the holy sword¡­ you should be evil¡­¡±

    Remedios¡¯s back looked far too tiny and insignificant inparison.

    ¡°I have no idea what to make of that. Why? What do you mean by why? It felt like a little prick. Is that enough for you? If you¡¯re done, would you mind getting out of the way? I don¡¯t intend to kill you here. Thates after I kill the Sorcerer King.¡±

    Jaldabaoth paid no heed to Remedios and spread his enormous, fiery wings. He pped them, and Remedios copsed to the ground.

    Jaldabaoth ignore her as shey on the ground and took off. The maid demons followed him.

    ¡°...Then I¡¯ll be going too. You should go take shelter so you don¡¯t get caught up in the fighting. While I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be a problem, I hope you¡¯ll understand if this city ends up demolished.¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, will you be alright?¡±

    Caspond rose from where he had dived for cover to avoid the debris flying about the room. His eyes looked at Remedios, who looked utterly defeated and could not rise to her feet.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine ¨D I can¡¯t say that for sure, but there ought to be a chance. It would have been very troublesome if he¡¯d brought the demihumans along as shields. Looks like he¡¯s still underestimating me, and this is also a chance to bring the maid demons into my fold.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. It¡¯s okay. My sister is still here. Krt is still here. As long as she¡¯s around, Calca-sama might¡­¡±

    Remedios smacked her face as she muttered to herself, and then she forcefully rose to her feet.

    ¡°Sorcerer King! I¡¯ll go too! Lend me a weapon that can harm him! I¡¯ll be your sword for the time being!¡±

    The Sorcerer King looked at Remedios, her eyes bloodshot and filled with hate, and then shook his head.

    ¡°...Forget about it. You would only get in the way.¡±

    ¡°What did you say!?¡±

    ¡°Do you not understand? I speak of the disparity in strength. Or do you mean to say you understand it, but refuse to ept it? Simply put ¨D you are a burden.¡±

    Remedios red at the Sorcerer King like he was her nemesis.

    The Sorcerer King¡¯s words were very harsh, but they were also true. Or rather, they were hard to ept precisely because they were true.

    ¡°Captain Custodio! I have another task for you. Evacuate these people outside the city!¡±

    Caspond gave the order in a stern,manding tone.

    ¡°The original n was to let His Majesty handle Jaldabaoth. You agreed to that too, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°...Ahh, I know,¡± Remedios bit her lip, and then she forced out her next words. ¡°You must kill that bastard.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    ¡°¨DPdins, carefully gather the remains of that body. Don¡¯t leave a single piece behind.¡±

    ¡°Captain¡­ that body is¡­¡±

    The pdin had an idea of what was going on, and ventured his question in a trembling voice. Remedios replied in a tone that seemed to be telling him not to ask any more.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget that there might be demonic trickery at work.¡±

    Remedios left without looking back. Several pdins followed her, with half-frightened looks on their faces.

    ¡°Your Majesty, I sincerely apologize for the way she treated you¡­ May I apologize on her behalf?¡± Caspond lowered his head. ¡°Please, I beg your forgiveness.¡±

    ¡°...I ept your apology. Now then, hurry up and evacuate. If he has to wait too long, he might decide to go back on his word. I¡¯ll be heading off first to buy time, but I hope you understand that I can only give you about thirty minutes.¡±

    ¡°I understand. Everyone hear that? Get moving!¡±

    Several priests and pdins moved out with Caspond.

    The only people left in the room were the Sorcerer King and Neia, as well as several pdins and priests who were stuffing the remains of a certain someone¡¯s body into a bag. In that case¡ª

    ¡°Your Majesty, may Ie with you!?¡±

    There were gasps of awe and sudden intakes of air from all around her. But Neia ignored those irrelevant people. She took off her visor and looked straight at the Sorcerer King.

    ¡°...Umu. I cannot. He may have said all that just now, but he¡¯s a demon. If pressed, he will reveal his true nature and use you as a hostage.¡±

    ¡°But if that happens, Your Majesty will kill me without hesitation, will you not?¡±

    ¡°When you say that with such a serious look on your face, you make me sound like a cruel person. Well, if I can¡¯t save you, I¡¯ll discard you. I¡¯ll hit you with an attack spell as well.¡±

    ¡°In that case¨D¡±

    ¡°¨DI! I am not doing this because I want to kill hostages, you know?¡±

    ¡°Ah! Forgive me¡­¡±

    That was how it was. He would do it because it was the best choice avable. If there were a better alternative, this merciful man would surely choose that instead. Thus, not letting Neia apany him was because it was the best of the best alternatives.

    ¡°But¡­ Your Majesty, you have used many spells and even your magic items and mana in order to free this city. As a magic caster, surely you must be weakened now. Will that be alright?¡±

    ¡°Mhm! Indeed, it might be dangerous, but I came here to defeat Jaldabaoth. Fortunately, he came to find me instead. Now I¡¯ll destroy him and im the maid demons¡­ ugh, saying that I want the maids makes me sound like a dirty old man, hm¡­¡±

    Neia smiled bitterly at the Sorcerer King, who could still make ame joke at a time like this. She wanted to speak, but the Sorcerer King cut her off with a raise of his hand.

    ¡°Besides, I¡¯ll be aughingstock if I run away here.¡±

    The Sorcerer King shrugged, like he was kidding. Neia sensed that he was not being serious, and so she raised her voice.

    ¡°Your Majesty! If they want tough, let them! I humbly submit that you should only fight him in top condition! Also, you came here to battle Jaldabaoth, but you ended up using a vast amount of mana and strength on the behalf of the Holy Kingdom. That¡¯s not what you agreed to in the beginning. If we say that, the people of my country will¡­¡±

    ¡°Indeed, that is true. But humans are creatures who only believe what they want to believe. Even if you spread the word, nobody would take it to heart, Miss Baraja.¡±

    ¡°That¡­! In that case, I can be a witness! And¡­¡±

    Neia looked out the corner of her eye at the pdins and priests listening to their conversation. Surely they would be willing to be witnesses.

    ¡°...Neia Baraja. I thank you, but there is no need for that. I will not change my intention to fight Jaldabaoth.¡±

    ¡°This ¨D why is that?¡±

    ¡°Simple. It is because it is a promise I have made as a king.¡±

    Neia had nothing to say. There was nothing she could say in response to that. Amoner like herself could not possibly say anything that could change the mind of a King.

    There were murmurs of admiration around her. Indeed, this great and proud person was none other than His Majesty the Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown.

    Neia was filled with pride for the king that she held in such high esteem.

    ¡°Your Majesty, I know this is deeply disrespectful, but if you feel there is danger, I beg you to flee.¡±

    Perhaps mentioning the possibility of his loss might make him unhappy, but even so she still had to say it.

    ¡°...But of course. It is a fool who fights without preparing a means of escape. Even if you lose one battle, you can make good use of the information gained in the next one. It doesn¡¯t matter if you lose the first battle.¡±

    ¡°I expected nothing less of you, Your Majesty.¡±

    An extreme interpretation of that was that if his aim was to defeat Jaldabaoth, then all he needed was to be victorious in the end. Neia was excited by this line of thinking, which was not a warrior¡¯s mindset, but that of a king.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be heading out.¡±

    ***

    Ainz walked toward the ce Jaldabaoth had indicated. Along the way, he used ¡¸Message¡¹ to order the two Hanzos who had followed him to check for tails and if anyone was observing from afar.

    After receiving a negative report on both those items, Ainz had originally intended to terminate the transmission immediately, but then he received a somewhat confused report that there were members of the Pleiades present.

    Ainz acknowledged it and ended the ¡¸Message¡¹.

    ...We didn¡¯t find any other yers or World ss Item holders this time round either. I keep thinking they ought to have shown themselves by now¡­ but if they don¡¯t exist, how do you exin what happened to Shalltear? Was it some kind of coincidence? It should have been the effect of a World ss Item, right? Or was it the work of some Talent?

    The fact that nothing had turned up despite going to these lengths made the whole thing feel like a trap for him. For all he knew, the opposition was waiting for him to lower his guard before striking.

    Honestly¡­ well, it doesn¡¯t matter. Careful nning for the future won¡¯t be wasted.

    Therefore, Ainz contacted the other Hanzo teams with ¡¸Message¡¹ to verify their readiness and that his orders had been received.

    All right, preparations areplete. The next part is simple, I just need to follow Demiurge¡¯s ybook. Even if I make a mistake, I can always say ¡°I was just testing you¡± and so on.

    That was good.

    Ainz was moved by how light his tread was. This the first time he had felt so rxed sinceing to this world, and it was like floating through the sky.

    Soon, Ainz came to an average-sized square.

    This had originally been a fountain that regrly sprayed water for the citizens¡¯ leisure. However, water no longer flowed through here after the demihumans had wrecked it. There were no ns to restore it for the time being, and the surroundings looked very austere.

    A demon stood proudly there.

    It was a huge demon with burning wings and two crimson, brawny fists.

    This was the Evil Lord of Wrath from Nazarick. However, what stood here was merely a monster that Demiurge had called up with his Evil Lord Summons. It could only be used once every fifty hours, but it could be freely controlled for a time. Nazarick would not be diminished even if it were killed.

    It was level 84.

    As a physical-attacker type Evil Lord, it had a very high HP total.

    Of all the special abilities that Evil Lords possessed, the most dangerous one was the ability to summon another Evil Lord which was lower level than themselves. However, summoned monsters could not in turn summon more monsters. Therefore, the Evil Lord of Wrath that Demiurge had summoned could not summon another Evil Lord.

    If this Evil Lord had been created or made, then it could summon additional creatures. For instance, the Evil Lord of Sloth would often summon pack after pack of demons and undead, making them very hard to deal with.

    In addition, one troublesome point about the Evil Lord of Wrath was that it was very hard to manage its hate.

    The Evil Lord of Wrath built aggro more easily than other Evil Lords. He had heard tanks say that the most aggravating thing about dealing with multiple Evil Lords at once was how to keep the Evil Lord of Wrath from going off-target.

    In addition, it had the special ability of doing more damage and gaining more defense the higher its hate value became. Still, that was not too frightening. The only thing that Ainz had to be worried about was its ability called ¡¸Soul-Bought Miracle¡¹, which produced unknown effects.

    The Evil Lord could cast the following spells:

    Tenth tier spells: ¡¸Meteor Fall¡¹, ¡¸Time Stop¡¹, ¡¸Field of Unclean¡¹

    Ninth tier spells: ¡¸Greater Rejection¡¹, ¡¸Vermillion Nova¡¹

    Eighth tier spells: ¡¸Distort Moral¡¹, ¡¸Insanity¡¹, ¡¸Astral Smite¡¹, ¡¸Wave of Pain¡¹

    Seventh tier spells: ¡¸Napalm¡¹, ¡¸Hellme¡¹, ¡¸Greater Word of Curse¡¹, ¡¸Greater Teleportation¡¹, ¡¸sphemy¡¹

    Sixth tier spells: ¡¸mewing¡¹. ¡¸Wall of Hell¡¹

    Third tier spells: ¡¸Fireball¡¹, ¡¸Slow¡¹

    While the exact number of spells that monsters could use varied with their level and type, it was typically around 8. However, high level monsters like Dragons, Demons, and Angels were an exception.

    Still, as a pure warrior type, the Evil Lord of Wrath¡¯s spells were not particrly fearsome.

    It had no skills to strengthen its spells, and its magic-rted stats were very low. While the Evil Lord¡¯s attack spells were of the fire element and thus targeted a weakness of the undead, there was no need for him to be wary. Its mind-affecting spells were also useless against the undead, and Ainz¡¯s karma values were negative to begin with, so spells like ¡¸Distort Moral¡¹ were a waste of time.

    Since Ainz¡¯s karma value was negative, Angels were harder for him to deal with than Demons.

    As he contemted his opposition¡¯s data, Ainz nced at the two maids behind the Evil Lord. He would think about themter.

    ¡°Now then, have you been told?¡±

    ¡°But of course, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Hearing that weighty voice made Suzuki Satoru smile unconsciously from inside Ainz¡¯s heart. That was because this demon ¨D and all the monsters of Nazarick ¨D were designed in ordance with their image.

    Those voices were probably what the developers or their creators had envisioned for them. In that case, who hade up with the adorable voice that Lip Bugs had before consuming any vocal cords? Or did the whole seiyuu-in-your-mind thing that Peroroncino was talking about really exist?

    No, that was impossible.

    Pandora¡¯s Actor was a good example. He was a being who did not feel like he reflected what his creator had in mind. And then there was the fact that even a being without vocal cords like Ainz could speak. All he could say was that magical worlds were truly astounding.

    ¡°If you¡¯re addressing me with that name and in that tone, I take it the surroundings are clear?¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    ¡°Then I will ask you the most important question of all. Are you truly prepared to fight with the intent of killing me?¡±¡°Yes, I was ordered to do so.¡±

    Ainz nodded as he heard the Evil Lord¡¯s reply.

    One thing that had made Ainz uneasy in the past was ack of strong opponents to fight. Ever since the battle with Shalltear, Ainz had been worrying about not having chances to fight with all his strength.

    After training and gaining experience in closebat, he could skilfully move his body as Momonga and fight as a warrior of roughly level 33.

    However, the question of how he would fare in higher levelbat still remained.

    He should have conductedbat training against high level opponents. Unfortunately, he had not had the chance to encounter such high level monsters until now.

    That was why he had ordered Demiurge tomand the summoned Evil Lord to kill Ainz.

    He would defeat this powerful foe who wanted to kill him, and thus strengthen himself.

    That had been easier said than done. The two of them had been strongly opposed to the idea and persuading them had taken a lot of time. One could not fault a mentally exhausted Ainz from thinking, ¡°I thought we agreed that my word wasw...¡±

    In the end, after countless concessions and conditions, the stage had been set for this life-and-death battle.

    A chill coursed through his body as he considered that he might die. It was apletely different sensation from what he had felt during the battle with Shalltear, because this was an unnecessary battle.

    However¡ª

    While I had a lot of PVP experience in YGGDRASIL, I realized in the battle against Shalltear that this world is not a game. If the timees when I must face off against a level 100 yer with a great deal of realbat experience, I won¡¯t be able to win without an equivalent amount of experience. I know that cowardice leads to defeat.

    Ainz was very d that he was undead and could suppress the fear he might have felt at the prospect of death. If he were still human, he would probably have called it off by now.

    ¡°Now then, Yuri,¡± Ainz said to the maids behind the Evil Lord. ¡°Since you and Lupusregina are here, does that mean you will be fighting me together with the Evil Lord? Are the others not here?¡±

    He saw no sign of Solution, Entoma, or CZ. They must have been off doing work elsewhere.

    ¡°We are the only two who havee here. We sisters will challenge you together with the Evil Lord of Wrath. The reason is because Albedo-sama feels that allowing the people of this country to witness the maid demons is not a bad thing. In addition, the Evil Lord of Wrath alone might not be enough to satisfy your request, Ainz-sama.¡±

    It was true that a single level 80ish Evil Lord would be hard-pressed to stand against Ainz. However, even the addition of Yuri and Lupusregina did not make it a very powerful opponent.

    That said, troublesome factors can be bad news. Suffering because I underestimated my opponent would be foolish. I¡¯d best stay on my guard.

    ¡°In addition, Albedo-sama ordered us to check something with you, Ainz-sama. Are you really alright with the condition that you will not leave Nazarick for theing year if you are defeated?¡±

    ¡°Ah, that was one of the conditions Albedo insisted on before agreeing to this bout. If I lose, I will spend the next year working hard within the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, with Albedo, in the same room¡­ aren¡¯t you going to verify the conditions that Demiurge mentioned?¡±

    Ainz looked at the Evil Lord, but it said nothing. It probably felt that there was no need to check.

    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±

    Yuri bowed.

    Now there would be no margin for him to change the n. As he thought of how dire the situation was, Ainz could not help but sweat internally.

    It would be easy enough to kill Yuri and the others due to the tremendous disparity in their respective strength, but Ainz Ooal Gown would never allow that. Killing an NPC for the sake of training was utterly ridiculous.

    In other words¨C

    I have to kill the Evil Lord without harming Yuri and Lupusregina.

    Ainz could not helpughing. This would be one hell of a challenge. Still, there would make for good training.

    ¡°Is something wrong, Ainz-sama?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing, don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    ¡°Also, Cocytus-sama requested that we record this battle so everyone in Nazarick can learn from it. Do you mind?¡±

    While he did not want to do so because he felt it was embarrassing, recording battles was verymon in YGGDRASIL. With that in mind, he ought to ept that request.

    ¡°Still, recording the battle proceedings will trigger interference from the anti-divination offensive barriers. Shall I lower it?¡±

    ¡°Surely you mean divination-detecting spells, do you not, Ainz-sama? And not the linked offensive spell model?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, that¡¯s the one. After all, if it were thetter, it would be bad if someone from Nazarick were trying to find my position and triggered it.¡±

    If he deployed the linked offensive spell barrier, as he had used to in the past, any member of Nazarick trying to cast a divination on Ainz would be very badly hurt. While he used to cast that spell all the time because friendly fire was off, doing so now would be dangerous.

    Of course, the denizens of Nazarick would not be hurt by the offensive barrier, given that they were protected by a World ss Item, but the defense would incur a cost in gold coins. If things went badly, expenses like that would be more painful for him.

    ¡°Then there¡¯s no need to worry ~su.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯d best deactivate it. Besides, offensive barriers disappear once they activate and have to be reset. In that case, I might as well just deactivate it from the start and have some peace of mind.¡±

    ¡°I see ~su, then I¡¯ll leave it to you ~su.¡±

    Ainz deactivated his offensive barrier.

    ¡°Alright ¨D then let¡¯s begin thebat recording. Whose point of view are you using? I don¡¯t mind if it¡¯s mine, you know?¡±

    ¡°I think I was supposed to do the recording ~su.¡±

    In truth, Ainz was fine with anything. Anyone¡¯s perspective would have been alright.

    In addition, the memories of sparring with his friends wereing back to him, and Ainz began to enjoy himself.

    Simted battles with his friends were a fundamental part of devising new techniques and using new equipment.

    He had often sparred with Touch Me, but those battles did not count and had not been entered in Ainz¡¯s PVP record.

    Since Ainz had never won even once, his win rate would have dropped if they had been recorded. He had never taken it seriously, simply treating it as ¡°training¡± since he knew he could not win. Ainz always emphasized that.

    ¡°Shall we begin, then? You need to prepare yourself to kill me. Of course, I won¡¯t kill you.¡±

    ¡°No, actually, it¡¯s alright if you kill us.¡±

    Before Ainz could say that he did not want to do so, Yuri stated the reason.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, we are not the actual members of the Pleiades. All of us are Greater Doppelgangers.¡±

    ¡°What!? What did you say?¡±

    ¡°We are musicians of the Erich String Orchestra under Chacmool-sama of the Five Worsts. By Albedo-sama¡¯s order, we have transformed into members of the Pleiades.¡±

    ¡°¨DIs that so?¡±

    He looked at them several more times, but Ainz could not tell the difference between them and the Yuri and Lupusregina which he knew. He could not help but wonder if this was a lie they were telling so he could kill them without worries during the fight.

    Perhaps one of them was fake. He had once heard that the best lies were those that had a little bit of the truth sprinkled into it.

    Ainz could not see through the Doppelgangers¡¯ disguise. There was a spell that could dispel the Doppelgangers¡¯ shapeshifting, but using that spell would keep them from transforming again for a period of time due to the spell¡¯s effect. In that case, having them transform into the Pleiades would be meaningless. It would be a different matter if Ainz had learned lower tier spells but¡ª

    No¡ª

    ¡°Hm, it does seem like Lupusregina is speaking differently from normal. What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Lupusregina¡¯s face went nk for a moment.

    ¡°Is that strange, Ainz-sama?¡±

    The Greater Doppelganger pretending to be Lupusregina changed its way of speaking. That was probably its usual speech pattern.

    ¡°Ah, those aren¡¯t the usual expressions she uses.¡±

    ¡°But Lupusregina-sama always spoke like that in front of us¡­¡±

    When a Doppelganger impersonated someone, it was more difficult for people closer to the target to see through their disguise. That was because they used a form of telepathy during their shapeshifting to read the surface thoughts of the people they were speaking to and those around them in order to extract information rted to the target they were impersonating and then apply it to their impersonation act ¨D at least, that was what their entry in the monster encyclopedia said.

    ording to Pandora¡¯s Actor, that ability had be real in this world.

    However, that was simply to discern the possible reactions that the impersonated subject might have, and it did not read minds or search through memories.

    In addition, since this ability was a form of psychic attack, it was useless on Ainz and other undead creatures. One could also simply resist it if the level difference was great enough. That was probably why it could not discern Lupusregina¡¯s possible reactions from Ainz and had given the game away.

    Incidentally, it was more likely that Doppelgangers would out themselves when facing multiple people, because each of them would have a different impression of the target.

    Umu. Why did Lupu always add a ~su at the end of her sentences in front of them? Ahh, I see, so it was to make them sound out of ce. Perhaps she was trying to help me. What a cute little rascal she is...

    ¡°...Hm? My apologies. I have another question that is unrted tobat. While Albedo has given you an order, who would have priority if I were to tell you to abandon that order?

    ¡°Naturally, the words of the Supreme One would have priority, Ainz-sama. However, I must sincerely apologize that we will obey orders from our summoner, Anyami Shirabe-sama, above all else.¡±

    ¡°...Hm? Who¡¯s that?¡±

    Was there an NPC like that? As the question grew in his heart, the mes in Ainz¡¯s eyes red as he heard Doppel-Yuri¡¯s answer.

    ¡°That would be Temperance-sama.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Temperance-san? Anyami? Ahhh¡­ well, that does work as a physical description¡­ but still, Anyami Shirabe?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Temperance-sama once asked to be addressed that way, so Chacmool-sama instructed us to do so as well.¡±

    ¡°...After I return to Nazarick, I would like to hear all about this. Anyami Shirabe, huh.¡±

    This was the first time he had ever heard him refer to himself that way.

    Ainz could not helpughing as he learned that a former friend had referred to himself that way in a ce where nobody else knew. This was truly a cunning trap, set to decrease his fighting spirit.

    Ahh, no, no. I mustn¡¯t fall for Anyami Shirabe¡¯s trap! Fu, fufu...

    Though he knew it was not the right time to do so, he recalled the guild member in question.

    How had he looked and felt when he had given that name?

    Ainz narrowed his eyes as he reminisced about his friend from the past, and then he saw a surprised look on the face of Doppel-Yuri as it tilted its head. Ainz sensed that he had be careless and pulled himself together.

    He could remember his old friendster. Right now, he ought to analyze the Doppelganger¡¯s words.

    After this, I¡¯d like to question all the vassals and NPCs about the sides of themselves that they¡¯ve been hiding. Fufufu ¨D now then! Another questiones to mind...

    In the absence of a direct order, vassals like Doppelgangers would obey the NPC in charge of them. In that case, what would happen if a certain NPC wanted to kill Ainz and gathered many high level vassals and ordered them to attack Ainz with their strongest moves? Of course, this would happen while Ainz was unable to detect or stop them.

    Would they carry out that order? Or would they disobey it?

    ¡°...You¡¯re also ready toe at me like you want to kill me, is that it?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Those are the orders I have received, and I have determined that I also have your permission, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Doppel-Yuri¡¯s answer made Ainz wrinkle his ¨D nonexistent ¨D brows.

    ...Isn¡¯t this dangerous? It¡¯s probably best to see exactly where the boundary lies.

    If even Ainz could think of this, then Albedo had most likely verified it herself, Still, he ought to make sure, just in case. He could not let a hole in security go unpatched.

    ¡°...Indeed. I permit you to use your full abilities to kill me in this battle. Then swear on the name of Ainz Ooal Gown once more. Can you swear that what you said about your true identities just now was the truth?¡±

    ¡°Yes. This we do swear, upon the names of all the Supreme Beings.¡±

    Yuri and Lupusregina transformed their hands into alien-looking objects.

    ¡°¨DAh!¡±

    ¡°What? What is it, Doppel-Yuri?¡±

    ¡°Ainz-sama, there is one thing I forgot. Our equipment was borrowed from the Pleiades. Therefore, can we trouble you to recover them for us if we are killed?¡±

    Doppelgangers could even copy the clothing and equipment of their targets if they wanted to. However, they could only duplicate appearances, and not the equipment¡¯s abilities. Since they would gain no benefits from the gear, when fighting a magic caster like Ainz, the difference between them would be like that between heaven and earth. Therefore, they had no choice but to borrow the real thing from the originals.

    Greater Doppelgangers can imitate people of up to level 60. However, unlike the NPCs, they can only copy up to 90% of the originals¡¯ abilities. Even if they possess gear from the Pleiades, there¡¯s no need to be worried¡­ is there? In that case, killing them would be too much of a waste. After all, they¡¯re mercenary vassals, which means summoning them cost money ¨D as I thought, I should just leave them powerless. Do I need to put that into the rules after all?

    ¡°Alright! I will add one more rule. Once you Greater Doppelgangers are near death, you are out. I will monitor your health with ¡¸Life Essence¡¹. You can hide your HP totals, right?¡± After Yuri replied in the affirmative, Ainz nodded. ¡°Then suppress that ability for a while. If I judge that you¡¯ll die after a light hit, I will call your name and rule you out. In that case, you will count as dead. Leave the battle area immediately. In addition, the same thing applies to the Evil Lord of Wrath. If I dere victory, thebat will end. Do you understand?¡±

    The Evil Lord of Wrath and the two Doppelgangers indicated that they understood.

    ¡°Very well. Then we¡¯ll start when the coin hits the ground¡­ about twenty five minutes has passed, so I guess they won¡¯tin even if we start.¡±

    Ainz cast ¡¸Life Essence¡¹ and then took out a gold coin. Of course, this was not a YGGDRASIL gold coin, but a trading gold coin used in this world.

    ¡°Will you not buff yourself?¡±

    ¡°Making time to buff yourself is also part ofbat training.¡±

    After replying thus to Doppel-Lupusregina, Ainz backed away from them, then flicked the coin up with his thumb so itnded between the two of them.

    As the coin hit the ground, Ainz jumped back, then threw his hands out and shouted:

    ¡°Absolute Immunity Barrier!¡±

    He saw the Evil Lord and the two Doppelgangers freeze up for a moment. However, the Evil Lord and Doppel-Yuri immediately rushed in.

    That was it. That was the right answer.

    Ainz¡¯s previous actions were meaningless. There was no ability called Absolute Immunity Barrier in YGGDRASIL ¨D or at least, there should not have been, as far as Ainz knew. Still, Ainz had shouted that name not simply to fake them out, but also for a different reason.

    Ah¨D it feels like they¡¯re a little slow. Could it be that they think something was done to them and they¡¯ve be a little timid now? Well, that¡¯s what happens when you wonder if you¡¯ve fallen into the enemy¡¯s trap.

    Their movements were restricted by the uneasiness that came from the fact that such a technique might actually exist in this world. One could say that this feint had seeded because there were still unknown things out there.

    Of course, that was not simply because of the unknown. A good example was Ainz¡¯s ability to create undead.

    In YGGDRASIL, there was no such thing as using a corpse as a medium to ignore the duration on created undead. This aberration had only sprung up aftering to this world. One could imagine that there were many other such changes that had happened in the process ofing to this world from the game. No, only a fool would not think about such things.

    In other words, making decisions with YGGDRASIL knowledge alone was very dangerous.

    I ought to discuss this with Albedo¡­ and the others, Cocytus included.

    Ainz cast a silent ¡¸Fly¡¹ spell and began thinking as he retreated to the rear while keeping a fixed distance from his pursuers.

    Albedo said destroying the Kingdom would take about two years of preparation. Should I collect information until then? Expanding one¡¯s nation means expanding contact with the outside¡­ I ought to throw these questions at Albedo and Demiurge and get their opinions. Hm ¨D illusions seem to be surprisingly powerful, it might be very bad if we don¡¯t watch out for them. It feels like you could do a lot with them if you were smart. If I meet a skilled illusionist, I should probably treat them well in order to recruit them. Fluder ¨D whoa!

    The Evil Lord had outpaced Ainz¡¯s ¡¸Fly¡¹ spell on foot. Unfortunately, flying was not that fast.

    ¡°!¡±

    After taking a punch from the Evil Lord¡¯s maul-like fist, Ainz felt pain ¨D though it was immediately suppressed. Though he had felt the same way during the fight with Shalltear, he was once again thankful for this body of his that could suppress his pain. Ainz could fight thanks to it.

    After that, the Evil Lord pursued Ainz ¨D who had been knocked flying ¨D and closed the distance to him.

    To Ainz, this was the worst possible thing they could have done.

    Yuri has circled around behind me. They¡¯re using a pincer attack of two people who can do bludgeoning damage, which is my weakness. Meanwhile, Lupusregina is keeping her distance and casting spells¡­ hm, that¡¯s a buff. Good grief, this is the best way to deal with magic casters. Is this because of the Evil Lord¡¯sbat AI? Or is it because it¡¯s choosing moves from the mind of its summoner, Demiurge? Well, that¡¯s fine.

    If they would not let him keep his distance, then he would simply have to make his own space.

    ¡°¡¸Greater Teleportation¡¹.¡±

    His field of vision immediately opened up, and the city spread below him. Under normal circumstances, he would not have been able to teleport to an unknown destination, but it would be alright as long as it was within line of sight. Having teleported one kilometer above the ground without any hesitation whatsoever, Ainz cast another spell.

    It was ¡¸Body of Effulgent Beryl¡¹.

    This spell was exceptionally effective because Yuri and the Evil Lord both did bludgeoning damage.

    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s not all there is to it,¡± Ainz muttered as he looked to the ground. ¡°...If Bukubukuchagama-san or Variable Talisman-san were here, the backliners wouldn¡¯t be getting beaten up.¡±

    When ying as a party, skilled aggro managers like tanks would not make mistakes like allowing the magic casters in the backline to be attacked.

    During the time when they had stopped ying the game ¨D when Ainz had gone out to earn the money for Nazarick¡¯s upkeep by himself, he had used mercenary NPCs to allow him to act with impunity. The only time he had truly fought alone was the battle with Shalltear. Perhaps that was why he could not helpining.

    They were quite some distance apart, so he had no idea where the Evil Lord was, but he had a rough idea of the square¡¯s location. While carpetbombing the area with attack spells was a valid tactic, that would be pointless. One could say that the objective this time round was to win in a full-powered contest with the opposition.

    ¡°¡¸Widen Magic Dy Teleportation¡¹!¡±

    Come to think of it, I used to get pissed off by the mercenary NPCs¡¯ poor management of aggro. That was probably the devs¡¯ way of saying ¡°please group up with other yers¡± or something.

    He then confirmed that somethingrge was going to teleport above him, within the area of the ¡¸Dy Teleportation¡¹ spell ¨D the Evil Lord. Thanks to the effect of the ¡¸Dy Teleportation¡¹, it would take a while before it appeared in the real world. In other words, it meant that these two weak enemies which had lost their strongest shield werepletely exposed before him.

    In order to weaken the enemy¡¯s fighting strength, he ought to defeat the weaker two first. Ainz let gravity im him, and then elerated further with ¡¸Fly¡¹.

    The added speed of the freefall meant that he was moving quite fast. The air struck Ainz¡¯s face and flowed past him. At the same time, Ainz opened his eyes and observed the square.

    ¡°Though I think hiding in a house would have been better¡­¡±

    Ainz muttered quietly and then selected Lupusregina ¨D who was proudly standing in the middle of the square ¨D as his target.

    Yuri was some distance away. While she could see him, she did not look like she was prepared to intercept him. Leaving a healer alone was quite frustrating, but Yuri had made the right decision considering that she had to be wary of area-effect spells,.

    Ainz ground to a halt as he skidded across the ground ¨D in truth, he would not have been hurt even if he had crashed straight into it ¨D and cast a spell.

    Ainz chose one of the most destructive tenth tier spells in his arsenal, ¡¸Reality sh¡¹. At the same time, he used a special ability to maximize the spell. While he could have tripled the spell or something simr to do a great deal of damage, it would be very dangerous while he did not know how much damage the Doppelgangers had taken. He had to avoid the possibility of killing them by ident.

    ¡°¡¸Maximize Magic¨D¡¹¡±

    As he raised his hand, his hand was struck and damaged, and the spell fizzled. The mana spent on casting the spell was wasted.

    What? Interfering with a spell through a ranged attack? Is it some kind of special ability?

    Perhaps it was because he was undead, or because he was a veteran yer, but his confusion onlysted for a moment. Ainz immediately analyzed the attack he had received.

    Neither the Evil Lord nor Yuri nor Lupusregina possessed abilities like this.

    Perhaps it¡¯s the World ss Item holder who brainwashed Shalltear¨D

    And if the Hanzos missed him¨D

    If it was a ranged weapon user¨D

    If it was her, she could use a special ability to interfere with spells¨D

    ¡°¨DI fell for it!¡±

    Ainz shouted as he found the answer.

    Although Yuri closed in and delivered a punch, Ainz had already enhanced his defense with a spell, so he did not need to be so wary of her. After all, there was something more important than that.

    The whole thing was a trap from the start! No, Yuri ¨D I see! ¡°Here¡± was referring to the square! That was why the Hanzos said ¡°the Pleiades¡± were present! Dammit! I was wondering why they said ¡°all of us¡± when it was just the two of them!

    All the points of data made a beautiful line.

    CZ was attacking now.

    It was not just Yuri and Lupusregina who were present. CZ was also on the battlefield. In all likelihood, Solution and Entoma were here too. All the Doppel-Pleiades were present in the city.

    No, no, I need to calm down. Doppel-CZ was just lucky. It was easy enough for me to resist that because of the level difference between us. She won¡¯t be so lucky ¨D well, unlucky for me ¨D next time.

    ¡°¡¸Greater Word of Curse¡¹!¡±

    The Evil Lord had finally caught up and cast a spell, but Ainz resisted it without any problems. It was only threatening in closebat, so all he had to do was keep his distance.

    Ainz ignored the Evil Lord above him and ignored Yuri, who had only done minimal damage to him from the start. He lunged straight at Lupusregina.

    In that moment¨D

    Countless Bullet Bugs flew over from the side. There was no doubt that it was Entoma.

    He did not even need to use his High Tier Physical Immunity to stop it. That was because non-magical ranged attacks could not harm Ainz.

    Perhaps if it was a weapon carried by the Pleiades, Ainz¡¯s immunity would have been defeated thanks to the massive amount of data within them. The best example of that was CZ and Yuri¡¯s attacks from just now. However, certain skills were calcted based on the user¡¯s level. Entoma was a prime example, since she possessed many of these user level-based attacks.

    Entoma was only around level 50, so her attacks did not bother Ainz at all. In addition, if all damage from an attack was nullified, none of the rider effects would take ce either.

    Therefore, he could ignore it.

    Ainz did not even spare Entoma a nce as he moved in to finish off the healer, but just then, Solution erupted from her ambush point in front of Lupusregina. It would have been a futile gesture if she was facing an area-effect attack, but that was the only way to protect the healer.

    However, Solution had made a fatal mistake. Ainz was a magic caster and did not need to close to attack. All he needed to do was cast attack spells from a distance. He had to think about why she would charge out from in front of Lupusregina.

    Ainz had only one aim.

    He wanted to expose the enemy and reveal whatever card they had up their sleeve.

    Narberal¡¯s not around?

    He did not understand. She was not among the maid demons who had attacked the Royal Capital. However, one could not rule her out if all the Pleiades were present. It was possible that they were saving their ace in the hole for thest moment. Still, since he knew what kind of hand the opposition had, there was no reason to continue fighting in the middle of the enemy.

    ¡°¡¸Greater Teleportation¡¹.¡±

    CZ did not interrupt his spell, and he managed to teleport under a roof within line of sight.

    I need to remember what Yuri and the others can do. Who should I kill first? ¨DLupusregina, the healer. While I need to be very careful of CZ¡­ I have no idea where she is¡­ so I¡¯ll let the others go first. The Evil Lord will take the most time, so I¡¯ll save him forst.

    He saw Lupusregina casting a spell on Solution. Had they not pursued Ainz because drawing out the battle was not a problem for them? No, it was because they understood that since Ainz could move at will with ¡¸Greater Teleportation¡¹, they could be easily scattered and individually defeated. After all, Ainz was hoping for that too.

    It did not matter if they saw through him.

    All he had to do was harass them with ranged spells and then take them out one by one. While CZ the rangedbat specialist was present, she would eventually expose herself if she attacked continuously. Therefore, she would only attack at critical moments. In that case, she would not be so frightening. Or rather¨D

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see her, so let me guess, you¡¯re standing in for Narberal.¡±

    Ainz muttered to himself as he watched the Evil Lordnd.

    ¡°Haha, you¡¯ve be fat, Narberal. Shall we call you Goril now? And your element¡¯s changed greatly too. Well ¨D this is interesting. If the Doppel-Pleiades are my opponents¨D¡± Ainz flourished his cape. Of course, there was no meaning to it; he simply wanted to show off in a kingly way. ¡°Then I ought to get a little serious.¡±

    Don¡¯t die~

    ¡°¡¸Twin Maximize Magic Re¨D¡±

    Just as Ainz was about to cast a spell at Lupusregina, another bullet hit Ainz¡¯s arm and interrupted his spell.

    ¡°¨DHah?¡±

    Impossible.

    Even if she had seeded once by luck, she could not have interrupted his spell twice in a row. CZ was far lower level than Ainz.

    Could he have been unlucky enough to fail his resistance check twice in a row? How unlikely were those odds? Or perhaps this was not bad luck, but certainty ¨D for instance, if his opponent was not CZ at all?

    The Evil Lord of Wrath spread his fiery wings and closed in on Ainz. Yuri came in from the right, and Entoma flew in from the left in a roundabout fashion.

    What¡¯s going on? Why is this happening? Is this some change that urred aftering to this world? Or did Ga-san give CZ something? Or is it not CZ? What did Yuri say just now? They¡¯re sisters, but they¡¯re Doppel¡­ Pando ¨D ahhhh!

    The Evil Lord had closed the distance and then cocked his hand back, preparing to deliver a haymaker.

    Dammit! I hate people like that who just rush straight in and start punching! If you¡¯re a substitute for Narberal than attack with magic! You damn Gori!

    Well, if the Evil Lord had really cast a spell on Ainz, he would have resisted it, so it would have been boring anyway.

    Ainz did not hesitate; he stepped in before his enemy could fully close the distance.

    The Evil Lord had guessed that Ainz would flee, so his movements slowed by a beat. Behind him was Yuri, who was probably nning to nk Ainz with the Evil Lord.

    The strike from the ming fist ¨D was a feint, which was why Ainz had managed to evade it by stepping into the range of the blow.

    The arms whistled past his ears, and the wind in its wake sounded like a scream.

    A pure magic caster had evaded the attack of a warrior-type monster.

    While he thought that this would be impossible if he were still a YGGDRASIL yer, this was not due to luck. As mentioned before, the Evil Lord had not expected Ainz to step into the attack, so he had not used his full force. And then there was another point, which was that this was the result of his training.

    Ainz had practiced this method of evading his opponent by closing in with them several hundred times with Cocytus. About one in every ten times, if Cocytus was not attacking in earnest, he couldpletely slip past them.

    Cocytus did say that a good warrior would never make such incredibly shy and telegraphed attacks, so I shouldn¡¯t get careless¡­ but it¡¯s pretty useful in an actual fight, isn¡¯t it?

    And so, Ainz ced his bony hand on the Evil Lord¡¯s sturdy chest.

    And then he cast a touch spell.

    While most spells had an effective range, some spells had a range that was practically zero. Such spells needed direct contact with the target to be cast, so only people with levels in spellcaster and warrior sses could use them well. It was because they were so inconvenient that they were more powerful than spells of a simr tier, being roughly a tier more effective,

    Ainz¡¯s specialty was necromancy, and this was an 8th tier spell from that field, ¡¸Energy Drain¡¹. It was a spell that drained the opponent¡¯s levels and granted various benefits depending on the amount of levels drained. Naturally, this spell had also been maximized.

    He beat the Evil Lord¡¯s spell resistance and drained his levels. Thanks to that, he recovered almost all the damage Yuri had inflicted. That said, the healing provided by this spell was only supplementary in nature.

    Ainz¡¯s parameters were all temporarily enhanced, and he received a special buff which would fade in a short time. In turn, the Evil Lord had received a level down debuff which could not be removed by the passage of time.

    This time, it was the Evil Lord who backed away.

    His wrathful visage was tinted by something else.

    Was it surprise, or was it admiration?

    Ainz wanted to praise himself for sessfully evading that blow too. That said, he had managed it because his opposition had been far too cocky. Just like how a magic trick became boring once you pointed out the gimmick, this move would probably not work a second time.

    ¡°Well, however good a n is, only an idiot would use it more than once. Isn¡¯t that right ¨D Pleiades! Aureole Omega!¡±

    That was how it was.

    He was fighting five Doppelgangers, the Evil Lord of Wrath and a level 100 NPC.

    Is Albedo trying to make me lose? I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d even use Aureole.

    Aureole Omega was thestborn of the Pleiades Seven Sisters. She was an Area Guardian of the 8th Floor and a level 100 NPC specialized inmander-type sses. As amander, she could issue orders which buffed her allies. CZ must have been able to beat their level difference thanks to that.

    While he had no idea what kind of special ability Aureole had used, if one looked at party roles such as physical attacker, magical attacker, healer and so on, then she would be a wild card ¨D an all-rounder. It was hardly strange that she would be able to do anything.

    What exactly could Punitto Moe-san do?

    Ainz never went head-to-head with his opponents during PVP so Ainz had little experience in dealing withmander-type opponents.

    She could not have left the 8th Floor ande here without my permission. That would mean that she must have buffed the Doppelgangers before they came here. That would mean she probably didn¡¯t buff them too carefully ¡ª or no, is there a Doppelganger of Aureole here?

    ¨DNo. There was no time to think about such pointless things. Only one thing mattered. Could theypletely shut down Ainz¡¯s spellcasting, and could they keep it up forever?

    There were two kinds of special abilities in YGGDRASIL. One kind had a cooldown period after use. The other had a limited period of uses within a certain period. There were alsobinations of the two.

    In general, the more powerful the ability, the longer the cooldown or the fewer times it could be used. Ainz¡¯s trump card ¨D ¡¸The Goal Of All Life Is Death¡¹ ¨D which could only be used once every 100 hours was just such an ability.

    In that case, which type did CZ¡¯s ability to interrupt Ainz¡¯s spellcasting belong to?

    That move just now was very handy, but it did not seem to have a long cooldown time. That would mean it was the use-limited type. However, he could not tell how long it would take for her to recover her uses. All he could do was hope that she could not recover them during the course of the battle after they were depleted.

    ¨DThough I think I ought to save my tenth tier spells for when they¡¯ve been depleted...

    Ainz quickly verified the positions of the Pleiades and the Evil Lord. The Evil Lord was in front of him. Yuri was behind him ¨D and preparing to slug Ainz. While her ki-enhanced attacks could even shatter steel, they were of little concern in the face of Ainz¡¯s levels. After reconfirming that the Evil Lord was the real danger, he turned his attention to the others.

    Entoma was inside a house on the left side of the square. Lupusregina was in the square. Solution stood in front of her, like she was protecting her. CZ¡¯s location was unknown.

    While not knowing a sniper¡¯s position was the worst possible scenario, the fact that the enemy was now dispersed was the best case for him.

    Ainz snorted.

    Though he knew that now was hardly a time tough, he could not resist the mirth welling up inside him.

    Now this is interesting!

    ¡°Alright, now get out of my face. ¡¸Maximize Magic Nuclear st¡¹!¡±

    ¡°!¡±

    Before Ainz¡¯s eyes, the space between him and the Evil Lord shed and swelled, consuming everything in an instant. Yuri was surprised, but that was only to be expected, because Ainz had been caught in it as well.

    Using the ninth tier spell ¡¸Nuclear st¡¹ as an attack was a questionable choice. It didposite damage ¨D half fire, half bludgeoning ¨D and it was one of the weaker 9th tier spells in terms of damage.

    Considering the Evil Lord of Wrath was immune to fire, this spell should not have even been considered for use. Even so, Ainz had his reasons for using this spell.

    First of all, it had a veryrge area of effect. It was superior to almost all other spells in that respect. In addition, this spell also generated all kinds of negative status effects such as poisoning, blindness, deafness, and so on, but anything of the Evil Lord¡¯s level would be able to resist it with their raw statistics alone and the Pleiades¡¯ equipment ought to have made them immune to all these effects. The main reason he had chosen this spell was because it also possessed a very powerful knockback effect.

    Of course, Ainz would also be damaged by this spell. While friendly fire was off in YGGDRASIL and so using a spell this recklessly would not be a problem, right now he would be hurting himself. Even if his magical defense was very high, there was no need for him to go out of the way to take damage to cast his spell. Rather than act like a suicide bomber, he ought to have chosen another spell.

    However, Ainz had already worked it out.

    If he expended the ¡¸Body of Effulgent Beryl¡¹ spell to stop all the bludgeoning damage, the fire-elemental damage would also be negated, which would mean he would not be harmed. In addition, all those negative statuses were ineffective on the undead.

    In other words, Ainz was undamaged by the spell.

    If hepletely resisted its damage, the knockback would not take effect either, and so Ainz was the only one left standing in the heart of the explosion.

    ¡°Hahah.¡±

    Ainzughed. The feeling of everything going as nned was very refreshing, after all.

    Ainz¡¯s aim was to blow the enemy away and tear the enemy formation to shreds.

    For a moment, Ainz briefly imagined the guild members who had taught him various things ¨D including this tactic.

    Both the earlier simted battle and even this battle where failure meant death reminded Ainz of YGGDRASIL, which made him strangely happy.

    I¡¯ve wondered about this before, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯m a battle maniac...

    ¡°Come, it¡¯s not over yet. The battle¡¯s just beginning. I¡¯ll show you the strength that I nurtured with everyone.¡±

    Unleashing the fury of that 9th tier spell meant that the surrounding buildings had all been swept away, and there was much more space all of a sudden.

    That could not be helped. After all, this city had outlived its usefulness.

    He could have widened the spell to try and catch CZ in the st. However, Ainz was worried about the problems that might result from destroying too much of the city, so he had not done so. For all he knew, it might have been a mistake.

    Forget it, let¡¯s leave it at that. What¡¯s left is¨D

    Ainz looked in Lupusregina¡¯s direction. The enemy envelopment was in shambles.

    Even with Aureole¡¯s buffs, they could not avoid the knockback, and Ainz could see the enemy hurriedly getting to their feet.

    ¡°That¡¯s about all the damage ¡¸Nuclear st¡¹ ought to be able to do, so¨D¡±

    Ainz flew towards Lupusregina and cast ¡¸Reality sh¡¹.

    This time, he was not interrupted by CZ, and Lupusregina¡¯s body spurted a fountain of blood.

    ¡°¡¸Widen Magic Shark Cyclone¡¹.¡±

    An extrarge cyclone came into existence behind him, swallowing up Yuri and the Evil Lord. This was both to obscure Yuri and the Evil Lord¡¯s vision and also to buy Ainz time. In truth, Ainz had nned to create a cyclone before the ¡¸Nuclear st¡¹ to block their vision and then get rid of Yuri first, but after considering that the Evil Lord could probably break out of the spell easily, he decided not to go with that n. Instead, he had decided to use it when the enemy was confused.

    Ainz heard the sound of disced stones as he saw Entoma push a pir off herself while rising to her feet.

    He had no idea where CZ was even now. Ideally, she would be pinned under a fallen house.

    ¡°He¡¯sing here! Stop him!¡±

    Solution shouted from her ce in front of Lupusregina, but her voice could not reach the ears of Yuri and the Evil Lord, who were inside the cyclone. Yuri in particr was shifting desperately within the cyclone to avoid being blown away. While certain sses could use spells or special abilities to teleport or go incorporeal and thus escape the cyclone easily, she did not seem to possess such abilities.

    And that would mean Yuri had focused on strengthening other things¨D

    After reviewing this battle, they ought to understand what gear they need to have and what preparations they need to make, right? No, that¡¯s not it...

    If they were the true Pleiades, they might have been able to deal with this better. They were simply Doppelgangers copying the Pleiades¡¯ abilities, after all. It only made sense that they would lose out to the real deal in terms ofbat skills.

    As Ainz closed the distance and prepared to cast ¡¸Reality sh¡¹, bugs fell from the sky one after the other. They wererge transport insects with nobat ability. The objective of this action was simply to block Ainz¡¯s line of sight.

    Such a use would not be possible in YGGDRASIL. Even so, Entoma ¨D though actually a Doppelganger ¨D could use them in this way. Ainz gave thanks in his heart as he incanted a spell.

    ¡°¡¸Greater Teleportation¡¹.¡±

    After teleporting into the air and avoiding the rain of bugs, Ainz cast ¡¸Twin Maximize Magic Reality sh¡¹.

    Even if CZ had Ainz in his sights, the fact that her target had suddenly teleported into the air meant that she would lose him. After all, the weakness of the humanoid body was its inability to follow sudden up and down movement with the eyes.

    That said, if he were facing an experienced shooter like Peroroncino, for example, they would be able to anticipate their opponent¡¯s movements, even in the vertical ne. Therefore, it was possible that one could not even escape with teleportation magic.

    Peroroncino-san¡¯s aiming would have been like locking on to his target¡­ CZ, you need to work hard to get on his level...

    As he basked in the nostalgia, Ainz shouted:

    ¡°Lupusregina, out!¡±

    Having to fight while keeping an eye on the HP of his opponents was very difficult. One could even call it a handicap. Therefore, if he was asked if Lupusregina¡¯s HP was really depleted, Ainz would not be able to reply with any confidence. Even so, he had to avoid any chance of killing Lupusregina because of a moment¡¯s carelessness.

    She¡¯s a Doppelganger, so not only is she weaker than the original, but her HP isn¡¯t the same as the original Lupusregina¡¯s. Alright, now that I¡¯ve taken out the enemy¡¯s magic caster, it¡¯s time to be a real bastard. ¡¸Perfect Unknowable¡¹.

    While there were ways to discover Ainz after he had cast ¡¸Perfect Unknowable¡¹, without the aid of magic items, the only member of the Pleiades who could do it was Lupusregina, and the Evil Lord ought to be unable to detect him too. Therefore, it would probably be safe to say that they had no way to deal with this underhanded means of attack.

    Since I¡¯ve taken out the enemy healer, I should go search for CZ. Don¡¯t tell me she¡¯s burning up consumable items?

    Personally, Ainz could not forgive wasting the wealth of Nazarick on a battle like this.

    ¡°Where is he?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s gone! Is he using ¡¸Invisibility¡¹?¡±

    ¡°I can find him if he¡¯s invisible! But he¡¯s not there!¡±

    ¡°Is this some other kind of invisibility?¡±

    He could hear their confusion.

    ¡°You idiots! He¡¯s using ¡¸Perfect Unknowable¡¹!¡±

    ¡°Lupusregina! You¡¯re cheating!¡± Ainz shouted, but thanks to ¡¸Perfect Unknowable¡¹, others could not hear him.

    Ainz scratched his head.

    The Evil Lord and Yuri seemed to have broken out of the cyclone, and they were now looking all around for Ainz. While the best option would have been to drop another ¡¸Nuclear st¡¹ on them, that might end up killing Lupusregina, so Ainz abandoned that notion. Instead, he descended and kept tabs on Yuri¡¯s position at the same time. After that, hepared the amount of HP Yuri was missing to that of the others, and verified that in addition to the bludgeoning damage, she had also taken fire damage from the earlier magical attack¨D

    ¡°¡¸Triplet Maximize Magic Vermilion Nova¡¹!¡±

    Ainz used the highest level ¨D super tier magic notwithstanding ¨D single target fire-element attack spell that he knew on Yuri.

    It was only to be expected that there would be tenth tier spells that could do fire-element damage.

    For instance, ¡¸Stream of Lava¡¹, ¡¸Uriel¡¹, and the like. However, the use of those presented problems for Ainz.

    First off, Ainz could not cast ¡¸Stream of Lava¡¹. It was a divine spell which was only usable by a druid like Mare.

    ¡¸Uriel¡¹, on the other hand, was a spell that could be learned by a magic caster of any type as long as the requirements to learn it were met, but it only did its listed damage when cast by a magic caster with a maxed-out positive karma value. Its damage decreased as one¡¯s karma value decreased, and for someone like Ainz, it would do less damage than a first tier spell.

    Therefore, this spell was Ainz¡¯s only choice when it came to usability.

    Yuri¡¯s health dropped drastically.

    ¡°¡¸Perfect Unknowable¡¹.¡±

    ¡°He disappeared again!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s unfair!¡±

    ¡°If only Ainz-sama would fight us fair and square!¡±

    No, no, you¡¯re in the wrong for not even thinking of a way around this.

    ¡°And besides, I have no idea where CZ is! You three never said anything about who was taking part in this battle! Now who¡¯s being unfair!?¡±

    Ainz shouted, even though he knew the opposition could not hear him.

    Aftering to his senses, the Evil Lord charged at the ce Ainz had been.

    ¡°Too bad, I¡¯m not there anymore~¡±

    Ainz had begun moving, so he was no longer there. However, he would still be within the area of effect if the Evil Lord decided to cast area-attack spells, but just as Ainz thought that, the Evil Lord suddenly changed direction and came straight at Ainz.

    ¡°Hah?¡±

    Was he not invisible? That question was soon pounded out of existence by the pain he felt.

    The Evil Lord sent Ainz flying back. Since he was much more serious than just now, Ainz found it hard to defend against or evade the attack. No, Ainz had been too rxed ¨D he had not even thought of evading.

    Fortunately, the ¡¸Fly¡¹ spell helped control his posture and spared him the ignominy of rolling across the ground. It was just like how it had been during the battle with Shalltear.

    The Evil Lord jumped over, hot on Ainz¡¯s heels, and his line of sight was most definitely tracking Ainz¡¯s flight path.

    ...The Evil Lord of Wrath shouldn¡¯t have the ability to see through it¡­ Ah, he used it! His trump card, ¡¸Soul-Bought Miracle¡¹!¡±

    Inspired by stories of selling one¡¯s soul to the devil to fulfill one¡¯s wishes, this ability was truly miraculous. While he was not sure how the procedure worked, once one used this ability, one could use any one spell of under the 8th tier once.

    Normally, when Evil Lords used this ability, they would almost always use healing spells ¨D that was an unwritten rule. However, this time he had probably used a spell to see through ¡¸Perfect Unknowable¡¹.

    Ainz silently gave thanks that the Evil Lord had used the ability of which he was the most wary, even as he felt the pressing need to formte a new battle n.

    As the Evil Lord closed in and punched him again, Ainz began to get worried.

    While there was quite arge level difference between the two and he still had some room forxity, he could not simply allow himself to continue getting beaten up like this.

    ¡°Cheh. Here, have some back. ¡¸Triplet Maximize Magic Call Greater Thunder¡¹.¡±

    High level demons had very high elemental resistances. While their exact resistances varied between type, electricity was one of the more effective energy types against them. After taking three hits of a maximized-damage elemental attack spell, the Evil Lord¡¯s body trembled.

    Ainz cast another spell.

    ¡°¡¸Perfect Unknowable¡¹.¡±

    ¡°Cheeeeeap! Ainz-sama, you¡¯re so cheeeeeeap!¡±

    ¡°Ahhh, seriously!¡±

    Entoma stomped in frustration, while Lupusregina rolled around on the ground. Solution was the only one who was surveying her surroundings with a razor-sharp gaze.

    In theory, each individual mercenary vassal should have been identical, yet they had developed divergent personalities like this. Was it because they had copied the rtionships between the members of the Pleiades? Or had their personalities changed over time? The Evil Lord before Ainz followed his movements closely and shouted:

    ¡°Here! Use area attacks here, hit me with it too!¡±

    Entoma did not hesitate, but breathed a ck cloud from her mouth. It was her trump card, her Fly Breath.

    However, it was useless against Ainz, because that move did piercing damage. In addition, Ainz was a skeleton; what would the flies eat? In the end, it only served to annoy the Evil Lord.

    ¡°Hey! It didn¡¯t work on him! It only works on me!¡±

    ¡°Eh!?¡±

    Being able to copy an ability and use it well were two different things altogether. Surely the real Entoma would not have made such an amateur mistake.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any area-effect attacks, how about you, Yuri-nee?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve got this!¡±

    Yuri gathered light between her palms.

    The Kibakushou was a technique that acted as an anti-individual attack when it touched the enemy, but which became a spreading shockwave if it did not make contact. Naturally, as an attack intended for direct contact, it became very weak when dispersed. Since monks were a ss focused on fighting individuals, they had very few area-effect attacks ¨D practically none, in fact ¨D therefore one could say that it waspletely useless.

    ¡°There! He moved!¡±

    ¡°Here?¡±

    Yuriunched her area Kibakushou at the location where Ainz had been. Ainz wrinkled his brow ¨D despite having no brow ¨D as he saw this and reached a hand out.

    ¡°...No, no, you should have prioritized healing.¡±

    Yuri could have healed herself with her ki.

    After making his jab at Yuri, Ainz cast his spell. Needless to say, it was a spell that he already knew to be effective.

    ¡°¡¸Twin Maximize Magic Vermilion Nova¡¹.¡±

    Having cast an attack spell, Ainz came into view. He looked at Yuri, who was wreathed in mes, and made a cold pronouncement.

    ¡°Yuri, out ¨D ¡¸Perfect Unknowable¡¹.¡±

    Now then, things will get bad if I don¡¯t look for CZ in earnest. Having made that decision, Ainz began making a big detour as he kept an eye on the Evil Lord.

    Part 3

    Many people stood on the city walls with Neia, watching the battle unfold.

    While many of them were people who had been swayed to the Sorcerer King¡¯s side after he had rescued them, they were not the only ones here.

    There were priests and pdins here as well. Neia could not see Remedios from where she was standing, but she was close enough that Neia could hear her speak.

    The only members of themand staff who were absent were Gustav and Caspond.

    Everyone watching the battle was silent ¨D no. It was simply because there were no words to describe the battle.

    They should have known this.

    The members of Blue Rose had said that Jaldabaoth¡¯s difficulty rating was above 200. In other words, this was like fighting a huge dragon in the form of a human. Just fighting said battle in thend of men would lead to a great tragedy.

    They ought to have been grateful that only a single city district was destroyed. Many houses were on fire and white plumes of smoke reached to the sky, but the total casualties were almost nil.

    While watching the battle, she had seen cyclones, zes, strokes of lightning and other tremendous manifestations of power that were beyond man¡¯s knowledge running wild. Each of these discharges of energy could have easily taken countless lives.

    Especially¨D

    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful¡­¡±

    What had truly moved Neia¡¯s heart was the ball of white light that she had seen twice.

    It was power which consumed everything and made it disappear without a trace. It felt like something good to Neia, although she could not confirm whether it was truly the work of divine might. The incredible devastation she saw in the wake of the light¡¯s disappearance frightened her, but her admiration of its great power had won out in the end.

    It seems the fighting is still going on. I can¡¯t believe the battle still isn¡¯t over after using all those spells¡­ Jaldabaoth is really strong.

    She had heard about it, and she had even seen it with her own eyes. Yet, Neia¡¯s thinking had still been too naive. That naivete was now thoroughly eradicated.

    The king she served ¨D though only temporarily, and only within the Holy Kingdom ¨D was fighting. She felt that searing his heroic visage into her eyes was only natural as part of her squire¡¯s duties, which was why Neia was keeping watch from here. Yet, if she could¨D

    ¨DNeia tightly squeezed the bow she was carrying.

    If one looked closely, they would see several other shapes battling the Sorcerer King in addition to Jaldabaoth. Those were the maid demons, who were rated at difficulty 150. Neia could not do anything but admire the Sorcerer King¡¯s power for fighting so many powerful adversaries at once without giving ground.

    It was at this moment that Neia finally realized something about herself. She envied the people of the Sorcerous Kingdom ¨D those people who were protected by justice. How happy they must be to live in a country ruled by such a being.

    ¡°Weakness is a sin, so one must be strong, or humbly ept justice simr to that of His Majesty.¡±

    At this point, Neia voiced the words she had been mulling over all this time. The way she repeated it over and over sounded very much like a prayer.

    Suddenly, there was arge explosion as a meteor fell.

    It threw the carcasses of buildings high into the air, and they rained back down to the earth amidst a shower of gravel and sand.

    ¡°Captain¡­ isn¡¯t Jaldabaoth¡­ too powerful?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°The Sorcerer King ¨D His Majesty is also incredibly strong. If he bes an enemy of our nation¡­ what will we do?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Captain?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±

    She could hear Remedios talking to three pdins.

    The pdins asking her questions had probably not seen how Remedios had ended up being toyed with like a child even after unleashing the holy sword¡¯s power and stabbing Jaldabaoth in the back.

    Ahh, maybe they didn¡¯t see it. Still, anyone who saw that fight would have understood. Both the Sorcerer King and Jaldabaoth were unimaginably powerful. Still, it was toote to think about things like that now. No¨D

    If His Majesty could take this country under his rule, we would not have to suffer demihuman invasions again.

    Neia was startled at how perfect that idea was, and even a little afraid.

    Merging with the Holy Kingdom¡­ if he were a frightening tyrant, even I wouldn¡¯t think about it. But the Sorcerer King isn¡¯t like that. He is justice. In that case¡­ I ought to gather people who feel the same way as me!

    Neia pondered the matter.

    Many people hade to respect and idolize the Sorcerer King. There were those who were drawn to his overwhelming power, those who were grateful for being freed from suffering, those who hated the demihumans and who were d that he had taken revenge on their behalf, and many such others.

    From them she would select those people who had always been praying for the peace of this country, and then let them hear her words.

    Neia knew that she was still young andcked life experience. However, adults with good sense could stop Neia if they felt that her judgement was in error.

    Let¡¯s start by looking among my subordinates in the archery unit.

    There were people among them who had lost their loved ones and harbored hate in their hearts. It might be better to try persuading them, because Neia could understand how they felt.

    As she pondered this, she heard a doomas an exceptionallyrge explosion rang out.

    After that, a tall building began to copse far in the distance.

    The Sorcerer King would not have destroyed that building for no reason. Neia narrowed her eyes to try and see what was going on, but she could not tell what was happening in the building as it copsed amidst billowing clouds of dust.

    It was followed by a massive stroke of lightning from the sky.

    It would seem he was working towards some objective here, as she had expected.

    After a while, all manner of spells wrecked the city, and the situation repeated itself.

    Neia was uneasy.

    That they were incredible spells went without saying, but could the Sorcerer King¡¯s mana really hold out?

    Neia shook her head and banished the fear and unease from her heart.

    It¡¯ll be fine! The Sorcerer King must have taken all this into ount! He¡¯s already wasted so much mana on this country, but even so¨D

    Still, hypothetically, if Jaldabaoth won, there would be no salvation for this world, only despair. What should she do if that happened?

    Your Majesty, I¡¯m counting on you!

    And then, two shapes soared into the sky, as though Neia¡¯s wish had gotten through.

    The first to ascend trailed darkness in his wake, while the one pursuing him pped his crimson wings and left a streak of fire behind him.

    The fact that the maids were not pursuing them meant one thing ¨D the Sorcerer King had defeated those difficulty 150 monsters among monsters while battling Jaldabaoth.

    ¨DHe¡¯s amazing!

    Neia was so moved that she shivered.

    His Majesty is more powerful than Jaldabaoth!

    Indeed. There was no need to think anything else.

    In turn, the maids were far weaker than Jaldabaoth, who was a notch below the Sorcerer King. That was why he could defeat them while fighting Jaldabaoth.

    Neia struggled to contain her delight. As she carefully engraved the greatness of the person she respected into her eyes, she was so filled with joy that it seemed like it would explode out of her.

    Neia¡¯s heart pounded, to the point where it almost hurt.

    They were all watching a scene that would one day be enshrined in a heroic saga.

    ¨DNo, that¡¯s not right.

    It would seem they were going to fight again in the air.

    Crimson spheres and glowing spheres blossomed in the sky.

    Each of these spells could probably destroy an entire city district by themselves, and they were hurling them at each other in wild flurries. However, they looked kind of cute from a distance.

    Even so, that was an exchange of power within a realm that mankind could never reach.

    This is...

    As she looked out the corner of her eyes, she saw the people lining the city walls gulping as they saw all this. It would seem that they understood as well. They watched the aerial battle in silence, with earnest looks on their faces.

    Someone put his hands together in prayer, and the people beside him followed suit ¨D and soon almost everyone on the city walls had their hands together as they looked to the sky.

    It felt like they were at worship.

    ...This is mythology...

    Neia did not know how much time had passed, but eventually ¨D there was amotion among the people.

    Before everyone¡¯s eyes, one of the shapes in the sky fell towards the east ¨D and then it vanished.

    The battle was over.

    As everyone watched closely, the remaining shape slowly descended. Neia¡¯s vision was better than most, and so she saw it first. It shocked her so much that she had to press her hand over her mouth.

    When the others saw the crimson fire, the city walls were silent. However, nobody tried to flee. Everyone who had seen the battle knew that there was no point in running.

    With a p of his fiery wings, the victor (Jaldabaoth) showed himself.

    Though he was the victor in name, he was a tragic sight.

    His entire body was covered in electrical scorch marks. Half his face seemed to have been crushed, and his deep wounds oozed fresh blood. Perhaps it was due to its temperature, but the blood sizzled as it touched the city walls, and the sound did not stop for a moment.

    No words could have described the intensity of their battle better than the way he looked now.

    ¡°No way¡­¡±

    A weighty, yet somewhat pained voice echoed across the city walls, as though to wipe away Neia¡¯s muttering.

    ¡°...What a mighty opponent. One of the strongest I faced since Momon. I underestimated him. How foolish. Leading the demihumans nearly became meaningless. However ¨D yes, however, he is dead.¡±

    Neia could not believe this. Therefore, she cried out:

    ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡±

    Jaldabaoth turned his intact eye toward Neia, but she did not budge despite being bathed in the gaze of a creature from apletely different order of life. The intense emotions within her heart left no room for fear to enter.

    ¡°I am not lying.¡±

    ¡°His Majesty is very bad at jokes¡­ so you¡¯re lying, right?¡±

    ¡°I am not lying.¡±

    The words Jaldabaoth had repeated hit Neia hard enough to shatter her soul.

    The world seemed to shake under her feet.

    Neia instantly understood why the Sorcerer King had lost to Jaldabaoth. There was no need to even think about it.

    It was simply because this countrycked Blue Rose¡¯s Evileye and Darkness¡¯s Nabe, the two magic casters who could hold the maid demons at bay.

    No, there was another reason apart from that.

    ¡°If that undead had been in top condition, I might have been defeated instead. But to think he actually expended his mana for the sake of humans like you ¨D truly, he was a fool who did not know his priorities. For that, I thank you.¡±

    I knew it! I knew it, weakness truly is a sin!

    Neia was absolutely certain that she was correct.

    ¡°For that I shall reward you. The reward shall be your lives.¡±

    ¡°...What do you mean?¡±

    Jaldabaoth snorted in delight at the question from an unknown source.

    ¡°I¡¯m saying that I will spare you. At least, for now.¡±

    Someone sighed in relief, but Neia was furious.

    ¡°Bullshit! Bullshit! Bullshit! It¡¯s all a pack of lies! Everything you say is a lie! Who would believe what a devil says!?¡±

    ¡°It seems you are unable to ept reality. Are you mad, human? Pitiful.¡± Jaldabaoth pointed to Neia. ¡°Disapp¡­ I see,¡± and then he immediately withdrew the finger.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Jaldabaoth!¡±

    ¡°You intend to provoke me and thus prove I am lying? ...Is losing your life worth that much? I cannot understand it, but it seems to be the case.¡±

    Neia¡¯s teeth creaked as she clenched them.

    Jaldabaoth had to be lying.

    He had to be a liar, the kind who would tell a ridiculous lie like the Sorcerer King was dead.

    ¡°I will not allow it. Your lives have been saved. Now then, I will return for now. I must recover from these wounds. During that time, you may weep your tears of despair.¡±

    As Jaldabaoth was about to take off with a p of his wings, Neia¡¯s hands moved with a mind of their own.

    She readied her bow ¨D and let loose a shot.

    She had fired from directly behind him, without giving any warning of her intentions.

    However, Jaldabaoth immediately turned and seized the arrow. Despite his terrible wounds, he was still very agile.

    Jaldabaoth turned to face Neia, and then his eyes went to Neia¡¯s bow, the Ultimate Shootingstar Super. After that, his wrath-twisted feature changed slightly.

    ¡°Ohh!? Ah! What an incredible weapon this is! I haven¡¯t seen a weapon like this in so long! That was close, it almost finished me off!¡±

    Jaldabaoth gesticted wildly with his limbs as he said that. He seemedposed, but also quite anxious.

    ¡°What kind of weapon is this!? How was it made?¡±

    ¡°As if I¡¯d tell you!¡±

    What on earth is he thinking?Neia¡¯s mind boiled over with scorching hate.

    How could she tell this liar what she had learned from the Sorcerer King?

    ¡°How could I tell a liar like you!?¡±

    ¡°Muu, ah, don¡¯t, don¡¯t tell me, was it made by runecraft?¡±

    Naia¡¯s heart lurched for a moment as he hit the nail on the head. Although she had managed to calm down a little, as her broken heart recalled thepassionate figure of the Sorcerer King once more, her anger reawakened.

    ¡°You¡¯re wrong!¡±

    Neia screamed like she cared for nothing else, and Jaldabaoth groaned. Taking that as an opening, Neia fired again.

    Her next target was his feet, which were hard for the hands to reach.

    This time, Jaldabaoth frantically moved his feet to avoid the arrow.

    He¡¯s wary of it! Maybe this bow could¨D!

    There could only be one reason why Jaldabaoth had so desperately evaded her shot when he had been indifferent to being stabbed in the back by the holy sword. What else could it be, if not that this bow could harm him?

    A wave of regret assaulted Neia as her eyes filled with tears.

    She realized that she should have joined that battle, even if she would have perished swiftly. If she could have hit him with the Ultimate Shootingstar Super, then she should have taken part, even if it was just to be a shield. If she had, then maybe¨D

    Neiaunched another arrow.

    Jaldabaoth moved his head. The arrow missed and flew off to parts unknown.

    ¡°Hit, damn you!¡±

    She fired again.

    And again.

    But none of her shots found their mark. Despite his size and his severe wounds, Jaldabaoth had still evaded Neia¡¯s attacks with startling ease.

    ¡°Rune¨D¡±

    ¡°¨DShut up!¡±

    Neia fired another arrow to shut Jaldabaoth up.

    However, it too missed.

    Why? Why isn¡¯t anyone attacking?

    She could understand their inability to strike Jaldabaoth because he was airborne. However, even so, how could they simply let the lying demon who had killed the most merciful Sorcerer King go free?

    ¡°..Muu. Well, eh, I guess it can¡¯t be helped¡­ no? ¡¸Greater Teleportation¡¹.¡±

    Jaldabaoth suddenly vanished.

    ¡°Get back here!!!¡±

    Neia looked around.

    All she saw were the wide-eyed faces of people who were shocked by what Neia had done. Jaldabaoth was nowhere in sight.

    ¡°Motherfucker! He ran away!¡±

    ¡°Calm down!¡± Remedios shouted.

    The angry cry of a mighty being could exert a pressure of its own, and normally it would have brought Neia back to her senses or even made her freeze up. However, it did little more than annoy Neia right now.

    ¡°How can I calm down!?¡±

    ¡°Squire Neia Baraja! Did you borrow that weapon from the Sorcerer King? Why was he so interested in it?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me irrelevant questions like that! More importantly, we need to find His Majesty! I saw him fall to the east! We need to send out a rescue party!¡±

    ¡°Surely he must be dead.¡±

    ¡°How could he be dead!? How could His Majesty die!?¡±

    Neia instinctively grabbed Remedios, but Remedios easily swept her aside and Neia fell to the ground.

    ¡°Have you cooled off yet? Nobody could survive a fall from that height.¡±

    ¡°Cooled off? You actually believe that demon¡¯s words? Captain, did you sell your soul to him!?¡±

    Remedios¡¯s expression changed, and then it seized up.

    ¡°Squire! Damn you, there are things you can and can¡¯t say!¡±

    She grabbed Neia¡¯s cor with tremendous force, and Neia found it hard to breathe.

    ¡°You two! Calm down! Calm down right now!¡±

    The pdins, priests, soldiers, and such hurriedly made their way between Neia and Remedios, and pulled them apart.

    Neia panted with all her might as she shouted:

    ¡°We need to send out a team to rescue His Majesty!¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t waste our resources on that!¡±

    ¡°How dare you call it a waste!¡±

    Neia wanted to go up and punch Remedios, but the people between them stopped her.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got nothing to say to you!¡± Having cooled down a little, Neia addressed the people holding her.

    ¡°Could you let go of me? There¡¯s something I have to do.¡±

    ¡°Where are you going !?¡±

    In response to that question, Neia looked at Remedios with an utterly incredulous expression on her face.

    ¡°What kind of eyes are those!? Is that how a squire should look at a pdin!?¡±

    Hmph,Neia snorted.

    ¡°First, I will be asking His Highness the Prince to organize a rescue party for the Sorcerer King. After that, I will go straight to the Sorcerous Kingdom and tell them exactly what happened to His Majesty, and then I will ask for aid for His Majesty.¡±

    Given the circumstances, nothing good woulde of going to the Sorcerous Kingdom. Even so, she was still the Sorcerer King¡¯s squire, and she had toplete her duty.

    Neia was unsure if she could safely reach the Sorcerous Kingdom from here, but she had to go, even if it meant her death.

    ¡°Ohhh, if you¡¯re going to the Sorcerous Kingdom, let me go with you, Baraja-san!¡±

    The person who spoke was a middle-aged ex-soldier, who had retired and be a hunter. He had beenuded for his archery and had joined Neia¡¯s unit.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, I¡¯m old enough as it is. I don¡¯t have much longer left.¡±

    ¡°Baldem-san!¡±

    From his tone, she knew that he understood what sort of fate awaited him even if they reached the Sorcerous Kingdom safely.

    ¡°Hey, Neia-chan. Don¡¯t forget me!¡±

    ¡°You too, Codina-san!?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go too, lil¡¯ miss. Not for you, but if it¡¯s for the Sorcerer King then it can¡¯t be helped.¡±

    ¡°Even you, Mena-san?¡±

    All the skilled people in Neia¡¯s unit stepped forward, one after the other. With their help, it might be possible for them to reach the Sorcerous Kingdom safely. However¨D

    ¡°Thank you very much. But everyone, could you join the rescue party?¡±

    ¡°What are you saying? You were all gathered to rescue the Holy Kingdom and the suffering people from the clutches of that demon, weren¡¯t you? Where are your priorities!?¡±

    ¡°What are yousaying, Captain!? Could anything be more important than rescuing His Majesty!?¡±

    ¡°Of course! Right now, at this very moment, how many people of the Holy Kingdom do you think there are living in the hell the demihumans made for them!? Could anything be more important than rescuing them!?¡±

    ¡°Of course! That¡¯s¨D¡±

    ¡°¨DWhat on earth are you doing!? What¡¯s all this shouting for!?¡±

    The argument immediately stopped when the interloper showed up. It was Caspond.

    ¡°Captain Custodio, should you not have returned immediately? Where is His Majesty? What about Jaldabaoth? What happened? Could somebody please exin?¡±

    Caspond sounded like he waspletely lost, and his voice echoed loudly in the crushing silence.

    ***

    The meeting room was very cramped. It was filled with pdins, priests, nobles who had been prisoners until recently, and honorary pdins. That said, there were no better rooms for them, since Jaldabaoth had destroyed the one which Caspond had previously used.

    Caspond had called an emergency meeting after receiving a report from a pdin, and he had instructed all key personnel to gather in this room.

    After everyone had assembled, Caspond and Remedios entered with quick strides.

    Everyone bowed as the prince entered. Neia was one of them, because she held no grudges against Caspond.

    Caspond stood in front of everyone and began to speak.

    ¡°Thank you all foring here. I wish to discuss the course of action we will adopt in the future.¡±

    Although it was supposed to be a discussion, there was only one thing Neia had to do, and she was certain that it was the right thing to do. Just as Neia was about to speak, Caspond raised his hand to stop her.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone has concerns of their own, but I pray you will hear me out first.¡±

    Caspond slowly swept his gaze over everyone gathered here.

    ¡°I believe many people have witnessed the extent to which Jaldabaoth¡¯s strength exceeds our imagination¡­ yes. While I regret to say this, we must ept the fact that nobody in this country can triumph over him.¡±

    Several people frowned in silence, then peeked at Remedios, who had been hailed as the strongest in the Holy Kingdom. After learning that she agreed with Caspond¡¯s opinion, hints of fear and disappointment appeared on their faces.

    ¡°However, it is too early to give in to despair. If we cannot defeat him, then we will derail his ns in some other way and make him give up on trying to conquer the Holy Kingdom. We will not drive him out directly, but indirectly.¡± Caspond waited several seconds for his words to sink in, and then spoke his conclusion, ¡°What we will do is ughter all the demihumans he leads.¡±

    ¡°Why are we doing that?¡±

    Caspond saw someone asking a question and nodded to them.

    ¡°In the past, Jaldabaoth made trouble in the Kingdom. Back then, he fought a certain warrior in a duel, and then he lost and ran away. At that time, he led an army of demons, but not an army of demihumans. In other words, he came to lead the demihuman army after losing to that warrior.¡±

    Caspond looked around, as if to see if everyone understood.

    ¡°In other words, he is using the demihuman army as meat shields to avoid being forced into a one-on-one battle with that warrior. Didn¡¯t Jaldabaoth say something like that when he defeated His Majesty? Something about leading the demihuman army almost bing meaningless, or something.¡±

    It made sense.

    Back then, they did not understand it, but after hearing that exnation, it was hard to think of any other reason.

    ¡°In other words, the demihuman army is like armor and stamina for when he fights that warrior again. What will Jaldabaoth do if he loses the demihuman army? Will he remain stripped of his armor and stamina, when that warrior might appear in front of him again at any moment? Or perhaps ¨D would he choose to flee?¡±

    ¡°I see¡­ then do you intend to abandon this city, defeat the southern demihuman army, and then join forces with the South to drive out the demihumans?¡± a priest asked. He was answered by one of the rescued nobles.

    ¡°That would be good. Thanks to the Sorcerer King¡¯s power, almost 40,000 demihumans have been wiped out. The demihumans have lost a great deal of their fighting strength, no? The remainder ought to be staring down the South. If we rally all the people this city has rescued for an all-out attack and strike them from the back in a pincer attack, we ought to be able to rout the demihuman army. That way, we will be able to join up with the Southern forces and take back ournd.¡±

    ¡°¨DI propose the opposite. We will take back the closest major city in the west, which is the northern stronghold of Kalinsha.¡±

    ¡°Why is that, may I ask?¡±

    ¡°Exactly! All the major cities to the west such as Kalinsha, Prart, Rimun and the capital of Hoburns will be very hard to take. Many lives will be lost. Why don¡¯t we fight the southern demihumans instead? Would destroying the demihumans¡¯ fighting power not fit more with your ns, my Prince?¡±

    ¡°I see. All of your concerns are valid. I am grateful for the fact that many of the people present here are wise. However, is that an action which everyone can understand?¡±

    There were baffled looks on the faces of many of the people present.

    ¡°How about this? Going to the south implies that we will be abandoning ¨D though it is only temporary, we are still abandoning them ¨D all the imprisoned people that we will not rescue as a result. Can the masses ¨D can the people understand that?¡±

    ¡°That, that¡­ but that makes more sense, there¡¯ll be a higher chance of saving them, no?¡±¡°You¡¯re a baron, I believe?¡±

    Caspond turned to look at the middle-aged man who had asked the question.

    ¡°Y-Yes. I believe we met once, My Prince.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, just so. Now, have all the people of your domain been rescued?¡±

    ¡°Ah, no, not yet. I was imprisoned when I took the field beside Her Majesty, so I don¡¯t know about my domain¡­¡±

    ¡°I see. So when you join up with the Southern forces and take back the North, people might say you fled to the South.¡±

    The nobleman¡¯s face froze up.

    When one thought calmly about it, the nobleman was right. However, there was no guarantee that everyone ¨D especially those who were writhing in agony ¨D would be able to see the sense in what the nobleman had said. It was possible that there would be people who would say ¡°Why didn¡¯t you save us earlier, our families were ughtered by the demihumans,¡± and turn the des of their hatred on the nobles. Neia had seen such people before.

    However, nobody had said that in the prison camps which the Sorcerer King had liberated. Given his overwhelmingly potent magic ¨D which could sometimes wreck city walls in a single st ¨D and the fact that he was the king of another nation, nobody would dare take their anger out on him.

    ¡°Also, I had been intending to speak to thendholders one-on-one after this. In this case, we might as well do it now¡­ We are all exhausted. In contrast, what will the nobles of the South do? In particr, what will the other nobles do about nobles who have abandoned their fiefs?¡±

    The cloying stench of politics and power began to fill the air.

    While it sounded unbelievable to Neia, was this what the nobles wanted? They nodded repeatedly.

    ¡°My Prince. Our domains¡­¡±

    ¡°I want you to pretend that you did not hear whates next. That is because I cannot guarantee you anything. However, the Southern nobles will probably grow more powerful all of a sudden. That is why you must pick the best move to make, with an eye for what happens after the war.¡±

    ¡°A moment please!¡±

    One of the pdins called out to him.

    ¡°How can we shed more of the people¡¯s blood for courtly disputes!?¡±

    ¡°Indeed! Indeed!¡± The priest called Siliaco shouted in a voice which was said to have been trained for volume. ¡°What¡¯s important is how to save more people!¡±

    ¡°...Driving out the demihumans doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s all over, you know? If the South takes all the credit, then we¡¯ll have a hard time refusing the demands of the Southern nobles. And there¡¯s no guarantee that they won¡¯t impose heavy taxes on the exhausted people.¡±

    ¡°...Now that the Holy Queen is dead, it would be very bad if the next Holy King were to be chosen by the Southern nobles. However, if we can show concrete results with our strength, then at least¡­¡±

    There were two factions in the room now.

    They were the nobles¡¯ faction and the pdins and priests¡¯ faction.

    Both sides were at odds. Speaking of Remedios, the pdins were trying to spoonfeed her a simplified version of what the Prince had said.

    Neia was not part of either faction. She simply followed the flow of the conversation in silence. That was because Neia had already made up her mind about what she would be doing, so it did not matter what conclusion they reached in the end. Rather she wanted to bring up her own suggestion and set out as soon as possible.

    That said, talking about irrelevant things here will only ruin the mood, and people who might have helped me won¡¯te to my aid...

    After listening to numerous boring topics, she decided to toss the ball back to Caspond once both sides had worn themselves out with arguing.

    ¡°The My Prince brought up this topic. Perhaps we should let him finish speaking?¡±

    ¡°Ahh. Like I said earlier, I intend to take back Kalinsha. This is also militarily advantageous. In truth, this city is far too cramped, and much of it has already been destroyed. Living here is difficult, so I would like to have arger, more solid home base. In addition, by taking back a major city, we¡¯ll have an advantage when dealing with the Southern nobles. Also, Kalinsha was meant to stop enemy advances, so it ought to have ample stores of military supplies, assuming they haven¡¯t been moved out yet.¡±

    ¡°...I support the proposal to secure a better base.¡±

    ¡°Ahhh, I¡¯m a little uneasy about the sanitation of a city like this. Many people are shivering from the cold too.¡±

    However, they went on to say, ¡°We need to avoidrge numbers of deaths.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. That is why it is the best time to attack the enemy strongholds. After all, Jaldabaoth cannot take action now.¡± There was no telling how long Jaldabaoth¡¯s wounds would take to heal, but surely he would recover before the demihuman army waspletely defeated.

    In addition, it was very unlikely that he would show his face before making aplete recovery. After knowing of the existence of a powerful warrior like Momon, he would surely take the possibility of Momon showing up into consideration before doing anything. Therefore, if he acted, it would not happen before he was almostpletely recovered.

    That said, once Jaldabaoth took the field, it would not matter how much force the Holy Kingdom could muster. Therefore, they had to take the fortress now.

    So that was it.After listening to that agreeable exnation, Neia expressed her approval as well.

    ¡°¨DIn that case, it seems the only thing you are unhappy with is the number of people who must die for this. Can I take that to mean that you will give me your support if I can minimize the number of deaths?¡±

    Everyone present nodded, with the exception of Remedios. Neia did not mind either way, but after considering the flow of the conversation, she realized that it would be bad if only one person was not nodding, and so she nodded with everyone else.

    As for Remedios, several people looked at her face and saw that she did not seem to have any special reasons for what she did, so they chose to ignore her.

    ¡°It¡¯s decided then. We will discuss the details of retaking Kalinsha afterwards. Now then ¨D our next item.¡±

    Caspond sighed loudly and then turned to Neia.

    ¡°This concerns the death of the Sorcerer King.¡±

    ¡°My Prince, I sincerely apologize, but I hope you will amend that statement immediately. The Sorcerer King¡¯s death remains in question. That was simply what Jaldabaoth told us. It would be foolish to take a demon¡¯s words at face value.¡±

    Neia eyed Remedios and continued, ¡°I think it is more likely that he is trying to deceive us.¡±

    ¡°In that case, why has he note back? He can cast teleportation spells, can¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps he was immobilized by his wounds, perhaps he is out of mana. There could be any number of reasons for it.¡±

    Remedios did not ask any further.

    ¡°That¡¯s true. That¡¯s why I¡¯d like to hear from all of you. What do you think we should do?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no point in asking what we should do!¡± Neia shouted, forcing the words out like she was trying to strain them out through her teeth. ¡°...I think we should dispatch a rescue party and ry this news to the Sorcerous Kingdom at the same time. If possible, I would like to be the messenger.¡±

    ¡°I see. That¡¯s what you think, Squire Baraja. How about the others?¡±

    As Caspond looked over the gathered people, one of the nobles spoke up.

    ¡°I have a question. While the Sorcerer King was supposed to have gone down in the east, considering we will be mounting a rescue operation in demihuman-controlled territory, would it not be better to wait until we have some concrete intelligence before¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be toote by then,¡± Neia immediately shot back. ¡°The more we dy, the more His Majesty will be exposed to danger. I suggest we make our rescue as soon as possible.¡±

    The majority agreed with Neia¡¯s opinion. What she said made perfect sense.

    ¡°In that case, we ought to send out a search party at the same time as the envoys to the Sorcerous Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°...I have something I would like to confirm with you, since you have the role of His Majesty¡¯s squire. Do you think the Sorcerer King told the people of his country that he wasing to the Holy Kingdom?¡±

    Neia began to think.

    ¡°I apologize, but I am not sure. However, I feel it would not be strange for him to have told the people of the Sorcerous Kingdom, because there were times when he returned to his country with teleportation spells.¡±

    ¡°In that case, I feel we should not send an envoy to the Sorcerous Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°Why!?¡±

    Neia red at the noble who had done nothing but naysay. The noble retreated two steps and his face went pale under that re. The people around that noble also backed away from him.

    ¡°No, ah, please calm down and listen. That, uh, that is because it will bring trouble. Wait! Please calm down and listen to me. When you think about it normally, the possibility exists that the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s undead armies would take revenge on us, am I wrong? And revenge would be one thing; they might annex the Holy Kingdom as well. And¡­ ah, why is that? Who¡¯s to say the Sorcerer King was not aiming for that all along?¡±

    ¡°Excuse me!¡± Neia was so angry that she actually felt dizzy. ¡°In that case, permit me to ask a question of my own! If His Majesty returned to his country by teleportation, what will he think of the Holy Kingdom, who knew what happened but said nothing?¡±

    Everyone she could see nodded in agreement. Amidst all this, Remedios spoke.

    ¡°Well, it can¡¯t be helped then, can it? Our country doesn¡¯t have the luxury of doing that now. All we have to do is apologize after everything is over, right?¡±

    ¡°Even if you¨D¡±

    Neia was so worked up that she was about to shout, and then she heard the sound of pping from beside her. She looked over, and saw that it was Caspond. Since the Prince wanted to speak, all Neia could do was remain silent.

    ¡°Squire Baraja. Allow me to pick the people who will go to the Sorcerous Kingdom. How about that? After all, if we send over a mere squire as a messenger, won¡¯t the other country think we¡¯re making fun of them?¡±

    ¡°That, that is as you say¡­¡±

    His exnation made perfect sense. Under normal circumstances, they would surely pick a country¡¯s ambassador over a squire who had borrowed a magic bow from the Sorcerer King. However, would he really send out an envoy? She found that part hard to believe. Even so, it would be very bad to show that she did not trust the Prince¡¯s words.

    ¡°I am d that you understand.¡±

    ¡°In that case, please allow me to lead several people to the east.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. I would very much like to send you as well, but we still do not know where the Sorcerer King fell. He might be ten kilometers away or a hundred. If things go badly, he might have fallen into the Abelion Hills, which Jaldabaoth controls. Even if I allowed you to go to such a deste ce, would you have any means of finding the Sorcerer King?¡±

    Neia could not answer him.

    Finding where the demihumans lived in unfamiliar terrain was an impossible task. She could easily imagine the scouting team meeting with difficulties and being wiped out.

    ¡°Surviving in the hills, slipping past demihuman observation and gathering information,¡± Caspond counted off on his fingers. ¡°If you go there without preparing, you will simply be killing yourself indirectly, and what good is a rescue party that ends in failure?¡±

    ¡°Then, then do you have another way!?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    How could there be?As she thought about that question, it was easily answered. Neia¡¯s eyes went wide in surprise, and then Caspond adjusted himself before telling Neia the answer.

    ¡°All you need is to find someone who knows the hills.¡±

    Neia blinked, and Caspond smiled to her.

    ¡°Listen. All we need to do is to take a demihuman captive and have him lead the way. Would it not be safer to order a demihuman to act as your guide?¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    Indeed, that was the case. Humans would be taking an absurd risk entering thatnd. However, it would be a different matter if they had guides.

    However, there were also problems with it which could not be ignored.

    If they simply threatened a demihuman prisoner into showing them the way, then if the prisoner was willing to sacrifice himself to kill them all, the search party would be going to their deaths. The Orcs she had met earlier seemed like the type who did not care about whether they lived or died.

    They would need trustworthy demihumans, but where would they find those?

    What could she do to make a demihuman act as a reliable guide?

    Neia racked her brains, but when she thought of demihumans, she could only think of them trying to kill her, and she could not imagine them epting an offer to turn their coats.

    No, the Orcs and the Grand King Buser felt like humans ¨D I see, take their rtives hostage¡­ no, if we could take a king like Buser prisoner, his tribe would probably obey us.

    Or on the other hand, the angered tribe might put up stiff resistance. Besides, how would they capture a mighty demihuman king like Buser¨D

    As Neia wandered aimlessly in a mentalbyrinth, chasing an answer she could not find, the room¡¯s door swung open and a pdin barged in.

    He panted heavily and looked around the interior of the room, but he approached Caspond instead of Remedios.

    Perhaps he did not want others to hear what news he had. He brought the Prince to a corner of the room and whispered in his ear, but Neia¡¯s keen hearing picked up snippets of their exchange. Among them, thest piece of information piqued her interest.

    He had said ¡°maid demons.¡±

    ¡°Gentlemen, something urgent hase up, Unfortunately, the meeting will end here. I hope you will begin working on ways to take back Kalinsha. Also, Captain Custodio,e with me.¡±

    Volume 13 Chapter 5 Ainz Dies

    Part 1

    There were a total of four people in the room.

    There were two pdins, who hade straight here after the fighting and were thus still in bloodstained armor ¡ª Remedios Custodio and Gustav Montagnes. There was the person in charge of the surviving priests, a middle-aged man who could use third tier spells ¡ª Siliaco Naranho. And then there was Prince Caspond Bessarez.

    Two of them hade from the battlefield and one of them had been in charge of healing the wounded. As a result, Prince Caspond¡¯s room was filled with the stench of blood.

    Remedios had not removed her helmet even now. That was not proper etiquette for visiting a prince¡¯s chambers at all ¡ª one could even call it disrespectful ¡ª but Caspond did not seem bothered by it and he appeared very calm.

    At the same time, the atmosphere in the room was terrible, though not because of the preceding point. It was true that it reeked in here, but the reason was because the mood in the air was harsh. It was so weighty that it even seemed to dull the sunlight entering through the window.

    This was not how people who had beaten overwhelmingly unfavorable odds and emerged victorious ought to be.

    Caspond was the first person to speak in this weighty silence. Still, who else could speak first but him?

    ¡°Then tell me about our casualty situation.¡±

    ¡°Of the 6,000 militiamen we brought onto the battlefield, roughly 2,400 of them have been injured or killed.¡±

    ¡°...If I may add to the Vice Captain-dono¡¯s words, there were around 1,000 wounded. The priests tried to heal them, but we failed to reach about half of them in time and they died.

    ¡°...And then half of the pdins survived, and eight priests died.¡±

    Caspond closed his eyes and shook his head as he heard Gustav¡¯s words.

    ¡°Against a demihuman army like that¡­ while we can¡¯t say losses like these are a good thing, should we be grateful that those were all we took? Or should we be sad for the sheer number of casualties¡ª¡±

    ¡°Thetter.¡±

    Remedios¡¯s still, small voice interrupted Caspond.

    ¡°Thetter.¡±

    ¡°...Captain Custodio is right. We ought to be sad to have suffered such losses.¡±

    Gustav and Siliaco looked down as they heard Caspond¡¯s words.

    They knew that it was a miracle ¡ª albeit a man-made one ¡ª that the woefully outnumbered Holy Kingdom Liberation Army had so many survivors when they had taken on a 40,000-strong army of demihumans. However, they also understood that saying something like this would be disruptive and unproductive, so they had no choice but to do this instead.

    ¡°Was it the Sorcerer King who defeated the demihuman forces in their formation?¡±

    ¡°Yes. We¡¯re unsure about the details due to the ofck eyewitness reports during the chaos of defending the city walls, but there¡¯s talk of mysterious undead beings destroying the army.¡±

    ¡°I see. That matches up with what I heard from the Sorcerer KIng. So he used the undead he created to clean them up ¡ª wiped out a massive army like that, hm? In that case¡­ do you think the Sorcerer King can defeat Jaldabaoth?¡±

    Caspond shifted his gaze to Remedios, but she simply pursed her lips and remained silent. The highly vtile air around the Holy KIngdom¡¯s strongest pdin made her a figure of dread to the weak. Caspond turned away from her and toward Gustav, who immediately returned his gaze with a deeply apologetic look in his eyes and bowed his head.

    ¡°Hahh¡­ is it really alright to bet the entire KIngdom on him? Or rather ¡ª should we think of what to do if the Sorcerer King loses to Jaldabaoth? Does anyone have any ideas for the next best thing we can do if thates to pass?¡±

    He was answered by silence. Amidst all this, Remedios spoke up.

    ¡°In that case, how about calling Momon over?¡±

    The three people other than Remedios looked at each other with severe expressions on their faces.

    Remedios ¡ª who felt it was a good idea ¡ª frowned.

    ¡°What? Do you have any better ideas? It¡¯s more proper than that damn undead, no?¡±

    ¡°...Captain. We are now discussing what to do if the Sorcerer King dies. In such a situation, expecting to go to the Sorcerous Kingdom to get more help would be very risky.¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Siliaco said as he stroked his white moustache.

    ¡°A moment please, Vice Captain-dono. The Captain-dono¡¯s idea is risky, but not a bad move. How about lying about the Sorcerer King being captured by Jaldabaoth and getting Momon toe over?¡±

    ¡°Priest-dono, that would be too dangerous. Even if Momon defeated Jaldabaoth, discovery of the lie could trigger a war. Even if all goes well, the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s impression of our country will plunge to rock bottom. And if things go badly, Momon might very well be a second Jaldabaoth and lead the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s undead army into our nation.¡±

    ¡°Precisely, you two. And the worst thing is that the Sorcerous Kingdom will have a justified grievance against us.¡±

    Remedios tilted her head at Caspond¡¯s exnation.

    ¡°We¡¯re not adjacent to the Sorcerous Kingdom, so that¡¯s okay, right?¡±

    ¡°...Captain Custodio, please stop thinking of dangerous things. I don¡¯t want to adopt any policies that will endanger us¡­ that said, I don¡¯t have any good ideas. How about you two?¡±

    Siliaco and Gustav could not think of anything either.

    The room was plunged into a brief silence.

    Eventually, Caspond quietly spoke up.

    ¡°...For the time being, let¡¯s each go back and think about it on our own. There¡¯ll be no problems if the Sorcerer King can defeat Jaldabaoth.¡± Caspond pped his hands together. ¡°Then let¡¯s talk about something else. What about the rations that the demihumans brought? Can we eat them normally? And if we can consume them, how long can theyst?¡±

    Normally, they would belong to the Sorcerer King since he had defeated the demihuman army, but he had already said that he would hand them over free of charge.

    Gustav answered. He was in charge of sundry tasks like that.

    ¡°There seem to be a lot of hardened bread-like objects and vegetables that we should be able to eat. Thanks to the attack of the Sorcerer King¡¯s undead creatures, they were captured intact, so they are in very good condition. In addition, there are also some food items which need to be further investigated, such as sour-smelling vegetables and so on.¡±

    Preserved food was verymon in the Holy Kingdom. However, these were demihuman rations, so they might belong to a species which ate rotting food, which was why Gustav said they had to investigate further.

    ¡°There is only one problem. That would be the meat.¡±

    ¡°Which means?¡±

    Gustav¡¯s face was dark as he looked at Caspond.

    ¡°A portion of the meat looks like it came from humans. That conclusion came from looking at its shape and we¡¯re not certain about it. Maybe we could tell if we ate it, but I¡¯d rather not sample it, if you don¡¯t mind.¡±

    ¡°How much meat are we talking about here?¡±

    Siliaco had a disgusted look on his face.

    ¡°Many demihumans eat meat, so there was a lot of it. At a nce, it seems like half of the rations they brought were meat.¡±

    ¡°What!? Half of the rations for an army of 40,000 troops is meat?¡±

    Hypothetically, if a demihuman ate a kilogram of meat a day, that would make 40 tons. If they had enough for two weeks, that would be 560 tons. In that case ¡ª the Prince grabbed his face.

    ¡°...How much of that is human meat?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know. Checking each and every piece would take a lot of time, and if they aren¡¯t in their original shapes¡­¡±

    ¡°It would be a shame to pointlessly discard food when the future seems grim. I would like to separate the human meat from the other meat¡­ Priest Naranho, can your spells do anything on that front?¡±

    ¡°My apologies, Prince. We cannot do something like that. I feel my colleagues among the pdins should be the same way.¡±

    Caspond saw Gustav nod and sighed deeply.

    ¡°So magic can¡¯t do everything huh? How about having the captive demihumans eat it to find out?¡±

    ¡°We should let the dead rest in peace. If there¡¯s human meat, we ought to return it to the earth.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, Captain Custodio¡­ what do you think, Vice-Captain Montagnes?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I agree with the Captain. I feel that no matter what, we won¡¯t have enough time to investigate each and every barrel of meat. We ought to use our time and effort on other areas.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­ very well, I understand. So with regards to the demihuman meat, we¡¯ll dispose of everything that looks questionable. In that case how about the demihumans¡¯ arms and armor?¡±

    The Sorcerer King had also handed them over for free, but he had also said that that he would be expecting something in gratitude, so they would have to hand over the appropriate items if the time came.

    If they could defeat Jaldabaoth or take back the Royal Capital, Caspond nned to announce to the people that he would be handing the nation¡¯s riches over to the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    ¡°Firstly, recovering the equipment from the demihumans and burying the corpses will need time, therefore we won¡¯t even have time to check their quality¡­ Priest-dono, if any undead spring up here, will they be the Sorcerer King¡¯s minions?¡±

    Undead spawned easily in ces where many people died. A ce where more than 10,000 demihumans had died fit perfectly.

    Upon being addressed, a profoundly distressed look appeared on Siliaco¡¯s face.

    ¡°I do not know. I truly do not know. But anything could happen, so we ought to deal with the bodies and sanctify thend as soon as possible. I would like to rely on our strength alone for that, but we simply cannot manage that way, so I would like to get some help from the pdins.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, leave it to us. We¡¯re used to dealing with the undead, after all.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d expect no less from Captain Remedios, it puts my heart at ease¡­ If only the Holy Queen-sama or Krt-sama were here¡­¡±

    Everyone fell silent as Siliaco¡¯s words tapered off.

    After what seemed like a period of silent prayer, Caspond spoke.

    ¡°Ah, something on that point, Vice-Captain Montagnes. The Sorcerer King seems to want to take the magic items back to his nation, so he picked them out first. Of course, he¡¯ll return anything that belongs to the Holy Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°Understood. That said, while we have some knowledge of swords and armor, we¡¯ll have difficulty with other items. If anyone here has knowledge of magical items, I would like them to step up and help.¡±

    ¡°I could help when ites to items passed down through the royal family. As for religious items, though¡ª¡± Siliaco nodded as Caspond looked to him. ¡°¡ªIn that case, we¡¯ll go get helpers from among the civilians. Still, this was really unexpected. No, we should say it was more than we hoped for. We ought to thank the Sorcerer King¡¯s power for surpassing our expectations.¡±

    Nobody present voiced any objections. Amidst the silence, Caspond spoke again, like he was their representative.

    ¡°This city did not fall thanks to the Sorcerer King¡¯s power.¡±

    There was a very audible sound of teeth grinding, and Caspond looked worriedly at Gustav.

    ¡°After this, I will need to thank him on behalf of the Holy Kingdom. When the timees, I hope you will all be present¡­ in any event, being able to draw on the Sorcerer King¡¯s power and achieve victory is a joyous asion.¡±

    ¡°We did our best too. Don¡¯t forget that.¡±

    Remedios¡¯s words seemed to freeze the air in the room. No, it was two people who had frozen up; Gustav and Siliaco.

    Gustav¡¯s mouth opened and closed like a koi. He looked like he had no idea how to apologize for his superior¡¯s outburst.

    ¡°...Indeed. Captain Remedios, it is a fact that we would not have won this battle without the fierce resistance that you and the people put up.¡±

    Caspond saw Remedios nod, and then he continued speaking,

    ¡°However ¡ª it is also a fact that without the Sorcerer King¡¯s help, we would have lost, and it is just as true that he could have won by himself. Am I wrong?¡±

    Remedios savagely ripped off her helmet and flung it at the wall, making a loud bang.

    ¡°Your Highness! Did something happen!?¡±

    The door to the room flew open, and the pdins on guard outside rushed in.

    ¡°Nothing happened. Continue waiting outside.¡±

    The pdins¡¯ eyes went back and forth between Remedios¡¯s helmet and the look on her face, and they realized what had happened. After indicating that they understood, they quietly left the room.

    ¡°Captain Custodio, please do not get worked up. I ask you to be calm.¡±

    ¡°How can I be calm!? Almost everyone I¡¯ve met on the way here was praising him! It¡¯s as though he won the whole thing by himself! Didn¡¯t he only show up halfway? How many people died before he won!? That was a victory paid for by the lives of the people, the pdins, the priests, men, women, elderly, and children!¡±

    Remedios red at Caspond.

    ¡°It¡¯s not true that he won by himself!¡±

    ¡°Captain!¡±

    Gustav could no longer hide his fear at the way Remedios was acting in front of the prince. Remedios had never been one for thinking, but at the very least she was smart enough to know who was her superior. However, things were different now ¡ª she seemed like a pain-maddened beast.

    ¡°That bony bastard was flying around in the sky when it was all over to show himself off! Is war a game to him!?¡±

    ¡°...Captain Custodio, it seems witnessing the deaths of so many of the smallfolk has upset you. Would you like to take a rest?¡±

    In response to Caspond¡¯s mature answer, Gustav shot the man a grateful look.

    ¡°Before that, there¡¯s one thing I¡¯ve been thinking of. I¡¯m sure Jaldabaoth and the Sorcerer King are in league with each other.¡±

    The three people other than Remedios looked at each other.

    ¡°Do you have a single fact to back that up, Captain-dono?¡±

    Siliaco looked coolly at Remedios. If one looked calmly at what she had done until now, she was clearly saying that because she hated the Sorcerer King and wanted to bring him down. Now was not the time to let one¡¯s personal preferences dictate one¡¯s decisions.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t he the only one gaining from this? Both the demihumans and the people of the Holy Kingdom are dead. He ¡ª the Sorcerous Kingdom is wearing away at our fighting strength in order to someday take control of the nation and the hills! That¡¯s why he came here!¡±

    ¡°...I see. That certainly makes sense from the perspective of profit. What do the two of you think?¡±

    Gustav furrowed his brows as he answered Caspond¡¯s question.

    ¡°The Sorcerer King came here because we asked him. Also, was it not the Captain¡¯s suggestion to have the two of them fight?¡±

    ¡°...Indeed it was. That masked bitch in Blue Rose is also one of them. If not for what she said, we would never have gone to the Sorcerous Kingdom. If not for that suggestion, we would have gone to the Empire or the Theocracy. And who knows, he might havee anyway even if we didn¡¯t say anything.¡±

    Haaaaah,Caspond sighed deeply.

    ¡°Captain Custodio, your logic has been nothing but self-serving from the start. You¡¯re simply twisting the facts to match what you¡¯re saying. I recall the Sorcerer King saying he wanted the maid demons, am I wrong?¡±

    ¡°...Please forgive me for saying these things which are unbing of a priest. I hear that those maid demons are quite powerful. In that case, I can understand why the Sorcerer King would like to obtain them. Demons do not need to eat or drink and they do not have a maximum lifespan. Being able to dominate such powerful demons might be better than gaining an army.¡±

    ¡°In that case, it would mean the Sorcerer King is aiding our nation because he felt there was sufficient value in it. It is onlymon sense for a king who rules a nation.¡±

    ¡°Still, nobody¡¯s seen those maid demons before, right!?¡±

    As Remedios screamed while in the grip of her emotions, Caspond looked at her like she was a pitiful, sad child.

    ¡°Captain Custodio. I would like to have a reasoned conversation with you, and not an emotional one¡­ but it seems you are tired. Go and rest. That is an order.¡±

    The red-faced Remedios still looked like she wanted to shriek something else, but Caspond was a step ahead of her and continued speaking.

    ¡°Go visit the wounded men. That¡¯s part of your duties as a fieldmander, am I wrong?¡±

    ¡°...I understand.¡±

    Remedios picked up her helmet and left the room.

    There was no way to describe how the air in the room rxed after that. It felt like the sense of fatigue one would have after a storm had passed and all the pieces had been picked up, mixed with a sense of relief at the fact that one had managed to survive.

    However, one man was not finished yet.

    ¡°Your Highness! I sincerely apologize for Captain Custodio¡¯s actions!¡±

    Caspond smiled bitterly to Gustav as thetter bowed his head.

    ¡°It must have been really hard on you too. However, could you think about the future too? I honestly have no idea what¡¯s going to be of this country after this war is over. If only we could find my sister, the Holy Queen¡­ what happened to the Holy Queen during the battle of Kalinsha? Did you hear anything from Captain Custodio?¡±

    Gustav was Remedios¡¯s personal assistant. Therefore, he would have been present when Remedios told Caspond about it.

    The fact that he knew but was asking again proved one thing ¡ª the prince suspected that Remedios might have been lying to him.

    ¡°...My Prince, I heard the same thing from Captain Custodio that she told Your Highness when we met for the first time.¡±

    She had been sent flying by a shockwave and when she came to, the Holy Queen and her sister ¡ª Krt Custodio ¡ª were nowhere to be seen. Although there were corpses of pdins and adventurers and priests everywhere, the bodies of those two were nowhere to be found.

    ¡°Is that so? Maybe I was worrying too much¡­ Captain Custodio does not seem like one of those people who say one thing and mean another. It would be better if they were captured by him. If they were killed¡­ the matter of the session would be veryplicated.¡±

    Startled, Siliaco asked him a question.

    ¡°Caspond-sama, are you tired of the position of Holy King?¡±

    ¡°Are you ttering me? In truth that might be the case if my sister had perished of an ident under normal circumstances. However, things are different now. The North is tired and the South still has the ability to fight. In that case, it¡¯s very likely that the South might support someone else to be Holy King. Frankly speaking, it¡¯s very likely that one of the great nobles from the South might end up as Holy King.¡±

    ¡°What!?¡±

    Caspond smiled as he looked at Siliaco¡¯s shocked face.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that shoulde as such a surprise¡­ in that case, with regard to what Vice-Captain Montagnes said earlier, if things go well, the first thing the Southern nobles will do is request that Captain Custodio take responsibility for the whole affair and ce her under house arrest.¡±

    ¡°Why would they do that?¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask you, Vice-Captain Montagnes ¡ª why would they not do that? Is a pdin who failed to protect Her Majesty not the perfect outlet for their unhappiness? And of course, that¡¯s not the only reason either. She can beat an army single-handedly. In that case, surely defanging your enemy is a basic tactic in warfare, am I wrong?¡±

    ¡°The enemy!? Who¡¯s the enemy!?¡±

    ¡°The enemies of the Southern nobles. In other words, the Holy Queen¡¯s faction. Remedios Custodio was a confidant of the Holy Queen. Surely the pdins she leads would also be seen as the enemy, am I wrong?¡±

    ¡°In that case, what about the priests that Krt Custodio-sama led?¡±

    ¡°While there are priests who climbed the ranks thanks to their connections with the Southern nobles¡­ don¡¯t you think that would be the case too? Priestly magic is indispensable in everyday life. While I feel that anyone knows how stupid it is to put someone ipetent in high office, people sometimes do things that can only be described as foolish by others.¡±

    ¡°My Prince¡­ what should we do?¡±

    ¡°Vice-Captain Montagnes, what do you mean by that? Do you want to keep her from being ced under house arrest? Or do you want to keep the pdins from getting involved?¡±

    ¡°I want a better future for the Holy Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°...We need to find my sister. Then, we need an achievement that all the people will ept as having saved the nation. For instance, by driving out the enemy without having to draw on the strength of the South.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible¡­ we can¡¯t possibly win without the Sorcerer King¡¯s power.¡±

    Caspond looked at Gustav, who wasining unconsciously, and shrugged.

    ¡°Still, that hasto be done. Otherwise there won¡¯t be any way to stop the pressure from the South after we win. Hm, yes, or we could damage the South as badly as the North. All that matters is that the bnce of power is preserved in the end.¡± Caspond looked up at the ceiling. ¡°If only we¡¯d made a deal with the South sooner. She was too kind for her own good. And I understand how all this might have struck a nerve with Captain Custodio. After all, the only one who looked good in this battle was the Sorcerer King. If things go badly, the Sorcerer King might end up bing the Holy King as well, am I wrong?¡±

    The other two felt it was impossible, but neither of them could deny it.

    ¡°In that case, we need to start thinking about our ns from now on. While I would like Captain Custodio to be here, will she disobey a direct order?¡±

    ¡°...I feel it would be fine as long as it¡¯s in keeping with this country¡¯s justice.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­ I¡¯ve been thinking about how to attack the prison camps. The reason for that is¡ª¡±

    Caspond began to exin.

    Roughly 100,000 demihumans had attacked the nation.

    Since they had not heard of any movements from the demihumans squaring off against the forces of the Southern Holy Kingdom, they estimated that the 40,000 demihumans that had attacked them this time round were arge portion of the forces assigned to manage the prison camps in the North.

    ¡°I agree with your opinion. By attacking the undermanned prison camps, we can both destroy them piecemeal and increase our own forces at the same time. I feel it will kill two birds with one stone.¡±

    ¡°Captain Montagnes, I am d to hear you approve. How about yourself, Priest Naranho?¡±

    Siliaco also agreed with Caspond¡¯s suggestion.

    ¡°The Sorcerer King is in this city. Since he can keep us safe, I would like the pdins to attack the prison camps¡­ can you do that? Also, one more thing. I would like Captain Remedios to stay here while you areunching the attack. Make her think that she¡¯s in charge of bodyguarding me.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much, my Prince!¡±

    ¡°...I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve said anything you need to thank me for, Vice-Captain Montagnes,¡± Caspond said as the smile faded from his face. ¡°...The absence of the country¡¯s strongest pdin means that if there¡¯s someone like the Grand King at the prison camp you¡¯re attacking, you might all be wiped out, am I wrong?¡±

    ¡°Can we decide which camp to attack?¡±

    ¡°But of course. I¡¯ll leave it to you. There¡¯s no need to force yourself to attack arge camp that¡¯s more dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Understood. In that case, I feel only we should go.¡±

    ¡°Captain Montagnes, may several of our battle-capable priests go with you?¡±

    ¡°Certainly. Then we¡¯ll set out in a couple of days¡¯ time.¡±

    ***

    Ainz used ¡¸Greater Teleportation¡¹ to reach his destination, which was in front of the log cabin on the surface of Nazarick. Albedo, Demiurge, and Lupusregina were all standing there already, although he did not know how long they had been waiting.

    Albedo and Demiurge had been summoned by Ainz, while Lupusregina must have been the one on duty in the cabin.

    Since Lupusregina was in charge of all matters concerning Carne Vige, she should have been excused from the log cabin¡¯s duty roster, but that was not set in stone.

    Perhaps someone else was on duty, but they had not been able to make it, so Lupusregina had rushed over instead. That would be wonderful it it were the case. After all, that would imply that even if there was ack of manpower for a shift afterpleting a mission, there was a system to immediately swap someone else in to make up the shortfall.

    Still, hang on.

    While the Pleiades each hadpletely different job abilities, their maid skills were all equal. It only made sense that they could substitute for each other in a professional capacity.

    However, in contrast to that, there were also personnel who were hard to rece. Starting with the Floor Guardians and the Guardian Overseer, there were some NPCs with highly specialized abilities who might need someone to take over them for one reason or another. This was especially true because Ainz had been working hard towards establishing a vacation system.

    After all, letting Pandora¡¯s Actor substitute for all of them is also dangerous.

    To take an extreme case, what if Ainz himself was not around? For instance, if he were imprisoned, or if he were charmed, or something else. While he did not think that everything would break down without him there to make decisions, he had the feeling that Albedo and Demiurge would both say, ¡°Ainz-sama would never let that happen to himself,¡± and thus not n for unforeseen circumstances.

    I need to seriously assess the need for this, and quickly.

    In a grave tone, Ainz bade the three people bowing to him to raise their heads.

    ¡°It has been a while, Demiurge.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    In truth, Ainz agonized over the Holy Kingdom¡¯s affairs every day, and he also thought about Demiurge every day, so it did not actually feel that way. However, it had been quite a long time since they hadst met in person.

    ¡°Now then, you probably have questions about why I acted as I did. While I would like to answer you, speaking in this ce is not quite appropriate. Let us go somewhere else.¡±

    Ainz was the first to enter the log cabin.

    He could havee here straight away because there was a Gate Mirror set up, but he did not use it today.

    There was a table in the center of the room, and there were two chairs facing each other on either side of it. Ainz took the seat of honor with familiarity and without hesitation. He had already experienced the problems which came of not doing so many times already. While he had once needed to ponder which was the top seat before sitting down, he had now reached the point where he could unconsciously take the seat of honor

    As he approached the chair, Lupusregina immediately pulled it out for him.

    In truth, he was of the opinion that he ought to pull his chair out himself. However, his observations of Jiiv had made him understand that it was very important for a ruler to let his subordinates do work. Still, letting them handle even trivial tasks like this gave Ainz themoner a bit of difficulty.

    After Ainz sat down, Albedo and Demiurge did not take a seat, but instead knelt on the floor. Behind them, Lupusregina went to her knees as well.

    ¡°¡ªI permit the two of you to sit down.¡±

    The two Guardians politely refused in unison. Ainz once again granted his permission to the two Guardians, whereupon they finally sat opposite Ainz after a great deal of thanks and gratitude. Lupusregina, on the other hand, stood stock still behind the two of them.

    This takes so long and it¡¯s a waste of time. Couldn¡¯t it be simpler like¡­ ugh.

    ¡°Then let us continue our previous topic. While I said there was nobody who needed to be saved, I rescued the people of the Holy Kingdom nheless. I am sure you have your questions about that, do you not?¡±

    ¡°No, not at all.¡±

    ¡ªEr? W-Why?

    Demiurge shook his head gently, unable to resist the urge to sigh in admiration.

    ¡°Everything you do is correct, Ainz-sama. I feel that the reason why you did so was because you saw that it held merits which I could not imagine.¡±

    ¡°That is correct. If you feel it needs to be done, then it must be correct, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡ªEh?

    Albedo¡¯s words froze Ainz¡¯s facial expressions solid. But of course, Ainz had no facial expressions to speak of.

    The way the two Guardians ¡ª who were also the most knowledgeable Guardians in Nazarick ¡ª nodded in unison before him filled him with various vors of terror and anxiety.

    ¡°Wait, wait. Indeed¡­ yes, it is true.¡± Ainz began to panic. The conversation had travelled a path that was slightly different from what he had foreseen, and so he had be confused and could not clearly think of what he wanted to say. However¡ª ¡°¡ªIndeed, under normal circumstances I would have acted as you had imagined.¡±

    Huh?Ainz was slightly confused. He struggled to piece some words together and threw them out as appropriate. Even so, the two of them continued nodding vigorously, and Ainz found that a little odd. He continued speaking, desperately hoping for ast second save.

    ¡°However, yes, however. This time was slightly different. I did not do this because I was nning something.¡± Having found a way to amend his words, Ainz delightedly continued, ¡°This time round, I was deliberately introducing a w into the n.¡±

    ¡°What would be the reason for that, Ainz-sama?¡±

    Ainz slowly leaned on the back of the chair with a Hm.Then he adopted a well-practiced posture, a grand one that was befitting of a ruler, which a master ought to have, and then spoke.

    ¡°Demiurge. Albedo. The two of you are more intelligent than me.¡±

    ¡°That¡ª¡±

    Ainz held up his hand to stop the two of them from speaking.

    ¡°I am just saying that this is how I feel. In that case, what would happen if something unexpected urred during parts of the event described in your n? If everything proceeded as you outlined, then everything would have been perfect and ended in excellent form.¡±

    That said, your n was really over the top,Ainz grumbled in his heart. I felt I was sure to fail given how you threw everything in your operation outline at me.

    ¡°Therefore, a question suddenly came to mind, Demiurge. A perfect tactical mind cannot only function when everything is going on course; it must also be able to work when the situation changes dramatically or when it diverges from your expectations. That is to say, I wanted to know if your adaptability was also asudable.¡±

    ¡°I see, so that¡¯s it!¡±

    Eh¡ª!? He already got it!? And he sounds like he understands it all too!

    Ainz resisted the urge to make a jab about Demiurge¡¯s preternatural processing speed, something along the lines of, You¡¯re already so smart, why do you think I¡¯m smarter? Are you bullying me!?

    ¡°As expected of, ah¡­ you¡¯re as impressive as I expected, Demiurge.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Still, I, ah, apologize, though it feels like I was testing you¡­¡±

    ¡°Certainly not, Ainz-sama. To me, the fact that you would wish to assess my abilities is an honor that knows no equal. I will assuredly return results that match your expectations, Ainz-sama!¡±

    ¡°Umu. I¡¯ll leave that to you, Demiurge. In that case, during the course of our activities in the Holy Kingdom, I will cause problems as needed and you will amend the n in response. Will that be alright?¡±

    ¡°Yes! I understand!¡±

    All right¡ª!Ainz rejoiced within his heart. He was so happy that the emotion was suppressed.

    Even so, excitement still remained inside him.

    Good, good, good. This way, even if I screw up, I can say that I was doing it on purpose! No, of course, I need to try not to screw up in the first ce. If I¡¯d known, I should have said this from the start.

    While he did not have the bad habit of gloating when a subordinate¡¯s n went awry, it was possible that he might identally do something to make them worry. In this way, they would not have to guess if he had some intention in mind, but instead move on to revising the n as needed. Ainz felt the sense of bliss which came with taking a heavy weight off his shoulders.

    ¡°...Your servant understands your concerns, Ainz-sama. So does that mean that you will be simultaneously assessing the abilities of each Floor and Area Guardian as well?¡±

    As he heard Albedo¡¯s question, Ainz was briefly puzzled for a moment and thought, What¡¯s she saying?However¡ª

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to do so right now. I am doing so for Demiurge because he must work outside Nazarick for extended periods. As for the others, I will test them when it bes necessary.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡±

    ¡°Umu. Now, for the next topic¡­ the initial n was to take those people of the Holy King who were enthralled with me and proceed to the eastern part of the Holy Kingdom, to the Abelion Hills where the demihumans lived. However, I am going to amend this part of the n. I will go there first. From there, spread the news of my death.¡±

    It felt like time had stopped for a moment. And then¡ª

    ¡°¡ªEh? What are you saying, Ainz-sama!? How could we announce the death of the Supreme One, Ainz-sama!?¡±

    That protest came from Albedo. This might have been the first time he had seen Albedo¡¯s expression crumble in this way. At least, that was how the look on her face made him feel. But before Ainz could exin his true intentions to Albedo, it was Demiurge¡¯s turn to speak up.

    ¡°Albedo. Since Ainz-sama has stated this, he must have some wonderful aim in mind. Do you not think rejecting it on an emotional basis is inappropriate?¡±

    ¡°Demiurge. I question where your calmes from. Would you react in this way if Ulbert in Odle ¡­-sama were to say the same thing? Or¡­?¡±

    ¡°Fufu¡­ Albedo. Could you tell me what you mean by that? Or do you mean that you have something to say to me afterwards?¡±

    The two Guardians red at each other, one with a freezing-cold gaze, the other with boiling-hot eyes, and a strange atmosphere began to brew between the two of them. This choking sensation was much like what had happened when Ainz had been fighting Shalltear. Perhaps it was due to fear or tension, but even Lupusregina was starting to pant heavily.

    ¡°¡ªEnough!¡±

    The dangerous mood in the air instantly vanished as Ainz shouted. The sudden change made Ainz wonder if he had been mistaken about what had happened just now. However, Lupusregina¡¯sbored breathing proved that it had not been an illusion.

    ¡°Calm down, both of you. This is the reason why I must fake my death. There are activities called disaster drills. We must mentally prepare ourselves and n ahead of time in case of an emergency. In that case, what would you do if I died? I¡¯ll start with you, Albedo. Tell me what you have in mind.¡±

    ¡°Yes! I would immediately subject the person who dared disrespect you to all the suffering in this world, and resurrect you, Ainz-sama!¡±

    ¡°I see. Your turn, Demiurge.¡±

    ¡°Yes! While preparing for your resurrection, I would strengthen Nazarick¡¯s defenses and then obtain information on the person who offended you.¡±

    Albedo red at Demiurge out of the corner of her eye.

    ¡°Merely gathering information on them is too lenient. Regardless of who dares offend the Supreme One, they must be captured with all the strength Nazarick can bring to bear and then tormented to the point where their ego breaks down.¡±

    ¡°Albedo, I feel what you say is very sensible. However, the enemy is someone who can kill Ainz-sama. Thus, we cannot be careless. Learning the enemy¡¯s movements and strengths is vital. If the enemy is stronger than we can imagine, then the ce in which we resurrect Ainz-sama will be very important.¡±

    Before Albedo¡¯s expression could turn even more grim, Ainz rapped his staff on the floorboards. The hard impact was like sshing a bucket of ice water on the two of them, and their faces immediately regained their calm.

    ¡°I did not specify that I was killed by someone. If things go badly¡­ it is not impossible that I might end up dying naturally from some unforeseen circumstances.¡±

    In truth, he could not think of any natural cause from which he could die, which was why he was using such vague terms.

    ¡°However, it would seem that even the two people that I consider the most intelligent of all have differing opinions. That distresses me. That is why we must undertake this training, so that there will be no problems if this imagined scenarioes to pass.¡±

    The two of them bowed their heads.

    ¡°Of course, I am not the only one who could suffer that fate. Demiurge, as Nazarick¡¯s defensivemander during a time of attack, if an unexpected situation urs and you are struck down, could Nazarick continue functioning normally?¡±

    ¡°Yes! I have made thorough preparations in that respect. I recall submitting a report on that to you in the past, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Eh, did I receive something like that?Ainz decided that it would be better to trust Demiurge¡¯s memory than his own.

    ¡°Umu. Still, that is only on paper, is it not? The reason I am asking is because I would like to know if you have tested to see if it truly works out.¡±

    ¡°I sincerely apologize! I have not done so!¡±

    Demiurge bowed his head, his face a mask of deepest regret as his voice trembled.

    ¡°My, my deepest apologies, Ainz-sama! Signing off on the document without making that suggestion was foolishness on my part!¡±

    Albedo had the same look on her face as Demiurge as she bowed her head.

    Ainz was filled with a tremendous sense of guilt. Whose fault was it? The answer was that it was his own. If he had been more reliable, the two of them would not need to apologize like this. Was he not a scummy boss?

    ¡°¡ªThere is no need for you two to apologize. It was my fault for not properly exining matters to you. I was the one who should have noticed that no test had urred. The mistake is mine.¡± Ainz bowed his head until his forehead touched the desk. ¡°All this was due to my unworthiness, and I seek everyone¡¯s forgiveness.¡±

    ¡°What!? Ainz-sama!¡±

    ¡°Please, please do not do that!¡±

    The two of them hurriedly tried to stop Ainz. However, Ainz did not raise his head. He was too ashamed to show them his face, because he knew that he was so shallow that he could not evene clean when apologizing.

    ¡°Lu-Lupusregina! Hurry and raise Ainz¡¯s head!¡±

    ¡°Eh! Me? Please, please forgive me, I can¡¯t possibly raise Ainz-sama¡¯s head by force!¡±

    ¡°Please, please raise your head!¡± they all said in unison.

    It was only after the three of them ¡ª Demiurge in particr ¡ª started looking especially flustered that Ainz hurriedly looked up. After that, he heard sighs of relief from the three of them.

    ¡°...I am grateful that you have epted my apology. Now then, when I reach the Abelion Hills, we will use my death as the basis for an exercise. Yes. Since this is a rare opportunity, why don¡¯t we conduct other exercises as well? For instance, if Demiurge and I were killed off by someone, that sort of thing¡­¡±

    At this point, Ainz began to feel uneasy about his own suggestions.

    ¡°That said, even I have not fully nned out the details when ites to this training. Therefore, if you havee up with a better n, go ahead and carry it out. Ahh, no need to ask my permission. After all, this is an exercise founded on the premise that I am dead.¡±

    The two of them smiled bitterly.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, having to consider you dead from the start of the exercise¡¯s nning phase is a little¡­¡±

    ¡°It is as Demiurge says, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Hahahaha, theughter of three people rang through the cabin.

    Two of them wereughing from the heart, but one was merely pretending.

    ¡°Still, you don¡¯t need to take it too seriously, you know? After all, the objective of this exercise is not to spread ill-will throughout Nazarick, like what happened with the two of you just now. However, I would like to conduct various kinds of training and umte knowledge in that field, so that every Guardian can be interchangeable ¡ª well, I know what I¡¯ve said is pointless given your respective intellects. Do what you feel needs to be done, to whatever extent you deem fit. Can I leave that to you?¡±

    Now that he thought about it, Suzuki Satoru had never been the type of person who had seriously carried out disaster drills, so was it really convincing when someone like that told others to do their best? That was why he could not forget to tell them to take it easy.

    After seeing the two of them bow deeply to him, Ainz said, ¡°Now then, while this is a different matter¡ª¡±

    Let¡¯s go, me!

    The reason why he had drawn up all these flowcharts and simted ways of talking down the two Guardians was for this aim.

    ¡°¡ªYou are to freeze all progress on the giant statue of me that is currently in nning.¡±

    ¡°I understand. We will do as you direct.¡±

    Albedo¡¯s single sentence seemed to put an end to the entire topic.

    Huh?Ainz¡¯s attitude turned from baffled to fearful as he nervously asked what was on his mind.

    ¡°...Is that alright? It was your idea, was it not, Albedo?¡±

    ¡°How could anyone contradict a decision that the Supreme Being has made, Ainz-sama? If you say it is white, then it will be white even though it is ck. That is all.¡±

    Ainz gulped. That line of thought frightened him, and he trembled.

    ¡°...I do not like that way of thinking, Albedo. That is just like abandoning all thought, and even I will most certainly make mistakes at some point.¡±

    He was just saying ¡°most certainly,¡± but it felt like it had been happening all the time.

    ¡°And in that case, won¡¯t everything be over if I¡¯m captured? The person who brainwashed Shalltear is still out there, you know? While there is no need to question each and every one of my aims, if I suggest something and you think of something, you ought to bring it up.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    Albedo and Demiurge nced briefly at each other through narrowed eyes.

    ¡°Then, may I ask why you wish to cease construction? Is the aim of that statue not to let the world better understand your glory, Ainz-sama?¡±

    ¡°Umu,¡± Ainzughed coldly in his heart. ¡°My greatness is not something that can only be expressed through material objects.¡±

    He recalled that this line had received approval from Neia.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s perfect.

    ¡°Would it not be better to teach them with material objects? After all, fools are those who can only understand what they see before their eyes.¡±

    Albedo¡¯s words froze Ainz in ce. It was just like a pitcher throwing a ball at a batter, but instead of having it being hit back at him the batter caught it instead and threw it back at full force.

    ¡°...I see. You have a point, Albedo, but¡ª¡±

    As Ainz thanked his voice for not trembling, he struggled to work his brain, and then gave up when nothing came to mind. While he nearly rounded his shoulders, he could not allow his image as a ruler to crumble before his subordinates.

    ¡°¡ªNo, forget it. I¡¯m sure that Albedo can pick out at least five of the ws I¡¯ve spotted, and the merits outweigh them. In that case, there is nothing else for me to say.¡±

    ¡°Five, five ws? ...Demiurge, I need to discuss something with youter. May I borrow your intellect for a while?¡±

    ¡°But, but of course. I, I expected nothing less of you, Ainz-sama, to think you would say our minds were superior¡­ truly, you are too humble.¡±

    The two of them began to get flustered, and Albedo bowed her head deeply.

    ¡°I, I am truly sorry, Ainz-sama. While my n to build your statue has already received your approval, please allow me to temporarily suspend construction. I sincerely apologize.¡±

    ¡°Hm, mm. Well, it can¡¯t be helped then. Proceed, Albedo.¡±

    Ainz had merely tossed out an offhand remark, but Albedo and Demiurge seemed abnormally shaken by it. He could even hear Lupusregina whisper ¡°amazing¡± from behind them.

    He looked away, feeling guilty because he had once again confused the two of them by talking nonsense. However, he was d that the n to build the giant statue would be briefly halted.

    Next, I need to do something about the four festivals with my name on it, like the Sorcerer King Grand Thanksgiving, the Sorcerer King¡¯s Birthday and so on! If the Sorcerer King Grand Thanksgiving is cancelled because the statue¡¯s been cancelled as well, that just leaves three of them! Besides, if these were normal festivals, I wouldn¡¯t want to stop them either!

    In truth, Ainz had once nonchntly suggested a n for organizing festivals. However, that had led to the formation of a strange and embarrassing festivalmittee. Ainz sighed long and loud in his heart, and then looked at Demiurge.

    ¡°Alright, that leaves the details which I need to discuss with Demiurge. After this, you¡¯ll have the demon you summoned, that is to say, Jaldabaoth, attack that city, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Indeed, that is so.¡±

    ¡°Therefore¡­ I have a couple of requests. The first concerns a personal project I am carrying out which is not going too well, for which I will need your help. Ah, don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s no need to get too shy with it. And the second thing is, can youmand that summoned demon to fight in earnest with me?¡±

    ***

    Neia quietly closed the door to the Sorcerer King¡¯s room and turned on her heel. And then¡­ her body quivered.

    She lightly patted her somewhat scalding cheeks to force her face to tighten up before shepletely lost herposure. One reason for that was because she knew how her rxed face made others wary, while the other, more important reason was because it deeply embarrassed her.

    Neia did not want to walk around outside with an unseemly look on her face. She would have to meet otherster, so at the very least she had to look presentable.

    More to the point, Neia was the squire of the Sorcerer King, so anything disgraceful that she did would also damage the Sorcerer King¡¯s reputation.

    Still, I¡¯m only acting as his temporary squire, so it¡¯s the Holy Kingdom which would be disgraced¡­

    However, the people who hated the Sorcerer King would not think that way. As the saying went, one was blinded by one¡¯s hate. Or rather, it was like how those who hated swords hated swordsmiths as well.

    Alright!

    Neia did not want the Sorcerer King to regret the fact that she was his squire. In other words, all Neia had to do was her job.

    As Neia headed for the ce where she had arranged to meet, she thought incessantly about the kindness that the Sorcerer King had shown just now.

    ¡ªIs that so, is that how it is, what a shame.

    She had sensed deep regret from the Sorcerer King when he said those words back then. There was no way he could have been rattling them off casually.

    ...His Majesty really is a kind person¡­

    The Sorcerer King had grieved for someone from another country who had died in battle as though she had been one of his own people. Where in the world could you find a king like that? Of course, Neia did not know any other kings, so perhaps that simply reflected her dreams.

    For instance, if Neia and the others had held on a little longer, they would have been saved along with Neia, and that father who had lost his child would also have survived.

    Neia was not unhappy that the Sorcerer King had beente in his rescue. In the first ce, she was grateful for the fact that he hade to rescue her, because he had already said that he had to conserve his mana for the battle with Jaldabaoth. In addition, she had heard some of the militiamen in Remedios¡¯s unit say that he had fought several powerful demihumans at the west gate before he hade to rescue Neia.

    The Sorcerer King had fought two demihumans who could each kill a pdin in a single attack and another one whose strength was on par with that of the Holy Kingdom¡¯s strongest pdin.

    The militiamen telling Neia all this had been hard-pressed to hide their excitement as they rattled the proceedings off like a machine gun, and they added, ¡°We¡¯d all have been killed if not for the Sorcerer King.¡±

    Indeed. Neia felt a surge of heat in her chest.

    The Sorcerer King had gone elsewhere to help others beforeing to save Neia.

    While she was slightly disappointed that the Sorcerer King had not prioritized helping her, it was wrong to feel that way. The defense of the city wall was important, but it would be a far worse matter if the city gate were to fall. If the gate had been breached and the demihumans managed to get into the city, there would have been merciless ughters everywhere.

    Anyone with any sense would have prioritized the city gate to save more lives.

    People who acted ording to logic were more reliable than people who were ruled by their emotions.

    That¡¯s the Sorcerer King for you!

    Neia thought of the strongest pdin in her country.

    Justparing the two of them is disrespecting His Majesty!

    After that, the Sorcerer King had also hunted down the few demihumans who had made it into the city, and many people had been saved as a result. In fact¡ª

    ¡°Ohhh! If it isn¡¯t His Majesty¡¯s squire-sama! Did you tell him for us?¡±

    It would seem that Neia had reached her meeting point while she was pondering how cool the Sorcerer King had been.

    In a certain sector of the city, six men gathered on a street which still smelled of the battlefield.

    They addressed Neia like they had been waiting impatiently for her. In fact, they had actually been quite impatient.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve ryed your gratitude to His Majesty.¡±

    Several people unconsciously went on the defensive as Neia looked at them, but after hearing her words, they smiled and thanked her.

    ¡°Ah, thank you very much. It¡¯s hard to express your gratitude to the king of another nation. No, it¡¯s hard enough just to thank the Holy Queen-sama.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, you can¡¯t even meet her to begin with.¡±

    The people before her had ages which ranged from fourteen to forty. However, all of them were squad leaders. Some of them had even been professional soldiers once.

    Judging by their attitude, they did not feel any sense of dread toward the Sorcerer King because he was undead.

    It was true that some people were still wary of the Sorcerer King because of his undead nature. In addition, people like that were moremon among the smallfolk than the priests or pdins. They often said that the Sorcerer King was being kind in order to betray them at the right moment, and other such things.

    However, Neia felt that their reaction was because they did not understand the Sorcerer King and had simply acted out of the usual disdain for the undead. The reason for that was the group of people before her. There were many people who had changed their way of thinking once they got to know the Sorcerer King.

    ¡°No, please don¡¯t worry about it. I simply conveyed your gratitude to His Majesty. Ah, yes, His Majesty said that your thanks made him very happy.¡±

    There were bashful looks on the representatives from the militiamen.

    ¡°No, we¡¯re the ones who should be happy¡­ oh, what should we do¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, His Majesty really ispassionate. I¡¯m embarrassed by how we used to fear him because he was undead.¡±

    ¡°His Majesty is truly a kind person. However, I hope you will not expect such good fortune to happen again and again. After all, His Majesty did say that he had used a great deal of mana in this battle, and he would not be able to help you again next time.¡±

    The group¡¯s faces immediately sobered up.

    ¡°So we might not have His Majesty¡¯s help next time¡­ this is bad.¡±

    ¡°A lot of people will be afraid if they know they can¡¯t rely on His Majesty to help them, my team especially.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not just your guys. It¡¯s the same on my side too¡­ we can¡¯t tell them about this.¡±

    Neia quietly addressed the shaken group.

    ¡°Everyone, I havee to understand one thing. That is: weakness itself is a sin.¡±

    As puzzled looks appeared on their faces, Neia slowly exined herself.

    ¡°Do you get it? If we were strong enough, things would not have gotten to where they are now. We could have saved our parents, our children, our wives, our friends, we could have saved all of them with our own hands. The Sorcerer King once said that we are the ones who ce the most value on the things which are important to us. After all, His Majesty is not the king of this country, and he simply came to assist us for a special reason.¡±

    Neia took a breath.

    Neia raised her voice, so the people watching her and the people of the Holy Kingdom passing by would hear her words.

    ¡°...When the Sorcerer King defeats Jaldabaoth and returns to his own country, what will we do when the demihumans attack again? Will we cry and beg the Sorcerer King, the king of another country, for help once more? For all we know, the Sorcerer King might not help us next time. That¡¯s because this time was an exception. Have you ever heard of a country¡¯s king working so hard for another nation?¡±

    Nobody answered Neia, because such a thing was nowhere to be found.

    ¡°Maybe you don¡¯t feel happy that a girl like me is telling you this. But who can protect the things that are important to you other than yourselves? That¡¯s why I want to be stronger. When I be stronger, I can protect myself and I won¡¯t need to borrow the Sorcerer King¡¯s strength.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. Exactly. I¡¯ll train myself too.¡±

    ¡°Ah, me too. Next time, I¡¯ll be the one to protect my wife and kids.¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯ll do that too. I didn¡¯t want to when I was first conscripted¡­ but now I feel d that I was drafted.¡±

    ¡°Still, the Sorcerer King does make a lot of sense. Valuing the things important to us¡­ mm, when you think about it, that really is true.¡±

    ¡°So if someone else values my wife the most highly, I have to kill him, then?¡±

    ¡°...I, I don¡¯t think so, right? I don¡¯t think the Sorcerer King was talking about something like that, right?¡±

    ¡°...Hey, I¡¯m just kidding, you know?¡±

    ¡°It didn¡¯t sound like a joke...¡±

    As the crowdughed, Neia made a suggestion.

    ¡°Everyone, would you like to train with me? While I can¡¯t teach you all swordsmanship, I know a thing or two about archery.¡±

    Weakness was a sin. That was because the weak only created problems for the Sorcerer King, who was justice. In that case, all they had to do was be strong. She could not allow herself to cause trouble for the Sorcerer King next time. She had to allow His Majesty to focus on fighting Jaldabaoth. That was what she ought to do, as a squire.

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s a good idea.¡±

    ¡°We need to be strong. I¡¯ll protect them next time.¡±

    ¡°¡ªWhy are you all gathering here? Are you discussing something?¡±

    ¡°Ah ¡ª Captain.¡±

    After being questioned out of nowhere, Neia looked back and saw Remedios Custodio standing behind her. In fact, Neia had heard footsteps approaching, but she had not thought that it would be Remedios.

    Herees trouble,Neia thought as she tried to keep her face from revealing how she felt. The representatives, on the other hand, were visibly ufortable.

    ¡°Can you answer my question?¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am! I was telling these gentlemen that I had conveyed their gratitude to His Majesty.¡±

    ¡°To him, you say?¡±

    ¡°...It is hardly appropriate to address the king of another nation as ¡®him.¡¯¡±

    Remedios red at Neia.

    ¡°The strong protecting the weak ismon sense, is it not?¡±

    ¡°...I do not know if it ismon sense, but I feel that only the strong are qualified to say such things, and not the weak.¡±

    ¡°What!? Are you saying that I¡¯m weak?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Neia replied without any dy. ¡°Compared to His Majesty, you areweak¡­ Captain, have I said something wrong?¡±

    Remedios red at Neia, and Neia stared back forcefully at Remedios.

    ¡°Hmph, it doesn¡¯t matter if you want to be friends with the Sorcerer King, but he¡¯s undead, you know that, right? A monster who inhabits a different world from the living.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I know that.¡±

    ¡°I said that because I was worried about you. It seems my concern was wasted.¡±

    Remedios looked disappointed, but it felt very fake to Neia. That was definitely not what the pdin before her really thought.

    ¡°I¡¯m certain you must be busy with many things, Captain, and I would not dare take up your time. In addition, I have things to tell the others. Would it not be better for yourself to move on to the other ces you have to be, Captain?

    ¡°...Very well then. You lot, it¡¯s only natural for the Sorcerer King to help you. You don¡¯t need to think too much about it, you know?¡±

    After saying that, Remedios left. As they watched her go, someone quietly spoke up.

    ¡°How should I say this¡­ that was amazing¡­ is that the strongest pdin of this country¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what she is.¡±

    After hearing the representative speak his mind, Neia unconsciously replied to him. After that, the representatives covered their faces with their hands. It would seem they had suffered quite a shock.

    Although Neia had not done anything wrong, she still felt a little guilty.

    ¡°The, the pdins aren¡¯t, aren¡¯t all like that. How shall I put it¡­ she¡¯s a little special. That¡¯s¡­ how she is. Yes.¡±

    ¡°It must be hard for you, Squire-sama¡­ if you can drink, I¡¯d like to buy you one.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate your intentions¡­ uh, where was I again? Yes, training together. I can find a way to borrow a ce and equipment. Can I contact youter once everything¡¯s ready?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll let you handle that,¡± ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll wait,¡± the men cheerily answered.

    Part 2

    Neia drew her bowstring back in one smooth motion.

    She turned her keen gaze to the target, and she could see the silent white wisps of her exhaled breath drawn to the edges of her vision by the wind, where it disappeared. Spring was close, but it was still cold.

    Neia buried the random notions in her mind deep within her, staring at the target in a state of no thought, and then she slowly drew herself back.

    During the defense of the city, Neia hade to understand that nobody had time to slowly take aim on the battlefield, but right now they were training to improve their uracy, so quick-fire drills could be left for another time.

    And then ¡ª she released her arrow.

    The arrow whistled as it tore through the air. It flew in a straight line and hit the target dead center.

    Hoo,Neia exhaled.

    Of the ten arrows she had fired, not a single one had been off target.

    This was an outstanding uracy rate, but Neia took no joy in it.

    She could not do it in the past, but right now, Neia could even split the arrow she had justunched. Of course, she would damage the arrow if she did that, so she did not.

    The reason why she had ended up like this, why she could do something that was previously impossible for her was because after that battle, she was not just capable of archery, but of harnessing what they called divine power. However, the strange thing was that it was slightly different from the abilities that pdins were said to possess. This was because normally, pdins could only channel their powers through melee weapons, while she could imbue ranged weapons with her powers.

    While she did not quite understand what that meant, the Sorcerer King had seemed quite interested when he had heard about this. Still, even the Sorcerer King had only said, ¡°It¡¯s hard to tell from just that, let me know if other abilities awaken.¡±

    Apuse rang out, and Neia smiled bitterly, because she felt ufortable.

    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re amazing, Baraja-chan.¡±

    ¡°Oh yes, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen anyone who was so good with a bow. Nobody in my vige could do that.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, it¡¯s true. I used to be a hunter by trade, and I knew a few people in my own right, but none of them had Baraja-chan¡¯s skills.¡±

    The people praising Neia were the same ones sweating and training with her at the archery range. Many of their faces had not been seen on these streets during the defense of the city three weeks ago.

    The reason for that was because people had been rescued from the nearby prison camps, and the city¡¯s poption rose swiftly as a result. Those with a knack for archery or who had used bows before were drafted into archery units and ced under Neia¡¯smand.

    Normally, people would balk at being made subordinate to a squire girl, especially if some of them were old enough to be her father. However, none of the men ¡ª and women ¡ª gathered here protested.

    The main reason was because nobody dared voice any objections after being subjected to her vicious gaze, and also because they had to acknowledge her skill with the bow. Some of them were even more grateful to Neia after learning that she was the Sorcerer King¡¯s squire.

    There were also some who were afraid she was undead because they had heard that she was the Sorcerer King¡¯s squire, but not everyone was like that.

    In these three weeks, the pdins had been sent out to liberate prison camps, but at the same time, the Sorcerer King and Neia had also gone out to attack camps and rescue prisoners.

    When the Sorcerer King had first broached the subject, there had been a shocking number of objections. However, the Sorcerer King then said, ¡°Now that the Demihuman Alliance is short on manpower, they will start to execute the captives if they judge that theyck the ability to run the prison camps, so they must be rescued without dy,¡± and that had convinced Caspond to ept the Sorcerer King¡¯s suggestion and send the two of them out.

    Neia had originally wanted to argue that the Sorcerer King ought to conserve his mana in order to battle Jaldabaoth. However, Neia admired how he acted to protect the people of another country and felt the justice emanating from him, so she could not bring herself to stop him.

    And so, Neia and the Sorcerer King had freed many captives and brought them to this city. For this reason, there were people who were happy to serve under Neia.

    ¡°Ahhh~ I ought to learn a few things from Baraja-chan.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. She¡¯s amazing. Also, that bow you borrowed from the Sorcerer King ¡ª the Ultimate Shootingstar Super ¡ª you can do even more amazing things with that bow, right?¡±

    ¡°The Ultimate Shootingstar Super, huh. What an amazing bow¡­¡±

    All their eyes went to the bow stowed behind Neia¡¯s back ¡ª the Ultimate Shootingstar Super.

    She ought to have used it during her training, but she had avoided doing so because she did not want to rely too heavily on her weapon.

    ¡°Yes, during the battle for the city walls, it was thanks to the Ultimate Shootingstar Super that I was able to survive until His Majesty arrived¡­ no, that¡¯s not it. It wasn¡¯t just the Ultimate Shootingstar Super, but the armor I borrowed from His Majesty and all his other items that helped me too¡­¡±

    Neia caressed Grand King Buser¡¯s armor.

    ¡°This armor came from a renowned demihuman, it looks amazing to me no matter how many times I look at it¡­¡±

    ¡°I was allowed to touch it once, its hardness is amazing. I chopped at it with a sword and it just bounced off.¡±

    ¡°Seriously? I¡¯ve never heard that before.¡±

    As Neia¡¯s wargear became a hot topic, she pped to get everyone¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Alright, enough chitchat, back to training. ording to the Sorcerer King, Jaldabaoth¡¯s preparing to make another move soon, so we can¡¯t waste a single moment.

    There was a chorus of acknowledgements.

    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s time to begin practical shooting. Let¡¯s start, everyone.¡±

    As she watched her subordinates ¡ª the word made her feel like a big shot, and it embarrassed her a little ¡ª disperse, Neia removed the item which covered half her face. It was an item she had borrowed from the Sorcerer King.

    This magic item was a visor-shaped set of mirrorshades that allowed her to use a special ability known as the Serpent Shot once every three minutes. It was a technique that allowed an arrow to twist and turn in front of one¡¯s opponent, pouncing them like an animal bringing down its prey.

    She was not too sure what it did because she had not fired it at anyone, but in all likelihood, one would need to be very agile to avoid it.

    It was a very handy item for someone like Neia, who used the bow as her main weapon, but more importantly, the fact that it hid her eyes was amazing. Or rather, without that item, she could not have gotten along so well with the others.

    Neia put her visor on once more, and took up her bow again.

    Everyone here was experienced, and now that time was tight, she did not need to instruct them on the finer points of finger positioning. She had touched briefly on how to fire quickly, and after that all that was needed was to give them individual coaching and have them practice until their fingers ached. The most important thing for them was to umte shooting experience.

    As usual, Neia wondered about requesting healing magic from the priests as she loosed an arrow.

    Just at that moment, Neia¡¯s keen ears picked up a noise.

    It hade from the outside. While Neia¡¯s shooting form nearly broke down, she managed to keep it together. It might not have been what she expected, and even if it was the person she had hoped to meet, they might have only been passing by, and not intended toe here.

    However, the being that appeared at the door to the training yard was the great king with the skeletal face ¡ª the Sorcerer King.

    In the beginning, everyone had feared the undead, but many of them had been rescued by the Sorcerer King during the defense of the city and from the prison camps. The mor of respectful and thankful voices soon came to herald the arrival of the Sorcerer King.

    However, nobody stopped practicing. Normally, they would have knelt before the Sorcerer King when he appeared, but the Sorcerer King himself had put a stop to it.

    This isn¡¯t a public ce, so you don¡¯t need to do that when I¡¯m just looking in on you, am I wrong?

    No king, especially one who was a nation-saving hero, should have been treated that way.

    Even so, the Sorcerer King had said that they did not need to do so.

    What an amazing person he is¡­

    After sighing in awe, Neia went to the Sorcerer King¡¯s side, and tightly shut her open mouth.

    She kept her visor on.

    The Sorcerer King had said that she she did not need to take it off, since she ought to be ready to fight at any time.

    He was probably concerned about whether she could use a magic item like it was part of her own body and thinking that she ought to be on guard no matter what unexpected things happened. Neia was deeply impressed by the depth of the Sorcerer King¡¯s considerations.

    Neia understood that the Sorcerer King¡¯s eyes had gone from looking into his hands to herself as she ran over. For some reason, observing the Sorcerer King¡¯s habitual movements made Neia a little happy.

    The thought that she understood the tiny quirks of an extraordinary individual made Neia¡¯s cheeks rx.

    ¡°Your Majesty! We are grateful that you have chosen to visit a ce like this in person!¡±

    Neia was still the Sorcerer King¡¯s squire, even after being appointed themander of the archery unit. That said, it was hard to say that she had done a squire¡¯s job properly when she had left his side to train others in archery, not to mention she had even made hime here instead.

    Neia wanted to prioritize her work as the Sorcerer King¡¯s squire, but instead she had chosen to do this, because she no longer wanted to be a burden to him. And there was also another reason, which she had not told anyone else.

    That was because the Sorcerer King refused to have anyone except Neia serve as his follower. He had said that to Caspond¡¯s face with Neia in attendance.

    The number of people here was steadily increasing. There were many more skilful or charming people than this mad-eyed maiden. Even so, he had said that Neia would be fine. The person she viewed as justice had said that about her.

    Could anything have made her happier?

    ¡°¡ªUmu. While I know you¡¯re being humble, I don¡¯t think this is a mere ¡®ce like this.¡¯ After all, it is where you sharpen your fangs, is it not?¡±

    ¡°Th-Thank you very much, Your Majesty!¡±

    She looked around ¡ª perhaps it would be disrespectful to look away from the Sorcerer King, but the visor she wore made it possible ¡ª and saw that her people had heard it and the tips of their ears were turning red. The problem was that their performance deteriorated, possibly because they were nervous, or because they had stiffened up their shoulders in order to look good for the Sorcerer King.

    That said, her own ears felt a little hot too.

    ¡°...Miss Baraja. Your men have made a great deal of progress sincest time. Surely that must be due to your hard work as their leader.¡±

    His pleasantries both embarrassed Neia and left her at a loss for how to answer.

    It would be embarrassing to say that they got nervous and can¡¯t show their full ability because Your Majesty arrived. They would think so too.

    Therefore, Neia decided to take his words as they were given. However¡ª

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing of the sort. I hardly taught them anything. They could have done that by themselves.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Well, if you say so, then it must be true.¡±

    In other words ¡ª the Sorcerer King did not think so. Which meant that the Sorcerer King thought very highly of Neia.

    Neia raised her voice a little to try and hide her desire to skip in delight.

    ¡°In, in that case, Your Majesty, does your presence here mean that the meetings are over?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. They¡¯re done for the day, but that said, I did not make any special suggestions.¡±

    Right now, this city had a mountain of problems, all of which stemmed from the increasing poption. The small city of Lloyds had originally been home to less than 20,000 people, but after gathering the people from the liberated camps, there were more than 150,000 people here now.

    The most recent of these overpoption problems was the slimes used in the sewers ¡ª the Sanitary Slimes ¡ª whose own poption had surged due to an abundance in food and had thus caused a panic when they erupted from the waterways.

    When the slime poption grew, they were typically burned back down with magic items, but the unexpectedly rapid growth meant that this was not done in time and several men and women had been attacked.

    When these men and women were surrounded by the slimes, a group of rubbish-clearing monsters called the Filth Eaters appeared from the sewers to help them.

    Unlike how they appeared, the Filth Eaters were intelligent monsters, and they knew that humans could produce a great deal of their food, and so they saved the people with their acid-resistant bodies.

    However, the people were not grateful to the Filth Eaters. That was because Sanitary Slimes were not infectious themselves, but the Filth Eaters who helped them were masses of disease. Thus, the people they had helped had fallen ill and were in a very bad state, particrly those who had contracted encephalitis.

    In addition, it was winter now, so firewood and other fuels were scarce. Then there was the fact that there had been dys in the construction of housing. While there was no food shortage yet, that would be a danger in the future.

    The Sorcerer King had been invited to many of the meetings to deal with these problems, possibly because they were counting on his prodigious knowledge to solve their problems.

    While the Sorcerer King had simply said that he did not know that much and had merely sat aside to listen, such a person could not have been summoned to meetings time and time again.

    The fact that he conducted himself so humbly despite being the king of a nation only deepened Neia¡¯s respect for him.

    ¡°What do you intend to do next, Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°Umu. I had intended to see if the transportation of logs was going well¡­ Are you busy with practice, Miss Baraja? If you don¡¯t mind, would you like to apany me?¡±

    In order to solve theck of fuel and housing, they were using the Sorcerer King¡¯s undead horses to transport logs from a distant forest. Initially, many people had been averse to using undead horses for transport, but now there was a steady stream of praise for the merits of these undead horses.

    ¡°No, please allow me to go with you! I am Your Majesty¡¯s Squire, after all!¡±

    The knowledge that she would be able to perform her squirely duties at longst and her delight at being alone with the Sorcerer King caused Neia to unconsciously speak faster and louder.

    As a result, Neia¡¯s ears burned.

    ¡°Is, is that so? Then let us proceed.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Please¡ª¡±

    Then, as though to interrupt her, a sky-scorching inferno erupted in the distance.

    For a moment, Neia wondered what was burning.

    But that was wrong. She had been too far off. That could not have been caused by any form of naturalbustion.

    That fire seemed to be enveloping the city. In other words, it was a wall of fire ¨D Neia¡¯s mind immediately recalled what the members of Blue Rose had said.

    ¡°¡ªYour Majesty! That¡¯s¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ah, it is as you are thinking, and the same as what I heard from Momon¡­ the time hase atst. It¡¯s Jaldabaoth. He¡¯s attacking atst. Miss Baraja, I¡¯m heading out.¡±

    Had he anticipated this series of events? As though influenced by the Sorcerer King¡¯s calm attitude, Neia¡¯s heart calmed down as well. Or no, it would be better to say that the presence of a supreme being like the Sorcerer King gave her peace of mind.

    ¡°Where to!?¡±

    ¡°Ah ¨D hm. Jaldabaoth¡¯s aim is still unclear. So, ah ¨D he might just be here to ughter indiscriminately. However, if he has an objective, he¡¯ll either be targeting me or the Holy Kingdom¡¯s leadership, so it would be best if we met up. Tell your men to get ready for battle and then have them flee to a safe ce.¡±

    ¡°Eh!?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll be of no use against Jaldabaoth. In that case, it would be better to have them prepare to deal with any demons which might appear. Since the city will probably be in chaos now, once you form up your unit, won¡¯t it be better to have them head outside the city?¡±

    While his words had been unclear at first, perhaps he had organized his thoughtster on, because the middle part onwards was a nonstop series of instructions to Neia.

    ¡°Yes! Thank you very much, Your Majesty! Alright, everyone!¡±

    While they had made ns in case Jaldabaoth led an army against them, they had not expected a ze to surround the entire city. Another big problem was the fact that they did not know the extent of the preparations that the enemy had made.

    Neia gave her instructions. There was only a single squad here and they could not do as they pleased, but as a team leader, she had a responsibility to do several things before her orders came.

    The instructions went roughly like this:

    Everyone in the squad was to take their families and head to the east gate, because if the enemy attacked, it was more likely that they would attack from the west gate. After that, they would form up at the east gate, and if there were demons outside the east gate, they would climb the walls near the east gate and attack them. In addition, they were to listen to Neia¡¯s adjutant until she arrived and adapt to changes in the battlefield conditions.

    Neia¡¯s subordinates obeyed her instructions and moved swiftly into action.

    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±

    After giving her orders, Neia turned back and saw that the Sorcerer King¡¯s eyes were on his hands, while he had used a flight spell to rise to somewhere around the level of Neia¡¯s head.

    ¡°Your Majesty! Let me go with you!¡±

    Perhaps he was startled by Neia¡¯s shout, but the Sorcerer King suddenly closed his hand and a quiet sound came from within.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ well, all right.¡±

    The Sorcerer King cast a flying spell on Neia as well. In that moment, she realized the greatness of magic as she learned what it was to fly.

    Neia and the Sorcerer King moved as though they were skimming along the ground. They did not leave the surface except to soar over crowds of people, who had descended into chaos, because they could not get a grip on the situation. The reason for that was because flying in the air without cover made them very obvious, and if there were demons about, they might be subjected to attack spells from all directions.

    Neia bit her lip in unhappiness, feeling like she was being a burden. Whatever spells the demons used, they could not possibly pose a problem for the Sorcerer King. She could not help but think that he had chosen to go the long way around instead of flying directly to his destination because she was around.

    Eventually, they reached their destination ¨D the headquarters, which also doubled as Caspond¡¯s chambers.

    The two pdins at the door had their hands full trying to manage the people jammed up near the door.

    ¡°Miss Baraja, we¡¯ll go in from above.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    After seeing that it would be a little difficult to enter from the front door, the two of them floated up and arrived at the balcony. Just then, the window facing them opened up.

    ¡°Your Majesty! Thank you foring.¡±

    It was a pdin.

    ¡°Are the others here yet?¡±

    ¡°No, Your Majesty. The priests are assembling. Vice-Captain Montagnes is off to liberate a prison camp and isn¡¯t expected to return today. Right now, only Captain Custodio and Prince Caspond are present.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Still, it¡¯s good that the two of them are here. Lead the way.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    After the pdin led them to Caspond¡¯s room, they could hear a loud discussion through the door. It seemed quite chaotic.

    The pdin opened the door for them, and over a dozen pairs of bloodshot eyes greeted them.

    ¡°Sorry I¡¯mte. We¡¯re out of time, so what ns were you discussing just now?¡±

    Everyone nced at each other, and Caspond spoke up on their behalf.

    ¡°We have not spotted Jaldabaoth yet. Your Majesty, could this fire have been made by a magic item or a demon other than Jaldabaoth?¡±

    ¡°I am unsure. After all, even I could not do such a thing.¡±

    The others were shaken. The Sorcerer King employed magic that beggared the imagination. How powerful must Jaldabaoth be if he could use a spell that even the Sorcerer King could not?

    ¡°In that case, what effects does that fire have? Blue Rose said that they managed to pass through it, then surely normal people can do so as well, right?¡±

    After saying so, Remedios turned to look straight at the Sorcerer King.

    ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem. As for its effects, demons standing inside the fire benefit from improved attributes, negative-karma spells will do slightly more damage, item drop rates will increase, and many others. But ording to the results from the investigation team, none of those were in effect. Still, whether it does anything else remains to be seen.¡±

    ¡°Which means we can freely move in and out of it, right?¡±

    ¡°Hm? Didn¡¯t I say that at the beginning?¡±

    ¡°In that case, we ought to evacuate as long as there are no demihumans or demons around, and then form up into units there. After all, I heard that demons appeared within the area surrounded by the fire when it wasst seen in the Kingdom. Let¡¯s go with that n of action, everyone.¡±

    After giving the pdins their orders, he asked the Sorcerer King again, ¡°Can you use your magic to pinpoint Jaldabaoth¡¯s location, Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°If I could, I wouldn¡¯t need to stay in this city now, would I?¡±

    ¡°You have a point.¡±

    Just as the Sorcerer King was dealing with one question after another, everyone heard an ominous creaking.

    It started out quietly enough, and then it steadily grew to drown out the mor in the room. One by one, they all quieted down, and finally, the only sound in the silence was the creaking.

    Everyone looked around uneasily. Just then, Neia noticed something odd on the outside wall of the building and eximed an ¡°Ah¨D¡±

    A crack appeared on the wall, and as everyone watched, it began to spread. The wall bulged, and then¡ª

    ¡°Get away!¡±

    Just as Remedios shouted, the Sorcerer King stood in front of Neia.

    The wall broke apart with a mighty crash. Bricks flew through the room like a spray of shotgun pellets. Groans filled the air; they came from those people who had been hit by the fast-moving masonry.

    If the Sorcerer King had not shielded Neia with his body, Neia might have ended up wailing on the ground with them.

    ¡°Th-Thank you¨D¡±

    The Sorcerer King held up his hand to stop Neia before she could thank him, and then he pointed at the smoke-spewing gap in the wall to draw her attention there.

    There was a gigantic silhouette there, the color of a roaring ze.

    ¡°¨DThank you for the warm wee, humans.¡±

    It was a deep and powerful voice.

    As though cutting through the smoke, that being slowly leaned in through the hole in the wall and entered the room.

    It was ¨D a demon.

    Due to his vast size, he had to bend down in order to barely fit inside the room. His posture looked a little stupid, but now was definitely not the time forughter. Her throat could not work properly; she wanted to swallow the saliva pooling in her mouth, but it stuck there instead.

    This was an overwhelming mass of power.

    Neia had never been very good at judging the strength of her foes rtive to herself, but she understood that she could not win against him even with tens of thousands of Neias. She was swallowed by a wave of powerparable to the Sorcerer King after removing his ring, and she could not move a muscle.

    It was then that she realized who she was facing.

    That, that¡¯s Jaldabaoth¡­ the Demon Emperor Jaldabaoth¡­

    His face was filled with wrath, his wings were red, and his burning arms ¨D he seemed to be holding something in one hand, and Neia could not help but doubt her eyes.

    That was ¨D though she dared not believe it ¨D a lower body. It emanated a vile stench, one of advanced decay.

    ¡°Kyaaaaahh!¡±

    It was a shout ¨D no, a scream. It was a sound that only one who had burst the shackles on their emotions and fallen into madness would make. It came from behind Neia.

    Neia¡¯s back shuddered. The person making that sound was Remedios.

    Remedios raised her holy sword high and charged straight at Jaldabaoth, not caring about her own defense.

    This was too rash. Even Neia, who was not skilled with swords, felt that it was a foolish charge.

    ¡°¨DGet lost.¡±

    Those weighty, quiet words were apanied by the sound of sshing. At the same time, Remedios flew in a straight line and crashed into a wall. Her impact was so loud it seemed as though the entire building would copse. After that, Remedios ¨D who had been swatted aside like a fly ¨D copsed limply from the wall.

    It would seem Jaldabaoth had sent Remedios flying with the object that looked like a human¡¯s lower body.

    Neia would have surely died if she had taken that hit. But as expected of the country¡¯s strongest pdin, her life did not seem to be in danger.

    In its ce, a revolting odor began to spread through the air.

    The room was filled with chunks of meat from the decayed lower body that Jaldabaoth had used to strike Remedios.

    ¡°Ahh¡­ what a mess. I sincerely apologize for getting the room dirty. Of course, it would not have ended up like this if that woman had not charged at me without thinking ¨D well, that¡¯s just an excuse. Please forgive me.¡±

    Jaldabaoth slowly bowed his head. He seemed genuinely apologetic, but that only made everyone else more afraid.

    And then, he casually dumped what he was holding ¨D something that looked like the charred remains of a human ankle ¨D to the ground.

    ¡°My my, I guess I got a little too carried away while swinging it around and the top half flew off somewhere. It¡¯s a dirty little thing, so I¡¯ve been looking for a chance to dispose of it¡­ but in the end I managed to make good use of her. Am I not a kind demon? She must be thanking me from the afterlife.¡±

    Jaldabaoth muttered to himself.

    ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhh!¡±

    Remedios touched herself as she wailed in anguish, fresh blood streaming from the corner of her mouth. No, she was collecting the chunks of meat that were stuck to her. What was she doing? Has she lost her mind?Neia wondered.

    No, there was a meaning to her bizarre actions.

    Don¡¯t tell me, that corpse was¡­ how could this be¡­

    Although the lower body had tattered bits of what looked like armor stuck to it, it should have belonged to a woman. In that case, she could imagine two people that it could have been.

    If that was really the case¡­

    ¡°What a lovely sound,¡± Jaldabaoth waved his hand like a conductor. ¡°In that case, I believe this is the first time we have met, Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown-dono ¨D or perhaps -sama would be a better form of address?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Now then, I trust you¡¯re here for a showdown with me?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. No amount of weaklings will make a difference.¡±

    ¡°I concur on that point. I have no intention of generating meaningless deaths.¡±

    Still sniffling, Remedios looked towards the Sorcerer King.

    ¡°Your Majesty, you are strong. Stronger even than Momon. I hope you will allow me to adopt a strategy that will guarantee my victory.¡±

    Jaldabaoth raised his hand, and a head poked itself through the hole.

    It was a woman wearing a mask and a maid¡¯s outfit. There were two of them, in fact.

    ¡°I trust you will not call me despicable?¡±

    ¡°¨DUh, hm. Well, this is¡­ mhm¡­ uh¡­ um.¡±

    The Sorcerer King was starting to get worried. No, that was only to be expected.

    Nobody could have expected Jaldabaoth to arrive with his maid demons in tow. However¡ª

    That¡¯s probably not the case. The Sorcerer King is wise, and he must have anticipated this. In that case, why is he like this? Could it be that it¡¯s because we¡¯re here? Perhaps he¡¯s not confident of protecting us all as well, which is why he¡¯s worried!

    ¡°Your Majesty, please do not worry about us.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    The Sorcerer King made a tiny exmation of surprise.

    Neia knew very well that the maid demons were beings who could kill everyone in this room, and they were so powerful that she could not be at ease even if someone told her not to worry. Compared to someone on the Sorcerer King¡¯s level, Neia and the others, probably including Remedios, were little more than valueless pawns.

    However ¨D she would rather die than get in his way.

    She had once heard that the Sorcerer King¡¯s subordinates were prepared to die if they became hostages. While the Sorcerer King said it had disturbed him, Neia could finally understand how his subordinates had felt. They did not want to be a burden to the person they respected.

    ¡°Hahaha! Do not worry, humans. I will slowly torture you all to death afterwards. We will be waiting in the fountain at the center of town. Of course, you may flee if you wish, Sorcerer King.¡±

    ¡°I take those words and return them to you, Jaldabaoth.¡±

    The Sorcerer King and Jaldabaoth stared each other down.

    After that, Jaldabaoth turned ¨D and Remedios jumped up, her holy sword in hand, and rushed at him.

    The weakly glowing holy sword looked like a band of flowing light.

    ¡°Dieeeeee!¡±

    And then, she stabbed it into Jaldabaoth¡¯s back.

    ¡°What? This is¡­ Are you satisfied?¡±

    ¨DIt was a cold, t voice.

    ¡°Why¡­ why¡­ after taking a strike from the holy sword¡­ you should be evil¡­¡±

    Remedios¡¯s back looked far too tiny and insignificant inparison.

    ¡°I have no idea what to make of that. Why? What do you mean by why? It felt like a little prick. Is that enough for you? If you¡¯re done, would you mind getting out of the way? I don¡¯t intend to kill you here. Thates after I kill the Sorcerer King.¡±

    Jaldabaoth paid no heed to Remedios and spread his enormous, fiery wings. He pped them, and Remedios copsed to the ground.

    Jaldabaoth ignore her as shey on the ground and took off. The maid demons followed him.

    ¡°...Then I¡¯ll be going too. You should go take shelter so you don¡¯t get caught up in the fighting. While I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be a problem, I hope you¡¯ll understand if this city ends up demolished.¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, will you be alright?¡±

    Caspond rose from where he had dived for cover to avoid the debris flying about the room. His eyes looked at Remedios, who looked utterly defeated and could not rise to her feet.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine ¨D I can¡¯t say that for sure, but there ought to be a chance. It would have been very troublesome if he¡¯d brought the demihumans along as shields. Looks like he¡¯s still underestimating me, and this is also a chance to bring the maid demons into my fold.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. It¡¯s okay. My sister is still here. Krt is still here. As long as she¡¯s around, Calca-sama might¡­¡±

    Remedios smacked her face as she muttered to herself, and then she forcefully rose to her feet.

    ¡°Sorcerer King! I¡¯ll go too! Lend me a weapon that can harm him! I¡¯ll be your sword for the time being!¡±

    The Sorcerer King looked at Remedios, her eyes bloodshot and filled with hate, and then shook his head.

    ¡°...Forget about it. You would only get in the way.¡±

    ¡°What did you say!?¡±

    ¡°Do you not understand? I speak of the disparity in strength. Or do you mean to say you understand it, but refuse to ept it? Simply put ¨D you are a burden.¡±

    Remedios red at the Sorcerer King like he was her nemesis.

    The Sorcerer King¡¯s words were very harsh, but they were also true. Or rather, they were hard to ept precisely because they were true.

    ¡°Captain Custodio! I have another task for you. Evacuate these people outside the city!¡±

    Caspond gave the order in a stern,manding tone.

    ¡°The original n was to let His Majesty handle Jaldabaoth. You agreed to that too, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°...Ahh, I know,¡± Remedios bit her lip, and then she forced out her next words. ¡°You must kill that bastard.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    ¡°¨DPdins, carefully gather the remains of that body. Don¡¯t leave a single piece behind.¡±

    ¡°Captain¡­ that body is¡­¡±

    The pdin had an idea of what was going on, and ventured his question in a trembling voice. Remedios replied in a tone that seemed to be telling him not to ask any more.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget that there might be demonic trickery at work.¡±

    Remedios left without looking back. Several pdins followed her, with half-frightened looks on their faces.

    ¡°Your Majesty, I sincerely apologize for the way she treated you¡­ May I apologize on her behalf?¡± Caspond lowered his head. ¡°Please, I beg your forgiveness.¡±

    ¡°...I ept your apology. Now then, hurry up and evacuate. If he has to wait too long, he might decide to go back on his word. I¡¯ll be heading off first to buy time, but I hope you understand that I can only give you about thirty minutes.¡±

    ¡°I understand. Everyone hear that? Get moving!¡±

    Several priests and pdins moved out with Caspond.

    The only people left in the room were the Sorcerer King and Neia, as well as several pdins and priests who were stuffing the remains of a certain someone¡¯s body into a bag. In that case¡ª

    ¡°Your Majesty, may Ie with you!?¡±

    There were gasps of awe and sudden intakes of air from all around her. But Neia ignored those irrelevant people. She took off her visor and looked straight at the Sorcerer King.

    ¡°...Umu. I cannot. He may have said all that just now, but he¡¯s a demon. If pressed, he will reveal his true nature and use you as a hostage.¡±

    ¡°But if that happens, Your Majesty will kill me without hesitation, will you not?¡±

    ¡°When you say that with such a serious look on your face, you make me sound like a cruel person. Well, if I can¡¯t save you, I¡¯ll discard you. I¡¯ll hit you with an attack spell as well.¡±

    ¡°In that case¨D¡±

    ¡°¨DI! I am not doing this because I want to kill hostages, you know?¡±

    ¡°Ah! Forgive me¡­¡±

    That was how it was. He would do it because it was the best choice avable. If there were a better alternative, this merciful man would surely choose that instead. Thus, not letting Neia apany him was because it was the best of the best alternatives.

    ¡°But¡­ Your Majesty, you have used many spells and even your magic items and mana in order to free this city. As a magic caster, surely you must be weakened now. Will that be alright?¡±

    ¡°Mhm! Indeed, it might be dangerous, but I came here to defeat Jaldabaoth. Fortunately, he came to find me instead. Now I¡¯ll destroy him and im the maid demons¡­ ugh, saying that I want the maids makes me sound like a dirty old man, hm¡­¡±

    Neia smiled bitterly at the Sorcerer King, who could still make ame joke at a time like this. She wanted to speak, but the Sorcerer King cut her off with a raise of his hand.

    ¡°Besides, I¡¯ll be aughingstock if I run away here.¡±

    The Sorcerer King shrugged, like he was kidding. Neia sensed that he was not being serious, and so she raised her voice.

    ¡°Your Majesty! If they want tough, let them! I humbly submit that you should only fight him in top condition! Also, you came here to battle Jaldabaoth, but you ended up using a vast amount of mana and strength on the behalf of the Holy Kingdom. That¡¯s not what you agreed to in the beginning. If we say that, the people of my country will¡­¡±

    ¡°Indeed, that is true. But humans are creatures who only believe what they want to believe. Even if you spread the word, nobody would take it to heart, Miss Baraja.¡±

    ¡°That¡­! In that case, I can be a witness! And¡­¡±

    Neia looked out the corner of her eye at the pdins and priests listening to their conversation. Surely they would be willing to be witnesses.

    ¡°...Neia Baraja. I thank you, but there is no need for that. I will not change my intention to fight Jaldabaoth.¡±

    ¡°This ¨D why is that?¡±

    ¡°Simple. It is because it is a promise I have made as a king.¡±

    Neia had nothing to say. There was nothing she could say in response to that. Amoner like herself could not possibly say anything that could change the mind of a King.

    There were murmurs of admiration around her. Indeed, this great and proud person was none other than His Majesty the Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown.

    Neia was filled with pride for the king that she held in such high esteem.

    ¡°Your Majesty, I know this is deeply disrespectful, but if you feel there is danger, I beg you to flee.¡±

    Perhaps mentioning the possibility of his loss might make him unhappy, but even so she still had to say it.

    ¡°...But of course. It is a fool who fights without preparing a means of escape. Even if you lose one battle, you can make good use of the information gained in the next one. It doesn¡¯t matter if you lose the first battle.¡±

    ¡°I expected nothing less of you, Your Majesty.¡±

    An extreme interpretation of that was that if his aim was to defeat Jaldabaoth, then all he needed was to be victorious in the end. Neia was excited by this line of thinking, which was not a warrior¡¯s mindset, but that of a king.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be heading out.¡±

    ***

    Ainz walked toward the ce Jaldabaoth had indicated. Along the way, he used ¡¸Message¡¹ to order the two Hanzos who had followed him to check for tails and if anyone was observing from afar.

    After receiving a negative report on both those items, Ainz had originally intended to terminate the transmission immediately, but then he received a somewhat confused report that there were members of the Pleiades present.

    Ainz acknowledged it and ended the ¡¸Message¡¹.

    ...We didn¡¯t find any other yers or World ss Item holders this time round either. I keep thinking they ought to have shown themselves by now¡­ but if they don¡¯t exist, how do you exin what happened to Shalltear? Was it some kind of coincidence? It should have been the effect of a World ss Item, right? Or was it the work of some Talent?

    The fact that nothing had turned up despite going to these lengths made the whole thing feel like a trap for him. For all he knew, the opposition was waiting for him to lower his guard before striking.

    Honestly¡­ well, it doesn¡¯t matter. Careful nning for the future won¡¯t be wasted.

    Therefore, Ainz contacted the other Hanzo teams with ¡¸Message¡¹ to verify their readiness and that his orders had been received.

    All right, preparations areplete. The next part is simple, I just need to follow Demiurge¡¯s ybook. Even if I make a mistake, I can always say ¡°I was just testing you¡± and so on.

    That was good.

    Ainz was moved by how light his tread was. This the first time he had felt so rxed sinceing to this world, and it was like floating through the sky.

    Soon, Ainz came to an average-sized square.

    This had originally been a fountain that regrly sprayed water for the citizens¡¯ leisure. However, water no longer flowed through here after the demihumans had wrecked it. There were no ns to restore it for the time being, and the surroundings looked very austere.

    A demon stood proudly there.

    It was a huge demon with burning wings and two crimson, brawny fists.

    This was the Evil Lord of Wrath from Nazarick. However, what stood here was merely a monster that Demiurge had called up with his Evil Lord Summons. It could only be used once every fifty hours, but it could be freely controlled for a time. Nazarick would not be diminished even if it were killed.

    It was level 84.

    As a physical-attacker type Evil Lord, it had a very high HP total.

    Of all the special abilities that Evil Lords possessed, the most dangerous one was the ability to summon another Evil Lord which was lower level than themselves. However, summoned monsters could not in turn summon more monsters. Therefore, the Evil Lord of Wrath that Demiurge had summoned could not summon another Evil Lord.

    If this Evil Lord had been created or made, then it could summon additional creatures. For instance, the Evil Lord of Sloth would often summon pack after pack of demons and undead, making them very hard to deal with.

    In addition, one troublesome point about the Evil Lord of Wrath was that it was very hard to manage its hate.

    The Evil Lord of Wrath built aggro more easily than other Evil Lords. He had heard tanks say that the most aggravating thing about dealing with multiple Evil Lords at once was how to keep the Evil Lord of Wrath from going off-target.

    In addition, it had the special ability of doing more damage and gaining more defense the higher its hate value became. Still, that was not too frightening. The only thing that Ainz had to be worried about was its ability called ¡¸Soul-Bought Miracle¡¹, which produced unknown effects.

    The Evil Lord could cast the following spells:

    Tenth tier spells: ¡¸Meteor Fall¡¹, ¡¸Time Stop¡¹, ¡¸Field of Unclean¡¹

    Ninth tier spells: ¡¸Greater Rejection¡¹, ¡¸Vermillion Nova¡¹

    Eighth tier spells: ¡¸Distort Moral¡¹, ¡¸Insanity¡¹, ¡¸Astral Smite¡¹, ¡¸Wave of Pain¡¹

    Seventh tier spells: ¡¸Napalm¡¹, ¡¸Hellme¡¹, ¡¸Greater Word of Curse¡¹, ¡¸Greater Teleportation¡¹, ¡¸sphemy¡¹

    Sixth tier spells: ¡¸mewing¡¹. ¡¸Wall of Hell¡¹

    Third tier spells: ¡¸Fireball¡¹, ¡¸Slow¡¹

    While the exact number of spells that monsters could use varied with their level and type, it was typically around 8. However, high level monsters like Dragons, Demons, and Angels were an exception.

    Still, as a pure warrior type, the Evil Lord of Wrath¡¯s spells were not particrly fearsome.

    It had no skills to strengthen its spells, and its magic-rted stats were very low. While the Evil Lord¡¯s attack spells were of the fire element and thus targeted a weakness of the undead, there was no need for him to be wary. Its mind-affecting spells were also useless against the undead, and Ainz¡¯s karma values were negative to begin with, so spells like ¡¸Distort Moral¡¹ were a waste of time.

    Since Ainz¡¯s karma value was negative, Angels were harder for him to deal with than Demons.

    As he contemted his opposition¡¯s data, Ainz nced at the two maids behind the Evil Lord. He would think about themter.

    ¡°Now then, have you been told?¡±

    ¡°But of course, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Hearing that weighty voice made Suzuki Satoru smile unconsciously from inside Ainz¡¯s heart. That was because this demon ¨D and all the monsters of Nazarick ¨D were designed in ordance with their image.

    Those voices were probably what the developers or their creators had envisioned for them. In that case, who hade up with the adorable voice that Lip Bugs had before consuming any vocal cords? Or did the whole seiyuu-in-your-mind thing that Peroroncino was talking about really exist?

    No, that was impossible.

    Pandora¡¯s Actor was a good example. He was a being who did not feel like he reflected what his creator had in mind. And then there was the fact that even a being without vocal cords like Ainz could speak. All he could say was that magical worlds were truly astounding.

    ¡°If you¡¯re addressing me with that name and in that tone, I take it the surroundings are clear?¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    ¡°Then I will ask you the most important question of all. Are you truly prepared to fight with the intent of killing me?¡±¡°Yes, I was ordered to do so.¡±

    Ainz nodded as he heard the Evil Lord¡¯s reply.

    One thing that had made Ainz uneasy in the past was ack of strong opponents to fight. Ever since the battle with Shalltear, Ainz had been worrying about not having chances to fight with all his strength.

    After training and gaining experience in closebat, he could skilfully move his body as Momonga and fight as a warrior of roughly level 33.

    However, the question of how he would fare in higher levelbat still remained.

    He should have conductedbat training against high level opponents. Unfortunately, he had not had the chance to encounter such high level monsters until now.

    That was why he had ordered Demiurge tomand the summoned Evil Lord to kill Ainz.

    He would defeat this powerful foe who wanted to kill him, and thus strengthen himself.

    That had been easier said than done. The two of them had been strongly opposed to the idea and persuading them had taken a lot of time. One could not fault a mentally exhausted Ainz from thinking, ¡°I thought we agreed that my word wasw...¡±

    In the end, after countless concessions and conditions, the stage had been set for this life-and-death battle.

    A chill coursed through his body as he considered that he might die. It was apletely different sensation from what he had felt during the battle with Shalltear, because this was an unnecessary battle.

    However¡ª

    While I had a lot of PVP experience in YGGDRASIL, I realized in the battle against Shalltear that this world is not a game. If the timees when I must face off against a level 100 yer with a great deal of realbat experience, I won¡¯t be able to win without an equivalent amount of experience. I know that cowardice leads to defeat.

    Ainz was very d that he was undead and could suppress the fear he might have felt at the prospect of death. If he were still human, he would probably have called it off by now.

    ¡°Now then, Yuri,¡± Ainz said to the maids behind the Evil Lord. ¡°Since you and Lupusregina are here, does that mean you will be fighting me together with the Evil Lord? Are the others not here?¡±

    He saw no sign of Solution, Entoma, or CZ. They must have been off doing work elsewhere.

    ¡°We are the only two who havee here. We sisters will challenge you together with the Evil Lord of Wrath. The reason is because Albedo-sama feels that allowing the people of this country to witness the maid demons is not a bad thing. In addition, the Evil Lord of Wrath alone might not be enough to satisfy your request, Ainz-sama.¡±

    It was true that a single level 80ish Evil Lord would be hard-pressed to stand against Ainz. However, even the addition of Yuri and Lupusregina did not make it a very powerful opponent.

    That said, troublesome factors can be bad news. Suffering because I underestimated my opponent would be foolish. I¡¯d best stay on my guard.

    ¡°In addition, Albedo-sama ordered us to check something with you, Ainz-sama. Are you really alright with the condition that you will not leave Nazarick for theing year if you are defeated?¡±

    ¡°Ah, that was one of the conditions Albedo insisted on before agreeing to this bout. If I lose, I will spend the next year working hard within the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, with Albedo, in the same room¡­ aren¡¯t you going to verify the conditions that Demiurge mentioned?¡±

    Ainz looked at the Evil Lord, but it said nothing. It probably felt that there was no need to check.

    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±

    Yuri bowed.

    Now there would be no margin for him to change the n. As he thought of how dire the situation was, Ainz could not help but sweat internally.

    It would be easy enough to kill Yuri and the others due to the tremendous disparity in their respective strength, but Ainz Ooal Gown would never allow that. Killing an NPC for the sake of training was utterly ridiculous.

    In other words¨C

    I have to kill the Evil Lord without harming Yuri and Lupusregina.

    Ainz could not helpughing. This would be one hell of a challenge. Still, there would make for good training.

    ¡°Is something wrong, Ainz-sama?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing, don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    ¡°Also, Cocytus-sama requested that we record this battle so everyone in Nazarick can learn from it. Do you mind?¡±

    While he did not want to do so because he felt it was embarrassing, recording battles was verymon in YGGDRASIL. With that in mind, he ought to ept that request.

    ¡°Still, recording the battle proceedings will trigger interference from the anti-divination offensive barriers. Shall I lower it?¡±

    ¡°Surely you mean divination-detecting spells, do you not, Ainz-sama? And not the linked offensive spell model?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, that¡¯s the one. After all, if it were thetter, it would be bad if someone from Nazarick were trying to find my position and triggered it.¡±

    If he deployed the linked offensive spell barrier, as he had used to in the past, any member of Nazarick trying to cast a divination on Ainz would be very badly hurt. While he used to cast that spell all the time because friendly fire was off, doing so now would be dangerous.

    Of course, the denizens of Nazarick would not be hurt by the offensive barrier, given that they were protected by a World ss Item, but the defense would incur a cost in gold coins. If things went badly, expenses like that would be more painful for him.

    ¡°Then there¡¯s no need to worry ~su.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯d best deactivate it. Besides, offensive barriers disappear once they activate and have to be reset. In that case, I might as well just deactivate it from the start and have some peace of mind.¡±

    ¡°I see ~su, then I¡¯ll leave it to you ~su.¡±

    Ainz deactivated his offensive barrier.

    ¡°Alright ¨D then let¡¯s begin thebat recording. Whose point of view are you using? I don¡¯t mind if it¡¯s mine, you know?¡±

    ¡°I think I was supposed to do the recording ~su.¡±

    In truth, Ainz was fine with anything. Anyone¡¯s perspective would have been alright.

    In addition, the memories of sparring with his friends wereing back to him, and Ainz began to enjoy himself.

    Simted battles with his friends were a fundamental part of devising new techniques and using new equipment.

    He had often sparred with Touch Me, but those battles did not count and had not been entered in Ainz¡¯s PVP record.

    Since Ainz had never won even once, his win rate would have dropped if they had been recorded. He had never taken it seriously, simply treating it as ¡°training¡± since he knew he could not win. Ainz always emphasized that.

    ¡°Shall we begin, then? You need to prepare yourself to kill me. Of course, I won¡¯t kill you.¡±

    ¡°No, actually, it¡¯s alright if you kill us.¡±

    Before Ainz could say that he did not want to do so, Yuri stated the reason.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, we are not the actual members of the Pleiades. All of us are Greater Doppelgangers.¡±

    ¡°What!? What did you say?¡±

    ¡°We are musicians of the Erich String Orchestra under Chacmool-sama of the Five Worsts. By Albedo-sama¡¯s order, we have transformed into members of the Pleiades.¡±

    ¡°¨DIs that so?¡±

    He looked at them several more times, but Ainz could not tell the difference between them and the Yuri and Lupusregina which he knew. He could not help but wonder if this was a lie they were telling so he could kill them without worries during the fight.

    Perhaps one of them was fake. He had once heard that the best lies were those that had a little bit of the truth sprinkled into it.

    Ainz could not see through the Doppelgangers¡¯ disguise. There was a spell that could dispel the Doppelgangers¡¯ shapeshifting, but using that spell would keep them from transforming again for a period of time due to the spell¡¯s effect. In that case, having them transform into the Pleiades would be meaningless. It would be a different matter if Ainz had learned lower tier spells but¡ª

    No¡ª

    ¡°Hm, it does seem like Lupusregina is speaking differently from normal. What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Lupusregina¡¯s face went nk for a moment.

    ¡°Is that strange, Ainz-sama?¡±

    The Greater Doppelganger pretending to be Lupusregina changed its way of speaking. That was probably its usual speech pattern.

    ¡°Ah, those aren¡¯t the usual expressions she uses.¡±

    ¡°But Lupusregina-sama always spoke like that in front of us¡­¡±

    When a Doppelganger impersonated someone, it was more difficult for people closer to the target to see through their disguise. That was because they used a form of telepathy during their shapeshifting to read the surface thoughts of the people they were speaking to and those around them in order to extract information rted to the target they were impersonating and then apply it to their impersonation act ¨D at least, that was what their entry in the monster encyclopedia said.

    ording to Pandora¡¯s Actor, that ability had be real in this world.

    However, that was simply to discern the possible reactions that the impersonated subject might have, and it did not read minds or search through memories.

    In addition, since this ability was a form of psychic attack, it was useless on Ainz and other undead creatures. One could also simply resist it if the level difference was great enough. That was probably why it could not discern Lupusregina¡¯s possible reactions from Ainz and had given the game away.

    Incidentally, it was more likely that Doppelgangers would out themselves when facing multiple people, because each of them would have a different impression of the target.

    Umu. Why did Lupu always add a ~su at the end of her sentences in front of them? Ahh, I see, so it was to make them sound out of ce. Perhaps she was trying to help me. What a cute little rascal she is...

    ¡°...Hm? My apologies. I have another question that is unrted tobat. While Albedo has given you an order, who would have priority if I were to tell you to abandon that order?

    ¡°Naturally, the words of the Supreme One would have priority, Ainz-sama. However, I must sincerely apologize that we will obey orders from our summoner, Anyami Shirabe-sama, above all else.¡±

    ¡°...Hm? Who¡¯s that?¡±

    Was there an NPC like that? As the question grew in his heart, the mes in Ainz¡¯s eyes red as he heard Doppel-Yuri¡¯s answer.

    ¡°That would be Temperance-sama.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Temperance-san? Anyami? Ahhh¡­ well, that does work as a physical description¡­ but still, Anyami Shirabe?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Temperance-sama once asked to be addressed that way, so Chacmool-sama instructed us to do so as well.¡±

    ¡°...After I return to Nazarick, I would like to hear all about this. Anyami Shirabe, huh.¡±

    This was the first time he had ever heard him refer to himself that way.

    Ainz could not helpughing as he learned that a former friend had referred to himself that way in a ce where nobody else knew. This was truly a cunning trap, set to decrease his fighting spirit.

    Ahh, no, no. I mustn¡¯t fall for Anyami Shirabe¡¯s trap! Fu, fufu...

    Though he knew it was not the right time to do so, he recalled the guild member in question.

    How had he looked and felt when he had given that name?

    Ainz narrowed his eyes as he reminisced about his friend from the past, and then he saw a surprised look on the face of Doppel-Yuri as it tilted its head. Ainz sensed that he had be careless and pulled himself together.

    He could remember his old friendster. Right now, he ought to analyze the Doppelganger¡¯s words.

    After this, I¡¯d like to question all the vassals and NPCs about the sides of themselves that they¡¯ve been hiding. Fufufu ¨D now then! Another questiones to mind...

    In the absence of a direct order, vassals like Doppelgangers would obey the NPC in charge of them. In that case, what would happen if a certain NPC wanted to kill Ainz and gathered many high level vassals and ordered them to attack Ainz with their strongest moves? Of course, this would happen while Ainz was unable to detect or stop them.

    Would they carry out that order? Or would they disobey it?

    ¡°...You¡¯re also ready toe at me like you want to kill me, is that it?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Those are the orders I have received, and I have determined that I also have your permission, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Doppel-Yuri¡¯s answer made Ainz wrinkle his ¨D nonexistent ¨D brows.

    ...Isn¡¯t this dangerous? It¡¯s probably best to see exactly where the boundary lies.

    If even Ainz could think of this, then Albedo had most likely verified it herself, Still, he ought to make sure, just in case. He could not let a hole in security go unpatched.

    ¡°...Indeed. I permit you to use your full abilities to kill me in this battle. Then swear on the name of Ainz Ooal Gown once more. Can you swear that what you said about your true identities just now was the truth?¡±

    ¡°Yes. This we do swear, upon the names of all the Supreme Beings.¡±

    Yuri and Lupusregina transformed their hands into alien-looking objects.

    ¡°¨DAh!¡±

    ¡°What? What is it, Doppel-Yuri?¡±

    ¡°Ainz-sama, there is one thing I forgot. Our equipment was borrowed from the Pleiades. Therefore, can we trouble you to recover them for us if we are killed?¡±

    Doppelgangers could even copy the clothing and equipment of their targets if they wanted to. However, they could only duplicate appearances, and not the equipment¡¯s abilities. Since they would gain no benefits from the gear, when fighting a magic caster like Ainz, the difference between them would be like that between heaven and earth. Therefore, they had no choice but to borrow the real thing from the originals.

    Greater Doppelgangers can imitate people of up to level 60. However, unlike the NPCs, they can only copy up to 90% of the originals¡¯ abilities. Even if they possess gear from the Pleiades, there¡¯s no need to be worried¡­ is there? In that case, killing them would be too much of a waste. After all, they¡¯re mercenary vassals, which means summoning them cost money ¨D as I thought, I should just leave them powerless. Do I need to put that into the rules after all?

    ¡°Alright! I will add one more rule. Once you Greater Doppelgangers are near death, you are out. I will monitor your health with ¡¸Life Essence¡¹. You can hide your HP totals, right?¡± After Yuri replied in the affirmative, Ainz nodded. ¡°Then suppress that ability for a while. If I judge that you¡¯ll die after a light hit, I will call your name and rule you out. In that case, you will count as dead. Leave the battle area immediately. In addition, the same thing applies to the Evil Lord of Wrath. If I dere victory, thebat will end. Do you understand?¡±

    The Evil Lord of Wrath and the two Doppelgangers indicated that they understood.

    ¡°Very well. Then we¡¯ll start when the coin hits the ground¡­ about twenty five minutes has passed, so I guess they won¡¯tin even if we start.¡±

    Ainz cast ¡¸Life Essence¡¹ and then took out a gold coin. Of course, this was not a YGGDRASIL gold coin, but a trading gold coin used in this world.

    ¡°Will you not buff yourself?¡±

    ¡°Making time to buff yourself is also part ofbat training.¡±

    After replying thus to Doppel-Lupusregina, Ainz backed away from them, then flicked the coin up with his thumb so itnded between the two of them.

    As the coin hit the ground, Ainz jumped back, then threw his hands out and shouted:

    ¡°Absolute Immunity Barrier!¡±

    He saw the Evil Lord and the two Doppelgangers freeze up for a moment. However, the Evil Lord and Doppel-Yuri immediately rushed in.

    That was it. That was the right answer.

    Ainz¡¯s previous actions were meaningless. There was no ability called Absolute Immunity Barrier in YGGDRASIL ¨D or at least, there should not have been, as far as Ainz knew. Still, Ainz had shouted that name not simply to fake them out, but also for a different reason.

    Ah¨D it feels like they¡¯re a little slow. Could it be that they think something was done to them and they¡¯ve be a little timid now? Well, that¡¯s what happens when you wonder if you¡¯ve fallen into the enemy¡¯s trap.

    Their movements were restricted by the uneasiness that came from the fact that such a technique might actually exist in this world. One could say that this feint had seeded because there were still unknown things out there.

    Of course, that was not simply because of the unknown. A good example was Ainz¡¯s ability to create undead.

    In YGGDRASIL, there was no such thing as using a corpse as a medium to ignore the duration on created undead. This aberration had only sprung up aftering to this world. One could imagine that there were many other such changes that had happened in the process ofing to this world from the game. No, only a fool would not think about such things.

    In other words, making decisions with YGGDRASIL knowledge alone was very dangerous.

    I ought to discuss this with Albedo¡­ and the others, Cocytus included.

    Ainz cast a silent ¡¸Fly¡¹ spell and began thinking as he retreated to the rear while keeping a fixed distance from his pursuers.

    Albedo said destroying the Kingdom would take about two years of preparation. Should I collect information until then? Expanding one¡¯s nation means expanding contact with the outside¡­ I ought to throw these questions at Albedo and Demiurge and get their opinions. Hm ¨D illusions seem to be surprisingly powerful, it might be very bad if we don¡¯t watch out for them. It feels like you could do a lot with them if you were smart. If I meet a skilled illusionist, I should probably treat them well in order to recruit them. Fluder ¨D whoa!

    The Evil Lord had outpaced Ainz¡¯s ¡¸Fly¡¹ spell on foot. Unfortunately, flying was not that fast.

    ¡°!¡±

    After taking a punch from the Evil Lord¡¯s maul-like fist, Ainz felt pain ¨D though it was immediately suppressed. Though he had felt the same way during the fight with Shalltear, he was once again thankful for this body of his that could suppress his pain. Ainz could fight thanks to it.

    After that, the Evil Lord pursued Ainz ¨D who had been knocked flying ¨D and closed the distance to him.

    To Ainz, this was the worst possible thing they could have done.

    Yuri has circled around behind me. They¡¯re using a pincer attack of two people who can do bludgeoning damage, which is my weakness. Meanwhile, Lupusregina is keeping her distance and casting spells¡­ hm, that¡¯s a buff. Good grief, this is the best way to deal with magic casters. Is this because of the Evil Lord¡¯sbat AI? Or is it because it¡¯s choosing moves from the mind of its summoner, Demiurge? Well, that¡¯s fine.

    If they would not let him keep his distance, then he would simply have to make his own space.

    ¡°¡¸Greater Teleportation¡¹.¡±

    His field of vision immediately opened up, and the city spread below him. Under normal circumstances, he would not have been able to teleport to an unknown destination, but it would be alright as long as it was within line of sight. Having teleported one kilometer above the ground without any hesitation whatsoever, Ainz cast another spell.

    It was ¡¸Body of Effulgent Beryl¡¹.

    This spell was exceptionally effective because Yuri and the Evil Lord both did bludgeoning damage.

    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s not all there is to it,¡± Ainz muttered as he looked to the ground. ¡°...If Bukubukuchagama-san or Variable Talisman-san were here, the backliners wouldn¡¯t be getting beaten up.¡±

    When ying as a party, skilled aggro managers like tanks would not make mistakes like allowing the magic casters in the backline to be attacked.

    During the time when they had stopped ying the game ¨D when Ainz had gone out to earn the money for Nazarick¡¯s upkeep by himself, he had used mercenary NPCs to allow him to act with impunity. The only time he had truly fought alone was the battle with Shalltear. Perhaps that was why he could not helpining.

    They were quite some distance apart, so he had no idea where the Evil Lord was, but he had a rough idea of the square¡¯s location. While carpetbombing the area with attack spells was a valid tactic, that would be pointless. One could say that the objective this time round was to win in a full-powered contest with the opposition.

    ¡°¡¸Widen Magic Dy Teleportation¡¹!¡±

    Come to think of it, I used to get pissed off by the mercenary NPCs¡¯ poor management of aggro. That was probably the devs¡¯ way of saying ¡°please group up with other yers¡± or something.

    He then confirmed that somethingrge was going to teleport above him, within the area of the ¡¸Dy Teleportation¡¹ spell ¨D the Evil Lord. Thanks to the effect of the ¡¸Dy Teleportation¡¹, it would take a while before it appeared in the real world. In other words, it meant that these two weak enemies which had lost their strongest shield werepletely exposed before him.

    In order to weaken the enemy¡¯s fighting strength, he ought to defeat the weaker two first. Ainz let gravity im him, and then elerated further with ¡¸Fly¡¹.

    The added speed of the freefall meant that he was moving quite fast. The air struck Ainz¡¯s face and flowed past him. At the same time, Ainz opened his eyes and observed the square.

    ¡°Though I think hiding in a house would have been better¡­¡±

    Ainz muttered quietly and then selected Lupusregina ¨D who was proudly standing in the middle of the square ¨D as his target.

    Yuri was some distance away. While she could see him, she did not look like she was prepared to intercept him. Leaving a healer alone was quite frustrating, but Yuri had made the right decision considering that she had to be wary of area-effect spells,.

    Ainz ground to a halt as he skidded across the ground ¨D in truth, he would not have been hurt even if he had crashed straight into it ¨D and cast a spell.

    Ainz chose one of the most destructive tenth tier spells in his arsenal, ¡¸Reality sh¡¹. At the same time, he used a special ability to maximize the spell. While he could have tripled the spell or something simr to do a great deal of damage, it would be very dangerous while he did not know how much damage the Doppelgangers had taken. He had to avoid the possibility of killing them by ident.

    ¡°¡¸Maximize Magic¨D¡¹¡±

    As he raised his hand, his hand was struck and damaged, and the spell fizzled. The mana spent on casting the spell was wasted.

    What? Interfering with a spell through a ranged attack? Is it some kind of special ability?

    Perhaps it was because he was undead, or because he was a veteran yer, but his confusion onlysted for a moment. Ainz immediately analyzed the attack he had received.

    Neither the Evil Lord nor Yuri nor Lupusregina possessed abilities like this.

    Perhaps it¡¯s the World ss Item holder who brainwashed Shalltear¨D

    And if the Hanzos missed him¨D

    If it was a ranged weapon user¨D

    If it was her, she could use a special ability to interfere with spells¨D

    ¡°¨DI fell for it!¡±

    Ainz shouted as he found the answer.

    Although Yuri closed in and delivered a punch, Ainz had already enhanced his defense with a spell, so he did not need to be so wary of her. After all, there was something more important than that.

    The whole thing was a trap from the start! No, Yuri ¨D I see! ¡°Here¡± was referring to the square! That was why the Hanzos said ¡°the Pleiades¡± were present! Dammit! I was wondering why they said ¡°all of us¡± when it was just the two of them!

    All the points of data made a beautiful line.

    CZ was attacking now.

    It was not just Yuri and Lupusregina who were present. CZ was also on the battlefield. In all likelihood, Solution and Entoma were here too. All the Doppel-Pleiades were present in the city.

    No, no, I need to calm down. Doppel-CZ was just lucky. It was easy enough for me to resist that because of the level difference between us. She won¡¯t be so lucky ¨D well, unlucky for me ¨D next time.

    ¡°¡¸Greater Word of Curse¡¹!¡±

    The Evil Lord had finally caught up and cast a spell, but Ainz resisted it without any problems. It was only threatening in closebat, so all he had to do was keep his distance.

    Ainz ignored the Evil Lord above him and ignored Yuri, who had only done minimal damage to him from the start. He lunged straight at Lupusregina.

    In that moment¨D

    Countless Bullet Bugs flew over from the side. There was no doubt that it was Entoma.

    He did not even need to use his High Tier Physical Immunity to stop it. That was because non-magical ranged attacks could not harm Ainz.

    Perhaps if it was a weapon carried by the Pleiades, Ainz¡¯s immunity would have been defeated thanks to the massive amount of data within them. The best example of that was CZ and Yuri¡¯s attacks from just now. However, certain skills were calcted based on the user¡¯s level. Entoma was a prime example, since she possessed many of these user level-based attacks.

    Entoma was only around level 50, so her attacks did not bother Ainz at all. In addition, if all damage from an attack was nullified, none of the rider effects would take ce either.

    Therefore, he could ignore it.

    Ainz did not even spare Entoma a nce as he moved in to finish off the healer, but just then, Solution erupted from her ambush point in front of Lupusregina. It would have been a futile gesture if she was facing an area-effect attack, but that was the only way to protect the healer.

    However, Solution had made a fatal mistake. Ainz was a magic caster and did not need to close to attack. All he needed to do was cast attack spells from a distance. He had to think about why she would charge out from in front of Lupusregina.

    Ainz had only one aim.

    He wanted to expose the enemy and reveal whatever card they had up their sleeve.

    Narberal¡¯s not around?

    He did not understand. She was not among the maid demons who had attacked the Royal Capital. However, one could not rule her out if all the Pleiades were present. It was possible that they were saving their ace in the hole for thest moment. Still, since he knew what kind of hand the opposition had, there was no reason to continue fighting in the middle of the enemy.

    ¡°¡¸Greater Teleportation¡¹.¡±

    CZ did not interrupt his spell, and he managed to teleport under a roof within line of sight.

    I need to remember what Yuri and the others can do. Who should I kill first? ¨DLupusregina, the healer. While I need to be very careful of CZ¡­ I have no idea where she is¡­ so I¡¯ll let the others go first. The Evil Lord will take the most time, so I¡¯ll save him forst.

    He saw Lupusregina casting a spell on Solution. Had they not pursued Ainz because drawing out the battle was not a problem for them? No, it was because they understood that since Ainz could move at will with ¡¸Greater Teleportation¡¹, they could be easily scattered and individually defeated. After all, Ainz was hoping for that too.

    It did not matter if they saw through him.

    All he had to do was harass them with ranged spells and then take them out one by one. While CZ the rangedbat specialist was present, she would eventually expose herself if she attacked continuously. Therefore, she would only attack at critical moments. In that case, she would not be so frightening. Or rather¨D

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see her, so let me guess, you¡¯re standing in for Narberal.¡±

    Ainz muttered to himself as he watched the Evil Lordnd.

    ¡°Haha, you¡¯ve be fat, Narberal. Shall we call you Goril now? And your element¡¯s changed greatly too. Well ¨D this is interesting. If the Doppel-Pleiades are my opponents¨D¡± Ainz flourished his cape. Of course, there was no meaning to it; he simply wanted to show off in a kingly way. ¡°Then I ought to get a little serious.¡±

    Don¡¯t die~

    ¡°¡¸Twin Maximize Magic Re¨D¡±

    Just as Ainz was about to cast a spell at Lupusregina, another bullet hit Ainz¡¯s arm and interrupted his spell.

    ¡°¨DHah?¡±

    Impossible.

    Even if she had seeded once by luck, she could not have interrupted his spell twice in a row. CZ was far lower level than Ainz.

    Could he have been unlucky enough to fail his resistance check twice in a row? How unlikely were those odds? Or perhaps this was not bad luck, but certainty ¨D for instance, if his opponent was not CZ at all?

    The Evil Lord of Wrath spread his fiery wings and closed in on Ainz. Yuri came in from the right, and Entoma flew in from the left in a roundabout fashion.

    What¡¯s going on? Why is this happening? Is this some change that urred aftering to this world? Or did Ga-san give CZ something? Or is it not CZ? What did Yuri say just now? They¡¯re sisters, but they¡¯re Doppel¡­ Pando ¨D ahhhh!

    The Evil Lord had closed the distance and then cocked his hand back, preparing to deliver a haymaker.

    Dammit! I hate people like that who just rush straight in and start punching! If you¡¯re a substitute for Narberal than attack with magic! You damn Gori!

    Well, if the Evil Lord had really cast a spell on Ainz, he would have resisted it, so it would have been boring anyway.

    Ainz did not hesitate; he stepped in before his enemy could fully close the distance.

    The Evil Lord had guessed that Ainz would flee, so his movements slowed by a beat. Behind him was Yuri, who was probably nning to nk Ainz with the Evil Lord.

    The strike from the ming fist ¨D was a feint, which was why Ainz had managed to evade it by stepping into the range of the blow.

    The arms whistled past his ears, and the wind in its wake sounded like a scream.

    A pure magic caster had evaded the attack of a warrior-type monster.

    While he thought that this would be impossible if he were still a YGGDRASIL yer, this was not due to luck. As mentioned before, the Evil Lord had not expected Ainz to step into the attack, so he had not used his full force. And then there was another point, which was that this was the result of his training.

    Ainz had practiced this method of evading his opponent by closing in with them several hundred times with Cocytus. About one in every ten times, if Cocytus was not attacking in earnest, he couldpletely slip past them.

    Cocytus did say that a good warrior would never make such incredibly shy and telegraphed attacks, so I shouldn¡¯t get careless¡­ but it¡¯s pretty useful in an actual fight, isn¡¯t it?

    And so, Ainz ced his bony hand on the Evil Lord¡¯s sturdy chest.

    And then he cast a touch spell.

    While most spells had an effective range, some spells had a range that was practically zero. Such spells needed direct contact with the target to be cast, so only people with levels in spellcaster and warrior sses could use them well. It was because they were so inconvenient that they were more powerful than spells of a simr tier, being roughly a tier more effective,

    Ainz¡¯s specialty was necromancy, and this was an 8th tier spell from that field, ¡¸Energy Drain¡¹. It was a spell that drained the opponent¡¯s levels and granted various benefits depending on the amount of levels drained. Naturally, this spell had also been maximized.

    He beat the Evil Lord¡¯s spell resistance and drained his levels. Thanks to that, he recovered almost all the damage Yuri had inflicted. That said, the healing provided by this spell was only supplementary in nature.

    Ainz¡¯s parameters were all temporarily enhanced, and he received a special buff which would fade in a short time. In turn, the Evil Lord had received a level down debuff which could not be removed by the passage of time.

    This time, it was the Evil Lord who backed away.

    His wrathful visage was tinted by something else.

    Was it surprise, or was it admiration?

    Ainz wanted to praise himself for sessfully evading that blow too. That said, he had managed it because his opposition had been far too cocky. Just like how a magic trick became boring once you pointed out the gimmick, this move would probably not work a second time.

    ¡°Well, however good a n is, only an idiot would use it more than once. Isn¡¯t that right ¨D Pleiades! Aureole Omega!¡±

    That was how it was.

    He was fighting five Doppelgangers, the Evil Lord of Wrath and a level 100 NPC.

    Is Albedo trying to make me lose? I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d even use Aureole.

    Aureole Omega was thestborn of the Pleiades Seven Sisters. She was an Area Guardian of the 8th Floor and a level 100 NPC specialized inmander-type sses. As amander, she could issue orders which buffed her allies. CZ must have been able to beat their level difference thanks to that.

    While he had no idea what kind of special ability Aureole had used, if one looked at party roles such as physical attacker, magical attacker, healer and so on, then she would be a wild card ¨D an all-rounder. It was hardly strange that she would be able to do anything.

    What exactly could Punitto Moe-san do?

    Ainz never went head-to-head with his opponents during PVP so Ainz had little experience in dealing withmander-type opponents.

    She could not have left the 8th Floor ande here without my permission. That would mean that she must have buffed the Doppelgangers before they came here. That would mean she probably didn¡¯t buff them too carefully ¡ª or no, is there a Doppelganger of Aureole here?

    ¨DNo. There was no time to think about such pointless things. Only one thing mattered. Could theypletely shut down Ainz¡¯s spellcasting, and could they keep it up forever?

    There were two kinds of special abilities in YGGDRASIL. One kind had a cooldown period after use. The other had a limited period of uses within a certain period. There were alsobinations of the two.

    In general, the more powerful the ability, the longer the cooldown or the fewer times it could be used. Ainz¡¯s trump card ¨D ¡¸The Goal Of All Life Is Death¡¹ ¨D which could only be used once every 100 hours was just such an ability.

    In that case, which type did CZ¡¯s ability to interrupt Ainz¡¯s spellcasting belong to?

    That move just now was very handy, but it did not seem to have a long cooldown time. That would mean it was the use-limited type. However, he could not tell how long it would take for her to recover her uses. All he could do was hope that she could not recover them during the course of the battle after they were depleted.

    ¨DThough I think I ought to save my tenth tier spells for when they¡¯ve been depleted...

    Ainz quickly verified the positions of the Pleiades and the Evil Lord. The Evil Lord was in front of him. Yuri was behind him ¨D and preparing to slug Ainz. While her ki-enhanced attacks could even shatter steel, they were of little concern in the face of Ainz¡¯s levels. After reconfirming that the Evil Lord was the real danger, he turned his attention to the others.

    Entoma was inside a house on the left side of the square. Lupusregina was in the square. Solution stood in front of her, like she was protecting her. CZ¡¯s location was unknown.

    While not knowing a sniper¡¯s position was the worst possible scenario, the fact that the enemy was now dispersed was the best case for him.

    Ainz snorted.

    Though he knew that now was hardly a time tough, he could not resist the mirth welling up inside him.

    Now this is interesting!

    ¡°Alright, now get out of my face. ¡¸Maximize Magic Nuclear st¡¹!¡±

    ¡°!¡±

    Before Ainz¡¯s eyes, the space between him and the Evil Lord shed and swelled, consuming everything in an instant. Yuri was surprised, but that was only to be expected, because Ainz had been caught in it as well.

    Using the ninth tier spell ¡¸Nuclear st¡¹ as an attack was a questionable choice. It didposite damage ¨D half fire, half bludgeoning ¨D and it was one of the weaker 9th tier spells in terms of damage.

    Considering the Evil Lord of Wrath was immune to fire, this spell should not have even been considered for use. Even so, Ainz had his reasons for using this spell.

    First of all, it had a veryrge area of effect. It was superior to almost all other spells in that respect. In addition, this spell also generated all kinds of negative status effects such as poisoning, blindness, deafness, and so on, but anything of the Evil Lord¡¯s level would be able to resist it with their raw statistics alone and the Pleiades¡¯ equipment ought to have made them immune to all these effects. The main reason he had chosen this spell was because it also possessed a very powerful knockback effect.

    Of course, Ainz would also be damaged by this spell. While friendly fire was off in YGGDRASIL and so using a spell this recklessly would not be a problem, right now he would be hurting himself. Even if his magical defense was very high, there was no need for him to go out of the way to take damage to cast his spell. Rather than act like a suicide bomber, he ought to have chosen another spell.

    However, Ainz had already worked it out.

    If he expended the ¡¸Body of Effulgent Beryl¡¹ spell to stop all the bludgeoning damage, the fire-elemental damage would also be negated, which would mean he would not be harmed. In addition, all those negative statuses were ineffective on the undead.

    In other words, Ainz was undamaged by the spell.

    If hepletely resisted its damage, the knockback would not take effect either, and so Ainz was the only one left standing in the heart of the explosion.

    ¡°Hahah.¡±

    Ainzughed. The feeling of everything going as nned was very refreshing, after all.

    Ainz¡¯s aim was to blow the enemy away and tear the enemy formation to shreds.

    For a moment, Ainz briefly imagined the guild members who had taught him various things ¨D including this tactic.

    Both the earlier simted battle and even this battle where failure meant death reminded Ainz of YGGDRASIL, which made him strangely happy.

    I¡¯ve wondered about this before, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯m a battle maniac...

    ¡°Come, it¡¯s not over yet. The battle¡¯s just beginning. I¡¯ll show you the strength that I nurtured with everyone.¡±

    Unleashing the fury of that 9th tier spell meant that the surrounding buildings had all been swept away, and there was much more space all of a sudden.

    That could not be helped. After all, this city had outlived its usefulness.

    He could have widened the spell to try and catch CZ in the st. However, Ainz was worried about the problems that might result from destroying too much of the city, so he had not done so. For all he knew, it might have been a mistake.

    Forget it, let¡¯s leave it at that. What¡¯s left is¨D

    Ainz looked in Lupusregina¡¯s direction. The enemy envelopment was in shambles.

    Even with Aureole¡¯s buffs, they could not avoid the knockback, and Ainz could see the enemy hurriedly getting to their feet.

    ¡°That¡¯s about all the damage ¡¸Nuclear st¡¹ ought to be able to do, so¨D¡±

    Ainz flew towards Lupusregina and cast ¡¸Reality sh¡¹.

    This time, he was not interrupted by CZ, and Lupusregina¡¯s body spurted a fountain of blood.

    ¡°¡¸Widen Magic Shark Cyclone¡¹.¡±

    An extrarge cyclone came into existence behind him, swallowing up Yuri and the Evil Lord. This was both to obscure Yuri and the Evil Lord¡¯s vision and also to buy Ainz time. In truth, Ainz had nned to create a cyclone before the ¡¸Nuclear st¡¹ to block their vision and then get rid of Yuri first, but after considering that the Evil Lord could probably break out of the spell easily, he decided not to go with that n. Instead, he had decided to use it when the enemy was confused.

    Ainz heard the sound of disced stones as he saw Entoma push a pir off herself while rising to her feet.

    He had no idea where CZ was even now. Ideally, she would be pinned under a fallen house.

    ¡°He¡¯sing here! Stop him!¡±

    Solution shouted from her ce in front of Lupusregina, but her voice could not reach the ears of Yuri and the Evil Lord, who were inside the cyclone. Yuri in particr was shifting desperately within the cyclone to avoid being blown away. While certain sses could use spells or special abilities to teleport or go incorporeal and thus escape the cyclone easily, she did not seem to possess such abilities.

    And that would mean Yuri had focused on strengthening other things¨D

    After reviewing this battle, they ought to understand what gear they need to have and what preparations they need to make, right? No, that¡¯s not it...

    If they were the true Pleiades, they might have been able to deal with this better. They were simply Doppelgangers copying the Pleiades¡¯ abilities, after all. It only made sense that they would lose out to the real deal in terms ofbat skills.

    As Ainz closed the distance and prepared to cast ¡¸Reality sh¡¹, bugs fell from the sky one after the other. They wererge transport insects with nobat ability. The objective of this action was simply to block Ainz¡¯s line of sight.

    Such a use would not be possible in YGGDRASIL. Even so, Entoma ¨D though actually a Doppelganger ¨D could use them in this way. Ainz gave thanks in his heart as he incanted a spell.

    ¡°¡¸Greater Teleportation¡¹.¡±

    After teleporting into the air and avoiding the rain of bugs, Ainz cast ¡¸Twin Maximize Magic Reality sh¡¹.

    Even if CZ had Ainz in his sights, the fact that her target had suddenly teleported into the air meant that she would lose him. After all, the weakness of the humanoid body was its inability to follow sudden up and down movement with the eyes.

    That said, if he were facing an experienced shooter like Peroroncino, for example, they would be able to anticipate their opponent¡¯s movements, even in the vertical ne. Therefore, it was possible that one could not even escape with teleportation magic.

    Peroroncino-san¡¯s aiming would have been like locking on to his target¡­ CZ, you need to work hard to get on his level...

    As he basked in the nostalgia, Ainz shouted:

    ¡°Lupusregina, out!¡±

    Having to fight while keeping an eye on the HP of his opponents was very difficult. One could even call it a handicap. Therefore, if he was asked if Lupusregina¡¯s HP was really depleted, Ainz would not be able to reply with any confidence. Even so, he had to avoid any chance of killing Lupusregina because of a moment¡¯s carelessness.

    She¡¯s a Doppelganger, so not only is she weaker than the original, but her HP isn¡¯t the same as the original Lupusregina¡¯s. Alright, now that I¡¯ve taken out the enemy¡¯s magic caster, it¡¯s time to be a real bastard. ¡¸Perfect Unknowable¡¹.

    While there were ways to discover Ainz after he had cast ¡¸Perfect Unknowable¡¹, without the aid of magic items, the only member of the Pleiades who could do it was Lupusregina, and the Evil Lord ought to be unable to detect him too. Therefore, it would probably be safe to say that they had no way to deal with this underhanded means of attack.

    Since I¡¯ve taken out the enemy healer, I should go search for CZ. Don¡¯t tell me she¡¯s burning up consumable items?

    Personally, Ainz could not forgive wasting the wealth of Nazarick on a battle like this.

    ¡°Where is he?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s gone! Is he using ¡¸Invisibility¡¹?¡±

    ¡°I can find him if he¡¯s invisible! But he¡¯s not there!¡±

    ¡°Is this some other kind of invisibility?¡±

    He could hear their confusion.

    ¡°You idiots! He¡¯s using ¡¸Perfect Unknowable¡¹!¡±

    ¡°Lupusregina! You¡¯re cheating!¡± Ainz shouted, but thanks to ¡¸Perfect Unknowable¡¹, others could not hear him.

    Ainz scratched his head.

    The Evil Lord and Yuri seemed to have broken out of the cyclone, and they were now looking all around for Ainz. While the best option would have been to drop another ¡¸Nuclear st¡¹ on them, that might end up killing Lupusregina, so Ainz abandoned that notion. Instead, he descended and kept tabs on Yuri¡¯s position at the same time. After that, hepared the amount of HP Yuri was missing to that of the others, and verified that in addition to the bludgeoning damage, she had also taken fire damage from the earlier magical attack¨D

    ¡°¡¸Triplet Maximize Magic Vermilion Nova¡¹!¡±

    Ainz used the highest level ¨D super tier magic notwithstanding ¨D single target fire-element attack spell that he knew on Yuri.

    It was only to be expected that there would be tenth tier spells that could do fire-element damage.

    For instance, ¡¸Stream of Lava¡¹, ¡¸Uriel¡¹, and the like. However, the use of those presented problems for Ainz.

    First off, Ainz could not cast ¡¸Stream of Lava¡¹. It was a divine spell which was only usable by a druid like Mare.

    ¡¸Uriel¡¹, on the other hand, was a spell that could be learned by a magic caster of any type as long as the requirements to learn it were met, but it only did its listed damage when cast by a magic caster with a maxed-out positive karma value. Its damage decreased as one¡¯s karma value decreased, and for someone like Ainz, it would do less damage than a first tier spell.

    Therefore, this spell was Ainz¡¯s only choice when it came to usability.

    Yuri¡¯s health dropped drastically.

    ¡°¡¸Perfect Unknowable¡¹.¡±

    ¡°He disappeared again!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s unfair!¡±

    ¡°If only Ainz-sama would fight us fair and square!¡±

    No, no, you¡¯re in the wrong for not even thinking of a way around this.

    ¡°And besides, I have no idea where CZ is! You three never said anything about who was taking part in this battle! Now who¡¯s being unfair!?¡±

    Ainz shouted, even though he knew the opposition could not hear him.

    Aftering to his senses, the Evil Lord charged at the ce Ainz had been.

    ¡°Too bad, I¡¯m not there anymore~¡±

    Ainz had begun moving, so he was no longer there. However, he would still be within the area of effect if the Evil Lord decided to cast area-attack spells, but just as Ainz thought that, the Evil Lord suddenly changed direction and came straight at Ainz.

    ¡°Hah?¡±

    Was he not invisible? That question was soon pounded out of existence by the pain he felt.

    The Evil Lord sent Ainz flying back. Since he was much more serious than just now, Ainz found it hard to defend against or evade the attack. No, Ainz had been too rxed ¨D he had not even thought of evading.

    Fortunately, the ¡¸Fly¡¹ spell helped control his posture and spared him the ignominy of rolling across the ground. It was just like how it had been during the battle with Shalltear.

    The Evil Lord jumped over, hot on Ainz¡¯s heels, and his line of sight was most definitely tracking Ainz¡¯s flight path.

    ...The Evil Lord of Wrath shouldn¡¯t have the ability to see through it¡­ Ah, he used it! His trump card, ¡¸Soul-Bought Miracle¡¹!¡±

    Inspired by stories of selling one¡¯s soul to the devil to fulfill one¡¯s wishes, this ability was truly miraculous. While he was not sure how the procedure worked, once one used this ability, one could use any one spell of under the 8th tier once.

    Normally, when Evil Lords used this ability, they would almost always use healing spells ¨D that was an unwritten rule. However, this time he had probably used a spell to see through ¡¸Perfect Unknowable¡¹.

    Ainz silently gave thanks that the Evil Lord had used the ability of which he was the most wary, even as he felt the pressing need to formte a new battle n.

    As the Evil Lord closed in and punched him again, Ainz began to get worried.

    While there was quite arge level difference between the two and he still had some room forxity, he could not simply allow himself to continue getting beaten up like this.

    ¡°Cheh. Here, have some back. ¡¸Triplet Maximize Magic Call Greater Thunder¡¹.¡±

    High level demons had very high elemental resistances. While their exact resistances varied between type, electricity was one of the more effective energy types against them. After taking three hits of a maximized-damage elemental attack spell, the Evil Lord¡¯s body trembled.

    Ainz cast another spell.

    ¡°¡¸Perfect Unknowable¡¹.¡±

    ¡°Cheeeeeap! Ainz-sama, you¡¯re so cheeeeeeap!¡±

    ¡°Ahhh, seriously!¡±

    Entoma stomped in frustration, while Lupusregina rolled around on the ground. Solution was the only one who was surveying her surroundings with a razor-sharp gaze.

    In theory, each individual mercenary vassal should have been identical, yet they had developed divergent personalities like this. Was it because they had copied the rtionships between the members of the Pleiades? Or had their personalities changed over time? The Evil Lord before Ainz followed his movements closely and shouted:

    ¡°Here! Use area attacks here, hit me with it too!¡±

    Entoma did not hesitate, but breathed a ck cloud from her mouth. It was her trump card, her Fly Breath.

    However, it was useless against Ainz, because that move did piercing damage. In addition, Ainz was a skeleton; what would the flies eat? In the end, it only served to annoy the Evil Lord.

    ¡°Hey! It didn¡¯t work on him! It only works on me!¡±

    ¡°Eh!?¡±

    Being able to copy an ability and use it well were two different things altogether. Surely the real Entoma would not have made such an amateur mistake.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any area-effect attacks, how about you, Yuri-nee?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve got this!¡±

    Yuri gathered light between her palms.

    The Kibakushou was a technique that acted as an anti-individual attack when it touched the enemy, but which became a spreading shockwave if it did not make contact. Naturally, as an attack intended for direct contact, it became very weak when dispersed. Since monks were a ss focused on fighting individuals, they had very few area-effect attacks ¨D practically none, in fact ¨D therefore one could say that it waspletely useless.

    ¡°There! He moved!¡±

    ¡°Here?¡±

    Yuriunched her area Kibakushou at the location where Ainz had been. Ainz wrinkled his brow ¨D despite having no brow ¨D as he saw this and reached a hand out.

    ¡°...No, no, you should have prioritized healing.¡±

    Yuri could have healed herself with her ki.

    After making his jab at Yuri, Ainz cast his spell. Needless to say, it was a spell that he already knew to be effective.

    ¡°¡¸Twin Maximize Magic Vermilion Nova¡¹.¡±

    Having cast an attack spell, Ainz came into view. He looked at Yuri, who was wreathed in mes, and made a cold pronouncement.

    ¡°Yuri, out ¨D ¡¸Perfect Unknowable¡¹.¡±

    Now then, things will get bad if I don¡¯t look for CZ in earnest. Having made that decision, Ainz began making a big detour as he kept an eye on the Evil Lord.

    Part 3

    Many people stood on the city walls with Neia, watching the battle unfold.

    While many of them were people who had been swayed to the Sorcerer King¡¯s side after he had rescued them, they were not the only ones here.

    There were priests and pdins here as well. Neia could not see Remedios from where she was standing, but she was close enough that Neia could hear her speak.

    The only members of themand staff who were absent were Gustav and Caspond.

    Everyone watching the battle was silent ¨D no. It was simply because there were no words to describe the battle.

    They should have known this.

    The members of Blue Rose had said that Jaldabaoth¡¯s difficulty rating was above 200. In other words, this was like fighting a huge dragon in the form of a human. Just fighting said battle in thend of men would lead to a great tragedy.

    They ought to have been grateful that only a single city district was destroyed. Many houses were on fire and white plumes of smoke reached to the sky, but the total casualties were almost nil.

    While watching the battle, she had seen cyclones, zes, strokes of lightning and other tremendous manifestations of power that were beyond man¡¯s knowledge running wild. Each of these discharges of energy could have easily taken countless lives.

    Especially¨D

    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful¡­¡±

    What had truly moved Neia¡¯s heart was the ball of white light that she had seen twice.

    It was power which consumed everything and made it disappear without a trace. It felt like something good to Neia, although she could not confirm whether it was truly the work of divine might. The incredible devastation she saw in the wake of the light¡¯s disappearance frightened her, but her admiration of its great power had won out in the end.

    It seems the fighting is still going on. I can¡¯t believe the battle still isn¡¯t over after using all those spells¡­ Jaldabaoth is really strong.

    She had heard about it, and she had even seen it with her own eyes. Yet, Neia¡¯s thinking had still been too naive. That naivete was now thoroughly eradicated.

    The king she served ¨D though only temporarily, and only within the Holy Kingdom ¨D was fighting. She felt that searing his heroic visage into her eyes was only natural as part of her squire¡¯s duties, which was why Neia was keeping watch from here. Yet, if she could¨D

    ¨DNeia tightly squeezed the bow she was carrying.

    If one looked closely, they would see several other shapes battling the Sorcerer King in addition to Jaldabaoth. Those were the maid demons, who were rated at difficulty 150. Neia could not do anything but admire the Sorcerer King¡¯s power for fighting so many powerful adversaries at once without giving ground.

    It was at this moment that Neia finally realized something about herself. She envied the people of the Sorcerous Kingdom ¨D those people who were protected by justice. How happy they must be to live in a country ruled by such a being.

    ¡°Weakness is a sin, so one must be strong, or humbly ept justice simr to that of His Majesty.¡±

    At this point, Neia voiced the words she had been mulling over all this time. The way she repeated it over and over sounded very much like a prayer.

    Suddenly, there was arge explosion as a meteor fell.

    It threw the carcasses of buildings high into the air, and they rained back down to the earth amidst a shower of gravel and sand.

    ¡°Captain¡­ isn¡¯t Jaldabaoth¡­ too powerful?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°The Sorcerer King ¨D His Majesty is also incredibly strong. If he bes an enemy of our nation¡­ what will we do?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Captain?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±

    She could hear Remedios talking to three pdins.

    The pdins asking her questions had probably not seen how Remedios had ended up being toyed with like a child even after unleashing the holy sword¡¯s power and stabbing Jaldabaoth in the back.

    Ahh, maybe they didn¡¯t see it. Still, anyone who saw that fight would have understood. Both the Sorcerer King and Jaldabaoth were unimaginably powerful. Still, it was toote to think about things like that now. No¨D

    If His Majesty could take this country under his rule, we would not have to suffer demihuman invasions again.

    Neia was startled at how perfect that idea was, and even a little afraid.

    Merging with the Holy Kingdom¡­ if he were a frightening tyrant, even I wouldn¡¯t think about it. But the Sorcerer King isn¡¯t like that. He is justice. In that case¡­ I ought to gather people who feel the same way as me!

    Neia pondered the matter.

    Many people hade to respect and idolize the Sorcerer King. There were those who were drawn to his overwhelming power, those who were grateful for being freed from suffering, those who hated the demihumans and who were d that he had taken revenge on their behalf, and many such others.

    From them she would select those people who had always been praying for the peace of this country, and then let them hear her words.

    Neia knew that she was still young andcked life experience. However, adults with good sense could stop Neia if they felt that her judgement was in error.

    Let¡¯s start by looking among my subordinates in the archery unit.

    There were people among them who had lost their loved ones and harbored hate in their hearts. It might be better to try persuading them, because Neia could understand how they felt.

    As she pondered this, she heard a doomas an exceptionallyrge explosion rang out.

    After that, a tall building began to copse far in the distance.

    The Sorcerer King would not have destroyed that building for no reason. Neia narrowed her eyes to try and see what was going on, but she could not tell what was happening in the building as it copsed amidst billowing clouds of dust.

    It was followed by a massive stroke of lightning from the sky.

    It would seem he was working towards some objective here, as she had expected.

    After a while, all manner of spells wrecked the city, and the situation repeated itself.

    Neia was uneasy.

    That they were incredible spells went without saying, but could the Sorcerer King¡¯s mana really hold out?

    Neia shook her head and banished the fear and unease from her heart.

    It¡¯ll be fine! The Sorcerer King must have taken all this into ount! He¡¯s already wasted so much mana on this country, but even so¨D

    Still, hypothetically, if Jaldabaoth won, there would be no salvation for this world, only despair. What should she do if that happened?

    Your Majesty, I¡¯m counting on you!

    And then, two shapes soared into the sky, as though Neia¡¯s wish had gotten through.

    The first to ascend trailed darkness in his wake, while the one pursuing him pped his crimson wings and left a streak of fire behind him.

    The fact that the maids were not pursuing them meant one thing ¨D the Sorcerer King had defeated those difficulty 150 monsters among monsters while battling Jaldabaoth.

    ¨DHe¡¯s amazing!

    Neia was so moved that she shivered.

    His Majesty is more powerful than Jaldabaoth!

    Indeed. There was no need to think anything else.

    In turn, the maids were far weaker than Jaldabaoth, who was a notch below the Sorcerer King. That was why he could defeat them while fighting Jaldabaoth.

    Neia struggled to contain her delight. As she carefully engraved the greatness of the person she respected into her eyes, she was so filled with joy that it seemed like it would explode out of her.

    Neia¡¯s heart pounded, to the point where it almost hurt.

    They were all watching a scene that would one day be enshrined in a heroic saga.

    ¨DNo, that¡¯s not right.

    It would seem they were going to fight again in the air.

    Crimson spheres and glowing spheres blossomed in the sky.

    Each of these spells could probably destroy an entire city district by themselves, and they were hurling them at each other in wild flurries. However, they looked kind of cute from a distance.

    Even so, that was an exchange of power within a realm that mankind could never reach.

    This is...

    As she looked out the corner of her eyes, she saw the people lining the city walls gulping as they saw all this. It would seem that they understood as well. They watched the aerial battle in silence, with earnest looks on their faces.

    Someone put his hands together in prayer, and the people beside him followed suit ¨D and soon almost everyone on the city walls had their hands together as they looked to the sky.

    It felt like they were at worship.

    ...This is mythology...

    Neia did not know how much time had passed, but eventually ¨D there was amotion among the people.

    Before everyone¡¯s eyes, one of the shapes in the sky fell towards the east ¨D and then it vanished.

    The battle was over.

    As everyone watched closely, the remaining shape slowly descended. Neia¡¯s vision was better than most, and so she saw it first. It shocked her so much that she had to press her hand over her mouth.

    When the others saw the crimson fire, the city walls were silent. However, nobody tried to flee. Everyone who had seen the battle knew that there was no point in running.

    With a p of his fiery wings, the victor (Jaldabaoth) showed himself.

    Though he was the victor in name, he was a tragic sight.

    His entire body was covered in electrical scorch marks. Half his face seemed to have been crushed, and his deep wounds oozed fresh blood. Perhaps it was due to its temperature, but the blood sizzled as it touched the city walls, and the sound did not stop for a moment.

    No words could have described the intensity of their battle better than the way he looked now.

    ¡°No way¡­¡±

    A weighty, yet somewhat pained voice echoed across the city walls, as though to wipe away Neia¡¯s muttering.

    ¡°...What a mighty opponent. One of the strongest I faced since Momon. I underestimated him. How foolish. Leading the demihumans nearly became meaningless. However ¨D yes, however, he is dead.¡±

    Neia could not believe this. Therefore, she cried out:

    ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡±

    Jaldabaoth turned his intact eye toward Neia, but she did not budge despite being bathed in the gaze of a creature from apletely different order of life. The intense emotions within her heart left no room for fear to enter.

    ¡°I am not lying.¡±

    ¡°His Majesty is very bad at jokes¡­ so you¡¯re lying, right?¡±

    ¡°I am not lying.¡±

    The words Jaldabaoth had repeated hit Neia hard enough to shatter her soul.

    The world seemed to shake under her feet.

    Neia instantly understood why the Sorcerer King had lost to Jaldabaoth. There was no need to even think about it.

    It was simply because this countrycked Blue Rose¡¯s Evileye and Darkness¡¯s Nabe, the two magic casters who could hold the maid demons at bay.

    No, there was another reason apart from that.

    ¡°If that undead had been in top condition, I might have been defeated instead. But to think he actually expended his mana for the sake of humans like you ¨D truly, he was a fool who did not know his priorities. For that, I thank you.¡±

    I knew it! I knew it, weakness truly is a sin!

    Neia was absolutely certain that she was correct.

    ¡°For that I shall reward you. The reward shall be your lives.¡±

    ¡°...What do you mean?¡±

    Jaldabaoth snorted in delight at the question from an unknown source.

    ¡°I¡¯m saying that I will spare you. At least, for now.¡±

    Someone sighed in relief, but Neia was furious.

    ¡°Bullshit! Bullshit! Bullshit! It¡¯s all a pack of lies! Everything you say is a lie! Who would believe what a devil says!?¡±

    ¡°It seems you are unable to ept reality. Are you mad, human? Pitiful.¡± Jaldabaoth pointed to Neia. ¡°Disapp¡­ I see,¡± and then he immediately withdrew the finger.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Jaldabaoth!¡±

    ¡°You intend to provoke me and thus prove I am lying? ...Is losing your life worth that much? I cannot understand it, but it seems to be the case.¡±

    Neia¡¯s teeth creaked as she clenched them.

    Jaldabaoth had to be lying.

    He had to be a liar, the kind who would tell a ridiculous lie like the Sorcerer King was dead.

    ¡°I will not allow it. Your lives have been saved. Now then, I will return for now. I must recover from these wounds. During that time, you may weep your tears of despair.¡±

    As Jaldabaoth was about to take off with a p of his wings, Neia¡¯s hands moved with a mind of their own.

    She readied her bow ¨D and let loose a shot.

    She had fired from directly behind him, without giving any warning of her intentions.

    However, Jaldabaoth immediately turned and seized the arrow. Despite his terrible wounds, he was still very agile.

    Jaldabaoth turned to face Neia, and then his eyes went to Neia¡¯s bow, the Ultimate Shootingstar Super. After that, his wrath-twisted feature changed slightly.

    ¡°Ohh!? Ah! What an incredible weapon this is! I haven¡¯t seen a weapon like this in so long! That was close, it almost finished me off!¡±

    Jaldabaoth gesticted wildly with his limbs as he said that. He seemedposed, but also quite anxious.

    ¡°What kind of weapon is this!? How was it made?¡±

    ¡°As if I¡¯d tell you!¡±

    What on earth is he thinking?Neia¡¯s mind boiled over with scorching hate.

    How could she tell this liar what she had learned from the Sorcerer King?

    ¡°How could I tell a liar like you!?¡±

    ¡°Muu, ah, don¡¯t, don¡¯t tell me, was it made by runecraft?¡±

    Naia¡¯s heart lurched for a moment as he hit the nail on the head. Although she had managed to calm down a little, as her broken heart recalled thepassionate figure of the Sorcerer King once more, her anger reawakened.

    ¡°You¡¯re wrong!¡±

    Neia screamed like she cared for nothing else, and Jaldabaoth groaned. Taking that as an opening, Neia fired again.

    Her next target was his feet, which were hard for the hands to reach.

    This time, Jaldabaoth frantically moved his feet to avoid the arrow.

    He¡¯s wary of it! Maybe this bow could¨D!

    There could only be one reason why Jaldabaoth had so desperately evaded her shot when he had been indifferent to being stabbed in the back by the holy sword. What else could it be, if not that this bow could harm him?

    A wave of regret assaulted Neia as her eyes filled with tears.

    She realized that she should have joined that battle, even if she would have perished swiftly. If she could have hit him with the Ultimate Shootingstar Super, then she should have taken part, even if it was just to be a shield. If she had, then maybe¨D

    Neiaunched another arrow.

    Jaldabaoth moved his head. The arrow missed and flew off to parts unknown.

    ¡°Hit, damn you!¡±

    She fired again.

    And again.

    But none of her shots found their mark. Despite his size and his severe wounds, Jaldabaoth had still evaded Neia¡¯s attacks with startling ease.

    ¡°Rune¨D¡±

    ¡°¨DShut up!¡±

    Neia fired another arrow to shut Jaldabaoth up.

    However, it too missed.

    Why? Why isn¡¯t anyone attacking?

    She could understand their inability to strike Jaldabaoth because he was airborne. However, even so, how could they simply let the lying demon who had killed the most merciful Sorcerer King go free?

    ¡°..Muu. Well, eh, I guess it can¡¯t be helped¡­ no? ¡¸Greater Teleportation¡¹.¡±

    Jaldabaoth suddenly vanished.

    ¡°Get back here!!!¡±

    Neia looked around.

    All she saw were the wide-eyed faces of people who were shocked by what Neia had done. Jaldabaoth was nowhere in sight.

    ¡°Motherfucker! He ran away!¡±

    ¡°Calm down!¡± Remedios shouted.

    The angry cry of a mighty being could exert a pressure of its own, and normally it would have brought Neia back to her senses or even made her freeze up. However, it did little more than annoy Neia right now.

    ¡°How can I calm down!?¡±

    ¡°Squire Neia Baraja! Did you borrow that weapon from the Sorcerer King? Why was he so interested in it?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me irrelevant questions like that! More importantly, we need to find His Majesty! I saw him fall to the east! We need to send out a rescue party!¡±

    ¡°Surely he must be dead.¡±

    ¡°How could he be dead!? How could His Majesty die!?¡±

    Neia instinctively grabbed Remedios, but Remedios easily swept her aside and Neia fell to the ground.

    ¡°Have you cooled off yet? Nobody could survive a fall from that height.¡±

    ¡°Cooled off? You actually believe that demon¡¯s words? Captain, did you sell your soul to him!?¡±

    Remedios¡¯s expression changed, and then it seized up.

    ¡°Squire! Damn you, there are things you can and can¡¯t say!¡±

    She grabbed Neia¡¯s cor with tremendous force, and Neia found it hard to breathe.

    ¡°You two! Calm down! Calm down right now!¡±

    The pdins, priests, soldiers, and such hurriedly made their way between Neia and Remedios, and pulled them apart.

    Neia panted with all her might as she shouted:

    ¡°We need to send out a team to rescue His Majesty!¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t waste our resources on that!¡±

    ¡°How dare you call it a waste!¡±

    Neia wanted to go up and punch Remedios, but the people between them stopped her.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got nothing to say to you!¡± Having cooled down a little, Neia addressed the people holding her.

    ¡°Could you let go of me? There¡¯s something I have to do.¡±

    ¡°Where are you going !?¡±

    In response to that question, Neia looked at Remedios with an utterly incredulous expression on her face.

    ¡°What kind of eyes are those!? Is that how a squire should look at a pdin!?¡±

    Hmph,Neia snorted.

    ¡°First, I will be asking His Highness the Prince to organize a rescue party for the Sorcerer King. After that, I will go straight to the Sorcerous Kingdom and tell them exactly what happened to His Majesty, and then I will ask for aid for His Majesty.¡±

    Given the circumstances, nothing good woulde of going to the Sorcerous Kingdom. Even so, she was still the Sorcerer King¡¯s squire, and she had toplete her duty.

    Neia was unsure if she could safely reach the Sorcerous Kingdom from here, but she had to go, even if it meant her death.

    ¡°Ohhh, if you¡¯re going to the Sorcerous Kingdom, let me go with you, Baraja-san!¡±

    The person who spoke was a middle-aged ex-soldier, who had retired and be a hunter. He had beenuded for his archery and had joined Neia¡¯s unit.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, I¡¯m old enough as it is. I don¡¯t have much longer left.¡±

    ¡°Baldem-san!¡±

    From his tone, she knew that he understood what sort of fate awaited him even if they reached the Sorcerous Kingdom safely.

    ¡°Hey, Neia-chan. Don¡¯t forget me!¡±

    ¡°You too, Codina-san!?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go too, lil¡¯ miss. Not for you, but if it¡¯s for the Sorcerer King then it can¡¯t be helped.¡±

    ¡°Even you, Mena-san?¡±

    All the skilled people in Neia¡¯s unit stepped forward, one after the other. With their help, it might be possible for them to reach the Sorcerous Kingdom safely. However¨D

    ¡°Thank you very much. But everyone, could you join the rescue party?¡±

    ¡°What are you saying? You were all gathered to rescue the Holy Kingdom and the suffering people from the clutches of that demon, weren¡¯t you? Where are your priorities!?¡±

    ¡°What are yousaying, Captain!? Could anything be more important than rescuing His Majesty!?¡±

    ¡°Of course! Right now, at this very moment, how many people of the Holy Kingdom do you think there are living in the hell the demihumans made for them!? Could anything be more important than rescuing them!?¡±

    ¡°Of course! That¡¯s¨D¡±

    ¡°¨DWhat on earth are you doing!? What¡¯s all this shouting for!?¡±

    The argument immediately stopped when the interloper showed up. It was Caspond.

    ¡°Captain Custodio, should you not have returned immediately? Where is His Majesty? What about Jaldabaoth? What happened? Could somebody please exin?¡±

    Caspond sounded like he waspletely lost, and his voice echoed loudly in the crushing silence.

    ***

    The meeting room was very cramped. It was filled with pdins, priests, nobles who had been prisoners until recently, and honorary pdins. That said, there were no better rooms for them, since Jaldabaoth had destroyed the one which Caspond had previously used.

    Caspond had called an emergency meeting after receiving a report from a pdin, and he had instructed all key personnel to gather in this room.

    After everyone had assembled, Caspond and Remedios entered with quick strides.

    Everyone bowed as the prince entered. Neia was one of them, because she held no grudges against Caspond.

    Caspond stood in front of everyone and began to speak.

    ¡°Thank you all foring here. I wish to discuss the course of action we will adopt in the future.¡±

    Although it was supposed to be a discussion, there was only one thing Neia had to do, and she was certain that it was the right thing to do. Just as Neia was about to speak, Caspond raised his hand to stop her.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone has concerns of their own, but I pray you will hear me out first.¡±

    Caspond slowly swept his gaze over everyone gathered here.

    ¡°I believe many people have witnessed the extent to which Jaldabaoth¡¯s strength exceeds our imagination¡­ yes. While I regret to say this, we must ept the fact that nobody in this country can triumph over him.¡±

    Several people frowned in silence, then peeked at Remedios, who had been hailed as the strongest in the Holy Kingdom. After learning that she agreed with Caspond¡¯s opinion, hints of fear and disappointment appeared on their faces.

    ¡°However, it is too early to give in to despair. If we cannot defeat him, then we will derail his ns in some other way and make him give up on trying to conquer the Holy Kingdom. We will not drive him out directly, but indirectly.¡± Caspond waited several seconds for his words to sink in, and then spoke his conclusion, ¡°What we will do is ughter all the demihumans he leads.¡±

    ¡°Why are we doing that?¡±

    Caspond saw someone asking a question and nodded to them.

    ¡°In the past, Jaldabaoth made trouble in the Kingdom. Back then, he fought a certain warrior in a duel, and then he lost and ran away. At that time, he led an army of demons, but not an army of demihumans. In other words, he came to lead the demihuman army after losing to that warrior.¡±

    Caspond looked around, as if to see if everyone understood.

    ¡°In other words, he is using the demihuman army as meat shields to avoid being forced into a one-on-one battle with that warrior. Didn¡¯t Jaldabaoth say something like that when he defeated His Majesty? Something about leading the demihuman army almost bing meaningless, or something.¡±

    It made sense.

    Back then, they did not understand it, but after hearing that exnation, it was hard to think of any other reason.

    ¡°In other words, the demihuman army is like armor and stamina for when he fights that warrior again. What will Jaldabaoth do if he loses the demihuman army? Will he remain stripped of his armor and stamina, when that warrior might appear in front of him again at any moment? Or perhaps ¨D would he choose to flee?¡±

    ¡°I see¡­ then do you intend to abandon this city, defeat the southern demihuman army, and then join forces with the South to drive out the demihumans?¡± a priest asked. He was answered by one of the rescued nobles.

    ¡°That would be good. Thanks to the Sorcerer King¡¯s power, almost 40,000 demihumans have been wiped out. The demihumans have lost a great deal of their fighting strength, no? The remainder ought to be staring down the South. If we rally all the people this city has rescued for an all-out attack and strike them from the back in a pincer attack, we ought to be able to rout the demihuman army. That way, we will be able to join up with the Southern forces and take back ournd.¡±

    ¡°¨DI propose the opposite. We will take back the closest major city in the west, which is the northern stronghold of Kalinsha.¡±

    ¡°Why is that, may I ask?¡±

    ¡°Exactly! All the major cities to the west such as Kalinsha, Prart, Rimun and the capital of Hoburns will be very hard to take. Many lives will be lost. Why don¡¯t we fight the southern demihumans instead? Would destroying the demihumans¡¯ fighting power not fit more with your ns, my Prince?¡±

    ¡°I see. All of your concerns are valid. I am grateful for the fact that many of the people present here are wise. However, is that an action which everyone can understand?¡±

    There were baffled looks on the faces of many of the people present.

    ¡°How about this? Going to the south implies that we will be abandoning ¨D though it is only temporary, we are still abandoning them ¨D all the imprisoned people that we will not rescue as a result. Can the masses ¨D can the people understand that?¡±

    ¡°That, that¡­ but that makes more sense, there¡¯ll be a higher chance of saving them, no?¡±¡°You¡¯re a baron, I believe?¡±

    Caspond turned to look at the middle-aged man who had asked the question.

    ¡°Y-Yes. I believe we met once, My Prince.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, just so. Now, have all the people of your domain been rescued?¡±

    ¡°Ah, no, not yet. I was imprisoned when I took the field beside Her Majesty, so I don¡¯t know about my domain¡­¡±

    ¡°I see. So when you join up with the Southern forces and take back the North, people might say you fled to the South.¡±

    The nobleman¡¯s face froze up.

    When one thought calmly about it, the nobleman was right. However, there was no guarantee that everyone ¨D especially those who were writhing in agony ¨D would be able to see the sense in what the nobleman had said. It was possible that there would be people who would say ¡°Why didn¡¯t you save us earlier, our families were ughtered by the demihumans,¡± and turn the des of their hatred on the nobles. Neia had seen such people before.

    However, nobody had said that in the prison camps which the Sorcerer King had liberated. Given his overwhelmingly potent magic ¨D which could sometimes wreck city walls in a single st ¨D and the fact that he was the king of another nation, nobody would dare take their anger out on him.

    ¡°Also, I had been intending to speak to thendholders one-on-one after this. In this case, we might as well do it now¡­ We are all exhausted. In contrast, what will the nobles of the South do? In particr, what will the other nobles do about nobles who have abandoned their fiefs?¡±

    The cloying stench of politics and power began to fill the air.

    While it sounded unbelievable to Neia, was this what the nobles wanted? They nodded repeatedly.

    ¡°My Prince. Our domains¡­¡±

    ¡°I want you to pretend that you did not hear whates next. That is because I cannot guarantee you anything. However, the Southern nobles will probably grow more powerful all of a sudden. That is why you must pick the best move to make, with an eye for what happens after the war.¡±

    ¡°A moment please!¡±

    One of the pdins called out to him.

    ¡°How can we shed more of the people¡¯s blood for courtly disputes!?¡±

    ¡°Indeed! Indeed!¡± The priest called Siliaco shouted in a voice which was said to have been trained for volume. ¡°What¡¯s important is how to save more people!¡±

    ¡°...Driving out the demihumans doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s all over, you know? If the South takes all the credit, then we¡¯ll have a hard time refusing the demands of the Southern nobles. And there¡¯s no guarantee that they won¡¯t impose heavy taxes on the exhausted people.¡±

    ¡°...Now that the Holy Queen is dead, it would be very bad if the next Holy King were to be chosen by the Southern nobles. However, if we can show concrete results with our strength, then at least¡­¡±

    There were two factions in the room now.

    They were the nobles¡¯ faction and the pdins and priests¡¯ faction.

    Both sides were at odds. Speaking of Remedios, the pdins were trying to spoonfeed her a simplified version of what the Prince had said.

    Neia was not part of either faction. She simply followed the flow of the conversation in silence. That was because Neia had already made up her mind about what she would be doing, so it did not matter what conclusion they reached in the end. Rather she wanted to bring up her own suggestion and set out as soon as possible.

    That said, talking about irrelevant things here will only ruin the mood, and people who might have helped me won¡¯te to my aid...

    After listening to numerous boring topics, she decided to toss the ball back to Caspond once both sides had worn themselves out with arguing.

    ¡°The My Prince brought up this topic. Perhaps we should let him finish speaking?¡±

    ¡°Ahh. Like I said earlier, I intend to take back Kalinsha. This is also militarily advantageous. In truth, this city is far too cramped, and much of it has already been destroyed. Living here is difficult, so I would like to have arger, more solid home base. In addition, by taking back a major city, we¡¯ll have an advantage when dealing with the Southern nobles. Also, Kalinsha was meant to stop enemy advances, so it ought to have ample stores of military supplies, assuming they haven¡¯t been moved out yet.¡±

    ¡°...I support the proposal to secure a better base.¡±

    ¡°Ahhh, I¡¯m a little uneasy about the sanitation of a city like this. Many people are shivering from the cold too.¡±

    However, they went on to say, ¡°We need to avoidrge numbers of deaths.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. That is why it is the best time to attack the enemy strongholds. After all, Jaldabaoth cannot take action now.¡± There was no telling how long Jaldabaoth¡¯s wounds would take to heal, but surely he would recover before the demihuman army waspletely defeated.

    In addition, it was very unlikely that he would show his face before making aplete recovery. After knowing of the existence of a powerful warrior like Momon, he would surely take the possibility of Momon showing up into consideration before doing anything. Therefore, if he acted, it would not happen before he was almostpletely recovered.

    That said, once Jaldabaoth took the field, it would not matter how much force the Holy Kingdom could muster. Therefore, they had to take the fortress now.

    So that was it.After listening to that agreeable exnation, Neia expressed her approval as well.

    ¡°¨DIn that case, it seems the only thing you are unhappy with is the number of people who must die for this. Can I take that to mean that you will give me your support if I can minimize the number of deaths?¡±

    Everyone present nodded, with the exception of Remedios. Neia did not mind either way, but after considering the flow of the conversation, she realized that it would be bad if only one person was not nodding, and so she nodded with everyone else.

    As for Remedios, several people looked at her face and saw that she did not seem to have any special reasons for what she did, so they chose to ignore her.

    ¡°It¡¯s decided then. We will discuss the details of retaking Kalinsha afterwards. Now then ¨D our next item.¡±

    Caspond sighed loudly and then turned to Neia.

    ¡°This concerns the death of the Sorcerer King.¡±

    ¡°My Prince, I sincerely apologize, but I hope you will amend that statement immediately. The Sorcerer King¡¯s death remains in question. That was simply what Jaldabaoth told us. It would be foolish to take a demon¡¯s words at face value.¡±

    Neia eyed Remedios and continued, ¡°I think it is more likely that he is trying to deceive us.¡±

    ¡°In that case, why has he note back? He can cast teleportation spells, can¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps he was immobilized by his wounds, perhaps he is out of mana. There could be any number of reasons for it.¡±

    Remedios did not ask any further.

    ¡°That¡¯s true. That¡¯s why I¡¯d like to hear from all of you. What do you think we should do?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no point in asking what we should do!¡± Neia shouted, forcing the words out like she was trying to strain them out through her teeth. ¡°...I think we should dispatch a rescue party and ry this news to the Sorcerous Kingdom at the same time. If possible, I would like to be the messenger.¡±

    ¡°I see. That¡¯s what you think, Squire Baraja. How about the others?¡±

    As Caspond looked over the gathered people, one of the nobles spoke up.

    ¡°I have a question. While the Sorcerer King was supposed to have gone down in the east, considering we will be mounting a rescue operation in demihuman-controlled territory, would it not be better to wait until we have some concrete intelligence before¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be toote by then,¡± Neia immediately shot back. ¡°The more we dy, the more His Majesty will be exposed to danger. I suggest we make our rescue as soon as possible.¡±

    The majority agreed with Neia¡¯s opinion. What she said made perfect sense.

    ¡°In that case, we ought to send out a search party at the same time as the envoys to the Sorcerous Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°...I have something I would like to confirm with you, since you have the role of His Majesty¡¯s squire. Do you think the Sorcerer King told the people of his country that he wasing to the Holy Kingdom?¡±

    Neia began to think.

    ¡°I apologize, but I am not sure. However, I feel it would not be strange for him to have told the people of the Sorcerous Kingdom, because there were times when he returned to his country with teleportation spells.¡±

    ¡°In that case, I feel we should not send an envoy to the Sorcerous Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°Why!?¡±

    Neia red at the noble who had done nothing but naysay. The noble retreated two steps and his face went pale under that re. The people around that noble also backed away from him.

    ¡°No, ah, please calm down and listen. That, uh, that is because it will bring trouble. Wait! Please calm down and listen to me. When you think about it normally, the possibility exists that the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s undead armies would take revenge on us, am I wrong? And revenge would be one thing; they might annex the Holy Kingdom as well. And¡­ ah, why is that? Who¡¯s to say the Sorcerer King was not aiming for that all along?¡±

    ¡°Excuse me!¡± Neia was so angry that she actually felt dizzy. ¡°In that case, permit me to ask a question of my own! If His Majesty returned to his country by teleportation, what will he think of the Holy Kingdom, who knew what happened but said nothing?¡±

    Everyone she could see nodded in agreement. Amidst all this, Remedios spoke.

    ¡°Well, it can¡¯t be helped then, can it? Our country doesn¡¯t have the luxury of doing that now. All we have to do is apologize after everything is over, right?¡±

    ¡°Even if you¨D¡±

    Neia was so worked up that she was about to shout, and then she heard the sound of pping from beside her. She looked over, and saw that it was Caspond. Since the Prince wanted to speak, all Neia could do was remain silent.

    ¡°Squire Baraja. Allow me to pick the people who will go to the Sorcerous Kingdom. How about that? After all, if we send over a mere squire as a messenger, won¡¯t the other country think we¡¯re making fun of them?¡±

    ¡°That, that is as you say¡­¡±

    His exnation made perfect sense. Under normal circumstances, they would surely pick a country¡¯s ambassador over a squire who had borrowed a magic bow from the Sorcerer King. However, would he really send out an envoy? She found that part hard to believe. Even so, it would be very bad to show that she did not trust the Prince¡¯s words.

    ¡°I am d that you understand.¡±

    ¡°In that case, please allow me to lead several people to the east.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. I would very much like to send you as well, but we still do not know where the Sorcerer King fell. He might be ten kilometers away or a hundred. If things go badly, he might have fallen into the Abelion Hills, which Jaldabaoth controls. Even if I allowed you to go to such a deste ce, would you have any means of finding the Sorcerer King?¡±

    Neia could not answer him.

    Finding where the demihumans lived in unfamiliar terrain was an impossible task. She could easily imagine the scouting team meeting with difficulties and being wiped out.

    ¡°Surviving in the hills, slipping past demihuman observation and gathering information,¡± Caspond counted off on his fingers. ¡°If you go there without preparing, you will simply be killing yourself indirectly, and what good is a rescue party that ends in failure?¡±

    ¡°Then, then do you have another way!?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    How could there be?As she thought about that question, it was easily answered. Neia¡¯s eyes went wide in surprise, and then Caspond adjusted himself before telling Neia the answer.

    ¡°All you need is to find someone who knows the hills.¡±

    Neia blinked, and Caspond smiled to her.

    ¡°Listen. All we need to do is to take a demihuman captive and have him lead the way. Would it not be safer to order a demihuman to act as your guide?¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    Indeed, that was the case. Humans would be taking an absurd risk entering thatnd. However, it would be a different matter if they had guides.

    However, there were also problems with it which could not be ignored.

    If they simply threatened a demihuman prisoner into showing them the way, then if the prisoner was willing to sacrifice himself to kill them all, the search party would be going to their deaths. The Orcs she had met earlier seemed like the type who did not care about whether they lived or died.

    They would need trustworthy demihumans, but where would they find those?

    What could she do to make a demihuman act as a reliable guide?

    Neia racked her brains, but when she thought of demihumans, she could only think of them trying to kill her, and she could not imagine them epting an offer to turn their coats.

    No, the Orcs and the Grand King Buser felt like humans ¨D I see, take their rtives hostage¡­ no, if we could take a king like Buser prisoner, his tribe would probably obey us.

    Or on the other hand, the angered tribe might put up stiff resistance. Besides, how would they capture a mighty demihuman king like Buser¨D

    As Neia wandered aimlessly in a mentalbyrinth, chasing an answer she could not find, the room¡¯s door swung open and a pdin barged in.

    He panted heavily and looked around the interior of the room, but he approached Caspond instead of Remedios.

    Perhaps he did not want others to hear what news he had. He brought the Prince to a corner of the room and whispered in his ear, but Neia¡¯s keen hearing picked up snippets of their exchange. Among them, thest piece of information piqued her interest.

    He had said ¡°maid demons.¡±

    ¡°Gentlemen, something urgent hase up, Unfortunately, the meeting will end here. I hope you will begin working on ways to take back Kalinsha. Also, Captain Custodio,e with me.¡±

    Volume 13 Chapter 5 Ainz Dies

    Part 1

    There were a total of four people in the room.

    There were two pdins, who hade straight here after the fighting and were thus still in bloodstained armor ¡ª Remedios Custodio and Gustav Montagnes. There was the person in charge of the surviving priests, a middle-aged man who could use third tier spells ¡ª Siliaco Naranho. And then there was Prince Caspond Bessarez.

    Two of them hade from the battlefield and one of them had been in charge of healing the wounded. As a result, Prince Caspond¡¯s room was filled with the stench of blood.

    Remedios had not removed her helmet even now. That was not proper etiquette for visiting a prince¡¯s chambers at all ¡ª one could even call it disrespectful ¡ª but Caspond did not seem bothered by it and he appeared very calm.

    At the same time, the atmosphere in the room was terrible, though not because of the preceding point. It was true that it reeked in here, but the reason was because the mood in the air was harsh. It was so weighty that it even seemed to dull the sunlight entering through the window.

    This was not how people who had beaten overwhelmingly unfavorable odds and emerged victorious ought to be.

    Caspond was the first person to speak in this weighty silence. Still, who else could speak first but him?

    ¡°Then tell me about our casualty situation.¡±

    ¡°Of the 6,000 militiamen we brought onto the battlefield, roughly 2,400 of them have been injured or killed.¡±

    ¡°...If I may add to the Vice Captain-dono¡¯s words, there were around 1,000 wounded. The priests tried to heal them, but we failed to reach about half of them in time and they died.

    ¡°...And then half of the pdins survived, and eight priests died.¡±

    Caspond closed his eyes and shook his head as he heard Gustav¡¯s words.

    ¡°Against a demihuman army like that¡­ while we can¡¯t say losses like these are a good thing, should we be grateful that those were all we took? Or should we be sad for the sheer number of casualties¡ª¡±

    ¡°Thetter.¡±

    Remedios¡¯s still, small voice interrupted Caspond.

    ¡°Thetter.¡±

    ¡°...Captain Custodio is right. We ought to be sad to have suffered such losses.¡±

    Gustav and Siliaco looked down as they heard Caspond¡¯s words.

    They knew that it was a miracle ¡ª albeit a man-made one ¡ª that the woefully outnumbered Holy Kingdom Liberation Army had so many survivors when they had taken on a 40,000-strong army of demihumans. However, they also understood that saying something like this would be disruptive and unproductive, so they had no choice but to do this instead.

    ¡°Was it the Sorcerer King who defeated the demihuman forces in their formation?¡±

    ¡°Yes. We¡¯re unsure about the details due to the ofck eyewitness reports during the chaos of defending the city walls, but there¡¯s talk of mysterious undead beings destroying the army.¡±

    ¡°I see. That matches up with what I heard from the Sorcerer KIng. So he used the undead he created to clean them up ¡ª wiped out a massive army like that, hm? In that case¡­ do you think the Sorcerer King can defeat Jaldabaoth?¡±

    Caspond shifted his gaze to Remedios, but she simply pursed her lips and remained silent. The highly vtile air around the Holy KIngdom¡¯s strongest pdin made her a figure of dread to the weak. Caspond turned away from her and toward Gustav, who immediately returned his gaze with a deeply apologetic look in his eyes and bowed his head.

    ¡°Hahh¡­ is it really alright to bet the entire KIngdom on him? Or rather ¡ª should we think of what to do if the Sorcerer King loses to Jaldabaoth? Does anyone have any ideas for the next best thing we can do if thates to pass?¡±

    He was answered by silence. Amidst all this, Remedios spoke up.

    ¡°In that case, how about calling Momon over?¡±

    The three people other than Remedios looked at each other with severe expressions on their faces.

    Remedios ¡ª who felt it was a good idea ¡ª frowned.

    ¡°What? Do you have any better ideas? It¡¯s more proper than that damn undead, no?¡±

    ¡°...Captain. We are now discussing what to do if the Sorcerer King dies. In such a situation, expecting to go to the Sorcerous Kingdom to get more help would be very risky.¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Siliaco said as he stroked his white moustache.

    ¡°A moment please, Vice Captain-dono. The Captain-dono¡¯s idea is risky, but not a bad move. How about lying about the Sorcerer King being captured by Jaldabaoth and getting Momon toe over?¡±

    ¡°Priest-dono, that would be too dangerous. Even if Momon defeated Jaldabaoth, discovery of the lie could trigger a war. Even if all goes well, the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s impression of our country will plunge to rock bottom. And if things go badly, Momon might very well be a second Jaldabaoth and lead the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s undead army into our nation.¡±

    ¡°Precisely, you two. And the worst thing is that the Sorcerous Kingdom will have a justified grievance against us.¡±

    Remedios tilted her head at Caspond¡¯s exnation.

    ¡°We¡¯re not adjacent to the Sorcerous Kingdom, so that¡¯s okay, right?¡±

    ¡°...Captain Custodio, please stop thinking of dangerous things. I don¡¯t want to adopt any policies that will endanger us¡­ that said, I don¡¯t have any good ideas. How about you two?¡±

    Siliaco and Gustav could not think of anything either.

    The room was plunged into a brief silence.

    Eventually, Caspond quietly spoke up.

    ¡°...For the time being, let¡¯s each go back and think about it on our own. There¡¯ll be no problems if the Sorcerer King can defeat Jaldabaoth.¡± Caspond pped his hands together. ¡°Then let¡¯s talk about something else. What about the rations that the demihumans brought? Can we eat them normally? And if we can consume them, how long can theyst?¡±

    Normally, they would belong to the Sorcerer King since he had defeated the demihuman army, but he had already said that he would hand them over free of charge.

    Gustav answered. He was in charge of sundry tasks like that.

    ¡°There seem to be a lot of hardened bread-like objects and vegetables that we should be able to eat. Thanks to the attack of the Sorcerer King¡¯s undead creatures, they were captured intact, so they are in very good condition. In addition, there are also some food items which need to be further investigated, such as sour-smelling vegetables and so on.¡±

    Preserved food was verymon in the Holy Kingdom. However, these were demihuman rations, so they might belong to a species which ate rotting food, which was why Gustav said they had to investigate further.

    ¡°There is only one problem. That would be the meat.¡±

    ¡°Which means?¡±

    Gustav¡¯s face was dark as he looked at Caspond.

    ¡°A portion of the meat looks like it came from humans. That conclusion came from looking at its shape and we¡¯re not certain about it. Maybe we could tell if we ate it, but I¡¯d rather not sample it, if you don¡¯t mind.¡±

    ¡°How much meat are we talking about here?¡±

    Siliaco had a disgusted look on his face.

    ¡°Many demihumans eat meat, so there was a lot of it. At a nce, it seems like half of the rations they brought were meat.¡±

    ¡°What!? Half of the rations for an army of 40,000 troops is meat?¡±

    Hypothetically, if a demihuman ate a kilogram of meat a day, that would make 40 tons. If they had enough for two weeks, that would be 560 tons. In that case ¡ª the Prince grabbed his face.

    ¡°...How much of that is human meat?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know. Checking each and every piece would take a lot of time, and if they aren¡¯t in their original shapes¡­¡±

    ¡°It would be a shame to pointlessly discard food when the future seems grim. I would like to separate the human meat from the other meat¡­ Priest Naranho, can your spells do anything on that front?¡±

    ¡°My apologies, Prince. We cannot do something like that. I feel my colleagues among the pdins should be the same way.¡±

    Caspond saw Gustav nod and sighed deeply.

    ¡°So magic can¡¯t do everything huh? How about having the captive demihumans eat it to find out?¡±

    ¡°We should let the dead rest in peace. If there¡¯s human meat, we ought to return it to the earth.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, Captain Custodio¡­ what do you think, Vice-Captain Montagnes?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I agree with the Captain. I feel that no matter what, we won¡¯t have enough time to investigate each and every barrel of meat. We ought to use our time and effort on other areas.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­ very well, I understand. So with regards to the demihuman meat, we¡¯ll dispose of everything that looks questionable. In that case how about the demihumans¡¯ arms and armor?¡±

    The Sorcerer King had also handed them over for free, but he had also said that that he would be expecting something in gratitude, so they would have to hand over the appropriate items if the time came.

    If they could defeat Jaldabaoth or take back the Royal Capital, Caspond nned to announce to the people that he would be handing the nation¡¯s riches over to the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    ¡°Firstly, recovering the equipment from the demihumans and burying the corpses will need time, therefore we won¡¯t even have time to check their quality¡­ Priest-dono, if any undead spring up here, will they be the Sorcerer King¡¯s minions?¡±

    Undead spawned easily in ces where many people died. A ce where more than 10,000 demihumans had died fit perfectly.

    Upon being addressed, a profoundly distressed look appeared on Siliaco¡¯s face.

    ¡°I do not know. I truly do not know. But anything could happen, so we ought to deal with the bodies and sanctify thend as soon as possible. I would like to rely on our strength alone for that, but we simply cannot manage that way, so I would like to get some help from the pdins.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, leave it to us. We¡¯re used to dealing with the undead, after all.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d expect no less from Captain Remedios, it puts my heart at ease¡­ If only the Holy Queen-sama or Krt-sama were here¡­¡±

    Everyone fell silent as Siliaco¡¯s words tapered off.

    After what seemed like a period of silent prayer, Caspond spoke.

    ¡°Ah, something on that point, Vice-Captain Montagnes. The Sorcerer King seems to want to take the magic items back to his nation, so he picked them out first. Of course, he¡¯ll return anything that belongs to the Holy Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°Understood. That said, while we have some knowledge of swords and armor, we¡¯ll have difficulty with other items. If anyone here has knowledge of magical items, I would like them to step up and help.¡±

    ¡°I could help when ites to items passed down through the royal family. As for religious items, though¡ª¡± Siliaco nodded as Caspond looked to him. ¡°¡ªIn that case, we¡¯ll go get helpers from among the civilians. Still, this was really unexpected. No, we should say it was more than we hoped for. We ought to thank the Sorcerer King¡¯s power for surpassing our expectations.¡±

    Nobody present voiced any objections. Amidst the silence, Caspond spoke again, like he was their representative.

    ¡°This city did not fall thanks to the Sorcerer King¡¯s power.¡±

    There was a very audible sound of teeth grinding, and Caspond looked worriedly at Gustav.

    ¡°After this, I will need to thank him on behalf of the Holy Kingdom. When the timees, I hope you will all be present¡­ in any event, being able to draw on the Sorcerer King¡¯s power and achieve victory is a joyous asion.¡±

    ¡°We did our best too. Don¡¯t forget that.¡±

    Remedios¡¯s words seemed to freeze the air in the room. No, it was two people who had frozen up; Gustav and Siliaco.

    Gustav¡¯s mouth opened and closed like a koi. He looked like he had no idea how to apologize for his superior¡¯s outburst.

    ¡°...Indeed. Captain Remedios, it is a fact that we would not have won this battle without the fierce resistance that you and the people put up.¡±

    Caspond saw Remedios nod, and then he continued speaking,

    ¡°However ¡ª it is also a fact that without the Sorcerer King¡¯s help, we would have lost, and it is just as true that he could have won by himself. Am I wrong?¡±

    Remedios savagely ripped off her helmet and flung it at the wall, making a loud bang.

    ¡°Your Highness! Did something happen!?¡±

    The door to the room flew open, and the pdins on guard outside rushed in.

    ¡°Nothing happened. Continue waiting outside.¡±

    The pdins¡¯ eyes went back and forth between Remedios¡¯s helmet and the look on her face, and they realized what had happened. After indicating that they understood, they quietly left the room.

    ¡°Captain Custodio, please do not get worked up. I ask you to be calm.¡±

    ¡°How can I be calm!? Almost everyone I¡¯ve met on the way here was praising him! It¡¯s as though he won the whole thing by himself! Didn¡¯t he only show up halfway? How many people died before he won!? That was a victory paid for by the lives of the people, the pdins, the priests, men, women, elderly, and children!¡±

    Remedios red at Caspond.

    ¡°It¡¯s not true that he won by himself!¡±

    ¡°Captain!¡±

    Gustav could no longer hide his fear at the way Remedios was acting in front of the prince. Remedios had never been one for thinking, but at the very least she was smart enough to know who was her superior. However, things were different now ¡ª she seemed like a pain-maddened beast.

    ¡°That bony bastard was flying around in the sky when it was all over to show himself off! Is war a game to him!?¡±

    ¡°...Captain Custodio, it seems witnessing the deaths of so many of the smallfolk has upset you. Would you like to take a rest?¡±

    In response to Caspond¡¯s mature answer, Gustav shot the man a grateful look.

    ¡°Before that, there¡¯s one thing I¡¯ve been thinking of. I¡¯m sure Jaldabaoth and the Sorcerer King are in league with each other.¡±

    The three people other than Remedios looked at each other.

    ¡°Do you have a single fact to back that up, Captain-dono?¡±

    Siliaco looked coolly at Remedios. If one looked calmly at what she had done until now, she was clearly saying that because she hated the Sorcerer King and wanted to bring him down. Now was not the time to let one¡¯s personal preferences dictate one¡¯s decisions.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t he the only one gaining from this? Both the demihumans and the people of the Holy Kingdom are dead. He ¡ª the Sorcerous Kingdom is wearing away at our fighting strength in order to someday take control of the nation and the hills! That¡¯s why he came here!¡±

    ¡°...I see. That certainly makes sense from the perspective of profit. What do the two of you think?¡±

    Gustav furrowed his brows as he answered Caspond¡¯s question.

    ¡°The Sorcerer King came here because we asked him. Also, was it not the Captain¡¯s suggestion to have the two of them fight?¡±

    ¡°...Indeed it was. That masked bitch in Blue Rose is also one of them. If not for what she said, we would never have gone to the Sorcerous Kingdom. If not for that suggestion, we would have gone to the Empire or the Theocracy. And who knows, he might havee anyway even if we didn¡¯t say anything.¡±

    Haaaaah,Caspond sighed deeply.

    ¡°Captain Custodio, your logic has been nothing but self-serving from the start. You¡¯re simply twisting the facts to match what you¡¯re saying. I recall the Sorcerer King saying he wanted the maid demons, am I wrong?¡±

    ¡°...Please forgive me for saying these things which are unbing of a priest. I hear that those maid demons are quite powerful. In that case, I can understand why the Sorcerer King would like to obtain them. Demons do not need to eat or drink and they do not have a maximum lifespan. Being able to dominate such powerful demons might be better than gaining an army.¡±

    ¡°In that case, it would mean the Sorcerer King is aiding our nation because he felt there was sufficient value in it. It is onlymon sense for a king who rules a nation.¡±

    ¡°Still, nobody¡¯s seen those maid demons before, right!?¡±

    As Remedios screamed while in the grip of her emotions, Caspond looked at her like she was a pitiful, sad child.

    ¡°Captain Custodio. I would like to have a reasoned conversation with you, and not an emotional one¡­ but it seems you are tired. Go and rest. That is an order.¡±

    The red-faced Remedios still looked like she wanted to shriek something else, but Caspond was a step ahead of her and continued speaking.

    ¡°Go visit the wounded men. That¡¯s part of your duties as a fieldmander, am I wrong?¡±

    ¡°...I understand.¡±

    Remedios picked up her helmet and left the room.

    There was no way to describe how the air in the room rxed after that. It felt like the sense of fatigue one would have after a storm had passed and all the pieces had been picked up, mixed with a sense of relief at the fact that one had managed to survive.

    However, one man was not finished yet.

    ¡°Your Highness! I sincerely apologize for Captain Custodio¡¯s actions!¡±

    Caspond smiled bitterly to Gustav as thetter bowed his head.

    ¡°It must have been really hard on you too. However, could you think about the future too? I honestly have no idea what¡¯s going to be of this country after this war is over. If only we could find my sister, the Holy Queen¡­ what happened to the Holy Queen during the battle of Kalinsha? Did you hear anything from Captain Custodio?¡±

    Gustav was Remedios¡¯s personal assistant. Therefore, he would have been present when Remedios told Caspond about it.

    The fact that he knew but was asking again proved one thing ¡ª the prince suspected that Remedios might have been lying to him.

    ¡°...My Prince, I heard the same thing from Captain Custodio that she told Your Highness when we met for the first time.¡±

    She had been sent flying by a shockwave and when she came to, the Holy Queen and her sister ¡ª Krt Custodio ¡ª were nowhere to be seen. Although there were corpses of pdins and adventurers and priests everywhere, the bodies of those two were nowhere to be found.

    ¡°Is that so? Maybe I was worrying too much¡­ Captain Custodio does not seem like one of those people who say one thing and mean another. It would be better if they were captured by him. If they were killed¡­ the matter of the session would be veryplicated.¡±

    Startled, Siliaco asked him a question.

    ¡°Caspond-sama, are you tired of the position of Holy King?¡±

    ¡°Are you ttering me? In truth that might be the case if my sister had perished of an ident under normal circumstances. However, things are different now. The North is tired and the South still has the ability to fight. In that case, it¡¯s very likely that the South might support someone else to be Holy King. Frankly speaking, it¡¯s very likely that one of the great nobles from the South might end up as Holy King.¡±

    ¡°What!?¡±

    Caspond smiled as he looked at Siliaco¡¯s shocked face.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that shoulde as such a surprise¡­ in that case, with regard to what Vice-Captain Montagnes said earlier, if things go well, the first thing the Southern nobles will do is request that Captain Custodio take responsibility for the whole affair and ce her under house arrest.¡±

    ¡°Why would they do that?¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask you, Vice-Captain Montagnes ¡ª why would they not do that? Is a pdin who failed to protect Her Majesty not the perfect outlet for their unhappiness? And of course, that¡¯s not the only reason either. She can beat an army single-handedly. In that case, surely defanging your enemy is a basic tactic in warfare, am I wrong?¡±

    ¡°The enemy!? Who¡¯s the enemy!?¡±

    ¡°The enemies of the Southern nobles. In other words, the Holy Queen¡¯s faction. Remedios Custodio was a confidant of the Holy Queen. Surely the pdins she leads would also be seen as the enemy, am I wrong?¡±

    ¡°In that case, what about the priests that Krt Custodio-sama led?¡±

    ¡°While there are priests who climbed the ranks thanks to their connections with the Southern nobles¡­ don¡¯t you think that would be the case too? Priestly magic is indispensable in everyday life. While I feel that anyone knows how stupid it is to put someone ipetent in high office, people sometimes do things that can only be described as foolish by others.¡±

    ¡°My Prince¡­ what should we do?¡±

    ¡°Vice-Captain Montagnes, what do you mean by that? Do you want to keep her from being ced under house arrest? Or do you want to keep the pdins from getting involved?¡±

    ¡°I want a better future for the Holy Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°...We need to find my sister. Then, we need an achievement that all the people will ept as having saved the nation. For instance, by driving out the enemy without having to draw on the strength of the South.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible¡­ we can¡¯t possibly win without the Sorcerer King¡¯s power.¡±

    Caspond looked at Gustav, who wasining unconsciously, and shrugged.

    ¡°Still, that hasto be done. Otherwise there won¡¯t be any way to stop the pressure from the South after we win. Hm, yes, or we could damage the South as badly as the North. All that matters is that the bnce of power is preserved in the end.¡± Caspond looked up at the ceiling. ¡°If only we¡¯d made a deal with the South sooner. She was too kind for her own good. And I understand how all this might have struck a nerve with Captain Custodio. After all, the only one who looked good in this battle was the Sorcerer King. If things go badly, the Sorcerer King might end up bing the Holy King as well, am I wrong?¡±

    The other two felt it was impossible, but neither of them could deny it.

    ¡°In that case, we need to start thinking about our ns from now on. While I would like Captain Custodio to be here, will she disobey a direct order?¡±

    ¡°...I feel it would be fine as long as it¡¯s in keeping with this country¡¯s justice.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­ I¡¯ve been thinking about how to attack the prison camps. The reason for that is¡ª¡±

    Caspond began to exin.

    Roughly 100,000 demihumans had attacked the nation.

    Since they had not heard of any movements from the demihumans squaring off against the forces of the Southern Holy Kingdom, they estimated that the 40,000 demihumans that had attacked them this time round were arge portion of the forces assigned to manage the prison camps in the North.

    ¡°I agree with your opinion. By attacking the undermanned prison camps, we can both destroy them piecemeal and increase our own forces at the same time. I feel it will kill two birds with one stone.¡±

    ¡°Captain Montagnes, I am d to hear you approve. How about yourself, Priest Naranho?¡±

    Siliaco also agreed with Caspond¡¯s suggestion.

    ¡°The Sorcerer King is in this city. Since he can keep us safe, I would like the pdins to attack the prison camps¡­ can you do that? Also, one more thing. I would like Captain Remedios to stay here while you areunching the attack. Make her think that she¡¯s in charge of bodyguarding me.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much, my Prince!¡±

    ¡°...I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve said anything you need to thank me for, Vice-Captain Montagnes,¡± Caspond said as the smile faded from his face. ¡°...The absence of the country¡¯s strongest pdin means that if there¡¯s someone like the Grand King at the prison camp you¡¯re attacking, you might all be wiped out, am I wrong?¡±

    ¡°Can we decide which camp to attack?¡±

    ¡°But of course. I¡¯ll leave it to you. There¡¯s no need to force yourself to attack arge camp that¡¯s more dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Understood. In that case, I feel only we should go.¡±

    ¡°Captain Montagnes, may several of our battle-capable priests go with you?¡±

    ¡°Certainly. Then we¡¯ll set out in a couple of days¡¯ time.¡±

    ***

    Ainz used ¡¸Greater Teleportation¡¹ to reach his destination, which was in front of the log cabin on the surface of Nazarick. Albedo, Demiurge, and Lupusregina were all standing there already, although he did not know how long they had been waiting.

    Albedo and Demiurge had been summoned by Ainz, while Lupusregina must have been the one on duty in the cabin.

    Since Lupusregina was in charge of all matters concerning Carne Vige, she should have been excused from the log cabin¡¯s duty roster, but that was not set in stone.

    Perhaps someone else was on duty, but they had not been able to make it, so Lupusregina had rushed over instead. That would be wonderful it it were the case. After all, that would imply that even if there was ack of manpower for a shift afterpleting a mission, there was a system to immediately swap someone else in to make up the shortfall.

    Still, hang on.

    While the Pleiades each hadpletely different job abilities, their maid skills were all equal. It only made sense that they could substitute for each other in a professional capacity.

    However, in contrast to that, there were also personnel who were hard to rece. Starting with the Floor Guardians and the Guardian Overseer, there were some NPCs with highly specialized abilities who might need someone to take over them for one reason or another. This was especially true because Ainz had been working hard towards establishing a vacation system.

    After all, letting Pandora¡¯s Actor substitute for all of them is also dangerous.

    To take an extreme case, what if Ainz himself was not around? For instance, if he were imprisoned, or if he were charmed, or something else. While he did not think that everything would break down without him there to make decisions, he had the feeling that Albedo and Demiurge would both say, ¡°Ainz-sama would never let that happen to himself,¡± and thus not n for unforeseen circumstances.

    I need to seriously assess the need for this, and quickly.

    In a grave tone, Ainz bade the three people bowing to him to raise their heads.

    ¡°It has been a while, Demiurge.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    In truth, Ainz agonized over the Holy Kingdom¡¯s affairs every day, and he also thought about Demiurge every day, so it did not actually feel that way. However, it had been quite a long time since they hadst met in person.

    ¡°Now then, you probably have questions about why I acted as I did. While I would like to answer you, speaking in this ce is not quite appropriate. Let us go somewhere else.¡±

    Ainz was the first to enter the log cabin.

    He could havee here straight away because there was a Gate Mirror set up, but he did not use it today.

    There was a table in the center of the room, and there were two chairs facing each other on either side of it. Ainz took the seat of honor with familiarity and without hesitation. He had already experienced the problems which came of not doing so many times already. While he had once needed to ponder which was the top seat before sitting down, he had now reached the point where he could unconsciously take the seat of honor

    As he approached the chair, Lupusregina immediately pulled it out for him.

    In truth, he was of the opinion that he ought to pull his chair out himself. However, his observations of Jiiv had made him understand that it was very important for a ruler to let his subordinates do work. Still, letting them handle even trivial tasks like this gave Ainz themoner a bit of difficulty.

    After Ainz sat down, Albedo and Demiurge did not take a seat, but instead knelt on the floor. Behind them, Lupusregina went to her knees as well.

    ¡°¡ªI permit the two of you to sit down.¡±

    The two Guardians politely refused in unison. Ainz once again granted his permission to the two Guardians, whereupon they finally sat opposite Ainz after a great deal of thanks and gratitude. Lupusregina, on the other hand, stood stock still behind the two of them.

    This takes so long and it¡¯s a waste of time. Couldn¡¯t it be simpler like¡­ ugh.

    ¡°Then let us continue our previous topic. While I said there was nobody who needed to be saved, I rescued the people of the Holy Kingdom nheless. I am sure you have your questions about that, do you not?¡±

    ¡°No, not at all.¡±

    ¡ªEr? W-Why?

    Demiurge shook his head gently, unable to resist the urge to sigh in admiration.

    ¡°Everything you do is correct, Ainz-sama. I feel that the reason why you did so was because you saw that it held merits which I could not imagine.¡±

    ¡°That is correct. If you feel it needs to be done, then it must be correct, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡ªEh?

    Albedo¡¯s words froze Ainz¡¯s facial expressions solid. But of course, Ainz had no facial expressions to speak of.

    The way the two Guardians ¡ª who were also the most knowledgeable Guardians in Nazarick ¡ª nodded in unison before him filled him with various vors of terror and anxiety.

    ¡°Wait, wait. Indeed¡­ yes, it is true.¡± Ainz began to panic. The conversation had travelled a path that was slightly different from what he had foreseen, and so he had be confused and could not clearly think of what he wanted to say. However¡ª ¡°¡ªIndeed, under normal circumstances I would have acted as you had imagined.¡±

    Huh?Ainz was slightly confused. He struggled to piece some words together and threw them out as appropriate. Even so, the two of them continued nodding vigorously, and Ainz found that a little odd. He continued speaking, desperately hoping for ast second save.

    ¡°However, yes, however. This time was slightly different. I did not do this because I was nning something.¡± Having found a way to amend his words, Ainz delightedly continued, ¡°This time round, I was deliberately introducing a w into the n.¡±

    ¡°What would be the reason for that, Ainz-sama?¡±

    Ainz slowly leaned on the back of the chair with a Hm.Then he adopted a well-practiced posture, a grand one that was befitting of a ruler, which a master ought to have, and then spoke.

    ¡°Demiurge. Albedo. The two of you are more intelligent than me.¡±

    ¡°That¡ª¡±

    Ainz held up his hand to stop the two of them from speaking.

    ¡°I am just saying that this is how I feel. In that case, what would happen if something unexpected urred during parts of the event described in your n? If everything proceeded as you outlined, then everything would have been perfect and ended in excellent form.¡±

    That said, your n was really over the top,Ainz grumbled in his heart. I felt I was sure to fail given how you threw everything in your operation outline at me.

    ¡°Therefore, a question suddenly came to mind, Demiurge. A perfect tactical mind cannot only function when everything is going on course; it must also be able to work when the situation changes dramatically or when it diverges from your expectations. That is to say, I wanted to know if your adaptability was also asudable.¡±

    ¡°I see, so that¡¯s it!¡±

    Eh¡ª!? He already got it!? And he sounds like he understands it all too!

    Ainz resisted the urge to make a jab about Demiurge¡¯s preternatural processing speed, something along the lines of, You¡¯re already so smart, why do you think I¡¯m smarter? Are you bullying me!?

    ¡°As expected of, ah¡­ you¡¯re as impressive as I expected, Demiurge.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Still, I, ah, apologize, though it feels like I was testing you¡­¡±

    ¡°Certainly not, Ainz-sama. To me, the fact that you would wish to assess my abilities is an honor that knows no equal. I will assuredly return results that match your expectations, Ainz-sama!¡±

    ¡°Umu. I¡¯ll leave that to you, Demiurge. In that case, during the course of our activities in the Holy Kingdom, I will cause problems as needed and you will amend the n in response. Will that be alright?¡±

    ¡°Yes! I understand!¡±

    All right¡ª!Ainz rejoiced within his heart. He was so happy that the emotion was suppressed.

    Even so, excitement still remained inside him.

    Good, good, good. This way, even if I screw up, I can say that I was doing it on purpose! No, of course, I need to try not to screw up in the first ce. If I¡¯d known, I should have said this from the start.

    While he did not have the bad habit of gloating when a subordinate¡¯s n went awry, it was possible that he might identally do something to make them worry. In this way, they would not have to guess if he had some intention in mind, but instead move on to revising the n as needed. Ainz felt the sense of bliss which came with taking a heavy weight off his shoulders.

    ¡°...Your servant understands your concerns, Ainz-sama. So does that mean that you will be simultaneously assessing the abilities of each Floor and Area Guardian as well?¡±

    As he heard Albedo¡¯s question, Ainz was briefly puzzled for a moment and thought, What¡¯s she saying?However¡ª

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to do so right now. I am doing so for Demiurge because he must work outside Nazarick for extended periods. As for the others, I will test them when it bes necessary.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡±

    ¡°Umu. Now, for the next topic¡­ the initial n was to take those people of the Holy King who were enthralled with me and proceed to the eastern part of the Holy Kingdom, to the Abelion Hills where the demihumans lived. However, I am going to amend this part of the n. I will go there first. From there, spread the news of my death.¡±

    It felt like time had stopped for a moment. And then¡ª

    ¡°¡ªEh? What are you saying, Ainz-sama!? How could we announce the death of the Supreme One, Ainz-sama!?¡±

    That protest came from Albedo. This might have been the first time he had seen Albedo¡¯s expression crumble in this way. At least, that was how the look on her face made him feel. But before Ainz could exin his true intentions to Albedo, it was Demiurge¡¯s turn to speak up.

    ¡°Albedo. Since Ainz-sama has stated this, he must have some wonderful aim in mind. Do you not think rejecting it on an emotional basis is inappropriate?¡±

    ¡°Demiurge. I question where your calmes from. Would you react in this way if Ulbert in Odle ¡­-sama were to say the same thing? Or¡­?¡±

    ¡°Fufu¡­ Albedo. Could you tell me what you mean by that? Or do you mean that you have something to say to me afterwards?¡±

    The two Guardians red at each other, one with a freezing-cold gaze, the other with boiling-hot eyes, and a strange atmosphere began to brew between the two of them. This choking sensation was much like what had happened when Ainz had been fighting Shalltear. Perhaps it was due to fear or tension, but even Lupusregina was starting to pant heavily.

    ¡°¡ªEnough!¡±

    The dangerous mood in the air instantly vanished as Ainz shouted. The sudden change made Ainz wonder if he had been mistaken about what had happened just now. However, Lupusregina¡¯sbored breathing proved that it had not been an illusion.

    ¡°Calm down, both of you. This is the reason why I must fake my death. There are activities called disaster drills. We must mentally prepare ourselves and n ahead of time in case of an emergency. In that case, what would you do if I died? I¡¯ll start with you, Albedo. Tell me what you have in mind.¡±

    ¡°Yes! I would immediately subject the person who dared disrespect you to all the suffering in this world, and resurrect you, Ainz-sama!¡±

    ¡°I see. Your turn, Demiurge.¡±

    ¡°Yes! While preparing for your resurrection, I would strengthen Nazarick¡¯s defenses and then obtain information on the person who offended you.¡±

    Albedo red at Demiurge out of the corner of her eye.

    ¡°Merely gathering information on them is too lenient. Regardless of who dares offend the Supreme One, they must be captured with all the strength Nazarick can bring to bear and then tormented to the point where their ego breaks down.¡±

    ¡°Albedo, I feel what you say is very sensible. However, the enemy is someone who can kill Ainz-sama. Thus, we cannot be careless. Learning the enemy¡¯s movements and strengths is vital. If the enemy is stronger than we can imagine, then the ce in which we resurrect Ainz-sama will be very important.¡±

    Before Albedo¡¯s expression could turn even more grim, Ainz rapped his staff on the floorboards. The hard impact was like sshing a bucket of ice water on the two of them, and their faces immediately regained their calm.

    ¡°I did not specify that I was killed by someone. If things go badly¡­ it is not impossible that I might end up dying naturally from some unforeseen circumstances.¡±

    In truth, he could not think of any natural cause from which he could die, which was why he was using such vague terms.

    ¡°However, it would seem that even the two people that I consider the most intelligent of all have differing opinions. That distresses me. That is why we must undertake this training, so that there will be no problems if this imagined scenarioes to pass.¡±

    The two of them bowed their heads.

    ¡°Of course, I am not the only one who could suffer that fate. Demiurge, as Nazarick¡¯s defensivemander during a time of attack, if an unexpected situation urs and you are struck down, could Nazarick continue functioning normally?¡±

    ¡°Yes! I have made thorough preparations in that respect. I recall submitting a report on that to you in the past, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Eh, did I receive something like that?Ainz decided that it would be better to trust Demiurge¡¯s memory than his own.

    ¡°Umu. Still, that is only on paper, is it not? The reason I am asking is because I would like to know if you have tested to see if it truly works out.¡±

    ¡°I sincerely apologize! I have not done so!¡±

    Demiurge bowed his head, his face a mask of deepest regret as his voice trembled.

    ¡°My, my deepest apologies, Ainz-sama! Signing off on the document without making that suggestion was foolishness on my part!¡±

    Albedo had the same look on her face as Demiurge as she bowed her head.

    Ainz was filled with a tremendous sense of guilt. Whose fault was it? The answer was that it was his own. If he had been more reliable, the two of them would not need to apologize like this. Was he not a scummy boss?

    ¡°¡ªThere is no need for you two to apologize. It was my fault for not properly exining matters to you. I was the one who should have noticed that no test had urred. The mistake is mine.¡± Ainz bowed his head until his forehead touched the desk. ¡°All this was due to my unworthiness, and I seek everyone¡¯s forgiveness.¡±

    ¡°What!? Ainz-sama!¡±

    ¡°Please, please do not do that!¡±

    The two of them hurriedly tried to stop Ainz. However, Ainz did not raise his head. He was too ashamed to show them his face, because he knew that he was so shallow that he could not evene clean when apologizing.

    ¡°Lu-Lupusregina! Hurry and raise Ainz¡¯s head!¡±

    ¡°Eh! Me? Please, please forgive me, I can¡¯t possibly raise Ainz-sama¡¯s head by force!¡±

    ¡°Please, please raise your head!¡± they all said in unison.

    It was only after the three of them ¡ª Demiurge in particr ¡ª started looking especially flustered that Ainz hurriedly looked up. After that, he heard sighs of relief from the three of them.

    ¡°...I am grateful that you have epted my apology. Now then, when I reach the Abelion Hills, we will use my death as the basis for an exercise. Yes. Since this is a rare opportunity, why don¡¯t we conduct other exercises as well? For instance, if Demiurge and I were killed off by someone, that sort of thing¡­¡±

    At this point, Ainz began to feel uneasy about his own suggestions.

    ¡°That said, even I have not fully nned out the details when ites to this training. Therefore, if you havee up with a better n, go ahead and carry it out. Ahh, no need to ask my permission. After all, this is an exercise founded on the premise that I am dead.¡±

    The two of them smiled bitterly.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, having to consider you dead from the start of the exercise¡¯s nning phase is a little¡­¡±

    ¡°It is as Demiurge says, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Hahahaha, theughter of three people rang through the cabin.

    Two of them wereughing from the heart, but one was merely pretending.

    ¡°Still, you don¡¯t need to take it too seriously, you know? After all, the objective of this exercise is not to spread ill-will throughout Nazarick, like what happened with the two of you just now. However, I would like to conduct various kinds of training and umte knowledge in that field, so that every Guardian can be interchangeable ¡ª well, I know what I¡¯ve said is pointless given your respective intellects. Do what you feel needs to be done, to whatever extent you deem fit. Can I leave that to you?¡±

    Now that he thought about it, Suzuki Satoru had never been the type of person who had seriously carried out disaster drills, so was it really convincing when someone like that told others to do their best? That was why he could not forget to tell them to take it easy.

    After seeing the two of them bow deeply to him, Ainz said, ¡°Now then, while this is a different matter¡ª¡±

    Let¡¯s go, me!

    The reason why he had drawn up all these flowcharts and simted ways of talking down the two Guardians was for this aim.

    ¡°¡ªYou are to freeze all progress on the giant statue of me that is currently in nning.¡±

    ¡°I understand. We will do as you direct.¡±

    Albedo¡¯s single sentence seemed to put an end to the entire topic.

    Huh?Ainz¡¯s attitude turned from baffled to fearful as he nervously asked what was on his mind.

    ¡°...Is that alright? It was your idea, was it not, Albedo?¡±

    ¡°How could anyone contradict a decision that the Supreme Being has made, Ainz-sama? If you say it is white, then it will be white even though it is ck. That is all.¡±

    Ainz gulped. That line of thought frightened him, and he trembled.

    ¡°...I do not like that way of thinking, Albedo. That is just like abandoning all thought, and even I will most certainly make mistakes at some point.¡±

    He was just saying ¡°most certainly,¡± but it felt like it had been happening all the time.

    ¡°And in that case, won¡¯t everything be over if I¡¯m captured? The person who brainwashed Shalltear is still out there, you know? While there is no need to question each and every one of my aims, if I suggest something and you think of something, you ought to bring it up.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    Albedo and Demiurge nced briefly at each other through narrowed eyes.

    ¡°Then, may I ask why you wish to cease construction? Is the aim of that statue not to let the world better understand your glory, Ainz-sama?¡±

    ¡°Umu,¡± Ainzughed coldly in his heart. ¡°My greatness is not something that can only be expressed through material objects.¡±

    He recalled that this line had received approval from Neia.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s perfect.

    ¡°Would it not be better to teach them with material objects? After all, fools are those who can only understand what they see before their eyes.¡±

    Albedo¡¯s words froze Ainz in ce. It was just like a pitcher throwing a ball at a batter, but instead of having it being hit back at him the batter caught it instead and threw it back at full force.

    ¡°...I see. You have a point, Albedo, but¡ª¡±

    As Ainz thanked his voice for not trembling, he struggled to work his brain, and then gave up when nothing came to mind. While he nearly rounded his shoulders, he could not allow his image as a ruler to crumble before his subordinates.

    ¡°¡ªNo, forget it. I¡¯m sure that Albedo can pick out at least five of the ws I¡¯ve spotted, and the merits outweigh them. In that case, there is nothing else for me to say.¡±

    ¡°Five, five ws? ...Demiurge, I need to discuss something with youter. May I borrow your intellect for a while?¡±

    ¡°But, but of course. I, I expected nothing less of you, Ainz-sama, to think you would say our minds were superior¡­ truly, you are too humble.¡±

    The two of them began to get flustered, and Albedo bowed her head deeply.

    ¡°I, I am truly sorry, Ainz-sama. While my n to build your statue has already received your approval, please allow me to temporarily suspend construction. I sincerely apologize.¡±

    ¡°Hm, mm. Well, it can¡¯t be helped then. Proceed, Albedo.¡±

    Ainz had merely tossed out an offhand remark, but Albedo and Demiurge seemed abnormally shaken by it. He could even hear Lupusregina whisper ¡°amazing¡± from behind them.

    He looked away, feeling guilty because he had once again confused the two of them by talking nonsense. However, he was d that the n to build the giant statue would be briefly halted.

    Next, I need to do something about the four festivals with my name on it, like the Sorcerer King Grand Thanksgiving, the Sorcerer King¡¯s Birthday and so on! If the Sorcerer King Grand Thanksgiving is cancelled because the statue¡¯s been cancelled as well, that just leaves three of them! Besides, if these were normal festivals, I wouldn¡¯t want to stop them either!

    In truth, Ainz had once nonchntly suggested a n for organizing festivals. However, that had led to the formation of a strange and embarrassing festivalmittee. Ainz sighed long and loud in his heart, and then looked at Demiurge.

    ¡°Alright, that leaves the details which I need to discuss with Demiurge. After this, you¡¯ll have the demon you summoned, that is to say, Jaldabaoth, attack that city, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Indeed, that is so.¡±

    ¡°Therefore¡­ I have a couple of requests. The first concerns a personal project I am carrying out which is not going too well, for which I will need your help. Ah, don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s no need to get too shy with it. And the second thing is, can youmand that summoned demon to fight in earnest with me?¡±

    ***

    Neia quietly closed the door to the Sorcerer King¡¯s room and turned on her heel. And then¡­ her body quivered.

    She lightly patted her somewhat scalding cheeks to force her face to tighten up before shepletely lost herposure. One reason for that was because she knew how her rxed face made others wary, while the other, more important reason was because it deeply embarrassed her.

    Neia did not want to walk around outside with an unseemly look on her face. She would have to meet otherster, so at the very least she had to look presentable.

    More to the point, Neia was the squire of the Sorcerer King, so anything disgraceful that she did would also damage the Sorcerer King¡¯s reputation.

    Still, I¡¯m only acting as his temporary squire, so it¡¯s the Holy Kingdom which would be disgraced¡­

    However, the people who hated the Sorcerer King would not think that way. As the saying went, one was blinded by one¡¯s hate. Or rather, it was like how those who hated swords hated swordsmiths as well.

    Alright!

    Neia did not want the Sorcerer King to regret the fact that she was his squire. In other words, all Neia had to do was her job.

    As Neia headed for the ce where she had arranged to meet, she thought incessantly about the kindness that the Sorcerer King had shown just now.

    ¡ªIs that so, is that how it is, what a shame.

    She had sensed deep regret from the Sorcerer King when he said those words back then. There was no way he could have been rattling them off casually.

    ...His Majesty really is a kind person¡­

    The Sorcerer King had grieved for someone from another country who had died in battle as though she had been one of his own people. Where in the world could you find a king like that? Of course, Neia did not know any other kings, so perhaps that simply reflected her dreams.

    For instance, if Neia and the others had held on a little longer, they would have been saved along with Neia, and that father who had lost his child would also have survived.

    Neia was not unhappy that the Sorcerer King had beente in his rescue. In the first ce, she was grateful for the fact that he hade to rescue her, because he had already said that he had to conserve his mana for the battle with Jaldabaoth. In addition, she had heard some of the militiamen in Remedios¡¯s unit say that he had fought several powerful demihumans at the west gate before he hade to rescue Neia.

    The Sorcerer King had fought two demihumans who could each kill a pdin in a single attack and another one whose strength was on par with that of the Holy Kingdom¡¯s strongest pdin.

    The militiamen telling Neia all this had been hard-pressed to hide their excitement as they rattled the proceedings off like a machine gun, and they added, ¡°We¡¯d all have been killed if not for the Sorcerer King.¡±

    Indeed. Neia felt a surge of heat in her chest.

    The Sorcerer King had gone elsewhere to help others beforeing to save Neia.

    While she was slightly disappointed that the Sorcerer King had not prioritized helping her, it was wrong to feel that way. The defense of the city wall was important, but it would be a far worse matter if the city gate were to fall. If the gate had been breached and the demihumans managed to get into the city, there would have been merciless ughters everywhere.

    Anyone with any sense would have prioritized the city gate to save more lives.

    People who acted ording to logic were more reliable than people who were ruled by their emotions.

    That¡¯s the Sorcerer King for you!

    Neia thought of the strongest pdin in her country.

    Justparing the two of them is disrespecting His Majesty!

    After that, the Sorcerer King had also hunted down the few demihumans who had made it into the city, and many people had been saved as a result. In fact¡ª

    ¡°Ohhh! If it isn¡¯t His Majesty¡¯s squire-sama! Did you tell him for us?¡±

    It would seem that Neia had reached her meeting point while she was pondering how cool the Sorcerer King had been.

    In a certain sector of the city, six men gathered on a street which still smelled of the battlefield.

    They addressed Neia like they had been waiting impatiently for her. In fact, they had actually been quite impatient.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve ryed your gratitude to His Majesty.¡±

    Several people unconsciously went on the defensive as Neia looked at them, but after hearing her words, they smiled and thanked her.

    ¡°Ah, thank you very much. It¡¯s hard to express your gratitude to the king of another nation. No, it¡¯s hard enough just to thank the Holy Queen-sama.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, you can¡¯t even meet her to begin with.¡±

    The people before her had ages which ranged from fourteen to forty. However, all of them were squad leaders. Some of them had even been professional soldiers once.

    Judging by their attitude, they did not feel any sense of dread toward the Sorcerer King because he was undead.

    It was true that some people were still wary of the Sorcerer King because of his undead nature. In addition, people like that were moremon among the smallfolk than the priests or pdins. They often said that the Sorcerer King was being kind in order to betray them at the right moment, and other such things.

    However, Neia felt that their reaction was because they did not understand the Sorcerer King and had simply acted out of the usual disdain for the undead. The reason for that was the group of people before her. There were many people who had changed their way of thinking once they got to know the Sorcerer King.

    ¡°No, please don¡¯t worry about it. I simply conveyed your gratitude to His Majesty. Ah, yes, His Majesty said that your thanks made him very happy.¡±

    There were bashful looks on the representatives from the militiamen.

    ¡°No, we¡¯re the ones who should be happy¡­ oh, what should we do¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, His Majesty really ispassionate. I¡¯m embarrassed by how we used to fear him because he was undead.¡±

    ¡°His Majesty is truly a kind person. However, I hope you will not expect such good fortune to happen again and again. After all, His Majesty did say that he had used a great deal of mana in this battle, and he would not be able to help you again next time.¡±

    The group¡¯s faces immediately sobered up.

    ¡°So we might not have His Majesty¡¯s help next time¡­ this is bad.¡±

    ¡°A lot of people will be afraid if they know they can¡¯t rely on His Majesty to help them, my team especially.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not just your guys. It¡¯s the same on my side too¡­ we can¡¯t tell them about this.¡±

    Neia quietly addressed the shaken group.

    ¡°Everyone, I havee to understand one thing. That is: weakness itself is a sin.¡±

    As puzzled looks appeared on their faces, Neia slowly exined herself.

    ¡°Do you get it? If we were strong enough, things would not have gotten to where they are now. We could have saved our parents, our children, our wives, our friends, we could have saved all of them with our own hands. The Sorcerer King once said that we are the ones who ce the most value on the things which are important to us. After all, His Majesty is not the king of this country, and he simply came to assist us for a special reason.¡±

    Neia took a breath.

    Neia raised her voice, so the people watching her and the people of the Holy Kingdom passing by would hear her words.

    ¡°...When the Sorcerer King defeats Jaldabaoth and returns to his own country, what will we do when the demihumans attack again? Will we cry and beg the Sorcerer King, the king of another country, for help once more? For all we know, the Sorcerer King might not help us next time. That¡¯s because this time was an exception. Have you ever heard of a country¡¯s king working so hard for another nation?¡±

    Nobody answered Neia, because such a thing was nowhere to be found.

    ¡°Maybe you don¡¯t feel happy that a girl like me is telling you this. But who can protect the things that are important to you other than yourselves? That¡¯s why I want to be stronger. When I be stronger, I can protect myself and I won¡¯t need to borrow the Sorcerer King¡¯s strength.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. Exactly. I¡¯ll train myself too.¡±

    ¡°Ah, me too. Next time, I¡¯ll be the one to protect my wife and kids.¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯ll do that too. I didn¡¯t want to when I was first conscripted¡­ but now I feel d that I was drafted.¡±

    ¡°Still, the Sorcerer King does make a lot of sense. Valuing the things important to us¡­ mm, when you think about it, that really is true.¡±

    ¡°So if someone else values my wife the most highly, I have to kill him, then?¡±

    ¡°...I, I don¡¯t think so, right? I don¡¯t think the Sorcerer King was talking about something like that, right?¡±

    ¡°...Hey, I¡¯m just kidding, you know?¡±

    ¡°It didn¡¯t sound like a joke...¡±

    As the crowdughed, Neia made a suggestion.

    ¡°Everyone, would you like to train with me? While I can¡¯t teach you all swordsmanship, I know a thing or two about archery.¡±

    Weakness was a sin. That was because the weak only created problems for the Sorcerer King, who was justice. In that case, all they had to do was be strong. She could not allow herself to cause trouble for the Sorcerer King next time. She had to allow His Majesty to focus on fighting Jaldabaoth. That was what she ought to do, as a squire.

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s a good idea.¡±

    ¡°We need to be strong. I¡¯ll protect them next time.¡±

    ¡°¡ªWhy are you all gathering here? Are you discussing something?¡±

    ¡°Ah ¡ª Captain.¡±

    After being questioned out of nowhere, Neia looked back and saw Remedios Custodio standing behind her. In fact, Neia had heard footsteps approaching, but she had not thought that it would be Remedios.

    Herees trouble,Neia thought as she tried to keep her face from revealing how she felt. The representatives, on the other hand, were visibly ufortable.

    ¡°Can you answer my question?¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am! I was telling these gentlemen that I had conveyed their gratitude to His Majesty.¡±

    ¡°To him, you say?¡±

    ¡°...It is hardly appropriate to address the king of another nation as ¡®him.¡¯¡±

    Remedios red at Neia.

    ¡°The strong protecting the weak ismon sense, is it not?¡±

    ¡°...I do not know if it ismon sense, but I feel that only the strong are qualified to say such things, and not the weak.¡±

    ¡°What!? Are you saying that I¡¯m weak?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Neia replied without any dy. ¡°Compared to His Majesty, you areweak¡­ Captain, have I said something wrong?¡±

    Remedios red at Neia, and Neia stared back forcefully at Remedios.

    ¡°Hmph, it doesn¡¯t matter if you want to be friends with the Sorcerer King, but he¡¯s undead, you know that, right? A monster who inhabits a different world from the living.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I know that.¡±

    ¡°I said that because I was worried about you. It seems my concern was wasted.¡±

    Remedios looked disappointed, but it felt very fake to Neia. That was definitely not what the pdin before her really thought.

    ¡°I¡¯m certain you must be busy with many things, Captain, and I would not dare take up your time. In addition, I have things to tell the others. Would it not be better for yourself to move on to the other ces you have to be, Captain?

    ¡°...Very well then. You lot, it¡¯s only natural for the Sorcerer King to help you. You don¡¯t need to think too much about it, you know?¡±

    After saying that, Remedios left. As they watched her go, someone quietly spoke up.

    ¡°How should I say this¡­ that was amazing¡­ is that the strongest pdin of this country¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what she is.¡±

    After hearing the representative speak his mind, Neia unconsciously replied to him. After that, the representatives covered their faces with their hands. It would seem they had suffered quite a shock.

    Although Neia had not done anything wrong, she still felt a little guilty.

    ¡°The, the pdins aren¡¯t, aren¡¯t all like that. How shall I put it¡­ she¡¯s a little special. That¡¯s¡­ how she is. Yes.¡±

    ¡°It must be hard for you, Squire-sama¡­ if you can drink, I¡¯d like to buy you one.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate your intentions¡­ uh, where was I again? Yes, training together. I can find a way to borrow a ce and equipment. Can I contact youter once everything¡¯s ready?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll let you handle that,¡± ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll wait,¡± the men cheerily answered.

    Part 2

    Neia drew her bowstring back in one smooth motion.

    She turned her keen gaze to the target, and she could see the silent white wisps of her exhaled breath drawn to the edges of her vision by the wind, where it disappeared. Spring was close, but it was still cold.

    Neia buried the random notions in her mind deep within her, staring at the target in a state of no thought, and then she slowly drew herself back.

    During the defense of the city, Neia hade to understand that nobody had time to slowly take aim on the battlefield, but right now they were training to improve their uracy, so quick-fire drills could be left for another time.

    And then ¡ª she released her arrow.

    The arrow whistled as it tore through the air. It flew in a straight line and hit the target dead center.

    Hoo,Neia exhaled.

    Of the ten arrows she had fired, not a single one had been off target.

    This was an outstanding uracy rate, but Neia took no joy in it.

    She could not do it in the past, but right now, Neia could even split the arrow she had justunched. Of course, she would damage the arrow if she did that, so she did not.

    The reason why she had ended up like this, why she could do something that was previously impossible for her was because after that battle, she was not just capable of archery, but of harnessing what they called divine power. However, the strange thing was that it was slightly different from the abilities that pdins were said to possess. This was because normally, pdins could only channel their powers through melee weapons, while she could imbue ranged weapons with her powers.

    While she did not quite understand what that meant, the Sorcerer King had seemed quite interested when he had heard about this. Still, even the Sorcerer King had only said, ¡°It¡¯s hard to tell from just that, let me know if other abilities awaken.¡±

    Apuse rang out, and Neia smiled bitterly, because she felt ufortable.

    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re amazing, Baraja-chan.¡±

    ¡°Oh yes, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen anyone who was so good with a bow. Nobody in my vige could do that.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, it¡¯s true. I used to be a hunter by trade, and I knew a few people in my own right, but none of them had Baraja-chan¡¯s skills.¡±

    The people praising Neia were the same ones sweating and training with her at the archery range. Many of their faces had not been seen on these streets during the defense of the city three weeks ago.

    The reason for that was because people had been rescued from the nearby prison camps, and the city¡¯s poption rose swiftly as a result. Those with a knack for archery or who had used bows before were drafted into archery units and ced under Neia¡¯smand.

    Normally, people would balk at being made subordinate to a squire girl, especially if some of them were old enough to be her father. However, none of the men ¡ª and women ¡ª gathered here protested.

    The main reason was because nobody dared voice any objections after being subjected to her vicious gaze, and also because they had to acknowledge her skill with the bow. Some of them were even more grateful to Neia after learning that she was the Sorcerer King¡¯s squire.

    There were also some who were afraid she was undead because they had heard that she was the Sorcerer King¡¯s squire, but not everyone was like that.

    In these three weeks, the pdins had been sent out to liberate prison camps, but at the same time, the Sorcerer King and Neia had also gone out to attack camps and rescue prisoners.

    When the Sorcerer King had first broached the subject, there had been a shocking number of objections. However, the Sorcerer King then said, ¡°Now that the Demihuman Alliance is short on manpower, they will start to execute the captives if they judge that theyck the ability to run the prison camps, so they must be rescued without dy,¡± and that had convinced Caspond to ept the Sorcerer King¡¯s suggestion and send the two of them out.

    Neia had originally wanted to argue that the Sorcerer King ought to conserve his mana in order to battle Jaldabaoth. However, Neia admired how he acted to protect the people of another country and felt the justice emanating from him, so she could not bring herself to stop him.

    And so, Neia and the Sorcerer King had freed many captives and brought them to this city. For this reason, there were people who were happy to serve under Neia.

    ¡°Ahhh~ I ought to learn a few things from Baraja-chan.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. She¡¯s amazing. Also, that bow you borrowed from the Sorcerer King ¡ª the Ultimate Shootingstar Super ¡ª you can do even more amazing things with that bow, right?¡±

    ¡°The Ultimate Shootingstar Super, huh. What an amazing bow¡­¡±

    All their eyes went to the bow stowed behind Neia¡¯s back ¡ª the Ultimate Shootingstar Super.

    She ought to have used it during her training, but she had avoided doing so because she did not want to rely too heavily on her weapon.

    ¡°Yes, during the battle for the city walls, it was thanks to the Ultimate Shootingstar Super that I was able to survive until His Majesty arrived¡­ no, that¡¯s not it. It wasn¡¯t just the Ultimate Shootingstar Super, but the armor I borrowed from His Majesty and all his other items that helped me too¡­¡±

    Neia caressed Grand King Buser¡¯s armor.

    ¡°This armor came from a renowned demihuman, it looks amazing to me no matter how many times I look at it¡­¡±

    ¡°I was allowed to touch it once, its hardness is amazing. I chopped at it with a sword and it just bounced off.¡±

    ¡°Seriously? I¡¯ve never heard that before.¡±

    As Neia¡¯s wargear became a hot topic, she pped to get everyone¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Alright, enough chitchat, back to training. ording to the Sorcerer King, Jaldabaoth¡¯s preparing to make another move soon, so we can¡¯t waste a single moment.

    There was a chorus of acknowledgements.

    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s time to begin practical shooting. Let¡¯s start, everyone.¡±

    As she watched her subordinates ¡ª the word made her feel like a big shot, and it embarrassed her a little ¡ª disperse, Neia removed the item which covered half her face. It was an item she had borrowed from the Sorcerer King.

    This magic item was a visor-shaped set of mirrorshades that allowed her to use a special ability known as the Serpent Shot once every three minutes. It was a technique that allowed an arrow to twist and turn in front of one¡¯s opponent, pouncing them like an animal bringing down its prey.

    She was not too sure what it did because she had not fired it at anyone, but in all likelihood, one would need to be very agile to avoid it.

    It was a very handy item for someone like Neia, who used the bow as her main weapon, but more importantly, the fact that it hid her eyes was amazing. Or rather, without that item, she could not have gotten along so well with the others.

    Neia put her visor on once more, and took up her bow again.

    Everyone here was experienced, and now that time was tight, she did not need to instruct them on the finer points of finger positioning. She had touched briefly on how to fire quickly, and after that all that was needed was to give them individual coaching and have them practice until their fingers ached. The most important thing for them was to umte shooting experience.

    As usual, Neia wondered about requesting healing magic from the priests as she loosed an arrow.

    Just at that moment, Neia¡¯s keen ears picked up a noise.

    It hade from the outside. While Neia¡¯s shooting form nearly broke down, she managed to keep it together. It might not have been what she expected, and even if it was the person she had hoped to meet, they might have only been passing by, and not intended toe here.

    However, the being that appeared at the door to the training yard was the great king with the skeletal face ¡ª the Sorcerer King.

    In the beginning, everyone had feared the undead, but many of them had been rescued by the Sorcerer King during the defense of the city and from the prison camps. The mor of respectful and thankful voices soon came to herald the arrival of the Sorcerer King.

    However, nobody stopped practicing. Normally, they would have knelt before the Sorcerer King when he appeared, but the Sorcerer King himself had put a stop to it.

    This isn¡¯t a public ce, so you don¡¯t need to do that when I¡¯m just looking in on you, am I wrong?

    No king, especially one who was a nation-saving hero, should have been treated that way.

    Even so, the Sorcerer King had said that they did not need to do so.

    What an amazing person he is¡­

    After sighing in awe, Neia went to the Sorcerer King¡¯s side, and tightly shut her open mouth.

    She kept her visor on.

    The Sorcerer King had said that she she did not need to take it off, since she ought to be ready to fight at any time.

    He was probably concerned about whether she could use a magic item like it was part of her own body and thinking that she ought to be on guard no matter what unexpected things happened. Neia was deeply impressed by the depth of the Sorcerer King¡¯s considerations.

    Neia understood that the Sorcerer King¡¯s eyes had gone from looking into his hands to herself as she ran over. For some reason, observing the Sorcerer King¡¯s habitual movements made Neia a little happy.

    The thought that she understood the tiny quirks of an extraordinary individual made Neia¡¯s cheeks rx.

    ¡°Your Majesty! We are grateful that you have chosen to visit a ce like this in person!¡±

    Neia was still the Sorcerer King¡¯s squire, even after being appointed themander of the archery unit. That said, it was hard to say that she had done a squire¡¯s job properly when she had left his side to train others in archery, not to mention she had even made hime here instead.

    Neia wanted to prioritize her work as the Sorcerer King¡¯s squire, but instead she had chosen to do this, because she no longer wanted to be a burden to him. And there was also another reason, which she had not told anyone else.

    That was because the Sorcerer King refused to have anyone except Neia serve as his follower. He had said that to Caspond¡¯s face with Neia in attendance.

    The number of people here was steadily increasing. There were many more skilful or charming people than this mad-eyed maiden. Even so, he had said that Neia would be fine. The person she viewed as justice had said that about her.

    Could anything have made her happier?

    ¡°¡ªUmu. While I know you¡¯re being humble, I don¡¯t think this is a mere ¡®ce like this.¡¯ After all, it is where you sharpen your fangs, is it not?¡±

    ¡°Th-Thank you very much, Your Majesty!¡±

    She looked around ¡ª perhaps it would be disrespectful to look away from the Sorcerer King, but the visor she wore made it possible ¡ª and saw that her people had heard it and the tips of their ears were turning red. The problem was that their performance deteriorated, possibly because they were nervous, or because they had stiffened up their shoulders in order to look good for the Sorcerer King.

    That said, her own ears felt a little hot too.

    ¡°...Miss Baraja. Your men have made a great deal of progress sincest time. Surely that must be due to your hard work as their leader.¡±

    His pleasantries both embarrassed Neia and left her at a loss for how to answer.

    It would be embarrassing to say that they got nervous and can¡¯t show their full ability because Your Majesty arrived. They would think so too.

    Therefore, Neia decided to take his words as they were given. However¡ª

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing of the sort. I hardly taught them anything. They could have done that by themselves.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Well, if you say so, then it must be true.¡±

    In other words ¡ª the Sorcerer King did not think so. Which meant that the Sorcerer King thought very highly of Neia.

    Neia raised her voice a little to try and hide her desire to skip in delight.

    ¡°In, in that case, Your Majesty, does your presence here mean that the meetings are over?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. They¡¯re done for the day, but that said, I did not make any special suggestions.¡±

    Right now, this city had a mountain of problems, all of which stemmed from the increasing poption. The small city of Lloyds had originally been home to less than 20,000 people, but after gathering the people from the liberated camps, there were more than 150,000 people here now.

    The most recent of these overpoption problems was the slimes used in the sewers ¡ª the Sanitary Slimes ¡ª whose own poption had surged due to an abundance in food and had thus caused a panic when they erupted from the waterways.

    When the slime poption grew, they were typically burned back down with magic items, but the unexpectedly rapid growth meant that this was not done in time and several men and women had been attacked.

    When these men and women were surrounded by the slimes, a group of rubbish-clearing monsters called the Filth Eaters appeared from the sewers to help them.

    Unlike how they appeared, the Filth Eaters were intelligent monsters, and they knew that humans could produce a great deal of their food, and so they saved the people with their acid-resistant bodies.

    However, the people were not grateful to the Filth Eaters. That was because Sanitary Slimes were not infectious themselves, but the Filth Eaters who helped them were masses of disease. Thus, the people they had helped had fallen ill and were in a very bad state, particrly those who had contracted encephalitis.

    In addition, it was winter now, so firewood and other fuels were scarce. Then there was the fact that there had been dys in the construction of housing. While there was no food shortage yet, that would be a danger in the future.

    The Sorcerer King had been invited to many of the meetings to deal with these problems, possibly because they were counting on his prodigious knowledge to solve their problems.

    While the Sorcerer King had simply said that he did not know that much and had merely sat aside to listen, such a person could not have been summoned to meetings time and time again.

    The fact that he conducted himself so humbly despite being the king of a nation only deepened Neia¡¯s respect for him.

    ¡°What do you intend to do next, Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°Umu. I had intended to see if the transportation of logs was going well¡­ Are you busy with practice, Miss Baraja? If you don¡¯t mind, would you like to apany me?¡±

    In order to solve theck of fuel and housing, they were using the Sorcerer King¡¯s undead horses to transport logs from a distant forest. Initially, many people had been averse to using undead horses for transport, but now there was a steady stream of praise for the merits of these undead horses.

    ¡°No, please allow me to go with you! I am Your Majesty¡¯s Squire, after all!¡±

    The knowledge that she would be able to perform her squirely duties at longst and her delight at being alone with the Sorcerer King caused Neia to unconsciously speak faster and louder.

    As a result, Neia¡¯s ears burned.

    ¡°Is, is that so? Then let us proceed.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Please¡ª¡±

    Then, as though to interrupt her, a sky-scorching inferno erupted in the distance.

    For a moment, Neia wondered what was burning.

    But that was wrong. She had been too far off. That could not have been caused by any form of naturalbustion.

    That fire seemed to be enveloping the city. In other words, it was a wall of fire ¨D Neia¡¯s mind immediately recalled what the members of Blue Rose had said.

    ¡°¡ªYour Majesty! That¡¯s¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ah, it is as you are thinking, and the same as what I heard from Momon¡­ the time hase atst. It¡¯s Jaldabaoth. He¡¯s attacking atst. Miss Baraja, I¡¯m heading out.¡±

    Had he anticipated this series of events? As though influenced by the Sorcerer King¡¯s calm attitude, Neia¡¯s heart calmed down as well. Or no, it would be better to say that the presence of a supreme being like the Sorcerer King gave her peace of mind.

    ¡°Where to!?¡±

    ¡°Ah ¨D hm. Jaldabaoth¡¯s aim is still unclear. So, ah ¨D he might just be here to ughter indiscriminately. However, if he has an objective, he¡¯ll either be targeting me or the Holy Kingdom¡¯s leadership, so it would be best if we met up. Tell your men to get ready for battle and then have them flee to a safe ce.¡±

    ¡°Eh!?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll be of no use against Jaldabaoth. In that case, it would be better to have them prepare to deal with any demons which might appear. Since the city will probably be in chaos now, once you form up your unit, won¡¯t it be better to have them head outside the city?¡±

    While his words had been unclear at first, perhaps he had organized his thoughtster on, because the middle part onwards was a nonstop series of instructions to Neia.

    ¡°Yes! Thank you very much, Your Majesty! Alright, everyone!¡±

    While they had made ns in case Jaldabaoth led an army against them, they had not expected a ze to surround the entire city. Another big problem was the fact that they did not know the extent of the preparations that the enemy had made.

    Neia gave her instructions. There was only a single squad here and they could not do as they pleased, but as a team leader, she had a responsibility to do several things before her orders came.

    The instructions went roughly like this:

    Everyone in the squad was to take their families and head to the east gate, because if the enemy attacked, it was more likely that they would attack from the west gate. After that, they would form up at the east gate, and if there were demons outside the east gate, they would climb the walls near the east gate and attack them. In addition, they were to listen to Neia¡¯s adjutant until she arrived and adapt to changes in the battlefield conditions.

    Neia¡¯s subordinates obeyed her instructions and moved swiftly into action.

    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±

    After giving her orders, Neia turned back and saw that the Sorcerer King¡¯s eyes were on his hands, while he had used a flight spell to rise to somewhere around the level of Neia¡¯s head.

    ¡°Your Majesty! Let me go with you!¡±

    Perhaps he was startled by Neia¡¯s shout, but the Sorcerer King suddenly closed his hand and a quiet sound came from within.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ well, all right.¡±

    The Sorcerer King cast a flying spell on Neia as well. In that moment, she realized the greatness of magic as she learned what it was to fly.

    Neia and the Sorcerer King moved as though they were skimming along the ground. They did not leave the surface except to soar over crowds of people, who had descended into chaos, because they could not get a grip on the situation. The reason for that was because flying in the air without cover made them very obvious, and if there were demons about, they might be subjected to attack spells from all directions.

    Neia bit her lip in unhappiness, feeling like she was being a burden. Whatever spells the demons used, they could not possibly pose a problem for the Sorcerer King. She could not help but think that he had chosen to go the long way around instead of flying directly to his destination because she was around.

    Eventually, they reached their destination ¨D the headquarters, which also doubled as Caspond¡¯s chambers.

    The two pdins at the door had their hands full trying to manage the people jammed up near the door.

    ¡°Miss Baraja, we¡¯ll go in from above.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    After seeing that it would be a little difficult to enter from the front door, the two of them floated up and arrived at the balcony. Just then, the window facing them opened up.

    ¡°Your Majesty! Thank you foring.¡±

    It was a pdin.

    ¡°Are the others here yet?¡±

    ¡°No, Your Majesty. The priests are assembling. Vice-Captain Montagnes is off to liberate a prison camp and isn¡¯t expected to return today. Right now, only Captain Custodio and Prince Caspond are present.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Still, it¡¯s good that the two of them are here. Lead the way.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    After the pdin led them to Caspond¡¯s room, they could hear a loud discussion through the door. It seemed quite chaotic.

    The pdin opened the door for them, and over a dozen pairs of bloodshot eyes greeted them.

    ¡°Sorry I¡¯mte. We¡¯re out of time, so what ns were you discussing just now?¡±

    Everyone nced at each other, and Caspond spoke up on their behalf.

    ¡°We have not spotted Jaldabaoth yet. Your Majesty, could this fire have been made by a magic item or a demon other than Jaldabaoth?¡±

    ¡°I am unsure. After all, even I could not do such a thing.¡±

    The others were shaken. The Sorcerer King employed magic that beggared the imagination. How powerful must Jaldabaoth be if he could use a spell that even the Sorcerer King could not?

    ¡°In that case, what effects does that fire have? Blue Rose said that they managed to pass through it, then surely normal people can do so as well, right?¡±

    After saying so, Remedios turned to look straight at the Sorcerer King.

    ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem. As for its effects, demons standing inside the fire benefit from improved attributes, negative-karma spells will do slightly more damage, item drop rates will increase, and many others. But ording to the results from the investigation team, none of those were in effect. Still, whether it does anything else remains to be seen.¡±

    ¡°Which means we can freely move in and out of it, right?¡±

    ¡°Hm? Didn¡¯t I say that at the beginning?¡±

    ¡°In that case, we ought to evacuate as long as there are no demihumans or demons around, and then form up into units there. After all, I heard that demons appeared within the area surrounded by the fire when it wasst seen in the Kingdom. Let¡¯s go with that n of action, everyone.¡±

    After giving the pdins their orders, he asked the Sorcerer King again, ¡°Can you use your magic to pinpoint Jaldabaoth¡¯s location, Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°If I could, I wouldn¡¯t need to stay in this city now, would I?¡±

    ¡°You have a point.¡±

    Just as the Sorcerer King was dealing with one question after another, everyone heard an ominous creaking.

    It started out quietly enough, and then it steadily grew to drown out the mor in the room. One by one, they all quieted down, and finally, the only sound in the silence was the creaking.

    Everyone looked around uneasily. Just then, Neia noticed something odd on the outside wall of the building and eximed an ¡°Ah¨D¡±

    A crack appeared on the wall, and as everyone watched, it began to spread. The wall bulged, and then¡ª

    ¡°Get away!¡±

    Just as Remedios shouted, the Sorcerer King stood in front of Neia.

    The wall broke apart with a mighty crash. Bricks flew through the room like a spray of shotgun pellets. Groans filled the air; they came from those people who had been hit by the fast-moving masonry.

    If the Sorcerer King had not shielded Neia with his body, Neia might have ended up wailing on the ground with them.

    ¡°Th-Thank you¨D¡±

    The Sorcerer King held up his hand to stop Neia before she could thank him, and then he pointed at the smoke-spewing gap in the wall to draw her attention there.

    There was a gigantic silhouette there, the color of a roaring ze.

    ¡°¨DThank you for the warm wee, humans.¡±

    It was a deep and powerful voice.

    As though cutting through the smoke, that being slowly leaned in through the hole in the wall and entered the room.

    It was ¨D a demon.

    Due to his vast size, he had to bend down in order to barely fit inside the room. His posture looked a little stupid, but now was definitely not the time forughter. Her throat could not work properly; she wanted to swallow the saliva pooling in her mouth, but it stuck there instead.

    This was an overwhelming mass of power.

    Neia had never been very good at judging the strength of her foes rtive to herself, but she understood that she could not win against him even with tens of thousands of Neias. She was swallowed by a wave of powerparable to the Sorcerer King after removing his ring, and she could not move a muscle.

    It was then that she realized who she was facing.

    That, that¡¯s Jaldabaoth¡­ the Demon Emperor Jaldabaoth¡­

    His face was filled with wrath, his wings were red, and his burning arms ¨D he seemed to be holding something in one hand, and Neia could not help but doubt her eyes.

    That was ¨D though she dared not believe it ¨D a lower body. It emanated a vile stench, one of advanced decay.

    ¡°Kyaaaaahh!¡±

    It was a shout ¨D no, a scream. It was a sound that only one who had burst the shackles on their emotions and fallen into madness would make. It came from behind Neia.

    Neia¡¯s back shuddered. The person making that sound was Remedios.

    Remedios raised her holy sword high and charged straight at Jaldabaoth, not caring about her own defense.

    This was too rash. Even Neia, who was not skilled with swords, felt that it was a foolish charge.

    ¡°¨DGet lost.¡±

    Those weighty, quiet words were apanied by the sound of sshing. At the same time, Remedios flew in a straight line and crashed into a wall. Her impact was so loud it seemed as though the entire building would copse. After that, Remedios ¨D who had been swatted aside like a fly ¨D copsed limply from the wall.

    It would seem Jaldabaoth had sent Remedios flying with the object that looked like a human¡¯s lower body.

    Neia would have surely died if she had taken that hit. But as expected of the country¡¯s strongest pdin, her life did not seem to be in danger.

    In its ce, a revolting odor began to spread through the air.

    The room was filled with chunks of meat from the decayed lower body that Jaldabaoth had used to strike Remedios.

    ¡°Ahh¡­ what a mess. I sincerely apologize for getting the room dirty. Of course, it would not have ended up like this if that woman had not charged at me without thinking ¨D well, that¡¯s just an excuse. Please forgive me.¡±

    Jaldabaoth slowly bowed his head. He seemed genuinely apologetic, but that only made everyone else more afraid.

    And then, he casually dumped what he was holding ¨D something that looked like the charred remains of a human ankle ¨D to the ground.

    ¡°My my, I guess I got a little too carried away while swinging it around and the top half flew off somewhere. It¡¯s a dirty little thing, so I¡¯ve been looking for a chance to dispose of it¡­ but in the end I managed to make good use of her. Am I not a kind demon? She must be thanking me from the afterlife.¡±

    Jaldabaoth muttered to himself.

    ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhh!¡±

    Remedios touched herself as she wailed in anguish, fresh blood streaming from the corner of her mouth. No, she was collecting the chunks of meat that were stuck to her. What was she doing? Has she lost her mind?Neia wondered.

    No, there was a meaning to her bizarre actions.

    Don¡¯t tell me, that corpse was¡­ how could this be¡­

    Although the lower body had tattered bits of what looked like armor stuck to it, it should have belonged to a woman. In that case, she could imagine two people that it could have been.

    If that was really the case¡­

    ¡°What a lovely sound,¡± Jaldabaoth waved his hand like a conductor. ¡°In that case, I believe this is the first time we have met, Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown-dono ¨D or perhaps -sama would be a better form of address?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Now then, I trust you¡¯re here for a showdown with me?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. No amount of weaklings will make a difference.¡±

    ¡°I concur on that point. I have no intention of generating meaningless deaths.¡±

    Still sniffling, Remedios looked towards the Sorcerer King.

    ¡°Your Majesty, you are strong. Stronger even than Momon. I hope you will allow me to adopt a strategy that will guarantee my victory.¡±

    Jaldabaoth raised his hand, and a head poked itself through the hole.

    It was a woman wearing a mask and a maid¡¯s outfit. There were two of them, in fact.

    ¡°I trust you will not call me despicable?¡±

    ¡°¨DUh, hm. Well, this is¡­ mhm¡­ uh¡­ um.¡±

    The Sorcerer King was starting to get worried. No, that was only to be expected.

    Nobody could have expected Jaldabaoth to arrive with his maid demons in tow. However¡ª

    That¡¯s probably not the case. The Sorcerer King is wise, and he must have anticipated this. In that case, why is he like this? Could it be that it¡¯s because we¡¯re here? Perhaps he¡¯s not confident of protecting us all as well, which is why he¡¯s worried!

    ¡°Your Majesty, please do not worry about us.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    The Sorcerer King made a tiny exmation of surprise.

    Neia knew very well that the maid demons were beings who could kill everyone in this room, and they were so powerful that she could not be at ease even if someone told her not to worry. Compared to someone on the Sorcerer King¡¯s level, Neia and the others, probably including Remedios, were little more than valueless pawns.

    However ¨D she would rather die than get in his way.

    She had once heard that the Sorcerer King¡¯s subordinates were prepared to die if they became hostages. While the Sorcerer King said it had disturbed him, Neia could finally understand how his subordinates had felt. They did not want to be a burden to the person they respected.

    ¡°Hahaha! Do not worry, humans. I will slowly torture you all to death afterwards. We will be waiting in the fountain at the center of town. Of course, you may flee if you wish, Sorcerer King.¡±

    ¡°I take those words and return them to you, Jaldabaoth.¡±

    The Sorcerer King and Jaldabaoth stared each other down.

    After that, Jaldabaoth turned ¨D and Remedios jumped up, her holy sword in hand, and rushed at him.

    The weakly glowing holy sword looked like a band of flowing light.

    ¡°Dieeeeee!¡±

    And then, she stabbed it into Jaldabaoth¡¯s back.

    ¡°What? This is¡­ Are you satisfied?¡±

    ¨DIt was a cold, t voice.

    ¡°Why¡­ why¡­ after taking a strike from the holy sword¡­ you should be evil¡­¡±

    Remedios¡¯s back looked far too tiny and insignificant inparison.

    ¡°I have no idea what to make of that. Why? What do you mean by why? It felt like a little prick. Is that enough for you? If you¡¯re done, would you mind getting out of the way? I don¡¯t intend to kill you here. Thates after I kill the Sorcerer King.¡±

    Jaldabaoth paid no heed to Remedios and spread his enormous, fiery wings. He pped them, and Remedios copsed to the ground.

    Jaldabaoth ignore her as shey on the ground and took off. The maid demons followed him.

    ¡°...Then I¡¯ll be going too. You should go take shelter so you don¡¯t get caught up in the fighting. While I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be a problem, I hope you¡¯ll understand if this city ends up demolished.¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, will you be alright?¡±

    Caspond rose from where he had dived for cover to avoid the debris flying about the room. His eyes looked at Remedios, who looked utterly defeated and could not rise to her feet.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine ¨D I can¡¯t say that for sure, but there ought to be a chance. It would have been very troublesome if he¡¯d brought the demihumans along as shields. Looks like he¡¯s still underestimating me, and this is also a chance to bring the maid demons into my fold.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. It¡¯s okay. My sister is still here. Krt is still here. As long as she¡¯s around, Calca-sama might¡­¡±

    Remedios smacked her face as she muttered to herself, and then she forcefully rose to her feet.

    ¡°Sorcerer King! I¡¯ll go too! Lend me a weapon that can harm him! I¡¯ll be your sword for the time being!¡±

    The Sorcerer King looked at Remedios, her eyes bloodshot and filled with hate, and then shook his head.

    ¡°...Forget about it. You would only get in the way.¡±

    ¡°What did you say!?¡±

    ¡°Do you not understand? I speak of the disparity in strength. Or do you mean to say you understand it, but refuse to ept it? Simply put ¨D you are a burden.¡±

    Remedios red at the Sorcerer King like he was her nemesis.

    The Sorcerer King¡¯s words were very harsh, but they were also true. Or rather, they were hard to ept precisely because they were true.

    ¡°Captain Custodio! I have another task for you. Evacuate these people outside the city!¡±

    Caspond gave the order in a stern,manding tone.

    ¡°The original n was to let His Majesty handle Jaldabaoth. You agreed to that too, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°...Ahh, I know,¡± Remedios bit her lip, and then she forced out her next words. ¡°You must kill that bastard.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    ¡°¨DPdins, carefully gather the remains of that body. Don¡¯t leave a single piece behind.¡±

    ¡°Captain¡­ that body is¡­¡±

    The pdin had an idea of what was going on, and ventured his question in a trembling voice. Remedios replied in a tone that seemed to be telling him not to ask any more.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget that there might be demonic trickery at work.¡±

    Remedios left without looking back. Several pdins followed her, with half-frightened looks on their faces.

    ¡°Your Majesty, I sincerely apologize for the way she treated you¡­ May I apologize on her behalf?¡± Caspond lowered his head. ¡°Please, I beg your forgiveness.¡±

    ¡°...I ept your apology. Now then, hurry up and evacuate. If he has to wait too long, he might decide to go back on his word. I¡¯ll be heading off first to buy time, but I hope you understand that I can only give you about thirty minutes.¡±

    ¡°I understand. Everyone hear that? Get moving!¡±

    Several priests and pdins moved out with Caspond.

    The only people left in the room were the Sorcerer King and Neia, as well as several pdins and priests who were stuffing the remains of a certain someone¡¯s body into a bag. In that case¡ª

    ¡°Your Majesty, may Ie with you!?¡±

    There were gasps of awe and sudden intakes of air from all around her. But Neia ignored those irrelevant people. She took off her visor and looked straight at the Sorcerer King.

    ¡°...Umu. I cannot. He may have said all that just now, but he¡¯s a demon. If pressed, he will reveal his true nature and use you as a hostage.¡±

    ¡°But if that happens, Your Majesty will kill me without hesitation, will you not?¡±

    ¡°When you say that with such a serious look on your face, you make me sound like a cruel person. Well, if I can¡¯t save you, I¡¯ll discard you. I¡¯ll hit you with an attack spell as well.¡±

    ¡°In that case¨D¡±

    ¡°¨DI! I am not doing this because I want to kill hostages, you know?¡±

    ¡°Ah! Forgive me¡­¡±

    That was how it was. He would do it because it was the best choice avable. If there were a better alternative, this merciful man would surely choose that instead. Thus, not letting Neia apany him was because it was the best of the best alternatives.

    ¡°But¡­ Your Majesty, you have used many spells and even your magic items and mana in order to free this city. As a magic caster, surely you must be weakened now. Will that be alright?¡±

    ¡°Mhm! Indeed, it might be dangerous, but I came here to defeat Jaldabaoth. Fortunately, he came to find me instead. Now I¡¯ll destroy him and im the maid demons¡­ ugh, saying that I want the maids makes me sound like a dirty old man, hm¡­¡±

    Neia smiled bitterly at the Sorcerer King, who could still make ame joke at a time like this. She wanted to speak, but the Sorcerer King cut her off with a raise of his hand.

    ¡°Besides, I¡¯ll be aughingstock if I run away here.¡±

    The Sorcerer King shrugged, like he was kidding. Neia sensed that he was not being serious, and so she raised her voice.

    ¡°Your Majesty! If they want tough, let them! I humbly submit that you should only fight him in top condition! Also, you came here to battle Jaldabaoth, but you ended up using a vast amount of mana and strength on the behalf of the Holy Kingdom. That¡¯s not what you agreed to in the beginning. If we say that, the people of my country will¡­¡±

    ¡°Indeed, that is true. But humans are creatures who only believe what they want to believe. Even if you spread the word, nobody would take it to heart, Miss Baraja.¡±

    ¡°That¡­! In that case, I can be a witness! And¡­¡±

    Neia looked out the corner of her eye at the pdins and priests listening to their conversation. Surely they would be willing to be witnesses.

    ¡°...Neia Baraja. I thank you, but there is no need for that. I will not change my intention to fight Jaldabaoth.¡±

    ¡°This ¨D why is that?¡±

    ¡°Simple. It is because it is a promise I have made as a king.¡±

    Neia had nothing to say. There was nothing she could say in response to that. Amoner like herself could not possibly say anything that could change the mind of a King.

    There were murmurs of admiration around her. Indeed, this great and proud person was none other than His Majesty the Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown.

    Neia was filled with pride for the king that she held in such high esteem.

    ¡°Your Majesty, I know this is deeply disrespectful, but if you feel there is danger, I beg you to flee.¡±

    Perhaps mentioning the possibility of his loss might make him unhappy, but even so she still had to say it.

    ¡°...But of course. It is a fool who fights without preparing a means of escape. Even if you lose one battle, you can make good use of the information gained in the next one. It doesn¡¯t matter if you lose the first battle.¡±

    ¡°I expected nothing less of you, Your Majesty.¡±

    An extreme interpretation of that was that if his aim was to defeat Jaldabaoth, then all he needed was to be victorious in the end. Neia was excited by this line of thinking, which was not a warrior¡¯s mindset, but that of a king.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be heading out.¡±

    ***

    Ainz walked toward the ce Jaldabaoth had indicated. Along the way, he used ¡¸Message¡¹ to order the two Hanzos who had followed him to check for tails and if anyone was observing from afar.

    After receiving a negative report on both those items, Ainz had originally intended to terminate the transmission immediately, but then he received a somewhat confused report that there were members of the Pleiades present.

    Ainz acknowledged it and ended the ¡¸Message¡¹.

    ...We didn¡¯t find any other yers or World ss Item holders this time round either. I keep thinking they ought to have shown themselves by now¡­ but if they don¡¯t exist, how do you exin what happened to Shalltear? Was it some kind of coincidence? It should have been the effect of a World ss Item, right? Or was it the work of some Talent?

    The fact that nothing had turned up despite going to these lengths made the whole thing feel like a trap for him. For all he knew, the opposition was waiting for him to lower his guard before striking.

    Honestly¡­ well, it doesn¡¯t matter. Careful nning for the future won¡¯t be wasted.

    Therefore, Ainz contacted the other Hanzo teams with ¡¸Message¡¹ to verify their readiness and that his orders had been received.

    All right, preparations areplete. The next part is simple, I just need to follow Demiurge¡¯s ybook. Even if I make a mistake, I can always say ¡°I was just testing you¡± and so on.

    That was good.

    Ainz was moved by how light his tread was. This the first time he had felt so rxed sinceing to this world, and it was like floating through the sky.

    Soon, Ainz came to an average-sized square.

    This had originally been a fountain that regrly sprayed water for the citizens¡¯ leisure. However, water no longer flowed through here after the demihumans had wrecked it. There were no ns to restore it for the time being, and the surroundings looked very austere.

    A demon stood proudly there.

    It was a huge demon with burning wings and two crimson, brawny fists.

    This was the Evil Lord of Wrath from Nazarick. However, what stood here was merely a monster that Demiurge had called up with his Evil Lord Summons. It could only be used once every fifty hours, but it could be freely controlled for a time. Nazarick would not be diminished even if it were killed.

    It was level 84.

    As a physical-attacker type Evil Lord, it had a very high HP total.

    Of all the special abilities that Evil Lords possessed, the most dangerous one was the ability to summon another Evil Lord which was lower level than themselves. However, summoned monsters could not in turn summon more monsters. Therefore, the Evil Lord of Wrath that Demiurge had summoned could not summon another Evil Lord.

    If this Evil Lord had been created or made, then it could summon additional creatures. For instance, the Evil Lord of Sloth would often summon pack after pack of demons and undead, making them very hard to deal with.

    In addition, one troublesome point about the Evil Lord of Wrath was that it was very hard to manage its hate.

    The Evil Lord of Wrath built aggro more easily than other Evil Lords. He had heard tanks say that the most aggravating thing about dealing with multiple Evil Lords at once was how to keep the Evil Lord of Wrath from going off-target.

    In addition, it had the special ability of doing more damage and gaining more defense the higher its hate value became. Still, that was not too frightening. The only thing that Ainz had to be worried about was its ability called ¡¸Soul-Bought Miracle¡¹, which produced unknown effects.

    The Evil Lord could cast the following spells:

    Tenth tier spells: ¡¸Meteor Fall¡¹, ¡¸Time Stop¡¹, ¡¸Field of Unclean¡¹

    Ninth tier spells: ¡¸Greater Rejection¡¹, ¡¸Vermillion Nova¡¹

    Eighth tier spells: ¡¸Distort Moral¡¹, ¡¸Insanity¡¹, ¡¸Astral Smite¡¹, ¡¸Wave of Pain¡¹

    Seventh tier spells: ¡¸Napalm¡¹, ¡¸Hellme¡¹, ¡¸Greater Word of Curse¡¹, ¡¸Greater Teleportation¡¹, ¡¸sphemy¡¹

    Sixth tier spells: ¡¸mewing¡¹. ¡¸Wall of Hell¡¹

    Third tier spells: ¡¸Fireball¡¹, ¡¸Slow¡¹

    While the exact number of spells that monsters could use varied with their level and type, it was typically around 8. However, high level monsters like Dragons, Demons, and Angels were an exception.

    Still, as a pure warrior type, the Evil Lord of Wrath¡¯s spells were not particrly fearsome.

    It had no skills to strengthen its spells, and its magic-rted stats were very low. While the Evil Lord¡¯s attack spells were of the fire element and thus targeted a weakness of the undead, there was no need for him to be wary. Its mind-affecting spells were also useless against the undead, and Ainz¡¯s karma values were negative to begin with, so spells like ¡¸Distort Moral¡¹ were a waste of time.

    Since Ainz¡¯s karma value was negative, Angels were harder for him to deal with than Demons.

    As he contemted his opposition¡¯s data, Ainz nced at the two maids behind the Evil Lord. He would think about themter.

    ¡°Now then, have you been told?¡±

    ¡°But of course, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Hearing that weighty voice made Suzuki Satoru smile unconsciously from inside Ainz¡¯s heart. That was because this demon ¨D and all the monsters of Nazarick ¨D were designed in ordance with their image.

    Those voices were probably what the developers or their creators had envisioned for them. In that case, who hade up with the adorable voice that Lip Bugs had before consuming any vocal cords? Or did the whole seiyuu-in-your-mind thing that Peroroncino was talking about really exist?

    No, that was impossible.

    Pandora¡¯s Actor was a good example. He was a being who did not feel like he reflected what his creator had in mind. And then there was the fact that even a being without vocal cords like Ainz could speak. All he could say was that magical worlds were truly astounding.

    ¡°If you¡¯re addressing me with that name and in that tone, I take it the surroundings are clear?¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    ¡°Then I will ask you the most important question of all. Are you truly prepared to fight with the intent of killing me?¡±¡°Yes, I was ordered to do so.¡±

    Ainz nodded as he heard the Evil Lord¡¯s reply.

    One thing that had made Ainz uneasy in the past was ack of strong opponents to fight. Ever since the battle with Shalltear, Ainz had been worrying about not having chances to fight with all his strength.

    After training and gaining experience in closebat, he could skilfully move his body as Momonga and fight as a warrior of roughly level 33.

    However, the question of how he would fare in higher levelbat still remained.

    He should have conductedbat training against high level opponents. Unfortunately, he had not had the chance to encounter such high level monsters until now.

    That was why he had ordered Demiurge tomand the summoned Evil Lord to kill Ainz.

    He would defeat this powerful foe who wanted to kill him, and thus strengthen himself.

    That had been easier said than done. The two of them had been strongly opposed to the idea and persuading them had taken a lot of time. One could not fault a mentally exhausted Ainz from thinking, ¡°I thought we agreed that my word wasw...¡±

    In the end, after countless concessions and conditions, the stage had been set for this life-and-death battle.

    A chill coursed through his body as he considered that he might die. It was apletely different sensation from what he had felt during the battle with Shalltear, because this was an unnecessary battle.

    However¡ª

    While I had a lot of PVP experience in YGGDRASIL, I realized in the battle against Shalltear that this world is not a game. If the timees when I must face off against a level 100 yer with a great deal of realbat experience, I won¡¯t be able to win without an equivalent amount of experience. I know that cowardice leads to defeat.

    Ainz was very d that he was undead and could suppress the fear he might have felt at the prospect of death. If he were still human, he would probably have called it off by now.

    ¡°Now then, Yuri,¡± Ainz said to the maids behind the Evil Lord. ¡°Since you and Lupusregina are here, does that mean you will be fighting me together with the Evil Lord? Are the others not here?¡±

    He saw no sign of Solution, Entoma, or CZ. They must have been off doing work elsewhere.

    ¡°We are the only two who havee here. We sisters will challenge you together with the Evil Lord of Wrath. The reason is because Albedo-sama feels that allowing the people of this country to witness the maid demons is not a bad thing. In addition, the Evil Lord of Wrath alone might not be enough to satisfy your request, Ainz-sama.¡±

    It was true that a single level 80ish Evil Lord would be hard-pressed to stand against Ainz. However, even the addition of Yuri and Lupusregina did not make it a very powerful opponent.

    That said, troublesome factors can be bad news. Suffering because I underestimated my opponent would be foolish. I¡¯d best stay on my guard.

    ¡°In addition, Albedo-sama ordered us to check something with you, Ainz-sama. Are you really alright with the condition that you will not leave Nazarick for theing year if you are defeated?¡±

    ¡°Ah, that was one of the conditions Albedo insisted on before agreeing to this bout. If I lose, I will spend the next year working hard within the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, with Albedo, in the same room¡­ aren¡¯t you going to verify the conditions that Demiurge mentioned?¡±

    Ainz looked at the Evil Lord, but it said nothing. It probably felt that there was no need to check.

    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±

    Yuri bowed.

    Now there would be no margin for him to change the n. As he thought of how dire the situation was, Ainz could not help but sweat internally.

    It would be easy enough to kill Yuri and the others due to the tremendous disparity in their respective strength, but Ainz Ooal Gown would never allow that. Killing an NPC for the sake of training was utterly ridiculous.

    In other words¨C

    I have to kill the Evil Lord without harming Yuri and Lupusregina.

    Ainz could not helpughing. This would be one hell of a challenge. Still, there would make for good training.

    ¡°Is something wrong, Ainz-sama?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing, don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    ¡°Also, Cocytus-sama requested that we record this battle so everyone in Nazarick can learn from it. Do you mind?¡±

    While he did not want to do so because he felt it was embarrassing, recording battles was verymon in YGGDRASIL. With that in mind, he ought to ept that request.

    ¡°Still, recording the battle proceedings will trigger interference from the anti-divination offensive barriers. Shall I lower it?¡±

    ¡°Surely you mean divination-detecting spells, do you not, Ainz-sama? And not the linked offensive spell model?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, that¡¯s the one. After all, if it were thetter, it would be bad if someone from Nazarick were trying to find my position and triggered it.¡±

    If he deployed the linked offensive spell barrier, as he had used to in the past, any member of Nazarick trying to cast a divination on Ainz would be very badly hurt. While he used to cast that spell all the time because friendly fire was off, doing so now would be dangerous.

    Of course, the denizens of Nazarick would not be hurt by the offensive barrier, given that they were protected by a World ss Item, but the defense would incur a cost in gold coins. If things went badly, expenses like that would be more painful for him.

    ¡°Then there¡¯s no need to worry ~su.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯d best deactivate it. Besides, offensive barriers disappear once they activate and have to be reset. In that case, I might as well just deactivate it from the start and have some peace of mind.¡±

    ¡°I see ~su, then I¡¯ll leave it to you ~su.¡±

    Ainz deactivated his offensive barrier.

    ¡°Alright ¨D then let¡¯s begin thebat recording. Whose point of view are you using? I don¡¯t mind if it¡¯s mine, you know?¡±

    ¡°I think I was supposed to do the recording ~su.¡±

    In truth, Ainz was fine with anything. Anyone¡¯s perspective would have been alright.

    In addition, the memories of sparring with his friends wereing back to him, and Ainz began to enjoy himself.

    Simted battles with his friends were a fundamental part of devising new techniques and using new equipment.

    He had often sparred with Touch Me, but those battles did not count and had not been entered in Ainz¡¯s PVP record.

    Since Ainz had never won even once, his win rate would have dropped if they had been recorded. He had never taken it seriously, simply treating it as ¡°training¡± since he knew he could not win. Ainz always emphasized that.

    ¡°Shall we begin, then? You need to prepare yourself to kill me. Of course, I won¡¯t kill you.¡±

    ¡°No, actually, it¡¯s alright if you kill us.¡±

    Before Ainz could say that he did not want to do so, Yuri stated the reason.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, we are not the actual members of the Pleiades. All of us are Greater Doppelgangers.¡±

    ¡°What!? What did you say?¡±

    ¡°We are musicians of the Erich String Orchestra under Chacmool-sama of the Five Worsts. By Albedo-sama¡¯s order, we have transformed into members of the Pleiades.¡±

    ¡°¨DIs that so?¡±

    He looked at them several more times, but Ainz could not tell the difference between them and the Yuri and Lupusregina which he knew. He could not help but wonder if this was a lie they were telling so he could kill them without worries during the fight.

    Perhaps one of them was fake. He had once heard that the best lies were those that had a little bit of the truth sprinkled into it.

    Ainz could not see through the Doppelgangers¡¯ disguise. There was a spell that could dispel the Doppelgangers¡¯ shapeshifting, but using that spell would keep them from transforming again for a period of time due to the spell¡¯s effect. In that case, having them transform into the Pleiades would be meaningless. It would be a different matter if Ainz had learned lower tier spells but¡ª

    No¡ª

    ¡°Hm, it does seem like Lupusregina is speaking differently from normal. What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Lupusregina¡¯s face went nk for a moment.

    ¡°Is that strange, Ainz-sama?¡±

    The Greater Doppelganger pretending to be Lupusregina changed its way of speaking. That was probably its usual speech pattern.

    ¡°Ah, those aren¡¯t the usual expressions she uses.¡±

    ¡°But Lupusregina-sama always spoke like that in front of us¡­¡±

    When a Doppelganger impersonated someone, it was more difficult for people closer to the target to see through their disguise. That was because they used a form of telepathy during their shapeshifting to read the surface thoughts of the people they were speaking to and those around them in order to extract information rted to the target they were impersonating and then apply it to their impersonation act ¨D at least, that was what their entry in the monster encyclopedia said.

    ording to Pandora¡¯s Actor, that ability had be real in this world.

    However, that was simply to discern the possible reactions that the impersonated subject might have, and it did not read minds or search through memories.

    In addition, since this ability was a form of psychic attack, it was useless on Ainz and other undead creatures. One could also simply resist it if the level difference was great enough. That was probably why it could not discern Lupusregina¡¯s possible reactions from Ainz and had given the game away.

    Incidentally, it was more likely that Doppelgangers would out themselves when facing multiple people, because each of them would have a different impression of the target.

    Umu. Why did Lupu always add a ~su at the end of her sentences in front of them? Ahh, I see, so it was to make them sound out of ce. Perhaps she was trying to help me. What a cute little rascal she is...

    ¡°...Hm? My apologies. I have another question that is unrted tobat. While Albedo has given you an order, who would have priority if I were to tell you to abandon that order?

    ¡°Naturally, the words of the Supreme One would have priority, Ainz-sama. However, I must sincerely apologize that we will obey orders from our summoner, Anyami Shirabe-sama, above all else.¡±

    ¡°...Hm? Who¡¯s that?¡±

    Was there an NPC like that? As the question grew in his heart, the mes in Ainz¡¯s eyes red as he heard Doppel-Yuri¡¯s answer.

    ¡°That would be Temperance-sama.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Temperance-san? Anyami? Ahhh¡­ well, that does work as a physical description¡­ but still, Anyami Shirabe?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Temperance-sama once asked to be addressed that way, so Chacmool-sama instructed us to do so as well.¡±

    ¡°...After I return to Nazarick, I would like to hear all about this. Anyami Shirabe, huh.¡±

    This was the first time he had ever heard him refer to himself that way.

    Ainz could not helpughing as he learned that a former friend had referred to himself that way in a ce where nobody else knew. This was truly a cunning trap, set to decrease his fighting spirit.

    Ahh, no, no. I mustn¡¯t fall for Anyami Shirabe¡¯s trap! Fu, fufu...

    Though he knew it was not the right time to do so, he recalled the guild member in question.

    How had he looked and felt when he had given that name?

    Ainz narrowed his eyes as he reminisced about his friend from the past, and then he saw a surprised look on the face of Doppel-Yuri as it tilted its head. Ainz sensed that he had be careless and pulled himself together.

    He could remember his old friendster. Right now, he ought to analyze the Doppelganger¡¯s words.

    After this, I¡¯d like to question all the vassals and NPCs about the sides of themselves that they¡¯ve been hiding. Fufufu ¨D now then! Another questiones to mind...

    In the absence of a direct order, vassals like Doppelgangers would obey the NPC in charge of them. In that case, what would happen if a certain NPC wanted to kill Ainz and gathered many high level vassals and ordered them to attack Ainz with their strongest moves? Of course, this would happen while Ainz was unable to detect or stop them.

    Would they carry out that order? Or would they disobey it?

    ¡°...You¡¯re also ready toe at me like you want to kill me, is that it?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Those are the orders I have received, and I have determined that I also have your permission, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Doppel-Yuri¡¯s answer made Ainz wrinkle his ¨D nonexistent ¨D brows.

    ...Isn¡¯t this dangerous? It¡¯s probably best to see exactly where the boundary lies.

    If even Ainz could think of this, then Albedo had most likely verified it herself, Still, he ought to make sure, just in case. He could not let a hole in security go unpatched.

    ¡°...Indeed. I permit you to use your full abilities to kill me in this battle. Then swear on the name of Ainz Ooal Gown once more. Can you swear that what you said about your true identities just now was the truth?¡±

    ¡°Yes. This we do swear, upon the names of all the Supreme Beings.¡±

    Yuri and Lupusregina transformed their hands into alien-looking objects.

    ¡°¨DAh!¡±

    ¡°What? What is it, Doppel-Yuri?¡±

    ¡°Ainz-sama, there is one thing I forgot. Our equipment was borrowed from the Pleiades. Therefore, can we trouble you to recover them for us if we are killed?¡±

    Doppelgangers could even copy the clothing and equipment of their targets if they wanted to. However, they could only duplicate appearances, and not the equipment¡¯s abilities. Since they would gain no benefits from the gear, when fighting a magic caster like Ainz, the difference between them would be like that between heaven and earth. Therefore, they had no choice but to borrow the real thing from the originals.

    Greater Doppelgangers can imitate people of up to level 60. However, unlike the NPCs, they can only copy up to 90% of the originals¡¯ abilities. Even if they possess gear from the Pleiades, there¡¯s no need to be worried¡­ is there? In that case, killing them would be too much of a waste. After all, they¡¯re mercenary vassals, which means summoning them cost money ¨D as I thought, I should just leave them powerless. Do I need to put that into the rules after all?

    ¡°Alright! I will add one more rule. Once you Greater Doppelgangers are near death, you are out. I will monitor your health with ¡¸Life Essence¡¹. You can hide your HP totals, right?¡± After Yuri replied in the affirmative, Ainz nodded. ¡°Then suppress that ability for a while. If I judge that you¡¯ll die after a light hit, I will call your name and rule you out. In that case, you will count as dead. Leave the battle area immediately. In addition, the same thing applies to the Evil Lord of Wrath. If I dere victory, thebat will end. Do you understand?¡±

    The Evil Lord of Wrath and the two Doppelgangers indicated that they understood.

    ¡°Very well. Then we¡¯ll start when the coin hits the ground¡­ about twenty five minutes has passed, so I guess they won¡¯tin even if we start.¡±

    Ainz cast ¡¸Life Essence¡¹ and then took out a gold coin. Of course, this was not a YGGDRASIL gold coin, but a trading gold coin used in this world.

    ¡°Will you not buff yourself?¡±

    ¡°Making time to buff yourself is also part ofbat training.¡±

    After replying thus to Doppel-Lupusregina, Ainz backed away from them, then flicked the coin up with his thumb so itnded between the two of them.

    As the coin hit the ground, Ainz jumped back, then threw his hands out and shouted:

    ¡°Absolute Immunity Barrier!¡±

    He saw the Evil Lord and the two Doppelgangers freeze up for a moment. However, the Evil Lord and Doppel-Yuri immediately rushed in.

    That was it. That was the right answer.

    Ainz¡¯s previous actions were meaningless. There was no ability called Absolute Immunity Barrier in YGGDRASIL ¨D or at least, there should not have been, as far as Ainz knew. Still, Ainz had shouted that name not simply to fake them out, but also for a different reason.

    Ah¨D it feels like they¡¯re a little slow. Could it be that they think something was done to them and they¡¯ve be a little timid now? Well, that¡¯s what happens when you wonder if you¡¯ve fallen into the enemy¡¯s trap.

    Their movements were restricted by the uneasiness that came from the fact that such a technique might actually exist in this world. One could say that this feint had seeded because there were still unknown things out there.

    Of course, that was not simply because of the unknown. A good example was Ainz¡¯s ability to create undead.

    In YGGDRASIL, there was no such thing as using a corpse as a medium to ignore the duration on created undead. This aberration had only sprung up aftering to this world. One could imagine that there were many other such changes that had happened in the process ofing to this world from the game. No, only a fool would not think about such things.

    In other words, making decisions with YGGDRASIL knowledge alone was very dangerous.

    I ought to discuss this with Albedo¡­ and the others, Cocytus included.

    Ainz cast a silent ¡¸Fly¡¹ spell and began thinking as he retreated to the rear while keeping a fixed distance from his pursuers.

    Albedo said destroying the Kingdom would take about two years of preparation. Should I collect information until then? Expanding one¡¯s nation means expanding contact with the outside¡­ I ought to throw these questions at Albedo and Demiurge and get their opinions. Hm ¨D illusions seem to be surprisingly powerful, it might be very bad if we don¡¯t watch out for them. It feels like you could do a lot with them if you were smart. If I meet a skilled illusionist, I should probably treat them well in order to recruit them. Fluder ¨D whoa!

    The Evil Lord had outpaced Ainz¡¯s ¡¸Fly¡¹ spell on foot. Unfortunately, flying was not that fast.

    ¡°!¡±

    After taking a punch from the Evil Lord¡¯s maul-like fist, Ainz felt pain ¨D though it was immediately suppressed. Though he had felt the same way during the fight with Shalltear, he was once again thankful for this body of his that could suppress his pain. Ainz could fight thanks to it.

    After that, the Evil Lord pursued Ainz ¨D who had been knocked flying ¨D and closed the distance to him.

    To Ainz, this was the worst possible thing they could have done.

    Yuri has circled around behind me. They¡¯re using a pincer attack of two people who can do bludgeoning damage, which is my weakness. Meanwhile, Lupusregina is keeping her distance and casting spells¡­ hm, that¡¯s a buff. Good grief, this is the best way to deal with magic casters. Is this because of the Evil Lord¡¯sbat AI? Or is it because it¡¯s choosing moves from the mind of its summoner, Demiurge? Well, that¡¯s fine.

    If they would not let him keep his distance, then he would simply have to make his own space.

    ¡°¡¸Greater Teleportation¡¹.¡±

    His field of vision immediately opened up, and the city spread below him. Under normal circumstances, he would not have been able to teleport to an unknown destination, but it would be alright as long as it was within line of sight. Having teleported one kilometer above the ground without any hesitation whatsoever, Ainz cast another spell.

    It was ¡¸Body of Effulgent Beryl¡¹.

    This spell was exceptionally effective because Yuri and the Evil Lord both did bludgeoning damage.

    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s not all there is to it,¡± Ainz muttered as he looked to the ground. ¡°...If Bukubukuchagama-san or Variable Talisman-san were here, the backliners wouldn¡¯t be getting beaten up.¡±

    When ying as a party, skilled aggro managers like tanks would not make mistakes like allowing the magic casters in the backline to be attacked.

    During the time when they had stopped ying the game ¨D when Ainz had gone out to earn the money for Nazarick¡¯s upkeep by himself, he had used mercenary NPCs to allow him to act with impunity. The only time he had truly fought alone was the battle with Shalltear. Perhaps that was why he could not helpining.

    They were quite some distance apart, so he had no idea where the Evil Lord was, but he had a rough idea of the square¡¯s location. While carpetbombing the area with attack spells was a valid tactic, that would be pointless. One could say that the objective this time round was to win in a full-powered contest with the opposition.

    ¡°¡¸Widen Magic Dy Teleportation¡¹!¡±

    Come to think of it, I used to get pissed off by the mercenary NPCs¡¯ poor management of aggro. That was probably the devs¡¯ way of saying ¡°please group up with other yers¡± or something.

    He then confirmed that somethingrge was going to teleport above him, within the area of the ¡¸Dy Teleportation¡¹ spell ¨D the Evil Lord. Thanks to the effect of the ¡¸Dy Teleportation¡¹, it would take a while before it appeared in the real world. In other words, it meant that these two weak enemies which had lost their strongest shield werepletely exposed before him.

    In order to weaken the enemy¡¯s fighting strength, he ought to defeat the weaker two first. Ainz let gravity im him, and then elerated further with ¡¸Fly¡¹.

    The added speed of the freefall meant that he was moving quite fast. The air struck Ainz¡¯s face and flowed past him. At the same time, Ainz opened his eyes and observed the square.

    ¡°Though I think hiding in a house would have been better¡­¡±

    Ainz muttered quietly and then selected Lupusregina ¨D who was proudly standing in the middle of the square ¨D as his target.

    Yuri was some distance away. While she could see him, she did not look like she was prepared to intercept him. Leaving a healer alone was quite frustrating, but Yuri had made the right decision considering that she had to be wary of area-effect spells,.

    Ainz ground to a halt as he skidded across the ground ¨D in truth, he would not have been hurt even if he had crashed straight into it ¨D and cast a spell.

    Ainz chose one of the most destructive tenth tier spells in his arsenal, ¡¸Reality sh¡¹. At the same time, he used a special ability to maximize the spell. While he could have tripled the spell or something simr to do a great deal of damage, it would be very dangerous while he did not know how much damage the Doppelgangers had taken. He had to avoid the possibility of killing them by ident.

    ¡°¡¸Maximize Magic¨D¡¹¡±

    As he raised his hand, his hand was struck and damaged, and the spell fizzled. The mana spent on casting the spell was wasted.

    What? Interfering with a spell through a ranged attack? Is it some kind of special ability?

    Perhaps it was because he was undead, or because he was a veteran yer, but his confusion onlysted for a moment. Ainz immediately analyzed the attack he had received.

    Neither the Evil Lord nor Yuri nor Lupusregina possessed abilities like this.

    Perhaps it¡¯s the World ss Item holder who brainwashed Shalltear¨D

    And if the Hanzos missed him¨D

    If it was a ranged weapon user¨D

    If it was her, she could use a special ability to interfere with spells¨D

    ¡°¨DI fell for it!¡±

    Ainz shouted as he found the answer.

    Although Yuri closed in and delivered a punch, Ainz had already enhanced his defense with a spell, so he did not need to be so wary of her. After all, there was something more important than that.

    The whole thing was a trap from the start! No, Yuri ¨D I see! ¡°Here¡± was referring to the square! That was why the Hanzos said ¡°the Pleiades¡± were present! Dammit! I was wondering why they said ¡°all of us¡± when it was just the two of them!

    All the points of data made a beautiful line.

    CZ was attacking now.

    It was not just Yuri and Lupusregina who were present. CZ was also on the battlefield. In all likelihood, Solution and Entoma were here too. All the Doppel-Pleiades were present in the city.

    No, no, I need to calm down. Doppel-CZ was just lucky. It was easy enough for me to resist that because of the level difference between us. She won¡¯t be so lucky ¨D well, unlucky for me ¨D next time.

    ¡°¡¸Greater Word of Curse¡¹!¡±

    The Evil Lord had finally caught up and cast a spell, but Ainz resisted it without any problems. It was only threatening in closebat, so all he had to do was keep his distance.

    Ainz ignored the Evil Lord above him and ignored Yuri, who had only done minimal damage to him from the start. He lunged straight at Lupusregina.

    In that moment¨D

    Countless Bullet Bugs flew over from the side. There was no doubt that it was Entoma.

    He did not even need to use his High Tier Physical Immunity to stop it. That was because non-magical ranged attacks could not harm Ainz.

    Perhaps if it was a weapon carried by the Pleiades, Ainz¡¯s immunity would have been defeated thanks to the massive amount of data within them. The best example of that was CZ and Yuri¡¯s attacks from just now. However, certain skills were calcted based on the user¡¯s level. Entoma was a prime example, since she possessed many of these user level-based attacks.

    Entoma was only around level 50, so her attacks did not bother Ainz at all. In addition, if all damage from an attack was nullified, none of the rider effects would take ce either.

    Therefore, he could ignore it.

    Ainz did not even spare Entoma a nce as he moved in to finish off the healer, but just then, Solution erupted from her ambush point in front of Lupusregina. It would have been a futile gesture if she was facing an area-effect attack, but that was the only way to protect the healer.

    However, Solution had made a fatal mistake. Ainz was a magic caster and did not need to close to attack. All he needed to do was cast attack spells from a distance. He had to think about why she would charge out from in front of Lupusregina.

    Ainz had only one aim.

    He wanted to expose the enemy and reveal whatever card they had up their sleeve.

    Narberal¡¯s not around?

    He did not understand. She was not among the maid demons who had attacked the Royal Capital. However, one could not rule her out if all the Pleiades were present. It was possible that they were saving their ace in the hole for thest moment. Still, since he knew what kind of hand the opposition had, there was no reason to continue fighting in the middle of the enemy.

    ¡°¡¸Greater Teleportation¡¹.¡±

    CZ did not interrupt his spell, and he managed to teleport under a roof within line of sight.

    I need to remember what Yuri and the others can do. Who should I kill first? ¨DLupusregina, the healer. While I need to be very careful of CZ¡­ I have no idea where she is¡­ so I¡¯ll let the others go first. The Evil Lord will take the most time, so I¡¯ll save him forst.

    He saw Lupusregina casting a spell on Solution. Had they not pursued Ainz because drawing out the battle was not a problem for them? No, it was because they understood that since Ainz could move at will with ¡¸Greater Teleportation¡¹, they could be easily scattered and individually defeated. After all, Ainz was hoping for that too.

    It did not matter if they saw through him.

    All he had to do was harass them with ranged spells and then take them out one by one. While CZ the rangedbat specialist was present, she would eventually expose herself if she attacked continuously. Therefore, she would only attack at critical moments. In that case, she would not be so frightening. Or rather¨D

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see her, so let me guess, you¡¯re standing in for Narberal.¡±

    Ainz muttered to himself as he watched the Evil Lordnd.

    ¡°Haha, you¡¯ve be fat, Narberal. Shall we call you Goril now? And your element¡¯s changed greatly too. Well ¨D this is interesting. If the Doppel-Pleiades are my opponents¨D¡± Ainz flourished his cape. Of course, there was no meaning to it; he simply wanted to show off in a kingly way. ¡°Then I ought to get a little serious.¡±

    Don¡¯t die~

    ¡°¡¸Twin Maximize Magic Re¨D¡±

    Just as Ainz was about to cast a spell at Lupusregina, another bullet hit Ainz¡¯s arm and interrupted his spell.

    ¡°¨DHah?¡±

    Impossible.

    Even if she had seeded once by luck, she could not have interrupted his spell twice in a row. CZ was far lower level than Ainz.

    Could he have been unlucky enough to fail his resistance check twice in a row? How unlikely were those odds? Or perhaps this was not bad luck, but certainty ¨D for instance, if his opponent was not CZ at all?

    The Evil Lord of Wrath spread his fiery wings and closed in on Ainz. Yuri came in from the right, and Entoma flew in from the left in a roundabout fashion.

    What¡¯s going on? Why is this happening? Is this some change that urred aftering to this world? Or did Ga-san give CZ something? Or is it not CZ? What did Yuri say just now? They¡¯re sisters, but they¡¯re Doppel¡­ Pando ¨D ahhhh!

    The Evil Lord had closed the distance and then cocked his hand back, preparing to deliver a haymaker.

    Dammit! I hate people like that who just rush straight in and start punching! If you¡¯re a substitute for Narberal than attack with magic! You damn Gori!

    Well, if the Evil Lord had really cast a spell on Ainz, he would have resisted it, so it would have been boring anyway.

    Ainz did not hesitate; he stepped in before his enemy could fully close the distance.

    The Evil Lord had guessed that Ainz would flee, so his movements slowed by a beat. Behind him was Yuri, who was probably nning to nk Ainz with the Evil Lord.

    The strike from the ming fist ¨D was a feint, which was why Ainz had managed to evade it by stepping into the range of the blow.

    The arms whistled past his ears, and the wind in its wake sounded like a scream.

    A pure magic caster had evaded the attack of a warrior-type monster.

    While he thought that this would be impossible if he were still a YGGDRASIL yer, this was not due to luck. As mentioned before, the Evil Lord had not expected Ainz to step into the attack, so he had not used his full force. And then there was another point, which was that this was the result of his training.

    Ainz had practiced this method of evading his opponent by closing in with them several hundred times with Cocytus. About one in every ten times, if Cocytus was not attacking in earnest, he couldpletely slip past them.

    Cocytus did say that a good warrior would never make such incredibly shy and telegraphed attacks, so I shouldn¡¯t get careless¡­ but it¡¯s pretty useful in an actual fight, isn¡¯t it?

    And so, Ainz ced his bony hand on the Evil Lord¡¯s sturdy chest.

    And then he cast a touch spell.

    While most spells had an effective range, some spells had a range that was practically zero. Such spells needed direct contact with the target to be cast, so only people with levels in spellcaster and warrior sses could use them well. It was because they were so inconvenient that they were more powerful than spells of a simr tier, being roughly a tier more effective,

    Ainz¡¯s specialty was necromancy, and this was an 8th tier spell from that field, ¡¸Energy Drain¡¹. It was a spell that drained the opponent¡¯s levels and granted various benefits depending on the amount of levels drained. Naturally, this spell had also been maximized.

    He beat the Evil Lord¡¯s spell resistance and drained his levels. Thanks to that, he recovered almost all the damage Yuri had inflicted. That said, the healing provided by this spell was only supplementary in nature.

    Ainz¡¯s parameters were all temporarily enhanced, and he received a special buff which would fade in a short time. In turn, the Evil Lord had received a level down debuff which could not be removed by the passage of time.

    This time, it was the Evil Lord who backed away.

    His wrathful visage was tinted by something else.

    Was it surprise, or was it admiration?

    Ainz wanted to praise himself for sessfully evading that blow too. That said, he had managed it because his opposition had been far too cocky. Just like how a magic trick became boring once you pointed out the gimmick, this move would probably not work a second time.

    ¡°Well, however good a n is, only an idiot would use it more than once. Isn¡¯t that right ¨D Pleiades! Aureole Omega!¡±

    That was how it was.

    He was fighting five Doppelgangers, the Evil Lord of Wrath and a level 100 NPC.

    Is Albedo trying to make me lose? I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d even use Aureole.

    Aureole Omega was thestborn of the Pleiades Seven Sisters. She was an Area Guardian of the 8th Floor and a level 100 NPC specialized inmander-type sses. As amander, she could issue orders which buffed her allies. CZ must have been able to beat their level difference thanks to that.

    While he had no idea what kind of special ability Aureole had used, if one looked at party roles such as physical attacker, magical attacker, healer and so on, then she would be a wild card ¨D an all-rounder. It was hardly strange that she would be able to do anything.

    What exactly could Punitto Moe-san do?

    Ainz never went head-to-head with his opponents during PVP so Ainz had little experience in dealing withmander-type opponents.

    She could not have left the 8th Floor ande here without my permission. That would mean that she must have buffed the Doppelgangers before they came here. That would mean she probably didn¡¯t buff them too carefully ¡ª or no, is there a Doppelganger of Aureole here?

    ¨DNo. There was no time to think about such pointless things. Only one thing mattered. Could theypletely shut down Ainz¡¯s spellcasting, and could they keep it up forever?

    There were two kinds of special abilities in YGGDRASIL. One kind had a cooldown period after use. The other had a limited period of uses within a certain period. There were alsobinations of the two.

    In general, the more powerful the ability, the longer the cooldown or the fewer times it could be used. Ainz¡¯s trump card ¨D ¡¸The Goal Of All Life Is Death¡¹ ¨D which could only be used once every 100 hours was just such an ability.

    In that case, which type did CZ¡¯s ability to interrupt Ainz¡¯s spellcasting belong to?

    That move just now was very handy, but it did not seem to have a long cooldown time. That would mean it was the use-limited type. However, he could not tell how long it would take for her to recover her uses. All he could do was hope that she could not recover them during the course of the battle after they were depleted.

    ¨DThough I think I ought to save my tenth tier spells for when they¡¯ve been depleted...

    Ainz quickly verified the positions of the Pleiades and the Evil Lord. The Evil Lord was in front of him. Yuri was behind him ¨D and preparing to slug Ainz. While her ki-enhanced attacks could even shatter steel, they were of little concern in the face of Ainz¡¯s levels. After reconfirming that the Evil Lord was the real danger, he turned his attention to the others.

    Entoma was inside a house on the left side of the square. Lupusregina was in the square. Solution stood in front of her, like she was protecting her. CZ¡¯s location was unknown.

    While not knowing a sniper¡¯s position was the worst possible scenario, the fact that the enemy was now dispersed was the best case for him.

    Ainz snorted.

    Though he knew that now was hardly a time tough, he could not resist the mirth welling up inside him.

    Now this is interesting!

    ¡°Alright, now get out of my face. ¡¸Maximize Magic Nuclear st¡¹!¡±

    ¡°!¡±

    Before Ainz¡¯s eyes, the space between him and the Evil Lord shed and swelled, consuming everything in an instant. Yuri was surprised, but that was only to be expected, because Ainz had been caught in it as well.

    Using the ninth tier spell ¡¸Nuclear st¡¹ as an attack was a questionable choice. It didposite damage ¨D half fire, half bludgeoning ¨D and it was one of the weaker 9th tier spells in terms of damage.

    Considering the Evil Lord of Wrath was immune to fire, this spell should not have even been considered for use. Even so, Ainz had his reasons for using this spell.

    First of all, it had a veryrge area of effect. It was superior to almost all other spells in that respect. In addition, this spell also generated all kinds of negative status effects such as poisoning, blindness, deafness, and so on, but anything of the Evil Lord¡¯s level would be able to resist it with their raw statistics alone and the Pleiades¡¯ equipment ought to have made them immune to all these effects. The main reason he had chosen this spell was because it also possessed a very powerful knockback effect.

    Of course, Ainz would also be damaged by this spell. While friendly fire was off in YGGDRASIL and so using a spell this recklessly would not be a problem, right now he would be hurting himself. Even if his magical defense was very high, there was no need for him to go out of the way to take damage to cast his spell. Rather than act like a suicide bomber, he ought to have chosen another spell.

    However, Ainz had already worked it out.

    If he expended the ¡¸Body of Effulgent Beryl¡¹ spell to stop all the bludgeoning damage, the fire-elemental damage would also be negated, which would mean he would not be harmed. In addition, all those negative statuses were ineffective on the undead.

    In other words, Ainz was undamaged by the spell.

    If hepletely resisted its damage, the knockback would not take effect either, and so Ainz was the only one left standing in the heart of the explosion.

    ¡°Hahah.¡±

    Ainzughed. The feeling of everything going as nned was very refreshing, after all.

    Ainz¡¯s aim was to blow the enemy away and tear the enemy formation to shreds.

    For a moment, Ainz briefly imagined the guild members who had taught him various things ¨D including this tactic.

    Both the earlier simted battle and even this battle where failure meant death reminded Ainz of YGGDRASIL, which made him strangely happy.

    I¡¯ve wondered about this before, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯m a battle maniac...

    ¡°Come, it¡¯s not over yet. The battle¡¯s just beginning. I¡¯ll show you the strength that I nurtured with everyone.¡±

    Unleashing the fury of that 9th tier spell meant that the surrounding buildings had all been swept away, and there was much more space all of a sudden.

    That could not be helped. After all, this city had outlived its usefulness.

    He could have widened the spell to try and catch CZ in the st. However, Ainz was worried about the problems that might result from destroying too much of the city, so he had not done so. For all he knew, it might have been a mistake.

    Forget it, let¡¯s leave it at that. What¡¯s left is¨D

    Ainz looked in Lupusregina¡¯s direction. The enemy envelopment was in shambles.

    Even with Aureole¡¯s buffs, they could not avoid the knockback, and Ainz could see the enemy hurriedly getting to their feet.

    ¡°That¡¯s about all the damage ¡¸Nuclear st¡¹ ought to be able to do, so¨D¡±

    Ainz flew towards Lupusregina and cast ¡¸Reality sh¡¹.

    This time, he was not interrupted by CZ, and Lupusregina¡¯s body spurted a fountain of blood.

    ¡°¡¸Widen Magic Shark Cyclone¡¹.¡±

    An extrarge cyclone came into existence behind him, swallowing up Yuri and the Evil Lord. This was both to obscure Yuri and the Evil Lord¡¯s vision and also to buy Ainz time. In truth, Ainz had nned to create a cyclone before the ¡¸Nuclear st¡¹ to block their vision and then get rid of Yuri first, but after considering that the Evil Lord could probably break out of the spell easily, he decided not to go with that n. Instead, he had decided to use it when the enemy was confused.

    Ainz heard the sound of disced stones as he saw Entoma push a pir off herself while rising to her feet.

    He had no idea where CZ was even now. Ideally, she would be pinned under a fallen house.

    ¡°He¡¯sing here! Stop him!¡±

    Solution shouted from her ce in front of Lupusregina, but her voice could not reach the ears of Yuri and the Evil Lord, who were inside the cyclone. Yuri in particr was shifting desperately within the cyclone to avoid being blown away. While certain sses could use spells or special abilities to teleport or go incorporeal and thus escape the cyclone easily, she did not seem to possess such abilities.

    And that would mean Yuri had focused on strengthening other things¨D

    After reviewing this battle, they ought to understand what gear they need to have and what preparations they need to make, right? No, that¡¯s not it...

    If they were the true Pleiades, they might have been able to deal with this better. They were simply Doppelgangers copying the Pleiades¡¯ abilities, after all. It only made sense that they would lose out to the real deal in terms ofbat skills.

    As Ainz closed the distance and prepared to cast ¡¸Reality sh¡¹, bugs fell from the sky one after the other. They wererge transport insects with nobat ability. The objective of this action was simply to block Ainz¡¯s line of sight.

    Such a use would not be possible in YGGDRASIL. Even so, Entoma ¨D though actually a Doppelganger ¨D could use them in this way. Ainz gave thanks in his heart as he incanted a spell.

    ¡°¡¸Greater Teleportation¡¹.¡±

    After teleporting into the air and avoiding the rain of bugs, Ainz cast ¡¸Twin Maximize Magic Reality sh¡¹.

    Even if CZ had Ainz in his sights, the fact that her target had suddenly teleported into the air meant that she would lose him. After all, the weakness of the humanoid body was its inability to follow sudden up and down movement with the eyes.

    That said, if he were facing an experienced shooter like Peroroncino, for example, they would be able to anticipate their opponent¡¯s movements, even in the vertical ne. Therefore, it was possible that one could not even escape with teleportation magic.

    Peroroncino-san¡¯s aiming would have been like locking on to his target¡­ CZ, you need to work hard to get on his level...

    As he basked in the nostalgia, Ainz shouted:

    ¡°Lupusregina, out!¡±

    Having to fight while keeping an eye on the HP of his opponents was very difficult. One could even call it a handicap. Therefore, if he was asked if Lupusregina¡¯s HP was really depleted, Ainz would not be able to reply with any confidence. Even so, he had to avoid any chance of killing Lupusregina because of a moment¡¯s carelessness.

    She¡¯s a Doppelganger, so not only is she weaker than the original, but her HP isn¡¯t the same as the original Lupusregina¡¯s. Alright, now that I¡¯ve taken out the enemy¡¯s magic caster, it¡¯s time to be a real bastard. ¡¸Perfect Unknowable¡¹.

    While there were ways to discover Ainz after he had cast ¡¸Perfect Unknowable¡¹, without the aid of magic items, the only member of the Pleiades who could do it was Lupusregina, and the Evil Lord ought to be unable to detect him too. Therefore, it would probably be safe to say that they had no way to deal with this underhanded means of attack.

    Since I¡¯ve taken out the enemy healer, I should go search for CZ. Don¡¯t tell me she¡¯s burning up consumable items?

    Personally, Ainz could not forgive wasting the wealth of Nazarick on a battle like this.

    ¡°Where is he?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s gone! Is he using ¡¸Invisibility¡¹?¡±

    ¡°I can find him if he¡¯s invisible! But he¡¯s not there!¡±

    ¡°Is this some other kind of invisibility?¡±

    He could hear their confusion.

    ¡°You idiots! He¡¯s using ¡¸Perfect Unknowable¡¹!¡±

    ¡°Lupusregina! You¡¯re cheating!¡± Ainz shouted, but thanks to ¡¸Perfect Unknowable¡¹, others could not hear him.

    Ainz scratched his head.

    The Evil Lord and Yuri seemed to have broken out of the cyclone, and they were now looking all around for Ainz. While the best option would have been to drop another ¡¸Nuclear st¡¹ on them, that might end up killing Lupusregina, so Ainz abandoned that notion. Instead, he descended and kept tabs on Yuri¡¯s position at the same time. After that, hepared the amount of HP Yuri was missing to that of the others, and verified that in addition to the bludgeoning damage, she had also taken fire damage from the earlier magical attack¨D

    ¡°¡¸Triplet Maximize Magic Vermilion Nova¡¹!¡±

    Ainz used the highest level ¨D super tier magic notwithstanding ¨D single target fire-element attack spell that he knew on Yuri.

    It was only to be expected that there would be tenth tier spells that could do fire-element damage.

    For instance, ¡¸Stream of Lava¡¹, ¡¸Uriel¡¹, and the like. However, the use of those presented problems for Ainz.

    First off, Ainz could not cast ¡¸Stream of Lava¡¹. It was a divine spell which was only usable by a druid like Mare.

    ¡¸Uriel¡¹, on the other hand, was a spell that could be learned by a magic caster of any type as long as the requirements to learn it were met, but it only did its listed damage when cast by a magic caster with a maxed-out positive karma value. Its damage decreased as one¡¯s karma value decreased, and for someone like Ainz, it would do less damage than a first tier spell.

    Therefore, this spell was Ainz¡¯s only choice when it came to usability.

    Yuri¡¯s health dropped drastically.

    ¡°¡¸Perfect Unknowable¡¹.¡±

    ¡°He disappeared again!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s unfair!¡±

    ¡°If only Ainz-sama would fight us fair and square!¡±

    No, no, you¡¯re in the wrong for not even thinking of a way around this.

    ¡°And besides, I have no idea where CZ is! You three never said anything about who was taking part in this battle! Now who¡¯s being unfair!?¡±

    Ainz shouted, even though he knew the opposition could not hear him.

    Aftering to his senses, the Evil Lord charged at the ce Ainz had been.

    ¡°Too bad, I¡¯m not there anymore~¡±

    Ainz had begun moving, so he was no longer there. However, he would still be within the area of effect if the Evil Lord decided to cast area-attack spells, but just as Ainz thought that, the Evil Lord suddenly changed direction and came straight at Ainz.

    ¡°Hah?¡±

    Was he not invisible? That question was soon pounded out of existence by the pain he felt.

    The Evil Lord sent Ainz flying back. Since he was much more serious than just now, Ainz found it hard to defend against or evade the attack. No, Ainz had been too rxed ¨D he had not even thought of evading.

    Fortunately, the ¡¸Fly¡¹ spell helped control his posture and spared him the ignominy of rolling across the ground. It was just like how it had been during the battle with Shalltear.

    The Evil Lord jumped over, hot on Ainz¡¯s heels, and his line of sight was most definitely tracking Ainz¡¯s flight path.

    ...The Evil Lord of Wrath shouldn¡¯t have the ability to see through it¡­ Ah, he used it! His trump card, ¡¸Soul-Bought Miracle¡¹!¡±

    Inspired by stories of selling one¡¯s soul to the devil to fulfill one¡¯s wishes, this ability was truly miraculous. While he was not sure how the procedure worked, once one used this ability, one could use any one spell of under the 8th tier once.

    Normally, when Evil Lords used this ability, they would almost always use healing spells ¨D that was an unwritten rule. However, this time he had probably used a spell to see through ¡¸Perfect Unknowable¡¹.

    Ainz silently gave thanks that the Evil Lord had used the ability of which he was the most wary, even as he felt the pressing need to formte a new battle n.

    As the Evil Lord closed in and punched him again, Ainz began to get worried.

    While there was quite arge level difference between the two and he still had some room forxity, he could not simply allow himself to continue getting beaten up like this.

    ¡°Cheh. Here, have some back. ¡¸Triplet Maximize Magic Call Greater Thunder¡¹.¡±

    High level demons had very high elemental resistances. While their exact resistances varied between type, electricity was one of the more effective energy types against them. After taking three hits of a maximized-damage elemental attack spell, the Evil Lord¡¯s body trembled.

    Ainz cast another spell.

    ¡°¡¸Perfect Unknowable¡¹.¡±

    ¡°Cheeeeeap! Ainz-sama, you¡¯re so cheeeeeeap!¡±

    ¡°Ahhh, seriously!¡±

    Entoma stomped in frustration, while Lupusregina rolled around on the ground. Solution was the only one who was surveying her surroundings with a razor-sharp gaze.

    In theory, each individual mercenary vassal should have been identical, yet they had developed divergent personalities like this. Was it because they had copied the rtionships between the members of the Pleiades? Or had their personalities changed over time? The Evil Lord before Ainz followed his movements closely and shouted:

    ¡°Here! Use area attacks here, hit me with it too!¡±

    Entoma did not hesitate, but breathed a ck cloud from her mouth. It was her trump card, her Fly Breath.

    However, it was useless against Ainz, because that move did piercing damage. In addition, Ainz was a skeleton; what would the flies eat? In the end, it only served to annoy the Evil Lord.

    ¡°Hey! It didn¡¯t work on him! It only works on me!¡±

    ¡°Eh!?¡±

    Being able to copy an ability and use it well were two different things altogether. Surely the real Entoma would not have made such an amateur mistake.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any area-effect attacks, how about you, Yuri-nee?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve got this!¡±

    Yuri gathered light between her palms.

    The Kibakushou was a technique that acted as an anti-individual attack when it touched the enemy, but which became a spreading shockwave if it did not make contact. Naturally, as an attack intended for direct contact, it became very weak when dispersed. Since monks were a ss focused on fighting individuals, they had very few area-effect attacks ¨D practically none, in fact ¨D therefore one could say that it waspletely useless.

    ¡°There! He moved!¡±

    ¡°Here?¡±

    Yuriunched her area Kibakushou at the location where Ainz had been. Ainz wrinkled his brow ¨D despite having no brow ¨D as he saw this and reached a hand out.

    ¡°...No, no, you should have prioritized healing.¡±

    Yuri could have healed herself with her ki.

    After making his jab at Yuri, Ainz cast his spell. Needless to say, it was a spell that he already knew to be effective.

    ¡°¡¸Twin Maximize Magic Vermilion Nova¡¹.¡±

    Having cast an attack spell, Ainz came into view. He looked at Yuri, who was wreathed in mes, and made a cold pronouncement.

    ¡°Yuri, out ¨D ¡¸Perfect Unknowable¡¹.¡±

    Now then, things will get bad if I don¡¯t look for CZ in earnest. Having made that decision, Ainz began making a big detour as he kept an eye on the Evil Lord.

    Part 3

    Many people stood on the city walls with Neia, watching the battle unfold.

    While many of them were people who had been swayed to the Sorcerer King¡¯s side after he had rescued them, they were not the only ones here.

    There were priests and pdins here as well. Neia could not see Remedios from where she was standing, but she was close enough that Neia could hear her speak.

    The only members of themand staff who were absent were Gustav and Caspond.

    Everyone watching the battle was silent ¨D no. It was simply because there were no words to describe the battle.

    They should have known this.

    The members of Blue Rose had said that Jaldabaoth¡¯s difficulty rating was above 200. In other words, this was like fighting a huge dragon in the form of a human. Just fighting said battle in thend of men would lead to a great tragedy.

    They ought to have been grateful that only a single city district was destroyed. Many houses were on fire and white plumes of smoke reached to the sky, but the total casualties were almost nil.

    While watching the battle, she had seen cyclones, zes, strokes of lightning and other tremendous manifestations of power that were beyond man¡¯s knowledge running wild. Each of these discharges of energy could have easily taken countless lives.

    Especially¨D

    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful¡­¡±

    What had truly moved Neia¡¯s heart was the ball of white light that she had seen twice.

    It was power which consumed everything and made it disappear without a trace. It felt like something good to Neia, although she could not confirm whether it was truly the work of divine might. The incredible devastation she saw in the wake of the light¡¯s disappearance frightened her, but her admiration of its great power had won out in the end.

    It seems the fighting is still going on. I can¡¯t believe the battle still isn¡¯t over after using all those spells¡­ Jaldabaoth is really strong.

    She had heard about it, and she had even seen it with her own eyes. Yet, Neia¡¯s thinking had still been too naive. That naivete was now thoroughly eradicated.

    The king she served ¨D though only temporarily, and only within the Holy Kingdom ¨D was fighting. She felt that searing his heroic visage into her eyes was only natural as part of her squire¡¯s duties, which was why Neia was keeping watch from here. Yet, if she could¨D

    ¨DNeia tightly squeezed the bow she was carrying.

    If one looked closely, they would see several other shapes battling the Sorcerer King in addition to Jaldabaoth. Those were the maid demons, who were rated at difficulty 150. Neia could not do anything but admire the Sorcerer King¡¯s power for fighting so many powerful adversaries at once without giving ground.

    It was at this moment that Neia finally realized something about herself. She envied the people of the Sorcerous Kingdom ¨D those people who were protected by justice. How happy they must be to live in a country ruled by such a being.

    ¡°Weakness is a sin, so one must be strong, or humbly ept justice simr to that of His Majesty.¡±

    At this point, Neia voiced the words she had been mulling over all this time. The way she repeated it over and over sounded very much like a prayer.

    Suddenly, there was arge explosion as a meteor fell.

    It threw the carcasses of buildings high into the air, and they rained back down to the earth amidst a shower of gravel and sand.

    ¡°Captain¡­ isn¡¯t Jaldabaoth¡­ too powerful?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°The Sorcerer King ¨D His Majesty is also incredibly strong. If he bes an enemy of our nation¡­ what will we do?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Captain?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±

    She could hear Remedios talking to three pdins.

    The pdins asking her questions had probably not seen how Remedios had ended up being toyed with like a child even after unleashing the holy sword¡¯s power and stabbing Jaldabaoth in the back.

    Ahh, maybe they didn¡¯t see it. Still, anyone who saw that fight would have understood. Both the Sorcerer King and Jaldabaoth were unimaginably powerful. Still, it was toote to think about things like that now. No¨D

    If His Majesty could take this country under his rule, we would not have to suffer demihuman invasions again.

    Neia was startled at how perfect that idea was, and even a little afraid.

    Merging with the Holy Kingdom¡­ if he were a frightening tyrant, even I wouldn¡¯t think about it. But the Sorcerer King isn¡¯t like that. He is justice. In that case¡­ I ought to gather people who feel the same way as me!

    Neia pondered the matter.

    Many people hade to respect and idolize the Sorcerer King. There were those who were drawn to his overwhelming power, those who were grateful for being freed from suffering, those who hated the demihumans and who were d that he had taken revenge on their behalf, and many such others.

    From them she would select those people who had always been praying for the peace of this country, and then let them hear her words.

    Neia knew that she was still young andcked life experience. However, adults with good sense could stop Neia if they felt that her judgement was in error.

    Let¡¯s start by looking among my subordinates in the archery unit.

    There were people among them who had lost their loved ones and harbored hate in their hearts. It might be better to try persuading them, because Neia could understand how they felt.

    As she pondered this, she heard a doomas an exceptionallyrge explosion rang out.

    After that, a tall building began to copse far in the distance.

    The Sorcerer King would not have destroyed that building for no reason. Neia narrowed her eyes to try and see what was going on, but she could not tell what was happening in the building as it copsed amidst billowing clouds of dust.

    It was followed by a massive stroke of lightning from the sky.

    It would seem he was working towards some objective here, as she had expected.

    After a while, all manner of spells wrecked the city, and the situation repeated itself.

    Neia was uneasy.

    That they were incredible spells went without saying, but could the Sorcerer King¡¯s mana really hold out?

    Neia shook her head and banished the fear and unease from her heart.

    It¡¯ll be fine! The Sorcerer King must have taken all this into ount! He¡¯s already wasted so much mana on this country, but even so¨D

    Still, hypothetically, if Jaldabaoth won, there would be no salvation for this world, only despair. What should she do if that happened?

    Your Majesty, I¡¯m counting on you!

    And then, two shapes soared into the sky, as though Neia¡¯s wish had gotten through.

    The first to ascend trailed darkness in his wake, while the one pursuing him pped his crimson wings and left a streak of fire behind him.

    The fact that the maids were not pursuing them meant one thing ¨D the Sorcerer King had defeated those difficulty 150 monsters among monsters while battling Jaldabaoth.

    ¨DHe¡¯s amazing!

    Neia was so moved that she shivered.

    His Majesty is more powerful than Jaldabaoth!

    Indeed. There was no need to think anything else.

    In turn, the maids were far weaker than Jaldabaoth, who was a notch below the Sorcerer King. That was why he could defeat them while fighting Jaldabaoth.

    Neia struggled to contain her delight. As she carefully engraved the greatness of the person she respected into her eyes, she was so filled with joy that it seemed like it would explode out of her.

    Neia¡¯s heart pounded, to the point where it almost hurt.

    They were all watching a scene that would one day be enshrined in a heroic saga.

    ¨DNo, that¡¯s not right.

    It would seem they were going to fight again in the air.

    Crimson spheres and glowing spheres blossomed in the sky.

    Each of these spells could probably destroy an entire city district by themselves, and they were hurling them at each other in wild flurries. However, they looked kind of cute from a distance.

    Even so, that was an exchange of power within a realm that mankind could never reach.

    This is...

    As she looked out the corner of her eyes, she saw the people lining the city walls gulping as they saw all this. It would seem that they understood as well. They watched the aerial battle in silence, with earnest looks on their faces.

    Someone put his hands together in prayer, and the people beside him followed suit ¨D and soon almost everyone on the city walls had their hands together as they looked to the sky.

    It felt like they were at worship.

    ...This is mythology...

    Neia did not know how much time had passed, but eventually ¨D there was amotion among the people.

    Before everyone¡¯s eyes, one of the shapes in the sky fell towards the east ¨D and then it vanished.

    The battle was over.

    As everyone watched closely, the remaining shape slowly descended. Neia¡¯s vision was better than most, and so she saw it first. It shocked her so much that she had to press her hand over her mouth.

    When the others saw the crimson fire, the city walls were silent. However, nobody tried to flee. Everyone who had seen the battle knew that there was no point in running.

    With a p of his fiery wings, the victor (Jaldabaoth) showed himself.

    Though he was the victor in name, he was a tragic sight.

    His entire body was covered in electrical scorch marks. Half his face seemed to have been crushed, and his deep wounds oozed fresh blood. Perhaps it was due to its temperature, but the blood sizzled as it touched the city walls, and the sound did not stop for a moment.

    No words could have described the intensity of their battle better than the way he looked now.

    ¡°No way¡­¡±

    A weighty, yet somewhat pained voice echoed across the city walls, as though to wipe away Neia¡¯s muttering.

    ¡°...What a mighty opponent. One of the strongest I faced since Momon. I underestimated him. How foolish. Leading the demihumans nearly became meaningless. However ¨D yes, however, he is dead.¡±

    Neia could not believe this. Therefore, she cried out:

    ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡±

    Jaldabaoth turned his intact eye toward Neia, but she did not budge despite being bathed in the gaze of a creature from apletely different order of life. The intense emotions within her heart left no room for fear to enter.

    ¡°I am not lying.¡±

    ¡°His Majesty is very bad at jokes¡­ so you¡¯re lying, right?¡±

    ¡°I am not lying.¡±

    The words Jaldabaoth had repeated hit Neia hard enough to shatter her soul.

    The world seemed to shake under her feet.

    Neia instantly understood why the Sorcerer King had lost to Jaldabaoth. There was no need to even think about it.

    It was simply because this countrycked Blue Rose¡¯s Evileye and Darkness¡¯s Nabe, the two magic casters who could hold the maid demons at bay.

    No, there was another reason apart from that.

    ¡°If that undead had been in top condition, I might have been defeated instead. But to think he actually expended his mana for the sake of humans like you ¨D truly, he was a fool who did not know his priorities. For that, I thank you.¡±

    I knew it! I knew it, weakness truly is a sin!

    Neia was absolutely certain that she was correct.

    ¡°For that I shall reward you. The reward shall be your lives.¡±

    ¡°...What do you mean?¡±

    Jaldabaoth snorted in delight at the question from an unknown source.

    ¡°I¡¯m saying that I will spare you. At least, for now.¡±

    Someone sighed in relief, but Neia was furious.

    ¡°Bullshit! Bullshit! Bullshit! It¡¯s all a pack of lies! Everything you say is a lie! Who would believe what a devil says!?¡±

    ¡°It seems you are unable to ept reality. Are you mad, human? Pitiful.¡± Jaldabaoth pointed to Neia. ¡°Disapp¡­ I see,¡± and then he immediately withdrew the finger.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Jaldabaoth!¡±

    ¡°You intend to provoke me and thus prove I am lying? ...Is losing your life worth that much? I cannot understand it, but it seems to be the case.¡±

    Neia¡¯s teeth creaked as she clenched them.

    Jaldabaoth had to be lying.

    He had to be a liar, the kind who would tell a ridiculous lie like the Sorcerer King was dead.

    ¡°I will not allow it. Your lives have been saved. Now then, I will return for now. I must recover from these wounds. During that time, you may weep your tears of despair.¡±

    As Jaldabaoth was about to take off with a p of his wings, Neia¡¯s hands moved with a mind of their own.

    She readied her bow ¨D and let loose a shot.

    She had fired from directly behind him, without giving any warning of her intentions.

    However, Jaldabaoth immediately turned and seized the arrow. Despite his terrible wounds, he was still very agile.

    Jaldabaoth turned to face Neia, and then his eyes went to Neia¡¯s bow, the Ultimate Shootingstar Super. After that, his wrath-twisted feature changed slightly.

    ¡°Ohh!? Ah! What an incredible weapon this is! I haven¡¯t seen a weapon like this in so long! That was close, it almost finished me off!¡±

    Jaldabaoth gesticted wildly with his limbs as he said that. He seemedposed, but also quite anxious.

    ¡°What kind of weapon is this!? How was it made?¡±

    ¡°As if I¡¯d tell you!¡±

    What on earth is he thinking?Neia¡¯s mind boiled over with scorching hate.

    How could she tell this liar what she had learned from the Sorcerer King?

    ¡°How could I tell a liar like you!?¡±

    ¡°Muu, ah, don¡¯t, don¡¯t tell me, was it made by runecraft?¡±

    Naia¡¯s heart lurched for a moment as he hit the nail on the head. Although she had managed to calm down a little, as her broken heart recalled thepassionate figure of the Sorcerer King once more, her anger reawakened.

    ¡°You¡¯re wrong!¡±

    Neia screamed like she cared for nothing else, and Jaldabaoth groaned. Taking that as an opening, Neia fired again.

    Her next target was his feet, which were hard for the hands to reach.

    This time, Jaldabaoth frantically moved his feet to avoid the arrow.

    He¡¯s wary of it! Maybe this bow could¨D!

    There could only be one reason why Jaldabaoth had so desperately evaded her shot when he had been indifferent to being stabbed in the back by the holy sword. What else could it be, if not that this bow could harm him?

    A wave of regret assaulted Neia as her eyes filled with tears.

    She realized that she should have joined that battle, even if she would have perished swiftly. If she could have hit him with the Ultimate Shootingstar Super, then she should have taken part, even if it was just to be a shield. If she had, then maybe¨D

    Neiaunched another arrow.

    Jaldabaoth moved his head. The arrow missed and flew off to parts unknown.

    ¡°Hit, damn you!¡±

    She fired again.

    And again.

    But none of her shots found their mark. Despite his size and his severe wounds, Jaldabaoth had still evaded Neia¡¯s attacks with startling ease.

    ¡°Rune¨D¡±

    ¡°¨DShut up!¡±

    Neia fired another arrow to shut Jaldabaoth up.

    However, it too missed.

    Why? Why isn¡¯t anyone attacking?

    She could understand their inability to strike Jaldabaoth because he was airborne. However, even so, how could they simply let the lying demon who had killed the most merciful Sorcerer King go free?

    ¡°..Muu. Well, eh, I guess it can¡¯t be helped¡­ no? ¡¸Greater Teleportation¡¹.¡±

    Jaldabaoth suddenly vanished.

    ¡°Get back here!!!¡±

    Neia looked around.

    All she saw were the wide-eyed faces of people who were shocked by what Neia had done. Jaldabaoth was nowhere in sight.

    ¡°Motherfucker! He ran away!¡±

    ¡°Calm down!¡± Remedios shouted.

    The angry cry of a mighty being could exert a pressure of its own, and normally it would have brought Neia back to her senses or even made her freeze up. However, it did little more than annoy Neia right now.

    ¡°How can I calm down!?¡±

    ¡°Squire Neia Baraja! Did you borrow that weapon from the Sorcerer King? Why was he so interested in it?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me irrelevant questions like that! More importantly, we need to find His Majesty! I saw him fall to the east! We need to send out a rescue party!¡±

    ¡°Surely he must be dead.¡±

    ¡°How could he be dead!? How could His Majesty die!?¡±

    Neia instinctively grabbed Remedios, but Remedios easily swept her aside and Neia fell to the ground.

    ¡°Have you cooled off yet? Nobody could survive a fall from that height.¡±

    ¡°Cooled off? You actually believe that demon¡¯s words? Captain, did you sell your soul to him!?¡±

    Remedios¡¯s expression changed, and then it seized up.

    ¡°Squire! Damn you, there are things you can and can¡¯t say!¡±

    She grabbed Neia¡¯s cor with tremendous force, and Neia found it hard to breathe.

    ¡°You two! Calm down! Calm down right now!¡±

    The pdins, priests, soldiers, and such hurriedly made their way between Neia and Remedios, and pulled them apart.

    Neia panted with all her might as she shouted:

    ¡°We need to send out a team to rescue His Majesty!¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t waste our resources on that!¡±

    ¡°How dare you call it a waste!¡±

    Neia wanted to go up and punch Remedios, but the people between them stopped her.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got nothing to say to you!¡± Having cooled down a little, Neia addressed the people holding her.

    ¡°Could you let go of me? There¡¯s something I have to do.¡±

    ¡°Where are you going !?¡±

    In response to that question, Neia looked at Remedios with an utterly incredulous expression on her face.

    ¡°What kind of eyes are those!? Is that how a squire should look at a pdin!?¡±

    Hmph,Neia snorted.

    ¡°First, I will be asking His Highness the Prince to organize a rescue party for the Sorcerer King. After that, I will go straight to the Sorcerous Kingdom and tell them exactly what happened to His Majesty, and then I will ask for aid for His Majesty.¡±

    Given the circumstances, nothing good woulde of going to the Sorcerous Kingdom. Even so, she was still the Sorcerer King¡¯s squire, and she had toplete her duty.

    Neia was unsure if she could safely reach the Sorcerous Kingdom from here, but she had to go, even if it meant her death.

    ¡°Ohhh, if you¡¯re going to the Sorcerous Kingdom, let me go with you, Baraja-san!¡±

    The person who spoke was a middle-aged ex-soldier, who had retired and be a hunter. He had beenuded for his archery and had joined Neia¡¯s unit.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, I¡¯m old enough as it is. I don¡¯t have much longer left.¡±

    ¡°Baldem-san!¡±

    From his tone, she knew that he understood what sort of fate awaited him even if they reached the Sorcerous Kingdom safely.

    ¡°Hey, Neia-chan. Don¡¯t forget me!¡±

    ¡°You too, Codina-san!?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go too, lil¡¯ miss. Not for you, but if it¡¯s for the Sorcerer King then it can¡¯t be helped.¡±

    ¡°Even you, Mena-san?¡±

    All the skilled people in Neia¡¯s unit stepped forward, one after the other. With their help, it might be possible for them to reach the Sorcerous Kingdom safely. However¨D

    ¡°Thank you very much. But everyone, could you join the rescue party?¡±

    ¡°What are you saying? You were all gathered to rescue the Holy Kingdom and the suffering people from the clutches of that demon, weren¡¯t you? Where are your priorities!?¡±

    ¡°What are yousaying, Captain!? Could anything be more important than rescuing His Majesty!?¡±

    ¡°Of course! Right now, at this very moment, how many people of the Holy Kingdom do you think there are living in the hell the demihumans made for them!? Could anything be more important than rescuing them!?¡±

    ¡°Of course! That¡¯s¨D¡±

    ¡°¨DWhat on earth are you doing!? What¡¯s all this shouting for!?¡±

    The argument immediately stopped when the interloper showed up. It was Caspond.

    ¡°Captain Custodio, should you not have returned immediately? Where is His Majesty? What about Jaldabaoth? What happened? Could somebody please exin?¡±

    Caspond sounded like he waspletely lost, and his voice echoed loudly in the crushing silence.

    ***

    The meeting room was very cramped. It was filled with pdins, priests, nobles who had been prisoners until recently, and honorary pdins. That said, there were no better rooms for them, since Jaldabaoth had destroyed the one which Caspond had previously used.

    Caspond had called an emergency meeting after receiving a report from a pdin, and he had instructed all key personnel to gather in this room.

    After everyone had assembled, Caspond and Remedios entered with quick strides.

    Everyone bowed as the prince entered. Neia was one of them, because she held no grudges against Caspond.

    Caspond stood in front of everyone and began to speak.

    ¡°Thank you all foring here. I wish to discuss the course of action we will adopt in the future.¡±

    Although it was supposed to be a discussion, there was only one thing Neia had to do, and she was certain that it was the right thing to do. Just as Neia was about to speak, Caspond raised his hand to stop her.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone has concerns of their own, but I pray you will hear me out first.¡±

    Caspond slowly swept his gaze over everyone gathered here.

    ¡°I believe many people have witnessed the extent to which Jaldabaoth¡¯s strength exceeds our imagination¡­ yes. While I regret to say this, we must ept the fact that nobody in this country can triumph over him.¡±

    Several people frowned in silence, then peeked at Remedios, who had been hailed as the strongest in the Holy Kingdom. After learning that she agreed with Caspond¡¯s opinion, hints of fear and disappointment appeared on their faces.

    ¡°However, it is too early to give in to despair. If we cannot defeat him, then we will derail his ns in some other way and make him give up on trying to conquer the Holy Kingdom. We will not drive him out directly, but indirectly.¡± Caspond waited several seconds for his words to sink in, and then spoke his conclusion, ¡°What we will do is ughter all the demihumans he leads.¡±

    ¡°Why are we doing that?¡±

    Caspond saw someone asking a question and nodded to them.

    ¡°In the past, Jaldabaoth made trouble in the Kingdom. Back then, he fought a certain warrior in a duel, and then he lost and ran away. At that time, he led an army of demons, but not an army of demihumans. In other words, he came to lead the demihuman army after losing to that warrior.¡±

    Caspond looked around, as if to see if everyone understood.

    ¡°In other words, he is using the demihuman army as meat shields to avoid being forced into a one-on-one battle with that warrior. Didn¡¯t Jaldabaoth say something like that when he defeated His Majesty? Something about leading the demihuman army almost bing meaningless, or something.¡±

    It made sense.

    Back then, they did not understand it, but after hearing that exnation, it was hard to think of any other reason.

    ¡°In other words, the demihuman army is like armor and stamina for when he fights that warrior again. What will Jaldabaoth do if he loses the demihuman army? Will he remain stripped of his armor and stamina, when that warrior might appear in front of him again at any moment? Or perhaps ¨D would he choose to flee?¡±

    ¡°I see¡­ then do you intend to abandon this city, defeat the southern demihuman army, and then join forces with the South to drive out the demihumans?¡± a priest asked. He was answered by one of the rescued nobles.

    ¡°That would be good. Thanks to the Sorcerer King¡¯s power, almost 40,000 demihumans have been wiped out. The demihumans have lost a great deal of their fighting strength, no? The remainder ought to be staring down the South. If we rally all the people this city has rescued for an all-out attack and strike them from the back in a pincer attack, we ought to be able to rout the demihuman army. That way, we will be able to join up with the Southern forces and take back ournd.¡±

    ¡°¨DI propose the opposite. We will take back the closest major city in the west, which is the northern stronghold of Kalinsha.¡±

    ¡°Why is that, may I ask?¡±

    ¡°Exactly! All the major cities to the west such as Kalinsha, Prart, Rimun and the capital of Hoburns will be very hard to take. Many lives will be lost. Why don¡¯t we fight the southern demihumans instead? Would destroying the demihumans¡¯ fighting power not fit more with your ns, my Prince?¡±

    ¡°I see. All of your concerns are valid. I am grateful for the fact that many of the people present here are wise. However, is that an action which everyone can understand?¡±

    There were baffled looks on the faces of many of the people present.

    ¡°How about this? Going to the south implies that we will be abandoning ¨D though it is only temporary, we are still abandoning them ¨D all the imprisoned people that we will not rescue as a result. Can the masses ¨D can the people understand that?¡±

    ¡°That, that¡­ but that makes more sense, there¡¯ll be a higher chance of saving them, no?¡±¡°You¡¯re a baron, I believe?¡±

    Caspond turned to look at the middle-aged man who had asked the question.

    ¡°Y-Yes. I believe we met once, My Prince.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, just so. Now, have all the people of your domain been rescued?¡±

    ¡°Ah, no, not yet. I was imprisoned when I took the field beside Her Majesty, so I don¡¯t know about my domain¡­¡±

    ¡°I see. So when you join up with the Southern forces and take back the North, people might say you fled to the South.¡±

    The nobleman¡¯s face froze up.

    When one thought calmly about it, the nobleman was right. However, there was no guarantee that everyone ¨D especially those who were writhing in agony ¨D would be able to see the sense in what the nobleman had said. It was possible that there would be people who would say ¡°Why didn¡¯t you save us earlier, our families were ughtered by the demihumans,¡± and turn the des of their hatred on the nobles. Neia had seen such people before.

    However, nobody had said that in the prison camps which the Sorcerer King had liberated. Given his overwhelmingly potent magic ¨D which could sometimes wreck city walls in a single st ¨D and the fact that he was the king of another nation, nobody would dare take their anger out on him.

    ¡°Also, I had been intending to speak to thendholders one-on-one after this. In this case, we might as well do it now¡­ We are all exhausted. In contrast, what will the nobles of the South do? In particr, what will the other nobles do about nobles who have abandoned their fiefs?¡±

    The cloying stench of politics and power began to fill the air.

    While it sounded unbelievable to Neia, was this what the nobles wanted? They nodded repeatedly.

    ¡°My Prince. Our domains¡­¡±

    ¡°I want you to pretend that you did not hear whates next. That is because I cannot guarantee you anything. However, the Southern nobles will probably grow more powerful all of a sudden. That is why you must pick the best move to make, with an eye for what happens after the war.¡±

    ¡°A moment please!¡±

    One of the pdins called out to him.

    ¡°How can we shed more of the people¡¯s blood for courtly disputes!?¡±

    ¡°Indeed! Indeed!¡± The priest called Siliaco shouted in a voice which was said to have been trained for volume. ¡°What¡¯s important is how to save more people!¡±

    ¡°...Driving out the demihumans doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s all over, you know? If the South takes all the credit, then we¡¯ll have a hard time refusing the demands of the Southern nobles. And there¡¯s no guarantee that they won¡¯t impose heavy taxes on the exhausted people.¡±

    ¡°...Now that the Holy Queen is dead, it would be very bad if the next Holy King were to be chosen by the Southern nobles. However, if we can show concrete results with our strength, then at least¡­¡±

    There were two factions in the room now.

    They were the nobles¡¯ faction and the pdins and priests¡¯ faction.

    Both sides were at odds. Speaking of Remedios, the pdins were trying to spoonfeed her a simplified version of what the Prince had said.

    Neia was not part of either faction. She simply followed the flow of the conversation in silence. That was because Neia had already made up her mind about what she would be doing, so it did not matter what conclusion they reached in the end. Rather she wanted to bring up her own suggestion and set out as soon as possible.

    That said, talking about irrelevant things here will only ruin the mood, and people who might have helped me won¡¯te to my aid...

    After listening to numerous boring topics, she decided to toss the ball back to Caspond once both sides had worn themselves out with arguing.

    ¡°The My Prince brought up this topic. Perhaps we should let him finish speaking?¡±

    ¡°Ahh. Like I said earlier, I intend to take back Kalinsha. This is also militarily advantageous. In truth, this city is far too cramped, and much of it has already been destroyed. Living here is difficult, so I would like to have arger, more solid home base. In addition, by taking back a major city, we¡¯ll have an advantage when dealing with the Southern nobles. Also, Kalinsha was meant to stop enemy advances, so it ought to have ample stores of military supplies, assuming they haven¡¯t been moved out yet.¡±

    ¡°...I support the proposal to secure a better base.¡±

    ¡°Ahhh, I¡¯m a little uneasy about the sanitation of a city like this. Many people are shivering from the cold too.¡±

    However, they went on to say, ¡°We need to avoidrge numbers of deaths.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. That is why it is the best time to attack the enemy strongholds. After all, Jaldabaoth cannot take action now.¡± There was no telling how long Jaldabaoth¡¯s wounds would take to heal, but surely he would recover before the demihuman army waspletely defeated.

    In addition, it was very unlikely that he would show his face before making aplete recovery. After knowing of the existence of a powerful warrior like Momon, he would surely take the possibility of Momon showing up into consideration before doing anything. Therefore, if he acted, it would not happen before he was almostpletely recovered.

    That said, once Jaldabaoth took the field, it would not matter how much force the Holy Kingdom could muster. Therefore, they had to take the fortress now.

    So that was it.After listening to that agreeable exnation, Neia expressed her approval as well.

    ¡°¨DIn that case, it seems the only thing you are unhappy with is the number of people who must die for this. Can I take that to mean that you will give me your support if I can minimize the number of deaths?¡±

    Everyone present nodded, with the exception of Remedios. Neia did not mind either way, but after considering the flow of the conversation, she realized that it would be bad if only one person was not nodding, and so she nodded with everyone else.

    As for Remedios, several people looked at her face and saw that she did not seem to have any special reasons for what she did, so they chose to ignore her.

    ¡°It¡¯s decided then. We will discuss the details of retaking Kalinsha afterwards. Now then ¨D our next item.¡±

    Caspond sighed loudly and then turned to Neia.

    ¡°This concerns the death of the Sorcerer King.¡±

    ¡°My Prince, I sincerely apologize, but I hope you will amend that statement immediately. The Sorcerer King¡¯s death remains in question. That was simply what Jaldabaoth told us. It would be foolish to take a demon¡¯s words at face value.¡±

    Neia eyed Remedios and continued, ¡°I think it is more likely that he is trying to deceive us.¡±

    ¡°In that case, why has he note back? He can cast teleportation spells, can¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps he was immobilized by his wounds, perhaps he is out of mana. There could be any number of reasons for it.¡±

    Remedios did not ask any further.

    ¡°That¡¯s true. That¡¯s why I¡¯d like to hear from all of you. What do you think we should do?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no point in asking what we should do!¡± Neia shouted, forcing the words out like she was trying to strain them out through her teeth. ¡°...I think we should dispatch a rescue party and ry this news to the Sorcerous Kingdom at the same time. If possible, I would like to be the messenger.¡±

    ¡°I see. That¡¯s what you think, Squire Baraja. How about the others?¡±

    As Caspond looked over the gathered people, one of the nobles spoke up.

    ¡°I have a question. While the Sorcerer King was supposed to have gone down in the east, considering we will be mounting a rescue operation in demihuman-controlled territory, would it not be better to wait until we have some concrete intelligence before¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be toote by then,¡± Neia immediately shot back. ¡°The more we dy, the more His Majesty will be exposed to danger. I suggest we make our rescue as soon as possible.¡±

    The majority agreed with Neia¡¯s opinion. What she said made perfect sense.

    ¡°In that case, we ought to send out a search party at the same time as the envoys to the Sorcerous Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°...I have something I would like to confirm with you, since you have the role of His Majesty¡¯s squire. Do you think the Sorcerer King told the people of his country that he wasing to the Holy Kingdom?¡±

    Neia began to think.

    ¡°I apologize, but I am not sure. However, I feel it would not be strange for him to have told the people of the Sorcerous Kingdom, because there were times when he returned to his country with teleportation spells.¡±

    ¡°In that case, I feel we should not send an envoy to the Sorcerous Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°Why!?¡±

    Neia red at the noble who had done nothing but naysay. The noble retreated two steps and his face went pale under that re. The people around that noble also backed away from him.

    ¡°No, ah, please calm down and listen. That, uh, that is because it will bring trouble. Wait! Please calm down and listen to me. When you think about it normally, the possibility exists that the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s undead armies would take revenge on us, am I wrong? And revenge would be one thing; they might annex the Holy Kingdom as well. And¡­ ah, why is that? Who¡¯s to say the Sorcerer King was not aiming for that all along?¡±

    ¡°Excuse me!¡± Neia was so angry that she actually felt dizzy. ¡°In that case, permit me to ask a question of my own! If His Majesty returned to his country by teleportation, what will he think of the Holy Kingdom, who knew what happened but said nothing?¡±

    Everyone she could see nodded in agreement. Amidst all this, Remedios spoke.

    ¡°Well, it can¡¯t be helped then, can it? Our country doesn¡¯t have the luxury of doing that now. All we have to do is apologize after everything is over, right?¡±

    ¡°Even if you¨D¡±

    Neia was so worked up that she was about to shout, and then she heard the sound of pping from beside her. She looked over, and saw that it was Caspond. Since the Prince wanted to speak, all Neia could do was remain silent.

    ¡°Squire Baraja. Allow me to pick the people who will go to the Sorcerous Kingdom. How about that? After all, if we send over a mere squire as a messenger, won¡¯t the other country think we¡¯re making fun of them?¡±

    ¡°That, that is as you say¡­¡±

    His exnation made perfect sense. Under normal circumstances, they would surely pick a country¡¯s ambassador over a squire who had borrowed a magic bow from the Sorcerer King. However, would he really send out an envoy? She found that part hard to believe. Even so, it would be very bad to show that she did not trust the Prince¡¯s words.

    ¡°I am d that you understand.¡±

    ¡°In that case, please allow me to lead several people to the east.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. I would very much like to send you as well, but we still do not know where the Sorcerer King fell. He might be ten kilometers away or a hundred. If things go badly, he might have fallen into the Abelion Hills, which Jaldabaoth controls. Even if I allowed you to go to such a deste ce, would you have any means of finding the Sorcerer King?¡±

    Neia could not answer him.

    Finding where the demihumans lived in unfamiliar terrain was an impossible task. She could easily imagine the scouting team meeting with difficulties and being wiped out.

    ¡°Surviving in the hills, slipping past demihuman observation and gathering information,¡± Caspond counted off on his fingers. ¡°If you go there without preparing, you will simply be killing yourself indirectly, and what good is a rescue party that ends in failure?¡±

    ¡°Then, then do you have another way!?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    How could there be?As she thought about that question, it was easily answered. Neia¡¯s eyes went wide in surprise, and then Caspond adjusted himself before telling Neia the answer.

    ¡°All you need is to find someone who knows the hills.¡±

    Neia blinked, and Caspond smiled to her.

    ¡°Listen. All we need to do is to take a demihuman captive and have him lead the way. Would it not be safer to order a demihuman to act as your guide?¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    Indeed, that was the case. Humans would be taking an absurd risk entering thatnd. However, it would be a different matter if they had guides.

    However, there were also problems with it which could not be ignored.

    If they simply threatened a demihuman prisoner into showing them the way, then if the prisoner was willing to sacrifice himself to kill them all, the search party would be going to their deaths. The Orcs she had met earlier seemed like the type who did not care about whether they lived or died.

    They would need trustworthy demihumans, but where would they find those?

    What could she do to make a demihuman act as a reliable guide?

    Neia racked her brains, but when she thought of demihumans, she could only think of them trying to kill her, and she could not imagine them epting an offer to turn their coats.

    No, the Orcs and the Grand King Buser felt like humans ¨D I see, take their rtives hostage¡­ no, if we could take a king like Buser prisoner, his tribe would probably obey us.

    Or on the other hand, the angered tribe might put up stiff resistance. Besides, how would they capture a mighty demihuman king like Buser¨D

    As Neia wandered aimlessly in a mentalbyrinth, chasing an answer she could not find, the room¡¯s door swung open and a pdin barged in.

    He panted heavily and looked around the interior of the room, but he approached Caspond instead of Remedios.

    Perhaps he did not want others to hear what news he had. He brought the Prince to a corner of the room and whispered in his ear, but Neia¡¯s keen hearing picked up snippets of their exchange. Among them, thest piece of information piqued her interest.

    He had said ¡°maid demons.¡±

    ¡°Gentlemen, something urgent hase up, Unfortunately, the meeting will end here. I hope you will begin working on ways to take back Kalinsha. Also, Captain Custodio,e with me.¡±

    Volume 13 Chapter 5 Ainz Dies

    Part 1

    There were a total of four people in the room.

    There were two pdins, who hade straight here after the fighting and were thus still in bloodstained armor ¡ª Remedios Custodio and Gustav Montagnes. There was the person in charge of the surviving priests, a middle-aged man who could use third tier spells ¡ª Siliaco Naranho. And then there was Prince Caspond Bessarez.

    Two of them hade from the battlefield and one of them had been in charge of healing the wounded. As a result, Prince Caspond¡¯s room was filled with the stench of blood.

    Remedios had not removed her helmet even now. That was not proper etiquette for visiting a prince¡¯s chambers at all ¡ª one could even call it disrespectful ¡ª but Caspond did not seem bothered by it and he appeared very calm.

    At the same time, the atmosphere in the room was terrible, though not because of the preceding point. It was true that it reeked in here, but the reason was because the mood in the air was harsh. It was so weighty that it even seemed to dull the sunlight entering through the window.

    This was not how people who had beaten overwhelmingly unfavorable odds and emerged victorious ought to be.

    Caspond was the first person to speak in this weighty silence. Still, who else could speak first but him?

    ¡°Then tell me about our casualty situation.¡±

    ¡°Of the 6,000 militiamen we brought onto the battlefield, roughly 2,400 of them have been injured or killed.¡±

    ¡°...If I may add to the Vice Captain-dono¡¯s words, there were around 1,000 wounded. The priests tried to heal them, but we failed to reach about half of them in time and they died.

    ¡°...And then half of the pdins survived, and eight priests died.¡±

    Caspond closed his eyes and shook his head as he heard Gustav¡¯s words.

    ¡°Against a demihuman army like that¡­ while we can¡¯t say losses like these are a good thing, should we be grateful that those were all we took? Or should we be sad for the sheer number of casualties¡ª¡±

    ¡°Thetter.¡±

    Remedios¡¯s still, small voice interrupted Caspond.

    ¡°Thetter.¡±

    ¡°...Captain Custodio is right. We ought to be sad to have suffered such losses.¡±

    Gustav and Siliaco looked down as they heard Caspond¡¯s words.

    They knew that it was a miracle ¡ª albeit a man-made one ¡ª that the woefully outnumbered Holy Kingdom Liberation Army had so many survivors when they had taken on a 40,000-strong army of demihumans. However, they also understood that saying something like this would be disruptive and unproductive, so they had no choice but to do this instead.

    ¡°Was it the Sorcerer King who defeated the demihuman forces in their formation?¡±

    ¡°Yes. We¡¯re unsure about the details due to the ofck eyewitness reports during the chaos of defending the city walls, but there¡¯s talk of mysterious undead beings destroying the army.¡±

    ¡°I see. That matches up with what I heard from the Sorcerer KIng. So he used the undead he created to clean them up ¡ª wiped out a massive army like that, hm? In that case¡­ do you think the Sorcerer King can defeat Jaldabaoth?¡±

    Caspond shifted his gaze to Remedios, but she simply pursed her lips and remained silent. The highly vtile air around the Holy KIngdom¡¯s strongest pdin made her a figure of dread to the weak. Caspond turned away from her and toward Gustav, who immediately returned his gaze with a deeply apologetic look in his eyes and bowed his head.

    ¡°Hahh¡­ is it really alright to bet the entire KIngdom on him? Or rather ¡ª should we think of what to do if the Sorcerer King loses to Jaldabaoth? Does anyone have any ideas for the next best thing we can do if thates to pass?¡±

    He was answered by silence. Amidst all this, Remedios spoke up.

    ¡°In that case, how about calling Momon over?¡±

    The three people other than Remedios looked at each other with severe expressions on their faces.

    Remedios ¡ª who felt it was a good idea ¡ª frowned.

    ¡°What? Do you have any better ideas? It¡¯s more proper than that damn undead, no?¡±

    ¡°...Captain. We are now discussing what to do if the Sorcerer King dies. In such a situation, expecting to go to the Sorcerous Kingdom to get more help would be very risky.¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Siliaco said as he stroked his white moustache.

    ¡°A moment please, Vice Captain-dono. The Captain-dono¡¯s idea is risky, but not a bad move. How about lying about the Sorcerer King being captured by Jaldabaoth and getting Momon toe over?¡±

    ¡°Priest-dono, that would be too dangerous. Even if Momon defeated Jaldabaoth, discovery of the lie could trigger a war. Even if all goes well, the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s impression of our country will plunge to rock bottom. And if things go badly, Momon might very well be a second Jaldabaoth and lead the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s undead army into our nation.¡±

    ¡°Precisely, you two. And the worst thing is that the Sorcerous Kingdom will have a justified grievance against us.¡±

    Remedios tilted her head at Caspond¡¯s exnation.

    ¡°We¡¯re not adjacent to the Sorcerous Kingdom, so that¡¯s okay, right?¡±

    ¡°...Captain Custodio, please stop thinking of dangerous things. I don¡¯t want to adopt any policies that will endanger us¡­ that said, I don¡¯t have any good ideas. How about you two?¡±

    Siliaco and Gustav could not think of anything either.

    The room was plunged into a brief silence.

    Eventually, Caspond quietly spoke up.

    ¡°...For the time being, let¡¯s each go back and think about it on our own. There¡¯ll be no problems if the Sorcerer King can defeat Jaldabaoth.¡± Caspond pped his hands together. ¡°Then let¡¯s talk about something else. What about the rations that the demihumans brought? Can we eat them normally? And if we can consume them, how long can theyst?¡±

    Normally, they would belong to the Sorcerer King since he had defeated the demihuman army, but he had already said that he would hand them over free of charge.

    Gustav answered. He was in charge of sundry tasks like that.

    ¡°There seem to be a lot of hardened bread-like objects and vegetables that we should be able to eat. Thanks to the attack of the Sorcerer King¡¯s undead creatures, they were captured intact, so they are in very good condition. In addition, there are also some food items which need to be further investigated, such as sour-smelling vegetables and so on.¡±

    Preserved food was verymon in the Holy Kingdom. However, these were demihuman rations, so they might belong to a species which ate rotting food, which was why Gustav said they had to investigate further.

    ¡°There is only one problem. That would be the meat.¡±

    ¡°Which means?¡±

    Gustav¡¯s face was dark as he looked at Caspond.

    ¡°A portion of the meat looks like it came from humans. That conclusion came from looking at its shape and we¡¯re not certain about it. Maybe we could tell if we ate it, but I¡¯d rather not sample it, if you don¡¯t mind.¡±

    ¡°How much meat are we talking about here?¡±

    Siliaco had a disgusted look on his face.

    ¡°Many demihumans eat meat, so there was a lot of it. At a nce, it seems like half of the rations they brought were meat.¡±

    ¡°What!? Half of the rations for an army of 40,000 troops is meat?¡±

    Hypothetically, if a demihuman ate a kilogram of meat a day, that would make 40 tons. If they had enough for two weeks, that would be 560 tons. In that case ¡ª the Prince grabbed his face.

    ¡°...How much of that is human meat?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know. Checking each and every piece would take a lot of time, and if they aren¡¯t in their original shapes¡­¡±

    ¡°It would be a shame to pointlessly discard food when the future seems grim. I would like to separate the human meat from the other meat¡­ Priest Naranho, can your spells do anything on that front?¡±

    ¡°My apologies, Prince. We cannot do something like that. I feel my colleagues among the pdins should be the same way.¡±

    Caspond saw Gustav nod and sighed deeply.

    ¡°So magic can¡¯t do everything huh? How about having the captive demihumans eat it to find out?¡±

    ¡°We should let the dead rest in peace. If there¡¯s human meat, we ought to return it to the earth.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, Captain Custodio¡­ what do you think, Vice-Captain Montagnes?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I agree with the Captain. I feel that no matter what, we won¡¯t have enough time to investigate each and every barrel of meat. We ought to use our time and effort on other areas.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­ very well, I understand. So with regards to the demihuman meat, we¡¯ll dispose of everything that looks questionable. In that case how about the demihumans¡¯ arms and armor?¡±

    The Sorcerer King had also handed them over for free, but he had also said that that he would be expecting something in gratitude, so they would have to hand over the appropriate items if the time came.

    If they could defeat Jaldabaoth or take back the Royal Capital, Caspond nned to announce to the people that he would be handing the nation¡¯s riches over to the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    ¡°Firstly, recovering the equipment from the demihumans and burying the corpses will need time, therefore we won¡¯t even have time to check their quality¡­ Priest-dono, if any undead spring up here, will they be the Sorcerer King¡¯s minions?¡±

    Undead spawned easily in ces where many people died. A ce where more than 10,000 demihumans had died fit perfectly.

    Upon being addressed, a profoundly distressed look appeared on Siliaco¡¯s face.

    ¡°I do not know. I truly do not know. But anything could happen, so we ought to deal with the bodies and sanctify thend as soon as possible. I would like to rely on our strength alone for that, but we simply cannot manage that way, so I would like to get some help from the pdins.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, leave it to us. We¡¯re used to dealing with the undead, after all.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d expect no less from Captain Remedios, it puts my heart at ease¡­ If only the Holy Queen-sama or Krt-sama were here¡­¡±

    Everyone fell silent as Siliaco¡¯s words tapered off.

    After what seemed like a period of silent prayer, Caspond spoke.

    ¡°Ah, something on that point, Vice-Captain Montagnes. The Sorcerer King seems to want to take the magic items back to his nation, so he picked them out first. Of course, he¡¯ll return anything that belongs to the Holy Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°Understood. That said, while we have some knowledge of swords and armor, we¡¯ll have difficulty with other items. If anyone here has knowledge of magical items, I would like them to step up and help.¡±

    ¡°I could help when ites to items passed down through the royal family. As for religious items, though¡ª¡± Siliaco nodded as Caspond looked to him. ¡°¡ªIn that case, we¡¯ll go get helpers from among the civilians. Still, this was really unexpected. No, we should say it was more than we hoped for. We ought to thank the Sorcerer King¡¯s power for surpassing our expectations.¡±

    Nobody present voiced any objections. Amidst the silence, Caspond spoke again, like he was their representative.

    ¡°This city did not fall thanks to the Sorcerer King¡¯s power.¡±

    There was a very audible sound of teeth grinding, and Caspond looked worriedly at Gustav.

    ¡°After this, I will need to thank him on behalf of the Holy Kingdom. When the timees, I hope you will all be present¡­ in any event, being able to draw on the Sorcerer King¡¯s power and achieve victory is a joyous asion.¡±

    ¡°We did our best too. Don¡¯t forget that.¡±

    Remedios¡¯s words seemed to freeze the air in the room. No, it was two people who had frozen up; Gustav and Siliaco.

    Gustav¡¯s mouth opened and closed like a koi. He looked like he had no idea how to apologize for his superior¡¯s outburst.

    ¡°...Indeed. Captain Remedios, it is a fact that we would not have won this battle without the fierce resistance that you and the people put up.¡±

    Caspond saw Remedios nod, and then he continued speaking,

    ¡°However ¡ª it is also a fact that without the Sorcerer King¡¯s help, we would have lost, and it is just as true that he could have won by himself. Am I wrong?¡±

    Remedios savagely ripped off her helmet and flung it at the wall, making a loud bang.

    ¡°Your Highness! Did something happen!?¡±

    The door to the room flew open, and the pdins on guard outside rushed in.

    ¡°Nothing happened. Continue waiting outside.¡±

    The pdins¡¯ eyes went back and forth between Remedios¡¯s helmet and the look on her face, and they realized what had happened. After indicating that they understood, they quietly left the room.

    ¡°Captain Custodio, please do not get worked up. I ask you to be calm.¡±

    ¡°How can I be calm!? Almost everyone I¡¯ve met on the way here was praising him! It¡¯s as though he won the whole thing by himself! Didn¡¯t he only show up halfway? How many people died before he won!? That was a victory paid for by the lives of the people, the pdins, the priests, men, women, elderly, and children!¡±

    Remedios red at Caspond.

    ¡°It¡¯s not true that he won by himself!¡±

    ¡°Captain!¡±

    Gustav could no longer hide his fear at the way Remedios was acting in front of the prince. Remedios had never been one for thinking, but at the very least she was smart enough to know who was her superior. However, things were different now ¡ª she seemed like a pain-maddened beast.

    ¡°That bony bastard was flying around in the sky when it was all over to show himself off! Is war a game to him!?¡±

    ¡°...Captain Custodio, it seems witnessing the deaths of so many of the smallfolk has upset you. Would you like to take a rest?¡±

    In response to Caspond¡¯s mature answer, Gustav shot the man a grateful look.

    ¡°Before that, there¡¯s one thing I¡¯ve been thinking of. I¡¯m sure Jaldabaoth and the Sorcerer King are in league with each other.¡±

    The three people other than Remedios looked at each other.

    ¡°Do you have a single fact to back that up, Captain-dono?¡±

    Siliaco looked coolly at Remedios. If one looked calmly at what she had done until now, she was clearly saying that because she hated the Sorcerer King and wanted to bring him down. Now was not the time to let one¡¯s personal preferences dictate one¡¯s decisions.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t he the only one gaining from this? Both the demihumans and the people of the Holy Kingdom are dead. He ¡ª the Sorcerous Kingdom is wearing away at our fighting strength in order to someday take control of the nation and the hills! That¡¯s why he came here!¡±

    ¡°...I see. That certainly makes sense from the perspective of profit. What do the two of you think?¡±

    Gustav furrowed his brows as he answered Caspond¡¯s question.

    ¡°The Sorcerer King came here because we asked him. Also, was it not the Captain¡¯s suggestion to have the two of them fight?¡±

    ¡°...Indeed it was. That masked bitch in Blue Rose is also one of them. If not for what she said, we would never have gone to the Sorcerous Kingdom. If not for that suggestion, we would have gone to the Empire or the Theocracy. And who knows, he might havee anyway even if we didn¡¯t say anything.¡±

    Haaaaah,Caspond sighed deeply.

    ¡°Captain Custodio, your logic has been nothing but self-serving from the start. You¡¯re simply twisting the facts to match what you¡¯re saying. I recall the Sorcerer King saying he wanted the maid demons, am I wrong?¡±

    ¡°...Please forgive me for saying these things which are unbing of a priest. I hear that those maid demons are quite powerful. In that case, I can understand why the Sorcerer King would like to obtain them. Demons do not need to eat or drink and they do not have a maximum lifespan. Being able to dominate such powerful demons might be better than gaining an army.¡±

    ¡°In that case, it would mean the Sorcerer King is aiding our nation because he felt there was sufficient value in it. It is onlymon sense for a king who rules a nation.¡±

    ¡°Still, nobody¡¯s seen those maid demons before, right!?¡±

    As Remedios screamed while in the grip of her emotions, Caspond looked at her like she was a pitiful, sad child.

    ¡°Captain Custodio. I would like to have a reasoned conversation with you, and not an emotional one¡­ but it seems you are tired. Go and rest. That is an order.¡±

    The red-faced Remedios still looked like she wanted to shriek something else, but Caspond was a step ahead of her and continued speaking.

    ¡°Go visit the wounded men. That¡¯s part of your duties as a fieldmander, am I wrong?¡±

    ¡°...I understand.¡±

    Remedios picked up her helmet and left the room.

    There was no way to describe how the air in the room rxed after that. It felt like the sense of fatigue one would have after a storm had passed and all the pieces had been picked up, mixed with a sense of relief at the fact that one had managed to survive.

    However, one man was not finished yet.

    ¡°Your Highness! I sincerely apologize for Captain Custodio¡¯s actions!¡±

    Caspond smiled bitterly to Gustav as thetter bowed his head.

    ¡°It must have been really hard on you too. However, could you think about the future too? I honestly have no idea what¡¯s going to be of this country after this war is over. If only we could find my sister, the Holy Queen¡­ what happened to the Holy Queen during the battle of Kalinsha? Did you hear anything from Captain Custodio?¡±

    Gustav was Remedios¡¯s personal assistant. Therefore, he would have been present when Remedios told Caspond about it.

    The fact that he knew but was asking again proved one thing ¡ª the prince suspected that Remedios might have been lying to him.

    ¡°...My Prince, I heard the same thing from Captain Custodio that she told Your Highness when we met for the first time.¡±

    She had been sent flying by a shockwave and when she came to, the Holy Queen and her sister ¡ª Krt Custodio ¡ª were nowhere to be seen. Although there were corpses of pdins and adventurers and priests everywhere, the bodies of those two were nowhere to be found.

    ¡°Is that so? Maybe I was worrying too much¡­ Captain Custodio does not seem like one of those people who say one thing and mean another. It would be better if they were captured by him. If they were killed¡­ the matter of the session would be veryplicated.¡±

    Startled, Siliaco asked him a question.

    ¡°Caspond-sama, are you tired of the position of Holy King?¡±

    ¡°Are you ttering me? In truth that might be the case if my sister had perished of an ident under normal circumstances. However, things are different now. The North is tired and the South still has the ability to fight. In that case, it¡¯s very likely that the South might support someone else to be Holy King. Frankly speaking, it¡¯s very likely that one of the great nobles from the South might end up as Holy King.¡±

    ¡°What!?¡±

    Caspond smiled as he looked at Siliaco¡¯s shocked face.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that shoulde as such a surprise¡­ in that case, with regard to what Vice-Captain Montagnes said earlier, if things go well, the first thing the Southern nobles will do is request that Captain Custodio take responsibility for the whole affair and ce her under house arrest.¡±

    ¡°Why would they do that?¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask you, Vice-Captain Montagnes ¡ª why would they not do that? Is a pdin who failed to protect Her Majesty not the perfect outlet for their unhappiness? And of course, that¡¯s not the only reason either. She can beat an army single-handedly. In that case, surely defanging your enemy is a basic tactic in warfare, am I wrong?¡±

    ¡°The enemy!? Who¡¯s the enemy!?¡±

    ¡°The enemies of the Southern nobles. In other words, the Holy Queen¡¯s faction. Remedios Custodio was a confidant of the Holy Queen. Surely the pdins she leads would also be seen as the enemy, am I wrong?¡±

    ¡°In that case, what about the priests that Krt Custodio-sama led?¡±

    ¡°While there are priests who climbed the ranks thanks to their connections with the Southern nobles¡­ don¡¯t you think that would be the case too? Priestly magic is indispensable in everyday life. While I feel that anyone knows how stupid it is to put someone ipetent in high office, people sometimes do things that can only be described as foolish by others.¡±

    ¡°My Prince¡­ what should we do?¡±

    ¡°Vice-Captain Montagnes, what do you mean by that? Do you want to keep her from being ced under house arrest? Or do you want to keep the pdins from getting involved?¡±

    ¡°I want a better future for the Holy Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°...We need to find my sister. Then, we need an achievement that all the people will ept as having saved the nation. For instance, by driving out the enemy without having to draw on the strength of the South.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible¡­ we can¡¯t possibly win without the Sorcerer King¡¯s power.¡±

    Caspond looked at Gustav, who wasining unconsciously, and shrugged.

    ¡°Still, that hasto be done. Otherwise there won¡¯t be any way to stop the pressure from the South after we win. Hm, yes, or we could damage the South as badly as the North. All that matters is that the bnce of power is preserved in the end.¡± Caspond looked up at the ceiling. ¡°If only we¡¯d made a deal with the South sooner. She was too kind for her own good. And I understand how all this might have struck a nerve with Captain Custodio. After all, the only one who looked good in this battle was the Sorcerer King. If things go badly, the Sorcerer King might end up bing the Holy King as well, am I wrong?¡±

    The other two felt it was impossible, but neither of them could deny it.

    ¡°In that case, we need to start thinking about our ns from now on. While I would like Captain Custodio to be here, will she disobey a direct order?¡±

    ¡°...I feel it would be fine as long as it¡¯s in keeping with this country¡¯s justice.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­ I¡¯ve been thinking about how to attack the prison camps. The reason for that is¡ª¡±

    Caspond began to exin.

    Roughly 100,000 demihumans had attacked the nation.

    Since they had not heard of any movements from the demihumans squaring off against the forces of the Southern Holy Kingdom, they estimated that the 40,000 demihumans that had attacked them this time round were arge portion of the forces assigned to manage the prison camps in the North.

    ¡°I agree with your opinion. By attacking the undermanned prison camps, we can both destroy them piecemeal and increase our own forces at the same time. I feel it will kill two birds with one stone.¡±

    ¡°Captain Montagnes, I am d to hear you approve. How about yourself, Priest Naranho?¡±

    Siliaco also agreed with Caspond¡¯s suggestion.

    ¡°The Sorcerer King is in this city. Since he can keep us safe, I would like the pdins to attack the prison camps¡­ can you do that? Also, one more thing. I would like Captain Remedios to stay here while you areunching the attack. Make her think that she¡¯s in charge of bodyguarding me.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much, my Prince!¡±

    ¡°...I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve said anything you need to thank me for, Vice-Captain Montagnes,¡± Caspond said as the smile faded from his face. ¡°...The absence of the country¡¯s strongest pdin means that if there¡¯s someone like the Grand King at the prison camp you¡¯re attacking, you might all be wiped out, am I wrong?¡±

    ¡°Can we decide which camp to attack?¡±

    ¡°But of course. I¡¯ll leave it to you. There¡¯s no need to force yourself to attack arge camp that¡¯s more dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Understood. In that case, I feel only we should go.¡±

    ¡°Captain Montagnes, may several of our battle-capable priests go with you?¡±

    ¡°Certainly. Then we¡¯ll set out in a couple of days¡¯ time.¡±

    ***

    Ainz used ¡¸Greater Teleportation¡¹ to reach his destination, which was in front of the log cabin on the surface of Nazarick. Albedo, Demiurge, and Lupusregina were all standing there already, although he did not know how long they had been waiting.

    Albedo and Demiurge had been summoned by Ainz, while Lupusregina must have been the one on duty in the cabin.

    Since Lupusregina was in charge of all matters concerning Carne Vige, she should have been excused from the log cabin¡¯s duty roster, but that was not set in stone.

    Perhaps someone else was on duty, but they had not been able to make it, so Lupusregina had rushed over instead. That would be wonderful it it were the case. After all, that would imply that even if there was ack of manpower for a shift afterpleting a mission, there was a system to immediately swap someone else in to make up the shortfall.

    Still, hang on.

    While the Pleiades each hadpletely different job abilities, their maid skills were all equal. It only made sense that they could substitute for each other in a professional capacity.

    However, in contrast to that, there were also personnel who were hard to rece. Starting with the Floor Guardians and the Guardian Overseer, there were some NPCs with highly specialized abilities who might need someone to take over them for one reason or another. This was especially true because Ainz had been working hard towards establishing a vacation system.

    After all, letting Pandora¡¯s Actor substitute for all of them is also dangerous.

    To take an extreme case, what if Ainz himself was not around? For instance, if he were imprisoned, or if he were charmed, or something else. While he did not think that everything would break down without him there to make decisions, he had the feeling that Albedo and Demiurge would both say, ¡°Ainz-sama would never let that happen to himself,¡± and thus not n for unforeseen circumstances.

    I need to seriously assess the need for this, and quickly.

    In a grave tone, Ainz bade the three people bowing to him to raise their heads.

    ¡°It has been a while, Demiurge.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    In truth, Ainz agonized over the Holy Kingdom¡¯s affairs every day, and he also thought about Demiurge every day, so it did not actually feel that way. However, it had been quite a long time since they hadst met in person.

    ¡°Now then, you probably have questions about why I acted as I did. While I would like to answer you, speaking in this ce is not quite appropriate. Let us go somewhere else.¡±

    Ainz was the first to enter the log cabin.

    He could havee here straight away because there was a Gate Mirror set up, but he did not use it today.

    There was a table in the center of the room, and there were two chairs facing each other on either side of it. Ainz took the seat of honor with familiarity and without hesitation. He had already experienced the problems which came of not doing so many times already. While he had once needed to ponder which was the top seat before sitting down, he had now reached the point where he could unconsciously take the seat of honor

    As he approached the chair, Lupusregina immediately pulled it out for him.

    In truth, he was of the opinion that he ought to pull his chair out himself. However, his observations of Jiiv had made him understand that it was very important for a ruler to let his subordinates do work. Still, letting them handle even trivial tasks like this gave Ainz themoner a bit of difficulty.

    After Ainz sat down, Albedo and Demiurge did not take a seat, but instead knelt on the floor. Behind them, Lupusregina went to her knees as well.

    ¡°¡ªI permit the two of you to sit down.¡±

    The two Guardians politely refused in unison. Ainz once again granted his permission to the two Guardians, whereupon they finally sat opposite Ainz after a great deal of thanks and gratitude. Lupusregina, on the other hand, stood stock still behind the two of them.

    This takes so long and it¡¯s a waste of time. Couldn¡¯t it be simpler like¡­ ugh.

    ¡°Then let us continue our previous topic. While I said there was nobody who needed to be saved, I rescued the people of the Holy Kingdom nheless. I am sure you have your questions about that, do you not?¡±

    ¡°No, not at all.¡±

    ¡ªEr? W-Why?

    Demiurge shook his head gently, unable to resist the urge to sigh in admiration.

    ¡°Everything you do is correct, Ainz-sama. I feel that the reason why you did so was because you saw that it held merits which I could not imagine.¡±

    ¡°That is correct. If you feel it needs to be done, then it must be correct, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡ªEh?

    Albedo¡¯s words froze Ainz¡¯s facial expressions solid. But of course, Ainz had no facial expressions to speak of.

    The way the two Guardians ¡ª who were also the most knowledgeable Guardians in Nazarick ¡ª nodded in unison before him filled him with various vors of terror and anxiety.

    ¡°Wait, wait. Indeed¡­ yes, it is true.¡± Ainz began to panic. The conversation had travelled a path that was slightly different from what he had foreseen, and so he had be confused and could not clearly think of what he wanted to say. However¡ª ¡°¡ªIndeed, under normal circumstances I would have acted as you had imagined.¡±

    Huh?Ainz was slightly confused. He struggled to piece some words together and threw them out as appropriate. Even so, the two of them continued nodding vigorously, and Ainz found that a little odd. He continued speaking, desperately hoping for ast second save.

    ¡°However, yes, however. This time was slightly different. I did not do this because I was nning something.¡± Having found a way to amend his words, Ainz delightedly continued, ¡°This time round, I was deliberately introducing a w into the n.¡±

    ¡°What would be the reason for that, Ainz-sama?¡±

    Ainz slowly leaned on the back of the chair with a Hm.Then he adopted a well-practiced posture, a grand one that was befitting of a ruler, which a master ought to have, and then spoke.

    ¡°Demiurge. Albedo. The two of you are more intelligent than me.¡±

    ¡°That¡ª¡±

    Ainz held up his hand to stop the two of them from speaking.

    ¡°I am just saying that this is how I feel. In that case, what would happen if something unexpected urred during parts of the event described in your n? If everything proceeded as you outlined, then everything would have been perfect and ended in excellent form.¡±

    That said, your n was really over the top,Ainz grumbled in his heart. I felt I was sure to fail given how you threw everything in your operation outline at me.

    ¡°Therefore, a question suddenly came to mind, Demiurge. A perfect tactical mind cannot only function when everything is going on course; it must also be able to work when the situation changes dramatically or when it diverges from your expectations. That is to say, I wanted to know if your adaptability was also asudable.¡±

    ¡°I see, so that¡¯s it!¡±

    Eh¡ª!? He already got it!? And he sounds like he understands it all too!

    Ainz resisted the urge to make a jab about Demiurge¡¯s preternatural processing speed, something along the lines of, You¡¯re already so smart, why do you think I¡¯m smarter? Are you bullying me!?

    ¡°As expected of, ah¡­ you¡¯re as impressive as I expected, Demiurge.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Still, I, ah, apologize, though it feels like I was testing you¡­¡±

    ¡°Certainly not, Ainz-sama. To me, the fact that you would wish to assess my abilities is an honor that knows no equal. I will assuredly return results that match your expectations, Ainz-sama!¡±

    ¡°Umu. I¡¯ll leave that to you, Demiurge. In that case, during the course of our activities in the Holy Kingdom, I will cause problems as needed and you will amend the n in response. Will that be alright?¡±

    ¡°Yes! I understand!¡±

    All right¡ª!Ainz rejoiced within his heart. He was so happy that the emotion was suppressed.

    Even so, excitement still remained inside him.

    Good, good, good. This way, even if I screw up, I can say that I was doing it on purpose! No, of course, I need to try not to screw up in the first ce. If I¡¯d known, I should have said this from the start.

    While he did not have the bad habit of gloating when a subordinate¡¯s n went awry, it was possible that he might identally do something to make them worry. In this way, they would not have to guess if he had some intention in mind, but instead move on to revising the n as needed. Ainz felt the sense of bliss which came with taking a heavy weight off his shoulders.

    ¡°...Your servant understands your concerns, Ainz-sama. So does that mean that you will be simultaneously assessing the abilities of each Floor and Area Guardian as well?¡±

    As he heard Albedo¡¯s question, Ainz was briefly puzzled for a moment and thought, What¡¯s she saying?However¡ª

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to do so right now. I am doing so for Demiurge because he must work outside Nazarick for extended periods. As for the others, I will test them when it bes necessary.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡±

    ¡°Umu. Now, for the next topic¡­ the initial n was to take those people of the Holy King who were enthralled with me and proceed to the eastern part of the Holy Kingdom, to the Abelion Hills where the demihumans lived. However, I am going to amend this part of the n. I will go there first. From there, spread the news of my death.¡±

    It felt like time had stopped for a moment. And then¡ª

    ¡°¡ªEh? What are you saying, Ainz-sama!? How could we announce the death of the Supreme One, Ainz-sama!?¡±

    That protest came from Albedo. This might have been the first time he had seen Albedo¡¯s expression crumble in this way. At least, that was how the look on her face made him feel. But before Ainz could exin his true intentions to Albedo, it was Demiurge¡¯s turn to speak up.

    ¡°Albedo. Since Ainz-sama has stated this, he must have some wonderful aim in mind. Do you not think rejecting it on an emotional basis is inappropriate?¡±

    ¡°Demiurge. I question where your calmes from. Would you react in this way if Ulbert in Odle ¡­-sama were to say the same thing? Or¡­?¡±

    ¡°Fufu¡­ Albedo. Could you tell me what you mean by that? Or do you mean that you have something to say to me afterwards?¡±

    The two Guardians red at each other, one with a freezing-cold gaze, the other with boiling-hot eyes, and a strange atmosphere began to brew between the two of them. This choking sensation was much like what had happened when Ainz had been fighting Shalltear. Perhaps it was due to fear or tension, but even Lupusregina was starting to pant heavily.

    ¡°¡ªEnough!¡±

    The dangerous mood in the air instantly vanished as Ainz shouted. The sudden change made Ainz wonder if he had been mistaken about what had happened just now. However, Lupusregina¡¯sbored breathing proved that it had not been an illusion.

    ¡°Calm down, both of you. This is the reason why I must fake my death. There are activities called disaster drills. We must mentally prepare ourselves and n ahead of time in case of an emergency. In that case, what would you do if I died? I¡¯ll start with you, Albedo. Tell me what you have in mind.¡±

    ¡°Yes! I would immediately subject the person who dared disrespect you to all the suffering in this world, and resurrect you, Ainz-sama!¡±

    ¡°I see. Your turn, Demiurge.¡±

    ¡°Yes! While preparing for your resurrection, I would strengthen Nazarick¡¯s defenses and then obtain information on the person who offended you.¡±

    Albedo red at Demiurge out of the corner of her eye.

    ¡°Merely gathering information on them is too lenient. Regardless of who dares offend the Supreme One, they must be captured with all the strength Nazarick can bring to bear and then tormented to the point where their ego breaks down.¡±

    ¡°Albedo, I feel what you say is very sensible. However, the enemy is someone who can kill Ainz-sama. Thus, we cannot be careless. Learning the enemy¡¯s movements and strengths is vital. If the enemy is stronger than we can imagine, then the ce in which we resurrect Ainz-sama will be very important.¡±

    Before Albedo¡¯s expression could turn even more grim, Ainz rapped his staff on the floorboards. The hard impact was like sshing a bucket of ice water on the two of them, and their faces immediately regained their calm.

    ¡°I did not specify that I was killed by someone. If things go badly¡­ it is not impossible that I might end up dying naturally from some unforeseen circumstances.¡±

    In truth, he could not think of any natural cause from which he could die, which was why he was using such vague terms.

    ¡°However, it would seem that even the two people that I consider the most intelligent of all have differing opinions. That distresses me. That is why we must undertake this training, so that there will be no problems if this imagined scenarioes to pass.¡±

    The two of them bowed their heads.

    ¡°Of course, I am not the only one who could suffer that fate. Demiurge, as Nazarick¡¯s defensivemander during a time of attack, if an unexpected situation urs and you are struck down, could Nazarick continue functioning normally?¡±

    ¡°Yes! I have made thorough preparations in that respect. I recall submitting a report on that to you in the past, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Eh, did I receive something like that?Ainz decided that it would be better to trust Demiurge¡¯s memory than his own.

    ¡°Umu. Still, that is only on paper, is it not? The reason I am asking is because I would like to know if you have tested to see if it truly works out.¡±

    ¡°I sincerely apologize! I have not done so!¡±

    Demiurge bowed his head, his face a mask of deepest regret as his voice trembled.

    ¡°My, my deepest apologies, Ainz-sama! Signing off on the document without making that suggestion was foolishness on my part!¡±

    Albedo had the same look on her face as Demiurge as she bowed her head.

    Ainz was filled with a tremendous sense of guilt. Whose fault was it? The answer was that it was his own. If he had been more reliable, the two of them would not need to apologize like this. Was he not a scummy boss?

    ¡°¡ªThere is no need for you two to apologize. It was my fault for not properly exining matters to you. I was the one who should have noticed that no test had urred. The mistake is mine.¡± Ainz bowed his head until his forehead touched the desk. ¡°All this was due to my unworthiness, and I seek everyone¡¯s forgiveness.¡±

    ¡°What!? Ainz-sama!¡±

    ¡°Please, please do not do that!¡±

    The two of them hurriedly tried to stop Ainz. However, Ainz did not raise his head. He was too ashamed to show them his face, because he knew that he was so shallow that he could not evene clean when apologizing.

    ¡°Lu-Lupusregina! Hurry and raise Ainz¡¯s head!¡±

    ¡°Eh! Me? Please, please forgive me, I can¡¯t possibly raise Ainz-sama¡¯s head by force!¡±

    ¡°Please, please raise your head!¡± they all said in unison.

    It was only after the three of them ¡ª Demiurge in particr ¡ª started looking especially flustered that Ainz hurriedly looked up. After that, he heard sighs of relief from the three of them.

    ¡°...I am grateful that you have epted my apology. Now then, when I reach the Abelion Hills, we will use my death as the basis for an exercise. Yes. Since this is a rare opportunity, why don¡¯t we conduct other exercises as well? For instance, if Demiurge and I were killed off by someone, that sort of thing¡­¡±

    At this point, Ainz began to feel uneasy about his own suggestions.

    ¡°That said, even I have not fully nned out the details when ites to this training. Therefore, if you havee up with a better n, go ahead and carry it out. Ahh, no need to ask my permission. After all, this is an exercise founded on the premise that I am dead.¡±

    The two of them smiled bitterly.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, having to consider you dead from the start of the exercise¡¯s nning phase is a little¡­¡±

    ¡°It is as Demiurge says, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Hahahaha, theughter of three people rang through the cabin.

    Two of them wereughing from the heart, but one was merely pretending.

    ¡°Still, you don¡¯t need to take it too seriously, you know? After all, the objective of this exercise is not to spread ill-will throughout Nazarick, like what happened with the two of you just now. However, I would like to conduct various kinds of training and umte knowledge in that field, so that every Guardian can be interchangeable ¡ª well, I know what I¡¯ve said is pointless given your respective intellects. Do what you feel needs to be done, to whatever extent you deem fit. Can I leave that to you?¡±

    Now that he thought about it, Suzuki Satoru had never been the type of person who had seriously carried out disaster drills, so was it really convincing when someone like that told others to do their best? That was why he could not forget to tell them to take it easy.

    After seeing the two of them bow deeply to him, Ainz said, ¡°Now then, while this is a different matter¡ª¡±

    Let¡¯s go, me!

    The reason why he had drawn up all these flowcharts and simted ways of talking down the two Guardians was for this aim.

    ¡°¡ªYou are to freeze all progress on the giant statue of me that is currently in nning.¡±

    ¡°I understand. We will do as you direct.¡±

    Albedo¡¯s single sentence seemed to put an end to the entire topic.

    Huh?Ainz¡¯s attitude turned from baffled to fearful as he nervously asked what was on his mind.

    ¡°...Is that alright? It was your idea, was it not, Albedo?¡±

    ¡°How could anyone contradict a decision that the Supreme Being has made, Ainz-sama? If you say it is white, then it will be white even though it is ck. That is all.¡±

    Ainz gulped. That line of thought frightened him, and he trembled.

    ¡°...I do not like that way of thinking, Albedo. That is just like abandoning all thought, and even I will most certainly make mistakes at some point.¡±

    He was just saying ¡°most certainly,¡± but it felt like it had been happening all the time.

    ¡°And in that case, won¡¯t everything be over if I¡¯m captured? The person who brainwashed Shalltear is still out there, you know? While there is no need to question each and every one of my aims, if I suggest something and you think of something, you ought to bring it up.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    Albedo and Demiurge nced briefly at each other through narrowed eyes.

    ¡°Then, may I ask why you wish to cease construction? Is the aim of that statue not to let the world better understand your glory, Ainz-sama?¡±

    ¡°Umu,¡± Ainzughed coldly in his heart. ¡°My greatness is not something that can only be expressed through material objects.¡±

    He recalled that this line had received approval from Neia.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s perfect.

    ¡°Would it not be better to teach them with material objects? After all, fools are those who can only understand what they see before their eyes.¡±

    Albedo¡¯s words froze Ainz in ce. It was just like a pitcher throwing a ball at a batter, but instead of having it being hit back at him the batter caught it instead and threw it back at full force.

    ¡°...I see. You have a point, Albedo, but¡ª¡±

    As Ainz thanked his voice for not trembling, he struggled to work his brain, and then gave up when nothing came to mind. While he nearly rounded his shoulders, he could not allow his image as a ruler to crumble before his subordinates.

    ¡°¡ªNo, forget it. I¡¯m sure that Albedo can pick out at least five of the ws I¡¯ve spotted, and the merits outweigh them. In that case, there is nothing else for me to say.¡±

    ¡°Five, five ws? ...Demiurge, I need to discuss something with youter. May I borrow your intellect for a while?¡±

    ¡°But, but of course. I, I expected nothing less of you, Ainz-sama, to think you would say our minds were superior¡­ truly, you are too humble.¡±

    The two of them began to get flustered, and Albedo bowed her head deeply.

    ¡°I, I am truly sorry, Ainz-sama. While my n to build your statue has already received your approval, please allow me to temporarily suspend construction. I sincerely apologize.¡±

    ¡°Hm, mm. Well, it can¡¯t be helped then. Proceed, Albedo.¡±

    Ainz had merely tossed out an offhand remark, but Albedo and Demiurge seemed abnormally shaken by it. He could even hear Lupusregina whisper ¡°amazing¡± from behind them.

    He looked away, feeling guilty because he had once again confused the two of them by talking nonsense. However, he was d that the n to build the giant statue would be briefly halted.

    Next, I need to do something about the four festivals with my name on it, like the Sorcerer King Grand Thanksgiving, the Sorcerer King¡¯s Birthday and so on! If the Sorcerer King Grand Thanksgiving is cancelled because the statue¡¯s been cancelled as well, that just leaves three of them! Besides, if these were normal festivals, I wouldn¡¯t want to stop them either!

    In truth, Ainz had once nonchntly suggested a n for organizing festivals. However, that had led to the formation of a strange and embarrassing festivalmittee. Ainz sighed long and loud in his heart, and then looked at Demiurge.

    ¡°Alright, that leaves the details which I need to discuss with Demiurge. After this, you¡¯ll have the demon you summoned, that is to say, Jaldabaoth, attack that city, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Indeed, that is so.¡±

    ¡°Therefore¡­ I have a couple of requests. The first concerns a personal project I am carrying out which is not going too well, for which I will need your help. Ah, don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s no need to get too shy with it. And the second thing is, can youmand that summoned demon to fight in earnest with me?¡±

    ***

    Neia quietly closed the door to the Sorcerer King¡¯s room and turned on her heel. And then¡­ her body quivered.

    She lightly patted her somewhat scalding cheeks to force her face to tighten up before shepletely lost herposure. One reason for that was because she knew how her rxed face made others wary, while the other, more important reason was because it deeply embarrassed her.

    Neia did not want to walk around outside with an unseemly look on her face. She would have to meet otherster, so at the very least she had to look presentable.

    More to the point, Neia was the squire of the Sorcerer King, so anything disgraceful that she did would also damage the Sorcerer King¡¯s reputation.

    Still, I¡¯m only acting as his temporary squire, so it¡¯s the Holy Kingdom which would be disgraced¡­

    However, the people who hated the Sorcerer King would not think that way. As the saying went, one was blinded by one¡¯s hate. Or rather, it was like how those who hated swords hated swordsmiths as well.

    Alright!

    Neia did not want the Sorcerer King to regret the fact that she was his squire. In other words, all Neia had to do was her job.

    As Neia headed for the ce where she had arranged to meet, she thought incessantly about the kindness that the Sorcerer King had shown just now.

    ¡ªIs that so, is that how it is, what a shame.

    She had sensed deep regret from the Sorcerer King when he said those words back then. There was no way he could have been rattling them off casually.

    ...His Majesty really is a kind person¡­

    The Sorcerer King had grieved for someone from another country who had died in battle as though she had been one of his own people. Where in the world could you find a king like that? Of course, Neia did not know any other kings, so perhaps that simply reflected her dreams.

    For instance, if Neia and the others had held on a little longer, they would have been saved along with Neia, and that father who had lost his child would also have survived.

    Neia was not unhappy that the Sorcerer King had beente in his rescue. In the first ce, she was grateful for the fact that he hade to rescue her, because he had already said that he had to conserve his mana for the battle with Jaldabaoth. In addition, she had heard some of the militiamen in Remedios¡¯s unit say that he had fought several powerful demihumans at the west gate before he hade to rescue Neia.

    The Sorcerer King had fought two demihumans who could each kill a pdin in a single attack and another one whose strength was on par with that of the Holy Kingdom¡¯s strongest pdin.

    The militiamen telling Neia all this had been hard-pressed to hide their excitement as they rattled the proceedings off like a machine gun, and they added, ¡°We¡¯d all have been killed if not for the Sorcerer King.¡±

    Indeed. Neia felt a surge of heat in her chest.

    The Sorcerer King had gone elsewhere to help others beforeing to save Neia.

    While she was slightly disappointed that the Sorcerer King had not prioritized helping her, it was wrong to feel that way. The defense of the city wall was important, but it would be a far worse matter if the city gate were to fall. If the gate had been breached and the demihumans managed to get into the city, there would have been merciless ughters everywhere.

    Anyone with any sense would have prioritized the city gate to save more lives.

    People who acted ording to logic were more reliable than people who were ruled by their emotions.

    That¡¯s the Sorcerer King for you!

    Neia thought of the strongest pdin in her country.

    Justparing the two of them is disrespecting His Majesty!

    After that, the Sorcerer King had also hunted down the few demihumans who had made it into the city, and many people had been saved as a result. In fact¡ª

    ¡°Ohhh! If it isn¡¯t His Majesty¡¯s squire-sama! Did you tell him for us?¡±

    It would seem that Neia had reached her meeting point while she was pondering how cool the Sorcerer King had been.

    In a certain sector of the city, six men gathered on a street which still smelled of the battlefield.

    They addressed Neia like they had been waiting impatiently for her. In fact, they had actually been quite impatient.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve ryed your gratitude to His Majesty.¡±

    Several people unconsciously went on the defensive as Neia looked at them, but after hearing her words, they smiled and thanked her.

    ¡°Ah, thank you very much. It¡¯s hard to express your gratitude to the king of another nation. No, it¡¯s hard enough just to thank the Holy Queen-sama.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, you can¡¯t even meet her to begin with.¡±

    The people before her had ages which ranged from fourteen to forty. However, all of them were squad leaders. Some of them had even been professional soldiers once.

    Judging by their attitude, they did not feel any sense of dread toward the Sorcerer King because he was undead.

    It was true that some people were still wary of the Sorcerer King because of his undead nature. In addition, people like that were moremon among the smallfolk than the priests or pdins. They often said that the Sorcerer King was being kind in order to betray them at the right moment, and other such things.

    However, Neia felt that their reaction was because they did not understand the Sorcerer King and had simply acted out of the usual disdain for the undead. The reason for that was the group of people before her. There were many people who had changed their way of thinking once they got to know the Sorcerer King.

    ¡°No, please don¡¯t worry about it. I simply conveyed your gratitude to His Majesty. Ah, yes, His Majesty said that your thanks made him very happy.¡±

    There were bashful looks on the representatives from the militiamen.

    ¡°No, we¡¯re the ones who should be happy¡­ oh, what should we do¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, His Majesty really ispassionate. I¡¯m embarrassed by how we used to fear him because he was undead.¡±

    ¡°His Majesty is truly a kind person. However, I hope you will not expect such good fortune to happen again and again. After all, His Majesty did say that he had used a great deal of mana in this battle, and he would not be able to help you again next time.¡±

    The group¡¯s faces immediately sobered up.

    ¡°So we might not have His Majesty¡¯s help next time¡­ this is bad.¡±

    ¡°A lot of people will be afraid if they know they can¡¯t rely on His Majesty to help them, my team especially.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not just your guys. It¡¯s the same on my side too¡­ we can¡¯t tell them about this.¡±

    Neia quietly addressed the shaken group.

    ¡°Everyone, I havee to understand one thing. That is: weakness itself is a sin.¡±

    As puzzled looks appeared on their faces, Neia slowly exined herself.

    ¡°Do you get it? If we were strong enough, things would not have gotten to where they are now. We could have saved our parents, our children, our wives, our friends, we could have saved all of them with our own hands. The Sorcerer King once said that we are the ones who ce the most value on the things which are important to us. After all, His Majesty is not the king of this country, and he simply came to assist us for a special reason.¡±

    Neia took a breath.

    Neia raised her voice, so the people watching her and the people of the Holy Kingdom passing by would hear her words.

    ¡°...When the Sorcerer King defeats Jaldabaoth and returns to his own country, what will we do when the demihumans attack again? Will we cry and beg the Sorcerer King, the king of another country, for help once more? For all we know, the Sorcerer King might not help us next time. That¡¯s because this time was an exception. Have you ever heard of a country¡¯s king working so hard for another nation?¡±

    Nobody answered Neia, because such a thing was nowhere to be found.

    ¡°Maybe you don¡¯t feel happy that a girl like me is telling you this. But who can protect the things that are important to you other than yourselves? That¡¯s why I want to be stronger. When I be stronger, I can protect myself and I won¡¯t need to borrow the Sorcerer King¡¯s strength.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. Exactly. I¡¯ll train myself too.¡±

    ¡°Ah, me too. Next time, I¡¯ll be the one to protect my wife and kids.¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯ll do that too. I didn¡¯t want to when I was first conscripted¡­ but now I feel d that I was drafted.¡±

    ¡°Still, the Sorcerer King does make a lot of sense. Valuing the things important to us¡­ mm, when you think about it, that really is true.¡±

    ¡°So if someone else values my wife the most highly, I have to kill him, then?¡±

    ¡°...I, I don¡¯t think so, right? I don¡¯t think the Sorcerer King was talking about something like that, right?¡±

    ¡°...Hey, I¡¯m just kidding, you know?¡±

    ¡°It didn¡¯t sound like a joke...¡±

    As the crowdughed, Neia made a suggestion.

    ¡°Everyone, would you like to train with me? While I can¡¯t teach you all swordsmanship, I know a thing or two about archery.¡±

    Weakness was a sin. That was because the weak only created problems for the Sorcerer King, who was justice. In that case, all they had to do was be strong. She could not allow herself to cause trouble for the Sorcerer King next time. She had to allow His Majesty to focus on fighting Jaldabaoth. That was what she ought to do, as a squire.

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s a good idea.¡±

    ¡°We need to be strong. I¡¯ll protect them next time.¡±

    ¡°¡ªWhy are you all gathering here? Are you discussing something?¡±

    ¡°Ah ¡ª Captain.¡±

    After being questioned out of nowhere, Neia looked back and saw Remedios Custodio standing behind her. In fact, Neia had heard footsteps approaching, but she had not thought that it would be Remedios.

    Herees trouble,Neia thought as she tried to keep her face from revealing how she felt. The representatives, on the other hand, were visibly ufortable.

    ¡°Can you answer my question?¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am! I was telling these gentlemen that I had conveyed their gratitude to His Majesty.¡±

    ¡°To him, you say?¡±

    ¡°...It is hardly appropriate to address the king of another nation as ¡®him.¡¯¡±

    Remedios red at Neia.

    ¡°The strong protecting the weak ismon sense, is it not?¡±

    ¡°...I do not know if it ismon sense, but I feel that only the strong are qualified to say such things, and not the weak.¡±

    ¡°What!? Are you saying that I¡¯m weak?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Neia replied without any dy. ¡°Compared to His Majesty, you areweak¡­ Captain, have I said something wrong?¡±

    Remedios red at Neia, and Neia stared back forcefully at Remedios.

    ¡°Hmph, it doesn¡¯t matter if you want to be friends with the Sorcerer King, but he¡¯s undead, you know that, right? A monster who inhabits a different world from the living.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I know that.¡±

    ¡°I said that because I was worried about you. It seems my concern was wasted.¡±

    Remedios looked disappointed, but it felt very fake to Neia. That was definitely not what the pdin before her really thought.

    ¡°I¡¯m certain you must be busy with many things, Captain, and I would not dare take up your time. In addition, I have things to tell the others. Would it not be better for yourself to move on to the other ces you have to be, Captain?

    ¡°...Very well then. You lot, it¡¯s only natural for the Sorcerer King to help you. You don¡¯t need to think too much about it, you know?¡±

    After saying that, Remedios left. As they watched her go, someone quietly spoke up.

    ¡°How should I say this¡­ that was amazing¡­ is that the strongest pdin of this country¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what she is.¡±

    After hearing the representative speak his mind, Neia unconsciously replied to him. After that, the representatives covered their faces with their hands. It would seem they had suffered quite a shock.

    Although Neia had not done anything wrong, she still felt a little guilty.

    ¡°The, the pdins aren¡¯t, aren¡¯t all like that. How shall I put it¡­ she¡¯s a little special. That¡¯s¡­ how she is. Yes.¡±

    ¡°It must be hard for you, Squire-sama¡­ if you can drink, I¡¯d like to buy you one.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate your intentions¡­ uh, where was I again? Yes, training together. I can find a way to borrow a ce and equipment. Can I contact youter once everything¡¯s ready?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll let you handle that,¡± ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll wait,¡± the men cheerily answered.

    Part 2

    Neia drew her bowstring back in one smooth motion.

    She turned her keen gaze to the target, and she could see the silent white wisps of her exhaled breath drawn to the edges of her vision by the wind, where it disappeared. Spring was close, but it was still cold.

    Neia buried the random notions in her mind deep within her, staring at the target in a state of no thought, and then she slowly drew herself back.

    During the defense of the city, Neia hade to understand that nobody had time to slowly take aim on the battlefield, but right now they were training to improve their uracy, so quick-fire drills could be left for another time.

    And then ¡ª she released her arrow.

    The arrow whistled as it tore through the air. It flew in a straight line and hit the target dead center.

    Hoo,Neia exhaled.

    Of the ten arrows she had fired, not a single one had been off target.

    This was an outstanding uracy rate, but Neia took no joy in it.

    She could not do it in the past, but right now, Neia could even split the arrow she had justunched. Of course, she would damage the arrow if she did that, so she did not.

    The reason why she had ended up like this, why she could do something that was previously impossible for her was because after that battle, she was not just capable of archery, but of harnessing what they called divine power. However, the strange thing was that it was slightly different from the abilities that pdins were said to possess. This was because normally, pdins could only channel their powers through melee weapons, while she could imbue ranged weapons with her powers.

    While she did not quite understand what that meant, the Sorcerer King had seemed quite interested when he had heard about this. Still, even the Sorcerer King had only said, ¡°It¡¯s hard to tell from just that, let me know if other abilities awaken.¡±

    Apuse rang out, and Neia smiled bitterly, because she felt ufortable.

    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re amazing, Baraja-chan.¡±

    ¡°Oh yes, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen anyone who was so good with a bow. Nobody in my vige could do that.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, it¡¯s true. I used to be a hunter by trade, and I knew a few people in my own right, but none of them had Baraja-chan¡¯s skills.¡±

    The people praising Neia were the same ones sweating and training with her at the archery range. Many of their faces had not been seen on these streets during the defense of the city three weeks ago.

    The reason for that was because people had been rescued from the nearby prison camps, and the city¡¯s poption rose swiftly as a result. Those with a knack for archery or who had used bows before were drafted into archery units and ced under Neia¡¯smand.

    Normally, people would balk at being made subordinate to a squire girl, especially if some of them were old enough to be her father. However, none of the men ¡ª and women ¡ª gathered here protested.

    The main reason was because nobody dared voice any objections after being subjected to her vicious gaze, and also because they had to acknowledge her skill with the bow. Some of them were even more grateful to Neia after learning that she was the Sorcerer King¡¯s squire.

    There were also some who were afraid she was undead because they had heard that she was the Sorcerer King¡¯s squire, but not everyone was like that.

    In these three weeks, the pdins had been sent out to liberate prison camps, but at the same time, the Sorcerer King and Neia had also gone out to attack camps and rescue prisoners.

    When the Sorcerer King had first broached the subject, there had been a shocking number of objections. However, the Sorcerer King then said, ¡°Now that the Demihuman Alliance is short on manpower, they will start to execute the captives if they judge that theyck the ability to run the prison camps, so they must be rescued without dy,¡± and that had convinced Caspond to ept the Sorcerer King¡¯s suggestion and send the two of them out.

    Neia had originally wanted to argue that the Sorcerer King ought to conserve his mana in order to battle Jaldabaoth. However, Neia admired how he acted to protect the people of another country and felt the justice emanating from him, so she could not bring herself to stop him.

    And so, Neia and the Sorcerer King had freed many captives and brought them to this city. For this reason, there were people who were happy to serve under Neia.

    ¡°Ahhh~ I ought to learn a few things from Baraja-chan.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. She¡¯s amazing. Also, that bow you borrowed from the Sorcerer King ¡ª the Ultimate Shootingstar Super ¡ª you can do even more amazing things with that bow, right?¡±

    ¡°The Ultimate Shootingstar Super, huh. What an amazing bow¡­¡±

    All their eyes went to the bow stowed behind Neia¡¯s back ¡ª the Ultimate Shootingstar Super.

    She ought to have used it during her training, but she had avoided doing so because she did not want to rely too heavily on her weapon.

    ¡°Yes, during the battle for the city walls, it was thanks to the Ultimate Shootingstar Super that I was able to survive until His Majesty arrived¡­ no, that¡¯s not it. It wasn¡¯t just the Ultimate Shootingstar Super, but the armor I borrowed from His Majesty and all his other items that helped me too¡­¡±

    Neia caressed Grand King Buser¡¯s armor.

    ¡°This armor came from a renowned demihuman, it looks amazing to me no matter how many times I look at it¡­¡±

    ¡°I was allowed to touch it once, its hardness is amazing. I chopped at it with a sword and it just bounced off.¡±

    ¡°Seriously? I¡¯ve never heard that before.¡±

    As Neia¡¯s wargear became a hot topic, she pped to get everyone¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Alright, enough chitchat, back to training. ording to the Sorcerer King, Jaldabaoth¡¯s preparing to make another move soon, so we can¡¯t waste a single moment.

    There was a chorus of acknowledgements.

    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s time to begin practical shooting. Let¡¯s start, everyone.¡±

    As she watched her subordinates ¡ª the word made her feel like a big shot, and it embarrassed her a little ¡ª disperse, Neia removed the item which covered half her face. It was an item she had borrowed from the Sorcerer King.

    This magic item was a visor-shaped set of mirrorshades that allowed her to use a special ability known as the Serpent Shot once every three minutes. It was a technique that allowed an arrow to twist and turn in front of one¡¯s opponent, pouncing them like an animal bringing down its prey.

    She was not too sure what it did because she had not fired it at anyone, but in all likelihood, one would need to be very agile to avoid it.

    It was a very handy item for someone like Neia, who used the bow as her main weapon, but more importantly, the fact that it hid her eyes was amazing. Or rather, without that item, she could not have gotten along so well with the others.

    Neia put her visor on once more, and took up her bow again.

    Everyone here was experienced, and now that time was tight, she did not need to instruct them on the finer points of finger positioning. She had touched briefly on how to fire quickly, and after that all that was needed was to give them individual coaching and have them practice until their fingers ached. The most important thing for them was to umte shooting experience.

    As usual, Neia wondered about requesting healing magic from the priests as she loosed an arrow.

    Just at that moment, Neia¡¯s keen ears picked up a noise.

    It hade from the outside. While Neia¡¯s shooting form nearly broke down, she managed to keep it together. It might not have been what she expected, and even if it was the person she had hoped to meet, they might have only been passing by, and not intended toe here.

    However, the being that appeared at the door to the training yard was the great king with the skeletal face ¡ª the Sorcerer King.

    In the beginning, everyone had feared the undead, but many of them had been rescued by the Sorcerer King during the defense of the city and from the prison camps. The mor of respectful and thankful voices soon came to herald the arrival of the Sorcerer King.

    However, nobody stopped practicing. Normally, they would have knelt before the Sorcerer King when he appeared, but the Sorcerer King himself had put a stop to it.

    This isn¡¯t a public ce, so you don¡¯t need to do that when I¡¯m just looking in on you, am I wrong?

    No king, especially one who was a nation-saving hero, should have been treated that way.

    Even so, the Sorcerer King had said that they did not need to do so.

    What an amazing person he is¡­

    After sighing in awe, Neia went to the Sorcerer King¡¯s side, and tightly shut her open mouth.

    She kept her visor on.

    The Sorcerer King had said that she she did not need to take it off, since she ought to be ready to fight at any time.

    He was probably concerned about whether she could use a magic item like it was part of her own body and thinking that she ought to be on guard no matter what unexpected things happened. Neia was deeply impressed by the depth of the Sorcerer King¡¯s considerations.

    Neia understood that the Sorcerer King¡¯s eyes had gone from looking into his hands to herself as she ran over. For some reason, observing the Sorcerer King¡¯s habitual movements made Neia a little happy.

    The thought that she understood the tiny quirks of an extraordinary individual made Neia¡¯s cheeks rx.

    ¡°Your Majesty! We are grateful that you have chosen to visit a ce like this in person!¡±

    Neia was still the Sorcerer King¡¯s squire, even after being appointed themander of the archery unit. That said, it was hard to say that she had done a squire¡¯s job properly when she had left his side to train others in archery, not to mention she had even made hime here instead.

    Neia wanted to prioritize her work as the Sorcerer King¡¯s squire, but instead she had chosen to do this, because she no longer wanted to be a burden to him. And there was also another reason, which she had not told anyone else.

    That was because the Sorcerer King refused to have anyone except Neia serve as his follower. He had said that to Caspond¡¯s face with Neia in attendance.

    The number of people here was steadily increasing. There were many more skilful or charming people than this mad-eyed maiden. Even so, he had said that Neia would be fine. The person she viewed as justice had said that about her.

    Could anything have made her happier?

    ¡°¡ªUmu. While I know you¡¯re being humble, I don¡¯t think this is a mere ¡®ce like this.¡¯ After all, it is where you sharpen your fangs, is it not?¡±

    ¡°Th-Thank you very much, Your Majesty!¡±

    She looked around ¡ª perhaps it would be disrespectful to look away from the Sorcerer King, but the visor she wore made it possible ¡ª and saw that her people had heard it and the tips of their ears were turning red. The problem was that their performance deteriorated, possibly because they were nervous, or because they had stiffened up their shoulders in order to look good for the Sorcerer King.

    That said, her own ears felt a little hot too.

    ¡°...Miss Baraja. Your men have made a great deal of progress sincest time. Surely that must be due to your hard work as their leader.¡±

    His pleasantries both embarrassed Neia and left her at a loss for how to answer.

    It would be embarrassing to say that they got nervous and can¡¯t show their full ability because Your Majesty arrived. They would think so too.

    Therefore, Neia decided to take his words as they were given. However¡ª

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing of the sort. I hardly taught them anything. They could have done that by themselves.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Well, if you say so, then it must be true.¡±

    In other words ¡ª the Sorcerer King did not think so. Which meant that the Sorcerer King thought very highly of Neia.

    Neia raised her voice a little to try and hide her desire to skip in delight.

    ¡°In, in that case, Your Majesty, does your presence here mean that the meetings are over?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. They¡¯re done for the day, but that said, I did not make any special suggestions.¡±

    Right now, this city had a mountain of problems, all of which stemmed from the increasing poption. The small city of Lloyds had originally been home to less than 20,000 people, but after gathering the people from the liberated camps, there were more than 150,000 people here now.

    The most recent of these overpoption problems was the slimes used in the sewers ¡ª the Sanitary Slimes ¡ª whose own poption had surged due to an abundance in food and had thus caused a panic when they erupted from the waterways.

    When the slime poption grew, they were typically burned back down with magic items, but the unexpectedly rapid growth meant that this was not done in time and several men and women had been attacked.

    When these men and women were surrounded by the slimes, a group of rubbish-clearing monsters called the Filth Eaters appeared from the sewers to help them.

    Unlike how they appeared, the Filth Eaters were intelligent monsters, and they knew that humans could produce a great deal of their food, and so they saved the people with their acid-resistant bodies.

    However, the people were not grateful to the Filth Eaters. That was because Sanitary Slimes were not infectious themselves, but the Filth Eaters who helped them were masses of disease. Thus, the people they had helped had fallen ill and were in a very bad state, particrly those who had contracted encephalitis.

    In addition, it was winter now, so firewood and other fuels were scarce. Then there was the fact that there had been dys in the construction of housing. While there was no food shortage yet, that would be a danger in the future.

    The Sorcerer King had been invited to many of the meetings to deal with these problems, possibly because they were counting on his prodigious knowledge to solve their problems.

    While the Sorcerer King had simply said that he did not know that much and had merely sat aside to listen, such a person could not have been summoned to meetings time and time again.

    The fact that he conducted himself so humbly despite being the king of a nation only deepened Neia¡¯s respect for him.

    ¡°What do you intend to do next, Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°Umu. I had intended to see if the transportation of logs was going well¡­ Are you busy with practice, Miss Baraja? If you don¡¯t mind, would you like to apany me?¡±

    In order to solve theck of fuel and housing, they were using the Sorcerer King¡¯s undead horses to transport logs from a distant forest. Initially, many people had been averse to using undead horses for transport, but now there was a steady stream of praise for the merits of these undead horses.

    ¡°No, please allow me to go with you! I am Your Majesty¡¯s Squire, after all!¡±

    The knowledge that she would be able to perform her squirely duties at longst and her delight at being alone with the Sorcerer King caused Neia to unconsciously speak faster and louder.

    As a result, Neia¡¯s ears burned.

    ¡°Is, is that so? Then let us proceed.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Please¡ª¡±

    Then, as though to interrupt her, a sky-scorching inferno erupted in the distance.

    For a moment, Neia wondered what was burning.

    But that was wrong. She had been too far off. That could not have been caused by any form of naturalbustion.

    That fire seemed to be enveloping the city. In other words, it was a wall of fire ¨D Neia¡¯s mind immediately recalled what the members of Blue Rose had said.

    ¡°¡ªYour Majesty! That¡¯s¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ah, it is as you are thinking, and the same as what I heard from Momon¡­ the time hase atst. It¡¯s Jaldabaoth. He¡¯s attacking atst. Miss Baraja, I¡¯m heading out.¡±

    Had he anticipated this series of events? As though influenced by the Sorcerer King¡¯s calm attitude, Neia¡¯s heart calmed down as well. Or no, it would be better to say that the presence of a supreme being like the Sorcerer King gave her peace of mind.

    ¡°Where to!?¡±

    ¡°Ah ¨D hm. Jaldabaoth¡¯s aim is still unclear. So, ah ¨D he might just be here to ughter indiscriminately. However, if he has an objective, he¡¯ll either be targeting me or the Holy Kingdom¡¯s leadership, so it would be best if we met up. Tell your men to get ready for battle and then have them flee to a safe ce.¡±

    ¡°Eh!?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll be of no use against Jaldabaoth. In that case, it would be better to have them prepare to deal with any demons which might appear. Since the city will probably be in chaos now, once you form up your unit, won¡¯t it be better to have them head outside the city?¡±

    While his words had been unclear at first, perhaps he had organized his thoughtster on, because the middle part onwards was a nonstop series of instructions to Neia.

    ¡°Yes! Thank you very much, Your Majesty! Alright, everyone!¡±

    While they had made ns in case Jaldabaoth led an army against them, they had not expected a ze to surround the entire city. Another big problem was the fact that they did not know the extent of the preparations that the enemy had made.

    Neia gave her instructions. There was only a single squad here and they could not do as they pleased, but as a team leader, she had a responsibility to do several things before her orders came.

    The instructions went roughly like this:

    Everyone in the squad was to take their families and head to the east gate, because if the enemy attacked, it was more likely that they would attack from the west gate. After that, they would form up at the east gate, and if there were demons outside the east gate, they would climb the walls near the east gate and attack them. In addition, they were to listen to Neia¡¯s adjutant until she arrived and adapt to changes in the battlefield conditions.

    Neia¡¯s subordinates obeyed her instructions and moved swiftly into action.

    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±

    After giving her orders, Neia turned back and saw that the Sorcerer King¡¯s eyes were on his hands, while he had used a flight spell to rise to somewhere around the level of Neia¡¯s head.

    ¡°Your Majesty! Let me go with you!¡±

    Perhaps he was startled by Neia¡¯s shout, but the Sorcerer King suddenly closed his hand and a quiet sound came from within.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ well, all right.¡±

    The Sorcerer King cast a flying spell on Neia as well. In that moment, she realized the greatness of magic as she learned what it was to fly.

    Neia and the Sorcerer King moved as though they were skimming along the ground. They did not leave the surface except to soar over crowds of people, who had descended into chaos, because they could not get a grip on the situation. The reason for that was because flying in the air without cover made them very obvious, and if there were demons about, they might be subjected to attack spells from all directions.

    Neia bit her lip in unhappiness, feeling like she was being a burden. Whatever spells the demons used, they could not possibly pose a problem for the Sorcerer King. She could not help but think that he had chosen to go the long way around instead of flying directly to his destination because she was around.

    Eventually, they reached their destination ¨D the headquarters, which also doubled as Caspond¡¯s chambers.

    The two pdins at the door had their hands full trying to manage the people jammed up near the door.

    ¡°Miss Baraja, we¡¯ll go in from above.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    After seeing that it would be a little difficult to enter from the front door, the two of them floated up and arrived at the balcony. Just then, the window facing them opened up.

    ¡°Your Majesty! Thank you foring.¡±

    It was a pdin.

    ¡°Are the others here yet?¡±

    ¡°No, Your Majesty. The priests are assembling. Vice-Captain Montagnes is off to liberate a prison camp and isn¡¯t expected to return today. Right now, only Captain Custodio and Prince Caspond are present.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Still, it¡¯s good that the two of them are here. Lead the way.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    After the pdin led them to Caspond¡¯s room, they could hear a loud discussion through the door. It seemed quite chaotic.

    The pdin opened the door for them, and over a dozen pairs of bloodshot eyes greeted them.

    ¡°Sorry I¡¯mte. We¡¯re out of time, so what ns were you discussing just now?¡±

    Everyone nced at each other, and Caspond spoke up on their behalf.

    ¡°We have not spotted Jaldabaoth yet. Your Majesty, could this fire have been made by a magic item or a demon other than Jaldabaoth?¡±

    ¡°I am unsure. After all, even I could not do such a thing.¡±

    The others were shaken. The Sorcerer King employed magic that beggared the imagination. How powerful must Jaldabaoth be if he could use a spell that even the Sorcerer King could not?

    ¡°In that case, what effects does that fire have? Blue Rose said that they managed to pass through it, then surely normal people can do so as well, right?¡±

    After saying so, Remedios turned to look straight at the Sorcerer King.

    ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem. As for its effects, demons standing inside the fire benefit from improved attributes, negative-karma spells will do slightly more damage, item drop rates will increase, and many others. But ording to the results from the investigation team, none of those were in effect. Still, whether it does anything else remains to be seen.¡±

    ¡°Which means we can freely move in and out of it, right?¡±

    ¡°Hm? Didn¡¯t I say that at the beginning?¡±

    ¡°In that case, we ought to evacuate as long as there are no demihumans or demons around, and then form up into units there. After all, I heard that demons appeared within the area surrounded by the fire when it wasst seen in the Kingdom. Let¡¯s go with that n of action, everyone.¡±

    After giving the pdins their orders, he asked the Sorcerer King again, ¡°Can you use your magic to pinpoint Jaldabaoth¡¯s location, Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°If I could, I wouldn¡¯t need to stay in this city now, would I?¡±

    ¡°You have a point.¡±

    Just as the Sorcerer King was dealing with one question after another, everyone heard an ominous creaking.

    It started out quietly enough, and then it steadily grew to drown out the mor in the room. One by one, they all quieted down, and finally, the only sound in the silence was the creaking.

    Everyone looked around uneasily. Just then, Neia noticed something odd on the outside wall of the building and eximed an ¡°Ah¨D¡±

    A crack appeared on the wall, and as everyone watched, it began to spread. The wall bulged, and then¡ª

    ¡°Get away!¡±

    Just as Remedios shouted, the Sorcerer King stood in front of Neia.

    The wall broke apart with a mighty crash. Bricks flew through the room like a spray of shotgun pellets. Groans filled the air; they came from those people who had been hit by the fast-moving masonry.

    If the Sorcerer King had not shielded Neia with his body, Neia might have ended up wailing on the ground with them.

    ¡°Th-Thank you¨D¡±

    The Sorcerer King held up his hand to stop Neia before she could thank him, and then he pointed at the smoke-spewing gap in the wall to draw her attention there.

    There was a gigantic silhouette there, the color of a roaring ze.

    ¡°¨DThank you for the warm wee, humans.¡±

    It was a deep and powerful voice.

    As though cutting through the smoke, that being slowly leaned in through the hole in the wall and entered the room.

    It was ¨D a demon.

    Due to his vast size, he had to bend down in order to barely fit inside the room. His posture looked a little stupid, but now was definitely not the time forughter. Her throat could not work properly; she wanted to swallow the saliva pooling in her mouth, but it stuck there instead.

    This was an overwhelming mass of power.

    Neia had never been very good at judging the strength of her foes rtive to herself, but she understood that she could not win against him even with tens of thousands of Neias. She was swallowed by a wave of powerparable to the Sorcerer King after removing his ring, and she could not move a muscle.

    It was then that she realized who she was facing.

    That, that¡¯s Jaldabaoth¡­ the Demon Emperor Jaldabaoth¡­

    His face was filled with wrath, his wings were red, and his burning arms ¨D he seemed to be holding something in one hand, and Neia could not help but doubt her eyes.

    That was ¨D though she dared not believe it ¨D a lower body. It emanated a vile stench, one of advanced decay.

    ¡°Kyaaaaahh!¡±

    It was a shout ¨D no, a scream. It was a sound that only one who had burst the shackles on their emotions and fallen into madness would make. It came from behind Neia.

    Neia¡¯s back shuddered. The person making that sound was Remedios.

    Remedios raised her holy sword high and charged straight at Jaldabaoth, not caring about her own defense.

    This was too rash. Even Neia, who was not skilled with swords, felt that it was a foolish charge.

    ¡°¨DGet lost.¡±

    Those weighty, quiet words were apanied by the sound of sshing. At the same time, Remedios flew in a straight line and crashed into a wall. Her impact was so loud it seemed as though the entire building would copse. After that, Remedios ¨D who had been swatted aside like a fly ¨D copsed limply from the wall.

    It would seem Jaldabaoth had sent Remedios flying with the object that looked like a human¡¯s lower body.

    Neia would have surely died if she had taken that hit. But as expected of the country¡¯s strongest pdin, her life did not seem to be in danger.

    In its ce, a revolting odor began to spread through the air.

    The room was filled with chunks of meat from the decayed lower body that Jaldabaoth had used to strike Remedios.

    ¡°Ahh¡­ what a mess. I sincerely apologize for getting the room dirty. Of course, it would not have ended up like this if that woman had not charged at me without thinking ¨D well, that¡¯s just an excuse. Please forgive me.¡±

    Jaldabaoth slowly bowed his head. He seemed genuinely apologetic, but that only made everyone else more afraid.

    And then, he casually dumped what he was holding ¨D something that looked like the charred remains of a human ankle ¨D to the ground.

    ¡°My my, I guess I got a little too carried away while swinging it around and the top half flew off somewhere. It¡¯s a dirty little thing, so I¡¯ve been looking for a chance to dispose of it¡­ but in the end I managed to make good use of her. Am I not a kind demon? She must be thanking me from the afterlife.¡±

    Jaldabaoth muttered to himself.

    ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhh!¡±

    Remedios touched herself as she wailed in anguish, fresh blood streaming from the corner of her mouth. No, she was collecting the chunks of meat that were stuck to her. What was she doing? Has she lost her mind?Neia wondered.

    No, there was a meaning to her bizarre actions.

    Don¡¯t tell me, that corpse was¡­ how could this be¡­

    Although the lower body had tattered bits of what looked like armor stuck to it, it should have belonged to a woman. In that case, she could imagine two people that it could have been.

    If that was really the case¡­

    ¡°What a lovely sound,¡± Jaldabaoth waved his hand like a conductor. ¡°In that case, I believe this is the first time we have met, Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown-dono ¨D or perhaps -sama would be a better form of address?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Now then, I trust you¡¯re here for a showdown with me?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. No amount of weaklings will make a difference.¡±

    ¡°I concur on that point. I have no intention of generating meaningless deaths.¡±

    Still sniffling, Remedios looked towards the Sorcerer King.

    ¡°Your Majesty, you are strong. Stronger even than Momon. I hope you will allow me to adopt a strategy that will guarantee my victory.¡±

    Jaldabaoth raised his hand, and a head poked itself through the hole.

    It was a woman wearing a mask and a maid¡¯s outfit. There were two of them, in fact.

    ¡°I trust you will not call me despicable?¡±

    ¡°¨DUh, hm. Well, this is¡­ mhm¡­ uh¡­ um.¡±

    The Sorcerer King was starting to get worried. No, that was only to be expected.

    Nobody could have expected Jaldabaoth to arrive with his maid demons in tow. However¡ª

    That¡¯s probably not the case. The Sorcerer King is wise, and he must have anticipated this. In that case, why is he like this? Could it be that it¡¯s because we¡¯re here? Perhaps he¡¯s not confident of protecting us all as well, which is why he¡¯s worried!

    ¡°Your Majesty, please do not worry about us.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    The Sorcerer King made a tiny exmation of surprise.

    Neia knew very well that the maid demons were beings who could kill everyone in this room, and they were so powerful that she could not be at ease even if someone told her not to worry. Compared to someone on the Sorcerer King¡¯s level, Neia and the others, probably including Remedios, were little more than valueless pawns.

    However ¨D she would rather die than get in his way.

    She had once heard that the Sorcerer King¡¯s subordinates were prepared to die if they became hostages. While the Sorcerer King said it had disturbed him, Neia could finally understand how his subordinates had felt. They did not want to be a burden to the person they respected.

    ¡°Hahaha! Do not worry, humans. I will slowly torture you all to death afterwards. We will be waiting in the fountain at the center of town. Of course, you may flee if you wish, Sorcerer King.¡±

    ¡°I take those words and return them to you, Jaldabaoth.¡±

    The Sorcerer King and Jaldabaoth stared each other down.

    After that, Jaldabaoth turned ¨D and Remedios jumped up, her holy sword in hand, and rushed at him.

    The weakly glowing holy sword looked like a band of flowing light.

    ¡°Dieeeeee!¡±

    And then, she stabbed it into Jaldabaoth¡¯s back.

    ¡°What? This is¡­ Are you satisfied?¡±

    ¨DIt was a cold, t voice.

    ¡°Why¡­ why¡­ after taking a strike from the holy sword¡­ you should be evil¡­¡±

    Remedios¡¯s back looked far too tiny and insignificant inparison.

    ¡°I have no idea what to make of that. Why? What do you mean by why? It felt like a little prick. Is that enough for you? If you¡¯re done, would you mind getting out of the way? I don¡¯t intend to kill you here. Thates after I kill the Sorcerer King.¡±

    Jaldabaoth paid no heed to Remedios and spread his enormous, fiery wings. He pped them, and Remedios copsed to the ground.

    Jaldabaoth ignore her as shey on the ground and took off. The maid demons followed him.

    ¡°...Then I¡¯ll be going too. You should go take shelter so you don¡¯t get caught up in the fighting. While I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be a problem, I hope you¡¯ll understand if this city ends up demolished.¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, will you be alright?¡±

    Caspond rose from where he had dived for cover to avoid the debris flying about the room. His eyes looked at Remedios, who looked utterly defeated and could not rise to her feet.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine ¨D I can¡¯t say that for sure, but there ought to be a chance. It would have been very troublesome if he¡¯d brought the demihumans along as shields. Looks like he¡¯s still underestimating me, and this is also a chance to bring the maid demons into my fold.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. It¡¯s okay. My sister is still here. Krt is still here. As long as she¡¯s around, Calca-sama might¡­¡±

    Remedios smacked her face as she muttered to herself, and then she forcefully rose to her feet.

    ¡°Sorcerer King! I¡¯ll go too! Lend me a weapon that can harm him! I¡¯ll be your sword for the time being!¡±

    The Sorcerer King looked at Remedios, her eyes bloodshot and filled with hate, and then shook his head.

    ¡°...Forget about it. You would only get in the way.¡±

    ¡°What did you say!?¡±

    ¡°Do you not understand? I speak of the disparity in strength. Or do you mean to say you understand it, but refuse to ept it? Simply put ¨D you are a burden.¡±

    Remedios red at the Sorcerer King like he was her nemesis.

    The Sorcerer King¡¯s words were very harsh, but they were also true. Or rather, they were hard to ept precisely because they were true.

    ¡°Captain Custodio! I have another task for you. Evacuate these people outside the city!¡±

    Caspond gave the order in a stern,manding tone.

    ¡°The original n was to let His Majesty handle Jaldabaoth. You agreed to that too, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°...Ahh, I know,¡± Remedios bit her lip, and then she forced out her next words. ¡°You must kill that bastard.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    ¡°¨DPdins, carefully gather the remains of that body. Don¡¯t leave a single piece behind.¡±

    ¡°Captain¡­ that body is¡­¡±

    The pdin had an idea of what was going on, and ventured his question in a trembling voice. Remedios replied in a tone that seemed to be telling him not to ask any more.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget that there might be demonic trickery at work.¡±

    Remedios left without looking back. Several pdins followed her, with half-frightened looks on their faces.

    ¡°Your Majesty, I sincerely apologize for the way she treated you¡­ May I apologize on her behalf?¡± Caspond lowered his head. ¡°Please, I beg your forgiveness.¡±

    ¡°...I ept your apology. Now then, hurry up and evacuate. If he has to wait too long, he might decide to go back on his word. I¡¯ll be heading off first to buy time, but I hope you understand that I can only give you about thirty minutes.¡±

    ¡°I understand. Everyone hear that? Get moving!¡±

    Several priests and pdins moved out with Caspond.

    The only people left in the room were the Sorcerer King and Neia, as well as several pdins and priests who were stuffing the remains of a certain someone¡¯s body into a bag. In that case¡ª

    ¡°Your Majesty, may Ie with you!?¡±

    There were gasps of awe and sudden intakes of air from all around her. But Neia ignored those irrelevant people. She took off her visor and looked straight at the Sorcerer King.

    ¡°...Umu. I cannot. He may have said all that just now, but he¡¯s a demon. If pressed, he will reveal his true nature and use you as a hostage.¡±

    ¡°But if that happens, Your Majesty will kill me without hesitation, will you not?¡±

    ¡°When you say that with such a serious look on your face, you make me sound like a cruel person. Well, if I can¡¯t save you, I¡¯ll discard you. I¡¯ll hit you with an attack spell as well.¡±

    ¡°In that case¨D¡±

    ¡°¨DI! I am not doing this because I want to kill hostages, you know?¡±

    ¡°Ah! Forgive me¡­¡±

    That was how it was. He would do it because it was the best choice avable. If there were a better alternative, this merciful man would surely choose that instead. Thus, not letting Neia apany him was because it was the best of the best alternatives.

    ¡°But¡­ Your Majesty, you have used many spells and even your magic items and mana in order to free this city. As a magic caster, surely you must be weakened now. Will that be alright?¡±

    ¡°Mhm! Indeed, it might be dangerous, but I came here to defeat Jaldabaoth. Fortunately, he came to find me instead. Now I¡¯ll destroy him and im the maid demons¡­ ugh, saying that I want the maids makes me sound like a dirty old man, hm¡­¡±

    Neia smiled bitterly at the Sorcerer King, who could still make ame joke at a time like this. She wanted to speak, but the Sorcerer King cut her off with a raise of his hand.

    ¡°Besides, I¡¯ll be aughingstock if I run away here.¡±

    The Sorcerer King shrugged, like he was kidding. Neia sensed that he was not being serious, and so she raised her voice.

    ¡°Your Majesty! If they want tough, let them! I humbly submit that you should only fight him in top condition! Also, you came here to battle Jaldabaoth, but you ended up using a vast amount of mana and strength on the behalf of the Holy Kingdom. That¡¯s not what you agreed to in the beginning. If we say that, the people of my country will¡­¡±

    ¡°Indeed, that is true. But humans are creatures who only believe what they want to believe. Even if you spread the word, nobody would take it to heart, Miss Baraja.¡±

    ¡°That¡­! In that case, I can be a witness! And¡­¡±

    Neia looked out the corner of her eye at the pdins and priests listening to their conversation. Surely they would be willing to be witnesses.

    ¡°...Neia Baraja. I thank you, but there is no need for that. I will not change my intention to fight Jaldabaoth.¡±

    ¡°This ¨D why is that?¡±

    ¡°Simple. It is because it is a promise I have made as a king.¡±

    Neia had nothing to say. There was nothing she could say in response to that. Amoner like herself could not possibly say anything that could change the mind of a King.

    There were murmurs of admiration around her. Indeed, this great and proud person was none other than His Majesty the Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown.

    Neia was filled with pride for the king that she held in such high esteem.

    ¡°Your Majesty, I know this is deeply disrespectful, but if you feel there is danger, I beg you to flee.¡±

    Perhaps mentioning the possibility of his loss might make him unhappy, but even so she still had to say it.

    ¡°...But of course. It is a fool who fights without preparing a means of escape. Even if you lose one battle, you can make good use of the information gained in the next one. It doesn¡¯t matter if you lose the first battle.¡±

    ¡°I expected nothing less of you, Your Majesty.¡±

    An extreme interpretation of that was that if his aim was to defeat Jaldabaoth, then all he needed was to be victorious in the end. Neia was excited by this line of thinking, which was not a warrior¡¯s mindset, but that of a king.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be heading out.¡±

    ***

    Ainz walked toward the ce Jaldabaoth had indicated. Along the way, he used ¡¸Message¡¹ to order the two Hanzos who had followed him to check for tails and if anyone was observing from afar.

    After receiving a negative report on both those items, Ainz had originally intended to terminate the transmission immediately, but then he received a somewhat confused report that there were members of the Pleiades present.

    Ainz acknowledged it and ended the ¡¸Message¡¹.

    ...We didn¡¯t find any other yers or World ss Item holders this time round either. I keep thinking they ought to have shown themselves by now¡­ but if they don¡¯t exist, how do you exin what happened to Shalltear? Was it some kind of coincidence? It should have been the effect of a World ss Item, right? Or was it the work of some Talent?

    The fact that nothing had turned up despite going to these lengths made the whole thing feel like a trap for him. For all he knew, the opposition was waiting for him to lower his guard before striking.

    Honestly¡­ well, it doesn¡¯t matter. Careful nning for the future won¡¯t be wasted.

    Therefore, Ainz contacted the other Hanzo teams with ¡¸Message¡¹ to verify their readiness and that his orders had been received.

    All right, preparations areplete. The next part is simple, I just need to follow Demiurge¡¯s ybook. Even if I make a mistake, I can always say ¡°I was just testing you¡± and so on.

    That was good.

    Ainz was moved by how light his tread was. This the first time he had felt so rxed sinceing to this world, and it was like floating through the sky.

    Soon, Ainz came to an average-sized square.

    This had originally been a fountain that regrly sprayed water for the citizens¡¯ leisure. However, water no longer flowed through here after the demihumans had wrecked it. There were no ns to restore it for the time being, and the surroundings looked very austere.

    A demon stood proudly there.

    It was a huge demon with burning wings and two crimson, brawny fists.

    This was the Evil Lord of Wrath from Nazarick. However, what stood here was merely a monster that Demiurge had called up with his Evil Lord Summons. It could only be used once every fifty hours, but it could be freely controlled for a time. Nazarick would not be diminished even if it were killed.

    It was level 84.

    As a physical-attacker type Evil Lord, it had a very high HP total.

    Of all the special abilities that Evil Lords possessed, the most dangerous one was the ability to summon another Evil Lord which was lower level than themselves. However, summoned monsters could not in turn summon more monsters. Therefore, the Evil Lord of Wrath that Demiurge had summoned could not summon another Evil Lord.

    If this Evil Lord had been created or made, then it could summon additional creatures. For instance, the Evil Lord of Sloth would often summon pack after pack of demons and undead, making them very hard to deal with.

    In addition, one troublesome point about the Evil Lord of Wrath was that it was very hard to manage its hate.

    The Evil Lord of Wrath built aggro more easily than other Evil Lords. He had heard tanks say that the most aggravating thing about dealing with multiple Evil Lords at once was how to keep the Evil Lord of Wrath from going off-target.

    In addition, it had the special ability of doing more damage and gaining more defense the higher its hate value became. Still, that was not too frightening. The only thing that Ainz had to be worried about was its ability called ¡¸Soul-Bought Miracle¡¹, which produced unknown effects.

    The Evil Lord could cast the following spells:

    Tenth tier spells: ¡¸Meteor Fall¡¹, ¡¸Time Stop¡¹, ¡¸Field of Unclean¡¹

    Ninth tier spells: ¡¸Greater Rejection¡¹, ¡¸Vermillion Nova¡¹

    Eighth tier spells: ¡¸Distort Moral¡¹, ¡¸Insanity¡¹, ¡¸Astral Smite¡¹, ¡¸Wave of Pain¡¹

    Seventh tier spells: ¡¸Napalm¡¹, ¡¸Hellme¡¹, ¡¸Greater Word of Curse¡¹, ¡¸Greater Teleportation¡¹, ¡¸sphemy¡¹

    Sixth tier spells: ¡¸mewing¡¹. ¡¸Wall of Hell¡¹

    Third tier spells: ¡¸Fireball¡¹, ¡¸Slow¡¹

    While the exact number of spells that monsters could use varied with their level and type, it was typically around 8. However, high level monsters like Dragons, Demons, and Angels were an exception.

    Still, as a pure warrior type, the Evil Lord of Wrath¡¯s spells were not particrly fearsome.

    It had no skills to strengthen its spells, and its magic-rted stats were very low. While the Evil Lord¡¯s attack spells were of the fire element and thus targeted a weakness of the undead, there was no need for him to be wary. Its mind-affecting spells were also useless against the undead, and Ainz¡¯s karma values were negative to begin with, so spells like ¡¸Distort Moral¡¹ were a waste of time.

    Since Ainz¡¯s karma value was negative, Angels were harder for him to deal with than Demons.

    As he contemted his opposition¡¯s data, Ainz nced at the two maids behind the Evil Lord. He would think about themter.

    ¡°Now then, have you been told?¡±

    ¡°But of course, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Hearing that weighty voice made Suzuki Satoru smile unconsciously from inside Ainz¡¯s heart. That was because this demon ¨D and all the monsters of Nazarick ¨D were designed in ordance with their image.

    Those voices were probably what the developers or their creators had envisioned for them. In that case, who hade up with the adorable voice that Lip Bugs had before consuming any vocal cords? Or did the whole seiyuu-in-your-mind thing that Peroroncino was talking about really exist?

    No, that was impossible.

    Pandora¡¯s Actor was a good example. He was a being who did not feel like he reflected what his creator had in mind. And then there was the fact that even a being without vocal cords like Ainz could speak. All he could say was that magical worlds were truly astounding.

    ¡°If you¡¯re addressing me with that name and in that tone, I take it the surroundings are clear?¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    ¡°Then I will ask you the most important question of all. Are you truly prepared to fight with the intent of killing me?¡±¡°Yes, I was ordered to do so.¡±

    Ainz nodded as he heard the Evil Lord¡¯s reply.

    One thing that had made Ainz uneasy in the past was ack of strong opponents to fight. Ever since the battle with Shalltear, Ainz had been worrying about not having chances to fight with all his strength.

    After training and gaining experience in closebat, he could skilfully move his body as Momonga and fight as a warrior of roughly level 33.

    However, the question of how he would fare in higher levelbat still remained.

    He should have conductedbat training against high level opponents. Unfortunately, he had not had the chance to encounter such high level monsters until now.

    That was why he had ordered Demiurge tomand the summoned Evil Lord to kill Ainz.

    He would defeat this powerful foe who wanted to kill him, and thus strengthen himself.

    That had been easier said than done. The two of them had been strongly opposed to the idea and persuading them had taken a lot of time. One could not fault a mentally exhausted Ainz from thinking, ¡°I thought we agreed that my word wasw...¡±

    In the end, after countless concessions and conditions, the stage had been set for this life-and-death battle.

    A chill coursed through his body as he considered that he might die. It was apletely different sensation from what he had felt during the battle with Shalltear, because this was an unnecessary battle.

    However¡ª

    While I had a lot of PVP experience in YGGDRASIL, I realized in the battle against Shalltear that this world is not a game. If the timees when I must face off against a level 100 yer with a great deal of realbat experience, I won¡¯t be able to win without an equivalent amount of experience. I know that cowardice leads to defeat.

    Ainz was very d that he was undead and could suppress the fear he might have felt at the prospect of death. If he were still human, he would probably have called it off by now.

    ¡°Now then, Yuri,¡± Ainz said to the maids behind the Evil Lord. ¡°Since you and Lupusregina are here, does that mean you will be fighting me together with the Evil Lord? Are the others not here?¡±

    He saw no sign of Solution, Entoma, or CZ. They must have been off doing work elsewhere.

    ¡°We are the only two who havee here. We sisters will challenge you together with the Evil Lord of Wrath. The reason is because Albedo-sama feels that allowing the people of this country to witness the maid demons is not a bad thing. In addition, the Evil Lord of Wrath alone might not be enough to satisfy your request, Ainz-sama.¡±

    It was true that a single level 80ish Evil Lord would be hard-pressed to stand against Ainz. However, even the addition of Yuri and Lupusregina did not make it a very powerful opponent.

    That said, troublesome factors can be bad news. Suffering because I underestimated my opponent would be foolish. I¡¯d best stay on my guard.

    ¡°In addition, Albedo-sama ordered us to check something with you, Ainz-sama. Are you really alright with the condition that you will not leave Nazarick for theing year if you are defeated?¡±

    ¡°Ah, that was one of the conditions Albedo insisted on before agreeing to this bout. If I lose, I will spend the next year working hard within the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, with Albedo, in the same room¡­ aren¡¯t you going to verify the conditions that Demiurge mentioned?¡±

    Ainz looked at the Evil Lord, but it said nothing. It probably felt that there was no need to check.

    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±

    Yuri bowed.

    Now there would be no margin for him to change the n. As he thought of how dire the situation was, Ainz could not help but sweat internally.

    It would be easy enough to kill Yuri and the others due to the tremendous disparity in their respective strength, but Ainz Ooal Gown would never allow that. Killing an NPC for the sake of training was utterly ridiculous.

    In other words¨C

    I have to kill the Evil Lord without harming Yuri and Lupusregina.

    Ainz could not helpughing. This would be one hell of a challenge. Still, there would make for good training.

    ¡°Is something wrong, Ainz-sama?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing, don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    ¡°Also, Cocytus-sama requested that we record this battle so everyone in Nazarick can learn from it. Do you mind?¡±

    While he did not want to do so because he felt it was embarrassing, recording battles was verymon in YGGDRASIL. With that in mind, he ought to ept that request.

    ¡°Still, recording the battle proceedings will trigger interference from the anti-divination offensive barriers. Shall I lower it?¡±

    ¡°Surely you mean divination-detecting spells, do you not, Ainz-sama? And not the linked offensive spell model?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, that¡¯s the one. After all, if it were thetter, it would be bad if someone from Nazarick were trying to find my position and triggered it.¡±

    If he deployed the linked offensive spell barrier, as he had used to in the past, any member of Nazarick trying to cast a divination on Ainz would be very badly hurt. While he used to cast that spell all the time because friendly fire was off, doing so now would be dangerous.

    Of course, the denizens of Nazarick would not be hurt by the offensive barrier, given that they were protected by a World ss Item, but the defense would incur a cost in gold coins. If things went badly, expenses like that would be more painful for him.

    ¡°Then there¡¯s no need to worry ~su.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯d best deactivate it. Besides, offensive barriers disappear once they activate and have to be reset. In that case, I might as well just deactivate it from the start and have some peace of mind.¡±

    ¡°I see ~su, then I¡¯ll leave it to you ~su.¡±

    Ainz deactivated his offensive barrier.

    ¡°Alright ¨D then let¡¯s begin thebat recording. Whose point of view are you using? I don¡¯t mind if it¡¯s mine, you know?¡±

    ¡°I think I was supposed to do the recording ~su.¡±

    In truth, Ainz was fine with anything. Anyone¡¯s perspective would have been alright.

    In addition, the memories of sparring with his friends wereing back to him, and Ainz began to enjoy himself.

    Simted battles with his friends were a fundamental part of devising new techniques and using new equipment.

    He had often sparred with Touch Me, but those battles did not count and had not been entered in Ainz¡¯s PVP record.

    Since Ainz had never won even once, his win rate would have dropped if they had been recorded. He had never taken it seriously, simply treating it as ¡°training¡± since he knew he could not win. Ainz always emphasized that.

    ¡°Shall we begin, then? You need to prepare yourself to kill me. Of course, I won¡¯t kill you.¡±

    ¡°No, actually, it¡¯s alright if you kill us.¡±

    Before Ainz could say that he did not want to do so, Yuri stated the reason.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, we are not the actual members of the Pleiades. All of us are Greater Doppelgangers.¡±

    ¡°What!? What did you say?¡±

    ¡°We are musicians of the Erich String Orchestra under Chacmool-sama of the Five Worsts. By Albedo-sama¡¯s order, we have transformed into members of the Pleiades.¡±

    ¡°¨DIs that so?¡±

    He looked at them several more times, but Ainz could not tell the difference between them and the Yuri and Lupusregina which he knew. He could not help but wonder if this was a lie they were telling so he could kill them without worries during the fight.

    Perhaps one of them was fake. He had once heard that the best lies were those that had a little bit of the truth sprinkled into it.

    Ainz could not see through the Doppelgangers¡¯ disguise. There was a spell that could dispel the Doppelgangers¡¯ shapeshifting, but using that spell would keep them from transforming again for a period of time due to the spell¡¯s effect. In that case, having them transform into the Pleiades would be meaningless. It would be a different matter if Ainz had learned lower tier spells but¡ª

    No¡ª

    ¡°Hm, it does seem like Lupusregina is speaking differently from normal. What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Lupusregina¡¯s face went nk for a moment.

    ¡°Is that strange, Ainz-sama?¡±

    The Greater Doppelganger pretending to be Lupusregina changed its way of speaking. That was probably its usual speech pattern.

    ¡°Ah, those aren¡¯t the usual expressions she uses.¡±

    ¡°But Lupusregina-sama always spoke like that in front of us¡­¡±

    When a Doppelganger impersonated someone, it was more difficult for people closer to the target to see through their disguise. That was because they used a form of telepathy during their shapeshifting to read the surface thoughts of the people they were speaking to and those around them in order to extract information rted to the target they were impersonating and then apply it to their impersonation act ¨D at least, that was what their entry in the monster encyclopedia said.

    ording to Pandora¡¯s Actor, that ability had be real in this world.

    However, that was simply to discern the possible reactions that the impersonated subject might have, and it did not read minds or search through memories.

    In addition, since this ability was a form of psychic attack, it was useless on Ainz and other undead creatures. One could also simply resist it if the level difference was great enough. That was probably why it could not discern Lupusregina¡¯s possible reactions from Ainz and had given the game away.

    Incidentally, it was more likely that Doppelgangers would out themselves when facing multiple people, because each of them would have a different impression of the target.

    Umu. Why did Lupu always add a ~su at the end of her sentences in front of them? Ahh, I see, so it was to make them sound out of ce. Perhaps she was trying to help me. What a cute little rascal she is...

    ¡°...Hm? My apologies. I have another question that is unrted tobat. While Albedo has given you an order, who would have priority if I were to tell you to abandon that order?

    ¡°Naturally, the words of the Supreme One would have priority, Ainz-sama. However, I must sincerely apologize that we will obey orders from our summoner, Anyami Shirabe-sama, above all else.¡±

    ¡°...Hm? Who¡¯s that?¡±

    Was there an NPC like that? As the question grew in his heart, the mes in Ainz¡¯s eyes red as he heard Doppel-Yuri¡¯s answer.

    ¡°That would be Temperance-sama.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Temperance-san? Anyami? Ahhh¡­ well, that does work as a physical description¡­ but still, Anyami Shirabe?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Temperance-sama once asked to be addressed that way, so Chacmool-sama instructed us to do so as well.¡±

    ¡°...After I return to Nazarick, I would like to hear all about this. Anyami Shirabe, huh.¡±

    This was the first time he had ever heard him refer to himself that way.

    Ainz could not helpughing as he learned that a former friend had referred to himself that way in a ce where nobody else knew. This was truly a cunning trap, set to decrease his fighting spirit.

    Ahh, no, no. I mustn¡¯t fall for Anyami Shirabe¡¯s trap! Fu, fufu...

    Though he knew it was not the right time to do so, he recalled the guild member in question.

    How had he looked and felt when he had given that name?

    Ainz narrowed his eyes as he reminisced about his friend from the past, and then he saw a surprised look on the face of Doppel-Yuri as it tilted its head. Ainz sensed that he had be careless and pulled himself together.

    He could remember his old friendster. Right now, he ought to analyze the Doppelganger¡¯s words.

    After this, I¡¯d like to question all the vassals and NPCs about the sides of themselves that they¡¯ve been hiding. Fufufu ¨D now then! Another questiones to mind...

    In the absence of a direct order, vassals like Doppelgangers would obey the NPC in charge of them. In that case, what would happen if a certain NPC wanted to kill Ainz and gathered many high level vassals and ordered them to attack Ainz with their strongest moves? Of course, this would happen while Ainz was unable to detect or stop them.

    Would they carry out that order? Or would they disobey it?

    ¡°...You¡¯re also ready toe at me like you want to kill me, is that it?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Those are the orders I have received, and I have determined that I also have your permission, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Doppel-Yuri¡¯s answer made Ainz wrinkle his ¨D nonexistent ¨D brows.

    ...Isn¡¯t this dangerous? It¡¯s probably best to see exactly where the boundary lies.

    If even Ainz could think of this, then Albedo had most likely verified it herself, Still, he ought to make sure, just in case. He could not let a hole in security go unpatched.

    ¡°...Indeed. I permit you to use your full abilities to kill me in this battle. Then swear on the name of Ainz Ooal Gown once more. Can you swear that what you said about your true identities just now was the truth?¡±

    ¡°Yes. This we do swear, upon the names of all the Supreme Beings.¡±

    Yuri and Lupusregina transformed their hands into alien-looking objects.

    ¡°¨DAh!¡±

    ¡°What? What is it, Doppel-Yuri?¡±

    ¡°Ainz-sama, there is one thing I forgot. Our equipment was borrowed from the Pleiades. Therefore, can we trouble you to recover them for us if we are killed?¡±

    Doppelgangers could even copy the clothing and equipment of their targets if they wanted to. However, they could only duplicate appearances, and not the equipment¡¯s abilities. Since they would gain no benefits from the gear, when fighting a magic caster like Ainz, the difference between them would be like that between heaven and earth. Therefore, they had no choice but to borrow the real thing from the originals.

    Greater Doppelgangers can imitate people of up to level 60. However, unlike the NPCs, they can only copy up to 90% of the originals¡¯ abilities. Even if they possess gear from the Pleiades, there¡¯s no need to be worried¡­ is there? In that case, killing them would be too much of a waste. After all, they¡¯re mercenary vassals, which means summoning them cost money ¨D as I thought, I should just leave them powerless. Do I need to put that into the rules after all?

    ¡°Alright! I will add one more rule. Once you Greater Doppelgangers are near death, you are out. I will monitor your health with ¡¸Life Essence¡¹. You can hide your HP totals, right?¡± After Yuri replied in the affirmative, Ainz nodded. ¡°Then suppress that ability for a while. If I judge that you¡¯ll die after a light hit, I will call your name and rule you out. In that case, you will count as dead. Leave the battle area immediately. In addition, the same thing applies to the Evil Lord of Wrath. If I dere victory, thebat will end. Do you understand?¡±

    The Evil Lord of Wrath and the two Doppelgangers indicated that they understood.

    ¡°Very well. Then we¡¯ll start when the coin hits the ground¡­ about twenty five minutes has passed, so I guess they won¡¯tin even if we start.¡±

    Ainz cast ¡¸Life Essence¡¹ and then took out a gold coin. Of course, this was not a YGGDRASIL gold coin, but a trading gold coin used in this world.

    ¡°Will you not buff yourself?¡±

    ¡°Making time to buff yourself is also part ofbat training.¡±

    After replying thus to Doppel-Lupusregina, Ainz backed away from them, then flicked the coin up with his thumb so itnded between the two of them.

    As the coin hit the ground, Ainz jumped back, then threw his hands out and shouted:

    ¡°Absolute Immunity Barrier!¡±

    He saw the Evil Lord and the two Doppelgangers freeze up for a moment. However, the Evil Lord and Doppel-Yuri immediately rushed in.

    That was it. That was the right answer.

    Ainz¡¯s previous actions were meaningless. There was no ability called Absolute Immunity Barrier in YGGDRASIL ¨D or at least, there should not have been, as far as Ainz knew. Still, Ainz had shouted that name not simply to fake them out, but also for a different reason.

    Ah¨D it feels like they¡¯re a little slow. Could it be that they think something was done to them and they¡¯ve be a little timid now? Well, that¡¯s what happens when you wonder if you¡¯ve fallen into the enemy¡¯s trap.

    Their movements were restricted by the uneasiness that came from the fact that such a technique might actually exist in this world. One could say that this feint had seeded because there were still unknown things out there.

    Of course, that was not simply because of the unknown. A good example was Ainz¡¯s ability to create undead.

    In YGGDRASIL, there was no such thing as using a corpse as a medium to ignore the duration on created undead. This aberration had only sprung up aftering to this world. One could imagine that there were many other such changes that had happened in the process ofing to this world from the game. No, only a fool would not think about such things.

    In other words, making decisions with YGGDRASIL knowledge alone was very dangerous.

    I ought to discuss this with Albedo¡­ and the others, Cocytus included.

    Ainz cast a silent ¡¸Fly¡¹ spell and began thinking as he retreated to the rear while keeping a fixed distance from his pursuers.

    Albedo said destroying the Kingdom would take about two years of preparation. Should I collect information until then? Expanding one¡¯s nation means expanding contact with the outside¡­ I ought to throw these questions at Albedo and Demiurge and get their opinions. Hm ¨D illusions seem to be surprisingly powerful, it might be very bad if we don¡¯t watch out for them. It feels like you could do a lot with them if you were smart. If I meet a skilled illusionist, I should probably treat them well in order to recruit them. Fluder ¨D whoa!

    The Evil Lord had outpaced Ainz¡¯s ¡¸Fly¡¹ spell on foot. Unfortunately, flying was not that fast.

    ¡°!¡±

    After taking a punch from the Evil Lord¡¯s maul-like fist, Ainz felt pain ¨D though it was immediately suppressed. Though he had felt the same way during the fight with Shalltear, he was once again thankful for this body of his that could suppress his pain. Ainz could fight thanks to it.

    After that, the Evil Lord pursued Ainz ¨D who had been knocked flying ¨D and closed the distance to him.

    To Ainz, this was the worst possible thing they could have done.

    Yuri has circled around behind me. They¡¯re using a pincer attack of two people who can do bludgeoning damage, which is my weakness. Meanwhile, Lupusregina is keeping her distance and casting spells¡­ hm, that¡¯s a buff. Good grief, this is the best way to deal with magic casters. Is this because of the Evil Lord¡¯sbat AI? Or is it because it¡¯s choosing moves from the mind of its summoner, Demiurge? Well, that¡¯s fine.

    If they would not let him keep his distance, then he would simply have to make his own space.

    ¡°¡¸Greater Teleportation¡¹.¡±

    His field of vision immediately opened up, and the city spread below him. Under normal circumstances, he would not have been able to teleport to an unknown destination, but it would be alright as long as it was within line of sight. Having teleported one kilometer above the ground without any hesitation whatsoever, Ainz cast another spell.

    It was ¡¸Body of Effulgent Beryl¡¹.

    This spell was exceptionally effective because Yuri and the Evil Lord both did bludgeoning damage.

    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s not all there is to it,¡± Ainz muttered as he looked to the ground. ¡°...If Bukubukuchagama-san or Variable Talisman-san were here, the backliners wouldn¡¯t be getting beaten up.¡±

    When ying as a party, skilled aggro managers like tanks would not make mistakes like allowing the magic casters in the backline to be attacked.

    During the time when they had stopped ying the game ¨D when Ainz had gone out to earn the money for Nazarick¡¯s upkeep by himself, he had used mercenary NPCs to allow him to act with impunity. The only time he had truly fought alone was the battle with Shalltear. Perhaps that was why he could not helpining.

    They were quite some distance apart, so he had no idea where the Evil Lord was, but he had a rough idea of the square¡¯s location. While carpetbombing the area with attack spells was a valid tactic, that would be pointless. One could say that the objective this time round was to win in a full-powered contest with the opposition.

    ¡°¡¸Widen Magic Dy Teleportation¡¹!¡±

    Come to think of it, I used to get pissed off by the mercenary NPCs¡¯ poor management of aggro. That was probably the devs¡¯ way of saying ¡°please group up with other yers¡± or something.

    He then confirmed that somethingrge was going to teleport above him, within the area of the ¡¸Dy Teleportation¡¹ spell ¨D the Evil Lord. Thanks to the effect of the ¡¸Dy Teleportation¡¹, it would take a while before it appeared in the real world. In other words, it meant that these two weak enemies which had lost their strongest shield werepletely exposed before him.

    In order to weaken the enemy¡¯s fighting strength, he ought to defeat the weaker two first. Ainz let gravity im him, and then elerated further with ¡¸Fly¡¹.

    The added speed of the freefall meant that he was moving quite fast. The air struck Ainz¡¯s face and flowed past him. At the same time, Ainz opened his eyes and observed the square.

    ¡°Though I think hiding in a house would have been better¡­¡±

    Ainz muttered quietly and then selected Lupusregina ¨D who was proudly standing in the middle of the square ¨D as his target.

    Yuri was some distance away. While she could see him, she did not look like she was prepared to intercept him. Leaving a healer alone was quite frustrating, but Yuri had made the right decision considering that she had to be wary of area-effect spells,.

    Ainz ground to a halt as he skidded across the ground ¨D in truth, he would not have been hurt even if he had crashed straight into it ¨D and cast a spell.

    Ainz chose one of the most destructive tenth tier spells in his arsenal, ¡¸Reality sh¡¹. At the same time, he used a special ability to maximize the spell. While he could have tripled the spell or something simr to do a great deal of damage, it would be very dangerous while he did not know how much damage the Doppelgangers had taken. He had to avoid the possibility of killing them by ident.

    ¡°¡¸Maximize Magic¨D¡¹¡±

    As he raised his hand, his hand was struck and damaged, and the spell fizzled. The mana spent on casting the spell was wasted.

    What? Interfering with a spell through a ranged attack? Is it some kind of special ability?

    Perhaps it was because he was undead, or because he was a veteran yer, but his confusion onlysted for a moment. Ainz immediately analyzed the attack he had received.

    Neither the Evil Lord nor Yuri nor Lupusregina possessed abilities like this.

    Perhaps it¡¯s the World ss Item holder who brainwashed Shalltear¨D

    And if the Hanzos missed him¨D

    If it was a ranged weapon user¨D

    If it was her, she could use a special ability to interfere with spells¨D

    ¡°¨DI fell for it!¡±

    Ainz shouted as he found the answer.

    Although Yuri closed in and delivered a punch, Ainz had already enhanced his defense with a spell, so he did not need to be so wary of her. After all, there was something more important than that.

    The whole thing was a trap from the start! No, Yuri ¨D I see! ¡°Here¡± was referring to the square! That was why the Hanzos said ¡°the Pleiades¡± were present! Dammit! I was wondering why they said ¡°all of us¡± when it was just the two of them!

    All the points of data made a beautiful line.

    CZ was attacking now.

    It was not just Yuri and Lupusregina who were present. CZ was also on the battlefield. In all likelihood, Solution and Entoma were here too. All the Doppel-Pleiades were present in the city.

    No, no, I need to calm down. Doppel-CZ was just lucky. It was easy enough for me to resist that because of the level difference between us. She won¡¯t be so lucky ¨D well, unlucky for me ¨D next time.

    ¡°¡¸Greater Word of Curse¡¹!¡±

    The Evil Lord had finally caught up and cast a spell, but Ainz resisted it without any problems. It was only threatening in closebat, so all he had to do was keep his distance.

    Ainz ignored the Evil Lord above him and ignored Yuri, who had only done minimal damage to him from the start. He lunged straight at Lupusregina.

    In that moment¨D

    Countless Bullet Bugs flew over from the side. There was no doubt that it was Entoma.

    He did not even need to use his High Tier Physical Immunity to stop it. That was because non-magical ranged attacks could not harm Ainz.

    Perhaps if it was a weapon carried by the Pleiades, Ainz¡¯s immunity would have been defeated thanks to the massive amount of data within them. The best example of that was CZ and Yuri¡¯s attacks from just now. However, certain skills were calcted based on the user¡¯s level. Entoma was a prime example, since she possessed many of these user level-based attacks.

    Entoma was only around level 50, so her attacks did not bother Ainz at all. In addition, if all damage from an attack was nullified, none of the rider effects would take ce either.

    Therefore, he could ignore it.

    Ainz did not even spare Entoma a nce as he moved in to finish off the healer, but just then, Solution erupted from her ambush point in front of Lupusregina. It would have been a futile gesture if she was facing an area-effect attack, but that was the only way to protect the healer.

    However, Solution had made a fatal mistake. Ainz was a magic caster and did not need to close to attack. All he needed to do was cast attack spells from a distance. He had to think about why she would charge out from in front of Lupusregina.

    Ainz had only one aim.

    He wanted to expose the enemy and reveal whatever card they had up their sleeve.

    Narberal¡¯s not around?

    He did not understand. She was not among the maid demons who had attacked the Royal Capital. However, one could not rule her out if all the Pleiades were present. It was possible that they were saving their ace in the hole for thest moment. Still, since he knew what kind of hand the opposition had, there was no reason to continue fighting in the middle of the enemy.

    ¡°¡¸Greater Teleportation¡¹.¡±

    CZ did not interrupt his spell, and he managed to teleport under a roof within line of sight.

    I need to remember what Yuri and the others can do. Who should I kill first? ¨DLupusregina, the healer. While I need to be very careful of CZ¡­ I have no idea where she is¡­ so I¡¯ll let the others go first. The Evil Lord will take the most time, so I¡¯ll save him forst.

    He saw Lupusregina casting a spell on Solution. Had they not pursued Ainz because drawing out the battle was not a problem for them? No, it was because they understood that since Ainz could move at will with ¡¸Greater Teleportation¡¹, they could be easily scattered and individually defeated. After all, Ainz was hoping for that too.

    It did not matter if they saw through him.

    All he had to do was harass them with ranged spells and then take them out one by one. While CZ the rangedbat specialist was present, she would eventually expose herself if she attacked continuously. Therefore, she would only attack at critical moments. In that case, she would not be so frightening. Or rather¨D

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see her, so let me guess, you¡¯re standing in for Narberal.¡±

    Ainz muttered to himself as he watched the Evil Lordnd.

    ¡°Haha, you¡¯ve be fat, Narberal. Shall we call you Goril now? And your element¡¯s changed greatly too. Well ¨D this is interesting. If the Doppel-Pleiades are my opponents¨D¡± Ainz flourished his cape. Of course, there was no meaning to it; he simply wanted to show off in a kingly way. ¡°Then I ought to get a little serious.¡±

    Don¡¯t die~

    ¡°¡¸Twin Maximize Magic Re¨D¡±

    Just as Ainz was about to cast a spell at Lupusregina, another bullet hit Ainz¡¯s arm and interrupted his spell.

    ¡°¨DHah?¡±

    Impossible.

    Even if she had seeded once by luck, she could not have interrupted his spell twice in a row. CZ was far lower level than Ainz.

    Could he have been unlucky enough to fail his resistance check twice in a row? How unlikely were those odds? Or perhaps this was not bad luck, but certainty ¨D for instance, if his opponent was not CZ at all?

    The Evil Lord of Wrath spread his fiery wings and closed in on Ainz. Yuri came in from the right, and Entoma flew in from the left in a roundabout fashion.

    What¡¯s going on? Why is this happening? Is this some change that urred aftering to this world? Or did Ga-san give CZ something? Or is it not CZ? What did Yuri say just now? They¡¯re sisters, but they¡¯re Doppel¡­ Pando ¨D ahhhh!

    The Evil Lord had closed the distance and then cocked his hand back, preparing to deliver a haymaker.

    Dammit! I hate people like that who just rush straight in and start punching! If you¡¯re a substitute for Narberal than attack with magic! You damn Gori!

    Well, if the Evil Lord had really cast a spell on Ainz, he would have resisted it, so it would have been boring anyway.

    Ainz did not hesitate; he stepped in before his enemy could fully close the distance.

    The Evil Lord had guessed that Ainz would flee, so his movements slowed by a beat. Behind him was Yuri, who was probably nning to nk Ainz with the Evil Lord.

    The strike from the ming fist ¨D was a feint, which was why Ainz had managed to evade it by stepping into the range of the blow.

    The arms whistled past his ears, and the wind in its wake sounded like a scream.

    A pure magic caster had evaded the attack of a warrior-type monster.

    While he thought that this would be impossible if he were still a YGGDRASIL yer, this was not due to luck. As mentioned before, the Evil Lord had not expected Ainz to step into the attack, so he had not used his full force. And then there was another point, which was that this was the result of his training.

    Ainz had practiced this method of evading his opponent by closing in with them several hundred times with Cocytus. About one in every ten times, if Cocytus was not attacking in earnest, he couldpletely slip past them.

    Cocytus did say that a good warrior would never make such incredibly shy and telegraphed attacks, so I shouldn¡¯t get careless¡­ but it¡¯s pretty useful in an actual fight, isn¡¯t it?

    And so, Ainz ced his bony hand on the Evil Lord¡¯s sturdy chest.

    And then he cast a touch spell.

    While most spells had an effective range, some spells had a range that was practically zero. Such spells needed direct contact with the target to be cast, so only people with levels in spellcaster and warrior sses could use them well. It was because they were so inconvenient that they were more powerful than spells of a simr tier, being roughly a tier more effective,

    Ainz¡¯s specialty was necromancy, and this was an 8th tier spell from that field, ¡¸Energy Drain¡¹. It was a spell that drained the opponent¡¯s levels and granted various benefits depending on the amount of levels drained. Naturally, this spell had also been maximized.

    He beat the Evil Lord¡¯s spell resistance and drained his levels. Thanks to that, he recovered almost all the damage Yuri had inflicted. That said, the healing provided by this spell was only supplementary in nature.

    Ainz¡¯s parameters were all temporarily enhanced, and he received a special buff which would fade in a short time. In turn, the Evil Lord had received a level down debuff which could not be removed by the passage of time.

    This time, it was the Evil Lord who backed away.

    His wrathful visage was tinted by something else.

    Was it surprise, or was it admiration?

    Ainz wanted to praise himself for sessfully evading that blow too. That said, he had managed it because his opposition had been far too cocky. Just like how a magic trick became boring once you pointed out the gimmick, this move would probably not work a second time.

    ¡°Well, however good a n is, only an idiot would use it more than once. Isn¡¯t that right ¨D Pleiades! Aureole Omega!¡±

    That was how it was.

    He was fighting five Doppelgangers, the Evil Lord of Wrath and a level 100 NPC.

    Is Albedo trying to make me lose? I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d even use Aureole.

    Aureole Omega was thestborn of the Pleiades Seven Sisters. She was an Area Guardian of the 8th Floor and a level 100 NPC specialized inmander-type sses. As amander, she could issue orders which buffed her allies. CZ must have been able to beat their level difference thanks to that.

    While he had no idea what kind of special ability Aureole had used, if one looked at party roles such as physical attacker, magical attacker, healer and so on, then she would be a wild card ¨D an all-rounder. It was hardly strange that she would be able to do anything.

    What exactly could Punitto Moe-san do?

    Ainz never went head-to-head with his opponents during PVP so Ainz had little experience in dealing withmander-type opponents.

    She could not have left the 8th Floor ande here without my permission. That would mean that she must have buffed the Doppelgangers before they came here. That would mean she probably didn¡¯t buff them too carefully ¡ª or no, is there a Doppelganger of Aureole here?

    ¨DNo. There was no time to think about such pointless things. Only one thing mattered. Could theypletely shut down Ainz¡¯s spellcasting, and could they keep it up forever?

    There were two kinds of special abilities in YGGDRASIL. One kind had a cooldown period after use. The other had a limited period of uses within a certain period. There were alsobinations of the two.

    In general, the more powerful the ability, the longer the cooldown or the fewer times it could be used. Ainz¡¯s trump card ¨D ¡¸The Goal Of All Life Is Death¡¹ ¨D which could only be used once every 100 hours was just such an ability.

    In that case, which type did CZ¡¯s ability to interrupt Ainz¡¯s spellcasting belong to?

    That move just now was very handy, but it did not seem to have a long cooldown time. That would mean it was the use-limited type. However, he could not tell how long it would take for her to recover her uses. All he could do was hope that she could not recover them during the course of the battle after they were depleted.

    ¨DThough I think I ought to save my tenth tier spells for when they¡¯ve been depleted...

    Ainz quickly verified the positions of the Pleiades and the Evil Lord. The Evil Lord was in front of him. Yuri was behind him ¨D and preparing to slug Ainz. While her ki-enhanced attacks could even shatter steel, they were of little concern in the face of Ainz¡¯s levels. After reconfirming that the Evil Lord was the real danger, he turned his attention to the others.

    Entoma was inside a house on the left side of the square. Lupusregina was in the square. Solution stood in front of her, like she was protecting her. CZ¡¯s location was unknown.

    While not knowing a sniper¡¯s position was the worst possible scenario, the fact that the enemy was now dispersed was the best case for him.

    Ainz snorted.

    Though he knew that now was hardly a time tough, he could not resist the mirth welling up inside him.

    Now this is interesting!

    ¡°Alright, now get out of my face. ¡¸Maximize Magic Nuclear st¡¹!¡±

    ¡°!¡±

    Before Ainz¡¯s eyes, the space between him and the Evil Lord shed and swelled, consuming everything in an instant. Yuri was surprised, but that was only to be expected, because Ainz had been caught in it as well.

    Using the ninth tier spell ¡¸Nuclear st¡¹ as an attack was a questionable choice. It didposite damage ¨D half fire, half bludgeoning ¨D and it was one of the weaker 9th tier spells in terms of damage.

    Considering the Evil Lord of Wrath was immune to fire, this spell should not have even been considered for use. Even so, Ainz had his reasons for using this spell.

    First of all, it had a veryrge area of effect. It was superior to almost all other spells in that respect. In addition, this spell also generated all kinds of negative status effects such as poisoning, blindness, deafness, and so on, but anything of the Evil Lord¡¯s level would be able to resist it with their raw statistics alone and the Pleiades¡¯ equipment ought to have made them immune to all these effects. The main reason he had chosen this spell was because it also possessed a very powerful knockback effect.

    Of course, Ainz would also be damaged by this spell. While friendly fire was off in YGGDRASIL and so using a spell this recklessly would not be a problem, right now he would be hurting himself. Even if his magical defense was very high, there was no need for him to go out of the way to take damage to cast his spell. Rather than act like a suicide bomber, he ought to have chosen another spell.

    However, Ainz had already worked it out.

    If he expended the ¡¸Body of Effulgent Beryl¡¹ spell to stop all the bludgeoning damage, the fire-elemental damage would also be negated, which would mean he would not be harmed. In addition, all those negative statuses were ineffective on the undead.

    In other words, Ainz was undamaged by the spell.

    If hepletely resisted its damage, the knockback would not take effect either, and so Ainz was the only one left standing in the heart of the explosion.

    ¡°Hahah.¡±

    Ainzughed. The feeling of everything going as nned was very refreshing, after all.

    Ainz¡¯s aim was to blow the enemy away and tear the enemy formation to shreds.

    For a moment, Ainz briefly imagined the guild members who had taught him various things ¨D including this tactic.

    Both the earlier simted battle and even this battle where failure meant death reminded Ainz of YGGDRASIL, which made him strangely happy.

    I¡¯ve wondered about this before, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯m a battle maniac...

    ¡°Come, it¡¯s not over yet. The battle¡¯s just beginning. I¡¯ll show you the strength that I nurtured with everyone.¡±

    Unleashing the fury of that 9th tier spell meant that the surrounding buildings had all been swept away, and there was much more space all of a sudden.

    That could not be helped. After all, this city had outlived its usefulness.

    He could have widened the spell to try and catch CZ in the st. However, Ainz was worried about the problems that might result from destroying too much of the city, so he had not done so. For all he knew, it might have been a mistake.

    Forget it, let¡¯s leave it at that. What¡¯s left is¨D

    Ainz looked in Lupusregina¡¯s direction. The enemy envelopment was in shambles.

    Even with Aureole¡¯s buffs, they could not avoid the knockback, and Ainz could see the enemy hurriedly getting to their feet.

    ¡°That¡¯s about all the damage ¡¸Nuclear st¡¹ ought to be able to do, so¨D¡±

    Ainz flew towards Lupusregina and cast ¡¸Reality sh¡¹.

    This time, he was not interrupted by CZ, and Lupusregina¡¯s body spurted a fountain of blood.

    ¡°¡¸Widen Magic Shark Cyclone¡¹.¡±

    An extrarge cyclone came into existence behind him, swallowing up Yuri and the Evil Lord. This was both to obscure Yuri and the Evil Lord¡¯s vision and also to buy Ainz time. In truth, Ainz had nned to create a cyclone before the ¡¸Nuclear st¡¹ to block their vision and then get rid of Yuri first, but after considering that the Evil Lord could probably break out of the spell easily, he decided not to go with that n. Instead, he had decided to use it when the enemy was confused.

    Ainz heard the sound of disced stones as he saw Entoma push a pir off herself while rising to her feet.

    He had no idea where CZ was even now. Ideally, she would be pinned under a fallen house.

    ¡°He¡¯sing here! Stop him!¡±

    Solution shouted from her ce in front of Lupusregina, but her voice could not reach the ears of Yuri and the Evil Lord, who were inside the cyclone. Yuri in particr was shifting desperately within the cyclone to avoid being blown away. While certain sses could use spells or special abilities to teleport or go incorporeal and thus escape the cyclone easily, she did not seem to possess such abilities.

    And that would mean Yuri had focused on strengthening other things¨D

    After reviewing this battle, they ought to understand what gear they need to have and what preparations they need to make, right? No, that¡¯s not it...

    If they were the true Pleiades, they might have been able to deal with this better. They were simply Doppelgangers copying the Pleiades¡¯ abilities, after all. It only made sense that they would lose out to the real deal in terms ofbat skills.

    As Ainz closed the distance and prepared to cast ¡¸Reality sh¡¹, bugs fell from the sky one after the other. They wererge transport insects with nobat ability. The objective of this action was simply to block Ainz¡¯s line of sight.

    Such a use would not be possible in YGGDRASIL. Even so, Entoma ¨D though actually a Doppelganger ¨D could use them in this way. Ainz gave thanks in his heart as he incanted a spell.

    ¡°¡¸Greater Teleportation¡¹.¡±

    After teleporting into the air and avoiding the rain of bugs, Ainz cast ¡¸Twin Maximize Magic Reality sh¡¹.

    Even if CZ had Ainz in his sights, the fact that her target had suddenly teleported into the air meant that she would lose him. After all, the weakness of the humanoid body was its inability to follow sudden up and down movement with the eyes.

    That said, if he were facing an experienced shooter like Peroroncino, for example, they would be able to anticipate their opponent¡¯s movements, even in the vertical ne. Therefore, it was possible that one could not even escape with teleportation magic.

    Peroroncino-san¡¯s aiming would have been like locking on to his target¡­ CZ, you need to work hard to get on his level...

    As he basked in the nostalgia, Ainz shouted:

    ¡°Lupusregina, out!¡±

    Having to fight while keeping an eye on the HP of his opponents was very difficult. One could even call it a handicap. Therefore, if he was asked if Lupusregina¡¯s HP was really depleted, Ainz would not be able to reply with any confidence. Even so, he had to avoid any chance of killing Lupusregina because of a moment¡¯s carelessness.

    She¡¯s a Doppelganger, so not only is she weaker than the original, but her HP isn¡¯t the same as the original Lupusregina¡¯s. Alright, now that I¡¯ve taken out the enemy¡¯s magic caster, it¡¯s time to be a real bastard. ¡¸Perfect Unknowable¡¹.

    While there were ways to discover Ainz after he had cast ¡¸Perfect Unknowable¡¹, without the aid of magic items, the only member of the Pleiades who could do it was Lupusregina, and the Evil Lord ought to be unable to detect him too. Therefore, it would probably be safe to say that they had no way to deal with this underhanded means of attack.

    Since I¡¯ve taken out the enemy healer, I should go search for CZ. Don¡¯t tell me she¡¯s burning up consumable items?

    Personally, Ainz could not forgive wasting the wealth of Nazarick on a battle like this.

    ¡°Where is he?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s gone! Is he using ¡¸Invisibility¡¹?¡±

    ¡°I can find him if he¡¯s invisible! But he¡¯s not there!¡±

    ¡°Is this some other kind of invisibility?¡±

    He could hear their confusion.

    ¡°You idiots! He¡¯s using ¡¸Perfect Unknowable¡¹!¡±

    ¡°Lupusregina! You¡¯re cheating!¡± Ainz shouted, but thanks to ¡¸Perfect Unknowable¡¹, others could not hear him.

    Ainz scratched his head.

    The Evil Lord and Yuri seemed to have broken out of the cyclone, and they were now looking all around for Ainz. While the best option would have been to drop another ¡¸Nuclear st¡¹ on them, that might end up killing Lupusregina, so Ainz abandoned that notion. Instead, he descended and kept tabs on Yuri¡¯s position at the same time. After that, hepared the amount of HP Yuri was missing to that of the others, and verified that in addition to the bludgeoning damage, she had also taken fire damage from the earlier magical attack¨D

    ¡°¡¸Triplet Maximize Magic Vermilion Nova¡¹!¡±

    Ainz used the highest level ¨D super tier magic notwithstanding ¨D single target fire-element attack spell that he knew on Yuri.

    It was only to be expected that there would be tenth tier spells that could do fire-element damage.

    For instance, ¡¸Stream of Lava¡¹, ¡¸Uriel¡¹, and the like. However, the use of those presented problems for Ainz.

    First off, Ainz could not cast ¡¸Stream of Lava¡¹. It was a divine spell which was only usable by a druid like Mare.

    ¡¸Uriel¡¹, on the other hand, was a spell that could be learned by a magic caster of any type as long as the requirements to learn it were met, but it only did its listed damage when cast by a magic caster with a maxed-out positive karma value. Its damage decreased as one¡¯s karma value decreased, and for someone like Ainz, it would do less damage than a first tier spell.

    Therefore, this spell was Ainz¡¯s only choice when it came to usability.

    Yuri¡¯s health dropped drastically.

    ¡°¡¸Perfect Unknowable¡¹.¡±

    ¡°He disappeared again!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s unfair!¡±

    ¡°If only Ainz-sama would fight us fair and square!¡±

    No, no, you¡¯re in the wrong for not even thinking of a way around this.

    ¡°And besides, I have no idea where CZ is! You three never said anything about who was taking part in this battle! Now who¡¯s being unfair!?¡±

    Ainz shouted, even though he knew the opposition could not hear him.

    Aftering to his senses, the Evil Lord charged at the ce Ainz had been.

    ¡°Too bad, I¡¯m not there anymore~¡±

    Ainz had begun moving, so he was no longer there. However, he would still be within the area of effect if the Evil Lord decided to cast area-attack spells, but just as Ainz thought that, the Evil Lord suddenly changed direction and came straight at Ainz.

    ¡°Hah?¡±

    Was he not invisible? That question was soon pounded out of existence by the pain he felt.

    The Evil Lord sent Ainz flying back. Since he was much more serious than just now, Ainz found it hard to defend against or evade the attack. No, Ainz had been too rxed ¨D he had not even thought of evading.

    Fortunately, the ¡¸Fly¡¹ spell helped control his posture and spared him the ignominy of rolling across the ground. It was just like how it had been during the battle with Shalltear.

    The Evil Lord jumped over, hot on Ainz¡¯s heels, and his line of sight was most definitely tracking Ainz¡¯s flight path.

    ...The Evil Lord of Wrath shouldn¡¯t have the ability to see through it¡­ Ah, he used it! His trump card, ¡¸Soul-Bought Miracle¡¹!¡±

    Inspired by stories of selling one¡¯s soul to the devil to fulfill one¡¯s wishes, this ability was truly miraculous. While he was not sure how the procedure worked, once one used this ability, one could use any one spell of under the 8th tier once.

    Normally, when Evil Lords used this ability, they would almost always use healing spells ¨D that was an unwritten rule. However, this time he had probably used a spell to see through ¡¸Perfect Unknowable¡¹.

    Ainz silently gave thanks that the Evil Lord had used the ability of which he was the most wary, even as he felt the pressing need to formte a new battle n.

    As the Evil Lord closed in and punched him again, Ainz began to get worried.

    While there was quite arge level difference between the two and he still had some room forxity, he could not simply allow himself to continue getting beaten up like this.

    ¡°Cheh. Here, have some back. ¡¸Triplet Maximize Magic Call Greater Thunder¡¹.¡±

    High level demons had very high elemental resistances. While their exact resistances varied between type, electricity was one of the more effective energy types against them. After taking three hits of a maximized-damage elemental attack spell, the Evil Lord¡¯s body trembled.

    Ainz cast another spell.

    ¡°¡¸Perfect Unknowable¡¹.¡±

    ¡°Cheeeeeap! Ainz-sama, you¡¯re so cheeeeeeap!¡±

    ¡°Ahhh, seriously!¡±

    Entoma stomped in frustration, while Lupusregina rolled around on the ground. Solution was the only one who was surveying her surroundings with a razor-sharp gaze.

    In theory, each individual mercenary vassal should have been identical, yet they had developed divergent personalities like this. Was it because they had copied the rtionships between the members of the Pleiades? Or had their personalities changed over time? The Evil Lord before Ainz followed his movements closely and shouted:

    ¡°Here! Use area attacks here, hit me with it too!¡±

    Entoma did not hesitate, but breathed a ck cloud from her mouth. It was her trump card, her Fly Breath.

    However, it was useless against Ainz, because that move did piercing damage. In addition, Ainz was a skeleton; what would the flies eat? In the end, it only served to annoy the Evil Lord.

    ¡°Hey! It didn¡¯t work on him! It only works on me!¡±

    ¡°Eh!?¡±

    Being able to copy an ability and use it well were two different things altogether. Surely the real Entoma would not have made such an amateur mistake.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any area-effect attacks, how about you, Yuri-nee?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve got this!¡±

    Yuri gathered light between her palms.

    The Kibakushou was a technique that acted as an anti-individual attack when it touched the enemy, but which became a spreading shockwave if it did not make contact. Naturally, as an attack intended for direct contact, it became very weak when dispersed. Since monks were a ss focused on fighting individuals, they had very few area-effect attacks ¨D practically none, in fact ¨D therefore one could say that it waspletely useless.

    ¡°There! He moved!¡±

    ¡°Here?¡±

    Yuriunched her area Kibakushou at the location where Ainz had been. Ainz wrinkled his brow ¨D despite having no brow ¨D as he saw this and reached a hand out.

    ¡°...No, no, you should have prioritized healing.¡±

    Yuri could have healed herself with her ki.

    After making his jab at Yuri, Ainz cast his spell. Needless to say, it was a spell that he already knew to be effective.

    ¡°¡¸Twin Maximize Magic Vermilion Nova¡¹.¡±

    Having cast an attack spell, Ainz came into view. He looked at Yuri, who was wreathed in mes, and made a cold pronouncement.

    ¡°Yuri, out ¨D ¡¸Perfect Unknowable¡¹.¡±

    Now then, things will get bad if I don¡¯t look for CZ in earnest. Having made that decision, Ainz began making a big detour as he kept an eye on the Evil Lord.

    Part 3

    Many people stood on the city walls with Neia, watching the battle unfold.

    While many of them were people who had been swayed to the Sorcerer King¡¯s side after he had rescued them, they were not the only ones here.

    There were priests and pdins here as well. Neia could not see Remedios from where she was standing, but she was close enough that Neia could hear her speak.

    The only members of themand staff who were absent were Gustav and Caspond.

    Everyone watching the battle was silent ¨D no. It was simply because there were no words to describe the battle.

    They should have known this.

    The members of Blue Rose had said that Jaldabaoth¡¯s difficulty rating was above 200. In other words, this was like fighting a huge dragon in the form of a human. Just fighting said battle in thend of men would lead to a great tragedy.

    They ought to have been grateful that only a single city district was destroyed. Many houses were on fire and white plumes of smoke reached to the sky, but the total casualties were almost nil.

    While watching the battle, she had seen cyclones, zes, strokes of lightning and other tremendous manifestations of power that were beyond man¡¯s knowledge running wild. Each of these discharges of energy could have easily taken countless lives.

    Especially¨D

    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful¡­¡±

    What had truly moved Neia¡¯s heart was the ball of white light that she had seen twice.

    It was power which consumed everything and made it disappear without a trace. It felt like something good to Neia, although she could not confirm whether it was truly the work of divine might. The incredible devastation she saw in the wake of the light¡¯s disappearance frightened her, but her admiration of its great power had won out in the end.

    It seems the fighting is still going on. I can¡¯t believe the battle still isn¡¯t over after using all those spells¡­ Jaldabaoth is really strong.

    She had heard about it, and she had even seen it with her own eyes. Yet, Neia¡¯s thinking had still been too naive. That naivete was now thoroughly eradicated.

    The king she served ¨D though only temporarily, and only within the Holy Kingdom ¨D was fighting. She felt that searing his heroic visage into her eyes was only natural as part of her squire¡¯s duties, which was why Neia was keeping watch from here. Yet, if she could¨D

    ¨DNeia tightly squeezed the bow she was carrying.

    If one looked closely, they would see several other shapes battling the Sorcerer King in addition to Jaldabaoth. Those were the maid demons, who were rated at difficulty 150. Neia could not do anything but admire the Sorcerer King¡¯s power for fighting so many powerful adversaries at once without giving ground.

    It was at this moment that Neia finally realized something about herself. She envied the people of the Sorcerous Kingdom ¨D those people who were protected by justice. How happy they must be to live in a country ruled by such a being.

    ¡°Weakness is a sin, so one must be strong, or humbly ept justice simr to that of His Majesty.¡±

    At this point, Neia voiced the words she had been mulling over all this time. The way she repeated it over and over sounded very much like a prayer.

    Suddenly, there was arge explosion as a meteor fell.

    It threw the carcasses of buildings high into the air, and they rained back down to the earth amidst a shower of gravel and sand.

    ¡°Captain¡­ isn¡¯t Jaldabaoth¡­ too powerful?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°The Sorcerer King ¨D His Majesty is also incredibly strong. If he bes an enemy of our nation¡­ what will we do?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Captain?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±

    She could hear Remedios talking to three pdins.

    The pdins asking her questions had probably not seen how Remedios had ended up being toyed with like a child even after unleashing the holy sword¡¯s power and stabbing Jaldabaoth in the back.

    Ahh, maybe they didn¡¯t see it. Still, anyone who saw that fight would have understood. Both the Sorcerer King and Jaldabaoth were unimaginably powerful. Still, it was toote to think about things like that now. No¨D

    If His Majesty could take this country under his rule, we would not have to suffer demihuman invasions again.

    Neia was startled at how perfect that idea was, and even a little afraid.

    Merging with the Holy Kingdom¡­ if he were a frightening tyrant, even I wouldn¡¯t think about it. But the Sorcerer King isn¡¯t like that. He is justice. In that case¡­ I ought to gather people who feel the same way as me!

    Neia pondered the matter.

    Many people hade to respect and idolize the Sorcerer King. There were those who were drawn to his overwhelming power, those who were grateful for being freed from suffering, those who hated the demihumans and who were d that he had taken revenge on their behalf, and many such others.

    From them she would select those people who had always been praying for the peace of this country, and then let them hear her words.

    Neia knew that she was still young andcked life experience. However, adults with good sense could stop Neia if they felt that her judgement was in error.

    Let¡¯s start by looking among my subordinates in the archery unit.

    There were people among them who had lost their loved ones and harbored hate in their hearts. It might be better to try persuading them, because Neia could understand how they felt.

    As she pondered this, she heard a doomas an exceptionallyrge explosion rang out.

    After that, a tall building began to copse far in the distance.

    The Sorcerer King would not have destroyed that building for no reason. Neia narrowed her eyes to try and see what was going on, but she could not tell what was happening in the building as it copsed amidst billowing clouds of dust.

    It was followed by a massive stroke of lightning from the sky.

    It would seem he was working towards some objective here, as she had expected.

    After a while, all manner of spells wrecked the city, and the situation repeated itself.

    Neia was uneasy.

    That they were incredible spells went without saying, but could the Sorcerer King¡¯s mana really hold out?

    Neia shook her head and banished the fear and unease from her heart.

    It¡¯ll be fine! The Sorcerer King must have taken all this into ount! He¡¯s already wasted so much mana on this country, but even so¨D

    Still, hypothetically, if Jaldabaoth won, there would be no salvation for this world, only despair. What should she do if that happened?

    Your Majesty, I¡¯m counting on you!

    And then, two shapes soared into the sky, as though Neia¡¯s wish had gotten through.

    The first to ascend trailed darkness in his wake, while the one pursuing him pped his crimson wings and left a streak of fire behind him.

    The fact that the maids were not pursuing them meant one thing ¨D the Sorcerer King had defeated those difficulty 150 monsters among monsters while battling Jaldabaoth.

    ¨DHe¡¯s amazing!

    Neia was so moved that she shivered.

    His Majesty is more powerful than Jaldabaoth!

    Indeed. There was no need to think anything else.

    In turn, the maids were far weaker than Jaldabaoth, who was a notch below the Sorcerer King. That was why he could defeat them while fighting Jaldabaoth.

    Neia struggled to contain her delight. As she carefully engraved the greatness of the person she respected into her eyes, she was so filled with joy that it seemed like it would explode out of her.

    Neia¡¯s heart pounded, to the point where it almost hurt.

    They were all watching a scene that would one day be enshrined in a heroic saga.

    ¨DNo, that¡¯s not right.

    It would seem they were going to fight again in the air.

    Crimson spheres and glowing spheres blossomed in the sky.

    Each of these spells could probably destroy an entire city district by themselves, and they were hurling them at each other in wild flurries. However, they looked kind of cute from a distance.

    Even so, that was an exchange of power within a realm that mankind could never reach.

    This is...

    As she looked out the corner of her eyes, she saw the people lining the city walls gulping as they saw all this. It would seem that they understood as well. They watched the aerial battle in silence, with earnest looks on their faces.

    Someone put his hands together in prayer, and the people beside him followed suit ¨D and soon almost everyone on the city walls had their hands together as they looked to the sky.

    It felt like they were at worship.

    ...This is mythology...

    Neia did not know how much time had passed, but eventually ¨D there was amotion among the people.

    Before everyone¡¯s eyes, one of the shapes in the sky fell towards the east ¨D and then it vanished.

    The battle was over.

    As everyone watched closely, the remaining shape slowly descended. Neia¡¯s vision was better than most, and so she saw it first. It shocked her so much that she had to press her hand over her mouth.

    When the others saw the crimson fire, the city walls were silent. However, nobody tried to flee. Everyone who had seen the battle knew that there was no point in running.

    With a p of his fiery wings, the victor (Jaldabaoth) showed himself.

    Though he was the victor in name, he was a tragic sight.

    His entire body was covered in electrical scorch marks. Half his face seemed to have been crushed, and his deep wounds oozed fresh blood. Perhaps it was due to its temperature, but the blood sizzled as it touched the city walls, and the sound did not stop for a moment.

    No words could have described the intensity of their battle better than the way he looked now.

    ¡°No way¡­¡±

    A weighty, yet somewhat pained voice echoed across the city walls, as though to wipe away Neia¡¯s muttering.

    ¡°...What a mighty opponent. One of the strongest I faced since Momon. I underestimated him. How foolish. Leading the demihumans nearly became meaningless. However ¨D yes, however, he is dead.¡±

    Neia could not believe this. Therefore, she cried out:

    ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡±

    Jaldabaoth turned his intact eye toward Neia, but she did not budge despite being bathed in the gaze of a creature from apletely different order of life. The intense emotions within her heart left no room for fear to enter.

    ¡°I am not lying.¡±

    ¡°His Majesty is very bad at jokes¡­ so you¡¯re lying, right?¡±

    ¡°I am not lying.¡±

    The words Jaldabaoth had repeated hit Neia hard enough to shatter her soul.

    The world seemed to shake under her feet.

    Neia instantly understood why the Sorcerer King had lost to Jaldabaoth. There was no need to even think about it.

    It was simply because this countrycked Blue Rose¡¯s Evileye and Darkness¡¯s Nabe, the two magic casters who could hold the maid demons at bay.

    No, there was another reason apart from that.

    ¡°If that undead had been in top condition, I might have been defeated instead. But to think he actually expended his mana for the sake of humans like you ¨D truly, he was a fool who did not know his priorities. For that, I thank you.¡±

    I knew it! I knew it, weakness truly is a sin!

    Neia was absolutely certain that she was correct.

    ¡°For that I shall reward you. The reward shall be your lives.¡±

    ¡°...What do you mean?¡±

    Jaldabaoth snorted in delight at the question from an unknown source.

    ¡°I¡¯m saying that I will spare you. At least, for now.¡±

    Someone sighed in relief, but Neia was furious.

    ¡°Bullshit! Bullshit! Bullshit! It¡¯s all a pack of lies! Everything you say is a lie! Who would believe what a devil says!?¡±

    ¡°It seems you are unable to ept reality. Are you mad, human? Pitiful.¡± Jaldabaoth pointed to Neia. ¡°Disapp¡­ I see,¡± and then he immediately withdrew the finger.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Jaldabaoth!¡±

    ¡°You intend to provoke me and thus prove I am lying? ...Is losing your life worth that much? I cannot understand it, but it seems to be the case.¡±

    Neia¡¯s teeth creaked as she clenched them.

    Jaldabaoth had to be lying.

    He had to be a liar, the kind who would tell a ridiculous lie like the Sorcerer King was dead.

    ¡°I will not allow it. Your lives have been saved. Now then, I will return for now. I must recover from these wounds. During that time, you may weep your tears of despair.¡±

    As Jaldabaoth was about to take off with a p of his wings, Neia¡¯s hands moved with a mind of their own.

    She readied her bow ¨D and let loose a shot.

    She had fired from directly behind him, without giving any warning of her intentions.

    However, Jaldabaoth immediately turned and seized the arrow. Despite his terrible wounds, he was still very agile.

    Jaldabaoth turned to face Neia, and then his eyes went to Neia¡¯s bow, the Ultimate Shootingstar Super. After that, his wrath-twisted feature changed slightly.

    ¡°Ohh!? Ah! What an incredible weapon this is! I haven¡¯t seen a weapon like this in so long! That was close, it almost finished me off!¡±

    Jaldabaoth gesticted wildly with his limbs as he said that. He seemedposed, but also quite anxious.

    ¡°What kind of weapon is this!? How was it made?¡±

    ¡°As if I¡¯d tell you!¡±

    What on earth is he thinking?Neia¡¯s mind boiled over with scorching hate.

    How could she tell this liar what she had learned from the Sorcerer King?

    ¡°How could I tell a liar like you!?¡±

    ¡°Muu, ah, don¡¯t, don¡¯t tell me, was it made by runecraft?¡±

    Naia¡¯s heart lurched for a moment as he hit the nail on the head. Although she had managed to calm down a little, as her broken heart recalled thepassionate figure of the Sorcerer King once more, her anger reawakened.

    ¡°You¡¯re wrong!¡±

    Neia screamed like she cared for nothing else, and Jaldabaoth groaned. Taking that as an opening, Neia fired again.

    Her next target was his feet, which were hard for the hands to reach.

    This time, Jaldabaoth frantically moved his feet to avoid the arrow.

    He¡¯s wary of it! Maybe this bow could¨D!

    There could only be one reason why Jaldabaoth had so desperately evaded her shot when he had been indifferent to being stabbed in the back by the holy sword. What else could it be, if not that this bow could harm him?

    A wave of regret assaulted Neia as her eyes filled with tears.

    She realized that she should have joined that battle, even if she would have perished swiftly. If she could have hit him with the Ultimate Shootingstar Super, then she should have taken part, even if it was just to be a shield. If she had, then maybe¨D

    Neiaunched another arrow.

    Jaldabaoth moved his head. The arrow missed and flew off to parts unknown.

    ¡°Hit, damn you!¡±

    She fired again.

    And again.

    But none of her shots found their mark. Despite his size and his severe wounds, Jaldabaoth had still evaded Neia¡¯s attacks with startling ease.

    ¡°Rune¨D¡±

    ¡°¨DShut up!¡±

    Neia fired another arrow to shut Jaldabaoth up.

    However, it too missed.

    Why? Why isn¡¯t anyone attacking?

    She could understand their inability to strike Jaldabaoth because he was airborne. However, even so, how could they simply let the lying demon who had killed the most merciful Sorcerer King go free?

    ¡°..Muu. Well, eh, I guess it can¡¯t be helped¡­ no? ¡¸Greater Teleportation¡¹.¡±

    Jaldabaoth suddenly vanished.

    ¡°Get back here!!!¡±

    Neia looked around.

    All she saw were the wide-eyed faces of people who were shocked by what Neia had done. Jaldabaoth was nowhere in sight.

    ¡°Motherfucker! He ran away!¡±

    ¡°Calm down!¡± Remedios shouted.

    The angry cry of a mighty being could exert a pressure of its own, and normally it would have brought Neia back to her senses or even made her freeze up. However, it did little more than annoy Neia right now.

    ¡°How can I calm down!?¡±

    ¡°Squire Neia Baraja! Did you borrow that weapon from the Sorcerer King? Why was he so interested in it?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me irrelevant questions like that! More importantly, we need to find His Majesty! I saw him fall to the east! We need to send out a rescue party!¡±

    ¡°Surely he must be dead.¡±

    ¡°How could he be dead!? How could His Majesty die!?¡±

    Neia instinctively grabbed Remedios, but Remedios easily swept her aside and Neia fell to the ground.

    ¡°Have you cooled off yet? Nobody could survive a fall from that height.¡±

    ¡°Cooled off? You actually believe that demon¡¯s words? Captain, did you sell your soul to him!?¡±

    Remedios¡¯s expression changed, and then it seized up.

    ¡°Squire! Damn you, there are things you can and can¡¯t say!¡±

    She grabbed Neia¡¯s cor with tremendous force, and Neia found it hard to breathe.

    ¡°You two! Calm down! Calm down right now!¡±

    The pdins, priests, soldiers, and such hurriedly made their way between Neia and Remedios, and pulled them apart.

    Neia panted with all her might as she shouted:

    ¡°We need to send out a team to rescue His Majesty!¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t waste our resources on that!¡±

    ¡°How dare you call it a waste!¡±

    Neia wanted to go up and punch Remedios, but the people between them stopped her.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got nothing to say to you!¡± Having cooled down a little, Neia addressed the people holding her.

    ¡°Could you let go of me? There¡¯s something I have to do.¡±

    ¡°Where are you going !?¡±

    In response to that question, Neia looked at Remedios with an utterly incredulous expression on her face.

    ¡°What kind of eyes are those!? Is that how a squire should look at a pdin!?¡±

    Hmph,Neia snorted.

    ¡°First, I will be asking His Highness the Prince to organize a rescue party for the Sorcerer King. After that, I will go straight to the Sorcerous Kingdom and tell them exactly what happened to His Majesty, and then I will ask for aid for His Majesty.¡±

    Given the circumstances, nothing good woulde of going to the Sorcerous Kingdom. Even so, she was still the Sorcerer King¡¯s squire, and she had toplete her duty.

    Neia was unsure if she could safely reach the Sorcerous Kingdom from here, but she had to go, even if it meant her death.

    ¡°Ohhh, if you¡¯re going to the Sorcerous Kingdom, let me go with you, Baraja-san!¡±

    The person who spoke was a middle-aged ex-soldier, who had retired and be a hunter. He had beenuded for his archery and had joined Neia¡¯s unit.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, I¡¯m old enough as it is. I don¡¯t have much longer left.¡±

    ¡°Baldem-san!¡±

    From his tone, she knew that he understood what sort of fate awaited him even if they reached the Sorcerous Kingdom safely.

    ¡°Hey, Neia-chan. Don¡¯t forget me!¡±

    ¡°You too, Codina-san!?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go too, lil¡¯ miss. Not for you, but if it¡¯s for the Sorcerer King then it can¡¯t be helped.¡±

    ¡°Even you, Mena-san?¡±

    All the skilled people in Neia¡¯s unit stepped forward, one after the other. With their help, it might be possible for them to reach the Sorcerous Kingdom safely. However¨D

    ¡°Thank you very much. But everyone, could you join the rescue party?¡±

    ¡°What are you saying? You were all gathered to rescue the Holy Kingdom and the suffering people from the clutches of that demon, weren¡¯t you? Where are your priorities!?¡±

    ¡°What are yousaying, Captain!? Could anything be more important than rescuing His Majesty!?¡±

    ¡°Of course! Right now, at this very moment, how many people of the Holy Kingdom do you think there are living in the hell the demihumans made for them!? Could anything be more important than rescuing them!?¡±

    ¡°Of course! That¡¯s¨D¡±

    ¡°¨DWhat on earth are you doing!? What¡¯s all this shouting for!?¡±

    The argument immediately stopped when the interloper showed up. It was Caspond.

    ¡°Captain Custodio, should you not have returned immediately? Where is His Majesty? What about Jaldabaoth? What happened? Could somebody please exin?¡±

    Caspond sounded like he waspletely lost, and his voice echoed loudly in the crushing silence.

    ***

    The meeting room was very cramped. It was filled with pdins, priests, nobles who had been prisoners until recently, and honorary pdins. That said, there were no better rooms for them, since Jaldabaoth had destroyed the one which Caspond had previously used.

    Caspond had called an emergency meeting after receiving a report from a pdin, and he had instructed all key personnel to gather in this room.

    After everyone had assembled, Caspond and Remedios entered with quick strides.

    Everyone bowed as the prince entered. Neia was one of them, because she held no grudges against Caspond.

    Caspond stood in front of everyone and began to speak.

    ¡°Thank you all foring here. I wish to discuss the course of action we will adopt in the future.¡±

    Although it was supposed to be a discussion, there was only one thing Neia had to do, and she was certain that it was the right thing to do. Just as Neia was about to speak, Caspond raised his hand to stop her.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone has concerns of their own, but I pray you will hear me out first.¡±

    Caspond slowly swept his gaze over everyone gathered here.

    ¡°I believe many people have witnessed the extent to which Jaldabaoth¡¯s strength exceeds our imagination¡­ yes. While I regret to say this, we must ept the fact that nobody in this country can triumph over him.¡±

    Several people frowned in silence, then peeked at Remedios, who had been hailed as the strongest in the Holy Kingdom. After learning that she agreed with Caspond¡¯s opinion, hints of fear and disappointment appeared on their faces.

    ¡°However, it is too early to give in to despair. If we cannot defeat him, then we will derail his ns in some other way and make him give up on trying to conquer the Holy Kingdom. We will not drive him out directly, but indirectly.¡± Caspond waited several seconds for his words to sink in, and then spoke his conclusion, ¡°What we will do is ughter all the demihumans he leads.¡±

    ¡°Why are we doing that?¡±

    Caspond saw someone asking a question and nodded to them.

    ¡°In the past, Jaldabaoth made trouble in the Kingdom. Back then, he fought a certain warrior in a duel, and then he lost and ran away. At that time, he led an army of demons, but not an army of demihumans. In other words, he came to lead the demihuman army after losing to that warrior.¡±

    Caspond looked around, as if to see if everyone understood.

    ¡°In other words, he is using the demihuman army as meat shields to avoid being forced into a one-on-one battle with that warrior. Didn¡¯t Jaldabaoth say something like that when he defeated His Majesty? Something about leading the demihuman army almost bing meaningless, or something.¡±

    It made sense.

    Back then, they did not understand it, but after hearing that exnation, it was hard to think of any other reason.

    ¡°In other words, the demihuman army is like armor and stamina for when he fights that warrior again. What will Jaldabaoth do if he loses the demihuman army? Will he remain stripped of his armor and stamina, when that warrior might appear in front of him again at any moment? Or perhaps ¨D would he choose to flee?¡±

    ¡°I see¡­ then do you intend to abandon this city, defeat the southern demihuman army, and then join forces with the South to drive out the demihumans?¡± a priest asked. He was answered by one of the rescued nobles.

    ¡°That would be good. Thanks to the Sorcerer King¡¯s power, almost 40,000 demihumans have been wiped out. The demihumans have lost a great deal of their fighting strength, no? The remainder ought to be staring down the South. If we rally all the people this city has rescued for an all-out attack and strike them from the back in a pincer attack, we ought to be able to rout the demihuman army. That way, we will be able to join up with the Southern forces and take back ournd.¡±

    ¡°¨DI propose the opposite. We will take back the closest major city in the west, which is the northern stronghold of Kalinsha.¡±

    ¡°Why is that, may I ask?¡±

    ¡°Exactly! All the major cities to the west such as Kalinsha, Prart, Rimun and the capital of Hoburns will be very hard to take. Many lives will be lost. Why don¡¯t we fight the southern demihumans instead? Would destroying the demihumans¡¯ fighting power not fit more with your ns, my Prince?¡±

    ¡°I see. All of your concerns are valid. I am grateful for the fact that many of the people present here are wise. However, is that an action which everyone can understand?¡±

    There were baffled looks on the faces of many of the people present.

    ¡°How about this? Going to the south implies that we will be abandoning ¨D though it is only temporary, we are still abandoning them ¨D all the imprisoned people that we will not rescue as a result. Can the masses ¨D can the people understand that?¡±

    ¡°That, that¡­ but that makes more sense, there¡¯ll be a higher chance of saving them, no?¡±¡°You¡¯re a baron, I believe?¡±

    Caspond turned to look at the middle-aged man who had asked the question.

    ¡°Y-Yes. I believe we met once, My Prince.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, just so. Now, have all the people of your domain been rescued?¡±

    ¡°Ah, no, not yet. I was imprisoned when I took the field beside Her Majesty, so I don¡¯t know about my domain¡­¡±

    ¡°I see. So when you join up with the Southern forces and take back the North, people might say you fled to the South.¡±

    The nobleman¡¯s face froze up.

    When one thought calmly about it, the nobleman was right. However, there was no guarantee that everyone ¨D especially those who were writhing in agony ¨D would be able to see the sense in what the nobleman had said. It was possible that there would be people who would say ¡°Why didn¡¯t you save us earlier, our families were ughtered by the demihumans,¡± and turn the des of their hatred on the nobles. Neia had seen such people before.

    However, nobody had said that in the prison camps which the Sorcerer King had liberated. Given his overwhelmingly potent magic ¨D which could sometimes wreck city walls in a single st ¨D and the fact that he was the king of another nation, nobody would dare take their anger out on him.

    ¡°Also, I had been intending to speak to thendholders one-on-one after this. In this case, we might as well do it now¡­ We are all exhausted. In contrast, what will the nobles of the South do? In particr, what will the other nobles do about nobles who have abandoned their fiefs?¡±

    The cloying stench of politics and power began to fill the air.

    While it sounded unbelievable to Neia, was this what the nobles wanted? They nodded repeatedly.

    ¡°My Prince. Our domains¡­¡±

    ¡°I want you to pretend that you did not hear whates next. That is because I cannot guarantee you anything. However, the Southern nobles will probably grow more powerful all of a sudden. That is why you must pick the best move to make, with an eye for what happens after the war.¡±

    ¡°A moment please!¡±

    One of the pdins called out to him.

    ¡°How can we shed more of the people¡¯s blood for courtly disputes!?¡±

    ¡°Indeed! Indeed!¡± The priest called Siliaco shouted in a voice which was said to have been trained for volume. ¡°What¡¯s important is how to save more people!¡±

    ¡°...Driving out the demihumans doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s all over, you know? If the South takes all the credit, then we¡¯ll have a hard time refusing the demands of the Southern nobles. And there¡¯s no guarantee that they won¡¯t impose heavy taxes on the exhausted people.¡±

    ¡°...Now that the Holy Queen is dead, it would be very bad if the next Holy King were to be chosen by the Southern nobles. However, if we can show concrete results with our strength, then at least¡­¡±

    There were two factions in the room now.

    They were the nobles¡¯ faction and the pdins and priests¡¯ faction.

    Both sides were at odds. Speaking of Remedios, the pdins were trying to spoonfeed her a simplified version of what the Prince had said.

    Neia was not part of either faction. She simply followed the flow of the conversation in silence. That was because Neia had already made up her mind about what she would be doing, so it did not matter what conclusion they reached in the end. Rather she wanted to bring up her own suggestion and set out as soon as possible.

    That said, talking about irrelevant things here will only ruin the mood, and people who might have helped me won¡¯te to my aid...

    After listening to numerous boring topics, she decided to toss the ball back to Caspond once both sides had worn themselves out with arguing.

    ¡°The My Prince brought up this topic. Perhaps we should let him finish speaking?¡±

    ¡°Ahh. Like I said earlier, I intend to take back Kalinsha. This is also militarily advantageous. In truth, this city is far too cramped, and much of it has already been destroyed. Living here is difficult, so I would like to have arger, more solid home base. In addition, by taking back a major city, we¡¯ll have an advantage when dealing with the Southern nobles. Also, Kalinsha was meant to stop enemy advances, so it ought to have ample stores of military supplies, assuming they haven¡¯t been moved out yet.¡±

    ¡°...I support the proposal to secure a better base.¡±

    ¡°Ahhh, I¡¯m a little uneasy about the sanitation of a city like this. Many people are shivering from the cold too.¡±

    However, they went on to say, ¡°We need to avoidrge numbers of deaths.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. That is why it is the best time to attack the enemy strongholds. After all, Jaldabaoth cannot take action now.¡± There was no telling how long Jaldabaoth¡¯s wounds would take to heal, but surely he would recover before the demihuman army waspletely defeated.

    In addition, it was very unlikely that he would show his face before making aplete recovery. After knowing of the existence of a powerful warrior like Momon, he would surely take the possibility of Momon showing up into consideration before doing anything. Therefore, if he acted, it would not happen before he was almostpletely recovered.

    That said, once Jaldabaoth took the field, it would not matter how much force the Holy Kingdom could muster. Therefore, they had to take the fortress now.

    So that was it.After listening to that agreeable exnation, Neia expressed her approval as well.

    ¡°¨DIn that case, it seems the only thing you are unhappy with is the number of people who must die for this. Can I take that to mean that you will give me your support if I can minimize the number of deaths?¡±

    Everyone present nodded, with the exception of Remedios. Neia did not mind either way, but after considering the flow of the conversation, she realized that it would be bad if only one person was not nodding, and so she nodded with everyone else.

    As for Remedios, several people looked at her face and saw that she did not seem to have any special reasons for what she did, so they chose to ignore her.

    ¡°It¡¯s decided then. We will discuss the details of retaking Kalinsha afterwards. Now then ¨D our next item.¡±

    Caspond sighed loudly and then turned to Neia.

    ¡°This concerns the death of the Sorcerer King.¡±

    ¡°My Prince, I sincerely apologize, but I hope you will amend that statement immediately. The Sorcerer King¡¯s death remains in question. That was simply what Jaldabaoth told us. It would be foolish to take a demon¡¯s words at face value.¡±

    Neia eyed Remedios and continued, ¡°I think it is more likely that he is trying to deceive us.¡±

    ¡°In that case, why has he note back? He can cast teleportation spells, can¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps he was immobilized by his wounds, perhaps he is out of mana. There could be any number of reasons for it.¡±

    Remedios did not ask any further.

    ¡°That¡¯s true. That¡¯s why I¡¯d like to hear from all of you. What do you think we should do?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no point in asking what we should do!¡± Neia shouted, forcing the words out like she was trying to strain them out through her teeth. ¡°...I think we should dispatch a rescue party and ry this news to the Sorcerous Kingdom at the same time. If possible, I would like to be the messenger.¡±

    ¡°I see. That¡¯s what you think, Squire Baraja. How about the others?¡±

    As Caspond looked over the gathered people, one of the nobles spoke up.

    ¡°I have a question. While the Sorcerer King was supposed to have gone down in the east, considering we will be mounting a rescue operation in demihuman-controlled territory, would it not be better to wait until we have some concrete intelligence before¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be toote by then,¡± Neia immediately shot back. ¡°The more we dy, the more His Majesty will be exposed to danger. I suggest we make our rescue as soon as possible.¡±

    The majority agreed with Neia¡¯s opinion. What she said made perfect sense.

    ¡°In that case, we ought to send out a search party at the same time as the envoys to the Sorcerous Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°...I have something I would like to confirm with you, since you have the role of His Majesty¡¯s squire. Do you think the Sorcerer King told the people of his country that he wasing to the Holy Kingdom?¡±

    Neia began to think.

    ¡°I apologize, but I am not sure. However, I feel it would not be strange for him to have told the people of the Sorcerous Kingdom, because there were times when he returned to his country with teleportation spells.¡±

    ¡°In that case, I feel we should not send an envoy to the Sorcerous Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°Why!?¡±

    Neia red at the noble who had done nothing but naysay. The noble retreated two steps and his face went pale under that re. The people around that noble also backed away from him.

    ¡°No, ah, please calm down and listen. That, uh, that is because it will bring trouble. Wait! Please calm down and listen to me. When you think about it normally, the possibility exists that the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s undead armies would take revenge on us, am I wrong? And revenge would be one thing; they might annex the Holy Kingdom as well. And¡­ ah, why is that? Who¡¯s to say the Sorcerer King was not aiming for that all along?¡±

    ¡°Excuse me!¡± Neia was so angry that she actually felt dizzy. ¡°In that case, permit me to ask a question of my own! If His Majesty returned to his country by teleportation, what will he think of the Holy Kingdom, who knew what happened but said nothing?¡±

    Everyone she could see nodded in agreement. Amidst all this, Remedios spoke.

    ¡°Well, it can¡¯t be helped then, can it? Our country doesn¡¯t have the luxury of doing that now. All we have to do is apologize after everything is over, right?¡±

    ¡°Even if you¨D¡±

    Neia was so worked up that she was about to shout, and then she heard the sound of pping from beside her. She looked over, and saw that it was Caspond. Since the Prince wanted to speak, all Neia could do was remain silent.

    ¡°Squire Baraja. Allow me to pick the people who will go to the Sorcerous Kingdom. How about that? After all, if we send over a mere squire as a messenger, won¡¯t the other country think we¡¯re making fun of them?¡±

    ¡°That, that is as you say¡­¡±

    His exnation made perfect sense. Under normal circumstances, they would surely pick a country¡¯s ambassador over a squire who had borrowed a magic bow from the Sorcerer King. However, would he really send out an envoy? She found that part hard to believe. Even so, it would be very bad to show that she did not trust the Prince¡¯s words.

    ¡°I am d that you understand.¡±

    ¡°In that case, please allow me to lead several people to the east.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. I would very much like to send you as well, but we still do not know where the Sorcerer King fell. He might be ten kilometers away or a hundred. If things go badly, he might have fallen into the Abelion Hills, which Jaldabaoth controls. Even if I allowed you to go to such a deste ce, would you have any means of finding the Sorcerer King?¡±

    Neia could not answer him.

    Finding where the demihumans lived in unfamiliar terrain was an impossible task. She could easily imagine the scouting team meeting with difficulties and being wiped out.

    ¡°Surviving in the hills, slipping past demihuman observation and gathering information,¡± Caspond counted off on his fingers. ¡°If you go there without preparing, you will simply be killing yourself indirectly, and what good is a rescue party that ends in failure?¡±

    ¡°Then, then do you have another way!?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    How could there be?As she thought about that question, it was easily answered. Neia¡¯s eyes went wide in surprise, and then Caspond adjusted himself before telling Neia the answer.

    ¡°All you need is to find someone who knows the hills.¡±

    Neia blinked, and Caspond smiled to her.

    ¡°Listen. All we need to do is to take a demihuman captive and have him lead the way. Would it not be safer to order a demihuman to act as your guide?¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    Indeed, that was the case. Humans would be taking an absurd risk entering thatnd. However, it would be a different matter if they had guides.

    However, there were also problems with it which could not be ignored.

    If they simply threatened a demihuman prisoner into showing them the way, then if the prisoner was willing to sacrifice himself to kill them all, the search party would be going to their deaths. The Orcs she had met earlier seemed like the type who did not care about whether they lived or died.

    They would need trustworthy demihumans, but where would they find those?

    What could she do to make a demihuman act as a reliable guide?

    Neia racked her brains, but when she thought of demihumans, she could only think of them trying to kill her, and she could not imagine them epting an offer to turn their coats.

    No, the Orcs and the Grand King Buser felt like humans ¨D I see, take their rtives hostage¡­ no, if we could take a king like Buser prisoner, his tribe would probably obey us.

    Or on the other hand, the angered tribe might put up stiff resistance. Besides, how would they capture a mighty demihuman king like Buser¨D

    As Neia wandered aimlessly in a mentalbyrinth, chasing an answer she could not find, the room¡¯s door swung open and a pdin barged in.

    He panted heavily and looked around the interior of the room, but he approached Caspond instead of Remedios.

    Perhaps he did not want others to hear what news he had. He brought the Prince to a corner of the room and whispered in his ear, but Neia¡¯s keen hearing picked up snippets of their exchange. Among them, thest piece of information piqued her interest.

    He had said ¡°maid demons.¡±

    ¡°Gentlemen, something urgent hase up, Unfortunately, the meeting will end here. I hope you will begin working on ways to take back Kalinsha. Also, Captain Custodio,e with me.¡±

 Chapter 94 - Volume 13

    <h4>v13 Intermission</h4>

    <b>Intermission</b>Recently, Jiiv had been in great shape.Terrific, even.In any case, life was good.After visiting the nightmare that was Nazarick, the stomach cramps that had been guing him all this time were gone. The drawer which had once held potions now contained neat stacks of documents. He was free of all his troubles, he no longer collected hair from his pillow, and he was no longer shocked by how much of it there was.How refreshing!How pleasant!Howfortable!This was probably the first time in his life that he had been filled with such a feeling of liberation. He felt so good that he could not help but imagine he had sprouted wings with which he could p into the sky.He put his heartfelt smile away and faced his subordinate. You smile more often now, his not-beautiful concubine had said, but this was not a time to let others see him smile. Dignity was a thing that caused many when it was lost.And so, the usual morning meeting began.Jiiv had many scribes, but the one before him now was an excellent man called Roune Varmilinen.At first, he had been worried that something had been done to him after he had returned from the Sorcerer King¡¯s pce, and so he had ced him in a sinecure. However, that too was a thing of the past. Roune¡¯s position as head scribe was now secure. This was not because he was certain that nothing had been done to him. It was simply to prove that he had nothing to hide from the Sorcerous Kingdom. In addition, it was also a fact that Roune was very skilled.He nced over the document he had taken from Roune, and due to the ridiculous content within, Jiiv lost control of himself and burst intoughter.¡°Whoever wrote this was quite theedian. What do you think of the Sorcerer King¡¯s death?¡±¡°First of all, I am absolutely certain, with practically zero chance of it being otherwise, that this is one hell of a lie.¡±Jiiv agreed with what Roune had said.¡°Ahh, that¡¯s right. It must be fake. Besides, it¡¯s impossible that His Majesty would lose or die or whatever.¡±Nobody could possibly kill a magic caster who could crush an army of 200,000 with a single spell and fight in armedbat with the Martial Lord, the Empire¡¯s mightiest warrior. Jiiv was certain of that.Of course, he could not be poisoned either, and he could not fall to disease or die of old age. It was more likely that someone was spreading a bad joke on a massive scale in order to make the punchline of ¡°...because he was already dead to begin with.¡±¡°Well, it¡¯s probably to root out any malcontents. Still, I have a question.¡±¡°Which is?¡±¡°That is to say, I am wondering why His Majesty, who possesses unrivalled intellect, is resorting to ame little scheme like this which anyone can see through. Unless it means there¡¯s some other... yes, it¡¯s possible there may be some grand conspiracy brewing that even I cannot discern...¡±Who could say for sure that it was not the case? No, if this was a schemeid by the monstrous intellect who knew every detail of Jiiv¡¯s movements, then Jiiv was certain that this was nothing but the tip of the iceberg. For all Jiiv knew, even thinking that way might have been part of his n.However, what if this was not a scheme hatched by the Sorcerer King, but by one of his underlings ¡ª for instance, that toad-like monster that looked like an imbecile?¡°...I don¡¯t know. Besides, if you can¡¯t figure out something you want to figure out, you can only give up on it. More to the point, all we need to do is obey Albedo-sama, the prime minister of the Sorcerous Kingdom, and do what she says. There¡¯ll be no problems so long as we don¡¯t betray them andplete our tasks. As the ruler of a vassal nation, I won¡¯t be so easily purged if I¡¯m appropriately ipetent.¡±¡°It is as you say.¡±Roune shrugged.In the past, he was a person who would not make such movements, but his many experiences had trained him to do so. Or perhaps it was because he had grown bold.Regardless of whether the Sorcerer King was dead or alive, all would be well as long as the Empire did not stop being a vassal of the Sorcerous Kingdom. In this way, they would be immune to any stratagem the opposition employed. Loyalty was the best defense. If they were killed even after giving their loyalty, then all they could do wasugh at the pettiness of the other party and go to the grave in peace.¡°Now then, is that all the work for today?¡±Ever since the vassalization, Jiiv¡¯s administrative workload had dropped to around half of before, Still, today¡¯s workload seemed too light.¡°No, Your Majesty, there¡¯s still something else. This is a document we received this morning. It was submitted by the knight legions.¡±Unfortunately, his work was not yet done.Jiiv epted the proffered document with a mocking smile on his face.He nced briefly through it. It seemed to contain the knights¡¯ints about their legion being reorganizedIn the past, he would have given a certain amount of special consideration to the knights. Or rather, considering Jiiv had many nobles as his enemies, he could not allow the enemy to snatch away the martial force which the knights represented. However, things were different now.¡°Tell them this: you can tell His Majesty the Sorcerer King in person. I can¡¯t believe they wasted paper on this.¡±The paper used in these reports was made by utility magic, and it cost more than usual regardless of the tier of spell that was used to make it. Jiiv could have thrown it away after use without any concerns, but he did not intend to tolerate excessive expenses.Paper made from zero tier spells was crumpled. It was coarse and discolored.Paper conjured from first tier utility spells was thinner and whiter. Papermaking techniques could produce paper of this quality as well, but their yield was lower and so the paper was more expensive.Second tier utility spells produced very thin and very white paper. Of course, one could color magically created paper to a certain extent. Spells of this tier could produce a very soft and high ss paper known as noble paper, which was the principal yield of those spells..¡°Still, it¡¯s not like I don¡¯t understand why they¡¯re so resistant to letting another country handle our national defense.¡±¡°Don¡¯tin about that to me, tell Albedo-sama. Also, didn¡¯t we already say that we weren¡¯t entrusting everything to them?¡±This came from Prime Minister Albedo¡¯s instructions to supplement the Empire¡¯s military manpower with the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s undead armies.Jiiv believed that this was part of the program toplete the vassalization process, and so he obeyed it. He nned to let some of the knights retire and disbanded two of the Empire¡¯s eight legions.This ought to have been a good idea since there were many people who were mentally exhausted from that massacre, but there had still been some disgruntlement about theck of seats which could be taken.¡°And I even prepared positions for them to transfer into...¡±¡°People are just unhappy at losing their privileges and uneasy about doing jobs they¡¯ve never done before, I think.¡±¡°If it¡¯s thetter, then they just have to work hard, but if it¡¯s the former, then it¡¯s only to be expected. Or am I expected to pay people who simply do their job and engage in physicalbor the same amount that people in hazardous jobs receive?¡±Jiiv snorted and disregarded it.Perhaps he would have needed to masterfully manipte them in the past, but now there was no need for that.Jiiv had the backing of someone called the Sorcerer King who possessed absolute power. No matter what happened, all he had to do was say, ¡°Please tell His Majesty yourself,¡± and all dissent was quashed in an instant.Nobody in the Empire could express their displeasure to someone who could ughter on such a scale and even defeat the Martial Lord inbat.While they had used to field theirints to Jiiv in the past, his position was now secure, given that he was a servant of the Sorcerer King. No, because he was feared, he ought to say it was more secure than secure. Immovable, perhaps?And frankly, there were shockingly few people in the Empire who were unhappy about bing vassals of the Sorcerous kingdom. That was because the Sorcerous Kingdom made very few demands. There were quite a few finely detailed requests, but there were only two main demands.The first was to amend a part of the Empire¡¯sw ¡ª this was to emphasize the absolute nature of the Sorcerer King and his confidants.The second was to hand over criminals sentenced to the death penalty. This was shocking in the opposite sense. While he had felt that they would suffer horrible fates, one of them had been safely returned for the reason, ¡°He was framed, and so he was innocent.¡±And so, one could say that there was practically no change from daily life.¡°Come, let¡¯s finish up quick so I can meet my friend.¡±Today, a true friend that Jiiv had just made was scheduled to visit him. All the preparations for his wee wereplete, and all that was left was for Jiiv to finish his work.He spent half an hour taking care of sundry tasks, and then his subordinate entered the room after receiving the approval of his guards and Jiiv himself.¡°Your Majesty, your guest has arrived¡ª¡±¡°Ohh! Hurry and let him in!¡±His work was not yet finished. Still, what about it? What could be more important than greeting a friend?Soon, his friend was led into the room by his subordinates.Jiiv rose, his face all smiles, and he spread his arms in wee and invited his guest in.It was a demihuman who looked like a short, squat mole. The enchanted pendant he had given him dangled back and forth.¡°Ohhh! Wee! My true friend, Riyuro!¡±Jiiv embraced Riyuro without any hesitation and wrapped his arms around him.¡°Ahhh! Jiiv, oh friend with whom I have shared my troubles! I am deeply grateful for your wee!Riyuro embraced Jiiv as well. Given the sharp ws on his forelimbs, one could see the gentleness in his movements as he took care not to hurt Jiiv with them.They held each other for a while, and then slowly broke apart.¡°¡ªWhat are you saying? My doors are always open to you, Riyuro.¡±Riyuro grinned.While a demihuman¡¯s smiling face looked vicious, Jiiv understood that he was smiling. Such was the intimacy of their rtionship.Jiiv was suddenly struck by how interesting this was.He had been born and raised as a candidate to be the next Emperor, and everyone around him of his age considered him the Crown Prince. Therefore, he had not had anyone he could call a friend. But now, the fact that his first friend was a demihuman¡ª¡ªHmph. If I had told my past self from ten or fifteen years ago about this, he wouldn¡¯t have believed it... For this, if nothing else, I have to thank that undead being.He had first met this dear friend before him in a waiting room when he had gone to seek an audience with the Sorcerer King.At that time, he had simply wondered where this demihuman hade from and how far the Sorcerer King¡¯s domination reached.But after that, they met again, and engaged each other in conversation to learn more about each other ¡ª and then they clicked. After a minute together that could have been a month, a deep friendship was born.That was why they no longer addressed each other with honorifics, This was not because they were both kings.Indeed, it was because the two of them¡ª¡ªWere both being tormented by the same oppressor ¡ª they wererades in suffering.¡°Come, I¡¯ve prepared all sorts of delicacies that will surprise you. Shall we not reward ourselves for ourbors today?¡±¡°Ah, I would be d to, Jiiv. I too have brought many of the mushrooms you said were delicious. Let us eat themter.¡±¡°Ohhh! Thank you, Riyuro.¡±The mushrooms Riyuro had brought were fragrant and meaty, and they were a luxury ingredient called Obsidian.The two of them left the room side by side.In the past, Jiiv had been uneasy when he heard that the Sorcerous Kingdom treated demihumans the same way it treated humans.However he snuck a nce at Riyuro beside him and thought.Demihumans were not that bad. At least,pared to the undead ¡ª the Sorcerer King.¡°Speaking of which, have you heard, Riyuro? The Sorcerer King seems to have kicked the bucket.¡±Riyuro expelled a great rush of air from his nose. This was his way of snorting inughter.¡°Jiiv, that is impossible. How ¡ª how could someone like him die?¡±¡°Indeed, I agree with that statement. However... which nation will see its peoplementing this time...?¡±¡°Yes...¡±Riyuro and Jiiv both looked to the sky.There was pain in their eyes. They grieved for a tragedy that was happening in some faraway ce, and the shared sympathy that soon they would gain a newrade.***¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!¡±The cry that suddenly rang through the room made the man go stiff. He belonged to a secret organization called Eight Fingers, and while he had seen many things before, he had never seen an eruption of such dark emotions. It seemed like genuine hatred and unadulterated cursing.He would not have been shocked if it hade from an enemy. Indeed, he would be smiling instead. However, the person making that sound was a friend, a friend who understood him due to having gone through the same suffering and misery that he had.Friends ¡ª he thought that there could not be a word that was less applicable to him than that.Until recently, the fellow members of his organization had struggled to hamstring each other, steal power, and searched for each others¡¯ weaknesses every day. If their aims shed, then there would have been blood.However, things were different now.If even one less person could not pull their weight, everyone would have to do more work, and it would be more likely that they would fail. When that happened, they would be held responsible as well and dragged into that hell. Even being punished once would be enough to condemn one to a liquid diet and be gued by nightmares. For all he knew, there were other hells waiting for him.With that in mind, whenever anyone began to fall behind in their work, everyone would immediately give them their full support, worry about their health, and fret about their mental state. They would do so desperately.They had be truepanions, those who shared their lives and whose fates were one.And one of those friends was now screaming and rolling around on the cold stone floor. The fear called ¡°if you don¡¯t find out the reason soon, you¡¯ll end up like that too¡± drove the man to action.¡°What, what is it, Hilma? What happened?¡±The wailing woman stopped moving, and her eyes slid up from below to look at the man.¡°¡ªI¡¯ve had it! Swap with me! My stomach hurts! I need to watch that idiot¡¯s movements! What the hell¡¯s wrong with him!? Being around that idiot is driving me mad!¡±They knew only one man who could be called an idiot. While they had used the word ¡°idiot¡± often until now, that man was enough to show others what it truly meant to be an idiot, and so they could no longer use the word idiot lightly.¡°What is it? What¡¯s that idiot done now?¡±Hilma spoke quickly, like she was vomiting her pent-up rage.¡°Ah, yes! You heard about it, right, how His Majesty perished!?¡±He wanted her to slow down a little, but it sounded like Hilma was venting her stress. Therefore, he did not interrupt her, but listened patiently.¡°Mm, of course.¡±Eight Fingers had been the ones who spread the news. Of course, it went without saying that they had used unrted merchants to spread the news through the Kingdom.¡°What do you think he said after hearing about it!?¡±Well, he was an idiot, after all. He had to consider that point before answering. However, all he could think of were ordinary answers. Still, there was no telling what an idiot thought, so he gave up in the end and said something normal.¡°...He said something about the burial?¡±¡°If that were all, my stomach wouldn¡¯t hurt like this! He, he said that if he married Albedo-sama, he would be able to inherit the Sorcerous Kingdom!¡±¡°Aiiieeee!¡±The man squeaked and looked around himself.The man could not sense them but there ought to have been watchers from the Sorcerous Kingdom here. After making sure that they had not made their move, the man sighed in relief.They had been ordered to prepare an idiot, but he would much rather not be pushed into that hell because he was an idiot that defied allparison.¡°Oi oi oi! We were ordered to prepare an idiot, but why don¡¯t we just kill him off? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to prepare a more suitable idiot!?¡±¡°Can we prepare anyone else at this point?¡±The man¡¯s answer made Hilma roll around while screaming ¡°Ahhhhhhhh!¡± The hem of her dress rode up her leg and above her thigh.She had originally been a high ss whore and was still as beautiful as one, but all the man could feel for her charmless, disgraceful state now was sympathy.After all, he knew very well that if he had been assigned to the same task, he would have been rolling around on the floor instead of Hilma.¡°Come on Hilma, give it your best.¡±She suddenly stopped and red at the man before speaking.¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be alright if you manipted that man... or made sure he didn¡¯t do anything excessive?¡±¡°Idiots like that ought to be controlled by women. Am I right?¡±After hearing that question, Hilma went ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!¡± again and continued rolling around on the ground.¡°I think it won¡¯tst much longer. We¡¯ll move in earnest after another two or three years. Get more idiots together before that. We¡¯ll do our best to help if you need to form a faction of idiots.¡±¡°Two years is too long ahhhhhhhhh!¡±¡°Still, those are our orders. Control the information they receive, and make a faction that will do even more foolish things.¡±¡°That¡¯s true ahhhhhhhh!¡±Hilma suddenly stopped, and then she bolted upright.¡°You¡¯ve got it easy. All you need to do is mobilize the traders and spread the news of the Sorcerer King ¡ª His Majesty¡¯s! ¡ª death to the Second Prince.¡±You make it sound so easy, he thought,In the past, he did not think that prince was very bright. However, he had slowlye to realize that this was because of the First Prince, which had made him disguise himself.It was because the Second Prince was intelligent that getting the news to him required extremely careful andplicated maneuvering.This was to keep him from realizing that he worked for the Sorcerous Kingdom.¡°...It¡¯s not as easy as you say it is.¡±¡°...Ahh, my apologies. It¡¯s given you a lot of work too, right... how about tonight,ing?¡±Hilma mimed the action of drinking a big mouthful of wine.¡°Sounds good. I need to make sure I don¡¯t leak anything even when I¡¯m stinking drunk.¡±They may not been able to eat solid foods, but drinking was a different matter.¡°Haha,¡± a withered smile appeared on Hilma¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. Our watchers will help us take care of it.¡±¡°Haha,¡± a simr look appeared on his face. ¡°That... is true...¡±¡°But now that you mention it, where¡¯s that lucky fellow now...¡±There was only one person among them who could be considered a lucky fellow.¡°Codol, huh? He¡¯s still in jail because he lost his power during that struggle... lucky him.¡±¡°You¡¯re right... he really is...¡±

 Chapter 95 - Volume 13

    <h4>Overlord Volume 13 Chapter 6 <b>Gunner and Archer</b></h4>

    <b>Part 1</b>After leaving Caspond¡¯s room, the first ce Neia went was the archery range. Neia¡¯s subordinates had been waiting there and they immediately flocked to her.As her friends went, ¡°How did the meeting turn out, Miss Baraja?¡± ¡°We¡¯re always ready to go,¡± and other such things, Neia told them about the meeting.She told them everything ¨D what had happened, what had been said, and the conclusions they had reached.Most of them hunted for a living, and they were all excellent outdoorsmen. Even they could not help but nod grimly at Caspond¡¯s conclusion. There was no doubt that searching the Hills would be extremely difficult.That being the case, an early dispatch of a search party seemed impossible. However, they could conduct a simple search within the Holy Kingdom ¨D heading east from this ce to the fortress line. Since it was unclear where the Sorcerer King hadnded, he might be within the Holy Kingdom¡¯s borders.Several people skilled in ranger techniques stepped forward.Neia wanted to take part as well, but she had practically no ranger skills, so she would only get in the way if she apanied them.This was an operation to rescue a righteous king who had reached a helping hand out to save the people of another country. As his squire, not being able to go felt like disloyalty, and it gnawed at Neia¡¯s heart.She felt like screaming the way she had done at Remedios, but nothing woulde of it even if she did so.Neia told everyone that they had received Caspond¡¯s permission to search within the Holy Kingdom¡¯s borders, but she could not take part herself.¡°Leave it to us, Miss Baraja.¡±¡°Ahhh. We¡¯ll keep our eyes open while searching for His Majesty. We won¡¯t miss a single clue about our great benefactor!¡±¡°Alright, everyone. Once the Prince gives his permission, I, I¡¯ll be counting on all of you!¡±Neia bowed deeply to them.¡°Miss Baraja, what will the rest of us do? How can we be useful to the Sorcerer King?¡±As everyone looked at her with zeal in their eyes, Neia was filled with delight.They did not think that the Sorcerer King was dead, even after witnessing that scene.That¡¯s right! How could His Majesty be dead! I¡¯m sure, I¡¯m sure he must be waiting for us to rescue him... I think.Neia could not imagine a scenario where that supreme being would wait for these people to rescue him. For all she knew, they would probably find him elegantly sipping a ss of fine wine in front of a pile of demihuman and demon corpses.¡°Alright! Then everyone who¡¯s left will start training, because weakness is a sin!¡±Indeed, that was all Neia could do now. She had to be strong enough to be of some small use next time. If she and her people had been strong enough, the righteous Sorcerer King would not have ended up like this.¡°Ohhhh!¡±She received a spirited answer. That was because everyone understood what Neia meant when she said, ¡°The Sorcerer King is justice and weakness is a sin.¡± Not many people had agreed with those words when this unit had first been formed, but after mingling with them, more people hade around to her point of view.¡°Then I¡¯ll go see the Prince!¡±After speaking directly with Caspond, the search party was quickly granted permission to move out. They had left on the day itself, and three days had passed since then.While things might have gotten troublesome if the members of the search party had not been of one mind, the fact was that all of them had been chosen because they agreed with Neia¡¯s proposal, and so they had left without dy.While rumors of taking back Kalinsha had circted through the city during these three days, the Liberation Army had not actually made any moves and merely let time pass aimlessly. The exception was Neia and the increasing number of people who hade to ept the Sorcerer King as justice ¨D they diligently applied themselves to their trainingNeia let loose an arrow at the target, an irritated look on her face.Her anxiety and anger had probably made her hands slip, because the arrow embedded itself just slightly off the center of the target.Normally, someone would havee over to lightly chide Neia, but nobody dared address Neia now.The reason for that was Neia¡¯s face.Her anxiety over not being able to do anything for the Sorcerer King and ack of sleep due to ack of news meant that the area around her eyes was swollen and discolored, which made her look horrible, especially when one factored in the wrinkles between her brows as well. Since she typically concealed her face with her visor, it had a great impact on others when she removed it.While Neia¡¯s subordinates keenly understood how she felt, nobody darede near her.¨DYour Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your¨DThese words tumbled round and round in Neia¡¯s head.¡°¨DAhh, honestly.¡±The shoulders of all the archers around Neia trembled as they heard those quiet words.¨DMajesty. No. I need to calm down. Calm down. It¡¯s only been three days! Just the eastern region of the Holy Kingdom isrge enough as it is! You don¡¯t want to scare the others, do you?Neia took off her visor ¨D and heard something like a strangled scream from someone who had happened to look her way ¨D then massaged her temples lightly as she tried to rx her stiff face.Just then, Neia heard two sets of footsteps running towards the archery range. Given that she could hear a metallic clinking which was unique to chain shirts, they were not militiamen who hade here to train. Pdins wore armor of metal tes, so it could not have been them either. They were probably somewhat higher ranked soldiers or colleagues (squires).¡°Squire Neia Baraja!¡±When Neia turned to face the people who had barged in, the two men who had shown up simultaneously stepped back and cried out.¡°What, what¡¯s going on? Did something happen?!¡±Weren¡¯t you the ones with something to say? Neia thought as she replied:¡°Ahh, it¡¯s been a while. That¡¯s the usual reaction... no, maybe it¡¯s a little more than the usual reaction?¡±These two people were also squires, and they had been trained alongside Neia. That said, she knew next to nothing about their characters since she had barely spoken to them, but at the very least she still remembered their names and faces.If Neia knew them, then they must also have known Neia. That would mean they ought to have been used to Neia¡¯s murderous eyes. Even so, the fact that they had reacted this way showed how terrifying Neia¡¯s face was now.Speaking of which, Neia recalled that they too had been freed from prison camps.¡°Ah, yes. I usually don¡¯t look like this ¨D like I hate the entire world... I think. No, am I usually like that?¡±Neia rubbed her face and mused that maybe she should not take off the visor.¡°...Ah, sorry. It seems you need me for something. What is it?¡±¡°Ah, no, Prince Caspond is looking for you. Please report to him right away.¡±¡°Prince Caspond?¡±Why was he looking for her? She had a few ideas, but she did not know which one was correct, so all she could do was pray that he was seeking her out for a good reason.¡°I understand. Please tell him I¡¯ll being right away.¡±However, they did not look like they were leaving, even after she had given her answer. It puzzled Neia.¡°What is it? Is there anything else?¡±¡°No, it feels a little ¨D well, it¡¯s not your face, but maybe it¡¯s the air around you? It feels like the air around you has changed. I know I can¡¯t express it too well in words...¡±¡°Well, I¡¯d be d if it was a good change... but we¡¯re all going to change. We¡¯ve all been through so much.¡±¡°Ahh, yes. You¡¯re right. It¡¯s just like what you said, Baraja.¡±The two of them smiled tiredly. She did not know whether they had bought it. They said, ¡°We¡¯ll talk again some other time,¡± and then they left.Neia told her subordinates looking at her about how she was going to see Caspond, and then she headed out.Caspond still stayed in the same building as before, but he was in a different room now.That was because Jaldabaoth had smashed a huge hole in the previous room¡¯s wall when he had shown up.Nobody stopped her on her way to the room, even with her visor on, and she reached it with no problems.During this time, nobody had asked her to leave behind the bow on her back either. There was no telling if it was because they trusted her, or because they were mindful of the fact that the bow had been borrowed from the Sorcerer King.¡°Prince Caspond, this is Squire Neia Baraja reporting.¡±Caspond was sitting inside the room, and two pdins stood beside him ¨D Remedios and Gustav. Neia immediately fell to one knee.¡°I¡¯m d you came. We¡¯ve been waiting for you. Ahh, that¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t worry about it, just stand up.¡±Neia stood as requested, and then asked:¡°I apologize for keeping you waiting. May I know your bidding?¡±¡°Before that, remove the item covering your face, Squire Neia Baraja.¡±Those matter-of-fact words came from Gustav. Common sense indicated that she ought to have done so.¡°Yes! Please forgive me.¡±After Neia removed her visor, Gustav¡¯s eyes widened slightly.¡°...Ah, are you not feeling well? Would you like the priests to examine you?¡±¡°No, I don¡¯t feel that bad yet.¡± Since exining was troublesome, Neia decided to press on. ¡°...Now then, may I ask what¡¯s the matter?¡±¡°Well, about that... well, there¡¯s one more person who will be joining us besides the four of us here. I¡¯m going to get them now, so don¡¯t be too shocked, alright?¡±She could see a look of distaste on Remedios¡¯s face from the corner of her eye. If it could put a look of disgust on the Captain¡¯s face, it was probably rted to Jaldabaoth. And then the word ¡°maid demon¡± suddenly came to Neia¡¯s mind.After hearing Caspond¡¯s order, Gustav opened a side door and spoke to the person within.And then, a monster emerged before them. Neia knew what species it was.It was a Zern.While it was a species with a shiny carapace, its appearance was not offensive. However, there was a faint, almost imperceptible smell of bloodshed surrounding it.What¡¯s a demihuman like that doing here? Neia wondered. Caspond seemed to sense this, and he spoke.¡°She is an envoy.¡±So Jaldabaoth¡¯s envoy is here, is that it? Neia unconsciously let her hostility show, and the Zern twitched like it was going on the defensive.¡°Hold it, Squire Baraja. It seems you are slightly mistaken. She is not Jaldabaoth¡¯s envoy. It is the opposite. She is an envoy of those people who n to rebel against Jaldabaoth.¡±¡°Eh?¡±Neia could not help eximing in surprise. Caspond seemed to have expected that response, andughed.¡°You look surprised. Well, that¡¯s only to be expected. Surely you didn¡¯t expect anyone to rebel against Jaldabaoth¡¯s subjugation of the demihumans, did you? However, there are people like that. ording to the envoy-dono, not all demihumans serve Jaldabaoth wholeheartedly. For instance, these Zerns. There are other species like the Zern who have no choice but to help Jaldabaoth because their ruling ss ¨D their royal family ¨D was taken hostage. What they want is to rescue those hostages.¡±¡°Precisely.¡±Neia had never heard that female voice before and it startled her. She looked around the interior of the room. Finally, just as she was about to go ¡°no way,¡± her eyesnded on the Zern. That voice would have sounded perfectly fineing from a human being.From where on its repulsive body did its human-like voicee from?Was this a special ability of the Zerns, or was it a kind of magical power?¡°The city you humans call Kalinsha, which is five days¡¯ travel to the southwest, holds someone important to us. We ask that you save him.¡±Neia conjured up a map of the Holy Kingdom in her head.From her previous words, the city of which the Zern spoke was indeed Kalinsha. Of course, it was closer to west-south-west than the southwest and she wondered if travelling there would really take five days, but everything else was within the margins of error.However, there was one thing she did not understand. Why were they telling Neia about this?However, before Neia could contemte the reasons for that, Caspond said something shocking.¡°That is why we have decided to ally with them to fight against Jaldabaoth, Miss Baraja.¡±Ehhh? Neia could not help but doubt her ears. Could they trust a species like the Zern, monsters who did not even have facial features to read?¡°While we were forced to bow to Jaldabaoth¡¯s power and invaded this ce as part of his army, we received news that our king, who was being held hostage in the Abelion Hills, was killed by demons. As for the other one, the prince who¡¯s being held prisoner as a symbol of our submission... now that the previous king has been killed, he is our new king. If you rescue him, we will help you.¡±Did they kill him because they did not need two hostages? Or was there a more fiendish reason for the killing? While she could not read that deeply into matters, it would seem the important thing was that their king had been killed.¡°That said, we are preparing to take our new king somewhere that Jaldabaoth cannot reach, so our most elite royal guard will not be able to help you. However, the remaining three thousand or so of our warriors that Jaldabaoth brought along will fight by your side. Our species will not die out as long as there is a king and a single female, so you may use those warriors as you wish. There will be no problems even if they are all killed.¡±¡°That¡¯s how it is. You also know the conditions I¡¯veid out in order to triumph against Jaldabaoth. Rather than decreasing the demihumans numbers withbat, we will take fewer losses if we persuade them to leave his side. Also, they have provided us with important information, and we have finished verifying it.¡±Caspond smiled, and then continued.¡°From what we know, this news is not a trap set by Jaldabaoth. On the contrary, this is something we can use to deal with the Zern. If Jaldabaoth finds out, they will be purged, and their prince ¨D the new king ¨D will also be killed.¡±That¡¯s what¡¯ll happen to you if you betray us, Caspond was threatening the Zern.Although it was only natural for anyone in a high position to think like that, the fact that Caspond could ruthlessly describe such a development frightened Neia a little.However, once the calm returned to Neia¡¯s heart, a question boiled up inside her. Namely: why had he brought her here to listen to their nning? If he wanted Neia to take part in the rescue, all he would have to do was give her an order. It was true that Neia was now a unitmander, but ultimately she was just a squire who was somewhat skilled with the bow. There was no need to exin the operation to her in such detail. And not just that¨D...Ah, don¡¯t tell me that they still regard me as His Majesty¡¯s squire? I mean, I¡¯m halfway to being a citizen of the Sorcerous Kingdom already, right? They probably mean that the Sorcerer King would also be listening to this under normal circumstances. Or maybe they want me to exin this to the Sorcerer King when we see him again, is that it?Indeed. Neia was still the Sorcerer King¡¯s squire.Neia puffed up her chest, and Caspond was slightly surprised at the sudden change in her attitude.¡°Now then. With regards to rescuing the Zern prince, we have reached the decision that rescuing him during the chaos of attacking Kalinsha will be very difficult.¡±¡°Indeed,¡± the Zern followed up on Caspond¡¯s words. ¡°Let me tell you where the prince is being held. Vice-Captain, I hope you will help rify details for me.¡±The Zernunched into an exnation with Gustav as backup.First of all, the great city of Kalinsha upied the top of a hill. It was under the direct administration of the royal family and was protected by thick walls. On its west, near its highest point, was Castle Kalinsha.It was intended to hold the demihumans at bay should the fortress line be breached, and at the same time it was near a major trade route leading to the south. Therefore, it was more sturdily built than any other city in the Holy Kingdom.In addition, Kalinsha¡¯s seldom-used castle was very solidly-built in order to withstand sieges.The imprisoned Zern prince was held within one of the towers of the castle. Since he was in the innermost of the towers that were intended forst-ditch defenses, one could say it was the hardest ce in Kalinsha to infiltrate.It did not even have windows, in order to protect against aerial attack, and one could not reach it without travelling down an aerial walkway.This tower was now inhabited by a powerful guardian ¨D a member of the water-using Ogrekin known as Vah Uns. The Zerns were not allowed to go near it, lest something happen to their prince if they did.However ¨D provided their treachery was not exposed ¨D if the guards saw humans ¨D who were not rted to the Zerns ¨D they would not harm the prince. In fact, they would protect the prince instead. That was what they meant by borrowing the strength of humans.¡°But once the actual fighting begins, if the prince is still imprisoned, we will have no choice but to kill you humans. Since all our fellows who were brought to thisnd are present...¡±The Zern¡¯s words started to lose coherence, but everyone understood their meaning.It would be toote by then.There was value in rescuing the prince because the Zerns were enemies of mankind. If the Zern were all wiped out, then there would be no need to rescue the prince.¡°It¡¯ll be toote to send reinforcements once the fighting begins. Therefore, the safest and most effective way to rescue the prince is to send a group of elite warriors who will move as stealthily as possible. Squire Neia Baraja, I would like you tomand this operation.¡±¡°I cannot. It is impossible for me.¡±Neia responded to Caspond immediately.Normally, gainsaying the prince ¨D who was her suprememander ¨D would not be tolerated, both in terms of military discipline and social conventions, but at the same time, that order was truly ridiculous. It was simply too much, no matter how you looked at it.¡°I knew you would say that. However, Miss Baraja, this matter is of great benefit to you as well,¡± Caspond narrowed his eyes. ¡°They will furnish us with knowledge about the hills and introduce reliable guides there.¡±Neia gulped.She bit her lip, desperately trying to keep a lid on her emotions.¡°...How much trust can we ce in those words?¡±¡°Once you rescue the prince, the Zerns will respond by rising up in revolt from the inside, at which point retaking Kalinsha will be much simpler. It¡¯s certainly better than a conventional siege, and we will be able to take more demihumans prisoner. The Zerns also say that they will ask around to see which prisoners have the knowledge you desire.¡±¡°I¡¯m not too sure about the details,¡± the Zern added on to Caspond¡¯s words. ¡°It seems you wish to travel to the Abelion Hills. If you rescue our prince unharmed, our entire species will be indebted to you. Who would refuse to share what they know with a benefactor? In addition, that knowledge is nothing special.¡±The Zern¡¯s argument was utterly irrefutable.Refusing them would mean being disloyal to His Majesty. If I let a chance to be useful to His Majesty slip out of my hands because I¡¯m afraid...After calmly considering the matter, she felt that this was her best chance. However ¨D she did not intend to kill herself.¡°Who else will be going on the mission to rescue the prince?¡±Neia looked at Remedios, who had been silent all this time.¡°I¡¯m not going. I can¡¯t infiltrate or anything.¡±If you say that, then what about me? Neia thought, and then she looked silently to Caspond.¡°...I asked her to go with you several times, but she kept refusing. Therefore, you will be apanied by that captive... no, that coborator.¡±¡°Hmph. Captive will do.¡±¡°...Captain.¡±¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Vice-Captain Montagnes, can you bring her over?¡±

    Montagnes left the room with a ¡°Yes.¡± The Zern envoy left the room as well. It would seem they did not want to let others know that they were working with the humans.Gustav returned before long, but he was not alone. He had with him a girl wrapped inyer uponyer of chains, a girl that Neia had never seen before. She seemed more petite, delicate and younger than Neia.She wore a scarf that blended the colors of dark green and sand yellow in aplex pattern, as well as a strange maid¡¯s outfit.Her facial features were exquisite, and even the patch that covered one of her eyes did not diminish her beauty.Neia suddenly remembered what Evileye had said, and while she was quite sure who this person was, she decided to ask just in case.¡°My Prince, who is this?¡±¡°...Haven¡¯t you already guessed? She¡¯s one of the maid demons who showed up in this city.¡±Neia went stiff. She had thought as much, but it still startled her. She was difficulty rating 150. In other words, she was a monster among monsters. A being which humanity could not ovee now stood before her eyes.However, Neia also sensed something else that startled her.That was the fact that she could still feel such intense hatred with an unbeatable monster in front of her.How could she hold on to such emotions when facing a creature that outssed her so tremendously? Was it because this maid demon was not radiating an aura of fear, or was it because of her loyalty to the Sorcerer King?Regardless of which it was ¨D Neia sank her hatred for the maid demon into the depths of her heart and did not let it show.If she was careless, she would start berating her as one of the reasons why such an outstanding monarch like the Sorcerer King lost to Jaldabaoth.However, while Remedios had her hand on the hilt of her holy sword, Caspond and Gustav did not seem to be doing anything special on their part.Therefore, Neia could conclude that she did not pose any immediate danger. Otherwise, they would never allow her to stay in the same room as the prince.¡°...Murderer girl. Do not be afraid. Right now I am not sworn to Jaldabaoth, but to Ainz-sama. I will not attack.¡±¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡±Ainz-sama. That term of address filled Neia¡¯s heart with displeasure, as if she was trying to reject the fact that it had been said. However, the maid demon replied to her in a monotone.¡°...You do not have to believe me. It is simply the truth.¡±¡°Miss Baraja. It seems that His Majesty somehow managed to usurp control over her from Jaldabaoth during the battle.¡±Neia¡¯s eyes went as wide as saucers.Had he actually managed to carry out a nonlethal tactic like taking control of her while fighting multiple opponents ¨D Jaldabaoth and the maid demons?Neia did not know much about magic, and she did not know how difficult such a feat was. If one needed an example, it would be like trying to snatch equipment off a very powerful opponent during the middle ofbat. If that was the case, then it must have been an incredibly difficult maneuver which only the Sorcerer King could pull off.Neia came to respect the Sorcerer King more and more.However, she had two questions now.She wanted to believe that if the Sorcerer King had done it, then everything would be fine and she could ept that fact. But was the maid really under the Sorcerer King¡¯s control? That was the first question. Could it be that she was not actually working for the Sorcerer King, but acting under Jaldabaoth¡¯s orders to pretend that she was under his control?And then, the other question was¨D¡°I understand that you¡¯re loyal to the Sorcerer King. But why are you here? Is it because of your chains?¡±¡°...It¡¯s not like that.¡±The maid demon began to exert her strength, and the thick chains emitted a distasteful creaking sound.¡°Stop that!¡±As Remedios shouted in time with a wave of killing intent, the sound stopped.¡°...Even I could break ordinary unenchanted chains.¡±¡°Then why? Why haven¡¯t you left this ce and gone to His Majesty¡¯s side?¡±She had asked because she was hoping that demonic instincts or the abilities of a bound demon would lead her to the Sorcerer King. The maid demon tly replied:¡°...Because it¡¯s an order. Thest order I received from him was to help you. So I will do my best as long as it does not mean my death.¡±¡°Eh!?¡±Neia was stunned....The Sorcerer King came to this country to seize control of the maid demons. He came to obtain the maid demons, a tremendous fighting force that could make the Sorcerous Kingdom even stronger. In that case, his first order to the maid demon should have been for them to return to the Sorcerous Kingdom. But instead, His Majesty... What a kind person he is... Is there a king out there who is sopassionate to the people of another country? No, it can¡¯t be, only the Sorcerer King is an exception. His Majesty really is justice! How amazing! I was right all along!Neia struggled to keep the heat from spilling out of her eyes.¡°In that case, what does ¡°as long as it does not mean my death¡± refer to?¡±¡°...If you ask me to fight Jaldabaoth I will refuse. It will be very difficult to escape if I face him.¡±I see, Neia understood. Caspond had already verified the truth of everything she had said. That was why she had been brought here.¡°So this demon wille with me.¡±¡°Just so. While I thought of sending her to the Sorcerous Kingdom as an envoy,pared to that ¨D ah ¨D well, once that¡¯s over and we learn information that we can trade, ah ¨D I was nning to have her join the search party we¡¯re sending out. That¡¯s because it¡¯s dangerous... Those people you picked out haven¡¯t found anything yet, so we can be sure that hended in the hills.¡±She did not know why Caspond¡¯s instructions were so vague.She peeked at the maid demon¡¯s face and saw that it had not changed. She did not look worried.Of course, this maid demon might not know what had happened to the Sorcerer King, and she probably could not imagine that the Sorcerer King was in dangerous territory. However, her nk face still made Neia very unhappy.Most importantly, could she let a demon like that use a familiar term of address like ¡°Ainz-sama?¡±No, of course not! Neia fumed. Not even she had addressed him in such an intimate manner.¡°¨Diss Baraja?¡±¡°Ah, yes!¡±Oh no! Neia¡¯s face was slightly red. She had apparently forgotten herself due to her distaste for the maid demon.¡°What¡¯s the matter? Is something bothering you?¡±¡°Ah, no! It¡¯s been only three days since the search started, so I think it might be a bit hasty to conclude that he fell there...¡±¡°I see. That does make sense. However, would it not be better to be prepared for anything?¡±¡°That is true.¡±¡°Alright. In that case, maid demon-kun. This is the third time I have spoken to you. The day we found you, yesterday, and now.¡±The maid demon said nothing and looked at Caspond.¡°If I asked you to go to a certainrge city to rescue someone imprisoned there, would you help us?¡±¡°...It is like I said yesterday. I will.¡±¡°Ahh, good, I understand. Then, I apologize for this, but would you mind returning to your room? Vice-Captain Montagnes, if you would.¡±He led the maid demon away, and they began speaking again once Gustav returned.¡°Miss Baraja. While I do not know if I need to tell you all this, possessing this information might mean the difference between sess and failure when you infiltrate Kalinsha. Therefore, I will speak to you about a few things. The first concerns Jaldabaoth.¡±Caspond told her what they had learned from the maid demon.It would seem she knew little about Jaldabaoth. Practically nothing, in fact. She did not even know what abilities or attacks or weaknesses he possessed. In addition, she did not know what Jaldabaoth was doing now or what his objective was.However, she had said that he would need a very long time to recover if he was severely injured. It was like how it would take longer to refill arger vessel when the water level inside it decreased.And so, after learning about Jaldabaoth, the demihumans, and the other demons, Neia asked Caspond the question whose answer she wanted to know most of all.¡°Can we trust her?¡±¡°We can¡¯t. We should kill her to be safe.¡±That answer had been supplied by Remedios.Neia resisted the urge to ask if she could beat a difficulty 150 maid demon, and listened to Caspond¡¯s judgement.¡°I find it hard to trust her. This might be one of Jaldabaoth¡¯s schemes. She might be a spy sent out in case someone like Momon appears, someone who can fight back against Jaldabaoth.¡±That was why they had asked the Zern envoy to leave before bringing the maid demon in, and had spoken obliquely in front of her.¡°I told you, right? It would be better to kill her. That way there¡¯ll be one less thing to worry about.¡±¡°I see, Captain Custodio. That is an option. However, it is very likely that the maid demon is indeed under the Sorcerer King¡¯s control. That is because she has not been spouting false information about Jaldabaoth nonstop, but replying that she does not know. However, why is she not asking about the Sorcerer King at all... Umu. Still, you agreed to hand the rights to the maid demons over to him, did you not? Since you did that, once they find out we killed her, they will regard our country as incapable of keeping its promises, you know? Once that happens, no other countries will want to help if anything happens to us.¡±¡°He¡¯s already been killed by Jaldabaoth, hasn¡¯t he?¡±Remedios¡¯s words made Neia look down as she struggled to bite back her anger. Thanks to Remedios, she felt like she had gained the ability to better manage her emotions.¡°We cannot be sure about that. That is why I feel we need to test and use her during the rescue of the prince. If she betrays us and leaks the information, then only the Zern will be eliminated, which will reduce the number of demihumans. We will also be able to root out the rat among us. These are the two merits of this option. And of course, if we seed, we can simply rejoice.¡±Please don¡¯t forget about the life of the person who will be carrying out the infiltration, Neia grumbled in her heart.¡°Did you ask the maid demon about her own weaknesses? If she betrays us en route, would it not be better to have some way to deal with her?¡±¡°We didn¡¯t ask about anything like that.¡±Caspond smiled bitterly. Neia followed suit.Even if she told them, there would be no way to determine if she were telling the truth. They could not tell by looking, and obviously they could not test it out.¡°Well, we¡¯re not the ones who control her. Ultimately, she¡¯s only helping us because the Sorcerer King ordered her to do so.¡±Gustav was still going on about that, but in truth both Caspond and Neia had realized it already. There was probably only one person present who did not understand the situation.¡°So the infiltrators will be myself and the maid demon. Has anyone else been selected?¡±¡°On that point, if you have nobody else to rmend, then the two of you will go by yourselves.¡±For a moment, Neia looked at Caspond because she thought he was kidding, but his face was serious.¡°Allow me to add to the Prince¡¯s words, but surely an infiltration is best handled by a very small number of people, am I wrong? People getting in the way would be bad news, which is why we have nobody to put forward.¡±While Gustav¡¯s exnation was convincing enough, Neia knew that was not the only reason.It was because of Neia Baraja¡¯s situation.It would be all well and good if this rescue operation went well. If it failed, all they would lose was an interfering squire who had grown close to the Sorcerer King and one of the Sorcerer King¡¯s minions. In addition, they would lose little even if the maid demon betrayed them. It was perfect.In that case ¨D was it a lie when they said they had asked Remedios to go before? It was also possible that it was not, and they were just trying to minimize their losses.Neia exhaled. There could be no other answer. This was a good chance to show her loyalty to the Sorcerer King.¡°I understand. I and her¨D¡± she mused that she was probably a female ¡°¨DThe maid demon will go together.¡±¡°Oh, I see. Then we¡¯ll be counting on you.¡±¡°Yes!¡±¡°Then Vice-Captain Montagnes will draw you a rough sketch of the city. Prepare yourself before you leave. Also, avoidbat if any demons close to Jaldabaoth are present.¡±ording to the maid demon and the Zern¡¯s information, Jaldabaoth was served by three great demons. These three demons were¨DThe ruler of the Abelion Hills, where the demihumans lived.The overallmander of the invasion of the Southern Holy Kingdom.The one in charge of three major cities, who teleported between Kalinsha, Rimun, and Prart.That seemed to be it.Therefore, if she was unlucky, the great demon in charge of the cities would be present.The great demon in charge of the cities apparently had no head, and its body was like a withered tree. It was two meters tall and had no wings or a tail. It had wed hands, and its slender body possessed an unimaginable strength. Also, itcked a head, but it was still able to sense its surroundings, and simrly it could even read.As a demon, it had a truly fiendish physiology.Incidentally, the capital of Hoburns was apparently under Jaldabaoth¡¯s directmand, and not that of his aides.¡°May I know who is stronger between it and the maid demon?¡±¡°In the maid demon¡¯s own words, she does not know.¡±She wanted to see the maid demon¡¯s fighting ability just once. In particr, she wanted to know what weapons she favored and what special abilities she had. If she did not know that, they might suffer an unexpected defeat.¡°The three great demons are both generals and lords. He probably feels that demihumans are not suited for brainwork, so he seems to have set up a dictatorial power structure. Therefore, the great demons handle much of the administration and they have not appointed any sessors or substitutes. If you can defeat them, you¡¯ll be able to deal the Demihuman Alliance a devastating blow. ¡°¡°That would satisfy the victory conditions you haveid out, my Prince.¡±¡°Ahh. Although Jaldabaoth might lead in person once his wounds have recovered... Right now, I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll force himself to take the field. However, if you can take the limbs, then victory will be close at hand even if you do not crush the head. That said, your main priority now is the rescue, so avoidbat if you can.¡±¡°I understand.¡±¡°In that case... when will you begin the rescue mission?¡±¡°I was nning to set out as soon as possible. However, I would like to speak to the maid demon before that.¡±¡°I see. Then how about in two day¡¯s time?¡±Neia replied in the affirmative and received permission to meet the maid demon. After that, she left the room.While she had a heavy burden to bear, her stride was energetic and her face was filled with determination. The mes of madness that came from losing her purpose recently received new direction, and they became a blinding light that illuminated her path.There was still something she could do, and her path led to His Majesty. When she thought of it that way, even travelling with a dangerous demon was nothing.***The maid demon lived in an average-sized house with a garden. It had probably belonged to a wealthy resident of the city in the past. During the savage takeover of this city, part of the beautiful decorations had been destroyed, and statues which should have been there had been smashed. Still, the house itself was intact, and it did not seem like the cold air outside would leak in.Still, even a cheap and crude house could boast that. Every opening that could be considered a window had been boarded up tight, as though whoever did it were determined not to let air flow in ¨D or out. It smacked of paranoia.On the whole, this was a cage, or some kind of istion unit. It was a ce for someone who was nominally a minion of an undead being or a demon, but who was also the subordinate of a hero who hade to save the Holy Kingdom. It was a ce which had been built for many purposes, with a sense of impending danger and aversion blended in as well.While she wanted to ask what good several loops of chain around the maid demon would do, the Sorcerer King had not yet officially introduced her, so they could not be courteous to her.The wall around the house had been hastily repaired, but itcked the crucial element of a barred gate. Had they taken it away because there was not enough steel to go around? In its ce was a hastily-built guard post beside the door that looked like a temporary hut.The man standing there was a powerful looking man in full armor, the pdin who had been appointedmander of this ce. Neia handed him the scroll which Caspond had prepared.The pdin quickly scanned it, then returned the scroll to her while handing over a lit candlestick.It was daytime, but the boarded-up windows meant that light could not prate inside. ording to the pdin, the maid demon did not need light, so the interior was pitch dark.Neia went through the door and looked around the deste garden before heading toward the house. She walked over a shattered brick road, and when she reached the main door, Neia took a deep breath.She used the knocker on the door, but there was no response. Neia hesitated, and then tried the doorknob. It was unlocked. She cracked the door open, and peered into the darkened interior. There was no sound from the inside, and it was as silent as a mausoleum.After gathering her resolve, Neia entered. There was no light inside, and no servants. Right now, there was nothing in this house but Neia and a difficulty rating 150 demon.Sweat beaded on her back. The candle she held shook unsteadily. Everything outside the candle¡¯s small circle of illumination seemed to have been sucked into the darkness.¡°I¡¯m Neia Baraja! I¡¯m here to see you! Where are you!¡±Neia shouted into the darkness, but the darkness did not respond.Was she sleeping?She shouted again, louder than just now, but there was no response.Neia screwed up her determination, and stepped forward.This was a two-storey building. It had many rooms, and checking them all would take quite a lot of time. Still, even without doing that, Neia might be able to pick up something with her acute hearing.She began with the first floor.Neia prepared herself for the worst and took a step forward¨D¡°¨DUwah.¡±Someone called out to her from the side and a face appeared in the light.¡°Aiieeeee!¡±Her shoulders twitched, and she unconsciously backed away from the face that appeared.Her back hit a wall with a thud.She could not have missed that face. It had appeared beside her as though it had passed through the walls.¡°...Felt surprisingly good.¡±She saw the maid demon through her tear-lined eyes. Her face was nk as she watched Neia panic.¡°Damn demon...¡± Neia grumbled.Was even the Circlet of Iron Will helpless to prevent the feeling of surprise? Her heart was pounding like a drum, and it felt fit to burst. If that was the demon¡¯s aim¨DNah, it couldn¡¯t be...¡°...Why did youe here?¡±¡°I came here to ask you something. In two day¡¯s time, I want the two of us...¡±It would probably be too dangerous to exin the operation in detail since she did not know how far she could trust her.¡°...To go on a certain mission.¡±¡°...Got it.¡±¡°So I think it would be good if we could share what we know and discuss what we can do...¡±¡°...Sharing information is important. Understood.¡±Whether or not she would really share information would depend on the uing discussion.¡°...Alright, this way.¡±The maid demon moved with rapid steps, as though she did not care about theck of light. It would seem the pdin she had met earlier was telling the truth.As Neia trailed behind her, she studied the back of the maid demon.She was a beautiful girl whose slender limbs and pretty face all evoked a protective desire in others.Still, it all seemed like a charade to Neia, who knew the truth about her.The chains she had been festooned with in Caspond¡¯s chambers were nowhere to be seen. However, the chains were meaningless to begin with. This demon was simply made in the shape of a human girl, and in truth she was a monster that could surpass Dragons.As she considered that even a slight pat might be the death of her, her stomach began to ache.¡°I¡¯m very fragile, so please be gentle with me.¡±As she heard Neia mutter those words reflexively, the maid demon stopped in ce, then turned around and said, ¡°Got it.¡± Even Neia¡¯s eyes could not make out any changes in her expression. Not knowing what she thought made her a little uneasy.They continued on until they arrived at the reception room.There was only a single candle for illumination.¡°...Sit,¡± she pointed to the facing chair. Neia sat down. ¡°...Drinks.¡±She suddenly produced a bottle of brown liquid. It was just like how the Sorcerer King took out objects.As Neia watched in surprise, she opened the cap and inserted a straw. It was made of a bizarre material that looked both soft and hard at the same time.She hoped that muddy liquid was not poison. It would be very distressing if she identally forgot that it was harmful to humans.However, if she was really a subordinate of the Sorcerer King, then she would not be able to refuse. Neia emboldened herself and moved her tongue.She took a mouthful of it, and swirled her tongue.It was not as bitter as she expected, and it did not prickle like needles either¨DIt¡¯s sweet!? What is this!Neia took one mouthful after another. While it was sticky and needed some effort to suck up, it was cool, refreshing, and delicious.¡°...Chocte-vored. Calories are a little high... around 2000. But don¡¯t worry. Eating good food and getting fat is a long-cherished ambition for women, ording to a certain great person.¡±The change in tone made Neia peek at her face again, but she was still expressionless.The words ¡°great person¡± made her think of the Sorcerer King, but Neia had the feeling she was referring to someone else.¡°...Want another?¡±¡°May I?¡±The maid demon probably knew that it would be a shame to finish it up in one go, and she took out another bottle.Neia was also a girl ¨D although the Orcs had wondered if she was a female ¨D and it was hard for her to reach out for something that would make her fat. However, this drink was in a small container, which meant there was not much of it. Eating too much of anything would make one fat, so all she had to do was eat less at dinner to cancel it out.I have no idea what these calories are or how much two thousand of them make, but she said it was a little, so it should be fine.It was a sweetness that waspletely different from that of fruits or honey. This time, she would savor the taste as she drank it.She took a mouthful¨D¡°Ah! No, that¡¯s not why I came. I came to talk.¡±¡°...Mm.¡±The maid demon sucked on the straw and drank in the same way as Neia had, while her eyes signalled Neia to continue.¡°Er, well, first, if you have a name, could you tell it to me? I¡¯m Neia Baraja, but you can call me whatever you want.¡±ording to Evileye of Blue Rose, each individual maid demon waspletely different from the others in terms of appearance and equipment. In fact, the maid demons she had seen behind Jaldabaoth at Caspond¡¯s room werepletely different from this one. Maybe there were different names for different types of maid demons, much like Goblins and Hobgoblins.While there might not be a need to know its individual and race name, if the maid demon really was a subordinate of the Sorcerer King, then as a squire, it would only be polite to treat her with all due courtesy.¡°...Puhaa. Shizu is fine. I¡¯ll call you Neia.¡±¡°Shizu, is it?¡±Neia had expected to be addressed as ¡°human,¡± so she was mildly surprised.Is the maid demon¡¯s personal name Shizu? Or is Shizu her race name? Well, both of them work for me...¡°Is that your personal name?¡±¡°...Personal name? An excellent question. Yes. Personal name.¡±¡°Ah, forgive me. I don¡¯t understand demons that well...¡±¡°...Mm. Demons... huh. This... mm.¡±Shizu seemed to be mumbling. Neia could hear all of it, but since she was talking to herself she decided not to take a jab at her.¡°Alright then, Shizu. What can you do? Also, there were several maid demons, so why did the Sorcerer King choose you?¡±¡°...I¡¯m good at ranged attacks. Also because I was MVP (the best).¡±¡°Best? Ahh, is that it? So at that time you were the most troublesome opponent, is that it?¡±Shizu chuckled. That said, her face did not seem to change. However, Neia had sharp eyes, and she understood after observing her carefully.There was a very slight change in her expression ¨D she seemed proud.At the same time, Neia rxed. It would seem she had not been easily controlled because she was the weakest.¡°I can use ranged weapons too, but in turn I¡¯m not good at closebat... We don¡¯t have a frontliner.¡±Shizu sipped her drink in silence.¡°Got any ideas?¡±¡°...What are we doing?¡±¡°Infiltrating a city and rescuing a VIP.¡±She could not mention the word Zern yet.¡°...Then we need the ability to move stealthily. Better not to have a nky frontliner making lots of noise.¡±¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡°...Can you move quietly, Neia?¡±¡°I had some training, so I¡¯m probably better than before. However, I¡¯m not fully confident in myself.¡±¡°...Can you cast spells like ¡¸Invisibility¡¹ or do you have magic items that can do so?¡±Neia shook her head.¡°...I see. Work hard then.¡±¡°Yes, I will. Then...¡±Could she really trust Shizu? Could she believe that she was under the Sorcerer King¡¯s control?If Shizu was still a minion of Jaldabaoth and was pretending to be a subordinate of the Sorcerer King in order to spy on them, then telling her about him would be very bad. However, it was very likely that the Sorcerer King had wrested control of her from Jaldabaoth. In that case, not trusting her enough would be throwing away her best trump card.And so, nervously and haltingly, she spoke.¡°In this ce, er, I have the duty of being the Sorcerer King¡¯s squire.¡±Shizu¡¯s artificial, beautiful face did not move.¡°...I heard. He said she had vicious eyes. And then he lent her a bow, which was runecrafted. Show me.¡±rms red in the corner of her mind ¨D Jaldabaoth had seemed quite interested in it as well. Still, if Shizu really was in the Sorcerer King¡¯s employ, she would not be able to refuse.Neia handed over her bow, and Shizu took it. However, she only nced briefly at it before returning it to Neia.¡°This is very good. You should let many people see it.¡±She delivered the line calmly, so it felt like she was reading off something. However, she was probably imagining things because Shizu was not looking at the bow with interest. After all, she had spoken this way ever since she had first seen her.¡°Thank you. Ah, yes. About what happens after the mission¨D¡±Shizu held out a hand to interrupt Neia.¡°You should let many people see it.¡±Why is she so hung up on this? Shizu probably noted the bafflement on Neia¡¯s face, and continued:¡°He lent you an excellent runecraft weapon. You should spread the word of Ainz-sama¡¯s greatness.¡±The word Ainz made Neia twitch. Making this clear to her was her top priority.¡°His Majesty.¡±Neia sensed from Shizu¡¯s nk face that she had not been clear enough, and added:¡°That¡¯s ¡®His Majesty.¡¯ Calling him Ainz-sama is too familiar, don¡¯t you think?¡±This time, it was Shizu whose face twitched a little. No, at a nce her face was still nk, but Neia was sure that her expression had changed.¡°It¡¯s not too familiar.¡±¡°No, it is. Normally, you wouldn¡¯t address him by his name, but by his title. You just came into his service and haven¡¯t been of use to him yet... What¡¯s with that face of yours?¡±¡°Nothing. However, I want to call him Ainz-sama and not His Majesty.¡±Was the expression that could be vaguely glimpsed past that nk mask a look of pity, or was she crowing her victory? Even Neia did not understand, but it made her mad. This thick-skinned neer hade out of nowhere, and the fact that she was trying to cozy up to the person she so revered made her very unhappy.Neia decided not to pretend any more. While she wanted to act as a squire and deal with her politely as a person of the Holy Kingdom, she decided to give up on it. It did not matter if she was dealing with a monster which knew no equal throughout history o in the present day, she had to make one thing clear.¡°Someone like you¨D¡±¡°I was told to do so by Ainz Ooal Gown-sama ¨D ¡®Call me Ainz-sama,¡¯ he said.¡±¡°Eh?¡±¡°So I can call him Ainz-sama. I can. Call. Him. That.¡±Left unspoken was ¡°but you can¡¯t,¡± Neia¡¯s body trembled.No, she was a demon that the Sorcerer King had bound into his service with magic. Maybe it was natural that she would go that far.¡°No, that can¡¯t be. You, you must be lying. You¡¯re lying like a demon would. How could he have exined in such detail in a situation like that?¡±Shizu shook her head, as though to say, Good grief.¡°It is a shame, but also true. Well, I know you must be shocked. I understand very well. Still, that is where you stand now. However, if you work for him, someday you will be able to call him Ainz-sama too. Work towards it.¡±¡°¨DShizu.¡±¡°...Neia. It is a predecessor¡¯s duty to teach those whoe after them.¡±While that was a pretty good line, had Shizu note after herself? Still, the fact that she could call him Ainz-sama made her feel that maybe she was the senior after all. It was a little hard to ept, but first¨D¡°I want to thank you.¡±¡°...Don¡¯t mention it. One must show kindness to those who know of Ainz-sama¡¯s greatness.¡±Neia¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. She had only been bound to him for such a short time, so how had she gained such respect? No, that simply proved how great the Sorcerer King was.¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I know very well how great His Majesty is.¡±After Neia answered, the two of them looked at each other for a while.Shizu was the first to move.She swiftly extended her right hand. Neia responded instantly and without hesitation.While Neia was mildly bothered by the fact that Shizu had not taken off her glove, the two of them shook hands on the table.Given how much she reveres the Sorcerer King, it would seem she really is under His Majesty¡¯s rule. Otherwise, she would not have called him Ainz-sama, but instead she would have called him His Majesty like me, so she would not sound strange.Was she being naive? However, at this point, Neia was very confident in her beliefs. She understood that Shizu¡¯s loyalty was genuine. Just like how the teeth of two cogwheels fitted together, they could understand each other because they were fellow worshippers of the same god.¡°...Speaking of which, it¡¯s easy to get along with you. As a human being, you have a bright future, Neia.¡±¡°I have very mixed feelings about getting along with a demon. We¡¯re talking like this because you¡¯re speaking the truth about how great His Majesty is.¡±Hm hm, Shizu nodded.¡°...Although I feel it doesn¡¯t matter what happens to Neia, I will bring you back safely to this country. I promise.¡±¡°Thank you.¡±Neia¡¯s gratitude was honest and straightforward. Shizu¡¯s difficulty rating was 150. She was on a level where even Blue Rose would be hard-pressed to win against her. It was only right to be grateful for the protection of such a demon. This was doubly true if she was a subject of the Sorcerer King. Although, there was one thing she had to rify with her.¡°...Can you swear that in the name of the Sorcerer King?¡±Shizu raised a hand, like she had been called on by a teacher.¡°This I swear in the name of the Supreme One, Ainz Ooal Gown-sama... However, if you die and are resurrected, that still counts as keeping my word, right?¡±¡°Safe...? No, I think that¡¯s slightly different...¡±The two of them looked at each other.To Neia, there was a big difference between ¡°safe¡± and ing back to life after dying.¡± However, that was just barely within the bounds of what she couldpromise with.¡°If you don¡¯t be a demon or one of the undead, bute back to life as a human, that ought to count, right...¡±¡°...That should be fine.... Alright.¡±There was a slight change in Shizu¡¯s voice, which had been in a monotone all this while. She sounded like she was motivated now.¡°...While you¡¯re not cute, this is specially for you.¡±Shizu took something out and went to Neia¡¯s side. Then she pressed something tightly onto Neia¡¯s forehead.¡°Eh!? What!? What is this!?¡±Startled by that inexplicable action, she tried desperately to peel it off, but she could not. It was stuck on so tight that it would not budge. It was very frightening.¡°What¡¯s this! Eh! Wait! I¡¯m scared!¡±¡°...It¡¯s okay. It won¡¯t hurt and it¡¯s not scary. Look.¡±Shizu showed her something with the number 1 and a strange design ¨D it might have been a letter ¨D on it. It was made of some kind of paper that gleamed with a frightening lustre and the one on her head was simrly slippery. She had heard of talismancy, so was that a kind of talisman used as a magical medium for that art? No matter what, she could not have given out a trivial item like this, so it must be some kind of magic item. That was what sent a chill down Neia¡¯s spine. What if she could not remove it for the rest of her life?¡°Why did you have to stick it on my forehead! Aren¡¯t there better ces to put it!?¡±¡°...Mm, like a little sister.¡±¡°Eh!?¡± Although she had heard something quite shocking, there was a more important matter at hand. ¡°Anyway, take this off. At least stick it on my clothes or somewhere else!¡±¡°...It can¡¯t be helped, then.¡±Shizu took out a small bottle and ced a drop of something on Neia¡¯s forehead. After that, the tightly stuck-on object peeled off easily, like it had never been attached at all. She picked it up, looked at it, and saw that it was the same as the one Shizu had showed her earlier.¡°...Sticker. It needs to be pasted somewhere obvious.¡±It would seem she would have to paste it on. Making Shizu angry would do no good, so Neia did as she was told.¡°Yes...¡±¡°...Are we done?¡±¡°Eh? Ah, no, after this, er, I wanted to talk about finding His Majesty, ah, no, to wee him back...¡±¡°...I¡¯ll go too. ...We need a lot of preparation. After all that is over.¡±¡°Really?¡±¡°...I promise. But I hope we can make time to finish the map of the demihumans¡¯ hills.¡±¡°That¡¯s true. Eh, demihumans?¡±A moment after she agreed, a question suddenly popped up in her heart. Right now, she had not told her anything. Even so, why had she suddenly used the word ¡°demihuman?¡±Could it be... she heard about himnding in the Hills from Prince Caspond?¡°...What¡¯s wrong?¡±¡°Er, um... I got it. I¡¯ll talk to the people on top.¡±¡°...Pleased to meet you, Neia.¡±¡°The pleasure was all mine, Shizu.¡±Although she was still mildly bothered by the sticker from just now, Neia stuck out her hand, and Shizu responded. They both shook hands again.¡°You don¡¯t think His Majesty is dead after all, do you, Shizu?¡±Shizu¡¯s eyes went wide.¡°...What did you just say?¡±¡°Actually, His Majesty fell to the east, and then he didn¡¯t contact us again... Since His Majesty can cast teleportation spells, the fact that he still hasn¡¯te back makes me think something happened to him... So... what if... His Majesty...¡±It hurt too much to speak any further. She hesitated, because if she said it, it mighte true.To this Shizu responded with what was probably surprise.¡°...He¡¯s fine. He¡¯s not dead. My binding is the proof. Hm? ...Why are you crying?¡±Her tears were flowing on their own.The Sorcerer King was really alive.She truly believed that he was not dead. But sometimes, the uneasiness that suddenly reared up in her mind left her unable to sleep. Many people had told Neia that the Sorcerer King was fine, but all of them sounded like they were just trying tofort her, to try and keep their own worries at bay, and not because they truly believed it.But at this moment, someone had told her that with absolute confidence and certainty. That, and Shizu was the proof that the Sorcerer King was alive. That allowed Neia to rx atst.It was relief, like that of a lost child finding her parents, that made Neia weep.Shizu produced a piece of cloth that was printed with the same design as her scarf ¨D it was probably a handkerchief ¨D and covered Neia¡¯s face with it. And then, she rubbed forcefully. She was not so much violent as inexperienced, but the ce where she rubbed hurt a lot.Shizu pulled the handkerchief away, and Neia¡¯s snot stretched out into a bridge.¡°...There¡¯s snot on it. ...Super shocking.¡±After hearing Shizu¡¯s distinctly shocked voice, there was an indescribable look on Neia¡¯s face.Therefore, she took a handkerchief out of her own pocket and broke the bridge of snot.¡°...I¡¯ll wash it.¡±¡°...Mm.¡±<b>Part 2</b>Entering Kalinsha¡¯s castle was not difficult.All they had to do was hide in barrels and wait to be smuggled in as cargo. There would be checks, of course, but there were other barrels ¨D eight in total ¨D besides the ones they had chosen to hide in, so all they had to do was let the inspectors check those instead. The fact that they could get past security with such simple precautions was due to the diverse nature of the Demihuman Alliance.The demihumans all came from different cultures and had varying social norms. If they had anything inmon, it was that fighting strength meant everything. Therefore, when a powerful individual threw his weight around, he usually got it, and minor transgressions were all forgiven. To demihumans, their personal power determined their capacity for violence and in turn, their social rank. Those lower on the totem pole had no choice but to obey.Therefore, a strong Zern could put an end to the cargo inspection by ring at the inspectors.Eventually, there was a loud thunk as the barrels wereid on the ground.After that, someone knocked on the top of the barrel.That was the signal that they had arrived at their destination. As nned, Neia counted out three minutes in silence as she listened to the Zern responsible for transporting them open a door and leave.After the three minutes were up, Neia pushed up the divider above her. While the bigger pieces of raw meat did not fall when the divider tilted, the smaller chunks rained down on Neia. This barrel was constructed with a false bottom. Neia was below the divider and the fresh meaty on top of it.The reason why the barrels were filled with fresh meat and not vegetables or grain was so that they could use the scent of blood to mask Neia and Shizu¡¯s scent.While Neia found it a little ufortable to be soaked in blood and juices from the meat, she still felt happy that none of the countermeasures they had prepared had been put to use.Neia slowly lifted up the lid of the barrel and peered outside.She looked around the darkened interior of the room ¨D there was a faint light that might have been the glow from a magic item ¨D and after verifying that there was nobody around, Neia slowly climbed out of the barrel.There were all kinds of foodstuffs and urns on the shelves of thisrder. There were also many barrels like the ones which had recently been brought here.It took a lot of work, but she managed to climb out safely. In order to make getting back in easier, she left the divider standing inside the barrel.They would need to use these barrels to escape after rescuing the Zern prince.Shizu, the other infiltrator, had just made it out of her barrel. She was shorter than Neia, so climbing out of therge barrel had been more tiresome. However, her physical abilities were far beyond those of Neia¡¯s and even Remedios¡¯s, so she had managed to get out by herself before Neia could go over to help her.¡°Shizu-san.¡±¡°...Hm?¡±¡°There¡¯s meat stuck to your hair.¡±Shizu looked unhappy. While her facial expression did not change, that did not mean she had no emotions. Perhaps it was because she had been with Shizu all this time or because Neia¡¯s eyesight was excellent, or perhaps looking at the Sorcerer King¡¯s bony features all this time had honed her ability to scrutinize others, but Neia had a rough grasp of how Shizu felt.Shizu fumbled around to try and get the small bits of meat out of her hair, but they were stuck to the strands on the back of her head and she could not get them out.While I was told to cut my hair short because long hair could be easily grabbed inbat, it seems there are many other drawbacks to it.

    Neia went to Shizu¡¯s side and picked all the chunks out before tossing them into the barrel.¡°...Thanks... Don¡¯t want to infiltrate this way again.¡±¡°We¡¯ll have to do it again when we escape.¡±¡°...¡±Shizu looked despondently at the barrel, then pulled a towel out of nowhere to wipe herself off before handing it to Neia.The moist towel had a softness and fineness which Neia had never felt before. Neia imagined that it must have been very expensive. How had she gotten her hands on something like that? Were theymon in the demon world?As all these questions and more ran through her head, Neia wiped her hands that had been made sticky by the meat, and then wiped down Shizu¡¯s hair with the clean bits. While it only made her feel better, it was better than not wiping at all.¡°...Thanks.¡±¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡±While Neia was doing this, Shizu took out her weapon.That strangely-shaped device was apparently a ranged weapon called a spell gun. It used mana to fire bullet-like bolts, and it felt like a crossbow. Shizu had said something about the gunpowder not showing any signs ofbustion or something, but Neia had not understood any of it, so the exnation was wasted on her.She had wanted to test it out, but Shizu refused to part with it, so Shizu¡¯s fighting ability was still an unknown. Still, she was a difficulty rating 150 demon, so Neia felt that there was nothing to worry about there.¡°...Hm.¡±Shizu produced the Ultimate Shootingstar Super and a quiver of arrows out of nowhere like a stage magician before handing them to Neia, and in turn Neia returned her the dirty towel.Initially, there had been a discussion on how Neia would bring her bow along. The bow¡¯s stave was very long, and when one added camouge on top of that, she would not be able to close the lid on the barrel, and if the barrel were opened she would be exposed.While they could have let the Zern carry it in, the bow was a magnificent piece of work and it would have left an impression on people who saw it. In addition, the Zern had also refused, for fear of being drawn into all this if the rescue mission failed.In the end, when everyone had told her to leave the bow behind, Shizu said that she could store her weapons in a mysterious space in the air, so she could put the bow in there as well.The uneasiness of bringing a valuable item lent to her by the Sorcerer King on a mission in a dangerous ce blended with the reassurance of not having to part ways with her weapon. Neia thanked Shizu for her kindness as both emotions filled her. It would seem Shizu had epted Neia as her junior back then, and after that Shizu had asionally acted like her senior.Part of that was how Neia had to address Shizu as ¡°Shizu-san,¡± because Shizu would make a fuss if Neia did not. However, Shizu was a pretty girl, and when she made a pouty face ¨D she could tell even though Shizu did not show expressions ¨D Neia actually found it kind of cute.After they had each readied their weapons, Shizu was the first to move.Neia pricked up her ears to listen for any movement outside the door, but there was nobody there.¡°...Let¡¯s head out.¡±Time was short, so Neia nodded.The Liberation Army was approaching Kalinsha while the operation to rescue the Zern Prince was in progress, so the battle for Kalinsha would begin soon.1: Neia and Shizu would infiltrate Kalinsha and rescue the Zern prince.2: The Liberation Army would approach Kalinsha and begin their attack.3: If the Zern prince was rescued, the Zern would act as a fifth column within the city walls.4: If item 3 failed, then instead of the Zern opening the city gates and guiding the Liberation Army in, Neia and Shizu would have to handle that task. However, that was far too much for them to take on, so they would only do what was within their capabilities.Those were the key points of the battle n.The important thing was that if they could rescue the Zern prince, then they could count on the Liberation Army and the Zern to relieve them even if they were forced to hunker down and defend themselves. This was good for the Zern as well; if the rescue seeded, they could release the prince after Kalinsha was taken back.In other words, whether or not they could take Kalinsha back simply and with minimal casualties all hinged on sessfully rescuing the prince.As she felt the weight crushing down on her shoulders, Neia groaned as her tummy hurt again.Therefore ¨D there was not much time. Once the Liberation Army began their attack on Kalinsha or if they were detected before that, security in Kalinsha would be tightened.In ordance with what they had nned, Shizu produced a bottle of what looked like perfume out of nowhere and sprinkled it on Neia and herself. It seemed to be some kind of consumable magic item that contained the first tier spell ¡¸Odorless¡¹. There was not much of it, so they had to conserve it as much as possible.Shizu cracked open the door, peered around outside, and then slipped out.They had selected their route and decided on how to deal with various situations after consulting the map of Kalinsha, and they had already discussed what duties each of them would be handling.Neia exited the room as well, then carefully closed the door so as not to make noise before running after Shizu.Though I¡¯m not really helping much...Frankly speaking, under the present circumstances Neia was nothing more than a burden. That much was instantly clear when one looked at Shizu¡¯s running stride. She ran like her father moved through the woods ¨D no, she was far better, being both swift and silent. She was definitely using some kind of technique there..She¡¯s a demon, but she uses techniques like a human... It¡¯s always the ones you can¡¯t judge by their appearances which are the scariest, huh?While they could have left everything to Shizu, Neia¡¯s presence was both to keep an eye on Shizu and also to ensure that it was a joint effort between the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s Shizu ¨D assuming she was truly bound to the Sorcerer King ¨D and the Holy Kingdom¡¯s Neia that rescued the prince. That way, the Holy Kingdom could act like they had contributed to it.The passages were dark. It was nighttime. Moonlight streamed in through the windows ¨D or rather, the only thing which entered was the moonlight. There were no other sources of light here, no magical illumination or torches.This was because many demihumans were indifferent to the darkness. However, there were different degrees of being able to see in the darkness. While some species hadplete darkvision, most of them simply had superior night vision. Therefore, Neia and Shizu avoided the moonlight and slunk from shadow to shadow.As a human being, Neia had to focus herself and sharpen her senses. Not only could she not see clearly due to the darkness, the patrolling guards did not carry light sources either, so she could not spot them from afar.While she did not quite understand why therder had lights, that was probably for the sake of those species whocked darkvision.The two of them kept their footfalls as quiet as possible while they ran through the castle towards their destination.Considering Shizu¡¯s physical attributes were far superior than Remedios¡¯s, even a pace which left Neia panting and barely able to keep up was probably slower than a jog to Shizu.They asionally spotted demihuman guards, which was their cue to hold their breath and quietly wait for the opposition to move on. They could not kill them, because that would mean having to take care of the corpses and hide their traces. Since they were in the midst of the enemy, it would be best not to be spotted at all until the rescue was a sess.Fortunately, Neia and Shizu were not spotted, and they continued forward.There were few guards within the castle thanks to most of the personnel being assigned to the walls and the watchtowers, as well as the city¡¯s prisons. The Sorcerer King had killed a great deal of demihumans, which meant that they could not set up a tight security. Thus, vignce within the castle had grownx, ording to the Zern.The reason why they could proceed safely was because the Zern had reconnoitered the area ahead of time and made near-perfect preparations, but Neia still felt a twinge of uneasiness.There were two challenges in their way.The first was the long passageway they had to traverse in order to reach the tower.The second was the bridge to the tower ¨D the aerial walkway.There were no hiding ces in either location, and obviously there would be sentries standing watch as well. They would not be alone either. In addition, at least one of them would be stationed out of the line of fire for ranged weapons because they were on guard against ranged attacks.While they had discussed the matter in a big group in front of Gustav¡¯s map, they would still have to pass through both these ces in order to reach the tower.If we could use ¡¸Invisibility¡¹ to deceive their eyesight and ¡¸Silence¡¹ from the priests to deceive their hearing, we would be able to infiltrate perfectly... that¡¯s why adventurers ¨D who form groups that can take on all kinds of situations ¨D are so highly valued.Eventually, the two of them reached their objective.This was the first challenge, the long passageway. If they tried to run straight down it, they would be spotted before they could cover the distance. In order to avoid that, they needed to reach a location where they could execute ranged attacks while not being spotted by the opposition.That was why they hade here, the level above the long passage, the room directly above where the guards were stationed.If they lowered a rope from here and rappelled down the outer walls, they could take a shortcut without being detected.¡°...Here?¡±In response to Shizu¡¯s question, Neia consulted the map in her head and the route they had taken, and nodded a yes.¡°...Hm. Not bad.¡±Shizu¡¯s reply sounded like she was praising a junior, and then she pressed her ear to the door. Then, she quickly and silently opened it.While the room was filled with various sundry items, it looked like it had not been used in a long time, and there was a whiteyer of dust on the ground. However, there were traces that the Zern scouts had been here. They had moved between the window and a veryrge shelf.Shizu produced a rope out of nowhere. It was the same color as the castle wall.After that, she secured it to therge shelf. She used all her strength to tug on it to see if it could take the weight of Neia and herself, but it did not budge, and it showed no signs of fraying.The size ¨D and weight ¨D of the shelf was a factor, but the web-like strands stuck to the shelves was probably more important. The Zern who hade to this room beforehand had fixed it in ce with sticky threads taken from the Spidans.The window opened easily, and Shizu looked at the city walls outside. After verifying that there were no patrolling guards in sight, Shizu slung her weapon onto her back and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go first.¡±She threw herself out of the window and slid down the rope to the window below.She took her weight on one hand and used the other to push open the next window, which opened easily. That too had been the work of the Zern.Shizu then slid inside. Her skillful movements had only taken a few seconds.After confirming that the room below was safe, Shizu poked her face out and beckoned to Neia.Neia grabbed the rope and leaned out of the window.While the window on the floor below was only four meters away, they were now over a hundred meters off the ground. If Neia fell, she would meet with a horrible death. No, it would be worse if she did not die. She would surely be tortured until she gave up what she knew and then she would be killed. Falling to her death would be a merciful alternative.The rope had evenly spaced knots along its length ¨D handholds, in other words ¨D and there had been no problems during the several practice sessions they had conducted. However, training feltpletely different from the real thing.Ahh, I really don¡¯t want to go...But she had no choice. If only there was something like a balcony that she could just jump down on¨DNeia gripped the rope tightly as she pushed her entire body out of the window. She crossed her legs to firmly sp the rope between her thighs.After this, all she had to do was descend slowly.The ground¡¯s just a little lower. The ground¡¯s just a little lower.She slowly went down the rope, reminding herself not to look down over and over again.She shifted her weight from her right hand, and then to the left, just what like she had practiced. The wind blew and made her body shake at an intensity that could not bepared to training at all.Come on,e on,e on, me! Shizu should have been more scared than this!The window was open because of the Zerns¡¯ help.However, if someone had locked the window after the Zerns opened it, then Shizu would have had to climb back up. With that in mind, Neia ¨D who only needed to make a single trip ¨D had it easy inparison.She finally approached the window, and Shizu reached out to grab Neia¡¯s body. Thus, she pulled Neia in with incredible strength.¡°Thank, thank you.¡±¡°...Mm. But, too long... I¡¯m taking it in, hold this.¡±¡°Yes.¡±Shizu leaned out of the window and raised her spell gun. Neia held the rope as indicated. There was a pop-hiss of expelled air and Neia felt a force tugging on the rope. Shizu had cut it with her weapon.She pulled the severed rope back into the room and dumped it in the corner. They would not be using this route on the way back, so she had pulled it back in rather than let it dangle freely, but there were merits and drawbacks to that.The merit was that it minimized the risk of being spotted by the sentries on the walls.The drawback was that if anything happened and they could not exfiltrate by their nned route, they would not be able to climb to the upper floor with this rope.In the end, the two of them had decided that the drawbacks of being spotted outweighed the merits.¡°It¡¯s done, Shizu-san. Next we need to get past the first obstacle...¡±¡°...Mm. Let¡¯s go... Got to kill them. Can you do it?¡±¡°Mm. I think I can.¡±Once they stepped out of this room, they would be in a position to shoot the sentries stationed along the passage.If they could not kill them before they raised the rm, all their effort would be wasted.Neia took out her bow and nocked an arrow. Shizu raised her magic gun as well.¡°I¡¯ll take the right, you take the left, Shizu-san.¡±Shizu formed a circle with her thumb and her index finger.The two of them exchanged looks, and then Shizu pushed open the door.Neia made eye contact with a nearby demihuman, about one and a half meters away. He did not know what was going on or who they were. The demihuman was so surprised that he could not parse the situation, but Neia did not hesitate and put an arrow into him.With a katsun, the arrow pierced his skull through the forehead.I did it!While Neia¡¯s skills had yed a part, most of the work had been done by the Ultimate Shootingstar Super.Thank you, Your Majesty!Just as Neia¡¯s arrow pierced the demihuman through the head, Shizu¡¯s spell gun blew off half of the other demihuman¡¯s head.The demihumans made more noise when they copsed than Neia had expected. Neia hurriedly pricked up her ears. Fortunately, she could not hear anyone running towards this ce. It would seem nobody had spotted them yet.¡°...Hurry.¡±They had already assigned their tasks beforehand. As Shizu dragged the corpses into the room they had just entered with the rope, Neia used the smell-clearing item Shizu had lent her. After that, she reached for the waterskin on her belt and poured the powerful wine within all over the ce, washing away the chunks of meat, brains, skull and bloodstains on the ground. As the stench of alcohol filled the air, Shizu emerged from the room, then produced an empty wine jug and poured a little bit of the jug¡¯s wine inside before quietly ripping it up and leaving it in ce.¡°...Let¡¯s go.¡±¡°Yes.¡±While they had tried to cover it up, it was very likely that the next shift would sense something was up when they came to take over. She would be able to rx if they could put the bodies into Shizu¡¯s mysterious pocket dimension, but Shizu said that she would not do so, thus they left the corpses in the room. Of course, they had made preparations there too, but there was no way to make sure that they would not be found.They had to assume that they did not have the luxury of ample time.Eventually, they reached the second obstacle, the aerial walkway. Of the several scenarios they hade up with, this was the closest to being ideal. They still had time and nobody had spotted them yet.¡°...It¡¯s a race against time now.¡±¡°I know. If I slip, don¡¯t worry about me.¡±The path from the castle to the tower was roughly two people wide.There were no walls on either side ¨D it was open to the air. Apparently several people had fallen off the side before, and after seeing this, all she could think of was that it was only to be expected.This aerial walkway was the reason why this ce was the final redoubt when engaging invaders during a siege.Arge force could not pass through here, so an advantage in numbers would be nullified. At the same time, there was also the risk of falling. If there was a spear line at the end of the path, breaking through would be very difficult. This design was the kind that attackers hated. One would need magic casters with attack spells like ¡¸Fireball¡¹ to take it down.Using ranged weapons for a sustained attack was disadvantageous for Neia¡¯s side, which was operating stealthily and under time constraints. Therefore, all they could do was charge into close range and finish off the enemy, while the enemy could hit them with ranged weapons and they did not have the benefit of cover.In that case, they would need to close the gap before the sentries spotted them. But at a closer look, the path was uneven. It was designed to slow down anyone trying to run across and force them to slip and fall off the sides.This is dangerous... if an enemy runs into me and grabs me... I¡¯ll fall off and die. If I¡¯m not careful...!After screwing up her determination, Neia realised Shizu was staring at her. Although they were of the same sex, being stared at by Shizu, the doll-like beauty, made Neia a little embarrassed.¡°W-What?¡±¡°...Using it... Neia, wait here.¡±¡°Eh?¡±¡°...I¡¯ll take care of the door guards. No matter what happens, don¡¯te out.¡±¡°¨DEh?¡±Before she could get an answer, Shizu vanished.She had disappeared. This was not some kind of high speed movement. Shizu had been standing here until just now and then she had vanished into the air like she had been an illusion.A wave of confusion assaulted Neia. However, Shizu had already told her to wait, so she ought to stay here and wait.Neia concealed herself at the entrance to the aerial walkway and listened carefully to the tower and the path behind her for anything out of the ordinary.Several secondster ¨D something happened at the guard post.She heard a scream and then the sound of a guard copsing.Neia poked her face out to see what was going on and saw Shizu emerge from the guard post. Shizu waved to beckon Neia over.As Neia began to panic and wonder what was happening, Shizu¡¯s waving gesture grewrger, until her entire body was moving.Could she not go, now that Shizu had done that much?Neia bent low, then ran across the windswept, frightening aerial walkway as she paid attention to her footing.After she was across, she could smell blood from the guard post. Several dead demihumansy on the ground, and Shizu stood inside, with her usual nk expression. She held what looked like a very sharp andrge knife in her right hand. The de was smeared bright red, and she had her spell gun in her left hand.¡°...Clear. Move in.¡±¡°Ah, yes...¡±¡°...Can¡¯t disappear again today. Be careful.¡±¡°Got it.¡±It would seem there was no need to exin, so Neia did not ask, but merely followed behind her.That¡¯s a maid demon for you, Neia thought.

    She could not havee all this way without Shizu.And this is also thanks to the order His Majesty gave to Shizu.Only the Sorcerer King could inspire greater respect in people even when he was not present.Honestly, the fact that he was undead or whatever was a trifling problem.I need to let everyone know, after all. I need to tell them how great a person His Majesty is!The tower was almostpletely made of stone and it only had a small window for light. It was darker than the castle that they had pass through earlier.The passage inside the tower was quite spacious, big enough for Neia and Shizu to walk side by side. It spiralled up along the inside of the tower¡¯s wall.Their objective, the Zern prince, ought to be near the top, so the only thing they did when passing doors along the way was check for movement inside while the two of them continued ever upwards.About two circuitster, Shizu raised her hand to signal that they should stop. This happened almost at the same time as Neia¡¯s keen hearing picked up some creature¡¯s footsteps.It would seem it was wearing metal armor, because she could hear the sound of metal striking stone.¡°It¡¯s alone, Shizu-san.¡±¡°...Yes. But... heavy footsteps.¡±Neia could not tell, but if Shizu said it, then it was probably so. In other words, whatever it was, it was not human-sized.¡°What... should we do? Should we hide behind one of the doors we passed along the way?¡±¡°...It¡¯s already here. Kill it.¡±¡°Got it.¡±Neia readied her bow after Shizu. Her n was to shoot first and not bother with questions. She had heard that the Zern prince was about the size of a human child. In addition, he would not be wearing metal armor.A massive object came into view, and Neia and Shizu attacked without hesitation.The arrow and bullets entered its body, as though they had been sucked in.¡°Gaaahhhh!¡±The massive object stumbled, and backed up along the path.Since it had retreated along a curved path, it was no longer in the line of fire.The fact that it had survived their attacks ¨D particrly Shizu¡¯s ¨D suggested that it was a very tough demihuman.¡°What! Who are you!?¡±An angry cry echoed from the depths of the passage.¡°What should we do, Shizu-san?¡±¡°...Can¡¯t sit here and wait... Close in and attack before the enemy gathers the tower guards.¡±¡°Understood.¡±Neia and Shizu broke into a run.Since it could survive Shizu and Neia¡¯s surprise attack, they could assume that it was the guardian ¨D a Vah Un. Vah Uns were beings which possessed very good overall fighting power and a shocking amount of stamina.As they ran, the humidity in the air seemed to increase as well ¨D Neia¡¯s nose picked up the scent of rain.¡°Goooaahhh! To think there¡¯d be humans here!¡±After closing in, they saw a massive demihuman.While it possessed the savage air of an Ogre, it looked much more intelligent than an Ogre.Its skin was bluish-white, though it looked more demonic than unhealthy.It had a single thick horn on its forehead. It carried a mace that was bigger than Neia.Judging by its physical appearance, it was quite simr to the descriptions of the species known as Vah Uns.While it was not as bad as Buser, it was still quite a dangerous opponent. The arrow and bullets had clearly hit it, but it did seem to be wounded. There was no smell of blood either, so it would seem it had not covered it up with illusions.Somehow, it had negated their attacks ¨D particrly Shizu¡¯s.¡°So you¡¯re here for my life, are you!? You¡¯ve got good eyes on you, humans!!!¡±It seemed very happy.In that case, she would let it remain mistaken¨D¡°...No.¡±Shizu fired as she spoke.There was a pop-hiss of expelled gas as something flew through the air. After that, part of the Vah Un¡¯s body dissolved into mist and the bullet passed through.¡°...Hm.¡±¡°Wahahahaha! Ranged weapons are useless against me!¡±Neia loosed an arrow at the Vah Un¡¯s forehead, but its head also sublimated into mist and the arrow sank into the wall behind it.¡°¨DUseless! It¡¯s useless! Now quiver in fear of me, for I am the bane of all archers, and then die!¡±¡°...Immune to all ranged weapons? On something that¡¯s only that strong?¡± Shizu muttered. ¡°There must be a trick.¡±Neia nced at Shizu and shook her head. Unfortunately, the Zerns did not know any details about its abilities.¡°What are you thering about!¡±¡°Back up!¡±The Vah Un closed the gap. The sight of its massive body approaching them felt off, like her sense of distance was messed up.Neia would not be able to survive a single hit from it, so she obediently listened to Shizu and fell back.Shizu stood on the frontline, and the mace mmed down on her. The strike was like a howling storm, but she elegantly evaded it.The Vah Un¡¯s strength was extraordinary, given that it could swing a weapon that was as tall as Shizu with one hand. The stone was shattered where it had struck the ground, and cracks radiated in all directions. It felt like the massive tower was shaking.¡°Tch!¡±Neia loosed an arrow.While the Vah Un was locked in melee with Shizu, there was a huge difference between their body sizes. If she aimed up, she could strike the Vah Un without hitting Shizu.As expected, the Vah Un transformed into mist in order to avoid the arrow whistling through the air.¡°Useless! Useless! I told you arrows are useless against me! Foolish ¨D uwoooooh!¡±The Vah Un roared even louder than before. Shizu seemed to find it annoying and hacked at him.While Shizu¡¯s shooting skills were far superior to Neia¡¯s, she was not as skilled in closebat, so unfortunately, her strike was blocked by the mace.Neia nocked and drew back another arrow.This time, Neia aimed for the hand holding the mace. While it was very likely that the weapon would not drop even if it turned to mist, she decided that she had to try, however small the possibility.In the end¨DThe mist-formed arm did not release the mace.¡°Aren¡¯t you going to stop, human!?¡± The Vah Un presented a palm to Neia. ¡°¡¸Water Ssh¡¹!¡±A ball of water flew out at Neia.Something hit her right shoulder. Neia was sent flying and fell to the ground.It hurt like she had been savagely beaten. She might even have broken bones.After nervously trying to move her right arm, she found that it could move without issue. However, a torrent of pain spread from her shoulder inside her body. She touched her shoulder and found that it was wet. While she was afraid that it was blood at first, she immediately realized that it was water.¡°Hmph! You made me use a petty spell!¡±The Vah Un swung its mace as it spat its reply at them.Shizu muttered quietly to herself as she nimbly avoided a deadly stroke that could have smashed Neia to bits.¡°...Why that girl? Why attack someone who can¡¯t hit you? I don¡¯t get it.¡±¡°Hah, you idiot! That¡¯s because she¡¯s a pain¨D¡±¡°¨DBecause it was effective? Limited uses?¡±The Vah Un¡¯s face changed. In other words, Shizu was right.¡°Neia!¡±¡°Got it!¡±Neia loosed an arrow, which the Vah Un avoided by turning into mist. After that, she fired again ¨D and the arrow pierced into the Vah Un.As the Vah Un grunted in pain, Shizu spoke.¡°...I understand. You can only defend against seven ranged attacks. Is that... per day? Per hour? ...Doesn¡¯t matter. You¡¯ll die here.¡±The Vah Un could not catch up to Shizu, who dodged with amazing skill. In other words, if this kept up, it would take a one-sided beating and die. Perhaps the Vah Un had sensed this would happen, because its face knotted up.¡°Damn you! ¡¸Fog Cloud¡¹!¡±A bank of fog sprang up.It was thicker than the fog she had seen in the Sorcerous Kingdom, and Neia did not even know her own location. While she could not see Shizu fighting against the Vah Un, she could hear Shizu¡¯s spell gun going pew pew pew.When she thought about it, that was obvious.Even if the Vah Un conjured fog in the middle of the passageway, she still knew where it was. All she had to do was keep shooting. Neia followed Shizu¡¯s lead andunched arrows. She was a little worried. so she aimed up high; that way even if she missed, she would not hit Shizu.The arrow she loosed melted into the fog, and it was followed by the sound of something striking the wall. It would seem she had missed.¡°It¡¯s moving behind you now.¡±As Shizu said that, Neia thought Eh?When one considered the size of the passageway, it was impossible for the massive Vah Un to get behind Shizu and Neia without bumping into them. However, along the way here, Neia hade to realize that Shizu was a trustworthy demon. Or rather, she did not trust Shizu so much as she trusted the Sorcerer King which she served.Neia turned, and while the fog was still so thick she could not see anything, she loosed another arrow.Just like before, she heard the sound of an arrow striking a distant wall.¡°Where, Where is it!?¡±¡°..Mm. You¡¯re looking in the right direction. It¡¯s trying to run... get down!¡±Neia instantly dropped prone as Shizu spoke in a tone that was very forceful for her.¡°...Reloading... full burst.¡±There was a piercing kyuuuuun and then a cacophonous dakka dakka dakka dakka thundered down the passageway. Unlike the pew pew sound from before, this was a sound that was filled with an oppressive brutality.¡°Gobooh~¡± There was the sound of someone coughing up something, followed by a crash as a massive body hit the ground. After that, the mist cleared, and she could see the body of the Vah Un lying along the curved passage.Its body was covered in holes, and it looked like it had been blown apart. There were simr marks all around the nearby walls. What had happened to cause this?As a demihuman assigned to guard this ce, it should have been quite strong. In truth, Neia alone would not have stood a chance at all. Yet Shizu could instantly kill a demihuman like this as long as her weapon was effective against it. That was a difficulty 150 maid demon for you.¡°What... was... no. With magic, you can do anything, huh.¡±Neia worked her stricken shoulder. She had forgotten the pain during the excitement of battle, but now it was starting to hurt more and more.¡°...Okay?¡±¡°Mm. But it hurts to draw a bow. I don¡¯t think I can aim well.¡±¡°...Got a healing potion?¡±¡°No, but I have a healing item His Majesty lent me.¡±Neia could only use it once during that battle, but now she felt like she could use it more often. Still, that did not mean she could waste mana, because she might need to heal Shizu if the situation called for it.¡°Don¡¯t worry. We just need to rescue the hostage and retreat.¡±¡°...Mm. Then let¡¯s hurry.¡±Neia nodded and ran with Shizu. The Vah Un, which was most definitely a worthy opponent, had been defeated.All that remained was to rescue the prince and return to therder.<b>Part 3</b>¡°...Here.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Having reached the topmost level, Shizu and Neia exchanged looks. There was only one door here. That would mean it was undoubtedly their objective.

    They nodded to each other, and then kicked the door in.They had long since abandoned any thoughts of a covert entry. After all, they had just fought a big battle with the Vah Un. That said, the two of them leaned against the threshold of the door, in case someone attacked them in the instant it opened.

    However, their caution had been in vain. Therefore, they both leapt into the room at the same time. Neia grit her teeth against the pain from her shoulder and went left, while Shizu went right, and they both covered each other.The first thing they saw was arge, canopied bed. Perhaps itsce trimmings had once been white, but age had ckened them. The room also contained a simple dresser and human-sized furniture such as a cab and others. These pieces of noble-styled furniture were old and damaged, and they did not look like antiques so much as used goods.A quick nce across the room revealed no demihumans.

    Shizu raised her chin to signal to Neia, and Neia silently approached the cab before opening its doors. Of course, Neia opened it from the outside and stayed out of its way in case anything happened, while Shizu pointed the muzzle of her spell gun at the interior of the cab. ¡°...Not here.¡±After that, the two of them looked to the bed.They checked that there was nothing underneath it, and then they approached the bed.

    Part of it was bulging up.

    Neia looked to Shizu before nodding to show she understood, and then she flipped up the nket.

    There was a pretty-looking lump of lustrous purple meat there. No, it would be better to say it was a huge maggot. It was about 90 centimeters long, and it did not have hands, but stubby feet.

    Shizu pointed her gun¡¯s muzzle at it without any hesitation, and Neia hurriedly called out to her.¡°Wait! That¡¯s the target we were sent to rescue, the prince of the Zern!¡±

    ¡°...This?¡±

    That was what the Zern envoy had told Neia. However, she could understand Shizu¡¯s doubts, because Neia had been quite confused herself when the Zern had given her the description of the Zern prince.

    The Zern were a species of demihumans whose royalty looked very different from other individuals of their species. In addition to that, they ought to be sexually dimorphic too.

    ¡°Er, can you hear us, Zern prince-sama?¡±

    ¡°¨DMm. Speak. It seems you are not my food.¡±

    He sounded like a teenager. Neia was curious as to where his voice wasing from and examined him, whereupon she saw that his maggot mouth was opening and closing.¡°That¡¯s right. We¡¯ve been asked to rescue you. Let¡¯s start by getting you out of here.¡±

    He was still a prince, even if he looked like this, so she had to abide by the rules of etiquette. In addition, she would need his race¡¯s help when finding the Sorcerer King. Therefore, she ought to do him a favor now, instead of offending him. ¡°Was it a request from my eggmates rades)? Who asked you to do this?¡±

    ¡°It was a Zern called Beebeebee. Do you know her?¡±

    ¡°Beebeebee, you say? Ah, her, then? Hm... But if I leave this ce, Jaldabaoth...-sama will be angry. This will ce the Zern people and particrly the King in danger.¡±

    ¡°While I¡¯m not too sure about the details, it seems the King has passed away, so we must rescue you at the very least. That is why the Zern made this request of us.¡±

    ¡°What!?¡±

    It was impossible for a human like Neia to read the expressions of the Zern prince, who could not be anything but a gigantic maggot. However, she could clearly sense the profound sorrow in his voice.

    ¡°Oh, Father was actually... I see. That bastard Jaldabaoth... In that case, can you get us safely out of here?¡±

    ¡°Your Highness¡¯ underlings will be guiding us out, so I think it should be fine.¡±

    ¡°I see... oh human heroes, who havee this far to aid me, I have a shameless request for you. Can you pretend that you carried me off by force while I was resisting you?¡±

    That request was probably just in case.

    ¡°I understand. We shall pretend it is so.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±

    The prince raised his head. While it looked just like a maggot raising its head, this was probably how his species expressed their gratitude.

    Neia wrapped the prince up in the sheets like a baby ¨D if he had been a baby, he would have been scared to tears; she had experienced that twice now ¨D and carried him on her back.She firmly tied the nket around her chest, so it would not loosen even when she was moving vigorously.The weight on her shoulder made Neia hurt. She wiped away the sweat beading on her forehead and used the ne¡¯s magic.Her wounds healed instantly. Now she would be fine even if she had to run with the prince on her back.¡°Are you feeling alright? If it hurts, please tell me right away.¡±¡°No, I am not ufortable... but you smell delicious. It makes me hungry.¡±

    Hearing those words spoken from the vicinity of her neck made Neia shudder.¡±¡°...What do the Zerns eat?¡±Shizu asked a question which Neia did not want to ask.¡°The bodily fluids of living creatures, be they alive or dead.¡±A chill ran down Neia¡¯s spine.¡°...I¡¯ll get angry if you do anything weird to my junior.¡±¡°There is no need to worry. I am not hungry enough to do such a thing to the heroes who came to rescue me. While I have not been allowed to leave even once since the day they brought me here, they took care to feed me, at least.¡±If she knew exactly what they fed him with, she would probably have dropped him like a ton of bricks, so Neia hurriedly stopped listening. Fortunately, Shizu did not ask further.¡°...Alright, let¡¯s go.¡±¡°Okay.¡±¡°Please do.¡±After that brief exchange, the two ¨D three of them began to move. There was no time to waste on idle chatter during a ndestine infiltration.Fortunately, they managed to return to therder without incident. This was when Shizu raised her hand to stop them.¡°...There are people inside.¡±¡°I¡¯ll leave them to you.¡±Shizu readied her spell gun and forcefully opened the door.Then, she stopped. Shizu looked back.¡°...Not sure who they are. Zerns. Many of them.¡±They ought to be the recovery team. Specifically, they were the Zerns who had brought Neia and Shizu here.They had probably arrived first because Neia and Shizu had beenter than they had said.After entering the room, the five Zerns inside turned as one to them. The sight of these monsters with unreadable faces doing the same thing together generated a feeling inside Neia that was either fear or revulsion.Neia undid the sheets on her back, and revealed the Zern prince within.¡°Ohhh! It¡¯s the Prince!¡±It was Beebeebee. Neia would not have been able to tell them apart if they did not speak. However, if they were as different from each other as the prince was from them, she might not even have been able to tell if they were fellow Zern.¡°Oh eggmates of mine. I hear my father has passed on. I know that he ¨D Jaldabaoth ¨D does not intend to keep his word. But where will we flee after betraying Jaldabaoth? He has already conquered ournds, and installed his trusted demons as their rulers... are we not destroying ourselves by choosing to rebel?¡±¡°Your Highness is correct to be worried. But to him, the Zern are no different from livestock. Our hero Boobeebee was a littlete to arrive before him, yet it was judged enough reason to have the flesh torn from her shoulder.¡±¡°What! Boobeebee, you say!?¡±The Prince¡¯s shuddering told Neia that said Zern must have been of quite some status.¡°Once everything is over, will the Zern find a ce under Jaldabaoth¡¯s rule? We have determined that the answer is no. My Prince, there is no time, let us save these words for¨D¡±¡°¨DYou fools. Can we leave that question until after we run? This is the turning point. Once we cross it, we must follow our course to its very end. Now is the only time we can turn back. Tell me, once we go back to our hive, once we go back to our hills, how do you intend to live on?¡±¡°That... thatnd is vast. Surely there will be a ce where we can hide.¡±¡°You think so? Do you intend to have the species walk the road to destruction for this fleeting, wavering chance? Give me a more concrete, more practical solution.¡±¡°In, in that case, not everyone is in service to Jaldabaoth, we could form a resistance...¡±¡°You fool. That will only invite destruction from Jaldabaoth. An ant swarm draws more attention than a single ant.¡±Beebeebee fell silent as the prince shot down each and every proposal. It would be bad if this went on. Neia and the others had carried out this dangerous operation to this stage. If the prince now went, ¡°We can¡¯t do it after all¡±, their efforts would have been wasted.It was then that Neia came up with something to soothe the prince¡¯s worries.¡°Ah, in that case, why not have the Zern go to the Sorcerous Kingdom?¡±¡°The Sorcerous Kingdom? What is that?¡±It was not just the Zerns, but also Shizu who looked to her.¡°Yes. It is the country where Momon resides. He is the hero who once drove off Jaldabaoth in the Kingdom.¡±Neia sensed the Zerns were staring at her, but she did not know the implications of their looks. How could humans understand a Zern¡¯s expressions?¡°Is what you say true?¡±That single sentence was enough for Neia to understand why the Zerns had kept quiet. They doubted the truth of Neia¡¯s words. But that was only to be expected. The better one knew Jaldabaoth¡¯s power, the harder it was to believe that anyone could defeat him.¡°I mean every word. I learned this through reliable channels. In fact ¨D Shizu-san?¡±¡°...She¡¯s right. Neia speaks the truth.¡±¡°Also¨D¡± this was the crucial part. Neia psyched herself up internally. ¡°If you go to the Sorcerous Kingdom like this, I am sure they will ept you as refugees.¡±¡°Refugees, you say...¡±There was bitterness in the prince¡¯s voice.¡°But if you can provide information about the Sorcerer King of the Sorcerous Kingdom, I am sure that you will not be slighted even when you go there.¡±¡°Hold on, hold on. Why would they be happy to hear about their own King?¡±¡°Ah, yes. Right now... ah... The Sorcerer King¡¯s location is unclear...¡±¡°Is that not very bad? In the worst case scenario, he might even be dead, is that not true?¡±¡°A moment please. His Majesty cannot possibly be dead. There is concrete evidence, and we are verifying it now.¡±Neia told them about how the Sorcerer King might have fallen to the hills where the demihumans lived, so she wanted to count on their help to search for him. The prince fell silent. Is it not going to work? Neia thought, but since she had already made her pitch, she could say nothing more. The ball was now in their court.Also, even if they could not provide any direct assistance, they ought to be able to at least provide knowledge, as they had promised.¡°...I see. If we do them a favor... but will we be epted, as demihumans? The Sorcerous Kingdom is a nation of humans, is it not?¡±¡°No, it is not. The Sorcerous Kingdom is a nation ruled by one of the undead.¡±¡°The undead!?¡±Both the prince and the Zern surrounding him eximed as one.¡°Are you telling us to go to such a dangerous ce!?¡±Every race harbored a strong hatred of the undead. Even Neia had been that way before she hade to understand the Sorcerer King. She was moved by the realization that the people before her were simr to how she had been not too long ago.¡°A moment please. The Sorcerous Kingdom might be ruled by one of the undead, but its great ruler is an open-minded and noble king, and I have personally witnessed humans coexisting peacefully with demihumans within the country.¡±¡°You¡¯re actually calling the undead great, I can¡¯t believe humans are so¨D¡±¡°¨DThat¡¯s enough. Neia-dono, I apologize if my subjects have given offense. However, is the Sorcerer King truly as great as you say he is?¡±¡°Yes.¡±Neia held her chest high as she replied to the prince¡¯s question.¡°... We cannot read the expressions of human beings. But I understand that someone as brave as you ¨D who has delved deep behind enemy lines in order to effect a daring rescue ¨D must be making such a statement with the utmost confidence. Therefore, I shall believe in him as well ¨D not the Sorcerer King who is one of the undead, but the Sorcerer King in whom you have ced your faith. Let us entrust ourselves to the Sorcerer King, then.¡±¡°Ohhhh!¡± the Zerns cried out in joy.¡°It seems we have reached a decision. In that case, I pray you will flee to the Sorcerous Kingdom with all due haste, my prince. Unfortunately, there is some very bad news, namely that one of Jaldabaoth¡¯s trusted demons will being soon. I thought it would be a few more days before he arrived... but it will be bad if we are found. Alright, let¡¯s go.¡±As a species, the Zern werergelyposed of females, with very few males. Pretty much only the king and the prince fell into thetter category. If a tribe¡¯s males were wiped out ¨D although there were cases where females could change sex ¨D the tribe would be set on the path to extinction.Therefore, the prince needed to flee to an absolutely safe ce ¨D the Sorcerous Kingdom, which was why they had had the preceding discussion.¡°Jaldabaoth¡¯s trusted demon? He¡¯sing?¡±There was a word the Zerns had said which she could not ignore.¡°Mmm. Have you not seen him? He has three trusted demons by his side, and one of them ising here.¡±¡°...We need to defeat him here.¡±As he heard Shizu¡¯s words, the prince ¨D who had been left on the ground ¨D suddenly thrashed around.¡°Are you insane!? You two must be quite strong to have been able to rescue me, but even then, you¡¯ll never be able to defeat him!¡±Thebel of ¡°strong¡± only applied to Shizu, but Neia could not find a chance to cut in and thus she could not clear things up.¡°...They say he teleports between many cities... Himing here is a rare opportunity. If you miss it, you won¡¯t get another chance.¡±¡°That is true...¡±¡°My prince!¡±¡°Calm down and think about it. If we can kill one of Jaldabaoth¡¯s aides, his chain ofmand will fall into chaos, and it will be harder for them to find us, who are not heading for the hills but for the Sorcerous Kingdom... then, is it possible to defeat him?¡±¡°...Don¡¯t know. But this is the only chance.¡±¡°Then let¡¯s take it. I¡¯ll bet on the strength that let the two of you kill the Vah Un!¡± the Prince said. He had been quite shocked when he saw the demihuman¡¯s corpse on the way back. ¡°Listen well, all of you. From now on, we will help the two of them defeat the wicked Jaldabaoth¡¯s minion!¡±¡°Yes!¡±¡°There are two humans, and six of us. Until recently, the eight of us were mutual enemies, but now we arerades in arms. Such is the stuff of which heroic sagas sing.¡±Eh? Surprised, Neia rechecked the number of Zern present, and after seeing that she had not been mistaken, she hurriedly spoke up.¡°Wait, please wait. You don¡¯t need to get involved in this, my prince. After all, we came here to protect you!¡±In addition, what could this prince do inbat? However kindly one wanted to interpret his intentions, he was still a gigantic maggot that crawled on the ground. Honestly, it would be less troublesome if he simply followed them like a battle standard.¡°I see, so to you, your mission is over since you have helped me escape. I see, I see. However, with my help, it should be easier to defeat Jaldabaoth¡¯s henchman. No, I should say that without me, it will be very hard for you to defeat him, even if you are the heroes who defeated the Vah Un.¡±Shizu had defeated the Vah Un by herself. Neia had nothing to do with it. Even so, the prince still counted her as a hero, which made her very embarrassed.¡°So, do you mean that we can do it if we get the help of all the Zerns?¡±The prince made a strange noise.¡°No, no, great heroes. It¡¯s not like that. I can cast spiritual spells of the fourth tier.¡±¡°The fourth tier?¡±Neia was surprised. The fourth tier of magic was a realm that only geniuses could barely reach after much hard work. In the Holy Kingdom, the only people who could cast such spells were the high priestess Krt Custodio and the Holy Queen Calca Bessarez.Neia nced to the side, thinking Shizu would be as surprised as herself, but Shizu¡¯s face was as nk as ever. That was a difficulty rating 150 maid demon for you ¨D such things did not even faze her..¡°A...ah...are all the Zern as powerful as you?¡±The prince made another strange sound, and thrashed like a caught fish.¡°I am special.¡±¡°Precisely. That¡¯s why he is the prince.¡±After hearing the Zern¡¯s proud voice, Neia mused, I see, and recalled the contents of the sses she had once taken.That¡¯s right. The royalty of some species are so much more powerful than themoners that they seem like a different species entirely...¡°That said, I do have a weakness... namely, I am very slow.¡±Well that¡¯s true, Neia thought. That much was obvious at a nce.¡°If someone gets close to me, I¡¯ll be killed without the chance to fight back. Therefore, may I trouble you to carry me? I can cast spells when signalled.¡±¡°I see. I understand what you wish to do. However, could the Zern ¨D that is to say, your royal guards ¨D not carry you instead of ourselves?¡±¡°Unlike our prince, we specialize in meleebat. The two of you fight from a distance, I believe?¡±¡°That is true... hm. It would be better if Shizu-san or I carried him... no, let¡¯s leave that aside for now. It would be bad if we dragged the prince into this and he ended up dying.¡±¡°...Neia. There is a special meaning to carrying the prince... That¡¯s why he suggested going with us.¡±¡°Fufufu. Indeed, there is. I say, do you know anything about him? That withered-tree demon who decorates himself with heads?¡±¡°...There are several demons like that. Silk Hats, Crowns, Circlets, and Coros.¡±Shizu counted the four types off on her fingers.¡°...I believe that henchman demon must be one of them. But... if we encounter a Silk Hat, we ought to flee. Even I could not win against one.¡±¡°So you knew!?¡±Neia was surprised, and then that feeling was reced by anger. When they had prepared for the mission, Shizu had said that she did not know much about the henchman demons.Had she lied to them?This was because if she was trying to keep information on Jaldabaoth¡¯s army from the Holy Kingdom, it would mean that Shizu had never been under the Sorcerer King¡¯s control from the start. It also meant that Shizu¡¯s existence did not prove anything about the Sorcerer King¡¯s safety,¡°...I trusted you! And in the end you were lying to me from the start!¡±Caught up in her emotions, Neia seized Shizu by the shoulders. She used a lot of force, but the maid demon did not seem hurt. It was not because Shizu had no emotions, but because that amount of strength was nothing to her.The unbearable regret and resentment made Neia want to cry. She had thought that she had forged a bond with Shizu, but in the end she had turned out to be nothing more than aughingstock. Neia could not help mocking herself.Shizu¡¯s face was as nk as ever. However, there was a subtle change there which only Neia could read.It was distress, contemtion, or perhaps ¨D remorse.¡°...I¡¯m sorry.¡±Shizu squeezed those words out after a long silence. It hardly qualified as an apology ¨D in fact, it only served to stoke the mes of her anger. But right now, Shizu seemed strangely helpless, and seeing her like this helped Neia regain a bit of herposure.Carefully, like she was doing something she had never tried before, Shizu quietly continued.¡°...If you knew how strong the henchman demon was, you and the others might have been afraid and not carried out the operation. But for the sake of Ainz-sama¡¯s victory... we must win this battle. That was why I lied.¡±Every word she said had been carefully considered before being put together into a heartfelt, agonized statement. But those words also contained a genuine and immovable faith.Neia did not know how to see through her lies. Not to mention she was a demon ¨D no, even if she were not a demon, Neia would not be able to tell if a nk-faced girl like her was speaking the truth.However, even if she were feeding information to Jaldabaoth as a spy, or trying to bring down the Holy Kingdom from the inside, Shizu¡¯s actions until now did not match up to those motivations. She ought to have acted more sensibly.And more than anything else, Neia wanted to believe Shizu. Part of that was because her existence was a testament to the Sorcerer King¡¯s survival, but also because the mysterious connection she had to Shizu was irreceable to Neia.¡°...All right. I believe you. But please, don¡¯t look down on me any more. I would dly face any danger or fear for His Majesty¡¯s sake.¡±Shizu looked visibly relieved. As expected, she could not have been a spy. As for why, that was because she was clearly not suited for it. As she thought that, a natural, unforced smile came back to Neia¡¯s face.¡°Alright, alright, can we get back to the previous topic? If you know so much about them, can you tell us about that demon¡¯s abilities?¡±¡°These demons all possess the same abilities, but they are not very strong in their base forms. However, the problem arises when these demons are able to obtain the heads of intelligent creatures... particrly those of magic casters.¡±ording to Shizu, demons of that type could equip themselves with the heads of magic casters and use the powers of the heads¡¯ owners. Silk Hats could use four heads at once, Crowns could use three, Circlets could use two, and Coros could use one. Their threat level rose exponentially if they managed to obtain the heads of exceptional magic casters.¡°No matter how good a head a Coro equips, it can only cast spells of up to the third tier. Silk Hats, on the other hand, can cast spells of up to the tenth¨D¡±¡°Wait!¡±¡°Hold on!¡±Both the prince and Neia interrupted Shizu.Neia and the prince exchanged looks. While Neia could not read the prince¡¯s face, Neia was certain that he was thinking the same thing as her.¡°...After you.¡±¡°Umu... er, did you say tenth tier? Are fifth tier spells not the highest tier of magic?¡±It was as the prince said. Neia had heard that this was the limit of magic. The reason why she felt that the Sorcerer King could use sixth tier spells also stemmed from that.In response to the prince¡¯s question, Shizu shook her head as if to say, Haa, what will I do with you?¡°...The tenth tier is the highest tier of magic. The spell that Jaldabaoth used to call down meteors from the sky also belongs to that tier.¡±¡°How, how can we beat ¨D eh? Eh? No way! Don¡¯t tell me, His Majesty, who stood with Jaldabaoth...¡±As the shocking truth hit Neia, the prince was also shuddering in shock.¡°The tenth tier? No. It can¡¯t be, right? The tenth tier... Could it be true... And to think, I was so proud of myself and my fourth tier...¡±No, the fourth tier was already very powerful. He would have been justified in being arrogant. There were precious few magic casters who could reach that level.¡°Shizu... I¡¯d like to check something, but... can His Majesty use spells of the tenth tier... too?¡±¡°...But of course.¡±Why are you still saying this? Shizu¡¯s tone seemed to imply. She sounded like she was rolling her eyes. It might have been the first time that Neia had so clearly discerned Shizu¡¯s feelings.The prince, who was a fellow magic caster, was twitching from the tremendous shock.¡°Hah? Hah? So the king of thend to which we are fleeing ¨D the Sorcerer King ¨D is such a powerful undead being? Does mastery of the tenth tier mean he is over twice as powerful as me?¡±¡°...Haaa.¡± Shizu sighed deeply. ¡°His Majesty.¡±¡°Eh?¡±¡°...Call him His Majesty.¡±¡°Ah, yes, yes. His Majesty is truly powerful...¡±When one thought calmly about it, Shizu had actually been quite brusque with the prince of an entire tribe, but since Shizu was speaking about matters of fact, Neia tacitly acknowledged her actions as she expressed her agreement.¡°Indeed, Prince-sama. His Majesty is incredibly powerful!¡±¡°Ah, yes.¡±¡°...Prince. If you could find someone that powerful, he would be in your debt!¡±¡°You, you¡¯re absolutely right! Then we shall give your earlier proposal ¨D to search for His Majesty in the hills ¨D our fullest support!¡±Neia clenched her fists in excitement.¡°Thank you very much, Prince-sama. ¨DNow then, Shizu, could you continue what you were saying just now?¡±¡°...About how powerful Ainz-sama is?¡±¡°We were talking about that henchman of Jaldabaoth. Ah, I¡¯d like to hear about the Sorcerer King as well ¨D could you tell me more after we return safely?¡±¡°...Hm. Multi-head demons with multiple equipped heads can use them all at once and cast multiple spells at a time, but there are several conditions. First, each head can only use two spells at once. In addition, there is a limit on how many tiers of spells which can be cast at once. For instance, Silk Hats can cast a maximum of 15 tiers of spells at once¨D¡±¡°¨D15 tiers! Do spells go up to a maximum of 15 tiers!?¡±¡°...They don¡¯t go that high. The tiers of the spells added together can be up to 15.¡±The prince writhed in relief at Shizu¡¯s answer.The fact that Neia could surmise a bit of how the prince felt through his actions began to frighten her.¡°...Moving on. The important thing is how many heads that demon can equip at once.¡±¡°Two. One is a demihuman head, and the other is the head of a human like yourselves.¡±Neia had a bad feeling about this. Jaldabaoth had been holding a human body back then. Had its upper half not been missing?¡°What was that human head like, Prince-sama?¡±¡°Unfortunately, I cannot tell apart individuals of species other than my own. Ah, I do know about the other head. It belonged to the queen of the demihuman species called the Pandecks. Her name was the Grand Mother.¡±Neia wanted to ask more about the Pandecks and the Grand Mother, but Neia had more pressing things she needed to learn.¡°I¡¯d like to ask about the human. What color was her hair?¡±¡°By hair do you mean the fur on the head? It was light ck.¡±¡°ck? So it doesn¡¯t belong to someone from the Holy Kingdom?¡±Neia¡¯s heart was somewhat at ease. For a moment, she had wondered if the head belonged to the Holy Queen. Now that her guess had been proven wrong, she felt a sense of profound relief. At the same time, Neia noted that this might be a hint to another riddle.She had heard that humans from the southern regions generally had ck hair. So that¡¯s it, Neia thought. Had Jaldabaothe from there, she wondered.To the Holy Kingdom, the southern regions were not and that was ruled by humans. Less than half the poption was human, and many of those had the blood of other species, and that number was steadily increasing. ording to what Neia knew, only the Holy Kingdom, the Empire, and the Kingdom were ruled by human royalty. The City-State Alliance and the Theocracy did not have royal families.So that was why no news about Jaldabaoth had reached these human-dominated countries.¡°...Incidentally, multi-head demons cannot use the abilities of heads which do not belong to magic casters. They do not gain the abilities of warriors by equipping a warrior¡¯s head. That is because there are other demons with those abilities.¡±¡°In that case, the demihuman¡¯s head... Prince-sama. Can you tell us a bit about that Grand Mother?¡±¡°All right. That is why I want to fight with you. The Pandecks are a species that feed on moss, and they look like us.¡±In other words, they looked like maggots.Neia felt a twinge of revulsion at the thought of a demon that adorned itself with the head of maggots.¡°...Was the Grand Mother also a spiritual magic caster?¡±¡°Indeed. I use the Yin principle of the Five Elements, but the Grand Mother was the opposite; she used the Yang principle of the Five Elements. Yin and Yang are two extremes, and spells of one can resist or hamper spells of the other.¡±¡°...I see,¡± Shizu nodded. ¡°Letting hime with us would improve our chances.¡±¡°Mm. I am d that you understand. Personally, I am very unhappy that a demon is using the head of the Grand Mother. Indeed. She was my first love, after all.¡±¡°My prince!¡±¡°What are you saying! How could you fall for a female of another species!¡±¡°Ahhh! That was a childish crush! It¡¯s different now!¡±While it sounded like a sharine-sweet topic, all she felt about a maggot¡¯s first love was utter disgust.¡°In, in that case, assuming our enemy is a Circlet who can equip two heads at once, how many total spell tiers can it cast at one time?¡±¡°...A maximum of six tiers. Incidentally, Crowns can cast a maximum of ten tiers.¡±¡°Then if I use fourth tier spells, it will only be able to cast spells of the second tier. Of course, that is simply nullifying that bastard, so you still have to be careful...¡±¡°...Next is that human head. We know too little about it. Neia?¡±¡°I¡¯m sorry. I regret to say I do not know the ck-haired person. Still, I¡¯m quite surprised. I thought that you would just jump right into the fight, since you¡¯re Shizu.¡±¡°...Ainz-sama said collecting information is very important.¡±¡°Ahh, as expected of His Majesty. What an excellent notion!¡±As Neia said this, Shizu reached a hand out to her, and Neia immediately grabbed it and shook.¡°...Good girl. If you were cuter, I¡¯d put a sticker on you. Maybe a furry sticker.¡±¡°...A sticker? Ah, you put one on me already, so I don¡¯t need another. Please paste it on someone else you like.¡±¡°...Mm. You¡¯re the first person to dislike my stickers.¡±¡°Eh?¡±Neia eximed in surprise as Shizu said that she was her first. After that, she immediately realized that perhaps she ¨D as a demon ¨D had not had many dealings with humans. No, it was possible that others might have despised her in their hearts but had not dared to voice it, due to their fear of her as a demon. While she wanted to poke fun at her for it, Neia could not do anything like spoil the fun of someone who was loyal to the same supreme being as her. Thus, Neia simply let it pass with a bitter smile.¡°...Indeed, humans do not have fur, much like we Zerns. That is why they live in houses like these. Why not dig holes like we do?¡±¡°Prince, we¡¯re straying off-topic. We don¡¯t have much time ¨D we need to deal with this before the humans attack this city.¡±¡°...Mm. In conclusion, the prince will be going too.¡±Nobody spoke up against it. Or rather, Neia had been the only one to voice her opposition to it.¡°Regarding our tactics, we will handle the frontline, but what should we do if there are guards who block us? Allowing a spellcasting opponent to move freely is very dangerous.¡±¡°...I¡¯ll engage it in close quartersbat.¡±Nobody asked if she could do it. She was half of the team which could defeat the guardian Vah Un ¨D although that was all Shizu¡¯s work ¨D or so everyone said. Nobody doubted Shizu¡¯s abilities.¡°All right. Then let¡¯s move. Before approaching the henchman, ce us in the barrels and move us in. If you tell them you¡¯re bringing food to the henchman demon on his orders, you¡¯ll be able to get close to him.¡±By ¡°us,¡± the prince was referring to himself, Neia, and Shizu. As long as the three of them remained undetected, they could continue maintaining their deception ¨D the Zern betrayal had not been detected. This was a tactic that could only be put into effect now.Once again, Shizu and Neia hid inside the barrels they had used to enter the city.¡°Shizu-san. We¡¯re really lucky.¡±Shizu poked her head out of the barrel.¡°...Why is that?¡±¡°Look. Everything¡¯s going well for us. Thanks to the Zern¡¯s betrayal, we managed to save the prince, and even Jaldabaoth¡¯s henchman is here. If we defeat him, we¡¯ll have achieved a great aplishment. That way, nobody will be able to speak ill of us any more. We¡¯ll also be able to easily assemble a rescue party to find His Majesty.¡±¡°It was all coincidence.¡±Neia was defeated by Shizu¡¯s somewhat harsh tone.¡°Eh? Ah, i-is that wrong? We¡¯re lucky because it was a coincidence... well, we were this sessful because His Majesty made you his property, so I guess in that sense, it¡¯s not really a coincidence.¡±¡°Ainz-sama¡¯s... property...¡±¡°Ah, maybe property wasn¡¯t the right word, huh?¡±¡°...I don¡¯t mind. Neia.¡±¡°Eh?¡±¡°...I like you very much. You¡¯re not cute, but I don¡¯t mind giving you another sticker.¡±It hurt a little to be called ¡°not cute¡± over and over again, and as she thought this, Neia said, ¡°Never mind,¡± and ducked back into her barrel.<b>Part 4</b>The Zerns were stopped by other demihumans several times as they moved Neia, Shizu, and the prince in their barrels, but none of the barrels were opened and searched. In this way, the three of them reached the vicinity of the henchman demon¡¯s office.Neia and the others emerged from the barrels.They had peeked outside from within the barrels, but security had not grown tight. It would seem the prince¡¯s rescue had not yet been exposed.Neia slung the prince onto her back, and as she secured him with a rope, one of the Zern went ahead to seek an audience with the henchman demon. This was a form of reconnaissance.Once everyone had finished their preparations to barge in, the Zern returned.¡°He¡¯s alone, no guards.¡±Neia frowned.Now that Jaldabaoth had been hurt so badly, was he ¨D as one of only three henchman demons ¨D not going to strengthen his defences? Or had he rxed now that the Sorcerer King was dead?As all kinds of questions swirled around in her head, the only thing that mattered was the prince¡¯s summation.¡°That means it¡¯s the perfect opportunity to kill him. Let¡¯s go.¡±In ordance with the prince¡¯s words, they all moved into action.One of the Zerns opened the door, and Neia ¨D who stood at the head of the group ¨D could clearly see what was inside the room.The expansive office had a ceiling that was a full five meters tall, and it was very spacious. Due to its many superior furnishings, it gave off the impression of a stereotypical luxury suite.There was a ck, solid-looking table, and behind it, a hideous monster, which spoke.¡°Humans? Zer...¡±It seemed to be saying something. However, they were not here to talk.The prince immediately cast a spell from Neia¡¯s back.¡°¡¸Yin ¨C Five Elements ¨C Grand Fireball¡¹.¡±A feeble, flickering me flew past Neia like it had been thrown into the room. She had heard along the way here that it was a fourth tier attack spell that was named for its attack power. It was typically the first thing into a room because it would explode upon making contact with anything. However¨D¡°¡¸Yang ¨C Five Elements ¨C Grand Fireball¡¹.¡±The me vanished halfway, like it had been snuffed out by the wind.¡°I knew it...¡± the prince muttered hatefully.He did not cast again. That spell had been an experiment. While he had nned to press the attack if it had not been negated, unfortunately that had not been the case. Since he did not intend to waste mana, he would wait to cast spells in ordance with their attacks.¡°...Is that the Zern prince on the human¡¯s back? It doesn¡¯t look like the humans captured him and brought him here... Kuhahaha. It¡¯s treason, then? Interesting.¡±The great demon looked like it hade from a nightmare as it slowly got to its feet, like a mockery of a human being.It waspletely naked, so its arms ¨D that reached down to its knees ¨D and its legs and skin-and-bones body werepletely exposed.Its body resembled withered wood, so slender and fragile that even Neia felt that she could break it.That withered wood body did not have a head. There was nothing but a straight line extending from shoulder to shoulder. No, there was a slender ¨D thinner than a woman¡¯s wrist ¨D branch protruding from its neck region. There were two fruits on it. Those must have been the so-called heads of this great demon.¡°Eh? ¨DAh.¡±Neia could not help squeaking like that. Such was her shock that it was the only sound she could make at first.Like Shizu had said, this was the special characteristic of Circlets ¨D two heads.One of them belonged to a monstrous-looking maggot. It looked very much like the prince, and given the impression of what she had heard, it was probably the Grand Mother. The problem was the other head.It belonged to a woman, her eyes rolled up into her head and her mouth gaping open like a fish. Her skin looked ghastly pale, but the head did not seem rotted or otherwise damaged, and her blonde hair was even gleaming. She could see bright red flesh at the ne where the head had been severed from the body, and it looked moist enough to bleed. While the fact that the head looked like it had been freshly removed was quite mysterious, that was how she could immediately tell who it belonged to.(TL note: In a tweet, Maru mentions that he forgot to mention that Krt¡¯s brown hair was so shiny it looked blonde)¡°Krt Custodio-sama...¡±While she had only seen her from afar, there was no way she could have mistaken her for anyone else. She was the highest ranking priest of the Holy Kingdom.Confusion and doubt swirled within Neia.What was going on? Had the Zern lied? Did they think Neia and Shizu would consider fleeing if they knew it was Krt?¡°I see. I see. I see. Oh Zern, does this mean you no longer care what happens to your king and the people in thatnd. I¡¯ll give you onest chance. If you seize these people, I can let you off with a mild punishment. How about that?¡±The two heads¨D which looked like bizarre fruits ¨D did not move. Neither did those white eyeballs. They seemed like nothing more than decorations. In that case, where had that voicee from?The prince paid no heed to Neia¡¯s question and castigated the great demon.His Zern underlings immediately moved into position to attack at any time.¡°Hmph! What else is there to say at this point? Who¡¯d believe you after you killed the king!?¡±¡°The king? Is that so...¡±Neia heard what seemed to be surprise in that voice. Reading that was difficult because this demon did not have a head of its own and its expression did not change. That made it difficult to see if one¡¯s attack had been effective from the enemy¡¯s reaction. In that respect, Zerns were also troublesome opponents for humans.¡°My duty is to rule this ce. That matter was outside of my jurisdiction... I see, so it was killed? That was because your king was a fool.¡±¡°What!¡±¡°My. My. My. Dear traitors, don¡¯t tell me you came merely to speak? You came here because you thought you could defeat me, no? In that case ¨D what is your trump card? That human?¡±A finger raised itself, tipped with a w that should have been over 60 centimeters long. It pointed at Neia.¡°As if I¡¯d tell you!¡±The great demon calmly responded to the prince¡¯s outburst:¡°You don¡¯t have to. Shadow Demons.¡±The great demon¡¯s shadow stretched out in a sliding motion.It swelled up, going from a t ne to three-dimensional. It looked like themonly spoken image of a demon, but dyedpletely ck. And there were two of them.That was probably why it did not have demihuman guards by its side.¡°Kill all the Zern other than the prince. I will seize the prince... Human, if you betray them, I can spare the people in the camps who are valuable to you, up to the number of fingers on two hands.¡±The great demon had made the same proposal Shizu had expected it to.As Neia filled with respect for Shizu¡¯s keen insight, she decided to reply in order to make it careless.¡°Really?¡±After she carefully asked her question, she could hear joy in the demon¡¯s voice.¡°What are you saying!? Are you betraying us!?¡± the prince shouted from Neia¡¯s back, and so the great demon¡¯s attention waspletely focused on Neia.¡°Shut up. Shut up. Shut up. I¡¯m talking to her... I am a being of my word. Tell me how many people you want to protect and help. If the fingers on two hands are not enough, we can continue discussions¨D¡±The defenseless demon seemed to have forgotten the meaning of caution, and it was full of openings.Their hidden trump card (Shizu) did not miss that. She leapt out of the shadow of the door and raised her spell gun.The muzzle spat fire, and the great demon grabbed its shoulder and stumbled back.Shizu had been waiting alone outside the room for the right timing tounch this surprise attack, and it signalled the start of the hostilities.The negotiations which had been intended to manipte their opponent into carelessness were now over. The Zern honor guards sprang at the Shadow Demons. Shizu rushed into the room with fearsome speed, slipped past the the frontliners of both sides with lightning-fast footwork, and closed in on the great demon.¡°What! The Sorcerer¨D¡±¡°...No need to exin.¡±Shizu hacked with her dagger, and the great demon parried with its ws.While she knew that there was little time for such things once the battle started, Neia vented her unhappiness on the prince behind her.¡°What do you mean, ck hair! Isn¡¯t her hair blonde!?¡±¡°Blonde? How is that blonde! It¡¯s light ck, isn¡¯t it?¡±¡°Eh?¡±He did not sound like he was lying. Could it be ¨D Zerns perceived colors differently from human beings?Neia had once heard that certain species withplete darkvision could not tell colors apart, only ck and white. There were also some who could not discern colors in dark ces.The light in therder was probably so those species could see what color their food was.¡°I¡±ll tell youter! ¡¸Yin ¨C Five Elements ¨C Lightning w¡¹!¡±¡°Tch! ¡¸Yang ¨C Five Elements ¨C Lightning w¡¹!¡±A stroke of electricity hurtled through the air like the swipe of a beast¡¯s talons, but it fizzled out halfway through.While there were spells like ¡¸Five Elements ¨C Soften Steel¡¹ which decreased defensive strength and spells like¡¸Five Elements ¨C Harden Steel¡¹ which increased attack power, as well as summoning spells like ¡¸Five Elements ¨C Call The Lightning Lord¡¹, the opposition might not have negated those and instead cast a high tier spell upon Neia and the others.In order to avoid that, the prince simply cast attack spells, which the enemy could not ignore. In addition, he focused on using electricity-element spells, which the enemy should not have been able to resist, and then he used a special ability called Wood Element Strengthening upon them. While the demon¡¯s elementalism should have been able to protect against it, the prince¡¯s augmented spell could not be fully negated, and so it began to take minor damage.While the original Grand Mother could have used strengthening techniques just like the prince had, she was now nothing more than an essory for the great demon. The demon did not possess strengthening techniques of its own and the prince¡¯s spellcasting overpowered it.Since Shizu was taking the role of frontliner, Neia had to do her job as the rear guard. She could not simply serve as transportation for the prince in the face of such a mighty foe. She loosed an arrow from the Ultimate Shootingstar Super which she held.While her shot against the main body was highly urate, the great demon easily batted it away with his hand.¡°Out of my way. ¡¸Shock Wave¡¹.¡±Krt¡¯s face ¨D her lips moved, and she cast a second tier attack spell at Shizu. While Shizu¡¯s body lifted off the ground from an impact that was invisible to the human eye, she did not seem to have taken any damage which could have hampered her movements. Neia had expected nothing less of a difficulty rating 150 maid demon.¡°¡¸Yin ¨C Five Elements ¨C Lightning w¡¹¡±¡°¡¸Yang ¨C Five Elements ¨C Lightning w¡¹¡±They cast the same spells at each other again, and a feeble current of electricity surged past the demon¡¯s body.¡°¡¸Open Wounds¡¹!¡±That counterattack was a spell that would worsen any wounds. Naturally, it was targeted at Shizu, who was being attacked by the demon¡¯s ws.All she could see was Shizu¡¯s back. However, her dexterity did not seem to have decreased.Sweat ran down Neia¡¯s back.Neia was the only one among her allies who could heal. Therefore, she was naturally the healer. However, while she could tell how badly she was hurt, shecked thebat experience to tell how severe others¡¯ wounds were. In particr, unexpressive people like Shizu might exceed their limits and copse before she realized something was wrong with them. Therefore, Neia had to pay close attention to what Shizu and the prince were up to. It was just like doing one thing with her right hand while doing another with her left, and she was so busy that she began to get confused.Still, she had to do this.The prince kept casting attack spells, while Shizu took minor damage as she swung at the demon with her knife. Both of them were carrying out their tasks to perfection, and she could not simply give up and say that she was the only one who could not do her part.¡°¡¸Heavy Recover¡¹.¡±Neia judged that Shizu had been badly hurt, so she activated the item the Sorcerer King had lent her and cast a third tier healing spell on Shizu.¡°I see!¡±Neia¡¯s instincts told her that the attention of the faceless demon was on her.The great demon¡¯s words implied that it knew the identity of the healer ¨D who ought to be destroyed first. In fact, the great demon still had enough strength to cast an attack spell on Neia after negating the prince¡¯s spell.¡°¡¸Shockwave¡¹.¡±An invisible pulse of force hit her like a warhammer.She could hear sickening cracks from inside her body, and she writhed in agony from the pain which coursed through her.It hurt more than the spell the Vah Un had used on her. She could not believe Shizu had taken an attack like this with such a straight face. She now knew why Krt Custodio had been hailed as a genius. It was because of that powerful hit.¡°Aieeee!¡±Neia grit her teeth, but she could not prevent a choked cry of pain from escaping her.¡°Are you alright!?¡±¡°I, I¡¯m fine!¡±Neia answered the prince, who was worried for her.¡°I¡¯ll call all the Zern¨D¡±¡°¨DNo. I¡¯ll protect Neia.¡±Shizu spread her arms, standing like she was shielding Neia.The great demon was huge, and he made Shizu look tiny. Therefore, he must be able to see Neia without any impediment. However, Neia was very happy inside.¡°What!? Ahhhh!¡±The demon cried out in a hoarse voice. It would seem Shizu had done something to him, which had had an effect.Did she use a special ability? Or was it a spell?She was not sure what exactly had happened, but Neia sensed the great demon¡¯s hostility weakening. Of course, she was probably imagining things. After all, there was no reason why this great demon should want to kill her any less right now.If there was another attack like thest one, another spell as powerful as thest one, she ought to be able to bear it. No, she wanted to bear it.She had recovered the mana she had lost during the battle with the Vah Un, but the number of times she could use ¡¸Heavy Recover¡¹ was still unknown, so it was best to save as many uses as possible. However, waiting until thest moment to heal also meant that the slightest mistake would send her over the brink. urately judging the right time to heal was very difficult.¡°And she¡¯s wielding the bow that Ainz-sama lent her!¡±Shizu¡¯s voice sounded very loud for her. She was probably raising her volume to better praise the Sorcerer King. This was a life and death battle, but she could not bring herself to mention it. After all, the person doing this was Shizu, the strongest person on their side, and there was an aura of veterancy. She might have a n in mind.¡°What!? You mean, that Sorcerer King!?¡±There was surprise in the henchman demon¡¯s voice. That was the Sorcerer King for you. He must have heard from Jaldabaoth that he was an opponent to be wary of.¡°Yes! It¡¯s a runecrafted bow!¡±Having heard something she could not overlook, Neia cautioned Shizu.¡°Shizu! Don¡¯t tell him about us!¡±¡°What! So it was a weapon made with the ancient, lost art of runecraft! A weapon like that might even be able to kill me!¡±Why was he exining that in such detail? As Neia thought that, she immediately felt ashamed. Right now, she was fighting with an incredibly powerful adversary with her life on the line. A weakling like herself did not have the luxury of contemting such matters.¡°So it was runecraft! Amazing!¡±The henchman demon kept on speaking in a very cautious tone. Perhaps it was doing so to distract Neia. In fact.¡°Runecraft?¡±The prince¡¯s surprised voice came from behind her. That was why Neia had to speak.¡°No! This weapon isn¡¯t like that!¡±As Neia shouted, she sensed Shizu and the henchman demon freeze for an instant. That must have been it. When two opponents were evenly matched, all they could do was stare at each other without being able to make a move. There was no doubt about it.¡°Rune...¡±¡°No!¡±Neia shouted without regard for anything else, and the henchman demon grunted under his breath.¡°Is that so... then next, I¡¯ll... ¡¸Blindness¡¹.¡±The spell that came out of nowhere ckened Neia¡¯s vision. He must have done so to render the healer powerless.The item Neia had borrowed only allowed her to use ¡¸Heavy Recover¡¹, and not spells that could heal her blindness.A priest or a divine magic caster could have cured the blinded status easily. Unfortunately, there was nobody like that here.She did not know how long the darkness wouldst, but if she wanted to heal Shizu, she would have to get within touching range of her.¡°I can¡¯t see!¡± It was very important to tell herrades what had happened to her. ¡°Shizu! If you¡¯re hurt, you need to tell me!¡±¡°...Mm.¡±¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t know spells that can heal this condition of yours!¡±¡°Don¡¯t worry about it!¡±After responding to the apology from behind her, Neia pulled her bowstring taut. She ought to be able to hit her target from memory alone. This was the fruit of the experience she had gained from fighting the Vah Un and manyrge-sized adversaries. The bowstring twanged.¡°¨DGuwaaaargh!¡±She heard the henchman demon wail in pain.¡°You did it! It tried to dodge, but it had the opposite effect! Nicely done!¡±After hearing the prince¡¯s rification, Neia realized how lucky she had been and prayed to the Sorcerer King.¡°...Keep shooting like this.¡±¡°Eiii!¡±¡°Mm!¡±Although the sound of the Zerns fighting the Shadow Demons around her made it very hard to tell what was going on, Neia focused on how much Shizu had been wounded and the henchman demon¡¯s location and kept shooting at thetter.Perhaps it was because he had been hurt and realized that he would lose if he did not defeat Shizu first, but the henchman demon focused all its attacks on Shizu. In addition, it kept casting ¡¸Blindness¡¹ spells on her, trying to disable her like it had Neia, but she resisted all of them, so they had no effect.In that case, all she had to do was keep pressing it.Just as the prince¡¯s mana was about to run out, victory came to them like a matter of course. The prince¡¯s cries of joy were even a little annoying.The Zerns fighting around them had taken losses, but they had emerged victorious.However ¨D the spell on Neia had not yet expired. She still could not see anything. Still, it was not a permanent spell. In all likelihood, it would wear off after some time had passed, and the only reason why it hadsted this long was because Krt Custodio was very powerful.While she could not see anything, she could sense the presence of the Zerns approaching her.¡°My prince! I¡¯m d you¡¯re alright.¡±¡°Ahh... please consume Grand Mother-dono¡¯s remains with all due respect.¡±So you¡¯re eating it? Neia thought.And with all due respect. Since they had said as much, all she could do was ept it as a unique tradition of their species.¡°Neia. What should we do with the human¡¯s head? Shall we eat it too?¡±¡°No, please don¡¯t. We humans don¡¯t have such burial practices. We will return it to the city with all due respect.¡±¡°I see... human burial practices are truly a mystery. No, surely you must think the same of ours as well. This is probably what they call a culture sh. Also, I am deeply grateful to you. We alone could never have¨D¡±¡°¨DWait. There¡¯s no time to keep talking. Let¡¯s move.¡±She could hear a disturbance in the distance. It would seem the Liberation Army had finally made contact with the Demihuman Alliance. Either that, or soldiers had heard the sound of the battle just now ande here to see what was going on. Whichever one it was, they could not stay here for long.¡°That¡¯s right, Shizu-san. Then, please help the Liberation Army attack Kalinsha as we arranged.¡±¡°Umu, I understand. You lot!¡±¡°Yes! We shall move right away. Will you and the humans be entering the barrels, my prince? We will carry you outside the city.¡±While Neia could not tell because she could not see, she could sense Shizu hesitating. The reason for that was obvious ¨D she hated the barrels. Neia felt the same way.¡°...I¡¯ll help too.¡±¡°Mm. I¡¯ll lend a hand once I recover from my blindness.¡±The prince was thrashing on her back like a caught fish. He was jumping for joy. Neia was a little dejected by how well she had adapted to the situation.¡°If our allies are setting out, then let us go as well. Of course, my mana has been depleted so I cannot cast any powerful spells, so I shall cast strengthening spells on you instead.¡±¡°My prince!¡±¡°Be silent. Do you intend me to be a male who sends hisrades to their deaths?¡±¡°...That ought to be enough. Let¡¯s go.¡±Shizu urged them on. She seemed eager to get away from the barrels as soon as possible.¡°Then I shall send you to where our eggmates are gathered. Please get in.¡±

 Chapter 96 - Volume 13

    Overlord Volume 13 Chapter 7

    Savior of the Nation

    Part 1

    The liberation of Kalinsha had been surprisingly easy.

    Thebination of the Zerns rising up in revolt, the sheerck of demihuman manpowerpared to the size of the city they had to defend, and the absence of the henchman demon tomand them meant that it was a foregone conclusion. Of course, there were many casualties on both sides, but the losses of the Holy Kingdom Liberation Army were surprisingly light considering they had managed to retake such arge city.

    One of the main reasons for that was Neia, who carried the Ultimate Shootingstar Super on her back.

    Of course, Shizu had assisted from the shadows, but Neia and her spectacr bow had been a majestic sight that greatly inspired the people.

    And so, Neia stood atop a tform and passionately addressed the audience gathered in the za.

    She told them: there was no greater king in this world than the Sorcerer King.

    The first thing Neia did after liberating Kalinsha was to canvass support in order to go searching for the Sorcerer King.

    The Zern did their part and questioned the demihuman captives about the Abelion Hills, but she was stillcking in many things, like material resources, information, experience, and so on.

    It would be one thing if they could try as often as they wanted, but it was difficult to repeatedly send out search parties and rescue teams into enemy territory. In other words, they had to get it right the first time. That being the case, they could not prepare themselves enough. That was why she had decided to capitalize on the fact that many people had been freed through the liberation of Kalinsha and seek their aid in various areas.

    That said, the people did not volunteer their help immediately after it was requested. Even after taking back Kalinsha, there were still many other cities that had been captured by the demihumans, as well as many people who had been imprisoned or who had lost track of their rtives. Neia was trying to sell them on the benefits of aiding the Sorcerer King in order to move their hearts.

    However, as the number of helpers increased, the contents of her speeches gradually began to change.

    The people who hade to hear Neia speak about the Sorcerer King were all people that the Sorcerer King had once rescued. They were people who had suffered greatly and who now wanted to cling to a powerful being in order to heal the lingering emotional trauma in their souls.

    Those who knew of the Sorcerer King¡¯s greatness could be considered herrades.

    It was second nature for Neia to joyously tell them about the Sorcerer King¡¯s magnificence.

    Gradually, people had not met the Sorcerer King began to take part as well. They were friends of those who had been rescued by the Sorcerer King. As word of mouth spread, more and more unrted people came to listen to Neia¡¯s words.

    With her visor on, Neia gushed to these people about the excellence of the Sorcerer King during the liberation of the city and the battle with Jaldabaoth.

    She would not have been able to speak so unreservedly several weeks ago. She would have tensed up under the eyes of the audience and she would have been at a loss for words as her mind nked out. But after addressing crowds over and over again, she finally came to realize that she did not need to express her own thoughts, only paint a picture of the Sorcerer King in her heart with her words. Neia had be an eloquent speaker.

    Yes, they now spoke of her as the Faceless Evangelist.

    And so¡ª

    ¡°Thus, His Majesty is truly beyondpare! How could there be another king who cares so much for the people! Yes, I know what you want to say. After all, Her Majesty Calca Bessarez is also an excellent queen. However ¡ª has anyone here heard of a king who would go this far for the people of another nation! You!¡±

    Neia pointed at one of the members of the audience in front of her.

    ¡°Have you ever heard of a king who went out by himself to save another nation¡¯s people from torment?¡±

    ¡°Eh, ah, no, that, I¡¯ve never heard... anything like that... before...¡±

    As everyone¡¯s eyes focused on him, the voice of the man who had been called out gradually trailed off.

    ¡°Excellent answer! That¡¯s exactly it!¡±

    As Neia praised him, the rows of like-minded people beside Neia on the stage joined the people in the audience who shared Neia¡¯s views to apud the man.

    The man blushed and looked a little shy.

    ¡°In truth, we checked to see if any other king had done that much, but no! There was nobody else! We could not find any king like the Sorcerer King!¡±

    There had been kings who had led armies to rescue neighboring countries, but it was a fact that there had been no kings who had gone alone.

    ¡°Think of it, a king going to aid the people of another country regardless of the risk to himself! It¡¯s never been heard of before! Only the Sorcerer King!¡± Neia paused, then continued. ¡°Only His Majesty! Only a king like that truly deserves to be called a righteous king!¡±

    ¡°But can we trust him!? He¡¯s undead isn¡¯t he!?¡±

    Neia responded to the question from the audience with a gentle smile. Neia had once thought the same thing herself. In other words, he was like her past self. He simply did not know; he did not understand.

    She would make him see ¡ª no, she would open his eyes, just like she had opened her own eyes, and those of everyone else¡¯s. With that feeling in her heart, Neia addressed the crowd.

    ¡°Yes! His Majesty is undead! It is only normal that you should all feel uneasy! It is a fact that the undead are frightening monsters. I have no intention of saying that all undead are good. Many undead are evil, and there is no doubt that they hate the living!¡±

    Now that everyone was listening to her in earnest, Neia seized on the mood in the air and forcefully dered her summation.

    ¡°However! There are exceptions to all things! Just as there might be a warm day in winter, just as a bud might bloom from a withered branch, just as a brilliant shooting star can streak across the darkest night. So too is His Majesty ¡ª he is an undead being who aids the living. You must have heard the stories from the people he rescued. It is also possible that some of you were rescued by him. Then based on what you know to be true, you have the proof that I am not lying!¡±

    After verifying that there were no objections from the crowd, Neia spoke in leaden, grim tones.

    ¡°...This time round, that sturdy fortress line was broken, and the demihumans rushed in like an avnche. Will such a tragedy only happen once? Does anyone believe it will not happen a second time?¡±

    The silence of the audience spoke for them.

    Of course they hoped that it would not happen again, but nobody could honestly believe that.

    ¡°I fully understand how uneasy you are. Perhaps our generation and that of everyone¡¯s children might be able to rest at ease. After all, the tragedy that just urred will spur us on to unceasing vignce... However!¡±

    Neia¡¯s tone grew forceful.

    ¡°Can anyone guarantee that such a tragedy will not repeat itself in the generation of our grandchildren, or our grandchildren¡¯s grandchildren? Does anyone dare say it will never happen again since it happened before!? That is why we must prepare, so the fortress will line never be breached again!¡±

    Voices saying ¡°Yes,¡± and ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± began to float up from the crowd.

    ¡°¡ªIt seems everyone agrees too, but in the far-off future, in the age of our children¡¯s children and our grandchildren¡¯s grandchildren, in an age when this tragedy is but a distant memory, can the people then still remain vignt? Do you think we can station twice or three times as many people as we do now on the fortress line?¡±

    The military expenses would drain the national reserves, and they would deploy an intimidating amount of fighting strength but have no obvious results to show for it.

    ¡°I trust there are people who served in the fortresses during your conscription. Then I ask you to search your memories. If the daily expenses and stores consumed back then were tripled, do you not think it would greatly strain the nation? At that time, do you think a country that only knows of that tragedy from memory will remain vignt?¡±

    As understanding dawned on the faces of her audience, Neia delivered her conclusion.

    ¡°¡ªThat is why we need the protection of His Majesty!¡±

    ¡°Why!? Why must we seek the help of the undead!?¡±

    The same voice from before rang out.

    It was the man who had questioned her earlier. People like him put Neia at ease. Her toughest crowds were the ones where nobody reacted at all. When that happened, she felt uneasy about whether her words had reached them at all.

    Neia¡¯s supporters had suggested nting a few naysayers like that in the audience beforehand, but Neia refused. Simrly, she had rejected the idea of nting shills in the audience.

    ¡°I am saying this precisely because he is undead. His Majesty is powerful, but more importantly, he is undead, and so in that far distant future, he will still be alive ¡ª still exist.¡±

    ¡°But, but I heard that the Sorcerer King fell in battle and died.¡±

    ¡°That rumor is both true and false at the same time. Sadly, the first part is true. His Majesty expended a great deal of mana and cast many spells in order to save we who were powerless, and in the end he was defeated by Jaldabaoth. But the second part is false. His Majesty is not dead! The existence of Shizu will prove that to everyone.¡±

    This was the cue for Shizu ¡ª one of the key figures in the liberation of Kalinsha ¡ª to enter from the side.

    The audience gasped in awe, and worshipful murmurs of ¡°Shizu-sama¡± could be heard.

    ¡°...Mm.¡±

    Shizu held her head high and puffed her chest out.

    ¡°Once, she was one of the maid demons in Jaldabaoth¡¯s service, yet she fought alongside us in the Battle of Kalinsha. That is because His Majesty wrestedmand over her from Jaldabaoth¡¯s hands.¡±

    Many people had seen Shizu y demihumans one after the other during the battle. The people who addressed her with -sama had probably been directly aided by her.

    Shizu was very popr. While she had once been a maid demon of Jaldabaoth, she was still very pretty, and more importantly, she felt youthful. One could say it was difficult to bear hostility against her.

    Had the Sorcerer King considered this when he bound you to his service? Neia had once asked Shizu. Shizu had replied, ¡°Maybe.¡±

    ¡°Shizu was bound by the magic of His Majesty, and that remains in effect as long as the Sorcerer King still lives. In other words, she is the proof that His Majesty still lives.¡±

    As the air turned electric, Neia raised her arms to indicate that everyone should be quiet, because she was not done speaking.

    ¡°I am sure you are all wondering why His Majesty has not yet shown himself. In truth I do not know either. However, I cannot imagine that such apassionate lord would abandon us! There must be some reason why he cannot return here immediately. I do not know if that is because of His Majesty¡¯s considerations, or if some danger has arisen. And that is why¡ª!¡±

    Neia¡¯s voice reverberated through the silent za.

    ¡°That is why I beseech all of you for your strength! Please lend me the strength to find His Majesty. Even if we bet our lives to walk the length and breadth of the Abelion Hills where the demihumans live before finding His Majesty, the Holy Kingdom still cannot fully repay the debt we owe Him. And I have said this before, but His Majesty came only to fight Jaldabaoth, yet he ended up fighting the demihumans on behalf of our weak selves, thus wearing down his strength and leading to his defeat!¡±

    Neia raised her voice even louder as she shouted.

    ¡°Nevertheless ¡ª everyone! That is why we ought to repay the debt we owe to the person who came to save us! That great man came by himself to save us! Even if he is one of the undead, I do not intend to be an ingrate! ¡ªAnd so, I call upon the people who seek to repay the debt to His Majesty in some small way.¡±

    Neia stopped for a while to let the anticipation build before shouting again.

    ¡°I am looking for people to help me find His Majesty! But you do not need to go in person! Your skills, your knowledge, anything you can contribute will be useful. Please lend me your strength! Please help us!¡±

    Neia bowed her head, and beside her, so did Shizu.

    Ohhhh, the crowd roared.

    After raising her head, Neia finished thusly:

    ¡°...I am certain there are some of you out there who cannot believe based on my words alone. However, how about asking the people from the Liberation Army before Kalinsha was taken back? That way, I am certain you will believe that my words are not lies.¡±

    ***

    After returning to her room, Neia sank limply into her chair.

    ¡°Thank you for your hard work, Baraja-sama.¡±

    The person thanking her was a quiet-looking ¡ª though somewhat gloomy ¡ª woman.

    She seemed to be in her twenties, and her distinguishing features were a pair of ample breasts that drew men¡¯s eyes and a head of short hair. Apparently, it had once been long, but it had been cut short in a prison camp.

    She was part of the support team which Neia had established. Neia¡¯s supporters wanted to name themselves, and so they called themselves the Sorcerer King Rescue Corps.

    Her job was to help manage Neia¡¯s increasingly busy daily life.

    While it had only been half a month since they had first met, this woman had be irreceable to Neia. That was because she hadpleted her assigned tasks ¡ª cleaning,undry, cooking, and various other tasks ¡ª with consummate perfection.

    ¡°Ahh, thank you.¡±

    Neia wiped her face with the cloth the woman had offered her, and the cool sensation felt veryfortable on her burning face.

    She then went Whew in a way that seemed very reminiscent of a middle-aged man beforeying the towel on the table and turning to the woman who immediately reimed it.

    ¡°Ah, while I¡¯ve been saying it all this time, please don¡¯t call me -sama. After all, I¡¯m hardly an amazing figure.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying? You are His Majesty¡¯s spokesperson in this country and act on his behalf. Not addressing you as -sama would be rude.¡±

    The fact that a woman older than herself was saying this slightly bothered Neia.

    This was a problem only experienced by those who were not used to a superior position.

    Speaking of which, Neia was not a spokesperson or anything. Rather, she was wondering how she had ended up in that position.

    Neia felt that Shizu ¡ª who was staring aimlessly while lying down casually on a couch ¡ª fit the description better.

    In the first ce, the Sorcerer King¡¯s greatness should have been obvious to everyone from an objective point of view. She was simply stating the obvious, not arguing on his behalf, and she had not intended to begin preaching any form of organized belief or opinion.

    While Neia had started out doing that of her own ord, she had never expected things to turn out like this.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave, then. Also, Beldran Moro-shi wishes to meet you.¡±

    ¡°I understand. Can you help me call him in? Thank you for your hard work today.¡±

    The housekeeper bowed to her, and then left the room. A man entered, as though to swap ces with her. The woman was averse to men and feared them, and she felt ufortable when she was in the same location as men. Therefore, she had chosen to excuse herself.

    ¡°Baraja-sama, I apologize for disturbing you while you are resting. May I ask for some of your time?¡±

    Beldran Moro.

    He had the stout body of a man in his forties, but the part about him that stood out most was the thinning hair on the top of his head.

    The Moro family had a tradition of buttling for notable noble houses, and in the past he too had worked as a butler. That was why he served as a secretary in the rescue corps, in order to make full use of his skills.

    Neia had been very lucky to meet someone like him when she had first founded the group. If she had not met him, her hair would have gone white at an early age.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. What is it?¡±

    ¡°Thank you. I shall be brief. I wish to say that the membership of our organization is now in excess of 30,000.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s wonderful! To think we¡¯d gain so many people who understand His Majesty¡¯s greatness! No, that¡¯s only to be expected. His Majesty truly is an amazing person, after all!¡±

    Shizu nodded and went ¡°Mhm.¡±

    The organization now had more members than the poption of a small city. Of the 3.5 million-odd residents of the Northern Holy KIngdom, around 1% of them now belonged to the group.

    ¡°Our supporters have expressed a desire for a symbol of some sort to show their membership in the group.¡±

    ¡°I see... indeed... That... makes sense.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Some wearable item to indicate their membership is essential in order to foster a sense of reassurance and belonging.¡±

    Mhm, Neia nodded. They would be very happy to have some symbol of solidarity ¡ª something rted to the Sorcerer King. Neia wanted one too.

    ¡°Please use the best possible means at your disposal. However, I do not wish us to give preferential treatment based on cash donations and the like.¡±

    ¡°...unoff... fan...ub...¡±

    Neia picked up something that even her acute hearing could not fully make out.

    ¡°Shizu-sempai, what did you say?¡± Neia asked.

    ¡°...Nothing.¡±

    ¡°...Really? Still, if I make a mistake when speaking about His Majesty, you must tell me.¡±

    Neia turned her gaze back to Beldran. Recently, there were more and more people who remained unshaken even when she looked at them, and it made Neia very happy.

    ¡°Let the craftsmen take care of that, then. Now... can you tell me about the rest of my schedule?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Baraja-sama. In about two hours, the supporters will be organizing a ¡°¡®Thanksgiving to the Sorcerer King.¡¯¡± I believe you are scheduled to take part and speak of His Majesty¡¯s great deeds.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    Neia felt quite excited. Having discovered that the Sorcerer King was justice, she felt a sense of camaraderie and closeness to the supporters who could understand how she felt, and she enjoyed talking to people who shared her views.

    ¡°Also, there are people who would like you to witness the fruits of their training. Given that you are very busy now, should I reject them?¡±

    Neia had recently founded an honor guard unit of her supporters and was currently putting them through intense training. Both Neia and Shizu had taken part in that training.

    To Neia, who felt that weakness would only be a burden to the Sorcerer King, working hard to be strong was second nature. If Neia¡¯s participation could liven up the mood and motivate them, then she had to join them.

    ¡°No, I¡¯d like to be there with them.¡±

    ¡°I am certain they will be delighted... and while that summary of events was quite basic, that is all I have to report to you. As for how long it will take to gather the supporters ¡ª after considering the time needed to prepare, I believe you will have an hour to slowly rest and rx.¡±

    Beldran bowed his head and left the room. After watching him leave, Neia got up from her chair and walked over to the couch where Shizu was. Then shey down beside Shizu and tightly embraced her, like she was trying to squish her with her body.

    ¡°...There, there.¡±

    Shizu was shorter than herself, but she patted Neia¡¯s back in a soothing manner, like a mother would for her child.

    ¡°When will we be able to go look for His Majesty... it¡¯s been a month already...¡±

    The people searching the eastern region of the Holy Kingdom had not found the Sorcerer King, and while they could not rule out the possibility that they might have missed him, it was almost a foregone conclusion that he had fallen into thend of the demihumans, the Abelion Hills. Therefore, they had to make ample preparations, but doing so was simply taking too long.

    Of the 3,000 Zern who had betrayed Jaldabaoth, 2,800 of them had gone with their prince to the Sorcerous Kingdom, while the remaining 200 or so had gone to the hills to collect information, but they had not found anything so far.

    ¡°...You must not fail.¡±

    ¡°I know! But, but...¡±

    Neia hugged Shizu tighter. She took a deep breath of the scent ¡ª like that of ck tea ¡ª which came from her.

    Shizu¡¯s mere presence was enough to keep Neia¡¯s uneasiness at bay.

    That was because her existence was the proof that the Sorcerer King was alive.

    ¡°...It¡¯ll be fine. Ainz-sama is generous.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right, Shizu-sempai.¡±

    ¡°...Therefore, you should get more supporters and work out a search n that cannot fail.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right, Shizu-sempai.¡±

    ¡°...That way, Ainz-sama will be happy.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right, Shizu-sempai.¡±

    ¡°...Neia. I¡¯m quite interested in you. Now that I¡¯ve gotten used to it, your face is quite cute.¡±

    ¡°...Quite cute... Speaking of which, you must be really bored because you can¡¯t go outside, Shizu-sempai. Shall the two of us go somewhere together next time?¡±

    Shizu¡¯s extraordinary beauty ¡ª it was practically sculpted ¡ª attracted a lot of attention. However, the looks directed at her would be ones of fear and caution if people knew her true identity as a maid demon. Many of them would have exaggerated delusions like ¡°She¡¯s going to steal my soul!¡± which stemmed from the stories where demons transformed into beautiful women to im souls as part of a deal. However, Neia felt that demons had a right to choose their partners.

    For starters, being that she was a subordinate of the most merciful Sorcerer King, this difficulty 150 maid demon would not possibly desire the souls of the people around her, let alone want to charm theirs away..

    Even so, there had been troublesome things which they could not avoid, and Neia ¡ª as a squire of the Sorcerer King ¡ª would not be able to face him if she ended up causing trouble for Shizu, his subordinate. Of course, Neia also understood that Shizu was so powerful that she would not be harmed.

    For that reason she spent much of her time here, but now that there were more people in their organization, it ought to be all right to bring her where the supporters gathered.

    ¡°...Not a bad idea. We¡¯ll go together as practice.¡±

    ¡°All right, let¡¯s get ready, then. Although, those maid clothes are a little eye-catching... could you change into something more ordinary?¡±

    ¡°...The doctor... ahem. No problem. Lend me clothes. I¡¯ll leave the coordination to you.¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry, but I didn¡¯t have anyone I could go out with and I had no interest in clothes at all, so I¡¯m not confident in being able to pick out clothes for you.¡±

    Shizu gently patted Neia¡¯s shoulders. While she looked emotionless at a nce, Neia could understand her maternal warmth. After that, Shizu pointed her thumb at herself.

    ¡°...Leave it to me.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    The discovery that Shizu¡¯s tastes were unexpectedly good would be a matter forter.

    ***

    Caspond¡¯s workload had increased dramatically after the recapture of Kalinsha. He had to work on organizing the people who had been rescued, the resulting amount of information which needed to be processed had increased greatly, and both the verification and assignment work was very time-consuming.

    During this busy period, only one pdin was stationed by Caspond¡¯s side for his safety.

    This represented ack of security, but one could not use a skilled pdin ¡ª they could read, write, do ounts, conduct religious rites, and keep the peace ¡ª as a mere bodyguard. In that respect, it would have been most efficient to assign Remedios to him, but after considering her mental state, he decided to have her train with other pdins.

    When Neia and Shizu had returned with Krt Custodio¡¯s head, her resulting frenzy caused such a disturbance that it was a wonder nobody died as a result. While she did calm down eventually, they still had to handle her with care.

    In truth, nobody could do anything by themselves. He had to be grateful to his maker for blessing him with wisdom. As he deepened his devotion to said maker, Caspond threw himself into his work, his pen shing over the pages.

    While it was practice for the future, this work was still very annoying. His pdin aide either could not read the mood or he was indeed very bothered, but he spoke to Caspond, who was trying to bury his grumbling in the depths of his heart.

    ¡°¡ªMy Prince, is it really okay to let the Neia Baraja situation continue as it is?¡±

    Caspond understood the meaning of that question, and he smiled tiredly without taking his eyes off his documents.

    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped, can it? Just leave it as it is. Also, Prince will do.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much. However, what do you mean by it can¡¯t be helped?¡±

    The pdin could not seem to ept that, so Caspond lifted his head from his documents and looked him in the eye.

    ¡°What do you think would happen if we did anything to her, like say, pressuring her to stop?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think anything would happen, my Prince. All she is doing is causing unrest in the nation.¡±

    ¡°I see. So, her speeches ¡ª while I¡¯m not sure if asking is appropriate ¡ª have you heard her speak? ...Judging by the look of things, I guess not, but you¡¯ve probably read a summary of what she¡¯s talking about... Now, my first question... has she lied?¡±

    Caspond watched the pdin search his memory before answering:

    ¡°She has not... well, it would be better if she was lying. Next, anyone with a modicum of intellect can check what she has said and find that almost all of it is justified. The Sorcerer King did free them, and he is a hero who single-handedly recaptured a city too.¡±

    He took a drink of water from the ss on the table to wet his throat before continuing.

    ¡°And then, Neia Baraja is a hero who helped liberate Kalinsha. We dered that ourselves. As for the maid demon ¡ª we introduced her as a minion of the Sorcerer King. That led to a sky-high opinion of the Sorcerer King, and so we had to go a little overboard in praising her. Also, her equipment befits a hero.¡±

    The sight of Neia carrying the marvellous bow which the Sorcerer King had loaned her and wearing the Grand King Buser¡¯s armor was nothing less than heroic.

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s go back to the original question. If we try to silence her, how will the world view us? Do you not think they would see us as trying to shut a hero up because she¡¯s saying something inconvenient for the royal family?¡±

    ¡°But that...¡±

    The pdin tried to stammer out a denial, but his face already said that he understood better than his words could. He knew what would happen.

    ¡°On one hand, you have a hero whose stardom is rising, and on the other you have the royal family which is on the decline. Who do you think the people will believe?¡±

    ¡°¡ªMy Prince! Please don¡¯t say that!¡±

    ¡°I apologize... but more to the point, what do you think the Sorcerer King¡¯s maid demon will do if we try to interfere with Neia Baraja?¡±

    ¡°Uuu...¡±

    The pdin¡¯s face went stiff, and a ghastly look came to Caspond¡¯s face.

    ¡°Heheh. The fact that she¡¯s protected by that maid demon means shemands the most power in this city, you know? Trying to directly silence her with force is extremely dangerous, so we¡¯ll have to leave things as they are. I understand your concerns, but every move avable to us is a bad one.¡±

    There was a knocking on the door, and one of the soldiers from the outside entered.

    ¡°My Prince, the Vice Captain-sama wishes to speak with you.¡±

    ¡°Send him in right away.¡±

    Perhaps he had heard Caspond¡¯s voice, but Gustav rushed in from where he had been waiting outside. The slight panting in his breath showed that he hade here in a hurry.

    ¡°Forgive me, Your Highness Prince Caspond!¡±

    Gustav¡¯s work took him further afield than Caspond, and made him more busy, so he very rarely came here. That was why Caspond knew that this was a sticky situation. If he hade here in person, he had brought with him a difficult problem that he could not handle on his own.

    ¡°I tell you every time, don¡¯t worry about it. Also, you don¡¯t need to bow if we¡¯re the only ones around. Since you¡¯re in such a rush, it must be quite urgent, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir! Our scouts report a 50,000-strong army flying the g of the Southern Nobles heading for this city!¡±

    ¡°I see... don¡¯t tell me the South has already ovee Jaldabaoth¡¯s forces? In any event, prepare for battle, because we do not know whether the Southern armies are being controlled by Jaldabaoth. Be careful. I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    ¡°You are not to attack under any circumstances until the enemy makes a move. If they want to talk, bring them here. After that¡ª¡± Caspond turned to the pdin. ¡°You will be in charge of weing our guests. If they¡¯re what I think they are, there ought to be several high ranking nobles present. Prepare food and wine that would please them.¡±

    Both men replied, ¡°Yes sir!¡± and then left the room. As Caspond watched them leave, he muttered to himself.

    ¡°Now then... I wonder if this is a good time?¡±

    ***

    ¡°I am truly d you came, Marquis Bodipo, Count Cohen, Count Domingues, Count Granero, Count Randalse, and Viscount Santz.¡±

    ¡°Oh, think nothing of it, I¡¯m d to see you¡¯re well, My Prince.¡±

    ¡°Indeed! Indeed! We were so worried about you, Your Highness!¡±

    After a toast, Caspond and the Southern nobles were all smiles, drank to their respective safety, and exchanged greetings again.

    The nobles described the situation and spoke of their travails. Caspond listened attentively, because doing so was ying to their vanity about how hard they had worked ¡ª how much they had given up for the sake of their loyalty to the Holy Kingdom.

    Count Cohen, who had been speaking for a very long time, suddenly seemed to have noticed something and asked a question.

    ¡°¡ªOya, Prince-denka. Is it me, or do you seem slightly different now?¡±

    ¡°Ahh, but of course. I trust you know how Jaldabaoth invaded the North? It greatly changed me inside. In addition, I think the parts you cannot see have changed even more... do you not think I have be thinner?¡±

    Caspond indicated his belly. ¡°Well, that does seem to be the case,¡± everyone cheerfully replied. At the same time, there was a keen glint in the nobles¡¯ eyes.

    Caspond did not miss that. He instantly realized that they were evaluating the worth of Caspond in the past to the present Caspond.

    While they had carefully concealed that fact, he understood that the appraisal was still in progress.

    Now he hoped that they would think that nothing had changed, in the hopes that they would not interfere with the royal family after the war.

    ¡°...Still, I, Caspond, am deeply grateful that you have led your houses here to save the Holy Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying? Your Highness, as noblemen, it is only natural that we should marshal our forces and set out for the sake of the royal family. Or no, anyone who is physically able and does not join a battle concerning the survival of the Holy Kingdom cannot even be considered a nobleman!¡±

    The nobles each nodded and made noises of acknowledgement. In other words, the noblemen who had note here were the political enemies of the ones who were present.

    Unfortunately, Caspond did not know which noble houses were not getting on with each other. That probably meant he was not sufficiently informed.

    While he wanted to avoidmitting himself to unfavorable promises here, he would need to give the people here preferential treatment or face rather dire consequences. Everyone hated a bat who flitted around trying to get in everyone¡¯s good graces.

    ¡°Gentlemen, your loyalty to the royal family needs to be trumpeted far and wide. I feel it needs to be a matter of historical record.¡±

    While it was only for a moment, the one who seemed the happiest about that was Marquis Bodipo, the oldest person present, whose blonde hair was flecked with white.

    Now that he had power and position, he probably wanted prestige on top of that. The others would probably prefer to be rewarded instead. Of course, it was only natural for them to expect a certain return on their investment now that they had mobilized their forces.

    The Marquis muttered some polite words of refusal ¡ª more of a courtesy than anything ¡ª even as he adopted a smarmy tone. During this time, Viscount Santz ¡ª who looked quite ill at ease ¡ª seized on the right moment to interrupt the conversation and hesitantly asked a question.

    ¡°My prince, I have a question I would like to ask you. What is the present condition of Her Majesty? I hear she has passed away...¡±

    ¡°That is a fact.¡±

    Startled by Caspond¡¯s frank and direct answer, Viscount Santz asked another question.

    ¡°Then, then where does Her Majesty¡¯s body lie?¡±

    ¡°...It was in a hideous state, so we had to cremate it. Originally, we were nning to use a ¡¸Preservation¡¹ spell on it and give her a state funeral after driving off Jaldabaoth...¡±

    Caspond shook his head with a pained look on his face, as though he could not bear to continue. ¡°At the same time, we confirmed the death of the high priestess, Krt Custodio.¡±

    ¡°Is that so...¡±

    During this silence, Caspond used the time to take a drink.

    Calca¡¯s substitute was right before their eyes. However, the high priestess Krt Custodio ¡ª who stood at the apex of all divine magic casters ¡ª could not be so easily reced. Therefore, they were carefully considering how best to use Krt¡¯s death.

    After seeing they had not reacted even after he had taken two drinks of wine, Caspond gave them another tidbit of information.

    ¡°Her remains were also in terrible condition, so they were cremated as well.¡±

    The nobles frowned. Had they felt something from the deaths of two of the Holy Kingdom¡¯s top individuals? Perhaps they had finally realised that this was a battle where their lives were on the line and losing meant death. They were probably frightened by the realisation that they would not be ransomed even if they were taken prisoner.

    ¡°How about the captain of the pdins, Custodio-dono?¡±

    ¡°Do you wish to speak to her? Can it wait?¡±

    ¡°Oya, so she¡¯s still alive? Meanwhile, Her Majesty and the high priestess-dono are both dead...¡±

    Count Randalse had a magnificent beard. When he delivered those words in a contemptuous tone of voice, the others smiled mockingly, as if to follow suit. Caspond opened the door and ordered the pdin outside to summon Remedios.

    Just as the wine in the sses was about to run dry, Remedios entered the room.

    Before Count Randalse could speak, he took a look at Remedios and his eyes went wide.

    ¡°What!? Are you Captain Remedios, leader of the pdin corps!?¡±

    The mockery in his tone had been reced by shock. Every noble in the Holy Kingdom knew what Remedios looked like. Count Randalse was no exception either, hence his surprise. She looked tremendously different from how he remembered her.

    Right now, Remedios Custodio looked like a ghost.

    Her eyes were deeply sunken and her cheeks were haggard. However, a brilliant light shone in her pupils.

    ¡°You called me here right? Who else would I be?¡±

    ¡°What! The... the nerve...¡±

    Count Randalse¡¯s voice trailed off, and he stared intently at Remedios.

    Right now, Remedios looked very frightening. The fact that nobody knew what she was thinking or what she would do made others uneasy. That was why Caspond did not keep Remedios by his side. It was also why he took care not to let Remedios know anything about Neia.

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    Everyone in this country knew that Remedios Custodio was the best pdin in the country. When it came to sheer brute force, she was the foremost being in this nation.

    What use was authority against violence that was on the verge of running wild? The most solid armor of the aristocracy was like paper to her. In the past, there were people close to her who held her reins, so she was in a state of mind where she could endure being badmouthed. However, it was a different matter now.

    The nobles all understood this, so they said nothing. Remedios snorted as she saw them, and then shrugged.

    ¡°...May I leave now, Your Highness? It seems there was no reason to call for me.¡±

    ¡°Ahh. Thank you foring.¡±

    After Remedios left, the nobles finally allowed themselves to look unhappy.

    ¡°How dare she show such disrespect to His Highness?¡±

    ¡°Even if she is the captain of the pdin corps, that attitude is intolerable. Can we allow someone without any loyalty to the royal family to remain as captain?¡±

    Caspond raised a hand to quell the venting of their spleens.

    ¡°We are at war now. Her talents are still useful. Let us leave her disposition to the future Holy King.¡±

    Quite a few people were upset by Remedios¡¯ attitude. Some of them were hiding their fear of her with anger, but others had ulterior motives. Caspond knew this, and he smiled coldly in his heart.

    Remedios had once been the mailed fist of the previous Holy King and a powerful weapon. Surely someone out there would not want to leave that weapon to the next Holy King. No, all of them might be thinking that for all he knew.

    ¡°Ohhh! Your Highness is correct! This is wartime! However, we won¡¯t keep fighting the demihumans forever!¡±

    ¡°The Count is right! I believe our envoy already mentioned that we managed toe here because we defeated the demihuman forces. Your Highness! We ought to press our advantage and mount a pursuit!¡±

    ¡°Exactly! We ought to destroy the demihumans in one fell swoop, so Your Highness¡¯ achievements may reach more ears.¡±

    ¡°I see, I see. Then ¡ª how¡¯s Old Purple?¡±

    The nobles looked at each other, and then Marquis Bodipo spoke on their behalf.

    ¡°The old man seems unwell, so he did note here with us.¡±

    The Marquis was the most senior person here, and so the person that he called an ¡°old man¡± was an 80 year old individual who had been appointed one of the Nine Colors. As a great noble of the South with the rank of Marquis, he had been granted that color in recognition of his loyalty to the royal family and his achievements.

    Not all the Nine Colors had earned their position because of their fighting strength. Much like Purple, some of them had gained their title because of some great contribution. For instance, there was a Duchess who had been appointed Blue due to her fame as aposite artist.

    As Caspond pondered Marquis Bodipo¡¯s reply, he sensed for a moment that the other man was not hiding anything, and Caspond smiled coldly in his heart again. While he already knew this, he was simply confirming that reaction with his own eyes.

    ¡°...I see. It would seem that your opinions coincide with mine.¡± Caspond outlined his n to ruin Jaldabaoth¡¯s scheme by ughtering the demihumans. ¡°However, what will we do if Jaldabaoth shows up?¡±

    ¡°Is Jaldabaoth such a mighty demon? I hear even the Captain-dono could not protect Her Majesty.¡±

    Count Granero had never faced Jaldabaoth before, which was why he was asking such an innocent question. Caspond responded in a somber tone.

    ¡°He is extremely powerful. We asked the Sorcerer King to face him, and his battle with Jaldabaoth was truly intense.¡±

    ¡°The Sorcerer King? Do you mean that undead king?¡±

    It was only to be expected that they would exim in surprise.

    ¡°Oya? Did you not hear about that? I see...¡±

    ¡°So you called upon the help of another country¡¯s army, my Prince? That is very bad!¡±

    ¡°Not an army. Just the Sorcerer King.¡±

    The nobles froze with an ¡±Eh?¡± on their lips. It took some time before they stirred again.

    ¡°The Sorcerer King? By himself? The one and only king, the one who stands at the pinnacle of his nation, came over by himself?¡±

    Caspond nodded in response to Count Randalse¡¯s question.

    ¡°How could that be, that¡¯s impossible, right? There¡¯s no way such a king would exist! Did he not have his armies on hand?¡±

    It makes no sense at all, the gathered people muttered. Some wondered if this was some kind of scheme. However, Caspond denied them with the finality of an executioner¡¯s axe.

    ¡°Though you might say so, it is the truth. All we can do is ept it. In addition, if the Sorcerer King had brought his armies with him, then they would have moved out the moment he lost his duel against Jaldabaoth.¡±

    ¡°He lost?... I don¡¯t get it. They say he¡¯s one of the undead, so could it be that even his brains rotted away? However... is this not very bad?¡±

    ¡°It is. However, one of the envoys who requested the Sorcerer King toe was Remedios. I believe handing her over to gain the forgiveness of the other party will be a necessity, as are other diplomatic measures.¡±

    ¡°Will that settle matters? ...Now that you mention it, the Sorcerous Kingdom is a nation within the borders of the Kingdom. In that case, they will not be able to cross the Kingdom¡¯s borders to reach us... does that mean we must be on alert once the Kingdom is destroyed?¡±

    They could not understand what was going on, and the nobles all clutched their heads. It was as though they were thinking about what to do if the sun rose in the west. Therefore, they decided to shelve the matter for the time being.

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s put that aside for now. What are your future ns, Your Highness?¡±

    ¡°I ¡ª I would like to retake the capital. And I would like to do this as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°In that case, we will surely aid you!¡±

    ¡°Your Highness will be the hero who saved this nation from Jaldabaoth!¡±

    ¡°The demihuman army which invaded our nation was 100¡¯000 strong. They¡¯ve been culled to around 30¡¯000 strong now, If we rally the people of this city and the soldiers we brought, we¡¯ll be able to beat them easily!¡±

    ¡°Your Highness! The day will soone when they call you Your Majesty!¡±

    Caspond faced the ttering nobles and put an expression of his face that said they had hit the nail on the head.

    ¡°Umu. I will not forget to be grateful for the help all of you have given me.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying? We are only doing our duty to the Holy Kingdom and the royal family!¡±

    In his heart, Caspond smiled in apletely different way.

    ¡°Very well. Then, gentlemen, let us make ready to take back the capital!¡±

    Part 2

    A week after they had joined up with the armies of the Southern nobles, they finished their preparations and began a new advance.

    Their next target was the city of Prart, to the west of Kalinsha.

    Neia could not hide her unease as she wobbled on the back of a horse.

    While it made perfect sense to seize this chance to exterminate the demihumans while Jaldabaoth¡¯s wounds had not yet healed, it did not sit well with her feelings. She wanted to increase the number of supporters and put her efforts into finalizing the preparations for the rescue effort that would be sent out in search of the Sorcerer King.

    That said, Neia knew from first-hand experience with Remedios that amander¡¯s irritation was closely linked to morale. She could not take her frustrations out on her subordinates.

    Neia took several deep breaths to calm herself, and her lungs filled with cool air. While spring was close, one could still feel winter in the air.

    After regaining herposure, Neia surveyed the army which was going forth.

    There were about 95¡¯000 people here, in a column that seemed to stretch on forever. Their forces wereposed of roughly 30¡¯000 men from the Southern nobles and 65¡¯000 men from the Liberation Army. Incidentally, of the remaining 20¡¯000 men from the South, 10¡¯000 were assigned to secure their axis of retreat and the other 10¡¯000 were resting in Kalinsha.

    Among them were 2¡¯000 archers led by Neia, all of whom belonged to the Rescue Corps.

    Facing them were the remnants of the demihuman army, which were estimated at around 30¡¯000 strong, so there was an overwhelming disparity in numbers.

    However, each individual demihuman was stronger than a human being, and more importantly, they had to be on guard against Jaldabaoth, so they could not be careless even with their numerical advantage.

    They had embarked on this operation under the assumption that Jaldabaoth was still wounded and unable to take action. If Jaldabaoth had fully recovered, then they would be marching to their deaths.

    Her heart beat like an rm clock.

    Should I have prioritized the Sorcerer King¡¯s rescue over everything else, Neia wondered. Her thoughts began to go around in circles.

    ¡°¨CBaraja-sama. Do you require information from the corps members in other units?¡±

    Beldran had walked his horse beside her before asking his question, and Neia blinked in response. She had no idea what he was talking about.

    After some thought, Neia finally got it, and she hurriedly waved the hand which was not holding the reins of her horse.

    ¡°No, no, we don¡¯t need to do spy-like stuff like that. After all, we¡¯rerades marching towards the same goal.¡±

    ¡°Ohhh! I expected nothing less of you, Baraja-sama. As the spokesperson for His Majesty, your words are most kind.¡±

    ¡°...Although her face is scary.¡±

    After Beldran praised her, Shizu spoke up from behind Neia. Since Shizu could not ride, the two of them shared a saddle.

    Even if Shizu was her senior, and one who was worthy of her respect, it was still a little annoying to hear her keep harping on that over and over again.

    Should I just have her walk...

    Shizu¡¯s stride and stamina exceeded those of a regr human being. She was riding only because it would be rude to let one of the Sorcerer King¡¯s subordinates walk.

    Beldran heard this, but he did not help her at all. He neither supported nor rejected that statement. He probably could not deny those words because they had been spoken by a subordinate of the Sorcerer King and more importantly, because they were obviously true.

    Well, I guess he can¡¯t just say no... after all, I wouldn¡¯t have to wear the visor if I weren¡¯t like that...

    That said, Neia was a girl. Even if it was true, and even if people had said it enough that she had be used to it, having people say her face was scary still hurt.

    ¡°Now then, Baraja-sama. A messenger came from headquarters. Our pioneers have sighted the demihuman army. Their numbers are estimated at 30¡¯000. Therefore, we will be taking formation here. The messenger returned to headquarters after rying that message. What do you make of this?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. If you feel it needs to be done, then it should be alright.¡±

    Beldran was doing very well as her executive officer.

    ¡°Still, do the demihumans really want to fight a field battle...¡±

    The demihumans had a mere third of the Holy Kingdom¡¯s numbers. While each of them was a superior individualbatant, surely they would have no chance if they fought on an open field. If they defended a city instead, they would be able to make full use of the city¡¯s defenses and make up for the shortfall in fighting strength.

    In any event, it would be extremely difficult to win once Jaldabaoth recovered. The demihumans¡¯ best strategy ought to be buying time.

    Either that, or setting up areas inessible to cavalry and limiting the scope of the fighting.

    ¡°So we¡¯re set to fight in an open field, then?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Just so. There are no woods nearby where the enemy could hide ambushers. Rather, there aren¡¯t even any hills, so surely they would be squabbling over where to form up.¡±

    ¡°...Why in a ce like that?¡±

    Beldran prefaced his response to Shizu¡¯s question with ¡°It¡¯s most likely that...¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re preparing to run away, I think?¡±

    ¡°Running away?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Baraja-sama. Just like how the Zerns betrayed him, not all the demihumans are devoted to Jaldabaoth. If they want to flee even if it means betraying Jaldabaoth, then the people who want to live would not hole up inside a city but choose to fight on open ground. That¡¯s because disengaging will be difficult if they¡¯re defending a city.¡±

    Beldran¡¯s eyes trembled as they went dark, and it made Neia shiver.

    Just as Neia wondered if she ought to use the ability she had recently developed, the darkness gradually ebbed away, and his eyes regained their usual shine. Since the fighting was about to start, maybe it might be good to quell the hatred inside him.

    ¡°...I see.¡±

    Shizu nodded in approval, and Beldran simply replied, ¡°That is probably the case.¡±

    Beldran¡¯s words made a lot of sense.

    Not even Jaldabaoth could know for sure if they were nning to die in a field battle or run away. If that was the case, it might be better to wait until nightfall, which would afford the demihumans a chance to flee, and thus reduce the amount of people who would die for nothing.

    Neia knew this, but she did not say it.

    The demihumans had caused too much woe to the people of this nation.

    While the demihumans under His Majesty could probably be forgiven, they¡¯re going to kill all the other demihumans besides them...

    There had even been rumors that people who advocated coexistence with demihumans or spoken up for them had been secretly killed or openly lynched.

    In truth, when the Sorcerer King had brought her along to liberate prison camps, where she had witnessed several human corpses which looked like they had been lynched. They had apparently been people who had tried to suck up to the demihumans.

    ¡°Baraja-sama. While I do not know how headquarters intends to deploy us, shall we gather all the unitmanders first?¡±

    ¡°No, I just need a rough idea of where they¡¯ve been allocated. No matter where they¡¯ve been assigned, I believe everyone will know what to do.¡±

    The position of Neia and the others would be determined by how the Holy Kingdom¡¯s leadership wanted to deploy Shizu, who was hugging Neia around the waist.

    If there were strong foes among the demihumans, then Shizu would be sent to the frontlines in order to make use of her. If she was to be used as a normal archer, then she would be positioned in the middle of the formation, or perhaps she would be stationed with the other archers. If they did not want to let Shizu ¡ª a subordinate of the Sorcerer King ¡ª achieve too much, then they would ce her all the way in the rear.

    Neia predicted that they would remain into the rear until they had made contact

    Three hourster, she realised that this was the right answer.

    ***

    In contrast to the demihumans¡¯ fish-scale formation, the humans had chosen to divide into two columns. The left nk wasposed of 30¡¯000 men from the South and 10¡¯000 men from the Liberation Army, for a total of 40¡¯000. The remaining 55¡¯000 members of the Liberation Army made up the right nk, and together they formed something like a crane-wing formation.

    Since the humans wanted to exterminate the demihumans in this battle, they had chosen to encircle the enemy and slowly draw the noose closed.

    The demihumans, on the other hand, had chosen a formation that emphasized prating power, though whether it was in order to break out of the encirclement or to ughter as many humans as possible in a melee remained to be seen.

    Finally, Neia and the others were ced in charge of protecting the engineers who were setting up camp for them, in a detached unit that was some distance away from the battlefield

    This was less an order from Caspond than a request, which meant that they had practically been allowed the run of the ce. They could even neglect their duty to protect the engineers with no consequences, which meant that the leadership of the Holy Kingdom had essentially relinquished allmand authority over them.

    Surely enough, the reason for that was because of Shizu¡¯s presence.

    While Neia was nominally inmand, the fact that she travelled with Shizu ¡ª who was practically a citizen of the Sorcerous Kingdom ¡ª meant they could not order her around as they wished. A member of the Holy Kingdom¡¯s royalty issuing amand to a minion of the Sorcerer King might end up bing a casus belli.

    Neia very much wanted to ask why they were doing things differently after Shizu had done so much during the attack on Kalinsha. However, the arrival of the Southern nobles had changed the reception she had gotten. This was because they could not simply consider the present, but future events in mind as well.

    As Neia and the others formed up, they watched the distant battlefield.

    That said, they were far enough away that they did not feel the tension of being on the battlefield, because the bloodlust from there could not reach this ce. The sound of the engineers pounding stakes with their mauls sounded very tranquil.

    ¡°...Are they still looking at each other? When will it start?¡±

    ¡°The situation grows worse for us as time passes. While I feel we ought to make the first move...¡±

    Beldran had answered Shizu¡¯s question.

    The darkness of night was the demihumans¡¯ ally. While one could see clearly on a in as long as there was moonlight, the sky was clouded over. There was no doubt that the demihumans would be a very tricky opponent if they attacked under these circumstances. That was because the camp they were building now was not very sturdy.

    Therefore, the humans should have made their move before nightfall.

    Besides, they had a massive advantage in numbers, so if they could achieve aplete victory here, they might be able to ruin Jaldabaoth¡¯s scheme. In other words, the Holy Kingdom would be freed from this long torment. There was no reason not to advance.

    Neia also hoped that the fighting would end here. That way, nothing else would bind Neia. She could throw her full strength into searching for the Sorcerer King.

    Neia looked up.

    Her keen hearing had picked up a mighty shout and the thunder of many people running. Beldran seemed to have heard it a momentter, because he quietly said, ¡°It¡¯s begun.¡±

    Nobody knew how these two armies ¡ª which numbered over 100¡¯000 strong when totalled together ¡ª would move, or how the would sh..

    The ins where the demihumans waited was t, with no high ground from which they could overlook the battlefield.

    This should have been their cue to set up a watchtower, but they did not have such a structure in their camp.

    ¡°...What now?¡±

    ¡°Our mission is to stay here and protect them. Let¡¯s focus onpleting it.¡±

    It was practically impossible for the tremendously outnumbered demihuman army to break through the human forces and reach this ce. Keeping Shizu ¡ª their strongest fighting force ¡ª here was a good political move, but it was a poor military move.

    If they ced her on the frontlines, it would greatly diminish the losses to the Holy Kingdom¡¯s forces.

    Everyone understood that, but nobody could actually do it. That was because they wanted to avoid building Shizu¡¯s reputation even further.

    What a senseless waste of lives, Neia thought, but wild horses could not have torn the words from her.

    30 minutester, there were cheers from the right nk. It was not just Neia and her keen ears which picked it up ¡ª the cries of joy were loud enough that they reached the ears of everybody in Neia¡¯s squad. They must have scored quite the victory if they could be heard over such a great distance.

    10 minutes after that, a messenger from the battlefield loudly announced what had happened.

    ¡°Captain Remedios Custodios of the Pdin Corps reports that she has just defeated the enemymander, one of Jaldabaoth¡¯s henchman demons, the Scale Demon!¡±

    The messenger left after rying that message.

    Neia began to wonder if it was actually true.

    No, it was probably true that Remedios had defeated a demon. But was that demon really one of Jaldabaoth¡¯s henchmen?

    Neia knew very well the power of the demon she and Shizu had fought in Kalinsha.

    She did not think that Remedios could have beaten it.

    Is the Captain strong enough to beat something like that? Or... could it be some kind of double? If I don¡¯t ask Sempai...

    ¡°Shizu-sempai, I have a question. How strong is that Scale Demon?¡±

    ¡°...Enough that the Captain could beat it.¡±¡°But the Circlet was stronger, right?¡±

    ¡°...The existence of strong demons implies that there are weak demons. The Scale Demon is one of the weaker ones.¡±

    ¡°I see...¡±

    Neia was relieved. Two of the henchman demons which had entered this country had already been defeated. While that left the great demon in the hills, there was no point thinking about that one.

    ¡°The country¡¯s saved now... Since the enemymander¡¯s dead, the demihuman army ought to break up. ording to the Prince¡¯s n, everything should be over.¡±

    There was a wistful look on Beldran¡¯s face, because he had lost the chance to avenge himself with his own hands.

    ¡°...Still need to hunt down the stragglers.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right! I expected nothing less of you, Shizu-sama!

    As Beldran answered, his joyful expression suddenly froze.

    The left wing ¡ª right in the middle of the noble forces, in fact ¡ª suddenly sprouted a pir of me. The roaring inferno was high enough that they could see it clearly even from this distance, and it looked like it would scorch the sky.

    Everyone looked worriedly to Shizu.

    They could think of only one being which could do such a thing. Right after that, Shizu confirmed their what they were imagining.

    ¡°...Oh no... it¡¯s Jaldabaoth.¡±

    ***

    ¡°Captain Remedios Custodios of the Pdin Corps reports that she has just defeated the enemymander, one of Jaldabaoth¡¯s henchman demons, the Scale Demon!¡±

    The right wing exploded into cheers as they heard what Caspond¡¯s messenger had told them. Marquis Bodipo¡¯s face lit up with a smile.

    ¡°Fuhahaha! She did it! She took down the enemy general! Whatever that woman¡¯s brains might be like, her swordsmanship is first rate. That ought to weaken the enemy¡¯s momentum. I order everyone to force them back and kill everyst one of those demihumans! Let none survive!¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    The soldiers spread out immediately upon receiving the Marquis¡¯ orders.

    ¡°Truly splendid, Marquis-sama. We are truly fortunate that themander of the unit facing us in this battle ¡ª in the same battle as us ¡ª has been eliminated.

    Count Cohen, a man who was held in quite high regard in his faction, was all smiles as he said so.

    ¡°Indeed it is, Count. Now we¡¯re a step ahead of them.¡±

    Eliminating themander of the unit that had skirmished repeatedly with the forces of the Southern Noble Alliance during their long confrontation was a massive coup. It was undoubtedly a significant card they could y when negotiating with the other Southern nobles.

    Compared to Remedios Custodio, her sister Krt Custodio had left far more bitter memories in their minds. However, this was an achievement that could wipe that hatred away.

    In addition, this was also a feather in the cap for Caspond. Simply put, if he managed to survive until the end, the position of the next Holy King was practically his. Even the remaining Southern nobles with any power would not be able toin about it, and with the Marquis¡¯ ownplete support, there would be no problems at all.

    If there were any uncertain elements in this scenario, that would be the other members of the royal family. There would be no problems if all of them were dead. However, he was not yet prepared to stain his hands, so all he could do was pray.

    The Marquis joyously imagined the future bnce of power in noble society.

    If he wanted his family to be the most influential one in the Holy Kingdom, he could not afford any mistakes in the clean-up operation that would follow this. Everything until now had been perfect. All they had to do was keep on going like this.

    ¡°Count. Do you think we can drive the demihumans to the south?¡±

    ¡°Marquis-sama, why would you do that?¡±

    The Count looked surprised, and he sounded confused as he asked his question. The Marquisughed at him in his heart.

    There was no way the Count could not understand what he was up to. The Marquis would not have favored anyone who was that ipetent. The Count was pretending surprise even though he knew what the Marquis had in mind.

    He must have been trying to give the impression that he could not fathom what the great and mighty Marquis-dono was nning. It was truly a dull attempt at sucking up to him.

    The Marquis decided to go with the flow. If he made the Count believe he could be that easily manipted, it would be easier to use him.

    ¡°Are you listening? The demihumans are an excellent tool to weaken the nobles who aren¡¯t of our faction.¡±

    He raised a finger, adopting the air of an old man who could not resist the urge to exin himself.

    ¡°Now that the Northern nobles have been weakened, the bnce of power between the North and South has been shattered. Things being what they are now, it is unavoidable that the Southern nobles will end up having a greater say in matters... However, that would be problematic for the royal family. In other words, this is what the royal family we are helping will face.¡±

    ¡°I expected nothing less of you, Marquis-sama. To think your considerations stretched that far!¡±

    The ttery was tant at this point, but the Count still delivered it with a joyful tone and a loud voice.

    ¡°Indeed. Nothing would be better than if they would ravage thends of the nobles who did us no good.¡±

    As he watched the Count look around worriedly, the Marquis stroked his beard and thought, this man really is a good actor.

    ¡°Rx, Count. We are surrounded by trustworthy people. Word will not get out. Besides, who would believe it?¡±

    ¡°Is, is that so? But, there are too many uncertain elements if we simply let the demihumans flee to the South. In that case, why not press them to their wits¡¯ end, and then forge a secret pact with the demihumans...?¡±

    ¡°Employing demihumans, then? Not a bad idea.¡±

    Although the Count sounded like he was disgusted by the idea of using demihumans, that was probably acting too. He was the sort of man who would use everything he could until there was nothing left.

    Getting such an excellent man in his own faction was also to keep an eye on him.

    In truth, he had already embedded several people in the Count¡¯s family. He had also used people from other factions so he would not be found out even if one used charm spells.

    ¡°Count, would you go as well if there was a chance to make a deal with the demihumans?¡±

    The Marquis was keenly aware that the Count was plotting all sorts of things behind those eyes of his.

    ¡°I, I don¡¯t really want to go, but if you intend to go, then I would certainly apany you, Marquis-sama.¡±

    He was probably doing this so he could say ¡°the Marquis said so-and-so¡± and thus obtain a trump card to use against the Marquis. However, just going there with him would tar him with the same brush. It was too feeble to be used as a trump card.

    ¡°...Is that so? Then should we not tell His Highness to stop attacking the demihumans? There¡¯s no need to sacrifice more people in fighting. After this, we shall achieve victory at the negotiation table.¡±

    ¡°It is as you say, Marquis-sama. However, the other Counts seem to be mounting an all-out attack, so we ought to stop them as soon as possible for a better effect.¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    While stopping them as they were trying to make a name for themselves would be doing them a disservice, it would be better to keep things as they were when one considered the future. The Marquis was delighted that he would soon be able to influence the future of the Holy Kingdom. Of course, he would never let that show on his face.

    ¡°Contact the Counts¨C¡±

    The pir of fire that erupted cut the Marquis off halfway.

    The Marquis was notpletely clueless about magic. He might not be able to use it himself, but knowledge about divine magic wasmonce among the Holy Kingdom¡¯s nobility. However, he only knew about spells of up to the second tier, and his knowledge did not extend to spells from other traditions.

    Even so, he understood that the pir of me before his eyes was incredibly powerful magic.

    ¡°What, could that be magic of the so-called fourth tier? The kind that Krt Custodio and Her Majesty could use?¡±

    ¡°I, I don¡¯t know. What, what should we do, Marquis-sama?¡±

    ¡°Er, hm. I¡¯m not too sure, but let¡¯s just back up a little and move to a safer ce.¡±

    Part 3

    Trooper Robi was a young man who was 24 years of age. While he had not received aplete education, he understood that there were many things in this world which he did not know.

    Therefore¨C

    ¡°Humans. I have returned. ¨CTruly you have indulged yourselves while I was healing the wounds which the Sorcerer King left on me.¡±

    ¨CAs the angry roar reverberated through the core of his body, Robi pissed himself.

    He could no longer feel his soaked pants sticking to his skin.

    After realizing the power of the monster before him, he had a premonition that he was about to die, and so his survival instincts went into overdrive. They abandoned his useless senses and swiftly searched for a way to survive.

    However, before they could find anything, Jaldabaoth unleashed his power.

    ¡°Die. Burn to ash in the mes of Wrath.¡±

    Fire roared up, and a wave of heat struck Robi in the face. The incredible heat dried his eyes out and filled him with incredible pain. The hot air entering his lungs felt like it was about to set his entire body on fire from the inside. In fact, that was exactly what had happened.

    mes scorched his skin and its water content evaporated. His dermis burned, and then the fat beneath, followed by his muscles and then his nerves. Where the subdermalyers of fat were thin, such as on the arms, the mes immediately reached the muscles and nerves. This should have caused the muscles to contract and make him take up a bizarre pose. However, the high temperatures seared his skin to his armor, which prevented that.

    His clothes, skin, muscles and the fat of his belly all caught fire, and his innards poured out intact.

    Human bodies contained a lot of water. That was why it took time for their insides to burn, If this were an ordinary fire, the mes would have continued burning inside the body for some time, but since Jaldabaoth¡¯s fiery aura was magically generated heat, it vanished as he moved away.

    Therefore, Robi¡¯s scattered guts were not discolored by the heat and remained a pretty pink color. The sight of piles of scorched bodies and the fresh offal peeking out through oceans of blood were enough to make onlookers want to throw up. It looked like hell on earth.

    Jaldabaoth left Robi ¡ª who had sprouted a gand of fresh innards ¡ª and over 50 other scorched corpses around him as he walked forward.

    Jaldabaoth ¡ª the newly-summoned Evil Lord of Wrath was walking. Even that was enough to kill the people around him who were caught up in his fiery aura.

    ¡°Get lost! Out of my way!¡±

    While several such shouts could be heard, the first to scream was Militiaman Francesk.

    He thought, why am I so unlucky every day. Thanks to the Holy Kingdom¡¯s system of conscription, everyone had to do their national service and join the army.

    Indeed, even the son of a great merchant like himself ¡ª a man with a bright future promised to him ¡ª was no exception. Granted, his father had paid the appropriate bribes to have him assigned to a ck unit, but the life of a soldier was still miserable.

    And just as that misery was about to end, this war had broken out.

    Not a day went by when he did notin about his unhappiness and the unfairness of it all. Still, it would all be over soon, and he could go back to being the heir of a big merchant family and indulge in the money-making activities he so enjoyed..

    Things were just a little bit away from turning out like that.

    It had been just a little bit.

    However, he was now fleeing desperately from the monster in front of him.

    If it caught him, he would certainly die.

    He desperately moved his legs, which refused to listen to him owing to his fear.

    He was surrounded by other people who were also fleeing like himself. Thus he made little progress despite his panic.

    In particr, the fat man in front of Francesk was an eyesore.

    Therefore, Francesk shoved the man away.

    He did it to get just a single step further away from that monster. He did it for the sake of his joyous future.

    However, as he shoved the other man away, Francesk saw that the people in front of him also had the same idea.

    If the man who had been shoved away collided with the people in front of him, it was very likely that they would copse en masse like dominoes. In fact, that was exactly what had happened to the people in front of Francesk.

    Perhaps if it was just one or two people, he could have avoided them. Perhaps he could have jumped over them.

    However, Francesk was not athletic enough to avoid a huge mass of falling people at once.

    He copsed onto the mass of people.

    He thrashed around to get up ¡ª but he was not given the time for that.

    The aura of fire centered on Jaldabaoth had caught up to him.

    Francesk had no time to scream. Why me, he thought, and then said thought was instantly swallowed up by sheerest agony and all he could feel was pain.

    Francesk had been lucky. That was because he had died immediately.

    Jaldabaoth did not stop moving, He trampled ckened human corpses underfoot as he walked on, like he was in an empty wastnd.

    ¡°Run away! Run awaaaay!¡±

    One man shouted the obvious. His name was Trooper Golka. He was a man who had faith in his sword skills.

    That was why he had the courage to shout those words in front of Jaldabaoth.

    Still, that was just foolhardiness, because Jaldabaoth changed course towards Golka. There was no telling if he had piqued Jaldabaoth¡¯s interest or because it had been mere coincidence.

    While that was a godsend to the ones Jaldabaoth had been chasing, it was the foulest luck imaginable to the ones on Jaldabaoth¡¯s new course.

    Golka saw that it would be very difficult to flee the monster amidst the chaos, and so he drew his sword.

    The monster¡¯s eyes shifted, and less than a secondter, he walked past Golka.

    That was what the monster thought of Golka.

    He was only worth a single nce.

    Golka bellowed and ran in the opposite direction of the flow of humanity.

    The sight of charred people copsing nearby was very scary, but perhaps there might be some hope for him. Perhaps he might hope to be able to reach that monster.

    Golka learned the answer with his body.

    Pain filled him.

    He could not possibly close in on that monster.

    Golka burned with the other troopers who were weaker than him.

    Golka realised something.

    To that monster, Golka was no different from the civilians around him.

    If only I had run, hemented, before that thought was drowned out by the agony of being burned alive. Golka copsed with a silent scream, contorting on the ground like all the corpses around him.

    Jaldabaoth had no aim in mind as he walked. However, if humans tried to run, he pursued them.

    ¡°Stay away!¡±

    She ran.

    Viviana, who had joined the campaign as a divine magic caster, was running for her life.

    Her long blonde hair swayed wildly as she fled with all her might.

    She had no time to wipe away her snot or her tears.

    Nobody could beat a monster like that.

    Somebody was saying something.

    She had no time to care about that.

    All she could think of was I just want to get away from that monster.

    She could not shove away the people running in front of her. All she could do was squeeze past them and keep running.

    Out of my way.

    Out of my way.

    Out of my way.

    Why were there so many people in her way?

    I don¡¯t care if everyone else dies, but I don¡¯t want to die.

    Viviana ran with that thought in her heart.

    While she was ostensibly running, she was surrounded by people fleeing in all directions. Even Viviana, who was faster than the average person, was as slow as a turtle. She could not get away from the demon.

    Sizzling heat caressed the tips of Viviana¡¯s hair.

    Nooooooo!

    She thought of the horrible way people looked when they died.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to die!!!¡±

    It was a perfectly natural thing to scream.

    Anyone would have thought the same thing.

    It was very difficult to ept one¡¯s death calmly when it loomed before you. This was more true the more suddenly death appeared in front of you.

    ¡°It huuuurts!¡±

    The incredible heat meant she could not feel anything other than pain. Her brain was assaulted by unbearable agony. She realised that she would soon be dead.

    No, I don¡¯t want to die, Viviana thought as she burned to death.

    Jaldabaoth continued forward in silence as he began to feel bored.

    ¡°Don¡¯t run! Fight!¡± a brave man shouted from horseback.

    Leonzio was the second son of a retainer in service to the Marquis. He had joined the battle in the hopes of being recognized for his swordsmanship. Around him were the men his father had ced under hismand, all of whom were people who knew his abilities.

    The demon walked in a leisurely manner, and it left countless corpses in its wake, each of them twisted in agony. He wanted to run away, but if he did, his future would be grim and dark. All he could do was take a bet for a shining future.

    Having made that decision, he shouted ¡°Don¡¯t run!¡± over and over again.

    However, his horse was a different matter. Its instincts screamed that the approaching demon was a terrifying monster, and so it wanted to flee.

    What would happen if a horse broke into a gallop among all these people?

    The answer was simple.

    The horse got tangled up in the crowd and fell. The people which the horsended on screamed. No, some of them had died.

    Leonzio was flung from his saddle and thrown to the ground.

    Fortunately, he hadnded on top of people and had been spared the fate of being trampled by the fleeing mob.

    However, intense pain filled his arm as he tried to stand. He had sprained it when he had been thrown from his horse.

    He had no idea where his sword had gone. It must have been flung away by the shock of being thrown off his horse.

    He made to look for it ¡ª and in that moment, he was engulfed by a wave of mind-nking pain. This was the first time Leonzio had experienced such anguish in his life.

    The agony stopped him from thinking.

    In the tatters of his pain-riven mind, the only coherent thought he could form was why me.

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    Someone stood atop a pile of burnt human corpses. The Evil Lord that had been given the duty of acting as Jaldabaoth surveyed the fleeing crowds.

    It was a little boring.

    The fiery aura was not an amazing ability. All it did was inflict fire damage on the surroundings. One could greatly reduce that damage with fire resistance spells. Of course, he had been granted the knowledge that the average soldier in this country did not possess such abilities.

    As a demon, he did not enjoy simply tormenting the weak. Rather, he enjoyed toying with the weaklings who thought they were very strong. That was why he hoped that such an arrogant fool would show themselves, but unfortunately there did not seem to be anyone like that.

    The Evil Lord of Wrath stomped on a burnt corpse.

    The innards squeezed out of it by the impact were charred in an instant.

    The odor of offal filled the air.

    The Evil Lord of Wrath turned away.

    If it were to get serious and take to the skies, there would be many more casualties. Had these humans realised that yet? The Evil Lord of Wrath held that question in his heart as he walked.

    Everyone watched in silence as the demon walked proudly and regally back to the demihuman encampment.

    Nobody thought, what was that monster. There was no need to ask either. Even the stupidest of fools knew the answer.

    He was the Demon Emperor Jaldabaoth.

    The being who had trampled the Holy Kingdom underfoot and made the people cry rivers of tears.

    The demon that had caused havoc in two nations demonstrated a power which mankind could never ovee. He had returned to bring despair to people who were once filled with hope for victory.

    Part 4

    Neia had heard of silence, but this was something else. She had been summoned to this tent, and she was surprised at how depressed the mood inside was.

    The table had been specially moved here, and the Southern nobles seated around it were pale. No, the Liberation Armymanders were also in the same state.

    It was a natural reaction.

    Nobody could have witnessed Jaldabaoth¡¯s overwhelming power and not been shocked ¡ª no, back then, Neia had not been that shocked. However, that was because the shock of losing the great entity known as the Sorcerer King had been even worse. That, in addition to everything she had witnessed up to this point, might have numbed her heart.

    However, the Southern nobles had not experienced harsh fighting until now, so perhaps their rm was only to be expected. They had not experienced a foe who could kill men one after the other just by walking, leaving nothing behind but hideous corpses.,

    In addition, their army of nearly 100¡¯000 had been panicked by a single demon and dissolved into a rout.

    ¡°¨CWhat¡¯s this? What the hell is this! What do you call that, that monster!¡±

    Count Domingues¡¯ voice rose steadily.

    In contrast, Caspond ¡ª who knew of Jaldabaoth¡¯s overwhelming power ¡ª shrugged nonchntly.

    ¡°That is Jaldabaoth... the real thing. I¡¯ve told you about him before, Count Domingues.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of the ability to kill people just by walking!¡±

    Is that the problem, Neia jeered in her heart.

    ¡°Indeed, that is how it is. His battle with the Sorcerer King ¡ª His Majesty ¡ª was in a city, so we could not see the full extent of his might. But I¡¯ve already told you how powerful it is. So surely an ability like that should note as a surprise, no?¡±

    ¡°Even, even so!¡±

    ¡°¨CCount. I know what you want to say. Seeing is believing, is it not?¡±

    It was the Marquis who spoke. All that could be said was that one had to hand it to him for not being as nervous as the others.

    ¡°...Still, saying that won¡¯t help us make any progress. Should we not discuss what we need to do from now on?¡±

    ¡°That makes perfect sense, Marquis-sama. What should we do?¡± Viscount Santz asked in a rapid-fire burst of words. His attitude was understandable, given that he did not know if his present location was safe.

    The Southern nobles had intended to crush a few stragglers with overwhelming force in order to be the heroes who had saved the nation. It should have been that simple. However, that was not to be. Now the hunters had be the hunted.

    The Marquis had his arms folded and remained silent. Caspond replied in his ce.

    ¡°We have an overwhelming advantage in fighting strength. The problem is that Jaldabaoth can overturn that advantage by himself. I would like to ask everyone present a question in my capacity as the Prince. What do you think we should do to achieve victory under these circumstances?¡±

    After a brief silence, the Marquis replied, ¡°there¡¯s only one thing we can do¡± in a supremely confident tone.

    ¡°Prince Caspond. As you have said before, Jaldabaoth will probably retreat once we wipe out those demihumans, right? Then we have no other option but to do so.¡±

    ¡°Marquis-sama! Are you still going to fight!?¡±

    ¡°Exactly, Count Randalse. Do you think we can flee now?¡±

    ¡°...Marquis-sama, it would be very difficult for us all to flee, but could a small group not manage to run?¡±

    Remedios snorted at Count Cohen¡¯s suggestion.

    ¡°That¡¯s a fitting answer for an ipetent who can¡¯t even understand Calca-sama¡¯s ideals.¡±

    ¡°What!?¡±

    ¡°What will you do after running away and escaping? Cower under a hay bale in a barn? Aren¡¯t you a noble? Shouldn¡¯t you say that you¡¯ll sacrifice yourself for the people or something?¡±

    ¡°And you, Captain Custodio? You¡¯re a pdin with a holy sword, but you can¡¯t even beat a single demon!¡± Count Randalse bellowed.

    Remedios looked like a ghost now, and her eyes seemed to glow from within as she turned to face him.

    ¡°Indeed. I can¡¯t beat him. The only one who can fight him is that undead creature. But if it would buy some time ¡ª even if it was only to let the people live a second longer ¡ª then I would fight to the death against him! And you, what would you do?¡±

    When a warrior who was prepared to meet death locked eyes with a noble who wanted to flee from death, the oue was a foregone conclusion.

    Count Randalse looked away, and Remedios snorted mockingly at him.

    ¡°My Prince. While I would very much like to order the pdins to die, do you still have anything to say?¡±

    ¡°While making up your mind is very important... well, could you go? You don¡¯t mind leaving Vice-Captain Montagnes behind, do you?¡±

    ¡°I see. In that case, I¡¯ll leave the rest to you, Montagnes.¡±

    With that, Remedios slowly walked out of the tent. Thest thing she did was nce at Shizu, who was seated beside Neia.

    ¡°Everyone, I apologize on behalf of our Captain,¡± Gustav said as he eyed the nobles ¡ª who were going ¡°Honestly¡± ¡ª before continuing, ¡±Still, that opinion is shared by all of us. We pdins are all ready to die as shields for the people. We hope you gentlemen, being of noble birth, are simrly determined. After all, we can¡¯t fight if there are nomanders.¡±

    ¡°What!?¡±

    Before Neia could tell who had eximed in surprise, Marquis Bodipo spoke up.

    ¡°That¡¯s about enough... We aren¡¯t nning how to die gloriously, we¡¯re nning how to win. Am I correct, my Prince?¡±

    ¡°Just so, Marquis-dono. There¡¯s not much time before Jaldabaoth takesplete control. We need to find a way to win before that.¡±

    ¡°¨CThere¡¯s no way to win, is there!? Didn¡¯t you see that demon¡¯s power!?¡± Count Granero shouted as he rose to his feet. ¡°If he used magic or attacked or something, we might still be able toe up with some way to stop him! But all he¡¯s doing is walking! He can turn the area around him into a hellish inferno just by walking!¡±

    ¡°Come to think of it... Count Granero, you know a bit about magic, right? Do you have...¡±

    ¡°Nothing I learned covered powers like that...¡±

    ¡°Is that so... then, assume there were still 10¡¯000 demihuman enemies remaining. Could we flee from Jaldabaoth while wiping them out at the same time?¡±

    The Marquis seemed to approve of Caspond¡¯s proposal.

    ¡°It seems there¡¯s no other way... While it¡¯ll be difficult, I think it would be harder to try and defeat Jaldabaoth with our strength.¡±

    ¡°A moment please,¡± Count Cohen interrupted with a raise of his hand. ¡°I object. Jaldabaoth might not leave even after we kill the demihumans. However, he might kill all of us as a souvenir first before he goes.¡±

    He was right. Therefore, Caspond followed up with a perfectly reasonable question.

    ¡°So what should we do?¡±

    ¡°We ought to negotiate.¡±

    Few people managed to resist the urge tough at Count Cohen as he delivered that suggestion with a perfectly straight face.

    Count Cohen¡¯s face turned red as the othersughed at him. Before he could continue, Caspond asked:

    ¡°Count, what kind of deal do you intend to make with that devil?¡±

    ¡°Ah, ah yes. For instance, maybe we could trade him something in exchange for letting us leave safely...¡±

    ¡°What will we give him? Wouldn¡¯t it be simpler to just kill us and take it off our bodies? Or do you mean we should trade him something that isn¡¯t here? What would that be?¡±

    ¡°A moment please, Your Highness! All I¡¯m saying is that fighting isn¡¯t our only option! I just meant to say that there¡¯s a possibility we might be able to negotiate with him, that¡¯s all!¡±

    ¡°Count, your way of thinking is a little, yes, a little too optimistic. For starters, who will we send to negotiate with that monster... Come to think of it, I heard that His Majesty put one of his maid demons under his control, and she turned out quite useful in retaking Kalinsha. Surely that maid demon could do something, right?¡±

    Count Granero turned to look at Shizu.

    ¡°...I can¡¯t beat Jaldabaoth... Buying time would be hard too.¡±

    ¡°Still, if you fought alongside Captain Custodio, you might be able to buy some time.¡±

    His suggestion made a lot of sense. They would need someone to hold Jaldabaoth in ce while they carried out Caspond¡¯s n, in any event.

    However, that would essentially be sending them to their deaths.

    ¡°...Hmm~¡± Shizu tilted her head to look at the ceiling. ¡°...This is a problem...¡±

    ¡°How about it? That way, we can deepen the rtionship between the Sorcerous Kingdom and the Holy Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°..Hmm... hm!¡±

    ¡°Is that a yes?¡±

    Should I interrupt now? Neia thought as Shizu answered.

    ¡°...No.¡±

    ¡°May, may I know the reason why?¡±

    ¡°...No reason.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no reason?¡±

    Shizu nodded to Count Domingues, who was frozen in ce.

    ¡°Is Jaldabaoth really that scary!?¡±

    ¡°...Hm?...That¡¯s the reason then. He¡¯s scary and I don¡¯t want to do it.¡±

    ¡°Guh.¡± Count Domingues was at a loss for words. Now that she had said as much, he had no response for her. If Shizu said, ¡°If you¡¯re not afraid, then you go buy time¡± he would be finished. If she had rejected the proposal based on some kind of argument, then all he would need to do was pick that argument apart, but since she had refused based on her feelings, getting past that would be very difficult.

    As silence returned to the tent, one of the Liberation Army¡¯s top brass, a person whomanded thousands of soldiers and militiamen slowly said:

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we run before Jaldabaoth fully takesmand? I don¡¯t think we can beat a monster like that. We used to have the Sorcerer King in the past, but he¡¯s not here any more... does anyone know of anybody who can defeat Jaldabaoth? No, right? If we fled to the South...¡±

    Beside him anothermander quietly said,

    ¡°...There¡¯s no guarantee that Jaldabaoth won¡¯t chase us to the South, right?¡±

    With a loud thump of the table, the previous speaker bellowed:

    ¡°In that case, all we can do is follow the Prince¡¯s suggestion and kill the demihumans! If we can¡¯t run, then we must fight! It¡¯s just that simple!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s the only way we can go on living. I don¡¯t want to bow down and go through that hell again. Let¡¯s start by putting a formation together¨C¡±

    The tent p was forcefully pulled open, and a soldier who reported directly to Caspond rushed in.

    ¡°Your Highness! The demihumans are moving! They¡¯re reforming their lines!¡±

    They did not have a proper formation in the previous battle. Did they have one now because of Jaldabaoth¡¯smand?

    ¡°Is that so... Gentleman, the enemy will be attacking soon. We need to prepare for battle as soon as possible!¡±

    After Caspond finished, all the people who had been called here stood up as one. Neia and Shizu did as well.

    The others rushed out of the tent first, eager to save time.

    The final ones remaining in the tent were Neia and Shizu. Neia¡¯s unit was already together, so there was no need to go gather them.

    Neia suddenly felt that something was amiss about the grim expression on the face of the messenger who had barged into the tent, but there was nothing she could do about it, and so she and Shizu returned to their unit.

    ¡°Now then, I believe there¡¯s still some bad news in store?¡±

    ¡°Yes! My Prince! Is it really advisable to let these gentlemen return?¡±

    ¡°That will depend on your report.¡±

    Caspond had once told his subordinates that they must never speak of information which was notmon knowledge in the presence of third parties. That was why this man was thest to remain in the tent.

    ¡°...Your Highness, the demihumans are advancing on us from the east. At this rate, they¡¯ll reach us in one hour.¡±

    ¡°Im...possible...¡±

    Caspond struggled to keep himself from raising his voice. It would be bad if someone outside the tent heard this.

    ¡°Kalinsha is to the east. Why hasn¡¯t the city contacted us yet? Even if they did make a big detour to circle around us, how did they avoid our patrols¡¯ eyes? ...Or are they few in number?¡±

    ¡°No, they¡¯re estimated to be over 10¡¯000 strong... what should we do, sire?¡±

    The Holy Kingdom still had the numerical advantage even if one added 10¡¯000 men to the demihumans forces. However, the fact that they wereing from the east was disastrous. When a smaller force attempted a pincer attack, normally one would simply defeat each arm of the pincer individually. However, this time, they were facing Jaldabaoth.

    In other words, their escape route had been cut off.

    ¡°...Alright, listen closely. You must not tell this news to anyone, got it?¡± Caspond coldly told the surprised scout . ¡°This news is very dangerous. If the army learns of it, they¡¯ll sap their will to fight and we¡¯ll lose a battle that we could have won. Also, a lot of people might end up dying. We must not tell anyone about this for the sake of unity.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness...¡±

    ¡°...Don¡¯t worry. All will be well if we can win within an hour. There¡¯s nothing to be afraid of.¡±

    ¡°...I understand.¡±

    ¡°Also, do your best to keep the scouts from investigating the east. If things go badly, they might let the news slip, and then we¡¯ll splinter and end up defeated in detail. You must keep this secret until thest moment, understand?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    While he did not seem quitefortable with it, the man probably felt that Caspond¡¯s logic was sound as he left the room. Alone inside the tent, Caspond palmed his face.

    ***

    The palisade they had built was very simple. The west and north sides wereplete, but the south-side was only half-finished. Meanwhile, there was nothing on the east side. It would be better to take formation on open ground rather than try to fight in such a cramped ce, so they abandoned their camp and spread out over the ins.

    They had chosen to form a long line.

    Any unit that made contact with Jaldabaoth would be lost. Therefore, the other units would abandon it and attack the demihumans. They had taken this formation because they were prepared to make that sacrifice. Amidst all this, Remedios would lead the pdins on hit and run attacks, so she had no fixed position. This was so that she could head towards any location where Jaldabaoth appeared.

    Neia and her unit were also free-roaming. She understood the two implications of that assignment. The first was that it would be easy for Shizu ¡ª as a subordinate of the Sorcerer King ¡ª to escape. The second was that if Shizu wanted to fight Jaldabaoth, putting her in an immobile unit would result on a hole being torn in the line of battle.

    Neia¡¯s unit had already discussed what they would do if Jaldabaoth showed up.

    Would they hunt down the demihumans, flee to a safe ce ¡ª or perhaps, would they fight Jaldabaoth?

    Their answer was unanimous.

    They would defeat the demihumans.

    All of them deeply hated Jaldabaoth, the source of all evil. However, they knew their ce ¡ª what good could they do, if even the mighty Sorcerer King was no match for him? In that case, it would be better to focus on ying the demihumans, in order to bring them just a little closer to victory. Of course, part of that was also because they did not want to let Shizu die, being that she was a subordinate of their great benefactor, the Sorcerer King.

    Neia mounted up on her horse, and studied the enemy.

    The demihuman formation had been full of openings in their previous battle, but now it was immacte. What had once been a motley grouping of demihumans by racial types was now a neat line of battle that looked like a veteran army.

    Had the demihumans projected such an image of strength and power in the previous battle? Their rows of shields looked sturdy and indomitable, while their bristling spear points gleamed with blinding brilliance. Jaldabaoth¡¯s incrediblemand ability notwithstanding, this unit¡¯s cohesion was self-evident.

    No¨C

    This is only to be expected. Everyone would obey once they saw his overwhelming power.

    Many demihumans ced a great emphasis on personal power. In that respect, they would probably be d to follow Jaldabaoth.

    The battle was about to begin.

    Neia and her people loosed arrows from the rear.

    A rain of arrowsunched by 3¡¯000 people fell upon the enemy.

    During this battle, the humans had adopted a wide formation in order to end the battle quickly ¡ª by wiping out the demihumans.

    Theyunched a heavy cavalry charge, leaving nothing in reserve. The humans weremitted to an uphill slog, and they attacked ferociously. In contrast to them, the demihumans solidified their defense.

    Perhaps it was because they understood that this all-out attack was nothing more than casting kindling onto a ze. The charred remains of the kindling would scatter all over the ground in short order.

    Given that humans were weak individuals, it would be very difficult for them to bring down the demihumans¡¯ reinforced defense. Or rather, the humans might have actually had a chance against the demihumans if Jaldabaoth were not around. However, the demihumans¡¯ unitposition was one which allowed the many races making it up to make full use of their respective abilities,pensating for their weaknesses and further emphasizing their strengths.

    The demihumans¡¯ defense made the advantage the humans had enjoyed several hours ago seem like a pleasant dream. No matter how many times they charged, how many times they thrust theirnces, or how many arrows they loosed, nothing they did could shake the demihumans¡¯ formation. Instead, the attackers from the Holy Kingdom took heavier losses than them.

    Time was passing, and they could not let the battlest until nightfall. However, the humans¡¯ morale and stamina would probably give out before that and they would be crushed in turn.

    In addition¨C

    ¡°Jaldabaoth¡¯s appeared in sector 2A! Second Infantry has beenpletely wiped out!¡±

    ¡°Fourth Infantry has taken more than half casualties!¡±

    ¡°Sixth Lancers has taken over half casualties!¡±

    ¨CThe messengers loudly announced the situation on the battlefield.

    ¡°Where is he this time!?¡±

    Caspond had suggested they divide the battlefield into several sectors.

    They were numbered, to make moving the men as easy as possible. It was a very crude system, but it was easy to understand.

    The forces there must have been trying to flee Jaldabaoth. Even from here, it was in to see that they were inplete disarray. The demihumans in that region began their attack, and troop organization there disintegrated like it had melted.

    That was it.

    Just by appearing once and using just that little bit of power, he had destroyed a battalion of 500 men, and there were nearly 1000 casualties in total. The demihumans who charged the gap he created caused even more deaths in turn.

    It would be one thing if the demihumans had gotten cocky and pressed the attack, but they immediately retreated after pursuing for a short distance, like a turtle shrinking into its shell. This turned the battle into a melee, and the tactics designed to make it difficult for Jaldabaoth to use his powers could not be applied.

    That masterful strategy was probably the result of Jaldabaoth¡¯smand ability as well.

    Remedios led her pdins to sector 2A as quickly as she could. However, by the time she arrived, Jaldabaoth was no longer there. He had moved to another region via teleportation, as if to mock them.

    This series of events had repeated itself over and over again since just now.

    The word ¡°bad¡± was not nearly enough to describe this.

    Still, it was a fact that nobody here, Neia included, could think of any good solutions. All Neia and her people could do was keep raining arrows on the demihuman troops.

    Shizu simply watched the battle from beside Neia. Her weapon was not capable of arcing fire like bows were, so she had no chance to demonstrate her incredible skills.

    Eventually, Neia¡¯s fingers began to hurt from drawing back her bowstring, and everyone¡¯s quivers ¡ª including her own ¡ª began to run dry.

    ¡°Baraja-sama! We¡¯re almost out of arrows!¡±

    They did not have unlimited arrows.

    ¡°...Fall back for now and replenish supplies!¡±

    The unit obeyed Neia¡¯s instructions and returned to the rear to stock up on arrows.

    She would have liked to give them some rest time, but unfortunately they did not have the luxury of that.

    ¡°Are you ready?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Baraja-sama. We can move out any time!¡±

    ¡°In that case¨C¡±

    Just as she was about to shout for them to move out, Neia saw several mounted scouts from the east.

    The lead scout met Neia¡¯s eyes for a moment, and then he shouted:

    ¡°Demihumans from the east! Look out!¡±

    ¡°Hah?¡±

    Surprised, Neia looked into the distance and squinted. She could make out some rising dust and the shapes of what looked like people. While she would need to check their movement speeds to be sure, given their distance, they would be here soon.

    What a mistake this had been.

    They had been so focused on the demihumans before their eyes that they had neglected to watch their backs.

    She wanted to believe this was fake. She wanted to believe that Kalinsha had sent reinforcements to help them.

    However, that was not the case. If it were, then they would have sent a swift horse ahead to inform them.

    Neia¡¯s legs felt like they might copse.

    This news was far too grim.

    Jaldabaoth¡¯s n was to trap them with a pincer attack from the enemy reinforcements.

    He did not fight, but let the demihumans fight instead. This way the humans would choose not to flee, but to fight in order to satisfy their victory conditions. Jaldabaoth¡¯s aim had been to bait all the humans onto the battlefield and keep them from escaping.

    In other words, Jaldabaoth had already surmised that the humans would say that he would flee once the demihumans were wiped out.

    ¡°Haha, but of course!¡±

    Beldranughed with genuine mirth.

    Just as everyone was looking at him with panicked eyes, Beldran regained his calm and addressed Neia.

    ¡°Prince Caspond made a fatal mistake in his thinking. More importantly, why did he not notice it?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean!?¡±

    ¡°...Baraja-sama. It is a perfectly natural thing. As long as Jaldabaoth controls the hills, he can send reinforcements here. Just destroying the demihumans in this ce does not mean Jaldabaoth will retreat.¡±

    ¡°Ahhh!¡±

    After hearing the exnation, Neia was not the only one who understood. The same noises could be heard from around Beldran.¡±

    ¡°After driving away the demihumans here, we will still have to counter-invade the hills. Prince Caspond¡¯s idea can only be proven correct after we exterminate all the demihumans there as well.¡±

    Indeed. Beldran also supplied an answer for why they had not thought of thus.

    ¡°...Prince Caspond and ourselves thought of the same thing, and we were blinded by the possibility of salvation and did not consider the matter in greater depth.¡±

    Butunching a counter-invasion of the hills was practically impossible. In other words¨C

    ¡°...There¡¯s no way to save the Holy Kingdom?¡±

    Silence filled the air. The mor of the battlefield seemed very far away.

    ¡°No...¡± Beldran forced himself to speak. ¡°There is a way.¡±

    ¡°Which is?¡±

    ¡°...Jaldabaoth. We have to defeat the Demon Emperor Jaldabaoth.¡±

    It was a perfect answer, but there was no rejoicing. It was the most insoluble problem in the world, and they had adopted Caspond¡¯s n precisely because they could not do it.

    ¡°...As I thought, we should have gone to look for His Majesty above everything else. We were the ones who chose poorly.¡±

    If she had not gone to retake Kalinsha, but went to the hills with Shizu in tow, they might have avoided this.

    Still, it would have been very difficult. Neia had made the best choice she could based on what she could do. She had tried to avoid foolhardiness and pick the most sessful path.

    However, should they have tried it after all?

    What if¨C

    What if¨C

    What if¨C

    Countless ¡°what ifs¡± flew through Neia¡¯s mind. Every time she thought about ¡°what if I had done this or that¡± she was swamped in guilt and regret.

    Her will to fight was at rock bottom. Neia was not the only one. Her entire unit which felt this way.

    The victor was clear.

    When one got down to it, the premise of their victory was wed from the start. Or rather, the battle itself had been a waste of time.

    All they could do now was think about how to end this with as few casualties as possible and flee to a safe ce. However, that was not the right thing to do.

    Weakness was a sin.

    It was a sin to be so weak that they could not rescue anyone. That was why they had trained hard to this day.

    She could not allow this to end with herself as a sinner.

    If that happened, she would not be able to face that figure of absolute justice, His Majesty Ainz Ooal Gown.

    Neia had prepared her soul for what was toe, and she unconsciously mentioned what was in her heart.

    ¡°It¡¯s over, huh.¡±

    She was louder than she thought she would be. There was no telling if the people around Neia had been affected by her mood, or if they had been thinking the same thing as Neia from the start, but whatever the reason, they all bowed their heads.

    This was the end.

    The dream of liberating the Holy Kingdom and helping the people hade to an end here.

    Come to think of it, they had dared to entertain that dream because of the Sorcerer King¡¯s power. But this was how they had ended up like this when they were by themselves.

    Neia knew that now was not the time tough, but she did. Then her face turned serious, and she looked toward Shizu.

    ¡°...Can you get away?¡±

    ¡°...How about you, Neia?¡±

    Neia held her chest high.

    ¡°I can¡¯t run! I¡¯m a person who saw His Majesty work for others, and who benefited from it. I can¡¯t let this end with me as a weakling ¡ª as a sinner.¡±

    Neia saw the people around her raise their heads.

    ¡°We won¡¯t run from that bastard!¡±

    They looked like proper warriors again.

    Those were the faces of men who were prepared to die. How she wanted to show them off before the Sorcerer King.

    ¡°But... sem... no, you¡¯re not the same... Which is why we want to ce our wishes in you. I know it must seem strange for us to entrust our thanks to you, since you¡¯re a subordinate of the Sorcerer King, but... Please do it for us. Please find His Majesty, Shizu. You canmand those of us who are still in Kalinsha as you see fit. Therefore...¡±

    ¡°...Got it.¡±

    Neia breathed a sigh of relief after she heard Shizu agree.

    However, that expression immediately became one of surprise.

    ¡°...There¡¯s no need for me to go.¡±

    ¡°What, what does that mean?¡±

    ¡°...Look.¡±

    Shizu pointed at the approaching objects ¡ª the demihuman reinforcementsing from the direction of Kalinsha. They were made up of many different races, even Orcs and Zerns. Neia stared at the gs which the demihuman reinforcements were holding up in neat rows. It was¨C

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    Neia was so shocked that she eximed despite herself.

    She doubted what her eyes had seen and looked again several more times, but what she saw remained the same.

    ¡°...See? There¡¯s no need.¡±

    Neia knew that g very well.

    It was the g of the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    The shocked cries from herrades proved that what Neia had seen was no illusion.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the g of the Sorcerous Kingdom? You told us about it before, didn¡¯t you, Baraja-sama?¡±

    ¡°Are those reinforcements from the Sorcerous Kingdom? Baraja-sama did say something about demihumans in the Sorcerous Kingdom.¡±

    They were in the middle of a war right now. At this very moment, countless people were killing each other, and Jaldabaoth was killing people too.

    However, Neia forgot all that as she tried desperately to grasp what was going on.

    What happened next fired everyone up.

    The demihuman army neatly split into two, like they had drilled the maneuver countless times. They made way in the center for a single undead being to step forward.

    He was a magic caster in a ck robe, mounted on a skeletal warhorse.

    That was the form of the hero Neia adored, who she saw even in her dreams.

    ¡°It, it¡¯s His Majesty... no way...¡±

    Neia had no confidence in whether she was watching a dream or witnessing reality.

    However, the being she saw was immovable, and he could not be a dream.

    Her emotions exploded inside her, to the point she could not even describe how she felt.

    Her hot tears blurred her field of vision. She could not even think to wipe them away.

    Shizu waved to the Sorcerer King. He seemed to have noticed this, and urged his horse over to her.

    The Sorcerer King approached.

    What should she say to him? Should she apologize for not searching for him? Would she be forgiven if she did that? While Neia was looking for the right words to say, the Sorcerer King had already reached her and nimbly dismounted from his steed.

    ¡°...Umu. What a coincidence that we should meet here. Miss Baraja. Did you think I was dead?¡±

    ¡°Your, Your Majesty!¡±

    Neia could not stem the flow of her tears.

    ¡°I believed in all this time, because Shizu-sempai told me. I thought you would be fine, but... it was true!¡±

    ¡°Ah... um. Ah... hm. Mm. I see. That pleases me. Uh... sempai?¡±

    It would seem the Sorcerer King was also delighted at this reunion, because he seemed to be at a loss for words.

    ¡°...Don¡¯t cry.¡±

    Shizu pressed her handkerchief to Neia¡¯s face and rubbed it forcefully.

    ¡°...There¡¯s snot on it again. Really shocking.¡±

    ¡°Oh... it seems you¡¯re getting along quite well with Shizu, Miss Baraja. This pleases me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Your Majesty! I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do without Shizu-sempai! Thank you very much!¡±

    Neia¡¯s emotions had been such a mess that she did not know what she had been saying just now.

    ¡°I see... That is quite a surprise for me... Shizu, how was it?¡±

    ¡°...I like Neia. Her face is kind of charming.¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t say that,¡± Neia said as she rubbed her eyes, having stopped crying already. Soon, she had cleared away thest of her tears. ¡°Your Majesty, I have many things I would like to ask You, but the most important thing is... are You displeased at the speed of our rescue? If you are, then I take full responsibility¨C¡±

    ¡°¨CMiss Baraja,¡± the Sorcerer King raised his hand to keep her from going on. ¡°Why are you saying this? None of you have displeased me in any way.¡±

    Neia¡¯s eyes filled with tears again. Nor was she alone ¡ª everyone around her who had heard the Sorcerer King¡¯s kind words wept as well. There were people who had been holding their tears in who finally broke down sobbing.

    The Sorcerer King¡¯s shoulders shifted slightly.

    ¡°...Ah, everyone, do not cry. More importantly, you ought to have other things you wish to ask, no? Many more things? Why not ask?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes.¡±

    After Shizu wiped her tears again ¡ª she had apparently put the snot-stained handkerchief away ¡ª Neia asked the Sorcerer King a question.

    ¡°Are, are those demihumans soldiers of the Sorcerous Kingdom?¡±

    While she had not seen any undead among them, these demihumans might merely be the vanguard.

    ¡°No... no, you could say that, I believe? When I fell to the Abelion Hills, I took thend there for the Sorcerous Kingdom. Therefore, you could call them forces of the Sorcerous Kingdom, no?¡±

    Neia was speechless.

    He was amazing.

    How could that be anything other than ¡°amazing¡±?

    The hills were filled with demihumans, and they were supposedly ruled by a henchman of Jaldabaoth. Yet he had dealt with him with just his strength alone and subjugated the hills. Who else could do this besides the Sorcerer King?

    Neia trembled in excitement.

    ¡°And so, well, it took me a bit of time to gather the demihumans suffering under Jaldabaoth and lead them here as an army. All this was in order to settle things with Jaldabaoth ¡ª it seems we had good timing.¡±

    There were no facial expressions on the Sorcerer King¡¯s bony visage, but Neia could sense him smiling majestically.

    ¡°I! I expected nothing less of Your Majesty!¡±

    Beldran ran over to the Sorcerer King, his face stained by tears.

    ¡°Oh! It is He!¡±

    Suddenly, Beldran fell to his knees. No, he was not alone. Everyone around Neia ¡ª everyone who belonged to her flock ¡ª gathered around and prostrated themselves before him.

    ¡°That¡¯s His Majesty for you!¡±

    ¡°Simply magnificent, Your Majesty!¡±

    Even the Sorcerer King was startled by the chorus of praise.

    ¡°Oh, ahh... hm... speaking of which, I have a question for you as well, Miss Baraja... who are they?¡±

    ¡°They are people who are grateful for Your Majesty¡¯s kindness and who wish to repay it to You!¡±

    ¡°Exactly! We were rescued by Your Majesty!¡±

    ¡°Yes! We are the people who wished to repay the debt we owe Your Majesty in some way. Thus, when Baraja-sama called, we answered!¡±

    As though to back them up, Neia proudly stated:

    ¡°We¡¯re not the only ones! There are many more people who want to repay the kindness Your Majesty showed us!¡±

    ¡°Oh... this makes me very happy... although, does everyone feel this way?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Precisely! Everyone is grateful to you!¡±

    ¡°I... I see... Thank you, everyone.¡±

    The Sorcerer King¡¯s thanks made everyone feel like they had chosen the right way to express their gratitude, and so they wept with lumps in their throats.

    ¡°...Are these tears of gratitude for me?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Precisely!¡±

    ¡°And you gathered them all, Miss Baraja... it seems you¡¯ve grown up while I wasn¡¯t around to see.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much, Your Majesty!¡±

    Neia was all smiles after being praised by the Sorcerer King.

    ¡°Ah, now then... Miss Baraja, please have them rise. I came here to make up for my previous defeat... what happened to Jaldabaoth?¡±

    ¡°Ah! Yes! Jaldabaoth¨C¡±

    mes erupted, as though they had been waiting for that moment. Neia shuddered as she thought of how many of the Holy Kingdom¡¯s soldiers must have perished in that ze.

    ¡°..I see. Then there is no need to ask. It seems the time to fight him again hase. Shizu!¡±

    ¡°...Yes, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°I will handle the rest. You will protect the people here. Don¡¯t forget to have them prepare an appropriate wee for my victorious return, alright?¡±

    Cheers of ¡°Uohhhhh!¡± rose up from the crowd.

    ¡°Hear me! I miscalcted in the previous battle. I was outnumbered and low on mana. However, the situation now is different. Jaldabaoth cannot summon that many demons again in a short time. In addition, I am fully recovered now. There is no more reason for me to lose! All you need to do is wait here for me to return in triumph!¡±

    The people cheered as the Sorcerer King announced his absolute victory.

    He flourished his cape and advanced regally. Everyone stepped aside, clearing a straight path for him, as though shaken by his overpowering aura of dominion.

    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±

    The Sorcerer King turned to look at Neia.

    ¡°Please win!¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡±

    The Sorcerer advanced once more. Though his form seemed to be shrinking, she did not feel alone or afraid. It was the reassurance of a child being held by her parents. Neia was not the only one. There were others who felt the same way.

    ¡°...We¡¯ve won.¡±

    From beside Neia, Shizu announced the Sorcerer King¡¯s victory with certainty in her voice. Neia agreed with her as well.

    Soon ¡ª a plume of me rose. It was followed by the darkness flying after it.

    Just as before, fire and shadow shed with each other.

    By this time, the cries of the battlefield had gone silent.

    Both sides lowered their des and looked to the battle in the sky.

    Yes.

    Everyone knew it in their hearts.

    The victor of this battle would have the right to end it all.

    They were no longer in a realm where mortal men could intervene. This was a battle of the gods.

    Light.

    Darkness.

    Fire.

    Lightning.

    Meteors.

    All manner of iprehensible phenomena

    ¡ªCollided with incredible force.

    And then¡ª

    ¡°Ahhh!¡±

    Neia rejoiced.

    That was because Neia¡¯s keen eyes had seen the fire die, and the darkness slowly descend.

    This battle had been surprisingly swiftpared to the previous one. It was as though to prove that with his mana restored and without the maid demons to get in his way, the Sorcerer King could triumph that easily.

    ¡°Shizu-sempai!¡±

    ¡°...It¡¯s like I told you, kouhai.¡±

    Shizu looked like this was perfectly natural, and Neia grabbed her hand and shook it vigorously. However, that was not enough to calm her heart. Neia tightly embraced Shizu¡¯s little body and the hands behind her back kept patting and patting.

    As everyone witnessed his victory, they erupted into thunderous cheers.

    The Sorcerer King slowly descended andnded upon the earth.

    After that, the Sorcerer King raised both his arms, and brought forth even greater cheers than before.

 Chapter 97 - Volume 13

    Overlord Volume 13 Epilogue

    Epilogue

    Things became simple after the Sorcerer King¡¯s victory. The demihumans had already lost the will to fight, so all that was left was to mop them up. There were practically no casualties on the side of Holy Kingdom, but the ground was littered with demihuman corpses.

    Now that the enemy general Jaldabaoth had been defeated, nobody could stand in the way of the Holy Kingdom Liberation Army.

    Recapturing the city of Prart and the capital city of Hoburns was practically instantaneous.

    It would take a while longer to free the city of Rimun, which was further west, and there were still people suffering in viges which had been converted to detention camps, but this was already a big step.

    The liberated capital was filled with joyous sounds, and their ardor had not abated even after a whole day. In fact, it actually grew livelier.

    However, the brass ¨D Neia included ¨D knew that there was still a veritable mountain of problems to be dealt with.

    The first issue was food. The demihumans had eaten everything and caused a shortage of food. It would surely hamper the progress of the Holy Kingdom in the future.

    The next was the people who had died. Losses in the workforce could be reced. However, if the deceased were skilled craftsmen, schrs, or people who might one day be them, then the loss of knowledge would be a fatal blow to the nation.

    And then there was the matter of resources. The demihumans had plundered and destroyed many things, and rebuilding all of them would take a lot of resources.

    Finally, there was the matter of time. The demihumans had taken a full two seasons during their invasion, and they would need to work twice as hard to make up for the loss.

    And of course, there might be demihumans lurking within the Holy Kingdom. They would need to be rooted out and exterminated.

    The location of most of the loot taken by the demihumans ¨D valuables and magic items ¨D was unknown. The demihumans all had separate cultures of their own, so adorning themselves with precious metals and collecting human wealth was hardly a strange thing, However, the strange thing was that there were no clues at all as to where those things had been taken. That was because they had beenpletely unable to track the enemy¡¯s transport units.

    Still, however many problemsy ahead of them, there would be people who felt that it would be fine if they could lose themselves in frank and honest revelry. They would need a short break before the painful days toe, and Neia agreed on that point as well.

    However, she could not do that today. She could not lose herself in celebration on this day.

    The reason for that was because it was a day of parting.

    It was a very sad day.

    There was a lone carriage stopped in front of the royal capital¡¯s main gate, on the eastern side of the city. In contrast to the carriage¡¯s in exterior, Neia knew that its interior wasvishly and meticulously fitted, and its performance was also excellent. In particr, its seats did not hurt the bottom even after long periods spent sitting on them.

    Indeed.

    It was the carriage Neia had been allowed to share with the Sorcerer King when he hade to the Holy Kingdom.

    In other words, today was the day when the Sorcerer King would leave the Holy Kingdom and return to his own country.

    Originally, it would not have been a surprise to see a carriage of the Sorcerous Kingdom surrounded by demihumans. The Sorcerer King had united the Abelion Hills and brought many of the demihumans under his banner for the battle with Jaldabaoth. That said, there were none of them in sight, because the Sorcerer King had allowed them all to return to the hills.

    This was not a matter of the past few days. He had let them return after the final battle with Jaldabaoth had ended.

    When she had asked the reason for that, she had received the answer, ¡°You must hate being around the demihumans, don¡¯t you?¡± Such was his sympathy for the people of the Holy Kingdom.

    Neia was deeply moved.

    He had considered the mental state of the Holy Kingdom and let his own soldiers return home, saying that they would travel in thepany of the soldiers of the Holy Kingdom, who were from another nation. This was by no means ordinary behavior for the ruler of a nation.

    Indeed, unless it were the King of Kings ¨D the magnanimous Sorcerer King.

    Neia¡¯s group of like-minded supporters were also deeply moved.

    Therefore, when Neia and herrades had taken it upon themselves to be the Sorcerer King¡¯s honor guard, nobody could bring themselves to protest. Of course, there was almost no more fighting, so for the most part they simply moved with the Sorcerer King, but the faces of herrades were still fresh in Neia¡¯s memories.

    She remembered their joy at being able to walk with the person who had saved them, their pride at being able to apany the hero who had defeated Jaldabaoth, and then the bliss of being allowed to stand by the side of the king they so admired. Their faces all blended these differing emotions.

    They were nowhere in sight today.

    All she could see were the walls and the main gate of the Holy Kingdom¡¯s capital, and then the street leading to Prart ¨D which continued on to the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    ¡°Are you going back today, Your Majesty? The people are all abuzz with joy after the liberation of the royal capital. I feel it would not be out of ce to have Your Majesty join us for the next few days, in a thanksgiving festival for the person who was the biggest contributor towards taking back the capital within a few days...¡±

    She had asked that question several times in the past. She would probably get the answer she knew she would receive, that he was heading home. Even so, she still had to ask it again. It was probably the work of Neia¡¯s feminine side.

    ¡°Ahh, I¡¯ll be returning to the Sorcerous Kingdom today. I¡¯m not confident in my ability to deal with ceremonies.¡±

    As the Sorcerer King muttered to himself, he made a very exaggerated movement, like aical shrugging of his shoulders, perhaps because he knew Neia would feel distressed if she took his words to heart.

    ¡°Surely you jest, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Umu, well, yes I was, I was just kidding. Yes, kidding... In truth, I¡¯ve done everything I came here to do. Thus, there is no need for me to stay here. I also need to guide the development of the Sorcerous Kingdom, in my capacity as its king. If I leave the throne for long, my Prime Minister Albedo will scold me.¡±

    Neia¡¯s mind conjured up the visage of the world ss beauty she had seen but once. She was a woman whose beauty made her unforgettable.

    Surely she can¡¯t be that scary when she gets mad... or is she scary when she gets mad because she¡¯s beautiful? While I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what His Majesty meant, it¡¯s a little hard to imagine someone as pretty as that getting angry. Still... I¡¯m envious...

    Being allowed to speak to him like that, because she was close to him, was something that Neia desperately wanted, yet could not ask for, which made her very envious. How happy would Neia be if she heard the Sorcerer King she so respected tell others Neia will scold me or something like that?

    ¡°Is that so... still, it is a shame that there¡¯s nobody to send off Your Majesty, given that you saved this nation.¡±

    The Sorcerer King¡¯s decision to go had been a sudden thing. The fact that there was nobody to send him off told a sad and lonely story.

    ¡°I already told Prince Caspond that it would be troublesome if the festival was toovish. This nation will be facing a lot of difficulties from now on. Rather than waste resources and manpower on sending me off, I¡¯d rather have them use it on rebuilding the country.¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty...¡±

    Why did he have to go back?

    If she clung to his feet and made a big scene of weeping, she could probably dy his return to his nation by a week.

    While she keenly felt the desire to do so, she bore with it. She could not act spoilt around the most merciful Sorcerer King.

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s not because I want to act like some kind of big shot, uh, it¡¯s just that this country really has nothing left, yes... like wealth. While I thought that asking them to leave a bit more might be good... What I mean to say is, ah yes, I would like you all to not mind me and keep working hard. Also... look, the stability of your country will be good for the Sorcerous Kingdom too, as neighbors. There¡¯ll be trade between us and so on in the future, yes.¡±

    So he had sensed what Neia was thinking, and he was fumbling tofort her. While he was typically very cool and stylish, he sometimes spoke in a way that made her worry for him.

    ¡°Thank you very much, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Hm, don¡¯t, don¡¯t worry about it. I came to this country for Jaldabaoth¡¯s maids, after all. And now¨D¡± The Sorcerer King patted Shizu ¨D who had been standing beside him all this time, as though she were trying to mask her presence ¨D on the back. ¡°¨DAnd now I have them, so it was worthing to this country.¡±

    Neia felt it was a little embarrassing that the Holy Kingdom could not give the Sorcerer King anything.

    The Sorcerer King had gained Shizu ¨D the maid demon ¨D with his own strength. Neia and everyone who shared her beliefs felt the same way.

    There had been discussions about what they would give to him, but someone had mentioned that since he was a king, having someone who did not represent the country giving him a present would instead be very rude, and so the n had fallen through.

    At the very least, Neia had hoped that Caspond would make some concessions on a national level, or sign a treaty which was unfavorable to the Holy Kingdom.

    ¡°...If you so desire, I can resurrect your parents with a grand spell that can only be used once every year, you know?¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much, Your Majesty, but ¨D there is no need for that.¡±

    During the liberation of the capital city, one of the prisoners had witnessed Neia¡¯s mother fall in battle. She had heard of her mother¡¯s valiantst stand from him. Surely she would not be angry even if she was not resurrected.

    In addition, it was said that resurrection spells required extremely valuable materials as a materialponent, and Neia would be hard-pressed to afford those. Perhaps the most merciful Sorcerer King might supply them for free, but she could not keep relying on the Sorcerer King¡¯srgesse for her own sake.

    However, it would seem the demihumans had disposed of the corpse, so she could not even bid her a final farewell, which was quite sad.

    ¡°Talking for too long will only make the parting hurt more. I ought to be going soon. Shizu, is there anything you want to tell Miss Baraja?¡±

    ¡°...Bye.¡±

    ¡°Alright! Goodbye!¡±

    Shizu extended a hand to Neia, who shook it.

    And then, the two of them let go without any further ado.

    ¡°...Are the two of you alright with this?¡±

    ¡°...It¡¯ll be... fine.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°I see. Then ¨D we¡¯re going, Shizu.¡±

    As the Sorcerer King put one foot on the step leading up to his carriage, he turned back to address Neia.

    ¡°...This country will experience many difficulties in the future, but... I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to work hard and pull through it. I hope to see you again.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Just as the Sorcerer King was about to enter his carriage, Neia looked at his back and could not stop herself from shouting:

    ¡°Majesty! Your Majesty!¡±

    The Sorcerer King paused on the step of his carriage and looked back. Neia gulped, worked up her courage, and asked in a trembling voice:

    ¡°Ah, excuse me! Could I, could I call you Ainz-sama!?¡±

    The cheek of her. Surely she, as amoner from another nation, would be scolded for daring to address him in such a familiar fashion.

    ¡°...Eh? Ahh, yes, you may... call me anything you want.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±

    She bowed deeply to the magnanimous king of another nation, and by the time she raised her head, it was Shizu¡¯s turn to board the carriage.

    ¡°Take care, Shizu-sempai!¡±

    ¡°Mm!¡±

    Shizu stuck out her thumb, and then she vanished into the carriage.

    Perhaps it had sensed the two of them had boarded, but the horse whinnied and trotted off.

    ¡°¨DThen, Your Majesty!¡±

    As she watched the carriage move off, Neia could no longer hide her tears as she shouted:

    ¡°Long live His Majesty the Sorcerer King!¡±

    She was not the only one shouting at the top of her voice.

    There was more than one gate in the royal capital. Her fellow believers had used the other gates and secretly gathered so they could pop up outside the gate to loudly wish the Sorcerer King well.

    ¡°Long may he live!¡±

    ¡°Long may he live!¡±

    ¡°Long may he live!¡±

    At the same time, they scattered the flowers they had struggled so hard to collect.

    The carriage carried on amidst all this.

    It was hardly a fitting send off for the man who had saved the Holy Kingdom. Even so, it was the best effort from Neia and the people who understood how she felt.

    The carriage shrank in her tear-dimmed vision.

    Neia sobbed.

    She felt so lonely now.

    She wanted the Sorcerer King and Shizu to ask ¡°Would you like toe to the Sorcerous Kingdom?¡± If they had asked that, Neia might have abandoned everything to go with them.

    But they had not.

    She hated it.

    In the end, Neia had been nothing more than a squire for his brief stay in this country.

    All manner of negative emotions roiled up inside her.

    However ¨D that was wrong.

    In Neia¡¯s ears echoed the words which the Sorcerer King had said.

    ...This country will experience many difficulties in the future, but... I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to work hard and pull through it. I hope to see you again.

    In other words, he had expectations for Neia.

    Something like, though the Holy Kingdom is in chaos, I¡¯m sure Neia can pull the country together, or something.

    It had felt like a long time, but also a very short time, but it had changed her life tremendously ¨D and now it was over. However, this was only the beginning. There were many things she had to do.

    For starters, she had to repay the Sorcerer King¡¯s kindness with her actions.

    Then, she would need to rebuild this country. Justice and evil. Neia had never really understood what those two words meant, but now she could hold her chest high and answer.

    The Sorcerer King was justice, she would say. And being weak was a sin. The important thing was to work hard to be strong, and so on.

    Neia had to spread the truths she had learned throughout the Holy Kingdom.

    ¡°Baraja-sama, please wipe your tears.¡±

    It was Beldran.

    At a closer look, his eyes were also red. Perhaps he had wiped his own tears beforeing to Neia¡¯s side, but his voice was still trembling, so he had clearly wept recently.

    ¡°Ahh...¡±

    Neia forcefully wiped her tears away, just like how Shizu had first wiped her face.

    ¡°Baraja-sama. The people who witnessed that battle all want to hear about the Sorcerer King. Many more havee with their families in tow.¡±

    ¡°I understand. We¡¯ll tell them that His Majesty ¨D Ainz-sama is a truly noble king, and also about Shizu.¡±

    Neia looked straight ahead.

    ¡°Goodbyes really are depressing. However ¨D Everyone! Let¡¯s go! Let us spread the truth ¨D that His Majesty is justice ¨D to more people!¡±

    ¡°¨DOhhhh!¡±

    Over 3,000 people shouted in unison, and then they fell into step behind Neia.

    ***

    The carriage moved on.

    The long project was finally over. Ainz had never experienced it himself, but this must have been what it felt like to be an expatriate. Even if he had returned to Nazarick from time to time, this might have been the first time he had been away from it for so long.

    He had thrown the matter of ruling the demihumans of the Abelion Hills to Albedo, and he had handed the entirety of the Holy Kingdom¡¯s future affairs to Demiurge.

    In other words, Ainz had taken the weight off his shoulders. He sighed, subtly enough that Shizu ¨D who was sitting opposite him ¨D did not notice. While he had switched Demiurge¡¯s script to easy mode halfway through, the fatigue from all theplicated events until that point had not yet been fully eliminated. However, he did feel the sense of rxation which came from solving a previously insoluble problem.

    That said, after returning to Nazarick ¨D E-Rantel, rather ¨D he would need to carefully and slowly take care of the work he had put off for the past two seasons. Once, he had put his stamp on documents in a pdash manner, trusting that Albedo had already looked them over, only to be told, ¡°Truly, only Ainz-sama could make decisions so swiftly. I am filled with respect.¡± Ainz had wondered whether that assessment of him was sarcastic or not.

    Indeed. It was not because he had work waiting for him that he had not used ¡¸Gate¡¹ ¨D which could take him back in an instant.

    Definitely not.

    There were ways to teleport to ces one had not seen before, but it was still too early for that. It would do no good to show his hand. Of course, the Hanzo on the carriage had said nothing, and the anti-divination spell he had cast had not been triggered. It was a clear sign that nobody was monitoring Ainz and the others, but the opposition might be using methods which Ainz did not know about.

    Since there¡¯s time, I can wait until we reach a more sheltered ce to cast the teleportation spell, Ainz thought.

    Indeed. It was definitely not because he wanted to keep away from those documents he could not understand no matter how many times he read them.

    Still, if there was a problem¨D

    Shizu hasn¡¯t said anything since she got on the carriage...

    Neia had been that way too, but he always felt restless when he shared a carriage with someone else and they remained quiet. He could casually mention something if the other party were a man, but he would have to watch his words since she was female.

    Can¡¯t you say something, Shizu? That thought had been in Ainz¡¯s mind ever since the beginning. Regretfully, it did not seem like it would be happening anytime soon. Finally, Ainz was no longer able to bear the silence, and after preparing himself for the worst, he spoke.

    ¡°Shizu, how do you feel about leaving Nazarick to work on your own? Do you have any questions or suggestions for the future?¡±

    He would start by listening to a report from his subordinate, who had been busy with work when she had been sent out for an errand.

    While he was not good at speaking to women, it was fine when he imagined them as female coworkers.

    ¡°...I think... worked hard.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? You have worked very hard.¡±

    That was the end of the conversation. It was dead and gone.

    Even if he waited a little longer, he ought not to expect Shizu to carry on.

    Once the words ¡°worked hard¡± were mentioned, it was very difficult to continue on from there. She had not answered the question about having any questions or future suggestions.

    That said, these thoughts of his were merely the shallow contemtions of a superior. He ought to be thinking, Since she worked hard, all I have to do is wait for the results. There were also benefits in doing so. That was because the implication was that nothing had happened which might cause a problem or be an issue.

    However, Shizu continued speaking.

    ¡°...It¡¯s hard to think on your own and then take action...¡±

    ¡°Indeed, that is the case.¡±

    Shizu had been working in Nazarick all this time, and all she had done was receive instructions and carry them out. However, he had only given her rough instructions this time, and then the actions she took based on the decisions she made within the scope of those instructions were her first task. For all he knew, that might have been too broad for her. Perhaps he should have started by giving her a simpler task, but Ainz also knew that Shizu had given him concrete results.

    ¡°Still, it¡¯s hardly unusual for the Pleiades to go outside for their work. The fact that the maid demons are now the Sorcerer King¡¯s minions has spread from the Holy Kingdom to the other nations by now. In future, you may be given orders which result in you leading subordinates of your own for activities outside Nazarick. This was a good experience. But giving vague instructions was a bad idea. Just as I thought, the person giving orders has to make them clear¨D¡±

    At this point, Ainz sensed that he was digging his own grave. As the pinnacle of Nazarick, Ainz was the most likely to give out orders.

    I can¡¯t possiblye up with concrete action ns. Or rather, if Ie up with shallow ns, Albedo and Demiurge will frown on me!

    ¡°¨Dshould emphasize adapting to the situation, ande up with ns that give a certain degree of leeway. In the end, it¡¯s still the person on the ground who knows best!¡±

    ¡°...Yes. I learned a lot morepared to just following instructions.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, indeed, just so. I understand how you feel very well.¡±

    Ainz scratched his head as he nodded, but then as he realized the difference inpetency between Shizu and himself ¨D whose nonexistent stomach ached when he had read Demiurge¡¯s reports ¨D he wept softly in his heart.

    ¡°Speaking of which,¡± Ainz decided to change the subject. If he went on, he might only end up shocking himself more. ¡°It seems you and Miss Baraja got along very well. It felt like a shame that we had to part.¡±

    ¡°...I was interested... in her...¡±

    ¡°¨DReally!? That¡¯s wonderful!¡±

    Ainz¡¯s expression of joy was genuine.

    Suzuki Satoru had not had children before, but he could understand how a parent felt when one heard that a child who had no friends had made friends for the first time.

    Ah, I¡¯m d I resurrected her... hm? What does being interested mean... don¡¯t tell me she¡¯s not a friend, but more like a toy...

    ¡°...Can I assume that you are friends?¡±

    Shizu briefly bowed her head in thought, but in the end she replied with a ¡°...yes.¡±

    Ainz was filled with delight. However that explosion of joy was promptly negated.

    While he was unhappy about that, the thought that this might be the first time someone from Nazarick had made a friend outside brought a trickle of joy to his heart.

    Most of the people in Nazarick did not leave it, so they did not make friends outside. Perhaps if he let the other members go outside regrly, they would be able to make good friendships.

    Ainz did not think that people with friends were superior to others. However, thinking that one did not need friends was also incorrect.

    That said, it was always better to have the chance to make friends than not.

    I had my friends from Ainz Ooal Gown. In that case, it might be good to let the other members go outside and give them free time to interact with others... especially Mare and Aura. No, it¡¯s also possible that giving them all some time on their birthday is... umu.

    ¡°Have you arranged to meet Neia again?¡±

    ¡°...No... too far...¡±

    ¡°Ahh! No need to worry about that. I¡¯ve already marked this ce as a teleport point. You can go and have fun whenever you want. Just use ¡¸Gate¡¹. There¡¯s no need to be shy. Mm.¡±

    ¡°...If I¡¯m free... please let me do so...¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right! Free... I¡¯ll give you lots of free time. I¡¯ve been thinking about a holiday n for some time now. I should give the Pleiades a vacation too. Wouldn¡¯t it be good to go out and have fun with the others? I¡¯ve arranged to have you ced under me, so it should be fine.¡±

    Shizu thought briefly about it, and then shook her head.

    ¡°...It¡¯ll cause problems.¡±

    ¡°Problems, you say...¡±

    What does that mean? Problems for Neia? Or will it keep her from having fun with Neia? Or is it because the other members won¡¯t approve...

    ¡°Well, if it causes problems then it can¡¯t be helped. You¡¯ll have to go on your own, Shizu. Speaking of which, let me change the topic. Miss Baraja¡¯s parents are both dead. Is that all right?¡±

    Neia Baraja¡¯s parents were both dead. If she had asked him, he felt that it would be alright to resurrect them. If doing so would make her even more grateful¨D

    No, that¡¯s not right.

    Simply put, resurrecting Neia¡¯s parents was not worth the cost of doing so. It was in to see that Neia was sufficiently grateful to him. In that case, there was no need to continue scoring points with her. In addition, Wands of Resurrection were very expensive, so he wanted to save them, if possible. If Pestonya and the others were to use resurrection spells, then she would require gold coins or jewels or other valuables as part of the spell¡¯s cost.

    In truth, there were practically no benefits to be gained.

    However, it would be a different matter if it were Shizu¡¯s friend. I wouldn¡¯t mind giving Shizu¡¯s friend benefits like that.

    Because she seemed close to Shizu, he had asked her questions ¨D both Neia as well as Shizu ¨D to judge their reactions.

    ¡°..It¡¯s all right... Special treatment isn¡¯t good.¡±¡°Really? It would make an excellent present... in that case... well, that¡¯s it, then.¡±

    In truth, resurrecting the dead ¨D especially iplete corpses ¨D could prove very troublesome. There would be many people who would go Howe you could do it for him and not for me? Also, it would be troublesome if he was asked to resurrect the Holy Queen. Granted, Demiurge could probably handle the situation if he did resurrect the Holy Queen, but the demerits outweighed the advantages.

    ¡°If you want to y, how about reading that book? Would that be alright?¡±

    ¡°...It¡¯s fine... it¡¯s in the Doctor¡¯s room.¡±

    Shizu possessed knowledge on all of Nazarick¡¯s mechanisms. Leaving it be like that was too dangerous, and she would not have been able to leave Nazarick. Therefore he had used ¡¸Control Amnesia¡¹ on her.

    Shizu¡¯s knowledge of those mechanisms had been part of the backstory her creator ¡ª a yer ¡ª had made for her. While he did not know if the spell could work on such things, after casting it on her, he found that the spell worked as intended.

    That was a technique Ainz had developed after repeated experiments on a guinea pig he had obtained. It felt like he could do incredible things once he mastered it.

    The reason for that was because Ainz had the feeling he might be able to ess the core of the NPCs. What exactly were the NPC backstories, the beginning of their memories? Still, that was simply wishful thinking on Ainz¡¯s part, and it was very likely that they werepletely unrted. If he wanted to sort that out, he would need to further understand the spell, and understand everything to do with the human memory. In that case, he would need a lot of guinea pigs and decades to practice and research with, as well as preparing himself for the possibility that it might all be a waste of time.

    Still, Shizu had currently been imnted with incorrect memories, so to some extent, she was a trap.

    Anyone trying to use Shizu to enter Nazarick would have a very bad time in store for them.

    ¡°The Doctor... hm? Can those Shizus move?¡±

    ¡°...If the timees.¡±

    Aren¡¯t they just mechanisms, then? Ainz wanted to say that, but he did not. It was just like how Santa us¡¯s true identity was hidden under a veil of mystery.

    While Suzuki Satoru did not remember him ever visiting, he hade to visit in YGGDRASIL¨D

    ¡°Although, they were actually the devs.¡±

    As Ainzughed forlornly, he noticed Shizu looking intently at him, and so he said, ¡°I was just talking to myself.¡±

    ¡°...Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    ¡°...Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°...What is it, Shizu?¡±

    She had addressed him by his name in the past, but now she had suddenly switched to using his formal address. That slightly ¨D or rather, greatly ¨D disturbed Ainz.

    ¡°...Been too familiar all this time... is that how it was?¡±

    ¡°What, what are you saying? I¡¯d feel sad if you called me Your Majesty. Ainz-sama will do. Frankly speaking, you don¡¯t even need the -sama. How about Ainz-san?¡±

    ¡°...That would be rude. I¡¯d get scolded.¡±

    ¡°..Oh, I see. Well, you don¡¯t need to call me Your Majesty, at least.¡±

    ¡°...Got it.¡±

    ¡°Oh yes, how about the runecraft thing that I told you about over the ¡¸Message¡¹?¡±

    ¡°...I tried.¡±

    ¡°I see...¡±

    It would seem it had not gone well. Still, it ought not to be a problem even if it failed.

    Still, maybe I should wait to return the items I lent, including that bow Ainz mused idly as he watched Shizu.

    When he had left, he had shared his carriage with a girl who kept ring at him. On his way back, it was a girl with a nk face. Both of them were unique in their own way.

    As Ainz thought about this, he smiled.

    ***

    Caspond looked outside from the deepest part of the royal pce ¨D the Holy King¡¯s chambers.

    His coronation would be in a few days. Therefore, he hade to this empty room ¨D including the break room beside this one ¨D to calm his thoughts.

    The first person who wouldin, and who would not mind her words was Remedios. She was currently meditating in her home. No, it would not be right to say she was meditating. Rather, she was gathering her strength at home. That was because he intended to have her find any demihumans that were still hiding within the Holy Kingdom and root them out.

    That said, he had still moved to the Holy King¡¯s room before the coronation had finished. This was a very good reason for Caspond¡¯s enemies to attack him. He had insisted on doing so even though he knew that because the power struggles had already begun.

    The aim was to establish the facts before the anti-Caspond nobles could say anything. Given that Caspond did not quite understand noble society, the ability to tell friend from foe was quite convenient. That too was part of the n.

    ¡°...I¡¯m sure some of the nobles must be unhappy by how I took the throne without making arrangements with the other nobles. That¡¯s particrly true for the Southerners ¨D the ones which he did not oppress. In that case, what will the Northerners I fought with think if I listened to them...¡±

    ¡°They would surely be unhappy, and be a major divisive factor. That way, the n to divide the country in two will beplete.¡±

    Caspond¡¯s self-directed mutterings received an answer.

    It was a gentle voice that seemed to seep into the heart. It belonged to the entity which was Caspond¡¯s superior.

    Caspond immediately turned and knelt to the speaker. He bowed, and then raised his head.

    ¡°I bid you wee, Demiurge-sama.¡±

    He was not wearing his mask, and he had not changed his appearance before showing up. In other words, he was certain that this ce was safe.

    ¡°I am here in order to move items back to Nazarick. Are there any problems?¡±

    ¡°None at all. Everything has gone as you have nned, Demiurge-sama.¡±

    Caspond smiled, and Demiurge returned it.

    ¡°While there were some things which were beyond my expectations, the first phase of the n has concluded without any problems, thanks to Ainz-sama¡¯s actions. I look forward to your good performance in the future.¡±

    Caspond¡¯s head was bowed, but he knew those words were not true.

    Demiurge expected nothing of him. However, if he was about to jump the rails which had beenid for him, he would immediately jump in to correct the n and keep it on track.

    He ought to have prepared several ns for revealing Caspond¡¯s true identity. His instructions had included several items which made him wonder why he had to do them. Those must have been intended to prepare for that moment.

    The first phase of the n was to bring the Abelion Hills and the demihumans under the sway of the Sorcerous Kingdom. Before that, they would exterminate the troublesome species and then nt the seeds of a conflict between the Northern and Southern Holy Kingdom.

    After that, Caspond would be in charge of the second phase, which was to bring North and South into opposition, and then conflict.

    The final, third phase would be to have the Sorcerous Kingdom step in to take over everything.

    ¡°... I have a question regarding the item needed for that, which would be my corpse. Will you keep it here?¡±

    ¡°There is no need for that. It has already been brought to Nazarick. When it is necessary for the n, it can be brought here.¡±

    The true Caspond¡¯s body was wrapped in an item known as a Shroud of Sleep, and it had apparently been brought to Nazarick.

    This magic item could arrest the decay of a corpse. He had been neatly killed with instant death magic upon capture, and his body had been preserved before rigor mortis could set in. If one touched it, one could still feel traces of his body heat. With that corpse, one would simply assume he had died all of a sudden.

    ¡°Allow me to verify something. Do you understand what you ought to do, as Holy King?¡±

    ¡°Yes. In order to make this a country worthy of Ainz-sama, I must make it prosperous.¡±

    ¡°Mm, just so. However, you must keep the people unhappy. After all, dissatisfaction is the best spice to wee a new king.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡° Doppel-Caspond replied. Then he asked Demiurge about a problem that had not been described in his n.

    ¡°Speaking of which, what should we do about that girl?¡±

    That was all Demiurge needed to realize who Doppel-Caspond was talking about, and for the first time his smile came from the heart.

    ¡°I once used the word ¡®unfathomable¡¯ to describe Ainz-sama... indeed, that is the case. Ainz-sama has prepared an excellent pawn for me. Her existence has cut years off my n.¡±

    Doppel-Caspond had the feeling that Demiurge¡¯s eyes ¨D he could not tell exactly where he was looking ¨D had suddenly moved. They seemed to be looking at the wall. And over there is... on that topic Caspond remembered that it was the main gate of the capital.

    ¡°While he had said he wanted to enthrall humans to his side... to think he could actually make a girl like that in such a staunchly religious country. Although, I have no idea why he said it would be fine to kill even a girl to whom he had lent a weapon. No doubt it must have been to force her into the appropriate mental state.¡±

    Demiurge seemed to be in a very good mood, and he did not seem to be telling this to anyone in particr. Caspond merely waited in silence for Demiurge to turn his attention back to himself.

    ¡°The instruction to help that girl was truly the right answer. No, if it were Ainz-sama, he would surely be able to correct anything that I did. While he did say in the past that he nned to introduce ws into the n to test my adaptability, to think he hadid such cunning ns... he is truly the one who united the Supreme Beings. Every time, he shows me how inferior I ampared to him... Kuku, what a cruel master he is.¡±

    Demiurge seemed profoundly moved as he shook his head, and the interior of the room was silent. Finally, Demiurge adjusted his cor, as if to bleed off thest of his excitement, and then tightened his tie.

    ¡°Support anything Neia Baraja does with everything your position affords you. Do so in the name of giving thanks to Ainz-sama. That ought to further elerate the conflict between North and South... I will soon hand you ns on what to do if someone tries to interfere with that girl. Until then, act as we have discussed.¡±

    ¡°Yes! ...But what will be of that girl? Do you intend to make her the next Holy King?¡±

    In that case, he would need to make the appropriate preparations. That said, Demiurge had said he would be giving him exact instructions, so it would be best to do as he was told.

    ¡°That is not a bad idea, but it would be better to give her another mission. While there is no telling if Ainz-sama wishes to be regarded as a god, if he does intend that, then it would be better to prepare for it. The experiment of worshipping Ainz-sama as a god will surely be useful in that case.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°Now then, is there anything else you would like to take this chance to verify?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It concerns that woman who is no longer necessary, Remedios Custodio. While the original n was to have her run around as needed, would it not be better to kill her off?¡±

    ¡°No, just keep her alive and let her be a scapegoat for the nobles¡¯ dissatisfaction. That was why I said she was the only one who was not to be killed during our first encounter. Transfer her to another post. Let the Vice-Captain be the Captain of the Pdin Corps and then make use of him. He can be put to meaningful work.¡±

    ¡°I understand!¡±

    ¡°Deal with her when the conflict bes evident.¡±

    After Doppel-Caspond showing that he understood, Demiurge indicated that the conversation was over, and vanished with ¡¸Greater Teleportation¡¹.

    The demon hiding in his shadow, and the Hanzo that Caspond could never defeat no matter what he tried were still at his disposal.

    Doppel-Caspond rose to his feet and looked outside the window again.

    While he could only see the courtyard, he imagined he could see the revelling people throughout the city. After that, heughed mockingly.

    ¡°¨DEnjoy the taste of happiness for a while longer, my people.¡±

 Chapter 98 (END) - Volume 13

    Overlord Volume 13 Afterword, Credits and Character Sheets

    Afterword

    Thank you for your hard work, dear readers who have made it all the way here. The hand you held the book with must be feeling heavy, no?

    I¡¯m sure you must all have felt the fear of dropping a book on your face when reading while lying down.

    Volume 13 is the first Overlord book in history with a pagecount well in excess of 500. What did you think of the contents? I would be happy if even a small portion of the readers felt it was interesting.

    However, in truth, it might have been better to split it up into a second and third part instead. Reading the whole thing from start to finish really taxes the brains. Reading chapters 4, 5 and then the intermission before going to sleep might be a better pace. How did you read it, everyone? Ah, a major advantage of dividing it into two books would be the opportunity to enjoy more of so bin-san¡¯s lovely illustrations!

    Still, this won¡¯t happen again, so there¡¯s no point thinking about it.

    While I kept saying I want to cut the page count, the length of this book ended up being really rough. As page count increases, all the associated work takes more time too, and the schedule keeps slipping. The probability of wrong words also increases, so it seems like there are pretty much no upsides to it.

    Next time, I¡¯d like to write a book that¡¯s easier on both the author and the audience.

    Now then, while I did say the next volume is in 2019, I¡¯m nning to write something very long before that, so I don¡¯t know how things will actually turn out. Rxing and waiting helps a lot. The third season of the anime will alsoe out during that time, so I hope you¡¯ll all enjoy it.

    But in truth, I¡¯ve pretty much run out of things to put into the afterword. In the past, when I was a reader and saw the author say he didn¡¯t know what to write, I would think ¡°just write whatever you want¡±. Now that I¡¯m in the same situation, I can understand what they had to deal with. What would you all write if you were in my position? Honestly... the idea that I don¡¯t need to write these afterwords any more is starting to grow on me!

    Now then, I¡¯d like to thank everyone who helped me with this volume. I look forward to working with you in future.

    2018 April Maruyama Kugane

    Character Sheets

    Neia Baraja

    Vicious-eyed Fanatic

    Vocation: Squire of the Holy Kingdom Liberation Army

    Residence: Prime estate in Hoburns (her family home)

    ss levels:

    Pdin ¨C 2 lv

    Sacred Archer 3 lv

    Evangelist 2 lv

    Founder 4 lv

    Birthday: 1st day of the Upper Wind Month

    Interests: Telling everyone about how wonderful the Sorcerer King is

    Since her character has changed radically, she will be re-introduced. She lost levels from dying, but at the same time she gained levels from surviving the war. Her current character build is the result of losing levels in Servant. She has many ipatible ss levels, but given her experiences, this was the only way she could have turned out, no? Neia has not yet realised that she is using a special ability to guide the thoughts of others (AKA brainwashing). Currently, her ability only works on people with emotional trauma, but Neia¡¯s words can save them.

    Krt Custodio

    Face of an angel, heart of a demon

    Vocation: Highest-ranked priestess in the Holy Kingdom and the head of the priest corps.

    Residence: Prime estate in Hoburns (her family home)

    ss levels:

    Priest ¨C ?lv

    High Priest ¨C ? lv

    Hierophant ¨C ? lv

    etc.

    Birthday: 11th day of the Upper Water Month

    Interests: Observing people (both the good and bad implications)

    In terms of pure divine spellcasting ability, she is the most powerful in the region, surpassing even Blue Rose in that respect. However, this is a national secret, so almost nobody knows about it. She cherishes her family and her best friend (Calca), and she is more aggressive towards people hostile to them than her sister, and she even enacts ruthless, cruel revenge on them at times. She is almost always seen with a smile on her face, but that is little more than a facade. She is always looking for a chance to bring down the nobles who are Calca¡¯s enemies, and one can call her the most frightening woman in the Holy Kingdom.

    Caspond Bessarez

    The kind prince

    Vocation: Royalty of the Holy Kingdom

    Residence: Hoburns Royal Pce

    ss levels:

    Cleric ¨C ?lv

    Sage ¨C ? lv

    High Noble (normal) ¨C ? lv

    etc.

    Birthday: 27th day of the Lower Fire Month

    Interests: Reading (he seems to like history in particr)

    Caspon is an excellent individual, and after realising he could not surpass his even more outstanding sister, he equipped himself with the knowledge to survive in noble society. He had no interest in conflicts over the bloodline, so he ended up yielding his birthright to his little sister. While he does not regret that decision, whether or not he truly epts his sister¡¯s actions remains in question. In truth, if he had be the Holy King, he would have been better suited to the throne thanks to his willingness to perform underhanded actions. He is is one of the rare few members of the royal family that Krt does not hate.

    Gustav Montagnes

    Stomach pains are just something you get used to

    Vocation: Deputymander of the Holy Kingdom Liberation Army

    Residence: Prime estate in Hoburns

    ss levels:

    Pdin ¨C ?lv

    Holy Knight ¨C ? lv

    Charisma (normal) ¨C ? lv

    etc.

    Birthday: 27th day of the Lower Wind Month

    Interests: He likes small animals

    Of the two vice-captains of the pdin corps, his sword skills are inferior, and as a result he is closer to themon man than the other one (though he¡¯s still strong enough that an ordinary person could never defeat him). He gets stomach pains often, but he is very grateful for the fact that magic can cure that easily, so he is thinking of learning divine magic. He bought a house so that he could let his pet Bunnias ¡ª which are rabbits that look like squirrels ¡ª run free. His pets¡¯ names are Milshe-chan and Amonna-chan, and they are important beings that soothe his weary soul.

    Beebeezee (Type: heteromorph)

    Sparkling Amethyst Body

    Vocation: Prince of the Zern

    Residence: One of the thousand sinkholes in the northern Abelion Hills

    ss levels:

    Zern Lord (racial) ¨C ? Lv

    Gogyoutsukai (Five Elements User) ¨C ? Lv

    Yin Master ¨C ? lv

    etc.

    Birthday: 98th of Winter

    Interests: Listening to stories.

    His race has very few males. Therefore, any males who are born are immediately elevated to royalty. Due to their great importance, they are not allowed outside their nests, and it is quite normal for them to spend their lives in a state of house arrest. Thanks to being praised constantly by the masses, he has developed great confidence in his body, to the point of narcissism. Incidentally, his species type is not an error. The Zern have a racial weakness wherein they are affected by spells that are only effective against specific races, hence their mis-ssification as demihumans. They are actually heteromorphs.

    Bellriver

    Big Eater

    As a magic swordsman, he was the type who switched between swords and spells. However, he was a jack of all trades but a master of none, so during the guild¡¯s glory days, he was often a second-choice pick as a party member. That said, he was good in a fight, and his ability as a gamer was quite high. In the real world, he learned some ominous information about the megacorporations which ruled the world and was killed in an ident to seal his lips. The information he possessed made its way into the hands of a certain someone.

    Credits

    Volume 13 could not have been tranted into English without the help of the tremendously industrious workers on Baidu, who sacrificed their time, sleep and health to turn 552 pages of Maruyama¡¯s prose into Chinese, which I could process much faster. Without further ado, these are the people who made it possible.

    And of course, turning it from CN to EN would not have been possible without the following people, who spotted all the mistakes I glossed over because I was TLing shit at 2 AM in the morning or in between battery recements at work:

    Aardvark

    Illya

    Ainz

    Perdi

    MPT

    MNH

    Dasray_1911 (sorry I missed you out)

    And the many, many people who emailed in corrections so I could take action on them. Thank you all, and enjoy Season 3!

 Volume 14 - English Character Cards

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent scelerisque dapibus est, a pellentesquecus umcorper imperdiet. Fusce porta quis sem quis umsan. Etiam nisl nisi, tempus ac nibh sed, viverra tempor ante. Vivamus ornare nibh nec nibh umsan, sed venenatiscus euismod. Nu luctus ex odio, ut vestibulum dui sollicitudin a. Praesent scelerisque elementum libero, vel varius felis tempor id. Etiam in eros eget sapien porttitor ndit non id nisl. Pellentesque vel arcu a nisi sodales condimentum. Sed eleifend sit ametcus vel tincidunt. Vivamus tincidunt volutpat ex et cerat. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. In hac habitasse tea dictumst. Donec non pellentesque magna. Sed ante neque, pellentesque a sodales eu, dapibus non neque. Donec finibus, enim faucibus ornare pellentesque, sapien mauris condimentum urna, sit amet volutpat mi dui a mi. Nu ornare efficiturcinia. Vivamus vehic quamoreet, pulvinar libero id, umcorper velit. Fusce consectetur vel arcu a umcorper. Ut posuere elit semper dapibus posuere. Maecenas at faucibus tortor. Ut sit amet purus libero. Nunc sed elementum dolor. Proin elementum orci eu massa facilisis tempus. Vivamus sapien augue, feugiat porta dictum ac, euismod vel ante. Phasellus vel mauris ut nisi feugiat porttitor. Ut sit amet libero viverra, pellentesque arcu non, imperdiet tellus. Maecenas ex sapien, aliquet et mauris vel, feugiat rhoncus nisl. Nunc ipsum ex, gravida id mauris vitae, fringi porta urna. Etiam lectus purus, volutpat ut pulvinar et, vestibulum id mi. Nam ut nunc ante. Vestibulum in tellusoreet, ultrices nibh in, malesuada tortor. Vivamusmodo ultrices risus, ut aliquet tellus pellentesque at. Integer volutpat lorem est. Quisque pulvinar, dolor a sodales auctor, justo massa rutrum neque, a sagittis leo urna at justo. Morbi tempus tristiqueoreet. Pellentesque eu risus a metus pulvinar tempor id in massa. Nunc elit purus, faucibus fringi ipsum et, ultrices pellentesque nibh. Sed condimentum sem eget erat luctus, vitae interdum mi ultricies. Etiam sit amet erat pellentesque, vestibulum lectus non, pellentesque libero. Donec ex diam, malesuada id nisl eu, volutpat pellentesque urna. Curabitur sed rhoncus leo, sed mattis nu. Ut sem metus, sodales quis consectetur in, vestibulum non magna. Sed purus arcu, ndit non tellus sit amet, malesuada vulputate augue. Pellentesque varius ante sed vestibulumoreet. Vivamus rhoncus ultrices elit at semper. Proin ut nibh a erat bibendum pulvinar id ut elit. Duis finibus vitae libero vitae ultricies. Aenean ut urna finibus, umsan eros ut, ultricies nisl. Etiam dapibus eu enim ac gravida. Donec convallis nunc arcu. Phasellus utmodo erat. Sedoreet, dui ac aliquet consectetur, dui tellus fringi sapien, et tempor mi libero a felis. Mauris non sagittis libero. Fusce pretium, enim quis semper imperdiet, enim est ornare purus, non ultrices nibh lig sed velit. Donec et lorem sed erat malesuada imperdiet non in orci. Aenean turpis nisi, convallis non nisi at, ndit rhoncus nunc. Num umcorper venenatis eleifend. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia curae; Ut vel magna eleifend, fermentum quam a, bibendum neque. Pellentesque vitae diam quis est mollis ndit vitae vitae est. Donec faucibus sem ut tempus sodales. Mauris condimentum nunc in metus tincidunt, vel dictum dui malesuada. Morbi urna mauris, sagittis eget tincidunt eget, semper id turpis. In metus lig, euismod non tincidunt suscipit, tristique nec turpis. Curabitur sit amet rutrum arcu. Quisque scelerisque ante id tincidunt efficitur. In efficitur finibus hendrerit. Maecenas pharetra libero quam, at consequat ante interdum et. Vestibulum sed ornare ex, a ultrices augue. Nam ut pretium orci.

 Volume 14: Prologue (Part 1)

    <h4>Volume 14: Prologue (Part 1)</h4>

    Ainz¡¯s room was situated on the ninth floor of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. The room, which had been converted from a bedroom to an office, was positioned the closest to the corridor. Inside, its owner was nowhere to be found yet the faint sound of paper being shuffled could be heard. Next to the desk frequently used by Ainz sat a smaller yet equally exceptional table and chair. It is upon such a chair that Albedo, the Guardian Overseer of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, sits upon to process the documentsid on the desk.

    Ainz had already prepared a separate office specifically for her, one that was equal in status to his room, a room reserved for prospective guild members. At first, she had indeed been using that room as her own for clerical purposes, yet the day still came when she could no longer suppress her desire to work in the same room as her master. Although her requests were not met with any positive responses at first, her sincere pleas on the practical advantages of her proposal, inbination with a relentless barrage ofints, had managed to receive an approval from her master.

    Staring at the vacant seat, Albedo lowered her head and pouted slightly. The maid assigned to Ainz¡¯s room for the day (not the one assigned to apany him) was standing silently behind her. Due to that, Albedo¡¯s rare expression wentpletely unseen. Her one and only master was currently out tending to his duties and so was absent from the Great Tomb of Nazarick. He was taking care of routine business in the city of E-Rantel.

    If she had her master¡¯s permission, she would have severely punished the idiots who, by setting up a meeting, had dared to encroach on the time she should be spending with him.

    Of course, she knew that such a request would never be approved. As such she forcefully suppressed her pipedream to turn E-Rantel into a sea of mes but her efforts were in vain. The dissatisfaction in her heart grew and managed to boil over to manifest asints.

    ¡°How annoying...those insects...¡±

    Laboured breaths filled with terror could be heard from the ceiling, yet they were intentionally ignored by Albedo. She still hadn¡¯t forgotten the time they had ruined her chance and felt certain that they deserved to be scared at least a couple of times more. On the other hand, she had already forgiven Mare for his part in the incident for some reason. To regte her emotions, Albedo sighed heavily. She gently twisted her shoulders a couple of times before turning to look at the remaining documents.

    Following Nazarick¡¯s - no, the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s elerated expansion, her workload had increased proportionally.

    Regarding diplomacy:

    Behind the curtains of the cordial interactions they¡¯ve had with multiple other countries, the horns signaling the start of an espionage war had already been sounded.

    Although they had confirmed the presence of spies from the Theocracy, Kingdom, and the City State Alliance in E-Rantel, the Sorcerous Kingdom chose to simply observe their actions for now. As Demiurge was in charge of these affairs, all Albedo had to do was to memorize the reports in front of her.

    Regarding Internal Affairs:

    E-Rantel hasn¡¯t experienced many incidents caused by racial tensions. It wasn¡¯t as though there were none to speak of but,pared to other countries, their numbers were shockingly low.

    The citizens weren¡¯t technically being threatened into this state either. They just had a clear understanding of exactly how terrifying the Sorcerer King and his undead subordinates could be, to the point where they¡¯d choose to keep to themselves and live out peaceful lives by their own free will.

    The crime rate was thus minimal. Although misdemeanors had urred, none dared tomit a felony. E-Rantel had be a haven where women and children could walk the streets at night without worrying about their own safety. It hade to a point where they¡¯d run out of criminals to experiment on and had to get some from the Empire.

    A crime that urs in such a peaceful city is then a matter of utmost importance to Albedo. ording to Heinrich¡¯sw, a major ident indicates the presence of 29 minor idents which in turn could indicate over 300 anomalies. What needs to be done then is to respond to any and all oddities, no matter how small they may be.

    The binder in her hand held a month¡¯s worth of court records from E-Rantel.

    Due to how detailed the reports were, reading even a single one of them would be a massive timemitment. However, Albedo could process these documents much faster than a regr person, giving onlookers the false impression that she¡¯s just flipping through them without giving them much thought at all. In conjunction, the pen that was held in her other hand moved at a blistering pace, noting down information she found interesting onto a white sheet of paper. {Was the judge¡¯s ruling appropriate? Why would the defendantmit such a crime? Surmise from the above the current state of public order and morale in E-Rantel. Is the creation of newws in response to the above necessary?}

    What would normally require intense scrutiny of records by officials gathered from every corner of a nation, Albedo was doing on her own: analyze, evaluate, process. To do this, one would require an intimate understanding of internal affairs on par with one¡¯s familiarity with backs of their hands as well as an inhuman level of lucidity. Her pen stopped moving as soon as she finished reading the report and the process to transcribe the key words she had noted down began. After all it was something her master was about to read, illegible handwriting would be absolutely uneptable. After spending more time transcribing the most important details, proposals, and other such documents than she had spent reading, it was finally ready.

    Skimming over thepleted document from top to bottom, Albedo¡¯s lips formed the tiniest sliver of a smile. This wasn¡¯t for the fact that she had justpleted another task, but was simply borne from the gratification she experienced knowing that she¡¯s proving herself to be useful to her master. She ced the documents back into the binder and raised it gently into the air where it was received by the maid on standby, who subsequently ced it onto her master¡¯s desk. This was the fifth binder she has had to go through today. A slightly concerned expression could be seen on her face, her current situation isn¡¯t great to say the least.

    The Sorcerous Kingdom has through direct or indirect means greatly expanded their territory, causing them no end of troubles. Compared to before, the number of documents that must be brought to her master¡¯s attention had greatly increased. A leader being forced to sift through mountains of documents would imply ws in the organization.

    As originally intended, her superior would only have to dictate a general direction or goal for his subordinates to work towards. All he has to do is to sit back on his throne and observe the hard work of his creations.

    The fact that reality did not match expectations was not her master¡¯s fault. Those that could match his expectations were few and far between, in other words, theyck sufficient talent. As the one appointed to manage the internal affairs and human resources of Nazarick, Albedo couldn¡¯t help but feel ashamed at herself. Though she had taken precautionary measures, the future remains uncertain.

    {To bother my master over such trivialities would be absolutely ridiculous, but...racial unity policies, ns to trial nationalws, economic policies, and more must be determined by my master... if I do all the progress checks on tasks assigned to the Floor Guardians, it would displease everybody because they won¡¯t be able to see Momonga-sama, right?...}

    For the moment, her master has given her free reign over all of his affairs no matter how important or insignificant they are. She was also told as long as she approved of something herself, it would be fine in his eyes. Still, to avoid any unnecessaryplications it¡¯s best to leave the right of final approval to her master. After all, even Albedo makes mistakes

    There was one time when she was about to send some idiotic scum and his family to the Frozen Prison for an affront to her master (at least it was in her opinion) and asked if the conviction should be for indignity or idiocy. To her great surprise, her master objected to the punishment.

    {I knew Momonga-sama was a merciful one, yet I still...}

    Hmm... Albedo pouted her lips. For her it was truly a rare expression to make, and one that only surfaces for a moment when her master is not there.

    Before long, her smile returned as she picked up the next binder. While reading, her mind became preupied with something else. Among all of the Floor Guardians, there was one that she should stay the most vignt for - Demiurge.

    As the operations against the Holy Kingdom drew to an end, Demiurge has been busy travelling far and wide to set up an intelligence agency with Nazarick at its center. To Albedo, the agency could prove to be problematic. It would have been fine if it were to be headed by Albedo, the Guardian Overseer herself, but it was not unlikely that the newly created position would be given to Demiurge. That would be a troublesome situation.

    If possible, she would love to take that authority for herself by letting an easy to manipte puppet chair the agency.

    A few faces came to mind, but they were allcking in some capacity.

    {If I can¡¯t get the job, then the only eligible candidate by a far margin would be Pandora¡¯s Actor. It¡¯d be very difficult to wrestle that much control authority from Demiurge...}

    It wouldn¡¯t be impossible for him to learn of Albedo¡¯s true intentions if that were to happen.

    If that were to be the case it would be a great cause of concern. It¡¯s probably best not to do anything rash for now.

    Her older sister might be a decent choice, but she was not an ally that Albedo could trust unconditionally. If she figures out Albedo¡¯s true intentions, it¡¯s entirely possible for them to be enemies.

    Her younger sister, the strongest individual in Nazarick, would probably stay by her side even if she found out about Albedo¡¯s n. That, however, was because her master had ordered her to obey Albedo¡¯smands.

    Sigh. What a mess. They¡¯re understaffed.

    No, manpower wasn¡¯t the only thing theycked. There¡¯s also the matter of the funds that Albedo herself could spend freely. In that case, her master¡¯s n to expand operations outside of Nazarick had worked to her favour.

    {The reorganized Adventurer¡¯s Guild can be by my...Mare¡¯s actions...the need to be on the alert for Aura...under Cocytus¡¯mand...intelligence from Victim...the value of Shalltear¡¯s transportwork...amassing a secret fund from the Merchant¡¯s Guild...manpower...and also Demiurge and that girl, huh...}

    It took a mere moment for Albedo to consider matters from multiple facets, a feat no ordinary person could do, after which her brows furrowed slightly.

    {That wouldn¡¯t work. I must remain cautious of Demiurge. Reaching out to that girl would also be too dangerous. If I¡¯m not careful, she might be an opponent that I would have to be wary of, even more so than Demiurge...}

    Shepleted another task while pondering about all sorts of strategies and reached for another binder.

    The binder contained limited amounts of information. Either a new problem was being presented, or it was prepared by someone not used to paperwork, like Shalltear.

    Albedo nced at the cover titled ¡°Regarding the problems faced by the team supporting the Holy Kingdom¡¯s grain management¡±.

    Apparently it¡¯s the former. Albedo couldn¡¯t recall anything in regards to such a problem.

    Did something happen? Albedo blinked a few times as she read, her eyes opening wide into smooth circles. She read it again from the beginning and after confirming its content contained no metaphors or falsehoods, her mouth opened slightly as if in a daze.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Her usually dignified face appeared to be more perplexed than anything else, as if she¡¯s unable toprehend what she¡¯d read.

    Albedo, one of the top minds of Nazarick, had an expression rarely seen by others, a testament to the situation¡¯s severity. Despite that, Albedo¡¯s lucid mind still pushed onwards, contemting the cause and possibility of the problem being presented.

    {It¡¯s highly likely that the girl betrayed us but... did she ept a better offer from another organization? But ording to my judgement, that offer should¡¯ve been impossible to trump... No, nothing is confirmed yet. Ack of intelligence again, huh.}

    Whoever presented the report must exin it to her in detail. At the same time, she must discuss the matter with Demiurge, her colleague who¡¯s probably deeply linked to the problem.

    Reporting to her master will have to wait till afterwards.

    She browsed the two other reports, confirmed that they were not that important, and said to the maid standing behind her,

    ¡°We must hold an emergency meeting. I will go to the Seventh Floor first to discuss matters with Demiurge. If anyonees looking for me, tell them that I¡¯m absent for the moment.¡±

    She activated the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown on her left ring finger as soon as she finished dictating her orders.

    As the Guardian Overseer, she had to keep in her mind where every Floor Guardian was at all times.

    Demiurge had just finished his work in the Holy Kingdom. In order to prepare ns against the alliance of the Council State, ne Theocracy, and the City-State Alliance, he should have returned to his abode on the Seventh Floor.

 Volume 14: Prologue (Part 2)

    <h4>Volume 14: Prologue (Part 2)</h4>

    If Demiurge was not there she¡¯d have to find Entoma and have her use [Message] or have her older sister investigate his whereabouts. With that in mind, Albedo initiated the teleport. --------

    In the Kingdom of Re-Estize and in its capital, Re-Estize. There lies the castle Ro Lente, which contains the Valencia Pce, within which is an office.

    In the office where generations of kings performed their duties, its rightful owner, Ramposa III, was nowhere to be found. Instead, the room was being upied by the second prince, Zanac Valleon Igana Ryle Vaiself.

    Zanac¡¯s face grew dark as he stared at the documents that were submitted, a heavy sigh escaped his mouth. Surely no one could keep a cheerful expression after reading through said documents, its contents detailed the current state of the Kingdom.

    During the Battle of the Katze ins, though it would be more urate to call it a massacre, much of the Kingdom¡¯s poption lost their lives. Even so, it wasn¡¯t as though the damage inflicted on the Kingdom was lethal. Its poption was around nine million and of that, 180,000 died, a mere 2% loss. Plus, a multitude of them were the second or third sons of farmers so they were practically ¡°spare men¡±. In other cases, they had lost apprentices with barely any experience. So although saying this out loud would sound cruel, nothing of value was lost through their deaths.

    Still, they had lost 4% of their male poption, those who were young and strong to boot. The negative impact of this loss was gradually bing apparent and this was all clearly outlined in the document.

    Zanac let out a groan as he ced the document on the table, his vision shifted focus to the other person in the room. ¡°Oy, sister. How would you deal with this if you were in charge?¡±

    Upon hearing the question, his sister, Renner Theiere Chardelon Ryle Vaiself, who sat on a chaise longue far away from him, smiled as she raised her head. Renner, who was looking through a different set of documents had a worrisome smile.

    ¡°Even if you asked me what I would do...onii-sama, how can I give an answer when you haven¡¯t even given me enough details in your question?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about this.¡±

    Zanac did not bother with an exnation, he just picked up the documents he hadid down and fanned them around. Renner stood up, walked towards Zanac, and took the documents from him.

    ¡°...This?¡±

    After scanning the document from top to bottom, Renner replied in a casual tone.

    ¡°That...there¡¯s nothing we can do about it, right?¡±

    ¡°Dear lord...¡±

    Zanac raised his head towards the sky.

    If his sister, who was much more brilliant than him, said this, then there really wasn¡¯t anything they could do about it. However, as rulers, they could not just give up on something like this so easily.

    ¡°Is this matter really that troublesome? Though our nation¡¯s strength has waned temporarily, but that¡¯s all it is, it¡¯s all temporary. I don¡¯t believe that it¡¯s serious enough to warrant us doing something about it?¡±

    ¡°If our nation¡¯s power is weakened, then people will start to die from starvation right?¡±

    Due to the repeated shes they have had with the Empire, their inability to store sufficient grain had continued on to the present day. It was in these conditions that they ceded the crucial grain-producing region of E-Rantel, which was directly under the king¡¯s rule, to the Sorcerous Kingdom. The loss of life on the battlefield also meant that they lost a sizable chunk of theirbor force.

    Perhaps the consequent effects were not as pronounced for now, but years down the line, it was highly likely that the decrease in grain production would cause the price of grain to skyrocket till the point where the poor could no longer afford it. No, it was safe to say that this was definitely going to happen.

    ¡°That makes sense.¡±

    ¡°That makes sO mUcH SeNsE. Say, sister, if it¡¯s as iNsIGnIfIcAnT as you make it out to be, how will we deal with the chance that a drought or a cold snap urs, causing crop failure?¡±

    ¡°High-level druids seem to have the ability to control the weather, so I believe we¡¯ll at least have a way to deal with issues regarding sunlight. Since we¡¯d only have to hire adventurers for it, it would be highly cost-effective. Still, whether or not such high-level druid adventurers exist is something we should find out as soon as possible. If this was in the past we could¡¯ve always relied on adventurers from the Empire in cases of emergency, but now that the Empire has be a vassal state of the Sorcerous Kingdom, that could prove to be difficult.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see, let¡¯s handle droughts this way then. What about cold snaps, sister?¡±

    ¡°Druids would have to work hard on that as well.¡±

    Zanac carefully observed Renner¡¯s face, one that¡¯s all too familiar to him.

    {Does she not know about that?} Zanac thought.

    As Renner said, high-level druids can cast spells to create temporary rain, so droughts could be dealt with. However, he remembered hearing from Marquis Raeven, his confidant, that druid magic is powerless against cold snaps.

    For a cold snap, the weather must be maintained through the entire season. To that end, a high-level druid must be assigned to each vige. It was simply not realistic to gather a few hundred high level druids, which were rare to begin with.

    This level of knowledge in magic was not part of conventional education, so it wasn¡¯t taught even in noble families. This fact applied to the royalty as well. The only reason Prince Zanac knew what he knew about druids was because he had actively sought out that information.

    The fact that magic casters didn¡¯t hold any status in the Kingdom was probably to me. If it was like the Empire where someone as great as the Tri-Arts Magic Caster exists, it might have been apletely different story. However, the Kingdom¡¯s ignorance of magic and desire for brave, strong cavalrymen had already be deeply rooted in their culture. A magic caster capable of changing the status quo never appeared.

    As a result, nobles who believed that ¡°magic is cowardice¡± on the battlefield passed that notion along to the next generations. Ignorance about magic turned into disdain, and a vicious cycle was born.

    To Zanac, magic was an art with incredible power. For people to distance themselves away from it due to old, boring traditions would bring about a day when the Kingdom would unconditionally lose in the struggle for power with its neighbouring countries akin to death by asphyxiation. Zanac had therefore considered hiring a teacher who¡¯s knowledgeable in magic for his future children. Some nobles should follow suit once they find out the royalty is being educated in that field, right?

    No, even without doing something like that, the appearance of the Sorcerer King, one whomands powerful magic caused a paradigm shift in the minds of the Kingdom¡¯s citizens, noble or otherwise. Perhaps the era when everyone would want to learn about magic had finallye.

    Though it was disappointing that the trigger for change was an external source, it was ultimately beneficial to the Kingdom so they acquiesced.

    Considering the current state of the Kingdom, it was natural for Renner to not know. Even a genius would arrive at the wrong answer on unfamiliar turf. Blindly trusting in his sister could prove to be very dangerous.

    Renner, however, was close with the Adamantite ss adventurers team Blue Roses, so obtaining detailed information on a spell was probably not too difficult for her. Was it really possible that his sister, a person that could be described as a singrity of intelligence, knew of the problem but didn¡¯t bother to check with her sources?

    Then again, Renner had no reason to lie about such a small detail. It was probably just a rare manifestation of her human side; in other words, she¡¯s being a dork.

    It was clear that Renner had no interest in the throne, her goal seemed tiny to Zanac. It¡¯s better to say that her goal would be unachievable should she ascend to the throne. Even if she¡¯s plotting against him, it wouldn¡¯t benefit her directly.

    ¡°-sister, a cold snap is difficult to deal with even with the power of a druid.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? If that¡¯s the case then it would be quite unfortunate. Ah! But the problem is about grain, right? We have plenty of supplies so it¡¯s not a problem. That¡¯s excellent news, Onii-sama.¡±

    Zanac made the exact opposite face as Renner¡¯s smile.

    ¡°By grain, you meant that? I would not want to touch that...are you sure people won¡¯t turn Undead from eating too much of it?¡±

    If one were to ask the question ¡°does the Kingdom have surplus grain?¡±, the answer would be yes: a generous supply sat waiting in some merchants¡¯ warehouses. But, they shouldn¡¯t make ns that relied on said grain, because it was technically not the Kingdom¡¯s.

    The Sorcerous Kingdom, ruled by the terror that was the Sorcerer King, leased those warehouses from merchants of the Kingdom and put grain there. Such a thing had never urred throughout the entire history of the Kingdom.

    Apparently the merchants were allowed to sell the grain, but its price was a bit higher than market price due to a tariff. The price was set by the Sorcerous Kingdom with no room for negotiation. As such, the people did not buy any of it and it had been sitting there, waiting in the warehouses.

    The Kingdom¡¯s wealth was not flowing into the Sorcerous Kingdom at the moment, so frankly this was not detrimental to the Kingdom. The current situation made it feel like everything was fine. But Zanac, concurring with Renner, thought that was part of the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s strategy.

    ¡°The Holy Kingdom is consuming the same grain, so the grain itself should be harmless, right?¡±

    ¡°No, perhaps they wanted us to think that way and only the grain in the capital was tainted?¡±

    Renner smiled bitterly.

    ¡°You don¡¯t really think so, do you?¡±

    ¡°Well, I guess not. Afterall we checked the contents.¡±

    Regarding the use of the warehouses in the capital, the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s official statement was that it was to store grain to be used as food aid for the Holy Kingdom. Apparently ns were made to transport the grain to the Holy Kingdom from these warehouses.

    ----------

 Volume 14: Prologue (Part 3)

    <h4>Volume 14: Prologue (Part 3)</h4>

    Regarding the logistics. Due to ack of protection for the caravans, if they were to be attacked by bandits or monsters, the responsibility for that would fall on the Sorcerous Kingdom. Hiring mercenaries would be the obvious solution, but the Sorcerous Kingdom proposed to simply install a g that would make it extraordinarily obvious that those carriages belonged to them, apparently as some form of self-defense. The Kingdom, wishing to avoid unnecessary conflicts, agreed to the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s proposals under the conditions that their undead are not to enter the Kingdom¡¯s borders and that a transit tax must be paid. Looking back on it now, epting it was undoubtedly an erroneous decision.

    They had essentially allowed caravans hoisting the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s g to march through the royal capital in procession, all the way to the docks where they were bound for the Holy Kingdom. This clearly showed, to both domestic and foreign eyes, how weak the Kingdom appearedpared to the Sorcerous Kingdom. Nevermind the fact that the Sorcerous Kingdom appeared enthusiastic about such aid, and those shipments were frequent and continued on to this day.

    If a nation¡¯s dignity was lost bit by bit like this, sooner orter the Kingdom would have to choose between a full rebellion against the Sorcerous Kingdom or kneel in servitude to them. It¡¯s theorized that the Empire had already experienced such an attack and was forced to choose thetter. It¡¯s an insidious plot, but an undeniably effective one.

    What¡¯s worse is the fact that they were doing this in the name of humanitarian aid, it was virtually impossible for the Kingdom to refuse.

    The Arch Fiend that had once turned the Kingdom¡¯s capital upside down, the one who was eventually defeated by the Sorcerer King, Jaldabaoth, had led an army of demihumans to attack the Holy Kingdom. The Northern region had been torn asunder and was barely even recognizable. Compared to the damage sustained by the Kingdom, the Holy Kingdom suffered a worse fate. At least ording to what Zanac heard.

    Though the northern half of the Holy Kingdom was almostpletely destroyed, its southern half was barely touched.

    After the Holy Queen passed away and the new king ascended to the throne, the death of the nobles in the north caused general unrest in theirnds, the nobles to the south began feuding internally, and other simr incidents caused quite a bit of trouble for the Holy Kingdom.

    The simultaneous conflicts caused the two halves of the Holy Kingdom to fight over power and their own interests.

    The result was dyed aid for the people of the north, some could not even reliably acquire food.

    Their saving grace was the grain provided by the Sorcerous Kingdom, the grain that was being shipped from the Kingdom¡¯s warehouses to the Holy Kingdom throughnd and sea routes.

    {An absolutely brilliant n}, Zanac thought.

    In such dire straits, they had no time for scruples about where the food came from, even if it was from one of the undead.

    ¡°If it were us providing the food aid instead, the goodwill that the Sorcerer King has been receiving would have undoubtedly been ours. But... there¡¯s no way we could do that in these conditions.¡±

    What if that battle never happened?

    No, at the bare minimum, if Jaldabaoth had not plundered all kinds of resources during the chaos in the royal capital they would at least be in a better position than they were now. If they had been the ones to provide the Holy Kingdom with food aid, there would be no way that undead¡¯s reputation would be as good as it is now.

    But that was not what happened. After receiving news of the new king¡¯s coronation, the diplomat sent by the Kingdom was given the cold shoulder ording to reports afterward. This wasn¡¯t a cold war caused by national policies that antagonized neighboring countries. The rtionship between the two countries had never been this bad during the reign of thete Holy Queen, Calca Bessarez.

    Perhaps rtions began souring before the grain shortage, back when the Kingdom refused to provide military support against Jaldabaoth¡¯s invasion of the Holy Kingdom. That might¡¯ve dealt a fatal blow to their rtionship.

    Of course, sending aid at that time waspletely out of the question.

    After all, it had been an even more chaotic time for the Kingdom due to the heavy losses inflicted by the powerful magic of the Sorcerer King, Ainz Ooal Gown. In addition, they had lost some of their most celebrated warriors, the most important of which was the Warrior Captain Gazef Stronoff, famed for being the strongest in the entire Kingdom. What aid could they have provided against such a powerful demon at that time?

    Whatever they could say now would only sound like some bitter excuse from a heartless kingdom, but any other country in the same position as the Kingdom that received such a plea for help would respond in the same way. Only the Sorcerous Kingdom sent both military and domestic aid, so the Kingdom paled inparison.

    In fact, Northern Holy Kingdom had already be quite favourably inclined towards the Sorcerous Kingdom ording to the diplomats.

    ¡°Problem after problem without solutions caused a dy in responding...¡±

    It was at this moment when he could finally see the bigger picture and the equally bigger problem. Though this seemed to be the confluence of numerous coincidences, the situation could give one the false impression that everything was connected.

    ¡°No, could it be-¡±

    ¡°Onii-sama!¡±

    ¡°Oh! ... oy sister. I can hear you alright, no need to shout. I¡¯m not that old.¡±

    ¡°... because you¡¯ve ignored your sister who¡¯s standing right in front of you to drift off in your own thoughts, I¡¯ll create some nasty memories for you as revenge. Or were you thinking about something?¡±

    ¡°Nothing...just...being a bit too paranoid.¡±

    Renner turned towards him, her eyes filled with pity, ¡°I¡¯m not too sure, but that has to be it. You talk about negative things all the time, so naturally, every one of your trains of thought would inevitably veer towards the worst-case scenarios.¡±

    That made sense.

    ¡°Maybe.¡±

    ¡°Mhm, that has to be it... About the Holy Kingdom, the schism between north and south means they¡¯re only a step away from a civil war, right? If that¡¯s the case, then which side will win? Though the exhausted north doesn¡¯t seem to have a fighting chance at all...¡±

    ¡°Well, perhaps. The fact that someone of great renown from the north died is an influential factor. After all, that female pdin died too...¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know much about that. Was it someone famous?¡±

    ¡°Mhm. From what I heard she could be tied with our Warrior Captain. She visited our Kingdom once, it¡¯s a shame we couldn¡¯t meet.¡±

    Skipping the normal sequence of meetings to grant immediate audience to an unofficial envoy was not appropriate for both parties.

    The royal family would be looked down upon if the meeting came too early. By the time diplomats made that judgment they had already left the capital.

    If they knew what they do now, they should have set up a meeting with her no matter what. Perhaps it could¡¯ve helped them gain a potential backup option for the future.

    ¡°Back then, your judgment was diplomatically correct. If it wasn¡¯t for you telling me not to do it all the time, I would have thought that it was not that big of a deal to meet them. Having the king meet them right away would have definitely been inappropriate, but if a prince did so, it should have been fine.¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it Onii-sama who made the final decision himself?...¡±

    Renner pouted. It was an expression cute enough to easily win over the hearts of most men, a countless number of people had already fallen victim to it.

    ¡°Onii-sama is the current sessor to the throne, but not everyone approves of you behind closed doors. Any possible cause of gossip, however small, must be avoided. It would trouble me a lot if you don¡¯t secure the throne. Oh and causing a rebellion right now would be a problem as well. If that happens, you wouldn¡¯t be able to fulfill your promise.¡±

    ¡°Mhm, that¡¯s true...¡±

    She did not disguise her intentions at all, but it was convincing nheless.

    ¡°Hm, normally this is how things would go... the Sorcerous Kingdom has been providing aid to the Northern Holy Kingdom, if all went ording to their ns, they would have an easily manipted country in their hands. Should we try to contact the south?¡±

    If it was the Northern Holy Kingdom that was maintaining amicable rtions with the Sorcerous Kingdom, then the south must view the Sorcerous Kingdom as their enemy. If the Kingdom were to form an alliance with the south, it was possible they could contain the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s efforts somewhat.

    ¡°That¡¯s true, it would certainly be a desirable development. There¡¯s another reason the two halves are against each other, namely the faceless progenitor¡¯s new teachings, that can¡¯t be good for the Kingdom either.¡±

    ¡°Aaaaah, that one...¡±

    The faceless one.

    A nickname for the proselytizer who showed up after the chaos caused by Jaldabaoth. Though it appeared that her true name was made public, the nickname had already spread much further than her real name.

    Her teaching, treasured by her many followers, was that ¡°Weakness without the drive to improve one¡¯s self is a sin, everyone must strive towards the goal of bing stronger.¡± That was more or less an understandable concept for most people.

    Though there was widespread support for her teachings in the north, it was not only unpopr but also shunned in the south.

    However, this was the predictable oue. To the ruling ss, that kind of mentality would only invite instability to those who are at the top.

    Perhaps that was the main reason why the nobles in the south, who still retained their authority, and the rapidly deteriorating north are at each other¡¯s throats.

    What was led by the faceless one was more of amunity than a religion. Because of that, the Four Great Gods were still being worshipped as usual and problems with religious institutions never arose. At the same time, the newly crowned Holy King gave his acquiescence to the group, further dividing the north and the south.

    ¡°...bymon sense, isn¡¯t it odd to hide one¡¯s face?¡±

    Apparently the faceless one always appeared in public wearing a mask.

 Volume 14: Prologue (Part 4)

    <h4>Volume 14: Prologue (Part 4)</h4>

    The diplomatic mission sent from the Kingdom had the same questions in mind as Zanac concerning the Faceless One, so they asked her followers. It did not matter who they asked, each and every one of their answers were vague at best, as if they would be breaking some form of taboo should they have answered truthfully.

    It was incredibly suspicious.

    By hiding her face, is she not creating the impression that she had done something unspeakable in the past?

    ¡°Her parents were apparently renowned warriors. If she had revealed her face and preached out in the open, it would probably have raised her reputation by a fair amount. Is it possible that she¡¯s hiding her appearance because she¡¯s been lying about her heritage? ¡°Why would someone spread such a boring lie? I don¡¯t think any of the benefits of hiding one¡¯s appearance would apply to her if that¡¯s the case.

    ¡°That¡¯s true...or perhaps she¡¯s not human, but undead or something simr?¡± ¡°-you mean she¡¯s serving under the Sorcerer King?¡±

    ¡°I just thought that if that were the case, things would start to make a lot more sense, wouldn¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°It could exin a lot of things, but why would someone like that risk arousing further suspicion from others by hiding their appearance?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s also true......but what other eptable reasons are there to hide one¡¯s appearance?¡±

    It¡¯s also possible that she had received some form of facial disfigurement during Jaldabaoth¡¯s invasion, but then again it should have been treatable with magic. Unless wounds inflicted by a fiend as strong as Jaldabaoth cannot be healed with magic or something simr?

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s more believable than your previous theory, especially since she¡¯s female¡±

    Exposing a facial scar could be beneficial in the sense that people would sympathize with you more, but that¡¯srgely dependent on how severe the wound was.

    ¡°In any case, our first order was to gather detailed information on the inner workings of the Holy Kingdom. Let¡¯s n our operations out in a way where we could immediately aid in the south should that be necessary.¡±

    ¡°That would be best.¡±

    ¡°To our south is the Holy Kingdom, where half of the country is friendly to the Sorcerous Kingdom and to our east is the Empire, a vassal state of the Sorcerous Kingdom. This will be hard to deal with.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡±

    Zanac¡¯s gaze remained affixed on Renner, who had been replying ever so nonchntly.

    ¡°......You make it sound so simple.¡±

    ¡°Eh? But what more could be said about this? The situation is undeniably worse if you consider the current state of its neighboring countries. Other than what onii-sama has said so far, there¡¯s also the matter of the persisting and prospering underground organizations in the Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re talking about the Eight Fingers, correct? Recently there has been a number of people making a mess all over the ce due to narcotics withdrawal. So have they really be active again? If it wasn¡¯t for that archfiend (Jaldabaoth) appearing out of nowhere, we could¡¯ve knocked the Eight Fingers down another peg or two for sure.¡± Zanac sighed.

    With the loss of Gazef Stronoff, the strongest warrior in the Kingdom, the government had shifted its policy to avoid direct confrontation with the Eight Fingers. They simplycked the necessary amount of strong individuals to deal with the issue.

    Except one.

    The man employed by Renner, Brain Unus, had a lot of potential.

    But, that man was only loyal to Renner, so there¡¯s probably no chance at all that he¡¯d be willing to serve Zanac. He had already attempted to gain favour with him, but it did not seem to have an effect on him at all.

    {......I don¡¯t n on taking on the role of Warrior Captain myself, so it¡¯s probably better to promote someone who¡¯s talented enough for the job. Should we train him to be someone who¡¯s worthy of the position of Warrior Captain? I wanted to at least give him the sword that¡¯s part of the Kingdom¡¯s treasures, but father would never allow it.} To his father, the king, Gazef Stronoff¡¯s existence was far too important.

    It¡¯s lonely at the top as they say.

    Knowing that soon it¡¯ll be his turn to bear this burden, Zanac, unbeknownst to himself, is gradually grasping the true meaning of that proverb.

    As a person, Gazef Stronoff¡¯s existence was like that of aforting bonfire to his lonely father. Despite the significant age difference between the two, one could say that they were closer than friends in some respects.

    For his father to have someone like that in his life, Zanac couldn¡¯t help but feel envious. As the second prince, Zanac had never experienced that level of friendship before. His older brother was the heir apparent for the longest time, so no one would bother forming that deep of a connection with someone who was simply a spare. They probably judged that it was not worth the risk getting on Marquis Boullope¡¯s radar by befriending a future Archduke.

    The only one who¡¯d keep in touch with him was Marquis Raeven, presumably out of his concern for the Kingdom¡¯s future. Even then their rtionship was closer to that of mutual supporters than friends; as a result, Zanac had had to suppress quite a bit of the resulting depression.

    Will he remain lonely for the rest of his life?

    Zanac shook his head, pushing his negative emotions aside. Renner looked back at him as if she was looking at a cryptid.

    {Just Ignore her Zanac.}

    Speaking of Brain, the moment Zanac is crowned king, his first action would likely be to retrieve the four treasures of the Kingdom from his father.

    Though he was uncertain if his father would hand them over so easily, it¡¯s imperative for him to entrust the treasures to Brain, otherwise it would be an insult to the sacrifices he¡¯s made.

    He wasn¡¯t the Kingdom¡¯s Warrior Captain, he was just Renner¡¯s subordinate, a peasant with no fealty to speak of. If the Kingdom¡¯s treasures were to be given to him, there would be no doubt the nobles would have dissenting opinions against it.

    Even so.

    ¡°How about we just dere that we intend to be a vassal state of the Sorcerous Kingdom?¡±

    Renner¡¯s goal was to live out her life in a small manor with Climb, which would still be achievable even if they became a vassal state. No, it¡¯s safe to say that if the value of royalty fell, it would have an inverse effect on their personal safety. Perhaps Renner¡¯s suggestion would create the best oue for her.

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Zanac scoffed at Renner¡¯s proposal, ¡°the state of the internal affairs of our country and that of the Empire¡¯s ispletely different. Civil disorder would ur the moment we suggest it.¡±

    Under the leadership of the Bloody Emperor, the Empire was as solid as a rock. Dissenting nobles had been purged long ago, which is why when they chose to be a vassal state, there was no opposition whatsoever. Nevermind the fact that the Empire hadn¡¯t had a taste of the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s wrath. Even if they were disgusted by the agreement on the inside, it¡¯s not as though they had the desire to seek retribution. The Empire had a clear cut understanding of exactly how terrifying the Sorcerous Kingdom could be. The Kingdom, however, was in a different situation.

    As of now, the Kingdom was split between the Royal Faction, the Noble Faction, independents, and a new faction that was formed after that battle. The distribution of power between the four factions was roughly 3:3:2:2.

    The most troublesome of them all was the new faction. It wasposed mostly of ¡°spare men¡± from noble families that had lost both their head and sessor, men who obtained power not meant for them. The other memberscked themon sensibilities that were expected of the aristocracy and had no respect for the unspoken rules. As a result, many of themcked integrity and manners. Spy reports showed that more than a few of them were drunk on power.

    They were the cancer of this nation.

    However, since they had autonomy in their ownnds, nothing could be done about them unless they broke thew of the Kingdom. Even if they did, there was no guarantee on how the other factions would react when the royal powers were exercised. This was no longer the pre-war era when the royal faction held the upper hand in political power.

    Still, Renner¡¯s suggestion of vassalization was not totally out of the question. It could be considered if the situation was to change drastically.

    ¡°No, that will not happen. There will not be any civil disorder, onii-sama.¡±

    Renner naturally followed with a counter.

    {Don¡¯t lie to me}, Zanac thought.

    Although he could tell that she wasn¡¯t being serious, it would not have been a problem even if Zanac was stupid enough to fall for it. Zanac had learned to see through her facades long ago.

    It was precisely because of this reason that women like her should not be trusted.

    {If only Elias had returned.}

    Zanac suddenly felt a sense of loneliness deep down in his heart. Though he couldn¡¯t call Marquis Raeven a friend, he was still someone who shared Zanac¡¯s concerns for the Kingdom. Zanac was concerned by the fact that it may no longer be possible for them to work side by side with each other, as the marquis¡¯ recements at hand were all terrifyingly talented but also uncontroble wildcards.

    Zanac turned to face Renner in a pretentious manner, as if doing so would rid him of his sorrows.

    ¡°Still, I find it hard to believe that the Empire would actually import goods from the Sorcerous Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°...Well that was an awkward way to change the topic, not that I mind...hm, those things aren¡¯t that bad for a vassal state like the Empire, right?¡±

    The most exported goods from the Sorcerous Kingdom to the Empire in terms of the revenue they generated were undead creatures. Apparently they were distinguished by categories such as menialbor, military service, cargo transportation, and so on.

    ¡°Oy oy, we¡¯re talking about the undead remember? The enemy of the living?¡±

    ¡°But they don¡¯t require sustenance and don¡¯t get tired. Frankly speaking, they¡¯re the best kind of worker you could hope for. You¡¯re correct in thinking that importing the Sorcerer King¡¯s undead into our country would be risky since it would essentially be us allowing another nation¡¯s soldiers onto our own soil. But on the other hand, it¡¯s also a gesture to the Sorcerous Kingdom that its vassal does not have anything to hide from them. They¡¯re basically handing the other end of the leash they¡¯ve ced on themselves over to the Sorcerous Kingdom.¡±

    Renner raised her head towards the ceiling.

    ¡°In some ways, this is an admirable attitude that we could learn from. It is a good way to show that they can easily threaten us.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, if a superior cannot trust their inferior, it¡¯s definitely more reassuring to have a firm grasp on their weaknesses. I can somewhat understand the Empire¡¯s actions if I look at it from that perspective. It looks as though E-Rantel and the dwarven nation in the Azerlisia mountains have initiated trade rtions. They¡¯re exchanging undead miners and fresh ingredients for ores and high-quality, dwarven-made farming equipment.¡±

    This was ording to the intel they had received from their spy in E-Rantel, who had met with some dwarves.

    ¡°Cargo hauling within the Azerlisia mountain range can simply be handled by the undead. Apparently the shipping andbor costs are basically negligible, so much so that it¡¯s cheaper for them to buy from the dwarves than from us.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°-are we abandoning the ns to form an alliance with the Council State?¡±

    ¡°Ah yes, that¡¯s currently in progress, but the situation isn¡¯t great. Though a Dragon Lord has agreed to it, we still need more time to convince the representatives of the other races. Though even if this falls through, the prospect of an alliance would not bepletely ruled out, that much was said.¡±

    That was only partly true.

    The anti-Sorcerous Kingdom alliance was forming at a snail¡¯s pace, but progress was smooth nheless. They were at the stage of relying on the generosity and solidarity of other countries to hopefully get them to sign the mutual reinforcement pact at all costs, in other words, it was an unreliable rtionship without written agreements. Something like that could not be publicly announced as an alliance.

    There were simply too many things to do to form a tight alliance, they would need at least a few months to sort it out.

    ¡°Is that so?... It would be great if we could form a military alliance as soon as possible. Now then, onii-sama, when do you n to take the throne? I feel like it¡¯s about time for you to fulfill your promise.¡±

    The promise in question was that Renner would work alongside Zanac in exchange for a manor to live in secret with Climb, as well as the permission to do so.

    ¡°About that, just wait for a while. Surely you already knew of how the unofficial proposals are being dealt with soon? I¡¯ve spoken to our father and we¡¯ve decided to wait for him to put forward hisst major policy before making any moves.¡±

    If the kingmits a fatal mistake in managing the state, he will bear the responsibility and abdicate.

    If he made no mistakes, he would just propose more and more policies that are designed to upset the nobility, to allow the prince the opportunity to propose alleviating measures in order to reduce their dissatisfaction. The king would then be abdicating in a fashion that would gain him favour with the nobles. Although a stigma could be left on the elderly king¡¯s reign, the benefits to the royal family far outweighed the detriments.

    ¡°Speaking of which, how¡¯s the orphanage going? Are you nning to cook something for them again? Do you need any financial support?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not necessary, my allowance is enough for its operations.¡±

    There should be somewhere around 50 of them by now.

    This was a significant figure, perhaps the greatest among all the orphanages in the Kingdom. Despite that, Renner had not sought external support in running the orphanage¡¯s operations, which were funded entirely through her privy purse. Although as the third princess her allowance did not amount to much, it did substantially increase once her two older sisters were married off. It¡¯s certainly not impossible for her to fund the orphanage on her own, but big cuts in the number of maids tending to her must¡¯ve been made to allow for that.

    Now that he thought about it, his sister seemed to only wear one set of clothes.

    The royalty should never do something that¡¯ll make the nobility look down on them. Zanac felt somewhat irritated but also proud that Renner knew how to spend her funds wisely.

    ¡°Hmm, do you want me to split some of my allowances with you? After all, the orphanage is an impressive feat in the eyes of the citizens.¡±

    ¡°I cannot allow that.¡±

    Her rejection was uncharacteristically staunch.

    ¡°If there are outstanding children in the orphanage, I intend to take them with me to the manor. I will not allow you to take any of my prospectivebor force~¡±

    ¡°Aah, so that¡¯s your n?......¡±

    ¡°Exactly, I¡¯ve requested Brain-san to help train them in swordsmanship. They should also start schooling soon. My efforts to nurture them have just begun.¡±

    ¡°Then what about the children who are not so exceptional?¡±

    ¡°Even if they could only do simple calctions or write, there will be a job waiting for them somewhere. Everything will work out just fine.¡±

    ¡°So you would be fine with it if I take the rest of them?¡±

    ¡°If you would do that it would make me very happy. I won¡¯t have to worry that some of the children will be left behi-¡±

    Renner¡¯s voice was interrupted by the sound of someone violently knocking on the door.

    ¡°-what, what¡¯s going on? What¡¯s with themotion!¡±

    Just as Zanac raised his voice, the door was suddenly opened.

    ¡°Your Highness! Emergency!¡±

    A noble dressed in familiar court attire ran into the room. He was one of the officials in charge of internal affairs. Tightly gripped in his hand was a piece of parchment.

    ¡°What happened!¡±

    Zanac took one look at the parchment presented to him and a surprised expression could be seen on his face. It was as though he could notprehend its contents. No, it was more like he was in disbelief.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Zanac did not have the strength to reply, instead, he just passed the parchment paper to Renner in silence. And then-

    ¡°Hah?¡±

    The sound that she made was uncharacteristic for her, it sounded like she was absolutely dumbfounded.

    {Oh look, she¡¯s exposing her human side again.} Zanac grinned in a way as if he had just given in to his despair.

    End of Prologue

 Volume 14: 1 - An Unexpected Move (part 1)

    <h4></h4>

    <h4>Volume 14: Chapter 1 - An Unexpected Move (part 1)</h4>

    <h4></h4>

    A big swig of pale ale was taken from a mug that was almost overflowing.

    This used to be a beverage he had no chance of obtaining back in his demesne, but nowadays the taste of first-ss booze flowing down his throat felt all too familiar.

    He noisily belched out the sweet fragrance of the ale as he set down therge mug, with half of its contents still remaining, back onto the table. If this was one of those wooden mugs he was so used to, he would¡¯ve mmed it on the table without a thought, but he wouldn¡¯t dare do so with the porcin stuff.

    However, even if he did break the mug he wouldn¡¯t have to pay for it, after all, this bar was specially prepared by his secret supporter, Hilma Cygnaeus. Everything was free of charge for any of the nobles he would send to this ce, this even extended to their guests.

    This kind of investment was to be expected for someone who¡¯s destined to be a powerful noble like him, Baron Philip Dayton L¡¯Eyre Montserrat.

    All he had to do was to show his gratitude and repay her for this favourter on, for now everything is kept on tabs.

    As things stood, even Hilma, whose wealth was beyondparison to Philip¡¯s, was still amoner and had to bow before authority. Perhaps that was the reason why she was trying so hard to be acquainted to a noble like Philip by supporting his faction on all fronts.

    This is what separates the strong from the weak in this world - the difference in status.

    Still, he owed her a big favour for all of her efforts.

    As a gentleman who held himself ountable for his debts, Philips hoped to improve his social standing as soon as possible. Hilma should also be expecting him to obtain authority above the rank of baron at the very least.

    Then he¡¯d have to repay his dues.

    If those favours were not repaid as soon as possible, he would be stuck making concessions, having to obtain permission even for things he personally wanted to do.

    To have the freedom to do whatever he wanted and the right to use his powers as he sees fit, those were Philip¡¯s dreams.

    But-

    ¡°Why is nothing going my way!¡±

    He could longer hold in his true feelings. Philip surveyed his surroundings. This bar was not a regr peasants¡¯ bar. Hilma had converted one of her mansions into a bar so crude noise had no ce in it. So although his voice wasn¡¯t too loud to begin with, if there were someone around they probably would¡¯ve heard him.

    After confirming that no one was looking towards him, Philip calmed down.

    To allow others to find out that he had failed would be disgraceful.

    That¡¯s right - he had failed. {Die, you¡¯re all trash!}

    Philip gulped down ale as if it could literally put out the fiery emotions in his heart. This only agitated him further as in his hurry, drops of ale had leaked from the corners of his lips, causing his skin and clothes to feel sticky as a result.

    Philip¡¯s expression twisted in his anger.

    If all had gone ording to his ns, the output of his demesne would have been multiplied and he should have been surrounded by people grateful that he¡¯s their new lord. His name should¡¯ve been known to all after his neighboring nobles caught wind of his aplishments. So, how did it end up like this?

    Not only had the grain productivity of hisnds started to fall, he also felt as though the vigers he had visited were all staring at him with contempt.

    {Insolent scumbags!}

    He was finally the head of the house of Montserrat, a family with a long and dated history, those vigers should¡¯ve known full well how they should pay their respects. Could it be possible that the vigers were all cking off in an attempt to weaken his position?

    It was certainly possible.

    The world was filled with dumbasses who would be envious of others¡¯ talents after all. They couldn¡¯t even understand his talents and only scoffed at and got envious of those with talents. In that way they could create an illusion of megalomania.

    No, it was not as though that was the only type of people in the world. There were so many vigers back there, there had to be some other reason for it. For example, a neighboring lord may have paid them to sabotage Philip¡¯s political ambitions.

    It was certainly not impossible.

    In general, if you focused production on more valuable goods, revenue would naturally rise by huge proportions. This should¡¯ve beenmon sense. Wouldn¡¯t it make sense to dedicate all the avable farnd to the more valuable crops and buy grain from traders?

    It was so obvious yet the number of people who¡¯d disagree with him were countless.

    {Absolute trash! How about I ask Hilma about how I should punish these fools? If I do that they¡¯ll certainly start working hard for me again! I¡¯ll still need to investigate if they¡¯re conspiring against me, their lord! ...no wait. If it¡¯s something as simple as dishing out punishments, it¡¯d be fine if I approve of it on my own right?}

    In theory, it¡¯d be the same as whipping cows and horses to get them to obey you.

    {Yeah, there¡¯s no need to tell Hilma about this at all. If I end up owing her another favour from this... Umu, Hilma¡¯s been good to me for quite a while, it¡¯s about time that I repay her generosity...}

    To a soon-to-be great noble, debt owed to amoner like Hilma could be bilked, it was an easily exploitable situation. But s, doing so would make him no different than amon thief. As a noble of nobles, such an act was utterly despicable, so it¡¯s best to pay her back as much as possible soon.

    It would be a big problem if he let Hilma have something to threaten him on due to his generosity. If that ever happens, Hilma could always have things her way and shut Philip up.

    {The question is, what would be the best form of repayment in this case...?}

    If he¡¯s going by their previous agreement, he would have to repay her in gold collected from the increased revenue of hisnd, but that¡¯s obviously not possible - neigh, it would be difficult to do so at the moment.

    So what was something that he could do that will both demonstrate his brilliance and also leverage the newly formed faction¡¯s power to benefit Hilma?

    {I say that but I still don¡¯t have total control over this faction yet......}

    As a member of the faction, Philip had had the opportunity to connect with all kinds of people.

    Though the number of members supporting the idea that Philip should be the faction¡¯s leader was steadily rising, he hadn¡¯t gained the support from the entire aristocracy.

    Hilma had aided him in that pursuit, but considering his age, social standing, et cetera, there were still some major hurdles he had to ovee. If Philip was to be in their position, he would be inclined to agree with their decisions too.

    The same speech by a senior earl and a junior baron would not be convincing to the same degree. {But doesn¡¯t that sound like they¡¯ll just be conforming to the traditions of the more established factions?} Philip thought.

    Being members of a new faction, they could not act like some aging organization but rather introduce radical changes into the system. As a man with the courage to experiment and innovate, Philip was the perfect fit for the role of leader in this faction.

    {All the other guys are just so inflexible.}

    Blinded by his feelings of irritation, Philip did not notice his mug had somehow be empty.

    ¡°Oy! More booze!¡±

    ¡°Yes, my lord¡±

    Some maid that looked like she¡¯s employed at the establishment was just passing by, so he barked his orders at her.

    After taking a deep bow, she walked away in an odd manner, as if striking a pose, and Philip was unable to take his eyes off of her. Was it because her uniform was too thin? One could make out the shape of her buttocks.

    ¡°Ooof.¡±

    An attractive derriere is obviously a desirable quality to unt with, but this maid had demonstrated a clear understanding of what constitutes an eptable interaction between a superior and their inferior through her work ethic. This pleased Philip a lot.

    Philip had already borrowed two maids from Hilma who were not so dissimr to the one he¡¯s staring at.

    Thesedies would do anything you ask of them, you could even stiff their sries. Every one of Philip¡¯s household matters had been handled by them. Hilma also rmended people like butlers and exclusive merchants.

    Though Philip wanted to fire those who had been under his family¡¯s employ for a long time and just keep his subordinates at hand, his father¡¯s fervent rejection of that proposal made him give up. Well, if he was the one paying for those servants then he would have definitely fired them to save expenses.

    As Philip vaguely thought about these matters, someone spoke to him suddenly.

    ¡°Oh hey, Baron Montserrat. What¡¯s going on? You seem troubled.¡±

    He turned his head towards the source of the voice to see two nobles in front of him.

    They had inherited their baronies at the same time, friends who belonged to the same faction. One of them carried arge mug topped with ale while the other held a teful of nuts.

    ¡°Oh! Baron Delvin and Baron Rokerson!¡±

    Baron Delvin was a man whocked the status and prestige expected of a noble of his rank due to his short stature and delicate constitution. The only aspect of him that matched with his status would be his raiments, so if he was to wearmon clothes, no one would be able to tell that he was one with the aristocracy. As it stands, you could convince arge group of people into believing that he was just an actor pretending to be a nobleman for aedic y. In contrast, Baron Rokerson cuts an imposing and sturdy figure. The man was thick in every dimension. Though he was a physically menacing man, he couldn¡¯t hold his own opinions without getting swayed by others. In Philip¡¯s eyes, Rokerson was more likely to be ordered around than order someone else around.

    Their demesnes neighboured each other and it was amon sight for them to be working together. Philip remembered them due to a mental note he made to himself when they first met, that being {why not just work solo like me?}

    ¡°Are these seats taken?¡±

    ¡°Oh, please, do take a seat¡±

    Rokerson gave a gentle nod and sat down alongside Delvin. The maid seemed to have timed her entrance perfectly as she walked in with ale in tow.

    ¡°Here, cheers!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s our pleasure!¡±

    ording to legend, the act of clinking sses together during a toast originated as a way to mix the contents of two cups together, proving that neither were poisoned. Philip knew of this fact and so used more force than was necessary.

    Alcohol was spilled onto the table.

    ¡°Oh!¡±

    Some of it hadnded onto Baron Delvin¡¯s clothing.

    It would be rude to say that his clothes had finally matched his appearance, but his garments, while noble-looking, were not fresh and clean. No, it would be more urate to say that it was reminiscent of a more traditional style, something that Philip would wear in the past, like a hand-me-down from his elders.

    Philip felt pity.

    What he currently wore was top tier fabrics he had instructed Hilma to prepare for him. In other words, those two were not valuable enough to warrant such a level of investment from Hilma.

    Philip contemted the tragedy of the apparent difference in their future prospectspared to him as he asked, ¡°So were the two of you here for drinks too?¡±

    ¡°-umu, that¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. We were just here for drinks and were pleasantly surprised to find that Baron Monserrat was here too, so we came over to pay our respects! Right?!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just as you say, Baron Rokerson¡±

    ¡°No no no, what¡¯s this nonsense about paying respects? Aren¡¯t we equals? Comrades who are supporting each other?¡±

    ¡°Oh! I never knew that someone as great as Baron Montserrat viewed people like us as equals! That does bring joy to our hearts! Right?!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just as you say. Now, if you will, please try some of these.¡±

    The man on the opposite end hastily presented the hors d¡¯oeuvres.

    ¡°Thank you very much, Baron Rokerson.¡±

    ¡°Oh my! We¡¯re no strangers, Baron Montserrat. Feel free to call me Wayne and him Igthorn. ¡±

    ¡°Understandable. Then I¡¯d request that both of you refer to me as Philip!¡±

    The three shared in a heartyugh as they downed their pale ales.

    ¡°But anyways - Philip-sama, what has been bothering you? You seem quite troubled just then¡±

    ¡°Just then?¡± At this point the alcohol had slightly - yes, only ever so slightly dulled his mind, his anger red back up.

    ¡°Ahhhh, those useless idiots keep giving me headaches. Oh, I¡¯m talking about the pariahs living on mynd.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s why, Ipletely understand! It¡¯spletely understandable for someone as sagacious as Philip-kakka to be angry over those who could never hope to grasp your thoughts. Common people like us aren¡¯t on the same level as you, right?¡±

    ¡°Exactly, it¡¯spletely understandable for someone as smart as Philip-kakka to be angry over such matters.¡±

    Philip was touched by their agreeing with him.

    They were nobles like him, so was it natural that they could understand his troubles? They too must also be perturbed by their own subjects¡¯ stupidity.

    ¡°The two of you get what I¡¯m going through?!¡±

    ¡°Umu, we do, we do. Though I¡¯m not as outstanding as Philip-kakka, I¡¯ve also had my fair share of experience with the issues you¡¯re faced with.¡±

    ¡°Exactly - looks like we¡¯re out of ale - oy! What are you doing not pouring ale for Philip-kakka!¡±

    The maid that was summoned immediately brought over some ale straight to Philip. He raised his mug, now filled to the brim with ale.

    ¡°Here, let us toast each other once more¡±

    The mugs were smacked together.

    Philip downed his ale.

    Delicious.

    He felt as though the ale had never tasted better than in this moment, perhaps it¡¯s because he¡¯s sharing a drink with his sympathizers.

    Most members of the new faction chose to distance themselves away from Philip, one reason being that Philip was at the helm of the faction; consequently, he hadn¡¯t been able to make any friends. That was why Philip was in such a good mood, these two who had approached him gave him sce. He was overjoyed to the point of wanting to rub shoulders with them.

    ¡°Ah, Philip-kakka! I¡¯m honored that you¡¯d rub shoulders with me, but your ale might spill. How about you down some of it first and then......oh¡±

    He spilled some ale again. Though it was free of charge, being so wasteful would be an insult against Hilma.

    Philip removed his arm from the other noble and drank in a rambunctious manner.

    ¡°Woah! That¡¯s what I expected of you, you can certainly hold your alcohol, am I right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, as expected of Philip-sama¡±

    ¡°Psssht! No no, that¡¯s not true. It¡¯s just that this ale tastes better than usual when enjoyed with outstanding nobles like you.¡±

    ¡°Unbelievable! Absolutely unbelievable! Kakka would speak such words that fill my heart with joy. As the two of us have a lower tolerance for alcohol, we can¡¯t help but be in awe of your capacity.¡±

    ¡°Eh? The two of you can¡¯t drink much?¡±

    They were both still on their first cup and the level of ale hadn¡¯t gone down much.

    ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing to admit, but to tell the truth, neither of us can find any appeal in alcohol, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, but since we¡¯re in this type of establishment it would be awkward not to drink at all, so we¡¯re only taking tiny sips.¡±

    ¡°Because we can¡¯t hold our alcohol, we¡¯re quite envious of men who could, like Philip-kakka. Please, please, do take our portion as well.¡±

    Philip followed along with their suggestions and drank cup after cup. The more he consumed, the lighter his head felt. It was around this time when his face started turning red.

    ¡°Now that¡¯s the way to do it. I remember Philip-kakka mentioning the idiots in yournd, so what happened exactly?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Ah, what was it, did I talk about that?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you mentioned something along those lines......it appears to me that you might¡¯ve had a little too much to drink, should I bring some non-alcoholic beverages over? Does that sound agreeable?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Philip-kakka, would you like some water? The water they serve here does not stink of moss.¡±

    ¡°Ehhh-, that wouldn¡¯t be necessary. I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m fine.¡± Heat pulsed across his face, he does not need a mirror to know that his face had turnedpletely red. ¡°......ahhh, I was talking about my woes. I¡¯m broke, broke.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re in a simr situation, am I right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, our demesnes aren¡¯t exactly prospering either¡±

    ¡°No, no. It¡¯s not what you think it is. If those worthless pariahs had done what I ordered them to, there should¡¯ve beenrge sums of gold flooding into my pockets. But they don¡¯t work hard enough and won¡¯t listen. It¡¯s all their fault. Every single one of them is worthless.¡±

    ¡°Oooooh! Philip-kakka is absolutely correct. This world is filled with worthless trash. I can understand your pain! By the way, what is the special product of yournds, Philip-kakka?¡±

    ¡°Nothing apart from agricultural produce at the moment. Damn it.¡±

    A lot of trials were being run on various aspects of production, but none had bore fruit yet.

    ¡°Agricultural produce, huh... It would be nice to have some kind of unique product, otherwise...¡±

    ¡°Typical agricultural products don¡¯t sell for much, but that¡¯s to be expected.¡±

    The two noblemen spoke of a lot of their own opinions.

    They were correct, that was why there was a need to cultivate crops of higher value. It would be risky as it was probable that they would not be able to harvest the crop in the short-run, the fact of whether a crop could be cultivated at all or not had to be investigated too. Even so, it was a necessary investment for the future, yet those lowly peasants would always use ¡°our hands are full¡± as their excuse even in the face of a direct order.

    ¡°Considering that current situation, if nothing changes then I could only wait for a bad harvest so the price of grain would go up!¡±

    ¡°What about your own terri-¡±

    Wayne jabbed Igthorn with his elbow mid-sentence and then he moved closer to Philip to whisper.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, but even if a bad harvest urs, the price won¡¯t necessarily rise. Did you know that there is a huge amount of cheap grain being transported from the Sorcerous Kingdom to the Kingdom? So the price for regr produce is unlikely to fluctuate much and it would be equally unlikely for any non-value-added product to fetch a high price.¡±

    ¡°What!?¡±

    ¡°Ah, Philip-kakka, you¡¯re being too loud.¡±

    Philip surveyed his surroundings in a frenzy, lowered his voice, and then said to Wayne, ¡°is that true?¡±

    ¡°Mhm, the intel was obtained from trustworthy sources, it was being spread amongst a few of the merchants in the capital. Apparently the Sorcerous Kingdom had storedrge quantities of grain in warehouses owned by the merchants in the capital. It was said that they were even allowed to sell them, but the Sorcerous Kingdom obviously had the priority input on how they were being used.¡±

    ¡°Hm? So it wasn¡¯t merchants importing goods from the Sorcerous Kingdom to sell here, but rather, the Sorcerous Kingdom was storing food in the Kingdom?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I don¡¯t know much about the exact details other than the fact that it¡¯s there for storage only and the Sorcerous Kingdom had already paid for the storage fee... or was it rent for the warehouses? In any case, the merchants made money from that deal. It wasn¡¯t much, but it was still something.¡±

    ¡°... Do people just rent out their warehouses so easily?¡±

    ¡°Normally it would be difficult to secure storage space. But wasn¡¯t that warehouse district attacked by that Fiend? I heard a lot of the warehouses were empty and so the owners happily leased them out. Therefore, as long as the grain remains there, the merchants are not likely to raise the price of food. It¡¯s easy to imagine people saying things like ¡®if it gets more expensive, I¡¯d rather buy from the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯ should the price go up. Oh right, did you know about E-Rantel¡¯s huge grain storehouse?¡±

    ¡°No, no. What about them?¡±

    ¡°Within this huge warehouse enchanted with the spell [Preserve], there are ces where food will never rot, courtesy of a magical item. Until recently, military rations for over a hundred thousand soldiers were painstakingly collected from neighbouringnds in preparation for a war with the Empire annually. Food collection takes time so it could rot during the process, not to mention that obtaining food was harder during some time periods. That huge storehouse was built to counter these problems. Apparently that the magical item wasn¡¯t something that could be transported elsewhere, so it was formally gifted to the Sorcerous Kingdom. That means the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s surplus grain could be stored there for years.¡±

    ¡°Even if the food couldst for many years, the Sorcerous Kingdom is a country with a single city, E-Rantel. How¡¯s it possible for them to produce that much food?¡±

    Even if the rumour spreads throughout the Kingdom, grain prices should only drop by a tiny bit at most considering the Kingdom¡¯srge poption.

    ¡°Oh, about that. ording to some credible rumours, the Sorcerous Kingdom is using undead creatures to workrge swathes of farnd; as a result, they saw a tremendous boost in their grain productivity. That way even such a small territory could match the entire Kingdom¡¯s output. If you think about it, we¡¯re talking about undead creatures that do not know of fatigue. But. Well, if you think of that food being made by the undead it¡¯s hard not to feel disgusted by it.¡±

    ¡°What? That¡¯s just cheating!¡±

    Philip couldn¡¯t help but yell. The Sorcerer King could easily aplish what he couldn¡¯t get his subjects to do no matter how hard he tried. All the pain that he had to suffer through, the Sorcerer King deserved as well.

    Or, perhaps he should also be using the undead for farming?

    ¡°That being said, it¡¯s not like there¡¯s nothing suspicious about it. After all, even if the undead worked tirelessly around the clock, for them to match the entire Kingdom¡¯s output is... Still, their agricultural output is quite high, there¡¯s no doubt about it. Right now, the Sorcerous Kingdom is sending food aid to the Holy Kingdom.¡±

    "Food aid?¡±

    ¡°Mhm. Jaldabaoth, the Archfiend who had brought chaos to our royal capital, appeared in the Holy Kingdom. It seems like his rampage had caused some food scarcity issues and the Sorcerous Kingdom responded by sending the food bought from the Kingdom merchants as aid. A caravan with carriages full of grain passed through my territory the other day, so it has to be true.¡±

    ¡°How much can remain in the merchants¡¯ warehouses if the food was used as aid to the Holy Kingdom?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true. Still, it¡¯s a necessity to stockpile food in order to prepare for bad harvests. Plus, I don¡¯t think the Sorcerous Kingdom used up all the grain they had bought as aid.¡±

    That made sense. If Philip were the Sorcerer King, he would have also used the surplus food, which had been sitting in storage for quite a long time, as aid.

    ¡°Exactly. Well, bad harvests don¡¯t happen that easily, right-¡±

    ¡°-That¡¯s why it¡¯s risky to wait for the climate to influence the situation. A better solution is required. For example, if the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s grain supply suddenly disappeared, then the food produced in Philip-kakka¡¯s demesne should sell for a high price. That being said, you can¡¯t just do things like instigating a war with the sole objective of forcing the enemy to burn through their grain supply¡±

    It was at this moment when an idea was formed spontaneously in Philip¡¯s head.

    If the fact that grain does not sell for much even during bad harvests depended on the continued existence of the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s grain supply, what would happen if that were to disappear?

    There was only one answer.

    Grain prices would go up.

    Next question: how could one make the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s stockpile of grain suddenly disappear?

    The hint was in Wayne¡¯s words. The Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s grain production must fall. But, this was not an easy task. After all, Philip couldn¡¯t just sneak into the Sorcerous Kingdom and burn all their fields, right?

    What about stealing the grain?

    The moment Philip thought of this solution, he felt as though a lightning bolt had just struck his body.

    To take a foreign country¡¯s property by force was, bymon sense, an extremely dangerous action. Even without taking the consequences into ount, Philip simply did not have the military strength to take on an entire country at this current moment. But, the Kingdom should see the Sorcerous Kingdom as its enemy. After all, a significant portion of its own citizens was killed in the war. It would be strange to not view them as enemies. If that¡¯s the case, wouldn¡¯t it be a brilliant move to steal from an enemy?

    That way, Philip would be able to earn the support of the Kingdom¡¯s ruling ss and perhaps there was even a chance he would be promoted to a higher position in light of his contributions.

    {...Not bad. Isn¡¯t this a great idea?}

    As the cherry on top, he could also sell the grain that was taken from the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    {This is like killing three birds with one stone. A n that was so perfect it could not be improved upon. But, how will I rob them of the grain? Should I discuss it with Hilma and hire mercenaries? No, that¡¯s no good. Mercenaries don¡¯t have a sense of honour. Only idiots would leave a trail behind that could be traced back to them and be used as ckmail material.}

    Following that logic, only his own soldiers could work. He¡¯d call them soldiers but in actuality, they would just be a few armed vigers. He had considered forming a corp with trained soldiers instead of vigers who could only do farm work. Paying said soldiers with the grain that they would seize would be an excellent option.

    {But still, marching straight into the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s territories would still be dangerous.}

    Philip¡¯s demesne was some distance away from the Sorcerous Kingdom so the cost of a marching army wasn¡¯t something that he could just shrug off.

    {No, wait, didn¡¯t he talk about some of the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s caravans passing through hisnds? What if I attack those?}

    Was Philip alone enough to take on suchrge caravans? There was a limit to the number of vigers he could mobilize, but an overwhelming numerical superiority, enough to make the enemy surrender without any resistance, was absolutely necessary.

    ¡°Are you two free to chat? I have a thing that I want to discuss with you all.¡±

    ¡°We are, what¡¯s this ¡®thing¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Mhm, it¡¯s something good.¡±

    Philip moved towards the pair and proudly began to exin his impable n.

 Volume 14: 1 - An Unexpected Move (part 2)

    <h4>Volume 14: Chapter 1 - An Unexpected Move (part 2)</h4>

    ¡°What the hell, he should¡¯ve said sorry at the very least.¡± Wayne scoffed after saying goodbye to Philip.

    The garment that was now stained with beer used to be his father¡¯s and was quite old in both texture and design, making it quite a rare item. He had originally nned to show up to formal social gatherings with that garment, but now he would have to make preparations all over again.

    At the end of the day, the aristocracy was nothing more than a bunch of creatures whose eyes could not see past one¡¯s appearances. Clothing was naturally a part of the game, so what had just happened was absolutely uneptable. But the truth was that Wayne was at the bottom of the upper ss society, so what good could havee from having some nice clothes?

    On the contrary, this shabby garment could signify the owner¡¯s weakness, and was therefore very useful for someone who wishes to be under the protection of their superiors. An outfit like this was a must-have for him to y the role of a weak nobleman on the stage that is a salon. So until he takes on the role of another character, he was under its care.

    That was why it was even more unbearable than usual to see it sullied.

    ¡°That is true.¡±

    A voice besides him chimed in, prompting Wayne to turn to look at its source.

    ¡°...Enough, that¡¯s enough.¡±

    His voice turned sombre along with the atmosphere surrounding him. Had Philip stood witness to this change, he would have been shocked speechless.

    Wayne was never the extroverted type, he just in disliked conversing with other people. To do so he would have to createyers uponyers of facades as he desperately attempts to pretend he was the extroverted and effusive type.

    ¡°Sorry dude, I really can¡¯t handle that kind of a guise so you had to take care of most of it.¡±

    Igthorn had switched from his previous personality too, hisnguage was now so unrefined that none of the nobility would dare be caught using thatnguage.

    ¡°No need, if you¡¯re really sorry, go practice a few of these pleasantries. Lower level nobility like us have to put in real effort to appease those at the top.¡±

    ¡°Life¡¯s just getting more and more difficult. I thought that once we inherited the barony we¡¯d be able to join the racket of the aristocracy... Shameless ttery and ingratiation, just those two things alone annoy the shit out of me¡±

    ¡°Pffft, what are you talking about...? Peasants have to deal with the same shit. Nevermind who has it worse, everybody who¡¯s working under somebody has to be a bootlicker of sorts.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s why I never wanted to grow up... Man I miss the days when we were carefree enough to swing sticks around and pretend to be dragonyers.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no going back so don¡¯t think about it. Anyways, just learn to tter others. That brainlet seems to be a good candidate to practice on, right? Even if we fuck it up our losses would be small.¡±

    To noblemen of the higher echelon or those with more experience in life, basically those who had seen it all, nothing could satisfy them unless it was made to perfection. That was why they had to gain experience every time they had a chance.

    ¡°For real...? Well the next time we meet him I¡¯ll try extra hard to put on a face.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯ll do, that¡¯ll do. No one dislikes pleasantries. If someone you¡¯re talking to is annoyed at you, it just means that your ability to hold a conversation isn¡¯t there yet... Igthorn, I know this is hard. I¡¯ll make up for your ws and you can make up for mine, that was our deal, but you can¡¯t just stop trying to ovee your own weaknesses because of that. It¡¯s not like we¡¯ll be with each other forever.¡±

    Though Wayne might be more intelligent than the average person, he waspletely outmatched in terms of athleticism. Igthorn was theplete opposite.

    If they were of the same type, perhaps they would have beenpetitors instead. It was for this reason they were grateful for the fact that neither of them thought of each other that way. It was unusual for neighbouring lords to be friendly with each other, but since they were the third and fourth sons of their family, they weren¡¯t indoctrinated with animosity from the past. That was why they were so close.

    Most importantly, they had chemistry.

    ¡°Is that so...? So, what about what we discussed with him?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely terrible.¡±

    Wayne did not hesitate for a second before answering his friend¡¯s question.

    For someone like him to be at the helm of the faction was just far too dangerous of a situation. ¡°But, wasn¡¯t that guy easily manipted?¡±

    ¡°Mhm, that¡¯s true.¡±

    This faction was, frankly speaking, a garbage dump.

    Its members were only in it to capitalize on their status as noblemen, and had absolutely no interest in developing theirnds. Like a child with an iron sword, they abused their windfall authority. They had aplished nothing whatsoever, yet were overconfident enough to believe they were omnipotent. These people were beyond saving. Even someone like Wayne could understand that he was just apletely ordinary nobleman, yet they couldn¡¯t. The faction was full of that kind of people.

    It was safe to say that because of this, the faction had a huge problem.

    ¡°The Sorcerous Kingdom storing grain in the capital is a disturbing development because they theoretically haveplete control over its market price. They¡¯ll definitely raise the prices due to our bad harvest this year. What¡¯s even more terrifying is the fact that the nobles who are optimistic about such a tant trap and have switched their farnds to only grow cash crops aren¡¯t the minority. Their mentality is that even if anything bad were to happen, they could get through a famine by importing grain from the Sorcerous Kingdom, even if the price is a bit higher.¡±

    A lot ofnded nobles in this faction had this mentality. Despite his attempts to subtly hint at the perils of doing so, their attitudes clearly demonstrated their belief that they alone would not be affected by it. They were determined to put their ns into action.

    ¡°...We lost a great amount of ourbour force in that war. It¡¯s easy to see that they¡¯re fixated on the short term profits based off of how they¡¯re distributing their remaining work force alone.¡±

    To let go of petty gains and instead focus on long term profits should¡¯ve beenmon sense for those at the top of the hierarchy.

    ¡°So to even think of robbing a Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s caravan of grain is evidence that he¡¯s got brain damage. Surely no one is stupid enough to not understand that attacking a caravan that¡¯s flying the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s g would be treated as a deration of war and would result in serious retribution? Even if he¡¯s this- Hold up. Were we being deceived?¡±

    It was certainly possible that they were being set up and he just couldn¡¯t figure out what that man¡¯s goal was. Perhaps it wasn¡¯t such a bad choice to ept his proposal after all.

    ¡°No, aren¡¯t you overthinking? It¡¯s probably because he was really that much of an idiot that he didn¡¯t consider the potential consequences at all while he wasing up with that n.¡±

    ¡°Hey now,¡± Wayne smiled bitterly, ¡°to not consider the consequences of attacking those carriages at all- can an idiot of that magnitude really exist?¡±

    ¡°Well...if you put it that way...¡±

    At any rate, there was no usible way that a noble withoutmon sense would be chosen to inherit his family¡¯s title; hence, Philip must have had a goal. What could his goal be?

    ¡°It¡¯s best if we consult Cygnaeus, right?¡±

    ¡°-no, don¡¯t tell her.¡±

    Hilma Cygnaeus, the woman who did everything in her power to establish this faction.

    It was rumoured that she was a lover of a certain earl, but the formation of this faction would not have benefited said earl in any shape or form. And so, the origin of her overly plentiful funds and wide connections remained a mystery.

    It was probably an organization, not an individual, that was behind the woman. By the simple process of elimination, one could easily arrive at which organization would have had such capabilities.

    The Eight Fingers.

    The crime syndicate controlling the Kingdom¡¯s underground society.

    In that case, Hilma was probably someone who could be readily discarded, like a mannequin.

    {No}, Wayne¡¯s intuition told him.

    His few conversations with her told him that she was definitely not some simple sacrificial pawn. In fact, it was more than likely that she was one of the higher-ups of the organization. To have someone like her embedded in the faction was worrying to say the least. Although some nobles had the power to covertly form pacts with the crime syndicate, Wayne did not want to get entangled with such illegal organizations himself.

    It was precisely because they didn¡¯t think too highly of themselves that they would want to take advantage of her whilst maintaining a smooth operation.

    ¡°Why...? Looks like you¡¯re thinking about something that I won¡¯t be able to grasp again, but isn¡¯t it about time that you tell me what¡¯s going on? Even I know that saying yes to that guy will get us into trouble in the future. We¡¯re about to attack a Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s caravan in your territory, you know? That bony bastard is definitely not gonna just let it slide. There¡¯s no way that that guy¡¯s not losing his head after this, and yours might not stay connected to your neck for long either.¡±

    Igthorn waspletely correct, but Wayne had an idea; he had agreed to the proposal with a full understanding of the risks involved.

    ¡°Perhaps that is that idiot¡¯s n, to make us his scapegoats and pocket the stolen goods for himself. How about we go along with his n? We¡¯ll be patrolling our own territories and will just so happen to stumble upon a group of bandits, the group that was responsible for the attack on the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s caravan. After that, we¡¯ll kill them all. It¡¯s crucial that we alone are responsible for taking care of them.¡±

    If an individual¡¯s caravan were to be attacked, no victim would simply stand down after receiving the news that the perpetrators were killed. This holds true even on a national level. Retaliation would have been more than warranted. This is why they must not leave behind any evidence of their involvement. Moreover, they had managed to make it easier for them to maintain their innocence by painting the narrative that they were simply taking care of an incident that had coincidentally urred on theirnds.

    ¡°How about that? Not a bad n to gain favour with the Sorcerous Kingdom, right? Even if we are suspected of involvement, we can just say that we were attempting to help aid the caravan. We¡¯ll be fine as long as the perpetrators are all dead. You know what they say - dead men tell no tales.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re getting ahead of ourselves, but we do have to consider the possibility that there are priests who could resurrect the dead. You know what they also say? No lie slips by the priest.¡±

    ¡°...Do you seriously believe that there are priests capable of resurrection in the Sorcerous Kingdom? In a country where the undead are said to proudly walk the streets, tormenting the living?¡±

    ¡°No, I guess?¡±

    Wayne grinned as he concurred with Igthorn.

    ¡°Regardless of that man¡¯s goals, an attack on a Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s caravan is beneficial to us no matter the oue. It doesn¡¯t matter if the attack seeds - which I don¡¯t think it will - or fails, because the Sorcerous Kingdom would be on high alert for further attacks in the future either way. They might stop storing grain with the Kingdom¡¯s merchants. That way, those idiots would get a wake up call and start making ns with a more solid foundation. Also-¡± Wayneughed mockingly, ¡°that man will be done for no matter what.¡±

    ¡°Is he worth all the hassle? For us to take all of these risks just for him?¡±

    ¡°Of course he¡¯s not worth it personally, but it¡¯s necessary to hinder Cygnaeus, the woman behind him, even if it¡¯s by a little. She must be nning to use him to manipte the faction and draw attention away from her, ultimately allowing her syndicate to operate in one form out in the open. If that wasn¡¯t the case, it wouldn¡¯t make sense for them to invest so much money on the faction.¡±

    The Royal faction and the Noble faction had already lost much of their power. If one could freely manipte this third faction of theirs, they would be able to wield a terrifying amount of authority. This meant that the Eight Fingers would be in charge of both the Kingdom¡¯s legal and illegal affairs.

    ¡°I would only be able toe up with temporary solutions for these things, but you¡¯ve already thought this far ahead huh?¡±

    As Igthorn said, such an idea should be out of reach from the minds of nobles, let alone a lowly Baron. The truth is of course, not all barons are the same, some of them owned morend than nobles of a higher rank. Unfortunately for the two of them, their territories were of sizes befitting a Baron, so they were your average barons in the Kingdom.

    All the nobles without connections in the Royal faction or the Noble faction wanted to do was to better develop theirnd. For this to happen, the Kingdom must also change for the better.

    They had the idea not just because they were nobles, it was also borne of their own ambitions.

    What they desired was to be wealthier and happier.

    That¡¯s why they would exploit any beneficial opportunities to its maximum potential.

    ¡°But even if we switched to a better faction, we would have to rebuild our reputation and connections all over again, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, right.¡±

    They had joined the faction to obtain opportunities that would otherwise be unavable to them had they joined a more well-established faction. However, they never expected the Eight Fingers to appoint such a cretin to its leadership position. It seemed as though joining this faction was a mistake.

    ¡°Speaking of which, would the Sorcerous Kingdom use this as an excuse to dere war on the Kingdom?¡±

    Wayne thought about it for a moment and shook his head.

    ¡°Unlikely. The Sorcerous Kingdom is a nation with a single city, theyck the manpower to fully upy the entire Kingdom. Even if they have a lot of undead, they¡¯re only suitable for simple manualbor anyways. They can¡¯t properly manage a country, so even if war was dered, they would only ask fornd that is closest to them at most... It shouldn¡¯t be an issue for nobles like us whosend is far from the Sorcerous Kingdom. -now then¡±

    He raised up a clenched fist as he spoke and Igthorn mirrored his movements to give him a fistbump.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do this!¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡±

    --------

 Volume 14: 1 - An Unexpected Move (part 3)

    <h4>Volume 14: Chapter 1 - An Unexpected Move (part 3)</h4>

    Philip had finally reached his destination, a patch of road in Baron Delvin¡¯s demesne. He had led his soldiers on a march, starting from the previous day and camping overnight, to the location of the attack. ording to intel, a Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s caravan would be passing through this ce.

    Philip was on horseback, looking down upon his lined up soldiers.

    They were soldiers, or more urately vigers, under hismand.

    A total of fifty were gathered.

    He had sent draft orders throughout his entire territory, but not many men responded to the call. The mostmon response was that they had already served the time they were obligated to.

    The truth was, this heavily upset Philip.

    The n was devised for the future prosperity of theirnds, for the good of everyone who lived there. There was also an abundance of potential spoils of war, which Philip had given thought to and proposed that it should be distributed to everybody. Still, no one came to help.

    They¡¯re too foolish.

    A bunch of ignoramuses who could not tell if something was beneficial to them or not. Nay, this was the exact reason why they had to be led and lorded over by a genius such as himself.

    Despite trying so hard to convince himself otherwise, his anger towards those who didn¡¯t understand him red up. He had thought about forced conscription, but that would definitely enrage his old man, who already had a foot through death¡¯s door.

    In the end, he paid them in advance with the money he had borrowed from Hilma.

    After all of his hard work, he managed to gather fifty men, but these were either old geezers well past their prime, sick youths with frail bodies, or men with inted egos who went around looking for fights in their viges and were generally fractious.

    To put it bluntly, they were the nuisances of their vige and none of them were worth the money. Even so, Philip felt an indescribable excitement basking in the gaze of his soldiers.

    He had a hunch that a widely circted heroic tale of his own was about to begin. No, it had already begun.

    As his territory will inevitably expand, so too would his status grow. He will soon be joining the world¡¯s stage under brilliant limelight.

    He was about to deliver the first blow to the Sorcerous Kingdom, a feat no one else could aplish. As a ploy to contain the Sorcerous Kingdom, this would surely allow Philip to receive high praise from the royal family and a rank that¡¯s befitting this achievement. Perhaps he could even marry that beautiful princess-

    ¡°-So, milord, can we actually attack them?¡±

    Philip, who had been basking in his dream, was dragged back to reality as if a bucket of cold water had just been dumped over him.

    He returned to his senses and looked at the soldier who had asked the question.

    The soldier was an ordinary man, around 30 years old. He wore disheveled clothes and, for some reason, was holding a wooden shovel. Even a club would have been better than a shovel, otherwise even some of the sticks lying around here would have worked as well. Philip wanted to say something about that, but the shovel was probably the result of his order to have them bring their own weapons.

    Frankly, seeing that a few of the vigers were without even sticks gave Philip a bit of a headache. Apart from them, however, the group as a whole appeared as though they were some destitute bandits. Perhaps it could even fool their opponents into believing so.

    The soldiers around them apparently agreed with the man¡¯s doubts, as everyone within sight turned their heads towards him as if to say ¡°yeah, I was thinking about the same thing¡±.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine, this is a move to save the Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°Uh, milord, we don¡¯t really get the whole Kingdom thing, it¡¯s tooplicated for us. We won¡¯t get tied up and ¡®ave our heads chopped off though, ye?¡± Another man asked, and soon the others started to echo along with their ¡°yeah¡±s.

    Philip was greatly surprised by the questions that demonstrated apleteck of an understanding of justice.

    {-It¡¯s precisely because so many people like them exist, that someone talented like me has to lead them. Nobody obeyed my ns on farm management because these people could only think on a surface level...}

    ¡°I said there would be no problems, are you all deaf?¡±

    ¡°...No, no we aren¡¯t.¡±

    The soldiers were not convinced, their spite was visible.

    Maybe he should have executed someone as a warning to the others, but that would make it seem like he couldn¡¯t lead at all. He would lose his dignity if he couldn¡¯t get them to work despite knowing that there were risks involved.

    As Philip panicked and knew not what to do, he heard the overpowering sound of horses¡¯ hooves stomping on the ground. He turned his head to see two horsemen galloping towards him. Their faces were both covered save for the eyes, but he still knew who they were.

    The two stopped afar and waved at him.

    {Why didn¡¯t theye over here? Shouldn¡¯t theye towards me and not the other way round?} Philip thought maybe they had something to say that must be kept secret.

    ¡°Hm, I guess I have to.¡±

    He could finally feel a bit better about himself by saying things in a pretentious manner and so changed his expression to a flippant one to match.

    Philip moved towards them on horseback. He had had some practice riding, so having a horse walk in a straight line was not a problem.

    ¡°Baron, how are your preparationsing along?¡±

    The man¡¯s face was masked so it was hard to identify him, but judging from the voice and his build, the man could be deduced to be Baron Delvin, or Wayne.

    His outfit, however, was nothing like that of a baron¡¯s.

    The hide armour was a bit dirty and a sword hung by his waist. His horse looked bored and lifeless, like a farm horse instead of a warhorse. Next to him was Baron Rokerson, or Igthorn, who looked pretty much the same. Their appearances matched so well that even their horses looked simr.

    Unlike Philip who had some financial backing, they must have been quite poor. Philip thought about the time when he had seen them wearing shabby clothes, and tried his best to hide the sense of superiority that was about to show on his face.

    {Well, now I can¡¯t show this pathetic duo that I¡¯m irritated by my soldiers¡¯ low morale, can I? This is such a pain.}

    He, as someone of higher status, must show to those below him what exactly made him superior to them. Philip must act as a role model for society, and the inferior must follow Philip. That way, the world could run smoothly.

    ¡°Only the two of you? What about your men?¡±

    ¡°We have already prepared them, right?¡±

    ¡°Exactly, our soldiers will nk Philip-kakka¡¯s and form the Crane-Wing Formation.¡±

    ¡°Oh! The Crane-Wing Formation!¡±

    Even Philip knew about that formation. Deploying such a famous formation was quite a gratifying thing to do; it was as though he had be the protagonist of some tale.

    ¡°So, if things go south please scatter towards the left and right. The enemy won¡¯t scatter if we only go in one direction. Remember to spread as far apart as possible when retreating.¡±

    ¡°I understand. It¡¯s fine, you don¡¯t need to remind-¡±

    ¡°-Wouldn¡¯t it be better to decide in advance who should go which way? A sessful retreat can be difficult in the heat of battle. This applies to Philip-kakka as well. Which direction will you be retreating to?¡±

    They spoke as though they had foreseen his defeat, this made Philip quite upset.

    ¡°So you¡¯re sure that I¡¯ll lose?¡±

    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s nothing like that, Philip-kakka. Have you heard of the tactic of feigning a retreat to exterminate all the pursuing enemies in one go?¡±

    ¡°-ah, aha, yes I have.¡±

    {Oh I see}, Philip epted their exnation, but since it would be unpleasant to admit his ignorance, he acted as though he had already known of the tactic.

    ¡°As I thought, you knew about it. Well there you have it, this is the strategy, one that includes a strategic retreat.¡±

    {Well in that case...} As Philip was getting ready to discuss which way to retreat to, he realized that an important piece of information was missing.

    ¡°Before I answer, I have a question. You two haven¡¯t told me about the size of your forces yet. How many men did you bring?¡±

    ¡°75 each.¡±

    Philip was so shocked that they could muster up more men than he could that the thought that {with these numbers, escaping in any direction would be the same} never crossed his mind untilter on. Philip rationalized that, since this was their demesne after all, it made sense that it wouldn¡¯t be as difficult for them to do so. If this were simply a matter of quantity, things would have been much easier, the problem lied in their prior considerations. Philip estimates that he could have mustered at least twice the number of men had this been his demesne.

    ¡°...if we have this much manpower, doesn¡¯t it make more sense for us to attack all at the same time? After all, we have around 200 men here.¡±

    ¡°Though that would be a viable option too, it wouldn¡¯t be the Crane-Wing Formation. For it to be a Crane-Wing Formation, Philip-kakka soldiers must advance first with our forces covering the side nks.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, so that¡¯s why!¡± Right, that¡¯s why. He had managed topletely forget about it.

    Wayne let out an audible sigh. Since his face waspletely covered, no one could see his current expression. ¡°I¡¯m d you could understand. Now then, which direction should we retreat to?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. We¡¯ll retreat towards Igthorn-kakka¡¯s direction then.¡±

    ¡°So towards the left nk, I understand. Then I¡¯ll request that you stick to the battle n we had discussed before. Please also keep an eye out for archers, it¡¯s not so umon for horses to kill their riders in a stampede once they¡¯ve been struck by arrows.¡±

    ¡°As long as I have this armor, I¡¯ll be fine even if a horse stepped on me. This is a high-grade item that was crafted by a renowned cksmith and enchanted by magic casters.¡±

    Philip¡¯s armor set was a gift from Hilma. The armor had been enchanted with magic that boosted its defense, allowing it to outss the armor set that had been passed down as a family heirloom in his house. Though he had received this gift quite a while back, he had never had the chance to try it out yet. This will be the armor¡¯s debut.

    That Baron over there certainly did not have something of such high quality. Philip tried his hardest to stop his sense of superiority from showing up in his voice.

    ¡°Even so, it¡¯s best to err on the side of caution. Everything would be for naught if kakka were to be killed in the fray. This is the truth.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct, because Philip-kakka is our general.¡±

    ¡°Even if you¡¯re donned with such excellent armor, there are still weak points where an arrow could strike. In addition, no matter how durable the armor is, it cannot defend against most spells. Please do not let down your guard because of the armor, after all, Philip-kakka is our general.¡±

    Their repeated warnings greatly annoyed Philip, but he understood where they wereing from. If a general were to be in, then the battle would be over, that wasmon sense.

    Knowing that these two saw him as their leader, Philip couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    ¡°Of course, I understand.¡±

    ¡°...Also, where will Philip-kakka deploy our formations? It would be too dangerous to deploy on the road. I believe it would be best to stay back, that way we could rush to your aid if we have to retreat. It would help if you can tell us your position.¡±

    {Umu, umu.} Philip was in agreement.

    When the general is in danger, it is the duty of his subordinates to rush to his aid. Though this wasmon sense, Philip was shocked that he wasn¡¯t the one to suggest this in the first ce.

    {I would have noticed these things if this was the usual me...right now I¡¯m just too excited. This is my first time organizing a battle of this scale.}

    Philip gulped slightly and took a deep breath.

    ¡°Wha-, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Ah, nothing. I was just trying to temper the fiery passion for this battle in my heart.¡±

    ¡°...oh-, I see. Is that so...? Umm, then where would Philip-kakka like to wait for the caravan?¡±

    ¡°First of all-¡±

    Philip took a look to his left and right.

    The paved roads were quite wide, enough space for two carriages to pass through side-by-side. This road seemed to be a major source of ie for Baron Delvin.

    There were lush forests to the sides of the road but the closest spots to the road where bandits would usually hide, had been clearedpletely down to just grass.

    The forest was under human management, apparently to allow pigs to forage the grounds for acorns and the like, so there was no need for them to be on alert for monsters or wild beasts.

    If that¡¯s the case-

    ¡°We¡¯ll set up the ambush in the forest.¡±

    ¡°I see. If that¡¯s the case, I know of a suitable spot. There¡¯s a patch of forest where twigs, weeds, and whatnot have already been cleared out, that could allow us to retreat on horseback. How do you feel about that?¡±

    ¡°Such a ce exists?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. When Philip-kakka decided tounch the ambush in thesends we knew something like that was necessary, so we took the time to prepare that spot¡±

    Philip had repeatedly chosen this patch ofnd for the ambush in their previous meetings. Though he had asked Wayne and Igthorn for their opinions, both of them deferred to Philip. It must have been quite troublesome for them to make preparations after that.

    ¡°Then I¡¯m truly grateful to you.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense, since you had to take on the risks of leading the first charge, what we did was just our fair share, right?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just as Wayne-kakka had surmised!¡±

    The two led Philip to the site and it was just as they had described. There shouldn¡¯t be an issue for horses to gallop if the grounds were in this condition.

    As he finished his discussion with the two, Philip simply walked back to his soldiers.

    Philip couldn¡¯t stop sweating because of his full body armor, and because they were on uneven ground, his helmet could cause him to lose his bnce and fall over easily.

    ¡°Whooo, whooo¡±

    Philip wheezed heavily as he took off his helmet to clip on below his waist. He took out a handkerchief and began to furiously wipe his forehead.

    Philip felt like the armor was a failure. Even though an armor¡¯s defensive capabilities are its most important quality, mobility is equally as important. He seems to remember that there were enchantments that lighten armor, he¡¯ll have to ask for one of those in the future. Or perhaps an enchantment that prevents him from sweating while he¡¯s wearing the armor.

    He should talk to Hilma about this the next time he¡¯s in the capital.

    After making a mental note of that, he walked back to the site where he saw his soldiers bored out of their minds doing nothing.

    ¡°Sorry for the wait¡±

    ¡°-milord. Who is that man who¡¯s covered his face? His appearance screams bandit. Are we being set up?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible, that man¡¯s obviously an esteemed noble of the Kingdom. Speaking of appearance, don¡¯t mention it. It¡¯s not as though every nobleman could afford full body armor.¡±

    Plus, during the battle of the Katze ins, those families that had lost their sessors also lost many heirloom weapons and armor. Philip¡¯s household was in this exact situation, if he loses this set of armor it would be difficult to acquire one again.

    Though it appears the soldiers do not believe in his reasoning, there was no need to force them to ept it.

    ¡°Okay! Let¡¯s wait till the caravan arrives! After it does, we¡¯ll attack it immediately!¡±

    Philip heard no response and raised his voice.

    ¡°Do you understand!!?¡±

    ¡°Understood...¡±

    Though everybody answered begrudgingly, their voices in unison were still loud enough to be heard.

    Philip was unsatisfied with their response, but he¡¯ll have to leave it at that. This is their first battle after all, there was no need for them to meet all expectations.

    For them to develop into excellent soldiers, they will have to focus on the most immediate problems at hand.

    As Philip mulled over these thoughts, he sat on the ground as if his body was giving in to the desire for rest.

 Volume 14: 1 - An Unexpected Move (part 4)

    <h4>Volume 14: Chapter 1 - An Unexpected Move (part 4)</h4>

    A vast criminal syndicate known as the Eight Fingers lurked in the shadows of the Kingdom.

    There existed eight divisions within the syndicate, one of them being the smuggling division. Christopher Olsen, a member of said division, sported the face of an honest merchant. His words carried quite a bit of weight on the major trade route connecting the royal capital to the west side of the Kingdom. As such, he had had the first-hand experience in having his warehouses be looted clean of various types of goods during Jaldabaoth¡¯s rampage.

    They had substantial losses but it did not spell the end for hispany. Still, a considerable amount of time was now necessary to recover those losses, so he found it to be a necessity to borrow a portion of the funds from the Eight Fingers.

    You¡¯ve got to spend money to make money, that was how businesses operated. Of course, it could also lead to greater losses, but as long as he kept his head down and avoided unnecessary risks, there was not much to worry about.

    Borrowing money from Eight Fingers, however, would start one down the gradual path towards losing oneself. The Eight Fingers would force merchants who had made losses into criminal activities such as smuggling, selling or transporting narcotics.

    Merchants fell into this trap quite often.

    So what about Christopher, who had already been ensnared?

    In order to borrow money, he had had a meeting with the leaders of the divisions, which shocked him, to say the least. Christopher belonged to the smuggling division, so the management of loans should have been by his superiors in the same division. Meetings with the executives of the other divisions should have been an impossibility.

    Despite all of this, he got to meet with the top brass. Was it because his aplishments had earned him a high rmendation? Or was it some other reason unbeknownst to him? He couldn¡¯t figure out why even after the meeting had concluded. The only thing that he was certain of was his suspicions towards the divisions¡¯ leaders¡¯ unusually friendly attitude towards him, knowing full well how they were feared even by the dark side of society.

    Of course, goodwill from mafia heads could just as easily be faked as anything else.

    Another thing that caught his attention was the fact that they, befitting their status at the highest echelon of the organization, apparently took their own health quite seriously. Though he wondered if they were perhaps a bit too skinny, they were definitely healthierpared to his overweight body.

    Such people of importance had given him a job on the spot.

    The kind of job to be given out depended on various factors, such as the amount of money borrowed, the value of the person as a human being, and whether that person could be of use to Eight Fingers in the future. Those with better ratings were given safer jobs and vice versa.

    The job given to him was-

    ¡°-Transportation of Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s grain, huh. Whether if it¡¯s safe or not is still unclear, hm.¡±

    ¡°Hm, what¡¯s the matter? Did you say something, sir?¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t mind me. I¡¯m just mumbling to myself.¡±

    The one to respond to his question was the leader of the mercenary division.

    He was a robust man.

    Very much different from Christopher, who was in his forties and saved up a thickyer of fat around his waist. The man was young, sharp, and apparently only in his twenties.

    He wore a steel chestte with chainmail underneath. A helmet that could cover his entire face sat next to him, together with a well-worn sword.

    The man was the leader in charge of protecting the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s grain caravan, which consisted of seven carriages.

    The security detail consisted of 24 people in total, all of which were employed by Eight Fingers and like Christopher himself, belonged to the smuggling division.

    Though they were members of the same department, they still charged for their service and at a rate higher than that of mercenaries of a simr level nheless. On the other hand, they no longer had to worry about information leakage for secret missions as they were more loyal to the mission at hand.

    In the face of threats that couldn¡¯t be taken care of, regr mercenaries would probably just abandon the mission, but these men would fight as rearguards to their death. This was understandable, as abandoning the mission would cost the higher-ups their dignity; as a result, they would have been hunted down and murdered even if they were to make it out alive.

    Therefore, for someone like Christopher who did not know of any trustworthy mercenaries, these men from the Eight Fingers were probably his best choice. But then again, for this mission, they were his only choice.

    It was a direct order from the higher-ups to use these men.

    To make up for theck of options, they were to provide their services for free and so he had surplus funds to hire even more mercenaries. However, hiring extra mercenaries would be seen as a sign of distrust towards the men. Nevermind the fact that their employment was specified by the top brass, so hiring other mercenaries could be seen as him disobeying their orders.

    After giving it some thought, Christopher decided against hiring extra mercenaries.

    Moreover, all of the guards appeared to be quite capable, but of course, Christopher, who was no warrior, could not properly grasp their strength. That was not a problem however, as the higher-ups have vouched for them by iming that they were outstanding. Going against orders would be dangerous regardless of the reason.

    That being said, if he were to be asked whether if he felt it was safe to depart with such a small detail, he would have wished for more capable men.

    It would have been great if he could borrow a boss from the security department, a member of the Six Arms, the enforcement group of the Eight Fingers. Needless to say, that wish would nevere true.

    It was said that the Six Arms, including its leader Zero, who was said to be the strongest warrior in all of the Eight Fingers, was exterminated in a conflict with the royal family, just before the cmity caused by Jaldabaoth.

    Credible intel attributed their defeat to Brain Unus, a warrior serving under the Golden Princess.

    It would be outrageous to assume that all six of them were defeated by a single person, but apparently the Blue Roses, an Adamantite ranked adventurer group, had joined the fight as well. Christopher deduced from this that it was most likely a six-vs-six battle.

    The security department was said to have lost most of its members in the battle. At the moment, every department was building up a force of its own topensate for the loss, to the point where even members of the assassination division began to operate out in the light.

    Nevertheless, this managed to improve the mood of those within the Eight Fingers to the point where it was now better than it was before the appearance of Jaldabaoth.

    Internal conflicts were rife in the past and it wasn¡¯t unlikely for one to fall victim to dirty tricks being yed behind their backs. Some merchants were even reported to the authorities by people from the other departments during the most crucial stages of a smuggling mission.

    At the moment, however, the higher-ups were being so cooperative with each other that it was almost disgusting to think of.

    Business had expanded as a result and illegal profits from each endeavour grew too.

    ¡°Puhuuu-ahhh.¡±

    The mercenary leader farted audibly while yawning. It was an unavoidable physiological phenomenon, but he had no intention to apologize.

    A disgraceful action.

    Christopher frowned. That was the worst sound to wake up to from a daydream.

    He honestly wanted toin, but this man was to be hispanion during the trip to and from Re-Lovell, arge port city on the west side of the Kingdom. His desire to maintain a friendly rtionship with him suppressed his desire toin.

    Ships would be used to transport the cargo from Re-Lovell to the Holy Kingdom, so that would be the job of a certain maritime merchant. He was a great man and Christopher knew him well. It came as a surprise to him that the man was also a member of Eight Fingers, but he imed they were coborating solely for the mutual benefits.

    Still, he couldn¡¯t help but worry.

    ¡°You seem rxed. You don¡¯t think anyone¡¯s going to attack?¡±

    ¡°Hm? Oh, I haven¡¯t gotten that stinging feeling, so no prob- Oh, you probably wanted to say that feelings can¡¯t be trusted, eh? Well, I understand where you¡¯reing from but you surely have had moments when you thought ¡®this will work out fine¡¯, right? There are also times where you have had a bad feeling about something so you try to n for it, and it ended up being true, or something.¡±

    ¡°...Yeah, I¡¯ve had those experiences.¡±

    ¡°See? Our past experiences can function as our intuition.¡±

    The mercenary leader spoke in a tone that did not match his appearances at all.

    ¡°See. Well, we¡¯re also flying the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s g. Only ignorant vigers-turned-bandits would dare attack such a caravan, in which case, we can easily take care of even a hundred of them.¡±

    ¡°What if it isn¡¯t vigers?¡±

    ¡°Are you worrying about down and out mercenaries? Would they not be able to recognize the g of the Sorcerous Kingdom, the hottest of all topics?¡± he shrugged, ¡°experienced mercenaries are surprisingly well-informed. Those who don¡¯t even know of the gs of the countries around don¡¯t scare me at all. ...Looks like you¡¯re not buying it. Think about it, wouldn¡¯t it be worrying to not know which noble you¡¯re picking a fight with? You wouldn¡¯t want to get into trouble that way, would you?¡±

    ¡°That makes sense... I¡¯m curious, which nobles are the riskiest to pick a fight with?¡±

    ¡°About that- for example the famous ones like Raeven and Boullope. The likes of them have strong armies stationed within their own territories and it¡¯d be dangerous to bump into them. Well, they both suffered great losses in that war, so maybe they¡¯re not as dangerous as before... Don¡¯t be careless. Blumrush pays well so I don¡¯t wanna get on his bad side... Well, I simply just don¡¯t want enmity from any of the noble lords.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re being backed by a criminal syndicate. Are you being serious?¡±

    ¡°So are you, right? If I get into trouble with them, the big shots will just abandon me without a second thought. Same goes for you, yeah?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    They fell silent and the mood began to feel a bit gloomy.

    They were reminded of the ruthlessness of the top brass, but there was nothing they could do about it as people who were part of such an organization purely for the profits. Perhaps there was a way of life for him that did not require any connections to the organization, but that wouldn¡¯t have led to him bing the great merchant that he is today. Perhaps he would still have had to stick to smaller business deals to this day.

    The word ¡°if¡± carried the connotation of an infinite amount of possibilities, but without the means to travel back in time, one must be satisfied by the present.

    ¡°...Anyways, just don¡¯t worry, right? I get it. So what¡¯s the worst threat that we could face as of now?¡±

    ¡°If the enemy were to use ming arrows to try and burn down the caravan - burn, not rob - that would mean that we¡¯re getting involved in some greater conspiracy - a national problem. Or a rival organization¡¯s ploy.¡±

    ¡°An organization that could rival the Eight Fingers... Is that even possible?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t know. Even a rival group would probably not want to burn Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s goods, unless they¡¯re confident that no clues would be left behind. Personally, I think national conspiracies or ploys from the Kingdom or other neighbouring countries are more concerning. We¡¯re probably under a higher threat to receive an attack from those sources...¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case then there¡¯s no point in worrying about it, huh.¡±

    ¡°Right? Anyways, it looks safe for now. Don¡¯t worry, just sit tight.¡±

 Volume 14: 1 - An Unexpected Move (part 5)

    <h4>Volume 14: Chapter 1 - An Unexpected Move (part 5)</h4>

    *(T/N: Name change: Igthorn -> Igor)

    The caravan was soon approaching a forest. They could utilize that fact to estimate their approximate location.

    Christopher opened up a mental image of a map to confirm that they were indeed making good progress. He could finally rx. Messing up a job rted to the Sorcerous Kingdom would invite some terrifying consequences.

    The time was around noon. They just had to pass through this forest and then they could take a break as nned. This wasn¡¯t a wild forest, it showed signs of being well maintained by men so it shouldn¡¯t take too long for them to traverse through this ce.

    The sound of bolting horses could be heard within the wobbling carriage, which was when the carriage also started slowing down.

    Christopher took a peek at the mercenary leader and found his aura to bepletely different from just then, things were getting serious.

    ¡°Excuse me, but it looks like I have a job to do.¡±

    Two men poked their head through the porti¨¨re, subordinates of the mercenary leader.

    ¡°Sorry, boss! This guy said there are a lot of vigers hiding in the forests.¡±

    The merc said as he turned to face Christopher. The one who he had referred to as ¡®this guy¡¯ was their scout.

    ¡°...Not bandits, but vigers? How¡¯d you know that?¡±

    ¡°Yes. First is their equipment. They were neither armored nor armed. Many of them are using hoes as improvised weapons...not clubs but hoes.¡±

    ¡°Even rocks could be weaponized...but hoes you say? That¡¯s odd. No, were they metal hoes?¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t get a closer look but they appeared to be made out of wood.¡±

    Christopher, who had been silently listening in to the conversation, thought that it must have just been regr vigers who were returning home after working on their farms.

    ¡°Hah? Really? Hoes? Is this a hoax...?¡±

    ¡°It didn¡¯t feel like that was the case...¡±

    ¡°Send a few men to disperse them? Maybe we¡¯re being too cautious...¡±

    The mercenary leader mumbled.

    The situation called for everyone to speak their minds, and that was probably why he was mumbling loud enough to himself for the others to hear. Probably.

    ¡°Excuse me, sorry for butting in on your conversation but can I say something?¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s fine. As long as it¡¯s constructive suggestions, we can never have too many of those.¡±

    ¡°First of all, this forest is well maintained - a cultivated forest, people let their pigs forage here or something. Aren¡¯t they just here to round up their pigs? If that¡¯s the case, if we were to disperse them, it might seem as though we are trying to steal their sounder of swine. We¡¯re flying the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s g too, if a rumour was to circte that the Sorcerous Kingdom is stealing pigs...wouldn¡¯t it be bad if {that} country found out?¡±

    ¡°Tsss¡±, the mercenary leader sucked in his lips.

    Up to this point they had had their safety guaranteed by the g. They had the right of way through some of the cities along the way and were treated with respect because of it, but now it seemed as though the grace of the Sorcerous Kingdom had turned into shackles instead. To bring shame upon the Sorcerous Kingdom would be to bring disaster upon themselves.

    That was why Christopher did not dare bring along any contraband for saleter on.

    ¡°You said there were a lot of them, how many is ¡®a lot¡¯?¡±

    ¡°For a rough estimate... Felt like there were around 50 men¡±

    ¡°I think that¡¯s too much manpower for simple farm work, what about you?¡±

    He was the one to bring farm work up, but his parents were merchants too. Christopher had no experience raising pigs.

    ¡°No, no. I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s too many or too little. I have no idea how many people are necessary to catch a pig. Maybe they¡¯re here to nt more trees, or even cut down some. I heard there were also some types of farm work that require pigs or something...¡±

    Well, if they brought hoes, then {that} would be more likely.

    ¡°Then, what about the noble of thisnd? Any tales of him working his serfs to death?¡±

    Christopher kneaded his thick neck as he replied.

    ¡°No, I had seen him once in the past. He¡¯s pretty young but also highly reliable. His demesne has also been stable under his management. If he was to learn more about the etiquette of the aristocracy and political strategies, he would have a bright future ahead of himself.¡±

    Though he didn¡¯t know him well, they had had conversations back when Christopher supplied alcohol to some tavern in the capital that was being funded by the Eight Fingers.

    It was unfortunate that Christopher had not been given a warrant of appointment, so he had never done business with that noble even when he had to pass through this section of road in his demesne before. The lord here had potential worthy of Christopher¡¯s attention, and no way was he the type to mobilize vigers to attack caravans. From what Christopher could recall, there weren¡¯t many vigers in that man¡¯s demesne who were hungry enough to attack a trade caravan, nevermind fifty of them. There was a world of difference between him and the man introduced to Christopher by Hilma Cygnaeus. No, that man was simply unparalleled in his inferiority.

    Christopher couldn¡¯t help but suddenly tense up his forehead at the memory of being mistreated back there.

    ¡°Boss, even if they were to attack, they¡¯re only fifty unarmed and unarmored vigers. We should be able to defeat them easily.¡±

    ¡°What are the chances that this is a bait and there are more soldiers lying in wait for an ambush?¡±

    The two mercs looked at each other upon hearing what their leader said.

    ¡°That¡¯s possible. Should we scout out our surroundings? If so we¡¯ll need some time.¡±

    ¡°Better safe than sorry, do it.¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t take too long, if we deviate from the ns too much I would have to march an army of wagons through the next time around to make up for the time we lost.¡±

    ¡°Understood, just take a look around and return as soon as possible.¡±

    The scout gave a nod and ran out.

    After around ten minutes, he returned to report that other than the fifty, there did not seem to be more waiting in ambush.

    They arrived at the conclusion that they must be there for farm work and continued on their way. Not even five minutes had passed before the carriage stopped again.

    ¡°...patron, I do apologize but can I trouble you toe out for a second? The vigers have blocked our path. If they had any malicious intentions we would have just rushed them to scare them off, but they seem to be indifferent, lethargic, or...they just don¡¯t look right. So I was hoping that you coulde out and talk to them? Of course, your safety is our number one concern, so we prepared this shield for you.¡±

    To tell the truth, Christopher really wanted to decline the merc¡¯s request. He did not believe in his own abilities, after all, he had avoided any and all violent confrontations throughout his life.

    But, this wasn¡¯t something he could ignore. If they were to be embroiled in a dispute over what happened today, it would cost Christopher his ess to this road. In that case, it wouldn¡¯t just impact him but possibly also his children who will inherit his business.

    ¡°...yeah, let¡¯s go¡± Christopher and the mercenary leader stepped off the carriage together and walked towards the front of the entourage. They were escorted by mercs carrying arge shield known as a tower shield, which could cover half of his body during the negotiations.

    Furthermore, they were also followed by halberdiers who were there as a deterrent and archers who hid in the forest. Of course, the mercenary leader was also there. He had warned Christopher to listen carefully to hismands should a situation arise.

    Between the two sides of the forest on the road ahead of them, sat a few chattering vigers.

    There was no mistaking it, they could only be vigers who were returning home after they had finished a day¡¯s worth of farm work.

    But if that was the case, why did they stop in the middle of the road to block them?

    Perhaps the mercenary leader had perceived Christopher¡¯s worries, as he started to mumble towards him in an attempt to initiate a conversation.

    ¡°Hey, pretty baffling right? If they¡¯re nning to jump us they should¡¯ve split into two and hid in the forest or something. There are lots of ways to set up an ambush, but none of them would require you to show yourself in the middle of the road. Nomander would be stupid enough to make such a mistake.¡±

    ¡°Could it be that they¡¯re trying to scare us?¡±

    ¡°Scare us? With their equipment? With those numbers? Wouldn¡¯t that be a serious insult to us if that were the case? Has my patron only employed mercenaries of such low levels before?¡±

    It was just as he had said.

    Christopher did not bother replying but only stared towards the vigers. That said, the distance between them was huge and there were rows upon rows of mercenaries standing in front of them.

    ¡°I¡¯m just a simple merchant who has epted a transportation contract. If you¡¯re on the road to beg some noble or whatever, we do not want anything to do with that. Please vacate the road, otherwise we will be forced to bear arms against you all in the name of self-defense.¡±

    A man appeared from the forest just as he had finished speaking to the vigers.

    The man had donned an exquisite set of full-te armor, but because he wasn¡¯t wearing his helmet, Christopher could see his face.

    It was someone Christopher had met before.

    ¡°Unfortunately, for the sake of the Kingdom¡¯s future, I cannot allow you to pass!¡±

    ¡°...Hah?¡±

    Christopher couldn¡¯t stop himself from vocalizing. It wasn¡¯t just him either, the mercenaries around him had made simr sounds too.

    ¡°...I see. Looks like there has been some sort of a misunderstanding, we are just transporting the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s food aid to the Holy Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°I mew it! Ahem-! I knew it! That¡¯s precisely why I¡¯m doing this!¡±

    {What the fuck is this guy talking about?} or rather, {what kind of thought process would lead you to that conclusion?}

    Christopher was perplexed from the depths of his heart.

    But wait-

    {It doesn¡¯t matter what this unpleasant fool thinks. I don¡¯t think his demesne is even close to this ce? Why is he here? Are they in cahoots? But would the lord of thisnd even bother working with this guy?}

    {Meh, whatever.} Christopher thought. The man had admitted guilt already, now Christopher could report back to his superiors that they were dyed by fools who were standing in the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s way. It shouldn¡¯t even be a problem with the Kingdom or the Sorcerous Kingdom if they were to kill them all. Just as he was about to motion to the mercenaries around him to ughter them, he felt a strong feeling that he shouldn¡¯t.

    The man they called Philip is a nobleman who has the backing of Hilma Cygnaeus. Christopher, who was humiliated and had to hide his anger beneath a fake smile back then, was told that though this man was moronic, he still had value, so it was best to just ignore his own humiliation. Would it be such a good idea to kill a valuable pawn of the Eight Fingers?

    Speaking frommon sense, there¡¯d be no way a local noble would attack a caravan that was flying the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s g. Everyone should know that that would just invite the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s wrath and spark all-out war between the nations. No matter how dumb a noble may be, they certainly wouldn¡¯t do something so braindead.

    If that was the case- what would his reason be to undertake such a task?

    {Plus, if he was trying to pretend to be a bandit, he would at least cover up his face. I can¡¯t understand his reasoning.}

    No matter how stupid someone could be, they should at least know that they should be concealing their identity in this situation. Since he was wearing that set of full-te armor, it should¡¯vee with a helmet that could cover his entire face. If that was the case-

    {He wants us to see his face. He wants us to identify him as Philip? Why wou- Ah!}

    Christopher was suddenly reminded of the existence of illusion magic.

    {That¡¯s it! It¡¯s an illusion! Someone¡¯s trying to frame Philip so they faked his appearance. Maybe those vigers aren¡¯t vigers after all...}

    He had managed to deduce it perfectly.

    Then-

    ¡°So, so you¡¯re saying, you¡¯re robbing us specifically because we¡¯re carrying the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s grain. Is that correct?¡±

    ¡°Oy, oy? Patron, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    The mercenary leader who had been standing beside him asked with a perplexed expression. That was to be expected. He had expected an order to kill, so Christopher must have appeared to him like a mad man.

    ¡°That¡¯s right! We¡¯ll be using these grains efficiently!¡±

    The man, who was purportedly Philip, replied with pride.

    {He¡¯s talking like a retard... The man pretending to be him must also be thinking why he¡¯d have to say something so dumb. But...}

    Could this be a pre-prepared script? But why?

    Christopher¡¯s first thought was of the rival organizations the mercenary leader had mentioned in their previous conversation, his next thought was of the leaders of the Eight Fingers.

    If it was the former, they had to get away from this ce immediately. The Eight Finger handed out the most ruthless punishments for those who had betrayed them, followed by those who had failed a job they had given to them. If the former was the case, then their opponents must have enough numbers to defeat Christopher¡¯s security detail. But even if they¡¯re just wearing disguises or whatever, Christopher couldn¡¯t think of a reason why there would be shovel-wielding vigers.

    Now that he thought about it, thetter felt more natural. If that was the case, then they¡¯re dealing with something truly troublesome, something that¡¯s extremely troublesome. This could imply that the leaders of the Eight Fingers were not as united as previously thought, but were still attempting to sabotage each other. Or, was this the will of all of the leaders?

    {-are we being thrown away? Are they trying to push the crime of killing Philip, a noble of the Kingdom, onto me? ...his actual body might have already been dealt with.}

    If that was the case, what would their next best move be?

    ¡°Hey, patron? What are we doing? Are you scared? You know that we can easily fight off someone like him, right? Though that noble-looking nutjob has some pretty impressive armor, he doesn¡¯t seem to have the skills to match.¡±

    The mercenary leader spoke in a hushed tone. This wasn¡¯t the time for that, he shouldn¡¯t be interrupting Christopher¡¯s thoughts.

    ¡°-hold on. Just wait for a minute.¡±

    Their problem wasn¡¯t going away. If they were pushing the job to kill Philip onto him, why didn¡¯t they mention it before? Had they told Christopher in advance, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry as much. He would have just taken care of that man as if he was just a normal bandit.

    So was their n to make it out to be that a Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s caravan had killed one of the Kingdom¡¯s nobles, and bring the nations to the brink of war? This thought made Christopher uncontrobly tilt his head.

    As the situation stands, it was more like a merchant of the Kingdom killing one of its nobles in self-defense.

    It would be hard to force a war on these conditions. Of course, Christopher, as someone who had had deep connections to the criminal underworld, knew full well that many people wouldn¡¯t think twice about doing something as long as they had a reason prepared. There were also people who would kill for the simplest slight, but it was hard to imagine a country being this impulsive.

    {...Then there¡¯s only one possibility left. The top brass had decided on this already, but the word never got to me, so it¡¯s just a misunderstanding. After all, there would be no way they thought that it was possible for them to kill us all right now and not have news of it spread all over the ce.}

    Careless mistakes being made was a tale as old as time, so it wasn¡¯t as though that was an unreasonable assumption. What would be his best move from this point onward?

    If he was to take independent actions, there was a chance that he would be ¡®taken care of¡¯. If he wanted to avoid that kind of situation, he should have an excuse for himself at the very least - he should act in a way that makes it possible to shift responsibility to someone else.

    {Killing that Philip guy would be the worst option. Once he¡¯s dead we can¡¯t bring him back and it would probably anger Cygnaeus-sama. If that¡¯s the case...}

    ¡°...Leave the cargo...leave this ce. If we did that he wouldn¡¯t chase us would he?¡±

    ¡°Hah?¡±

    Christopher tried his best to ignore the perplexed soundsing out of the mercenary leader¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°Of course! I do not intend to harm the merchants of the Kingdom!¡±

    {Even if it isn¡¯t directly, you¡¯re still harming me.} Though those were his hate-filled thoughts, Christopher did not let it show on his face.

    ¡°Oy, oy, oy? Are you for real? Are you being serious right now? What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s happening? Are you under a spell? Or do you see an entire army I¡¯m not seeing right now?¡±

    ¡°This is an order from your patron, prepare for a full retreat.¡±

    The mercenary leader rolled his eyes and got quiet for a moment. Perhaps he was considering the possibility that Christopher was under a spell, his own opinions, and his future. After a while, with an expression that said he couldn¡¯t ept any of this, he said, ¡°I understand.¡±

    The mercenaries covered for Christopher as they backed away.

    He was allowing the grain to be taken away, but he knew the exact quantity and what exactly was in the cargo. If worsees to worst, he could always re-purchase the cargo and send it to the Holy Kingdom. They wouldn¡¯t be so picky as to only want this exact caravan of grain, right?

    Though he would have to apologize to the maritime merchant who was waiting on him, it was imperative for him to return to the capital to ask Cygnaeus-sama about this.

    Christopher knew from the depth of his heart that there was no easy way out of this situation.

    ---

    Was it because the merchants knew which side was in the right? They backed off without even unsheathing their swords.

    There were numerous wagons as their spoils of war.

    He had taken a look inside, they were all filled with barrels and crates, each filled to the brim with grain. Though it was all the types of grain that was easy to store and were by no means fresh, they should be safe for consumption.

    It was disappointing how it was just food.

    Philip wanted to take something as a trophy tomemorate his great achievement, but grain couldn¡¯t fulfill that purpose.

    {If only there were sets of armor or swords in here, I could take one as a souvenir...so I really should have asked those men to leave their weapons behind, huh?}

    Philip looked over the cargo wagons that were his prize.

    The horses had been taken away already so they did not have a way to move them. Of course, Philip had ordered them to leave the horses, but someone who looked like he led the mercenary group had refused his order.

    He even shot an arrow to the tree next to Philip back then.

    Though Philip hated his guts, he had no other option but to back down.

    {I have my full te armor so I should be fine, but these soldiers aren¡¯t in the same boat as I am. Ah, how merciful am I to forfeit my own gains out of consideration for these people. Though, considering how everything had gone so well - not a single injury and not a single drop of blood spilt - I wanted to keep that up till the end.}

    Philip surveyed his spoils and his gaze fell upon the g of the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    {Oh, I can keep this as a souvenir. The first to capture the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s g, the country that had defeated the Kingdom¡¯s 200,000 strong army in battle, is me!}

    {Umu umu, umu umu}, Philp nodded his head.

    Though he wanted to hide his joy, he couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    A perfect conclusion suited him the best - as he thought, he was truly someone with exceptional abilities. This made him extremely happy.

    In front of him were the excellent fruits of hisbour.

    Since there were multiple gs around, it should be fine if he did it to one of them right? After finishing that thought, Philip dropped the g and began to stomp on it.

    The image of the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s g being defiled with dirt filled his heart with excitement. This wasn¡¯t something anyone else in the Kingdom could aplish.

    That¡¯s right, Philip had aplished what no other man could.

    {Look at that! I¡¯m not a good-for-nothing after all! Compared to brother,pared to father -pared to everyone else in the Kingdom! I¡¯m truly the greatest!}

    ¡°Ah, umm, my lord. Can we really take these? Or is it better to leave ¡®em where they stand?¡±

    One of the vigers checking the wagons asked timidly. With his excitement curbed, Philip asked without masking his emotions, ¡°...What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°No, you see, umm, won¡¯t those who ran awaye back ¡®ere with soldiers?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? You think it would be better if we killed those merchants?¡±

    ¡°N-no! I didn¡¯t mean that! Killing them would ¡®ave been unnecessary.¡±

    ¡°Then what are you trying to say?¡±

    ¡°Umm, my lord. What should we do about these? If we can take them back, how do we do that?¡±

    The other vigers chimed in, it was what was bothering Philip as well.

    ¡°What should we do...¡±

    Even if he forced all fifty of them to carry it back all on their backs, it still wouldn¡¯t be enough to move all of their spoils back. The carriages themselves were also of high quality so they could probably fetch a fair price, or Philip could just use them.

    But, with the manpower he has on hand, moving these back wouldn¡¯t be an easy task - it would be heavy, gruelling physicalbour.

    Right as Philip was agonizing over the matter, he heard the sound of people running on grass. Upon looking at the source of the sound, he saw the silhouettes of two masked men.

    ¡°Philip-kakka!¡±

    It was Wayne¡¯s voice, but his equipment lookedpletely different from before. The dirty leather armor he had on was now reced by a sturdy chestte, he had a sword by his waist too. Why would he change his equipment? Philip felt doubt in his heart, but the feeling of excitement over the result of this operation was much stronger and thus overrode it.

    ¡°Hey! You two! Come, over here - look at our haul!¡±

    ¡°This...what, what happened?¡±

    Wayne stood still, surveyed his surroundings, and spoke with an incredulous tone as if the cargo wagons being there was a strange sight to behold. Outside of regrbat and raids- once he considered that, Philip understood what questions Wayne had in mind.

    As if to affirm Philip¡¯s thoughts, Igor opened his mouth to ask.

    ¡°...Exactly. Looks like none of Philip-kakka¡¯s soldiers have been harmed. The ground looks fine - the air looks fine, not even a whiff of blood. What kind of tactic did you employ? Did you have on your person any special magical items?¡±

    If only he had any arcane talents, but that wasn¡¯t what Igor was talking about was he?

    ¡°None of that, after all I¡¯ve gathered a great number of men, the enemy simply did not want to fight to their deaths. I think.¡±

    The two of them turned to face each other, but because both of them had their faces obscured, he couldn¡¯t see what their expressions were like.

    ¡°Now then - how should we split this?¡±

    If he was being honest, the spoils of war in front of them were there entirely because of Philip¡¯s actions. It did irritate him somewhat that he had to split the prize with two people who had just been standing far back as spectators. However, if Philip were to take it all for himself, they would surely be unhappy too. After all, they also had to mobilize the vigers in their demesnes. Eighty percent of the spoils should go to Philip, those two can take the rest of it.

    {To take a tenth of the spoils each just for mobilizing some vigers, there¡¯d be no way they would want more, right?}

    ¡°Ah, no need to worry about that. It doesn¡¯t sit right with us if we were to take a portion of the spoils without doing anything at all. Please, Philip-kakka, you should take it all. I trust that there aren¡¯t any objections?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Philip-kakka should take it all, including the cargo wagons.¡±

    Even someone like Philip would feel guilty to take it all after hearing such cordial words. Though they did say their viges were too small so Philip couldn¡¯t stay there, the fact that they had set up camps near the forest and had prepared food for him meant that those favours must be repaid.

    ¡°Nonsense, nonsense. Aren¡¯t we partners? I would have to leave some of the spoils behind anyways, please feel free to use them.¡±

    ¡°No no, we have more than enough, Philip-kakka.¡±

    Wayne replied without hesitation, not a single shred of doubt was present in his answer.

    ¡°These were all earned through Philip-kakka¡¯s efforts. As the etiquette of the nobility would dictate, we cannot ept these.¡±

    ¡°Is that true?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± both of them answered simultaneously. They seemed to possess an unyielding will on this matter, so there was nothing he could do about it. {This is all mine!} Philip¡¯s heart fluttered at that thought.

    ¡°Since it hase down to this, I¡¯ll take it all. Also- though I¡¯m embarrassed to ask, I do have a request for you two. Could I borrow some horses to pull these wagons?¡±

    ¡°Horses?¡±

    ¡°...What should we do?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll discuss this privately for a second, please excuse us.¡±

    The two who had temporarily left his presence seemed to be exchanging their opinions, but from this distance it was hard to tell if they were talking at all. They seemed to reach an agreement after a while and promptly returned to Philip.

    ¡°We¡¯ll prepare the horses as soon as possible. However, because these aren¡¯t warhorses but workhorses, could you return them shortly after you¡¯re done with them?¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±

    ¡°Umm, an important thing to note, it would probably be best to lower the gs of the Sorcerous Kingdom. You wouldn¡¯t want to be seen by regr folks while transporting your spoils back, so though it will be difficult, please consider transporting them through the forest.¡±

    ¡°Understood, I¡¯ll do that then¡±

    The two strode away as soon as they were done talking.

    Soon their silhouettes could no longer be seen in the forest. Philip surveyed the cargo wagons again.

    This was proof of his victory.

    They were as bright as his future.

    On the other hand, that which now rests underneath Philip¡¯s foot, the dirt ridden g of the Sorcerous Kingdom, was a representation of that country¡¯s eventual downfall.

 Volume 14: 1 - An Unexpected Move (part 6)

    <h4>Volume 14: Chapter 1 - An Unexpected Move (part 6)</h4>

    Ainz strode proudly through the streets of E-Rantel.

    Momon walked alongside him.

    Needless to say, it was actually Pandora¡¯s Actor.

    To match Momon¡¯s appearance, he had been equipped with a set of full-te armor and two greatswords which hung on his back.

    His regal and austere gait had garnered him much praise and prestige. In fact, his version of Momon appeared to be even more heroic than Ainz¡¯s.

    To be honest, Ainz had considered asking him to adopt a worse gait in case the citizens were able to tell the difference between the different versions.

    Of course, this wasn¡¯t something he would actually say out loud, so he figured he could at the very least attempt to secretly copy his gait. To this end, he had been stealing nces at Pandora¡¯s Actor from his side view and fortunately, he hadn¡¯t appeared to have noticed yet.

    The one silently tailing those two to keep an eye out on their rear was Nabe - Narberal Gamma. Though it appeared that they did not have any bodyguards, in actuality, multiple Hanzos were hidden around them and were on alert; consequently, Nabe, whose level was lower than theirs, wasrgely redundant.

    However, considering how she had acted in this manner ever since she first debuted as Momon¡¯spanion, Ainz felt it was unnecessary to order her to stop.

    It¡¯s important to note that these three were walking through the streets of this city without any goals in mind at all.

    It was just a familiar exercise for all.

    Through this procession with Momon and Nabe, Ainz was able to demonstrate various different things to the crowd. It was also for this reason that Ainz hadn¡¯t brought the maids along.

    This act served multiple purposes, the most important of all was to validate the fact that Ainz was still working together with Momon, so it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to exclude Narberal from this operation. After all, Momon was always seen in full-te armor and his appearance wasn¡¯t known to many. So, had they not brought Narberal along, rumours would begin to circte that, ¡°Momon was already killed by the Sorcerer King and it¡¯s actually an undead in that armor.¡± In fact, those rumours had already begun circting, so it was crucial for them to avoid creating further misunderstandings.

    The pedestrians all kept to the sides of the road as if it was a no man¡¯snd upon spotting the trio¡¯s silhouettes.

    This was of course, mainly due to the Sorcerer King¡¯s presence. If Ainz had walked down these streets as Momon, this wouldn¡¯t have happened. Though much time had passed between the founding of the Sorcerous Kingdom and now, the citizens were still terrified of Ainz.

    It wasn¡¯t just the humans who were reacting to him in that manner, but also some of the demihumans too.

    This was because E-Rantel, which used to be a purely human-inhabited city, was no longer so. Demihumans could be seen sprinkled throughout the crowds.

    If one were to look around where they were, they would see the outlines of a number of demihumans (although not many) in the shops. They were both employees and customers, and sometimes they were even the owners of the store.

    The part of the city which used to be a slum was renovated into residential zones for demihumans under Ainz¡¯s orders. If they had been in that part of the city, this wouldn¡¯t be such an unusual sight to behold, but Ainz and the others had been walking through one of the main streets of E-Rantel, far away from the slums of yore.

    It was easy to see from this fact alone how there had been a considerable number of demihumans flowing in and out of E-Rantel.

    Though this wasn¡¯t due to any special policies Ainz had put in ce, after all the one who had been putting effort into these matters was Albedo, he still felt proud of this fact. It told him that his ns to unify the races was progressing at a steady pace.

    {If this was the case, I would really like to enact policies that could speed up the process of uniting them all...}

    In fact, he had such a n in mind already. Ainz had considered holding some sort of an event in E-Rantel with the ulterior motive to draw in more tourists and increase their ie from foreign sources. What he hadn¡¯t considered was how unfestive and non-participatory this world was in general, which was the cause of his boredom this entire time.

    Though a diatorial arena like the one in the Empire wouldn¡¯t be too bad, Ainz wanted something that hadn¡¯t been done already, something truly special. If he was to hold arge event that involved audience participation or anything that would allow an interracial team to shine, that would surely boost racial unity. If people had something inmon to talk about, surely it would be easier for them to get along.

    {How about some kind of ball-based sport like baseball or football? Or should I do something to spice up an existing event...}

    As he mulled over those issues, Ainz was also observing an orc shopkeeper who appeared to be in a serious discussion with their human customers.

    They were probably part of the orcs he had encountered in the Holy Kingdom, the ones who had been devastated by the Evil Lord Wrath and were then unified under Ainz. He couldn¡¯t recall any other time he had brought orcs to E-Rantel.

    Who this orc was exactly, Ainz had no clue. Though he had incorporated arge number of orcs into his dominion, the main reason was because Ainz, as one with human sensibilities, could not tell orcs apart at all.

    In a simr vein, he couldn¡¯t tell members of the other races apart either. For example, female Zerns differentiated themselves by their color. Speaking of zerns, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder, how do they ¡®see¡¯ anyways? In any case, they all looked about the same to Ainz.

    This issue was applicable to most people anyways.

    It was equally as difficult for an orc to differentiate between two humans as it was for a human to differentiate between two orcs.

    For this reason, they had stuck to recognizing humans through features like hair length, pupil colors, et cetera but incidents still arose whereby goods reserved for a specific person were sold to someone who looked simr, even though to someone like Ainz the two persons lookedpletely different.

    The Sorcerous Kingdom had no issues with public order. Crime rates for misdemeanors were low, nevermind felonies. This however, wasn¡¯t due to the strict enforcement of thew, but rather out of people¡¯s fears that their corpses would be turned undead to serve the country after their deaths.

    It was for this reason that misunderstandings were cleared up quickly and without much fuss, mountains weren¡¯t being made out of molehills. This was why the orc was calmly discussing business with his human customers.

    ¡°The Adventurer¡¯s guild have also started epting demihumans amongst their ranks. I believe that all of the demihumans will be able to reach their potential in the foreseeable future.¡±

    Ainz said under his breath without much thought, prompting Pandora¡¯s Actor to reply,

    ¡°Ainz-sama, it is exactly as you have surmised. Those demihumans, upon witnessing the undead Ainz-sama had created, must have thought that the career of amon soldier was no longer feasible. Those with talents in the arts, manufacturing, and research would then be more inclined to utilize said talents to their maximum potential.¡±

    The Sorcerous Kingdom was still following the system of, ¡°your race is pretty good at this, so you should probably seek employment in this field.¡± However, as the citizens¡¯ knowledge of the other races and their respective cultures increases, they would probably begin to desire various other professions. Though this change was still in its early phases, the desire for self-determination would surely blossom over time.

    The main drive for this change was the fact that all menialbour was now handled by the undead.

    ¡°Albedo seems to be managing that sector of the country well. After all, it¡¯s imperative for us to halt the development of problematic crafts.¡±

    Ainz and the rest were already at their level caps, so it was necessary to n against those who were weaker than them and thus had the potential to be stronger. As part of those ns, they couldn¡¯t allow their own people to achieve superiority in expertise over them. Weaklings should remain weaklings.

    At the same time, they had to ensure that the supremacy of their country as a whole was well maintained against their neighbouring countries. Perhaps Albedo was the only one who could possibly maintain this delicate bnce.

    {To this end, we¡¯re in desperate need of spies capable of obtaining top-secret intel from our neighbours... We¡¯re still too weak on that front.}

    To create a pop monster that Nazarick would not automatically respawn required two ingredients. One was the monster¡¯s data and the other was the corresponding amount of gold coins from Yggdrasil.

    Though the library of Nazarick contained data on various types of monsters, it did not contain the data of every single type of monster from Yggdrasil. Some monster¡¯s data were of limited use too. For example, they had already exhausted their supply of data on Hanzos and the library did not contain any data for the creation of Eight-Edge Assassins.

    The creation of higher-tiered monsters incurred the cost of arge sum of gold.

    If that was the case, shouldn¡¯t weaker monsters suffice? Though he wanted to say so, actually using them would mean that there would be a higher chance of them getting caught whenever they tried to infiltrate somece.

    Amongst the surrounding nations, it wasn¡¯t inconceivable to think that they were the only ones capable of employing monsters. It would be best for them to use higher tiered monsters who were harder for others to detect while their country was still of modest size. Or maybe- ¡°-human spies?¡±

    Ainz identally spoke his thoughts out loud. Nabe, upon hearing him speak, walked closer behind him to say,

    ¡°Ainz-sama. Speaking of which, how has the training for those spies been going? Shall I make sure those sows know who their rightful master is*?¡±

    Ainz lowered his voice and responded with,

    ¡°...Nabe. You¡¯re the partner of the folk hero Momon now, do not forget your position.¡±

    After all, they had made it out to be that Momon and Nabe had been bound to this city out of concern for the safety of its inhabitants, which was why they were working with Ainz Ooal Gown in the first ce.

    Perhaps enough time had passed that it wouldn¡¯t be too bad to have their characters have a change of heart so that they were staying in the city out of reverence for the Sorcerer King instead. That being said, it would be safer to discuss this matter in advance with Albedo and the others to formte a better script beforemitting to anything. Until then, it was best to not make suggestions to Ainz directly. It was better to discuss these matters within Nazarick and avoid those topics entirely while outside.

    ¡°-I profusely apologize.¡±

    ¡°You have been forgiven,¡± would have been what he would have said, until he took a good look at their surroundings.

    A lot of people were watching intently with horrified expressions, hopefully they hadn¡¯t heard what Nabe had said. Ultimately it wouldn¡¯t have been feasible for him to kill them all out of the suspicion of what they might have overheard, otherwise the facade he had built up that he was ¡°a unique undead capable of speech who was different from the other members of his kind¡± would be harder to maintain.

    Nheless, ignoring Nabe¡¯s question and causing her to put on a dismayed expression caused Ainz to feel pity for her.

    It would be troublesome if she were to stop asking questions of her own entirely. With that in mind, Ainz muttered his answer in a volume that was iprehensible to those around them,

    ¡°...We¡¯ve lent out the Hanzos. Tira is currently in charge of training them, but if I¡¯m being honest, they are no better than a single Eight-Edge Assassin...hmmm, just consider it an investment for the future.¡±

    Though it was unlikely that they would receive a return on investment proportional to the gold and time they had invested into this programme, it wasn¡¯t as though it waspletely impossible. The same applied to their investments in Runecraft? and other magical technologies.

    They were going inpletely blind on whether or not those efforts would bear fruit, so it was best to dial back their investments down to a minimum for now.

    Ainz stopped talking.

    And just like that, the trio continued to walk down the street in silence.

    asionally they would bump into patrol teams consisting of Death Knights, Death Wizards, Death Warriors, Death Priests, and Death Assassins. Though they were walking on the streets too, they maintained a tight formation with the Death Assassins silently keeping a lookout on the front. This wasn¡¯t due to any perceivable dangers, but rather the fact that they were just following their original orders to patrol in formation.

    Something of note was that though Death Assassins were bad at concealing themselves, they had a high damage output thanks to their high critical strike chance. If an enemy were to let their guard down because they believed that a Death Assassin did not pose a threat to them, then they would be able to deal an rming amount of damage. This was why Ainz couldn¡¯t make spies out of them.

    {Even though we¡¯re exporting undead, those exports mostly consisted of weak Skeletons...}

    Of course, they were charging vastly different prices for weaker undeadpared to the stronger ones, so the most popr product was still those designed for cheap menialbour.

    Consequently, the amount of undead around the level of a Death Knight they had exported was minimal.

    It would be a waste to not use up his daily limit of [Create Undead], so Ainz had been exhausting his daily-use abilities; as a result, the number of undead he had created had already be a nuisance to him.

    {If I were to lower their rental costs and raise them in the future, no one would rent from us again. Plus I don¡¯t want to cut prices directly... Should I create a rewards system? The Empire rented quite a lot of Death Cavaliers from us, so we should probably focus on marketing to nations directly...but...}

    Ainz nced at Pandora¡¯s Actor, who was beside him.

    {It¡¯s kind of awkward to just walk like this in silence. But, there¡¯s not really much I¡¯d want to talk to him about.}

    If people were to perceive that their rtionship wasn¡¯t so great after all, then there wouldn¡¯t be a point to this exercise.

    ¡°Ah- miss Nabe¡±

    A conversation with Pandora¡¯s Actor would be insufferable, so Ainz chose to speak to Nabe instead.

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    {Hold up, you don¡¯t have to answer with such vigor, you know?} Ainz thought but did not bother to say out loud. Her actions weren¡¯t so strange in hindsight; when all was said and done, they were essentially subordinates under Ainz.

    ¡°Umm, how should I say this. How¡¯s Yuri¡¯s orphanage? Have you visited yet?¡±

    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t been there yet.¡±

    And that was the end of their conversation.

    That couldn¡¯t be because she had a bad rtionship with Yuri, but just that she had no interest in that matter, right? Wait a second-

    {-would someone really be so disinterested in the workce of someone whose existence was their closest analogue to family? But, that response was also to be expected from Narberal.}

    {Would she have reacted in the same way if the question had been about Shizu or Entoma¡¯s workce?} Ainz shrugged as that thought came up.

    ¡°Shall we visit it then?¡±

    Because the full responsibility for the orphanage had been given to Yuri, not even Ainz knew of its current status. Of course, he had been given detailed ns about it, but no memory of it remained in Ainz¡¯s vacuous, boney head.

    There should¡¯ve also been some scheduled reports on the finances of the orphanage, but since Ainz had been delegating those responsibilities to Albedo, he had only pretended to have read those reports.

 Volume 14: 1 - An Unexpected Move (part 7)

    Changes:

    - semantics (minor)

    - grammatical errors (minor)

    - one missed reference to Raeven at the end (major)

    --------

    Though he had advocated for talent scouting through the education sector, the Sorcerous Kingdom had yet to implement the as of now unrealistic policy of universal education for all.

    If the level of education rose, so will technological and cultural advancements, but it could also strengthen weaklings. Though their current policies may lead to some people with undiscovered talents to stay as farmers for the rest of their lives, Pax Nazarica was the top priority.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a bad idea.¡±

    After Pandora¡¯s Actor agreed, the trio began walking in another direction led by Narberal.

    Not even two minutes had passed before Ainz received a [Message].

    ¡°-Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°-Entoma? What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Ainz walked as he talked and felt rather inauspicious.

    He couldn¡¯t remember thest time he had received a [Message] like this this year, so it must have been some kind of emergency.

    But - Ainz¡¯s fearless smile never wavered.

    The whole ordeal in the Holy Kingdom was such a pain that nothing could be worse inparison.

    {Compared to the hell I had to go through, nothing this world could throw at me is undoable.}

    The request, as he had expected, was for him to return to Nazarick immediately. After replying that he would do so, Ainz instructed Narberal to bring the rest of the maids back to Nazarick too. He opened up a [Gate] after bidding his farewells to the two to allow the Hanzos who had been securing their perimeter to go back.

    Only then did Ainz return to Nazarick himself.

    After dismissing the Hanzos, he took the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown from Solution, who had weed him back. Using the ring, he teleported to the tenth floor and began to walk towards the room that was his destination.

    The rooms that were either important or special in Nazarick had all been marked so that one could teleport straight to their doors with the ring. This was not the case with rooms that had been deemed as ¡®normal¡¯ from the start and thus one could not teleport straight to them.

    This could be seen as the only w of the ring that allowed its user to teleport freely within Nazarick but it was no longer possible for them to modify its functions. If they still had the Yggdrasil creator kits around it could be possible, but neither Ainz nor Nazarick¡¯s inventory had any.

    Albedo stood in front of the door to Ainz¡¯s destination, awaiting his arrival. Ainz did not probe how long she had been waiting there, but only about the progress she had made on her assigned tasks.

    ¡°-you¡¯ve been working hard, thank you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not worthy of your praise!¡±

    Ainz sighed on the inside as he witnessed Albedo deeply lowering her head.

    Though he had said that he would return immediately, he had not given them a specific time frame. The thought that he could have wasted Albedo¡¯s time by making her wait unsettled Ainz. He did not and could not let those thoughts show on his face.

    This had happened several times before. Despite telling Albedo that there was no need for her to wait for him each time, she had always insisted, saying that it was natural for a servant to wee her master¡¯s return.

    In fact, he had talked about this with not just the Floor Guardians, but the Area Guardians and the maids too. Every time he brought it up, their responses would be the same as the one Albedo was giving him right now. The maids were especially enthusiastic with their answers, demonstrating a level of determination that could even make someone like Ainz cower and apologize.

    If this was the general consensus then Ainz, as their overlord, had to forgo his personal opinions on the matter.

    Albedo opened the door to the room and weed Ainz in.

    Ainz believed that he was not a man outstanding enough to be worthy of such treatment and with great guilt, he put on the facade that this was all to be expected and walked into the room before her.

    Shalltear.

    Cocytus.

    Aura and Mare.

    And Demiurge.

    The Floor Guardians had already been gathered in this room and were all bowing towards the throne that somehow radiated darkness.

    Behind the throne hung the g of the Sorcerous Kingdom of Ainz Ooal Gown.

    It looked like everybody who was supposed to be here was already here. In cases such as this where all hands were on deck, Ainz had to be thest one to arrive ording to procedures. Unless it was for a special asion, no one would arriveter than him.

    Ainz surveyed the overburdened Guardians in front of him.

    Every Floor Guardian had had their own duties in the past, but recently the scope of their work had increased by a wide margin.

    The air transportation system that mainly relied on flying monsters (mostly dragons) had established a transportationwork between the Sorcerous Kingdom, the Empire, the Dwarven Kingdom, and the deste, demihuman-inhabited region to the east of the Holy Kingdom. The one who was ced in charge of thiswork, Shalltear, now had the responsibility to utilize her skills to gradually establish and-based transportationwork.

    The one in charge of controlling the weather in the territories and building an underground tomb on the outskirts of E-Rantel, Mare, was also working alongside the newly established Adventurer¡¯s Guild.

    The one in charge ofmanding, managing, and training the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s army, which consisted mostly of the undead but also included various types of demihumans and a small number of humans, was Cocytus.

    The one who used to only have tomand her own magical beasts but now had to operate a department which deployed a warning that provided adequate coverage over the ever-increasing boundaries of the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s territories, was Aura.

    The one who was establishing an intelligence agency on the seventh floor of Nazarick, was Demiurge.

    Just like that, the responsibilities of each Floor Guardian grew over time.

    Which was why there were ns to shift some of those responsibilities to those who up till that point had only been concerned with the internal defence of Nazarick, the Area Guardians.

    Needless to say, the one who was in charge of checking up on everybody¡¯s progress, receiving requests or suggestions, and approving the various affairs of the Sorcerous Kingdom, the Guardian Overseer Albedo, had been the busiest of them all.

    The truth was, no one was as idle as Ainz was.

    His daily duties amounted to simply practicing to act more like an overlord, it was a deeply embarrassing fact to admit.

    So basically, he had been summoned for something that those who were upied by the most important tasks had deemed to require his presence.

    Ainz strode in a dignified manner through the center of the room. Albedo shut the doors behind them and followed closely behind him.

    He sat on the only seat in the room. Albedo took a knee in front of him and said,

    ¡°Ainz-sama. The Floor Guardians of every floor have arrived.¡±

    {What do you mean, they have arrived? They were here already!} Of course, Ainz did not and could not say that out loud.

    ¡°-umu. You Floor Guardians have been working hard. Raise your heads.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    The guardians raised their heads as they gave their crisp answers, an action that was both wless and in unison.

    Originally, Albedo had been the one to ask them to raise their heads but Ainz had decided to put an end to that. Though it had been said that a superior shouldn¡¯t talk so easily to their subordinates, Ainz did not want to distance himself from them that much.

    The guardians¡¯ gaze, which made apparent their absolute loyalty, all fell on Ainz¡¯s body. In the past, Ainz couldn¡¯t handle this kind of attention, but his skin had grown thick in the intervening times to the point that it did not affect him in the slightest these days.

    {But...why? Am I getting the wrong impression or do they feel even more loyal than they were before...? No...it has to be the wrong impression, right...?}

    Ainz, who couldn¡¯t recall doing anything that could have raised their loyalty, avoided the weing gazes of the guardians to randomly scan the room he was in. This wasn¡¯t because he couldn¡¯t handle their gazes, but he did it anyway.

    On both sides of the room were doors that were dissimr to the one they had just walked through, doors that were not warranted given the rtively small size of the room. The room was just decorated in such an exquisite manner that it emanated an air of grandeur.

    It was set up to be the audience room within Nazarick. Another was set up in E-Rantel.

    Nazarick¡¯s throne room was glorious, but it was too spacious and would feel empty if not enough people were gathered inside. He could gather enough people if he wanted to, but considering problems such as the presence of a World Item, something that was among Nazarick¡¯s strongest assets and thus could not casually be seen by others, an audience room was built.

    Everything in Nazarick was made by its guild members in the past, except this audience room. Under Ainz¡¯s orders, the Floor Guardians had put great consideration (though it wasn¡¯t as though much consideration was necessary anyways) into refitting an empty room for this exact purpose.

    It made Ainz quite happy.

    NPCs, made by the guild members, had grown beyond being mere NPCs. It was as though they had be yers.

    {There will alwayse a day when chicks will leave their nest to fly on their own, huh.}

    Ainz smiled mentally.

    Every one of them had made him proud.

    Suzuki Satoru had no children and not many of the other guild members did either. He wasn¡¯t sure, but perhaps this was what it was like to be a father. At any rate, this was not what it would be like to be a mother, probably.

    He immersed himself in his own thoughts for a bit. However, no one would speak until he had spoken, so he was forced to despite not being the emcee or something simr.

    ¡°So, Albedo. Tell me the reason why everyone was gathered here. It¡¯s something important to Nazarick, or rather, to the Sorcerous Kingdom, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Simply put, our grain that was being transported through the Kingdom towards the Holy Kingdom was plundered four days ago.¡±

    ¡°Oh... and who did that?¡±

    ¡°A noble of the Kingdom.¡±

    The light in Ainz¡¯s eyes shed for a moment. Albedo was being vague. Normally, she would report the name, military power, and goal of the noble all at once. {Why is that?} Ainz thought about it as he asked further,

    ¡°Did the Eight Fingers¡¯ merchant in charge of transportation not have soldiers guard the caravans? Moreover, the rule was that our g should have been flown, yes? Which meant the Kingdom had chosen to start a war with us?¡±

    He had thought, judging by the Kingdom¡¯s actions, that they were trying to avoid a war, but it now seemed to be an incorrect judgement. Or, was the incident itself some kind of strategy? Ainz took notice of another possibility as his thoughts developed.

    ¡°Could it be that the Eight Fingers had betrayed us?¡±

    ¡°No, well...¡±

    Albedo lowered her head as she muttered, she then nced at Ainz as if she were trying to sneak a peek.

    Ainz thought that her current attitude was quite rare. Rather, this might have been the first time she has ever shown this kind of behaviour. She was behaving like a little girl who was afraid of getting scolded, definitely unlike the Overseer she had always been.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Albedo? Is something the matter?¡±

    Ainz carefully maintained his dignified facade and felt as if his back was soaked with sweat. Ainz, of course, could not sweat.

    Was it because of a mistake Ainz had made? If that was the case then Albedo¡¯s response would make sense.

    She was behaving like an employee who had had to point out the mistakes her boss had made that messed everything up.

    {A noble of the Kingdom? I have no idea... Did I do something? I didn¡¯t do anything funny in the past few months, did I? No, could I?}

    As Ainz, who couldn¡¯t even remember the documents he had stamped a few weeks ago, thought about it, it felt more and more like it was a mistake of his own. His anxiety grew alongside his thoughts.

    {No, wait! I got it! I got it! Didn¡¯t I tell Albedo and Demiurge during the Holy Kingdom thing? And I told a lot of people the same thing aftering back. Yes, I made a mistake deliberately! Past me, you¡¯re great! Wait, now is the time... to use that excuse!}

    Ainz had always thought that the title of an absolute overlord was too much for him to bear. It was about time for him to take it off.

    He had a cordial smile on his face.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Albedo. Tell me about it.¡±

    ¡°Yes... Ainz-sama. Surely you remember our n to make use of an idiotic noble for the purpose of gaining control over the Kingdom...¡±

    {Hmm?} Ainz raised a question in his mind. What she said was not what he had expected, but at this point Ainz knew what to say.

    ¡°That fool had something to do with it?¡±

    Albedo nodded, ¡°Yes. That dimwit had caused this incident. Ainz-sama has probably realized by now the possibility that this could be a scheme of the Kingdom¡¯s ruling ss.¡±

    {More misunderstandings, huh?} ¡°Hmph...¡± Ainz started thinking. He couldn¡¯t see the deeper aspects of such a scheme, but it was probably beneficial to the Kingdom to convict a noble associated with Nazarick. That way, they could purge a pest from their ranks.

    ¡°I understand... but does the me truly lie with that imbecile? It¡¯s not some ploy by the Kingdom is it? ... Wait, Albedo must have investigated the intel already. Sorry for unnecessary questions.¡±

    ¡°No, those questions were only natural for you to ask, Ainz-sama. We have prepared a witness for this purpose. Shalltear.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Shalltear curtsied, stood up, and then left through the left door.

    Right after that, a woman held on both sides by Death Knights returned with Shalltear.

    She was so thin her bones were visible as if she was sick. She also had heavy bags under her eyes, did not wear any make-up, and had messy hair.

    Tear stains could be seen around her bloodshot eyes, which darted around uncontrobly like a terrified, tiny creature.

    Ainz remembered seeing that person somewhere, but he couldn¡¯t recall important details like her name and position.

    As he tried his best to search through his memories, the Death Knights let go of her.

    The woman knelt down in one smooth movement. It was wless, one could even say that it was beautiful.

    It was something that was only possible through a suitable amount of training. Ainz even felt a bit of respect for her because of that.

    ¡°Yoar, yoar mejasty...¡± her voice was trembling a lot. She paused for a moment, then spoke again, ¡°Your majesty.¡±

    The room fell silent. Realising that it was his turn to speak, Ainz said in a deep voice, ¡°-Woman, I permit you to speak your name.¡±

    ¡°Ah! Hilma Cygnaeus, your majesty!¡±

    His reawakened memories spread like vines. She was one of the leaders of the Eight Fingers, the Kingdom¡¯s crime syndicate.

    ¡°Ah, ah.¡±

    It was not known how she understood the noise that Ainz had made subconsciously. Hilma, who had not raised her head even once, yelled as her forehead rubbed against the floor.

    ¡°I, I have no idea! No idea! I have absolutely no intention of disobedience! The grain robbery has nothing to do with me!¡±

    Ainz took a glimpse at Albedo¡¯s back.

    It would be incredibly easy to determine if the woman had lied, so Albedo must have done so.So why did she not report the results directly to Ainz?

    Ainz didn¡¯t know what was Albedo thinking, but it certainly wasn¡¯t about stabbing him in the back. Actually, it was probably the opposite. There was some unknown misunderstanding that was borne of her holding Ainz in too high of a regard. It would not be appropriate to ask her about it directly.

    {I got myself into this situation because I repeatedly performed as my persona, didn¡¯t I? Albedo won¡¯t understand if this continues on. Should I ask and see what happens? It would¡¯ve been fine if Albedo was the only one who was here, but the others are also here...} Ainz looked at Aura and Mare. {Hm, next time I guess.}

    ¡°-Umu. First of all, let me confirm if Cygnaeus was telling the truth. [Dominate].¡±

    After the spell had been cast, Ainz asked Cygnaeus:

    ¡°Did you y any role in that noble robbing our grain convoy?¡±

    ¡°None whatsoever!¡±

    A dominee could not lie to their dominator, which meant that Cygnaeus had no direct connections to the incident. Though an indirect connection was still possible, it wouldn¡¯t have made it her responsibility. The hypothetical that she had been lying by ways of memory maniption was unlikely.

    ¡°-have you been described by others as having multiple personalities?¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    ¡°Umu...then do you wish to oppose us?¡±

    ¡°Not at all! I don¡¯t have the slightest intention to! Absolutely not!¡±

    She denied with her fiercest tone yet. Bearing witness to this, Ainz released her from his [Dominate].

    ¡°If we were to punish her based on a crime she wasn¡¯t purposely responsible for would be too harsh. Cygnaeus, not guilty. That¡¯s my ruling.¡±

    Cygnaeus raised her head and gazed towards Ainz with a brilliant passion within her eyes, to the point where Ainz found it to be terrifying.

    ¡°But, Ainz-sama. Shouldn¡¯t the faults of a subordinate be the responsibility of their superiors? That cretin was her responsibility.¡±

    Albedo was right.

    ¡°You, you¡¯re absolutely correct! But he took those actions randomly and of his own ord! I had instructed him multiple times! ¡®Contact me before you do anything!¡¯ I had even appointed a subordinate to monitor him for this exact reason!¡±

    Albedo did not object to her exnation. So that was the truth. She had performed her duties to the utmost, so it would be too cruel to let her shoulder the full responsibility for this incident.

    [Albedo], Human Resources, had hired an [simpleton] who caused major issues in [Cygnaeus], the department. Though it¡¯s obvious that there were issues within that department, Ainz also understood the tendency to want to me this on HR.

    [Ainz], the sryman, thought about this issue from Cygnaeus¡¯ perspective.

    If he was to leave this matter to Albedo and the others, they would surely dish out severe punishments to her. Then-

    ¡°-the faults of a subordinate is the responsibility of their superior. I concur with that statement.¡±

    Ainz watched as the colors drained from Hilma¡¯s face and continued,

    ¡°But, that proverb was said by a leader who wished to shoulder the burden of their subordinate, it was not meant as a way for subordinates to shift me onto their superiors. As for how epassing the statement could be. Albedo, let me ask you a question. Cygnaeus was in charge of that dunce, but who was in charge of Cygnaeus?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s- that¡¯s my responsibility.¡±

    ¡°Umu. I am your master, so the responsibility for this incident falls on me in the end, correct?¡±

    ¡°W-W-We wouldn¡¯t dare! This is absolutely not the fault of Ainz-sama!¡±

    Albedo disavowed his statement with an uncharacteristically panicked expression.

    Cygnaeus, whose expression just a moment prior had been one foretelling of their own doom, now gazed upon Ainz with the same spark in her eyes as before. Her face was almost ever-changing.

    ¡°Though Cygnaeus¡¯ modus operandi may be wed, she had performed ording to the expectations of her office. For that, she has been forgiven. The first time an error urs, it is because everyone makes mistakes. The second time around it would be the result of carelessness. The third time should have been avoidable. The fourth time is the one to indicate one¡¯s ipetence- Cygnaeus.¡±

    ¡°Yes!!¡±

    Cygnaeus lowered her head so much that it made an audible impact with the floor. It looked painful even from an outside perspective.

    ¡°To prevent a simr incident from urring again, work harder on your preventative measures. Prepare a set of all of the ns you could think up of, submit them to Albedo, and wait for approval. That will be your punishment.

    ¡°Yes!!¡±

    Cygnaeus rubbed her head against the ground, as if she was trying to lower her head even further.

    {That seems unnecessary.} Ainz thought as he turned to look towards the guardians.

    ¡°That is my decision- do you have anyments? I won¡¯t get angry, you are free to speak your minds.¡±

    No one seemed to have objections. Still, every one of them was capable of saying ¡®Ainz-sama¡¯s decisions are always correct¡¯ with a straight face even if they had any dissenting opinions, it wasn¡¯t likely that they would give voice to those opinions. In any case, it was better to confirm than not.

    ¡°-Albedo.¡±

    ¡°No objections.¡±

    ¡°-Demiurge.¡±

    ¡°I concur with Albedo.¡±

    ¡°-Aura.¡±

    ¡°None.¡±

    ¡°-Mare.¡±

    ¡°Ah! Y-yes. I don¡¯t have any objections.¡±

    ¡°-Cocytus.¡±

    ¡°No. Objections.¡±

    ¡°-Shalltear.¡±

    ¡°None.¡±

    Were they really fine with it or were they too afraid to speak up? Ainz wasn¡¯t sure, but he had at least received their approval.

    Ainz forcefully nodded his head and made his judgement final.

    ¡°...Good. Now then, Cygnaeus. Prepare those ns within a few days, that is...have them ready within two days.¡±

    Cygnaeus audibly whipped her head upwards.

    ¡°Understood! I¡¯m grateful for my lord¡¯s merciful judgement!! I thank you from the deepest depths of my heart!! Oh Sorcerer King-heika!! Please allow me, Hilma Cygnaeus, to continue loyally serving you from now on!!¡±

    ¡°Is that so...?¡±

    Cygnaeus¡¯ almost revolting amount of passion reminded him of a girl he had met in the past with scary-looking eyes.

    ¡°I look forward to your loyal service. Now then, Shalltear, please send Cygnaeus back.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Shalltear took Hilma along as she activated her ring¡¯s function, the destination of their teleportation was the surface. She should be using [Gate] afterwards so it shouldn¡¯t take too long. With that in mind, they waited in ce for her. Not too long after, Shalltear returned alone as he had expected.

    ¡°Now then- that couldn¡¯t be the only reason I was called here for, right?¡±

    If that was the only reason why then he would be thanking his lucky stars, but that wish was shattered by Albedo.

    ¡°Yes, it is exactly as you have surmised.¡±

    Ainz looked at Albedo as if he had held a grudge against her. He would have loved it if she had only let him hold onto that hope for just a while longer.

    ¡°Umm, is something wrong? Perhaps just then...¡±

    ¡°No, nothing¡¯s wrong. Now then, how about you tell me the true purpose behind you calling me- gathering every Floor Guardian here?¡±

    Albedo and Demiurge exchanged nces upon being asked.

    ¡°First on the docket, for what purpose did that buffoon undertake his actions? Was someone manipting him as part of their ploy? That is certainly possible. Depending on the answer to those questions, we may have to significantly revise our ns against the Kingdom. For that it would be nice to know what Ainz-sama¡¯s thoughts are on the matter, so I proposed that we ask for your presence.¡±

    ¡°Umu... As of now our strategy against the Kingdom had been ¡®Sugar and Whip¡¯ hadn¡¯t it? Have you exined the concept to Aura, Mare, Cocytus, and Shalltear before?¡±

    ¡°Demiurge and I were in the process of doing so, but we have yet to exin the specific details of the n.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Then Albedo, please share the intel with everybody. Any suggestions or opinions from you all could be helpful.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Albedo began her exnation to the four of them.

    The Sugar and Whip strategy (the term, coined by Ainz, was popr due to being easy to understand) to prepare the Kingdom for a takeover was in essence a n to destabilize the Kingdom from the inside to the point where a portion of the Kingdom¡¯s citizens would actively hope for peaceful foreign intervention by the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    Was it because Demiurge was also involved in the nning process? The n began sounding more and more like what they had done in the Holy Kingdom. It was a strategy that depended on internal conflicts and would thus cause a massive loss of life at the start. His preference for internal conflicts over physically invading a country was probably due to him being a fiend. If Cocytus or Shalltear were in charge of nning, they would probably prefer more direct methods such as a full-blown invasion.

    But apparently this n had been formted by someone within the Kingdom and Albedo and Demiurge had only made slight modifications on top of the original.

    That imbecile of a noble was a crucial element of this strategy.

    He was meant to start a revolution. In conjunction with the internal conflicts initiated by their grain shortage, the Kingdom would then be forced to request aid from the Sorcerous Kingdom. There were multiple ways to make use of the nobility, but they would all create a reason for the Sorcerous Kingdom to intervene in the Kingdom¡¯s affairs.

    This meant that to Ainz, everything was still going ording to n. The incident caused by that dimwit was more than enough justification for the Sorcerous Kingdom to involve themselves.

    However, it appeared as though Albedo and Demiurge were a bit worried by the current situation. There had to be something that Ainz was missing.

    ¡°Now then, Albedo. Though I want to ask questions of a fundamental nature... Do we actually have evidence that noble caused the incident? Do we have clues that this was a ploy by the Kingdom? I recall something...about Albedo¡¯s scheduled correspondence with that noble we were supposed to get under our influences?¡±

    Albedo hadined to Ainz time after time about ¡®having to send letters to that unpleasant noble¡¯, ¡®a mere human...¡¯, or something simr. She had also requested Ainz to review said letters so he had to read them on numerous asions.

    If it was simple paperwork, Ainz would still know a bit about it, but he had no confidence in his ability to proofread or edit. He tried to avoid having to do so but Albedo had begged him in earnest, so he had to.

    By the way, though much time had passed since he came to this world, Ainz still hadn¡¯t learned to read thenguage.

    The best he could do was write out his and Momon¡¯s names and recognize numbers. Compared to Albedo, Demiurge, and- Pandora¡¯s Actor- who understood thenguage of several countries, it was easy to see how their brains functioned on apletely different level than his. It was for this reason that Ainz had to rely on magical items to understand any texts.

    If he was being honest, he didn¡¯t think any edits would be necessary so he just handed them back as is to Albedo.

    ¡°I¡¯ve also seen the letters that noble had sent back in response and frankly it appears as though he waspletely charmed by you. I did not think that he would be the type to oppose the Sorcerous Kingdom.¡±

    He had heard of a saying that betrayal from one¡¯s crush could lead one to be irrationally hateful. Like finding out the cute voice actor you stan had a boyfriend. As this thought came to mind, Ainz could see a reflection of his friend of yesteryear crying tears of blood in Shalltear¡¯s ce.

    He could also see in Aura and Mare¡¯s ce, that friend¡¯s sisterughing at him.

    ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve conducted detailed investigations into this matter, it is undeniably true that that man was the mastermind behind the grain robbery. But...the possibility that he could have been charmed, brain-washed, or controlled in any other way is certainly not none... the one thing we could be sure of is that he hadmitted the crime.

    ¡°Perhaps this was a ploy by someone of an even higher intellect than us. If that was the case, then there is the possibility that they are somehow taking advantage of his actions...¡±

    Albedo had a troubled expression and so did Demiurge. What Ainz found unbelievable was the possibility that someone who could rival the intellect of these two would just show up out of the blue. Or rather-

    ¡°Maybe that nobleman did what he did without thinking it through?¡±

    If that was the case, then it would make a lot more sense to Ainz.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, I don¡¯t believe that¡¯s possible...¡±

    Albedo said in a tone as if she were apologizing. This was the first time she had adopted such an attitude and Ainz couldn¡¯t help but feel refreshed from this new kind of behaviour.

    ¡°No, wait a second, Albedo. We are only able to make pre-emptive moves against the strategies of some genius, but Ainz-sama could even see through an idiot¡¯s rash actions. There¡¯s always the possibility that that could be the case, is there not? No, isn¡¯t that exnation the most usible?¡±

    ¡°B-but... to be that stupid... is it really possible...? But Ainz-sama...¡±

    ¡°If Ainz-sama said so, then isn¡¯t it the truth? Albedo.¡±

    ¡°I-I guess so, I think...¡±

    For some reason Aura and Mare had butted in back up Demiurge¡¯s argument, stunning Ainz who had simply muttered a throwawayment.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case-¡±

    Albedo and Demiurge furrowed their brows and began to debate.

    ¡°Hol-hold on a second. Let¡¯s hear the opinions of the other Floor Guardians regarding the operation. They must have quite a lot of questions, so let¡¯s set aside some time for that. Those of you with questions could just raise your hands and Albedo or Demiurge will answer them.¡±

    {Please don¡¯t direct any questions at me.} Ainz had put up a white g in his mind already.

    ¡°Umm, I have a question,¡± Aura said as she raised her hand, ¡°why did we not just draw in as many of the nobility as we could at the start of the operation? If we did that, we could just kill off that troublesome noble and continue the operation as we had nned, right?¡±

    The one to answer this question was Demiurge.

    ¡°We had considered that during the nning phase, but ultimately chose to abandon that idea after deliberations. It would have been fine had we drawn in outstanding noblemen, but they¡¯re not exactly known for their intellect, are they? With that in mind, the more people we drew into the fold, the more likely it was for an unexpected leak in intel to ur. That was why we had decided to focus on an individual and have them form and manage a new faction.¡±

    Things were the way they were because they hadn¡¯t expected that person to be such a wildcard.

    The next one to raise their hand was Cocytus.

    ¡°We. Could. Not. Make. Use. Of. The. Exceptional. Nobles?¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t as though we couldn¡¯t. In fact, we had recruited someone like that already... it¡¯s so easy to ckmail a doting father. We had considered the fact that we would want to spare the noblemen who were at least somewhat capable, which was why we chose the expendable portion of the nobility. Don¡¯t you believe that it¡¯s necessary for us to clear out the moronic few so that the country could be one worthy of being ruled over by Ainz-sama? That was why we formed a faction that was filled with people that were ipetent in various forms. As a metaphor, think of it as preparing a rubbish bin before throwing away trash. Of course, we had received intel on the talented people of the Kingdom, but we wanted to also collect intel of our own directly from the source.¡±

    ¡°Because the Sorcerous Kingdom has no need for nobles other than a few of them who are either talented or hard-working ascetics.¡±

    --------

    Mini-FAQ:

    Q: Was Tira training the Hanzos or was it the other way around?

    A: I swear some of you give me depression. Those of you who imed it was a mistrantion, no it wasn¡¯t. In fact I had taken the liberty to clear up some of the ambiguity in the original text and somehow you guys still couldn¡¯t read between the lines. Sigh.

    1- Context: They were talking about human spies

    Ainz: ¡°-human spies?¡±

    Nabe: "Ainz-sama. Speaking of which"

    2- "they are no better than a single Eight-Edge Assassin", now why would a group of lvl >80 ninjas be worse than a single Eight-Edge?

    Conclusion: the "them" in "Tira is currently in charge of training them" are human spies Tira was training with the help of the Hanzos Ainz had lent her.

    Q: What is the "Sugar and Whip" strategy?

    A: Native English speakers would know of it as the "Carrot and Stick" policy, but Satoru is a westaboo and knew it by the German version of the "Sugar Bread and Whip" strategy.

    Q: "Pax Nazarica"?

    A: Not the actual text in the book but I thought it sounded cooler than "Nazarick¡¯s peace". It will be changed in the final version.

    Q: Why is there K-pop lingo in my dark fantasy Japanese light novel?

    A: Beats me

    Q: Revision?

    A: Yes, pastes will be re-done if there was a major error only, most minor errors will have to wait to be fixed in the final product

    Q: Where are we at?

    A: As of this part: 137/568

    Q: Where do I send feedback on errors and whatnot?

    A: Direct them to [email protected]

    Hitori¡¯s message corner: We only have a few bits to go before the end of Chapter 1, the next part will probably go into Chapter 2 as well. I would¡¯ve done the rest of it but TLing while sleep-deprived generally yields poor results. Thest bit of this part might be a little rough because of that too.

 Volume 14: 1 - An Unexpected Move (part 8)

    ¡°I have a question,¡± Shalltear said as she raised her hand,¡± I¡¯m not sure I understand-arinsu. Even if that dolt of a nobleman was being manipted into doing what he did, did his actions not constitute an attack against the Sorcerous Kingdom? If so, shouldn¡¯t the Sorcerous Kingdom use that as casus belli to invade the Kingdom-arinsu? If it really was a trap set by someone, could we not just crush them?¡±

    ¡°That is correct, we should have done so especially if there were no hidden masterminds...but...hmm¡±

    Albedo nced at Demiurge, prompting him to answer, ¡°that¡¯s right.¡± Demiurge then turned his gaze towards Ainz before looking towards the guardians.

    ¡°It is extremely difficult to find the right bnce in dealing with the situation. Though now that we have Ainz-sama¡¯s superior insight, we¡¯vee to understand that the nobleman hadmitted this act without putting much thought into it. If we were to lightly punish him for this transgression, the Sorcerous Kingdom will be looked down upon by other nations. So, what do you all believe is the suitable punishment for someone who had attacked a caravan flying the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s g ¡ª something that essentially signified Ainz-sama himself ¡ª and had stained Ainz-sama¡¯s public image?¡±

    ¡°We should kill him.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I think onee-chan is correct.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s how it should be. Now then, I must ask you all. Do we simply let this slide after we have dealt with the criminal himself?¡±

    ¡°That. Will. Not. Do.

    His. Master. Must. Also. Answer. For. This. Crime.¡±

    Cocytus nodded his head in silence.

    Ainz had never been more shocked than he was at this moment.

    Though it was surprising that the guardians would have such an overreaction, it wasn¡¯t too out of the ordinary considering their personalities. What Ainz was shocked about was how they had epted his throwawayment about the noble as the truth at face value.

    To be honest, it was quite scary.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, I also agree with Shalltear¡¯s judgement. For them to be dumb enough to make a fool out of Ainz-sama, I say we need to mete out appropriate punishments to the entire Kingdom! But, back then...¡±

    ¡°Ainz-sama once said that ¡®to rule over a ruined nation would be bad for our reputation.¡¯ I¡¯ve also heard that Ainz-sama has no interest in standing atop a pile of rubble, so we should try our best to avoid that kind of situation.¡±

    Upon hearing what Demiurge had to say, Albedo nodded her head.

    Ainz had two questions in mind in response.

    First, has he ever said something like that before?

    If you surveyed a hundred of Nazarick¡¯s denizens on the question, ¡°Who is correct, Ainz or Demiurge?¡± perhaps a majority, no, 99 of them would be certain that it was Ainz. Only a single person would be against that notion and that person is Ainz Ooal Gown.

    But how credible could he be as a person who couldn¡¯t even remember what had happened a week ago?

    Which was why, although Ainz had no recollections of this, since Demiurge had said so, he must have said something along those lines in the past. If that was the case then there was only one correct way to approach this.

    ¡°As expected of you to have remembered what I had said. Demiurge, you¡¯ve made me very happy.¡±

    ¡°I-I remember too!¡±

    ¡°I do too, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Umu. Umu. Shalltear, Aura. I¡¯m thankful for you two too.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t figure out if they had actually remembered or had not but were simply concurring with Demiurge, just like what he was doing.

    Speaking of which, how have they still not figured out the truth that he¡¯s ipetent? Was he really that good at acting?

    Much time had passed since he came to this world as the overlord of Nazarick. He had been operating as their overlord this entire time. They should have seen through his ¡®overlord¡¯ disguise already, they should have seen through the useless nature of Satoru by now.

    The conversation continued on as he agonized over this.

    ¡°So, in keeping with Ainz-sama¡¯s wishes, we will not be punishing the whole of the Kingdom. However, we can¡¯t just let them get away with a light punishment. We will also have to put the n on pause or abandon it entirely for now. At the very least, it will require major deviations.¡±

    Ainz couldn¡¯t help but feel a great sense of guilt at the fact that his words held such prominence in their minds.

    ¡°...So that was why. But, Demiurge, did the ns really fail this time?¡±

    Demiurge, Albedo, and their assistant in the Kingdom possessed an iprehensible level of genius in Ainz¡¯s perspective. Would the n that was the culmination of their minds truly fail? If that was the case, he must keep in mind what he says to them from this point onward. It would probably be best if he kept his mouth shut from now on. So, just in case, he asked again,

    ¡°Are we really abandoning our ns? The Candy and Whip n?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Demiurge looked towards Ainz with a bewildered expression, he had seen this expression on numerous asions. It was the expression he had made when he was trying to figure out the true meaning behind his words as if they were all euphemisms said by a being on apletely different level of brilliance.

    {Wrong. Demiurge. I¡¯m just trying to reaffirm what you¡¯ve said. There are no hiddenyers of meanings. You should chill out by taking a bath first.}

    These thoughts disappeared right as Ainz was about to give voice to them.

    Just as an unpleasant premonition surfaced in his mind, just as Ainz had expected, Demiurge stood aghast as if he had just had a sudden realization.

    ¡°...No wait, could it be...Ainz-sama. Could it be that you have had the same intention back when you immactely brought the Empire under our dominion?¡±

    His premonitions were right on the target.

    {What is he saying?}

    Ainz started ranting towards Demiurge in his mind, {what kind of a thought process would lead you to that conclusion?}

    {¡®No, that¡¯s not that case at all,¡¯ would be the best response, right? But would that response really be appropriate?}

    ¡°-that¡¯s right.¡±

    After he vacited for quite a long time, this was his reply. For some unknown reason, Albedo¡¯s eyes were opened as wide as Demiurge¡¯s.

    It was a bit, no, it was extremely terrifying.

    ¡°I see...so that was why Ainz-sama had repeatedly instructed us to do so...please forgive your subordinate for not realizing it immediately, I have disappointed my master.¡±

    ¡°No, Demiurge. How could someone like you, no, how could people like us ever hope to be able to fullyprehend Ainz-sama¡¯s ingenious ns? To have forgotten that Ainz-sama¡¯s every move was made with a multitude of intents may have been our greatest failure.¡±

    ¡°-that¡¯s right. It¡¯s just as you have said. To have applied the Candy and Whip policy on a national level. As expected of our Ainz-sama. As expected of the leader of the Supreme Beings...¡±

    {Hmph.} Ainzughed at himself.

    He could no longer understand what these two were talking about.

    In that moment, a thought shed across his mind. What if these two had already realised Ainz¡¯s ipetence and were just trying to cover for him?

    {They¡¯re both geniuses. The truth is, I can¡¯t evenprehend how much smarter they are than me. How long would people like them continue to mistake my stupidity for genius? No, that shouldn¡¯t have even been possible!}

    ¡°Ainz. Sama. Is. Truly. The. Greatest. Mind. Of. Nazarick.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, you¡¯repletely correct, Cocytus. To Ainz-sama, someone who¡¯s capable of nning on the scale of millennia and myriad years into the future, something on the scale of a few years is nothing.¡±

    ¡°Eh? I-is that true...? As expected of Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°To be able to n for millennia ahead, I¡¯m truly in awe...Ainz-sama.¡±

    {What is Demiurge talking about?}

    {Who? When did they say that? How would someone be able to n that far ahead into the future? Don¡¯t make stuff up on your own.} Ainz suppressed his desire to yell out his thoughts. It would be bad if the two naive children took it as the truth.

    However, since he had been approving every single one of Demiurge¡¯s suggestions, he didn¡¯t know what was the best way to respond to him now. Plus, if he was to object now, it would most likely create issues for him in the future.

    {So I still have to act as usual?}

    If Ainz was capable of facial expressions, he would probably have a dubious smile right now. After racking his brain, he managed toe up with a response that neither confirmed nor denied Demiurge¡¯s statement,

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not the case at all.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for our master to be so humble-arinsu. Oh great Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°To. Be. Able. To. Think. This. Far. Out. Into. The. Future...No., If. That. Was. Not. The. Case. Then. He. Would. Not. Have. Been. The. Leader. Of. The. Supreme. Beings.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t handle it any longer, he should just give up the facade.

    Ainz made his decision.

    ¡°Now then, since we now have Ainz-sama¡¯s permission, let¡¯s give unto the Kingdom the most miserable of punishments.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    How did the word ¡°miserable¡± show up in their conversation up to this point? Ainz waspletely baffled.

    Albedo sped her hands together and grinned brightly. The adorable Albedo and Demiurge spoke in unison,

    ¡°The Empire, who had surrendered immediately to Ainz-sama, had been given the Candy. The Kingdom, who had not surrendered, will be given the Whip. By doing so, we will be sending a message to everyone else. Candy and Whip, the people of this world must choose between them. Wooo, things are getting a little more interesting aren¡¯t they, Ainz-sama?¡±

    ¡°...Uh¡±

    ----

    Hilma was violently thrown back to where she was taken from. The [Gate] that had transported her back was gone by the time she turned around to look.

    She surveyed her surroundings as she nursed the arm that had made impact with the ground when she was thrown out. She was in a well-ventted, spacious, and familiar room.

    This used to be the head of the gambling division, Noah Zweden¡¯s mansion. He had originally purchased this swath ofnd with the intention to build a casino on top of it, which was illegal. They had sessfully built the associated mansion, but due to unforeseen circumstances, the remainder of the ns had to be cancelled.

    Because of this, the mansion had included enormous rooms meant for gambling and Hilma was in thergest room of them all.

    Hilma finally calmed down and sighed deeply.

    Her body quivered as it was overtaken with joy.

    ¡°Hilma!¡±

    Herpanions rushed over to her. There were three others in the room, including ?zkuzu who rang the handbell on the table.

    Their eyes were filled with tears.

    Surely their pale expressions were all out of concern for her wellbeing.

    ¡°Are you alright!? Is anything wrong!? How¡¯s your stomach?¡±

    ¡°We have some fruit wine! Do you want to wet your beak?¡±

    ¡°The rest of them wille here soon!¡±

    ¡°Noah, Endio, and ?zkuzu¡ª¡± the three quieted down upon hearing Hilma¡¯s voice, ¡°¡ªI¡¯m sorry I made you guys worry about me.¡±

    ¡°Nevermind that! You must have suffered through a lot, you should take a rest immediately.¡±

    Noah wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes as he said this. He must have thought that she had experienced ¡®that¡¯ or something equally as horrifying. Hilma had no option but to exin herself.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t put through ¡®that¡¯, they didn¡¯t do anything to me.¡±

    The atmosphere grew thick as thepanions who had been surrounding her had their confused expressions gradually surface as if to say, {was that something that was even possible?}

    ¡°I also met with his Majesty, his Majesty the Sorcerer King.¡±

    Hilma¡¯s moist eyes were like a broken breakwater as a never-ending stream of tears flowed out.

    ¡°His Majesty the Sorcerer King...¡±

    As his title alonemanded an inconceivable amount of fear, Endio made the sign of a God that he didn¡¯t even believe in as he spoke while the other two began to frantically look around the room.

    Perhaps they were trying to look for any eavesdroppers, even though they had never seen any. It wasmon knowledge between them that there was always the possibility that someone could be listening in on them.

    ¡°You met ¡ª no, you were granted an audience with him? d you were able to return sessfully then.¡±

    ¡°Ufufu...¡±

    Hilma, who was still crying, gave a smile as her reply.

    Though everybody had been called on by the Sorcerer King, they had bowed the entire time so no one really caught a good look at his face.

    However, through the intel they had gathered and second-hand ounts of people who had stolen nces at him, the Eight Fingers, including Hilma, arrived at the unmistakable conclusion that the Sorcerer King was the avatar of evil. No, he was simply a magic caster who would use such cruel methods of torture and could ruthlessly crush the soldiers of the Kingdom.

    ¡°His Majesty was...his Majesty was truly a reasonable master. Not only was he tolerant of my failures, but he was also merciful in his ruling.¡±

    Suddenly the world around them felt as though time had stopped.

    Noah was shocked for a moment, but then he shut his eyes as if to offer his pity.

    In truth, if someone else had said this, the Hilma of a few minutes ago would have probably thought the same as they did. {So that was what happened, she¡¯spletely broken} or something simr.

    The two behind her spoke with bloodshot eyes, ¡°Hilma...I¡¯m more or less envious of your current situation.¡±, ¡°Ahhh, if only I was there with you back there...¡±, and otherments.

    ¡°No, hold on a second. Perhaps she has some sort of mind control spell cast on her, Hilma, is that true?¡±

    Noah wouldn¡¯t stop asking. Of course, she herself knew that she wasn¡¯t under the influence of any spells but at the same time, she could not prove it definitively to them. Because of that, she just simply ignored his questions and continued to talk. Whether they believe her or not is up to them.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think that I would be returning alive too, the reason why I could return without a scratch was because of our master. His Majesty the Sorcerer King ¡ª truly someone fit to be called a king. If our master wasn¡¯t there...¡±

    Perhaps she would have been forced to take responsibility for what had happened. Perhaps ¡ª no, this wasn¡¯t a hypothetical, she would have definitely been implicated due to that idiot¡¯s actions and suffer a hellish punishment for it. The Prime Minister of the Sorcerous Kingdom, Albedo, would¡¯ve definitely done that.

    If she were in her ce, she would have also had someone take the fall for it even if the punishment was not death but simply pain and suffering. So from her perspective, the Sorcerer King¡¯s decision was infinitely more merciful than the one she would have given.

    ¡°...Hilma. Sorry to interrupt your spiel on his Majesty¡¯s mercy, but that was out of his Candy and Whip policy.¡±

    ¡°Is that so...? Ummm, perhaps that was the reason why.¡±

    Though she had said so, Hilma did not believe that to be the case.

    Hilma could tell a person¡¯s inner thoughts by the fluctuations in their voice, their expressions, and their partialities.

    This wasn¡¯t some unusual ability, but just something she had picked up over time with experience. It was urate to a certain degree and if those feelings were to be trusted, the Sorcerer King and Albedo were not ying the routine of Good Cop Bad Cop.

    The reason why she wasn¡¯tpletely certain of her own judgement was because it was incredibly difficult to read the Sorcerer King¡¯s thoughts given how he had no facial expressions to speak of. So there was a chance that his assumptions were correct.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. After all, I¡¯ve done so in the past too so I¡¯m quite familiar with it. But...ahhh, how sweet is the Candy to those who had tasted the pain the Whip could inflict. Perhaps we were lied to, perhaps his Majesty the Sorcerer King is a terrifying being that could not empathize with people and his confidants were there to make sure that he doesn¡¯t go overboard. Even so, I would still be inclined to believe him. No...or I wanted to believe him.¡±

    Ladies of the night who were easily swindled by men and were subsequently devastated was something Hilma had seen one too many times. She knew that she was no different than those troubled women she had seen in the past. Even so, she couldn¡¯t resist the Sorcerer King¡¯s ability to draw people closer to him.

    ¡°...Hilma. You¡¯ve bore witness to countless types of men. You¡¯re the best out of us all in terms of understanding people, especially men. Tell the truth, what kind of man is his Majesty the Sorcerer King?¡±

    As a high-ss prostitute, it was true that she had seen all kinds of men, especially those who were high in status or had great authority over people. She had seen that type of men so often that it had be annoying for her.

    If she were topare and contrast them¡ª

    ¡°If I were to describe him with a single phrase, it would be ¡®a merciful master¡¯. He has the rity of mind to think and judge but also the flexibility to amodate his subordinate¡¯s constructive suggestions into his own train of thought. He does not seek schadenfreude as a hobby, which would have been par for the course. How should I put this...right, he just didn¡¯t give off that kind of an aura, you know? Of course, he would still give out punishments callously if he felt they were necessary.¡±

    ¡°That is high praise,ing from you.¡±

    The slightest suggestion of a smile broke out on Hilma¡¯s tear-stained face as sheughed, ¡°ufufu.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Though our master is of the undead, he embodies justice and mercy. Even when he¡¯s being callous, he isn¡¯t being cruel. After all, the consequence of failure is punishment. He could have killed me to send a message to you all, but his Majesty did not do so.¡±

    She didn¡¯t know who had just swallowed audibly, but the sound was reverberating through the spacious room.

    ¡°I hope his Majesty the Sorcerer King will remain with us forever. If it was our master, he would have...¡±

    A depressing silence weighed heavily on their hearts.

    ¡°Hoooooh...¡±

    Someone breathed out the way a missionary would if they had borne witness to a miracle.

    They did not know when that hellish fate would befall them, but as people who had lived in constant fear, this was salvation.

    ¡°I see...so you¡¯re saying that we must be even more loyal than we already are, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Noah. We should do so...now that we know. But the prime minister of the Sorcerous Kingdom, Albedo, is still a terrifying master. I can¡¯t imagine her saying the same words his Majesty the Sorcerer King had said to me...¡±

    Though she had mumbled thatst sentence to herself, herpanions who had heard her all had looks of surprise on their faces.

    It was difficult to read the thoughts of the demon known as Albedo, but her intuition had told her that something was wrong in that moment.

    Perhaps it was because her brain was in overdrive under those extreme conditions.

    Her intuition told her:

    Even though the Sorcerer King could be considered apassionate figure, Albedo was someone who saw people as mere toys. Something like that.

    Hilma really wanted to try her best to make it so that she and herpanions could be direct subordinates under the Sorcerer King. He would be the type of master to reward someone based on their performance and would not treat his subordinates unreasonably.

    ¡°Everyone. Let¡¯s work even harder for his Majesty the Sorcerer King.¡±

    Hilma said to the three in front of her and shared her thoughts. Afterwards, she began seeking assistance from various sources for the task she had been given by the Sorcerer King.

 Volume 14: 2 - Countdown to Extinction (Part 1)

    In the capital city of the Kingdom of Re-Estize, in the Valencia Pce.

    One of the rooms had a kind of heat typical of the number of people gathered inside. Though that number was not high by any means, the room wasn¡¯t spacious either. The point was, the people in that room were so serious and upied with their tasks that they had begun to raise the temperature of the room bit by bit.

    In the center of the room sat a rectangr meeting table and situated on the most important seat in the room was Rampossa III. Sat to his right was the second prince, Zanac, and the rest of the seats had been filled by the Kingdom¡¯s courtiers and ministers. Due to the fact that they were all advanced in years, if you were to take a look around the room, all you would see were white hair on white heads and shiny bald heads.

    If this was a normal situation, everyone except the king would have stood up to pay their respects and then properly initiate the meeting ¡ª this was the protocol after all ¡ª but that was not what had happened. Each one of them had a cup filled with tea in front of them, signifying the potential length of this meeting.

    After confirming that everybody had received the materials they had prepared, Zanac said loudly,

    ¡°Let¡¯s start the court meeting then. The topic of this meeting will be the deration of war we have received from the Sorcerous Kingdom.¡± He had used a term as intense as ¡®deration of war¡¯ in hopes that everyone would treat this meeting with the gravity it deserves.

    The truth was, the white-haired interior minister, who was around the age of his father, had the most displeased expression out of them all. It seemed that he was deeply anxious about the emergency.

    Zanac took a stealthy nce at the side of his father¡¯s face. He was worried the most about his father¡¯s judgment. Was his father still capable of fully understanding how dangerous this situation could be and take appropriate actions against it?

    {He probably has some convictions against the Sorcerer King who had killed ¡®that guy¡¯...}

    He had heard that after his father received news of the Warrior Captain Gazef Stronoff¡¯s death, he was shaken to his core and couldn¡¯t think straight. After it was exined to him how resurrection was not possible, he flew into a rage that had never been seen before. Zanac bore witness to it all as he was there with his father when it urred.

    Since then, his father appeared to have aged quite significantly. He had lost all motivation and was as lifeless as a mannequin constructed out of flesh and bone.

    Would his father, who had been traumatized this much, be able to make a calm judgment against his sworn enemy, the Sorcerous Kingdom?

    {It¡¯ll be up to me then¡ª}

    Zanac felt uneasy so he took a peek at the ministers.

    The topic of this meeting was something that was delivered to them days ago by an envoy from the Sorcerous Kingdom, an official document that bore the royal seal of the Sorcerous Kingdom. The content of the document reads, ¡°A grain convoy meant to serve as humanitarian aid from the Sorcerous Kingdom to the Holy Kingdom had been taken by force by a citizen of the Kingdom. We deem it a hostile action against the Sorcerous Kingdom and hereby dere war on your country.¡±

    The document also bore the seals of other countries that approved of the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s actions.

    As of now, the envoy was staying within the capital, waiting to deliver the Kingdom¡¯s response letter back. Given that this was an officialmunication between countries through documents, it would not have been unusual to give the other side a week or two to respond. Even then, for them to reach consensus on a response, finish their preparations,plete investigations, et cetera would probably take them more time than they have on hand, even if they were to rush through every process.

    ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry, because we have had to investigate two of the six seals on the document from the envoy, it took us quite a bit of time.¡±

    The one who had lowered his head was the minister of foreign affairs, who was also the minister of seals and was in charge of the investigation over the seals approving of the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s decision.

    ¡°The ones we were certain of before were the four from the Sorcerous Kingdom, the Empire, the Draconic Kingdom, and the Holy Kingdom, correct?¡±

    The minister of foreign affairs nodded in response to the minister of finance¡¯s question.

    ¡°That is correct. Of the two remaining ¡ª one was from the Dwarven Nation. Though we had identified the design as Dwarven, the seal still had some variationspared to the ones on the documents we¡¯ve had from them from two centuries ago. After we received the assistance from Re-Blumrusher with the investigation, we found a simr seal, so we judged that it was probably a remake of the original after a certain era. The other seal, the one that was next to the Holy Kingdom¡¯s, appeared to be the seal of the one they call the ¡®Faceless One¡¯.¡±

    ¡°They ced an individual¡¯s stamp alongside the seals of state?¡±

    The minister of military affairs was in total disbelief.

    He was the youngest of the ministers. Both him and Zanac lowered the average age of the room by quite a lot. With that said, he was already over 40.

    His appearance did not do his rank of the minister of military affairs justice; he was skinny, weak, and had a face that suggested he was neurotic. He seemed more of a financial personnel than a military one.

    His rtionship with Gazef had not been great - or rather, he had deliberately unted his dislike of him - so he was not heavily relied upon by Rampossa and had been absent from court meetings quite frequently. Theck of contact between them made Zanac unaware of his capabilities.

    However, since Marquis Raeven had praised his abilities to Zanac, he should be someone who could earn his keep at the very least. No matter what he was like as a person, he should at least bepetent, right? No, if he wasn¡¯t at leastpetent he wouldn¡¯t have made it as a minister.

    ¡°It appears as though the minister of military affairs is not too familiar with this matter. Usually, when the Holy Kingdom applies their national seal on a document, their high priestess would also stamp on the seal of their temple. This must be something simr to that.¡±

    ¡°...so they¡¯re trying to send the message that the ¡®Faceless One¡¯ had already overtaken the authority of their religious institutions, or that she has authority above that of their current religious institutions?¡±

    ¡°Your servant believes that to be the case, your Majesty. The document we received for the current Holy King¡¯s coronation still had the seal of their temple, so it appears that she had begun rapidly consolidating power right after that event. So even though we had never seen the stamp of this ¡®Faceless One¡¯ and could not confirm its validity, since it was stamped next to the national seal of the Holy Kingdom, we could only assume that to be the case.¡±

    ¡°Other than the Council State and the Theocracy, most countries have approved of and joined the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s condemnation of the Kingdom. This wasn¡¯t subterfuge by the Sorcerous Kingdom, but the truth.¡±

    ¡°Yes, your Majesty.¡±

    His father let out a tired sigh.

    ¡°Has the Draconic Kingdom also bent their knees to the Sorcerous Kingdom?¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t be certain, your Majesty, because we have yet to receive intel on what had happened in the Draconic Kingdom. Perhaps they had fallen prey to some honeyed words or perhaps they simply felt that there was more to gain by siding with the Sorcerous Kingdom than siding with us.¡±

    The Dragonic Kingdom was probably only endorsing the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s actions and was not participating in the war itself.

    ¡°Is that so? I understand, minister of foreign affairs. Thank you for your hard work. Now then...interior minister, how many of those within the Kingdom believe in the contents of this document?

    ¡°Yes. Though we¡¯re not too sure about the entirety of the Kingdom, about seven-tenths of those within the court believe this to be a ploy of the Sorcerous Kingdom. About a tenth of us believe that it was done by highwaymen ¡ª that part of the peasantry that would be boorish and foolish enough to do such a thing. The remaining two-tenths believe that this could be the plot of a third nation.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, if it was a plot, their goal would most likely be to weaken the Kingdom and the Sorcerous Kingdom or to simply disrupt the peace between the Sorcerous Kingdom and the Kingdom. If that was the case, it has to be the Council State and the Theocracy.¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, I believe that conclusion to be too rash. There¡¯s also the possibility that the Empire is plotting to overturn its status as a vassal state. After all, if it was the knights of the Empire, they could probably easily charge and overwhelm a convoy.¡±

    ¡°¡ªthat would not be possible. The incident happened on Kingdom soil. Did our investigations not reveal that there were tens of men? Even if it was the Empire or the Council State and the Theocracy, there would be no way they could bring so many soldiers onto our soil behind our backs. Or maybe, they had help from within. Perhaps they had hired bandits within the Kingdom, mercenaries would also be an option ¡ª the specifics does not matter, what matters is that we as a nation hadmitted a mistake.¡±

    The minister of military affairs asserted that it was impossible for this to have been a plot that had been executed by soldiers foreign to the Kingdom.

    Everyone knew how hard he had worked to maintain the public order which had almost copsed within the Kingdom after that battle. He had proven his aptitude through the debacle, perhaps that was why he was so confident in his own judgment.

    ¡°It would have been hard with bandits, but I still hope that we could absorb some mercenaries into our ranks, but we simply do not have the capital to do so.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying that our finances are not in order?¡±

    ¡°I did not say that at all.¡±

    ¡°But you implied it¡ª¡±

    ¡°Minister of finance, minister of military affairs, please stop arguing. We do not have time for that.¡±

    The two lowered their heads upon hearing the king speak.

    The minister of military affairs continued to speak to a now silent room.

    ¡°But, I have no doubt that this is some sort of a plot by someone. I have testimony from the guards at the gates that the caravan was flying the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s g and had a pretty impressive security detail when they left the capital.¡±

    Most of the Kingdom¡¯s people knew of the massacre the Sorcerous Kingdom hadmitted on the Katze ins, so no one within the Kingdom would dare to provoke such a terrifying country.

    If they had to deduce who was behind all of this, there was only one country that checked all the boxes.

    ¡ªThe Sorcerous Kingdom.

    Everything made sense once they considered it as a self-orchestrated, self-performed plot.

    They probably had ordered the caravan to burn or dispose of its cargo ¡ª or maybe they inly did not load those wagons up in the first ce ¡ª and made up the excuse that they were attacked by some non-existent entity. It was hard to imagine a more usible exnation.

    ¡°Zanac, though not much time has passed, how much progress have you made on your investigations?¡±

    ¡°Actually...your son I had already found out who had started this incident.¡±

    The courtiers all had shocked expressions.

    ¡°...It¡¯s just that, that was what made it difficult. We had doubts about it being a conspiracy precisely because it was so easy to find the culprit. Would you be so kind as to give me a bit more time?¡±

    ¡°Of course, we have to investigate the exact details of this incident, but given the situation any amount of intel would be helpful. Can you report on what you have figured out ¡ª what you are absolutely certain of?¡±

    ¡°As you wish, my king. What we are certain of, is that the criminals in question include the one known as Baron Philip Dayton L¡¯Eyre Montserrat and his serfs.¡±

    The courtiers began to speak, ¡°Montserrat?¡± ¡°Have you heard of that name?¡± ¡°A baron and his serfs attacked the convoy?¡± ¡°Were they trying to avenge someone who died in the battle?¡± ¡°Perhaps he¡¯s one of those that does not put much thought into their actions?¡± ¡°Emotions could lead one to go on unexpected rampages, couldn¡¯t they?¡±

    In the midst of this, the one to speak up was the minister of justice who appeared to be pretty miffed,

    ¡°Your Majesty, this...this has to be a scheme of the Sorcerous Kingdom, correct? Your servant could not fathom why a noble of the Kingdom would mastermind something like this.

    ¡°I concur. Is the Sorcerous Kingdom not a country that would nonchntly use [Charm Person] in their courts? It is entirely possible that they couldn¡¯t care less about using equally sleazy methods on a national level. For example ¡ª was that baron being controlled using [Charm Person]?¡±

    The phrase ¡°I see¡± could be heard throughout the room. Zanac couldn¡¯t help but feel regret for leaking that information after hearing the usations the minister made in the second half of rhetoric.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, we need to offer protection to that baron as soon as possible. Though I¡¯m not too versed on the matter, I have heard that the spell called [Charm Person] leaves the victim with the memory of what happened when the spell was cast on them. Therefore he would not remain silent.¡±

    Zanac wasn¡¯t as knowledgeable in magic as the minister, so he had made a rookie mistake.

    ¡°Summon that baron. Investigate what had happened. At the same time, protect him.¡±

    ¡°¡ªmy king,¡± Zanac did not want to say so, but after steeling himself he said, ¡°after we find out what had happened, could we offer the head of that baron as an apology to the Sorcerous Kingdom?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    His father¡¯s gaze was sharp enough that it felt as though it was piercing right through him. Even when he was reduced to a skinny old man, the man who had borne the title of king for the longest time still had an aura that was worthy of praise.

    {I doubt I have the same level of majesty, but, I won¡¯t back down so easily.}

    Even if this was a scheme by the Sorcerous Kingdom, was it really worth fighting a battle on the battlefield the enemy had specially prepared for themselves? He was terrified of the prospect that they would be continually arguing back and forth about whether ¡®it¡¯s a scheme¡¯ or ¡®it¡¯s not a scheme¡¯ up to the point when they will be engaged in a full-scale war.

    Rather than wait for things to get to that point, it would be better to just give up the head of the noble who had started it all sooner thanter and hope that it would de-escte the situation.

    It would be absolutely foolish to fight an opponent who had already demonstrated their superior powers in their previous battle. If a war was to ur, it was hard for him to imagine that the nobles who knew about that tragedy would still send their levies.

    Even if they were willing to send their own soldiers, they would just be endangering themselves.

    ¡°My king, I believe that we should avoid a war with the Sorcerous Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°And so you would be willing to offer an innocent noble as a sacrifice? Is that something the heir to the throne should say? My son, think before you speak.¡±

    Zanac licked his lips and replied,

    ¡°My answer remains the same regardless of what the others may say. I believe that it¡¯s imperative for us to avoid arge loss of life with a small sacrifice.¡±

    ¡°If we were to do that, should we just hand over the head of another loyal servant every time the Sorcerous Kingdomes knocking on our door? Do you understand that simple logic?¡±

    ¡°I understand...but father should have seen the tragedy of the Katze ins which I had not. Would you still risk conflict with the Sorcerous Kingdom with that in mind?¡±

    His father let out a sigh and curled his lips into a straight line. Zanac pressed home his advantage by following up with, ¡°I am against the idea. Allow me to repeat myself, I believe that a war with that kind of country should be avoided at all costs, even if we have to sacrifice an innocent noble.¡±

    His speech was hardly fit for the heir to the throne. He might get called weak behind his back and lose the loyalty of a few courtiers because of this, but Zanac believed that this was the only path through which the Kingdom would survive.

    ¡°...Your Majesty. Your servant supports his Highness¡¯ proposal too.¡±

    The one to agree with him was the minister of internal affairs, but he was about to add on to Zanac¡¯s proposal,

    ¡°Your Majesty, your servant understands your desire to protect all citizens. So how about we just ¡ª be a vassal state of the Sorcerous Kingdom?¡±

    The courtiers began shouting ¡°What are you talking about!?¡±, ¡°Have you lost your sense of honor!?¡±, and so one upon hearing what the minister of internal affairs had to say. The minister ignored them all with his gaze affixed towards Zanac¡¯s father.

    Faced with a suggestion that had branded the suggester a traitor, his father gradually let out a smile.

    ¡°That, I especially cannot do. That would be akin to betraying the loyalty of generations of people who had served this Kingdom. How will we be able to face them then? I apologize to you, earl. Thank you for your suggestion.¡±

    ¡°Your servant did not deserve that apology.¡±

    Zanac saw that they weremunicating on the deeper level through their gazes.

    Would he be able to have courtiers who were this loyal?

    His father was a merciful man, but nothing more. No ¡ª perhaps it was because of this that talented people were willing to serve him. His father was exceptionally talented in recruiting people more talented than him, like the Warrior Captain Gazef Stronoff.

    Zanac felt that it was better for him to be king than his brother, who was more likely to be a puppet of the Eight Fingers or the Noble Faction and doom the country than not. That was why he had worked together with Marquis Raeven to be king or a powerful grand duke to prepare for the future.

    But now ¡ª Zanac couldn¡¯t help but feel inadequatepared to his sister¡¯s genius and his father¡¯s charisma. Even if he became the king, it wasn¡¯t likely that he would have made the Kingdom a better ce.

    The only thing he could do was to improve himself, but it wasn¡¯t such an easy task given his age and personality, plus he never wanted to self-improve anyways. He would probably keep his personality until death.

    ¡°¡ªminister of military affairs, I want to propose a hypothetical. What could we do to win a war against the Sorcerous Kingdom?¡±

    ¡°Could we form an alliance with another country before then? Are we to face them alone?¡±

    Zanac, Rampossa III, and the minister of foreign affairs exchanged gazes. Zanac, as their representative, answered with,

    ¡°We have not been sessful in forging an alliance with the Council State. We had begun negotiations with them way back ¡ª just after that battle had ended. We were not able to form an agreeable alliance back then. If they knew our rtionship with the Sorcerous Kingdom has worsened, the chance of rejection would only go up.¡±

    ¡°Is that so...then your Majesty, though this question may be out of line. What would you consider as the victory condition of this war? Do we have to drive the enemy off in battle? Or do we have to kill ¡ª or rather, destroy the Sorcerer King? If it¡¯s thetter, I do not believe that we have any chance at a victory at all.¡±

    ¡°...minister of military affairs, that would not be the case. What if we only had to force the enemy to withdraw their forces?¡±

    ¡°Let me think about it...¡± the minister of the military tilted his head as he contemted. He came up with the answer, ¡°luck would have to be on our side, but if we were to march an army the long way around and upy E-Rantel while their troops are still marching from E-Rantel towards the capital, we might have a chance to turn the tide of battle.¡±

    ¡°We would have to break through their threeyers of fortifications?¡±

    ¡°Yes, your Majesty. It would be something that could only be aplished if we were able to sneak an army that is asrge we can possibly muster past their defenses ¡ª which was why I said that luck had to be on our side. Of course, if the Sorcerous King, the one who was capable of casting that terrifying spell without breaking a sweat, was to stay in E-Rantel then this n would undoubtedly fail.¡±

    Another way to put this was that if luck was not on their side, they had no chance of victory at all. Zanac wasn¡¯t sure if his father understood the full implications of the minister¡¯s words.

    ¡°If that was the case, then if the Sorcerous Kingdom had invaded us without a formal deration of war, everything would have been over. A surprise attack would have rendered us unable to gather enough troops in time, in which case we wouldn¡¯t even be able to carry out the n.¡±

    It was the tradition for formal derations of war to be passed between nations, a sort of gentleman¡¯s agreement or etiquette.

    To send a formal deration of war was to send the message that ¡®our country respects etiquette¡¯ to the other nations. If they did not do so, they would have been viewed as a barbaric nation, which would have had a seriously negative impact on their diplomatic efforts.

    Between nations of different races, this tradition was not often observed. However, even when nations of different races were involved, it depended on the age, history, diplomatic rtions with their neighbouring countries, and so on.

    So given this context, how would a nation ruled by the undead, which hates the living, conduct itself? Would they provide a formal deration of war?

    ¡°¡ªMy king. As I had expected, we would only have the slimmest chance of victory if we were to go to war. If that is the case, should we not try our best to avoid that oue, by sacrificing a little?¡±

    ¡°Sacrificing a little...?¡±

    ¡°Yes, my king. We should summon that baron at once and put him on trial. Afterwards, we will have him take responsibility for his actions regardless of the oue, and off with his head.¡±

    ¡°...We can¡¯t do that, Zanac. To summon that baron and put him on trial would be fine, but if he was innocent or if we could dere his innocence, I will not do such a thing. I have a better n in mind.¡±

    ¡°A better n...? What is it?¡±

    His father fell silent and shook his head.

    After witnessing that, Zanac concluded that his father was probably lying. If there really was a better n then he should say it out loud. If there wasn¡¯t, he was probably lying to cover for the fact that he had not thought of a good reason on why they should spare that nobleman.

    Zanac felt disappointed by his father and contemted what he should do next.

    {No matter how I look at it, the future of the Kingdom seems grim...Looks like I will have to do it by force.}

    First of all, it was a necessity for them to pin all responsibilities on that baron.

    Though the probability is slim, that baron may have been the source of all of their troubles anyways. In any case, if they could make that the truth, then their problems would be solved.

    However, Zanac couldn¡¯t think of a way to pin all responsibilities on him. What if he was to kill the baron on his way to the capital and then pin the responsibilities on him? His father wouldn¡¯t be able to say otherwise if that was the case.

    Even if his father objects to the n, as long as he could pull it off on his own, everything would be fine. He had considered whether things would turn out this way the moment he had heard of the incident. He had already arrived at a conclusion back then.

    The grave crime of usurping the throne.

    He was so close to inheriting the throne, he didn¡¯t even have to do anything but wait. The number of disadvantages of doing what he was about to do was too many to count. The only advantage of this n was that it solved the problem at hand.

    If that was to be the case then usurpation might be a stupid idea on paper, but if he was to allow the status quo to remain as is, there would not be a Kingdom to speak of soon.

    Zanac had hoped that he could at the very least receive approval from the courtiers present. There was also a need for him to request the services of that man from his sister. Brain Unus was an indispensable part of his n. If Brain was there, they would definitely have the upper hand in terms of strength.

    {¡ªah¡ªhow frustrating! Why do I have to n this out in the first ce! If only the Sorcerous Kingdom did not exist! If only that freakishly powerful undead being did not exist!}

    If not for the Sorcerous Kingdom, if not for its intervention with their annual battle with the Empire, though his brother may have be king already, the Kingdom would still not be forced into the corner as it had been now.

    Zanac cursed in his heart.

    And then, the sound of door knocks could be heard.

    Zanac had a premonition.

    To interrupt a meeting this important, it must be an emergency. To be honest, the way they were knocking on the door was quite violent too.

    Issues of such importance were usually ¡ª no, they were definitely bad news. That was Zanac¡¯s premonition.

    Zanac, as their representative, gave his approval to let them in. A knight panickedly entered the room, just as he had expected.

    ¡°A forerunner from the Sorcerous Kingdom has just notified us that their Prime Minister, Albedo, will arrive at the capital in less than two hours!¡±

    In their previousmunications, the title of Guardian Overseer did not make much sense to them so they had apparently switched her title to that of the easily understandable Prime Minister. Did the arrival of a person of such calibre confirm his apprehension?

    ¡ª-no, wait.

    His premonition was off the mark. This wasn¡¯t bad news ¡ª but the worst news.

    {So ¡ª for what purpose has shee for?}

    The envoy who had brought the official document was not inside this pce. Though he had wanted it to linger within the capital, they did not have the courage to let an undead creature stay with them. This was why it was currently staying within a mansion in the nobility¡¯s portion of the city.

    They had stationed guards around the mansion under the guise of protection, the perimeter was so tightly guarded that not even a slime could make it out without them noticing, but the envoy had apparently yet to contact the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    Could they have beenmunicating through magical means? Or did they n to visit the Kingdom even if the envoy had not returned?

    Also, they had not sent the forerunner before they had departed, but rather thiste into their journey. What for?

    {With that said ¡ª it doesn¡¯t seem as though they¡¯re here to dere war.}

    If they were here to dere war, they would not be sending their second-most powerful official into territories where they were uncertain of what could happen.

    As an envoy from a foreign nation, the Kingdom would not dare harm her ¡ª though she might have that naive idea. However, from Zanac¡¯s perspective, she did not appear to be the kind of person to wander into territories she knew would be dangerous to her.

    ¡°Grant her an audience. Prepare the throne room for an appropriate reception immediately.¡±

    ¡°Yes, your Majesty!¡±

    The knight left the room upon hearing his father¡¯s orders.

    Usually, even if a foreign dignitary was toe to the capital, it wasn¡¯t as though they would be granted an audience with the King on the same day. But, given their current situation, they couldn¡¯t just tell the Prime Minister of the Sorcerous Kingdom things like, ¡°you will be granted an audience in a few days.¡±

    ¡°Everyone, I apologize but can you all switch to more formal attire and gather in the throne room?¡±

    Upon hearing their king¡¯s request, the courtiers including Zanac, lowered their heads.

    --------

 Volume 14: 2 - Countdown to Extinction (Part 2)

    The throne room used for audiences with envoys (there were multiple throne rooms each for separate purposes) wasn¡¯t toorge, but to prepare it so that it was adequate enough for dignitaries was still a sizable timemitment. However, since the guide they had sent was quite slow ¡ª this wasn¡¯t a deliberate move by them to buy them more time ¡ª they had just enough time to prepare the room and gather the courtiers who were now clothed in ceremonious attire before the Prime Minister of the Sorcerous Kingdom, Albedo, arrived.

    The smell of the freshly cut flowers began to permeate the room.

    To Zanac, it all just smelled grassy, but Renner would probably put it as, ¡°Onii-sama probably just has a stuffy nose.¡± or something simr.

    He felt that fresh flowers were unnecessary given that everybody was wearing some sort of perfume, but he understood that there was a certain beauty to the sight of blooming flowers. If that was the case though, why couldn¡¯t they just use fake flowers? Well, since there was no precedent for that, the use of fake flowers could give envoys the wrong impression that they weren¡¯t weed there, that would be troublesome.

    Every race hadparable acts of etiquette, yet the same action could be interpreted differently by different races. So how did the Council State, which was home to various non-human races, manage this issue?

    The reason why this thought came across his mind out of nowhere was because of the horns and wings on the Prime Minister of the Sorcerous Kingdom, Albedo, who had just walked in.

    As the Prime Minister of the Sorcerous Kingdom, the seductive beauty had a dark air of allure about her, unchanged from thest time he had seen her. Her beauty was such that it could almost make them forget that she was a high ranking official of the despicable Sorcerous Kingdom. He wasn¡¯t sure if she had been spoken for, but she was bewitching enough that countries would go to war over her.

    That was the Prime Minister of the Sorcerous Kingdom, Albedo.

    The sound of men who had be instantly love-stricken could be heard throughout the room, the sound they made as they sighed, ¡°ooooh.¡± The nobles who had made those sounds were also obvious in their enraptured ogles.

    The beauty who was able to instantly hold them captive gradually let out a smile that was like that of a loving mother¡¯s. Perhaps no one else in this world could produce such a charming smile.

    Though Zanac¡¯s sister was also considered a beauty, he thought Albedo¡¯s beauty could even outshine hers.

    The only odd aspect about her was her gown.

    If they were at a ball, nothing would be more appropriate than that light-peach coloured gown, but given their current situation, it wasn¡¯t proper at all.

    She couldn¡¯t have worn it by mistake. It had to be on purpose. What is the hidden meaning behind all of this?

    Zanac had no ideas regarding the implications of the different types of gowns worn by women. Perhaps his sister would be able to figure it out, but she wasn¡¯t exactly normalpared to the other women of the aristocracy. With that said, her decision to not spend too much on herself out of disinterest in sprucing herself up had earned Zanac¡¯s respect.

    Zanac stole a nce at his sister.

    She wasn¡¯t wearing her usual gown, but the one she had worn for ceremonies. She couldn¡¯t be wearing the same clothes as she had thest time they weed Albedo, right?

    Though he wanted to tell Renner not to wear that outfit as people would look down on her, her gown wasn¡¯t too out of the ordinarypared to what Albedo wore.

    A few of the courtiers had also noticed that Renner was wearing the same gown she had thest time and had on them bothered expressions, but those expressions only surfaced for a mere moment before subsiding.

    ¡°Long time no see, Albedo-kakka.¡±

    Upon hearing Rampossa¡¯s voice, the nobles who had been enthralled by Albedo¡¯s beauty finally snapped back to reality.

    ¡°Not at all, it¡¯s my fault for not visiting Your Majesty in such a long time.¡±

    Albedo replied with a strikingly appealing voice that matched her appearance. Her back remained straight and the vertical position of her head remained unchanged, just like she had done thest time around. This was in direct contrast to her gentle demeanour, it made clear her belief that humans were too insignificant for her to bow down to.

    ¡°You do not appear to have changed much, that is a relief.¡±

    ¡°The same to you, Your majesty.¡±

    The way the two smiled and looked at each other could lead one to believe that it was just a warm gathering of friends, and nothing more.

    ¡°You appear to be busy, so I will be direct, why have youe here today?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. I¡¯m here regarding our previous affair ¡ª that being how my country¡¯s grain caravan, which was intended to be humanitarian aid to the Holy Kingdom, had been robbed by one of your own.¡±

    Though this was noughing matter, Albedo¡¯s smile remained steadfast from before.

    In contrast, his father had stood up from his throne to say,

    ¡°I see, you are here for that. Then allow me to firstly, apologize for my citizen¡¯s actions.¡±

    His father lowered his head and bowed deeply. The king of a kingdom was epting the words of the other party at face value. In diplomacy, that was something that should not have been done for any reason. In the world of diplomacy, where not even the shrewd were safe from deceit (TL¡¯s note: Éú¤­ñR¤ÎÄ¿¤ò’i¤¯), to confirm the faults of one¡¯s country was a major blunder.

    Nevermind the fact that it was unwise for the head of state to directly apologize for something, because that would be akin to the entire country admitting guilt.

    To have done so would be to damn their country to the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s every whim and fancy. No¡ª

    {Considering that we are trying to avoid an all-out war, this might not have been the worst idea. But if the Sorcerous Kingdom was to demand the head of that noble now, aren¡¯t they bound to do so?}

    He couldn¡¯t imagine that things would turn out this way given what his father had said earlier. If he intended to refuse the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s demands at this point, the one to have apologized should have been someone like Zanac instead of him. After all, the difference in the weight of a head of state¡¯s words and his son¡¯s was worlds apart.

    But just as Zanac¡¯s train of thought reached that point, his father¡¯s subsequent words put him at a loss for words.

    ¡°Now then...would the offering of my own head allow for the Kingdom to receive forgiveness from the Sorcerous Kingdom?¡±

    The moment those words came out of his father¡¯s mouth, it felt as though the entire room had frozen over.

    After his shock had waned, Zanac couldn¡¯t help but feel ashamed of himself from the bottom of his heart.

    This was undoubtedly, his father¡¯s trump card.

    Though the scale of an incident would affect the response, if the gift of repentance was the head of the head of state, the other party had to ept it no matter who they were, right? No, if they were to make further requests beyond what was offered, theirck of magnanimity would surely draw condemnations from everyone.

    His father did not consider himself unfortunate to have to offer up his life, not because he wanted to die, but because to sacrifice oneself for one¡¯s own Kingdom was for a king to insist on.

    His father was a true king.

    Though it was a fact that his father¡¯s weakness was in how he had dealt with matters, it appears as though Zanac had been underestimating his father for a long time.

    ¡°Of course, the Kingdom will take responsibility for the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s grain loss, we could even reimburse twice the amount of grain should you desire it. That is in addition to the offer of my head. What is your opinion on this offer? Albedo-kakka.¡±

    ¡°Hmph...¡±

    Albedo¡¯s facial expression grew heavy. Though she was still a smiling beauty, it was oddly terrifying.

    ¡°...Hehehe, looks like you¡¯ve made a slightly wrong prediction, Rampossa the third?¡±

    Albedo shifted her gaze, apparently to his sister.

    ¡°Was it because you lost that man? Or was it because of something else? Did you find out about the brilliance¡ª¡± Albedo then looked at Zanac, ¡°¡ªof your child, and so decided to have a change of heart?¡±

    ¡°I do not believe that I have had a change of heart...¡±

    ¡°Oh, but you did. If this was the past you, you would not have made that decision...perhaps it was abination of a multitude of factors that had influenced you, but your basis as a person had not changed much? Whatever, that doesn¡¯t matter. In any case, we will not change our policies towards this matter.¡±

    Due to how sudden and peculiar Albedo¡¯s shift in aura had urred, no one noticed it at first. She hadpletely forgone the etiquette expected of an envoy during an audience with a head of state. Even if she was a foreigner, this was not an eptable attitude to disy towards a king who was actively leading his nation. Surprisingly, this attitude of hers felt more natural to Zanac, perhaps because the difference in power between the Kingdom¡¯s King and the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s Prime Minister was warped to begin with.

    Human and fiend.

    From that perspective, her attitude felt the most natural.

    Perhaps that was why. There was an invisible pressure emanating from Albedo that stopped everyone from voicing their displeasure.

    That was only temporary, as the fiend quickly put back on her sheep¡¯s clothing, the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s envoy.

    Albedo surveyed the courtiers who were standing on opposite sides of the aisle and proimed loudly,

    ¡°This is a formal deration of war from the Sorcerous Kingdom. We will deploy our troops a month from this day at noon! However, if you were to march troops towards E-Rantel ¡ª to cross into the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s borders, then we will no longer follow that timeline.¡±

    ¡°Please wait!¡±

    ¡°I have no intention of tarrying any longer. Alright, with that my work here is done. Thest thing I was meant to convey from His Majesty was¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªYou nned for things to turn out this way all along, didn¡¯t you?!¡±

    Said a rage-filled courtier. Albedo squinted her eyes at him. The message conveyed through those eyes was probably menace.

    ¡°You dare interrupt His Majesty the Sorcerer King¡¯s message¡ªhuman. Can you not wait to die a month from now?¡±

    The colors instantly drained from the courtier who had spoken out even though Albedo hadn¡¯t raised her voice by much and hadn¡¯t done anything unusual. Still, the expressions of the courtier, who had been threatened by some feudal lord with soldiers before, changed dramatically due to a stare from a beauty.

    ¡°...Hmph. Now then, allow me to convey His Majesty the Sorcerer King¡¯s message. ¡®I have no intention of using grand magic as I hadst time, let us enjoy the process. That¡¯s all.¡¯¡± After saying so, Albedo had a confused expression on her for the first time ever. ¡°Even if you say that this was a scheme that we had nned out, to bepletely honest, what had urred waspletely out of our expectations. We also wanted to find out how things had turned out this way.¡±

    Albedo appeared to be telling the truth judging from her expression and voice, one wouldn¡¯t believe that she was lying. Of course, the possibility that this was all an act was also incredibly high.

    ¡°If you wish to treat this incident as our nation¡¯s scheme, that is fine by me. History is written by the victors. All of your false usations will soon be erased.¡±

    Zanac understood the stance the Sorcerous Kingdom had adopted for this incident.

    The idea that they could avoid a war was futile.

    The Sorcerous Kingdom had not been seeking to expand its territories through conquest, but rather theplete destruction of the Kingdom. It was safe to say that war was inevitable. In a month, the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s undead will surely be marching into the Kingdom¡¯s borders.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to escort me, I do not wish to take up any more of your precious, limited time.¡±

    After Albedo exhibited the attitude that told them that she had said all that she had wanted to, she turned her back on the rest of them and walked out the door.

    Was it truly advantageous for the Kingdom to let her go withoutying their hands on her at all?

    If they killed this woman who held the office of a Prime Minister, would it plunge the politics of the Sorcerous Kingdom into chaos temporarily and make them unable to start a war?

    However, one look upon the back of her dignified figure made him hesitate.

    As Zanac pondered the possibilities, no one dared to stop Albedo from leaving the room.

    The giant doors were shut just as Albedo¡¯s silhouette disappeared over the side of the doorframe. Zanac said to his father,

    ¡°What should we do? If we chase her...¡±

    ¡°Do not do anything of that sort. If we were to do something like kill the envoy of another nation, the me for this entire situation will fall on our shoulders. Then no other nations would evere to our aid.¡±

    His father replied with a feeble voice as he ced his hand onto his forehead, as if he¡¯s having a headache. Zanac felt as though his father had just rapidly aged somewhatpared to just a few moments ago.

    ¡°Your Majesty. Your servant wishes to spread the news that you had offered your head as a gift of repentance to every nation.¡±

    ¡°...Yea, I will leave that to you, Minister of Foreign Affairs. If you did that...in the worst-case scenario...¡±

    ¡°Please, do not speak of the worst-case scenario. Will we not be fine as long as we manage to defeat the Sorcerer King¡¯s army?¡±

    ¡°Yea, yea. You are correct.¡±

    The Minister of Foreign Affairs¡¯ words restored some color to his father¡¯s face, but the smile he had was still one filled with grief.

    ¡°Zanac, Renner. I have something to tell you. Could youe to my roomter? Now then, I do apologize to everyone gathered here, but we will have to convene in another hour to discuss what will happen in a month.¡±

    The courtiers all lowered their heads and bowed.

    After the chief of the guards escorted his father out of the room, Zanac and Renner left together.

    Though Climb and Brain waited outside the room as Renner¡¯s guards, Renner told them to wait in her room so they just watched as Zanac and Renner left.

    The two walked shoulder to shoulder through the corridors.

    ¡°So, sister. Do you know why father has summoned us?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I believe it¡¯s for the same reason as the one onii-sama has in mind right now.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Is father about to show us the delicious desserts that Albedo-kakka had brought over?¡±

    ¡°Yes! As expected of onii-sama, I believe that to be the case too!¡±

    Zanac stared at Renner with his eyes wide open for a second, to which Renner responded with a smile as if nothing had just happened. This woman¡¯s such a pain to deal with.

    ¡°What do you n to do?¡±

    ¡°Um¡ª¡±

    Renner ced her index finger below her chin and tilted her head towards the side. Zanac saw what she was doing and intentionally sighed heavily.

    ¡°What do you get out of acting cute in front of your own brother? Go act for Climb instead, he¡¯s the one who¡¯s gullible.¡±

    ¡°Onii-sama, that was really rude of you. I¡¯ll try this with Climb next ¡ª though I did not n to do so. Isn¡¯t onii-sama¡¯s the one who should be asked about what he¡¯s nning to do?¡±

    ¡°Me, I want to run away. But, that wouldn¡¯t be possible. The Sorcerous Kingdom would surely hunt us down.¡±

    ¡°I was thinking the same thing you know?¡±

    For a woman who wished to marry a man whose social status was far from hers and had intentionally partnered up with Zanac, that reply was too straight. Zanac had thought that Renner would be the type to value her survival more and would have nned to leave the pce by tomorrow or something. Perhaps she too understood how impossible it was for them to escape from the grasps of the Sorcerous Kingdom, and thus snuffed her desires to do so.

    Zanac stole a nce at Renner but could not tell her feelings on that matter through her expressions alone.

    After the both of them had entered the room, the first words from their father¡¯s mouth was just as he had expected.

    ¡°Zanac, Renner. Leave this ce at once. You are only just the prince and princess of this country, there is no need for the two of you to die alongside it.¡±

    The two of them looked at each other and answered in unison that¡ª

    They did not intend to do so.

    The expression on their father¡¯s face was bittersweet.

    ¡°Is that so...but, there is still time. If you two change your minds, tell me immediately.¡±

    Though he did not believe that his intentions would change, a man¡¯s mind was most prone to falter.

    Zanac gently nodded his head towards his father.

    Renner, who was beside him, did the same.

    2

    The children, upon seeing that Brain had returned, ran towards him.

    ¡°Os-san, you¡¯re back!¡±

    ¡°Os-san, os-san!¡±

    (TL¡¯s note: an informal form of oji-san, a weird middle ground between ¡®old man¡¯, ¡®sir¡¯, ¡®uncle¡¯, etc. so there is no direct English analogue)

    The ten children surrounded Brain, nine boys and a girl. They were all orphans. Brain had taken those who he had believed to have some sort of potential, allowed them to live with him, and were training them in the art of swordsmanship.

    Because they grew up in a rough environment, they fully understood the importance of violent force and were able to keep up with his harsh training regimen. Having said that, they were still just children so Brain was still unsure if they could meet his expectations. Surely if they continued to train like this, they would be able to, at the very least, reach Climb¡¯s level.

    The children stunk of sweat but it wasn¡¯t offensive to Brain. After all, he would be the same after training, this was proof that the children had been working hard.

    ¡°Oy oy, you guys. Are you done with practice?¡±

    ¡°Break¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve practiced so much¡ª¡±

    ¡°My hand¡ª¡±

    Because they all responded at once, it was hard to fully understand what they were trying to say, but they hadpleted their practice, that much he did understand.

    ¡°Now then, go take a break. Remember, I told you guys that breaks are part of training too, right?¡±

    The children agreed in a cacophony of noises.

    ¡°I¡¯ll practice with you guys after a while, do not tell me that you¡¯re too tired to practice by then, do you understand?¡±

    The children, once again, agreed in a cacophony of noises.

    ¡°Good! Remember to also fill up on water. Also, don¡¯t forget to fill up on salt just because you have been sweating so much!¡±

    A few of the children said ¡°We get it already¡± or ¡°Os-san¡¯s so naggy¡± but the majority of them replied that they understood.

    ¡°Good, now go. Oh, right. Before you go, where are those two?¡±

    The oldest of the bunch, their representative, told him, ¡°in the backyard.¡±

    Brain responded with an ¡°oh¡±, bid goodbye to the children, and walked towards the backyard.

    The children returned to the house to dine on the food and drinks they had received from the elderly couple who had been expecting them and to probably take a nap afterwards.

    Good exercise, good diet, and good sleep. That was how excellent muscles were built.

    Brain nodded his head in satisfaction.

    ¡°You made me wait for so long.¡±

    A woman¡¯s voice called out as Brain entered the backyard.

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry. I had to prepare in advance to apany Her Highness the Princess on her meetings with the nobility, merchants, and so on, so I was a bitte.¡±

    There was a man and a woman there, who had been instructing the children before he arrived.

    The woman who was speaking to Brain curled up her hair into the shape of a bun, apparently a hairstyle that was called ¡®Magay¡¯ in the South.

    (TL¡¯s note: iplete pronunciation of ¡®Marumage¡¯)

    Her appearance, rather than being what one would usually consider beautiful, gave off the impression that she was icy and acute. She wasn¡¯t too tall, perhaps a bit shorter than most women her age.

    The other person there, the man, remained silent.

    Though he had an indifferent attitude which could make one think that he was unhappy, that was not the case. He raised a hand as his form of greeting to Brain.

    He was just not apt at expressing himself. Brain had actually heard him talk quite a few times in the past, but his voice was as quiet as an ant¡¯s.

    The man wasn¡¯t too tall either. He had short legs but was otherwise physically fit, but if a rumour was to spread that he had dwarven heritage, he wouldn¡¯t have much in the way of a proof against it.

    The two were both counted in the Six Great Disciples of the dojo of the swordsman known as Vesture Croff di Leoghain.

    Brain had his reservations on how they taught, in his mind, his practical swordsmanship training was more useful than their performative swordsmanship practice.

    Compared to waving air around for a few hundred times, training with a real sword ¡ª even if it was a mock sword ¡ª was much more effective. Brain believed that his method would allow one to gain more muscle memory than simply exercising one¡¯s body.

    However, this was a good way to allow them to learn the techniques first and build up a foundation solid enough that they would be less likely to die in actualbat.

    It was hard to say definitively which side was right or wrong.

    Though they all had gained strength, they hadpletely different ways of living.

    It would be troublesome for Brain if the children die inbat before they even had the chance to fully realise their talents. That was why he opted to have the children train with the two, while passing down his own experiences; as a result, the children¡¯s training regimen had be harsher.

    ¡°Were their amodations finalized?¡±

    ¡°Yup, they were finally finalized. They¡¯re scheduled to travel northwest ¡ª with a group of merchants operating in a city close to Council State.¡±

    The woman frowned a little.

    ¡°It¡¯s been two weeks since the Sorcerous Kingdom dered war on us, but there hasn¡¯t been news of either country¡¯s armies mobilizing. ording to some rumours I¡¯ve heard, the Sorcerous Kingdom only wants to force the Kingdom to back down in some negotiation and does not actually want to fight a full-on war? If that was true, wouldn¡¯t that render Mr. Unus¡¯ efforts in vain?¡±

    ¡°Would that Sorcerer King really do such a thing?¡±

    If Brain had not met the Sorcerer King in person, he would have believed that this was just a negotiation tactic too. But as a witness to that tragic battle, it was hard for him not to doubt that the Sorcerer King was plotting something. Perhaps he was preparing to cast that spell again.

    Had Brain¡¯s uneasiness spread to her? The woman spoke in a hushed tone,

    ¡°...Mr. Unus had met with that Sorcerer King?¡±

    ¡°Not only have I met him, I bore witness to his duel with Gazef...hmmm, I still don¡¯t know what happened to Gazef till this day.¡±

    Her gaze shifted towards Brain¡¯s waist.

    Sheathed by his side was one of the treasures of the Kingdom, the Razor Edge.

    This was something that was granted to him when the war was dered, even though he had turned it down on numerous asions. To Brain, this sword was too heavy of a burden for him to bear so he treated it as something that was entrusted to him for safekeeping only. He did not intend to unsheathe the sword.

    Though this sword was like a hot potato that he would rather pass on to someone else, if that person could not match Gazef Stronoff¡¯s abilities, he did not intend to just give it away so easily.

    ¡°A duel with Mr. Stronoff? I...¡±

    She stopped herself before she couldplete that sentence.

    Perhaps she wanted to say something along the lines of, ¡°I wish I was there to witness it too.¡± Brain did not think too much of it, after all she was a warrior too. To wish to bear witness to Gazef¡¯s duel was natural for them.

    No, it was more appropriate to say that he wanted her to witness it too. He had just said that he still could not figure out what had happened during that duel, so if someone else could exin it to him that would be best.

    ¡°I think the Sorcerer King is plotting something, but I¡¯m not sure what exactly he is plotting, I don¡¯t have a basis for that thought after all. My instincts are ring rms right now, and I tend to trust my instincts without question.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s the warrior instincts of someone like Mr. Unus, then it just might be true...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure on the specifics...anyways, we have to get these brats out of this ce as soon as possible. Even if I die, they could still make a living for themselves with the swordsmanship I¡¯ve taught them ¡ª even if it¡¯s not that significant of a skill.¡±

    ¡°...actually, our sensei had told us the same thing as Mr. Unus, that the Sorcerous Kingdom is plotting something in the dark. So when the children are to be sent away¡ª¡± the woman looked towards the silent man next to her, ¡°¡ªcould you request that he go along with them?¡±

    ¡°What? Would he do that?¡±

    He nced at the man who gave him a silent nod. He appeared to be annoyed, but that was probably not the case.

    It wouldn¡¯t be inurate to say that this man was patient with children.

    Though all of the Six Great Disciples had been here at some point, the one the children liked the most out of them all was him.

    ¡°Yes, sensei appeared to have given it some consideration already. As long as he lives, our swordsmanship could continue being passed down through the generations.¡±

    In other words, they had the same thought as Brain.

    If that was the case, he had no reason to reject their request.

    ¡°I do not mind as long as your end is fine with it. Having said that, I am grateful for you all. I¡¯ll go speak to the merchants who will be taking them away.¡±

    Brain heard the man say something in his tiny voice, probably something like, ¡°please take good care of him¡± or something.

    Brain raised his hand as a response, to which the man responded in kind by deeply nodding his head.

    ¡°Now then, after the brats have rested up it¡¯ll be my turn to train them. Sorry to have troubled the both of you to train them while I was away.¡±

    Gratitude was the only thing that flowed out of his mouth. Even though he hadn¡¯t paid them much, they still took the time to teach the children.

    Their sensei Vesture had probably considered the fact that Brain was one who wielded outstanding swordsmanship and so wanted to introduce his Six Great Disciples to him, perhaps making Brain owe him a favour in the process, so Brain¡¯s gratitude was not that great. The Six Great Disciples were different on the other hand, perhaps they had their interests piqued at the prospect of being able to train children that someone who could beat them handily, Brain, had judged had potential, or perhaps they were just interested in passing down skills to the children that they could use to survive? In any case, they were motivated to help the children without any ulterior motives from the start.

    Because he had been acting as the personal bodyguard of the princess, he had toe into contact with those annoying nobles. This was why people as straightforward as the Six Great Disciples shone even brighter in his eyes.

    ¡°...I do have to say that I was quite impressed by how magnanimous Mr. Unus really was. To have adopted these children and teach them skills so that they could survive...¡±

    Brain¡¯s expression darkened.

    He hadn¡¯t done any charity that was worthy of such praise.

    ¡°Stop ttering me. I¡¯m not that nice of a guy. While it¡¯s true that I picked these children up from the slums, it was for a purpose. There were ones that were on the verge of death yet I still walked past them without lifting a finger to help. If you want to praise someone for their charity, do it to someone who actually deserves it ¡ª like the princess for example.¡±

    He could see that the woman had a perplexed expression, but he wasn¡¯t sure what had caused it.

    ¡°Are you talking about Princess Renner-sama? About how she had funded her orphanage? It¡¯s true that the princess had done something extraordinary, but I believe that Mr. Brain had also aplished what no other person could. Aren¡¯t you both equally worthy of praise?¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like I could get through to you. Think whatever you want to, but don¡¯t do it in front of me. I¡¯d have heartaches from the guilt alone.¡±

    ¡°Then I do apologize.¡±

    ¡°...No, don¡¯t think too much about it, it was a joke. I¡¯m not innocent enough to feel guilt from something so small.¡±

    Brain shifted his gaze away from the shocked expression on her face and looked towards Gazef Stronoff¡¯s, now Brain¡¯s, residence.

    His thoughts were of the children who had just had their fill and were probably sleeping right now.

    --------

    Mini-FAQ:

    Q: "Schadenfreude"?

    A: It was the most sinct word for that concept, the direct English analogue "Epicaricacy" has questionable etymological roots. I¡¯ll probably switch out that word for its literal meaning in the final product.

    Q: What¡¯s with these new characters¡¯ names?

    A: Treat them all as ceholders until I find the rhyme and reason behind Maruyama¡¯s naming scheme, which appears to be non-existent for the time being.

    Q: Tripcode?

    A: Yes, by popr demand, there you go. Though I will say that I don¡¯t really trust them having witnessed a few of them being breached in the past. At least this will stop clop anon, though I do have to admit that it was quite funny the first few times around.

    Q: Where are we at?

    A: As of this part: 189/568

 Volume 14: 2 - Countdown to Extinction (Part 3)

    In a room on the ninth floor of Nazarick, approximately a month after the war was dered.

    In one of the rooms that was reserved for potential new guild members were Ainz and the Floor Guardians. They sat around a C-shaped desk, reading through the documents prepared for this meeting.

    As a side note, it wasn¡¯t just the Floor Guardians who were there, behind each of them stood an equal number of Ordinary Maids and behind Ainz stood Pestonia. They were there to take care of the asional odd job and thus stood silently behind them all.

    Ainz could not grasp the reasoning behind why they were silent, apparently it was to symbolize that they were tools, ready to be used. For that reason, Ainz paid them no attention at all to satisfy their wishes.

    ¡°Umu...¡±

    Ainz read the documents in earnest but felt as though his focus was being sapped away by Pestonia¡¯s presence behind him. Still, he tried to focus his attention on the task as best as he could.

    Since they had to exchange their opinions on the subject matterter on, it was natural for Ainz to have anxious thoughts such as, {how embarrassing it would be if I were to say something crazyter on.}

    In any case, this was different from the documents that Albedo usually sent from Nazarick regarding topics such as politics, economics, andw; this was something that even someone like Ainz could understand.

    Even with the utmost amount of kindness, Ainz¡¯s intelligence could only be judged as average at best. To ask someone to find the qualities within him that would qualify him to rule over a country would be to impose unto them the impossible. That was not to say that he waszy, in fact he was the diligent type to try his best at everything that was thrown at him. This was further exacerbated by the misunderstandings held by the NPCs of Nazarick, whose intelligence was iparably higher than his. In order to meet their expectations, Ainz could not afford to bezy.

    At first, he was doing so out of his desire to keep the NPCs loyal, but now it was more out of his desire as a father figure to not disappoint his children.

    It hade to a point where he was reading books on self-development and business. He had also been trying his best to improve himself inbat tactics, one of the only subjects he could im expertise in.

    Though it was safe to leave everything up to Albedo and the rest, there were still a lot of things that they found to be necessary to consult with Ainz. If he were to say anything stupid when that timees and they were to respond with, ¡°As Ainz-sama wills, it shall be done,¡± and take immediate action, it could cause serious coteral damage. To avoid that oue, Ainz¡¯s personal growth was imperative.

    Because of this, Ainz had taken a particr interest in this document and was even more focused on it than he would have usually been.

    Ainz, upon finishing most of it and confirming that the appointed time hade, said,

    ¡°Now then. Has everybody finished reading?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Ainz-sama.¡±

    As their representative, Albedo took a nce at everybody and replied.

    ¡°Excellent. Now ¡ª wait, before that. Though it has been a month since we dered war against the Kingdom, they have not noticed our invasion at all. They must still think that our forces are still holed up in E-Rantel. Demiurge, good job. Your ability to deftly manage everything so that not a single piece of intel was leaked was seriously impressive.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m grateful to receive my master¡¯spliments.¡±

    ¡°On the same note, to have threatened a portion of the Kingdom¡¯s nobility into rebelling was also a splendid aplishment, Albedo.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Albedo, like Demiurge, lowered her head.

    ¡°¡ªUmu. This current matter is of greater importance, so report to me in detail about what you have done after this.¡±

    Ainz knocked on one of the pages in the document with the back of his finger and confirmed that the both of them had understood what he had meant. He nodded in a fashion that suited his status as overlord and scanned the guardians before him. Though the maids who were within his sightline were looking towards him with serious eyes, he resisted the urge to pay attention to them.

    ¡°Very well then, let us exchange our opinions on this matter. First of all, the fact that we were able to conquer cities even when this tactic was employed pleases me greatly. Cocytus, you¡¯ve done well.¡±

    ¡°I. Am. Grateful. For. My. Master¡¯s. Praise. But. This. Was. Only. Possible. Because. Of. The. Undead. Army. Ainz. Sama. Had. Lent. Me. That. Is. To. Say. That. This. Was. Ainz. Sama¡¯s. Aplishment. It. Would. Not. Be. Incorrect. To. Say. That. I. Did. Nothing.¡±

    ¡°It is just as Cocytus has said¡ª¡±

    Ainz extended out his hand to stop Albedo before she could finish her sentence.

    ¡°¡ªthere is no need to tter me. Cocytus, just candidly ept my appreciation. I have said as much, you¡¯ve done a great job this time.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Thank. You. Very. Much!¡±

    ¡°Excellent. Now then, we have been able to subjugate the Kingdom¡¯s cities without any trouble at all.¡±

    At the onset of the war between the Sorcerous Kingdom of Ainz Ooal Gown and the Kingdom, they had adopted the tactic to attack the eastern part first and then march towards the north. The western side of the Kingdom ¡ª where the capital resides ¡ª was not marched upon at all.

    The main purpose of this tactic was to prevent reinforcements from other nations from interfering with the war, and to encircle the Kingdom by gaining control over the border with the Council State and others.

    This was Cocytus¡¯ strategy, a move that Ainz himself also considered to be exceptional.

    ¡°I have found this result to be more than satisfactory ¡ª Now then, Demiurge and Albedo, regarding the information lockdown, the report indicates that it is highly likely that that n will seed. My question is, under what condition will it fail? Demiurge, answer me as their representative.¡±

    ¡°Yes! We have fully established surveince on every street, we have also sent shadow demons to scout out the neighbouring cities. But, if there are hermits or druids, people who live outside of civilization, we would not be able to keep an eye out for them. If information were to leak, it would be from them.¡±

    ¡°Then discuss the matter with Albedo, strengthen the surveince until those you have mentioned can also be found.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°Now then, next is¡ª¡± Ainz switched documents and continued flipping, ¡°umu...a few cities have perished already, huh?¡±

    Within these pages were exhaustive documentations on who used what strategy topletely destroy which city. The most recent entry was about a city that was destroyed by Cocytus.

    ¡°...To fearlessly attack a city with a small force, wlessly destroy the city, and butcher all of its inhabitants. Just like Cocytus had done, the rest of you have also thought up various kinds of ways to conquer city after city and vige after vige. I am truly impressed.¡±

    The Sorcerous Kingdom had initiated a brutal war in which their policy was topletely destroy every city and vige in their way and massacre all of its inhabitants. All that was left behind after the Sorcerous Kingdom army¡¯s unanticipated attack was lifeless piles of ash and rubble.

    Speaking of which, Ainz had suddenly be more conscious of someone¡¯s gaze, which should have been fixated on him.

    He wasn¡¯t doing these horrendous and ruthless acts because he wanted to, there was a purpose behind them. {Hopefully she coulde to understand it,} Ainz thought to himself.

    ¡°Thank you very much, Ainz-sama.¡± Albedo lowered her head, prompting the other Floor Guardians to follow suit. ¡°To meet Ainz-sama¡¯s expectations from this day forward, we will devote ourselves wholeheartedly to making improvements.¡±

    ¡°¡ªAh, umu. I gratefully ept every Floor Guardians¡¯ determination and loyalty. Next is¡ª¡±

    {That¡¯s about it, right?}

    Ainz faked a cough and continued,

    ¡°¡ªbut, I am concerned that none of you have failed.¡±

    Before the guardians could react with their baffled expressions, Ainz added,

    ¡°Cocytus, you tasted defeat during the battle with the lizardmen. I assume that you learnt a lot from that experience?¡±

    ¡°It. Is. Just. As. Ainz. Sama. Has. Surmised. I. Learnt. A. Lot. From. That. Experience.¡±

    ¡°That was what I was talking about, you learn more from your failures. No, I¡¯d argue that there are some lessons that could only be learnt from failures.¡±

    This was true back in Yggdrasil, one would only think of how they could improve if they were to lose.

    Job resets, different equipment, and new tactics. If one were to always win, they would becent, numb and careless. They would have lost their drive to self-improve.

    {Though there were exceptions to this rule like Touch Me-san.}

    He had not experienced defeat all that often yet continually strived to be stronger. A man who sought out the best job synergies to min-max his performance to the point of obsession, should be considered an outlier when thinking of the average yer.

    Putting those exceptions aside, Ainz believed that there existed some things that you could only learn through defeat.

    That was why he was hoping for some failures in their city-conquering efforts.

    This was a part of the n where failures would not have mattered much, they could retry as many times as they wanted. They had to be prepared for a future battle that was bound to happen, one in which if they were to lose, it would amount to aplete defeat. They had to fail now to build up enough experience in order to avoid failing when that timees.

    Since they were incurring a massive loss of life, it had to result in Nazarick gaining some form of a benefit. That¡¯s right, the lives lost should be used in the most beneficial way possible.

    There was one other thing ¡ª Ainz decided that he should make preparations for this after he had heard the wishes of those two.

    {Let¡¯s go, this next thing will determine whether I¡¯ve won or lost.}

    ¡°Those who are wise¡ª¡± He couldn¡¯t think of what to say after that, he had forgotten the script he had prepared. ¡°Forget about that. Those who are stupid, learn through their experiences. Now I¡¯m not saying that you all are stupid, but I am pointing out the fact that even idiots could understand the necessity of collecting experiences.¡±

    Ainz was disappointed in himself.

    Why did he forget what he wanted to say during this crucial moment? Why was he this useless?

 Volume 14: 2 - Countdown to Extinction (Part 4)

    Why were those who were well-spoken also smart? How were they able to spew out the words and phrases they had learnt nonstop? Usually, even if someone were to forget what they were about to say, they wouldn¡¯t stop {there}, would they?

    There was only one probable conclusion, their brains were built differently.

    ¡°...Haaah...No matter if we were to destroy the Kingdom¡¯s cities or massacre its citizens, it is not too much of a hassle given the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick¡¯s power. But, our focus should be on cumting experience. If we were to face a much more difficult situation, the lessons you have learnt from this war could be of help.¡±

    Ainz had experienceunching attacks on enemy bases and sieging cities during past guild wars and other simr events. However, that was back in Yggdrasil. The knowledge that he had gained from the game must be implemented in reality properly.

    In that context, the experience they had gained from the different methods they had employed to destroy different types of cities will undoubtedly be of use in the future.

    The Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick had to strengthen itself. The belief that Ainz Ooal Gown and the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick were the only guild and guild base in this world was a naive one. Ainz exists in this world, therefore there must be other yers and guilds in this world too, perhaps due to arrive in the future.

    To prepare for that future, it was a necessity for this organization to bolster its own strength.

    Indeed, it was imperative for all of them to have personal experiences in these matters.

    Ainz continued on to the guardians who were intently listening to him,

    ¡°Speaking of our current situation, I could feel that the burden of responsibility has been growing ever so heavier on every Floor Guardian. At the same time, the number of people like you who I could entrust these jobs to are far and few between.¡±

    The Floor Guardians ¡ª excluding Victim ¡ª were all strong level 100 beings that could give Ainz a run for his money. The Area Guardians were weaker than the Floor Guardians so Ainz felt uneasy at the suggestion of bringing them outside, where there could be strong enemies. This was why the number of tasks given to the Floor Guardians had been increasing.

    ¡°However, if we were to keep up the status quo, multiple issues will begin to surface. When the Sorcerous Kingdom of Ainz Ooal Gown hase to subjugate a vast enough territory, the Area Guardians will take up responsibility for a wide range of tasks. Perhaps a day wille when even the management of warfare will have to be delegated to someone.¡±

    ¡°¡ªthat is to say that our master wishes those who are without experience to have a personal history of their own, correct?¡±

    Demiurge started spouting unintelligible things again. But, what he said about forming a history of their own more or less hit the mark. It sounded pretty cool too.

    ¡°¡ªThat¡¯s correct. It is just as you have surmised, Demiurge.¡±

    Though he did not feel as though it could be conveyed properly, Ainz still smiled while using his practised ¡®What a No-Nonsense Ruler Would Sound Like!¡¯ voice.

    Speaking of which, normally if he were to hear himself using that voice through a recording he would not be able to stand the amount of cringe he felt, but he didn¡¯t really think too much about it now. After all, he felt that his emotions would get suppressed quickly if he had imagined the voice that he was using.

    Anyways, Demiurge¡¯s ¡®history¡¯ idea was a good one.

    They had gained the knowledge of various types of methods to siege cities during this invasion against the Kingdom, and they should record all of it down in a book or something. With the Area Guardians as their focus, the denizens of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick should be able to gain some knowledge through these shared experiences, right?

    Of course, as the saying goes, ¡®a picture is worth a thousand words¡¯, those who had experienced something first hand could learn more from it than those who had only heard about it afterwards. However, he felt that they would not be able to have many more opportunities like this one.

    ¡°Now then Floor Guardians, from this day onwards, try toe up with as many unique strategies to siege cities. Demiurge and Albedo, both of you are far too brilliant for this, so just listen and note down the others¡¯ proposals. From my perspective, up till now Shalltear has been the most creative in her strategies.¡±

    ¡°I-is Ainz-sama talking about how I used the frost dragons to drop soldiers in from the sky-arinsu?¡±

    ¡°That is correct. I believe that it was because I had entrusted Shalltear with all the transportation-rted tasks that she was able toe up with that idea. With this tactic as the basis, we could organize - what was it called again? Paratroop? To be able to organize something like that isn¡¯t bad at all.¡±

    She had not just used dragon breaths for hit-and-run tactics, but to drop soul eaters from 500 meters above into the city. The soul eaters would heal themselves, then rampage through the city killing masses with their aura.

    Even if it was soul eaters, to drop them from 500 meters up would inevitably incur some damage. In this world, eleration due to gravity did not seem to be affected by air resistance so one¡¯s free-fall velocity could increase infinitely. That may or may not have been the case, but Ainz did not want to spend the time and effort on that kind of experiment, so he did not have detailed information.

    Soul eaters were able to activate an aura that consumed souls to convert them to HP, which meant that this strategy included a way to negate the fall damage taken by the units almost immediately.

    ¡°Though that n was a failure in some aspects ¡ª but it was a good lesson to learn from for the future. Long story short, they were smashing through rooftops.¡±

    Auraughed as she read through the report and Ainz did the same in his mind. Of course, they were notughing at Shalltear¡¯s strategy, it was just something that they had not expected, but was so obvious in hindsight.

    Of the soul eaters who were dropped from above, an individual bounced off some pointed rooftops, flew off at an odd angle, and took more damage than they had expected. That was still betterpared to the one who smashed through the roof, tried to ram down the doors, and ended up getting stuck.

    Of the four that were dropped, only one of them wound up immobilized. The sample size was small, but the rate of failure ended up quite high nheless. ¡°It would be best to conduct this experiment a few more times, we may be able to gain valuable data from these dropped troops.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°I will leave it to you then, choose a few cities to experiment on.¡±

    ¡°As Ainz-sama wills it, I will draw up and execute those ns immediately.¡±

    The other details that caught Ainz¡¯s eye included how 300 elder liches were used to carpet bomb a city by synchronizing their [Fireball] spells and how assassins were sent to assassinate the head of a city, whereupon the invasion wouldmence whilst the city was plunged into chaos.

    These records on the methods they had used to destroy the cities were not just useful to educate the Area Guardians, but they were also useful as a study of what strategies an enemy could employ to invade Nazarick.

    Ainz sighed internally.

    Perhaps the guardians thought that he was being too paranoid.

    If Nazarick was truly invincible, there would be no need to do these things, but that could not be possible.

    Absolutely impossible.

    ¡°¡ªThis is to prepare for our inevitable fight against a guild that is as strong if not stronger than us.¡±

    After Ainz had finished speaking, the guardians responded that they would obey in unison.

    ¡°Now then ¡ª it is about time that we begin our next siege.¡±

    Ainz nced at Albedo ¡ª because Ainz did not have eyeballs, most people could not notice that his gaze was on them. He had had to turn his head to face them most of the time but Albedo was perceptive enough to notice without him doing so ¡ª Albedo nodded in a manner that seemed to convey the message, ¡°It is just as Ainz-sama has said.¡±

    ¡°Speaking. Of. Which, Ainz. Sama. The. Amount. Of. Troops. We. Have. Deployed. For. This. War. Seemed. To. Be. Scant, What. Was. The. Reason. For. That?¡±

    Ainz immediately froze up.

    He could not think up an answer to such a logical question. To be honest, he thought he would be able to hold the stage much better than he was right now. Demiurge and Albedo had not been raising any questions, he had hoped that Cocytus and the rest would do the same too¡ª

    {¡ªso that¡¯s why. Because Cocytus had experienced defeat during the battle with the lizardmen, I had instructed him back then to think for himself.}

    No matter how you look at it, the source of his misery was always what he had said in the past. Why? No, what he had said back then was correct. From the perspective of him wanting to strengthen Nazarick, his statements were fine. It was because of what he had said back then that Cocytus could have the growth that he had today.

    Why did Ainz arrange for an amount of troops that could not guarantee them victory? The exnation was not thatplicated, but it wasn¡¯t one that he could just tell the Floor Guardians about.

    Why was that? It was because the exnation could bring about Nazarick¡¯s downfall.

    Ainz gulped down his (nonexistent) saliva.

    He had remained silent for too long. He had to say something, something that would seem to make sense.

    ¡°Speaking of which, it was the same when we were storming the neighbouring towns and cities. A small portion of the people were allowed to escape, right? What was the reason for that?¡±

    ¡°Cocytus and Aura¡¯s questions were to be expected, perhaps there are others amongst you who have had the same questions in mind.¡± Ainz surveyed those in front of him to be met with every Floor Guardian nodding their heads. ¡°...I see. Well, let us observe how our first battle will unfold. Afterwards, I will tell you the reason why.¡±

    Ainz was just dragging things out, leaving these bothersome problems for his future self.

    ----

    Situated at the North end of the Kingdom facing the Rhynd sea was the city of E-Na¨¹ru.

    It was thergest city within Earl Na¨¹a¡¯s demesne, a city that was blessed by the sea.

    Even though it was thergest city within the domain, if you were to head east across the demesne¡¯s border, you would not be too far off from the city famous for its naval port, Re-Urovua. That city had morendmass and ships docked within its ports, the only advantage E-Na¨¹ru had over that city was probably that it had better fish hauls. That is to say, E-Na¨¹ru was of no strategic purposes whatsoever.

    It was safe to say that gourmets were the ones who entuated the true value of E-Na¨¹ru. Earl Na¨¹a¡¯s lineage had been researching seafood for generations in order to secure the bragging rights that they had the best seafood in the entire Kingdom. Said research produced a sauce, made by mixing soy sauce and honey, used to ze over other ingredients. Heat had to be controlled precisely during the grilling process to prevent the sauce from burning. All of this cumted into the creation of E-Na¨¹ru style grilled fish, a story that was quite widespread.

    The atmosphere of such a city remained the same regardless of the deration of war up till a few days ago. Fishermen still sailed out to fish and the markets were still packed with people shopping for fresh fish and shellfish. Other than the decrease in the number of travelling merchants on the streets, life went on as usual in the city.

    It was inevitable that no one took any special actions.

    They had received the news of the Sorcerous Kingdom dering war on the Kingdom from a messenger sent from the capital around a month ago, but they did not believe that the Sorcerous Kingdom would attack the northernmost reaches of the Kingdom. By conventional logic, before that happened, the capital would have fallen and ended the war. There were also other major cities neighbouring them that belonged to other demesnes, nevermind the numerous viges within their own demesne. The Sorcerous Kingdom would have to go through them before they got to this city.

    If and when the war reached them, they should receive requests for aid from those towns first. That was why they did not attempt to bolster defences, the most they did was make preparations to send their levies.

    However ¡ª things did not turn out the way they had expected.

    The neighbouring Baron, a few of his subordinates, and the rest of his family had hurriedly escaped to E-Na¨¹ru.

    The Baron¡¯s exnation was simple, ¡°some undead suddenly showed up and ughtered every single civilian in my domain.¡±

    The undead could spawn naturally and ones that could destroy entire viges were not unheard of.

    But, for such a strong undead to naturally spawn took time. Excluding the Katze ins, numerous weaker undead would have to upy a ce before there was even a chance for stronger undead to show up.

    If his domain was well managed, it would be easy to have the undead stifled in their cradle before they could even contend, so to speak.

    Which was why strong undead normally did not appear close to human civilization. There were only two exceptions to this rule.

    Either there was an evil magic caster who could control the undead close by, or that undead had travelled there from some farawaynd.

    If that was the case, there was only one person that came to mind.

    Ainz Ooal Gown, the Sorcerer King.

    They must have also received the intel that the war was dered. If they were to treat that undead as part of the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s army, everything made sense. Except, questions kept arising one after another.

    What about the other neighbouring cities?

    How numerous are the enemy¡¯s forces? What kind of an undead army is it?

    What happened to the capital?

    Questions other than those kept on surfacing, but there were more important matters to tend to before they could deduce the answers to those questions.

    After they had listened to the Baron¡¯s retelling in detail and analyzed the intel they had on hand, they predicted that E-Na¨¹ru was on the path that the undead would march through to invade the Kingdom.

    They immediately send messengers on fast horses to every vige and town within their demesne, ordering them to evacuate.

    With the information they had, they could not tell for what purpose was the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s army marching towards such a remote port. Perhaps it was because the Sorcerous Kingdom was andlocked nation and wanted to get their hands on a port city immediately so they chose to attack such an unfortified ce. Perhaps they were hoping to use E-Na¨¹ru as a staging ground for their future war efforts.

    Though it was still dangerous for people to evacuate to the city, there weren¡¯t many who could outrun the ever-encroaching army of the Sorcerous Kingdom and make it to the other demesnes.

    In the end, the vast majority of people chose to stay within the somewhat defended walls of E-Na¨¹ru.

    Five days after the evacuation of the citizens within the demesne had ended, they sighted the silhouette of the undead from atop the watchtowers of E-Na¨¹ru.

 Volume 14: 2 - Countdown to Extinction (Part 5)

    The morning three days after that, a man stood on the top of a watchtower.

    He appears to be over forty, had a tanned body, and his scent was more akin to that of waves crashing upon a skerry than that of a warrior¡¯s. From the smell alone you could tell that he was a man whose life depended on the sea.

    Though the top of his head waspletely bald, the sides and back of his head still had remnants from the lusciousness of his youth. He would try his best tob them upwards to cover up the wastnd that is the top of his head.

    Though his physical appearance screamed fisherman, his garment was that of a first-ss noble¡¯s; thus, one could easily distinguish his status.

    ¡°Woooah ¡ª they¡¯re everywhere ¡ª¡±

    His tone did not match his appearance at all and was generally undignified, but this man was the ruler of thesends: Earl Na¨¹a.

    Within his line of sight was arge group of zombies which numbered approximately twenty times more than E-Na¨¹ru¡¯s defence force. The undead army had halted their march to wait for stragglers to catch up, but it appeared that the influx of zombies into their formations had abated so that was probably the whole army. Given that was the situation, war was only a hair¡¯s breadth away.

    ¡°¡ªeven so, it¡¯s only a swarm of zombies. It¡¯s not that big of a deal.¡±

    The one who had asserted that was a woman who stood next to the Earl.

    Her hair of pure white danced in the breeze.

    That said, her white hair was not a product of age, she had deliberately dyed it so.

    Her original hair colour was the shade of gold that was amon sight throughout the Kingdom. Until the year prior she had dyed her hair ck.

    The dyed hair wasn¡¯t for a fashion statement or for fun, she was using her shy appearance as a sort of advertisement for her adventurer group. Adventurers like her weren¡¯t all that umon, there were even those who would dye their hair pink in a bid to be famous.

    It was for that reason that she had changed her hair dye from ck to white.

    Of the active adamantite-ranked adventurer groups there were already teams with ¡®Red¡¯ and ¡®Blue¡¯ associations, but recently ¡®ck¡¯ had been taken too. Within the adventuring circles, the moment you mention the colour ck most people¡¯s thoughts would naturally gravitate towards Momon of Darkness. Still, since not many people had seen Momon¡¯s true appearance, she had considered whether keeping her ck hair would have a positive impact on their publicity or not. She gave up on that idea after she learned that Momon¡¯s partner had gorgeous ck hair.

    Consequently, her team¡¯s colour had also changed from ck to white. As for her, Skama Herbelot, she was just d that they had not incorporated the colour into their team name yet but had just named themselves the Four Armaments.

    ¡°Those are obviously not naturally spawned. Many of them look like farmers, so they can¡¯t be from the Sorcerous Kingdom. They must have destroyed the surrounding viges and turned their corpses into zombies. How revolting.¡±

    Skama spoke as though she was about to vomit.

    Though there were also a few amongst them that had better equipment ¡ª leather armour, chainmail, and other types of light armour ¡ª that gave one the impression that they were soldiers who were turned into zombies, the majority of them only wore regr clothing, clothing that wasn¡¯t even of notable quality.

    ¡°Can someone even do that?¡±

    ¡°Whether it¡¯s possible to generate this amount of zombies or not, I have no idea. But, since spells to create the undead exist, it should be possible, right?¡±

    ¡°Oh, haaaaaaaah¡ª¡±

    Earl Na¨¹a sighed from the depths of his heart.

    In these trying times, his voice did not have a shred of urgency. It could be infuriating to some, yet Skama¡¯s expression remained unchanged.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, could we not create an undead army of our own to hold them off?¡±

    ¡°If there were dozens of those who favour necromancy out of the exotic arcanas and could use the higher tier spells of that discipline, it wouldn¡¯t bepletely impossible. Too bad there¡¯s none in this city~.¡±

    There was a reason why she was so sure of herself.

    Earl Na¨¹a had sent requests to the Mage¡¯s Guild, the Temple, the Adventurer¡¯s Guild and others¡ª he had basically sent a call to every magic caster in the city to join them in mounting a defence, in hopes that he could form a unitprised entirely of magic casters.

    Due to the fact that the Adventurer¡¯s Guild had the most magic casters and the adventurers had plenty of experience withbat, the highest-ranked adventurer group ¡ª Skama¡¯s Four Armaments ¡ª was chosen to lead this caster unit. For this reason, Skama had detailed knowledge of every single magic caster within the city.

    ¡°Is that so? So¡ª everything¡¯s going to work out, right? For a hundred and twenty year¡ª this city has never been sieged ever since its founding as a vige. We really don¡¯t have much experience with that at all.¡±

    This was not something the ruler of this city should be saying right now.

    Still, Skama had not appeared to be angered by this. That being said, as usual, not an ounce of respect could be heard in her voice as she responded,

    ¡°Everything will work out? I don¡¯t think so~, Earl. If we can¡¯t think up a n about this, everyone will turn into undead~. Everybody¡¯s trying their best to help us because they want to avoid that oue~¡±

    ¡°I see¡ª why did something like this have to happen during my time. If only this did not happen for another 5 years, by then my eldest son would have probably seeded me.¡±

    ¡°Unlucky~. Well, you say that but it¡¯s the same for us. Why, why did this have to happen when we chose toe to this city. If it happened a few monthster, we would have probably moved to another ¡ª a bigger city~¡±

    ¡°Wha¡ª Hol-hold up a second, alright? Let¡¯s all be sensible. Please don¡¯t abandon this city!¡±

    ¡°If we really wanted to run away, now would be the best time! Take a look, there.¡±

    Skama pointed towards two undead that were at the helm of the zombie army.

    They were quite easy to spot given how they were about two head¡¯s height higher than the zombies around them. In conjunction with the overwhelming, hair-raising pressure they gave off that entuated their presence, their strength was made apparent. Those undead carried a g at their sides.

    ¡°The Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°Yup...did the Earl participate in the battle of the Katze ins?¡±

    ¡°Hmm? I only sent some trusted subordinates along with our levy. Neither I nor my family participated...but, it¡¯s not like they¡¯ll return anyhow.¡±

    ¡°Umm...Hope they could rest in peace at God¡¯s side. Only two special undead were sent by the Sorcerer King who massacred 200,000 ¡ª by the Sorcerous Kingdom...Do you believe them to be weak?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, sigh¡ª they must be mind-bogglingly strong¡ª¡±

    ¡°Right... Aren¡¯t you angry? That they judged that they only needed two undead to destroy this city?¡±

    ¡°Nooope¡ª Rather than that, I am only thinking of how we could be saved from all of this.¡±

    As the ruler of thisnd, those words were quiteme, yet, they were the simple truth.

    ¡°Though I want to send out a messenger to dere our intention to surrender, I doubt that would work at all.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you just escape by sea? You¡¯ve probably prepared for that already, right?¡±

    Skama asked what was on everybody¡¯s minds during their previous meetings, but no one had said out loud.

    The Earl smiled with a bitter expression and did not respond immediately. Rather than hiding something, it was more likely that he was just trying to figure out what Skama truly meant by that question.

    Though she wasn¡¯t too acquainted with the Earl, they had quite the amount of interactions due to their lines of work. She knew from then that he was quite a quick-witted one.

    What was unfortunate was that though the Earl¡¯s son was a suitable recement for him, he was not as outstanding as his father. That said, there were people who believed that his son could gain a leg up on him with enough experience.

    ¡°Ahem. Of course, but we can¡¯t transport everybody out of this city by boat. Even if we make multiple runs to dump people to the nearby coasts, what will we do about the food situation? Where can we escape to? And more questions just keeping up...¡±

    ¡°But if it¡¯s just the Earl and his family, they should make it out alright, right?¡±

    The Earl pondered for a moment once more and replied,

    ¡°I guess, but that will be thest resort. ¡®Everybody please evacuate to the city, my family and I will get out of here first though¡¯ or something like that would weigh heavily on my conscious¡ª¡± Normally when a city had been taken over, its ruling ss would either be ughtered or forced into submission. The citizens on the other hand ¡ª though their possessions might be plundered ¡ª would just be under new management. To ughter the civilians of a city would be akin to killing the goose thatid golden eggs.

    Unless razing a city held benefits for the invaders, they would never do such a thing.

    However¡ª

    ¡°The words of the Baron who had escaped the Sorcerer King¡¯s¡ª the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s invasion to this ce and the words of the refugees from my viges, surely you have heard them already? Things aren¡¯t looking too good for us.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re saying that there should have been more refugees, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right,¡± the Earl replied.

    Those who had evacuated first were here already, but there were too fewpared to the poption count of the surrounding area. What happened to the people who were left behind or could not make it out?

    Did they not want to escape because they were now living under a utopia? Or were they under a surveince state in which not a single ant could escape? Or were they all taken to the Sorcerous Kingdom? Those three were the only optimistic oues he could think of.

    But, upon seeing the farmer-turned zombies, he got the feeling that there was no way the Sorcerous Kingdom would treat them well.

    ¡°Though he lords over E-Rantel, it looks as though he is still a monster who could not tolerate the living¡ª¡±

    ¡°So the purpose of this war was to turn their defeated enemies into soldiers to bolster their ranks. They don¡¯t sleep, don¡¯t eat, don¡¯t tire, are fearless, and are absolutely loyal. Sigh, it makes sense why they wouldn¡¯t show mercy to their enemies, right?¡±

    ¡°That makes sense, for the enemy. If they were trying to subjugate a city and force its citizens to work for them, they wouldn¡¯t be doing something like this... Perhaps they do not intend to leave any of the Kingdom¡¯s residents alive. If that¡¯s the case does it even matter where we escape to?¡±

    Was he trying to empathize with her or getting her to empathize with him?

    Skama picked up on something.

    She was the strongest adventurer in this city. If she was to desert this city, what could have been a victory could turn into a defeat. That was why the Earl was trying to make her think that there was nowhere to escape to.

    Just as Skama was about to say something, some disturbance had urred somewhere near them.

    For privacy¡¯s sake ¡ª or it was better to say that for the sake of preparing for a defensive, the two had slipped away to observe the enemy¡¯s formation.

    The ones who had appeared in front of Skama were her teammates. Her team, Four Armaments, had four members including herself. The ratio of men to women was equal. In addition to the warrior Skama, there were also a rogue, a priestess, and a magic caster of the school of evocation. Their teamposition was fairly bnced.

    Behind her teammates were the magic casters gathered from all over the city.

    The number of magic casters was less than fifty, but this quantity made for a more than formidable army unit.

    The reason why they were able to gather up so many magic casters was because of a loophole to the unspoken rule amongst adventurers ¡ª the one about how they could not participate in the wars between countries.

    This would not have been possible had the Sorcerous Kingdom sent human soldiers, but their army wasprised of undead ¡ª of which they were almost certain were the Kingdom¡¯s civilians who were turned undead.

    They could basically treat it as a coincidence that this army of undead was carrying the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s g.

    They had to use that reason because there was no way they could use that rule to excuse themselves from a fight with the undead who could turn dead vigers into more undead.

    To have formed a caster unit out of the people here meant that together they ¡ª well, not everyone was of that school of magic, so this was more of a hypothetical ¡ª could adopt the strategy of continually raining down [Magic Arrow]s on the enemy, which could theoretically y even dragons.

    Unlike regr arrows, [Magic Arrow]s were guaranteed to hit independent of the evoker¡¯s skills. Casting it at a higher tier would increase the amount of projectiles generated as well as the individual damage output of each projectile. Even so, a single projectile¡¯s damage output was still miniscule. It was pretty much impossible for them to one-shot their enemies with a single cast.

    The damage output of the spell did not depend on where the enemy was struck, which some considered to be its advantage while others believed that it was its w.

    With all of that in mind, it was still a convenient spell to use in a group. If they were to form an army corp out of people who learnt that spell, it would probably see a lot of sess. However, no historical records existed of such a tactic being used.

    This was because to learn even the beginner¡¯s level of the first tier of spells required a certain amount of potential, nevermind the amount of time that had to be invested to educate a magic caster. Given the same amount of time and resources, it was more beneficial to train a hundred archers than a single magic caster forbat.

    If there existed some organism that could innately use [Magic Arrow] and an army was formed out of them, that had the potential to be absolutely terrifying. If not even those requirements for talent could be met ¡ª no, it was safer to say that it was precisely because no such organism existed that an armyposed purely of magic casters was only a pipe dream.

    Behind this ex-pipe dream of an army unit were the soldiers under the Earl¡¯s employ and adventurers who were skilled in archery and other ranged weaponry.

    Which is to say, those who are gathered on the city walls were aiming to strike the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s army first.

    Earl Na¨¹a, standing in front of them all, raised his voice and said,

    ¡°I¡¯m grateful for everybody who has gathered here! I would like to thank each and every single one of you for your aid.¡±

    Skama could no longer feel that sense of unreliability from his tone, all that remained was the dignity and confidence befitting of a leader. His attitude, the product of having lived a noble¡¯s lifestyle, left Skama in awe.

    ¡°Thank us through more practical means please!¡±

    One of Skama¡¯spanions, the magic caster, replied. A wave ofughter could be heard behind him. The Earl was not displeased upon hearing what one of the representatives of the adventurers had to say. On the contrary, the smile that flourished on his face was a genuine one.

    ¡°Leave that to me! You will be rewarded enough that even if every other adventurer forced you to take them out for a meal, you would not go broke. I will hand over your rewards in front of everyone, out in the open.¡±

    ¡°Woooo,¡± everybody started cheering.

    ¡°Of course, that applies to my soldiers too. Though your pay may not be as plentiful as the adventurers¡¯, I will pay you a bonus big enough that you would no longer have to worry over your wives¡¯ and children¡¯s future! But¡ª¡± The Earl switched to a yful tone to say, ¡°¡ªdon¡¯t you dare squander away all of your newfound wealth, am I understood~?¡±

    He could see that the tense expressions on his soldiers had loosened up a little.

    ¡°I was thinking of alternative forms ofpensation. Surely the Earl has a few magic items as heirlooms or something? Your lineage goes quite a ways back after all.¡±

    The one who had said that was a woman who irradiated a perverse aura. On her neck hung the holy symbol of the Earth God, which was sandwiched between her voluptuous bosom. It wouldn¡¯t be incorrect to call this sacrilege.

    This woman, Lilte Piani, was also one of Skama¡¯spanions and no, she was not wearing that priestess¡¯ outfit because she¡¯s a prostitute who was amodating her client¡¯s fetish or something like that.

    ¡°Huhhh. An heirloom magic item would be a tall order. It does exist though, I do have a magic item that was passed down for generations. A lot of people would know about it, it¡¯s called the Holy Sword of Pentechromata.¡±

    It was a longsword enchanted with the elemental powers of fire, thunder, acid, sonic, and ice which dealt their respective damage types to a shed target.

    But, the de was without an edge so it could only be used as a blunt weapon, like a dummy sword for swordsmanship practice. He had no idea why someone would create such a sword. What was more confusing was that it did not deal holy damage yet was called a holy sword, perhaps the name was changed generations after its creation so that did not really matter much.

    ¡°I want that~¡±

    After all, it was still a valuable item, so to give it away to an adventurer aspensation seemed wholly inappropriate.

    ¡°You want that? Hmm, depending on the situation I wouldn¡¯t rule it outpletely.¡± The Earl continued on in a sea of gasps, ¡°my son ¡ª I wish that you could be my son¡¯s concubine.¡±

    Skama¡¯s expression turned apprehensive.

    The Earl had said something he shouldn¡¯t have.

    Some of the adventurers looked towards the Earl with their eyes wide open, they were those who were head over heels for Lilte. Inparison, the one who had started this had on her eyes as sharp as an eagle¡¯s.

    Perhaps that joke had crossed a line. Just as Earl Na¨¹a opened his mouth to apologize, Lilte asked,

    ¡°The Earl has four children right? Your wife gave birth to your eldest son and your third son. Your concubine gave birth to your second son and eldest daughter. Um, your eldest is out of the question, so which son were you referring to?¡±

    Her tone had shiftedpletely. From her careless attitude back then to the seriousness that was to be expected of an adventurer. This was her actual personality.

    Which meant that Lilte was beingpletely serious.

    Skama¡¯s expression further darkened. She nced at her other teammates who cold-heartedly avoided making eye contact with her.

    Those cowards.

    ¡°...I was talking about my third son¡±

    ¡°Your third son? But isn¡¯t that kid only twelve? The one whose birthday ising up soon but hasn¡¯t passed yet? Be the concubine of that child?¡±

    The Earl was about to nod his head when he suddenly froze up.

    ¡°...that¡¯s, right. How did you know about my child¡¯s age? Even the birthdate of the third son of a local noble... Is that important intel? Or are all of you top-ranked adventurers like this?¡±

    ¡°N-no¡±, ¡°Um, no¡±, and other denials came from the other adventurers. Lilte ignored them all and continued on as she held up her hair,

    ¡°Hah, fiiiine. Ahem. Fine then, I¡¯ll be your son¡¯s concubine for the Holy Sword of Pentechromata.¡±

    The Earl observed Lilte in detail and turned his gaze towards Skama as if he had a question that he wanted an answer to at this exact moment.

    Skama knew what that question was, she knew it well.

    ¡°Though I was the one who raised that suggestion. Wait, why is she drooling? Is she actually after my son or the magic item?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the former,¡± Skama tried to say, but before her words could reach anyone a boisterous voice boomed,

    ¡°You fool! Unripe fruits are the most alluring of all, aren¡¯t they?¡±

    The silent atmosphere was broken the moment they figured out whose voice that was. At the same time, a few of the adventurers had already fallen to the ground, a result of their fantasies being crushed by the harsh reality of it all.

    Skama could empathize with the sorrow of those adventurers.

    {Sorry,} she thought. Those who had fawned over her should understand at this point why they had not been sessful.

    Age preference.

    ¡°I thought that you would ask, ¡®why a concubine,¡¯ or something.¡±

    Lilte responded to Earl Na¨¹a, who was muttering to himself,

    ¡°Ah, father-inw-sama. Even if he¡¯s your third son, he was still born of your wife. If all goes well he should be able to gain the title of Baron and a small patch ofnd, correct? With that in mind, it would be asking too much for an adventurer to be his wife, even if it¡¯s a powerful one, right? Though I do have connections to the temples, that is still, you know. You were nning to say something along the lines of ¡®if you perform outstandingly in this battle, I will consider letting you be his wife,¡¯ right? But if I was to be satisfied by the offer of being his wife alone, then there would be no way I could get my hands on the Holy Sword of Pentechromata. After all, the wife of your third son inheriting the family heirloom would upheave our family¡¯s peace~¡±

    She was already calling him father-inw.

    ¡°...I have underestimated you... If you came along earlier, I would have made you my eldest son¡¯s concubine.¡±

    ¡°Ah, fifteen...wait no...seventeen and above would be too old for me, father-inw-sama.¡±

    The Earl kept ncing at Skama as she tried her darndest to ignore him. Earl Na¨¹a¡¯s expression looked as though he had just taken a heavy blow and wanted to call her sly, drew no sympathy from the crowd at all.

    ¡°Umm, something that I¡¯ve got to ask¡ª even if it¡¯s his third son, there will stille a day when he ages past the age of 17 though!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true¡ª if only he was of a race with a longer lifespan. But if that was the case, wouldn¡¯t I be the one who¡¯d age faster...? So, what you¡¯ve said is eptable to me.¡±

    ¡°You thought that was worth emphasizing!? You thought that, of all the things that I have said so far, that was the thing that was most worthy of emphasizing!?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Father-inw-sama. Yourposure, you appear to be losing it?¡±

    ¡°...You¡¯re thest person I wanted to hear that from.¡±

    Based on Skama¡¯s personal judgment, Lilte was an honest and caring person so she should make for a good bride. However, none of that was on disy right now.

    If this continued on any longer, not only would it bring shame upon herpanion, but it would set the reputation of her entire team on some weird trajectory which would be troublesome. Skama did not want to be identified by her white hair for negative connotations.

    ¡°...Now then, Earl. Though we do appreciate your efforts to alleviate our stress with some humour, we do have to get on with our preparations for the battle. Could I ask of you to return to the center ofmand?¡±

    Even if he stayed, he, who is without anybat prowess would not be able to do much. His job was better aplished elsewhere. Earl Na¨¹a nodded his head at this logical proposal, probably out of a desire to stay as far away as possible from Lilte.

    ¡°Ah yes, now then. Everybody, we¡¯ll be relying on you all!¡±

 Volume 14: 2 - Countdown to Extinction (Part 6)

    From the vantage point of the city walls, it appeared as though the enemies did not have a formation at all but were just gathering zombies into one spot. This would have been easy for a Mythril-ranked adventurer like Skama to clear them out, if only those monsters were not there.

    ¡°No movement, hmmm? So ¡ª does anyone recognise those undead?¡±

    Two undead creatures stood where Skama was pointing to.

    One held a huge shield in one hand and a huge sword in another while the other one was dual-wielding swords.

    The magic casters around her shook their heads after she had asked her question. Skama shifted her gaze towards Lilte.

    Priestesses were usually knowledgeable in matters concerning the undead, whether they¡¯re well known or esoteric.

    With her response of a shrug, there could only be two possibilities.

    One was that this was an extremely rare type of undead or a new species ¡ª ignore the nomenture for now ¡ª of undead.

    Either possibility was worrisome. Normally, it would not have been unusual for an adventurer to consider running away at this point.

    The other situations in which they would consider retreat were if it had any special abilities that could one-hit KO or could unleash fatal attacks.

    This was a scenario in which they had no intel to operate on at all.

    For example, Ghouls had a w attack that could paralyze their opponents via poison when they inflict damage with it.

    If one were not to know about its paralytic effect and did not prepare against it, they could get chain-paralyzed or even TPK. What would happen to a party that did not know about Wraiths¡¯ ability to life-steal? Or what about a party that did not know about werewolves and other simr monsters¡¯ resistances to any attacks not made with a specific metal? Or what about monsters who could regenerate if you did not hit it with fire or acid attacks?

    Intel was both an offensive and defensive tool. If one were to fight without any intel to back them up, the amount of danger they would be putting themselves in should be obvious.

    ¡°...This isn¡¯t good at all. We should try to hit it with all kinds of attacks to see what would be effective, any objections?¡±

    Not a peep.

    ¡°Then, that¡¯s what we¡¯ll do ¡ª the specifics on who¡¯s casting and what they¡¯re casting, I¡¯ll leave to you professionals to discuss. Just make a judgment based on what you think it¡¯s capable of based off of its appearance. First of all, both of them appear to be close-quartersbatants.¡±

    They did appear to be that way, so they shouldn¡¯t veer too far from their expectations, right? It wasn¡¯t as though monsters that could disguise their appearance did not exist, it was just that Skama had not seen one in person yet.

    ¡°They do appear to have high defensive capabilities so it would be dangerous to engage them in close-quartersbat. We¡¯ll attack them from afar if that¡¯s the case, as is the convention, but physical arrows might not have that great of an effect. We might still have to engage them in close-quarters, so the amount of damage we could unleash onto that thing before it reaches the walls will dictate whether we win or lose this fight. But since we also have to prepare for the eventuality of the enemies breaching the walls and the prospect of urban warfare, we¡¯ll have to reserve some casters to provide buffs to the vanguard and offensive magic too.¡±

    That said, she had already warned them to not be too stingy with their mana usage than was necessary.

    ¡°If nobody has any better ideas, we¡¯ll run with this one. Alright, let¡¯s start.¡±

    The magic casters began exchanging their opinions ording to Skama¡¯s orders.

    Skama moved somewhere that was quite a ways from where she was to reunite with herpanions ¡ª albeit with a single absence.

    ¡°So, leader, what do we do now?¡±

    Skama replied, ¡°what do you mean?¡± to the rogue¡¯s question.

    He already knew about the battle ns which had been exined to him, so he must have been asking about something other than that.

    The question of ¡°what do we do?¡± was just too vague for her.

    ¡°¡®How hard should we try for this city¡¯ is what I mean. Because the enemy are mostly zombies and the city won¡¯t be surrounded on all sides, if we wanted to run, with our skills we should be able to escape easily, right? Stealing one of the boats and escaping with it isn¡¯t a bad idea at all y¡¯know? Food has been prepared as ordered, y¡¯know?¡±

    ¡°Dumbass,¡± Lilte replied with a fed-up tone, ¡°our opponents are undead y¡¯know? It wouldn¡¯t shock me if they were to march up from the sea~¡±

    Because the north end of this city faced the sea and was covered with piers, there were no walls covering that side of the city. If their enemies were at all intelligent, they would have chosen to attack from that side. It was still possible that their main army was waiting toe out of the sea.

    ¡°Ah ¡ª is that so? That¡¯s-a, quite disturbing. Have you told the Earl about this?¡±

    ¡°Nope, wouldn¡¯t have helped if I did. Even if we were to only install roadblocks, the perimeter is too wide for that to happen...it would create unnecessary panic in the city first of all. Perhaps there was a reason as to why they are not surrounding uspletely. Like what if they were to leave us a small hole in their perimeter and if we were to try to escape through there, it would turn out to be a trap?¡±

    ¡°Then what should we do?¡±

    ¡°If you want to run, do it through there,¡± Skama said as she pointed towards the cluster of enemies, ¡°It¡¯s easy to break their formations if it¡¯s zombies, worst case scenario we¡¯ll just have to scout ahead with [Fly] to make sure the enemy¡¯s main forces aren¡¯t lurking further beyond.¡±

    ¡°I see, you thought this through, eh?¡± the rogue said, unaware of his two femalepanions¡¯ res, as if they¡¯re trying to say ¡®that¡¯s because you¡¯re the only one who haven¡¯t thought about this at all.¡¯ The rogue continued, ¡°So if we were to run, where do we run to? The neighbouring city or somewhere near the capital?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯d just give up on this country.¡±

    ¡°Are you serious!?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re too loud,¡± Skama confirmed that their surroundings were clear before continuing on to say, ¡°...yes.¡±

    To stay and be ruled by the Sorcerous Kingdom, the country that would turn so many people into undead (even though they were citizens of a hostile state), would surely ensure an unhappy end for them all.

    The question now was: where should they escape to?

    Though it might be easy for them as an adventuring party to escape, the leader of the party would still have to consider various scenarios.

    Three countries neighboured the Kingdom other than the Sorcerous Kingdom: the Council State, the Holy Kingdom, and the Empire.

    By the process of elimination, all that was left was the Council State since the Holy Kingdom appeared to be friendly to the Sorcerous Kingdom and the Empire was its vassal. An advantage of choosing the Council State was that it was rtively close to where they were, but other than that, their options were probably the City State Alliance or the Theocracy. The Draconic Kingdom wasn¡¯t doing so great thest she heard and the other countries have humans in the minorities. Then again, humans were the minority in the Council State and the City State Alliance too.

    If they had to take into ount the percentage that humans held in a country¡¯s poption, they would have to remove the Council State from their list of countries to fallback on. She had heard that humans made up less than 10% of the country¡¯s poption.

    If distance was no issue, the City State Alliance appeared to be their best option. Apparently half of some of the cities¡¯ poptions within the Alliance were human.

    ¡°Sigh¡ª, are we really running away? Skama, you should try harder for my own pursuit of happiness~¡±

    ¡°...So you weren¡¯t acting when you were talking just then about that child?¡±

    The desire to help and the desire to run away, those conflicting emotions grew in Skama. It was around that time when Skama noticed that the casters had concluded their debate.

    ¡°Leader! We¡¯re done here~¡±

    ¡°Understood! ¡ª Now then, shall we? Act ording to the n, if worsees to worst ¡ª jump down and try to break through the cluster of zombies.¡±

    To jump down from such a height would inflict some pain even on someone armoured like Skama. This issue was solved by their magic caster, who would cast [Falling Control] on her to let her fall safely.

    Skama and the others moved to their post and awaited the enemies¡¯ action.

    Should they consider themselves lucky that the enemies chose not to wait until nighttime to make their move?

    There was no special signal to signify the start of the battle.

    No statements were made by the exchange of arrows, neither side dered their justifications, just a great amount of zombies stumbling towards the city walls. It looked nothing like how a normal battle was initiated.

    Corpses grumbling while rapidly approaching them must have been a terrifying sight for some, but to someone like Skama this was aughable disy. If those were zombies of races other than humans such as giants, dragons, or other giant monsters, this would be a different situation entirely. Not even fledgeling adventurers would be scared of mere human zombies. After all, this city¡¯s walls weren¡¯t something zombies of this calibre could breach.

    Zombies, though they had more strength, durability, and stamina than the average Joe, they were still worse than an adventurer with even a modicum of experience. This was without considering the fact that zombies were not sapient.

    While archers readied their bows, the adventurers¡¯ gazes were affixed onto those two undead beings.

    They were not moving at all. Why? Were they not nning to move at all?

    Eventually, when they confirmed that the zombies were barely within their range, the archers loosened their arrows at Skama¡¯s signal.

    Normally, they would have waited until the distance between them was shorter than what it was now to start shooting to ensure they could hit their targets, but since these were zombies, quantity mattered more than uracy.

    As expected of the soldiers who were confident in their archery skills, they were fairly urate even from this range. Perhaps only two of ten arrows missed their mark, which was an insignificant loss.

    However, it was not as though a zombie would fall to a single arrow. Still, they could shave off some of the false life their opponents had as long as theynded their shots.

    The second and third volleys started picking off a good number of the enemies.

    The adventurers and soldiers did not rejoice at the sight and sound of the zombies hitting the ground, nothing had urred that was out of their expectations yet.

    Their main issue remained to be those two undead beings.

    Strong monsters could change the tide of battle single-handedly.

    ¡°¡ªthey¡¯re moving.¡±

    The shield-bearing undead began moving. With speeds that were considerably greater than that of the zombies as it rushed towards the city gate. The shield-carrying undead sent zombies flying without much consideration as it charged through them with its shield at its front.

    Skama, shocked by the extraordinary speeds their opponents were moving at, gave out her order,

    ¡°Initiate attack!¡±

    The magic casters¡¯ spells flew out at the same time.

    Amongst them, the most destructive was Skama¡¯spanion¡¯s [Fireball], as she had expected.

    The [Fireball] flew through the air and exploded with the unknown undead at its center, a huge ball of fire emerged from the explosion and enveloped the zombies around that undead. Even if it was behind a shield that would reduce the amount of upfront damage, the ensuing raging mes of the fire should be able to swallow it up.

    Various spells were shot towards the ¡°Shield-Bearer¡±.

    Yet it pressed on as before as though it had taken no damage at all. That caused some noise within the ranks of the soldiers.

    ¡°Don¡¯t panic!¡± an adventurer yelled.

    To the adventurers, this was the logical oue. The undeads¡¯ movements were not impeded by the amount of damage they took. No matter how much damage they took ¡ª even if it was enough to bring a living creature to the brink of death ¡ª they could move around as usual as long as their false life was not zero.

    Even the well-known spell [Fireball] was not unparalleled in its damage output. Some of the stronger adventurers could tank a hit and live, stronger ones could even take numerous hits.

    Magic of this calibre was not enough to bring down the Shield-Bearer, adventurers who had not considered this possibility should have been fired a long time ago.

    But, a question still remained.

    Did it take damage at all or not? There was no way they could find out.

    That was why Skama focused her attention towards it.

    Normally speaking, spell damage could not be evaded, guarded, or reduced by physical armour. Purely energy-based spell attacks like those should be effective against enemies with pieces of armour or study exoskeletons. Still, it wasn¡¯t as though monsters with magic or elemental resistances did not exist.

    If she had to think of an example among the undead.

    There was the well-known, super dangerous being known as a Skeletal Dragon which hadplete immunity to all magic. There were also monsters that could reduce the amount of fire damage they took or even heal from attacks.

    It was not impossible for that undead being to have those kinds of abilities.

    If magical attacks don¡¯t work, they would have to drastically alter their battle ns.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine! Our attacks are effective!¡±

    Herpanion, the one who cast the [Fireball] yelled.

    The casters one-by-one felt the amount of damage they were dealing through their intuition and began to chime in with ¡°it works¡±, ¡°we¡¯re dealing damage¡±, and other simr phrases.

    ¡°Skama! Every type of magical attack appears to be effective on that thing!¡±

    Skama sighed in relief at the best news she had received all day. Perhaps they had a shot at victory after all.

    ¡°Understood! Now then ¡ª continue attacking!¡±

    The opponent was still running towards them at a breakneck speed. She prayed that they could bring it down before it reached the gate. If they were to consider that this being had no resistances, then the amount of damage that it had already tanked should be proof that it was nomon foe at all.

    {I don¡¯t want to fight something like that in close-quarters!}

    As though to concur with Skama¡¯s thoughts, another wave of spells were sent out.

    Many zombies had already fallen at this point yet the Shield-Bearer pressed on.

    Most undead would have been vanquished after a few dozen spells.

    Skama felt a chill down her spine.

    {It¡¯s stronger than expected...no, it¡¯s too strong...this thing, can we, really defeat it?}

    The Shield-Bearer wasn¡¯t the only enemy they had to be wary of, there was also the other one who was still waiting in-ce. Why it wasn¡¯t moving, they had no idea¡ª

    {Is that the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s trump card? That¡¯s why there¡¯s only two...? Or was it to say that this city with us included is weak enough that only two of them were required?}

    Another chill was sent down her spine.

    What if the Sorcerous Kingdom had received intel on every adventurer in the city, including Skama¡¯s Four Armaments and had sent the exact amount of troops to guarantee victory? And the ¡®troops¡¯ in question were not the zombies but rather the Shield-Bearer?

    As if to disprove her worries as paranoia, Skama bit down on her lips and resisted the urge to yell, ¡°kill it faster.¡±

    Everybody was already focused on that and were trying their best. What kind of an effect would take hold on their minds if she, the most powerful adventurer here, was to yell that?

    Nevermind a neutral impact, it would probably drive down their morale.

    She had to resist her urges for now.

    Skama offered up a prayer to her God, the God of Fire, yet it could not bring a smile to her face.

    The Shield-Bearer was at the gate.

    It was now in the casters¡¯ blindspot, where they couldn¡¯t aim at it properly.

    Skama considered if she should jump off of the city walls and run.

    One look at the other, unmoving undead killed that idea.

    If that other undead being was as fast as the Shield-Bearer, it could easily catch up to her.

    It wasn¡¯t impossible for her to make it out alive, she had already used [Fly] to scout out beyond the zombie army and found nothing other than those two undead beings.

    So if they were tobine [Fly] with [Floating Board] or draw the enemies into the city and slip out in the chaos, it could work. As long as there weren¡¯t any other undead troops on stand-by, nothing could stop her escape.

    If they were to go with thetter n and lure the enemy into the city, it would surely burden them all with a guilt that was much stronger than if they were to simply abandon the city. Perhaps a guilt that could cause a lifetime¡¯s worth of regrets.

    As Skama gnashed her teeth she heard the loud ¡®Boom!¡¯ from the city gate, as if a battering ram had just impacted with the gate.

    They were out of time.

    Skama made her choice.

    ¡°...It¡¯s our turn! You guys keep your attention towards that unmoving undead and what¡¯s below the walls! I¡¯ll bait it into your line of sight. Once you could see it, cast your spells immediately!¡±

    After a brief order to her teammates and detailed orders to the soldiers and the casters, Skama ran towards the stairs that led to the bottom of the city walls. Herpanion, who still had his [Fly] spell active, followed closely behind her.

    ¡°That thing has an unbelievable level of durability, but it should have taken quite a bit of damage already!¡±

    {But is that true...? This isn¡¯t too optimistic of a deduction, is it? But...}

    Skama¡¯s expression was that of a bitter smile.

    {An undead who had already taken so many spell attacks. I wouldn¡¯t want to buy time for a spell to finish it off by taking its attacks.}

    But, she had to do so to even have a chance at surviving this ordeal.

    The city gate was a simple, single giant door made out of logs. It would have been a point of pride for a fishing vige, but not so given the current situation.

    A hit from a battering ram would have probably blown out the hinges. Because they could not rece it with something that was sturdier given the amount of time they had, they could only reinforce it with wooden nks and seal the frame. The thickness of the gate was about twice what it used to be.

    From the other end of such a door, the booms of repeated impacts reverberated.

    ¡°What kind of power is this...¡±

    With a ¡°Crack!¡±, a part of the wood nk reinforcements began to break down.

    There was a gap between the impacts, perhaps the Shield-Bearer was backing up to get a running start before bashing into the gate again.

    ¡°What should we do? [Lightning] could hit it through the gate, should we do that?¡±

    Doors like this were resistant to lightning-based attacks but that did not mean that it would not take damage from such spells at all.

    The potential damage such a spell could do to the door had to bepared to what it could do to the undead being. The benefits of casting [Lightning] now or to save the mana for other spells after the Shield-Bearer had broken through the gate had to be considered too.

    No, consideration wasn¡¯t necessary.

    They shouldn¡¯t be trying to face the enemy head-on but to deal as much damage to it right now as they could.

    Skama nodded her head and herpanion immediately initiated his cast.

    ¡°[Lightning]¡±

    An arc of lightning shot out and went through the door, surely dealing some damage to the Shield-Bearer.

    ¡°Owoahwoahwoahwoah!¡±

    Whether it was bing irritated or not, the undead began roaring loud enough for its sounds to pierce through the gate. The roar had enough determination behind it to make one forget to breathe.

    A streak of sweat flowed down Skama¡¯s face.

    No shout-based ability was used, but the roar could still make one¡¯s body tremble all over, so this must be from the difference in their power alone ¡ª her subconscious had understood the difference in power between them.

    {Not good, this, this is not good at all...it¡¯s no longer a question of whether we could win or not. If the Sorcerous King could dominate this kind of undead...ahhh, it makes sense. After all, he¡¯s a monster who could kill over a hundred thousand people at once.}

    It was hard to imagine how one could control multiple undead of this level. Perhaps this undead was the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s trump card.

    Was this city worth that kind of investment?

    Why was she in such a terrible city in the first ce. Skamamented over her poor luck.

    ¡°Boom!¡± another loud noise rang through, multiple reinforced logs had snapped already.

    ¡°[Lightning]¡±

    Another streak of lightning shone, leaving behind a white afterimage, yet the sound of the repeated impacts failed to cease.

    The only thing that changed was the door. The logs had been snapped in half, the reinforcing nks were blown away, and only the twisted nails of the hinges remained on the frame.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough with the spell attacks. Could you buff me instead?¡±

    ¡°...Ahhh¡±

    Skama dodged the wooden splinters as best as she could while also moving backwards. She was receiving Divine and Arcane buffs from both of herpanions.

    They used the first tier [Anti-Evil Protection] spell, the second tier [Lesser Strength] and [Lesser Dexterity] spells, the third tier [Haste] spell, and more. Compared to spells for countering special abilities, more spells were cast on her to heighten her body¡¯s capabilities.

    The gate finally gave way after they had finished buffing and crashed onto the ground with a loud noise.

    In the slowly settling dust cloud that was just kicked up, a pair of bright red eyes appeared. Unbearable fear spread through her entire body upon receiving the gaze of those ferocious eyes.

    Her teeth ttered and her hands quivered. To hide this fact from the others, she had to suppress it to the point of almost fainting.

    This level of terror could not be felt on top of the city walls, it was something you had to face this monster to experience.

    ¡°What am I looking at...? Just a single one of them managed to knock down the reinforced wall...The Sorcerer King dominates this kind of undead...¡±

    ¡°I say this from the bottom of my heart, we should avoid bing enemies with the Sorcerer King the next time around.¡±

    Skama replied to herpanions after swallowing a load of saliva.

    Though she had already heard of how the Sorcerer King had destroyed an army of over a hundred thousand men, she didn¡¯t feel real, tangible fear. What happened before her eyes, however, influenced her fear of the Sorcerer King who had control over this undead being.

    She did not want to fight this undead at all. Honestly, she wanted to just run as far away as possible.

    But, there was no way this life-despising undead in front of them would ever let them do that.

    In any case, their only hope of survivalid in doing something against this undead.

    The horrifying embodiment of death swept the dust away from them using its shield, stepped over the broken threshold, and moved towards them.

    They had finally breached the walls.

    Were the zombies too distracted by the people on the walls or had their encirclement not extended to this part of the walls yet?

    The fact that the undead in front of them had scattered the zombies near the gate on its way here was lucky for them, but there was no doubt in their minds that their luck would run out soon. Skama held up her tomahawk. Judging from that undead¡¯s speed, she should consider herself to be within its strike range.

    After activating the ability of the axe, an ethereal copy of it appeared next to her. This was her weapon¡¯s ability, Doppel, which created a copy of itself to float at a distance that wasn¡¯t too close nor too far away from the wielder. It could automatically strike an enemy with the same level of uracy and speed as the wielder.

    This ethereal weapon could not be destroyed with brute force, to break it would require special weapon destruction abilities; as a result, it could even oust Skama in a fight.

    Though this ability was without any real weaknesses, it could only deal half the damage the real weapon could.

    ¡°Owoahwoahwoahwoah!!¡±

    The undead let out another roar that sent them trembling in fear.

    Was it cheering the fact that it was about to ughter people? It raised its shield high above its own head and smashed it down at the remains of the gate.

    The wooden shrapnels flew towards them with tremendous momentum but Skama waved her weapon around to effortlessly deflect them.

    Her actions appeared to have drawn the aggression of the Shield-Bearer, who moved to engage her.

    It readied its wave-ded sword as it charged towards her with its shield.

    {This is, bad...Speaking of which, why is it still alive after taking so many spell attacks? Isn¡¯t this too unfair?}

    It was a t-out lie that she deflected those shrapnels effortlessly. She barely managed to do so with magical buffs.

    ¡°Everybody, slowly¡ª¡±

    The Shield-Bearer charged towards them. The gap between them was closed in an instant, as though a wall hade barreling towards them, as though it was nning to use its shield to crush her to death.

    But¡ª

    Skama wasn¡¯t good enough to use [Imprable Fortress] so she chose to just use [Fortress] instead to halt the shield with her tomahawk. The Shield-Bearer cleverly deflected the tomahawk with its shield, intending to break Skama¡¯s stance. This was a difficult manoeuvre that made Skama feel as though her axe was being sucked onto its shield. Skama gave up resisting its force, rolled to the side, and used the counter-acting force of that action to stand back up.

    The ethereal axe swung from top to bottom but was deflected by the wave-ded sword. At the same time, the undead charged towards Skama.

    She did not even have the time to breathe. Forced to take the defensive again, Skama deflected attacks with her tomahawk and charged into her opponent.

    If her opponent was this big, sometimes it would be better to charge through it rather than standing still.

    ¡°[Sunlight]!¡±

    As if to push her forwards in her decision, a blinding sh of light was emitted from behind her.

    This was a third-tier divine spell.

    That brilliant light not only blinded the enemy, but also dealt damage to the undead. Although there was a spell of the same tier called [Holy Light] that would have dealt full damage to evil creatures, it wouldn¡¯t have blinded them. [Sunlight] was probably chosen to support her rather than going for pure damage.

    The flying caster sent out three bolts of light towards the undead with [Magic Arrow].

    Though she was receiving support, the shield still blocked everything like it was a wall and left no openings for her to exploit. Skama hacked at it with her tomahawk but it was easily deflected.

    {Damn it! Its movements are too clean. It wasn¡¯t this strong when it used its sword ¡ª its proficiency with its shield is too high! So its primary feature is its defences? Hah? But, what about that heavy strike? No, impossible...}

    Terrified by her own revtion, Skama slowly backed off. Needless to say, this was so that the casters on the wall could have a clear shot at it. She couldn¡¯t move too far away lest it ignores her and runs into the city. That was a scenario that must be avoided at all costs given how fast that thing ran, neither Skama nor the others would be able to catch up to it if that happened.

    If that happened, the defenceless city would see an enormous amount of casualties.

    It was better to veer on the safe side. The rogue on Skama¡¯s team was waiting at the sideline rather than helping out with the fight specifically to catch up to the monster should it choose to run into the city. That was the n to stop an opponent from leaving, but its physical abilities made failure quite likely.

    She slowly kited it while paying attention to its every move. It did not appear to have noticed and followed at a distance.

    Just as they were about to bring it into the line of fire, wails could be heard from above them.

    ¡°No! The other one ising at us! The people up there are attacking it!¡±

    The implications of those words slowly sunk into her head. {Ah...checkmate}, Skama thought.

 Volume 14: 2 - Countdown to Extinction (Part 7)

    If the ¡°Dual-Wielder¡± was on the same level as the Shield-Bearer, there would be no way Skama and the rest could handle both of them at the same time. No, perhaps they would be dead the moment they came into contact with the enemy.

    ¡°Skama, what do we do!?¡±

    ¡°...Let¡¯s take care of this guy first.¡±

    Skama spoke with determination after herpanion¡¯s panicked voice calmed her down somewhat. If they couldn¡¯t even take this thing down, they wouldn¡¯t even have a chance at an escape. They could only hope that this thing¡¯s health had already been whittled down to a wick¡¯s length by those spell attacks.

    After she stopped retreating, Skama turned to face the Shield-Bearer and darted towards it.

    Her tomahawk was easily blocked by the shield and so was the ethereal copy. Skama¡¯s attacks were not enough to break down the Shield-Bearer¡¯s defences.

    She had expected her attack to be thwarted, that was all she had to do.

    The real attack was the [Magic Arrow] and [Shockwave] that followed.

    The spell attacks were followed up by the rogue, who tossed a bottle towards the sides of the undead¡¯s leg.

    The liquid that oozed out of herrade¡¯s shattered bottle wasmon glue that any alchemist or the like could manufacture. This was a strategy that could only work if the enemy was standing on polished stone.

    No matter how high of a defence the Shield-Bearer might have, its ability to dodge didn¡¯t matter against a bottle thrown at it.

    The undead was bound to the ground by glue.

    Even if it only was for a brief moment, their opponent was immobilized. This was amon tactic they used when engaging a foe who was much more powerful than them.

    Skama circled around to the Shield-Bearer¡¯s hand that did not hold the shield, the hand that held the wave-ded sword, and began attacking.

    The Shield-Bearer swung its greatsword around, expertly parrying every hit that came its way. Even though its two legs werepletely stuck on the ground and she had used martial arts to chain her attacks, Skama couldn¡¯tnd a single hit.

    {This thing, is like a metal wall!}

    Skama saw from the corner of her vision the scene of the undead using brute strength to tear its foot away from the stone-tiled ground. Two more offensive spells were cast yet they still failed to bring it down.

    {¡ªan undying ability? Or something that could heal it over time?}

    There were monsters like Hydras or Trolls who had the ability to regenerate. For those, you couldn¡¯t just deal incremental damage but would have tond a single fatal hit that could reduce the monster¡¯s health to zero.

    It was futile to continue on their panicked attacks.

    Skama couldn¡¯t evennd a single hit on it.

    {God damn it!}

    ¡°¡ªiing!¡±

    Skama couldn¡¯t help but shift her gaze upon hearing the rogue¡¯s cry. Standing at the gate was the silhouette of the other undead being.

    The Dual-Wielder.

    Skama felt her stomach churning, thebined pressure of them all made her want to puke.

    {Is this where I¡¯ll die!?}

    The rogue who had been executingbos with Skama couldn¡¯t handle the pressure and retreated to her side. The Dual-Wielder responded in kind and moved to the Shield-Bearer¡¯s side.

    ¡°...They¡¯re not attacking. Which means...shit. These things are highly sapient.¡±

    Skama felt as though she could perceive a smile on the Dual-Wielder¡¯s rotten face. The Shield-Bearer had shown them attacks that were not on the same level as its defence capabilities, but perhaps that was just to instill despair in them to buy time for the Dual-Wielder toe.

    Both enemies were there, this was a good opportunity to use AOE spell attacks. Yet, those spells were never cast. No, it might have been better to say that they couldn¡¯t start casting.

    The reason why should have been obvious. Though attack spells had been proven to be effective, it would also provoke them to initiate their attacks.

    Their fate would have been set in stone then.

    Even if their side held off on attacking, their enemy would do so sooner orter. But, they simply could not build up the courage to hold their fates in their own hands.

    After she agonized over this, Skama made her decision.

    ¡°You two, run away!¡± She knocked on the rogue¡¯s waist, ¡°we¡¯ll buy you some time.¡±

    ¡°Hah? For real!? Me too!? Wait, you want me to do that!?¡±

    The rogue wailed but Skama ignored him.

    There were two opponents, if they did not atst have two people to hold them off, they could only¡ª a ¡®boom¡¯ rung in their ears.

    ¡°...hah?¡±

    The undead in front of them, the Shield-Bearer¡¯s head had been pierced by what looked like a long needle.

    Wait, no.

    What pierced through the Shield-Bearer¡¯s head was not a needle; the thing that prated through its skull and was now embedded into the stone tile below was something about the size of an index finger.

    That meant that that thing was so fast that Skama¡¯s kic vision could not see it flying through the air at all but could only pick up its afterimage, which looked like a needle.

    The Shield-Bearer shook, its feet trembled as they stomped on the tiles below, barely allowing it to stand up. Perhaps it was only because it was undead that it could remain standing even after its head had been pierced.

    Skama and the others couldn¡¯t help but shift their vision away from the enemy in front of them and look towards where that attack originated from. The undead did not attempt to attack them during this time as they were also looking towards the same direction.

    Another attack pierced the Shield-Bearer¡¯s head again and with that, the giant frame of the Shield-Bearer crumbled.

    It only took two shots. No, perhaps it was because it had already taken so many spell attacks and was already weakened. But, who could aplish such a thing¡ª

    The silhouette of a man could be seen in the air¡ª

    ¡°W-What?¡±

    ¡ªWhose voice was that?

    Was it Skama herself¡¯s or was it herpanions¡¯? She was so shocked that she could no longer tell such a simple thing.

    In front of them was an armoured giant. An approximately three meters tall being d in an odd, blood-red armour flew in the air. In his hands was a pipe-shaped object which he held like a crossbow, perhaps that was what those index finger sized things came out of.

    Because it had attacked the Shield-Bearer, they could conclude that it was not their enemy, even if it wasn¡¯t their ally either.

    Skama and the others slowly moved away from the Dual-Wielder. If they were to be caught up in their battle, she knew for sure that they would meet their ends right there.

    Perhaps the Dual-Wielder had already lost interest in Skama¡¯s group or perhaps it was because the armoured giant in the air was the only threat worthy of its attention, whatever the reason was, it did not attempt to halt their retreat.

    And then, the battle began.

    It was the Dual-Wielder¡¯s turn.

    It threw one of its swords.

    It threw the sword with such strength that there was no way that Skama could avoid it. If she tried to block it, it would still inflict a fatal amount of damage.

    The armour did not try to avoid it but tanked the hit with its own body. Perhaps it could not avoid it, or maybe it did not feel the need to avoid the attack at all?

    The ear-piercing sound of metal shing against metal rang as the thrown sword bounced off the armour. It then disappeared as if it had evaporated into the air, only to show up back in the Dual-Wielder¡¯s hands.

    It did not return to its hand. Rather, another one had appeared.

    The armour in the air pointed the pipe at the Dual-Wielder in one smooth motion, as though that sword toss did not do damage to him at all.

    The pipe found its target and then ¡ª it spat out something after a brief sh of fire and lightning.

    What used to be single-shot attacks turned into an uncountable amount of projectiles. ¡®Grakatatata¡¯, the sound of apathetic violence could be heard everywhere.

    Faced with the unknown projectiles, the Dual-Wielder swung its swords. The sharp ¡®ting¡¯ sounds of whatever was flying towards it being sliced into pieces could be heard. But there was a limit to it.

    Two swords could not have dealt with the dozens or even hundreds of projectiles. The tiny projectiles flew at shocking speeds as it prated the enemy. The Dual-Wielder started twitching as though it had muscle spasms and like the Shield-Bearer before it, it disappeared.

    The two undead beings had vanished in a blink of an eye.

    Skama was truly, from the bottom of her heart, speechless.

    To be honest, she had no idea what had just happened.

    But Skama understood one thing, that armour was mind-bogglingly strong, stronger than everyone she knew.

    She couldn¡¯t stop blinking.

    Nothing about this felt real. It was hard for her to ept that they had been saved. Their despair and readiness for self-sacrifice were shattered so easily, her mind could not keep up at all.

    ¡°W-What the hell is that?¡±

    ¡°...Hey, isn¡¯t that a te from the Adventurer¡¯s Guild?¡±

    ¡°Hah?¡±

    She squinted her eyes to focus on the details after the rogue had said that and saw that on the neck of the armour ¡ª though she could barely make out its shape ¡ª was a ne that held a metal te. Though it was about the same size as Skama¡¯s, it looked minuscule on that giant figure. As expected of a rogue to notice something that she would have missed.

    The metal te on the ne was of a colour that she did not recognize.

    She had seen the colour of Orichalcum before, so by the process of elimination this was,

    ¡°An Adamantite-ranked adventurer?¡±

    There were three Adamantite-ranked groups in the Kingdom and the colour of the armour made her realize which team it was a part of.

    ¡°Perhaps this is someone from Red Drop...?¡±

    Upon hearing Lilte¡¯s question, Skama replied, ¡°should be.¡± If this was someone from Blue Rose or Darkness, she would be ranting about why they would choose this hue for their armour.

    The floating armour turned its back to Skama.

    ¡°W-wait!¡±

    The armour responded to her voice and turned around slowly.

    It raised up its left hand, straightened its index and middle finger, and pointed them towards its forehead. As if it was bidding farewell, the armour gestured at them gently.

    Then, it just flew away.

    Skama stared vacantly at the empty sky and asked the rogue,

    ¡°...What was that?¡±

    ¡°Who knows...¡±

    She couldn¡¯t understand at all, but someone from Red Drop came over to assist them, that was probably it.

    ¡°But, umm, I understood one thing. If we have someone this strong ¡ª perhaps the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s invasion wille to an end right here. Of course, this is under the pretext that it would still be willing to break the Adventurer¡¯s Code and will continue participating in battles from this point onwards.¡±

    3

    He felt as though he had just heard an, ¡°eh?¡± sound. Ainz thought it sort of sounded like it was from himself.

    A Death Knight and a Death Warrior, two undead beings had suddenly died. The one to defeat them was also wearing an item from Yggdrasil, the Power Suit.

    Ainz had felt that he had lost two contacts ¡ª though the feeling wasn¡¯t too strong given how many connections he had at once ¡ª which was how he hade to learn that it wasn¡¯t an illusion.

    Silence filled the room.

    He felt the gaze of every Floor Guardian ¡ª perhaps the maids¡¯ too ¡ª on him.

    Ainz was the mastermind of this siege, so it would not have been wrong to view this as Ainz¡¯s defeat.

    Though something unexpected had urred, the puny force they had lost was sent there precisely because losing them would not have been a big deal. So Ainz wished that they wouldn¡¯t act so tight and careful.

    However, given the current situation, if he was to tell them that it was fine to lose a battle, it would sound more like a sore loser¡¯s excuse. Hindsight is always perfect.

    His belief that he does not belong here would surely intensify.

    Ainz decided to use his long-practised acting skills, which of course, he had obtained by practising in front of the mirror while the ordinary maids were absent.

    ¡°Hmmm...as I expected, mmm.¡±

    The situation was under control.

    Ainz disyed the same air of arrogance a mob boss quietly talking to themselves would have as they enjoyed the fragrance of the red wine from their wine ss.

    The important part of this act was to not speak in a loud voice. A loud voice would be quiteme right now. The trick was to act as if he was just mumbling to himself.

    His acting, the result of hard research, led to a ripple ofmotion that reverberated around the room.

    Ainz swallowed his non-existent saliva.

    Whether he had seeded or not depended on Demiurge¡¯s response.

    ¡°I. See. So. That. Was. Why...¡±

    {¡ªWhat!? Cocytus!?}

    While Ainz was panicking, Shalltear responded, ¡°Yes yes yes!¡± as both of her hands shot up. Though it appeared that she was hailing him, she was simply calling attention to herself. Shalltear smiled with pride as everyone¡¯s gazes fell upon her.

    ¡°I understood it too-arinsu! Ainz-sama predicted that something like that would appear-arinsu! That was why we sent such a weak force, am I correct-arinsu!?¡±

    This felt different from usual.

    Was this a sess or a failure? Ainz stole a nce at Demiurge, but he was just smiling mysteriously while nodding his head.

    ¡°As expected of the both of you.¡±

    The two of them held their heads high upon receiving Demiurge¡¯s praise. Perhaps Demiurge had already arrived at this conclusion but left it up to those two to answer first.

    Ainz breathed a sigh of relief.

    This appeared to be a sess.

    Albedo continued on,

    ¡°Intel from Sebas, Demiurge and also our corroborators in the capital mentioned how Red Drop was operating in the northern end of the Kingdom. Because of that, Ainz-sama decided to deploy insufficient troops to lure them out. The amount of troops struck the sweet spot of being easily defeatable by that guy, but at the same time enough to conquer the city without their help. Sasuga Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Like. A. Hooked. Fish...¡±

    {Eh? That was Red Drop? Could we trust that intel? What are the possibilities that it was a yer?}

    If he was in a Power Suit from Yggdrasil, isn¡¯t the possibility that he was a yer quite high?

    Could they be sure that that was Red Drop? If so, shouldn¡¯t that intel have reached him at some point or another?

    No, wait¡ª It was absolutely more likely that Ainz had simply missed that piece of intel while he read through the documents. For that reason, Ainz pretended that all was ording to n with a burst of gentleughter.

    Needless to say, he had practised thisugh quite a few times too.

    ¡°¡ªhehe. Mmm, I did not think that he would actually show up. I was quite shocked too...I thought that perhaps they were conserving their forces for the showdown at the capital.¡±

    ¡°Ainz-sama can always think of situations we couldn¡¯t!¡±

    Said Aura as Mare mumbled, ¡°amazing,¡± to himself.

    The unadulterated gazes of reverence from those two dealt a massive blow to Ainz¡¯s now fragile-as-ss superego.

    {It¡¯s not like that at all.}

    But, he could never say those words.

    Ainz had never considered such a thing could happen. Though he was of the mindset that losing was fine and winning was good, it was for different reasons than what they were now thinking of.

    Ainz reminisced about the meeting between him, Sebas, and the others, the meeting that made Ainz take charge of this battle.

    ----

    ¡°What is it, Sebas? Is something wrong?¡±

    Ainz had just returned to Nazarick and in front of him was Sebas, who was supposed to be on standby in E-Rantel, so it was natural for him to ask.

    Ainz had no recollection of the contents of hisst order to him, let alone of an order for him toe forth. Perhaps he was here of his own will, Ainz was fine with that too.

    Though Sebas was stationed at E-Rantel, he was still given considerable amounts of freedom. The right to return to Nazarick at any time was a given.

    However, if his goal was to meet with Ainz, he could have done so in E-Rantel. This must have been about something important and urgent.

    ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry, Ainz-sama. Would you be so kind as to spare some of your precious time¡ª or rather, could I bother you for a while?¡±

    Ainz felt as though there was something ominous hidden in Sebas¡¯ muddled choice of words. He ordered the ordinary maid closest to him ¡ª the one assigned to Ainz for the day ¡ª to leave them be. The maid, along with the other maid who was assigned to this room, gently lowered their heads and left the room.

    Ainz looked towards the Eight-Edge Assassins on the ceiling.

    ¡°All of you, leave us be.¡±

    The Eight-Edge Assassins fell from the ceiling as if they werepletely weightless and silently exited the room.

    If Ainz had ordered them to never speak of what was said in this room, they would probably follow that order to their deaths, but magic existed in this world that could lead someone to dominate their minds and extract information through those means. Needless to say, even though Ainz would never allow that to happen, it was still best to stay on their toes.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, I am eternally grateful.¡±

    If Sebas was the one to order them to leave, it would be akin to him saying that he did not trust his colleagues, the ordinary maids.

    So, his gratitude was probably directed at Ainz¡¯s consideration to not start any tensions between them.

    Ainz gently shook his head in response to what Sebas had said. To obtain the answer to the question he had in mind, Ainz asked again,

    ¡°So, what¡¯s the matter? It doesn¡¯t seem like an ordinary matter. An emergency perhaps?¡±

    ¡°Yes- ahem, no. I¡¯m not too sure if this counts as out of the ordinary or not... Someone wishes to converse with Ainz-sama in private... I was requested to ask for Ainz-sama¡¯s presence at their behest.¡±

    ¡°So they wish for me to go to them? They couldn¡¯te to my room?¡± Given that Ainz was the Supreme Overlord of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, this was an umon request. ¡°...This is not about that human, is it?¡±

    ¡°No, it was not Tsuare. It was a guardian who had not received permission to leave their area. They knew that this would be disrespectful, but they still wish to trouble Ainz-sama for a while...¡±

    Sebas looked towards Ainz with an apologetic expression.

    ¡°Ahhh, I see.¡± Ainz understood.

    If it was an Area Guardian, then it all made sense.

    Of course, if he ordered them toe over they would most likely do so. Some NPCs might respond in the negative due to a previous order from Ainz¡¯s allies, who were their creators and whom they referred to as the Forty-One Supreme Beings. Still, most would obey Ainz¡¯s order.

    There were also those who simply couldn¡¯t be allowed to leave.

    A good example of which would be one of the Area Guardians on the seventh floor, Guren.

    Because of its passive aura, it would surely cause a lot of coteral damage just by moving to the ninth floor. Things like wool carpets catching fire would be fine, but if it were to cross paths with beings like the ordinary maids, they would surely take a lot of damage.

    If that was the case, it was better for Ainz to go to it than the other way around. Ainz had never liked putting on airs anyway. In addition, he did not have any tasks on hand that must be dealt with immediately. At least that was what Ainz thought.

    ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll go to them. So, who am I looking for?¡±

    ¡°It was Nigredo-sama and Pestonia¡±

    Sebas was one to refer to everybody else with the honorific ¡°-sama¡± yet he did not do so with Pestonia, was it because they were colleagues? ¡°It was those two...¡±

    Ainz¡¯s expression became dejected and he tried his best to hide that fact. Though Ainz¡¯s skeletal face could not show any expressions, it appeared as though a select few of the guardians could actually cold-read him. Albedo was one of them. As a side note, Demiurge would apparently always interpret his expression in weird ways.

    Was it on purpose?

    Ainz had thought that he had hidden his emotions well enough but it seemed like Sebas could still pick up on a few hints that slipped out of his vocal mannerisms. Sebas¡¯ expression had be more and more apologetic as a result.

    {Though I feel sorry for Sebas...but honestly, I don¡¯t want to go~}

    Nothing good wille of this.

    He could confidently state that.

    Imagine if you were in an office and someone told you, ¡°the people from that other department are looking for you. They don¡¯t want to call you but want you to go to them directly.¡± Eight or nine times out of ten it would be about a hassle.

    That said, it wasn¡¯t as though Ainz had a choice in this matter. If arger issue rose up because he had neglected the smaller issues, the responsibility for the consequences would ultimately fall upon him.

    While it was true that Ainz was the absolute overlord of Nazarick, for him to rest on hisurels would be moronic.

    Ainz wanted none of the NPCs to dislike him, but rather, he desired that they would adore him just as he doted on them as if they were his children.

    ¡°...Let¡¯s go. As for my schedule...¡± Ainz pulled out a notebook to check what he had scheduled for today. He was someone who would put off tasks that he found to be annoying yet was also someone who would wish that said annoying affairs would be resolved as soon as possible. ¡°This time slot is fine, it¡¯s empty. Can we go there right now?¡±

    Nigredo and Pestonia. Though both of them were Area Guardians, with what Sebas had just stated, Ainz knew exactly where they were going. That was why he could still convey his intentions to Sebas even with these half-questions.

    ¡°If we were to allow Pestonia to arrive there first, how about an hourter?¡±

    ¡°...That¡¯s fine. Looks like ¡ª it would be inappropriate to bring Albedo and Demiurge along.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Though it pains me to say this, they hoped that Ainz-sama would be going there alone.¡±

    Ainz nodded his head.

    ¡°What about that doll?¡±

    ¡°I will ask Pestonia to take care of that matter, there should not be any problems.¡±

    ¡°Good. An hourter then...hmm? Sebas, will you be going too?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I had hoped that you would grant me permission to. Am I allowed to?¡±

    Sebas¡¯ lowered his head of white upon receiving Ainz¡¯s approval.

    An hourter, Ainz used the power of the ring to teleport to the Frozen Prison on the fifth floor.

    No one was apanying him. He had told the ordinary maid assigned to him that he had important matters to attend to and had ordered her to keep the secret and stay behind.

    At first she had protested by saying, ¡°I will pretend that I saw nothing at all. You could just ignore my presence entirely, so please take me along with you.¡± While Ainz did find her suggestion to be trustworthy, she did appear to derive some form of fulfilment from being ignored.

    He had talked this over with her in the past and her response was that for him to objectify them, would have meant that they had aplished their duty as maids to the utmost. They were apparently also actively seeking that kind of interaction. Then again, he had only asked one of them so perhaps she was the only one ¡ª no, she had to be the only one with such a fetish.

    Even if it was an ordinary maid like her, to guarantee that he did not leave even the 1% of a probability that this could snowball into something bigger, Ainz steeled himself.

    {I should do something that¡¯ll make her happier when I get back...maybe assign her to some bothersome and menial task...so that she¡¯ll be happy or whatever. Yeah, I don¡¯t get it at all...}

    There were just too many people in Nazarick who behaved like this maid, that was why none of his long-term vacation and paid-leave policies ever took off. If this persisted, Ainz¡¯s hopes and dreams were all doomed to fail.

 Volume 14: 2 - Countdown to Extinction (Part 8)

    Ainz pushed open the fairy-tale-esque, chateau-styleyered frozen doors. Just as before, a chilly breeze flowed out from within, but Ainz, as an undead withplete immunity to freezing temperatures, was not bothered by it anyway.

    Ainz walked alone through the gloomy corridors. Other than checking for holes in the ceiling as he walked, he strode non-stop to a door that stood as the centerpiece of a giant mural which spanned the entirety of the wall.

    Just as before, the ster on select spots of the mural had already fallen off. It looked quite miserable.

    The door took a single push and silently slid open, the three upants of the room stood up to greet Ainz.

    The owner of the room, Nigredo.

    The dog-headed maid, Pestonia.

    And thest of the trio, Sebas.

    ¡°Wee, Ainz-sama.¡±

    With the room¡¯s owner, Nigredo¡¯s invitation, Ainz approached the table at which they sat.

    Thest time he had been in this room, all it had was a cradle. This time the cradle was nowhere to be seen, just a table and four chairs.

    Those were probably appropriated from other rooms within the Frozen Prison. As a side note, Nigredo was only the Area Guardian of the above-ground portion of the Frozen Prison, Neuronist was the Area Guardian of the underground portion.

    After Ainz had taken his seat, Pestonia immediately began to prepare some tea. The steam emanating from the teacup in front him carried with it the aroma of the ck tea held within. Sebas brought out some biscuits at the same time.

    Of course, Ainz could not consume anything with his body, but he dly epted their hospitality anyways. After that, Ainz ordered the still-standing three of them to sit down.

    The biscuits that were delivered to Ainz were not sophisticated at all, they were just in squares. That could be said to be a rare sight in Nazarick.

    Was this someone¡¯s experiment? Ainz looked towards Sebas and asked about them through his gaze alone, prompting Sebas to reply,

    ¡°Those are not from Nazarick, but goods I had brought back from E-Rantel. Due to the current abundance of cheap and fresh ingredients being brought into the city, a food culture is slowly developing there. This biscuit is among the foods being developed. It was said to be harder previously, but is now quite soft.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve tried some already, it¡¯s at an eptable level of quality for a snack, woof.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm.¡±

    Ainz took a biscuit and bit down on it. Indeed, it wasn¡¯t as tough as he had expected.

    The biscuit snapped in half as Ainz caught the crumbs from the inside of his jaw cavity and ced the pieces next to the cup of ck tea.

    He could tell the texture of the biscuit, but not its taste. What a disappointment of a body.

    However, from Ainz¡¯s perspective it wasn¡¯t so at all. It was specifically because of the fact that this body had no libido, appetite, and somnolence that he could seed in his role as the ruler of Nazarick.

    If one of those aspects were to apply to him, surely he would have been in an endless fall from grace since the beginning.

    ¡°If Ainz-sama was to rent out more of his undead for agricultural purposes, then there would certainly be developments in the improvements of breeds of food. The food culture would surely blossom and perhaps they could even produce food of an equal qualitypared to Nazarick¡¯s offering.¡±

    ¡°That would be great. Because of my body, I couldn¡¯t investigate the buffs incurred by different food items before. If we were to invest more resources into this, it could help strengthen Nazarick. But ¡ª if that was the case, I assume those without [Cook] levels can¡¯t cook at all then?¡±

    ¡°We were concerned about that too, so it would be best to save as many purebreds as we possibly could.¡±

    Ainz nodded in approval in response to Nigredo¡¯s suggestion.

    Suddenly, Ainz was reminded of the European biodomes of the past and the conflicts that arose surrounding the seed banks. Though he wasn¡¯t too interested in the topic back then, Blue was riled up all over it.

    ¡°Ah, yes. It would be best. A task force should be formed to handle this matter.¡± He should probably propose this idea to Albedo. ¡°Now then ¡ª it¡¯s about time that we address the main topic at hand. Tell me. Why was I summoned here?¡±

    Nigredo, as their representative, spoke,

    ¡°Yes. Given the current situation, isn¡¯t it about time that we stop massacring the citizens of the Kingdom?¡±

    ¡°Negative. Anyways, shouldn¡¯t this be something that you should ask of your direct superiors, the Floor Guardians, rather than me?¡±

    Ainz replied immediately.

    The denizens of Nazarick ¡ª especially the Area Guardians ¡ª had been informed, in writing, the actions of Floor Guardians and the goals behind them.

    If they had any suggestions, they should be reporting to their superiors, the Floor Guardians. This was to unify the various denizens of Nazarick, to gain the opinions of those with different points of view and to pique the interest and curiosity of them all.

    However, though Nigredo was stating her opinions just as he had hoped they would, she should have done so to her direct superior, the Floor Guardian of the fifth floor, Cocytus. If Ainz was to ept her suggestion directly, it would be detrimental to Cocytus¡¯ authority.

    As a social conformist, he absolutely could not do that.

    If some of you don¡¯t understand, do try skipping your own superior and petitioning a higher-up from another department if you will. Do you understand now? Nothing good woulde of that.

    From that perspective, Ainz, as the head of the board of directors ¡ª thepany hierarchy analogue to Guildmaster ¡ª should be able to do so, but to rouse discord among his subordinates could ultimately lead thepany into a difficult situation and thus should be avoided at all costs. If it was in the stead of the Floor Guardian of the fourth floor, Gargantua, instead, Ainz would be willing to do so.

    ¡°Ainz-sama is correct. So, do permit me to raise this suggestion too, woof.¡±

    In a sense, Pestonia¡¯s direct superior would be Sebas.

    If a Floor Guardian was to be assigned to the ninth and tenth floors, Sebas would be the Floor Guardian of the ninth and Albedo would be the one for the tenth.

    Because Sebas had been the one to have invited Ainz, there shouldn¡¯t be an issue with indignity at all.

    ¡°¡ªI see, I understand your feelings now, but I do want to ask one question. This war is a massive experiment for the greater good of strengthening the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, our home. It wouldn¡¯t halt just by the grace of mercy alone. So, was your suggestion built upon this premise?¡±

    Make no mistake, the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick ¡ª the Sorcerous Kingdom of Ainz Ooal Gown is not unique, nor is it invincible. If they were to encounter another guild that was also transported to this world, they could lose.

    To assume that they were the only ones to have transported here...would be far too optimistic.

    To be honest, he had already felt the presence of other World ss Items so it wasn¡¯t a far stretch of the imagination to assume that some other guild existed elsewhere.

    This was why, to guarantee victory for an inevitable guild war, it was his duty as the Guildmaster to strengthen Nazarick as much as he could.

    ¡°By what grace may they be spared if it is not by mercy alone? Woof.¡±

    ¡°...uh. What do you mean? If there are any benefits to be reaped from your suggestion, do tell. That said, if it¡¯s something along the lines of ¡®if we spare as many people as possible, a strong being may be born in the future¡¯ I will not entertain it. Throughout the Kingdom¡¯s history, it has produced nothing stronger than Adamantite-ranked adventurers. In terms of pure power alone, perhaps this was humanity¡¯s limit. If that was the case, it¡¯s better to give preference to Dragons or other stronger races.¡±

    ¡°All infants have potential, Ainz-sama.¡±

    Pestonia gave Nigredo a cold-eyed ¡ª at least he thought it was ¡ª re.

    ¡°Not just the infants, woof.¡±

    Nigredo had a soft spot for babies, perhaps even surpassing that of Pestonia¡¯s. However, herpassion is limited to only that of infants. Once they live past the age of two, she sees them as nothing but sacks of meat to be disposed of.

    For that reason, the toddlers that had been saved during the assault on the capital had left Nigredo¡¯s care and were ced under Pestonia once they were two years old.

    They were probably transferred to Yuri¡¯s orphanage by now

    ¡°I see, that is true. But, isn¡¯t the same true for dragonlings too?¡±

    ¡°What we had just talked about, improving the breeds of food, doesn¡¯t that apply to humans too? If we were to apply the different techniques we have in Nazarick to strengthen them, surely stronger varieties of humans could be made. Plus, a race¡¯s value isn¡¯t just in their strength, humanity¡¯s propensity for creativity in their creations... you could call it the ability of cultural development, I believe they do have that ability. If we were to reduce their poption to nothing, isn¡¯t that a great opportunity cost to Nazarick?¡±

    Was that why they had given Ainz the biscuits? If that was the case, everything had been ying out the way they had intended for it to. No, that did not matter much. As long as they could convince Ainz, it would be their victory.

    ¡°Indeed, that is worth considering. However, I do not wish for the inhabitants of this world to be too strong, even to the extent that I believe their development of civilization to be a threat.¡± Ainz curled his hand into a fist. ¡°Those who are strong but could not get stronger and those who are weak but still have room for growth, a turn of tides must be avoided at all costs. Once we discover the slightest possibility of that happening, we must prevent it at all costs. This is all for Nazarick¡¯s good...isn¡¯t it?¡±

    The two of them fell silent. Ainz shifted his gaze onto Sebas.

    Sebas hadn¡¯t spoken since then.

    ¡°I¡¯m grateful that Ainz-sama was willing toe down here and lend an ear to their thoughts. That is why I will not be making any further requests.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm...¡±

    Ainz cupped his chin and turned his gaze back on to the two of them.

    ¡°Mmmm, it is true that it would be disadvantageous for us to push humanity to the brink of extinction. When pushes to shove, they would do anything to be stronger out of desperation. For that reason, it is best for us to wipe out all who have had that kind of experience. If you want to nurture them, nurture the ones who have not gone through those kinds of experiences ¡ª those without the drive to strengthen themselves.¡± Ainz alternated his gaze between the two of them. ¡°Are we done here? Shall I return to my room?¡±

    ¡°Not yet, woof!¡±

    Pestonia¡¯s voice was a bit too loud. She lowered her head in shame and said, ¡°I¡¯m very sorry.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Rather than apologizing, do speak your mind.¡±

    ¡°Yes ¡ª Ainz-sama. I heard that your strategy this time around was called Candy and Whip, to let the countries around us know the difference in oue between the Empire who chose to be our vassal and the Kingdom who chose to oppose us as enemies. Was that the reason for the current massacre, woof?¡± Pestonia continued after Ainz had nodded, ¡°As more and more people manage to escape through great tribtions, wouldn¡¯t the perception of how foolish it is to disobey Ainz-sama, or rather the Sorcerous Kingdom, be more widespread? Uh, woof.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re suggesting that I should intentionally let more of them go because of that?¡±

    ¡°Yes, woof.¡±

    If that was the case, there was some value in allowing them to escape.

    But.

    He did not believe that Albedo and Demiurge had not given consideration to this already. Both of them were the type to not execute a n until they had thought of even these kinds of possibilities. If Ainz were to allow that, he would be executing a n that Albedo and Demiurge had abandoned for some reason.

    How would those two, who always mistook Ainz¡¯s actions to be that of a genius¡¯, react to this?

    Ainz¡¯s non-existent stomach cramped up the moment he thought about this.

    Wait no, he had told them that, ¡°I will be making mistakes intentionally,¡± so even if something out of the ordinary happened, it could still work out fine at the end. However, the real issuey in what would happen afterwards, specifically the actions of those who would call the color white as ck and vice versa if he did it first.

    {If they gave up on the n due to a fatal w and I ordered them to carry it out anyways, it could lead to massive losses on our side.}

    It would be the same as apany that experienced massive losses due to the CEO¡¯s ipetence while the employees were helpless to stop it from happening.

    {Even if they were to recover the loss, someone like me would be too meek and powerless to do anything about it. Someone who couldn¡¯t even shoulder the responsibilities and consequences of their actions shouldn¡¯t be doing something like this.}

    But even if he wanted to reject it, he couldn¡¯t put his finger on exactly what was wrong with Pestonia¡¯s suggestion.

    Even though a simple ¡°no¡± would have probably sufficed.

    {...So I should have forcefully brought Albedo and Demiurge along, huh? But...}

    He had not done so because he had more or less figured out what this meeting would be about after learning that it was with Nigredo and Pestonia.

    This was why it had turned into a difficult situation.

    Because, those two had been imprisoned before. Back then, Albedo had already suggested executing them. He was afraid that if the same thing was to ur again that Albedo would strongly request execution. He was also afraid of a future irreconcble division.

    An organization that seemed formidable to outsiders could still crumble down from the inside.

    That was why they had to avoid anything that could pose a threat to them.

    So then, what should he do now?

    Hismon sense told him to reject their suggestion but something still troubled him: the future.

    Though the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick would only ept one set of outsiders into their ranks, the Sorcerous Kingdom of Ainz Ooal Gown had already absorbed arge number of outsiders. Though they may not hold any important posts within the organization, that was probably only a temporary measure.

    If those outsiders were to be high-ranked officials, they would certainly hold quite a lot of different opinions. Perhaps there would also be suggestions for benevolence that would make Albedo and the rest call them ¡°weak-willed¡± or something simr.

    Would it be possible to task Nigredo and Pestonia with integrating those kinds of opinions?

    If that was the case, ignoring their suggestions now could lead to problemster on.

    If people with simr opinions as them were the exception in Nazarick, then he should divert even more attention towards this issue.

    Also¡ª

    {I have already repaid the kindness Touch Me-san had shown to me, so if I was to consider this as repaying Mochi-chan and Tab-san¡¯s kindness, this should be fine.}

    ¡°...though I believe that all of you should know this by now, I¡¯ll repeat it again. I never intended to wipe out every single human from the Kingdom. The truth is, we have already convinced multiple nobles to join our side...at most, only around 90% of them will be killed.¡±

    ¡°So some people chosen to be spared will live under the Nazarick¡¯s rule, woof. I don¡¯t believe that would advertise the message louder than if we were to let the unchosen ones escape.¡±

    He could understand Pestonia¡¯s will to help those who had not been chosen by them.

    ¡°Ipletely understand what you¡¯re trying to say. If it is not out of mercy, but rather for the greater good of Nazarick, there is room for consideration...I¡¯ll consider letting a few of them go.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re eternally grateful.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re eternally grateful, woof.¡±

    Sebas silently lowered his head as well.

    Still, though he had said that, he did not know exactly how he should go about this. Ainz¡¯s heart grew heavy.

    He had to think up a solution. Perhaps he only needed to let a few hundred people go to appease them.

 Volume 14: 2 - Countdown to Extinction (Part 9) and Intermission

    Though this waspletely unexpected, it was true that the vast majority of the city¡¯s poption had survived. As long as he allowed them to escape, he would have fulfilled his promise to those two. That said, it wouldn¡¯t count as the survivors escaping through great tribtions.

    Should he send stronger undead to try again?

    No, there was something he had to confirm before then.

    ¡°Ahem! Now then, Albedo. Though you have said that this was Red Drop, how trustworthy is our intel source on this one?¡±

    ¡°I am terribly sorry, Ainz-sama. Indeed, we do not have concrete proof of that im. This was only a surface-level deduction based on the Adamantite te on the armour as well as its colour.¡±

    Albedo stood up and bowed deeply.

    ¡°At ease. I just wanted to check if you had ess to intel that I did not. I am not too bothered by it.¡±

    While he was happy that she was this loyal, being treated like that usually made him quite ufortable. To Ainz, the manifestation of the concept of failure, this wasn¡¯t that big of a deal. However, it wasn¡¯t as though what she had just described could be categorized as a failure anyways.

    ¡°You have my eternal gratitude, Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°Umu...So was that Red Drop, or a plot by someone who wants us to believe that they are Red Drop? Floor Guardians, speak your mind.¡±

    From their brief opinions, most of them supported the former. Ainz thought it was the former too.

    ¡°Now, then ¡ª I must ask something of everyone once again. Does anyone know of the specs of a Powered Suit? If you are all not too sure of it, I will exin.¡±

    Ainz confirmed that the guardians knew not of the Powered Suit and began to exposit what he remembered of the Powered Suit¡¯s abilities.

    Back in the game of Yggdrasil, the Powered Suit did not exist initially but was added inter on as an item for newly registered yers to power-level with.

    Also, mecha fighting games were popr back then, so it must have also been an attempt to draw in yers from that yer-base as well.

    Though he couldn¡¯t tell whether that contributed to this fact or not, the Powered Suit¡¯s capabilities were quite high.

    First of all, just as they had seen, the suit had the ability to fly through the air at a greater speed than [Fly]. It could maintain operations for over an hour underwater without any detriments and was essentially immune to almost all environmental damage.

    It could even apply and activate with its shoulders, torso ¡ª and depending on the type, even the wrists and feet ¡ª different kinds of offensive spells.

    Though this might seem obvious, it does have human finger-like appendages that could ¡ª if the hand had not been transformed into a weapon itself ¡ª hold weapons.

    The magical armaments could be freely customized within the Powered Suit¡¯s settings, but half were microtransaction exclusives while the other half required grinding.

    Though those customizations could be performed pretty much anywhere outside ofbat, there were still some restrictions on them.

    The highest tier of spells that could be stored on the armour was tenth tier and the use of said spell was subjected to a limit of an hour per use. Stronger spells had even more limited uses. Though the number of times a spell could be used recovered over time, it appeared to have a restriction by which the spell stored on it could not be swapped out for a duration even if it was only expended by a little.

    The armour¡¯s physical and magic damage were high-tier, independent of the user¡¯s abilities. The same was true for its defensive and evasive capabilities.

    You could call it an armour that instantly closed the gap between the weak and the strong.

    Speaking of weakness, it did have two minor ones.

    One of which was the fact that because it counted as Full-Body Armour, it could not bebined with other pieces of armour. Still, nes and other decorative equipment could still be worn with it.

    Another was the fact that the magic stored in the armour could not have metamagic applied to it. But, since those spells could still be enhanced through equipment, this couldn¡¯t really be considered a weakness at all.

    However, if a weakling was to use it, it did have a major weakness.

    HP and MP

    Though the damage output of the suit couldpensate for the wearer¡¯s low stats, the HP and MP values of the wearer remained unaltered by the armour.

    That is to say, a weakling in the armour would have high defensive capabilities but also a frail health pool. Of course, if their opponent could not break through the armour¡¯s rtively high defences, it¡¯s not a weakness at all.

    In Nazarick¡¯s terms, a Floor Guardian shouldn¡¯t have an issue fighting it at all.

    The threat it posed was to NPCs like the Pleiades, who weren¡¯t that strong. If they crossed paths with the suit, they should choose to retreat.

    Ainz concluded his exnation and started taking questions.

    The first to ask a question was Albedo.

    ¡°So as long as we are the ones handling it, it should be fine, correct?¡±

    ¡°Correct. Even the strongest Powered Suits could only have the offensive capabilities equivalent to level eighty characters. However, that hinges on my knowledge on the Powered Suits being perfect. Hypothetically, if there were rarer or Artifact grade Powered Suits, it would be apletely different situation. If that was the case, there could be Powered Suits much more powerful than the ones I have described.¡±

    ¡°Can you not tell from its appearance alone?¡±

    ¡°Umu, I apologize, Aura. Because I am not too familiar with Powered Suits in the first ce, I cannot tell its capabilities just from appearances alone. Also, though one would not be allowed to alter its appearances by too much, there were still slight alterations the wearer could make to it.¡±

    While the Powered Suit might be useful to weaker yers, it waspletely useless to a stronger yer.

    Nevermind Divine grade gear, even Legendary grade equipment matching a yer¡¯s strengths could outperform the Powered Suit. That was why when Powered Suit was introduced to Yggdrasil, Ainz and his friends, who were already at max level, were not interested.

    The greater issue to Ainz back then was that he could barely cast spells with it equipped.

    ¡°Were there two or three? There should be a few sets of Powered Suits in Nazarick, I will head to the Treasuryter for them. Maybe everyone should get a feel of what it is like to wear one.¡±

    He remembered that the thing should still be there, something that Amanomahitotsu had procured after learning that even those with manufacturing-based job levels could enterbat with them. Apparently he was secretly quite confident because he also yed aerialbat games, but then he got easily wrecked by Peroroncino in a mock battle. The thing was never seen again after that.

    He also remembered how Nishikienrai had said, ¡°Just y Aberage instead lmao.¡±

    Ainz was journeying through his memories when he realised.

    If Red Drop had a Powered Suit from Yggdrasil ¡ª the ck sword of the leader of the other Adamantite-ranked team, Blue Roses, could be of a simr power level.

    ording to the intel they had gathered from their aides in the capital, the weapon she wielded was said to be powerful enough to level an entire city. Though that aide found the intel to be preposterous, it did originate from a member of the team itself.

    Ainz always thought that she was either lying to her teammates, or just making things up.

    But given what he knew now ¡ª perhaps, that intel was true.

    He had heard that the leaders of Blue Roses and Red Drop were rtives.

    If they were rted, then having the same level of equipment shouldn¡¯t be weird at all.

    Of course, Ainz wasn¡¯t paranoid enough to believe that the Floor Guardians could be one-shotted by anything, but he also had no proof that that was aplete impossibility. Perhaps the guardians¡¯ defences could be easily breached by some strong weapon from this world.

    Ainz did not want to suffer any severe consequences for forcing his opponent to the stage where she would be suicidal enough to use that sword¡¯s power. If it came down to a battle with Blue Roses, he should probably use summoned monsters to bait out that ability and then defeat them.

    However, that would be thest resort.

    He remembers a saying about how ¡®The better part of valour, is discretion¡¯, he should follow that advice.

    After all, the primary purpose of the Kingdom¡¯s destruction wasn¡¯t for the termination of Blue Roses, but if they were to get in his way he wouldn¡¯t mind killing them off. That said, it was best not to make any rash movements before they knew the full capabilities of that woman¡¯s sword. {I should say sorry to Entoma and hope she understands.}

    Ainz mentally sighed to himself as he shook his head in an attempt to get his train of thought back on track.

    This wasn¡¯t the time to be thinking about these sorts of things.

    ¡°Any other questions?¡±

    Ainz looked around, it appeared that none of the guardians had any other questions.

    ¡°If that is the case, we will pause the discussion on the Powered Suit for now. Now then, Demiurge, how shall we deal with this city? In my opinion, to have baited that thing out was more than satisfactory.¡±

    ¡°It would be bad for them to mistake that they had defeated the Sorcerous Kingdom. We should send a stronger entity and unto dust they shall return.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm, that is fine too...¡±

    No, that wasn¡¯t fine at all.

    If they did that, he would have to try extra hard to save some other city to keep the promise he had made to those two. Though he made it through this time, to aplish it again would be extremely difficult.

    For Pestonia¡¯s sake, who had been standing behind him and listening in, he had to save the people of this city to fulfill their promise.

    ¡°No, Demiurge. Let us not do that for now. This will prepare us for simr situations should they ur again. In any case, it is about time that we siege the capital. Let us close the curtains on this battle. We will be fine as long as we systematically scorched-earth the rest of the cities. What do you think?¡±

    He was giving this city¡¯s inhabitants the chance and time to run away. If they get killed afterwards because they didn¡¯t escape, those two shouldn¡¯t have a problem with it, right?

    ¡°If Ainz-sama deems it so, so be it.¡±

    Though it might seem as though Demiurge was being sarcastic, he wasn¡¯t one to do such a thing to Ainz.

    Some people could always hear all sorts of undertones in other people¡¯s words, those who usually have something to hide themselves, Ainz being one of them.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Demiurge. If you have a better idea then that should be the one that we should implement.¡±

    ¡°As expected of Ainz-sama. I am truly in awe of how humble you are.¡±

    Ainz¡¯s opinions of the bowing Demiurge became muddled.

    First of all, what he had said wasmon sense, it was nothing worth praising.

    Though he was ttered, he felt as though he was being treated more like a child if even the most trivial of the things he had said and done was cheered.

    Perhaps that was just out of his low self-esteem.

    ¡°...Do any of the other guardians have different opinions?¡± Ainz turned to Shalltear upon confirming that there were no objections, ¡°Bring back the undead we had sent using [Gate]. Then, gather our forces in E-Rantel and initiate the siege on the capital.¡±

    ¡°Yes, my lord. I will get on with that immediately-arinsu.¡±

    ¡°Will the main army include people from Nazarick?¡±

    ¡°Send out the Master Guarders of Nazarick and the other elite guards. They are not too strong individually but are quite a sight to behold as a unit.¡±

    ¡°Roger.¡±

    ¡°Excellent. We will conquer the cities one by one and stage the final battle at the capital as nned. Afterwards, though it might be out of order now, we will finish massacring the inhabitants of all the useless cities. Through this show of force, the world wille to understand the consequences of not bowing to the rule of Nazarick.¡±

    The Floor Guardians all responded with confidence. Ainz nodded deeply.

    ¡°Very well then, Floor Guardians¡ª¡± Ainz thought about the future for a while and opened his mouth again to say, ¡°no, a portion of the guardians should stay behind. Everybody else, demonstrate to me your true power.¡± Intermission

    ----

    Intermission

    ----

    In the city that was formed a part of the Karnassus City-State Alliance, Bebad.

    The city¡¯s female mayor¡¯s residence was lit up as usual.

    The owner of the residence, Ri Kista Kaberia, took the umted documents and started reading.

    The City State Alliance wasprised of¡ª

    Karnassus.

    Beppo Allo.

    East Gaith.

    West Gaith.

    Veneria.

    Greater Listaran.

    Oeas.

    New Oeas.

    Grand Wythes.

    Ris.

    Franklin.

    And finally, Bebad.

    This city was part of the twelve mentioned that had formed an alliance. Each city ¡ª including the other territories they own ¡ª held on average, a poption of 400,000. Thergest city was home to 600,000.

    Amongst these cities, Bebad was an exception in that the other cities never had a single race hold majority over 40% of the poption. The City-State Alliance was a union of multiple races and cities. If one were to rewind time back a few centuries, they would find the huge nation that was the origin of the City-State Alliance.

    Due to that enormous county¡¯s copse, fourteen city-states popped up with each metropolis at its center. After that happened, there was much bloodshed between the city-states ¡ª or rather, small countries. This situation continued on with the states uniting and splitting ad nauseam until the event they called the Great Debate, at which the current alliance between the twelve city-states were formed.

    Even so, it was still difficult for everybody to abandon their predispositions towards each other. Though a century ago was the past for the races with shorter lifespans, to some of the longer-lived races it was still a recent memory.

    For this reason, a quinquennial tournament was held as an outlet for those who still held a grudge from the past and it was about to begin soon.

    The city on the roster to host the next tourney was Bebad.

    While it was true that there were four years¡¯ worth of time to prepare for it, they only had four years¡¯ worth of time left.

    The tournament had sixteen events, one of which garnered more attention than the rest.

    The Connelier ¡ª or mockbat. It was also known colloquially as the Mutual Wallop.

    Every city-state sent ten of its strongest fighters who would then fight the otherbatants under the protection of the magic item known as the Standard of Peace.

    This was the most entertaining and shy of the events and was quite popr among the popce. It hade to the point where the majority of the people felt that it was fine to miss out on all of the events except for this one. That was why they could not allow even the slightest of errors to ur during this event.

    That wasn¡¯t a metaphor, a riot with massive casualties had been incited in the past when the city-state of Oeas had not been fully prepared for the event. Even though forty years had passed from then to now, the phrase ¡°The Organizer of Oeas¡± remained a derogatory title for an ipetent person.

    Though a screw-up on any of the events could incite anger, the Connelier was the single event where not even half a mistake was permitted.

    However, the top-level government of each city knew that the Oeas¡¯ organizer wasn¡¯t too bad, their problemid in theirx of alertness against Vanquished Spectres.

    There wasn¡¯t any direct evidence to support the existence of Vanquished Spectres. Even if that was the first time they had appeared, the mistake they caused was fatal.

    Kista rubbed her eye ridges after she had finished reading the documents.

    Thest time Bebad had hosted the tournament was, about fifty years ago. The members of the core team in charge of organizing the affair had long since passed away.

    Though she had steeled herself to learn the ropes from scratch, she still felt as though she could copse from the stress and pressure of this entire ordeal.

    She had lost sleep every time the thought that the tournament could end in failure came to mind.

    Kista couldn¡¯t help but titter.

    She still had four years to go yet was already in this state. What would she be like when it was close to the opening ceremony?

    She was already annoyed by it.

    But, as she read through the documents left behind by her predecessors and wrote down all of her thoughts and ideas, there was a brief moment of sce.

    Just as Kista was about to grab another handful of documents, someone knocked on her door.

    She stood up from her chair and walked towards the door. On the other side of it was the familiar face she was expecting. It was her grandfather, the former mayor of the city, Ri Berun Kaberia.

    Not only was he the great-person responsible for Bebad¡¯ssting peace, he was also the mayor when the tournament wasst held in Bebad.

    ¡°Grandfather-sama,¡± Kista greeted him with a smile, ¡°Did youe here on purpose or were you just around? I would have gone straight to you if you told me to.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine, I¡¯m just exercising for my spine¡¯s sake. Even if my legs don¡¯t work like they used to, if I was to be cooped up in the house forever, it would atrophy even faster. That aside, Kista, sorry for interrupting your work but are you alright?¡±

    ¡°Mmmm, of course I¡¯m fine, grandfather-sama. Please,e in.¡±

    Kista led her grandfather towards the sofa, where they sat opposite of each other.

    Berun poured hot tea into the two teacups Kista had prepared for them. The pale green liquid gave off a mild and refreshing aroma that permeated the entire room.

    ¡°So, Kista. I heard from one of the maids that you haven¡¯t been sleeping well these past few days?¡±

    Though she did not want her grandfather to worry, she couldn¡¯t hide it any longer.

    ¡°Yes, grandfather-sama. It¡¯s hard for me to fall asleep every time I¡¯m reminded of what could happen in another four years...¡±

    Most people wouldugh at the notion that someone would be worried over what would happen four years down the line, perhaps they would even say that she was being too anxious. Berun however, wasn¡¯tughing. The weight of the burdens shouldered by a mayor was a feeling he naturally knew all too well from his long years serving as this city¡¯s mayor.

    ¡°Kista. If you¡¯re already in this state, you¡¯ll ruin yourself. This is an herbal tea that will help calm you down. Drink it and go to sleep early. An exceptional leader isn¡¯t one who could aplish the most in the shortest amount of time, but one who understands how to properly delegate their responsibilities to the appropriate subordinates. Nevermind you or me, how much can we truly achieve all by ourselves, right?¡±

    ¡°Thank you so much. But...I still have some work that needs to bepleted soon.¡±

    ¡°Is it something to do with the neighbouring cities? But I don¡¯t remember hearing about the Equestrian King making any movements?¡±

    The enemy of the City-State Alliance would be the one who upied the vast ins of the east, the Equestrian King. Since Bebad was nowhere near the ins, whenever the country was under attack, they just had to send their levies.

    ¡°...The news of the Empire recently bing a vassal state, surely you have heard of that already. The issue of exactly how much we should be on our guards against the Sorcerous Kingdom is something that must be resolved as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°Ah, the Sorcerous Kingdom...¡±

    Berun¡¯s expression turned apprehensive.

    The country that vassalized the Empire yet only had a single city of its own. There were also rumours floating around that they had assimted that assassin organization into their own ranks.

    There were all kinds of rumours and gossip floating around, whether they were true or false was hard to tell.

    Kista was reminded of someone.

    The Emperor of the Empire, Jiiv Rune Farlord El Nix.

    The young emperor who had been given the title of the Bloody Emperor, she had met him once as part of a diplomatic mission ¡ª as a top-level official of the envoy to the Empire. They had conversed with each other at the reception g that was held afterwards.

    He was one who was rich in intelligence, wealth, and charm as expected of a country¡¯s leader. How did someone like him be the vassal of another state?

    There had to be a reason why ¡ª he must be coveting something.

    ¡°In regards to the intelligence-gathering process on the Sorcerous Kingdom, could I trouble grandfather-sama to pull some strings?¡±

    Berun, as a long-reigning mayor of the city, had quite a lot of connections, far beyond what Kista had. Of course, she had met with most of his connections when she had inherited his post, but if Berun was the one to ask for that kind of information instead of her, it would be much more effective.

    ¡°Of course, Kista. Although this isn¡¯t exactly through my connections, I have heard of some brilliant adventurers who had just immigrated from the Empire to here, should I ask them about it?¡±

    ¡°Yes please, sorry to trouble you ¡ª grandfather-sama, thank you so much.¡±

    Kista deeply lowered her head. Even if they were of kin, he was someone who was nearly eighty years of age yet could still assume the role of mayor with no issues at all. He was even reverently referred to as the ¡®Eagle of Bebad¡¯ in the surrounding area. This was something that she had kept in mind since youth.

    ¡°Thanking me would be too ¡ª nevermind, I ept your gratitude, Kista. Starting from today, even just temporarily, go to sleep early. Am I understood?¡±

    ¡°¡ªYes, grandfather-sama. Thank you for all the care you have provided me thus far.¡±

 Volume 14: 3 - The Last King (Part 1)

    Arge number of documents were gathered in this office along with several officials of internal affairs. Their expressions were hard to look at, the reason being their increased workload had taken its toll. Another reason for this would be the stress they felt from their knowledge of the Kingdom¡¯s perilous status.

    Zanac shook his right hand which had been signing so many documents that it started to ache and moved his shoulders around in circles. He could hear his body creak as he did so.

    It seemed that his body, just like the others, desperately yearned for some rest.

    Though he wanted to take a break right now, the amount of work that was being transferred to this office was unfortunately ever increasing.

    Given that was the case, he should either fetch more hands to deal with this or distribute his work to the others. Unfortunately, there wasn¡¯t anyone there that Zanac could delegate his work to. If anyone was to take over Zanac¡¯s workload, it would have to be another member of the royal family.

    Zanac had his own reasons for not requesting help from his father or Renner.

    The truth was, he had ess to aid but just couldn¡¯t call upon it.

    Zanac lifted up his pen again, scanned through the document that was ced in front of him, and signed and stamped it.

    After repeating the same routine for the eighth time, a knock on the door was heard.

    Sighs could be heard from multiple officials. Perhaps this was another delivery of even more documents.

    One of the officials, whose heavy breathing sounded unnaturally like a sow screeching, stood up and walked towards the door at a snail¡¯s pace. His movements were so sluggish that it was as though he believed that the slower he moved, the less he would have to work.

    A knight stood outside the door.

    ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry for bothering you in these busy times, but Renner-sama wishes to speak with Your Highness.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t what he had expected, but it was still an equally troublesome matter.

    ¡°I am busy, so no. Tell her to talk to me during dinner if she has something to say.¡±

    Ever since his brother went missing, Zanac and his family had tried to dine together as much as possible. These past few days were the exception, Renner had probably been dining alone for a while.

    She couldn¡¯t possibly be feeling lonely though. In these times when there was a shortage of maids, she would have dined with Climb and Brain instead. She was probably happier now than ever, perhaps happier than either Zanac or their father.

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    The knight shut the doors and left, but Zanac knew that Renner would not ept that excuse at all.

    Zanac stopped writing and ordered the official who was about to walk back to his post to stay in ce.

    After about a minute had passed, the door was knocked on again and the same knight was behind it with the exact same message as before.

    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry, Your Highness. The princess, she said...If you don¡¯t want her to spread some rumours which may or may not be true, go meet with her at once.¡±

    Is she seriously resorting to threat? Zanac gave a wry smile. Though he did not believe that his sister would actually do as she imed, if she was willing to threaten him, he should probably listen to what she had to say. If rumours were actually spread around, no doubt his workload would increase even further.

    He just had to act as though he was being forced against his will.

    ¡°Got it, let her in but no one other than Renner. Those two, just let them wait in the adjacent room.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    From the knight¡¯s immediate response Zanac could tell that his predictions were correct, those two had tagged along.

    Brain was the Kingdom¡¯s best warrior, unparalleled in his strength. Climb was also much stronger than a regr warrior. To have those two stay inside the pce all day and be Renner¡¯s bodyguards felt like a waste of talent.

    Those two were not under the pce¡¯s direct employ but were instead paid through Renner¡¯s privy purse and thus were her direct subordinates. Zanac had no say about their assignment.

    After the knight had closed the doors, Zanac turned to the officials still toiling away in the room and said,

    ¡°You all, my sister is due to arrive soon, what will I ever do with her? Rejoice, for a break is upon you all. Three hours starting from now. Rest up and return rejuvenated.¡±

    The officials gave their tired smiles and shambled out with heavy steps as if they were zombies.

    Princess Renner entered soon after. Unlike the officials who had just left, she had on her a radiant smile.

    ¡°Onii-sama, forgive me for speaking out of turn, but those officials of internal affairs could be much more efficient if you let them rest well. People tend to make more mistakes when they are tired. Speaking of which, is onii-sama alright?¡±

    Zanac rubbed his stubble-covered chin. He had worked an equal amount of time as those officials so he naturally appeared as tired as they were. He did want to take a rest, but as a superior, way too many things depended on him.

    ¡°I honestly think we should hire someone who could forge my signature.¡±

    ¡°There was a person who could forge father¡¯s signature, should I fetch him?¡±

    Renner stared silently at Zanac. He knew what her question meant, but it was better to check to be sure.

    ¡°¡ªwhat do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Is our father still well?¡±

    Zanac had a wry smile.

    ¡°Oy oy...you think I would plot to kill our father? In this current situation...? Father was not feeling too well, he¡¯s resting in his room. I doubt he could rest well if he was reminded of his duties as king. Which is why you, as the princess, should not meet him for now. Sorry~¡± Renner¡¯s smile matched his. Upon seeing that, he knew she understood it all.

    ¡°Onii-sama, between us, there is no need to lie. Onii-sama, without Marquis Raeven¡¯s soldiers, has enough manpower to ce our father under surveince. The ministers of the interior and military affairs must have already joined onii-sama¡¯s side...What does father n to do?¡±

    ¡°He still wants to talk it out with the Sorcerous Kingdom.¡±

    Because of that, Zanac had to step in as the King¡¯s regent and take care of everything else the best he could.

    Since he had locked his father up, he had to take all of these matters into his own hands. If he still requested help from his father given these circumstances, he would truly be the most pathetic man ever.

    ¡°Mmmm...Still, I understand father¡¯s line of thought. After all, he had witnessed 200,000 men being instantly wiped out on the battlefield...¡±

    Plus he had lost Gazef Stronoff and his own son. Zanac did not give voice to those thoughts but just grumbled in his heart.

    ¡°It is not that I cannot rte to his desire to settle this through diplomacy, to reduce the number of casualties to the lowest possible, but things have already progressed to a stage where a resolution through diplomacy is no longer possible.¡±

    Zanac took out a huge sheet of paper and spread it on the table.

    It wasn¡¯t regr scrap paper, but avish piece of thin and white paper. On it was the full map of the Kingdom made through [Copy].

    ¡°Look. These are the cities in the Kingdom that had already fallen to the Sorcerer King¡¯s conquest.¡±

    Numerous ¡®X¡¯ marks dotted the northern and eastern sides of the Kingdom, more than half of the cities were marked. Someone well versed in cartography would know from the size of those cities alone, they were home to arge number of people. Those who were intelligent enough should have already realised that if this map had included viges, the number of ¡®X¡¯s would be multitudes higher.

    Zanac traced a path on the map with his fingers.

    ¡°Though the Sorcerous Kingdom appeared to have not been making any moves since the war had begun, they had actually been invading the north.¡±

    Renner looked at the country Zanac¡¯s finger stopped at.

    ¡°To put pressure on our neighbours like the Council State, to prevent any reinforcement from being sent here, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct. We had thought that they had not been moving at all and that the deration of war was just an empty threat. While our naive father was attempting to negotiate with them, things have already developed to this stage. Cities were destroyed and our people were massacred en masse.¡±

    Zanac gnashed his teeth and made an audible sound.

    ¡°...Such barbarity. Absolutely unforgivable.¡±

    Those who could tolerate this kind of treatment were not fit to be called royalty.

    ¡°So the Sorcerous Kingdom has no intention ofmunicating with us. Surely they¡¯re nning something unprecedented? Right?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right, what will happen next ¡ª perhaps a more open act of aggression.¡±

    Zanac nodded his head.

    That was why he had been busy formting a call to arms to send to every noble within the country.

    ¡°Tell me, o sister of mine, please use that brilliant mind of yours. Why did we not notice the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s invasion? Why did we not receive any intel of the invasion before the northern city of E-Na¨¹ru had repelled the enemy¡¯s attack?¡±

    When the Sorcerous Kingdom besieged a city, it was said that not a single soul was spared from the resulting massacre. However, to have made sure that no leaks had urred was a feat that was pretty much impossible. After all, merchants and travellers still strutted around even during wartimes.

    What had they done to seal everybody¡¯s mouths?

    Was it some sort of spell by the Sorcerer King?

    ¡°Onii-sama could smell a whiff of it too right? The Sorcerous Kingdom had ced all of our sources of intel on lockdown.¡±

    ¡°Ah...so you think so too. So if that was the case, these ¡®X¡¯ marks might not be true either.¡±

    ¡°If this wasn¡¯t something the Sorcerous Kingdom had done, things would be much easier to exin. We may have a traitor amongst us.¡±

    The primary possibility was that some official of internal affairs had betrayed them and were reporting false intel. The other possibility was that some of the Kingdom¡¯s nobles had swung over to the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s side and were submitting false reports.

    Zanac¡¯s finger continued to trace lines upon the map. He pondered, which noble could be corrupted to manipte such a massive amount of intel.

    Zanac¡¯s finger stopped on a city and he moved it aside to not block it.

    ¡°...Oh sister of mine, surely you have figured it out already, which noble had betrayed us?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t it be that other possibility?¡±

    She could see through himpletely. Though in the past he had found his sister¡¯s intelligence to be annoying, she felt more reliable now than anything else.

    ¡°...I could count on one hand the number of people who would have this much control over the intel that flows into the capital. The minister of military affairs for example, but not even he could control the flow of merchants and travellers in and out of the capital. It is impossible for anyone within the capital to have the ability to lock down our intel like that.¡±

    ¡°If you understood this much, surely onii-sama already has the answer in mind...It¡¯s Marquis Raeven.¡±

    ¡°¡ªHow? Impossible.¡±

 Volume 14: 3 - The Last King (Part 2)

    Zanac rejected that notion immediately, even though his finger had been resting on E-Libera.

    ¡°Do you really believe that to be impossible? Marquis Raeven is one to dote over his son. What if, someone was to kidnap his son and hold him hostage?¡±

    ¡°...Is that how they coerced Marquis Raeven? Absolutely despicable!¡±

    ¡°Though, I¡¯m of the opinion that he may have betrayed us simply because he thought that ¡®the crown is doomed for¡¯¡±

    Although he was unwilling to believe in Marquis Raeven¡¯s betrayal, there was no other nobleman who was as powerful as him. He would only need to call in a few favours with other nobles close to him before he couldpletely cut off the flow of intel to and from the city of his choice. The survivors would have also chosen to seek shelter and protection from therger cities, E-Libera would have been an excellent choice in that regard.

    Was it because of those factors that the Sorcerous Kingdom had set their sights on him?

    ¡°...What kind of person do you believe the Sorcerer King to be?¡±

    ¡°Abnormally flexible in his ways of thought, someone who possesses an entire nation¡¯s worth of intellect and guile. What is most terrifying about him is the fact that he does not simply rely on his overwhelming power, but meticulously ns his every move out. One could say that he is a monster to whom the concept of arrogance ispletely foreign.¡±

    {Hoh?} Zanac looked at Renner, something felt off about her. Her expression was the same as usual, but her voice carried an unusual emotion, that of awe and reverence.

    ¡°The web of plots unfolding in front of our eyes were perhaps weaved into the Kingdom many years ago. We are but stuck moths.¡±

    ¡°I would prefer to say butterflies.¡±

    ¡°In any case, we are at their mercy, it does not matter if onii-sama prefers to use butterflies in that metaphor or not. Even if we slipped through these webs unharmed, there would just be anotheryer underneath...it is frankly terrifying. I did not believe that someone like him could exist in this world. What if our actions were all well within his calctions?¡±

    ¡°So you are saying that he is better than you?¡±

    Rennerughed and did not respond.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go back to our previous topic, onii-sama is probably thinking about searching through Marquis Raeven¡¯s residence, right? I do not think that you could find anything substantial there.¡±

    ¡°That is true, but surely we cannot just remain idle, right?¡±

    Given how likely it was that Marquis Raeven had betrayed them, they had to do something about it. He was still hopeful that they could find even the slightest trace of a clue to all of this.

    ¡°Before we do that, I have a question for onii-sama. If the current situation progresses on, the Sorcerous Kingdom would surely initiate the final battle near the capital. Would onii-sama order the soldiers to defend the city or send them out to receive the attack? How will we be raising our forces?¡±

    ¡°I have already received satisfactory responses from our neighbouring nobles.¡±

    Those who were more distant had not replied yet. It wasn¡¯t because they had not received his message yet, but because they wished to watch from the sidelines. They probably wished to see the royalty wiped out so that they could bow to the Sorcerer King as his new subjects. Or perhaps it was because they did not want to get on the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s bad side by defending the Kingdom.

    Either train of thought was naive to say the least.

    Their belief that they could distance themselves away from this was proof enough on its own of their utter stupidity.

    No, he shouldn¡¯t be mocking their idiocy. If they knew of how ruthless the Sorcerous Kingdom had been, they would not have done so. They were simply all victims to the information lock that was ced on them all.

    Once the capital fell, there was no doubt in his mind that the Sorcerous Kingdom would extend its brutality to the other cities. The nobles who wished to abstain from this battle would end up in defeat anyways.

    ¡°Do you believe that...we could win?¡±

    Zanac gave a wry smile and responded calmly to this convoluted question.

    ¡°It is not a matter of whether we win or lose, we simply have no option but to face them in battle. The Sorcerous Kingdom will scorch every inch of this country and ughter all of our citizens. This is ourst stake at survival.¡±

    ¡°...Onii-sama...is already king, eh?¡±

    ¡°What? What do you mean? Are you saying that I am being too full of myself?¡±

    ¡°...Umm, if we were to be defeated in this battle, wouldn¡¯t the Kingdom be destroyed? If that is the case then the citizens of the Kingdom would not be safe no matter where they escape to. While I do not believe onii-sama¡¯s choice to stake it all on this battle to be incorrect, Marquis Raeven may have betrayed us for this reason too, to save the citizens.¡±

    ¡°I see...so that his city could be a sanctuary for the refugees, hmmm,¡±

    ¡°But I doubt the Sorcerer King would allow that to happen. Perhaps he had also ordered Marquis Raeven to kill the people seeking refuge in his city to test his loyalty.¡±

    Why would Marquis Raeven betray them? No, has he betrayed them at all? Perhaps this too was another ploy of the Sorcerer King, to sow the seeds of doubt amongst them to bait him and Renner in.

    Zanac recalled the Marquis Raeven who only wanted a better future for the Kingdom.

    Maybe he should write him a letter and have an honest conversation with him, but that could be a dangerous move.

    A traitor who continues to receive their former letters. That would certainly cause the Sorcerer King to cast doubts on him.

    That could be a ploy that he could use against them, but it was better saved for a situation in which Marquis Raeven would be marching along with the Sorcerer King¡¯s army. This wasn¡¯t the best time to do something like this. If Marquis Raeven really was being coerced by threats against his family¡¯s wellbeing, he could not fault him.

    Zanac recalled the Marquis Raeven who excessively doted over his son.

    He reminisced so hard his eyes almost squinted into a line until he was knocked back to reality by the sight of his sister.

    ¡°Refugees...? Speaking of which, father wanted you to...well, he wanted us to seek refuge in the City-State Alliance as the Kingdom¡¯s representatives. That was way before I ced father under surveince. If you still want to do so, you better get away from the capital soon.¡±

    Soon enough he will have to draft everybody he could and face a decisive battle against the Sorcerous Kingdom. If he was being honest, they had no chance at all. Defeat meant that the capital and the other cities would be razed to ashes.

    That meant that nowhere within the Kingdom was safe. Perhaps they should follow their father¡¯s suggestion and abandon the country.

    In normal circumstances, there were two ways a victor would have dealt with a kingdom¡¯s former royalty.

    One was to mix their lineage through political marriages, the other was to wipe out everyone with royal blood to leave no loose ends behind.

    The Sorcerous Kingdom would definitely choose thetter.

    ¡°That is an excellent idea, would onii-samae too?¡±

    ¡°At this point, how could I...If our elder brother was still here I would have chosen to run too. Don¡¯t mind me, what are you going to do? The Sorcerer King is undead so he probably wouldn¡¯t take {that} kind of interest in women, so they would undoubtedly be killed too.¡±

    ¡°If the Sorcerous Kingdom attacked us, I could be vited by one of our own who¡¯s desperate enough to do so.¡±

    Zanac showed his disgust on his face upon hearing how calmly his sister had said such words. But, he had to admit that she was also being realistic.

    Renner¡¯s beauty was renowned, it wouldn¡¯t be out of the question for those kinds of people to exist.

    ¡°Then remember to not leave Climb and Unus¡¯s side for now.¡±

    ¡°Mmm, okay, I won¡¯t let Climb leave my side.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no one but the two of us here and I won¡¯t speak of it given the current situation, but you have to answer me with ¡®those two¡¯.¡±

    Why would Brain Unus choose to serve under this woman?

    Though he had heard rumours that Brain was interested in Climb, he did not appear to be gay in the slightest. However, after some investigations, it did appear that he had not had a woman at all ¡ª it couldn¡¯t possibly be because he¡¯s only interested in children, right?

    He did not give voice to those thoughts given how scary his sister is. If those two were to find out about it, it would be troublesome.

    ¡°Anyways, I do not intend to flee. As a princess, I will face death with grace and dignity.¡±

    That was unexpected.

    He had thought about this in the past, about how she would be fine with any kind of life as long as she was with Climb. Perhaps she was only putting up a front and had already prepared to escape.

    {She would be the type to do that...}

    ¡°But even a corpse could still be exploited by the Sorcerer King.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps, will onii-sama be leading the army against the Sorcerer King?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yeah. Even though my presence would not make a difference at all, the army needs a royal to lead them ¡ª I have to take a stand.¡±

    Zanac looked towards the ceiling.

    ¡°You have said something to the effect that I am the king-to-be in the past, that is why this responsibility falls on me...father will hopefully take care of my funeral arrangements...you can choose to run away at any time.¡±

    Though he found his sister to be annoying most of the time, they still shared the same blood. To do what a brother should was the least he could do. Perhaps he could receive God¡¯s pity after his death.

    ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll do so when the timees.¡±

    As Zanac retracted his gaze on her, he saw that Renner had replied with her usual smile.

 Volume 14: 3 - The Last King (Part 3)

    Changes:

    -Semantics (minor)

    -One missed paragraph near the center (major)

    2

    The Sorcerous Kingdom had finally begun their westward invasion. City after city and vige after vige fell in their wake. They were beelining towards the capital, albeit at a painfully slow rate.

    Therger an army was, the slower it would march. However, ording to herpanion, Evileye, this should not apply to the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s army, which waspletelyprised of the undead. She believed that this was done to stress out the Kingdom¡¯s inhabitants.

    The stress of an invading army had already caused chaos to break out within the capital and many had died as a result. After that had happened, the people of the capital had two options.

    The first was to flee the capital and move towards the opposite direction of E-Rantel ¡ª the west.

    The other option was to remain in the capital, shut their doors, and nevere out of hiding.

    As to which option was more popr, the overwhelming majority of people chose thetter. Those who chose the former were all people with the capital, connections, or skills to guarantee their survival even in farawaynds.

    That was why more than 95% of the capital¡¯s poption chose to stay.

    But, that was only true till yesterday.

    The royalty had put up a decree.

    The decree was that due to the ever-encroaching army of the Sorcerous Kingdom, the city required more manpower to defend it. All able-bodied men had to join the battle. It was essentially a draft.

    Of course, there were those who feared the battlefield and so still chose to hole themselves up, but the amount of people who believed that if they were to not contribute to the war effort, their loved ones would die, held the majority.

    The fiery passion of the people began to spread within the capital, those affected by it started to descend into madness. The streets bustled with men preparing for war. Fathers and their sons alike were soldiers. Those who wished for better rations while they were away made the culinary industry boom. This was all exacerbated by the people¡¯s knowledge that the royalty had ordered every merchant within the city to keep food prices low.

    The members of Blue Roses shuffled through the crowd.

    Lakyus had a suggestion for herpanions behind her.

    ¡°I said, guys, I can handle it on my own. The request did not specify who should go, but that doesn¡¯t mean that all of us have to move out at once. I bet everybody is busy, right? How about we go our separate ways here?¡±

    ¡°...What is up with you, Lakyus? Is there a reason why you don¡¯t want us to tag along?¡±

    Lakyus forcefully adopted a smile upon hearing what Evileye had said. Though in her mind she had thought, ¡°how keen of you!¡± she did not give voice to that thought. Evileye was fine in that regard, Tina and Tia were much keener than she was. Thank God she wasn¡¯t facing them instead.

    ¡°I understand what Lakyus is feeling right now. I heard that Azuth-danna wasing too, right?¡±

    Lakyus¡¯ felt her heart drop for a moment.

    That was correct. Lakyus¡¯ uncle, the leader of the Adamantite-ranked adventurer group Red Drop, Azuth Aindra was invited alongside them.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re family. There must be a lot you two want to discuss in private, right? We understand.¡±

    Nice, their confusion led them away from the real reason. Lakyus concurred with what Gagaran had said,

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Could you guys just do this for me? He didn¡¯t even look for me after he came to the capital. So¡ª¡±

    ¡°How perplexing.¡±

    ¡°Unbelievable.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    Lakyus looked towards the twins.

    ¡°You two are rted and both are leaders of Adamantite-ranked adventurer groups. Given the current situation he still did not tell you about his return to the capital, so how did our requestor find out about it?¡±

    ¡°If he was rted to Red Drop, he should have said so. But, that requestor said nothing at all.¡±

    Last night, a man of insignificant stature showed up at the inn the Blue Roses were staying at, told them that they had a job request, and to head to this location. To have directly approached them rather than go through the Adventurer¡¯s Guild was an act suspicious enough that it made Lakyus want to reject his offer. However, upon learning that Azuth of Red Drop would be there too, she had to show up as well.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. This is beyond suspicious, this could be called a conspiracy even. It could be a lie to bait us in or something.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Given the possibility that this could be a trap ¡ª even though you are strong, there are still some things you can¡¯t handle alone. If this other party is trying to harm us, we should try not to get picked off one-by-one.¡±

    ¡°Guys...¡±

    Lakyus was happy that everybody was so worried over her. But¡ª

    ¡°Also, we also want to meet with that hero-senpai.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve only heard of his name but have never met with him in the past. If you¡¯re rted to him, it should be easy for us to meet with him, right?¡±

    Lakyus felt her stomach copse in on itself.

    While her uncle wasn¡¯t exactly a bad guy, he couldn¡¯t be called a good person either. Overall, what she was certain of was the fact that he was someone who could only be a bad influence on children.

    When Lakyus had met with him back when she was still a child, he appeared to be normal but that might have been him just hiding his true nature. Perhaps his screw came loose during his adventures?

    She only had one solution to things that she could not understand ¡ª though this wasn¡¯t exactly something God would bother with ¡ª and that was to pray. Other than that, there was nothing she could do about it.

    Her uncle was the type to act all honest and upstanding when meeting someone for the first time. He was also the type to spout corny lines like, ¡°if you long for a hero, then it is that hero¡¯s duty to grant your wish.¡±

    She could only hope that he would do the same this time.

    Lakyus andpany arrived at the inn they were told to go to.

    The business around here seemed to be quite run down and the ce was just dirty in general.

    The doors to the inn were built well and surprisingly heavy.

    Right after Lakyus had pushed open the door, Tia and Tina tapped her twice on her waist.

    It was a signal for her to be on alert. They must have noticed something.

    Opposite the door was the counter yet they could not see any evidence of tavern-like business was being conducted here.

    That meant that this ce was remote enough that this establishment could not operate as a tavern, but only as an inn.

    Lakyus felt that everybody had switched modes due to the eeriness of this ce. They were prepared forbat to break out at any second.

    Lakyus spoke to the aloof man behind the counter.

    ¡°...We are the Blue Roses, here to meet with our client.¡±

    ¡°Go to room 301. Mister Azuth of Red Drop is already there.¡±

    Was he really here? It was time to find out.

    Lakyus thanked him and immediately ascended the stairs to the side.

    The inn was incredibly silent. They did not cross paths with another person the whole way there, nor did they hear any sounds at all. Was it because the walls had great sound-istion properties or was it because the inn was actually empty?

    The group reached the third floor and found the amount of rooms on the floor to be surprisingly low. The rooms on this floor were probably huge.

    Lakyus knocked on the door that had a sign marked with the number 301.

    ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m Lakyus!¡±

    After focusing her ears, she faintly heard a man¡¯s voice on the other side of the door saying, e in.¡± The volume of the voice was so low that she could not tell if it was her uncle¡¯s or not.

    After blocking Tia and Tina, Lakyus pushed open the doors herself.

    The interior of the room was vastly different from its exterior.

    The room was filled with exquisite and heavy furniture, much more luxurious than Lakyus¡¯ inn. To be honest, that creeped her out. This inn was terribly suspicious after all.

    They had not even finished surveying the entire room when a voice was directed towards Lakyus.

    ¡°Aw, Lakyu! Long time no see!¡±

    ¡°Unc...¡±

    That was indeed her uncle¡¯s voice.

    Lakyus forcefully mmed the doors shut towards the direction her uncle¡¯s voice hade from.

    ¡°W-what¡¯s going on, Lakyus?¡±

    Gagaran was the first to speak.

    Everybody must have heard her uncle¡¯s voice already. It was hard for her to say that nothing was wrong after that disy.

    ¡°Guys, I feel like I should meet with my uncle alone after all.¡±

    ¡°This girl...Are you seriously saying such things even after we came all the way here.¡±

    Evileye¡¯s dumbfounded voice was to be expected.

    Lakyus looked at everybody¡¯s expressions. Evileye had spoken as their representative, she could tell that the rest of them had the same thought from their expressions alone.

    Then¡ª

    ¡°Sigh, guys. Let me make it clear. My uncle is an odd individual.¡±

    ¡°...The leader of Red Drop?¡±

    Lakyus put on the stern expression as expected of a leader and nodded upon hearing what Tina had said, she then looked towards the others. They were confused, but having known Lakyus for a long time, they knew her to be honest. After she had parsed that from their expressions, Lakyus opened the door again.

    There was a shiny velvet chaise longue in the room.

    On it sat a man, a man she knew well ¡ª it was Azuth Aindra in the flesh.

    His upper torso waspletely exposed, one could clearly make out his well-defined abs and puffed-up pecs. This wasn¡¯t exactly how one should present themselves in front of their client yet it was not the reason why Lakyus stopped herpanions from advancing forward.

    On top of Azuth¡¯s body, to his left and right, were two half-naked women snuggling up to him.

    No, they could not be called half-naked. Their voluptuous chests were fully exposed and though they were wearing undergarments, they were just strings that barely covered up anything at all.

    From their appearances, they appeared to be high-ss escorts.

    Erotic outfits that were likely taken off recently were strewn across the ground. Azuth held both women in each of his arms, his hands weretched on their breasts, rubbing them.

    ¡°Uncle...your niece was summoned here by the same client. Can¡¯t you wee me in a more appropriate manner?¡± Lakyus said.

    However, Azuth¡¯s hands did not leave the breasts of those women as he continued to knead them without giving it much thought. The women did not seem to mind Lakyus¡¯ group at all but just uncaringly continued on with their soft moans.

    This attitude honestly enraged Lakyus a little. If these women had been procured by their client, Lakyus would like to have a word with them.

    ¡°Naaah, I thought that you guys woulde a bitter. Uhh, I¡¯m not actually doing it on the bed anyway, so why should it matter?¡±

    ¡°Of course it should!¡± Lakyus did not bother to turn around to check herpanions¡¯ expressions.

    ¡°...Really?¡± Azuth¡¯s had a confused expression, yet he did not stop rubbing the women. ¡°You¡¯re just too inflexible in your ways of thought! It is in every man¡¯s nature to want to fuck beautiful women. My children would probably be born with the same gift too. Don¡¯t you know that it¡¯s important to ensure that our bloodline continues on?

    ¡°Hmmm, even though you¡¯re high-born, this kind of mentality is still so deeply ingrained in your heart?¡±

    Upon hearing what Evileye had said, Azuth put on a displeased expression and stared at her. Though they could feel a sense of pressure from his gaze alone, none of Blue Roses backed down. To Evileye especially, it felt just like a soft breeze. She continued,

    ¡°...Sigh. From your expression alone I can tell that was bullseye. They call your hero but you¡¯re no different than a child. Actually, could it be that the reason why you abandoned your status as a noble and chose the life of an adventurer was precisely because of you being the type of person that you are...? Anyways, this is no attitude to receive your clients. Ladies, begone.¡±

    ¡°¡ªWhat¡¯s with this child?¡±

    The womanying on the right red at Evileye.

    ¡°Sigh, what a bother. Hey, Aindra...Is the room on that side still vacant?¡±

    Evileye pointed towards a door that wasn¡¯t the one to the corridor.

    ¡°Ahhh. That¡¯s a bedroom, I¡¯ve checked it already.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Then send them there.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s with this child? What is she trying to do?¡± The woman to the left red at Evileye with an angry expression. ¡°Don¡¯t you act all high and mighty now, you¡¯re just a brat who won¡¯t even dare to show their face.¡±

    ¡°...sigh. [Charm Person]. Go.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. Understood.¡±

    The woman on the left stood up immediately, prompting the woman on the right to take on a shocked expression with her mouth wide-open¡ª

    ¡°You too. Don¡¯t forget the clothes on the floor.¡±

    Before the woman could respond, her [Charm Person] had already been cast. The women obediently walked into the adjacent room.

    Azuth pouted and raised his shoulders. From an adventurer¡¯s perspective, what Evileye had done was no different than someone drawing their de, yet he did not appear to fault her for it. Though she did not want to admit it, Evileye saw him as pretty lenient in that regard.

    ¡°Evileye...Good Job!¡± Tina raised a thumb to Evileye, ¡°to be brave enough to let women who could have been assassins get this close to you, as expected of an Adamantite-ranked adventurer.¡±

    ¡°Were they?¡±

    ¡°We were trained to do those things back then as well. Women who were not gifted in raw power or arcane talents could only resort to weaponizing their femininity. Though Gagaran cannot rte at all, I¡¯ll still exin their methods. First¡ª¡±

    Evileye tuned out of Tia¡¯s exnation and spoke to Lakyus instead.

    ¡°It would be troublesome if that wasn¡¯t done. Well, I won¡¯t interrupt you with this topic anymore. Speak of whatever you want I guess.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Evileye. Now then...haaaah...¡± she was already exhausted before she had spoken a single word, ¡°Now then, uncle, our client this time around is extremely suspicious. Who are they?¡±

    ¡°Hmm? Oy oy, you came here without knowing about them? Hmm, they¡¯re someone with a massive organization behind them, probably.¡±

    ¡°Probably? Speaking of which, are they someone you are familiar with?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t met them in person. If they knew their manners, they would have given me their name. Hmmm, if they intend to hide their identity, then¡ª¡± Azuth smiled, ¡°they must be someone shady. So, what are you nning to do?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean what do I n to do?¡±

    ¡°If you guys want to fle¡ª leave this ce, you can use the path I nned out.¡±

    ¡°We do not intend to leave.¡±

    Lakyus felt everybody¡¯s gaze on her.

    ¡°...Pfff. Think over it. The Sorcerer King¡¯s army has killed every civilian along its way towards here and razed the cities too. To think that the capital would be any different, aren¡¯t you being a little too naive?¡±

    ¡°Then, uncle, let us fight side by side!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s impossible. Because I did not confirm his power directly, I could not say for sure. But if the rumours are all real, I¡ª we can¡¯t win against that guy. Only a monster could fight that monster, it would be unwise for humans to intervene.¡±

    Azuth sighed tiredly. Lakyus had never seen her uncle like this.

    ¡°...I knew this was a waste of time, that was why I did not bring the rest of the team along. I also told my brother to run away.¡±

    ¡°But...none of them did, right?¡±

    ¡°Haaah. What a bunch of...idiots. But, he did put his child under my care. They were taken by mypanions to the Council-State and are probably there already.¡±

    Just asplicated emotions arose in Lakyus¡¯ heart, Tia nervously said, ¡°boss¡±. At the same time, a man¡¯s voice came from the corridor, ¡°You¡¯re all on-time!¡±

    The three who had been standing by the door, Tia, Tina, and Gagaran, appeared to be pushed along by an unseen power into the room. A man and a woman followed after them.

    The one who walked in front was a young man.

    All ten of his fingers had rings adorning them. A gentle smile shone from his face.

    Behind him was a tired woman. Her clothes were loose and she walked in a way that said she did not want to walk at all. An unusually giant hat sat on her dome, covering most of her face.

    Lakyus raised her guard.

    Herpanions were being suppressed on a biological level ¡ª that is to say, from raw power alone. Both of the visitors were capable of giving the world-famous Adamantite-ranked adventurer Lakyus a fright she could not put into words.

    Yet, once the person behind them showed up, the atmosphere changed more so than ever.

    That man¡¯s giant body slowly inched its way into the room. His appearance was that of an axe-wielding barbarian. An intense, overwhelming pressure emanated from him that made them feel as though the space around them was being distorted.

    The two in front of them were indeed strong.

    But, that man is far more powerful than them both.

    Lakyus could not move, as if she was being suffocated.

    As an Adamantite-ranked adventurer, she had defeated numerous powerful monsters and demi-humans yet they all paled inparison to this man. He might even be stronger than the skull-wearing demon that appeared during Jaldabaoth¡¯s disturbance.

    That man was probably the bodyguard of those two.

    People as strong as them, if they did not belong to any organization, would inevitably cause rumours about them to spread. If that was the case, what was behind them must be an enormous, national-level organization to be capable of hiding information about thempletely.

    ¡°...We were right to bring our equipment along.¡±

    ¡°...every single one of them is stronger than us.¡±

    ¡°Haaah. I don¡¯t remember hearing about people like them within the Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°Oy oy oy, you¡¯rete already so don¡¯t go around spreading that dangerous aura. Did management mandate that you do? Do something this boring?¡±

    The woman Azuth was mocking objected,

    ¡°To bring whores along, how impressive, old man. This is not a love hotel though~¡±

    Azuth responded in kind to her,

    ¡°Hmph, this ce was the exact reason why I called them over, I wanted you all to be as disgusted as I was.¡±

    ¡°Tsk-¡± The woman snapped her mouth shut as she adopted an expression that was hard to look at.

    She did not object to what Azuth had said, meaning that this inn was indeed connected to them. There were only two countries that had the capability to set up national-level organizations. One was the Council-State, the other was the Theocracy.

    Thetter was far more likely.

    ¡°Well well, if you all will just end this right now, I would be very happy.¡±

    ¡°Quie-chan...sigh, Quie-chan is the lead this time so I¡¯ll just listen to you.¡±

    (TL¡¯s Note: Quiesce, Clementine¡¯s brother)

    After being scolded by the gentleman, the woman forced herself to shrug and nod along.

    ¡°Azuth-sama is absolutely correct. You took time out of your busy schedule to meet with us yet we were thest to arrive. I do apologize to your esteemed person.¡±

    ¡°Hmph.¡±

 Volume 14: 3 - The Last King (Part 4)

    Azuth sneered a little, yet that gentleman¡¯s smile never faltered.

    ¡°Now then, do forgive me for my frankness ¡ª let us get down to business, Azuth Aindra-sama and the members of Blue Rose present,¡±

    Lakyus squinted her eyes.

    Her uncle had abandoned his title as a noble, but because he still retained the title of honorary knight, proper etiquette dictated that he must be referred to by his full name. However, Azuth was the type to dislike being called by his full name.

    Those who were meeting him for the first time and wanted to follow protocol would have fallen into this trap.

    This gentleman however, managed to avoid this. This meant that this man had done his thorough research, no, it was probably more urate to say that the people behind this man had done their research.

    ¡°Lakyus Alvein Dale Aindra-sama. Evileye-sama. Tia-sama. Tina-sama. Gagaran-sama. We are here to persuade you to join our side. Though fighting to yourst breath here is an honorable option, we do implore everyone here to consider the future instead.¡±

    ¡°Ugh. Such an impolite fellow. So, which country sent you?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter which country we¡¯re from. It¡¯s all usele¡ª¡±

    Suddenly, a hand appeared from behind the woman and covered her mouth.

    ¡°No way!¡±

    Tia and Tina drew their weapons in surprise.

    Behind the woman stood a man wearing an odd outfit. His entire body, including his face and hands, were covered. Metal tes lined his clothing for better defense.

    ¡°Not good, it¡¯s an assassin way beyond our league.¡±

    ¡°Not good, he¡¯s much stronger than us.¡±

    These two were the strongest ¡ª most vicious ¡ª assassins that Lakyus knew of, but this man was stronger than them both.

    ¡°Please do not worry and please sheath your weapons. If our goal was your demise, we would not have introduced ourselves in such a trifling method.¡±

    The gentleman was correct. To have entered this room in a way where none of these Adamantite-ranked adventurers could notice must have included the use of an ability that was capable ofpletely masking oneself. To have revealed himself in such an idiotic manner meant that he wasn¡¯t there to assassinate them.

    Or perhaps this was part of their tactic too. They were reminding them that if they did not join their side, outstanding assassins could get them at any time.

    ¡°Also, as for mypanion¡¯s slightly inappropriate matter of speech, I do deeply appologi¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªOy oy. What good does hiding that fact do for you? You guys are from the Theocracy, right?¡±

    ¡°Are they really from the Theocracy...? I can¡¯t believe that people like this exist there.¡±

    A shocked Evileye said. Lakyus was equally surprised.

    They had fought against a unit that was burning down demi-human viges in the past and they were strong. Especially the captain of that unit, who was stronger than Lakyus was at that time. Yet, no one from that unit was as strong as the people in front of them.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t know? I thought that you¡¯d at least have heard rumours about them...they are the pride of the Theocracy, their unit of heros, the ck Scripture. It¡¯s likely that all of them have reached the realm of heroes.¡±

    Azuth was looking towards the barbarian.

    That man put on the smile a beast would have right before it feasted on its prey.

    ¡°Hahahaha... Looks like you know quite a bit about us. But, don¡¯t you have one too? Someone like me, or even stronger than me?¡± He pointed towards Evileye, ¡°Evileye of Blue Rose. You¡¯re a hard one to deal with.¡±

    Yet his attitude was not of one admitting defeat, rather, his expression told them that he treated Evileye as an equal.

    ¡°...Hmph. There are people stronger than me...Hmm...excluding fiends, of all of the humans and demi-humans, only Momon-sama is stronger.¡±

    ¡°Only Momon? Hmmm...¡±

    The barbarian muttered to himself while a faint smile bloomed on his face, and said no more.

    ¡°I say. People of the Theocracy¡¯s secret unit. Why won¡¯t you fight alongside us against the Sorcerer King?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps that woman also...no, that was...¡± Evileye continued to mumble to herself, but Azuth ignored her and asked the gentleman, who responded with his unwavering smile.

    ¡°To have received an invitation from your esteemed person is an utmost honour to us all. However, we are here on an express mission to convince your esteemed persons to join us. That is why we can only choose to ceremoniously reject your suggestion. After all, soldiers who participate in battles out of their own selfish desires would only bring harm to their organization.¡±

    ¡°Trying to use your orders as a scapegoat, I see. Still, I¡¯m interested to hear your personal opinion.¡±

    ¡°What a bore ¡ª Aren¡¯t things much simpler if we just followed our superiors¡¯ order?¡±

    The annoyed woman said. The gentleman¡¯s smile faded away as it was reced by a troubled expression.

    ¡°I bet you¡¯re the type to find even your own thought process to be annoying.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s about right. As long as I carry out my orders, the responsibility for them will always fall on my superiors. It¡¯s too annoying to have to shoulder responsibilities myself, so I don¡¯t bother with it. I¡¯m pretty good at shifting responsibilities onto others, I¡¯ve even received praise for it~¡±

    ¡°They weren¡¯t praising you.¡±

    The barbarian whispered to himself.

    ¡°Hehe. Now then, Aindra-sama...my apologies. Azuth-sama, we understand what you meant. So, what about the members of Blue Rose?¡±

    ¡°Before that, could we ask a question? How can we escape from here?¡±

    ¡°I will tell you how after you join us. By the way, we have extended this offer to numerous other adventurer groups already and they have all epted. Those groups have already been relocated to safer locations to sit this one out.¡±

    ¡°...Oy. Did you use violence or threats to force them to go with you?¡±

    As Gagaran had said, if someone as strong as them were to threaten other people, it would be hard for them to refuse.

    ¡°We really do, from the depths of our heart, want to berades with you all. This is a cooperation for our future ¡ª for humanity¡¯s future.¡±

    The gentleman did not appear to be lying at all, his personality was probably the reason why he was chosen to be the negotiator.

    ¡°...I refuse¡±

    Lakyus did not even have time to ask for everybody else¡¯s opinions before Gagaran replied.

    ¡°No need for ¡®I¡¯...we will go with the leader¡¯s decision.¡±

    Herpanions started nodding their heads in agreement upon hearing what Gagaran had said.

    ¡°Is that true...? Looks like nothing I could say will sway your opinion. Looks like I¡¯m out of options.¡±

    The gentleman took their rejection unusually well. Lakyus lowered her posture in case he resorted to force.

    After seeing what Lakyus had done, the gentleman gave a wry smile.

    ¡°Please, there¡¯s no need to worry, Lakyus-sama. We do not n to use force. We hope that everyone here could avenge those who have fallen to the Sorcerer King. We have left a fee for your troubles at the reception, please do ept it before you return. Now then ¡ª we¡¯ll be on our way.¡±

    After the gentleman gave his orders, the people of the Theocracy began walking towards the exit. Things appeared to have concluded peacefully. Just as Lakyus breathed a sigh of relief, Azuth called out to the gentleman,

    ¡°Oy, speaking of which... The mister named Rufus or Roof-Ass, is he still okay?¡±

    ¡°Ru...? I¡¯m terribly sorry. Our country spans a vast area so I do not know who you are referring to... If you could be a bit more specif¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªAh, is that so. I suppose it¡¯s only natural for people of your rank to not know him by name after all. So, how do you guys usually address that undead? Milord or something?¡±

    Every member of the ck Scripture was stunned and were subsequently filled with malice. The entire room was suddenly overflowing with an aura of bloodlust that made them feel as thoughbat was about to break out at any moment. The gentleman was the first to make a move.

    He extended both arms to stop the people behind him.

    ¡°Quie-chan. What¡¯s wrong? Are we not killing them?¡±

    The gentleman stared at Azuth with cold, unmoving eyes and calmly replied to the woman,

    ¡°He¡¯s bluffing. Do not move of your own ord. This is an order.¡± The bloodlust that emanated from them disappeared as fast as it had appeared. The gentleman¡¯s cold-eyed stare remained on Azuth, ¡°...though I am extremely curious to find out the extent of your knowledge on this matter...I will report this to my superiors. Everybody, it¡¯s time for us to leave.¡±

    The members of the ck Scripture did not lower their guards as they walked out the room but maintained the attitude that if Lakyus¡¯ group was to take any sort of action, they would retaliate in kind.

    After a while, after Lakyus was certain that the ck Scripture had left already, she started ranting at Azuth.

    ¡°Uncle...you¡¯re the weakest of us all. Please stop provoking other people.¡±

    ¡°Hah...? Indeed, that was pretty dangerous. I did not expect them to antagonize us that hard. If it wasn¡¯t for that man with the fake smile, I would have been dead. They were probably thinking something along the lines of, ¡®rather than dirty our own hands, it¡¯ll be more beneficial if we let the Sorcerer King have his fill first before we have ours¡¯ or something. Though I doubt we were worth that kind of consideration.¡±

    Lakyus intentionally directed her sigh towards Azuth, who had beenughing loudly.

    Was that really the case?

    Her uncle had revealed to the ck Scripture that he had some sort of crucial intel on the Theocracy, it would not have been unusual for them to kill him to prevent that intel from getting into the Sorcerer King¡¯s hands. The other probable oue would have been for them to kidnap him to interrogate him or use magic to get the intel out of him.

    The root of the issue was why her uncle had let the Theocracy know that he had that kind of intel. If he had not done so, the conversation would have concluded with nothing else happening.

    Why would he intentionally burn himself?

    Azuth wasn¡¯t someone who couldn¡¯t see the bigger picture. Given that was the case, there had to be something in the background that Lakyus did not know of.

    She would not get an answer from thinking about it alone. Lakyus stopped that useless train of thought.

    ¡°For God¡¯s sake...So, what does uncle n to do next?¡±

    ¡°Hah? I n to wait till the Sorcerer King¡¯s army made its way here. The big boys up there seem to be nning to send soldiers to the neighbouring territories to take formations. To be honest, I don¡¯t think they have a chance at victory. The Sorcerer King and hisckeys wille here sooner orter... You¡¯re not strong enough to trade blows with him, just run away.¡±

    He had made his intentions clear.

    ¡°Even so, I will not abandon this city to run away. Uncle...¡±

    If something was to defeat the Sorcerer King, it would not be the strike of a warrior but rather, the stab of an assassin. Precisely because of that, Lakyus had to clench her teeth and simply watch as waves of men were sent out to defend against the Sorcerer King¡¯s attack.

    ¡°If you wish to invite me to fight alongside you, I refuse. I have my own ns.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yup. I will do what I do best, and you should do what you do best. However, for the sake of my cute niece I will reiterate again. It¡¯s best for you all to run away. You are all nothing in the face of the Sorcerer King¡¯s power.¡±

    ¡°...hmph, what does that mean? Are you saying that you could achieve more than us?¡±

    Faced with Evileye¡¯s question, Azuthughed as if he did not have an answer to that.

    ¡°Indeed, even I could not win against the Sorcerer King. I am but a mere man. But, even if the Sorcerer King surrounds the entire capital, I alone could still escape.¡±

    Azuth stood up.

    ¡°Now then, I¡¯ll be going to the other room to work these hips, what will you guys be doing?¡±

    Lakyus realised what her uncle had meant and furrowed her brows.

    ¡°We¡¯ll go back. After all, there are still things we need to prepare for.¡±

    Lakyus bid farewell to her uncle and descended the stairs carefully with the rest of her group. They took their pay on the first floor and left the inn. It did not appear as though the ck Scripture was waiting in ambush there.

    3

    At a distance away from the capital that would take the average traveller three days to cross, the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s army could already be sighted. This reportnded in Zanac¡¯s hands. To receive the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s army¡¯s attack, the entire army of the Kingdom had mobilized under Zanac¡¯smand.

    On the ins about half a day¡¯s worth of marching away from the capital, the Kingdom¡¯s army had already established a front upon receiving news that the Sorcerous Kingdom was invading from the west. ording to their battle ns, they were to wait for the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s army there.

    The front was built upon a wide bit of road that was locked down for this purpose. If the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s army was to continue on their current, straight trajectory, this would be the most effective. However, if the Sorcerous Kingdom was to change their direction of approach, there would be a need to form a new front. Though they were worried about that possibility, the reports all indicated that the Sorcerous Kingdom was beelining for them. It appeared as though they did not have to worry about that possibilitying true.

    Yet no one was rejoicing because of it.

    The Kingdom¡¯s army that will be facing against the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s army this time around wasprised of levies from the neighbouring nobles, the capital¡¯s militia, and able-bodied men drafted from the refugees. It would not be incorrect to call this army the Kingdom¡¯sst hope.

    In total, there were over 400,000 men.

    To have formed such arge army was something worthy of praise, yet the reality was that they were scraping at the bottom of the barrel. Not many had suitable equipment, a lot of people only had a club.

    Even under this situation, morale was high. However, the reason for that was purely because they had the spirit of a cornered beast. They knew the extent of the cruelty the Sorcerous Kingdom had disyed and thus took up arms through the sheer force of will to protect that which they hold dear. If their courage was to take a hit in any shape or form, the Kingdom¡¯s army would surely instantaneously copse.

    The size of the army was a weapon in and of itself, the long lines of soldiers alone gave off an overwhelming pressure without them doing anything at all. So then, for what purpose was the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s army advancing straight towards this army of 400,000?

    Even those who aren¡¯t too well versed in battle tactics would know that facing such arge army head-on wasn¡¯t the best strategy. For the Sorcerous Kingdom, their best strategy would have been to ¡®do nothing¡¯. They had an army full of the undead, which did not require supplies at all. Inparison, the Kingdom¡¯s 400,000 strong force was akin to a gigantic yet starving beast. As long as they manage topletely surround them and apply pressure inwards, this giant beast would soon doom itself by starving to its death.

    Yet the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s army marched in a straight line, destroying everything in their path. He knew of the Sorcerer King¡¯s firm grasp of the bigger picture, so it was hard to imagine that they had done so with no purpose in mind at all.

    The Sorcerous Kingdom simply had confidence in their imminent victory.

    To something like the Sorcerous Kingdom, this was not reckless behaviour at all. To those who could defeat an army of 200,000 men with a single spell, this army of theirs could be wiped out with the use of only two spells.

    Of course, Zanac, as the general, did not want to believe that that could happen. However, the people, especially nobles, who believed in that notion weren¡¯t exactly a minority either.

    He understood why they had suggested that their forces should be split into groups. Though they could fall one-by-one, they also avoided the possibility of their entire army sumbing to a single spell.

    But they could not do that.

    Due to the devastating loss they had experienced during the battle of the Katze ins as well as the current invasion by the Sorcerous Kingdom, not many noblemen who had the skills tomand such arge number of soldiers and cavalry were left. Splitting their forces would not create smaller armies, this force of 400,000 soldiers would suddenly turn into 400,000moners instead.

    It was precisely because they had this many men gathered ¡ª this manyrades ¡ª in one ce that people had the courage to face the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    They had been manning this front for two days now.

    A lot of time had been eaten up by the preparation this many men required.

    After both sides had set up their formations, the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s army had adopted a prideful attitude that said loud and clear, ¡°we gave you just enough time to prepare.¡±

    Their forces numbered around 10,000,prising 3-4 types of undead. This was a miniscule number in the face of 400,000 men. However, in terms of individual strength, the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s army undoubtedly held an overwhelming advantage against them.

    ¡°Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    Zanac gave a prompt reply to the minister of military affairs.

    The minister¡¯s movements were stiff, almostical at times, due to his unfamiliarity with the armour he wore. But, Zanac was not a pot to call the kettle ck.

    He was wearing what used to be Gazef¡¯s armour, one of the treasures of the Kingdom. Zanac knew that it did not suit him at all, he was far from Gazef¡¯s league.

    But, Zanac was thankful for this magically-enchanted armour.

    These past few days, Zanac had been packing on the pounds due his stress-eating habits. If it wasn¡¯t for the armour¡¯s enchanted nature, he would have had to request a cksmith to add an inch to the waist area.

    ¡°Bring forth my horse!¡±

    A steed was brought forth to Zanac¡¯srge tent by a knight following his order.

    It took Zanac quite a bit of effort to get on his favorite horse, which did not look too kindly to Zanac. He did not take any bodyguards along with him as he rode out of the front and towards the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s army.

    Even if he brought bodyguards along, if the Sorcerer King wanted to kill him, bodyguards would bepletely useless. They could not serve as deterrents at all.

    That was why riding solo was effectively a demonstration to the onlookers of his courage. If he was killed while riding solo, it would serve to damage the Sorcerer King¡¯s public image.

    {The Hero of Re-Estize...has a nice ring to it}

    Zanac reached the midpoint between the two armies with no obstacles at all. He activated a magic item to amplify his voice.

    ¡°I am the prince of the Kingdom of Re-Estize, Zanac Valleon Igana Ryle Vaiself! I wish to seek an audience with His Majesty the Sorcerer King!¡±

    Zanac did not n to fight a battle of wits against the Sorcerer King. Things had alreadye to a point where that waspletely meaningless.

    He just wanted to find out what kind of a thought process would have led the Sorcerer King to do what he had done.

    ----

    Ainz surveyed the front his army had formed from a three-sided tarpaulin tent. Due to the fact that the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s army wasprised of undead beings that did not require food resupplies, the front they had formed was much smaller than what a conventional army would have.

    From an objective perspective, there was no need to establish a front at all and some had even suggested this to him. However, Ainz believed that front building was a valuable experience to gain too.

    Actually, from the several fronts they had formed already, the one in front of him looked to be a lot sturdier than what they had at the start.

    At first, these fronts were formed with the aid of Mare¡¯s magic, but due to a specific reason, Mare had been relegated to simply watching the soldiers build the front at Ainz¡¯s side.

    Aura was also watching the soldiers on the side, but it appeared that she was only observing her own servants.

    No matter if it was front building or tents, magic could always produce an oue of higher quality. However, due to the same reason as above, Ainz had ordered this tent that was currently being used as their mobile headquarters to be transported to this location through physical means.

    {It might be a good idea to leave all civil engineering tasks in the future to Mare.}

    Amongst the popce of the Sorcerous Kingdom, there were many races of demi-humans and heteromorphs that were adept at digging tunnels. It would be a good idea to make them subordinate to Mare. That said, Albedo or someone else might have also had this idea and put it into action already. If someone had done so already, then the relevant documentation for this should have already been perused by Ainz. There was a need for him to ask Albedo about this in a roundabout wayter.

    Was she being tacit? Albedo, who should have been working hard to establish the front, had returned with Cocytus.

    ¡°Ainz-sama. It appears as though the humans have sent an envoy. How shall we proceed?¡±

    ¡°Not a messenger to dere the start of the battle? Prepare a reception... Prepare the receptive drinks as well.¡±

    As Albedo began to prepare the table, chairs, and such, a man wearing full-te armour on horseback entered Ainz¡¯s line of sight.

    Ainz recognized the armour worn by that man.

    {That¡¯s...I think that¡¯s Gazef Stronoff¡¯s armour. Is this man the Vice-Warrior Captain? He¡¯s quite different from the descriptions I¡¯ve heard.}

    The envoy stopped between the two armies and started yelling his introduction.

    ¡°I am the prince of the Kingdom of Re-Estize, Zanac Valleon Igana Ryle Vaiself! I wish to seek an audience with His Majesty the Sorcerer King!¡±

    He could hear him clearly even from this distance. He must have used some kind of magic item.

    ¡°What should we do, Ainz-sama? If he is not here to dere the start of the battle then it would be a waste of time to converse with him. Shall we initiate the battle as is?¡±

    ¡°No, Albedo, We. Cannot. Do. That. The. Opponent. Desires. To. Have. A. Battle. Of. Wits. With. Ainz. Sama, If. We. Rejected. Him. Outright. It. Would. Reflect. Negatively. On. The. People¡¯s. Impression. Of. Ainz. Sama¡¯s. Magnanimity.¡±

    ¡°What value do rumours hold?¡± Albedo sneered, ¡°They are dead men walking, what good are rumours that fall on no ears?¡±

    Ainz was not too keen on fighting a battle of wits or whatever, surely the royalty of this country would not lose out to him in anything other thanbat prowess. Still¡ª

    ¡°Albedo. Have you forgotten? About the possibility that the rumour could be transmitted through magic?¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯m terribly sorry.¡±

    ¡°Hmm...I will go then. The royalty of our opposition came alone. If I were not to do the same, it would not reflect well on us.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure it will be alright? Ainz-sama.¡±

    ¡°I have no idea. Aura, if I were to be brainwashed or mind controlled, you should use your World ss Item to protect me.¡±

    Ainz¡¯s usual World ss Item was in Nazarick¡¯s storage, so if Aura used [Depiction of Nature and Society] on him, he would be trapped in it. This way, even if he was brainwashed, they could not kidnap him through teleportation or other simr methods.

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    ¡°Umu,¡± Ainz replied to Aura and left the front on a Soul Eater. It was worth noting that after Ainz had practised horse riding, he looked adequate while doing it. However, because he wasn¡¯t too apt at it, to prevent making a blunder in front of the two armies, Ainz still chose to ride a Soul Eater to be on the safe side.

    The other party was waiting for Ainz next to his horse, so Ainz also got off the Soul Eater upon arriving at his destination. No matter how bad this was going to get for him, Ainz steeled himself to do to others what they had done to him.

    His opponent was a man on the chubbier side of the spectrum. Makeup caked his face to cover up the dark circles under his eyes.

    ¡°Nice to meet you, Your Majesty the Sorcerer King. My name is Zanac Valleon Igana Ryle Vaiself.¡±

    ¡°Nice to meet you, I am the Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown. I will be in your care then. Now, a standing conversation would be neither here nor there.¡± Ainz cast a spell twice, producing two ck thrones that faced each other. Because it was created with magic, the two thrones were naturally identical.

    ¡°Though it is hard and metallic, we should still sit down first. How do you feel about that?¡±

    ¡°I would be d to, Your Majesty.¡±

    As they both sat down on the thrones, Ainz cast another spell to create a reflective ck table between them.

    While Ainz had started casting magic the moment they had met, Zanac did not seem to be on guard at all. It appeared as though he did not have any intention to assassinate Ainz.

    Afterwards, Ainz took out two cups and an ice-filled container from his inventory.

    ¡°How about some water? Alcohol would be inappropriate given our current situation so, what about orange juice instead...?¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much, Your Majesty. Just water would be fine.¡±

    ¡°Now then, we are all set for the talk. What should we discuss then? Perhaps about the justification of our invasion?¡±

    ¡°That would not be necessary, Your Majesty. I am more interested in the reason why you were insistent on carrying out such heinous acts? Why did you refuse our offer to surrender?¡±

    That was a natural question for him to ask. Although to Ainz, his reasons were clear and justified, to them it must have appeared to be senseless ughter.

    ¡°Umu,¡± Ainz nodded his head. Given how things had turned out, there was no point in hiding his intentions anymore. He began to exposit the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s ns to Zanac.

    ¡°Because we stood to gain nothing from that. I intend to sacrifice your people as an example to the world of what would happen to them if they stood against the Sorcerous Kingdom. To that end, you will all be eradicated and the Kingdom will be rendered into a mountain of ash. That mountain will continue to serve as a warning after centuries, after millenia, of how foolish of an act it would be to go against the Sorcerous Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°...You do not appear to be jesting.¡±

    ¡°Of course not, I am just stating what is toe.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Ainz could not read between Zanac¡¯s lines and thus replied with a question.

    ¡°Your Majesty the Sorcerer King is in possession of immense amounts of power. Even if you did not do what you said you would, the people of the world would stille to know your awesome power.¡± Zanac wetted his lips, swallowed a mouthful of saliva, and asked, ¡°Why are you this petty?¡±

    ¡°Petty, am I?¡±

    Zanac tensed up at the possibility that he had angered Ainz, but Ainz was not angry at all.

    ¡°What is your goal?¡±

    Ainz grumbled to himself, ¡°what is {your} goal?¡±

    In the past, to Ainz¡ª no, to Satoru, to have met the buddies he had in the game of Yggdrasil was the epitome of his entire life. It was such a wonderful memory that all he wished for was to be reunited with his friends again.

    When the plug was about to be pulled from the game, when all of this was meant to be for naught, he was transported to this world instead.

    The end turned out not to be the end at all,

    But instead, it was a new beginning.

    The NPCs created by his friends began to exhibit free will. From their every move he could feel the remnants of his formerpanions. No, to be honest, the shock he had experienced at the beginning confused him so much that he was constantly worried about their betrayal. Looking back, that was moronic of him. Nowadays, he just did not question their loyalty at all.

    Yet, it did not seem like Ainz was the only one who was transported to this world. He could see the footprints left behind by other yers.

    Perhaps it was only natural then for him to think that hispanions, the people who shared those good times with him, could havee to this world as well. It was only natural for him to wish for this. Of course, Ainz knew that he was transported here during the final moments of the game¡¯s operation, which made his friends¡¯ appearance in this world unlikely.

    Actually, through the use of multiple spells and intel sources, he could faintly feel theck of their presence. However, since he did not have concrete proof of that belief, the possibility of it happening still remained.

    One might call him an idiot for holding on to such vain hopes, one might also call him a futile loser too.

    But to the Ainz of yesteryear, that was all his life had amounted to.

    And now that dream was gradually fading away.

    Sure his friends were important to him, but now, the NPCs were important to him too.

    They were essentially children that had been left behind by hispanions.

    Ainz, as the only one to have stayed behind, had the duty to protect them at all costs.

    Because of this, Ainz was willing to sacrifice his all to ensure no harm ever came to the NPCs. In order to ensure that Nazarick would never fall to outside forces, he had to prioritize the empowerment of the organization¡¯s every aspect.

    Shalltear was dominated by some unknown entity in the past. Though he had seeded in regaining control over her, if things had turned out any worse back then, important intel on Nazarick could have been made known to outsiders; consequently, it could have led to the destruction of the guild.

    He could not allow something like that to ever happen again.

    ¡°What is my goal, you ask? I seek something that is difficult yet also easy to obtain. All I wish for... is a single thing. That is, happiness.¡±

    ¡°Happiness?¡±

    Zanac repeatedly blinked in surprise.

    Ainzughed a little in response. He did not find what he had said to be so outrageous.

    ¡°No matter if you¡¯re human or whatever, the pursuit of happiness is the ultimate goal, is it not?¡±

    Ainz threw away his act and began to converse with Zanac as if he was a close friend of his.

    ¡°And you would step over others¡¯ happiness to achieve your own?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? If the happiness of those I hold dear could be guaranteed, those of others do not matter to me at all. If you could secure the happiness of your subjects by inflicting suffering on the citizenry of another country, what would you do? Would you say, abandon their happiness altogether?¡±

    ¡°Those are the extremes!¡± Zanac calmed down as the sentence trailed, he lowered his head and said, ¡°That was out of line of me. My apologies, Your Majesty.¡±

    Ainz went back to his ruler persona.

    ¡°It is fine, there is no need to worry at all.¡±

    ¡°Even with the intellect and power of Your Majesty the Sorcerer King, there are no other possible methods to guarantee happiness?¡±

    ¡°...Perhaps, but, I could only say ¡®perhaps¡¯. If you had a guaranteed method to obtain happiness, what would be the better option? To seek a perhap nonexistent secondary method or sticking with what has been tried-and-true? ¡®The Goddess of Luck is bald at the back of her head¡¯ after all, was that how the saying went?¡±

    (TL¡¯s note: Roman proverb, see Disticha Catonis II, 26. The English equivalent is ¡°Take Time By the Forelock¡± but that cuts out the ¡®Goddess¡¯ part)

    Zanac was absolutely incredulous.

    ¡°What a strange Goddess. Sorry, I did not mean to belittle the Goddess you believe in. Please do forgive me.¡±

    ¡°Haha, I don¡¯t mind at all. That wasn¡¯t something I believed in, just a proverb I remembered. Very well then, that is the extent of it all. For the happiness of my subjects, I must sacrifice your people. This is the basis for this war, do you get it?¡±

    ¡°I guess so. I do rte to Your Majesty¡¯s desire. The pursuit of the betterment of one¡¯s own country and a guarantee to one¡¯s own countrymen¡¯s happiness, that could be said to be the only responsibility of a ruler. If the destruction of our people guaranteed the people of the Sorcerous Kingdom their happiness, I do understand why you did not ept our surrender. I suppose it couldn¡¯t be helped.¡±

    ¡°Right? You get it. Now then, it¡¯s my turn for a question, but I don¡¯t really have one...¡±

    Ainz looked around while he pondered, ¡°Ah, right. The armour you¡¯re wearing reminded me of it, so I¡¯ll ask about that sword. The sword that Gazef Stronoff wielded, who¡¯s currently in possession of it?¡±

    ¡°It is currently under the safekeeping of a man named Brain Unus.¡±

    ¡°Brain Unus? Ahh, that man.¡±

    When he dueled Gazef, there was someone by that name between the two men who had witnessed said duel. However, given how long ago that was, he could barely remember his appearance.

    Although he nned to turn the capital into ashes, he still nned to recover a few items, one of which being Gazef¡¯s sword.

    ¡°That man, has hee here too?¡±

    ¡°No, he has not, Your Majesty. He should still be in the capital.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Then you wouldn¡¯t have any issue with what kind of magic I use to destroy you all, right?¡±

    The one in charge of sieging the capital was Cocytus so he would have to order him to watch out for the swordter.

    ¡°While I have no intention to forfeit in this battle, I would be eternally grateful if Your Majesty was to use magic that would inflict the least amount of suffering on my people.¡±

    ¡°...Hmm. You do have a point. I understand. After all, pleasant conversations like this one are hard toe by. For you especially, I shall try my best to kill you as gently as I could.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±

    Zanac had on him a brilliant smile to which Ainz could not help but feel amazed.

    This man¡¯s courage was quite sizable. If Ainz was in his shoes, would he have been able to do the same?

    {¡ªI don¡¯t think so. As expected of someone of royal blood. This has been very educational.}

    Zanac took the ss cup in front of him and downed the water in a single gulp, as if he was not worried about poisons at all.

    ¡°Delicious, Your Majesty. Say, I do hope you could answer onest question of mine ¡ª was Your Majesty the one who killed my brother, or was it one of Your Majesty¡¯s subordinates?¡±

    ¡°Your brother?¡±

    Ainz tilted his head and after a short while, remembered the prince of the Kingdom they had already disposed of. He could not recall his name, but did remember that it was super long.

    ¡°It was probably one of my subordinates.¡±

    ¡°Is that true...so he was dead after all...I feel like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders...Your Majesty, thank you for telling me. I suppose it is time for us to bid farewell.¡±

    After saying that, Zanac began walking towards his horse.

    Ainz walked towards the Soul Eater after he had tidied up everything, only to find that Zanac was still waiting by his horse.

    Ainz questioned in his mind why he had not already gotten onto his horse as he climbed onto the Soul Eater. Only after he had done so, did Zanac mount his horse.

    Between a prince and a king, it was easy to tell who held the higher status, so he had probably done so to avoid looking down on Ainz from his high horse. To Ainz, someone who had not studied equestrian etiquette, this was the proper protocol that the aristocracy should strive to follow. Zanac¡¯s standing in his mind rose by a bit.

    {Looks like studying the etiquette of the upper-ss has be mandatory...what isn¡¯t at this point? Will the amount of things I have to learn ever decrease...?}

    ----

    ¡°Your Highness!¡±

    The noblemen all came out to wee Zanac back, almost every noble that had answered his call was there.

    No one halted his exit from the front, yet now it felt like he could not get back in if he tried. That meant that everybody was anticipating for good news, the best of which would be if the Sorcerer King had agreed to handic¡ª

    Zanac answered their question with a curt reply.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t do it. His Majesty the Sorcerer King ns to kill us all, that was non-negotiable to him.¡±

    What he found to be surprising was the fact that there were still nobles who turned pale at this news. Were they still hoping that everything would turn out fine even with the current situation?

    Zanac got off his horse and left those nobles, who were all biting down on their lower lip and were deep in contemtion, behind to walk towards his own tent.

    After he entered the tent, the minister of military affairs weed him, only for a sarcastic smile to surface on his face.

    ¡°That does not look like good news.¡±

    ¡°In other words, just as we had expected, but, well, one thing did surprise a bit.¡±

    ¡°Really? Speaking of which, I have never met with the Sorcerer King, just what kind of an evil monster was he?¡±

    Zanac smiled.

    ¡°He was more human than I thought.¡±

 Volume 14: 3 - The Last King (Part 5)

    The minister of military affairs was shocked at this answer, his eyes were so wide that they almost formed into circles. Perhaps that was the first time Zanac had seen him make that expression.

    Zanac began recalling his time with the Sorcerer King.

    It was true that on the outside, he appeared to be a terrifying monster, one that exuded an oppressive aura. Zanac could not even fathom how high of a value the clothing he wore had. Yet, even so, his only priority, the reason behind all of his actions, was for the happiness of those he held dear. Isn¡¯t that the mostmon of desires?

    Honestly, that should not have been the reaction of an undead, the mortal enemy of the living. He was too human.

    He could not understand the exact level of consideration the Sorcerer King had ced on this matter to have arrived at this conclusion, but from that bit of conversation, he could sympathize with him a little.

    ¡°Haha, yes, indeed. Just like a normal ¡ª human.¡±

    Zanac shifted his gaze from the minister to the exterior of the tent.

    If say, before ¡ª before things had turned out this way, perhaps he could have thought up a better method to deal with this. But, they were past the point of no return already.

    ¡°...So what is the status of themand hierarchy and battle preparations?¡±

    ¡°Your Highness¡¯ subordinates ¡ª those from the capital are ready to move out immediately, distributing our men between the capital¡¯s residences proved to be effective. The speed of thended nobles however, leaves much to be desired. They are still debating on who should be vanguard.¡±

    The minister of military affairs ranted on without hiding his disdain.

    ¡°Hmmm, that cannot be helped. They are not under ourmand after all. Some of the nobles have not even made the resolve of self-sacrifice. We can only hope that they will not initiate the battle before the rest of us are ready. The lower our expectations are, the less disappointed we would be.¡±

    It was indeed troubling if they could not even synchronize amongst their own ranks for this battle. That said, without their forces, they would lose out on a quarter of their mobilized soldiers. That scenario would be equally troublesome.

    Even if the Sorcerer King¡¯s magic was to only kill 200,000 likest time, assuming that half of their army and their corresponding nobles survive, just how much responsibility would fall onto a quarter of their current forces?

    ¡°So what is our current strategy?¡±

    ¡°None whatsoever, Your Highness.¡± The minister of military affairsughed in a tired and apathetic way. ¡°We do not have a formation in mind, we will just be blindly charging into them. Because of that... If we were to do nothing to prevent the soldiers from losing their morale, that would not be good... Shall I form an anti-retreat force?¡±

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t. Rather than that, the royal knights should be stationed at the front, and¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªYour Highness, do forgive me for speaking out of line, but let us be the vanguard.¡±

    Zanac looked towards him with a gaze that said, {are you sure?}. Putting his own condition aside, it was hard for him to imagine this skinny, jaundiced man swinging a sword around.

    ¡°If someone has to stand at the front, please do allow me to be that man. Your Highness shouldmand from the rear.¡±

    Zanac and the minister looked at each other for a while and he nodded his head.

    ¡°I am very d that you could understand...¡± the minister¡¯s gaze trailed towards the ceiling of the tent. There was neither anything of note there nor could he see the sky, yet he stared at it for a moment while he mumbled to himself.

    ¡°To be honest, I never liked that man Stronoff, yet not a day passes where I did not wish that he could be here...¡±

    ¡°I can sympathize with you. It¡¯s just that, I was quite fond of him.¡±

    Just as the minister meekly smiled, amotion could be heard outside.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Did the Sorcerous Kingdom make their move?¡±

    ¡°No...¡± Zanac raised his ear andughed, ¡°not at all.¡±

    A group of impassioned people stormed the tent.

    Landed nobles whose fiefdoms were around ¡ª though a certain distance away from ¡ª the capital. Among them were the nobles who had turned pale a while ago and what appeared to be mercenaries wielding blood-stained swords.

    ¡°What do you intend to do with your drawn swords in His Highness¡¯ tent! Fall back!¡±

    None of the nobles answered the minister of military affairs¡¯ roar. They all looked towards Zanac like cornered rats.

    Zanac wanted to hold his belly in a heartyugh.

    He more or less felt it when he entered the camp, hepletely understood what thoughts their stupidity had wrought.

    He had appointed the knights under him tomanding positions, so for them to have been swayed away from his side was a failure all on its own. This was a mutiny spurred on by his loss of agency, yet he did not expect them to have plotted against him especially under these circumstances. He could not have expected the rationality of humans to have stooped so low.

    No, that was inurate.

    Their actions in a sense, were correct. They were simply trying their darndest for a chance at survival.

    Zanac could only have himself to me. He was not able to empathize with them, he was not able to quench their qualms, he was not able to unite them under the same banner.

    What would his father have done? Zanac almost ruined the serious face he had put on with his best efforts byughing out loud.

    ¡°Fall back! You imbeciles!¡±

    ¡°...Please stop! Minister!¡±

    ¡°But! Your Highness!¡±

    ¡°I said stop! You should fall back.¡±

    ¡°I cannot take that order.¡±

    ¡°Minister¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªend of the line, Your Highness. There¡¯s no use buying time now.¡±

    ¡°...Hmph. I was nning no such thing¡±

    Although he was wearing the armour that was a national treasure, Zanac was not well trained forbat. If it were his brother instead, this would have been a different story, but it was impossible for Zanac alone to y every hostile here.

    If their treachery was not the spur of the moment but instead had been well-nned from the start, he would have no chance at salvation at all.

    He focused his gaze on them and saw that they were terrified.

    How disgraceful. If they truly believed in themselves, they would have held their heads up high. That was why Zanac held his head up high, to convey his grit.

    ¡°So, what was so important that you muste to my tent to talk to me about? Do you not understand what it means to draw your swords here in my presence?¡±

    ¡°¡ªof course, Your Highness. This war, please forfeit it.¡±

    Zanac smiled.

    ¡°It is a waste of time to surrender to His Majesty the Sorcerer King. I have received his message loud and clear, he will never ept our subservience...Although you might not believe me, our only hope lies in His Majesty the Sorcerer King¡¯s defeat.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no way we can win...¡±

    One of the nobles mumbled and Zanac concurred.

    ¡°Even so, we have no option other than to fight. I suggested vassge, but it was useless. I will reiterate, our only hope of survival is through battle.¡±

    ¡°...Perhaps that is the case for Your Highness, but, maybe if we were to contribute enough merit, they will let us live ¡ª please sacrifice yourself so that we may live.¡±

    The noblemen began joining in agreement.

    ¡°This whole thing began because of the people who stood in the way of the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s grain transport. We should not be held ountable for them!¡±

    ¡°We will pledge our loyalty to the Sorcerer King.¡±

    To Zanac, what they were saying was no different than what the noblewomen would say about their ideal knight during tea parties. Still, he understood where they wereing from.

    ¡°Let me say one thing, it is useless for you to take me to him. I, as a member of the royalty, have made up my mind to battle to the end. Those of you who wish to die here, do try!¡±

    Yareyaredaze.

    Blue-on-blue, what an absolute joke.

    No, he should count himself fortunate that these fools would meet their ends right here. Surely they cannot burden his sister or father after this, right?

    Well, his sister would be safe from these idiots by virtue of that warrior by her side alone.

    ¡°Those who wish to im my head,e if you dare!!¡±

    Zanac pulled his sword out and stood shoulder to shoulder with the minister.

    While he had no confidence in his swordsmanship, his armour will more than make up for it.

    Zanac stared at the noblemen, frozen in their tracks.

    ¡°What!? Weren¡¯t you all out for blood!? Shouldn¡¯t you have at least prepared to dirty your own hands even if you were to force poison down my throat!? Aren¡¯t you supposed to have made your resolve?!¡±

    The nobles looked at each other.

    They had not even considered that, fucking pathetic. Was his life really about to be terminated by ipetent bastards like them?

    At the end of the day, after having witnessed the military might of the Sorcerer King, it must have been fear that rendered them so short-sighted to be unable to see reason.

    He was not fit to rule after all. He did not have his father¡¯s virtue, his brother¡¯s charisma, or his sister¡¯s intellect. He had nothing at all, but that was fine. He did not want to be king anyways, he merely wanted this Kingdom to be functional.

    That¡¯s right.

    To give unto this country, its people, and his family.

    To give unto them happiness.

    Then, one of the nobles called to people outside of the tent and multiple tough-looking mercenaries entered.

    Zanac swirled his tongue around and recalled the silhouette of his brother swinging a sword. He mimicked his brother¡¯s movements and charged at the noblemen.

    ----

    In their camp, Cocytus, Aura, and Mare were just discussing the uing siege of the capital when Albedo, who was supposed to be conducting the final inspection of the formations, came in with a troubled expression. {What happened?} Albedo responded to his questioning gaze.

    ¡°Ainz-sama, it seems like there was somemotion in the enemy¡¯s camp.¡±

    ¡°...What? Commotion? What happened?¡±

    Ainz stood up and walked out of the tent. It did appear as though there was some sort of trouble there, or it was more urate to say that a fight had broken out amongst themselves.

    In the end, a group of cavalry emerged from the enemy camp. It did not appear as though they were eager vanguards

    As Ainz watched them silently, the group swiftly reached the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s front. They were mercenaries equipped with all sorts of equipment, as well as a few noblemen.

    A man in his prime, who had the air of a noble around him, stepped forth from the group. That man began shouting almost hysterically, his voice was carried towards Ainz by the wind.

    ¡°I have matters to discuss with His Majesty the Sorcerer King! Please!¡±

    Zanac was not among them. Themotion in their camp plus the small amount of nobles in this group told Ainz all he needed to know.

    ¡°...Albedo, bring them over.¡±

    He did not look towards the bowing Albedo, but instead returned to his tent where his body fell heavily upon the temporary throne. The three guardians stood silently beside Ainz.

    After a short while, ten noblemen were brought over by Albedo. The mercenaries who were serving as bodyguards had appeared to have been left behind.

    They were shocked by the sight of Ainz upon his throne, more shocked by the sight of Cocytus by his side, and confused by Aura and Mare¡¯s presence.

    ¡°Do as you should in front of the one above all.¡±

    The nobles of the Kingdom took a knee near the entrance of the tent and lowered their heads towards Ainz.

    ¡°Raise your heads.¡±

    Albedo, who was now standing besides Ainz, said.

    ¡°A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Your Majesty.¡±

    The eldest of the nobles began to speak. From the others¡¯ expressions, he appeared to be the leader of this posse.

    ¡°We are in awe of Your Majesty¡¯s greatness and wish to serve under your reign. First of all, we have an offering for Your Majesty...¡±

    One of the nobles took out a sack-like object from his back. Albedo was about to respond before Ainz stopped her. He stood up slowly ¡ª as he had practised numerous times ¡ª from his throne and moved to the noble¡¯s side.

    He was handed the sack.

    {Does not appear to be a trap huh...}

    A disappointed Ainz looked at the sack.

    The smell of blood gushed from within the sack, he could already guess what was inside.

    Ainz opened it to take a look inside.

    His eyes met Zanac¡¯s.

    Ainz observed it in detail. They had just met, so it was hard for him to tell if this was a body double or not. However, given how they were acting, it was unlikely for this to be the head of a body double.

    Ainz closed the bag, walked back to his throne to hand the sack over to Albedo, and said,

    ¡°Give him a proper burial.¡±

    He had many other corpses he could use for the creation of the undead, letting go of Zanac¡¯s was fine.

    ¡°So, what happened to the armour he was wearing?¡±

    The nobles looked towards Ainz with baffled expressions upon hearing Ainz¡¯s question. They probably thought that the head of their general was more than enough for their prize.

    ¡°What? Do you not have an answer to Ainz-sama¡¯s question?¡±

    ¡°N-No! Yes, that, that armour should still be on the prince¡¯s corpse in his tent.¡±

    The noble who acted as their representative hurriedly answered Albedo¡¯s unemotive question.

    ¡°Is that so...? I see... You all. Good Job.¡±

    The nobles all responded with ¡°Yes!¡± as relief bloomed on their faces and as they lowered their heads.

    ¡°I shall reward you appropriately for your aplishment. So, what do you wish for?¡±

    ¡°Please spare me and my family! Your Majesty the Sorcerer King! I swear my absolute fealty to you!¡±

    Suddenly, the noble behind the representative began yelling, prompting the annoyed representative to bark,

    ¡°This guy! Me too! Your Majesty! Please extend the same mercy to me too!¡±

    More and more ¡°me too!¡±s piled on. Ainz waved his hands magnanimously to silence their pleas.

    ¡°¡ªI understand. I understand. Ipletely understand you all. Everybody here wishes for the same thing, correct?¡± The noble began nodding their heads furiously, ¡°is that so? Well, I will not kill you then. Albedo ¡ª send them to Neuronist.¡±

    ¡°¡ªUnderstood.¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, what about our family...?¡±

    Ainz did not overlook one of the nobles attempting to whisper to him.

    ¡°Your family too?¡± Ainz smiled. Of course, they had no way of perceiving that. ¡°What will I do about you all. Albedo, inquire where their families are and send them over too.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Ainz-sama. ¡ªyou all,e over here.¡±

    The nobles were led away from the tent by Albedo. After they were gone, Ainz motioned for Aura toe forth and gave the following order,

    ¡°Those who do not wish to die, do not grant it to them. That is an order.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Ainz-sama!¡±

    Ainz caught Aura¡¯s hand as she was about to leave. He continued to the confused Aura,

    ¡°Even if they desire death, do not grant it to them for now.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    After he had let go of her hand and after she had confirmed that he had no other orders, Aura ran after Albedo.

    Ainz¡¯s gaze remained fixated on her back as he gave his orders to the two remaining guardians.

    ¡°I¡¯ve lost interest. With Cocytus asmander and Mare as second-inmand, I permit the two of you to use the full extent of your abilities. Do not leave a single citizen of the Kingdom unscathed.¡±

    The two responded affirmative.

    An hourter ¡ª the army that was the Kingdom of Re-Estize¡¯sst hope disappearedpletely from the face of this world.

 Volume 14: 4 - Well-Prepared Traps (Part 1)

    The sound of footsteps rang as Hilma led three of her associates from the Eight Fingers along the corridor of a mansion. They were making their way towards the giant room one of the Sorcerer King¡¯s subordinates had chosen.

    The rest of them were there already, awaiting the arrival of the Sorcerer King¡¯s envoy.

    They did so because although the subordinate of the Sorcerer King had specified the day they had to gather at this mansion, they had not specified the specific time they had to do so. For that reason, Hilma and the rest of the Eight Fingers were on rotation in the hall to prevent a scenario in which the envoy would arrive to find it empty.

    If they made the envoy wait, that would be incredibly disrespectful. There was a possibility that they would get another whiff of hell for it too. No matter how minuscule that probability was, they had to avoid it at all costs.

    The four had been walking in silence for a minute now.

    Although that was partially due to the sheer size of the mansion, it was also because they had furnished a room far away from the main hall to be their lounge. While it might have been better to have furnished a room closer to the hall to be a lounge, after they had deliberated on this matter, they ultimately decided to use the rooms close to the hall as luggage storage.

    The silence wasn¡¯t exactly unbearable, but one of them ¡ª Perianne Porson ¡ª began speaking.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a little, noisy?¡±

    Hilma concentrated.

    She could indeed hear the sound of children frolicking. That said, it sounded like something that was far too distant from the mansion. It was quiet enough that you couldn¡¯t really hear it unless you tried. This was because the hall was far removed from the hustle-and-bustle of life, that was also the reason why they had chosen to use the rooms close to the hall for storage.

    Still, even if Hilma andpany had not found it to be annoying, if the Sorcerer King¡¯s envoy were to be annoyed by this, they could not even imagine the consequences that would arise.

    ¡°...Maybe a little. Should we tell them to keep quiet?¡±

    Everybody agreed with Olin. If they were to warn the people next on the rotation, the others should have warned the children by the time it was their turn to rest.

    Was a weight lifted off of Olin¡¯s shoulders because he had spoken up? He proceeded to say what everybody had in mind but would have never given voice to.

    ¡°...But...Will he trulye to rescue us?¡±

    He probably did not mean to blurt that out, but the stress from having to wait for the envoy from the Sorcerous Kingdom had probably gotten to him.

    It had been seven days since the 400,000 men strong army of the Kingdom had begun their march. Not long after that had happened, they heard rumours that the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s army had begun encamping close to the capital. Though that was only a day ago, the mental stress they were experiencing far outweighed the physical fatigue they were experiencing too.

    They had received their orders from one of the Sorcerer King¡¯s subordinates about a month ago, back when the war had just begun.

    They were told, back when the Sorcerous Kingdom had begun their march towards the capital, to choose about a thousand people from the Kingdom who were loyal to them to spare so that they could serve them in the future. The chosen would then be taken to a safe location.

    For that reason, a thousand people rted to the Eight Fingers were gathered at this ce.

    No doubt was the Eight Fingers a giant organization if you counted the grunts too. From their ranks, Hilma and the rest picked out the outstanding and loyal bunch, as well as their family members too. That was why there were children present.

    What they were uncertain of, was if they would reallye to save them or not.

    The capos of the syndicate of the Eight Fingers were all people who had promised others that they would be spared yet would toss them away once they were no longer of use. Was it their turn this time? These thoughts lingered in their minds, doubts unshaken.

    Hilma did not look towards her associates, but said,

    ¡°I believe in His Majesty the Sorcerer King¡¯s words.¡±

    Olin panicked and began saying¡ª No, he was mortified. To Hilma, what Olin had been spouting was his distrust of the Sorcerer King¡¯s sincerity.

    ¡°I-I think so too! What I just said was not meant to discredit His Majesty the Sorcerer King.¡±

    The sound of Olin¡¯s voice covered up any sounds the children could have made as it echoed through the corridor. Olin realized what he had just done and immediately shut his mouth and lowered his head.

    No one else spoke the entire way to the hall.

    As the door opened, what greeted them was what they had expected: the tired smiles of their other associates.

    The envoy of the Sorcerous Kingdom had note yet.

    The mixed emotion of relief and impatience arose within Hilma¡¯s heart. Surely herpanions were feeling the same thing.

    ¡°You¡¯re here. Now then, we¡¯ll go rest up. If the envoyes¡ª¡±

    A magic item in the form of a handbell rested where Noah Zweden was gazing at.

    If one of the two was rung, the other would also ring.

    However, if the distance between them were too great, it would not have an effect at all. In addition, that was the only way that both could affect each other so it wasn¡¯t exactly the best tool formunication. This task was easy enough that they could use it for this purpose.

    ¡°Ahhh, leave it to me.¡±

    As their representative, Perianne answered him.

    ¡°¡ªsay. Do I still have to wait around here? We¡¯ve wasted enough time, the Sorcerer King...His Majesty. I get it I get it. No need to look at me like that with those scary eyes.¡±

    A short and tall man said.

    That was the head of the ve trade division, Co Doll.

    The frontline of the Kingdom¡¯s army had been bolstered by the prisoners who had been kept captive in the capital. When they were being released, during the chaos and confusion of those few days, Co Doll had been rescued and brought to this mansion.

    At first, they had two ways they could have dealt with Co Doll.

    If he was sent to fight the Sorcerous Kingdom, they had no doubt in their mind that he would have died, so of course his rescue was non-controversial. What was controversial was how they should introduce him to the Sorcerer King.

    Some thought that because he was a regr head, it would not matter if they did not introduce him at all. Others thought that if the Sorcerer King knew of him already and they were to not introduce him to him, it would end in tragedy.

    They wanted to avoid endangering themselves no matter how unlikely it was, and so they went with thetter.

    Their opportunity to introduce him ¡ª to ce him on the chopping block ¡ª was about toe.

    They were all in agreement that he was the first one they had to introduce, to remove any doubts that they were attempting to hide him.

    ¡°You have to wait here so that His Majesty the Sorcerer King¡¯s envoy can get a good look at you.¡±

    For that reason, he had to wait in this room. They did not know when the envoy was going toe after all. He ate and slept in this room, and was absolutely disgusted by it.

    ¡°I mean, I have been thanking you all constantly, thanking you for bribing the guards so they wouldn¡¯t treat me so harshly in prison, and thanking you for saving me from the draft ¡ª to have saved poor, old me.¡±

    ¡°What are you trying to say, Co Doll?¡±

    To Noah¡¯s question, Co Doll responded with a piercing gaze.

    ¡°To go out of your way to save someone who has lost all of his power, connections, andckeys, isn¡¯t that a bit too suspicious? What is your goal? Why have you gathered everybody rted to the Eight Fingers here? Are you nning to kill me?¡±

    ¡°¡ªhah?¡±

    Hilma was frozen solid. No, it wasn¡¯t just Hilma, everybody else in the room other than Co Doll was the same.

    If they were equally guilty, none of them could wash their hands clean of his blood, was probably what he meant¡ª

    ¡°W-What? Your expressions. That was bullseye...wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    Hilma surveyed her surroundings. Everybody had the same expression, one that said, ¡®this guy is going to be trouble soon¡¯. She spoke up as their representative.

    ¡°What are you talking about, Co Doll? No, Ap¨¦ritif. Aren¡¯t we partners?¡±

    ¡°¡ªHah?¡±

    This time it was Co Doll¡¯s turn to be shocked. His expression was whack, almost hrious.

    ¡°You, what is your goal!? Ah, I get it, you are all monsters wearing their skins! That¡¯s why every other word out of your mouths is praise for the Sorcerer King!¡±

    Co Doll yelled with an expression that was a cross between panic and fear. The monster he spoke of was a folk¡¯s tale that mothers usually used to scare their children when they were being restless at night. Most adventurers agree that no such monster actually existed.

    ¡°I thought that something was off from the start! The fact that you guys went on a diet at the same time was suspicious enough. Even if I concede that point, Hilma¡¯s figure is so inelegant! She¡¯s too skinny to be healthy. This could all be exined if you guys were just monsters wearing their skins!¡±

    Hilma looked towards Co Doll with warmth in her eyes. Such bliss, to have not experienced that hell.

    ¡°Wh-what? Your expression...¡±

    ¡°No, don¡¯t mind me, Ap¨¦ritif. Indeed. I am ttered by your observation.¡±

    ¡°¡ªHuh?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°No, no, nothing...nothing at all... I¡¯m being serious, I am unsarcastically asking you. Are you really Hilma? Hilma Cygnaeus? Not a twin sister or something like that? Were you brainwashed?¡±

    ¡°Have I really changed that much?¡±

    He wasn¡¯t talking about how skinny she had gotten. He was probably talking about her personality, she had mellowed out a lot from before. Normally, that would be a positive change, so his suspicion of her was surprising to say the least.

    ¡°...Of course, it¡¯s like you¡¯re apletely different person. No, that applies to you all. Did monsters truly steal your skins?¡±

    ¡°I could only say that we experienced certain things that made us this way.¡±

    Everybody agreed with what Noah had said. Co Doll was terrified.

    ¡°What, happened... Though I don¡¯t want to hear it, I still want to know. You¡ª¡±

    A thin, endless, and circr darkness suddenly appeared in the room. A semi-oval object began emerging from the ground.

    Hilma recognised this as the [Gate] spell that had whisked her away so many times. It was a high tier spell, high enough that there were no magic casters within the Kingdom who were capable of it. Only a subordinate of the Sorcerer King would be capable. The fact that this spell was cast meant that¡ª

    Hilma hurriedly took a knee. After a while, she felt Co Doll do the same.

    Hilma buried her head and clenched her fist.

    There were two possible oues.

    They were either getting disposed of, or saved.

    A person¡¯s footsteps could be heard.

    ¡°You can raise your heads now.¡±

    In front of the [Gate] was a maiden whose bust size was mismatched with her apparent age. Though she had not heard her speak of her name directly, Hilma knew her name was Shalltear. Noone here was brave enough to refer to her by name, even someone as clueless as Co Doll could tell from the atmosphere of the room alone.

    ¡°I am here to retrieve you all. Although I heard there would be a thousand or so of you-arinsu, could you bring them over immediately-arinsu?¡±

    ¡°Understood! Please wait a moment!¡±

    Olin ran out of the room in a full sprint. He had the best stamina of them all after all.

    ¡°¡ªShadow Demon.¡±

    Shalltear called and a demon soon materialized from the shadows. When had it entered the room? Perhaps it had been monitoring them for a long time. This was not surprising to them at all. Instead, they all thought, {thought so}.

    That Shadow Demon began whispering into Shalltear¡¯s ear. They then heard her respond with murmurs. After their conversation ended, Noah began speaking with a trembling voice,

    ¡°...U-Umm...Olin will need some time to bring everyone over. Before that happens, there is someone we wish to introduce to you. Do you find that to be agreeable?¡±

    ¡°Unnecessary-arinsu. Rather than doing that, I heard you had luggage to bring along-arinsu, move those first. I heard there were quite a lot of it, perhaps it would be faster if my servants did it for you. How about that-arinsu?¡±

    ¡°C-Could we trouble you then?¡±

    Shalltear responded with a curt, ¡°of course¡± before casting her spell. That was probably summoning magic. A few strong undead began appearing around them. Following their orders, they exited the room and returned with a sizable quantity of luggage, which they moved through the [Gate].

    The luggage was moved at an unbelievable speed. Just as they were done moving, they could hear the sound of many footsteps.

    While this might be thergest room in the mansion, it could not contain a thousand people.

    ¡°Now then, enter that door in your predetermined orders. Inside is a vige within a forest-arinsu. You will exit what looks like a town square. Wait there.¡±

    They followed her orders and entered the door in order.

    Though it was unlikely that none of them were hesitant to enter the portal, everyone there had already been warned to follow their exact orders; as a result, there was less confusion than they had expected.

    Inparison, the boys around {that} age stalling and blushing were a bigger problem. The girls bing frustrated at the boys¡¯ reactions were an issue too.

    Shalltear was a world-ss beauty.

    So, them falling in love at first sight wasn¡¯t such an unusual phenomenon, so was the women¡¯s jealousy.

    However ¡ª Hilma had engraved a fact in her heart.

    If those kids were to do something stupid, she would be the one responsible. To prevent that from happening, she had to keep a close watch on them. Her attention was especially focused on the girl whose hands were on her t chest, attempting topare sizes with Shalltear.

    Those children¡¯s hands were taken by their guardians and led through the [Gate]. Fortunately, nothing had gone awry.

    Hilma and her associates were thest to enter the [Gate]. Just as she had described, in front of them were wooden houses and their surroundings felt like a forest.

    In the za where the undead had piled up their luggage, there was somemotion. Or was it excitement instead? Given the amount of youths there, thetter was more likely.

    Was this their reaction to their first time passing through a [Gate]?

    ¡°Attention!¡±

    Noah yelled. Gradually ¡ª faster than she had expected ¡ª the noise died down.

    Was it to let them all see Shalltear? She slowly ascended into the sky and said,

    ¡°Currently the vige is still under development. You will be brought over there in around a week. Before that happens, you will be living here. Just so you could effectively manage the vige, we will be lending you four Golems. If you need anything heavy moved elsewhere, let them do it. Undead currently surround the vige, if you are to exit the perimeter and attempt to re-enter, they will attack you. For that reason, please do not cross the perimeter formed by the undead.¡±

    Shalltear looked around to check if they all understood her, and continued,

    ¡°Other than that, you will decide among yourselves how you will be spending this week. We have prepared two weeks worth of food-arinsu, so you should be set on that front. I will return in three days, if you have any issues, I will listen to them then.¡±

    Shalltear descended to the ground and looked around, her gaze fell upon Co Doll.

    ¡°You are one of the capo, correct-arinsu?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Eeeh? W-, no, yes, what can I do for you?¡±

    Co Doll had experienced the difference in status between him and her, so he tried his best to be cordial.

    ¡°You should take a trip to Kyuokukou¡¯s room too-arinsu.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    Shalltear closed the old [Gate] and opened a new one.

    Was it his instinct? Something told Co Doll that something bad was about to happen to him, causing him to look around with a helpless expression.

    After her gaze met his, Hilma shifted her own away. She could not go against Shalltear¡¯s decision. The other heads were the same, no one dared to make a sound.

    ¡°Wa-Wait, Wait! No! Why are you guys reacting like this!? Save me!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah. Let¡¯s go-arinsu!¡±

    Shalltear dragged a screaming Co Doll away. Faced with that kind of strength, he had lost all urges to resist.

    ¡°Ahh! No! Save me!¡±

    ¡°Sorry, Co Doll.¡±

    Hilma whispered to Co Doll, who disappeared through the [Gate]. After that, the [Gate] disappeared.

    Yet, the tense atmosphere never dispersed. They were all grasped by that suffocating silence.

    A thousand people, blissfully unaware of that hell, upied this za. Still, they could instinctually tell what fate awaited the Co Doll who had just been taken away from them. That was why none dared to move.

    They understood that they had been brought to this ce not out of someone¡¯s generosity, and were beginning to understand exactly how terrifying this ce was.

    ¡°...We couldn¡¯t save Co Doll.¡±

    Hilma said to Noah, who was walking over to her.

    She did not want anyone else to experience that hell. That was what she had in mind, but that was impossible. An intense guilt washed over her.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do about it. Still, it does not mean death...it would be more appropriate to call it a baptism. Afterwards, he could..e to understand why we would cherish each other so much.¡±

    ¡°Baptism...true...if I thought of it like that, it would alleviate a lot of the guilt I¡¯m feeling.¡±

    ¡°You two, while I can understand how worried you are for Co Doll, we have to discuss our future right now.¡±

    They had to relieve the people there of their worries.

    Hilma took the lead.

    If their goal was to kill them all, they would have done so already and not bring them all the way over here...or take Co Doll away.

    That meant that the Sorcerer King was holding up his side of the deal, given Shalltear¡¯s actions.

    ¡°Thank you so much, Your Majesty the Sorcerer King.¡±

    Hilma lowered her head. Of course, she had no idea where she was or where the Sorcerer King was, but this was the only thing she could think of that could properly express her gratitude given her situation.

    Something along the lines of a prayer.

    ----

    Three Floor Guardians set off from the front they had established in front of the capital.

    The one in charge of the capital¡¯s siege, Cocytus. The one in charge of crucial facilities, Aura. And finally, the one in charge of casting offensive AOE spells to render the entire capital into a mountain of ash, Mare.

    The three each had their subordinates.

    Mare had Hanzos under him, Cocytus had Frost Virgins, and Aura had her magic beasts.

    The ce they were looking towards, the capital, was awfully silent. Were they mourning? Or perhaps were they cowering in fear from the sight of the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s forces?

    Only a few days had passed since their previous battle, yet the capital¡¯s forces were already cracking at the seams. From the vantage point of the encampment Ainz had set up near the capital, not many soldiers could be seen manning the outer walls of the city, nor did they appear to intend to put up a fight.

    While it was true that they were few in numbers, Ainz¡¯s camp was equally unmanned. High-tier mercenaries were nowhere to be found, not even Nazarick¡¯s Master Guarders could be seen. The camp was upied by Ainz, Albedo, and around ten of Ainz¡¯s Death Knights.

    Albedo wore her full-body armour and held a halberd in her hands. Her World ss Item should also be on her person just as a precaution.

    ¡°...Is it about time?¡±

    Ainz asked Albedo after the guardians had left the camp. They were spread out to surround the capital.

    ¡°It should be. The guardians have moved quite a bit of distance away. If they really wanted to take action, this would be theirst chance to. Given theck of movement from their side, while it is unfortunate, it appears that there were none here this time too.¡±

    ¡°Is that so,¡± Ainz replied and shifted his gaze towards the capital.

    He saw a silhouette flying towards them from the capital. After he took a look around, it appeared that this was the only entitying towards them. Someone who had the courage to challenge the Sorcerer King, the one who dismantled an army of 200,000 with a single spell. From the intel they had collected, only one person matched that description.

    The Powered Suit ¡ª probably Red Drop.

    Ainz squinted his eyes to focus on the rapidly approaching entity and muttered, ¡°now then.¡±

    If that was the case, they could move on to the second stage of the n. However, Ainz was a bit uneasy.

    This was an important n after all. It had to be handled carefully, like a thin sheet of ice. Was he truly capable of pulling off such a n? Sigh, he could not have handed something this important to someone else either.

    The silhouette got ever so closer. Honestly, has he not considered the possibility that they had an airforce too? Or did he think that the Floor Guardians would not notice him if he was high enough? Or was it some equally stupid line of thought? Ainz was stunned by his opponent¡¯s faulty strategy. No, perhaps he knew that was the case but had no other choice.

    So did he know that this was a trap, but had the balls and resolve to break through it? Or maybe¡ª

    ¡°¡ªIs he clueless or prideful? Or perhaps... Whatever, that does not matter. We will find out once he reaches here.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Albedo replied.

    ¡°...I will leave it all to you then?¡±

    ¡°Yes, please leave it all to me.¡±

    Her replies were short and straight to the point. Ainz could not tell what her current mental state was. However, He knew enough to tell that she was not too happy about this.

    Ainz looked back towards the silhouette. It would take him quite a while to reach where they were, they could afford to let him get closer before setting off the ambush. The moment that thought crossed Ainz¡¯s mind, he realised that he had made a mistake.

    It was highly likely that he was a disposable pawn.

    ¡°Does he know what he is? Or does he have no clue at all?¡±

    ¡°Who knows? It does not matter if he does, the n has entered its third stage. Are we good to go?¡±

    ¡°...We are all set. I will aplish my duties to the best of my abilities, you should do the same.¡±

    ¡°Yes ¡ª ah, no. Please leave it all to me, Ainz-sama.¡± Albedo replied just as that silhouette reached the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s front, hovering a hundred meters up in the air and about a hundred meters away from them.

    He could clearly make out his opponent¡¯s appearance now. That said, it was unnecessary at this point to confirm his appearance.

    The bright-red Powered Suit came to a sudden halt mid-air and remained there. Though he could not see his face, Ainz could tell that he was being observed.

    Albedo raised her arm and the Death Knights around her began moving to form a shield wall in front of her.

    The hovering Powered Suit¡¯s right shoulder began to draw light into a box-shaped object. The light was converted into lightning and subsequently released.

    ¡°¡ª[Chain Dragon Lightning].¡±

    Just as Ainz mumbled the name of the spell, the lightning had already formed into the shape of a dragon and struck one of the Death Knights. The lightning dealt significant elemental damage to the Death Knight before leaping onto the Death Knights next to it.

    After the blinding light of the lightning subsided, the undead were nowhere to be seen. They were all taken out in a single attack, which did not reach Ainz and Albedo. That was probably a coincidence rather than a calcted move from their opponent.

    ¡°Insolent fool! Identify yourself!¡±

    Albedo roared with an infuriated tone. The volume of her voice was high enough that Ainz wanted to cover up his ears. Given how far away their opponent was, he should still be able to hear it, but he did not respond at all. Well no, he did respond, that just depended on one¡¯s definition of a response.

    The next thing they knew, the weapon rack on his left shoulder activated. Light was drawn in again as another spell was cast.

    A whirlwind of fire epassed Ainz and Albedo, the turbulent wind sounded like a wolf¡¯s howl.

    This was the divine AOE attack spell, [Firestorm].

    Fire was a weakness of Ainz¡¯s, but because the spell had not been enhanced through any special abilities, nor was the caster on the same level as Ainz, it did not do too much damage. Still, he could not just tank hits like that all day long.

    Ainz gave out his order.

    ¡°Go! Albedo. Do not let him escape!¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ----

    Albedo took flight as she gripped tightly onto her halberd.

    Her wings of pure ck pped once and it was more than enough for her to close the gap between them.

    She was not sure if it was because the gap between them had been closed so fast, but the Powered Suit turned around in a stiff motion.

    Albedo almost sunk her halberd into his unprotected back before the Powered Suit flew away. He did not fly towards the capital, but moved northwards instead.

    Albedo recalled the geography of their surroundings.

    She could not remember anything special about the direction he was heading towards, there weren¡¯t any features that could facilitate an ambush.

    Under her helmet, Albedo was fuming.

    {Seriously, do you think that we¡¯re blind? You really thought that we couldn¡¯t see through what you¡¯re trying to do? Or perhaps...If he¡¯s this confident knowing that his ns have been revealed...I have to be on alert for this...}

    Albedo turned her head around, shifting her gaze over her shoulder towards the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s encampment, where she had just been at. She could see a lone silhouette, it was Ainz by himself. Even if she was following her orders, she should have been the one to guard him, especially given that he was herst remaining master. Yet she had left her protectee behind, that deeply unsettled her.

    What was more displeasing was the fact that she was not allowed to make their enemy pay for his insolence with his life.

    ¡°Tock,¡± Albedo clicked her tongue and stared at the retreating Powered Suit.

    There was an object that resembled a backpack on the back of the Powered Suit. It had six nozzles, each ejecting white light that formed into a trail, like a shooting star.

    Those who are not familiar with Powered Suits would probably assume that if those nozzles were destroyed, their opponent would lose their ability to fly and thus fall to the ground.

    However, Albedo¡¯s master had already told her, ¡°That¡¯s just a cosmetic effect.¡±

    That was because a Powered Suit¡¯s flight capabilities worked in a simr fashion to the spell [Fly]. ording to her master, though it was correct to say that it would not lose its ability to fly once its nozzles have been destroyed, that was not a given. Her master had added, ¡°at least that was the case back then,¡± implying that he had not tested out this theory himself.

    {Still, how long will he be flying for? We¡¯re already so far away from ¡ª the encampment? Was I his true target then?}

    Gradually, the gap between them was being drawn out.

    If this continued on, her opponent would escape sessfully.

    Albedo did not have any abilities that could boost her own flight speed. Normally, when she was engaged in a chase, she would be riding her War Bicorn but that was no longer an option. That was why she was flying with her own wings, which were only capable of these speeds.

    Still, Albedo had prepared for this. She had borrowed items from her master that could boost her flight speed. As long as she equipped those, she could easily close the gap between them. So why hasn¡¯t she done so already? The answer was because she was waiting to see what her opponent¡¯s next move would be.

    If he was just trying to escape, Albedo could deal with that easily.

    Just as she was calmly analyzing his silhouette, her opponent turned around.

    He began to set up a weapon that was simr to Shizu¡¯s Arcane Rifle.

    ¡°Hmph.¡±

    Albedo prepared herself for an attack while mocking her opponent.

    Compared to Shizu¡¯s assault rifle type Arcane Rifle, this enemy¡¯s Arcane Rifle was more of a heavy machine gun type ording to Cocytus. Its destructive capabilities were a tier above Shizu¡¯s weapon.

    A row rumbling sound apanied therge amount of bullets being fired from the weapon.

    Those bullets wererger than an acorn and were shot out at zing speeds, it was difficult for her to dodge them all.

    However, Albedo could at the very least, redirect a few of the bullets back at him. Not only would this damage the opponent¡¯s weapon, the damage of Albedo¡¯s halberd was added on to it as well. Combined with the damage she could deal with her skills, this should deal a considerable amount of damage to the enemy.

    Yet ¡ª Albedo did not activate any special abilities. She tightened her grip on her halberd and closed the distance between her and the enemy, nothing more.

    She intended to take the full brunt of the attack with her own body.

    The bullets fired by the enemy was about to connect with Albedo¡¯s armour¡ª

    {oops...that was a big miscalction...}

    ¡ªShe had thought that her armour would mitigate most of the damage, but there wasn¡¯t even a need for that.

    None of the bulletsnded on her, they all curved away.

    It seemed likely that none of the bullets were enchanted.

    At the Floor Guardians¡¯ level, one would haveplete immunity to unenchanted projectiles. If his weapon had not been enchanted, he should not have equipped it at all.

    {I wanted to test the destructive capabilities of his weapon...but ended up exposing one of my abilities. Given that, he would surely use an enchanted attack next...}

    From his bodynguage, Albedo¡¯s keen sight could tell that he was quite shaken. Still, things progressed the way she had expected it to. Her opponent let go of his Arcane Rifle and extended something forwards.

    His next attack appeared to be magic-based.

    ¡°Good, now what?¡± As she pondered. Albedo did not use any special ability of hers as she shortened the distance between them. If she had, even give the current distance between them, he would still be in her strike range. However, Albedo did not wish to expose her hand yet.

    From the enemy¡¯s right hand, a brilliant green light shot out, flew towards Albedo, and struck her.

    Suddenly, Albedo¡¯s body ¡ª and armour ¡ª began glowing with the same light. However, the light did not have any effects and soon disappeared.

    She was not hurt. In fact, she did not feel anything at all.

    This was not because she was actively defending against that spell, but because that spell could not even get through Albedo¡¯s passive magic resistance.

    It was likely that this was one of her master¡¯s specialties, necromancy, specifically an instant-death spell.

    Those types of spells were not only affected by ability scores, passive skills, special skills, and equipment abilities, but were also affected by resistances gained through levels, penalties, and so on. If they were cast on an opponent of simr level, it would be hard for those spells to have any effects at all if they were not enhanced through any means.

    Not only was Albedo created as a level 100 NPC, she had equipped multiple items that strengthened herself. Spells of that Powered Suit¡¯s level could not affect her at all.

    Perhaps he was trying to gauge the difference in strength between them, and that was why he took the gambit of an instant-death spell. But, the fact that her opponent had even thought that this lowly spell could serve as an equalizer between them pissed Albedo off.

    She had to show him what she was made of.

    As she rapidly approached her enemy, Albedo raised her fist for a punch.

    She intended to make a mockery of her opponent by not using the halberd in her hand. Another reason for the punch was that she could not urately gauge the amount of damage he took if she was to use the halberd.

    Her opponent attempted to block it with the Arcane Rifle, but Albedo¡¯s strike was much faster.

    Even though she held back a little, a hit from the level 100 Albedo was still devastating.

    Gooong. A metallic noise rang out as her opponent was sent flying.

    The suit, taller than 3 meters, was sent flying by Albedo¡¯s punch despite her being an entire meter shorter than it. Not only was it sent flying, it also began shaking uncontrobly. It was a hrious sight to behold.

    {...looks like I dealt more damage to it than expected. He¡¯s more delicate than tofu...}

    He was certainly, unexpectedly¡ª

    {Weak...}

    ¡ªAlbedo felt frustrated as sheughed.

    ¡°¡ªAhahaha, now you will understand how foolish you were to attack Ainz-sama. I will dismember all four of your limbs, break every tooth in your mouth so you cannot even end yourself by biting off your tongue...but perhaps I will allow you to get another hit in. In any case, I will bring you to Ainz-sama to apologize for your crimes.¡±

    ¡°¡ªtock.¡±

    Albedo heard a click from that man¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°Did you just click your tongue at me...? How rude. Nevermind, you were such an indignant bastard that you chose to attack us without dering your own name, I expected this much insolence from you.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? yer? There is no indignity in vanquishing evil pieces of shit like you.¡±

    ¡°Tsk. I thought you were an illiterate barbarian to have attacked us without saying anything at all. I did not expect...no wait, the citizens of the Kingdom are no different from barbarians anyway, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s riching from you, Prime Minister of the Sorcerous Kingdom, Albedo.¡±

    Albedo calcted the pros and cons of dragging this conversation on and concluded that this was an exploitable situation.

    {If it were Ainz-sama or Demiurge here, they could probably engage him in a better conversation...}

    Albedo was confident in dealing with matters of interior affairs, but she was not too confident in her skills to plot or deal with matters of foreign affairs. Still, she was alone with no help at all so she had to rely on her own head.

    ¡°Nonsense, whatever of Red Drop? Sorry, I do notmit mere adventurers¡¯ names to memory.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, how is someone like you fit to be the Prime Minister of a state.¡±

    Was he truly one of Red Drop? Or was he trying to confuse Albedo?

    In any case, Albedo had to continue the conversation. From her strike back there, she had already grasped the full extent of her opponent¡¯s capabilities. Even if their fight was to resume, she would not have issues dealing with him at all.

    Albedo mentally prepared herself to trap him in this conversation.

    {What a tiresome way to buy more time...}

    After all, to not rouse her opponent¡¯s suspicion, Albedo had to perfectly emte the character of an arrogant strongman.

 Volume 14: 4 - Well-Prepared Traps (Part 2)

    Albedo¡¯s silhouette shrunk gradually as she chased after the red Powered Suit.

    And now, Ainz was the only one remaining at the encampment. If all went ording to n, the main event should be starting soon.

    Ainz cast the spell, [Body of Effulgent Beryl].

    Those who wish to destroy Ainz, even if they knew little of the weaknesses of skeletal type monsters, would know to use blunt weapons. If Ainz was to lose a significant chunk of HP due to his weaknesses before he achieved his goal, that would be somewhat troubling.

    And then, the [Dy Teleportation] Ainz had cast before, took effect.

    In other words, things were indeed proceeding as he had predicted.

    It seemed like Albedo was not their target after all. Ainz was relieved. If she was their target instead, things would have gotten quite difficult.

    But ¡ª was that really the case? Could this be a doubleyered trap?

    The enemy was teleporting behind Ainz.

    A single enemy.

    Someone who preferred close-quartersbat.

    While his opponent was being dyed, Ainz cast an [Explode Mine] spell on the teleportation destination. Afterwards, he stood still, waiting for his opponent to arrive. At first, he had nned to use [Life Essence] to confirm if they had lost health, but ultimately decided against that.

    He heard the sound of the explosion the moment his opponent arrived.

    Ainz immediately began moving forwards, away from his enemy, and turned around.

    ¡°Silver...no wait, the luster is different. Is that tinum? Or a metal I do not know of?¡±

    The explosion kicked up quite a bit of dust and at its center, stood a set of tinum-coloured full-body armour.

    Four weapons hovered around them, following their every move.

    A spear, a katana, a hammer, and a greatsword.

    All of them were oversized for humans, their appearance screamed form-over-function. Nazarick¡¯s treasury held many more weapons simr to these.

    The weapons had a simr luster as the armour, it was then highly likely that they were not silver, but tinum instead.

    Given that was the case however, it created more questions than it answered. Ignoring the mary value of the precious metal, tinum had no special magical properties at all. He could not fathom what advantages could be granted by creating weapons and armour out of it.

    The most likely exnation was that it was only tinum-coated, to hide the true metal the equipment were made out of. An example he could think of was the Golem he had just learned was in Kyouhukou¡¯s room. There were other examples of the same technique being used in Nazarick as well.

    The next most likely exnation was that it was a metal that was identical to tinum in appearance ¡ª but Ainz was not well-versed in the types of metal in this world.

    Ainz¡¯s undivided attention was on his opponent¡¯s every move. After all, even trivial intel could tip the bnce of a fight.

    What was unsettling to him was the fact that his opponent, since their debut, had not shown any emotional response at all. Since their appearance, they had stood still in one spot with a daunting pose. Was it because they had not taken any damage ¡ª they had not bled at all ¡ª that they had resorted to such showmanship?

    It was impossible for them to have not taken any damage at all.

    It was hard for Ainz to believe that it had taken the full brunt of his [Explode Mine] but all it did was sully that eye-catching armour with dust. Even with Ainz¡¯s necromancy job sses, it was still impossible for him to gainplete immunity to the damage of a high-tier spell. It was impossible without underhanded tricks, especially because [Explode Mine]¡¯s damage type was non-elemental, it could not have been nullified so simply.

    In that case, did their carefree attitude stem from them toughing it out, or was it from their do-or-die resolve? Or perhaps ¡ª they really had an ability to nullify the damage.

    ¡°Did you think that I would just stand here without taking any precautions? There are more around you¡ª¡±

    He tried to gauge his opponent¡¯s reaction through conversation, or at least that was what he had intended anyways. His opponent however, did not give him much chance to speak, as the armoured fellow unabashedly took an offensive stance. The hammer in their arsenal floated to where they could easily grab it.

    That revealed a piece of intel to Ainz, causing him to gentlyugh deep down in his heart.

    This meant that their target was not Albedo, but Ainz himself.

    Since they had not bothered to converse with Ainz at all, they were not trying to buy time. They were probably nning to end this fight before any backup could arrive.

    If they had appeared from the sky and began talking to him, that would have meant that their target was Albedo or that they were both their targets.

    Everything up till this point had urred well within the margins of Ainz¡¯s n.

    However, not even Ainz could predict his opponent¡¯s next move.

    Since their weapons moved with them, he had thought that they were the fighter type and would want to close the distance between them. Instead, his opponent moved his hand in a somatic gesture, causing the giant hammer to suddenly shoot forward.

    So fast.

    It was like a high-level warrior had lobbed it at him, Ainz could not dodge it at all. If this weapon was not enchanted, it would be nullified by his immunity to non-enchanted projectiles, but no matter which way Ainz sliced it, it had to be enchanted. If that was the case, Ainz stood still, mimicking the stance his opponent had adopted as he took the hit. Of course, the spell activated the moment the hammer connected with Ainz¡¯s body.

    The bludgeoning damage waspletely nullified by the [Body of Effulgent Beryl] spell. His gaze had remained on his opponent this entire time, observing his every move. In that moment, his opponent stopped moving, probably out of shock that he had taken zero damage.

    The hammer returned to its original position as fast as it had beenunched, floating around the enemy.

    ¡°Muwahahahaha¡ª¡±

    Ainzughed loudly with his arms extended outwards to show that he was unscathed.

    ¡°¡ªDo you understand now? As I am sure you are aware, skeletons are weak to bludgeoning attacks. That is true for me too. So did you really believe that I would not take precautions against it? That I would be so stupid? ...That¡¯s right¡±

    Ainz patted his own body, ¡°I am immune to bludgeoning damage.¡±

    While he was sneering, his opponent did not seize the opportunity to attack. {What does that mean?} Ainz contemted. If he made a mistake here, he might not be able to salvage the situation.

    The enemynded, raised a hand, and spoke. Their voice was that of a male¡¯s.

    ¡°[Wall of the World]¡±

    (TL¡¯s note: the spell is ÊÀ½ç½~ŒÕÏ±Ú, the literal TL is ¡°World Absolute Barrier¡± and I would have localized it as ¡°World-Isting Barrier¡± but I have been informed that all Wild Magic spells are references to some obscure novel.)

    With his foe as the origin, a ¡ª space-warping ¡ª shockwave passed by Ainz.

    If it continued to expand in its initial form, this ce would be epassed in a dome. Its size was immense, at least a kilometer wide. Albedo and the other guardians should all be outside of its range.

    Ainz¡¯s mind spooled up as he deliberated.

    This was one of the oldest tricks in the book, to cut off an enemy¡¯s connection to the outside world. Then, how hard would it be to break in? Would it be able to prevent someone from running in? Would teleportation still work?

    Its effect and area-of-effect also had to be considered. Since it was a dome, could someone enter it through the ground?

    And most important of all, could he destroy it through any means?

    He was severelycking in intel and thus could not be certain of anything, but he could at the very least make some rudimentary inferences..

    First of all, his opponent knew that Ainz was a magic caster for sure, so this should at the very least be able block teleportation spells.

    Unless he had a reason to not use the World ss Item that could dominate minds, this person wasn¡¯t the one who brainwashed Shalltear. What if there was a specific reason why he did not use it? Questions continued to pile on, but one thing he was certain of was that he should not underestimate this enemy.

    That was because Ainz had mastery over a wide range of spells and special abilities. From the experience he had gathered through experimentation, he knew their full capabilities. This ced Ainz at the top of Nazarick in terms of battle tactics.

    However, the ability this enemy had just used, Ainz could not recall. An ability that would cover this much ground had to be from a Super-Tier spell or a World-ss Item. This meant that his opponent had easy ess to ¡ª and immediate use of ¡ª skills that could rival the heights of those abilities.

    He was undoubtedly a strong enemy.

    Someone who could remove Ainz, and the other level 100 Floor Guardians, from the picture.

    However, faced with this enemy, Ainz did not emote at all.

    Of course, Ainz¡¯s face could not emote anyways, but his uncertainty could still be observed through his attitude and tone. Ainz Ooal Gown would never do something so unsightly.

    At the same time, he could not allow the enemy to perceive Ainz¡¯s joy and relief.

    The thought of, {it was wise for me to have been the one to face him} came to mind.

    Ainz squinted his eyes and continued to observe him.

    Though this was an unknown ability, he could still pick up on certain aspects of it. First, this was an ability that expended HP and quite a lot of it. Given that, this barrier could not be cosmetic only. If he could not figure out its exact effects, he would be in deep trouble.

    Ainz had seen his opponent¡¯s immediate loss of HP when he had activated that ability through his [Life Essence] spell. [Mana Essence] picked up nothing in contrast, meaning that his foe was of a pure warrior build with no mana at all.

    If the mysterious enclosure was an inescapable prison, it would not be odd for his opponent, who had effectively imprisoned Ainz in this dome, to rx a little.

    Ainz began to calmly ask a question with that in mind.

    He used an uncharacteristically gentle tone given he had just been smacked with a hammer.

    ¡°I will pardon your prior ambush. I do believe that you already know of my name, but do allow me to re-introduce myself. I am the Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown. Now then, it is your turn. Could you tell me your name?¡±

    After a few seconds of silence, he received a reply.

    ¡°...Riku Agne¨ªa¡±

    Ainz immediately began to analyze the information he had just gained.

    The likelihood that this barrier not only prevented his escape, but also prevented reinforcements from making their way in just increased drastically. The fact that he would risk exposing intel meant that he was trying to tell him, ¡°you can¡¯t escape,¡± and also, ¡°your reinforcements won¡¯t make it in.¡±

    In the documentspiled by Sebas and Demiurge, there were no mentions of the name ¡®Riku¡¯. Someone this strong would not have slipped through their information gatheringwork. Even if he was hermit, there were still things that could not be exined. In any case, someone this strong would have surely ended up in the Kingdom¡¯s history books. For there to be no records of him at all was absurd.

    The most likely exnation was that he had been given an alias.

    But why would he give him an alias?

    If he was from the Kingdom, he should have proudly dered his name and his intention to destroy the root of all evil that had started this war. Was it because he was someone who wished to remain anonymous of his own volition? Another possibility was that he was trying to draw Ainz¡¯s aggression towards the real Riku Agne¨ªa, or perhaps the knowledge of his true name gave Ainz power over him or something.

    Although it was essentially pure wilderness when thosends came under his rule, they had still gathered quite a bit of intel from the demi-human residents of thatnd. Of the intel they gained, one was about the connection some had between their true name and soul, and how one could be more susceptible to curses should their true name be known. However, after much investigation by Nazarick, they could not find conclusive proof of such a phenomenon. They had relegated this intel as in folk legend.

    So was it possible that Riku was of a tribe that held simr beliefs?

    He had little to no intel. This was not the most ideal situation for him to make deductions here and there. As far as he could remember, there were only two powerful beings with connections to tinum. One of which was not a humanoid, the other was¡ª

    ¡°I have heard through the bards¡¯ songs, the heroic tale of the Thirteen Heroes. Quite a few of their names have been lost, though I do recall one of them wearing an armour forged in tinum... If I remember correctly, his name was Riku Agne¨ªa. Will those bards not be ted to find out that their tales were true?¡±

    ¡°Would they? I did not know that I was renowned enough for bards to sing of my name.¡±

    His foe did not shrug, nor did he make any movements as he answered calmly.

    Was he truly one of the Thirteen Heroes, or was he an imposter? There might be details that he was missing.

    {Good grief}, AInz thought.

    What was true and what was false, it was hard for him to tell. But, given how his opponent was confident enough in himself to face off against the Ainz Ooal Gown who could handily defeat an army of 200,000 with a single spell, the full extent of his capabilities must be explored in this battle.

    ¡°Riku, do you mind me addressing you by this name?¡±

    ¡°Denied.¡±

    An immediate answer, one filled with ptable disgust in tone.

    ¡°That was rude of me. Perhaps that was too familiar of an address. Shall I refer to you as Agne¨ªa then? Would you still mind?¡±

    ¡°That is fine.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Well then, I have a proposal for you. Be my subordinate, how about it?¡±

    The air around Riku froze a bit. He did not take a stance, nor did he move at all. Riku just stood therepletely unfazed.

    Ainz could not figure him out.

    If Riku viewed him as an inferior, it would make sense why he did not take a stance at all. After all, Cocytus was the same during his battle with the lizardmen. So, was Riku looking down on him or not?

    He felt differentpared to Cocytus back then.

    So, perhaps that already {was} the stance he intended to take for this battle.

    He might have nned to stand in one ce and have his floating weapons do all of the work for him, which was why he had adopted such a battle stance.

    ¡°...Looks like I¡¯ve been rejected. How regretful. Could I implore you once more? I am currently trying to recruit powerful individuals into my services. Even that Momon of Darkness has been happily under my employ. If you are willing to be my subordinate ¡ª I would even end my conquest of the Kingdom right here. You alone are worth more than this country.¡±

    ¡°Denied.¡±

    If words could kill. There wasn¡¯t a single shred of hesitation in his voice.

    Ainz, without showing any emotions, began to ponder the hidden meanings behind their little back-and-forth just now.

    Even if he had the confidence that he could defeat Ainz and save the Kingdom, did he truly have no doubts or hesitations? Even if Ainz was killed, was he truly certain in his belief that the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s army would just give up?

    {...Perhaps he does not care about the Kingdom after all...? Is he from another nation?}

    ¡°[Cloak of Light]¡±

    Riku¡¯s armour began glowing. For a brief moment, Ainz thought that it was the Sun reflecting off of his armour until he noticed that Riku¡¯s HP had just decreased. That was undoubtedly the activation of some sort of ability.

    Now he had concrete proof.

    Riku¡¯s abilities were powered by his own health pool.

    However, because lost HP could just be recovered through restoration spells or potions, abilities that were powered by HP were usually weaker byparison. All in all, the higher the ability¡¯s HP cost, the stronger it would be. The same logic should apply even in this world.

    Riku had activated his special ability, that meant their parley had broken down. Ainz immediately cast his spell.

    ¡°[Greater Teleportation]¡±

    Ainz teleported all the way to ¡ª the edge of the translucent dome. After his sight had adjusted, he found the translucent barrier blocking his way.

    ¡°Teleportation failed...¡±

    He took a look around. It appeared as though Riku did not have the ability to follow him through his teleport, he was nowhere to be found.

    In front of Ainz, not too far away, was his intended destination, the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.

    He could at least confirm one thing of this barrier: it cut off teleportationpletely. That said, since he was now in front of the barrier, that meant that teleportation to destinations within it was still possible. Only teleportation in and out of the dome was disabled. It seemed like if one were to try and teleport outside, they would instead be teleported to the edge of the dome closest to their intended destination.

    This was crucial intel.

    He had originally intended to not use teleportation throughout this battle, but it was still worth it to have gained this intel at the cost of one of his trump cards.

    Ainz then extended his hand to touch the barrier.

    If it had defensive capabilities, he would probably receive the damage immediately, but that was unlikely. He thought so because the interrupted teleportation did not do damage to him either.

    The bones in his finger made contact with the barrier.

    Contrary to its soft appearance, it was extremely hard. When he tried to exert force on it, nevermind breaking, it did not faze at all. It was like a wall that separated worlds apart.

    Ainz pulled out amon gold coin and tossed it.

    The coin hit the barrier and bounced off.

    Next, he cast a [Lightning] spell at a pre-calcted angle.

    ¡°...It cannot get through, hmmm.¡±

    Just as he became satisfied with the results of his experiments, the [Dy Teleportation] spell activated once again. No doubt it was Riku.

    Ainz cast [Body of Effulgent Beryl] and stood there, with his back towards Riku.

    After Riku showed up, he used some unknown object to m into Ainz¡¯s body at high speeds. Because it was bludgeoning damage, it waspletely nullified by [Body of Effulgent Beryl].

    But for whatever reason, his body was sent flying and pressed against the barrier. That was highly unusual. Normally when an attack¡¯s damage had been nullified, its secondary effects would not apply. However, Riku¡¯s attack did not follow this rule. So what did that mean? He had no idea as of yet.

    Ainz slowly, and regally, turned around.

    The hammer returned to Riku¡¯s side. The four weapons that surrounded Riku were different from before: they were all glowing white. Combined with the armour, they looked undeniably badass.

    On the other hand, Riku¡¯s health had decreased even further.

    He had lost more health than when he activated that ability on his armour just then. Was it because he had to apply that ability to each weapon separately or because teleportation had cost him a bit of HP too? Ainz desired more intel.

    ¡°I am immune to bludgeoning damage, I believe I have said that already...so how did you do that?¡±

    ¡°...Even if you can teleport, you cannot use it to escape this barrier. Your fate is to perish here.¡±

    {Answer the question, dumbass}, Ainz thought but did not say it out loud. After all, if he wanted his opponent to talk, he had to avoid pissing him off too much.

    ¡°I see. I am impressed that you could create such an inescapable barrier. I assume then that you have made your resolve already?¡±

    No response. One of the four weapons, the greatsword, stopped moving.

    ¡ªHe¡¯sing.

    Riku did not appear to wish to converse with him. Ainz made the first move with that in mind.

    ¡°[Twin Magic: Obsidian Sword]¡±

    Ainz summoned two obsidian swords and rushed at Riku.

    If his opponent was using floating weaponry, he would do the same.

    One of the swords was deflected by Riku¡¯s greatsword and the other¡¯s strike was dodged in an unnatural manner.

    ¡°What!?¡±

    Ainz couldn¡¯t help but vocalize his thoughts.

    What was shocking wasn¡¯t the fact that Riku could dodge the attack, but rather how he had dodged it. Not even Cocytus would be able to pull off what Riku just did.

    Riku had performed a sideways somersault at head¡¯s height to dodge the attack. Although there were other oddities apart from what he had just done, Ainz should not be focusing on those details right now. The questionsid in the fact that those movements were inhuman.

    Normally when a humanoid jumped, they would bend their knees and apply force on them. There should be reflexive movements before the actual jump. However, Riku skipped all of that, applied no force at all, yet still performed a sideways somersault in the same stance he had this entire time.

    While it was not impossible, especially with spells like [Fly], not even Ainz could pull it off. One¡¯s body would always reflexively move in a certain manner when performing such actions.

    Perhaps those who were adept at using [Fly] would be able to do those moves, but Ainz still felt weirded out by those movements. The exnation for it was just on the tip of his tongue, but his brain could not express it properly.

    While Ainz was getting increasingly annoyed, Riku counterattacked with his greatsword. Ainz¡¯s two swords were deflected by the other weapons floating around Riku.

    The greatsword, as if it had a mind of its own, flew towards Ainz, prompting him to think of his Guild Weapon. Ainz cast defensive magic in response.

    ¡°[Wall of Skeleton]¡±

    The greatsword shed with the newly created wall. The [Wall of Skeleton] was destroyed in a single hit.

    ¡°Impressive.¡±

    In ce of where the [Wall of Skeleton] stood, the honed edge of the greatsword pointed towards Ainz as it hovered. He had thought that it would return to Riku¡¯s side after that, but instead it flew towards Ainz as if someone was wielding it. On the contrary, Riku was standing still in his original position, in his original pose.

    From his observation of that pose, what had been at the tip of Ainz¡¯s tongue finally came out.

    Indeed, he was just like a puppet.

    Riku was moving around like a puppet whose strings were still intact.

    It was as though giant hands were behind him, one controlling the body and the other controlling the weapons.

    {This isn¡¯t something like [Psychokinesis] controlling the weapons, but the armour too? Unless, the insides are empty? Or was a living person within it too?}

    Faced with the greatsword¡¯s cleave from top to bottom, Ainz pulled out a [sting Staff] to intercept it.

    The amount of pressure exerted on him made him feel as though he was sinking into the ground.

    If he had weapon destruction skills, it would be worth his time to target this greatsword specifically, but Ainz had not bothered to learn such skills. Even anti-material acid spells would take quite a bit of time to chew through this sword, so he was better off attacking Riku instead.

    ¡°[Grasp Heart]¡±

    That was Ainz¡¯s favorite necromancy spell, yet it had no effect on Riku at all.

    Did he have immunity against necromancy? Or was it resistance against negative status effects? While Ainz was still considering those things, the greatsword was swung at him at even greater speeds.

    ¡°Guhhh!¡±

    He could neither tank nor dodge it in time, so his body took the full brunt of that attack. After receiving the blow, Ainz backed off a little only to bump against the barrier behind him. This position was disadvantageous for him.

    ¡°[Greater Teleportation]¡±

    Ainz teleported upwards. Because they were summoned through non-conventional summoning magic, the two swords soon returned to Ainz¡¯s sides.

    As he was right above his opponent, he would have been easy to spot. Ainz did not teleport a long distance away, nor did he intend to buy time until Albedo arrived. This battle was what he had been craving.

    Just as a precaution, he cast [Body of Effulgent Beryl] again while observing Riku, who appeared to be a dot from his perspective. He began to ascend as soon as he spotted Ainz.

    He did not try to attack Ainz with his weapons, that was probably due to a range restriction.

    Ainz responded by descending.

    The moment they passed by each other, he threw out the twin obsidian swords.

    The [Obsidian Sword] constructs could only be used as an offensive tool and could not be used to defend oneself. That was because the obsidian swords suffered from a mass loss of durability if used to receive an opponent¡¯s attack. If used defensively, the swords¡¯ durability would rapidly diminish until they shatter.

    Riku used the weapons around him to deflect the two swords that were soaring through the skies.

    Did he put his all into defence? Riku did not choose to counterattack.

    After brushing past Riku, Ainznded on the ground only to find the spear falling towards him at ludicrous speed.

    Ainz leapt forward, barely dodging the attack. Because he had [Fly] activated already, he did not have any issues getting back on his feet.

    Ainz stood up to distance himself away from that spot as Riku casually descended to the ground. His three weapons floated around him and the spear that had been imnted into the ground soon joined their ranks again.

    Ainz also had his two obsidian swords float by his side.

    His movements made it all the less believable to Ainz that a living being was in that armour. His knees did not bend at all when hended.

    It was at this time when Riku, who had been standing with the same pose this entire time, suddenly took the greatsword into his own hands.

    This distance between them was closed in an instant. This was the fastest speed he had moved at yet.

    He was like a shooting star.

    Ainz sent out the two obsidian swords to intercept Riku¡¯s attack, but they were deflected by Riku¡¯s katana, subsequently falling onto the ground.

    ¡°[Call Greater Thunder]¡±

    Multiple streaks of lightning converged on Riku, yet he did not slow down at all. It was not as though he hadn¡¯t taken damage, Ainz could see his HP pool falling. It was more likely that he had suppressed all forms of pain.

    The greatsword was raised high above Ainz¡¯s head as it was cleaved downwards.

    ¡°Oooof!¡±

    The moment Ainz took damage, he saw from the corner of his eye, Riku¡¯s katana swinging in from the side.

    Ainz began waving his sting Staff.

    Riku tanked that attack with his own body. A magic caster¡¯s physical strikes weren¡¯t so impressive, so if he chose to tank that hit, he must be nning to strike Ainz too.

    His deduction was correct.

    If Ainz were in his shoes, he would have done the same.

    However, that was a terrible, terrible mistake under these circumstances.

    Ainz smiled deep down as the shockwave began propagating outwards. Riku was knocked far away.

    sting Staff had a simr enhanced knockback enchantment as Yamaiko¡¯s Female Sensei¡¯s Iron Fist of Wrath. The cost of that enchantment was the staff¡¯spleteck of offensive capabilities, but it granted distance between a magic caster and their foe, one of the most important things to a caster.

    Was it because he had been knocked back? The katana¡¯s strike only grazed Ainz by a little, barely touching his sternum.

    Riku remained unyielding in pose even after he was knocked back. Ainz cast another spell.

    ¡°[Summon Tenth-Tier Undead]¡±

    The one to rece the twin obsidian swords was the level 70, melee warrior Doom Lord. A rusted crown sat on his dome and a blood stained cape hung off his back. Adorning his full-te armour were multiple scythe-like curved des.

    Minute amounts of negative energy ebbed from the gaps in its armour in the form of a ck mist. His health was constantly decreasing, a penalty ced upon the Doom Lord for its agility which was unthinkably high for a level 70. Optimal use of such a summon required mastery over unit cement.

    However, Ainz just wanted him to be his shield, so none of that mattered to him.

    Summons¡¯ were either used as shields or swords.

    Magic casters who could use them were all pretty strong in general. That said, a powerful pure warrior build could easily ignore these summons.

    For example, what would Cocytus do?

    He would probably kite the summons towards the summoner to bring the both of them into his range.

    What would Albedo do?

    She would probably use her defensive capabilities to her advantage to charge straight for the caster,pletely ignoring the summons. She could also redirect aggro so that they would kill each other.

    So, what would Riku do? Riku¡¯s tactic up till this point had been to rely on his auto-attacking weapons. Though he had wielded his greatsword, he had not used any special abilities or martial arts to go along with it. For that reason, Ainz did not have a firm grasp on his abilities as a warrior at all.

    That was why¡ª

    Riku closed the distance between them and beelined for Ainz without hesitation at all. An adamant action.

    He was probably the type to have specialized in super close-quartersbat rather than purely relying on his floating weapons. For that reason, if he was able to swiftly destroy his summon, Ainz would have lost an option to widen the distance between them.

    Faced with the rapidly-approaching Riku, the Doom Lord tightened his grip on his weapon, a long curved de set upon a pole, a War Scythe. The scythe was shrouded in negative energy, shrouded in the same ck mist as before.

    Ainz used the magical link he had with the Doom Lord to give it his orders.

    ¡°It is highly probable that our opponent is not a living creature, but try to confirm it anyways,¡± his order was vague. Needless to say, a summon possessed a portion of its summoner¡¯s knowledge, so it should have understood his intentions even without his order, but it was better to veer on the safer side of things.

    The Doom Lord activated its special ability.

    [Ruinous Night]

 Volume 14: 4 - Well-Prepared Traps (Part 3)

    The rate at which the ck smog spewed out of it increased, spreading to its surroundings.

    Its HP was falling faster than ever, the cost for a short term boost to every one of itsbat rted stats.

    Not only that, an opponent¡¯s passive ability to reduce the amount of damage the Doom Lord dealt to it due to level difference would bepletely nullified. Undead that stood in the ck smog ¡ª including the Doom Lord itself ¡ª would take less damage from Light and Holy Elemental attacks. The same applied for bonus damage due to the difference in karma. Another strength of this ability was the fact that it could be triggered simultaneously on top of other buffs.

    Ainz wanted to receive that buff too, but the ck smog only reached so far.

    To make sure that he would not be targeted by Riku, Ainz pulled away from the twobatants.

    He had made preparations to be a spectator.

    It was time for him to understand the true extent of Riku¡¯s power.

    The Doom Lord¡¯s scythe shed with the floating greatsword, an ear-piercing noise echoed around

    Neither backed off a single step, nor were they knocked back.

    They must have had simr levels of strength for that to happen.

    After that, the scythe continued to sh against the katana at high speeds, their metallic rings droned on.

    The greatsword¡¯s hack was rendered inert by the scythe and the scythe¡¯s pierce was blocked by the shield-like hammer. The darting spear was deflected by the scythe¡¯s handle as the Doom Lord gracefully dodged the greatsword¡¯s cleave.

    Soon enough ¡ª to take advantage of the distance created by the dodge ¡ª Riku leapt forward.

    Both were on equal footing in terms of offensive and defensive capabilities, but Riku had more tricks up his sleeve.

    [Negative Burst]

    ck ¡®rays of light¡¯ began pulsing from Ainz as it swallowed up its surroundings.

    The Doom Lord healed upon receiving the negative energy, but it wasn¡¯t the most mana-efficient way to heal. On the other hand, Riku did not take damage from the spell at all.

    For him to have taken zero damage, was it because he had immunity to negative energy? Was it a racial trait? Or was it a job trait? Or perhaps, the most likely exnation, was that it had something to do with his equipment.

    To have nned to fight against the undead Ainz meant that bymon sense, he must have prepared against negative energy attacks, a staple of the undead. Even Ainz would equip items that bestowed fire resistance if he were to fight against a fire-breathing dragon.

    While the sounds of their weapons colliding with each other rang out non-stop, Ainz cast his next spell.

    [Perfect Unknowable]

    Ainz, now an unknown, came out of the shadow of his tank, the Doom Lord, to circle around them. Suddenly, the katana flew towards him at a speed he could not dodge. It pierced through his robe at the abdomen region.

    He did not take any damage due to his immunity to piercing damage, but Ainz still scuttled behind the Doom Lord¡¯s figure. The katana, suspended midair, then began to sh towards the Doom Lord instead.

    ¡°...He could see through unknowability huh?¡±

    This was not surprising, one would not need to reach Ainz¡¯s level to gain a couple of countermeasures against that strategy. The problemid in what method he had used to detect him. Ainz had no answers. There were just too many countermeasures, too many for him to narrow it down with the intel he had.

    So, what should his next move be? Riku seemed to want to target Ainz directly given how the levitating weapons were all pointed at him, but with the Doom Lord¡¯s presence, they could not reach him at all.

    After rough calctions of his avable options given the current status of the battle, he arrived at the conclusion that he should be spamming offensive spells. If the Doom Lord fell, he could just summon another. The likelihood of this strategy to win was quite high.

    However, this was not the way Ainz wanted to end this.

    Riku was a powerful foe, something of a rarity in this world, and with myriad abilities foreign to Ainz. Given that was the case, it was better for him to witness the full extent of Riku¡¯s power over the course of this battle so that he would be better prepared should a simr foe show up in the future.

    Ainz cancelled the cast of an attack spell.

    While he knew that his priority right now should be on his own defence, he had a specific reason to not do so. It was dangerous, sure, but he had to resist the urge.

    Ainz observed the two¡¯s attacks and defences. The Doom Lord was being suppressed ever so slightly, but neither were taking significant damage.

    One could call the blows that they were exchanging a back-and-forth, but the simplicity in Riku¡¯s fighting style was quite worrying. Ainz knew exactly why the Doom Lord could not gain the upperhand. None of its skills, negative energy attacks, or spiritual attacks had any effects against Riku.

    At this point, it was all but confirmed that Riku was of a race that had simr properties as Golems or other Constructs. Perhaps it was some item ability or skill that gave him said properties, or perhaps he was just a in Construct.

    In terms of which option was most likely, it had to be the first one given that Riku was able to talk. Half-Golems or simr races had the same resistances as other Constructs, so he might be of one of those races.

    Although, why would someone of those races be helping out the Kingdom? What mattered the most in the moment were Riku¡¯s abilities and not his motivations. Why was he using such simple attacks? He appeared to have neither used skills nor martial arts the entire time.

    One of the Supreme Beings was a Golem user. Riku¡¯s movements were nearly identical to the Golems controlled by that person.

    Riku would be easy to deal with if he was a Half-Golem, but if he was a pure golem with speakers attached or made through secret techniques, things would be much more difficult.

    As far as Ainz knew, a Golem¡¯s strength scaled with the value of metal used to construct them, the creator¡¯s abilities, and the data crystals added.

    High-tier Golems were rtively costly to manufacture.

    If Riku was a Golem, one constructed out of a metal as cheap as tinum yet was this strong, there might be more than a few or even dozens of himying around.

    He had to collect more intel.

    Ainz gave the Doom Lord an order.

    The Doom Lord began releasing more ck smog upon receiving hismand.

    Its speed and offensive capabilities were raised even further, to the point where Riku¡¯s armour began to take damage. However, the rapid loss of HP on the Doom Lord¡¯s part caused it to disappear not long after.

    Ainz had timed for this, as he cast another [10th Tier Summon Undead].

    It was a level 68 undead, an Elemental Skull.

    Its appearance was of a floating skull, surrounding it was a magical haze of light that constantly switched between four colours: red, blue, green, and yellow.

    Ainz made it fall back and took its ce at the front.

    The Elemental Skull was a caster type undead capable of using magic of the four major elements.

    Its HP was about equal to a magic caster of its level, way below that of the Doom Lord. Its offensive capabilities were pretty impressive, that was because every single spell it cast had the [Maximize Magic] metamagic tagged onto it.

    In terms of defence, it had immunity to most spell attacks, including Fire, Lightning, Acid, Ice, and other types of elemental attacks. In contrast, it was extremely vulnerable against physical attacks, especially bludgeoning damage.

    That was why Ainz had to stand in front of it.

    Riku did not raise his guard any further even though a magic caster was now at the frontline. He just kept silent, closed the distance between him and Ainz, and began attacking.

    {Why are you not the least bit worried about this?} Ainz grumbled in his heart as he used the experience he had gained through his training with Albedo to block Riku¡¯s shes.

    That said, he could only block one sh out of five, it was basically a one-sided pummel. As Ainz¡¯s staff was ignored, the greatsword, spear, and katana began their attacks. Though the hammer was used once too, it was nullified by [Body of Effulgent Beryl]. After three nullifications, Riku appeared to have finally taken the hint. He never used the hammer afterwards.

    While Ainz had already known about this, Riku was indeed insanely fast.

    Although he wasn¡¯t as fast as the Floor Guardians, he was still rtively fast. Ainz was quite fortunate that Riku had stopped using the hammer. If it was still in use, Ainz would not be able to win at all.

    Having bore witness to the Doom Lord¡¯s battle, Ainz knew he could not serve as an adequate vanguard.

    Of course, Ainz had the option of using [Perfect Warrior], but theck of equipment on his person would guarantee him a loss if he did so.

    Still, Ainz¡¯s struggles at being a vanguard began to see some returns as spells began soaring through the air from his back.

    At the same time, Ainz cast the ninth tier spell, [Vermillion Nova].

    The strongest single-target, fire-based spell attack began to scorch Riku, yet his opponent showed no signs of slowing down as the greatsword cleaved towards Ainz again.

    Even though his body was bathed in fire, his swordsmanship remained calm and steady. If he had made his resolve as a warrior, this would not be too surprising, but thepleteck of response from him was suspicious to say the least.

    The Elemental Skull cast a ninth tier spell, [Pr w].

    A w that emitted air as chilled as the poles wed at Riku. This was a spell that Ainz had not learnt. It had no secondary effects but dealt a lot of damage, the highest DPS of any ice-based spell in fact.

    Ainz memorised the amount of damage Riku took from the two spells.

    This was while he was receiving a simultaneous strike from the spear and the katana.

    He cast another ninth tier spell, [Call Greater Thunder].

    The Elemental Skull on the other hand, cast a tenth tier spell, [Mist of Super Acid]. This was also a spell that Ainz had not learnt, that was the reason why he had summoned the Elemental Skull.

    Riku was instantly surrounded by a mist of strong acid and so were his weapons.

    [Mist of Super Acid] not only damaged an opponent, but also their equipment and weapons, albeit only a small amount of damage to those. Surely the floating armaments around Riku counted as his equipment, right?

    Even the weapons around Riku were damaged yet Ainz, who was well within the AOE, was unscathed. This was because of a special condition applied to the spell.

    Riku¡¯s HP loss from the acid was notable. Of the four elements, he took the most amount of damage from acid.

    That said, the actual percentage of HP loss was still low.

    Through the analysis of every bit of intel he had, Riku must have had defence-focused job sses. He was probably around level 90.

    {In any case, the best strategy is to use acid attac¡ª Ahhh! It hurts so much!}

    ¡°Nuisance!¡±

    His anger red up as his thoughts were interrupted, but then a miracle ured.

    He managed to perfectly bat the katana flying towards him away with his staff, causing Ainz¡¯s nonexistent eyes to widen.

    The spear was blown away as if the knockback effect had activated.

    {Why!?}

    This staff¡¯s knockback effect had all kinds of activation conditions ced upon it.

    First of all, blocking a warrior¡¯s strike with the staff would not trigger the effect. The effect would not trigger at all if the staff was not used offensively.

    If an opponent blocked the attacker¡¯s blow with a sword or shield, its effect would not trigger. It would only trigger if one were tond a blow on their opponents¡¯ body with it. A sword or shield would obviously not count as an opponent¡¯s body. That was why the effect would still trigger if one were to strike an opponent¡¯s gauntlet.

    So what happened to Riku¡¯s katana?

    Given the conditions mentioned, that meant that the floating weapons counted as a part of the wielder¡¯s body.

    But that wouldn¡¯t make sense.

    Sebas had brought back weapons from the capital in the past.

    Floating weapons used by a dancer.

    The weapons were analyzed in detail when they were sent to the Treasury and judged to be simple floating weaponry that obeyedmands to attack in a semi-autonomous way. It should only count as equipment, which meant that if this staff were to strike the dancer¡¯s weapon, the knockback effect should not trigger.

    If the knockback were to be applied on equipment, only weapons like Female Sensei¡¯s Iron Fist of Wrath would be able to pull it off. That was a weapon that had the sole purpose of creating shockwaves when the wielder punched the air. As a weapon that applied knockback to everything, it could also apply knockback on equipment.

    But this staff was nowhere near as powerful as that weapon, so why was it able to do such a thing?

    From these series of tautologies, he deduced the answer: Riku¡¯s weapons counted as a part of his body.

    {I see...}

    Ainz had two hypotheses around the mechanics behind this.

    First was that Riku¡¯s weapons were creatures like Entoma¡¯s de-Bugs. If he was like that Sword Saint Golem, it would make sense why the knockback effect was triggered.

    The other hypothesis, the more likely one, was that the weapons were not equipment at all, but were actual parts of Riku¡¯s body. This would be a simr situation to how the knockback effect would still apply if the staff¡¯s strike was to be met with a dragon¡¯s w attack.

    He had felt that the weapons had HP too, but thought that it was because they counted as Riku¡¯s equipment. It was a mistaken assumption based on the fact that they took damage when Riku took damage. It appeared as though those were separate health bars, so¡ª

    That moment felt like forever to Ainz in his infinite confusion.

    What if he used those methods¡ª

    But¡ª would that be the correct decision?

    No¡ª wrong, that would be a mistake.

    Ainz felt the Elemental Skull cast the tenth tier divine spell, [Seven Trumpeter] and immediately canceled the cast.

    He had to reaffirm his role in all of this.

    Ainz silently cast a [Message] as Riku retreated as if he was chasing after the knocked back katana. The katana then returned to its original position.

    So if the weapons were to be separated from Riku by a certain distance, they could no longer move? Or was his opponent trying to make him think that? Or was he just shocked that it was knocked back?

    ¡°...We more or less understand each other¡¯s powers. That¡¯s good enou¡ª¡±

    Riku shed towards Ainz as he glided along the ground. He did not intend to speak.

    Ainz grumbled deep down at that fact.

    It made sense for his opponent to wish to make the most of his time, to answer one¡¯s opponent in battle would be a foolish action. So while he respected Riku¡¯smitment to his strategy, he was still annoyed that his opponent was ignoring him.

    ¡°Wait! Wait! I haven¡¯t finishe¡ª¡±

    Ainz, in the midst of Riku¡¯s attacks, threw his staff behind himself. He could see that Riku was slightly confused.

    Ainz kneeled down immediately.

    ¡°Wait! Please wait! Listen to me!¡±

    The greatsword in Riku¡¯s hand stopped on its way to Ainz¡¯s head.

    Because he was immune to critical strikes, he wasn¡¯t too scared to lower his defenceless head. He gave an order to the Elemental Skull at the same time.

    ¡°I did not mean to sh with Your Excellency. This whole thing started because the Kingdom stole the grain that was meant as food aid to the Holy Kingdom. Between them and us, the greater evil should be obvious. What does Your Excellency think? That we were the greater evil!?¡±

    ¡°...You went too far. There had to be better ways to deal with that.¡±

    Ainz raised his head.

    Riku¡¯s greatsword remained suspended, it seemed like he had no intention to strike him at the moment.

    ¡°That is because Your Excellency was not the victim! How would Your Excellency have dealt with this!? When the grain that your countrymen toiled to produce was stolen away!?¡±

    ¡°If you did not have the power that you have, things would not have turned out this way. People with power have to be careful about how they use their power and take responsibility for their actions ¡ª I, for example, protect the world. Indeed. This world is under my protection.¡±

    Upon hearing his opponent¡¯s rhetoric, Ainz thought, {this dumbass is finally talking}. He was being a silent listener. Some people preferred audience response during their speeches while others did not. From his self-righteous tone Ainz could tell it was best that he kept quiet.

    Ainz took mental notes of everything he said.

    "The deeds of those who gathered around my loving mother were wrong. They were wrong in the same way that father was. In the end, absolute power corrupts absolutely. It is the source of all faults."

    Ainz observed Riku in silence, calming his breath as much as he could.

    Riku was being impassioned, Ainz should not be as rude to interrupt him.

    To be honest, Ainz could not understand what Riku was talking about at all, but at the same time he did not sound like he was just rambling nonsense. He should¡¯ve at least spoken in a way that ayman like Ainz could understand.

    ¡°Although the root of every wrong could be traced back to us, I will not seek forgiveness for that, nor can I allow you to continue on your current path of destruction. That is why ¡ª Perish.¡±

    ¡°Woosh,¡± the greatsword swung down.

    Perhaps he felt guilty for executing the defenceless Ainz, the sword was swung at a much slower speed than before.

    {Hold up, hold up, please reveal some more intel while you¡¯re in a good mood}, Ainz almost said out loud. His opponent did not intend to speak any more, so there was no need to keep up the act.

    ¡ªthe battle continued.

    The Elemental Skull, which he hadmanded to be on standby, rushed into the greatsword¡¯s trajectory and took the hit.

    This was an effective use of a summon, because the Elemental Skull was no longer of use to him. That was why this was the right choice. If say, this was against Shalltear¡¯s Spuit Lance, he would not have done that. However, since Riku¡¯s weapon did not have lifesteal abilities, he could freely use summons as sacrifices.

    ¡°Hiiiiiiii!? So this was all your fault!? Are you not in the wrong then!?¡±

    Ainz let out a pitiful cry. Who was ¡®them¡¯? ¡®What¡¯ did they do wrong? Ainz could not understand at all, but if he phrased his response this way, perhaps Riku would expose some more intel. It was worth a try.

    Perhaps he really was feeling guilty, his movements were much tardier than before. Ainz capitalized on this opportunity to roll backwards.

    The Elemental Skull rushed in between them.

    ¡°¡ªBlock him!¡±

    The Elemental Skull cast its spell while Ainz yelled. Riku ignored the skull and charged for Ainz. The Elemental Skull attempted to stop him, but due to its size and ack of skills to do so, it failed.

    ¡°[Wall of Skeleton]!¡±

    Ainz cast his spell to erect a wall to keep both Riku and the Elemental Skull on the other side.

    ¡°How pathetic, Sorcerer King!¡±

    Riku bellowed with anger. Perhaps his fury was because Ainz had left his summon on the other side of the wall so he could escape, but it did not matter to Ainz. If a magic caster was not behind someone but stood alone, it would be no different from suicide. It would be worse than¡ª

    He could¡¯ve easily flown over the wall, but Ainz felt that Riku was attacking both the Elemental Skull and the wall.

    Compared to the Elemental Skull, the [Wall of Skeleton] wasn¡¯t too durable. It crumbled immediately at Riku¡¯s strike.

    The Elemental Skull had cast multiple [Vermillion Nova]s to reduce Riku¡¯s HP, but to defeat him would be a tall order. It could be because of his job sses, but his magic resistance was abnormally high.

    Given that was the case, Ainz cast a spell on Riku.

    ¡°[Temporal Stasis]¡±

    This was a ninth-tier single-target spell. Although the spell could prevent the opponent from moving, it also prevented them from taking any damage while the spellsted. That was why it was usually used when there were multiple hostiles.

    However, Ainz found that his spell was not just resisted, but nullifiedpletely. It appeared that Riku had time-stop countermeasures. Of course, that wasn¡¯t too unusual given how strong he was.

    At the same time the greatsword was swung towards Ainz, the hammer was also swung towards the Elemental Skull.

    Ainz tanked the greatsword¡¯s damage and as a precaution, cast [Greater Break Item] on the other weapons flying towards him. It was not just resisted, but nullified again.

    So it was true that the weapons counted as Riku¡¯s body.

    As the Elemental Skull took a massive amount of damage, Riku looked into the air in panic.

    A figure was rapidly descending.

    It was Albedo.

    ¡°¡ª!¡±

    Ainz heard Riku let out a sound that couldn¡¯t even be defined as a sound. He was absolutely stunned.

    As Riku shook, Albedo approached him, her speed was on par with one of Aura¡¯s arrows. And then¡ª

    ¡°Your bastard, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!¡±

    While that terrifying roar was heard, the halberd named 3F was swung down with the intention to split Riku¡¯s head open. Riku raised his greatsword and spear in a cross to block her attack.

    The impact created by 3F was sizable, as both of Riku¡¯s feet were sunk into the ground.

    In the next moment, Riku was blown away to the side.

    Albedo had stomped her foot onto Riku¡¯s chest. The armour let out a pitiful ng.

    ¡°You insect! How dare you disrespect Ainz-sama! Unforgivable!!¡±

    Albedo¡¯s deration caused the air around them to quake. She began attacking afterwards.

    The distance between the two was closed in an instant as Riku received an attack with enough force to send him into orbit.

    The sound of metal shing together rang out at an ear-piercing volume.

    Riku used two of the floating weapons to block this attack.

    He flew backwards with all of his strength. Not with a jump, he flew back without his feet touching the ground.

    ¡°Albedo, stop! That is enough!¡±

    Ainz halted Albedo, who was about to follow up on her attack.

    That was enough, he should not allow Albedo to fight any longer.

    ¡°¡ªUnderstood.¡±

    While her nce told him that she was unhappy, Albedo still stopped moving.

    It was probably correct to assume that he no longer wished to fight, Riku began ascending to pull some distance between them.

    Albedo stood silently by Ainz¡¯s side, using her own body as a shield against Riku. She was probably on alert for long-range attacks by the enemy.

    ¡°Agne¨ªa-danna. I will say it again. Be my subordinate! How about it!? I will give you everything you have ever wanted for!¡±

    His proposal received no reply, yet Ainz continued on.

    ¡°How unfortunate! Still, the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s doors are always open to you. You maye to visit anytime you want!¡± After he said that, Ainz lowered his voice to say to Albedo, ¡°do you think he still wants to fight?¡±

    ¡°No ¡ª I do not think he wants to anymore. But, if he is not retreating, it might be best for us to defeat him right here. If we both attacked at the same time, it should not be too difficult, right?¡±

    While he should not have heard their conversation, Riku disappeared nheless. The barrier he had erected also melted away.

    Ainz was not sure if he had teleported before taking down the barrier or vice versa, nor could he tell where he ran off to.

    Although there were still things that had to be investigated, Ainz felt as though they had sessfullypleted their mission.

    ¡°...Good grief, that takes care of that. Good work.

    ¡°I am not worthy of such praise. There still might be people surveilling us. It is best for us to return to Nazarick first.¡±

    ¡°Ah, let us do that then.¡±

    After recalling the Elemental Skull, Ainz cast [Greater Teleportation] to retreat with Albedo.

 Volume 14: 4 - Well-Prepared Traps (Part 4)

    The armoured man who went by the name of Riku Agne¨ªa used [World Teleportation] to get to their predetermined meeting spot. He showed up in front of his coborator, who had already been waiting for him there.

    ¡°Sorry I¡¯mte.¡±

    ¡°Nah, don¡¯t sweat it. I just arrived too,¡± the respondent was none other than the leader of the Adamantite-ranked adventurer group Red Drop, Azuth. Because he was wearing his familiar Powered Suit, Riku had to look upwards when speaking to him.

    He wasn¡¯t being honest however, Azuth had been waiting there for five minutes already.

    And as to the reason why Riku knew this, he had been observing this ce from afar for a while now.

    The reason for which should be obvious, he was worried that Azuth was serving as bait.

    If the Sorcerer King¡¯s subordinates were indeed surveilling Azuth, Riku would abandon him immediately to return to his own country. That was why before he had even started checking if they were being watched, he had been keeping an eye out for his surroundings.

    That said, thereinid a different kind of danger, one that would require conversing with Azuth to confirm. Which was why Riku had appeared before Azuth.

    ¡°Sorry, Tsa. She got away. I think she was headed towards where you were...did you finish the Sorcerer King off?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, no. Even though you lent me your power, I truly am sorry.¡±

    The one who had called himself Riku Agne¨ªa in front of the Sorcerer King, Tsaindorcus Vaision, lowered his head.

    Perhaps the other dragon lords would say that this was beneath the dignity expected of a long-lived dragon lord, one who stood at the top of the world, but Tsa did not care much for that. If him bowing allowed him to curry favour with another party, he would bow any number of times.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to apologize. It was my fault that that woman was not dyed for longer. You couldn¡¯t defeat him because you didn¡¯t have enough time, right?¡±

    Tsa thought long and hard about what kind of response would paint him in the best light and ended up just gently saying to Azuth, ¡°Not at all.¡±

    ¡°No, Azuth. While it was unfortunate that the Prime Minister of the Sorcerous Kingdom, Albedo, wasn¡¯t someone that you could handle, you were still able to hold her up for such a long time. That was honestly a great help. I couldn¡¯t vanquish the Sorcerer King simply because he was much stronger than I had anticipated.¡±

    In truth, that was indeed the case.

    During their previous meetings, Azuth had been assigned the mission to draw Albedo away from the barrier. If he was being honest, he thought that it wouldn¡¯t be too surprising if Azuth was in by Albedo, but had he said this out loud, it was easy for him to imagine that Azuth would no longer offer his help. For that reason, he had not exined the full details of the n to him.

    Given the above, it was truly impressive how Azuth managed to survive a scuffle with Albedo.

    To Tsa, his most important duty was to stay vignt of yers who held malicious intent towards this world, which was why he did not want to just blindly expend his strength.

    Still, he had a question in mind, or rather something he couldn¡¯t figure out.

    That was of course, why Azuth had survived. The Powered Suit he wore could indeed raise the wearer¡¯s offensive and defensive capabilities while also providing the user with a variety of abilities. It did not, however, raise the wearer¡¯s HP or MP at all. It was like a sturdy chitin exoskeleton covering an insect¡¯s soft innards.

    While hisbat interactions with Albedo were short, he still understood one thing ¡ª she was much stronger than the Sorcerer King.

    That was probably because the Sorcerer King was more adept at handlingrge armies, so he might not have been able to fight at his full potential in a one-on-one.

    In any case, Azuth was definitely not strong enough to survive a fight with Albedo with any ease.

    So, how exactly did Azuth survive?

    ¡°That demon, Albedo, is there any way we could take her out?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s near impossible. I had to use the full arsenal of the suit and created as much distance between us as possible to barely even hang on to dear life.¡±

    So that was how it was.

    Indeed, Albedo did not use any ranged attacks, nor did she appear to have any ranged weapons.

    Everything made sense then. His previous spections seemed a bit malicious in hindsight.

    Tsa felt ashamed for his own thoughts. He had suspected that Azuth had made a deal with Albedo, or perhaps with the Sorcerer King himself, to betray him. With that said, all was fair y in terms of hypotheticals. At the end of the day, Azuth was just a coborator and not apanion. Moreover, he had no concrete evidence to support the notion that Azuth had not betrayed him.

    ¡°Ah, right. I told the Sorcerer King that my name was Riku Agne¨ªa, do keep a note of that. If the Sorcerer King were to ask, tell him that it was a fake name.¡±

    ¡°Riku Agne¨ªa? does that name signify anything?¡±

    ¡°None at all, just a random name I came up with. But, if someone in the world did have that name, it would probably cause them a lot of trouble.¡±

    That was only a half-truth.

    Indeed, he had not heard of Agne¨ªa being used as a surname before, but the name Riku was a real one.

    ¡°It would rouse the Sorcerer King¡¯s anger towards them, which wouldn¡¯t be a minor issue.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Don¡¯t forget about the anger of the Prime Minister of the Sorcerous Kingdom, Albedo too.¡±

    The twoughed softly.

    Of course, if someone named Riku Agne¨ªa really existed in this world, this wouldn¡¯t be something to scoff at, for that guy at least.

    Tsaughed as he recalled.

    The demon named Albedo.

    The Sorcerer King was not able to break through the barrier, so he wasn¡¯t that much of a threat. That demon however, was able to pass through the wild magic spell, [World-Isting Barrier].

    This mid-tier wild magic spell could create a space that was separate from reality. It prevented entry through all conventional means as well as any attempts to teleport out of it. To be able to enter the barrier meant that Albedo was either a wild magic user, or possessed a World Item.

    While he had not confirmed if that demon was a yer or NPC, from the master-servant rtion between the two, it was most likely thetter. But if that was the case, why would Ainz not equip the World Item himself, but give it to Albedo instead? That was a mystery.

    {Unless Albedo is the yer and the Sorcerer King is the NPC?}

    This wouldn¡¯t be too ridiculous of an idea. To rank second in this world¡¯s hierarchy was probably a safer choice.

    {Perhaps the Sorcerer King had a World Item too? But since he couldn¡¯t break out of the barrier, the likelihood would be low, right? Or maybe he left his World Item behind?}

    That was certainly possible. He had heard from Riku that there were guilds that possessed two WCIs, so it was possible that {they} had two too.

    ¡°Tsa, how strong was the Sorcerer King? If he was someone that not even you could defeat, I feel like he would be really strong. If it were me, no, if it were {this}, could it win?¡±

    ¡°Azuth, no offense, but no. He¡¯s an opponent that not even I could defeat easily.¡±

    ¡°Is that so...¡±

    ¡°But thanks to your assistance, I have a general idea of his baseline capabilities now. Of course, if I were to face the Sorcerer King one-on-one again, I should be able to triumph.¡±

    He had said that much, but if he relied on this armour, victory would be hard-fought. Perhaps he should make preparations on where they would fight.

    {But...} Tsaindorcus sighed.

    If he was of a simr level to the vampire fromst time, this armour would probably struggle in seriousbat. However, if he were to not use the armour but face the Sorcerer King in person, he could not lose. That would be true even if he was as strong as the vampire. As long as he fought using his real body, there would be no issues at all.

    Still, if he gave them too much time to expand their influence, things would get out of hand.

    ¡°As expected of you, the strongest Dragon Lord in the world.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so myself. There are many out there who are stronger than I am. Hmmm...I can win against the Sorcerer King because I happen to counter him.¡±

    Tsa¡¯s abilities were more effective against the undead. He had also confirmed in the battle just then that his abilities did work on the Sorcerer King. That was why Tsa had judged the Sorcerer King to be an opponent that did not warrant too much caution.

    Compared to the Sorcerer King, the demon named Albedo was much more dangerous.

    ¡°Pardon me, Azuth, should another situation like this arise, would you still be willing to assist me?¡±

    ¡°Next time...? Hmm.¡±

    Azuth solemnly muttered a single phrase. Tsa understood the meaning behind his words, and did not question him any further.

    After some time had passed, Azuth finally spoke.

    ¡°Will the Kingdom perish?¡±

    ¡°...It probably will. There is not much I could do to help even if I want to.¡±

    ¡°Is that so... So next time I¡¯ll also have to buy time with that demoness? I could, but you do know that there¡¯s a chance that I won¡¯t be able to buy any time at all the next time around, right?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, they might not split up next time. That is why, if that demoness left the Sorcerer King¡¯s side for any reason at all, would you be willing to fight the Sorcerer King alongside me?¡±

    If Azuth handled the summons, Tsa could definitely defeat the Sorcerer King.

    He had not been assaulted by the Sorcerer King¡¯s subordinates during their little conversation here. There was nothing left for him to do here. Tsa shifted his gaze towards the capital far, far away.

    Tsa had already witnessed the fall of many nations. This one will soon be facing its own destruction. Tsa felt somewhat lonesome, butpared to that, he was more anxious of the fact that thesends will soon fall under the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s rule.

    Although he had not received any grace from this Kingdom, he will still miss it dearly.

    While he had already notified hispanions, perhaps there was also a need to call upon the other Dragon Lords too.

    ¡°...Almost forgot, I met with the people from the Theocracy and mentioned the name you told me.¡±

    ¡°Really? Now they¡¯ll know that you have someone backing you up.¡±

    If that was the case, Azuth¡¯s safely was more or less guaranteed.

    Azuth himself held no value at all, but the Powered Suit in his possession was an item of great importance, important enough that the Theocracy might plot against him for it. For that reason, he had to make them think that Azuth had protection to fall back on so that they wouldn¡¯t make any moves against him. This also strengthened the rtionship he had with Azuth. It was a move that had nothing but upsides.

    ¡°I have a question, why not tell them that I heard it from you directly?¡±

    ¡°Simple, if they had no clue on where the information source was, they would try to investigate it. There is a chance that it could cause some friction among the upper echelons of the Theocracy.¡±

    Other than that, there was another reason.

    Should an emergency arise, he could kill off Azuth without leaving any loose ends.

    ¡°This is no ce to talk, let¡¯s go back. Yourpanions must be waiting for you, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, they¡¯re waiting for me. I¡¯ll leave it to you then, Tsa.¡±

    Just as Tsa was about to cast [World Teleportation], he thought about Azuth.

    It was only for a single reason, the question of whether it was still beneficial to assist him or not.

    Sure, Azuth¡¯s Powered Suit was highly valuable, but without it he was nothing. To put it bluntly, if the Powered Suit were in more capable hands, they would surely be able to utilize it to its full potential.

    Plus, Tsa had no confidence that he could reign him in.

    Azuth as he stood, was more of an aid to Tsa than apanion.

    If he were to go off script likest time, it would most likely lead to catastrophic losses.

    Indeed, Tsa was in the wrong that time too.

    To give unto Azuth the appropriate level of alertness against the Sorcerer King¡¯s invasion, he had discussed the likely oues of the invasion with him in detail.

    Azuth had requested Tsa¡¯s aid in defeating the Sorcerer King to save the Kingdom. He should have predicted back then that he would use the Powered Suit to rescue that city.

    If he had not taken independent action back then, surely Tsa would have been able to defeat the Sorcerer King during his siege of the capital.

    ¡ªShould he just kill Azuth and take the Powered Suit?

    This wasn¡¯t too bad of an idea to Tsa. If he gave the Powered Suit to someone who was powerful enough to bend it to their will, it would definitely be more useful than letting Azuth keep it. He could also gain a stronger card for his hand then.

    Personally, Tsa felt no disdain for Azuth, nor did he want to kill him himself, but of what worth were emotions in this world.

    {...Riku}

    {What was I reminiscing for now that things have turned out that way?} Tsaughed at himself internally. These two hands of his were already besmirched with filth. It was better to do it now thanter.

    Plus, he could me it on the Sorcerer King if he did it now.

    Azuth fought until he lost consciousness with Albedo andter handed the Powered Suit to Tsa. That would be a good cover story.

    But ¡ª should he really allow history to repeat itself again?

    ¡°Oy, what¡¯s wrong, Tsa?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Tsa finally noticed that he had been deep in his own thoughts.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did you notice something suspicious?¡±

    ¡°...Nothing. Azuth, let¡¯s go back.¡±

    He should put those thoughts aside. Resurrection magic was a thing, death could not guarantee one¡¯s silence. If he returned with just the Powered Suit but not Azuth¡¯s body, it would rouse suspicion. If one were to act purely on utilitarian principles, it would lead to negative consequences more often than not.

    Just so he would have no regrets, it was best for him to return and give it greater consideration before making his judgment on whether or not he should give up on Red Drop.

    Tsa prayed that his actions on this day would not lead to fatal errors in the future as he cast [World Teleportation].

    The night winds blew through unupied space.

    ----

    Ainz returned to Nazarick with [Gate] and took the ring from the usual ce. He used its power to advance towards the ninth floor with Albedo.

    After some time travelling by foot, they reached the room that was their destination.

    ¡°Albedo, do you want to head inside first?¡±

    ¡°No, it is fine. You contributed more this time around so you should be the one to enter first.¡±

    Ainz thanked her and opened the giant doors.

    He walked to the center of the room, in front of the throne, and took a knee as he bowed. He could feel that Albedo, who was behind him, was making the same movements.

    ¡°Good work, Pandora¡¯s Actor and Albedo.¡±

    ¡°We are not worthy of your praise.¡±

    Upon raising his head, he saw his master nodding regally. On his sides were Shalltear and Demiurge, who was holding a Mirror of Remote Viewing.

    He must have observed the entirety of his battle with Riku through that item.

    Pandora¡¯s Actor undid his transformation.

    ¡°While we wanted to return the magic items that we had borrowed from Ainz-sama, we found it to be disrespectful to make Ainz-sama wait any longer. Do forgive us for still wearing Ainz-sama¡¯s equipment.¡±

    He meant the equipment that he was currently wearing, lower-tier backup items that they had been lent from their master. He was intensely apologetic for still still having those items equipped.

    ¡°Haha. Pandora¡¯s Actor, pay it no mind. It would have been fine for you to do as you wished. This was not such a big deal after all. What was important was your opponent ¡ª now then, while we have seen the battle, I still wish to hear from thebatant himself. How was it?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I believe that he is a tank whose level was around 90. That was because magic was generally ineffective against him, which was why I had judged him to be of that level.¡±

    ¡°I see. A strong foe. Hmmm...huh? What¡¯s wrong, Albedo? Do you have another opinion?¡±

    ¡°Yes, my opinion differs from Pandora¡¯s Actor¡¯s. I do not believe him to be that strong. Of course, I onlynded two strikes on him, so I could not make as urate of a judgment, but he felt like a tank of around... level 80 or so.¡±

    Given that they were sure that he was a tank, then Albedo¡¯s opinion as a tank should be much more urate than his own.

    ¡°I see. Although I was of the opinion that Pandora¡¯s Actor, who was locked inbat with him for longer, would be able to make the more urate judgment, Shalltear who had been observing the battle alongside me had estimated a simr range to Albedo¡¯s. Around level 85 or so. Given that, it appears that there is a need to call Cocytus and Sebas over.¡±

    While Shalltear¡¯sbat prowess was high, her build was not focused on pure physical damage output. It was unfortunate that Sebas was on standby in E-Rantel and Cocytus was overseeing the siege of the capital so they could not be summoned over at the current moment.

    ¡°If the two, no, if webined all three of your estimates... So, are the three of you in agreement that the opponent was a tank that specialized in magic resistance?¡±

    The three fell into deep contemtion.

    ¡°...Shalltear, why do you seem troubled? If something is wrong, do speak your mind.¡±

    ¡°I may have just gotten the wrong impression-arinsu...¡±

    ¡°That is fine too. After all, this entire operation was to expose this foe¡¯s abilities and thus have been meticulously nned from the outset. As long as we could gain some sort of insight on our opponent, do feel free to speak your mind.¡±

    ¡°If that is the case. Ainz-sama, because I can also summon Doom Lords, perhaps Ainz-sama had already noticed-arinsu. It felt like itsbat abilities were weakened significantly, was it because Pandora¡¯s Actor was the summoner-arinsu?¡±

    ¡°That would not be the case. While Pandora¡¯s Actor¡¯s transformations are weaker than the original, his summons would not be any weaker. In addition, he had been instructed to not use any special abilities of mine to strengthen the summons... In any case, shall we both summon Doom Lords for you all to observe after this? Perhaps you could figure out what had been bothering you.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    ¡°Now then, Pandora¡¯s Actor, you spoke with him, correct? What did you talk about, what attitude did he adopt, and what emotions could you feel from him? Do tell us in detail. After all, this mirror cannot transmit sound.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    Pandora¡¯s Actor began reenacting his conversations with Riku. Their conversations weren¡¯t long, so it was pretty easy to act out. He even injected some of his own interpretations mid-dialogue: the emotions he felt through Riku¡¯s tone and the respective exnations.

    Midway through, Pandora¡¯s Actor sensed from behind him, an unpleasant aura emitted by Albedo. She spoke with an annoyed tone.

    ¡°Even if you wanted our opponent to lower his guard, to kneel as the Sorcerer King, and by extension as the Absolute Overlord of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, Ainz-sama, is just out of line.¡±

    Indeed, he had felt that he had gone overboard. If his master was there instead, he would have never done that. {I have to pay for my transgression,} he thought as he raised his head to see that his master was nodding along in a gratified manner.

    He must be agreeing with Albedo¡¯s opinion.

    But just as Pandora¡¯s Actor was about to lower his head, his master¡¯s voice reached his ears.

    ¡°No, that was executed beautifully.¡±

    While he sounded somewhat sarcastic, his master did appear to be in a good mood. Pandora¡¯s Actor could not tell which side he was on and thus missed his opportunity to bow.

    ¡°That kneel was great. If merely kneeling could cause an opponent to falter, I would kneel any number of times. We lost nothing through that kneel yet it made the opponent think that we were nothing to be on guard for. Hehe... He should not have noticed that he had been duped yet.¡±

    ¡ªHow awe-inspiring.

    Though he already had an idea of the extent of his creator¡¯s drive for victory, chills were still sent down Pandora¡¯s Actor¡¯s back.

    Even against an opponent that could be easily defeated should he be serious, he would still not deign himself too mighty to do such a thing in order to invoke a false sense of security in them.

    Could any king, nay ¡ª could any Overlord? really care not for their own reputation to scheme at this level?

    Could any being who was only served upon but had never served, resolutely kneel in front of their enemy?

    No such being existed, other than his master, the one seated in front of him.

    They must have had the same thought, the other guardians in the chamber had expressions that told of the awe invoked within them.

    Among them, Demiurge was the one to ask.

    ¡°Would it not rouse more suspicion in our opponent if one as great as Ainz-sama knelt down in those circumstances? He must have judged that Ainz-sama was someone who was capable of deducing the best move for every situation.¡±

    ¡°No, surely no one¡¯s thought process would lead them to that conclusion normally, correct? ¡®He¡¯s not so impressive after all¡¯ or ¡®so that¡¯s what you were really like¡¯ was probably what was going through his mind, correct? If the situation were flipped... If I were in his shoes, I would probably be as careless as he was, right? No, I would probably kill him right away. What would you do, Albedo?¡±

    ¡°If they were just a regr civilian, I would kill them immediately, but if they were a king I might capture them for intel. Would I get careless...maybe.¡±

    ¡°Is that so...? Shalltear, what about you?¡±

    ¡°I would mull it over-arinsu.¡±

    ¡°...Mmm. Perhap it would not have an effect at all... It would be best if kneeling was not necessary. It would not be the best situation if you could not dodge the enemy¡¯s attacks. Now then ¡ª let¡¯s change the topic. About that barrier.¡±

    Pandora¡¯s Actor could not figure out what that barrier was at all. He had thought that it blocked physical and magical ess in and out of it, but Albedo could enter unhindered. So, was the mystery solved?

    ¡°The two of you might have figured it out already, but I do believe that it was because of World Items. Pandora¡¯s Actor, from what you have said, you were not too sure were you?¡±

    Pandora¡¯s Actor¡¯s eyes widened.

    Indeed, if that was the case, everything made sense. Albedo had a WCI on her person back then and he did not. But¡ª

    ¡°How did Ainz-sama figure it out?¡±

    ¡°A logical line of questioning... I was using the mirror to observe Pandora¡¯s Actor and Riku¡¯s battle. Even after that barrier was erected, the mirror was not affected at all. At first I thought that it was just something cosmetic to scare us...¡± Ainz¡¯s gaze fell on Pandora¡¯s Actor, ¡°but it did have effects. I switched my train of thought and began investigating the differences between us ¡ª more urately, the differences between me, the user of the mirror, and Pandora¡¯s Actor.

    Ainz touched the WCI in his abdomen.

    ¡°After I took this off, I could no longer see anything through the mirror. Equipping it allowed me to see the scene again. It is highly likely that Riku has an ability that is simr to Aura¡¯s World Item.¡±

    ¡°...Please wait, Ainz-sama. Riku did mutter the phrase [World-Isting Barrier] and it did expend his HP. So was it not a special skill that only higher level beings like Ainz-sama could obtain? Like Ainz-sama¡¯s trump card?¡±

    ¡°It would be impossible to aplish what he did through the same system our powers came from. Rather, is it not more likely that he used that term as a bluff? The expenditure of HP could be an activation condition for a World Item. Problem is, I have never heard of such a World Item. While many do have activation costs, merely reducing one¡¯s HP would almost be...cute.¡±

    ¡°Was his HP constantly drained?¡±

    Pandora¡¯s Actor shook his head at Albedo¡¯s question.

    ¡°It fell only after he activated it. The barrier did not appear to be continuously draining him to maintain itself.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. Did you not say that his other abilities also drained his health? Indeed, there are World Items with multiple abilities, for example, this one.¡± His master touched his orb, ¡°but, the rules his abilities were ying by were just too different from ours.¡±

    The abilities he used were probably weapon enhancement, armour enhancement, teleportation, and barrier.

    ¡°...I talked about ability systems before because if his powers were unique to this world, then everything would be exined. Assuming the worst case scenario, it is some unusual ability that could rival World Items. If that is the case, we cannot even be sure if what brainwashed Shalltear was a World Item or not. We would have to reevaluate that. How annoying!¡±

    ¡°Ainz-sama, as it stands, we do not have enough information.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, Demiurge...perhaps there is a need to lose to Riku again.¡±

    The two guardians next to the throne had displeased expressions on their faces, it was easy to imagine that the Albedo behind him must have been the same.

    Even if it was intentional, nobody present would feel happy that their master was to lose.

    ¡°Wipe those expressions off of your faces. I am not losing because I desire to lose, but because it is a necessity to understand our opponent¡¯s deck. That is how we guarantee victory, it cannot be helped. If this was a simple training exercise, losing would not mean death, neither would we have to put up such an act. However, this is actualbat.¡±

    Everybody, including Pandora¡¯s Actor, were quietly listening to their master¡¯s every word.

    ¡°We have already confirmed that you all and the inhabitants of this world could be resurrected ¡ª but what about me? While we do not have solid proof of this, the Six Great Gods and Eight Greed Kings of yore were probably beings simr to what I am. Their legends concluded with their deaths, so it¡¯s likely that they could not be resurrected. We have no choice but to assume that to be the truth when carrying out these operations. To put it simply, in order to avoid my death, the worst form of defeat, we have no option but to ept other forms of defeat.¡±

    ¡°¡ªAinz-sama.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Albedo?¡±

    ¡°Ainz-sama, what you have just said made a lot of sense. So would it not be better for you to stay within the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, rather than leave for excursions?¡±

    A perfectly logical conclusion. If there was a possibility that their master could not be revived, then having him stay where it was safest for him and not step out of that ce would be best.

    ¡°...Indeed. I have thought of that too, but surely you could understand it too. Especially you all?¡±

    His brain went into overdrive in an attempt to understand what his master was talking about, but nothing came to mind.

    What a deplorable thing.

    As one of the foremost intellectuals in Nazarick, he still could not immediately grasp his master¡¯s thoughts.

    Pandora¡¯s Actor racked his brains until strange liquid almost began to seep out of it. It was the same for Demiurge and Albedo, one could see it on their faces. Shalltear on the other hand, looked like she wasn¡¯t thinking at all.

    {Don¡¯t think about the others.} Pandora¡¯s Actor forced his attention away from them.

    Silence fell upon the group for quite a while, only to be broken by their master¡¯s disappointed sigh.

    Pandora¡¯s Actor felt unbearable shame and so did Demiurge. While he could not see Albedo, who was behind him, she was surely the same.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Raise your heads.¡±

    He spoke with such a harsh tone, yet Pandora¡¯s Actor could not allow himself to disobey a direct order from his master.

    He raised his head.

    ¡°...Mmmm, let us move onto the next topic. Who is that person? What connections to tinum could you think of?¡±

    Albedo spoke first.

    ¡°...One of the possibilities is just as Pandora¡¯s Actor had said, that our opponent was one of the Thirteen Heroes.¡±

    His master nodded in agreement.

    ¡°The other possibility is that he is one of the councilors of the Council-State, tinum Dragon Lord. Those are the only beings I could think of with a connection to tinum.¡±

    ¡°Given that, let me ask a question. Was he trying to fool us into believing that he was the tinum Dragon Lord or one of the Thirteen Heroes so that we would go against them or not? The answer might also lie in between those two extremes. So, what do you believe is the correct answer?¡±

    ¡°I am terribly sorry, Ainz-sama. As we do not have enough information to work off of, it is difficult to conclusively judge which is the correct answer.¡±

    Demiurge answered so.

    Pandora¡¯s Actor concurred, but since his master had asked, ¡°what do you believe was the correct answer?¡± the correct response should have been one of the options. That was probably why he had prefaced his answer with an apology.

    ¡°Are there any other opinions...? There appears to be none. I too, agree with Demiurge¡¯s opinion that we do not have enough intel. After we are done with the Kingdom, do gather the opinions of the other Floor Guardians on this matter. Perhaps one of them could notice a detail that we had missed. In any case, we are still proceeding with our n to send envoys to the Council-State. While they greet the heads of state, have them sarcastically scoff at this tinum Dragon Lord fellow a few times ¡ª That should be fine, right? Albedo.¡±

    ¡°Understood. How shall I deal with the contents of the missive?¡±

    ¡°I will leave that up to you.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    ¡°That should about conclude this meeting, correct? I should return to the capital soon. Pandora¡¯s Actor, though it might be embarrassing, I must ask you to stri¡ª¡±

    An ¡°¡ªahh¡± sound could be heard. His master turned his head around to the guardian who had made that sound.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Shalltear? Did you forget something?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Ainz-sama. I do have a question-arinsu. Were you really nning to recruit that Riku person as a subordinate-arinsu?¡±

    ¡°Ahhh, about that. Of course not. If he really came under my wing, I would gather all the information I need ¡ª the organization he served, its purpose, et cetera ¡ª and he would be killed afterwards.¡±

    ¡°Would it not be a waste to kill him?¡±

    He could sense that his master had a wry smile on him upon hearing Albedo¡¯s question.

    ¡°I am not confident in my abilities to reign him in. If you are asking if we could exploit those unusual abilities of his or his World Item, whichever was the case...Albedo, would you be confident enough to do that? If you are, I will leave it all up to you...¡±

    ¡°It would be difficult to do so before we have collected enough detailed intel. But if it turned out that it was indeed possible for us to do so, there are many ces where he could be of use to us.¡±

    ¡°Mmmm.¡±

    His master¡¯s gaze lingered on Albedo.

    He was probably contemting about Albedo¡¯s abilities and Riku. If his creator was one to even include what could happen a millennium down the line into his grand scheme, he was probably analysing how Riku could factor into his ns.

    The destruction of the Kingdom must be part of those ns as well.

    He must have had ulterior motives beyond demonstrating to the world the difference in treatment received by the Kingdom and the Empire due to their actions, that had to be why he would go back on his words in order to invade the Kingdom. This was amon opinion shared by Pandora¡¯s Actor, Albedo, and Demiurge.

    One would not have to think too hard to connect the undead creation experiments to this.

    After all, he was his creator. This was undoubtedly a premonition of something greater toe, something not even he could fathom.

    His creator, a Supreme Being whose intellect held such depths, how awesome was he? To be honest, Pandora¡¯s Actor felt sorry for the others. It pained him how he had to restrain himself from boasting of his dear creator.

    ¡°I see. Indeed, he would be of no use to us dead. I will hear Demiurge¡¯s opinion on this too and depending on the situation, Albedo will be ced in charge of this. Of course, that is assuming that Riku would be willing to serve under me. If he is not willing, killing him is permissible.¡±

    It was impossible for anyone to object to that. If their master willed it so, it must be correct.

    ¡°Good. Now...other opinions...appears to be none. It is about time for me to return to the capital. I still have to close the curtains on that show.¡±

    ¡°...such petty theatrics would not require Ainz-sama to personally participate, correct? I believe that I can handle it on my own...¡±

    ¡°No, Albedo. Pay it no mind, I will go. Hehe, though I may not be on the same level as Ulbert-san and the rest, I still have my own standards to enforce against forms of resistance.¡±

    ¡°...I see, was that why?¡± Albedo replied in a manner that implied that she had seen through the hidden meaning behind his words, prompting his master to nce at her. He must have been checking how much of his words she understood.

    After some time had passed, his master seemed satisfied as he dered in a manner expected of an esteemed ruler.

    ¡°...Exactly, Albedo. It is exactly as you have surmised.¡±

 Volume 14: 4 - Well-Prepared Traps (Part 5)

    Climb, Renner, and Brain were informed by the few remaining knights that there were guests expecting them after they had returned to the pce.

    ¡°Blue Rose¡± had requested an audience.

    Under normal circumstances, they would have been brought to this room immediately, but the trio¡¯s current outfits were hardly appropriate. Especially Renner, whose clothes said handmaiden more than princess. They were absolutely soaked with sweat. The knights were instructed to bring them in after an hour to give the three enough time to fix their appearances.

    The Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s army was in formation outside of the capital and could attack at any time. For the capital and the castle¡¯s defence, knights were being moved back and forth. That was why they had to take care of the menial tasks, because none of the maids were there.

    Most of the maids who attended to the pce were the daughters of noblemen. They had ran away from the pce to their family¡¯s mansion. Whether that was the safer option remained to be seen.

    He had heard from his master, Renner, that the atrocities the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s army hadmitted along their way towards the capital will most likely bemitted here too. That was a logical deduction. Nowhere within the capital was safe now.

    So what could one do to guarantee their safety? Renner had responded to this question with the gambit of leaving the capital.

    Because of that, Climb and Brain had discussed in secret about arranging a carriage outside of the pce. If Renner decided to run away, it could prove useful.

    Of course, he knew that Renner did not intend to run at all, yet he could not definitely say that she would not change her mind. This was just a n in case she does.

    Climb prepared water and a towel for Renner to wipe away her sweat. Normally he would have prepared a bath for her, but they only had an hour so that was off the table.

    Since the maids weren¡¯t there, Climb had no choice but to help groom Renner. The duty to prepare tea then fell on Brain. The scene of the swordsman flipping through cabs trying to find tea was honestly hrious even though he felt sorry for him.

    After Renner had wiped off her sweat and applied perfume to herself, while she picked out her gown, the two men took a shower.

    Unlike women ¡ª unlike the princess ¡ª the two men readied themselves through much simpler processes.

    They undressed, let water take its course down from the top of their heads, and wiped themselves off. A secondary rinseter and they were all done. Sure, they had to change into clean clothing too, but the entire process took no longer than ten minutes for the two.

    An hour that felt shorter than it should passed by and the three were ready. Renner seemed to have picked up on some unpleasant smells as she sniffed her hair and wrist. Climb could not smell the scent of sweat, but he could faintly smell the scent of the oil and smoke that had been infused into her hair when she cooked. It should not have been as noticeable after it mixed with the scent of her perfume.

    The knights not only led Lakyus in.

    The entirety of Blue Rose was present. Lakyus was the only one in a gown, the rest of them were inbat gear. It looked like they were the bodyguards of a noblewoman.

    Climb was a little shocked.

    Indeed, Lakyus did note over by herself normally, but it was rare to see all of them together. This might have been the first time they came all together.

    ¡°You have taken time out of what little you had, yet I still made you wait. I am terribly sorry for that.¡±

    ¡°No, it is fine. I did not inform you of my arrival earlier so this was an impromptu visit. I should be the one to thank you for taking the time to meet us¡ª ah, there is no need for tea. We do not have that much time after all.¡±

    Just as Renner was about to steep the tea that Brain had procured, Lakyus stopped her.

    ¡°Oy, Lakyus. I feel like we should have enough time to drink a cup of tea, right?¡±

    The one who spoke was Evileye. The rest of Blue Rose nodded along in agreement, causing a shocked expression to surface on Lakyus¡¯ face.

    ¡°Everybody...wants to drink tea?¡±

    Evileye sighed heavily on purpose.

    ¡°The princess has been so gracious to wee guests who had barged in without warning with tea, would our leader be so cruel as to refuse her offer? What an indifferent fellow. Oy, musclehead.¡±

    She received no response from Gagaran. Although the gazes of everybody in the room were affixed on Gagaran, she pretended that she had heard and seen nothing at all.

    ¡°Oy, you there with the coy expression, woman who¡¯d sink straight to the bottom if she fell into the sea.¡±

    She was indeed beingpletely ignored. Evileye sighed loudly in response to her behaviour.

    ¡°Oy, Gagaran.¡±

    ¡°Oy? Oh? What? What do you need me for? What¡¯s going on, Evileye?¡±

    ¡°...you want to drink something too, right?¡±

    ¡°Ahhh, yes. I feel like gulping down arge amount of liquid. I could probably drink ten liters if I had to.¡±

    ¡°What even...Do you know how much time you¡¯ve wasted just to hear me say that...Mmm, whatever. Regardless of how much there is, boss, can we get some too?¡±

    ¡°Haaaah, of course it¡¯s fine...are you drinking too, Evileye?¡±

    Lakyus¡¯ eyes widened as she spoke. Indeed, if Evileye were to drink too, Climb would be as surprised as she was. To drink the tea, she would have to take off her mask but as far as Climb knew, this magic caster did not take off her mask under any circumstances.

    Evileye did not reply to her question, but only shrugged as if to say no.

    ¡°Well then, we shall steep the tea while the boss and princess talk. I guarantee the tea will be richer than you could dream of.¡±

    ¡°Eh? You have already poured it into a Warm Bottle, huh?¡±

    Lakyus said with a shocked expression as Tia nodded.

    ¡°We might not have enough considering the amount of people here. We¡¯ll see.¡±

    Tia began pouring the tea, but her movements were so unrefined that most of the tea split onto the saucer. This country¡¯s tea culture did not dictate that tea should be drunk from the saucer, which was why Lakyus was furrowing her brows. Just as she had said, the Warm Bottle did not hold nearly enough liquid for the eight upants of this room.

    ¡°No need for me, right?¡±

    ¡°Ah, same here.¡±

    Climb refused a cup after Brain did so too. That did not mean that they had enough tea for the rest of them. Even when those two were factored out, the amount of tea they had was still inadequate for six people.

 Volume 14: 4 - Well-Prepared Traps (Part 6)

    ¡°We rarely get to drink this...You guys are seriously being ungrateful.¡±

    Could you really consider the offering of tea to be an act of good grace? Something just didn¡¯t sit right with that definition.

    After pouring five servings of tea, Tia swung the Warm Bottle around as if to emphasize the fact that it was empty.

    ¡°Ah ¡ª it¡¯s empty ¡ª what a shame ¡ª we don¡¯t have nearly enough, especially with this 10-liter drinking gal around¡ª¡± Tia shed a nce at Tina, ¡°wouldn¡¯t rumours spread that the third princess doesn¡¯t even have enough tea to adequately serve her guests?¡ª¡±

    Lakyus rubbed her be as Rennerughed, ¡°ufufu.¡±

    ¡°Now that is troubling. Although, in times like these, it is probably unwise to maintain the image of avish lifestyle. But I do think there is a need to demonstrate that the royal family still has a future. So, should I steep more tea?¡±

    ¡°Give it a rest, Renner.¡±

    ¡°Lakyus. There¡¯s a limit to how much you could remain beholden to everyone¡¯s goodwill you know?¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    Lakyus was incredulous as Renner gave a wry smile.

    ¡°Should I spell it out for her? Miss Evileye.¡±

    ¡°Mmmm. Looks like she¡¯s starting to understand... please do educate our hardheaded leader.¡±

    ¡°Very well then... The final moments will be upon us soon after all. Everybody is just trying to buy as much time for the both of us as possible.¡±

    ¡°...Ahhh, so that¡¯s why.¡±

    Climb finally understood now that she had put it that way.

    Normally, adventurers could not participate in wars, this was a measure put in ce to prevent higher casualty counts than normal.

    However, since the enemy this time around was the undead and hadmitted massacres on a massive scale, the Adventurer¡¯s Guild of the Kingdom had epted the royal request to ssify this war as an eptable quest. Just as the case was during Jaldabaoth¡¯s demonic disturbance, the guild had approved the mobilization of its members.

    The exact details of how they would operate was entirely left up to the adventurers¡¯ discretion.

    Some had even chosen to join the ranks of the army that was sent out nearly a week ago, from which none had returned. A few of the other teams had chosen to make theirst stand inside of the capital.

    There were some high-tier teams that had gone missing in the midst of this, perhaps they had epted the invitation of the Theocracy or had snuck out and fled from the capital of their own volition.

    Lakyus and her team, Blue Rose, were one of the teams that had decided to make theirst stand at the capital.

    They had just received intel that the Sorcerer King¡¯s army had set up camp near the capital, Lakyus and the rest of them should not be squandering away what precious time they had left.

    Yet still, Lakyus consciously found time to meet with her friend, Renner. Considering that it was extremely likely¡ª no, they were 100% certain that this was thest time she could meet with Renner.

    The truth was, she had already prepared tea for five. Servings for Evileye, Gagaran, Tia, Tina, and of course, the one being handed to Climb. Yet, it seemed that none of them was nning to drink it.

    If they had told Lakyus outright that she should allocate time to bid her farewells with her friend, she would have definitely rejected that notion based on her personality alone. If they phrased it as her having a cup of tea with her buddies however, she would probably be much more receptive to the idea. Herpanions were just being considerate.

    ¡°...So, Brain Unus. I want to make tea for the remaining few, who must be terribly parched at this point. Show me the way to where the water is boiled.¡±

    ¡°Oh. It¡¯s this way.¡±

    {That was probably why.} Tina and Tia managed to get the better bodyguard of the two out of the room.

    ¡°Should I leave too?¡±

    ¡°Hmmm? Oh, don¡¯t mind it. That wasn¡¯t why they led him away.¡±

    Climb asked Evileye only to receive an answer in the negative.

    {Eh?} Climb was a bit confused. So they weren¡¯t trying to grant Renner and Lakyus more privacy by getting everyone else out of the room?

    Gagaran and Evileye did not seem to want to leave at all. Did she really only want him to lead her to where the water was boiled then?

    ¡°Since everybody has insisted, let us chat a little before the tea is ready. Ah! Before that, I have a question. Where were you just then? If you were busy preparing for what is toe, then I will just leave.¡±

    ¡°Do you know of the orphanage that I established? I had just returned from cooking there.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Cooking? At times like these?¡±

    Lakyus vocally expressed her shock. Climb was surprised too when Renner had asked him to prepare the carriage so that she could go cook for those children.

    However, upon arriving at the location and seeing the state of the ce, Climb knew that she had made the right decision.

    ¡°Yes. The Sorcerer King¡¯s army had surrounded the capital for a few days now, plus the army that was sent out a few days back had also used up a sizable amount of food. Our rations have only been dwindling down day by day. That was why I took some of the food stored here to cook a meal for them.¡±

    The orphanage did not have much food left. Moreover, the price of food has risen due to the worsening situation in the capital, so the orphanage could no longer sustain its own operations. It had no choice but to decrease the amount of meals per day as well as the amount of food the children received per meal. That was why she chose to cook for them, since she was already there to secretly supply them with food anyways and plus it was a rare opportunity for her too.

    Renner¡¯s mutters began to sh through Climb¡¯s mind.

    Renner, as she cooked for the children with her well-learned culinary skills, had said, ¡°I wanted to distribute grain to everybody, but we don¡¯t have much left. I¡¯m such a hypocrite.¡±

    Faced with the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s army which had already defeated the Kingdom¡¯s 400,000 men strong army, they had no hope to stand against them. The capital was fated to fall and so was the royalty.

    Yet, no matter how hard he tried to convince the gentle Renner to run away, she would not budge at all.

    Stuck between his loyalty and his own feelings, Climb felt a suffocating pain in his heart. However, he could not allow the two in front of him to sense that under any circumstances.

    Climb forcefully suppressed the pain that felt like it could tear him apart.

    ¡°You might be the only royal in history to know how to cook.¡±

    ¡°I do not think so. There must have been others, just not recorded in the history books was all... Those children must be enjoying their meals right now, it was worth it.¡±

    Originally, Renner¡¯s cooking was meant to be everybody¡¯s lunch but in order to prevent the children from fighting over the food or the employees choosing to go without for them, she had even cooked side dishes to go along with the entree. Everybody there must be satiating themselves right now.

    She had cooked so much that dinner should have also been taken care of for them.

    Speaking of which, Renner, who couldn¡¯t even peel a potato before, had seamlessly improved her cooking abilities by quite a margin. The thinness of peelings she could achieve nowadays was honestly amazing.

    This woman, who glistened in radiant light in his eyes, appeared to be naturally talented for the culinary arts.

    Renner seemed to have noticed Climb¡¯s revenant gaze, and smiled in response.

    It was such a warm and weing smile.

    Those two¡¯s conversation was filled with optimistic topics, perhaps they were subconsciously avoiding the discussion of their inevitable fate. Or rather, was it precisely because they knew what fate awaited them that they avoided talking about it?

    Not longter, Tia returned alone with the Warm Bottle.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Mr. Unus and Tina?¡±

    ¡°Hmmm? Those two went looking for desserts to pair with the tea, so I came back first.¡±

    ¡°Desserts?¡± Lakyus half-squinted at Tia, ¡°That would have been appropriate if we were the one to bring some along¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªI do not mind so it is fine. I should have baked plenty of pastries back then to serve as backup food. Since I added a lot of sugar in them, they could be used as desserts.¡±

    ¡°...See? Even the princess agrees. Oni...crOni boss is just being extra. Also, this is the first time I have tried steeping tea.¡±

    (TL¡¯s note: Original was ¹í vs ¶ñ¹í. TLing it into a pun to preserve the nuance.)

    The tea that flowed out of the Warm Bottle was excessively thick.

    ¡°Hey. Oni boss. It feels nice to down it in one gulp. It¡¯s got a clean texture.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°The taste is honestly excellent, I suppose Your Highness the princess would not need my rmendation. Please have my share too, it cooled down already.¡±

    Tia ced her filled cup of tea in front of Renner.

    Such a breach of etiquette angered Lakyus somewhat, but Tina kept silent anyways. Climb felt that he should also keep his mouth shut.

    Lakyus picked up her cup and breathed in the fragran¡ª smell. Her expression became twisted.

    ¡°The taste was too strong...¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind it.¡±

    ¡°...of course I would mind. This is the first time I¡¯ve drank such a strong tea. How many leaves did you add...?¡±

    ¡°Hey hey. I know you said this was your first time, but there¡¯s no need to quiver with such excitement~¡±

    ¡°So that was why they were looking for desserts, to bnce the vour. Understandable... Renner, you were right to not drink it.¡±

    ¡°How rude. Not even the term ¡®oni¡¯ could do you justice, oni boss.¡±

    ¡°Haaaah, just try to make something more edible next time.¡±

    Lakyus picked up her cup and slipped from the corner of her lips. Her expression twisted into something resembling the character . Just how thick was the tea?

    Tia, who stood next to Lakyus stole nces at her and asked in a matter-of-fact tone, ¡°is it tasty?¡±

    ¡°Hah? If I am being honest, it is too bitter. I would not call it good¡ªhugh!¡±

    Lakyus¡¯ expression began to contort.

    She pushed Tia aside and held on to her stomach. The items on the table shook as she wobbled.

    In the midst of the chaos, Climb finally noticed that Lakyus¡¯ gown had been stained red. A thin, stick-like object had been thrust through her.

    He could notprehend what had happened. His brain could not ept what he was seeing right now.

    Who would have thought that Lakyus would be prated by Tia.

    Lakyus was also in a confused state, not even casting healing magic on herself. It was as though she was trying her best to understand what was happening.

    Gagaran ran to Lakyus¡¯ side.

    Climb thought that she was rushing over to help, but things turned out for the worse as Gagaran struck Lakyus¡¯ stomach with a heavy punch.

    Lakyus remained defenseless against that attack, thinking that herpanion was rushing over to help her. Gagaran struck her in the stomach with the force of a battering ram.

    ¡°Ooooof.¡±

    ¡°Let me do it.¡±

    Tia impaled Lakyus with a new spike as the air was knocked out of her, rendering her unable to breathe.

    His eyes did not deceive him, there was some sort of liquid at the tip of the spike. It must have been some sort of poison.

    ¡°Your Highness.¡±

    Climb tugged Renner¡¯s hand, hid her behind his frame, and moved towards one of the corners. Tia and Gagaran ignored him entirely, choosing to repeatedly attack Lakyus instead.

    Lakyus tried her best to dodge their attacks, but faced with the duo¡¯sbos she could not even properly defend herself, nevermind dodging. The gearless Lakyus could not put up an effective resistance against the fully geared Tia and Gagaran.

    Climb angrily yelled towards the silent spectator, Evileye.

    ¡°What in the world is going on!!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t move. Otherwise I would not only target you with my magic, but the princess as well.¡±

    Climb was about to draw his sword but stopped himself when he saw that Evileye had raised a hand in his and Renner¡¯s direction. He naturally should be assisting Lakyus, but Renner was more important to him. Protecting Renner took absolute priority.

    Climb wanted to lead Renner out of the room, but the moment he moved a crystal shortsword was embedded by his foot.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move. Do not leave this room. If you disobey me, I¡¯ll...hack off one of the princess¡¯ legs...? As long as you listen to me, I will not harm you.¡±

 Volume 14: 4 - Well-Prepared Traps (Part 7)

    Climb was powerless in the face of Evileye¡¯s threats.

    {If I rendezvoused with Brain ¡ª if I informed Tina of the current situation...} While Climb pondered, the unusual situation among the members of Blue Rose continued to unfold.

    Tia appeared to be muttering something to Lakyus.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been making observations for quite a while now, looking for ways to kill Lakyus...Normal methods would be resisted, so abination of magic and poison would have to be used. That is the only way to do it. Surely not even you could resist the effect of multiple poisons simultaneously, right? Evileye, it¡¯s your turn.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Confused, grovelling, and saddened. Pain was not the only thing conveyed through Lakyus¡¯ expression, what stood out amongst them all was her inability to understand what was happening at all. Evileye casted a spell at her.

    ¡°I get it. [Resist Weakening]... No use. She resisted it.¡±

    (TL¡¯s note: would have went with [Resistance Weakening] but the Engrish in the furigana has spoken)

    ¡°What even.¡±

    Gagarannded yet another hit on Lakyus¡¯ belly, the part of her body that she had minimized her own stature to protect, like a turtle retreating into its shell. Tia took out a new needle and stabbed it into Lakyus without any hesitation.

    ¡°[Resist Weakening]...alright. Now then ¡ª [Charm Person]. Done. Good job, you two. We did it.¡±

    Gagaran and Tia pulled away from Lakyus.

    ¡°Lakyus, quick, heal yourself.¡±

    ¡°Yes, understood. Tia, could you help me pull these out?¡±

    Lakyus spoke as if nothing had happened. The terror of mind control made Climb tremble with fear.

    Just as Tia was about to do it, Evileye raised her voice to stop her in her tracks.

    ¡°Don¡¯t. If you inflict pain on her now, you¡¯ll be treated as a hostile and the magic may be dispelled. Lakyus, sorry but pull them out yourself. Those shouldn¡¯t have pierced too deeply.¡±

    ¡°Its purpose was only to inject the poison, so the needle itself isn¡¯t too thick...it¡¯s the type that would be rendered ineffective if you were wearing armour.¡±

    ¡°I know, but pulling it out myself will still require a bit of resolve.¡±

    Lakyus bit down on her lower lip and pulled the needle out. She then began to cast healing magic on the hole.

    ¡°Gagaran. Open the window and let some air in... What should we do about the blood on the floor?¡±

    ¡°Most of it was absorbed by her dress so not much made it onto the floor. No need to worry about it.¡±

    Renner replied calmly. Everybody other than him was speaking in such a tranquil manner that Climb felt like what he was witnessing was an illusion. It was as if he had been transported to an unfamiliar world.

    ¡°Woah. Completely unshaken. I knew from the start that you had guts.¡±

    ¡°I do not think so...¡± Renner said with a puzzled expression, ¡°I just felt that everyone would not just harm each other for no reason at all...but mind control is really scary though...Climb, what did you think about this?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I had the same thought.¡±

    ¡°So...could you tell us why you did this?¡±

    ¡°What if I told you that I won¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°Are you not the least bit apologetic that you have soiled this room?¡±

    Evileye appeared to beughing behind her mask.

    ¡°Alright, nothing I could say about that. The reason is simple. Compared to the Kingdom or whatever else, we believe ourpanions¡¯ lives to be far more important. That¡¯s about it.¡±

    ¡°Defending the capital was oni boss¡¯ decision anyways. We were against it deep down from the start.¡±

    ¡°But if we told her that, this dumbass would definitely say, ¡®then I will defend it on my own¡¯ or something. So, we decided that our only option was to forcefully take her away, but daylight kidnappings aren¡¯t so easy. Neither did we have confidence in our ability to trick her into leaving too, so, though we must apologize to Your Highness the princess for what we¡¯ve done, we had to exploit this opportunity.¡±

    Tia and Gagaran shrugged in agreement. This must have been a collective decision made by Blue Rose barring Lakyus of course. Brain still had not returned yet, so Tina must be keeping him busy.

    ¡°But no matter what, this was far too excessive.¡±

    ¡°Haaaah, that¡¯s what I said as well, but these guys¡ª¡±

    ¡°It would be bad if she got on high alert after rejecting our suggestion...to catch an oni...to catch Lakyus out for sure required her to bepletely off her guard. This is me speaking from experience.¡±

    ¡°So there is a whole system around this?¡±

    ¡°Aye. We used five types of poison, didn¡¯t let her wear her gear, used debuff magic, and yet still had to rely on luck to see if we could charm her. That was why we had to go through all of this trouble, if even one of those elements was missing, we would have failed. Now then¡ª¡± Evileye pped her hands together, ¡°after Tinaes back, we¡¯ll head back to the inn with [Teleportation], pick up Lakyus¡¯ equipment, and teleport out of this city.¡±

    Evileye looked towards Climb and Renner.

    ¡°...Oy, opportunities like this won¡¯te twice. You know I could take you guys along with me, right? I¡¯ll be frank with you, this country is doomed and the fate that awaits the princess of a doomed nation won¡¯t be a pretty one. This might be yourst chance at escaping.¡±

    Climb couldn¡¯t help but look towards Renner.

    Wasn¡¯t this exactly what he had hoped for?

    If it was teleportation, they could escape even if the city was surrounded. Plus, what Evileye had said was the truth. Whatever fate awaited Renner would not be kind at all, nor was there any other way he could foresee this situation ying out. After all, their enemy was a nation of undead that trampled over the innocent.

    ¡°I wish to ask a question. Where will you be heading to?¡±

    ¡°Well, first things first, we have to leave this country. About that...we¡¯ll probably be heading Northeast, I think? If we kept moving in that direction, there is a country that fell into ruin long ago. The capital there ¡ª we¡¯ll be heading to the ruins cleansed by fire. Since that ce is quite a ways away, we will have to teleport multiple times. Mmmm, in any case it¡¯s a farawaynd, one that none of you have heard of.¡±

    ¡°Is that so...¡±

    Renner slightly lowered her head. Was she hesitating? Not long after, she lifted her head as if she had made a resolute decision.

    ¡°Thank you, but I cannot go.¡±

    ¡°Is that so...¡±

    Evileye did not continue speaking.

    Panicked feelings began to arise in Climb¡¯s heart. If that was her decision, then Renner¡¯s fate was set in stone. That was all he could think of.

    True loyalty. Was it not what the members of Blue Rose had demonstrated? Should he take Renner to safety, regardless of whether he had to resort to violence or not?

    To escape the frustration welling up within him, he looked towards Renner whose smile told him that she understood himpletely. This was the expression that graced Climb every time she was about toy down the truth.

    ¡°Climb. As royalty, I must fulfill my duties even if it costs me my life.¡±

    He felt as though he had just been punched.

    While Renner¡¯s existence as a person was important to him, of equal value was her status as his royal liege.

    In these situations, having to attend to one¡¯s royal duties wasn¡¯t a good thing at all. Yet, Renner, as royalty, as one who cared for her own people, was still willing to stay true to her royal status till the end.

    Compared to him, someone whose thoughts were solely on survival, how magnanimous was she?

    Climb made his resolve.

    His responsibility in the end, will be to let Renner live for as long as possible, even if only for a second more. He will die at the hands of the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s army, serving as Renner¡¯s shield till the very end.

    At the same time Climb steeled himself, he heard Evileye quietly say, ¡°how rowdy.¡± Knocks came ringing from the door as it opened, stood outside were Brain and Tina, holding filled trays.

    ¡°We found and brought some desserts over.¡±

    ¡°Because the guy next to us had a bone to pick with me, it took a while, were we able to make it¡ª What? What the hell happened here?¡±

    Although the windows were open, Brain was still able to pick up on the faint smell of blood that lingered. He shifted his center of mass downwards as he carefully looked around the room.

    ¡°..dy over there. There¡¯s blood on your clothes ¡ª did someone suspicious show up?¡±

    ¡°No¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind it. Just ask Her Highness about it after we leave.¡±

    Gagaran interrupted Lakyus to say. Perhaps he still felt uneasy, Brain shot a nce at Renner. One could sense the question ¡®is everything alright?¡¯ from his eyes alone. If Renner had responded in the negative, he would have probably unsheathed his sword.

    ¡°Everything is fine. There is nothing to be on guard for.¡±

    Brain¡¯s gaze turned to Climb.

    Climb replied in the same manner as Renner.

    ¡°...is that so? That¡¯s good to hear then.¡±

    ¡°Ah, right. Brain Unus, I have a question for you. Want to get away from this ce?¡±

    ¡°...what?¡±

    Upon hearing Evileye¡¯s question, Brain began to survey the room once more.

    ¡°What are those two nning to do?¡± Brain answered with his own question as his gaze swung towards Climb and Renner. His lips curved into a smile after Evileye shook her head. ¡°Is that so. If that¡¯s the case ¡ª no, no matter what, I would not have chosen to run away ¡ª there is no point in it anyway... Honestly... I said back then that I¡¯d choose the path of least resistance, now it looks like that was right on the spot.¡±

    ¡°...Really? I thought you¡¯d respond this way, guess I was right.¡±

    The members of Blue Rose gathered around Evileye and suddenly vanished as if they had already bid farewell. All that was left behind of them was the smell of blood and ck tea.

    This was supposed to be their final farewell, yet it ended so abruptly. But, considering the pain those two must feel when they have no choice but to separate, perhaps there was no better alternative to this farewell.

    However, those were Climb¡¯s thoughts, not Renner¡¯s.

    She must have been dealt a mental blow, so how should hefort her? Climb stole a nce at Renner and saw that she was listless. The gentle smile that usually hung on her face was nowhere to be seen, it was like she had put on a mask.

    It must have had an extreme impact on her.

    Climb stood beside Renner.

    ¡°Princess, I can imagine the shock you must be going through right now, but...¡±

    He could not finish his sentence. It was more urate to say that he did not want to finish that sentence. While he wanted to say that he would stay with her till the end, how could he everpare to that Adamantite-ranked adventurer, who was both a noblewoman and Renner¡¯s friend. Still, he had tofort the princess somehow, so he racked his brain.

    Maybe his intentions were conveyed well enough, because Renner¡¯s expression suddenly changed. It was back to her normal, gentle smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine~, Climb...Nevermind that, Brain-san has important matters to attend to does he not?¡±

    ¡°Ahhh... Then, Your Highness, Climb. The timing is about right, it¡¯s time for me to say goodbye. I apologize but I will have to leave now.¡±

    What was this sudden development?

    Climb could not understand what Brain was thinking, so he asked a question.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°Hmmm? I n to challenge the Sorcerer King in singlebat. Mmm, I¡¯d most likely lose, but I should be able at the very least cut down one of his subordinates.¡±

    Brain took off the sword he kept by his waist side, threw it towards Climb, and said, ¡°I¡¯m returning this.¡±

    ¡°Wha!? What are you talking about!? The only one fit to wield this sword is the one who inherited Stronoff-sama¡¯s will! Brain-san!¡±

    ¡°Oy oy, I told you back then didn¡¯t I? I am not inheriting his will. First of all, this is one of the national treasures right? It¡¯s not befitting someone as lowly as me. Princess-san, sorry, but please do return this to His Majesty.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    ¡°Princess-sama!¡±

    ¡°¡ªClimb, Brain-san has already made his decision.¡±

    ¡°As expected of princess-san, you¡¯re a good woman. That said, I don¡¯t really understand women anyway. Mmmm, how do I put this.¡± Brain stood upright. ¡°This is probably myst farewell. Princess, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here. Climb¡ª back then, I was lucky to have met you and Sebas-san. It resuscitated me...and I am grateful for that.¡±

    Brain turned his back on them and began to march forward.

    ¡°You and Gazef, it was my honour to have met the both of you.¡±

    As those words fell, Brain¡¯s silhouette disappeared behind the other side of the door.

    ¡°...How did it end up this way...Sorcerer King...if only you didn¡¯t exist...¡±

    Everything around Climb was being destroyed. Everything other than what was most important to him had been taken away and even that might not be long for this world. Her time was running out.

    ¡°Climb, I want to hand this sword off to father-sama first.¡±

    The depressive mood had gotten a hold on him and those words managed to pull him back. Indeed, until that moment came, he had sworn to give his all to her ¡ª to save the woman who had saved him, to serve the person most important to him.

    ¡°...say, that, this, umm.¡± The soundsing out of Renner¡¯s mouth did not match the atmosphere of the room just then at all. ¡°Can I hold the sword for a moment?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Okay, yes!¡±

    After he handed over the sword, Renner drew it out.

    ¡°It is quite heavy.¡±

    Renner handed the sheath to Climb. The de of the Razor Edge was honed and could cut through armour like paper. Before Climb could say ¡°it¡¯s dangerous,¡± Renner began to wave the sword around in the air.

    Climb was a little shocked. Indeed, because of the weight, her movements were wobbly, causing the tip of the de to nick the floorboard. That was purely because she did not have enough strength to wield it, because her training still shone through her stance and movements. He could feel the sharpness of the de from afar. If a man without experience were to swing this sword around, he would not have been able to make the sword gleam the way it did in her hands.

    ¡°Uuugh ¡ª Hmmm. I¡¯m not too suited for this.¡±

    ¡°N-no, not at all. I believe that if you trained more, you should be able to win against me in a duel.¡±

    ¡°You jest. Plus, it is unlikely that I will ever hold a sword again.¡±

    Renner sheathed the sword after Climb passed it to her and handed it back to Climb.

    ¡°Now then, let us head to father-sama¡¯s side, but before then¡ª¡± Renner looked at herself.

    ¡°I need to make some preparations.¡±

    ----

    Brain Unus walked through the empty streets of the capital. Usually these streets would be bustling with life, yet today not another soul could be seen. Everyone was hiding in their homes out of fear for the Sorcerer King, but Brain knew that would not bring them salvation.

    Brain was around Renner for long enough to know that the Sorcerer King had no reason to not destroy the capital.

    However, if someone were to ask him ¡°how can we be saved?¡± he would not know how to respond.

    If everybody coordinated and ran from the capital in all directions, surely some of them would make it out alive. That was the only answer he had.

    Brain looked towards the buildings along the street, every door and window was shut tight. They must have been nailed shut from the inside so there was no easy way in.

    {Now...behind those doors there must be a few suicides or even entire families dead...}

    It was impossible for that to not be the case.

    Rumours had already conveyed the terror inflicted by the Sorcerer King¡¯s army.

    He thought about how this situation could be turned around if God was willing. If every citizen in the capital could rise up for vengeance ¡ª though it would be useless, it would probably give the enemy a good scare. But for that to happen, someone had to unite the people under one banner.

    If it were the princess, she could probably achieve it, but she did not seem like she wanted to make such a move.

    {If it was not me here, but him instead, would things have turned out differently...? Perhaps.}

    He knew very well that they did not have any chance at victory in a battle, Brain saw it in his eyes when he led the army of 400,000 away. Yet he could not look past the 0.01% ¡ª no, the 0.000001% or even 0.0000000001% chance that they could win.

    Zanac may have led them on a suicidal mission, but it wasn¡¯t for a pipedream. He had just acted ording to their best bet in that scenario

    ¡ªjust like what Brain was about to do.

    Brainughed in his lonesome and felt something.

    {Has the air...changed?}

    Nothing had changed in actuality, the capital still smelled the way it always did, but there was a noticeable difference. This was something a warrior coulde to understand after experiencing multiple near-death battles. It was somewhat different from a pungent smell, it was a sort of psychological smell.

    It was the same smell he smelled back when he and Climb looked towards E-Rantel¡¯s night sky.

    The smell of loss and defeat.

    {Has the Sorcerer King¡¯s army finally made their move?}

    That was the only reason he could think of for such a sudden change.

    An opportunity hade.

    If Brain were to not use any tricks when approaching the Sorcerer King, the probability that he could make it to his side was really low. No, that was an understatement ¡ª it would be correct to say that he did not have a chance at all.

    However, there was a chance that he could aplish his goal in the midst of the chaos of battle. Of course, that depended on the security situation of the enemy¡¯s camp. Still, to trample over a city as big as the capital would require breaks in formation and subsequently, lowered guards.

    Brain stopped walking to mull over his next moves and saw the buttresses turn white.

    It was as though white paint had been poured over it.

    Wails could be heard from afar.

    This was the start of the siege. The wails hade from the temporary shelters built for refugees from other cities near the buttresses. The enemy¡¯s target had to be the castle, so there probably won¡¯t be any refugees running towards Brain ¡ª towards the castle.

    {What should I do? Would it be better to abandon the initial n once the siege began?}

    His initial n was to get out of the capital first and wait for the moment the enemy¡¯s army entered the capital. He was nning to slip past the army in the chaos of the siege to get closer to the Sorcerer King.

    However, if the enemy had already made their way into the capital, it would be better for him to hide himself for now, wait for the army to pass over, and then go out of the city walls.

    But if he did that, there was a high chance that the Sorcerer King might choose to leave his encampment.He had to first figure out where he was so he wouldn¡¯t waste time running towards nothing.

    Perhaps he could hide near the castle and wait till the Sorcerer King led his army inward to strike.

    Well, in any case¡ª

    {All of these ns rely on me hiding myself.}

    That said, he would not have to perfectly mask his presence like a rogue or assassin. He should be fine as long as he hid out of the enemy¡¯s sight.

    While he considered where to best hide himself, the city gates began to crumble. The white shrapnel being splintered off the gates reflected light in such a brilliant and beautiful way that Brain could not help but stop and admire this sight, even in this situation.

    {Was that...some kind of skill?} But if he thought about it, he was about to make an enemy out of the Sorcerer King, one who could summon all sorts of deplorable beings. Nothing should be out of the ordinary for him at this point.

    A tiny dot stepped over the copsed gates. It only appeared tiny because it was so far away, adjusted for perspective it must be a giantpared to the average human.

    Even though it had stepped over the threshold, no soldiers were rushing over to stop it. There could only be one reason why.

    They were already dead.

    Brain¡¯s entire body began to shudder.

    That had to be a super monster or something.

    The being¡¯s figure slowly began to increase in size, its stride slow and steady.

    Brain¡¯s expression became contorted.

    This was a being with overwhelming physical strength, so its speed should be on par. To advance through an empty street shouldn¡¯t take it too much time, so why was it wasting so much time¡ª

    {Ahhh, indeed. They had already breached the capital¡¯s defences, so the ensuing massacre should be easy for them. They could take as much time as they want!}

    It was then not strange for the enemy to be at ease.

    However ¡ª Brain squinted and looked towards his slowly approaching yet still far away opponent.

    This was the street where he was picked up, forcefully pulled along by Gazef.

    This was the street he ran down with Climb to raid the Eight Finger¡¯s facility, where he met Sebas.

    This was the street he led the children destined to be the next warrior captains down.

    This road was now being stomped upon carelessly by a monster. The road Brain had walked down with everyone he held dear was being stomped on.

    Unforgivable.

    Brain changed his mind. He no longer gave a damn about the Sorcerer King. Right here, right now, this monster in front of him¡ª

    ¡ªhe swore to make it pay.

 Volume 14: 4 - Well-Prepared Traps (Part 8)

    The children under Brain¡¯s protection had already left this ce.

    {Have they made it out safely I wonder.} They were like seeds he had sown for the future, the source of his calm. Perhaps ¡ª there was a 0.01% chance, no, a 0.000001% chance that one of them would grow up to be powerful enough to rival the Sorcerer King. These pipedreams of his further improved his mood.

    Brain stood at the middle of the road, waiting for his opponent to get closer.

    It must seem terribly foolish!

    What he should have done was hide and wait for an opportunity to take revenge on the Sorcerer King, and not oppose the monster that served as their vanguard.

    An onlooker might say something along the lines of, ¡°look at the bigger picture, don¡¯t do something so stupid,¡± to him.

    However, Brain¡¯s goal in life was to live by his sword, so he would rather blindly allow himself to battle with his all.

    After a considerable amount of time had passed, it was finally at a distance where he could make out most of its features.

    His opponent was not human.

    Yet he could innately understand that this light-cyan giant was of a race far superior to his own.

    Not long after¡ª

    {...so cold.}

    From this opponent¡¯s direction was a gale whipped up and sent towards him, its temperature as cold as a frosty winter¡¯s day. Brain¡¯s entire body trembled, not because he had felt any bloodlust or an oppressive aura, but from the chill breeze alone. The white puffs of breathing out of Brain¡¯s mouth proved that this was no illusion.

    ¡°What...?¡±

    He couldn¡¯t help but mutter to himself.

    Was his opponent a being that radiated cold air? Now that he thought about it, the gates just then ¡ª was it not shrouded in ice and then rammed into pieces?

    {Just how cold is he...}

    The gate wasn¡¯t small at all, so whatever domain this monster belonged to, was seriously terrifying to him.

    That said ¡ª he knew this already.

    Brain tightened his grip on his katana and waited for his opponent.

    His hands trembled, not out of excitement nor from the cold, but out of a certain emotion.

    The emotion known as fear.

    Time after another hemented in his heart, the heart that told him to move aside and cower in the corner. That thing, although it is a monster, the way it pulled its halberd along the ground as it walked radiated a warrior¡¯s aura. If he curled up at the sides, perhaps he would be ignored like a pebble.

    The houses that lined the sides of the street had signs of life, but none seemed like they wanted anything to do with this.

    And because of that ¡ª Brain should perhaps do the same.

    If he did that, his life would probably be spared.

    But ¡ª his legs refused to move.

    He was not running away from this one.

    He focused his strength onto the one hand that gripped the hilt and pped himself with the other.

    ¡°Alright!¡±

    He no longer trembled. He had made his resolve, in body and soul.

    While it had already visually identified Brain¡¯s presence, the light-cyan giant continued forward without changing its pace.

    The being that held a halberd in one hand emanated an ever-increasing sense of pressure as the distance between them gradually shrunk. Brain gulped down a mouthful of saliva.

    Brain waited, like a roadblock for the light-cyan giant.

    Because of its overwhelming presence, Brain failed to notice that there were women behind the being until now. They were dressed in white, their skins a simr hue to its, their long hair were ck, and from them were chill winds rushing towards him too.

    He was made acutely aware of their gazes on him.

    The enemy had not taken any action against Brain, who stood in their path, yet.

    He pulled out a bottle from the belt by his waist and downed it in one go. He drank another bottle after that, and another after that. In total, Brain had applied three types of magical buffs on his body.

    Even though he had drunk the potions, an act of aggression in and of itself, his enemies did not seem to n to attack right away. Still, he felt something akin to fighting spirit from them.

    The distance between them had been closed to around five meters or so.

    {Oy oy oy, another sheer cliff to ovee, eh?}

    At this distance, it was made all the clearer to Brain that his opponent was a being that held absolute superiority over him. It had reached heights that Brain could never even hope to reach. To Brain, one who had raised his abilities by a mere finger¡¯s length inparison, this was a being he had absolutely no chance of winning against.

    Even so ¡ª even though he knew that, Brain still refused to move aside.

    His opponents stopped its movement.

    The distance between them was three meters.

    Considering the length of its arm and the halberd in its hand, Brain was already well within its strike range.

    ¡°¡ªBrain Unus.¡±

    He dered his name, raised his sword, and focused his mind.

    ¡°One. Who. Serves. Under. The. Camp. Of. The. Supreme. Being, His. Majesty. Ainz. Ooal. Gown, Cocytus.¡±

    In the moment, Brain¡¯s eyes widened in shock.

    That was probably his opponent¡¯s name. He had not expected to receive a reply at all.

    While he was shocked, he also felt d¨¦j¨¤ vu.

    {What was it?} He felt like he had heard this name before but he could not remember from where. Perhaps he was just overthinking it.

    And then, Brain felt unbearable shame at how rude he had been.

    The opponent in front of him was willing to respond to him, yet he was so rude to be lost in his own muddy memories.

    The reason why his thoughts went in that direction was because his opponent was a monster he could never hope to match, it was probably on the same level as Sebas or Shalltear Bloodfallen. That meant that to his opponent, he was nothing more than an ant in his way. Despite all of that, his opponent did not treat him like an inferior being.

    If their roles had been reversed, what would Brain do? He would have probably just cut him down without much consideration and continued on his way. Brain was so insignificant inparison to his opponent, he probably couldn¡¯t even leave an impression of himself in his mind.

    Brain straightened his back and gently lowered his head, like what a student would do for his instructor.

    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±

    ¡°No. Need.¡±

    Brain gripped onto the hilt of his katana tightly. {Stronger, stronger.}

    To raise his weapons against a being who possessed overwhelming power without a n felt like he was betraying the goodwill of those who had saved him. What he was doing right now was no different than suicide.

    Also, if he thought about it, of what use would stopping the enemy here have?

    None at all.

    Yet still¡ª

    {I¡¯m such an idiot, this Cocytus-danna couldn¡¯t be the only one attacking this city. I have failed those two...no, I¡¯m no longer a child. My future is what I make it out to be. That¡¯s right...it¡¯s in my hands and my hands only.}

    Cocytus, who was looking at Brain, stuck his halberd into the ground.

    ¡°¡ªGod. ying. Emperor. de.¡±

    An odachi of gigantic proportions, much longer than Brain¡¯s height, was pulled out of thin air, with which Cocytus assumed the J¨­dan stance.

    (TL¡¯s note: ÉÏ¶Î¤Î˜‹¤¨, one of the five stances in kendo.)

    This was such an honour.

    Words need not be exchanged. Cocytus had already conveyed his wish to resolve this by the de.

    Brain breathed out heavily and rapidly drew in air again. It was like he was trying to expel all of the air remaining in his lungs.

    He waspletely defenceless while doing so, yet Cocytus did not move a single inch. From his posture Brain could tell that he held massive respect for him.

    Not only was his strength top-tier, but so was his character.

    If he was of a simr level to the monster known as Shalltear, then he could probably make use of his weapon at speeds far greater than anything Brain could achieve, even in such an upright position. Even so, Cocytus still held his stance.

    This wasn¡¯t because he viewed Brain as a formidable opponent.

    But under the pretext that Brain had made his resolve, Cocytus was treating him with the honour of a fellow warrior.

    Such an action overwhelmed Brain with joy.

    {He¡¯s not the same as Shalltear.}

    No, it would be rude of him topare the two.

    {Hmm? Shalltear? Cocytus? I swear I heard his name somewhere... I think¡ª No, don¡¯t! How are you still wasting time on these unnecessary thoughts in times like these? What an idiot.}

    Brain concentrated his brainpower solely onto the matter of victory.

    To parry the j¨­dan strike of this giant¡¯s odachi would undoubtedly be difficult. If his opponent had simr physical attributes as Shalltear, receiving the blow with his katana on its own would not be able to stop it in its tracks. Brain¡¯s head would probably be cleaved in half, his katana would probably break too.

    So, should he try to dodge Cocytus¡¯ first strike?

    No, even if he got lucky and dodged the first attack, it¡¯s not like his opponent would just stop there. The second and third strikes were sure to be continuous after that point. Themon strategy would be to deflect your opponent¡¯s first strike and counterattack while they¡¯re correcting their stance. However, against this extraordinary foe, to even disrupt his bnce and stance would require Brain¡¯s full strength. That meant that even if he achieved this, he would not have enough strength leftover to counterattack. Because of that, Cocytus would probably end the fight by shing upwards as a follow-up.

    Which meant that¡ª

    {This is a do-or-die situation, isn¡¯t it?}

    He remembered something Vesture had said to him.

    If he wanted to win against Cocytus, he had no options other than to strike a few milliseconds faster than him. That said, even if he managed to pierce Cocytus¡¯ body or head, it would not change the path of his de. The battle would end with both of them striking each other.

    So he had to aim for Cocytus¡¯ wrist, the one holding onto his de.

    To wish to move faster than a monster on Shalltear¡¯s level and cut down his wrist was an absolute joke.

    But¡ª

    {This is my only option, I have no choice but to use that move...}

    Brain lowered his waist.

    He adopted the posture for the technique capable of cutting down Shalltear Bloodfallen¡¯s nail ¡ª Hidden de Nail Clipper.

    ¡ªNo.

    This was no longer merely Hidden de Nail Clipper.

    Originally, Nail Clipper was a move that incorporated the martial art that guaranteed a hit, [Field], the lightning-fast [God sh], and [Fourfold sh of Light]. The crystallization of every skill under Brain¡¯s employ still took all of his strength to chip off Shalltear¡¯s nail. Of course, to have cut off her nail was already a momentous achievement ¡ª it would not be too strange for it to be a legend passed down through history even. However, Brain did not rest hisurels there, he continued to push forward for the sole purpose of reaching the same peak as she did.

    It was for this reason that Brain sought to be stronger, going as far as to request assistance from that person ¡ª Gazef Stronoff¡¯s teacher and former Adamantite-ranked adventurer, Vesture Croff di Leoghain. Under his assistance and through nonstop training, he was finally able to use [Sixfold sh of Light]. Unfortunately, he was unable to reach the level of understanding that Gazef had of that art.

    So while the use of [Field] and [God sh] remained the same, the use of [Sixfold sh of Light] over [Fourfold sh of Light] made it a new technique.

    Martial arts used something akin to focus. The stronger the martial art was, the more of it was required. Exceptional warriors ¡ª higher-level warriors, while they had a greater capacity for it, would also find it difficult to use multiple martial arts at the same time. Indeed, Brain had greater reserves of focus than your average warrior, but he had already reached his limit back when he used Nail Clipper against Shalltear.

    So it should have been impossible for him to use [Sixfold sh of Light], a much more focus-intensive art than [Fourfold sh of Light], with his other martial arts.

    There was only one reason why he could despite all of that.

    The Brain Unus who stood there had already surpassed Gazef Stronoff ¡ª he had entered the realm of heroes.

    All of this culminated in Brain¡¯s new technique ¡ª True Nail Clipper?.

    Cocytus moved his foot slightly forward to close the distance between them, a really short distance that was.

    Considering the difference in their strength, it would not be strange for Cocytus to easily close the gap between them and hack straight down with his katana.

    So why did he do such a thing?

    The answer was simple, he wished to grant Brain a death that was befitting of a warrior.

    Brain¡¯s appreciation for Cocytus as a warrior deepened once more as he assumed the stance of True Nail Clipper?.

    {Not...yet...}

    {Not...in range...}

    The magical buffs granted to Brain by his potions meant that he was much stronger than he was when he faced Shalltear.

    Even so.

    The human named Brain Unus could not hope to reach the domain of the monsters like Cocytus.

    There was nothing he could do about it. After all, it was impossible for an ant to prevail against a dragon. A fact that was hard to swallow, but he had to nheless.

    Still, he did not wish to lose. What should he do? It would be good to reduce the overwhelming gap in strength between them even if by a little, but how should he go about aplishing that?

    {¡ªI am a warrior, so I must do as warriors would.}

    ¡°¡ª[Ability Boost]¡±

    Brain activated a martial art.

    He had expended all of his reserves for True Nail Clipper?, there should not have been anything left for other martial arts.

    However ¡ª Brain¡¯s eyes began to fill with blood and blood began to stream down his nostrils. His capiries had just burst.

    A {shing} sound rang out as if to signify a transition. His physical capabilities were boosted to the next level.

    He activated another martial art.

    His physical capabilities were boosted once more.

    But ¡ª {Not...yet...}

    He was still unable to do it.

    So what should he do?

    There was only one answer.

    Brain activated yet another martial art.

    ¡°¡ª[Greater Ability Boost]¡±

    Brain Unus had yet again, achieved something impossible.

    He did not know this himself.

    The true nature of his talent was an increase in his focus capacity, only with this and the addition of his higher levels was he able to activate the martial arts required by Nail Clipper.

    But, even so, Brain had his limits. He could not use any more martial arts than that, a limit imposed upon him by the world.

    But, in that moment ¡ª Brain broke the rules of this world once more.

    A second miracle of this kind.

    The first was when he cut Shalltear¡¯s nail.

    The second, was made in this moment.

    The consequence of breaking the rules was that his body began to deteriorate.

    His body probably won¡¯tst for another minute.

    However, to those who were strong, a minute was a long time.

    Cocytus entered¡ª

    Into Brain¡¯s range¡ª

    The God ying Emperor de in j¨­dan¡ª

    Brain pulled out his own katana to receive the attack from Cocytus¡¯ katana¡ª

    And then¡ª

    ¡ªthe sound of blood and flesh being rended could be heard.

    After swinging the God ying Emperor de, Cocytus shook off the blood and fat from the katana and returned it to its space. He pulled his halberd from the ground and looked down at the corpse of the man he had just in.

    He is ¡ª was a fine warrior.

    Cocytus was unscathed, the de did not manage to reach him, yet his skills as a warrior wasmendable.

    {...I. Have. Never. Heard. Of. Such. An. Excellent. Warrior...}

    It was such a shame that he had to kill him.

    If it was possible, he wanted to save his life and have him be loyal to his master. He could have easily broken his opponent¡¯s sword, tanked his hit, or broke all four of his limbs, but that is not the way of a warrior.

    Cocytus had already sensed it when he saw this man standing on his own from afar, he knew it all the better when he stood face-to-face with him: this was a warrior who had made his resolve.

    Cocytus could not dishonour such a man.

    He knew exactly how beneficial it would be to bring him under their rule, but still killed him. It would not be wrong to say that he had betrayed Nazarick.

    Still.

    He wished to converse with him through the sh of their des.

    If Warrior Takemikazuchi were here, he would probably praise Cocytus for his decision.

    {By. Levels, He. Is. Probably. Around. Level. 40.}

    However, he felt that other than that single strike, there wasn¡¯t much else power in him. Perhaps it was something like Cocytus¡¯ Vidy¨¡r¨¡ja Strike, or perhaps he had used special abilities to strengthen himself.

    He was insignificant inparison to Cocytus, but in this world¡¯s terms he was strong.

    Cocytus picked up the katana Brain dropped.

    ¡°I. WIll. Be. Taking. This.¡±

    Among the weapons in Cocytus¡¯ possession, this was exceptionally weak ¡ª something that was practically useless to him. Perhaps it would be better toy this sword by his side to mark his grave, but Cocytus decided to take the sword.

    He was not too keen to leave his body as it is.

    ¡°You. All, Freeze. This. Man.¡±

    After he gave hismand to the Frost Virgins, the body of the man named Brain began to slowly freeze over.

    Just as Cocytus was about to step over Brain, he stopped himself again.

    He looked towards the castle behind Brain.

    ¡°...¡±

    Cocytus turned his head around while deep in thought.

    He turned right and walked into a path that was narrower than the one before. He walked down the path until he emerged onto the main street again, after which he took another right turn. He walked along while confirming the castle¡¯s position, taking every right turn detour that he saw which brought him back to the main street.

    Cocytus looked towards his right.

    Brain¡¯s remains were now quite a distance away.

    Cocytus then silently walked towards his left ¡ª towards the castle.

 Volume 14: 4 - Well-Prepared Traps (Part 9)

    ¡°Hello~, don¡¯t get in my way~¡±

    Aura called out to the cowering soldiers on top of the city walls. She made use of the imperfections along the wall to make her way up in a single breath.

    While the soldiers at the top wanted to use their spears to attack, what they witnessed next were inhuman movements ¡ª she jumped over the soldiers, spun around midair¡ª

    ¡°Hyup¡±

    ¡ªandnded perfectly on the other side of the battlements.

    ¡°V!¡±

    Her hands formed into a V-shaped gesture for the lined-up soldiers to see.

    The eyes pointed towards Aura, whose appearance was that of a child¡¯s, were all filled with fear. Having seen her unusually light body in action, surely none of them still believed her to be a normal child. Plus, there was also the matter of the magical beast down below, waiting for her.

    Aura ignored the humans and pulled out a piece of paper from the pocket by her waist casually.

    The soldiers advanced towards Aura step-by-step to surround her, their spears were pointed towards her yet she continued to ignore them.

    ¡°Okay, everybody. I¡¯ll say this again~ ¡ª Do not get in my waaay~ ¡ª¡±

    Aura unrolled the paper topare the capital in front of her with what was drawn on the map.

    If all of thendmarks matched up, it would be much easier to read.

    She easily found the Magician¡¯s Guild, her first intended destination.

    Aura, now satisfied, turned around to see the soldiers surrounding her. The tips of a few spears were positioned right in front of her eyes at a distance where a slight movement would cause her to touch them.

    ¡°Say, even if I was the only one to have climbed up here, was it really a smart idea to focus your attention on me? You know they¡¯lle up here as well, right?¡±

    The soldiers looked at each other and sprung like springs to the outer edge of the walls, but it was already toote. Aura¡¯s magical beasts climbed up the wall one after the other.

    Their surroundings echoed with the pitiful wails of other soldiers.

    Aura had greaterbat prowess than them and while it was true that appearances could be deceiving, this was still too much to bear for them.

    The soldiers who hadpletely lost their will to fight, began to stampede over each other to get out of her vicinity first.

    There still were soldiers who held the idea that this position had to be defended, but with so many of theirpatriots scurrying away, it was hard for them to maintain their morale.

    The city walls were thick so the battlements were quite wide, but the fear-driven soldiers still pushed and shoved each other in their attempts to run away. If there was any semnce of order to their rout, they would have probably made it out faster. Those pushing each other at the front made for an absolutely chaotic getaway.

    Although it would be trivial for the magical beasts to chase after them and exterminate them all, they were not interested in doing that at all. They had not received orders from their master yet, which was why they were letting them go. That was true for all of the magical beasts except one.

    A level 71 magical beast, thergest one she had brought along for the asion, an Iris Tyrannus Basileus. Its posture matches that of the Tyrannosaurus Rex, but it also has dorsal fins at the back. As its name suggested, it shined with vibrant light. Aura wasn¡¯t too sure on the specifics, but she did remember that her master had said, ¡°its original design had to be based off of the King of the Monsters?.¡±

    (TL¡¯s note: yes, Godzi)

    The Iris Tyrannus Basileus roared.

    A roar loud enough to make the ground tter.

    That wasn¡¯t to assert dominance or an expression of its own emotions.

    It was a type of special ability ¡ª Petrifying Bellow.

    If one had a simr level to it or had resistances against mental effects, it would just be an annoying roar. The routing soldiers were about to demonstrate what would happen if you satisfied neither of said conditions.

    Fear twisted their expressions to the extreme as soldiers began to fall.

    Fear-induced instant death.

    It did not do this because the death of the scurrying humans brought it joy, but simply because it had found the inconvenience of having to constantly shift its sightline around to be annoying. The soldiers died for that kind of a reason.

    But it wasn¡¯t as though the Iris Tyrannus Basileus came out of this unscathed, the cost of such a power was great.

    Surrounding the Iris Tyrannus Basileus were five of the six remaining beasts ¡ª the level 78 Fenrir, the level 77 Hound of the Wild Hunt, the level 76 Kirin, the level 76 Amphisbaena, and the level 74 Basilisk.

    The Kirin started off by bucking it, followed by the Hound of the WIld Hunt trampling on it. The other magical beasts joined in one after the other to kick the Iris Tyrannus Basileus.

    ¡°You¡¯re too damn loud,¡± was probably what they were trying to convey.

    Whilebat prowess had nothing to do with this, it was still getting bullied by magical beasts with higher levels than itself. The Iris Tyrannus Basileus tried to seek sympathy from Aura by whimpering, which only caused the other magical beasts to intensify their attacks.

    If their previous attacks wereparable to that of the seniors of a club disciplining their junior, what was happening now was more like a beating brought on by its own faults.

    As a side note, the only monster that did not participate in the beatings was the level 58 Avaricious Frog named Gagarpur.

    It was a magical beast that looked like something straight out of somebody¡¯s nightmare, like a giant frog but...wrong. In its mouth were rows upon rows of dirty yellow teeth and its eyes looked like that of a lecherous middle-aged man.

    ¡°That¡¯s ¡ª it! Guys, I¡¯m not angry, stop bullying Iris-chan right now.¡±

    Aura crossed her arms and looked at the magical beasts with half an eye open. The magical beasts began to cry.

    ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯m not angry at you either.¡±

    After she said that, the magical beasts ¡ª other than the Iris Tyrannus Basileus ¡ª gathered around Aura and used their giant bodies to nuzzle against hers.

    ¡°Myuu~¡±

    Aura let out an adorable cry. While her physical strength was no less than any of theirs, getting pushed around by their giant bodies still made her let out that sound.

    ¡°Hey hey! Gimme some ¡ª space!¡±

    In front of Aura, who was pping her hands together, the magical beasts began to line up ¡ª that said, their bodies were huge, so lining up single-file was quite difficult. Each of them found a spot to stand in and switched to uptight expressions. The yful attitudes they had when they rubbed against Aura was nowhere to be seen.

    ¡°Now, we¡¯ll begin invading into the capital to take over a few of those buildings. It¡¯s just sad that a few of you children might not be able to shine is all.¡±

    Thergest of the bunch, the Iris Tyrannus Basileus, began to look indifferent.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll give you a special mission! Walk along the city walls and squish any humans you see.¡±

    ¡°Bwooooo...¡±

    The Iris Tyrannus Basileus¡¯ roar shook the air around them, its voice gradually trailing. It lowered its head and cautiously looked towards the other magical beasts and Aura.

    ¡°...Mmm, great. Now then, everyone, the operation has begun! Quick!¡±

    Aura jumped down from the city walls and sessfully entered the capital¡¯s perimeter. Shended on top of some random roof and ran along the rooftops.

    The magical beasts followed along and jumped. Each of them moved in a weightless manner as they trailed behind Aura.

    While turning around to check on the magical beasts, Aura noticed that the Iris Tyrannus Basileus was swinging its thick and girthy tail around. Aura waved to it, causing it to wave its tail around with even more fervour, incidentally destroying a part of the battlements.

    {¡ªyou need to get moving too!}

    The Iris Tyrannus Basileus jumped up for a second after she gave her orders telepathically and began to ponderously walk along the walls.

    Aura¡¯s first destination was the Magician¡¯s Guild. Because it was home to numerous magic items, it should be on high alert. It was widely considered to be the ce that would put up the greatest amount of resistance in the capital.

    Although the enemy¡¯sbat strength was not an issue, to gather every piece of magic item in that ce would probably take a considerable amount of time. Perhaps she would have to call in reinforcements.

    Aura cut across the capital through its rooftops as she pondered these things.

    The capital spanned a vast amount ofnd, but to Aura¡¯s speed when she was serious, it wasn¡¯t a problem at all.

    Not long after she had jumped from the city walls, she arrived at her destination.

    None of the magical beasts had slowed her down. Well no, Gagarpur would have slowed her down, so it was carried along by the Basilisk.

    Along the long perimeter walls were three five-story towers. The Magician¡¯s Guild, what was essentially multiple two-story tall structures that were taller than they were wide, had shut their grid-shaped gates. To the sides of the gate were two two-story tall gatehouses.

    She had not detected the presence of people outside, but human activity could be seen inside. Humans were on the watch.

    Aura jumped into the guild¡¯snd and looked at the map in her hands,paring the buildings¡¯ appearances.

    ¡°Mmm¡ªHmm. That¡¯s there, so this is here, right?¡±

    Utilizing the intel they had received from their corroborators within the capital, they had a rough sketch of the guild¡¯s appearance. Magic items could be somewhere within here.

    However, because there were multiple probable spots for them, they weren¡¯t exactly sure where the magic items were kept. They were not able to capture any high-tier magic casters to question, so Aura had to make her own judgment.

    While it was tiresome, thend area held by the Magician¡¯s Guild meant that this was much more efficient than a human wave attack.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡±

    At the same time Aura began marching towards the gates, people emerged from it. There were five men and a woman. An elderly figure stood in front of them.

    Aura suddenly thought, {oh.}

    If they held significant ranks within the Magician¡¯s Guild, it would save her a lot of time, but Aura couldn¡¯t help but feel disappointed after taking a look at the elder.

    The elder had to be a warrior from his appearance.

    He wore typical dojo attire, ck from the waist down and #48929B from the waist up. Two swords hung by his waist side and a breastte covered his torso.

    He had a full head of white, not a single strand of hair was ck. His arms were slender, as expected of his age, yet they did not sag. They were thin yet hard like steel.

    Beast-like perceptive eyes sized Aura up from top to bottom multiple times.

    ¡°Probably, let us confirm it first. Boy. You are a subordinate of the Sorcerer King, are you not?¡±

    Aura surveyed the humans behind the elder. While they wore simr clothing to him, none of them was with swords. This elder was probably the master of a dojo then, with the others being his disciples.

    While she couldn¡¯t figure out what connections the Magician¡¯s Guild had to a dojo, there had to be a connection for them to be protecting this ce.

    Although she felt like they might be able to provide more intel to her than the average magic caster, it would probably be non-essential intel anyways.

    ¡°¡ªWhy are you not answering? I will have you know that I will not go easy on you, even if you are just a brat.¡±

    To have put up such a front in spite of Aura¡¯s magical beast was probably because they had not shown any malicious intent or bloodlust. Or perhaps their opponents were brave, had made their resolves, and were confident in themselves.

    ¡°Mmm¡ªHmm. Umm, if you¡¯re willing to be my guide, I won¡¯t kill you, you know? Ah, these children won¡¯t attack you either.¡±

    Aura nned to keep that promise, since Mare would kill them allter anyway.

    ¡°You dare babble your mouth, brat. You may not pass beyond this point. I cannot allow that demon-summoning item to fall into the hands of people like you.¡±

    Aura lost herposure andughed.

    Finding out that the thing was still here was enough for her. She had to secure it and give it back to Demiurge.

    ¡°Ah ¡ª is that so. So what¡¯s your answer to my question?¡±

    ¡°I refuse. In any case, I, Ves¡ª¡±

    The elder fell down with a thud.

    Aura had let loose an arrow.

    The elder¡¯s head, pierced by Aura¡¯s lightning-fast arrow, split open like a pomegranate. Its contents spilt all over the ce.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for chitchat ¡ª well then, next ¡ª looks like everybody¡¯s feeling the same way, huh? If that¡¯s the case, how about you run in and grab a powerful looking magic caster to help me out?¡±

    The humans lined up behind the elder were stunned expressionless. Aura felt like it would be too troublesome to wait till their brains had rebooted so she gave an order to her beasts.

    ¡°Kill them all.¡±

    Aura spoke as she walked towards the gate. The magical beasts zoomed past her like a whirlwind and pounced on the remaining humans. Only blood and guts remained on the ground afterwards.

    ----

    Mare sat by himself on top of the second-highest tower in the castle, overlooking the capital.

    In the battle thatmenced three days before they had arrived at this city, Mare had killed a significant number of humans. Most of them were men however, he had not seen women or children among their ranks. In that case, what was left behind were probably all of the weaklings.

    Mare¡¯s expression was filled with sorrow.

    He could no longer keep count of how many times he had run those numbers in his head.

    ¡ªhe couldn¡¯t figure it out.

    ¡°What should I do...¡±

    If someone was around, Mare would have consulted them, but no one else was there. Well no, the Hanzos should be there, but they wouldn¡¯t appear in front of Mare. Plus, it was useless to ask them this question.

    {Umm. W-what should I do...to destroy a city this vast more efficiently and kill every human within it...?}

    Before Mare came to the capital, he had destroyed multiple cities with his master and gained relevant experience for it. That was why he had a clear understanding of how difficult it was to destroy a city ¡ª of how difficult of a task it was to kill every single inhabitant in it.

    Repeated and continuous use of magic could destroy every structure in the city and render it into a mountain of rubble, but to guarantee that everything within the city died along with that was a difficult thing to do.

    For example, if he used magic to induce an earthquake, it would destroy all above-ground structures as well as underground facilities. People within said structures wouldrgely be crushed to death or buried alive.

    A magically-induced earthquake could not affect things outside of the spell¡¯s range, so people hiding in houses in other areas would not notice. The sound of copsing buildings and the wails of people dying was another matter entirely.

    If people heard those noises, there might be a lot of people who woulde out of hiding to investigate, look out of windows, or something.

    People who cover their eyes and ears in fear were the best, because if they coiled up into balls inside their own homes believing that things would soon pass over, he could just cast another spell and be done with them.

    What the problem was, were people who believe that they would be the next to be crushed or the inherently brave bunch. What was even more troublesome were the weaklings who would be suicidal under stress, causing them to run in unpredictable directions.

    Their moods were infectious.

    Once an inhabitant noticed those who were running away, they would abandon their homes to run away too.

    If they chose to run to still-standing structures, things would still be easy. However, terrified people tend to make irrational decisions such as choosing paths through copsed areas or even try to save others trapped under the debris. They made the situation much more difficult to handle.

    {I really wish they wouldn¡¯t run away...}

    If it turned into that kind of a situation, he would have to use another AOE spell to kill them, effectively doing twice the work for the same result.

    If not for the time constraints, doing things twice over wouldn¡¯t be such a big deal, but this was an operation carried out alongside his master. There was no way he could allow such a thing to happen.

    Reason being that he would be wasting his master¡¯s precious time, but also because he would feel ashamed from having to admit that he wasn¡¯t good enough to end it in one go.

    If it was an earthquake-rted solution, he could not guarantee that it would kill everybody. There would be more survivors than he would have expected. While he could start a fire just in case to kill those who remain, a fire would be highly visible to people far away. It could also trigger primal flight responses, causing even more people to run away.

    What a dilemma.

    {I have to practice more and be more natural at this!}

    Bukubukuchagama had gifted Mare the ability to destroyrge quantities of enemies. In terms of how wide of an area he could affect, Mare was confident that no other Floor Guardian could rival his abilities.

    That was why if he could not sessfully destroy the city and kill all of its inhabitants, it would make him question his own worth and existence.

    Perhaps Bukubukuchagama would be angry to see Mare like this.

    ¡°Nnnnng, nnnnng...¡±

    Mare couldn¡¯t help but imagine Bukubukuchagama disciplining him, causing his eyes to water. Before the tears could fall, Mare wiped them away.

    ¡°I have to try my best...Ainz-sama said that too.¡±

    Mare was deeply respectful and grateful towards Ainz.

    If Ainz had not let Mare to practice demolishing cities and to rue experience over multiple tries, he would not have been able to grow as much as he did now.

    Now that he thought about it, back when the war first started, Mare was asked to destroy a small town. The results of that event were honestly terrible.

    Those were results that would bring shame upon Bukubukuchagama.

    But while Mare took a gigantic hit to his ego, Ainz¡¯s gentle words made him so happy that he could cry.

    Ainz had told Mare that as long as he understood that hecked experience in something, all he had to do was study hard to better himself.

    If one of the guardians had told him that, it would not have moved Mare as much as it did. However, the one who said it was a being of equal status to Bukubukuchagama, one of the Supreme Beings.

    Mare made his resolve.

    He will destroy more towns and cities and kill more people to be the person Bukubukuchagama wanted him to be.

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    While his voice was still that of a cute child¡¯s, his tone was filled with an unusually strong spirit, not expected of Mare. If the other guardians were to see him now andpare him to the Mare they knew, they would probably be shocked speechless.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it right!¡±

    Mare¡¯s hands clenched into fists as he held them in front of himself.

    In any case, he had to make practical use of what he had learned so far¡ª

    ¡°To destroy the capital and kill all of its inhabitants ¡ª hey hey, ho ¡ª¡±

    Mare threw his tightly clenched fists upward.

    The Hanzos hiding behind him raised their fists as well.

 Volume 14: 4 - Well-Prepared Traps (Part 10)

    Climb stood in the hallway, observing the scenery outside through the overly-thick ss windows.

    Renner had told him that she would be busy putting on makeup now so that she would not embarrass herself in case the Sorcerer Kingdom¡¯s army arrived before she could meet with her father, which was why he was shooed out of the room. She also informed Climb that she might even change out of the outfit she had on, naturally it was going to take quite a while.

    He looked back down the corridor, the empty, lifeless, and silent corridor.

    The knights who stayed in the pce till the end were all preparing to face the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s army head-on. They had left their posts and gathered together to block off the entrance to the pce.

    Some might scoff at them for what seemed like meaningless resistance.

    Unlike the band of warriors led by Gazef Stronoff, most of these knights were merely a smidge stronger than the average soldier. If they were to fight the monsters of the Sorcerous Kingdom, they would probably be destroyed as easily as it would be for someone to break the branches of a dead tree. Yet, as men who had been knighted by royalty, they wished to disy their loyalty till the very end. They had deployed themselves withoutint. The truly pathetic ones would be those who would dare mock them.

    If he was being honest, due to past experiences, Climb did not have much goodwill for the vast majority of knights. He had always thought that should a life-or-death situation arise, they would run away like chickens. Climb could not help but mock his own closed-mindedness.

    It was precisely because their loyalty to the royalty was true and without fault that they could not ept a street rat serving this close to a royal.

    Climb had made a severe misjudgment of their loyalty to the throne.

    He looked towards the direction of the entrance.

    Should he not be fighting side-by-side with the knights? Climb mulled it over and concluded that he should not.

    Back then, he was not saved by the royalty. The one who saved him, was Renner herself.

    If Renner ordered him to do so, he would join the knights without hesitation. However, since she had given no such order, he should stay by her side. If he could buy even a single second to die before Renner, it would be his duty, his all.

    His life and soul have long been Renner¡¯s, ever since she had saved him.

    In this silent, empty hallway, Climb pondered about all sorts of things.

    He thought about his life up till this point, about Renner, about their hypothetical future, and¡ª

    Climb looked around him. Of course, no one was there. The one who had served next to him, Brain Unus, had long since left the pce.

    He did not know where Brain had gone.

    If the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s army had made its way to the castle, he was probably already dead.

    Climb mourned deep down.

    Brain was like a mentor, a friend, and a brother to him. He had taught Climb a lot of things and had guided him for quite a while.

    Compared to Gazef, Climb had gotten much closer to Brain. To Climb, who held Renner as the most important person in his heart, Brain was someone who came a close second.

    ¡°Why did things end up this way...¡±

    Climb¡¯s whisper dissipated in this lifeless corridor.

    But how did things actually turn out this way?

    Climb had thought that their peace would havested, that things would be the same tomorrow as it would the day after tomorrow. However, looking at it now¡ª suddenly, the doors to the room were mmed open. A loud {bang} rang out.

    Because the sound was more brutal than he would have ever imagined, Climb hurriedly looked towards the door to see Renner by the door side. She did not change her outfit, only a slight hint of red was on her face, light enough that he could not tell if she put on makeup at all.

    She had spent so much time in there but her appearance was no differentpared to the usual.

    In her hands was Razor Edge, still in its sheath.

    Did something happen? Just as Climb was about to ask, Renner spoke.

    ¡°Climb, let¡¯s hurry now.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Renner said that phrase and ran along the corridor.

    Climb followed and asked.

    ¡°Did something happen?¡±

    Renner stole a nce at him and looked back towards the front.

    ¡°Yes. I remembered something that had to be done. A mini-revenge against the Sorcerous Kingdom if you will. That is why we must hurry to where my dear father is. We have to check if he is still in his room first!¡±

    Along the way, Renner passed over Razor Edge to him. He followed her orders and moved towards the king¡¯s room.

    Of course, there were no knights there too.

    Renner did not intend to dampen her momentum, as she mmed open the doors to this room too.

    Inside was Rampossa III, shocked.

    ¡°Renner. What in the...¡±

    After so much noise, it turned out that it was his own daughter. He must have thought that someone else had broken in. Rampossa III stopped talking halfway through his sentence.

    Climb felt that the king¡¯s gaze had shifted from Renner to him, so he took a massive bow as an apology.

    ¡°Ah, father, you are still here! I just remembered something really important.¡±

    Renner immediately spoke.

    She had run her way here, yet her breath remained calm and steady. Climb was the same, but he was still curious as to how Renner, who he had rarely seen running, had the same level of stamina as him. Still, she hadn¡¯t run that fast, so it was probably nothing to worry about. Climb quickly killed that thought.

    ¡°Renner, what happened? Also, why did you open the door like that?¡±

    ¡°I feel like these things do not really matter as much right now.¡±

    Renner spoke a bit faster than she normally would, causing Rampossa III to smile wryly.

    ¡°...Well, you do have a fair point. So, Renner, what is wrong? You mentioned that there was something important just now?¡±

    ¡°Yes! So basically¡ª¡± Renner tilted her head in an adorable manner before she continued, ¡°Father, why are you here?¡±

    ¡°I was locked in here by that child, did you not know about this?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it was onii-sama.¡±

    ¡°Haaaaah, Zanac was an idiot to say that the two of you will go before I do. That child...¡±

    Rampossa III¡¯s expression was full of sorrow. Everyone knew at this point that of the army they sent from the capital a week ago, none had returned. Though none of them knew of their fate, it was not too difficult to imagine the reason why they had not returned.

    ¡°...and then yesterday, when I was finally released, I thought that we must make preparations before the Sorcerer King arrived. That is why I am still preparing here in my lonesome. The knights offered to help but I sent them all away. I wonder where they have escaped to...¡±

    Climb could not bring himself to tell him that the knights were at the entrance, preparing for ast stand. Renner appeared to be the same.

    ¡°Speaking of preparations, you meant those?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, those.¡±

    In the direction those two looked towards, were treasures such as the crown and many books.

    ¡°...So, why Renner, why are you still here? Did that child...not let you escape?¡±

    ¡°That¡ª Is it not the same for father?¡±

    ¡°I will not run. That child was just a prince. I was meant to be the one to shoulder that responsibility. Yet, that child...hmmm? Is that sword not...¡±

    Rampossa III noticed the sword by Climb¡¯s waist. He looked towards Climb¡¯s back and then back towards Renner.

    ¡°The one who served you...the warrior who could rival Gazef, what happened to him?¡±

    ¡°Brain-san had left this ce to do battle with His Majesty the Sorcerer King.¡±

    ¡°...while I do not believe that he could defeat the Sorcerer King, he should have brought it along even more so than ever. Why, why did he not take that sword with him? Perhaps, with that sword, he could...¡±

    ¡°I do not feel like...it would be possible. After all, that is an opponent not even the Warrior Captain could defeat. Things have evolved into the way they are already, so even if the Sorcerer King was to be defeated, nothing would fundamentally change.¡±

    ¡°Is that so...indeed. That is true. If we could not push the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s army back, everything else would just be meaningless.¡±

    Rampossa III suddenly looked out the window and continued.

    ¡°As to why I am still here. I believe that I have the duty to pass on the history of our royal lineage to our conqueror. I must, as thest king, demonstrate to them our dignity.¡±

    Rampossa IIIughed as if he was tired. Well no, he was probably tired in actuality.

    ¡°¡ªClimb. Such is the duty of a king. Take Renner and run. Although it might already be toote, the pce does have hidden passageways out of the capital. The moment the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s army makes its way into the pce, make use of those passageways.¡±

    ¡°¡ªthere is no need for that, Climb.¡±

    Until now, the King¡¯s order and Renner¡¯s had never conflicted with one another. This time was different.

    Climb thought about it for a moment, and did nothing. He just clenched his fists tightly together.

    Indeed, Climb did not wish to leave Renner to die, but following Renner¡¯s orders was more important to him. In any case, if he really wanted to obey this order, he would have let Evileye take her back then.

    ¡°¡ªClimb¡±

    ¡°¡ªClimb¡±

    After seeing that Climb had not moved, both of them called out his name. The emotions imbued within their voices however, werepletely different.

    ¡°Father, Climb is mine. He will not listen to your orders.¡±

    ¡°Indeed...it appears to be so...but, Climb...if you truly are loyal, I believe that you should escape with this child. Do it, even if it only allows for the Vaiself bloodline to be passed on for longer. If you escape with this child, as your reward, you may have her hand in marriage.¡±

    Climb¡¯s eyes widened.

    This suggestion was really alluring to him, causing his heart to falter. To say that he had not fantasized about doing this would be a lie. He had even frequently thought about Renner to fort} himself.

    But, he decided that his fate would be to die as Renner¡¯s shield.

    ¡°While the reward is certainly tantalizing...but it is far too valuable for me to ept...so do allow me to refuse your offer...¡±

    As Climb spoke, he felt like he was throwing up blood.

    He stole a nce at Renner, to see an incredible smile on her face. Surely it was out of praise for his loyalty.

    ¡°...Now then, it is my turn to say why I had rushed here...Father. Please leave the crown to me.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I believe that we should not just hand over the crown, a treasure that carries with it our family¡¯s history, to His Majesty the Sorcerer King directly.¡±

    ¡°...He is the man who destroyed this country, so the symbolic gesture of passing on the crown must be done. Also, if things such as the crown continue to be passed down, the history of our family will be preserved. That was my line of thought, which was why I had retrieved these from the treasury.¡±

    ¡°I think these items should all be hidden in the city. Then, we could say to the Sorcerer King, ¡¯the items that signify kingship were all hidden inside the city, so if you destroy the capital, you risk losing them all.¡¯¡±

    ¡°...I see. Perhaps this would...be a good n. Perhaps the acquisition of the crown and the destruction of the capital will be a dilemma for him. Although my life will not be spared, if this could help the people, even if by a little, it shall be done.¡±

    Rampossa III took the crown off his head.

    ¡°Father, not only that one, but the other one too. I believe that the crown used for the coronation ceremony warrants priority in hiding.¡±

    ¡°Ah, indeed. That is true.¡±

    ¡°Also the other items father had brought over. The staff, the jewels used for coronation, and the national seal. Could you leave everything that is symbolic of the throne and the Kingdom to me? After all, the more cards we could y from our hand, the better.¡±

    ¡°...Mmm. Of course, that is fine.¡±

    ¡°Then, Climb. Could I trouble you to hide these items?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Renner-sama. But, where should I hide them?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I had discussed this with onii-sama way back then.¡±

    ¡°What? With Zanac?¡±

    ¡°Yes, father. I actually got this idea from onii-sama. The procedure for hiding these items had been nned out already. However, because he might have gotten the idea from Marquis Raeven, I felt uneasy about it...¡±

    ¡°Really? That child had thought this far ahead?¡± Rampossa III¡¯s voice trailed as he muttered to himself. His eyes appeared to have moistened a little.

    ¡°So, Climb. There was this warehouse district that had been abandoned because of Jaldabaoth¡¯s attack. There is a small warehouse there.¡±

    While Renner had exined in detail, her instructions wereplicated enough that Climb did not trust himself to find it.

    Renner walked around Rampossa III to use the table to draw an easy to understand map on a piece of paper. It was a simple one, but now he would not have to worry about getting lost.

    ¡°Here is a hidden basement here. Please hide the items inside there.¡±

    ¡°Yes! I will abide by your order!¡±

    ¡°After you are done with this¡ª¡±

    Climb stared intently at Renner¡¯s face, hoping that she would not say something like, ¡°do note back.¡± {Please let me stay by your side till the very end.} Had his thoughts reached her? Renner spoke after a prolonged moment of hesitation.

    ¡°Please do ¡ª return safely.¡±

    While they were not certain where the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s army had reached, it was highly likely that they had already broken into the capital and were crawling all over the ce. In that case, to leave this ce was extremely risky. However, Climb would not hesitate. Since his master had ordered it, he must do as he was told.

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°You must return unharmed. Do not try to fight. If you see an enemy, run with all your might. Do you understand?¡±

    It felt like she understood his resolve, but could not ce much faith in his capabilities. Renner repeated herself again.

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Climb nodded his head heavily. At that point, it looked like Renner was finally relieved.

    ¡°¡ªGood. Now then, father. Given the current situation, it would be hard for him to make it out of the pce...so could you tell Climb?¡±

    ¡°You wish for me to reveal the hidden passageways from the pce to the capital, correct?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°I understand. Let me tell him.¡±

    After hearing the king¡¯s exnation, Climb was truly shocked. He had walked through that tunnel multiple times yet had never detected the presence of those hidden pathways.

    ¡°Climb, It is fine even if you return a bitte. Could you remain cautious and not let these items fall into enemy hands?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Renner-sama! I willplete my mission even if it is thest thing I do!¡±

    ¡°After you have hidden the items, even if something worrying came up, do return here as fast as possible no matter the cost. Given the current situation, we do not know when the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s army would arrive.¡±

    While that sentence¡¯s structure was a bit different, she was probably just repeating herself to drill that idea into him. That showed how much she cared for him.

    So Climb, one to do anything to even ease her mind a little bit, straightened himself and positively responded.

    ¡°Of course! I will run back with all my might.¡±

    ¡°¡ªGood, I will leave that to you then.¡±

    Renner smiled just as she normally would. Before Climb stepped out of the room, he noticed that Rampossa III had passed a few potions to Renner.

    One could imagine what those were.

    Climb lowered his head and exited the room. He ran towards the hidden passageways.

    Afterwards, he used those passageways to enter the capital.

    It felt surreal. It was as though every inhabitant of the capital had disappeared. That was how silent it was.

    It was then when he heard the roar of some giant beast, but from his current position he could not figure out what that was. The capital was vast, if he did not have the vantage point of the castle or the city walls, it would be difficult for him to figure out what was going on.

    However, to the current Climb, that was not necessary. All he had to do was run full speed towards the warehouse.

    He did not run into anybody before he reached his destination.

    This was an urgent manner, but this ce was quite far away. In addition to how cautious he had been on his way here, he had spent quite a bit of time on the road.

    The warehouse was not as big as he had imagined. Climb got near the door and noticed that it was not locked.

    He returned the bell he had prepared back into his bag and snuck in.

    Nothing was stored in this warehouse, it was empty.

    The smell of dust carpeted his face. There were no light fixtures and the windows were shut, so it was terribly dark inside. There were however, rays of light that fell through some cracks, so it was not entirely dark.

    Climb walked through the entrance and held his breath. He concentrated on the sounds that came from the outside.

    He confirmed that there weren¡¯t any soundsing towards the warehouse and walked towards the wall opposite to him as he had been instructed to.

    There were many empty shelves there. He found the third shelf from the right and forcefully pushed it. At first, nothing happened, but after he applied more force gradually, a click could be heard. The shelf no longer resisted his push and swung open like a door.

    It was totally dark inside, a room without windows.

    Climb put on his helmet.

    With its power, he could make out his surroundings. In the empty room, on the floor, was a handle-like protrusion. Upon raising that handle, a spiral staircase downwards was revealed.

    At the bottom of the short staircase was a small room with a single shelf.

    It was equally empty as the rest, nothing of substance was on it. The dust that had built up in the room formed a thickyer that covered everything. He ced the royal treasures there.

    After that, his mission wasplete.

    Climb returned to the surface and exited the warehouse.

    He had to run back at full speed now.

    He looked back towards the castle and could not help but mutter, ¡°heh?¡±

    The castle was snow white. Thick walls surrounded the castle, but they were painted white too. Light shone on it reflected off brilliantly.

    To a third-party, it must have been a beautiful sight, but as one of its residents, this was an urgent situation¡ª

    ¡°Ah! G-great, you weren¡¯t squished...umm...it would be dangerous for you to stay here you know?¡±

    He heard a child¡¯s voice next to him.

    He looked towards where the voice came from. Atop the warehouse was a girl who was looking down at him. In her hands was a ck staff. Her skin tone was dark, she was probably of the race known as Dark Elves.

    ¡°You are...?¡±

    ¡°...eh, um, umm, ummm. This ce is scheduled for demolition...so, umm, because you might get caught up in it, it would be better for you to leave here quickly okay?¡±

    Now that she had said that, he understood.

    This girl was undoubtedly from the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    His hands, reaching to unsheathe his sword, stopped itself.

    While she did not appear to be strong, it would not be possible for her to have made her way here alone. It would be dangerous to treat her as a simple girl.

    Although he might win this fight, if he was to cause a disturbance here and cause the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s undead to gather around, he would not be able to return to Renner¡¯s side. His duty was not to defeat the enemy, but to serve by her side.

    Plus, had Renner not repeatedly warned him about this?

    He wanted to look back at the warehouse, but managed to quell that urge. Since he could not kill her to silence her, he should try his best not to rouse her suspicion.

    Climb turned his back on the girl and ran. Compared to his fear of receiving an attack from the rear, his desire to return to Renner as soon as possible was much stronger.

    Climb began to run. The moment he turned a corner, he heard the sound of buildings copsing. He had to kill the urge to check what was going on.

    The attack he was watching out for never happened. Climb arrived safely at the entrance to the passageways. While he checked if he was being followed, Climb noticed the plums of smoke rising up to the skies.

    ¡°...The capital is on fire?¡±

    Because of the houses blocking his light of sight, he could not confirm where the smoke wasing from, but he was certain that it was from more than a couple of sources.

    So that girl was not part of the vanguard, but a sizable contingent of the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s army had already made their way in and were piging the city.

    So why could he not hear any screams¡ª

    Climb ignored the questions that arose in him.

    He did not have time to waste on these questions. He had to return to Renner¡¯s side and report that he hadpleted his mission. After that, he could remain by her side until the end.

    Climb ran through the passageway and returned to the pce.

    Inside the pce, it was quiet and calm. He could not understand why.

    Previously, the castle appeared to have frozen over. That was undeniably the result of some form of attack by the Sorcerous Kingdom. If that was the case, while there might not be many left, there should still be a few knights remaining to defend the ce.

    Even though this ce was far away from the knights¡¯ defensive lines, he should still be able to hear some sort of noise, even if it was just the sound of a sword shing against something. Speaking of which¡ª

    {It¡¯s even quieter than before.}

    Compared to before, the silence became even more ufortable. Nevermind the pce, the loneliness he felt right now was like if he was thest man in this world.

    Climb intentionally ran with heavier steps to make more noise as he made his way to the king¡¯s room. Perhaps he should have followed protocol in how he opened the door, but Climb did not care anymore. He opened the door with all his might.

    No one was there.

    He looked around. He could neither find Renner nor Rampossa III.

    The king¡¯s room was connected to another room, perhaps they were there. Just as Climb was about to cross the threshold, he noticed that there was a piece of paper on the table.

    It was the same type of paper Renner had used to draw the map.

    He picked it up and looked at it.

    It was Renner¡¯s familiar handwriting, instructions for him to go to the throne room.

    The next moment, Climb had run out of the room.

    As Climb got close to the throne room, he slowed down. The corridor to the throne room was filled with multiple figures on both sides. None of which he had seen before in the pce.

    Their faces were pale white ¡ª women who could not have been human.

    They had to be the Sorcerer King¡¯s subordinates. They did not seem to be antagonizing Climb, who had run at them. Well no, it was more like they were not interested in him at all.

    Should he unsheathe, or should he not.

    Climb could not make up his mind. One of the women spoke.

    ¡°Please enter,st human of this court.¡±

    After she said that, she shut her mouth in a disinterested manner.

    He had a bad feeling about what she had said, a chill was sent down Climb¡¯s spine.

    Climb ran between the women towards the throne room.

    In the subsequent moment, so much information flooded his brain that he had a sensory overload.

    Sat upon the throne was not Rampossa III, but a skeletal monster that radiated overwhelming pressure ¡ª the Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown. To his left and right was a man with a long tail, the Prime Minister of the Sorcerous Kingdom, Albedo, and an insectoid monster that looked like it was made out of ice.

    Not far from them, lifeless and on the floor, was Rampossa III. His clothes were stained dark red and next to him sat Renner, her clothes soaked in blood. On the ground, close by, was Razor Edge.

    The de of the sword was coated with blood. There was no mistaking it, this was the weapon used to kill Rampossa III.

    ¡°Princess¡±

    ¡°Climb¡±

    ¡°Hon,¡± someone elseughed. A mockingugh, probably.

    Climb stood between Renner and them and readied his sword. Both of them will probably die right here. To protect Renner till the end in spite of that fact was Climb¡¯s ultimate demonstration of loyalty.

    ¡°In front of Ainz-sama, your head is raised too high up.¡¸Kneel¡¹.¡±

    Climb immediately kneeled. He could not resist at all. It was more urate to say that before he had noticed, his body had already adopted this posture. He noticed the one behind him had done the same.

    Renner.

    The image of Renner being mind-controlled shed through his mind and everything began to click together.

    ¡°You controlled ¡ª controlled Renner-sama like this?¡±

    The tragedy in front of the throne: Renner was controlled and forced to kill her own father. His anger boiled over yet he still could not move. It was as though this body was no longer his.

    ¡°Ahhh, I remember. I have met with him during my duel with Gazef Stronoff. Undo themand mantra.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡¸You are free¡¹.¡±

    With the mental restraints removed, Climb jumped sideways to pick up Razor Edge, which was on the ground. He stood up rapidly, adjusted his breath, and adopted a stance. His opponent, was the Sorcerer King.

    Of course, this was meaningless against the opponent who was able to kill the Warrior Captain at such a speed that he could not follow his movements with his eyes at all. Still, he was Renner¡¯s meat-shield. What good would he be if he did not stand between them.

    The Sorcerer King got up from the throne and walked leisurely towards Climb.

    ¡°You should be grateful that a king, such as I, would be willing to personally duel with you. Ah yes...if I win, I shall be taking that sword.¡±

    The Sorcerer King walked towards him without a care, he was not on guard for him at all.

    Anger upied Climb¡¯s body and mind.

    This was all his fault.

    If he did not exist, peace would be the status quo, no one would have died¡ª

    ¡°¡ªthe princess would not have had to experience this sorrow!¡±

    The Sorcerer King looked like he was sneering at him.

    A sh would not be able to reach him. He thought about how the Warrior Captain was in. What was his best move?

    He held on tight to Razor Edge¡ª

    The Sorcerer King took a step and at that moment, Climb threw Razor Edge with all of his strength.

    It looked like not even the Sorcerer King had expected this.

    As he threw the sword, he lost his bnce.

    Climb closed the distance between them, clenched his fist, and punched him.

    His fist was aimed at the Sorcerer King¡¯s face.

    ¡°Climb!¡±

    He heard Renner mournfully call out his name.

    Skeleton-type monsters being weak to bludgeoning damage was a well-known fact, yet he felt intense pain once his fist connected.

    The Sorcerer King on the other hand, did not appear to be affected by it at all.

    ¡°If this was a fairy tale¡ª¡±

    The Sorcerer King extended his hand at an unbelievable speed to grab on to Climb¡¯s breastte. He tried to escape, but he couldn¡¯t even pry his hand open.

    ¡°¡ªpassion would awake dormant power, to grant you the ability to defeat me.¡±

    The Sorcerer King picked Climb up. His resistance did not have any effect, as if he was struggling against a sturdy wall.

    ¡°But ¡ª this is reality. Nothing so perfect would happen.¡±

    He was thrown. Climb¡¯s body flew through the air for quite a while before falling to the ground.

    The impact of his back hitting the floor knocked the air out of him.

    Climb stood up in panic and looked at the Sorcerer King. After tossing Climb, he did not take another step. He did not seem to have considered making a follow-up attack.

    This was exuberance afforded to him by his overwhelming strength.

    ¡°You will die here...you are not worth saving. You, who are without talent nor ability, do not deserve salvation. However, do not despair.¡±

    The Sorcerer King appeared to be looking at Climb, but also not at the same time. His eyes appeared to be looking somewhere far away.

    ¡°This world is unequal. The inequality you experienced started the moment you were born. The birth of those with talent meant that of course, there are those born without talent. Furthermore, the environment one was born into differs. A rich family versus a poor family, even the personality of your fellow brothers and sisters matter. Those who were lucky will go on to have fulfilling lives, but those who were not, do not. However, I must reiterate, do not despair at such inequalities. The reason for this ¡ª is because death is the equalizer gifted to all. That is to say ¡ª me. Only the mercy bestowed by the ruler of death to all could be regarded as absolute equality in a world riddled with inequalities.¡±

    Climb could not understand what he was talking about at all, he was probably telling him to rest in peace the long way round.

    He could not help but be overwhelmed by his presence.

    He is death, a being no living thing could oppose. It was as though Climb was about to be swallowed up by the Sorcerer King¡¯s pride alone.

    The difference between them, on a biological level, was too great.

    Of course, the Sorcerer King, head of a state and one who wielded magic that could easily destroy an army, was entirely differentpared to the talentless warrior that was Climb. However, the difference between them was not just so.

    It was like that of an ant, yearning for the skies. That, was the difference between their domains.

    Even so ¡ª even though he knew full well that he could not win, he had made his resolve to give his all, to be Renner¡¯s meat-shield till the end of the very end.

    Courage surged through him.

    Hisnguished heart burned once more.

    Yes

    All of this was for Renner.

    For the woman who had saved him on that rainy day.

    For her, who saw him as human¡ª

    ¡°...I see. Those eyes.¡±

    The Sorcerer King said something strange.

    He must have sensed Climb¡¯s intent to battle. The Sorcerer King exposed his defenceless back towards Climb, picked up Razor Edge whichid on the ground, and tossed it towards him.

    ¡°Rise up.¡±

    The Sorcerer King extended one hand and in an instant, a ck sword appeared. The length of the de was around that of a longsword.

    Climb stared at the Sorcerer King without raising his guard while he picked up Razor Edge. To have left openings in this moment could not have been helped. He thought about Gazef¡¯s duel. Right before the fight began, the Sorcerer King had said himself that weapons without adequate enchantments could not damage him, but also that this sword could kill him.

    Even this set ¡ª this set of armour granted to him by Renner, which had multiple enchantments imbued on it, could not break his defence. This was a depressing fact, one he had confirmed in that strike.

    ¡°Climb...¡±

    To Renner, who leaned towards him with worry in her eyes, Climb smiled and whispered.

    ¡°Princess, I will buy you some time. If...you wish, please do it sooner thanter.¡±

    His thoughts were conveyed as Renner nodded her head.

    Climb created some distance between him and Renner before he raised Razor Edge.

    ¡°Have you bid you farewell?¡±

    ¡°I wish to ask. After you kill me, will you kill the princess too?¡±

    The Sorcerer King remained silent.

    Climb couldn¡¯t help but find that odd.

    This wasn¡¯t an asion to be silent. What answered his question was a ¡±hehe¡± from the Sorcerer King, a softughter.

    ¡°How shall I torment you...? The best way would be to not answer your question.¡±

    ¡°Sorcerer King!¡±

    He swung Razor Edge, which was easily caught by the Sorcerer King¡¯s sword. After multiple strikes, the Sorcerer King remained standing where he stood.

    The Sorcerer King did not attack him, he was ying with him instead, like someone would do to entertain a child.

    However, this was fine by him.

    He raised Razor Edge up high and bet everything in this single strike.

    As before, the Sorcerer King parried his attack with that sword of pure ck.

    Now was the time.

    To bet everything he had.

    Climb activated his martial arts. Not only that, but he had also activated the ring¡¯s ability too. At that moment, Climb¡¯sbat prowess surged significantly.

    In that case ¡ª because the Sorcerer King had gotten used to his usual moments, this strike was more like an ambush.

    He pretended to use all of his strength to swing the sword down, rxed his muscles, and pulled the sword back with all his might the moment it was blocked. In a single stroke, he thrust it towards the red orb in the Sorcerer King¡¯s stomach.

    He had been thinking since a long time back.

    That was probably the Sorcerer King¡¯s weak spot.

    Even if it was not, if he managed to break it, would that not also count as a form of revenge?

    ¡°¡ªoooof.¡±

    ¡°¡ªI see, an impressive attack.¡±

    The attack he had put all of his strength into, was caught dead in its tracks by the Sorcerer King with a single hand.

    Climb felt his shoulder burn, a moist sensation began expanding from it, and in the next moment, the heat turned into intense pain.

    He jumped back immediately, knowing that his shoulder had been shed.

    The armour given to him by Renner was cleaved through this easily by the Sorcerer King¡¯s de. That said, it did not appear to have weapon destruction abilities, because the armour itself did not break.

    He could still move his arm, but the problem was that he could no longer do the same attack he just did.

    The thought that he could avenge those who had fallen was but a mere dream.

    ¡°Could Razor Edge break a World-ss Item? I am very interested in the result of such an experiment. If it could damage one, that sword¡¯s value would skyrocket. That said¡ª¡± the Sorcerer King threw his sword and it disappeared midair, ¡°¡ªI can afford to wait till after I kill you to run those experiments.¡±

    It looked like the Sorcerer King was about to cast magic.

    Climbughed. The Sorcerer King chose to use magic against someone like him, so he could not allow his opponent enough time to cast.

    Climb leapt. As he heard the words ¡°[Grasp Heart]¡±, he felt intense pain, as if his body was being ripped apart from the inside.

    ¡°Outstanding.¡±

    And then¡ª

    His vision¡ª

    Really¡ª

    Meant¡ª

 Volume 14: 4 - Well-Prepared Traps (Part 11)

    ¡°I shall excuse myself then, woof.¡±

    He heard an unfamiliar voice by his side followed by the sound of doors being shut. It woke him right up, like a trigger being activated.

    Something should have happened, but everything felt like it had withered away. He felt something akin to the feeling of forgetting a dream in the morning.

    Climb felt like his muscles and bones had melted as he could not summon any strength at all. Even the simple act of twisting his neck was a struggle.

    He tried his best to survey his surroundings.

    The most luxurious room Climb had seen so far in his life had been Renner¡¯s, but this far surpassed hers in opulence. He had something of a photographic memory, yet he could not recall ever seeing this room in the pce.

    What had happened to him?

    Why...was he still alive?

    Also ¡ª what happened to his master?

    Although he could not move his body well, he could feel the presence of someone else in the room.

    ¡°Aaaa...¡±

    He tried to call out to them, but the sounds that came out of him could not constitute speech. Still, the person in the room had understood him as they hurriedly rushed over.

    ¡°Climb! You woke up!¡±

    He still could not vocalize, but that was to be expected. His entire body was without strength, so not even his vocal cords could move. Yet that was not the reason why he did not speak, it was because of the flurry of emotions that upied his mind.

    His eyes were filled with tears.

    That¡¯s right, this was all a nightmare.

    The Kingdom being attacked by the Sorcerous Kingdom and how Renner had been forced to make her resolve to die had all just been a nightmare.

    ¡°Aaa, saa...¡±

    ¡°Uhmm, yes. I am Renner. Climb.¡±

    The same smile as usual.

    No, she was at the edge of his sightline yet he could still tell clearly, this was different from her usual smile.

    Did something happen?

    Climb moved his eyes to discover something bizarre on her back.

    ck wings.

    Like that of a bat¡¯s.

    It pped around, making ¡°whap whap¡± noises as it went along.

    Even if it was manmade, it was way too realistic. In any case, he should stop making up lies tofort himself.

    Perhaps she had realized the source of his confusion. Renner¡¯s expression became neutral.

    ¡°This thing...I was changed by the Sorcerer King¡¯s power. I am no longer a human ¡ª but a demon.¡±

    Climb¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°Saaaaaa...¡±

    ¡°What a tragedy, for me to have been the only one to have survived.¡±

    He wanted to tell her that what she said wasn¡¯t true, but he could not muster the strength to speak. He could only groan with ¡°aa¡ª¡± and ¡°oo¡ª¡± sounds.

    Droplets of tears began to fall.

    Renner gently wiped his tears away.

    Climb trembled with emotions as he groaned. No matter how much she had changed on the outside, she was still Renner on the inside.

    ¡°So...you must be curious about why you are still alive, correct? Before I answer that question...Climb...are you willing to listen to something selfish that I have to say? I have been turned into a demon, so I will remain in this world forever. Living alone would be a terribly painful thing to do.¡±

    Renner looked towards him.

    ¡°Climb, are you willing to turn into a demon as well?¡±

    He did not hesitate, he had decided long ago to give his all for Renner. Climb struggled against his immobile body to nod his head.

    ¡°Thank you...then allow me to answer your question. The truth is, I have already sworn fealty to His Majesty the Sorcerer King. That was the cost of your resurrection.¡±

    Climb widened his eyes once more.

    ¡°Do not let it weigh on your heart. I did not believe that this was a bad deal. After all, I would not have to live on my own...Climb, are you willing to swear fealty to His Majesty the Sorcerer King too?¡±

    ¡°Ye...s¡±

    While he was still a bit confused, if Renner was willing to swear fealty for his sake, he should choose to serve too. No, it was more urate to say that this was the only option he had.

    ¡°Thank you, Climb. After you swear fealty to His Majesty the Sorcerer King, he would most definitely force some tasks onto you to test your loyalty. It will probably be painful for you, and that saddens me a lot...¡±

    ¡°That, won¡¯t, be, the, case. ¡±

    ¡°...thank you...Climb, that is all I have to say for now. Take a rest, I will take good care of you.¡±

    She maintained her smile and disappeared from his view. From the direction where she went, he could hear the sound of doors opening followed by doors closing.

    Climb rxed.

    Immediately afterwards, his desire to sleep took hold of him.

    Climb, whose face was covered in tears, lost his consciousness as though he had just sunk into mud. The emotions behind those tears were tooplicated for himself to exin. Not even Climb himself knew why he cried.

    ----

    Renner left the bedroom and walked towards the neighbouring room. Upon noticing the person on the sofa, she knelt down in panic.

    ¡°Albedo-sama,¡± Renner took a deep bow, ¡°I could not thank our master in time, so I am terribly sorry for that. The preparation of the poison and the theatrics in the throne room, to have even troubled His Majesty the Sorcerer King to personally go there to help, I am deeply grateful for that.¡±

    ¡°Fufu. That is enough. There is no need to worry over these things. {If} it was for outstanding individuals, such trivialities are well worth the time.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much, Albedo-sama.¡±

    The ¡°if¡± part of that sentence was somewhat stressed more than the others, causing Renner to shudder. She did not know if they had seen through her even in this aspect. Albedo did not continue, but she felt her gaze on the back of her head.

    ¡°...Fufu. There is no need to be this tense around me. Demiurge and I have a full grasp on your capabilities through this event with the Kingdom.¡±

    Back then, from the moment she had met with the demon Demiurge to the destruction of the Kingdom, around 90% of the n had been suggested by Renner herself. She had expertly manipted all sides through their conceit. The only thing she was wary of, was when the n had changed to the ughter of almost all citizens of the Kingdom. She was worried about whether or not she would be thrown away afterwards. Other than that, things had gone mostly ording to her ns.

    ¡°Such exceptional abilities must be put to their full use in Nazarick ¡ª under mymand.¡±

    ¡°Naturally, Albedo-sama.¡±

    ¡°Ainz-sama had high praise for you. I will not allow you to disappoint him.¡±

    Minor, she could only detect a minor difference, but Albedo¡¯s tone had changed somewhat.

    Renner continued to act subserviently. In this situation, this was probably the smartest choice she could make.

    ¡°The reward for your service from now on, for the next millennia, will be given to you in advance.¡±

    The sound of something being ced on the table could be heard.

    ¡°The Fallen Seed I gave you before, this is another one of them. The next step would be to prepare the sacrifice. You may start after he recovers. While magic could speed up the recovery, based on your specifications we will not do such a thing.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much, Albedo-sama. Please do convey my thanks to His Majesty the Sorcerer King as well.¡±

    ¡°Renner. I will reiterate...do not disappoint me. This was not given to you because you have inherent value as a hostage, but something you had earned through your actions and the trust that had been built up between us. Do you understand?¡±

    Upon hearing her gentle yet frigid voice, Renner bowed her head even lower than before.

    ¡°...Yes, Albedo-sama. To repay your generosity, your servant I will maintain, no, I will strive to serve you better than I have.¡±

    Her superior left behind a softugh as she stood up and left.

    Renner kept her head down until she heard the sound of the door being closed. She breathed a huge sigh of relief. Mixed in her breath were lingering sensations of fear.

    She had ovee the final hurdle.

    The other party was a ruthless demon after all, it would not have been strange for her to have said that all of this was to raise her hopes up only to dash it at thest moment. Yet nothing of that sort happened. The weight on her shoulders was finally lifted, but she could not allow herself to believe for a single moment that her position was absolutely safe and secure.

    For her to have gained their trust ¡ª was impossible. The best-case scenario was that they believed her to be valuable as a pawn, one worthy of their favour. That was why Renner had to contribute as much as she could. If she could not prove herself worthy of their grace, things would go south fast.

    This was the home of those monsters after all, they knew full well that she was absolutely powerless here no matter how hard she tried. Yet, not even that was enough for them.

    For that reason, Renner had to expose her weaknesses to them, the more the better. She had essentially handed over the other end of the leash to them to tell them that she was a loyal pet and that they were her masters. She had to make the superior-inferior rtionship between them as clear-cut as possible. If she had not done so, they would probably not even bother to feign trust in her.

    That was why they had put on such a show in the throne room.

    Climb was Renner¡¯s biggest weakness ¡ª to show how important he was to her, she had spoken of him in the first conversation she had with Albedo ¡ª only when this truth was presented in front of these monsters, would she have truly put on the cor.

    Climb¡¯s value as their hostage had to be realized, but she had a separate reason for it too. However, it appeared as though she had been seen through, but since things had turned out better than she had expected, it wasn¡¯t much of an issue.

    There was something else that not even Renner could foresee.

    She did not imagine that the Sorcerer King would act out that character himself.

    {What a terrifying Supreme Being.}

    Every time Renner thought about the being named Ainz Ooal Gown, she could not help but shudder all over.

    It would have been more than enough for the Prime Minister Albedo to have acted that scene out, but the Sorcerer King would deign to essentially act the role of jester himself. This must have meant that he held quite a high opinion of her. ¡°That is to say, the sovereign of a nation had gone out of his way to cooperate with your boring y. Surely you understand what that means?¡± was probably what Albedo was implying through her statements.

    Albedo must have been against that decision.

    If someone she admired had to stoop to act upon a stage, it would displease her too. Which meant that her goodwill for Renner, the person responsible for him being on that stage, had probably dried up.

    {If His Majesty the Sorcerer King had intentionally gone against Albedo-sama to act out that scene, that would make things even worse for me. If they were to believe even for a split second that I was no longer of use to them, I would surely be disposed of...}

    She had nned to only demonstrate a portion of her abilities and hide her true capabilities for now, but now that the Sorcerer King had personallye to cooperate with her, she had been forced into a corner.

    {...His Majesty the Sorcerer King had probably already foreseen all of this. It appears that an exceptional superior would not necessarily be good news for their subordinates.}

    Despite all of that, Renner still smiled.

    Her dream of the past was minuscule. It only grew to how wondrous it was now because she had met them.

    How lucky was she that she could realise such a dream through the simple betrayal and sacrifice of the Kingdom?

    She wanted to dance.

    She wanted to sing.

    The joy in her heart was overflowing.

    She was truly, truly overjoyed. Her brain felt like it could break from all of this happiness.

    Demons were immortal. Being locked up in here meant that she had just found shelter in the safest ce in the world.

    If that was the case ¡ª Renner looked towards the door behind her. No, towards the young man sleeping on the bed inside.

    ¡°Climb. Stay here with me forever~ Let us exchange our first times today.¡±

    Renner almost melted as she spoke.

    ¡°Or should I treasure it more ¡ª and stop myself short of that today? This is the first time I have been met with such a dilemma ¡ª aaaah, such bliss.¡±

 Volume 14: Epilogue

    Elias Brandt Dale Raeven stepped off his carriage, only to find himself dumbfounded, frightfully staring at the scene in front of him.

    Spread out in front of his eyes was a mountain of rubble.

    It was hard for him to believe that this was the capital. It would have been more believable if someone had told him that this was all an illusion, but that was not the case. The scene in front of him was the truth, the conclusion of a battle.

    Marquis Raeven¡¯s expression contorted at the sight of the tragedy in front of him.

    How much manpower and time would have been necessary to ruin a city asrge as the capital to this extent?

    Either quantity would be unimaginable to him, the only one with the power to realize this was the Sorcerer King, who could only be described as inhuman.

    The footsteps behind him got closer as a voice began to speak to him.

    ¡°Marquis...¡±

    It was a noble from his own faction, one that had apanied him on his way here. Although he was a mere baron, Marquis Raeven held his abilities in high regard. It was to the extent where he had nned to raise this man¡¯s title before anyone else.

    For that reason alone, when asked by the Sorcerer King¡¯s subordinate which of the nobles were outstanding enough to spare, this man was the second person he named. Not even such a distinguished man could bring himself to speak, because he too could not hide his fear, and so they quivered. He must be experiencing the same emotions as Raeven himself upon witnessing the scene in front of them.

    Marquis Raeven looked back and confirmed that all twelve nobles had descended from the ten carriages.

    ¡°Our audience awaits.¡±

    No one objected and that was to be expected. They had been summoned to this ce by the Sorcerer King so there was no way they would still be able to say things along the lines of ¡°let¡¯s not.¡± They could not even muster that much courage in the first ce ¡ª no, it was more urate to say that none of them were so foolhardy.

    The problem now was, they had been told toe to the capital without a specified location.

    Marquis Raeven took a look around to discover a still-standing structure far away: the pce. The castle grounds, meant to serve as the pce¡¯s defence, had been rendered to rubble too.

    The reason why Marquis Raeven could spot it from where they were was probably because they had cleared out the rubble around it on purpose.

    A sole structure amid a mountain of rubble. Raeven had not given this proper thought beforehand, but this was no salvation. On the contrary, it had be an item that inspired an unspeakable and violent disgust in those who saw it.

    ¡°Let us proceed.¡±

    Marquis Raeven¡¯s entourage was currently at the ruins of what used to be the capital¡¯s walls, so the pce was quite a distance away from them. While it might be faster for them to ride over, they had to avoid being seen in their carriages for fear of disrespect. They were there early for the scheduled time for their audience anyways, so they could make it there with plenty of time left even if they walked the entire way there.

    Marquis Raeven stumbled around as he walked forward.

    ¡°Was this that street...?¡±

    He heard someone behind him mutter.

    The main street towards the pce was free of rubble. It was so clean that it was probably swept before this.

    In other words, the only thing that remained intact here was the street. None of the houses nor the walls to the sides of the street remained. It seemed likely that they were demolished and then burnt clean. On their way to the capital they had seen viges and cities that were destroyed too, yet none of them matched the extent of destruction on disy in the capital.

    ¡°Marquis, the capital¡¯s inhabitants...¡±

    ¡°¡ªspeak of this no more.¡±

    They must have been worried about the safety of this city¡¯s residents. However, Raeven had not heard of them being relocated nor had he seen refugees outside of the capital. Given that was the case, there could be only one fate for them.

    Marquis Raeven looked to the ruins to his sides. How many people were buried underneath? He even felt as though he was walking through a giant graveyard.

    Raeven no longer used his nose to breath because he did not want to smell the pungent smell of corpses. But, miraculously, there was no such scent at all. The only smells that lingered in the air were the unbearable scent of burnt items and ashes.

    They had walked for some time now, but were still far away from the pce.

    Were their hearts weakened by the sight of such tragedy? Raeven heard someone mumble.

    ¡°¡ªmad king¡±

    (TL¡¯s note: ¿ñÍõ, a reference to Fire Emblem¡¯s Ashnard, who has the same VA as Ainz)

    Marquis Raeven immediately turned around and yelled.

    ¡°You bastard!¡±

    His sharp gaze circled around the nobles, of which there was one whoseplexion was pale and whose face was constantly twitching.

    Those who had lived long enough as nobility would have learned to subdue their emotions just to hide their expressions, yet the sight in front of him still made him yield internally.

    He could empathize with them, but even if he concurred with that thought, they were {here}. It would not be advised to make an enemy out of {them}, so he had to vocally rebuke them.

    ¡°You all are phenomenal talents, that was why I chose to save you...so try to avoid squandering my efforts through such gaffes... There is no need to apologize to or thank me. Just please try to understand where I aming from.¡±

    No responses, but he had faith that his intentions were well-conveyed.

    ¡°Marquis-sama. Umm, if we just walk without talking, our minds would naturally be upied by depressing thoughts. How about we speak of some positive topics as we walk along?¡±

    ¡°...that is a good suggestion. Then...shall we talk about the birth of my second child?¡±

    The nobles congratted him in unison. In these past few miserable months, to Marquis Raeven, this was the only good news that triumphed over all. That was why he had spoken to them of this topic multiple times already.

    He would praise his child for hours on end, but what he talked about was mostly without substance.

    However, considering the fact that it could alleviate the mood a little, he still spoke of his child. When he snapped back to reality, they had already walked halfway on the long road to the pce.

    Perhaps he might have said a bit ¡ª indeed, only a bit ¡ª too much.

    Though he still had so much more to say, he knew it was time for him to stop. Raeven purposefully faked a cough.

    Everyone who had tuned him out already tensed up at this.

    ¡°Well then, we shall speak more of my child when we return. What should we propose to the Sorcerer King so that our children may live happily in the future?¡±

    They had discussed this topic many times before arriving here, but it was about time that they reached a conclusion.

    Marquis Raeven surveyed their surroundings to confirm that there were no soldiers from the Sorcerous Kingdom around.

    ¡°While this is a question we have to face straight on, His Majesty the Sorcerer King is undead after all. Unlike living beings like us, his rule will be evesting. Will our grandchildren and great-grandchildren forget this scene and do something to enrage His Majesty?¡±

    ¡°That is highly likely. Though our grandchildren may do fine, those thate after them worry me.¡±

    ¡°After all, idiots could inherit the role of family head.¡±

    ¡°...Honestly, we do not have to take that much responsibility. If pushes to shove, why don¡¯t we just allow them to perish? Grant them a quick death?¡±

    A speech that would shock anyone who took pride in their noble bloodline, was made by a female lord whose family had only ascended tonded nobility during her father¡¯s generation. She was here as a representative of her sick father.

    Because it hade from someone whose roots in nobility did not run that deep, many had put on displeased expressions.

    ¡°Look at what is in front of you, things would not end with just one¡¯s family being ughtered.¡± Raeven¡¯s words made her cast her gaze to the ground, ¡°...so that is why these are the only things we could do: Have this tragic scene drawn for posterity and tell our children of what happened here. We will have to beg His Majesty the Sorcerer King to preserve this scene.¡±

    ¡°Were we not supposed to build a new city on these grounds?¡±

    Raeven heard a question from his right, which was met with a rebuttal to his left.

    ¡°Rebuild this when it has been ruined to this state? Do you not find that a bit hard to imagine?¡±

    Marquis Raeven agreed with thetter. However, the Sorcerer King possessed power that neither he nor the entire human race could muster. Perhaps he wished to build his ideal city from the ground up, and that was why he had done what he did.

    But, if they lingered on this thought, they would get nowhere.

    ¡°Also, what about the hostage situation? Marquis?¡±

    This was the topic he hated the most.

    Raeven bit down on his lower lip.

    They were not sure if the Sorcerer King would demand hostages from them, but,pared to the other party suggesting this, it would be more favourable for them to propose this idea. Marquis Raeven racked his brain and arrived at a conclusion.

    ¡°I will be the one to suggest the proposal to the Sorcerer King.¡±

    In order words, he was advocating that they actively hand over hostages. Many of the nobles probably disagreed with his decision in their hearts, but none of them spoke up nor changed expressions.

    After they had made their final decisions on a number of subjects, the pce finally came into view.

    What Raeven and the rest saw was a mountain of rubble that appeared to be blocking the entrance. Perched atop it was an undead being.

    The undead was conversing with the Prime Minister of the Sorcerous Kingdom, Albedo. Perhaps they had detected their presence, because they turned to face them.

    There was still a bit of distance between them, but Raeven and his entourage began to sprint.

    Once they got closer, they finally figured out the true form of the mountain of rubble the Sorcerer King sat on. Well, it would be incorrect to call it a ¡®true form¡¯ because it was indeed a mountain of rubble, yet from a different point of view it was not.

    ced on top of it was something radiant: the crown of the Kingdom.

    That was a throne made out of rubble, an art piece symbolizing the end of the Kingdom.

    It was hard for them to imagine that the rubble that constituted this throne was from this city. Perhaps it had been transported over from some enviable ce.

    Terrifying.

    A monster who was capable of conceiving such an idea and could also execute it as is, was terrifying.

    They ran with all of their might and took a knee in front of him almost as if they had tripped over. ¡®Hooo, hooo¡¯ they heaved, terribly out of breath.

    ¡°We are here to pay our respects to Your Majesty the Sorcerer King.¡±

    Marquis Raeven bowed and felt the Sorcerer King nce at the back of his head.

    ¡°Raeven, correct? You made it here just in time. That said, umm...how should I put this, regte your breath first...? You have worked up quite a lot of sweat after all.¡±

    ¡°T-to have shown such a disgraceful sight to you, I must profusely apologize.¡±

    His voice wasced with so much familiarity that it shocked him. That was exactly why he was terrifying.

    His brain screamed the word ¡®trap¡¯ to him. Their situation would only worsen if they kept up their unkemptness. Raeven pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his forehead.

    ¡°...I summoned you all here after all, etiquette would dictate that I greet you first. However, I dislike meaningless chatter, so let us be prompt.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    Was he about to speak to Raeven and the others about something they had not discussed before?

    ¡°My ¡ª the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s army had destroyed thend of the nobles to the West and to the South of this city. They will be returning soon. You all should administer to yournds as usual. Although we might alter territorial designations in the future, we have not nned to do so yet ¡ª am I correct, Albedo?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is just as Ainz-sama had surmised.¡±

    ¡°That is about it. From now on, Albedo will notify you of any important changes we might make to your demesnes. You should follow the samews you have been up to this point.¡±

    Not just Raeven, but the other nobles piped up to respond too.

    ¡°Do you have any questions or things that you are confused about?¡±

    ¡°None at all! It is just that, to prove mine and my fellow nobles¡¯ loyalty, your servant I would like to make a few proposals.¡±

    Marquis Raeven spoke as though he was coughing up blood. After he had said these words that gave him depression, he saw that the Sorcerer King had turned his head to look at something distant. He might be thinking something along the lines of ¡°mere humans dare to speak to me other than to answer my questions? Such arrogance.¡±

    Had he displeased him? Raeven felt as though his stomach had been filled with lead. If he was about to be done with gruelling work, only to have his subordinate add more documents to the pile, he would probably be making a simr expression to the one the Sorcerer King had on right now. Raeven thought about these things in a vain attempt to escape reality.

    After what felt like an eternity had passed, the Sorcerer Kingzily spoke, ¡°Hmmm, is that so? Just speak to Albedo after this.¡±

    ¡°That concludes this conversation then... Right, to allow people to realize how idiotic it would be to oppose me and my country, this ce will be left in its current state. That said, if some gue were to be born from this, it would be quite troublesome. For that reason, we will be applying magic here after burning it through and through. To avoid getting caught up in that, remember not to allow anyone near here.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    ¡°¡ªAlbedo, summon Guren here and burn it all to the ground. However, the pce¡¯s beautiful exterior must be preserved. Move the furniture and whatnot inside to E-Rantel.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Although he wanted to know who Guren was, it was probably something not meant for his ears. If he had to categorize things into ¡®should know¡¯ and ¡®should never find out¡¯, everything surrounding the Sorcerer King probably belonged to thetter.

    ¡°Now then, although the Kingdom had been utterly destroyed ¡ª Raeven, I must ask. The true extent of how moronic it would be to oppose me must bemon knowledge by now, correct?¡±

    ¡°Yes... The fact of how foolish it would be to oppose Your Highness the mighty Sorcerer King will surely bemon knowledge for aeons toe.¡±

    Because his head was bowed, he could not tell what expression the Sorcerer King had ¡ª of course, the Sorcerer King did not have any skin and thus no expression to speak of ¡ª but, he could sense a hint of joy in his response.

    ¡°Is that so? Then what we have done here was worth it. I am rather satisfied because of that.¡±

    Hearing the opinions of the Sorcerer King, one who had ughtered eight million of the Kingdom¡¯s people, gave Raeven an intense urge to vomit. He could not help but pray.

    That one day a hero would y this demon king.

    ----

    ¡°I did nothing wrong¡±

    Philip repeated the same phrase he had already repeated multiple times throughout this week.

    Indeed, his actions definitely did not spark the war. This was all a ploy by the Sorcerous Kingdom. If he thought about it that way, everything would finally make logical sense.

    He was exploited.

    There was a chance that the reason why hisnds did not produce an abundant harvest and why his proposals never seemed to pass was because of the schemes of the Sorcerous Kingdom.

    {They must have either paid those guys off or spoke ill of me. I knew they did something against me. Of course, that had to be it!}

    Philip got off his bed and extended his hand towards the nightstand. He picked up the bottle on it and swirled it around, but he knew from the weight alone that it was free of water already.

    ¡°Pfff¡±

    Philip clicked his tongue and looked around his room.

    Scattered all over the floor were empty bottles of liquor. Although the room might be filled with a strong scent of alcohol, Philip¡¯s nose had long adapted to it so he would not be able to tell the difference.

    He randomly chose a bottle from the ground and held it to his lips, but not even a single drop went down his throat.

    ¡°Fuck!¡±

    He threw the bottle.

    At the sound of the bottle shattering, he became even more frustrated.

    ¡°Oy! I¡¯m out of booze!¡±

    Even if he yelled, no one would serve him alcohol anymore. Usually there would be maids ¡ª Hilma¡¯s people ¡ª on standby in this room, but now that he thought about it, he felt like he hadn¡¯t seen her in a long time.

    ¡°Bring more booze!¡±

    He yelled once more.

    His body wobbled around. ¡®Oww¡¯ he winced as he supported himself on his bed. Rather than his drunkenness, his body was probably more sluggish due to the fact that he had not left this room for many days now.

    Philip walked slowly to the door.

    ¡°Oy! Where the hell is everybody!?¡±

    He yelled while kicking the door with all of his might. He did not use his fist out of fear that it could hurt.

    No response. He clicked his tongue, opened the door, and yelled at the top of his lungs once more.

    ¡°Are you all deaf! I said I am out of booze! Bring more!¡±

    Still no response.

    Philip angrily left the room.

    The house was quiet.

    His father and his older brother¡¯s family had all moved elsewhere because Philip wanted to make use of the main house. Only servants remained here other than him.

    While it was a noble¡¯s mansion, it was only one befitting a mere baron. He could easily reach the dining room from his own room.

    As he opened the door to the dining room, Philip¡¯s eyes widened.

    That was because he had noticed a woman in white, sitting upon one of the chairs.

    ¡°Hoooh, are you awake now? You took so long that I was almost about to head over to get you myself.¡±

    That was the Prime Minister of the Sorcerous Kingdom, Albedo. Her smile remained unchanged from the first time he had met her. She did not appear to be mad at Philip for what he had done. Suddenly, the thought that the Sorcerous Kingdom probably did not even give a damn about what he had done surfaced in Philip¡¯s mind.

    Indeed.

    If they were truly mad with him, they would have begun their invasion with Philip¡¯s demesne first. They had not done so however, so in other words, they were not mad at him. On the contrary, they should be grateful to him for giving them a reason to start a war with the Kingdom. Perhaps she was there to express their gratitude.

    No, no. Maybe she had not found out yet. Maybe they did not know that it was Philip who did all of that.

    Albedo¡¯s smile was infectious, causing Philip to smile at her too.

    ¡°T-Thank you foring over to such a wretched ce, Albedo-sama. I cannot believe that you had to wait here! I will definitely scold those servantster.¡±

    Albedo was stunned for a moment, before smiling wryly.

    ¡°To have reached this extent is honestly impressive. I am somewhat in awe...fufu, I am here to finish what must be done, but before that, I have brought you a present. Do you wish to open it?¡±

    ced on top of the table was a white box at least fifty centimeters wide.

    Philip regretted that he had stayed in bed for so long as he lifted the top of the box. A wonderful floral scent made his nose itch. With bated breath of what valuable item could be in this box, Philip opened it up and took a look inside.

    It was Baron Delvin and Baron Rokerson¡¯s heads.

    Had they experienced unbearable pain before they died? Their contorted expressions made him feel intense revulsion.

    ¡°¡ªEeeek!¡±

    Albedo calmly spoke to Philip, whose body stiffened.

    ¡°To have the galls to besmirch me? We had nned to prepare an idiot, but never in my mind would I believe that someone as stupid as you could exist.¡±

    ¡®Woosh¡¯, that was the sound of Albedo standing up.

    Her face was all smiles, but now that things had progressed to this point, even Philip knew.

    She was absolutely furious.

    If he did not escape this ce, things would not end well for him.

    Philip turned around to run, but in his panic his leg tripped over the other, causing him to fall to the ground with a loud ¡®bang¡¯.

    ¡®Clop, clop¡¯, the sound of footsteps got closer. She had already made her way to him.

    ¡°Now then ¡ª let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°No! No! I don¡¯t want to go!¡±

    Putting up the minimal amount of resistance, he curled up into a ball.

    ¡°Do you seriously believe that acting like a spoiled child could get you out of this situation?¡±

    He was pulled along by his ear, which sent pain to his brain so intense that he began to question if his ear was about to be torn off.

    ¡°It hurts! It hurts! Stop!¡±

    ¡°Then walk. Here, stand up.¡±

    Philip wanted to push Albedo¡¯s hand, which still held on to his ear, away. However, even though her hands were thin and delicate as expected of a woman, her grip strength was far stronger than his.

    ¡°It hurts! It hurts!¡±

    He was pulled into a standing position by his ear.

    His vision was blurred by his tears, yet Philip still punched towards Albedo¡¯s face. However, his fists were easily caught midair, and then¡ª

    ¡°Hiyaaaaah!!¡±

    A force strong enough to crush bones was applied to his fist, which began to make crunching sounds.

    ¡°...If you just walk, I will not crush your hands, how about that?¡±

    ¡°I got it! I got it! I will walk! Please don¡¯t do that again!¡± The force on his hand was lifted. ¡°Why...? What have I done?¡±

    Philip¡¯s sorrowful tears streamed down like a waterfall.

    He had tried his best at everything, but not only was he not met with sess, he had never been treated like this before.

    Why was he victim to such violence?

    Why had nobodye to help him? Had he been sold out to the Sorcerous Kingdom for others¡¯ safety?

    They were all cowards.

    The whole lot of them, cowards.

    Albedo did not react to Philip crying for his fist and ear¡¯s sake. She just walked forward as if he did not exist at all. Philip followed along without resistance, since his ear was still in her hand.

    They walked outdoors from the main entrance.

    ¡°¡ªEeeek!¡±

    Philip shrieked at the sight in front of him.

    A forest had popped up in front of the mansion.

    But unlike a normal forest, this one was not made of grass and trees.

    Arge amount of strangely shaped trees were there.

    They were like stakes with hands and feet.

    Impalement.

    The vigers had all been impaled.

    Men, women, old, or young were all impaled on stakes. Not a single one of them was spared.

    All of them were impaled from the rectum to the mouth.

    All of them told of their sufferings through their expressions, no exceptions. Blood spilt out from every orifice and puddles of blood formed at the base of the stakes.

    When had they done something like this? It was impossible for Philip to not have noticed this going on.

    ¡°This...is not a dream. I used magic to soundproof your room. It must have been really silent, was it not? Haaah, if you were even a smidge smarter, you might have noticed something wrong...but from what I have seen, you werepletely clueless up till now.¡±

    Philip tried to put all of his strength in his hands to release his ear from Albedo¡¯s grip again. Albedo reacted by punching his face as she said to him.

    ¡°I had considered letting the vigers execute you themselves, but that would be boring. That which I admire, Ainz-sama, had ced heavy emphasis on practical experience and training. That is why I wanted to test out some intel-gathering torture methods on you. You should be ¡ª of some use to me.¡±

    Upon seeing Albedo¡¯s expression, which was a smile that looked like it could tear her own face off, Philip lost consciousness.

    ¡°Haaah...this man, really...? Haaah, fine. After all, your father had requested me to, ¡®let that idiot taste everybody¡¯s pain!¡¯ I shall keep my promise to him.¡±

    Philip could no longer hear what she had said.

    ----

    Since Albedo said she had to put an end to some matters, he was separated from her halfway back to this ce. Ainz returned to his room alone and said in a solemn tone to the maid in charge of taking care of him today.

    ¡°I will be reviewing the strategies the Sorcerous Kingdom should employ in the future. Stay here and do not allow anyone else past this point.¡±

    Ainz saw that the maid in charge of apanying him had turned her gaze towards the side of the door to his room, towards the maid in charge of his room today. She was probably about to tell her, ¡°I will leave everything here to you then, I shall be the one to wait on the venerable Ainz-sama.¡± This was how they usually operated after all.

    Ainz knew of this in advance, so he made a move before they could.

    ¡°I will have to consider things on the scale of years into the future. Any form of movement could disrupt my train of thought, do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Yes! I will try my best topletely erase my presence from now on!¡±

    While Ainz wanted to say that he did not mean it in that way, was this not fine too? In all honesty, the more he thought about this, the less he wanted to think about it.

    ¡°Good. Well then, seeing as you could not erase your presence for now, you should just stay here.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Ainz-sama.¡±

    The maid in charge of attending to him stayed behind in the office. Ainz himself made his way straight to his bedroom.

    His body was fine, but his mind was absolutely tapped out. Ainz leapt into his bed as if he was diving into a pool.

    The soft bed gently epted his body.

    A magnificent dive.

    If one was to consider the hang time, the distance he had leapt, the location hended on, the pose he was in when hended, et cetera, his diving motion would garner him praise that was objectively well-deserved.

    This was a skill he had gained through practice and experience, because he had dived into his bed every time he was mentally exhausted.

    ¡°Haaaah!¡±

    Ainz breathed a sigh of relief the same way a middle-aged man would. That sigh was beautiful too. A perfect thousand out of a thousand people surveyed would say that it was truly how a middle-aged man would sigh. The reason for this was the same as before, Ainz had practised his sighs multiple times before too.

    Ainz rolled around in his bed after that. Sometimes to the left, sometimes to the right.

    He had been at the ruined capital until now, so his body was covered in dust and dirt. While he knew that it would be best for him to take a slime bath first, he did not have the mental capacity for that anymore.

    {So tiring...}

    Was he sessful in acting as a viin? Had he dealt with that fellow in the tinum armour correctly? Although there were multiple points that warranted consideration and review, they had finally sorted out a big issue.

    ¡ªNo.

    This was just the first sessful step in their grand scheme, one could say that things were only going to get more difficult for them from now on. With that said however, they had gotten the mindless destruction out of the way, one of the simpler parts of the n. What was toe were destructions on a smaller scale, in other words, precision work. What was truly troublesome, was the rebuilding efforts that woulde after that.

    Up till this point, the Sorcerous Kingdom¡¯s territory had been tiny ¡ª excluding the Katze ins ¡ª yet it had giant nations as its vassals. However, things were different now. They had just gained arge amount of territory, the problems that could arise from this was obvious.

    Of course, the one who had her hands full with internal affairs was Albedo, but if something serious was to arise, she would definitely consult Ainz on it. The problems that could ur in the future were sure to be even more critical and difficult than they were now. He had absolutely no faith in himself that he could resolve those issues appropriately at all.

    Also, he could not figure out if he had messed up somewhere back then. Now, not only was there Albedo and Demiurge, the two geniuses of Nazarick around, that mentallypromised woman named Renner had also been added to Nazarick¡¯s ranks too. She had nothing to do with Yggdrasil, was purely an outsider, someone not bound by vour text, and thus could analyze Ainz from a purely objective standpoint. What was more troubling was that her intellect was easily on par with the two geniuses of Nazarick.

    Could he truly act out and act well the Ainz Ooal Gown he had been building up till now in front of someone like her?

    ¡°¡ªI want to run away¡±

    This was the truth ¡ª the wholehearted truth from the depths of Ainz¡¯s soul.

    Ainz spoke like a true wageve who hadmitted a major error that would probably be found out the next day he came in.

    {I thought I had reached my limits back then. Is it not time that I let everyone know that I was a talentless hack this entire time? Have I not mentally prepared myself for this way back?}

    But¡ª

    {The moment I think about that moment approaching...I get scared of what kinds of reaction they would have...fuck. Would that not be enough to trigger the emotional suppression...?}

    It was as though Ainz¡¯s abilities were telling him that this was nothing to worry over at all.

    Ainz pondered and pondered some more to arrive at a conclusion.

    ¡°¡ªalright, I¡¯ll run away.¡±

    However, that was easier said than done. There was no way that leaving everything behind to run away would be eptable. It was like if he had not handed in the documents for his recement yet wanted to use up all of his paid leave for a vacation a month before he resigned. That was definitely not an eptable way to quit a job.

    While he could just say, ¡°alright, I¡¯ll run away¡± and actually run away, he would be looked down on for that.

    He would need an appropriate reason for his absence.

    Did he not have anything at all?

    Ainz racked his nonexistent brain.

    {Right!}

    An idea shed in his mind.

    He had considered multiple paid leave ns in the past, but they all went to waste. If that was the case ¡ª how about he set an example for them by taking a vacation first?

    To be free from the shackles of Nazarick for even a little while, to hand over the work required to Albedo, would definitely be a safer bet than leaving the work to him.

    But there was a chance that she would say that Ainz, as the supreme leader of Nazarick, had to be included in the nning process. If she said that...

    ¡°I already used the excuse that they should train to be self-sufficient should I pass away, so this could just be a variant of that. I¡¯ll tell them that should I be uncontactable, Albedo would be in charge of everything ¡ª that¡¯s the n I¡¯ll run with.¡±

    Ainz clenched his fist.

    It was just that¡ª

    {Where should I go?}

    He could improve their rtionship with the Empire and his with Jiiv by touring the Empire.

    Or he could investigate the mountain chain that contained the Dwarven nation.

    The Holy Kingdom¡ª

    {¡ªthat¡¯s a no from me since there¡¯s nothing of value there anyways.}

    All sorts of dreams manifested in his mind as they grew more and more borate.

    And then, Ainz was suddenly reminded of something.

    {How about I send those children away to make some elf friends?}

    Aura and Mare. He had thought about this before, about whether or not he was pushing too much work onto them. Although this was well within the norm back in that world, Yamaiko had repeatedly ranted to him that their way of doing things was wrong. If that was the case, he should probably be more lenient to those children.

    So, what should he do? Should he take those two on a tour?

    {That sounds nice...no, wouldn¡¯t that be an excellent n? If I did that, it could both set an example to the Floor Guardians about paid leave, but it would also be an experiment to see how well Nazarick would fare without them.}

    He had noticed the problem of the increasing workload on the Floor Guardians long ago. Perhaps he could figure out a solution to that problem through this.

    ¡°Alright!¡±

    After hepletes a certain amount of work, he should take those children to the Elven nation to make some friends.

    Ainz stood up and walked out of the room with that n firmly set in his heart.

    --------

    Character Sheets

    58

    Renner Theiere Chardelon Ryle Vaiself ¡ª Heteromorph

    Golden Princess

    upation: ??. (TBD)

    Residence: A room on the ninth floor of Nazarick

    Racial Levels: Imp ¡ª Level 1

    ss Levels: Actress (Common) ¡ª Level 4 Genius ¡ª Level 5

    Birthday: 7th day of Upper Fire Month

    Hobbies: Having sex with Climb

    Personal Character:

    Someone who trampled over the happiness of the vast majority of the Kingdom¡¯s people to better achieve her own dreams. She is the happiest woman in this world. She did not hold any ill will against the people of the Kingdom, rather, she was sort of grateful towards them. That said, her gratitude towards them was no different than one¡¯s gratitude towards the existence of food. Genius was a special ss wherein its levels were interchangeable with all basic andmon sses. That said, (currently) it could only rece one ss at a time. This ss was usually used by her to substitute for Princess levels. It was an extremely rare ss, you could count the amount of people with this ss on ten fingers alone.

    ----

    59

    Zanac Valleon Igana Ryle Vaiself ¡ª Human

    The Last King of the Vaiself Royal Family

    upation: Prince of the Vaiself Royal Family

    Residence: Castle Ro Lente

    ss Levels: King (Common) ¡ª Level 1 Prince (Common) ¡ª Level 4 Charisma (Common) ¡ª Level 2 Fighter ¡ª Level 1

    Birthday: 14th day of the Lower Water Month

    Hobbies: Eating, sleeping, and spacing out.

    Personal Character:

    Because he had grown up under the assumption that his elder brother would definitely inherit the throne, his situation was not that great. Neither did nobles support him, nor was he close to anyone in the pce. Still, as one with exceeding abilities, he refused to yield but gave his all to the betterment of the Royal Family¡¯s future. Zanac, Renner, Marquis Raeven, and Gazef. If those four were united in mind and were truly motivated enough to do so, they should be able to push back on the Empire¡¯s encroachment and bring about a stronger Kingdom. Perhaps you believe that to be an impossibility, but had Nazarick not shown up and had Barbro died before he could inherit the throne, that could definitelye true.

    ---- 60

    Azuth Aindra ¡ª Human

    The Character Actor Adventurer

    upation: Leader of Red Drop

    Residence: The high-end inn Dragon¡¯s Breath, in the capital of the Arnd Council-State

    ss Levels: Fighter ¡ª Level ? Sniper ¡ª Level ? Athletic Master ¡ª Level ? Etc.

    Birthday: 15th day of the Lower Water Month

    Hobbies: Tasting good booze (But he cannot hold his liquor)

    Personal Character:

    If one were to address him by his full name and titles, it would take a long time (because of his knight and noble titles), so he will be introduced here only by his preferred name. His personalbat abilities are probably the lowest of the Adamantite-ranked adventurers and also the lowest in his team. In addition, because his ss levels had been built around operating the Powered Suit, he would be an insignificant figure were he to be without the suit. Although he relies heavily on the Powered Suit¡¯s capabilities, he himself is still strong enough to be considered an Orichalcum-ranked adventurer. He is by no means weak.

    ----

    Tsaindorcus Vaision ¡ª Heteromorph

    tinum Dragon Lord

    upation: Unconfirmed as he has multiple jobs

    Residence: Unconfirmed as he does not have a permanent residence.

    ss Levels: Primitive Caster ¡ª Level ? World Connector ¡ª Level ? Overed Dragon ¡ª Level ? Soul Adorer ¡ª Level ?

    Birthday: Night of the Falling Star

    Hobbies: Observing the world

    Personal Character:

    The strongest type of Dragon Lord. He had killed a yer in the past. Although he is of a gentle disposition and has a magnanimous heart, the bigger picture will alwayse first. He has the resolve to sacrifice as many lives as necessary. He had cooperated with a certain group of Dragon Lords in the past because their goals were aligned, but now that this was no longer the case, their rtionship has weakened. He is in possession of multiple bases of operation and has experimented with organization formation all over the world. The Council-State itself was part of arger experiment. His power is at its peak when he is in the East, in and managed by a Dragon Lord confidant of his. If you wished to fight a decisive battle with Tsa, then the battlefield would have to be in the East.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!